Asia, on the move again!

 Sunday, 15th October

Yesterday it poured with rain all day and rain was threatened for today but not till after 9, so I crossed my fingers and hoped that I could walk to the bus stop without getting soaked, I just managed it. The bus got me to Ourense in plenty of time to catch the early train but I hadn't dared risk it. So I had two hours in the station, time to have another coffee and to eat my packed lunch.

The train was rapid, uneventful  and on-time, but Madrid Chamartin station is a 'work in progress', the inside has been completely changed and the outside is a building site, but they had signed the way to the metro station. I knew where I was heading, I thought. I had confused the station name at one point but I had rectified this, on paper, but I didn't look at the paper and the mistake was still in my brain so I got off three stations too early and had to walk 20 minutes, pulling a case and it was very warm, then, at the hotel I had to walk up loads of stairs, still with a case, I was all hot and sticky when I arrived and I had to leave almost immediately to get to the theatre as I had booked a ticket for the Zarzuela. I didn't have time to even stop for a drink and I was very grateful to arrive at the theatre and sit down.

The performance was really good. Being Sunday it started at 6, which is very early for Spain and it was only a short work, so I was out before 8 and planning to head to the Plaza Mayor for a glass of wine and a tapa, but now it was drizzling so I stopped in a nice bar/café and had a snack. When I came out it had stopped raining and I planned to head in that direction but there was a big 'pro-Palestine' demonstration on so I headed back to my hotel.

Monday, 16th October

My flight was in the afternoon so I had time in the morning and opted to waste a little while by going to buy a Christmas lottery ticket at Dona Manolita's, it opened at 09.00 and I got there just a little before and there were already 50 to 60 people queuing! I knew she was popular but really! I hesitated but decided to join the queue, by the time I left there were well over 100 people queuing.

So, off to the airport, the info said to get there at least 3 hours before the flight, this seemed a little excessive, but I had nothing else to do but head to the airport. I got there 4 hours early and there was no-one at the check-in so I went for a snack, when I returned 30 minutes later the queue was enormous and the place was buzzing. I am not used to travelling on such enormous planes, obviously it takes a long time to check-in 400 people, so 3 hours was not unreasonable. Once I was through security it was not long for the signs to say, go to the boarding gate. Madrid airport is enormous, when it takes 30 minutes to get to a boarding gate it's another reason for needing 3 hours! 

My flight was with Qatar Airways, I was impressed with the service, constant rounds of food and drink.

Tuesday, 17th October

A long night! A short day. My body time said 7 a.m. the clocks said 1 p.m. Immigration was easy, no problems in the airport. A longer journey to the hotel than I'd anticipated, but not bad. I had said that I would arrive at the hotel at about 3 p.m., I got there at 3.30, not bad I thought but the landlady was very cross, she had been waiting since 2.30! I was in a very cheap hotel but ideally situated for the historic centre of Bangkok. I thought that I would collapse but instead I went out to visit Wat Phra. 

 Some pretty girls in Thai dress.

Some impressive architecture here and the lying Buddha. After this I did collapse, if Madrid had seemed hot Bangkok is hotter and very humid.

Wednesday.

Up early. I had a ticket for the Royal Palace when it opened at 08.30. I had a leisurely walk to the palace. I was there amongst the first, behind a group of Japanese.

 I had intended to take a ferry to Wat Arun but the river is pretty flooded and didn't look at all inspiring, also some of the ferry stations seemed closed.

So I went for a coffee, it was an iced coffee and was really great and gave me energy until I realised that I didn't know what water the ice was made of. Hopefully this was not too big a mistake for my first day.

After this I wandered down to Chinatown and discovered where my closest metro stop is, it would have been useful to know that on Tuesday. 

 Flower decorations in the market.

After lunch I went back to the palace for a bus to a Thai dance performance, this was included in my ticket and transport was provided. It would be interesting to know more about dance in this area as the Tai dance looked similar to what I expect to see in Indonesia and the music was similar to music I heard in China, there seemed to be an Indian influence at times as well.

Thursday

Up very early to get to the train station for the 07.50 train to the River Kwae and Nam Tok. When I left the hotel it had just stopped raining, a real downpour I think as everywhere was soaked. It was a very old train, but that meant that the windows opened fully, or most of them did.

I started here but moved on to a more comfortable seat!

A very good day, though I only had a few minutes for the turn around at Nam Tok.

My lunch was a packet of crisps, people kept wandering up and down, trying to sell food. One woman had chicken kebabs, she walked up and down with them all day, I can't imagine that they were safe to eat by the end. The toilets were ancient and awful, after one look I cut down on my fluid intake as well! But I enjoyed the day, it was memorable taking the train along Death Valley.

Friday.

I had a ticket booked for a 12.20 flight to Kuala Lumpur. When I got to the airport at 10.15 I couldn't find the flight on the departure board. I looked and looked, but nothing, so I went to the Customer Information desk and was told that the company went bust last week!! she gave me a contact address for a refund and pointed me to the Air Asia desk, as they would be able to help me. I was a bit panicked as I had chosen a flight from Bangkok airport but most of the flights to KL went from the other airport, Don Meung. Fortunately I was able to get a seat on a flight just an hour later.  I was very impressed with Bangkok airport as they had drinking water dispensers all over the place and they were really promoting the use of refillable bottles, which was what I was doing.

When I arrived in Malaysia and tried to get money from an ATM my card was refused. I managed to take out just enough, on my Spanish card, to pay the hotel. I was carrying spare cash, just in case of emergency but I didn't have enough for 2 weeks. I found my hotel, right by Sentral station, it was very good and the staff were really helpful.

Saturday.

I opted not to use an alarm but to wake up naturally, this was really nice.  When I left the hotel I found a bank just up the street and went to try the ATMs. It took a few tries but I discovered that the problem was not my card but the dispensers, they're only geared up for dispensing small amounts of money, pocket cash, +/- £50! Obviously bigger things are paid for by card, but not helpful when you're travelling.  Then I went to find the Hop-on, Hop-off bus. When I looked for info on this there was only one trip but they have split this into two. So I started with the City Tour.

After this I had a coffee and went back to do what they call the Garden tour, this isn't really just gardens, the first stop was the Swiss Garden, which turned out to be a hotel! Though there are certainly some good green spaces in Kuala Lumpur.

It was nearly 2.30 when we stopped and I was starving but they eat early  there so I went to a Shopping Mall. I managed to get food but I was not greatly impressed. On the way back to the hotel I found a shop selling wine, something that was not easy to find. I know the majority seem to be Muslim but beer is easily available. So I had a peaceful evening in, to relax.

Sunday.

A trip to Batu Caves, this was especially marked by delays on the trains, just like British Rail on Sundays! Eventually I got there and managed to climb all the way to the top, all 373 steps.

Then I went to the Central Market area to have a look around and to have a Malay lunch.

I planned to go from there to the National Museum but I had misread the name and I ended up at the National Mosque. I couldn't find how to get to the museum, which was a shame as it would have been interesting, later I discovered that I was very close.

Monday.

On to Melaka, an early start, not because it should have been necessary as I was booked for a 10.30 coach but the train line was the same one as for Batu Caves and the trains were only half hourly. I daren't risk a long delay. In fact all went well, the bus station is very well organised. The journey was quick, though I would have preferred it if the driver hadn't looked at his mobile phone from time to time!  

I got to my hotel far too early but I had a nice lunch in the restaurant, then I had to wait. The hotel seemed fine but my room was desperately in need of decorating! 

Tuesday

I woke up very early, so got started, as tomorrow will be an early start as well. I sussed out the bus station whilst it was quiet, then got the bus into the town centre. I started with a trishaw ride, this was a good way of discovering where I intended to go later.

I had downloaded info on the main places to see.

the Red clock Tower, built in 1886

Kampong Kling Mosque built in 1748

St. Pauls Church, remains of 1512

Malacca Sultanate Palace, modern, rebuild.

 A Famosa Fort, remains of Portuguese Fort of 1512

 Sri Poyratha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple, oldest Hindu temple in Malaysia

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Temple of Green Cloud, founded in 1645

Stadthuys, completed in 1660, oldest Dutch building.

This was a long hot walk and ended in time for lunch, then I bought an ice-cream, I thought I'd got mango but it turned out to be dorian, this was good as I had wanted to try it but I was not impressed.  In the morning I had thought that I would go to the Ethnological Museum at Stadthuys but I was hot and tired so I went for the bus, on the way back the heavens opened!!

Wednesday

Another early start as I headed for Singapore. I intended getting up at 05.30 but I was awake at 5 so I got up. No problems at the bus station and off we went. We stopped once on the way at a wonderful food place, very Chinese, unfortunately I didn't take a photo. we were told that it was a toilet stop but it transpired that the front right tyre had a slow leak and a mechanic came to sort it out.  We were out of the bus again at the Malay border for a long walk to Passport Control and then on to the Singapore side where we had to take all our luggage as well. It was an automatic e-control, no stamps on our passports, then through security and customs and back to the coach. I had to have an SG Arrival form and I only had this as an attachment on an email, as I only have WIFI when I am in hotels I was quite worried about this, but no-one asked me for it, I suppose they had all the info at their disposal. In the evening I received a 90 day visa timed to the moment I went through passport control.

crossing into Singapore.

When we arrived in Singapore City I had intended to stop for lunch straight away but I had no money so I had to search for a cash machine, I also wanted a Tourist travel Pass, I couldn't see a bank anywhere, in the end I went to the Metro station and found machines there. Then I headed straight for my hotel, it was too early to check in but they stored baggage, then off to Clarkes Quay. It was dead, almost everything was closed, in the end I found a Korean restaurant and had vey spicy chicken which I had to eat with chop-sticks. Then I did the river cruise.

Then back to the hotel to check in, here I discovered that the hotel in Malacca had been trying to charge my bank for my non-arrival, fortunately for some reason my card didn't work, for which I am very grateful, also I had the receipt for my cash payment. That hotel needs new management.

Thursday

A bad night, the Korean chicken didn't suit my intestines, but I woke at 07.30. I started by going to Fort Canning, a nice walk but Battle Box was closed when I got there, I was told that it opened at 10, I decided that this was too late for me.

I headed down for a look at Raffles Hotel.

Then for the Hop-on, Hop-off bus. I did the Red bus tour through the town, first.

Then after a cup of coffee I did the Yellow Tour.

Orchard Road getting ready for Christmas

 I still had not managed to see the Merlion, I always seemed to be looking in the wrong direction, so I thought about walking to it. I started then I found a post office, something else I´d been looking for.   I couldn't find the exit I needed, at Raffles Place, to walk to the Merlion and it started raining so I headed back to the hotel. I've bought myself a fridge magnet with the Merlion on it!

Friday - to Bali

I started the day by going for a walk through Chinatown, to kill time, and ended up buying some jade ear rings.

A Hindu temple.

 Painting my hotel!

Then to the airport. I could check in straight away, the security check was very minimal, just one scanner, the passport control. No passport stamp, very mean! Lunch was Chinese, it was the only option I could find. I found 'Harry's Bar' after I had had my lunch and an enormous glass of iced lemon tea. Eventually I headed to the departure gate, this time there really was a security check.

The plane taxied for nearly 20 minutes, I thought we were driving to Indonesia. I've never known it to take so long. The flight was uneventful, we were served 2 cakes and a cup of water!  It seemed that many of the European passengers knew each other.  As we arrived  the stewardess said something about a mandatory electronic customs declaration, this started to panic me as I had no WIFI . My research had seemed to tell me that a visa was no longer needed, but as soon as we were in the airport there were signs up about paying for the visa, I got quite confused, however the official was very helpful.  I was carrying US$ as an emergency supply so I paid for my visa and headed through passport control, no problem.  

Baggage claim was a different case entirely, to start with we all waited at the wrong carousel, then I was directed to another wrong one, finally I found the right carousel, tucked away in a corner, the advantage to this was that I found computers to do the customs declaration. It had all taken ages, I was about an hour later than I had anticipated and I still had a long taxi drive ahead of me, but I eventually got to the hotel, in the dark.

 

Saturday

Up very early, I was woken by daylight.  I looked out onto a lovely view.

I sorted my stuff out and then organised, I hoped, a ticket for the evening concert at the temple and a taxi for the next day. Then I walked to the temple, Puri Ulu Watu. I had a stroll around, not much of the temple to see, entry is restricted, but lots of lovely views and lots of monkeys.

Then back to the hotel, lunch in the restaurant, and then I chilled, I felt the need for a relaxing day.

The view from the restaurant.

I discovered that there was a kitchen and a fridge but when I used the electric kettle it took so long I decided to stick with my own water heater. 

The dance was really good, not so much the dancing but the male choir and the whole performance, very .......esian, (polynesian, micronesian) just a demonstration of how cultures go back a long way.

On the way back I kept being offered lifts on the back of motor bikes. The first one was a young man and it really surprised me, later I realized that it was just guys wanting to make a few rupiahs. No way I would do it, the roads, and the bikes are really dangerous.

Sunday - to Ubud

So, a taxi to the airport, the driver really wanted to take me the whole way but I managed to persuade him that I could get a bus from the airport- haha! At the airport I changed my remaining odd notes from the previous countries, took out some money for the rest of the holiday and had a cup of coffee. Then I went to buy my ticket card. I was supposed to be able to buy one in certain supermarkets and from a bank, but all declined, I was left having to get another taxi. I intended going to the taxi counter but I got nobbled and ended up paying the equivalent of £45 for the journey to Ubud.  It was an interesting journey, Bali is a beautiful island and very traditional, with lots of craft workshops, atone masons, carpenters etc.

Once in Ubud I dropped my luggage at my hotel and went for lunch.

2 views of my hotel garden

Then I checked on dance performances in the evening. I got tickets for the evening performance at the Royal Palace and then had a little look around before returning to my hotel.

The evening performance.

Monday.

Breakfast was included in my hotel booking, but only from 07.30 and I woke at 06.30 so I decided to go out first and do the walk to the rice fields, the streets were full of locals doing there shopping for the day. 

The locals put these outside their houses, I think it is an offering to a deity, the locals being Hindu.

Then I returned for breakfast.

After breakfast I went to find the bank to get the bus card. No luck, I was getting cross but a young man in the bank told me that his grandmother had bought one from the bus driver, so I went off to see if I could do that. I got a ticket and a journey of one stop. 

Then I visited the Royal Palace again and the Water Palace.

I tried the green coconut drink that is very popular here, it was OK but didn't inspire me to try again and I had a nice lunch. 

Bali is lovely, I would love to visit more of the island but transport is a real problem, and the bikers are a total danger.

Tuesday

I woke up early, too early really, but as I was awake, I said good bye to my nice room and I got going.

I was not quite sure how my bus card would work!  At the bus stop a man tried to persuade me that I needed a taxi, he also told me that I was on the wrong side of the road, he was right but the bus came and I had a little drive down to the Monkey Park where the bus turned round and we headed for Denpasar. 

 A couple of Chinese ladies got on the bus, they got off a couple of stops before me, I went on to the terminus. I was a bit worried that I might get the next bus going in the wrong direction but there were officials here who made sure I got the right bus, at the next stop the two Chinese ladies were waiting, they were astonished to see me again!  The journey only took 2½ hours and the taxi had taken 2 hours!  This time the bank at the airport was advertising bus tickets!!

I was far too early and had a long time to hang around the airport but at least I was there. 

Good bye Bali!

I couldn't buy my train ticket for some reason, I was told to return in the morning, so I just hoped that all would go well in the morning.

I had a problem finding my hotel in Surabayo, it was right next to the old railway station, but initially I was on the wrong side of the track and came out of the wrong entrance. I found it in the end. Java is an hour behind Bali so I have had an extra hour today. 

 the view from my room

Wednesday 1st November

I woke before 4 a.m. and tried to go back to sleep again, but the hundreds of muezzin started calling so I gave up. The hotel had BBC World News on TV so I watched the news for a bit, then slowly but surely started to get ready. I was at the station before 7. I walked past a barrier and then asked a security guy how to cross to the other side. He was very helpful, it was straight across the lines and through a train, then I was escorted to the ticket office. I got a ticket for the 08.15 train, earlier than I had anticipated.  

The train was Exucutif class and quite comfy.  I had a window seat, which was really good.

 The motor cyclists going to work.

The land was very flat and mostly rice fields, with lots of little villages, some very poor and some less so, and one with houses being built. In Yogya I tried to get a ticket for the train the next day but was told that I had to book on-line or come to the station 3 hours before the train. I did find the times of the trains, so I decided to aim for the 08.15.

I had lunch in a very Indonesian eating place and then found my way to the hotel, not easy as they were mending the road.

I had a little wander around and was enticed into an exhibition of Batik art work. I succumbed and bought as I had wanted to get a piece anyway.

Thursday

Up early again. I wasn't really worried about the early waking as I knew that come Sunday all would go pear shaped, and the mornings were slightly cooler! So, out by 7 and I walked up to the monument at Tugu

Then I headed for the Kraton, which I thought opened at 08.30, so I got there at 8.15 but it opened at 9. People kept trying to persuade me to take a trishaw somewhere or to do something else. The words, water castle kept coming up. I thought they were referring to some theme park, it was not something I had come across in my research, I thought I had been thorough but I had left Yogya and Jakarta to the last as I had a book and I didn't need to research much on the internet, although I did do some, somehow I had completely overlooked the Water Palace.

Eventually I got a ticket for the Sultan's Palace, where there was to be a music show from 10 to 12. In fact they were already playing when I went in. I wandered around and saw the museums.

Then I headed for the music and a shadow puppet show. It was interesting for a little while but very long winded and all in Indonesian, as I didn't understand a word I left early and went to the carriage museum.

By this time I was getting tired and hungry. I looked for signs for a Water Palace, but as they were in Indonesian I missed them and missed the opportunity to go. I had Chicken Sate for lunch, this Sate was very spicy, much more so than in Bali, then I headed back to the hotel and looked up the Water Palace. it looked well worth a visit and the first information said that it closes at 5, but when I looked at another site it said 3. I'd also wanted to do a carriage ride, so I rushed out to see if I could get a carriage to take me there, I reckoned I had just enough time, but when I found a carriage he only wanted to do his usual circuit and I didn't have enough time to look any further so I had to give up on that. and head back to the hotel.

Friday

Up early again and off to the station to buy a train ticket.  I got one without a problem. I was sure she said 06.40 and as it was already 06.20 I went rushing off for a train, once again it was across lines and through trains. When I got to a train the young lady looked at my ticket and said 8.45! I should have had my specs on!

This time I had an aisle seat but the young lady I was next too offered to change seats, this was really nice of her.

Once again the land was mostly flat with rice fields, then it got a bit hillier and there were trees, with little villages hidden it the trees.

In Jakarta the metro, or light railway was an adventure. I had downloaded a map but I had assumed that as my train arrived at Gambir station, I would get the metro from Gambir, just one stop! But once again I was beaten by the idiosyncrasies of the Indonesian stations.  Arrivals come into one part of the station, and departures leave from another, my path never lead me to Gambir metro station but to a completely different one on another line. It took me one and a half hours and lots of help to, eventually, get to where I wanted to be but I learnt a lot doing it.

At the hotel the receptionist tried to tell me that I did not have a booking, even though I had paid! Eventually he found it. I had wanted to eat at the hotel as it was supposed to have a restaurant but the restaurant was closed. The hotel was another one with delusions of grandeur, the public areas had once been very nice but it needed a lot of tlc.  I had paid for breakfasts but the receptionists would not give me any information on when, where or what.

Saturday

I managed to sleep in till 6.30, then I made myself a coffee and had the last of the biscuits I was carrying, then got ready to go. As I opened my door at 7.30 a young man was there with my breakfast, some kind of rice dish and a bottle of water, I declined and headed downstairs where I was given the third degree by a different receptionist, who checked the computer to see that I was really booked in! I suppose I should be flattered that he thought anyone would have wanted to pick me up for the night.

Today was Kota, the old Dutch port of Batavia.

Here I had the carriage ride that I had wanted to do, I think I was conned, it was very short and expensive but I got to see where to go.

I treated myself to a coffee in the 4 star Mercure hotel, a nice treat.

By 11 I had run out of things to do so I headed back to visit the National Monument, something I had planned to do the next morning but it was a long walk so I was glad to have done it.

I also discovered that Gambir metro station is closed so I rethought my plans for getting to the airport.  

The gaps between the trains and the platform are quite horrendous in some places.

I went to bed to the sound of thunder and torrential rain.

Sunday

I wanted to lie in but once again  I was awake at 04.30, I lounged for a while but then I thought that, maybe, getting up early would help me sleep better on the plane, so I got up and made myself a coffee and ate the bread roll that I had bought. I lounged for a while, playing games and reading. I wanted to finish the book that I has been reading the night before. I had left my tablet to charge overnight but it hadn't, there must have been a power surge during the storm and the plug had blown. Now I was trying to charge it sufficiently to finish reading. I was also aware that I needed to be dressed at 7.30, in case someone arrived with breakfast, but I didn't want to lie around in my traveling clothes.  I compromised on clothes and was able to open the door and refuse another bottle of water, who wants a bottle of water for breakfast, Tea or coffee, yes, water, no!  

I managed to charge my tablet enough to finish the book and then packed and played a few games, had another cup of coffee and realized it was drizzling rain, so I got ready to leave. The walk from the hotel to the station was the only time I would be outside and I didn't want to get soaked.  My flight was at 18.20 so I knew that I would be killing time for most of the day. I left the hotel and headed for the metro and found the streets packed with people, there had been a pro-Palestine demonstration somewhere.  These people were all heading for the metro. I managed to mingle, getting lots of dirty looks as I was the only non-muslim.  I got to the platform but it was obvious that I was not going to be able to get on a train.  I had loads of time so, once there was a bit of space, I found a seat and sat and watched hundreds of people squeeze onto trains. I waited an hour and then the numbers dropped to normality, a train arrived that was almost empty.  I managed to get my case onto the train but had difficulty climbing in myself, fortunately a young lady came to my assistance and helped to pull me in! Fortunately at the next station the gap was smaller and I managed to get out alone.

I found the Rail Air Link and headed for the airport. I thought this would be a quick journey but it took nearly and hour and I had to wait a while for the train. By the time I got to the airport I was down to a 4 hour wait. I had checked in on line, the first time I have done this but I still had to queue up for a boarding pass and baggage drop.  A young man came and organised my boarding pass and I forgot about my case and headed to security. It was only when they quibbled about my nail scissors that I realised what I had done. Fortunately they could direct me to an exit and I headed back to the queue.  Eventually we boarded and the long journey home started.