  Our time in Tasmania was over but we still had some travel to do before starting work again so back to SE Asia was the order of the day. We managed to find a great deal on Skyscanner for a Business Class flight to Bali via Sydney with Qantas so we were off again! Not only was the chance to do a longer haul Business Class flight enticing but with the Status Credits Jo was to earn it would put her over the line to gain Gold status.
As a added bonus, flying Business Class with Qantas allowed us access to the Emirates Lounge in Sydney Airport which has a reputation as one of the best in Australia. Unfortunately our connection time in Sydney was minimal so we weren't afforded too much time to immerse ourselves in the luxuries of the lounge but it was still a worthwhile exercise. One thing to be aware of is the distance of the Emirates Lounge to where most Qantas flights arrive and depart from. It is at least a 20 minute walk, so factoring the arrival time from Tassie, the shuttle bus ride to the International Terminal plus the the walk to the lounge we only had about 30 minutes left to relax and enjoy the food and drinks. It most likely had much to do about the time of day but there was very few people within the lounge so that also contributed to the exclusive feel it embodied. That , with the self serve spirits, beers and the Veuve Clicquot bubbly, sumptuous buffet and exotic cheese platter certainly contributed as well. We tore ourselves away and retraced our steps to the other end of the airport to board our flight. I couldn't resist the temptation to quickly duck into the Qantas Business lounge as a comparison and unfortunately is was a bit like a 5 star restaurant to Maccas. Again the amount of people does effect one's impression and the Qantas lounge was full to the brim. Travelling Business Class also has the added advantage of being able to "board at your leisure" so we scooted straight through to settle into our Business Suites, as Qantas has christened their latest upgrade to the A330-800 aircraft. While not really being individual suites the seating is very spacious and still has quite a new feel to them. In a 1+2+1 configuration means each seat has it own aisle access, all forward facing with a slight stagger so that you are not directly opposite the seat on the other side of the aisle. Qantas certainly lived up to it's cabin service with a selection of pre-flight drinks offered and a very stylish menu provided to peruse to select your preference for the main meal service. The amenity kit displayed the usual suspects of earplugs, eye shades, lip balm etc and while not being anything extra special was a nice touch. The drinks menu was also quite extensive with naturally Australian wine varieties on offer with Aussie beers but international spirits available. Our flight to Bali was very smooth and all too soon we were packing away our toys and preparing to land in Denpasar International Airport in the early evening. Our stopover was to be just 2 nights at the Novotel Airport as our ultimate destination was Kuala Lumpur for a longer stay enroute to Chiang Mai in Thailand. See our Youtube account of the flight- here
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