drron
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2002
- Posts
- 36,862
Naturally the First thing to talk about is the Firsts. Our first time flying JQ internationally in their Faux J cabin. Came about because I was a bit slow getting my act together after our visit to Japan in July 2024. By the time I got my act together there were no SQ redemptions left in J for the trip to BKK. Nothing found on BA,AA lifemiles as well. And nothing found using seats.aero apart from a couple of days with JQ BNE-BKK. So into Mrsdrron's QFF account and snapped up a couple 2 days earlier than I had planned. Two days extra in Bangkok? No problem.
The second first is when leaving BKK. Our first time flying with QR. First time using a QR lounge and first experience of Q suites - no change of plane yet. Of course this means our first transit through DOH. And leaving DOH our first flight into MAN.
From there our first visit to Liverpool and at least a couple of Beatles experiences.
Stying in a boutique hotel in Wales owned by a fellow we met though Cruise Critic. However it is about the closest decent hotel to Blaenau Ffestintiniog. It turns out that Mrsdrron's Maternal grandfather wasn't who she thought he was. Turned out he as a coal miner from Ipswich whose parents were from the slate mines of this town. This cme about from Mrsdrron doing a DNA test and her closest relative was apart from our son was a 90 year old woman in Brisbane who turned out to be a niece of the fellow who was Mrsdrron's grandfather.
After that time with my sister in Devon then on to a cruise on the Silver Spirit Southampton to Lisbon. We have sailed into Southampton to end a cruise and out of Lisbon to start a cruise but it was 2 separate cruises. On this cruise t will be the first time to the Channel Islands and to any french port not on the Mediterranean Coast.
There is only 1 of the ports we have been to before but that was a driving trip of northern Spain - Bilbao. that hopefully will be one of the highlights of the food on this trip. we are booked for lunch at Nerua. A Michelin starred restaurant at the Guggenheim. We ate there on our previous trip and loved it.
From Lisbon t s our first flight out of LIS and on TAP with a Swiss codeshare which was a third less than buying through TAP. It will be our first time in Zurich and Switzerland.
From there it was going to be our first F flight on QR but a plane substitution put an end to that.
Our final flights home from Bangkok are in the school holidays so not even an overnight flight with J award availability. So our first paid J on SQ. Fortunately they had a sale on even with our usual preferred night in SIN. unfortunately this flight was going to let me maintain gold with a shot at platinum but that plan is up in smoke.
We fly out tomorrow, Sunday.
The second first is when leaving BKK. Our first time flying with QR. First time using a QR lounge and first experience of Q suites - no change of plane yet. Of course this means our first transit through DOH. And leaving DOH our first flight into MAN.
From there our first visit to Liverpool and at least a couple of Beatles experiences.
Stying in a boutique hotel in Wales owned by a fellow we met though Cruise Critic. However it is about the closest decent hotel to Blaenau Ffestintiniog. It turns out that Mrsdrron's Maternal grandfather wasn't who she thought he was. Turned out he as a coal miner from Ipswich whose parents were from the slate mines of this town. This cme about from Mrsdrron doing a DNA test and her closest relative was apart from our son was a 90 year old woman in Brisbane who turned out to be a niece of the fellow who was Mrsdrron's grandfather.
After that time with my sister in Devon then on to a cruise on the Silver Spirit Southampton to Lisbon. We have sailed into Southampton to end a cruise and out of Lisbon to start a cruise but it was 2 separate cruises. On this cruise t will be the first time to the Channel Islands and to any french port not on the Mediterranean Coast.
There is only 1 of the ports we have been to before but that was a driving trip of northern Spain - Bilbao. that hopefully will be one of the highlights of the food on this trip. we are booked for lunch at Nerua. A Michelin starred restaurant at the Guggenheim. We ate there on our previous trip and loved it.
From Lisbon t s our first flight out of LIS and on TAP with a Swiss codeshare which was a third less than buying through TAP. It will be our first time in Zurich and Switzerland.
From there it was going to be our first F flight on QR but a plane substitution put an end to that.
Our final flights home from Bangkok are in the school holidays so not even an overnight flight with J award availability. So our first paid J on SQ. Fortunately they had a sale on even with our usual preferred night in SIN. unfortunately this flight was going to let me maintain gold with a shot at platinum but that plan is up in smoke.
We fly out tomorrow, Sunday.
. But we were well aware of the limitations in advance so if it’s ok to bring on rollers you will know.
