Great read and thanks for sharing! I've done the SYD-PER-SYD flight a couple times before (when the 743's were in service) and it's a decent flight
Awesome you got to visit the office on returning to Sydney. Is hanging around after everyone's off the plane the general way of getting a look in the cockpit? Do you ask beforehand? I'd love to give it a go some day!
Cheers,
Dan