Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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  • World Trip 2012-13: Flight Journal 

    Back in 2012 I undertook an amazing trip which saw my on 24 flights with 10 airlines across 17 legs which was 76,155 km in the air or 114 hours 45 minutes  I visited 19 countries over 139 days.  Countries (in order): Singapore; Malaysia; Thailand; Germany; England; Spain; Iceland; Chile; Argentina; Antarctica; USA; Mexico; Cuba; Belize; Guatemala; Honduras; Nicaragua; Costa Rica; and Panama. (more…)

  • The Joy of International flying: Africa Edition

    Now that I have my flights booked I wanted to work out how long (distance and time) I’ll be in the air – it’s the nerd in me 🙂  This trip I’ll actually be enjoying First Class and Business Class treatment which is strange when you consider I’ll be camping a lot in Africa!

    Leg 1 Africa
    6,025 km Melbourne (MEL) to Singapore (SIN) – 7 hours 45 minutes (Emirates A380 1st class Seat 2A)
    Transit time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    5,846 km Singapore (SIN) to Dubai (DXB) – 7 hours 35 minutes(Emirates A380 1st Class Seat 2A)
    Transit time: 11 hours 40 minutes
    3,548 km Dubai (DXB) to Nairobi (NBO) – 5 hours 10 minutes (Emirates B777-300ER 1st Class Seat 1K)
    15,420 km Total

    Leg 2 Australia
    1,271 km Cape Town (CPT) to Johannesburg (JNB) – 2 hours 10 minutes (Comair B737 Business Seat 1F)
    Transit time: 2 hours 50 minutes
    11,044 km Johannesburg (JNB) to Sydney (SYD) – 11 hours 45 minutes (QANTAS B747-400 Business Seat 5B)
    Transit time: 2 hours 25 minutes
    706 km Sydney (SYD) to Melbourne (MEL) – 1 hour 35 minutes (QANTAS B737-800 Business Seat 3A)
    13,021 km Total

    So that is 28,441 km and 36 hours travelling on all flights.  That’s a long time, however I’m looking forward to those lie flat seats / beds, entertainment system, fine food and beverages.

  • India and Japan 2015 Trip – Flight Journal

    Back in 2015 I sent 31 days travelling to India and Japan.  I was flying over 4 legs across 7 flights and 4 airlines, all in economy travel.  I had lounge access in Melbourne and Sydney only as at the time I only had QANTAS Club Membership (so only access to QANTAS lounges).  I would have had time to visit the Singapore QANTAS lounge but the inbound flight was running late.


    Leg 1
    7,387 km Melbourne (MEL) to Hong Kong (HKG) – 9 hours 35 minutes (QANTAS A330)
    Transit time: 3 hours 5 minutes
    3,751 km Hong Kong (HKG) to Delhi (DEL) – 6 hours (Cathay Pacific A330)

    Leg 2
    2,040 km Delhi (DEL) to Kochi (COK) – 3 hours 10 minutes (Air India B787)

    Leg 3
    505 km Kochi (COK) to Colombo (CMB) – 1 hour 10 minutes (Sri Lankan Airlines A320)
    Transit time: 6 hours 5 minutes 
    6,897 km Colombo (CMB) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) – 8 hours 50 minutes (Sri Lankan Airlines A330)

    Leg 4
    7,798 km Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Sydney (SYD) – 9 hours 40 minutes (QANTAS B747)
    Transit time: 2 hours 50 minutes
    706 km Sydney (SYD) to Melbourne (MEL) – 1 hour 35 minutes (QANTAS B767)

    Total 29,085 km and 67 hours

  • South East Asia 2016 Trip – Flight Journal

    The amazing 2016 South East Asia trip to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka seems both like yesterday and a long time ago.  It’s sometimes good to think back and right now I’ve been thinking about the flights and distance I’ve travelled the world over my world trips and thought I’d pull together the stats.

    I had 8 days flying across 11 flights and 7 airlines, all economy travel but exit room seats on my first two QANTAS flights.  Lounge access in Melbourne, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh City, Colombo and Singapore (its a good bonus having QANTAS Gold / Oneworld Sapphire status).

    1. 706 km Melbourne (MEL) to Sydney (SYD) – 1 hour 25 minutes (QANTAS Seat 13C)
      7,502 km Sydney (SYD) to Bangkok (BKK) – 9 hours 30 minutes (QANTAS Seat 36D)
    2. 594 km Bangkok (BKK) to Chiang Mai (CNX) – 1 hour 15 minutes (Thai Smile Seat 53C)
    3. 359 km Chiang Mai (CNX) to Luang Prabang (LPQ) – 1 hour (Laos Airlines Seat 16A)
    4. 407 km Luang Prabang (LPQ) to Hanoi (HAN) – 1 hour (Laos Airlines Seat 1B)
    5. 1,155 km Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) – 2 hours 5 minutes (Vietnam Airlines Seat 28A)
    6. 213 km Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to Phnom Penh (PNH) – 50 minutes (QATAR Seat 19A)
    7. 333 km Siem Reap (REP) to Bangkok (BKK) – 1 hour (Bangkok Airlines Seat 7B)
      2,393 km Bangkok (BKK) to Colombo (CMB) – 3 hours 20 minutes (Sri Lankan Airlines Seat 32K)
    8. 2,751 km Colombo (CMB) to Singapore (SIN) – 4 hours (Sri Lankan Airlines Seat 7C)
      6,025 km Singapore (SIN) to Melbourne (MEL) – 7 hours 25 minutes (QANTAS Seat 25B)

    22,439 km 76 hours 50 minutes

  • Africa Return Flights Booked

    Africa Return Flights Booked

    I just booked my return flights back to Australia using QANTAS frequent flyer points for the end of my Africa tour late January 2018.

    • Cape Town to Johannesburg (BA6416 14.00 to 16.00) 
    • Johannesburg to Sydney (QF64 18.50 to 15.35 overnight flight)
    • Sydney to Melbourne (QF459 18.00 to 19.35)

    All flights are in business class but the only one that really matters for me is the overnight flight to Sydney.  

    It cost me 122,000 QANTAS points and $424 AUD in fees. I will get 100,000 of those points from a new Westpac which has an annual fee of $450. So basically for around $900 I got three business flights which I consider good value especially for the Johannesburg to Sydney 13 hour overnight flight. I priced buying these flights in business class at 38,800 South African Rand (about $3,800 AUD) or in economy at 13,200 Rand (about $1,300 AUD) so cheaper than economy and I’m in business class!

    I also grabbed an exit row business class seat for the Joh’burg-Sydney flight 5B – there is no 5A meaning it is both a window and aisle seat and no one stepping over my to get out from there seat.

    I actually had to ring up QANTAS and ask them to release an extra business class seat for the 13 hour overnight flight to Sydney but they immediately released given my platinum membership status. I only found out a few days ago they can release seats for platinum members if requested, it’s an unwritten benefit because they can’t always do it. They also didn’t charge me the assisted booking fee, thank you QANTAS 🙂

    This goes well with my first class Emirates flights to Nairobi, Kenya. 
    Next steps are looking in visas, health checks / vaccinations and paying off the On The Go Tours 57 day Great African Expedition (Nairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa) tour cost.