Thailand and Malaysia - July/August'99.
Ian Holdsworth
Melbourne - Australia
Outward Bound
I left Brisbane on Saturday the 10th July'99 for Singapore. I was a bit nervous about the trip and I hadn't slept properly for three days. The flight left on time and Singapore Airlines have these great little TV's built into the back of the seat in front of you. I watched a couple of sitcoms and parts of a couple of movies. I also played a couple of video games. I was very impressed with the new Boeing 777 and Singapore Airlines. The flight from Brisbane to Singapore took just over 7 hours.
Orchard Road in the heart of Singapore
I had booked and paid for a stopover package, as my onward
flight to Saigon, didn't leave until the following afternoon. I stayed at the
Excelsior Hotel which is ok, but over priced. Singapore seems to be
constantly changing. Orchard Road has been partially ripped up and they are
constructing some new building's too. Right across the road from my hotel there
was a shop selling pirated software. I could have got a copy of Microsoft Office
2000 Premium for about $15 Singapore Dollars. The packaging even had the CD Key
on the back. A fair dinkum copy costs about $1200-$1300 Australian Dollars!!
After having a very expensive breakfast in the coffee shop of the Excelsior
Hotel, I walked up Orchard Road and looked in the shops, most of which were
closed as its Sunday morning. On my arrival back at the hotel, I caught the
shuttle bus to Changi Airport. I sent an email to my family and friends from the Internet Centre,
then it was time to board the flight to Saigon.
Email: iholdsworth@optusnet.com.au