aks120

PG Y KUL-USM



PG952 – A319
Planned T/O – 0845
Actual T/O - 0831
Planned Arrival – 0925
Actual Arrival – 0859
Seat - 7A

Well this was to be my first flight on Bangkok Airways. I had a choice between them and Thai and made my decision on cost, as I did not have status or any miles with either airline.

Transportation

I got a taxi to KL Central and the airport express train from there. It took me an hour to get to the airport using this method of transport and was very easy - I would recommend it to anyone.

Check-in

I was expecting to be charged for some excess baggage - I was allowed 20kg with my economy ticket and actually had 34kg but nothing was said and my bags went merrily on their way. Check-in was a breeze as there was no one in front of me and I was through security in a quick time too. Kuala Lumpur International Airport is a nice airport with plenty to see and do. It has a variety of restaurants and shops to keep anyone amused.



Lounge

Unfortunately, having bought the cheapest economy ticket I could, there would be no luxurious lounge for me on this trip.

Flight

The flight was well catered for despite being a relatively quick flight. The cabin crew came round with a selection of cold drinks, tea and coffee but I did not see any alcoholic choices. I was also surprised to see a hot breakfast come round - whilst I did not have anything, the tray looked nice and also had some fruit on it and orange juice.

There was no entertainment on during the flight, to be expected on such a short hop and the seats were comfy with a standard amount of leg room in economy.



Overall, I was very impressed with Bangkok Airways.

Arrival

The arrival was very quaint! We got off the aircraft using steps and then were ushered into a trolley car, before heading to the airport terminal. There was lovely flowers around and the place was immaculate; a very well kept airport. The queue for immigration was relatively long and I had to wait about 40 mins in the covered but not air-conditioned line. That was probably the only downside to the whole experience as by the time I was through immigration, the bags were there and I was off to the hotel.

aks120

Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort





I had decided that I wanted to spend the actual day of my 40th birthday on a beach and when looking at Intercontinental properties, the Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort on the island of Koh Samui looked fabulous. It was a new Intercontinental property, on a beach with a spa – what more could a girl ask for???

I had a few email exchanges with the property to determine which room would be best for my requirements of a sunset view and to discuss spa treatments that I wanted to book. All were quick responses and great replies – great customer service before I had even arrived!

I had booked the Serenity Package which included a 120 minutes signature spa treatment, in room or buffet breakfast, a 90 minutes private yoga session, an exotic skin care gift, round trip airport transfers, free wifi, 20% discount on additional treatments and 10% off on food and beverage within the resort. All in all a good deal for what I wanted to do during my stay.

Transportation

As part of my package, hotel car airport transfers were included. When I had got my luggage, and got through customs there was a man waiting with a sign for the Intercontinental - a good start! He then led me to a waiting Toyota 4x4 - I felt like royalty as there was a big queue for taxis by this stage. It took 45 mins to reach the hotel and the view en route was beautiful - I kept getting a glimpse of the sea and it was tantalizing!

Check-in



Booked – 1 King Bed Ocean View
Actual – Room No 310 – 1 King Bed Premier Ocean View (upgraded at check-in). I was a little disappointed with the upgrade, and initially did not think I had received one but they kept insisting that I had. When I booked, the website said the King Bed Premier View rooms had traditional Thai ceilings and that they were on the top floor. Room 310 was neither but when I checked the website again, it seems they have changed the criteria and the basic rooms have sea and jungle views. The Premier view rooms are all sea - which is what I had - a spectacular view that I could not complain about at all.



Check in was a bit hectic and a little confusing as there appeared to be a travel group in the foyer but I had arrived early at 1030 for a 2pm check in. I had to spend some time on the beach before my room was ready.

First impression was one of wow, from the minute you step into the lobby and get a stunning vista of the 5 Islands and nothing but ocean, to the room that had the same stunning views. I had a feeling I could spend all my time on the balcony! The room had a very beachy decoration, with white shutters on the windows and as all the cupboard doors.





The bathroom was massive - a beautiful big bath and massive rain shower with little tea lights already glowing. The toiletries were Haan again which is a very nice brand.







My Ambassador welcome gift was a nice selection of unusual fruit and something I really did not know what it was. It was edible but that is all I can tell you!



I spent most of the first morning exploring the site - it is a big site and you need to be fit to stay here. There are no lifts and my room is down 3 flights of stairs. To get to the beach or the spa you have to take a golf buggy - they are almost on demand but occasionally you have to wait for one to show up. A very pleasant mode of transport to be honest!



I started at the beach and the pool down there is quite busy with kids - especially as this was Easter! The hotel staff came round with plenty of complimentary cold water and cold fruit nibbles which were very welcome.



The Air Bar, which quite honesty has a fabulous view had a good cocktail list but they do not appear to be big wine drinkers in Thailand and if you do find wine, it is very expensive.



I had to tear myself away and went to a restaurant called Amber which did Thai cuisine and had a very delicious Thai meal.

My rate included breakfast in the buffet or in my room. The first morning I tried the room breakfast and it consisted of an egg-white omelet, a crepe, fruit, muesli, bread and jam and a smoothie and juice - yes it was for 1!!! Not sure who they thought was going to eat all that but it was nice - and of course I ate it out on the balcony with the fabulous view.

The spa is on the top of the hill of the resort so out came the buggy again and off I went to the most blissful experience ever. It started with a cup of mulberry tea and then I was led off to a room with the best views of the resort! My experience started with a Thai steam, then continued with a body scrub and then a shower. All this was followed by a bath and then came the best of the whole experience 90 mins of pure bliss in the form of a massage. The experienced ended with another cup of tea and then I was off in a little buggy back to my room.

On the second evening I went down to the restaurant on the beach - Flames. Flames did not impress with their service! I waited 10 mins for a menu and even then had to ask for one. It took an age for my drinks to arrive but the meal was tasty. I had Thai fish cakes and a chicken and cashew stir-fry. The restaurant had all the elements to be great - on the beach, big grill that they were cooking all sorts on - however they were very let down by their service and I am not sure why, although all the tables were reserved, the restaurant was only half full.





Day 2 started with the buffet breakfast at Amber that was also included in my rate as a choice. It was far better than the 'healthy room breakfast'. The choice was overwhelming and all very tasty. The rest of the day was spent lounging and finished off with another delicious Thai meal in Amber. There is not much choice if you do not have a car, so any longer than 2 or 3 days may see you wanting to venture out for different meals.

The following morning it was time to pack and leave this paradise. I did not have to leave the room until 4pm when the hotel car would take me back to the cutest airport in the world for my next flight - Bangkok Airways to Bangkok.

aks120

PG J USM-BKK

PG896 – A319
Planned T/O – 1900
Actual T/O - 1928
Planned Arrival – 2005
Actual Arrival – 2044
Seat - 2F

I had decided on a later flight off the island so that I could squeeze an extra day in paradise by using my 4pm check that comes with Ambassador status. After booking a Y flight, I decided to spend the extra $30 on upgrading to J. I wanted to do this so that I could use the J check-in and avoid queuing at USM and I was intrigued about the reports of the lounge there. Plus the extra 10kg of baggage allowance came in handy!

Transportation

I had got airport transfers included in my hotel rate and so the hotel minibus - I say minibus but it was a very luxurious minibus with individual seats in black leather with arm rests - took me back to the airport in comfort. It was about an hour drive in the traffic.

Check-in





I had checked in online but you still need to go to the desk to get your boarding passes and baggage tagged. I was glad I had paid the extra $30 for business class as it meant I could bypass the massive queue, which was waiting, slightly impatiently, in the heat and humidity of the evening.



My bags were tagged and headed off to wherever they head off to, and I had no need to pay any excess baggage, I was only a kilo or 2 over but you never know.

To get to the departure gate and lounge you walk along tree lined streets and pass little boutique shops. It is very surreal and I think it is my favorite airport experience ever and that was before I got to the lounge!



Lounge

The Bangkok Airways business class lounge has to be experienced once in your life. If you get the opportunity then take it. Not only is it air conditioned, unlike the departure gate that everyone was waiting at, but it is also the cutest lounge I have ever been in! Its decor is one of seaside and relaxation with the colors being teal and white wicker furniture. It has a selection of Thai snacks, I had some delicious dumplings and it has a very close view of the runway and the aircraft hurtling down it at regular intervals. It may not dish out the best champagne and the wifi is patchy, but sitting here with a glass of cold beer and enjoying the ambiance, I think this is one of the best lounges I have ever been in - it is certainly in the top 3 and although it is not the most luxurious, it certainly has the most character of any I have been in.









Business class got its own little trolley car to the aircraft, which was nice. Pre departure drinks were a choice of water, apple or orange juice but as I had had a couple of beers and did not need anything.

The seats were nice and big - quite comfy and had more controls than you could shake a stick at.





I was then surprised to see a menu handed out - this flight was only scheduled to be 50 mins long but they planned to serve a 3-course meal, albeit on one tray in that time - I was impressed! The menu was:

Starter

Mixed salad with garlic oil dressing

Main

Grilled salmon in paprika sauce, served with potato parsley and Chinese pear sweet pickle

Assorted breads

Dessert

Passion fruit cheesecake



It was all quite nice, in fact I have had worse meals in full blown business class, never mind that this quick hop to Bangkok!


The short flight was soon over and we landed in Bangkok just a little late. It was a really, really long walk to baggage claim, made a little easier by some moving walkways (although why folks stand like idiots on the walkways I do not know). My bags were the first 2 off the carousel and I was quickly on to my stop for the night, the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport.

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Hotel Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport



Sadly I was on my way home now, but because I wanted to enjoy all the amenities offered with my next F flight, and due to the departure timings, I found myself in an airport hotel in Bangkok. I had not stayed in a Novotel for many years but thanks to a tweet from BoardingArea, I managed to get Platinum Status with Le Clubaccor Hotels without actually doing anything – I just needed to register!!! Happy days!

Transportation

There is an undercover walkway between the airport and the hotel - it took about 10 mins to walk to the hotel and was relatively easy.

Check-in



Booked – Superior Room, King Size Bed.
Actual - 1338 - Superior Room, King Size Bed.

There was a bit of a queue at check in but extra agents soon came out to clear the backlog. The chap behind the desk was not the happiest guy in the world but I guess working in an airport hotel must suck the life out of you at times.

Room

Overall Impression - The room was adequate, not luxurious and not run down and was perfectly acceptable for a quick night in an airport hotel.



Although it was dark when I checked in and checked out I could see the view was of some bushes - despite being on the third floor. The bathroom was quite big and had a bath and separate shower. The amenities were Novotel's own but I didn't try them as I had enough of my own acquired from other hotels along the way.





I got in at 9pm and left at 5 am so I did not do any exploring, but the signs I saw on departure showed that this hotel had plenty to offer if you actually had time to enjoy it. Restaurants and a night street market were available and although I had to pay 150 bhats for wifi, it was quick and efficient. Not sure the Platinum loyalty card got me anything other than extra points that I probably wont use.

Anyway a restless nights sleep was had - I hate relying on alarm clocks that I have never used as I always expect them to fail so I kept waking to make sure I had not slept in!!! I did not want to miss a minute of my next experience - Thai Airways A380 First to Bangkok - the ground experience is supposed to be wonderful and I wanted to maximize the time as much as I could!

aks120

TG F BKK-HKG



TG600 – A380
Planned T/O – 0800
Actual T/O - 0812
Planned Arrival – 1145
Actual Arrival – 1141
Seat – 1A

So for this leg I had a choice between using the Emirates A380 again and trying something new. I had wanted to try Thai Airways F ever since Hiddy wrote a trip report on his experience with the carrier a few years ago. I have read many trip reports over the years but that one stuck with and I was determined to try Thai F from Bangkok – the fact that they had put the A380 on this route was a bonus!

Transportation

This time I decided to take the airport shuttle rather than walk, as it was such an early hour. Check out was quick and I was in the shuttle and away in about 10 mins. I think the shuttle is the better option - particularly for departures as it drops you off in front of the check in desks.

Check-in



Royal First check in opened at 0500, I was shown a seat and they took my passport and credit card and checked me and my baggage in with zero fuss.



After a glass of water, I had my own personal escort through the private security lane and on to the Royal First lounge.

Lounge

The Royal First lounge is very nice - I was shown to my own personal booth and a very attentive waiter took my order of fruit and champagne. The lounge is done out in purple and brown tones and is very relaxing - I still think the British Airways Concorde lounge in Heathrow takes some beating though!



I had my massage order taken - as a traveller in First I was entitled to a full hour body massage but that involved oils and I didn't want to get my clothes all mucked up so I went for the head and shoulder and foot massage - still an hour but without getting messy!



The massage was, as expected, great - in fact when is a massage not great? Elemis Spa at Heathrow needs to up it's game as 15 mins does not even come close to a comparison with the Thai First spa experience! I was told we would leave the lounge around 0730 - 30 mins prior to my flight but the gate was quite a way and we would have to go through security again.

One of the highlights of today's entire experience was getting a buggy from the First lounge to the next security check. It was about a 15 min ride but was definitely an experience and made me smile. These are not normal airport buggies, oh no, these are VIP buggies with leather seats and a special beeping noise to keep the great unwashed out of out way!



Flight

The seat is very comfortable but I was not overly keen on the color scheme of yellow and purple on a beige leather seat - it seemed a bit washed out. It is quite wide, wider than the Emirates seat but not as private or enclosed. There is plenty of legroom as you would expect in First and lots of storage space - again more so than Emirates who fill their storage up with the mini-bar. I think though, between the two A380 First seats, I prefer the Emirates one overall but it is a close run thing.



The take off again amazed me with how slow it seemed, no push back in your seat thrill with the A380 but when en route it is very quiet. Both on this and the Emirates one, it is difficult to realize you are on the top deck as you board straight onto this deck, unlike a 747. Also, on the 747 you seem higher up for some reason as I am sure the A380 top deck must be higher. I am sure some folks don't even realize they are even on a top deck!

I had a glass of Dom Perignon 2003 for my pre-departure drink and it was very nice!



A very extensive wine list was available:

White wine

Chateau de Chantegrive Caroline 2010
Montagny Premier Cru 2009

Red wine

Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2007
Beaune 1st Cru Les Greves 2008
Beaune Teurond 1er Cru 2008
Schloss Vollrads Riesling 2009 (I am sure that is a white)
Domaine Tournin 2009
Sondraia 2008

Champagne

Dom Perignon 2003

Plus lots of hard liquor and soft drinks.

I had pre-ordered the lobster thermidor without thinking of the time I would be flying but he who dares Rodney and all that (Only Fools & Horses quote for non-UK readers!!)! In Thai First you can pre order from a very extensive menu but lobster and Dom seemed to be a very decadent treat! Unfortunately that meant I could not see the rest of the menu but I heard a breakfast being ordered! The lobster took forever to swim its way to my plate - over an hour after take off and it finally arrived, all the others in the cabin had eaten their choices of dim sum, dumplings and breakfast. It also looked a bit like cat sick when it arrived - very sloppy and not well presented at all. The lobster came with peas, tomatoes and some fondant potatoes - how very 1980s! It was chewy and I would guess because it was overdone and had probably been forgotten in the oven however it had a good taste. I would not recommend going for it though on this short hop - other meals looked better but eating lobster thermidor while flying Thai First was an experience I had read about in previous trip reports and was determined to do!



The TV is very big but a bit too far away for my comfort. I could not see the fine details of the moving map and didn't have a long enough flight to try any movies. However just navigating to the moving map and TV camera on the tail was far easier on the Thai system than the Emirates one. Sometimes simplicity is the key! I spent the whole trip watching the weather and then the approach on the tail camera.





Amenity Kit – N/A

Cabin Crew – The cabin crew were not particularly friendly - cordial I would say. I think they were a little rushed and could not afford the pleasantries one would expect on a longer flight. I don't think one made eye contact with me and I got a very cursory apology for waiting so long for my food. Not great Thai hospitality that is for sure and the Emirates crew win that contest hands down!

Arrival

They did not use the upper deck bridge at Hong Kong as we arrived the day after one of the jet bridges had collapsed at Hong Kong. Arrival at Hong Kong consisted of another buggy (not quite so posh) to the immigration desks. These desks were busy but I was still through in under 10 mins - the Americans have a lot to learn about speedily entering someone into their country! My bags were going round the carousel by the time I arrived and I was off to the Marriott Skycity airport hotel in no time.

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Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel

Again, I found myself in an airport hotel. I had decided not to get a hotel in Hong Kong itself as I wanted to visit Lantau Island and the Cable Car and Tian Tan Budda Statue – this hotel provided that opportunity. Well that was the plan!

Transportation

After my quick bag arrival I walked to the hotel bus stand that was about a 10 min walk but well signposted. The bus was there and I did not have to wait because as soon as I got on it, it was off to the hotel.

Check-in



Booked – 1 King Bed Room.
Actual – Room No 876 - 1 King Bed Room.

I had asked for an airport view - what I should have asked for is a runway view! I had a view of some of the storage facilities of the airport but I also had a bit of a view of the China Sea so the view was not too bad really. Despite arriving at midday, I was given a room immediately and my basic Marriott membership got me free internet.

Room

The room is very modern and the bed was big. The decoration is quite dark but it was nice.



The bathroom was a good size and had a shower over a bathtub - the first time I had seen that combination this holiday! The toiletries were Marriott own but I did not get a good look.



After check-in I decided to try and go up the gondolas and got the complimentary bus to the location. My plan failed though when I saw the size of the ginormous queue for tickets - I did not want to go up the gondolas into mist that badly so I wandered around the Citygate Outlet mall for 30 mins and then headed back on the bus to the hotel.

I noticed they had a few promotions on in the hotel, happy hour from 6-9pm and a very well priced meal at the Chinese restaurant so I headed down to the bar. I had a Singapore sling which was OK - not a patch on the one in Raffles a few years ago but did the trick. I then went up to the restaurant to see if I could get the great priced meal for one.





In the Han Mo restaurant I did mange to get the great 4-course meal for under $20 USD. It is only available to room guests and was plenty enough for 1. I started with traditional Peking duck with pancakes and plum sauce, the hot and sour soup was delicious and the prawns with chili were yummy, even if there were only 4 of them! The ambience was a bit like a warehouse, not sure how many people normally dine here but I would guestimate the restaurant was only a quarter full when I dinned here.

I went back to happy hour in the lounge bar, which did 2 for 1 drinks - including a nice Kim Crawford wine. I actually think, for ambience alone, this is my favorite hotel bar. The view of the aircraft taking off over the China Sea also helped catapult it into top position. The next day was the flight I had been looking forward to the most - Cathay First!

aks120

CX F HKG-LAX

CX884 – 777-300ER
Planned T/O – 1255
Actual T/O - 1306
Planned Arrival – 1110
Actual Arrival – 1023
Seat - 1A

So here it was – la crčme of my trip I hoped! I have always wanted to fly Cathay F – it has been a dream of mine for many, many years and so I had used my BA miles to book this ticket. Cathay F – seat 1A!

Transportation

I got the hotel bus to the airport - it goes every 20 mins and I was dropped off at the Cathay check in desks.

Check-in

Cathay has a very nice area for F check in where you don't have to bother with silly things like weighing baggage or standing behind a counter. It is all done at a smart desk where a screen brings up your flight details so that you can see them. A man takes away your bags and prints out a luggage tag somewhere in the background - I had managed to get my bags booked all the way through to Las Vegas, although I still have to do the bag shuffle in Los Angeles.

I was quickly though security, and a small wait at the immigration desk but soon I was able to turn left to the First Class entrance to the Cathay Wing Lounge, which had just been newly renovated.

Lounge

There are multiple lounges for a BAEC Gold cardholder travelling in a Oneworld First cabin to try but as my flight was leaving from a gate near the Wing, I just stayed there. The First lounge is decked out in reds and blacks - all quite dark.





I actually prefer the decor in the Business lounge, which is more creams and beiges.



I passed the champagne bar, which was serving Moet, Moet Rose and Verve Cliquot.



I had not had breakfast so made a beeline to the restaurant in the lounge and had a small portion of scrambled eggs and bacon.



I then took a wander around the lounge and out to the duty free. I find the Hong Kong duty free very confusing as there is no logical route to take - I guess they are assuming folks will just wander but I do like a plan. I quickly ended up back in the lounge to wait for my flight.



Flight

I was welcomed aboard with an extremely friendly smile and shown to my seat by the lady in charge of the first class cabin. I thought the Cathay business class seat was good but this F seat was outstanding. Cathay has really surpassed every airline I have flown with in the seat competition. It is huge to start with, extremely wide and you could prob sit 2 people sit by side on the seat if you wanted to. It is extremely private and you can’t see anyone else in the cabin. The colors are muted but tasteful, with grays and browns and there are plenty of pockets to keep you organized.







She then offered me a pre-departure drink - well of course said I - a glass of Krug if you insist!! Oh you can taste the difference between cheap and expensive champagne and I think this is now my favorite!





The amenity kit and menus were handed out on the ground. The amenity kit consisted of a nice but slightly impractical Trussardi bag and had a great selection of goodies:

Aesop Parsley Seed anti-oxident facial toner
Aesop Mandarin facial hydrating cream
Aesop Rind concentrate hand and body balm
Aesop Rosehip Seed lip cream
Colgate toothpaste, toothbrush and mouthwash
Brush
Earplugs





I had never heard of Aesop before but googled it when I got home - I am sure I will smell like an English country garden after using all the items! I was also given a pair of Shanghai Tang pajamas, eye-mask and slippers and as I went into a Shanghai Tang shop in Hong Kong and couldn't afford a handkerchief, I know that is good stuff! I will be keeping them to parade around the apartment in!



The wine list consisted of:

Krug Grande Cuvee (didn't read the rest..............!!!)

White wine

- Saint Clair Marlborough Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2012
- Vincent Giradin Puligny-Montrachet Vielles Vignes 2008

Red wines

- Shingleback McLaren Vale Shiraz 2009
- Finca El Origen Gran Reserva Malbec 2009
- Chateau Lynch Bages GrandCru Classe

Port, cocktails and soft drinks.

The menu for today’s flight was:

Lunch

- Caviar and Balik - Caviar and Balik Salmon "Tsar Nikolaj"



The caviar and salmon was very decedent and served with grated egg and all the trimmings!

International favorites

- Cream of Chicken soup
- Mesclun salad with white and green asparagus, sun-dried tomato and balsamic vinaigrette



The salad was very nice but I hate sun dried tomatoes so put them out to one side.

- Grilled USDA Certified Angus beef striploin with bernaise sauce and shallot sauce, roasted portabello mushroom and pumpkin, fingerling potatoes with parsley
- Pan-fried breast of guinea fowl with red wine sauce, sauteed creamy mixed mushrooms, green beans, capsicum and pumpkin
- Green peas and mint agnolotti with roasted capsicum and caramelized pearl onions



The beef was in fact half a cow - I have never seen a steak the size of this and I have been to some good steak restaurants! It was about as well done as they could make it - still a little pink in the middle for me but a good effort. I couldn't finish it but the trimmings and sauces were also delicious.

Chinese favorites

- Pork soup with marrow and red dates
- Cold plate - pork shank terrine with black vinegar
- Stir-fried fresh water garoupa with superior sauce, served with steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried pak choy

Cheese and Dessert

- Cambazola, Comte, Double Gloucester, Chaumes
- Fresh berries with cream
- Warm chocolate bread and butter pudding with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce
- Double boiled fresh pear with Chinese almond sweet soup

I finished off with a small cheese plate, which is something you can’t really get wrong!

Tea and Coffee

Pralines

The table was laid beautifully and I got a little hand written card from the crew to say welcome onboard and that they hoped I enjoy my flight - a really nice touch.



The Krug was free flowing and I watched Silver Linings Playbook which was OK - not the greatest film every made but it did have Bradley Cooper in so it kept me amused!

Soon it was time for bed and the very nice lady made up my bed while I popped to the toilet to put on my pajamas and slippers. When I came back a big duvet awaited me and I got into a very comfy bed. Would I like another pillow was the difficult decision I was faced with - OK yes please I said with a huge smile on my face! The bed was wide and long and comfy but the cabin temperature was a little too hot for me so I got a couple of hours sleep and then got up - I wanted to get myself back into the Vegas time zone anyway so this worked out nicely as I got up at about 0500 Vegas time. I whiled away a few hours playing games on my iPod, drinking diet coke at this stage. The cabin crew would not let my glass go empty - they must have some sort of camera on me because as soon as I put down the empty glass a lady comes and asked it I want another! Great service.

Snacks

- Pizza with Prosciutto and Arugula
- Hong Kong style egg tart
- Braised beef shank in noodle soup
- Shui gaw with choy sum in noodle soup
- Hot pot rice with spare ribs in black bean sauce and choy sum, served with pork soup and carrot and buddhist palm melon

Brunch

Starters

- Orange, Apple or Grapefruit juice
- Forrest berry smoothie
- Fresh seasonal fruit
- Natural of fruit yoghurt
- Assorted cereals



Main

- Organic free range eggs - freshly scrambled, fried or boiled served with home fried potato, grilled breakfast steak, chicken sausage, shimeji mushrooms, asparagus or mixed vegetables in tomato concasse
- Dim sum with chili sauce - shrimp and pork dumpling, crab meat with asparagus and pork basket, chive and pork dumpling, chicken and ham wrapped in bean curd sheet, mushroom and vegetable dumpling
- Dace fish julienne with pak choy congee, served with baked spring onion puff



Bread basket - assorted breakfast bread and fresh toast served with Mrs Bridges Scottish preserves, Tasmanian meadow honey and butter

Tea and Coffee

Pralines

Breakfast was another great meal - scrambled eggs and toast. I was not really hungry after the previous feast but I thought I should try it as I was here!
All too soon the Captain told us we were making our final approach to Los Angeles and that we were coming to the end of a fabulous journey.

Los Angeles was a zoo as always - it took me over an hour to get through the immigration lane, thank god I could use the US one with my Visa as the visitor line was huge and I think my sense of humor may have failed me! I do not understand why it takes me 5 mins to get into China but an hour to get into the USA with a Visa. Anyway once that fun was out of the way I had the customs queue to stand in. By this stage the bags had been offloaded from the carousel and I had to knock a kid out of the way who thought my bags were a toy that he could wheel around. The customs queue was another 30 mins for no apparent reason other than to hand a bit of paper over. Bureaucratic nightmare is what Los Angeles and US arrivals in general is.

My bags were checked all the way through to Vegas so after I had wheeled them past the customs chap, a huge guy put them back on a baggage carousel and then went off, hopefully to Vegas! I then had to walk to Term 4 and go through the whole security rigmarole again. Finally I was off to the American airlines Flagship lounge to wait for my flight to Vegas with a crappy glass of white - Krug it most certainly wasn’t!

aks120

AA F LAX-LAS

AA1714 – 737-800
Planned T/O – 1525
Actual T/O - 1524
Planned Arrival – 1630
Actual Arrival – 1645
Seat – 4A

The last leg back to Las Vegas and my heart was heavy – although looking forward to my own bed again!

Transportation

No requirement for any transportation apart from my feet from Tom Bradley International Air Terminal to T4. It took me over an hour to get thorough immigration and another 20 mins to get through customs and I think LAX is a joke for arriving passengers.

Check-in

No requirement as I had checked in in Hong Kong, however I did go to the desk to get my boarding pass re-issued on American Airlines paperwork - it just makes things easier!

Lounge

I have already talked about the Admirals Club Lounge and the Flagship Lounge for my outbound journey so I will not go over old ground. Needless to say I grabbed a glass of white wine and sat and airplane spotted whilst thinking over the great adventure I had just been lucky enough to have just experienced.

The flight was a carbon copy of my outbound flight so I will not bore you with the details. We had a stupidly long taxi on arrival in Las Vegas but that was about all of note to report. I was met by my Bell Limo driver and both my bags came off the carousel after about a 20 min wait and soon I was off back to reality!

Some final thoughts:

Best Flight - Cathay First, followed closely by Cathay Business.
Best Hotel - Intercontinental Bangkok
Best Location - Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong tied.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this but the fun was in the journey - I encourage you all to take a leap on your travels and do something you have never done before!

Feel free to ask questions - I have more photos and lots of memories and I am happy to share them.

Regards

aks120

DC777Fan

Truly excellent trip report, and I really like your writing style. Thanks for sharing!

aks120

Thanks for the tip - sorted now

aks120

asadliv

Brilliant TR. Very much enjoyed it.

aw

Thanks for sharing this amazing report with fantastic pics. Bangkok Airways is in my list of airlines to try.

Lounge Expert

Seems like you had a memorable trip. Good job on putting everything together for us all to enjoy^

aks120

I did thank you - it was hard work but the trip report will hopefully keep my memories alive!

Please do try it - I thought the airline was amazing on the short trips I experienced!

Thank you!

Thanks - I appreciate that - I took out some of my 'humor' as I know this website caters to a large audience!

Regards

aks120

CX828

Great TR and I am glad you enjoyed CX, it is really a great way to fly!

A big thank you to you for loading all installments so quickly, makes it so much more enjoyable to read when I can read from start to finish in one go.