A Japanese Christmas and a Thai New year.

[drron]

Having just finished a very long Trip Report what was I going to do. Why, start a new one of course. In 3 days time on Monday we leave home en route to Tokyo. We are taking our family with the 3 grandkids to Japan for Christmas. Every 2 years we take them somewhere different which has included Fiji and Disneyworld. Of course 2021 was different so we gathered in Launceston and had a lovely Chinese Christmas lunch at Me Wah.
So this year the kids voted for Japan. This will be the first time in Japan for the 5 of them so it is going to be the classics - Tokyo, Kyoto ans Osaka where we will be on Christmas Day.

We start on Monday flying in the early afternoon from BNE - SYD on QF. But the first time for many years we are both OWS. But no worries we are flying J so get into the J lounge.
Staying that night at Rydges and having dinner with one of our nieces - the favourite one of course! As usual will have to checkout around 1100 as they aren't great with late checkouts unless you pay. Currently $80 for 3pm and $120 for 6pm. So we will just sit in one of the coffee shops over the road and waste time until BA check in opens, They pretty much stick to 3 hours before so 1330.

Tuesday again no problems with falling status as we are off on BA 16 in F. Hopefully in Flounge soon after 1330 Unless there is another 8 hour delay as there was back in September. Another night in the CP Changi. Unfortunately not finished their renovations.

Wednesday continue on our leisurely way on JL 712 in J. Then to the IC Tokyo Bay for 6 nights. Our family will join us on the Thursday.

After Tokyo the obligatory Shinkansen trip to Kyoto for 3 nights at the CP Kyoto Castle. Moving to the Osaka Hilton on 22/12. Christmas lunch booked. Our family leave us on Boxing Day to go to Niseko for a weeks skiing. We stay an extra day the head for 3 nights to the CP Kanazawa to see Kenrokuen in winter. The forecast is for some light snow.
On 31/12 we head off on JL 031 to BKK to thaw out. Basically the best time of year to visit Bangkok.
We have 3 6 night stays in 3 different hotels to assess whether they will take over from the SGS (Sheraton grande Sukhumvit). fiirst will be the Westin across the road where we know the GM. Reports on FT suggest he has improved the service levels there. The second will be the Royal Orchid Sheraton on the river. Location now OK with us with Icon Siam just across the river.
The last hotel will be the IC near Central World, Doing well with IHG and by then will get lounge access.

Then back with Daily flights - BKK-HND-SIN-SYD for 2 nights at the IC double Bay. before fling back to BNE.

Have already done my Visit Japan paperwork and Sunday will be getting our Singapore Arrival card done.

 

[RooFlyer]

As you mentioned, will miss you by a couple of hours. Bon voyage.

 

[Seat0B]

Looking forward to this TR as well.

 

[rbjhan]

Looking forward to it!
As mentioned before I prefer Dormy Inns in Japan. But Conrad Osaka is probably my favourite city hotel anywhere in the world...great memories! Even though I don't plan to go back (to Osaka, I mean)

 

[craven morehead]

Sounds fantastic!

 

[Flyfrequently]

Having just finished a very long Trip Report what was I going to do. Why, start a new one of course. In 3 days time on Monday we leave home en route to Tokyo. We are taking our family with the 3 grandkids to Japan for Christmas.

How fantastic to be able to do this @drron and @mrs.dr.ron !
Enjoy this special time, am onboard

 

[drron]

Well we are off on our trip.awoke early so I could get to Coles and complete the 4th week of a 10000 point offer. Now that's dedication.

When writing the first post I forgot I was taking one for the team. Flying the 777 so wanted to try their new business class so flying J to SIN. F back. However I didn't remember we would both lose our OWE status by today so no Flounge but the dreaded T1 J lounge. Oh well.

A bit of drama at the premium security today. First I had to have a pat down. As I turned I saw a woman pushing 2 of my trays back and putting her 3 in. Some very entitled grey hair.
Then Mrsdrron's carry on was completely unpacked for suspicious items. It had been packed in a very organised way but ended up with everything out. Turned out to be 2 small bags of coins - Japanese and Thai.

Then to the J lounge. Connected to the lounge wifi and checked my emails. A succession of messages from our TA. Our flight to SYD had several time changes. Originally 12.15, First moved to 1300. Next to 1240. And maybe finally to 1325.

 

[Flyfrequently]

When writing the first post I forgot I was taking one for the team. Flying the &&& so wanted to try their new business class so flying J to SIN. F back.

Ah just worked out you are on 777 , happy travels ✈@drron

 

[drron]

Ah the serenity when travelling in school holidays. The J lounge in BNE was treated to a very rowdy,disruptive group of 8 young children. Running around yelling, fighting and doing handstands etc in the aisles. no parents in sight. Finally 2 young women appeared and took 6 with them. The noise level has dropped markedly.
The all day food has arrived. A Hayashi beef stew. When it first came out I thought I saw some small bits of beef. 20 minutes later it is just brown sauce. I had a bowl of the carrot plus coconut soup which tasted nice but was nearly cold. the soup bowls have shrunk. So I made myself a salad sandwich.
Then had a glass of the Coldstream pinot noir. The red glasses have also shrunk and no self service. I'll probably need to go back for 2 or 3 more thimble fulls.

And the time for our flight has gone out another 10 minutes. The next Sydney flight is leaving 40 minutes before ours.

The internet has now dropped out so logged back in. This means having to watch a QF video again before being able to post.

 

[Seat0B]

Hang in there @drron I’m sure your travel travails will be worth it in the end.

 

[drron]

Indeed the travel will be worth it.
The rest of the stay in the lounge was much better after the little horrors left. As usual we left the lounge a little early and there was already a scrum at the gate with 30+ in the priority line and 1 in the general line.
The time for boarding came and a motorised wheelchair appeared followed by 2 big lads with an “eagle “ hoist. Took about 15 minutes before the wheelchair and hoist re appeared.

Then boarding commenced and they did it perfectly. First called J pax saying OWEs would be next. Virtually none in the priority lane were in those 2 groups.
We were in 1A,C and- 6th to board and really struggled to fit our stuff into the overheads.

Consequently our take off was 2 hours later than scheduled. Also arrived 2 hours late. Just as well that we were not connecting to BA 16 as we would have missed it. Much better to arrive the day before.
There were 6 people who were connecting to the DFW fly. They had 45 minutes to get there. Told to go immediately to Gate 15 and identify themselves to the agent. Probably wouldn’t have to wait for the bus. Nail biting stuff.

 

[drron]

Well I eventually decided to buy Wi Fi on BA so here we go.
Service on QFwas actually very good. The CSM was efficient, friendly and helpful. The food was very good. Mrsdrron had the Salmon salad. 3 slices of smoked salmon which she made into a sandwich.


I had the chicken in a creamy garlic sauce. It was very good with the chicken moist, tender and flavourful.


We had no other issues at all but arrived into SYD 2 hours late. Just as well we weren’t connecting to our BA flight. The 6 on board connecting to the DFW flight were going to have some nervous moments but it appeared that it would be held for them.
No worry for us as no problem to check into Rydges now.

But for the first time ever we got the premium car park view rather than the runway view.

 

[drron]

We met our favourite niece for dinner at 1830 in the Rydges restaurant. She lost her mother in February but now seems to be over the worst but we talked a lot.
The meal. I had the beef cheeks, Mrsdrron the scallops and our niece the garlic prawns.



And the seafood entree to share.


For desserts Mrsdrron had the crème brûlée and I had the chocolate fondant. The blood orange gelato was delicious.


The menu.

 

[drron]

During the meal I got a message from @RooFlyer . It was now a bit late so we arranged to meet up the next morning for a beverage in the Smithy’s bar. Great to see him again. I had to tell him the sad news that we couldn’t meet him in the Flounge tomorrow as we had lost status and only had business lounge access. As he was already guesting into the Flounge he generously suggested he would meet us in the business lounge.

Greatly appreciated Malcolm.

 

[Seat0B]

You two need to swap rooms! @RooFlyer had an unwanted runway view that he swapped for car park view

 

[drron]

Of course the problem was that we had to check out of Rydges at 1100 but couldn’t check in until 1330 with BA .
I went for a bit of a walk and found an up escalator which I decided to go and explore. It is outside the W H Smith stout. It leads to the Airline offices and wheey storage area plus lots of empty seats.

Some good views as well.

 

[drron]

An hour before the BA check in opened people started queuing up. Unfortunately they were basically Y passengers and they started queuing in what would be the F check in. This is how it looked.

So when the signs were eventually were put up they all had to vacate the F queue. Boy were there some unhappy campers who thought they were first in the line but ended up back a long way. A shambles when the F and J pax tried to enter their lines. Eventually sorted.

BA now use the House as their lounge. You would be crazy to go there if in F or OWE. Nowhere near as good as the QF Flounge. We also went to the QF Business lounge first. It was not busy at all despite several delayed QF flights. When we first arrived there were 5 QF flights that were meant to have left that you could still check in for.

So the J lounge.

 

[drron]

The food.


The Vegetables Provençal weren’t too bad.




The butter chicken OK.


The rest of the stuff.

 

[drron]

After talking to @RooFlyer we went to the House. Gets some good reviews but probably not in school holidays.
Mrsdrron took an instant dislike to it. Smaller, crowded and more screaming children.
There is a menu for dining and also a buffet The menu wasn’t very interesting.

The buffet.






There was also some penne pasta. I tried the Piyaz which was bland. I also had some noodle salad which was quite spicy.


Quite frankly I preferred the QFJ lounge

 

[drron]

So we left a little early and went to the gate. Not a long wait and boarding commenced on time. Our check in agent was in charge of the boarding.One of the best agents we have had. At checkin she offered to tag our bag through to NRT but we wanted it in SIN. But she did issue us our JL BPs for tomorrow. Excellent service.

She identified those who could pre board and called them over including a woman with a service dog. And it is in J with us.
We were in Group 2. It was a bun rush but Mrsdrron had positioned us well so we were close to the front of Group 2.

A bit of a wait in the Air Bridge but soon in our seats. Row 8 first Row of J. However a family in Row 9 with a 2 year old screamer. Changed her disposable nappy in the toilet before takeoff. Sure I can make it to SIN before I need to go.

My seat.










The seat makes a really comfortable bed with the supplied topping. Just perfect for me at 180cm. If talller wouldn’t be quite as comfortable.