You can catch up by Reading Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 first.
I finally had a good night’s sleep. Because of the rain storm, I went to bed early in Warsaw and slept in until about 9am. I felt great, and ready to go out and explore.
My flight to London wasn’t set to depart until 6:30pm, giving me plenty of time to get some things done before heading out to Chopin Airport. First stop? Warsaw’s famed Targ Śniadaniowy, or Breakfast Market.
The second I read about the Breakfast Market online, I knew I absolutely loved the idea. Every Saturday from 9am until 4pm Warsaw residents gather at a park in Żoliborz to cook and eat food. A number of stalls are set up, serving everything from tacos and perogies to burgers, Indian curries and fruit. There is a stall to borrow blankets and sit on the grass while whiling away the morning.
As I was waiting for an Uber in front of my hotel a thin older lady with a thick European accent, perhaps in her 60s, stopped me on the street to ask if I enjoyed the “congress”. I said “Pardon?” I said I’m not here for a congress. She apologized and explained there was some kind of international youth congress underway near the Presidential palace that she had just attended, closing many of the roads in front of the hotel. Indeed I noticed there were no cars coming, and wondered how my Uber would find me.
Not sure whether the woman was crazy or just friendly (in Europe, it’s not uncommon to strike up conversations with people at practically any age), she asked where I was going and said she would join me. Sure enough she hopped into the Uber’s front seat and I took the back, where she regaled me of stories of meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (even knowing his name surprised me), how classy his wife is, how great Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is, and how she knew his father (former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau). Then she said, “Melania is also a very classy woman. You know, Donald and Melania bring a touch of Hollywood to the White House.” I have no idea if she was off her medication or actually had met these people, but I couldn’t totally rule it out. It appeared she worked in some kind of NGO that took her around the world.
Regardless of who she was, I didn’t sign up to be her Warsaw tour guide, so I’m thankful she felt the Breakfast Market was too far away once we arrived, and she went directly back to the hotel. A wave of relief washed over me.
The market wasn’t quite what I pictured – it was much better. I had pictured a more formal market, large-scale in size, in a huge park, but it was none of those things. It was an unpretentious local community gathering with regular people cooking up food, a little bit of music, and attendees eating away on picnic benches in the middle of the park. It was absolutely wonderful, and a highlight of my trip.
I first got a coffee before walking around to see what I might want to eat. Sure enough foods from around the world were represented, but I wanted something with a Polish flavor so opted again for perogies. The woman who made them is apparently well known and spoke no English, but through a translator explained she had been to Canada before and loved it. Her perogies with sweet onions on them were A1.
These were exceptional.
After finishing I ordered another latte from another stall I pulled up a chair at a picnic bench and took in the sights. There is something special, and even inspiring, about witnessing the spirit of a local community as an outsider. The Warsaw Breakfast Market is definitely not a tourist attraction – it was regular people speaking Polish and joining friends and family for food. Kids ran around with their friends and played on a merry-go-round while their parents sat chatting in the sunshine. After spending a couple of hours there I knew I had to return to the hotel to check out, but had to pry myself away. I probably could’ve stayed there until it closed at 4pm, it was such a calming and happy place to spend one’s hours. It was a highlight of the trip.
I headed back to the hotel to check out around 1pm and made my way to Chopin International Airport early to kill some time (I need time to write these things, after all!) There is so much to see in Warsaw, such as museums, galleries, live music venues, memorials and more, and it’s on my list as a city to return to. With such a short visit, one can only get a taste of a place – but for me, it’s enough to know I want to return.
I arrived at the airport and checked in via British Airway’s mobile app, because the check-in counter hadn’t opened yet. Unlike Qatar Airways, the procedure was easy and clear and it downloaded my boarding pass effortlessly to my Apple Wallet. I then used the boarding pass to go through security and head towards the Fantazja Executive Lounge, one of two I would check out.
This was a surprisingly good lounge, with yummy perogies and great working areas.
Warsaw has lounges dedicated to its national flagship carrier, LOT Airlines, and then just a handful of generic lounges with varying degrees of entry criteria depending on which airline you’re flying, your status, and which credit cards or other membership programs you hold. Fantazja lounge was, to my surprise, practically empty when I originally entered so I pulled up a comfy seat near the window and hauled out my computer to do some work. The lounge was bright and cordoned off into individual seating sections, with a handful of closed-in areas to get some real work done. It also had a decent hot food selection, with – you guessed it! – more perogies! These ones were a bit more traditional, filled with spinach and feta, and they were not bad at all for lounge food. I also had a turkey and vegetable stew, which drove home the point that Polish food is for hearty individuals.
I worked for a few hours before making my way past immigration and to the Bolero Lounge. I only had a few minutes there before boarding, so basically took a few photos and checked out the food. It wasn’t nearly as nice as the Fantazja Lounge.
Upon boarding BA851, I saw a little logo on the side of the airplane that gave me a clue: Ooredoo was providing on board Wifi. Ooredoo is a mobile network company based in the Middle East, and provided the poor Wifi services on Qatar Airways. Sure enough, this BA flight was a code share, and was a Qatar plane. I took seat 1A.
Comfy for sure, but definitely not Dreamliner-style!
The quality of the seat on this trip has declined with each successive flight: the suite on board Qatar to Doha, followed by the lavish and large seat from Doha to Warsaw, and now a much more traditional seat with just slightly more room than an economy seat from Warsaw to London. There was no rosé this time, and no menu. Instead the flight attendant told us they had a chicken and a fish dish, and asked us which one we’d like after takeoff. My seat mate and I both picked chicken and we pushed back from the gate.
It actually tasted better than it looked.
Considering the short flight, the food was actually solid. The chicken was juicy and done perfectly, while the creamy gnocchi in Alfredo sauce provided all the carbs necessary to fall asleep afterwards. A chocolate mousse cake along with crackers and blue cheese was the perfect cap on the meal. After reading for a while, I reclined the seat and tried to get some shuteye – for about an hour, before the pilot announced we had begun our descent into London.
I had never been to London in my entire life until I visited there in the spring, so I had not expected my second visit to come just a few months after the first. London, with its people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe, in all colors and speaking dozens of languages, has been dubbed the capital of the world. But when a city is that big and successful, it means many people want to go there, which means busy airports, which means…….. long lines at immigration.
I flew Cathay to Gatwick Airport on my first visit to London, so nothing could have prepared me for landing at Heathrow. I dutifully queued up to go through immigration at 8:15pm, with plans to meet friends at a speakeasy in Earl’s Court at by 10:30pm. Plenty of time, right? Well, not so fast. This is what I saw:
I felt miles away.
Still, I figured this can’t be more than 45 minutes long? Again, I would be wrong. By 9pm I had moved a few rows closer, but was still nowhere near getting my passport stamped. No, for that, I would need to wait another full hour. I passed through immigration at 10:10pm.
I’m not sure, considering London’s battles with terrorism, if it’s appropriate to complain about the immigration procedures at Heathrow. Asking around, I discovered my experience was not out of the ordinary, and that an hour or more for processing is routine. I will not weigh in on whether this is justified or not, except to say I had never had this issue anywhere else. This is a unique London phenomenon, at least in my own travels. (One that comes close is JFK, which is also an old airport ill equipped to deal with today’s passenger numbers.)
My friends cancelled the table at the speakeasy because there was no way I’d make it in time. Instead they holed up at a bar nearby to wait for me, so I snagged a taxi outside Heathrow and made a beeline to Leicester Square, where I had booked a room at the W Hotel to collect more Starpoints.
One of the reasons I had booked the W is I wanted to sample their keyless service, which lets customers check-in via the mobile app and be assigned a room key to their iPhone or Apple Watch, which can be used to open the door. There is no need to check in at the front desk at all. But while I went through the check-in procedure in the app, it said it would send me the key once the check-in was “approved”. Unfortunately for me, it never was, and I needed to check-in in person anyway.
Sometimes mobile services just aren’t ready for prime time.
W Hotel targets a young, trendy clientele. Upon zipping up to the first floor lobby, I was blasted by electronica pumping from the house bar and followed the dim lighting to the check-in counter. The music was so loud that it was difficult to hear the guy checking me in, but it’s all part of the experience, right? #notafuddyduddy
Loved the room layout and location, right in Leicester Square.
In all honestly, the hotel’s creativity makes it stand out from similar priced hotels. The dark hallways and sparkling room numbers indicate you aren’t staying at a simple Sheraton, and the room design featured an open-style kitchen and mirrors everywhere. I just wish I had more time to spend there!
I had a quick shower and headed out into Saturday night in London, and what a wonderful place it is. The streets in Leicester Square were teeming with people, many of whom were inebriated and having a fantastic time. We walked through Chinatown amid the music, buzz and crowds and into the theatre district where the shows had just emptied, passing by pubs and clubs and jazz bars and members only clubs and speakeasys, all of which seemed packed to the rafters.
We settled on a place I fell in love with at first glance: Opium. Located just off Chinatown, we slipped through a narrow door into a dimly lit red hallway where we climbed three floors of stairs. The stairs opened into a cave, with little nooks and crannies with small tables and groups of people around them. We made our way to the main bar, which in proper light might resemble a large open kitchen in a big US home. We pulled up a stool and ordered several drinks, including newly-created ones like a salted caramel sazerac alongside traditional favorites like the old fashioned and whisky sour. Cocktails were superb, and we finally pulled ourselves out of there, tipsy and giggly, at 2am.
A salted caramel sazerac.
Where to go now? Standing on the street outside it began to pour, and we got soaked. One of my friends handed me a black scarf, which I wrapped around my head and covered my face, the first real indication I had just come from the Middle East. We scampered to a London late night tradition: the casino. Yes, casinos mean different things in different places. They all offer gambling, but culturally their significance can vary. London has rather strict closing times for bars and pubs, so casinos are where the after-parties happen. Sure there are roulette and poker tables along with slots and other video-style games, but there is also a 24-hour bar that was packed and even a couple of different nightclubs and patios upstairs. We wandered into a small carpeted room where young Londoners were dancing the night away, making out, pouring drinks, and living it up. We then meandered back downstairs and grabbed a table to talk for a while longer.
Busy bar at Opium.
It was now 3am. My alarm was set for 6am. Dreading the sleep ahead of me, I decided it was time to go. I gave everyone hugs and walked outside into the pouring rain, then ran as fast as I could to my nearby hotel. I was soaked, but safe. It was time to go to bed. Finally.
You can catch up by Reading Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 first.
I spent Wednesday night in Hong Kong, throwing items into my luggage, making sure I had all my cables and chargers for the computer and iPad, and tossing any liquids that I intended to bring because I wanted to stick with carry-on luggage only. I curled up in bed on Wednesday night knowing it was the last time I’d be sleeping in Hong Kong for a while, and the first night among the coming five in which I would be falling asleep in a different bed each night.
My plans, if not my sleep, seemed sound that night, but no matter how well prepared something unexpected always seems to happen on the day of travel that throws those plans into the wind. This time, just before heading to the airport on Thursday, I was called into my boss’ office with strict marching orders to complete a task — urgently. As I watched the hands on the clock ticking ever later, I quickly wrapped up the meeting, grabbed by bags and made a beeline for the airport with work now hanging over my head.
Fortunately for people who are perennially late, no city is as efficient as Hong Kong in getting people to the airport. Passengers can check in for their flight at two locations downtown, drop off their bags, and receive their boarding passes before hopping on board an express train direct to the airport, which only takes 24 minutes. In some cases, check-in opens 48 hours before the flight departs, meaning you can ditch your heavy bags extra early.
If you don’t want to talk to anybody at all, most airlines will let you check in via mobile application instead. Cathay has a convenient app that loads boarding passes into Apple’s Wallet app or the Apple Watch, which displays a QR code to whisk you through security.
Around noon on Thursday I decided to check in using Qatar Airways’ mobile app, and was slightly disappointed. The app looks slightly dated compared to Cathay’s, and the check in process timed out for me repeatedly. I needed to enter my booking reference (which is odd, considering the app should already have this information — I was signed into my account), then needed to add my passport number, nationality, expiry date, and a lot more over multiple screens. Every time it timed out, it reverted back to the beginning and I had to start filling in the information all over again. It took me four tries before I finally got my boarding pass, which I then downloaded to my iPhone Wallet.
It looks nice, but it didn’t work.
Unfortunately, that didn’t work either. I got to the airport with very little time to spare, but when I tried to go through security I was told the QR code on the boarding pass had a problem. I was escorted to Qatar Airways’ counter, where the friendly staff gave me two paper boarding passes (to Doha, and on to Warsaw). With time tight, Qatar staff then took me through the VIP security lane and I whisked right through. The moral of the story? I would’ve saved more time skipping the mobile check-in altogether.
Qatar Airways doesn’t have a lounge at Hong Kong Airport, but as a Oneworld airline I had access to the Cathay and Qantas lounges. I had been to the CX lounges already, so figured I had just enough time to give the Qantas Lounge a look-see — and I’m glad I did! It is easily one of the largest lounges in Hong Kong with multiple seating areas, business bars, hot buffet, showers, and televisions showing news and sports in different parts of the lounge. The hot food menu was decent for a lounge, with sweet corn soup, greek style braised chicken, vegetarian fried rice, rigatoni pesto pasta and pork and cucumber dumplings on offer. While I didn’t try the food (I was saving space for the meal on board), a lot of people were digging in and the reviews on Lounge Buddy were positive. (The salted caramel cheesecake looked particularly appealing!) The Qantas Lounge also had a wide selection of Australian wines.
With only a few minutes to spare, I popped downstairs to Gate 16 and boarded QR817 to Doha. I had read about Qatar’s business class layout on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but it still has to be seen to be believed: beautiful wood paneling, classy lighting, a 22 inch television monitor for each seat, and lots of personal storage space. For a Middle Eastern airline, it was able to strike a balance by avoiding the gold and garish ostentation of Emirates Airlines but still giving passengers a classy and high-end experience.
My home for the next eight hours.
After getting seated, I was given a glass of rose and began hauling out my computer, iPad and Kindle for use later during the flight.
Qatar Airways leaves some champagne and fruit on a counter at the back of the business class cabin.
I will cut to the chase here: service on Qatar Airways is the best I’ve come across on board any airline. The flight attendant came to my seat to explain how things worked on board, asked me about my final destination in Warsaw, and even suggested restaurants in the old town for great perogies! I particularly liked the fact there is no designated meal time on Qatar — the menu is all a la carte, and passengers can order whatever they like whenever they’re hungry. Nonetheless the flight attendant was taking orders now for people who wanted to eat right after takeoff, so I requested the creamy coconut soup and smoked salmon with goat cheese crumble to start, followed by a main of grilled beef fillet with caramelized onion jus and a peppery Dijon mustard.
Right after takeoff I opened my laptop to begin writing, and had plenty of room to prop up both my iPad (which contained my notes) and a 15” laptop (to write), underscoring how big the working and eating area are in each individual suite. I popped open the armrest and found a bottle of Evian water alongside noise cancelling, over-ear headphones to use with the airline’s Onyx on-board entertainment system.
Passengers were also given a small pouch in a Brics travel bag containing products from Castello Monte Vibiano, an Italian maker of wines, olive oils and cosmetics. Inside was a hydrating facial mist, lip balm, an anti-aging moisturizer and some Brics socks. The flight attendant also gave me a full set of pajamas, and told me if there’s any problem with the sizing to let her know and she’d get another pair (I never bothered to try them on, as the flight was slightly too short.)
Then it was time for dinner, so I shut down my computer.
Thinking I was going to start working again, I ordered myself a latte to perk up. But after reclining back in my seat following a hearty meal, and cognizant it was now evening in Hong Kong, I got a bit sleepy so decided to nap for a bit first. Just before dozing off, the flight attendant brought an after dinner treat: chocolates from Godiva.
I slept much longer than I anticipated, and woke up around 1am Hong Kong time, about two hours out from Doha. I attempted again to get onto the internet, and it was extremely spotty. Qatar’s most expensive on-board internet plan is US$20 for 200 MB of data, which under normal circumstances could disappear in a hurry. Fortunately, the internet was so slow I got nowhere close to using it all up.
(Pro tip: When traveling and to avoid background processes on your computer taking up bandwidth and data, such as iTunes and iCloud updates, backups, and syncs, you can download an app called Trip Mode on the Mac. It lets you determine which apps can access the internet, and it shuts all the other ones off to ensure you conserve data.)
I ordered two more lattes to wake up and decided to get one more bite to eat. I had heard the Arabic mezze platter was delicious, so I asked the flight attendant and she brought it a few minutes later. I am a huge fan of babaganoush and tabbouleh, which were both on point, and I even thoroughly enjoyed the hummus with the warm pita bread. As I ate I chatted with a few people still awake in Hong Kong via iMessage and did a bit more writing until we began our descent into Doha. Business class service and comfort was A+ on Qatar Airways, and I didn’t want the flight to end.
Qatar is a global airline that shuttles people through Doha, the capital of the country, en route to somewhere else. Therefore it has become a key transit hub in the Gulf region, and most passengers on my flight proceeded to the transit area to wait for a connecting flight. I decided to pop into town, even just for a short time, so headed for the arrivals area.
I had transited through Doha back in 2012, but a new airport has opened since which is absolutely spectacular. Hammid International Airport has an industrial but classy feel, is spacious and airy, and is sparkling clean. It is also famous for its duty free shops, which apparently offer up unbeatable bargains.
Nobody around…
I headed towards arrivals and saw signs indicating business class passengers should carry on to a different immigration processing area. I walked in, and it appeared to be more like a lounge: there was a reception area, tables and chairs, sofas, coffee machines, tea, cakes and cookies on hand for passengers to sit down and relax after a long flight. But it was actually the immigration area. Sure enough, at the front, a guy was quietly stamping passports and issuing visas as soon as passengers were ready to go through. I have never seen such an immaculate and well-thought-through immigration process, which was comfortable and convenient. It made traveling through the airport almost blissful.
The first and business class immigration “lounge” at Hammid International. Behind me was a coffee and tea station, with cookies and cakes.
After getting my passport stamped I went to grab a taxi. As I stepped outside, the hot air blasted me in the face. I’m used to the heat and humidity in Hong Kong, but the heat in Doha was debilitating. While it was a dry heat, which is generally easier to handle than Hong Kong’s steam baths, it was still extremely uncomfortable. Thankfully the cab driver had the air conditioning on full blast.
Party time in the souq.
I stayed at a hotel in the Souq Wafiq area near the waterfront. Souq roughly means “market” in Arabic, and there was no indication people were winding down when I arrived. The souq was lively with people sitting outdoors, musicians playing music, stalls offering up street food, and a general festive atmosphere. I arrived around 11pm and originally intended to walk around the city. But alas, even the best laid plans often go sideways. Instead I holed myself up in my hotel room finishing my work task, which was due before the morning hours in Hong Kong. So I holed myself up in my hotel room until past midnight getting it done before finally nodding off to sleep.
To catch up, you can read Part 1 first.
If you love traveling, it’s important to stick to an airline and hotel rewards program as much as possible. When I was a student, I always opted for the cheapest flight on the tiniest and sketchiest discount carrier, which is understandable when you need to stretch every penny. But if you have even a little wiggle-room, loyalty to a particular airline and hotel program can bring much more value back in terms of benefits over the long term.
Before I go further, I need to point out two incredible websites that do deep dives into mileage programs, credit cards, and what’s possible if you optimize your mileage accrual. One is The Points Guy, which now claims to publish up to 20 stories a day; the other is One Mile at a Time by Ben Schlappig, who has become a star in travel circles. Both sites are quite US-centric, but offer excellent advice on how you can rack up points and enjoy luxury benefits offered by various airlines. I highly recommend both.
The competition for travel dollars isn’t quite so fierce in Hong Kong, where we have one flagship carrier: Cathay Pacific (CX). We’re fortunate Cathay is an excellent airline with an impressive global flight network and the best of Asian hospitality. When I was growing up, Cathay was considered a first tier airline, but it’s slipped in recent years behind luxury carriers like Singapore and Emirates. (North American-based airlines are now among the worst when it comes to service, lounges, and amenities). Nonetheless, it still remains strong.
I’ll often spend a few hundred Hong Kong dollars more to fly Cathay because it beefs up my Asia Miles account and provides lounge access for silver members through the Marco Polo program. That means even if I’m flying economy (which is usually the case), I can visit the business class lounge for some light refreshments before jumping the queue to board at the gate.
I then turn around and cash in my Asia Miles for free tickets, or use them for upgrades — and upgrades are, by far, where passengers get the best value in terms of dollar per Asia Mile. That means I’ve had the good fortune of sampling Cathay’s business class from time to time, including their lay-flat seats and meals from Mott 32, one of the premier Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong. (In fact, we enjoyed business class from Hong Kong to Seoul and back just this past weekend. Cathay definitely does it right.)
The recently-renovated Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge at Vancouver International Airport.
Lounges in Cathay’s network are a little more hit-and-miss. CX has managed to open its signature lounge in some major airports, like Vancouver and London, but others (like in Mainland China and Korea) leave a lot to be desired. In fairness, these are lounges are sometimes shared by other airlines and credit card rewards programs, so the quality suffers as a result.
(Pro Tip: For lounge ideas, reviews, accessibility requirements, and maps, download the LoungeBuddy app for iOS or Android. It’s a must when traveling.)
On board service
This is where CX really shines. Service on Cathay has always been impeccable, the food is as good as it gets on a major carrier, and the in-flight entertainment options are comprehensive and in multiple languages. The one major drawback is lack of Wifi — Cathay has been very slow at rolling out on-board internet connectivity. I had it on a flight from Hong Kong to Gatwick in April 2017, but never before or since.
top rated airline in the world.
The Warsaw to London leg will be done on British Airways economy at full fare, which fortunately came in at a resounding HK$700 (about US$100).
The hotel in Doha is being booked with points from Hotels.com, while Starwood Starpoints are being used to book the Hotel Bristol in Warsaw.
As much as possible, I stick to Starwood Hotels because they have the widest range of iconic hotel brands in their portfolio like W, The Westin, Sheraton, Aloft and others. It’s relatively easy to reach gold status, which means free wifi and 4pm checkouts.
If for whatever reason, Starwood Hotels are too pricey or unavailable, I use Hotels.com as a backup. The company, owned by Expedia, gives you one free night after 10 paid nights, which I save up for precisely moments like these!
I’m taking off in a couple of days, so I’ve been racing around packing and making sure I don’t forget anything. I’m looking forward to writing and posting the next installment from 35,000 feet en route to Doha!