quote:

Originally posted by Dimpz:
Mallee ~ I fly to Hong Kong about every 18 months & it takes 9 hours, which is bliss after the long flights we are all used to. If you are at all interested in the Asian countries then go for it. The flights are great, particularly if you go with Singapore or Cathay.

Well Dimpz, I like to know that the germs I'm going to meet have been met before, and I don't like crowds, but, on the other hand, having had my 2009 Egyption holiday whisked out from beneath me, I must confess that I've been thinking of points north. However, I haven't actually done much research on any area other than Sabah. Which sounds like a great place to send a good photographer. Maybe I'd better save my money; but I don't want to discourage you from spending while you're out and about! As you know, it's very important to keep money circulating!

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
Hi Brenda,

The flight time from Adelaide to Beijing is 10:41 minutes and the distance is 8597 kilometres, just a short hop.

PPL - don't be mislead by Missie's shorthand as regards flying time, will you!

Missie - I hadn't realised that it was only 10 hours to Beijing from Adelaide. Is that direct? Don't worry about looking it up if you don't know offhand. It was an idle question asked from surprise, and I can chase it up.

Hi Mallee,

Gosh I thought for a minute my name had changed.

Yes that would be direct. Luckily Asia is much closer to Australia than Europe. My daughter was in Thailand a month ago, had a great holiday there and said the flight times were fantastic compared to Europe.

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
Hi Brenda,

The flight time from Adelaide to Beijing is 10:41 minutes and the distance is 8597 kilometres, just a short hop.

PPL - don't be mislead by Missie's shorthand as regards flying time, will you!

Missie - I hadn't realised that it was only 10 hours to Beijing from Adelaide. Is that direct? Don't worry about looking it up if you don't know offhand. It was an idle question asked from surprise, and I can chase it up.

Hi Mallee,

Gosh I thought for a minute my name had changed.

Yes that would be direct. Luckily Asia is much closer to Australia than Europe. My daughter was in Thailand a month ago, had a great holiday there and said the flight times were fantastic compared to Europe.

My apologies for answering a post that was not specifically directed to me. I will delete my post.

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
Hi Brenda,

The flight time from Adelaide to Beijing is 10:41 minutes and the distance is 8597 kilometres, just a short hop.

PPL - don't be mislead by Missie's shorthand as regards flying time, will you!

Missie - I hadn't realised that it was only 10 hours to Beijing from Adelaide. Is that direct? Don't worry about looking it up if you don't know offhand. It was an idle question asked from surprise, and I can chase it up.

Hi Mallee,

Gosh I thought for a minute my name had changed.

Yes that would be direct. Luckily Asia is much closer to Australia than Europe. My daughter was in Thailand a month ago, had a great holiday there and said the flight times were fantastic compared to Europe.

From here to Rome, Missie, it's nine to nine and a half hours, and I feel that's long enough for me, anyway. I can't wait to get out of the flying cigar , I admire you Aussies and Kiwis a great deal for your endurance in flying times. What do you do to pass the time--any tips?

Brenda

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

quote:

Originally posted by Dimpz:
...
My apologies for answering a post that was not specifically directed to me. I will delete my post.

Dimpz, were you thinking of me? I'm lost in a labyrinth of quotes, but if you're thinking of my thoughtless 'people' and 'Missie' - yes, I guess I did direct the question specifically, but I love answers from anywhere, and this is, after all, a public board. I wouldn't expect to have a private conversation on it - although I sometimes forget that! Have you deleted your post? I hope not. I'm a bit behind with catching up.

Mallee ~ Yes I agree it is a public board, but it sometimes is just not worth the effort, should be fun, not a minefield. I have deleted my post, but please do not take it personally, I was not offended in any way by anything you have posted.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by BrendaC:

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
Hi Brenda,

The flight time from Adelaide to Beijing is 10:41 minutes and the distance is 8597 kilometres, just a short hop.

PPL - don't be mislead by Missie's shorthand as regards flying time, will you!

Missie - I hadn't realised that it was only 10 hours to Beijing from Adelaide. Is that direct? Don't worry about looking it up if you don't know offhand. It was an idle question asked from surprise, and I can chase it up.

Hi Mallee,

Gosh I thought for a minute my name had changed.

Yes that would be direct. Luckily Asia is much closer to Australia than Europe. My daughter was in Thailand a month ago, had a great holiday there and said the flight times were fantastic compared to Europe.

From here to Rome, Missie, it's nine to nine and a half hours, and I feel that's long enough for me, anyway. I can't wait to get out of the flying cigar , I admire you Aussies and Kiwis a great deal for your endurance in flying times. What do you do to pass the time--any tips?

Brenda

Brenda ~ We don't have any choice, Adelaide to London take 21 hours of flying time broken up as follows.

Adelaide to Singapore 7 1/2 hrs
Singapore to London 13 1/2 hrs

To pass the time I read or sleep (doze really) or watch a movie, I don't drink alcohol during the flight or drink too much coffee, I drink lots of water and exercise by walking up and down the isles.

Probably a question to which there's no clear answer. Do you Auusies and Kiwis find that most of these trips are taken by young--ish people? I did notice this on our own tour and independently that the majority of people from your part of the world we met abroad were middle-aged 50s/early 60s and younger rather than the majority seemingly seniors from our hemisphere. A wild generalization, of course, but I wonder if this is due to tolerance of those flights.

Brenda

Hi Brenda
The Aussies on our trip were mostly 50-60's although we did have 2 Kiwi ladies who were older, I think (gulp, don't want to guess ages in case they read this). A lot of people choose to break the journey with a stopover in Singapore which is what my mother in law did. The distance does put a lot of older people off though. I would love to take my mum to the UK as her parents were British and she knows she would enjoy it but just can't see past the long flight. She's only 66 and probably fitter than me. One day maybe

I was quite worried about the flight time before we went but it wasn't as bad as I expected. I think it's a mind set because sometimes a 3-4 hour flight can seem to take forever. I tend to read the flight magazine then a couple of my own and Sudoku is a good time filler. By then it's usually meal time and I start watching a couple of movies. I then go into the 'zone' and have been known to play Solitaire until I'm mind blowingly numb. I am not averse to a wine or two either, helps me sleep!

quote:

Originally posted by BrendaC:
Probably a question to which there's no clear answer. Do you Auusies and Kiwis find that most of these trips are taken by young--ish people? I did notice this on our own tour and independently that the majority of people from your part of the world we met abroad were middle-aged 50s/early 60s and younger rather than the majority seemingly seniors from our hemisphere. A wild generalization, of course, but I wonder if this is due to tolerance of those flights.

Brenda

Brenda I could be wrong on this but here goes. I would think that those you see from Oz are "Baby Boomers" children born during and for the next 8-10 years after WW11. They have lived through the boom years and have retired early with a sizable income with lots of energy to see the world. Just in my family alone I have 3 in laws all retired or retiring before 60. They have raised their families, own their own homes & have a very comfortable lifestyle ahead of them & good luck to all the "Baby Boomer" throughout the world. I have a strong feeling it's this group who are supporting the tourism industry at the moment.

Cheers
Spooky

quote:

Originally posted by BrendaC:
Probably a question to which there's no clear answer. Do you Auusies and Kiwis find that most of these trips are taken by young--ish people? I did notice this on our own tour and independently that the majority of people from your part of the world we met abroad were middle-aged 50s/early 60s and younger rather than the majority seemingly seniors from our hemisphere. A wild generalization, of course, but I wonder if this is due to tolerance of those flights.

Brenda

Brenda ~ I agree with both augusta and Spooky, I know myself we have a stopover in Singapore (both ways) when we fly to Europe. I don't see any point in arriving exhausted and having to start a guelling tour.

I think what Spooky said about "Baby Boomers" is correct. I place myself in that group and I was lucky to be able to retire at 55 on super and a pension due to my husband being a returned service man.

I am not sure exactly but I think we are lucky in that we don't have to wait until we retire to have os trips as our holidays and things such as long service leave are quite generous. I am not sure if this is always the case in North America. I know a sister of mine who lives there only gets two weeks holiday a year which makes long trips kind of difficult. I find that most of the people I know who are travelling are like me- kids have left the nest - suddnly some extra money at last. Which makes most of us late 40's early 50's.

I believe Long Service Leave is specific to Australia and New Zealnad as it was introduced to allow the many migrants who came to our countries in the 1900 to have time to go back to their homeland for visits.

Excellent idea as it means we can all go to their countries as well.
As for the age thing I know my father who has travelled extensivley will no longer tolerate those long flights. He is in his early 70's. My mother, however, has just come back from 3 months in Europe. My father has now decided cruises are the only way to go. Much more relaxing!

So, thanks to all of you for your responses. Spooky, I had not thought of your explanation but it makes perfectly good sense. Our baby boomer generation is probably the last in my lifetime at least that will be able to retire early.

As far as I know, about the longest holiday (paid, that is) people get in Canada is a month and that's often after ten years service. Now, don't quote me on that--because again, it's a generalization but we have nothing like the extended leave that you have over there, and that too, makes perfectly good sense. Sometimes, with the internet being so immediate, I forget how far you are.

Keep travelling, guys, and have a wonderful, wonderful time where ever you go.

Cheers, Brenda

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BrendaC,

I qualified last year for long service leave after 15 years and received 2 extra weeks holiday which I added to my 4 weeks annual leave to give me six weeks in total. I think the next milestone is at 25 years and we get either another two weeks or one week - not sure - but I won't still be working then! We are hoping to retire early also.

Most New Zealanders were expecting to retire at 60 up until a few years ago when the government changed the age threshold to 65 before they would qualify for Government Superannuation.