Singapore to Mombasa...plus
Indonesia thru Bangkok
1/7/2010 - Pandanbai, Bali, Indonesia -- small sleepy town, Backpacker focus; at anchor. We wandered around, Kathy looking for cheap comfy dresses. After tiring of the somewhat desperate touts (taxi? postcard?) we came across a proper taxi stand and hired a taxi to Candidasa - about 10 miles away. Nostalgic visit: we revisited Candidasa ("chan-di-dass-ah") on our first trip to Bali 20+ years earlier. We walked a fair distance in the heat and humidity, eventually landed at the Puri Bagus hotel at which we'd stayed during our 1989 visit - definitely "pre-blog". We ended up at a restaurant recommended from one of the guide books, for some Indonesian comfort food: (nasi goreng / mi goreng / bir Bintang / krupuk). Welcomed with cold towels and cold beer (Bintang -- "star") we went through about 2 liters of the stuff, which had a lovely impact on our heat-induced discomfort. <<photo of menu with misspelling>>
1/8/10 - We both escorted tours around Bali -- beautiful Bali Hindu temple (alas, not Besakih). Temp adjusted for humidity was 103 (39c). Lovely tour but we both had "defective" guides in one way or another -- Scott's was loud and just wouldn't shut up, Kathy's was simply unskilled. Price was right though; as Escorts we go for free in exchange for helping "keep it all together" and to make sure our fellow passengers are taken well care of. It isn't entirely a "free lunch"; we have to keep track of all the stops, round up the stragglers.
1/9/10 - Komodo, Indonesia: There be Dragons! Eastward from Bali, this little island is the primary home of the Komodo dragon -- world's largest lizard. Access to the island is quite controlled -- groups of 50 max each escorted by a local guide. After listening to a presentation about the island and the creatures, we heard that several passengers de-booked their tours...
The dragons were shy but we did encounter 4 of them (plus a baby) at a watering spot.
These critters are virtually pre-historic -- like something out of Jurassic Park. Lizards the size of alligators, they can achieve sprints of 15mpg, which is remarkable given the size of their legs), and the bacteria in their mouths ensures a bit that will fester quicky in the heat. The locals have stories of children being attacked and consumed. The park "Rangers" for lack of a better term, are "armed" with forked sticks: with the body armor on the dragons, they're not to be beat into submission, but it turns out they're quite adverse to having forked sticks in their snouts.
1/11/10 -- Semarang, Indonesia. Kathy stayed behind (she didn't get her tour-of-choice); Scott boarded a bus which drove basically from the top of central Java to about 2/3rds the way to the bottom, to escort a tour to the "wonder of the world", Borobudur. Scott'd been there a decade earlier with Kathy, returning this time with better camera equipment and an enhanced appreciation of Buddhist philosophy. Both were big assets to the trip. Borobudur is one of those "wonders of the world" and to see it a 2nd time was pretty cool. Photos to follow...
1/14/10 -- Two days at sea, we both worked quite a bit as Kathy is scrambling to get her port lectures done and both of us are delivering one-on-one consultations for passenger's camera, PCs and Macs. This morning we're in Kuantan, Malaysia. It's an uninteresting town with fabulous beaches... unfortunately the weather uncooperative.
Joined our Lecturer friend Simon and his partner Jon for a shared taxi into Kuantan. Objective was to do some shopping (snacks, get some time at an internet cafe, and have a good meal. All were accomplished. We're always on the prowl for tonic to go with Scott's gin... can be remarkably hard to find (we ultimately found it in Hong Kong, and stocked up – you can find anything in Hong Kong). The meal was nasi campur ("cham-pour") -- "rice assortment". Basically you get a huge plate of rice and you chose what you want on it -- vegetables, fish, meat, spicy, not. I had a couple of meats (well, chicken & fish) and managed to rack up MR7.60 - about US$2 worth. Desert was pisang goreng -- battered fried bananas that are a specialty in South Asia.We were the only Westerners in the place, and got some stares -- and smiles.
1/16/10 -- After an uneventful day at sea, we arrive to Sihanoukville, Cambodia. A sprawling beach town at the bottom of the country. Kathy escorted the Tour From Hell (but enjoyed the sites). Scott again joined Simon & John in a quixotic search for snake for lunch. They walked into town (about 2 miles in blazing heat) -- they're leaving the ship at Bangkok on the 18th and needed a visa for Vietnam. The Consulate visit was remarkably easy but after the walk we needed a break: Angkor beer & excellent satay.
After that, a trip to the central market (which you could smell at a distance) and a tuk-tuk drive to the "Snake Restaurant". Trouble is, while there are lots of snakes, crocodiles, caymans and other venomous creatures at the Snake Restaurants (even snake terrariums built into the dining tables) -- but no snake on the menu. We had roasted frog, eel in coconut milk, and snails with sweet & sour veggies. Close but no snake. Dining next to us was Chef Tony -- the Executive Chef for our ship. They were there to try snake too...
1/18-1/19 2010 -- The ship landed at Laem Chabang -- an enormous port -- about 60 miles south of Bangkok. After Scott negotiated a fair-if-expensive taxi rate from Laem Chabang to Bangkok (B1000 (about US$33 versus the $100 other passengers were paying) we set off to The Big City. We've both been to Bangkok several times: Scott several dozen times. So we didn't feel the need to explore new things so much as to reacquaint ourselves with old ones. We put down in our favorite (inexpensive) Majestic Suites hotel, and then hit the streets, visiting Scott's geek-favorite IT Mall, and getting a 90 minute traditional Thai massage (think "involuntary yoga"). We rendezvoused with shipmates Simon & Jon for Thai dinner and to wander around Bangkok's dark underbelly a bit. The underbelly wasn't very active, actually.
Short but sweet, the visit was nary 1 full day -- early afternoon to early afternoon. One last farewell get-together with "the boys", and the four of us are off to our respective adventures.
Somewhat inexplicably, Discovery's transiting passengers were put up in Bangkok's (Thonburi, actually)Â Peninsula Hotel -- perhaps the finest hotel world -- certainly in the top five. The ship must have scored a great deal.
The trip back from Bangkok to Laem Chabang was a few dollars more expensive but still managable. Scott'd remembered being told the port # ("C0") -- otherwise we might still be driving around the airport as you read this.
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