The trip across the Pacific with Qantas was, service-wise, good. Two quibbles: the business class carry on baggage size of 7 kg, but allowing 2 bags, looks like a trade union imposed requirement to protect the cabin crew if any lifting is required, even though unlike most other carriers Qantas has a preponderance of males in cabin staff. Emirates-style included transfer from and to home (but not destination), and internet pre-ordering the first meal are touches, (as one on-line only item was available and preferred by one of us). But I was unwise to choose swordfish, since it was vastly over cooked and unpalatable- in retrospect how could it be otherwise? Still, if Bob Carr can whinge about business class food it must be open season.
The trip to LAX was bumpy, inducing discomfort, and 80 minutes take-off delay (not their fault) were offset by good communication and a faster trip with the LAX connection time shaved to minimum, so with tail winds on both legs we actually arrived early. That's it for service review: Qantas wins trans-pacific because Virgin is yet to be explored, and our Qatari European route favourite with impeccable style flies via the middle-east adding many hours to an already tedious journey itinerary.
Local knowledge from Jeremy enabled us to resist all offers of limos in JFK and give crisp directions to our cab on the most efficient route to destination.
Our Brooklyn apartment, the nearest we could find to the family dwelling at 3 months notice in the school holiday period, is a brisk 20 minutes walk west on the same street. It's a well-equipped ground floor of an otherwise owner-occupied brownstone set among similar neighbours in what seems to a district with Jamaican overtones and close to the Children's Museum, with a friendly landlady. The wi-fi upload is a bit slowish for video conversation.
We enjoyed a breakfast of BLT bagel and coffee on Washington Ave, the former a supersize as seems customary over here. (above: Brooklyn ave near Brower Park, and also near our apartment)
Day one was happily spent on a deferred "birthday" party for both grandchildren in Brooklyn Mount Prospect Park with much joy at a bubble making machine, bike riding, and workout in the playground, climaxed by an enormous cake and birthday songs in English and Danish. The guest couples were an eclectic group both internationally and by partner choices.
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