ABD7 was absolutely brilliant; I travelled up the Cape York peninsula in northern Queensland.
I had some fun crossing creeks in 4wheel drives, with the omnipresent salties watching and waiting, saw rainforests, goldmines, ghost towns, incredible prehistoric wall paintings and walked some brilliant beaches.
I didn’t go in the sea however, as if the aforementioned crocs don’t get you then the sharks will and, if not them, then the stingers!! The people were fabulous, the weather gorgeous and I ate far too much, including this wonderful Aussie burger
It is impossible to drink far too much of the wonderful wines but I tried my hardest!
I did not want to leave Australia so decided that I should bid for an upgrade from Y to J on the Brisbane-Singapore-Abu Dhabi leg of my return in order that I would be less miserable on the journey home. Once again I bid the minimum. However, this time the bid failed.
My Qantas Link into Brisbane ran an hour late.
It didn’t inconvenience me too much, just cut back on my drinking time, but my neighbour got to Brisbane at exactly the time her ANZ flight to Auckland was meant to be departing. Following onboard communication from the pilot of our plane, ANZ delayed the departure by half an hour. I hope she got it but with her having luggage to collect, a trip from the domestic to the international terminal to do and then check-in, security and passport control to negotiate, I have my doubts.
I had done all my required check-ins online at t-24. And not being one to brag:
What is the collective noun for SEQ 1s?
After a short ride from the Domestic Terminal on the T-Bus, free to those with a QF boarding card (whether used or to be used), I checked in at the Etihad Business Class (still hoping!) desk. I was in a queue of one so it was all pretty painless. I collected my tickets for the 473 to AUH via SIN and the 11 from AUH to LHR. I also was given an invitation to the ANZ lounge which EY use at Brisbane.
This lounge is only available when the EY flight is a code share with ANZ, as mine was. If not then whatever your frequent flyer status with EY or whatever your class of travel then there isn’t a lounge available. As I said in my earlier report, EY are in catch-up mode on lounges, the dedicated lounge in Sydney opens officially on 21st May but is already being used. Others will no doubt follow.
I popped into the ANZ for a glass of sauvignon (as one does). The lounge was small and busy. The food offerings looked ok and my glass of sauvignon was yummy!
So now for the flights, on a 330-200 two class to AUH and then a three class triple 7 from AUH to LHR.
WOW.
I should remind you that I have, following a status match exercise, got a gold card with Etihad. I also wrote to Etihad after my outbound to compliment them on my flights down to OZ and singing the praises of the excellent cabin crews. I don’t know whether I just got standard gold-card-travelling-in-Economy treatment as I wasn’t aware of anyone else getting the same but maybe there weren’t any other golds in Y on any of my flights. Or perhaps my e-mail had meant I was going to get special treatment.
It started at the plane door in Brisbane when James, the Cabin Manager, greeted me with a huge grin, shook my hand and said “Mr H, welcome, I have been looking forward to meeting you. If there is anything we can do for you just let me know”
Now the cynics amongst us, including me, can say it is all done from a list or whatever but when it is said with such a smile it is absolutely irresistible and made me feel…I don’t know the right word……so I will try…valued.
We left Brisbane 15 minutes late but still arrived 25 minutes early in Singapore. The Airbus wasn’t full but the small J cabin was. The economy seat I had, a window 21K, was fine, plenty of leg room etc and was about as comfortable as any could be for 8 hours plus. The standard food and booze offerings were great, the chicken tagine
I had was up there with best economy meals ever.
I was asked first what I wanted from the various menus and was also served first. There were several drinks rounds and the standard white wine, a French blend, La Grille, was absolutely delicious.
There was also a spectacularly good raspberry muffin.
And proper cutlery in Y
to be continued so I can add more photos
I had some fun crossing creeks in 4wheel drives, with the omnipresent salties watching and waiting, saw rainforests, goldmines, ghost towns, incredible prehistoric wall paintings and walked some brilliant beaches.
I didn’t go in the sea however, as if the aforementioned crocs don’t get you then the sharks will and, if not them, then the stingers!! The people were fabulous, the weather gorgeous and I ate far too much, including this wonderful Aussie burger
It is impossible to drink far too much of the wonderful wines but I tried my hardest!
I did not want to leave Australia so decided that I should bid for an upgrade from Y to J on the Brisbane-Singapore-Abu Dhabi leg of my return in order that I would be less miserable on the journey home. Once again I bid the minimum. However, this time the bid failed.
My Qantas Link into Brisbane ran an hour late.
It didn’t inconvenience me too much, just cut back on my drinking time, but my neighbour got to Brisbane at exactly the time her ANZ flight to Auckland was meant to be departing. Following onboard communication from the pilot of our plane, ANZ delayed the departure by half an hour. I hope she got it but with her having luggage to collect, a trip from the domestic to the international terminal to do and then check-in, security and passport control to negotiate, I have my doubts.
I had done all my required check-ins online at t-24. And not being one to brag:
What is the collective noun for SEQ 1s?
After a short ride from the Domestic Terminal on the T-Bus, free to those with a QF boarding card (whether used or to be used), I checked in at the Etihad Business Class (still hoping!) desk. I was in a queue of one so it was all pretty painless. I collected my tickets for the 473 to AUH via SIN and the 11 from AUH to LHR. I also was given an invitation to the ANZ lounge which EY use at Brisbane.
This lounge is only available when the EY flight is a code share with ANZ, as mine was. If not then whatever your frequent flyer status with EY or whatever your class of travel then there isn’t a lounge available. As I said in my earlier report, EY are in catch-up mode on lounges, the dedicated lounge in Sydney opens officially on 21st May but is already being used. Others will no doubt follow.
I popped into the ANZ for a glass of sauvignon (as one does). The lounge was small and busy. The food offerings looked ok and my glass of sauvignon was yummy!
So now for the flights, on a 330-200 two class to AUH and then a three class triple 7 from AUH to LHR.
WOW.
I should remind you that I have, following a status match exercise, got a gold card with Etihad. I also wrote to Etihad after my outbound to compliment them on my flights down to OZ and singing the praises of the excellent cabin crews. I don’t know whether I just got standard gold-card-travelling-in-Economy treatment as I wasn’t aware of anyone else getting the same but maybe there weren’t any other golds in Y on any of my flights. Or perhaps my e-mail had meant I was going to get special treatment.
It started at the plane door in Brisbane when James, the Cabin Manager, greeted me with a huge grin, shook my hand and said “Mr H, welcome, I have been looking forward to meeting you. If there is anything we can do for you just let me know”
Now the cynics amongst us, including me, can say it is all done from a list or whatever but when it is said with such a smile it is absolutely irresistible and made me feel…I don’t know the right word……so I will try…valued.
We left Brisbane 15 minutes late but still arrived 25 minutes early in Singapore. The Airbus wasn’t full but the small J cabin was. The economy seat I had, a window 21K, was fine, plenty of leg room etc and was about as comfortable as any could be for 8 hours plus. The standard food and booze offerings were great, the chicken tagine
I had was up there with best economy meals ever.
I was asked first what I wanted from the various menus and was also served first. There were several drinks rounds and the standard white wine, a French blend, La Grille, was absolutely delicious.
There was also a spectacularly good raspberry muffin.
And proper cutlery in Y
to be continued so I can add more photos
Last edited by HWVlover on 12 Jul 2014, 15:44, edited 2 times in total.