Travel
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@booboo I thought Kuranda was massively over-hyped.
Do agree about the Tablelands and Daintree though. Cape Trib is awesome
Do not under any circumstances think a day trip to Undarra lava tubes from Port Douglas is a good idea. In particular do not leave at dawn, drive for bloody hours only to arrive and find out there are only two tours a day, you've missed the first one by 15 minutes and the next one isn't for another 5 hours.
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@booboo I thought Kuranda was massively over-hyped.
Do agree about the Tablelands and Daintree though. Cape Trib is awesome
Do not under any circumstances think a day trip to Undarra lava tubes from Port Douglas is a good idea. In particular do not leave at dawn, drive for bloody hours only to arrive and find out there are only two tours a day, you've missed the first one by 15 minutes and the next one isn't for another 5 hours.
The town itself was a waste, as was the Butterfly house, but the train trip up was good, as was @mariner4life 's Rainforestation and the gondola back down.
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Hey fackers - thinking about Singapore with the family in January. Recommendations?
Love Singapore. Lots of different areas you can stay. Down at the Marina is expensive, Orchard Road has nice access to the shops. Santosa island has universal Studios and other stuff that might be too young for your kids. I really enjoyed the night zoo, which I did without kids so it's an attraction for everyone. Great food all over the place, I love me a good hawker market. Go for a meal at Lau Pa Sat, the food hall itself is pretty blah, a little too sanitised for me. But go out the back and sit on plastic tables in the car park amidst the satay stalls. Smokey, chargrilled goodness, cold beer, lots of great food brought to your table. If you love Asian, Indian food, it is a wonderland
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@NTA How long you thinking of going for?
Singapore is very sanitised but it is very clean, safe with plenty of good shopping and sights to see.
My brother lives there so I have been a few times. Although I get free accomodation I find it an incredibly expensive place to visit, but that's because he lives on the river and the bars and restaurants he wants to hit are uber expensive.
As the others have said it doesn't have to be that way.
If you do have a big budget it is an incredible stopover (for adults).
Kids wise - The Gardens by the Bay area is good. There are actually quite a few areas of wildlife that most tourists don't realise are so accessible. Snakes, crocs, birdlife - although might all be a bit passe for you.
It is hot and humid which many find draining. Personally I find 3-4 days enough but that's becauseI know it well. You can also easily do a day trip to Indonesia or Malaysia.
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Cheers gents - thinking is 7 nights in mid-January, accepting that we lose basically a day travel either side from Sydney.
We've looked at staying on Sentosa, Marina Bay, and Orchard Road. Pros and cons to each.
Wife is interested in the shopping part of things (natch) and we're both into the history. Kids won't care as long as decent wifi exists and they get to laze around the hotel room / pool for a couple of hours a day.
I am led to understand the public transport is pretty good but set it up on your phone beforehand or something.
I'm definitely keen to see any of the WW2 stuff like Changi prison memorials etc.
Is there plenty of available public wifi or should we pick up a SIM card or something?
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The MRT (metro) covers most places and is cheap and so regular you just front up knowing a train will pull up in a couple of minutes. I have a link card but you can get unlimited bus and MRT travel passes for <$10/day.
Taxi's are cheap. If you can stand the heat walking is an option as a lot of sites are close together in downtown. There's also the river, but that isn't as cheap.
Download the Wireless@SG app and you'll have free service pretty much everywhere.
Also forgot to mention how safe the place is. You can leave your phone and wallet on your table as a placemaker while you go for a piss and know it'll be there when you get back.
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There was uber type app last time I was there, as uber had just exited the space. I agree that taxis are very cheap, and it saves you the killer walk from the MRT station to the next air conditioned building
lowest temperature ever recorded in Singapore: just before sunrise, coldest night of winter ever: 18 degrees.
It's crazy hot. Partner and I checked a destination; was only a couple of km. Thought a cruisy stroll was the shot ... broke down with heat and had to get an ice cream part way through. It's insane... but you do acclimatise after a while (or so I am told)
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@nzzp I like the heat and the humidity. My partner does not
Once you get to know the place you can do a lot of walking underground or through buildings. They do air-condition major streets too like Orchard Road.
It is important to hydrate though. At every opportunity
Hence whuy I find the place expensive.
My brother does a 70km cycle ride every Saturday morning. That's not fun - especially after Friday night's hydration session.
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Aaaaand the wife is now having second thoughts due to the heat.
It’s farking hot there mate, but it need not destroy your holiday if you plan accordingly.
You sweat a lot, but it’s not THAT oppressive.
It’s not like Dubai during summer, or even a 38 degree day in Sydney. It’s a different heat.
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It is hot but nearly 30's. It is humid but seriously just tell your missus everywhere is air-conditioned. Except the hawker markets. My partner doesn't do heat well but apart from once when we walked all around downtown when she was recovering from a summer flu she has never once complained.
Too busy spending up large in the boutiques. That should be your concern - not the temperature
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