Index
Day 1: Flying
Day 2: Arrival
Day 3: Angkor Wat/Ta Prohm
Day 4: Preah Khan/Preah Palilay
Day 5: Return
Cambodia
Finally had time to try the hotel's breakfast buffet, which was delicious. Lots more items than expected were actually made completely on-site, almost wished I had another day just to eat breakfast here again! (to be fair, most hotel breakfasts at nicer hotels in Asia are pretty good...)
Got to appreciate the modern take on Cambodian architecture at Siem Riep Angkor International Airport (SAI) more as well, with the massive pagoda-like ceilings rendered in glass and steel, with oddly simplistic cubes underneath for the actual infrastructure. The one lounge, the Angkor Lounge, was nice enough, with a decent spread and comfortable seating, although not the most power outlets (something lacking in general at SAI). The outdoor patio is spacious but kind of sad, and I suspect a mosquito haven as no guests lingered outside, and I have no idea where else I could have accumulated so many mosquito bites between leaving the hotel that morning and my flight.
Quick flight back on another Singapore Air 737 MAX 8, this time with fried fish noodles instead of seafood noodles. After counting my bug bites, took advantage of the longer layover today to hit one of several staff canteens at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) for lunch. Short of leaving the airport for a hawker stall, the staff canteens are about as close as you'll get, and the food is not only the best deal to be found at the airport, but the most tasty as well. Low ceilings and limited A/C give a very different vibe than the grandeur of Jewel Changi, but the food is well worth it.
With ample time still left, went to the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge inside Terminal 2 for a shower before departure. The decor is a bit dated, but the lounge is spacious, there's ample (universal) power outlets, and the hot food spread is not bad. Definitely a cut above the Angkor Lounge, although this surprises no one as it's technically a business class lounge. The noodle bar is good but not quite as good as the Courtyard by Marriott from the morning, and they had an ice cream bar I managed to resist.
The return flight to San Francisco International Airport was smooth enough, if a bit longer than usual due to having to dodge around Typhoon Yagi near the Philippines and Typhoon Shanshan near Japan. The flat iron steak entree was cooked to death as usual, although it did still have a bit of flavor left, and the mid-flight tapas of Hainan-style chicken rice and laska-inspired noodles remains pretty good. (perhaps not quite as good as my previous trip...) The cod congee on arrival is not quite as good as the usual shrimp congee, but it did the job, and gave me ample fuel to literally run across SFO to make my connection back home.
Somewhat amazingly, several other passengers from my Singapore flight also made the same connecting flight I was on, arriving 20 minutes (!) after I did. Waiting for boarding to finish was also not the worst, as the shiny new domestic first class seats done in the United NEXT retrofit are quite comfortable, with great screens and wireless charging for your phone, even if the wireless chargers are a bit finicky. Take-off also lead to some great views of SFO before the early morning arrival at LAX.