DANUBE and RHINE BLOG 02

Tuesday May 28, 2013

I wouldn’t normally bother with a blog-entry this early into a tour. I mean, it was only a few hours ago (well, a day and a bit) that we left home. But (i) knowing that some of you have nothing better to do than read these pointless jottings … and (ii) suspecting that some of you worry about your friends and rellies who are travelling with us … and (iii) realising that you probably won’t rest-easy until you know your loved ones are safe … I felt I should update you.

(Another possible reason if that I’m currently sitting with Mrs Cooney in Singapore’s fabulous Changi Airport. Our flight doesn’t leave for another three hours. Our Kiwi mad-midlifers are spread out all over Terminal 3, eating, drinking and shopping I imagine. But I’ve been there, done that, and finished my pizza – and I’m now feeling sleep-deprived and bored-out-of-my-tiny-mind.

So, let’s see – what can I tell you?

Singapore by night

Singapore by night

Well, to be honest, not a lot. Except that we arrived last night in this Asian showpiece-city (after an uneventful 10 hours in the air) … were duly delivered to the lovely Swissotel Merchant Court (near the brilliantly-lit-up Clarke Quay)… where we slept like babies(?) in our big welcoming beds.

Following a modest Weight-Watchers breakfast (not!), our group members went their various ways – spending up large in Orchard Road’s famous shops … riding sampans down the Singapore River … exploring the ultra-modern Gardens By The Bay or the spectacular National Orchid Gardens … grabbing some up-high views aboard the Singapore Flyer (a giant ferris-wheel) … visiting Haw Par Villa or Chinatown or Little India … catching a taxi to the legendary Raffles Hotel, in search of English High Tea or a ‘Singapore Sling’ … snoozing in their rooms, or splashing in the pool, or sitting at the bar and feeling homesick (yeah, right!).

Later tonight, we’ll commence the second leg of our grand journey, jetting our way across Asia and Europe for 14 tedious hours to Amsterdam, Holland – where our elegant river-boat, the Amadeus Princess, lies warming up, waiting to take us cruising on the Rhine and Danube.

Anyway, that’s enough for now – don’t you agree?

Yours bloggedly – JOHN

PS: Do you like this cool photo of Singapore? I snapped it tonight out the back of our coach on the way to the Airport. (And if you believe that, you’ll believe anything!)

PPS: P.S. If you want to leave a message for someone in our group, just click on the little speech bubble at the top of this page, and add your ‘COMMENTS’! Make sure you say who it’s for and who it’s from – and keep it brief.