I’m writing today to tell you about another Japan Railways “rail pass,” in particular about my recent experiences using the Seishun 18 Ticket (青春18きっぷ). As for why there have been some Japan-related posts lately, well– I’ve been in Tokyo for a couple of weeks. What is the Seishun 18 Ticket? In short, the Seishun 18 […]
Trip Reports
Japan Trip Report: JR East Pass (Tohoku Area)
Although I’ve traveled throughout much of Japan, I embarrassingly didn’t once set foot in the Tohoku region until a few days ago. That’s where the rail pass, the JR East Pass (Tohoku Area), was of tremendous benefit. Firstly, let’s define the Tohoku region (in Japanese, 東北 touhoku, meaning northeastern): The Tohoku region is generally characterized […]
Hotel Review: Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11
The 298-room Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 — located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 –exists in a very crowded sea of hotels, restaurants, and nightlife. With so much choice — and more options being built month after month in one of the world’s most visited cities — how does this property stand out? For a more literal […]
Crossing China’s Newest Border with Hong Kong
Last week, after flying in to Hong Kong, I wanted to use the new(est) China Hong Kong border crossing to reach Shenzhen. For background, the Chinese side is called Liántáng (莲塘), and the Hong Kong side Heung Yuen Wai (香園圍). It is located in the Luo Hu district of Shenzhen, in a more residential part of town […]
Trip Report: GX Airlines, Nanning NNG to Bangkok BKK
Here’s a new carrier for BoardingArea trip reports– GX Airlines. In this post, I will be covering my flight from Nanning, in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, as well as the sole airport lounge in the international wing of Nanning Wuxu International Airport. But first, a warm tip for potential visitors […]
Priority Pass Restaurant Review: Denver’s SweetWater Mountain Taphouse Restaurant
Before getting into the SweetWater Mountain Taphouse review, let’s briefly go over what Priority Pass is, as that can get a little complicated. For those of you who are already up to snuff with Priority Pass, skip ahead to the review! Take me to the SweetWater Mountain Taphouse Priority Pass is a membership-based company that […]
Hotel Review: Mövenpick Hotel and Residences Riyadh
Earlier this year, I had to go to Riyadh for some delicious business, so I chose to stay at the Mövenpick Hotel and Residences Riyadh. It’s only about one year old, but it still looks like it’s a new property. Located near King Abdullah Financial District, the chief economic zone of the Saudi capital, undoubtedly […]
Innovations in Airport Security Are Emerging
In spite of having been mostly disappointed by my first visit to the new Terminal A at Newark International Airport (EWR) earlier this March, there was definitely a highlight worth mentioning– the security checkpoint. I’m not referring to how the airport botched the queuing system (i.e. most fliers with airline status don’t get their own […]