Bangkok again with Singapore and Batam.

[drron]

Today starts our next trip. If things were normal we would be off to Japan but things are different. So this time Singapore and Batam before heading to Bangkok. Then we are coming home via Darwin.
Things started well with our pick up at 0930 to be taken to MCY. But as our car left us at MCY an SMS from VA saying our flight was delayed an hour.

Then going through the scanner here the usual happened. My groin area was showing up especially a little bit in the middle. The fellow obviously had the hand held device turned up as where ever he went it beeped So adjustment made and everything fine. In the middle of this the general alarm sounded with flashing red lights. A tradie tried to go through with his tool belt on.

Finally seated and having our first coffee.
We spend the first 3 days in Sydney seeing our grandchildren. Starting tonight at Enbu in Bondi Junction. We will be staying at the Meriton again.

Then comes our first flight on an SQ 380 in J. Previously we had traveled in F on the 380. First night at the CP then 4 nights at the IC at Bugis
Then the fast ferry to Batam with 5 nights at the HI resort. If it is reasonable then in the future it will be the place for a mattress run as we. are paying the exorbitant amount of $A 50 a night.

Then to Bangkok via Singapore for 5 nights. No awards back to BNE except an overnight flight so back via DRW staying there a few days visiting Moorish. And finally to BNE on VA.
All flights are VA awards.

 

[tgh]

Safe travels…..don't hire a car...

 

[drron]

Well a hard first day. As I have reported in the General Medical threads I have worsening mobility problems this year. Until friday I was walking much better and looked forward to this trip. But reverted to 2 bad days over the weekend. unfortunately worse today. But I can get relief by having a carryon in front and pushing it just like my experience with supermarket trolleys. Unfortunately my carry on has a mind of it's own so we have had to swap much to the annoyment of Mrsdrron.
Next was yet another SMS from VA further delaying our flight making a 1.5 hour delay. Well we had nothing better to do. but no time made up and instead of landing at 1250 it was at 1435. The flight was straightforward but was a virtually full flight with the Giants Netball team onboard. We now on these Y flights sit across the aisle from each other. We were in row7 and Mrsdrron had the only vacant seat in the first 7 rows next to her.
The only problem I had getting from the plane to the train was that you can't push a bag in front of you over carpet or the metal strips they have around the escalators.

Also a problem with our Opal cards. Logged in to our accounts to top them up only to find no linked cards. Inputting the card numbers got a message Not a Valid Card. Attempted to send feedback via the website but despite hitting submit several times it wouldn't submit it.

Hopefully dinner will take my mind off the problems.

 

[Seat0B]

Seeing your grandkids will cheer you up

 

[markis10]

Ditch the Opal and just use a debit card, hope you packed the aero guard for Batam. The Hi is old but one of the better locales on the island. Last time I went they wouldn’t take card for VOA and I was escorted to a landslide ATM to get cash, despite Govt website saying card OK, welcome to Indo!

 

[drron]

Ditch the Opal and just use a debit card, hope you packed the aero guard for Batam. The Hi is old but one of the better locales on the island. Last time I went they wouldn’t take card for VOA and I was escorted to a landslide ATM to get cash, despite Govt website saying card OK, welcome to Indo!

But we have the interstate seniors gold opal card so discounted trips.Not a huge problem just need to top up at a machine.
But NSW Transport suggest nothing has changed from the Yes Minister days.

Also happier after a lovely meal at Enbu Yakiniku fortunately just a short walk from the Meriton.

 

[drron]

So Monday arrives and because we were flying out of MCY it was not an OMG departure. Picked up by our driver at 0930 for the short trip to the airport. Once again we were hand carry only. The 2 bags were 7.4 and 7.3kg for the 3 week trip.
We had checked in online so headed straight to security. The scanner at MCY has a problem with me. Something shows up in my groi with the brightest red in the centre. So a pat down of my groin. He couldn’t feel anything!
Then a wanding. He had it way too sensitive as it beeped from my umbilicus to my feet when the metal is only in my right knee.

We then had a cappuccino but got an SMS from VA that the plane was an hour late. A little while later it was 1.5 hours late. So instead of being the only aircraft leaving between 11 and noon we were 1 of 4 within 20 minutes of each other. The place was jammed.

There were a lot of tall young ladies in uniform. Turned out to be the Giants Netball team who had been beaten by the Lightning. They were on our flight and the team were all in rows 3 to 6. The hangers on were down the back. We were row7 across the aisle from each other.
The pilot said we were late as the PER flight had gone tech so our original plane went there and we had to wait for a new plane and some crew.

An uneventful flight and finally arrived to a wet and dismal Sydney.
Off the plane and my leg’s were useless. But I knew no matter how much pain I had using a supermarket trolley relieved it. So pushing the carry on whilst not as good as a trolley let me get around.
So down to the train and of to Bondi Junction and the Meriton.

 

[drron]

We like the Meriton but it is certainly a different beast to chain hotels. This is our third stay and each stay we are on a lower floor and a smaller unit. That said they are still better than the average hotel room and for us the position can't be beaten.Some reasonable restaurants near by and quite a few others a short bus ride away. Our son lives just a 10 minute ride on the 389 bus away. And the ease of getting to and from the airport is great. So we save quite a bit as we really don't need to hire a car.

Unpacked and then headed out about 6.30pm for a 7 o'clock dinner with our son. The restaurant was Enbu Yakiniku and we love it. Normally have all the grandkids and our niece but the grandkids all in the middle of exams and our niece is in the Balkans. So just the 3 of us. Non stop talking and a lovely meal with a lot of different Waygu beef cuts plus pork belly , veggies and tempura prawns. Best of all the staff know us well. On the last 2 occasions I have rung to make a booking they ask my name and as soon a Ron comes out of my mouth it is oh drron.

Back to the Meriton and slept well.
Tuesday I really didn't feel like walking so a very quiet day and about 4pm caught the 389 bus to Paddington. Good to see the grandkids and our DIL.She is wonderful. For dinner we went up to Fiveways to Christos which is basically a pizza place. We were with our son and youngest granddaughter. We decided on a change from pizza and I had Moussaka and Mrsdrron fettucine with prawns.




Let's just say next time we will go back to the pizza.

 

[drron]

The days go so quickly now but Wednesday is easily remembered as my walking improved considerably. So we were able to go and have an early lunch at the Sushi Train. The one here in Bondi junction is pretty good with a few more out there things available such a eel and sea urchin. We di like coming here when in Bondi.
Then it was back to the 389 bus to Paddington to have afternoon ta with the grandkids and then stay on for a family dinner. Wednesday was the only day we could see the 3 together.We enjoyed it. Sadly off to Singapore in the morning.

Set the alarm for 6am Thursday morning. Caught a train about 6.45 and at the International terminal by 7.30. From the train you reach the departure floor virtually at the SQ checkin. It was open and there was a free agent at the Business desks. So a very quick checkin and off to immigration. An agent saw my limp and directed us to a free officer as a few lines at the smart gates so we were through in a short time. No hold up at security and apart from having to take my belt off no problems at the scanner. though a woman officer was worried that my trousers might drop.

Soon seated in the SKL. All the seats near the windows were taken but with the rain you couldn't see much so we took the seats furthest from the windows. The rain did ease for a while so I took a couple of shots from the lounge.




An OK selection of breakfast items.






But they had one of my favourite lounge food items. Those that have been here a while would immediately know what NPPPs are.

@ hours seemed to go quickly. As usual we left the lounge 15 minutes before boarding was to start but already a long queue in the business line. There were also a long line of people for preboarding. None were very old, no young children and all looked more mobile than me.
of course just as they were going to let the premium line go 2 families with infants turned up with infants in prams. So that took a few more minutes before we could board.

Originally when I booked the plane was a 380 and I selected 14D.F as usual. It now was a 777 and we were now in 23D,F. Mrsdrron was not happy. The flight is next.

 

[Major]

Did you transfer your VA points to SQ or book your SQ flights through Velocity ?

 

[drron]

I booked directly through VA.

 

[Quickstatus]

NPPPs

Can only be the one and only Tasmanian National Party Pies
Should really
100% beef
The puff pastry is very nice.
Still made in Tasmania. Hobart??

 

[drron]

Finally on board with champagne served.






The menu and wine list.

 

[drron]

We pushed back just 1 minute after the ETD nd arived in Singapore 10 minutes early. The seat belt came on 3 times during the vlight and again about 40 minutes before we landed. there wasn't the slightest bit of turbulence. Nothing really appealed on the IFE besides the headphones supplied had a twisted prong so wouldn't work. So I spent the time on the internet, eating .drinking and napping.

So to the food. First the caesar salad as appetiser. Nothing special.


They did serve bread on this flight and as usual chose the garlic bread. But it was cold and little garlic.


For mains I chose Matt Moran's beef dish. Said to come with chimichurri but the green sauce tasted just like my mother's mint sauce. Only just warm and very tough steak.




I got desserts plus the cheese plate. Again nothing specal.




The FA serving me was excellent. Kept checking up on me and kept my glass topped up. She saw me limping to my seat so she put my bag in the overhead. The orders for lunch were taken by the CSM. He missed several in front of me and then went back to those he missed. I noted that they hadn't used BTC. Neither had we. I wondered if having my VA gold on the booking made the difference.

Mrsdron was in the D seat and that aisle had their orders taken after ours which meant Mrsdrron 's order was taken last. She ordered the salmon and tat appeared to be OK but about 5 minutes later she was told it wasn't available. The same thing had happened on our last QFi flight and later when she went to the toilet caught the FAs eating the salmon dish. So she complained. She is not a woman to be crossed so she ended up with the salmon and it was OK.
A couple of hours out from SIN the snack was served. We both had that.


It was OK with 2 lots of Sambal.
Quite a bit of rain coming in to SIN and as is usual for us at one of the furthest gates but at least at T3. However by pushing my bag in front of me and leaning forward I was able to get there without pain. Most on the flight must have been transiting as I was not fast but when we reached the arrival hall only about 6 people in the whole hall so through very quickly.

 

[drron]

Now the benefits of hand carry only. Straight from Immigration and out the green channel for Customs. Up one floor in the lift and walk into floor 2 of the CP and check in at the lounge just 5 minutes after the evening drinks and food had commenced. We are pretty frequent visitors here now so after check in and getting some food and wine the lounge manager brought the GM over to talk to us. An interesting French man called Greg. Had about a 20 minute talk to him. He had been to a few properties in his time starting with IHG and then moving to SPG/Marriott.
He had been at the Westin Melbourne where we had stayed during his time and also in Bangkok. Marriott had meetings with all the GMs so he knew most of the GMs we had known including the best of them all Richard Chapman. He had obviously picked up many of his ideas. afterwards we talked to the staff and they all really like him.

So to the CPC lounge.


And some of the spread. A selection of 3 pizzas is always a feature.


Make your own laksa.






Then up to the room and soon to sleep. We always sleep well here and woke up pretty late. Enough time for some views of aircraft from the room. So SQ small, medium and large ones.

 

[drron]

Breakfast in the lounge finishes at 1030. We walked in at 1028 and they were just starting to pack up. they brought back items that had been removed. We filled a couple of plates each and let them get back to cleaning up.
Now one of those moments when you remember that there is something wrong. We were moving down town to the IC so had asked for a 3pm check out which was granted. But remembered just in time we had a lunch booking for Whitegrass in Chjimes. So straight up and packed up and back down to the lounge to check out about 1130..

So down t o the arrival hall and out to the taxi rank. no one else in line but no taxis. We were halted at the door whilst the woman on duty got a cab to come. Two arrived and we picked up our bags when a young woman went around us on the left and a fellow on the right. although the woman tried to stop them so we had to wait for a third one fortunately in 2 minutes.
A quick trip to the IC expecting to just leave our bags and go to lunch. I had used a suite upgrade certificate. However a suite was ready so upstairs and a quick unpack.
So the room-








Separate shower and bath.






And the views.

 

[drron]

Then a taxi to the restaurant which took a few minutes to arrive but we walked into the restaurant right on 1300.
This is now our favourite in Singapore. We first went in 2019 when they had not long reopened with a young Japanese chef. It had had a Michelin star and he has kept that ever since.

French Japanese | Whitegrass | Singapore

Whitegrass, under the helm of Head Chef Takuya Yamashita, showcases classic French fare with a contemporary Japanese twist.

www.whitegrass.com.sg

first the room.


The experience starts with the towel to start. Just add water.


The menus.




We chose the longer menu. First we had 2 Amuse Bouche. First a Japanese cheese, Jeju Island smoked kohlrabi a shellfish and caviar with edamame cream. I liked all but the edamame cream went really well with the caviar.


Then sashimi horse mackerel.


Mrsdrron got a free mocktail for Mother’s Day.


First bread with French butter.


Then lobster with Hokkaido asparagus and morels. Beautiful.


Then the second bread. Nicer than the first.


Then a Japanese fish with sea urchins. I had already started and Mrsdrron doesn’t like sea urchins. Fortunately I love them.


Mains. Maple duck for Mrsdrron and waygu for me. It was beautiful.




There was a palate cleanser of Japanese plum, eggplant and turnip. Thought it was going to be strange but was really good. No photo.
Lychee sorbet was delicious.


Finished with French almond cake and mango and raspberry mochi.




Fantastic meal. Chef came out and talked to us. It is a great fusion between French and Japanese cuisine. The chef grew up around Nara and has worked in France.
Now after paying they brought out this for a lucky draw.


Mrsdrron drew a voucher for their everyday restaurant so will have to try that.