I am not a fan of flying.

In this era when planes just disappear from the skies without a trace and rogue pilots engaging the crash mode on jetliners, having my feet firmly on the ground is a truly blessed state.

Still, I have to admit that if an opportunity to fly in the biggest plane ever made presents itself, who am I not to hop in?

On a recent visit to the San Francisco on the western coast of the United States, I had the opportunity to sample the newest beast to rule the skies – the double-decker Airbus A380 operated by British Airways.

This is a plane full of superlatives.

For a start, the plane can carry up to 469 passengers. That is no small number.

Knowing that you, together with the population of a school, will be suspended 40000 feet above ground, is enough to give one some goose pimples.

Then there are the two full length decks measuring 6000 square feet.

For a plane weighing 560 tons, climbing to a height of 39,000 feet in just 15 minutes is no small feat.

Then there are the costs.

Airbus Industrie spent at least 25 billion dollars to build the plane — from the concept to the actual vessel. That is twice Kenya's annual operating budget!

With each plane costing about 36 billion shillings, no African carrier has ordered any A380.

In contrast, British Airways has a pending order for 12 of these monsters. Save for O R Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, other airports on the continent have to be configured to handle the plane whose wingspan can be barely contained within the two touchlines in a football field.

I had arrived at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 at dawn on this particular Sunday.

My connecting flight was not to be until some minutes to two in the afternoon.

Fortunately, the cosy lounges at the airport afforded me the chance to freshen up by having a warm shower (yes, a shower) before being treated to some soft body massage at the renowned Elemis Spa.

Back to the A380.

I loved listening to the pre-flight security briefing. "There are two exits this way...that way. In the likely event of landing in water...blah, blah, blah."

That done we hit the runway for what was to be a 10-hour flight, but due to time difference, we would arrive in San Francisco at five in the afternoon — on the same day!

After an hour in the air, it was time for a well-deserved meal.

First and Business Class passengers have the option of choosing from a set menu. Thanks to well-meaning friends, I had a seat in the Business Class or Club World, and was in line to sample the detailed menu.

Prepared by the airline's head chef, the fare is similar to what is normally served in our five-star hotels.

Scottish smoked salmon with herb cream cheese worked well to prepare the palate.

For the main course, I chose the seared British fillet with some rice — something close to my normal home meals.

For those who do not relish such exotic meals, the airplane's Club Kitchen is available for a treat any time one feels like.

And although one is advised to go easy on the products of the vine during a flight, a glass of Taittinger champagne was not such a bad idea.

Long haul flights can be boring, very boring. A meal here, a nap there and more time in the air.

More so when you feel that you have watched all the movies and listened to all the music on the in-flight entertainment regime.

Well, this flight was not boring, and if anything, I was spoilt for choice — all the music was good, and so were the movies.

However, with the body clock already messed up, I had to look for ingenious ways to occupy myself in between trying to figure out what to watch and what not to.

I struck up a conversation with Zora, an affable hostess and a veteran of the airline's service crew. She is a part of the 22-strong crew, and has flown with the airline ever since its takeover of British Caledonian.

"This plane is unlike anything I have flown in," she tells me. "It is not a journey. It is an experience."

I could not agree more.

Zora then took me on a tour of what has been billed as the Queen of the Sky.

How I wish I was among the 14 who travel First Class and make good use of a larger en-suite wardrobe designed to hold a standard-size wheelie bag and a side stowage box for smaller items such as passports, phone, and glasses.

Here, you will also be offered turn-down service as cabin crew make your bed and see to it that you have a  comfortable, white mattress, a duvet, a pillow and of course nightwear.

First, Business or economy, travelling aboard the A380 — the largest plane made so far — is not just a journey, but an experience that words might not describe fully.