swingaling

Background:

Continuing toward my goal of visiting every country, this trip came about because I had an inbound portion of a PEK-BOS-PEK ticket to use. I'd previously attempted (and failed) to visit Mongolia in May 2018, so this ticket to PEK was the perfect opportunity to get that done. Excluding Mongolia, I'd already finished up the majority of Asia east of India, with Russia, Bhutan and N Korea the only remaining countries. Since I'd already made so much progress in Asia, I needed to start working on Africa. I'd been putting off going to Africa, so I figured it was time to dive in.

Mongolia has very limited air connectivity and high airfares, so I didn't want to fly west to FRA. Instead, I flew to ICN and onward to Africa from there. Since I'd previously only transited Seoul airside, this would give me an opportunity to get out and see the city. Luckily, there was good J award inventory from ICN to ADD, so I booked that leg next. From ADD, I headed to Kenya, Zanzibar, Rwanda, Uganda and finally to South Africa. JNB was the final stop before heading back home. Incidentally, this trip was my second RTW of 2019 in which I visited both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, though that wasn't my primary intention.

Trip Highlights:

• Ulan Bator and surrounds
• Seoul markets
• Addis Ababa market and sights
• Nairboi National Park
• Stone Town, Zanzibar
• Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
• Horseback Safari in SA

Overall Routing:


Africa Routing:


BOS-HKG-PEK (CX J ticket)
PEK-ULN (UA J award)
ULN-ICN (OM J ticket)
ICN-ADD-NBO (SQ J award)
WIL-ZNZ (F2 Y ticket)
ZNZ-JRO-KGL // KGL-LUN-JNB (WB J ticket)
JNB-LHR-BOS (BA J ticket)


Stats:

• Countries Visited: 12
• Miles Flown: 29,000
• Classes of Service: Economy and Business
• New Airlines Flown: 6
• New Countries Visited: 8
• Updated Country Count: 68

In this report:
Cathay Pacific Business Class: Boston - Hong Kong
Cathay Dragon Business Class: Hong Kong - Beijing
Air China Business Class: Beijing - Ulan Bator
Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace
Ulan Bator, Mongolia
MIAT Mongolian Airlines Business Class: Ulan Bator - Seoul
Grand Hyatt Incheon
Seoul, Korea
Ethiopian Airlines Business Class: Seoul - Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopian Airlines Economy Class: Addis Ababa - Nairobi
Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport
Nairobi, Kenya
Safarilink Economy Class: Nairobi - Zanzibar
Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Coastal Aviation Economy Class: Zanzibar - Dar Es Salaam
RwandAir Business Class: Dar Es Salaam - Kigali
Kigali Marriott Hotel
Kigali, Rwanda to Kisoro, Uganda
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Kisoro to Kigali
Kigali Marriott Hotel (Part Two)
RwandAir Business Class: Kigali - Johannesburg
Hyatt Regency Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
British Airways Business Class: Johannesburg - London
British Airways Business Class: London - Boston


Previous Trip Reports:
10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI)
Former SSRs: the Baltics, Belarus and Back
Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo)
A Passage to India with stops in Qatar, Sri Lanka and Scandinavia (AA, QR, UL in J)
An Engagement to Remember: BOS to ZQN (with a few stops along the way)
RTW in J: Cairo, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Bali and Nepal
Touring the Five Stans
A Quick Trip to Brussels and Montreal

swingaling

Cathay Pacific
Business Class
CX Business Class Ticket
CX811: BOS-HKG (Boston to Hong Kong)
18 July 2019
Boeing 777-300ER (Four Class Configuration)
B-KPE
Seat 11A
Departure: 1:50AM
Arrival: 5:10AM+1

This flight was fairly routine, without any major drama. I went to the airport using MBTA commuter rail and Silver Line, which took around 90 minutes. But the cost was only around $15, versus $60+ for Uber/Lyft.

My only complaint with this flight was the downgrade in catering in recent months. Pretty small portions and less selection than they used to have on this route. Pro tip: ask for everything you want for the meal when you order. You won't be able to get hold of a FA during the meal service. That said, the meal service was very quick on this flight. It was complete within 90 minutes of takeoff, which is quite a lot faster than in the past.

I slept a solid 10-11 hours on this flight, so I arrived in HKG feeling relatively alert. We arrived in HKG on time and I went to the Bridge Lounge for a quick shower before my next flight.

swingaling

Cathay Dragon
Business Class
CX Business Class Ticket
KA900: HKG - PEK (Hong Kong to Beijing)
19 July 2019
Airbus A330-300 (Three Class Configuration)
B-HYG
Seat 10D
Departure: 7:30AM
Arrival: 10:50AM

This flight was also pretty uneventful. The breakfast was mediocre. In particular, the noodle dish was very bland and nearly tasteless. Though I do like the meal service on KA better than CX. The flight was timely and I made it to PEK with ample time before my onward flight to Mongolia.

swingaling

Air China
Business Class
UA Business Class Award
CA955: PEK - ULN (Beijing to Ulan Bator)
19 July 2019
Boeing 737-800 (Two Class Configuration)
B-5423
Seat 2A
Departure: 3:15PM
Arrival: 5:30PM

I had a lot of time to kill at PEK, so I went to the lounge and had some noodles. Unfortunately, I promptly splashed chili oil on my shirt... After that, I made a circuit around T3E and tried to amuse myself for a few hours waiting for my flight. The flight ultimately boarded on time and we left on time as well. The flight itself was fairly uneventful. The cabin service was pretty good, though the food was a bit greasy.

The flight was fine and we were on the ground in Mongolia in no time. Immigration was quite slow, as there weren't many agents working and we'd arrived behind a flight from Seoul. I was glad to have finally arrived at ULN so I could rest in a proper bed.

I'd pre-arranged for a transfer to the hotel. The driver was there when I arrived, but the ride took forever. It was easily an hour plus for the short 18km journey to the hotel. The driver was not nearly as aggressive a driver as I'd have been in his place...













New ULN Airport (not yet complete)

flying_blue_white_red

Subscribed, most definitely!
Particularly for all these promising parts

swingaling

Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace
Ulan Bator, Mongolia


I arrived at the hotel around 7:30pm and I was pretty tired by then. I'd chosen this hotel mainly because of price, fully aware it was a Soviet era building (and all that usually entails). Despite that, it was quite a good value for the money and they did a respectable breakfast buffet. Room service was a bit lacking.

I wasn't remotely in the mood to be sociable, so I went straight to my room and ordered room service for dinner. I wasn't really in the mood for mutton, so I risked ordering schnitzel and ramen. Strange combo for sure. The ramen portion was enormous and not very good, so it was good I had the schnitzel. The schnitzel was decent, if thoroughly bland. This was probably one of the least memorable meals on the trip.

I got up early the following morning and met my guide for the day to get out and see the area a bit.

Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace


Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace

swingaling

Ulan Bator, Mongolia

I met up with the guide and we set off for the day. Traffic was pretty light, as it was a Saturday morning. Due to some roadwork on the road heading east of of UB, we had to go west and then south before finally heading east toward our destinations. It added some additional driving time, but I had the entire day.


Ulan Bator, Mongolia


Ulan Bator, Mongolia


Ulan Bator, Mongolia


Ulan Bator, Mongolia


Ulan Bator, Mongolia


Nomads


Pee Break


Steppe


Our Vehicle


A Ball



After escaping the city, the first stop was the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex. It's a pretty big draw for foreign and domestic tourists alike. It was worth a stop, but I didn't spend much time there. Perhaps 30-40 minutes.


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


There's a museum in the basement.

Evolution of the Yurt


Evolution of the Yurt


Evolution of the Yurt


Evolution of the Yurt


Evolution of the Yurt


Evolution of the Yurt


Evolution of the Yurt


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex


There was also the opportunity to hold a golden eagle, ride a camel or horse and shoot a bow.

Golden Eagle


Roadside Horses



Next stop was lunch, but we stopped at a roadside Buddhist shrine along the way. Obligatory bird trainers set up shop there.

Golden Eagle



Vulture of some kind


Roadside Shrine View


We entered the Gorkhi Terelj National Park for lunch and sightseeing. The park itself was incredibly built up for a national park. Basically, people were building all sorts of structures in the park, both private homes and businesses. It didn't really feel like a park whatsoever.

Gorkhi Terelj National Park


Our lunch stop. Not what I would have chosen, but this was the place the guide took me. There weren't a ton of options around.

Terelj Lodge


Terelj Lodge



Lunch was quite good, though.

Beef Dumplings and Salad


Pumpkin Soup


Steak and Roasted Veggies



After a leisurely lunch, we stopped at Turtle Rock on the way to a Buddhist Monastery in the park.

Turtle Rock


Turtle Rock


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery

Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery


Buddhist Monastery



That was the final item on the itinerary, so we started off toward the airport. It was a nearly 2 hour drive, but we weren't in any hurry.

offerendum

Very interesting country and report. Thanks for sharing.

swingaling

MIAT Mongolian Airlines
Business Class
OM Business Class Ticket
OM307: ULN-ICN (Ulan Bator to Seoul)
20 July 2019
Boeing 737-800 (Two Class Configuration)
EI-CXV
Seat 1A
Departure: 8:15PM 9:05PM
Arrival: 12:25AM+1 1:01AM+1

I arrived at the airport a couple hours before the flight to learn that it was delayed by nearly an hour. Moreover, I wouldn't be allowed to check-in for the flight until 7:00PM (T-2hr to departure). So, I explored the entire landside terminal and parked myself in front of a massive A/C unit until we were allowed to enter the check-in area.

Check-in, security and immigration were very fast. The entire process took perhaps 10 minutes max. Once airside, I headed to the MIAT lounge. Unfortunately, the doors were locked and no staff were to be found. The lounge staff showed up an hour later, which gave me around 30 minutes in the lounge before I had to board my flight. The lounge itself was nice, but the whole experience was a bit annoying.

To compound matters, this flight was initially scheduled to be operated by a 767-300 with flat beds. Instead, we got a swap to the 737-800.










EI-CXV


Boarding was relatively orderly and I was one of the first few on the plane, despite the fact that there was no boarding priority afforded to J pax. Perhaps this had something to do with the fact that I had the entire J cabin to myself.

That said, while the seats themselves were a commonly used model, the pitch was incredibly small. Perhaps 34" pitch maximum. I've flown in Y cabins with more pitch. It was a bit difficult to get in and out of the seats, even with no one else sitting next to me. Not a great start. The enormous headphones in the seatback pocket further restricted legroom.

J Seats


J Seats


Amenity Kit? No. Slippers.


J Seats


The meal service started shortly after takeoff. No menu. Just a choice between sausage and fish.

Meal Service


The Sausage (aka hot dogs and ketchup)



I tried to sleep a little, but it was nearly impossible. The cabin lights were on full blast the entire flight and the seat had little more than an inch or two of recline (likely because the pitch was so meager). Overall, an ok flight only because the cabin was empty. But horrible value for money and a woefully noncompetitive product in every single regard.

swingaling

Grand Hyatt Incheon
East Wing (Old Building)

I made it to ICN without too much hassle and was landside within a few minutes. I picked up my SIM card and went out to grab a taxi to the hotel. Though only 1km from the airport, I wasn't sure of the exact directions and I just wanted to go to bed. Not to mention it was hot and humid even at 2am. After some waiting, a taxi willing to take me showed up. The trip took under a minute and cost 5,000 KRW.

I checked in after a bit of hassle at the front desk (computers were rebooting or something), but eventually I was allowed to get my room. I promptly fell asleep for around 8 hours and got up around 10AM.

Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - East Wing



Skipping ahead. At the end of the day, I was feeling pretty hot and sweaty, so last minute I decided to book a room at the Hyatt again for a few hours (using points). This wasn't my original plan, but the heat and humidity in Seoul was pretty bad. So I ended up in a different room this time in the West Wing, which is the new building. The room was definitely nicer and I had pretty good views of the T1 apron.





Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Grand Hyatt Incheon - West Wing



Overall, I was happy with the Hyatt. It was quite convenient for accessing the airport, though it would be nice if the Maglev and hotel shuttle operated an expanded schedule.

swingaling

Seoul, Korea

I made a plan of places to see in advance, but I somewhat underestimated how hot and sticky it would be outside. As such, I ended up cutting the outing short by a couple hours in favor of relaxing in the hotel.

I skipped breakfast and caught the Maglev right beside the Hyatt and went into T1 to store my bag for the day. I then bought a T Money card and proceeded to the AREX all stop line for the trip into Seoul. At Seoul Station, I transferred to the metro the rest of the way.

Maglev



Maglev



Maglev


First stop was Namdaemun Market. It was raining moderately, so I bought a cheap umbrella then bought a hotteok filled with sugar and peanuts. It was quite tasty, but could've been a bit sweeter for my taste. Cost 2,000 KRW.

Namdaemun Market



Namdaemun Market



Namdaemun Market



Namdaemun Market



Namdaemun Market



Namdaemun Market


I hopped back on the metro and headed toward Gwangjang Market next.

Seoul



Seoul



Gwangjang Market



Gwangjang Market



Gwangjang Market



Gwangjang Market


I stopped for some dumplings for lunch. They were tasty enough, but really nothing special.

Gwangjang Market



Gwangjang Market



Gwangjang Market


Next up, I went to the palace. First I stopped at the Museum Cafe for a lemonade and some A/C so I could stop sweating so profusely. Then I briefly toured the palace before heading to the Bukchon Hanok Village.

Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum



Gyeongbokgung Palace & Museum


After making a few wrong turns in search of the Bukchon Hanok Village, I gave up and headed toward Insa-dong. It was uncomfortably hot and humid out, so I wasn't really in the mood to wander around aimlessly.

Insa-dong


Next up the Jonggak Avenue of Youth, which was pretty deserted at this time of day (4PM).

Jonggak Avenue of Youth



Jonggak Avenue of Youth


I finally took the metro to the Myeongdong Market, which was jam packed with tourists. There was a large variety of food, so I got some fried chicken and rice cakes. It was ok, but truly nothing special at all. I had a few pieces and gave up. Headed back to the metro for another lemonade and started the long trek back to the GH Incheon.

Myeongdong Market


Myeongdong Market



Myeongdong Market



Myeongdong Market



Myeongdong Market


Overall, it was a nice visit to Seoul. Though I can't help but make comparisons between Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing. For various reasons, I found I enjoyed both Beijing and Tokyo more than Seoul.

swingaling

Ethiopian Airlines
Business Class
SQ Business Class Award
ET673: ICN-ADD (Seoul to Addis Ababa)
22 July 2019
Boeing 787-8 (Two Class Configuration)
ET-AOS
Seat 3D
Departure: 1:05AM
Arrival: 7:10AM

The only reason I chose this flight was due to schedule and routing. I looked into an award on QR, but the flights to ADD depart in the evening and a 12hr+ stop in DOH is a non-starter for me. Additionally, there was no award inventory ex-ICN, so I'd have had to depart from PEK or NRT instead. Not worth it, despite the superior product.

That left me with ET. I knew in advance that the hard product would be woeful, and it was. It's very similar to what I've encountered on TG in the past. The angle flat beds offered zero privacy and a fairly poor night's rest. The bed is particularly bad because there is zero foot room when fully reclined. The soft product was mediocre; I understand the catering out of ADD is better.

I hadn't yet had dinner when I arrived at ICN T1, so I had some bibimbap before heading airside. It was only 10PM, but almost everything at the airport was closed. The Asiana lounge also closed at midnight, which wasn't so bad since our gate was a solid 15 minute walk from the lounge.

Landside Bibimbap



Seat



Seat



Menu



Menu



Menu



Starter (not good)



Chicken


I tried to sleep for a while and got perhaps 6-7 hours of poor quality sleep. Better than nothing, I suppose. Eventually, we neared ADD and it was time for breakfast. It was the same quality as dinner -- mediocre at best. The frittata was tasteless and the meat was greasy. The cereal and fruit was the best part of the meal.

Breakfast



Breakfast



ET-AOS


Eventually, we landed at ADD on time and I headed through to a somewhat convoluted immigration process. It took around 30 minutes to get through, but eventually I was landside. I stopped at the Ethio Tel office to get a SIM card for my phone, which took a solid 45 minutes. Computer issues, apparently. That said, the SIM card cost $1 and I loaded $4 of airtime on it. Not a bad deal, but the process was painfully slow.

swingaling

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

I'd arranged to have a layover tour of Addis and my guide and driver were waiting for me when I finally exited the terminal. We set off straight away.

First stop was Shola Market.

Shola Market


Shola Market


Shola Market


This lady sells a fermented "cheese" called kocho, which is made from the false banana tree (enset). It's a staple food in Ethiopia and smells and looks like a mild, aged cheese.

Shola Market


Shola Market


Shola Market


Butter


Coffee is sold green and people generally roast the beans at home during the coffee ceremony.

Coffee Beans


Coffee


Shola Market


Shola Market


Various Spices/Incense (frankincense, etc)


Cooking Stoves


Spices


Baskets for Storing Injera


Herbs (thyme varietal, rosemary, ginger)


Chickens


Chickens


Shola Market


Coffee Pots


This lady also sells kocho and she demonstrated how she prepared it for sale.

Shola Market


Shola Market



Next up was Holy Trinity Cathedral. The photos are self explanatory. I enjoyed the market much more...

Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral


Holy Trinity Cathedral



We then drove up to the top of the hill north of the city to see the city. Not great visibility due to the weather unfortunately. The roads were also a bit poor due to recent rains. The most interesting part was the drive up the hill.

Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa


After that, it was time for lunch so the guide brought me to Addis Ababa Restaurant. The good was good, but incredibly heavy on meat. In other words, there were almost no non-meat dishes on the menu. So we shared a meat sampler platter. While good, I'd have like to have some lentils, cabbage, etc. Instead, it was meat, meat, meat. Apparently, this was a somewhat fancy restaurant and their menu reflected the fact that people who want a nice meal out in Addis prefer to have meats (a relative luxury) instead of lentils and veggies.

Addis Ababa Restaurant


Addis Ababa Restaurant


Addis Ababa Restaurant


Addis Ababa Restaurant


We then stopped at Tomoka Coffee for an espresso. It was a pretty good espresso, though perhaps not up to the standards of the third wave.

Tomoka Coffee


Last stop was the National Museum of Ethiopia where I saw the skeleton of Lucy and a few other things.

National Museum of Ethiopia



It was getting late by then, so we headed to the airport for my onward flight to Nairobi. Overall, I enjoyed Addis and would definitely visit Ethiopia again.

swingaling

Ethiopian Airlines
Economy Class
SQ Business Class Award
ET306: ADD-NBO (Addis Ababa to Nairobi)
22 July 2019
Boeing 737-800 (Two Class Configuration)
ET-AQN
Seat 12J
Departure: 4:25PM
Arrival: 6:35PM

This leg was booked in Y due to lack of J inventory when I initially booked the flight. A J seat subsequently opened up later on, but by then the SQ award chart had changed. So it would have cost an additional 9,000 SQ miles to get this sector in J. Didn't seem worth the extra cost, so I left it in Y. It would've been nice to have lounge access in ADD, but I don't regret the choice.

I arrived at the airport far too early (2hr in advance). Since I had my boarding pass, I was airside within no more than 10 minutes. Lines were quite short at this time of day, but I'd imagine the process could've easily taken a LOT longer. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot to do at ADD, so I sat around twiddling my thumbs for two hours until it was time to board the flight.

This was a fairly short flight, so not a whole lot to write about it. The pitch was a bit tight and there was a fair amount of seat poaching. Row 11ABC (the bulkhead) was completely poached by three people. What was most shocking was the FA didn't make the seat poachers move. They were allowed to keep the seats.

Three Blatant Seat Poachers in 11ABC


Seat


Meal
The meal was not good. Nearly tasteless.



Upon arrival at NBO, health workers checked our temperatures and verified yellow fever vaccination status.

swingaling

Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport
Suite

I arrived at the hotel after a short transfer arranged through the hotel (for free). Upon check-in, they informed me that I'd been upgraded to a suite. If the front desk hadn't told me, I'd never have known it was a suite... I was upgraded presumably due to an overbooking situation, as I have zero status with Marriott. For that matter, I didn't even book the room directly with Marriott anyhow.

The hotel itself is fairly new and in good condition. The rooms were clean, though I didn't love the design. I ordered some room service for dinner and promptly went to bed. I had a 6AM pickup the following day, so I needed to get some rest. It was also my first real bed since Korea.

Having slept well, I hit the breakfast buffet the following morning. The buffet was quite good, with a large variety of options. No photos, unfortunately. While I wouldn't stay at this hotel more than a night, it's a good option for an overnight layover.

Room



Room



Room



Room



Room



Room



View



Soup
Tasty



Pizza
Tasted a bit like a frozen pizza...



Fruit