`X'

Doors soon shut and the announcements began, first in Arabic then in English. Same with the safety video. The main cabin screen had been showing an ad real for emirates but as we pushed back was changed over to the tail camera. It was weird watching the aircraft move as we moved on the screen. But I did realize on night short haul flights, window seats are a little pointless.

As we moved into our turn for takeoff and began our roll, there was no sense of any massive thrust. The whale just glided effortlessly and quietly down the runway. Hell I barely noticed we were in the air! Shortly thereafter service started to commence. First up, cold towels out of a packet so essentially a moist towelette. Then came the menus. A menu on an economy flight of 3 hours… what the hell (the menu was promptly placed directly in my bag).


Menu in Economy by Kaell116, on Flickr

After a little bit longer the meals were handed out for the special menu people, and then the cart service began. Choices according to the menu were either “Honey Roasted Ginger Chicken” or “Lamb Medallions”. Went with the Ginger Chicken. Both were served with an Appetizer of Smoked Salmon and Mustard Potato Salad, along with a roll, Cheese, Biscuits and also a Dessert of Sticky Date Pudding and a little chocolate to finish.


Economy Meal by Kaell116, on Flickr


Main Meal - Honey Baked Ginger Chicken by Kaell116, on Flickr

The Bar cart came around not to long after the meal so I was slowly eating things rather than just inhaling it like the lady in the aisle did. I wanted to enjoy the meal slowly while still watching Avatar. When the bar cart came around it was time for a diet coke. But then I was a bit stunned at the size of the can (tiny!) and also the design. The Cans must have been loaded in Dubai because Diet Coke was written on it in Arabic.


Arabic Diet Coke by Kaell116, on Flickr

After what felt like forever, (probably a good 15 minutes) Tea was offered first, when I asked about coffee was told it would come through next. So I waited, and waited, and waited. Another 10 minutes later I finally got a cup of coffee and this is when I had the dessert (wanted to have some coffee with my dessert).

When the trays were finally cleared I excused myself to the rest room and used the ones that were up the set of steps just so I can say “yeah I went upstairs on an A380” (although in a matter of months I’ll be flying the upper deck of an A380 anyway). When I came back to my seat I had a look around at some of the panels in the area mainly just to stretch my legs but the spaciousness of the cabin is still a little mind boggling.

Settled back into my seat and just relaxed. Asked for another Diet Coke after a little while it finally arrived but the cup and can were never collected back, ever. So I landed with a cup and can dangling from the Cup Holder.

As we came in for final approach into Sydney again it felt like we weren’t moving at all and it was a quiet quiet approach over the city and into the Airport. A slow taxi to the terminal and we slowed to a stop at one of the A380 gates (not quite sure what pier it was).

Being in the first cabin meant I was toward the front of the queues when we hit immigration but it was PACKED! A couple of flights from China, Malaysia, and Pacific Islands also arrived around the same time so Immigration and Customs were bedlam.

Got through after 10 minutes or so (wanted a stamp) and my bag took a little while to come out this time. Thankfully since I had nothing to declare or anything Quarantine was easy, straight to the exit and out we go to the train. Within 45 minutes of landing I was on a train heading to the city and my hotel for the night, the Four Seasons.

Monday 25th April

I had planned on getting up today for the dawn service, but it was bucketing rain, so didn’t. Wanted to go for a run around the harbour as well but it was bucketing rain, so didn’t. This would set the tone for most of the day. Things just did not seem to go right at all. I had been having phone problems most of the night with data issues and after issues getting some breakfast from one of the local cafes I had to rush to get changed and get ready for the march.

After power walking across the CBD to the new meeting location, it was back to some relaxed state of mind for a while. Was a bit disappointed to not see Dick Smith on the march this year but there’s always next year. After the march I had to rush back to the Four Seasons to check out before heading off to the Anzac Day luncheon.


the march forming up by Kaell116, on Flickr


Me at the Lunch by Kaell116, on Flickr


The Relatives by Kaell116, on Flickr


Me with the Banner by Kaell116, on Flickr

After lunch and an afternoon with a friend, I headed to the Airport really early as I knew it would be busy and figured that check in might be a bit slow and getting some food in the terminal might be a bit busy. Arrived at the terminal just as I finished my 2nd book of this trip, and made my way up from the station to Terminal 2 check in.

I was going to use one of the Virgin Self Check in Terminals then figured, nah, I want a real boarding pass. So jumped into the Queue for normal check in (Virgin still offers this service thankfully). After a minute or two I was in line and when called over I let them know I was on the 830pm flight to Brisbane (it was around 6pm at this stage). The check in agent asked me if I would like to go on an earlier flight if the seats were free. Hell Yeah!

As I checked in I had to run my photo ID gambit with pre warning before handing it over (hurry up new driver’s license) and had a bit of a chat with her. She asked me if I would like window or aisle and I said “Exit Row would be nice, but I know since it’s a new flight and all I’ll take what I can get.” She replied with “I don’t have any exit row windows, but how about an Exit Row Aisle” I thought for approximately 1 second before answering “yes please.”

Seconds later I was on the flight to Brisbane boarding in 30 minutes. Plenty of time to grab a drink, pick out a new magazine and make my way to the gate. Called home to let them know the new flight info and checked out the food options as well. Food options were pretty busy and didn’t appeal at that point so called home again and pre warned I would be hungry.

Grabbed an Australian Aviation from the newsagent (kind of a flight tradition when I don’t have a book to read almost), and headed to the gate. Within 10 minutes of our scheduled boarding time, there was still no inbound aircraft and then the delay advice was given. 20 min boarding delay.

Waited some more, read away, was not really worried as either way I was still getting home earlier than planned. After about 25 minutes the inbound aircraft arrived and the people kind of flowed off. But this is when it happened. The boarding scrum had begun. People just lined up because they could. When they announced priority boarding for Premium Econ and also for Elites everyone rushed the gate and I could hear the gate agent having to calm people down.

General Boarding was called and the line snaked quite a bit so I jumped in early to make sure that I could get on eventually. I was heading for the gate, for my final of 7 flights.

Virgin Blue
DJ981
Sydney to Brisbane
1900-2030
Boeing 737-800 (VH-VUT)
Economy Class – Seat: 15C (Exit Row)

Boarding: 1900 (Gate 31)
Push Back 1918
Take Off Roll: 1934 (Runway 16L)
Top of Descent: 2025 (Guessed)
Touch Down: 2046 (Runway 19)
Shut Down: 2050 (Gate 41)


Headed down the Aerobridge to the final flight of the trip and boarded onto VH-VUT. This seems to be one of the rogue aircraft that doesn’t have proper premium economy seats or any inflight entertainment (thankfully I have an iPod and a magazine). Settled into my seat and as we pushed back shortly after I was advised by the inflight crew that I need to take off my headphones (even though they were plugged into their radio system) because they were noise cancelling. I explained that the noise cancelling is not active and I can hear perfectly fine at the moment. She let that slide.


My Ride home by Kaell116, on Flickr

It was a long slow push back and taxi out to the active runway. All the way out to runway the furthest from the terminal. Felt like we taxied forever, but that seems to happen in Sydney. This flight was pretty uneventful like most Virgin Flights I take. Up & Down. Don’t buy anything, just read what’s in my hand and conk out really.

We got a nice little announcement from the pilot about 15 minutes into the flight telling us that it was going to be a total flight time of 1 hour 5 minutes so should be touching down in about an hour, he then told us to track along by watching the Airshow on Channel 13 on our seat back screens. Hold on a second, what drugs is this guy on! Firstly we had been in the air almost 15 minutes by this stage, and we still had an hour to go (that’s weird). He also doesn’t know what aircraft he is on because we don’t have screens. Puzzling! Turns out that we were slowed down by Air Traffic control so I didn’t even realize we had started our proper descent into Brisbane till we punched out of some clouds on final into Brisbane.

After a very rough landing into Brisbane and then taxing to the gate, got to chat with the same flight attendant who told me I couldn’t use the headphones and she explained they were borderline not going to make their next flight as they were due to head back to Sydney again and things were not looking good for the curfew. So gave her some comforting words of “$10 says you don’t make it” as I deplaned.

I was home free now! Off the flight, through the mess that is the upgrades to the new Lounge at Brisbane and down to get my bag which arrived after not to long of a wait. Soon I was in my parent’s car heading home.

Aftermath

This was an amazingly good trip. I had the best time, caught up with some friends and family and enjoyed myself immensely. I worked this out that all up for flights and accom this trip set me back roughly $700 however I flew a total of 4598 butt in seat miles and managed to still pull some points out of this trip (with both Emirates and Virgin).

All in all, I deem this a success, I was relaxed for most of it, in my element with a nice big grin across my face. What more can you want from a short break, ready to get back to the grind tomorrow.


Aftermath by Kaell116, on Flickr