Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo)
May 29, 2018, 9:52 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Bangkok Airways Economy Class: Yangon - Bangkok
Bangkok Airways
Economy Class (Y)
PG706: RGN-BKK (Yangon to Bangkok)
21 May 2018
ATR 72
HS-PZG
Seat 14B
Departure: 05:50AM
Arrival: 08:10AM
I'd arranged a 3:45AM taxi so I'd arrive at the airport well enough in advance of departure. I knew traffic would be non-existent at that time of day, but I don't like cutting things too fine. When I arrived in the hotel lobby to check out and collect my box breakfast, I found the front desk attendant asleep in one of the lobby chairs. The bell hop was awake and he quickly roused his colleague. A few short minutes later I'd been checked out and went outside to find the cab waiting for me.
The 13km ride to the airport was painless and quick. I don't typically do this, but in this case I asked the hotel to arrange a taxi for me; the trip cost 10,000 Kyat, which is roughly $7.50 USD. In contrast, the hotel offers a shuttle service for $30 USD and there were no public transport options. Taxi was a no brainer.
This lady looks how I felt that early in the morning.
Don't panic, the Colonel is in Burma
Sleeping on the job.
Tsk tsk. This man is achieving all my life goals.
In accordance with Bangkok Airways' requirement that I present myself for check-in at the airport no later than 90 minutes prior to departure, I arrived at the airport at 4:05 AM to find that the check-in counters were not even staffed yet. The check-in agents did not arrive until 4:20 AM, so I could have slept at least another 15-30 minutes. Boarding passes issued, I set off to find an espresso and my departure gate. In that order.
Departure immigration and security were a breeze.
Model of the new airport, specifically the new International Terminal
The new terminal was very well designed and reminiscent of other airports in the region. It was pretty obvious that the Burmese Government hired the same folks who designed Singapore's Changi Airport T3 to design the new terminal in Yangon. Good choice.
Have it your way
$12 for 200g of dried mango? Really?
Thankfully, the airport does not sell bush meat. I hadn't been worried about that, but perhaps I should have?
The caption reads: "We don't sell and wildlife meals at any restaurant in this airport"
After a short wait at the gate, we were ready to board the plane. The massive income inequality of Burma was on full display here. Burmese passengers on my flight were invariably sporting Louis Vuitton and Rimowa luggage in a country with a per capita GDP of $1,300.
A lovely morning on the Gulf of Martaban
The plane wasn't packed by any means, perhaps 70% full. Knowing that the ATR 72 boards from the rear, I chose a seat near the rear of the plane. It was a good choice.
Shortly after take-off, the crew started the complimentary hot meal service. On offer was Hainanese chicken rice with fruit. It was actually pretty good, and way more than you'd get on any US domestic carrier. Granted, it didn't include all the traditional accouterments of a typical chicken rice dish, it was definitely satisfactory. I hadn't eaten yet, so a hot meal was definitely welcome.
Before long, we'd arrived in Bangkok for my connecting flight. Our arrival was a bit early, which was appreciated.
HS-PZG
Another shot of HS-PZG
Thoughts
This was my first flight on Bangkok Airways, and it was a good flight. No complaints at all and the service was quite good. The ticket was quite cheap (around $100), so it was quite a good value. I'd gladly fly with them again.
Economy Class (Y)
PG706: RGN-BKK (Yangon to Bangkok)
21 May 2018
ATR 72
HS-PZG
Seat 14B
Departure: 05:50AM
Arrival: 08:10AM
I'd arranged a 3:45AM taxi so I'd arrive at the airport well enough in advance of departure. I knew traffic would be non-existent at that time of day, but I don't like cutting things too fine. When I arrived in the hotel lobby to check out and collect my box breakfast, I found the front desk attendant asleep in one of the lobby chairs. The bell hop was awake and he quickly roused his colleague. A few short minutes later I'd been checked out and went outside to find the cab waiting for me.
The 13km ride to the airport was painless and quick. I don't typically do this, but in this case I asked the hotel to arrange a taxi for me; the trip cost 10,000 Kyat, which is roughly $7.50 USD. In contrast, the hotel offers a shuttle service for $30 USD and there were no public transport options. Taxi was a no brainer.
This lady looks how I felt that early in the morning.
Don't panic, the Colonel is in Burma
Sleeping on the job.
Tsk tsk. This man is achieving all my life goals.
In accordance with Bangkok Airways' requirement that I present myself for check-in at the airport no later than 90 minutes prior to departure, I arrived at the airport at 4:05 AM to find that the check-in counters were not even staffed yet. The check-in agents did not arrive until 4:20 AM, so I could have slept at least another 15-30 minutes. Boarding passes issued, I set off to find an espresso and my departure gate. In that order.
Departure immigration and security were a breeze.
Model of the new airport, specifically the new International Terminal
The new terminal was very well designed and reminiscent of other airports in the region. It was pretty obvious that the Burmese Government hired the same folks who designed Singapore's Changi Airport T3 to design the new terminal in Yangon. Good choice.
Have it your way
$12 for 200g of dried mango? Really?
Thankfully, the airport does not sell bush meat. I hadn't been worried about that, but perhaps I should have?
The caption reads: "We don't sell and wildlife meals at any restaurant in this airport"
After a short wait at the gate, we were ready to board the plane. The massive income inequality of Burma was on full display here. Burmese passengers on my flight were invariably sporting Louis Vuitton and Rimowa luggage in a country with a per capita GDP of $1,300.
A lovely morning on the Gulf of Martaban
The plane wasn't packed by any means, perhaps 70% full. Knowing that the ATR 72 boards from the rear, I chose a seat near the rear of the plane. It was a good choice.
Shortly after take-off, the crew started the complimentary hot meal service. On offer was Hainanese chicken rice with fruit. It was actually pretty good, and way more than you'd get on any US domestic carrier. Granted, it didn't include all the traditional accouterments of a typical chicken rice dish, it was definitely satisfactory. I hadn't eaten yet, so a hot meal was definitely welcome.
Before long, we'd arrived in Bangkok for my connecting flight. Our arrival was a bit early, which was appreciated.
HS-PZG
Another shot of HS-PZG
Thoughts
This was my first flight on Bangkok Airways, and it was a good flight. No complaints at all and the service was quite good. The ticket was quite cheap (around $100), so it was quite a good value. I'd gladly fly with them again.
May 29, 2018, 10:55 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Bangkok Airways Economy Class: Bangkok - Vientiane
Bangkok Airways
Economy Class (Y)
PG943: BKK-VTE (Bangkok to Vientiane)
21 May 2018
Airbus A319
HS-PPS
Seat 10D/10E/10F
Departure: 09:45AM
Arrival: 11:00AM
We arrived in BKK early, so I had a bit of extra time to kill. I was through transit security within 10 minutes, so my first stop was to find the Singapore Airlines transfer desk. I had a flight on SilkAir (from VTE) later in the day, so in order to maximize my time on the ground in Laos I wanted to get my boarding pass issued in BKK. SilkAir does not actually operate at BKK, but I figured it was worth trying to get my BP from the SQ transfer desk. SilkAir is the regional arm of Singapore Air, so I figured it should be possible.
After I found the SQ transfer desk, I asked the agent if he could issue my BP for later in the day. The agent worked for Thai Airways, who presumably is contracted to SQ for this service. At first, he told me it wasn't possible. Then I mentioned I was flying in F the following day on SQ from SIN-PEK. At that point, he contacted his supervisor and was able to issue both boarding passes after a few minutes. This was potentially a big timesaver.
Boarding pass sorted, I wanted to track down the Bangkok Airways Lounge, as they include lounge access for all passengers flying with them. Nice perk, right?
I should mention I've had issues navigating BKK airport in the past. It's a huge, sprawling airport and the signage is not really kept updated. It took some time to find the Bangkok Airways Lounge, but after a bit (~1km) of walking, I finally found it.
I present to you the Bangkok Airways Lounge in all its resplendent glory (drumroll please)...
Underwhelmed? Yeah, I was too. The food and drink selection was abysmal and the seating was not very comfortable. I've been to worse lounges (looking at you The Club in the basement of BOS Terminal E), but there really was room for improvement. On the plus side, it was deserted, so I pretty much had my pick of seats.
On a more serious note, the BKK maps showed this to be the location of the PG Lounge. Clearly, the lounge had moved. I'd been faffing about for a while now and I didn't have a lot of time left before boarding. So, I decided to use my Priority Pass to visit the Miracle Business Class Lounge near Gate D5. It was a perfectly decent lounge; at the time, it happened to be full of Russians waiting to depart on a SU flight to Moscow.
I had a quick Diet Coke and I was off to my (somewhat) nearby boarding gate a mere 500m walk away. The PG lounge was a further 250m beyond the Miracle Lounge in the wrong direction from my gate, so I gave up my quest on that occasion.
HS-PPS
Yes, those windows are horrifically dirty; don't adjust your screen or tell me to clean my camera lens.
A couple days beforehand, I moved my seat from 9A (window) to 10D, the aisle seat. As it turned out, 10E and 10F were both unoccupied, so I got the entire row to myself. The pitch in these seats is very small, so that extra room came in handy. The anorexic French woman (inexplicably wearing a black pantsuit in 95F tropical weather) in 9D decided to recline her seat immediately after take-off and left it reclined for the entire flight. I really love it when people do that.
In these cases, I'm not overly concerned about "accidentally" bumping their seat...
My PG Sky Sofa in action
After a short time, the crew began the meal service. The meal this time was still breakfast and it consisted of mushroom and chicken congee with fresh fruit and yogurt. Everything was quite good. No complaints whatsoever.
Arriving at the sleepy Vientiane Airport
Before long, the plane landed and I was off to immigration and landside at 10:55AM. A whole 5 minutes prior to our scheduled arrival time. The Laos airport arrival process was very fast and efficient. It helped that I'd procured a visa in advance instead of applying for a visa on arrival.
And thus commenced my 2.5 hour visit to Laos.
Economy Class (Y)
PG943: BKK-VTE (Bangkok to Vientiane)
21 May 2018
Airbus A319
HS-PPS
Seat 10D/10E/10F
Departure: 09:45AM
Arrival: 11:00AM
We arrived in BKK early, so I had a bit of extra time to kill. I was through transit security within 10 minutes, so my first stop was to find the Singapore Airlines transfer desk. I had a flight on SilkAir (from VTE) later in the day, so in order to maximize my time on the ground in Laos I wanted to get my boarding pass issued in BKK. SilkAir does not actually operate at BKK, but I figured it was worth trying to get my BP from the SQ transfer desk. SilkAir is the regional arm of Singapore Air, so I figured it should be possible.
After I found the SQ transfer desk, I asked the agent if he could issue my BP for later in the day. The agent worked for Thai Airways, who presumably is contracted to SQ for this service. At first, he told me it wasn't possible. Then I mentioned I was flying in F the following day on SQ from SIN-PEK. At that point, he contacted his supervisor and was able to issue both boarding passes after a few minutes. This was potentially a big timesaver.
Boarding pass sorted, I wanted to track down the Bangkok Airways Lounge, as they include lounge access for all passengers flying with them. Nice perk, right?
I should mention I've had issues navigating BKK airport in the past. It's a huge, sprawling airport and the signage is not really kept updated. It took some time to find the Bangkok Airways Lounge, but after a bit (~1km) of walking, I finally found it.
I present to you the Bangkok Airways Lounge in all its resplendent glory (drumroll please)...
Underwhelmed? Yeah, I was too. The food and drink selection was abysmal and the seating was not very comfortable. I've been to worse lounges (looking at you The Club in the basement of BOS Terminal E), but there really was room for improvement. On the plus side, it was deserted, so I pretty much had my pick of seats.
On a more serious note, the BKK maps showed this to be the location of the PG Lounge. Clearly, the lounge had moved. I'd been faffing about for a while now and I didn't have a lot of time left before boarding. So, I decided to use my Priority Pass to visit the Miracle Business Class Lounge near Gate D5. It was a perfectly decent lounge; at the time, it happened to be full of Russians waiting to depart on a SU flight to Moscow.
I had a quick Diet Coke and I was off to my (somewhat) nearby boarding gate a mere 500m walk away. The PG lounge was a further 250m beyond the Miracle Lounge in the wrong direction from my gate, so I gave up my quest on that occasion.
HS-PPS
Yes, those windows are horrifically dirty; don't adjust your screen or tell me to clean my camera lens.
A couple days beforehand, I moved my seat from 9A (window) to 10D, the aisle seat. As it turned out, 10E and 10F were both unoccupied, so I got the entire row to myself. The pitch in these seats is very small, so that extra room came in handy. The anorexic French woman (inexplicably wearing a black pantsuit in 95F tropical weather) in 9D decided to recline her seat immediately after take-off and left it reclined for the entire flight. I really love it when people do that.
In these cases, I'm not overly concerned about "accidentally" bumping their seat...
My PG Sky Sofa in action
After a short time, the crew began the meal service. The meal this time was still breakfast and it consisted of mushroom and chicken congee with fresh fruit and yogurt. Everything was quite good. No complaints whatsoever.
Arriving at the sleepy Vientiane Airport
Before long, the plane landed and I was off to immigration and landside at 10:55AM. A whole 5 minutes prior to our scheduled arrival time. The Laos airport arrival process was very fast and efficient. It helped that I'd procured a visa in advance instead of applying for a visa on arrival.
And thus commenced my 2.5 hour visit to Laos.
Last edited by swingaling; May 29, 2018 at 11:04 am
May 29, 2018, 11:43 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Vientiane, Laos
Vientiane, Laos
Tour from Tours By Group Laos
I'd arranged for a driver to collect me at the arrivals area at Vientiane Airport and take me around Vientiane to see the main sights before dropping me off at the airport around 1PM. I'd arranged for him to be there at 11AM to maximize my time. Unfortunately, he was not there when I showed up. I waited 10 minutes and sent an email to him to see what was going on. He replied instantly (thankfully) and said the driver was in traffic. I think this was a lie on his part, but he said the driver would arrive presently.
Waiting and waiting and waiting...
The driver eventually turned up at 11:30, which was a bit concerning. Knowing traffic could be bad, I was concerned it would be a trip in vain. The other complication was the driver did not speak a word of English. So there's that.
Anyway, I spoke to the English speaking tour operator and we agreed on a plan to see Patuxai monument and Pha That Luang. I assumed we'd only have time to drive by each one for a couple photos and not be able to stop. I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the case.
Leaving the airport, we got stuck at a 3 minute red light. Twice. Evidently there'd been an accident between a taxi and a pickup truck. My driver with the bald head and white shirt on the right is assisting or something, I guess.
Coconut vendor
Roadside restaurant
Office workers having lunch
A gate or something. To somewhere or not.
Dude on a scooter
That Luang Tai Temple
Pha That Luang stupa
It's a fairly large stupa, though not nearly as large as the Shwedagon in Burma. Roughly 45m tall.
Museum and Buddhist Temple
King Setthathirath Statue
King Setthathirath Statue
Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang Ticket Counter
Tickets were roughly 10,000 Kip (if memory serves), roughly $1.25 USD.
Pha That Luang Inner Courtyard
Pha That Luang
Pretty impressive
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
There be dragons here!
Pha That Luang
Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to see the large reclining Buddha nearby, otherwise I would have made the effort to see it. Had the driver arrived in time, I surely would have had time to see it.
After a quick walk around the stupa, I met the driver back at the car and it was time to see the final item on the itinerary, the Patuxai monument. Interesting tidbit about this monument. Sometime after their independence from France, the US Government gave Laos funds and cement earmarked for the construction of a new airport to serve the country. Instead of building an airport, the government of Laos instead chose to build this "Victory Gate" monument celebrating their independence from France. It has thus earned the nickname the "vertical runway".
If I'm honest, it's not the prettiest monument I've seen, but it is massive and rather impressive looking (if not pretty).
Patuxai
Monument Aux Morts en Francais
Patuxai
It's not prettier in person
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Still ugly after all these years
Government Offices
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Up close it's, much, um. It's still ugly...
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
No mention of where the concrete came from... But China gets the nod for something?
Post-Patuxai
Texas Chicken? Naturally
Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace
From the rear
The driver was all set to have me stop at a few more places along the way, such as Sisaket Temple and Wat Phra Kaew. As much as I'd have liked to see them, it was 12:40 PM at that point and I wanted to be at the airport by 1:00 PM. My flight was due to depart at 1:50 PM and I didn't want to cut it too fine. So I told him we needed to go to the airport directly and he got the gist. We ended up back at the airport a few minutes before 1:00 PM, and I made my way into the terminal.
Tour from Tours By Group Laos
I'd arranged for a driver to collect me at the arrivals area at Vientiane Airport and take me around Vientiane to see the main sights before dropping me off at the airport around 1PM. I'd arranged for him to be there at 11AM to maximize my time. Unfortunately, he was not there when I showed up. I waited 10 minutes and sent an email to him to see what was going on. He replied instantly (thankfully) and said the driver was in traffic. I think this was a lie on his part, but he said the driver would arrive presently.
Waiting and waiting and waiting...
The driver eventually turned up at 11:30, which was a bit concerning. Knowing traffic could be bad, I was concerned it would be a trip in vain. The other complication was the driver did not speak a word of English. So there's that.
Anyway, I spoke to the English speaking tour operator and we agreed on a plan to see Patuxai monument and Pha That Luang. I assumed we'd only have time to drive by each one for a couple photos and not be able to stop. I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the case.
Leaving the airport, we got stuck at a 3 minute red light. Twice. Evidently there'd been an accident between a taxi and a pickup truck. My driver with the bald head and white shirt on the right is assisting or something, I guess.
Coconut vendor
Roadside restaurant
Office workers having lunch
A gate or something. To somewhere or not.
Dude on a scooter
That Luang Tai Temple
Pha That Luang stupa
It's a fairly large stupa, though not nearly as large as the Shwedagon in Burma. Roughly 45m tall.
Museum and Buddhist Temple
King Setthathirath Statue
King Setthathirath Statue
Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang Ticket Counter
Tickets were roughly 10,000 Kip (if memory serves), roughly $1.25 USD.
Pha That Luang Inner Courtyard
Pha That Luang
Pretty impressive
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
Pha That Luang
There be dragons here!
Pha That Luang
Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to see the large reclining Buddha nearby, otherwise I would have made the effort to see it. Had the driver arrived in time, I surely would have had time to see it.
After a quick walk around the stupa, I met the driver back at the car and it was time to see the final item on the itinerary, the Patuxai monument. Interesting tidbit about this monument. Sometime after their independence from France, the US Government gave Laos funds and cement earmarked for the construction of a new airport to serve the country. Instead of building an airport, the government of Laos instead chose to build this "Victory Gate" monument celebrating their independence from France. It has thus earned the nickname the "vertical runway".
If I'm honest, it's not the prettiest monument I've seen, but it is massive and rather impressive looking (if not pretty).
Patuxai
Monument Aux Morts en Francais
Patuxai
It's not prettier in person
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Still ugly after all these years
Government Offices
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Up close it's, much, um. It's still ugly...
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
Patuxai
No mention of where the concrete came from... But China gets the nod for something?
Post-Patuxai
Texas Chicken? Naturally
Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace
From the rear
The driver was all set to have me stop at a few more places along the way, such as Sisaket Temple and Wat Phra Kaew. As much as I'd have liked to see them, it was 12:40 PM at that point and I wanted to be at the airport by 1:00 PM. My flight was due to depart at 1:50 PM and I didn't want to cut it too fine. So I told him we needed to go to the airport directly and he got the gist. We ended up back at the airport a few minutes before 1:00 PM, and I made my way into the terminal.
May 29, 2018, 12:04 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
SilkAir Business Class: Vientiane - Singapore
SilkAir
Business Class (C)
MI787: VTE-SIN (Vientiane to Singapore)
21 May 2018
Airbus A320-200
9V-SLM
Seat 2A/2C
Departure: 01:50PM
Arrival: 06:00PM
Boarding pass secured in Bangkok, I proceeded directly to exit immigration and security. I was through in about 5 minutes flat and in the duty free shop. Skipping all the tobacco and perfume, I went to gate area. There was construction going on and there were three departure gates in total. This area was quite crowded and each gate led to a centralized departure/arrival area where one would then access the appropriate jetway. It was a strange layout, but it worked. I surveyed the gates and saw that my flight wasn't listed on any of the boards, so figured I had plenty of time. After all, it was only 1:10 PM and the flight wasn't scheduled to depart until 1:50 PM. Right?
Anyway, I'm skipping ahead. Since I was flying in the front cabin, I had lounge access here. Woo hoo!! This was hands down the absolute smallest lounge I've ever seen. The lounge was packed with seating, but completely empty aside from me and the lounge attendants. Despite its size, there were at least 15 different types of prepared foods on offer (baked goods and sandwiches mostly). I helped myself to a slice of banana bread and was surveying my other options when a gate agent approached me and asked if I was going to Singapore. I replied and he told me I had to board "right now". Not wanting to hold up the plane, I ate my banana bread on the run and went to my gate. There was no line and seemingly no one else even boarding for my flight.
They scanned me in and I was on board a minute later. The plane was already mostly full, as it had originated in Luang Prabang, with only a stop in Vientiane. I don't believe they offloaded any passengers in VTE either. Pretty sure the stop in VTE was just to pick up a few more passengers bound for SIN. SilkAir does not have permission to operate domestic flights in Laos, hence the lack of offloading passengers in VTE. There were only a handful of other passengers who boarded with me in VTE.
I'd chosen 2C for myself, but 2A was empty. So I had both seats for my flight to Singapore.
Menu
Pretty good menu for a short 3hr regional flight
Japanese potato salad and coconut cake
Both were quite tasty.
Malay Spicy Chicken
Quite good as well
Onion and cheddar ciabatta
This was my first flight with SilkAir and it was quite nice. Service was excellent, naturally, and the flight landed in Singapore quite a bit early. It also left VTE quite early, so I'm glad I showed up to the airport when I did. Overall, quite pleased with this flight and I'd gladly fly SilkAir again in the future.
Arrival in Singapore was uneventful. A lot of walking, as expected, but the arrival process was quick and efficient. I quickly found my way to the train into the city and rode it to my hotel.
Train Entrance at SIN
Business Class (C)
MI787: VTE-SIN (Vientiane to Singapore)
21 May 2018
Airbus A320-200
9V-SLM
Seat 2A/2C
Departure: 01:50PM
Arrival: 06:00PM
Boarding pass secured in Bangkok, I proceeded directly to exit immigration and security. I was through in about 5 minutes flat and in the duty free shop. Skipping all the tobacco and perfume, I went to gate area. There was construction going on and there were three departure gates in total. This area was quite crowded and each gate led to a centralized departure/arrival area where one would then access the appropriate jetway. It was a strange layout, but it worked. I surveyed the gates and saw that my flight wasn't listed on any of the boards, so figured I had plenty of time. After all, it was only 1:10 PM and the flight wasn't scheduled to depart until 1:50 PM. Right?
Anyway, I'm skipping ahead. Since I was flying in the front cabin, I had lounge access here. Woo hoo!! This was hands down the absolute smallest lounge I've ever seen. The lounge was packed with seating, but completely empty aside from me and the lounge attendants. Despite its size, there were at least 15 different types of prepared foods on offer (baked goods and sandwiches mostly). I helped myself to a slice of banana bread and was surveying my other options when a gate agent approached me and asked if I was going to Singapore. I replied and he told me I had to board "right now". Not wanting to hold up the plane, I ate my banana bread on the run and went to my gate. There was no line and seemingly no one else even boarding for my flight.
They scanned me in and I was on board a minute later. The plane was already mostly full, as it had originated in Luang Prabang, with only a stop in Vientiane. I don't believe they offloaded any passengers in VTE either. Pretty sure the stop in VTE was just to pick up a few more passengers bound for SIN. SilkAir does not have permission to operate domestic flights in Laos, hence the lack of offloading passengers in VTE. There were only a handful of other passengers who boarded with me in VTE.
I'd chosen 2C for myself, but 2A was empty. So I had both seats for my flight to Singapore.
Menu
Pretty good menu for a short 3hr regional flight
Japanese potato salad and coconut cake
Both were quite tasty.
Malay Spicy Chicken
Quite good as well
Onion and cheddar ciabatta
This was my first flight with SilkAir and it was quite nice. Service was excellent, naturally, and the flight landed in Singapore quite a bit early. It also left VTE quite early, so I'm glad I showed up to the airport when I did. Overall, quite pleased with this flight and I'd gladly fly SilkAir again in the future.
Arrival in Singapore was uneventful. A lot of walking, as expected, but the arrival process was quick and efficient. I quickly found my way to the train into the city and rode it to my hotel.
Train Entrance at SIN
May 29, 2018, 12:27 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel
Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel
Harbor View King Room
The hotel is located a 5 minute walk from Promenade metro station. It was possible to get from the MRT station to the hotel without going outside at all, but I couldn't navigate it my first time. So I went to street level and made the quick walk to the hotel. Check-in was fast and I was in the room a few minutes later.
My room was on the 30th floor, so I would have excellent views.
The hotel itself is not brand new, but it's a very nice property. The location is excellent and was quite convenient for a quick stay in Singapore. There are a huge number of hotel options in here, but I wouldn't hesitate to stay at the Pan Pacific again. I didn't partake of the very expensive breakfast buffet, as it wasn't included in my room rate; I would assume it's a very good spread, as is customary in this part of the world. The room was quiet, the views great and the room rate was very reasonable. Definitely competitive with other similar properties.
The area is a bit dead at night, but that suits me just fine. I was perfectly content to take the metro or the odd cab to get around town.
Bonus points for the hotel being connected to two different shopping malls and the Sun-Tec Convention Center (and mall). So there were a ton of restaurants and shops very close by.
The hotel has a large interior atrium, similar to the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong and Okura Prestige Bangkok.
I'm always worried about dropping my phone when taking photos like this...
Monster orchids
Entryway
Entryway
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Thankfully a Nespresso machine!
Bathroom
Big and modern
Bathroom
Shower
Bathroom
Alas, no bidet.
Bathroom
View from the room at dusk
View from the room at dusk
View from the room at dusk
Zoom of the Marina Bay Sands
Daytime view from the window at the end of the hall (in the common area)
Good view of the Sands and Singapore Flyer
Harbor View King Room
The hotel is located a 5 minute walk from Promenade metro station. It was possible to get from the MRT station to the hotel without going outside at all, but I couldn't navigate it my first time. So I went to street level and made the quick walk to the hotel. Check-in was fast and I was in the room a few minutes later.
My room was on the 30th floor, so I would have excellent views.
The hotel itself is not brand new, but it's a very nice property. The location is excellent and was quite convenient for a quick stay in Singapore. There are a huge number of hotel options in here, but I wouldn't hesitate to stay at the Pan Pacific again. I didn't partake of the very expensive breakfast buffet, as it wasn't included in my room rate; I would assume it's a very good spread, as is customary in this part of the world. The room was quiet, the views great and the room rate was very reasonable. Definitely competitive with other similar properties.
The area is a bit dead at night, but that suits me just fine. I was perfectly content to take the metro or the odd cab to get around town.
Bonus points for the hotel being connected to two different shopping malls and the Sun-Tec Convention Center (and mall). So there were a ton of restaurants and shops very close by.
The hotel has a large interior atrium, similar to the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong and Okura Prestige Bangkok.
I'm always worried about dropping my phone when taking photos like this...
Monster orchids
Entryway
Entryway
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Thankfully a Nespresso machine!
Bathroom
Big and modern
Bathroom
Shower
Bathroom
Alas, no bidet.
Bathroom
View from the room at dusk
View from the room at dusk
View from the room at dusk
Zoom of the Marina Bay Sands
Daytime view from the window at the end of the hall (in the common area)
Good view of the Sands and Singapore Flyer
May 29, 2018, 1:00 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Singapore - Day 1
Singapore
Day 1
Once I'd dropped off my bag, the first order of business was exploring the nearby area. I quickly found the attached shopping malls and decided I was sorely in need of a new pair of sneakers. Within no time, I'd located the Asics Store (after searching in vain for the Nike Store) and purchased a new pair of sneakers. Newly shod, I was ready to go out into the city for the evening. My first stop was Gardens By The Bay near the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino.
I took a cab from the hotel to the Gardens, which cost $10 SGD ($7 USD) for the short drive. I got walloped by the evening surcharge, but it was a lot faster and more convenient than taking the metro. I arrived at the Gardens shortly before 9 PM and wandered over to the Supertree Grove.
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Unbeknownst to me, there is a (nightly?) light show at the Supertree Grove that begins at 9:00 PM. So, I was coincidentally right on time to catch the entire show. There were loads of people waiting there for it to begin, so I must've been in the minority of oblivious folks in the right place at the right time.
They light the trees and play classical music along with the light show. The whole thing lasted may 10-15 minutes and was quite nice. It was still very hot and humid outside, even at 9PM, but the light show was an unexpected treat.
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Once the show was over, I started heading toward the Marina MRT station. Unfortunately, the signage in the gardens was maddeningly confusing and it took a while to find the MRT station. I entered near the Sands, but I know there was a closer entrance. A bit frustrating, but I found it eventually.
Marina Bay Sands
Nice Lighting
Marina Bay Sands
Nice Lighting
Singapore Flyer
Next stop was a hawker center for some dinner (hopefully). On the way, I took a stroll down the Chinatown Food Street, which had quite a number of restaurants.
Chinatown Food Street
Chinatown
Chinatown
When I arrived at the Maxwell Hawker Center, most of the stalls were closed for the night. The ones that were open didn't really appeal to me. So, I got a lime juice to go and made my way back to the nearest MRT station. I took the MRT to the hotel and decided to get some room service instead. I was hot, sweaty and exhausted by that time (roughly 10:30 PM), so I was glad to rest in the air conditioned hotel room.
Room Service
Hainanese Chicken Rice and a Bottle of Water
Room Service
Fruit Salad
Not the best chicken rice I've had, but pretty good. Definitely hit the spot after a very long day. I went to bed around 11PM because I had a relatively early morning the next day.
Day 1
Once I'd dropped off my bag, the first order of business was exploring the nearby area. I quickly found the attached shopping malls and decided I was sorely in need of a new pair of sneakers. Within no time, I'd located the Asics Store (after searching in vain for the Nike Store) and purchased a new pair of sneakers. Newly shod, I was ready to go out into the city for the evening. My first stop was Gardens By The Bay near the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino.
I took a cab from the hotel to the Gardens, which cost $10 SGD ($7 USD) for the short drive. I got walloped by the evening surcharge, but it was a lot faster and more convenient than taking the metro. I arrived at the Gardens shortly before 9 PM and wandered over to the Supertree Grove.
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Supertree Grove
Unbeknownst to me, there is a (nightly?) light show at the Supertree Grove that begins at 9:00 PM. So, I was coincidentally right on time to catch the entire show. There were loads of people waiting there for it to begin, so I must've been in the minority of oblivious folks in the right place at the right time.
They light the trees and play classical music along with the light show. The whole thing lasted may 10-15 minutes and was quite nice. It was still very hot and humid outside, even at 9PM, but the light show was an unexpected treat.
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Supertree Grove Light Show
Once the show was over, I started heading toward the Marina MRT station. Unfortunately, the signage in the gardens was maddeningly confusing and it took a while to find the MRT station. I entered near the Sands, but I know there was a closer entrance. A bit frustrating, but I found it eventually.
Marina Bay Sands
Nice Lighting
Marina Bay Sands
Nice Lighting
Singapore Flyer
Next stop was a hawker center for some dinner (hopefully). On the way, I took a stroll down the Chinatown Food Street, which had quite a number of restaurants.
Chinatown Food Street
Chinatown
Chinatown
When I arrived at the Maxwell Hawker Center, most of the stalls were closed for the night. The ones that were open didn't really appeal to me. So, I got a lime juice to go and made my way back to the nearest MRT station. I took the MRT to the hotel and decided to get some room service instead. I was hot, sweaty and exhausted by that time (roughly 10:30 PM), so I was glad to rest in the air conditioned hotel room.
Room Service
Hainanese Chicken Rice and a Bottle of Water
Room Service
Fruit Salad
Not the best chicken rice I've had, but pretty good. Definitely hit the spot after a very long day. I went to bed around 11PM because I had a relatively early morning the next day.
May 29, 2018, 1:58 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Singapore - Day 2
Singapore
Day 2
I was up at a relatively late 7 AM on my second day in Singapore. I took my time getting ready and was downstairs around 8 AM. The city was still pretty quiet at that time of day, but I was hungry. So I went to a nearby shopping mall and got some kaya butter toast for breakfast. They put a bit too much butter on the toast, but it definitely hit the spot. No photos of the toast, sorry.
Karaoke Booth at Sun-Tec Mall
No, I didn't give it a shot.
After a quick breakfast, I went back to Gardens By The Bay to see the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. Unfortunately the Flower Dome was closed for cleaning or something, so I only got to see the Cloud Forest. Due to the distance of the Marina MRT stop from the gardens, I decided to take a taxi again. This time I used Grab and the price worked out to around $6 SGD.
Supertrees Part Two
The Supertrees look a lot different in the daylight
Supertrees Part Two
Supertrees Part Two
Supertrees Part Two
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Dragons!
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
More dragons!
Cloud Forest
Giant Killer Orchid, probably.
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Probably a fertility statue, judging by the ...er... equipment.
Cloud Forest
Prize Winning Orchids
Cloud Forest
Fertility Statues?
Cloud Forest
A sign
Cloud Forest
Lady Slipper Orchids
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Pitcher Plants
Cloud Forest
Pitcher Plants
Cloud Forest
Pitcher Plants
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Great views of the gardens
Cloud Forest
The Sands
Cloud Forest
A Lion
Cloud Forest
Old Man and the Eagle
After the gardens, I arranged another Grab ride to Merlion Park. A few minutes and SGD later, I was at the park with throngs of tourists.
Marina Bay Sands, ArtScience Museum and Singapore Flyer
From Merlion Park
View from Merlion Park
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
Esplanade
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
After all that walking (and sweating), I'd worked up an appetite. So I got a taxi from the stand at Merlion Park and went back to the hotel. I first took a quick shower to wash off the sweat. Yes, it's really that bad in Singapore. It's like walking through soup. The air is so hot and humid. Then I quickly checked out of the hotel and went to the attached mall. I'd spied a Din Tai Fung there the previous evening, so I made a beeline to DTF for a quick lunch. I can't resist their xiaolongbao.
Din Tai Fung
Got a lemongrass juice. It was far too sweet.
Din Tai Fung
Had the pork xiaolongbao and a pork and vegetable bao. The soup dumplings were excellent. The bao was fine, not my favorite. Overall, not quite as good as the meal at DTF I'd last had in Kuala Lumpur.
After the light lunch, I headed to the airport. Instead of wasting an hour plus on the train, I opted to take a Grab car for the 15 minute ride. Definitely worth it in this instance.
Day 2
I was up at a relatively late 7 AM on my second day in Singapore. I took my time getting ready and was downstairs around 8 AM. The city was still pretty quiet at that time of day, but I was hungry. So I went to a nearby shopping mall and got some kaya butter toast for breakfast. They put a bit too much butter on the toast, but it definitely hit the spot. No photos of the toast, sorry.
Karaoke Booth at Sun-Tec Mall
No, I didn't give it a shot.
After a quick breakfast, I went back to Gardens By The Bay to see the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. Unfortunately the Flower Dome was closed for cleaning or something, so I only got to see the Cloud Forest. Due to the distance of the Marina MRT stop from the gardens, I decided to take a taxi again. This time I used Grab and the price worked out to around $6 SGD.
Supertrees Part Two
The Supertrees look a lot different in the daylight
Supertrees Part Two
Supertrees Part Two
Supertrees Part Two
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Dragons!
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
More dragons!
Cloud Forest
Giant Killer Orchid, probably.
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Probably a fertility statue, judging by the ...er... equipment.
Cloud Forest
Prize Winning Orchids
Cloud Forest
Fertility Statues?
Cloud Forest
A sign
Cloud Forest
Lady Slipper Orchids
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Pitcher Plants
Cloud Forest
Pitcher Plants
Cloud Forest
Pitcher Plants
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Exotic Orchids
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Cloud Forest
Great views of the gardens
Cloud Forest
The Sands
Cloud Forest
A Lion
Cloud Forest
Old Man and the Eagle
After the gardens, I arranged another Grab ride to Merlion Park. A few minutes and SGD later, I was at the park with throngs of tourists.
Marina Bay Sands, ArtScience Museum and Singapore Flyer
From Merlion Park
View from Merlion Park
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
Esplanade
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
The Mighty Merlion Vomiting
After all that walking (and sweating), I'd worked up an appetite. So I got a taxi from the stand at Merlion Park and went back to the hotel. I first took a quick shower to wash off the sweat. Yes, it's really that bad in Singapore. It's like walking through soup. The air is so hot and humid. Then I quickly checked out of the hotel and went to the attached mall. I'd spied a Din Tai Fung there the previous evening, so I made a beeline to DTF for a quick lunch. I can't resist their xiaolongbao.
Din Tai Fung
Got a lemongrass juice. It was far too sweet.
Din Tai Fung
Had the pork xiaolongbao and a pork and vegetable bao. The soup dumplings were excellent. The bao was fine, not my favorite. Overall, not quite as good as the meal at DTF I'd last had in Kuala Lumpur.
After the light lunch, I headed to the airport. Instead of wasting an hour plus on the train, I opted to take a Grab car for the 15 minute ride. Definitely worth it in this instance.
May 29, 2018, 2:01 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
May 29, 2018, 2:36 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Singapore Airlines First Class: Singapore - Beijing
Singapore Airlines
First Class (F)
SQ806: SIN-PEK (Singapore to Beijing)
22 May 2018
Boeing 777-300ER
9V-SWQ
Seat 1F
Departure: 04:50PM
Arrival: 11:00PM
As with most of my other flights, I booked this with miles. I typically don't bother with First Class, but SQ had availability on my desired date and it would be the first time I'd flown SQ's F product. So I splurged the extra 15-20k miles and went for it.
Jewel Changi Airport coming along nicely
I'm looking forward to checking it out once it's complete.
Grab driver missed the First Class Entrance and dropped me off at the Business Class Entrance instead.
First Class Entrance
So, I walked in to the First Class Entrance. I'm guessing not many people walk there...
Got the Golden Ticket
I couldn't resist.
Yes, I'm a child.
After check-in, I went to the dedicated immigration lane and security checkpoint. There was zero line and I was airside in two minutes flat. I had some time to kill, so I took a stroll around the terminal and paid a visit to the Butterfly Garden.
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Eventually, I made my way to the First Class Lounge. First stop the Private Room.
Private Room
I was the only person in there for a solid 2 hours. So I watched some videos and had a few espressos.
Private Room
Dining Area
Private Room
Dining Area
Private Room
Dining Area
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
I had some chicken satay and some excellent tea
Private Room
Plus a tiny dessert
9V-SWQ
Before long, it was time to board our chariot for the evening.
Expansive F seats
Got the new F product on this plane, luckily. Unfortunately, F was full on my flight. First world problems, I know.
Expansive F seats
Taxiing for Takeoff
Taxiing for Takeoff
Taxiing for Takeoff
Menu
Menu
Menu
Satay Chicken
I started off with the SQ signature satay chicken. It was quite tasty.
Diet Coke and Warm Nuts
Yummy
Bread Basket
Garlic bread and a roll. Warmed, naturally.
Fig, Serrano Ham and Manchego
Very good
Pea Soup
Also quite good
Salad
Excellent
Hainan Chicken Rice
I ordered an entree from Book The Cook, as the entrees for my flight didn't look overly appealing. I made the correct choice. This was excellent. There was no way I could finish it, but delicious nonetheless.
Strawberry Dessert Thing
This was absolutely delicious. Extremely intense strawberry flavor. Really good.
Fruit
I couldn't possibly eat any cheese, and barely ate any of the fruit. I was stuffed!
Espresso
To aid with sleep, naturally.
Overall, the flight was excellent. Service was perfect and the food was great. We left about 20 minutes late due to ground traffic and we arrived a little after 11PM. Not that it mattered to me. Excellent experience and I'd absolutely fly SQ again.
First Class (F)
SQ806: SIN-PEK (Singapore to Beijing)
22 May 2018
Boeing 777-300ER
9V-SWQ
Seat 1F
Departure: 04:50PM
Arrival: 11:00PM
As with most of my other flights, I booked this with miles. I typically don't bother with First Class, but SQ had availability on my desired date and it would be the first time I'd flown SQ's F product. So I splurged the extra 15-20k miles and went for it.
Jewel Changi Airport coming along nicely
I'm looking forward to checking it out once it's complete.
Grab driver missed the First Class Entrance and dropped me off at the Business Class Entrance instead.
First Class Entrance
So, I walked in to the First Class Entrance. I'm guessing not many people walk there...
Got the Golden Ticket
I couldn't resist.
Yes, I'm a child.
After check-in, I went to the dedicated immigration lane and security checkpoint. There was zero line and I was airside in two minutes flat. I had some time to kill, so I took a stroll around the terminal and paid a visit to the Butterfly Garden.
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden
Eventually, I made my way to the First Class Lounge. First stop the Private Room.
Private Room
I was the only person in there for a solid 2 hours. So I watched some videos and had a few espressos.
Private Room
Dining Area
Private Room
Dining Area
Private Room
Dining Area
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
Menu
Private Room
I had some chicken satay and some excellent tea
Private Room
Plus a tiny dessert
9V-SWQ
Before long, it was time to board our chariot for the evening.
Expansive F seats
Got the new F product on this plane, luckily. Unfortunately, F was full on my flight. First world problems, I know.
Expansive F seats
Taxiing for Takeoff
Taxiing for Takeoff
Taxiing for Takeoff
Menu
Menu
Menu
Satay Chicken
I started off with the SQ signature satay chicken. It was quite tasty.
Diet Coke and Warm Nuts
Yummy
Bread Basket
Garlic bread and a roll. Warmed, naturally.
Fig, Serrano Ham and Manchego
Very good
Pea Soup
Also quite good
Salad
Excellent
Hainan Chicken Rice
I ordered an entree from Book The Cook, as the entrees for my flight didn't look overly appealing. I made the correct choice. This was excellent. There was no way I could finish it, but delicious nonetheless.
Strawberry Dessert Thing
This was absolutely delicious. Extremely intense strawberry flavor. Really good.
Fruit
I couldn't possibly eat any cheese, and barely ate any of the fruit. I was stuffed!
Espresso
To aid with sleep, naturally.
Overall, the flight was excellent. Service was perfect and the food was great. We left about 20 minutes late due to ground traffic and we arrived a little after 11PM. Not that it mattered to me. Excellent experience and I'd absolutely fly SQ again.
May 30, 2018, 8:41 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Hilton Beijing Capital Airport Hotel
Hilton Beijing Capital Airport Hotel
Standard King Room
The flight arrived in Beijing 12 minutes late due to a ~20 minute ground hold at SIN. After getting fingerprinted, I proceeded to immigration so I could formally enter China for a quick pit stop before my onward flight the following morning. Technically, my itinerary did not require me to have a full Chinese visa; I could have taken advantage of the 144hr Transit Without Visa instead. In order to save time at the airport and maximize my travel options, I'd previously applied for (and received) a Chinese tourist visa earlier this year. The 10-year visa was issued promptly and it was a pretty painless ordeal. It was among the easier visas I've received.
Anyway, I passed through immigration after a short wait and made it to Terminal 3C Arrivals. I exited Door 5 and quickly found the waiting place for the complimentary hotel shuttle bus. It turned up after a few minutes, then took me and the other hotel guests to the Hilton.
Check-in was quick and I was in the room within minutes. I could tell that someone had previously smoked in the room; this is China, after all. The smoke smell was very faint, so wasn't an issue for me. I quickly went to bed and set an early morning alarm for myself. It was around midnight when I went to bed and I planned to catch the 5:35 AM shuttle the following morning.
For some reason, I didn't get many photos of the hotel room this time. It's a fairly standard airport Hilton. The rooms are a good size and it, most importantly, its location is incredibly convenient.
View of the Airport Rail Station and T3
From the room the following morning
Standard King Room
The flight arrived in Beijing 12 minutes late due to a ~20 minute ground hold at SIN. After getting fingerprinted, I proceeded to immigration so I could formally enter China for a quick pit stop before my onward flight the following morning. Technically, my itinerary did not require me to have a full Chinese visa; I could have taken advantage of the 144hr Transit Without Visa instead. In order to save time at the airport and maximize my travel options, I'd previously applied for (and received) a Chinese tourist visa earlier this year. The 10-year visa was issued promptly and it was a pretty painless ordeal. It was among the easier visas I've received.
Anyway, I passed through immigration after a short wait and made it to Terminal 3C Arrivals. I exited Door 5 and quickly found the waiting place for the complimentary hotel shuttle bus. It turned up after a few minutes, then took me and the other hotel guests to the Hilton.
Check-in was quick and I was in the room within minutes. I could tell that someone had previously smoked in the room; this is China, after all. The smoke smell was very faint, so wasn't an issue for me. I quickly went to bed and set an early morning alarm for myself. It was around midnight when I went to bed and I planned to catch the 5:35 AM shuttle the following morning.
For some reason, I didn't get many photos of the hotel room this time. It's a fairly standard airport Hilton. The rooms are a good size and it, most importantly, its location is incredibly convenient.
View of the Airport Rail Station and T3
From the room the following morning
May 30, 2018, 11:18 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Air China Business Class: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar (CANCELLED)
Air China
Business Class (C)
CA901: PEK-ULN (Beijing to Ulaanbaatar)
23 May 2018
Boeing 737-800
Seat 2C
Scheduled Departure: 08:35AM
Scheduled Arrival: 10:50AM
Actual Departure: 06:25PM
Actual Arrival: 08:44PM
I got up around 5AM, quickly got ready, checked out and was on the 5:35AM shuttle to the airport. Air China Business Class Check-In counters had me sorted quickly and I was in T3E shortly thereafter. Exit immigration and security moved quickly, despite the lines and I was at the Air China First Class Lounge by 6:15AM. Overall, it was a pretty efficient operation despite the huge volumes this airport sees.
Pavilion Building
Near the Air China Lounge
Pavilion Building
Near the Air China Lounge
I love these strange signs
Since I was flying Air China Business Class, I had access to their First Class Lounge. Don't ask how that works because I don't quite understand it myself. In any event, the lounge is fairly large, but desperately in need of renovation. The carpet and furniture is old and stained and the food offerings are exceptionally lackluster. After perusing the available selection there, I headed downstairs to a restaurant for a bowl of noodle soup for breakfast. No photos, sorry.
By this time it's around 7:30AM and I'm getting ready to make my way to the gate to board. Then I get a notification from TripCase that my flight has been delayed by 10 hours. Hoping this had to be an error, I went back to the lounge to see what the deal was. The lounge attendant confirmed that my flight had been delayed by roughly 10 hours. I asked her to rebook me on another carrier, as a 10 hour delay did not work for my schedule. She was unable to do so, and, quite frankly, I knew the chances of Air China rebooking me on another carrier were basically zero. Further, she told me that I'd have to go back to the ticket counters at T3C in order to speak to someone whole could (theoretically) re-ticket me.
So, I decided to go to the gate to see if someone there could be of any help. Naturally, the gate area was unstaffed when I showed up. The gate agent eventually arrived and he said the cancellation was weather related, which was a lie. There were no weather advisories for either PEK or ULN. Rather, I believe the delay was caused by airspace restrictions enacted by the military. MIAT had a flight to ULN leaving an hour after mine, so I checked to see about getting on that flight. Of course that flight was also delayed by 9 hours or so.
Given the poor connectivity of ULN airport, I knew there was no possible way to get there any earlier than 8PM that evening. My tour was set to begin around 11AM that morning and I was going to fly out midday the next day. Given the unpredictability of the PEK-ULN flights, I didn't want to risk getting stuck in ULN either. So I decided to abandon the Mongolia plans entirely and stay in Beijing.
Now, I should mention that I was fully aware of the mess that is Chinese domestic flying (due to military airspace restrictions), which is the reason why I arrived the night before my Mongolia flight. Naively, I assumed that the huge unpredictable delays were typically confined to domestic flights. Thus I foolishly thought that my international flights to/from Mongolia would operate more or less on time. Clearly that was a mistake. I will attempt another trip to Mongolia in the future, but next time I will depart from Tokyo or Seoul instead. I definitely will not transit Beijing again.
But first, I had to get out of the airport. So, I went to the security checkpoint to Lane 25 and went against the flow of passenger traffic to exit the secure area and found myself back in Immigration. I then proceeded to Lane 25 of the Immigration desks and told the officer I wanted to enter China. The phrase "go out" worked well to convey my message. The officer stamped "Cancelled" on my China departure stamp and waved me through. I then made it to the Automated People Mover (train), where the door to board was locked and staffed by a guard. She recorded my details and allowed me through. Soon enough, I was on the APM and arrived in T3C without much fuss.
I proceeded to the Airport Express train station and purchased a stored value card (Yikatong) for my rail travel in Beijing. Soon enough I was in Beijing city and I easily navigated my way to the Grand Hyatt via the MRT network. Overall, it was quite straight forward, though it did take around an hour.
Business Class (C)
CA901: PEK-ULN (Beijing to Ulaanbaatar)
23 May 2018
Boeing 737-800
Seat 2C
Scheduled Departure: 08:35AM
Scheduled Arrival: 10:50AM
Actual Departure: 06:25PM
Actual Arrival: 08:44PM
I got up around 5AM, quickly got ready, checked out and was on the 5:35AM shuttle to the airport. Air China Business Class Check-In counters had me sorted quickly and I was in T3E shortly thereafter. Exit immigration and security moved quickly, despite the lines and I was at the Air China First Class Lounge by 6:15AM. Overall, it was a pretty efficient operation despite the huge volumes this airport sees.
Pavilion Building
Near the Air China Lounge
Pavilion Building
Near the Air China Lounge
I love these strange signs
Since I was flying Air China Business Class, I had access to their First Class Lounge. Don't ask how that works because I don't quite understand it myself. In any event, the lounge is fairly large, but desperately in need of renovation. The carpet and furniture is old and stained and the food offerings are exceptionally lackluster. After perusing the available selection there, I headed downstairs to a restaurant for a bowl of noodle soup for breakfast. No photos, sorry.
By this time it's around 7:30AM and I'm getting ready to make my way to the gate to board. Then I get a notification from TripCase that my flight has been delayed by 10 hours. Hoping this had to be an error, I went back to the lounge to see what the deal was. The lounge attendant confirmed that my flight had been delayed by roughly 10 hours. I asked her to rebook me on another carrier, as a 10 hour delay did not work for my schedule. She was unable to do so, and, quite frankly, I knew the chances of Air China rebooking me on another carrier were basically zero. Further, she told me that I'd have to go back to the ticket counters at T3C in order to speak to someone whole could (theoretically) re-ticket me.
So, I decided to go to the gate to see if someone there could be of any help. Naturally, the gate area was unstaffed when I showed up. The gate agent eventually arrived and he said the cancellation was weather related, which was a lie. There were no weather advisories for either PEK or ULN. Rather, I believe the delay was caused by airspace restrictions enacted by the military. MIAT had a flight to ULN leaving an hour after mine, so I checked to see about getting on that flight. Of course that flight was also delayed by 9 hours or so.
Given the poor connectivity of ULN airport, I knew there was no possible way to get there any earlier than 8PM that evening. My tour was set to begin around 11AM that morning and I was going to fly out midday the next day. Given the unpredictability of the PEK-ULN flights, I didn't want to risk getting stuck in ULN either. So I decided to abandon the Mongolia plans entirely and stay in Beijing.
Now, I should mention that I was fully aware of the mess that is Chinese domestic flying (due to military airspace restrictions), which is the reason why I arrived the night before my Mongolia flight. Naively, I assumed that the huge unpredictable delays were typically confined to domestic flights. Thus I foolishly thought that my international flights to/from Mongolia would operate more or less on time. Clearly that was a mistake. I will attempt another trip to Mongolia in the future, but next time I will depart from Tokyo or Seoul instead. I definitely will not transit Beijing again.
But first, I had to get out of the airport. So, I went to the security checkpoint to Lane 25 and went against the flow of passenger traffic to exit the secure area and found myself back in Immigration. I then proceeded to Lane 25 of the Immigration desks and told the officer I wanted to enter China. The phrase "go out" worked well to convey my message. The officer stamped "Cancelled" on my China departure stamp and waved me through. I then made it to the Automated People Mover (train), where the door to board was locked and staffed by a guard. She recorded my details and allowed me through. Soon enough, I was on the APM and arrived in T3C without much fuss.
I proceeded to the Airport Express train station and purchased a stored value card (Yikatong) for my rail travel in Beijing. Soon enough I was in Beijing city and I easily navigated my way to the Grand Hyatt via the MRT network. Overall, it was quite straight forward, though it did take around an hour.
Last edited by swingaling; May 30, 2018 at 1:02 pm
May 30, 2018, 12:55 pm
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Grand Hyatt Beijing
King Bed Deluxe Room
Upgraded from King Bed Standard Room
Initially, I'd booked the Grand Hyatt for two nights (24-26 May) to commence on my return from Mongolia. Since I'd booked an advanced purchase discounted rate (and used a BRG voucher), I was unable to make any changes to it. So, while waiting for the Airport Express to arrive, I made a points booking for that night (23 May) using the Hyatt app. I had to transfer some points from my Chase account to top up, but the single night cost 21,000 points versus the $260 + tax paid rate. Not the best value, but good enough. Though I did get Club access for the first night to take advantage of the included breakfast the following day. At a cost of 6,000 points, it seemed worthwhile and certainly helped me get an upper floor room.
I arrived at the Grand Hyatt lobby around 10AM, but my room was not yet ready. I don't hold this against the hotel, as it was still early in the day. After doing some checking, the front desk clerk was able to get me into a room right away. He first tried to upsell me to a suite, but I declined. Then he found a King Deluxe room and upgraded me to it for free for the duration of my stay. So, I ended up with a slightly bigger room on an upper (15th) floor. Not too shabby.
As you can see in the photos, the room was decent and spacious, but a bit outdated. Not terribly outdated, of course, but it seemed due for a face lift. Other than that, really no complaints about the hotel at all. The facilities were nice and it was quite convenient. It's connected to the Wangfujing MRT Station and Oriental Plaza shopping mall with a bunch of shops and, more importantly, dozens of restaurants.
The hotel also has a decent pool, sauna and gym facility that I ended up using a couple times during my stay.
Main Room
Hall Closet
Sitting Area
Bedroom
Bathroom
Bathroom
View from the Room
Not a very good view, unless one likes that ugly Neo Classical monstrosity (the Legendale Hotel) down the road. Just a nondescript office building next door.
Once I'd lightened my bag of clothes, toiletries and iPad, I headed to the Club Lounge to charge my phone and caffeinate. I stayed in the lounge for a little while and enjoyed the view.
View from the Club Lounge
View from the Club Lounge
While relaxing in the lounge, I decided on a plan for the day. My first stop would be the Tower of Heaven. Then, time permitting, I'd go to the Summer Palace. I planned to take the MRT for all transport and decided to leave the hotel around 11 AM.
King Bed Deluxe Room
Upgraded from King Bed Standard Room
Initially, I'd booked the Grand Hyatt for two nights (24-26 May) to commence on my return from Mongolia. Since I'd booked an advanced purchase discounted rate (and used a BRG voucher), I was unable to make any changes to it. So, while waiting for the Airport Express to arrive, I made a points booking for that night (23 May) using the Hyatt app. I had to transfer some points from my Chase account to top up, but the single night cost 21,000 points versus the $260 + tax paid rate. Not the best value, but good enough. Though I did get Club access for the first night to take advantage of the included breakfast the following day. At a cost of 6,000 points, it seemed worthwhile and certainly helped me get an upper floor room.
I arrived at the Grand Hyatt lobby around 10AM, but my room was not yet ready. I don't hold this against the hotel, as it was still early in the day. After doing some checking, the front desk clerk was able to get me into a room right away. He first tried to upsell me to a suite, but I declined. Then he found a King Deluxe room and upgraded me to it for free for the duration of my stay. So, I ended up with a slightly bigger room on an upper (15th) floor. Not too shabby.
As you can see in the photos, the room was decent and spacious, but a bit outdated. Not terribly outdated, of course, but it seemed due for a face lift. Other than that, really no complaints about the hotel at all. The facilities were nice and it was quite convenient. It's connected to the Wangfujing MRT Station and Oriental Plaza shopping mall with a bunch of shops and, more importantly, dozens of restaurants.
The hotel also has a decent pool, sauna and gym facility that I ended up using a couple times during my stay.
Main Room
Hall Closet
Sitting Area
Bedroom
Bathroom
Bathroom
View from the Room
Not a very good view, unless one likes that ugly Neo Classical monstrosity (the Legendale Hotel) down the road. Just a nondescript office building next door.
Once I'd lightened my bag of clothes, toiletries and iPad, I headed to the Club Lounge to charge my phone and caffeinate. I stayed in the lounge for a little while and enjoyed the view.
View from the Club Lounge
View from the Club Lounge
While relaxing in the lounge, I decided on a plan for the day. My first stop would be the Tower of Heaven. Then, time permitting, I'd go to the Summer Palace. I planned to take the MRT for all transport and decided to leave the hotel around 11 AM.
Last edited by swingaling; May 30, 2018 at 1:08 pm
May 30, 2018, 2:18 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Beijing, China - Day 1
Beijing, China
Day 1
Technically, this was my first trip to China (PRC). Though if you ask the Chinese government, they'd probably say my multiple previous trips to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan would count as visits to China. Aside from doing a bit of research on what to see and where to stay, I didn't really know what to expect. I know some Chinese history and I spent time in university studying Chinese opera and wuxia. So I wasn't completely ignorant about Chinese culture.
The aspect of Chinese culture I'm most familiar with would have to be the food (certain regional cuisines more than others of course). From a young age, I was exposed to Sichuan and Cantonese foods, learning to use chopsticks in childhood. In particular, I was most looking forward to sampling Sichuan cuisine on my visit to Beijing. I know that's not the native cuisine to Beijing, but until I visit Chengdu that's as close as I'll get to the real thing. That said, there's a growing Chinese expat community in my hometown (PVD) and there are an increasing number of authentic Chinese restaurants popping up these days. So one doesn't have to venture all that far for a reasonably authentic facsimile of Chongqing chicken (lazi ji).
Back to the trip. I took the MRT to Tiantan East Gate station and entered the Temple of Heaven complex by the East Gate. I'm not going to label the name of each specific building here, but if you'd like to know what something is, just ask.
Overall, it was a very nice temple complex. The grounds were well maintained and it was very pleasant walking through the park. It was a bit crowded in places, but not bad. It was very hot, so I eventually bought some overpriced water. I stayed for around 2 hours. I followed a walking route I found on timeoutbeijing.com and it worked quite well.
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
After seeing most of the park, I made my way back to the MRT and made the 1 hour journey to the Summer Palace at the other end of the city. A taxi would've taken a similar amount of time at that time of day, so the MRT was definitely worthwhile. It was very cheap and dead simple to navigate my way around. I had to be a bit more aggressive in lines than usual, but I don't mind it. Everything was fairly orderly and people mostly formed lines, unlike other places I've been (looking at you, Israel).
I took the MRT to Beigongmen Station. The northernmost entrance was right down the street from the MRT. A short walk later and I was inside. The palace is quite beautiful, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
I spent about two hours at the palace. By that time, it was around 5PM and I was getting pretty hungry. Though I was also pretty tired from all the activity. I left the palace from the East Gate and used the Xiyuan MRT station to begin the 30-40 minute ride to my hotel. On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at a bakery at the Oriental Plaza and picked up some snacks. Oddly, they all contained some form of hot dog or sausage.
Bread Talk
Oriental Plaza
Bread Talk
Oriental Plaza
Bread Talk
Oriental Plaza
After resting in my room for an hour or so, I ventured out to Wanfujing Snack Street. It was incredibly packed with (mainly) Chinese tourists from other parts of China and the food didn't really look all that appealing. There were some performances on side streets nearby, but otherwise it was a bit of a gimmick. I ended up getting some candied strawberries, which were pretty good. Then I went to the food court at the Oriental Plaza mall for some real food.
Wangfujing Snack Street
Fried Scorpions and Silkworm Larvae (gross)
Wangfujing Snack Street
Side street performance
Wangfujing Snack Street
Candied strawberries and a plum (?) on a stick
I settled on a bowl of Dan Dan Noodles that cost about 20 Yuan ($3.50 USD). It was quite tasty and more food than I could possibly finish. The Lazi Ji would have to wait for another night.
Oriental Plaza Food Court
Dan Dan Noodles (yum)
Once I'd eaten, I headed back to the hotel to grab a shower and some needed sleep. I'd arranged a tour for the following morning and I was to be picked up from my hotel at 7:40 AM, so I wanted to get some sleep before my 6:30 AM wake-up.
Upon arriving to the hotel entrance within the Oriental Plaza mall, I noticed that a metal detector and x-ray machine was now present. This was the first I'd seen at the Grand Hyatt, so I just assumed it was routinely put in place in the evenings. That turned out to be an incorrect assumption...
Day 1
Technically, this was my first trip to China (PRC). Though if you ask the Chinese government, they'd probably say my multiple previous trips to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan would count as visits to China. Aside from doing a bit of research on what to see and where to stay, I didn't really know what to expect. I know some Chinese history and I spent time in university studying Chinese opera and wuxia. So I wasn't completely ignorant about Chinese culture.
The aspect of Chinese culture I'm most familiar with would have to be the food (certain regional cuisines more than others of course). From a young age, I was exposed to Sichuan and Cantonese foods, learning to use chopsticks in childhood. In particular, I was most looking forward to sampling Sichuan cuisine on my visit to Beijing. I know that's not the native cuisine to Beijing, but until I visit Chengdu that's as close as I'll get to the real thing. That said, there's a growing Chinese expat community in my hometown (PVD) and there are an increasing number of authentic Chinese restaurants popping up these days. So one doesn't have to venture all that far for a reasonably authentic facsimile of Chongqing chicken (lazi ji).
Back to the trip. I took the MRT to Tiantan East Gate station and entered the Temple of Heaven complex by the East Gate. I'm not going to label the name of each specific building here, but if you'd like to know what something is, just ask.
Overall, it was a very nice temple complex. The grounds were well maintained and it was very pleasant walking through the park. It was a bit crowded in places, but not bad. It was very hot, so I eventually bought some overpriced water. I stayed for around 2 hours. I followed a walking route I found on timeoutbeijing.com and it worked quite well.
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven
After seeing most of the park, I made my way back to the MRT and made the 1 hour journey to the Summer Palace at the other end of the city. A taxi would've taken a similar amount of time at that time of day, so the MRT was definitely worthwhile. It was very cheap and dead simple to navigate my way around. I had to be a bit more aggressive in lines than usual, but I don't mind it. Everything was fairly orderly and people mostly formed lines, unlike other places I've been (looking at you, Israel).
I took the MRT to Beigongmen Station. The northernmost entrance was right down the street from the MRT. A short walk later and I was inside. The palace is quite beautiful, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
Summer Palace
I spent about two hours at the palace. By that time, it was around 5PM and I was getting pretty hungry. Though I was also pretty tired from all the activity. I left the palace from the East Gate and used the Xiyuan MRT station to begin the 30-40 minute ride to my hotel. On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at a bakery at the Oriental Plaza and picked up some snacks. Oddly, they all contained some form of hot dog or sausage.
Bread Talk
Oriental Plaza
Bread Talk
Oriental Plaza
Bread Talk
Oriental Plaza
After resting in my room for an hour or so, I ventured out to Wanfujing Snack Street. It was incredibly packed with (mainly) Chinese tourists from other parts of China and the food didn't really look all that appealing. There were some performances on side streets nearby, but otherwise it was a bit of a gimmick. I ended up getting some candied strawberries, which were pretty good. Then I went to the food court at the Oriental Plaza mall for some real food.
Wangfujing Snack Street
Fried Scorpions and Silkworm Larvae (gross)
Wangfujing Snack Street
Side street performance
Wangfujing Snack Street
Candied strawberries and a plum (?) on a stick
I settled on a bowl of Dan Dan Noodles that cost about 20 Yuan ($3.50 USD). It was quite tasty and more food than I could possibly finish. The Lazi Ji would have to wait for another night.
Oriental Plaza Food Court
Dan Dan Noodles (yum)
Once I'd eaten, I headed back to the hotel to grab a shower and some needed sleep. I'd arranged a tour for the following morning and I was to be picked up from my hotel at 7:40 AM, so I wanted to get some sleep before my 6:30 AM wake-up.
Upon arriving to the hotel entrance within the Oriental Plaza mall, I noticed that a metal detector and x-ray machine was now present. This was the first I'd seen at the Grand Hyatt, so I just assumed it was routinely put in place in the evenings. That turned out to be an incorrect assumption...
Last edited by swingaling; May 31, 2018 at 1:34 pm