Pax B, BOAC VC10 and B707 cabin crew were dual qualified on both types. Some time ago I wrote this about the Indian Ocean trips:-I have often been asked which was my favourite route. To me, the best was a 10 day triangular trip that could be done in either direction with different selections of stops. For example, the first leg might be to Bahrain, the next to Bombay or Calcutta. Then to Singapore and Hong Kong; back via Singapore and Colombo; then across to the Seychelles and on to either Blantyre or Johannesburg. And finally back to London via Nairobi or Entebbe with night stops all along the way. What a diverse selection of cultures and aeronautical problems; the monsoon in India, the approach at low level through the harbour to Hong Kong; back to Colombo flying along beside huge thunderstorms filled with sheets of almost continuous lightening. The let down on limits to the Seychelles which involved flying overhead the radio beacon, heading southeast out to sea, descending to break cloud and then turning back towards the island, peering through low cloud and driving rain trying to see the lighthouse at Victoria and then flying visually along the coast until the approach lights of the airport appeared from round behind the hill. All good Mark 1 eyeball stuff.
Then on to Africa for a landing at Blantyre, in Malawi, where the narrower than normal runway made it difficult to judge the flare height – the locals used to come to watch the resulting spectacular bounces. Or, alternatively, to Johannesburg with an elevation of 5,500ft. What a wonderful trip, and with time off at most of the stops to explore. Rose-tinted spectacles? Yes, most certainly – but that is what memories are made of. What a magnificent aircraft and what wonderfully diverse routes for us to enjoy!
I think that says it all!!