|
21st November - 12th
December 2009
Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia and Thailand
Kuala Lampur - Malaysia
Short
of money as Debra lost her debit card 5 hours before leaving
the UK we stayed in a right dive of a hostel in KL but things
got better with one hiccup to come in Singapore.
Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur
|
At 451.9 meters
high these are the world's tallest free standing twin towers.
The video we saw about their construction was riveting.
We didn't bother queuing for several hours to get free tickets
for the Sky Bridge where my mussel points.
KL Tower
|
This is the 4th tallest
communication tower in the world at 267 meters.
Wisma Fui Chiu Shopping
Arcade
|
Ministry of Information
Communications and Culture
|
Singapore
Front of Raffles
Hotel
|
We were booked to stay but because Debra had lost her debit
card we couldn't
Tucking into various
yummies
|
We did though take International
High Tea. We had booked in advance. Very yummy it was too.
Shame most people didn't dress the part.
Relaxing with our
Singapore Sling at Raffles
|
You might not think much
of the Singapore Sling but it is one of the things to do
before you die. Maybe immediately before!
Ingredients:
4.0 cl (8 parts) Gin
2.0 cl (4 parts) Heering Cherry Liqueur (cherry brandy)
0.5 cl (1 part) Cointreau
0.5 cl (1 part) DOM Bénédictine
1.0 cl (2 parts) Grenadine
8.0 cl (16 parts) Pineapple juice
3.0 cl (6 parts) Fresh lemon juice
1 dash Angostura bitters
Pineapple and cherry
to garnish
We suspect it is on tap
at Raffles though!
Meeting Merlion
at Sentosa - He is much bigger than he appears in
this
|
Jungle pond
on Pulau Ubin Island
|
Beautiful
green lake on Pulau Ubin Island
|
Indonesia
We slept our 1st
night under an unused check-in desk at the airport
|
Air Asia's flight was 3
hours late which meant we got into airport 2am. We found
a hideaway to sleep.
National Monument
|
Didn't get time to look
around Jakarta much so this is the nearest we got to a famous
landmark.
Indonesian island
from the ferry
|
Fresh aired nature
at the edge of a polluted town
|
A
quiet area of noisey town was where we stayed with a wonderful
family. We met Professor Dwi Asmi the wife/mother on the
bus from Jakarta.
Keeping covered
up on the beach in a Muslim area
|
We were taken to the beach
with the family we were staying with. As they were muslim
Debra had to wear a full wetsuit. Out of respect too, I
did not bare all as I often do but covered up.
taking a pew on
a weathered tree under great sky
|
Wishing I had a
boat
|
A bear can dream can't he?
Bogor (Kebun Raya)
People sitting on
and over the tracks at Bogor Train Staion
|
Went the way he
was pointing
|
Istana Presedential
Palace in the Botanic Gardens Bogor
|
Thailand
Making a habit of
sleeping at airports
|
We arrived at night and
had an early morning flight next day from Bangkok to Chaing
Mai for Soppong, so it was a waste on time and money to
go into town. Spot me in the photo with matching sleeping
bag. Mine was simply the bag for Debra's sleeping bag.
A rough 4-hour bus ride
took us from Chaing Mai to Soppong in the Northern Hills
of Thailand. We were happy to have such comfort at the Soppong
River Inn. It made up for not staying at Raffles.
River under Soppong
River Inn
|
Lisu Hill-Tribe
women walking by stalls
|
Walking into the
misty hills
|
Pig shelter in the
mist
|
Taking the open
air option
|
We took a trip to Tham Lot
Caves. In the vehicle we got there in we chose to sit in
the open back and the driver had a teddy bear and toy dog
that kept us company.
Bear in a coffin
in Tham Lot caves
|
The Northern Thai people
must have been very skinny and very tall at one time.
Exit from Tham Lot
caves
|
Cave rafts
|
Far away from noisey
neighbours
|
Krung Thep (Bangkok)
It is only with non-Thais
that Thai people will use the name Bangkok. The Name they
use themselves is Krung Thep and this is only really a short
version of the very long full name. The full name is Krungthep
Mahanakhon Amorn Rattanakosin Mahintara Yudthaya Mahidilok
Pohp Noparat Rajathanee Bureer Udomrajniwes Mahasatarn Amorn
Pimarn Avaltarnsatit Sakatattiya Visanukram Prasit. Could
you imagine asking for a train ticket to Krungthep Mahanakhon
Amorn Rattanakosin Mahintara Yudthaya Mahidilok Pohp Noparat
Rajathanee Bureer Udomrajniwes Mahasatarn Amorn Pimarn Avaltarnsatit
Sakatattiya Visanukram Prasit - the train would have left
by the time you get the ticket! You will not be surprised
to know that that is the longest place name in the world
but what might surprise you is that is is really meant to
be all one word of 152 letters and 64 syllables.
Teddy bear squashed
by tuk tuk driver
|
Three orange clad
monks go round the outside, round the outside,
round the outside
|
Hanging out in Bangkok's
famous Khao San Road
|
The famous road was full
of Brits, just who we try to get away from on our travels.
Still the ones we met were friendly enough.
|
