We flew from Sydney to Christchurch in New Zealand, where we had a 3-hour stop-over before we flew on to Rarotonga (usually called "Raro"). Raro is the only international airport in the Cook Islands, which is a group of about 15 islands (quite spread out, actually) which are separated into two groups, the northern group and the southern group. Raro is in the southern group, as is Aitutaki, our ultimate destination.
We arrived in Raro at 1 in the morning and we were met with flower leis and a string band - it was all lovely but a bit much for a tired group of people arriving in the middle of the night! A van picked us up and transferred us to the hotel, but we didn't get to sleep until well after 2:00 am and had to be up and at the airport for a 10:00 departure the next morning. We got to the airport and discovered that our flight didn't actually leave until the next morning at 10:00 am (an error was made due to us arriving in the middle of the night). Our travel agent quickly sorted out a nice hotel for us to spend the extra day in on Rarotonga, although unfortunately it was raining most of the day. The good bit is that even when it's raining, it's not so bad because the rain is nice and warm and you can still go snorkeling or swimming or even for a walk!
The next day we caught our flight to Aitutaki. It is an achingly, unspeakably beautiful island. I think it must be one of the last relatively unspoiled holiday spots on earth. The lagoon and ocean surrounding are impossible colours of blue and the water is crystal clear. The island is surrounded by a reef so the beaches and the lagoon are easy to swim in and the water is a perfect temperature to cool off after sitting or playing in the sun. There are a number of nice beaches, but not tons of sand, as there is a lot of coral and shells. Water shoes or socks are a very good idea! There is plenty of good snorkeling and diving. The island itself is small and there are only about 1,000 residents. The main industry (and about the only "export") is tourism but there are no “chains” (ie Holiday Inn, Macdonalds, etc.). Everything is easygoing and relaxed. You can do the island in a day with a car - it's not that big!
The resort we were at, Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, was on it's own island separated by a narrow channel from the mainland. A boat plied the channel taking guest, staff and supplies back and forth for the 3-minute trip. The resort was on a prime piece of land but poorly run.
We spent most of the week just lying in the hammock or on the sunbeds, both of which were a few steps away from the lagoon and just outside our bungalow. It was never less than 27 degrees Celsius during the day and cooled off a bit at night. When we were bored, we would wander down to the activity hut and chat with the girls there, Mea and Tena, who were both islanders, or participate in one of the activities like climbing coconut trees or tie-dying sarongs. We went out in the outrigger canoe for an afternoon (and managed to tip it!) and swam in the lagoon at least once a day.
The resort had an Island Night with dancing and singing and drumming, and a Fire Dancing night with a BBQ supper. When there wasn’t a special evening at the resort, we would go across the channel to a restaurant called The Boat Shed, which had lovely food that was much cheaper than at the resort.
As part of our package at the resort, we had the use of a car for a day. We drove around and looked at some of the other resorts, specifically Etu Moana, which is a beautiful place run by a Canadian couple. We went off into the bush and found some marae, which are the stone ruins of traditional meeting places, and we went up to the highest point on the island, 215 metres above sea level, and watched the sunset. The people were so lovely and friendly and the pace of life was so nice and relaxed.
Our last night at the resort there was a group trip in the evening to catch some of the island nightlife. We were curious about what could possible be going down with so few people so we, along with another couple from Calgary we met, Richard and Xenia, went along with Mea and Tena. They took us first to a men only club called The Rainforest. We were allowed in as visitors and when we got there, we found a bunch of men all sitting outside drinking homebrew and singing with an impromptu string band (two guitars, two banjos and a washtub bass). The islanders are very musical and it was lovely. They welcomed us and shared their homebrew (pretty strong but not undrinkable) and sang a number of songs for us. We felt very privileged to be allowed this glimpse into traditional island life. After over an hour there, we went to the Sport Fishing Club, but it was very quite, so went across the street to the Blue Nun. Barry and I had been there during the day when we had the car, and it is just a somewhat grotty bar that ships crews and locals go to for a cold drink during the day. At night on the weekends, however, there’s a DJ and lights and it turns into a nightclub, although it was more like a house party since everyone knew everyone! It was a great atmosphere – not predatory and competitive like a city nightclub, but friendly and fun and joyful. We danced with everyone – it was the best night out in a long time!
The next day (our last L), we went snorkeling with Fred from Matriki Tours. He is a Canadian and has been on the island for about a year. He took us to some great reef and volcanic beds beyond the reef in the open ocean, and to some other reefs in the lagoon. He packed us a picnic lunch, which we had on One Foot Island. Richard and Xenia came with us as well. It was a perfect end to our stay! The snorkeling was fantastic – like swimming through a saltwater fish tank. We all got a bit burned and Richard was a little the worse for wear from the night before, but it was a great day!
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Australia Part II
Well, my friends, we have come to the end of our journey. Sorry for the long delay in blogging, but internet access in the Cooks was expensive and slow so we just didn't bother. We are currently at LA airport waiting for our connecting flight to Calgary.
So, we left off in Australia...
We went to Bondi beach on Wednesday for the Sculptures by the Sea, and it was awesome! There were some very cool sculptures and Bondi is a gorgeous beach. Uncle Jac had to go to work so he left us there and we walked a good part of the way back through mostly residential areas. It was quite an interesting walk. Dinner that night with Philip and Mike was fantastic. They have a great place on a small inlet with a beautiful view. It was a fun night. Mike is an architect and spent a lot of time in Brunei so we had lots to talk about.
The next day the three of us drove out of Sydney a bit to a beach called Palm Beach. It was a great beach and as it was a weekday there were hardly any people there. The drive was lovely as well. We chilled out on the beach while Uncle Jac hiked up to a nearby lighthouse. We grabbed a bite to each there before heading back into Sydney. We had enough time for Barry and I to take a quick walk through Jac's neighbourhood one last time and shower and change before heading to John and Maria's for supper. They treated us to a Greek feast, with every kind of meat imaginable! Barry was in heaven!!! It was all very, very good and we ate tons and had a good time with them. They are lots of fun!
The next morning it was off to the Cook Islands - a week in the sun!
So, we left off in Australia...
We went to Bondi beach on Wednesday for the Sculptures by the Sea, and it was awesome! There were some very cool sculptures and Bondi is a gorgeous beach. Uncle Jac had to go to work so he left us there and we walked a good part of the way back through mostly residential areas. It was quite an interesting walk. Dinner that night with Philip and Mike was fantastic. They have a great place on a small inlet with a beautiful view. It was a fun night. Mike is an architect and spent a lot of time in Brunei so we had lots to talk about.
The next day the three of us drove out of Sydney a bit to a beach called Palm Beach. It was a great beach and as it was a weekday there were hardly any people there. The drive was lovely as well. We chilled out on the beach while Uncle Jac hiked up to a nearby lighthouse. We grabbed a bite to each there before heading back into Sydney. We had enough time for Barry and I to take a quick walk through Jac's neighbourhood one last time and shower and change before heading to John and Maria's for supper. They treated us to a Greek feast, with every kind of meat imaginable! Barry was in heaven!!! It was all very, very good and we ate tons and had a good time with them. They are lots of fun!
The next morning it was off to the Cook Islands - a week in the sun!
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Australia Part 1
Christine:
We arrived in Sydney, Australia almost a week ago now, and are heading out this Friday.
Uncle Jac picked us up from the airport last Friday after another great flight on Singapore Airlines. On Saturday, we headed up into the Blue Mountains for one night. We visited a friend of Uncle Jac’s called Jules, who has a beautiful little house in a village in the mountains and is tons of fun. Then we went for a short hike until we decided we had descended far enough. What goes down must come back up, so we did and were glad we hadn’t gone any further down! Then we checked into our hotel, which was a lovely old historic hotel that had undergone many facelifts. The latest was lovely, but only a portion of the hotel was actually open. We went through the unused portion of the hotel and found lovely Art Deco spaces going to waste, along with a pool complete with a dolphin fountain! It was all so lovely and so wasted! We met Jules for high tea, which was extended to include a bottle of wine when it started raining, thus preventing us leaving. It stopped in time for us to head back to the hotel and get changed so we could go out for dinner at Darley’s, an absolutely fabulous restaurant with exquisite food. We ended up with a private room (through a series of fortunate events) and were served by the executive chef. We had dinner with another friend of Jac’s, Gary, and it was a great evening overall.
The next day, Sunday, we stopped by the Three Sisters viewpoint and then headed back to Sydney, where Uncle Jac was having a cocktail party in our honour (also in celebration of his 10 years lecturing at Macquarie University) in the afternoon. We did a blitz shop for the food and got it all prepared and set up in time for the guests, who started arriving shortly after 4:00. It was a great evening. Jac has such wonderful friends. Some of them I had met at different times over the years, some of them I had never met but just heard about. The last guest left around 11. We really had a fun time, and I managed to embarrass myself by falling over while I was holding four plates of cake and flinging it all over the carpet (in my defence, it wasn’t entirely my fault!).
Monday, Barry and I wandered around Sydney a bit while Jac was at the University all day working. Today it rained most of the day, so we just hung around the apartment and I went for a manicure, pedicure and facial (Lyn from the party, a close friend of Jac’s, owns a salon and gave me the “family discount”). We popped out and got fresh prawns for supper and had them with and Tuscan-style spaghetti and asparagus.
Tomorrow the plan is to hit Bondi Beach for a sculpture exhibition and then maybe the Rocks, which is where the original convicts settled and is now a tourist area – some of the buildings there are still original, such as the prison. In the evening we are heading to Philip and Mike’s place (some friends from the party) for drinks. Thursday we’re not sure where we’re going during the day, but we’re ending up at John and Maria’s place for a Greek BBQ. I met them a couple of years ago with Jac in Greece – she works at the university with him and they were at the same conference in Greece. They are both Greek Australians.
Friday we fly off for the Cooks Islands!!
Barry:
Well we have left KL via Singapore, and are in the land of Kanga and other such marsupials such as the Kings Cross street walkers that ask me if I am “looking for business” every time I wander away from Christine. What a colourful city! The weather is changeable currently, either V hot or rainy, ie either shorts or overcoat.
Jac has been very hospitable, holding a party for us to meet everyone and a very enjoyable evening it was too! My hangover has almost gone and I have my vision back in one eye and with time the other may return. We are busy wandering around the City and soaking up the local culture, the Australians seem to be a very happy race of English ex-pats that have arrived here over the last 100 years or so and they seem to have made the place their own. The only element I am struggling with is the language; it is almost as hard to understand as Canadian.
Soon we leave for the Cook Islands (named after the famous cook Gordon Ramsey) where we can fully enjoy the PURE holiday experience of lying about in the sun with impunity, taking cover from the heat of the day underneath Christine’s enormous new hat.
We arrived in Sydney, Australia almost a week ago now, and are heading out this Friday.
Uncle Jac picked us up from the airport last Friday after another great flight on Singapore Airlines. On Saturday, we headed up into the Blue Mountains for one night. We visited a friend of Uncle Jac’s called Jules, who has a beautiful little house in a village in the mountains and is tons of fun. Then we went for a short hike until we decided we had descended far enough. What goes down must come back up, so we did and were glad we hadn’t gone any further down! Then we checked into our hotel, which was a lovely old historic hotel that had undergone many facelifts. The latest was lovely, but only a portion of the hotel was actually open. We went through the unused portion of the hotel and found lovely Art Deco spaces going to waste, along with a pool complete with a dolphin fountain! It was all so lovely and so wasted! We met Jules for high tea, which was extended to include a bottle of wine when it started raining, thus preventing us leaving. It stopped in time for us to head back to the hotel and get changed so we could go out for dinner at Darley’s, an absolutely fabulous restaurant with exquisite food. We ended up with a private room (through a series of fortunate events) and were served by the executive chef. We had dinner with another friend of Jac’s, Gary, and it was a great evening overall.
The next day, Sunday, we stopped by the Three Sisters viewpoint and then headed back to Sydney, where Uncle Jac was having a cocktail party in our honour (also in celebration of his 10 years lecturing at Macquarie University) in the afternoon. We did a blitz shop for the food and got it all prepared and set up in time for the guests, who started arriving shortly after 4:00. It was a great evening. Jac has such wonderful friends. Some of them I had met at different times over the years, some of them I had never met but just heard about. The last guest left around 11. We really had a fun time, and I managed to embarrass myself by falling over while I was holding four plates of cake and flinging it all over the carpet (in my defence, it wasn’t entirely my fault!).
Monday, Barry and I wandered around Sydney a bit while Jac was at the University all day working. Today it rained most of the day, so we just hung around the apartment and I went for a manicure, pedicure and facial (Lyn from the party, a close friend of Jac’s, owns a salon and gave me the “family discount”). We popped out and got fresh prawns for supper and had them with and Tuscan-style spaghetti and asparagus.
Tomorrow the plan is to hit Bondi Beach for a sculpture exhibition and then maybe the Rocks, which is where the original convicts settled and is now a tourist area – some of the buildings there are still original, such as the prison. In the evening we are heading to Philip and Mike’s place (some friends from the party) for drinks. Thursday we’re not sure where we’re going during the day, but we’re ending up at John and Maria’s place for a Greek BBQ. I met them a couple of years ago with Jac in Greece – she works at the university with him and they were at the same conference in Greece. They are both Greek Australians.
Friday we fly off for the Cooks Islands!!
Barry:
Well we have left KL via Singapore, and are in the land of Kanga and other such marsupials such as the Kings Cross street walkers that ask me if I am “looking for business” every time I wander away from Christine. What a colourful city! The weather is changeable currently, either V hot or rainy, ie either shorts or overcoat.
Jac has been very hospitable, holding a party for us to meet everyone and a very enjoyable evening it was too! My hangover has almost gone and I have my vision back in one eye and with time the other may return. We are busy wandering around the City and soaking up the local culture, the Australians seem to be a very happy race of English ex-pats that have arrived here over the last 100 years or so and they seem to have made the place their own. The only element I am struggling with is the language; it is almost as hard to understand as Canadian.
Soon we leave for the Cook Islands (named after the famous cook Gordon Ramsey) where we can fully enjoy the PURE holiday experience of lying about in the sun with impunity, taking cover from the heat of the day underneath Christine’s enormous new hat.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Kuala Lumpur
Christine:
Here we are at the Changi Airport in Singapore, having just come back from Kuala Lumpur (or KL, as it's commonly known). We've just been for a swim in the rooftop pool here at the airport and are about to grab a bite to eat before checking into our transit hotel. All this in the airport! Changi is a wonderful stopover airport!!
We loved Malaysia and KL. KL is about a hour's drive from the airport, but fortunately, taxis are cheap! It was actually the same price for a cab as for the train from the airport. The hotel was in a very interesting neighbourhood; there was a Chinese restaurant open until 2 am across the street and an Indian restaurant open 24 hours with a tandoori oven right on the street beside it!
The following day, a car picked us up from the airport and we went off to the Kuala Gadah Elephant Sanctuary. It was over an hour drive from KL, and we got there quite early, so the driver took us to a park close by called Deerland. They had a number of animals there that you could feed and interact with, including deer, flying squirrels, honey bears, birds and all sorts of others. It was great fun! At Kuala Gandah we had a simple lunch of local food, which consisted of rice and chicken and a fried egg, and then watched a movie about elephant conservation. The centre is very involved in re-locating elephants from endangered habitats in Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar into a park in Malaysia. They also rescue injured and orphaned elephants. They had three babies there and a few older tame elephants that are used to calm elephants when they are re-locating them. There were people from all over the world. First the older elephants came out and the handlers rode them into the river and gave them a good wash (elephants put dirt on themselves to keep off the bugs). Then they put them with the babies in an area and brought out fruit and everyone was able to feed them. After that, they gave everyone rides on the older elephants - straight onto their backs, not on a basket or anything. It was awesome! Then they brought one of the older elephants down to the river and took 3 or 4 at a time on his back into the river, where he would go over on his side and dump the riders off into the water! It was so much fun. The babies were in the river too so we could all play with them and pet them. We bought some peanuts and the babies went mad for them, snaking their little trunks around our arms to get at them faster than we could feed them! It was such a great day! Our driver's name was Joe, and he became our "official photographer", so we've got some great photos! They had showers and stuff there so we cleaned up and changed and headed back into KL, going through a downpour on the way!
In the evening, we went out for dinner with a friend of my Uncle Jac's, Dave. He's Malaysian and we went to an authentic Malaysian restaurant. It was great - Dave's a great guy and we had lots of fun. After dinner we walked down the main shopping "strip" and then jumped a taxi to Petaling Street in Chinatown (Dave went home as he had to work in the morning). This street was Barry's version of heaven. There were traders chock-a-block, selling imitation watches, handbags, perfume, wallets, sunglasses, etc. Barry loves his "replica" designer watches and he was having lots of fun haggling and joking around with the traders. It was a fun evening all around!
The next day we slept in a bit and headed up to Batu Caves, three caves considered holy by Hindus and located just outside of KL. There are 272 step up to the Temple Cave, which has a number of Hindu shrines in it. There was a lot of water dripping, and people putting flowers and other offerings on the shrines, although I think there were more tourists than devout Hindus. On step 204 is another cave called the Dark Cave. It has no shrines in it, and you need to go with a guide to see it. There are a number of bat colonies living in it, so there isn't any artificial light in it and flash photography is only allowed in certain places. It was great going through it with headlamps and flashlights. There were some different rock formations as well as some cool bugs (and some not so cool cockroaches!). There are snakes that live in there as well, and a dog that lives there and looks after things - he eats coconuts! At the foot of the moutain, a little further on, is another smaller cave that had some more shrines in it. It was very cool and we really enjoyed it.
After that, we caught a taxi to the Bird Park, grabbed some lunch in a restaurant right in the park, and wandered through. It is mostly enclosed, like a big aviary, so the birds were all over the place. Lots of peacocks and storks and egrets. There was a parrot house where you could go in and feed the parrots and lorries - they would land right on your hand and eat out of it. It was very cool - Barry had a blast!
Barry:
It would appear that on my holiday I have become a free meal ticket for endangered creatures, feed this, feed that and give blood to any flying critter. I am currently enjoying the after effects of a very hot (chilli) bowl of Chinese noodles; it was very hot on the way in and it has gone through my body like a Chinese chainsaw. The jury is still out as to whether it is hotter on the way out.
Changi airport is so much fun, I do believe that I could spend a week here on holiday! We will have to return to Asia as the people and their culture is wonderful, the food is great and to this add the flora and fauna.
Here we are at the Changi Airport in Singapore, having just come back from Kuala Lumpur (or KL, as it's commonly known). We've just been for a swim in the rooftop pool here at the airport and are about to grab a bite to eat before checking into our transit hotel. All this in the airport! Changi is a wonderful stopover airport!!
We loved Malaysia and KL. KL is about a hour's drive from the airport, but fortunately, taxis are cheap! It was actually the same price for a cab as for the train from the airport. The hotel was in a very interesting neighbourhood; there was a Chinese restaurant open until 2 am across the street and an Indian restaurant open 24 hours with a tandoori oven right on the street beside it!
The following day, a car picked us up from the airport and we went off to the Kuala Gadah Elephant Sanctuary. It was over an hour drive from KL, and we got there quite early, so the driver took us to a park close by called Deerland. They had a number of animals there that you could feed and interact with, including deer, flying squirrels, honey bears, birds and all sorts of others. It was great fun! At Kuala Gandah we had a simple lunch of local food, which consisted of rice and chicken and a fried egg, and then watched a movie about elephant conservation. The centre is very involved in re-locating elephants from endangered habitats in Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar into a park in Malaysia. They also rescue injured and orphaned elephants. They had three babies there and a few older tame elephants that are used to calm elephants when they are re-locating them. There were people from all over the world. First the older elephants came out and the handlers rode them into the river and gave them a good wash (elephants put dirt on themselves to keep off the bugs). Then they put them with the babies in an area and brought out fruit and everyone was able to feed them. After that, they gave everyone rides on the older elephants - straight onto their backs, not on a basket or anything. It was awesome! Then they brought one of the older elephants down to the river and took 3 or 4 at a time on his back into the river, where he would go over on his side and dump the riders off into the water! It was so much fun. The babies were in the river too so we could all play with them and pet them. We bought some peanuts and the babies went mad for them, snaking their little trunks around our arms to get at them faster than we could feed them! It was such a great day! Our driver's name was Joe, and he became our "official photographer", so we've got some great photos! They had showers and stuff there so we cleaned up and changed and headed back into KL, going through a downpour on the way!
In the evening, we went out for dinner with a friend of my Uncle Jac's, Dave. He's Malaysian and we went to an authentic Malaysian restaurant. It was great - Dave's a great guy and we had lots of fun. After dinner we walked down the main shopping "strip" and then jumped a taxi to Petaling Street in Chinatown (Dave went home as he had to work in the morning). This street was Barry's version of heaven. There were traders chock-a-block, selling imitation watches, handbags, perfume, wallets, sunglasses, etc. Barry loves his "replica" designer watches and he was having lots of fun haggling and joking around with the traders. It was a fun evening all around!
The next day we slept in a bit and headed up to Batu Caves, three caves considered holy by Hindus and located just outside of KL. There are 272 step up to the Temple Cave, which has a number of Hindu shrines in it. There was a lot of water dripping, and people putting flowers and other offerings on the shrines, although I think there were more tourists than devout Hindus. On step 204 is another cave called the Dark Cave. It has no shrines in it, and you need to go with a guide to see it. There are a number of bat colonies living in it, so there isn't any artificial light in it and flash photography is only allowed in certain places. It was great going through it with headlamps and flashlights. There were some different rock formations as well as some cool bugs (and some not so cool cockroaches!). There are snakes that live in there as well, and a dog that lives there and looks after things - he eats coconuts! At the foot of the moutain, a little further on, is another smaller cave that had some more shrines in it. It was very cool and we really enjoyed it.
After that, we caught a taxi to the Bird Park, grabbed some lunch in a restaurant right in the park, and wandered through. It is mostly enclosed, like a big aviary, so the birds were all over the place. Lots of peacocks and storks and egrets. There was a parrot house where you could go in and feed the parrots and lorries - they would land right on your hand and eat out of it. It was very cool - Barry had a blast!
Barry:
It would appear that on my holiday I have become a free meal ticket for endangered creatures, feed this, feed that and give blood to any flying critter. I am currently enjoying the after effects of a very hot (chilli) bowl of Chinese noodles; it was very hot on the way in and it has gone through my body like a Chinese chainsaw. The jury is still out as to whether it is hotter on the way out.
Changi airport is so much fun, I do believe that I could spend a week here on holiday! We will have to return to Asia as the people and their culture is wonderful, the food is great and to this add the flora and fauna.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Singapore
Christine:
We're on our second day in Singapore, and we're bored! lol
We arrived two days ago on Singapore Airlines and took a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. It was a shuttle used by a number of hotels and we had to pay for it. We were quite annoyed to find that we were the last people they dropped off (which meant we had to ride it for an hour and a half) and then they couldn't (or wouldn't) pull up in front of the hotel so they dumped us and our stuff off across the road and we had to carry everything across 4 lanes of traffic! I don't think we'll be taking it back! We'd rather plump for a taxi and save ourselves an hour!
Anyway, we're staying in a hotel near Chinatown, which is brilliant (being near Chinatown, I mean - the hotel is mediocre, but cheap)! We've eaten there twice and wandered the streets - it comes alive at night. We took a hop-on/hop-off bus (discounted with Singapore Airlines) and went up to the Singapore Botanical Gardens yesterday. What a goregous place! It was really beautiful and peaceful. Then we jumped back on the bus and rode it to Little India. There was a great outdoor flea market that we looked through, and we ate at a little open cafe where there were no tourists - the food was great! From there we jumped back on the bus for a couple of stops and got off when Barry saw the F1 Grand Prix remanants. We then had to walk as much of the course as we could, which was ok because it took us by the harbour and we saw the Merlion, the symbol of Singapore, and some other historical stuff. After that we slowly walked back through Chinatown, stopping for a massage and supper, and then to the hotel.
This morning we got up late and went down to Fort Canning Park, which is a hill in the middle of Singapore where the operational headquarters were during WWII, that is until the British et al surrendered. We went on a tour of the underground bunker and then ate at The Legends, a lovely expat club with a fantastic Sunday brunch buffet. We walked around the park and saw a few different historical things - the house where Sir Stamford Raffles (the founder of British Singapore) lived, a holy shrine called a Keramat and some gorgeous trees, among other things. There is also an enormous reservoir at the top of the hill, built before WWII, which still services Singapore.
Then we wandered down to Clarke's Quay, full of modern bars and restaurants and made for tourists! We have opted out of some things that were recommended to us because we just don't see the point. We are trying to discover the real Singapore, but I think this is it - a somewhat manmade city with no pre-19th century culture that has survived. For the first time, we're not feeling like we've missed out on seeing something - we're ready to leave!
Barry:
We're on our second day in Singapore, and we're bored! lol
We arrived two days ago on Singapore Airlines and took a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. It was a shuttle used by a number of hotels and we had to pay for it. We were quite annoyed to find that we were the last people they dropped off (which meant we had to ride it for an hour and a half) and then they couldn't (or wouldn't) pull up in front of the hotel so they dumped us and our stuff off across the road and we had to carry everything across 4 lanes of traffic! I don't think we'll be taking it back! We'd rather plump for a taxi and save ourselves an hour!
Anyway, we're staying in a hotel near Chinatown, which is brilliant (being near Chinatown, I mean - the hotel is mediocre, but cheap)! We've eaten there twice and wandered the streets - it comes alive at night. We took a hop-on/hop-off bus (discounted with Singapore Airlines) and went up to the Singapore Botanical Gardens yesterday. What a goregous place! It was really beautiful and peaceful. Then we jumped back on the bus and rode it to Little India. There was a great outdoor flea market that we looked through, and we ate at a little open cafe where there were no tourists - the food was great! From there we jumped back on the bus for a couple of stops and got off when Barry saw the F1 Grand Prix remanants. We then had to walk as much of the course as we could, which was ok because it took us by the harbour and we saw the Merlion, the symbol of Singapore, and some other historical stuff. After that we slowly walked back through Chinatown, stopping for a massage and supper, and then to the hotel.
This morning we got up late and went down to Fort Canning Park, which is a hill in the middle of Singapore where the operational headquarters were during WWII, that is until the British et al surrendered. We went on a tour of the underground bunker and then ate at The Legends, a lovely expat club with a fantastic Sunday brunch buffet. We walked around the park and saw a few different historical things - the house where Sir Stamford Raffles (the founder of British Singapore) lived, a holy shrine called a Keramat and some gorgeous trees, among other things. There is also an enormous reservoir at the top of the hill, built before WWII, which still services Singapore.
Then we wandered down to Clarke's Quay, full of modern bars and restaurants and made for tourists! We have opted out of some things that were recommended to us because we just don't see the point. We are trying to discover the real Singapore, but I think this is it - a somewhat manmade city with no pre-19th century culture that has survived. For the first time, we're not feeling like we've missed out on seeing something - we're ready to leave!
Barry:
Well evidently I am a little behind on the posting of my Blogger, so here we go. Brunei was excellent, it was exactly what we needed. A good rest coupled with just the right amount of stuff to do and good company.
The golf was particularly good, let down only by my inability to play decent golf, well that and the attack of 'THEM'. Whilst Adam was taking his second shot on the fairway, I stood to one side in a little rough. I felt a little transient smarting from my feet. I was wearing golf SANDALS and upon looking down all I could see was a river of massive black ants, swarming over my feet. I had to act quickly, and in the most manly way possible I ran towards Adam screaming and waving my arms in the air like a girl. You must understand, dear reader, this was only to warn any other golfers in the area.
Well what can I say of Brunei? Visit and Visit soon before it is spoilt by someone or something, it still retains its colonial charm, wonderful place with every thing you need to hand, great place.
Singapore on the other hand is everything Brunei isn't. If you read 'lifestyle magazines' and think the Beckhams are philosophers, visit Singapore were you can shop your heart of stone right out. You can visit former historical sites, now demolished and re-built as shopping centres (the guide's words, not mine).
On the other hand there are gems, Fort Canning Park, the Botanical Gardens and the F1 circuit.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Brunei
The past week in Brunei has been lovely and relaxing. We've been staying with our friends, Adam and Monica, and they have been the consummate hosts.
Brunei is a very nice country. It is a sultanate, so is ruled by the Sultan and his family. They are a benevolent dictatorship and the people are very happy. There is a lot of oil in this tiny country, so it is very rich and there are a lot of new buildings. There are only about 330,000 people in the whole country (less than 1/3 of the size of Calgary!) and there is free healthcare and no personal income tax. It would definitely be a nice place to live for a few years (but not for too long as it's very hot and humid), and I would highly recommend it if you are doing a tour through southeast Asia. Everyone is polite and friendly. It is a dry country, so there is no alcohol sold here. You can bring some in (limited quantities) but you have to declare it when you arrive and fill out a form. Perhaps that's why they have so few crime problems! The Sultan and his family are all devout Muslims, but there are other religions in the country and everyone is free to worship how they choose.
Adam and Monica have a membership at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, which gives them access to a number of sports and leisure activities, as well as the pools and beaches and sunbeds at the hotel itself. We played 9 holes of gold on the PGA championship course (designed by Jack Nicklaus), and Barry played another 18 holes with Adam (honing his bushcraft skills retrieving his golf balls from the jungle rough). Adam and Monica gave us a night in the hotel for a wedding gift, and it was lovely. The room was enormous and luxurious, all marble and wool carpet. The service and the food was lacking somewhat for a 6-star - they could learn a lot from the Chateau Lake Louise! We spent an afternoon just lounging around the pool and went for a dip in the ocean.
It's been lovely to be in one place for a week and catch up on our sleep. The first few mornings we slept in until 10 every morning! We've been out to eat every night at a variety of Asian restaurants with unfailingly lovely food. Things here are fairly inexpensive (a meal for the four of us would only run about £15 ($30). We did a bit of shopping, too. All in all it's been a brilliant visit and I have fond memories of Brunei!
One day, we parked up close to home and took a water taxi from Kuilap to Bandar Seri Begawam. A water taxi is just a sort of speedboat driven by one person, and they charge a flat rate per person. It was very cool! We went past Kampong Ayer, a town completely on stilts over the water. It is Hari Rya here, which is called Eid in the Arab countries and is the celebration ending Ramadan. It was like Christmas, with lots of lights up and people in new outfits and going to each other's houses. It's a great time to be over here!
Tomorrow we are off to Singapore for three nights. Barry is looking forward to getting a "replica designer" watch there (they have some very high-quality imitation goods out here!).
Brunei is a very nice country. It is a sultanate, so is ruled by the Sultan and his family. They are a benevolent dictatorship and the people are very happy. There is a lot of oil in this tiny country, so it is very rich and there are a lot of new buildings. There are only about 330,000 people in the whole country (less than 1/3 of the size of Calgary!) and there is free healthcare and no personal income tax. It would definitely be a nice place to live for a few years (but not for too long as it's very hot and humid), and I would highly recommend it if you are doing a tour through southeast Asia. Everyone is polite and friendly. It is a dry country, so there is no alcohol sold here. You can bring some in (limited quantities) but you have to declare it when you arrive and fill out a form. Perhaps that's why they have so few crime problems! The Sultan and his family are all devout Muslims, but there are other religions in the country and everyone is free to worship how they choose.
Adam and Monica have a membership at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, which gives them access to a number of sports and leisure activities, as well as the pools and beaches and sunbeds at the hotel itself. We played 9 holes of gold on the PGA championship course (designed by Jack Nicklaus), and Barry played another 18 holes with Adam (honing his bushcraft skills retrieving his golf balls from the jungle rough). Adam and Monica gave us a night in the hotel for a wedding gift, and it was lovely. The room was enormous and luxurious, all marble and wool carpet. The service and the food was lacking somewhat for a 6-star - they could learn a lot from the Chateau Lake Louise! We spent an afternoon just lounging around the pool and went for a dip in the ocean.
It's been lovely to be in one place for a week and catch up on our sleep. The first few mornings we slept in until 10 every morning! We've been out to eat every night at a variety of Asian restaurants with unfailingly lovely food. Things here are fairly inexpensive (a meal for the four of us would only run about £15 ($30). We did a bit of shopping, too. All in all it's been a brilliant visit and I have fond memories of Brunei!
One day, we parked up close to home and took a water taxi from Kuilap to Bandar Seri Begawam. A water taxi is just a sort of speedboat driven by one person, and they charge a flat rate per person. It was very cool! We went past Kampong Ayer, a town completely on stilts over the water. It is Hari Rya here, which is called Eid in the Arab countries and is the celebration ending Ramadan. It was like Christmas, with lots of lights up and people in new outfits and going to each other's houses. It's a great time to be over here!
Tomorrow we are off to Singapore for three nights. Barry is looking forward to getting a "replica designer" watch there (they have some very high-quality imitation goods out here!).
Sunday, 28 September 2008
A retrospective...
Christine:
Well, we're in Brunei now, having a lovely time with our friends, Adam and Monica. I'll write more about that in a few days, but I thought I would do a little reminiscing about our last two and a half weeks in the Middle East & Turkey. Our posts were always rushed as we were paying for our computer time, but now I have lots of time to write.
Our trip through Turkey, Syria and Jordan was hot and dirty and difficult. The language barrier was always challenging. The toilets in public places were usually the squatting kind, which are kind of disgusting and difficult to manage, especially when your digestive system starts to act up on you!
But our overall impression is one of wonder and fascination at the things we saw, and gratefulness at the friendliness of the people. With very few exceptions, everyone in these countries were friendly and helpful, often going out of there way to help us find something or some place, and explaining local customs and culture. We never once felt in danger (actually, we more unsafe in London!) and although at times we felt helpless trying to make ourselves understood, we always managed in the end.
We had some unique experiences;
Well, we're in Brunei now, having a lovely time with our friends, Adam and Monica. I'll write more about that in a few days, but I thought I would do a little reminiscing about our last two and a half weeks in the Middle East & Turkey. Our posts were always rushed as we were paying for our computer time, but now I have lots of time to write.
Our trip through Turkey, Syria and Jordan was hot and dirty and difficult. The language barrier was always challenging. The toilets in public places were usually the squatting kind, which are kind of disgusting and difficult to manage, especially when your digestive system starts to act up on you!
But our overall impression is one of wonder and fascination at the things we saw, and gratefulness at the friendliness of the people. With very few exceptions, everyone in these countries were friendly and helpful, often going out of there way to help us find something or some place, and explaining local customs and culture. We never once felt in danger (actually, we more unsafe in London!) and although at times we felt helpless trying to make ourselves understood, we always managed in the end.
We had some unique experiences;
- driving around western Turkey on roads ranging from straight and smooth to dirt (but which are all indicated on the map as primary roads)
- staying in a hotel in Kutahaya that was designed for Turks and had it's own hot-tub fed by the mineral hot springs
eating at a sea-side restaurant in Akcakoca watching an electrical storm over the Black Sea
- wandering centries-old souks in Aleppo
- posing for pictures with four teenage Syrian boys, none of whom spoke any English beyond "Hello"
- sitting in a Damascus clothing shop having tea with the shopkeepers and joking around with them in broken English
- having a traditional Syrian meal in a restaurant in Old Damascus and being entertained by a Whirling Dervish and a traditional folk singer
- riding in a car across the Syria/Jordan border with a Syrian and two Georgians
- having tea with a Bedouin in the magical surroundings of Petra
- seeing the place where Jesus was baptised
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