Alrighty now ~
I've arrived in Alice Springs (Drove a VW camper up from Adelaide - the first VW camper I've ever driven or been in that didn't have a Grateful Dead sticker or two on it!), checked into my motel, got the air conditioner cranked and have just popped an ice cold Cooper's Pale Ale. Now to properly address some of the comments and questions...
Steady EDI "
Really, Seat2A, keeping us all in suspenders like this... 
ss278 "
How could you!
I hope you guys found the the report to be worthy of the wait! Regular readers like EDI and 278 know that I normally like to present my reports in their entirety rather than incrementally. I got so far behind on this one that I thought I'd better get something out soon or the report wouldn't be out until a month after my first flights.
I think a big part of the problem for me was trying to report on BA's First Class
for the 10th time. The hardest part of writing this trip report was attempting to do so in a way that sounded fresh rather than redundant relative to my other 10 trip reports on the same subject. In this regard, I hope I've succeeded at least somewhat.
So really now, be truthful: At this point do any of you
really want me to write about the return trip via Singapore (777), London and Miami (747s)? I should imagine you're all a bit sick of reading about BA's First Class and looking at all those food photos by now... Besides, I'd hate to be suspended by the FlyerTalk braintrust for excessive reporting on BA FIRST...
ss278: "
I immediately went to my liquor cabinet, poured myself a glass of The McCallan 18yr, got a good cigar and sat down to enjoy"
upgrade lover: "
In anticipation of reading your report I walked the dog and again opened a nice bottle of Cabernet."
Can I come over and read trip reports with you guys sometime?
Flyingfox: "
You have taken some excellent pictures in some bad lighting conditions on the plane! Very difficult - well done! They usually don't turn up quite as well!"
I have a Canon SD850IS - nothing fancy but pretty nice for a small camera. Given the difficult lighting conditions onboard the aircraft, I usually take 6-8 photos per item using both Automatic and Manual settings along with an SCN setting that has a feature for indoor flourescent lighting. Amongst all those photos, I'm bound to get at least one halfway decent photo of any given item.
greggwiggins: "
Personally, I am very relieved that a full Seat 2A trip report isn't here yet. I still have work to do today"
C'mon now, Gregg ~ this one's only 10,977 words, a short story by my standards. Maybe I should publish the reports incrementally from now on... Shall we take a vote?
By the way, I downed a couple of Little Creatures Pale Ales in your honor last week. Now working on a case of Coopers Original Pale Ales. They go down well on these hot dry days in the Northern Territories.
Sorry about the brief disruption of the photos. I swear - I never once received notification from Fotki that money was due. Regardless, I've paid for two more years so we're good to go now.
Finally, thanks to all of you who've taken time to leave your kind comments. Speaking on behalf of all of us who take the time to write and put these trip reports together - it's alot of work that is certainly validated by the positive responses posted by such well travelled readers as yourselves.
And, for those of you who aren't "well traveled" yet, hopefully these reports might inspire you to become well traveled sooner rather than later.