The final days

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The trek to Bangkok by Mike

We departed the ship early morning and got an excursion which for us was as much about getting our luggage to the airport as anything else. We went to a couple of places we had already seen like Hagia Sophia although we went to a different area which was nice. It was still a buzz seeing it again too. We went to the Hippodrome – the venue of sporting contests in ancient times. Chariots would ride in and race here. There was also a pillar brought from Egypt to Constantinople which was cool as didn’t get there. We took tons of photos for you Carl! We then went to the Chora Museum which was a church and it contains some of the most beautiful mosaic.

Then there was the trek to Bangkok…

2 hours at Ataturk Airport before check in, 4 hours to Dubai, 90 minute delay – went to wrong gate because they had changed it without telling us, so in one of the worlds longest airport this means going to another terminal which is elevator, escalator, train, elevator, escalator! All this and I find my true worth…I find out that 2 hours of my life is worth a warm can of plain brand orange soft drink and a dry multi handled croissant (that I wouldn’t consume) to Emirates…thanks for the compensation! (a rider that Emirates has been bloody great to be honest – Alitalia not so much). 10 hour flight to Bangkok. Arrive at lunchtime and we are absolutely shattered!



Three nights in Bangkok by Michelle

Our days spent in Bangkok don’t seem as busy as other parts of the trip and this in part is due to the fact we are so exhausted by now that sleep ins are happening despite alarm clocks! It is also due to the fact that Bangkok is energy draining due to the heat! The hotel pool is an absolute godsend and we enjoy every moment spent in it.

Day 1 – Sleep in, swim then off to the markets. They are like a $2 shop town – hot, stinky, filthy and filled with crap, fantastic! This was the Bangkok I was excited to see! We caught a tuk tuk back to the hotel and what an experience. Just like on television, cars in all directions and horns blaring, only difference is now we are in the middle of this in an open, exposed vehicle! Caught a cruise up the river that night and it looked beautiful with all the temples and other special places lit up. Cruise itself was a bit stuck back in the 80’s with wedding singer style musicians but all part of the adventure!

Day 2 – woken by housekeeping banging on the door, how rude – until we realised it was 12:00! Jake feeling a bit unwell so we left him in the hotel to chill while Mike and I went to a local shopping mall to browse around. It was the super flash one with all the high end brands. Seven stories high with an upmarket car dealership on each level – Ferrari, Mazeratti, Ducati etc. Needless to say we only browsed, no present buying here sorry!

Day 3 – Caught a cab to the Grand Palace. Met by man as we get out who says it’s a special day so the Palace is closed to the public until 2:30. Offers us tuk tuk for 30 bart (NZD 1.20) to take us to standing Buddha temple and couple of other main sights. Off we go! The Temple of the Standing Buddha is amazing, about 30 metres high of gold coloured, shiny Buddha staring at you! The whole temple is very shiny and blingy. Meet back at our tuk tuk at agreed time and alarm bells should have rung when driver says he needs to go to the loo and can we wait. Nek minut – nice man comes up and starts talking to us about the significance of rubies in bringing family luck and how husbands and wives need to buy them for each other. Tuk tuk man comes back and guess where our next stop is? A jewellery shop! No thanks! Next stop his uncles silk shop, no thanks! One more shop he says – NO we say, back to the palace NOW please! Turns out tuk tuk drivers will drive you for nothing if you agreed to go to their family shops. A quick look at the exterior of the palace followed by an equally quick stop by the Wat Po – home of the Reclining Buddha is all we have time for then it’s off to the airport bound for Sydney.



My parents are such slackers making me do the first entry in this blog. Yuck.

Sydney by Jacob

So we arrive in Sydney it’s the first time in 6 weeks where the weather is actually cold. First we went to the hotel around lunchtime-early afternoon and fortunately we didn’t have to wait to check in because our room was just finished getting cleaned! We then went to Darling Harbour and we walked around there for a bit. This is completely irrelevant but I need to say this, I’ve put this sentence hidden in the middle of my blog so my parents can’t see it. My parents are lazy and made me do the first writing thing, whatever they say, they are lies all lies. We then moved on to a ferry and did a mini cruise around the harbour learning about the historical sites bordering the harbour. After the mini cruise we went into the rocks to the Observer Pub. We had burgers, drinks and watched the Melbourne Cup. Mother with my pro assistance won $50 because number 6 won! She couldn’t have done it without my advice telling her to go for number 9. Anyways we then went back to the hotel and chilled. We are now in the airport and we are up to date. No I can’t write about anything, how unfortunate.



Ps. Without the Sydney Opera House, Sydney would have nothing.
Pps. The Opera House looks like sails.
Ppps. Sails are from boats.
Pppps. Therefore the Opera House is a boat that will become the next Noah’s Ark and save us from the apocalypse.

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