PHUKET, THAILAND

Sawadikap! Arrival was simple and soon I had called a Grab. There is no Uber anymore in Thailand. Unfortunately, Grab can’t enter the airport and you have to meet them on the curb by walking a bit outside the airport. But I didn’t know any of this. So he canceled after a while and I ended up in a prepaid taxi to Patong.

Of all the lovely places in Thailand and specifically Phuket, Patong isn’t very high on anyone’s list. But it met many of my needs. I was in Thailand to mostly write. I had been adventuring too much and I needed a writer’s retreat for a month to catch up and stop doing new things!! I had been to Thailand many times before and knew Patong fit the bill. First and foremost, I wanted a direct view of the sun setting over the ocean. Next, I wanted a nice variety of cheap restaurants to keep me fed and happy. Finally, it’s nice to have a destination favored by the gays. I like being among my brethren.

I had booked two nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Patong Beach Resort. I found it on the app and decided it was a cheap way to get started in Thailand. I was shocked to see how nice it was. At check-in, they said they couldn’t upgrade me to an ocean view room, but had a nice Family Suite for me. Being alone, I laughed and said that sounded wonderful!


The kid room in the Family Suite. Worth the photo opportunity! But I didn't sleep in that bed.

The room turned out to be huge: a living room with guest bath, master en-suite bedroom, and kids en-suite bedroom. The best part was the kids room had a huge bed in the shape of a boat. Of course I had to take a pic in it. But ended up preferring to sleep in the adult bedroom.


A great start to a Thai meal, chicken satay

I was hungry by this time so I walked over to the main street and found a nice hole in the wall for some chicken satay, shrimp curry, and a Singha beer. Nice to be back in Thailand. I walked by the gay street and the fun had already started. It was obvious that the street had been hit hard by COVID. So sad to see. There were only two places open tonight. Last time I was here there were 15 or 20! The Connect Hotel was also boarded up in the middle of the strip. So sad. The Zag Club was in the middle of a fun drag show so I enjoyed another beer and saw performances by both Cher and Whitney Houston.


Cher, Whitney, and so many others at the Zag Club

Back at the hotel I ended up chatting with a male/female couple on Grindr. They were from India and were in Thailand for their honeymoon. They had survived their three day wedding and were happy to be on their own. The husband was bi and they were looking for an older gentleman to join them for some fun. I told them that I was super impressed with their honesty and connection from the start of their relationship. They were both 25 years old and it was a love marriage. With open communication of needs and interests like this, they might just make it in the long run! Unfortunately, I would have loved to meet them and gotten to know them better but it had been a late night in Dubai the night before and a long day of travel. Unfortunately, they were flying up to Chiang Mai the next day so I wished them a long and happy life together. But chatting with them put a smile on my face.

The next morning I was delighted by the wonderful breakfast buffet at the Four Points. Yes, there was smoked salmon plus a number of other smoked fish! I was in heaven. Also there was a nice variety of dim sum and tons of western options. Go Four Points!


Back on Phuket!

I wrote for a couple of hours and then walked across the street to the beach. It was an overcast day which helped make the walk a little easier. Thailand is a place of heat and humidity. I enjoyed walking around this little touristy beach town. The biggest thing that has changed is that marijuana is now legal in Thailand! It’s the first country in Asia to take this leap forward. I am not a fan of smoking anything but I found some gummies. When in Rome! It was interesting to compare the scruffy tourist town of Torremolinos, Spain to the scruffy tourist town of Patong. They have a lot of similarities. Neither could be called charming. But both have a large variety of great food, a stunning seaside location, and a fun vibe.

That afternoon, I met a pilot from Bangalore on Grindr. He was also traveling solo for a few days so we met up and had lunch at one of the seafood restaurants on the beach. He turned out to be a super interesting guy and we enjoyed hanging out for the day together. Being gay, he was hoping to move on to a larger airline outside of India putting a little distance between himself and his family. The pressures on him to get married are constantly increasing with age.

For dinner that night I went to a Michelin mentioned food stall in the basement of a shopping mall. I started with a shrimp wonton soup which was so flavorful. Then the meal was a plate of roast duck and roast pork belly. I love experiencing hidden treasures like this. It’s why I travel.

It was still early when I walked down the street of gay bars. It continued to be shocking to see how decimated the whole place was because of COVID. The party still goes on but it is slowly coming back. I decided not to sit and have a drink, opting to head back to my hotel for a good night’s sleep before my BUCKET LIST day.

I woke up in the morning and even before my eyes were open, there was a smile on my face. Today I would be experiencing Singapore Airlines new Private Room at Changi and then, finally, traveling in their A380 New First Class Suites! Twice previously, SQ had to cancel my reservations where I would get to enjoy this new product. But it looked like the stars were aligning and it was actually going to happen. TODAY WAS THE DAY.

Grandma Marriott happily stored my large bag while I was in India so I could travel with just a small backpack and a rollie. I still didn’t know where I was going to stay for the six weeks after I returned to Thailand. But I booked two nights back at the Four Points Patong to try one of the few ocean view rooms upon my return from India.

I got a Grab car to the airport for about 800 baht. This car service is allowed to drop off inside the airport grounds but it just can’t pick up there. Can’t we all just get along?

FLIGHT #18 OF THE SABBATICAL
Singapore Airlines #725, B737MAX-8, BUSINESS CLASS
DEPARTURE: Phuket, Thailand (HKT) 10:10
ARRIVAL: Singapore (SIN) 13:05
DURATION: 1h55

Check-in was super easy and I received my boarding pass for both flights and the Private Room invitation. The Suites boarding pass is a lovely gold and I felt like singing “I’ve got a golden ticket!” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I wanted to dance around the airport.

Singapore uses the same Coral lounge which can also be accessed with Priority Pass. It’s just not very good. The food is of poor quality and it all feels a bit cramped. Anyone would be much better off to sit in one of the many restaurants and enjoy better food. This is Thailand, mediocre food just isn’t acceptable. Plus there was an Aeroflot plane leaving soon and the lounge was full of Russians either speaking loudly on their phones or listening to their devices without headphones. God save me.

I was originally excited to book this flight because it featured SQ’s new regional single aisle fully flat business class seat. I even managed to grab one of the coveted, single throne seats. Well a couple of days before the flight I saw some aircraft swapping had occurred and we had the old 2-2 configuration. It was a short flight and at least it wasn’t Spirit Airlines! Fly me to Singapore. The Private Room was waiting!!

From the moment I was greeted at the door, Singapore once again showed me why they are one of the top airlines in the world. Everything works. The service is kind and impeccable. My adjacent seat remained vacant so I moved over to the window after the door shut. The ten year old boy in me still loves the view.


Coral Lounge at Phuket and then SQ Biz to Singapore

Once in the air, my lunch was a single tray including my starter of smoked chicken salad with roasted apples, the main of noodles with prawns, squid, and pork and a sticky date pudding. This meal had probably been catered at their home base and was absolutely delicious, perfect selections for airline food. I stuck with champers throughout the meal because today was going to be a day of celebration with two checks on the Bucket List.

SINGAPORE

I was first off the plane and soon trekking through this huge airport in search of The Private Room. Singapore is another airport where you can end up walking large distances. I think I walked about 20 minutes before seeing the stunning new entrance to the SilverKris lounges with its handcrafted wall of colorful glass flowers in SQ’s batik motif by Australian artist B. Jane Cowie.


Welcome to paradise

Once at the top of escalators, there are three options but to the left is The Private Room. In its previous incarnation, we had to be escorted through the First Class lounge to enter the Private Room. It often felt austentatious and a bit like you were on parade. This is a much more intimate entrance with more privacy. I was still personally escorted in by a lovely woman. She asked if I would like to have a brief tour lounge. Sure. From the entrance we walked through a series of curvy passageways which felt glamorous but it took me a bit to understand where everything was. We walked through a nice seating area with private booths and elegant spaces. Then we arrived at the restaurant which was also nice but at first look didn’t have the same luxurious feeling of the previous Private Room. I really enjoyed the booths in the old dining room. This was much more standard like the CX Wing first class restaurant. Rows of tables. Nothing super special. The entire lounge was empty except for one other passenger seated quietly in a corner nook. At this point we were only two passengers. I told my guide that I would like to start with a shower which turned out to be delightful. I loved the toilet that sprung open every time I approached. Soon I was clean and refreshed and ready for my second breakfast.

I had intentionally booked a nice 5 hour layover to fully enjoy some time in the Private Room. As I am mostly retired, I love arriving early and using some time to write. This is especially lovely in a beautiful lounge whilst drinking champers. I chose a seat on the banquet with a nice view of the restaurant. The only thing to really see were the three or four underutilized servers. They sprang into life as I arrived and finally had something to do.

I began with a glass of the 2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne on offer and it was lovely. The nice thing about champers is that it is appropriate for any time of day! During my stay, I enjoyed some traditional satay and then dim sum. Both were excellent.


SQ's Private Room - a shower, some champers, delicious food, and a very friendly server

As I often do, I opened up Grindr to see who was around. I wasn’t looking to guest anyone in today or meet up in a Priority Pass. Nothing was going to tear me away from this place. But it’s fun to chat with other travelers especially when they show up to be 20m away! Today I could see a number of people probably all in the SQ lounge complex. I began chatting with one of them who turned out to be working in the “First Class” lounge next door. We call this Grinding while working. GWW. I mentioned that I was in the Private Room on my way to Mumbai and that I was excited about trying out the new A380 suite. After chatting a bit, he said he would see me soon as someone was sick and he was being reassigned to the Private Room restaurant.

I am very discrete and knew that I shouldn’t be overly familiar with him. But he finally passed by my table and said hello. The lounge is “library quiet” so we spoke in sotto voce. Then he went back over to the server podium and we continued our real conversation on Grindr as he stood there 8m away looking like he was working! It was very funny and kept me amused for quite a while. He shared there were a total of 40 possible passengers today in the Private Room looking at a printout he had there. He easily found me because the other three passengers all had Indian names! I had a good laugh about all this. Several glasses of champers into my stay, this was a delightful way to pass the time. I was also doing some writing in between the quieter moments. It was the most personal attention that I have ever received in a First Class lounge. He did everything he could and more to make me feel well taken care of. For a bucket list item, I confidently checked the Private Room off. It had been everything I had dreamed of. But I had to say goodbye so that I could get to my next bucket list item of the day: Singapore's A380 New Suites.


BUCKET LIST MOMENT #2 OF THE DAY: A380 First Class Suites

As I arrived at the gate, the sun was just setting behind the super jumbo that was waiting to take me to India. I was so excited!!! I walked up to the gate where boarding had already begun. Luckily there was a separate Suites queue and soon I was greeted at the upstairs door and being shown to my suite.

FLIGHT #19 OF THE SABBATICAL
Singapore Airlines #424, A380-800, FIRST CLASS
DEPARTURE: Singapore (SIN) 18:45
ARRIVAL: Mumbai, India (MUM) 22:10
DURATION: 5h55

WOW! This is truly the most magnificent way to travel available in commercial aviation. The suite is huge and luxurious. Near the door, I was greeted by a beautiful blooming orchid with seven stunning buds. I was in suite 3F which has an interesting second monitor for use during takeoff and landing when the seat must be facing backwards. Some people don’t like this suite because of that feature but this suite turned out to be the best suite because of what happened later.


Mama is very happy right now!

One of the three flight attendants, Toh, introduced himself and asked if it was my first time in the Suite. Like a giddy school girl, I replied, “YES! And I am very excited!” He offered to take pictures of me and then gave me a tour of my home for the next six hours.

If there was ever a moment for Krug champagne, it was now. Let it flow! During boarding, the other flight attendants Michael and Doris also came by to say hello and wish me a pleasant flight. I made my usual joke with them to please ask the captain to fly around a little longer so I had more time to enjoy this all. They politely laughed as always.


Without a doubt, the A380 New Suite is the best First Class product in the sky. It’s huge. It has an amazing separate bed next to the seat. The 32 inch TV is more than big enough for this space without overpowering. The only weird thing is that when the suite door is open during takeoff and meal service, I could see the passenger in the suite opposite to me. It’s a weird lack of privacy that could have been designed so that I didn’t see anyone. My neighbor had left the seat’s makeup mirror open and it was a super bright light that I could also see. Honestly this is a small issue. I have flown several times on SQ’s older version of First Class on their A380. This is a huge improvement and sets a high standard for the entire industry. As we took off, I appreciated how quiet the front upstairs area is on an A380. We glided into the clouds and I beamed with joy.

Almost immediately, I was enjoying another glass of Krug followed by SQ’s famous satay with peanut sauce. This iconic dish always tastes amazing leaving Singapore. My first course was some delicious crab cakes followed by an Indian spiced tomato soup. I had used SQ’s Book The Cook prior to departure to order their signature dish, Lobster Thermador. It was as good as ever. Normally, I would enjoy a cheese plate but I was just too stuffed. It had been a day of eating and I just couldn’t anymore.


Top notch catering ex-SIN

As Toh was clearing away my dinner, he asked if I was ready to have him make up the bed. Then he asked the amazing question, “Would you like me to make up a double bed since the suite adjacent to mine was vacant! OF COURSE I WOULD LOVE THAT! He had quickly pegged me as a AVgeek and was happy to make my experience the best ever. I love you, Toh.

While they were working on my bed, I went to the restroom to change into my Lalique pajamas. The space is similarly sized to the Emirates restroom but is missing a shower. There was plenty of space for me to change into the sleepwear. I still wish Singapore had decided to install showers which would make this even better.

I walked back to my now double suite and nearly cried seeing this beautiful double bed waiting for my little nap. It was huge. Toh wished me a pleasant sleep and and soon I was snuggled into the bed. It felt amazing. The only thing like most airlines’s double bed, it had a little divider down the middle. As a single person in the double bed, it wasn’t a big deal but if I was cuddling, it might be more noticeable. Maybe it’s SQ’s way of making sure you don’t do too much cuddling. I have read that having sex is not allowed. I am sure the Singapore government has several laws against it.


This might the cover of my book about the Sabbatical

I feel asleep without any problem. I was sleeping on a cloud. The problem was soon Doris was waking me up to prepare for landing. NOOOOOOOOOOO! KEEP FLYING AROUND, PLEASE!!!!

After I changed back into my civilian clothes, I popped into the galley to chat with my three new Singapore friends. I told them that, hands down, this was the best flight of my life! The three of them were shining stars for their company and they should be very proud of their hard work. I was sad to say goodbye as I left the aircraft.

My second bucket list item was complete for the day! I didn’t have any emotion left! I was completely spent.