My Far East Adventures ... Final Chapter

Sawadeeka Phuket

Centara Grand

 Our final part of the journey is a short stay in Phuket. After some trouble with the hotel, we were finally upgraded to a 5 star hotel on the beach front. It was awesome -- slides, bubbles and tubes. We really enjoyed the beach here and also explored other attractions.

 


A must see in Phuket is the Fantasea Extravaganza. Tigers, monkeys and elephants all occupy the stage with acrobatic dancers and performers. We really loved it. Dad called it the Far East Disney land (on a much smaller scale).

Fantasea Show

Our lowlight of the trip, is a boat ride to Phi Phi islands and Maya Bay. Cramped boats, rushed time, rude tourists and over commercialized traps ... You should definitely give this a miss.

We end our adventure with some retail therapy at the Phuket Outlet Mall

Thanks Mom and Dad for a great Far East Experience!!!

... Taskeen

My Far East Adventures - Part 2

Sick in Samui

For our next leg of the trip, we caught 2 flights (Singapore -> Phuket -> Koh Samui) to reach our destination. Koh Samui is a beautiful island east of Phuket in Thailand. Made famous by the book, The Beach, the island was once a backpackers haven. Now, it's transformed itself with luxury hotels and American franchise outlets.

Dad booked us at the Chaweng Regent in a junior suite. I loved the jacuzzi and the close distance from the room to the pool and beach. I unfortunately got ill on the flight and struggled with an ear infection. Mom and dad took me to the international clinic where I was treated for the infection and associate fever. It did not however spoil our holiday and we were back soon to doing what we do best --- having fun.

We visited parts of the island including a monkey zoo, elephant sanctuary (where I rode my first elephant), waterfalls and picturesque sights for dad to snap some photos. This was truly a relaxing leg of the trip.

... Taskeen

Short trip to Maputo

I made my first, albeit short, trip to Maputo last week. A 55 minute flight from Johannesburg, Maputo is closer to us than Cape Town, however, costs are much higher than the Windy City. This is one of the first things you will notice in Maputo. Good Hotels can cost anything from $180 to $250 a night. I stayed at the Radisson Blu. A fairly new hotel in Maputo, overlooking the beach, the hotel caters mainly for South Africans and Europeans. For my review on the hotel, check tripadvisor.com.

Radisson Blu Maputo - pool side

Being here for work, gave me a little time to really explore. The city centre is busy and resembled the images I had formed about Maputo even before coming here. The people are extremely friendly and go out of their way to assist you.  The Barclays offices are right in the middle of one of the busiest streets in the city. Branches open from 8am to 4pm - something we can learn from, and implement back home. The main mall in the city centre caters for the large Muslim community with halaal take aways and restaurants.

You can't visit Maputo without trying the delicious fresh prawns. Once again, prices are exorbitant, but the 'small' shrimps (as they call it) are worth it.

The beach in front of my hotel was lovely to look at from a distance, however, as you get closer, you immediately notice the vast amounts of pollution soaking up the waves. The local teenagers held some prayer sessions on the beach, near the Southern Sun hotel, which is undergoing some extensions and renovations.

A few street vendors line these tourist spots, but once again the prices are extremely inflated.

After a short visit to Maputo, I don't think I would return for a holiday. Instead, I would prefer going further north to visit some of the awe inspiring beaches and coastlines that Mozambique has to offer.  

... Me