Tips from a whirlwind trip across the continent to Sydney

A short trip to Sydney and back gives me the opportunity to write about parking at Perth Domestic Airport, traveling with hand luggage only and rolled up clothes, shuttle buses at Sydney Airport, an airport hotel and a little bit of history adding some contemporary philosophy.

FLYING HEIGHTS

Despite the cost of living crisis, you can still buy a lot of travel for $2,400.

Return economy class flights to Europe can be purchased from around $1,500.

But last weekend I flew to Sydney and back with Qantas for $2400.

I know we booked late, but still… (!)

AIRPLANE NEIGHBORS

On the way there, the single-aisle Boeing 737-800 is packed.

+ The person next to me: chicken wings over the armrest and has to spread his knees wide so that his stomach can fall on the small edge of the seat that is visible between his thighs.

+ In the single aisle for the toilet at the back there is a row of eight long rows. Those coming out have to squeeze past, and passengers in the aisle seats are constantly bumped.

THINK AHEAD

But let me take a step back, to something positive. Parking for the Qantas T4 is easy – and even easier and cheaper if you book in advance. The long-term parking isn’t a big walk or hassle (like at T1), and there are good options in the short-term car park. The more you pay, the closer you are to the terminal – and that can be a one or two minute walk. I take the second level and it’s a three to four minute walk. And here’s the trick… the further in advance you book, the cheaper the options are.

IMAGINE THIS

When you arrive at the parking lot, cameras recognize the license plate I entered when booking, and when I get to the barrier, a fine is issued. When I leave, I simply scan the QR code sent by email when the booking was confirmed.

FAST WIFI

…but back to the flight. Qantas’ free Wi-Fi is easy to connect, and FAST. It’s fast enough to continue streaming the Ted Lasso series on Apple TV. This is the third time I’ve watched this series about an American coach (Ted) who is appointed to manage an English football team, even though he knows nothing about football. If you want something positive (despite foul language) and to truly understand the power of true leadership, this is it. The way the AFC Richmond team is developing as a family is very similar to how our small travel team is.

BRAIN STORM

Ted Lasso pulls himself back into line when someone makes a bad suggestion during an ideation session: “Never bring an umbrella to a brainstorming session.” Memorable.

More lasso advice: “Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.” Precisely.

HOT, COLD

There are two choices for breakfast served on the flight, for those served first (the options decrease as the service progresses). The roasted vegetable quiche does the job, but this vegetarian option comes with two pork sausages on the side, which I leave alone. The cold option is a mix containing a jar of yogurt.

FEELING LIGHT

Ah, the joys of traveling with carry-on luggage only. No baggage carousel in Sydney for me. But since I’m here tonight for an event, I’m feeling kind of guilty that Casey, my trusty suitcase, isn’t with me. I brought his smaller cousin, Justin. (Just in case.) Justin includes my black tie outfit for the event tonight, a toiletry bag, nightwear, and a new shirt to fly home in.

CRANELESS ROLLER

To fold or roll, that is the question. Usually I fold (carefully, on an ironing board), but not today. Since I’m traveling alone with Justin, I lay my tuxedo pants on the bed, fold the evening shirt over them lengthwise, and then my tuxedo jacket (folded in half first) lengthwise along the back seam, arms unwrinkled in the back. the sides. Then I put everything else I want to take with me in a towel (including my toiletry bag, also folded lengthwise), place this one end, and carefully roll the whole thing up and put the big sausage in Justin, with the pull-out elastic tape over it. . Job done.

(When I take it out in Sydney, there is not a single crease.)

ARRIVAL FROM SYDNEY

Sydney from the air is beautiful. It is a place of arrival. At some point, indigenous Australians arrived, migrated south across the Sahul continent and became stranded in what is now Australia as sea levels rose after the Ice Age. There are approximately 29 clan groups in the Sydney metropolitan area, collectively referred to as the Eora Nation.

The first European settlement in Australia was in Sydney, after approximately 850 convicts and their naval guards and officers, led by Governor Arthur Phillip, arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788. This was the ‘First Fleet’ of nine transports and two warships. .

And today it’s me, flying in on a sunny morning, as the light bounces off buildings, selects parks and illuminates the waterways in a beautiful blue.

Sydney is always a great place to arrive.

FREE SHUTTLE

I arrive at the domestic terminal, T3, and spend the night at the Rydges Sydney Airport hotel. Thank goodness for good airport hotels. It’s just outside the international terminal, T1, and I take the free shuttle bus there. The shuttle bus runs every 15 minutes and the purple stand is right outside the domestic terminal. It takes about 15 minutes by bus from the domestic to the international terminal, then a three-minute walk to the hotel.

RYDGES HOTEL

I repeat, thank goodness for good airport hotels – they are a lifesaver when you have long connections or ‘overnight stays’ between flights. And Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel is one of the best I know. We paid just over $400 for the night, which is a lot of money, but always consider the cost of a ride, taxi or public transportation when thinking about a cheaper but less convenient hotel.

The room at Rydges is beautifully presented, with a sink and basic amenities, separate toilet room, large walk-in shower, white towels, minibar, tea and coffee making facilities (with mugs!), hanging space with iron and ironing board, comfortable queen-sized bed with white cotton sheets and duvet, TV, desk, armchair and table.

The view is of the parking lot, but who needs a view in an overnight hotel? (I don’t.)

TAKE THE TRAIN

I will mention here that if I were staying in central Sydney (I’m usually near Darling Harbor or The Rocks as I like to be in the middle of things) I would take the AirportLink train. Without a doubt. It’s easy (I went “there and back” to try it for you) and about $20 to central Sydney depending on time of day. airportlink.com.au

VOICES FROM OUTSIDE

Sunday morning and I’m happy to be in my comfortable room. It’s just a shame that the room cleaners banging around in adjacent rooms (understandable) use their outside voices inside (not understandable).

But still, there IS A MUG for English breakfast tea.

QUIT CHOICE

I walk to the shuttle bus to go to the domestic airport. Do not get off at the Virgin stop, but get off at the Qantas stop.

KNOWN COMPETITION

It’s not that I come to Terminal 3 of Sydney Domestic Airport that often, but it always feels so familiar, calm and sensibly laid out. It has one long hall, lots of space, good cacophony dampening, a few shops and coffee shops.

(I recommend that no one ever order banana bread at the coffee shop next to Luke’s Bar and Bistro. How much sugar and saturated fat can you squeeze into one small square?)

GOING ON FAITH

…and we’re back to the joys of the Boeing 737-800. Seriously, I recommend avoiding at least the last eight (or preferably ten) aisle seats when choosing where to sit on this type of aircraft. Honestly, I’d rather have a middle seat than one of these.

But I score a lot. Here I am in 6A (a seat choice at no extra cost!) with (drum roll) an empty seat between me and the aisle person. And that, for my (considerable) money, is any day better than business class.

FREE SIGHTSEEING

A good trick on flights from Sydney to Perth is to try to get a window seat, on the left side of the plane as you face forward. The flight line runs almost directly to Adelaide and then over the Great Australian Bight, after which you land again at Esperance. At one point I look out across the Yorke Peninsula to Kangaroo Island, in South Australia, and get a clear view of the Dampier Archipelago and Esperance as we arrive in WA.

THE CREED OF TRAVELERS

…and back to Ted Lasso, and some classic quotes:

+ “Be curious, not judgmental.”

+ “I think you’re so sure that someone is one thing that sometimes you completely miss who they really are.”

+ “I promise you there is something worse than being sad, and that is being alone and being sad.”

+ “I believe in hope. I believe in faith.”

…and it seems to me that these all apply to travel, and to us as travelers.

…and it’s so strange to hear the last comment. I have written and previously performed a text-and-music piece called Belief, which begins with ‘I believe in faith’.

We have a special recording of this this week on The Pod Well Travelled. You can listen to it here.