Lifestyle Travel

Inside luxury travel, Hong Kong and Macau (both SARs, part of Greater China)

Fame is like a VIP pass, says Aviator star Leonardo DiCaprio

A gal is not happy to see Nietzsche’s comment ‘woman was God’s second mistake’.  I was trying to find quotes about VIPs and there are none, other than Leonard DiCaprio’s ‘fame is like a VIP pass wherever you want to go’.  Oh well.

Talking of going, I finally left Macau, carrying an oversize umbrella to see if I could get it back to England.  It had already travelled from Hong Kong, by jetfoil to Macau, and had visited several top Macau hotels.  Now it, plus the girl and her Rimowa, Porsche-labelled wheelie, was setting off again.

Luxury hotels and travel - A well-travelled oversized umbrella

A well-travelled umbrella - Hong Kong - Macau - Hong Kong - London - English countryside

It is worth buying the Jetfoil Super-class ticket.  You sit upstairs, upper (of two) decks and have masses of space – but no connectivity to work the laptop (there is Blackberry signal throughout the entire 45-minute trip to the airport). There is a non-alcoholic bar up there, and the waiter brings round an airline-type meal.

Luxury hotels and travel - Boarding Jetfoil at Macau ferry terminal

About to board the Jetfoil at Macau ferry terminal

Now here is an inside travel tip. It is easier going to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) from Macau than from downtown Hong Kong. You do emigration in Macau, the jetfoil takes you direct to HKIA’s internal transit train: with no waiting, you are through security and you are given HK$120, in cash, a reimbursement of the Hong Kong departure tax.

Luxury hotels and travel - Waiter at Super Class bar on the Macau Jetfoil

A waiter manned the bronze-fronted Super Class bar on the Jetfoil

One hour after leaving Macau, I was back in Cathay Pacific’s glorious First Class lounge and lay on a lounger in one of their ‘cabanas’, complete with a river-like water feature.  Luxury travel at its best, gal. And after that it was back on yet another plane…