Index
Day 1: Flying
Day 2: Layover
Day 3: More flying
Day 4: Kathmandu
Day 5: Shristi & Abi
Day 6: NRT-KHH inaugural
Day 7: Kaohsiung
Day 8: Return
Nepal and Taiwan
Cathay Pacific fight 640 ended up a bit delayed from Kathmandu to Hong Kong due to the lingering after effects of a typhoon, which meant my layover in Hong Kong ended up a bit short. Opted to sleep the entire flight since my flight ended up leaving the chaotic Tribhuvan International Airport over an hour later (aka well after midnight), but managed a quick snack at The Bridge before running off to CX 526 to Narita. My final Cathay Pacific flight of the trip was operated by one of their new Airbus A350-900's and their updated international lie-flat business class product. The Safran Series III is superficially very similar to the Cirrus seat on their old A330's, but with slightly better storage, nicer screens, still limited privacy, and an even more dumb AC power outlet location.
As someone with no status on Cathay, I ended up last in choice for meals; the dim sum was gone, so had the fish again, which was miso marinated halibut. Did the job, but made me wish I had had more time to fill up in the lounge instead.
The airside bus transfer from Narita International Airport's Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 leads to some cool tarmac views, although it was a bit of a wait, so be careful not to book too tight a connection. Arrived in plenty of time for United's inaugural flight from Tokyo Narita to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and met up with a bunch of fellow United frequent fliers and inaugural flight chasers that I'd flown with before, along with a bunch of United employees there to help promote the new route. NRT-KHH, aka UA 837 is operated by United's rather elderly Guam sub-fleet, but that did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm from the crowd. United's Ken Kiriyama, director of sales, Japan, Micronesia, Philippines, Taiwan, was the senior United executive present, along with several other dignataries whose names I did not get (doh!) as well as international purser Glenn, who we'd flown with recently on the Mongolia inaugural.
The flight wasn't bad at all, at 3 hours 28 minutes flight time (1,716 miles actual, 1,508 miles great circle), and some dramatic cloud formations from the recent typhoon (Typhoon Danas) a few days before, made all dramatic by sunset. Arrival in Taiwan was met with the obligatory amounts of fanfare despite the late hour-- in addition to Ken from United, Yana (part of United's Premium Services team), Jenny, and Jenny (yes, two Jenny's) either met us at the airport or were on the flight with us.
A bunch of us were at the same hotel, so those of us who wanted to go out for a bit all checked in and then headed down for a quick trip to Ruifeng Night Market. Gerard and his wife, Po-Jen, Will, Alice, and Jenny all came out into the late night heat and humidity for popcorn chicken, green onion pancakes, and plenty of other snacks before we all parted ways the rest of the trip. Was tons of fun as always, even if it was a crazy long day.