2 Old Dames on the best Dame in the World - Queen Mary 2

[jojen]

Pushka, I have really enjoyed reading your trip report. Thank you for keeping us updated with your activities on the cruise.


If it is raining tomorrow why don't you spend some time in the Chuan Spa having a massage !!! The Langham Place is our favourite hotel . We always stay on the Club level and have got to know the staff really well. Love the Champagne after 6pm and the coughtails at night. The food they serve is great and such a relaxing place to visit after being out and about in HK.

Have you been to Tai O fishing village out near Tung Chung. Amazing to visit and wander around.

Enjoy the rest of your time in HK.

Jojen

 

[Pushka]

I've always wanted to try a stone massage so might do that Saturday. Maybe Disneyland tomorrow?

You missed nothing with canapés tonight DtheO. Very ordinary for someone like me who doesn't like seafoods. Vegetarian samosas about the only thing. I'm thinking, room service. Too wet to go out.

 

[love_the_life]

This is the third time I have tried to post .... The iPad is rapidly losing favour!
After a somewhat fruitless search for the QF lounge after being sent on a wild goose chase, I ended up at the Pier and it will have to do.
And a real bummer, QFF dropped me from WP to gold (expected) today, I was still showing Plat this morning so was sort of hoping it wouldn't happen till tomorrow.
Pity about the canapés ODY - they're the bit I look forward to.

 

[markis10]

This is the third time I have tried to post .... The iPad is rapidly losing favour!
After a somewhat fruitless search for the QF lounge after being sent on a wild goose chase, I ended up at the Pier and it will have to do.
And a real bummer, QFF dropped me from WP to gold (expected) today, I was still showing Plat this morning so was sort of hoping it wouldn't happen till tomorrow.
Pity about the canapés ODY - they're the bit I look forward to.

Your at the wrong end of the terminal!
Location details: Airside, Level 5 (entrance via Level 6 opposite Gate 15)

 

[love_the_life]

Yeah I know that but was sent hither and tither by information so just gave up as flight departs from gate 66. Not worth the angst.
next time!
New lounge is level 7 not 5 apparently. Signage is not up to date or easy to find.Level 5 is closed.

 

[Pushka]

A fun day today.
I found yesterday a bit weird. Off the ship and Dame the Older departing later for home. Kinda depressing after all the months of planning.

Brightened up a little in the day with some cashmere purchases. But the lounge offerings were just not nice tonight and not having had lunch other than a non filled half baguette I had to go to the expensive hotel buffet as the cheaper eating places were packed.

The hotel is cold at the moment. Seems they don't have heating. Decided to warm up with a bath then watch Elysium. Lasted 30 minutes and was sound asleep. SA time maybe?

So today. A leisurely breakfast then off to the subway to get three subs to Tung Chung. This is where the aerial 360 cable cars start that go to the great Buddha. Fabulous but as I'd done it before - the week it opened which was closed the next week due to a car unhitching and crashing into the next one. It's a must do though.






But this stop is now a major discount mall of upmarket brands. Coach. Versace. Armani Plus the usual locals.

Two stops before Tung Chung is the airport transit. With all the suitcases I was thinking that's where they'd get off. Nope. The suitcases were for the mall. The locals shop. Excellent.

 

[Pushka]

My credit card is having a medical incident as I enter Armani. I decline for the moment and it lives again but not for long. I don't like Coach do I. But I am greeted warmly. I look down at my sneakers. Oh dear. They are Coach bought in NY. Once again I decline.

I browse through the stores - Nautica, Fendi, but end up in Esprit. Huge store. I purchase several items I'd never seen here in Oz - 7 winter clothes for the huge price of $120 AUD.

Ladies. Think four stories of high end fashion.

It then occurs to me I'll be lugging these around Disneyland. Locker time.



Yes Dame the Older. We should have come here.





MTR ticket in hand and Esprit bag in hand I'm off to Disneyland now.

And I'm doing an Erkpod!

 

[Pushka]

The train from Sunny Bay to Disneyland is a dedicated Disney Sub. It's rather themed and has nicer seats.

 

[Pushka]

The MTR station deposits you directly at the front gates of Disneyland.



It is a fun place even as an adult if you are into rides. A couple of them were excellent. I'd been on Space Mountain in Florida and California and it was about the same here.

One ride, the Rocky Mountain Ride was fantastic. Travelling fast forward up a slope then the brakes release and you travel backwards just as fast. Wasn't expecting that.





The usual Disney rides - it's a small world had an interesting interpretation of Australia complete with indigenous Totem.



I was placed in the front row of a water ride by the attendant and a local decided her three and four year olds would be better there with me while she sat in a row behind them. No Madam, I'm not going to babysit the kids near water and thankfully the husband then security guy sort that out before I need to.

This was another great ride but over too soon. Yes. I love roller coasters even at my age.



I didn't hurry the day as it didn't matter what time I returned. But given a 45 minute sub back I left around 5.30 deciding to check the Club hot snacks once I got back.

 

[Pushka]

Just randoms of Disneyland.

 

[Pushka]

I'm back in the Club Lounge.

Two champagnes later and I'm good. Food - ok. Better than last night. Wasn't a tall order.

I've decided the nice French accents next to me are much nicer to listen to than the much louder "shut up" "go figure" "oh my god" of the louder USA voices several tables away. Plus they seem to be solving the worlds problems. Why is it that they know so much more about "stuff" than the locals?

 

[Pushka]

Dude. I don't need to know that a flashlight is up your backside when speaking to your colleague in Tokyo. It's Friday night. Do it in your room. I don't care if there is a disaster with your (name deleted) ebooks and depreciation of 7% yen. Don't have such loud private conversations in public.

Hitachi appears to have hung up. Called back to hear "Sh$t rolls down hill". The French guys are looking on in amazement at this guy. It's hysterical.

Oh dear. Getting screwed by the depreciation of the yen and India. Good god man. SHut up

 

[Pushka]

There's silence. Hitachi has been told to enjoy the cherry blossoms and enjoy the weekend. Poor Hitachi. The French guys look like they need resuscitation. They are on the diet coke.

Oh good god. We've just called our colleague in Singapore. This is GOLD.

 

[Pushka]

The French guys are retaliating. They are streaming something on their iPad. I'm assuming it isn't Friday night AFL footy.

Now the French guys are looking at me. I've done the slash throat action. We are having a private laugh. Jolly good show. But the battery on the phone is down to 3%. Update tomorrow.

 

[love_the_life]

I am so sad I missed the fun - it sounded like popcorn time (if I ate it that is). Sounds like the weather had cleared up. Older had a good flight back to a cold and wet home town and a big sleep last night!

 

[Pushka]

Yum. Curry fix for breakfast downstairs.

Already been to the gym. Having breakfast then a couple of hours indulging around the pool.



(It's a bread and butter plate btw not dinner size).

Then a quick foray into Ladies Market assuming I can get some cash. Then checkout and await transport to the airport. Check out the new QP then back to CX for a J flight to Adelaide for 5am arrival. That's a hard landing.

 

[TomVexille]

Yum. Curry fix for breakfast downstairs.

Already been to the gym. Having breakfast then a couple of hours indulging around the pool.

View attachment 26947

(It's a bread and butter plate btw not dinner size).

Then a quick foray into Ladies Market assuming I can get some cash. Then checkout and await transport to the airport. Check out the new QP then back to CX for a J flight to Adelaide for 5am arrival. That's a hard landing.

That looks good. I'm now hungry.

 

[Pushka]

Well, I'm home after a magic 4 weeks.

Excellent flight home on J CX although I didn't need to be woken 2 hours before arrival for breakfast and then have the cabin lights turned off again for another hour. I think only 2 people had breakfast anyway. I didn't need it at 2am.

Toured the new QP and posted in that thread. I liked it. So much space and able to escape the hordes with plenty of smaller areas to sit. The round table setting looked lovely but not used while I was there (early). Staff helpful.







Didn't realise how far away gate 69 was. Oops. No call in the lounge so I headed off anyway and was one of the last three to board at final call.

Still had time for this though.



I'll post a final picture tomorrow. I'll need to make it smaller first.

Next cruise - Venice to Istanbul in July. I'm well and truly hooked. Mr P gets to join me this time.

 

[QF WP]

I have loved your TR, Pushka. Great commentary on the pictures, although you haven't convinced me to do another cruise - I'd rather fly.

It was lovely to meet you and LTL (aka DtO). We ate the last of the Chocs yesterday in celebration of you coming home. I have enough mints for the next year.

Look forward to your next TR

 

[Pushka]

I have loved your TR, Pushka. Great commentary on the pictures, although you haven't convinced me to do another cruise - I'd rather fly.

As would MrP. The one thing about Med Cruises is there's a new Port every day so it's just overnight sailing. Fit in a nice dinner, a few sessions at the gym and you'd never even know you were on a boat. Caribbean cruises are similar.

I had extra spicy curry for dinner last night. A soft landing from the family. The house was extra clean. Washing and ironing done. Carpets vacuumed. Pretty great family hey?

And all frozen meals but two were eaten.

I've just uploaded a couple of videos to youtube but just have to check I wasn't talking too much on them.