RTW in J: Cairo, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Bali and Nepal
Jan 29, 2019, 4:57 pm
#31
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,677
In October 2018, I contacted two tour operators for quotes on a half day tour of Dili, Timor Adventures (TA) and Eco Discovery Timor Leste (ED). Both companies provided quotes, but ED was 50% more expensive than TA. So I booked a tour with Timor Adventures (TA), sent a deposit and confirmed the tour. So far so good. A few days before my arrival, ED emailed me asking to confirm if we were still on for the tour. I found it strange, as I'd not booked anything with ED, so I ignored the emails.
I'd arranged for TA to meet me at the airport at 8:30AM. I arrived at DIL around 7:15AM, prepared to hang out for an hour waiting on my guide to show. Strangely, a guide was already there when I landed (printed sign with my name, the whole works). I figured that was my guide from TA, so off we went in his car. Note: he had no company insignia on his shirt, car, sign board, etc. Anyway, it was strange he was there so early, but I didn't give it much thought.
We're driving into town, and ten minutes later my phone rings. The guy calling tells me his name is Julio and he's my tour guide from TA; he's at the airport and looking for me. Hmmm, strange. So I ask the driver what tour company he's from and he tells me he's from Eco Discovery. Ok then. I asked the driver/guide to take me back to the airport because I'd already booked a tour with TA (and never booked anything with ED, just asked for a quote). He complied and dropped me at the airport without any issue.
Definitely not how I expected to start my visit in Dili.
I'd arranged for TA to meet me at the airport at 8:30AM. I arrived at DIL around 7:15AM, prepared to hang out for an hour waiting on my guide to show. Strangely, a guide was already there when I landed (printed sign with my name, the whole works). I figured that was my guide from TA, so off we went in his car. Note: he had no company insignia on his shirt, car, sign board, etc. Anyway, it was strange he was there so early, but I didn't give it much thought.
We're driving into town, and ten minutes later my phone rings. The guy calling tells me his name is Julio and he's my tour guide from TA; he's at the airport and looking for me. Hmmm, strange. So I ask the driver what tour company he's from and he tells me he's from Eco Discovery. Ok then. I asked the driver/guide to take me back to the airport because I'd already booked a tour with TA (and never booked anything with ED, just asked for a quote). He complied and dropped me at the airport without any issue.
Definitely not how I expected to start my visit in Dili.
I thought it could have been a scam, that they pick you up early and then make you pay more before you leave
Jan 30, 2019, 6:28 am
#32
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DTW
Posts: 322
Initially, I'd wanted to arrange some kind of short tour for my arrival day. I contacted a few different tour operators, but their prices were crazy. They wanted roughly $400 US for a 4 hour tour of Port Moresby. Given that there really are no sights to be seen, it didn't seem worth the cost. Instead, I figured I could arrange a car and driver (and perhaps a guide) upon my arrival. The hotel provided some options in the days leading up to the trip, but I ultimately decided to just stay at the hotel and rest.
Jan 30, 2019, 9:44 am
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Alaya Dedaun Kuta
Alaya Dedaun Kuta
Two Bedroom Villa
After getting through immigration and customs, I was greeted by a huge crowd of touts looking to give me a lift into town. I'd arranged a complimentary ride with the hotel, so I stuck around looking for my ride. Unfortunately, the driver had gone to the domestic terminal and when he did show up at the international terminal, it took 30 minutes to find him. In total, an hour wasted at the airport trying to find the driver. It was a singularly aggravating experience trying to find my driver while being beset on all sides by aggressive taxi drivers. I'll admit I lost my temper when the 15th taxi driver approached me...
My original plan had been to stay at the Grand Hyatt, but I decided that I didn't really want to stay in a sterile, walled compound (so to speak). Since my time in Bali was short, I wanted to stay somewhere close to the airport. I ultimately settled on this property, as the reviews were good and the price was reasonable.
Once I linked up with the driver, it was around 3:30PM, so I'd been awake 12 hours by that point. I was running dangerously low on decongestant, but the driver was kind enough to stop at a pharmacy on our way to the hotel. A short ride later, we made it to the hotel. I completed the check-in formalities and was in the room a few minutes later. This property was clearly geared toward couples, but it was totally fine as a solo traveler. The property itself is lovely. Very private and felt rather secluded, despite the crowded surroundings.
Gardens
Walking Path
Snail
Walkway Outside my Villa
Villa Front Door
Entryway
Front Hall
Villa Common Area
Living Room
Sitting Area
Kitchen
Dining Room
Welcome Fruit (Rambutans)
Nespresso
Walkway to Cabana
View from Cabana
Pool and Cabana
Loungers
Entry to Second Bedroom
This was closed off because I was only using the one bedroom
My Bedroom
Sitting Area in Bedroom
Porch Outside Bedroom
Bedroom
Bathroom
Shower
Big Tub
Bathroom
Once I arrived in the room, my butler showed me the room and then took my breakfast order for the following morning. He also took my tea order, as afternoon tea was included in the room rate.
The butler returned a short time later with afternoon tea, which was pretty tasty. The staff also took the opportunity to warn me not to leave food out. Apparently, there's a cat prowling the property looking for food. Sadly, the cat did not make an appearance.
Afternoon Tea
Apple tartlet, Green gelatinous blob with coconut, mini pizza
It was around 4:30PM by this time, so I relaxed for a while before figuring out what to do for dinner. I was pretty tired from the long day of travel and touring, so I ordered dinner from room service a couple hours later. The room service pricing was very reasonable.
Soto Ayam (Chicken Noodle Soup) and Fresh Lime Juice
Ayam Betutu
I think. Don't remember exactly which chicken dish this was.
Sliced Fruit
For dessert
Cookies
From turndown service
Dinner was quite good and I was in bed by 8PM. I didn't have to be up early the next day, so I wanted to take the opportunity to get as much sleep as possible.
I slept very well and woke up at 7AM the next morning. A short while later, hotel staff brought breakfast to the room. Since it was a double occupancy room, they provided breakfast for two. So I ordered two mains, because why not.
Nasi Goreng
Pretty good.
Side of Fruit
Granola Parfait
This was really tasty. Probably because they added condensed milk to the granola.
Pastries and Toast
Breakfast was quite good, though it took a bit of doing to figure out where to plug in the toaster... That said, I ate breakfast, finished getting ready and checked out around 10:15AM. Time to go back to the airport once again.
Two Bedroom Villa
After getting through immigration and customs, I was greeted by a huge crowd of touts looking to give me a lift into town. I'd arranged a complimentary ride with the hotel, so I stuck around looking for my ride. Unfortunately, the driver had gone to the domestic terminal and when he did show up at the international terminal, it took 30 minutes to find him. In total, an hour wasted at the airport trying to find the driver. It was a singularly aggravating experience trying to find my driver while being beset on all sides by aggressive taxi drivers. I'll admit I lost my temper when the 15th taxi driver approached me...
My original plan had been to stay at the Grand Hyatt, but I decided that I didn't really want to stay in a sterile, walled compound (so to speak). Since my time in Bali was short, I wanted to stay somewhere close to the airport. I ultimately settled on this property, as the reviews were good and the price was reasonable.
Once I linked up with the driver, it was around 3:30PM, so I'd been awake 12 hours by that point. I was running dangerously low on decongestant, but the driver was kind enough to stop at a pharmacy on our way to the hotel. A short ride later, we made it to the hotel. I completed the check-in formalities and was in the room a few minutes later. This property was clearly geared toward couples, but it was totally fine as a solo traveler. The property itself is lovely. Very private and felt rather secluded, despite the crowded surroundings.
Gardens
Walking Path
Snail
Walkway Outside my Villa
Villa Front Door
Entryway
Front Hall
Villa Common Area
Living Room
Sitting Area
Kitchen
Dining Room
Welcome Fruit (Rambutans)
Nespresso
Walkway to Cabana
View from Cabana
Pool and Cabana
Loungers
Entry to Second Bedroom
This was closed off because I was only using the one bedroom
My Bedroom
Sitting Area in Bedroom
Porch Outside Bedroom
Bedroom
Bathroom
Shower
Big Tub
Bathroom
Once I arrived in the room, my butler showed me the room and then took my breakfast order for the following morning. He also took my tea order, as afternoon tea was included in the room rate.
The butler returned a short time later with afternoon tea, which was pretty tasty. The staff also took the opportunity to warn me not to leave food out. Apparently, there's a cat prowling the property looking for food. Sadly, the cat did not make an appearance.
Afternoon Tea
Apple tartlet, Green gelatinous blob with coconut, mini pizza
It was around 4:30PM by this time, so I relaxed for a while before figuring out what to do for dinner. I was pretty tired from the long day of travel and touring, so I ordered dinner from room service a couple hours later. The room service pricing was very reasonable.
Soto Ayam (Chicken Noodle Soup) and Fresh Lime Juice
Ayam Betutu
I think. Don't remember exactly which chicken dish this was.
Sliced Fruit
For dessert
Cookies
From turndown service
Dinner was quite good and I was in bed by 8PM. I didn't have to be up early the next day, so I wanted to take the opportunity to get as much sleep as possible.
I slept very well and woke up at 7AM the next morning. A short while later, hotel staff brought breakfast to the room. Since it was a double occupancy room, they provided breakfast for two. So I ordered two mains, because why not.
Nasi Goreng
Pretty good.
Side of Fruit
Granola Parfait
This was really tasty. Probably because they added condensed milk to the granola.
Pastries and Toast
Breakfast was quite good, though it took a bit of doing to figure out where to plug in the toaster... That said, I ate breakfast, finished getting ready and checked out around 10:15AM. Time to go back to the airport once again.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:17 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Malaysia Airlines Business Class: Denpasar - Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines
Business Class (J)
MH Business Class Ticket
MH714: DPS-KUL (Denpasar to Kuala Lumpur)
22 January 2019
Airbus A330-200 (Two Class Configuration)
9M-MTV
Seat 3C
Departure: 1:10PM
Arrival: 4:05PM
I booked this flight because the timing was good and because I'd never flown MH before. At this point, the only oneworld airlines I haven't flown yet are LA, RJ and S7. Ideally, I'd have liked to get a direct flight from DPS to KTM, but that wasn't possible. So a stop in KUL made the most sense in terms of schedule and cost.
Check-in and immigration were a breeze, so I was airside with plenty of time to spare. I went to the contract lounge to hydrate and watch the Australian Open. Eventually, it was time to board the plane. That's around the time I noticed that we'd had an aircraft swap. Excellent.
Originally, we'd been scheduled to have an A330-300 for this flight. And I'd chosen 2A, a true window seat. Instead we got an A330-200 and I ended up in 3C. To make matters worse, our A330-200 was formerly owned by Air Berlin and still had the old AB seats (albeit with a new IFE system). They're a pretty poor hard product, though luckily it was a short flight.
9M-MTV
This plane has had a number of different operators in its short life. It flew for Air Comet, Aisrair Airlines, TAT Nigeria, Meridiana and Air Berlin before ending up with Malaysia last year.
In any event, we boarded and then we got the dreaded announcement over the PA. We were delayed due to a technical issue. Luckily, it was just a computer glitch, which was fixed by rebooting the plane (literally). After a short while, we eventually departed DPS roughly 30min late. It looks like I'd still make my connection at KUL.
View from 3C
Seat 2D
My eventual seat
Shortly after takeoff, lunch was served.
Menu
Menu
New Seat
My IFE broke right after takeoff, so I switched to an empty seat across the aisle.
Lunch
I had the beef, which was good. But the beef was quite fatty, so I only had a bite.
Other than the lackluster seating, the flight was otherwise perfectly fine. We landed at KUL a bit late, but still with plenty of time to make my onward flight.
Business Class (J)
MH Business Class Ticket
MH714: DPS-KUL (Denpasar to Kuala Lumpur)
22 January 2019
Airbus A330-200 (Two Class Configuration)
9M-MTV
Seat 3C
Departure: 1:10PM
Arrival: 4:05PM
I booked this flight because the timing was good and because I'd never flown MH before. At this point, the only oneworld airlines I haven't flown yet are LA, RJ and S7. Ideally, I'd have liked to get a direct flight from DPS to KTM, but that wasn't possible. So a stop in KUL made the most sense in terms of schedule and cost.
Check-in and immigration were a breeze, so I was airside with plenty of time to spare. I went to the contract lounge to hydrate and watch the Australian Open. Eventually, it was time to board the plane. That's around the time I noticed that we'd had an aircraft swap. Excellent.
Originally, we'd been scheduled to have an A330-300 for this flight. And I'd chosen 2A, a true window seat. Instead we got an A330-200 and I ended up in 3C. To make matters worse, our A330-200 was formerly owned by Air Berlin and still had the old AB seats (albeit with a new IFE system). They're a pretty poor hard product, though luckily it was a short flight.
9M-MTV
This plane has had a number of different operators in its short life. It flew for Air Comet, Aisrair Airlines, TAT Nigeria, Meridiana and Air Berlin before ending up with Malaysia last year.
In any event, we boarded and then we got the dreaded announcement over the PA. We were delayed due to a technical issue. Luckily, it was just a computer glitch, which was fixed by rebooting the plane (literally). After a short while, we eventually departed DPS roughly 30min late. It looks like I'd still make my connection at KUL.
View from 3C
Seat 2D
My eventual seat
Shortly after takeoff, lunch was served.
Menu
Menu
New Seat
My IFE broke right after takeoff, so I switched to an empty seat across the aisle.
Lunch
I had the beef, which was good. But the beef was quite fatty, so I only had a bite.
Other than the lackluster seating, the flight was otherwise perfectly fine. We landed at KUL a bit late, but still with plenty of time to make my onward flight.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:49 am
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Malindo Air Business Class: Kuala Lumpur - Kathmandu
Malindo Air
Business Class (J)
OD Business Class Ticket
OD182: KUL-KTM (Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu)
22 January 2019
Boeing 737-900ER (Two Class Configuration)
9M-LNG
Seat 2A
Departure: 7:10PM
Arrival: 9:40PM
Typically, I try not to book separate tickets for same day connections, especially for international-to-international "connections". In this case, I wanted to fly MH and get to KTM the same day. The next MH flight to KTM was 8AM the next day and I really didn't want to overnight in Kuala Lumpur. So I booked a KUL-KTM on Malindo as a separate ticket. I knew there was some risk here, especially if I had to go landside to check-in.
Luckily, I was able to generate a mobile boarding pass for myself the previous day. And when I arrived at KUL, the staff at the OD transfer desk were able to print a paper boarding pass for me. I was also fortunate that my MH flight hadn't been overly delayed. But I arrived at KUL with plenty of time to spare before my next flight.
I stopped at the Sama Sama Express lounge used by OD and it was pretty dire. So I used my Priority Pass to get into the Plaza Premium Lounge instead. It was a bit busy, but I was able to charge my phone and hydrate before my onward flight. Eventually, it was time to board, so I headed to the gate to complete the security screening.
Apron Views from Lounge
Plaza Lounge was very close to my gate
9M-LNG
There she is. This would be my first time flying on a 737-900ER, though DL flyers will be familiar with the type.
As expected, the boarding area was a bit of a scrum. As soon as boarding was announced, throngs of economy passengers rushed the door. Luckily, Malindo does enforce a boarding order, so I was able to board at the start of the process. Once I took my seat, I noticed the hard product is identical to what MS offers in their 737.
The other thing I noticed is the passengers were roughly 90% Nepalaese men under 30. Most of them seemed relatively new to air travel and the ones who were seated in J seemed confused to be seated in J. And it wasn't an op-up situation, as Y was not full. There were perhaps three other Westerners (all in Y) and a smattering of various East Asian nationalities represented. It was definitely a strange group of flyers and not what I was expecting. The cabin crew were Malaysian Chinese.
I would later learn that the majority of the Nepalese men on my flight were migrant workers coming home from work assignments in Malaysia.
J Cabin
Dinner was served shortly after take-off and the food was totally fine. I mostly liked the cake. The main was good, but I wasn't overly hungry.
Dinner
Chicken Biryani. Not sure what the tomato-like things were atop the rice. Definitely NOT tomatoes.
The flight was otherwise uneventful. The deplaning procedure was similarly a bit hectic, with people trying to push their way past me to deplane. But I handled it as I usually do in these situations. Stand in the middle of the aisle and don't budge an inch. One particularly pushy little fellow was very insistent on getting his bag stowed several rows in front of his seat well before it was his turn to deplane. It's not like someone was going to steal it...
But I digress. We landed at KTM and proceeded to immigration. Having completed the e-visa in advance, I paid the fee and proceeded to immigration. Once through, I got some NPR then purchased a SIM card and a pre-paid taxi voucher to my hotel. Pretty easy process overall, except my ATM card wouldn't work, so I had to resort to changing cash. Carrying crisp USD notes really comes in handy sometimes...
KTM Arrivals
Somewhat chaotic
Overall, the flight was totally fine. Felt light years safer than the NAM Air flight. Service was fine. I'd fly OD again.
Business Class (J)
OD Business Class Ticket
OD182: KUL-KTM (Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu)
22 January 2019
Boeing 737-900ER (Two Class Configuration)
9M-LNG
Seat 2A
Departure: 7:10PM
Arrival: 9:40PM
Typically, I try not to book separate tickets for same day connections, especially for international-to-international "connections". In this case, I wanted to fly MH and get to KTM the same day. The next MH flight to KTM was 8AM the next day and I really didn't want to overnight in Kuala Lumpur. So I booked a KUL-KTM on Malindo as a separate ticket. I knew there was some risk here, especially if I had to go landside to check-in.
Luckily, I was able to generate a mobile boarding pass for myself the previous day. And when I arrived at KUL, the staff at the OD transfer desk were able to print a paper boarding pass for me. I was also fortunate that my MH flight hadn't been overly delayed. But I arrived at KUL with plenty of time to spare before my next flight.
I stopped at the Sama Sama Express lounge used by OD and it was pretty dire. So I used my Priority Pass to get into the Plaza Premium Lounge instead. It was a bit busy, but I was able to charge my phone and hydrate before my onward flight. Eventually, it was time to board, so I headed to the gate to complete the security screening.
Apron Views from Lounge
Plaza Lounge was very close to my gate
9M-LNG
There she is. This would be my first time flying on a 737-900ER, though DL flyers will be familiar with the type.
As expected, the boarding area was a bit of a scrum. As soon as boarding was announced, throngs of economy passengers rushed the door. Luckily, Malindo does enforce a boarding order, so I was able to board at the start of the process. Once I took my seat, I noticed the hard product is identical to what MS offers in their 737.
The other thing I noticed is the passengers were roughly 90% Nepalaese men under 30. Most of them seemed relatively new to air travel and the ones who were seated in J seemed confused to be seated in J. And it wasn't an op-up situation, as Y was not full. There were perhaps three other Westerners (all in Y) and a smattering of various East Asian nationalities represented. It was definitely a strange group of flyers and not what I was expecting. The cabin crew were Malaysian Chinese.
I would later learn that the majority of the Nepalese men on my flight were migrant workers coming home from work assignments in Malaysia.
J Cabin
Dinner was served shortly after take-off and the food was totally fine. I mostly liked the cake. The main was good, but I wasn't overly hungry.
Dinner
Chicken Biryani. Not sure what the tomato-like things were atop the rice. Definitely NOT tomatoes.
The flight was otherwise uneventful. The deplaning procedure was similarly a bit hectic, with people trying to push their way past me to deplane. But I handled it as I usually do in these situations. Stand in the middle of the aisle and don't budge an inch. One particularly pushy little fellow was very insistent on getting his bag stowed several rows in front of his seat well before it was his turn to deplane. It's not like someone was going to steal it...
But I digress. We landed at KTM and proceeded to immigration. Having completed the e-visa in advance, I paid the fee and proceeded to immigration. Once through, I got some NPR then purchased a SIM card and a pre-paid taxi voucher to my hotel. Pretty easy process overall, except my ATM card wouldn't work, so I had to resort to changing cash. Carrying crisp USD notes really comes in handy sometimes...
KTM Arrivals
Somewhat chaotic
Overall, the flight was totally fine. Felt light years safer than the NAM Air flight. Service was fine. I'd fly OD again.
Jan 30, 2019, 11:05 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Hyatt Regency Kathmandu
Hyatt Regency Kathmandu
Club Room
The taxi had me at the Hyatt within 10-15 minutes. I'd booked this hotel on points because it was such a good deal compared to the cash rate. Since I had temporary Explorist status, the hotel upgraded me to a Club Room on the fifth floor. The hotel is about what I was expecting. Admittedly, the building feels a bit older than its actual age. It feels like a 100+ year old building, but it's only 20 years old.
Regardless, check-in was quick and I was in my room before 11PM. I'd arranged for a tour the following day, with a 9AM start time. Since I wanted to be up at 7AM, I went to bed straight away. The room was pretty quiet and I slept well.
Hotel Lobby
In daylight
Entryway
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bedroom
View from the Room
View from the Room
View from the Room
The next morning, I headed down to the buffet. The selection was pretty decent and they made me an omelette to order. Not the greatest Hyatt buffet, but good enough.
Breakfast
Skipping ahead a bit, after the tour the next day I had dinner in the room before departing for the airport.
Dinner Before Departure
Pizza and Perrier
Club Room
The taxi had me at the Hyatt within 10-15 minutes. I'd booked this hotel on points because it was such a good deal compared to the cash rate. Since I had temporary Explorist status, the hotel upgraded me to a Club Room on the fifth floor. The hotel is about what I was expecting. Admittedly, the building feels a bit older than its actual age. It feels like a 100+ year old building, but it's only 20 years old.
Regardless, check-in was quick and I was in my room before 11PM. I'd arranged for a tour the following day, with a 9AM start time. Since I wanted to be up at 7AM, I went to bed straight away. The room was pretty quiet and I slept well.
Hotel Lobby
In daylight
Entryway
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bedroom
View from the Room
View from the Room
View from the Room
The next morning, I headed down to the buffet. The selection was pretty decent and they made me an omelette to order. Not the greatest Hyatt buffet, but good enough.
Breakfast
Skipping ahead a bit, after the tour the next day I had dinner in the room before departing for the airport.
Dinner Before Departure
Pizza and Perrier
Jan 30, 2019, 11:32 am
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,522
The Alaya Dedaun Kuta looks nice and seems to reasonable priced. Didn´t here much about it before.
Perhaps the cat didn´t appear as you didn´t leave food out for him/her
Had the same with monkeys in the past.
Perhaps the cat didn´t appear as you didn´t leave food out for him/her
Had the same with monkeys in the past.
Jan 30, 2019, 12:01 pm
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Kathmandu
Kathmandu, Nepal
I'd arranged for a guide to show me around Kathmandu. The plan was to hit 4 of the major UNESCO World Heritage sites. The guide met me in the hotel lobby promptly at 9AM and off we went.
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
After visiting the stupa, we walked a short way to meet up with our driver. Getting across this street was a bit of a challenge, as it was quite muddy.
Kathmandu Streets
Shop
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Amazon, eh?
Next stop was Pashupatinath, one of the most important Hindu religious sites. It's the primary cremation place for many in Kathmandu. It operates constantly, with cremations performed at all times of the day.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
As a non-Hindu, this was as far as I was allowed to go. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple proper.
Pashupatinath
This is one of the rivers that feeds the Ganges. As such, it's considered a holy river among Hindus.
Pashupatinath
Cremations are performed on the stone platforms on the left.
Pashupatinath
One cremation in progress. One body on the ramp in the distance being prepared for cremation. Two additional bodies awaiting processing before cremation.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Despite the rain, the cremations proceeded without issue.
Pashupatinath
Man tending a cremation. He added packs of vegetable oil and sprinkled sugar on the body to aid with cremation.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Farther down river, several other cremations were proceeding simultaneously.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Just a bull. Hanging out as bulls do.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
More monkeys
After the temple, we walked a ways to meet up with the driver again.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Royal bathtub
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
It was around lunch time, so I stopped at a restaurant inside the palace complex. The food was good, though expensive by Nepalese standards. Probably $10 US total.
Tea
Chicken Momo
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
After Durbar, we walked to the Golden Temple, which was relatively close by.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
We then walked back to Durbar Square to meet up with our driver once more.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Our final stop on the tour was at the Monkey Temple. It got its nickname from the monkeys that live there, unsurprisingly.
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Creepy Blinking Monkey
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
This poor guy needs some vet care
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
These buildings toppled during the recent earthquake
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
View of Kathmandu
Lots of smog
Kathmandu View
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
After this, they dropped me at my hotel in mid afternoon. I took the rest of the afternoon to rest before my evening flight to Hong Kong.
I'd arranged for a guide to show me around Kathmandu. The plan was to hit 4 of the major UNESCO World Heritage sites. The guide met me in the hotel lobby promptly at 9AM and off we went.
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
Boudhanath
After visiting the stupa, we walked a short way to meet up with our driver. Getting across this street was a bit of a challenge, as it was quite muddy.
Kathmandu Streets
Shop
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Amazon, eh?
Next stop was Pashupatinath, one of the most important Hindu religious sites. It's the primary cremation place for many in Kathmandu. It operates constantly, with cremations performed at all times of the day.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
As a non-Hindu, this was as far as I was allowed to go. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple proper.
Pashupatinath
This is one of the rivers that feeds the Ganges. As such, it's considered a holy river among Hindus.
Pashupatinath
Cremations are performed on the stone platforms on the left.
Pashupatinath
One cremation in progress. One body on the ramp in the distance being prepared for cremation. Two additional bodies awaiting processing before cremation.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Despite the rain, the cremations proceeded without issue.
Pashupatinath
Man tending a cremation. He added packs of vegetable oil and sprinkled sugar on the body to aid with cremation.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Farther down river, several other cremations were proceeding simultaneously.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
Just a bull. Hanging out as bulls do.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath
More monkeys
After the temple, we walked a ways to meet up with the driver again.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Royal bathtub
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
It was around lunch time, so I stopped at a restaurant inside the palace complex. The food was good, though expensive by Nepalese standards. Probably $10 US total.
Tea
Chicken Momo
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
After Durbar, we walked to the Golden Temple, which was relatively close by.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
Kwa Bahal
We then walked back to Durbar Square to meet up with our driver once more.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
Our final stop on the tour was at the Monkey Temple. It got its nickname from the monkeys that live there, unsurprisingly.
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Creepy Blinking Monkey
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
This poor guy needs some vet care
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
These buildings toppled during the recent earthquake
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
View of Kathmandu
Lots of smog
Kathmandu View
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
After this, they dropped me at my hotel in mid afternoon. I took the rest of the afternoon to rest before my evening flight to Hong Kong.
Jan 30, 2019, 12:14 pm
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
From what I can tell, tourism in TL is a struggling industry. They don't get many visitors, no doubt due to the relative dearth of tourist infrastructure and difficulty getting to Timor. So they're fairly competitive on pricing and ED seems to try to poach customers from TA. Julio from TA told me of another example recently where a tourist wrote a bad review of TA on Trip Advisor, basically saying he'd been greatly overcharged. The problem was, TA had never given that fellow a tour. Seems like a bit of shady business practices happening with ED and perhaps other operators. TA was completely transparent and reliable with me, so I tend to believe them.
From my time in POM, I was quite taken aback at the hospitality of the people there. A lot of the local shop keepers are from other villages throughout the country and they always had a cousin or sibling in the area who they insisted on calling up to show me around as a non-local. I actually took one of them up on their offer and was taken to see some breath-taking places in Varirata!
My experience was similar in that everyone I met in PNG was super friendly. I know PNG has a bad reputation (deservedly so, from what I've read), but every person I met was quite friendly and generally went out of their way to be helpful.
Jan 30, 2019, 12:38 pm
#41
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Cathay Dragon Business Class: Kathmandu - Hong Kong
Cathay Dragon
Business Class (J)
CX Business Class Ticket
KA103: KTM-HKG (Kathmandu to Hong Kong)
23 January 2019
Airbus A330-300 (Two Class Configuration)
B-LBK
Seat 11D
Departure: 11:15PM
Arrival: 5:50AM+1
After a rest and some dinner, I took the hotel shuttle to the airport. The cost was free because I'd drawn free Regency Club access upon check-in. Either way, the shuttle normally only costs $12 each way, so fairly reasonable (versus $6-$8 for a taxi).
In any event, I arrived at the airport a couple hours prior to departure. I completed check-in at the counter, as they had to verify my credit card (the first time CX has done this to me). For those wondering, the reason why I was using KTM as the start point for my flight back to the US was due to cost. A round trip J ticket KTM-BOS cost the same as a round trip PE ticket BOS-HKG; in other words, an excellent value.
I will add that the check-in counters at KTM were a bit of a mess. Some folks didn't understand (perhaps willful ignorance) the concept of a dedicated business class check-in counter and wanted to cut ahead of me. Counter staff handled the situation well, but the check-in process was a bit of a scrum, as expected.
After check-in I proceeded to the lounge (pre-security, post-immigration) to wait until it was time to go through security. The lounge is nothing special so I killed time by hydrating and blowing my nose. Oh, and coughing too. Eventually, it was time to board. The gate area was an absolute zoo and we boarded by walking across the tarmac.
B-LBK
I was familiar with this seat configuration, as I'd flown it on the CX regional fleet previously. I also knew that meant a dismal chance that I'd get any sleep on this flight.
The forward cabin was roughly 70% full, but I had an empty seat beside me once again.
J Cabin
Good Legroom
Since sleep was unlikely, I partook of the meal service. It was nothing special, but good enough.
Menu
Fruit
Chicken
Dessert
I then tried in vain to sleep, but it didn't happen for me. We arrived at HKG on time and offloaded near gate 36, right across the hall from transit security. I got through security in 5 minutes and headed straight for the Aerotel located near gate 35. I could have gone into the city for a day hotel, but the extra hassle wasn't really worth it. So I got a room at Aerotel for 6 hours and promptly passed out.
Aerotel Room
I got a solid 5 hours of sleep, despite the fact that the bed was more a day bed. The room lacked individual A/C controls, so it started to get a bit warm at noon. Also, the curtains didn't block out all light, though they did a reasonable job of keeping it dark-ish. After a good long nap, I cleaned up and went to grab some breakfast.
Apron View from Aerotel Room
Overall, the flight was fine. But I really disliked the timing of the KTM flight. It's timed to coincide with the morning flight bank (similar to ex-US flights), so the timing is pretty terrible for connecting to US-bound flights. Unfortunately, I suspect the demand for a double daily to KTM just isn't there.
Business Class (J)
CX Business Class Ticket
KA103: KTM-HKG (Kathmandu to Hong Kong)
23 January 2019
Airbus A330-300 (Two Class Configuration)
B-LBK
Seat 11D
Departure: 11:15PM
Arrival: 5:50AM+1
After a rest and some dinner, I took the hotel shuttle to the airport. The cost was free because I'd drawn free Regency Club access upon check-in. Either way, the shuttle normally only costs $12 each way, so fairly reasonable (versus $6-$8 for a taxi).
In any event, I arrived at the airport a couple hours prior to departure. I completed check-in at the counter, as they had to verify my credit card (the first time CX has done this to me). For those wondering, the reason why I was using KTM as the start point for my flight back to the US was due to cost. A round trip J ticket KTM-BOS cost the same as a round trip PE ticket BOS-HKG; in other words, an excellent value.
I will add that the check-in counters at KTM were a bit of a mess. Some folks didn't understand (perhaps willful ignorance) the concept of a dedicated business class check-in counter and wanted to cut ahead of me. Counter staff handled the situation well, but the check-in process was a bit of a scrum, as expected.
After check-in I proceeded to the lounge (pre-security, post-immigration) to wait until it was time to go through security. The lounge is nothing special so I killed time by hydrating and blowing my nose. Oh, and coughing too. Eventually, it was time to board. The gate area was an absolute zoo and we boarded by walking across the tarmac.
B-LBK
I was familiar with this seat configuration, as I'd flown it on the CX regional fleet previously. I also knew that meant a dismal chance that I'd get any sleep on this flight.
The forward cabin was roughly 70% full, but I had an empty seat beside me once again.
J Cabin
Good Legroom
Since sleep was unlikely, I partook of the meal service. It was nothing special, but good enough.
Menu
Fruit
Chicken
Dessert
I then tried in vain to sleep, but it didn't happen for me. We arrived at HKG on time and offloaded near gate 36, right across the hall from transit security. I got through security in 5 minutes and headed straight for the Aerotel located near gate 35. I could have gone into the city for a day hotel, but the extra hassle wasn't really worth it. So I got a room at Aerotel for 6 hours and promptly passed out.
Aerotel Room
I got a solid 5 hours of sleep, despite the fact that the bed was more a day bed. The room lacked individual A/C controls, so it started to get a bit warm at noon. Also, the curtains didn't block out all light, though they did a reasonable job of keeping it dark-ish. After a good long nap, I cleaned up and went to grab some breakfast.
Apron View from Aerotel Room
Overall, the flight was fine. But I really disliked the timing of the KTM flight. It's timed to coincide with the morning flight bank (similar to ex-US flights), so the timing is pretty terrible for connecting to US-bound flights. Unfortunately, I suspect the demand for a double daily to KTM just isn't there.
Jan 30, 2019, 1:02 pm
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Hong Kong - Boston
Cathay Pacific
Business Class (J)
CX Business Class Ticket
CX812: HKG-BOS (Hong Kong to Boston)
24 January 2019
Boeing 777-300ER (Four Class Configuration)
B-KPX
Seat 11K
Departure: 6:05PM
Arrival: 8:55PM
Typically, I'd never consider spending a 12 hour layover airside at HKG. It's a good airport, but there's really not enough to do for such a long layover. Since I needed to sleep, I killed half of the layover straight away. A 6 hour layover is a lot more manageable, especially since I had to do a bit of shopping for gifts before my departure.
First stop was breakfast in the food court. There's a new Thai restaurant I hadn't tried, so I got a quick bite there first.
Caption
No need for the egg and rice. Pork and holy basil is all I need.
After that, I did some walking and purchased some gifts to take home with me. I then went looking for the observation deck near gate 45, but couldn't find it. So I went to have an afternoon snack.
Sauteed Veggies
Baby Gai Lan, I believe.
Roast Pork and Soy Chicken
After that snack, I went to Pier J for a shower. Then made my way to Wing F to wait for departure.
I went to the Haven restaurant in Wing F to spend the time. The menu was entirely underwhelming, so I had some water and tea while waiting.
Wing F Menu
Eventually, I made my way to gate 4, where our plane was awaiting us. Boarding was the same song and dance as usual, and we were aboard after a short wait.
B-KPX
J Seat
This flight would also be my first opportunity to try out the new J meal service "enhancements". I'm not a fan.
Menu
Menu
Cathay Delight PDB
Our departure was delayed by 30 minutes because HKG changed the departure runway, causing things to back up a bit.
Nuts and water
The FA took my dinner order shortly after take-off. Being at the front of the J cabin, I was among the first to be served. Even so, the meal service took a long time. There was a sizable delay between courses, with the entire service taking over 3 hours.
Starter
Tenderloin
The steak was cooked medium and was quite tasty. The polenta was a miss, but I'm not a huge polenta fan regardless.
Dessert
The fruit was good, but the ginger pudding was bad. Not sweet and an unpleasant texture.
At this point, I decided to get some sleep. I slept for perhaps 6 hours and awoke hungry again. So I ordered a burger. As always, the burger is top notch.
Burger
I spent the remainder of the flight resting.
Second Sunset of the Day
Somewhere over Manitoba
Around 3 hours prior to landing, cabin crew came around and took breakfast orders. I chose the congee, which was a mistake. The taste wasn't bad, but they didn't serve any condiments with it (ginger, spring onion, chili sauce, etc) and I couldn't get any FA to bring me any. They simply didn't respond to the call button. Unsurprising given how busy it was, but a bit disappointing all the same.
Congee
Eventually, we landed at BOS a bit late. The weather at BOS was very windy when we landed and the plane was swaying heavily during the final descent. It seemed like the starboard wing came a bit close to a ground strike. But the pilot put her down on the first try, so definitely did a great job in challenging weather conditions.
I was through immigration in under 10 minutes and on my way home. Overall, a decent trip despite the cold.
Business Class (J)
CX Business Class Ticket
CX812: HKG-BOS (Hong Kong to Boston)
24 January 2019
Boeing 777-300ER (Four Class Configuration)
B-KPX
Seat 11K
Departure: 6:05PM
Arrival: 8:55PM
Typically, I'd never consider spending a 12 hour layover airside at HKG. It's a good airport, but there's really not enough to do for such a long layover. Since I needed to sleep, I killed half of the layover straight away. A 6 hour layover is a lot more manageable, especially since I had to do a bit of shopping for gifts before my departure.
First stop was breakfast in the food court. There's a new Thai restaurant I hadn't tried, so I got a quick bite there first.
Caption
No need for the egg and rice. Pork and holy basil is all I need.
After that, I did some walking and purchased some gifts to take home with me. I then went looking for the observation deck near gate 45, but couldn't find it. So I went to have an afternoon snack.
Sauteed Veggies
Baby Gai Lan, I believe.
Roast Pork and Soy Chicken
After that snack, I went to Pier J for a shower. Then made my way to Wing F to wait for departure.
I went to the Haven restaurant in Wing F to spend the time. The menu was entirely underwhelming, so I had some water and tea while waiting.
Wing F Menu
Eventually, I made my way to gate 4, where our plane was awaiting us. Boarding was the same song and dance as usual, and we were aboard after a short wait.
B-KPX
J Seat
This flight would also be my first opportunity to try out the new J meal service "enhancements". I'm not a fan.
Menu
Menu
Cathay Delight PDB
Our departure was delayed by 30 minutes because HKG changed the departure runway, causing things to back up a bit.
Nuts and water
The FA took my dinner order shortly after take-off. Being at the front of the J cabin, I was among the first to be served. Even so, the meal service took a long time. There was a sizable delay between courses, with the entire service taking over 3 hours.
Starter
Tenderloin
The steak was cooked medium and was quite tasty. The polenta was a miss, but I'm not a huge polenta fan regardless.
Dessert
The fruit was good, but the ginger pudding was bad. Not sweet and an unpleasant texture.
At this point, I decided to get some sleep. I slept for perhaps 6 hours and awoke hungry again. So I ordered a burger. As always, the burger is top notch.
Burger
I spent the remainder of the flight resting.
Second Sunset of the Day
Somewhere over Manitoba
Around 3 hours prior to landing, cabin crew came around and took breakfast orders. I chose the congee, which was a mistake. The taste wasn't bad, but they didn't serve any condiments with it (ginger, spring onion, chili sauce, etc) and I couldn't get any FA to bring me any. They simply didn't respond to the call button. Unsurprising given how busy it was, but a bit disappointing all the same.
Congee
Eventually, we landed at BOS a bit late. The weather at BOS was very windy when we landed and the plane was swaying heavily during the final descent. It seemed like the starboard wing came a bit close to a ground strike. But the pilot put her down on the first try, so definitely did a great job in challenging weather conditions.
I was through immigration in under 10 minutes and on my way home. Overall, a decent trip despite the cold.
Jan 30, 2019, 8:13 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bargara Australia
Programs: VA, SQ, IHG, HH,ALL, Europcar
Posts: 1,530
Alaya Dedaun Kuta
Two Bedroom Villa
After getting through immigration and customs, I was greeted by a huge crowd of touts looking to give me a lift into town. I'd arranged a complimentary ride with the hotel, so I stuck around looking for my ride. Unfortunately, the driver had gone to the domestic terminal and when he did show up at the international terminal, it took 30 minutes to find him. In total, an hour wasted at the airport trying to find the driver. It was a singularly aggravating experience trying to find my driver while being beset on all sides by aggressive taxi drivers. I'll admit I lost my temper when the 15th taxi driver approached me...
My original plan had been to stay at the Grand Hyatt, but I decided that I didn't really want to stay in a sterile, walled compound (so to speak). Since my time in Bali was short, I wanted to stay somewhere close to the airport. I ultimately settled on this property, as the reviews were good and the price was reasonable.
Once I linked up with the driver, it was around 3:30PM, so I'd been awake 12 hours by that point. I was running dangerously low on decongestant, but the driver was kind enough to stop at a pharmacy on our way to the hotel. A short ride later, we made it to the hotel. I completed the check-in formalities and was in the room a few minutes later. This property was clearly geared toward couples, but it was totally fine as a solo traveler. The property itself is lovely. Very private and felt rather secluded, despite the crowded surroundings.
Gardens
Walking Path
Snail
Walkway Outside my Villa
Villa Front Door
Entryway
Front Hall
Villa Common Area
Living Room
Sitting Area
Kitchen
Dining Room
Welcome Fruit (Rambutans)
Nespresso
Walkway to Cabana
View from Cabana
Pool and Cabana
Loungers
Entry to Second Bedroom
This was closed off because I was only using the one bedroom
My Bedroom
Sitting Area in Bedroom
Porch Outside Bedroom
Bedroom
Bathroom
Shower
Big Tub
Bathroom
Once I arrived in the room, my butler showed me the room and then took my breakfast order for the following morning. He also took my tea order, as afternoon tea was included in the room rate.
The butler returned a short time later with afternoon tea, which was pretty tasty. The staff also took the opportunity to warn me not to leave food out. Apparently, there's a cat prowling the property looking for food. Sadly, the cat did not make an appearance.
Afternoon Tea
Apple tartlet, Green gelatinous blob with coconut, mini pizza
It was around 4:30PM by this time, so I relaxed for a while before figuring out what to do for dinner. I was pretty tired from the long day of travel and touring, so I ordered dinner from room service a couple hours later. The room service pricing was very reasonable.
Soto Ayam (Chicken Noodle Soup) and Fresh Lime Juice
Ayam Betutu
I think. Don't remember exactly which chicken dish this was.
Sliced Fruit
For dessert
Cookies
From turndown service
Dinner was quite good and I was in bed by 8PM. I didn't have to be up early the next day, so I wanted to take the opportunity to get as much sleep as possible.
I slept very well and woke up at 7AM the next morning. A short while later, hotel staff brought breakfast to the room. Since it was a double occupancy room, they provided breakfast for two. So I ordered two mains, because why not.
Nasi Goreng
Pretty good.
Side of Fruit
Granola Parfait
This was really tasty. Probably because they added condensed milk to the granola.
Pastries and Toast
Breakfast was quite good, though it took a bit of doing to figure out where to plug in the toaster... That said, I ate breakfast, finished getting ready and checked out around 10:15AM. Time to go back to the airport once again.
Two Bedroom Villa
After getting through immigration and customs, I was greeted by a huge crowd of touts looking to give me a lift into town. I'd arranged a complimentary ride with the hotel, so I stuck around looking for my ride. Unfortunately, the driver had gone to the domestic terminal and when he did show up at the international terminal, it took 30 minutes to find him. In total, an hour wasted at the airport trying to find the driver. It was a singularly aggravating experience trying to find my driver while being beset on all sides by aggressive taxi drivers. I'll admit I lost my temper when the 15th taxi driver approached me...
My original plan had been to stay at the Grand Hyatt, but I decided that I didn't really want to stay in a sterile, walled compound (so to speak). Since my time in Bali was short, I wanted to stay somewhere close to the airport. I ultimately settled on this property, as the reviews were good and the price was reasonable.
Once I linked up with the driver, it was around 3:30PM, so I'd been awake 12 hours by that point. I was running dangerously low on decongestant, but the driver was kind enough to stop at a pharmacy on our way to the hotel. A short ride later, we made it to the hotel. I completed the check-in formalities and was in the room a few minutes later. This property was clearly geared toward couples, but it was totally fine as a solo traveler. The property itself is lovely. Very private and felt rather secluded, despite the crowded surroundings.
Gardens
Walking Path
Snail
Walkway Outside my Villa
Villa Front Door
Entryway
Front Hall
Villa Common Area
Living Room
Sitting Area
Kitchen
Dining Room
Welcome Fruit (Rambutans)
Nespresso
Walkway to Cabana
View from Cabana
Pool and Cabana
Loungers
Entry to Second Bedroom
This was closed off because I was only using the one bedroom
My Bedroom
Sitting Area in Bedroom
Porch Outside Bedroom
Bedroom
Bathroom
Shower
Big Tub
Bathroom
Once I arrived in the room, my butler showed me the room and then took my breakfast order for the following morning. He also took my tea order, as afternoon tea was included in the room rate.
The butler returned a short time later with afternoon tea, which was pretty tasty. The staff also took the opportunity to warn me not to leave food out. Apparently, there's a cat prowling the property looking for food. Sadly, the cat did not make an appearance.
Afternoon Tea
Apple tartlet, Green gelatinous blob with coconut, mini pizza
It was around 4:30PM by this time, so I relaxed for a while before figuring out what to do for dinner. I was pretty tired from the long day of travel and touring, so I ordered dinner from room service a couple hours later. The room service pricing was very reasonable.
Soto Ayam (Chicken Noodle Soup) and Fresh Lime Juice
Ayam Betutu
I think. Don't remember exactly which chicken dish this was.
Sliced Fruit
For dessert
Cookies
From turndown service
Dinner was quite good and I was in bed by 8PM. I didn't have to be up early the next day, so I wanted to take the opportunity to get as much sleep as possible.
I slept very well and woke up at 7AM the next morning. A short while later, hotel staff brought breakfast to the room. Since it was a double occupancy room, they provided breakfast for two. So I ordered two mains, because why not.
Nasi Goreng
Pretty good.
Side of Fruit
Granola Parfait
This was really tasty. Probably because they added condensed milk to the granola.
Pastries and Toast
Breakfast was quite good, though it took a bit of doing to figure out where to plug in the toaster... That said, I ate breakfast, finished getting ready and checked out around 10:15AM. Time to go back to the airport once again.
Ayam Betutu is Chicken wrapped in banana leaf then cooked - Ayam is Chicken - Betutu is the cooking method - as the Indonesians say "enak sekali" delicious