Chasing the perfect Fuji shot

[drron]

So tomorrow we are off on our next adventure. Well it has been 7 weeks at home. We start with a first for us. Our first VA international flight even if it is just a 737 to Bali and not even a lounge for us J pax. We are in Row 2 of J and have that little feeling my choice of meal will be unavailable when they get to me. We have our Evisas and Customs QR code so hopefully an easy exit through DPS. Transfer booked and 3 nights at the IC Jimbaran Bay. We will interrupt the stay to go and have lunch with a couple we have been corresponding with for some time. They are on the Silversea World Cruise on the Silver Shadow and will be in port on St. Patricks Day. The next day it is back to the port and board the Silver Muse to cruise back to Japan then circumnavigate Honshu for Cherry Blossom time

We will be joined for that second segment by my sister and her partner - a retired Geology Professor. great bloke though.
After the cruise a couple of days in Yokohama and then 4 nights in Fujikawaguchiko. Said to be the best time of year for an unobstructed view of Fuji. The Fuji Shibazakura Festival will be on while we are there.

And to finish off a few days in Bangkok and then Sydney to catch up with Family.

 

[Pushka]

So tomorrow we are off on our next adventure. Well it has been 7 weeks at home. We start with a first for us. Our first VA international flight even if it is just a 737 to Bali and not even a lounge for us J pax. We are in Row 2 of J and have that little feeling my choice of meal will be unavailable when they get to me. We have our Evisas and Customs QR code so hopefully an easy exit through DPS. Transfer booked and 3 nights at the IC Jimbaran Bay. We will interrupt the stay to go and have lunch with a couple we have been corresponding with for some time. They are on the Silversea World Cruise on the Silver Shadow and will be in port on St. Patricks Day. The next day it is back to the port and board the Silver Muse to cruise back to Japan then circumnavigate Honshu for Cherry Blossom time

We will be joined for that second segment by my sister and her partner - a retired Geology Professor. great bloke though.
After the cruise a couple of days in Yokohama and then 4 nights in Fujikawaguchiko. Said to be the best time of year for an unobstructed view of Fuji. The Fuji Shibazakura Festival will be on while we are there.

And to finish off a few days in Bangkok and then Sydney to catch up with Family.

I've been waiting for this cruise to happen. Bon Voyage. (Btw, I even fly Jetstar for Bali trips. It's that kind of place). Enjoy the IC and especially the breakfasts at the Club. Shame we can't take free coughtail hour at Sunset Bar anymore though. Just checked out your cruises. Lots of ports of interest there.

 

[tgh]

Bon voyage, hope the muse is in the groove, you will probably have seen the good reports about Nova… we shall see...

 

[drron]

Bon voyage, hope the muse is in the groove, you will probably have seen the good reports about Nova… we shall see...

They better not do a Nova on us. I would be on Deck and at just the right moment unfurl a sign saying not so nice things about SS and RCL.

 

[Seat0B]

Oh I'm following along with interest @drron. I keep thinking we should try to get to Japan in a season other than winter, but so far, it has not happened! Looking for my motivation.

 

[zig]

They better not do a Nova on us. I would be on Deck and at just the right moment unfurl a sign saying not so nice things about SS and RCL.

Guests were invited to be on the deck for the photo shoot, so I think everyone should take to the deck in their bathrobes and at the appropriate time moon the RCL drone

 

[AIRwin]

Our first VA international flight even if it is just a 737 to Bali

Is it a MAX 8?

 

[drron]

I have no idea.

 

[drron]

So in the week before we go away we have developed a couple of things that we do.
The first is to have lunch with the couple who keep an eye on the house while we are away. This week it was the Tziki Bar at Forest Glen. A very good Greek restaurant. We always have the lamb ribs with lemon sauce. We had 3 servings between 4 people. Also BBQ octopus and roasted cauliflower salad.







We felt like a little more so a serving of calamari and a baclava to share.





Thoroughly enjoyed and definitely a place to go if you want Greek food.

Tonight is our other custom. We have dinner at Nguyen Brothers in Maroochydore. Mrsdrron always has the vermicelli salad with lemongrass beef.


I had the spicy lemongrass beef salad.


Absolutely delicious.
So now we are ready with the alarm set for 0500.
Back here tomorrow.

 

[Seat0B]

That food all looks awesome @drron. Hope you have another wonderful trip.

 

[drron]

Well we are on a MAX today. Our first.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

I was very dissapointed when googling the Shibazakura festival that it was not a dogs and cherry blossoms festival.. Only the latter.
Nonetheless enjoy the trip!

 

[drron]

So our Max has just arrived in Australia so the wifi hasn’t been activated.
But at least a glass of sparkling wine pre departure.




And my view.

 

[drron]

Well I couldn’t get back sooner as VA J international doesn’t get you lounge access and the free BNE wifi in the morning is like cough on a bull. Then wifi not available on the plane and DPS free wifi being even worse than BNE.

So now safely ensconced in the IC Jimbaran Bay. Lovely night in the Club. We both think that IHG has treated us better than all the other hotel programs we’ve been in.

So back to this morning. Up early. Our limo was early as usual. A Quick ride down the Bruce. But still that fear that we have forgotten something. So far it only looks like Mrsdrron has forgotten to pack a nightie. No problem for me.
VA check in an absolute zoo. We hate the kiosks and prefer interacting with a real person. They made that quite hard.

Only 1 checked bag and it weighed exactly 23 kg. Then to security. We had al our gear in trays when this woman came along and pushed my trays back and put hers in front of mine. Mrsdrron objected and she just said you were too slow. There was a continuous line of trays. I just told her that she was obviously a very entitled woman who couldn’t give a damn for anyone else and I have no respect for her at all. She shut up.
Then a real hassle as no one available to wand my knee for nearly 10 minutes then got an agent with OCD who wanded everything 3 times.
Straight through Immigration and sat in the main area and had a cappuccino and shared a muffin from the Coffee Club. Then went to Gate 75B which was on our BP. Nearly time for boarding and I noticed the board had changed and the flight was now to Nadi. Told we needed to go to 74B

That of course was a QF flight. Ours was 73B. About 10 minutes later they announced the change of gate and the crowd arrived. Never been down that end of the terminal before. Some different views.







Time for bed now.

 

[ellen10]

Sounds like a great trip, enjoy!

 

[drron]

Boarding was about 20 minutes late starting. Amazing as only 2 in each lane lined up when boarding was called. We were the second couple in the priority queue. Once again an entitled woman from the general line cut in front of me but the agent quite firmly told her that he was only boarding people from the priority line .

We were in 2A and C. Just as well we were on first as Row 3 put 4 bags in the J bins as well as using the whole of the bins above them. All the J passengers were still able to get their bags in the bins but mainly because 4 of them had very little to put into the bins.

Despite the late boarding we pushed back only 5 minutes after the scheduled departure time. The views from my window seat.

 

[drron]

After takeoff.








The Brisbane river valley and looking back to Wivenhoe.



The countryside is looking good.

 

[drron]

The further north for a while the less green it is.












But time for lunch.
An appetiser of Harissa hummus.


Mrsdrron had the chicken and spicy potato.


OK. But my Thai vegetable curry was awful. Dried up and very bland.


The wine was good with Mrsdrron having the Pinot Grigio.


And I had a nice Petaluma Pinot Noir.

 

[drron]

However as we flew over northwest QLD there were beautiful rivers of green.

 

[drron]

Occasionally a property but basically a vast empty land.












And after 4 hours we were given a snack.


And flew over the Australian coast.