Emirates CGK-DXB-MRU C class
 

http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery...-trip/P1020501

Having lurked on FT for some time now I have learnt the traditional greeting for this kind of post : this is my first time, please be gentle....

I had originally hoped to give you the whole kit kaboodle on this trip, ie a full trip report from the word ‘go’ to the word ... well, ‘stop’. However, on leaving the house with Mrs FPR at the beginning of the hols (come back Enid Blyton, all is forgiven) I suddenly found myself in a state of unaccustomed shyness at the thought of waving my camera around and taking pictures of things which basically only a tourist (and I use the word disparagingly) would. We all know that we on FT inhabit a loftier sphere than the mere tourists of this life, we are travellers – and on my drive to the tiny local airport which serves as my homebase I became obsessed with the notion that the snapshot mentality was touristy and definitely not traveller-like. So ingrained did this idea become that it took the whole outward journey, 8 days of doing nothing but relaxing in Bali (yoga, and massage mostly) and 4 mad days of rushing round Jogjakarta visiting things before I finally decided that FT was worth me looking like a dillon for a few hours.
So here fellow travellers is my journey home from Indonesia to the tiny island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean complete with photos of touristy things like airports and lounges and seats. Know, travellers, please that I suffered greatly to bring you this report but that your perusal will assuage the indignity of it all...

JOG-CGK-DXB
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So inspite of my inability to master anything even vaguely technical, I think I might have managed to embed a photo of the Hotel we stayed at in Jogjakarta... (Grand Mercure for those who know it). Wonderful service in this hotel by the way which almost makes up for the dreadful rugs in the rooms. The bar is fun too and the barmen are so insistent that it's impossible to refuse. Hic!

After two weeks of Indonesia it was time to make our way back home and so Friday afternoon found us on our way to the small but busy airport in Jogjakarta. A short Garuda hop later and we arrived at CGK airport in Jakarta. Big and busy! On the way out of the domestic baggage claim I had one of those experiences, travellers, that reconciles you to humanity. I stopped to ask a rather distinguished looking older Garuda agent where I should go for the International terminal and he took me by the hand and gave me very detailed directions finishing with the exhortation "Take no notice of the taxi drivers, just push the barrier aside and walk through" upon which he squeezed my hand and twinkled at me. I thanked him and we trotted off out into the mêlée, where sure enough we heard "Hey mister, you want taxi to Lufthansa?" or "You go international in my car?". But with that firm voice in my head (along with the others) I just brushed on by and slid beside the barrier, walking 50 yards between what looked like cardboard walls and came out ... yes travellers you guessed it .. in the International Terminal. Those unscrupulous taxi drivers would have taken my roupiah for a trip around the airport when all it took was a 2 minute stroll. Honestly! What rogues.

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Check in at CGK - Emirates desks in the distance, the luggage of the gaggle of young ladies who surrounded me in the foreground

Check-in went smoothly despite the efforts of the emirates lady to find a major complication with our booking. Our request to collect our bags in Dubai because we had a long stopover produced a creased forehead (doesn't she know she's going to regret that later in life?) but after playing the entire works of Chopin on her keyboard she eventually smiled "ok". Through security to the lounge.

A word or two about lounges in Indonesian airports: there are an awful lot of them. It seems (to the casual observer) that every bank credit card, or all insurance policies will get you into one lounge or another at the airport. Emirates has its name on two lounges which are side by side and about a three day walk from the security screening. We chose one of them and were smiled in by the nice dragonnette on the desk. Down a corridor equipped with seating and .... oh wait, that WAS the lounge. No, there's another bit just round this corner. And with food. Underwhelming to say the least.
Judge for yourselves fellow travellers.

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Perhaps I'm being a little harsh...
Anyway, all I wanted to do was eat snacks and drink stuff, but Mrs FPR, not normally known for her stamina, decided that a little shopping was in order. Obviously she disappeared some considerable length of time (not surprising given the jaunt back to the shops) and only reappeared as we were being called for boarding.
Off we rush, helter-skelter, only to discover that the boarding system at Jakarta airport isn't. A system that is. Everybody piles into a little satellite waiting room (all 400 of us or whatever) and then we are made to walk from that satellite to another satellite about 15 minutes away. Here we are put on buses and made to wait again for about 10 minutes. Finally after a sightseeing tour of the tarmac, airplane wheels and some steps are to be seen through the crush. Good heavens that welcome champagne is going to be so welcome.

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Here it comes. Is it me or am I already slightly drunk whilst taking this photo? Must be the anticipation...

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As you can see, old style business class, which was perfectly satisfactory on the outbound day time flight, but which really showed it's limitations on this nighttime flight. I really cannot sleep in the Z-position. And if the cabin symphony was anything to go by, it's hugely conducive to snoring as well.

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Wonderful service and excellent food and wine as usual on Emirates. The Chief purser steward lady came and introduced herself to us addressing us by name as usual. That is SUCH a nice touch!

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Watched "Twilight" after dinner...hmmm, shame I'm not a15 year-old girl, I might have enjoyed it more. Then tried to sleep before our hectic 24hrs in Dubai the next day. Breezed through Dubai customs with those incredibly handsome passport men. They always manage to crack a joke and generally charm the socks off one... well this one anyway. My wife gets terribly jealous...
Picked up suitcases in no time and off to the Emirates chauffeur counter to be whisked off to the Meridien. Sleep... ahh... bliss!

DXB – MRU – ZSE

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After 24 hours of gold and spices in Dubaï, we were rudely awakened by the reception with the information that our car was here to take us to the airport. Now I don’t know about you traveller, but I for one am not up to much at 3am. Especially not in the food and drink department. My body clock is on shutdown and digesting even my saliva is major gastric activity. However what with all the goodies on offer in the Emirates business lounge in DXB and of course the champagne awaiting on the plane, I did manage to make an exception just this once. After all, we were on holiday...

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Ah! Wonderful!

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At least Dubai airport has done the sensible thing and put these recliners in ...

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Nice Lounge

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Nice Lounge

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The comfy version of Emirates Business Class

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Legroom... yes I have got short legs.. but it was impolite of you to mention it, traveller!



This time we were fortunate enough to have the comfortable business class (my one gripe with Emirates... it’s all so hit and miss isn’t it?) and I sat back with my glass of champagne and watched “Slumdog Millionaire”. Excellent!

Arrival in MRU was on schedule and as we’d managed to get our bags checked through to St. Pierre we didn’t have to undergo that dreadful wait through passport control. Straight to the transit desk and after some more Chopin on the keyboard we were through into departures to wait for the Air Austral flight back home. It’s only a half an hour hop across the Indian Ocean from Mauritius to Reunion but Air Austral manage to give you some snacks and a fruit juice... Not bad at all.
And that's it for this first attempt. Next time I'll try to be a little less furtive when taking photos and a little more detailed with information like flight numbers and whatnot. I do have the menus if anyone is interested.
Next trip, travellers will be to the UK for a flying visit. Sleep well, and travel far...


Oh and by the way.... comments welcome.

Er... feedback would be appreciated, people... any feedback.

Interesting! Goes to show there actually are people out there who just don't do the usual JFK-LHR or LAX-HKG. :) I'm surprised EK still has old-school J out there! I would've been upset about that.

Awesome shot of the people in recliners in DXB. :)

How corrupt of those taxi drivers! Really BAD! :rolleyes:

- Pat

Well, that's Indonesia..What else can you say.. :rolleyes:

In any case, a quite good trip report. Would've liked a much more detailed pictures about the service. But overall it was a good one..

Sounds like a good if busy trip.
You mentioned that travelling on Emirates is a hit and miss affair when it comes to the old or new configurations. True, but the same for all airlines unfortunately. As airlines upgrade their premium cabins, there are always going to be the older ones in the fleet that have not been into the hanger yet.
Try and bag yourself a flight on Emirates new A380. The premium cabins are a cut above the rest. The 3 class configured aircraft have a bar on the upper deck dedicated to first and business. It is a large area with a bar to stand at and 2 couches. Try an internet search to view it. This feature halves any long haul flight time.

Really enjoyed reading the TR - you obviously have a great sense of humour and I smiled/laughed a number of times while reading it. Nice to see a slightly different style to, for example, my own TRs which tend to be a running commentary in excruciating detail throughout the journey - this one makes for a nice light reading.

I think you really just need to totally ignore anyone else while taking photos, because as soon as you make yourself conscious of "what will other people think of me?", the photo-taking becomes much more restrained and less fun. Put on your best thick skin and shoot away - that's what I do! :p

Fantastic TR! Loved the humour and detail, although the outbound sector would be nice :-P


Those recliners are so unbelievably uncomfortable. They seem like a great idea but its just impossible to get any sleep there. Its just so a poor position for one to get to sleep, except for the Hajj travellers who i have noticed can sleep pretty much anywhere.

Thanks for the report!

Nice report. Congrats on embedding the images!

I hate those recliners too. But, you had the right attitude and went and enjoyed yourself.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the feedback everybody. I have a load of interesting trips coming up so all these comments have, rather unfortunately for you, encouraged me to 'trip' out a few more reports.