Because check-in time is 6am I was worried about how I could accomplish such a feat.
Taxi at 5am is fraught with them not turning up. Taxi fare would be at least $60. Long term parking would cost at least $120.
Checked the train timetable, catching the first bus at 5am will see me arrive at terminal 3 by 6am.
A worry lifted.
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Good luck Bretrick!
I’m one of those people that insist on giving myself plenty of extra time when travelling, even if it’s a short trip to the coast 
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The flight is still 2 months away but having the plans in place saves last minute hitches throwing all those arrangements asunder.
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Public transport to the airport should be the way ahead and I always use the train when arriving in London. But at this side it can more difficult. Both Bordeaux and Toulouse have a shuttle bus to the main city train station. All good. But the nearest station for me is still an hour’s drive away. There is a bus route to/from that station to our nearest town, only 15 min away. However there’s not that many buses each day - and it makes for a very long day of travel.
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The bus I will be catching is a 5-minute walk from my home. Very convenient.
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Be thankful that you don’t have to endure Thameslink trains Bretrick! 
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More than convenient.
However I can get a fast train from the local station, through Bordeaux without changing, for 50 euros. Then get a eurostar train to London for 60 euros. The only downside is it requires crossing Paris, most likely using the RER - yuck. Or worse, staying a night in Paris, double yuck.
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I used to like flying from London Heathrow, and would book flights that allowed me to use the tube direct to the Heathrow terminals. When I had holidays to Malta, I used to take my suitcase the day before, leave in the luggage storage, then have an easy journey the next day with my cabin bag/hand bag and coat. Of course it meant having to carry everything on the journey home but it also meant a carefree journey there.
I loved having the convenience of the tube.
Gatwick meant crossing London and catching the overground, and I hated that journey.
Here in Lowestoft we have Norwich airport but I haven’t renewed my passport so am not sure if I will ever get to use it. It does have easier parking, though.
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I made a dummy run to the airport using public transport today.
Easy enough. When I arrived, I stood around in the departures lounge looking lost and a service person came up to me asking if I needed help.
I explained I have not flown for 38 years and all this is a little daunting. I also explained this is a dummy run, my flight is not for a month yet and I do not have a smart phone.
I presented her with the paper Qantas sent me, “Confirmation of E-Ticket” and asked “Is this enough to get me on the plane”?
“No, that is not enough, you will need a boarding pass.”
“How do I go about that”?
“When you arrive at 6am search out a service person and they will help you make the required arrangements”
“I will be catching public transport at 5am and the schedule says I will arrive here by 6am. What if I am 10-15 minutes late”?
“You will be fine. We will ensure you get on the flight”
So, I got the answers I was musing over which makes the task of catching an early morning flight to Melbourne less stressful.
Well done. It’s always good to do dummy runs. Hope this eases your mind about travelling.
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Eased my mind a great deal.
Not as daunting as it might have been on the morning of the flight.
I at least know that help will be available if required.
Might you instead be able to get your boarding pass by logging onto the airline’s web site, finding your booking and checking in online? Usually you then get the option of printing your boarding pass or downloading it (but to a smart phone - so not an option for you). Then print the boarding pass and take it with you for your flight.
Note - some airlines now charge an additional fee for checking in at the airport. At least one European airline only allows e-boarding passes on smart phones.
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I think with the information the service lady gave I should be okay to just turn up, give them my paperwork and let them complete the transaction.
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