After a gap of 6 years the ramblings recommence! There have, of course, been many travels in the interim, but a trip to the Falkland Islands is worthy of record. All thanks to Mark, a mate from university who joined the Navy and is currently down south for a stint. Fancy a 19 hour trip from Brize Norton via Ascension in an Air Tanker Airbus 330 with all premium economy seating he asked? How could I refuse? Treat it as part of the experience Mark advised.
Naturally, the trip had to start by getting south and that included BA Business to LHR which was a chance to remind me of what I wouldn’t be getting. This was breakfast – at 9 am – and there was only small glass of fizz. Salmon was good too.
Then a couple of days revisiting my youth in Oxfordshire and the train to Portsmouth to join Mark’s sons who were visiting their dad, and even more importantly taking me to Brize. All going well until the flight south was ‘moved right’ (delayed) by 24 hours because of strong winds at Mount Pleasant airfield so an unexpected but happy evening in Pompey.
Checking in with the RAF for a flight that leaves at 23.35 must be done between 17.30 and 20.30 at the latest. Six hours waiting at an airport seemed excessive even for me, so instead we went to The Farmer’s Dog for a pint of Hawkestone and packet of Diddly Squat Crisps (£20) since it was only three miles away.
Pub is really appealing but of course eating there was out of the question since we hadn’t booked weeks in advance. Instead, off for a bar supper in the Golden Eagle in Carterton (three pints and three mains £40) which was most satisfactory.
And then the experience began. Extremely helpful Serco and service staff but slick it was not. Lounge functional and completely dry, as is the flight. Not arriving until 19.00 was a good move.
Our flight left on time but was turbulent and, for me at least, pretty sleep deprived. However, it passed easily. A dry flight with largely military passengers who wait for instructions, is the way to travel. Our fellow passengers included veterans of 1982, one of whom was part of the tiny garrison when Argentina invaded. As he returned home from being a prisoner his brother, another marine, was already heading south. Breakfast was remarkably good too, as well as restorative, despite the somewhat blunt appearance.
After which the pleasure of somewhere new, Ascension Island and its transit ‘cage’ for two hours while the aircraft refuelled.
It’s accurate description of a fenced indoor and outdoor area with a NAAFI cafe, toilets, and a duty free with drink you can’t touch. Glad to have seen it though so different from 1982 when it was one of the busiest airfields on the planet. Balmy, semi sunny and humid, though having seen the volcanic landscape I suspect that’s enough.
The second half was oddly more difficult than the first. Impatience, fatigue, and doing some work probably didn’t help, but smooth flying and slightly early, we finally arrived over the Falklands which were beautiful and somewhat moody as the clouds broke progressively as we approached RAF Mount Pleasant.
And then time to shower, before heading to the mess for food to decompress with a few restorative wets. Then blissful sleep. Wildlife tomorrow though happily it should involve some flying too!!