Travel
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and now she's hearing that flights are turbulent due to thunderstorm weather. This is going well.Odds on we'll be in NZ this summer at some point
How about Broome? Meant to be very nice, beaches look great, South East Asian influence without leaving Straya. My sister lives in Melbourne, she loved it there
Have heard from my parents it was pretty good up that way.
Not in summer tho
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Didn't mention Cambodia as it is a bit more challenging for many, but it is a greatr destination.
Had New Years Eve in Phnom Penh in 2017. One of the best nights I have had Great party. Cambodia can be confronting though especially the Khmer Rouge stuff. It is a really poor country but the people just shrug and get on with it even those directly affected by the atrocities' of the 70's.
I found Siem Reap a bit disappointing. To many of the Insta tourists for my liking.
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Hey fackers - thinking about Singapore with the family in January. Recommendations?
To throw a slight spanner in the works, is Singapore locked in as a destination or are other nearby places also in your thoughts? Because, if you've never been to say Malaysia or Vietnam I'd favour those two (slightly cheaper and a lot cheaper) over Singapore.
Vietnam sounds amazing, and the food is great. Singapore is definitely entry level Asia. Vietnam is apparently a bit manic. But I'm eager to go. I like Malaysia too. Malaysia is very cheap, quite tatty compared to Singapore
I think Malaysia is a good mix. Most of KL just feels like a western city, but with really cheap food, and the rest is a mix of western and asian.
I did Vietnam and Cambodia once in 2000 and then again in 2013/14 and the progress in both was crazy. The cities are developing at an amazing rate. But they still have the Asian feel. I'd like to go back again soon, had a Malaysia-Southern Vietnam trip booked that got Covided.
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I found Siem Reap a bit disappointing. To many of the Insta tourists for my liking.
My most recent time there it was filled with Russian tourists. And the boats weren't running to Phnom Penh so we had to take a shitty mini bus which was miserable.
TBH, I didn't think it's that challenging plus you get to bribe border guards if you go overland - which is a fun thing to do at least once in your life.
I also found S-21 (the school) to be a tougher visit than the Killing Fields.
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Hey fackers - thinking about Singapore with the family in January. Recommendations?
To throw a slight spanner in the works, is Singapore locked in as a destination or are other nearby places also in your thoughts? Because, if you've never been to say Malaysia or Vietnam I'd favour those two (slightly cheaper and a lot cheaper) over Singapore.
Vietnam sounds amazing, and the food is great. Singapore is definitely entry level Asia. Vietnam is apparently a bit manic. But I'm eager to go. I like Malaysia too. Malaysia is very cheap, quite tatty compared to Singapore
I think Malaysia is a good mix. Most of KL just feels like a western city, but with really cheap food, and the rest is a mix of western and asian.
I did Vietnam and Cambodia once in 2000 and then again in 2013/14 and the progress in both was crazy. The cities are developing at an amazing rate. But they still have the Asian feel. I'd like to go back again soon, had a Malaysia-Southern Vietnam trip booked that got Covided.
Malaysia is interesting, because I don't think many people see it as a tourist destination in the way they see Thailand, Vietnam, etc. But I thoroughly enjoyed both of my trips there
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Hey fackers - thinking about Singapore with the family in January. Recommendations?
To throw a slight spanner in the works, is Singapore locked in as a destination or are other nearby places also in your thoughts? Because, if you've never been to say Malaysia or Vietnam I'd favour those two (slightly cheaper and a lot cheaper) over Singapore.
Vietnam sounds amazing, and the food is great. Singapore is definitely entry level Asia. Vietnam is apparently a bit manic. But I'm eager to go. I like Malaysia too. Malaysia is very cheap, quite tatty compared to Singapore
I think Malaysia is a good mix. Most of KL just feels like a western city, but with really cheap food, and the rest is a mix of western and asian.
I did Vietnam and Cambodia once in 2000 and then again in 2013/14 and the progress in both was crazy. The cities are developing at an amazing rate. But they still have the Asian feel. I'd like to go back again soon, had a Malaysia-Southern Vietnam trip booked that got Covided.
Malaysia is interesting, because I don't think many people see it as a tourist destination in the way they see Thailand, Vietnam, etc. But I thoroughly enjoyed both of my trips there
Hmmm, I hadn't thought about that, probably because most of my friend group have taken trips there and I've been a few times.
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I also found S-21 (the school) to be a tougher visit than the Killing Fields.
Yeah - the school was fucked. Not as "in your face" as the Fields - but the little stories...
Particularly - the kiwi who rocked up on a yacht, not realising shit had gone fucked, arrested as a spy, quickly realised he was dead, never going home, and just started spinning shit. "Yeah, I report to Colonel Mustard, and Colonel Kentucky, and Major <child-hood pet's name>, etc, etc". And I think they had audio of his brother explaining it, or something? Partially because "kiwi", but just the relatability of it... hit me where it stung. -
the kiwi who rocked up on a yacht
Kerry Hamill, brother of trans-Atlantic rower Rob.
There has always been a suggestion that the yacht might have been bringing some hash down from Thailand.
Irrespective of the validity of the rumours, nothing he did warranted his torture and death at S-21.
I too found the school way more moving. They do it well though. Quite eerie everyone wandering around in almost total silence some with tears running down their faces.
Kerry Hammil admitted he was a CIA agent - his handler being Colonel Sanders, but he testified that the most important person in his life was (his mothers name) hoping she would learn this later - as she did.
Quite the tragedy for the Hamil family. Another brother committed suicide when he learned of Kerry's death.
Rob managed to get some closure a decade or so ago by testifying at the trial of his brother's torturer. A film was made of his (Rob's) journey to Cambodia.
By contrast the killing fields were peaceful and quite beautiful. Spoiled by the loud yank woman who went off the marked path and told her husband to "come quickly and take a photo there's teeth in the dirt".
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@mariner4life said in Travel:
Spoiled by the loud yank woman who went off the marked path and told her husband to "come quickly and take a photo there's teeth in the dirt
god fucking dammit the Americans are the most annoying tourists
Totally unaware of their surroundings
Example 1. Stayed at a hotel in Europe, can't remember where. Went down to breakfast right at the end of service, made do with whatever food was left, just happy to have something to eat. Americans come down after the close and demand fresh cooked food
Example 2. Eating an outdoor restaurant in Italy. Americans a couple of tables across start feeding stray dogs at the table. Nek minute a couple of dogs start fighting over the food, chaos ensues
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loud. all the fucking time.
travel in large fucking groups and are just loud. fluffybunnies get an inside voice!
One the fucking trains in Italy and all you can here are Americans talking loudly at each other
And yes, constantly demanding shit is catered to them.
Massive stereotype, some are lovely. But on my recent trip almost all my annoyances had the same fucking accent
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I vividly remember sometime back in 2001 loud American pair in fluro T shirts and fanny packs go to a bar in Paris and order…….
Fat American Male: Two beers buddy…….Two of those ones……TWO BEERS BUDDY !!!!
Bartender: ( holds up hands ) no English……
American storms off angrily……
MN5: ( in his best fifth form French ) Deux Heinekins silvous plait…..
Bartender: ( in fluent English ) Sure thing, coming right up……
Literally ALL the American/French stereotypes in one moment.
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Some great early comments surrounding Singapore. @NTA if your wife is worried about some other countries nearby that are also clearly good suggestions, Singapore is easily the most sanitised and safest of the lot. Makes it easier to convince someone with anxiety.
Best thing to do in my mind (even in the heat), is do the half day bicycle tour early in a visit. It covers many historical landmarks and areas which get explained. By doing this early when we went, it allowed us to not only find our bearings easier, but find some bars/restaurants/locations we wanted to go to later in our holiday, that we didn't know about before we arrived.
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Right so fuck anywhere overseas apparently
all of them come with a host of problems, particularly anything I've suggested like fucking Japan in fucking winter because apparently "there is nothing to do".Instead, Port Douglas is now on the cards because her bestie went there back in January and it was great.
I've pointed out the level of sweaty bullshit and chafing but hey: her bestie said it was fine.
So @mariner4life you're from crazy tropical Queensland. Any recommendations?
Ha! Don't fucking bother because IT'S NOT HER FRIEND'S IDEA SO FUCK YOU THAT'S WHY!
(Honestly as long as we go somewhere there is alcohol, a pool, and copious copulation I don't give a single shit)
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Stay: Peppers Beach Club
Eat: salsa, melaleuca
Drink: courthouse and central are both great
Visit: the wildlife habitat Port Douglas. And swim with a saltie
Reef: I think the nautilus still goes out of port and it's a good day -
If you want to go to Cape trib let me know and I'll get you on our tour
