PresRDC

This is not a "new" trip report, but one I wrote before flyertalk was revamped with the new bulletin board software. Since much more can be done with reports now using the new format, I figured I would just go ahead and repost this one. The reason I did not just edit the old one is simple -- the posts are too long now and any editing requires that they be paired down to 15,000 words. This would mess-up the spacing and organization of the report, which I do not want to see.

Hey, if George Lucas can mess with Star Wars, I can mess with my trip report!

PresRDC

Done!

Pen down and bluebook closed. Two months of brutal work and endless tedium had ended in three days of torture, but now, I was free. Leaving the testing room with a big grin on my face, I was ready for the trip of a lifetime. I did not know how I did, but I did my best and now, the New York and Connecticut Bar Exams were over. As I would not know my results for several months, I resolved not to worry about it. The World was my oyster and, over the next month, I was going to go a long way toward seeing it.

Join me as I circumnavigate the globe on a Oneworld Explorer First Class ticket. We will be visiting Japan, Hong Kong, Bali, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. We will fly in First Class on some of the world’s premier airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Lan Chile. We will stay in some of Starwood’s premier hotels, including the Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit in Bangkok, the Westin Miyako in Kyoto and the Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua in Bali.

Most important, we will see some amazing sights and have some great adventures along the way.

“Roam if you want to. Roam around the World. Roam if you want to. Without Wings, without wheels.”

PresRDC

By the time my August 2002 travels began, I had already used the first third of this ticket. At the time I ticketed this trip in September 2001, the cheapest place to begin a First Class RTW that was reasonably accessible to someone living in the United States was Sweden. As such, I began the trip in Stockholm over my Spring Break in March 2002. My routing thus far had been:

ARN-LHR-DXB-LHR; FRA-DFW-SCL-IPC-SCL-LAX-ORD-SEA-ORD-SFO-ORD

Thus far, Easter Island had been the true highlight of this trip.

I posted much of the first third of my travels on this Oneworld Explorer ticket last year. Here are the links for the reports I did from these flights:

http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/f...TML/002607.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/f...TML/002608.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/f...TML/002651.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/f...TML/002882.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/f...TML/002887.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/f...TML/002892.html

Note that I did not do a report for the Chicago to/from Seattle and San Francisco as there really wasn’t much noteworthy about them. Just your basic AA domestic First Class travel experience.

PresRDC

The ritual of packing is one of my favorite parts of getting ready for a trip. You are taking your life on the road and need to fit as much as you can, keeping in mind that whatever you take, you have to lug. As I would be experiencing both an Asian summer and an Australian winter on this trip, packing would be a challenge. I decided to take two roll-ons and a carry-on. I would check one roll-on, a 25 incher, which would contain most of my clothes and would carry-on the second, a 22 incher, with me along with my carry-on. I would have two days of clothes in the 22 incher, so that if a bag got lost (not out of the question seeing as I had 15 flights ahead of me) I would not be out of luck.

American Airlines flight AA 17
Departs: New York (JFK) @ 5:00 PM
Arrives: San Francisco (SFO) @ 8:20 PM
Boeing 767-300ER
First Class Seat 2J

My car service sedan arrived at 2:00 PM, three hours before my 5:00 PM departure to San Francisco. There was no traffic, and we got to JFK by 3:00 PM. Although I knew my flight would be leaving from Terminal 8, it was a domestic flight, so I had to check my bag in Terminal 9. The agent was able to tag it all the through to Osaka and included a priority tag and a Oneworld transfer tag. I then hiked back through the temporary wooden walkway to the Terminal 8 Admirals Club. At around 4:15, I headed through security, which was effortless despite TSA having taken over at JFK the previous week. Having access to the priority security lane helped!

I boarded the plane and settled into Seat 2J. I believe that you can tell how a flight will be within the first minutes after boarding. I could tell from the attitude of the cabin crew that this would be a great flight. The purser was very enthusiastic about his job and it rubbed off on the rest of the SFO based crew. I took a glass of champagne and felt the weight of the past months lift off my shoulders. For the first time in a while, I felt truly relaxed. Before departure, an AA Special Services representative came on board and chatted with each of the six First Class passengers.

We pushed on time and, despite it being the height of the summer, were airborne from runway 13R ten minutes later. I had never seen JFK so quiet. I guess it was still a little too early for the evening rush, but still, JFK in the summer usually means an hour plus wait to take-off. I suspect the schedule reductions post 9/11 had some thing to do with this. We made a sharp bank to the right and those of us on the right side of the plane got a good view of Manhattan passing below. I perused the menu that was handed-out before push-back. Here is a transcript:

And the wine list:

I ordered a Diet Coke with lime and the filet mignon. I did not realize that the meal service on this flight would be so extensive. Essentially, it is the same dinner service as offered on an International Flagship Flight minus the cheese and fruit course. The drinks were served with both the nuts and vegetables and the salmon and salad were served from the cart in separate courses. The filet was actually very good and cooked to a perfect medium rare. For dessert, I chose the ice cream sundae with hot fudge, whipped cream and nuts. A truly excellent meal. In fact, it was the best I have had on AA.

First Class passengers on these flights get the DVD players that Premium Class passengers get on international 767 flights. Business Class must suffer through the main screen AAtractions and CBS Eye on American. As no-one was sitting next to me, I was able to set the DVD player up on the table of the seat next to me and watch while I ate. I watched the Royal Tennenbaums and a Globe Trekker DVD.

Our flight tracked along a northerly route as it plied its way across the North American landmass. We took off from JFK to the east and made a sweeping turn over the Rockaways to take a northwesterly heading. After passing over Manhattan, we tracked over New Jersey and Pennsylvania and overflew Cleveland. We tracked across northern Indiana (very close to a certain Catholic university in South Bend) through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and, finally, into California.

The remainder of the flight passed quickly as we chased the sun across the American Heartland. Forty minutes out of SFO, we had milk and cookies (sadly, this service has since been cut from all but the breakfast transcon flights). We landed at about 8:00 PM and were at the gate five minutes later. I said goodbye to the crew and headed to the Admirals Club.

PresRDC

Saturday, August 3, 2002
Cathay Pacific flight CX 873
Departs: San Francisco (SFO) @ 1:30 AM
Arrives: Hong Kong (HKG) @ 6:45 AM
Boeing 747-400
First Class Seat 2A

My next flight on Cathay Pacific was not scheduled to leave until 1:30 AM local time (4:30 AM according to my body). I was too early to check-in for the CX flight and, I hadn’t heard good things about the JAL Sakura Lounge that CX uses at SFO, so I hung-out in the Admirals Club for about ninety minutes before strolling over to the International Terminal.

Being in no rush, I walked to the International Terminal slowly and arrived at CX check-in around 10:30 PM. There was no wait at the First Class line and I was helped immediately. Despite being issued boarding passes for my next two flights at JFK, the CX agent reissued them on CX stock. I asked the agent to confirm if my bag had yet been transferred from AA, and it had not. She recommended that I check in the lounge later. She gave me my priority security pass and sent me on my merry way.

There is no separate priority security line at SFO. Rather, you proceed to the front of the line and hand over the card. Then you wait in the shorter line to get to the screening point. As it turns-out, there was no line to get to the security entrance, so I did not need the pass. I was through security in no time and headed for the Sakura Lounge.

As I mentioned earlier, the JAL Sakura Lounge does not have the best reputation. While it is large, new and clean, it is dreadfully boring. This lounge is more notable for what it doesn’t offer than for what it does. There is a separate First Class area, which is nothing more than a small room, packed with chairs and end tables. The chairs appear no different than those in the Business Class area. There is no separate food or drinks, it is literally just a place to sit (and a claustrophobic place at that). All the food and drinks are on the Business Class side. There isn’t much in the way of food on offer, just some pre-packaged snacks and a self-serve bar. While there are workstations with Internet access, there are no computer terminals available. While I understand that CX cannot be responsible for the infrastructure of this lounge, it could at least offer more in the way of food, especially since the CX 873 departs at such a God-awful late (or early, depending on your perspective) hour. I will give props to the lounge staff, who were CX employees. The women working the front desk were very helpful and really worked hard to confirm that my bag had been transferred into CX’s custody from AA. It was.

I survived my three hours in this lounge without committing hari kari, so I’ll consider it a successful wait. At 12:45 AM, I had had it, so I left the lounge and strolled the concourse. There were a few other flights departing to other Asian destinations, including China Airlines to Taipei, Philippine Airlines to Honolulu and Manila and Asiana to Seoul. The concourse is quite interesting, as the shops and some airline lounges are on one level and the departure gates are on the level below.

I was able to get a view of the CX aircraft that would be my chariot for the next fourteen hours. To my pleasant surprise, it was the “Asia’s World City” aircraft, which had been repainted in a dragon motif to advertise what was then a new Hong Kong tourism initiative. I also knew that this aircraft featured the new business class seats and, more important from my perspective, StudioCX, Cathay’s new on-demand audio and video entertainment system. Here is a picture of the exact plane:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/253391/M/

Boarding began at 1:00 AM, with a call for both First and Business Class. After letting a few of the more eager passengers barrel their way onto the plane, I boarded. As I settled into Seat 2A, a team of flight attendants swung into action, offering libations and a small canapé. I ordered a glass of champagne, which was Krug served in a real glass and tucked into the small smoked salmon savoury. As we approached departure time, the cabin filled-up to capacity, yet it did not feel at all crowded. The flight attendants provided amenity kits and pajamas to those who wanted them. Many passengers changed into the pajamas before departure.

CX has twelve First Class seats on its 747-400s, which are arranged as individual suites that recline fully flat. There are four rows of single suites along the windows and two sets of double seats (which have dividers so that they can be single seats) in the center opposite the Rows 3 and 4 window seats. Row 1 is probably the coziest and most quiet area, but it leaves you a bit close to your neighbor, in my opinion (it would be a good choice for a coupe who do not want to be in the middle seats). The suites in Row 2 are spaced far apart and before the center seats, making them, in my opinion, the most spacious and the preferred seats. The seats are green with wood accents on the paneling. Here is photo of Seat 2A on the exact plane on which I flew:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/263239/M/

We pushed a few minutes prior to our 1:30 AM departure time and had no wait to reach the Runway 28L threshold. It was a long take-off run as we were full and carrying enough fuel for a 6900 mile flight. As we slipped Earth’s surly bonds and climbed into the California night, I reclined the seat a bit and waited for the legendary CX service to begin in earnest. The flight attendants passed-out the menus and took supper orders. Here is what was on offer:

And here is the wine list:

I elected to partake in the caviar and salmon course and then move strait to the stir-fry chicken as I’m not a fan of asparagus. I fired-up StudioCX and sampled the audio selections available. U2’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” album started my listening experience, but I also sampled the Beach Boys’ “Greatest Hits” album and a Pink Floyd selection. There was plenty more to choose from.

The caviar and salmon course was served from a trolley and was served with all garnishes, including toast points and warm new potatoes. The potatoes were an interesting choice, but they actually worked quite well with the caviar. I got a good size mound of caviar and two thick pieces of salmon. Absolutely delicious. As CX has a reputation for offering excellent Chinese food, I decided to try the chicken. Aside from the caviar and salmon courses, all the food was a la carte and served directly from the galley. The chicken was great and it was obvious that the rice was freshly steamed on board. I followed this up with a cheese plate and a small carton of Haagen Das vanilla ice cream.

At this point, I was exhausted as it was nearing 6:00 AM according to my body time. My plan worked. I pushed to stay awake for the layover in SFO and the meal service, so that I would crash for the bulk of the flight. I changed into the pajamas in the special changing room that CX features on the 747s that have been converted to the new Business Class seats. This little room featured mirrors and seats and, best of all, one did not run the risk of putting one’s foot into the toilet when trying to wrestle into and out of one’s clothes.

The CX 873 followed the great circle route over North Pacific Ocean en route to HKG. We first tracked north off the California, Oregon and Washington coasts, before heading further out to sea. We passed south of the Aleutian Islands and then took a southerly route just off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula (probably not too far from where Korean Air 007 had its fatal run-in with a Soviet Mig). Our 747-400 then skirted the eastern coast of Japan, passing very close to the city of Yokohama. From there, we tracked on a course to Taiwan and into the South China Sea before approaching HKG from the south.

For the remainder of the flight, I slept with my duvet underneath me acting as a mattress. It was warm on board, so I didn’t use a blanket. I awoke once in the middle of the flight and had a plate with some finger sandwiches. I then went back to sleep. When I awoke, we were four hours out of HKG and I fired-up StudioCX and watched “We Were Soldiers,” a Vietnam War movie starring Mel Gibson based on the book “We Were Soldiers Once . . . And Young” that I had read in college. The flight attendants took breakfast orders. Here is the breakfast menu:

I elected to have the fruit, some Corn Flakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and hash browns. When the meal was served, I further elected to have a blueberry muffin and some toast. It was all really good.

About ninety minutes out of HKG, light appeared on the horizon and soon, the rest of the cabin awoke. As we began our descent into HKG, I couldn’t resist the temptation to play U2’s “Beautiful Day.”

“See the world in green and blue. See China right in front of you.”

We landed on HKG’s Runway 7L at 6:25 AM. We appeared to be the first CX arrival of the morning as all the other gates were empty. Parking at Gate 21, one of the CX “preferred” gates, meant that I had a short walk to The Wing, a good thing as I opted not to change back into my street clothes as I planned on immediately hitting The Cabanas. Don’t worry, I wasn’t wearing the CX-issued pajamas, but rather a pair of warm-up pants and a t-shirt, so I was decent. Interestingly, the previous evening’s CX 255 to LHR had been delayed and our aircraft was going to be making a rapid turn-around before heading out to LHR.

The Wing was empty at this time of the morning and I had no problem getting a Cabana. Although there is no shortage of discussion on The Cabanas in Flyertalk, I will briefly describe the experience. The Cabanas are essentially a large bathroom with a “patio” in the back overlooking a babbling brook. There is a shower with a large rainmaker showerhead and a large bathtub. The décor actually reminds of what the bathrooms of new Westins look like, with lots of blacks and greys, giving it a modern, yet elegant look.

After a revitalizing Cabana experience, I checked my e-mail. In the lounge section of the First Class side of The Wing there is waiter service for beverages, so I took advantage of this and ordered a Diet Coke with, you guessed it, a lime. There is also a luggage check, so you can leave your belongings in the lounge and be comfortable that it is being watched while you stroll the airport (or take trip into town if on a long layover). I took advantage of this and went for a little walk and converted some U.S. Dollars into Japanese Yen. Let me say it now, I love Chep Lap Kok airport. It is so nice with big windows giving a great view of the tarmac and the striking hills of Lanteau Island beyond.

PresRDC

Sunday, August 4, 2002
Cathay Pacific flight CX 506
Departs: Hong Kong (HKG) @ 10:05 AM
Arrives: Osaka (KIX) @ 2:45 PM
Airbus A340-300
First Class Seat 2A

After returning to The Wing to get my bag, I headed to Gate 3, another CX “preferred” gate, to board the A340 that would take me on my final leg to KIX. Upon boarding, I was pleased to see that this aircraft was equipped with the new Business Class seats and StudioCX. The cabin filled to its capacity of eight passengers and we left on time. Once airborne from Runway 7R, we were offered menus and the two flight attendants dedicated to the First Class cabin took lunch orders. Here is a transcript:

And here’s the wine list:

CX was featuring meal creations from Hong Kong’s famous Yung Kee restaurant this month on flights out of HKG. Unlike the previous red and white menu from the SFO flight, all the menus out of HKG were green in color and prominently advertised the Yung Kee connection. Although CX’s Japanese meal service on its KIX and NRT flights gets rave reviews on Flyertalk, it was too exotic for me, so I opted for the Western lunch service. It was quite good. I had the salmon, the soup and the prawns with rice and pak choy. All were excellent. For dessert, I just wanted ice cream and the flight attendant was able to serve me a dish of ice cream with a caramel sauce. Interestingly, the ice cream on this flight was served in a proper dish, while on the SFO flight, it was just a single serving tub of ice cream. I guess that is a difference between the supper and lunch/dinner flights.

After the meal, I had about an hour to relax before we arrived in KIX. I just listened to more music on StudioCX and watched some short video programs, including a Jamie Oliver cooking show. We arrived in KIX on time and were at the gate a few minutes later. KIX is an interesting airport. It is built on a man-made island that apparently is sinking, but the terminal was strong-enough to survive the Kobe earthquake a few years ago. To get to immigration, one must take a train, which was annoying to me as I like to walk on my own power and beat the crowd to the queues. As it turned-out, I need not have worried as there was no line at immigration and I was through in a matter of minutes. My bag was already on the carousel when I got to Baggage Claim and I was out of the airport in minutes. Interestingly, CX had added a priority First Class tag to my bag in addition to premium tag that AA had added at JFK. That is what I call attention to detail!

One of the reasons I chose to fly into KIX as opposed to NRT is that Kyoto was my destination and there is direct train service from KIX to Kyoto Eki via central Osaka. I bought a ticket for the Green Car (first class) and managed to catch a train almost immediately. In about a hour, I had reached Kyoto Eki and was in a taxi (driven by a driver wearing white gloves) on my way to the new Westin Miyako.

PresRDC

The Miyako Hotel is a venerable name in the Kyoto hotel business, but only became a Westin earlier in 2002. At the time of my visit, it was the only American luxury chain hotel in Kyoto (I am not sure if this has changed). It is located on the outskirts of central Kyoto on a hill overlooking the city, but it is only a few minutes’ walk from a subway station and is within walking distance of some of Kyoto’s more famous tourist attractions.

At the time of my stay, the hotel was in the process of converting the rooms to Westin standards, including adding Heavenly Beds and Heavenly Showers. Although I had booked a room on the executive floor, a mix-up had me initially assigned to a standard room that had not had been renovated. Fortunately, I had the reservation print-out from Spg.com, so I could prove that I was entitled to a room on the executive floor. While I am sure more (if not all) of the hotel has now been converted, at the time I was there, the only way to guarantee a room with Westin amenities was to be on the executive floor.

The room I got on the executive floor was great. It was on the top floor of the hotel and provided a spectacular view of the city and the mountains beyond. As it was a western view, I was treated to a spectacular view of the sun setting over the city and mountains each night (being in Japan, a view of the rising sun would have been more appropriate, but so be it). I would describe the room’s furnishing as being a mix between typical new Westin décor (modern, almost W hotel looking) and Japanese design. It made for an interesting combo. The bathroom sink was particularly distinctive. The sink was in the shape of a bowl with the faucet in the shape of a spout coming-in from the side. The Heavenly Shower did not feature the typical Westin two-headed showerhead, but rather a hand-held “Shower Massage” style showerhead. While I would have preferred the traditional Westin shower, this one was fine. The shower curtain did not feature the typical Westin bowed-out design.

There was an executive lounge offering continental breakfast and hors d’ouerves each evening. The hors d’oueves were really works of art. You could tell that a lot of work went into each one, which is typical of Japanese cuisine. The view from the lounge was to the north and was almost as stunning as the view from my room with several pagodas in view. Food and a view. It just doesn’t get any better!

During my visit, I saw Nijo Castle, with its famous “nightingale floors” (as a security measure, the Shogun designed the floor to creek like a nightingale when walked upon). I also visited the Kinkaku-ji, better known as the “Golden Pavilion.” Although not Cherry Blossom season, I did the Philosophers Walk and took the time to stroll through the Gion District, famous for its Geishas (who are NOT prostitutes).

PresRDC

August 7, 2002
Cathay Pacific flight CX 507
Departs: Osaka (KIX) @ 6:30 PM
Arrives: Hong Kong (HKG) @ 9:30 PM
Airbus A340-300
First Class Seat 1A

After three great nights in Kyoto, it was time to continue my journey. There is only one CX flight daily from KIX offering First Class service, but it arrives too late to connect to any of CX’s Bali flights (it was timed to arrive in time to connect to CX’s late evening Europe, Australia and Africa departures). Since I paid for a First Class ticket, I only wanted to fly Business Class on routes were First Class was not available, so I decided that an overnight in Hong Kong was appropriate. As I love Hong Kong, this was not an altogether unappealing proposition.

I took the express train from Kyoto Eki direct to KIX, arriving about an hour later after passing through central Osaka. The last five minutes of this train ride is great as you pass over the long bridge connecting the man-made island upon which KIX is located with the mainland. You get a great view of the tarmac and Kobe Bay as you pass. Getting from the train platform to the departure floor is not difficult, but it is not exactly easy, either. As the check-in lobby is located a level above the aircraft stands and the train is below the arrivals level, you have to go up several escalators and elevators to reach it. There very well might have been a direct elevator, but I did not find one.

All bags were being x-rayed before one could proceed to the check-in stands, including carry-on bags. There was one x-ray for the CX area and everyone had to queue together. Fortunately, there was not a long line and I was through in a few minutes. I checked-in at the dedicated First Class counter and was soon on my way to passport control and security. I asked and was assured that today’s plane was equipped with the new First Class seats (CX was – and still is – in the process of converting its A340s to the new First Class seats and a handful have not been completed – at the time of this writing, about four A340s are still in the old 2x2x2 configuration).

CX uses the “Lounge Pacific” at KIX. Although I do not think it is exclusive to CX, I could find no evidence that other airlines also used this lounge. The lounge itself is a quite dour internal room with no windows and limited food options (prepackaged cheese and crackers). The seats were pretty worn and faded, but were reasonably comfortable. I stayed there a bit, but spent most of my time walking the terminal. It was pretty quiet, with a few Northwest aircraft and an Air Canada 747-400 boarding for Vancouver. There were probably more aircraft at the other end of the terminal, but I do not think it was possible to walk to the other end (it would have been a very far walk).

The A340 that operates this flight arrives in KIX as the CX 506 from HKG at 2:45 PM and then sits in KIX for nearly four hours before returning to HKG. The same crew that operates the inbound service returns on the outbound. While inefficient, I gather the flights are timed to offer three-class service to connect with the maximum number of CX longhaul flights.

We boarded at 6:00 PM and I was shocked and saddened to see both the old Business and First Class seats! It really wasn’t a big deal as it is only a three hour flight, but I would not be happy to have this on a longhaul flight considering how good the new CX First Class seats are. Despite this, the legendary CX service was very much in effect and we were offered a pre-departure drink and savoury.

We pushed on time and were airborne within ten minutes just after a JAL 747-400 landed. Once at altitude, the flight attendants took drink orders and handed-out the menus. Here is a transcript:

For the reasons discussed above, I opted to have the western meal. I ordered the seafood antipasto, the soup and the salmon and lobster with fried-rice and pak choy. To drink, I selected the Cathay Delight, which is a non-alcoholic kiwifruit and coconut based drink served with a mint sprig. It was absolutely delicious and I resolved to make this my drink of choice when flying CX. The seafood antipasto was a cold plate featuring shrimp, salmon and squid. I ate all but the squid, which I find repulsive (if it doesn’t have a backbone or an exo-skeleton, I ain’t eating it). Although I don’t really like asparagus, I decided to try the soup at the urging of the flight attendant in the purple uniform. Good choice, it was nice and creamy and did not have too strong an asparagus flavor. The salmon and lobster was a disappointment as the salmon was of poor quality and the lobster was pretty small. The sauce was too powerful as well. I am sure I could have ordered another main course, but I had eaten enough and opted not to ask. For dessert, I had the cheese and the ice cream cake.

By the time we began our approach into HKG, night had fallen. It was pretty cloudy over Hong Kong and the low level clouds were illuminated with the powerful lights of the city. We landed on time on Runway 25R. This time, we parked at Gate 69, one of the furthest gates from immigration and baggage claim, requiring one to descend to a subterranean people mover to get to immigration. Unfortunately, this flight arrived at what must be a peak time for HKG arrivals as all three non-Hong Kong resident immigration lines were packed and moving slowly. It seemed most people were Chinese citizens visiting Hong Kong. It’s funny, I was so annoyed by the long wait, but now, when I next return to Hong Kong, I will be happy to wait on a long immigration line as it would mean that travel has picked-up again in the wake of SARS. That said, I find that CX’s service falls apart on arrival at HKG if you are not connecting. I am sure it is not up to CX, but a Fast Track immigration line à la LHR would be a great addition once traffic through HKG picks-up again.

CX was able to check my 25 inch roll-on through to DPS despite my overnight layover, so once I got through immigration I was made my way to the Airport Express train and the Sheraton Hong Kong. Originally, I was going to stay at the Regal Airport Hotel, but I decided to stay in Kowloon so that I could get another Starwood stay credit on my quest for Starwood Platinum status. Although there are shuttle busses from the Kowloon Airport Express station to most of the prominent Kowloon hotels, I opted to take a taxi as they are not expensive in Hong Kong and I was not in much of a mood to wait for a shuttle bus.

I will discuss the Sheraton Hong Kong in detail at a later point in this report

PresRDC

Thursday, August 8, 2002
Cathay Pacific flight CX 785
Departs: Hong Kong (HKG) @ 10:05 AM
Arrives: Depasar Bali (DPS) @ 2:45 PM
Airbus A330-300
Business Class Seat 1A

I checked-out of the Sheraton and took a taxi to the Kowloon Airport Express Station and proceeded to check-in at the CX counters. On my itinerary, the aircraft for this flight was listed as “EQV”and, despite this flight only offering Business and Economy Class, I was holding a seat assignment in the First Class cabin. Fortunately, the seat assignment held, so I was sure it would be a three-class aircraft and was reasonably certain that it would be an A340.

After check-in I caught a train to HKG and enjoyed the view of the container ship terminal as we sped out of Kowloon. This ride really gives you a sense as to just how large a trading port Hong Kong really is. While the Airport Express train is great, when it crosses the Tsing Ma suspension bridge, there is no view of the water below. Nevertheless, the ride is quick (22 minutes) and, with boarding pass in hand, I headed right to passport control and security, which took about 15 minutes in total to complete.

The flight was leaving from Gate 48, which, once again, is about as far from The Wing as one can get. With this in mind, I made my way to The Pier, CX’s new lounge in the Northwest Concourse of HKG. As I was still only Oneworld Sapphire at this time and traveling in Business Class, I had to use the Business Class side of the lounge. Unlike The Wing, The Pier is located below the departure level and does not offer as nice a view of the tarmac as one has at The Wing. The Pier does have all the same amenities as The Wing, including the Noodle Bar in the Business Class side and the full service restaurant in the First Class area. However, at this time of the morning, the Noodle Bar was closed and there were only some very basic snack items such as pre-made sandwiches on offer.

About forty-five minutes before departure, I headed to the gate, where I noticed that we were going to be on an A330. After a quick check with the gate staff to ensure that this was a three-class airplane and that seat assignment was still valid, I realized that this was one of the new CX A330s, which are being used primarily on the HKG to SYD and MEL routes. It also had StudioCX.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/278460/L/

I boarded and soon had a glass of champagne in my hand. Unlike my previous flights were one could get anything to drink he or she wanted, I was only offered a pre-poured selection of champagne, orange juice and water. We pushed on time and were airborne off Runway 25L in less than ten minutes. Once the service started, the flight attendants closed the curtains between First and Business, giving the five of us lucky soles our own private cabin with a more individualized level of service. Despite our early departure, this was a lunch flight. Here is the menu:

I ordered a Cathay Delight and fired-up the Beach Boys on StudioCX (a seemingly appropriate choice considering our destination). After finishing some very good satay, which was today’s savoury, the meal trays were delivered from the galley and included the salad and the salmon pastrami. I give CX a lot of credit for being creative when designing their new service items for Business Class. I particularly liked the blue tinted glasses and the polished stone salt and pepper shakers. It really shows CX’s attention to detail, which is what I think sets it apart from other airlines. Unlike CX’s longhaul flights, were the Business Class main courses are not pre-plated (pre-SARS), but served family style from a serving trolley, the meals on these regional flights were pre-plated, but were served from the serving trolley so that you could at least see the meals before making a selection. There was one trolley for each aisle, and after serving us in the First section, the flight attendants continued through the curtains to rest of Business Class. I chose the beef fillet. For dessert, I took some cheese (served and sliced from the trolley) and some ice cream (served in its tub) while I watched JohnQ starring Denzel Washington on StudioCX.

Denpasar is almost exactly due south of Hong Kong and we tracked on almost a strait line for the entire flight. The highlight for me was passing over Borneo, which to me anyway, is the epitome of an exotic location. The thought that I was seeing it, even if from the air, was really cool and allowed me to reflect on how privileged I was to be a twenty-five year old traveling on my in First and Business Class through Asia. The arrival into Bali is stunning. We approached from the north and overflew the island at low altitude before banking over the sea and coming back toward DPS from the south. As we were quite low, I had a great view of the rainforest and the coastline as we landed.

While we were soon at the gate, there was a very long line to get through immigration. When I got there, the line was back to the end of the immigration hall, but grew considerably as the wait progressed. It took me 45 minutes to get through immigration and I suspect those behind me had well over an hour wait. As with Hong Kong, if I were to return to Bali, I would hope to see lines of this length at immigration as it means passenger traffic has recovered from the Kuta bombings this past October.

By the time I got through immigration, our bags had been taken off the belt and were being “watched” by some guys who looked like airport officials. They approached me and acted like I had to have them get my bags for me, but when they insisted on taking them to the car for me, I realized that they were just hustlers. I had arranged a car through the hotel and had to pay my porters for their service. They weren’t happy with what I gave them, but screw ‘em. A word of caution, while most of the Balinese people were great, there is an element looking to take advantage of tourists. I resolved to be more skeptical in my dealing with Balinese “officials.”

PresRDC

Upon arrival at the hotel, all the frustrations with immigration and luggage retrieval at DPS subsided as I was welcomed with true Balinese hospitality. Leaving the car, a guest walks-up an incline to the sounds of traditional Balinese music played live by a band in the lobby. I was directed to a sitting area while check-in formalities were completed elsewhere. I was offered a cool tropical drink and a cold, wet towel, which was most appreciated after the long, sticky wait at immigration. I was soon shown to my room, which was on the second floor overlooking one of the lagoon pools that snake around the property.

The room was probably not the best available, but was quite nice nonetheless. The room was a split level facility, with an entrance hall and the bathroom up a few stairs from the bedroom. The floor was covered in a rich wood and there was a balcony accessed by sliding doors. The most interesting feature of the room was a window in the shower/tub that, when opened, overlooked the bedroom. I’m not sure for what some people might chose to use this feature, but for me, it allowed me to watch TV while in the shower.

The rest of the hotel was amazing. The lobby and most of the common areas aside from the hallways where the rooms are located are outdoors. The building was essentially horseshoe shaped with lagoon-style pools snaking their way around the property. My favorite feature was the mock Balinese temple in the center of the property.

While the hotel was nice, my main reason for visiting Bali was to see the island and learn about its people and culture. To that end, I arranged to hire a car and driver through the hotel. While not exactly inexpensive, I wanted to see the island and did not want to drive myself or join a tour group.

My first excursion was a trip to the Balinese temple Uluwatu, which, due to its location on western coast of Bali, is famous for its sunsets. We left about an hour before sunset for the thirty minute drive. It was both interesting and slightly disconcerting to see the way in which the Balinese people lived. While they clearly had an idyllic setting in which to call home, one could not escape seeing the poverty in which most people lived. Granted this was not Calcutta, but it was still disconcerting.

Uluwatu is home to a large population of monkeys. Bad monkeys. While my guide was taking my picture, I felt a slap across my face and noticed that my glasses were gone. One of the monkeys snuck-up behind me and grabbed them, and was dangling them precariously over the several hundred foot cliff that dropped to the swirling ocean below. Fortunately, the monkey lost interest in the glasses and my driver was able to get them back. They were not even scratched. Uluwatu itself was magnificent. As is typical for Balinese temples, it was an outdoor facility, and visitors, who all must wear a sarong, were prevented from accessing the most sacred parts. As the sun set over the temple, we could see the local Balinese fishing fleet headed-out for a night on the ocean as the drum beats of a traditional Balinese fire dance reverberated off the cliffs. According to my guide, they sometimes travel so far as to run into the Australian fishing fleet out of Darwin. The sunset itself was magnificent; really the best I’ve seen. There are only two words to describe a sunset at Uluwatu: f*cking awesome.

The next day, I headed into central Bali to visit the artist colony at Ubud. The drive took around ninety minutes and offered a fantastic view of rice paddies that dot the Balinese landscape. At Ubud, I visited the famous Museum Puri Lukisan and several independent art galleries/art schools. I ended-up buying two paintings representing the “primitive” school of Balinese art. On our way back from Ubud, we stopped at Goa Gajah, better known as the Elephant Cave, a temple carved into the side of a cliff that sports an intricate carving of an elephant over the entrance. This really was a great day, which I capped off with a great seafood dinner at an oceanside restaurant at the Sheraton next door to the Sheraton Laguna.

PresRDC

Monday, August 12, 2002
Cathay Pacific flight CX 784
Departs: Denpasar Bali (DPS) @ 4:10 PM
Arrives: Hong Kong (HKG) @ 9:00 PM
Airbus A330-300
Business Class Seat 14A

My time in Bali was wonderful, but soon it came time to move-on. I took a car from the hotel and arrived at the airport at approximately 2:30 PM. I was early, but I needed to do some shopping and anticipated a long line at immigration. All bags were x-rayed before entering the terminal, but fortunately there was not much of a wait. Check-in was accomplished quickly, and I was on my way up the stairs and to immigration, which, to my surprise, was utterly devoid of a wait. I guess all the people entering Bali decided it was so great that they would stay!

CX uses the Premier Lounge, which is a shared lounge operated by a private company. This lounge wins the award for sleeper lounge of the trip. It was not The Wing, but it was very nice. It featured a large buffet with hot and cold items, including sandwiches, appetizers and soup all of which were served by attendants. There were shower facilities available. The best feature of the lounge, however, was the outdoor viewing deck, which overlooked the tarmac and the blue ocean beyond. I got some food and set myself up on the deck, where I watched a China Airlines A300 arrive followed by the CX A330 that was to be my flight.

I left the lounge and made a few last minute purchases before heading to the gate for boarding. This aircraft was configured for regional flights and did not have a First Class cabin. As such, I would be forced to “slum it” in Business Class for the flight. While CX’s service is fantastic, the Business Class seats on these regional aircraft are nothing to write home about. They are manually controlled and, my biggest pet-peeve, have legrests that do not elevate your legs enough. This aircraft did not feature StudioCX, but did have in-seat video in business class. My understanding is that CX does not plan on upgrading these regional A330s with the new Business Class seats.

We departed on time and made our way to the western end of the runway behind a Garuda A330 (DPS is definitely an Airbus airport). After an arriving Singapore A310 vacated the runway, it was our turn to rocket into the stratosphere. After a few final views of Bali as we thundered northward, the flight attendants swung into action. This was a dinner flight. Here is the menu transcript:

I had the beef skewer and the shrimp cake with my Cathay Delight. The salad and the salmon were served together on a tray. As with the previous flight, the main courses were all pre-plated, but were served from the trolley so that you could see what each looked like before choosing. I wanted the chicken, but I have a rule against eating anything known as “black fungus,” so I opted for the beef, which was fine, but unremarkable. I had some cheese and the excellent banana tart to round out the meal. The rest of the flight passed quickly, and soon we were approaching HKG’s Runway 25R. As with my last arrival into HKG, we docked at one of the furthest gates, which necessitated using the train to get to the crowded immigration lines.

HONG KONG

I’ve heard of Anglophiles, Francophiles and Pedophiles, but I have never heard of Hong Kongophiles. However, I consider myself to be one (a Hong Kongophile, that is -- I don’t want any rumors to spread). I don’t know why, but Hong Kong has a magic effect on me. I just love this city. Sure it can be dirty, hot and crowded, but there is something about it that just pulls me in. I think it started when, as a kid, I saw an advertisement for United Airlines on television, which featured a 747SP taxiing at the old Kai Tak. The juxtaposition of the modern 747 with the ancient junks in Victoria Harbor really caught my attention. From that point on, Hong Kong was what I envisioned when I though of traveling in the Far East. My first trip to Hong Kong occurred in March 2001 when I went by myself over my Spring Break from my law studies in London. It was my first time in Asia and my first big solo travel adventure. I stayed at the Regal HongKong Hotel in Causeway Bay and just fell in love with the city. As such, I knew I wanted to spend some time in Hong Kong on this trip.

As for hotels, I was torn. On one hand, I was shooting for Starwood Platinum and needed all the stays I could get. On the other, the Conrad International in Hong Kong is a Flyertalk favorite and I wanted to experience it, especially as I was able to get Hilton Gold status through American Airlines. Since I had two nights, I split the difference and spent one night in the Sheraton and one in the Conrad. While inconvenient to move hotels, it allowed me to experience two top end Hong Kong hotels and to stay in both Kowloon and Admiralty.

The Sheraton is an older hotel located at the tip of the Kowloon peninsula, right next to the venerable Peninsula Hotel. On the outside, it looks like a typical large and uninspired international chain hotel. On the inside, it is much more modern and, since its recent renovation, is quite elegant. The afore-mentioned renovation was in full swing last August and the only way to get a room with a harbor view was to book an executive floor room, which I did. It wasn’t cheap, but you cannot put a price tag on starting and ending your day with a view of the Hong Kong skyline. The room itself featured a large bathroom with a walk-in shower and full size bathtub and a large bedroom. The bed was nothing special, but I understand that the property now features the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed.

In contrast, the Conrad is a fairly new property that is located above the Pacific Place Mall in the Admiralty section of central Hong Kong. Despite only being a Hilton Honors Gold member, I was upgraded to a club room overlooking the hills in the center of Hong Kong island. The club lounge provided great views of Victoria Harbor, but a less dramatic view of the skyline. The room was nicer than the one at the Sheraton, especially the bathroom.

During my two days in Hong Kong, I did many of the tourist things I did on my previous trip. I did some shopping in Pacific Place (there is a great toy solider shop I found there) and made many crossings of Victoria Harbor on the Star Ferry. I took the Peak Tram and walked the streets of Central looking at the stores selling dried fish (and almost vomiting at the smell) and the upscale antiques shops on Hollywood Road near the Man Mo Temple. After sampling its food on CX, I decided to dine at the Yung Kee restaurant, but also visited Mak’s Noodle shop and another dumpling shop I had found in Wan Chai on my previous trip.

PresRDC

Wednesday, August 14, 2002
Cathay Pacific flight CX 713
Departs: Hong Kong (HKG) @ 8:55 AM
Arrives: Bangkok (BKK) @ 10:30 AM
Boeing 747-400
First Class Seat 2A

My time in Hong Kong came to an end too soon, but I knew that I would be back, so I was not too upset. I was planning to take the Airport Express to get to HKG, but the taxi driver who drove me from the Sheraton to the Conrad talked me into riding with him to the airport for two hundred and fifty Hong Kong dollars. While this is more expensive than the train, it is convenient and I wanted to see the view from the Tsing Ma Bridge. I’m glad I did. The view going over the bridge was impressive and allowed me to see the diversity of seaborne traffic plying the waters off Hong Kong.

I arrived at HKG at around 7:15 AM and proceeded to the First Class check-in area. CX’s First Class check-in area does not feature the usual desks, but rather a series of podiums that allow a more personal interaction with the check-in agent. Frankly, it really was nothing special, but I did enjoy the display that shows your flight details. The airport was not very crowded this morning and I was through immigration and security and at The Wing in a few minutes. I helped myself to breakfast and waited for my flight to be called. As it was leaving from one of the CX preferred gates, which are right by The Wing, I could just peer over the side and determine when boarding began.

At the time, this flight, CX 713, was the only three-class service available from HKG to BKK. Interestingly, there was no three-class return flight from BKK as the 747-400 that operates the CX 713 continues to SIN and then flies directly back to HKG as the CX 716. Ideally, I would have preferred a flight leaving later in the day, but I was not willing to forgo First Class just to leave later.

I boarded in the middle of the process and found an empty First Class cabin. As I chatted with Pearl, one of our flight attendants about Bangkok shopping, I thought I was going to have the cabin to myself, but one last minute passenger boarded. Nevertheless a 3:2 flight attendant to passenger ratio made for an attentive flight. We pushed on time and were airborne a few minutes later from Runway 25L for the two and a half hour flight to BKK. Once at altitude, menus were distributed. Brunch was on offer today. Here is the menu:

I had the fruit and the dim sum. Of course, I had more Cathay Delight. I had the dim sum as we passed over Hainan Island (of spy plane fame). Pearl served the dim sum with a plate with all the side dishes. CX serves four pieces of dim sum in a traditional bamboo steamer. It was good, but a little on the small side. I decided to wait until later in the flight for dessert. The rest of the flight passed uneventfully and, after having my pie over ‘Nam, we arrived in a cloudy Bangkok. Of particular interest to me was the golf course between the two runways. I would imagine it’s hard to concentrate on a putt when a 747 is taking-off next to you! The flight docked in the new pier, which is as far from immigration as one can get (a theme of this trip). Nevertheless, it was a quick process and I was meeting the driver from the Royal Orchid Sheraton within ten minutes of disembarking

PresRDC

At the time of my visit, Starwood had two hotels in Bangkok, the Royal Orchid Sheraton and the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (since my visit, Starwood acquired another hotel, which has been branded as The Westin Bangkok). I was torn over in which hotel to stay. The Royal Orchid Sheraton, on one hand, is on the Chao Phraya River and seemed to be to be better located for tourism. The Grand Sukhumvit, on the other hand, is a world class hotel that consistently gets rave reviews on the Flyertalk Starwood board. Being a compromising sort of guy, I decided to split my stay with two nights in each property. This would have the added bonus of getting me two stays closer to Starwood Platinum status.

I first stayed at the Royal Orchid Sheraton, where I was given a room on a high floor overlooking the river. The view was the best part of the room. There was nothing wrong with it, it just was not anything special. The bathroom was clean, but basic and functional. The service at the hotel was great, however, and I would definitely recommend it, especially for those interested in the tourist sites near the Chao Phraya.

There is no subway system in Bangkok, just an elevated people mover that covers a
limited area of this very sprawling city. While closer to many of Bangkok’s tourist sites, the Royal Orchid Sheraton is not conveniently located to the people mover. Fortunately, taxis are dirt cheap. Unfortunately, dead people move faster than Bangkok traffic. A two mile taxi ride might take over an hour, but cost less than $3. Despite the difficulties in getting around, I was able to see Wat Pho, Wat Phra Keo and the National Museum.

While sightseeing was a major goal of my stay in Bangkok, I had an additional ambition, mainly buying a custom-made suit or two. Not having any idea where to go, I asked the hotel concierge for a recommendation. The concierge recommended Chinese Tailor and offered to call them and have them pick me up. I am sure he was probably getting some kind of kick-back from Chinese Tailor, but, having nothing else to go on, I took his advice. It proved to be a positive experience. Over the next two days, I had two suits, two spare pants, two shirts and two ties custom made for me for $750. They picked me up at the hotel and, when my fitting ended, drove me to wherever else in Bangkok I wanted to go. While in the store, they plied me with Pepsi and made sure I was happy. They conducted two fittings on my first day and did a final fitting in my room at the Grande Sukhumvit and shipped everything back to the United States for me.

After the second night, I transferred to the Grande Sukhumvit. This hotel lived-up to its reputation and I was glad I decided to split my stay. The service was great, the room was great and, being located by a people mover station, the location was great. My room was on a Preferred Guest floor and featured a large bedroom, a walk-in closet and bathroom with a hot tub and a separate walk-in shower and a CD player. The view from the hotel was nice and really gave me a sense of just how sprawling a city is Bangkok. The hotel offers an excellent breakfast buffet. My only complaint, and a small one at that, is that, with only four elevators, the wait to go up or down could be a long one.

If asked, I am not sure which hotel I would recommend. However, if I go back to Bangkok, I will probably stay at the Grande Sukhumvit, so do with that information what you want

PresRDC

After enduring the heat of August in Bangkok, I was ready for the mild coolness of an Australian winter. This flight was the only one that was not changed at all from my original routing and schedule. I knew I was going to be in Bangkok and that I wanted to have approximately twelve days in Australia, so this flight was pretty much set in stone.

Sunday, August 18, 2002
Qantas Airways flight QF 002
Departs: Bangkok (BKK) @ 5:40 PM
Arrives: Sydney (SYD) @ 5:25 AM
Boeing 747-400
First Class Seat 2A

I arranged with the Grande Sukhumvit for a car to the airport. I left the hotel at 2:30 PM, expecting traffic. While there was some traffic, it lasted only until we got to the highway leading to the airport. Consequently, I arrived at the airport around 3:00 PM. Much like the city it serves, Bangkok’s airport lacks the sense of newness and sleek modernity that characterizes many of Asia’s airports. I understand that a new airport is being constructed. While this will probably be welcome to many, I fear it will lack the character of the current BKK.

As in Osaka, all bags were x-rayed before reaching the check-in counters. There was not much of a line at the x-ray position and I was at the First Class counter in minutes. Qantas and British Airways share a common check-in island, but I was helped by a Qantas agent. Check-in was quickly accomplished and I received my boarding pass, a lounge pass and a fast track immigration card for Australian immigration. I was also informed that I was the only First Class passenger boarding the QF 002 in BKK, but nine other passengers would be staying on the plane from London.

After paying my departure tax and clearing security, I headed to the joint British Airways and Qantas lounge. There were separate First and Business Class lounges. The First Class lounge was on the departure floor while the Business lounge was one level below and accessed by elevators. The First Class lounge offered a great view of the runway thresholds and I watched as a Finnair MD-11 departed for Singapore. There was one computer in the lounge with internet access. There was a small, but nice selection of food, mostly finger sandwiches and assorted hors d’ouerves. The seats were comfortable and there were plenty of magazines and newspapers on offer. There were three showers available for use.

I spent a good deal of time relaxing in the lounge and watched as my flight arrived from London and taxied to a newly constructed pier at the opposite end of the airport from the lounge. About twenty minutes later, the first passengers from my flight arrived in the lounge, with most heading for the showers. The lounge started to get crowded, so I decided to leave and pay a visit to the Cathay Pacific lounge. I spent a few minutes in the CX First lounge, but did not find it terribly impressive. Fortunately, it was approximately halfway between the BA/QF lounge and the QF gate and offered a nice break on what was a long and hot walk. I understand that BA and QF have built or are building a new lounge nearer to the gates in the new pier.

By the time I reached the lounge and cleared a second security checkpoint, it was time to board and I walked right on the plane. Qantas has two additional First Class seats on the 747-400 than CX, which made the cabin seem more crowded than CX’s configuration. Although Qantas was in the process of upgrading the First Class seats across the 747-400 fleet, this aircraft had not been reconfigured. Nevertheless, it was comfortable. I was the first passenger to board, but the transit passengers had all left their belongings on their seats, which made the cabin seem even more cramped and cluttered.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/177761/M/

The cabin crew were very welcoming and seemed very similar to American cabin crews in that they were more relaxed and easy going and quick to strike-up a casual conversation. There was no sense of the deference that you get from the flight attendants on CX. After two weeks of flying CX, this attitude was refreshing. I had a glass of champagne and took the opportunity to change into the pajamas QF offered. The bathroom was nicer and larger than CX’s bathrooms, featuring a tiled floor and a window. Thoughtfully, the cabin crew had left hangars in the bathroom and were helpful in storing my clothes in the closet at the front of the cabin (another difference from CX).

We left on time and were airborne ten minutes later just as the sun was beginning to set. Our route took us over the Gulf of Thailand in the direction of Borneo. From Borneo, we crossed the Java Sea and the Indonesian archipelago, making landfall in Australia close to Darwin. From Darwin, we crossed over the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales before beginning our descent into Sydney.

Once we reached altitude the flight attendants passed-out menus and took drink orders. I ordered my usual Diet Coke with lime. Here is a menu transcript:

My drink was served with the rice cakes. I didn’t really care for them as they were made with cilantro, which is essentially chopped-up shampoo. I also ordered the corn soup and the roast beef. The soup was great, but the meat was average, being more like filet mignon than the carved roast beef I expected. I had the cake for dessert. The meal was fine, but, frankly, unexceptional. I suspect that a better meal was served out of London. Unlike on the London flight, there were no snacks on offer, which was too bad as I had heard such good things about the steak sandwich Qantas offers (this was an option out of LHR). The BKK-SYD segment was, relatively speaking, not very long, so I guess this makes sense.

After the meal service, I watched a movie from the selection of videos Qantas has on offer. I watched Almost Famous, which I had seen before, but was (and remains) one of my favorite movies.

A few minutes after crossing into Australia, I noticed something wonderful from the window. It looked like a river of fire snaking its way across the land. Intrigued, I asked a flight attendant if she knew what it was. She told me it was part of an Aboriginal ceremony. This is was simply awesome. I cannot conceive of how large it must have been to be so visible from 37,000 feet. This ranks as one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

About an hour out of SYD, a continental breakfast was served. Here is the menu:

I ordered orange juice, the banana drink, the fruit salad and a croissant. All were good. We descended into Sydney and landed while it was still dark. I was off the plane very quickly and through immigration in no time. On entering Australia, all bags are x-rayed for prohibited organic products. My soap actually set off the alarm, but I was allowed to keep after I promised not to use it to wash any of the native vegetation. As the sun began to break into the winter sky, I was on my way to the Westin Sydney.

PresRDC

With the exception of the bar exam, the biggest issue I had to confront in the months preceding this trip was whether to stay at the Sheraton on the Park or the Westin Sydney when in Sydney (I just couldn’t handle the stress of including the Four Points and/or the W in the equation). Ultimately, I went with the Westin, mostly because I always choose Westins over Sheratons when I have the choice and I am anal and unwilling to expand my horizons. I am sure the Sheraton is a perfectly fine hotel, but I was glad I chose the Westin.

This hotel optimizes the modern luxury concept that Westin is currently espousing. The reception area is modern and spartan, but also exudes a luxurious and stylish air. I booked a room on the executive floor and, thankfully, one was available despite my extremely early check-in. The room itself was excellent and continued with the modern luxury theme. This was most evident in the bathroom, which featured a full size tub and a walk-in rainmaker shower. As with the Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua, there was a window from the bathtub to the bedroom. I am sure a porno director could have made good use of this feature, but, alas, I am but a simple lawyer. Of course, the room featured the Heavenly Bed, which is always a most welcome site after a long overnight flight. The view was not fantastic, but I could see Darling Harbor in the distance.

Being my first visit to Sydney, I did most of the typical tourist stuff that one would expect a first time visitor to do. I strolled down to Circular Quay, took a ferry to Manly, saw the Opera House, walked through The Rocks district and went to the top of the Centerpoint Tower. Being a maritime history buff, the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbor was a highlight. Being a fish lover, the aquarium was another highlight.

I ate dinner one night at Mantra Ray, which is on the same pier housing the W Sydney. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are a sea food fan.