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Re: continuing on
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jebbo
last leg
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Feb 17 06 11:27 PM
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7/2/06 After picking up various pax on the way, got to airport around 8.30am and headed for the Qantas check-in. Relatively hassle-free with our luggage checked through to Sydney. Kept with us carryon of his ukelele and my ukelele and a bag full of kitchen teatowels and oven mitts, plus video camera bag. Allocated seats 55K & H. Proceeded to the long walk to the Qantas Club near gate 32, with a security check checking if you hold a boarding pass before you leave the check-in area leading to the gates.
The Qantas Club is small (it shares with ?American Airlines I think) but I guess with only 1 QF flight through Hawaii daily it does not matter. Adequate snacks and such to nibble on. Mr Jebbo started with champagne!!
It was then I noticed that my boarding pass had a classification of "ruby" whilst Mr Jebbo's remained at "bronze". He was a bit peeved at this and wondered why as he has been a Qantas Club and FF for longer than I have, but then he did not fly to Bali on Qantas did he!!! hehe. That will teach him to fly Business Class on Garuda.
Whilst reading all the Australian newspapers in the Qantas Club room, I noticed from where I was sitting that a lady was doing "Yoga" exercises outside on the carpetted area.....she did all her exercises for about 40 minutes. Good on her....she was not embarrassed at doing this and looked in very good condition for a lady well over her 60's. Must think about doing that.
Boarding call came at about 10.10am and what a shambles. When we got down to the actual gate there were people everywhere and no-one could hear the announcements of Elderly, disabled and children first with anyone just going for the gate, until a staff member stopped them.
Finally boarded QF4 and settled ourselves in to seats 55K & H. Aircraft type 747-338. Flight left on time at 10.50 am. Qantas seems to have more the older type of jumbo and yet has paid up for the A380.
We had a very considerate Japanese couple sitting in front of us who were mindful of putting their seats back too far. This was something we appreciated. Next time I must remember to personally thank the pax in front in helping me be comfortable in my flight.
Lunch served during flight of:
Green Leaf Salad with Cherry Tomato & Cucumber
Choice of Braised Beef with Mushroom Sauce, Creamed Potato and Green Beans (was delicious) or
Seared Salmon with Caper and Mustard Butter, Steamed Potato and Minted Peas
Cheese & Crackers
Dessert
Coffee Tea
Handed out immigration cards and have you anything to declare......we said yes as we had the wooden ukelele's and snacks.
I enjoyedthis flight, being a daylight flight with a sleepover in Brisbane, which was better for me in respect to jet lag. Once there in Brisbane we could not connect on to Townsville after 9.00 pm, hence the layover.
Light Dinner served before arrival into Sydney at 5.50pm. Flying time just under 10 hrs.
Pineapple Salad
Choice of:
Indian style Chicken Curry with Basmati Rice (very nice)
or
Cheese Ravioli with Tomato and Cream Sauce
Guava Cake
Coffee Tea
8/2/06
Once there the usual mad dash to get to Immigration looking for the booth with the shortest queue. Once in the Customs queue, we were pleasantly surprised that they did not bat an eyelid on the macadamia nuts, yet the stuff I brought in from Bali which was processed banana chips was confiscated.
From there we had to collect our luggage. Sydney terminal is not pax friendly in terms of getting out easily from the customs area to outside or to a transfer area.
People went to one exit (like we did) and ended having to walk all the way over to the opposite exit. Once outside we had to walk to the domestic transfer . Walked in a large circle to the domestic transfer area....and there is no short cut to it, so from my opinion for those who have been on long flights and have to do more walking to get to a domestic flight, I suggest they cut a hole in one of the exit doors in customs in order to get there quicker.
If we had known when we got to the domestic transfer desk that we could have got on earlier flight we would have changed our ticket there and then, as we had to wait until 19.45 to board for the next leg. (flights leave from BNE-Syd each way regularly...not sure of the time interval, probably 20-30 mins).
We had to wait 20 mins for the domestic transfer bus (waiting for all connections to come through).
Actually I had'nt mentioned it before but it is really interesting to do this bus trip from the international terminal to domestic terminal (and vice versa) as you see all the Qantas jumbo's and 767's close up in their hangars awaiting check-ups/repairs.
Ansett used to run Airport tours which were great, but once Sept 11 came I would imagine that they put an end to tours within the confines of the Sydney airport.
Headed for Qantas Club, which was being upgraded, so we had to walk to the West entrance. This lounge is huge....one of the biggest I have seen. Because it was around 6 ish, the hot food was coming out and there were party pies......of course, you can imagine how many were being piled on pax's plates....I managed to get a couple for us of the last lot brought out. We Aussies like our pies, whether small or large.
Mr Jebbo asked me to take a look at one end of the lounge and see a very big bloke sitting across a lounge seat..he would have easily taken up two seats...how would he have sat on a seat in a plane!!!
Boarding call came for QF552 at 19.45 bound for BNE. Flight left on time at 7.35pm. 737-400. Seat 23E & F. Flight time 1 hour with a 8.00 pm arrival time in Brisbane...remembering that Sydney is an hour ahead of Brisbane. (until end of March).
Snacks of nuts/pretzels served. Mr Jebbo had wine which is free on Cityflyer flights.
Caught cab to Novotel in Brisbane and stayed the night for $188 (internet rate with discount for Advantage Plus members).(Cab fare $25-30 depending on traffic). Son came in to talk to us and tell us the good news that he had an accident in our old Volvo and she now has been relegated to the Volvo graveyard. We have had that car in our family since 1979. Sigh. Now he needs us to help him buy a secondhand Subaru. What are parents for!
Had breakfast next morning which I enjoy at the Novotel for their Continental breakfast- they have so much in the way of fruit/nuts/breads/juices etc and cost (on the production of an Advantage Plus Card) AU$12.50 each all you can eat.
Later on checked out and walked around Brisbane for an hour before heading to airport to board QF974 leaving at 13.10pm for Townsville.
No place like home.
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