Yes, This Is Real Life Part 10 - Royally Jordanian

Yes, This Is Real Life- Preview

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 1- Location, Location, Location

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 2- Brits In Beantown

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 3 - Shades On, Wheels Up

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 4 - Welcome to Ghost Port

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 5 - When You Layover During Ramadan

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 6 - Birds In Doha

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 7 - Dealing With Dragons

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 8 - A Place Most Exceedingly Rare

Yes, This Is Real Life Part 9- I Still Can't Believe This Is Real Life

This is not a post about flying Royal Jordanian.  I have, to date, not flown Royal Jordanian.  It is, however, a post about transiting their home airport of Amman, Jordan in all of 90 minutes, and I thought it a rather snappy title. 

Even for me, this day of flying pushed the ridiculous.  Now that I'd been re-routed, my layover was shorter and I literally flew the same plane in and out of Jordan right back to Doha.  It was about a three hour flight each way.  I had the same cabin crew, and even the same seat.  You've just got to laugh sometimes.  My flight attendant sure did.

So, here's how it went-

I left the lounge, and boarded on time for AMM.  They fly a a330 between these cities, which is still definitely a widebody plane, but not as big as the 777 or the 350.  The seats are lie flat, but not nearly as spacious as the 777 seats, or the 350 seats.  It's still fantastically comfortable for this length of flight, and would be fine for an overnight as well.  The cabin is laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration, so the window seats don't have aisle access.  Once again, I had no one next to me.

Instead of a pre departure beverage, since it was Ramadan and they weren't serving alcohol on any planes flying soley between middle eastern destinations, the cabin crew came around to offer coffee and dates while the rest of the flight boarded.  They did serve a meal on the flight, but also offered a boxed meal to go to passengers observing the holy month.



Regional amenity kit

I ordered the ful medames (quickly becoming my local go-to, the same way I always grab a bowl of congee in Asia) and pita as a snack, and kicked back to watch the IFE and doze a bit.  The flight went quickly, and we arrived on time to AMM.  Here's where the fun started.

Now,  I've done several transfers between itineraries like this, where you can't check in for your onward flight until you get on the ground at the destination, and so you don't have a boarding pass to clear transfer immigration.  The most hair raising example of this was definitely going through Jakarta, an experience I'd prefer not to repeat...but if I'm honest...I probably will at some point.

I had asked if I could get my AMM-DOH boarding pass on leaving DOH, but since the itinerary was technically a separate one way ticket AMM-DOH-IAH, they couldn't print it.  They did, however, print me the read out of the booking details so I had that to hand over in AMM.



Waaaaiiiittting to get my passport back

The transfer desk/area doesn't have a Qatar agent at it, and so I had to hand over my passport to an airport employee who then left to go down to the ticketing desks to procure my boarding pass.  This is simply never a good feeling, but is unfortunately how it's done many places.  I had to wait 30+ minutes for him to return, all the while staring out the window at the plane I arrived on, and was scheduled to depart on shortly.



Finally made it back upstairs- AMM Airport

The total transfer time I had available was only 90 minutes, so by the time I cleared security and was sent back to the departures level, I just headed back to the plane and boarded a few minutes later.  This was quite entertaining to my flight crew, especially as I was in the exact same seat as before. 

It went something like this:

FA: Welcome, boarding pa... Oh, it's you again!

Me: Um, yep. Again.

FA: Seat?

Me: 4F, again, apparently.

FA: (Laughs)  You missed us?

Me: It's a long story...

On arrival back at DOH, I took a few minutes to check out the arrivals lounge, simply because I hadn't been before and I'd gotten in earlier than the prior two days.  It's reserved for business and first class arriving passengers, and is located past security.  There's a made to order menu, not as extensive as the airside lounges, but plenty of options, as well as drinks, places to relax, and showers.  I didn't spend too long, just enough to get a look around.



Arrivals lounge seating



Menu

Since I also had the 'stopover package' for this night, I'd stopped and been given my hotel and meal voucher, as well as my info for the free shuttle before clearing immigration.  As seemed to be the most common set up, I'd been given a night at the Oryx Rotana hotel, which while not the Ritz, is still quite a nice hotel to have for free.  It's not in the main part of town, or up by the Pearl, but since it caters to one night stopovers that's no big issue.

After a short shuttle ride, I was checking in to my third and final hotel of the weekend.  How the last night went, is coming up.

 

~CruisingAltitude

 

Read next: Yes, This Is Real Life Part 11: Up All Night To Get Miles

Scandi Running Part 3: An American From LA Reviews Danish Bicycles

Rain, shine, or ice... Copenhagen is a biking city.

To see how I got here, also check out my review of British Airways World Traveller Plus

Yep.  This is happening. At this point, I think the only time I actually ride a bike is when I'm in Denmark, or someplace similar.  So clearly, you need my review of this.... because I am a super expert.

I’ve been to Denmark 4 times now, and each time I have to rent a bike.  To be in Copenhagen without a bike is like being in Los Angeles without a car, or in Boston without feet.  It’s not done, or it shouldn’t be done.  You won’t see the city as it should be, or as much as should be seen.  You also won’t understand the struggle of finding bike parking, or getting caught in bike land rush hour.  Or just… learning how to make a left turn.



No bikes, just Orstedsparken in the sunshine.

So, anyhow… The first time we came to Copenhagen we rented from a shady place around the corner from our hotel in Centrum.  There were extenuating circumstances at work, namely that we needed bikes and didn’t’ want to cough up the US $35 a day per bike the Radisson wanted.  There are any number of more or less reputable independent rental places in Copenhagen, but what I’m really here to talk about are the two most prevalent bike share companies in the city.

Since our first time there a few new options for people visiting Copenhagen and needing transportation and flexibility. 

First up- Bycyklen

Byckylen is Copenhagen’s take on the citybike model that’s popping up all over.  There are stations all over the city, and they’re easy to find. 



Bycyklen bikes at a docking station.

You can pay as you go, or buy a block of minutes in advance.  I opted to buy a block of 300 minutes for the year, since this let me be flexible and not buy hours at a time.  It turned out to be great, as like I said, Copenhagen is small and you simply don’t need too many minutes to get where you’re going.  A full weekend of cycling only used up maybe 60 minutes of use.

Pros:

-The bikes are quazi-motorized.  This is honestly a super fun way to roll around the city.  If you use the ‘countryside’ or ‘hill climb’ settings, the barest of pedaling will shoot you forward up to 25kph and in short order you’ll realize just how small Copenhagen is.  I can’t overemphasize how fun this is. 

-They are also e-bikes, and sport an android tablet with navigation that can guide you around the city and help you find pick up and drop off locations. 

The cons:

-They’re heavy, due to the motor and whatnot, so I can imagine trying to take one on and off trains and such could be a pain.

-You have to pay for ‘parking’- the bike’s minutes are ticking down even if you’re not riding when it’s not in a docking station.  This results in planning a bit around going docking station to docking station so you don’t run your minutes down too fast.  This wasn’t a big deal since there were so many stations, but if you’re thinking of taking one a bit out of the metro area, you will burn through your subscription. 

Now….I was all good with using Bcyklen for all three of my planned weekends here, and the 300 minutes was going to be plenty to get me through.  However, when I got to town none of the bikes were working!!  I checked in with the company and they, go figure, were hacked the exact night before I arrived.  Their entire network was down, and no bikes could be removed from any docking station.  Massive fail.  From what Twitter tells me, they were up and running again the day after I left.  Of course.

But, like I said, in Copenhagen you need a bike so I had to go to plan b, which brings me to...

Donkey Republic

Now, I remember seeing these pop up on Google Maps last year when I was in Denmark with family and not really getting that this was a bike share, rather than a chain of rental shops.  What it is is a service more akin to the LimeBikes now scattered around the US.  The major difference is that, as Scandinavia tends to be, it's more organized.  The bikes can only be picked up and returned to designated spots, which have bike racks, so they don't clutter up the city.



Bright orange and simple Donkey Republic bike

How it works is you download the app, set up and account, and then can reserve, check out and return the bright orange bikes throughout the city. 

Pros:

-You rent by the day, not the hour or minute, so there's not that rush to return the bike to a docking station.

-Simple app and simple operation.

-Reasonably priced daily rate.

Cons:

-They actually could be hard to find.  You do need to reserve one before you set out to the pick up location, or someone else may get to it first.  Once you reserve it, that bike has a number on it and will only unlock with your code on the app once you get into Bluetooth range.

-No fun motorized zipping around the city like with Bycyklen.  The bikes didn't really seem to have gears much either, so you actually have to pedal.

The bikes are numbered, so you know which one you reserved.

Either way, it's a good idea to look into these services before you go if you're planning on using them.  Make sure there are docking stations/pick up points near where you're staying and the attractions you want to check out.  All in all, it's great that Copenhagen has let these companies set up shop in the city, since they can be a great and less pricey option for people staying there for a limited time.  I'm looking forward to one more weekend doing just that in October when I wrap up my three weekends of Scandi Running!

~CruisingAltitude

Then Go East....Far East....

Welcome to 2018, we're glad you're here! Before we get in the air, we'd like to go over some important features of 2017.**

It was a year full of new adventures, and not just a few miles flown.  As per usual, I went considerably out of my way to get my American/Oneworld status done, racking up those 100,000 miles.  It was a year for circling the world (quite literally), exploring foreign countries that are not so far off, plenty that actually are, and sharing travel experiences with family. 

 

If you're interested, you can check out some of the adventures here:

 

Havana Running (Cuba, of course)

 

Around the World in 80 Hours (Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Doha)

 

Yes, This Is Real Life (Doha, Amman, Colombo)

Whenever I'm questioning my plans, or debating which itineraries I might actually sort out, I put in the 'pro' column if I'll get to add a country to my 'visited' map I keep in my head.  Since I'm usually at the mercy of the major Oneworld deals and routes, I tend to wind up in the same places repeatedly- Hong Kong, Doha, Tokyo, etc.  So it can be exciting when there's someplace brand new.  

This year I added Cuba, Jordan (airport, it was quick), Finland, Estonia (check these out on Baby Flyer Blog), and Sri Lanka.  Not bad at all.

 

Sometimes, however, it's nice to play the hits.  That's why when I saw an impressive deal back to one of my favorites, and on the last weekend before last year's upgrades expired, I jumped on it.  36 hours in Hong Kong, here I come.  I'm even really taking this one 'old school,' and back-tracking to Dallas to catch the longest flight in American's network direct to HKG. 

 

I'm currently sitting in the lovely Qantas 1st class lounge in LAX before my flight, enjoying some Hamachi crudo and minute steak.  Life could be worse.  As an aside, I stopped by the NEW LAX Flagship Lounge as well.  Review of this soon!

 

 

As per usual, I'm playing the upgrade waitlist game for the outbound, but for a nice treat I was able to book the return via Tokyo Narita right into business class on my SWU upgrade!  So no matter what, I'll arrive back home in good shape.

 

So, what's a girl to do with two nights and a day in this fine city?  A few options come to mind...

 

 

I'm staying (again) at the Sheraton Kowloon, which has a top floor restaurant bar and lounge with a great view.  For what it's worth, people are always looking down on the Sheraton because in a strict sense it's outclassed by some of the other major chain offerings in Hong Kong- the Ritz, the JW Marriott, Conrad, and so on.  However, it keeps being my go-to for a few night's stay for a few reasons.  First- it's right on the Metro at Tim Sha Tsui, and has a shuttle from the Airport Express station at Kowloon.  Second- Even though it's sold as two hotels (the towers and regular rooms) you can usually use points to cheaply upgrade into a Towers room that comes with a high floor lounge with a very nice evening reception.  Third- There is a rooftop pool and spas that are great even in the rain.  Lastly- it's generally CHEAPER than the competition.  That alone puts it right up there. 

 

My suite at the Sheraton last time around.

This is all to say that setting up shop in Kowloon gives me some easy options before even going outside.  However, I fully intend to go outside.  I usually try to get out and take a hike or jog thought one of the parks each time I'm here.  In the past, I've done a morning jog around The Peak.  This time I may branch out....who knows. 

 

 

 And then there's the food...oh, the food....  This time, I'm in the market for some dim sum (of course), and want to find some traditional congee as well.  I think I've located a place that's near the hotel, and open until 2am.  This seems like a strange criteria, but here's the thing- flying to Hong Kong from the US essentially makes you nocturnal on arrival.  Your internal clock 'wakes up' around midnight, and if you're not looking to adjust, places open until 2 am are key.  Plus, Hong Kong is one of those "never sleeps" places.

 

So.... the bars are open until 2 or 3, congee until 2, and I think I found a dim sum place that opens for the day at 4.  Done and done.  A bit of day sleeping, some time in the pool, and it'll be time to head on out.

 

Thank various deities for international Uber.

 

As it turns out, I'm also not the only frequent flyer to think that this weekend is a great time to be in Hong Kong, so I'm looking forward to some meetups with other travelers and acquaintances.  All in all, it promises to be a good time....once I survive the 17 hour flight, of course.  Fingers crossed for the upgrade!!

 

Travel well,

 

~CruisingAltitude.

 

**Kudos to you if you get this reference.  

 

Fare Deal- Los Angeles to Hong Kong for $430 !

Come on, let's go.

Here's another one that's worth checking out if you need a bunch of qualifying miles, though it won't get you many qualifying dollars.  Also, if you might happen to actually want to go to Hong Kong, that's a bonus.  I highly recommend it, even if just for a short time.  It's an accessible city that you can see a fair amount of quickly. 

Go for the miles, stay for the lounge...

The flights vary, but are either direct from LAX to HKG, or some routings will take you through Tokyo for a few hours.  If you're a Oneworld elite, this is no big hardship since the lounges at NRT are some of the best, probably closely following the embarrassingly good lounges at HKG.

Not bad.  Not bad at all.

There are some decent prices for the rest of this year, but the real 'deals' are mostly early 2017, with prices well under $500!  You can earn around 12,000 or more qualifying miles on this trip, plus it's a fun destination.  The long haul flights are on American planes, so systemwides and miles and co-pay upgrades are possible for the trans pacific segments.  Connections to and from Tokyo are on Cathay or JAL.

It probably won't last long, so get it on hold while you can if you're interested!

Fly well,

~CruisingAltitude

The Last Mileage Run of 2016- Epilouge: All's Well That Lands Safely

 

I won't lie, 2:30am is really late to finally get into bed after 24 hours of travel time.  Travel time well spent, but 24hrs nonetheless.  I'm well aware it's supremely cliché to show up late to work after a short night, with Starbucks.  Well I showed up late, with Starbucks. 

Temporary exhaustion aside, I've said I have yet to regret doing a mileage run and this one was definitely no exception. I saw a new city and country, and added to my knowledge of the region.  I endured, adjusted, and rolled with the delays and changes, and strengthened (and probably tested) a friendship.  There are few experiences that can condense both this much stress and euphoria into three days. 

To recap the journey in numbers:

Flights: 5
Plane types: 4
Delayed flights: 2
Airports: 4
Lounges: 5
Glasses of Tattinger: No comment.
Hotels: 2
S. American Sushi Bars: 1
Days: 3
Nights: 2

And 18,956 elite qualifying miles!

You know it's been a good trip when before you even reach the last jetbridge, you're already looking forward to the next adventure.  However, this flight marks my last mileage run of 2016, and all that's left for the year is a quick flight up to Seattle to visit family over the holidays.  The insanity will have to hold off for awhile.  Until February, anyway....

As they say, all's well that ends well.  Thanks for anyone who actually followed along!

Travel well,

~CruisingAltitude



Last Mileage Run of 2016 Part 2: So....yeah....um...

"The Plane" At TBIT.  Even it was on time, and it woke up in Sydney this 'morning.'

See part 1 here.

Whelp, welcome to mileage season…. It all started so promisingly, it really did.  I was here on time, American.  Let’s just get that in the official record of this weekend.  I got myself up at the ass crack of dawn, no wait…before dawn this morning, got myself in an Uber, showered at the Admirals Club, all of that.  I was READY to do this thing.

Then, life happened.  Let’s just do a recap here.  We had 1hr 15 to make the connection in MIA.  This seemed doable, well outside of the minimum connection time for this airport.  But I should have known better, let’s face it, I DID know better.  I’ve been up nights about this exact thing.

Let’s stop for a moment here and talk about how mileage runs SHOULD be booked, and why it seems like I’m always in an airport lounge.  I’m always in an airport lounge, because that’s what you do on a long layover.  You have a long layover when you don’t want to risk missing your flight.  You don’t want to risk missing your flight when you on a mileage run, and don’t have much (or any) time in the destination.  So, has the point been made?  Yes…no…maybe?? 

For the record, again, I did book a longer connection but an equipment and schedule change forced my hand here. 

Not a bad place to start the day though...

Anyway, back to reality…

Currently sitting on the tarmac.  On an inert 777, waiting to GO BACK TO the gate for more maintenance.  This is a new one for even me.  We pulled back, rolled to the end of the runaway and then thought….yeah, no, just kidding!

Apparently there’s something wrong with the cargo doors.  This is why you should NEVER check luggage!  Come on, we’ve talked about this.  Seriously, people.

I’ve only had one PDB, and it’s not nearly enough right now.  Hope is fast draining from this run, and we haven’t even hit the first flight level yet.  

Update, it’s not the doors…but some badly stacked cargo?  You had one job, seriously.

We have rolled back to the gate, shut down, got towed in, and now they’re apparently down there playing cargo tetrus with a 777-300.  Fantastic.  Remember when I said I was about to lose a friend by bringing them with me on this madness?? Yep, I’m pretty sure those famous last words are hitting home about right now. 

I feel the plane is on the edge of anarchy.  The passengers are starting to migrate toward the now opened aircraft door, and the FAs are playing interference between them and the lonely gate agent who’s been sent down the jetbridge to deal with this (major) kerfulffle.  The snack baskets are even being broken out now, which is never a good sign, despite the sweet and spicy popcorn, which is just delightful.

Anyhow, just several short calls to the AA EXP desk, and a dalliance with the idea of trying to jump ship (plane?) for the 1pm to Lima on LAN, and we’re re-booked on the 9:50 am out of Miami tomorrow down to Quito.  Roll with it, I think.  Now if this plane could just push back so they can open the service carts and bring me my pre-ordered “breakfast” and a(nother) mimosa, that’d be great.  Mileage runs are judgement free zones.

Onwards (and hopefully upwards) from here.

~CruisingAltitude

Lounge Destinations: The Red Suite....

 

One of the best parts of a Mileage Run, or any well planned trip, can be free access to some of the impressive and luxurious Oneworld lounges.  In terms of lounge quality, Oneworld is king amongst the airline alliances.  From the Qantas offerings in SYD, to Galleries in LHR, to Cathay's spread of lounges in HKG, it really pays to be a Oneworld elite when traveling abroad.  I've been known to book 6 hour layovers, just to enjoy the lounges. 

For reference, the basic Oneworld lounge access policies are:

Further, you can generally have access to an airline's lounge when flying same day with them in a premium cabin.  Logic dictates here, so a business class ticket = business lounge access, and a first class ticket = first class lounge access.

There are also certain lounge pass memberships, and credit cards with lounges as a benefit, like Priority Pass, and Lounge Club, but neither of these apply to the JAL lounges, and I'll cover them in other posts.

This summer, I got the chance to try a new OW First Class lounge, courtesy of a run to Hong Kong and AA's new Tokyo Haenda to LAX nonstop flight.  My return ticket took me from HKG, to HND, and then back to LAX on the new 787 Dreamliner.  All my upgrades cleared, so I was already having a great trip. 

My ride for the journey home

Seat 6L- Very quiet and private

It was my first stop in HND, which is the smaller of the two main Tokyo airports.  I didn't have time to go into the city this time, even though it's closer than when you fly into Narita.  I was fine with this, because my layover turned out to be even better than expected.

I should say at the start that the lounges in Tokyo generally are right up there with the best in the world.  JAL's customer service and attention to detail make a layover at one of their lounges worth the wait.  Both of their lounges in Tokyo offer full buffet spreads, beer, wine, sake, and a full self-serve bar, as well as relaxing extras like nice shower rooms, complimentary massage service, and massage chairs.  Plus, the made to order sushi bar in NRT is worth a visit.

There are both First and Business class lounges at HND, and the First Class lounge recently underwent a stunning renovation.  Most importantly, as well as providing ample seating in the main parts of the lounge, space for work, and views of airport ops, they've gone above and beyond in adding a more intimate set of rooms to explore called "The Red Suite." 

 

The Red Suite is every aviation enthusiast's dream, and takes you back to the days of elegant travel.  At every angle, the décor and mood is impeccable.  From the vintage desk, complete with typewriter and model aircraft, to the complimentary shoe shine service, it makes every layover seem too short. 

Feel free to settle into one of the silky leather chairs in the suite, and reflect on the journey so far.



Hours were from 7:00 to about 23:00, I believe.  

 

 

 

You can pour yourself a crystal glass of chilled sake or champagne from the minimalist bar inside the Suite, and spend some time taking in the historical photos of JAL's past, peruse the walls of charts, or even challenge a travel companion to a round of chess in the game room before heading out to your flight. 

Get there with enough time for a game, maybe two.

Loser has to forfeit the aisle seat on the next flight.



If you look long enough, you just might be able to chart your way home....or to Sydney and back.

No detail has been overlooked, and with this re-vamp, JAL has set a new standard in lounge décor, not just for its own service, but for any airline offering a premium experience.  While it is not the biggest lounge in the system, any true travel lover won't be in a hurry to get to their next jet bridge too quickly.

Travel Well,

~CruisingAltitude