Singapore Girl, you're a great way to fly.

Tuesday 9^th February, 2016.
 

Early start.

The airport transfer company are right on time. 4.10am pick up to have us at Sydney Airport in time for our 9am-ish flight to Bangkok via Singapore, flying with Singapore Airlines. Just a bit excited because we haven’t flown with SIA for over 10 years, they’ve always been undercut by another airline or we’ve booked a deal that included another airline. We absolutely loved them when we went to Phuket, 2002 I think, and it’ll be interesting to see if they live up to the memories.

Trip to Sydney went smoothly, as did check in. Must remember next time that food choices after you go through Security and Customs are absolute crap, and get breakfast beforehand.

Expected a bigger plane, don’t know why, didn’t pay attention to the e-ticket, it was a single level, 3-3-3 configuration but I’d have to move to get the exact details and it’s not that important. We were seated conveniently close, but not too close, to the loo, which inconveniently for a convenience, was out of order. There was a notice in plane-speak on the door but none of us mere mortals knew what it meant, therefore, people waited at the door for the non-existent occupant to vacate.

Working in a hospital and having a bit of an eye for cleanliness, I was a bit disappointed to see the level of grot on the cup holder and tray table.

2 meals on the leg from Sydney to Singapore were more than enough so when the meal was served on the Singapore to BKK leg, I had to refuse. Made the mistake of ordering a Singapore Sling, it’s gotta be one of the most over-hyped drinks on the planet, vivid colour and almost sickly sweet, but is a gin based drink which I remembered too late. I can’t drink gin on planes, I’ve done it twice now and both times it made me sick. Bugger! I’ve had about half before I remember the Singapore Sling recipe, so I don’t have any more, but it’s too late and for the last 2 hours of the first leg I feel like death.

The north west coast

flying off the mainland

There was an ice cream on offer after lunch but Trevor had ducked off to the loo before they arrived. When he got back he said the hostie had offered him one in the aisle on the way back. I hoped he meant an ice cream! He joked that we were on a ‘full service’ airline!

Anyway, moving along. Arrived at Bangkok’s main airport, the one with the long name, looking for the man with a sign with our name on, but he doesn’t seem to be there. Anyway, a bit of searching and a lot of cursing, and we find him and we’re soon loaded into a mini van and on our way in to the crazy city that is Bangkok. An hour later, yes, an hour, we arrive at our accommodation. The traffic was horrendous and that’s why it takes an hour. We have a business suite at the Bandara Suites, Silom, a one bedroom suite with a kitchenette, living room and of course, a bedroom. Very spacious and certainly beats a plain old hotel room. We did request a high floor and view of Lumphini Park as I’d read it was a good view, but we ended up on the 10^th of 20-something floors and no park view. We could have moved rooms the following day, but given some thought, who can be bothered and this room is one of the nicest we’ve ever had, so why rock the boat for a view we won’t be sitting looking at much anyway?

We are absolutely exhausted, we’ve been up since 3am and it’s probably after midnight Sydney time before we finally get settled in to bed. Which is typically for Asia, hard as a rock, but I reckon I could sleep on a barbed wire fence I’m so tired. I don’t even remember if we ate anything for dinner, but we did buy beer at the 7/11 around the corner and then got lost on the way back……………. Only that I did a street view on google maps before we left home, I could figure out where we were and which way we had to go.

Remembering our first ever trip to Asia, and how we wanted to get on the first plane home, I claim my right to reserve judgement on Bangkok.