It has been my dream to be taking a RTW trip since reading all these wonderful TRs here. Finally, an opportunity presents itself as my +1 and I are going to have a few weeks off between engagements. Also, we got married a while ago but never got a chance to do a proper honeymoon. In fact, we were at work within 36 hours after we got married. So, here is a TR for our little journey across the globe. Please enjoy!
For a few months earlier this year, it was considerably cheaper to start a RTW in South Korea. So, with a CRTWSTAR starting in ICN, we had to find our way to ICN. Of course, as a good FTer, what fun would it be if we just take a direct flight from LAX. So, we got a positioning trip to DPS/CGK (no complaints there!) and an OW award ticket between CGK and ICN. Here is
LAX check-in/lounge
The check-in took unexpectedly long. We originally wanted to short-check our baggage to SIN, instead of all the way to CGK. However, the agent tried for 15 minutes before giving up and asking us to pick up our bags in CGK instead. Luckily, we packed our carry-on in an event that our checked bags would be lost for a few days. So, we reluctantly agreed with this arrangement and went through security.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_036.jpg
TBIT is currently under construction. So, the not-so-glamorous entrance to the lounges
The lounge was quite crazy as there were passengers waiting to go to NRT on NH/SQ, ICN on OZ, and FRA on LH. The food and drinks options were quite uninspiring, but it was not a problem with a huge meal ahead of us anyways.
NH 5
With some excellent flights with NH before, I was excited to be on board with ANA again. Boarding process was once again swift. An interesting tidbit happened as two random passengers sat in F during boarding. That causes all the NH cabin crew to be quite frantic as they had to confront them politely and asked them to move back to their seat (and I did a walk through in C and EY without any sights of those two pax).
Even though I am in love with NH, the biggest problem with them is that it took them almost one hour to serve the first cocktail (after the miniature glass of champagne/green tea after take-off). However, the Japanese meal is always fantastic.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_040.jpg
Oh... I wish I was on the other end of this sign...
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_041.jpg
Yummy glass of grand blue
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_044.jpg
Zensai
Simmered prawn
Golden brown scallop
Salt-grilled saury fish
Fishcake with beans
Flowery sweet vinegared turnip
Kobachi
Braised tofu and vegetable patty in savory radish soy sauce
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_046.jpg
Shusai
Braised duck breast and vegetables in special soy sauce
Sunomono
Octopus and surf clam salad tossed with Tosa vinegar
Steamed rice
Miso soup and assorted pickles
International course
Pork pate Provencale with marinated artichoke and fresh garden salad
Pan-fried beef tenderloin with onion confit and demi-glace
Sesame-crusted sea bream with herb olive oil sauce
Autumn vegetable quiche with creamy broccoli puree
Two kinds of bread with a choice of flavorful premium Isigny butter or extra-virgin olive oil
Dessert
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_050.jpg
ANA’s original partfait, mixed berries a la mode
Fresh seasonal fruit
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_051.jpg
Cheese
The rest of the flight flew by with some sleep and games. The crew was slightly less warm than my previous trips and I did not feel well taken care of. They did the on-the-book service where they checked a few times throughout the flight to see whether I needed any snacks. With 90 minutes to go, I was reminded that it was going to be my last opportunity to order any snacks. So, +1 decided to go on a little spread of snacks from the menu.
Light Meals Anytime
Light dishes and snacks
Dim-sum Chinese (two kinds of steamed chicken dumpling)
Cup of consumme sloup
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_053.jpg
Bowl of hot Japanese udon noodles with kitsune (fried tofu) garnish
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_054.jpg
Warm, homey rice ball with caramelized kombu kelp filling and miso soup
Toasted pork cutlet sandwich
Petite Japanese set
Bowl of rice topped with seasoned salmon flakes and soy-cured salmon roe
Assortment of delicacies
Fruit yoghurt
Petite international set
Classic beef stew in red wine sauce
Bread roll
Fruit yoghurt
Petite Japanese set
Bowl of rice topped with seasoned salmon flakes and soy-cured salmon roe
Assortment of delicacies
Fruit yoghurt
Petite international set
Classic beef stew in red wine sauce
Bread roll
Fruit yoghurt
RyanG
Nov 1, 09, 12:03 pm
Looking forward to the rest of it!!
larrywilmot747
Nov 1, 09, 5:23 pm
Nice start, thanks for posting.
Cheers Larry.
UALboy
Nov 1, 09, 10:25 pm
NRT lounge
NH operates two business class lounge out of NRT, one in satellite 4 and one in satellite 5. Although the lounge in satellite 5 is more airy and larger, we decided to head to the lounge in satellite 4 as our inbound flight parked there. Regardless, a visit to the noodle bar and the beer machine is a must!
As we approached the gate, we realized that the flight was delayed, ever though the FIDS in the lounge did not provide us with that information. While we were waiting for the flight, the podium paged for our names. I always have mixed feeling when they page for my name. For all my past experiences, a page only means that I am getting an operational upgrade. However, there is always a chance they want to downgrade us, remove us from the flight, inform us that our baggage has not made it from the previous destination, etc. (I know I am paranoid). Fortunately/Unfortunately, they only paged us because they want to double check our documents. While I was glad that we were not offloaded for some strange reasons, I was also sad that there would be no DP for me…
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_066.jpg
Champagne and Golden Spice to welcome us aboard
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_067.jpg
Upper deck on a SQ B744
Boarding formality was once again performed in the SQ way. The FSS working in the upper deck could not be nicer. She was very personable with us and the smile definitely did not feel robotic at all. Once we were airborne, we were served with satay and drinks with our choice. The satay was extremely yummy and I was already looking forward to visiting Singapore in a week or so and have tons more of it. (I have two location specific diet, while they are not particularly healthy, I definitely stand behind it. They are the gelato diet while I am in Italy and the satay diet while I am in Singapore. It certainly beats any of the Atkins/lemonade/whatever hip LA diet that I have tried). NH should definitely learn from SQ on this. I had a drink in my hands in far less time that requires NH.
Prelude
Satay
With Onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_076.jpg
Starter
Tuna tataki, omelette and marinated octopus served with mixed salad
Choice of yuzu or creamy sesame dressing
Main
Brillat Savarin tournedos steak with mushroom sauce, garlic-celeriac flan and new potatoes
Singapore style roast chicken served with chicken flavoured rice and chilli sauce
Grilled Atlantic cod served with tomato herb coulis, mixed vegetables and olive oil flavoured mashed potato
Finale
Mango Shortcake
Gourmet cheese with garnishes
A selection with fresh fruit
Gourmet coffees and slection of fine teas, with pralines
Aemono
Straw mushroom and yamakurage vegetable in peanut dressing
Sunomono
Marinated persimmon, radish and carrot
Takiawase
Simmered beancurd skin, carrot, green beans
Gohan
Grilled mackerel sushi
Steamed rice with grilled pacific saury
Steamed rice with hijiki seaweed
Tome-Wan
Miso soup
Men
Cold buckwheat noodle
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_077.jpg
Mizugashi
Green tea tiramisu cake
As always, SQ did not disappoint in the food department. Every course was extremely delicious. The FSS certainly could not be nicer. Every drink was topped off with a genuine smile and no requests were too much. Thus far, all my experience with SQ was great yet, with all the SQ girls seem to be rushing around and trying to fulfill all the tasks that they were supposed to. I wanted to give them a benefit of the doubt because we have not had a chance to fly with them on a long flight yet. But, this FSS we had certainly matched the expectation of brilliant SQ services.
The crew offered us the honeymoon cake that we have previously preordered. However, we were simply too full to take in any more. So, we reclined our spacebed and slept the rest of our journey to Singapore. During the descent, the crew did inform us that they have saved the cake for us to take home with us.
Changi CP
Although most transit passengers would choose the transit hotels in Changi to overnight. I decided that we were going to clear immigration and custom so that I can earn my PC points (of course, the transit hotel option was never mentioned to +1). However, with it being connected to T3, we were able to make it to our room within 30 minutes of disembarkation. So, it is time to see what SQ cake looks like.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_079.jpg
Light and airy cheesecake. Extremely yummy!
UALboy
Nov 2, 09, 4:50 am
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_081.jpg
Sunrise from CP Changi
SQ956 (SIN-CGK)
After taking a very nice 3-hour nap, we got up and went back into the airport again. Since CP Changi is connected to the SIN T3, we decided to proceed straight towards the Silverkris lounge in T3, which is superior than the one in T2. Of course, we were being constantly reminded that our flight would be departing from T2.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_082.jpg
Airy SIN T3
The SIN Silverkris lounge is definitely great for its food. There were probably 12+ western/Asian hot food options. One can easily put together a very decent meal by just trying a little bit of everything. We had to remind ourselves that we have yet another meal ahead of us. So, we exercised a bit of self control and stopped ourselves after one plate (and 3 har gow… hmmmmm)
Transiting to T2 is not hard at all. It just involves a quick 2-minute ride on the Skytrain. However, our gate, of course, is at the far end of the terminal. Anyways, after a quick security check, we were onboard. The usual predeparture routine was performed (drinks, reading materials, and hot towel). What we noticed for short haul SQ flights is that the cabin crew seems to be very rushed and their smiles are a bit more coerced (?). It is certainly not surprising, considering the tasks that they have to perform on the ground (getting all 40+ business class passengers’ luggage stowed, drinks/reading materials offered). I wish I could tell them to chill out a bit, but I am sure the CS/CSS would not approve.
After take off, a breakfast was offered. Instead of a full menu was offered, we got a little one page menu card.
Once again, the food tasted very good and the spice level was definitely not disappointing. The crew was very rushed to get everyone watered and fed. But, the flight is very short and once the trays were collected, we were almost ready for our descent into CGK.
UALboy
Nov 2, 09, 4:55 am
Once we were pulled into the gate in CGK, the chaos already begun. The whole J cabin decided that they did not need to wait for the seat belt sign to be turned off before standing up and retrieving their bags. Everyone was on a mad dash to disembark and get to the immigration counter. But, we had to stop at the visa on arrival counter first where one pays $10 for a 7-day entry visa. The guy behind SO was super inpatient and he was literally giving her exactly 1cm of room (as if it will speed anything up).
The immigration queue was just hopelessly long. As I am the king of picking the slowest queue, I got stuck in the one where the computer equipment was failing and the immigration officer had to keep typing in everyone’s information. So, it took me around 40 minutes to clear immigration and custom (which apparently, was not bad for CGK).
With a 5-hour layover planned for CGK, we were planning on visiting the Taman Sari Spa for a quick massage before continuing on our journey. But first, we wanted to stop by the CX counter, hoping that they were opened ~4 hours prior to departure. With the lack of signs, we wandered all the way to the domestic terminal before realizing that we should have turned the other way to reach the CX counter. Unfortunately, the whole area was deserted, except one lady in CX uniform setting everything up for our flight. She informed me that they would be opening at 11am, which was only 20 minutes away.
Somehow, there was some miscommunication and we ended waiting till 11:50 (3 hours prior to departure) before they opened. Totally dipping into our spa time!!! With boarding passes and lounge pass in tote, we walked all the way to the other side of the terminal, following the “spa and reflexology” sign, hoping that will lead us to the Spa. However, after 30 minutes of walking around and asking people, we have concluded that the spa simply could not be found. So, we decided to clear immigration again and just hung out in the JAS Premier Lounge.
The lounge itself is very nicely decorated from the first glance. However, upon closer inspection, the furniture is a bit worn. But, the nice food spread definitely made up for it.
nomad1974
Nov 2, 09, 5:44 am
Thanks for a very good report! I have my first ever Business Class longhauls on SQ and NH coming up soon so definitely interested to hear what it's all about ^
UALboy
Nov 4, 09, 7:14 am
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_101.jpg
Seating area
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_103.jpg
Some good old Bintang beer before boarding
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_104.jpg
Airside, much nicer than landside
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_106.jpg
Departure area, a nice faux-hut
CX776 (CGK-HKG)
The load was super light. There were probably less than 10 people for a cabin designed for 42 people. So, service was certainly very personalized. We were frequently addressed by names. Top-ups were performed constantly. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations that I had with the head purser and the senior purser. The SP actually gave me a home-made bookmark after she noticed that I was reading during the flight. That was certainly a very nice gesture, or maybe she just wanted me to replace my bookmark with something that was not a SQ boarding pass.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_107.jpg
A very empty A330 regional business cabin
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_108.jpg
Yummy Champagne as pre-departure
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_111.jpg
Satay
Chicken with traditional garnishes
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_112.jpg
Starters
Fine smoked salmon with salmon roe and crème fraiche
Selected seasonal salad with balsamic vinegar dressing
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_113.jpg
Main courses
Sauteed beef with assorted mushrooms in oyster sauce, steamed jasmine rice and Chinese mixed vegetables
Pan-fried ling fish with red capsicum sauce, olive oil crushed new potatoes and roasted root vegetables
Saffron and ricotta tortellini with creamy tomato concasse
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_114.jpg
Cheese and Dessert
Cheese selection
Fresh seasonal fruit
Passionfruit curd cake with raspberry coulis
Tea and Coffee
Pralines
The seat for this flight was probably considered as ancient. But, it was comfy enough for a short-ish type of flight like this. The crew was just the best that I have ever had. They could not be more fun, warm, happy, and friendly, especially considering that they were up since 3am (and we would be landing into HKG at 8pm)
UALboy
Nov 4, 09, 7:25 am
After taking a nice 2-hour nap, it was time to descent towards HKG. The transfer process was smooth and we were in the Wing in no time. After hanging out there for a little, we also got a chance to visit the Pier. Although the Pier is smaller and less airy than the Wing, the cozy ambience made up for it. One important thing to remember is that the Pier seems to be completely packed right before closing due to all the late night departure, we had a hard time finding two places to sit together. Also, the Pier closes at 11:30pm, so we got kicked out way before it was our time to board.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_117.jpg
Seating area in the Wing
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_119.jpg
Long Bar
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_121.jpg
We were there right before closing. So, we got the last bowl of noodles from the Noodle Bar
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_122.jpg
Noodle Bar, quite busy with the late night rush hour
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_123.jpg
Seating area in the Pier. I got a nice empty-ish shot of the lounge after everyone left... But, we had to leave soon after.
UALboy
Nov 4, 09, 7:27 am
CX 412 (HKG-ICN)
Once again, the flight was super empty. Everyone can have a pair of seat by themselves, with most passengers wanting to sleep soon after takeoff. But, for those who were awake, a supper was provided.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_125.jpg
Post-departure drink with almonds
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_126.jpg
Starter
Selected seasonal sald with balasmic vinegar dressing
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_127.jpg
Main Courses
Sauteed prawns with tomato fish sauce, steamed jasmine rice and Chinese mixed vegetables
Braised lamb shoulder rack, kipfler potatoes and roasted mixed vegetables
Roasted chicken breast wrapped with streaky bacon, barley risotto, cauliflower and mixed capsicums
Arrival into ICN was rather interesting. Everyone was packed onto the same train from the gate area to immigration, since the train only runs every 5 minutes. So, it was a mad dash for everyone to get there. Also, any advantages that one had as a business class passenger completely got erased. There were only 4 queues opened for non-Korean passport holders, so the queues were quite long and it took us about 15 minutes to get through.
It was certainly nice to have an early arrival into ICN though. We were the only passengers on the KAL limousine that took us to IC COEX. So, it was almost like our own private limo (Nice!). Is it just me or are the KAL limousines always feel like incredible stuffy? My face always feel rather gross after taking the ride, the only feeling that I get from flying mid/long-haul economy class, that’s why I dubbed that feeling as “economy class face”.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_132-1.jpg
The seats are quite comfy, with much more space offered than most coach buses
IC COEX certainly was not ready for our arrival. They were nice enough to provide us with an upgrade from our ondol room to a family suite. Although we were kinda looking forward to experiencing an ondol room for the first time, we were not excited about 1) not being able to shower/lay down for a little 2) having to move to the ondol room when it was ready. Plus, who would complaint about getting an upgrade from COEX, which is almost never heard of.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_134.jpg
Bedroom area
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_135.jpg
Living room area
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_137.jpg
Hello! My free minibar!
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_252.jpg
Ambassador gift from COEX: A very nice setup for brewing green tea
UALboy
Nov 4, 09, 9:31 am
We first went to the Korean Cultural Village, which is located in Suwon, an hour away from the central Seoul by subway and another 20-minute bus ride to its entrance. It is a very interesting place to be, as it shows how life was like.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_242.jpg
Another interesting sights in Suwon is Hwaseong Haenggung. It is a much smaller palace than the usual tourist sites (Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung). So, it was much less crowded. Regardless, the place is still quite spectacular.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_222.jpg
This is the place where the famed Korean drama "Daejanggeum" is filmed. The whole place is filled with stuff related to the lead character. I have a suspicion that they are using to lure fans into visiting this palace.
Next: Palaces, palaces and more palaces... IC Grand Seoul
Kurt
Nov 4, 09, 1:36 pm
Loving the report so far - great photos and experiences!
sobore
Nov 5, 09, 6:51 am
What a great trip report! ^
camsean
Nov 5, 09, 10:28 pm
Thanks for an interesting trip report.
As CGK is my home airport I can confirm it is a dump. Although one good thing about being a resident here is being able to sail past the VOA queue.
UALboy
Nov 9, 09, 11:10 pm
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_347.jpg
Gyeongbokgung - The place is very big and took a few hours to carefully look at all the rooms, definitely fit for a king.
For this palace, it is mandatory to participate in a guided tour, except for Thursdays. With 3 English tours offered everyday, it was not surprising that our tour group was HUGE. Throughout the tour, I just kept on thinking “I LITERALLY feel like a cow, about to moo.” (guess which reality TV show that this line came from.) The tour was extremely informative, however some of the jokes in the tours were kinda corny. But, as a previous college tour guide, I completely understand (and I was probably guilty for the same crime).
The tour was nonetheless highly recommended. This palace is more scenic than Gyeongbokgung, with the secret garden. Also, with the tour guide, there was a bit more details included in your tour. So, it was certainly educational. Of course, a big disadvantage is that if you are interested in taking photos with not a lot of tourists in it, it is just not going to happen because the tour is simply way big. I had to stay ahead of the tour group and snap pictures swiftly in order to avoid the majority of the tour group.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_479.jpg
Insadong has quite a bit of stores offering different kind of ethnic snacks. The atmosphere was great with everyone walking around and checking things out. Since it was just 5 minute away from Changdeokgung, it is definitely a nice little place to check out after a visit to the palace.
IC Grand Seoul
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_483.jpg
A junior suite, upgraded from a club room.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_487.jpg
Night view of Seoul from the room
UALboy
Nov 9, 09, 11:26 pm
We have signed up for the USO operated tour. The tour only operates a few times a week and they leave downtown Seoul very early in the morning (7:30am). Once we arrive to the DMZ (demilitarized zone), our passports were checked and we were brought to Camp Bonfire, where we were briefed by a US soldier about some background history of the DMZ, and also things that we need to be aware of during the tour into Panmonjom (the joint secured area). For example, there were no pointing and any types of communications (verbal or non-verbal) with the North Korean soldiers. We also got to sign some kind of waivers acknowledging that risks involved in visiting the Panmonjom.
Then, we were driven into the Panmonjom. They first lead us into this area where we can stare at the North Korea side. You can definitely see the North Korean side sent some soldiers out to monitor our every move. We were allowed to take pictures as long as we remained in that area. Then, we were led into the room where talks between both sides have been taking place. There were two South Korean soldiers, one guarding to the door to North Korea, while the other guarding the conference table. Since the room actually occupies both sides of Korea, if you are in the far half of the room, you are technically in North Korea!
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_497.jpg
North Korea in sight.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_512.jpg
Inside the conference room. The South Korean soldier is standing at the border between the N/S Korea. So, we were technically in North Korea at that moment
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_515.jpg
Another soldier guarding the way out to North Korea. Their sunglasses certainly made them look very serious as you cannot look them in their eyes.
After the visit to Panmonjom, we were led to the Dorasan observatory and also the third tunnel. Unfortunately, it was really foggy that day, so we could not see much from the Dorasan observatory. But, the third tunnel was a very interesting experience. When you reach the end of the tunnel, the feeling was certainly eerie,especially for being a few feet away from landmines and danger. I swear people can just develop claustrophobia through this experience because of the limited space in the tunnel too.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_562.jpg
On the way back to Seoul, plenty of barbwire and watch towers to make sure that no one can get in illegally
UALboy
Nov 9, 09, 11:29 pm
ICN is also a pleasure to fly to/fro. It gives a very airy feeling. The check-in agent from OZ cannot be any more efficient. With us having 3 suitcases to check, the whole process still took less than 3 minutes, with her showing us expertly where the suitcases were being checked to. The OZ lounge was very busy at the early evening hours with a lot of flight departing at this time. There were 4 warm food selections, along with some salads and sandwiches. Since the lounge was quite crowded, the food and drinks area were just swamped with people at all times.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_637.jpg
It was a huge disappointment to find out that those books were fake
OZ 723 (ICN-HKG)
This flight is operated with a 3-class B744, but sold as a 2-class service. When we booked the ticket a few months prior, the flight was shown to be operated by the one B744 with old seating arrangements. But, when we arrived in ICN, I noticed that our seat assignments have been altered, as if the flight was operated by the new seating arrangement. So, I boarded the flight with hope that I got to sample to the First seat by OZ. Imagine my excitement when I boarded the aircraft to find out that I was now seated in the only pair of seats in the F cabin (seat 4E and 4F). I could feel the spaciousness of the cabin with a high degree of privacy. The attentive cabin attendants offered some reading material and pre-departure beverage before pushing back.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_639.jpg
New First class on OZ
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_640.jpg
New First class seat
Once we were airborne, we were asked of our choice of beverage and meal choice. However, I was really in need of a wet towel to clean my face after a full day in Seoul. It seemed like the crew had completely forgotten about the towel service. But, it was rectified after requesting for one. The appetizer then quickly arrived at our seats.
Western
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_645.jpg
Appetizer
Smoked duck and Grille Mero Fish
Mixed Salad
Served with Italian Dressing
Main course
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_647.jpg
Berr Tenderloin Steak
Served with Red Wine Sauce, Topped with Herb Crust
Accompanied with Fried Red Potato, Red Onion and Cooked Broccoli
Or
Seafood Brochette
Cooked Prawn, White fish and Vegetables
Served with Saffron Cream Sauce
Accompanied with Boiled Fusilli Pasta and White Cream Sauce
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_646.jpg
Korean
Nutritious Korean Cusine, ‘Ssam-Bab’
Steamed Rice wrapped with Various Kinds of Vegetables, Topped with Grilled Beef ‘bulgogi’ and Bean paste
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_649.jpg
Assorted Cheese and Fresh Fruit
Cel Paese, Gruyere
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_652.jpg
Dessert
Pumpkin Cream Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
Coffee and Tea
Assorted Petits Fours
My last experience with OZ showed that they perform very well with both their western and Korean selection. Once again, the meal was spectacular. The beef was juicy and tender. The Korean meal was very delicious. The crew was very professional, courteous, and polished. Service was always provided with a smile. However, the only problem was that the crew seems to get a meal on this flight too. So, if you are a slow eater (e.g. +1), you are pretty abandoned towards the end of the meal service as they were eating too. That was the only flaw that I found on this flight. However, everything was perfect and they definitely deserved the “airline of the year” title.
UALboy
Nov 9, 09, 11:33 pm
We booked a room at the Hong Kong Intercontinental through Vitruoso. The rate they provide is quite fantastic. We have reserved a Harborview room and got upgraded to the Harborview Junior suite, along with lounge access. The view from the room is simply spectacular.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_657.jpg
Junior suite
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_655.jpg
Shower/Jacuzzi. The shower can generate steam so that you can have a mini-sauna in your own room. I can literally spend hours there.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_660.jpg
Amazing mini-bar. But, some of the higher shelf liquor was not replaced after consumption
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_661.jpg
View from bed in the morning. Certainly a great way to wake up
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_722.jpg
View from the room at night.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/01ICNHKG/RTW_ICNHKG_705.jpg
Club lounge with amazing snacks. You almost don't need dinner after this. We had to exercise a lot of self-control because all we do in Hong Kong is eating...
The service offered by the hotel is amazing. Loved all the amenities offered. The staff just could not be more helpful in fulfilling requests. With this kind of amazing view, it was very hard to say bye-bye to the hotel.
debonairy
Nov 11, 09, 5:05 am
Thanks for the amazing report! The DMZ visit was cool!
view
Nov 12, 09, 3:54 pm
Great report, looks like you had a fantastic time!
Kiwi Flyer
Nov 15, 09, 7:38 pm
Nice report so far UALboy ^^
Presumably you had some side tickets as well?
If you didn't have checked bags you could probably have remained airside at CGK.
UALboy
Nov 17, 09, 2:46 pm
Nice report so far UALboy ^^
Presumably you had some side tickets as well?
If you didn't have checked bags you could probably have remained airside at CGK.
Yup! There were a total of 3 tickets. We went to Bali a few months ago and we finished out the return at the beginning of this trip. There is also a OW AA award that carries us from CGK to ICN.
UALboy
Nov 17, 09, 2:53 pm
Anyways, thank you for waiting (totally picked that up from SQ). Turns out that getting free internet from European IC/CP is not as common as I thought it would. So, thanks to the free internet at CP ZRH, here is the next installment.
There was almost no wait at the check-in at HKG. Our boarding passes were provided swiftly and we were heading to security and immigration. The immigration queue in HKG sometimes does look quite daunting. But, they are always able to process everybody with amazing efficiency. We were in the Silver Kris Lounge soon enough. As the Silverkris lounge has been recently remodeled, the décor is now matching the style of the lounge in T3. There were six warm food selections, along with many cold snacks. However, one big downside, as previously reported, is that they don’t have any lavatory facilities in the lounge.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_071.jpg
Entrance of the SKL
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_065.jpg
Seating area
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_083.jpg
A nice wide seat at row 11, a little bit more space offered, however, there is no under-seat storage.
SQ863 (HKG-SIN)
When we reserved our seat on this flight, it was operated with an old-style 777. However, due to the A380 now serving HKG, SQ reshuffled their schedule to HKG and our flight was switched to a 77W. We were even able to snatch the coveted row 11 seats, which has a bit more extra legroom. Although the seat definitely provides a lot of space to move around, I always find it hard to capture +1’s attention because she is simply too far away. I almost have to do a “Kate Gosselin trying to get Jon’s attention in Toys ‘r Us” waving gesture to get her attention (and if you have no clue on what I am talking about, please ignore me, it is a good thing not to be exposed to “Jon and Kate”)
Soon after taking off, a lunch is provided.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_085.jpg
Starter
Marinated Prawns with spicy kong choi-pomelo salad
Lime dressing
Main
Roasted lamb loin in black pepper-lemon jus, java bean with lemon, eggplant puree and baby spinach
Soya sauce chicken with steamed rice
Beef fillet in red wine sauce with sautéed spinach, glazed carrot and mushroom
Braised cod fillet in garlic sauce, seasonal vegetables and Shanghainese noodles
We have previously ordered the Book-the-Cook. The entrée that we ordered were
Finale
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_088.jpg
Choice of chocolate ice cream or macadamia ice cream with mango coulis
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_090.jpg
Gourmet cheese with garnishes
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_089.jpg
A selection of fresh fruit
Gourmet coffees and selection of fine teas, with pralines
After watching an episode of “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” during the meal, I somehow got super sleepy. So, I set the fully flat bed and slept until landing. The service provided by the crew was excellent. They were quite warm and friendly, with lots of smile throughout the flight.
UALboy
Nov 17, 09, 3:00 pm
Although I felt like the flight to SIN was excellent, +1 would beg to differ (in fact, she felt like most of SQ staff seems to not notice her). As we were walking into the terminal, +1 just had that look that she was so thirsty that she could just hop into the koi pond and drink out of it. So, instead of heading to T3 immediately to catch our flight to PER, we stopped by the T2 Silverkris lounge quickly to grab some beverage.
Being quite used to the T3 Silverkris lounge by now, T2 lounge is just shy by comparison. The lounge is just dark and dowdy, with a slight hint of cigarette smoke in the background (as a good Los Angeleno, I can smell cigarette smoke from a mile away). While +1 was gulping her sparkling water down, she commented on the fact that this SKL just gave her the feeling of a RCC (I know… I know… the amenities provided by an SKL can never be compared to a RCC, but if any lounge can give someone the feeling of a RCC, that cannot be good, right?)
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_093.jpg
Bar at T2 SKL
After a quick beverage, we moved ourselves to the T3 SKL, where it was quite deserted at the early evening hours as there were not quite that many flights leaving T3 at this moment. I was even able to snap a few pictures of an almost empty food area (try that in the early morning/late night hours)
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_094.jpg
Seating area of T3 SKL
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_095.jpg
Dining area of T3 SKL
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_096.jpg
Food area of T3 SKL
SQ 215
This flight was actually quite empty in the business class section. The crew was extremely relaxed and the service provided was quite polished and excellent.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_098.jpg
Seats on A330
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_099.jpg
Cabin view of the A330
Prelude
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_104.jpg
Satay
With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_105.jpg
Starter
Pork lassler with cous-cous salad and vegetables
Main
Steamed fillet of cod with bean sauce, sautéed mushroom in oyster sauce and fried fish noodle with bean sprout
Panfried fillet of beef and veal sausage in light grany, sautéed mushrooms, roasted romatoes and potato gratin
“Ayam Penyet”
Indonesian flatten fried chicken with sambal belachan, stirfried beancurd and chicken rice
Sauteed seafood with shellfish sauce, buttered vegetables and linguine pasta
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_107.jpg
BTC - Wild mushroom and chorizo risotto in natural jus with arugula
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_108.jpg
BTC - Chicken curry Peranakan style with bread rolls
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_110.jpg
110
Finale
Vanilla ice cream with berry compote, crispy tuike
Ice jelly with fresh fruit
Gourmet cheese with garnishes
A selection of fresh fruit
Gourmet coffees & selection of fine teas, with pralines
UALboy
Nov 17, 09, 3:05 pm
The hotel is connected to the Burswood complex, which is a gigantic casino. We arrived the night before the Melbourne Cup, so the place was just insane. We were upgraded to a club room, equipped with a Jacuzzi and a nice view of downtown Perth. The place is adequate, but it was certainly a let-down after staying in IC HK. I mean, they definitely had their service lapses. For example, it would take them 1-hour to get room service delivered.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_238.jpg
Hotel at night
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_631.jpg
View from the room
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_634.jpg
Club, it is an alright club. Only went there for one happy hour. There was some pre-plated snacks. The staff also comes around with some hot finger food and tops off drinks
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd26/UALboy/RTW2009/02HKGSIN/RTW_HKGPER_638.jpg
View from the club lounge
Next: Patting koalas and kangaroos.
tiddyzhang
Nov 17, 09, 6:17 pm
love reading your report ! well done
RTW4
Nov 17, 09, 8:26 pm
this is a fantastic trip report.. thanks so much...