The view from my "office" [2 photo limit]

[TomVexille]

Some photos of leg 1 this morning while we're on our tech stop. Current location in the last photo.

 

[TheRealTMA]

How'd you find it? We recently stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Madrid Prado and it was a fantastic property, your your standard DT. More of a boutique hotel.

Excellent. IC ambassador status, upgraded to suite. Good club lounge. Expensive drinks but that’s 5* hotels and club lounge has free wine, good snacks and particularly nice G&Ts.

Previously stayed at Starwood Westin Palace a few times and that was good as well.

 

[drron]

Stayed at the Westin Palace Madrid.First stay as a status matched plat.Got the Royal suite.Able to sit on the balcony and watch Spain Day activities the first morning.So I was hooked on SPG.

 

[JessicaTam]

Careful. Renowned photographer got blacklisted for using stuffed animals.

Oh it is real alright! They are members of her office 'cohort'.

 

[coriander]

Can you elaborate on how you happened to be up there?

Right place, right time. Seated in 3K on QF10,I wandered up to have a sticky before takeoff; the coughpit door was still open as flight and ground crew were performing last minute checks. I asked permission, was granted as long as I said nothing, stood at the door and snapped.

Flight to PER was smooth, a bit rough stormy welcome on landing though. After all the negatives about the 787, I have to say I was impressed but not as good as Cathay's A350 in J, and the (English) crew seemed less friendly and engaging than the Aussie crew I had on QF1 a few weeks ago. But if the SC MEL-PER-LHR is the same as MEL-SYD-SIN-LHR and there isn't a price differential I'd certainly fly it again.

I'll post photos when I get home (currently in Perth transit lounge).

 

[Flashback]

Stayed at the Westin Palace Madrid.First stay as a status matched plat.Got the Royal suite.Able to sit on the balcony and watch Spain Day activities the first morning.So I was hooked on SPG.

Just around the corner from where I was then

 

[jxv]

Cruising the Danube through the Wachau Valley. Stopped at Dürnstein for a walk and at Melk to tour the Abbey. The Wachau Valley is Austria’s most important wine producing area. All south facing hillsides are terraced and used for growing grapes.

Attractive scenery even though the weather is cloudy with haze.

 

[kermatu]

After a 4 month hiatus, back in the QF office (ex-MEL)

 

[RooFlyer]

Home Office. Why do I ever leave ?



Around the corner, that's downtown on the left . Swimming pontoon on the right not getting much business

 

[Pushka]

Dubrovnik




After a short flight over these.

 

[amaroo]

This should explain the basics...

 

[amaroo]

 

[Cossie]

A little bit wet and for some a little bit sideways. Yesterday was very foggy as well as wet, but today it was just wet. After this stage I went back to the hotel to dry out, and of course after a couple suprisingly nice glasses of red wine the sun came out, but it was too late to venture back out to the action.



Near Pravia, Asturias provence, northern Spain.

 

[OATEK]

Home Office. Why do I ever leave ?

A lovely spot of course, but then there are the elephants at Ellora etc...

 

[HockeyMonkey]

Just returned from a business trip to Hamburg for the first time. Really love European cities on the water.

Given we were there for the weekend, took the time to visit Berlin. Never realised that West Berlin was completely surrounded by East Germany or how quickly democracy disappeared in 1933.

Flew Emirates for the first time as SG albeit in Y. Each flight without fail they would recognise my status from a list and ask if I needed anything. What do folks typically ask for if anything?

Gave up my aisle seat with empty to another passenger who was holding their toddler which she was very grateful for.

 

[kermatu]

Not quite so PERfect in Perth of late. Still a nice flying visit - I’m just peeved given a fellow Canberran colleague was over here earlier last week and said she enjoyed near summer weather.

 

[JohnM]

It's PERfect for our farmers .

 

[RooFlyer]

Sixth day in a row of fanTAStic weather of still cloudless days, just clouded over this afternoon which brings an additional benefit:



(Eastern Tas office)

 

[jxv]

SZG, photographed not from an approaching aircraft, but from the Untersberg cable car, just outside Salzburg city.

 

[serfty]

...
Not quite so PERfect in Perth of late. Still a nice flying visit - I’m just peeved given a fellow Canberran colleague was over here earlier last week and said she enjoyed near summer weather.

I know those red roofs - with the angle, likely from the Hyatt Club Lounge.