29.01.09
AVV / SYD / AVV JETFLEX (Y)
Here I am starting this trip report at somewhere over NSW on JQ623 on my way back from meetings all day in Sydney. My day started at some ungodly hour this morning boarding the 6am from AVV, and I only just made that flight. 40 plus in Melbourne the day before ensured sleep was difficult with the night spent tossing and turning with the aircon still trying to cool the house down so when my alarm woke me at 0415, I felt I hadn't slept at all.
After an excessively long shower I was dressing and noticed a missing button on my shirt. Mrs! had sent most of my shirts for dry cleaning yesterday which meant I had to iron a clean shirt. Great, my ironing is as good as my brick laying skills - nonexistent, this throws a major spanner in the works, I am toying with the idea of waking Mrs! for help but eventually succeeded in making it look halfway decent.
I race out the door and point the 08 XR8 in the direction of AVV with no time up my sleeve at all; a couple of red lights and the JQ plane won't even be there when I arrive!
Having a hair short of 400 horse power and a blatant disregard for the open highway speed limit had me walking up to the counter at 0533 to check in just in time. Through security, a red bull and we were boarding.
A nice quick smooth flight into Sydney where I met up with some fellow managers who had also flown in this morning from different states to meet a major customer… A day in meetings…
My days over now and sitting on the plane. I am working out what's left of my day; my bags are not packed, not even started, I have a tender to complete tonight, I have shopping to do, and I have to be at MEL for a lunchtime flight to LAX tomorrow. I also have to slip dinner with Mrs! at some fancy restaurant tonight as well as fixing my home internet connection which gave up yesterday...
30.01.09
MEL/LAX QF93 J 16K
The symphony of good news started at 0415 with my phone happily chirping to wake me – grrr enough already! I reached over to turn it off for an extra half hours sleep and realized I had cleverly predicted my unwillingness to get out of bed and had left my phone on the dresser. I had to get up…
Into the kitchen for a freshly steamed coffee from faithful Mr. Cappuccino and I hit the computer to finalise the tender. At about 8am, Mrs! reminded me I had a plane to catch, so quickly through the shower, a couple of unpacked items packed, into the car and off to MEL.
This is the starting point for a RTW ticket booked on the new Qantas OW engine with a few other flights thrown in for good measure (booked separate on the web).
Our OW itinerary takes us: MEL/LAX/MCO/CHICAGO/FRA/…CDG/GAT/MANCHESTER/LHR/FRA/HKG/SYD/MEL. I also have Ryan Air flights FRA HAHN /KLAGENFURT & LNZ/STANSTED and Easyjet STANSTED/LYON
Out of the car at the F Valet and said a long goodbye to Mrs! and in through the doors. I was just handing over my passport when my travelling companion arrived and we proceeded to check in. We snagged the exit rows on the top deck to my surprise (16J & 16K) – I thought they would have gone, handed over our bags and we were off to Flounge…
Through the security and immigration checks, straight through duty free and up the escalator to the Flounge to be welcomed back.
The Flounge was not that busy and had the usual selections available.
Eggs Benedict with salmon, orange juice, coffee and toast with vegemite for breakfast and the lovely waitress gave me a good handful of vegemite sachets to take with me (I usually have a tube – I love the stuff!) and a couple of glasses, ok, five glasses of champers over a couple of hours.
While there, I witnessed the new 380’s wing being duct taped up (!) and with interest found out that you can catch the MEL/SYD DOM flight on the 380 on Fridays…
We boarded the 744 on time and wandered upstairs to the assigned seats – darn, starboard side so the seats are forward and the side storage is limited to a small access point and the view is limited to a cramped single window… oh well, still better than Y…
CSM announcement…
“Ladies and gentleman, we will be dimming the lights for takeoff for your comfort and for the visual enhancement of our cabin crew….” I had to laugh…
After a delay of about 30 minutes, we pushed off and pointed towards LAX into hopefully clear and smooth sky. Prior to takeoff during the amenity kit handout, I asked the flight assistant for a lady’s F amenity kit so as the PJ’s were being handed out, the FA handed one over – Mrs! will be happy with that.
I reclined and caught a short sleep listening to something on iPoddy before the meal service started – the champers in the Flounge made for a great sleeping pill (!) and I followed up with a bourbon right before the meal. The meal consisted of a green salad and a selection of antipasto – a double thumbs down on all accounts – I guess if you are an antipasto fan, well it would have been OK, but if not a fan….
I followed the sun dried goodness with the beef medallion which was a lot better. The service, I’m sorry but it was utter cough.
The FA didn’t give bread rolls, he seemed in a daze, in fact, he would be the worst FA I have ever seen in a J environment. Don’t get me wrong, he was polite and tried to be attentive but it was the simple things he failed on and all in all, the meal service was very disappointing to say the least. Overall a sad J experience.
I passed on cheese and fruit, and watched a movie while enjoying a couple more bourbons. After the movie (I can’t remember the name, a CIA story with Crowe and D’Caprio) I reclined with a couple of pillows and a blanket and snoozed for quite a while.
My seat had no padding I am sure…
I awoke and watched a couple of episodes of Top Gear. During this time, I ordered a chicken, cheese and tomato toasty and an OJ. Both came in a timely manner – pity it had sun dried tomatoes, it was OK though…
Bumps for ages – seatbelt sign on for ages – apprentice pilot…
A chapter or two of my book, another snooze, a couple of episodes of Man vs. Wild and I was being asked if I wanted breakfast. Another mistake. What is it with QANTAS and sun dried tomatoes? It’s a conspiracy, it’ a disgrace, its
tomatogate…
A nice smooth landing into LAX and the 15 hours in 16K was over. Off the plane and after a 15 minute wait, I was being finger printed and let go to grab my luggage. Outside and to the middle island, we waited for the Thrifty Rental car bus and were quickly whisked away to pick up a rental for two days – a Dodge Charger (very disappointing but that’s another story).
OK, I have never driven on the right before. This was an experience. I would call it less driving, rather, continuous occurrences of near death experiences…. Luckily we only had to get to the Raddison LAX…
After checking in, we went to our respective rooms and cleaned ourselves up with the agreement to meet in the lounge for a coffee 1 hour later. Ahhh, a hot shower and I was feeling partly human again – I wont tell you what part of the human I was feeling though – and down to the lounge for a coffee during which time, my colleague and I decided to do a bit of LA sightseeing by car (more near death experiences).
We wandered down Hollywood Boulevard, had a genuine street vendor hotdog, drove around Bev Hills, went to Santa Monica and walked out on the pier, drove back to the hotel and realized how tired I was. After another shower and a quick lay down, we met downstairs and had a nice meal and bottle of nice chardy.
I had scallops on a bed of crab ravioli with caviar in a white wine sauce, mmmmm mmmmm!!! After coffee, bed for ZZZZZ’s
