Around the World in 80 Days: Februar 2012

Samstag, 25. Februar 2012

Singapore

Short stop over in Singapore before we are heading to Cambodia. Singapore is a city state with four official languages (English, Mandarin, Tamil-Indian, Malaysian), which made life easy for us there.

We enjoyed there the skyline of the city and the Clarke Quay (small lanes with French colonial architectural style old buildings, with an open modern Membrane roof, with cooling system). Half an afternoon we spent at the roof cafe of the Marina Bay Sands hotel and the rest we went by cable car to Island Sentosa.

Clarke Quay

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Skyline with Merlion

On the top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Dienstag, 21. Februar 2012

Ko Phi Phi

... is a small island group in the Andaman sea. It is existing out of a main island and some smaller uninhabited islands. We reached Ko Phi Phi Don after a two hour trip by ferry from Phuket and moved in a tiny bungalow with an outdoor rain-shower directly on the beach.
White sand beaches, amazing under water world, a beautiful nature made of jungle and rocks which are rising steeply out of the sea, that's the paradise where we spent the last week.
Two times we rent a long-tale boat to ride to lonely beaches and riffs to snorkel and swim. On Phi Phi Lay (one of these uninhabited islands) we visited the Maya Bay, which became famous through the movie "The Beach". On our trips we observed among other things clown-fishes, turtles, crabs and monkeys. The first time in my life I went diving, which was a great experience. After the first exercises in shallow water we went down to 10 m. In the evening we mostly rested in one of the restaurants on the beach and enjoyed tai food or seafood.
Another smart advise for my friends: Do not give your clothes to the laundry service, when the hotel will not take any responsibility for it. (Could happen that they are afterwards smelling worst than before.)

Welcome at Phi Phi Islands

Our travel group

Snorkel "items"

Find the monkey

Island: Phi Phi Lay

"The Beach" (Maya Bay)

On the way to an undiscovered island.

First diving instructions

wild jungle

Out-look at the viewing point

Mittwoch, 15. Februar 2012

Bangkok

Traffic, heat, noise, different smells, Tuk-Tuks, booths, fresh fruit, that's Bangkok in a few words. We spent four days in the capital of Thailand. Our advice: Do not believe people, who tell you that they are English teachers. They only want to cheat on you and steal your time, unless you are really interested to buy a suit.
The main sights we visited have been different temples (with standing, laying or happy Buddha), the Grand Palace with the emerald Buddha, Baiyoke tower, and the Chatuchak market. Between these sights we often relaxed at the pool at our hotel or in cafes at Khao San road. In the evening we once went out at Sukhumvit district and observed the happening there. On the last afternoon I also met an old friend in a furniture store whom I haven't seen for many years.
On Sunday early in the morning we left the hectic city to our next destination, a small silent island in the south of Thailand.