15 hours of delay and transit from Sydney to Osaka

Here we are again, continuing the journey from Australia to Osaka on flight JQ19.

We had bought direct flight tickets from Qantas very early during the year, before the oxygen tanks explosions, before the plunging flight incident. Then sometime in September, Qantas announced that they wouldn’t be flying into Japan anymore. Qantas then emailed to inform us that we’ll have to do a stopover in Sydney, then continue the journey with Jetstar from Sydney to Gold Coast and finally Osaka. At Sydney, the Jetstar flight was 2½ hours late, delaying the flight by around the same time. Jetstar, being Jetstar, didn’t bother flying faster to make up for the delay.

Nonetheless, we thought the service on Jetstar wasn’t too bad for a budget airline mainly because we boarded the plane with no expectations, and there’s actually no service unless you requested for it. The attendants were pleasant and genuine unlike Singapore Airlines – where a male flight attendant rolled his eyes when we told him we’d like some more tea.

We’re miffed having to endure the multiple stopovers, and the delay – which meant by the time we arrived in Osaka, most kitchens will be closed and our choices for dinner will be so limited.

However, the overall Jetstar experience was fine, and we arrived in Osaka safe.

Left to right, top to bottom

• Sydney airport, a female tradie takes a mannequin from behind
• Departing Sydney
• Taking off from Sydney
• Departing Gold Coast
• Aerial view of Gold Coast
• Gold Coast to Osaka
• Naoki, 6 hours into the flight
• Giant ferris wheel close to Kansai airport in Osaka

Princess Leia, is that chu?

Naoki and I are in 54J and 54K aboard flight QF0416 from Melbourne to Sydney. The great adventure begins…

I couldn’t get a frontal picture of Her Royal Highness. However, I caught a glimpse of her costume when she got up to leave, and she appeared to be channeling 玉女 in her red embroidered silk top, rather than Princess Leia.

Packed, and ready to go

That’s it. In another 8 hours, we’ll be off to Sydney for a night, then Osaka the following day (stopover in Gold Coast just before).

It’s been nearly 20 months since we had a holiday together. Actually, this will be more a holiday for me than for Naoki; he will be in Japan for work for the 7 days out of 9. We even had to cut short our vacation at the onsen with his parents because of his clients.

I’ve getting smarter with packing now. I get the impression that Japan, or maybe Tokyo at least, isn’t tourist-friendly. Everything is fast-moving and unfailingly punctual. Back in March last year, lugging around the large bags in the underground stations, I constantly felt I was in the way of the pedestrians.

Once we get to Naoki’s parents’, we can offload the gifts and be freed of the 10kg of chocolate truffles, Manuka honey and blue cheese.

7 hours to go. I need my sleep now.