A very blessed Christmas to The MileLion community!
Whether you’re spending today in the lounge, in the air, on vacation overseas or just passed out on the couch at home, I hope you’ll have a great one. And to my brothers and sisters, that our friends and loved ones may also know about the wonderful gift we’ve received in Jesus!
A few updates from my side: As I’ve done every year since 2018, I’ll be coming up with some reflections on four years of full-time MileLion-ing, which I plan to share in the next week or so. I’ll also have my traditional Christmas Wishlist ready to go tomorrow- a little late, but hey, there’s 12 days of Christmas, right?
As for travel plans, I’ll be flying off to Melbourne straight after Christmas to spend a week exploring the Great Ocean Road and Grampians with The MileLioness. This is a drive I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I hope it won’t disappoint.
I don’t think there’s anything here that warrants a full-fledged trip report (I’ll be flying Singapore Airlines’ 2013 Business Class on the B77W and A359, both of which I’ve reviewed before, and mostly staying in motels), but I might do a piece on Singapore Airlines’ special Christmas menu, should it make an appearance on my flight.
Who knows, maybe I can even sneak a glass of Krug Rose from First Class!
While I’ll do my best to cover any important stories that break between during this time (unresolved story threads for 2022: Alaska Mileage Plan’s devaluation, OCBC’s new transfer partners, and Platinum af’FAIR 2022 [he said, sardonically]), the posts may slow down a bit between Christmas and New Year. I’ve already written 730 posts in 2022, and figuring how to keep the pace of things sustainable in 2023 will be something I’ll touch on in the reflections.
Fair warning, I will be taking this opportunity to boost some of my favourite posts, especially the Nostalgia Series. This is a something I wrote during the peak of COVID, after discovering the joy of microfilm at the NLB. Ever wanted to know the story of slot machines and live bands on Singapore Airlines’ jumbo jets, a fine dining partnership with the Grand Hyatt, or how our national carrier very nearly became Mercury Singapore Airlines? Here’s your chance!
I’m also hoping to publish a fascinating series of posts by an industry expert on what goes on behind-the-scenes in the miles and points game, from how banks go about securing transfer partnerships, to the economics of frequent flyer programmes and just how that fascinating HSBC Star Alliance Card down under came to be.
Finally, a reminder that The MileLion’s Christmas Fundraiser is running all the way till 31 December 2022. As of this morning, we’ve raised an incredible S$23,260 out of a S$30,000 goal to support New Hope Community Services in their work for the homeless in Singapore. We’re 78% there, people. One final push!
 |
| Donate Here |
All donations of at least S$50 are eligible for 2.5X tax deductions, and all funds raised will be matched dollar-for-dollar as part of the Tote Board’s Enhanced Fundraising Programme.
Thank you again for your readership and support; it means the world to me. Stay tuned for some very exciting developments in 2023.
Merry Christmas to one and all!
The great ocean road will not disappoint. It is fabulous. Did it in 2021, fortunately just before Victoria had another lock-down. Although the lock-down resulted in an extra week in Sydney before returning to Singapore because we had to be able to declare it was 21-days since we crossed the land-border from Victoria to South Australia! Oh, the fun of Covid! But travel was excellent. Returning to Singapore was like flying private! Merry Xmas.
Thanks Mark! Hoping it won’t be too hot!
Thanks for all your excellent reports, usually with a bit of tongue in cheek humour, really love them. Have a great festive season!