Introduction
I started doing it 9 years ago.
My first four years in Canada.
Subsequent five years in Japan.
Like all addictions, it started as an experiment.
It soon became more than that.
The end of one trip was the start of my planning for the next.
I can't get enough...
SQTalkers, I present my ski holiday in Vail, Colorado.
Why Vail?
Because of WH.
I had stopped going to North America ( Whistler actually ) because I didn't like the journey to Vancouver.
Although it must be said then when you're on the slopes, no jet lag! It's only afterwards that it sets in.
In addition, we had poor snow in Whistler on our last trip there.
I decided then to only ski in Hokkaido because it is colder there during the December school holidays therefore more likely have snow compared to Whistler.
If you have been following news of the Winter Olympics ( this year in Whistler ), there's not enough snow even now, in January, and they may have to truck it in for the snow boarding events!
But WH has been skiing Vail almost every year and promised me snow.
More than that, great runs to ski down.
He was right. I had the best skiing ever.
How do you get to Vail?
Choice of Airline: Easy. SQ.
SIN-ICN-SFO has better flight times than SIN-HKG-SFO, therefore more popular.
The fare via ICN, reflecting its popularity, is more expensive.
I prefer HKG to ICN as a transit stop though.
Better food outlets and shopping.
Choice of Gateway to US: SFO.
SFO nicer airport to enter USA than LAX TBIT
San Francisco, the city, is much nicer to break journey than Los Angeles
( apologies to LA-based SQTalkers )
Choice of Domestic Airline: UA SFO-DEN
There is a more direct SFO-EGE flight but:
Changi
The plan was for parents to travel J, kids in Y.
Having never flown F on the 77W, I redeemed a one way upgrade.
So I got to try the first class check in...
...which was nice, especially being quickly whisked past your own dedicated immigration counter.
Appearing air side right next to the escalator that takes you to the lounge and my roti prata.
I had an invite to TPR but Miss 9V-SIA was flying Y so I couldn't go.
After reading the varied reports here on SQTalk on TPR, I didn't feel I was missing anything
When did SQ start taking Skytrax seriously? When they won I guess!
Ratings agencies are... not very useful.
And industries ( mine included ) still pander to them
Being December school holidays, there were more kids than businessmen in the lounge.
I like looking down from the lounge at the boarding going on below.
I started doing it 9 years ago.
My first four years in Canada.
Subsequent five years in Japan.
Like all addictions, it started as an experiment.
It soon became more than that.
The end of one trip was the start of my planning for the next.
I can't get enough...
SQTalkers, I present my ski holiday in Vail, Colorado.
Why Vail?
Because of WH.
I had stopped going to North America ( Whistler actually ) because I didn't like the journey to Vancouver.
- Too long
- Too jet lagged
Although it must be said then when you're on the slopes, no jet lag! It's only afterwards that it sets in.
In addition, we had poor snow in Whistler on our last trip there.
I decided then to only ski in Hokkaido because it is colder there during the December school holidays therefore more likely have snow compared to Whistler.
If you have been following news of the Winter Olympics ( this year in Whistler ), there's not enough snow even now, in January, and they may have to truck it in for the snow boarding events!
But WH has been skiing Vail almost every year and promised me snow.
More than that, great runs to ski down.
He was right. I had the best skiing ever.
How do you get to Vail?
Choice of Airline: Easy. SQ.
SIN-ICN-SFO has better flight times than SIN-HKG-SFO, therefore more popular.
The fare via ICN, reflecting its popularity, is more expensive.
I prefer HKG to ICN as a transit stop though.
Better food outlets and shopping.
Choice of Gateway to US: SFO.
SFO nicer airport to enter USA than LAX TBIT
San Francisco, the city, is much nicer to break journey than Los Angeles
( apologies to LA-based SQTalkers )
Choice of Domestic Airline: UA SFO-DEN
There is a more direct SFO-EGE flight but:
- flight times are not so good
- EGE is apparently the most delayed airport in the US because of the weather ( according to the limo driver who drove us from DEN to Vail )
Changi
The plan was for parents to travel J, kids in Y.
Having never flown F on the 77W, I redeemed a one way upgrade.
So I got to try the first class check in...
...which was nice, especially being quickly whisked past your own dedicated immigration counter.
Appearing air side right next to the escalator that takes you to the lounge and my roti prata.
I had an invite to TPR but Miss 9V-SIA was flying Y so I couldn't go.
After reading the varied reports here on SQTalk on TPR, I didn't feel I was missing anything
When did SQ start taking Skytrax seriously? When they won I guess!
Ratings agencies are... not very useful.
And industries ( mine included ) still pander to them
Being December school holidays, there were more kids than businessmen in the lounge.
I like looking down from the lounge at the boarding going on below.
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