O/T Long Haul Flights

This. Went to Bali as part of our honeymoon. Ubud was incredible, the perfect place to relax and enjoy the island after a crazy 4 nights in Hong Kong. We then moved to the south of the island to the beach areas which wasn't massively my thing but a beautiful country with amazing food and fantastic people.

10 years ago, where does time go...

 

@DannyWilsonLovechild

We have a few plans for first week and.researched some of the warungs that look fantastic.

We are visiting the monkey forest,doing white water rafting,the ridge walk,visiting the rice fields and old markets.and doing a late night volcano walk so that when we reach the top we will see the sun rise.

Cannot wait.

Thanks for the indepth reply.

 

The ridge walk was ok (found it a bit tricky to find the start if I recall) but there was a better one we just stumbled upon and didn't see a soul. I think we literally took the street that goes on a steady incline to the left of starbucks as you face it. There was a nice little silver shop on the left. Carry on and it starts to get a bit derelict. There was a strange little bend left then slight right up a very short but steep bend and then you just could walk for miles through vivid green paddy fields. White storks and wildlife aplenty. The monkey place... we toyed with going in but decided to stay outside. we saw tonnes just walking across the telephone cabling and sitting on the walls eyeing up the tourists. I'd heard a few stories that they are pretty aggressive inside and to be vigilant, so that put my missus off.

Just checked out pics and the location of the waterfall says Badung Belok (worth checking online first as we're talking apple and location narrative!) and the big paddy field site we visited was Tabanan. There's a smaller one flooded with tourists, this was very chilled and was lovely to see the locals working in the fields.

You'll have an amazing time. The locals are wonderful hosts, even if they are as poor as you can imagine. We tipped someone equivalent of £2 on a taxi ride and the adoration from him was as heartwarming as it was saddening. So don't be shy to tip a little heavy as you might actually make a difference to these peoples lives.

 

Yeah, the monkeys are evil little buggers

 

Fly business and put the rest of the family in economy. Only kidding but a mate of mine works in IT and spent 2 years flying back and forth between UK and Philadelphia. He had loads of air miles. He, his wife and 2 children planned a trip to NZ a couple of years later but the air miles were due to expire within a year. He only had enough for him to upgrade to business class and his wife was totally OK with that so she and children travelled economy. When he got to the Customs desk at Auckland he waited for the rest of the family. The Customs guy waived him through so he explained he was waiting for the family. The question was "Have they been delayed?". He said "No it's OK - They flew economy and I was in business". Customs guy answer: "I like your style mate - we need more blokes like you in this country"

 

A former colleague of mine had booked to fly to NZ - Manchester to Heathrow then Heathrow to NZ. Unfortunately, Manchester was fog-bound, with no flights out that day, so he missed his connection. To make things worse, he'd booked both separately, so wasn't covered and had to pay for NZ flights for his family the next day

Nearly doubled the price of his holiday, but the alternative was writing it all off....

 

Be careful with these flight socks.

Flew to Florida every year for years. Wore 'em once only, and ended up with bloated ankles. Otherwise I was fine.

 

First class is a must!

 

Well havana, I'm not one for going on trips in the country I usually visit , but in Cuba or where I stayed the 1st time I went, (that was very near Guantanamo Bay) we took a ride with a guy in a horse and carriage (there was a few of them) for around £1 he would take you for a run around the resort about a 3 mile trip and for £3 he would take you for a trip way out into the countryside so we took the £3 trip it was great, visiting his relations for reasons just to introduce you always stating you were an English man and Wife. The same trip on our way back to the hotel he stopped at a shop, well we would call it a wooden hut he asked very kindly if we could pay him now for the trip as he wanted to buy a chicken for him his wife and kids tea as it was his last run of course I said and off he ran into the shop so followed him he was buying this chicken so I said to the woman selling it to him, well I just put 2 fingers up and said 2 more she gave me 2 feathers still on mind they cost me about £! 50p in our money and then gave them to our driver he was over the moon, next day he was waiting outside our hotel and wanted to take us to see his wife and kids so off we went and I'm telling thi I've never been made more welcome anywhere in all my life, think I'd better stop there as could go on and on.

 

I’ve never done proper long haul to the Far East or Australia / New Zealand but have done North America / Caribbean a few times & honestly its not that bad.

I tend to find them often better than a 4 & 1/2 5 hour trip to Canaries, Turkey or Cyprus.

You get more leg room & a tele with your own choice of (normally) several decent films. Take a book and / or magazines, download some podcasts, have some games on your phone & obviously a power bank.

Also I’d say when you do need the loo to go when there’s a bit of a queue. Might seem strange but it means you can be stood up & have a stretch out a bit longer without anyone noticing you.

2 decent films - 4 1/2 hours, couple of hours reading - 2 hours, listen a couple of podcasts whilst playing games on your phone - another 2 hours, 2 meals - 45 mins.

That’s 9 hour 15 without taking into account toilet trips & taking off / landing

 

Just about to book to do the same next May. I know there's a risk we might miss the play-offs, so just have to hope for automatic promotion.

 

What to pack long haul flight.

 

Going long haul later in year 23 1/2 flight split in two . Australia

 

Look on you tube wolters world