The Conrad Hong Kong - Redux

At the Conrad I am again whisked up to the 59th Floor for check in – but this time not quite as many Exec benefits – no free pressing for a start. The room is ok but considerably smaller than my last room and no jasmine tea on arrival

Feeling more adventurous and being on a bit of a mission I take my first trip to the Wan Chai Computer centre – an absolute geek Mecca Due to my onward journeys and the hand luggage only constraints I actually buy nothing – on this trip. Next time when I am not constrained by so many factors I might be in a little bit of trouble

Due to the movement of work around to accommodate the work in Shanghai I have a productive few days in the HKG office – although it is nothing I couldn’t have done in Sydney (and perhaps more easily as well) but the option of going back to Oz was not an option – one of the drivers for SOB was to combine a trip to Asia and the US on one flight cost. Over the next few days I have some terrible night’s sleep so I am actually completely exhausted by the end of the trip.

Being more familiar with the stores around the office I decide to grab a pair of Tag Heuer sunglasses that I have had my eye on in Sydney for a while and splurge to put in prescription lenses. The amazing thing is that I had Googled for these glasses a couple of times and could not find any stockists – except for the opticians in our building

The lounge in the Conrad is a great improvement over the PVG Hilton but the timing is a little off. The lounge opens 5pm – 7pm. Given my average day finishes at about 5:15 – 5:30 (it starts at 6AM with the overnight emails from the US) and with some travel time back to the hotel and dumping my gear I almost miss the lounge a couple of times – almost that is

The three days in HKG both fly and drag at the same time. I really want to be in NYC at this point so that I am in theory on my way home and also able to buy a new iPod Touch

As I have a early PM flight to NRT I work in the hotel until about midday as I have a heap of stuff that just needs to be emailed out. Checking out is a smooth process and in fact the room service bills looks a little light. I decide on the train to the airport and the train to Central from the hotel. Again due to the massive walks between the hotel and Admiralty and at Central – I should really have gone with the cab to Central option – you live and learn.

This is my first Central to Airport routing and am very pleased when the train brings you out level with the concourse – although not entirely level with the JL check in area. I do however manage to find the JL check in desk and am quickly checked in. I haven’t pre-selected my seat for the JL flight and I am little further back than I would expect as a OWE. I am directed to the Sakura lounge which I thank them for knowing that I am off to the Wing I still have no checked luggage and wander to security – where I am in fact turned back for having two bags???? ...??? This didn’t happen last week… I am told to go back to the check in desk and arrange for two bags with the check in staff – all very strange compared to what happened last week. I then realise that a little chap put some little tag on one of my bags last week and this must be what is meant by pre-arranging it with the airline. JL’s process is a little more labour intensive and I am escorted back to security by a member of staff.

Second time lucky I am through to immigration where my favourite new card – the HKIAFV – glides me through immigration, in fact I am sent to the HKG Nationals queue. The only annoyance is that the JL check in is at the opposite end of the terminal from the Wing (very close to the QF/BA Lounge actually) so it is a long walk to get my glass of Moet – but I survived. Over lunch I catch up on emails and get a further update on Tscharke’s quest for EXP. Sadly I think all hope is lost for him now although it’s not over until the Rubenesque lady sings.

After a relaxing couple of Moets it is time to find gate 11. As I head down to the departures area and check the boards I am furious to see that Gate 11 has been changed to Gate 40!!! Furious that is until I actually recheck my BP and see that I am in seat 11 rather than gate 11. I think this is an indication of things to come for the rest of the journey – now that I have crossed the threshold of two weeks (almost) I think I am focussed too much on the next 2 – 3 flights rather than the flights I am taking. Not a good thing to not have “your head in the game”…

So it is off to the serftymobile (underground people mover) and Gate 40. I actually have a few minutes before is called so I duck up to the Sakura lounge which is 2 minutes from Gate 40. It is not very inspiring – like a more open version of the BA/QF lounge. There is no separate F lounge – just a screened off F area which has no different food or drink that I can see – just a lot less people. I am not sure as a OWE whether I am entitled to use this section but as I am only going to be here 10 minutes there is not much point in even trying. I have just enough time for a quick call home and then it is off to my first JL flight!!!