So the A-Z Challenge letter of the day is Q. I was very tempted to write one of my usual travel snapshots on Queenstown, the capital of adrenaline sports in New Zealand. Queenstown is beautiful and fun … what a combination! However, I like to include photos with my travel posts and in the case of Queenstown, quite unbelievably, I don’t have any! I was so wrapped up with the bungy-jumping and white water rafting that I just didn’t think to take the camera out π
Try as I might, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I had been that started with Q. And then it struck me … how do I get to all these wonderful places around the world? Well, coming from Australia (a place some would say is the largest island in the world … although I believe given it’s sheer size and the fact that it is a continent, it can’t technically be an island as well but that’s a question for the experts) I get to all these wonderful destination by air. I travelled with a number of airlines but given our letter of the day … the one hat springs to mind in Qantas.
Qantas is the national carrier for my homeland and is affectionately known as The Flying Kangaroo. I feel the need to mention the spelling right off the bat … contrary to the usual rules of the English language, there is no “U” in Qantas. The company was originally formed in Australia’s Outback in 1920 and was named the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service Limited (Q.A.N.T.A.S). Its current day headquarters are in my home town of Sydney. Qantas is one of the world’s oldest airlines and given that it has never lost a plane or crashed a jet, it is one of the safest in the airline industry. I don’t know about you, but that’s kind of important to me π They are an airline that are conscious of supporting Australians too … from their sponsorship of sporting teams such as the Qantas Wallabies (Rugby Union) or their partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic committees, to their willingness to put on chartered flights to evacuate Australians from global disasters or terrorism acts globally … they do put effort back into the community. Like many airlines, they are a Frequent Flyer program as well … which I have found very handy indeed! There are a lot of fantastic airlines out there, I have several I use frequently but Qantas has a special place in my heart. I have numerous travel related tattoos but the largest by far is on my right rib-cage. My entire side is covered with a Qantas Boeing 747-400, complete with contrails. Now that’s loyalty lol π
This post is part of my contribution to the A-Z Challenge for April 2016
Click here for a list and links to my other challenge posts!
What a great challenge Idea, and your tattoo sounds beautiful!
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Thank you! Haha the tattoo is different – that’s for sure π
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Nice post π
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Thank you!
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No problem π check out my blog when you gwt the Chance
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Fun Kim!
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Thanks, Lyn!
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Nice word/brand. If I go to Australia one day (which I’m really hoping I can) I will make sure to take Quantas. π
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Thank you! Fingers crossed you make it out here π
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Hey Kim, a very apt and patriotic post for the letter Q! And what a loyal flyer you are! Doesn’t get much more loyal than a tattoo. Happy and safe flying. π
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Thanks, Miriam! A little bit of shameless promotion for an Aussie icon never hurt anyone π
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Definitely not. π
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“Qantas is one of the worldβs oldest airlines and given that it has never lost a plane or crashed a jet…” This line reminds me of our experience with Malaysian Air. Long before the missing plane disaster, we boarded a flight to Osaka on Malaysian Air. Sometime after takeoff we heard a thump accompanied with burning. I thought my worst nightmare had come true. The air hostesses pretended nothing happened. Strangely, nothing did. Couple of years later tragedy struck twice. I’ve never opted for Malaysian Air since.
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Such a tragedy, with those two Malaysian airlines incidents, and so close together too. They are one airline I hadn’t flown with. When possible I try to go with Qantas or Singapore Airlines. Having said that, I’ll be flying Emirates and Air Berlin next π
Do you have a preferred airline, Cheryl?
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The airlines in the USA could sure take some lessons from Qantas! We don’t fly anywhere anymore (since we don’t fly outside the US at this time). We travel by motorhome and enjoy the road trips wherever we are going. Flying scares me nowadays and it’s a last resort. Very informative.
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Motorhome is a lovely way to travel! You see a lot, it’s convenient and affordable, and you can travel at your own pace. I did New Zealand like that and it was fantastic. I also had plans to do a similar road trip in Canada but they unfortunately fell through.
I think many of us have a method of travel/transport that scares us. I have a post about my transport “last resort” coming up on Saturday.
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Great sales pitch, Kim. I hope they throw some extra miles your way! π I have flown with Qantas as well, between Australia, NZ and Asia, many years ago. They are great. Loved Queenstown as well, and its sports, also many moons ago. Although, I did revisit it last year, but, unfortunately, it was raining, so we missed out on the sightseeing. One day, I’d like to go back to your home country and show my husband its variety and vastness!
Liesbet @ Roaming About β A Life Less Ordinary
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Thanks, Liesbet. Haha would be lovely if Qantas would throw some miles my way but I’m not holding my breath!
I’ve been hoping to return to New Zealand for ages. As you know, it’s spectacularly beautiful. Amazing that I haven’t made it back given how close it is.
I’m sure you & your husband will make it out to Australia one day … The vastness is something that always gets me as well.
As an aside, I’ve been reading your blog and was just trying to leave some comments but for some reason it’s not letting me login π I shall try again tomorrow from a PC instead of the phone!
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Thanks for the interest in my blog, Kim. I hope the commenting works out, that’s quite frustrating. Not sure what the issue is. Hope it works from your computer. Also, I am very curious about that “Qantas” (and the others) tattoo… Maybe a good subject for the letter T in the A-Z challenge?? π
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Fingers crossed! I’m sure it’ll be easier on the computer π
Funny you should suggest tattoos as a post for T … I had thought about that. I was thinking something along the lines of the fact that mine are travel tattoos but also some commentary about differing opinions on tattoos too. And then … I changed my mind lol. I will no doubt still write about them but I struck on a different subject π
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Here is me thinking all along it had a u in it. π
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You wouldn’t have been alone in that π xx
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This was a fun read! I learned a lot too!
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Thanks, Michelle! Glad you enjoyed it π
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Wow! A Boeing parked on you! You are such a loyal customer Kim! My take from the post, whenever I gonna see one of Qantas plane, Im gonna shout, ‘Aye! There, the Flying Kangaroo!” π
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haha! That’s awesome, Prabhat! Glad you enjoyed the post. The tattoo is definitely one way of showing loyalty lol π
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Thanks for the information about Qantas Airlines! If I ever make it to Australia, I’m going to fly that one. I had no idea they gave back to the community so much.
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You’re welcome, Ann. Their level of community involvement has always impressed me. It’s nice when large companies give back like that. Glad you enjoyed the post π
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Nice post. Sadly the 747s are slowly dwindling in numbers!
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Thanks! It is a shame to see those old workhorses fade away
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