From Fjords to Fiats

[RB]

We have just returned from a Europe 2026 holiday. This was our first travel for a while.

Mrs RB has had almost 12 months recovery from a badly broken leg sustained in a simple fall. We are still travelling independently but the pace will be slacker and the walking not as extensive. All major transport & our rooms were booked before we depart home. We were ready for the sticker shock of Norway but we were sure we would have a great time there. Italy/Sicily, we know what to expect and have had many good times there. Aeroplan provided decent availability via Brisbane & SQ tickets Brisbane to Copenhagen were snapped up. Our return is from Frankfurt also via Aeroplan.

This is the rough plan


PQQ-BNE QF2170

A QantasLink flight. On time, a better snack & a beer available was an improvement on our last QF experiences. Security at PQQ was still everything out & everything taken off. A very smooth flight but a long tarmac walk to arrivals but we were through the airport quickly.

Around Brisbane

We took a Didi to Meriton Herschel St where we had 10 min wait for room. Herschel Street, Brisbane - Hotel Accommodation & Serviced Apartments

No real view of the river but we enjoy the comforts the Meritons provide. We had a nice late, light lunch at the Black Drip coffee bar. Dinner at Transcontinental pub was ordinary again, with expensive drinks-think we might look at Adelaide St Meriton in the future.

Just a 1 night stay in Brisbane so a Didi back to the airport after a family coffee catch-up the next morning. Only self check-in was available & roaming staff were kept busy helping with tag problems & the belts not moving bags-sort of defeats the purpose! Security was very quick with the good scanners & the SQ lounge was pretty quiet-very fresh food that was constantly refreshed and outgoing staff.

Qantas Offerings






Meriton Room-King bed very comfortable






Heavier bags this time with the expected weather extremes


Black Drip Banh Mi offering


Some of the SQ Brisbane lounge offering


Getting our eye in

 

[RB]

Sq 236 12K & 15K & SQ352 12A & 14A BNE-CPH

11K became available after boarding in Brisbane & the crew offered me the chance to move from 15K-certainly enjoyed the better footwell position and got some sleep
Thought the food on this leg was fair but nothing special. Satay sticks available on this and every SQ leg we flew. Had Barramundi via book the cook- I found the black bean overpowers the barra. The pulled pork refreshment was a very hot slop.-the bun totally buried under the pork
At T3 Singapore we were soon at the lounge and there was only a short wait for a shower. Biggest change noticed at the airport was there seemed to be many more tea shops in airport
Our next gate was walking distance but still it was most stuff still out of bags. A smelly cabin when we boarded and they announced some toilets were not working while on ground. Had the bubbles for a pre-departure beverage.
Got plenty of sleep although there were several turbulent times. Copenhagen weather was fine for our arrival. The airport presented a very long walk with timber floors throughout. 1hr line for fingerprints & photo. Bags still rotating when we eventually got there. A short walk within the airport to get 2 day transport pass from a machine. Metro was every 10 min service. One change and we arrived 200 metres from our hotel.





Found the Ardbeg too peaty for my taste






Nice fish but overpowered

 

[RB]

Nearing Copenhagen


During the 1hr wait they progressively shuffled through people with short connections

 

[RB]

Comwell Portside Copenhagen

Comwell Copenhagen Portside Dolce by Wyndham, Copenhagen (updated prices 2027)
It was still before 9am but for 30 Euro we got a better room & no wait. All ok for the one night stay with a buffet breakfast included. Restaurant was closed Sunday nights but they had good light food at the bar. Our prawn dish & pasta were both excellent. The breakfast was a typical hotel buffet but plenty of staff around and food being refreshed & tables cleaned.



First Shub of the trip!