How do you rate the Air NZ experience?
Havenāt flown long haul with them but have flown between Australia and NZ on their widebody aircraft and they were ok.
I hear some good reports of them in all classes but it does add that extra stop in which puts some off.
Dependant on price obviously but from Australia to the US non stop in Economy then United nudges out Qantas A380 with Qantas 787 a long way back. Delta, AA would be better than Qantas 787ās.
If Premium Economy then Qantas
Qantas A380 PE is very good although you may need to connect in Sydney
60 seat cabin on the top deck with some room to stretch out near the galley at the rear of the plane.
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I didnāt even realise Qantas still had the A380s.
If I go via Sydney I may as well go via NZ. Air NZ Premium economy is $3600. Qantas is $4600.
So weighing all that up,.
Wait if you can for the next QF sale, should able to get a seat in the low 3kās
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I used to fly Melbourne to Auckland to Houston regularly and Air NZ were very good in Business. You would be sitting with some very large people in economy.
Best benefit was priority customs and immigration clearance for Air NZ in Houston, through in 10 minutes with your luggage waiting for you.
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We are at Gold Coast airport waiting for a flight. Has to be the worst airport in Australia if not the entire world.
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Like the rest of the gold coast. A shithole
Second biggest airport in both QLD and NSW
But yes itās an absolute pig of an airport 
the postcard I sent my parentals from Antarctica in November just arrived 
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Check out American Tourister, probably soft sides.
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How long would you need in Munich and Berlin? Could you do both cities in 7 days?
Yep, Berlin has more highlights though.
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I easily filled five days in Berlin (no day trips out). Could have done more.
Canāt speak for Munich.
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Easily could spend several days in both. If only going to those two cities Iād look at a 4/3 split Berlin and Munich. Of course if you have time there are plenty of nearby destinations to both that are worth days on their own too
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Munich is great for architectural styles, ranging from the Baroque, some Rococo to art noveau and brutalist modern. There are different architectural tours.
Heartland of Bavaria, so different from Berlin.
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Some Berlin yays (may be out-of-date):
- Reichstag is a fun climb and view.
- get on a bike (tour?) ā the city is flat and itās a good way to get to some of the spread-out attractions.
- spend a day following the Wall, existing and past
- the Checkpoint Charlie museum has enough text to fill MANY hours if you read it all. A bonus is that it is open till 10pm, so slots in nicely around everything else.
- UNDERWELTEN!
- Computer Game Museum
- Mauer Park on a sunny Sunday, especially with cheap beers. Chaotic but also relaxing!
Nays:
- The zoo is reputed to be one of the worldās best, but I say āmehā. Itās no Dubbo.
- Bauhaus museum is niche and away from it all, so only go if thatās your thing.
Some fantastic scientific museums in both cities.
I just wish Iād strolled up Unter den Linden, past the Adlon, Potsdamerplatz, Alexanderplatz and round Friedrichstrasse to Checkpoint Charlie for a currywurst.
We stayed near Zoogarten, the Landwehr canal (well, a canal), near the Tiergarten, along Budapesterstrasse
Potsdam well worth a squiz, from Berlin (across The Bridge of Spies and near Wannsee where the final solution was spawned).
And Dachau is quite near Munich. Not sure how distant Obersalzburg, Berchtesgaden and the Eagleās Nest are. Weather was shyte when i was up there.
Having read Phillip Kerrās Bernie Gunther novels and David Downingās John Russell/Effi Koenen, it gives me a feel for areas away from the main tourist sites.
If going to Munich and not driving yourself, allow a full day to visit Neuschwanstein Castle (and some other smaller castles in the area). I did the Get Your Guide trip and it was well worth the effort. Set off at about 8 am and returned about 6 pm. Itās do-able by public transport, but very fiddly to get to.
Beyond that you can easily fill 3 days wandering aroundā¦
English Garden (where you can legally get your kit off if thatās your thingā¦ plenty do!)
Marienplatz
Nymphenberg Palace (half a day in its own right)
The Olympia Park area (a decent half day too if you include the tower)
BMW Museum (not my thing but itās highly regarded)
Deutsches Museum (a great science & tech museum)
And of course the HofbrƤuhaus where many an hour can be happily spentā¦
Itās a great city! Dachau and Nuremberg are nearby too and are both worth a day trip.
Berlinās fantastic too, and a good week can be spent there.
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Nuremberg is greatā¦not just the Nazi Rally Grounds and the Halls of Justice and DĆ¼rerās house. The walk up to the castle is good too.
Donāt really rate the train museum though.
Worthwhile checking the Youtubes first.