On my way to India, I took Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles to Singapore and then connected to Mumbai. The flight from LA to Singapore is 17 hours long non-stop flight. It is good that it is non-stop so saves time and hassle, but it is really long. One does get tired. And I was in so called executive coach class which is better than coach but is definitely not the business class that I am from Singapore to Mumbai (and typing this to be posted later when have net connectivity). On the positive side, that flight has internet connectivity and power for laptop. This one does not. In a few years we will wonder, how people travelled on long flights without ‘connectivity’!
Singapore Airport is one of the best. They have beautiful gardens in the airport and have all the facilities there. I decided to take shower in their Raffles Lounge. More importantly, the whole airport has free wireless connectivity – it seems. And they have free terminals every where so you could surf as much as you want. You come out of your flight and immediately see these terminals inviting you — like in old days (just a few years ago) — there used to be telephones. Now all those telephones are gone due to mobile phones. Singapore airport gives more a feel of a very modern shopping mall rather than an airport. I wish other airports were also so well equipped – air travel will then be slightly less tiresome.
I will be in Mumbai in about 45 minutes. Hopefully the rains have stopped and I will be able to spend good few hours there before boarding the next flight to Nagpur. I can not believe how much I travel. Considering that I really don’t like travel, I do travel too much. I guess, I hate travel but I love the results of the travel!
(I landed and have been here for 2 hours and have not seen any rains so far — but it is threatening to come before I leave. Last year I was stuck here in the highest rains in a century. I also was in Washington DC about 10days ago when they claimed that they had highest rains in at least 25 years. I must be a ‘rainmaker’!!)
It’s amazing how we get so used to things, that we take the extraordinary and expect it to be the norm. But i must agree with you, have connectivity and a little extra room on an extremely long flight are wonderful.
William Masek
http://www.letsgotraveltheworld.com