Tokio Narita Airport Oberservation Deck

Waiting for my flight in the evening...foggy and slightly raining but 

having Udon Restaurant direct behind your back
makes it easy to warm up.
I guess after spotting for two weeks in Japan, it will start to get boring 
Some impressions...

Tokio Haneda Airport Observation Deck

Picked up my baggage and went to the Observation Deck. 

Spotting in Japan seems to be very common as I noticed.
The reason I guess is simple. Nice Observation Decks ,lots of air traffic, 

many wide-body's and a 
huge amount of different airlines from all over.

Some impressions... 

Doha International Airport

Arrived in Doha, sitting mellowed in the Onyx Business Lounge (the good think about the AA Platinum Challenge 

and flying American Airlines), eating my second plate, felling starved out ;) and waiting for my flight to KIX. 

But from the beginning...

ZRH-DOH

First time I flew Qatar Airways and I'm satisfied. Not as like my flights with Malaysia Airlines, 

BKK-KUL-BOM but close to it. The Oryx Inflight Entertainment-System was the best

 I had so far, the Service was nearly perfect and the Pinot Grigio they 

served was fantastic. 

But I had not so much fun with my seat. Last week I looked my booking up and 11A was 

reserved for me. Today at the check-in desk, I asked for 10A/10K, because what I heard, the 

Exit raw has no direct window. 10A/K was already assigned and they said I can have 

26K and there will be a windows... Why do I actually trust those people?

26K, Exit raw seat and 

maybe the worst seat you can get if you want the full "Dreamliner expericance". 

No direct window and you remote control for Oryx is fixed at the inside of your left arm rest, 

also I had some problems with the left speaker, had some random noises...

 Why do I actually trust those people?

So my only gleam of hope was the Pinot Grigio ;)

"Dreamliner Expericance", more than overrated in my opinion. In the past they

pushed statements in the newspapers like "new era for aviation".

As a passanger who flys a couple of times a year, it's more like flying a

pimped airplane. Sure, in the cabin is more space, also more space for the

bags, the windows are bigger and dimmable and there are some fancy LED lights

all around you but, none of this makes it a new era, at least for passengers.

The dimmable windows are the only think I'm impressed about, the rest felt 

more like doing case modding on my PC 10 years ago. That was the time where they start 

putting everywhere ice-blue LEDs. The thing about the cabin pressure, didn't realize that.

But from the technical perspective, as I learned during the Tour at the Boeing

Factory in Everett, it is a big step forward in the aviation.

Next flight, DOH-KIX A330-200 Qatar Airways

So, time for another plate (the Hummus and the Tabouli is awesome)

and something to drink ;)

Here We Go!

Five month of traveling... ready or not? I don't know ;)

D-day and to be honest, I'm a bit nervous and those who know me, its not easy getting me nervous. 

Maybe one of my biggest decisions I did so far and a once in a lifetime experience for sure. Good to me that I have a 

girlfriend who is supporting me and actually pushes me doing this.

What worries me most at the moment is my spearfishing bag. Still some problems with my route and taking it 

with me. RealTonga and AirVanuatu seems to make some problems with the size of my bag. RealTonga is operating 

a Xian MA60 and AirVanuatu ATR-42/72 on that flights. RealTonga replaced Chatham Pacific who had no Problem 

with my bag. And AirVanuatu, I flew a couple of time this type of aircraft and saw some large surfboards and 

spearbags transported with it... hope this will work out.

ZRH - DOH, Qatar Airways, 787-8

DOH - KIX, Qatar Airways, A330-200

KIX - AKL, Air New Zealand, 767-300

AKL - RAR, Air New Zealand, 777-200

Two new Airlines, first time flying Dreamliner, second time flying a 5-Star Airline and first time

 using my new AAdvantage Platinum Card, hope that was worth flying American Airlines

Seattle ...

... absolutly different to other American town's if been before, pleasant I would say.

Definetely a town to life in,as it would't be located in US. ;)

I knew now why Starbucks has interior as it is. Nearly every small Cafe or Bar has that flair.

A lot of wooden interior and it felt a bit like "Home" or a leisure residence in the mountains, far away from the city.

Sadly my father isn't the one who is open mind to try new thinks or in this case, new dishes.

Seattle is famous for the japaneses/pacific influence, but no chance to get him into one of this restaurants And no way, even thinking about getting him to asien street food at the marked... very sad. If there will be a possible stop-over in the future in seattle, I have to catch that up.

There was one big reason Seattle was on our route. Boeing with it's two production factorys in and around Seattle. First Boeing Field where thy build and assamble the Boeing 737, closed to the Airport and second Boeing Everett Factory. With 39,480 m² it is the largest building in the world. It was first build in 1966 for the Boeing 747 production and is growing during that time. At the moment they build and assamble in Everett the Boeing 747, 767, 777, and the new 787 Dreamliner.

There were some rumors that we have the chance of beeing at the right time at the right place, for the first testflight of the new 787-9. Sadly we only saw some engine tests.

 Boeing Field

 Everett