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Published: April 2nd 2008
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Returning to Bangkok to commence my next two week Intrepid trip, I book into the New World Lodge Hotel to meet with the new group - consisting of five 18/19 year olds called Cara, Serena, Lauren, Steve & Charlotte plus Holly 23 all from England, Angie in her mid 30’s from Canada (also on a world adventure), Katherine in her late 20’s from Perth Australia and Nick in his late 30’s hailing from New Zealand who was to become my room mate for the fortnight. The tour being led by Hannah 27 from Truro.
With it being my last night in Bangkok and craving some theatrical culture I headed to the Esplanade theatre reputed as having the highest stage in the world .The show consisting of music, acting and dance tells the story of Siam its histories and myths. With traditional dances and stage fighting amazing scenery and costumes, notable highlights from the show include a life size river lake opening up on stage with floating boats and swimming, 16 mythical people being flown around the stage and a thunderous monsoon rainfall into the lake.
The following morning I buddy up with Nick taking a luxurious 6 course breakfast
at Bangkok Guesthouse before heading to Jim Thompson’s historic house by Tuk Tuk and then retuning to take in a few interesting temples, breaking up for some shopping and lunch.
That evening the group gets together for its overnight sleeper train heading south to Khao Sok National park where we join a sureal disco carriage before tucking down in our ‘Some Like It Hot’ curtained sleeper beds. The following morning Bus trucks take us to our Jungle bungalows for two days of walking and relaxation.
Our next trip takes us further South to Krabi on the West coast, an area effected by the Tsunami in 2001, being renowned for its natural beauty. Highlights of our stay being a speed boat trip to the Phi Phi Islands, consisting of white sandy tropical beaches and pure clear sea water, also being the area where De’Caprio’s The Beach was filmed. As well as time spend walking around the Islands, we were all able to enjoy around two hours of snorkelling the surrounding coral reefs amongst the amazing tropical fish.
My second day I chose to head off on my own to join a trip known as the James Bond Experience.
After an 1.5 hour mini bus trip where I meet Katrina from Germany and led by our lady boy leader Kat we take a river boat ride passing lengths of mangroves and volcanic rock formations jutting out of the sea as seen in the Roger Moore film ‘A Man With A Golden Gun‘. Our destination in Tapoo Island where the huge nail like rock juts out of a small lagoon….an iconic image from the film. A kayak trip through caves and mangroves, lunch at a floating village and a cooling dip in a jungle waterfall river made for an amazing and memorable day.
The next day having spent over five weeks in Thailand I was sad to leave as we headed on a 10 hour trip to Malaysia. Joining a small minibus with locals to cross the boarder we arrive in Penang an island bridge by one of the longest bridges in the world at 4.5 kilometres long, is situated on the Malacca Straights known for its past strategic merchants history. Our hotel is bang in the middle of China town, which seems a little run down, that evening we all head to the night market for dinner, where
I try chicken feet, on our return passing a colourful trail of ladies in the night.
The following morning we take a tour taking in the towns museum, harbour and a hill top Buddhist temple, finishing the evening in a Northern Indian Restaurant where food is served on banana leaves and ending in a live music bar where I strike up a friendship with the singing duo and join them on stage for a number.
The following day we take another long 7.5 hour bus ride driven by ‘the driver from hell’ to Cameron Heights. Situated right up in the hills the town is rather over commercial and run down. The savour of the trip is an early morning tour of the tea plantations, before our return back down the mountains following the winding roads on another death bus where the chairs are all broken and the air conditioning doesn’t work…welcome to Malaysia?!
Eventually we get to our destination being the capital of Malaysia Kuala Lumpa. Again staying in its China town where the atmosphere of an evening market is right on our door steps. That evening Nick and I head for the Telecom tower for a
night time view of the city and meet up with the youngsters for a meal at TGF. The following morning I skip the optional tour to queue for tickets to visit the PETRONAS Twin Towers, the worlds second highest building. At 9.30am I am enjoying the experience of the sky bridge and have two tickets for Nick and Angie for later in the day.
When I exit the towers I choose to take a few day time photos of towers where I bump into a couple of local Malaysian girls who are celebrating a birthday. I spend sometime hanging out with them, later in the afternoon all going to the Red Box karaoke for a late lunch and singing. Having already met their aging uncle and not seeing it coming I was invited back to their home for more karaoke (I’m a sucker for karaoke) and taking a ten minute taxi out of town we arrive at their house. Within just a few minutes I meet another of their uncles…? Who tells me that he is a croupiers in local casinos and takes me to his office to show me some of the tricks of the trade. Within ten
minutes he is teaching me to count cards for a guaranteed win and invites me to join him for a gambling scam where he sees to get his revenge on a rich Bahrain princess??!!! Now I am beginning to worry and within minutes of mw confessing that I am a very honest mind and could not help him in his quest to make a half a million dollars…I am whisked back to town by a waiting car with my two Malaysian acquaintances. I guess my openness to meet new people of the world could have got me into a situation that could have been potentially quite dangerous and I thank my guardian angle for safe return.
That evening I meet up with the others for a few drinks at the Reggie bar before heading over to Travellers Hotel to the Sky Lounge at the top of a sky scrapper where this exclusive bar surrounds an indoor swimming pool over looking the PETRONAS Twin towers at Night. We get there just in time to bring in Charlottes 19th birthday where she blows on the lit towers to see them go out a mid-night.
The next day we head for
Malacca for an over night stay before we once again cross the boarder out of Malaysia to Singapore for another stamp in my passport. The tall sky scrappers and modern shopping centre is a draw for most. After visiting their theatre arts centre and booking my ticket for Queens ’WE Will Rock You’ for the following night, I join the others for a final night meal on the water front before heading for the famous Raffles Hotel where I enjoy a Singapore Sling cocktail in the peanut shell strewn Long bar where I enjoy the live sounds of their resident band. Just after mid-night I caught a bus to China town only to find after an hour that I had missed my stop, on learning this the bus driver ‘Geoff’ took me all the way back into town for my safe return….I love Singapore!!
The next day I book myself into a new hotel out of town and then I head to the theatre for a fantastic oriental lunch before I enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm of the Singapore performance of the Queen classic Rock Musical. This night I take an early metro train back to me hotel because
I have an early 3.30am start to the airport for my next adventure. Just two days previous I book myself a return flight to Siem Reap Cambodia for five days to explore the Angkor Wat temples and sample some of Cambodia’s culture.
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