Cultured Views

Qantas: the ‘no-worries-mate’ airline

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I would say there are very few people who are completely 100 percent laid back about air travel; no matter how many miles you have flown you possibly still have that little bit of apprehension when you board an aircraft…am I right?

Ever seen the film Rain Man? remember where Dustin Hoffman’s character, Raymond, stresses out when he realises he has to get on a plane…? he claims that only one airline has never crashed - Qantas - and the plane he was supposed to get on was not a Qantas plane…

He was correct - in a way. During WW2 Qantas flew flights as part of the RAF and there were eight minor incidents which resulted in loss of life. But since then, as a major commercial airline, Qantas have never had a fatal crash - never lost a jet. Only one incident back in 1999 when a jet overran the runway in Bangkok - but still, I think that’s a pretty good track record which is hard to beat.

I have flown plenty of times on various airlines but I have to admit - and this is not just partriotism speaking - there is something about a Qantas plane which gives me a feeling of security. On short haul flights, those lasting up to two/three hours I rarely relax enough to enjoy the flight - I listen for the slightest change or difference in engine sounds and I watch the cabin crew’s faces for any sign of anxiety…am I mad or what?

But when I get on a Qantas plane I instantly feel ’safe’; maybe it’s the familiar accents of the crew or that ‘no worries mate’ attitude in the Captains voice when he speaks to the passengers prior to the flight…or even that brilliant red flying kangaroo on the plane’s tail.

Just recently passengers on a Qantas flight from London to Melbourne suffered a few scary moments when a faulty door caused a problem and a sudden drop in altitude and had to make an emergency landing in Manila. The passengers said that what calmed them was the demeanor of the crew and the expertise of the pilots; I can imagine though the ripe language in the cockpit when the problem occurred…

Despite all this Qantas will always remain the only airline that I could ever feel ‘at home’ on - why? because it’s Australian and that means it wont ever let you down.

Popularity: 18% [?]

The place to go to is Orlando!

Florida is where many Americans go to live when they retire and you can understand why. The climate is quite different to the rest of the country with it’s close proximity to the Carribean and offers visitors a wide variety of activities and places to go and see. Now, while you may always associate Orlando with DisneyWorld be informed that this city is not just home to Mickey Mouse but to a host of other famous attractions. In short, there are plenty of things to do in Orlando.

We used online travel guides from Trusted Tours & Attractions to arrange our own itinerary and we took in places like the Kennedy Space Centre which I highly recommend to any family - don’t leave this place out! Then there are also the fantastic Cypress Gardens Adventure Park - we found this to be quite unique and different to DisneyWorld.

We would love to revisit many places we saw on our first stay there. There is also Key West - an island near the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. I was surprised to discover that Australia is not the only location to boast a barrier reef because just off the coast of the Keys is North America’s own barrier reef; the best way to see this is to take one of the charter boat tours and you can even go snorkelling - if you’ve never tried doing this then definitely have a go, it is an experience you will never forget. Orlando as a destination is easy to get to no matter where you live in the world and flights to Florida are especially affordable no matter how many people you have in your group. With the number of people visiting this location throughout the year the flight fares remain pretty stable and is actually a much more affordable vacation than you think.

Orlando is also a very popular destination for weddings; have your camera ready as no doubt you will come across a wedding party at some stage during your trip. Then again, if you are planning on taking the plunge why not get married on your vacation?

Our next US jaunt is going to be that fantastic city of New York; and why not? - there are more things to do in New York than you could ever do anywhere so this will require a bit more time than our trip to Florida. One place I really want to visit is the Metropolitan museum of art as a friend of mine has some work exhibited there.

The best way to organise such a detailed itinerary is really to visit Trusted Tours & Attractions and while you are there sign up for their newsletter - it has great info and plus you can be in with a chance to win a handheld GPS…that is something you could really do with when getting around The Big Apple!

Popularity: 36% [?]

Travelling abroad?…remember this…those you meet will judge your country by the way YOU behave

Just recently I wrote about how poorly some British tourists/expats behave when they live/travel abroad. And I also acknowledged that my own fellow countrymen, Australians, can be just as guilty of bad behaviour as those Brits.

Well, in the last 48 hours those words have come to bite me in the *** because I have just played host to four of the rudest young Australians I think I have ever met. And such a shame too as they were four young girls from Manly ( my old home town ) and were graduates of a school I knew well…North Sydney Girls High.

Ha. One of those snobby schools most Sydney-siders would say - and I suppose they are correct. One would expect better manners from young ladies who had attended a school which does not accept just anyone. But then again…you have the combination of well-off parents, ‘Daddy’s girls’ who have always had whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted it and a good example of what happens when certain young people lead a relatively spoilt and sheltered life.

When they go out into the big, wide world and come face to face with the harsh realities of life they simply do not know how to cope when Daddy is not there to run to.

These four little maids decided it was okay to place an order for a meal in our establishment and then not bother to leave their rooms to come and eat it; despite the food being prepared and readied for them. They were charged for the ingredients bought ( involving expensive seafood ), the time spent preparing the food and the fact that I had to throw it all in the bin.

They are not aware of the fact that should you order a meal in a restaurant and then get up and leave just as the meal arrives - for no reason other than you just cannot be bothered to sit and eat it - you are expected to pay for it. They seem to be ignorant of the fact that when you are a consumer you pay up for goods and services rendered…

Not these four. Personally, the sight of four over-indulged 19 year old females stamping their spoilt little feet and screaming abuse at being asked to pay for something they owed money for is not just a pathetic sight…it is a damning indictment on how young people are turning out today.

I have two sons in their age group and if I ever found out they had treated a business owner, or any other person, in such a manner I would be furious with them. That’s not how I raised them. Then again, my kids never had anything handed to them on a plate. A good education yes…a European holiday all expenses paid by Daddy - no.

And one last thing. As an Australian, I felt embarrassed by them. Remember this; when you are abroad the locals will judge your country by the way you behave.

Please. Don’t let the side down.

Popularity: 13% [?]