Canyons, Mountains & Vineyards

JohnM · Apr 23, 2018

Did you manage to get U SYD-SCL on QF?

I've this week been looking to get to SCL on points about 11 months from now and its nix, nada, sfa in any class on QF (and LA).

Stuff that. Today I locked in going the other direction on EK

. OK, not a 240K Award, but EK is a nice way to go - and all I want to do is get to SCL and back.

As a PERite I am soooo glad the QF/EK partnership has been renewed

.

Now I just have to find my way back about a month from now...

.

RooFlyer · Apr 24, 2018

Jacques Vert said:
Lima, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Machu Picchu, L Titicaca, La Paz, Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, San Pedro, Santiago, Valparaiso, Santa Cruz and a night in AKL on the way home.

Edit: Forgot Paracas and Nazca Lines.

Orright. I'm gunna hate you for this one.

LadyC · Apr 24, 2018

Sounds like a 3 part multi-release epic then

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

JohnM said:
Did you manage to get U SYD-SCL on QF?

Indeed we did

We needed to get the direct flight as it is shorter than the detour via AKL and our itinerary would have been >35,000 miles if we took the LA flight via AKL.

Booked it way back on 25 June last year. Interestingly, for the couple of weeks following there was availability on a number of days but they all seemed to disappear at the same time.

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

juddles said:
Yet again I will snaffle all of row 1 for this ride.

JohnM said:
If @juddles doesn't want me kicking the back of his seat(s), then he'll let me also sit in row 1 .

It would appear that QLink have been reading some of these trip reports: look where they put me...

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

Of course I'm always looking to save a dollar where I can so we went to and from SYD on the #400 bus:

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

QF27 was 20 minutes late leaving but we arrived in SCL on time.

A relatively uneventful flight on the upper deck, this time 12A & B.

Our Cpt. took a more northerly route than normal and we had some nice views of NZ as we flew above Cook Strait...

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

The meals were reasonable and tasty, but certainly missing any WOW factor...

This was my entree: I had the Massaman curry for the main but forgot to take a photo (I'm sure most of you know what a typical Massaman looks like).

A snack....

Breakfast:

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

So we're now in the LATAM lounge in SCL and as many would know, it's not easy to find. Best I can suggest is to find the duty free grog shop near Gate 15/16, then look for a lift around the back and go to level 4.

The lounge...

juddles · Apr 25, 2018

Jacques Vert said:
So we're now in the LATAM lounge in SCL .....

Ah!

Home, sweet home!!

How long are you there? Did you find the day beds (at the rear of the top floor). There is hot soup back there too.

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

juddles said:
Ah! Home, sweet home!!

How long are you there? Did you find the day beds (at the rear of the top floor). There is hot soup back there too.

We are here until about 8PM. Yes found the day beds and the showers! And the wine

; but not much to eat

.

juddles · Apr 25, 2018

Jacques Vert said:
We are here until about 8PM. Yes found the day beds and the showers! And the wine ; but not much to eat.

That to me is the only failing of the lounge - the lack of good hot food - hence why I go the soup, as wine and cheese can only go so far....

They do tend to do plates of sushi and the odd other novelty at times, but it goes quickly.

Jacques Vert · Apr 25, 2018

Next flight LA530.
Looking forward to checking out the LAN 787 J cabin.

Got a bit of a shock when I looked on the departures board and saw it listed as going to New York

Apparently they are going to drop us off in Lima on the way.

JohnM · Apr 25, 2018

LA recently flicked my LA530 (like you, I'm only doing the SCL-LIM sector) in June to a B767. I'm guessing it's to do with the RR engines issue.

No biggie for me, but if your flight is your first time in J on a LA B787, I hope they haven't done the same to you.

But the J cabin in the B767 is still far better than in the A320s that pepper that route through the rest of the day.

Jacques Vert · Apr 27, 2018

JohnM said:
LA recently flicked my LA530 (like you, I'm only doing the SCL-LIM sector) in June to a B767. I'm guessing it's to do with the RR engines issue.

No biggie for me, but if your flight is your first time in J on a LA B787, I hope they haven't done the same to you.

But the J cabin in the B767 is still far better than in the A320s that pepper that route through the rest of the day.

Now there's an interesting thing.

When we first booked this part of the trip way back, it was on an earlier flight on a 767. Actually, I was looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with the old bird, maybe for the last time. But LA 6?? was cancelled a couple of months back and we were moved to the 787 flight LA530. Only problem was it left an hour and a half later

But we get to fly on the new bird....

Or maybe not

Still, the 767 is a nice aircraft and the service was good...

Jacques Vert · Apr 27, 2018

Thanks to Boca68 we had a driver waiting for us at LIM and we were soon on our way to the Courtyard where we arrived shortly after midnight; too tired to take photos but I'll try to remember to get some on the next visit.

RooFlyer · Apr 28, 2018

Jacques Vert said:
When we first booked this part of the trip way back, it was on an earlier flight on a 767.

All this talk of B767 is weird. I have had 2 of these on my current trip - first ones for I don't know how long!

I like your description of how to find the SCL lounge. Took me ages the first time, which is soon after they opened it. Obviously they haven't worried about the signage yet.

Jacques Vert · Apr 28, 2018

Next morning we picked up our rental car about two blocks from the Courtyard:

and headed off towards Paracas. It didn't take me long to realise why our vehicle had more than its share of bumps and scrapes. The only positive thing I can say is their driving isn't as "interesting" as the Italians, but not far short either.

So an interesting drive down the Panamericana Sur for a few hours...

Jacques Vert · Apr 28, 2018

This bloke is everywhere; a relative of someone in Nth Queensland perhaps?

Jacques Vert · Apr 28, 2018

Our digs for the next two nights are the Double Tree in Paracas on a Points and Pay deal (to get the price down to my budget allowance).

We liked this place, very nice...

We were upgraded to a suite and given free breakfast due to my Gold status....fortunately, my spanish isn't good enough to tell them that I am now silver (since the end of March).