Qantas Wins

Qantas is a great airline – the flight attendants are helpful and friendly, and actually chat with flyers and play with babies.  The telephone agent who confirmed our seats blocked off the middle seat, and not only were we in an exit row, we had the huge giant exit row opposite the flight attendants’ seats - we had move than enough legroom.  I could have laid down and slept in all that space!

Each seat had a pillow and blanket for sleeping – not just a little paper pillow, a real pillow with a cloth case.  Headsets were provided, as were eye masks, disposable toothbrush, a tiny toothpaste tube.  Each seat also had a private entertainment screen, with games, TV shows, movies, a map of the flight’s progress, and I don’t know what else (because I was reading my Kindle.)

Despite the fact that the flight left at 10:20 PM, we were served a midnight dinner – with a choice of entrées.  Lovely salad, okay chicken and sides, roll, variety of drinks, mini tiramisu dessert, and a delightful sliver of Valrona chocolate.   We ate, we relaxed, and as we snuggled in for the night flight we were given a bag with snacks and water, just in case we needed something during the night.

It was a fairly smooth flight and we both managed to sleep, and woke up fairly refreshed.  It was still dark, we managed to fly in the dark for close to ten hours. Somewhere in the night we crossed the International Date Line, as well as the Equator.  We went from Monday, October 29 to Wednesday, October 31.  Tuesday disappeared into the ether. But the sunrise was gorgeous and breakfast was served – fresh fruit, yoghurt, choice of eggs or cereal, and a muffin.  And cup after cup of tea or coffee. 

Then there it was – Australia!  Sydney!  Only a transit point, but still, here we were at our first stop on this side of the world, the eastern and southern hemisphere!  YAY!!!!

We slogged through the Sydney airport, went through another security screening, and then to the transit area.  A cup of coffee for Richard, tea for myself, and free wifi – we were set for our wait. 

Once again, we left on time, and we had the window and aisle seats with an empty seat between us.  It was a 2 hr 45 minute flight, with another breakfast, and more time to read or watch shows on the screen. 

We flew eastward, not quite retracing our steps since we headed further south – and then green green New Zealand – hills and fjords and rocky mountains covered in snow – New Zealand!  After something like 27 hours of traveling, we reach our final destination, Wellington.  Even bigger YAAAAAY!!!!!