Brisbane - Sydney - Athens - Santorini - Istanbul - Cappadocia

[dxwell]

I get a lot of enjoyment from reading other's trip reports, I thought I would write one for our journey that starts today.
Our trip is:
BNE-SYD on VA Business Class on points
SYD-SIA-IST on SIA Business Class on points
IST-ATH on Aegean with upgrade me bid to Business Class
ATH-JTR (Santorini) on Olympic (Aegean) paid
JTR-ATH-IST on Aegean paid
IST-NAV on Turkish (for Cappadocia) paid
IST-SIN-BNE on SIA Business Class on points

Currently sitting in BNE VA lounge on our second champers - we have left the kids (20 & 17) behind and it is two weeks of bliss for my lovely wife and I.

 

[RooFlyer]

Nice itinerary, looking forward to hearing about it.

 

[Jacques Vert]

On board; I see 1A is vacant; dare I sit in JohnM's seat?

 

[Pushka]

On board; I see 1A is vacant; dare I sit in JohnM's seat?

Well, when love_the_life nabbed it ahead of him he used status to turf her out. I think he is currently in his own TR world so your seat allocation may stick just this once

I’m in Row 2, just behind you. I suggest you don’t recline.

Great Trip ahead.

 

[dxwell]

We checked in at Brisbane to probably the best checkin service we have ever had. After reading Juddle's zen travelling guide yesterday (but also how I generally try to be a good human), James went out of his way to help us. He linked up our VA and SIA itineraries so that he could check our bags all the way through to IST. That meant that we would only have carry-on luggage and be able to use the VA domestic-international terminal bus and not go through the get baggage/route to international/check at international/etc. Very friendly and an example of how good Australian customer service can be.

I've only ever had a good time in the VA BNE lounge - straight into a Grant Burge champers (sorry, I didn't get a photo) and, knowing we had some catering ahead of us, I settled for a very fresh salad with shredded chicken and pork. I tend to make a habit of having a shower in each lounge that I visit, regardless of whether I need it or not. A bit of luxury and the hot water soothes the body. Yesterday my wife got out of the shower and uttered that a hot shower would be the last luxury that she would give up. I thought to myself that watching my wife get out of the shower would be the last luxury I would give up (sorry mods if that goes too far

Anyhoo, onto the flight. I had 1A and wife 1C, only one other passenger in business. Superb service from the get go - I had merely walked through the door when our attendant said "I look after that for you" (carry-on bag - which he soon put in the overhead). He also promptly grabbed my wife's handbag and my jacket and stowed them away.
He told us that VA was still catching up from yesterday morning's fog in Brisbane - lots of flights delayed a day later and a very busy terminal.
Straight into a PDB champagne - a Bridgewater Mill pinot noir chardonnay sparkling - very nice with a creamy mouth.

As for our meal, I won't duplicate the content - see Virgin Australia Business Class Catering - Service, Meal times, Menus
Needless to say, it was delicious and somehow my glass of sparkling was refilled each time I turned away.

Up and down in 1 hour and 15 minutes. I really enjoy the domestic J experience - life is short and each moment is to be savoured. I probably won't every pay full ticket price for J, but am happy to redeem points (which I did in this case) or do the upgrade me bid (which I have had many good experiences with.

 

[dxwell]

We've landed in Sydney. Why are we here?
A year ago, the only J flights BNE-SIA were on the angled bed 777-200. It wasn't the experience I wanted for my wife and I on our first international J flight. So, I thought I would do BNE-SYD-SIN-IST and then back SIN-BNE and suck up the 777-200 experience. Sydney offered the 777-300ER seats that I really wanted to try.

So, exactly 355 days ago at 10am exactly with two browsers open, I booked the exact seats that I wanted - redemption one way from SYD-SIN-IST. The zone that IST is in is only 78,000 miles, so 312,000 return for my wife and I. I transferred over velocity points, so 480,000 points.
We rack up points through credit cards and flybuys and, to a lesser degree, through flights.

 

[dxwell]

Arrival at domestic Sydney and we turn in the opposite direction to baggage. We head towards gate 46 to the Virgin International Transfer.
Down the escalator and the service desk already knew who we were - us and another 4 passengers onto the bus and off we go.
I find I am becoming more and more of an av-geek. I have always been amazed by the theory (magic) of flight and stare out the window with wide eyes through every take off.
The transfer bus takes you from the gate 46 at the domestic terminal, across multiple plan taxi-ways, past the main runway and then into a secret backdoor passage into the international terminal. I had dreaded the alternative process of getting from domestic to international terminal, so this transfer had a magical feeling about it.
I find I am becoming more and more of an av-geek. I have always been amazed by the theory (magic) of flight and stare out the window with wide eyes through every take off. I often log onto flightradar24 and watch plane traffic across the world. This transfer made me giddy - rushing to the front of the bus to take photos and wow at the close-ups. My wife is very forgiving of this behaviour as was the bus driver and fellow passengers.
I've attached some photos of the transfer - a Tiger flight that didn't get cancelled, cargo planes, a Qantas A380, and more.
What I didn't get (and in the process won the "most amateur aeronautical photographer" trophy) was an SIA A380 taking off right beside us in full throttle, and an incredible panned video of the A380 (oops, video button wasn't on) - sorry, only a still.
I think I would do this transfer just for the sake of it. There was a childish thrill that I am quite comfortable with being absorbed by.

We alight the bus and walk through backdoor passages until we come into the main checkin area. Felt a bit special as though we found a secret passage between terminals.

 

[Major]

Looking forward to your TR. Enjoy the whole experience

 

[I love to travel]

Subscribed 1C please

 

[VPS]

I'm happy in 3C

 

[kermatu]

I'm onboard too.

 

[LadyC]

Looking at Istanbul and Athens for 2019 so looking forward to reading more about your trip.

 

[dxwell]

I went missing from my TR






And it was beautiful

 

[dxwell]

Here we are on our 3rd day in Oia Santorini and I am feeling as peaceful as I have ever been. Very close to the treasured memories as a 7 year old in my Grandmother's summer garden.
We're in Aris Caves staying in the amazing Folia Studios Oia Santorini Greece | Aris Caves Santorini | Studio Folia
Oia (pronounced "ear") is a naturally beautiful place, but there are spots away from the 6000+ cruise visitors each day. Early in the morning and late at night, the cruise liners have departed and it is a quiet village as beautiful as we have seen.
Our driver from the airport (a 45 minute drive) told us all about the geography, the permaculture and the local produce. We were told to consume the local olives, watermelon, wines, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and the Naxos cheese.
Our porter pointed out a recommended restaurant.
After a few very poor travel agent itineraries many years ago, I do my own research, hundreds and hundreds of hours (this forum is a key resource - thanks to all who post), the third most hated thing in my life is buyer's remorse, so I research relentlessly and we benefit accordingly.
Anyhoo, a cave apartment with a private spa overlooking the caldera, a litre of quality ouzo, and a very beautiful companion, and we are off.
We eat dinner at our porter's recommended restaurant and it was divine. A delicious local white (I'll post in the "Nice wines I've drunk thread"). I had the whole squid, which was as it reads but was divine, and my wife had an eggplant stack (highly rated). Superb service with my awful Greek.
A short walk down steep stairs, into the jacuzzi and to summon the Greek philosophers and poets.

 

[dxwell]

I take it as a very good sign that I haven’t written in the TR for a few days. We’ve been fully immersed in our travels and adventures. I’m in Oia, Santorini, sitting on a deck chair in a cave apartment overlooking the beautiful blue of the caldera sea.

We’ve just eaten breakfast of bread, feta cheese, local cherry tomatoes, tzatziki, watermelon, apricots and freshly brewed coffee.

Although living in Brisbane we don’t really have a winter, we made a resolution to always spend a few weeks in the northern summer during the Aussie winter. A very good choice if I may say so.


Anyhoo, back to the TR.

SYD-SIN:

We flew J SIA out of SYD on the 777. Pure luxury of course with the hard product, but I found the soft product wanting. The service was inattentive to say the least. We were on the 18:05 flight, so it wasn’t as though it was a night flight. Each time I went to the toilet, the entire J staff were milling in the galley deeply engaged in conversation. Several times I had to say “excuse me” to get past them to the toilet.

Regardless, the 777 hard product is a wonderful experience - the seat, the IFE quality, the quiet.

We were in 12A and 12K in the forward J cabin of 12 seats (the rear J cabin has 27 seats) and I recommend this part of the plane as it felt rather intimate and was very quiet.

I did find it difficult to get a good sleeping position in the bed, the angles weren’t quite right. The cabin was rather warm and that didn’t help sleep. My wife said that she slept well.

 

[dxwell]

SIN-IST:

Our first time in the Changi SilverKris lounge, a huge step up from the Gold lounge.
Just enough time for a refreshing shower (awesome) and a quick bite.

We had a 1:45am departure, arriving into Istanbul at 7:45am (aarrived at 7:15 ahead of scheduled arrival).

We were on a 777-200ER for this leg of the trip, 26 J seats in a single cabin in 1-2-1 configuration (probably half-full). Even thought it was a 777-200, it had fully lie-flat beds. I felt that these seats were more spacious than the 777. The IFE screen was a bit ancient, but the bed was far better than the 777 bed. It had far better angles and allowed multiple positions. I slept very well on this flight.

The service on this leg blew me away. Even though it was an overnighter, we had a dinner service and then a breakfast service. I had the scallops entree and then the book the cook lobster Thermidor. I’m used to eating lobster fresh from the shell, maybe with some vinegar, to get the true taste of it. Anyway, it was good and a bit spesh.

The lead attendant was incredible in her service and care, popping in with a friendly smile seemingly at the exact moment that I was in need of something. We felt very privileged through the experience.

SeatGuru Seat Map Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200ER (772) V1

 

[dxwell]

Arrive Athens for overnight:
We stayed at Electra Palace Athens in the Plaka.
Hotel Rules:
1. Stay centrally - stay where you don't need to get a taxi or metro or tube. Just walk out and be a part of it. When you're done, walk home.
2. Pay a little bit more. Paying double can give you 32 times the quality. Even paying $100 more for a better hotel or a better room can double the quality of stay. Also refer rule #1.

 

[dxwell]

My wife has a lot of Greek (or sons/daughters) customers. Lots of graciously accepted advice. An equal number of people who had visited Athens but did not like it.
For me, Athens is the equivalent of a Barcelona or Rome. We stayed in the old town (Plaka) and as soon as we turned right we were amongst it. Wonderful culture, such a positive embrace on life, music, wine, and food.
I can't wait to visit Athens again. I can understand those who who provided negative experiences to my wife, what we saw of the rest of the city was uninspiring. Stay where the action is - sublime experience.

 

[dxwell]

A good Tarantino film is not linear, I meekly offer a TR that follows a wine and liqueur based structure rather than a film auteur path.

We arrived at IST. The few J class passengers alighted to a bus (I should have counted but being in the second home of philosophy, I knew that any number was purely academic - 12 perhaps).
Fully expecting the Y horde to descend, our doors close and off we go. I get the feeling that a lot of people on this forum work very hard and appreciate the fruits of their travails. This was a slight moment where our J travels provided reward.
Off we go in our J only bus, get give a priority pass for immigration, pass through immigration with a nod, and it is less than 30 minutes until we have our luggage and are off to our next flight.

 

[dxwell]

We decided to try to get to Santorini as soon as possible. That meant IST to ATH flights asap.
We arrived early for our SIA flight so had hours to spare. We arrived at the check-in with 2:30 to the flight. Nothing. We were keen for an early check-in to make the most of the TK lounge.
Anyhoo, the check-in eventually opened and off we went to the TK lounge.
I had already paid for row 3 (like economy X seats). I did an upgrademe bid (using the same platform as VA uses). Super worthy as we got lounge access and a classy experience on Aegean.
Sorry - we're off to the jacuzzi. Back soon.