Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Dear people,

A lot has happened in the past few days and I am now on my final leg of the journey.

And yes, the coronavirus has had a big impact on my trip, not because someone on board is affected, but because some cities do not allow the ship to enter. So some stops in Indonesia had to be cancelled. One port only wanted to let us in after a previous 2-week quarantine. In addition, there were fever scanners at many ports.

Yes, the first truly Asian country I entered was Sri Lanka, specifically the capital Colombo.

Here I joined a city tour, then had a traditional Sri Lankan meal and rode a tuk-tuk. Unfortunately, we were only there for a very short time (maybe 8 hours). So I can definitely only say very little about the country. At least Colombo was more Western than expected: my clichéd idea that you would see Asian elephants or snake charmers right in the city did not come true ;) That would certainly require more time. The food was definitely spicier than what I'm used to at Indian restaurants in Germany. There were many corporate skyscrapers but also some significant monuments and Buddhist buildings. The traffic seemed quite chaotic.

Next stop was Georgetown/Penang in Malaysia. Here, Asian flair was unmistakable: Chinese houses, Hindu temples, churches, mosques, and Buddha statues everywhere. There was also amazing street food. The Indian quarter in Penang was actually what I had imagined Colombo to be like.

Next time, I would definitely visit the Kek Lok Si Temple, which I could only see from a distance, but it looked really gigantic and unique.

Next, I went to the island of Langkawi, which is known as the ultimate beach destination in Malaysia. The landscape around the ship was remarkably beautiful: many hilly islands and great beaches in between.

The next day, I joined a tour to Kuala Lumpur, and here my English skills were more in demand than ever, as I had to translate everything the tour guide said to the German guests on the bus. I didn't have much time to explore the city myself. But in general, Kuala Lumpur seemed relatively clean and very urban, comparable to Frankfurt am Main in Germany in terms of buildings. The British colonial era is particularly noticeable in Kuala Lumpur, with British cathedrals and pubs right in the city center.

Next, I went to Singapore, and yes, Singapore is probably the most futuristic city I have ever seen. Right next to the ship, there was an amusement park with mini pools for pedal boats or an open-air stage. The shopping center itself was estimated to be twice the size of Alexa in Berlin. Almost every other person wore a face mask because of the coronavirus.

In Singapore, there was also a major crew change on the ship, so my fellow crew member also left and I got a new colleague. He's a very nice and cool guy who also spends a lot of time in Berlin and often goes to the same places. He comes from near Leipzig :). Together with my boss, we explored Singapore in the evening. The regular prices for beer in tourist areas are extremely high. 12 euros for a beer are not uncommon there. I recommend going to small local Asian eateries, where you can eat and drink for about a third of the price.

As mentioned, we had to skip some Indonesian stops, but fortunately, we were still able to visit Bali.

Bali is very influenced by Hinduism, but it is also known as the ultimate party destination for Australians. And both are true. However, if Mallorca were like Bali, I would definitely go there more often, because the culture has a lot more to offer than just the party scene. On the first day, I saw Hindu ceremonies and we had a Gamelan and dance group with very interesting costumes visiting the ship. Additionally, the clubs/bars are very cool and elaborately decorated. Some hotels are hardly distinguishable from Hindu temples or even include a temple. The beaches I saw there didn't convince me that much, but I'm sure there are even more beautiful ones on the island.

Now I have already visited the city of Darwin in Australia, and I have to say it feels a bit strange to be back in such a Western country. But I have met Australian musicians and have already seen small kangaroos (wallabies).

Quick update on my onward journey and my return flight to Berlin: I will definitely not stay in Sydney any longer because canceling the flight is no longer possible.

BUT now I am still going to Auckland, New Zealand by ship and will stay there privately for a few more days. This is because my current colleague is also very new and it would greatly help him if I train my successor. That's why I have to show him what to do for 5 more days. Then the company will pay for a private return flight.

New Zealand has been one of my dream countries for a long time. I am really excited.

If you know anyone who is currently there, let me know.

Best regards

Willi

By the way, I will upload more photos of this part of the journey on the same post, but my ship's Wi-Fi is currently not able to do that.