My 2025 A to Z theme is Airports, Airstrips, Aircraft, and Airlines I’ve known and flown with. I’ll be using IATA codes where they’re available. My inner travel agent emerges at this point as I’m the FTO (family travel organiser) and now, the online travel agent.
VCE Venice Marco Polo Airport, Venice, Italy
On previous holidays to Venice, we had arrived by train, but in 2018 we flew in from Barcelona, via Rome with Alitalia. Interestingly, Alitalia later went bankrupt and its place as Italy’s national carrier was taken over by ITA Airways in 2021. (who knew? not me) We were both excited about this new experience. Nothing in particular stands out regarding the airport, but it was fun waiting at the airport terminal to catch a vaporetto to our hotel.
In the Facebook “diary” I said: “We had an old-style three-hop flight from Venice to Brisbane with short transits in Dubai and Singapore on an Emirates 777-300. A full flight out of Venice but plenty of space to Singapore and so empty ex Singapore that every economy passenger could have their own lie-flat three or four seat bed. Heaven! Landed in Brisbane about 12:30 am through immigration and customs quickly…then to find the car. I’d taken a photo of our location on the phone (now stolen). Thanks to those noisy alarm beepers on the keys I found it fairly quickly, up a level higher than we thought.“
Vietnam Airlines (VN)
We flew Vietnam Airlines for our small-group tour of Vietnam: Sydney (SYD) to Hanoi (HAN), Hanoi to Hue (HUI), Da Nang (DAD) to Ho Chi Minh (SGN), Ho Chi Minh to Sydney. It was a perfectly comfortable airline to fly with. The Hue to Da Nang sector was done by bus and enabled us to visit Hoi An.
Valiant ANZACs
Today is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand, when we commemorate the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during World War I, the landing at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. It is a time to honour the service and sacrifice of all Australians and New Zealanders who have served in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. This national event is a key day of remembrance. You can read more about it here.
In keeping with my A to Z theme, I decided to feature those who served in the Australian Flying Corps in World War I and the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II. In both situations, they were regarded as British. In WWII. some trained in Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme before being sent to the UK where they were affiliated with the UK Royal Air Force. Paul McGinness and Hudson Fysh, WWI flying veterans were instrumental in the establishment of Qantas.
As far as I’m aware, I have no family members who served in the AFC but a few served with the RAAF. We also had a very good friend and neighbour in Papua New Guinea who had been a pilot on Wellington Bombers in WWII. Although flying was highly risky in battle situations, I can’t get the music “those magnificent men in their flying machines” out of my head.
Of course I had to go down the rabbit hole looking for more information on one of the squadrons and the extent of the distances covered and bombs dropped is astonishing. I had known that there was terrible attrition among the Bomber crews but even that was sobering. War has such a terrible impact on both the sides of the equation and the statistics bring that home forcefully.
I knew from writing my Kunkel-O’Brien history that one of the relatives who had been in the RAAF had been killed in a plane crash when the Lancaster was taking off on a bombing raid to Berlin. Today I found a photo of the burial for him and all the crew. The full image description says: “A prayer is offered at the funeral service for 420874 Flight Sergeant H. J. Gill; 410467 Sergeant J. Dobinson; 421860 F Sgt J. W. A. Farthing; 421122 Flying Officer C. R. Pickworth; 407562 Pilot Officer E. J. Ross DFM; 402869 Flying Officer B. A. Knyvett DFC who are buried at Cambridge. All of the servicemen above formed the crew of Lancaster aircraft JB738 which crashed in the village of Binbrook, United Kingdom on 2nd of January 1944, killing everyone on board.”
May they rest in peace, whichever side of the conflict they served on. They served their country.
Lest we forget.
Have you flown to either Venice or Vietnam? The latter is popular with Australian travellers.
Do you have any relatives who served with the RAAF during World War II or the AFC in World War I?
Family history across the seas 
Some of our friends went to Vietnam a few months ago and had a great trip. It has only been in the last few years that more Americans seem to be traveling to Vietnam.
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Vietnam is so much closer to Australia which is why we visit Asian countries I guess.
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Through DNA I found my birth father served in WW1 and WW2. In the latter he was recruiting for the Air Force. His son (my half brother) joined the Air Force in WW2 but was still undergoing training when the war ended. I met him and was able to hear about his experience before he died a couple of years ago.
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It must have been quite a discovery learning that through DNA. I hope it was a positive experience meeting your half-brother and hearing those stories. Are you watching The Secret DNA of Us in SBS? It’s interesting and well-done.
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I haven’t been but will look at SBS On Demand tonight in between episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale.😀
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I have not visited that part of the world yet. Maybe next! @samanthabwriter from Balancing Act
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So many places, so little time. Thanks for visiting Samantha,
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I’ve ticked off VCE and the vaparetto ride but have yet to fly into Vietnam, we visited there on a cruise that gave us six or seven days in Vietnamese ports.
My only offering for today is VIE Vienna, a place we love so much that we have visited by land, road and water.
Kicking myself because I wasn’t smart like you to use the V prompt for a salute to our ANZACs. I’ll try to remember Villers-Bretonneux or Victory for another challenge.
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You will win hands down on cruises and ports 🙂 We went to Vienna back in 1974 but by train. We didn’t like it that much as it was quite morose at the time with the President (or whatever) having just died.
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My father served in Bomber Command. His war diary was handed in to the AWM during the covid lockdowns when people were frantically decluttering. I knew nothing – it was never discussed. It took me three years to get the courage to visit the AWM and read the diary. I was concerned about Dad’s privacy issues. I currently have a book at the printers detailing the diary and some of the history of the war for my Dad’s grand children and great grandchildren. Discovered a war bride. Discovered so much more than I ever expected. Learned that this was a generation of resilient, courageous, and patriotic men and women and we owe them so much.
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That’s very impressive. Having a diary is a great gift although I fully understand your privacy and ethics concerns. I’m pleased you’ve done the book, though, as it will be wonderful for the family to have. It would have offered many insights as well as discoveries. Will you be publishing the book more widely or just for family?
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Just for family, though a copy will go to the National Library for any future research projects.
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What a great post, thanks for sharing!
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