End of an Odyssey

Sunday 6^th October was a sad day.  We started off early as we had a 7 hour drive day from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore including a border crossing.  This was officially the last day of our Odyssey Overland journey, so a drive day & border crossing was a telling end to our 6 months of travel.

 

We said our goodbyes to Fiona, Alex, Becks & Louise.  They were not coming with us to Singapore because they had cheap flights from KL compared to Singapore airport for their next destinations.

 

Today - like many days - did not go smoothly.  The coach driver was querying if he was to take us all the way into Singapore – surely he knew.  We were dropped off at the border, but surprise surprise no coach the other side to pick us up.  An hour after sitting on the floor under the “No waiting sign” the same coach & driver reappeared to take us to our hotel in Singapore.  We discovered he did not know the way.  Simon & Teresa did their best reading a Lonely Planet book map & trying to guide him with his broken English.

 

 

Sheila & Bruce had made their own way from Malaysia as they had stopped off at another town rather than KL.  So, the 14 of us who were left ate at McDonalds due to starvation, ran some errands & then got ready for the final Odyssey included activity – Singapore Slings in The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel.

Peanuts as well as gin-fab

Pernille Dave Yvonne

Spike & Phil

James Mahala Mary

Julie & Andy

Simon & Teresa

 

I now have my own shaker from the original place

 

The day was rounded off with a meal at another restaurant.  Raffles was way too expensive & all of us were still on budgets pending more travel.

 

Over the next 3 days people left at various times to the airport.  We all wanted to be back at the hotel to say goodbye, so most of us wandered about the local shops in Singapore buying presents (yes, that really did come from The Silk Road/Tibet/remote Nepal & I’ve been lugging it around ever since just for you-type presents), eating cheap in food courts & getting back to the hotel to say goodbye.  There were many sad goodbyes.

 

Saying goodbye to Simon & Teresa

 

Singapore has a lot to offer & those of us still around on Monday evening went to the Singapore Zoo Night Safari.  It was brilliant.  I totally recommend it.  Due to wanting to give my goodbyes after 6 months of travel, I’ll have to experience Singapore’s other attractions in the future.  They also include swimming at the rooftop pool of The Marina Bay Sands Hotel as I discovered you can only swim if you have a room.  The cheapest room was £409 - I'm not paying that to swim.

No swimming for me it costs too much!

 

Dave & I were the last 2 left on Wed 9th.  Dave had booked himself into a swanky hotel for his last night.  I on the other hand was in a £13.86 per night pod.  But, it’s not what you know, but who you know.  We spent our final afternoon together in the swanky hotel pool.

Cheers everyone

 

 

It had been a fantastic 6 months for me.  I was very sad to say goodbye to my friends.  However, my career break was not over.  I was flying to Jakarta in the morning to do a 2 week Intrepid trip through Java into Bali.  Then back to Thailand.

 

So, my blog is far from over.  Two more months of travel to write about, summing up advice you may find useful if doing this trip in the future, that all important Odyssey feedback & of course my feelings about fellow travellers now I’m not with them.  (Just kidding, I got on really well with everyone & I have got nice things to say).  Keep reading.