• Ivan's Travel Blog
  • Ivan's Travel Blog

Hong Kong to Singapore

A 16-day adventure by Ivan's Travel Blog Read more
  • Trip start
    November 18, 2016
  • Hong Kong

    November 19, 2016 in Hong Kong ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Just arrived on Hong Kong Island. Flight wasn't too bad, just long. Got the MTR airport express into town. Quick and efficient, then a shuttle bus to hotel. View from our room on 27th floor isn't too bad, although hazy. Can even see the cruise terminal from up here, so will see Ovation of the Seas when she arrives on Sunday and again on Wednesday. Off out to explore now. Need to find a bar showing UTD v ARS.Read more

  • Hong Kong on foot

    November 20, 2016 in Hong Kong ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Nice day walking round HK. Walked from North Point down to Wan Chai and Cental, then took the Star Ferry over to Kowloon (20.5k on the fitbit today work folks) and back again. Still quite hazy over here, so the pics aren't great but hey ho. Mexican for dinner tonight, as you do in Asia! Picture of our arrival on Kowloon attached. Always fly in where we can. Avoids the peasants.Read more

  • My call button

    November 21, 2016 in Hong Kong ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    In the hotel bar, the outside garden bit, and the barman gives me this to call him whenever I need a refill...... hmmmmmm....... My thumb is getting a workout!

  • Wet...

    November 22, 2016 in Hong Kong ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    Pretty much rained all day today and we both got soaked, but manged to get out and about. Headed down to Stanley at the bottom of Hong Kong Island which looked like it would be a great place on a sunny day. There's a big market there, good for a few trinkets. Out with a mate last night at an English bar in Wan Chai. Getting around is quite easy on public transport.Read more

  • Ovation of the Seas

    November 23, 2016 in Hong Kong ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    Checked in and on board. All pretty quick. No hassles. It's a big boat, this thing. Biggest we've been on so far. Had a good wander around but only seen a small fraction so far. Got our muster stations drill in a couple of hours, then we'll depart Hong Kong and head off to the infamous Sanya in China. Better be worth the $25 visa!Read more

  • Onboard activities!

    November 24, 2016, South China Sea ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    Dawn seemed none the worse for her wind tunnel flying lesson. All a bit to undignified for me, lol! Plus they'd have to whack it up a notch or two to get me off the ground. Weather is improving. Finally stopped raining and we've got some sun. Arrive in Sanya, China in a couple of hours so the punters on the North Star ride are getting a good view from up there.Read more

  • Sanya, China

    November 24, 2016 in China ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Spent an hour or two wandering around. Strange place. Really felt like a foreigner, which I guess is obvious, but felt a bit out of our depth. We didn't stop for lunch..... On the plus side, they do like to light everything up at night, buildings and boats, which looks quite nice. Had a load of Chinese dignitaries being given a tour of the ship when we got back. Don't know who they were but had lots of Army types following them everywhere.Read more

  • Chan May, Vietnam

    November 25, 2016 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    The rain is following us. Chucking it down all morning and we're docked in an industrial port about 40 miles from town in any direction. Taxi's are not allowed in port, so if you've not booked a tour (which we haven't) there isn't much to see or do off the ship. So, gonna have a day onboard doing not a lot!Read more

  • Saigon, Vietnam

    November 27, 2016 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    T'internet been down for a bit, so few updates i'm afraid. Been wet anyway, so havent seen much. Had a shore excursion to Ho Chi Minh city, or Saigon which I prefer, today. Weather better, but there is a very foul smell at the port, which is about an hour from Saigon. Went to the "Reunification Palace" first. God knows why. We went in, up two flights of stairs to bathrooms that were full, then down four flights to the basement which was just a maze of rooms with desks with old phones on them. WTF!! Have since learned that it may have been the building that the Americans evacuated with Huey's at the start of the Vietnam war. Looked for a VC hidden in a bowl of rice waiting to stick a cap in my ass, but no joy (Pulp Fiction, guys). Next up was Notre Dame cathedral and the Post Office, both built by our French friend's many moons ago. After that, the oldest Pagoda in Saigon (built 700 AD or something, though looks like they could have knocked it out last week) and a trip through Chinatown before we got dropped off for an hour and a half on our own. Immediately decamped to a rather nice bar, The Long I think, in a big hotel. Two big beers and a nice lunch later, Saigon was looking a much nicer place. Refuelled and happy, picked up a t-shirt and headed back to the ship. Staying in smelly port overnight, then head off out tomorrow afternoon for a day at sea before arrival in Singapore on Wednesday morning. Night folks.Read more

  • Goodbye Vietnam

    November 28, 2016, South China Sea ⋅ ☀️ 0 °C

    Nothing much doing today. No trip organised for today so stayed on ship, although some friends did a trip to some caves not too far away and were also allowed to let rip on a range with M16's and AK47's. Would had some of that if Id known. $2 a bullet mind, so could have worked out expensive. Also, not sure who's face I'd picture at the end of the range! In Smelly port until about 5.30pm then set sail for Singapore. Should get in Weds morning. Already been told its going to be manic. Us with 4.5k passengers, and another boat with 3.5k arriving at the same time.Read more

  • Clarke Quay, Singapore

    November 30, 2016 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Arrived in Singapore at 8ish this morning. Although chaotic on board, as soon as we stepped off into the cruise terminal everything went really quickly. We were through and in a cab about 10 minutes after setting foot on Singaporean soil, and at the hotel about 20 minutes later. It's the same hotel that we stayed on on our first visit, and has had a refurb. All very smart. There's even a smartphone in our room loaded with maps to take around town with us, and to use for free calls home! Off out this evening to try to find this Michelin starred Hawker stall - Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle.Read more

  • Chinatown

    November 30, 2016 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    So, went looking for Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle. Found a place with the name emblazoned all over it but was closing up for the night. Not sure it's the real place anyway, as everything I recall about seeing it says its just a street hawker stall and this was a full on restaurant with plenty of seating. Either a blatant rip off or Mr Man has upscaled. Chinatown is only a short walk from the hotel so may have another look tomorrow.Read more