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Archibald Stuart-MacLaren (centre), the aviator who led the British attempt to make the first aerial circumnavigation of the globe, with his crew in front of their Vickers Vulture aircraft.
Opinion
Travellers' Checks
by Adam Nebbs
Travellers' Checks
by Adam Nebbs

How Hong Kong welcomed three intrepid British aviators attempting to become the first to fly around the globe

The adventurous trio were pipped to the post by a team of American adventurers. Ninety-five years later, British adventurer James Ketchell is following in their footsteps, albeit this time by gyrocopter

Adam Nebbs
Adam Nebbs
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“Just after six p.m. yesterday,” announced The Hongkong Daily Press on July 1, 1924, “three men, stalwart and sunburned, in weather-stained khaki shirts and shorts, and whose unshaved cheeks and unkempt hair told the tale of arduous travel, walked off Blake Pier and along the Praya to the Hongkong Club.” Some weeks behind schedule, these celebrated airmen, led by Squadron Leader Archibald Stuart-MacLaren, were attempting the first flight around the globe, and their arrival in Hong Kong from Indochina had been keenly anticipated.

Eager spectators had looked on as what an awestruck reporter for The China Mail described as “a mere speck that was soon to assume the semblance of a bird and later to take shape as a great plane with the form of men clearly visible” landed in the harbour between Stonecutters Island and Lai Chi Kok. A three-aircraft team of Americans attempting the same feat, though from east to west, had landed their floatplanes in the same spot and left again more than three weeks earlier. Hoping to meet them here, the British fliers’ first plane had crashed in Burma, and a replacement had had to be shipped over from Japan. After a rousing send off (complete with firecrackers), they proceeded to Japan and the eastern Soviet Union, but ditched in the Bering Sea on August 4, and were rescued by their Royal Canadian Navy support ship. Two of the American planes completed their round-the-world flight in Seattle in late September.

James Ketchell is attempting to become the first person to fly around the world in a gyrocopter.

Currently attempting a feat similar to that of his com­patriots of 95 years ago – though on a more northerly course – British adventurer James Ketchell is aiming to be the first person to fly around the world in a gyrocopter. Like their Vickers Vulture, his aircraft also has an open cockpit with a pusher propeller located just behind it. A lack of wings and floats, however, makes the gyro­copter more vulnerable to the ele­ments.

No stranger to challenges, Ketchell is the first and only person to have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, climbed Mount Everest and cycled around the world. The remarkable 37-year-old set off from Hampshire, England on March 31, and at the time of writing was somewhere over Alaska. You can follow his progress and find out more about his flight and his charitable mission at jamesketchell.net.

Low-cost airline IndiGo launches new Hong Kong-Kolkata route

The Metropolitan Building in central Kolkata, just one example of the impressive architecture on show in India's cultural capital. Photo: Shutterstock
Calcutta (now Kolkata) was the most westerly outpost on Cathay Pacific’s route map from the early 1950s until 1970, when the carrier pulled out amid the city’s political strife. India’s cultural capital wasn’t reconnected with Hong Kong until late 2012, when Dragonair launched a four-times-weekly service, which, as Cathay Dragon, it now operates daily except Mondays.
Breaking the monopoly on the route, Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo is set to begin flights between Hong Kong and Kolkata on August 20. Fares should be cheaper than Cathay Dragon’s, though a 5.50am Hong Kong departure is less than ideal. Arrival time in Kolkata will be 7.40am, with 10.40pm return flights reaching Hong Kong at 4.55am. IndiGo, which is India’s largest airline, began flying between Hong Kong and Bangalore – another Cathay Dragon route – last December. Visit goindigo.in for more details and reservations.

Sofitel Beijing Central becomes Accor’s 1,100th hotel in Asia-Pacific

The Sofitel Beijing Central has been crowned the 1,100th hotel operated by Accor in the Asia-Pacific region.

French hospitality giant Accor recently announced the Christening of its 1,100th hotel in the Asia-Pacific region – the flagship Sofitel Beijing Centra. Until last January this property was managed by Marriott as the W Beijing Chang’an, then, having changed owners, was briefly called the Tianfu Zunya Beijing Chang’an Hotel.

It has been operating as the Sofitel Beijing Central since at least April – so the 1,100 accolade is likely just a symbolic gesture, as Accor has opened 100 hotels in the region in the past six months alone. An email to Accor asking when the rebrand occurred and how long it took went unanswered, but former fans of the popular though reportedly loss-making W Beijing Chang’an can see what’s changed at sofitel.com.

Deal of the week – two nights in Bali, Indonesia

The Apurva Kempinski Bali is available as part of Lotus Tours two-night package to the Indonesian island.
Lotus Tours’ two-night Bali package starts from HK$2,499 per person (twin share) for a stay at the Aston Kuta Hotel & Residence. The grander, recently opened Apurva Kempinski Bali also looks quite tempting from HK$3,999 but online reviews suggest checking in later in the year, when the place is fully functioning.
Several hotels and resorts on the south coast and in Ubud are offered at fair prices, though flights are with Singapore Airlines, and so go via Singapore. The upside to this detour is the offer of an overnight hotel stay there from HK$338 per person. For full details, find “Bali 3D2N Package” at the Lotus Tours website and scroll down for the English section.
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