Planes, trains & automobiles & a ship to Iceland, EastGreenland and NE Canada

[bPeteb]

Madison Square Park, I hope

So love the Flatiron, especially now that they've created the pedestrian are around it

Pier 66

The best two text messages I've ever received!

We had never had white wine sangria before this. Now we're addicted!

 

[bPeteb]

17/09/2015

I didn't even bother trying to get a late checkout. Why set ourselves up for more disappointment so we just stored our bags and head out. The hotel charged $5 per bag to store your bags so begrudgingly I paid $20 for the pleasure of taking our bags down into the storage room.

Subway down to Chalmers Street/World Trade Center to visit the 9/11 Memorial. The memorial is so incredibly beautiful. Despite the signs, too many foreign tourists leaning all over it taking selfies.

I suppose places mean different things to different people. I first visited New York in 1992. Despite my terror of heights I spent a good 45 minutes pressed up against the glass on the observation deck of the original World Trade Center. Al and I visited NY again four years after 9/11. The area around ground zero still smelt of smoke. I cried uncontrollably on that visit.

This time the smell of smoke had gone but the memories remain and we both sobbed quietly.

We made the trip to the top of One World Trade Center. Hell expensive - $32 each for a lift ride but the views are incredible and on sunny day like it was New York and everywhere around it looked amazing.

Had lunch with two ex-colleagues who moved to New York six months ago. One had won a job in NYC and his husband got entry into the US with him.

Our one regret in NYC was that Madonna was on at Madison Square Garden and we didn't realise that tickets were still available. It wouldn't have mattered what they'd cost. We would have paid anything to see Madge in NYC...

As I’ve said the only positive of the Riff Hotel Chelsea was its proximity to Penn Station. JFK Airport is a cough to get to by road but a breeze by rail. Long Island Rail Road to Jamaica Station ($3.75 each off peak) then Airtrain direct to Terminal 7. I think it was $6 each including a card fee. What a bargain and amazingly easy, even with our pile of bags.

We'd thought Terminal 7 was pretty ordinary after our arrival experience but travelling business (or having gold and above status) puts the place in a whole different light.

You check in far from crazy town in a quiet area away from the general madness. Not a soul waiting. Then through a dedicated immigration and security entry that took all of five minutes and up to the Galleries Lounge.

Beautiful lounge that I would guess gets very crowded. Free pour drinks of whatever you want. One negative - terrible food. Just plates of sandwiches or dry nibbles. We didn't care. There's be plenty of food on the flight.

Very cool boarding down a separate airbridge right into the business cabin. It was a wonderful experience that we may never be lucky enough to do again. Super comfy seats, attentive crew, fantastic food.
Arrived into LA with enough time to visit to Qantas' swish new lounge. Not a patch on the Hong Kong lounge and I think the BA lounge in NYC was nicer. It did look to have great food but we weren't interested. It was nearly midnight.

Just before midnight we boarded the last flight of our holiday.

Next stop Brizvegas.


Apparently the most expensive transport interchange in the world!

 

[bPeteb]

One World Trade Center observation deck

Why didn't we go???????????????????

 

[bPeteb]

We would have been able to use the lounge and business check in with my SG but it all felt a bit different knowing we were sitting up the front this time. We loved the meals, the service, the seats, the bed. For lots of you reading this you don't travel any other way. For us it was an experience that has spoilt us. We've already booked a trip to South America, for the first time paying for business on the return from Lima with Air New Zealand...

 

[bPeteb]

19/09/2015
Who knows if we'll ever fly business again? Even if the upgrade had only been New York to LA I would have been thrilled, but getting both flights was amazing.

We took off from LAX pretty much on time and the supper we'd pre-selected was served not long after take-off. Then it was into those Peter Alexander pjs and off to sleep. And we both slept like babies. I need some big promotions so we can fly up the front every time!

Service was amazing, as it should be I suppose. Seat was very comfortable as a seat and was pretty darn good when it was turned into a bed. Food was amazingly good but then we only have a single BA business class flight to compare it to.

Too soon it was over. Not long after our delicious breakfasts (they forgot Al’s and had to be reminded) were finished we started our descent into Brisbane.

Bags took an age to come out, again. What exactly is the point of priority tagging?
We'd had to tick three boxes this time - foodstuffs (coffee and salt), walking in fresh water, and animal products (the antler carving from Tasilaq). The customs guy went through the list and Al answered the questions. When he got to what the animal product was instead of reindeer antlers he answered rainbow antlers. I reckon the guy wanted to burst out laughing and that's why we got waved through.

What a funny end to a truly amazing five weeks. I doubt we'll ever be able to top this holiday.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. If you want read the full blog, with all photos and videos here's the link Travel Blog: Is Iceland icy and Greenland green?

 

[Hvr]

Thanks for a great trip report bigpetebrown I know they're not easy to write and finish.

I always enjoy seeing places I've been before such as New York and other places that I haven't been and you've certainly whetted my appetite for some new places.

 

[bPeteb]

Couldn't resist. Here's my review of Riff Chelsea on Tripadvisor. Hotels.com gave us back $100 after I told them about this stay. Nice job!

If you don't need to be near Penn Station don't even consider

What a shocker. We were getting a little concerned about our stay as more and more poor reviews were written. Our concerns were warranted.

After an 11 hour train ride we walked one block from Penn Station and hauled our bags up to the world's untidiest 'reception' area. I'm guessing all of the rooms with private bathrooms are in the building next door because that's where we were directed. Back down the stairs and up three floors to our room - studio suite 314.

Walked in at 9.30pm and the room had not been cleaned. This would be a recurring theme. I don't think the very nice young guy at the desk believed us when we said the room was dirty. He was shocked when he saw it hadn't been serviced. He eventually found us another room and went and checked the room first. Only room available was a premium double 113. We were told to come back to reception the next morning to see if we could keep the room. No way we wanted to be dragging our bags back up three floors. We would keep it.

The room had four good points - lots of room and I mean lots, very comfortable super king bed (there were two!), clean linen and towels and it was on the ground floor. That's where the good ends.

The room was dirty. Like really dirty, but that goes for every part of the hotel that we saw. Carpet had maybe been kind of vacuumed but there was carpet deodoriser (we hope) all over it. Lots of carpet stains. We have never stayed in a room that we felt like keeping footwear on. Every wall was marked. The toilet roll holder had been broken off leaving a long screw hanging out of the wall. A bare light bulb hung out of the fitting above the bath/shower. There was no bathroom mirror and the sink plug didn't work so shaving was a challenge. Shower really difficult to get anything other than scolding water out of. An exposed wire just hung out of the wall next to the kitchenette The kitchenette was a laugh. See pictures. Fully equipped? One knife, one fork and four spoons in a room that could sleep four.

Next morning we returned to reception to check if we would keep the room. There was a man complaining about a lack of towels in their room and that it was basically filthy. The theme continues.

We could keep the room. At least that was a positive.

When we came back to the room it hadn't been serviced, just two towels left on the end of the bed. Bed unmade, bin not emptied. Nowhere does it say that rooms aren't serviced daily.

Free wifi. Hahahaha. What wifi? We got it to work after midnight each night.

Then when you checkout they charge you $5 a bag to store luggage that you take down into the basement and get out.

This place could be really cool but at the moment it's just a mess. I feel sorry for the staff as they were all really nice. They must cop it all day long.

Riff Chelsea's only only positive is proximity to Penn Station.
Room Tip: 314 looked ok even unmade (studio suite) but it did face 8th Ave so could be noisy. 113 at least didn't

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Show...355-Riff_Chelsea-New_York_City_New_York.html#

 

[PaulST]

Amazing! I especially loved those whales in the museum!

 

[NoobFlyer]

Thanks for a great trip report bigpetebrown I know they're not easy to write and finish.

I always enjoy seeing places I've been before such as New York and other places that I haven't been and you've certainly whetted my appetite for some new places.

+1 to all of this. An excellent trip report you have put together here bigpetebrown​!

 

[JohnM]

Subscribing... never been to Iceland but thinking maybe I should..

You'd definitely have to drive there, Uppy - but you would like some of the monster vehicles they use to get into the interior on the really rough roads . It's an extraordinary place.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Thanks bigpetebrown! Great TR
Be warned.. business class particularly on long haul flights is addictive! Very hard to go back

 

[Meggsy]

Wonderful Trip Report. I enjoyed every part of it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[kermatu]

Terrific TR - thanks for sharing.

 

[JohnM]

Superb TR!

 

[bPeteb]

You'd definitely have to drive there, Uppy - but you would like some of the monster vehicles they use to get into the interior on the really rough roads . It's an extraordinary place.

I couldn't have said it better John. The big wheelers are crazy. We can't wait to go back again, early spring or late autumn next time hopefully.

 

[RooFlyer]

Terrific TR, thanks bigpetebrown . Although I didn't like the Greenland part - in as much I so want to go there now, and I've already looked up a couple of cruises. Jehosaphat! The costs! :shock:

And welcome to business class - much the same reaction as everyone else. Just prey you never get bumped to First because then life gets very tricky.

BTW - I guess you were taking your pics on an iPhone? Trick to not having them present at 90 degrees is to crop just a smidge of the bottom of the original pic, on the phone. Pushka posted that one.

 

[bPeteb]

Terrific TR, thanks bigpetebrown . Although I didn't like the Greenland part - in as much I so want to go there now, and I've already looked up a couple of cruises. Jehosaphat! The costs! :shock:

And welcome to business class - much the same reaction as everyone else. Just prey you never get bumped to First because then life gets very tricky.

BTW - I guess you were taking your pics on an iPhone? Trick to not having them present at 90 degrees is to crop just a smidge of the bottom of the original pic, on the phone. Pushka posted that one.

Thanks RooFlyer about the portrait hint. Lots would have been with my iphone. We did have two 'proper' cameras as well and I'm sure some would have been using them. I'll try that for the TR of our South America holiday in June/July

 

[RooFlyer]

OK, give. Where in Sth America?

 

[bPeteb]

OK, give. Where in Sth America?

Photos - just checked and the majority weren't from my iphone . I suppose I just need to make a minor trim when I rotate and see if that works.

South America - Flying Air NZ. Initially looked at return Brisbane - Lima. Dates we chose returned mixed class - Y there, J back. We wanted a stop over in Buenos Aries on the way to Lima so that we can go to Iguazu so we couldn't book online as multi-city mixed class isn't possible. I've since managed to get the $240 we were charged to make the booking via the call centre refunded.

Y Brisbane via Auckland to Buenos Aries. Paid for one of the 'twos' down the back and will bid for upgrades to Y+ both legs. Iguaza overnighter from BA with 10 hour tour private guide booked (Aerolineas). Aerolineas economy up to Lima. Couple of days then Intrepid Sacred Land of the Incas tour (Amazon, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Inca Trail, Macchu Picchu, Cuzco, Puno, Lake Titicaca homestay, La Paz). Back to Lima (LAN Peru) for another night then Aerolineas Y+ to BA. Arrive very early AM and midnight flight out so we're going to get the ferry over to Colonia de Sacramento so that we can say that we visited Uruguay as well. Air New Zed J both legs back to Brisbane.

Another couple of ticks on the list

 

[RooFlyer]

Sounds a great tour. Several TRs have covered these areas.