Blog
Where I write things out: meals worth remembering, trips, gadgets, and the odd strong opinion.
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When the Lounge Wait Is Longer Than the Flight
When the Amex lounge wait is longer than the hop: Platinum and Centurion still open doors — into a crowd. HKG and MFM lounges aren’t saving it.
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When Topping Up a Free Night With Points Is the Only Smart Amex→Bonvoy Transfer
Amex→Bonvoy is usually a weak trade. The exception: topping off a free night certificate for a stay you’d book anyway — W Hong Kong pattern included.
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Why a “Perfectly Cooked” Steak Still Looks Wrong Without a Crust
Pink in the middle isn’t enough. Without a real sear crust, a “perfectly cooked” steak still looks wrong — doneness without brown is only a temperature reading.
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Is Hotel Breakfast Worth It — Or Only When It’s the Local Food?
Hotel breakfast is often overrated — unless it’s local food you’d seek out anyway, or a made-to-order plate done with care.
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Letting an AI Book Travel Without Giving It Your Real Card
Why an AI travel agent should never see your real credit card: use a virtual card or spend-capped token so the model can’t leak what it never had.
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Why Frequent Travelers Still Pick the Earliest Flight
Why frequent travelers book the first flight of the day: the plane overnighted, fewer inherited delays, fresher crew — and why the lounge is not the reason at MFM and HKG.
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When Does a Business-Class Seat Stop Feeling Extravagant?
When a long-haul business-class seat stops feeling like a splurge: flight length, how often you fly, sleep that saves day one, and wanting the amenity kit too.
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“Wagyu” on the Menu Doesn’t Mean What You Think
“Wagyu” on a menu names a breed, not a grade: JMGA yield A–C and quality 1–5, with A5 covering BMS 8–12, so ask for the letter, number and origin before you pay for the word alone.
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Are Airport Lounges Still Worth It?
Asian airline lounges have been much better than the North American card lounges I've sat in: STARLUX in Taipei and ANA at Haneda were somewhere to sit, and the Amex Centurion rooms at LAX and Seattle were not.
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Is Convenience-Store Sushi Ever Worth It?
A pre-packed eight-piece sushi trial outside Philadelphia is priced upwards of USD 9, while 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart hand rolls in Japan are listed at a few hundred yen, and a counter is still the better choice.
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Thai Food Already Has a Mark
Thai SELECT, awarded by Thailand's Ministry of Commerce, is a mark for authentic Thai taste at restaurants in Thailand and overseas and on packaged food, in one-star, two-star, three-star and Casual tiers.
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Is $280 King Crab Worth It?
Joe's at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas lists Alaskan red king crab at US$279.95 for a pound and a half, roughly four times the per-pound price of frozen cooked king crab legs at Hong Kong retail.
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Remembering Steve Jobs, 15 Years On
Steve Jobs died on 5 October 2011; fifteen years on, a look back at meeting him at Apple's booth at Macworld 2005 in San Francisco, the show where the first iPod shuffle launched.
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What Makes a Long-Haul Business-Class Flight Actually Good
What makes a long-haul business-class flight good: a fully flat bed in a dark, quiet cabin, properly hot food, crew who don't hover, and a clean seat that works.
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Why We Never Do Four Countries in Five Days
Why we skip country-stacking trips: fewer places, more nights, downtime on purpose, regular massages and dinner within walking distance make a holiday feel like one.
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A Queensland Wagyu Fillet Is the World’s Best Steak for 2026
A Senku Pure Wagyu fillet from Brisbane’s Paradigm Foods, bred at Torrens Creek in Central Queensland, was named World’s Best Steak at the 2026 World Steak Challenge in Amsterdam.
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Iceland’s Clearest Aurora Skies Are in the Southeast, Not the North
A Guide to Iceland study of 50,087 monthly Icelandic Met Office cloud readings found the southeast, around Djúpivogur and Kirkjubæjarklaustur, has the clearest aurora-season skies, while the Westfjords are cloudiest.
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Wagyu Tataki Over Rice at Idaten, Near Dotonbori
Idaten in Namba, Osaka, serves A5 wagyu tataki over rice in a lidded box from ¥2,430, with no reservations and numbered tickets handed out in order of arrival.