Fit the Tenth
QF 923, CNS-SYD, J, 1C
QF 189 SYD-AKL, J, 1A

The parrots start squawking at about 6.00am, so I give up the unequal struggle for another half hours sleep and go and throw myself under the shower, which was very welcome. I then proceeded to finish the re-packing of my bags, go and have a nice breakfast in the Clubroom and then with a final fag and photography session on the balcony, I bid farewell to the CNS Hilton.

Within 20 minutes, I’m in the QP at CNS airport, it’s small and its dark but it has a supply of apple juice and, bless, wireless internet. Sadly, the wireless doesn’t let me get to Flickr to upload photos, but it does let me upload about a weeks worth of this as well as checking my various accounts for email, frequent flyer/stayer stuff, etc.

They call boarding bang on time at 9:50, but with no preferential boarding, just a free-for-all onto the 737-800, luckily I get on quite early before all the bin space is pinched and stow my two carry-ons. The business class cabin on a QF 73H has a 2-2 seating of the Millenium seats, which is a very nice advantage and I am the only person in the 3 rows of Business Class to have no seat opponent. We have a pre-flight “Tropical Juice” or Water from the very chatty and pleasant CSD.

We take off about 5 minutes late due to a tour group of Septics who were taking a very long time to board, but I am swiftly enjoying a Virgin Mary whilst staring at the Great Barrier Reef out of the window. The CSD takes charge of most of the cabin service unless there is trolley wielding involved – in which case she lets her assistant do it for his brawn. The movie was King Arthur, which I watched parts of quite avidly[0], but I didn’t bother with the soundtrack which I think should have been done by Brith Gof.

This flight does lunch and the menu today is:

Braised Lamb with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
OR
Poached Chicken Salad

Whilst I should really have had the Chicken Salad, I don’t usually like Poached Chicken, so I decided to pass on it and have the lamb. The lamb came with a small side salad of leaves, hard boiled egg, croutons and asparagus. I accompianed it with a glass of Shiraz, which was lighter than the previous one on offer. The lamb was a little over-braised, but the veg was in good nick. Refills are offered of wine, plates cleared efficently and then we are offered ice-cream. I chose the Mango which really was rather delectable.

Anyway, about half an hour out, we had another water or drinks service and swoop into SYD (cracking views) about 20 minutes early. Of course, the luck of the Bowen’s means that I have to walk the entire length of the terminal to get to the international transfer bus. I could whinge about that system, but then people would just mention the laughable airside arrangements at Thiefrow, so I won’t. After going through security and immigration, I quickly buy some duty-free fags and proceed directly to the international QP.

I’m slightly underwhelmed, yes it is spacious, but also quite full. Yes, there is food and drink, but not gushing amounts. I have a couple of small ham sarnies on foccacia and a couple of cubes of feta cubes. They have bikkies, so why not have some nice Australian cheese. The beer machine is nice though, although the only drinkable choice is Cascades Light.

With about 10 minutes to go before boarding, I slope off to the smoking lounge. I have another flight to get through today and then straight to Gate 20 for boarding.

Boarding is called with premium passengers asked to board first, which I always like and I lodged the bags in the overhead and sat down to watch the procession of passengers to the rear of the aircraft. This QF 767-300 had business class in a 1-2-2 layout with the A seats being both window and aisle, which suited me down to the ground. Seating was, I think, the Dreamtime seat, which proved very comfortable, if a little overkill for such a short hop.

As soon as most of the rush was gone, the FA’s were around offering champagne, the dreaded tropical juice or water. I decided to have the champagne, we had to wait for a few stragglers who just couldn’t force themselves out of the QP, but pushed back about 5 minutes early. Menus were also handed out for the flight.

After the bongs, I sorted out my seat for comfort (and found it easier to adjust than the Skybed) and waited the drinkies, I wasn’t going to drink on this flight, but they were offering the delicious Cab Sauv they had on my SIN-SYD, so I succumbed. I can be so weak at times.

The menu was

Entrée
Nicoise Salad

Main Course

Stir Fired Beef with Pepper Sauce, Steamed Rice and Asian Greens
OR
Spinach and Ricotta Canneloni with Tomato and Pancetta Sauce
OR
Salad of Smoked Chicken with Mint and Yoghurt Dressing

Seasonal Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

Dessert
Cheese Selection, Dried Fruit and Water Crackers
OR
Ice Cream with Almond Biscuits

The Entrée was very nice, but a Salad Nicoise it was not. Pasta had been substituted for the potato and there wasn’t enough parmesan and pesto goodness.

I took the Stir-fried Beef which was very good and then the Cheese which was excellent. The Seasonal Salad was naff.

Coffee/Tea and Liqueurs were offerred, I managed to resist the Liqueurs, but I did have some of the tolerable for airline coffee that QF manage.

The film was The Bourne Supremacy, I’ve seen it, but it has Matt Damon in it, so I watched it again. I can be easily pleased at times.

After this short flight, we landed at AKL, a bit of a trek to immigration, where I got a bit of a grilling about where I was going, where I was staying, did I have enough money. By the time I got through this is was time to collect the bag off the trolley, pass through customs and biosecurity and then off in a taxi to AKL.

[0] For historical inaccuracies, of course. Y’all thought it was Clive Owen.