William Agius

PRELUDE

The evening before I am scheduled to embark on my journey I call my mum to remind her that I’ll be gone in the morning and won’t be back for another two weeks. The conversation runs smoothly, right up to the moment when my mother makes the mistake of asking – ‘So remind me, where is it again you’re off to this time?’ – and I make the evening bigger mistake of telling her, in all detail and glorious Technicolor, exactly where I’m going. All thirteen flights.

And then there is silence. In real time it probably lasts no more than a split second, but the silence is so heavily laden with my mother’s disapproval that it feels like an eternity. Until eventually the silence is broken by her stoic proclamation: ‘You’re nuts!’

Well admittedly, the whole thing is perhaps a tad over the top, even by my standards – thirteen flights in fourteen days. But I can explain everything and in all honesty, when I started planning my vacation, I never intended it to grow into such a monumental excursion. I just wanted to get away from it all. As far as way as I could possibly go. It’s just that somehow, somewhere along the line things got out of hand and I got a slightly carried away.

This trip report is a work in progress. I'm currently in Adelaide and I am posting all the parts to far. The rest will follow as I progress.

Part 1: British Airways, Business Class: Basel to London

Part 2: British Airways, First Class: London to Tokyo

Part 3: Qantas, Business Class: Tokyo to Sydney

Part 4: Virgin Australia, Business Class: Sydney to Uluru

Part 5: QantasLink, Economy Class: Uluru to Alice Springs

Part 6: Qantas, Economy Class: Alice Springs to Adelaide

JohnRain

Very nice TR so far and certainly an epic itinerary. Excellent idea to visit Windsor while transiting in LHR. Looking forward to the rest!

Annalisa12

Love the trip report and photos. I agree that the showers in the Concorde Lounge look ugly.

I'm envious!

William Agius

Hi JohnRain

Thanks for commenting, glad you're enjoying the reports. I've started thinking about my next summer vacation but somehow with only eight segments it's still looking a bit boring right now.

Windsor was great. It's kind of cool to see a castle that is fully operational and not just a museum.

Cheers,
William

price123

Parents always think we are crazy. Our recent trip was 9 flights (although 2 of those touched down at intermediate airports so 11 take-offs) in around 2 weeks. Previously, we did 8 flights in 9 nights and 4 flights in as many days (not all short-haul). None of this was mileage running - more that we felt like a long weekend in the Middle East or Tokyo!

I'm not a fan of BA but think they offer the best short-haul European option. Long-haul, find them not acceptable. The CCR Cabanas are also grubby (feel very seedy with unexplained stains around the place). Sounds like you had a good F flight though. We actually preferred old F to new. For us, the main problem is the food though - try no wheat, no beef, no dairy... You can't combine special meals and so often you get offered chicken salad or similar for a 12 hour F flight. Hence, our preference for Asian carriers, where there is usually a stir-fry or curry with rice.

That view (Uluru) is quite something.

William Agius

Hi Annalisa12,
I don't think I would have minded them looking ugly so much. Ultimately that is a matter of personal taste. It's just that they also looked so unhygienic, if you know what I mean.

Hi price123,
I'm inclined to agree with you that BA is much better on short-haul than it is on long-haul. Of course they're only small things really, like the rather flimsy hot towels or the lack thereof before arrival or at least before the start of the breakfast service.

I can appreciate the problem you mentioned with the food. I think for people with special dietary needs the SWISS approach of having things on a trolley probably works better. As for the Asian carriers, I think most of us here prefer taking them over the rest, but then that's hardly a fair comparison.

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Cheers,
William

Sprocket1200

WE are off to oz soon. I love the in the air pics of the rock! outstanding!!

BA5E

Loved the first part of your TR, and how nice that you were able to take a quick trip into Windsor, or our local shops, it looked as though the weather was nice for you. Looking forward to the next stage of the Trip^

Sprocket1200

when will the next update be?

BA5E

Thanks for a very interesting and detailed insight into your trip to Narita, must have been a pain the flight being delayed for over 5 hours, loved your happy snapping in the board room with the concorde chairs, did you not take a visit to the Flounge. The food did look good and very well presented, was getting quite hungry whilst reading your report. Look forward to the next installment^

William Agius

Hi Sprocket1200
Safe journey, I hope you enjoy your stay in Oz, it's a lovely country!

I fly today (22. August in Oz), so I guess the next part should be up here either today or at the latest tomorrow before I take the next flight.

Hi Base
First of all thanks, glad you enjoyed the reviews. I think I was very lucky with the weather in Windsor. It was nice and warm but not hot. I rather liked the shops in Windsor, especially those in that arcade by the station.

Actually, perhaps you can help me here. What on earth is the difference between the Concorde Room and the First Class lounge? I asked one of the BA staff in the lounge and she said it was more or less the same thing but that the Concorde Room was more intimate. So I never bothered visiting.

Cheers,
William

spudseamus

A wonderful report ! I like your easy style of writing ! Well done

BA5E

Have just finished reading the rest of your TR, amazing and spectacular views of the flight coming into SYD with the Opera House and Bridge, have never flown in that way so never been able to see the views, perhaps next year may be lucky. Also again great views of Ulluru. Somewhere we will have to visit as it looks amazing and where you stayed looked wonderful. You certainly did a whistle stop tour from there to ADL.
Concorde Room we like, as it is all waiter service, and it is nice to be able to eat in the little booths for a meal, and then out onto the terrace.
Yes the shops in Windsor are nice and the ones in the station arcade are nice, but I believe also there are quite a few eat places in the arcade. Glad you enjoyed my local town. ^

William Agius

Hi all

I've just uploaded the next installment of my trip to Oz.

Part 7: Qantas, Economy Class: Adelaide to Perth

mkjr

as always. great TR.