Got my ticket and I'm heading back to BKK!
Jul 5th, 2011, 09:56 AM
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Carol, lots of useful information in this post, thanks and have a nice time in Thailand. We will be following along.
Bill, If you are anywhere near the Hyatt Kyoto on Thanksgiving night you are invited to dinner there at the Trattoria Sette @ 6:30 res under my real name just don't bring rhkkmk....well kmk is ok but no rhk
Aloha!
Bill, If you are anywhere near the Hyatt Kyoto on Thanksgiving night you are invited to dinner there at the Trattoria Sette @ 6:30 res under my real name just don't bring rhkkmk....well kmk is ok but no rhk
Aloha!
Jul 6th, 2011, 03:48 AM
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The international first class lounge at OHare is really quiet this morning.... as in, I'm the only one here so far. Not a pastry in sight...!! At least they have a cup of coffee. See why people complain about OHare and its facilities? Maybe I should have just gone over to the Red Carpet... they have food items over there. But gee, this is supposed to be a first class trip around the world. Why waste an opportunity to visit a first class lounge. Maybe the 'spread' comes out at 7am... it's only 6:45. A girl can hope, right?
SFOs international first class lounge will be better, I'd bet. I'll check in later on from there.
(Bob, pick the turkey dinner!)
SFOs international first class lounge will be better, I'd bet. I'll check in later on from there.
(Bob, pick the turkey dinner!)
Jul 6th, 2011, 10:34 AM
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Another update: The int'l first class lounge at SFO is considerably nicer than the one at ORD. There are OK snacks here. I'm not really very hungry because I had a nice breakfast in-flight. But the veggies and dip and cheese and crackers look inviting.
I read in the Hemispheres magazine about a special ballet under the stars while I'm in SIN. That sounds lovely!!! Hope I can find out where it is!
Guenmai, I am going to try my best to check out some of the places you emailed me about. I really appreciate your tips, since you've been so many times and this is the first time for me in SIN.
We are slightly delayed for departure to HKG, but should still be just about on time upon arriving. A relaxing dinner, some sleep, and then some quick shopping in the morning before heading on to BKK Friday afternoon.
I read in the Hemispheres magazine about a special ballet under the stars while I'm in SIN. That sounds lovely!!! Hope I can find out where it is!
Guenmai, I am going to try my best to check out some of the places you emailed me about. I really appreciate your tips, since you've been so many times and this is the first time for me in SIN.
We are slightly delayed for departure to HKG, but should still be just about on time upon arriving. A relaxing dinner, some sleep, and then some quick shopping in the morning before heading on to BKK Friday afternoon.
Jul 6th, 2011, 11:02 AM
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Carol, the ballet under the stars is at Fort Canning Park: http://www.singaporedancetheatre.com/
Looks great!
Looks great!
Jul 6th, 2011, 06:58 PM
#71
Now we (I) will want to hear about the other lounges on the way. I think you will have access to the Thai Royal Silk First Class Lounge in BKK when you are headed to FRA, but am not sure about that (if not then there is a *Gold lounge; I suppose they will explain at check-in). Then there is the F lounge for LH in FRA. And the Thai lounge in HKG, the SQ or *Gold lounges at BKK and SIN.
Bob, there is no such thing as old sushi!
Bob, there is no such thing as old sushi!
Jul 6th, 2011, 10:51 PM
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Oh that ballet under the stars looks great, shame it will be over by the time I get there.
Carol I really like an early morning walk in the Botanical gardens and I actually really enjoyed Jurong bird park ( although it has been a few years since I have been there) I am reading a lot about Hajji lane which is by Arab street, cute little shops etc, so i am going to give them a try when I am there in August ( along with some of my favourite malls) and of course Marina bay sands (can't remember if you are flying Singapore air at all but if you are save that boarding pass as you get discounts at many attractions including the Singapore flyer)
Carol I really like an early morning walk in the Botanical gardens and I actually really enjoyed Jurong bird park ( although it has been a few years since I have been there) I am reading a lot about Hajji lane which is by Arab street, cute little shops etc, so i am going to give them a try when I am there in August ( along with some of my favourite malls) and of course Marina bay sands (can't remember if you are flying Singapore air at all but if you are save that boarding pass as you get discounts at many attractions including the Singapore flyer)
Jul 7th, 2011, 06:10 AM
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Hello from a busy and warm Hong Kong. My computer and my body both need recharging. I'll probably catch up with all of you when I get to Adelphi Suites tomorrow afternoon. I can get free wireless there.
Flight was excellent.
Flight was excellent.
Jul 7th, 2011, 04:22 PM
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Important note to self. In HKG you need a large-head adaptor with 3 fat prongs! I'm sure I have one at home, but I needed it with me here in HKG! The front desk had one I am borrowing. Now I'm wondering if SIN will require the same type of adaptor. Does anyone know???
My flight was really nice. I ate the starters and the dessert after taking off from SFO. The starters included crab cakes (YUMMY) and a seafood bisque plus salad. The main courses (which I did not opt for) included sea bass, scallops and shrimp, filet, or roasted chicken. I don't eat that much when on a plane and so sedentary for such a long time. The starters and dessert was perfect!
Anyway, good food... a nice hot fudge (Breyers) sundae, with a really thick chocolatey fudge sauce. Yum.
I watched one movie from start to finish (the first Hangover movie... funny...maybe I'll see Hangover II in BKK) and then tried to watch a couple of other movies, but just could not get into them. A few crossword puzzles, a look at the Hemispheres magazine, a gander at duty free magazine (didn't by anything), and then some zzzzzz's. Lots of zzzzz's, actually. Slept until an hour before landing!
We were about 30 minutes late getting into HKG. Immigration took about 15-20 minutes as lines were long. My bag (yes, only one bag... but it's HUGE) was one of the first ten to come down the conveyor belt. I got a cart and made a stop at currency exchange (rate 7.0929), and then off to catch a taxi into the city.
The taxi costs 240 HK$. Period. That's the going rate. My driver was very embarrassed that he took a wrong turn and ended up with a meter that read 295. He insisted that I pay only 240, and he apologized many times for making the mistake of the wrong turn... which then ended up in a big traffic jam. I was fine... I was getting a tour of HKG.
Checking in by about 8pm (too late for the light show, darn) and am given a deluxe room. Last time here (with Maeng) I got us a harborview room. It was really huge, and with a great view. This time, I have no view but a very nice room. It isn't quite as large as the one Maeng and I had. That's fine... it's just me.... and it's just one night. The bathroom amenities are nice. I've snatched them all, except for one smallish bar of soap to use! haha
The bed is HARD and the room is COLD. It took a while to figure out how to regulate the temp. The couch is comfy, and the tv has my favorite news channel (I won't name it here... don't want to get political)!!!
I walked around on Canton Rd after doing a bit of unpacking. I was hungry now, after not having eaten since my in-flight meal. I went into the big Harbour City Mall and found a restaurant called Bo-Logne 81. I had mushroom spaghetti for dinner. Not your typical spaghetti!! It did taste quite good though. There was a fishy taste to it. Strange. No fish in the dish at all. Spaghetti and a bottle of water. That was just right. Not too much in my tummy since I'm hoping to sleep.
I notice that Hong Kong has its own smell. I didn't notice it the last time here, maybe because I was coming in from BKK, where there is a very distinct smell to that city. The smell here is not the same as BKK. I can't quite describe what it is, but it is noticeable this time. Not a big bother... but noticeable.
This morning I was up about 4. Wide awake. I settled in on my couch, TV on, and puzzle book open. I showered and headed to breakfast (included in my room rate) at 6:45. A great selection of items for breakfast. I had noodles, dim sum, eggs, baked beans, oatmeal, fresh fruit, coffee, etc. I should be good to go for quite a while with all that food.
A stop by the front desk to borrow an adaptor, and now I'm catching up on email and such.
I will have time for shopping (although no room in my big suitcase). Not really looking for anything in particular. I will head to the airport around 11:30. My flight on to BKK is just past 2:00, on Thai, biz class. I'll get to make use of the lounge at HKG airport so will report in about that.
Re: SFO lounge. The food selection was not great. There was stuff I couldn't identify... probably Chinese or Japanese food?? I really don't know! With food allergies, I try to be selective rather than adventurous in my eating. The seating was nice. This lounge has several 'rooms' with sofas and chairs, small tables, TVs, and there are showers. The check in desk knows who is coming in, and your name is on a list. You just tell them who you are. No need to show a boarding pass and proof of a first class ticket. They do make announcements of flights and gates, although not enough to be annoying. The person making the announcements is ESL, so not that easy to understand. (why do they do this)
Between SFO and ORD first class lounges, SFO wins. NRT is better than SFO or ORD. But they are no competition for the Thai first lounge at BKK. It's the nicest one I've ever seen!! I hope to go in there before flying home, since I'm in first class, but on LH to FRA. It might be too far from my gate??? I don't know yet.
Brad, I do plan to go to SA after getting moved into the AS. It should be sometime after 5pm.
It was 33C when I landed last night... pretty warm. I'm sure BKK will be toasty warm too. Bring it on!!
Enjoy your evening. It's Friday morning here. I'll report in later, when I'm in BKK.
My flight was really nice. I ate the starters and the dessert after taking off from SFO. The starters included crab cakes (YUMMY) and a seafood bisque plus salad. The main courses (which I did not opt for) included sea bass, scallops and shrimp, filet, or roasted chicken. I don't eat that much when on a plane and so sedentary for such a long time. The starters and dessert was perfect!
Anyway, good food... a nice hot fudge (Breyers) sundae, with a really thick chocolatey fudge sauce. Yum.
I watched one movie from start to finish (the first Hangover movie... funny...maybe I'll see Hangover II in BKK) and then tried to watch a couple of other movies, but just could not get into them. A few crossword puzzles, a look at the Hemispheres magazine, a gander at duty free magazine (didn't by anything), and then some zzzzzz's. Lots of zzzzz's, actually. Slept until an hour before landing!
We were about 30 minutes late getting into HKG. Immigration took about 15-20 minutes as lines were long. My bag (yes, only one bag... but it's HUGE) was one of the first ten to come down the conveyor belt. I got a cart and made a stop at currency exchange (rate 7.0929), and then off to catch a taxi into the city.
The taxi costs 240 HK$. Period. That's the going rate. My driver was very embarrassed that he took a wrong turn and ended up with a meter that read 295. He insisted that I pay only 240, and he apologized many times for making the mistake of the wrong turn... which then ended up in a big traffic jam. I was fine... I was getting a tour of HKG.
Checking in by about 8pm (too late for the light show, darn) and am given a deluxe room. Last time here (with Maeng) I got us a harborview room. It was really huge, and with a great view. This time, I have no view but a very nice room. It isn't quite as large as the one Maeng and I had. That's fine... it's just me.... and it's just one night. The bathroom amenities are nice. I've snatched them all, except for one smallish bar of soap to use! haha
The bed is HARD and the room is COLD. It took a while to figure out how to regulate the temp. The couch is comfy, and the tv has my favorite news channel (I won't name it here... don't want to get political)!!!
I walked around on Canton Rd after doing a bit of unpacking. I was hungry now, after not having eaten since my in-flight meal. I went into the big Harbour City Mall and found a restaurant called Bo-Logne 81. I had mushroom spaghetti for dinner. Not your typical spaghetti!! It did taste quite good though. There was a fishy taste to it. Strange. No fish in the dish at all. Spaghetti and a bottle of water. That was just right. Not too much in my tummy since I'm hoping to sleep.
I notice that Hong Kong has its own smell. I didn't notice it the last time here, maybe because I was coming in from BKK, where there is a very distinct smell to that city. The smell here is not the same as BKK. I can't quite describe what it is, but it is noticeable this time. Not a big bother... but noticeable.
This morning I was up about 4. Wide awake. I settled in on my couch, TV on, and puzzle book open. I showered and headed to breakfast (included in my room rate) at 6:45. A great selection of items for breakfast. I had noodles, dim sum, eggs, baked beans, oatmeal, fresh fruit, coffee, etc. I should be good to go for quite a while with all that food.
A stop by the front desk to borrow an adaptor, and now I'm catching up on email and such.
I will have time for shopping (although no room in my big suitcase). Not really looking for anything in particular. I will head to the airport around 11:30. My flight on to BKK is just past 2:00, on Thai, biz class. I'll get to make use of the lounge at HKG airport so will report in about that.
Re: SFO lounge. The food selection was not great. There was stuff I couldn't identify... probably Chinese or Japanese food?? I really don't know! With food allergies, I try to be selective rather than adventurous in my eating. The seating was nice. This lounge has several 'rooms' with sofas and chairs, small tables, TVs, and there are showers. The check in desk knows who is coming in, and your name is on a list. You just tell them who you are. No need to show a boarding pass and proof of a first class ticket. They do make announcements of flights and gates, although not enough to be annoying. The person making the announcements is ESL, so not that easy to understand. (why do they do this)
Between SFO and ORD first class lounges, SFO wins. NRT is better than SFO or ORD. But they are no competition for the Thai first lounge at BKK. It's the nicest one I've ever seen!! I hope to go in there before flying home, since I'm in first class, but on LH to FRA. It might be too far from my gate??? I don't know yet.
Brad, I do plan to go to SA after getting moved into the AS. It should be sometime after 5pm.
It was 33C when I landed last night... pretty warm. I'm sure BKK will be toasty warm too. Bring it on!!
Enjoy your evening. It's Friday morning here. I'll report in later, when I'm in BKK.
Jul 8th, 2011, 05:02 AM
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People reading this should see why it's good practice to use ATMs instead of currency exchange desks.
The HK dollar is pegged at ax exchange rate of US$1 = HK$7.75, and it typically varies only from $7.75 to $7.80. In December, I withdrew HK$2800 from an ATM, for which I paid $360.52 (HK$7.77 exchange rate) plus a 1% service fee ($3.61). That works out to an effective exchange rate of US$1 = HK$7.69, compared to the airport currency exchange desk rate of US$1 = HK$7.09.
The HK dollar is pegged at ax exchange rate of US$1 = HK$7.75, and it typically varies only from $7.75 to $7.80. In December, I withdrew HK$2800 from an ATM, for which I paid $360.52 (HK$7.77 exchange rate) plus a 1% service fee ($3.61). That works out to an effective exchange rate of US$1 = HK$7.69, compared to the airport currency exchange desk rate of US$1 = HK$7.09.
Jul 8th, 2011, 05:04 AM
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Thanks for that bit of info, Smeagol. I'll have to find one in BKK to take along with me then. I'm sure MBK has such things as that.
My flight on Thai from HKG to BKK was on time, and smooth. I had a bit of a nap. Since I had filled up on dim sum and little sandwiches in the Thai lounge at HKG airport (a nice lounge, very different in design) I did not eat on the flight. Main courses on the menu included lamb, pork, and chicken. All sounded tasty enough, but I opted to snooze a bit. Never turned on my TV screen at all. Not even the map!
My 1-bedroom executive apartment at Adelphie is not the -01 configuration this time. I'm in a slightly different configuration, which is slightly smaller than the -01 is; but I'll be fine. I have a washing machine and a nice shower and comfy sofa and bed, and a TV and free wifi. I'm not complaining. The front desk folks have asked me a couple of times if this room is OK... they know I prefer the -01 configuration.
I've spoken with Maeng twice. We'll have dinner in about a half hour. She'll fill me in on her new place. I get to visit it tomorrow. It is 'under contruction' right now, so not yet open for business.
I spoke with Dr Jack also. We'll meet up sometime before I go to Singapore, I hope. He's busy, but we'll make the time! He says I should go with him on his 'rounds' some time when I have the time to spend the day with him. I'm sure it would be an eye opening experience!
Brad, I made it to Sports Academy. Nice tables. Looks like a good place to play pool. Everyone asked when you are coming back to BKK.
We are getting rain right now. I made it back to my room from Sports Academy before it started to come down very hard. (But hey, I won't melt!)
I've walked by the local hairdresser on soi 8 and saw my friend Ya and stopped in to say hello again. I will visit Ya for some fresh color be3fore going to SIN. And maybe a tiny little bit of a trim on the new short-short haircut from my SFO trip a few weeks ago.
Enjoy your day. My BKK adventures are just getting started! I'll report back in tomorrow some time.
Carol
My flight on Thai from HKG to BKK was on time, and smooth. I had a bit of a nap. Since I had filled up on dim sum and little sandwiches in the Thai lounge at HKG airport (a nice lounge, very different in design) I did not eat on the flight. Main courses on the menu included lamb, pork, and chicken. All sounded tasty enough, but I opted to snooze a bit. Never turned on my TV screen at all. Not even the map!
My 1-bedroom executive apartment at Adelphie is not the -01 configuration this time. I'm in a slightly different configuration, which is slightly smaller than the -01 is; but I'll be fine. I have a washing machine and a nice shower and comfy sofa and bed, and a TV and free wifi. I'm not complaining. The front desk folks have asked me a couple of times if this room is OK... they know I prefer the -01 configuration.
I've spoken with Maeng twice. We'll have dinner in about a half hour. She'll fill me in on her new place. I get to visit it tomorrow. It is 'under contruction' right now, so not yet open for business.
I spoke with Dr Jack also. We'll meet up sometime before I go to Singapore, I hope. He's busy, but we'll make the time! He says I should go with him on his 'rounds' some time when I have the time to spend the day with him. I'm sure it would be an eye opening experience!
Brad, I made it to Sports Academy. Nice tables. Looks like a good place to play pool. Everyone asked when you are coming back to BKK.
We are getting rain right now. I made it back to my room from Sports Academy before it started to come down very hard. (But hey, I won't melt!)
I've walked by the local hairdresser on soi 8 and saw my friend Ya and stopped in to say hello again. I will visit Ya for some fresh color be3fore going to SIN. And maybe a tiny little bit of a trim on the new short-short haircut from my SFO trip a few weeks ago.
Enjoy your day. My BKK adventures are just getting started! I'll report back in tomorrow some time.
Carol
