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* Review / Accommodation

Hotel Grand Pacific Singapore

Old, Tired but a Winner for Price, Staff, Food and Location Located on Victoria Street in the Bras Basah district and just south of Bugis between the MRT Stations of Bras Basah and Bugis, the hotel is in walking distance of food outlets, shopping malls and cultural centres. In Victoria, Albert and Queen Streets, restaurants, eateries and hawker centres. Shopping in Bugis Village, and malls Bugis Plus, Bugis Junction and Raffles City. For arts, heritage and culture, the Singapore Art Museum, National Museum of Singapore and the National Library. Also at one block away the iconic Raffles Hotel and Long Bar, famous for the original Singapore Sling cocktail. This was my second stay at the Grand Pacific. Previously visiting in mid-June 2015 while in...

* Review / Accommodation

Hotel Corona Rome

Still a Good Hotel After Third Time My third time at Hotel Corona, staying eight nights at the end of October and early November 2016. I booked direct and was given room 512 and had WiFi included. The room is on the fifth floor and faces the internal courtyard. It’s the same size as the single in my previous visits but with a larger bed. The only real drawback I found was the location of the bedside powerpoint. It wasn’t above one of the bedside cabinets like in the Single room but above the bed mattress on the side where the built-in wardrobe was positioned. This meant smartphones and tablets had to sit on the mattress when recharging. A bit awkward. WiFi worked well...

* Review / Eatery

Pizzeria Mediterranea Rome

Great Sliced Takeway Pizza! Had takeaway pizza here three or four times while staying at Hotel Corona in Via Napoli. Some of the best in Rome and well priced. Recommended not just by me but also by the stall holders from the street market in Via Cesare Balbo, round the corner. The pizzeria is located at Via Agostino Depretis, 76. Not far from Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four major basilicas and just down from the Viminale. Update: been here again and again. Well at least once every time I’m in Rome either staying round the corner at Hotel Corona or if I’m passing through. My family has also had pizza here and no complaints. Drinks are also well priced. In fact they...

Air Travel / Opinion / Tips & Advice

Items Stolen From Checked Luggage?

Well, when and where can thieves get to your luggage? Most logically when it is unattended and out of sight. I suppose after check-in before ending up in the cargo hold and as they come off the plane before they arrive at the luggage carousel. Basically anywhere while in transit. Where you aren’t around and can’t see them. Should luggage get ripped, broken open or damaged so the contents becomes exposed there’s always the chance someone will see what you have and may be tempted to appropriate your belongings. Obviously grabbing anything of value first. Of course this stuff shouldn’t be in checked-in lugagge in the first place. Checked-in luggage I always advise buying hard-shell framed luggage that have no zips. The ones made...

Air Travel / Airlines / Opinion

A Baby Named Jet Star

Baby born on plane named after the airline…could mean free flights for life or close to it. Timing the birth of babies can be most unexpected. An expectant mother delivered hers on a Jetstar Asia flight travelling from Singapore to Yangon, Myanmar. She went into labour moments after take-off and lucky for her, would you believe, there were three doctors from the one family on the flight. They helped the woman while the crew called for further medical assistance. Passengers on board clapped with joy welcoming the 2.9kg baby boy as the doctors assisted in the delivery. The mother overjoyed by the care she received from the airline then named her son “Saw Jet Star”. The airline has offered the family $AUD1000 worth of...

Hotels & Resorts / Loyalty

Hilton HHonors Launches New Membership Cards

Hilton HHonors has introduced new membership cards showcasing well known landmarks in four countries: India, China, UK and the United States of America. Perhaps views of some of their best hotels would have been better. Anyhow, what really matters to guests is that the name and number can be seen clearly. The rest is eye candy. Not sure why they ditched the old design, which wasn’t bad, and connected the value of each status level to landmarks belonging to these four countries. Interesting the highest status level of Diamond has been assigned to the USA. Would we expect anything else with Hilton being an American company? Physical loyalty cards are nice to have, but when they are too many they become a pain in...

Air Travel / Opinion

Air Quality Better In Business Class?

The simple answer is no. They breathe the same air as everyone else on board including the crew in the cockpit. What about flatulence? Well, this is something we all do. Some more than others and will depend on several factors: your state of health and your diet. If you’ve eaten something that will exasperate it, then there’s no chance of avoiding it. Since Business Class passengers do get to eat a wider variety of food, mostly the healthy kind during their stays in lounges pre flight and on board, there’s a possibility they’ll contribute more. Passengers in Economy – usually on tight budgets – may have a propensity to save their money during layovers making them more likely to eat less and perhaps...

* Review / Accommodation

Village Hotel Albert Court Singapore

Friendly, clean, comfortable, stylish but unpretentious Stayed as a solo traveller for two nights during the Indian festival of lights, Deepavali (Diwali or Divali). The hotel is located northwest of Bugis and on the southern fringe of Little India a few hundred metres away from Little India MRT station on Bukit Timah Road and the SIA Hop-on bus stop on Sungei Road. Many eateries and restaurants are in walking distance, not to mention several on the grounds of the hotel. The Albert Café & Restaurant is on the first floor and is run separately from the hotel. Breakfast is served here daily. Guests have the option of purchasing breakfast from the front desk at a reduced rate. At time of this writing it was...

Airlines / Opinion

Sky High Fashion

Who has the best look in the sky among the cabin crews? Singapore Girl and the sarong kebaya any day, of course! The boys also deserve a mention smartly attired in their suits and ties according to rank. Malaysia Airlines isn’t too far off with their bright coloured sarong kebaya. Garuda Indonesia too uses a batik design. Also should mention Thai Airways. No sarong kebaya and batik, but great colourful uniforms. All round the Southeast Asian airlines get my tick of approval in the fashion stakes.

Air Travel / Opinion

Passengers Fleeing Burning Plane Cop Flack

And so they should…if they take their carry-ons with them! I understand people are too attached to their belongings but in an emergency situation when life – yours and others – is in serious danger the priority is to get to safety as quickly as possible. Carry-on bags should be your last thought. If you really need to take something with you, I’d suggest a bum bag (or as the Americans call it a fanny pack). This is perfect to store smartphone, passport, medications and some cash (but not required if you have credit/debit/travel cards). You should also have PDF copies of important documents on your smartphone. I make copies of all documents including tickets, reservations, insurance, etc. A bag as such is small...

Air Travel / Aircraft / Opinion

Nightmare face to face airline seats revealed

Airline industry seat supplier Zodiac Seats France wants to introduce alternating forward and backward facing seats, placed side-by-side. This seating configuration has been referred to as awkward, nightmarish, hellish and even evil! A lot of hate for these seats and I don’t blame those who’ve made these comments. I’ve got a different take on these. I see them as a safety concern. I really wonder whether they have seriously tested this in an emergency situation. Whether passengers will be disorientated in an evacuation, especially if the cabin is full of smoke. It only takes a few to lose their sense of direction and confusion and panic to set in and we’ll have a disaster. I’m not sold on this idea of people sitting in...

* Review / Accommodation

Ilisia Hotel Athens

Ilisia welcoming, comfortable and well located The hotel is located in a safe suburb of Athens next to the Hilton. It is also not far away from the Metro Line 3 (Aghia Marina-Athens International Airport) and the X95 Airport bus that runs on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. Close by are the National Gallery, War Museum, National Museum of Contemporary Art and the Megaro Moussikis – The Athens Concert Hall. Other places of interest closer to the centre of Athens (Syntagma, Plaka, Acropolis and Monastiraki) can be reached by buses and the Metro. I stayed here in the second week of June for three nights. The room I had was a double (twin beds) as they had no singles. It was located at the end of...

Cruise Lines

Coral Princess Cruises rebrands

Cairns-based Coral Princess Cruises will rebrand as Coral Expeditions, reports Travel Weekly. Less confusion with cruise ship CORAL PRINCESS owned by Princess Cruises. That will certainly make them happy! Here’s their new logo… Cheers

* Review / Transport

Aegean Airlines A3 651/A3 650

Excellent Service on Europe’s Best Regional Airline Although they were only short flights Rome-Athens and Athens-Rome, they were enough to know I flew with a great little airline. Well, little in the sense of the number of aircraft and destinations they fly to. They can’t be compared to Turkish Airlines, their closest neighbour and Star Alliance partner, but they do punch above their weight when it comes to quality and service. That’s why they’ve been voted the Best Regional Airline in Europe by Skytrax for many years. Greek hospitality is well known and I couldn’t wait to try out Aegean since also I had gained Star Alliance Gold through them a year or so earlier. So when the chance came I decided to book...

* Review / Accommodation

Hotel Grand Pacific Singapore

Great Location for Stopover First time at this central hotel in Singapore. Was only for a transit stopover during the day. The hotel was organised through Singapore Airlines. Only the room was included, no meals. We arrived around 7:30am and departed approximately at 8pm. The free transfers were part of the stopover. There was two of us travelling so we got two separate beds in a twin share. The room faced the rear of the building overlooking the Hotel Royal at Queens. The bed was very comfortable and I got myself some good rest. The bathroom wasn’t the flashiest I’ve seen, but it was clean and good enough to get a refresh. My friend that was travelling with me had the opportunity of eating...

* Review / Accommodation

Hotel Corona Rome

Better second time round This was my second stay at Hotel Corona, staying for nine nights in early June. My previous visit was in November 2014. I stayed in room 412 a standard single. These rooms are small but have a good sized bathroom. I can say my stay this time was better than last. For one thing I got to know more of the staff and got to enjoy their company. Also from what I saw they do give their utmost best to help their guests. While I was in reception many times sitting on the couch or the armchairs I never heard a bad word. So I am not sure why some guests say the staff were rude or had a bad...

Airports

Fire closes Rome’s main airport

Rome’s Fiumicino Airport has been closed to the public after a fire broke out overnight in its main terminal for international flights, reports Travel Weekly. Adding to what has been reported. The fire actually started at 4 minutes past midnight local time. The cause was most probably an electrical fault. The fire destroyed and damaged around forty shops that run between Passport Control and Gates G & H in Terminal 3 Departures. An area of about 1000sqm was affected one way or another by fire or smoke. Since the fire Terminal 3 has been getting back to some kind of normality. An access point to embarkation Gates G & H was opened in the early hours of Saturday (9 May). At 17:00 of the...

Cruising / Opinion / Tips & Advice

Stress free family holiday? Go cruising!

There was a time when cruising was synonymous with elderly retired couples – But that’s not the case any more, says Travel Weekly. Cruising is a great way to have a family holiday. The unpacking once and getting down to relaxation is one of the best reasons for going on a cruise. Besides the food, entertainment and all the amenities of a luxury hotel, you get to see different ports and countries while you are at it. If you must fly long-haul to get to your cruise port I would suggest not taking toddlers. I don’t see the value of taking kids at that age. They won’t remember anything. Kindergarten age, 4-5 years up is fine. My choice of cruise line? Disney Cruises. They...

Aircraft / Opinion

Airbus touts more seats in superjumbo

The Airbus A380 is such a great jetliner, but it could soon to be ruined by the greedy beancounters. Airbus is thinking about increasing the maximum passenger load. I surely hope no one takes up this option. Let’s also not forget safety. With more passengers onboard it will be harder for them to evacuate within the 90 second time period recommended by safety authorities. Any longer, especially during a fire, it will become harder for anyone to escape without injuries. Our response as passengers should be to boycott any airline advocating the 3-5-3 configuration! In this case I’ve got my sights squarely aimed at Emirates who are the biggest users of the plane. Hope they are listening. Update: So far no airline has taken...

Air Travel / Airports / Cities & Towns / Countries / Ports

Watch your homonyms and homophones when travelling

Ended up in the wrong town, city or country? Did you check the name and spelling of the place where you were suppose to go to? Did you board the wrong flight? Well this can easily happen if you don’t research your travels as you should and check (possibly double check) your airticket/boarding pass. There have been many cases of travellers ending up at the wrong destination because placenames are either identical or sound the same but spelt differently. Sometimes at no fault of their own. Airlines and travel agents have also been known to make the mistake. In one case a couple ended up on the wrong continent over confusing airport codes. In other mix-ups people book same sounding place names like Guyana...

Opinion / Technology

Making tavel easier with smartphone apps, but do they?

There are some apps that are very useful while travelling and make the experience less of a worry and others that are just a waste of space. Traveller.com.au in a recent article mentioned ten apps that should make that easier. Here’s the list: Of all these apps the one that stands out the most is TripIt, which is free. There is also a paid version, TripIt Pro, but the free version has many of the bells and whistles that’s required to keep your travel plans in order. I’ve used TripIt and it’s great, but I’ve come to like another very similar app, TripCase (from Sabre), which is totally free and does not require a pro version. If you travel a lot and in particular...

Air Travel / Opinion

Are aircraft cabins clean?

Michael Gebicki is correct in saying it’s only a quick tidy-up when there’s a short turnaround. The best cleaning is done during the longer layovers in the airlines’ respective hubs. So yes, do take your sanitiser wipes with you into the cabin. You’ll need them sooner or later for the trays, armrests, lavatory door handles, etc. As for the air breathed. I wouldn’t worry too much. There’s no more germs in the air than what you’ll find in any other crowded space. The pilots also breathe the same air as the passengers so it can’t be all that bad! What is noticeable though is the dryness of the air. This cannot be avoided as condensation from humidity can corrode the airframe. Newer planes such...

Airports / Opinion

Security at Australian airports, sensible or neurotic?

Show of force and heavy handed security is not required at airports. Perhaps even paranoid…Anyhow, governments know security can be done covertly, but they prefer to be seen doing something and the best way is to show who’s boss. That’s why you get screened, scanned, x-rayed, proded and body searched. Only foolish terrorists will get caught, just like drug mules and users who think they can import illegal substances through immigration and customs. Terrorists don’t need to board planes to cause mayhem. They can do this anywhere on airport property and not pass any security checks at all. That’s the worrying thing. They will come up with new ways of causing death and destruction. Real security should start way before anyone gets near an...

Tips & Advice

Purchasing Foreign Currency

If you intend to take cash with you on your next trip and want the best rates, don’t go purchase your foreign currency from banks, Travelex or AusPost. They all take a commission. Instead go to the foreign exchange dealers. Where you’ll get a better deal on the rate minus the commission. In Adelaide we have several very competitive exchanges: UAE Exchange (now Unimoni)*, FX Foreign Xchange, Worldex and First Eastern FX. They can all be very flexible. So check a few rates and go and negotiate. Personally I’ve dealt with three of these but I know First Eastern FX is also highly recommended (contributor Peter Katsambis vouches for this). My first preference to buy and exchange foreign currency is FX Foreign Xchange. Call...