Bangkok, Thailand – BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT

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Thailands official name is the Kingdom of Thailand. It was historically known as Siam (until 1939 ). It is a Southeast Asian country situated on the Indochina Peninsula. It is bordered by Myanmar to the northeast, Loas to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, Malaysia and the Golf of Thailand to the south and the Andaman Sea to the southwest. It shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the southeast and Indonesia and India to the southwest.
Thailand is a large country with a population of almost 70 million, it spans 513,120 square kilometres (198,120 sq miles). It’s known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha. Bangkok is the state capital and largest city. It is an ultramodern city mixed with quiet canalside communities and the famous temples of Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew). 

Bangkok is within easy reach of beach resorts such as  bustling Pattaya and fashionable Hua Hin. Both are wonderful places to visit. Pattaya has some superb hotels and a very beautiful cultural centre which not only has cultural shows but also beautiful gardens and orchids. Hua Hin is also on the Golf of Thailand heading down towards Malaysia it is also close to the island of Koh Samui. The train goes regularly from Bangkok. I can thoroughly recommend the delightful Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas. It used to be a Sofitel Hotel and prior to that it was known as The Railway Hotel. The Railway Hotel started back in the early 1920’s when the railway line from Hua Hin to Padang Besar in Malaysia was built. The Railway Hotel  opened its doors and transformed the sleepy fishing village of Hua Hin into a stylish seaside escape. Full of colonial historical architecture this beautifully preserved hotel is one of the most famous heritage hotels in Asia. Situated amid lawns, topography creations including elephant shaped bushes  and a wonderful stretch of sand makes it an idyllic place to stay….It is also famous for being in the Killing Fields film.

But I digress back to Bangkok….Our ship docked at Laem Chabang Port, in the Golf of Thailand, it is located around 80 miles ( 130 km) from Bangkok. The nearest town to the dock is 

Pattaya which is 25 miles (40 km) to the south. Travel time between Laem Chabang port and Bangkok is between 1 h 30 min and 2 hours. Pattaya is no more than 40 minutes away. Many of the cruise ships excursions are to Pattaya, a beautiful area with much to offer. However, having lived and worked just 30 minutes away in Ban Chan Village I knew the area very well, so we decided to take an excursion into Bangkok. It was Johns first experience of the capital city. ……..a funny little tale but something to remember if you’re thinking of staying in Bangkok…many years ago….the first time I visited I booked into what sounded in the write up a nice central and relatively cheap hotel, not far from the famous Mandarin Oriental ….after the first day the lovely reception and breakfast staff were calling me by my first name, sitting down and chatting with me I asked if they were always as friendly to their guest and I was told they’d never had any one stay  3 full days, most their customers paid by the hour!!!!!! ……yes I had booked into a brothel!! Albeit a very friendly one !!!!

Back to our excursion to Bangkok…..our trip into the capital was a scenic one.

Our first stop was Wat Traimit Temple, which houses the Golden Buddha, one of the world’s largest statues of the Buddha, carved from solid gold and weighing 5.5 tonnes. 

This was followed by a leisurely cruise on the Chao Phraya River and the canals we saw the floating market and the back of temples. We were also given bread to feed some huge fish.

This was then followed by a walking tour of Bangkok’s Grand Palace, where we viewed the famous Wat Phra Kaeo, which is often known as the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha. This is one of Buddhism’s most magnificent monasteries and one of Thailand’s most celebrated sites. At the heart of the monastery is a Buddha carved from a single piece of emerald-green jasper, perched atop a gilded pedestal. I have to admit it was a lot smaller than I had expected, and perhaps all the gold and glitz around it overshadows it and I was left feeling a little underwhelmed. I don’t know why because I’d seen it before  and remembered feeling disappointed then, so I should have been prepared second time around ….the opulence of all the gold around you is quite overwhelming in its splendour. We were rushed around the palace  because our guide said it was too hot to be out in the heat and some of our group were suffering ….it was a real shame as we had come prepared for the heat….So all too quickly we were whisked away..

Our final stop was at a shop, back towards the dock, which sold jewellery, silk, fabric, wood carvings, souvenirs of all types to suit all pockets….we of course bought a t-shirt for John !!! 

A great day out …..Bangkok is definitely a place to visit…but several days would be better than trying to cram it all into a one day excursion. We can really recommend it as part of a visit to Thailand.

Leopards – Kruger National Park – South Africa BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT

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Let’s start with a contradiction!

Leopards are relatively common in South Africa, and in Kruger National Park in particular. Yet they are rarely seen, so why is that? Well, the leopard is a secretive animal and, unlike the lion, does not live in groups, but is usually solitary. The male and female come together to mate, and then go their separate ways. On top of that, the leopard has one of the best camourflages in the entire animal kingdom.

The leopard is the second biggest African cat, behind the lion, and, generally, kills to feed just for itself rather than a whole pride. It is a silent stalker with most species of antelope its favourite prey.

Following a successful kill, it is common for the leopard to drag its prey up a tree trunk in order to feed amongst its branches. The leopard is a powerful creature often hauling more than its body weight in this way.

It is equally at home to stalk under the cover of darkness and is prone to stalk a sleeping troop of baboons in the hope of isolating one and carrying it off as its prey.

Leopards are creatures of habit and can often be seen in dry river beds silently approaching their prey whilst they are drinking in the limited pockets of water.

They can also take you by surprise by climbing a tree to get a better view of where to find their next meal.

Although found through much of Southern Africa, most of our sightings have been within Kruger National Park in the northeast of South Africa. We have been privileged to have spent enough time in the park for our patience to be rewarded with many magnificent leopard sightings. Although occasionally we’ve had a fleeting view of the white underside of their tail as they retreat into the undergrowth and become invisible.

Each such sighting Is accompanied by an ‘adrenaline rush’ which has to be experienced as it’s almost impossible to put into words. For me, this beautiful but elusive creature is the crown jewel, the ‘must see’ on safari in Africa.

Ko Samui – Thailand – BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT

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Ko Samui is Thailand’s second largest island ( Phuket being the largest),it lies in the Gulf of Thailand off the east coast.  It is in the Chumphon Archipelago and it is part of Surat Thani Province. In 2012, Ko Samui was granted municipal status and  is now locally self-governing.  Ko Samui has an area of 228.7 square kilometres (88.3 sq miles), it is 25 kilometres/16 miles at its widest part.

 It’s known for its palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves and dense, mountainous rainforest. It has many luxury resorts and posh spas. There is a 12m-tall golden Big Buddha statue at Wat Phra Yai Temple which acts as a landmark and is located on a tiny island connected to Ko Samui by a causeway. It’s idyllic beaches and attractions  can cause it to have many as 2.7 million tourists a year. 

The central part of Ko Samui is mostly tropical jungle and includes the islands largest mountain, Khao Pom, which is 635 m (2,083 ft) high. The lowland and coastal areas are connected by one 51 km (32 mi)long road, which encircles the island. 

On the west coast the original capital, Nathon, houses many government offices, as well as being the major port for fisheries and for vehicular and goods transportation from the mainland. The island used to rely on the local coconut industry as its main source of income, however, more recently the tourist industry has flourished and the northeastern location of the airport, has led to the increase of commercial activity in Chaweng and Bophut.

There is a lot to do and see on Ko Samui  it is home for some of the most beautiful beaches in Thailand. Its famous beaches include Chaweng Beach, Lamai Beach, Maenam Beach and Choeng Mon Beach.

There is also The Big Buddha Temple, which as previously mentioned, is one of the most iconic landmarks in Koh Samui. It has the giant golden Buddha statue, seated in a lotus position which is 12 meters high and is a symbol of peace and prosperity.

The are natural rock formations Hin Ta and Hin Yai Rocks are also known as Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks. They resemble male and female genitalia and are believed to bring fertility and good luck.

There are also waterfalls -Na Muang, the local Fisherman’s villages, The secret Buddah Gardens, the mummified monk of Wat Khunaram. and the Elephant Sanctuary. It’s very easy to hire a jeep or a scooter to get around on or use their air conditioned taxis or local open buses….just to add to your adventure.

On our last visit to Ko Samui we just got off the cruise ship and took the bus to the Chaweng beach, where we had a meal and watched the world going by. I had visited Ko Samui many times whilst working in Thailand and absolutely love The Strip …the shops which run along the coast road at Chaweng…..there’s superb restaurants, fabric shops, tailors, bars, gift shops clothing shops…you name it you’ll find it there….the beach is full of people having fun, swimming, playing on the sand, sunbathing and hawkers selling an array of goods all at ridiculously cheap prices….I couldn’t resist a gold and black throw….which I keep meaning to make into an evening jacket…..

It really is a wonderful island, full of vibrant activity, whilst being laid back and relaxing. Well worth a holiday….

Bali, Indonesia – BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT

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Bali is one of 17,500 islands which form the country of Indonesia. It is a province and it is the westernmost of the group of islands known as the Lesser Sunda Islands. Situated east of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes not only the island of Bali but also a few smaller offshore islands, such as Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and a Nusa Ceningan to the southeast. The provincial capital, situated on the Island of Bali is Denpasar. It is the biggest city by population in the Lesser Sunda Islands. The town of Ubud in Greater Denpasar is known as  Bali’s cultural centre.

Bali is a beautiful small island with breathtaking waterfalls like Sekumpul in the north and white sand beaches at Nyang Nyang in the south and lots of wonderfully stunning features in the middle. It has a magical blend of colourful culture, friendly people, stunning nature, countless activities, tropical weather, culinary delights, vibrant nightlife, and beautiful accommodation. Bali is rated regularly as one of the best travel destinations in the world. This however, causes tourists, especially backpackers, to flock to Bali to explore its natural awe and wonder. To try to stem over tourism and preserve the islands natural beauty the government has just ( February 2024) introduced a tourist tax. Foreign travellers visiting the island will now pay 150,000 rupiahs (around £7.50 or US$9.50) in addition to any other visa fees. 

We arrived in Bali by cruise ship. It was a particularly hot and sticky day. Our welcome to port consisted of a musical group of, what looked like school children, dancing, playing drums and xylophones in a very professional way….What a lovely welcome it was…full of warmth, colour and culture.

We were ushered to our coach as we headed of for our tour. We had done a lot of research into the tour we had opted to take. Many people would frown and call an Elephant riding Safari unethical. However, most people who know us are aware that we have a passion and love of wildlife and conservation, in particular we like to support the protection and enhancement of endangered species and promote animal welfare. Bali has a multi-award-winning park which is  dedicated as an elephant rescue facility it is  also home to Bali’s largest herd of critically-endangered Sumatran elephants, 6 of which were born at the sanctuary. So we decided to have a once in a lifetime experience and visit the sanctuary and take part in elephant trekking, interact with these majestic creatures by getting up close & personal with them. The park is fully committed to conservation and has set high standards in how to care for elephants in a purpose-built environment. Wow! Did we have a great, fun time. 

It took us a considerable time by bus to get to the sanctuary, the bus even stopped for a toilet break. On arriving at the sanctuary each group had an allocated entrance time. While we waited we looked around a small museum at the entrance to the park. This told us all about the Sumatran elephants plight for survival and how the sanctuary had come about.

When our allocated time came we were walked through some amazingly green and colourful  gardens. As we strolled down to where we could see some elephants you could witness that they are well cared for in a healthy and stimulating environment that caters to all their daily needs. We walked around a large lake in which some elephants were walking through whilst being ridden by their handler and tourists…..

Some of the elephants where doing what elephants do and squirting water from their trunks all over their backs and unsuspecting visitors, who squealed in delight or was it surprise. This made one particular elephant do it all the more !!!! The elephants quite obviously enjoyed this even if their passengers hadn’t expected to have an extra shower!! 

The elephants walk along side a raised platform, where you wait to get on to the seat.

To mount the seat you step out and sit down all at the same time, so as not to put your weight directly on to the elephants back. This was a tricky manoeuvre for the first person as you need to sit on the far side of the seat which is made for two. My long legged husband was summing up how to do this when he said ‘ladies first’….oh what a gentleman…. So off I stepped stretching my short, dumpy legs as far as possible….have I mentioned it was a hot and sticky day!!!…..thankfully I managed to reach the right part of the seat, however my trousers were not as fortunate, they were stuck to me and hadn’t enjoyed the stretch causing them to rip across the derrière (backside) …oh dear!!!!…

John mounted with the utmost of ease and our handler/driver set our majestic beast on its way. We wandered through the gardens stopping when ever our elephant wanted to browse or communicate with another elephant.

There was no harassing of the elephant. The only thing I didn’t like was seeing two elephants chained in two different areas. They had vegetarian and water around them.  Our handler/guide explained that they were both males on musth (periods of heightened testosterone levels)and this causes the elephants to have aggressive behaviour during this time. So for the safety of the workers, tourists and other elephants when the males enter a period of Musth they are segregated and chained. 

After about an hour  our elephant entered the lake and wandered around it. We would have welcomed a ‘trunk shower’ but that wasn’t on our mounts mind, although spraying water around our elephant was mindful to keep us dry.

We were returned to the dismounting area and we both disembarked without incident. Our elephant was then rewarded with fresh greenery and lots of cooing from us. 

We were provided with a pleasant lunch and wandered around the gift shop for a while. We were then invited back to meet some of the younger elephants who had a few tricks to show us… placing a garland around our necks and kissing our checks with its trunk in return for some food we had been given to reward it.

Getting in on the act!

WOW !!! What a wonderful experience we had had.

The cost of rescuing, researching, breeding these critically endangered species is such that without the tourism this conservation could never take place. Would we do it again? Probably not but we are pleased we did it and contributed towards the survival of this species.

Our tour continued to the art and craft market in Ubud. The first thing we did was purchase a batik wrap so I could cover my exposed derrière!! . We had a good look around and we were  fairly well hassled by the stall holders. We only bought a carved wooden chopstick holder. I really liked the blown glass bowls which sit on natural branches of trees…the glass is blown to the shape of the tree branch holder. There was however no way of getting something like that home. I am very fortunate to have a fantastic treasure of a friend who a month later went to an awful lot of trouble to import me one of these for my birthday. It now sits proudly on my windowsill, at home, with coloured lights adorning it’s interior. 

Our trip back from Ubud was a long one. The traffic was horrendous, but the sightseeing was great. Thankfully it was a Ships Tour we had taken because we were two hours late getting back to port. Being a Ships Tour the Ship waits for your return, otherwise we would have ‘missed the boat’, as the saying goes. We were not the last bus back and scurried aboard with other cruisers looking down from their balconies shaking their heads as if we were the cause of the ships departure being delayed….which of course we were but not of our own making….

What a wonderful day we had had…full of first time experiences. Our bus tour through the magnificent countryside had demonstrated why this Island is so popular, it is defiantly a place we would like to revisit. 

A trip to The Netherlands.

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I have always called it Holland but my Dutch friend is very quick to remind me that North Holland and South Holland are just two of the 12 Provinces of The Netherlands. It’s a bit like us, in the UK, calling  Scotland and Wales Britain..!!!!  The Netherlands official name is actually “ The Kingdom of The Netherlands”. It borders Germany to the east and Belgium to the south, and has a North Sea coastline to the north and west. It’s population is 17.9 million people all living in its relatively small area of 16,160 sq miles ( 41,850 sq Km), this makes it the 33rd most densely populated country in the world. It’s quite amazing that with this high level of population it is the 2nd largest exporter of food and agricultural products ( by value) in the world. This is obviously due to its fertile(much has been reclaimed from the sea) land, mild climate and its eco life style.

During the past two years we have enjoyed visiting The Netherlands twice, this blog is the first of our visits which took place at the end of November/beginning of December, we went for 6 nights.  The Netherlands has 4 large cities which are Amsterdam Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. We visited the first 3 cities along with smaller towns and Villages. Amsterdam is the country’s most populous city and is known as the capital city though the political national institutions are located in The Hague.
We based ourselves in a village called Hendrick-ido-Ambacht, approx 11miles south-east of Rotterdam. A quaint village with a great network off buses. We stayed at B&B ‘t Ambacht. A boutique Bed and Breakfast which occupies a 100 year old building. The building was the village bakery and the shower in our very pretty bedroom was actually in one of the old brick built ovens. The authentic warm decoration brings back its glorious history. It costs about £113 per double per night,  inclusive of a fantastic breakfast, most of which is made on the premises.

From here we took trips out. Although we had hired a car, from the garage in the village, it wasn’t really necessary as we used buses, trains and trams most of the time. 

Our fist visit was to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage site of Kinderdijk. Kinderdijk is a small village in the the Netherlands’ South Holland province. It is well known for its iconic 18th-century windmills. Its has 19 mills and 3 pumping stations, plus dikes and reservoirs that control water levels in the low-lying surrounding land. At the main visitors centre you can buy a ticket to take a boat for €19.50 weekend and €18.00 Weekdays. The boat takes you to  2/3 of the windmills which are set up as museums and working museums. It allows you to hop-on and hop-off…..although I expect in the summer and at weekends it sticks to a stricter timetable than when we visited, in late autumn. Many of the windmills are privately owned and lived in. It is a beautiful area, if you don’t fancy the boat there are cycle and footpaths which crisscross the area. 

On returning to the visitors centre we warmed up with a hot drink and one of Hollands famous pastries……John of course couldn’t resist trying the clogs on…..

Our sightseeing continued to Delft…the weather was most inclement but we still braved the conditions and had a nice wander around…we of course had to purchase a delft Christmas bauble…admittedly it was about all we could afford, and even that was €25!!!

We continued our sightseeing with a visit to Dordrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague.

The three days passed at speed and it was soon time to return to Amsterdam for 2 more days. We booked a tour with Viator. It was a full-day tour to Zaanse Schans ( another area with windmills), Edam ( the town where the famous cheese originates from and a cheese factory), Volendam ( a seaside town known for its old fishing boats and traditional clothing), with round-trip transfer from central Amsterdam ensuring a hassle-free trip. We saw windmills, waterlands, cheese makers, and clog factories up close, and learnt about the region’s rich history directly from a professional guide, with tasters of cheese and other local produce. The price of the ticket also included a 1-hour canal sightseeing tour right after the tour, ending at Amsterdam Central Station. The day ticket cost £31 per person, which we thought was tremendous value.

We were fortunate enough to have visited just as the canal based festival of light show had commenced for the Christmas run-up……..the photos certainly don’t do it justice…

Our second day in Amsterdam we spent taking the Hop-on Hop-off bus around the cities sights…. My highlight was the diamond cutting company, which I found totally fascinating. We explored the red light area, cathedral, quaint streets, restaurants before finally getting a rickshaw back to our hotel.

Our 6 nights were over very quickly and it was soon time take the train back to the airport for our easyJet flight back to Luton airport. It had been a great 6 nights. Our hotel in Amsterdam was small, expensive and to say it was B&B was a figment of their imagination, unless they think one croissant each constitutes breakfast!! ….Our experiences lead us to believe that this is normal for hotels in countries capital cities….our Amsterdam hotels saving Grace was that it was walking distance to the station and all the main attractions, and if you were too tired to walk a rickshaw could be hailed..