The final shopping + cheezy pictures + waiting till liftoff - from BKK 2 ZRC - a tale of lounges and smoking and other surprises

This afternoon, we did the final shopping in Siam Center, next to Siam Paragon. Windowshopping of course, the luggage is full, no more real buying.

Nevertheless I couldn't resist buying some icecubeholders, because of the special shapes it makes the ice, and summer will be coming in Belgium!
See the pix at http://picasaweb.google.com/paulbavo/Thailand_Malaysia_Nov08Jan09ThailandBangkok.

Now that we have made the "portrait" pictures in Subang, Malaysia, we find everywhere photo-shops that do the same! Over here, we discovered today CheezeStudio ("no one does photo like we do"), www.cheezestudio.com (1st floor Siam Center but they will be moving somewhere else next month). We have to check them out next time we're here, it looks fun! 

Méridien allowed us to stay in the room till 18 h., and then we'll move to the lounge till 20.30 h., limousine transfer to the airport, and airlounge till the plane leaves (scheduled 00:15 h.).

wowowow what a pleasant flight! I'm writing this, while relaxing in the Swiss lounge at Zurich airport, after a really comfortable flight from Bangkok.

We took the limousine service from the Bangkok hotel to the Suvarnabhumi airport, and it was worth the 1.500 Baht. It's roughly double the cost of a taxi, but all highway taxes are included, and it's definately more comfortable and secure. As HL regularely reminds me: one price, one quality.

Arriving at the airport, the limo was allowed to bring us directly to the business check-in (A and B), where a cute and helpful guy from Thai Airways opened the door of the limo. He took care of our luggage and directed the luggage to the check-in-counter: lovely service. If there would have been a red carpet around, he would have used it too, no doubt.

I think that this is the main difference between Thailand and Malaysia: Thailand is 100% service orientated, and very efficient in it. In Malaysia, one can only get services when claimed for, and reclaimed for, and claimed again (Penang - although part of Malaysia - is an exception).

Check-in at the counter was swift & smooth, although we could not get a boarding pass from Zurich to Brussels: for that we'll have to go to the transfer counter in Zurich.
Although Thai Airways is codeshared with Swiss, it has no access to their computers. Trust has its limits, it seems :-)

From the A/B check-in counters, we could walk straight to the passport control reserved for business class travellers, and there was none of the dreadfully feared long queuing: immediate stamping and off to the lounge.

The main lounge is immediately following the passport control: one rolling stairs down, and a huge lounge invited us to relax there. Upon entrance, we were informed (service-orientated!) that today there was a free massage at the end of the lounge. Of course we could not resist the temptation.
It was a great massage (hands, arms, head, neck & shoulders).

Another difference between Malaysia and Thailand: the food !!!! It's clear that food is the real God in Malaysia: in all lounges the food is absolutely wonderful ... whereas in Thailand lounge the food is really basic, although excellent.

Smoking rooms are available in the Thai airport, but don't take the smoking room 2 floors down: that's where all the arriving passengers get their shot, and it's horrible ... if you want to see real gas-chambers in full action: go there!
A better option is to go to the gate, and after luggage check, you'll find smoking rooms for departing passengers (1 C), almost empty.

Departure was a bit delayed, but not worth mentioning.

The flight itself was excellent, good service, good food, excellent drinks. We were sitting on the 2nd row of the business class, and it was remarkably quiet there. We could sleep very soundly after the dinner.

After waking up, we had a small breakfast (if you can choose, take the instant noodles: yummy!).

Arriving in Zurich was a piece of cake: our flight was not mentioned yet on the screens, but we asked for directions, and were in a very friendly way informed to go to gates A, where there also is a transfer desk available. With the train (cow music, and an accidental yodel, horresco referens) to gates A, and indeed, the transfer desk was clearly indicated.
There is a huge and nice smoking room opposite of the transfer desk, sponsored by Camel, but don't take that one: go to the Swiss lounge, it has 3 floors and the top floor is a smoking floor, very comfortable (sponsored by Davidoff haha, again one price one quality). This is where I'm typing this blog now, sipping a cappucino and marking my territory with smoke. No doubt that Zurich as a smokefree place is one of the most smokersfriendly airports. I think I'll  start liking the Swiss :-)

We had the choice of having an earlier flight - but no guarantee that our luggage would arrive with us - or the booked flight at 9.10 am, so we preferred to wait a bit in the Swiss lounge here (smoking hehe) instead of waiting in Brussels (no lounge, and non smoking) for our luggage to arrive. 

Both of us are really relaxed and not suffering from the flight (11.30 hours) at all!

However, HL managed to loose his new wristwatch in the plane! I don't know how he does it, but he's so good in misplacing objects. The staff of the plane searched over & over again in, under, around his chair, but didn't find it. A fellow traveller suggested me to open the table at his chair, and see if the watch could have been hiding in the table compartiment ... and indeed it was.
Not really funny at that moment, although I suppose I'll be able to joke about it after a while!

And now: off to Brussels, where the rain and the cold is eagerly waiting for us! Luctor et emergo!