Tourist Welcome - Batteries not Included

 

Things that make you go MMMMMmmmmmhhhh

Two headlines I found in Malaysian media today:

"New Penang water park shuts down two weeks after opening, offers refunds, ticket extension"

and

"Tourism sector looking forward to the return of China tourists"

#Tourism #Tourists #Vacation #Location #Staycation #Exploration #Licence? #Ticket #Venue #MICE #Confusion #ExplorationOf Spaces

Van Life

 

When you have four families and you want to go to the beach for a birthday celebration: get a van!

Using just one van means that 3 others don't have to pay toll, petrol, snacks etc. Tricky bit is the music selection which we managed from the cockpit with Jacqueline in control. A bluetooth speaker created the right vibes and moods to keep everyone jolly. Not pictured is the driver (me). Tough job as I had to herd these cats to the various stops. This CAM Kingo sits 15 and we had enough space for all the chips, swimming gear and wine too!

Thanks to Sendok Group for making it possible to van around

#Van #Kuantan #TestDrive #VanLife #All-in-One #GroupTour #TourGroup #Vacation #Event #Birthday #Family #Familyouting #babyseat. 

Tick Tock

 

Better be quick as you don't know how much of that countdown is left before the shop attendant will have to dash off. I like the ones that say "Lunch Break, back in 1 hour". Cos they never state when that 60 minute break started. You could be walking away the moment the proprietor of the shop surfs around the corner to re-open after said break. 

#Signs #Signal #timing #Watch #Moments #Shopping

Came home to this!

 

Was out of town for a few days and the folks smuggled in a giant Godzilla (Whisky bottle for comparison). This makes it number 17 or so Godzilla. I would really need to re-rig the not-yet-a-man-cave room and have a dedicated corner for all the toy monsters. While I am at it, I could just as well fit in a bar. 

#Godzilla #GodzillaOnTour #ExplorationOfSpaces #Ancnoc #Mood #evening #LazySunday #Ball #lighting #Monster #Toho #Japan #Scotland #Malaysia #German

What Else Can it Do?

 

Cleans, greases and can be used as door-stopper...

#Purposeful #Meaning-less #Meaning #Shopping #Finds #Supermarket #Confusion #Fusion #Labelling #expensive

100 Shopping Days to Christmas

 

Great Railway Journeys in Asia

A pick of 34 of the best trips in South, Southeast and North Asia. The journeys chosen by David Bowden, an avid rail traveller, range from quirky trains used as essential travel for locals, such as the North Borneo Railway, to trains on which passengers can experience 5 star luxury as they travel through stunning scenery, as, for example, the opulence of India's Palace on Wheels. Other journeys are chosen for the marvel of their engineering, Thailand's Death Railway for instance, features the 300 metre-long Tham Krasae trestle bridge or for the length of a country that they traverse, like the Trans-Mongolian Railway that connects Beijing with Moscow via vast plains and steppes. Some are slow trains and some travel at super-high speeds.

           For each journey, there is historical, technical and practical information as well as interesting details on the places accessible from the main stations. Each is accompanied by a route map.

           Whether you are planning a special trip by train or delighting in discovering Asia's best railway journeys from the comfort of your armchair, this book is an informative and entertaining read.

David Bowden is a freelance journalist based in Malaysia, specializing in travel and the environment. While Australian, he’s been living in Asia longer than he can remember, but returns frequently to his home country and has a particular enthusiasm for the revived railways there. He is the author of Great Railway Journeys in Australia and New Zealand, Enchanting Australia, Enchanting Bali & Lombok, Enchanting Borneo, Enchanting Indonesia, Enchanting Langkawi, Enchanting Malaysia, Enchanting Singapore and Enchanting Vietnam, all published by John Beaufoy Publishing.

• 260 x 215 mm
  (10¼ x 8½”)
• 160 pages
• 55,000 words
• c. 120 photographs +
  34 route maps

• ISBN 978-1-913679-30-9

• £19.99 hardback

·   Publication   
         October 2022

#Reading #ReadingList #Trains #Asia #Books #Publishing #DavidBowden #Relax #Armchairtraveller #Planning #Tour #Travel #Riding #Weekend #Journey

Dinner Time

 

We have just concluded an epic trip around Malaysia in a Bus! As my report on this is more slanted towards the business side of things around buses, here the tourist version: https://asiaphotostock.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-wheels-on-bus-go-round-and-round-to.html This is written by Mike Smith, who joined us from Singapore. After over three years locked up in Singapore, this was his first time out of the country. 

Tried this "Dessert Platter" last night. Sourcing from new shops, we found a nice place that sells all things pork and there was a pack of salami / ham that I could not resist. Paired with honey dew melon and Soju.