Christina left me off for the 8.20 Dublin Express and suddenly I was off, a very smooth journey down, no stops, perfect.

The advantage of flying business class was apparent as soon as I went over the check in. No queue! None to go through security and straight into the lounge where whilst they do call you for your flight I wouldn’t rely on it! I set alarms as a precaution lol I have missed too many flights, please not today! Good quality food and beverages available as you would expect also.

I met two lovely women in the lounge which I appreciated as it made the time pass and reduced any anxiety I might have been feeling. I am shocked how ok I have been in think even now as I type in the hotel room I think I am at work! One of these lovely ladies, Fiona, was on my flight and heading the Jeddah the other to India both really interesting women in their own right.

The first flight was a really nice airbus the air quality in it was great, something the air steward commented on since these big birds were re-furbished and the benefit of a reclining seat/bed and good leg room was a so nice, the service was excellent and nothing (not that I needed anything else) was too much trouble. Some lovely treats too. Qatar is a highly recommend my only disappointment was the inflight movies I really struggled to find anything I liked and watched one movie (not great) over the entire 17 hours!

Doha airport is pure opulence and ooze’s wealth so i kept walking ……….very quickly past Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Rolex and all the diamonds and many more for fear I would bankrupt myself and never make it to Oz. So I made may way straight to the lounge for a shower. The shower facility was every bit as good as a 5 start hotel with everything you need, beautiful soaps, shower gels, shampoo’s and moisturisers and gorgeous towels.

I was so glad I had that shower before my next flight, a highly recommend and a great top tip from Lucinda. Thank you.

There was any amount of beautiful food within the lounge in the main restaurant or lighter snack food area however I had absolutely no appetite from this point right through to Perth, I think just that this was my evening/ night time.

Doha to Perth – I was on the upper deck and I only thought I had been on large aircraft before ……….this was one bird! I didn’t appreciate the scale of it until I landed in Perth. What a treat! The same type of seats as on the first flight, however, this time – along with the cosy blanket came the White Company PJ’s & Slippers and another lovely treat bag. The ten hours passed relatively well and just being able to be horizontal made all the difference.

Whilst pretty tired when I got to Perth I was so much better than I expected to be and I guess that is the true benefit of paying the extra if you can see your way to it – See pic below C&J 😉