The lovely Mark and Stephen hosted my last three days in Melbourne and we had a lovely farewell dinner at their home with my dearest friend Kate. Also managed to squeeze in a final breakfast with the Melbourne Brekky Boys.
It was time to bid all farewell and I took the hire car (a mighty white Holden Caprice - I did a couple of weddings and airport transfers in the last few days - I am unemployed after all). back to Tullamarine, one of the world's airports.
The lovely people from Qantas First Host rang me the day before to confirm my arrival (to have red carpet and champagne at the ready and to avert any media attention), the number of bags and my seat number). Bless them and all that fly in them. Was also able to drop the bags off and then return the hire car...lovely service. Did all of that to return and be told by "Chanelle" that there was a problem with the bags....were they not of high enough quality? No, their system showed that although I was well within the QF limits, as I was transferring to a Finnair flight (more on that later of course) they only allowed two bags. Hooray for technology and the trusty interweb as I was able to show the team that three bags was just fine and meant I did not have to pay $200! Phew!
Dear Kate came and saw me off and we shared a champagne at one of the pre-departure bars. Then it was time to proceed airside through the colour and light that is Duty Free and then to the Qantas First Lounge. The frosted doors opened for my arrival and the two ladies at the desk rose (truly they did) to greet me. They kindly told me that I had missed my spa treatment by they moved it to a later timeslot - can't board the jet with clogged pores, that just won't do. Had time for a champagne before the facial and then it was boarding time (after another champagne of course). I am nothing if not predictable.
It was then off to the luxury A380 and QF 9 to take my rightful position in First Class in seat 2A. Not 1A I hear you cry, do they know who you are? Did it feel like you were sitting in economy as you were so far from the front? The trials I have to endure I tell you. I could have had 1K but on a whim thought I would try something new...let my hair down and go wild.
Lovely greeting from the crew and of course enjoyed a couple of glasses of champagne - lovely Tattinger.
As they say in the classics, it was now time to "sit back, relax and enjoy the Qantas service". Had time for a light dinner and a movie about Sarah Palin and a documentary on a koala hospital, washed down with a Henschke shiraz.
Had a nice wander around the big jet to see what everyone else was doing and to show off in my First Class pyjamas...I am a tool! All to soon this part of the jet ride was over but after landing I was able to head on into the cockpit and see the staff rest area (all above board even if it was below deck!) - gotta love a private tour.
It was time for a little more lounging and then a new adventure on a new airline, the mystical Finnair on an Airbus A340. Never having flown them it means a whole raft of more photos and of course another model plane to collect! My expectations were not that high as I had heard mixed reports. In for a penny as they say!
This was to be my seat for the next 12 hours in this ex-Air France jet. Was looking a little old and not the most modern of products. I was the only person in this mini-cabin and meant I had my own personal emergency demo from Sven (no idea what his name was but he knew how to pull a toggle on a life jacket!!). I was also looked after by the purser which was lovely.
Had another champagne tipple before take-off in some of the coolest glassware I have seen. Three of them were "gifted" to me - how kind. I am loving mid-century Scandinavian design at the moment. The paper back, which could be mistaken for a sick bag, was in fact the amenity kit - very poor but kind to trees....
Was then time to sample some fine Finnish cuisine. With expectations of reindeer and lashings of herring I was sorely disappointed with what can only be described as looking like a meal from economy! I know they get a lot of snow, but can a meal tray really be this white? I did see the trays they had behind the curtain and they were very meagre, cost cutting on the big AY. The crew also got very excited to use rubber gloves for clearing the cabin...I think some of those boys may take a few off the aircraft for personal use.....naughty, dirty boys.
It was then time to arrive into Helsinki. I did manage about six hours of sleep which was great for all around me the next day!
Helsinki Airport as you would expect is very Finnish...lots of white, pine and funky furniture. It is a very easy airport to transit through. I had a nice little stopover in the lounge and then it was on to an Airbus A321 for my final leg to Stephan. Business Class in Europe is nothing much to write home about (even though that is what I am doing now - I am so funny). It is essentially an economy seat with the centre seat left empty. Meals are also at about the same level as domestic economy in Australia. Overall it was fine but I was looking forward to arrival by this stage.
After 22 hours of flying I finally arrived. Was elated to see Stephan and then all three bags! By some miracle of spacial judgement we managed to fit the bags into the boot and then it was off to my new home of Einsiedeln.
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