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* Review / Places / Shopping

Orchard Road Singapore

Shopaholic’s Paradise & More When I’m in Singapore, three or four times a year (latest October and November 2016), I cannot miss a visit to Orchard Road, the shopping mecca of the city state. My personal favourites are Plaza Singapura, ION Orchard and Takashimaya. Been to others too, like the high-end Paragon and the seemingly rundown low-end Lucky Plaza. Every time I visit I find time to discover something new. Three words of advice for first timers. One, try to score a map of some of the bigger centres like ION Orchard. If you don’t, you’ll lose your bearings. These places are like labyrinths (or worse still rabbit warrens). Two, you won’t see everything in one day. You’ll need to come back at some...

* Review / Trains / Transport

Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT)

Best Way to Travel in Singers What can you add to the many superlative reviews of one of the best (if not the best) mass rapid transport system in the world. The only complaints you may hear will come from the locals who want less crowded, better aircon and better carriages, etc. Which would be the normal reaction from locals anywhere. I visit Singapore regularly and yes there may be times when it is overcrowded (peak hours) and the aircon struggles with packed people, but I think many would agree it is the best way to get around Singapore. Most if not all the main attractions, hotels and shopping malls are in close reach of a MRT station. So are Changi Airport and the...

* Review / Accommodation

Kennedy Hotel Rome

Mixed Bag: Good Location, Bad Room A well positioned hotel close to Termini Railway Station. My reason for staying here was so that I was close to the station arriving from Tuscany on the Frecciarossa and leaving on the Leonardo Express to Fiumicino Airport. I have mixed feelings about this place. It’s position, price, breakfast and staff are all fine. It was the location of my room that didn’t satisfy me. Mind you I booked when the hotel was basically full so had no option, still I have to be frank. I was given room number 10. It’s on the first floor next to the stairs and lift. It is also probably the closest to the downstairs lobby. That in itself isn’t the problem....

* Review / Accommodation

Hotel Royal at Newton Singapore

Older Hotel Better Than Expected A hotel with an undeserved negative reputation. One of Singapore’s oldest at 45 years old. I was transiting Singapore and was allocated this hotel as part of my package with Singapore Airlines. Stayed mid November 2016 between 7am and 8:30pm and can only comment on my room and the service from the staff. I did not have breakfast as that was not part of my stay. The room was on the fifteenth floor, 1512. A nice large room. I was truly impressed considering I was only transiting. The bed was Queen size and very comfortable. The bathroom clean. Hot water was instantaneous. There was coffee and tea making facilities, large flat screen TV and a small fridge. I was...

* 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...