Whilst this will be a relatively shorter trip than the World Tours, I thought I would still put together a travel report. I am going to be taking an interesting route to and from the ETS (European Training Seminar) and thought it might be worth some notes. I managed to get a quite affordable ticket return to Europe with Oman Air (pre-Iran issue) and the connections are interesting to say the least. On the way there I am flying Sydney to Indonesia, then onto Oman, connecting to Germany and finally onto Norway, coming home is almost a repeat except I am replacing Indonesia with the Philippines. With the extra stops I thought I would take a couple of days stop at each connection to grab a nice meal, and in the case of Germany add some Hapkido classes. So, grab a coffee, put up your feet and join me on my ETS travels.
Some up-front statistics for this trip: 23 Days Long with 8 Flights on 4 different Airlines (Qantas/Oman/Condor/Lufthansa) through 5 Countries (Indonesia/Oman/Germany/Norway/Philippines) using 4 Currencies (Rupiah/Rial/Euro/Peso) and taking 3 Bags (Backpack + 1 larger bags + 1 small bag).
Of course, nothing goes to plan and before I have taken my first flight, I get a message that Oman air has already changed my Oman to Germany flight, in this case they pushed it back a few days! I will say that the first notice I got was from my travel agent, but that was quickly followed by a e-mail and WhatsApp from Oman Air, they did make sure I got the less than fun news quickly. That meant that will I miss the visit to Germany, the Hapkido there and my flight from Frankfurt to the ETS, which is only partial refundable. Lufthansa offer about 25% back, so I would lose $500. The solution is to stay 1 extra night in Oman and take a different flight into Munich which arrives late, so overnight at the airport and then grab another flight into Frankfurt for an overnight and to meet my current Frankfurt to Oslo flight, the joys of flying these days, and of course the added issues with the Middle East.
Oman Air Update via WhatsApp
Into the air with Qantas as this Oman Air ticket includes the return Asian components on fellow One World airline Qantas. It’s a smooth flight and having done my Visa and Travel forms online the immigration part was basically walk-through, a quick scan of my passport with no lines and I am enjoying the humid heat of Indonesia. My airport transfer was waiting ready and we head into the notoriously bad traffic. Overall, it seemed like there were less cars, and it turns out they do Odds/Evens days for some of the highways. You can only use the highway if your plate ends with an odd/even number depending on the day. I did notice during my visit that a big part of the traffic was simply that almost everyone here drives incredibly slow even if the road is clear ahead, maybe trying to not run over the people dodging through moving traffic (A normal thing here).
Flight #1 Qantas A330-200 Sydney – Jakarta
Flight Time 7 hours 30 minutes – Total ETS Flight Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Jakarta Hotel Room
I have a couple of days here, so the plan is to enjoy 2 of the nicer restaurants, track down some good satay, get a haircut and chill. That means spending some time in the local malls to get coffee, suck up their AC and hopefully Wi-Fi. Now as there is a Black Belt testing team later this year, they have set me a tour challenge. They will do 1 Hapkido (Like a Burpee) for everyone that is in the group picture at the ETS, however there is a multiplier if I can sample some protein that is not of the basic types (Beef/Pork/Lamb/Chicken/Fish), this is at each country stop. If I can do that, they will add 1 Hapkido for every Degree in the group picture, now that adds up some as the ETS is very Senior heavy.
August Restaurant Jakarta (Challenge Indonesia – Scallops/Foi Gras)
You know I had to include a picture of this place
Getting my Satay fix one, this chain specialises in them with 20-30 different types.
The Bottle Collection
In the more economically challenged countries I always leave a tip for the cleaner in the hotel. Not for any gain but to thank them knowing how little they earn, most do show their appreciation in either better towels or extra water bottles, for example in most hotels it is supposed to be 2 per day. Still, I know my little bit helps and that is enough, and I prefer my water in my coffee. Indonesia went smoothly and I off to the airport for my first actual flight with Oman Air and first visit to the country of Oman. Ding the phone lets me know the flight will be moved back even later, more of the fall out from the craziness in the Middle East I imagine. The flight itself was very smooth and the inflight service good, I wasn’t sure if they served Alcohol or not (some Middle east carriers are dry), until I heard it references mid-flight. I enjoyed the signature Omani Lemon/Lime/Mint drink.
Flight #2 Oman Air Boeing 787-9 Jakarta – Muscat
Flight Time 7 hours 10 minutes – Total ETS Flight Time 14 hours 40 minutes
Touchdown Muscat, Oman and this makes it the 68th country I have visited. The airport is very modern, clean and has a number of artistic elements to make it more enjoyable to visit. As an Australian no Visa is required but its clear that the Omani locals get preference in the lines and getting through immigration, always being pulled from their line into the tourist one rather than waiting. Still, it was a short line for the foreigners and I get to the desk smoothly, it changed a little then. Not sure if there was an IT issue, but over the next 15 minutes the officer scanned my passport 3x took my right finger prints 3x, my left 2x and my thumbs once, asked twice if it was my first visit to Oman, also checked if I had a 2nd passport. After all that gave it back and waved me through. My transfer was waiting sign in hand and the drive into the hotel was quite smooth, first images are of a very clean country, good highway, low on traffic.
Muscat Hotel Room
The hotel was quite nice and my room actually the same cost per night as the Indonesian one. I had arranged a guide for the next day to show me the highlights of Muscat, there aren’t actually that many, so the tour included the main Mosque, the Souk (Market), the Palace, and the Opera House. Honestly apart from the Mosque it was all a little average, still the guide was entertaining and I enjoyed the banter as we drove around. Changing money was less fun as $100 Aud gets you 27 Omani Rial. You think you are winning when they say the coffee is 2 Rial, but that’s $7.30. Most things seemed on the expensive side (less than Norway) and then some other things were cheap, the hotel room, their version of Uber (very cheap) and local food.
Muscat Tour #1 – Mosque
Muscat Tour #2 – Mosque
Muscat Tour #3 – Mosque
Muscat Tour #4 – Souk
Muscat Tour #5 – Souk (You know if there were weapons I would find them)
Muscat Tour #6 – Omani Sweets (Team CSD I am bringing one home for you to try)
Muscat Tour #7 – Gulf of Oman (Connects in the North to the Strait of Hormuz)
Muscat Tour #8 – Local Breakfast or Snack (Cheese/Egg Crepe & Local Coffee)
Muscat Tour #9 – If you wear a dress there might be a moments pause at this bathroom
Muscat Tour #10 – The make the Iced Latte then turn it into a can
Muscat Tour #11– The Opera House
Thoughts on Muscat, it was very clean and organized. It was relatively quiet but that was as it was school/colleague break. The people all seemed friendly and the ones I interacted with were all helpful. It was definitely not the same as places like Kuwait (More Secular) or Dubai (More $$), on the car side I only saw 1 Ferrari and everything else was either a Japanese or a Chinese car, very few E vehicles, fuel is about 85c Australian per litre. If you look at the Middle East as a range from the crazy to the commercial side, it sits in the middle and is known as being neutral in all the issues. The few people I asked about the current war in the north all seemed to shrug and mention it didn’t affect anything here. For the challenge I ordered a Camel Burger, it was ok, but beef wins no doubt.
Local Omani Restaurant (Challenge Oman – Camel Burger)
I wrap up my brief visit to Oman, and head to the airport to check in for my next flight, this time heading into Germany for a night at Munich airport before another flight the next day into Frankfurt to meet up with one of the local Hapkido instructors before my flight into Norway and the ETS.
Oman Air is part of the One World so I get lounge access here.
Flight #3 Oman Air Boeing 737 Max 8 Muscat – Munich
Flight Time 7 hours – Total ETS Flight Time 21 hours 40 minutes
My entry into Europe goes smoothly and I am staying at an airport hotel for the evening and leaving early tomorrow morning to get another flight, this time with a new airline, into Frankfurt to meet up with one of the local German Hapkido instructors.
Flight Map from Muscat to Munich (The Strait of Hormuz is north of the RA in United Arab Emirates)
Flight #4 Condor Airlines Embraer E190 Munich – Frankfurt
Flight Time 1 hour – Total ETS Flight Time 22 hours 40 minutes
My first time on Condor airlines, and it starts with only being able to check in one bag, my second bag gets flagged at security for the Omani Sweets which are then cleared once they are swabbed for Explosive residue. A relatively short flight and I am in Frankfurt for the day. Master Billmann (6th Degree) picks me up for lunch and we spend the afternoon chatting about Hapkido, then visiting one of his 4 Dojangs in the Frankfurt area. We spend a good few hours talking, and then some time where I got to share some of the science of Kwan Nyom with him. A lot of is ways he runs his Dojang and programs are very similar to how CSD is run, quite interesting. If any of the IHA family are travelling through Frankfurt I can recommend a visit to one of his Dojangs.
Depot 1899 Restaurant (Challenge Germany – Venison Sausages)
Master Billmann’s ride with Dojang artwork
After the very quick stop in Frankfurt back to the airport for the next flight, this time into Viking land and ETS time.
Flight #5 Lufthansa A320 Frankfurt – Oslo
Flight Time 2 hours – Total ETS Flight Time 24 hours 40 minutes
Touchdown Oslo and CGN Nicolai met me at baggage, always good to have one of the local Black Belts a supervisor of airport security, he walked me through and handed me off to his father for the ride to my AirBnB. Espen is a provisional and hopefully he will be testing during the 2027 World Tour for his Black Belt as well, keeping it in the family. When I approached the ride, he never clicked that his company abbreviates to EMU and the ride had that proudly across the side.
EMU mobile
AirBnB (literally 2 mins walk to the Dojang, you can see the school from the balcony)
It was a quick check into the AirBnB before heading out for dinner with Master Adrian, BSBN Mira, Master Nathan and his partner. We enjoyed a good catch up and I also managed to tick off the box for the Provisional Challenge, the photo might not show much but under the nettle leaf was a pasta and sea snails.
Savage Restaurant – 1 Michelin Star (Challenge Norway – Sea Snails)
A free day to wander Oslo a little and bump into Master Adrian at the central train station, it is always a small world when the IHA is in town. That night we were kicking off the ETS, and the schedule was broken down to 3x SBN’s tonight, the Masters tomorrow and the KJN’s on Sunday. There would be a family dinner on Saturday night at a nearby restaurant, and SBN Erik would make a great spread for lunch on Sunday. The weekend was a blue with each senior getting an hour to teach a topic of their choice, the energy on the mats was excellent and the family get together went as planned, everyone worked with everyone.
ETS Group
ETS Instructors
The weekend went quickly and Monday morning I am back into the skies for what will be a long day travelling. I am flying to Frankfurt with Lufthansa (4 hour layover), to then connect with my Oman Air flight into Oman (5 hour layover), to continue on with Oman Air into Manila, arriving at my hotel around midnight.
Flight #6 Lufthansa A320 Oslo – Frankfurt
Flight Time 2 hours – Total ETS Flight Time 26 hours 40 minutes
Flight #7 Oman Air Boeing 787-9 Frankfurt – Muscat
Flight Time 6 hours 30 minutes – Total ETS Flight Time 33 hours 10 minutes
Flight #8 Oman Air Boeing 787-9 Muscat – Manila
Flight Time 8 hours 30 minutes – Total ETS Flight Time 41 hours 40 minutes
The flying was a little tiring due to some of the changes, the transfer in Frankfurt was 5 hours which included collecting my bags, changing terminals, and then not being able to check in as Qatar were using the counters and ran late, so lots of sitting around in the Terminal coffee shop. The flight into Muscat was overnight, and arrived around 4am, luckily the lounge was open to use one of the nap rooms. Of course another flight yet into Manila to wrap up the day. My stay in the Philippines was about just chilling, enjoying some local fare like the Kare Kare and Lechon, and lots of foot massages (the ITS Thai group understand), they are actually cheaper here than in Thailand. I did have to finish up the provisional challenge and that was done on my last night with some Peking Duck. Apparently the total of Burpees from the challenge was 1266, team Immortals will get it done I am sure.
Foot Massage Time
I was hesitant to enter after reading the last line
Fortune Hong Kong Restaurant (Challenge Philippines – Duck)
A brief but relaxing stop and time to grab Qantas home for the final flight of the ETS Tour. If you are considering Oman air as a cheaper way to get to Europe it definitely gets my tick of approval, it is considered the little brother of the major Middle Eastern Airlines, but does a good job for the value. The ETS went exceedingly well, a special thank you to Team Norske for hosting and as always Team Aus for keeping the HQ running smoothly. Next up will be the World Tour in March 2027, followed by the NATS (Yorktown, VA, USA) in October 2027.
Flight #9 Qantas Airbus A330-200 Manila – Sydney
Flight Time 7 hours – Total ETS Flight Time 48 hours 40 minutes