Australia to UK by CV580/A380 Qantas GBP 21,000 RETURN

[Henry Tenby]

The Sunday Times (UK) today's that Qantas is to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first flights from London to Sydney by flying a "vintage" (sic) Convair CV580 between Sydney and London return. Flight departs Sydney on 18th March and returns from Biggin Hill on April 8th. Ticket price is in the order of £21000 return including one way on the Convair and the other way on an A380.

It’s a long way

Qantas is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the first scheduled flights between London and Sydney with a pair of commemorative journeys aboard a vintage Convair CV580. The westbound flight, leaving on March 18, takes 22 days, closely following the original route, via Singapore, India, the Middle East and Paris; the eastbound sector, out of Biggin Hill on April 8 for 21 days, stops in Armenia and Uzbekistan before flying over the Himalayas and heading down via Vietnam and Indonesia to Sydney. Each ticket includes a return flight on the A380; the prices are £21,900 and £20,390 respectively, through Qantas Holidays (0845 774 7767, qantasholidays.co.uk).

http://qantasholidays.co.uk/holiday-...uctid_e_224220

The Far Horizons air cruise is a fully-inclusive escorted tour travelling by private airliner, which stays with you for the entire journey. At each port of call an interesting programme of sightseeing excursions has been arranged with an expert guide and accommodation is provided at the very best available hotels.

Price Includes:
· Flight from London to Sydney on Qantas A380 in Premium economy (Upgrades available to Business/first on request)

· Private air charter from Sydney to London stopping in 12 locations

· All meals

· Luxury accommodation

· Sightseeing & transfers

· Airport tax

Itinerary

Travel from London to Sydney by Qantas A380 Airbus departing at 11.15 on any of the following dates:

Wednesday 3rd February, Friday 5th February, Saturday 6th February, Sunday 7th February, Wednesday 10th February, Friday 12th February, Saturday13th February, Sunday 14th February, Wednesday 17th February, Friday 19th February, Saturday 20th February, Sunday 21st February, Wednesday 24th February, Friday 26th February, Saturday 27th February, Sunday 28th February, Wednesday 3rd March, Friday 5th March, Saturday 6th March, Sunday 7th March, Wednesday 10th March, Friday 12th March, Saturday 13th March, Sunday 14th March

You will have free time in Sydney for independent arrangements before meeting your flight crew and fellow passengers at Sydney’s Bankstown Airport on Thursday morning, 18th March

Day 1 Thursday: Sydney-Longreach 11.00am departure from Sydney’s Bankstown Airport for Longreach in outback Queensland. Afternoon visit to the Qantas Founders Museum and a reception at the airline’s original base, followed by a drover’s extravaganza dinner at a waterhole. Overnight Stay: Albert Park Motel

Day 2 Friday: (Longreach-Darwin) Morning visit to the Stockman’s Hall of Fame. Afternoon flight to Darwin. Overnight Stay: Crowne Plaza Hotel

Day 3 Saturday: (Darwin-Mataram) Morning sightseeing tour of Darwin including East Point Military Precinct and the National Aviation Museum. Afternoon flight to Mataram (Lombok Island). Two Night Stay: Pool Villa Club

Day 4 Sunday: (On Lombok Island) Full day tour visiting Narmada Royal Water Gardens with the island's most sacred Hindu temple, a traditional blacksmiths' village, a native weaving village, and a Sasak village with its distinctive hyperbolic-shaped thatched huts.

Day 5 Monday: (Lombok-Yogyakarta) Morning flight to Yogyakarta. Visit the Sultan’s Palace and the temple of Borobudur, one of the world's greatest monuments dating from the 7th-8th centuries and for many years the focus of Java's spiritual centre of Buddhism. Overnight Stay: Hyatt Regency Hotel

Day 6 Tuesday: (Yogyakarta-Singapore) Morning flight to Singapore. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight Stay: Raffles Hotel

Day 7 Wednesday: (Singapore-Bangkok) Morning flight to Bangkok. From the airport we drive to a nearby jetty on the Chao Phya River to board our private river boat for a luncheon cruise to the Oriental Hotel’s private dock. Dinner tonight is taken at the exclusive Le Normandie Grill. Overnight Stay: Oriental Hotel

Day 8 Thursday: (Bangkok-Rangoon) Morning at leisure. Afternoon flight to Rangoon. Two Night Stay: Strand Hotel

Day 9 Friday: In Rangoon Full day sightseeing tour visiting Chinatown, Sule Pagoda, Bogyoke (Scott) Market, Karaweik Hall Royal Floating Barge and the famous Shwedagon Pagoda.

Day 10 Saturday: (Rangoon-Mandalay) Morning flight to Mandalay for a lunch cruise on the River Irrawaddy followed by an afternoon excursion visiting Mahamuni Pagoda, Shwenandaw Monastery with its intricate carvings, Kuthodaw Pagoda and Mandalay Hill. Overnight Stay: Sedona Hotel

Day 11 Sunday: (Mandalay-Kolkata) Morning flight to Kolkata with fine vestiges of the British Empire. Afternoon visit to the Victoria Monument and the Pareshnath Jain temple. Overnight Stay: Oberoi Grand Hotel

Day 12 Monday: (Kolkata-Varanasi) Morning flight to Varanasi. Afternoon visit to the Golden Temple, Temple of the Bull and Temple of Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermon. Overnight Stay: Ramada Plaza Hotel

Day 13 Tuesday: (Varanasi-Khajuraho-Agra) Early morning cruise on the River Ganges, passing the bathing ghats and the burning ghats where corpses wrapped in white linen or silk are borne on bamboo stretchers to the smoking pyres. We then fly to Khajuraho to visit the temples decorated with intricate and fine sculptures. Afternoon flight to Agra for a stay of two nights at Oberoi Amarvilas Hotel. After dinner we see the Taj Mahal by moonlight. Two Night Stay: Oberoi Amarvilas

Day 14 Wednesday: In Agra Full day sightseeing including a second visit to the Taj Mahal, the 16th-century Red Fort and two very beautiful mosques. We also visit the Jasmine Tower and the Itmad-ud Daula famous for its intricate inlay work.

Day 15 Thursday: (Agra-Sharjah) Morning flight to Sharjah. Afternoon excursion to the nearby city of Dubai to visit the museum housed in an old fort, the old Bastakia district with its wind-towered houses and the gold souk. This is followed by a ride by abra (water taxi) on Dubai Creek. Overnight Stay: Radisson SAS Resort

Day 16 Friday: (Sharjah-Damascus) Morning sightseeing visiting the Great Mosque and the modern Sharjah souk before driving to the nearby emirate of Ajman to visit the old fort. Afternoon flight to Damascus . Two Night Stay: Four Seasons Hotel

Day 17 Saturday: In Damascus Morning visit St. Paul's "Street called Straight", House of Ananias, Omayyad Mosque, Temple of Jupiter and Saladin's tomb. Afternoon visits to the National Museum, Hammadiye Bazaar, St. Paul's Window and Azem Palace museum.

Day 18 Sunday: (Damascus - Izmir) Morning flight to Izmir . Afternoon excursion to Ephesus, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved of all the ancient Roman cities. We walk down the marble Sacred Street to see the Great Theatre, the Library of Celcius, the Gate of Augustus, and the Temple of Hadrian. We also visit the Temple of Artemis, the House of the Virgin Mary and the museum. Overnight Stay: Korumar Hotel at nearby Kusadasi.

Day 19 Monday: (Izmir-Cannes) Morning flight to Cannes. Afternoon visit La Croisette boulevard lined with shops and luxury hotels, the animated La Boca district and the picturesque old town known as Le Suchet. Overnight Stay: Carlton Intercontinental Hotel

Day 20 Tuesday: (Cannes-London) Morning flight to Biggin Hill airport for a visit to nearby Croydon Airport Museum. Afternoon drive into London for a farewell dinner. Overnight Stay: Ritz Hotel

Day 21 Wednesday 7th April: London Our arrangements terminate after breakfast.