- Introduction
- Starting Out and American Airlines’ Flagship Lounge – Chicago
- Review: Japan Airlines First Class 777-300ER Chicago-Narita
- Review: Japan Airlines First Class Lounge – Haneda
- Review: Japan Airlines Business Class 777-200 Haneda to Bangkok
- Review: Thai Airways Orchid Spa and Royal Orchid Lounge
- Review: Thai Airways 787-8 Business Class – Bangkok to Denpasar-Bali
- Review: Grand Hyatt Bali
- Review: Denpasar-Bali Airport and Premier Lounge
- Review: Singapore A330 Business Class Denpasar-Bali to Singapore
- Review: Grand Hyatt Singapore
- Review: Singapore Airlines Private Room
- Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class Singapore to Hong Kong
- Review: Emirates Lounge – Hong Kong
- Review: Emirates A380 First Class Hong Kong to Dubai
- Review: Emirates First Class Terminal – Dubai
- Review: Emirates A380 First Class Dubai to Washington, DC (Dulles)
After arriving via Japan Airlines, we found ourselves in the West end of the terminal. This just wouldn’t do, as the Thai Orchid Spa was in the East end of the terminal. So, we traversed security, making it through, showing a printed out confirmation, but no boarding passes, and briefly glanced at the West Transfer desk, only to find that they wouldn’t open for another 20+ minutes (it was barely 5am after all), so we decided to set off for the East transfer desk, which happened to be close to the spa. The walk was roughly 800 meters, which, to my wife’s chagrin, I was counting, until roughly 600 meters in, when she point blank asked me if I was counting, and then asked some more pointed questions that invariably made me lose count (what can I say, I’m easily distracted!)
Before long, we made it to the transfer desk, which was open, despite it not yet being 5:30am. We had our boarding passes, and I convinced my wife that we should pick up a Thai Herbal variant of Tiger Balm. This stuff has been a staple in our home since a trip to Khao Lak years ago when my wife’s back hurt to the point where a normal Thai Massage was impossible. The masseuse pulled this wonder paste out, and within days of softer massages, she was about ready to tear up the dance floor.
With our duty free shopping complete, we stopped by the Orchid Spa, and requested our 30 minute shoulder and neck massages. This was after all, the whole point of walking to this end of the airport.
We had a couple of moments to cool our heels, which worked out well, and then we were off for our massages. My left shoulder had been hurting all day, so I shared that with the masseuse, who was happen to spend a little extra time on it, so much that turning left didn’t hurt.
Over ginger tea, my wife convinced me, that we should make the 800 meter walk back to the West end of the terminal and visit that lounge, so we would be closer to our gate. It didn’t take much convincing. We snapped a few photos of cool aircraft as we made the relaxing walk westward (Horace Greeley anyone?).
First we visited the Royal Silk Lounge, which was literally across the hall from the Royal Orchid Lounge, but the Royal Silk Lounge was packed! We decided to try out the Royal Orchid lounge, which was just a bit quieter, and ended up having a wonderful view of the tarmac.
We saw 3 A380’s (Qatar, Emirates, and Thai), a handful of 737’s, including an oddly colored Jet Airways, and didn’t get a single good photo, because of what I’ll call “dots” on the windows across Bangkok International Airport. I am sure they have a purpose. I suspect its to deflect sun and keep the temperature down in the terminal, but boy do they get in the way of getting photos of planes!
Before long, it was time to head off to gate E2A, which, ended up being a remote gate, but that is a story for the next installment.
