Got my ticket and I'm heading back to BKK!
Jul 17th, 2011, 07:36 AM
#141
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Have a safe trip home, Carol. Jeane and I enjoyed getting together with you in Singapore and hearing about all of your Bangkok friends. I am in the process of writing our "official" trip report today - look for it on this board when you get home...
Jul 17th, 2011, 09:05 AM
#142
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Craig, I too enjoyed meeting up with you and Jeane in Singapore at the IC. It made my 3-day visit very special! I will look forward to your trip report! I plan to read all about your adventures, even though I got some of the details first hand, face to face.
I'm in the Thai International First Class Lounge right now. This place is busy. All of the 'private rooms' are taken, so I'm sitting out in the general seating area. Still very nice. No menu this time... but it IS going on 11pm. Last time I came thru this lounge was in the early morning, and they offered a breakfast menu. It was lovely. I'm having a glass of French bordeaux while waiting for my flight. I'm really surprised at the number of people here right now. I was totally shocked at the mad house in the Thai Biz lounge!! There were very few seats available, as I walked thru there on my way here. I guess I understand why TG is no longer allowing Star Gold card members to come in, unless they have a seat in biz class. They are invited to another lounge instead. Not sure where/which one. Totally surprised me to see so many people there! Must be lots of international flights leaving at this late hour. I am always flying on UA at 6am, and it seems pretty quiet at that time of the day.
What a pleasant surprise at check in here at the airport tonight!!! Two actually. When I spoke to Continental to book this flight home, they told me I'd have to pay departure tax here in BKK before leaving. When I checked in with Lufthansa, they said it was already included in my ticket. That must be why I had to pay $75! (big smile)
And then the even BETTER surprise. I had been searching on the internet for photos of the LH747 to see just how nice the seating looks in the upper deck first class cabin. What I saw was 16 seats, 2 by 2 configuration. A bit of a disappointment, because I really like UAs new configuration. BUT when I checked in at the counter and was asked what seat I would like, there are only 8 seats TOTAL upstairs in first class (they must be the individual cubicles!!) and there was only one other first class passenger when I checked in! Sounds like a fabulous flight with lots of peace and quiet and sleep! Can't wait to see my seat. I should take photos!
I am not sure if I will have internet in FRA so may not be in touch again until I get home to my PC.
Time to run!
I'm in the Thai International First Class Lounge right now. This place is busy. All of the 'private rooms' are taken, so I'm sitting out in the general seating area. Still very nice. No menu this time... but it IS going on 11pm. Last time I came thru this lounge was in the early morning, and they offered a breakfast menu. It was lovely. I'm having a glass of French bordeaux while waiting for my flight. I'm really surprised at the number of people here right now. I was totally shocked at the mad house in the Thai Biz lounge!! There were very few seats available, as I walked thru there on my way here. I guess I understand why TG is no longer allowing Star Gold card members to come in, unless they have a seat in biz class. They are invited to another lounge instead. Not sure where/which one. Totally surprised me to see so many people there! Must be lots of international flights leaving at this late hour. I am always flying on UA at 6am, and it seems pretty quiet at that time of the day.
What a pleasant surprise at check in here at the airport tonight!!! Two actually. When I spoke to Continental to book this flight home, they told me I'd have to pay departure tax here in BKK before leaving. When I checked in with Lufthansa, they said it was already included in my ticket. That must be why I had to pay $75! (big smile)
And then the even BETTER surprise. I had been searching on the internet for photos of the LH747 to see just how nice the seating looks in the upper deck first class cabin. What I saw was 16 seats, 2 by 2 configuration. A bit of a disappointment, because I really like UAs new configuration. BUT when I checked in at the counter and was asked what seat I would like, there are only 8 seats TOTAL upstairs in first class (they must be the individual cubicles!!) and there was only one other first class passenger when I checked in! Sounds like a fabulous flight with lots of peace and quiet and sleep! Can't wait to see my seat. I should take photos!
I am not sure if I will have internet in FRA so may not be in touch again until I get home to my PC.
Time to run!
Jul 18th, 2011, 02:08 PM
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UPDATE! I'm home! Yippeeee! I stayed awake on my 3 hour drive from Ohare. But then, I had slept a fair amount on my flights home.
Re: flights home..... I was all excited about the LH 1st class situation in the upper deck. Well... it was not what I had expected. Yes, there are reservations for only 8 seats in 1st class on the LH 747. But, there are 16 seats upstairs. Each of the 8 reservations passengers gets TWO seats. The aisle is the sitting/dining seat and the window is the bed. The FA makes up the bed for you, complete with a sort-of matress thing to even out the lumps in the joints of the flat bed seat. It was comfortable.
I got pajamas! which I wore. They were comfy and warm. It was a little bit chilly sleeping in the seat by the window. LHs blankets are of a good size, and thick enough to feel warm. I had my 'own' bathroom, since there were only two passengers in 1st class, and two available bathrooms. Cool!
I got a neat ammenities kit in a Rimowa zip case. Pretty cool! The kit included the usual items, plus some lip aide. "MY" bathroom also had wet wipes in foil packaging and also make up remover in foil pkgs. I took a couple extras.
I did manage to sleep almost all the way from BKK to FRA. I woke up for breakfast, which was OK. I never tried the pop up TV as I was sleeping. By the time I thought about it being tucked into the armrest between my two seats, it was time to land and everything had to be stowed anyway. I would have loved the big screens that UA has.
Frankfurt airport was a disaster. All first class lounges are on the 'other side' of security and/or immigration; and all lines were CRAZY long. So, I walked around and did some duty free shopping (German chocolates). I'm just glad that my layover wasn't longer than the two hours I had.
Then onto UA first class, the nose of the 747. THANK YOU UA for having such a fabulous seat! I really mean that! It felt like coming home, after 11 hours on LH. UA took good care of me.
To Craig and Jeane, I started to watch Black Swan but just had to turn it off when it came to the blood in the bathtub scene. I had had enough. Hope that doesn't disappoint you too much. I did watch Jane Eyre from start to finish... a bit boring.... ho hum... but I liked the ending.
Some sleep, a nice lunch, and I was landing in Chicago. It took one hour from landing to go thru immigration, collect baggage collection, wait for the Hyatt van to pick me up, to getting in my car and beginning the drive home. Not bad!
And now, I need a NAP!!
Carol
Re: flights home..... I was all excited about the LH 1st class situation in the upper deck. Well... it was not what I had expected. Yes, there are reservations for only 8 seats in 1st class on the LH 747. But, there are 16 seats upstairs. Each of the 8 reservations passengers gets TWO seats. The aisle is the sitting/dining seat and the window is the bed. The FA makes up the bed for you, complete with a sort-of matress thing to even out the lumps in the joints of the flat bed seat. It was comfortable.
I got pajamas! which I wore. They were comfy and warm. It was a little bit chilly sleeping in the seat by the window. LHs blankets are of a good size, and thick enough to feel warm. I had my 'own' bathroom, since there were only two passengers in 1st class, and two available bathrooms. Cool!
I got a neat ammenities kit in a Rimowa zip case. Pretty cool! The kit included the usual items, plus some lip aide. "MY" bathroom also had wet wipes in foil packaging and also make up remover in foil pkgs. I took a couple extras.
I did manage to sleep almost all the way from BKK to FRA. I woke up for breakfast, which was OK. I never tried the pop up TV as I was sleeping. By the time I thought about it being tucked into the armrest between my two seats, it was time to land and everything had to be stowed anyway. I would have loved the big screens that UA has.
Frankfurt airport was a disaster. All first class lounges are on the 'other side' of security and/or immigration; and all lines were CRAZY long. So, I walked around and did some duty free shopping (German chocolates). I'm just glad that my layover wasn't longer than the two hours I had.
Then onto UA first class, the nose of the 747. THANK YOU UA for having such a fabulous seat! I really mean that! It felt like coming home, after 11 hours on LH. UA took good care of me.
To Craig and Jeane, I started to watch Black Swan but just had to turn it off when it came to the blood in the bathtub scene. I had had enough. Hope that doesn't disappoint you too much. I did watch Jane Eyre from start to finish... a bit boring.... ho hum... but I liked the ending.
Some sleep, a nice lunch, and I was landing in Chicago. It took one hour from landing to go thru immigration, collect baggage collection, wait for the Hyatt van to pick me up, to getting in my car and beginning the drive home. Not bad!
And now, I need a NAP!!
Carol
Jul 18th, 2011, 02:35 PM
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Welcome Home Carol
You get the prize for up to the minute reporting. I'm very impressed that you made that very long journey around half the world, drove home (3 hours) and before conking out wrote up your account of your entire trip home. Just amazing.
Thanks again for such a great read.
You get the prize for up to the minute reporting. I'm very impressed that you made that very long journey around half the world, drove home (3 hours) and before conking out wrote up your account of your entire trip home. Just amazing.
Thanks again for such a great read.
Jul 18th, 2011, 04:07 PM
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If it makes you feel better Carol, my mother-in-law and her husband walked out of the theater rather than to endure "Black Swan". It is a very edgy flick - not for the squeamish, but powerful if you can endure it...
Jul 19th, 2011, 02:34 PM
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Bob, I AM thinking late October! We just might be there at the same time. I might be doing yet another last minute free ticket, so won't be able to confirm anything right away.
I wondered who had posted #150 reply on this thread.
Enjoy Nantucket. My part of downstate Illinois is beastly hote today. I should have stayed longer in BKK! Who would guess that it would feel a lot hotter HERE then over THERE.
I wondered who had posted #150 reply on this thread.
Enjoy Nantucket. My part of downstate Illinois is beastly hote today. I should have stayed longer in BKK! Who would guess that it would feel a lot hotter HERE then over THERE.
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