Thanks Carol! Zen was fantastic -- so good that based on the reviews CGK & I gave on Friday, many wanted to go on Saturday. I'm planning on visits every day (or as close as I can) the next trip! And, IMO, you were spot on about the ginger tea! ^ We have you and letiole to thank for that one!

Great photos story of the Bali Do 2005. Thank you... ^

Nov? what are we supposed to do til then???

A couple of things planned... There's SINDoLite2 on 6Aug. Also, looks like I'll be in SIN the weekend of 27Aug (drop me a PM or e-mail if anyone's around...I'll start a thread as soon as I'm booked).

Hmm Nov 11th. Any chance it could be a couple days earlier (on the way back from TLV DO?)

Dinner and drinkies Aug 6 in SIN
SQFAN in SIN Sep 29 - Oct 2

Do you mean earlier (as in before the 11th) or later (after the 13th) since checking the referenced thread now looks like it ends on the 11th? I had originally suggested this weekend when we were in Bali. Someone also asked about the possibility of the last weekend of November. Or pick another. I'd say whatever works for more people.

Keep the discussion going. I am reading it. So many Dos so little time

For me earlier. I am passing through SIN on the way back from TLV on 9th Nov.

Greetings to all from ATL! Oh how I wish I were back in Bali, or Singapore, or Bangkok, or anywhere in Asia. ^ But now it's back to reality.

Ritz-Carlton was very nice, better than any resort in the West I've ever seen and probably among the best in Bali (only one I've visited, so can't say for sure). I did have two complaints, though. First, the bed was nice but not all that. Kind of squeaky and not the most comfortable for sleeping. When we got to FS Singapore, it was like sleeping on clouds in comparison. That was the only complaint with the rooms, though, which were spacious and generally well-appointed. Second, Chai felt like the staff was very rude to him in the sense that they were very deferential and courteous in greeting me at every turn but often ignored him. Compounding the problem, he sent the manager a note about it midway through our stay, which generated no response until on the night before our departure I asked to speak with the duty manager and gave him a piece of my mind about the situation. That kind of soured us on it a bit. Leaving aside that one (big) issue, the staff were excellent, and some were absolutely superior. On the whole, its's a marvelous property and I would recommend it, especially if the price is right compared to the FS's or the VSOE Jimbaran Puri Bali.

It was a pleasure meeting all of you at Bali Do. I'm delighted you all came by for the sunset cocktails before heading out Sunday night. Hope to meet up with you again for more festivities at a subsequent Do.

I have an idea. It's a bit to the north of most of the destinations being considered for Do's, but how about Seoul? Specifically, during the US/Canada Labor Day Weekend Sept. 1-5?

Mr. Megatop and I are planning to spend that weekend in Seoul. It's a DL mileage run for me, which means back of the bus on KE but it's a dirt-cheap 30K mile DL award for him in Business Class on KE BKK-ICN, arguably the best-value award in SkyTeam. (Same award on SQ is 50K (albeit in SpaceBeds) or 75K on TG awards.)

It's an easy SQ flight from SFO or YYV! ^ SQ often runs sales on Raffles tickets for the SFO-ICN sector, with some prices down close to US $2000.

According to the destination info on SQ Wisemen, September is among the best times of the year to visit Seoul, for the weather and foliage.

I was in ICN 2 yrs back, and have to agree that Sept is a great time to visit. The only downside is language. Apart from hotels, noone else speaks English. The food is great if you choose the right stuff.

Wow, with KUL, BKK, HKT, and now ICN....we really do have our hands full with FT-Do's! ^

Hmm...Seoul is a nice place...civilised...

but...

How about we meet in the middle and do a Vietnam Do? I don't think there's been one yet and the UA folks would love it as well...

I love Saigon and Hanoi as it's interesting both culturally and cuisine-wise...

Maybe a Cambodia Do? Meet in Phnom Penh for dinner at the Foreign Correspondence Club of Cambodia (cool building next to the river) and other restaurants and shoot up to Siem Reap for the Angkor Tour...

And there's always inner Mongolia, Tibet, Bhutan, etc...

Awesome.....is there any resident FT'er expert in Vietnam? Have yet to visit this lovely country.... would be hard to fit within a 3-day weekend, given the expanse of the country.

Did Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat abt 4 yrs ago. It's definitely backward, with dirt roads and smog. I think the only modern hotel at that time was the IC (PP) and Raffles Hotel (Angkor), which were quite nice IMHO. Not sure how much has changed over the years, but I did recall that they were building a new airport in anticipation for increase number of visitors.

I think a Saigon Do over a weekend would be good. The Sheraton there is a good choice...This would probably be the easiest Do to do between the two. Lots of shopping and eating...nightlife is good too...was better but now a little tamer. I have been twice but didn't get to see much tourist-wise.

Phnom Penh & Seam Reap has the Raffles hotels (which I stayed at last time) which are super! Kinda gets expensive though...

Hello folks, back on FT for the first time today after my self imposed FT ban during my holiday .

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who made it over to Bali for contributing to a great time, and we didn't do half as much as you lot did. Kudeta and Mozaic were both great, and the 5 minute hop back to the FS Sayan after Mozaic was a nice bonus for us .

Ceri loved meeting you and is very impressed by this whole FT 'thing' and at the diversity of the origin and current locations of all those in the group. We enjoyed both the RC in Bali and the FS Sayan immensely and we just had a great 3 days in Vietnam as well. It's a pity she didn't manage to make it out to Equinox last Tuesday but she'll see it at some point I'm sure. There are worse places to be than being stuck in a suite at the RC in Singapore I suppose. I am also going to have difficulty getting her on any other airline or in Y for any future travel after her first Raffles long haul expereince. Spoiled for life

I must put in a special thanks to Gaz for his invaluable assistance to us when we arrived at Changi last week ^ . Not bad a fan of....... nah, I've been there already . Cheers mate, we owe you one, not least for the special treatment at the RC ^ .

November will be difficult for me to be honest, unless it's 19/20 when it would be a 'possibility'. As I visit Saigon 4 or 5 times a year I'd be delighted to help if you want any advice, and will be gutted if you go there when I'm not there