Two weeks around the world, now I’ve been back for two months, life is as busy as ever, and it still feels hard to believe that we actually pulled off such an epic trip.
Our round the world tour involved 10 flights, 2 trains, a few metros, 4 boats, and an assortment of taxis, Ubers, buses, and shuttles – even a few tuk-tuks. This post will highlight the more memorable of these travel modes, as well as some of the airport lounge experiences we were able to access.
The Escape Lounge at OAK
We started our trip at the Oakland Airport and decided to splurge a bit by paying for the new-ish lounge that wasn’t too far from our gate. I typically don’t like paying for lounges, but I’ve found this one to have consistently decent value, especially when you can find a discount through Groupon. As it turned out, it’s a good thing we decided to pay for the lounge, as it provided us breakfast, snacks, and mimosas for the two hours that our flight to Minneapolis was delayed.
Icelandair Saga Lounge
One of my favorite airport lounges on the trip was the next one we accessed, the Icelandair Saga Lounge at Keflavík Airport. It had light snacks and a variety of seating options, including these awesome lounge chairs:
Trains
We took the train from the airport in Frankfurt to a nearby town called Mainz. I love how well the train system was integrated into airport travel – that’s one thing that consistently thrills me about traveling in places where train travel is more prevalent than at home. It was an easy, pleasant way to get from the airport to our hotel and back, despite the delay that foiled our attempt to save a few minutes by taking the fast train. In any case, we made it to Mainz and had a great overnight in a charming small town for the night before our fancy flight in Singapore Suites.
Air Canada Lounge
At the airport in Frankfurt, we decided to use our first class Singapore Airlines tickets to access the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge instead of the suggested Lufthansa Senator Lounge (Singapore Airlines and Air Canada are both in the Star Alliance, and there are some cross benefits for first class passengers), and it didn’t disappoint. The lounge had some solid snack options, and multiple seating areas, as well as some neat semi-private relaxation spaces.
Singapore Suites
This flight from Frankfurt to Singapore was the main inspiration behind our trip around the world, and it did not disappoint. Krug champagne, caviar, gourmet meals, a full bed and legit bedding, pajama and slippers dedicated cabin crew, spacious bathrooms, and an actual door to shut on the aisle…what more could you really ask for in a flight? This was probably the peak flight experience of my life. It’s probably all downhill from here lol.
Singapore Changi Airport
After landing in Singapore pretty early in the day (around 7am), we decided to visit the Priority Pass arrivals lounge to grab a shower, just in case it was too early to for the hotel to assign us our room. The Haven Gateway Lounge by JetQuay is located outside security, and your Priority Pass entry covers a private shower room and a hot meal. There are also nap rooms available for an extra fee. It was so nice to be able to exit the airport refreshed and fed – given we only had one day in Singapore, starting off energized meant that we were able to make the most of the day.
On the way out of Singapore, we had a minor mishap with our plans, missed our Scoot Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur, and ended up spending some extra time in the Blossom Lounge (also accessed via Priority Pass) while waiting for a later AirAsia flight. It was on a mezzanine level of the airport that overlooked some of the airport shops. What was really cool was that the upper areas of the shop facades had a digital screen that played a mini movie every 5 or 10 minutes. I found it highly entertaining and I kept trying to figure out whether the facades were actually facades or if they were all just digital screens.
Tuk-Tuks / 3 Wheelers
I found these tiny vehicles to be both terrifying and exhilarating! They were everywhere in Colombo, and were probably the most inexpensive private ride option in the city. It was a little terrifying to be keeping up with cars and motorcycles in a teensy little toy car without doors, but the drivers know what they’re doing. Definitely an unforgettable experience. Here’s a clip of what it was like riding in one:
Cathay Pacific
Our last two flights home (from Sri Lanka to Hong Kong, then on to San Francisco) were in business class on Cathay Pacific. Cathay Pacific has some great lounges at the airport in Hong Kong, complete with gorgeous views, a noodle bar, a coffee loft, and showers. We actually visited two Cathay Pacific lounges at HKG – their arrivals lounge for a shower, coffee, and a snack before heading into the city for our 10-hour layover adventure, and I’m not positive which lounge we went to on the way out – I believe it was The Bridge – and we were able to shower and get customized noodle bowls before boarding the flight back to SFO.
We decided that we couldn’t fly Singapore Suites and then follow up with a ride home in economy, so we each opened a new card that came with 60,000 bonus American Airlines miles, which was just 10,000 miles short of what we needed to get from Sri Lanka to Hong Kong to SFO in business class (we made up the difference with an AAdvantage Dining challenge, and Marriott points transferred to American Airlines). I thoroughly enjoyed the trip home – we each had our own lie-flat seat, and the airline provided thick comforters, comfortable pillows, delicious food, and an impressive drink options (Johnnie Walker BLUE!).
Overall, it was a lot, but it was crazy exciting and I wouldn’t have had it any other way!