Some people love to shop. I am not one of them, and I certainly don’t come back from holiday with my bags full of designer goods.
But it occurred to me that I should spend more money when I’m away — not on luxury items, but on cheap basics.
Right on time
What time should you arrive at the airport? Well, for international flights, the general advice used to be at least an hour and no more than three hours.
These days, for various reasons, many airlines are requesting that you arrive even earlier than three hours – although, in my experience, that can just mean hanging about waiting for check in to open.
Tipping point
If you are an American in America, there is no discussion. Tipping is a way of life. If somebody performs a service for you, from opening a door to waiting on your table at a restaurant, they expect, and you will automatically oblige with, a tip.
The going rate in the United States is, I believe, at least 20 per cent of the bill in a restaurant, and at the very least, a few one-dollar notes for a random nicety.
But tipping is not a universal thing. Continue reading Tipping point
Review: Oman Air experience
Oman Air B787 business class
Abu Dhabi-Muscat-Bangkok-Bangkok-Muscat-Abu Dhabi
May, 2016
My decision to go to Bangkok with Oman Air was made at the last minute. After my original plans fell through, I was looking to spend two weeks at an affordable destination, but with a high level of comfort.
Oman Air fit the bill, with a business-class fare less than two-thirds the price of the big regional operators, Etihad, Emirates and Qatar. I was expecting that the standards would be a little lower than the other airlines but was delighted to discover that it was very high indeed. Continue reading Review: Oman Air experience
Review: Mercure Siam
Mercure Siam Hotel, Bangkok
To my mind, this was the best of the three hotels I stayed at during my recent trip to Bangkok. It certainly had the best location for somebody who wants to see it all.
Review: Holiday Inn Express, Bangkok
Holiday Inn Express, Sukhumvit Soi 11
Bangkok, Thailand
This was the cheapest per night of the three hotels I stayed in during my recent trip to Bangkok. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it was a bad choice. In fact, the hotel has a lot to recommend itself, not the least being its location at the end of buzzing Soi 11, home to some well-known restaurants and bars, including the famous Cheap Charlie’s.
Review: Novotel Fenix Silom
Novotel Fenix Silom hotel, Bangkok
Stay: May, 2016
A nice welcome and attentive, efficient staff made check-in a joy. My flight arrived very early, and I was at the hotel before 7am. Although they didn’t have a room for me then, I was safely ensconced by 9am – which is an excellent five hours before normal hotel check-in time.
The hotel is located at the far end of Silom, closer to Surasak BTS (sky train) station than to Sala Daeng, which is at the heart of the Silom / Patpong tourist area. Continue reading Review: Novotel Fenix Silom
Sixth time’s a charm
What you do on a repeat visit after you’ve already seen the sights?
Like many travellers, I like to visit new places but there are destinations that I find myself in again and again for various reasons — to see friends and family, or because I’m on the way somewhere else, or it’s a port of convenience.
My recent trip to Bangkok was one of those occasions. Continue reading Sixth time’s a charm
What do pilots do?
Ever wondered what pilots do between take off and landing on long-haul flights? Well, according to some jet jockeys, they are mainly trying to stave off boredom.
A contributor to the Quora forum who identifies himself as Redza Jamil writes: Continue reading What do pilots do?
Fresh look for Alitalia
Alitalia has reinvigorated itself with the release of new crew uniforms and an advertising campaign highlighting the company’s “made in Italy” credentials.
According to the company, its TV commercial “celebrates the Italian airline as it faces the future with renewed vigour and vitality, following a successful restructure in 2014, which saw it also introduce a series of enhancements and upgrades to its inflight product and fleet”.
The F word
Before I start, I want to say that I love Thailand and the Thai people. I’ve lived in Bangkok and would do so again if the opportunity arose. And, even though I’ve just finished a holiday there, I am keen to go back as soon as I can.
However, there’s one thing that always concerned me when in lived in Bangkok, and it surfaced again on my most recent visit.
Larger than life
Calculating the risks
I recently read that Hawaii could one day be hit by a massive tsunami, but the story added that tourists (and presumably the locals) shouldn’t be concerned about this.
Of course, every day you’ll read a potential reason not to go somewhere. Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia and Lebanon are off some people’s itineraries at the moment Continue reading Calculating the risks
Not so safe?
I’m curious to know who uses hotel safes. Because it seems to me that they’re anything but safe.
Making a meal of it
I’m having too much fun far too busy in Bangkok to write full reviews.
However, as food of all kinds is part of the attraction of a Thai holiday, here’s a gallery of meals I’ve eaten
Ghosts in the machine
I’ve been having to-and-fro conversations with Qantas’s social media team and other interested parties since I wrote this piece about my Frequent Flyer points.
Basically, my complaint was — and is — about phantom availability: reward seats that show up on the Qantas web page but have actually already been booked by somebody else.
Savour the serendipity
On my first ever solo overseas adventure, I happened to be allocated a seat on a Boeing 747 next to the friend of a friend.
We went our own ways in London, but ran into each other in the streets of Bloomsbury just two days later.
In Bangkok one day in June, 2016, I was waiting at the BTS (sky train) station, and when the train pulled up and the doors opened, one of my oldest and dearest friends jumped out at me. Continue reading Savour the serendipity
Back in Bangkok
I flew in to Bangkok on Sunday morning. There’s a lot to write about, including comprehensive reviews of the flights and airport lounges, which will appear in due course.
For now, though, there are pictures. Not the best pictures ever of this fascinating city, nor even the best I’ve taken of it, but a selection taken over a couple of hours in one day to give you a taste of this place.
As always, there’s more to come.
Turbulence explained
Nobody likes turbulence. If you’re a nervous flyer, a serious bout of it is enough to make you want to catch the bus next time.
But what exactly is turbulence? After 31 people on an Etihad Airways flight were injured last week, The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi asked a forecaster at Dubai international airport.
Mystery solved
My Magical Mystery Tour was supposed to take me to London, the south of England and a few of the haunts I frequented when I first went to the UK. Sadly, due to reasons explained here, that didn’t come to pass.
Instead, I’ll be off to another of my regular haunts, Bangkok, with the possibility of a sidetrip or two to nearby nations.
I’ll be flying Oman Air in their Dreamliner service from Muscat to Bangkok, which is a new experience to me and one I will blog about on this site.
Updates to come.
