Heyya..

In the last week of Ramadhan, we had our break fast at Bedouin in TTDI..

 

It costs RM55.00 per person..

 

HooRahh!!

Frustrating MAS Business Class (KUL-DPS-KUL)

Heyya...

The Title says it all...

For my wedding reception in Bali (September 2015), me and my wife purchased Business Class seats with Malaysia Airlines Berhad.

I chose Malaysia Airlines Berhad because they fly with the Boeing 777-200 between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Denpasar (DPS).. I booked through MAS website (www.malaysiaairlines.com) and we even booked specific seats in the Business Class section.

What I like most about MAS Boeing 777-200 are the seating configuration, seat type and very spacious wide-body cabin aircraft.

When we booked via MAS website, it mentioned the aircraft was B777-200..




MAS B777 Business Class seat also features Angled Lie-Flat seats.

Angled Lie-Flat:

• Flat surface but at a 170-150° sloped angle to the floor of the aircraft

• Pitched in business class around the 60-70” range

BUT!!!

MAS decided to stop operating with B777 aircraft.. Unfortunately they downgraded the wide-body B777 with narrow-body B737-800.. The B738 Business Class seats are Cradle Sleeper type.

Cradle sleeper:

• Aviation’s version of the La-Z-Boy chair

• Significant recline and larger leg-rest than recliners

• Business class before the angled lie-flat phase started in the late 1990s

• Few recent installs — superseded by angled lie-flat and full flat seats

To make matters worse, it was a leased B737-800 aircraft with very old leather and cracked seats!!!








Watch out for these cracked headphone jack.. Your arms and elbow can easily get cuts..

Secondly, since MAS fitted 90's business class seats, the seats are not controlled by motors. They are manually controlled with a lever. And there is no leg rest support. Such an embarrassment!!

These cheap seats do not even have individual screens for In-Flight Entertainment!!! Passengers have to watch movies on overhead screens..

So what is MAS solution for overhead screen?

We were given a portable media player, 3000i...

You might think the 3000i portable media player looks like an iPad.... Wrong!!

It is a fat chunky heavy brick!!!

Introducing, Malaysia Airlines portable media player... The 3000i:

Since it's heavy to hold, I had to place it on the foldable service tray (table).




The only problem when placing the portable media player on the table is when the food is served.

There is no space to place the portable media player so passengers could not watch movies while having meals and had to finish their meals first, then watch movies.

Okay.. enough of complaining..

During the trip, the meals were excellent. We had Gado-Gado for appetizers and Chicken Biryani and Lamb Ribs for the main course.

Also, the cabin crew were very friendly..

It is always a privilege seating in front of the wing and engine; and always has the advantage of having the best view.

I am writing this article mainly because I was so disappointed with MAS for misleading it's information on their online booking website.

If MAS knew Boeing 737-800 will be used, they should have mentioned it on their online booking website.

Although MAS want to use their lease aircraft, MAS should also install proper current standard Business Class seats instead of old 90's used seats with no electric controlled back rest, no leg rest and no IFE.

If I would have known MAS gonna fly with a Leased Boeing 737-800 with old 90's Business Class seats, I would have flown in MAS economy..

Or,

I would have bought my business class tickets from Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines flies widebody Airbus A330-300 to Denpasar and I don't mind to be on transit at Changi Airport as long as I don't pay tickets flying on a Leased aircraft with old seats like Malaysia Airlines..

No HooRahh!!!

China Border Ride, Day 5 : Mae Hong Son - Pai

Ride Itinerary:

Day 1 : KL - Surat Thani

Day 2 : Surat Thani – River Kwai, Kanchanaburi
Day 3 : Kanchanaburi – Mae Sot
Day 4 : Mae Sot – Mae Hong Son

Day 5 : Mae Hong Son - Pai
Day 6 : Pai
Day 7 : Pai – Chiang Rai
Day 8 : Chiang Rai – Huay Xai, Laos
Day 9 : Huay Xai – China Border, Boten
Day 10 : Huay Xai – Chai Nat
Day 11 : Chai Nat – Hua Hin
Day 12 : Hua Hin – Hatyai
Day 13 : Hatyai – KL

Day 5 : Mae Hong Son - Pai

The journey from Mae Hong Son to Pai is very short, only 160 km on Route 1095.. We had a big hearty breakfast at Imperial Mae Hong Son Hotel and it is facing the beautiful Mae Hong Son hill.

We checked out of the hotel and refuelled our Harley Davidson bikes at the nearest PTT petrol station. Soon, we left Mae Hong Son at 10.00 am and headed to Pai..

The Route 1095 leads from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai.. We stayed 2 nights in Pai because there are many things to do in the quiet and chilly small town..

The distance from Mae Hong Son to Pai takes only 160 km.. Yes, it is a short ride and I always love the road from Mae Hong Son to Pai… it has blind corners, sharp steep hilly corners, where u even need to pull the clutch lever on 1^st gear when taking the sharp steep corners… I always make a stop at one of the hilly corners for a photo session…

As we left early in the morning, the road was still empty on Route 1095.. it was hardly to meet any road users at this time of the day.. hence we had great time enjoying the corners.. there were many areas in mist and visibility was only 50 meters especially on top of mountains... The ride on the mountains was great as we were riding higher than clouds..

It got colder as we reached the Kiew Lom View Point, approximately 25 km from Pai. If the weather is fine, you can see few mountain peaks of Northern Thailand such as Doi Pleu, Doi Sammuen, Doi Chiang Daw and Doi Maeya from the Kiew Lom View Point.

 

Pai

Pai is a small town in Northern Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, near Myanmar border and it lies on Pai River.. Set in a particularly picturesque valley north of Chiang Mai, Pai is a predominantly tourism-oriented town, offering a relaxed atmosphere with a broad tourist and pretty serious backpacker scene.

The town's permanent residents are a seemingly harmonious mix of Western hippies and Thai rastas which gives the place a unique vibe which may be appealing to some, even if it isn't traditional.

Then we reached Pai town and checked in at Yoma Hotel, which is located very near to Street Market and Pai Airport..

Yoma Hotel is cozily located in the heart of Pai, which lies adjacent to River Pai, and embraced by the Mount Mae Yen.

Blessed with tranquil natural surroundings, the superb hotel is easily accessible and located in close proximity to the town’s facilities and attractions like Wat Phra That Mae Yen, Pai Hot Springs, and Nam Hu Temple.

The hotel is stylishly designed and well equipped with ample amenities and private balcony overlooking mesmerizing panoramic view of the mountain range.

I booked the room via Agoda.com for RM 160.00 per night including breakfast..

Yoma Hotel room is lovely and the view is facing mountains and paddy field.. The hotel staff were very friendly and we really love their open concept

restaurant.

The view of its infinity swimming pool, facing the paddy field, is really relaxing and makes me wanna come to stay again at Yoma Hotel in Pai..

After the swim, we had a free and easy to walk around the town.. We had Khao Soi Gai for lunch. Khao Soi Gai is a Burmese-influenced dish served widely in Northern Thailand. The curry gravy is similar to massaman curry in Southern Thailand but it has a thinner consistency.

After lunch we headed to Pai In Love Café for coffee and cakes. The first time I came to Pai In Love Café back in 2010 and it was not as crowded and famous as it is now..

We went for a tour in Pai Town visiting the memorial "Nawarat Bridge", which was built in 1912.

 

 

Later in the night, we went to search for "organic medicine" and ended up having a bonfire party at a resort next to Pai Waterfall.. 

The breakfast at Yoma Hotel was great and I just love to have breakfast in the outdoor restaurant with the early morning chilling breeze.

Today, we did a short ride from Mae Hong Son to Pai village. The riding distance was only 160 km and it took us almost 2 hours to reach Pai on Route 1095..

HooRahh!!