Aound the World...kicking off the second half

The construction team kicked off their day with mroning exercises and "Tai Chi".
Actually, during some overnight work Bill did once, they also had exercises like this to avoid injuries.

Key goals for today:  Get to Singapore, and figure out how we’re getting home from Paris.

11:30 seems the right time for ice crean and beer!

We took a leisurely(ish) morning, with a hearty breakfast, and then check out, and head to the airport.  Our arranged ride was to pick us up at Noon, so that was the deadline.  But first…we had a bit of left over room credit.  We paid for the room with a credit card that gave us money back on the room, and a $100 credit for food.  But the breakfast was included and the evening happy hour had food, so what to spend our money on?  We bought an absurd amount of Thai food the night before (the portions were much larger than expected), and then had some ice cream, and wrapped up with a couple of drinks in the bar.  Still, we had some left.  So, we ordered ice cream and a beer to the room, and got within 80 cents of our target.  (Calling that a win!)

The ride to the airport was through rain, which seemed to represent the past few days…not as planned, but not going to ruin it.  By the time we arrived in the airport, it was sunny again!  We checked in for our flight on Thai Airways, which was unique in that they had padded seats for Business Class check in!  We found our first lounge—one that had free 15 minute neck and shoulder massages!  We got our names in the queue and went to get some amazing food!!  Barely halfway into our lunch, they were ready for us.  So, we headed over for the massage.

I like single malts...but a German Single malt...?

Some delicious Thai food!!

This might be a good time to tell you, I (Bill) am not a particular fan of massages.  But this one evokes MANY thoughts, which I’ll share with you now.  OW!!! OW!!! OW!! OWWW!  I’m not sure she knows where the neck and shoulders start or end.  Why is she using elbows!!??  How are they so SHARP!!  WHY DO YOU HATE ME?!?!?  OW!!!  Oh, she wants to pierce my soul with her 0.5 inch raidus elbows!!  You can’t do that!  Oh, we’re doing arms now.  OK.  Why is she massaging my hands?  Those aren’t necks or shoulders?  HOW IS SHE BACK to ELBOWS??  OWWW!!  Theresa’s experience may have been different.

After the torture session wrapped up, I went and had a bowl of soup that Theresa said was really good, and then we escaped to the Thai Airways lounge where pain and agony was not on the menu.  But they had a huge food spread, well, huge in that it was a reasonable selection but in 3-4 locations.  We toured the facility and found a snack, and more importantly…Ice cream!!  Including Durian ice cream.  If you have never been to Southeast Asia, Durian is a fruit that supposedly tastes really great, but it stinks in the worst way!  It is forbidden in certain areas, like public transportation, hotel rooms, and the like.  I liked it well enough, but Theresa liked it as well as I the angry massage.

The Thai lounge was very floral!

I feel a bit like a traitor...

Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!! (and Sherbet)

The walk to the gate had interesting surprises!

Waaaay over there!!

Finally, we boarded our flight to Singapore, and Thai Airways on a 777-300.  So, the fourth airline, on the fourth aircraft type, to the fourth country.  Unfortunately, we were not able to sit together, instead had seats across the aisle.  It was a mere two hour flight, so of course Theresa chose a movie that was 3 minutes longer than the flight, so we had to get busy and start right away and stop for nothing. 

Orientation of Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, and Singapore.

Arriving in Singapore, we went through Immigration and Customs with no hassle, and then right to our hotel, which was on property (but at a different Terminal).  We checked in, dropped our bags, and hurried back to the “Jewel”—a fancy sort of mall with various activities for people with long layovers (and kind of the point of going through SIN).  There is a big waterfall feature, and at 9PM, they have a music and light show on the waterfall.  It was nice enough.  We explored a bit, found a lounge we could access (with our arrival boarding passes), and then headed the wrong way back to the hotel, and ended up not where we expected, having to take a train back to the hotel.  It did pass by the waterfall though.

Asia.  Bathroom and bedroom with a window between.  IDK.

Room with a View!!

Oh what a view!!!  Walk way below, and lots of solar panels.

The waterfall in the "Jewel"

We wrapped up with a little more work for Bill, and more research on the end of our trip, for Theresa.  So, our hard and fast trip ended in Paris, and from there, we had looked at three flights through Dublin then Minneapolis/StPaul (on two airlines and two new aircraft types), but then considered changing to a direct from Dublin home on American, but then looked at going through London then Charlotte, NC, to home, but then looked at Air Tahiti Nui from Paris to LAX to home.  But then chose what we’re NEARLY sure is the final choice.  More to come!

Well, they stepped into my shot, so their
sillohette gets to be my proportion feature!