Airline: Singapore Airlines
Aircraft: Airbus A340-300
Seat No: 60A
I had landed in Singapore from an overnight flight and thinking of the long route to Vancouver via Seoul, made me even tired
. I had just arrived into Changi on an SQ A340 http://www.airliners.net/open.file/274602/L/ and was going to fly that beautiful bird once again. I made my way to the gate, which had not a person in sight. It would not open for another hour and my flight would not take off for another 3 hours. I tried to sleep but it was useless. I saw the A340 arrive, being gently towed to the gate. We were at the far end of the terminal closer to the south end. Finally the gate came to life and very soon we boarded the A340. I had the last seat on the bird, on the right from where I could see what was the final climb out of 20L and those on 20R as well. There were not too many planes, or maybe I feel off to sleep, but I recall seeing an SQ 744 climb out into the morning grey sky, as a light rain began to fall, while a distant thunder began to roll. We pushed back, and began our taxi http://www.airliners.net/open.file/227696/L/ to the start of 20L . We passed the Changi terminal on the way with the famous Singapore tower, SINGAPORE CHANGI sign on the terminal building and of course tons of SQ jets, including SQ 744 heavies. We turned on the runway, the winglet of the A340 sporting the fancy golden orange and navy blue of the famous Singapore Airlines colour scheme, as she lined up for the 20L departure http://www.airliners.net/open.file/321480/L/. The engines roared to life http://www.airliners.net/open.file/178516/L/ from what was a quiet taxi to the runway, and the rain on the windows outside that had collected moved in an angle across the glass, momentarily freezing in motion, before racing down at a steep angle as we climbed out of Changi. The A340 is such a graceful bird, you begin to wonder if she will climb after what seems like an exceptionally long roll, and just when you get that odd feeling if she will, she lifts up her nose wheels http://www.airliners.net/open.file/204483/L/and climb gently up into the air http://www.airliners.net/open.file/195181/L/. We proceeded out over the sea, before he banked to the left the orange and blue winglet scooping down to touch a few of the ships in the Harbour, that decreased in size gradually as we climbed higher. We continued to turn in that left turn until the Singapore coastline lay to our right, and Changi Airport could be clearly seen, yet shrouded in some mist. Another SQ heavy was lifting out of Changi and the plane was the only thing moving gently across the Singapore backdrop. He continued outwards towards the South China Sea before turning slightly right to make his way to Seoul our destination before we reached Vancouver.We had reached cruising altitude and the beverage and meal service began. A friendly yet a bit funny looking flight attendant started the meals with our seat from the back of the plane. He smiled
his eyes blinking as he asked me what meal option I liked. I faced my palm outwards and shook my head :shakehead: saying ‘Nothing” at the same time. At once he came closer and asked “Sir, can I get you anything else then, some water, a drink” 
when he sensed I wanted nothing to eat. He smiled and began to ask my neighbour his option. I put on my eye shades and tried to get some sleep. Unlike a 747 the A340 is just great and offers a smooth ride even in turbulence. The flight progressed, I watched some movies, read and before long we had less than two hours to land and the next meal service began. This time I was hungry and enjoyed a great seafood dish with scallops :yummie: hmm. I have to admit like Emirates, Singapore offers great food, and in huge portions. I gobbled down my food and got ready for our descent. I don’t recall the route but I think we passed close to Taiwan before entering the East China Sea and then Korean airspace. After what seemed long travel over nothing but sea, land final came into view. A huge Industrial plant, and if I recall clearly it was Hyundai, Daewoo, or some famous Korean brand name that we flew over, the sun that shone on the sea transitioned itself onto the top of the plant’s shiny roof as we closed in on the Korean airspace. The aircraft slowed down, the flaps descended and under the wing I could see tall buildings approaching in the distance some that seemed to be on hills, or surrounded by hills. We descended lower and I almost thought the pilot was going to go low over them 8O as they got bigger as we got closer. I got my camera ready and decided to click. Long banners of Korean scripts or were they painted on the buildings ran down the length of them. Just as I got ready to click, Mr. Captain decided to bank hard to the right 
, the left wing winglet that was moving alongside the approaching skyline, was now racing against the afternoon sky the sunlight moving along the wing as we turned sharply to the right to establish ourselves with runway 32L or 32R to land at Seoul’s Kimpo Airport. (This was before the new Incheon airport opened up). I think we might have come north, turned east and then west again making that sharp bank to the right. I’ll tell you why I think it happened this way, if you will read on. We landed in Seoul Kimpo and we passed many Korean Air jets on the way to the terminal 8) Inside the terminal smartly dressed Korean Air ground staff moved around, and a complete contrast was on the television display. A young Korean rock band :rock: with multi coloured hair belted out songs with subtitles along the base of the screen. Signs mentioned that photography at the airport was banned. Well, there was nothing to photograph. I saw my SQ cabin crew pass through security and my friendly male FA disappeared down the escalator the top of his pokey hair the last of him to go. We boarded the jet again and the same Singaporean that sat with me from Changi was back too. We taxied to runway and held short of 32R (or L) for an approaching KE 744 which passed right in front of me before landing on the runway we were going to take off from, The A340 raced down the runway and climbed out gracefully. The on screen map display showed us heading out of 32R turning left out of Seoul, the buildings we had passed earlier now visible as we made our final left turn to track across Korea and towards the north of Japan from where we proceeded over the north Pacific Ocean before closing in on Vancouver Island, and then Vancouver itself. It was now nearly late evening and the setting sun from the west fell on the top of the clouds as we headed east, actually to the west coast of Canada. I was really tired now, and I fell off to sleep
. I woke up again some hours out of Vancouver and the final of the meal services we had was being served :fork: . I was desperate to reach Vancouver and my final destination of Toronto. I spent the last few hours watching movies. We flew directly over Vancouver Island and an eager Canadian couple 
in front of me bent over each other to view the landscape below. Perhaps they lived there, in Nanaimo, B.C. Finally the jet quietened down the mountains of Vancouver appeared in the distance. We were now over the mainland and Vancouver Int’l appeared fast approaching. We passed along it's south east side it clearly visible on the fine sunny day http://www.airliners.net/open.file/511664/L/. , the parallel runways with not much activity. We continued and now the airport was behind us and downtown Vancouver could be seen small yet very clearly identifiable. Now much lower the captain began the down wind and began a sharp right turn, keeping the hold till we established ourselves with 26L. The suburbs of Vancouver passed by under us before we touched down at Vancouver Int’l http://www.airliners.net/open.file/187772/L/.. This wasn’t the end I had yet another trip to Toronto, my head was aching , my eyes were dying for sleep and I only hoped I was back home in bed. Once inside the terminal I got my bags, and rushed to the Air Canada counter. An Air Canada A340 was at the gate from where my next flight to Toronto would leave. I pleaded with an Air Canada gate agent to let me board, not so much of the tiredness but the ride on an AC A340 back to Toronto. She shook her head :shakehead: and looked out indicating to me to look at the plane pulling out of the gate. I waited and waited for my next flight and saw the planes of JL, CX including our SQ jet head back for their journeys over the Pacific from where I had just come from. In a few hours I would be back in Toronto.
