777 is the way to go

I got back from Sydney yesterday. My flight over on an A320 was late, crowded and long (the only saving point being my nice view of the city and harbour on the way in - I can now say I've seen the bridge and opera house).

Yesterday's experience was a complete joy in comparison - the flight wasn't full; I had the window seat with no-one next to me; the on-demand entertainment system at my finger-tips; and the plane was twice as wide and very spacious feeling. I can highly recommend these new planes.

One comment I have to make though: Air NZ, your food sucks. The servings we got just included a small meat, a bit of coleslaw, and a tiny tub of icecream. Where's the carbs? I was starving by the time that flight took off! In contrast when I did the same flight on Qantas (also in Economy), we got a decent meat portion, potato, roll with butter, cooked vegetables, fruit and desert. There's really no comparison and it does put me off flying with our national carrier for overseas personal travel in the future.

Don't blink, but you'll still miss it

The coming weeks will see me do something I've never done before - travelling for work. Next week I'm off to Christchurch and Queenstown, but next month I will be going to Sydney for a one day training session. I've been in Sydney once before - on my way back from Cairns last year. We sat in the airport for a few hours and I saw the tower in Sydney from a distance.

I thought that I might get to see some of the city this time, but alas. I am flying in the night before, will be transferred to the hotel (which is by the airport), go to the training all of the following day (next to hotel), eat and sleep as my body will still be on NZ time and I have no transport, then fly out the next morning. So, no time for even a harbour bridge or opera house sighting. No airpoints either, as I've never flown on an expensive enough flight to earn them before and I don't want to pay the $50 joining fee now. Unless I can swing a business class flight, after which I can get free airpoints membership (the chances of this are, however, low). Anyway. This will be my first overseas trip by myself, as I'm the only NZ person represented at this thing. Hopefully it all goes smoothly.

Sailing off into the ...drizzle

We piled on down to Princes Wharf on Sunday night and hung over the railing next to White, in order to gawk at the Diamond Princess and she departed for her last NZ tour. I've never been on a cruise, and you can put up some pretty good arguments against it: tiny cabins, lurching seas, hidden costs everywhere, only a few hours in each port... but when you see such a grand vessel leaving the wharf in a flurry of waving, trumpet fanfare, and shouted goodbyes, you do think it could be kinda cool. If one had the money for a half-decent cabin, that is. Which one currently doesn't.

So, have you been on a cruise? What was it like? Would you recommend it?

Business Class Kitty Home For Christmas

A cat that ran away from its Wisconsin home in September was found in France recently, and was due to fly back home this week flying Continental Airlines business class.

It's believed the cat had wandered onto a sea container in Wisconsin destined for Belgium, before eventually being found in Nancy in France.

Source - Reuters.

Bear Essentials

In travel news:

* A German travel agent is offering something for the traveller that has everything - teddy bear holiday packages, away from their owners. The teddies spend an action-packed week sightseeing, playing games, and visiting a traditional teddy bears' picnic, followed by a visit to a Munich beer house. Activities can also include fishing, golf, painting and bungee jumping, from GBP68-100... what next?!

* Hikers in Switzerland are being told to sing to avoid being attacked by bears, and they are being given leaflets printed with popular songs. Bears have been extinct in Switzerland for over 100 years, but one was spotted recently, believed to have migrated from Italy. Hikers are being told to continue singing as they go, so the bear is not taken by surprise.

* From Ananova.com.

Where to sit in a 747...

Our trip to Aussie is a mere two weeks away, and it's time to re-confirm the flights and reserve seats. But where to sit? Our first plane is a 747-400, and is apparently fitted with individual TV screens (Qantas). Seating by the window is a given. Do we go for the seats by the door, so we get more leg room and are able to move about easily - but what happens to the TV screens when there are no seats in front of you? We could go for the seats at the back that only have two seats in each row, but end up being served last.

Any tips, loyal readers? We're also going to be flying in a 767 and a A320 during our trip.

Something Fishy

An Aussie woman was caught with 51 live tropical fish on her body as she arrived at Melbourne Airport on a flight from Singapore, after customs officials became suspicious of “flipping” noises coming from her skirt. The woman was wearing an apron of plastic water-filled bags containing the fish, under her clothes.

Wow. Imagine how long it would have taken for her to get that outfit ready. Did she really think no-one would notice the flipping?