Japan and a Windy trip around the British Isles.

[mrs.dr.ron]

First mistake of the trip and we arnt even out of the country !! I awoke at 3am and tried to go back to sleep - the alarm was set for 5am - so at 4 I just got up !! I remembered that i forgot to pack Rons sports coat so went and did that - and locked the case - put the keys and two spare locks in ziplock - and you can tell what happened next - left the ziplock bag on the bed. We get to the Rydges in SYD and i cant find the keys Ron cant wipe the smile off his face !

 

[zig]

I learnt the other day that the founder and owner of Viking Cruises, Torstein Hagen, is a lifelong friend of Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio who founded Silverseas, and who subsequently named the speciality restaurant onboard all Viking ships, Manfredi.

And the compliment is returned with Tor's Observation Lounge on some Silversea ships.

 

[drron]

Despite the drama later on the day began well.A lovely QLD autumn morning and an on time departure by Limo for BNE.Easy trip-just an hour to pulling up at BNE.Friendly QF agent on the premium checkin and also at their security.Though msdrron kept up her near perfect record of secondary screening.Quiet time in the J lounge catching up on the papers.
BNE-SYD. QF 517. ETD-1005. ETA-1140. B738. Seats 2A,C.
Push back-1001.Take off-1006. Landed-1116. At gate 1129.
Good crew.Very good and friendly service from Joseph.Nice views of southern Moreton Bay and farmlands.
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Brekkie served.Not a great omelette with tomato,mushrooms watery bacon and spinach.
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Then basically cloud until we reached the Hunter Valley and the coal mines.
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My old stomping ground.Used to visit Singleton and went to the Ravensworth mines to do work and Super medicals so the fellows didn'y have to travel.
Then the Lower Hunter where I worked at Maitland,Kurri Kurri and Cessnock hospitals.
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So in the centre of the middle picture is Pulbah Island in Lake Macquarie where I helped in seeing what animals existed plus tagging the koala population.They were going to reintroduce a species of rock wallaby from New Zealand where they had been taken.It was thought they had disappeared in Australia but of course just before the relocation a healthy population was discovered in western NSW.
And I couldn't resist taking a shot of a coal powered station in the last picture.
More places that featured in my younger days.
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The Entrance where my brother set up busines.But in the first 5 years of my life we used to holiday at Budgewoi.
Then Palm Beach.When I was young I used to stay with an aunt who had a caravan on the isthmus.With my sister we made a fair bit of money collecting empty bottles and getting the deposit back.
On to SYD next.

 

[drron]

So a few more places of importance to the young drron.
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The Spit where I was a member of the swimming club winning the points championship in 1964.
And Chatswood where I attended Chatswood Primary OC class in 5th and 6th form.
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Middle Head where I would sometimes watch the Sydney Hobart race as my father could access the base.And some bridge I believe is for sale.
Then some very important places that shaped my future.
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Sydney where I frequented a lot and Sydney University when you got a real education.
And finally RPAH where I went from a student to Superintendent of the Page Chest Pavilion.No longer there though.
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[JohnM]

Sydney where I frequented a lot and Sydney University when you got a real education.

Should that be: "When you ONCE got a real education, safe-space, trigger-warned snowflake..."?

 

[love_the_life]

Bit concerned about your comment alluding to a drama later.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

That was me forgetting the keys to the cases and getting the locks cut off at the hotel !!

 

[tgh]

bingo… case shopping..

 

[drron]

Just testing my new camera-Sony HX99.So much faster than it's predessor.So alittle demonstration using Xiamen air.
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[love_the_life]

That was me forgetting the keys to the cases and getting the locks cut off at the hotel !!

I lost the keys to my suitcase once when I was in Singapore. Luckily the front desk at the hotel managed to find some bolt cutters and took off the lock so I had to get a new one the next day.

 

[JohnM]

I never lock my bag.

1. It's an open invitation for someone to try to crack it, thinking it contains something valuable - or for the TSA to viciously mangle it...
2. If it's a zippered soft-sider, like I use, a pen or pencil will crack the zip with ease.
3. No need for the late night trip to Bunnings for a set of bolt-cutters when the key is forgotten .

 

[drron]

Yes that indeed was the drama.After getting the pics of the Xiamen plane taking off up on the bed went the case which had stuff for the family inside.Mrsdrron tries to find the keys without luck.So down to the front desk I go-yes this happens from time to time so we have bolt cutters.They do have master keys at the airport but most people have no luck getting anywhere with them.So down to the lobby I go with the cases.Naturally when I get back a long line of people checking in or out.

Turned into great people watching.Amazing what people think they can get away with.For example the people who were checking out at 1330.they started off talking down to the agent who then informed them there would be a $X fee for late check out.That triggered a torrent of abuse including but we checked in after 5pm so should be able to check out later.The agent handled it well explaining that one or two hours late was acceptable if they had been advised beforehand.The couple then demanded their parking ticket was validated.Quick thinking from the agent-"only if you pay the late departure fee"Gotcha.

So out came the bolt cutters and a couple of minutes later back to the room with unlocked bags.By this time the weather looked threatening.
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But I was able to get a photo that really amazed me having grown up with the 747.I thought it was a very big plane.
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The rain hits but operations just go on.
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Landings threw up a little water.
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[drron]

A 747 takeoff.
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[Denali]

I use locks most of the time but they are tsa word locks. No keys, all set alike so easy to remember

Model No. 4691DWD | Master Lock

1-3/8in (35mm) Wide Set Your Own WORD Combination TSA-Accepted Luggage Lock; Assorted Colors. Model No. 4691DWD, product features, specifications, service and support from Mater Lock®. Shop now.

www.masterlock.com

 

[OATEK]

I never lock my bag.

1. It's an open invitation for someone to try to crack it, thinking it contains something valuable - or for the TSA to viciously mangle it...
2. If it's a zippered soft-sider, like I use, a pen or pencil will crack the zip with ease.
3. No need for the late night trip to Bunnings for a set of bolt-cutters when the key is forgotten .

I recently moved to the dark side - 4 wheel hard case. I reckon with built in locks it would look just as funny if not locked.

 

[drron]

An A380 takes off in the rain.
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[drron]

And the flight we will be on later today.leaving a little late.
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It got off the ground quickly.
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[Quickstatus]

I never lock my bag.

1. It's an open invitation for someone to try to crack it, thinking it contains something valuable - or for the TSA to viciously mangle it...
2. If it's a zippered soft-sider, like I use, a pen or pencil will crack the zip with ease.
3. No need for the late night trip to Bunnings for a set of bolt-cutters when the key is forgotten .

Correcto.
A little (mighty) pen can open any zipped bag even if locked

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I don’t understand @drron. If you are meant to be on the BA aircraft that took off in the pics, how did you take a pic from the outside of the aircraft?

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Always interesting to see the differences in wing design from the Stiff airbus to flex Boeing.

 

[drron]

Sunday night and dinner with the family.nine of us.We find Rydges to be very good for this.Quite reasonable food and tolerant of kids.The big people imbibed this SB from Orange.
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I had a Scotch Fillet from Byron Bay.just a little overdone but still a good steak.Then had a lemongrass pannacotta with blueberries and honeycomb.
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For dessert mrsdrron had the coconut sago pudding with passionfruit and pineapple which she really enjoyed.
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[Quickstatus]

How did you get from airport to Rydges?