INTRODUCTION:
At the start of the year, me and a friend from school were planning on doing a trip at the end of the year after completing Year 12. We decided on going to New Zealand and after a bit of planning we decided on the flights, accommodation etc. So we booked it all, around 6 months before the trip.
We would fly Qantas from Brisbane to Sydney on Saturday 24 November on QF8. Stay in Sydney for 2 nights. Then fly on Emirates from Sydney to Auckland on EK412 on the 26th, my first flight on an A380! Stay in Auckland for 3 nights. Then fly with Air New Zealand from Auckland to Queenstown via Wellington on a Boeing 737-300 and then an ATR72-500 on the 29th. Stay in Queenstown for 3 nights. Do a scenic flight and cruise to Milford Sound on the 30th. Then fly Air New Zealand from Queenstown back to Auckland via Christchurch on an ATR72-500 and an Airbus A320 and then Emirates direct to Brisbane on a Boeing 777-300ER on the 2nd of December. We were really looking to the trip, it sure was going to be great!
DAY 1: NOVEMBER 24: BRISBANE TO SYDNEY, SYDNEY AIRPORT, SYDNEY HARBOUR
BRISBANE AIRPORT
I got to the airport at 6am very excited for the awesome trip ahead. I met Josh and we checked in for the flight down to Sydney. A few months prior to the trip we upgraded to Business Class seeing as we both had enough points. Josh chose to sit on the lower deck in Seat 8K while I chose to go on the upper deck in Seat 16K.
After checking in we went to the Qantas Club seeing as we had access being in business class
We grabbed some breakfast and watched the morning arrivals start. About 30 minutes before boarding was to commence we left the Qantas Club and went down to the departure gates to check out what was at the terminal.
Qantas Club
Morning flights at the International
My plane to Sydney – VH-OEG, doing well with the rego’s for QF8, OEI, OEJ and now OEG
November 24, 2012
Qantas
QF8
BNE-SYD
VH-OEG B744
Seat 16K
Boarding commenced on-time, made our way onto the aircraft, Josh going to the left and myself going upstairs
Took Seat 16K, it was a bit hard to take photos from the upper deck but I didn’t mind, I was happy being in Business on the top deck of a 747!
Good leg room!
The view!
OEJ on short finals for RWY01 inbound from LAX
Brisbane Airport
Breakfast was served once we reached our cruising altitude of 40000 feet. There was the option of continental or hot breakfast. I took the continental which was meant to be yoghurt and fruit, however the caterers gave the top deck two bowls of fruit for each tray, I didn’t mind though, it was still nice. During the one hour flight I watched an episode of Hamish and Andy’s Euro Gap Year, which is hilarious; before I knew it we had started our descent into Sydney.
Commencing our descent
