Let's mix it up and fill in some experience gaps: RTW 2015

[JohnM]

Good ride to SCL. Woken from my slumber about 30 mins out by lovely FA Valeria gently nudging my arm .

Quickly out of the QF F PJs, down an OJ, muffin and coffee and we were soon on the deck. Out, through transit security and into the new LA lounge in about 5 minutes flat. As others have noted the new lounge entry is a little hard to find amongst the shops but I had made a mental note of those comments so I tracked it down swiftly.

As usual, LA has PB sorted perfecto. QF ought to send the work-experience kid over for a look.



Even after a decade or so, I still have a soft spot for the classic style of the LA J cabin in their B767s. And the LA FAs would have to be some of the best-presented in the business IMO. I really like LA.





A good supper with a glass of very good Albarino and it was then off to the land of nod.



Came straight in to SCL and I was in 1L, so I caught the moon setting in the W.

 

[JohnM]

Louis Roederer with a nice backdrop of the QF bird coming in to dock at SCL.

 

[JohnM]

Two down, one to go for my bag .

 

[JohnM]

Good ride SCL-MAD. I haven't travelled IB long-haul for about 10 years. An A340, seat config is good, as was service, meals and wine.

One good thing about taking the IB flight rather than the LA flight is that the IB leaves at lunchtime. If it's a clear day, as it mostly was, the views are great to take in over lunch. LA leaves in the evening. The bad thing is that the IB flight gets into MAD with the manic morning LHR-style rush.

A few pics from my phone via the app will follow.

 

[JohnM]

SCL in the usual murk with the Andes beyond.



Valparaiso in the bay.



Andes before cloud intervened.

 

[JohnM]

Some geology for RF.





Some subsistence-scale agriculture over NW Argentina for Wooley and me .



Good starter with Albarino.



Very tasty beef ragout with Rioja.

 

[craven morehead]

Some geology for RF.

View attachment 56941

View attachment 56942

Some subsistence-scale agriculture over NW Argentina for Wooley and me .

View attachment 56943

Good starter with Albarino.

View attachment 56944

Very tasty beef ragout with Rioja.

View attachment 56945

Don't mind the old Rioja :mrgreen:

 

[JohnM]

Repent all ye doubters .



First off the bird, down to baggage claim, hook into the free WiFi, 2 minutes later get the TrackDot email. Chill and await bag .

 

[JohnM]

The ride up to HEL from MAD was very good. Not so much from the POV of the bird, food, wine or service (although that was all OK in that typical within-Europe 'let's kind of pretend it's really J' style. Fairly surly response from the FA when I pressed the call button and asked for another bottle of the Champagne during pre-lunch drinks (I hasten to add they were piccolo-type bottles.)

The main reason it was so good was because of the unusually clear skies for the whole journey. I don't think I've ever had such a cloudless journey across Europe - especially such a long one S-N.

The track took us up to the NE coast of Spain near San Sebastain/Biarritz, then tracked the coast just W of Bordeaux, W of Paris, over Amsterdam and still tracking the coast over NW Germany, W of Copenhagen and into HEL.

Stumbled across an insanely good restaurant in HEL tonight (posted in the wine thread).

Now getting a bit late and need to be up fairly early to get back out to HEL for the ride to RIX, so will post pics of today's ride from my phone in the AY lounge in the morning.

Just a note on the TrackDot. In the US and Australia, it sends an SMS and an email, which is really good if not connected to WiFi when outside Australia because the SMS is more easily received. The SMS service tends not to function in S America and at least some parts of Europe. Must be something to do with cost. If the airport has free WiFi, like HEL, it is no big deal. At least, if the bag doesn't appear, data roaming can be re-enabled and the TrackDot email will come through to tell you where the bag is.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hope you are going to get out and about amongst the Art Nouveau architecture in Riga.

 

[JohnM]

Yesterday's flight brought the SC tally since the start of my new year to over WP requal. JMB-SYD and SYD-PER in three weeks will fill in the squiggle requirement.

AY yesterday.



A forgettable Bordeaux about the time of flying over said region. Meal was quite reasonable; at least the chicken breast was not dry.



Leaving MAD. For those unfamiliar with MAD, it is a massive 2-terminal operation that can be a bit if a minefield to navigate until you get your head around the way it is set up for DOM/Schengen and proper INT.

Like LHR T5, a Norman Foster creation IIRC. I remember watching it being built about 10 years ago when I was going to Spain for work a bit and been through many times since, coming out of or going into S America. The previous airport was a mess.



Good bird's eye of HEL in overpass before joining approach path.

 

[JohnM]

As mentioned, a gloriously clear day over Europe yesterday.

Hauling out of MAD.





Coast along the Bay of Biscay.



The Gironde really does have a left and a right bank . Pick out your favourite First Growth chateau... Bordeaux city would have been clear from the RHS of the bird.



A good day for European taxpayers to contemplate where in France their agricultural subsidies are going.

 

[JohnM]

Coastline Holland/NW Germany/Scandinavia.

 

[JohnM]

Riga is like a large village. Gorgeous place. Very pretty park, the famed art noveau architecture (not close up like RF does - I'm just using my phone) and Old Town,

Old Town is World Heritage listed. Immediate parkland surrounds are very pretty,especially now in the very last throes of summer/autumn. The Latvians are just starting to whinge that winter has started. Nights are chilly but today, at least, was sunny and mild.

A few pics.

Dang! Again, the app says I'm not logged in and won't upload pics.

Will try again.

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

Damn, something is making the app get into a loop. I'll try again in the morning.

 

[drron]

Another great TR.Once again adding more to the Bucket list but at least in a couple of weeks will be seeing some of coastal Colombia.
Sorry my like button isn't working again.Seems to have a quota of likes then starts coming up-an error has occurred when I click on it.

 

[RooFlyer]

View attachment 57146

<snip>

Ha! Actually took a trip on this - out into the river, where we diced with a container ship!!

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Yesterday's flight brought the SC tally since the start of my new year to over WP requal. JMB-SYD and SYD-PER in three weeks will fill in the squiggle requirement.

AY yesterday.

View attachment 56969

I do love the Finnish glass and the fact that it is on Finnair

 

[boomy]

I've just joined and enjoying the ride. Good to see AFFers catching up in different parts of the world.