jeudi 3 septembre 2015

NINE DAYS WITH ETIHAD AIRWAYS: BRASIL, ABU DHABI, SOUTH AFRICA, INDIA, BELGIUM

I am grateful for being able to travel more often, due to my unconventional lifestyle. I had always wanted to travel, and still maintain that the desire to travel and explore is far more important than the means to do so, An unconventional life gives you the time, plus the encounters on the road becomes meaningful.
Every one has a story, be patient and listen to their story. It is amazing how enriching it is. It is not the high achievers who have enhanced my life but the ordinary people whom I have met along the road.
During a recent nine day period, I had a chance to fly ETIHAD AIRWAYS, who with Emirates and Qatar Airways, will determine the future of Aviation around the world. I am somewhat partial to Qatar Airways for reasons I cannot explain, may it become clearer to me one day! The people I meet on both airlines, flight crew as well as the ground staff in addition to the good men and women staff their superlative airport lounges at Abu Dhabi or Doha.
Flight 1   GRU to AUH  14 hours
Flight  2   AUH to JNB     8 hours
Flight  3   COK to AUH    4 hours
Flight  4   AUH to  BRU   7 hours
Lounges
Sao Paolo
Abu Dhabi  (nothing short of Excellent, Arrivals Lounge and Departure Lounge at Terminal 3 much better than the one at Terminal 1)
Johannesburg
Cochin

Bon Apetite!



























Two dishes stand out
On the Sao Paolo to Abu Dhabi flight:
Oven roasted Lamb Loin, with seasonal vegetables and rosemary jus. Congratulations to Chef Wei from Cape Town.
The other one was on my flight to Johannesburg. Pan friend fillet of Barramundi, potato cake, green beans, courgettes and herb-tomato salsa with capers. (was lucky to taste it again on the Abu Dhabi to Brussels flight)
I picked up the habit of Champagne in Paris, so it is always nice to begin a flight with a flute or two of the bubbly.
Champagne Bollinger La Grande 2005
More often, they serve Champagne Jacquart, Brut Mosaique.
Had a glass of Pol Roger before they could open their bar..
The white wine is always a Sauvignon Blanc, if possible from Aotearoa, formerly called New Zealand!
Nautilus Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2013
more commonly it is Brancott Estates 2014 (a bottle I shared with dear friends once at an Italian resto at Merrick Village in Miami! L'haim)

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