Lux Express review - Crossing the Baltic States and into Poland

The Baltic states are made up of three countries by the Baltic sea: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. They are located side by side and with no border checks, it is very easy to cross over from one country to the next.

Another attractive point for tourists is that they are very much affordable in terms of accomodation, food and sightseeing, compared to other european countries.

After some online research, I came cross the some long distance coaches in this part of the world, with lux express having more favorable views. Tickets are easy to book on their website, affordable and timings are favorable, so I decided to book them on 3 sectors: Tallinn -> Riga, Riga -> Vilnius and vilnius -> Warsaw, with the last sector as an overnight option, thus saving us a night's accomodation.

In this review, instead of doing sector by sector review, I shall do cover all three sectors together, as the experiences are more or less similar.

After a cheap uber ride, we reached Tallinn bus station from the Metropole hotel. It can be reached by tram as well, but I thought to minimise the hassle of lugging our luggage on the tram and the uber ride is cheaper than riding on the tram for all of us combined.

The Bussijaam is a modern bus terminal with enclosed eateries and seating areas for waiting passengers. There are TV screens showing the departure platforms of the various long distance coaches. All the platforms are easily visible from the waiting area.

On board the lux express. Similar, but definitely better than an economy plane seat. Legroom is better. There is a tray, cup holder, leg rest. Best of all, an IFE with limited by sufficient movies, tv shows and other entertainment options. Just remember to bring your own earpiece or headsets. The seats and recline are way better than on the plane.

Free hot beverages from the dispensing machine near the in-coach toilet. I didn't use the toilet, but its similar to an airplane toilet. As the bus ride is definitely bumpier than an airplane ride, using it while the coach is moving may be a challenge at times.

I like the paper cup design !

In-coach literature

The Riga bus station is located beside a beautiful river. On a clear morning, the sunrise makes for a great photo while waiting for the coach. It is less modern, but less seating area but still enclosed to keep warm from the cold winter day.

In my opinion, the Vilnius bus station is much less attractive compared to Tallinn and Riga. Firstly, the building is old and though is theoretically fully enclosed, the cold air still came in. The waiting area is confined to rows of seats near the ticket counter. In the cold, dark winter night, it can be uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, lux express departs for Warsaw at ~2300. This means a long waiting time in the bus terminal. Almost all eateries and shops are closed and there are no amenities in the immediate vicinity. The town centre is a good ~20 minute walk away. It doesn't help that in winter the sun sets by 1700. As we are unsure of safety outside the station in the dark, we just wait for hours in the bus station.

This is something I will consider if I ever book an overnight coach again.

This is the only sector where the lux express coach is slightly late. 

In conclusion, I definitely recommend using lux express coaches to get around the Baltic states and Poland. With great punctuality, city centre connections, overnight options, comfortable seats and affordable tickets, it certainly beats travelling by air. 

By plane, you need to reach the airport early and the airports are usually located far away from the city centre, so additional transport expenses and duration are required.

In my next post, I shall review my experiences with leo express coach and do a comparison between lux express and leo express coaches.

Tallinn '17

Tallinn is a compact city for its visitors. The old town is its main attraction. It is walkable from the ferry terminal.

From the ferry terminal, it is ~15 minute walk to the Metropole hotel, which we will be staying for a night. We arrived at Tallinn on the ferry after 9am. As it is too early to check in, we left our luggage with the reception and went to tour the old town.

The old town is walkable from the hotel. About a 10 minute walk. Many cobblestone alleyways, cathedral and a central plaza.

A very cold, cloudy day in Tallinn during winter.

While having a break in this deli, I spotted this unique ferris wheel of cups.

Christmas market in Tallinn

Tallinn old city gates

Tallinn old town is compact. It can be explored in a matter of hours. The sky became dark early in winter and we made our way back to our hotel for the night.

This eventually became consistent for this winter Europe trip. A short touring time in the day. Anyway, we made the best of the weather condition and try to explore as much as we can in the precious daylight hours.

Getting to the Baltic states from Helsinki by ferry

The baltic states, comprising the three countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are not really on the typical tourists' radar. However, these European countries are still great and affordable to visit compared to the major European cities.

There are many ways to get to these countries. I chose to get to Tallinn, Estonia by ferry. There are daily ferry crossings from Helsinki to Tallinn, including a cheap, overnight option.  I chose this option since it will save me an overnight hotel bill.

From Helsinki airport, I have to purchase the airport train ticket from a kiosk to get the the central station. The machine is exactly tourist friendly and fortunately there was a staff stationed at the machine to help with the purchase.

A short train ride to the helsinki central station later, we alighted the train and was greated by a dark, cold, snowy, november weather. Normally, I will be thrilled to see and feel snow. But at that time, I was in a hurry to catch the ferry and lugging a luggage around didn't really make the snowing weather great. Haha!

Anyway, we exited the station at one of the many exits and was lucky enough to spot the tram that I wanted to take. So there was zero waiting time. After confirming the destination with the driver, I boarded the tram. The tram aisle is quite narrow so a big luggage may be difficult to move along.

Not long after, the tram reached the ferry terminal. Fortunately, in the dark, the ferry was recognizable from the tram. Many other passengers alighted and headed for the ferry as well.

A short walk later, we entered the ferry terminal building. There are manned ticket counters and ticket kiosks. A kind staff showed me how to use the kiosk with my printed ticket. It is good to print out all my transport tickets in case I need the hardcopy.

With tickets in hand, we boarded the ferry. There are a couple of ticket checks along the way with minimum hassle and zero queues. Not sure how many passengers there were that night but probably not a full ferry.

This is a ferry, not a cruise ship. There are only limited restaurants on deck. The cabin is a small, typical 4-bed cabin which serves its purpose. I don't think shower amenities are provided in the cabin. Food on board the ferry are expensive as well.

The ferry left on time and apart from the two restaurant decks, I didn't really check out other decks of the ferry. Soon, next morning arrives and we are in Tallinn!

Ferry terminal building in Tallinn

Yup. A cheap way of getting from Helsinki to Tallinn overnight, particularly if I'm short on vacation days and if I want to save on hotel budget. On this trip, I have planned for a couple of overnight bus trips deliberately to save on hotel budget. I'm happy that all went according to plan.

Also, after this trip, I will try to avoid visiting Europe in winter due to the hassle of bringing along winter clothing. The cold weather may also mar my experience of enjoying the places I visit. For this reason, this coming June, I hope to be able to visit Europe when it's summer.

It helps that today, Scoot has released tickets for sale for their new Singapore to Berlin direct flight. Their inaugural flight date, 20th June, is however not favorable to me as it's coming to the end of my vacation and I have plans to be in Europe in early June.

Instead, I booked a one-way inaugural flight from Berlin to Singapore since I'm planning to return home around that time. Not sure whether there will be festivities planned at Berlin airport for their first direct flight to Singapore.

This leaves me with the need to book a one-way ticket from Singapore to Europe. A check with Norwegian air shows the ticket from Singapore to London costs ~$200. It didn't take me long to book this. I coupled this with a Ryanair flight to Oslo, Norway for my onward trip in Europe. Ryanair is a budget airline based in europe and has frequently been under the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Their online reviews, as far as I have read, aren't that great either. But they offer the lowest fare on the route that I want, so I'll try out and see. As it is only a short haul flight from London to Oslo, hopefully it will be manageable. Haha!

My European trip in June is still shaping up. As it is still a half-year away, I am still looking out for mainly flight ticket promotions to reduce my travel budget.

In conclusion, this June, I will be taking many flights. Not as many as what I took in december though, which is a record 20 flights within a month! I'm looking forward to my "firsts":

Norwegian air B787 plane

Scoot inaugural berlin to singapore flight

Ryanair flight

First time to London Gatwick airport and London Stansted airport

Norwegian flight review - ARN to HEL

This year, I have originally planned to take a step back from work and have more time for myself. But as usual, things always turn out differently from what we expected. So now, I'm back to my busy work schedule. But I make it a point to take on less work than last year, to give myself more breathing space.

Yup. This sunday morning, I find myself having a bit more free time, so decided to do up a second post for my blog. Haha!

This is my first time taking a Norwegian flight. Going in, I'm aware it is a budget carrier which charges for everything from seat assignment to checked luggage to food. What surprised me is that they actually offer free wifi for everyone on their planes! And the wifi is reasonably fast too.

Waiting at Stockholm airport skycity, the windows offer very clear view of airplanes on the tarmac. Mainly norwegian ones. With each plane tail showing someone from the past or present. Skycity is a pleasant place to wait for my flight because there are ample seating with power ports, free wifi and runway views.

No ptv on this B737, as with other budget carrier. Legroom is alright.

Wingtip is great looking !

Free wifi with some free entertainment streamed to your device. A great way to pass the short flight time of ~ 1 hour.

I didn't order any food, given the short flight time. With the free wifi, Norwegian is definitely my choice of flight within europe, if the price is reasonable.

Singapore Airlines economy flight review -HKG to SIN to MOSCOW to ARN

SQ has and will always be my favourite airline. Firstly, because I'm Singaporean, so I am proud of my national carrier. Also because it is one of the few 5-star airlines in the world and rightfully deserve it.

I have previously taken SQ flights to Osaka, Tokyo, Taipei, Surabaya, Yangon, Hong Kong, Shanghai in economy. Frankfurt, New York, Colombo, Beijing in Business. Auckland in Suites. In every flight, I am very satisfied with the excellent cabin service in every class. Meals, in-flight entertainment, consistent and service and the frequent drinks run mid-flight makes it stand out among airlines.

In my opinion, though many airlines have since caught up with SQ, though none have so far overtaken it. However, SQ is definitely charging a premium for its excellent service. Flights departing Singapore are always more expensive on almost all sectors. To ride on SQ flights cheaply, one has to book a flight that transits in Singapore. For instance, it is cheaper to book HKG-SIN-ARN compared to SIN-ARN alone. Not sure why though.

Nearly a half year prior to my trip, I have chanced upon cheap SQ economy from HKG to SIN to Moscow to ARN on their A380 and A350 aircrafts. At a price of ~$600, it didn't take me long to decide.

Fast forward to the day of flying. At Hong Kong airport, check-in line was short but waiting time is long due to only few counters open. This is even though SQ has several flights to Hong Kong throughout the day.

My luggage is checked through all the way to Stockholm.

Really like riding on the A380. The cabin feels spacious. I have previously flown on the A380 with Qantas, SQ (in business class), Emirates, Qatar and have always enjoyed the flying experience.

Interesting display at a shop in Hong Kong airport

When travelling economy on the A380, I always choose to seat at the upper deck window if possible because there is extra storage bin due to the curvature of the fuselage.

HKG-SIN sector meal on SQ

Comes with ice-cream !

On the A350 plane, I managed to score a bulkhead window seat with unlimited legroom. Also, its easier to get out of my seat during the flight. Normally, this requires extra cost. Not sure why it's free for me to select.

SIN-MOSCOW sector dinner/supper

Ice-cream again !

I liked this interesting flavour !

SIN-MOSCOW sector breakfast

Towards Stockholm !

S7 planes at Moscow airport

This trip on SQ is very enjoyable because I get to fly on the A380 and then A350. It is my first time on the A350 and the experience is great probably also because the middle seat is empty, so more breathing space for me. The only minor issue is whenever the A350 engine started there is always this strange fuel smell inside the cabin, but it is gone just as quickly. Otherwise, I hope to fly on the A350 aircraft again!

2018 New Year Resolutions

After a fantastic year end 2017 travelling, now is the time to make another around of resolutions for 2018. Today is the third day of 2018. 

I had wanted to do it on the first or second day, but preoccupation with work and other matters as well as procrastination set in. Haha!

As I looked back at the previous year's resolutions, I guess I had fulfilled some of those. My family is safe. We are healthy. As of today at least.

On the travelling front, I had been to Eastern Europe and South America which are on my resolutions list. As 2017 came and went, things turn out differently, as always. I ended up visiting a host of countries which I had not thought of in my list. 

I thoroughly enjoyed all my travelling in 2017, and at the same time kept a close watch on my budget to prevent myself from overspending!

Here I am proud to say that I have managed to tighten my overseas purse. Especially during the one-month travelling, apart from my pre-booked air tickets and accomodations, I spent little in terms of buying souvenirs and day to day living.

This is because I have brought only a small suitcase with me on this solo trip. It helps to remind me to buy minimum souvenirs since I don't have much storage space in the suitcase. 

Also, I brought cup noodles from home for my meals on Easter Island instead of eating out. And I snacked on biscuits and cookies purchased from supermarkets bought over there.

My main expenditures lies in the guided tours on Easter island and the hop-on-hop-off buses in various cities, which I am a big fan of, for its convenience in getting around.

Yup. So now, it's time to renew my resolutions. In 2018, I wish for my family to stay safe and healthy together. I am a firm believer of health over wealth. I don't need a lot of $. Just enough to get by and for me to travel.

Speaking of travelling, I will need to set aside time to blog about my recent one-month long trip across three continents. Not sure how long it's going to take me to post though. Haha.

As I go into 2018, I had some interesting trips booked ahead. 

First up is my cny trip to down under. Darwin, in the northern territory. I have been thinking about visiting Cairns as well, which is also in the north. But the costs of air tickets from Darwin to Cairns is way beyond my budget, although it is a domestic flight. As much as I like to see the great barrier reef, I might have to wait for an opportune time.

In March, during the school holidays, I will be visiting new Delhi, India to take advantage of the cheap Cathay pacific business class flights to Beijing, China. I will be spending some days in Beijing. 

As I have visited Beijing twice previously, I am thinking of visiting other nearby cities from there. Maybe Tianjin, Xi'An, Harbin,... Many cities of China that I haven't been to yet, despite having been to China ~6 times. Yup. Will need another blog post to sort this China trip out.

Moving on into June, I will be heading to Europe again. But this time, to more exotic Svalbard, literally at the top of the world, and also faroe islands. Thanks to cheap air tickets by SAS.

So these are all my pre-booked trips in 2018 for now. Of course, I'm thankful to be able to travel at all. I will strive to keep myself fit and healthy so that I can explore more of this world. On a budget.

As I mention in my 2017 resolutions post, these destinations are not my bucket list places. They are just places I'm keen to visit. As far as I'm concerned, I have no longer a bucket list. I have already fulfilled my previous list. Having been to the big, famous cities of the world such as Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Paris, I am very much contented with travelling.

Going into 2018, other than my pre-booked trips, I am keen to visit Ireland, South Africa and South America. But if I don't get to visit them, no regrets.

That's all for my 2018 new year resolutions!

Back in SG !

I'm finally back in SG ! After my one-month long trip, covering three continents - Europe, North America and South America. Not that I'm eager to get home. The travel bug has definitely caught me, so much that I just wish for the trip to be longer. Haha !

Anyway, this has been a fulfilling trip for me. I'm thankful that things have turned out generally smoothly for me. The only negative is that my luggage is not currently with me. Yup, it should still be in Los Angeles. The reason is the tight connection.

Previously, I took a Virgin America flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, with a two hour connection to my Hainan Airlines long haul flight to Chongqing, China. But the earlier flight was delayed by ~30 minutes. So the connection became even tighter.

I also learnt that changing terminals at LAX airport airside involves long distance walking, at least from terminal 6 to tom bradley international terminal. I arrived at the Hainan airlines gate just in time for the boarding process to begin.

Luckily, the gate agents were able to print my Hainan airlines boarding pass at the gate, not sure why I couldn't get it at San Francisco airport. Otherwise I don't know what will happen. So I made it to my flight, but not my luggage, even with a ~1.5 hour connection.

Fortunately, my luggage contains mainly clothes and some souvenirs. My valuables are all safely in my carry-on. Well, here's to hoping I can get my luggage back in SG!

In the next few days (or weeks), I shall be detailing my trips in this blog. A chance to relive my memories of this fantastic trip. It has cost me a lot of money, but the memories are for a lifetime. 😃