On my way

Departure from Palau 28.03.14 05:00 am local time and arriving 29.03.14 13:35 pm local time 

- Asiana & Qatar Airways
- Enough time to see Seoul
- Meeting a friend from Falalop and having lunch together in Seoul
- Access to all Business Class Lounges at one of the best Airports in the world.

Sounds good to me... here we go

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