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South East Asia 🌏South East Asia 🌏
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South East Asia 🌏

November 2023 - April 2024
An open-ended adventure by Shane Read more
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  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 3

    Downtown Singapore

    November 8, 2023 in Singapore β‹… ☁️ 30 Β°C

    Day 2 in Singapore got off to a chill start. I had great plans to attack the day at 8am but waking up at 3am and not falling back to sleep until 9am for an hour and a half didn't gel well to the plan. But hopefully that's the last of the jet lag!

    Once I did get up and about I went for a little stroll down to the marinas. I've noticed that there aren't as many people as I thought there would be in this small but dense city. There are loads of cycleways and paths that really make it seem like a great place to live. The metro is sooo handy to use to, literally tap on and off for a dollar.

    Strolled back down to the Marina Bay Sands and saw the fancy boat in the sky. It really does make you think of Crazy Rich Asians and the opulence that is up there that envelopes Singapore. The Spectra light show wasn't fantastic but I'm taking it as a prequel to the Bay Gardens.

    Went with a friend's recommendation to try Murtabaks in Sam Sam on Arab Street after a stroll along Boat Quay and Clarke Quay; it did not disappoint!

    I hadn't planned on doing 15,000 steps in my Birks but that's what happened. And the three days where I wore them around the house thinking I had broken them in was far, far from the truth.....    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    2
    Day 4

    Gardens by the Bay

    November 9, 2023 in Singapore β‹… ☁️ 29 Β°C

    Day 3 in Singapore didn't fail to disappoint either. I got hands down what must have been the best bagel of my life at Keen's Bagelry (a recommendation from one of Adam's friends and I have never seen more organised google map saved tags!).

    I headed over to Gardens by the Bay for the evening to get to stroll around the park in the last of the daylight while waiting for the spectacular light show that dazzles the trees at quarter to 8 and quarter to 9 every day. It was honestly such a cool and amazing show and it was great to just zone out on the ground and look up to the dazzling sky.

    I strolled around more of the Marina, I don't think that place will ever fail to amaze me! I happened on the shopping mall and there was a full on Venetian canal at the bottom of it with a gondola.

    I got the metro over to Chinatown to stroll around for dinner. I still get overwhelmed by all the choice in Chinese restaurants but I happened to stumble across a Korean BBQ place which I felt I could handle based on my Chimac experience. I got some dumplings and got to grips with my fear of chopsticks.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 5

    Tree tops and Blooms

    November 10, 2023 in Singapore β‹… ☁️ 31 Β°C

    Started off the morning with a Shakshouka (a dish from North Africa) cause it sounded like Eggs Heuovs. But then I forgot to add in the sausage for extra and it was a very soupy breakfast of just eggs, tomatoes and peppers; it didn't set me up for the gizillion steps that were ahead of me today.

    Headed out to one of the reserves to do the tree canopy walk on a suspension bridge. I was tight for time as I also wanted to make the Botanical Gardens by the end of the day so I was racing around the forest trying to get there; taking one long detour that I had to loop back on didn't help either.

    But I got there in the end and the views from the bridge were amazing. The forest was also pretty much devoid of people so it was extremely peaceful walking around listening to the cicadas and the birds.

    Afterwards I got the bus to the National Botanic Gardens where the main attraction is the Orchid Garden and it was well worth the paid ticket to see the outstanding orchids that they have on display and learn a bit more about growing the plants and the different varieties. I'll have to get Dad out here to compare his orchid growing skills against theirs.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 6

    Last Day in Singapore

    November 11, 2023 in Singapore

    Food wasn't the best the night before and the stomach is paying for it today so it's gonna be a chill one.

    There was a little hidden forest in the city known as Clementi Forest where there are old abandoned railway tunnels and truss bridges. I got the metro to the spot and first checked out the old historic railway line that was turned into a tropical roadway. Pretty cool and nearly stepped on a monitor's tail when I wasn't looking at where I was going, not something you'd expect on a walk back home. I didn't actually find the elusive Clementi Forest as it was off the beaten track and looked to be quite muddy from the Google reviews so I let it off, but the old railway line was a lovely walk through the vibrant city.

    I then went to Haw Par Villa for some Chinese heritage. It's an old site that was created by the brothers who created Tiger Balm. It was a little run down and the Chinese folklore went over my head but it was graaand place to visit for half an hour and get some ice cream.

    I continued the walking trend and headed to the Southern Ridges which are a collection of parks and forests. The main attraction is Henderson Waves which is an awesome bridge that hangs 118ft above a busy main road and is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. I walked around the parks a bit and then headed back to the bridge to watch sunset which did not disappoint looking out over the docks.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 7

    Destination Yogyakarta

    November 12, 2023 in Singapore

    I wanted to get up a little earlier to head to the airport and catch the butterfly garden that I didn't get to see when I arrived in Singapore Airport.

    The butterflies were cool but the smell from the fruit left out to feed them and the heat of the enclosure was a bit too much for me to bear as my stomach was still iffy (having Indian on an already dodgy stomach was not my brightest move). So I had a quick look and then lumped myself outside my departure gate.

    I quickly realised I was no longer in the Western world with connected travel when I landed into Yogyakarta (although not many cities can compare to how smooth Singapore is to get around). It's a small airport and the train only runs every hour so I had a bit of a wait. I arrived at Snooze Hostel and the girls at reception were possibly the friendliest, happiest hosts I've ever had and gave me a full tour of the hostel.

    I then crashed for the day and looked up some things to do in Yogyakarta as the main temples to visit would be closed the next day. Rather than Indian as the cuisine of choice for the evening, I needed some home comforts so found an Italian and got some pizza (and also a baked spud!) .    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 8

    Batik Painting

    November 13, 2023 in Indonesia β‹… β›… 31 Β°C

    Snooze was the first night I actually had a decent sleep so I think I'm finally over the jet lag. As the main 2 temples were closed today, I headed out to explore the Water Temple Museum in Sulatan's Palace before heading to my Batik painting workshop in the afternoon.

    On my walk towards the Water Temple (in an illuminus green top with my GAA shorts) a guy on a bike stopped and we started getting to chat. He was explaining how some of the attractions are closed on a Monday but he knew good places that were open and that he was heading towards the Water Temple anyway to collect his son. After a few attempts to reject his offer for a lift I gave in and he dropped me to a 'shadow puppet workshop' where a tradesman started explaining all about Wayang Kulit (shadow puppets) and how they are made (leather) and what the different creations represent. The man was spouting out lots of information and I can't say I took too much of it in given my abduction but in the end it was an entertaining 10 minutes.

    After a small donation to the workshop I headed out and the guy on the bike was waiting to bring me to my next destination; I should have guessed my attire was far too touristy! Next he brought me to a coffee shop which I wasn't overly annoyed about as I needed one anyway.

    The coffee was 'Luwak' coffee which is coffee that is produced by feeding coffee beans to a civet (type of wild cat) that then digests the beans which ferment in its intestines. Afterwards, the bean is collected, washed and roasted. I vaguely had a recollection of the process from The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson. I have to say the coffee was actually nice and a novelty to try. While I was researching the actual process online I realised that the civits aren't treated the best and it's likely a lot of the coffee is not authentic given it is extremely rare for it to be produced by collecting actual wild civet digested beans. So afterwards I felt a little guilty but I needed the coffee and this shop was actually beside the Water Temple so it worked out in the end (and the bike guy must have went to collect his son cause he was no longer around).

    The Water Temple was a little underwhelming as there wasn't much to see in it and it was small. It was still nice to stroll through and I started to then explore the little side alleys where there was some street art which Yogyakarta is famed for.

    There were a few ominous claps of thunder and little drops of rain as I was walking towards the Batik workshop. It started to rain lightly then and I thought "this was fine, I don't need my coat" which I left at the hostel. But then after around five minutes of light rain here and there, the heavens opened and I had to take refuge in the nearest place I could, which happened to be a Muslim primary school. It was my first experience of a downpour on the trip and I assumed it would only last around 15 or 20 minutes (unfortunately this was wishful thinking). The rain was refreshing and the kids loved playing in it, one little chap placed himself under a drainpipe in his full uniform and splashed in the puddle which was growing into a mini river. He was hilarious.

    The kids were great craic asking if I supported Messi or Ronaldo and giving me high fives. But another kid had a drawing of a Palestine flag and asked if I liked Israel so I was still cognisant that I was in a Muslim school and not the most appropriately dressed for one. In the end the rain wasn't giving up and I needed to get to my Batik workshop so I got a taxi and avoided the last of the downpour.

    The Batik painting was super relaxing. Batik is a form painting onto a linen cloth with hot wax which is dyed or painted over. The wax is then boiled off to leave clear lines or dots, depending on your ornamentation of choice. They provided a stencil to follow and and one of the local painters then helped to add in more detail to the outline I started. Overall it was a great little break to hear the pitter patter of the rain while painting and to also soak in the professional pictures for sale while your own little square was drying.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 9

    Temple Run

    November 14, 2023 in Indonesia β‹… ☁️ 29 Β°C

    After a quick test drive of my bike and fuel stop last night, I was ready for my first Indonesian road trip and was 60% confident that I wouldn't die. The ride to the first temple was around an hour and a half and I had my ticket booked for 8.30 so I left at 6.30 to give myself some extra time to get there. Thankfully there was a holder for my phone on the handle bars and google maps worked perfectly so I only had to navigate the gizillion bikes and cars on the road but luckily it was a straight enough road with few right turns!

    I arrived at Borobudur Temple and struggled to find the entrance but got in eventually. It was a guided tour up through the 9 levels of this Buddhist temple. The guide was extremely friendly and as there was a large Polish group where another person was translating, we were provided with the information slowly and the translator had lots of questions so it was great for learning a little bit more about Buddhism. At the top level are the stupas (bell-like shrines with Buddhas inside) that the temple is famous for and it was cool exploring in and out of them.

    Afterwards I escaped up the hills for a mountain view lookout and also visited a paddy field for a drink and a rest from the midday sun.

    Next up on the temple safari was Prambanan which was another hour and half ride away. It rained a little on this ride and the big rain drops really feel like hail or bullets hitting you on the bike. My arse was also partially, if not completely numb by the end of the journey; those bikes don't stay comfortable for long!

    Prambanan was a little bit more relaxed compared to Borobudur. It's a Hindu temple and it wasn't a guided tour this time so I was free to explore. I got there around four in the evening so that I could enjoy the sunset there. There was a haze around the temple but the sun was shining through in the background so the grounds had an ethereal feeling. There was no spectacular sunset due to the haze, just encroaching darkness which meant it was time to head back to Yogyakarta to get some food and chill before getting my first night train.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 10–11

    Mount Bromo Sunrise

    November 15, 2023 in Indonesia β‹… ☁️ 25 Β°C

    I arrived in Malang after being pleasantly surprised by the night train, it was definitely worth paying extra for the business class seats. The Snooze Hostel was once again perfect and helped me organise my trips. I did a bit of research to see if I could bike up Mount Bromo myself rather than take a guided tour but decided night time biking up a mountain probably wasn't the best idea.

    Given I was up early that morning I chilled for most of the day once I checked in given I knew I would be up at midnight to start the sunrise tour. I did a little exploring around Malang to see the vibrant blue and coloured villages.

    The sunrise tour started by cramming into the back of a Toyota Land Cruiser and the group of 6 of us took off. I was quickly glad of not trying to bike it alone! After stopping for a while at a checkpoint for the park, we eventually reached the sunrise viewing point around 3.30am with sunrise due around 5.00am. So we chilled and got some coffee and then took our spots on the crest of the mountain to watch the sunrise above Mount Bromo.

    The view was amazing and we had a great morning with very little cloud cover. I sat in peace for nearly an hour slowly watching the sky brighten with red and golden hues. Just at the start and end of the sunrise the volcano made two little hiccups which slowly dissipated into the dawn sky. The whole spectacle really was an "awe" moment.

    After sunrise we were due back to our Land Cruiser for 5.15am to start our descent and make our way across the sand desert to explore the active volcano crater.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 11

    Volcano Exploring

    November 16, 2023 in Indonesia β‹… ☁️ 15 Β°C

    The descent in the Land Cruiser was much more thrilling now that we could actually see the steep ravines we were negotiating. Once we got to the bottom of the descent we raced across the flat sands to where we parked to explore the crater.

    The walk to the crater was short enough and gave us a little bit of time at the top before we had to head back to the jeep. At the top there appeared to be a trail across most of the rim of the crater which I would have liked to have explored further but unfortunately time didn't allow. The crater was cool though and was constantly billowing steam from its centre. The noise howling from it also caught me by surprise and was impressive.

    Once we returned to the Land Cruiser we settled in for our two hour journey back to Malang. On the way we got to go through the "Tellytubby" hills which the locals named for obvious reasons.

    I had a good shower back at the hostel as I was covered in dust and had a nap until early afternoon. I explored a bit more of Malang and while reading my book in the main square, two girls came up to me offering some home cooked meals they had which were wrapped in a banana leaf. It only cost 60c and their day seemed to have been made when I agreed. It wasn't the worst but I was also glad of the restaurants!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth East Asia 🌏
    Day 12

    Chasing Waterfalls at Tempu Sewak

    November 17, 2023 in Indonesia β‹… ☁️ 28 Β°C

    After recovering from the sunrise tour I rented a bike for a day to head out exploring Java's best known waterfalls, Tempu Sewak. It was a two hour journey so by the end of it my arse was pretty numb and I was itching to explore.

    The waterfalls did not disappoint! There was no one major standout waterfall but rather a collection of streams that cascaded down over cliff edges into the gorge at the bottom of the valley. The river at the bottom wasn't too engulfed but I could imagine it being a force to contend with in the middle of wet season after a downpour.

    There weren't many signs at the bottom so I was free to criss-cross between little waterfalls and streams and eventually found some water pools to hike up to through mini waterfalls. I went down one way and managed to come back up a different way so I think I got to see most of what Tempu Sewak had to offer!

    Afterwards I had some time to spare so lazily rode through some of the rural backroads. One bemused guy with his family on his bike pulled me over concerned that I had taken the wrong turn for the "correct" waterfall which was endearing as the Indonesian people are so nice and friendly. It was refreshing to explore the rural countryside and have a slight glimpse of what rural living in Indonesia is like given I'd only seen city living up to now.

    My arse couldn't take the whole two hour journey back home so I took a pitstop to watch the sunset over a corn field. The sunsets in Indonesia really are something with the whole sky illuminated in magnificent magenta colours. The idyllic scene was bliss bar the calls to prayer from the neighbouring mosques. As Java is predominantly Muslim, there are numerous mosque calls and so numerous men squawking down bad microphones in a cacophony of sound. But somewhere underneath I could still hear one or two bird songs.    Read more

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