Spring, Fall, and Hopefully Sakura in CX F, SQ NEW and Old Suites, CZ J, and OZ J/F
#46
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan Airmiles AMEX-MR Alaska Airlines
Posts: 692
Precisely because of the way things were laid out, all the efficiences of a ramen shop were lost. The line moved slowly, patrons were conversing instead of chowing down, and orders trickled out. To make things worse, the serving was small (literally finished in 3 minutes) and the broth and texture of the noodles were nowhere close to the Ichirans we frequented in Japan. We were glad to get out of there and head back to the hotel, but not before stopping for some bread and water.
Awesome TR so far. Loving and missing the SQ portion.
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Thank you, Annalisa12
Thank you, Mlee888. CX was fantastic for us and the crew was eager to interact with our son. They went as far as offering to hold him for a little bit, but most importantly they cater to your needs. For example, they purposely asked if we wanted to stagger our meals so that one person could watch the baby instead of being pre-occupied and attempting to do it with one hand
I was hoping HK Ichiran would be great, but it just wasn't to be. The first night we landed in Tokyo, we went straight to Ichiran next to Shimbashi Station after we checked in at the Conrad. It was so much better in Japan. Thanks for following along!
What a fantastic trip report.
i love how you have taken your little one with you. I’ve taken ours on long haul trips to LAX from SIN and he was fine throughout except when he got grotty when we had to lift him due to turbulence. Woke him up and he was finding it hard to get back to sleep.
I’ll be taking him to the UK in a few weeks and then back to LA again later this year. Due to location we stick to SQ but i’m tempted to try CX or NH. How baby friendly are those carriers in F and J?
i love how you have taken your little one with you. I’ve taken ours on long haul trips to LAX from SIN and he was fine throughout except when he got grotty when we had to lift him due to turbulence. Woke him up and he was finding it hard to get back to sleep.
I’ll be taking him to the UK in a few weeks and then back to LA again later this year. Due to location we stick to SQ but i’m tempted to try CX or NH. How baby friendly are those carriers in F and J?
I was hoping HK Ichiran would be great, but it just wasn't to be. The first night we landed in Tokyo, we went straight to Ichiran next to Shimbashi Station after we checked in at the Conrad. It was so much better in Japan. Thanks for following along!
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Going to be a little bit at this rate. Got home to find someone broke in, and went back to work jet-lagged yesterday, so I haven't done any of the photos for the next leg from SIN-SYD
#50
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 654
Sorry to hear that. My own personal dreaded nightmare whenever I go away. Hope things gets sorted and losses were minimal.
#52
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Continuing onwards, we got off the plane at Changi T3 and head towards duty free shopping to see what kinds of whisky were available. After a quick taste of Macallan's new travel line, mainly the Quest and Enigma, we moved on without any purchases. The free Macallan tote bag wasn't enough to convince me to lug more weight around.
An unfortunate name for a store
We also passed by Irvin's salted egg snacks, but they were sold out. We asked and tried a few samples to see what the fuss was about before we turned around and head towards the SilverKris Lounge.
Pardon the blurry photos here.
First class section
Just like how a shower in EK and EY F never get old, neither is walking by the business and first class sections of the lounge into The Private Room. There are some rooms in the back corner meant for those traveling with infants, which we gladly took. There was a sink, changing pad, and a door to give us some privacy and reduce the noise that might emanate into the main room. The only downside was it got a bit warm with the door closed, so we would open occasionally to let the cooler air inside
Some of the buffet options
The menu
We both started with the oriental soup
I had the baked lobster which was meh
Mrs. ChongL had the sea bass which was quite good
After some time to digest, and our son seeming agreeable for a good amount of time, we ventured to the dining room for dessert
Of course, she decided to order both
At T-10, we left the lounge and head towards the gate, anticipating some extra delay with the gate security screening. It actually took no time at all and we had a few minutes at the gate.
Now, I normally keep pretty good track of the time and when our flights leave. But in our sleep deprived state, the Mrs. said she saw a final call sign at our B2 gate. It didn't seem possible since our boarding time was still in the future, but in a sudden wave of panic, I got up and walked up to the gate. The sign indeed said last call, but the GA said boarding hadn't started yet. I walked back with bags and folded stroller in hand. Thanks for raising my blood pressure, pal, and getting the other waiting passengers to give me weird looks.
Of course, as soon as I walked back to our seats and sat down, they announced boarding. I had hoped that the new Suites would be on the second leg, but it just wasn't meant to be. Either way, I took this as an opportunity to get seat time in both hard products, back-to-back, to get the best comparison between the two. The older suites seem dated in design, and lacks the airy, modern-contemporary feel of the new product. The IFE screen is significantly smaller, and being an older plane, you notice more of the wear and tear. It's remarkable how one of the most highly regarded cabins has become second fiddle almost overnight. The great thing is, when it comes to comfort and relaxation, I would consider it just as capable.
The menu for SIN-SYD
I'm not sure why, but I went for the Dom as PDB on this leg instead of the 2004 Krug they were pouring. I'll blame the fatigue. Also, the menu clearly said Dom 2006, but the bottle they poured from said 2009...oh well?
Kid fast asleep
The cabin which everyone is well familiar with from all the TRs over the years
Ports for charging
Controls
Center cubby for headphone storage and other devices
PJs and amenity kits from Lalique, no longer Salvatore Ferragamo
Stairway
Waiting for taxi
A young woman sitting next to me kept snapping selfies at a remarkable rate. I'm not sure why she needed so many angles and poses, but I tried my best to ignore her self-absorption until we were airborne. Once we took off and the chime went off, the crew sprung into action to install the bassinet setup that we ended up removing and not using. LC#2 obviously preferred sleeping next to his mom than the contraption in front of him
Just a short while later, it was time to eat
We had opted to Book the Cook, deciding on the Boston lobster thermidor vs the regular lobster thermidor. The difference seemed to be you get the whole lobster in the former, and just the tail in the latter? At least that's what I can vaguely recall?
Oh so delicious
After the meal, we had our double beds made
LC#2 seemed to like the bed on the old suites more
I got a few hours of sleep before it was breakfast time. My wife struggled as our son refused to sleep much, but was able to stay quiet for the most part. We were able to calm him down within 30 seconds during the few times he cried out. Just a little bit out from our destination, I woke up and thought to myself, "I guess I'll have some breakfast after all."
Approaching Sydney
I had breakfast setup in 3A, to avoid disturbing what little sleep my wife was getting. Blue mountain coffee, juice, and some fresh fruit to start
Beef noodle soup. This was quite good after a long flight
Fast track passes were handed out, but we didn't even need them with how short lines were
Looking back at the whale after de-planing
We were one of the first passengers off, so we had a chance to snap this unobstructed picture
Awaiting baggage at carousel 1
And into our private transfer to the Park Hyatt Sydney. I had booked the car service after looking into regular cars that offered car seats. I noticed that the Park Hyatt offered a premium service for just about the same price so it was a no-brainer. When I booked, it was an Audi A8 and we got an older Benz, but oh well. We did get a brand new BMW 7-series on departure though. The company they contract out to had just switched to the Bimmer from Audi just weeks prior.
Next up: Park Hyatt Sydney and staying lazy by the harbor
An unfortunate name for a store
We also passed by Irvin's salted egg snacks, but they were sold out. We asked and tried a few samples to see what the fuss was about before we turned around and head towards the SilverKris Lounge.
Pardon the blurry photos here.
First class section
Just like how a shower in EK and EY F never get old, neither is walking by the business and first class sections of the lounge into The Private Room. There are some rooms in the back corner meant for those traveling with infants, which we gladly took. There was a sink, changing pad, and a door to give us some privacy and reduce the noise that might emanate into the main room. The only downside was it got a bit warm with the door closed, so we would open occasionally to let the cooler air inside
Some of the buffet options
The menu
We both started with the oriental soup
I had the baked lobster which was meh
Mrs. ChongL had the sea bass which was quite good
After some time to digest, and our son seeming agreeable for a good amount of time, we ventured to the dining room for dessert
Of course, she decided to order both
At T-10, we left the lounge and head towards the gate, anticipating some extra delay with the gate security screening. It actually took no time at all and we had a few minutes at the gate.
Now, I normally keep pretty good track of the time and when our flights leave. But in our sleep deprived state, the Mrs. said she saw a final call sign at our B2 gate. It didn't seem possible since our boarding time was still in the future, but in a sudden wave of panic, I got up and walked up to the gate. The sign indeed said last call, but the GA said boarding hadn't started yet. I walked back with bags and folded stroller in hand. Thanks for raising my blood pressure, pal, and getting the other waiting passengers to give me weird looks.
Of course, as soon as I walked back to our seats and sat down, they announced boarding. I had hoped that the new Suites would be on the second leg, but it just wasn't meant to be. Either way, I took this as an opportunity to get seat time in both hard products, back-to-back, to get the best comparison between the two. The older suites seem dated in design, and lacks the airy, modern-contemporary feel of the new product. The IFE screen is significantly smaller, and being an older plane, you notice more of the wear and tear. It's remarkable how one of the most highly regarded cabins has become second fiddle almost overnight. The great thing is, when it comes to comfort and relaxation, I would consider it just as capable.
The menu for SIN-SYD
I'm not sure why, but I went for the Dom as PDB on this leg instead of the 2004 Krug they were pouring. I'll blame the fatigue. Also, the menu clearly said Dom 2006, but the bottle they poured from said 2009...oh well?
Kid fast asleep
The cabin which everyone is well familiar with from all the TRs over the years
Ports for charging
Controls
Center cubby for headphone storage and other devices
PJs and amenity kits from Lalique, no longer Salvatore Ferragamo
Stairway
Waiting for taxi
A young woman sitting next to me kept snapping selfies at a remarkable rate. I'm not sure why she needed so many angles and poses, but I tried my best to ignore her self-absorption until we were airborne. Once we took off and the chime went off, the crew sprung into action to install the bassinet setup that we ended up removing and not using. LC#2 obviously preferred sleeping next to his mom than the contraption in front of him
Just a short while later, it was time to eat
We had opted to Book the Cook, deciding on the Boston lobster thermidor vs the regular lobster thermidor. The difference seemed to be you get the whole lobster in the former, and just the tail in the latter? At least that's what I can vaguely recall?
Oh so delicious
After the meal, we had our double beds made
LC#2 seemed to like the bed on the old suites more
I got a few hours of sleep before it was breakfast time. My wife struggled as our son refused to sleep much, but was able to stay quiet for the most part. We were able to calm him down within 30 seconds during the few times he cried out. Just a little bit out from our destination, I woke up and thought to myself, "I guess I'll have some breakfast after all."
Approaching Sydney
I had breakfast setup in 3A, to avoid disturbing what little sleep my wife was getting. Blue mountain coffee, juice, and some fresh fruit to start
Beef noodle soup. This was quite good after a long flight
Fast track passes were handed out, but we didn't even need them with how short lines were
Looking back at the whale after de-planing
We were one of the first passengers off, so we had a chance to snap this unobstructed picture
Awaiting baggage at carousel 1
And into our private transfer to the Park Hyatt Sydney. I had booked the car service after looking into regular cars that offered car seats. I noticed that the Park Hyatt offered a premium service for just about the same price so it was a no-brainer. When I booked, it was an Audi A8 and we got an older Benz, but oh well. We did get a brand new BMW 7-series on departure though. The company they contract out to had just switched to the Bimmer from Audi just weeks prior.
Next up: Park Hyatt Sydney and staying lazy by the harbor
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
#54
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: points traveller
Posts: 329
just catching up on this - right on time to read about my hometown Sydney next! Shame you got the sleeper SIN-SYD service. such a short flight but reduced food menu so always an awkward one.
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
We arrived at the Park Hyatt in roughly 20 minutes and checked into the hotel immediately. The driver had told us this is the best hotel in Sydney, and it became evident why that was over the next few days. The biggest advantage of all was the prime location on the harbor and the magnificent views just steps away. It's quite a site when one of the most iconic buildings in the world is literally front and center the second you decide to venture out.
After we finished at the front desk and finding out there weren't any upgrades available (I've lost my status with Hyatt for a while now), we took the elevator up a few floors and entered a very nice room. They had preemptively set up a roll away bed in the room for our son that we ended up using as a lounging area instead. I just noticed I have no pictures of the hotel lobby whatsoever, so directly to the room we go!
A nice balcony and sturdy table for setting up my laptop
Nice wide bed for the 3 of us
Single seat sofa
Closet and safety deposit box are tucked away
Greeting letter with some chocolates
Fridge and coffee maker
Bathroom with tub and shower
The usual bed side controls
Since we had just landed, we were in no immediate need to explore so we opted for room service. Everyone says to have seafood in Sydney, so fish and chips was the selection. I'm not sure what it is about Australia, but every single place where we had fries made them perfectly. Every single time, there was the perfect outer crunch, with the moist center and perfect texture throughout. But back to the fish and chips...We were pleasantly surprised at how good the dish was since it was among the best we've had. The cod was scrumptious and flaky with every bite and the tartar sauce was the perfect accompaniment. Just writing this out and seeing the picture again makes me salivate
We didn't head out from the room until dinner time, and I'll warn everyone in advance, we were lazy and spent most of our days in the harbor and next to the Opera House. We weren't in much of a mood to walk far or hop onto transport after a week of hustle and bustle in Hong Kong. So while we may not have seen everything Sydney had to offer, we were still very content with a few days of relaxation.
Dinner in the harbor
Fried calamari appetizer
Our little giraffe-man
I went with a beer that the guy at the table next to me had ordered 3x
Mrs. ChongL had the chef's special beef tortellini and I had the veal schnitzel. Dessert was acanoli
After gorging ourselves, we continued walking around the harbor area as we'd do for the next few days. I did a few snaps of the Harbour Bridge before we called it a night
The next morning, we were recharged and ready to go again. Leaving the hotel
The bridge looks much more glamorous at night
Opera House
And all the other tourists like ourselves vying for that perfect shot
Also not bad during the day, but also much better at dusk
Lunch time was quickly approaching so we sat down at another restaurant along the harbor
Starting with a spritzer and milkshake
And then oysters as a starter until a seagull came and snatched one off the plate
She had fish and chips and I had the steak and chips. Bad move on my part since I had a craving for a nice meaty steak, and what showed up was a disappointment
Afterwards, we continued our stroll towards the Opera House, where we came across a pop up store. A few minutes of deliberation later, we walked away empty handed
On the steps of this world renowned structure
Looking back towards the cityscape
We found a nice spot to sit down and take in the views, enjoy the sea breeze, and people watch. Many other people had the same idea on a lazy Sunday afternoon
Looking up one of the "sails"
The walk back to the hotel was then interrupted by a stop for ice cream as demanded by the Mrs., but no problem by me
Macadamia nut
Mrs. ChongL had a ridiculous looking pose for a second. Although she didn't realize how outrageous it appeared, I asked her to just stay put in the position so I could snap a picture...lol
Further on and nearing the hotel was the Museum of Contemporary Art
Walking through where the cruise ship passengers board when a ship is docked
With excellent viewing angles of the Opera House
We didn't venture out again until the evening, but I'm sure you can all see the pattern now. Wake up late, stroll along the harbor for lunch, return to the hotel for some rest, and out again for dinner. This particular evening, we opted to try The Oyster Bar
Non-alcoholic oyster shots, followed by raw oysters
Main of tiger prawn linguine was delicious, just slightly salty but full of flavor
My barramundi filet was decent
Chocolate mouse for dessert
You'll be sick of Opera House angles by the end of this report
One of my favorite shots from the entire trip
The next morning, I woke up early to try and beat the crowds and get some good lighting for some pictures. Apparently, 5;30 AM was too late, and I noted multiple other photographers already set up and snapping away. By the time I stepped outside, the lights on the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge had already been turned off. It didn't go quite as planned since I wanted to shoot from a different location, but even at 5:30AM, the sky was already much brighter than I expected.
From there, it was a rinse and repeat of heading out for lunch. This time around, we ventured a little further than prior days. We walked along adjacent streets instead of the harbor this time around
And old bar
And spotting one of my favorite cars, even though it wasn't in GT-R trim
Our route had us walking through the Royal Botanical Gardens
I don't even like normal sized bees, so this was a rather disgusting exhibit
Getting closer
We walked across the footbridge from there, but there wasn't an efficient way to get down. The elevator was marked for residents only, or for those requiring assistance. I decided to ring the bell anyway and asked nicely if we could use it to get to the street level and the gentleman obliged
Arriving at Harry's Cafe de Wheels, which serves meat pies. We got the beef, steak and mushroom, and seafood, and curry chicken. The steak and seafood were our favorites, but all of them were good
Some of the sights in the area
It was a warm, sunny day, so we were in no mood to get beat into submission by the afternoon sun. Straight back to the hotel it was and back through the gardens we go!
Some historic buildings near the Park Hyatt
For dinner, we once again stayed in the area (really just down the block) and ate at Ribs and Burgers
Starting with a shake
Exhausted after all the walking and carrying we did
And our dinner
I got to say, it was damn good burger, and as I mentioned earlier, damn good fries. I had decent hopes when we decided on this place, but the burger was outstanding, made with high quality beef and fresh toppings. As for the fries, all I can say is I love Aussie fries and have yet to be disappointed...
Next up: More cliche'd wandering about the harbor and a few more night shots
After we finished at the front desk and finding out there weren't any upgrades available (I've lost my status with Hyatt for a while now), we took the elevator up a few floors and entered a very nice room. They had preemptively set up a roll away bed in the room for our son that we ended up using as a lounging area instead. I just noticed I have no pictures of the hotel lobby whatsoever, so directly to the room we go!
A nice balcony and sturdy table for setting up my laptop
Nice wide bed for the 3 of us
Single seat sofa
Closet and safety deposit box are tucked away
Greeting letter with some chocolates
Fridge and coffee maker
Bathroom with tub and shower
The usual bed side controls
Since we had just landed, we were in no immediate need to explore so we opted for room service. Everyone says to have seafood in Sydney, so fish and chips was the selection. I'm not sure what it is about Australia, but every single place where we had fries made them perfectly. Every single time, there was the perfect outer crunch, with the moist center and perfect texture throughout. But back to the fish and chips...We were pleasantly surprised at how good the dish was since it was among the best we've had. The cod was scrumptious and flaky with every bite and the tartar sauce was the perfect accompaniment. Just writing this out and seeing the picture again makes me salivate
We didn't head out from the room until dinner time, and I'll warn everyone in advance, we were lazy and spent most of our days in the harbor and next to the Opera House. We weren't in much of a mood to walk far or hop onto transport after a week of hustle and bustle in Hong Kong. So while we may not have seen everything Sydney had to offer, we were still very content with a few days of relaxation.
Dinner in the harbor
Fried calamari appetizer
Our little giraffe-man
I went with a beer that the guy at the table next to me had ordered 3x
Mrs. ChongL had the chef's special beef tortellini and I had the veal schnitzel. Dessert was acanoli
After gorging ourselves, we continued walking around the harbor area as we'd do for the next few days. I did a few snaps of the Harbour Bridge before we called it a night
The next morning, we were recharged and ready to go again. Leaving the hotel
The bridge looks much more glamorous at night
Opera House
And all the other tourists like ourselves vying for that perfect shot
Also not bad during the day, but also much better at dusk
Lunch time was quickly approaching so we sat down at another restaurant along the harbor
Starting with a spritzer and milkshake
And then oysters as a starter until a seagull came and snatched one off the plate
She had fish and chips and I had the steak and chips. Bad move on my part since I had a craving for a nice meaty steak, and what showed up was a disappointment
Afterwards, we continued our stroll towards the Opera House, where we came across a pop up store. A few minutes of deliberation later, we walked away empty handed
On the steps of this world renowned structure
Looking back towards the cityscape
We found a nice spot to sit down and take in the views, enjoy the sea breeze, and people watch. Many other people had the same idea on a lazy Sunday afternoon
Looking up one of the "sails"
The walk back to the hotel was then interrupted by a stop for ice cream as demanded by the Mrs., but no problem by me
Macadamia nut
Mrs. ChongL had a ridiculous looking pose for a second. Although she didn't realize how outrageous it appeared, I asked her to just stay put in the position so I could snap a picture...lol
Further on and nearing the hotel was the Museum of Contemporary Art
Walking through where the cruise ship passengers board when a ship is docked
With excellent viewing angles of the Opera House
We didn't venture out again until the evening, but I'm sure you can all see the pattern now. Wake up late, stroll along the harbor for lunch, return to the hotel for some rest, and out again for dinner. This particular evening, we opted to try The Oyster Bar
Non-alcoholic oyster shots, followed by raw oysters
Main of tiger prawn linguine was delicious, just slightly salty but full of flavor
My barramundi filet was decent
Chocolate mouse for dessert
You'll be sick of Opera House angles by the end of this report
One of my favorite shots from the entire trip
The next morning, I woke up early to try and beat the crowds and get some good lighting for some pictures. Apparently, 5;30 AM was too late, and I noted multiple other photographers already set up and snapping away. By the time I stepped outside, the lights on the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge had already been turned off. It didn't go quite as planned since I wanted to shoot from a different location, but even at 5:30AM, the sky was already much brighter than I expected.
From there, it was a rinse and repeat of heading out for lunch. This time around, we ventured a little further than prior days. We walked along adjacent streets instead of the harbor this time around
And old bar
And spotting one of my favorite cars, even though it wasn't in GT-R trim
Our route had us walking through the Royal Botanical Gardens
I don't even like normal sized bees, so this was a rather disgusting exhibit
Getting closer
We walked across the footbridge from there, but there wasn't an efficient way to get down. The elevator was marked for residents only, or for those requiring assistance. I decided to ring the bell anyway and asked nicely if we could use it to get to the street level and the gentleman obliged
Arriving at Harry's Cafe de Wheels, which serves meat pies. We got the beef, steak and mushroom, and seafood, and curry chicken. The steak and seafood were our favorites, but all of them were good
Some of the sights in the area
It was a warm, sunny day, so we were in no mood to get beat into submission by the afternoon sun. Straight back to the hotel it was and back through the gardens we go!
Some historic buildings near the Park Hyatt
For dinner, we once again stayed in the area (really just down the block) and ate at Ribs and Burgers
Starting with a shake
Exhausted after all the walking and carrying we did
And our dinner
I got to say, it was damn good burger, and as I mentioned earlier, damn good fries. I had decent hopes when we decided on this place, but the burger was outstanding, made with high quality beef and fresh toppings. As for the fries, all I can say is I love Aussie fries and have yet to be disappointed...
Next up: More cliche'd wandering about the harbor and a few more night shots
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
I enjoyed my time in your hometown, diningdecadence. Hopefully we'll have a chance to really see what Sydney has to offer in the future
#57
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Looks like a great stay in the Sydney CBD, chongl. Brings back memories when I was lived in nearby Paddington.
Great to see you eating a meat pie down under. In New Zealand you can even buy a meat pie at McDonald's.
https://mcdonalds.co.nz/menu/georgie...e-n-cheese-pie
Great to see you eating a meat pie down under. In New Zealand you can even buy a meat pie at McDonald's.
https://mcdonalds.co.nz/menu/georgie...e-n-cheese-pie
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Great to see you eating a meat pie down under. In New Zealand you can even buy a meat pie at McDonald's.
https://mcdonalds.co.nz/menu/georgie...e-n-cheese-pie
https://mcdonalds.co.nz/menu/georgie...e-n-cheese-pie
#59
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Our last full day had us hanging out in the CBD as usual. We opted to walk adjacent to the harbor, taking the same route we used to get to the gardens. Although it was early, we sat down at the Rocks Cafe but they weren't serving lunch yet. Taking this as an invitation for dessert first, the Mrs. went ahead and ordered some cake, followed by the chicken and mushroom fettuccine when the kitchen opened.
I had the fish and chips
From there, we predictably swung back towards the harbor. Passing the bar on the way there
More dessert was in the cards
Some company decided to show up
In order to make sure we were ready to depart the following day, we opted to head back and spend the afternoon packing and resting up (read naps). I didn't make anything of it on previous days when we passed by, but right in front of us was one of the oldest buildings in Sydney
We head back out about 30 minutes prior to sunset to stroll around. I got to peak under the Harbour Bridge for a bit and scoped out the area for later in the night
Another cruise ship docked
Last night I get to look at this
For dinner, it was back to The Oyster Bar where we had more oyster shots and oysters to start.
Her wine and my beer
Tried my hand at another steak. This one was much better
Potatoes for the side
And split grilled prawns
Tiramisu to finish it off
We spent the rest of the night wandering for some night shots in the general area before calling it a night
Looking towards the high rises
And walking back for our final night at the Park Hyatt
I walked Mrs. ChongL and the baby back to the hotel before sneaking out for a few more shots
We ordered room service the next morning and spent most of the time stuffing the remaining space in our luggage until it was time for our late checkout. The portion of smoked salmon was small, and it didn't help that they had run out of hash browns for the day
As I mentioned in a prior post, we had booked a car service that was meant to shuttle clients in an Audi A8, but apparently that was no longer the case as a shiny new BMW 7-series pulled up to the curb. The hotel staff said the contract company they work with had decided to change out their entire fleet from the Audis, which was fine by me
And that is the end of our Sydney adventures...next up is the lounge at SYD, and the forgettable CZ flights
I had the fish and chips
From there, we predictably swung back towards the harbor. Passing the bar on the way there
More dessert was in the cards
Some company decided to show up
In order to make sure we were ready to depart the following day, we opted to head back and spend the afternoon packing and resting up (read naps). I didn't make anything of it on previous days when we passed by, but right in front of us was one of the oldest buildings in Sydney
We head back out about 30 minutes prior to sunset to stroll around. I got to peak under the Harbour Bridge for a bit and scoped out the area for later in the night
Another cruise ship docked
Last night I get to look at this
For dinner, it was back to The Oyster Bar where we had more oyster shots and oysters to start.
Her wine and my beer
Tried my hand at another steak. This one was much better
Potatoes for the side
And split grilled prawns
Tiramisu to finish it off
We spent the rest of the night wandering for some night shots in the general area before calling it a night
Looking towards the high rises
And walking back for our final night at the Park Hyatt
I walked Mrs. ChongL and the baby back to the hotel before sneaking out for a few more shots
We ordered room service the next morning and spent most of the time stuffing the remaining space in our luggage until it was time for our late checkout. The portion of smoked salmon was small, and it didn't help that they had run out of hash browns for the day
As I mentioned in a prior post, we had booked a car service that was meant to shuttle clients in an Audi A8, but apparently that was no longer the case as a shiny new BMW 7-series pulled up to the curb. The hotel staff said the contract company they work with had decided to change out their entire fleet from the Audis, which was fine by me
And that is the end of our Sydney adventures...next up is the lounge at SYD, and the forgettable CZ flights