A Cessna sense of flying

Last Saturday the 22nd of August, I finally ticked a milestone off the bucket list by taking a Cessna 172 flight from Point Cook to Melbourne. What an exhilarating experience it was!

Up, up and away!

Here's the video recap of the flight if you want to relive the whole experience (complete with jet sound effects for the #avgeeks in the room)

Operated by a good friend of mine (who happens to be a qualified pilot) out of the RMIT Flight Training School at RAAF's Point Cook base, the flight was a unique opportunity to try a different kind of aircraft and savour some amazing views/videos of Melbourne in the process.

The RMIT Flight Training School in Point Cook

The Cessna 172 aircraft

For some reason, despite the repeated assurances of the pilot and the strong safety record of the RAAF fleet, I was a little apprehensive about flying in a non-commercial aircraft. Turns out, I had scant reason to be afraid, as the flight turned out to be smooth, incredibly comfortable and much more illuminating than the commercial flights I've been on previously. 

Seeing Melbourne from a new perspective

Flying much lower to the ground gives you the chance to see your surroundings (other aircraft, birds, the city below) in beautifully micro detail, while also hearing the pleasing thrum of aircraft terminology in the background...

Melbourne behaving nicely on a Sunday morning

Docklands (including the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel)

The Richmond sports precinct (including the MCG) and Melbourne CBD in background

Apparently, the views are at a whole other level once the sun goes down. That might be the scene of my next adventure!

A pit stop in the land of the long white cloud

Lately I've become so prone to travel I use any excuse, like a public holiday, to get on a plane and go somewhere. This most recent somewhere, over the June Queen's Birthday long weekend, was Auckland, the largest and most populous region of New Zealand's North Island.

Courtesy of Jetstar flight JQ215, we landed approximately at 5am at Auckland Airport. A brisk ferry ride later took us to Waiheke Island, a small coastal mass of restaurants, wineries and lovely beaches. Fortunately for me, Auckland turned on the charm, dispelling the wintry atmosphere of the Melbourne I had left and granting me views reminiscent of Sydney's Bondi Beach, albeit without the heaving throngs of tourists.

Venturing back into the city domain led me to the rather alternative Wynndham Quarter district of Auckland. Adorned with glorious views from the nearby Auckland Harbour, this trendy area is home to eco-friendly, cutting-edge housing and public spaces such as Silo Park, a series of converted factories that now serve as sites for art exhibitions and other public purposes [one of the best examples of positive space rejuvenation I've witnessed in recent times]. This made for an enjoyable, extended sojourn prior to a deliciously filling, late lunch of burgers and fries along the water's edge. And what better way to follow an amazing lunch but with a unique, New Zealand-only dessert, Giapo Haute's famous ice-cream and toppings!

Day 2 was all about getting out of Auckland to see some sights. The Waitomo Glow Worm Caves were up first, where you are guided underground by boat through a constellation of glowing blue lights that are teeny glow worms in the cocoon stage of their lives. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed so you'll just have to use your imagination there!

A few hours later took us to Hobbiton, more commonly known as the shooting location for Peter Jackson's famed Lord of the Rings trilogy, where everything is on the Hobbit (read: short) scale of things. Lovely housing and nature proliferates through the space, but somehow I don't think I'd be able to live there...

For my last morning in Auckland, I scaled the Sky Tower, Auckland's (and in fact, the Southern Hemisphere's) tallest building. I was afforded stunning, 360 degree views of all aspects of the city, and was even treated to an daredevil skydiver who literally sailed into view!

All in all, it was a brief yet incredibly interesting trip for my first adventure across the Tasman. I'll definitely be back one day, and for much longer.

Fly far, wide and often,

Andy

Two days of Italian History - Pompeii & Mount Vesuvius

A trip to Italy would not be complete without visiting the famous sites of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, situated close to Naples. I originally intended to see both in a day but slightly underestimated the ease of traveling around via Italian public transport.

Pompeii was first on the agenda for us. Many tourists coming from Rome are likely to find the sights of Pompeii familiar if they have recently visited the Rome Forum, the Colosseum or Palantine Hill in the Italian capital, as it's a similar hodge podge of ruins, old buildings, statues, housing structures and temples. Pompeii is perhaps most famous as the ancient city destroyed by a volcanic eruption of the neighbouring Mount Vesuvius, so it was a chance to get up close and personal with some history.

The Pompeii ruins

The remains of an old temple in Pompeii

An ancient stadium in Pompeii

After taking in the sights of Pompeii, it was time to complete our historical fill by visiting the infamous Mount Vesuvius. It took approximately 2-3 hours each way to reach Vesuvius from Rome, but well worth it for the gorgeous views, the smoky scenes at the crater top, an always-welcome scenic bus ride, and some much needed exercise.

The steep walk uphill the crater

The view of Naples from the crater

Some smoky scenes getting closer to the crater!

The city of Naples seen through smoke (quite hazy on the crater)

In contrast, it's quite clear looking towards the sky...

A view inside one of the craters of Vesuvius

A smoky descent downhill...

For many people (including myself), this was the first time they had encountered a dormant volcano. My friend was slightly surprised not to see anything resembling lava or ash, but when you factor in the fact that Vesuvius has been dormant for quite some time, it's not that surprising. It really just looks like a rocky mountain from afar, but I'm sure the legions of tourists flocking to it each year won't complain if it stays that way!

Some tips for your trip to Pompeii & Vesuvius:

- Go early, plan in advance: Pompeii and Vesuvius can be done in one day, but only if you know your schedule. Depending on if you want to do them as a day trip from Rome or prefer a more relaxed itinerary, you may wish to spend a night or two in Naples instead. I followed this schedule from a post I found on TripAdvisor.

- Decide which site you will visit first: We visited Pompeii first and then Vesuvius the next day. I would actually recommend doing them the other way around as Vesuvius is a bus ride away from a train station further down the line than the one close to Pompeii. In essence, if you're intent on staying in Rome, you'd be visiting Vesuvius during the morning, have a quick lunch, do Pompeii in the afternoon and then be back to Rome at night. 

- Choose the Pompeii/Vesuvius experience you want (or that you're willing to pay for): Your trip to Pompeii can be enhanced by purchasing an audio guide at the ticket desk, or by getting a tour from an authorised tour guide. Be sure to choose only a badged official that states which company they are from and be wary of scammers. When it comes to Vesuvius, you need to decide whether you want a brief 1.5 hour venture on the crater (the bus companies shuttle people on and off the crater as fast as possible for obvious reasons) or the full day hiking experience climbing all over the crater top. Again, that is a personal decision, so consider your finances, schedule and physical fitness to choose what's right for you. You might also want to look at Rick Steves' popular audio walking tours for detailed mp3 podcasts covering many European destinations. Best of all, they're completely free!

For the history buffs, there are also the nearby Herculaneum Ruins that can be seen. I didn't have enough time to see it on my trip, but some say they're even better than Pompeii.

Pompeii: Slightly disappointing given how famous it is. Perhaps a guided tour would have made things better. 3/5
Vesuvius: Stunning views and a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a real-life volcano make this a must-see. 4/5

What was your experience like in Pompeii/Vesuvius? 

Restaurant review: Zwickl, Munich, Germany (*****)

One of the many benefits of travel is trying (and hopefully enjoying) new kinds of cuisine that your palette may not have encountered before. Zwickl's signature meatballs, found near the busy Viktualienmarkets (fresh food markets running daily just south of the city square), were one such culinary experience I was glad to enjoy while in Munich.

Meatballs aren't a common occurrence at home for me in Australia, with only the now bustling Meatball and Wine Bar flying the meatball flag for its hungry guests in Melbourne. Having tried and tested its tasty but slightly expensive produce, I was eager to see if the German touch resulted in a superior taste.

Only opened in July of this year, Zwickl is still not widely known. It was quite bereft of visitors while we were there, so we were fast to get seated and served. I opted for the Bavarian white sausage (Weiswurst) meatballs with curry honey mustard and hearty vegetable soup, while my friend chose the meatball of baked chicken with potato cucumber salad.


Bavarian white sausage meatballs with curry honey mustard and vegetable soup (left)


Meatball of baked chicken and potato cucumber salad


Once more with yumminess: close-up of those bavarian white sausage meatballs!


That delicious (but slightly strong) honey curry mustard

My meatballs were crunchy, succulent and mouth-watering to the taste. Who knew that three small balls of protein could pack so much flavour? The honey curry mustard added an extra zing to the dish, but large amounts made the mouth quite dry. Luckily, a small bowl of hearty vegetable soup was provided, which nicely counterbalanced the bitterness of the mustard.

My friend's baked chicken meatballs weren't quite as good as my white sausage ones, but were nicely formed and delicious. The supporting potato cucumber salad was aces though.

Andy's traveler rating - Zwickl

Address: Zwickl – Gastlichkeit am Viktualienmarkt, Dreifaltigkeitsplatz 2, Munich

Price 5/5:  Very good for the budget, our meals were no more than 8-12 euros.

Service 5/5: Fast and responsive waitress quickly took our order, while the food arrived very speedily.

Decor 5/5: Bright windows and indoor and outdoor seating options provide an ideal location for people-watching while you dine.  

Food 4.5/5: Tasty and wholesome, Zwickl's food is fresh and different from the other offerings in the city.

Rating: 4.75/5 - Zwickl is a must do if you are in the city and needing a tasty feed.

Note: The rating for Zwickl has been rounded up for simplicity's sake.

Restaurant review: Trastevere La Scala, Trastevere, Italy (****1/2)

As I’ve said many times before, when in doubt about where to eat, go where the locals go. A quick bout of research online confirmed the Trastevere region in Rome as the place to go for authentic, tasty and cheap Italian food. A particular restaurant, Ristorante La Scala, was singled out as a favourite of many so dinner had been decided!

A twenty to thirty minute walk from the nearest metro station, Trastevere lies past a bridge atop a beautiful river that is positively magical by night. Watching the billows of water pass under the bridge was the stuff postcards are made of.

Reaching our destination with some help from Google Maps, we settled into the attractive seating of the restaurant, with a great view of the adjacent piazza square with traffic, cyclists and people in constant motion.

By this point, we’d become sick of eating pizza and pasta all the time, so we both elected to deviate from the norm.

I ordered a orange, fennel and shrimp risotto and my mouth began to water from the very first bite. The rice was moist and toasty, delicate with the grains nicely separated and full and flavour. The shrimp added a nice touch to the dish, with the meat inside the head succulent and juicy. After tossing up between this dish and a pasta dish, any regrets I had simply melted away.


Shrimp, fennel and orange risotto

My friend chose a traditional lasagne served in a terracotta tin, some fresh salad and Coke. I was intrigued to know that lasagna comes in two main varieties, ‘soft’ and ‘hard’, with the terracotta-set lasagna being a guarantee of a soft variety. I tried it and indeed, it was the soft variety my friend had tried and failed to find yesterday at another restaurant in the city. While I don’t think it quite matched my amazing risotto, the lasagna was indeed delicious. The portion was a little on the small side so I’m glad he ordered the salad as an accompaniment.


Lasagna served in terracotta tin

The food was so good I was sufficiently tempted to opt for the dessert. After observing what everyone else was ordering, I ventured out of my comfort zone and ordered something I’d never heard of before – mille fleuile with chantilly cream and wild berries. My friend ordered berries with chantilly cream and another type of cream. It turns out the mille fleuille is a type of wafer, which proved to be quite nice when coupled with the cream and wild berries. It wasn’t as awe-inducing as the risotto but it was a nice finish to the night. My friend’s tried and tested berries and cream combination was another winner, leaving us very satisfied and very full!


Mille-feuille with berries and cream


Berries with Chantilly cream

Andy’s traveler rating – Ristorante La Scala

Address: Piazza Della Scala, 58, 00153 Rome, Italy (Trastevere)
Directions: We walked from the nearest metro stop in Rome, which is quite a walk away. Here is the location on Google Maps.

Price 5/5: Very affordable, mains can be bought for 8 – 15 euros.
Service 4/5: Meals took a little long to come out, but the ambience and people-watching made up for this.
Decor 4.5/5: Nice location on a quiet piazza highlighted the moody lighting and cosy atmosphere of the heated venue.
Food 4.5/5:  Food was tasty, flavourful and authentic to the palette. A definite treat.
Rating: 4.25/5 – If you’re looking for impressive Italian food that doesn’t break the bank, you could do worse than try this little Trastevere gem. It was so good we wanted to go back but we unfortunately ran out of time!

Airline review: Lufthansa Airlines (*****)

In my third airline review, I put the spotlight on Lufthansa Airlines, the full-service, national carrier for Germany. I used to travel return from Munich to Rome. Continuing my favourable experience with European full-service carriers, Lufthansa proved to be another stellar example of excellent customer service and generous value adds to maintain a competitive edge.

Date flown: October 4 (Munich to Rome, 8am departure for 9:30am arrival), October 9 (Rome to Munich, 3:20pm departure for 4:50pm arrival)

Airport: Munich Flughafen Airport (October 4), Rome Fiumucino Airport (October 9)

Class: Economy

The good

• Instant mobile alerts for change of gate: As often happens with airlines, there was a last minute change to our gate number. Thankfully, we were notified by text of this which enabled us to be on our way.

• Friendly, bilingual flight attendants: Lufthansa staff were attentive, friendly and excellent in both German and English. This made dealing with them a breeze.

• Delicious in-flight food and generous drink options: Our flight was only one hour and thirty minutes long so I wasn’t expecting anything, so imagine my surprise when I was offered a generous snack (natural yoghurt and muesli for a morning flight; Johannesbierre cake for an afternoon flight and numerous drinks (a choice from water, apple and orange juice, water, soft drinks, beer, wine, etc). After selecting one drink, you’re even asked if you want any other drinks and provided them with a smile! This beats the no-frills service provided by budget airlines such as Norwegian Air.

Johannesbiere cake - delicious!


The generous drinks provided on the Lufthansa flight - water, juice and beer!

• On-time and pleasant flight: The flight had no noticeable bumps or disturbances and departed on time

The not so good

• Shuttle bus service required from terminal to plane: I wasn’t sure if this was a Lufthansa or Rome airport issue, but it was slightly annoying having to stand on a rather slow and packed shuttle bus to reach our plane. How hard is it to connect planes to the terminal?

Other than that, I really have no complaints about Lufthansa, the service and experience was excellent. Something to note is that Lufthansa does however, use the traditional in-person safety demonstration as opposed to the digital one adopted by many airlines these days – not a criticism, just an observation.


#wingshot

How to improve:

• Provide a direct connection from the terminal to the plane: Passengers would rather not take a shuttle bus if they can help it, airports are large enough. Hopefully shuttle buses will be a thing of the past soon.

Andy’s traveler rating:

Service: 4/5
Food and drink: 5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Safety: 5/5

Overall: 19/20 – An excellent in-flight food and drink offering and stellar customer service sets Lufthansa apart from other full-service and budget airlines. A direct connecting link to the plane would be my only suggestion.

Have you ever flown Lufthansa Airlines, and if so, what was your experience? What is your favourite European airline, and why do you like them?

Beer, beer, beer at Oktoberfest!

After yesterday’s enthralling yet exhausting trip to Europa Park, any hopes I had of a relaxing day were dashed as Oktoberfest was on the menu. The world-famous Bavarian tradition was in town, and was not to be missed.

Set in Theresienwiese in the center of Munich, Oktoberfest is a homage to the Bavarian tradition of beer and celebration, with hearty German meals on offer that are traditionally washed down with Oktoberfest beer supplied in always-packed beer tents. Both men and women dress up in traditional Bavarian dress, with the men donning lederhosen and the women sporting dirndi.


Not exactly lederhosen (Bavarian traditional attire for men) but an example of the garb seen adorning the fellas at Oktoberfest


Traditional Bavarian hat (Tirolerhüte) with tufts of chamois hair (gamsbart)

But Oktoberfest isn’t just about alcohol – it’s also host to a large variety of rides, games and Bavarian food (nuts, sausages, sweets, drinks and lollies) that make it otherwise a family-friendly event. It was a unique experience simply wandering the packed grounds (I went on October 2nd, which was a public holiday in Munich) and seeing everything in action. The ride I went on had five upside down loops, yet another scary and exciting memory for the archives!




Sweeeeeeets

We all scream for ice cream!


Traditional German gingerbread is on offer at Oktoberfest - it's a couple gift for a guy to buy and give to his special lady. Apparently it's not meant to be eaten but hung up in the house.


No day is complete without a sky high drop!

After seeing the sights on the ground, it was time to move into one of the tents to try out the local brew. That’s where part of the challenge lies in Oktoberfest – tents are in high demand, with a limited number of seats available for the food and drink on offer. Companies (who frequently use Oktoberfest as a team building/celebration activity) and large groups have been known to reserve tables at Oktoberfest more than 6 months in advance to secure a spot. Luckily, with our group of two, we found a seat in one of the tents within 15 minutes.

Joining two groups of locals at our table, we promptly ordered a 1L each of the beer. I looked on in avid interest at the groups of German folk indulging in German food and drink as German music and drinking songs pulsated around us. I even spotted a man dance for five minutes on top of a table!

Being not much of a drinker, it took me a good while to finish off the 1L beer. Beer still isn’t really my thing but it was worth it for the Oktoberfest experience, even though I didn’t understand much of what was said or the music playing from the stage.


The infamous Oktoberfest 1L beer

Attraction details - Oktoberfest

Directions: Oktoberfest be easily reached by U-Bahn, S-Bahn and bus as it takes place within the centre of Munich. For detailed transport information, consult the Deutsche Bahn website.

Admission: Admission is free, so you only pay for the rides, food and beer you consume. Note that the infamous Oktoberfest beer is only available in 1L quantities and is charged at 10 euros each. A bit steep for a beer, but you’re paying for the brand and the atmosphere as well as the beer.

Rating: 4/5 – a great experience for any first-time traveler to Munich. I only downgraded it slightly as I don’t really buy into the heavy drinking culture promoted by Oktoberfest.

Traveler tips:

• Oktoberfest beer is stronger than normal beer, so keep this in mind to pace yourself as you drink. Plenty of inebriated people can be spotted leaving Oktoberfest, having misjudged their capacity for grog.


• Eat your food and take the rides you want to before you consume any beer to avoid unexpected surprises later


• If you want to get a table without a reservation, be prepared to wait. The smaller your group, the greater your chance of getting a table. In any case, arrive early to secure a spot.


• If you aren’t a fan the full strength beer, you can order a radler which is beer mixed with lemonade and is slightly cheaper too.

Have you been to Oktoberfest? What was your experience like?