As First Class passengers, we were the first ones to get out of the plane.
The first thing that greeted me was this New Zealand themed woodwork. Nothing like a couple of scary faces to welcome you to New Zealand!
At immigration, the officer asked me why my stay in Auckland was so short. I told him that I was trying out the First Class Suites on Emirates. His eyes lit up and started asking how it was and how much I paid for it. When I told him I only paid $300, he gave me a cheeky grin and said welcome to New Zealand.
I dropped my carry-on luggage at the airport storage and proceeded to the Emirates check-in counter to get my ticket for the next flight. The check-in counter usually opens around 3.5 hours before the flight, but since I was a First Class passenger, my ticket was promptly issued. I then took the bus to downtown Auckland.
After walking around downtown Auckland, I settled into the Auckland harbor, which was simply gorgeous.
The afternoon went by quickly and I took the bus back to the airport.
Since I was running late, I had no time to check out the First Class lounge. Since Emirates First Class passengers can board using the lounge, I was the only one boarding via the lower level. Just like in Melbourne, there was a calm silence as I strolled down the jet bridge area.
A Sneak Peak Inside the A380 Cockpit
The flight attendant greeted me and said “Mr. Huang, welcome back with us!”. She asked a petite shower attendant to help me with my carry-on.
She looked at me a bit weird when I declined and decided to lug my carry-on up the airplane staircase. I guess they aren’t used to First Class passengers carrying their own luggage.
I was shown to my seat, the same one from my previous flight (2K), and was given another glass of Dom Perignon.
Since it was my second flight, I began to notice a few things that I missed in the excitement of my first flight. There was a snack basket that contained various types of chocolates and crackers.
Emirates designed each First Class Suite to feel like a personal living space.
The crew also changed completely. Apparently, they change the crew for each flight, no matter how long it is! This crew seemed quite happy to work such a short flight. I had two flight attendants serving me. One was friendly gentleman from Egypt and the other a lady from the Philippines.
We took off in the late afternoon. I enjoyed the live view of the take off from the A380 tail camera.
I was starving. The menu was again an extreme overdose of selection, especially for this short flight.
Since I was hungry from exploring Auckland, I decided to order a five course meal: a starter salad, smoked salmon for my appetizer, a beef fillet steak, chocolate cake, and a cheese platter.
A couple of glasses of champagne and a few articles later, food was served. The flight attendant lifted my tray and set up my dining table.
One thing that really impressed me with Emirates is the plating and attention to detail.
First up was the regular salad.
The salmon appetizer was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Fresh and light, just like how salmon should be.
The beef fillet was also amazing. I was surprised on how tender it was, especially for airplane food. It really hit the spot. The vegetables were also sautéed properly, but the mashed potatoes were a bit dry. Then again, that’s really nitpicking it considering we were up in the air.
I asked the flight attendant which wine to pair with my steak. She suggested the 2001 Chateau Gruaud Larose. It was an excellent pairing, as it complemented the steak perfectly. Most of all, it left no bitter aftertaste, so I was able to thoroughly enjoy my wine.
At this point I was already stuffed, but who can refuse a nice plate of cheese and chocolate cake? The presentation was excellent, and I was a bit surprised by the vast selection. Instead of making you choose which kind of cheese you want, Emirates just gives you everything.
I have a couple more bites until I was completely stuffed. I then asked the attendant if I could take a shower. Within ten minutes, the shower was ready, and I headed over to take my second shower on a plane in a of couple hours.
This time, I managed to pace my shower better so I didn’t have to rush at the very end.
Since it was my second shower in the same day, I noticed a few more details.
Emirates provides all the shower amenities you could possibly want. There were eight different bottles ranging from body wash to conditioner.
In addition, there is a “bench” in the shower that you can use when there is turbulence in the air, and in the case of an airplane malfunction, oxygen masks would fall down from the ceiling.
Of course it’s not the most ideal place to be if there is a problem with the aircraft. There also seems to be a limit of two people for the shower, although only one person is allowed in the shower at a time.
After my shower, the flight attendants were starting to prepare for landing and I buckled in for our landing into Sydney.
Once again, immigration was a breeze and I was out of the airport in just fifteen minutes.
With a nice buzz from the alcohol I’d been drinking, I took the airport train to the Sydney Harbor. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see.
As I approached the harbor, I noticed an enormous ship dominating the harbor. Turns out it was the world’s only ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2.
Seeing the Titanic-like ship leaving the Sydney harbor after landing on the world’s largest commercial airline just gave me the shivers.
With the bell horn honking, steam coming out of its funnel, and the crowds cheering them on, it seemed like a scene straight out of Hollywood.
The harbor front was simply breathtaking and lives up to the hype.
I headed back to my hotel, which was walking distance from the domestic airport. I promptly fell asleep, exhausted but at the same delighted by one of the most eventful travel days of my life.
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