A place where everyone loves Ron.

[drron]

So come Thursday and we were at breakfast when the restaurant opened at 0700.It was busy then.I am always amazed at the amount some Japanese can eat.One fellow piled his plate with various prepared salads,put 5 fried eggs on top and the polished it off using chopsticks.

Then a taxi to the station.This time a gentle ride.Fellow with his white gloves,taxi spotless.So then the Shinkansen to Tokyo,NEX to NRT and finish with the Hilton shuttle.All of them right on time.Drop our bags at the Hilton and off to the Aeon mall.History is made-Mrsdrron goes into a 100 yen shop and doesn't buy anything.:shock:

Once again a sushi late lunch.A good sushi restaurant here.It is a sushi go round but if you come late everything will be made on the spot for you.
Once again early to bed as we are on the 0630 shuttle back to NRT as an early flight to enable us to go NRT-HKG-BKK.Yes you could get a direct flight but this is AFF.Mrsdrron needs her SCs and this is an easy extra 60.

Pick up our checked bags from storage.Put all our LAGs in them and walk to the CX checkin.Mrsdrron pulls out her WP card and the fellow guarding the CX checkins comes over takes our bags and takes us to the F checkin.Checked in and it is only 0700.Immigration though only opens at 0730.By the time it opens there is a queue at the priority channels.I get the pat down as usual but then I get a neck massage plus foot massage-TMKWIA.

Straight off to the CX lounge.Find a quiet corner and do some reading.
Next-CX to BKK.

 

[drron]

CX509. NRT-HKG. ETD-0910. Push back-0906. Take off-0916. B772. Seats-14A,C.
ETA-1325. Landed-1251. At gate-1257.

The CSM made her rounds as usual.Old regional set up with cloth seats.Very limited recline and a very narrow foot space.Average brekkie-

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I watched Love and Mercy-the life of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.What an amazing and confronting story.And older Indian fellow over the aisle had pixie boots on.He needed to go to the loo on final approach.
Arrive at Gate 44 which is a transfer point so through security quickly.So with us arriving half an hour early and the next flight delayed 35 minutes we have 2 hours Flounging at the Pier.Disappointing.Went to have lunch.About 10 pax and 5 staff yet waited 20 minutes to be served.Food good but nothing great.The loo was absolutely filthy.

Then the next disappointment.We choose CX751 as it goes on to India after BKK so usually new J configuration.But today an A340 with coffins.I hate them.

CX751. HKG-BKK. ETD-1425. Push back-1459. Take off-1521. Seats-14A,15A.
ETA-1605. Landed-1644. At gate-1453.

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Mrsdrron experienced a total breakdown of plat recognition.CSM did her rounds and greeted at least half of the J pax.Mrsdrron missed out.her meal was delivered last and after 1 glass of wine her glass was taken without asking if she wanted another.
Got our fast track passes but as usual with this flight a long walk to Immigration.Through quickly but luggage carousel was furthest from the Fast track.got there just as the bags were coming out and once again ours first.

Soon through to meet the SGS man but delay meant it was now peak hour-worst traffic we have experienced and 2 hours to get to the SGS.No upgrade but the place really was full.

Short BKK experiences next.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

I watched Love and Mercy on Sunday (on a plane) also.. Good movie but you are right.. Quite surprised I hadn't heard of the movie or the story before..

 

[drron]

Checked out ~1600 from the SGS and of course a really quick trip.Fortunately by the time we had our luggage checked for the VAT refund checkin had opened.Quickly through security.Whilst mrsdrron collected the VAT refund I kept on with my scientific study.I smile at cabin crew passing by and see who smiles back.Asian crews the most likely.EK the least likely.The only EK crew I have had smile back was one young male.Even with QF you do get a few who smile.BA-not so much.

After that we went to the QF lounge for the last time although they only announced that a few days after our visit.We had had lunch so not really too worried.Once again you have the farce of another bag check at the gate.

QF24. BKK-SYD. ETD-1815. Push back-1810. Take off-1820. Seats 3E,F. Non refurbed 333.
ETA-0740. landed-0715. at gate-0719.

I had forgotten how much I dislike these skybeds.I can never get comfortable in them.On top of that the IFE was playing up.I was listening to music.it would stop or change albums randomly.Wasn't long after take off that it was time for the meal.Service was slow.

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I had the pork dish,mrsdrron the beef dish.They were OK.Once again we were given the mixed green leaves as a salad.We both said take it away.I really feel Neil Perry should have to write on the board 100 times-Mixed green leaves do not a salad make.
Of course there was then breakfast-

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Was told it was either the fruit salad or the egg dish.We both had the fruit.
Naturally we arrived early as we had our car booked at 0930,knew we wouldn't get into the Four Points early in view of the renovations and our family wouldn't be home until after 1000.So we tried to waste time looking through the duty free but that only got us to the baggage carousel as the bags appearing.naturally this was the day QF got priority baggage right.So on to customs-declared our wood and food items and admitted to our time in the Panamanian jungle-agent waved us straight through.We were at the Avis desk 30 minutes after deplaning even though we were trying to be slow.So drove around until we could get into our son's house.

About 1pm we arrived at the Four Points.Upgraded to a Maritime suite but our room not ready.So went to their restaurant and had a Peking Duck pizza-very nice.Tara Brown (60 minutes) was sitting at a table with 2 men and a manilla folder was being passed around.But the highlight was when 4 young CUBs sat at the next table and started talking about their travels.one of the males was not going to be outdone by the others so when the other fellow started talking about their trip to Thailand he said where else have you been in Thailand.Bangkok was the answer.He displayed his travel creds by saying you need to get away from the tourist spots and get out into the country.He had done that going to a little place called Pat I Yah.
His partner though showed how travel broadens the mind saying she loved coughet because it was just like Bali.Yeh,right.
Finally got to our room at ~1530.However had a problem with the internet-couldn't bring up the logon page.Finally they put me through to their IT provider who got me on and said the problem is fixed.However same problem twice on Saturday.Put through to 2 different IT guys.once again got me on and said they had fixed the problem.when it happened on the sunday I just gave up.got rather annoyed when I got the bill and was being charged for the calls to IT.They quickly got the message to remove the charges.

Next-dinner at Quay.

 

[drron]

The day we arrived back in Sydney was our 44th wedding anniversary so we were taking our son and daughter in law out to Quay to celebrate.Sorry Melbourne but none of your restaurants have these views-

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And the view was just as good when we had finished-

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Next-the food.

 

[Foreigner]

If that's Q Dining I've had number of meals there. Staff can be overrun at times though.

 

[drron]

Well here's the food.The computer has been playing up and lost AFF for the last hour.
Unfortunately I have also lost my notes on the dishes we had at Quay.I did have a sea urchin dish.Was a bit hesitant but our server convinced me to try it.it was superb.Now the first dish was a beef tartare with truffles and mushrooms.it was also very good.so here are the pics-

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We all finished with a snow egg.I was prepared to be disappointed but it was magnificent.
Service was excellent.Knowledgeable but friendly.A really good night.

Only the trip home to go.

 

[drron]

Saturday and it is baby sitting duty.Love it but boy does it wear you out.
Sunday up at OMG o'clock to go to nippers at North Bondi.An extremely cold day with a bitterly cold fierce wind.

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Sunday night and dinner with the other side of the family at the Cat and fiddle pub in Rozelle.Comfort food with a Scots accent.Neeps,haggis and black pudding all made an appearance on the menu but not on our table.

Monday and we had to get some documents notarised at the US consulate.you can book an apt on line and as this morning was the only time we would be in Sydney or Canberra when the places ere open for appts we took it.You are only allowed in 15 minutes before your apt time.Security takes at least 5 minutes.All phones,cameras and computers must be handed in and collected on leaving.When you get to the real office it is a lot of mucking around before you finally get everything signed.

all that was left to do was now fly home.QF domestic terminal was shortstaffed-managers and off duty staff were filling in-we got a manager so had absolutely no problems.A short stay in the J lounge then off to gate.

QF 525. SYD-BNE. ETD-1305. Push back-1311. Take off-1321. Seats 2A,C.
ETA-1330. Landed-1332. At gate-1335.
Great crew.Meal was OK.Mrsdrron a plain chicken salad whilst my spicy laksa soup was really tasty-

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And that my dear friends is that.I realise it was rather long winded and tardy but hopefully some useful info there.

Next trip begins in March.A month in Japan for cherry blossom time.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Thanks Dr and Mrs Dr.. Welcome home

 

[OATEK]

It was epic drron, but as always a joy to follow you and mrsdrron on your incredible journeys.

 

[tgh]

A great read as always , much appreciated.

 

[Bindibuys]

Yes this was an epic TR, but then the places visited are not not your everyday "Disneyland" that I would suspect most of us have been too.
Thank you DrRon.

 

[love_the_life]

'Epic' is an understatement IMO - it was a huge TR and fabulous as usual drron with squillions of wonderful photos. Thanks so much for posting.

 

[docjames]

Wow amazing collection of photos. Thanks for sharing.

Well done getting through the TR! As others have commented, exhausting just reading!

 

[JessicaTam]

I would never say long winded - "detailed" would be a better description.

Thank you for taking the time to take us with you on your journey.

 

[amaroo]

Awesome TR! Going to miss the updates.

 

[Fifa]

Thanks for your TR drron.
We are visiting Cuba and the Galapagos Islands in May next year (but not is as much luxury as you) so you provided lots of useful insight.

 

[jojen]

Thank you Drron for another fabulous trip report. I am so disappointed that it has come to the end and I have to wait another 3 months before the next one starts.

 

[Julesmac]

Echoing the appreciation of the folks above. Quite engrossing and your pics make the places really come to life for us armchair travellers. I look forward to enjoying your next TR.

 

[Melburnian1]

An amazingly detailed trip report with excellent photos.

Your Galapagos trip was very brief: I thought most visitors went on multi day (and night) expeditions.

For the record, a Catholic diocesan 'priest's house' is called a presbytery. Filipinos only has one 'l.'

It was particularly good that you took the time to walk around various cities and towns. Many cruise passengers might not.

The best feature was a complete omission of any mention of being 'unsafe' or 'insecure.' That tells me and others that it is still worth taking the time to travel.