Henkybaby From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 593 posts, RR: 4 Posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5521 times:
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Parting is such sweet sorrow
I have enjoyed Sydney. It is a very beautiful town filled with very beautiful people. The weather is nice, the atmosphere is a-ok and it feels like a happening place. I was sorry to leave but I have a schedule to keep. Note to self: next world trip there will be no schedules!
I needed to start my 6 day tour of the Southern Island of New Zealand. I hold a reservation for a Saab 9.3 Convertible with AVIS, it is summer in New Zealand and I am flying Business Class. What can possibly go wrong?
Since most of you seem to enjoy destination info as well as the actual trip report I decided to breakt this one into 4 pieces:
One – Sydney
Two – SYD, plane spotting and the First Class Lounge
Three – The actual QF45 flight
Four – Christchurch and the start of the New Zealand trip.
Part One – Sydney
I have stayed in Sydney only two days. Way too short. I had a great time. The best way to explore Sydney is to take the Ferries. I took two. One to Parramatta up the river and back and one to a beach named especially after me: Manly.
The first ferry takes about 70 minutes each way. Not too bad considering a days pass is only AU$17,-. By far the cheapest 'cruise' I ever made.
Leaving the docks
The Volendam. Dutch pride. Not my ferry...
There is no washing in the river!
Parramatta and the turning point
The other ferry takes about 30 minutes and will take you to a real beach town called Manly. It is a surf beach.
Beach self portrait
In the evening I decided to go to Darling Harbour. Very nice and you get there (again) by ferry.
Returning
I went to bed a little early because I wanted to be the airport at 07:15 to have enough time to enjoy the First Lounge before my 09:15 flight to CHC.
Henkybaby From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 593 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5524 times:
Part Two – First Lounge & Spotting
I arrived about 07:10 at the airport. I went to the check in desk (paper ticket so no online check in) to try and get a window seat. “I am sorry sir, I don't see you on this flight at all” was the response from the check in lady. My last name has a space (in Dutch) but BA writes it as one. QF however uses the space (strange on the same PNR) so it took some explaining on my part. Finally we got it sorted and I was assigned 2K. Happy!
The check in lady informed me that I could not use the First Lounge. “I can, since I am Emerald” I replied. “No sir, really only for first class”... When do they start training these people? Ah well. There was a priority lane for customs and the baggage check, so that was easy. Up to the lounge it was.
Of course I was admitted to the lounge without any problem. The entry is downstairs (where someone first inspects your boarding card) and the entry desk is is flight up. They were extremely fast and friendly. “We will call you specifically for boarding mr Henkybaby”.
Entry to lounge
I proceeded into the large area to find a place to sit. I was immediately approached by a nice waiter in white if I wanted some breakfast. Indeed I did, since I left too early for hotel brekkie.
I was surprised how quiet it was. Not many flights departing in the morning I guess. In total there were maybe 20 people there (and as many staff).
Breakfast was absolutely wonderful. By far the best lounge food so far and surpassing the T5 CR breakfast by a mile or 2. Service excellent, food excellent, view excellent...
Yogurt and Cereal to start
Eggs Benedict
After this very nice breakfast I went to look for a place to park my butt. I found that all the window seats where free so I was suffering from choice paralysis. This whole lounge seemed to be there especially for me. The seat I took gave me an excellent view of the runway. Unfortunately the lights of the lounge reflect rather strongly into the angled windows making photography a bit tricky.
First I went to see if I could make a Spa appointment. The answer is no, they do not open until 09:00 I believe. So I got myself a drink and sat down for some spotting. But not after running around like a madman snapping pictures for the likes of you. (By now I am used to saying: 'don't mind me, I am just a travel reporter'. Makes life easier...)
Your Mac
Some other workstations (there are quite a lot)
You can even have your personal office
Library area
The do-it-yourself section
Various seating areas
Back to the spotting,. Not my usual past time but it is all for the good cause. I was very lucky. In the 90 minutes I sat there I caught the following flight touching down.
A JAL 747
The SQ A380
An Asiana Airlines 767
The Virgin Atlantic A340
Emirates
And the plane that is too good for me
Here are some various other shots that I took.
Something old, something new
No merger today
Soon it was time to head to the gate. I did (once again) not wait for the boarding call but proceeded on my own. This time I was right on time for part three.
Henkybaby From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 593 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5518 times:
Part Three – SYD-CHC
QF45
Boeing 767
Class: Business
Seat 2K
Dep: 09:10 (actual 09:20)
Arr: 14:10 (actual 13:45)
Flying time: 2:30 hrs
Load factor: J 90%, Y 80%
When I arrived at the gate they had not yet commenced boarding but the wait was little over a minute. Just enough time to take a shot of the boarding area.
When boarding started I was the first one to be allowed on the plane. All other business passengers where probably still in the lounge since they arrived much later. I must say that I was a tat disappointed by what I saw. This was international business? Well, regional business of course, much like with CX.... The seats where incredibly close together and if you want to get out, your seat mate needs to get up to let you.
The seats are very old fashioned with hand controls for everything.
I did not expect the flight to be as full as it was. Lot of holiday makers either going back or going away. The very nice lady next to me went to New Zealand for the first time after living in Aussie for 15 years. Her being originally Scottish and both of us fans of the show where Ewan McGregor rides around the world on a motorcycle (Long Way Round) we kidded that she would probably say about everything in NZ what Ewan said about everything he saw: “My God, that's beautiful. It is a lot like Scotland!!”. (Now I am here I can only say: it is!)
SYD is a wonderful airport for spotting. Even when we taxied out I could take some nice shots.
The very curbed wings of the R380
The bridges
And up close
“Painted or will you take it like it is?”
Take off was rather quick. No long taxi. While we were climbing I managed to test the 'aerial photography' setting of my new camera. It works rather well, don't you think?
Before take off we were handed two menu's by the charming and efficient crew. One for food and one for video's. In business you get a portable (but only for strong people) DVD player and you can select a movie from a menu. Since the seat is rather cramped you need to use your tray table to put the DVD player on.
But of course we were handed this other menu too. So how do you do this? I managed by putting a book in the stool pocket and resting the DVD player on it to create a 'regular' set up.
Nice legs, no?
The offered a hot lunch on board and I chose the spicy lamb. It was quite good actually. Better than some of the posh First meals I had so far...
Desert was a rather delicious ice cream
I did not take wine since it was early in the morning but my seat mate obviously had a different lifestyle... She gobbled up a considerable amount of alcoholic beverages and took over 2 hrs to finish lunch. I did not want to disturb her, but I really needed to go to the little boys room. That was quite an undertaking, I assure you... When I got back of course she had vanished. After making me do areal aerobics...
Soon we were closing in on New Zealand. I was looking forward to this!
Alarmingly outside the windows I saw quite a lot of clouds, albeit rather pretty ones.
Descent into CHC and still clouds. I was getting worried...
Touchdown in a gray and overcast Christchurch.
Customs in New Zealand is no easy task. Passport control is swift and there were no lines to speak of. However they are very protective of their island so they question each passenger and scan their luggage. Takes a fair bit of time and there is no express lane. After 20 minutes or so I was ready for
Henkybaby From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 593 posts, RR: 4 Reply 3, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5518 times:
Part 4 – New Zealand
At the airport I headed immediately for AVIS to get my Saab 9.3 Convertible. When I asked the lady if it was ready she looked at me like I had escaped from an asylum. “A what? A Saab? What brand is that? It is a brand? Never heard of it. We don't have Saabs.” “But look, I have a reservation, it says Saab 9.3 Convertible”. “Yes, sorry mate. You got a Prius.”.
Now AVIS had already let me down in Bariloche (car with broken windshield and torn upholstery) so I was really pissed. (Always at the company, never at the people mind you!) The manager told me they had maybe 20 convertibles in the whole of NZ and I wasn't near any. Nor could he get me one. Apparently booking class K means Saab Convertible in Europe and Toyota Prius in NZ. Since my booking confirmation clearly stated Saab Convertible he ended up giving me a Toyota RAV4 for the price of a mountain bike. Still disappointed since I wanted to tour the country with the top down.
Saab 9.3 Convertible according to AVIS
The first two days the sky in New Zealand looked mainly like this
The country is beautiful but rainy and windy. Even in summer. Today was a sunny day and I miss my cabrio now. And the strangest thing. Normally I am immune to mosquitoes. Never get stung. In malaria areas I do not even take precautions. Here I get pricked like I am Paris Hilton... Ah well, Can't have them all. Here are some NZ shots I like.
Windy
Site of the 2009 NZ Tsunami
Some nice lake
This is where the fairies live.
Thundering Betty (or whatever other combination with a woman's name)
The 'beach'
Me after a lousy day
And some without comment
That was it for now. 3 more days in the South Island and then I fly to AKL. I probably will do a TR on the AKL-MEL flight next and include the CHC-AKL in that. I hope you enjoyed the read and the visual impressions. Hope it is not to much about other stuff than planes.
Feedback is always very much appreciated! Thanks for reading!
Hi Henkybaby
Welcome to the most beautifull country on earth, and i do not mean OZ. I live herre but to me NZ is a place of its own.I have travelled to NZ about 12 times in 4 years and I always fall in love with the scenery and the country in general.
back to the 767 biz class, yes it is tight as is domestic biz , but the last time I flew Biz on a 767 was a 300 with 1 2 2 ( IIRC)and i was lucky enough to get a seat on the left hand side with the 1 single seat, this is a while back but I think is still in ops.
Enjoy the rest of NZ and look forward to the rest of the reports for this trip
You beat me to it! Oh well, I'll try to match your pics of Sydney!
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 1): I was surprised how quiet it was. Not many flights departing in the morning I guess. In total there were maybe 20 people there
Remember it's only really for those travelling in First..
Thanks for the tour of the lounge and the additional spotting!
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 2): Alarmingly outside the windows I saw quite a lot of clouds, albeit rather pretty ones
One reason why the name for New Zealand in Maori is translated as "the land of the long white cloud". You may have seen my TR down the country filled with pictures of cloud!
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 3): A what? A Saab? What brand is that? It is a brand? Never heard of it. We don't have Saabs
Nor have I.. Haven't seen any Saabs as rental cars ever in New Zealand! They generally go for the newer types and mainly Toyotas as you've seen.
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 3): Still disappointed since I wanted to tour the country with the top down.
That would have been really nice in some places but it can get a bit chilly in the higher areas of the country.
I'm trying to find out where abouts you have been but to no avail! I believe that tree is growing in the water like that because the lake has been turned into a hydroelectric dam and the water level has risen due to that. Examples of this: Lake Hawea.
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 3): 3 more days in the South Island and then I fly to AKL
SQ772 From Singapore, joined Nov 2001, 1792 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 5048 times:
Great report with lots of humour and pictures to go with it. South Island looks like a really great place to visit. Unfortunately, flights from SIN to CHC are just too limited and darn expensive now that SQ has complete monopoly on the route.
Looks like SYD is an extremely popular destination this year (Judging by the number of TRs on SYD these last few months)
I just spent a good number of days in SYD as well, so I know what you mean when you said that 2 days is just too short. I boarded a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly as well, but it was raining cats and dogs the day I was there...
IAmSterdam From Netherlands, joined Jan 2009, 1 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5028 times:
Hi Henkybaby, great report. Especially enjoying your reports as i did about the same 1 year ago. However, i went the other way around the world (but i went to SYD, CHC, AKL, SCL, IPC) and i travelled on a DONE instead of an AONE.
Was not very impressed by QF/BA long haul service, but actually enjoyed my flights SYD-CHC-SYD, even though seating was not great as you mention. Crew friendly, and the meals kept me busy almost for the whole duration of the flight. On almost all other flights i found the crew to be very robotic. You are talking about customs in CHC, they kept me for almost an hour for second screening and it was not fun. I didn't feel welcome in CHC.
i am off for a CRWSTAR2 in a few days, starting from ICN, using FB-points to get to ICN on Air France. Then off to Melbourne for a lot of tennis, hope to enjoy new airlines (OZ, NZ, SQ, TG, AC). Take care and looking forward to your next report.
Buck3y3nut From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 864 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 4594 times:
Stunning pictures. really enjoyed your report... New Zealand is such a beautiful country. One day I will visit it...
Thanks a lot for writing the report & sharing it with us...
UPPERDECKFAN From Spain, joined Jun 2007, 992 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 4579 times:
Pictures of NZ are really fabtastic, also plane spotting at SYD was great!!!
Quoting Mal787 (Reply 4): I must say that I was a tat disappointed by what I saw. This was international business? Well, regional business of course, much like with CX.... The seats where incredibly close together and if you want to get out, your seat mate needs to get up to let you.
Don't get it personal but your comment dissapoints me specially considering you live in Europe,
This layout is superb when compared with regional (european) bussines class on all major carriers such as BA, KL, LH, AF and at least you get to fly on a widebody on a 2,5 hr sector
Fbgdavidson From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 3687 posts, RR: 31 Reply 10, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 4512 times:
Nice pics! I had also done a Business Class report earlier in the year on this same flight. Pity you didn't get the stunning views of the Southern Alps that we did, it was one of those moments where flight attendants and passengers were noses against the windows...
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 5): One reason why the name for New Zealand in Maori is translated as "the land of the long white cloud".
Or as I heard jokingly from a Kiwi, 'Land of the wrong white crowd'
"My first job was selling doors, door to door, that's a tough job innit" - Bill Bailey
Mal787 From Australia, joined Jul 2007, 687 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 4485 times:
Quoting UPPERDECKFAN (Reply 9): Don't get it personal but your comment dissapoints me specially considering you live in Europe
Sorry upperdeck
But I live in Darwin Australia .
Quoting Buck3y3nut (Reply 8): This layout is superb when compared with regional (european) bussines class on all major carriers such as BA, KL, LH, AF and at least you get to fly on a widebody on a 2,5 hr sector
Yes it is a nice layout and I have flown on the BA equivalent several times and yes the QF product is better , but just as tight leg room wise.
mal787
Quoting UPPERDECKFAN (Reply 9): Quoting Mal787 (Reply 4):
I must say that I was a tat disappointed by what I saw. This was international business? Well, regional business of course, much like with CX.... The seats where incredibly close together and if you want to get out, your seat mate needs to get up to let you.
If you read my reply I never said what you quoted , this was a comment made by the opening post
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 8259 posts, RR: 56 Reply 12, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 4482 times:
Hi Henkybaby,
Enjoyed the Sydney pic, reminds me of our first visit (on the back of the 1st SQ380 flight ) - a real nice place, prefered bit is the Rocks, love the history there.
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 1): The check in lady informed me that I could not use the First Lounge. “I can, since I am Emerald” I replied. “No sir, really only for first class”... When do they start training these people? Ah well. There was a priority lane for customs and the baggage check, so that was easy. Up to the lounge it was.
Of course I was admitted to the lounge without any problem.
- Why did she think you could not have access,because of the seat in Business Class?
Quoting Henkybaby (Thread starter): All other business passengers where probably still in the lounge since they arrived much later. I must say that I was a tat disappointed by what I saw. This was international business? Well, regional business of course, much like with CX.... The seats where incredibly close together and if you want to get out, your seat mate needs to get up to let you.
- Hmm, not good. I have some flight on NH in J next month, little concerned they might be the same!
Loved the pictures, another great sector in the TR.
Henkybaby From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 593 posts, RR: 4 Reply 13, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 4316 times:
Disappointed does not need to mean that it is a bad product. I just hoped for more. Like the first time I flew Club Europe. Now talk about a let down. And indeed: I would not even consider C on KLM Europe...
Phileet92 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 292 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 3970 times:
Henkybaby From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 593 posts, RR: 4 Reply 18, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 3643 times:
Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 10): it was one of those moments where flight attendants and passengers were noses against the windows...
Rub it in Fraser, why don't you...
Quoting QANTAS077 (Reply 16): what date was the photo taken of the big, white cruise-liner? and what is the name of that ship?
That would be on the 5th of January and it is the Diamond Princess by Celebrity Cruises I believe. There was however another one the day before (Millenium).
And I have to say: what are all those sheep here good for? I have never seen so many sheep in my life. I am sure that if every sheep in New Zealand farted once a day it will contribute more to global warming than the airline industry!
777ER From New Zealand, joined Dec 2003, 11308 posts, RR: 17 Reply 19, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3509 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 3): The country is beautiful but rainy and windy. Even in summer.
The New Zealand summer starts in December and ends in February. At the start of summer the weather isn't as good (like what you experienced), but from towards the middle of January the weather starts getting hot and in the middle of February its at its warmest, like what is happening right now. Yesterday several parts of New Zealand broke weather records, with CHC breaking a record that was 100 years old! Some parts of CHC were over 40 degrees (around 110F)!!! Hope you got to go to Milford Sound, ZQN and the Able Tasman National Park near NSN. Those places are certainly amazing
Quoting NZ107 (Reply 5): Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 3):
Still disappointed since I wanted to tour the country with the top down.
That would have been really nice in some places but it can get a bit chilly in the higher areas of the country.
Yesterday I was wanting to trade my trusty Mitsubishi for a convertable cause of the heat.
You seriously should enjoy plane spotting at any New Zealand airport and experience the real great spotting cause of the relaxed secuirty compared to airports in Australia, USA, Europe etc. At some airports here you can stand within a skip away from aircraft and take pics of them without being surrounded by police/secuirty within a few seconds
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 18): what are all those sheep here good for?
Have you ever tasted one of New Zealand's award winning lamb meat? All I can say is.....YUMMY!
NZ107 From New Zealand, joined Jul 2005, 5672 posts, RR: 40 Reply 20, posted (4 years 4 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3477 times:
Quoting Henkybaby (Reply 18): I am sure that if every sheep in New Zealand farted once a day it will contribute more to global warming than the airline industry!
Shh.... We don't want to be paying any fart tax down under! They are one of the country's leading export products with both quality wool and meat.
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The seat I took gave me an excellent view of the runway. Unfortunately the lights of the lounge reflect rather strongly into the angled windows making photography a bit tricky.
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