Day 1 - Sun 31 May: Hippo Farm to Hervey Bay to Sydney to Dubai

After getting up very early due to the new timetable, we did all our chores in order to secure the house and our luggage.  It was then into the shower to freshen up and get ready to go to the airport.  Our friend John kindly drove us to the airport and dropped us off with plenty of time to spare.

As we were checking in, the QANTAS man informs us that because the flight to Brisbane is a smaller prop plane our bikes "might not fit on".  “Yes” we said, “that is why we booked the original one.  After much to’ing and fro’ing, he eventually told us that the bikes would get to Sydney, they might just not be on the same flight as us. Oh well, maybe we could do a walking tour of Germany? If that was not enough, the QANTAS baggage ticket printer at the check-in was outdated and they could only print a three-leg trip, not a four (which our re-routed trip was).  So, a hand-written tag had to be produced for each bike box (x4) and each bag (x4). We can only hope that someone sees it and doesn't offload our stuff in Dubai. (As it turned out, someone somewhere in the baggage chain noticed and re-printed the correct electronically generated tags).

After a short delay due to the cancelled flight (had to wait for others who had been informed of their flight re-adjustments), we eventually got underway from Hervey Bay for Brisbane. Upon arrival in Brisbane, we made for the QANTAS Club and after sipping on a glass (or 2) of wine, we were all more relaxed.  Upon arrival in Sydney we cleared Customs and Immigration and once in the International QANTAS lounger Greg finally relaxed and allowed himself to consume a very nice Penfolds Shiraz Bin 28.  Wendy, by this stage was sipping on a relaxing GT. 

It was a very full flight from Sydney to Dubai, but comfortable, on time and uneventful; just the way we like it. A few leg-stretching walks from one end to the other of the massive Airbus 380 (A380), a couple of meals, a snack or two, some music and movies, and the flight was over. It was nice to get off in Dubai; we headed straight for the Emirates Lounge to consume some real coffee, really stretch the legs, have a shower and freshen up, ready for the next leg.


Wendy's luggage before being packed up

Luggae is packed

Ready to be checked-in

At Hervey Bay aiport waiting to check in

International QANTAS Club Sydney

On the plane to Dubai








Brisbane to Sydney

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 38 - Tue 7 Jul: Mainz to Frankfurt

Image
Estimated km: 40; Actual km: 45; Total km: 1574; Ride time: 3h04m; Av speed: 14.7 kph   21-33deg, fine and pleasant.   Our last day on the bikes for this tour, where has the time gone?   As Maccas was across the street from the hotel, some (who shall remain nameless) had to wait until they opened to have brekky.   Maccas opens very late (8am) here compared to Oz. They actually serve a nice bacon and eggs breakfast in Germany so it's not too bad for you. Greg had brekkie in the room.   We rode away at 9am and headed back to the city centre of Mainz for a look around.   As it was a short-ride day there was no hurry to make tracks. Market Square, the main square in Mainz, by this time was bustling with fresh food stalls, shoppers and cyclists.   What a lovely way to buy your weekly food supplies.   Market Square is right next to the Mainz Cathedral, yet another massive old church from the 11th century.   About this time in history the Bi...
Read more

Day 12 - Thu 11 Jun 15: Nuremberg

Image
25km (Greg only), 14-26 deg C, cloudy but fine   Poor old Nuremberg was punished for being Hitler's favourite city and the centre for his Nazi regime. The allies bombed it mercilessly leading up the end of WWII. However, the Germans are a resilient bunch so over the decades since then they have re-built this place to somewhere near its former glory.   The city centre has a lovely mix of old and new and the Old Town walls from the 15th century are just about fully intact.   After a wholesome brekkie we caught the tram (#9) out to the partly completed Nazi Rally Centre, now called The Documentation Centre which chronicles all things Nazi.   And they don't pull any punches but say it exactly like it was, warts and all. This place is massive, the parade ground was designed for 100,000 troops and the Congress Hall for 50,000 people.   The commencement of the War brought the whole project to a halt.   The Congress Hall (not finished as designed) now houses Th...
Read more

Day 13 - Fri 12 Jun 15: Nuremburg to Rothenburg ob de Tauber

Image
Estimated km: 77; Actual km: 88; Total km: 550; Ride time: 5h22m; Start time: 8am; End time: 3:05pm; Av speed: 16.3 kph   16-34 deg C, (still pleasant though) fine and sunny.   We awoke to bright sunshine streaming into our motel window; a cycle tourer's dream.  After another lovely Holiday Inn brekkie we headed out into an already warm day. It took 13km to clear the city traffic and noise, and what a relief that was!   If there's any such thing as a perfect touring day this goes close. Apart from a dodgy downhill gravel section (which was a mistaken shortcut) it was smooth cycle paths or back roads all day.  There were a few "lumps" in the journey which got the heart going and blood flowing, but in the main the hills were kind and gentle. The ride was predominantly through farming country, mostly grain, sugar beet and canola, with some nice sections of forests and quaint villages. Our morning tea stop at Dietenhofen appeared precisely on time and had a gr...
Read more