More quickies for the drrons.

So another day trip to Sydney for me yesterday. Mrsdrron didn't accompany me as she does not handle the situation well. she says she is only going to one funeral and it's not mine.

So up early for the 0615 flight to SYD from MCY. Basically the only flight that is likely to leave on time as the flight arrives the night before. Plus gave me enough time to get to where I was to go. At t -80 I was able to improve my seats from row 16 and 15 to %c for the flight down and 4A on the way back.
Once again premium boarding worked. Boarding was efficient so take off was about 5 minutes early. Once again the local banana bread for breakfast. seriously considered going without. it is quite dry. but got a bottle of water to take a sip with every bite. after about half I decided that was enough.

The other interesting thing was that ever since QF returned to MCY they have not had inflight magazines. But today it was aboard with a 20 page article on the Sydney Pride event. Otherwise the flight was uneventful until we got close to SYD and put into a holding pattern. So instead of an early arrival we were 25 minute.s late. The fellow in 4A was obviously a legend in his own mind. He was up and half way down the J cabin to collect his bags before a single J pax had got out of their seat. Then the fellow in 4C nearly clocked me by swinging his large bacpac onto his back. His carry on also looked a little large. I could feel superior as I was traveling only with my phone.

Picked up by my son and we were a little early for the service in Five Dock. It was a simple short service and really well done. My SIL actually didn't want any service but I felt she would have been happy with the way it happened.
 
After the service it was off to Woolwich to the Deckhouse Restaurant. A fantastic setting. You have to park a couple of hundred metres away and walk down to the restaurant. The undeveloped area around is known as Kelly's bush named after Thomas Hussey Kelly who in 1892 donated his land for public use in 1892. but the land was sold to A V Jennings in 1966 but a group of local "Battlers" campaigned against their plans. In 1971 the BLF under Jack Mundey declared the first "Green Ban" and saved the area. It was sold to Hunter's Hill Council. Neville Wran in 1977 made it a public reserve. I attended some of the earlier meetings of the Battlers.

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Mort's dock through the trees.
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And old and new buildings of the Woolwich dock..
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The lunch was a celebration of life and worked well. 24 invited guests. I was seated with my SIL's best friends. Youngest 78 and oldest 96. They were all as bright as a button and I enjoyed their company. This was the function menu.
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I thought it an excellent menu. I had the Crudo and the beef cheek. Both were excellent.
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At our end of the table the only side was the Greek salad. The young ones snaffled all the chips.
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I am tempted to come back another time we are in Sydney. Here is the current full menu.
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Definitely recommended. beautiful restaurant with beautiful and interesting surroundings.
 
After lunch time for a little walk around the dock.
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The dock was originally owned by Mort's Dock who bought the land in 1898. it opened in 1901 as the largest dry dock in Australia. It's busiest period was the 2 World wars. The Large saw tooth building in an earlier post was constructed in 1940. The dock closed in 1958 and was taken over by the Army who occupied the site from 1963 until 1997. When the Army left the Government proved it hadn't learnt any lessons from the past and proposed to sell it to a developer. The community was against it so reluctantly the Federal Government formed the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust to administer it and several other waterside properties it owned around the Harbour.

Pictures off the dock in the 1900s and today.
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It is a great spot for a visit and ample park grounds with a play area. well worth a visit.
As we walked back to the car a little bonus with a bush turkey crossing the path.
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All in all it was as nice a day as it could have been. very short service and a lunch that really did celebrate the life of my SIL.

Walking back to the car we saw Wild oats X1 in the shed and last years line honours winner of the Sydney Hobart race ,Andoo Comanche ,sailed out. We went back to our son's place and I had a couple of hours with the grandchildren and making some plans for our Christmas trip together.

Then braved the Sydney peak hour traffic back to the airport. Once again straight from the car to security. No one in front of me in the premium line. When i emptied my pockets the agent said he wished more passengers traveled as lightly as I was. T hen for the first time it was off to the QP. I had been downgraded to BA silver4 days before the flight. The agent was not going to let me in as I was only silver. I told her BA silver is equivalent to QF plat. I also had my LTP AA card and my LTQP card ready as I half expected this happening So told her I probably was the person with the most cards to be able to enter the QP today.

So Into the lounge and I was pleasantly surprised. It was not as crowded as the J lounge when we travelled on this flight 10 days previously. I also noted that you got the same view as the J lounge if you walked straight ahead to the windows. But my next stop was for wine. Exactly the same wines as the J lounge 10 days ago. And on that side of the lounge you got views across the roof of the JQ gates and part of the International terminal as well a much longer segment of the main runway including the point of take off.

Then to the food. again mostly exactly the same as the J lounge with the exception of the brown slop and rice which was thankfully missing. Instead there were baked potatoes which when some salad items were added was a batter meal than the J lounge. You could also have a toasted sandwich and near the wine a sign for barista coffee presumably in the morning hours. Maybe we might miss the J lounge in SYD in the future.

So the menu and my light dinner.
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I left the QP about the same time as we went to the gate 10 days ago. As then the incoming flight had just arrived and the pax were deplaning. however this time the crew came off as well. So instead of boarding on time it started nearly 30 minutes late. Once again after boarding we had a wait for a tug but only ~ 10 minutes. The pilot might have been going a bit faster than he should to get to the runway and when he got there it was straighten up and hit the gas. So take off was only 25 minutes after the advertised time of departure,

So some photos of the flight. First just after boarding at the gate.
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And you can appreciate the delay until take off just looking at the sky.
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And a view a little different over Sydney especially at night.IMG_2842.JPG
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Then it was time to have our vegetarian dinner.
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They were pretty soggy fritters so I passed when offered seconds.
When I checked in apart from the middle seats on the DEF side the only available seats in the first 4 rows on the AC side were 4A and 6C. But when we took off there was myself and 1 woman in 4F,only 1 person in all of Row5 and 4 in Row 6. But J was full. Maybe nearly all upgraders.

Nothing else of note during the flight. You know you are getting close to home when you pass BNE.
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Naturally I was the first economy passenger off and only 2 J pax flying HCO. So soon into the trusted limo for the drive home and a good night's sleep.
Doubt there will be any more short trips until June.
 
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