Europe bound 13-14 June

A realtively early departure to book in for the 0800 Jetstar flight from Darwin to Sydney. Not very exciting but that is Jetstar all over. You cannot even check your baggage through and I had to collect it and carry across to the interational terminal in Sydney!

But once in Sydney and the ral QANTAS environment it was OK. I was able to check in at the First Class desk and the service was excellent. And then the First Class lounge which has to be one of the best in the world. I arrived and was able to sit down in an atmosphere reminiscent of a really good restaurant; had very good meal for my lunch with excelent wines and very aattentive but discrete service; very good coffee and then read the papers. The architecture of the lounge is spectacular with panoramic views of the airport.Q

QANTAS First Class lounge, Sydney

View from the lounge with a QANTAS A380 being towed to the ramp for loading and an ETIHAD A340 departing in the background.

Again I had an upgrade to Business Class and although it was a B747 not the A380 and so not quite so comfortable it was good flight. We landed at Bangkok to re-fuel and I went ashore to have a walk and a drink in the lounge. But imagine my surprise when I boarded the aircraft for the leg to London to be met by the same cabin attendant who had looked after me on the A380 from LHR-SIN on the way down to OZ! She was very happy to see one familiar face and made sure I had a great flight back to London.

From London T4 it was a bus again to London T3 and then the BA flight to Vienna. BA have a new business lounge in T3 - a building which they seem to be using quite a bit despite having the "wonderful" new T5 reputedly now large enough for all their flights. The new T3 lounge was a project which was long overdue for customer comfort.

So after a good read of the English sunday papers and a couple of coffees it was time to make the last leg of the journey and fly to Vienna. We arrived more or less on time, the hire car was waiting and by 1330 I was home in the flat. The marigolds had survived nearly 2 weeks without watering and all else was in order.

A rushed "holiday" but great to see Michael and Billie nd to catch up with all those other friends in Sydney and Darwin and at the conference. Back to heaps of work and now I realise I will have to go back to OZ in November to finish off a few things I did not complete this trip.