A Magical History ATW Trip

[Gold60]

I am finally launching myself on an around-the-world trip next year – probably in May/June 2017 at the moment.

The route is BNE>YVR – then surface SEA, SFO, LAX, SAN, LAS, (or maybe air) WASH, MCO - >then flying MCO>FRA>AMS, - surface LON, CDG, and then - CDG>FRA>ICN, - then surface to HIJ, TOK, then - NRT>BNE.

I was going to try and use some points I have but it didn’t work out that way – so I have one of those discount BIZ J fares with Lufthansa – Air Canada to YVR, and QANTAS home from NAR – otherwise LH on the other long haul flights. I will also have a couple of gap airlines across and around the States, with the odd train and bus leg thrown in. Basically I want to sample as many different modes of transport I can – within reason of course.

None on my major flights are connecting ones – i.e. – they aren’t on the same day, or one after the other – hence I guess I won’t be able to use the lounges in between sequential flights – except maybe the CDG>FRA flight – there is about a two hour gap between that flight and the next one to ICN.

This will be my one and only BIZ flight around the flight – so I would really appreciate any insights/ideas on how I can enjoy the limited opportunities I will have in the Biz lounges – I presume I will get some access somewhere, even with a discount J fare ?

I think I have said elsewhere that the theme of my trip is around air and space and selected military history experiences.

Any other ideas would of course be appreciated too!!

 

[trooper]

FLying Business (doesn't matter what fare) you will definitely have access to Business Class lounges at each departure airport..and at each same day transit...

So that would seem to be...BNE, MCO, FRA, CDG, FRA and NRT.

Have you looked at trains in the US? A sleeper on AMTRAK is certainly nothing flash... but (often) neither is the price! And its "all in"....all meals included...

Are you going to Normandy at all? We caught the ferry from Portsmouth (after 2 days going through the RN Dockyard museums) to Ouistreham....did the beaches and Pegasus Bridge...brilliant.. then the train to CDG...

 

[Gold60]

Thank you for your feedback Trooper. Yes, i am looking at the AMTRAK thing for that very reason - have a day or two break here and there, and also the included sleeper thing isn't a bad idea.

one of the main reasons for going to Paris is to do the D-Day thing. I was going to do what you guys did, but at the time it seemed a bit too hard . BUT, I am tempted to revisit it again and see how i go - maybe do it anti-clockwise, but i guess at the time they did it clockwise....

did you do the D Day thing on a tour, or just make your way around yourselves ?

FLying Business (doesn't matter what fare) you will definitely have access to Business Class lounges at each departure airport..and at each same day transit...

So that would seem to be...BNE, MCO, FRA, CDG, FRA and NRT.

Have you looked at trains in the US? A sleeper on AMTRAK is certainly nothing flash... but (often) neither is the price! And its "all in"....all meals included...

Are you going to Normandy at all? We caught the ferry from Portsmouth (after 2 days going through the RN Dockyard museums) to Ouistreham....did the beaches and Pegasus Bridge...brilliant.. then the train to CDG...

 

[trooper]

OK... we arrived in Ouistreham.... VERY easy to catch the coach from there to central Caen where we picked up the rental car from Europcar right across from the railway station....... Drove to Bayeux the next morning to meet the tour group....We did a one day tour... I think with "Overlord Tours"... perfectly adequate guide (and very personable!).... then did Pegasus Bridge/St Mere Eglise and museums and surrounds ourselves.... (As my knowledge of the Airborne side of things is pretty solid..lol....better than the previous days guide...but then I have a special interest so Im NOT criticizing!)

It was really very good indeed..... had always hoped to get there....

If you go over to Portsmouth as well you really need 2 days to do justice to the RN Dockyard museums/ships.

We stayed at The George Hotel which really added to the experience.... a bit pricier than WE normally choose... but well worth it with a Full English bf each morning lol... who needs lunch after that? AND it was a short walk to the dockyard gates....

(We flew into LGW...train to Portsmouth... didnt use or NEED a car at all)

France was my first experience of left hand drive with a manual gearbox.... took about 30 minutes to adjust.:mrgreen:

Id highly recommend a GPS... either in car or your own..... rural Normandy can be a bit confusing... I didn't book a car with GPS but fortunately it had it anyway... and THAT allowed us to head anywhere that seemed interesting...in the knowledge the system would get us back! I REALLY have good memories of that trip!