I've been to Bali Too

[Bundy Bear]

[FONT=&quot]At the start of the year the other board organizes a get together in Singapore, followed by a post get together; in 2011 this was held in Bali. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Jetstar in October announced flights from Melbourne to Singapore on the A330 with some good specials flying Jetstar Star Class, the premium business like cabin, which earns business class mileage. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]To get from Singapore to Bali I found a flight available on Jetstar using some Qantas miles. [/FONT]
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One of the reasons I considered Bali was that in 2010 I had read the book Eat, Pray Love and because there is a new Australian airline flying between Bali and Brisbane via Port Hedland with a nicely scheduled day flight I thought I should stop by for a look. [/FONT]
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12 JAN BNE-MEL DEP 5:55PM QF635 B737-838 VH-VZA 4C[/FONT]
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I spent the day at work before getting a lift to the airport for the evening departure from Brisbane. [/FONT]
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I had checked in online to get a seat 4C the 1st row in economy where it is the only economy row besides the exit row which has decent leg room. I conveniently left the boarding pass at work so that I could get a real one. Qantas are rolling out NGCI(Next Generation Check In) where you can swipe your frequent flyer card before dropping off baggage and you have a NGCI baggage Q bag tags that saves you having to print out a bag tag. You can also check in online both methods though mean that the real boarding pass is on the way out. [/FONT]
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I reached the lounge about 4:30pm and was offered to go earlier flight, no thanks I want dinner, the earlier flight only served a refreshment. [/FONT]
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The flight was rather empty, even though I couldn’t select Seats 4 D, E or F online these seats were open and I moved to 4F soon after we leveled out. Seat 4C sucks, give me 4F any time the curtain rests on your leg.[/FONT]
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The American sounding captain gave a quick trip of our routing and our expected time into Melbourne just after 9:00pm local time. [/FONT]
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A hot dinner was served along with a choice of beer or wine. [/FONT]
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I caught the Skybus into Melbourne as I was staying at the Hilton South Wharf, got to try and requalify for Hilton Gold somehow. Another good AFF friend was staying at the hotel and I caught up with him and his wife for breakfast.
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[FONT=&quot]13 JAN MEL-SIN DEP 12:00PM JQ007 A330-200 VH-EBB 1A [/FONT]
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After breakfast it was back on the skybus to Melbourne airport. The check in area was a zoo as Jetstar were checking in 2 flights. One to New Zealand as well as mine to Singapore. Usually check in lines for Star Class are to the right but on this occasion they had check in for Star Class to the left meaning that the economy class check in line wrapped around the entrance to the star class check in. Only those who are flying star class have access to the priority lines. Qantas status isn’t recognized when flying Jetstar so you don’t get any priority during check in and seat selection. [/FONT]
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Once I found the check in line, pushing past all the riff raff in economy I was allocated seat 1A. I went through security and passport control causing a little problem, seems like I got a call on the mobile, you know there are all these signs around passport control saying you shouldn’t be using a phone, well I wasn’t taking any notice of them. Lucky they checked my passport and let me out of the country into the departure area where I got lost looking for the Qantas First lounge. [/FONT]
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Usually I go to the First lounge for the full course breakfast, lunch or dinner but as I had already had a good breakfast and I would be served lunch on the plane I really only needed a snack washed down with a few glasses of champagne. [/FONT]
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Plane parked at the gate just above the Qantas First Lounge. [/FONT]

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At 11:30am I went downstairs to search for a power adaptor for the laptop. I have a 2 pin multi power adaptor for the Iphone but the computer has a 3 prong plug so I wanted one that would be suitable in Singapore. [/FONT]
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There was 30 minute departure delay, where I could have spent more time in the F lounge. [/FONT]
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Once the flight got going the DVD players were handed out along with a good size amenity kit. One of the most useful things I have seen in an amenity kit was the blow up U shaped pillow. [/FONT]
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Lunch was served about 1 hour after takeoff. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Lunch[/FONT]

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Followed by dessert
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A midflight snack was served during the flight. [/FONT]


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And we were offered an arrival Snack [/FONT]


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The flight was barely 8 hours long and we were fed pretty well, the Asian crew did a good job to keep our drinks topped up.[/FONT]
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On this flight I was joined by 2 other flyertalkers and their girlfriends/wives so it was a fun enjoyable trip. [/FONT]
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The crew distributed a portable DVD player which unfortunately had the December 2010 movies. The one movie I was waiting to see was Eat, Pray Love and as the crew kept the drinks coming then 1 movie was plenty. [/FONT]
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None of the other movies were that interesting and there were a few music tracks and short TV programs for the time to pass quickly.[/FONT]
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The flight landed about 30 minutes late and then we caught a cab to the hotel. [/FONT]
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On Friday the 14 January a few of us went back to the airport for a tour organised by Eightblack from Flyertalk fame. [/FONT]
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The Changi airport group did a very informative slide show about the operations at Changi airport and the group was given a tour around the public areas of Singapore airport,\. I have traveled through Singapore Airport a few times and there were areas that I missed in the past.[/FONT]
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Thanks to the United GM of Singapore and a few of the United Airlines staff of Singapore to join us and give us a few hours of his day to talk to him and his staff. Our lunch was with SATS where we got a tour of the catering area which was amazing; it was great to see the different food preparation areas for the different food types that each airline requires.[/FONT]
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Saturday was a tour to Batam, been there done that don’t need to repeat that, another USD25.00 was given to Indonesia to process the visa. I was surprised how up market the area was, I guess with a lot of Singaporean and western money influence the place wasn’t too bad.
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[FONT=&quot]Trip to Bali with a few photos and the flight home on Strategic Airlines coming up soon.
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[Bundy Bear]

[FONT=&quot]17 JAN SIN-DPS DEP 6:35PM JQ117 A320-232 VH-VGV 20D[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]After a pleasant day of doing almost nothing in Singapore, well the wireless internet was free provided by my Hilton Gold status(thanks serfty) and Conrad offering a late check out why rush. At 3:00pm some Flyertalkers(lili & violist) had suggested catching a bus back to the airport. I got to the airport to look for the check in boards for Jetstar to Bali. At first glance there was no flight to Bali listed. After a while it appeared as JQ117 was continuing flight to Perth Australia. [/FONT]
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Violist and lili were heading off to Phnom Penh and I would be joined by another Flyertalker(upup&away) was going to Bali on the same flight and after we checked in and went through passport control headed up to the Qantas Business Lounge. I was hoping to catch up with another Flyertalker(alex0683de) who was flying out on Cathay Pacific in J and as they aren’t top tier in Oneworld would have only had access to the Cathay Lounge or the Qantas Business lounge. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I spent the time in the lounge munching on a few sandwiches washed down with some Heinekens the meal options were not that good. Spent a bit of time browsing the web, wifi is free but you needed to get yourself a password, which could have been a phone number. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]At 6:00pm we went in search of the gate C1, Singapore Changi airport has the security check at each set of 2 gates. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I was surprised to see that I would be flying on a regular garden variety Jetstar Australian registered aircraft, complete with Singaporean based crew. [/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]The plane was about 60% full and we were lucky to have a spare seat between us as this aircraft had a rather tight seat pitch [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]We pushed back soon after the departure time of 6:35pm, flying time of 2.40minute, Bali is in the same time zone as Singapore and Perth for that matter. The same cabin crew would be also flying on the aircraft down to Perth that night. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I purchased food on board using the remaining of my Singapore mone only to find out that all things would be charged in Australian dollars. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]There was a bit of unstable air so a few bumps and I spent the time switching between listening to the 8 Jetstar music channels and my Iphone. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Landing into Denpasar was on time and after paying the USD $25.00 visa it was through baggage collection and out into the waiting area for hotel shuttles. My original plan was to catch a taxi if I couldn’t find the hotel shuttle; I have enough trouble looking for hotel shuttles at any time so I prefer not to make a booking, but with a bit of luck I found the hotel shuttle and we agreed on a price of 50,000 IDR, at the time the Indonesian rupiah was 8,914.41441 thanks to Samh004 and google from finding that out for me as I forgot to check the exchange rate before I left. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I spent 2 nights at the Holiday Inn Baruna Bali, which is less than 10 minutes from the airport. Most of the big chain motels are located south of Denpasar near Nusa Dua about 30 minutes from the airport. As I was arriving late Monday and departing early the Wednesday morning I didn’t see the point in the extra taxi chargers. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The room was a good size, and interesting that Indonesia uses the European plugs, something to keep in mind when you are going there as I fully expected them to use the Singapore(English one). This meant I could charge my Iphone with the multi adaptor but couldn’t use the laptop. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I spent Tuesday doing a tour around the Island of Bali with one place called Ubud. I am never sure what we actually but you take pictures anyway. [/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]The roads were narrow and there were quiet a few bikes around the place, and over taking was pretty hairy on those small roads with on coming traffic. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]We had dinner on a very well laid out beach setting. It was a great day trip organized by another Flyertalker. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Our meal on the beach was 2,560,000 IRD ($287 AUD) those zeros can make things expensive, I guess not that cheap but there was 9 of us and with a few rounds of the local beer. Interesting part of the meal is that we had to choose our own fish, these were whole fish as shown by the picture.
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[FONT=&quot]About 40 minutes later the fish was served grilled and crumbed and tasted pretty good. [/FONT]
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And if you know me, I always carry a camera.
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Some flyertalkers you might be able to recognize as a few of them have been to previous Ozfests.

Next the flights home on Strategic Airlines.


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[Bundy Bear]

[FONT=&quot]19 JAN DPS-PHE DEP 7:45AM VC211 A320-212 VH-VQC 13A[/FONT]
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After enjoying a pleasant full day in Bali it was time to head back on one of the few day flights from Bali back to Brisbane. Usually the flights are overnight. Strategic Airlines are a Brisbane based airline doing charter work but have started offering scheduled flights to popular destinations in Asia, on their fleet one A330 and 3 A320s.[/FONT]
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It was a rather expensive taxi trip back to the airport, well expensive in terms of distance. Check in was painless then you have to go and pay the exit of 150,000 IRD to leave the country. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Boarding commended at 7:15am from Gate 6 with departure at 7:45am, seemed like a number of security checks once you reach the airport until you actually board the plane. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Boarding music latest songs, 3 of my last iTunes purchases surprisingly, a safety demonstration was performed by the crew with the overhead monitors which was done well. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It was very bumpy to cruise and seat belt on for good 40 minutes no real delay which was ok, the arrivals cards were handed out. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Strategic are a low cost full service airline, with checked baggage and meals are included with the airfare. Due to restrictions into Port Hedland, Strategic Airlines were only able to carry 100 passengers between Denpasar and Port Hedland. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Breakfast[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]The breakfast was very nice but I think there was too much, I think 1 bakery item not 2 would have been sufficient and who chose the Tangerine that stuff is vile. Tea and coffee were served with the meal. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Photo taken in-flight[/FONT]


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[/FONT][FONT=&quot]There was no clean up run by the flight attendants before descent as sometimes you keep a cup or a tissue or left over bits.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Disembarking in Port Hedland[/FONT]





[FONT=&quot]Waiting between flights[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]19 JAN PHE-BNE DEP 12:15PM VC511 A320-212 VH-VQC 12A[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Once I was through passport control, I was probably one of the last, I went around and got a real boarding pass and checked in my bag for the flight to Brisbane. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The flight had about the same number of passengers for the flight to Brisbane, and soon after takeoff we were served lunch. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It was a 2 choice lunch 2 choice hot lunch chicken or Rogan Josh[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Lunch [/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]I had a good read through the inflight magazine, which seems to be a different magazine compared to the Inflight magazine used by Air North and Aeropelican, or the Outthere magazine used by Regional Express(Rex). Interesting the magazine didn’t mention the IFE channels. There were 12 channels but a few were copies out of sync so you weren’t stuck with 2 channels playing the exact same thing. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As it is a 4 hour flight from Port Hedland there was a movie followed by an episode of The Simpsons. I can’t remember the movie and the magazine doesn't tell us about the in-flight IFE channels with music choices. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I love maps in airline magazines but sadly this one doesn’t have one, I use the map to gauge where you are on the earth. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The magazine didn’t mention about the 25USD to get into the Indonesia that needs to be in the magazine[/FONT].

[FONT=&quot]Leg room good, well I guess being in the exit row helped. [/FONT]
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A Byron Bay cookie(last time I saw them was on Jetstar) with soft drink or juice was served 90 minutes from descent which commenced at 6:13pm. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Strategic Airlines use the common area of Brisbane domestic airport next to Jetstar and Tiger Airways. [/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Bali is a very popular holiday destination from Australia and this music hit from the 80s, I thought was an appropriate title for this trip report. [/FONT]

YouTube - Redgum - I've Been To Bali Too - promo video 1984

According to a recent news paper article Strategic Airlines has sought approval to fly to the United States from Australia, potentially making it the seventh carrier to operate on the route, according to a Fairfax Media report.

I hope to try out Strategic when they announce flights on the Brisbane to Honolulu route.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Hvr]

[FONT=&quot]At the start of the year the other board organizes a get together in Singapore, followed by a post get together; in 2011 this was held in Bali. [/FONT]

...
[FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot]On Friday the 14 January a few of us went back to the airport for a tour organised by Eightblack from Flyertalk fame. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
The Changi airport group did a very informative slide show about the operations at Changi airport and the group was given a tour around the public areas of Singapore airport,\. I have traveled through Singapore Airport a few times and there were areas that I missed in the past.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Thanks to the United GM of Singapore and a few of the United Airlines staff of Singapore to join us and give us a few hours of his day to talk to him and his staff. Our lunch was with SATS where we got a tour of the catering area which was amazing; it was great to see the different food preparation areas for the different food types that each airline requires.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

The tour organised by [FONT=&quot]Eightblack has set the standard for tours at a Do. I was privileged to [/FONT]be there and loved it. Look forward to reading the rest of your TR Bundy. Must do my own soon as well.

 

[anat0l]

Fonts messed up a little bit, but that's minor detail.

Nice TR Bundy Bear. One year I have to get to SIN Do.

 

[oz_mark]

Nice TR Bundy - I wonder who those other Flyertalkers were:?:

Agree with hvr, the tour of Changi, SATS catering etc was sensational.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Nice TR Bundy - I wonder who those other Flyertalkers were:?:

Agree with hvr, the tour of Changi, SATS catering etc was sensational.

I guess those other flyertalkers were ones who don't write trip reports.

Fonts messed up a little bit, but that's minor detail.

Nice TR Bundy Bear. One year I have to get to SIN Do.

When I transfer the text from Microsoft word I end up with font size 2 so change it up, and still it messes up. I guess a mod could fix it.