We went down to breakfast just before 8.00 so that we could see our new friends, John and Lorraine, off on their trip out to Inle Lake. This group was leaving at 8.00 to travel to the airport and then spend 3 days out at the Lake.
There was a lot of milling around, hugging, well wishing and then they were off.
We went into breakfast and then back to our cabin to put our cases out. We had to vacate the cabin by 9.00 so that it could be cleaned and spruced for the incoming group at lunch time.
Those of us with afternoon flights went up to the lounge and sat chatting.
At 10.45 Terry announced that our coach was ready, we identifed our bags and checked that they were loaded before we got onboard. Then we were off, as I took a photo of the crew waving goodbye my camera SD card flashed that it was full. How about that, I started a new one as we got on the coach at Rangoon airport.
It took almost an hour to get to the airport and then we queued to go through security, queued to go through personal security, queued to check in, queued to go through immigration / departure.
Our flight was at 2.15 and we got through immigration at 1.35.
We were hungry by now so went to find some food - we found a little bakery and chose a couple of the only non-sugar items, cheese puffs. The coffee was good and the cheese puffs were the lightest, puffiest I've ever had; they just dissolved on the tongue. We probably needed something more substantial but there wasn't a lot of choice. We gave a large tip, to get rid of some local money and then found where we could exchange larger notes back into US dollars - at the gold and gem shop!
Now we were right to go, we had no local Burmese currency at all.
The flight down to Rangoon took an hour and was nice and quiet.
In Rangoon we had a 50 minute transit - we all had to get off the plane, walk down a corridor to the transit lounge, queue to put our hand luggage through security, queue to go through personal security, and then walk back, parallel to the corridor we'd come in on, to the Gate where we had just a 20 minute wait before boarding the same plane, in the same seats.
The flight was delayed 10 minutes whilst they removed some stones from the runway, then we were off. We were served a' light hot meal' but to be honest it was pretty awful. We both chose the chicken and rice option, but speaking to people later the fish alternative was totally inedible.
We landed in Singapore at 9.00pm local time. We had an incredibly short queue at immigration (lots of kiosks open). We soon collected our bags and we were out through customs to be met by a rep from APT who would be taking us to the hotel. 3 other couples from the cruise were joining us at this hotel - The Carlton City.
Soon our bags were in one mini van and the 8 of us were in the other, heading into the city.
We checked in at 10:15pm. All of us were starving and feeling very jaded.
Michael and I made sure that our bags would be taken up for us and headed out onto the street looking for food.
We turned right out of the hotel and walked a block where we spotted a nice looking cafe down a side street. It was busy, with lots of locals but there room for the two of us. We really enjoyed that meal. When we came to pay we had a little problem - they don't take international cards. Cash or some local swipe n go card only. We hadn't changed any money yet, we'd come straight out to eat.
After a few minutes the waitress spoke to a customer who agreed to take me to an ATM. Michael stayed back, (as a hostage). The nice man took me just a couple of streets and there was a row of 3 ATMs - opposite the hotel!!!
If we'd crossed the road, not turned right, we might have seen them but there was work going on on the pavement so the area was behind a light mesh fence, they weren't visible from across the road.
The restaurant gave the customer a free cup of coffee for his trouble and we both thanked him very much. Then we went back to the hotel, up to the 16th floor and discovered our bags in a HUGE room, with an equally HUGE bathroom. I managed to discover how the shower worked without scalding myself and then just before midnight we tumbled into bed. Exhausted but not hungry any more.
Singapore Friday Dec 15th
We had a city tour this morning so there was no time for a lie in. We went down to breakfast and then to the lobby where we met up with our fellow cruisers and waited for our mini bus. This mini bus took us to the meeting point where we were checked off the list and then we boarded a large coach for our City Tour.
Our first stop was to see the symbol of the city - the Merlion.
Our guide walked us, at a break neck pace, through a park and showed us where to get the best photo of the Merlion, he didn't recommend that we walk along the bridge to see it up close "too many people, too many children, much better view from here".
The park was opposite the Art Gallery and it was interesting to see the ferns growing up the tree trunks.
Then we were back on the coach and off to China town and a lovely quiet temple. Thian Hock Keng Temple (Temple of Heavenly Happiness) is one of the oldest and most important Hokkien temples in Singapore. It was completed in 1842, when it was a beach front temple. At the entrance to the Temple is a very low granite wall or barrier built to prevent the seawater entering the Temple during high tide. The entire structure was assembled without nails. It is an architectural masterpiece of stone, tiles and wood, dragons and phoenixes, amazing carvings, intricate sculptures and imposing columns.
It was so different to the gold pagodas of Burma and it felt strange to stand there with shoes on.
Then we went out to the Botanical Gardens.
Wow! What beautiful orchids.
We didn't have long enough to do more than just a quick walk through, and a tiny peek at the rest of the park.
Then it was back on the coach and out to Little India.
By now it was getting hot and we hugged the shade as we walked around the block. Then that was it - tour finished.
Our guide started telling us which mini buses we would be in to go back to our hotels - hang on a moment. You didn't tell us that we wouldn't be going back in the coach, some of us have left items in the coach. One man had actually left his wife on the coach (she feels the heat badly and so had stayed in the air conditioning).
So we stood in the shade and waited whilst he rang the driver and the coach came back.
Then we got into our mini buses and headed back to the hotel, spotting these two beautiful elephants at a road junction.
We checked out the supermarket opposite the hotel but there was no 'fast food' so we decided that as it was so good last night, and we have local money we'd go back to the same cafe. The Golden Cafe.
We had another great meal, went back to the hotel for coffee in our room and all thoughts of an afternoon stroll disappeared when we looked out of the window and saw that it was raining.
The rain had stopped by early evening so around 6.30 we went for a stroll around the neighbourhood. We passed a lot of bridal wear shops and saw a couple of cars being 'dressed up' for weddings. What bride wouldn't want a pink car??
There were lots of Korean BBQ restaurants with long queues outside but the Golden Cafe was nice and quiet so we made it 3 in a row.
Saturday 16th December
We saw our fellow cruisers at breakfast, all of us are going home at different times, some having a 3 day stopover, some 4 days.
After breakfast we went for another walk around. We really did check out the neighbourhood, we walked around a large residential estate and then when in sight of the hotel, I carried on solo as Michael's foot was hurting and he went back. I walked down one street where they were obviously preparing for a street party tonight, bands were setting up and the ends of the road were blocked off.
This Hindu temple was built in 1925 by Nattukkottai Chettiars, a noted money lending community from Tamil Nadu and dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god. The temple was given the name Layan Sithi as it was originally located at the old Sepoy Lines where Indian soldiers, known as Sepoys, used to be housed.
I like his slogans - We Buy Junk and Sell Antiques
Some Fools Buy Some Fools Sell
It wasn't long before I too headed back to the hotel.
Check out time was 12.00 noon so we were all packed and out at 11.55.
We checked out and left our bags with the concierge. We sat in the bar / bistro on the ground floor, we sat at a table by the window and people watched for an hour or so. Then we thought about food - we could go down to the Golden Cafe or eat here in the bistro. The menu looked reasonable so we ordered.
We ordered from the 'snack' menu,,satay sticks, potato wedges, squid rings and 2 coffees. Goodness me, the portions were full meal size. 10 satay sticks and a basket each of squid rings and of wedges. We definitely wouldn't be hungry on the plane later on.
At 3.15 I went and told the concierge where we were sitting so that he could find us when our transport to the airport arrived. He felt it best to double check our booking and rang the service, yes we were on the list. Just 15 minutes later a new Mercedes taxi arrived - our airport transport.
The drive out to the airport took less than 30 minutes. We got help to use the auto check in, dropped the bags off and were free to wander until the gate opened. We boarded the plane on time but were 25 minutes late taking off.
We had paid the extra for the exit row seats so that we had extra leg room, and no one would crush us by reclining their seat fully (always happens to Michael).
But although we tried it was still not possible to sleep, we just 'rested'.
Despite our late take off we actually arrived in Perth on time..12.00 midnight.
Perth Sunday Dec 17th
For the first time ever we were all 'held' on the plane once we reached the gate.
Australian officials from Quarantine and Bio security came on board and spoke to a couple of Chinese ladies. They seemed satisfied with the answers and left, then we were allowed off.
The automated immigration checks worked very smoothly and we were soon out at the carousel waiting for our bags - we had one bag and then the conveyor stopped. Luckily I spotted the other bag around on the other side so I went and retrieved it. We asked to see a quarantine officer to have a couple of items checked, the young lady checked out the pith helmet and parasol, was happy with both so we were out into the night.
A carpark shuttle bus arrived just 1 minute after we walked up to the stop, our stop was the first stop and our car was near the bus stop.
When I packed the bags in Singapore I had remembered to take out the car keys so that I'd have them at hand but I hadn't taken out the ticket to enable us to exit the car park. I knew where it was so before we got in the car I retrieved it and we were definitely good to go.
I drove out of the car park at 00:50. The sprinklers were on along the verge of Airport Road and I had to put the wipers on, then when we got to the highway I still needed the wipers on!? It was raining. It's December in Perth and it's raining. Michael stayed awake to be a second set of eyes, watching for kangaroos but it was a nice, safe uneventful drive home.
We got home and were safely indoors by 2.15am In bed at 2.30am.
We're back safe and sound, with so many wonderful memories.
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