Asia
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Day 6. An Evening at Happy Valley Racecourse
Its Wednesday evening, and each Wednesday (with the exception of July and August) it’s known as ‘Happy Wednesday’ at Happy Valley. So we decided to go along and see for ourselves. We took a tram to Happy Valley Racecourse, arriving just on the opening time of 6.00 pm. Ground tickets cost HK$10 each and then a…
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Day 7. A Ferry to Cheung Chau
After breakfast we took the MRT to Central then caught a ferry to the small island of Cheung Chau. The fast ferry cost HK$10.5 each and the journey took 45 minutes. This small island is situated 10km south of Hong Kong. Streets are so narrow that only small sized motorised trucks are used on the…
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Day 7. Mong Kok and an evening trip up The Peak, Hong Kong
Another ride on the iconic Star Ferry over to Kowloon then the metro to Mong Kong to explore the markets. Mong Kong is full of atmosphere and is a chaotic mix of stalls selling fake designer labels alongside cheap local products. Bartering over the price seems to be the norm, so expect to pay at least…
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Day 8 Aberdeen, IFC Mall and Wan Chai, Hong Kong
This morning we caught a rush hour train to Central, then a bus across to Aberdeen via the toll tunnel. Aberdeen is located on the south of the island and was one of the first locations that British armed forces landed in 1841 and was named after the 4th Earl of Aberdeen. Our first stop…
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Day 9. Stanley and the Star Ferry, Hong Kong
After breakfast it was time to pack. Even though we had bought several bags of clothes, a remote controlled helicopter and various other bits and pieces, it wasn’t too difficult as Emirates provide a generous 30kg baggage allowance and we had plenty of room in our large suitcases. We checked out of the Ibis Hotel, North Point…
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Day 10. A day in Dubai
After a smooth flight, we arrived in Dubai at 5.00 am local time. Our luggage had been checked through to Manchester, and as we had a lengthy time between flights we planned a quick sightseeing tour of the city. We cleared immigration quickly and had free visas stamped into our passports. Dubai metro is connected…
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Day 1. Manchester to Doha on our way to Singapore with Qatar Airways
We caught the 9.53 am train to Manchester Airport and arrived in Terminal 2 just as check-in opened for our flight as there was no queue. Passing through security was busy as it was the first day of the school holidays but it still left plenty of time to enjoy an airside coffee before our…
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Day 2. Arriving in Singapore from Doha
After a short time in transit we boarded the 787 Dreamliner to Singapore, it was our first time on this type of airliner. Our chosen seats were in Row 17 again but this time the configuration was 3 3 3 so we had another passenger sitting with us. Again, good, attentive service throughout the flight.…
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Day 2. Exploring Singapore
After quickly showering and unpacking we headed back out into town taking the MRT to City Hall station. From there we walked to the iconic Raffles Hotel, named after Sir Stamford Raffles who founded Singapore and established the East India Company in 1819. Whilst there, we looked in the famous Long Bar where Singapore Sling…
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Day 3. Chinatown and Orchard Road, Singapore
We woke early as a result of jet lag, so went down to breakfast at 7.30 am. We sat out on the covered terrace which was kept cool with large ceiling fans. The breakfast spread was a good selection of Western and Asian dishes, fruit, pastries, noodles, etc. and much more choice than one would…
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Day 4. Mt. Faber and Sentosa Island Singapore
Jet lag seemed to be over now as we both woke later in the morning. After another leisurely breakfast sitting out on the hotel terrace it was off to Clarke Quay MRT station for the metro to HarbourCity. From there, we took the lift to the 15th floor of the Vivo City Mall and bought…
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Day 4. Clarke Quay, Singapore
After a refreshing dip in the hotel’s infinity pool and a shower, we were ready to head out again. In the evening we decided to stay local and eat at Clarke Quay, just over the road from our hotel. This district by the Singapore River has been transformed in recent years with bars and restaurants…
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Day 5. Walking the MacRitchie Trail, Singapore
After yet another leisurely breakfast it was time to start exploring again, this time on a forest trail. We caught Bus No.166 from outside Clarke Quay MRT station to the MacRitchie Trail and Reserve. The nearest stop being at Venus Drive, we used the GPS on our phone to find out where it was. The trail…
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Day 5. The Singapore Flyer
During the afternoon we decided to take the MRT to Promenade station and take a ride on the Singapore Flyer. It stands 165m tall and is the largest big wheel outside of the U.S. It costs $33 each for the 30 minute ride. When we arrived there was no queue to buy tickets and we…
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Day 6. Little India and the Arab District, Singapore
Breakfast on the terrace again and I sampled fried carrot cake, this neither contains carrots nor is it acake – it’s actually a type of omelette with fried radish. It’s a popular dish in Singapore and it definitely tastes better than it sounds! Next, it was time to resume sightseeing and first on our…
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Day 6. The Botanical Gardens and Gluttons Bay, Singapore
After lunch we hopped on the MRT again, this time to the Botanical Gardens which, conveniently, has its own stop just outside the park gates. Admission to the Gardens and lake area is free but there is a small charge of $5 to enter the National Orchid Garden. This small entrance fee was definitely worthwhile as…
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Day 7. Visiting Singapore Zoo
We woke to light rain, but as the breakfast terrace was covered we were still able to eat outside. We decided to visit the Zoo today so we had a lengthy metro and bus journey to get there. The journey was easy as we took the MRT from Clarke Quay to Ang Mo Kio and…
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Day 7. The Sentosa Express and Lau Pa Sat, Singapore
After lunch, we made our second visit of the week to Sentosa, but instead of travelling by cable car, we chose to travel on the Sentosa Express monorail. This departs from the third floor of the Vivo City Mall at Harbourside and a return ticket costs $4. There are three stations on Sentosa and we stayed on until…
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Day 8. Bum Boat to Pulau Ubin, Singapore
During the morning we took the MRT and then a bus to Changi Point village from where we caught a bum boat over to the small island of Pulau Ubin. The small island is situated off the north east coast of Singapore and unlike Sentosa is largely undeveloped. Boats don’t run to a timetable, instead they…
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Day 8. The Gardens by the Bay Light Show, Singapore
Our final evening in Singapore and we decided to eat at Lau Pa Sat so we took the MRT along to Downtown. We chose a roasted duck set meal which was served with a clear broth and rice. We then had just enough time to take the MRT over to Bayfront for the Gardens by…
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Day 9. Fort Canning Park and shopping at the Outlet Mall, Singapore
Our final day in Singapore, a leisurely breakfast followed by a walk in Fort Canning Park which is situated just behind Clarke Quay. The park is set on a hill and from the top, good views can be had overlooking the Central Business District and Clarke Quay. We returned to the hotel and checked out just…
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Day 9. Upgrade on Qatar Airways Singapore to Manchester
Checking in at the Qatar Airways desk of Terminal 3 was very quick, so we had plenty of time to explore the terminal building. Our first stop was to the Changi Butterfly Park on the upper floor which was a haven of tranquility in the midst of an international airport and certainly worth a visit. After…
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