Sydney to Amsterdam the long way - QF & AY in J and a river cruise

[drron]

Though on my last QF domestic flight the CSM talked to QFF loyalist members even Mrsdrron as QFF LTG but this BA OWE was ignored.

 

[zig]

Have just caught up on your trip and enjoyed it very much, particularly all the details about the river cruise. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

 

[smckay]

Though on my last QF domestic flight the CSM talked to QFF loyalist members even Mrsdrron as QFF LTG but this BA OWE was ignored.

I have some experience of that. Coming up in the last flight.

 

[smckay]

Mid flight and LAX arrival (ugh)

The flight was quite smooth and uneventful. Watched the one movie, played some hangman on the iPad and tried to read.
Couple of beers and wines and water.

Around Fort Collins or 3 hours out we started with the light meal service.

I went for the Buddha plate to try to make some amend for the past 30-odds days of full fat food.
It was quite tasty and light and full of flavour

20 minutes later the main arrived. I opted for the chicken and tarragon pie as I am a sucker for a good pie.
Unfortunately in this case I was just the sucker. Not enjoyable, microwaved and bleh.

The 3-part bread also made a repeat appearance but I left a 1/3 as it was a bit too much.

Dessert was a good dose of chocolate and light.


After this was all cleared away we came into LAX. Seemed to be an easy run without a lot of turns. Took a few shots of the canyons and valleys, but for me this seems to sum up L.A..
Masses of people all crammed into a small area. This is the motorway junction that is like 100 stories high and the movie producers favourite.

We landed on time and deplaned. Thanks from the crew and off into the arrivals hall.
And then we stopped.
My last picture on the plane was at 15:10 and the first one at the luggage carousel was 16:10. But it felt more than an hour - the lane snaked, crawled, stopped and complained.

Finally we were out and battled the LAX traffic to grab a hotel shuttle to the Hilton Garden Inn at Mariposa. Bought through QF hotels for the points and rate.

The room was the typical room I seem to get in the US- everything you need, nothing outstanding.


Although we had eaten on the plane we were a little bit peckish, so we googled and found a nice romantic joint to go to;

Since the first time we went to the US in 2019 I've been a fan of In-N-out so off we went.
A double cheeseburger meal later we were sated.


Back to the hotel and dossed down for the night.

 

[smckay]

A spare day in L.A
Straight outta inta Compton

After a decent sleep we wandered down to the temporary breakfast room. When I booked they did note renovations were in progress but should have been finished by our arrival, a statement that proved to be Fake News. Breakfast was actually served in a conference room on fold up tables and using 4 large round tables that you'd typically find in a, well, conference room.

Thinking the Hilton name would be something nice, we actually ended up in a Holiday Inn situation. Nothing special, very basic, and barely adequate.


That done and dusted, we checked out of the room and stored the bags in the luggage room and arrange a 6pm airport shuttle for QF11.

With nothing really planned, we decided to take a trip to Long Beach and have a sticky beak. The Hilton Garden Inn at Mariposa was right next to the train line, so it was a wander across the car park to the elevated station.

The trains looked good


We changed a few stops later to another line, which ran from Long Beach up to LA and beyond. These tracks were at ground level and we just went down stairs to get to them.

BagMan was riding the rails with us too.

Well, it wasn't long before we realised we were on the Compton line. Only one of is an Eminen fan so the issue was lost, But I soon alerted Her to the concern, backed up by some Compton Clientele


But no people were harmed so all was good.

We rolled around Long Beach for about an hour looking at the sea front, piers and also the discount mall that was there.
Quite a large range of shops and rather than 'seconds' they seemed to be run out lines.
Levis were about $40-70 per pair but I bought a pair of Gap jeans for $27.88 with a 40% discount.
The area started to get going about noon with street stalls selling food and trinkets.

Long Beach done we made a new plan - lets stay on the train and go into LA and have a nosey.
So we crashed Compton without issue again, but from then on things went down hill. Thinking we'd seen the worst we were exposed to a new side of life.
The people on the train were more drugged than worrying except for Bad Dude. Bad Dude got on somewhere around Mariposa or so. Tall, dreadlocks, muscled, movie-style tatts on his neck and face, Bad Dude feared no one. His whole demeanour was don't even try, you'll be sorry. Luckily, Bad Dude left the situation before we got to LA.

The station we got off was Historic LA. Not knowing anything about where we were, we just turned right and started walking. Well, lucky us we happened on a Latino festival that was finishing up. They had cars, displays, dancing, food and looks like all were having a good time.

I was admiring this rather fine 1936 Ford when the owner came up, suitably attired and we talked about the car, the festival and our accent.

The cars were all part of a Low Rider club and they had all sorts from 30's models to reasonably later models (say 1980's). Early American cars are my bent so I snapped a few of the nicer ones


The area it was held in was as stated on the box, historic with a lot of old buildings with the architecture that is no longer done


It also seemed to be the jewellery or gold hub with a lot of shops selling stuff. Plenty advertising wholesale pricing and they were all pumping;

Each one had a man at the door and whilst I didn't see them packing heat there is no way I'd be doing that job without some serious firepower.

Taking advantage of the situation, this place was the perfect stop when you score a deal, she says yes and you can't wait to confirm the deal;


On the way back I spied the pinnacle (to some) of movie and automotive Royalty;

By that time, we were done touristing and decided to head back. After all, we had a First Class Lounge to hit up.

Return trip was a bit less eventful, but we both agreed that the condition of the houses, streets and surroundings on the train line which were jammed with homeless, abandoned cars, junk and general lack of pride was in direct contrast to places like Serbia and Romania where they were dirt poor and living in sufferance but their neighbourhoods reeked of pride. Money does not buy you everything.

Just before we got off at Mariposa, I shed a little tear over this

 

[smckay]

Homeward bound - LAX First lounge and QF11

We left the hotel at 5pm and got to TBIT not long after. I had checked and there was chat about an early check in counter being open. This was true, and they had all classes being accepted. Being one of them Platinum types we went to the front and were served next. That was a bit embarrassing, some of the peeps had been there a while by the looks they gave us.
Check in was simples and quick, if not mechanical.
Off we went to the security and immigration lines. And stopped.

We went to that far corner and then turned back. Felt something like an hour but it must have felt worse than it was as I took the lounge pictures at 6pm.
Lounge entry was effortless, again just another person entering the lounge and no fancy stuff.
Went straight to the showers to freshen up.
My only other experience of Qantas lounges in TBIT was the business lounge and I was not impressed. The shower I got was small, old, worn and not impressive.
This time however the shower did at least get the 'first class' memo;

But the water pressure I recall was a bit low and not great.

Now suitably de-L.A.'d we sat at a table to eat. And eat we did. With this being probably my last international trip as a WP and hitting First lounges, I was working it. I'll have it all thanks.

The waiter was interesting - he sounded like a Noo Yawk accent and attitude. One example was pouring the water - he just inverted the bottle and sploshed it in with no finesse. You may say I'm being Karen-ish but I look at these things through the eyes of the people that can afford First flights - and the level of service they would have and become to expect. And there was some SERIOUS money in that room. Along with Bogans in shorts and shirts walking around with a wine glass hanging from their fingers.

The lady in the white coat, whom I suppose is the manager, also served us and she was a pro. She gave us First service and it was very nice. Something this boy from the South Side of the train tracks ain't used to.
I won't post the whole menu as it will have been done to death, but this is what we were faced with

The Usual Suspect made an appearance

My wife enjoyed her vego thing

An Asian dish made an appearance

And nothin' wrong with a ham an' cheese toastie


Some beer, some wine, a spritzer and we retired to the seats to wait for the flight.
After a long day and too much food we both started nodding off. Well, we would have except for the older lady playing some sort of game on her iPad. With the sound up load. So all within a 4 metre radius 'enjoyed' her time until she finally gave it up about 45 minutes later. Seriously, why are people not aware of their situation.

In due course we went off to the gate, where boarding had already started and we shuffled through the gates after having our photo taken.
Luckily I finally managed to get seats in the front cabin - 'Emerald City' I have seen it described

The usual boarding stuff - water, sparkling and the like.

Now comes what has confirmed to me that I no longer will chase status on Qantas. After all the hassle with booking flights, having them cancelled, being told to find alternatives I was hoping for some CSM love.
Nope.
A very basic welcome, thanks for flying the CSM was off and back to the last row where a engaged conversation was had with questions and comments and a thank you for your loyalty.
So, I'm the second top level QFF but I can't be spoken to for more than 2 lines?

Anyway, I sought revenge by changing into my pyjama's in the First toilet (a hack that others ought to know about)

I'd say these were equal in size to the Finnair toilets, and I omitted in the BA flight to mention that there is a toilet on the RH rear of the 777 J cabin which is accessible and much larger than the others.

Moving right along, I declined a meal as the lounge was excessive.
And as an aside, the menu printed on a single page of thin paper is not a premium feeling at the other carriers. Again, a bit of Karen but the small things make the deal.
Just made up the bed (thanks crew, I can manage) and dossed down.
The beds in the QF seats at least give me some some of comfort and I can 'sleep' in them. I do like how the Captain terms it rest which is more accurate for me.

Some time during the flight - it is timed at 5.53pm which might be local time - I awoke and needed refreshment.
The front bar snack station had been eaten out.
Went back to the middle galley - snack station eaten out (and crew standing around yakking)
Asked for and got a coffee and a plastic-wrapped fresh biscuit. They actually said the snack station has treats..... Oh, it's empty. Sorry.


Qantas breakfast is always a surprise to me, due to the fact I filled in a card 12 hours earlier when I wasn't thinking about breakfast. Sometimes I am pleased, sometimes I wonder what the heck was I on.
This time I was a winner, with a full breakfast of bacon and scrambled egg

A bit of fruit

Closer inspection revealed not much to get excited about but it was a meal.


Overall the service was sufficient. I don't have any names to call out as spectacular nor was anyone affronting. In terms of friendliness this was not one of the better ones. I am finding QF is pretty hit and miss with their long haul flights more and more and I am NOT a FF in any way. Recall SYD-HND with a lot of interaction and help and questions about the flight reason to this one where I was just a body in a seat. No key tag or hat or cards for me. Based on the LHR-LAX flight I'd really consider BA in a BFOD situation, where we will be in a few years.

There were no issues in the flight that bounced us around, nothing broke and we all got to where we needed to be.

An arty moment for y'all. Fiji at sunrise.


Despite how good an over sea's trip is, there is nothing like coming home to Australia where we have a very good quality of life and opportunity.
This sight never gets old

This time we actually landed at a real, god-damn functional air bridge at a terminal. No more buses for this little black duck, no sir.

Immigration was not bad, there really needs to be better signage as everybody went to the few auto passport machines and clogged the place up not realising there were much more further on.
I've been faster, I've been slower through immigration.

And some final good news - our bags actually did come out in the first batches. But Crew bags were before ours so there is something still not right in the process.

The Bag Issue - lodged a claim with Finnair as the Qantas call centre said it's their issue not QF. Despite the QF flight being late departing and arriving.
AY thanked me very much but denied my claim once home as it was more than 21 days after the incident. I half expected as much. My wife is at DEFCON 3 over it but I'm thinking it's 30 Euro's, we bought stuff that won't go astray so it's not that big of a deal. Large corporations and insurance are not in business to make friends so foolish to think they'd assist some random joker to recover costs paid for and supposedly covered by them. Poor them, they must need the 60 bucks more than me.

And that is it. 40-odd days, thousands of km, 3 airlines, 6 flights, 7 airports, thousands of pictures, some souvenirs and 3 J amenity kits (BA wins that round BTW).


Next trip...... Planning a cruise around the Galapagos Islands and a Machu Picchu visit in 2025.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks for a great TR @smckay peppered with humour and honesty. Really enjoyed tagging along.

 

[smckay]

Thanks for a great TR @smckay peppered with humour and honesty. Really enjoyed tagging along.

Appreciate it.

I'm just paying back. Without this forum there is no way I'd be flying business class anywhere and I'd still be thinking I was cool when I hit Silver once. Heck, our first OS trip we thought we were pretty neat and killing the system by paying something like 64,000 points each to upgrade from Y to PE from LAX to Sydney. We have come some way since then and if I can give someone a chuckle that's good.

 

[ellen10]

Thanks @smckay I really enjoyed following along on your trip report. Lots of great information, thanks for taking the time to share your experiences.

We too did a European river cruise in early May with Emerald. We absolutely loved it!

 

[drron]

Well you certainly did give me a chuckle or two but also a well written and informative report. The pictures also very good.
You should enjoy the Galapagos cruise if in any way you enjoy watching wildlife.

 

[smckay]

Well you certainly did give me a chuckle or two but also a well written and informative report. The pictures also very good.
You should enjoy the Galapagos cruise if in any way you enjoy watching wildlife.

Wildlife is our thing. Done Antarctica, the Arctic and planning Galapagos and Botswana.

Pictures are all taken on a iPhone 13. I have $10,000 worth of camera stuff with a lens as long as your arm and I continually am amazed what an iPhone can do. Seriously ask why I have a 12Kg backpack full of hardware when the person next to me bangs off a pearler of a shot of the Northern Lights on a ship at night. And I couldn't get one in focus.

 

[drron]

I am now the fellow with the iPhone. You should also love Botswana then. We went in the off season because it was after a cruise up the West coast of Africa . The wildlife is amazing.

 

[VPS]

Thanks for a great TR. Well written and I didn’t think you were being Karen like