A380 LA to Melb Business

The flight to Melbourne from LA on the A380 was bumpy as it was delayed by 45 mins and the captain tried to make up for lost time. I had the Korean steak and it was moist and delicious. We had the free pajamas and promptly changed to get about 7 to 8 hours sleep on the flight. I tried to get the air-hostess to hang up-my blazer but she never came back so I put in the overhead bag compartment that was huge. The reclining seats went flat and there were cotton blankets almost like thin quilts. We had toilet kits by "Jack Spade" apparently the male equivalent of "Kate Spade" brand. Breakfast was to order. I had the salmon with eggs on Brioche. It was light and just right for the 8 hours. There 4 young children in the business lounge who kept some people awake. I did some relaxation exercises in between bouts of 2 hour naps to get to sleep so I could get the 7 hours to overcome the jet lag. My companion on the window seat was a seasoned traveler and a regular on the flight. Andy slept for almost 11 hours and regaled me with stories about the cross pacific flights on the A380. When I got to Melbourne I had missed my connecting flight due to the delay. However, we got an express pass through immigration and customs. Melbourne international airport is terribly chaotic after 8 am. Try to avoid this if possible.
On the departure side in LA arrived early at 5pm from the Hyatt Regency on Long Beach via Karmel Coach. Flight was at 1015pm but departed at 11pm -late. Some passengers failed to show. The traffic going the opposite direction from airport was clogged most of the 40 minute ride. The security queue was long. But apparently gets worse after 6pm. Used the priority lane. Initially missed the entry. There is a restaurant in the lounge that serves food to order. Several clients commented it served the best food in LAX. Wow! I had the seared Bass and was hoping to order the steak but never got around to it. Enjoyed the seating and had a shower in the huge bathrooms. The queue getting onto the plane was long but use the priority lane. The path to the upper deck is closely monitored and requires navigation through several stairs and attendants.

 The cabin on QF 94 business LA to Melb

 Business seat

Seat controls

Leg space +++

The passegeway

Korean Steak and spicy tomato juice

The lemon tart cold.

Breakfast of eggs, salmon and brioche.

Los Angeles Airport Qantas First Lounge

Arrived early at 5pm from the Hyatt Regency on Long Beach via Karmel Coach. The traffic going the opposite direction from airport was clogged most of the 40 minute ride. The security queue was long. But apparently gets worse after 6pm. Used the priority lane. Initially missed the entry as it is tucked away in the corner. There is a restaurant in the lounge that serves food to order. Several clients commented it served the best food in LAX. Wow! I had the seared Bass and was hoping to order the steak but never got around to it. Enjoyed the seating and had a shower in the huge bathrooms. The were the cleanest and brightest lounge showers I had been to in my travels. The service was excellent and the manager approached me to see if my sea bass was any good. It was excellent. They also asked me if I wanted service in the non restaurant area. Sadly as I was travelling on a 15 hour flight I avoided alcohol. This lounge is much better than the business lounges I had been to previously in LAX. Definitely worth travelling AA or Qantas to get a peek in here. We loved the chocolate brownies.

The amazingly long bar

The roomy and bright showers.

What a sink!

The spotted menu

My seared sea bass cooked to perfection

Hyatt Regency Long Beach Ca

2 days at a meeting with beautiful weather in Long Beach. 20 degrees centigrade and sunny. Hotel rooms were modern minimalist. The pool was outdoors and good for lying around. Gym was adequate as there were better running tracks outdoors around the hotel. Hotel next to convention center. So the place to stay if you're meeting there. The cable tv was good and working so managed to keep entertained when in the room. Hotel service was good. Staff were friendly & helpful. Gave me xtra paper cups for coffee. The computers in the lobby worked & we were able to print our boarding passes. Free wifi. Hotel 7 minutes from El supermarket which sells local produce. 99 cents for large packages of tostadas. Missed out on conference pricing so paid almost double the rate at around four hundred & fifty USA dollars per night. It was worth it for the convenience and location plus the great views from my hotel room. For some reason I didn't qualify for the special shuttle rate of $20 to LAX with Karmel shuttle arrangements. Despite paying  $40 one way or $80 return (or $100 including tips) was still a great deal for the convenience. One tip get to LAX early - really long security queues.

Hilton Melbourne South Wharf

Wharf-side retreat south Melbourne docks. Nice wooded paneling in lobby.

Many indigenous paintings in lobby. From the Kimberley

Generally decent & kind staff who provided great service. The room service was good. I had club sandwiches and chicken caesar salad on the night I arrived. The gym was neat and tidy with good views. Glare of the morning sun gets into the treadmill and bicycles but get the screens down. Couldn't find a pool in the hotel. Decent sized rooms and near the convention centre for those attending meetings. Short walk about 20 minutes to the Southern Cross station and the Sky bus to the airport. Previously I had shunned the 20 minute walk and stayed closer to the CBD but this has changed my mind.