Singapore, Europe Trip

[azza_1992]

Hi everyone,

On Friday I'm leaving on a group trip to Singapore, Turkey, Belgium and Northern France. We were originally going to Thailand as well but our travel agent (Albatross Travel) stuffed up our bookings and to cut a long story short, we're now stopping at Singapore on the way home as well.

Anyway, upon looking at the itinerary, and the airline websites, were flying...

Qantas 747 SYD-SIN
Turkish Airlines A330 SIN-Istanbul Ataturk
Turkish Airlines 737 Istanbul Ataturk-Brussels
Turkish Airlines 737 Paris - Istanbul Ataturk
Turkish Airlines A330 - Istanbul Ataturk - SIN
Qantas A330 SIN - BNE

...with about 4 hours in Changi Airport and about 11 hours in Istanbul.

I trust there's plenty to see in Changi Airport but has anyone had any experience at Istanbul. I've no idea of the size of the airport, so I was wondering what to expect there, and what I could possibly do for 11 hours without resorting to twiddling my thumbs.

Also, I understand that we will probably have AVOD on the two Qantas flights and judging by the Turkish Airlines website, we should have it on the two long-haul A330 flights with Turkish. Can anyone confirm this?

Also, If you have any other general travel/flying tips for the locations above could you please post them here.

Thanks

 

[Platy]

Also, If you have any other general travel/flying tips for the locations above could you please post them here.
Thanks

I guess in Brussels it's worth avoiding the restaurants in, and one or two blocks away from, La Grande Place - they can be expensive tourist traps. Worth a walk to the eastern edge of the central area towards Avenue Louise shopping area and Place de Sablon where there are antique markets (not sure of the days) and pleasant cafes. Both are close to the Brussels Hilton and are more frequented by locals.

Don't buy the highly expensive hotel breakfasts if you are happy to make do with bakery/coffee "continental" breakfast, which can be bought for a few dollars from self serve tables in small local cafes, for example in Place de Sablon.

A big tip for some hotels - don't touch the items in the mini bar fridge unless you want to drink/eat them - in some cases they are "wired" by touch so a purchase will register automatically to your hotel bill, if you move items (even if you don't consume them). Can be a problem if you want to empty the bar fridge to put your own picnic/snack items in the fridge.

Another small one - in some countries you pay for the newspaper if you ask for one to be delivered to your room, they are not necessarily complimentary.

Enjoy

 

[azza_1992]

Thanks, I was also wondering if it was possible to use GPS on a plane. Considering a GPS device only receives the signal and doesn't transmit anything I can't see why it wouldn't be allowed.

 

[Flashback]

I guess in Brussels it's worth avoiding the restaurants in, and one or two blocks away from, La Grande Place - they can be expensive tourist traps. Worth a walk to the eastern edge of the central area towards Avenue Louise shopping area and Place de Sablon where there are antique markets (not sure of the days) and pleasant cafes. Both are close to the Brussels Hilton and are more frequented by locals.

Don't buy the highly expensive hotel breakfasts if you are happy to make do with bakery/coffee "continental" breakfast, which can be bought for a few dollars from self serve tables in small local cafes, for example in Place de Sablon.

A big tip for some hotels - don't touch the items in the mini bar fridge unless you want to drink/eat them - in some cases they are "wired" by touch so a purchase will register automatically to your hotel bill, if you move items (even if you don't consume them). Can be a problem if you want to empty the bar fridge to put your own picnic/snack items in the fridge.

Another small one - in some countries you pay for the newspaper if you ask for one to be delivered to your room, they are not necessarily complimentary.

Enjoy

Japan was the same in a lot of the hotels we stayed in, but it wasn't too bad as the minibar prices were quite reasonable anyway

 

[tuapekastar]

A big tip for some hotels - don't touch the items in the mini bar fridge unless you want to drink/eat them - in some cases they are "wired" by touch so a purchase will register automatically to your hotel bill, if you move items (even if you don't consume them). Can be a problem if you want to empty the bar fridge to put your own picnic/snack items in the fridge.

Jeez, I've never encountered that before! How bizarre. I can understand them wanting to keep an accurate record of use, but surely the cleaning staff can monitor that daily, leaving the last night the only possible problem.

I've stayed at places that place their own 'seal' on, say, the bottled beer in the minibar so upon arrival after a long day's travelling you can't just swig down one or two beers from the minibar and replace them afterwards with ones bought at the local bottle shop for a reasonable price.

 

[Skyring]

I encountered the "wired" minibar in Marriott Portsmouth earlier this year. We had two nights there, so I got a bottle of milk from the local Tescos for tea and coffee, my preference over the UHT stuff. Moved some of the stuff out to make room in the tiny fridge. Was astonished to find that I'd been charged for consuming the drinks I'd moved (and moved back again). Sorted it out, but I wonder how many people inadvertently pay. Especially if it's the company paying the bill.

Istanbul. The airport itself isn't much chop. There's a Starbucks and a host of duty free shops selling Turkish delight as well as the usual souvenirs. Personally, I wouldn't spend eleven hours there, even in the airport lounge. Get a visa - they cost about USD20 IIRC - and a taxi into the city centre (Sultanahmet). Should cost about USD25, but it's a nice ride along the coast, passing through the ancient city walls at one stage. In town, you can get a quick look at the two great mosques facing each other across the main square. Ayasofya and the Blue Mosque, each one extraordinary. The Basilica Cistern is worth a look - an underground reservoir under the city centre about a thousand years old. The roof is held up by hundreds of pillars and it is beautifully lit. You can walk on paths above the shallow water and see ancient statues reused as building parts.

A fascinating city. I had one of the great meals of my life there on the bridge across the Golden Horn watching the ferryboats shuttle around, container ships passing up and down the Bosphorus, and the hills of Asia as a backdrop. The only city spanning two continents.

 

[Platy]

The touch sensitive mini bar situation happened to me both at the Hilton Brussels, Belgium and the Crowne Plaza Cambridge, UK on my Europe trip last year. The latter being especially annoying since I was trying to jam some champagne and strawberries in the fridge for a punting trip on the Backs to re-live my long lost student days!

Of course we weren't drinking champagne back then, rather fruity Liebfraumilsch and Bulgarian red (except on college Benefactors annual dinner night's when the Taylor's 1945 Port came out of the college cellars. Yum!). Cairns ain't Cambridge! (but good in other ways).

 

[Keith009]

Of course we weren't drinking champagne back then, rather fruity Liebfraumilsch and Bulgarian red (except on college Benefactors annual dinner night's when the Taylor's 1945 Port came out of the college cellars. Yum!). Cairns ain't Cambridge! (but good in other ways).

*delightful memories of excessive consumption of passion pop and cask wine at college* :shock: Only proper wines/champers during Valedictory Dinner, Welcome Dinner (mayhaps to con the freshers into staying for good), College Ball and the like.
Though several of us live near college and so it was easy to just pop out and raid someone's cellars for some decent grog, or when we needed to escape college food.

 

[medhead]

I too got the wired mini bar @ Crowne Plaze in Vienna. They were happy enough to empty the minibar during our stay.

 

[Flashback]

*delightful memories of excessive consumption of passion pop and cask wine at college* :shock: Only proper wines/champers during Valedictory Dinner, Welcome Dinner (mayhaps to con the freshers into staying for good), College Ball and the like.
Though several of us live near college and so it was easy to just pop out and raid someone's cellars for some decent grog, or when we needed to escape college food.

I'd be lieing if I said my memories of excessive consumption of passion pop were 'delightful' :shock::shock:

 

[Keith009]

I'd be lieing if I said my memories of excessive consumption of passion pop were 'delightful' :shock::shock:

Notice choice of smiley.

 

[simongr]

Seems to be a Hilton thing as the mini-bar is wired in Sydney as well.

Re the GPS on a plane - there is a great thread on flyertalk that has people talking about that - they say it is great fun.

 

[Flashback]

Re the GPS on a plane - there is a great thread on flyertalk that has people talking about that - they say it is great fun.

Don't suppose you have a URL handy?

 

[Keith009]

Don't suppose you have a URL handy?

Here's one on SQT, see last pic:
SQTalk - View Single Post - SQFG does a Dinner trip to Langkawi with AK (or a very fast car)

 

[simongr]

Don't suppose you have a URL handy?

Ever bring your GPS on the plane? - FlyerTalk Forums