Continued from: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777796
I'd like to dedicate this part of my report to 2 wonderful SQTalkers, taipeiflyer and HUGE AL who were there for me the entire time in LA and without whom things might have taken a very different, and more severe turn.
Getting to know both these individuals is one of the most profound privileges anyone can ever have. Cheers yet again to both of you.
Next: AA137 LHR-LAX F; W Los Angeles-Westwood; Los Angeles, including my unexpected visit to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre ER
QF009
Feb 25, 08, 2:23 pm
Sector - LHR-LAX
Flight number - AA137
Class - First
Seat - 3J
Aircraft - B777-200
For those who don't know, AAdvantage members cannot pick up miles on BA flights between the UK and the US. We do earn miles on BA flights to the Carribean, Mexico and Canada however - but I did not want to waste DONE4 segments transferring. So AA across the atlantic it was! I'd managed to get myself an EVIP from an EXP, and was hence able to ride in F for this transatlantic segment. F is still F and is a class higher than J, and so AA in F has to be better than BA in Club right? Let's see...
Traffic was minimal on a Sunday morning and my National Express service from Gatwick to Heathrow arrived ahead of schedule. I negotiated my way to T3, and not seeing AA's Park Avenue check in facility around or within reasonable walking distance, I entered the terminal to check in. AA's F check in desks were seperated from their whY and J desks, and were instead next to the CX check in desks. The check in aagent thumbed through my paper ticket, and said that there was a note in the PNR advising him to collect money from me...eek. But he thought that there was nothing wrong with my ticket and so no add collect occurred.
Soon enough I was checked in by the very friendly aagent, and made my way airside. I thought the fast track line was long until I had a peek at the regular security line - it was then I realised how lucky I was to be able to use fast track.
I then made myself to the Cathay Flounge, reputably one of the better oneworld Flounges in T3 (the JL one wasn't open). The very nice lounge dragon did not even bat an eyelid at my AA boarding pass (at a lot of other airports, HKG excepted of course, the lounge dragons would remind me that the airline I was flying with has its own lounge before letting me in), and instead extended a warm welcome and advised me to check the flight info screens for updates on my flight as they do not make boarding calls for flights other than Cathay's.
The Flounge was rather empty even though there was an imminent Cathay departure. Very inviting decor - clean line modern. Veuve Clicquot NV was served, along with a range of other booze. There were also some dim sum, which accompanied the Veuve quite nicely. One was also able to order freshly-cooked noodles.
I left the tranquil confines of the Flounge early into the madhouse that's LHR T3 as the departure gate for my flight was quite a distance away. Boarding had already occured when I arrived - there were no seperate queues for premium and elite pax.
I was greeted by a cheery FA at the aircraft entrance who addressed me by name and gave me directions to my seat. The menu and amenity kit were already at my seat when I got there. I thought the Temple Spa kit had some pretty nice stuff, though I was later advised that it's no different to the one in J. Another FA then came by to hang up my coat. I was then handed Bose headsets and served a pre-take off drink - no prizes for guessing what I'd picked.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3598.jpg
Champers was Pommery - quite cheap for F, then again it is so easy to get into F on US airlines by any means other than actually paying! ; Plastic ware for pre take off drinks due to US regulations
The best feature of AA F was the Flagship Suite, even though it took me a while and quite a few fumbles to work everything out - leaving no doubt that it's my first time flying AA F. The seat swivled 360 degrees, and you can choose your preferred position (though it's compulsory to face forward for take off and landing). There was ample space and cushioning. It was both a comfy armchair, as well as a nice flat bed when totally reclined. I thought it was one of the best F seats I've ever experienced.
I had seat 3J, a single suite by the window. I had to turn my seat inwards in order to use the ottoman. Others might appreciate the ample privacy, but I thought it was rather anti-social and was feeling very lonely by the end of the rather long flight. I think I'd take one of the paired seats in the middle of the aircraft in future so that I can have a seatmate to chat with.
Due to US regulations curtains dividing different classes of service could not be closed. This took away some of that exclusivity of being in F somewhat.
There did not seem to be a proper safety demo on the flight. The safety video wasn't working and the crew had to do a manual demo. However they did not seem to be able to find the props to perform a manual demo. So what followed was one FA reading out bits and pieces of the safety demo spiel, and the rest standing around grimacing with no one actually demo-ing.
Lunch was served shortly after take off. I had the cheese to go along with my glass of Pommery, followed by the yummy shrimp and salmon starter, and salad. The main course was a bit too seasoned for my liking but supplied the perfect excuse to down glasses of champers in quick succession in order to get rid of the uncomfortably spicy taste of pepper. Pommery isn't one of my favourite champagnes but it was quite quaffable and in lieu of anything better it'd have to do for this flight. Lunch was concluded with AA's famous ice cream sundae.
Full menu here (http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=47019&postcount=2).
I tried to get some sleep, having had little sleep the night before. The bed was very comfy, but I could not get any sleep as my body clock was still tuned to European time, ie mid day. I killed time by checking out the IFE and consuming more Pommery.
The crew had good cabin presence on this flight, and not once have I had to push the crew call button to get my glass refilled. My age also attracted some attention from the crew as I was apparently one of the youngest pax they'd ever served in F.
A mid flight snack of cheese and crackers was served, and my cheese plate kept getting topped up by the lovely FA who then commented that she thought I looked skinny and needed more food in me. LOL!
Besides the spice, I realised what a mistake I'd made in choosing the chicken for lunch when it was time for the pre-landing refreshment. There was a choice of pizza or chicken. Against my better judgment, I went for the pizza as I didn't want to eat chicken yet again. The pizza actually wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, or at least it tasted heaps better than other airline pizzas i've had.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3630.jpg
View of the F cabin just prior to landing
I quite enjoyed the flight and found AA F a pretty decent product. The hard product was its strength. I thought the meals were rather J-esque in quality, and the champagne could also go more upmarket a little. The cabin crew was decent, then again being my first flight with AA in F I could've just hit the jackpot in that regard. On the whole the hard product was really the main draw for AA F, and almost made up for the deficiencies noted. Verdict: F is still F, and F on AA is still nicer than J on a more reputable carrier.
We made a punctual arrival at LAX, and after going through Heathrow so many times in a month I thought LAX T4 was highly efficient in comparison. I was the 6th person at passport control, my suitcase was already out on the carousel and quarantine was quick and easy. Within 30-40 minutes of landing I was already in the cab on my way to the W!
Next: W Los Angeles-Westwood; Los Angeles, including an unexpected visit to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre ER
chris78cpr
Feb 25, 08, 6:38 pm
Looks like a nice enjoyable flight. I flew AA J to JFK and back from ORd this week. Had the old seats and was less than impressed, the completion of the new seats cannot come quicker! I was in the CX F lounge too about a week or so ago. What day were you there?
I hope you enjoyed LA apart from the trip to the medical centre. Are you all better now?
Chris
QF009
Feb 25, 08, 8:09 pm
W Los Angeles
930 Hilgard Ave, Westwood Village
Apologies in advanced for the far from comprehensive pics
It was nice to be back at a W after so long. Great decors... great lobby music... great crowds... Bliss Lemon and Sage amenities... I'd missed all of that! And so I was eagerly anticipating my stay at this one.
This W is located near UCLA, and in fact used to be the dorms of UCLA. That would explain why it's an all-suite property as the individual rooms would've been too small to be made into separate hotel rooms. Westwood Village is a predominantly residential area, with some nice coffee shops nearby for this avid inner city latte sipper. There was an ample supply of taxis in front of the hotel, and it was approximately a 15 minute, $13 taxi ride to get to the shopping, eating and clubbing areas in WeHo and Beverly Hills.
The reservation was made under Mum's name. As SPG Gold, this meant she got what she booked - a Spectacular Suite. The suite had a spacious living room which was most conducive for parties (when I'm staying alone that is), as well as an excellent stereo system. The bathroom was a bit cramped but had a pretty cute look to it. No plumbing issues as reported elsewhere, and in fact the showers were great.
I wasn't too enamoured with the decor of the suite. I much prefer the stark and dark schemes with black and/or dark coloured furniture. The hotel had undergone a makeover and had gone for a very light, creamy look ala W San Diego (except replace blue with creamy brown). It was extremely difficult to achieve the clubby feel which is standard of Ws, and we spent about 30 minutes trying to get the lights right to offset the lightening effect of the new colour scheme. It actually felt like they'd gone backwards in terms of design. The Wonderful Beds were comfy as usual, which was the saving grace about the room.
On the other hand I thought the W CD had some great tracks this time. The number of tracks were quite limited OTOH - I arrived at the hotel 3 hours after mum and dad and was told that they'd already listened to the same tracks 3-4 times in the duration that they'd had it on.
The Living Room didn't have much of a crowd, however this is most probably due to me being there on weekdays. Still, after reading reviews about the loud and hopping Living Room bar (Whiskey Blue), I couldn't help but feel disappointed with the quiet Living Room. The decor was extremely progressive unlike the suite, but I thought there shouldn't be a barrier separating Whiskey Blue from the rest of the Living Room as it ended up creating 2 distinct spaces and the rest of the Living Room felt rather disconnected from the bar and thus a lot less atmospheric, unlike a lot of other Ws.
The best bit about this W was its restaurant, Nine Thirty. We had meals there twice and for the quality we got the prices were fantastic value. The service was also very friendly, efficient and down-to-earth.
The service was truly top notch. With some assistance from taipeiflyer, HUGE AL and the awesome concierge, we mapped out a super itinerary of shopping and eating in LA - of course we didn't get around to them all due to certain events which I'd describe in my next installment. On the last day of my stay I'd rocked up to the W Cafe just as they were preparing to close for some milk to go along with my medication; not only did they have time to serve me but they prepared some milk and a plate of cookies free of charge!
One major negative we noted was the headboard mirrors not adequately cleaned. The service recovery was pretty decent. A complaint yielded some bonus Starpoints for Mum, a bottle of wine, an apologetic note, and the promise of a huge suite upgrade on her next visit.
It's LA and there's bound to be some celebrity-spotting. Dad managed to spot Eddie Murphy emerging from the hotel one night; he was also in the same lift as another actor whose name he can't remember.
Overall, the hotel in LA for this W fanboy - until the W on Sunset opens that is.
edited to add - There was also free wifi in the Living Room, which I thought was a great touch!
Next: Los Angeles, including an unexpected visit to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre ER
QF009
Feb 25, 08, 8:12 pm
Looks like a nice enjoyable flight. I flew AA J to JFK and back from ORd this week. Had the old seats and was less than impressed, the completion of the new seats cannot come quicker! I was in the CX F lounge too about a week or so ago. What day were you there?
I hope you enjoyed LA apart from the trip to the medical centre. Are you all better now?
The flight occurred on the 3rd of Feb - this report is a bit dated as I hadn't had time to update. I'm in New Orleans now and will be heading back to MEL on Thursday.
Yes I loved LA! I'm all good now - cheers for asking. Wait for the next installment for the details. ;)
fabulousflygirl
Feb 26, 08, 8:23 pm
I am a big fan of W's and love the W Westwood. I am going to be there this weekend. Great trip report BTW! Anxiously awaiting the next installment of the report.
lucky9876coins
Feb 26, 08, 9:34 pm
Excellent report so far with great pictures! Looking forward to the next installment!:)^
cstead
Feb 27, 08, 2:27 am
Great report so far! I've enjoyed reading all of the installments:) I do hope everything was ok with the unexpected visit to Cedars
gsupstate
Feb 27, 08, 10:35 am
Very nice photo report! As I've said in other posts, it's very nice for us mere mortals to be able to glimpse the "inner sanctum" of int'l F!!
QF009
Mar 1, 08, 7:58 pm
Los Angeles!!
Probably one of my favourite cities in the world now, even if shops here didn't sell Badgley Mischka's sunnies (apparently only retailed exclusively through Robert Marc's NYC stores). Full of fashionable people, great shopping, good restos and nightlife. It's easily one of the most beautiful and best-dressed cities in the USA, if not the world! Trendy, fashion-forward, glamourous, fun - all in one city.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3649.jpg
Shopping on Rodeo. I actually prefer Robertson but for some reason didn't take pics of that.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3650.jpg
Ketchup - pretty cool restaurant on Sunset, owned by Ashton Kutcher. Go for the Kobe beef and meat loaf; with taipeiflyer [centre] and HUGE AL [right]
We then rode a mechanical bull at the Saddle Ranch Club on Sunset...:eek:
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3658.jpg
taipeiflyer the pro doing a demo
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/KeithMELsRideEndsatSaddleRanch.jpg
My ride ended after all of 22 seconds
QF009
Mar 1, 08, 7:59 pm
Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre ER, and my newfound shellfish allergy
"I'm scared of needles!!"
"Sorry buddy we're busy saving your life."
60 minutes earlier...
My parents and I were just wrapping up dinner at The Ivy with some lovely dessert. I'd just stuffed my face full with some beautiful crab salad and lobster risotto. And we had a few bottles of Bollinger. We also saw Dave Navarro of Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as an Anderson Cooper look-a-like but I wasn't sure as I didn't think CNN is filmed in LA.
After dinner I took a leisurely stroll across to the Melrose Bar and Grill, near the John Varvatos store on Robertson, to meet up with taipeiflyer and HUGE AL. We were all set for a huge night in WeHo. Or so we thought. It was a huge night indeed. Just that it didn't exactly occur at the clubs of WeHo.
I'd ordered a glass of champagne and had barely sat down when I felt this weird tingly sensation. I excused myself to use the bathroom. I saw that my face had swelled up somewhat, and welts were starting to appear on my hands and neck. I figured that it was an allergic reaction, but didn't think it was all that serious as I'd obviously never experienced anaphylactic shock before.
So I went back to the bar and was thinking that all I needed were a few drinks and a lie-down to make it all go away. But my friends knew better. Apparently HUGE AL could see welts growing on my neck right before his eyes. I was immediately hauled into taipeiflyer's car and we headed for Cedars-Sinai which was only around the corner on Beverly. We filled up a form at reception. When the staff caught a glimpse of me and saw that I'd listed 'allergic reaction' as the reason for my visit, I was practically thrown across the room, into a wheelchair and was sitting on a bed in ER within 10 minutes. According to taipeiflyer this was an impressive record as people usually had to wait ages for treatment even in ER. By this point I was chocking a little; it felt like my throat was going to close up. I was also later informed that my head had swollen up beyond recognition (cue Will Smith in "Hitch").
My fear of needles did not deter the nurse from jabbing into me and pumping into my veins what looked like a cocktail of drugs, with machine-like efficiency. I was intrigued and thought she was only being funny when she said that they were "busy saving your life." But another conversation we had later in the evening made me realise that she was actually serious. And how lucky I was.
The diagnosis suggested that I was reacting to the shellfish I had. Apparently I was allergic to shellfish all my life but hadn't reacted till just then. I was ok with not having to eat crab or lobster ever again, but almost had to reach for the smelling salts when I realised that the definition of 'shellfish' extends to mussels, oysters and clams.
We all react differently when faced with a crisis. In my case I became strangely nonchalant. I started discussing with the nurse, who was still injecting me with drugs, my travels. I think at one stage I was also discussing my shopping plans for the following day. And all this while both my mates, who were with me in ER, were apparently freaking out.
As the effects of the drugs kicked in I progressively felt better and started looking less scary. HUGE AL wanted to take some pics so that I could later see what I'd looked like but I thought ignorance was bliss and refused.
It wasn't at all pleasant when the side effects of having adrenaline in me kicked in, leaving me with these anxious feelings flowing out from my chest. The doctor took pity on me and authorised more injections of a certain drug, name of which I can't remember, to counteract the side effects.
I also passed out for a few hours due to the effects of the drugs, and was literally comatose as I couldn't seem to hear taipeiflyer and HUGE AL screaming over me to check out how asleep I was.
The whole ordeal probably lasted about 7 hours. They had to keep me in there under observation for a minimum of 6 hours after injecting me with the drugs. It felt like a lifetime. I was finally discharged at about 5am. Throughout this time taipeiflyer and HUGE AL stayed with me at the hospital even after security banished them both from ER. I didn't ask this of them - but I couldn't have been more grateful.
So I can't eat shellfish for life, or drink any alcohol for a month, thus halting my binge for this trip (those caterers for QF108 JFK-SYD must be very relieved ;)), due to the mountain of meds prescribed. But it could've been worse.
I think this would be a good point to sign off. I invite taipeiflyer and HUGE AL to fill in the blanks or correct my account of the night given that my memory of that evening is probably impaired by all the drugs that were flowing through my system.
And thank goodness for travel insurance, or I'd have been so out of pocket with all the medical expenses!
Next: AA3105 LAX-LAS whY; Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino; Las Vegas
Steady-EDI
Mar 2, 08, 4:20 am
QF009, having met you in Malta as a happy, young* traveller without a care in the world, this story just goes to prove once again that none of us ever really knows what lies around the corner. (Which is why carpe diem isn't such a bad motto to have!)
I'm so glad that this episode turned out ok. I think I can almost relate to your experience as it has certain parallels with Type 1 Diabetes : it lurks within you for years, suddenly decides to switch itself on, changing your diet forever, and is capable of doing you enormous harm. Of course, with your attitude to needles, it's just as well it's the allergy in your case!
And massive kudos to :-:taipeiflyer:-: and :-:HUGE AL:-:. It's at times like this that you really know who your friends are.
As always, I'm looking forward to the rest of the story :)
* You, not me! :p
NJTravelers
Mar 2, 08, 8:14 am
QF009 Glad you are better and you were able to get help right away! Well it's a shame that you didn't have the fun in Weho that you were looking forward to, but alas there is another night/morning for raucous behavior!!!:D
P.S. love reading about your adventures!!
QF009
Mar 2, 08, 6:27 pm
Sector - LAX-LAS
Flight number - AA3105 (operated by American Eagle)
Class - Economy
Seat - 11A
Aircraft - ERJ
The cab dropped us off at AA's F check in area at LAX T4, and before too long we were handed our boarding passes with bags tagged to LAS for this ultra long haul segment to Vegas. We had the emergency exit row blocked off for us, but we had to speak to the GAs to get our seats assigned.
I'd tried to get the AA mainline service so that we wouldn't have to do the shuffle across to the American Eagle terminal, but there was only 1x daily and it departed 90 minutes before this flight and we figured we could use the extra time for sleeping in a little and having a leisurely brunch at Nine Thirty.
TSA was relatively quiet, and we headed across to gate 44E for the shuttle bus across to the American Eagle terminal. The gate info for our flight kept changing, like once every 2 seconds and we'd just planted ourselves into a random set of seats whilst we waited for the relevant gate info to be confirmed. I decided to make calls to HUGE AL and taipeiflyer to make sure both are ok after the somewhat wild night that we had (the night after Cedars-Sinai) - my first night totally sober in a long while!!
Our gate info was finally confirmed, and the gate team had shown up - and we got our boarding passes exchanged for new ones that showed our seat assignments. There was a hive of activity as the gate team busied themselves with balancing the load on this oversold and overweight flight. No takers for the travel vouchers offered in exchange for being bumped off though. Looks like some are going to be denied boarding - hopefully not us!
It was then I realised that AA PLT status was even more useful when flying with AA itself. There were no priority boarding calls for elites. Being slow we'd ended up at the back of the queue. But midway through boarding they halted the queue, and hauled all with EXP and PLT statuses (there were only 2 of us - the other pax was an EXP) and our traveling companions onto the plane. Probably saved us from being bumped off! We never saw a lot of the people in front of us in the queue again...
The ERJ had a pretty cramped cabin, but it was a pretty cute plane, almost toy-like. Row 11 being the exit row is pretty spacious and offered plenty of legroom. I had the solo seat to myself, whilst my parents were seated together across the aisle.
Take off and landing were smoother than I'd expected, given my previous experiences with NZ turbo props which were of similar sizes. Of course the ERJ is a proper jet and so that helped.
Not much other than 2 rounds of drinks were served by the solitary cabin crew member on this epic service to LAS. Drinks were free, except for alcohol - which of course aided my transition into sobriety.
We then descended over some vast, sweeping desert - until the Strip and the airport suddenly came into view and assured us that we were actually landing in Vegas.
Next: Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino; Las Vegas
DownUnderFlyer
Mar 2, 08, 10:02 pm
Glad you are better QF009. Too bad you don't get any Starwood Stay Credits for the Cedars-Sinai ;).
Moomba
Mar 3, 08, 1:30 pm
Wow what an unexpected turn for your holiday to take. As Steady-EDI said, you never know what is around the next corner.
I am pleased to hear that you are well again and are able to keep us all entertained for the rest of your trip. :)
Kiwi Flyer
Mar 3, 08, 5:24 pm
Glad you're doing okay now QF009. Discovering a new, serious allergy is never fun. It could have been much worse at 39,000 feet or in some remote corner of a club without taipeiflyer and Huge Al.
Great report and good to see your enthusiasm for travel is undampened.
QF009
Mar 3, 08, 9:01 pm
Thanks for the kind words, folks - very much appreciated. :)
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, a Sheraton Resort
Las Vegas Blvd (aka "The Strip") South
This was one of two Starwoods in Vegas that I could choose from, the other being the Westin that was off the Strip. As we wanted to be on the Strip, and the reviews for this property didn't seem to be too bad, we chose the PH for our stay in Vegas.
This hotel does not come with standard Sheraton amenities, being a special-themed resort. It did not have an Executive lounge - but in-room internet was relatively affordable and there was free wifi at the Starbucks located on the Casino floor. And being a resort property, late check out was based on availability on the day of check out instead of being automatically guaranteed - they do generally have no problems with granting late check outs when requested on the appropriate day according to the front desk, we certainly got ours without having to promise any of our organs to the person on the other end of the phone.
Our bags were taken from us by the porter as soon as we pulled up at the hotel. Tacky late 90s music (am still trying to work out whether this is part of the theme) was blaring out from the very gaudy lobby as we entered the hotel. We were concerned at the huge queue in front of the check in desk but were pleased that the hotel vigourously maintained a distinct queue for Golds and Plats (and some other category of hotel guests - can't quite remember what) which was empty when we got there. We'd booked a standard city view room. There weren't any suites which fulfilled our requirement of having 2 double beds, and so our upgrade was to a resort view room on a very high floor with a view of the Strip and apparently had a larger floor plan than other rooms of the same category. We had to call the porter for our bags, perhaps because this was such a huge property with a poor staff:guest ratio - but said bags were returned very efficiently after we'd asked for our them by ringing up the extension on our baggage claim ticket.
We got a renovated room and floor. I am not sure if all rooms had been renovated but there were still some floors yet to be converted over from the old Aladdin theme. The room was very spacious indeed - a suite it ain't but there was more than adequate space for all 3 of us. We were pleased with the decor and general conditions of the room. We had 2 Queen beds and they were much larger than the beds at the W LA which were doubles. The room came with a huge bathroom fitted with a Jacuzzi and a separate shower. The supplied bath amenities didn't took too tempting and so we used the Bliss Sinkside 6 sets that we'd amassed from our stay at the W LA, as well as my visits to the Bliss spas in London and the W LA earlier in the trip.
There are hotels that are overly fussy to the point of being intrusive, then there are those that totally ignore you and treat you like a mere statistic to be processed asap. Most hotels manage to balance a fine line midway between the 2, regardless of the size of the property. The PH unfortunately falls pretty much into the latter category.
Physically, the entire set up felt very cold and unwelcoming, and had a total lack of personality. Service-wise it was not the easiest reaching anyone on the phone - one had to go through an entire list of automated menu options when trying to reach the front desk if your request fell into 'other.' It also sometimes took a long time to get anyone to answer the phone. Staff in the lobby weren't the friendliest. I'd say that the concierge was the hotel's best asset - except that the hotel had outsourced all concierge functions to be performed by Travelocity on location and so all praise be to staff of that organisation and not the hotel. Annoyingly, the outsourced concierge desk also meant that we couldn't charge stuff we booked to the room when I'd been hoping to increase my Starpoints balance.
The hotel has its own Casino and some shops. According to my parents (I refuse on principle to spend a single cent on casinos) the Casino at the PH was pretty boring and lacking in games. It is located on the Strip itself - but the whole street is so huge that we'd get a taxi to go to most places. There was no shortage of taxis with hardly anyone in the taxi queue whenever we needed to catch a taxi. The Paris next door had some very good restaurants though, particularly Mon Ami Gabi which served some sensational steak frites.
On the whole, don't expect much else other than a good room with clean, comfy beds and a reasonable location - after all the most important factors when choosing a hotel, and you'd be right.
Next: Las Vegas
QF009
Mar 4, 08, 2:18 am
I have been asked to provide some context to the Cedars-Sinai/shellfish episode. This report is actually posted on 4 different forums and I sometimes forget that things that make sense to members of one forum might not mean as much to members of another forum. I apologise that the particular installment might have been somewhat lacking in dimension in the way it's been written, and especially if you don't already know what's going on prior to reading it on here.
So for some background surrounding that particular installment, and if you've got time to waste on some drama, here's a thread that was started when I was still hospitalised by HUGE AL over at SQTalk to provide some real time updates on how I was going:
http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3509
chris78cpr
Mar 4, 08, 7:42 am
I totally agree about the restaurant in Paris. I was in Vegas last november and we had a fantastic meal at Mon Ami Gabi. The steak was fantastic and perfectly cooked, and the wine list was lovely!
Still enjoying the report! Making me jelous and wanting to travel again soon!
Seat 2A
Mar 4, 08, 12:29 pm
Thank goodness you didn't discover your allergy to Shellfish aboard QF 108 halfway to Sydney! I have a friend who is allergic to shellfish and she has to be careful even being near shellfish. Once a steaming platter of shrimp was delivered to a table nearby hers. Thankfully a hospital was nearby.
If you're not keen on doing the casino scene in Vegas, have you considered renting a car and driving over to Hoover Dam (1 hr), Zion National Park (3 hrs) or the Grand Canyon (5 hrs)? Beautiful drives and beautiful destinations.
QF009
Mar 4, 08, 3:29 pm
If you're not keen on doing the casino scene in Vegas, have you considered renting a car and driving over to Hoover Dam (1 hr), Zion National Park (3 hrs) or the Grand Canyon (5 hrs)? Beautiful drives and beautiful destinations.
I've not got my driver's license yet...:o I've just been lazy about it since I live so near public transport et al. I keep telling myself that "this year is the year..." :p
I spent most of my time in Vegas shopping, and watching shows.
We did do Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam - we flew over on a helicopter.
TravisMT81
Mar 4, 08, 6:49 pm
great report so far! Thank goodness for friends!
adampenrith
Mar 4, 08, 7:17 pm
Keith,
I have been so enjoying your trip report - and kept checking to see when it was being updated.
That teaser - about your trip to Cedars Sinai - had me intrigued.
After reading it, wow totally scary - and how wonderful that Huge Al and Taipeiflyer were there with you, if you were on your own - by the time you found an ambulance you may have run out of time. A real awareness of how wonderful it is to have great friends.
Glad you were then able to move on with your trip.
Looking forward to hearing about NYC and your bubbly free flights home.
What an amazing community we are here at FT.
Adam
BiziBB
Mar 4, 08, 9:08 pm
Glad to hear you dodged a bullet, Keith.
Your reports are always a joy to read (and to see your pics) and so I'll add my ^ ^ ^ to your friends BigAL and taipeiflyer's efforts at this time.
What highs and lows!
May all the lows be behind you and your trip be a breeze by comparison.
QF009
Mar 5, 08, 12:58 pm
Las Vegas...
"The street becomes a dwelling for the flâneur; he is as much at home among the facades of houses as a citizen is in his four walls. To him the shiny, enamelled signs of businesses are at least as good a wall ornament as an oil painting is to the bourgeois in his salon."
"The crowd was the veil from behind which the the familiar city as phantasmagoria beckoned to the flâneur. In it, the city was now landscape, now a room."
- Walter Benjamin
"The phantasmagoria has been distilled from nature. All the raw materials with which the memory has loaded itself are put in order, ranged and harmonized, and undergo that forced idealization which is the result of a childlike perceptiveness - that is to say, a perceptiveness acute and magical by reason of its innocence!"
- Charles Baudelaire
The whole place felt like a toy town, which of course is the general idea. Not being into casinos I was quickly over it when the Vegas novelty wore off. So I busied myself with going to shows (some fine gems in between the blankets of mediocrity), shopping (no shortage of it here but I guess I'm more Agnes B than Chanel, Kitson over Saks, Robert Marc rather than Sunglass Hut - you get the idea, though I do admit my weakness for Ferragamo and Kenneth Cole), fending off touts, trying to imagine Vegas beyond the Strip, and generally do what I could to alleviate any boredom.
Actually it wouldn't be that bad if I actually got bored. Because to get bored would imply that Vegas was generally pleasant despite being devoid of any form of stimulation. It was certainly not pleasant. If I might be a little blunt - the place gave me the sh*ts. Casinos aside, the entire place simply panders to the lowest common denominator in order to extract every last dollar and cent they could get out of everyone who's there. I accept that being treated like a cash cow is a phenomenon that isn't unique to Vegas, but neither is it so systematic anywhere else. In fact, the place did my head in majorly after the first 2 days.
Admittedly I might have got overly cranky, trying to adjust and make the best out of my involuntary detox. I never knew the dance floor is such a different place when one is sober.
I think I'd have found my stay more enjoyable had we spent less time in Vegas. But as this was a family trip I couldn't just up and leave if I didn't like it. Mum liked Vegas despite not being the biggest fan of gambling. Dad LOVED it. They were happy. And relaxed. I couldn't possibly say no to that.
Next: US473 LAS-SFO whY; W San Francisco; San Francisco
TravisMT81
Mar 5, 08, 1:34 pm
looking forward to you San Francisco report, we are going in May and also staying at the W.
QF009
Mar 6, 08, 3:42 am
Sector - LAS-SFO
Flight number - US473
Class - Economy
Seat - 8D
Aircraft - A319
Another flight outside my DONE4, and I'd picked US as they had the cheapest fare on the route, and I was able to enjoy some *G benefits on them as well as earn M+M mileage. Shortly after ticketing our non-refundable bookings on US, Virgin America announced that they were commencing services on the very same route. I'd read good things about Virgin and I was disappointed that we wouldn't be able to sample what seems to be a far superior airline. It is normally not at all difficult to beat the levels of "service" and "comfort" on US but Virgin sounded like they'd royally trounce US. And the Virgin fare was lower too! Oh well...
We were offered upgrades to F for 50 bucks each at check in but it was such a short flight - so thanks but no thanks.
My poor parents got SSSSed, but fortunately it was a quiet time and so they weren't all stressed out with crowds and such.
The aircraft still had America West interiors. We congratulated ourselves on making the right decision in refusing the paid upgrades when we saw the rather dire "F" cabin which was quite frankly not that different from whY, even by American standards. The area around our seats was filthy, with litter strewn on our seats and on the floor.
We'd booked a Wonderful Room with 2 doubles, but were upgraded to a Fantastic Suite on the 24th floor! There was a bit of confusion at first as our reservation reflected an upgrade to a Fabulous Room, and we were told we had a 'Fabulous Suite' (a non-existent room category!) at check in. But the description of our suite matches that of the Fantastic Suite on spg.com. These spanking pads have a bedroom which contained a king sized Wonderful Bed, a separate lounge room with a Murphy Bed, and 2 full bathrooms (ie TWICE as much Bliss Lemon+Sage!!)! My parents took the King bed, whilst I had the Murphy Bed - which turned out to be very comfortable. Considering that there were very few Fantastic Suites in the property, this was a great score! There was ample space and privacy for 3 people, and the furnishings just felt so warm, soothing and relaxing. The very homey feel made us feel...uhh...very much at home!
I was relieved that they hadn't meddled too much with the traditional stark and dark W look in the Fantastic Suite with their recent refurbishment. With the Fantastic Suites all that's changed is a lighter-coloured bedspread. I'd seen the refurbished Wonderful and Spectacular Rooms through other people's holiday photos and hadn't liked the general trend from stark and dark to bright and lily white.
Hallways had a very Californian feel, but again dark is good and I prefer the dim hallways at places like W Chicago-Lakeshore or W NY-Union Sq. Dim hallways add a very sensual edge to a hotel. The hallways here were just a tad too bright for my liking. They felt pretty 2-dimensional and can be a rude shock to the constitution in the morning. They had these cute fortune cookie quotes hanging outside every room door - cheesy, but cute.
Of all the Ws I've stayed at, the W San Francisco has perhaps the best Living Room of them all. The crowd was at times a wee bit business-y/suit-y due to the hotel's proximity to the convention centre, but on the whole there's such a cool and trendy vibe about the place that one immediately feels welcome and settled upon arrival. The Living Room, decor of which I'd describe as radical Asian with splashes of white, purple and blue and framed by a generous dose of black, is anchored by its circular bar. Adjacent to the bar are heaps of comfy couches, and a fireplace. They also had a DJ every evening, spinning some very chilled out House. There was a good crowd no matter what time of the day it was right up till the Californian 2am liquor embargo. There were also usually random staff members doling out free stuff in the Living Room - be it free Bliss Spa amenities or vouchers, or free vodka jelly shots (here's where I gave in to temptation a few times...).
The bar served up some very good martinis - my martini-mad mum certainly enjoyed her evenings at the Living Room, as HUGE AL can attest to... They were also quite adept at making me Virgin cocktails. I wasn't quite prepared for how spicy Virgin Marys taste though.
Living Room by day
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3752.jpg
The service here was generally decent. Everyone was super efficient and friendly. And good looking. Concierge was generally of a high standard, except one of the night shift staff who gave HUGE AL and I the runaround town to a 24/7 diner that no longer exists.
The hotel's restaurant XYZ serves up some lovely Californian fare - the chef's menu paired with wines is highly recommended and is of fantastic value. With some serious eye candy to boot. There was another bar on the 2nd floor, XYZ bar. I didn't hang around there too much, except to attend a free wine tasting on the 2nd day during which I once again gave in to temptation (i know, i know...) and had a few sips (ok 2 glasses... but hey I'm still alive!) of some lovely Californian wines.
The W is located about a 15 minutes' walk to the shopping at Union Square. And 15-20 minutes' by cab to Fisherman's Wharf. Immediately surrounding the hotel is the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, some nice restaurants (my favourite was Two), as well as a Peet's outlet which was handy for soy lattes when needed. Nightlife isn't too far away either, whether by cab or tram.
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this W. There was just such a welcoming vibe about the place. I was truly sorry to have to leave by the end of my visit to SF!
Next: San Francisco
QF009
Mar 6, 08, 11:22 pm
San Francisco!!
SF is physically very similar to Melbourne - compact, and they had trams. There were also some very cool, non-chain coffee shops - again very Melbourne-esque. And it had a similarly chilled and relaxed pace.
Great shopping around the Union Square area. I like the Kenneth Cole outlet here most - they seemed to have more stuff than elsewhere, even the ones in NYC. Everyone bags out the Fisherman's Wharf area as being a tourist trap but I personally thought it was nice - pretty relaxing.
There is also a rather 'alternative' and hippy element to the city, especially the neighbourhood where friends of Dorothy hang out, and the adjacent neighbourhood. It either felt like people spent a lot of money trying to look grungy, or they simply didn't care about dressing up or styling their hair at all. I was also offered illicit drugs - twice!
Next: AA178 SFO-JFK F; W New York-Union Square; NYC: Scenes of Freedom
QF009
Mar 7, 08, 8:04 am
Sector - SFO-JFK
Flight number - AA178
Class - First
Seat - 3B
Aircraft - B767-200
AA operates SFO-JFK with a mix of 2 class F/Y and 3 class F/J/Y services. A DONE4 entitled F travel on 2 class services domestically. I'd picked this flight as it was originally a 2 class 763 service, which I'd hoped to be fitted with the angled flat NGBC seats. But shortly after I'd ticketed my booking, an EQP CHG occurred and AA had decided to operate this flight as a 3 class service. So I'd scored American Flagship Service, AA's enhanced transcon services ala UA's ps, in F.
My parents had inexplicably changed their domestic flights from F to whY at the last minute. I tried every trick in the book to get them out of whY. Unfortunately I couldn't use my 500 mile upgrades as they weren't ticketed in the correct class of travel. The age old method of giving up my seat didn't work either - they wanted to be seated together, and there was only 1 of me but two of them. I tried...
We'd turned up to the airport extraordinarily early. Even though I was flying F on this transcon I didn't have lounge access, which was only given to those ticketed in F or Z classes; I was ticketed in A per DONE4 rules. And unfortunately my PLT status did not allow lounge access when on solely "domestic" itineraries. The only way we could use a lounge was AC membership or a $50 day pass. Rather than spending $50 each to get into an AC, we'd decided to sit down at a cafe.
It was fun watching the upgrade list in action - epitomising the concept of upgrades being expected rather than the exception on US carriers. Boarding was hindered by an overwhelming number of gate lice. We flicked them away effortlessly and proceeded to our seats in respective cabins. I was urged by a number of people to go for seat 2D, a solitary seat in the middle of the cabin cutely nicknamed the Captain Kirk seat, but I thought it lacked privacy and I wasn't the biggest fan of isolated, single seats. FEBO logic meant that I ought to pick a seat in the first row, however the bulkhead row seems to have less legroom than the subsequent row. So an aisle seat in the 2nd row it was.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3805.jpg
AA's AFS F cabin with Capt Kirk seat in foreground
Menus were handed out and I was offered sparkling wine when I took my seat - it happened to be a rose. With great difficulty I had to turn it down due to my month-long involuntary abstinence and went for some water instead. There was lots of space, and quite a bit of legroom.
The doors soon shut and we began taxiing for takeoff. It's always nice to visit NYC (though I'm not sure if I'd actually want to live there as it is so expensive and the pace is too fast for my liking), and even though this isn't my first time I began to get a sense of excitement as we were rolling down the runway, knowing that in under 6 hours I'd get to be in NYC again.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3810.jpg
Personal entertainment unit
Bose headsets and portable DVD players were handed out after take off, and our orders for lunch were taken. I had some warm nuts with another glass of water. My seatmate chose to dip his dreadlocks into my nuts at this time. He almost made me regret not going for the Capt Kirk seat, but despite that initial hiccup - he turned out to be quite a nice guy and we had some rather interesting convos on the way to JFK.
Lunch started with some lovely mushroom soup, which was immediately followed by some salad. The main course was a choice between a cold platter and a chicken sandwich - I picked the sandwich but I couldn't eat more than a few bites of it as the sauce was exceedingly spicy for my palate despite the lack warning about the spice. I'd have normally washed down the spice with some bubbly or white wine, but did so with Coke this time. I declined dessert, and asked for some water to go with my pills. The AFS service was meant to be an international standard service, but I felt that apart from the champagne, menus and perhaps an additional course - the offerings felt no different from regular domestic F. The choice of main courses were especially uninspiring. I'd have felt rather cheated had I actually paid for full fare F.
View full menu here (http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=47020&postcount=3).
The crew was pretty good on this flight - friendly, chatty and obviously loved their job. They were also quite nice about sending rose back to my parents.
The rest of the flight was rather uneventful. I watched a couple of TV shows, and checked out Elizabeth: The Golden Age which I quite enjoyed despite several creative liberties (which are of course to be expected). I thought Cate Blanchett's performance was brilliant and rather deserving of her Oscar nomination; a pity she was beaten to the golden statuette by the chick who played La Vi En Rose and probably deserved it equally. I hate it when there HAS to be winners and losers!
We made a punctual landing at JFK, and had a longish walk to baggage reclaim. Our bags were first on the carousel, and we were soon braving the cold - quite a difference from the weather in California and Vegas! But all that didn't matter for a visit to one of the greatest cities in the world. I don't think one can ever get tired of visiting NYC.
Next: W New York-Union Square; NYC: Scenes of Freedom
QF009
Mar 7, 08, 8:06 pm
W New York-Union Square
201 Park Avenue South (at 17th)
This seemed to be a rather inimate, boutique-style W. They had a smaller Living Room than the other Ws I've stayed at (except perhaps W Chicago-Lakeshore), which was segregated from the Welcome and Whatever (concierge) desks. The Welcome Desk was pretty cool - very green. I'd thought it was faux grass till I actually touched it.
The Living Room here might be smaller (and seating was scarce on busy nights! Well actually, most nights!) than most others, but it has perhaps the best crowd of all. They also played the most genres of music, there was techno, R+B, house, funk, rap and even top 40 - other Ws simply concentrated on either House or techno. Unfortunately I couldn't drink the lychee martini that the Living Room Bar of this property is famous for. They made me a non-alcoholic version but it just tasted wrong without all the booze. Underbar, another outpost of Rande Gerber's nightclub empire like Whiskey Blue, was simply heaving on weekends.
There was a Beaux Arts and sorta avant garde theme running through the hotel, which was designed by David Rockwell and happened to be the landmark Guardian Life building. I loved their hallways which were nice and dim. There was something cool and mysterious about them.
We were upgraded 2 categories from a Wonderful Room to a Mega Room, the biggest room they had with 2 double beds. It was nice and big by Manhattan standards and came with a fax machine. But for a W I felt that there was nothing special about the design, and in fact parts of the room seemed worn. It actually felt like I was staying in any other hotel. The leather headboard was nice to feel though.
The hotel housed a Mediterranean fusion restaurant on the ground floor, Olives by Todd English. The service was excellent, but unfortunately the same could not be said about the food. There was nothing wrong with the food, but nothing spectacular either and for the same price there were much better dining options elsewhere in Union Square.
The location of this W simply cannot be beaten. IMO it is the best located W in NYC. The Union Square/Gramercy neighbourhood had a lot to offer in terms of food and nightlife (and Chelsea was only a short walk away), and had much more character and sass than the midtown area. There was great shopping just 2 avenues away on 5th, and Union Square market is always a sight to behold. My favourite neighbourhoods, the Meatpacking District, SoHo, the Village, Alphabet City and Tribeca were all easily reached within a few stops from the subway station across the street from the hotel.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3828.jpg
Me outside the W Union Square - with newly acquired pair of 'Floyd' by Badgley Mischka
The service was also immaculate. Whatever/Whenever truly delivered with astoundingly quick responses to our requests. The concierge team were superb. I'd liaised with them before arrival for assistance with restaurant reservations, and not only did they booked what I'd wanted but they'd also came up with a list of 'must eat' or in SQTalk speak 'die die must try' places in Union Square and NYC generally, and even took liberties with making tentative reservations for us at some of the busier restaurants. Upon hearing that it was my parents' first time in NYC, they'd immediately suggested things that they simply had to see (some of which I'd missed on my last visit), and were most helpful in organising itineraries and booking tours. Special cheers to Heather, George and Aisha if any of you happen to browse this forum - you rock!
I felt the W Union Square's strengths more than made up for the deficiencies I'd noted. The rooms aren't the sexiest, but this is NYC and we were too tired to notice when we came back after a long day (and night!) anyway. The in-house restaurant isn't the best - but its location meant there are SO many other awesome restaurants to choose from. Throw in the fantastic service, great crowd and great music - there's not much else to ask for.
Next: NYC: Scenes of Freedom
QF009
Mar 7, 08, 11:27 pm
NYC!!
Always great for a return visit. Along with LA and Dubai, NYC probably ate up most of my (and parents' :p) shopping budget. It was nice to check out things I'd missed on my last visit. I also had a chance to catch up with SeeYa again, who I last saw in Malta.
Visiting NYC is also about discovery - there was something new to eat, drink or do all the time. Just gotta find it - like this great coffee shop that I found in Meatpackers' on 8th near 13th. Sadly I can't remember the name but if you ever chance upon it - ask for their soy chai latte with honey. Sen-sa-tio-nal!
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3821.jpg
Madison Square Park with Empire State Building in the background
I'd also like to reaffirm all the good things that's ever been written about La Bernadin - some of the best seafood and service to be found here. At a reasonable price too! You get 3 courses and dessert at a fixed price, with supplements for the more expensive stuff like lobster and caviar.
First course - Raw
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Mum had panna cotta; I don't know what happened to the pic of the chocolate platter Dad and I had
Scenes of Freedom
They say that whenever an event of significance occurs in any part of the world, you'd know it in Times Square. I was privileged to bear witness to the wild celebration and massive outpouring of joy that occurred in Times Square after Kosovo's declaration of independence. Freedom had never looked so good.
It's hard to leave NYC, and I always feel like I haven't spent enough time in the city even though I'd always scheduled the longest amount of time for NYC. Before arriving, my parents had thought that 6 nights was far too long for any one city - but they'd changed their minds when it was time to leave. The whole place was one big shopping, eating and chilling out mecca. Though I still maintain that LA still has the sheer edge in the trendy and glam factors. I also wouldn't actually live in NYC as the pace is a bit much - but at the same time it's a fantastic playground.
Next: AA423 JFK-MIA F; Four Points by Sheraton Miami Beach; Miami
QF009
Mar 8, 08, 7:44 pm
Sector - JFK-MIA
Flight number - AA423
Class - First
Seat - 2G
Aircraft - A300-600
We'd have flown LGA-FLL except that it'd have created yet another surface segment on the DONE4 (JFK//LGA) and AA considers same city airport change to be a surface segment for the purpose of the overall segment limit (yet QF doesn't - manyworlds indeed!). So the plan was to fly JFK-MIA, drive over to Fort Lauderdale and back. Then we got lazy and after being persuaded against going to Fort Lauderdale and since it isn't Spring Break anyway, we'd decided to cancel our hotel stay in Fort Lauderdale and spent all 4 nights in Miami.
This flight was a little earlier than the other ones on the trip (1130 dep; our other flights were 1330ish), and so we'd turned up to the airport bleary eyed after some yummy W Hotel room service brekkies. AA has a separate check in area for premium and elite pax, which was very nice and tranquil unlike the main check in area. One of my bags had exceeded the 50 pound limit due to all the shopping, but the AAgent let it slide.
We then proceeded airside for some much-needed caffeine, and had decided to head to the gate early to watch the upgrade list despite not having use for it ourselves as we'd found it rather entertaining. Yes we were that bored...
Boarding was rather orderly, and we were soon strapped into our seats awaiting departure. I quite liked the smart-looking beige seats on this AB6 compared to the blueish ones on the other ac. The legroom was more or less the same as that on the S80 or 737, then again I'm probably not big enough to notice any small differences if any.
The crew was rather lackluster on this flight - the standard throw food at pax, collect, and hide in the galley routine. Surly too
I had warm nuts again, with Coke this time. Then a sandwich was served - it actually tasted really good, much nicer than it looked. And finally the freshly baked cookie - which I could smell and made me hungry when I was going through the nuts.
We landed ahead of schedule into the flea pit that's MIA.
Next: Four Points by Sheraton Miami Beach; Miami
TravisMT81
Mar 8, 08, 10:35 pm
I am loving your report!
QF009
Mar 9, 08, 12:17 am
Four Points by Sheraton Miami Beach
4343 Collins Ave
I'd gone against my better judgment and ignored the reviews, and booked this property as it was the only SPG at Miami Beach and I'd needed the nights' credit.
The nice lobby (for a 4P) was deceptive as to the actual quality of the hotel...
First the good bits - The Four Comfort Beds were comfy, the location was good - right on the beach and reasonably short cab ride to shopping at Bal Harbour, and the nightlife at South Beach. Free in-room wifi and free bottles of water - par the course for 4Ps.
Got upgraded to a Junior Suite. I'd thought it was a regular room at first till I looked at the floor plan and peeked into a room down the hallway which was literally a shoebox. Room was tatty with chipped furniture, and the bathroom doorknob was broken. Bath amenities weren't replaced with fresh ones daily. The amenities were said to be by Caswell Massey but weren't very good, and on closer inspection appeared to be manufactured in China. So once again it was Bliss to the rescue!
Service was so-so with mainly clueless concierges (who double up as porters).
Actually the less said about this property the better... except the reviews aren't wrong.
Next: Miami
QF009
Mar 9, 08, 8:47 am
Miami!!
Miami was like a totally different country to the rest of the US. It was very Spanish-speaking, and had a big Latin American population. Climate was HOT, and I'd managed to get a good tan. Praise be to streetside cocktail bars!
We spent all our time at Miami Beach or Coral Gables.
They had the most beautiful shopping malls I've ever seen - we spent lots of time in both Bal Harbour and the Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables.
The beaches were great - very noice views (whatever that means...wink). As was the nightlife - pumping every night till dawn.
The beach in front of the Four Points
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3905.jpg
Bal Harbour shops
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3876.jpg
Lincoln Rd Mall, South Beach
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3870.jpg
Next: AA637 MIA-MSY F; W New Orleans-Poydras St; New Orleans
QF009
Mar 9, 08, 4:54 pm
Sector - MIA-MSY
Flight number - AA637
Class - First
Seat - 6E
Aircraft - B737-800
The family component of the trip had come to an end, and I was to go on to NOLA whilst my folks flew back to SIN via LAX and HKG. They were checked in all the way to SIN with bags tagged the same. However I received an sms from mum whilst they were in LAX which suggested that Cathay insisted on reissuing their boarding passes on to Cathay stock - something I've never heard of prior (except for QF due to the API requirement)! Good to know I guess. They also liked the new OW lounges, and as I understand - gorged on food so that they can go to sleep immediately after take off. They got the new J and unlike me seemed to prefer it to the old one.
My check in experience was much less complicated - just a boring short segment in AA "F" to MSY. Due to some repacking the night before I'd managed to balance out the weight of both suitcases - and they weighed 45 and 50 pounds respectively. I noticed that the flight number had changed along with the retiming of the flight, which meant that there'd been cancellation and rebooking. I kept my originally assigned seat though.
I was at the airport extraordinarily early to see the folks off, who departed an hour before I did. So it was pretty boring as I could not access the AC. I decided to head to the gate early and Ipoded myself up. There was a surprisingly big crowd at the gate early, which I didn't expect at that hour. Ended up having a jolly good chat with the chick next to me who happened to work for Border Protection and was off to MSY on a conference with 20 other colleagues on the same flight. She was also an EXP and was waiting for her upgrade to clear - and apparently she was number 1 on the list.
MIA isn't nearly as entertaining as other airports as there wasn't an upgrade list to watch. Actually, the airport was positively dreary and had the ambience of a hospital ward.
I'd chosen my seat, the last row in F based on FEBO logic before realising that there'd be no meals on this flight - just a drinks service. Helps to pay closer attention to the flight info on AA.com I suppose.
The MIA-based crew was very attentive and friendly - I kept getting top ups of my Coke despite not having asked for it. Always nice to see cabin crew that take their jobs seriously.
And before too long we'd made a punctual arrival at MSY, off to NOLA - the last stopover in my itinerary before the entire adventure came to an end!
Next: W New Orleans-Poydras St; New Orleans
QF009
Mar 9, 08, 5:09 pm
W New Orleans - French Quarter
Chartres St
This was the W I didn't stay at as it was much pricier than the other one, yet the other one had better reviews.
I walked past it on the way to the pub, and so decided to walk in to check it out.
This W seemed to have a very European style, which would appear to fit in with the rest of the French Quarter. Has a very nice courtyard.
I liked the look of the pool. Would be a nice spot for posing if I stayed here. :cool:
It is located right in the FQ which means it's ideally located for nightlife and restos. The other W isn't too far away either.
QF009
Mar 9, 08, 6:08 pm
W New Orleans
333 Poydras St
There were 2 Ws in NOLA and I was quite torn between which to pick. This W seemed to attract much better reviews and seemed to have a better bar scene (another Whiskey Blue). OTOH the other W was in the middle of all the nightlife. All was moot when the W on Poydras came up with a much cheaper rate.
The decor here was my favourite of all - the entire hotel was made to look like a chic nightclub. It simply exuded chicness. So along with the W Chicago-Lakeshore, I'd suggest that decor-wise this W is one of the trendiest in the system. Perhaps this hotel was recently remodeled after Miss K paid a visit, but it seemed to be a lot more cutting edge than the other Ws I've stayed at on my trip.
The Living Room was well-designed, and there was ample seating as well as cool spots to mingle. Besides Whiskey Blue there was also a Living Room Bar. Whiskey Blue was busy, and enjoyed the presence of a young and beautiful crowd (despite the proximity of the hotel to the financial district which would normally imply a more businessy and uhh...mature crowd - no offence!!). OTOH the Living Room was quite dead, but this could be due to the weekdays. So Living Room wise the W SF and W NY-USq are a lot more happening. I'd managed to convince some people I'd met to take their drinks out to the Living Room as I felt it was just so much more atmospheric there than Whiskey Blue - which was basically a cordoned off corner of the Living Room. Besides, I felt the bartender at the Living Room bar was much more adept.
Whiskey Blue
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3974.jpg
I'd booked a Wonderful Room, the cheapest room category. At check in I was given a choice between a non-smoking corner Spectacular Room on the top floor, or a smoking Fantastic Suite on a lower floor. I was also invited to check out both rooms before making up my mind.
The bedroom of the Fantastic Suite was identical to the Spectacular Room. The Spectacular Room was located at a corner and appeared to have a larger floor plan than others; the Welcome desk agent proudly announced that as a "preferred room" it had a much larger bathroom than the other rooms.
Both the Fantastic Suite and the Spectacular Room came with a large plasma TV, an ipod dock which was practical, and very nice black walls. I feel black walls give hotel rooms that extra edge in the cool factor. Both were also equipped with fax machines. Bathrooms were spacious, and the Fantastic Suite had an extra toilet for the lounge room.
The lounge room of the Fantastic Suite was extremely big - even came with a dining table and wet bar.
The Fantastic Suite didn't smell at all smokey and so I'd elected to take the suite - figured extra space can't hurt.
Spectacular Room + bedroom of Fantastic Suite
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3924.jpg
There wasn't any free wifi in the Living Room, however complimentary internet was provided by Wired! which comprised of 2 computer terminals with printing facilities, located directly behind the Whatever Desk. In-room wifi was quite affordable relative to the W NY-Union Sq though.
I ate once at the hotel's restaurant Zoe and whilst the food was great there isn't a whole lot of range. Dinner was basically a free-for-all menu where you constructed your own meal, select your own entree and couple it with sauces, garnishes and sides. I felt there was much cheaper and a greater variety of food at other restaurants in the vicinity, such as Mother's across the road, the French Market, or simply head into the French Quarter.
Service was great, and the staff were very cool people per usual W standards. The concierge took pains to describe the dos and don'ts with food in NOLA after hearing of my shellfish allergy - apparently almost everything in NOLA is cooked with shellfish ingredients of some sort, even non-shellfish dishes.
The hotel is about a 15 minute walk to the nightlife on Bourbon St in the French Quarter, with Canal St just around the corner (the Sheraton and the Westin on Canal St are within a 200m radius). There was a chic shopping mall just on Canal St, about a 5 minute walk away. It was rather misty at the wee hours in the morning and made the streets looked more frightening than they appeared - so I ended up cabbing home most mornings after emerging bleary eyed from Bourbon St. The cab ride wouldn't cost more than 8 bucks each time. It wasn't so bad when it was dawn though as there'd be sunlight and the mist would've largely cleared.
I was extremely satisfied with my stay, and along with the W SF and W Chicago-Lakeshore this property now ranks as one of my favourite hotels in the world. The fact that it's not in the FQ itself is advantageous in that one could actually leave the craziness behind and get some rest before staring all over again later in the day. I developed a bar hop routing when I was in NOLA: 1) Whiskey Blue 2) Living Room Bar 3) Whatever tickles my fancy on Bourbon St 4) and if still going - continue party in suite.
Definitely the stay of choice in NOLA!
Next: New Orleans
No more W stays till September!!! :(
BiziBB
Mar 9, 08, 9:08 pm
Great reports, QF009.
Can't wait to vicariously sample the tastes and sights of New Orleans from your report.
Is the Marriott there re-opened?
We were due to follow your exact path to NOLA from NYC until it flooded the night after our wedding. :eek:
I'm thinking about whether we should try to stop in on our return from NYC in Summer or Autumn (July or early October).
Hope you have a great time enjoying the party atmosphere and stay in A1 shape. :)
QF009
Mar 10, 08, 5:02 am
Great reports, QF009.
Can't wait to vicariously sample the tastes and sights of New Orleans from your report.
Is the Marriott there re-opened?
We were due to follow your exact path to NOLA from NYC until it flooded the night after our wedding. :eek:
I'm thinking about whether we should try to stop in on our return from NYC in Summer or Autumn (July or early October).
Hope you have a great time enjoying the party atmosphere and stay in A1 shape. :)
Thanks. :)
Well thank goodness the floods occurred before you arrived - imagine if it'd happened when you were actually there! :eek:
I had an awesome time in NOLA. Everyone ought to visit - it has so much to offer. Great food (even if I couldn't eat 90% of it - as they thrive on shellfish :() and great parties. So yes you should totally stop in! Though I'm not in a position to advise on when's a good time, when to avoid etc. :o
I passed the JW Marriott on Canal St which was open. Is that the one you're referring to? I'm not v familiar with Marriott properties I'm afraid. But I'm guessing it's a yes to your question. :)
NJTravelers
Mar 10, 08, 5:47 am
As usual a Great report! We have always stayed at the W in the Quarter and would agree that you can't leave the party behind! Next time we head to MSY will definitely try the W NOLA! Can't wait to read more about your trip.
Cheers!
DownUnderFlyer
Mar 10, 08, 7:13 am
Nice reading 009! I am surprised by the AA transcon service. This is clearly miles away from the UA PS flights.
rtwdone4
Mar 10, 08, 1:44 pm
Glad to here you are OK? How come you are still on seafood after the allergic incident? Prob too much champagne?:D
As for the 50Pound rule on AA, on my last DONE4, I basically told them I am on a RTW ticket and luckily CX stapled their T&C onto my ticket and it specifically said I am entitled to 32Kgs and 2 pieces!
It is wrong to pay more for the luggage.
QF009
Mar 10, 08, 6:12 pm
Glad to here you are OK? How come you are still on seafood after the allergic incident? Prob too much champagne?:D
As for the 50Pound rule on AA, on my last DONE4, I basically told them I am on a RTW ticket and luckily CX stapled their T&C onto my ticket and it specifically said I am entitled to 32Kgs and 2 pieces!
It is wrong to pay more for the luggage.
I didn't eat any shellfish - notice my parents ate all the shellfish at La Bernadin, not me.
I didn't pay more. So that must be why the AAgent at JFK didn't even care about my 57 pound suitcase. Thanks for letting me know. :)
QF009
Mar 11, 08, 5:21 am
New Orleans!!
It was with some trepidation that I decided to include NOLA as one of the stops on my holiday. I was both hard sold and persuaded against a visit to the city in equal measure. But I'd researched the city extensively, and was quite convinced that I'd be roight. Hey they have 2 Ws so that should mean something!
And I'd never regretted for a single moment my decision to visit NOLA!
The experience was actually bittersweet. My city tour included a Katrina destruction tour. Heartbreaking would be understating it - not only to witness the physical damage, but also economic and emotional. But it was also inspiring to witness the city's determined fight back to life.
NOLA is heaven if you like seafood. I'd read a lot about the boiled crawfish and was massively looking forward to it, but we all know how that went south. Nevertheless I did get a good taste of Southern Louisiana cuisine - gumbo, roast beef po boys from Mother's, and all kinds of hearty meat dishes.
And finally, 2 words: Bourbon St. Pumping all day and night, there's something for everyone. Great live music. Great diversity. Partaaaaaaaaaay!
Fulton St
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3941.jpg
French Quarter
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/QF009/RTW%20Jan-Feb%202008/IMG_3942.jpg
I'd also promised my tour guide that I'd tell everyone that I wasn't shot, stabbed, robbed or otherwise harmed.
I'd add to that - NOLA rocks!!
Has it really been 7 weeks since I'd left home?!
Next: The Windy Finale - MSY-xDFW-xJFK-(LAX)-xSYD-MEL AA720 F /AA384 F /AA7366 (QF108) J /QF459 whY
QF009
Mar 13, 08, 7:14 am
The Windy Finale part 1 - short hops around the US on Mad Dog
Sector - MSY-DFW
Flight number - AA720
Class - First
Seat - 4E
Aircraft - MD80
The airport shuttle arrived promptly at 0610 and I'd just made it after an hour's nap and a rushed shower. It made a little tour of NOLA picking up a few more people along the way. 30 minutes later I was deposited outside the AA entrance at Louis Armstrong International. My bags were tagged all the way to SYD, but they could only issue boarding passes up to JFK. Not a problem as I'd have had to reissue my BP with QF over at JFK otherwise anyway, due to Australian API requirements.
I was excited to be able to use the Admiral Clubs as I was on an international itinerary today. However an epic search of the airport revealed the distinct lack of ACs in this airport - the GA confirmed that they don't exist in MSY. Again - pays to check AA.com prior to traveling.
The Mad Dog's F cabin was much the same as any other F cabin domestically. Being in the front also means I was not subjected to the swaying to the extent experienced by those down the back. It was also much quieter than other ac as the engines were at the tail section and hence far away.
We had a very chirpy purser on this flight. Always refreshing to see someone who loves his job, even more so at such an ungodly hour (for me anyway). He had a full-on Southern accent which I'd found endearingly sexy. I suddenly remembered that I have a heap of AAplause certs in my bag and handed him a couple of those - and I seemed to have made his day.
There was pre take off drinks for this flight, but the purser seemed to have a lot of trouble serving them as boarding was still in progress. Drinks were served again when we reached cruising altitude and I had a power nap to recharge my batteries.
Sector - DFW-JFK
Flight number - AA384
Class - First
Seat - 4E
Aircraft - MD80
My original 45 minutes' connection had lengthened to approximately 90 minutes and so I had a leisurely and stress-free connection. The trouble with writing my TR from memory is that I now cannot remember some details, in this case terminal details - but I do know that the terminal I had to go to was only a stop away on the train from the one I arrived into.
I spent about an hour in the rather noice AC. I got quite a bunch of drink chits from the very friendly AC dragon, and so proceeded to drink gallons of Coke.
The gate was only across the hallway from the AC. F boarding was called just as I was walking out of the AC, and so I simply sauntered onboard.
The purser on this flight also deserves a special mention - she's brimming with enthusiasm, and obviously proud of her job and her airline. She made time to engage in friendly convos with each and every pax in the cabin, and sincerely thanked each and every one of us personally for choosing American. She also got a couple of my AAplause certs and I was pleased to have made her day as she really deserved to be recognised for her good work.
My seatmate was an interesting bloke from Orange County, CA who happened to be a fan of both Singapore Airlines and Qantas - ahh my kind of guy! We exchanged many a tale about memorable experiences with both airlines. He happened to be on his annual trip to NYC and I was only too pleased to share some tips about the Big Apple.
We were served lunch on this flight. Warm nuts were served as per usual, followed by a very noice and fresh salad. The faulty oven in the galley meant that the main courses were delayed for a bit - profuse apologies for this were made. The main course was a choice between salmon with hoisin sauce or enchilada with beef. I knew better than to get a cheese-based dish for an inflight meal, but I didn't know what ingredients were in the hoisin sauce - and hence decided to err on the side of caution. The enchilada was close to inedible.
Next: The Windy Finale part 2 - JFK-(LAX)-SYD AA7366 J (operating as QF108/10late)
QF009
Mar 14, 08, 11:16 pm
The Windy Finale part 2 - Almost home!
Sector - JFK-SYD
Flight number - AA7366 (operating as QF108/10late)
Class - Business
Seat - 11A
Aircraft - B747-400
New York to Los Angeles
I took the air train to T7 which was only a stop away, braved the cold and made a mad dash across the road into the warmth of the terminal.
So all good things have to come to an end. This is it - I'm leaving the good ol US of A and will not be back for months yet. One of my absolutely favourite places for a holiday - the fashion scene is so highly developed (I do personally prefer American and UK designers to their Continental European and Australian counterparts; Agnes B, Peter Morrissey, Robert Pierucci, and whoever does Ferragamo bags and shoes excepted) and the parties rock. Friendly people too. And most importantly - trendy, trendy, trendy!!
Being booked on the AA codeshare reduced my already tiny chance of getting op upped on this flight to virtually zero, since codeshares cannot be oversold. But I naively thought it's only polite to send the good people of AA some revenue for the labourious task involved in setting up my ticket - it was only later I learnt that AA actually makes a loss selling me the codeshare as the cost of paying QF for my seat far outstrips the revenue they'd get from a moderately optimised DONE4, let alone a MR-optimised one like mine.
As per the norm, QF108 was delayed - an estimated delay of 45 minutes was communicated to me at check in. Due to the way QF schedules this rotation, with very little ground time at LAX and involves a turnaround at the mercy of peak time JFK traffic, any delays along the way have a snowball effect. It is thus not surprising that punctuality statistics for this flight aren't very flattering. Hence the moniker given to the flight by ground staff at JFK and LAX - QF10late.
QF was entirely handled by BA ground staff at JFK. QF's F and J check in desks are simply next to the fast track security line. For some reason the reissue of my ticket and consequent conversion of my eticket to a paper ticket had failed to sync with the QF systems and the check in agent couldn't check me in. She called a back office which sorted it all out, and I was handed my boarding pass to SYD. She'd also made sure that the crew knew of my shellfish allergy. My paper ticket coupon and immigration slip were collected at the check in desk unlike most other airports which prevented me from losing or tearing them. Then it was a quick walk-through of the relatively quiet TSA line, and off to the BA Terraces lounge.
I like this lounge, very open and spacious. Seating was also ample. The wine bar looked very nice and resistance was almost impossible - I just made sure that I sat as far away from it as possible. I couldn't take advantage of the Elemis spa offerings as they were reserved for BA pax.
Boarding was called punctually at the revised boarding time of 1900, and I headed to the gate where a huge queue had already formed at the J line.
I was welcomed by a rather jovial CSM at the aircraft entrance who gave me the obligatory directions to my seat. I found that my bags had expanded somewhat over the trip and I failed to stuff the bigger of the 2 bags into the side storage cabinet which were smaller at row 11.
I was then welcomed by one of the FAs on the upper deck and presented with a tray of pre-take off drinks to choose from. "Champagne?!" he cheerfully offered. *Must resist* His face fell when I reached for the water, and I'd explained that it was due to my meds. Peer pressure was exerted by both the FA and my seat mate - I figured that I'd have a full dinner on this flight and a supper on the LAX-SYD sector and they'd be enough to soak up any booze in me. So I let myself be convinced that one tiny glass of Charles Heidsieck was ok... omg it tasted especially good after the prolonged drought! Gotta hand it to the FA for his enthusiasm - my kind of man!
My seatmate on this flight happened to be a Qantas flight attendant herself who was on holiday in NYC and flying on a standby basis. Staff travel doesn't seem as rosy as I'd previously thought when I heard her rather interesting tales of attempting to fly standby.
The menus and amenity kit were then handed out. We were going to be sitting on the ground for a while due to the lack of ATC clearance. I browsed the menu and planned what I was going to eat for both segments. The FA then came back to my seat to confirm that the crew had received a note from the ground staff of my shellfish allergy but assured me that the meals served on this segment and the next were 100% shellfish-free. We had a bit of a banter during which I shared details of my medical drama in LA.
After a prolonged delay we finally took off, and the cockpit advised those on my side of the aircraft that there were nice views of Manhattan to be enjoyed. Manhattan is stunning at night, especially when viewed from this perspective.
I decided to check out the IFE. I guess I was too busy chatting and wasn't paying much attention, but apparently I'd been pulling the screen in the wrong angle.
SNAP!!!
I'd managed the unhinge the PTV screen. The FA assured me that I wasn't the first person to have achieved such a feat; he noted it down in the log so that an engineer at LAX could fix it. I was also offered a change of seats as J wasn't full but declined as I was going to snooze after eating anyway.
Hot towels were handed out and a very nice dinner was soon served. The cheeky FA then teased me with the very nice Australian pinot noir that was on the carts tonight before 'suddenly remembering' that I wasn't supposed to drink. He's a real character! The prosciutto salad was yummy. This was followed by the chicken which was fragrant but a bit on the dry side - I guess that's the point of the puree. I had the cheese plate for dessert which was lovely, and finally some latte and chocolates to wash it all down. I love Grinders coffee - the palate is soothing and much smoother than lots of other coffee beans. And so I'm pleased that it is also QF's coffee of choice - but unfortunately I guess FAs aren't meant to be very good baristas or are hampered by the lack of appropriate equipment. To be fair I've yet to come across an airline that does excellent lattes. I'd just stick to regular long black next time.
Full menu here (http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=49381&postcount=5).
I then turned the very comfy Skybed into angled flat mode, and proceeded to snooze almost the entire length of the flight. I was exhausted at that point as I'd had virtually no sleep the night before and I'd been traveling for almost the entire day. I woke up just as we were preparing to land at LAX, and I was offered a hot towel when the FA noticed that I was awake.
We bade farewell to the crew as there'd be a crew change in LAX. It was again all round excellent service and I hoped the crew on my onward segment would be just as great.
Los Angeles to Sydney
I invited my seatmate to join me in the lounge, and instantly made a friend for life. The Admirals Club at LAX T4 doubles up as a Qantas Club, and it even had a dedicated QF desk with QF staffers. It wasn't as nice as the AC in DFW. I had a shower, in light of the fact that I last had a shower this morning and I had a 15 hour journey in front of me.
Unfortunately J was full for the onward segment to SYD and it looked like my seatmate was going to be stuck in LAX, until they found her a seat in whY and shoved her in there. So a new seatmate for the onward journey - who I hope will be as cool.
I once again had to resist temptation as champagne was offered prior to take off. My explanation that I was on medication brought on a quick quip from the FA "Well, they say champagne is medication in a bottle isn't it?!" Normally I'd have found it quite hard to say no to that but the thought of potential adverse effects mid air over the Pacific ocean strengthened my resolve to go for the OJ.
The breakfast order cards, menus, amenity kits (so that's twice as much ultraceutical products and trendy plastic cases for moi!) and PJs were handed out. No pens were loaded onboard and the FAs only had 3 amongst themselves so the cards took a while to be filled out. I had a pen of my own which was circulated around row 11.
We once again had a phenomenally long wait for take off. This flight was really living up to its reputation! I was sitting next to a fellow Melbournian on this flight and we both revelled in the superiority of Marvelous Melbourne *dons flame-proof suit*.
Supper was served right after take off. I had the beef fillet this time which was very literally very nice and mouth meltingly good, followed by the cake for dessert. Apart from the plastic knives due to CASA regs, I loved the stylish Marc Newson cutlery. I wondered where in Melbourne I could find them to complement my Phillip Starke forks, before discovering that they're exclusive to QF.
Once again, the full menu is here (http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=49381&postcount=5).
I had my pills - my bag of medication brought on some curious questions from the FA and I had to again describe my visit to Cedars. I might have been responsible for slowing down the clearing up of serviceware a bit as the FA seemed rather stunned by the drama.
I watched some IFE - was pleased to note that my PTV screen was fixed while the plane was on the ground at LAX. IFE is another area where QF blitzes their oneworld partners in both content and PTV screen quality, but unfortunately the AVOiD system is prone to failing so it's let down in the reliability count. The system worked on this flight so I managed to check out some movies I'd missed in the cinemas.
Now I realised that I haven't yet described the QF Skyslopes. To me they are the best angled flat seats I've ever experienced. The incline isn't nearly as steep as most other beds so there's none of that slipping effect. It is very wide so you don't bump into half a dozen things. The cushioning is pretty good, and makes the seat most comfy for both sleeping and lounging. I normally have trouble sleeping onboard but I am regularly able to have a good snooze on the Skybeds. I had a great sleep on this flight and woke up 3 hours prior to arrival.
I had a cup of coffee to wake me up - yep long black is the way to go onboard. I was SO looking forward to great Australian coffee again, and the first thing I was going to do in Sydney when I sit down at a cafe is order a nice soy latte and put my usual 2 sugars in it. I'm so big on coffee that I'd never be able to give up on coffee, medication or no medication. Without booze I'm living a half life; I don't think I'd survive without coffee.
We were then treated to a very nice brekkies. I'd over-ordered on my SIN-LHR flight and failed to finish the brekkies, so I took care to order a little less food this time.
As much as I loath to admit it, the views that one gets to behold when landing in SYD is absolutely stunning. My side of the aircraft got magnificent views of Sydney Harbour, the Bridge and the Opera House.
Despite the very delayed departure we ended up landing in SYD only 5 minutes behind scheduled arrival. We must have made up an extraordinary amount of time along the way - either the winds must have been truly strong, or the flight deck burnt up an extra lot of fuel. We saw an SQ A380 on a taxiway - apparently it was stuck there due to technical problems and as a result all aircraft had to taxi via the domestic terminal to get to the international terminal.
So that was meant to have been a 22 hour flight, but for some reason it didn't feel like it. This is largely due to the fact that I'd slept a lot of it, thanks to the comfy Skyslopes (ok ok Skybeds). Unfortunately I couldn't demolish the champagne supply due to being on my medically-enforced wagon. But I still enjoyed the flight enormously due to 2 sets of excellent cabin crew, very nice food, and great seatmates.
I had a day to spend in Sydney as I'd deliberately scheduled a long connection, not knowing what time QF10late would get in. It also allowed me an opportunity to catch up with GoldFlyer of FT QF and Trip Reports board fame (here's the legendary TR, SYD to LHR on a Plane (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182481&highlight=) for those who don't know what I'm talking about).
It then only struck me - I'd literally gone around the world for the first time in my life! W00t! The DONE4 isn't finished as I've some SWP and Asian segments left to go but I'd physically circumnavigated the world. I felt like I've achieved something huge; my uncle even sent a 'congratulations' sms to that effect.
Next: The Windy Finale part 3 - QF459 SYD-MEL whY; Epilogue; The QF009 travel awards
flyer121
Mar 14, 08, 11:34 pm
Thank you for writing such a detailed and excellent trip report. My wife and I traveled on on QF108 from JFK-SYD via LAX in January 07 and January 08 in Business Class. Both of us found Qantas to be a truly world class airline and found our flights to be of similar quality to what you described. We were not given PJs this year as others have described. In addition we love the pre-ordered breakfast.
halothane
Mar 15, 08, 4:37 pm
Always enjoy your trip reports! Good to hear you enjoyed your visit to the US. :)
rtwdone4
Mar 15, 08, 5:28 pm
Since when did QF intoduced espresso machines? Or your inference to Long Black/Latte just ordinary brew coffee (which taste terrible!)
Also How is QF's IFE better than CX's IFE? I find QF's selection is really limited. (to both Western and Eastern taste) Also CX had AVOD in J and F for a long time already
Overall glad you arrived home safely. Must tell us how do you afford the time and $$$ as a Uni student to stay in W hotels and DONE4.
QF009
Mar 15, 08, 7:03 pm
Since when did QF intoduced espresso machines? Or your inference to Long Black/Latte just ordinary brew coffee (which taste terrible!)
I don't think they have proper espresso machines - just those automated things where you push a button and whatever you want flows out. The latte tasted 'burnt.'
I actually liked the regular brew coffee; it was quite nice as far as airline coffee goes. I referred to it as long black because that's what it tasted like.
Also How is QF's IFE better than CX's IFE? I find QF's selection is really limited. (to both Western and Eastern taste) Also CX had AVOD in J and F for a long time already
CX's IFE is better than QF's in terms of reliability, but QF's content is more to my taste. There is always something I want to watch on QF. The availability or lack of Eastern content doesn't concern me as my tastes are rather limited to boring ol Hollywood productions. ;)
Overall glad you arrived home safely. Must tell us how do you afford the time and $$$ as a Uni student to stay in W hotels and DONE4.
I squeeze in my travel between semesters. We get a 3 month summer break, and a 4 week winter one. In between are mid semester breaks of 1 week's and 2 weeks' durations respectively. Plus long weekends are always an opportunity to zip off. :D
lucky9876coins
Mar 15, 08, 7:13 pm
And it keeps getting better, thanks so much!^
MrSydney
Mar 15, 08, 8:41 pm
QF009
You have once again excelled yourself!! That was just fabulous - enjoyed every moment:).
Where is your next trip too and when can get back on the grog?^
QF009
Mar 15, 08, 11:25 pm
Where is your next trip too and when can get back on the grog?^
I pick up the DONE4 again the weekend after Easter - short weekend trip to WLG.
We had my 'off the wagon' celebration a week ago. :D
lucky9876coins
Mar 15, 08, 11:34 pm
If you don't mind me asking, how much do DONE4's typically run? Seems like an awesome routing!
QF009
Mar 16, 08, 12:00 am
If you don't mind me asking, how much do DONE4's typically run? Seems like an awesome routing!
You get 20 segments (inc surface segments), and you can choose between 3-6 continents (but at least 4 if Africa or South West Pacific is in the itinerary). The number at the end indicates how many continents the fare is for. No mileage restrictions, but quite a bit of routing restrictions. Within each continent you get 4 segments to play with, except North America where you get 6.
Here's the xONEx faq sticky from the OW forum which might be helpful:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338667
yyz_atc_lj
Mar 16, 08, 12:19 am
I've greatly enjoyed your TR's, I've concluded that I now have to stay at a W based on your rec's (at least once as you've said not for everyone, but just about stayed at one in NYC last time there and regret not doing so).
As has been previously posted glad you have recovered from your health scare with the help of some FT'ers (kudos to them), look forward to any future reports.
QF009
Mar 16, 08, 1:03 am
The Windy Finale part 3 - Back where I started
Sector - SYD-MEL
Flight number - QF459
Class - Economy
Seat - 9C
Aircraft - B737-400
I went to the seamless check in facility in order to get rid of my bags before I headed into town. I was quite worried that QF would charge me for excess baggage, since this was a separate ticket and was booked in whY. I was quite prepared to ship some stuff back home if it got too expensive. But the check in agent let it slide, even though I've got "way too much" baggage. Asked for and got an aisle seat.
I took the train to Woolloomooloo and had a jolly good catch up with GoldFlyer over some brilliant coffee and lunch. Tried to schedule a meet up with simong but unfortunately the guy was tied up. Also managed to catch the beginning of the Mardi Gras parade but had to head back to the airport to catch my flight home before I saw much of it.
The QP was relatively empty as it was a Saturday, and I had some nice soup along with Krispy Kreme.
Being the first day of March, I got to read a new issue of The Australian Way, QF's inflight magazine. The March issue proudly announced that QF had won awards for its F/J wine lists again with Wine International and Business Traveler - I'm not familiar with both magazines so I'm not sure how credible these awards are, but I can certainly agree for the J bit - the airline certainly made an effort with its wines and took great care in showcasing the best of Australian wine to the rest of the world.
We got a hot dinner of linguini on this short flight. I also learnt that the casseroles for domestic flights have been replaced by new ones designed by.... Marc Newson! Bet you didn't see that coming. The design didn't strike me as anything special though.
The flight took me back to Melbourne, where my journey began 7 weeks ago. It was a bit surreal how quickly time has passed - I certainly couldn't believe it, then again as a few people reminded me - time flies when you're doing fun things. I wouldn't have done anything differently - could do without that shellfish episode but at least it was a unique experience and added some drama to the trip. ;)
Next: Epilogue & The QF009 travel awards
Gatwick Alan
Mar 16, 08, 2:58 am
Its been a pleasure to read your report, a real epic, glad you got back safe and well. I'll be sampling the delights of your home town in a few days !!
Kiwi Flyer
Mar 16, 08, 1:29 pm
Great report QF009 as ever ^^^
Now I need to find another to read on my upcoming flights.
lucky9876coins - you really need to check out the FT alliance forums ;)
QF009
Mar 20, 08, 6:10 am
Epilogue
So to recap, I’ve covered the following in this 2nd part of my DONE4 TR:
Flights
AA137 LHR-LAX F
AA3105 LAX-LAS whY
US473 LAS-SFO whY
AA178 SFO-JFK F
AA423 JFK-MIA F
AA637 MIA-MSY F
AA720 MSY-DFW F
AA384 DFW-JFK F
QF108 JFK-SYD J
QF459 SYD-MEL whY
Hotels
W Los Angeles-Westwood
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, a Sheraton Resort
W San Francisco
W New York-Union Square
Four Points by Sheraton Miami Beach
W New Orleans-Poydras St
Cities
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
San Francisco
New York City
Miami
New Orleans
It’s only been less than 3 weeks since I got home, but I’m already looking forward to the next trip. I get a week off uni due to Easter break and so I took the opportunity to schedule a quick trip to Sydney and Wellington the weekend after Easter with my SWP segment allowance. In the meantime I’ve already booked the next DONE4, but it’d be split into much shorter and smaller trips. So I don’t know when the next 7 week fully round the world epic is going to be. But each trip is different and totally unique, and I fully look forward to every single trip just as much as the last.
It’s funny to think that how a few years ago such a journey would totally baffle me and I wouldn’t even dare to contemplate one let alone go through the process of planning, ticketing and actually traveling. And it’s even more astounding that I now consider such a journey to be remotely straightforward. Thanks to the inspiration from so many of you fellow travelers.
There are ups and downs with every trip. And this trip definitely had its fair share of bumps. But despite the downs, there’s nothing I’d have done any differently. And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. Well, except I'd now avoid the shellfish.
Until next time,
QF009
QF009
Mar 20, 08, 6:11 am
So… it’s only fitting that I conclude with the first (possibly last) QF009 Travel Awards!!
Disclaimer: No specific methodologies have been employed. Apples, oranges and possibly several other types of fruits might have been compared. Assessments are based on: 40% personal priorities, 40% self-gratification , 20% personal bias and 20% PUTI. All that totals 120% which makes this poll 20% more spot on than your average travel award!
Flights
Best wine list – QF29 MEL-HKG J
Best champagnes - QF (particularly QF29 when I got Dom Perignon from F :D)
Best entrée – BA109 LHR-DXB J
Best main course – JL719 NRT-SIN J
Best cheese plate – QF9 SIN-LHR J
Best dessert other than cheeses – AA137 LHR-LAX F
Best cabin crew – QF108 JFK-LAX J, with QF9 SIN-LHR J coming a close 2nd
Best seat – AA137 LHR-LAX F, otherwise I found the QF Skybed and the BA NNCW bed generally rather comfy for J.
Best IFE – QF
Best amenity kit – QF (love that trendy case and the PJs!)
Best ground staff – AA
Best lounges – BA (since I got to use the Flounges), the CX LHR Flounge came a close 2nd
Best-in-category – Qantas
Hotels
Best lobby - décor – W New Orleans-Poydras St
Best lobby – vibe – W San Francisco
Best lobby – crowd – W New York-Union Square
Best lobby – music – W New York-Union Square
Most happening hotel bar – Underbar at W New York-Union Square
Best hotel restaurant – Nine Thirty at W Los Angeles-Westwood
Best room – most inspirational decor – W New Orleans-Poydras St
Best room – functionality and size – W San Francisco
Best bathroom - decor – W Los Angeles-Westwood
Best bathroom – functionality and size – Hotel Eden, Rome
Best bathroom amenities – Bliss Sinkside 6 at W Hotels
Best upgrade – From non-smoking Wonderful Room to non-smoking Fantastic Suite, W San Francisco
Best service – W New York-Union Square; Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam comes a close second
Most central location – Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam
Best proximity to nightlife – W New York-Union Square, or W New Orleans-Poydras, or Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam
Best availability of free internet – Four Points by Sheraton Miami Beach; or Any W hotel with free internet in the Living Room
Most reasonably priced in-room internet – Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Las Vegas
Best-in-category – W New Orleans-Poydras St
Cities
Best shopping – New York City, or Dubai
Most unique shopping – Los Angeles
Most trendy – Los Angeles
Best-dressed - Los Angeles
Best nightlife – New Orleans, or Amsterdam
Most glam nightlife – Los Angeles
Best restaurants – New York City
Most unique restaurants - Amsterdam
Best pace – Los Angeles
Best coffee – San Francisco
Best soy chai latte - New York City (Meatpacking District)
Friendliest people - New Orleans
Best overall site – St Peter’s Basilica, Rome; or Kitson on Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles
Best-in-category – Los Angeles
Best moment - Realising that my friends were there for me when I needed them most.