Day 1 – Get us to Europe

How much is too much?

Packing was ‘finished’ not long before we left. We both had to make cuts. Holly removed a few items she’d planned to bring, and I took out some lighter outfits. We ended up using the fact my day pack and main bag could attach to bring an extra backpack. The intention is to abandon this bag once more space becomes available in our bags from giving gifts, using consumables, etc. we are both skeptic al this will happen but it is nice to dream right? We didn’t have any room left for the plethora of snacks we were planning to bring and had to settle on just some Bluey items for the kids and Caramelo Koalas and Tim Tams for the adults.

Getting to the Airport

We flew out of Melbourne International, but were dropped off nowhere near it. Our car ride up wasn’t the the best start, finding our way to the parking complex in the Terminal 4. From there we said our goodbyes and began the long walk up the hill to Terminal 2. This wasn’t ideal with heavy bags and a full travel day ahead, but it is impossible to actually complain when someone has given you a ride to Melbourne.

Check In at Melbourne Airport

We went to the pre-check-in line, expecting it to be quicker, but it moved at about the same pace as the standard queue. It may be a little bit of bias but it felt like the regular check in may have even been quicker. Both lines only had one person and we still needed to pull stuff up on our phone. Security was normal. No major issues, just the usual sorting of electronics and walking through scanners. And as per usual, I got picked for something. One of the scanners showed two hotspots and I needed to consent to a pat down. I also had my bag flagged as a concern. However this was dismissed as an error. I have a really strong track record of being pick for bomb swabs and random tests so it will be interesting to see if that continues.

The Qantas Business Lounge

We went into the Qantas Business Lounge before boarding. It was fine. Better than sitting at the gate, but not overly impressive. We had received two passes through our AMEX card and were excited to see the quality of the experience. Food and drinks were all free, including alcohol and coffees. I went with a tuna sandwich, which was a bad choice. Most people were making toasties, and I should’ve done the same. Holly had a cheese sandwich loaded with vegetarian fillings.

There was a basic lolly selection and some small baked goods. I ate too many jelly beans and felt a bit sick. This was sad because they weren’t even good. I also had two soft drinks after not touching one in six years. They tasted great at the time but probably added to the sugar overload. This was a pretty big moment for me and it will be interesting to see if I continue to punish them throughout this trip. Finally, there was lots of places to charge items which was much better than trying to scramble for a PowerPoint at the gate.

Flight to Singapore

We boarded the Qantas flight to Singapore and went straight into the our iPad entertainment. I had hoped for some games but there was only a selection of movies and TV shows. If you’re flying Qantas internationally, I’d recommend bringing your own headphones with a 3.5mm jack. The ones provided are uncomfortable and the sound isn’t great as you can hear absolutely everything going on around you. For reference, they are over ear headphones and not in ear buds.

Drink service came through early. I had a Jack Daniels and Holly had a vodka soda. They were both poured generously to the point of pain. Way too strong and leaving minimal room for mixers. We topped our glasses to the brim to cut it down and….. we hit turbulence. All we could was choke down little bits, avoid spilling, top it up to cut it more, avoid spilling and repeat.

I watched The Fall Guy, which I ended up enjoying more than expected. Not a standout, but it passed the time well. I also watched Sweetpea which was a really enjoyable limited series. Would recommend giving it a go.

Qantas Food

Holly got her meal early in the flight. It was a pumpkin ravioli with a bread roll, which she rated 6/10. Before starting her meal she went to the bathroom. On her return I stood up to let her through when she returned and I dropped my phone in the process. It cracked the screen protector, but the phone itself was fine. Meal time as off to a good start.

When my meal came, I was left with the only remaining option, a vegetable biryani. I found it too spicy, but the flavour was decent. Holly tried some and gave it a 7/10, preferring it to her own meal. Thus marked the end of a bad 40 minutes for me. Cracked screen cover and no food.

Later on, I had a triple choc cookie. It was dry and crumbly but I was happy with the snack.

Later in the trip we received little snacks and ice cream which was delicious.

As someone who pees a lot I watched the bathroom carefully for optimal times. I began to notice that every time food or drinks were served, there was a major spike in bathroom queues. I had to time my own trips carefully to avoid waiting.

These pictures are of our food. They are not good pictures but will truthfully show you the sort of food we had.

Singapore Quick Stopover

In Singapore, we had a short layover. The airport had a few 24-hour food options between Gates D and C. For anyone who hasn’t been to Singapore airport, it is a true stopover airport. What I mean is that there is so much going on and an absolute truckload of shopping options.

Before going into our gate we went to the bathroom and grabbed some water. We had to pass through another security screening before entering the departure gate lounge, which meant removing jackets and jumpers. You’re allowed to bring an empty water bottle through, but you can’t carry liquids in. This sucked as we had just purchased water so we just needed to choke it down.

There were no toilets in the lounge area after screening, but there were plenty of charging points and a tap to fill bottles. Worth knowing if you’re planning to wait there for an extended period of time.

Flight to London

The goal for this flight was to get any amount of sleep. By this point it was midnight at home and we were both getting very tired. Unfortunately for me I have never been able to sleep on planes. I was determined that I would successfully sleep and be ready for a full day of activity in London.

The second flight went much better than I expected. I managed to sleep for six hours, which is a personal best. Using a little bit of prescription help was very likely the difference. I woke up feeling fairly good and ready to start the day.

We had another late night meal. Mine was a beef and rice dish that I absolutely cannot remember the name of. Truthfully I was barely away as I shovelled the food in.

Overnight food included some dumplings before sleep and a spinach and ricotta sausage roll that was surprisingly good for an early morning snack. Holly and our neighbour collected a few Tim Tams for me while I was asleep and handed them over when I woke up. They will be enjoyed at some other point during the trip because chocolate for breakfast would be gross.

Breakfast was a fairly standard eggs, bacon, baked beans, tomato, and potato gem operation. It was basic but was just what we needed.

Touchdown at London

We landed around 6am. Baggage was quick, which was a surprise compared to how long it usually takes in Melbourne. We were through immigration quickly, and the entire arrival process was smooth and efficient.

I picked up a 3 SIM card at a stall next to Baggage Carousel 6. It took about three minutes to set up and was already useful by the time our bags came out.

I also claimed a personal winof baggage carousel roulette. My bag was the first one out. Current score: 1–0.

Reality Check Summary

• Food in the Qantas Business lounge is not very good. Buying a pass would be a waste unless you plan to get blackout drunk.
• Decent headphones with a 3.5mm jack would be a huge improvement in quality and comfort for the flight.
• Try to schedule wees for times away from food or drinks.
• You need a little more time to get to your gate in Singapore due to the extra screening.
• Holy crap we are in London.

Blog notes

All posts here are multiple days behind our actual travel because I truly wish to enjoy the trip and not spend heaps of time on my phone.

This will mean posts may come out multiple in a day or none for a few days.