cyclogenesis

So a kinda hard one to write up.. Work has been busy.. REAL busy and it has been hard to catch a break..

Fortunately I had my once in two years trip booked back to where I did my postdoc to learn more fro my Sensei.. The nice thing about this destination is it puts me in a different timezone and surrounds me with the people who helped me become the person who my employer wanted to hire.

Anyhoo.. This TR will cover little of that.. All my FB friends complain that my work trips look cushy... Well I don't take photos or post work stuff to FB..

So! Thanks to Friends here I was wait-listed for an upgrade both to and from Australia.. And on the way back will (at the time of writing this at the end of the outbound) be the 787-8!

cyclogenesis

Part 1: ORD-LAX

Wow.. The pressure of being high on the UG list.. Usually as a gold I am 20+ But on checking in I was 1.. Albeit with FC full..

On arriving at the airport I was third.. Booked full, checking in full.. All smooth at ORD as usual and headed to the C-Lounge
IMG_5236 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

My last trip was Munich.. Boy this lounge is a sad sad place next to the MUC *G Sen lounge!

So here is the sad story..
IMG_5237 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr
That's me at #2... #1 did get upgraded.. No Biggie! Crew were great and really chatty!
I was exit row aisle, I picked up a Berghoff roast beef sandwich (hedging bets) and bought a Goose 312 and had my own party accompanied by a phenomenal sunset set to the sounds of channel 9
IMG_5238 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Four hours in the air.. Not continually refreshing the BF Upgrade list.. Good for the soul.

cyclogenesis

Part 2: In LAX
Ok.. So I believe we are all a little OCD.. OCD is a vector and we all sit somewhere along that Axis.. LAX-SYD-MEL is a Loooooooooooo (etc) ooong flight.. Ok not the longest but you get the idea.
I-Wanted-This-Upgrade. Let the sitting in LAX UC hitting refresh begin!.. But first I took a time lapse (out of focus) using my new iPhone (and super cool tripod):
<a href = 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLftG9-HrU'> Click here for Vid!</a>

Boy, the house beers are real house.. and the house wine will just rot your gut.. Splashed the $3 (really Jeff? really?) for a Sierra Nevada and refreshed the UA app many times..

BF had booked full.. BUT only 35 had checked in. Off to google UA's check in policy for international routes.. 60 mins.. Sorry family of 5 or random conglomeration of humans holding bookings for my coveted seat.. I was not cheering for you to make your flight tonight..

At 55 minutes until advertised pushback it happened!
IMG_5272 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Giddy I went to the UC front desk to get my BP

Hopped on board and took the obligatory look at my legroom shot
IMG_5273 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Only, to my horror a fellow turned up with a boarding card for the same seat!!!!

(stay tuned!)

offerendum

Bingo!

sky303

This suspense is cruel!

cyclogenesis

LAX-SYD-MEL in BF via Koru Lounge in Sydney
Cruel! Yep.. Terrified I was going to be bumped back down to coach.. There were 17 odd on the UG list and 5 seats to give away..
Fortunately for me I only had to walk as far back as 10G, a perfectly serviceable BF seat
IMG_5273 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

This was not my first time in BF but by far my longest. It is not the best bed in the sky but it is perfectly serviceable and, most importantly FAR better than Y.

A word on the 4 abrest:
So I was worried about how the heck I would get out to go to the facilities when my rowmates (all three of them ) were sleeping.. Turned out to be quite the non-issue..

The seat/bed goes quite low to the ground so with some gymnastics one is easily able to get a leg over (does that sound wrong to you?)

Meals started with an appetizer of Tuna and salad (sorry I dug in before taking the photo):
IMG_5274 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

I got my first choice of the beef which was very tasty but very overdone

IMG_5275 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

This was all finished up with Port and Cheese

IMG_5276 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Wine was good, not spectacular but very good.. (UNLIKE the offerings in the UC.. Really United, got to lift your game here!)

I got a solid 5 hours sleep before checking the map

IMG_5277 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Darn LAX-SYD is a long flight going west!

I managed another 2 hours odd sleep before I was truly awake and proceeded to binge watch some movies!

Noah: Laughably bad
Transformers: It is what it is, a clichéd plotless movie with AWESOME special effects.. Enough to keep me interested
Dawn of Planet of the Apes: Not bad..
Hotel Budapest: Awesome movie. Had me laughing like an idiot! Luckily for my rowmates I watched this as we were leading into breakfast so my outbursts woke no one ☺
IMG_5278 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Breakfast started with OJ Then Tea then omelet topped with only what could be described as a horrible salty meat patty of the variety you would expect in a Residence inn at breakfast.. Yuck

IMG_5280 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Landed 10 minutes early in Sydney and we bid goodbye to the very good LA based crew (SFO crew will take us through to Melbs)

Off to the very very good Koru Lounge

IMG_5281 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

I was on a MISSION! Flight landed at 7am and will board to Melbourne at 8:15.. I wanted a shower

IMG_5282 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Showering at the Koru Lounge is a very straight forward, albeit Spartan affair. There are four toilets + showers with plastic wrapped towels. All soaps etc are courtesy of wall mounted dispensers. While LH SEN lounges put these to shame a shower after 15 hours on a plane is pure bliss (listening United? You get showers I get the UC Card!)

My three favorite clubs I have visited are the T2 LHR UC, LH SEN Lounge in Frankfurt and This Koru Club. Good food, good self serve wines and expansive tarmac views!
IMG_5283 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

I am actually a little sad I will not get to visit on the way home as I have a 787-8 Direct flight..

I decided to go by the “It’s past noon back in Chicago rule” of bubbly consumption
IMG_0024 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

And yes.. You see my iPhone 6 with its little Joby tripod taking this timelapse:

Click here to see!

Here is the bird that took across the pond, Love the 777 and I am very much looking forward to sampling the 787.. Yes no upper deck like the 747 but in Y the 747 is a slave ship.
IMG_0026 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Loading on SYD-MEL was very very light (1/3 in BF.. ).. Pre flight bevvies offered, following on with the Chicago rule I went with Champagne

IMG_5289 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr
Refills were even offered!
Empty cabin meant I could get in a good Pano of the cabin 2-4-2 layout

IMG_5298 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr

Channel 9 was even on, I was grinning like an idiot hearing all the chatter with Australian accents.. ☺

The take off, due to the light loading, was the most powerful I have ever felt! The 777 just roared into the sky at an amazing angle.. I think the pilots must love this☺

We came in east of Melbourne and turned over the bay giving a great view of the city on approach spot on time..

Customs in immigration (LOVE SMART GATES!) was a breeze and I was back!

IMG_5302 by Cyclogenesis_au, on Flickr