airline info please

i'm looking at airlines for a long haul flight
(Athens to Christchurch, New Zealand).

united arab emirates
anyone flown with them before?

i'd be taking a flight from
athens to dubai (long layover - 8+ hours)
then dubai to sydney with a stop in bangkok.
then finally over to christchurch.

otherwise, for only 100 euro more, i can do athens to dubai, then change with a direct flight to sydney and an hour or so wait before heading off to christchurch. this sounds a lot better!


i'm also looking at another option with qantas
again a long haul, but since the option is mostly between british airways and qantas, i'll most likely stick to BA if i have a choice between the 2 for the main part of the journey.
this would mean flying to london beforehand which isn't too appealing to me, unless necessary.

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any other ideas or suggestions with other airlines heading EAST from Athens rather than NZ via the LAX route?
obviously avoiding any of those countries were it's prolly not a good idea for US citizens...

surcharges

so i'm looking at flights from the EU to NZ

on the united emirates flight from Athens to NZ via dubai
the surcharges and taxes (fuel and all that) add up to about 70 euros total.

for a similar flight out of the EU, it's almost 300 euros for a similar priced flight
say out of london or frankfurt

hah!

the sea the sea

so today went off to take my last swim in the sea for a while
it was nice. we went to the shore near the house in perdika, where sandra and harald stayed last week.

usually we had to go on the other side of perdika because if the wind is coming from aegina, then it also stinks up the water a bit more.


right now, trying to cram booking details super fast.
i've pretty much decided on the Emirates flight out of athens to christchurch
but there are other things that need to be settled too.
like um, my performance partner ;)
if she doesnt show, then it'll be hard to do a bit suspension show without her.

i really do need to come up with a solo show.
i've dropped a few bookings because they don't want to fly in someone from various parts of the world of my choosing :-p
the thing is, i've also got to come up with a GOOD solo show.
i refuse to jump on stage in latex and rub lube on my bits dammit.

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bags are packed. i need to get everything of mine off the island and back to Piraeus tomorrow evening.
hopefully there'll be something there so i can get online in the eve to do online check in.
one night in Piraeus (please don't be 45 degrees C!), then to the airport for my flight to London.

one day of rest. and a stop in to see simon and atsuko to grab more latex.
i really should check nationalrail to see how the trains to manchester are running.
i know it was storming and raining but i refuse to bring my big black overcoat.
that'd be a pain in the ass, having to drag it through to Tampa and Chicago. a bit overkill for the weather i think.


ahh, no more Greekland soon.
i really don't like thinking that i'm wasting my VISA extension days.
the nice officials even gave me until sept 15 dammit.
oh well.
just have to do it again when i get back.
and hopefully i'll also be able to start the paperwork for the DK permit as well!
:-D

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also
modelmayhem forums is pretty damn funny (though scary too). especially in forums where people start discussing history and the wars in the middle east. aiya!