Winter in China: Conclusion

• Introduction
• Penang to Bangkok
• Bangkok to Beijing
• Hotel G Beijing 
• Exploring Beijing
• Exploring Beijing - The Great Wall at Mutianyu
• Exploring Beijing - The Forbidden Palace
• Exploring Beijing - Temple of Heaven
• Novotel Beijing Peace 
• The Duck Hunt 
• Food in Beijing 
• Beijing to Harbin on Air China
• Food in Harbin 
• Ibis Harbin
• Exploring Harbin
• Sun Island Park Harbin
• Harbin Ice & Snow World
• Harbin to Shanghai via Beijing on Air China
• Shanghai to Singapore on SQ
• Conclusion

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This trip report ended up being longer than I expected..

As usual, this trip would not have been possible without the miles. Too bad BMI Diamond Club will be gone pretty soon as this would have made a pretty good yearly redemption. Booking for so many people on the same trip using miles ain't fun. Loving a challenge, we're now looking to see if we can plan another trip but with First Class experience instead. Visiting the FCT in Frankfurt together would be a ton of fun!

Freezing our butts off especially at Ice & Snow World was totally worth it. The memory of those ice sculptures will be cherished in time to come.

The only slight miscalculation of the trip was were the number of days we spent in Harbin. If I could re-plan the trip, I'll just have stayed in Harbin for 2 nights and used up the stopover somewhere else in China on the way back home.

I thoroughly enjoyed the sights and food in Beijing and would love to go back again. I wasn't expecting the huge and properly kept parks. I would love to visit another less touristy part of the Great Wall.

From the flight experience, Singapore Airlines continue to be Singapore Airlines. The experience with Thai Airways and Air China were mixed. The massage offered by Thai in Bangkok for premium passengers is still a highlight although the food was just okay. I would not want to fly Air China on any of their older cabins but would like to try their newer business and first cabins that they fly on certain routes like to Europe and the US.

Finally, an unexpected gain on this trip was also the appreciation of the weather in Penang. Lydia has almost stopped complaining about the heat and humidity in Penang after experiencing of living in super cold weather. Wearing that many layers of clothes to protect oneself from the cold is troublesome and annoying.

Next up, Bali...