thewinchester
Established Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2006
- Posts
- 1,771
Continues from here.
Ok, lets get to the nitty gritty - Canberra, or places best to bury your dead
Ok, that was a little too harsh. There's a lot of things to do in Canberra, depending on your age bracket of course. For those older and possibly wiser, there's Black Mountain or the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
Parliament House is always worth a visit regardless of age, if only to view one of the four copies of the Magna Carta in existance close and personal, as well as paintings of prime ministers past. If visiting the house on the hill, make sure you don't pick a day where The Greens decide to make a climate change/anti-coal protest blocking the main doors.
If that does happen, head straight down to the basement car park entrance and expect an extra 10-15min delay while proceeding through security and up the lift to the entrance hall.
If you're like me and come on a day like that, you may end up giving an impromptu lecture to your tour group on the topic and background - and why the Greens aren't even in the ballpark when it comes to their topic of protest (yes, I did that because the tour guide had no idea what the protest was about - and I opened my big mouth).
The Australian War Memorial is always a must visit, particularly with the addition of the new Anzac wing. And if like myself seeing how things are made makes you weak at the knees, stop by the Royal Australian Mint and be fascinated by just how much technology goes into making those annoying 5c pieces clogging up your pockets and drinks holders of the car.
Please however don't walk around the Mint with the C Day song stuck in your head… "on the fourteenth of February, nineteen sixty six".
Also on the must visit list is the National Museum, designed for kids of all ages from 6-60, starting from pre-federation, indigenous heritage, and everything in between. While I'm not a Holden man, the FJ Holden on display is perfectly maintained.
Shoppers won't be left out in Canberra. I didn't get a chance to check out DFO, but there are a large number of high quality and mid range retailers to be found in and around the Canberra Centre. That part of the city is also the place for food, with Canberra Centre's North Quarter providing a great range of food outlets. If not looking to spend too much, Wagamama is recommended particularly with their fast service, and for chocolate lovers Kocco Black is a must.
For something at any time, Gus's is a Canberra institution having been around since the late 60's. A great menu selection, slick service, and of course a breakfast menu which will put those hunger pains at bay. My recommendation is the French Toast, served with maple syrup, vanilla mascapone cheese (using proper vanilla beans), and a light dusting of icing sugar
Getting around
There's also a truckload to do on Canberra's outskirts, but I won't be able to help you there as that wasn't on my two and a half day exploration. Cabs are expensive like most cities, however booked cabs will arrive within minutes of making the call. Cycling is one of the better ways to get around the City, and further afield depending on your physical fitness.
I'm not the fittest block on the planet, but I managed to cycle about 40kms in my two days, and walked 20kms easily on the other. Bicycle hire is cheap, with a day hire setting you back about AUD20-25, which includes a well maintained bike, helmet and bike lock. Security deposit in the form of credit card is normal.
For public transport, its buses only in this town. Regional centres are well serviced during the days and weekends, and most buses also have bike racks if you're just wanting to ride from the destination. Weekend services are generally on the hour servicing most major tourist attractions and run to schedule most of the time. Please note, the maps at stops can be confusing - try and get assistance from the Action infocentre, or the Tourist Information centre in the middle of the main mall (open 7 days)
Back to the important stuff
So three days and nights in our nation's capital was all I had, because the Tuesday was an all day meeting organised by the ABS before leaving slightly early and hopping the CBR-SYD flight.
Accommodation wise, after much procrastination I decided to live dangerously and checked in at the Canberra YHA Backpackers. There's some times where a hotel is nice, but others where you'd like to crash with others of your own age - or at least stare at hot, female german backpackers with large cake racks and blonde hair … ahem.
Taxi from Belconnen was a breeze, and a hair under AUD40. Bit of a check-in queue for the Y pax, thank heavens for the OW/J/QP lane, in and out inside 5min. and that was including the desk agent checking for any window seats further forward in case things got any tighter out of CBR and SYD. Was on 35min connections for both, normally not a problem but just like to have an extra ace up my sleeve just in case.
CBR QP
First visit to the CBR QP ever, and there was a fair bit of board chatter warning it can be a bit hectic during the afternoons. I was more than happy to find a seat within moments of walking in, the buffet was well stocked, and the bar was rocking it for the tweed-lovin' oldies with bubbly flowing thick and fast.
Only thing wrong with this place - camembert looked like it had been squashed by an elephant with one toasty warm backside. I had to do a double-take because I actually thought it was a cheese pizza for a few moments.
30min and it was time for the boarding announcement, and I wish I got the name of the gate agent as she was the most cheery, personable one I had encountered to date. She made the point of personally greeting every pax by name, which is a nice thing to do. Best investment of AUD250 Sennheiser in-ear headphones and airline adaptor at the ready, let the next sectors begin.
CBR-SYD QF
737 (Y)
Scheduled 1655, Gate 1654, Takeoff 1701
Scheduled 1750, Arrival 1733, Gate 1743
Nothing to report, nice and quiet… oops, forgot those three rows of models on board. Ok, sitting up the back of the plane does suck thanks to the age it takes to disembark - but that can always been offset - by three rows gobsmackingly stunning models.
Was at a full load, with overheads full to overflowing thanks to some who's bags should have been forced to checked in.
One thing which gets on my cough is how slow some people can be getting off single aisle planes. Instead of holding everyone up while you get your two or three bags down, why don't you bloody well remain in your seat, let everyone pass and then get down your mobile brick carriers.
It was so bad, I saw my bags made it off the plane and into the terminal before I did - and the most surprising thing is that all the J/priority bags came off first to a waiting baggage cart which floored to the terminal as soon as the last J/priority bag was offloaded - shame I had two more sectors to go and that the pilot put the hammer down to arrived 17min early.
SYD-BNE QF
767-338 27F (Y)
Schedule 1835, Gate on time, Takeoff 1852
Arrival 1859, Gate 1859
SYD is a pain, and taxying from QF Gate 2 to the furtherest runway for an East to West takeoff doesn't make things quick.
Ok, all I ask is that QF engineering check the IFE and adjustable head rests. There's been at least two flights now where the head rests won't rise up or adjust into a comfortable position. Sadly, this flight was no different as the headrest kept sliding down after a few seconds, vis-a-vis the PER-MEL sector on Friday night.
Also, more IFE problems plague my travels. the selections on the short afternoon and evening flights are always good, and I do appreciate the effort with the afternoon and evening news broadcasts. However, even a 767 with common screens and an interior that looks like it came straight out of Stalin's Russia should not have an audio/video delay that gets worse and worse during the flight. What started off as 0.5sec ballooned out to a completely noticeable 4sec by landing in BNE.
Flight was 2/3 full, with nearly every seat in Economy Zone A/B vacant, and a number of pax seated at windows with aisles blocked out. Thankfully mine was one of those which had the aisle seat blocked out, room for a bit of stretching and being able to kick the flight/laptop bag under the other seat.
Penne with spinach and ricotta was the order of the day here, and a reasonable afternoon pre-meal. I was also having to put serfty's diagram for the dissection of cheese into practice - but my flight catering has also been taken over by the Soup naz_ and now come with only two crackers. At least it was a mature aged cheddar.
BNE QP
Arriving at Gate 22, I check the departures board to see where my next flight will be leaving from….
Off to drown sorrows in BNE QP with crackers, soft cheeses, cold meats, and of course a LL&B. I should write a diet one time based around only those four items - it mightn't be healthy but at least it'll taste good
Sadly, nothing further forward on the flight. Everything rows 1-3 is already gone.
Something erase funny is the failing of closed captions on the TV in the laptop work area. Signs of premature ageing was captured over an ad for the kids film "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs". Now it's an ad for Myer's christmas sale - saying "with Telstra". No idea what's going on there.
Even with all the premium and business pax moved into the J lounge, the showers at BNE always seem to require a bit of a wait. Found it easier to just charge up the laptop (after finding a working plug after going through four dead power points at the main island), get a LLB and some cold meats into me and wait for the page for my flight before ducking in there to change and quickly freshen up.
BNE-PER QF767
767-332 27K (Y)
Schedule 1950, Gate 1949, Takeoff 1955
Schedule 2310, Gate X, Takeoff X
Finally, the last leg home. By this time its like Satan himself has used my body as the mixing spoon for some evil potion. Having accidentally left my phone on, I received my FlightStats information and timing for the BNE departure while in the air.
Engineering didn't seem to have time for fixing any of the issues with the IFE system, so I hope all those watching The Time Travellers Wife enjoyed seeing Poita's lips moving before words came out.
Add in some Vizard and Michael Veich and you could almost have been transported back to the set of Fast Forward.
Flight was generally uneventful. Couple of babies on board, one in front of me in 26J/K didn't make a peep, one about 6-7 rows back however was a little cough who could have used some better living thru chemistry.
Gratitious food shot to be loaded shortly (can't find it right now), a Chicken Korma with rice and vegetables. Nothing interesting to report on the ingredients warning labels at all.
I had a rant about cheese in the first part of this epic tome, and I now intend to revisit the vexed question of 'who cut (the quality of) the cheese'. I hate to say it, while Bega claim to produce cheese, and they may be Australian, Tasty or any of those yellow cheeses that are mass produced are not, i repeat not cheese. Aged vintage cheddar, edam, gouda, camembert, blue vein, stilton, feta, etc - these are cheeses - and they should always be served. Sorry, I'm sick of a slice of tasty cheese, having reached room temperature having the consistency of rubbery messes thrown at people on kids shows.
If you're going to serve cheese anywhere, from a grassy knoll while taking the significant other out on a picnic lunch date, a friend's BBQ, and specially on board any airline that claims to be Australia's only full service airline - then for the love of small furry animals would you please serve good cheese.
I kid you not, the Pilot actually used this line about only full service airline on the previous sector. I'll leave the whole local produce issue alone, because I've beaten that within an inch of its life already and it bears not revisiting.
With all the rabble fed, watered and suitably liquored up - crew head for the galleys for dinner and requisite conversation coughing about some of the lousy pax on board or their bad schedule for the next month. I'd love to tell you exactly what they were on about, but I've still not bothered to learn lip reading.
Plane loading was around 85%, with no screaming ankle biters to cause any mischief. I would have liked to keep writing this trip report, but having drained my main and spare battery on the Macbook and only walking out of the lounges with about 35% charge - the buggers didn't make it thru past 8pm'ish so the rest of this trip report had to be written on the ground.
Would I do a bizarre routing like this again?
Yes. Why, because I can. You'd normally only clock 40SC to CBR. I managed to have a bit of fun, take in a few more lounges and spend time at others I'd never really had to enjoy, and had my first taste of the J experience - and add an extra 50SC to the pot, plus earn the 5k loyalty bonus at the same time.
If you are going to do a milage run, I recommend asking everyone here nicely for your suggestions. Those I'd received here from Serfty, Mal, NM, and others were well received, and the collective knowledge you can tap here is amazing.
This routing is so bizarre that I'm seriously considering going for an extra 110SC before 1 Feb to push myself into the PS bracket and earn some bonuses on my flights next qualifying year.
Ok, lets get to the nitty gritty - Canberra, or places best to bury your dead
Ok, that was a little too harsh. There's a lot of things to do in Canberra, depending on your age bracket of course. For those older and possibly wiser, there's Black Mountain or the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
Parliament House is always worth a visit regardless of age, if only to view one of the four copies of the Magna Carta in existance close and personal, as well as paintings of prime ministers past. If visiting the house on the hill, make sure you don't pick a day where The Greens decide to make a climate change/anti-coal protest blocking the main doors.
If that does happen, head straight down to the basement car park entrance and expect an extra 10-15min delay while proceeding through security and up the lift to the entrance hall.
If you're like me and come on a day like that, you may end up giving an impromptu lecture to your tour group on the topic and background - and why the Greens aren't even in the ballpark when it comes to their topic of protest (yes, I did that because the tour guide had no idea what the protest was about - and I opened my big mouth).
The Australian War Memorial is always a must visit, particularly with the addition of the new Anzac wing. And if like myself seeing how things are made makes you weak at the knees, stop by the Royal Australian Mint and be fascinated by just how much technology goes into making those annoying 5c pieces clogging up your pockets and drinks holders of the car.
Please however don't walk around the Mint with the C Day song stuck in your head… "on the fourteenth of February, nineteen sixty six".
Also on the must visit list is the National Museum, designed for kids of all ages from 6-60, starting from pre-federation, indigenous heritage, and everything in between. While I'm not a Holden man, the FJ Holden on display is perfectly maintained.
Shoppers won't be left out in Canberra. I didn't get a chance to check out DFO, but there are a large number of high quality and mid range retailers to be found in and around the Canberra Centre. That part of the city is also the place for food, with Canberra Centre's North Quarter providing a great range of food outlets. If not looking to spend too much, Wagamama is recommended particularly with their fast service, and for chocolate lovers Kocco Black is a must.
For something at any time, Gus's is a Canberra institution having been around since the late 60's. A great menu selection, slick service, and of course a breakfast menu which will put those hunger pains at bay. My recommendation is the French Toast, served with maple syrup, vanilla mascapone cheese (using proper vanilla beans), and a light dusting of icing sugar
Getting around
There's also a truckload to do on Canberra's outskirts, but I won't be able to help you there as that wasn't on my two and a half day exploration. Cabs are expensive like most cities, however booked cabs will arrive within minutes of making the call. Cycling is one of the better ways to get around the City, and further afield depending on your physical fitness.
I'm not the fittest block on the planet, but I managed to cycle about 40kms in my two days, and walked 20kms easily on the other. Bicycle hire is cheap, with a day hire setting you back about AUD20-25, which includes a well maintained bike, helmet and bike lock. Security deposit in the form of credit card is normal.
For public transport, its buses only in this town. Regional centres are well serviced during the days and weekends, and most buses also have bike racks if you're just wanting to ride from the destination. Weekend services are generally on the hour servicing most major tourist attractions and run to schedule most of the time. Please note, the maps at stops can be confusing - try and get assistance from the Action infocentre, or the Tourist Information centre in the middle of the main mall (open 7 days)
Back to the important stuff
So three days and nights in our nation's capital was all I had, because the Tuesday was an all day meeting organised by the ABS before leaving slightly early and hopping the CBR-SYD flight.
Accommodation wise, after much procrastination I decided to live dangerously and checked in at the Canberra YHA Backpackers. There's some times where a hotel is nice, but others where you'd like to crash with others of your own age - or at least stare at hot, female german backpackers with large cake racks and blonde hair … ahem.
Taxi from Belconnen was a breeze, and a hair under AUD40. Bit of a check-in queue for the Y pax, thank heavens for the OW/J/QP lane, in and out inside 5min. and that was including the desk agent checking for any window seats further forward in case things got any tighter out of CBR and SYD. Was on 35min connections for both, normally not a problem but just like to have an extra ace up my sleeve just in case.
CBR QP
First visit to the CBR QP ever, and there was a fair bit of board chatter warning it can be a bit hectic during the afternoons. I was more than happy to find a seat within moments of walking in, the buffet was well stocked, and the bar was rocking it for the tweed-lovin' oldies with bubbly flowing thick and fast.
Only thing wrong with this place - camembert looked like it had been squashed by an elephant with one toasty warm backside. I had to do a double-take because I actually thought it was a cheese pizza for a few moments.
30min and it was time for the boarding announcement, and I wish I got the name of the gate agent as she was the most cheery, personable one I had encountered to date. She made the point of personally greeting every pax by name, which is a nice thing to do. Best investment of AUD250 Sennheiser in-ear headphones and airline adaptor at the ready, let the next sectors begin.
CBR-SYD QF
737 (Y)
Scheduled 1655, Gate 1654, Takeoff 1701
Scheduled 1750, Arrival 1733, Gate 1743
Nothing to report, nice and quiet… oops, forgot those three rows of models on board. Ok, sitting up the back of the plane does suck thanks to the age it takes to disembark - but that can always been offset - by three rows gobsmackingly stunning models.
Was at a full load, with overheads full to overflowing thanks to some who's bags should have been forced to checked in.
One thing which gets on my cough is how slow some people can be getting off single aisle planes. Instead of holding everyone up while you get your two or three bags down, why don't you bloody well remain in your seat, let everyone pass and then get down your mobile brick carriers.
It was so bad, I saw my bags made it off the plane and into the terminal before I did - and the most surprising thing is that all the J/priority bags came off first to a waiting baggage cart which floored to the terminal as soon as the last J/priority bag was offloaded - shame I had two more sectors to go and that the pilot put the hammer down to arrived 17min early.
SYD-BNE QF
767-338 27F (Y)
Schedule 1835, Gate on time, Takeoff 1852
Arrival 1859, Gate 1859
SYD is a pain, and taxying from QF Gate 2 to the furtherest runway for an East to West takeoff doesn't make things quick.
Ok, all I ask is that QF engineering check the IFE and adjustable head rests. There's been at least two flights now where the head rests won't rise up or adjust into a comfortable position. Sadly, this flight was no different as the headrest kept sliding down after a few seconds, vis-a-vis the PER-MEL sector on Friday night.
Also, more IFE problems plague my travels. the selections on the short afternoon and evening flights are always good, and I do appreciate the effort with the afternoon and evening news broadcasts. However, even a 767 with common screens and an interior that looks like it came straight out of Stalin's Russia should not have an audio/video delay that gets worse and worse during the flight. What started off as 0.5sec ballooned out to a completely noticeable 4sec by landing in BNE.
Flight was 2/3 full, with nearly every seat in Economy Zone A/B vacant, and a number of pax seated at windows with aisles blocked out. Thankfully mine was one of those which had the aisle seat blocked out, room for a bit of stretching and being able to kick the flight/laptop bag under the other seat.
Penne with spinach and ricotta was the order of the day here, and a reasonable afternoon pre-meal. I was also having to put serfty's diagram for the dissection of cheese into practice - but my flight catering has also been taken over by the Soup naz_ and now come with only two crackers. At least it was a mature aged cheddar.
BNE QP
Arriving at Gate 22, I check the departures board to see where my next flight will be leaving from….
Off to drown sorrows in BNE QP with crackers, soft cheeses, cold meats, and of course a LL&B. I should write a diet one time based around only those four items - it mightn't be healthy but at least it'll taste good
Sadly, nothing further forward on the flight. Everything rows 1-3 is already gone.
Something erase funny is the failing of closed captions on the TV in the laptop work area. Signs of premature ageing was captured over an ad for the kids film "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs". Now it's an ad for Myer's christmas sale - saying "with Telstra". No idea what's going on there.
Even with all the premium and business pax moved into the J lounge, the showers at BNE always seem to require a bit of a wait. Found it easier to just charge up the laptop (after finding a working plug after going through four dead power points at the main island), get a LLB and some cold meats into me and wait for the page for my flight before ducking in there to change and quickly freshen up.
BNE-PER QF767
767-332 27K (Y)
Schedule 1950, Gate 1949, Takeoff 1955
Schedule 2310, Gate X, Takeoff X
Finally, the last leg home. By this time its like Satan himself has used my body as the mixing spoon for some evil potion. Having accidentally left my phone on, I received my FlightStats information and timing for the BNE departure while in the air.
Engineering didn't seem to have time for fixing any of the issues with the IFE system, so I hope all those watching The Time Travellers Wife enjoyed seeing Poita's lips moving before words came out.
Add in some Vizard and Michael Veich and you could almost have been transported back to the set of Fast Forward.
Flight was generally uneventful. Couple of babies on board, one in front of me in 26J/K didn't make a peep, one about 6-7 rows back however was a little cough who could have used some better living thru chemistry.
Gratitious food shot to be loaded shortly (can't find it right now), a Chicken Korma with rice and vegetables. Nothing interesting to report on the ingredients warning labels at all.
I had a rant about cheese in the first part of this epic tome, and I now intend to revisit the vexed question of 'who cut (the quality of) the cheese'. I hate to say it, while Bega claim to produce cheese, and they may be Australian, Tasty or any of those yellow cheeses that are mass produced are not, i repeat not cheese. Aged vintage cheddar, edam, gouda, camembert, blue vein, stilton, feta, etc - these are cheeses - and they should always be served. Sorry, I'm sick of a slice of tasty cheese, having reached room temperature having the consistency of rubbery messes thrown at people on kids shows.
If you're going to serve cheese anywhere, from a grassy knoll while taking the significant other out on a picnic lunch date, a friend's BBQ, and specially on board any airline that claims to be Australia's only full service airline - then for the love of small furry animals would you please serve good cheese.
I kid you not, the Pilot actually used this line about only full service airline on the previous sector. I'll leave the whole local produce issue alone, because I've beaten that within an inch of its life already and it bears not revisiting.
With all the rabble fed, watered and suitably liquored up - crew head for the galleys for dinner and requisite conversation coughing about some of the lousy pax on board or their bad schedule for the next month. I'd love to tell you exactly what they were on about, but I've still not bothered to learn lip reading.
Plane loading was around 85%, with no screaming ankle biters to cause any mischief. I would have liked to keep writing this trip report, but having drained my main and spare battery on the Macbook and only walking out of the lounges with about 35% charge - the buggers didn't make it thru past 8pm'ish so the rest of this trip report had to be written on the ground.
Would I do a bizarre routing like this again?
Yes. Why, because I can. You'd normally only clock 40SC to CBR. I managed to have a bit of fun, take in a few more lounges and spend time at others I'd never really had to enjoy, and had my first taste of the J experience - and add an extra 50SC to the pot, plus earn the 5k loyalty bonus at the same time.
If you are going to do a milage run, I recommend asking everyone here nicely for your suggestions. Those I'd received here from Serfty, Mal, NM, and others were well received, and the collective knowledge you can tap here is amazing.
This routing is so bizarre that I'm seriously considering going for an extra 110SC before 1 Feb to push myself into the PS bracket and earn some bonuses on my flights next qualifying year.
Last edited:
:mrgreen:.
