Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet TM

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Food photos are of real food with no photoshop

Flight Review SQ319 LHR to SIN

The debonair and energetic Travelling Gourmet TM flies on his favourite airline…

MARVELLOUS Singapore Airlines…I was in London’s Heathrow Airport which is not one of the world’s best airports by a long chalk. However, it is better than Charles de Gaulle in Paris and the old Narita Airport in Tokyo. LHR’s Terminal 2 is HUGE…and not passenger friendly. When you check in your luggage after you arrive, assuming you have already done the Internet check-in on line, there is usually a long queue and a long wait. After that is is the Security Screening which is horrendous. The Security Screening is always over zealous with much swabbing of your carry on bags for traces of explosives and testing the swabs with the IonScan machines. On this occasion, the swab turned up negative. Of course it was negative! In April this year it came up positive…and after a big rigmarole and retesting and what not, the Supervisor Harry Singh, announced sheepishly to me, “False activation..” I was very annoyed and sent in two NEGATIVE feedback forms to which no reply has been forthcoming!

Inside the secure Departure area, it is an extremely LONG WALK to the B Departure Gates and CIP Lounges. Even with the moving travellators and carry on luggage with wheels, that is, trolley bags, it is a long and tiring journey! very poor design on the part of the architects who designed the airport. SIA’s Silver Kris Lounge is a lovely oasis from all the hassle and stress..a lovely place to relax and recover before your long flight. It is not that straightforward to get there either as it is on another level.

On this flight, the boarding was quite smooth and well supervised. I was pleased to be on board the plane. It was a  Boeing 777-300ER plane.

 Airborne at 36,000 feet above sea level

Dear loyal readers, as you know I love good food and good wines! Some even accuse me of having an obsession. They may be right but what the hell, it is better than being obsessed with drugs or gambling in casinos! When airborne, I like to taste and try different cuisines like Hindu, Muslim Halal, Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Vegetarian and so on. One of my favourites is KOSHER! Yes, I am a JEW! That is a joke! I am not really a Jew but I confess I support Israel. Anyway, I love Kosher food which interestingly enough is similar in many ways to Muslim Halal food! True Glatt Kosher food has no pork in it just like Halal food. To let you in on a little secret…Kosher Food on SIA is the most expensive meal that is served! SIA does specially ordered and certified Kosher food very well and I get a lot of funny looks from other passengers when I am served my Kosher Meal. I can read their minds. They are thinking, “He looks Chinese but he is really a Jew…” Wahahaha! In life we need some laughs and humour every day! I enjoyed my Kosher meal of succulent Chicken and Onions with fragrant Buttered Rice.

 Kosher Meal

 Kosher Omelette with Sauteed Potatoes and Baked Beans!

I must mention Leading Flight Steward Cany for his care and helpfullness. He told me about his wife who used to be an SIA Flight Stewardess, but now has her own cake making business. In fact, all the crew on the flight were exemplary. Theresa Tan regaled me with her story of how she became a Flight Stewardess and even told me her age, which I shall not reveal. Das ist mein Geheimnis…(that is my secret)

Yes, it was a really nice flight with really good service…to paraphrase Johnny Depp in the hit movie “The Tourist”. The hit movie always reminds me of the magnificnet Hotel Danieli in Venezia, and my favourite Greta Garbo suite…I watched several inflight movies

,and had some cat naps in between exercising by walking up and down the aisles and doing inflight exercises. Not easy in the confined space of an aircraft cabin nut necessary.

SQ 319 was a really nice flight. Singapore Airlines, you’re a great way to fly! Much better than Air France and Quantas where the Flight Stewardesses are old, fat and ugly…Shudder!

True wealth is health, and not pieces of gold and silver! Life is like ice cream, enjoy it before it melts! 🙂