2012 Holiday To London-NYC-Niagara - Day One

Been on holidays with the family recently hence lack of posts. It was a big trip. Hate to work out exactly what it cost either.  

Day One

Stayed up late last night to prepare for the upcoming time zone change. Well, that's my story. Bit of a sleep in and then took the dog for a walk with the missus for the final time for the next month. He was jumping out of his skin for walkies. Once home I grabbed some brekkie and completed an online check-in. This had to be done three times as we had separate bookings. Bummer. Meant that I was unable to choose the seating arrangement without coughing up $20/seat to sit together. Not. bloody. likely. Following brekkie we drove the dog to the kennel and dropped him off at his new home for the next four weeks.

 Bit of a tidy up and making lunch, complete with me doing my packing, before we were ready for the taxi. And the taxi was bang on time. Still needed to tell him the best direction for the international airport from our place. The driver does mainly shopping centre and domestic airport runs.

Immediate check-in for baggage due to the online check-in. Recommend it. As I said, we won't be seated together though. Coffee at Dome was $4.40 and there was an extra charge of $0.60 for takeaway. Only $3.30 at the other coffee shop. Welcome to Perth. Welcome to Perth International Airport. Whilst waiting they decided to have a test of the evacuation siren. I thought that it would be interesting for people who don't understand English. One bloke had a bit of a look around and appeared puzzled and that was about it.

 Only one officer at Customs and Border Protection when we lined up but they quickly increased it to three. Both of us, adults that is, were frisked after our carry on luggage had been screened. Arrived quite early at the waiting lounge - plenty of time for lunch and duty-free window shopping. No doubt we'll forget the bargains to be had in Perth for when we return. Our plane to Singapore is called Barrossa Valley.

It's 14:55 - not long till we board. And there's the announcement we've all been waiting for. We were one of the first to board, i.e. seated right up the back of the plane. Hopefully no screaming babies. The missus was seated three rows in front of us. I was going to introduce myself to the guy seated in our row but my missus asked if she could swap seats and did so after takeoff.

Good couple of movies on teh way to Singapore - Snow White and Men in Black 3. Very nice meal of lamb. The Boy ate all of his and then asked for another one not long before we readied for landing.

Wandered around Changi Airport for an hour. Prices seem higher than in Australia for electrical goods, cosmetics, books, watches, etc. Not as many shops to look at as I expected. Singaporeans call pens "writing instruments". Bit worried by the fact that I have chewing hum in my bag and I'm in Singapore where it is banned. Our flight from Singapore to London was on an Airbus A380-800 which is massive. And the waiting lounge was bursting with people. Our seats were split once again so I swapped with the missus so that she could sit with The Boy. She asked a flight attendant, and the guy seated alongside, if he would swap and if I could join them. Had a three-way swap - lady in my aisle, who had the window seat, had to swap with the guy who insisted on his window seat that he had been allocated. The lady was going to be rewarded for giving up her window seat. Missed the extra leg room that I had had though. Great - a touchscreen. Better than the last flight.

Whoops, spoke too soon. My screen crashed and despite being reset a number of times would not stop trying to reboot. Not pleasant (#1stworldproblem). Very bloody disappointing to say the least. Very smooth take-off in the A380-800 - most impressed.

Couple of happy travellers

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