TTOTY | That Time Of The Year!

Author Archives: TTOTY
- Intercontinental Hotel Bugis Singapore
  
  Posted at 8:49 pm by TTOTY, on December 25, 2020
  So, 2020 has been a bummer for all of us especially travel nerds like me. For someone who is constantly scouring Singapore Airlines website for availability, I end up cancelling more trips this year than making them. So, what have I achieved in 2020? Let’s see:
  - Flown a total of 368 miles this year
  - Spent a total of 1 night outside of Singapore
  - Came into contact with the 1^st unlinked Covid-19 case in Singapore (and hence pushing Singapore from yellow alert to orange alert)
  - Spending 11 nights in quarantine in a Government Quarantine Facility (and being able to review it)
  - Countless interviews with Zaobao
  - Having the privilege to have SQ crews working with me
  - New business partners – CL who had the courage to fly on UA1 / UA2 last year in Economy and RC
  - Dine@380
  - Inside SIA
  - Amassing more than 1.5 million miles ready to burn them!
  Posted in Asia, Hotels | 0 Comments | Tagged Bugis, Club Intercontinental, IHG, Intercontinental Hotel, Singapore, Staycation
- SQ380 Business Class a.k.a Dine@A380 – Flight of Hope (or desperation)
  
  Posted at 2:52 pm by TTOTY, on October 27, 2020
  
  Oh, how 2020 had been an exciting year for all of us – we were introduced to many new things like toilet paper rush, queuing up and stocking up of food, safe distancing, circuit-breaker among the many new experiences. Now with 2020 drawing close, we have flight to nowhere, cruise to nowhere and fresh from Singapore Airlines – Dine@A380! Although I wasn’t keen on SIA@home, Dine@A380 was something that was harder to resist.
  
  Many has written detailed reviews on how good the whole event was – which I have to agree it was an excellent job done by the crew who volunteered their time and effort for it. You can tell that those who were there that day were proud to be part of the event!
  
  I shall then write on my experience on the bad and the good side of the whole experience starting from the booking process leading up to the event day.
  
  Posted in Business Class, Flights, Non-Travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Airbus A380, Business Class, Changi Airport, Covid19, Dine@A380, Safe Distancing, Singapore Airlines
- Together, we shall prevail!
  
  Posted at 2:13 pm by TTOTY, on April 15, 2020
  
  It has been almost 2 months since I was discharged from my quarantine and in this period, we have seen the case counter going up from 29 (on 6 Feb 2020) to now more than 3200! That is a staggering 100-fold jump in just slightly over 2 months! A lot of things have happened too in these 2 months – we went from a life with minimal disruption and mask being only for the sick to a significant movement restriction and mask being compulsory.
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Others | 0 Comments | Tagged Covid19, Doctors, Dr. Jade Kua, Essential Workers, Healthcare workers, JeweLuxe World, Nurses, Singapore
- Review – Life in quarantine facility
  
  Posted at 7:26 pm by TTOTY, on February 15, 2020
  
  In less than 48 hours, I will be finally released from jail! Ok fine – this is many times better than jail. After 1 week in a quarantine facility how did it feel? Other than being lonely and inability to leave my room, I would say the place isn’t too bad.
  
  Here is my review of my stay in one of the designated Government Quarantine Facility.
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Others | 2 Comments | Tagged Ambassador, Ambassador Weekend Certificate, Covid19, IHG, IHG Reward Nights, Intercontinental, novel Coronavirus, Quarantine, Singapore, Singapore Airlines
- What I fear, is the fear itself.
  
  Posted at 6:10 pm by TTOTY, on February 8, 2020
  
  This is not going to be any review nor anything to do with award travel but more to do with the current novel Coronavirus(nCoV) and the state of things it has caused.
  
  For once in years, I have all the time I want in the world but only within the confinement of the 4 walls of my quarantine room. Today is day 5 post exposure (another 9 more days to go) and thankfully I am still fine. I have yet to get the result of my swab test and I believe (and hope) it should be negative.
  
  Why hope? Is it because I am worried about the virus itself? Well, no. What I fear, is the fear itself. From all the photos sent to me via Whatsapp, I was shaking my head non-stop looking at the long queue, the supply-grabbing and even condoms are not spared! (hahahah – wonder why).
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Others | 0 Comments | Tagged novel Coronavirus, Quarantine
- TTOTY 2020 – not a great start
  
  Posted at 10:24 pm by TTOTY, on February 7, 2020
  It has been an extremely busy 3 months and I have not been able to find time to write my review on my Fukuoka hotel and ryokan. But as of today (and the next 10 days), things have changed.
  
  I was looking forward to end of February for a few reasons:
  - My upcoming break in Shanghai and Nanjing (finally!)
  - The joy of securing tickets using the 51% Spontaneous Escape promotion
  - My chance finally to try out and review the 2017 Business Class and Suites
  - Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland
  - China bullet train
  Continue reading →
  Posted in Others | 0 Comments | Tagged China, IHG, Intercontinental, Maldives, Shanghai, Singapore, Singapore Airlines, Wuhan
- Korean Air Business Class Second Act – The Apex Suite
  
  Posted at 10:41 am by TTOTY, on December 26, 2019
  
  Once again, a big thanks to JC for more pictures. On her return trip, she managed to get the highly acclaimed Apex Suite that is featured on selected 777-300ER and the new 747-8i. On paper, the 2-2-2 configuration doesn’t sound appealing, but what made the Apex Suite so special is the fact that ALL seats (that is right ALL!) have direct access to the aisle! How is this done?
  
  The 2 seats at the window are slightly staggered (one in front of the other) giving the window seat a small aisle to access into the main aisle directly. This also gives an excellent amount of privacy to those at the window seat. The suite is also excellent for those traveling with kids as the proximity to the child and the lack of a huge divider (like those found on reverse herringbone configuration) allows one to attend to them easily (while having the benefit of being next to the window, unlike those traveling on a 1-2-1 configuration).
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Business Class, Flights | 0 Comments | Tagged Apex Suite, Business Class, Korean Air, South Korea
- Korean Air Business Class in pictures – KE 644 (SIN-ICN) and KE 765 (ICN-CTS)
  
  Posted at 1:26 pm by TTOTY, on December 19, 2019
  
  I would like to thank JC, another friend whom I managed to ‘squeeze’ some pictures out on her recent trip to Sapporo with her family on Korean Air Business Class. Both legs were operated on the wide body jets which still uses a rather dated angled flat product. Regardless, this still wins being upright in Economy Class!
  
  At slightly less than SGD $2k per person, this is quite a good price for Business Class as Economy Class on Singapore Airlines to Japan in December can easily hit $1.4 – $1.5k per person! The only drawback? Skyteam is not exactly a great alliance to accrue your miles.
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Business Class, Flights | 0 Comments | Tagged Business Class, Changi Airport, Chitose, Incheon, Japan, Korean Air, Sapporo, Seoul, Singapore, Skyteam, South Korea
- Looking back at 2019
  
  Posted at 1:50 pm by TTOTY, on December 18, 2019
  
  Nope, no Seattle inaugural this year. Compared to 2018, I only clocked about 68,400 km this year. 2019 had been a very busy year at work but it lays the foundation for an exciting year in 2020!
  
  Highlight of 2019 was still my American trip in June and trying out new airlines such as Air China, Copa and Thai Airways.
  
  2019 saw the upcoming demise of the Airbus A380-800. Announced in February, Airbus is dropping the A380 in favor of the A350 series. We will still get to fly the A380 in the near future, but the end is coming sooner than later.
  
  Qantas has also selected the A350-1000 for the project Sunrise , while the 737Max accidents were indeed unfortunate and it demonstrates the cost of corporate hubris.
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Others | 0 Comments | Tagged Award travel, That Time Of The Year
- Air China Economy Class
  
  Posted at 1:09 pm by TTOTY, on December 18, 2019
  
  After trying out the Air China First Class from Houston to Panama City, here comes Air China in Economy Class on both regional and short haul flight.
  
  My recently concluded family trip to Fukuoka was on Air China via Beijing. At only $2.8k for 6 person, this is an excellent price as the price for Singapore Airlines for the same date came up to $9.2k! Top up another $400 and you can get yourself on Air China Business class which frankly is not a bad deal.
  
  Continue reading →
  
  Posted in Economy Class, Flights | 0 Comments | Tagged Air China, Airbus A330-300, Beijing, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 787-9, Fukuoka, Singapore, Star Alliance
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