Netherlands, Norway and Svalbard

[jxv]

When I posted some photos of our latest holiday in “The View from my Office” thread, @SuePa asked if I was writing a TR and I received encouragement from @Pushka, @tgh and @JohnM to do so. We have now been back home for a few weeks and I have sorted the photos. The time for my first TR has come!

First I want to show you that I have been a good student of AFF wisdom. Without AFF we would never have contemplated flying in business class, but since early 2016 nearly all our long-range flights have been in J, at reasonable cost. A big thank you goes to all AFF contributors!

This latest trip was the third holiday in a series which started in late August 2017 with MEL-KUL-LHR-LYS using purchased AA miles. Six weeks later our return to Australia was the first part of a OW RTW redemption: MXP-LHR-HKG-MEL with a stopover in HKG. A side trip followed in December as part of the RTW ticket: AYQ-ASP-SYD-AKL, with revenue Y connecting flights to get to AYQ from CBR and then returning AKL-MEL-CBR in J using more AA miles.

The RTW ticket continued in May 2018: BNE-LAX-JFK, which required a separate (Y) ticket MEL-BNE, and it concluded five days later with JFK-LCY-EDI. After five weeks in Europe we returned ARN-DOH-MEL on the first part of a cheap QR J sale ticket, return ARN-MEL for only $3040 p.p. Mid September we were ready for the final holiday of this series, this time seven weeks in the Netherlands and Norway. We flew QR MEL-DOH-ARN to get to Europe and used a QF redemption on EK in J, AMS-DXB-MEL to get home.

The planning of this trip was complicated by the fact that we had convinced our son and daughter and their families to holiday in Europe too at this time and that we all should meet up in the Netherlands for a week, where we could then have a big family reunion with our Dutch relatives.

A word of warning: I have had many years of experience writing technical papers, manuals and reports. I understand that writing a TR is different from what I am used to. I’ll do my best, but you’ll have to excuse me if I my stories sometimes sound a bit like the maintenance manual for an astronomical spectrograph.

After this long intro let’s now get to the TR proper…

 

[jxv]

Under normal circumstances we would drive from Geelong to our son’s place in Melbourne. We would leave our car there and he would drive us to the airport, less than 20 minutes away, but this time he was already in Rome. One option would be the Gull bus, from Geelong centre to MEL, which I have taken on many occasions when travelling for work. That would require a taxi ride to catch it, so a local limousine company direct to the airport was much more convenient.

Because of the unpredictable traffic conditions we allowed ample time. Traffic flowed freely though, QR J check-in was speedy and the security check went smoothly too, all conspiring to maximize our lounge time. We had too much time actually and we got a bit bored in the QF dungeon. Boarding the A380 went smoothly and take-off was on time, 22:00.

A good thing about late evening departures is that it is easier to sleep, but I cannot really enjoy dinner just before midnight, especially not under mood-lighting. Maybe I have to think how to better use dine-on-demand to my advantage. The steak was nice, but too close to well done for my liking. I cancelled my desert order.

This TR will only have the occasional food photo. We are not foodies and I also tend to forget to photograph the food when I am hungry. Unsubscribe now if food is your main interest!

 

[Jacques Vert]

I'm onboard,looking forward to the rest of the trip.

 

[RooFlyer]

He, he, he ... just for once 1A is wide open with JohnM otherwise engaged up the Nile without a paddle (or wi-fi)

Just a request jxv, could we have the flight # and aircraft type for the flights, please?

 

[jxv]

He, he, he ... just for once 1A is wide open with JohnM otherwise engaged up the Nile without a paddle (or wi-fi)

Just a request jxv, could we have the flight # and aircraft type for the flights, please?

Only one flight so far: MEL-DOH, QR905, A380. I will make sure that these details are included in the next instalments.

 

[kermatu]

Having blown all my money sitting in 1K the past few months, I'm onboard for this but stowing away in the cargo hold again.

 

[VPS]

Does that mean 1K is vacant so @JohnM will be relegated to row 2. Following with interest

 

[amaroo]

Absolutely loved our time in Norway. Stunning place.

 

[tgh]

I am back in steerage but looking forward to the tr

 

[Pushka]

Oh great start @jxv

 

[Cossie]

Looking forward to this, Svalbard is on my ever increasing list.

 

[love_the_life]

Looking forward to this, Svalbard is on my ever increasing list.

It’s a very interesting place. And there are polar bears.

 

[SuePa]

Excellent!
I'm definitely looking forward to this trip report.

 

[jxv]

Thanks for all your encouragement!

It was a long day today: a road trip from Canberra to Geelong (750 km), but I had laid the groundwork for the next few episodes last night. Here we go:

We arrived in Doha around 05:00, for a 10 hour layover. After some time in the Al Mourjan business lounge, which I found a bit disappointing after reading all the hype on the QR website, I went looking for the Doha City Tour Desk. I followed the signs, could not find it, asked an airport staff member, who pointed me in the direction I had just come from. Nothing. I asked again and was pointed in another direction. Repeated asking, was pointed back in the first direction, and so on. When I eventually found the unmarked desk, that I had gone past several times, I was told that it had recently been moved and signage still had to be installed! I paid 2x US$15 and was told to come back at 09:00 for the 10:00 tour. Yes, it took that long to sort out tickets, get out of the airport and into the bus. The biggest delay was immigration for economy passengers. We only took minutes to go through the business class lanes, but then had to wait for the others to catch up.

The tour was a good way to pass a few hours. The photo stops were only short, which was good because of the 45 degree heat.

The Doha skyline.


The Museum of Islamic Art. I have seen photos of the inside and if we ever have some time here again I would like to visit it.


Some new tourist trap being constructed.


A new bird house, still uninhabited, as evidenced by the lack of birdpoo. A few prospective tenants seem to be inspecting the penthouses of the leftmost tower.

 

[jxv]

Before going on the Doha tour we had put our carry-on in a locker at the Al Mourjan lounge. I had a ticket with the locker number and always use the same code for lockers and safes, but I could not get it to open. A supervisor had to be called to open it. We spoke to people on the tour, who were carrying all their stuff around because they had been warned not to use those lockers. We found out why!

We caught up for lunch with our daughter, son-in-law and our grandchildren, who were on their way CBR-SYD-DOH-CDG. They had arrived around midnight and had booked a hotel. A wise move, especially with little children. It was a funny coincidence that their flight to CDG was scheduled to depart at the same time as our flight QR171 to ARN.

Originally we were due to board from gates close to each other, but there had been a gate change for our departure, now from a ground level gate. We were bussed to a far corner of the airport where our B789 was still being refuelled. We had to wait on the bus, where the airconditioning could not keep up with the 45 degrees outside while standing in the full sun. Once we finally climbed the metal steps to the plane, with handrails that were too hot to touch, we looked forward to relaxing in a cool cabin. It was not to be, the aircraft was like an oven! The airconditoning did not work and the transportable unit that was hooked up had no hope of cooling things down. Mrs jxv had to be helped as she dragged herself to her seat. The cabin staff worked hard to keep up the supply of cold drinks and towels. We could hardly imagine how bad things were in the economy cabin! It did not get any better till the engines were started and we took off.

The flight was uneventful. I tried the steak again, with exactly the same result, but this time without the mood lighting.

 

[jxv]

When we visited Stockholm for a day in May we stayed two nights at the Clarion Hotel at the airport, which can be reached without going outside. Very nice hotel and very convenient. When I wanted to book it for this trip I found the price had moved out of my comfort zone, so I booked a Best Western off-airport hotel with free airport shuttle instead. I had phoned them before departure to ask about the shuttle and knew which bus stop to go to and that the shuttle went every 40 minutes. When we rolled up to the stop just before 22:00 the timetable showed we had to wait 30 minutes.

The hotel was fine for an overnight stop and even had breakfast from 04:00, so we could catch the bus back to the airport for our 08:15 departure to AMS after having coffee and something to eat. I don’t know why so many airport hotels do not have early breakfast. Their guests often are travellers who want to catch early flights. I suppose it is a question of costs.

Scandinavian Airlines (SK) has all-economy planes for their intra-Europe flights, but markets the first 6 or 8 rows as Premium Economy with only 2 pax per set of 3 seats, like BA's Euro-Business Class. Food and beverage service is the same as in Y, but is included in the price. At major hubs SAS has separate PE lounges. The cost of PE is quite reasonable. I had purchased Y, but received an invitation to bid for an upgrade, with a minimum bid of €50 p.p. I bid €51 and was successful.

The ARN SAS PE lounge was similar to a QP at a minor airport. A reasonable selection of food and no alcohol at breakfast time. In the centre were a few large round tables with equally large heavily constructed lightshades hanging over them. Every now and then we heard a loud “doinngg” when someone got up from their seat and banged their head against a lampshade!

The flight went smoothly and the views over the Dutch landscape, as we followed the coastline and made a slow turn to land towards the North, were absolutely magnificent. I was so busy trying to work out what I saw, that I forgot to take any photos. Sorry about that, but my personal satisfaction comes first!

View halfway between ARN and AMS. Flight SK1553, B738

 

[jxv]

Those of you who are looking forward to the Norway and Svalbard parts of this TR will have to wait while I report on the Netherlands part of this trip. Maybe I can convince some of you to put the Netherlands on your wish lists, but make sure you go and see more than just Amsterdam!

 

[Major]

Arnhem is worth a visit

 

[Denali]

Those of you who are looking forward to the Norway and Svalbard parts of this TR will have to wait while I report on the Netherlands part of this trip. Maybe I can convince some of you to put the Netherlands on your wish lists, but make sure you go and see more than just Amsterdam!

We're in Amsterdam mid-late April so ready to take notes!

 

[jxv]

Arnhem is worth a visit

Indeed! We stayed there for a few days in 2016. Amazing early history. In the 16th century the local Count thought that Arnhem could become an important trade centre, if it had better access to the Rhine, which passed several km from the city. He then decided to have a new channel dug for the river, which was completed in 1530. The city blossomed and soon needed more storage, so they dug again, they built new cellars under the existing buildings. A recent project connected some of these cellars for the purpose of a tourist tour. Interesting!