Hi!
With studies and National Service in the way, I did not have the time to have a vacation with my family. So when my block leave came (POP LOH - but only from BMT lel), I decided to take a little trip up to Bangkok with my dad. If given a chance to fly SQ or TG up to Bangkok, I would actually prefer TG as they would send newer planes as compared to the old ultimo planes that SQ sends up to Bangkok. That to me is a no go! Two weeks before my POP, we booked our tickets and off we were!
The pictures of this report are mainly from TG409 (which was my flight back to Singapore) but there are some pictures taken from my way there (TG404) which I thought would fit the report.
Without further ado, lets begin!
Flight: TG409
Equipment: A350-900
Registration: HS-THF
Scheduled time of departure: 4.25pm (GMT +7hrs)
Actual time of departure: 4.54pm
Scheduled time of arrival: 7.40pm (GMT +8hrs)
Actual time of arrival: 7.44pm
Remembering how terrible Bangkok's immigration & customs was the previous round, we decided to play it safe and begun our journey to the airport after checking out from the hotel at 12pm.
Phaya Thai ARL Station.
We reached Suvarnabhumi airport at around 12.45pm, so that was not too bad, considering it was around a 15mins walk from our hotel to the ARL Station. Once we reached, we checked in and went to check in immediately.
DId someone…. forget to on the lights?
There we go that's better :D (I was playing with my iPhone camera)
Our gate was E1A, which was in reality… a bus gate. I wouldn't complain but… when gate E1 which is right beside us is empty, why do we still have to take a bus?
Some pictures on the ride towards our plane
The exterior of the A350. I was so stoked to see the A350 when I was booking the flight and was even more excited when I saw it in real life for the second time! It is really a beautiful plane :D
Prior to this when I was looking through flightradar24, they showed that our equipment had changed from an A359 to B744. I did not know how to feel: On one side I was sad because I really wanted to take the A359, but on the other hand many airlines are retiring their B744 and I have yet to sit in one yet…
The interior of the plane as well as width and camera from the tail.
A B777 parked at the stand next to us
Did I mention how much I love the wingtip of the A350?
After takeoff, we had dinner. The menu available in the entertainment system and what was served turned out to be different… I had the fishball green curry with rice. It was okay honestly, but I expected better food from Thai. Thai also no longer serve canned drinks by the can???? I am disappointed Thai :( The cabin crew felt a lot more experienced as compared to my outgoing flight.
As you can see, our flight transversed slowly from day to night. However, I was sitting at the wrong side of the plane so I did not have any sunset pictures :(
There was no point trying to take a time lapse video for landing as everything was dark and the reflections from the inside of the plane made it hard to have a nice video. So I had to rely on the tail camera!
Depending on the wind, the plane will land/take off to/from the direction of where Pulau Tekong is. To those who do not know what Pulau Tekong is, it is an island where all/majority of the conscripted men will have to go for their Basic Military Training (BMT). Having just finished my BMT (which explains the block leave), it was such a pleasant sight seeing Tekong from a plane as it means that I am not inside suffering :D
Touched down in Singapore and here's a terrible picture of the A350 that sent us here. It will return back to Suvarnabhumi as TG410 at 8.50pm. That's right the plane only has 50mins to do a turn around. We were subjected to additional screening and our luggage was delayed. But in Changi, there is really no such thing as "delay" per se as my luggage was already there when I cleared customs and immigration #changiefficiency
pictures from TG404
We touched down at Changi (TG409) at night so there was not really much to see/take… So I've decided to use my outgoing flight (TG404) pictures as a sort of compensation(?)
A lone Emirates
A lone Emirates leaving
In Changi, we are subjected to screening of personal items at the gate. I was about to enter the gate when I saw this lovely CX A350 taxiing into the gate. I gostaned and dashed to a better area to take a picture of the very first A350 I'm seeing for the first time! (Kinda ironic that the first A350 I see is not from SQ but rather from CX)
Shortly afterwards, an Airasia A320 joins the party. Then I left. No more nice views :(
TG404 flying to Suvarnabhumi
Managed to see a Cargolux B748 when waiting for take off.
The B773 wingtip is pretty impressive too I must say
Took a taxi back home and we somehow managed to end up in this Mercedes Taxi whose driver has appeared in the news before for his well decorated taxi!
Our flight path (Credits to flightradar24)
Below is basically my trip in Bangkok
After checking in into our hotel, we went to have Chicken rice. Yes, Singapore has Hainanese chicken rice so why am I eating Thailand's chicken rice but I promise you it is different. The stall name is Kaiton Pratunam Chicken Rice. The place was mostly locals with a few tourists here and there so that's a sign that there's good food!
We went to Talad Neon night market afterwards. Luckily, this night market was not too crowded and we could slowly look at stuffs and navigate with ease.
We had Pad Thai at Silom. The store is situated in a 100 year old house and finding it was pretty tough. But the Pad Thai was nice! Likewise, the place was filled with Thais (mostly in office wear) and my dad and I were the only tourists ._.
A man who has the respect from his people is a successful man.
We had lunch on the 3rd day at the famous boat noodles near Victory Monument. Likewise, the place was filled with Thais and there were only little pockets of tourists. Each small bowl is around 2 - 3 mouthful and costs around 12 baht, but accumulate that up and you'd have a full meal :D
I've come to the end of my trip report and I hope that you guys enjoy it! Feel free to comment below!
