Category: Singapore

SG: my bag finally arrived (48 hours later)

Yesterday morning I finally bought a few bits of clothing.
Called baggage and United Airlines several times over the 2 days, each time correcting some bit of info that was wrong (bag colour; my local mobile phone number had one wrong digit etc.).

Even when I called last night, they didn’t know where the bag was. Just as I was going to bed at 1:00, my phone rang and it was the local baggage office saying they had my bag and would be delivering it in the middle of the night (the UA117 flight from Hong Kong landed at 0:30, just like mine did).

I find it a little troubling that the system didn’t show last night that my bag was in fact on a plane at that very moment.

When I woke up this morning, indeed the concierge had my bag!
Just in time for me to head to the airport (carry-on only) in 5 hours (going to Penang for 2 days). Hopefully there’s some clean laundry in there or I’m in trouble…

Note: this would seem to indicate that the bag was not grabbed by accident by someone at Singapore airport.

ok, finally booked a flight to (and bed in) Penang, Malaysia

Leaving Wed afternoon, returning Fri early evening. It’s only an 85 minute flight.
About US$160 round trip on Jetstar Asia (with basic seat selections, but no checked baggage – both of these cost extra). Also includes the S$18/US$14 booking fee that didn’t appear until the final confirmation screen. It could have been cheaper if I had booked a few weeks ago (e.g. I saw a one-way flight to KL for $2 + tax on one day).

And as a bonus, it looks like I can do a day boat trip to an Indonesian island from Singapore, which would make it 5 countries this trip :-)

SG: I’m here, my bag is not

Arrived last night and didn’t see my checked bag.
Though there was a very similar one belonging to someone from Toronto (my flight originated in Newark) so I suspect they grabbed the wrong one by mistake while I was in the washroom.

Funny, I’ve always had a nagging little fear of that happening if I’m not at the luggage carousel when bags arrive.

So it took another half hour to wait for all bags and then talk to Lost and Found, and I didn’t get to bed until 2:00.

Hopefully it will show up today.

I’m disappointed though that they couldn’t see where my baggage tag was last scanned, i.e. did it in fact make it to SIN or was it still in HKG?

Just finishing my coffee, will go buy a SIM card next at a convenience store and am planning on spending the day relaxing and catching up on blog (plus reading/planning on Singapore and my likely little 2 day jaunt to Malaysia). Quite gray out and a chance of thunderstorms today.

Update: my bag arrived 48 hours later, though UA was never entirely sure where the bag was (and they didn’t know it was on a plane when I called).

Statue in SIN airport, just before immigration

Got my upgrade hkg-sin

Woohoo! But what’s up with taking away water bottles at the gate (without warning)?  Ridiculous since that was “handled” at the main security.

Fyi, contrary to what I’ve heard, the Thai lounge was only marginally nicer than the United lounge.

I don’t land until 0:30 sigh.
Weather outlook is hotter than HK: 27-32 C and 40% chance of thunderstorms most days this next week.

If it’s Sunday, this must be Macau…

But heading on to Singapore after a whirlwind 26 hours in Macau.

Baccarat and Sic Bo (3 dice) seem to be the game of choice. But nobody is drinking!
Not many poker rooms.
And now I have a whole new meaning for mall walking.

The World Heritage old town sights are interesting and the Macanese food is good.

At 4:00 I awoke briefly to pouring rain and hoped it would continue so I could relax instead of sightseeing. But alas it waspartly sunny today.

Right now I’m sitting as the lone passenger in the upper deck “super” class (only about two dozen folks in steerage – ha! How do you like that Titanic reference?) on my way direct to HKG airport (no HK customs involved)  and am now back into HK cell coverage – I missed it in Macau!

Singapore vs Taipei street food

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/singapore/travel-tips-and-articles/77041

“Though without question a festival for nose and tastebuds, visually speaking most of Singapore’s centrally planned communal eateries have only slightly more charm than your average parking garage.”

Hmm. Well, I was a little disappointed with Taipei street food, but in a few weeks I’ll be able to compare Singapore (and Hong Kong) street food.

Update: having returned from Singapore now, I definitely give Singapore the win over Hong Kong, which in turn wins over Taipei, for street food.