CHASING THE SUN

Inspired by its gutsy female founder, Veuve Clicquot partners luxury travel purveyor Belmond to offer champagne-filled rumbles in destinations around the globe.

- JOYCE CHEO

I'm seated in the lavish bar car onboard the Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train, Southeast Asia. Decked out in polished wood, plush brocade upholstery and brass accents, the bar car exudes an irresistible old-world charm. Through the large windows, the dense foliage unfolds, offering passengers a panoramic view of the untamed wilderness outside.

It's day two of the Solaire Journey and I have about 10 minutes to go before my scheduled interview with Jean-Marc Gallot, CEO of Veuve Clicquot. I take advantage of this pocket of free time to take it all in with a glass of La Grande Dame 2015 in hand, of course. It's my first time on the legendary train, and as it chugs through the Malaysian rainforest, I find myself mesmerised by the soothing symphony composed of the engine's soft hum and rhythmic clattering of wheels on the tracks.

The afternoon sun begins to set, and the bar car is bathed in a gentle, warm glow, bringing to life that magical quality of the Eastern & Oriental Express that once existed only in my imagination.