2013 stoopidity: here, there, everywhere.. incl around the world (twice). .

[Stoopidsteve]

No more pics from Sing, or of suite. Suite was big, with nice separate bath and completely separate lounge area. A couple of little things means it's not top notch...a previous occupant's flannel wedged up high in the shower stall, and industrial looking bed wheels (one of which inflicted pain on my toe as it was stuck out sideways), and bed like a board.....prefer Fairmont, not least because Furama is about 10-15mins walk to nearest MRT.

Arrived T1 SIN about 1930 for 2130 QF36. Checkin through premium is painless, but no upgrade

QF lounge shower, then some chicken laksa.

A passing Staff member remembers me from last visit. Not sure how he recognised me with all the people they get through there.



QF36 to MEL on VH-QPB is far from full with almost all of the four rows occupied only on aisles, but 23K is taken by a Goldmember. Who promptly tells me he is not a settled traveller and will probably be up several times in the night. Oh good.
Front row economy on those A330 is NOT extra leg-room. In fact bulkhead restricts extension. 23J you can put feet under curtain into the galley, but it's not a nice angle, and actually end up with very little sleep. Unlike mr "I'm an unsettled traveller" who falls asleep shortly after take off and sleeps most of the way..

No formal welcome, but CSM wanders past and casually offers J headphones with no comment, which I refuse (have my own Sony's), whereupon he offers them to 23k, who wonders aloud why we get offered them...

Just before landing, again a csual offer of express crd (not that it's needed with smart passport gates).

If CSM had asked I'd have asked for J blanket...but I guess that's a bit less subtle than headphones and express card.



Dinner fish (didn't eat too much of it) and breakfast the usual raisin scroll thing.


Landing early into MEL , touchdown at 0607, but sat waiting for tug at the gate until 0630.


I make my way to business lounge where I give up 4D on the 1105 for 9D on QF608 (0805 departure), and get limo pick up altered for changed flight arrival.

Once again that joker in the silly hat makes an appearance, the final pic of this trip:

 

[Stoopidsteve]

I slept pretty much all the way to Brisbane. And all the way home in the car.

So finally home. Around the world in 8 days in 10 sectors. Of 8 nights, 5 were spent in a bed.

Next trip to BKK in Sept, then a repeat of the RTW, except incorporating a mad SJU SC run....

thank you for your comments. Most people think I'm mad.

 

[JessicaTam]

Mad? Meh! Sounds perfectly normal to me.

 

[Magpie10]

As always Steve you never fail to disappoint with a great TR, can't wait for September report. You are one of a kind, would Mrs Stoopidsteve agree? V

 

[Skyring]

A passing Staff member remembers me from last visit. Not sure how he recognised me with all the people they get through there.

Hah! Gold!

 

[kevrosmith]

Of course we're mad... but what of it? Great trip report and enjoy the photos: I have certainly made use of your photos when checking out details of seats to choose and what the lounges look like, so thanks for that.

 

[amaroo]

Another ripper of a TR Look forward to the next one - cheers.

 

[Melburnian1]

Very, very funny trip report Steve -but also chock-full of great pictures.

The continued featuring of the beanie and his 'adventures' around the world is very, very amusing.

You commented that QF staff on board stated that they'd received many complaints about the rerouting via DXB (in lieu of SIN, HKG or BKK).

Having recently travelled on QF9 and QF10, I agree. QF10 was full (which admittedly turns it into a negative whatever the route) but it was a poor experience.

DXB airport is not a cracker on SIN Changi. The latter is pleasant, unlike DXB.

AJ's swansong may be his insistence on the tieup with EK. I believe that it will be a failure. MH and SQ (sometimes in conjunction with changing of aircraft types on other, existing flights) are adding capacity to Oz. CX would like to if the xisting air services agreements permitted. All of this is helping to further erode QF's own metal market share.

Put simply, Australians prefer travelling via southeast or north Asia to Europe. QF's changes have failed to recognise this.

 

[TonyHancock]

You commented that QF staff on board stated that they'd received many complaints about the rerouting via DXB (in lieu of SIN, HKG or BKK).

Having recently travelled on QF9 and QF10, I agree. QF10 was full (which admittedly turns it into a negative whatever the route) but it was a poor experience.

DXB airport is not a cracker on SIN Changi. The latter is pleasant, unlike DXB.

AJ's swansong may be his insistence on the tieup with EK. I believe that it will be a failure. MH and SQ (sometimes in conjunction with changing of aircraft types on other, existing flights) are adding capacity to Oz. CX would like to if the xisting air services agreements permitted. All of this is helping to further erode QF's own metal market share.

Put simply, Australians prefer travelling via southeast or north Asia to Europe. QF's changes have failed to recognise this.

Put simply this Australian much prefers DXB to SIN. Obviously I am not as frequent a traveler on the MEL/SYD-LHR route as yourself, but my limited experience finds DXB a magnificent airport. The lounge is nothing short of spectacular. However I am no that frequent a traveler compared to many.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

tx Melburnian and TonyH for contributions.

I concur that terminal A lounge in DXB is spectacular (but I feel SIN has an intangible less formal, more friendly feel). I haven't done a stopover in DXB, time there has been very limited, and of course this last trip with EK flew out of terminal C

I also haven't spent much time in the general concourse at DXB, but prefer the ambience of SIN for this. But I prefer the boarding process at DXB to that at SIN. So swings and roundabouts. I just prefer the routing via Sing for timings of flights allowing long leg in either direction in my natural night time, more conducive to rest/sleep: previously this would have been the SIN-LHR leg, or the LHR-SIN leg.

Maybe I'll grow to love the DXB routing....or not. Either way, I'm always interested to hear other's comments and preferences. As Melburnian said, this may be the legacy that AJ's leadership is judged on.

 

[amaroo]

I miss the BKK, SIN stopovers I'll take an Asian stopover - over a better lounge any day of the week!

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Tuesday morning at OMG o'clock, leave home in the pre-dawn light, a bit of tight call, leaving the Gold Coast 5.20am for a 7am flight. Fortunately no serious traffic delays sees me arrive at BNE dom to meet a couple of fellow AFFers at the lounge, guesting them (both SG) into business lounge.



Not met them before, so some getting to know you chat, and it's not long before we're boarding VH-VXG QF609. I was of course disappointed to hear they'd never seen my TRs....DTKWIA?? And of course they then deny knowing me on the plane for some reason, I in 4C, them in 5CD.



Push back was bang on time, and Capt Craig Perkins took off (with his unnamed female FO) at 0710.

The iPad welcome from CSM was extended to fellow Affers, including offer of bubbles from J for one of the party for a birthday a couple of days ago. Another AFFer is in 1C.
Flight's about 2/3 full, so shadow for all.

Uneventful trip down to MEL, touching down at 0910, and at gate at 0921.

What a coincidence, a couple more AFFers just happen to passing the gate as we disembark, they having arrived from ADL a few minutes prior.

A shared maxitaxi to Flinders street station, and then a couple of us decide to have a coffee.



Blow me, but we just happen to choose a coffee shop where we bump into a couple MORE AFFers.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

"Let's do lunch" says one bright spark. "I know a great little place by the casino". Not knowing Melbourne that well, I meekly follow. I jokingly suggest we should try this place....

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Suddenly, the lobby is filled with a multitude of AFFers (a flight?) praising the generosity of QF loyalty and greeting each other.

The doors are not unlocked until 12, and we amble in to meet our hosts.

The reason of course...

 

[JessicaTam]

Finally, a TR I got to witness first hand.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Finally, a TR I got to witness first hand.

I recall you were the photographer for the coffee shot above

 

[Stoopidsteve]

There's much more interesting stuff about this lunch on other threads so let's just focus on the important questions of the day: what we ate.

Entrees to share:
Crudo of Rick Flathead, Ocean Trout and Yellowfin Tuna with horseradish, coriander and lemon flavoured Oil.
Fried Calamari, raddichio and chilli salad with romesco
Wood Fired and marinated vegetables with goat's curd
Grilled King Prawns, Split and marinated.

My fave was the calamari, and the King Prawns. Please Neil, can these go on the Flounge menu?

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Main choices were:
Slow Cooked Grass fed 36 month old sirloin with modern style baernaise
Crispy Rock Flathead with "Crazy Water"
Sauteed Globe Artichoke with Saltbush, Warrigal Greens, Fontina, and Soft White Polenta.

I had the medium rare sirloin, beautifully tender lump of cow, with sides of potato and cabbage gratin, boiled greens with olive oil and lemon, and salad of raddichio, cos and endive with palm sugar vinaigrette.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Dessert choices of creme caramel, Passionfruit pavlova, grilled pistachio and chocolate millefeuille, or cheese selection. I had the millefeuille, and was amused to note that my neighbour (kazhere) had remembered post#7 in this thread on pronunciation of that word.

We discussed that it doesn't have a thousand layers, so perhaps a bit of a misnomer. There's a number of pics elsewhere of the huge mound of pavlova, but here's the millefeuille....

 

[Stoopidsteve]

and me enjoying it...