Back to the UK after 50 years

[Melburnian1]

While subjective, food seems to have improved in England compared to 20 years ago.

Fish and chips remain below Oz standards, probably due to a smaller fish species selection, but plated meals good, even at lower prices like Wetherspoons' popular, widespread pubs.

Have not had a 'Wimpy's', a la @kookaburra75 and nor am I a gourmand.

@OZDUCK , should be exciting. You must be better as my memory even when old enough won't go back 50 years.

 

[SYD]

While subjective, food seems to have improved in England compared to 20 years ago.

Food has improved tenfold in the UK over the last 20-30 years. Huge range of options and quality (with varying price!). Outside London, things are cheaper.

Currently in London at the moment and I visit yearly, I’m still amazed at the changes. In the early 90s there was average pub grub, Angus Steakhouse, and dodgy curries and Chinese*.

Google maps can help find places. Check the scores and reviews (sort by “Newist), that’ll usually give you a better feel for the place.

*there’s still some dodgy curries and Chinese but also great stuff.

 

[OZDUCK]

This morning was our departure day. The previous night my 3 1/2 year old grandson came to say goodbye and had lots of tears about his grandmother going on holiday.

After a very fitful sleep we were out of bed before 0300 and then headed off to park our car in the long term parking area at Perth Airport.

A perfect place to run across a zombie or two.



I had a perfect score trying to get to the KrisFlyer. Lounge. My passport wouldn't scan so I had to be manually processed. I had a 'hot spot' around my groin on the security camera so got a pat down and then was picked for an explosives check.

We eventually made to the pleasant lounge. I had some bacon and eggs.



I have already moaned about the Regional J seats on SQ today so suffice it to say they are the worst 'modern' J seats I have sat in. To make it better despite it only being around 15 C the cabin was roasting.

 

[OZDUCK]

Take off to the north. Terminal 1.



Sunrise just as we got above the clouds. We were above clouds for 90% of the flight. There was some light chop but the seatbelt sign was used sparingly.



The only book the cook option was Char Sui Pork with noodles. I found the meat very chewy and fatty and the carrots rock hard. Ipbarely ate any of it. But I was also feeling a bit crook from the lack of sleep so it may have just been me



We took a route I have never experienced before when flying to Singapore. We went way east nearly overflying Bali and then passing close to Borneo. I asked a FA and she said that was due to avoiding an erupting volcano. I had a look and Mt
Sinabung on Sumatra has just commenced erupting in the last few days.

I did get a photo of what I am sure was also a volcano. The B787 windows were darkened but not locked. I was just too slow to change mine. The switch was also nearly hidden behind my seat.

.

Every time I fly into Singapore more land nearby has been cleared.



We flew close by Pulai Ubin on our approach.



And right over Changi Village and the Village Hotel Changi were we have stayed a number of times.



We arrived 15 minutes early despite the new routing. The Singapore machines had no trouble reading my passport and my suitcase was the first one on the belt and my wife's one was third. So we were through the airport very quickly.

We were both very tired so just had a walk around Bugis and Little India before getting two Indian veg combos for a very early evening meal.





We walked back to the hotel planning to go out again but have both succumbed to tiredness and are having an early night.

 

[Flyfrequently]

This morning was our departure day. The previous night my 3 1/2 year old grandson came to say goodbye and had lots of tears about his grandmother going on holiday.


View attachment 520019



View attachment 520021

What, no tears for Grandpa @OZDUCK

 

[Major]

Also interested in your trip. I spent 1970 mostly in London. Also drove mini buses on camping tours all over Europe. Only went back once, with my wife when I retired in 2008

 

[RooFlyer]

Our only two 'long trips' - Manchester to London and Cambridge to York were booked several weeks ago.

Which lines? I did London-Manchester return a few months ago, First Class. 'Cross Country' on the way up, and 'Avanti West Coast' on the way back. Avanti was much better (The Cross Country trip starts here, then some Manchester sights, then the Avanti trip back).

 

[OZDUCK]

What, no tears for Grandpa @OZDUCK

Some but not as many. He wanted his mother to take our passports away so we couldn't go.

 

[OZDUCK]

Which lines? I did London-Manchester return a few months ago, First Class. 'Cross Country' on the way up, and 'Avanti West Coast' on the way back. Avanti was much better (The Cross Country trip starts here, then some Manchester sights, then the Avanti trip back).

I did indeed read you TR and deliberately booked Avanti 2nd Manchester to London on your recommendation. But plenty of other reviewers also agreed with you.

 

[Quickstatus]

I did get a photo of what I am sure was also a volcano.

Interesting

As you were in seat K, I suspect you were seeing these 3:
The one in the foreground possibly Mt Argopuro - inactive possible extinct. The 2 smaller ones in the background are active
If you were in Seat A You would have seen Mt Semeru which is currently erupting (maybe not on your flight)
East of the pic is a corner of western Bali
The line is the path of what i think is your flight.




Here is a pictorial of Indonesian volcanos
There are 4 currently erupting - Orange triangle with erupting icon.
-the ones important for AU-south east Asia flights are Anak Krakatoa (bottom left) and Semeru - bottom middle of screenshot)
-
Orange triangles are Level 3 volcanos with or without erupting icon
Yellow triangles are Level 2 Volcanos
Green triangles are level 1 Volcanos

 

[Noah Count]

Watching - although I lived in the UK a couple of times and also in Germany as a kid and young/ mid adult most of my trips back have been for work so it was a was arrival at the major airports, city, office meetings, back to airport and then back home. It was only earlier this year when I got suck in the UK (ME conflict) that I ended up with a couple of extra weeks to go on a wider look around and rekindle other places I have not been to in years. Reading some of the earlier posts I think we have been there around the same time (second trip) our first trip was sea passage as it was the reason my Dad volunteered for Sub training with the RAN and I cannot find the old photos.

I came across an old photo of Mums passport for our 1976 trip (departing) when we were all travelling on her passport and stayed overseas for 2-3 years. Departure was on the QF b707 that went (from memory) SYD-PER-BOM-LHR. Coming back a few years later it was BA (Scotland-London) connecting to LAX on TWA (F), the younger ones may not know what TWA is, a few internal trips within the US with TWA and PAA before arrival in HNL for a few days then back to AU with QF (747, F). I seemed to have picked up my Dads ability to work the system as somehow in the 1970's he had worked out how to fly at the pointy end.

As for the passport we managed to travel around on this and most will not identify the reasons why it is wrong as the errors are known within the family. These are some of the errors:

• Oldest child (first on the list, me) was actually born in 1968, not 1976.
• The passport has a photo issue date in 1977, we left AU for the UK in 1976.
• My Mum and Dad still joke about how we managed to travel to the UK, Europe and the US on a passport that was officially issued at least a year after we had commenced travel and it was never picked up.

Also at @kookaburra75 you just have to change the pence price to pounds and it it is most likely on the money these days

 

[SYD]

Interesting

As you were in seat K, I suspect you were seeing these 3:
The one in the foreground possibly Mt Argopuro - inactive possible extinct. The 2 smaller ones in the background are active
If you were in Seat A You would have seen Mt Semeru which is currently erupting (maybe not on your flight)
East of the pic is a corner of western Bali
The line is the path of what i think is your flight.

View attachment 520066

I posted a photo of those a few weeks ago.

Post in thread 'Your favourite photos taken of/from a plane?'

Aug 12, 2026

Similar sunset last night but with Javanese volcanoes popping up through the clouds!



SYD-CGK.

• SYD

• 
• 

 

[OZDUCK]

Interesting

As you were in seat K, I suspect you were seeing these 3:
The one in the foreground possibly Mt Argopuro - inactive possible extinct. The 2 smaller ones in the background are active
If you were in Seat A You would have seen Mt Semeru which is currently erupting (maybe not on your flight)
East of the pic is a corner of western Bali
The line is the path of what i think is your flight.

View attachment 520066


Here is a pictorial of Indonesian volcanos
There are 4 currently erupting - Orange triangle with erupting icon.
-the ones important for AU-south east Asia flights are Anak Krakatoa (bottom left) and Semeru - bottom middle of screenshot)
-
Orange triangles are Level 3 volcanos with or without erupting icon
Yellow triangles are Level 2 Volcanos
Green triangles are level 1 Volcanos

View attachment 520064

View attachment 520063

Thanks for this. Your projected path looks pretty right and the 3 volcanos you suggested seem to match what I saw. I was lucky to see them as that was one of the few breaks in the cloud cover.


I

 

[OZDUCK]

Watching - although I lived in the UK a couple of times and also in Germany as a kid and young/ mid adult most of my trips back have been for work so it was a was arrival at the major airports, city, office meetings, back to airport and then back home. It was only earlier this year when I got suck in the UK (ME conflict) that I ended up with a couple of extra weeks to go on a wider look around and rekindle other places I have not been to in years. Reading some of the earlier posts I think we have been there around the same time (second trip) our first trip was sea passage as it was the reason my Dad volunteered for Sub training with the RAN and I cannot find the old photos.

I came across an old photo of Mums passport for our 1976 trip (departing) when we were all travelling on her passport and stayed overseas for 2-3 years. Departure was on the QF b707 that went (from memory) SYD-PER-BOM-LHR. Coming back a few years later it was BA (Scotland-London) connecting to LAX on TWA (F), the younger ones may not know what TWA is, a few internal trips within the US with TWA and PAA before arrival in HNL for a few days then back to AU with QF (747, F). I seemed to have picked up my Dads ability to work the system as somehow in the 1970's he had worked out how to fly at the pointy end.

As for the passport we managed to travel around on this and most will not identify the reasons why it is wrong as the errors are known within the family. These are some of the errors:

• Oldest child (first on the list, me) was actually born in 1968, not 1976.
• The passport has a photo issue date in 1977, we left AU for the UK in 1976.
• My Mum and Dad still joke about how we managed to travel to the UK, Europe and the US on a passport that was officially issued at least a year after we had commenced travel and it was never picked up.View attachment 520097

Also at @kookaburra75 you just have to change the pence price to pounds and it it is most likely on the money these days

If you were on a B707 I wouldn't be surprised if you had at least another refuelling stop in Rome or elsewhere. That London/Bombay/Perth) Sydney routing was flown by B747's in the 1970's when I used to deal with it in Customs. It was then flight QF8.

 

[Cossie]

1976, I'm sure we did London, Bahrain, Bombay, Perth, QF 747.