Our second stay in San Francisco was mostly about making sure we didn’t miss our flight out, so we were only staying for a day. After breakfast we checked out, grabbed a rental and headed to the Muir Woods to explore.



Neither of us had been and it was a lovely place to spend the morning. It was a little chilly and super misty which reminded me of New Zealand.



We spent a few hours walking the trails…



… and Mrs Hut was lucky, I think, that this branch fell and grazed her arm on the way past. Neither of us wanted a close encounter with the American medical system!



We headed back to the car around lunch and as we left the carpark a torrential downpour confirmed we’d timed our visit perfectly.



We drove along the coast for a bit, finding a small town for lunch and then heading off to a mall to do a bit of shopping before heading to the airport.



After dumping the rental car, we made our way to the Qantas check in area, where there were no queues.



After a surprisingly pleasant security experience we found ourselves in a long corridor as we sought out the Cathay Pacific lounge.

Cathay Pacific Lounge



Eventually, we got there and were welcomed in.



As far as airport waiting locations go, it was very nice.



After a day out and about we made use of the showers…



… and enjoyed the products of the Noodle Bar.



Although the lounge doesn’t have the best view, we were still able to see our ride for the evening arrive.

Qantas QF50
Boeing 787-9 (VH-ZNG)
San Francisco (SFO) -> Melbourne (MEL)
Depart 21:14, Arrive 07:01, Flight Time: 14:47



Boarding was a little late, however we were soon aboard and were pointed to our seats.



We picked a middle pair and while it was our first time on a Qantas Dreamliner, the seats and service were the usual Qantas. At our seats was a menu for breakfast, along with a range of pillows, mattress pads and blankets.



On the ground the crew distributed pyjamas, amenity kits and drinks.



After a surprisingly short taxi we were heading home.



For the evening departure Qantas offered two options – the rapid option where you get a single plate so you can sleep quickly – along with the full menu if you are prepared to wait. My biggest complaint about flying Qantas at the pointy end is their exceedingly long meal service. First world problems I know…



Anyhow, once it was time to eat, I had the pulled pork ciabatta which was pretty average.



Mrs Hut went with the Salmon which was much better.



After the main plate there came desert and cheese.



In an attempt to adjust to the new time zone, I finished with coffee and watched a few movies.



As we were passing Hawaii, it was time for sleep and the crew were nice enough to fit the mattress pad as I changed into something more comfortable for sleeping.



I woke up after a solid 6 hours and I figured it would be best to keep awake…



Breakfast was served around 90 minutes from landing and while it wasn’t quite the size of the one on Cathay, there was a lot of food there! Soon enough the crew were clearing up the cabin and we found ourselves approaching Melbourne.

Qantas Business Lounge



After landing, things were quick at the border, however there was the usual long Melbourne wait for the bags. Once we had walked them through the border and returned them to Qantas, our first priority was a shower, so we headed straight for the lounge…



Followed by more coffee!



Qantas has invested in quite the renovation for the Business Lounge, which now has more space and a lot more room along the windows. Unfortunately, this has come at the expense of the Qantas club which is now a very nice but windowless box.



There were a range of appetising looking breakfast options but with second breakfast expected on the next flight – we stuck to coffee.

Qantas QF485
Airbus A330-200 (VH-EBF)
Melbourne (MEL) -> Perth (PER)
Depart 09:17, Arrive 10:18, Flight Time: 04:01



After a long flight across the Pacific we were looking forward to getting home. Qantas may not have the best international product – but they are one of the best domestically, so it’s a pretty good place to spend the last few hours of a long journey.



After take off there was a meal, I’ll call it second breakfast and given the amount of coffee consumed it was time to switch to tea.



The main plate wasn’t quite as good as first breakfast and I was pleased it was a bit more reasonably sized! We played a couple of games of scrabble as we made our way across the Bight and soon enough, we were back in Perth

Mrs Hut’s mum was kind enough to offer us a ride home and even after an amazing and memorable adventure – it’s always nice to be home.