First Class Flights!

22 Sept 2025

It was dark when I woke up- before my 4am alarm even, but trying to squeeze in an extra 15 minutes probably isn’t worth it. I gathered up my gear (which was dry-ish, but still damp- that’s gonna be stinky by the time I get home!), showered, ate and said goodbye to the Blue Manta:

I did shuffle a few things into my checked bag to make room for the traditional coffee+chocolate for my parents, and between that and the not-quite-dry gear, my bag weighed in at exactly 20kg!

Farewell, dreary Ambon!

Hello, sad airplane food:

I mean, it wasn’t terrible, but my next 2 flights are in 1st class and I’m looking forward to seeing what that food is like!

But first, I’ve got a very long layover.

Fortunately, like half our group has a long layover so the plan is to check into an airport hotel, drop our bags and go exploring.

I made reservations at the hotel in Terminal 2, where I’ve stayed before, but this flight and our outgoing flights are at Terminal 3, and Tom and Phil have a reservation there, so I booked a room at their hotel instead.

Or, I thought I did- turns out there’s an Anara and a Grand Anara hotel? and they are not affiliated; I chose the wrong one. Rather than book a 3rd hotel, Phil and Tom let me store my stuff in their room and while we waited for it to be ready, we hit up the breakfast buffet:

We caught just the last 15 minutes, so not the best breakfast, but food is food! Pati and Michael joined us and we all piled into the elevator to drop our bags in Phil and Tom’s room:

Then we went exploring! I’ve flown through Jakarta many times not, but never left the airport- Tom ordered a taxi and we went to Kota Tua/Old Town:

It was strangely empty:

This area of Jakarta was part of the Dutch’s first walled settlement in the area:

and served as the administrative center for the Dutch East Indies.

We stopped at the post office so Tom could send some postcards home:

I found this city sign and had to take a picture:

Phil has great timing! Nailed this shot on the first try!

We mostly just wandered the streets for a while:

Prints in the cement:

Quiet streets are great for napping:

We tried to visit a museum by they are closed on Mondays? So we went to the famous Cafe Batavia:

The decor is a serious throwback and old photos decorate the walls:

We ordered 4 desserts to share:

Not pictured: Mango Passionfruit sorbet, which was the clear winner (though all the desserts were quite tasty!)

Phil and I also got a coconut to drink:

I don’t know the story behind them, but there were florescent bikes all around the square and matching neon hats that you could rent and ride around:

We’ve got a couple hours left before we need to start making our way back to the airport (it took about 45 minutes to get out here)- we debated taxiing to a different area, but ultimately just kept wandering around here:

Cute cut-outs on the lampposts:

Canal with floating bridges:

Tom found his way down- these paths are extensive, but they don’t connect- you can’t get to the other side of the canal from them:

and you need to walk carefully on the bridges:

I can’t get over just how empty it is here:

Not quite as fun as covers in Japan:

We kind of ran out of things to do here, so we headed back to the airport for a nap and a shower and to collect our bags. The plan is to meet up at the Saphire Lounge:

Michael and Pati (and I think Tom) have cards that give them plus a guest access here, and I have access from my flight!

It was more full than I expected:

Pati and Michael got here before Phil, Tom and I, so they secured us some seats and Michael showed me the ropes:

Where to find food, how to order fresh food and drinks, what to do with my dishes after, and since they were here for a while before the rest of us arrived and sampled pretty much everything, which dishes were good, what to avoid and what was spicy 🙂

So glad to have found such an awesome group of people!

Can’t wait to travel with them again 🙂

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The rest of the group flew out about an hour before me, so I hung out at the lounge for a bit longer before heading to my gate. On the way, I spotted a couple faces on things:

My plane:

I ended up toward the end of the boarding line and there were a lot of people in this section already, so I didn’t take a picture of the whole area, but this is my home for the next 8 hours!

It’s got 3 whole windows! and if you’re traveling with someone, there’s a divider you can lower if you want.

It comes with a pillow, blanket and headphones, and so much legroom!!!

I figured I should try out the headphones they gave me, rather than drain the battery on mine:

Not too bad!

I got a glass of welcome champagne and picked out my dinner:

They even asked if they should wake me for food (YES!).  However, shortly after the doors closed it started raining, and lightning, and the wind picked up, rocking the plane back and forth:

They, fortunately, announced we’d be a bit delayed taking off, then delayed a bit longer, so I got comfy and settled in:

We ended up taking off about an hour late. It means I might not make my transit tour in Korea, but I will absolutely not complain about getting extra time in this giant seat!

I know you can get free alcohol on international flights, and fancy alcohol here in Prestige (Korean Air’s business class), but they also have guava juice, and that’s way more my style:

Things that aren’t my style? whatever that meat is on top of the pastry. I picked it off. Maybe I’m not fancy enough to sit up here…

I ate the fruit/veggies and bread, but the meat (smoked duck?) again weirded me out:

Next course- soup:

Holy cow did this one burn!!! SO SPICY! I picked out the veggie bits and tried to douse the burn with bread and juice (they ended up just giving me a whole can 🙂 ).

For my main course, I chose salmon in a caper/dill sauce with what I think is sweet potatoes? and grilled veggies:

Dessert was ice cream (which I passed on) and fruit:

Honestly, not that impressed. I mean, it was filling, which I’m thankful for, but not great. Meh. I’m more excited about the fact that I can turn my seat into a bed and lay flat for this flight!

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23 Sept 2025

Unfortunately, the in-air time on this leg was only like 7 hours long, which included a slight deviation to avoid a typhoon:

so I really only got to sleep for like 4 hours, though I was totally out during that time.  Breakfast came around far too quickly:

Standard breakfast, but nicer presentation and real flatware.  They did let me pick out 2 rolls though 🙂

Hello, South Korea:

I liked the way these planes were all lined up:

Farewell, most comfortable of airline seats I’ve experienced thus far:

I had about an hour to clear immigration and join my tour, and I probably would have made it, but the signage here was confusing.  I knew I had to meet the guide at Terminal 2 and I knew I had to clear immigration, but when it came to chose a path, the Terminal 2 hall had signs for the transit tour so I followed them.

That was a mistake.

Gotta go through immigration first.  By the time I figured it out, it was too late.  I talked with the lady at the information desk but no longer had enough time to clear immigration.

Bummer.

But I did learn that the construction that was going on last time I was here was done and they’ve got this cultural experience center set up, where you can do some crafts!  I love crafts!  I made a key chain, learned to write Korean characters and did some coloring:

I don’t think many people know this exists- I was the only one here, and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the woman running it.  She gave me a lot of good information about not only the tours they offer, but for exploring Korea on my own- they offer bag storage so I don’t have to lug my backpack around and a subway card (you have to put your own funds on it).  If I didn’t have lounge access, I probably would have left to go exploring, but I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to fly First again, so I do want to take advantage of that.

I did wander around the airport for a bit:

and checked out the new areas they built since the last time I was here, like this cool outdoor area:

I’m outside!

A condensed version what I saw on my last transit tour:

Love the ornate painting:

Next to this garden is a new lounge:

I was a little nervous when the scanned my boarding pass, but the gates opened and they let me in!!!

It’s not a huge lounge, and there’s not as many food options as Jakarta:

There are 3 other lounges here that I think I have access to, but I’m still new to this- can I leave and try out another one? or is it a one visit per day/flight kinda thing?  I’m sure I could just ask…

…or I can set up shop here, where it’s quiet (there are like 3 other people here) and get some work done:

I’m in a lounge!

It started getting busier at the day went on, and I did want to get a shower in before this flight.  When I got here, there was no wait, but by the time I decided it was shower time, there were 2 people in the (digital) line in front of me.  I waited a little over an hour for my turn; look how spacious this shower space is!

Towels, shampoo/conditioner provided.

Also, razor/shaving cream, toothbrush/paste and a really good smelling lotion:

All the mirrors did make using the toilet a bit awkward…

(but it was one of those fun toilets that opens the lid when you approach and has a warm seat and a built in bidet!)

All clean and ready for my next flight!

I had noticed these people movers earlier in the day, but they were closed at the time- now, the gates are open so I moved in for a closer look.  One of the employees came over and ushered me into it!

Look at me go!

Another one!

It’s so strange and empty back here:

But honestly, this was more fun than I expected.  Sad it was such a short ride.

Farewell, auto people mover!

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My plane for the final leg of my trip:

This is me!!!

I made sure to get in line early so I could snap a shot of my section:

This seat is my home for the next 12 hours!!!

It come with 3 pillows (that gray memory foam one in the front, a rolly one behind it- which turns into a sleeping pad, and a regular one in the zipped bag underneath), a blanket (also in the zipped bag), slippers, headphones and an amenity kit:

Amenity kit contents:

The earplugs especially will come in handy since someone brought a baby into D1 🙁

The screen is closer on this flight, but I’ve still got a clicker and a little mirror (unexpected):

A welcome mimosa:

A strangely tall armrest…

and a shoulder strap?

It only has to be on for take off, landing and taxi, which is good because it lands awkwardly on my neck.

It’s also got a foot rest and cubby!

Today’s meal options:

Warm nuts and coke to start things off:

I didn’t touch the smoked salmon, but the carrot ginger soup was quite tasty!

I opted for lasagna for my main course:

it was decent but very oily.  I didn’t finish it because I wanted to save room for this mango tart, which was delicious!

I haven’t slept much since I left the boat about 37 hours ago, so my plan is to take advantage of my lay-flat seat again and get as much sleep as possible.

Bed mode, engaged!

I think most people sleep on their back, with their feet down in the foot well, but I sleep curled up and my knees are right up against the side wall here:

Also, the armrest doesn’t go down? I think I liked the more open design of the last plane.

But this obvious worked because I was out for a solid 4 hours- I only woke up because there was an overhead announcement. I debated getting up and seeing what the anytime snacks are like up here in First, but I couldn’t figure out how to get my door open (oh yeah, my seat has a door!), so I just rolled back over and slept for another 4 hours.

Best sleep I’ve ever had on a plane!

I even slept through the mid-flight snack, so I was very happy when breakfast came around. I wasn’t excited by any of the options, so I asked if they maybe had any rolls left over from dinner and they brought me this:

which was just perfect for me! My flight attendant also opened my door for me (she struggled too, so I don’t think it was just me).

Very sad for this flight to come to an end.

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Since getting Global Entry, customs and immigration is a breeze- I had my bags and was through fast enough to make the earlier shuttle back to town, and fortunately they had enough space for me (otherwise I’d be waiting an hour for the one I actually booked). A short Uber ride later and I was finally home!

Over all this was a great trip- we found the Mola mola, I met some amazing people… can’t wait for the next adventure!