This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Our fairly long standing mile collecting binge had now come to an end and all legs now sorted in G seats. A few days major packing & organising heavy hand luggage to ensure mini NH was catered for her extended holiday sat on various planes and the day arrived. Snr NH now established on my car insurance drove a fully packed estate run over to sunny MAN. Give the house nanny & assorted house staff were unable to accompany on this trip due to training commitments, we walked to the BMI desk on our own to ditch the bags. Thankfully being on VS transfers we were able to check the bags and the taped up hand glider bag straight through to SYD, ensuring BMI tagged as priority for our off load at Sydney. We were then just left with oversized bulging hand luggage and the infamous Trunki.
Time at MAN was short lived and soon boarded short hop down to LHR, right at the back, but hey its only 40 mins. Arriving without having to collect luggage was a godsend, and enabled a leisurely trip through to the depths of Mordor; Orks/beasties fended off with erractic trunki slides. Soon out into T3 area and a final trip out into the now dark skies for a few last lungs full of clean air.. The VS terminal does look impressive at night, all red/ purple and white.
Dodged the red suited reception staff & over to a near empty UC check-in. An attractive young blond lady (who seemed to be pulling admirers as an oriental lad run forward took her photo and scuttled off, much to the obvious unease of the poor girl), confirmed luggage details from the BMI checked bags and pleased to see the pre-requested seats were still in place (frustrating not being able to do OLCI due to number of legs on booking). Manatee (minis favourite toy also getting tagged up much to her delight)
Boarding cards issued and soon pressing button for the lift up to security. Looks impressive on arrival, although bit dashed when actually at security, as thought it was in its own area & not just tagged to end of main security hall, not complaining though looking at the queues for the standard checks.
This is where we found some confusion. It wasnt really explained where the CH was, either that or we werent paying attention and ended up walking round a bit lost until eventually pointed in right direction. Found the lift and up to reception where a dolled up middle age DYKWIA lady wearing too much sparkly clothing was having a heated discussion with reception staff about access I am allowed in all the lounges! This is outrageous! etc etc.. [:o)] quiet funny as we stroll up with 4 yr old in tow and get hearty welcome and escorted through..[8D]
All the hassle etc we decided to find a seat & table on between the glass partition and the windows. The lounge was busy and a full table area very hard to find, service was quick and always present. One point of interest the kids area is a disgrace, a waste of space in my opinion, which could be easily boosted, with a small outlay of stuff from the likes of Ikea (family travellers may then actually use the room). Air New Zealands offering at SYD proved it could be done and was obvious a bit of thought and minimal outlay by some one on an Ikea run had made the room actually useable. Anyhow a plate each of Deli offerings (sushi was available) and drinks and mrs NH goes off for haircut.
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Time had caught up with us, and with all jobs needing staggering to ensure Mini NH was accompanied I decided to forfeit my haircut. Mini wasnt well and pulling a temp, which was giving us some concerns. We decided to board early to get her established, and as she wanted carrying, a very helpful CH rep escorted us down to the plane from the CH/ helping with hand luggage. Boarded a near empty cabin and settled into the Yorkshire formation 6a,6d,7d.
Dosing mini NH up with Calpol and surrounding her with her toys, we sorted various bits out with the Champers being sipped, the rest of the cabin soon joining us. Usual chaos as all get sorted and CC rush round getting people greeted etc..sleep suits handed out, my heavy bag parked in Wardrobe and we settled down for take off. Menu looked fine with a beef tenderloin with noodles taking my eye, although having made mental note of my want, CC soon came rushing round realising theyd not given out the right menus!! no major drama, as noodle accompaniment was refreshed with tatties..
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Before long up in the air and a quick repositioning of mini nh in bed mode.. groggy/ feeling very hot and not a well cookie..least rest should help. Food arrived and proved tasty and the rioja went down well in unison. Rest of the flight a bit blurry as intermittent rest disrupted by a unsettled Mini..luckily not seeming to disrupt anyone else in near vicinity as we were very quick to react.
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Nearly 2.5 hours & after about 3 reboots IFE finally was available to us all..After what seemed like a very long flight we came down into HKG. Mucho paperwork confirming you didnt have the plague or Athletes foot and landing cards completed, we headed out through what seemed like a very convoluted route and checks before arriving in the gate area, now marked up with a koala bear transit stickers we headed up to the lounge, this time better signed and easier to find. Warm greetings and main cabin bags left we pottered through to the balcony area and had the choice of tables.
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Mini NH meanwhile with large favourite Manatee soft toy in hand, decided to take the tricky route round to her seat, sending the small flower vase crashing onto the tiled floor..Ooops![:I] Thankfully for us, we were one of the first up there so not too embarrassing, and staff were very quick in tidying away the segments of glass and mopping up the water.. drinks and nibbles, neither of us feeling up to bothering with the showers, although spacious there are only two.
Reboarding was just down stairs and again once we looked down from the balcony and noticed groundstaff were getting ready to call we headed down to get on early and sort mini out. A HKG crew who in my opinion were very very good, got us established and settled in for the next leg. Luckily mini had now got into the routine of bedding down, enabling us both to have some R&R interspaced with resettling mini. This leg was less busy with quiet a few empty seats, the young oriental lady looking after this leg proved my favourite of the trip, apart from being very attractive her presence was impeccable and we wanted for nothing..[oo] the prawn & lemongrass supper meal being especially tasty.
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Sydney arrived and the fast-pass issued was greatly appreciated, custom checks were vigorous and passport control well organised. Note; $4 for a trolley and non-refundable. Soon we were outside sighing that wed made it with mini NH in one piece. Taxi rank was easy to find and we were soon off driving through the tunnels to find the Westin.
Westin had our room ready soon after arrival which was well needed, and managed to get some kip and decent showers etcbefore walking round zombie like for the next 2 days, as jetlag kicked in.. [:$]
Sydney? Ive seen it now, a big bridge and funny shaped Opera House still showing an orange tinge from the recent dust storms, Aquarium very good, adjacent wildlife centre a real let down, given the expense & one to avoid. Boat ride on inter harbour ferry proved a good cost effective way of seeing harbour area from the water. We found Sydney very expensive [:O], mainly due to the poor exchange, but like any major tourist area they know how to charge. Westin was very good, extremely well proportioned rooms and amenities, location also good. A wander round the Rocks area interesting, having mini NH in tow restricted some of the options for us, but at the end of the day Sydney was another transit for us before setting off to Perth after 2 nights.
NH
NH, Hobbit Land.
