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Around the World 2023
  • Hen Tours

Around the World 2023

A 262-day adventure by Hen Tours Read more
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  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Georgetown

    December 28, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    The one hour time difference meant a little lie in. We went for breakfast which turned out to be in the grand ballroom at tables ready for new year celebrations. A bit OTT for breakfast but all good experiences and they HAD blue cheese 🧀😋.

    We then went on a walking tour of Georgetown. It was hot and humid but we managed about 3 hours. We saw various temples, museums and mosques.

    We relaxed in the afternoon. In the evening we walked back to look at the street art and had dinner in an Indian restaurant.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Georgetown

    December 29, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    More cheese for breakfast 🥞 then we got a grab to the hill station funicular. The place was heaving so we decided to get up early tomorrow instead.

    We got a grab to a temple only it dropped us in the wrong place. Instead we walked back to the hotel and visited some of the jetties along the way.

    In the afternoon we gathered up the much neglected laundry and walked to the nearest laundromat. It took about an hour for a wash and dry so we walked around the different streets looking at shops and markets.

    We returned to the hotel with clean clothes and in the evening went for pizza 🍕.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Penang Hill

    December 30, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We got up early and had breakfast at 6.30am. We then got a grab to the funicular. Surprisingly it was pretty busy at 7.30am but no where near as busy as yesterday. We bought the tickets and queued for 5 minutes before boarding.

    The funicular travelled really quickly and the journey took about 2 minutes. We walked around at the top of the hill where the air was a bit cooler.

    After a while we caught a funicular down and then got a grab to the bus terminal to check where the bus leaves from tomorrow morning.

    We then walked back to the hotel, looking in a few tourist shops along the way.

    In the afternoon I did a bit of work and we wait huge cruise ship 🛳️ go out. In the evening we went to a Vietnamese restaurant and I had a delicious hot pot.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Georgetown to Cameron Highlands

    December 31, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Up early and breakfast and a grab to the bus station. We got our bags and selves on board and had a 5.5 hour drive up the winding mountain to the Cameron Highlands.

    We got ourselves to the hotel, inside a shopping mall. It wasn’t all closed up but after a phone call a lady came a let us leave the bags.

    We had some lunch and could then check in. The room was above the shopping mall but was ok with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms but minimal kitchen facilities.

    We then went for a walk around town and got some supplies before relaxing for a while.

    In the evening we followed a long held NYE tradition and went for bed straight after dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Cameron Highlands

    January 1, 2024 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I was awoken at midnight with fireworks, which went on for about 30 minutes with music.

    At proper get up time we had breakfast and walked down the road to meet our tour guide. We drove around and picked up a few others.

    Our first stop was the tea plantation, the second biggest in Malaysia. We then drove to the highest point in the Cameron Highlands and went for a little walk along a board walk through the mossy forest. Today was the first day in months the sun could be seen and the clouds cleared. We then headed to the tea factory, which was closed but the tea shop was open.

    The guide drove us back to town where we had some lunch. After lunch we spent time in the apartment and in the evening we went for curry for dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur

    January 2, 2024 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Last of the yucky muesli eaten for breakfast and then we checked out of the shopping mall hotel. We walked down to the bus terminal and found our bus to Kuala Lumpur.

    The locals loaded some goods on board and snaffled some strawberries off the back of the truck.

    The bus eventually departed and we arrived in KL around 12pm. We got a grab to the hotel and after sorting out the date rearrangement chaos they let us check in.

    We walked to the mall for lunch and then tried to catch the free bus to the market. However the free bus was charging now, apparently this started yesterday. Instead we went to the supermarket and got supplies for our upcoming long train day.

    In the evening we walked to food street and had dinner before walking back, past the prostitutes to the hotel.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler
    1

    Kuala Lumpur

    January 3, 2024 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Another night, another major migraine! As a result we had a very late start (by our standards) and went for breakfast around 8.45.

    After breakfast we walked to the MRT and caught the underground to the market. We wandered around looking at various things but failed to buy anything. We caught the train back to the mall and got some lunch items from the supermarket.

    I watched a movie in the afternoon, while the rain passed through. In the evening we went to food street for dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru

    January 4, 2024 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Up early and a grab to the train station. As we went to get the 8.30am train the lady checking tickets pointed out that I had bought tickets from JB Sentral but I was standing in KL sentral. Ooops!

    I managed to get tickets for the right train and use credit from cancelled trains but… the new train wasn’t until 12.19pm. A 4 hour wait. After establishing there was no air conditioned was room and no comfortable seats, we sat on the massage chairs without the massage function.

    Eventually the heat got too much and we found uncomfortable seats under a fan. I passed the time doing some work. Eventually the call for a train came. What an unusual procedure. We scanned through a ticket barrier and sat in a waiting area, a few metres from where we’d been waiting for 4 hours. I looked around wondering where we would board. After a while, a lady held up a sign saying‘follow me’ so we followed her, through the station, down an escalator, to another ticket gate. Here she left us and we had to find the platform, down escalators. Eventually we got there. The train came and we boarded easily.

    It took about 2.5 hours to get to Gemas where we had to change trains. We arrived in Johor Batu at 7.45pm. After an almighty faff and argument with grab and the driver , we got to our hotel.

    We checked in and had dinner (well, Simon had 2 dinners because I thought it tasted dreadful) before bed.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Johor Bahru to Singapore

    January 5, 2024 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    After not a great night’s sleep, we had not a great breakfast. Our last hotel breakfast of the trip.

    Our grab came quickly and dropped us at the train station. We followed the signs to Woodlands, the Singapore side of the crossing. We reached a point where we had to ask for directions only to find we were in completely the wrong place. Not normally a major issue, except this time we had cleared Malaysian immigration. We were‘escorted’ to a customs office where we handed over our passports and an official checked us back into Malaysia and directed us on our way. We walked all the way back where we had come from and found a tiny sign saying to Singapore.

    Eventually the gate opened and we went through immigration to wait for the train. When it arrived we all scrambled on board for the 5 minute journey across the strait to Singapore.

    At the other side we got off and went through Singapore immigration and customs before exiting the station. After being told to get off a bus and walk, we managed to find a bus that would take us to the MRT station. It turned out to be a long way and walked wasn’t really an option, despite the rude bus driver’s advice.

    We found the north south line and caught the train to city hall station. We then walked a short distance to the Peninsula Excelsior hotel where, unusually, they let us check in early.

    After a cuppa, we went downstairs to the shopping mall and stuffed our faces with the first salad since we left Japan!

    We then caught the train to Chinatown and walked round before coming back to the hotel to cool off and relax.

    In the evening we walked to the sunset and bought salad, bread and reduced price Stilton for dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Singapore Day 1

    January 6, 2024 in Singapore ⋅ 🌩️ 29 °C

    I had the bright idea of going to Parkrun this morning. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while but couldn’t last time due to COVID restrictions.

    We got up early and got a grab to the east coast car park where we had the briefing. At 7.40am we set off. The Singapore heat and humidity didn’t make it easy but we both managed it.

    We got a grab back to the hotel and had showers and breakfast.

    We then caught a bus to the botanical gardens and walked around the National Orchid Garden for a few hours. The flowers are spectacular.

    Afterwards we went for lunch spa cafe in the gardens and then caught a train back. After more showers, water and cuppas we walked to a laundromat to try to deal with the washing from the last 2 weeks.

    For dinner we had leftovers from yesterday.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Singapore Day 2

    January 7, 2024 in Singapore ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    We woke up to rain, lots of rain. We caught a bus to as close to the Gardens by the Bay as we could but it wasn’t very close. We walked and walked through the Marina Bay Sands hotel, and walked. We reached the shuttle stop and decided to get the shuttle. Closed due to inclement weather, yes that’s why we wanted the shuttle!

    We sat and waited for the rain to ease but it didn’t so we walked. We reached a Shakeshack and had burgers for breakfast.

    We had dried out a little by the time we’d eaten breakfast so we went to the cloud dome and spent a few hours walking around looking at the different plants. We came out and had a drink before going into the flower dome and looking at the baobab trees and other plants.

    We then made our way to the tree grove but the walkway was closed due to the weather so we walked back to the MRT and returned to the hotel.

    We dried off and went for burritos for lunch and then walked around the shops at Bugis.

    In the evening we walked down to the river front and had some Vietnamese food for dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Singapore Day 3

    January 8, 2024 in Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We got up to find it had stopped raining. We went to the mall and had kaya toast and eggs for breakfast and then caught the train and bus to River Wonders.

    We spent a few hours walking around looking at the different fish and animals before returning to City Hall MRT.

    We went to the supermarket and got some supplies and then walked back to the hotel.

    In the area we sorted out the luggage ready for our flight to Australia tomorrow.

    In the evening we walked to Raffles for Singapore Slings but the queue to get in the bar was so long we decided not to bother.

    Instead we went back to our hotel room and had salad and beer. We know how to live it up!    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Singapore to Sydney

    January 9, 2024 in Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We woke to another grey day and had breakfast in our room.

    We packed up and checked out at 10.30am and caught the train to the airport. We walked to The Jewel 💎 and checked into our day room at Yotel.

    We went for lunch and shopping around The Jewel before watching some TV and relaxing in the afternoon. We dropped our cases at the Jewel check in which made life a little easier.

    In the early evening we had our showers and checked out. We walked over to Terminal 3 and went to duty free to get some perfume.

    We eventually boarded the flight to Sydney for the 7 hour flight.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Sydney Day 1

    January 10, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Back in the southern hemisphere for the first time in a long time.

    2 hours sleep, short flight, and a seat kicker.

    We landed early but got stuck on the runway with no gate available. Eventually we made it off the plane and through immigration. Bag collection and customs was a faff, worse than Auckland but we got through and met Catherine.

    We drove to Claire and Glen’s house at Blackheath in the Blue Mountains. After a cuppa we went to the pub for lunch. I had Barramundi which was tasty.

    We went back to the house and got changed and drove to the National Park and went for a few walks.

    We then drove to a different place to look for Lyre birds but there weren’t any.

    We had risotto and wine for dinner and Buster the dog got to come to bed with us.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Sydney Day 2

    January 11, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Glen made us breakfast and we set off at 9am. We drove back to where we were last evening and parked up. We then set off down into the valley. Down and down. As we descended the plants changed and became green, more like NZ plants. We walked along the valley, under water falls and over stepping stones. We saw some Yabbies. After a while we started to walk back up. Up and up. At the top Glen and I went back to the car while the others walked back.

    When everyone was back we had lunch. We then went to look at some different view points and took the dogs with us.

    In the evening we went to the pub for dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Sydney Day 3

    January 12, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Sore calves from walking yesterday. We went out for breakfast, yummy.

    After breakfast we drove to another walk. This one was along a ridge so up and down but nothing major. It took about an hour each way.

    The sun was shining and hot so it was taking a lot of effort.we saw black cockatoos and water dragons.

    We came back and had lunch and relaxed in the afternoon. In the evening we went to Katoomba for pizza and drinks in the Carrington Hotel.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Sydney Day 4, the penultimate day

    January 13, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Finally some sleep. Up and breakfast and packing.

    We went to the see some more outlooks and then into the village for vanilla milkshake. We looked around the shops and I bought a dress. Back at the house we finished the packing before getting in the car.

    We drove to Catherine’s house and she had made us Pho 🍜 for lunch. We sat in the garden for a while and then Glen drove us to the airport hotel.

    We checked in and organised our bags ready for our flight home tomorrow.

    In the evening we went to the hotel restaurant for dinner.    Read more

  • Hen ToursAround the World 2023Traveler

    Sydney to Wellington, a full circle

    January 14, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Up early (for the last time) 😂😂😂😂 showered and packed. We checked our bags in and made our way to the Koru lounge for breakfast.

    We boarded our last plane ready for our flight to Wellington. A bit of a bumpy landing into Wellington. We got an Uber home.

    The end.    Read more

    Trip end
    January 14, 2024
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