Our travel day began surprisingly early, with a short five‑minute ride from the Pullman to Brisbane International Airport. Thanks to valet parking, the whole arrival process was blissfully smooth—no fuss, no circling, just hand over the keys and walk inside.
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| Qantas Lounge |
Check‑in was equally effortless. With priority assistance, we breezed through the counters and headed straight for the Qantas Lounge, where breakfast came with a celebratory glass of champagne. Because of ongoing airport renovations, the lounge was located before security on the roadside, meaning once we passed through the newly upgraded—and impressively efficient—security area, there was no lounge waiting on the other side.
Our only setback came when our aircraft was delayed by almost two hours, pushing our departure from 10:35am to 12:25pm. But even that was softened by the news we’d received the day before: our bid for a business‑class upgrade had been accepted. We’d offered 60,000 Frequent Flyer points each, and clearly Qantas agreed.
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| RM Williams kit |
Business class was a revelation. Spoiled is the only word for it. Our seats, 7E and 7F at the rear of the cabin near the bulkhead, transformed into fully flat beds complete with mattresses. Drinks were offered constantly, the service was attentive, and the RM Williams amenity kit was a classy touch. After this experience, we’re hoping our return‑flight upgrade bid is accepted too—we’ve officially been ruined for economy.
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| Business class seats |
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| Welcome drinks |
We touched down at Narita at 8:08pm local time (9:08pm Queensland time) and finally exited the airport at 9:23pm. The delay wasn’t due to Japan’s famously efficient systems, but rather our own reconnaissance mission—testing tomorrow’s route into Tokyo and wrestling with Telstra’s data roaming until it finally cooperated.
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| Narita International AirPort and train station |
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| Narita as landing |
We hopped onto the free shuttle bus for the short ride to our hotel, a journey that ran with the kind of precision and polished politeness Japan is famous for. Every movement was efficient, every interaction gracious.
Our hotel turned out to be enormous, sleek, and unmistakably Japanese in its thoughtful design. Even the bathroom felt like a tiny adventure—complete with an electronic Japanese toilet full of mysterious buttons and gentle whirrs. Another delightful discovery in a country that never stops surprising us.
A long day, a luxurious flight, and the excitement of Japan ahead. The adventure begins.
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