For those that had decided to jumpstart their return home, the Citation and PC-12, they landed in Sapporo with an 8,000 foot ceiling and a Boeing 747 on the parallel runway waiting for us to be on the ground. The handlers were waiting for us on the ramp and took us to the hotel located on top of the terminal. In other words if we throw a rope off the window, you would end up on a cockpit of a 747… We had a Sapporo (the beer) in Sapporo and we had dinner in the terminal in a typical Japanese restaurant as the hotel restaurant was closed. We left the next morning with a low ceiling around 500 feet and broke out at 2,000. The rest of the flight was just blue sky and some tailwind.
We landed in Petropavlovsk with a perfect blue sky. Customs and immigration were waiting for us and searched around and inside the planes. By the time we finished fueling up the plane, Lyle arrived with the PC12 and we all went to the hotel together, located in the city, 30 minutes east of the airport. We stayed 3 nights in Petropavlovsk and got the chance to discover Russian food, Russian people and Petropavlovsk landscape…thank you weather and winds! Those that had opted to stick to the original schedule caught up to us by this point and were already in Anadyr.

We had a tour of the city and nearest landscape organized the second day. We received the overflight permit the last night and departed to Anadyr for a fuel stop were we met with the rest of the group, The TBM and Malibu waiting to clear customs.

The Malibu departed first, the TBM followed and then the Citation. Lyle wanted to spend one more night in Russia in order to get some rest before his long flight to Fairbanks.

The three planes arrived in Anchorage in a two hour window and we all met for dinner. Plenty of beers, fish and chips, and burgers…but we were back in the USA after 72 days of flying internationally!

Tomorrow we are off to our final stop, Seattle, Washington!

Having the morning to relax in Kyoto, we all took our time to explore some more of the city before heading to the train station for our 2pm bullet train to Nagoya. We had arrived in no time and were greeted by Eri who led us to our hotel, the Marriott Associa.

That afternoon a couple of us opted to go to the Sumo Wrestling Championships of the World…what an experience! We had a perfect view of the platform and the sumos as they competed for victory. We all placed bets on who we thought would win! And after about 20 matches, I think it fair to say, we all had a fabulous time!

Thierry and Anais were getting ready to leave the Journey, so we had a farewell dinner for them at none other than a French restaurant. We were joined by Mickey and Eri (our handlers) and Al who was coming to help out Guillaume with the transpacific crossing home. We enjoyed fine dining, great wine, and reminisced about our great adventure as we overlooked beautiful views of Nagoya below. It was a wonderful evening with many laughs.

The following morning the Vollum’s and Lyle wanted to jumpstart their return home and opted to fly out of Nagoya to make Sapporro by night fall and fly on to Petropavlovsk in the morning with Guillaume in tow. The Ying’s and Steve and Brian Walenz decided to stick to the original plan and enjoy an extra night in Nagoya.

Steve W, Brian, Al, and Anais decided to visit the sites of Nagoya. On the plan was Nagoya Castle, a zen garden, and the Commemorative Toyota Industrial and Technological Museum. Nagoya Castle stands 5 stories high, each floor offering a look into the history of the castle since it was rebuilt after a fire burnt it down, and a great view of Nagoya City from the top floor. The zen garden was very peaceful with a multitude of streams and ponds each housing many koi fish and mosquitos but a beautiful walk through zen nature. The Toyota museum was a great view into the evolution of the Toyota brand, the weaving machines and its cars; very worthwhile.

We enjoyed a last Japanese dinner before heading to bed in preparation for our long trek home!

From Taiwan, the group continued on towards Nagoya, Japan. We would land in Nagoya and then take a Japanese Bullet Train to Kyoto for our stay of 3 nights at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto.

I think it’s fair to say Rain, Rain Go Away! After 65 days of traveling around the world, we saw rain, rain and more rain; our entire time in Japan was filled with rain and clouds. Umbrellas and Raincoats came in handy! But no complaints seeing as throughout our entire Journey we only saw rain 3 times!

We were greeted by great handlers, Mickey and Eri, who gave us a great welcome into their country. Thank you! We were welcomed, fueled, passed through customs and riding the bullet train in no time! After a quick 50 minute ride, we arrived in Kyoto for our transfer to the Hyatt Regency.

The following day, we set out on a full day tour of Kyoto. Met by our guide, Hiro, we were introduced to the ways of life for traditional Japanese people. Our first stop on the agenda was the famous Golden Pavilion, or the Kinkaku-ji Temple. After walking through the beautiful surrounding gardens, we set out for Ryoanji Temple. This Zen area holds 15 rocks that give the illusion of less because of the different angles at which the rocks are placed.

We then headed to the Arashiyama area, famous for its Bamboo Garden, for a quick bite to eat at a traditional noodle restaurant serving soba noodles (buckwheat). We were a little lost when looking at the menu but Hiro helped sort it out for us and we were eating delicious food in no time. Then it was off for a walk through the bamboo reaching high above us…what a site! We arrived at a private Tea House

Before returning to the hotel, we visited Kodaiji Temple, offering a fantastic view of Kyoto city below. Although it was raining, the view was still beautiful. We walked along a small road dotted with vendors and souvenir shops before reaching the many stairs to the top of the temple.

That evening Steve V, Steve W, Brian, Thierry, Guillaume, and Anais enjoyed dinner at Itoh Dining located in Gion district for some Kobe steak. Once we had completed our 6 courses, out came the most tender Kobe steak we have ever tasted…delicious!

The following morning, we set out on another half day city tour of Kyoto. There is so much to see that we could not fit it all into one day! On the schedule for today was Nijo Castle, Fushimi Inari Shrine (well known for its thousands of orange Temple gates), and Nashiki Market in order to get a sense of where Kyoto’s inhabitants do their daily shopping!

We had the afternoon free to relax before heading back to Gion district for a private Geisha and Maiko dinner. Geisha’s in Gion refer to themselves with the local term geiko, still meaning “woman of the arts” in Japanese. We entered the small house, removed our shoes, and entered the bamboo floored room to find a private dining room where we enjoyed nice music and dance from our Geiko (older than 20 yrs old) and Maiko (under 20 yrs old). We then played some drinking games, yes drinking games, with them. One was their version of rock, paper, scissors but instead was samurai, tiger and old lady…loser drinks. The other game required us to take turns touching or grabbing the object in the middle of the table. We were allowed to remove it from our opponent a maximum of 3 times in which case they would need to touch the table top with a fist. I’m sure my description is quite confusing but it was fun and most of us lost! We had a great time!!

Tomorrow it is off to Nagoya for two nights before starting our transpacific crossing for home!

We left Hong Kong for the small island of Taiwan. Upon our arrival, we were well greeted by the Handlers who took good care of us. We had a bit of a drive for the Four Seasons Formosa Regent, our hotel located in downtown Taipei. We settled into our rooms before heading to dinner at Robin’s. We had a private dinner in their exclusive Richard Hennessy room (the only one in the world!) that houses a bottle of cognac that was barreled for over 200 years!

The following morning we headed out for the city tour. On the plan was the Paoan Temple (I know you’re thinking another one!), but this was different from others we have seen with beautiful decorations and Chinese architecture, dragons, and vivid colors. We then set out to see the changing of the guards ceremony at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall; built as a tribute to the former President of the Republic of China in Taipei, Chiang Kai-shek, after his death.

After the changing of the guards, the group headed towards Taipei 101, originally the tallest building in the world, however, with the construction of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, it has fallen to number two. The 101 floor building is built to look like bamboo with 8 bends, 8 being a Chinese lucky number meaning prosperity, and houses the world’s fastest elevator, climbing 89 floors in a mere 38 seconds! The observatory deck is located on the 89th floor and offers 360′ views of all Taipei. After the quick and packed elevator ride, a couple of us opted to climb two flights of stairs to reach the 91st floor to take a look at the outdoor observatory.

We returned to the hotel for a quick bite to eat but then reunited with our tour guide in order to view one of the world’s most spectacular collections of Chinese artifacts and artwork at the National Palace Museum. Most of the items on display were collected by China’s ancient emperors; it is quite an exhibit!

It was a packed day for the tour goers but well worth it!

That evening Jeffrey and Renee invited the group out for a traditional Taiwanese dinner at Shinyeh. We all had a fabulous time and enjoyed the family style dinner! Thank you to the Yings!

Taipei is a city that offers a great deal of interesting monuments and history that were unfamiliar to the group before our arrival. Tomorrow is on to Nagoya, Japan where we will take a bullet train to Kyoto for the next 3 nights!

In order to regroup and relax, Air Journey planned for 5 nights in Hong Kong. This would allow for everyone to rest before our final stage of the Journey; the home stretch!

We had beautiful visibility and long ILS into Hong Kong. The airport was just as pictures depicted; it is a rectangular island made from the displacement of a hill with two parallel runways. Even though a large airport, busy with action, we taxied, quickly passed through customs, and jumped into our Rolls Royces in no time for our transfer to the Peninsula Hotel, our accommodations during our stay in Hong Kong. It surely isn’t something you see everyday…a bunch of pilots jumping into Rolls Royce!

Meeting us in Hong Kong was Butch, Mark, and Glenn flying their Grace Flight Mission, in their King Air, around the world! Having left the USA on June 6th, Air Journey organized a concierge Around the World Journey for them! They will be circumnavigating the world in 40 days! We were so happy to be able to meet up with them in Hong Kong and enjoyed hearing all of their adventures on the trip!

We also met up with Jeffrey and Renee, who had flown to Hong Kong, instead of Cambodia, while their plane was awaiting repairs in Brunei. We were happy to be reunited and once again one big happy family!

We checked into our grand deluxe rooms with stunning views of Hong Kong Island’s skyline and the Harbor below before heading to the lobby for some famous “tea time” snack. The Peninsula hotel is famous for its tea where everyday you see the lobby packed with both tourists and locals experiencing this event.

That night the group enjoyed dinner at the Peninsula’s Felix restaurant, located on the very top of the building, to experience Hong Kong’s most glamorous dining experience! Felix offers a wonderful selection of contemporary cuisine; we all indulged!

The next morning we had our usual half day city tour in which we set out to discover some of Hong Kong’s highlights; a visit to Man Mo Temple, the breathtaking view at Victoria Peak and the floating community of Aberdeen were all on the itinerary.

We headed towards Victoria Peak for a panoramic view of what locals call the “Concrete Jungle.” With a short 10 minute ride up the Peak Tram, we were at the top! Unfortunately it was a bit cloudy but visibility was still good and we were still able to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking view. After our many photos, we loaded back into the bus for a quick drive around to Aberdeen Marina. We then boarded a motorized sampan (small water taxi boat) for a short cruise through the floating Tanka community. Like most floating communities these days, Tanka is threatened to disappear due to a decrease in population as the younger generations forego family traditions of sea-life for dry land.

Anais organized a private visit to the Peninsula’s exclusive China Clipper lounge with a tour of the helipad…what a treat! The Peninsula helipad has about 5 landings a day! The view overlooking Hong Kong’s harbour is unbelievable!

That evening the group headed to “Peking Garden” for some peking duck. We opted for family style dining and let those familiar with traditional Chinese food to take charge of our ordering. We found ourselves eating sea cucumber blubber, jellyfish, and some shark fin soup; among other things! Definitely nothing we were familiar with but a great time!

We had the rest of our time in Hong Kong free to experience the city on our own. Many took advantage of the shopping and the great and speedy tailors that will whip you up a suit or two in no time! Some of the group took a day trip to Macau, China…considered the Las Vegas of China! Due to a helicopter crash just days before our arrival in Hong Kong (all aboard were unhurt), we were forced to take a speed ferry instead. Once there, we were greeted by friend’s of Wei Chen, a fellow pilot from the US who flew to Hong Kong to meet our group of world travelers! We enjoyed a delicious meal of dim sum where again a knowledgeable young woman took charge of our ordering. It is definitely a great way to try new things that one would not normally choose for themselves but delicious nonetheless!

Guillaume and Jeffrey flew back to Brunei in order to make the necessary repairs to the Malibu and will rejoin the group in Taiwan. The rest of us continued to venture out in Hong Kong experiencing the bustling city life!

After some much needed rest we set out for Taipei, Taiwan in the morning!

After our time in the Islamic country of Brunei, the group was ready to set out for Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Unfortunately the Malibu had a technical problem in Brunei, a non-functioning vibrator, and was forced to wait for parts and a mechanic. Jeffrey and Renee opted to push forward their visit to Hong Kong and fly back to Brunei later in the week when everything would be ready for repair.

Upon our arrival in Siem Reap we were greeted by Helicopters Cambodia (our handler) and a local Cambodian Journalist and Photographer who was interested in doing a story on the group and our adventure around the world. The processing upon arrival could not have gone any smoother!

Having landed just minutes before the Citation, Lyle was back with the group in his PC-12. He had decided to stay some extra days in Krabi, Thailand, with the intention of meeting back up with the group in Cambodia. We are happy to have him back! Also back was Thierry, he had left the group in Singapore but was returning that afternoon to rejoin us for the remainder of the Journey. We were one big happy family once more!

It was then off to our hotel, the Hotel de la Paix, situated right in the center of town and in close proximity to the Temple complex.

After a quick swim, some of the group headed across the street to a small market that sold souvenirs and everyday household items. It was quite convenient and fun having that right across the street.

The following morning, we had an early departure for the Temple complex of Angkor consisting of over 290 temples (there was no way we could have seen all of them but we tried our best!) As we exited the hotel for our ride, the group was introduced to their tuk-tuk drivers. Tuk-Tuks are the local taxis in Cambodia that are actually motorcycles pulling little carriages similar to those drawn by horses. It was a great way to experience street life in open air as the breeze hit our faces.

We arrived at our first stop, that of Angkor Wat (which translates to mean “Temple of the City”). This large temple had actually been lost for some years due to lush jungle covering its walls from sight. It is the only temple facing the West and was built for funeral purposes as Cambodians (or Khmers) believe, like the Egyptians, that the West symbolizes death for the reason that the sun sets in the west. Surrounded by a serpent’s body, the temple offered beautiful engravings of Hindu fables, statuettes, and architecture.

After our tour of Angkor Wat, the group hopped back into our tuk-tuks for the continuation of our tour at the richly decorated Bayon Temple, part of Angkor Thom (the ancient city). This unique temple has multiple towers which portray 4 serene faces on each…it is quite exquisite! Everywhere you look there are faces protruding the stone walls!

After climbing to the top and taking a couple of beautiful pictures, we headed down and out for our next stop at the Ta Prohm Temple. Before jumping back into our tuk-tuks, we visited the Elephant platform, an ancient area that was used for meetings, entertainment, and gatherings. Ta Prohm Temple is an incredible sight with its ruins intertwined with massive vines from trees that have grown over the years. The vines have become part of the structure and is a great example of the co-existence between life and death; the reason for which Ta Prohm Temple has become so famous…it was astonishing!

We then headed back to the hotel for some lunch and relaxation before we set out again at around 3:30pm for a cruise through one of Siem Reap’s many water villages. As we approached our embarkation, you could see make-shift houses built high above the water lining the river bank. All of these houses are built on stilt like structures, which are actually more like randomly stacked bamboo, that sets them high above the water; our guide mentioned that during the rainy season (we are in the beginning now but primarily in September) the water rises all the way to the top of these stilts, many converting into house boats instead of land homes. It is quite interesting to see these structures seemingly chaotic and barren be so thoughtfully built.

We arrived to our boat and set out for an unusual look into the lives of the nomadic Khmers who live with the flow of the tides. We traveling through the floating village seeing everything from the local school, mechanic shop, hardware shops…it was everything you could imagine and need in a land village right there floating in the water.

As we floated along, we passed merchants selling their goods, children playing in the water, men fishing to provide for their families, and so much more activity that allowed a view into their everyday lives. We saw so many live snakes; many children had them strung around their necks! Although poor in nature, these civilized villages were seemingly happy; kids were waving and smiling as we moved along. It was unbelievable and amazing…it allowed the group to get an understanding of Cambodia beyond the famous temples.

Our time in Cambodia was short, but we managed to see quite a range of Cambodian life, from the touristy temples to the floating village, it is one of our favorite destinations on this journey that have allowed us to see a sort of full spectrum of life within its city limits…although we know there is much more to see, it is highly recommended for all and definitely worth a second visit!

Tomorrow we set out for the bustling city life of Hong Kong!

Arriving from Bali, we landed in Brunei, located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, at Brunei International Airport. This small country, known as the State of Brunei Darussalem, is coastlined by the South China Sea and surrounded by Malaysia on all remaining sides. It is an Islamic country where women are required to cover themselves and the sale of alcohol is banned in all public areas.

The Ying’s in their Piper Malibu had alternate plans initially due to a lack of avgas in Brunei, however, having just recently been bought by Brunei, Piper has just started to represent themselves in the country. They were so excited about Jeffrey’s arrival and truly made his visit very enjoyable and quite memorable!

After clearing customs, we transferred and arrived to the Empire Hotel and Country Club. This is a huge hotel and private country club set on a large piece of land with every possible activity you can imagine! – bowling alley, squash courts, badminton courts, tennis, basketball, pool tables, kayaking, everything!

The afternoon was free to enjoy. Some napped, others walked around, while others took advantage of the infinity pool. We were treated to an unbelievable sunset! The colors with the clouds were magnificent.

The following day, we set out on a private half day city tour of Brunei. It was everyone’s first time here! We first headed to the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, then to the Royal Regalia Museum, a drive by of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, a boat ride through the world’s largest water village of Kampong Ayer with over 30,000 inhabitants living in these stilt ridden houses (considered the Venice of Asia but we’ve come to realize that everyone calls their floating villages “Venice” even though its in no way similar), and a quick peek at the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, the world’s largest residential palace and home to the Sultan of Brunei.

Although all Mosques were closed to visitors due to it being Friday, we were still able to see these beautiful religious buildings from their gardens. The Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sultan’s reign where each of its minarets are plated with 24 carat gold! We were treated to all the young children, dressed in the Sultan’s favorite color, pink, leaving the Mosque after their Quran lesson!

The Royal Regalia museum was also very interesting. It houses many artifacts and gifts the Sultan received in 1992 during the silver jubilee of his accession to the throne. Unfortunately pictures weren’t allowed.

The Kampong Ayer, or water village, house over 30,000 residents yet our tour guide explained to us the Sultan’s plans to remove the unsafe conditions and move its inhabitants to a more updated version a ways down the river. In a couple of years, this water village will most likely be nonexistent.

After our tour we returned to the hotel for some free time. Steve and Brian decided to take some kayaks out around the lagoon of the hotel, Jeffrey worked on his plane, while Tisha, Anais and Guillaume hung out at the pool…all and all a great day!

Tomorrow we head to Siem Reap, Cambodia! We are all looking forward to it…

After being introduced to Buddhist temples in Borobudur, the group set out for Bali in order to gain a sense of Hindu temples. After a short flight we landed at Denpensar airport before transferring to the Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay (there are two Four Seasons in Bali).

Steve Walenz decided to add one extra country to his list so Brian, Guillaume, and him flew to Darwin, Australia for the night. Located at the northern tip of Australia, it was only a little less than a 4 hour flight in the TBM850! They rejoined the group the following day in Bali.

We settled into the Four Seasons quite easily. Each room had its own outdoor living space, beautiful netted bed, outdoor bamboo shower and a mini pool…yes, a pool! The rooms were beautiful and overlooked the calm waters of Jimbaran Bay.

Our first day in Bali allowed us a full day of relaxation before heading to a sunset tour of the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple built on the cliffs of Bali’ coastline above the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean. Before arriving to the temple, we made a quick scenic stop at Padang Padang Beach, where they just recently filmed “Eat, Pray, Love” with Julia Roberts. As we climbed down the many steps and reached the beach, we wondered why we had ventured down but it made for a good laugh. We then arrived at Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple where we needed to be dressed in sarongs in order to be respectful. The Temple grounds are filled with wild monkeys that come right up to you and grab your every belonging – sunglasses, hats, bags..watch out!

We returned to the hotel to have dinner at Warung Mie, the traditional Indonesian restuarant at the hotel. This restaurant is set to look like a typical Indonesian house. Although we didn’t quite understand the menu, our choices were a success! As we finished up our meal, our Australian adventurers arrived to join us! Long day of flying for them but to them it was all worth it!

The following day, we set out on a half day tour. We first visited a Batik demonstration where we say the techniques used in order to create the magnificent patterns. The artists grabbed some of our shirt sleeves and “batiked” us, painting small designs of fish, flowers, and geometric patterns as a souvenir!

On our way to our next destination on the tour, we stopped at a beautiful village Temple for a quick unexpected visit. This Temple was beautiful and much more impressive than the Temple we had visited the night before. The whole area was filled with small praying pavillions dedicated to different gods…quite impressive!

We then headed to a wood carving place in order to get an introduction into traditional Balinese wood carving design. We arrived at a beautiful store that had been owned by the same family for many generations. All of their wood carvings were made by someone in the family. It was quite impressive to see the different carvings, some filled with details while others were more basic and simple but beautiful nonetheless. 

After the wood carving we all went our seperate ways. Steve Walenz wanted to head up to Mt. Batur’s Volcano; The Yings wanted to get in some extra shopping; The Vollums, Brian, Anais and Guillaume were ready for home but wanted to make a quick stop in a traditional market before returning to the hotel. 

That afternoon was free to enjoy the resort and Bali. Per usual we held our pilot meeting before heading to dinner at PJ’s Restuarant located right on the beach! We all enjoyed some bbq-ed seafood, presented in such a fabulous way, and then headed to bed shortly after.

Tomorrow we head to Brunei, located on the Island of Borneo…

After experiencing the bustling city of Singapore, we landed in Yogyakarta, Indonesia for our visit to Borobudur. We had an hour and a half private transfer before arriving at our hotel, the Amanjiwo. This beautiful hotel is set within the mountain side adjacent to the Borobudur Temple, the world’s largest Buddhist temple, and built to look like a sort of replica of the temple’s layout. We were able to see the magnificent temple from every angle of the hotel…an unbelievable location!

We were greeted by two young girls, school interns that were chosen to learn the trade of client relations, who threw rose petals into the air as we walked through!

That evening, as we walked up to dinner, we gazed up to the sky and noticed the half moon. A couple minutes later, the moon was more full…it was still early so we knew it wasn’t the cocktails speaking! We were then told that there was a lunar eclipse that night…Indonesia was one of the few places were it was visible around the world!

The following morning, Air Journey had arranged for two tours of Borobudur Temple; a sunrise tour and a morning tour. Four of us opted for the 4am sunrise tour. Meeting in the lobby of the hotel while dark, we loaded into a private car to bring us to the temple. We were then handed flashlights in order to help us make our way up the steep steps. Each step is a different size and let me tell you in pitch dark, quite a struggle. Our guide said that idea of the different sized steps is to ensure no one rushes up to the temple. People are forced to take their time as they make their way to the top of the temple…it worked. As we sat there waiting for the sun to rise, we took in the unbelievable architecture of the temple. Although it was cloudy, it was still incredible watching daylight fill into the temple and its 72 stupas…it was a unique visit to the temple with few people and a great relaxed ambience…we highly recommend it!

Returning to the hotel for a 6am breakfast, those that had gone early had the full day to enjoy their time.

The rest of the group headed out on a 9am day time tour of the temple. Leaving in private cars with private guides, they arrived shortly to the temple grounds. The crowds had begun to arrive and were quickly filling the narrow staircase of the temple but it did not hinder their experience. It is currently school holiday in Indonesia so the visit to Borobudur temple was filled with young adolescents. Our group sparred quite the interest with these visiting students. All wanting to pratice their English, they began interviewing our group and asking for our autographs! It was wonderful being able to interact with these young adults!

After our tour of Borobudur Temple, we were treated to a horse carriage ride back to the Amanjiwo Hotel. Traveling through the small villages we were able to see the daily lives of these Indonesian people!

With the whole group returning to the hotel by noon, we had the full day to enjoy the area. Some opted for some R&R at the pool while others tried their luck at a tennis match…what an experience! When asked if rackets were available for borrow, they responded that they would need 45 minutes to prepare the court. Assuming they needed to clear off fallen leaves from the court, we were quite surprised when we arrived to the courts to encounter 6 tennis rackets for us to choose from, a mountain of towels (in case we get sweaty), water and iced tea, and two men. After thanking the men for preparing this incredible set up, we assumed they would go on their way…we were mistaken. These were our ball boys! Let’s just say we didnt let them get bored! It was Roland Garros with amateurs!

That evening, Anais had arranged for a private bbq by the pool to celebrate our last night in Borobudur. Led by candlelit path, we were met with a rose petal covered table. There we were treated to a traditional Borobudur dance show. With women and men dressed in traditional costume, we enjoyed perfectly cooked food, a great atmosphere and unbelievable service.

The Amanjiwo was a fabulous hotel with a great staff…I think it fair to say we would recommend it to everyone!

Tomorrow we discover more of Indonesia as we set off to Bali for some relaxation under the sun.

After a relaxing couple of days in Krabi, we transferred back to the airport for our flight to Singapore. We landed at Seletar airport after an easy flight.

Singapore brought us back to the bustling speed of city life. High rises, roadways and traffic crowded our view, yet amid all the buildings and clatter was our oasis for the next 2 nights, the Raffles Hotel Singapore, an old white colonial building still holding its ground since 1887. Our grand suites, or more mini apartments, and the very friendly staff helped make our stay very enjoyable.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we had the afternoon to relax. Many decided to venture out in the streets of Singapore and try their luck with shopping. Singapore’s Orchard Road is well known around the world for its great shopping and entertainment!

That evening the group met in the lobby for a pre-dinner drink at the Raffles’ Long Bar. Famous for its Singapore Sling, this old fashion bar modeled after Malayan Plantations of the 1920s is the only place where littering is legal in all the city as patrons are encouraged to throw their peanut shells on the floor! We may have enjoyed one too many Singapore Slings, a mix of gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau orange liqueur, benedictine herbal liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine syrup, and Angostura bitters but don’t worry the following day wasn’t a flying day!

We then headed to a small Italian restaurant, Gibraldi, located near the hotel before some of us set out to Singapore’s Flyer, a giant observation wheel that reaches 42 stories high! It offered a beautiful night view of Singapore.

The following day we welcomed the Ying’s friend, Fred Wong, who will be joining us till Bali! Fred kindly invited the group to the exclusive China Club’s private room where we enjoyed panoramic views of Singapore. A true treat!

After the down pours and storms of the morning had passed, some opted for the Botanical Garden. Beautiful flowers and vegetation everywhere, something not to be missed!

We all met for dinner at the Raffle’s Bar and Billiard Room, a historic restaurant that houses two original billiard tables from the turn of the century. Of course we had to play a game of billiards…Thierry and Guillaume won!

Tomorrow we are off to our first stop in Indonesia…Joygjakarta before transferring to our hotel in Borobudur.