RB
Established Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2004
- Posts
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I thought I would add another to the Trip Reports that I have posted previously. I hope people find something of interest and maybe there are some tips for people planning to visit Europe in the future.
We are visiting parts of Portugal & Spain (never been to either country before) & parts of the Dolomites (posted a report in 2013 on the Alta Pusteria & Gardena valleys) & then we are going back to our mates at Lake Como. Flights are via LM redemptions on Thai-J on the way over as that got us all the way to Porto (no F FRA-OPO) & F on the way back MXP-SYD. Both trips were caught up in the Thai schedule changes. Out of Aust we now have a morning flight & then 7hrs 25min to kill in Bangkok. On the way home we now have an overnight stop.
Being our 1st visit to Portugal & Spain we are visiting more cities than we normally do. As previously we are relying on public transport while in Europe. We are away from home for around 7 weeks and most of the accommodation is apartments (using Airbnb more this time) and it was arranged prior to leaving Aust.
PMQ is our home airport & that is our start point. Prior to flying out of Aust we visited mates in Thirroul and spent the last night at the Mecure Sydney.
In Sydney we had lunch down at Chinatown-very busy with families getting together for Mothers Day. Dinner was at the Crown Hotel (Cnr of Elizabeth & Goulburn)-this is a small pub with good atmosphere, a regular flow of drinkers and was a good people watching spot.
The location of the Sebel meant is was easy to walk up & catch the Airport train & we had plenty of room for our bags. We wanted to be early as Thai had advised that J exit rows were blocked & you had to be sighted to get them allocated. No problems with a very quick check-in & our checked bags were only a combined 25kg. We were advised to visit the Air NZ lounge & when I asked they also said the Singapore lounge was an option. The ladies at SIN lounge advised they had no food because of a power problem so we went to the NZ lounge-not particularly busy early on a Mon. Despite some stories I have read about the Singapore lounge I think they were genuine in turning us away that morning.
Below are a few photos to give you a feel of some of the places we visited
We are visiting parts of Portugal & Spain (never been to either country before) & parts of the Dolomites (posted a report in 2013 on the Alta Pusteria & Gardena valleys) & then we are going back to our mates at Lake Como. Flights are via LM redemptions on Thai-J on the way over as that got us all the way to Porto (no F FRA-OPO) & F on the way back MXP-SYD. Both trips were caught up in the Thai schedule changes. Out of Aust we now have a morning flight & then 7hrs 25min to kill in Bangkok. On the way home we now have an overnight stop.
Being our 1st visit to Portugal & Spain we are visiting more cities than we normally do. As previously we are relying on public transport while in Europe. We are away from home for around 7 weeks and most of the accommodation is apartments (using Airbnb more this time) and it was arranged prior to leaving Aust.
PMQ is our home airport & that is our start point. Prior to flying out of Aust we visited mates in Thirroul and spent the last night at the Mecure Sydney.
In Sydney we had lunch down at Chinatown-very busy with families getting together for Mothers Day. Dinner was at the Crown Hotel (Cnr of Elizabeth & Goulburn)-this is a small pub with good atmosphere, a regular flow of drinkers and was a good people watching spot.
The location of the Sebel meant is was easy to walk up & catch the Airport train & we had plenty of room for our bags. We wanted to be early as Thai had advised that J exit rows were blocked & you had to be sighted to get them allocated. No problems with a very quick check-in & our checked bags were only a combined 25kg. We were advised to visit the Air NZ lounge & when I asked they also said the Singapore lounge was an option. The ladies at SIN lounge advised they had no food because of a power problem so we went to the NZ lounge-not particularly busy early on a Mon. Despite some stories I have read about the Singapore lounge I think they were genuine in turning us away that morning.
Below are a few photos to give you a feel of some of the places we visited