Forward

Well, it is nice to be back.

I just returned from another AMAZING First Class trip and am now going to spill it all out for the Flyertalk community.

This Trip Report is actually a sequel to my previous trip report, which also focused on first class buffet travel.

Like my previous Trip Report, this Trip Report will include some fabulous buffet and food reviews, but this time, I will be focusing a little more on my attempt to unravel the mystery of Aman Resorts. Part of my mission was to find out, 'Why all the fuss about Aman', and I did in fact get to the bottom of this question.

You will also be reading about how my trip involved visiting some of the very best accommodations in the air, the city, in the jungle, by the beach, and in the middle of the desert.

You will be reading about the following itinerary:

1. Toronto to Hong Hong via Cathay Pacific First Class

2. Hong Kong W Hotel

3. Hong Kong to Singapore via Cathay Pacific First Class and Jetquay arrival service in Singapore

4. Singapore Fairmont Hotel

5. Fairmont Hotel Buffet - Asian Market Buffet

6. Singapore Intercontinental Hotel

7. Singapore Mandarin Oriental Hotel Buffet - Melt The World

8. Singapore Conrad

9. Singapore Ritz Carlton Hotel Buffet - The Greenhouse

10. Out and About in Singapore including Hawker Food Courts

11. Jetquay Departure Service in Singapore and Singapore to Denpasar (Bali) via Garuda in Executive Class

12. Amandari

13. Amankila

14. Denpasar (Bali) to Bangkok via Thai Airways in Business Class

15. The Bangkok Peninsula Hotel Buffet - River Cafe & Terrace Restaurant

16. Bangkok to Dubai via Emirates First Class on the a380

17. Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai

18. Dubai to Toronto via Emirates First Class on the a380


The reason for traveling was an important conference in Singapore, for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

I immediately wanted to try out the famous Singapore Airlines service, and especially on the a380, but this was not to be. No matter how hard I tried to work this out with points through Staralliance and Singapore Airlines own program itself, it was just not happening. At first I thought that I would be able to convert my SPG points into Singapore Krisflyer points, and then use them if not for the a380 First Class, then at least for the 777. Nope. First of all the a380 was not even available in F. Second of all, and this is the kicker...SPG transferred at 2:1 instead of the usual 1:1, and to make it even worse, aside from some good saver fares on the 747, the redemption for the 777 was outlandishly high. Finally, traveling from Toronto on SQ would involve an unwanted transfer in either JFK or LAX, which was an unnecessary hassle. I also had some banked BA and EK points that I had to use, which made using these airlines points-effective.

So, given the above, I decided to revert to my two go-to airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates, which are really hard to complain about of course. I will have to leave SQ F to another time I am afraid. But I was not disappointed. These two airlines were fabulous and I cannot wait to tell you about it.

And for those people who suggested that I use a decent camera this time; I did! I used the Canon s95 and found it pretty easy to use and to carry around, but lets see how the photos turn out on FT.

I actually want to share with you what gear I took on this trip, so here is a picture of my carry-on gear. In my suitcase was just clothes.



I put a lot of thought into my gear and found that it worked out rather well. So let me particularize it for you, clockwise from the top:

1. A Timbuk2 Messenger Bag, customized. In the small size, and with the built in ipad/netbook case, this was the perfect bag. Comfortable, with a ton of pockets, and a cool streamlined look, this bag was ideal as a carry-on. Just remember to leave enough room for the First Class pajamas (Shanghai Tang in the brown and orange bag, at right), and the First Class toiletry kit.

2. Croc loafers. Comfortable and versatile walking shoes are a must. These were very good, especially once I inserted an aftermarket insole, which was useful since the insole is otherwise rubber. These shoes work good when you need to appear "elegantly casual" (like for a fancy buffet), but also work just as well on the beach, and are handy for taking off at security checks.

3. An Apple Ipad2. Was great for watching movies and TV shows while waiting for flights and at hotels during the evening. I also purchased an aftermarket IPAD 2 keyboard/case by Zagg, on the theory that I could leave my laptop behind altogether. Really though, this was no substitute for a laptop, but between ever-present hotel business computers and the ability to check email, this was all I needed. I would certainly go for the Macbook air or a small PC netbook though, if I had to do any serious work on the road.

4. Blackberry Bold. Well, can't say I like it compared to the Iphone, but battery life is great, email is great, and I purchased a travel pack for data and some voice. I didn't really use the voice however, since I had Ringcentral installed on my BB which allows free Wifi voice calls, and had the same installed on my Ipad. Ringcentral also allows me to get all of my work faxes and voicemails emailed to me instantly. It is a great service. I also used Ipad's great Facetime feature for live two-way video chats with family.

5. Fulton Micro Umbrella. Since weather forecasts showed rain throughout South Asia, I decided I should carry a good umbrella. I found this Fulton micro or mini umbrella, which was just tiny, and was great quality. I did not, as it turned out, need to use it though on this trip.

6. The Cannon S95. Was very compact so no problem carrying it around in a front pant pocket. Easy to use. Just had a couple frustrations with the flash, but other than that I had no complaints and the picture quality seems good so far. Let's see once I upload all the pics to FT.

7. Rayban Aviator sunglasses. What more can one say?

8. Ziplock bag. Take these with you in various sizes, as they are great for wet bathing suits and laundry.

9. Shure 215 in-ear headphones. I put a lot of research into these, and these turned out to be fabulous. I did not want to bring my huge Bose noise cancelling headphones with me, as they just took up TOO much room in a carry-one, even though the lie flat in the case. These were even more effective in blocking out noise. Although they take some getting used to in terms of their fit etc., they were a huge success. At this price point of about $100, they were a bargain for similar quality earphones.

I also carried a black "fanny pack", which was key for money, passports, and other small items. It is great to just take the fanny pack off and stick it through the x-ray machine at security, without having to empty your pockets, etc.

With the above gear (and a small toiletry case from Cathay which I will show later), I was completely mobile and self-sustaining without my checked-in suit case. I kept an extra shirt in my carry-on as well, and this worked out perfectly. Gear is King!

So, please sit back and enjoy the report! There will be lots of pics to enjoy.