Cathay Pacific had me at plugging!

A friend once told me there are four ways a person can learn — through reading, conversation, firsthand experience, and travel. At 26, with a little over two and half decades on me, I have gobbled up my fair share of the above; it has contributed to my view of life, as well as my treasure chest of ideas and dreams. Between textbooks and comic books, musicals and museums, Brussels and Barcelona — that is definitely a lot of learning.

While New York has always been my constant source of inspiration (now Paris), Hong Kong is a place I consider to be a home away from home — a traditional weekend destination (read: escape from the hustle and bustle of Manila) where you can shop ‘til you drop, eat to your heart’s content, and revel in the mystique of a foreign land. At the very least, it’s easy to get around — what with the highly efficient MTR and all. The locals speak English, the fashion is up-to-date, the weather vacillates between hot and layer-conducive, and the food is abso-bloody-lutely spectacular!

My mom’s secretary would always boast that she could navigate Hong Kong blindfolded while some friends would consider places like Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Tsim Tsa Tsui (TST), or Causeway Bay to be their ultimate stomping grounds. For me, being in HK is as simple as being in Manila — except Mickey Mouse is a train ride (not a plane ride) away. On a recent trip to HK, however, I found myself discovering even more things about the city that somehow had escaped my radar all these years. (Agnes B. Café’s ginger coffee, where have you been all my life?)

Journey-list

Cathay Pacific Airways recently flew in some members of the press, myself included, to Hong Kong to try out its new Business Class, the product of an intensive and iterative design process that caters to each passenger’s in-flight needs. From sleeping, dining, working, reading, watching TV or simply relaxing, we got to experience the airline’s contemporary wing-back chair that quickly converted into one of the longest and widest beds provided on any commercial airline.

I joked with marketing communications exec and new friend Maiel Perez that Cathay Pacific “had me at saksakan” (not the stabbing kind, God forbid, but the kind that allows you to plug your electrical devices into the seat socket, especially during long-haul flights). “Why not read a book?” my travel buddies prod me as soon as I get antsy in my seat. Well, I’ve always been a “TV series” kind of guy so being plugged in to my laptop or iPad is a must. With this trip, it seems that Cathay Pacific’s new Business Class also “had me at higaan.” I wasn’t able to experience the food but that’s because the seat gave me the easiest and most comfortable KO I’ve had in ages. A short trip to the Land of Nod provided the perfect pick-me-up for what would be a nonstop food extravaganza as we landed at the Hong Kong International airport.

Flight of the conchords

Cathay City, which was located near the airport, welcomed our tiny group as we shuttled in with our one-piece luggage and hand-carry in tow. We were given an exclusive tour by assistant corporate communication manager international Agnes Yeung and a peek at what goes on behind the scenes of one of Asia’s premiere airlines — the kind that adds a face to a name you’ve probably thrown around since as far as you can remember. The lobby of Cathay City gives out a Conde Naste headquarters vibe with its sleek and modern interiors and the CX museum; also a sense of nostalgia seeing as it traces the airline’s history from past to present.

“All of a sudden, it hit me. After 13 years of dreaming, I could see the possibility of actually starting an airline,” Roy C. Farrell, founder of Cathay Pacific Airways, once said. In a time when post-World War II Shanghai was full of former servicemen looking for jobs, Farrell decided to go against the grain and, well, buy a plane. What started out as an import-export company to transport goods in 1946 eventually expanded to include actual passengers to become the Cathay Pacific Airlines we know today.

Stay don’t stray

After a hearty buffet lunch at Cathay City’s Lion Rock Café, our group parted ways with Agnes and took the airport shuttle to Causeway Bay where, situated on the waterfront of Victoria Harbour and opposite the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and Noonday Gun, stood The Excelsior — a 34-story hotel (and the largest on the Hong Kong Island). It would serve as our headquarters for the duration of our stay.

With its high ceilings and modern interiors, the hotel exuded luxury and contemporary elegance, not to mention comfort — the best place to start and end your days in HK. Having been around for over four decades, The Excelsior continues to be a popular hotel choice for Pinoys and most travelers, especially those who want to maximize their shopping experience given its proximity to the stores — especially given their varying operating hours. (I noticed that boutiques in Causeway Bay are open longer than the ones in TST.)

The Excelsior also features five exclusive executive floors and an executive lounge, aside from the standard rooms, and comes fully equipped with a business center, a state-of-the-art fitness center and dedicated spa facilities, in addition to the extensive meeting and banquet facilities. The executive suite I stayed in had a breathtaking view of the city and provided the space and comfort I needed from that morning’s early bird itinerary (note: I am not a morning person).

My personal favorite, however, was the Tott’s and Roof Terrace on The Excelsior’s 34th floor that offered a stunning view of the city. It also boasts modern European cuisine curated by chef Bart Cynwinski of London’s The Dorchester fame, as well as al fresco dining if you’re not afraid of heights. Le sigh!

Driving it home

As our trip unfolded, I found myself enjoying the city, not as I regularly would with purposeful (or non-purposeful) whole-day shopping excursions (there are a lot of “wastelands” in HK where you can burn through your wallet on silly nothings) but in the company of new friends who shared the same passion for food, and for life. From ginger soy milk to Peking duck, Tim Ho Wan’s world-renowned pork buns to even the curious case of McDonald’s delicious chicken wings (I kid you not, those wings deserve their very own Michelin star), we exchanged stories and laughter that would make the full three days seem like three short minutes in hindsight. 

On our last day, following the tour of The Excelsior, the group headed to the airport to experience one last time, both of Cathay Pacific’s dynamic lounges. The Cabin, a contemporary space designed by London-based architectural firm Foster+Partners, is an ultra-modern lounge where the unique Cathay Solus Chair provides you with all the convenience and privacy you need, even when traveling alone, and a health bar awaits those who want to blend their own juices.

The Wing, on the other hand, has reopened following an extensive renovation and drives the concept of luxury and comfort straight home. I was most excited by the Noodle Bar which served a bitchin’ tan tan men, a spicy sesame seed based soup with noodles. Even at the tail-end of our trip, pounds heavier and our garments stretched to their limits, we still managed to wolf down the delicious savory dishes offered in the lounge. How can you not when they’re complementary with your ticket? The others even got themselves some Haagen-Dazs to seal the deal.

Aerosmith once sang that “life’s a journey, not a destination.” It made me stop and reconsider while onboard Cathay Pacific’s new Premium Economy Class if it had been a flight on this very airline that changed Steven Tyler’s perspective on things. While traveling on an airplane is, technically, a means to an end, the comfort by which our trip unfolded, coupled with the luxurious accommodations of The Excelsior, kind of makes you think that the traveling part might have been an end in itself. Heck, even the Premium Economy Class, didn’t feel so “economy” anymore, what with the priority boarding, the extended legroom, and the bigger recline, among other salient features. Well, if that were the case, let the learning continue as I look forward to the next 25 years of my life.

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For more information on Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy Class and New Business Class, visit www.cathaypacific.ph. For The Excelsior Hong Kong, visit www.mandarinoriental.com/excelsior.