Seven countries, Zero COVID tests (then 3 to enter Australia...)

[Must...Fly!]

After quite literally years of waiting, the time has finally come to join others and get myself on a plane out of Australia for a holiday.

This trip will entail a lot of firsts (though no First Class) - first time visits to Turkey, Switzerland and Norway. First time on Singapore Airlines, Turkish, Swiss and Wideroe. And a first in Qatar J as well.

The route looks a little like this;



I'll have 5 days in Istanbul, 9 days in Switzerland and 5 days in Norway. Then to London for 3 days to catch up with old colleagues and friends, followed by positioning to Dublin for the flights back to Australia. The addition of MEL-PER at the end was a late addition (thanks to McGowan...) to visit my family for the first time in almost a year. Doesn't sound like much but before COVID, I was accustomed to visiting at least every 10 weeks or so. So it's been quite the change. Thankfully this was booked with AA miles which are pretty flexible, so the added sector cost zero extra miles and about $14 in extra taxes.

The long hauls are award redemptions in Business Class, with the internal European flights economy and paid with cash. The PER-MEL at the end is a Velocity economy redemption. I'll run through the costs of each as the trip progresses (and hopefully I don't fall too far behind!). Plan is to review the flights and hotels, and maybe the odd day here and there of what I get up to.

As the title reveals, I won't have to have a single COVID test until my return to Australia despite the numerous countries I'm visiting, which is a welcome change as by my count I have had approximately 130 RATs since October for work. On coming back I'll have to have one before flying, one RAT on arrival in VIC, and one RAT on arrival in WA. Crazy stuff...

Felt like a lifetime away when I booked, but finally the day has arrived, I'm packed and ready to head out to Southern Cross to get the Skybus. I get about 30 steps down the road and realise I forgot my raincoat at home. Oops...I turn around and decide that I cannot be bothered walking any more, so a cab it is and after one false start, the trip begins...

 

[craven morehead]

Sounds awesome !!

 

[Must...Fly!]

A quick 30 minute ride later, I was on the Departures level at Melbourne Airport. Thanks to a code from the Placie app, the ride was only $31 (plus as it was an Ola, I got a handful of Velocity points too - unexpected bonus). I didn't have to look at the boards to find out where to check in...there was only one row of counters with people!



Check-in was...laborious to say the least. I arrived about 3 hours before, and it took over an hour in the Business Class queue before I was seen. Paperwork was being very diligently checked and there were certainly a few people getting booted off to the service desk for various reasons (and certainly some running to Histopath for a COVID test...).

I used the time to my advantage and called VA as I had to change up a reward booking. That call itself took about 40 minutes so that at least soaked some time up. Being prepared, my check-in experience was relatively good, however the agent had to obviously check everything against their expectations so it still took ages, probably about 10-15 minutes. Can't wait til this stuff is confined to the bin.

But I passed, had my bag tagged and my boarding passes in hand - this was the point at which I really started to feel like I was going on holiday!



Ah how I have missed walking through these gates! Travelling in Business on SQ, I was entitled to Express Pass access for security. Considering I was literally the only one being scanned, it certainly wasn't needed. E-Gates also switched off, so passport verified manually by Border Force and then the Duty Free maze. I was surprised that it was all open and stocked, though once out of the initial assault on the eyes there was not much actually open. One newsagent, and Brunetti was the sum total.

Made my downstairs to the SQ lounge "dungeon" for the first time. Not the most exciting or interesting lounge in the world, but I guess it beats a mostly empty terminal. Free pour spirits can never be a bad thing, right? Food options were fine, dim sum, chicken and potato curry, some meat pies and spinach/ricotta sausage rolls, samosas, spring rolls and even fish and chips. Also chocolates, salad, fresh fruit. You certainly wouldn't go hungry!









And after a couple of hours whiling away the time, sipping some whisky and making some last minute preparations, it was time to board for Singapore...

 

[Must...Fly!]

This was to be my first time ever on board Singapore Airlines. Quite how I have gone so long without stepping foot on SQ is some kind of feat, but I will say that it probably has a lot to do with having been attracted to Europe far more so than Asia for my travels, plus living in the UK for 2 years, I had become very accustomed to travelling with Etihad in the before times. Especially so since becoming a Platinum with VA as that meant F lounge access in Abu Dhabi, a decidedly wonderful place to spend a layover between Australia and Europe.

But with that said, and with a caveat that this is the first time I have flown long haul business class in quite some years, the service on board would turn out to be excellent - not without the odd fault, but to highlight them would be almost petty.

Melbourne to Singapore
16:40-21:20 (STD)
16:49-20:54 (ATD)
Flight tme 7:05
A350-900 9V-SHM



Ah my chariot awaits! I was rather happy this flight (and the next) remained A350s as booked, as they have actually become my favourite aircraft to fly on. They feel modern, comfortable and quiet. And while I'm sure it's in the mind, I have felt much more refreshed coming off an A350 than the competitor from Boeing (787). This flight up to Singapore would be on board the regionally configured A350 of SQ.

I had read a comment on AFF not long ago that the Business Class is cramped on the regional config, which had me wondering in the days leading up to the flight. Having now flown it, I can see where such a comment would come from. The seat did feel a little bit cramped in certain positions, but I don't think it is a deal breaker in any way. For me, the other features of the seat such as very modern IFE countered this - though I didn't attempt to sleep (though did doze off for a nap...) so can't say what it would be like on an overnight flight. We pushed back pretty much on time and the trip truly was underway!

What was a slight let down was that COVID protocols on SQ still remain in visible and tangible form - no pre-departure beverage for example. And while there was no service direct from the trolley, every meal except the main came covered with a plastic lid or cling wrap. It's fine to show you care about COVID, but if one of the meals isn't covered then doesn't it kind of show the whole thing to be a bit of a...well, show? All it seemed to do really was increase interaction between crew and passengers, as about 10 seconds after the food was dropped, another crew member appeared to remove the plastic rubbish. Also, menus are still viewable by device only, no printed menus (I feel like this change is probably here to stay as it's an easy "environmental win" - another one would be to reduce consumption of single use plastics, SQ.....)



"Care kit" was waiting for me in the seat. Nice to have a bottle of hand sanitiser provided - the several I bought in preparation for the trip were fast becoming redundant! I did however use the wipe to clean down touch points on the seat and touch screen - my honest belief is that given COVID is airborne and omicron so contagious, I don't really see much point in obsessing over surface cleaning but it was there so I did it.

The crew had come around before push back to ask what I would like to drink after take off and verify I still wanted my Book the Cook option - macadamia encrusted chicken breast. Absolutely I did. And a champagne requested for as soon as possible, obviously...today's drop was a 2012 Piper Heidsieck Brut Vintage. A very acceptable offering, at least to me - and soon enough the meal service was in full swing.



Smoked salmon starter. This was a good sized portion, and no skimping on the salmon. I am not much of a seafood person (evidence to follow on the second flight) but I really enjoyed this, the salmon was very fresh and tasty. Plus served with two slices of garlic bread, who can say no to such a thing .

By this time I had swapped to a white wine, a 2020 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc from Marlbrough, NZ. I really, really enjoyed this one - was a great accompaniment to the salmon, and to the main course to come. So much so that I might go out of my way to try and find some to keep at home, which is quite the endorsement as I (a) don't drink much, (b) drink even less wine and (c) drink even less white wine.



The Macadamia Encrusted Chicken was served with some zucchini, potatoes, shallot and beans, topped with a reduced tomato puree. It was absolutely beautiful and the chicken was nice and moist - not the easiest task on a plane and especially not so for a breast. But I would've paid for this on the ground, and had seconds been on offer it would've taken precisely zero convincing for me to have the flight attendant scurrying to the galley for another serve. I all but licked the plate clean...



Finished off with a Cookes and Cream Cheesecake, which would usually not be my first choice but on this occasion I was very glad to have done so. It was good - really good - and only self-control and my own sense of embarrassment stopped me from asking if there was another portion lying around...



And an espresso! Now, I have an unhealthy obsession with illy - a brand of arabica from Italy. There's a few reasons for this well beyond the scope of this TR, but suffice to say the fact Singapore Airlines will offer my an illy espresso in the sky means I must have one. The perfect way to round off a delicious meal.



I settled in to some movies (the kind that I'd never watch at home, but when captive at 40,000ft with nowhere to go...) and at some point hit the call bell (responded to so quickly that I think the FA was hiding behind my seat waiting for me to want something) to have a nice decaffeinated tea. It's rather unfortunate that this tea is so expensive, because I really enjoyed it, so much so I had about 6 cups of it between Australia and Turkey! It's basically an African Rooibos brewed with some vanilla beans. The rest of the flight passed by uneventfully, and given the quantity and quality of food and alcohol, I unsurprisingly drifted off for a nap at some point...

Soon enough it was time for the pre-landing refreshment before arrival in to Singapore. I believe this is a recently re-introduced service on SQ after COVID cutbacks. While the dinner after take off in Melbourne would have happily seen me through, I can understand why a small offering would appeal to many. I was going to pass on this as I was planning to eat in the lounge, but I went for it anyway. I was really glad I did - partly because it was yummy, and partly because the lounge food was (for me) underwhelming - but more on that later.



Chicken & Mushroom pie served with tomato relish, and a refreshing glass of OJ. The pastry was flaky and delicate, the filling plentiful and tasty. Don't know what else to say as it's a pie, but again it's something I would readily return for if I had it on the ground which I think is a good endorsement.

A slightly early arrival and that was it, my first flight on Singapore Airlines was done and dusted. And it really was great. The seat was comfortable (above comments notwithstanding) and the crew excellent. I was addressed the entire flight by last name which was very impressive, even for someone like me who is relatively young and doesn't stand on ceremony or care much for formalities of this kind. But I do have a complicated European surname and most Australians don't even attempt to try pronouncing it. Each member of crew I interacted with got it right first time and every time without hesitation. Well done!

It was then in to Changi Airport, and time to see what two years of zero-COVID across large swathes of Asia Pacific had done to one of the world's better airports...

 

[Must...Fly!]

It was nice to be back at Singapore Airport for the first time since, I think, 2013. It certainly was a different experience this time around though - the place was very quiet. It did get busy as the hours went on, but nothing like its former self. Though, somewhat reassuringly the Burger King outlets have remained operational even if many of the other food and drink options have closed up. Several of the food courts seem to have been changed in to a socially distanced meal/break area for airport staff. Most Duty Free shops were also closed, but in T3 there was at least one cosmetics/technology shop open and a couple of smaller retailers like Hugo Boss and a luxury watch dealer.

With a 4.5-hour transit until my next flight to Istanbul, I went for a long walk for over an hour, tracing as much of the terminals as I could from my arrival gate in T3. The overall feeling was "dead". But I do feel like it was more alive than it would have been, say, a month ago - Singapore is clearly making moves and opening up fast, so hopefully the airport continues to expand and reopen old facilities as that occurs. For example, the butterfly garden. I got as far as I could in T2 before hitting some tensa barriers, so I turned around and re-traced my steps along the concourses right to the end of the A gates of T3. Re-tracing my steps for a second time (cheating now because I was tired, using the travelators) toward the SilverKris SQ Lounge.

I had heard many things, both good and bad about the Business level lounge offerings of SQ. I can't say I was particularly impressed by this one, however. It was busy, noisy, chaotic and even just finding somewhere to sit for a single traveller was really difficult. I seem to have not taken a single photo of the lounge, so apologies for that but I was probably too conscious given how many people were there.

A shower seemed like a good idea, and as expected was given a buzzer and said it would be around 30 minutes. OK, no problem, I've got time. I grabbed a glass of water and by some divine intervention a seat, and waited. And waited. And waited. After about 45 minutes I just couldn't sit any more so paced the lounge like a mad man, up and down several times before finally the buzzer went off. Then on approaching the attendant counter at the showers, I was scowled at with a "finally"....apparently the shower had been waiting for me for some time. And I was told off as I must have been sitting far away and the buzzers don't have much range.

Like...OK? I wasn't that far away, but even so, it would've been nice to have been told that at the start? Anyway, whatever, the shower was refreshing, as was the change of underwear after that encounter...

Then a SilverKris Sling from the bar (an SQ take on the famous Singapore Sling), and the only bit of food that really appealed to me which was the vegetarian pulao rice. I wasn't that hungry given the food I'd already eaten on the flight to Singapore, so it didn't bother me that much. But if I had come hungry, I think I'd have been a bit disappointed. I noticed an oddly high number of adults eating the kids options of chicken nuggets and chips, so it made me think perhaps I wasn't alone with my feelings.

I have always had a strange fondness for a Burger King meal at Changi as that's what I ate the first time I ever went, so if I was hungry I likely would have left and enjoyed the relative peace of the T3 BK seating area...

Anyway, time rolled on and with about 30 minutes to go before boarding I bade a happy farewell to a decidedly average lounge, ready to stretch the legs again before jumping on board the long trek to Istanbul.

P.S. Sorry again about the lack of photos, there will be more in the next installment!

 

[craven morehead]

Enjoying the commentary

 

[SYD]

I do hope they reopen the Gold lounge in SIN soon, there’s been several reports now of overcrowding in the SK lounge and a sub-par experience. It wasn’t normally like that pre-Covid.

I’m passing through in 2 wks at a similar time and slightly shorter layover. Maybe I should have taken the 50min connection option…

 

[Happy Dude]

Ditto, great stuff.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Singapore to Istanbul
01:50-08:25 (STD)
02:18-08:54 (ATD)
Flight time 11:36
A350-900 9V-SMB

After another long walk pacing up and down the concourses at Changi, I headed through security again to the A gates of T3, where the flight to Istanbul was the only flight left for the morning.

There is something about the destination of a flight that dictates the chaos at the gate. I don't really like stereotypes, but to me this is one place they are true - each and every time. As soon agents appeared and stood behind desks, there was an almighty scrum to get on board. It was really quite something to behold - so the boarding process had begun. After a few minutes the agents had managed to restore some kind of order and had a priority queue set up, so I took that as my cue to get on board.

Though not before a staff member shouted at me to stop after going down the Business Class jetbridge, wanting to check my boarding pass before allowing me to continue. OK, no problem - I like they want to keep the exclusive areas exclusive, but instead of standing to one side doing nothing how about they stand at the entry to the relevant bridge instead of shouting after people?

Anyway this trip report is starting to sound a little bitter in parts…but from here on I aim for it to be totally positive - spoiler alert, the Singapore Airlines Business Class experience for the next 11.5+ hours will see to that! I was shown to my seat promptly on boarding and the crew introduced themselves. Once again it was the A350-900, but this time it was Singapore long-haul Business Class product on show. It certainly was bigger and roomier than the regional product on the first flight! Though, perhaps still not perfect.



Everything else was a carbon copy of the first flight - very polite crew, order taken for post take-off beverage to be served with the meal, and confirmation of my book-the-cook selection for supper. Tonight it was a "Special Feature" BTC option I was very much looking forward to. We pushed back slightly late, followed by a very lengthy taxi around a quiet Changi airport, setting course for Istanbul. The routing tonight would be sub-optimal due to the various restrictions around airspace in the Middle East, and we overflew India, then over the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, turning north over Cairo for Istanbul.

But back to the food. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't fast forward to the BTC main - starters must come first! As for the drink, I went back to the same Wairau River white I'd had earlier in the day.



Hot Smoked Salmon salad. This one just didn't do it for me - it wasn't a bad dish by any means, but just really not to my tastes. I left it mostly untouched, and soon after the real masterpiece appeared…



Bismillah Biryani Restaurant Chicken Dum Biryani.
A mixture of chicken, herbs, spices and rice all cooked together for that sumptuous flavour in every bite. Served with an egg. Four-time Michelin Bib Gourmand Award Winner from 2016-19.

Wow. I didn't expect such a big piece of chicken still on the bone, and served with raita as well. It was absolutely delicious. I would have, once again, certainly gone for seconds if it was at all possible. Nothing was dry, the chicken was of supreme quality - not gristly or fatty at all. After ensuring that not a grain of basmati was left behind, it was to dessert, a Sticky Date Pudding which was every bit as yummy as it looks.



A cup or two of the Vanilla Bourbon Tea from the previous flight later, and I was ready for bed. Unfortunately, as is usually the case the skies approaching Sri Lanka were rather turbulent so I had to stop myself from falling asleep in the chair, while impatiently waiting for the seatbelt sign to go off - which it eventually did and I had the F/As make up the bed.

Sorry, no photos! The bed was comfortable, though I found the footwell to be really tight - I am 6'4" and have a size 13 foot so I guess I would be at the upper end of the customer base, but still it did feel like more room was needed. No matter how comfortable the bed though I never rest that well on aircraft (unless I'm not trying to sleep…) but I managed about 5 hours of snoozing with the odd wake up. Once I'd given up, pressed the call bell which was again promptly attended to, the bed was now a seat and I had another cup of tea in hand.

Some rather uninteresting movie later, the lights came on and it was time for breakfast. Ah, the sad realisation that this would be the last SQ-catered meal for a long while dawned on me. How exciting and sad at the same time! But, on with the show. Fresh fruit and bircher muesli to start, along with a selection of pastries and breads…must've been hungry, as I was halfway through the fruit before I remembered to take a photo.



Then the main course and final BTC meal…



Spiced Buckwheat and Pumpkin Pancakes
Wholesome buckwheat and pumpkin pancakes with vanilla bean coconut yogurt, toasted pumpkin seeds, maple strawberry and orange.

I usually avoid the sweet breakfast options as I get more than enough sugar in other parts of my diet, but the idea of reheated egg after 11 hours flight never really appeals, so I thought I'd take a punt on these pancakes, and again, I am so glad that I did. They really were delicious. I'm not so sure I got a hit of maple from the strawberries, or indeed coconut from the yogurt but really it didn't matter. The pancakes were the star of the show - light, fluffy and beautifully spiced. It was a great way to round off a super pair of flights in Business with SQ. And what a shock, more Vanilla Bourbon tea!

We landed behind schedule in IST followed by a long taxi to the gate. It was my first time at the airport, and it really is big - not quite Dubai or Doha, but it is a very impressive airport nonetheless. Despite the size and number of flights arriving, the wait at customs was minimal (despite being entitled to fast track, I went for the general queue as it looked smaller and won that gamble) and with no curious raised eyebrows from the authorities, my bag was already whirling around the belt by the time I got to the baggage hall.

A quick visit to the ATM post-customs for a small amount of cash, and in to a taxi for the ride in to central "old" Istanbul, the neighbourhood of Sultanahmet, where I would spend the next 5 days. So to wrap up - my first time on Singapore Airlines, and it will absolutely not be my last. I'm just as curious to see what they offer in Economy now that I've experienced Business, so have my eyes on a mid-year long weekend in Singapore to try and find out. If you get the opportunity to fly SQ J and haven't done it yet, you are missing out...

---

MEL-SIN-IST in SQ J set me back 86,000 KrisFlyer miles and $122.41 in taxes. One of the better value options of redeeming KF miles for sure.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Enjoying the commentary

Thank you

I do hope they reopen the Gold lounge in SIN soon, there’s been several reports now of overcrowding in the SK lounge and a sub-par experience. It wasn’t normally like that pre-Covid.

I’m passing through in 2 wks at a similar time and slightly shorter layover. Maybe I should have taken the 50min connection option…

Maybe so, but despite the closed stores and restaurants, Changi is still an immense place to just walk around and given the depressed number of travellers, finding somewhere quiet to sit is not a difficult task if the lounge doesn't quite do it for you.

Ditto, great stuff.

Cheers!

 

[Must...Fly!]

Some random photos I took around Istanbul. Decided I probably have to mix it up a little bit from photos of plane food and include some on the ground as well




















Next installment will be Turkish Airlines over to Geneva.

 

[Must...Fly!]

After 5 incredible days in Istanbul, it was time to shove everything in my trusty backpack once again and head for the real Europe - Switzerland to be precise. A country I have long since wanted to visit, but haven't managed to. Primarily that was due to cost - when I was living in the UK, unfortunately I didn't have the financial means to do it justice and there were other places I wanted to go that were much cheaper.

But with COVID as it is now, I decided that this trip would be one that doesn't involve any hostels. Which I was quite sad about, as I've met so many amazing people and made such great memories doing so. However, the reality is that the risk of catching COVID is higher in a hostel type environment, so hotels at this point are necessary.

What that did mean for the trip overall was I could be a lot more flexible in where I chose to go. A hostel in somewhere like Spain or France would be way cheaper than the equivalent in Switzerland - let alone a hotel. Though, the difference staying in a hotel in any of the aforementioned shouldn't be significant - hence, I decided to just go for it.

The night before departure I showered and packed, preparing myself for the very early 05:00 alarm. The flight to Geneva with Turkish Airlines was actually one of the last of the morning bank of departures out of IST at 09:10, however the hotel I stayed at was in Sultanahmet (near Hagia Sophia etc) with its old and narrow streets means traffic jams are regular, and frankly I just did not want to get caught out running late.

First though, a word about the hotel - I chose to stay at the GLK Premier Regency Spa & Suites. Normally I would stay away from tourist type areas when choosing a hotel, however most things I read online indicated that Sultanahmet was really the best place to stay if you are a tourist and in Istanbul for a short period - I can now definitely say that is true. There are almost no global chain options in the area though, so you are limited to smaller boutique hotels - which is fine by me. As time has gone on I have well and truly gone off being loyal when it comes to accommodation.

There were quite a number of options, but settled on GLK for three primary reasons - location, reviews and value. The location could not be beaten, a 5 minute walk to Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, etc. And there are plenty of restaurants right outside the hotel and nearby - most were touristy, but you really only had to go one or two blocks away to find more local establishments that were excellent. With the Turkish Lira's value in the bin, even the tourist prices were not expensive. Most meals would set you back about $15 AUD including starter, main and a drink.

Reviews of the hotel on all sites were very good, and the value was fantastic. I paid $575 for 5 nights in a Deluxe Room (standard was only $30 cheaper for the whole stay, so I went for something slightly bigger) on a refundable rate. The room was very clean and had recently had some work done to the bathroom, so had a nice rain shower which I definitely appreciated. The other part of the value equation was that if you book directly with the hotel for at least 5 nights, you get a complimentary one way private airport transfer. Which really sealed the deal, as I didn't want to stuff around with trying to get a taxi at 5:30am, and a reputable private transfer booked in advance was about the $50 mark via various providers on Google.

The car was ready just as I was at 05:20. I think the Mercedes van had just enough leg room



Somehow we reached the airport without incident. I'm not saying I had a bad driver - quite the opposite, I think he was very skilled, to have driven at the speed he did on the highways, weaving in and out of lanes with rain coming down and not ending up sideways or upside down...such is Turkey.

Now I realise I have waffled on, so in the interests of sanity the flight will continue in the next post...

 

[Must...Fly!]

After a 25 minute adventure, it was time to experience the calm or chaos of Istanbul's new airport. As it would turn out, I need not have worried and could maybe have slept in a bit.



Though it was not without a hump to get in to the airport itself. No one was checking at the entrance if you had a valid flight itinerary or not (supposedly a pre-requisite for entering the terminal), but you do go through a preliminary screening point just inside the doors. This took me about 15 minutes because, for some reason, the security staff really didn't like my backpack. I think it went through the scanner 4 times. Every time I took everything out, they inspected everything, packed my bag again, screened again, repeat.

Of course it probably also didn't help that no one seemed to speak much english. All that I got out of the lady was the word "no" in response to me asking "is ok?". And every time she wanted to put through the bag again, "control control". Whatever - I just went along with it as I had nothing I shouldn't have! Eventually they must have got bored, because with frowns on faces they just pointed me to the terminal. One last experience of Turkey



Turkish Airlines check in was super easy, There were plenty of rows of desks, mostly all staffed, and a short queue that moved quickly. A quick look at my vaccination certificate (which was not looked at closely, just checking I had one) and I had my boarding pass in my hand and rucksack tagged for the flight to Geneva. Off through passport control and a second bout of security (who had no problem with my backpack this time…) and in to the departures area.

Which, by the way, was absolutely PACKED. Like, to the extent you would hardly believe there was a world stopping pandemic. Check out the concourses and the departure board! And note, the Russian cancellations…(this was about 10 days after the war between Russia and Ukraine began).





Maybe some would feel nervous after seeing this, but I took it as a wonderful sign that the world is now open and returning to a form of normality that I have craved to see for a long time.

I grabbed a coffee (I saw the illy logo…readers of a previous installment will understand what this means…) and a croissant and sat down to browse the web for an hour. Because that's all the free Wi-Fi in Istanbul will give you before asking for money. Feels very 2010 to be honest, especially in a brand new airport trying to be world leading. There is nothing cheap about food and drink at airport here by the way - I'm pretty convinced Brunetti at Melbourne International might even be cheaper. A cappuccino (which was brutalised in such a way that would have the warriors of the Ottoman Empire proud) and croissant was $10.50 AUD. Ouch.

Anyway, after my Wi-Fi time expired, I set out on my trademark walk up and down every concourse I could find, getting my steps up for about 90 minutes before the flight, watching busy departure lounges slowly empty as people boarded aircraft heading to all corners of the globe.

Eventually there was no one left except for at my gate to Geneva, and it was time to jump on board. I was actually quite excited for the flight, as I had heard some great things about Turkish in all cabins and was really curious to see what the food and service would be like on this flight across Europe.



Istanbul to Geneva
Turkish Airlines TK1917
09:10-10:20 (STD
09:10-10:14 (ATD)
Flight tme 3:04
A321 NEO (registration unknown)

Boarding was calm and orderly, with very friendly crew members welcoming us passengers on board. It would turn out to be a pretty full flight, however I had chosen and aisle seat toward the rear of the aircraft to try and score a spare middle seat, which ended up happening so myself and seat mate on the window had a bit of space to stretch out in to.

That was all well and good, because the seat pitch isn't anything to write home about. I'm quite tall (roughly 194cm) so economy is usually a pinch, but in truth, this did seem a little tighter than usual.



Fully boarded, we were away bang on time for the just over 3 hour flight to Geneva. The one down side of my preference for an aisle seat is you miss all sorts of cool photo opportunities of passing aircraft. And Istanbul is certainly a good place for some more exotic spotting.

Shortly after take off it was time to explore the IFE and get ready for breakfast. Something that stood out to me was the movie selection. Plenty of choices, I think enough to get me through to Geneva….look at the movie count! Lots of language options as you would expect on this most international of airlines. The system was modern and very responsive.



The food arrived about 45 minutes in to the flight, and I chose to accompany it with coffee and an orange juice. There was no choice in meal - so I guess TK loses a point here, however if I look at the spread that was put in front of me, I didn't really mind. There was plenty on the tray for a 3 hour flight and it was all tasty and fresh as well. When you consider what most European carriers will serve you in cattle class, this is a pretty good show. And the bread roll was heated in the oven too.



I continued through my movie (Nobody - an enjoyable return to a serious role for Bob Odenkirk and a movie I had wanted to see for a while) and before I knew it, we were descending for Geneva. This flight was overall about as uneventful as it gets, but when you're in economy in Europe that's a good thing! Being toward the back meant a bit of a wait at immigration at Geneva as most on board seemed to be non-EU citizens, but after about 15 minutes I was greeted with a smile and passport stamped without so much as a question about vaccination or my intentions. Great!

Bags were out about 10 minutes later (useful as it allowed me time to change SIM cards and activate a new 3 UK SIM). I grabbed a ticket for the train to Geneva and shortly after I had deposited my bags at my hotel and it was out to get some cash and begin to explore another brand new country!

The flight from Istanbul to Geneva cost US$148.10 which became AU$207.55 when booked in mid-February (about 3 weeks before departure). I did notice a few days later the price had dropped down to US$97, so I guess you win and lose some. But I was not disappointed with the value offered by Turkish Airlines, and I would happily fly them again if the opportunity presented itself.

 

[Melburnian1]

Very pleasing that you had a good experience entering IST, as my memory of a trip a decade ago (old airport) was an extremely lengthy wait: along with shambolic BKK and LIM, the worst I've had.

 

[KombatWombat]

Interestingly, just flew back to Australia last week, having flown to France via Kuala Lumpur in MH J (mediocre), followed by old layout TK J (poor hard product, great soft, but only 2 pax in all of J) via Ist, then to MUC and finally LYS. Did not need any test outbound. On the way back, I flew Etihad from Belgrade, due to it being a third of the price for J compared to other major European cities. Lovely time in Belgrade, followed by middling experience in Etihad J to SYD. Anyway, no one checked any of the tests I did and that were supposedly required for the return trip…I’d done a PCR in France (the one & only I ever did during Covid!), and a RAT in Belgrade…both turned out to be unnecessary

 

[Must...Fly!]

Sincere apologies for lack of posting. I was busy enjoying my travels, family time in Perth, back at work for a series of 3am starts just after landing back in MEL and then checked out for a pretty crazy Grand Prix weekend. Further parts to come this week which will also finally give me the chance to pause and reflect on the trip!

 

[AIRwin]

A321 NEO (registration unknown)

Not decipherable from the aircraft photo?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Right, back on the horse. Maybe it would be easier to quit my job and travel all the time. One powerball...

----------------

As foreshadowed, I don't really plan on going in to too much detail about cities themselves, as to me this trip report is more a celebration of the ability to travel on planes and trains in a foreign country again, than it was about the cities. But still, photos are a must

My trip had me in Switzerland for 10 days, so I opted for a Swiss Travel Pass, which you can find further details about here: Swiss Travel Pass – the All-in-one-Ticket for Switzerland | SBB

Given I was flying in on day 1 and out on day 10, I opted for the 8-day Travel Pass. At CHF389 (or AUD581 at the time) it was not cheap so it took a lot of consideration before I pulled the trigger. However I determined that the value of being able to hop on just about any train I wanted, at any time I wanted, throughout the entire country meant I was buying precious flexibility to do whatever I wanted. Add in the fact the Swiss Museum Pass is included as part of the ticket (free entry to 500+ museums) and free/discounted mountain railways, and it seemed worth it.

On reflection, it absolutely was worth the money. Who wants to be beholden to a particular timed train, cutting your day short or lengthening it unnecessarily just to save a few dollars by buying an advanced saver ticket? The ability to basically hop on/off was incredibly valuable to me and I would encourage anyone visiting more than one or two cities in Switzerland to consider purchasing one.

My hotels in Switzerland were booked;
Nights 1-2 - Geneva
Nights 3-7 - Lucerne
Nights 9-10 - Zurich

This allowed me to see Geneva, use Lucerne as a base for visiting the central area and Italian-speaking south, finishing up in Zurich to see the city there and a convenient place to fly on to my next destination, Norway. Overall the weather in Switzerland was outstanding. I am almost certain the only rain I had over 10 days was some precipitation on the train windows, and clouds were few and far between. Only one day was odd - some sand from the Sahara desert (!) made its way up to Switzerland with the help of some winds and deposited itself over the country for a day or so - which gave a rather eerie feeling and something totally different to the rest of my time.

I'll break down the following posts of photos city-by-city, with a focus where necessary of natural touristic attractions - museums were visited, but I would not necessarily say the highlight in any way. Switzerland is a beautiful country and with due respect, the interior of buildings are most definitely not the stars of the show!

 

[Must...Fly!]

Geneva

Two days in Geneva (including the day I arrived from Istanbul). My overriding feeling - a beautiful city, though somehow felt in contrast with the rest of Switzerland - likely the French influence being so close to the border. Or just my perception!

But you will get a feeling from these pictures, just how lucky I was with the weather throughout 99% of my trip given it was March in Europe. And I beat another airport-closing blizzard in Istanbul by just 2 days!


The famous fountain of Geneva - Jet d'Eau. Runs limited hours during the winter so unfortunately I did not manage to get close during operating hours. Near from where this photo was taken, locals were bathing in the Lake. One of the things that will stay with me forever about Switzerland is the water. Never in my life have I seen water as beautiful and clear as in Switzerland. Just thinking about it makes me feel nostalgic - but then again I live in Melbourne on the Yarra River and it's not known as the cleanest waterway in the world!


Temple de la Madeleine. A small and quaint church just up the hill from Lake Geneva. But what was so beautiful about this was the people inside - very friendly! And the church operates differently to anywhere else I have been. You can walk in and visit as you like, but they also have tables and chairs. The purpose? Funded by a local group, the church is open to locals to visit and use as a hub for meeting and socialising, with free tea & coffee. Tourists are welcome too .


A few minutes walk away is the grand Cathedral of Saint Pierre. Indoor shot below. To the right is the entrance to the Archeological Site of the Cathedral which I visited the following day once my Travel & Museum Pass became valid. The layers of the cathedral and the level of preservation of the previous and slowly-expanded site of worship was fascinating and well worth a look if you are ever in town. Great audio guide included, you could likely spend hours there.





Check-mate. Every time I walked by Place de Neuve, there was a healthy crowd involved in the games. Something about seeing a bunch of people together playing games in public really made me feel like the world was back again. I think the scars of Melbourne lockdowns with roped off playgrounds run deep, for me.


My visit coincided with International Women's Day, which was celebrated in quite some way as I happened across female band marching down the street near the University!


Er...not quite directions for a tourist!!


My view for breakfast on day 2. Frankly I don't care what anyone else says, but buying $10 worth of fruit/muesli/baked goodies from the supermarket and walking to a park cannot be beaten ANYWHERE in Europe. Much less here, overlooking Lake Geneva. Stunning.


Outside the United Nations, the famous broken chair - a reminder of the victims of armed conflict. A protest was occurring here opposite the UN building, regarding independence for a region in Pakistan (I think). It was somewhat poignant given the events that began the week before in Ukraine.


Goodnight, Geneva! A beautiful sunset to round out the end of two great days. I was very glad to have made the time to visit, instead of beginning and ending my time in Zurich.

If you do visit Geneva, I would also encourage you to visit the museum of the Red Cross (included with the museum pass) as it really does an excellent job in showing the work of the organisation. I do not believe they are perfect but when you see what they lay out, it is hard not to be impressed at what they do, and sad for why they have to do it. It is a true display of how cruel and kind humans can be, all at once.