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I resemble that comment!

Thursday, March 16th. First evening in Singapore. After lunch we grabbed a bus that took us right to the hotel. I should mention that we'd purchased 3-day transport passes for S$30 each, and they are good on buses, trains, and the Metro (called MRT here). Not a bad deal for unlimited transport, including to the airport. So we took the Metro to the Botanical gardens. Nice lighting as the afternoon progressed. We had to get to the zoo around 7:15 for the night safari, but we decided to try to get to the orchid garden first. Of course it was about a 15 minute walk from the Metro station. Should we go for it? Getting closer. So of course we did. If we're a little late to the night safari, no big deal. Quite a jungle here in the orchid garden! Just a few of the amazing selections on display here. The profusion of colors and forms was overwhelming. Some were on display outdoors and others were indoors in a cooler environment. Wait, this isn't an orchid! It's an Oriental Pied-Hornbill! That beak sure looks unwieldy. Now it was time to make haste back to the Metro station. We had to take two trains and then catch a shuttle bus to the zoo. Hope we can make it! We got the trains easily. It was challenging to find the shuttle bus though! Eventually we did (at the third bus stop that we looked at) but we still arrived right on time at 7:15. We saw a gaggle of folks ahead of us following a lollipop - and realized that they were from the Viking Ocean ship that was docked next to us this morning! We made haste, following two local girls who seemed to know what they were doing, and passed the large group before they clogged up the admissions lanes. And we were in! The Night Safari was really cool (despite the hot, humid weather). There are several walking paths and a tram which takes you all around the park and gives you a nice overview in about 25 minutes. We went for the tram first before it got too crowded. No pictures from the tram though, as the dim lighting and motion make that impossible. Once the ride was over we started along the four walking trails. They are laid out so that you can do them fairly sequentially, and end up back at the starting point. A few pics - this Fisher Cat was posing while its partner was prowling the river bank, chasing fish. The fish were all clustered on the opposite bank. The Clouded Leopard was having a nice snooze. So that made for an easy picture. We had seen the spotted hyena from the tram, on the prowl. When we circled back on foot the hyena was chilling out. Despite the nice pose, in the dim lighting this is the best I could get. A very pleasant evening! We spent about 2.5 hours here and could have done a little more. The only animal that we couldn't find was the Fossa, which disappointed Chris greatly. We tried to see one in Madagascar but came up empty there as well. So for now, it remains (to us) the "elusive" Fossa. Back to the shuttle bus then the Metro. Racing against the clock to see if we can get back in time for last call at our rooftop bar at 11:15! Made it with time to spare and even had a minute to shower and change first! Here's the view from our rooftop. With or without the tourist? We had some fries and fried chicken and some NZ Sauv Blanc before calling it a night around midnight. The rooftop pool looks inviting but I doubt we'll have time for that!

Well, we are in the Changi airport getting ready to board in an hour or so. Sadly the trip is almost over. (Edited to add: now it is. I couldn't finish this post before take-off, and there's no Wi-Fi on Korean Air. So I'm home.) We've had a great time in Singapore but we are exhausted after three days of non-stop running around in the 88-90 degree heat. Time to catch up on the rest of the journey! Thursday, March 16th. Disembarkation day. I was up around 5AM and put the suitcases out. We were both up for good by 7 to watch us sailing in from our balcony. We finished packing our backpacks and said goodbye to our suite a little before 8. Breakfast in the restaurant, then we waited outside on the pool deck. Our tags were called about 8:55 and we walked to immigration. The port building was a bit reminiscent of an airport. Lots of walking! About 15 minutes wait to clear immigration, then we walked some more to get our bags and join the customs queue. Another 10 minute wait and we were through. We exited the terminal and found taxis waiting. We were at the hotel before 9:40. A very efficient process! Our room wasn't quite ready of course so we had a coffee and then went out exploring. The hotel looked nice as we headed out. We walked along the marina for views of the Fullerton Hotel, And the very famous Marina Bay Sands. An impressive structure! We meandered slowly along the marina until we got to the Merlion statue. After crossing the Jubilee Bridge, we turned inland and walked by a war memorial. We explored the mall at Raffles City. A little before 11AM we got a message that our room was ready. Great service! On the way back, the Victoria Concert Hall. We checked in and found that we had been upgraded to a Bay view room. Sweet! We basked in the AC for a bit to cool down, then headed out again to explore before our late lunch reservation. We took the Metro to Fort Canning Park and did a brief wander but we'll return there later. Time to eat! Ron and Ann had recommended a restaurant and we were excited to try it. Whitegrass, in a historic old building called "CHIJMES." We arrived right on time at 1:45 and were promptly seated. They serve two fixed menus. We had the executive lunch. There were several amuse bouches. Prawn sashimi and beluga caviar in the first picture. Unagi and a herb Madeleine cookie in the second. Both entrées were served. First, Hokkaido scallops over broccoli rabe with hazelnut sauce. Paired with sparkling sauvignon blanc from South of France. Then the braised beef tongue over red cabbage, with sautéed onions and microgreens with a Marlborough Pinot noir. It was very tasty, but a real challenge to not think about what it was. The market fish was some kind of snapper over Japanese clam and abalone cream sauce and Japanese parsley. Paired with sake. It was a tasty sake, though still not my favorite flavor profile. We had one of each main so they split them in half and served a mixed plate to both of us. Wagyu beef with grainy mustard seed on the left, paired with 2010 Italian red from Pecorino. So rich. Duck breast with port wine sauce and black miso was paired with a baby Amarone. For intermezzo, cola sorbet over pineapple bits. Dessert was fresh strawberries on a biscuit with pistachio sorbet and foam. Rose petals, and raspberry sauce. The dessert wine was a Brachetto d'Acqui. Finally, mignardaises. Almond, honey, browned butter, and coffee cakes. Sweet green tea shortbread cookies. That put us over the top. Time to move before we fall into a food and wine coma! An expensive lunch for sure, even with the favorable exchange rate (the Singapore dollar is about on par with the Canadian dollar so the price looks less painful in USD.

Makes me feel petty for complaining about roughly 20h on planes plus 3h of driving, to get home from Singapore. You Aussies have it rough, for sure! There is no fast way to get anywhere from Oz. We made it home about 4 hours ago and I've had a glass of wine (or two) already. Looking forward to your trip updates as a tonic for my post-vacation letdown.

We are having a great time in Singapore. Back to the cruise though! Wednesday March 15th. Sea day. After the late night shenanigans we didn't get up until almost 9AM. We dragged ourselves to the bar for coffee and ran into some of the usual suspects. They looked a bit tired too. At 11 we had a final recap, and briefing about disembarkation tomorrow. Basically, put luggage out by 6:30AM. Disembark between 8 and 9, clear immigration, grab bags, then clear customs. Our plan is to grab a taxi to the hotel and take it from there. Lunch out back. Today's menu. I tried the Ponant burger and Chris had the steak. Both tasty. One end of Chris's steak was overcooked but the rest was reasonably medium-rare. Mine was done better yesterday. We packed most of our stuff, and relaxed after lunch, trying to figure out a more detailed plan for Singapore tomorrow. At 4PM the captain had a reception out back on the pool deck, to thank the crew. Many are heading home after this cruise, because the ship is undergoing a 2-week drydock. The "highlight" of the ceremony was when the captain tried to open a bottle of champagne with a saber. Here's the result of his first attempt. Broken glass all over. The crew is cracking up. He eventually succeeded on try #3, and a toast was made. Tonight's Gala Dinner was delicious. Here's the menu. We went with the classic menu as usual. The amuse-bouche, Parmesan cheese crumble with truffle cream. We used the last of our OBC to get a bottle of red. From Provence! How unusual. Henry the sommelier knows his wines and we've enjoyed his selections. Two starters. Cold lobster tail with dill and apple-avocado creams. Then fried scallops with beurre blanc. A perfectly done filet. Very dark chocolate for dessert, then mignardaises. By now we are smart enough to avoid any last-night wild and crazy goings-on. We retired to our cabin immediately after dinner and went to bed.

Lois - yes, even more. The itinerary was fantastic. Ron and Ann - have a wonderful trip! And, impressive packing job!

Terry, the link is in my signature. We disembarked this morning and we've run ourselves ragged in Singapore. Two more days like this and I'll need another vacation to recover!

Tuesday March 14th. Pi day at sea. Another relaxing morning. Coffee in the bar then some time out back for some fresh air. We got an outside table for lunch. i have been craving the steak, but the duck leg was too much to pass up. And it was as great as it sounded. From our table we had a view of the small islands that we were cruising past. The expedition crew went out to scout for a snorkeling spot. We had more wine. Eventually I had dessert. It was cooked perfectly. Chris had some too. Snorkeling is at 3PM. So we didn't have a second dessert. Back to the room to get ready. Here's a photo of the entrance to the dining room, my favorite part! Sadly the team couldn't find a good spot, so no snorkeling today. Instead, a lazy afternoon. Just a disembarkation talk. And drinks in the bar before dinner. We had an outdoor table for two. We noticed that the ship was still moving slowly. Apparently we'd taken on some customs officers from Indonesia, who needed to clear us to leave. The amuse-bouche spring roll. Seafood salad and a goat cheese tart for starters. We got a bottle from the reserve list for our salmon. It was surprisingly full-bodied for a Sauvignon Blanc. So am I, after all of this great food! Now the strangest announcement ever. Apparently the officials had "lost their boat" so another boat had to be dispatched to come pick them up. How weird! The captain said that he's never "lost a boat" before... Anyway. The salmon was delicious. Dessert was the sabayon. After dinner the dancers put on a show in the bar. It's their last show, as they disembark in Singapore with us. The ship is undergoing a 2-week drydock so it will be all fresh and clean for the March 30th cruise. The show was followed by dancing in the bar. Then the party moved outside. Someone brought a Bluetooth speaker. We played music from our phones. More wine was found somewhere. And someone ended up in the pool. No photos, and names were changed to protect the innocent. We finally went to bed at 3AM. At least it's a sea day again tomorrow!

The Captain "recommended" that we wear masks when he gave his introduction. He and the rest of the crew were maskless when he said that. A small handful of people are wearing them. Interestingly, Korean Air still "requires" masks on board. The requirement is somewhat lax. Hi vada_9, thanks for following along! They put 8-10 pax on each zodiac.

Monday March 13th, Tanjung Puting NP continued. After viewing the Orangutans at the feeding station, we headed back downriver to the ship. This was a pristine tropical river, with vegetation pressing in from both sides, and some tight squeezes. We were enjoying the trip regardless. Someone managed to spot this crocodile along the river bank. Impressive! As we drew nearer to the river mouth the vegetation got thinner. And the waterway opened up a bit. No shade, so hoping that the SPF60 works! From the river mouth, it was a long choppy ride back to Le Lapérouse. Probably an hour to go five nautical miles. Our butts were sore! Though it looked stormy, the rain never came. So that was a plus. Ponant have only offered this excursion for a few years. Our EL said that more people have summited Mt. Everest, than have visited this river. Hard to believe. But now you've read it on the internet so it must be true. Back on board finally by 5:45. We skipped the salsa lesson in favor of a shower, then rehydrated with a G&T in the lounge. Or two. We were really thirsty! We had dinner with a German couple who we'd met on one of the bus tours a few days earlier. A fun night! The amuse-bouche was a "poultry" roll filled with guacamole. I got a bottle from the wine list to go with the starters. Chris had the quinoa starter and I had the octopus carpaccio. I have mixed feelings about eating octopus because they are such cool animals. But this was delicious. Our companions got a bottle of red to go with the main course, which was a delicious preparation of duck breast. Ducks are cute too. But I have no problem eating them. Dessert was an "exotic" pavlova, or chocolate. We went to the dance show after dinner then unwound in the bar before calling it a night.

She won't wear a goofy hat like me, so the matching sunglasses are as good as it gets!

That's both amazing and kind of creepy. Makes sense though, as most shots I've taken at that high of a zoom have much less detail.

Monday, March 13th. Borneo! Tanjung Puting National Park. Since we were on the late expedition today, we slept in until 8:30 and then had coffee in the bar. We tried to fill out our Singapore electronic arrival declaration but apparently March 13th to March 16th is four days, not three. Hmm. An early lunch at 11AM, in preparation for an 11:50 departure. The menu. We had dim sum and spring rolls to start, then the pork adobo. Tasty! We limited the wine and water intake because we will be on the zodiac for about five hours. There was some delay with the morning groups returning so we didn't set off until about 12:30. The ship's photography crew flew by. It was about five miles to the river mouth. Le Laperouse couldn't get closer as the water in the bay is very shallow. The river water looks like tea from all of the tannins. Lush and steamy. A beautiful landscape! The reflections in the smooth water were really picturesque. After a long voyage we arrived at the feeding platform. A mom with her baby. Eventually she gave way to a solitary male. As she left, a long-tailed macaque jumped in for a quick bite. Eat while you can! The big guy is approaching. We watched for a while from the zodiacs. It was hot, humid, and very sunny. Time to start moving before we melt!

The primates are having a fun time watching each other in the jungle. Apparently there is a winter storm watch back home. Hopefully the cat sitter can make it to our place!

For those who have heard, Mt. Merapi in central Java is erupting with some vigor. We were on Java Island Saturday, the day the eruption began! Luckily we were 200 miles away, at Mt. Bromo. Here is a map. We're currently on the south coast of Borneo (blue dot). Mt. Merapi is the red mark. The gold stars 200 miles to the east mark the location of our tour. Now back to the cruise! Sunday March 12th. At sea, relaxing. A lazy sea day after the long tour from Probolinggo. We had a leisurely breakfast in the restaurant, then sat outside in the shade for most of the morning until lunch. Just sun and the Java Sea from our veranda. We had lunch inside to cool down. The grill looked nice but we were warmed up enough already. Today's menu. The mini pizza starter was delicious! Mains were great too. Mushroom risotto and osso bucco. We had one of each and shared. We gave back the hour that we'd gained in Komodo, at 2PM. So it was now 3PM, and time for a lecture. We stayed awake... After the lecture, more sluggishness ensued, and it's rumored that napping was observed as well. Time for the briefing! Tomorrow we're searching for orangutans in Borneo! We are very happy that we're in the green group! Some people have an early wake-up call, but we just have an early lunch. Tonight was "white night" so we are all dressed in white. They opened the marina deck for apéritifs. A nice view. As it got darker, the stars came out. Orion was in full glory. We joined our neighbors and another couple for a fun dinner. Some bottles from the premium list made an appearance as well. Tonight's dinner menu. The amuse-bouche, an orange concoction with ginger. Starters were crab, which wasn't that great. It tasted canned and almost like tuna fish. The calamari were delicious though. For the main we both had pork. Beautifully cooked, and juicy. The potatoes with olives were a bit unusual. This went well with a bottle from the reserve list. Or maybe two. After all, we needed something to go with the Black Forest cake! There was "dance night" in the bar after dinner, which was great for us, but terrible for those on the early tour tomorrow. We had a dance for them too. Still in bed by 11PM so not too late a night.

Korimako, it's roughly 50/50 this cruise. Bear in mind that this will vary by itinerary. For example, on our first Corsica cruise, there were fewer than 10 Anglophones. Which was great - we often got very small group tours. And they looked out for us very well. Also, know that the Anglophone group is a big mixture. Besides the obvious American, Aussie/Kiwi, and British/Irish usual suspects, there are a number of German, Dutch, and Spanish speakers who use English as a second or third language. It's a fun mix! But no worries about being in the minority. Have been there and it was lots of fun!

They tow you behind the ship in one of the lifeboats.

Ok Ron and Ann! You two are making me LOL this morning! Spending a lazy sea day today after an 8-hour tour yesterday. Brilliant planning, Ponant! Tomorrow we are in Borneo to see orangutans.

Thank you! We're still on board until Thursday. Having a great time. Too much food and wine, but hey, it's vacation.

Saturday March 11th. Back on board. Jeep to bus, back to the pier. A scrum for the tenders but we made the first one, and were back on board before 6:30. Now to scrub off all that sand! Dinner was fairly empty at 7:30. Maybe people were full from the late lunch, and/or they weren't as quick getting ready. We got a nice outdoor table for our efforts. Tonight's menu. We have some OBC to spend so we got a nice Barolo from the wine list. First the amuse-bouche. Chris had the tuna tartare and I had the arancini. We both had the "chicken like a paella" which was very tasty. The sommelier had recommended the Barolo as a match for the chorizo sausage, and it worked well with the whole dish. Chris's dessert was a passion fruit and lychee macaron, and mine was the chocolate tart. We were ready for the dance show after dinner, but that was all. Off to bed after this full day!

Saturday March 11th, Probolinggo. We slogged upstairs and soon we were face to face with the bubbling caldera. Steam, noise, and sulfur smell hit you all at once. The view of our route here. Downhill will be much easier! We wandered the rim in each direction. Mainly to get away from the annoying vendors who got in your face trying to sell bunches of flowers for you to throw into the caldera. Pretty despite the smell. Eventually we decided that we'd inhaled enough sulfur dioxide for one day, so we started back. Crossing the sand sea. A small sandstorm was brewing. We made it back to our jeep. Now to await the stragglers. A much more intense sandstorm blew through a little later. Very glad we weren't out walking when that happened! Now we drove to the last stop, for a local buffet lunch. More small roads. Lunch was tasty. They had several chicken and seafood dishes, fried noodles, and satay. We ate heartily, as it had been at least 6 hours since breakfast. Incroyable! While lunch was served, there was some dancing as well. They had some elaborate costumes! I liked the kids watching. They seemed to be enjoying the performance as much as we were! One hamming it up for our cameras, and another on her cell phone. And the band, to the right. More costumes. The jaws were articulated, and with the proper flick of the head, the jaws snapped shut with a nice clicking sound. Eventually we had to start back to the ship. Jeep to bus to tender, the reverse of this morning's journey.

Hello from the Java Sea! It's Sunday morning, a relaxing sea day. We need it after yesterday's full day excursion. Saturday March 11th. Probolinggo. Today we had a full day excursion to a volcanic caldera. But at least it didn't leave until 9:30. From our cabin, we saw lots of evidence of vulcanism in the area. We had a leisurely breakfast, and tried to go slow, but still we were ready by 9:00. So we waited. There was a slight delay but we eventually loaded into the ship's tenders at 9:45. No zodiac ride today. About 10 minutes to the dock, then we got into large busses. It was a little over an hour to our first stop, Lava Hill Resort. This was a bathroom stop, and also the point where we left the busses and piled into jeeps. Onward! Great scenery, both natural and man-made. We were surrounded by lush greenery. Now we know why we couldn't stay on the busses! We arrived at our first stop, for an overview of the caldera. Is that a tower to climb? The overview. We are on the edge of a huge caldera. There are smaller calderas, and volcanic cones, within the larger caldera. Our hike will start at the bottom center, and climb the crater wall at the center of the photo. Chris is ready for a hike! Our jeeps await. And onward! This guy is going the wrong way. It looks a bit dusty here on the crater floor. They don't call it the "sand sea" for nothing, I guess. I guess we're going to get dirty. The hike was mostly flat but it got steep at the end. And the altitude was an added bonus. It was almost 8000 feet, so a little extra effort! And an occasional photo break, to catch our breath. A little more hiking to reach the stairs. There are 243 of them. Luckily my office at work is 139 steps up and i never take the elevator. We've got this. A perfect cone off to one side. Gunung Batok. Time for some stair climbing!

Sounds tasty! We hadn't googled it yet so thanks for the info. Now we'll have to try one!

Friday afternoon and evening. March 10th. We were back on board in good time, and enjoyed the scenery while sailing away. Mt. Tambora was totally clouded over, so this morning's view was all we got. Time for lunch out on the back deck, in the open air. Today's menu. Chris had the canneloni and I had the barbecue plate. A lazy, restful afternoon. Here is the laundry price list if anyone is interested. We prepared for tonight's briefing by visiting the Blue Eye lounge. On the elevator down. We really like the ambience down here. Tomorrow will be a full day tour to a volcanic crater, by bus, jeep, horseback, and hiking. We dock in Probolinggo and end up at Mt. Bromo. We had pre-dinner drinks with our neighbors from the adjacent suite, then dinner together. Tonight's menu. Chris had the crab cakes and I had the mushrooms. Mains were orange roughy and rack of lamb. And the pistachio dessert. The dance show after dinner wasn't as good as the previous one, but the DJ played some decent dance music in the bar until 11:00. So we closed it down before going to bed.

Hope it warms up soon for you!