Drrons off to Asia with Lifemiles.

[drron]

So tomorrow we start our trip flying to Sydney and staying 3 nights. Tuesday it is off to BKK flying TG on Lifemiles J awards.
After 4 nights we are off to Hong Kong for 4 nights ten back to BKK. The flights are once again using Lifemiles for TG J awards. Long may this continue.

After another 4 nights in BKK it is SQ J awards via Velocity. BKK - SIN then the next day SIN - DRW for 3 nights before back to BNE.

Now I have been working hard on my mobility issues as documented in he Medical issues thread. Although getting much higher daily steps this is over many hours with step numbers per attempt varying greatly between 100 to 1600 steps. Usually smaller numbers in the morning when my legs are stiff and sore. Gradually improves when walking. I will for the first time take a proper walking stick with me so hope to document some walks in Bangkok and Hong Kong.

There will be as usual food pictures and in Hong Kong we have lunch booked at Gaddis. A visit for memories. between 1975 and the late 80s we went 1-2 times a year for dinner. Even hosted a dinner for a party of 14.
In Bangkok we are having lunch at Paste. We dined there with @RooFlyer during it's soft opening some years ago and liked it. Now though a Michelin star.

We stay at Meriton Bondi Junction in Sydney.
IC Bangkok.
IC Grand Stanford
CP Lumpini
CP Changi.
Oaks Elan hotel Darwin through QF hotels. Picked as very close to Moorish cafe.

Again going HLO. Our carryons both weigh 7.6 KG so should be fine.

 

[Flyfrequently]

On board with you @drron and @mrs.dr.ron - enjoy !

 

[drron]

Our transfer to MCY arrived on time. So as usual we have 1.5 hours to wait. Security was quick even though I had secondary screening. Then time for our cappuccinos.
But just to back up a little it is a tradition that the night before a trip we have dinner out. Normally it’s at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant but this time at a Thai restaurant we have recently found. A funny name- Love you Long Thai. This time with 2 friends.

We began with coconut prawns. They disappeared before I could get a picture. Then shared Massuman beef, Pad Thai, Dicky duck and pork belly with vegetables. The place is at Dicky Beach. I also was last to get the beef so the picture was after it was on my plate.








The Massuman was a little unusual but the others were very good. We will certainly be going back.
Now just waiting for our plane to arrive.

 

[drron]

Got to board number 4 courtesy of the walking stick. Hard though carrying a carry on and a walking stick up the stairs to the plane but the Fa helped near the top. We were in 6C,D as the closest to the front as a gold for free. My Scots blood doesn't allow me to pay for a seat.
A fairly full flight and not surprisingly a fair few young children. At one stage a mother with her 3 young daughters walked past me. Right behind her another mother with her 3 young sons. They didn't seem to know each other.

Now it wasn't the A team on for this flight. The CSM forgot the flight number and the FOs name. Then the staff walked up and down the aisle but seemed not to notice anything. virtually all arm rests remained up, didn't notice the fellow in front of me had reclined his seat as soon as seated and also his partner in the E seat with her feet on her large backpack on the floor in front of her. later on they may have upset some others as a Y pax walked through the curtain to the J toilet.

Now I never sleep well the night before starting a trip so I quickly dozed off. Didn't last long as the little rug rat constantly kicked the back of my seat. His mother told him to stop but his reaction was to kick a bit harder.

We got to Sydney pretty much on time but waited a few minutes for the airbridge to be connected. Now on our last visit to Sydney in February I needed to stop 3 times from getting off the plane to getting on the train. As i said this time Iam using a walking stick and did he distane without needing to stop though not free of pain. Of course it is no ordinary walking stick. It was owned by a patient and good friendwho had joined the RAAF in the early 40s. His only memorable moment h sad was being on the crew of a Beaufort bomber which crashed on approach to Nowra Airfield. He stayed on in he RAAF and became a Wing Commander. He was the instructor for the Crown Prince of Thailand when he was sent for some experience in the RAAF. He is now of course the present King.

My friend had a beautiful Spirit House presented to him by the old king.


Space for a wee dram.


We now quite enjoy not having to rent a car. Bondi Junction is perfect for us. Train to and from the aiport and a bus that stops about 150 metres from our son's place. Today on arrival at the Meriton we were for the first time recognised as returning guests. We arrived about 1430 and waited about 15 minutes for a room.

 

[RooFlyer]

In Bangkok we are having lunch at Paste. We dined there with @RooFlyer during its soft opening some years ago and liked it. Now though a Michelin star.

I think that’s the first time we met, wasn’t it? A blind date in Bangkok.!

 

[duffyd]

Out of curiosity, how did you join lifemiles? I've tried may times using different web browsers and devices and I always get an error. Forgotten what the error message was because it was a while ago but it was so frustrating I just gave up.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Out of curiosity, how did you join lifemiles? I've tried may times using different web browsers and devices and I always get an error. Forgotten what the error message was because it was a while ago but it was so frustrating I just gave up.

Yeah, i’ve had friends in the same situation… couldn’t sign up, or once signed up, couldn’t buy miles, or couldn’t use their credit card to pay for flights. I don’t know what blocks it, but it certainly affects some people.

But I wouldn’t be buying Lifemiles at this stage… go for Air Canada’s aeroplan instead. 100 times easier to use, the miles cost the same price as LM when air canada is having a sale, and you can actually get good availability.

Drron’s ticket to bangkok would have come in at around 65k for LM, Aeroplan would be the same, but probably a more reliable booking engine in the long term. And you’d also have access to flying singapore airlines.

 

[drron]

I signed up many years ago. probably soon after it was established in 2011. It was a popular topic on FT. And it was very good. got awards in F on ANA a few times and once on SQ and UA.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I signed up many years ago. probably soon after it was established in 2011. It was a popular topic on FT. And it was very good. got awards in F on ANA a few times and once on SQ and UA.

By way of reference, Aeroplan is offering TG F bkk-kix, but LM isn’t (used smart search, *A search and TG specific)

 

[drron]

By way of reference, Aeroplan is offering TG F bkk-kix, but LM isn’t (used smart search, *A search and TG specific)

There is no way I will be going back to Japan in the future and still have a lot of life miles left so aeroplan not really for me atm. but if they have a 100% bonus on buying points at Aeroplan I may just do it.

 

[markis10]

Normally it’s at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant but this time at a Thai restaurant we have recently found

Looks a bit Dicky to me DRRON , the bakery does a good banh mi during the day.

 

[drron]

So our office at Bondi Junction. Meriton Suites and his time in Tower 1. A better position for what we want to do but noisy during the day with construction over the road. A 1 bedroom apartment. We arrived at ~2.30 and check in is at 3 but we only waited 15 minutes before getting a room. this is our 5th stay here and for the fist time welcome back. offered a high floor bu would have to wait 30 minutes longer so we opted for the first available. Don't really miss the extras for loyalty as the total cost for the 3 nights is slightly cheaper than 1 night at the ICs and half the price of the nearby HI.
The room.






And the view.


That night we went to our favourite Restaurant in Bondi Junction. Enbu BBQ. When I rang up to book which I thought was wise seeing i was a Saturday night in school holidays, I had only said I would like to book for 4 when the woman said is that you drron? When we arrived one of the staff asked if we had a booking and the woman behind him said that is drron. This night we were joined by a young womn who asked us when she started school if we could be her grandparents. And we definitely have had a grandparents relationship with her and her 3 siblings. She had her partner with her. It was a great night with lots of talking and laughing. Because of that I missed taking a lot of photos. But here are the 2 I remembered.




We love our Japanese food and have never had problems here. Beautiful food and a lovely experience. We now come here every time we visit Sydney.

 

[drron]

On Sunday we caught up on sleep and had a lazy morning. In the afternoon we caught a bus to our sons place. You go down to the ground floor and walk out of the building at the bus stop for the 389 bus. Even had a free ride as the opal system was down. The bus stop is at the other end of our son's street with about a 700 metre walk. here I found out that I will be using a walking stick from now on. Managed it easily and for the first time in a long time no pain at all.
Our Daughter in law and Grandson are in California. He is a rower and is at a rowing camp at Stanford. It was a homecooked meal with our youngest granddaughter doing a lot of the cooking. Our eldest granddaughter is in year 12 and is studying hard so we only saw her whilst eating dinner. I certainly didn't put in the study time she is doing.
The sunset.




The meal was herbed chicken cooked by our son which was really good. Accompanied by veggies and mac and cheese.






Our neice also came to dinner so a lovely Sunday family dinner.