PREMIUM in ECONOMY? Why Not? Singapore Airlines Premium Economy Experience

Let's face it, untuk perjalanan panjang hanya ada dua opsi (yang pada akhirnya bagi sebagian orang hanya menjadi 1 opsi): Trying as best as you can to fit perfectly to the economy seat, or a comfort flight with business class (but surely it cost you way more money).

Let's face it, for a long journey there are only two options (which in the end for some people just be one option): Trying as best as you can to fit perfectly to the economy seat, or a comfort flight with business class (but surely it cost you way more money).

Bagi orang seperti saya yang sangat mudah tidur di perjalanan (teman-teman saya bahkan menyebut saya pelor: nempel molor), economy seat flight is not a problem, apalagi saya tidak tinggi sehingga kaki tidak pernah stuck "berasa terjepit di antara jarak yang terbatas." Namun, bagi sebagian orang, long flight dapat menjadi siksaan, bayangkan penerbangan di atas 6 jam di mana kita tidak dapat tidur dan kaki yang terus menekuk dalam posisi tidak nyaman.

For people like me who are very easy to sleep on the trip (my friends even call me a pelor: a slang word in Indonesian which refers to a person who sleep easily), and even my legs are not that long so that my legs are never stuck "felt sandwiched between a limited distance. " However, for some people, a long flight can be an ordeal, imagine flying above 6 hours where we cannot sleep and legs are kept bent in an uncomfortable position.

It's good to know that now there are more options: Premium Economy! Yes, a hybrid between economy and business, more comfort for sure, but not as costly as business class seats.

APA PERBEDAANNYA? Let's see SQ Premium Economy seats:

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Let's see SQ Premium Economy seats:

SPACE

Saat pertama melihat konfigurasi kursi dan jarak, premium economy tampak seperti business class seats untuk short haul flight (biasanya untuk pesawat yang lebih ramping).

When you first look at the configuration of seats and the distance, premium economy looks like business class seats for short-haul flight (usually for a leaner airlines).

Konfigurasi kursi 2-4-2 memberikan ruang yang lebih luas untuk setiap premium economy seat, dengan lebar 49,5 cm dan jarak antar kursi 96,5 cm. Perbedaan jarak yang cukup signifikan dengan economy class membuat kursi premium economy dapat di recline (plus dengan leg rest yang tersedia), namun memang bukan fully recline seperti di business class, but hey it's way more comfortable than the economy seats. Terdapat banyak kompartemen juga untuk menyimpan barang-barang sehingga tidak perlu banyak membuka cabin baggage. One thing for sure, more space, more comfort.

2-4-2 seat configuration provides a wider space for each premium economy seat, with a width of 49.5 cm and 96.5 cm distance between seats. The significant enough distance difference compared to the economy class seats makes premium economy seats can be reclined (plus with available leg rest), although it cannot be fully reclined like in business class, but hey it's way more comfortable than the economy seats. There are also lots of compartments to store items so there is not need a lot of opening the cabin baggage. One thing for sure, more space, more comfort.

ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

This is one of my favorite, the 13,3 inch LCD Monitor dengan brand new entertainment system di premium economy seats Singapore Airlines sangat menghibur di perjalanan panjang. LCD monitor terasa sangat besar dan desain sleek yang menyatu dengan seat really add more lux feeling in this premium economy seats.

This is one of my favorite, the 13.3-inch LCD Monitor with brand new entertainment system in premium economy seats of Singapore Airlines is very entertaining on a long trip. The LCD monitor feels very big with sleek design that blends with the seats really add more lux feeling in this premium economy seats.

CHOICE OF MEALS

Gotta admit that the meal is not business class style, dengan pilihan menu yang serupa dengan economy class (namun ada tambahan 1 pilihan extra menu untuk premium economy), namun jangan berharap makanan akan disajikan di piring dan gelas cantik, karena penyajian makanan untuk premium economy sama dengan economy class, bedanya kita bisa mendapatkan free welcoming champagne, serta free flow selama perjalanan.

Gotta admit that the meal is not business class style, with a choice of menu similar to economy class (but there is an additional 1 choice extra menu for premium economy), but do not expect the food to be served on a plate and fancy glasses, because the presentation of the food of premium economy is the same with economy class, the only difference is that we can get a free welcoming champagne, as well as the free flow during the trip.

ELECTRICITY - FREE WORRY

In this digital world, hampir setiap orang memiliki lebih dari satu gadget. Di premium economy seats SQ terdapat dua usb slot (di bawah LCD monitor dan di sisi kursi), serta colokan listrik di sisi bawah kursi jika kita perlu charging laptop. Easy breezy and less electricity crisis worry :)

In this digital world, almost everyone has more than one gadget. In SQ premium economy seats, there are two usb ports (below the LCD monitor and on the side of the chair), and the power jack on the underside of the seat if we need charging laptops. Easy breezy and less electricity crisis worry :)

WHAT ABOUT BAGGAGE?

Premium economy passenger mendapatkan jatah bagasi 35 kg dan 7kg untuk cabin baggage, plus extra baggage treatment untuk penumpang premium economy.

Premium economy passenger get a baggage allowance of 35 kg and 7kg of cabin baggage, plus extra baggage treatment for premium economy passengers.

OVERALL REVIEW

If you have more budget, but feels like it's too much to spend on business class, premium economy tentu menjadi pilihan. Bagi sebagian orang (termasuk saya), salah satu faktor penentu kenyamanan long flight tentunya jarak dan luas kursi. Same meal won't be a problem, but more space is big deal.

If you have more budget, but feels like it's too much to spend on business class, premium economy is certainly an option. For some people (including me), one of the determining factors of course the convenience of long distance flight and spacious seats. Same meal won't be a problem, but more space is big deal.

@marischkaprue - having a great time on her premium economy seat flight

NOTES

Book your premium economy seats on Singapore Airlines website here

Went to New Zealand with Singapore Airlines for #JelajahNewZealand ,also with my fav travel blogger Trinity Traveler :)

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TRAVEL TIPS: How To Take Photos of DOLPHINS for Dummies

Bertemu lumba-lumba di perjalanan saat naik boat selalu merupakan "bonus" yang menyenangkan. Saya beberapa kali bertemu lumba-lumba yang ramah dan mendekati kapal di beberapa lokasi di Indonesia: Bunaken, Kiluan, Derawan, Banda Naira dan Togean.

Meeting dolphins in a boat ride is always a "bonus" fun. I met some friendly dolphins which approached the ship in a few locations in Indonesia: Bunaken, Kiluan, Derawan, Banda Naira and Togean.

Tentunya saat bertemu lumba-lumba kita ingin mengabadikan momen yang menyenangkan ini, namun mengambil foto lumba-lumba seringkali cukup sulit karena mereka bergerak dengan gesit.

Of course, when meeting the dolphins we want to capture the fun of this, but taking photos of dolphins is often quite difficult because they move nimbly.

HOW TO TAKE PHOTOS OF DOLPHINS IN THE WILD?

Here's some dummy tips

(Psst, I'm not a photographer, so don't worry, this applies to anyone!)

CALM DOWN

Yes, saat naik perahu dan lumba-lumba terlihat di kejauhan biasanya kita sudah heboh duluan, tenang saja, kalau lumba-lumba sudah terlihat di kejauhan, biasanya mereka akan mendekati kapal, saat ini kita bisa bersiap-siap mengambil dan mempersiapkan kamera, termasuk mengganti lensa yang tepat jika kita menggunakan DSLR atau Mirrorless. Kita dapat langsung mengambil foto saat lumba-lumba mendekat.

Yes, when in a boat ride and dolphins are seen in the distance we usually already get excited first, quiet, if the dolphins are already visible in the distance, they usually would approach the ship, so at the time we can get ready and prepare the camera, including replacing the proper lens if we use a DSLR or mirrorless. We can directly take photos while dolphins approach.

BURST AND KNOW THE TIME

Jika menggunakan mode burst (alias foto langsung diambil beberapa frame per detik), kita dapat expect salah satunya adalah foto saat lumba-lumba meloncat. Namun mode burst ini bisa membuat kamera dan memory card cukup lemot (jika memory card kapasitas dan speednya kurang, atau pada kamera mirrorless low & middle end).

When using burst mode (aka photos taken directly a few frames per second), we can expect one of which is a current photograph of dolphins jumping. But this burst mode can make the camera and the memory card become quite slow (if the memory card capacity and the speed is less, or on a mirrorless low camera and middle end).
 

Cara lain, yang biasanya saya lakukan adalah just click at the moment we think, is right. Jangan pencet tombol saat lumba-lumba sudah loncat, karena biasanya yang tertangkap adalah saat ia sudah nyebur di air (sisanya hanya buntut atau percikan air yang kita dapat), ikuti pergerakan lumba-lumba, mereka punya pattern berenang-meloncat, saat akan meloncat, itulah saat kita mengambil gambar. Jangan takut terus pencet tombol click (ingat untuk gunakan high shutter speed supaya tidak buram filenya), file-file gagal tinggal dihapus kok di jaman serba digital ini :)

Another way, which I usually do is just click at the moment that we think, is right. Do not push the button when the dolphins have been jumping, because the photos that usually caught are when they were already in the water (the rest photos that we would get are just the tail or splashing water), follow the movement of dolphins, they have a pattern of swim-jump, when they were about to jump, that's when we take a picture. Do not be afraid to continue to push the button click (remember to use high shutter speed in order not opaque file), the failed files could be deleted anyway in this digital age :)

 

GO TO THE FRONT

Kawanan lumba-lumba biasanya mendekati kapal dan mereka akan berkumpul berenang sejajar dan di depan ujung kapal, sambil bermanuver. Saat ini kita bisa mendapatkan detail lumba-lumba, dan juga bisa mendapat suasana lumba-lumba berkumpul dekat kapal dengan lensa wide. 

Herd of dolphins would approach the boat and they will gather to swim parallel to and at the front end of the ship, while maneuvering. Nowadays we can get dolphins' details, and we can also get the atmosphere of dolphins gathered near the boat with wide lens.
 

Kadangkala kita mesti memilih, mau foto close, atau wide. Mengganti lensa saat lumba-lumba berada di sekeliling kapal bisa membuang waktu, you know the priorities, kalau memang ingin ganti lensa, it's okay kok.

Sometimes we had to choose, would photograph close or wide. Changing the lens when the dolphins are around the ship could be a waste of time, you know the priorities, if you want to replace the lens, it's really okay.

BE CAREFUL

Saat lumba-lumba sudah di pinggir kapal dan berenang sambil terus bermanuver di sisi kapal, kita biasanya heboh kesenangan (saya juga kok, sampai sekarang hehe). Jangan lupa untuk terus pegang kamera di posisi aman, jaga juga tas kita jangan sampai jatuh. Jika kameranya dengan strap, lingkarkan di leher, voila! aman! Jika menggunakan smartphone, hati-hati pegang smartphonenya ya, saat kapal bergerak dan kita heboh bisa saja ada sudden movement yang membuat kamera/ smartphone terlepas.

When dolphins are already on the edge of the boat and swim while continuing to maneuver at the boat's side, we are usually over excited (I also am, up until now hehe). Do not forget to continue holding the camera in a safe position, keep the bag so it will not fall. If the camera has a strap, wrap it around the neck, voila! secure! If you are using a smartphone, carefully hold the smartphone, when the boat is moving and we are too excited there may be a sudden movement that makes the camera/ smartphone losses of grip.

 

ACTION CAM? DON'T GET TOO FAR

Ingatlah jika action cam itu selalu lensa wide/ fish eye, jika terlalu jauh maka lumba-lumba hanya akan terlihat sebagai garis-garis saja. Dekati ujung kapal dan sesekali arahkan action cam ke atas permukaan dimana lumba-lumba bermanuver, but DON'T PUT THE CAMERA INSIDE THE WATER saat kita berada di atas kapal, kapal yang berjalan mengikuti lumba-lumba, speednya cukup untuk membuat action cam yang di attach ke stick terpental, selain tidak akan dapat gambar yang bagus, risiko kehilangan kamera cukup besar (atau bahkan kita dapat ikut terjatuh).

Remember that an action cam always has wide lens / fish eye, if it is too far then dolphins will only be visible as lines only. Approach the end of the boat and put the action cam above the water where the dolphins maneuver, but DO NOT PUT THE CAMERA INSIDE THE WATER when we were on board, the boat runs following dolphins, the speed is enough to make the action cam attached to stick bouncing, since it will create good pictures, the risk of losing the camera is quite high (or we could even fall into the water 

LET YOUR EYES ENJOY

Meski mengambil gambar, sediakan waktu untuk menikmati momen ini dengan lensa terbaik: MATA KITA, yes , jangan selama momen ini kita terus menerus melihat layar kamera atau smartphone, viewfinder sampai akhirnya lumba-lumba pergi. It's always different feeling to see with your own eyes, jadi sediakan waktu untuk menikmati momen tanpa sibuk mengambil gambar, just a few minutes will make a difference.

Even though you're busy taking pictures, always provides time to enjoy the moment with the best lens: OUR EYES! Don't look at your camera or smartphone LCD all the time, thus you missed the best thing: feeling that came from seeing with your own eyes. So provides time for yourself to enjoy the moment without busy taking pictures, just a few minutes will make a difference.

Well, there are some tips to get memorable photos of dolphins, please do add more in the comment sections, I need more tips also :)

@marischkaprue - dolphins at heart

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POSTCARD FROM ZAMBEZI: HELI RIDE

Sebagai salah satu air terjun yang paling masif, dengan ketinggian 108 meter di area tengah dan rentang lebar sekitar 1.708 meter, Victoria Falls memberikan pemandangan yang luar biasa, dan salah satu cara terbaik melihat kemegahan air terjun ini adalah dari ketinggian.

As one of the most massive waterfall, with a height of 108 meters in the middle area and a wide range of about 1,708 meters, Victoria Falls provides incredible views, and one of the best ways see the grandeur of this waterfall is from a height.

"bird's eye view" ini bisa kita dapatkan dengan heli ride dari Baobab Ridge Helipad yang berjarak hanya 30 menit naik mobil dari area Victoria Falls. Usai mendapatkan briefing mengenai prosedur keselamatan, kami langsung menuju helipad dan bersiap untuk 15 menit heli ride mengelilingi Sungai Zambezi yang berada di wilayah Zambia yang berbatasan dengan Zimbabwe.

We can get this "Bird's eye view" by helicopter ride from Baobab Ridge Helipad which is just 30 minutes by car from Victoria Falls area. After getting a briefing on safety procedures, we went straight to the helipad and get ready for a 15-minute helicopter ride around the Zambezi River in the area of Zambia bordering Zimbabwe.

Saya memasang sabuk pengaman, tidak lama helikopter mulai naik dan kami langsung mengarah ke area sungai. Dari kejauhan sudah terlihat "asap putih" dari Victoria Falls. Intensitas air terjun yang sangat tinggi dan masif membuat partikel air mengudara dan membuat "asap-asap putih" yang membumbung tinggi dan terlihat di area batas ketinggian air.

I buckled, not long after that the helicopter began to rise and lead us directly to the river area. From a distance I had seen "white smoke" from Victoria Falls. The intensity of the waterfall is very high and make a massive airborne water particles and create a "white fumes" soaring and look at the area of water height limit.

Saya datang di bulan Februari saat debit air di Victoria Falls sedang tinggi, jika datang di musim kering, pemandangan akan sangat berbeda. Dari ketinggian kita juga dapat melihat betapa masifnya Victoria Falls dengan ukuran jalan sebagai pembanding. Kita pun dapat melihat bagaimana air dari Sungai Zambezi ini "terpecah" usai mengalir dari Victoria Falls.

I came in February when the water discharge at Victoria Falls is high, if it comes in the dry season, the scene will be very different. From the heights we can also see how the massive Victoria Falls with the size of the road as a comparison. We can see how the water from the Zambezi River is "split" after the flow of the Victoria Falls.

Pilot beberapa kali mengitari Victoria Falls agar kami mendapatkan berbagai angle yang berbeda, kemudian ia menyusuri area Sungai Zambezi sebelum akhirnya kami berbalik arah dan melihat Kota Livingstone yang dikelilingi kehijauan di musim ini.

The helicopter went multiple times around the Victoria Falls so that we get a variety of different angles, and then he hit the Zambezi River area before we turned around and saw Livingstone town surrounded by greenery in the season.

Heli ride di Zambia ini disebut juga "Angel's flight," karena dari ketinggian ini kita dapat melihat kebesaran Sang Pencipta, betapa masif ciptaan-Nya dan betapa kita mesti bersyukur :)

Heli ride in Zambia is also called "Angel's flight," because from this height we can see the greatness of the Creator, how massive his creation and how we have to be thankful :)

@marischkaprue - Always love to see things from different angle

NOTES

UNITED AIR CHARTER

HELI RIDE

Baobab Ridge Helipad

Livingstone

Zambia

Phone: +260 213 323095

PRICE

For 12-15 minutes flight: 165 USD per person

GETTING THERE
Zambia dapat ditempuh dalam waktu 3 jam perjalanan naik pesawat dari Johannesburg, Afrika Selatan
Maskapai South African Airways melayani rute Johannesburg (South Africa) - Livingstone (Zambia)

Zambia can be reached within 3 hours of travel on a plane from Johannesburg, South Africa

South African Airways serves route Johannesburg (South Africa) - Livingstone (Zambia)

FROM INDONESIA:
Jakarta - Hong Kong by Cathay Airlines, Hong Kong - Johannesburg by South African Airways, Johannesburg - Livingstone by South African Airways
(Bagasi dapat langsung menuju destinasi terakhir, jangan lupa untuk request check in through baggage sehingga Anda tidak perlu mengambil bagasi di Hong Kong dan drop baggage lagi), Cathay dan South African Airlines terkoneksi dalam Star Alliance 

Jakarta - Hong Kong by Cathay Airlines, Hong Kong - Johannesburg by South African Airways, Johannesburg - Livingstone by South African Airways

(Luggage can go directly to the final destination, do not forget to request through baggage check-in so you do not need to take luggage in Hong Kong and baggage drop again), Cathay and South African Airways are connected to the Star Alliance

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Warga Negara Indonesia wajib mendaftar visa secara online sebelum masuk ke wilayah Zambia, pendaftaran online dapat dilakukan melalui website resmi Republik Zambia ini. Jika sudah diproses untuk approval, kita hanya perlu print e-visa dan menunjukkan di imigrasi Zambia, serta membayar 50 USD untuk single entry visa.

Indonesian citizen must register online visa prior to entry into the Zambia, registration can be done online through the official website of the Republic of Zambia this. If it has been processed for approval, we only need to print the e-visa and immigration shows in Zambia, as well as pay 50 USD for a single entry visa.

 
Untuk bantuan visa dapat melalui info@royalafrica.co.za karena terkadang respon dari website cukup lama.

To help visa can be through info@royalafrica.co.za because sometimes the response from the website takes a long time.

 

BOOKING

Booking dapat dilakukan melalui Royal African Discoveries di email info@royalafrica.co.za

Booking can be made through the Royal African Discoveries, email info@royalafrica.co.za

 
THINGS TO DO IN ZAMBIA:

Cruising Zambezi
Cheetah Walk

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