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- Jan 29, 2012
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A quick trip to New Zealand to see Missy Higgins and Butterfly Boucher in concert.
I flew across from MEL on QF131 operated by Jetconnect. The cabin staff were all very pleasant... maybe the chocolates I gave them helped! The flight was only a third full so I slipped back to row 5 and stretched out a little. I should say I started the journey at 8.30am checking in at the First check-in desk and then was sipping champagne in the First lounge by 9.
My first night was in the Auckland Crowne Plaza, which I have to say left a little to be desired. I then spent the next two nights in the Pullman, with an upgrade to the exec floor (yay). I think that will be my hotel of choice in Auckland next time.
I went looking to find internet for my iPad and get online. It could have cost $50 from Telecom for 500MB however Vodafone was much better value at $30 for 2GB. Coverage is just as good with either of them, so I went with the Vodafone option. I hopped on the ferry and went across to Davenport for the afternoon. A light lunch in one of the cafes and a walk around took care of the rest of the day before I headed back on the ferry and made my way to the Pullman to enjoy the upstairs lounge.
I enjoyed very attentive service in the exec lounge, and was soon joined by Ozmille who happened to be in AKL for work. We left the bar and headed into the city to the Belgian Beer Cafe where we both continued our work on acquiring a headache for the next morning.
I awoke after a very peaceful sleep with no headache in sight - it must have been the Kebab on the way home. The Pullman breakfast was superb, with a fabulous soy latte to boot.
I had managed to get a historic walk guide from the tourist info office in Davenport so put this to use as I started identifying some of the historic buildings of Auckland. I was soon distracted by the shopping, and into a camping store I went. I managed to extricate myself well enough, but my wallet didn't survive unscathed. A short stroll later and I was at the base of the Skytower. As my credit card was still in therapy, I paid cash for the elevator ride to the sky deck @ 220m above ground level ($28). What a fabulous view - which incidentally started in the glass-walled and floored elevator.
The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the streets before heading back to the hotel for some pre-concert exec lounge. The AFFer who was to join me for the Missy Higgins concert wasn’t able to make it unfortunately. Ozmille stepped into the breach (after I played some songs on my iThing to remind him who she was)! We met in the lounge and then wandered over to the venue, grabbing a bite to eat on the way. After seeing Missy in Melbourne I was looking forward to a treat, and a treat it was. Lots of good music (and only one sheep joke)! *whistles off key and looks away*
Concert over, Ozmille and I headed back to the Beer Cafe for a ‘couple of drinks’. It turned out to only be a couple as we were soon asked to leave as it was closing time. Oh well.
Next morning it was a leisurely start and then back to the airport. Check-in was speedy in the first/business kiosk and I was off to the lounge. The AKL F lounge certainly is small, and there was not much of a food offering outside the usual nibbles. I had a look into the J lounge and thought it was a much nicer area with not much different food offerings. This is not the airport to gaze wistfully at the frosted door wondering what is on the other side.
My return flight to MEL (QF136) was as pleasant as the outward journey. In fact I had the same CSM, who recognised me by name and noticed I was in the same seat as before. Not bad for a single meeting a few days earlier. And yes, the FAs were delighted with the chocolates again.
I noticed one thing on this flight I had not seen before - a ‘physicians kit’ was taken down to the rear of the plane, and there was some activity there for a while. I assume this is a super first aid kit but would be interested if anyone knows for sure.
This trip report sort of turned into a lounge report, but them’s the breaks. The shopping in NZ was quite good, and with the exchange rate so favourable at the moment, it might not take much to get me back.
I flew across from MEL on QF131 operated by Jetconnect. The cabin staff were all very pleasant... maybe the chocolates I gave them helped! The flight was only a third full so I slipped back to row 5 and stretched out a little. I should say I started the journey at 8.30am checking in at the First check-in desk and then was sipping champagne in the First lounge by 9.
My first night was in the Auckland Crowne Plaza, which I have to say left a little to be desired. I then spent the next two nights in the Pullman, with an upgrade to the exec floor (yay). I think that will be my hotel of choice in Auckland next time.
I went looking to find internet for my iPad and get online. It could have cost $50 from Telecom for 500MB however Vodafone was much better value at $30 for 2GB. Coverage is just as good with either of them, so I went with the Vodafone option. I hopped on the ferry and went across to Davenport for the afternoon. A light lunch in one of the cafes and a walk around took care of the rest of the day before I headed back on the ferry and made my way to the Pullman to enjoy the upstairs lounge.
I enjoyed very attentive service in the exec lounge, and was soon joined by Ozmille who happened to be in AKL for work. We left the bar and headed into the city to the Belgian Beer Cafe where we both continued our work on acquiring a headache for the next morning.
I awoke after a very peaceful sleep with no headache in sight - it must have been the Kebab on the way home. The Pullman breakfast was superb, with a fabulous soy latte to boot.
I had managed to get a historic walk guide from the tourist info office in Davenport so put this to use as I started identifying some of the historic buildings of Auckland. I was soon distracted by the shopping, and into a camping store I went. I managed to extricate myself well enough, but my wallet didn't survive unscathed. A short stroll later and I was at the base of the Skytower. As my credit card was still in therapy, I paid cash for the elevator ride to the sky deck @ 220m above ground level ($28). What a fabulous view - which incidentally started in the glass-walled and floored elevator.
The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the streets before heading back to the hotel for some pre-concert exec lounge. The AFFer who was to join me for the Missy Higgins concert wasn’t able to make it unfortunately. Ozmille stepped into the breach (after I played some songs on my iThing to remind him who she was)! We met in the lounge and then wandered over to the venue, grabbing a bite to eat on the way. After seeing Missy in Melbourne I was looking forward to a treat, and a treat it was. Lots of good music (and only one sheep joke)! *whistles off key and looks away*
Concert over, Ozmille and I headed back to the Beer Cafe for a ‘couple of drinks’. It turned out to only be a couple as we were soon asked to leave as it was closing time. Oh well.
Next morning it was a leisurely start and then back to the airport. Check-in was speedy in the first/business kiosk and I was off to the lounge. The AKL F lounge certainly is small, and there was not much of a food offering outside the usual nibbles. I had a look into the J lounge and thought it was a much nicer area with not much different food offerings. This is not the airport to gaze wistfully at the frosted door wondering what is on the other side.
My return flight to MEL (QF136) was as pleasant as the outward journey. In fact I had the same CSM, who recognised me by name and noticed I was in the same seat as before. Not bad for a single meeting a few days earlier. And yes, the FAs were delighted with the chocolates again.
I noticed one thing on this flight I had not seen before - a ‘physicians kit’ was taken down to the rear of the plane, and there was some activity there for a while. I assume this is a super first aid kit but would be interested if anyone knows for sure.
This trip report sort of turned into a lounge report, but them’s the breaks. The shopping in NZ was quite good, and with the exchange rate so favourable at the moment, it might not take much to get me back.
