Thailand...firs stop - Bangkok

There is so much to Bangkok...I found myself hating and loving this city at the same time. I still don’t know how I feel about Bangkok, very mixed feelings. Whilst I was staying there I couldn’t wait to get out, but at the same time places I would go and see fascinated me. Always surprising and irritating. Made me laugh, smile and be angry, fuming...

Happy-angry feelings for tuk tuk taxis. 

Its great! I mean you can see most of the city sights for very cheap price. The driver drives you around and drops you off to see amazing temples and waits patiently for you to return and off you go to next destination. And its also great experience to ride in one of those all day, as walking in Bangkok...My oh my...its so hot there, you run out of energy instantly. And its massive, what on a map looks like a short distance you end up walking hours from one place to other. these taxis are great...until they start ruing your day! They say to you that they will take you to a place that we tourists might dont know. its a shop. According to them: you go in...look look. you want you buy, you dont want you not buy...well, ok I thought. And he adds: Good for me, I get coupon. In that case I said ok I thought I don’t mind to help to earn extra coupons or whatever...but no, one is not enough, he takes to another one and gets angry and says: Why u no buy anything?! You have to buy something. Good for me. I take you to another place....I can take only little of this bullshit. I start arguing and saying I don’t want to go to another shop, I am not buying anything anyway. He insisted, I am not agreeing..the end is: just stop the bloody thing and I am off! 

 So what started an amazing experience ended me being angry as I never experienced this pressure of doing something I don’t want and paying for that!! Amazing!

Breath taking temples

Sarawak

The journey to Sarawak was all about the people and experience staying in the longhouse with local tribe. Being the largest state in Malaysia, Sarawak covers a vast area of 124,000 sq-km of land along the northwest coast of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. It is also known as Land of The Hornbills. The population comprises of local ethnic groups namely Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau and other minor tribes plus the Malays, Chinese and Indians living together in harmony for more than a century.

 In a local bus from airport to Sarawak capital Kuching. Kuching is very small town considering that its a capital of a largest Malaysias state

Exploring Kuching...not much to explore thou

Just waiting for next day as it was arranged one of the most exiting trips in my life.

  A trip to the jungles where was the longhouse was taking over 4-5 hours. On a way there our group stopped in a market. We had to buy presents to longhouse family. Nothing fancy...little packets of coffee and salt for each family, 32 all together. and some sweets for children

After a long trip there was a 50min journey waiting by a long boatin a man made lake.

Finally! We are here!

In the longhouse

In day time women usually stay at home doing crafts and basic home stuff (whatever that is) and men work in farms

Dinner was made by our tour guide. It was very delicious. We basically had what tribe people usually eat.

 Rice vine and whiskey were served later in the evening. And then traditional dancing took place

The evening with dancing and drinks turned out into a party and we had a great time. It was definitely the party I had never had before. An amazing experience. People living there were very friendly and although they didn’t speak much English and even if some of them did it was difficult to understand them. But families living there are very proud of their community and place they live. Everything is very basic there, the only modern thing in the house was toilet and shower build for tourists like us. Other than that the whole experience was very real and true to the life tribe people live.

Singapore

Singapore is a very modern and rich city. Clean and sterile…and to keep everything in order fine system is a big help. If you don’t want to get fined you better obey the rules. There is nothing much about Asia in Singapore. Just a temple there and there. In fact it’s so westernised and developed that you wouldn't know its Asia if not people around. A very big difference from all the Asia countries I have visited. Price wise as well. Everything is as expensive as in England, or even more. 

The night life in Singapore is really good!

 How is that for a swimming pool?