NoNames Xmas Vacation 2: Some Things Old + Some Things New

[NoName]

Day 31 - Continued……





The gum wall on Post Alley. Equal parts interesting and revolting

Interesting shop we found which specialised in maps.




Made our way through the streets towards the Space Needle and came across a suitable lunch spot – Vindicktive Wings. Basically a bar that specialises in buffalo wings. Good enough for us and we grabbed a dozen or so. Very good, would recommend.

 

[NoName]

Day 31 - Continued……






Continued on and reached the Space Needle. This is obviously a very well known Seattle attraction so it would have been remiss of us not to go up. Walked through the park around the needle, bought our tickets and lined up. We’d been recommended to go to the Chihuly Garden next to the needle as well so bought tickets to include both attractions. Cost was US$68 per adults + US$63 for youths aged 5-12. Pretty expensive.

The line seemed to take an eternity but eventually we made it to the front and took off up the elevator. Great views and the info about the construction that we had read while waiting was interesting so worthwhile IMO.

 

[NoName]

Day 31 - Continued……






Once done with the needle we went over to what turned out to be the highlight – the Chihuly Garden and Glass . This is basically a gallery exhibiting works by American glass artist Dale Chihuly. Hard to describe how amazing some of these were! Just brilliant stuff! I’ll let the photos do the talking.

The sun began going down and so it was time to go and meet the family of Mrs NoName’s school friend one last time for dinner. They picked us up nearby and we all drove to Kin Len Thai Night Bites in Fremont. This seems a very popular place as we had to put our name on the waiting list when we got there. Our friends told us that is standard. Went to a pub next door for a drink and around 45 minutes later we got the notification that our table was ready. Upstairs and to our table we took the waitress’s suggestion and ordered several dishes for everyone to share. Its Thai food and pretty good at that. Some dishes very spicy though. Too much for me. But overall a nice dinner.







From there it was time to say farewell. We’d absolutely loved spending the week with these guys and hoping we will all get the opportunity to do it again some time soon. So good when friendships survive for so long despite being on opposite sides of the world. An expensive Uber ride back to the hotel and we were quickly up and packing the last of our things. Flying back to reality tomorrow and an early start so good to have it all ready to go.

 

[NoName]

Day 32







The day that we had hoped would never come had unfortunately come – home time. Mrs NoName’s flight was scheduled to depart at 8:40am so just after 6am we were out the door, checking out and then onto the hotel shuttle to SEA. Again, we had been unable to secure J award seats for all of us on the same flight so Mrs NoName was flying SQ SEA-SIN-BNE while we were routing to LAX on AS before catching QF16 back home to BNE. We found the SQ checkin desks and then left to find where to drop my bag with AS. There was a bunch of renovation works going on so we were directed downstairs to some temporary area. No major issues checking my bag other than the disappointment of being stung US$35 for the privilege.

Through security and then onto the terminal trains to the S gates to meet Mrs NoName. She’d managed to find the lounge she had been directed to (The Club – located upstairs near gate S9) so we met her there. Well not actually there, outside the entrance. Exchanged a few pleasantries before she went back inside to continue her breakfast while we went and waited for her at the gate.

Judging by the photos she took the lounge looked a reasonable space. Anyone who’s been here want to venture further opinion?





About 20 minutes later she came down as well as it was nearly boarding time. A few hugs and “don’t go’s” before she lined up and then quickly disappeared down the bridge and onto the plane. For us, it was off to the N gates via a couple of train rides for another couple of hours.






Pretty uneventful couple of hours and other than grabbing some fast food breakfast we pretty much just sat around. Thrilled when boarding was finally called and we were able to get our journey underway. Y for this flight which was perfectly fine and cost for the two of us came to 28,000 QFF points + $16.31.


SEA-LAX
AS1048
737-800
19A, 19B


Climbed into row 19 and while it was tight, for 3hrs it would be ok.



Up into the air on time and we were off. Nothing too exciting happening here. Played a few iphone games with NoName Jnr to pass the time which surprisingly didn’t go too slowly. Light refreshment served – pretzels & a can of soft drink. Actually more than I expected so a nice surprise.



Landed at LAX pretty much on schedule just after 1:30pm.

 

[NoName]

Day 32 - Continued……







The bag came out onto the carousel pretty quickly so a tick there, before we made the short walk from T6 to TBIT to await the opening of QF early checkin.



2:30pm rolled around and the desks opened. This was a pretty efficient process and our bag was gone within a couple of minutes. Also managed to get a seat change. Online I had only been allowed to choose the two middle seats as it wouldn’t allow me to be separated from NoName Jnr, even if it was just across the aisle. However the agent was able to successfully assign us 4A & 4E which I had (incorrectly as it turned out) thought were across from each other. I’d reasoned that getting to him in the event he was sick would be much quicker than if I had to navigate the console in between the two middle seats.



I’d wanted to detour to In N Out but NoName Jnr had other ideas and preferred lounging. I guess it remains on the “to try” list yet again. Through security which proved painless and then on to lounge #1 over at T4 – the AA Flagship Lounge.





I’ve been here a few times on previous visits and have always liked it. Similar experience this time. It’s a nice space, open, light, spacious enough. Decent food and drink offerings including a champagne stations at the entrance. We grabbed a seat infront of the TV and settled in. NFL playoffs on so that was enough to keep NoName Jnr happy. Had a few plates to eat and some drinks. Nice and relaxing. My opinion of this lounge remains pretty high. It was enjoyable and I’m definitely happy to visit again.

 

[NoName]

Day 32 - Continued…….






About 5pm we decided to make the walk back to TBIT where we would be departing from. That meant it was time for the QF J lounge which we have also visited previously and reviewed.




This is a big space with lots of areas and seating options and every bit of it was needed tonight as the place was very busy. Somehow we got lucky and found a couple of seats. Sat down to eat some more and relax while watching the next game of football. Food options were pretty average when we arrived with not much of interest but did manage to have a plate of chicken and rice which was ok. Noticed that the offerings had improved as we were leaving though with several more hot items and desserts. Shame we didn’t see this earlier but oh well.








Quick shower about 45 minutes prior to boarding which called more or less when expected. Made our way down to the gate ready for the final flight of the trip.

 

[NoName]

Day 32 - Continued…….







LAX-BNE
QF16
A320-200
4A, 4E (per boarding passes)


As I mentioned, the check-in agent had been able to assign us 4A & 4E which I had assumed were across the aisle from each other. Well, I should have consulted the seat map more closely because when we got to our seats we found that this wasn’t the case. Due to the rows not being aligned it was actually 3A which was opposite NoName Jnr’s seat. Very sheepishly asked the lady who was assigned 3A if she would mind swapping so I could be closer to NoName Jnr. Made it 100% clear she was perfectly ok to refuse but thankfully she was kind enough to agree. So 3A & 4E it was. Settled in ready to go. Pyjamas handed out prior to departure which was a relief after our last trip where they had forgotten to load enough of them on the outbound.




Departure scheduled for 8:10pm and we pushed back right on time so a good start.

The meal service got underway after takeoff. Nothing out of the ordinary here with a typical QF J menu.





Both NoName Jnr & I went for the steak. Him sans the glass of red which incidentally I have no idea what it actually was. Steak was quite overcooked so not a lot of flavour and not particularly enjoyable. The mash and vegies tasted good though with a little spice.



No photo but had the cheese for dessert. Standard QF cheese plate. Cheddar, blue, camembert plus the usual crackers & quince paste. It was ok. Ice cream for NoName Jnr which he devoured.

Focussed!



Once food and movie were finished it was time for bed and surprisingly I didn’t have any objection from NoName Jnr. Had the bed made up and then quickly to sleep. Smooth sailing for the rest of the flight and no signs of any motion sickness issues. We both managed to sleep for several hours and woke up reasonably refreshed. Breakfast service began a couple of hours out and I was happy to dig in. Sausages, eggs, baked beans, mushroom etc with a bowl of fruit salad. All tasted pretty good. Just a croissant for NoName Jnr, which seems to have been so boring as to not deserve to be photographed. Fair call.



Soon we were descending in to BNE and not long after we were on the ground taxiing to the gate.




Off the plane, through immigration and after a complete non-event of a visit to customs where they weren’t even slightly interested in the excess alcohol I had brought in, we were wandering through the terminal towards the Uber pickup spot.



Into the Uber and 20 minutes later we were pulling up at our front door.

 

[NoName]

Day 32 - Continued……






Meanwhile on SQ27……


The long journey home for Mrs NoName was also well underway. I had booked her on a J-Saver award SEA-SIN-BNE. Total cost was 136,500 KF Miles + $64.50.



SEA-SIN
SQ27
A350-900 (LH Config)
11D



This was a looooooong flight - 17hrs! . Made a little easier for Mrs NoName by virtue of being in J. Had originally allocated 12A but logged on a few days out to find 11D vacant and pounced on it. No foot hole here so even better.




Amenities kit



The flight was off on time at 8:40am with Mrs NoName settled in nicely. Lunch service began an hour-ish after takeoff.

Menu for the flight:

 

[NoName]

Day 32 - Continued…….






Hot smoked salmon appetiser



Roast duck Lai Fun Soup for main. Verdict was pretty good.



Dessert appears to have been a bit of everything. No complaints.



Given the length of the flight it was a case of doing whatever was possible to while away the time. She watched a couple of movies, had a lie down for a few hours, went for a walk around the cabin etc etc and eventually with still a long time to arrival it was time for the next meal. Unable to recall exactly when the second meal service began but judging by the time stamps on the photos it looks to have been around 10 hours in.

Seared tuna for appetiser. Ok. Wine was good.



Braised shangdong noodles for main. Noodles are always a good option for Mrs NoName so happy here.



Dessert again tasty



Repeated the time-passing routine of above and finally she was descending in to SIN. Wow! That was a marathon! Don’t recall any complaints from her though. I think she was just happy to be in the comfortable surrounds of a J cabin by herself. Suspect it was much more peaceful than on the outbound legs.

Off the plane and made a beeline for the SKL. Nothing exciting here – shower, chill out, look around, laksa.



A couple of J lounge photos for anyone who missed my own earlier in the report. Hey, her photos are generally better. No real comments from her on the lounge itself but she’s generally happy to have a place to relax and freshen up and the T3 SKL certainly delivers that.

 

[NoName]

Day 32 - Continued……






Half refreshed but still exhausted, the time came to go to the gate for the connecting flight home. Through the gate security and soon down the bridge and on board for the final time.



SIN-BNE
SQ235
A350-900 (Regional Config)
12A



No bulkhead row here and no long haul configuration either but 12A in a regional J seat would still be much more palatable than the alternative up the back on an overnight flight. Took her seat and got comfortable.



Again off on time. Dinner service underway pretty quickly after takeoff. No airplane food fatigue here just yet.

Menu:




Another seared tuna appetiser



Prawns for the main course



Cliché I know but the rest of the flight really was uneventful. With the close to five week trip now taking its toll and the reality of its ending setting in, Mrs NoName was basically done. Happy to put up the white flag, have the bed made up and get as much sleep as possible. Which she did. All night.

Woke up in time for the all important refreshment - peanut butter oatmeal porridge.



Now all that still had to be done was the waiting for arrival. It came pretty quickly, down into BNE and before long taxiing to the gate one last time.



Off the plane, quickly through immigration/customs and then a short walk through the terminal to the passenger pickup area where NoName Jnr & I soon appeared to pick her up. Into the car and 20 minutes later we were ALL pulling up at home. Sad that the trip had ended but filled with amazing memories.

 

[NoName]

Post Script






So many posts, so many photos, so much fun. Here’s the summary:


The best bits:

• Whistler (again). Fantastic time with fantastic people. Weather was perfect every day which just added to the enjoyment. Hard to think of anything that could have made it better.
• Snow in NYC. We didn’t get to experience this the last time we were here. Magical to wake up on Christmas Eve to a few hours of snow pouring down.
• Quebec City. Wow! This place is like a fairy tale with its castle and old town. Need to go back! Maybe in summer?
• JL F on their A350-1000. 12 hours of being pampered in these huge new suites. How did I get so lucky to be the only PAX and having all the Salon to myself?

Ok that was 4. Wanted to narrow it down to 3 but couldn’t do it.



The worst bits:

• The cost of everything in the US. I know it was only two years since our last visit but things seemed much more expensive. NYC especially. Lower AUD only partially explains it.
• Vancouver Chinatown. More research and we would have avoided this so partly our fault here but it was a big disappointment and we felt genuinely unsafe.

Thankfully not nearly as many and actually struggled to single out anything.



The missing bits:

• Cost to enter the Museum Of Illusions in Boston was US$38 per adult + US$33 for children 5-12 bought online however I believe there may be discounts at times.
• Tickets for MOMATH in NYC were US$25 for me & US$20 for NoName Jnr
• Cost for the flight from EWR-YUL for 3 PAX was 23,400 Velocity pts + $46.96

And so another trip report comes to an end, the unforgettable memories have been burnt into our brains and etched into the annals of forum history for all to enjoy. Or something like that. We loved every minute of it and as always can’t wait to do it all again. Undecided when and where that might be but hopefully not too far on the horizon. Until then I’m going to read this report again!

 

[Major]

One of the most comprehensive TR's I have read for a long time. I enjoyed the whole journey with you.

Well done

 

[VPS]

What a wonderful trip report and thank you for all the effort and the detail.

You guys have so much energy but then you’re a lot younger than I am.

Chihuly is just amazing and if you fancy a trip to Adelaide they have an exhibition in the botanic Gardens for another month or so which is well worth a visit both day and night

 

[drron]

A wonderful TR. I especially like how you go out walking sometimes with no plan. I love that sort of travel.
And once again Junior is so lucky to have such wonderful parents.
But also keeping my list to 3 things w hen I first looked at Mrs NoName's photo from the plane coming in to Brisbane it looked like the plane had landed on a beach.

 

[I love to travel]

Great TR. The ones were parents are creating incredible memories for their children are my favourite ones.

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for an excellent TR. Some amazing photos.

 

[NoName]

One of the most comprehensive TR's I have read for a long time. I enjoyed the whole journey with you.

Well done

Thank you! I did try to make this one pretty comprehensive with as much relevant detail as possible. Not going to lie, it was a bit tiring but the end result makes it worthwhile! Love reading back over all my reports.

What a wonderful trip report and thank you for all the effort and the detail.

You guys have so much energy but then you’re a lot younger than I am.

Chihuly is just amazing and if you fancy a trip to Adelaide they have an exhibition in the botanic Gardens for another month or so which is well worth a visit both day and night

Thank you! Agree re: Chihuly, it was amazing. We were probably lucky to go tbh as we likely wouldn’t have even thought about it except for Mrs NoName’s friend telling us to go. Great decision!

A wonderful TR. I especially like how you go out walking sometimes with no plan. I love that sort of travel.
And once again Junior is so lucky to have such wonderful parents.
But also keeping my list to 3 things w hen I first looked at Mrs NoName's photo from the plane coming in to Brisbane it looked like the plane had landed on a beach.

We (well me really) love to walk. You end up seeing so much that you wouldn’t have seen had you just stuck to the plan. NYC is the perfect example of this. When friends ask me for recommendations of what to do there I tell them step outside your hotel, choose a random direction and just walk. You’ll see some amazing stuff you wouldn’t have otherwise come across.

Great TR. The ones were parents are creating incredible memories for their children are my favourite ones.

Thank you! We love making memories with him and it’s great to hear him bring up the things he has done. Definitely a lucky kid!

Thanks for an excellent TR. Some amazing photos.

Thank you! Can’t take credit for a lot of them though as Mrs NoName is the photographer in the family. Well, the good photographer anyway. There were times in this trip where we swapped phone for the day as mine is newer with a (allegedly) better camera.

 

[RB]

Another thank you. Plenty of fantastic photos that certainly added to your commentary. Looked like a great holiday

 

[NoName]

Another thank you. Plenty of fantastic photos that certainly added to your commentary. Looked like a great holiday

Thanks for the kind words. Definitely a great time had by all.