How could we top our #ginwedding? By our honeymoon in North America, that’s how. We had an ambitious itinerary in the US and Canada over nearly a month, to be marked from start to finish by superb food and drink. The first highlight? British Airways first class from London to San Francisco.

We were madly in love with our first experience of first class pods on the 747, with the unlimited champagne top ups, personal service and beds. Gordon came to visit me before we started our taxiing to the runway and we enjoyed a glass, before we had to give them back before take off. The flight then became all about the food – the best I’ve had in the air!

We started with a pre-appetiser of Cumbrian air-dried ham, Cumberland salami, Berkswell cheese, olives and sun dried tomato.

The big wow though was the seared scallop with smoked salmon and crab boudin blanc, salsify purée, compressed apple and Thai shallots. Quite something to have over a dinner table in the city in the sky!

The main course (delivered at a time of our choosing, as were the other courses) was a pan-fried stone bass with lightly smoked fennel and kasha salad, heirloom tomatoes and balsamic essence. Pair that with views of Greenland and you’ve a remarkable experience. A first class steward even gave me photography tips for capturing Greenland perfectly.

It was smooth sailing the whole way. Good thing too because over North America we were then treated to char-grilled chicken with Parma ham lardons, Caesar salad and Caesar dressing. It was just what our energy levels would need for the evening of even more food to come in San Francisco’s Mission district.

We were really treated like kings by the fabulous Joanna, who pampered us the whole way and really kicked off a celebratory spirit perfectly. The extra space made a huge difference to my experience of flying too – we were essentially buried in the nose cone but all I felt was excitement. Flying like that cost a literal fortune but it was fun!

All too soon we heard the nose wheel crank into position (it’s unexpectedly loud in 747 first class because it’s directly underneath) and it was time for a landing as smooth as the flight. It couldn’t have felt any better, arriving in the California sun! It was such a relief to be back, after our epic 2016 roadtrip through the state. Getting the BART into town was a pain in the ass, but we were back where we increasingly feel is home!