A Roo hop to Queenstown and a Kiwi run home

JohnM

JohnM

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Time for our usual third week of January summer break before PJM resumes toil, so tomorrow it’s on the (downgauged since booking) QF bird PER-SYD, overnight at Rydges, then the QF bird on Monday to ZQN for five nights, NZ ZQN-AKL to overnight, then the NZ bird AKL-PER Sunday next week.

The QF flights are all J Award redemptions, ZQN-AKL is in an exit row on the all-whY NZ bird, and AKL-PER is NZ J Saver revenue to give the NZ J product a shot on the 8h full daylight direct run home.

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As usual, I won’t have the time to post much live, so the bulk of the TR will be done on return.
 
Dec 2022 I was on a Jetstar(!) AKL - ZQN. It was so windy we couldn't land 🤢
They wanted to try again but ran out of fuel so diverted to CHC....then back to ZQN again, several hours late.
Damn that was a scary flight! We stayed on the plane at CHC, honestly if they deplaned us I might not want to get back on again 🤢
 
OK, resuming transmission.

Hauling our way to SYD Sunday week ago. Finally, the QF catering is starting to look up. The salad is just about a meal in itself and at long last there is cheese and none of those ghastly sweet little ‘chocolate’ ball things. Both of us pass on bread and the later icecream.

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Raining in SYD, so the runway view from the room at Rydges was distorted through water drops on the window, otherwise uneventful.

Next morning it was the walk of shame for my first ever visit to the J Lounge since my WP ended last August. Shabby and a zoo.

Then hauling across to ZQN. We both had the salmon salad.

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Queenstown and the view from our cosy B&B. Excellent breakfast. Highly recommended.

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A stroll around town. Unsurprisingly, given the time of year, the whole region was very busy.

Also, we couldn’t get over how expensive everything is in NZ. Nominal prices of everyday items in supermarkets are about 25% greater than in Australia. I was last in NZ briefly in 2019 and in Queenstown in 2011 and I can’t recall prices being so disproportionately high then.

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The iconic Earnslaw was built in 1912.

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I recall the prices being rather rude in 2017, especially bars/restaurants. Mitigated as it was a work trip at least. I always feel like if you're not bungy jumping from a helicopter or BMX-skiing, then you're just not Queenstown-ing properly.
 
I had been sweating on the weather for the next day as I had booked a flight to Milford Sound, including a boat cruise. They take bookings, but don’t confirm flights and take payment until about 2 hours before.

It turned out to be a perfect day for flying – mild and cloudless with almost no wind.

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kookaburra75 said:
Looks good from the air. Are you doing the Jet Boat experience?
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You haven't lived until you do... :)
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Patience please!

I did it with my kids in about 1993. My elder son, then about 12 with his hand up, younger one, then about 9, to his left and I'm behind Joe Cool, the driver.

PJM's turn for a surprise later in our stay... ;)

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Flyfrequently said:
Is that one of the things you do twice @kookaburra75 - first and last?
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No - although it depends on your point of view :) They are just plain old fashioned fun. Although I used to drive rally cars in my youth and it brought back lots of great memories when I tried it in 1999. MrsK, has said she would go with me on the jetboat, as she has managed to step off the cliff, so to speak, on a lot of things like roller coasters that do loops and enjoyed it.
 
kookaburra75 said:
No - although it depends on your point of view :) They are just plain old fashioned fun. Although I used to drive rally cars in my youth and it brought back lots of great memories when I tried it in 1999. MrsK, has said she would go with me on the jetboat, as she has managed to step off the cliff, so to speak, on a lot of things like roller coasters that do loops and enjoyed it.
Click to expand...
Good on you and MrsK
I'm way less adventurous these days🤭
 
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They nose up under that waterfall for a cloud of soft mist spray that rolls back off where it impacts the water. PJM insists on taking portrait shots – and in ‘live’ mode. :rolleyes:

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The underwater observatory is an option for people who have bussed in on day trips. The flying tour was 1100-1500h.

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A regular stream of aircraft coming in and going out.

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