Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore June 2023

More travel. More haiku.

Artwork from the wall of Tiong Bahru Bakery, Fort Canning, Singapore.

Bangkok

Siering old giant
Chatuchak with kids is hard
Mud farm, river balm

Georgetown Penang

Art filled allyways
Found archipelago bar
Behind the blue door

Langkawi

Sick child. Sleepless nights
Hot heads, tiny bites, small sips.
Influenza A

Bon Ton Resort

Silk house. Outdoor tub
Same strawberry daqueris
Fifteen years have passed

Singapore

Tiger beers, old friends
New World’s End tour through wet streets
Still, our favourite

Where we stayed

• Royal River Hotel, Bangkok
• Jawi Peranakan Mansion, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
• Tanjung Rhu Village and Villa, Langkawi, Malaysia
• Bon Ton Resort, Langkawi, Malaysia
• Dayang Bay Resort, Kuah, Langkawi, Malaysia
• Thanksgiving Serviced Apartment, Oxley Road, Singapore

Turning 40 in Singapore and Thailand 2022

My new era of backpacking. Railay pier, catching the boat to Koh Yao Noi, Boxing day 2022.

I’ve said a lot about Singapore and Thailand over the years. Now traveling with young kids leaves little time for writing long blog posts, so I thought I’d try Haiku.

Singapore

Warm city of ease,
Lazy river of old haunts,
Age thirty. Forty.

Thailand

Ninth maybe tenth time 
Less banana pancake trail
More zen cat islands

Where we stayed:

• Concourse Skyline Singapore
• Mai Khao Palm Resort
• Railay Village Resort
• Koh Yao Seaview Bungalow, Koh Yao Noi
• Casa Blanca, Phuket Old Town
• Raiwai Palm Beach Resort

Pic of the week; Nai Yang Beach, Phuket

The beautifully understated Nai Yang beach, Phuket Thailand.. Only  7 mins from the airport & a million miles from Patong! Mojitos, Massaman, Massages, Moonlight and my Man :) The perfect Valentines weekend break.

 

 

24 Hours in… Bangkok

I’ve done backpacker Bangkok, now 9th time around here’s flashpacker Bangkok……

Saturday Morning… Chatuchak Weekend Market!
Saturday Afternoon…. Measure up at a good tailors
Saturday Night….Chinatown Shanghai Mansion Hotel
Sunday Morning…Taling Chan Floating Markets
Sunday Afternoon…Pool Cocktails @ The Marriott Courtyard
Sunday Evening…AirAsia flight back to Singapore

24h in Bangkok Done!

Northern Thailand

Now I like a beach, I really do, so the North was never going to prevail against the south Islands. That said, Thailand part deux has it charms, and us girls celebrated the end of a good run here after pretty much 2 months together.

Like:

1)      Chains. Mock you like, after a 2 months in SE Asia without the Golden Arches, a Mcflurry at 11pm for 9 baht is most welcomed! Seven Eleven’s too – 20 baht toasties, cashews, sour cream & onion Lays, cornettos. Snack heaven.

2)      Bamboo Tattoos. Although I know Thailand is not original a place to get inked anymore, I’m glad mine was in the lovely Pai, and with traditional bamboo, which we even got to keep.

3)      Dare I say it; I actually liked Bangkok 8^th time around! We got there in the end.

Dislike:

1)      Waking up with all three of my jumpers on to see my breath freeze in Pai & Chiang Mai I thought we’d left the cold weather front behind in China!

2)      The inability to travel direct from Chiang Rai to Pai, even though maps and logic tell you it should be possible.

3)      The price of the Gibbon Experience/Flight of the Gibbon. I want to swing from a zipline, but not for £60 thanks. I can go to GoApe for that I imagine, all be it in the slightly less glamorous surroundings of Sherwood Forest.

Where I stayed

Easy house Chiang Rai, Diva Backpackers Chiang Mai, Saishon Guesthouse Pai, Lanna Guesthouse, Chiang Mai, Ton Nam Guesthouse Lampang, Charoendee Guesthouse Bangkok.