My White Christmas attempt

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VPS

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This is my first trip report so please be gentle.

So - a White Christmas has always been on my bucket list and I decided that 2016 was going to be the year.

I found J return to London leaving in December and back in January so it was ADL MEL DXB LHR and LHR DXB SYD ADL on the way back.

Day 1 - the chauffeur from Hughes arrived a few minutes early in a late model black Mercedes and whisked me off to the airport

Just a question for Chauffeur Drive - do you tip the drivers and if so how much in Australia or in the UK.

QF692 - Seat 3C 737-800.

I had originally planned to go on QF694 leaving at 18.10 but they cancelled that flight so I either had to leave on QF692 at 16.10 and hang around until 11.25 or catch QF696 and not get into 9.30 and because I like to allow time I decided to go with the QF692

We were due to leave at 16.10 but there was a delay due to the incoming aircraft. The plane was absolutely chockers and the priority line was as long if not longer than the ordinary line. They asked rows 1-14 to go through the aerobridge and from 15 onto go up the back stairs.

We were told we’d make up time on the way over because of the wind but we were slowed down about half way across and arrived about 30 minutes late so I was glad I’d chosen the earlier flight.

The snack was a cheese box – some good tasty cheeses with a date and good crackers plus some bread.

There were a lot of Y passengers using J toilets and no one made any attempt to stop them. Altogether it was an uneventful flight and landed in Melbourne and walked over to the international terminal. Very quick through immigration and security – hardly anyone there and got my TRS refund (only two other people there)

Some photos of the Adelaide QP and the cheese box

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I fronted up to the Emirates Lounge around 6.15pm and they did say that I should use the Qantas lounge but I said I just wanted to have a look and they didn’t quibble. It did take a while to find the Emirates lounge – I think the signage needs updating.

The variety of the food and service in the Emirates lounge is light years away from the Qantas lounge. The whole lounge is much nicer – it’s bigger, lighter and a lot more seating.

I went into the Qantas lounge about 9.30 and it was packed - there is no natural light - went to get a glass of wine and there was only one wine glass left and it was grubby.

The Emirates lounge wasn't very busy even when I left but there were people checking the toilets every 15 minutes and clearing up plates and glasses - in contrast the Qantas lounge wasn't as clean. There were queues for the ladies toilets in the Qantas lounge – it really does need a major refurb.

It probably didn’t help that we left over an hour late and the flight to NZ was also late so the Qantas lounge was very busy.

We were over an hour late leaving (I could have got that later flight) so a lot of people missed their connections in Dubai.

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QF 9 MEL DXB LHR Seat 17E

The FA’s bought around the pyjamas and I was pleased to see the green Rio ones because I was going to ask for some of them if we’d got the normal grey ones.

By this stage I was stuffed – I’d had plenty to eat and drink in the Emirates Lounge so I skipped supper and into my pyjamas and tried to get some sleep (did manage a bit)

The staff were good without being exceptional- all friendly and professional

When you get off at Dubai it's chaos and you have to go into the connections queue and go through security again then you can find your way to the lounge - there were signs to business and first so not sure if you are gold or QC

When going through security they said you had to take you shoes off but not everyone did and some were asked to remove them and some not -had to take out laptops but not fluid or gels.


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DXB - LHR I was in the J lounge but didn't have much time although boarding was late again. The food in the lounge isn't anything special- had a pastry that was stale but there are a lot of staff

Boarding is directly from the business lounge - you walk around the corner and depending on what class you are in defines which lift you catch to the lower level.

The CSM introduced himself to everyone - may have done it on the first leg but was out to it.

Staff very friendly but no pyjamas were offered. I think there were some newbies on board because they were taking orders for both middle seats instead of just their three - one side offered extra bread but not on the other side ie my side and I had could have done with some more bread with my soup

I tried to order the lamb pie but they had run out before row 15 (I did get it on the way back and it wasn’t great)

Onion soup was ok just a bit sweet after taste - really don't get the Neil Perry food – my personal opinion is he's a W@nker and that's being nice. I went to a class of his a few years ago and he was just not very inspiring.

Fish was quite ordinary- sauce and rice ok but no flavour in the fish.

Crepes were excellent with the Gramps wine - my neighbour was offered Baileys of Glenrowan Muscat but they didn't have it on the trolley on my side and by then I thought I’d probably had enough.

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Immigration wasn’t too bad through Heathrow and off to the CD desk and an easy transfer from Heathrow on a late model black Mercedes to a friend’s place near Putney which was to be my base for the next four weeks.

The next morning off early to Crewe where I was collected by some friends. Big dinner party that night and feeling quite seedy the next day but we went to Chester for a wander around and to see the Christmas Market which was excellent.



The first thing I saw at Chester were these guys chucking someone overboard and then rescuing him - it was about 5 degrees
 

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Don't have to be kind.As Mr.Grace would say-"Carry on,you're doing very well."
Hopefully some remember Are You Being Served.
 
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