prncess674

BKK-NRT, UA Flight 882, Boeing 747, 2887 miles
July 4, 2005

Boarding for the flight was right on time and since there were three of us traveling together we opted to sit in row 26 of business class where there were three seats across rather than sitting on the upper deck. I don’t know how full the upper deck was but the lower deck of business was less than half full. The service was good but not the great service you expect from a NRT based crew.

Breakfast choices were noodles or a continental breakfast of fruit and cereal. Since I was still in Asia I decided on noodles for breakfast. Wingless & auh2o both had the American style continental breakfast. It was nothing spectacular. The service I found to be a little off sitting in the center section. The FA’s didn’t have a clear picture of who was serving what row when coming down the aisles.

The flight was pretty calm and I spent a good portion of the flight writing my trip report and reading my book. The in flight movie choices were unremarkable. Approximately an hour prior to landing the cart was out for the arrival snack

Choices were

• bow tie pasta with bacon and tomato sauce or
• peppered roast beef and mango with plum sauce; potato salad with corn, kidney beans and mustard vinaigrette.

I had the roast beef which like the rest of the meals I had on airplanes this week , it too was unremarkable. Dessert was a slice of carrot cake that was practically frozen rock hard. One rock hard bite and I turned in my tray.

We landed at a real gate in NRT. Auh2o and wingless had a very short connection so once we re-cleared security we parted ways. They were bound for the LAX flight that left in just a few minutes. I had just under two hours till my flight to JFK.

I made my way to the NRT Red Carpet Club and smiled to myself when I saw the table we had been sitting at as a group just a few days earlier. I laughed inside remembering how excited I was to be embarking on our journey and now it was all coming to an end. The RCC seemed quiet or maybe it was just the fact that I wasn’t there with 6 great friends. I fired up the laptop and wrote a quick email home letting Mom & Dad know that I hadn’t been abducted or thrown into Thai prison.

It was soon time to board my flight and I made my way down to the remote gate area. We had to board busses and were brought out to the big 777 that would be our “transport unit” for the long ride back to reality.

Business class was very empty. Everyone had an empty seat next to them. I asked the FA how full the back of the plane was and she said there were only 2 empties in the coach cabin. I didn’t ask about F but I assume it wasn’t full based on the biz cabin.

Take off was right on time and our flight time was right at 12.5 hours. I half dreaded the thought of twelve hours of airplane time but in some ways it was a good start to getting my head back into reality, work would be rearing it’s ugly head bright and early the next morning, and 60hr of Thai abuse was going to catch up to me at some point.

Service was quick and the New York based flight crew was extremely nice. They had the drink cart our for pre meal drinks and the friendly FA asked if I would like a cocktail. I assured her that I had had enough cocktails and that I wanted water only. She poured me a glass and I got up to use the lavatory. When I returned to my seat a nice liter bottle of water was tucked inside my seat. She was my angel!!

Appetizers and salad consisted of

• Sauteed herb shrimp with basil and smoked duck; fresh lemon and mango salsa
• Asian citrus or Roquefort dressing

Main Courses were passed out and the purser made a point earlier of coming round and stating “hello Miss Prncess674 I see you are a 100K and I want to make sure you have first choice in meal selection”

• Herb and onion crusted filet mignon with red curry coconut sauce; potatoes au gratin and blanched broccolini
• Italian herb and parmesan breaded breast of turkey with Merlot sauce; risotto gorgonzola with a zucchini and carrot sauté
• Japanese Obento selection.

I passed on the appetizers but did eat the salad. I chose the turkey as my main dish. If you scraped off the breading it was a decent moist piece of turkey. The zucchini was a littly squishy for my taste. I prefer it rather crisp.

Main course trays were picked up and dessert and after dinner drinks were served. Dessert consisted of either a cheese tray or a French apple tart. Not in the mood for either I passed and read for several hours. I was trying really hard not to sleep the entire flight considering I would land at JFK at 4:30pm in the evening. I wanted to be tired enough to sleep tonight and get back on “normal” time. The time seemed to crawl by and I paced the aisles and galleys. I made small talk with the crew and told them a bit about my adventure of the last 60hrs. I also answered lots of questions they had about New Orleans. Hours and minutes crawled by and it was dreadfully boring.

We were finally somewhere over mid-America when they brought out the carts again for pre-landing snacks. Choices were a Philly cheese steak or a fresh seasonal fruit plate with yogurt. Knowing that refrigeration is mediocre at best on airplanes I opted to stay away from milk based products such as yogurt. The cheese steak was okay but not bad. Perhaps I was finally becoming accustomed to airplane food.

Landing at JFK was unmemorable but the pilot made an announcement that we needed to hustle to passport control since two other international planes had landed just behind us and that the wait might be considerable if we dilly-dallied. As soon as the fasten seat belt sign extinguished I hopped up grabbed my laptop bag and made it to the door. Passport control was empty thankfully and I got a quick stamp in my passport. Luggage shortly followed and I was on my way back to NYC for another week at work.

Total Miles Travelled: 20,229
# of Airports: 5
# of stamps new stamps in passport: 3
# of airline meals consumed: 9
Hours spent in BKK: 60
Hours spent in transit: 60
Time spent with friends: Priceless

Where will the Princess go next??? Well Vegas is in the works for Labor Day but you know what they say. ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!’

macintosh

I loved your report. I presently travel to Bangkok about four times a year (from SFO on UA) and I usually stay a few nights at the Sheraton Grande. Your description and photos of the hotel brought back wonderful memories (your room was a bit larger...). Thank you.

QF WP

Thanks Rachel for the final installment. I used to do the occasional MR, but I couldn't see myself ever doing the multiple long-haul MR's that you and other FT'ers do. Now I hope that Mike has read this and know's that we are still waiting on your MSY story...

Having stayed at the Sheraton Grande 3 times in the past (but always getting a standard room as a humble Gold), the pictures were great and the service wasjust as good.

Now to get around to my 3 TR's...

kluau88

macintosh, I'm guessing prncess674 got an upgrade due to her Platinum status with SPG. For the most part SPG takes great care of their platinum members. Don't know what your status is with SPG, so that might be why her room seemed larger than what you were getting.

macintosh

Greetings, Kluau88,

Thanks for your kind message.

I had already blown my few remaining Starpoints on free nights and, "in-room massage treatments," across the road at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit, so no suite for me at the Sheraton Grande.

This is briefly OT, but thank you again for the most wonderful TR on your flights on SQ and ANA. I have never flown F on SQ, but thanks to you, next January, I will experience that sensation. Now, I need to buy a digital camera...

Best, Robert

sftrvlr

Another excellent report! Thanks for sharing. I actually prefer the Westin across the street from the SGS because the beds are softer. I find that almost all beds in Asia are far more firm than I would like. The exceptions being the Westin in Bangkok, and the Sheraton and the Marriott in Singapore (if you get a room with a new bed.)