My Home in Singapore - Ibis Bencoolen

Ibis Bencoolen was not my first choice for hotel in Singapore.

I was planning to use my SPG points to stay at Sheraton Towers near Orchid Road but decide against it solely on the reason that it does not offer complimentary WIFI access. I personally think that WIFI should be a standard amenities in all hotels, especially hotels at this price point.

Ibis Bencoolen is centrally located. Within walking distance of a lot of attractions and most of the places I want to visit is only a few MRT stations away.

- Bugis Junction with shopping and restaurants

 

 - MRT Station: Bugis EW12

- Bugis Village (where I find one of the reasons why I want to come to Singapore!)

- Albert Hawker Centre (beats boring Hotel breakfast any day!)

The room is on the smallish size... but sizable compare to some of the hotel I stayed in Paris or Tokyo.

The facilities though is minimum, no gym, no swimming pool. There is a restaurant/bar on premise that offers Breakfast/Set Dinner and Happy Hour.

The facilities I really appreciate is the in house self serve laundry facilities!!! I have a suitcase of freshly laundered clothes by the time I ready to leave for Bangkok!

If I am visiting Singapore in the future, I will definitely stay at Ibis Bencoolen again!

Ibis Singapore Bencoolen
Address: 170 Bencoolen Street, Singapore

I love S(ingapore) M(ass) R(apid) T(ransit)!!

SMRT is so awesome! I guess I been living in Toronto for too too long.. Any Subway (MRT) system that can take me from airport to downtown, I think it is awesome!

My first trip from the Changi Airport to Bugis Junction was uneventful as I purposely avoid the rush hour and packed light. I later realized it is one of the better decision I made when I was on a train during RUSH HOUR, I would Never made it with my luggage.....

Since I am in town for only 3 nights, I opt for the Single Fare option, which I have to get pay a fare and a deposit (SGD$1) every time and get a refund after at the vendor machine.

With a SMRT App loaded into my Ipod, I am ready! If I made in New York City's Subway system, I can do it here!!

Just a side note..... No eating! No drinking! And No Durian on the train! Maybe the "Fine" equals some Jail Terms?!

Where Am I?? I am in Singapore's Changi Airport!!

Good Morning Singapore!

I am IMPRESSED!! I am Really IMPRESSED!!

This is the Airport I want to have long layover!! I might even want to sleepover!

Sleepover Xperience!

Changi International Airport is new, spacious and have everything I ever need!! Talking about taking care of every little details!

Look at This Huge Space!

Bringing Nature Indoor!

Shopping Needs?

I Would Rather Drink One!

Internet Needs?

You can go the Information Booth and they will provide you with an username/password for free 4 hours WIFI access

If you are at a Gate waiting to board your flights, there are quite a few hooks up for your laptops



Time to be Connected!!





If you don't even have a laptop or a smart phone or anything that is WIFI capable, there are terminals for you to use!!

What if you WhatApps/Facebook/Messenger too much and your phone's battery is dying?! PANIC! Fear NOT! Changi's Airport has that taken care of!!

This is the one and only airport I been to that have free charging stations that is smart phone brand specific and even have a key to let you lock your phone in the little cubicle while it is charging!! You don't even need your own USB cable!

I was not lucky enough to stay in Changi for too long as my travel companion that did a 24 hours stay here, so I did not enjoy all the facilities! Maybe next time!

Food Needs?

My FIRST meal in Singapore at Changi Airport......

Where Am I? At Least I know Milan Malpensa!

Urgh need to go through another EU checkpoint to get to my Gate B? (TBA) for Singapore Airline.

I was eyeing the Obika Mozzarella Cheese Bar which is located in Gate A area for breakfast. But anxious to find a Transfer Desk so I can get my boarding pass. Big Mistake!!!

There are absolutely nothing interesting at all in International departure area, mainly fast food places.

I ended up just having a breakfast set for 4.7 Euro which come with a Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, a choice of Croissant and a Cappuccino.

 Is it really true that Italian Style Cappuccino tasted much better in Italy, or just my imaginations?

Oneworld Charging Station is such a blessing! With different plugs and voltage available, though MXP has NO free WIFI, at least I know that my smartphone and netbook are all charged up and ready to go! Nothing make me feel more secure than a full charged phone!

24 hours without any sleep! I am looking forward to some sweet dream on my next flight so I would arrive in Singapore fresh and ready to go on Monday 7:30 AM!

(Right now I am 6 hour ahead of my wrecked up body clock!)

Second Flight Segment for My Trip! I Can Do This!

LH 3176 Dusseldorf (DUS) to Milan (MXP)
Distance: 400 miles
Flying Time: 1 hour

Snowing in Dusseldorf! -3 C without a winter coat. My plane was parked in the outfield! Shuttle took forever and ever to get to the plane.... a small tiny plane Eurowing Bombadier CRJ plane.

I got lucky again!! Only 2 young toddlers on this flight and they were seated in the row right behind me! After screaming to their parents and to each other for around 30 minute, they fell asleep.

For this flight, Lufthansa served rock hard frozen cold RAISIN bun! I should be grateful at least unlike Air Canada, they still serving us food even on short haul flights. Though I was  hungry, I lost my appetite just looking at those bigger than life raisins... I just cannot do it!

Looking forward for some airport food in Malpensa... maybe some real Italian Cappuccino instead of the bitterly sour coffee on board.

Sunrise at around 8 AM... what a beautiful sight!

There are also snow covered mountains surrounding Malpensa airport! I really want to leave all the snow and the bitter cold in Toronto!

First Flight Segment for My Trip! I Can Do This!

LH473 Toronto (YYZ) to Dusseldorf (DUS)
Distance: 3840 miles
Flying Time: 8 hours

Fully booked flight with tons of kids, at least I was surrounded by them!

True Story:

The toddler behind me was screaming, playing with the tray table and kicking my seat even before the flight took off!

Me: "I hope he is not going to play with the tray table through the duration of the flight."

Mother " I cannot guarantee that, I have no control over that....."

Me (in a bitchy mood) : "He is your kid! That's your responsibility!"

Flights was uneventful after that. Watching 3 movies in a roll and ate some nasty plane food, but at least no more kid kicking my back!

This supposed to be Salmon and Spinach!!! Fortunately, the Salmon was hiding underneath the fluffy sauce?!



Salmon and Spinach

Breakfast before landing: Cold Blueberry Bread that would freeze your heart!

Breakfast!! Am I on a Diet?!!



Getting There is Half the Fun or Fight or Flights?!

For me to fly from Toronto to Singapore would be an experience itself already!

In order to get to Singapore, I have to do a layover in Dusseldorf and Milan. From home to the hotel I staying in Singpore, the total travel time was 35 hours!!! And of course, eating all these airplane meals and enduring the "happy" family time travellers would not have make the whole experience more interesting.

But at least I started my trip in a style, lounging at the Plaza Premium Lounge at Toronto Pearson Terminal 1 International Departure Area.

This is the first time I been to this particular Plaza Lounge as I usually frequent the US Transponder area.

Some credit cards does the lounge access as one of the benefits.

I don't really know I would have pay $30+HST to use the facilities!



The lounge itself is quite spacious and even quiet, only a handful of people!

For food and beverages, there is quite a good selections!

Perfect timing for lunch. Curry Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice looks mightly delicious! The sad thing is only one cheap beer available, but that is better than nothing?

Cappuncino and Chocolate Chip cookie!! What a sweet ending!

I think I am ready for my flights? Am I ready?!