Mariner of the Seas From Singapore 10/22/15- Complete Picture Review!

[gapearl]

I have my bowl of popcorn.....let's go!

 

I love your TR's. Some travel related company should snatch you up. Yours are so interesting and fun. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into these wonderful pictorial accounts of your travels around the world. One of theses days we will bump into each other on a Carnival ship.

 

I wish! It's still my dream to be on The Amazing Race. I was going to apply for the season that's currently filming, but decided I want to lose 20 pounds before being on national tv like that. :rolleyes: Hopefully one day we will run into each other.

 

Damn girl....you get extra points for traveling in a dress and heels. BTW you look like you just arrived at ATL for your first leg.

 

Thanks! The skirt and shirt were both very stretchy and really comfortable. The heels were just for walking through the airport for drama. I changed into flip flops during each flight. lol

[gapearl]

Fantastic review! More please! [emoji1]

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I've got more coming shortly today!

 

This is gonna be sweeeet!

 

Absolutely, Sean!

[gapearl]

Sheesh and I thought an $18 martini was outrageous. Thanks for doing such a detailed review of places I will probably never see!

 

Right! I thought drinks in Vegas were expensive, but the prices there are nothing compared to here. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read.

 

Wow Kim! I am beyond excited to hear about your adventure! You're off to a great start! :D

 

Thanks for coming back to read another one of my reports!

[gapearl]

Kim-your leopard shoes you wore...are those from Shoedazzle? Swear I have those [emoji3]

 

I got them from DSW. I think they're Steve Madden. They're surprisingly comfortable! :)

 

Thankyou so much for sharing your Singapore adventures, am really looking forward to your cruise review next ! We are taking the same one 22 January !

Eve

 

Thank you for reading! Hopefully the haze won't be around still when you cruise. Feel free to ask any questions along the way. Your cruise will be here before you know it.

[gapearl]

Loving your review!

 

Debbie

 

Thank you! Stick around for so much more.

 

I love Singapore Changi Airport. One of my favorites.

 

It is a nice airport for sure, but being in aviation like yourself, all the airports more or less look the same after a while. :)

[gapearl]

Following...great review and pics so far...damn those drink dices were high!! Lol

 

Thanks so much! And yes they were! :eek:

 

fantastic photos !

 

Thank you!

[gapearl]

your camera is working perfectly now ! so lovely of you to share your trip !

 

Thank you! My pictures all came out great. I'm going to have to get a book or watch some youtube tutotrials on lighting and settings so my pictures are even better next time.

 

Great review so far.

 

Welcome to my world with the 30 hours travelling to get to places around the world. However, you looked fantastic at the end of a long flight.

 

I've stayed in Singapore many times before (sometimes as stopovers) going to Europe, however, I don't think I could swallow the price of staying where you did the first night. However, never, say never. :D

 

Looking forward to reading more of your review.

 

I feel your pain first hand now! I don't think I've ever paid more than $100 for a hotel room, so that was definitely a splurge. My friend that talked me into it was right though. I'd be kicking myself right now if I didn't. Much more to come later. :)

[clochette]

what a great review so far, and you have not even started on the cruise.

[Bimmer09]

Kimberly, great to see a new review from you and especially on such an exotic itinerary.

 

I think the hotel room was a steal at $375 given the price you were paying for drinks!

 

I loved the infinity pool shots but of course you make any pool look good!

 

Will be checking in every hour to see what you got up to on this amazing cruise.

 

Keep it coming...

 

Norris

[gapearl]

Excellent! Very detailed and informative. I have already found five things to note. Keep going........ This is FANTASTIC !!!!

 

Awesome! Will you be taking this cruise as well some time soon?

 

Thank you for this very detailed review, it's great so far. We're leaving in a few days for a similar trip, so it's really interesting to see what you've enjoyed and found disappointing. You've already helped me make a decision on the Botanic Gardens - nearly all of the exotic plants in your photos are ones that commonly grow here in gardens, so I think I'm going to give it a miss!

Can't wait to hear more about Singapore and the Mariner (and hoping you have time to write it all up before we leave on Friday).

 

By the way, your bad chicken looks like it was actually tofu. Which should be delicious in laksa, but obviously you got a dodgy one :(. I'm really surprised by that as lots of people from my city travel to Singapore and it has a great reputation for having safe food (especially compared with other Asian locations), and no one I know has had problems there. You must have been very unlucky.

 

Looking forward to the next installment!:D

 

Thanks for reading! I wish I could have this finished before you leave, but I'm not sure I will. I should have a good bit of it done though.

 

Tofu, huh? I never would have guessed it. :rolleyes: I've never eaten tofu, but wouldn't think that it would have made me sick. Thankfully that was the only bad food experience I had. Everything else was very good and no more issues.

[gapearl]

Wow! You're my hero. Traveling long distance.

 

I hated when I flew to Miami alone.:rolleyes:

 

More! More!:D

 

You're making me rethink next years trip, from Mediterranean to Asia. Hmmmmm

 

I kept myself entertained and watched lots of movies along the way. It really wasn't that bad. I loved the Mediterranean. I would say stick with it and plan Asia for the next trip. ;)

 

Wow, Kim, what a great start to your review! I'll be happily following along to see how you enjoy the rest of your trip and the cruise. :)

Heather

 

Hey Heather, welcome back! :D

[gapearl]

YEAH!!!! I'm here GAPearl you may continue with this review now. LOL!! I'm so excited you're doing this review. I'm considering doing a Rick Steve's Europe tour and adding a Mediterranean cruise on to the end of it...SOLO!!! I'm scared to death but I'm going to woman up and do it! This review will give me courage to take the plunge.

 

Take your time with this review. I need this to stretch out for at least 13 days until I board the Anthem. LOL!!! I know you can do it. :D

 

You can absolutely do it! You'd be surprised at how relaxing a solo cruise can be. I filled up an entire 16 gig memory card with pics, so yes it'll be stretched out for a few days. LOL Have fun on Anthem!

 

Great review!

 

Thanks Aussie! I'm looking forward to coming down to your side of the world one day.

[gapearl]

Awesome review, great start. Hope you enjoyed Singapore. Noticed you used AirBNB. That's very smart of you. Can't wait to read more.

 

Yes, I loved Singapore! It's a beautiful country and I had a great time. Thanks again for your help a few months ago. :)

 

what a great review so far, and you have not even started on the cruise.

 

Thank you! I should be on day 1 of the cruise by tomorrow. :)

 

Kimberly, great to see a new review from you and especially on such an exotic itinerary.

 

I think the hotel room was a steal at $375 given the price you were paying for drinks!

 

I loved the infinity pool shots but of course you make any pool look good!

 

Will be checking in every hour to see what you got up to on this amazing cruise.

 

Keep it coming...

 

Norris

 

Thank you! At that price, a couple of drinks should have been included LOL. The infinity pool was amazing! I'd love to be back there right now instead of here in Atlanta where it's been cold and rainy for days. I'm going to try not to take my daily nap so I can get through more of Singapore this afternoon. :p

[Boozebabe]

I wish! It's still my dream to be on The Amazing Race. I was going to apply for the season that's currently filming, but decided I want to lose 20 pounds before being on national tv like that. :rolleyes: Hopefully one day we will run into each other.

 

 

 

Thanks! The skirt and shirt were both very stretchy and really comfortable. The heels were just for walking through the airport for drama. I changed into flip flops during each flight. lol

 

You sound like the perfect contestant for Amazing race. I don't miss an episode. Your experiences traveling around the world would definitely be an advantage. Hopefully you'll have the chance one day. I'll definitely be watching.

[gapearl]

Singapore- Day 3

 

I was up early but took my leisurely time getting ready and left the apartment at 11 am. I was really beginning to see the cultural differences between Asia and South America. When traveling through Latin America, people are generally warm and very friendly. People smile and say hello as you walk down the street. I felt the people were friendly, but not as warm. It felt like no one makes eye contact with each other and no random hellos as you're out and about. If you're a pedestrian, don't assume you have the right of way like in the US. They will run you over and may not let you pass when waiting to cross the street.

I couldn't help but take a picture of this very expensive car.

The MTR made getting around very easy. I was very impressed with the escalator etiquette of the locals. People automatically know to stand to the left so people can walk to the right. How many times have you been on an escalator at the mall or a moving walkway at the airport in a hurry, and you can't pass by the people in front of you because they're standing on the left and the right? If you need to get by you're like excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. So annoying. That's not the case here. When you're born in Singapore and receive your how to be successful at life manual, on page 17 it states STAND LEFT, WALK RIGHT on escalators, and people never depart from that.

 

The MTR station is very clean. You can get a fine for eating or drinking.

 

There are signs and maps at each exit to help help you find your way.

 

 

The hand rails are lower here, user friendly for short people like me.

[gapearl]

I'm a museum junkie and my first stop for the day was the National Museum of Singapore. Admission is $10 and I stayed about an hour. There is so much history about the country here and I can honestly say I learned a lot, such as Japan took over Singapore in the 1940's. I stayed about an hour so you don't need a lot of time. If you will be staying here with kids for a few days before your cruise, this could be a good learning experience for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Chijmes is an old church that has been converted into a plaza full of restaurants. Some of them have music and drink specials during the evening for a little night life.

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Another one of those must do touristy things you have to do in Singapore is to stop by Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling. This is the birthplace of the national drink that has become famous worldwide.

 

Raffles Hotel.

 

 

 

The entrance to the Long Bar.

 

 

 

[gapearl]

Inside the Long Bar. You have free peanuts to snack on.

 

 

 

Remember those expensive drinks from day one? Well it gets worse. That d@#n drink cost $31! :eek: Unbelievable! They have a limited appetizer menu but the choices aren't great. They're trying to really keep a true bar atmosphere so a lot of food isn't served. It was an ok drink, but nothing I couldn't get from Friday's or even make at home myself. I gave the bartender a little side eye when he asked if I'd like another one. Hell naw, not at that price! LOL Again, this is a once in a lifetime thing that I'll be able to say I did. I will most likely die of thirst before I ever spend $31 (plus tax and automatic gratuity) on a drink again.

 

 

Me with my Singapore Sling and a photo bomb from the bartender.

 

 

I wandered into Raffles Place, a huge mall where I managed to find some inexpensive restaurants for lunch. There was a grocery store and a couple of bakeries, so I bought some drinks and snacks to take back to the apartment with me for later. I was planning to buy a couple of wine bottles to bring on at embarkation, but the cheapest bottle was $25 so there was really no point. You'll see why at embarkation it was a good thing I didn't. This was the first time that I had seen any bottles of liquor for sale. It was a small section in the grocery store and no surprise, nothing was cheap. A bottle of Bacardi was $65. No wonder there are lots of sober people around here. haha

 

[critterchick]

I'm so enjoying your review! We had a couple of days in Singapore coming up after our cruise in the spring, so am taking notes for what to do!

 

Question: are you telling us prices in USD or Singapore $? Either way, it's pricey, but if the latter than just a little less painful.

[gapearl]

Arab Street is the go to place for shopping. There were lots of souvenir shops with all the basic trinkets and plenty of restaurants to sit and enjoy a meal. There are lots of fabric stores with beautiful silks, satins and lace that you can buy and take to one of the tailors along the same street for some custom made clothing.

 

 

Named after Sultan Hussain Shah, the Masjid Sultan Mosque is one of the most important in Singapore.

 

 

 

There are lots of clothing stores catering to Muslim women with some really cute clothes. They still want to be fashionable even though they are modest. I had to talk myself out of buying a blinged long sleeve tunic. While browsing in one store, I heard the call to prayer for the mosque. I asked the sales associate some questions about the call and what it means. She was very polite and I enjoyed talking to her and learning about her lifestyle.

 

 

 

[gapearl]

From Arab Street, I spent the rest of the evening in Chinatown.

 

Built in 1827, the Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. You must take off your shoes prior to entering, ladies must cover bare shoulders and legs, and all are welcome. I walked around and took some pictures and was able to see the beginning of a service as it was happening. I'm a Christian, and here in the US you know we have a dozen churches on every corner. Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are the main religions of Southeast Asia. I have never seen a mosque or Hindu temple up close like this, so it was an experience. I have no intention on converting to another religion, but that doesn't mean I can't learn about what others believe, even if I don't agree with it.

 

 

 

 

 

[skysquared]

Chijmes is an old church that has been converted into a plaza full of restaurants. Some of them have music and drink specials during the evening for a little night life.

 

Slight correction, Chijmes is actually a former convent. A few of the buildings around that area are actually old schools that have been restored.

 

Anyway, cool trip report so far and I'm looking forward to the rest.

[gapearl]

I found the Alleviate Fish Spa on Trip Advisor, and after doing as much walking as I had done today, this was the perfect time to stop and let some fish eat up my feet.

 

 

The cost was $30 for 30 minutes. When you first come in and remove your shoes, your feet will be washed and checked for any open sores or blisters. You have to be very careful to not knock over the tank as you're climbing up to your seat. You put your feet in the water, and then scream out a few obscenities. Steven, the owner, holds your knees down for a minute or two until you're used to this awkward feeling you just signed up for of having 100 Garra Rufa fish eat away the dead skin on your feet. It's a good thing he did that, because I was wanting out of there! LOL

 

I might be smiling on the outside, but I was screaming on the inside.

 

 

 

It felt like a combination of tickling and scratching and was annoying a few times when one would go in between two toes and just sit there. My feet felt AMAZING after it was over and I don't think they have ever felt so soft. I went to the massage place across the hall after and indulged in an hour long full body massage for $50 that had me feeling so relaxed when I left.

 

 

 

[gapearl]

More pictures from around Chinatown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had dinner at a Thai restaurant before leaving. I was back at the apartment at 9 pm, absolutely exhausted from a full day.