ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Breaking Through the Five Million Mile Threshold in Style
Jan 28, 2017, 12:19 pm
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
It's always an honor when an old trip report is deemed worthy of resurrection. This was a long one, but then the subject was well worth the time and effort to photograph and write about. Thank you all for your continued readership!
Amazing!!! What a feat. Thank you for sharing
You're welcome, SKYEG. And thank you! It's hard to take a trip of this nature and not stay a couple of weeks (essentially just burn miles) but that said, I had a great time and wish I could do something like this at least once a year.
You're welcome, SKYEG. And thank you! It's hard to take a trip of this nature and not stay a couple of weeks (essentially just burn miles) but that said, I had a great time and wish I could do something like this at least once a year.
Originally Posted by theox
What an amazing collection of Trip Reports - well written, thoughtful, and it's nice to see when someone appreciates the delights of premium flying whilst still being humble and modest. Really enjoyable read whilst sat here on my travels - and congrats on the 5MM!! I'm still hunting down my 1MM!! But for my 20s thats not bad going right
Thanks, [btheox[/b]. I spent many years and many miles traveling in less than ideal circumstances including cross country hitchhiking, buses and lots of coach airline travel. I was thrilled with all of it. The great affair is to move! Staying in a hotel room was a rare and cherished treat. I spent many a night camped out on the edge of town. I wasn't homeless - I was just traveling through. First Class travel was and still is an exciting proposition for me. I am truly fortunate that I've been able to enjoy as much of it as I have over the years.
Thanks, [btheox[/b]. I spent many years and many miles traveling in less than ideal circumstances including cross country hitchhiking, buses and lots of coach airline travel. I was thrilled with all of it. The great affair is to move! Staying in a hotel room was a rare and cherished treat. I spent many a night camped out on the edge of town. I wasn't homeless - I was just traveling through. First Class travel was and still is an exciting proposition for me. I am truly fortunate that I've been able to enjoy as much of it as I have over the years.
Originally Posted by iaflyer
I don't know how I missed this installment of "Travels with Seat 2A" but I loved it, like the others. It's the mix of words and photos that brings the trip alive.
Thank you, iaflyer. Written reports are not all that common here at the Trip Report forum and many of the photo reports - particularly those covering airline flights - provide way more photos than I'm interested in looking at, particularly photos of things like the crowd at check-in or the hot towel service. As such, I'm not a regular here anymore myself, though I do check-in to keep an eye out for certain reporters now and then. Even so, I suspect a few good trip reports fall between the cracks for me.
I know this is "Flyer"talk but some pictures and commentary of your stop in Brisbane would of been appreciated.
This is something I do intentionally. Years of flipping through magazines and websites while reading various travelogues revealed lots of information about the author's destination, their hotel, what they did, what they ate but very little about how they traveled. As a guy who was always smitten with planes and trains, particularly traveling aboard them in First Class, I was thrilled when I discovered FlyerTalk where back in 2001 The Trip Report forum was loaded with lots of well written reports (namely by tfung) that focused solely on the flight and the service. Right up my alley! I resolved to contribute as best I could, writing my first trip report in December of 2001.
From my perspective, travelogues are a dime a dozen. A quick Google search will reveal that oodles of people have already written about the wonders of Brisbane, Prague, Buenos Aires, wherever. I keep my reports focused on "getting there" rather than "being there" because I truly enjoy writing about the experience of actually "getting there" - especially in style . I know I could write a good and entertaining travelogue because I have - many times back in the 80s. I still do to some extent through emails for friends and family. But here at FlyerTalk, I find it's a great place to write about my passion - getting there in style - something that few people outside of FT have much interest in reading.
Thank you, iaflyer. Written reports are not all that common here at the Trip Report forum and many of the photo reports - particularly those covering airline flights - provide way more photos than I'm interested in looking at, particularly photos of things like the crowd at check-in or the hot towel service. As such, I'm not a regular here anymore myself, though I do check-in to keep an eye out for certain reporters now and then. Even so, I suspect a few good trip reports fall between the cracks for me.
I know this is "Flyer"talk but some pictures and commentary of your stop in Brisbane would of been appreciated.
This is something I do intentionally. Years of flipping through magazines and websites while reading various travelogues revealed lots of information about the author's destination, their hotel, what they did, what they ate but very little about how they traveled. As a guy who was always smitten with planes and trains, particularly traveling aboard them in First Class, I was thrilled when I discovered FlyerTalk where back in 2001 The Trip Report forum was loaded with lots of well written reports (namely by tfung) that focused solely on the flight and the service. Right up my alley! I resolved to contribute as best I could, writing my first trip report in December of 2001.
From my perspective, travelogues are a dime a dozen. A quick Google search will reveal that oodles of people have already written about the wonders of Brisbane, Prague, Buenos Aires, wherever. I keep my reports focused on "getting there" rather than "being there" because I truly enjoy writing about the experience of actually "getting there" - especially in style . I know I could write a good and entertaining travelogue because I have - many times back in the 80s. I still do to some extent through emails for friends and family. But here at FlyerTalk, I find it's a great place to write about my passion - getting there in style - something that few people outside of FT have much interest in reading.
Originally Posted by airoli
I am building up anticipation for my own next jaunt around the globe. This read (and yes, quite a read it was) did a fantastic job at getting me giddy with excitement. Not to mention make me feel somewhat less crazy about my own passions...
airoli! Good to hear from you again! We both share a true passion for the good like aloft and I have always loved your trip reports. If mine in any way contribute to getting you fired up for another epic world jaunt, I'll take that as a great compliment. Thank you and here's wishing you a great trip! ^
airoli! Good to hear from you again! We both share a true passion for the good like aloft and I have always loved your trip reports. If mine in any way contribute to getting you fired up for another epic world jaunt, I'll take that as a great compliment. Thank you and here's wishing you a great trip! ^
Originally Posted by pshuang
Just photos (or mostly photos) would not have been nearly so eloquent.
Thank you so much, pshuang! For me at least, words in combination with photos are the best medium for conveying the joy of my travels.
Thank you so much, pshuang! For me at least, words in combination with photos are the best medium for conveying the joy of my travels.
Jan 30, 2017, 1:14 am
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,629
Thank you for this lovely TR - I only discovered it this week thanks to the recent comments. I read the entire TR from Fairbanks to SFO, and only wondered about the final leg from SFO to Fairbanks. But I loved seeing the exterior and interior pictures of your lovely home.
I hope that you've been able to return to the EK F lounge in Dubai - you'd mentioned an interest of spending a day there for the lounge and a movie; in this TR you only had a couple hours. Thank you again for a very enjoyable read. I also enjoyed the food pictures :-)
Oh yes, does the EK shower include big towels? I noticed the small cloths. Is there a hamper for the used towels in the spa section?
Michael
I hope that you've been able to return to the EK F lounge in Dubai - you'd mentioned an interest of spending a day there for the lounge and a movie; in this TR you only had a couple hours. Thank you again for a very enjoyable read. I also enjoyed the food pictures :-)
Oh yes, does the EK shower include big towels? I noticed the small cloths. Is there a hamper for the used towels in the spa section?
Michael
Jan 31, 2017, 1:52 pm
#109
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Digital Nomad
Programs: AA2MM LIFETIME PLT, Turkish Miles&Smiles Elite, Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,024
Congrats on the achievement. I'm still a big fan of both CX and EK First Class.
I've never done a second caviar course on the SFO-DXB-SFO flight. But I have done the caviar with scrambled eggs in the morning on CX. Delicious.
Keep on flying and posting!
I've never done a second caviar course on the SFO-DXB-SFO flight. But I have done the caviar with scrambled eggs in the morning on CX. Delicious.
Keep on flying and posting!
Feb 9, 2017, 1:53 pm
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Thank you one and all for your continued readership and additional comments. Over the past week we have had very poor internet reception out where I live in Alaska. Now that I am speeding south of Tacoma, Washington on a train, the reception is vastly improved.
I read the entire TR from Fairbanks to SFO, and only wondered about the final leg from SFO to Fairbanks.
The final leg from SFO to SEA to FAI seemed fairly anticlimactic having come on the heels of my 5 millionth mile aboard the Emirates flight from Dubai. After all that luxury, I didn't think there'd be much interest for lowly U.S. First Class service.
I hope that you've been able to return to the EK F lounge in Dubai - you'd mentioned an interest of spending a day there for the lounge and a movie;
I'd love to return but shortly after my return the redemption rate via Alaska's Mileage Plan for one way First Class on Emirates changed from 100000 to 180000 miles. Unfortunately, that's a bit too rich for my account.
Oh yes, does the EK shower include big towels? I noticed the small cloths. Is there a hamper for the used towels in the spa section?
The spa included very nice towels, and I don't recall if there was a hamper or not. However, as there were two dedicated spa attendants throughout the flight, I'm sure any towels lying about were quickly cleaned up.
The final leg from SFO to SEA to FAI seemed fairly anticlimactic having come on the heels of my 5 millionth mile aboard the Emirates flight from Dubai. After all that luxury, I didn't think there'd be much interest for lowly U.S. First Class service.
I hope that you've been able to return to the EK F lounge in Dubai - you'd mentioned an interest of spending a day there for the lounge and a movie;
I'd love to return but shortly after my return the redemption rate via Alaska's Mileage Plan for one way First Class on Emirates changed from 100000 to 180000 miles. Unfortunately, that's a bit too rich for my account.
Oh yes, does the EK shower include big towels? I noticed the small cloths. Is there a hamper for the used towels in the spa section?
The spa included very nice towels, and I don't recall if there was a hamper or not. However, as there were two dedicated spa attendants throughout the flight, I'm sure any towels lying about were quickly cleaned up.
Originally Posted by olafman
I've never done a second caviar course on the SFO-DXB-SFO flight. But I have done the caviar with scrambled eggs in the morning on CX. Delicious.
I'll be sure to try that sometime. It sounds like quite the decadent start to the day. ^
I'll be sure to try that sometime. It sounds like quite the decadent start to the day. ^
Originally Posted by 757
Amazing report and photos. Emirates and Cathay Pacific's First Class services both look incredible - Thank you for sharing this with us!
Thank you for reading it all, Matthew. ^ I hope you get a chance to write your own trip report on CX/EK First Class someday!
Thank you for reading it all, Matthew. ^ I hope you get a chance to write your own trip report on CX/EK First Class someday!