Round the World in 60 Days
We set off from a rain drenched London to Bangkok. We had taken round-the-world business class tickets with BA and their affiliates in the "One World" programme. Great value at around £4k with more stops allowed than we actually needed. Meon had arranged all our transfers which makes arrival anywhere so much nicer, regardless of the length of the flight, you just feel so, well, thoroughly welcome.
Bangkok and the Mandarin Oriental were everything we remembered from last year and when we left we promising ourselves another visit next year, our suitcases bursting with tailor-made kit in Thai silk from Jim Thomson. In Hong Kong we were met by one of the Peninsula Hotel's green Rolls Royces and whisked off to Kowloon, our home for the next four days.
Hong Kong was mad, busy, humid, crowded, high rise and noisy, yet it still managed to provide serenity, relaxation and beauty. We each left with fond memories and handmade blazers made by the infamous Mr Sam. Meon had recommended the Four Seasons in Shanghai and we were very pleased to be there.
Shanghai was and is still being built. Not only do they have the Olympics in Beijing and beyond, but they have won Expo in 2010 and are literally throwing buildings up at the rate of a floor every three days in Pudong. Meon had arranged a lovely guide for us in Shanghai and we visited a few of China's most famous gardens, ate delicious (and not so delicious) Chinese food which we would not otherwise have tried, visited a "small town" about two hours drive outside of Shanghai which turned out to have a population of 8 million, and a village on the water - China's answer to Venice and every bit as gorgeous. It was interesting to hear about our guide's own life and how it is to live in China in this exciting time. It stuck us that after so many years of misery during the cultural revolution, the Chinese seem to be happy people and excited about their future. China was followed by Japan which, because of careful planning, we saw decked out in its Sunday Best. During April the cherry blossom comes out and the whole of Japan is covered in a pale pink hue and when the wind blows it feels like walking through a pink snowstorm of fluttering petals.
Tokyo was as we expected, big and concrete and complicated - yet vibrant and exciting. Kyoto on the other hand was slower paced, prettier, older and packed full of history. Meon had arranged for us to visit Nara, the ancient imperial city and various temple and shrines, and scoured the streets of Gion, the Geisha district in Kyoto for the elusive ladies, being rewarded with three beautiful, painted, robed, elegant beauties all at the same time. It was a relief in some ways to arrive in Hawaii for a rest after all the sightseeing in Asia and we settled into the Halekulani Hotel with ease not doing much except watch the surfers, enjoy the sunsets and the rhythm of the music with the hula-hula girls swaying and enchanting their audience.
A quick helicopter trip around the island revealed some of its more rugged landscape and inactive volcanos and a quiet moment of reflection as we passed over Pearl Harbour. Los Angeles beckoned next where we stayed at the Beverly Wilshire, the Four Seasons' answer to luxury in Beverly Hills.
We left it for three mad days in Las Vegas based at the Bellaggio - a four-thousand roomed hotel in front of an eight acre lake which is supposed to look like lake Como. We did a lot in Las Vegas including a half day helicopter trip out to the Grand Canyon for a spot of lunch on the banks of the Colorado River with spectacular views of the strata formed millions of years ago. No amount of gambling can beat that.
After another three days in LA - winding down again after the excitement of Las Vegas, we set off for Boston. After a six hour flight we arrived to find someone had dug a hole in the road and put out the gas for the whole city so there was no hot water.
Our hotel, the Langham, was great about it and offered to transfer us to another hotel outside the area with full facilities, and offered us all sorts of goodies if we stayed. Given that we were there to see the City, we stayed and took advantage of the complimentary minibar and breakfasts during our stay. The gas come on after only one day so it wasn't so bad.
Boston was an education on the history of the U.S. which you sort of know but never really took in. The Boston Tea Party and the Massacre and all the things which led up to America getting its independence. A lovely small city and very easy to navigate.
New York was next - our last blast before going home. Four days at the wonderful New York Palace Hotel (the "Dorchester" of New York) were wonderful. Our room had a view over St Patrick's cathedral a magnificent sight to wake up to each morning.
We visited the regenerated Harlem, took a three-hour boat ride around the island of Manhatten, walked in Central Park, shopped a little and had lovely long lunches and dinners with our last and most special at the romantic La Grenouille - famous for its flower displays. The guide book was right and the food wasn't bad either!
An overnighter with BA on a flat bed returned us to London where, of course, it was raining and our taxi was late....