Kathmandu Arrival - We're Not in Singapore Anymore

Catching a cab at 5 am in Singapore was easy. After bidding a fond farewell to the YMCA staff, we walked a couple of blocks and stood on a main street. Within 30 seconds a cab showed up. The 30 minute ride to the airport was a breeze and as usual, the Singapore airport was a model of efficiency and comfort. Hoyt caught up on some journal writing as we waited for our flight, and I walked around a bit. To our delight, our first flight to Bangkok was upgraded to business class so we were treated to adjustable, massaging seats on the 777 and a very tasty breakfast. After two hours we landed in Bangkok and seemed to walk the entire length of the airport to reach our connecting flight to Kathmandu. We walked past beautiful displays, flowers and many, many travelers. Our flight to Kathmandu was three hours – more business class and a lunch of red snapper and spiced rice, with a fruit and cheese platter and nice French wine – though I had to restrain myself, needing to keep my head once we arrived in Nepal. The views of the Himalayas from the plane were stunning. Kathmandu airport is a cacophony of sight and sound and we definitely had the feeling we had stepped back in time – so different from Singapore. Yet, many references to modern culture, especially related to travel. There must be hundreds of travel agencies here. The airport looks disorganized but is not – we breezed through customs and immigration in no time. We were told there were no buses we could take to our hotel (thank goodness) but would need to take a taxi instead. No problem – we were approached by an official looking man and his entourage who said they could take us to our hotel. The streets of Kath are chaotic – back to lots of motorbikes and honking cars, dirt streets, street vendors and the like. After about a half an hour, we arrived at the Hotel Shakti where we will be spending the next three days. We had not changed money yet, so Hoyt had to pay the driver in USD – he tried to shake us down a little, but it was worth it to get us to the hotel safely. Hotel staff were very helpful in getting us settled in. I opted to take a nap while Hoyt found the ATM and more shopping. When he came back, we had a beer in the nice hotel garden – it was Tuborg! Not our favorite, will try the local brew, Everest, tomorrow. After a bit of more shopping, we had a very nice Nepali dinner at the Thamel House Restaurant in town. Chicken dumplings, veg soup, rice, mutton, mixed vegetables, and a delicious soy bean salad that reminded us of Burmese tea leaf salad. We were offered some “wine” poured from a great distance into a small bowl that was very strong and was said to ward off all kinds of nasty stuff and cure various ailments, and make you feel warmer. It did just that! Finally, we were treated to some traditional Nepalese dancing. After a long day, we were very tired so went back to the hotel and back to bed by 8:30 (due to the time change, it would have been 10:45 for us in Singapore). Nepal changes the time increments by 15 minutes and not on the hour. It is very cold here at night, and it is a treat to be able to wear a long sleeved shirt and not sweat! A nice comforter on the bed was just the trick, even with the extremely hard mattress. I woke up with about 10 hours sleep and time to write this before we go to breakfast. We’re planning some independent touring today before our group tour Road to Delhi

begins tomorrow.

Last day in Singapore

Our last full day in Singapore. We sleep in a bit, get down to breakfast by 9:30 and then plan our day for one last attraction, the Asian Civilisations Museum down on the Singapore River. It’s only one stop away on the MRT. We arrived about 2:30 which would leave plenty of time for touring and to find an early dinner. The building is a an old colonial and housed the Parliament at one point. Divided into three floors, it covers southeast Asian, China and Middle Eastern cultures. We found the middle eastern calligraphy and paper marbling techniques very interesting. We gained some new insights into shadow puppets from the region. We marveled at the special collection of textiles and musical instruments from India. After the museum, there was only one thing left to do – find some hawker food! Singapore is known for its street food. Originally, the street vendors were in dark, dank and rather unclean areas but now are highly regulated, with most of the hawker centres inside. So down to Chinatown we went. The choices go on and one with many food stalls to choose from. Hoyt had a delicious soup where he picked the ingredients – various types of soya and tofu, meatballs and dumplings in a savory sauce. I opted for my favorite Hainese chicken rice and a plate of bok choy. Delicious! Our plates cost just

$5 Singapore dollars each. Time for dessert – more choices. Hoyt had a guava milkshake and I had an ice jelly fruit cocktail for 80 cents. By now it was 8:30, so back to the hotel to pack and turn in early. We need to wake up at 4:30 to catch a cab by 5:00 am for our early flight to Kathmandu.

River Cruise and Night Safari

Today we spent quite a bit of time planning the day’s activities, especially the plan for the night safari. So many choices….we didn’t leave our room until about 1:30 pm. We went down to the MRT station hoping to buy a day pass only to find that they didn’t sell them at the station. We were told to go to the tourist info center instead, about a half a dozen blocks away. They didn’t have them either, but the very helpful agent said we didn’t need one – it would be more cost-effective to buy single tickets instead. She also fixed us up with a bus arrangement to the night safari and information on our taxi ride to the airport for our very early flight to Kathmandu on Thursday morning. Well worth the trip and time! After thanking her profusely, we hopped back on the MRT down to Clark Quay to catch a Singapore river and harbor cruise, where we saw wonderful views of colonial architecture contrasted with the modern buildings, the most impressive being the new Marina Bay Sands resort with the boat structure on top of the three towers. This is supposed to be one of the most expensive hotels in the world. We cheated a bit and grabbed some photos off the internet

to show the view from the swimming pool on top, 55 stories up. Once the cruise was over, we grabbed an early dinner since our bus to the night safari was scheduled to leave at 5:55 pm.

After much confusion, we finally found the bus pickup spot, in front of a private college that had vacated its building; no wonder we couldn’t find it. We reached the night safari at 7:00 pm and viewed a couple of the pre-tour shows, followed by a tram around the grounds. It was interesting seeing all kinds of wild animals in their habitats, though it was even more rewarding to hop off the tram and take the trails on foot instead. We particularly enjoyed the up-close views of fishing cats, otters, sloths, porcupines and leopards (called Bintang in Malay, the same name as the national beer in Indonesia!). We also saw flying foxes, raccoons, civet cats, rhinos, lions, tigers, storks, flamingos, hyenas, wolves, fish, barking deer (very tiny), elephants, snakes and crocodiles. No monkeys, since primates are not nocturnal! We left at 10:30 for the bus back to the city and another fabulous view of the Christmas lights on Orchard Road.

Singapore Day Two - Hop On Hop Off

To my amazement, I actually wake up early and complete several blog posts. It’s good to catch up so we can put Indonesia to rest. We loved it, but it is time to move on. Breakfast at the Y features BBQ pork buns, traditional porridge, chicken sausage, eggs, bread pudding, green salad, cereals and wonderful coffee and tea. People from all over the globe stay here, including some youth groups. They have a hostel here, but we’re staying in one of their deluxe rooms. Nicest bathroom ever and very quiet. After a leisurely start, we plan to take the hop on/hop off bus for an orientation to the city. There are several, but we select the Green line “ethnic” which stops at Little India and the Arab district. Little India was a feast for the senses with delicious spicy cooking aromas and the smell of incense, colorful shops and alleyways. We enjoyed the Arab Street area too, especially the big mosque. We missed our connection at Arab Street but it turned out to be fortuitous, since we caught another double-decker bus for a tour through Chinatown, by Raffles Hotel, and other awesome sights. Our driver suggested that we might enjoy the Botanical Gardens and it did not disappoint – it is hard to describe what we saw there. A truly world-class orchid garden, all manner of trees, specially decorated Christmas trees, bromeliads, lakes, and on and on. We missed our hop-on connection because it

was after 6 pm, but we didn’t care – we opted to take the MRT back to our hotel. This was a learning experience as we discovered how to pay and use the ticket – but once in the station, the train to the stop nearest our hotel arrived quickly. The trains are fast and quiet – and clean, of course. Once we alighted the train, we entered the bustling Singapura shopping center and experienced a cacophony of fast food restaurants and shops. We made our way back to Orchard Street and to our hotel where we enjoyed a quiet but good meal at the Y’s very good restaurant plus a hot cup of tea. We did not miss the beer at all. All in all a wonderful day full of discovery.

Singapore arrival

Once we landed at the very modern and efficient Singapore Airport, we breezed through immigration and customs, then went searching for a post office to ship home Hoyt’s musical instruments purchased in Java and Bali, as well as things we wouldn’t need anymore, like sarongs and a snorkel. As promised, the Singapore Post has a location at the airport that is open until 9:30 pm. We needed the biggest box they had, and had to do some creative packing just to get everything in. Then we had to secure our box with tape all around and reinforce the corners. Finally we finished up, with the help of the very friendly postal staff. Our items are expected to arrive home in about 2 ½ months, since we shipped them slow boat. Then off we went to find our Bus 36 which will drop us off about a block from our hotel. After some missteps, we find the bus garage and within a few minutes, Bus 36 arrives. It’s not very full at first, but that changes rapidly as commuters arrive about 6:00 pm. We’re concerned that we will miss our stop, but Hoyt asks the bus driver to tell us when it’s the next stop and he did. As we are driving into the city, we can’t help but notice the beautiful skyline and the Singapore Flyer. After about an hour, we arrive at the bus stop and manage to hoist our bags without a hitch, but our glasses fog up immediately from the extremely high humidity. It’s cooler than Bali, but much more humid at least tonight. We have a good dinner at the hotel including one of my favorite Singaporean dishes, Hainese chicken rice. No beer, since we’re staying at the YMCA International. It’s a great hotel with the best bathroom we’ve had on the trip, plus the staff is very nice and helpful. We decide to go to Orchard Road to check out the Christmas lights, which are blue and twinkly and go on for miles. This is shopping central and they are all dressed up for the holidays. It’s nice to be able to look at the shops without the constant haranguing we experienced in some parts of Bali, especially Kuta, to buy their kitsch. That, and you can drink the water! We turned in early, and I tried out the internet connection in the room before going to bed, secretly hoping that it wouldn’t work so I’d have an excuse not to blog. No such luck – it was the best connection we’ve had and fast, too. I tell myself I’ll get up early to blog – just too tired.

Farewell dinner at Padangrai

Bali Belly and Views from Bodur

Although I enjoyed the chicken and coconut sate last night, I didn’t enjoy it the second, third and fourth time as I became very ill with a bad case of "Bali Belly

about 1:00 in the morning, giving many offerings to the porcelain gods. After a fairly sleepless night – thankfully, Hoyt slept all the way through and was not affected – I woke up at sunrise and looked outside – it was still foggy over Mt. Batur and the lake below. I couldn’t face breakfast and stuck to a liquid diet all day long, which agreed with me. Several of our fellow travellers met the same fate, so about six of us were sick but we all recovered for dinner. Fortunately, Hoyt took some spectacular photos from out hotel overlooking the craters of Mt. Bodur and the lake below. We also saw one of the most impressive Hindu temples yet, and a very interesting temple and museum that depicted karma. When someone was accused of a crime, they were taken to the center of the compound to a special table, where the chief would preside. Then, they learned their fate both now and in the afterlife. Artwork on the walls depicted what would happen to them in the afterlife. For instance, those who killed animals for sport would meet a similar fate. Steal from your neighbor, get boiled in a vat of water. We arrived at the lovely harbor town of Padang Rai for our last night as an intact group. Very hot here, so we headed for the pool where we watched a lively game of volleyball in the pool and cooled off. Most of the tour members would be traveling to Lombok with Gede for another seven days of touring, while five of us would be returning to Kuta for our last evening. We had a farewell dinner at the Buddha Restaurant down the street featuring a renowned German chef. I had grilled mahi mahi and Hoyt had an excellent goulash. Great way to cap off a memorable tour as we start our journey to Singapore.

Leaving Lovina, on to Mt. Batur

What a relaxing morning! A leisurely breakfast, a stroll to the black sand beach (where Hoyt was immediately propositioned to buy a shirt and I yet another sarong), and back to our room to pack for our 12:30 departure. Then on the bus again with stops to visit a market – primarily food and the foodstuffs and supplies used for temple ceremonies. The vegetables were magnificent, especially the chilies, garlic and shallots. And we tried the black sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves that is used for temple ceremonies – quite a treat. Then, on to the old harbor area where an international mask exposition was underway, with displays not only from Indonesia but from all over the world.

Our sarong-tying skills were put to the test today as we visited a Hindu temple. A sash is also mandatory, but available at the entrance. Fortunately, I bought one at the market in Ubud. The sash has ceremonial significance but is also practical in that it keeps your sarong from falling off. The inner sanctum of the temple (actually, the third area in the compound, reached through a series of steps) is off-limits to everyone but priests. When someone is called to clean the temple, they must go through a purification ceremony; then, they can clean it. Since the temples are outdoor structures, this also involves pulling weeds that accumulate. On to Mt. Batur. It’s about 1500 meters up, and our hotel has a view of the lake below and of the volcano and craters from our room. They offer an optional trek to Mt. Batur, but this requires a 3:00 am wakeup call and two hours of trekking, and then you see the sunrise. We opted to see the sunrise from our room instead – been there, done that with Bromo. It’s nice and cool here, and by the time we arrived it was 6:00 pm. After resting, Hoyt and I joined the others for dinner at the hotel restaurant – really the only option, since everything else closes up here in the late afternoon. It was very good – we had chicken and coconut sate. So it’s time to turn in early to prepare for the sunset.

Lovina Rest Day - Snorkeling and Hot Springs

Today was the vacation day from our vacation! Hoyt went snorkeling and left at 8:30 am for the hour trip to the island along with a few others on our tour doing diving and snorkeling. I opted for a trip to the hot springs at 10 am. My driver picked me up on motorbike and off we went for the 20 minute trip through the small villages area and up a small hill to the springs. I wanted to take photos along the way but thought it best to hang on to my driver. I felt a bit daring at first but quickly got used to darting in and out of traffic and feeling the twists and turns of the road. The springs featured three pools and waterfalls, and a nice changing area. It was pleasant and therapeutic. Returned to the hotel about 1:30, went to the pool for

a mixed fruit drink and hung out the rest of the afternoon waiting for Hoyt to return about 3:45. He enjoyed his time, was sunburned (so was I in the pool) but it was so nice to have a small respite from our trip, we feel so much more refreshed. Internet connection not good so will have to connect to the blog at the next place, hopefully. If not, then Kuta for sure.

Ubud to Lovina -- North Bali

Busy, full travel day today! We started out with a traditional Balinese barung dance performance which was easily the highlight of the trip so far. Barung is performed with a Balinese gamelan orchestra, which is quite different from those we saw in Java. The pitch of the instruments is higher, more lively and fast-paced. Barung depicts a story from the Ramayana and has been performed essentially the same way for centuries. It starts out with a priest sprinkling holy water on the stage. Then a lion appears, followed by his friend the monkey. Two servant women appear and are looking for their prime minister. The hero appears and is being chased by demons. Fighting ensues which never really ends. The performance was first rate and in places quite humorous. Then we visited a stone carving center, followed by a visit to a traditional Balinese home complete with temple. This home was beautiful and featured a modern home next to the traditional one. The parents’ bedroom is toward the front of the house so they can monitor the dating activity of the children. Dating couples are expected to be home no later than 11 pm. The kitchen is also in the front. Then we ascended to the hill country again, stopping for lunch at a beautiful resort overlooking terraced rice fields. We visited two more temples including a “floating” temple on a lake. Then we continued to the Gitgit waterfall but on our way, stopped at the coffee plantations where we sampled delicious ginseng coffee and lemon grass tea. Also among the offerings was the famous Lemak coffee which is made from beans processed by the civit cats. The cats are said to eat only the best beans and once they are passed through their systems, the beans are collected. It's a time-consuming process and therefore very expensive. The coffee has tones of chocolate and caramel. Also along the way to the waterfalls, we stopped to see monkeys on the side of the road and feed them jackfruit. We reached Lovina about 5:30 pm. Beautiful resort area which means “Love Indonesia." It's on a black sand beach. Had a very nice traditional Lovina-area dinner at the hotel restaurant and settled in for two nights. Tomorrow is our rest day.