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The Asian Christmas cruise
  • Andrew Jerome
December 2018

The Asian Christmas cruise

Our 10 day Christmas cruise around Asia, as well as a short Balinese break Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 13, 2018
    Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Sydney, Australia

    December 13, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Today began the first day of our Asian Christmas cruise, We had originally booked this cruise as we both got Annual Leave for the Christmas break, and since we were still on a high from our Alaskan cruise, this seemed like a great way to spend the Festive Season.

    Fortunately our flight to Denpasar wasn't until 5pm, so I had plenty of time to do pre-holiday arrangements, like laundry, packing a bag and getting a haircut. Since we are only visiting warm destinations, packing was easy. Unfortunately waiting for the dishwasher to finish its cycle before leaving wasn't, since we had to turn off the water before leaving.

    Once at the airport, something unfortunate happened when my arch enemy sciatica came back with a vengeance. It had bothered me in the morning, but by the time we got to check in, I was almost paralysed. Even worse was receiving our boarding passes late due to being on standby, meaning we had to make haste to our flight.

    By this stage I could barely walk, and security even sympathetically brought me to the front of the queue. They offered to get me a wheelchair to my flight, but were only able to get a trolley to use for support. Thankfully we were in Star Class, as even walking to my seat was excruciating pain.

    Fortunately the only pain I had to endure during the flight was when I needed to use the bathroom, as sitting didn't make it difficult. The CSM offered to get me a wheelchair upon arrival and by this stage, I knew it wasn't unreasonable to accept it. The passengers in Star Class were really sympathetic, and offered me help such as painkillers, massage therapy in Bali, and even a private driver to our hotel.

    Being wheeled through Denpasar airport was much better than hobbling through it, and my two commissionaires helped with luggage collection and going through immigration. Ted had arranged a taxi to the hotel, where I was then transferred to another wheelchair for the hotel.

    Hopefully this doesn't continue throughout the whole holiday. Today was the worst pain I've ever experienced, and it wasn't a great way to start.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Denpasar, Indonesia

    December 14, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    I would love to say that the pain miraculously disappeared overnight but it didn't. Today was not a good day, as I am still not able to walk without a lot of agonising pain. Once I managed to get to the breakfast room, it was very warm already but the dining room has a spectacular view of the ocean.

    Whilst Ted went to the gym, I stayed in the room feeling sorry for myself. After having a nap to make up for lost sleep, Ted encouraged me to try pool running, which did increase some movement. Ted later walked to the nearby shops to get some things before we went back to the dining room for lunch.

    We returned to the dining room for a nice dinner and even though we hoped it wasn't necessary, unfortunately I needed the wheelchair again to get around. At this moment, we're worrying we might need to return home instead of continuing the holiday. I was in so much pain I couldn't even shower myself. We'll wait and see what tomorrow holds.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Denpasar, Indonesia

    December 15, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    After waking up and feeling no better, we decided to do something productive! A few friends had recommended going to a healer instead of just getting a massage, so I found one online and made a booking. Finally a step in the right direction!

    We went for a mediocre breakfast before Ted went to the gym. Our hotel is in a very good location close to everything, so we were able to walk to the main area to get a taxi. It seems like there's a real war between legitimate taxis and the rideshare apps so, after some aggression, we finally flagged a taxi.

    The place I visited was called Bali Chy Healing and was certainly different from the usual massage places I've visited. The healer explained about holistic healing, asking if I also needed to talk about any problems I might be having in life. Since I didn't have any pain except physical, he decided to work on the sciatica problem.

    The massage was like a deep tissue therapy on the sciatic nerve which, after an hour, I was good enough to walk again. the massage was really painful but I didn't mind. Even though it was more expensive than a standard massage, at least I was able to walk again. I was asked to do a video recommendation for him since it seems to be how they advertise their business here in Bali!

    Ted and I then went to nearby Mama's German restaurant for lunch and later bumped into one of the passengers from our flight, who suggested going out together that night. Once returning to the hotel, we lay by the pool, although our view was ruined by a woman who decided to go topless.

    After a shower and a nap, we had another dinner in the restaurant. Logically we could go into town to eat, but the setting here is so beautiful. We had drinks and music in our room, before heading down to Mixwell. The crowd was really busy and we stayed until there was no room to move. I'm still feeling sore from the massage but at least I can live my life again.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Denpasar, Indonesia

    December 16, 2018 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We didn't get much of a sleep in today, on our final full day in Bali this holiday. Breakfast was great this morning with a lot of options. Ted was still feeling tired so he had a nap whilst we relaxed in our room.

    I'm still in pain from the massage but it is starting to ease. Ted dropped off some laundry before we headed to nearby De Nyuh for some massage therapy. I had a pedicure and foot reflexology massage whilst Ted had just the foot massage.

    We relaxed in our room before heading to nearby La Plancha for sunset drinks. This was a wonderful experience, as the setting and atmosphere were both incredible. We stayed for dinner too, since the view was unrivaled and the cost was surprisingly reasonable.

    Tomorrow we head to Singapore before our cruise, so we packed up our bags for our departure tomorrow.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Singapore

    December 17, 2018 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We had an earlier start for our flight to Singapore today, but it almost ended up being too early as we woke at 3am due to an alarm Ted had set on his phone. It turned out that his phone was still on Australia time, meaning we woke up three hours early!

    Before heading off, the restaurant staff were kind enough to let us have breakfast before the restaurant opened. We then took a taxi to the airport before heading to our Jetstar Asia flight. I am walking a lot better today, which has really lifted my spirits.

    Our flight time was about three hours before arriving in Changi airport. We bought a transport card for three days before heading towards our hotel. It seemed the directions I got off Google weren't all that accurate - we disembarked at Bugis station and walked for about 15 minutes in the heat, before finding out there was a metro station right outside our hotel!

    The hotel is very nice, albeit expensive which is typical for Singapore. Ted was interested in seeing Little India so we headed in to look around. We both liked the area, and Ted was keen to stay for dinner. We went to the Khan restaurant which definitely fit the bill - cheap and authentically Indian. I loved the paratha!

    We then headed into the Gardens by the Bay, which was also putting on a Christmas show. Even though it was late at night, the area was really humid, but we still took a lot of great photos before heading back.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Singapore

    December 18, 2018 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    After an awesome sleep-in today, Ted and I headed out to try and find a decent breakfast, as this hotel doesn't include it. It did have the option of paying $20 but since it seemed somewhat steep, we settled for a cafe across the street for rolls and coffee.

    Ted was keen on seeing some of the sights that he hadn't seen previously. I wanted to show Ted the nearby Raffles hotel but clearly I should've done some research first, as the hotel was being renovated until the middle of 2019! We still looked through the gift shop at the expensive souvenirs.

    We then headed towards the Merlion, no doubt the most recognisable sight of Singapore. It seemed like every other tourist in town had the same idea too but it was still worth a visit. Since we didn't do it last night, we took the elevator to the observation deck of the Marina Bay Sands. The price also included a Singapore Sling cocktail at the top.

    The view was really amazing to say the least, and I thought it was worth the money. Ted wasn't keen on his cocktail due to the sugar content and for me, one was enough anyway. I almost bought the tourist photo taken but since we'd already spent enough money, ended up passing it up.

    My inner geek was keen to see the DC Super Heroes Cafe, so since it was nearby, we headed there to check it out. Of course I enjoyed it a lot more than Ted! It was really well set up with a restaurant, gift shop and a lot of merchandise. The effort used to construct it was impressive. I stayed to have a coffee there, and was tempted to steal the menu as well.

    Unfortunately this humidity has meant that I needed to do laundry again so we found a coin laundromat in nearby Chinatown whilst we explored the area. After returning to the hotel, Ted had a nap before we headed out to dinner. We found another cafe next door which offered breakfast before having a salmon salad (me) and Popeye's (Ted) for dinner at the nearby Cathay shopping mall.

    I was interested in seeing the new Aquaman movie so I stayed for the film and caught up with Ted afterwards. Ted wanted to go to a local venue so we caught the metro back into Chinatown to have a look around. The area wasn't as animated as we'd expected at night. and it turned out the venue was having a quiet night anyway! Since Tuesday nights weren't really a happening thing in Singapore, we came back to the hotel to chill instead.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    At Sea

    December 19, 2018, Natuna Sea ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today begins our cruise! Whilst I had a reasonable sleep, I fell ill during the night which was unfortunate. We went to the Mexican restaurant next door for a cheap breakfast before heading back to our room to pack up and chill out. Our check out was quite easy too, and we then took three different train lines to get to the cruise ship station.

    We got a refund on our train passes (just for handing them back in) before walking about ten minutes to the cruise ship terminal. When we booked this cruise, the agent said there was a chance we could get an upgrade. Sadly that didn't happen, as we were still stuck with our obstructed view cabin! There seemed to be unlimited checkpoints before we finally boarded the cruise, which included having to surrender your passport. It seemed a but strange but I guess it's to ease the visa and immigration process for each port.

    Before exploring the cruise ship, we went to have lunch in the dining room. We unintentionally compared it to our previous cruise on Celebrity, and found Princess to be lacking in this area. Afterwards we explored more of the ship and we like the design of the common areas. Since we also prefer the design of our cabin, we decided we would stop comparing the two different cruise lines.

    When we went to the pre-departure safety demonstration in the Japanese Sushi Restaurant which took ages. We went up to the deck for the sail away party, but the Singaporean heat was so oppressive, we gave up that idea. One thing that was really nice were a group of carollers in the Atrium, which was a great welcome to the cruise.

    When we went for dinner, the number of vegetarian options are really limited, so I might have to be pescatarian during this cruise. In the evening, we headed to the LGBT meeting which surprisingly attracted 16 of us, from Australia, the United States and Mexico, organised by Richie, a Colombian who works on the cruise. One thing we really like about this cruise is a messenger system you can access on your mobile phone, making communication with your fellow cruisers easy.

    Ted and I explored more of the ship before going to bed, although tomorrow is a ship day, giving us more time to look around.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    At Sea

    December 20, 2018, Natuna Sea ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    Today was a great way to settle into the cruise before we arrive at our first port tomorrow. The beds on the cruise are really comfortable, so we both had an amazing sleep last night. We have two independent tours lined up for this cruise but I haven't had the chance to meet the organisers yet, so I left notes for them at their staterooms.

    Breakfast didn't really stack up either, as both of us found few options to eat. When you're vegetarian or diabetic, your options are always limited! Ted was feeling woozy today from the ship movements, so he needed to lie low today. I went to an acupuncture workshop which didn't provide a free session and then headed to trivia which I almost won!

    The ship seemed to be vibrating quite a bit, so after checking out our boarding photo, headed back to the room to relax. The movie under the stars was Black Panther but it wasn't so easy to watch with all the screaming kids in the pool underneath! I had a vege burger at the pool restaurant where we met a couple from the UK, Mark and Richard.

    We went back to trivia in the evening (almost won again!) before trying out the formal dinner. The meal was really quite good, and it removed the temptation to overindulge like we do in the buffet restaurant. But as it turned out, we ended up going back to the buffet later when we were still hungry!    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

    December 21, 2018 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    This morning I thought we should try the formal breakfast option to see if we would like it. We were seated at a table with couples from Australia, the USA and Switzerland. I liked the breakfast as the setting was relaxed and the food options were varied, but I think Ted preferred the buffet as it is easier for him to find diabetic options.

    We had a later arrival into Kota Kinabalu so I went to morning trivia and lunch before packing a bag to join our day excursion. Our tour was shuffled into the ship's theatre before departing the boat. We boarded a bus before heading first to the Tun Mustapha Tower, and Sabah State Administrative Centre which is a government office complex. They are both examples of modern architecture in the city.

    We then headed to the City Mosque, also known as "The Floating Mosque", as well as the Sabah State Mosque for some impressive outdoor photos. When we were given the option to visit the markets, they didn't look even slightly appealing, so Ted and I decided to hang out at a nearby Starbucks to relax in air conditioning, have a coffee and use the wifi.

    Afterwards we headed to the Sabah Museum which also included an outdoor display of culture and the traditional way of life. We found the outdoor display much more interesting as it included a blow dart display and the types of housing the natives used, and decided to forego the museum altogether.

    To be honest, we didn't find Kota Kinabalu particularly interesting, and we were looking forward to re-boarding the boat for a buffet dinner. That evening we tried Movies under the Stars again with the film Tomb Raider. I thought the film was boring but Ted liked it. I headed to a Hollywood Trivia night instead with a group of new-found friends which was a lot more fun. Another ship day tomorrow!    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    At Sea

    December 22, 2018, South China Sea ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    Today was a nice relaxing ship day, which are well spread out on this cruise. We also gained an hour by crossing time zones, meaning the day was even longer! We had breakfast this morning with Mary and Beth from Michigan before I went to try out the coffee bar with a view of the ocean. Unfortunately just like Celebrity, the coffee on this ship is horrible too!

    Ted and I headed up to have some more to eat before going to morning trivia with Chris. The three of us managed to win, and each won a Princess water bottle as a prize (Mary and Beth turned up late and also scored the prize). One bad thing about cruising is that, while the room was being cleaned, we headed back upstairs to eat - even though we weren't hungry!

    We thought we could continue our success by similarly going to afternoon trivia but there were too many players and we weren't successful a second time. When we went for dinner at the buffet that evening, I was able to practice my Spanish with a Mexican waitress who was really helpful.

    Thanks to the on-board messaging system, I was able to organise drinks for our LGBT group back at the Wheelhouse before some of us headed up to the Skywalker Bar afterwards. I didn't enjoy the bar much as the boat was really rocky tonight and the bar was swaying somewhat. I might need an extra day to get my sea legs!    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Nha Trang, Vietnam

    December 23, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    Today was my first time to Vietnam! Ted has been here previously for work, but this was a whole new experience for me. The day didn't start well though when the Captain did a PA advising of a tsunami that had occurred nearby, affecting the islands of Indonesia causing a lot of fatalities. This left a very sombre mood as we had only been in Indonesia a few days prior.

    After breakfast, we packed up a backpack for our day out. Since this is a tender port, the lifeboat was removed from the front of our cabin window, meaning we finally have a view! At breakfast though, the captain did a PA advising his uncertainties about whether we could disembark due to the weather but fortunately it improved enough to leave.

    Ted and I went downstairs to get a tender ticket and once we arrived onshore, nearly accidentally boarded the bus for a tour instead. We caught the included shuttle to a hotel downtown where there were plenty of hawkers trying to sell tours and taxi rides. Since we already had an itinerary written out, we headed first to Long Son Pagoda.

    The walk was about 25 minutes, and I loved the vibrancy of the city. Even though the streets were hectic, they weren't difficult to cross as you just need to walk and not hesitate. We found the Pagoda quite easily and really liked it. Best of all was the Buddha up the hill so, even though the humidity was high, we made the climb up for a worthwhile view.

    We then headed to the nearby Dam Market, but first Ted was thrilled to buy a bottle of vodka for only $2 on the way. The Dam Market didn't end up being as interesting as we'd hoped but it still provided an opportunity to see daily Vietnamese life. Unfortunately our time in Nha Trang was limited meaning we couldn't also visit the Po Nagar Cham Towers, so they're definitely on the list for our next visit.

    Since we didn't want to wander too far from our departure point, we explored the nearby beachfront as well as a shopping centre. I bought a dragon fruit smoothie which I really liked, although I'm hoping to try durian on this trip too. For lunch we went to a waterfront restaurant with reasonable food and cold beer.

    We then took the shuttle back and had a shower and nap before dinner. Even though we'd missed the afternoon trivia, there was an LGBT trivia which I invited all our group to. That was a good idea because it was a lot of fun, and we met some additional people who didn't make it to the first meeting, We wondered what the rest of the people in the bar thought about the questions though - kinda racy!

    That night we had dinner with Emma and Carmen from New York and talked about all things political. I also spent the evening trying to secure a reservation for our group for Christmas dinner. Easier said than done since the restaurants are only guaranteeing a reservation made on the day. Hopefully it all works out okay.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    December 24, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Today we got to experience Vietnam again as we visited the capital, Ho Chi Minh City. After a restless sleep, we woke up early to have a smaller breakfast. Since today we were going on an independent organised tour, we waited in the coffee shop area to meet our fellow travellers.

    The rest of our crew were couples from Hawaii, South Africa and Northern Territory. We were supposed to be joined by another couple who never appeared on time. The eight of us departed the ship together and took the shuttle bus to the gates outside of the cruise terminal. This would've been quicker if someone on board the bus hadn't forgotten their bag.

    Once outside the gates, we met our guide Huy, as well as our driver. We all boarded the mini-bus for the 1.5 hour drive into the city. On the drive in, there were lively discussions about what we would like to see, as one lady wanted to do more shopping, whilst one guy wanted to see the War Remnants Museum. Huy was able to provide individual tours for these two so the rest of us still did the main itinerary.

    Our first stop was the fancy Rex Hotel which has a rooftop bar that was a well-known hangout spot for military officials and war correspondents in the 1960's. This was a good starting point to enjoy a coffee, use the wifi and get a great view of the city. The Vietnamese coffee I had was awesome, and so far was the best coffee I've had this holiday.

    After taking a group photo, we walked to the nearby Opera House for some photos. Ted remarked how little traffic there was so we're assuming it's probably due to Christmas being tomorrow. Our next stop was the Thien Hau Temple which is a Chinese-style temple of the sea goddess Mazu. There were plenty of incense burners inside as well as an altar to Mazu. We saw Luc and Adam there too, who were doing a tour with a private guide.

    We had been told that we would be doing a pedicab ride as part of our tour, and I think a lot of us were hesitant about it. We didn't need to be, as it was really fun. Ted and I both liked it as it took you right into the heart of the city where all the action was. Truthfully, I could've done it for longer! Sure it's a tourist trap but when you're having fun, does it matter?

    We then went for a Pho lunch at Pho 2000, which is famous as a place that Bill Clinton went to during a trip to Saigon. Ted mentioned that he hadn't enjoyed Pho before, but this one was really good. I was the only person in our group having vegetarian and I similarly liked it.

    We then headed to the Ben Tranh markets for some retail therapy. Ted and I were pretty much only interested in T-shirts so we managed to barter for a few, however we didn't get as many as we wanted! When it was time to meet up with our driver again, we couldn't find the Hawaiian lady Leilani who had asked to do extra shopping. Fortunately we didn't have to wait too long as we continued on.

    One problem on this tour was that a lot of people disagreed on where we should go. Some wanted to keep touring, whilst others were worried about being late back to the cruise ship with the Vietnamese traffic. We ended up visiting the Minh Phương Art lacquer factory which was more interesting than it sounds. Ted and I were the only ones who listened to the demonstration but it was a shame the artworks were all so damn expensive!

    The rain then started to pour down which wasn't surprising considering the humidity. As it turned out, the traffic wasn't too bad and we arrived back at the cruise ship in plenty of time. Once back to our room, we both had a much needed shower and I did some laundry, which is perfectly located right near our cabin.

    The evening was nice and relaxing as we went to the buffet for dinner, and watched the crew singing Christmas Carols in the Atrium. We caught up with our group in the Wheelhouse Bar for evening drinks again afterwards. Christmas Day tomorrow!    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    At Sea

    December 25, 2018, Gulf of Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Merry Christmas to us! We weren't really sure what was in store for us as this was our first Christmas on a cruise ship, although Ted and I decided to get into the spirit early by wearing Santa hats to breakfast. It seemed like a great idea since so many people were wearing their Christmas attire last night.

    As it turned out, we were the only ones who were! But we didn't care as it was still the day for a Festive spirit. One of the first things I did this morning was call the restaurant reservations extension to try and guarantee a table sitting for our LGBT group. Getting this arranged for 24 people wasn't difficult so now I could finally breathe easy.

    Today was a nice cruisy (no pun intended) day so I went and relaxed in the coffee shop with a ginger tea waiting for the arrival of Santa. Since Ted and I had already purchased the Santa hats, I thought we should similarly get a photo taken with Saint Nick, as well as a Christmas present photo with two of the Princess Cruise hostesses.

    We relaxed in the covered pool area before having a nap and heading to Christmas music trivia with Chris and his mum Karen. We had less luck this time as the MC kept giving clues to the audience. One cool thing though was when the Captain announced we would be passing another Princess cruise ship which was being sailed by his brother, meaning they would send a toot to each other. We then went back to get ready for our Christmas dinner at the Pacific Moon restaurant.

    Even though they had asked us to arrive at 5.00pm to guarantee tables together, they didn't open their doors until 5.30pm. Thankfully it all worked out fine, although I sat at the table with all girls as there wasn't enough places on the table where Ted was. Just like before, the whole group of us then went for drinks at our favourite haunt, the Wheelhouse Bar. Tomorrow we arrive at Bangkok but since the drive there is so far, we're going to explore nearby Pattaya instead.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Pattaya, Thailand

    December 26, 2018 in Thailand ⋅ 🌫 30 °C

    We would've enjoyed a sleep-in this morning except that the Captain decided to do a PA which was too early for our liking. I've now reached the part of the cruise (like before) where the thought of having a full on breakfast is less appealing than just having porridge for breakfast. Clearly you can have too much of a good thing!

    Today we'd decided to explore Pattaya on our own, so we waited in the Fusion Bar until we were able to disembark. Once again, the cruise provided the option of a shuttle bus for the half hour drive to Pattaya. After going through the visa and disembarkation process we were finally on our way to the beach side area.

    We were dropped off at a very fancy looking hotel which had clean bathrooms before we headed out. We really didn't have much of an itinerary planned so we just took it easy. Ted was keen to get a massage so after looking unsuccessfully through a shopping centre, we found a reasonably priced one that offered both a back and foot massage. Whilst getting the foot massage it was a good way to relax in air conditioning and use the wifi.

    The back massage however was somewhat different! Unlike the healer I had in Bali, it seemed a tad more aggressive. Also, we were offered an ENDING to the massage that neither of us were HAPPY on getting! We then headed for lunch at a beach-facing restaurant, where the food was actually pretty mediocre.Lucky they had beer!

    I think by this stage we'd had enough of Pattaya so we caught the shuttle back with Mark and Richard. Being back on the boat was more appealing so we got an ice cream and went to trivia (which we finally won). We can never have enough metal drinking bottles!

    We went for dinner with Chris and his family, who had spent the day in Bangkok. They brought back some sticky rice which I had with them. As the name suggests, it was really sweet so I couldn't really finish a whole serve. Ted and I then went back to watch "Crazy Rich Asians" on the in-room movie channel but I thought it was dull. My back is now hurting a bit from that massage - I'm hoping the pain goes and those Thai women haven't permanently damaged me!    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Koh Samui, Thailand

    December 27, 2018 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Today we had another independent organised tour, meaning we needed to wake up at 6.30am (which has been an early start on this holiday)! After going to breakfast, we headed to the Wheelhouse Bar to find Dave, the gent who organised our tour. Since we were standing in different parts of the bar, we eventually found each other, as well as the others who were from the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

    Our tender off the boat was quicker than usual as one of our group had Elite Class with Princess. When we disembarked, I quickly found the lady holding the sign with our tour group name, but lost the tour group in the process! When we eventually found each other, we were surprised to find the van didn't have enough seats for us all, meaning the guide had to sit on a cooler in the back whilst Ted and I sat in the front, sans seat belts.

    Our first stop was at Wat Phra Yai, otherwise known as the Big Buddha Temple. This was definitely popular with tourists all over the island, and there seemed to be a war of mini-vans trying to get a park. Our guide didn't give us much guidance on what we were seeing but it was still pretty spectacular to view and photograph. We managed to get some good pictures without too may tourists blocking them as well.

    Our next stop was Wat Plai Laem which I really liked. It is a big Buddhist temple created recently with huge statues of Guanyin (the "goddess" of compassion and mercy) and Budai in front of the temple. There were so many good photo opportunities here that I would've run out of film with a regular camera.

    We then drove to the Grandpa & Grandma (Hin Ta and Hin Yai) Rocks on the south east coast of the island, known for bearing a resemblance to male and female genitalia. There were plenty of hawkers here offering coconut ice cream to the large throng of tourists around. The Lamai Beach area was beautiful as well, and worth seeing just for the view out to the water.

    Our next stop wasn't one I was so keen on, as it involved monkeys on ropes climbing trees to retrieve coconuts. Even though this is common in Asian countries, it doesn't mean I wanted to see it. Either way, I did enjoy the coconut samples and coconut milk the guides were offering. Animal exploitation is something I don't support.

    Our next stop took us off the beaten track and was totally worth it. We went to the Island View restaurant which was located on the south west coast. There were tables placed on the beach enjoying a spectacular view. We really loved it. The food was also great, as were the beers that accompanied the meal.

    Afterwards we visited the Na Mueang waterfall which was also wonderful. If we'd had more time, Ted and I would've been happy to swim there too as the water was really inviting. Our guide told us it was the best waterfall on the island and she was right. Ted and I climbed to a higher viewpoint to get some better photos but I really wanted to jump into the water too.

    Our last stop was the least interesting - visiting the body of a mummified monk! Whilst it offered a unique insight into Buddhist and Thai culture, it wasn't really something that interested Ted or myself. Once we went back to the cruise ship area, we looked around briefly before taking a Thai boat that was operating as a tender, back to the cruise ship.

    We rested in our room for a short while before I joined the girls from Michigan and guys from Canada on the back deck for drinks. Ted and I then caught up with Chris for "Twisted Trivia" which was fun but left in the middle of the following game show which was pretty boring. Once again, our group went to the Wheelhouse for our usual catch up drinks regimen before heading to bed.    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    At Sea

    December 28, 2018, Gulf of Thailand ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    Today was our last day of the cruise before returning to Singapore, so it wasn't too big a day! After a reasonable sleep, our whole day basically involved relaxation, trivia, packing our bags and eating! During both games of trivia, we missed winning by one, but since we can't exactly pack more things it's probably good that we didn't.

    For the first time since Singapore, I was feeling ill today, so I'm grateful we didn't have any big excursions anywhere. At 7pm, we met our LGBT group for final drinks before we all go our separate ways. It was also a good opportunity to have the last beers from my drink package rather than have them go to waste!

    We managed to get one last group photo before some of us went to the Skywalker Bar for a few more beverages. Tomorrow we're back in Singapore, and flying home too!    Read more

  • Andrew JeromeThe Asian Christmas cruiseTraveler

    Singapore

    December 29, 2018 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We were hoping for a later sleep-in after our late night but that didn't happen since the Captain did a PA around 7.15am. Ted and I had taken the option to walk off the ship without bag assistance but either way, we needed to be out of our stateroom by 8am. We packed up our final things before heading up to breakfast, with our bags in tow.

    I had booked a day room to use in Singapore which wouldn't be available until 11am, so we didn't rush to disembark. After having a ginger tea in the coffee shop, we left the boat and joined the long immigration line in the terminal. Unfortunately for me, this took a lot longer than planned as the immigration officer couldn't find the entry stamp in my passport. This meant I had to be taken into a back room where another officer gave me the stamp after a few minutes. Needless to say, I thought I was going to be there for hours.

    When we eventually found a wifi area in the cruise terminal, I checked the directions from the Mountbatten station to the hotel. Two train rides later, we headed off to find it. Google clearly lied - instead of 8 minutes, it took 20 minutes in the stifling humidity. Even worse was when the receptionist advised there wasn't a room ready. Fortunately we didn't have to wait too long before one was.

    The room was pretty grubby with an awful bathroom, which was expected considering it only cost $45 in Singapore! We walked down the road for lunch which was very similar to the meal we'd had in Little India - cheap and reasonably good. We didn't end up having a nap as we just needed a shower and change before Ted arranged a Grab ride to Changi airport. We had $16 in cash left. Fortunately the ride cost only $15!

    The airport was a whole other experience! We had been agonising over a decision about which flight to catch - the earlier one that had a chance at Premium Economy seats, or the later one that had a chance at Business Class seats. The magic word here being CHANCE, since things can change so quickly. Before making a decision, we went to a soup restaurant for dumplings since we wouldn't be eating until the flight.

    The airport check-in staff suggested we should try the first flight so we took our upgrade tickets and headed towards our boarding gate. As it turned out, we ran into Ted's friend Gaeton who we seem to bump into many times whilst travelling. He suggested we try for Business Class but we really stressed over the decision, as we were now upgraded to Premium Economy on the first flight.

    After clearing security and just as the flight was boarding, Gaeton then advised us we were highly likely to get Business Class on the later flight. Ted decided we should chance it, so we took our bags and ran all the way to the other gate. Nothing was still guaranteed yet but the agent changed us to the later flight anyway. Yikes!

    As it turned out, our gamble paid off. We were ecstatic to travel back home in the Skybed and the service was wonderful. Sometimes it pays to take a chance.

    Thus ends another wonderful holiday. Until we can save our pennies again, we'll be planning our next trip.    Read more

    Trip end
    December 29, 2018
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