Time to wrap up. 3:22am and wide awake
lots of people wandering looking for somewhere to sit. Can WP use the Emirates lounge in JNB? I guess no.
The BA lounge gradually turned into a zoo. Lots of people with bags on seats meant
TripIt says we departed JNB at 7:39pm after it was originally 6:45pm. We'd had SMS to say 7:15 but that was brought into 7:05 and clearly missed. Zero announcements at the overcrowded gate as to when we might begin boarding. Bags had been tagged First there was hope here's hoping they come our quickly
PE was not full. Looking around after we'd departed and there was I'd guess 10 empty seats.
A group of hideous humans were sat in PE. Maybe four I think? They'd been to SA to hunt. I wanted to shout across the cabin and just etll them to shut up. Theyw ere sat opposite an SA women who muts have something to do with the hunt 'industry'. They regaled the whole cabin with the type and number of animals they'd shot (lots) and were having taximdermied and sent home. YUK. The only positive whas that what they did shoot was sold as meet. YUK again.
Crew was nice but not a patch on what we'd had on the day flight over. They seemed harried. I guess on these flights it's get them fed and then to bed.
The upper cabin supervisor came back and welcomed me. I got a cap and another key ring. The black cap I actually like and will make use of. He could see that we were on the BNE flight and said we should make up some of the lost time and should be right to connect. That was it as far as WP recognition. No first drink or first dinner selection. Such variable service in this area.
Here's the menu
I had the beef with a cab merlot and bAlt the chicken with chardy. Both meals ok. My beef was moist. The chicken a bit dry
First night flight in PE. Gee that seat in front is close when reclined. No way to get out without bAlt getting out and even then it's an effort to get over the armrest. Slept ok in small spells. Watched an interesting movie called Layla about a young Palestinian drag queen and his struggles in London. Then some episdoes of random tv shows
Breakfast was served maybe 90 minutes out, maybe two hours. very over potatoes for breakfast and no to the beans as well
they had talked to anyone who was going to miss their connection. The CSM advsied if you hadn't been spoken to then proceed with your existing connection.
Gee Sydney Harbour is a beautiful greeting to our lucky country
We landed at 3:31 and our connection was 5:10.
Picked up our duty free and we still were looking ok.
Could not use e-gates as we'd visited Kenya and it was yellow fever tagged. Two chatty groups in front of us set us back maybe five minutes at immigration.
Then the bags. We got to the carousel and there were already bags there. My hope that ours would be amongst them were soon dashed. What the f is the point of First tages if they mean nothing and you get your bags in the second half of a full A380?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Directed into the something to look at customs queue at maybe 4:25. It moved quite quickly. Asked if we had washed our shoes, said yes, and waved through and off we went to the transfer check-in. We missed QF540 by less than five minutes. Moved to 542 so not much of a delay. bAlt got his J seat and from 4C I got 22C.
The transfer bus took ages to come, ages to fill and then forever to get over to the dom terminal. They had someone waiting at the top of the steps directing those on the bus who has got onto 540 around to gate 12.
Pretty full flight up to BNE that left on time.
bAlt's apparently delicous chicken
and mine
miraculously our bags were in the first half dozen to come out and our lovely friend, house sitter and sometimes travel partner was there to pick us up.
bStut had come in to Brisbane pretty much on time late on Wednesday .
It's now 4am and I might try to get some more shut eye before doing a summary later today sometime.
Thanks everyone for coming along on our latest adventure.
