{"id":2838,"date":"2026-03-08T05:04:55","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T05:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aerowalsh.com\/cr\/?p=2838"},"modified":"2026-03-21T11:28:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T11:28:07","slug":"sat-7th-mar-vientiane-cr-vientiane-singapore-dw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cr.aerowalsh.com\/?p=2838","title":{"rendered":"Sat 7th Mar – Vientiane (CR); Vientiane to Singapore to Sydney (DW)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
DW<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I said goodbye to Caitlin in the morning and made my way to the airport. Reflecting on our trip I feel like I had a better understanding of this part of the world, which was a key goal behind it. It wasn’t relaxing for most of it, but if it was, I don’t think it would have been interesting. We were confused a few times, but were always safe. It was good to have the trip within a few years of Vietnam. Vietnam is growing so much and had a different energy, but similar threads. I think we won’t do South East Asia for a while again. People say there is more in other parts Thailand and I haven’t done Malaysia, Indonesia or the Philippines at all for example, but time (and annual leave – despite what Caitlin believes) is finite and there are other parts of the world I would like to see first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had a short flight to Singapore, then a 9 hour layover followed by a 2am flight that gets into Sydney at midday Sunday. I half expect to not be able to sleep on this and crash hard tomorrow. But it was definitely cost effective. Thankfully, as Claude (the “AI” we use) emphatically noted, “Changi airport is genuinely the best airport in the world to be stuck in”. I filled my 9 hours with the following and more (some things that happen in Changi, stay in Changi): <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Walk from one end to the other (maybe 1 hour from T1 to T3 and 30 mins back as less pottering)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Butterfly garden (5 mins – chrysalid cell in the middle with all the pupae was the best part)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Cactus garden (5 mins – doubled as smoking area. It felt weird to be allowed to under open sky without going through customs)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Free movie cinema (Frozen 2 from start to finish – 2\/7, watchable in the background while writing this post, you don’t need to see the first for this one) <\/li>\n\n\n\n
Tech shop game console demo (Donkey Kong on Switch 2 was fun, Warthunder on PS5 is borderline unplayable though and should be PC only)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Magazine\/bookshops (even the Changi airport magazine selection sucks, that is how you know the industry is dead)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Got dumpling noodle and big pau. This is a confusing meal as it is also breakfast. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nDW: This Oreo Dairy Queen sundae wasn’t even the worst decision I made at Vientiane airport. But you have to fill time doing something.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDW: It wasn’t all bad though, I had the most burnt coffee I have ever had with this amazing latte art. This is upskilling an entire economy. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDW: In many ways Changi International Terminal at Singapore Airport is the opposite of Laos. It is bigger than any building in Laos and is filled with little carts driving elderly ladies around with a robotic voice warning passer-bys in perfect English to watch out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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