The Grand Palace at Bangkok.Good Day Everyone!
Sorry about no update yesterday - I was overtaken by events! Lots of business to attend to and then there was the Diamond Wedding Party to attend before the Formal Farewell Gala Dinner for the passengers disembarking at Singapore.
I had a very exciting meeting with the Head of PR for P&O Cruises in Australia - there is so much hype in the Media about Arcadia's Inaugural Call 'down under'. They are even creating a link to this blog on their Australian Website for the time that we are in Australian Waters!!! So G'Day to all our friends and colleagues in Oz. We on board, are all getting into the Oz mode with the large number of Australian Passengers who embarked at Leam Chabang. We also have seven top notch Journalists on board - I met them all this morning - so wagons roll - it is all go with P&O Cruises!! On the day we arrive in Sydney the Queen Victoria will be sailing out and both ships will pass in the harbour - this will be a sight to behold.
Hello to Alan G up there in Troon - I just had a customer of yours pop into to see me and we enjoyed a morning coffee - Dave and Moira - Dave wants to know when will you stock cravats??
Moira is quite happy that you don't! Anyway Dave says you stock really good clothes. As with everything in life you only get what you pay for.........!
That was n interesting message on the blog message site about the 'cabin search' - you see how varied my job is - 'Midsummer Murders' has nothing on me....and so many ship board romances lead to wedded bliss on the Love Boat!
At Laem Chabang those disembarking were off the ship in good time and they were transferred to the airport for their flights back home to a snowy Great Britain. The BA flight was cancelled due to the weather and we were fortunate to get everyone transferred on to a Thi Airways flight. The Kingdom of Thailand draws more tourists than any other country in southeast Asia and it was therefore no surprise that the greater majority of our passengers were heading off to the sights of Bangkok or the charming Elephant Village near Pattaya. Buddhism is such an important part of everyday life here that it is with such pride that the Thai people like to show us their wonderful Grand Palace and the surrounding buildings. The City Pillar for instance symbolizes the establishment of a community and this one actually dates from 1782. The Marble Palace built in 1899 in Carrara marble by the half brother of King Rama V serves today as a centre of leaning for Buddhist monks. But, of course the premier attraction is the Grand Palace. The surrounding walls stretch 2,000 metres ands although the Palace no longer houses the King it is still the Thailand’s holiest place. Incredibly ornate and detailed it was totally awe inspiring to all who were there.
The local area at Pattaya - where we ran a shuttle bus service to and from.
Have a great day. I will post more blogs soonest - our call at Ko Samui was a great success - everyone loved it. Tomorrow we will be in Singapore. I hope I will be able to get ashore for a trip round this very exciting City - I have enjoyed holidays there in the past staying at the Good Wood Park Hotel in a very nice poolside suite.
All good wishes,
James.
'Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs'
Henry Ford'.
Posts
13 comments:
Yah, breakfast ritual!!!!! Hi James!
Well won't be going far today here! The snow here is even worse than the other day! Roads upassable (well certainly here in Beds)!
So it's nice to see the sunshine in Thailand! Loving the photo's.
Will be looking forward to your call down in Oz! And that Queen Victoria passing! Last year I found a great webcam for viewing sydney harbour!
Elaine (aurorabore)
Hi James
Good to hear from you. We missed not having your report yesterday. Yes people do look daily for your updates. Have a good visit to Singapore and make sure you take plenty of photos so we can all see the sights. Weather here in UK cold again today and plenty of snow. Bet you are all glad you are not on a Grand Voyage around the UK!!!
Best wishes
Andrew & Susan B-G ex J816
Morning(for us) James.
More heavy snow here in Wiltshire, with more falling heavily, so it's a great pleasure to read your blog and look at your lovely photographs.
Singapore is the place I want to visit more than anywhere else next year so I hope you have a really fab visit. And if you manage to get to Raffles,have a Singapore Sling for me.
Gill
Only 18 sleeps to go!Sort of torture watching this blog but was very sad not to see it for a couple of days.
Can't wait to see you all in Brisbane,of course Australia.
Can someone please tell me...will it be cold in London in mid April.
By cold I mean under 18 degrees C.
I need to know what to pack,am staying there for a couple of weeks.Cheers for that!
For a good web cam of the beautiful Sydney Harbour go to,wwwcoastalwatch.com.au
click on the state NSW,scroll down and you will see Sydney Harbour,click on that and you should see the most beautiful harbour in the world,it is a scanning camera so you will see quite a lot,yachts,ferries,big ships,little boats etc,you can't freeze on any of the cameras positions,just keeps scanning.Is good.
Cheers!
James, we have been following your blog since Arcadia left Southampton and have been really enjoying it. We live on Australia's Gold Coast (I know, someone has to do it) and are looking forward to joining Arcadia when she visits Brisbane on 23rd Feb. for the return journey all the way to the UK. Now all we have to do is fit all those clothes into what would appear to be quite little suitcases. Don't worry we will give it our best shot!!
Hope you are able to enjoy some shore-time in Singapore James. It is a really interesting mix of cultures isn't it? Malay, Chinese and Indian, all infused with a bit of an American flavour in the modern business and shopping districts. Don't do too much serious damage to the bank balance - and watch out for Peter & Alan boarding :-)
Forgot the 'signature block above!
Andrew & Tony
Ex J816 (In Brighton - no snow but lots of drizzle :-().
I remember looking out at night and seeing the brilliant lights of the squid boats in the Gulf of Thailand.
Oddly enough for a Canberra cabbie, I've been in London every April since 2005. Usually it's not bad there, but last year it was cold and windy. Snow in Normandy.
For a Queenslander, pack some warm clothes. You'll need at least a jumper. Have to make room in your luggage for two suits - lounge and dinner - and bear in mind the weight limitations for the flight back home.
But forget springtime London and April showers for the moment. You will have a fantastic sunshiney time on the cruise!
We'll be reading your blog from now on to see what our dear friend Lady Eileen R. who joins the cruise in Singapore gets up to. She valiantly battled the snow from Bedford to get to Heathrow and then got charged HOW MUCH? over weight luggage. Poor soul she'll be desperate for that first (and second)G&T when she hits the Crow's Nest.
Cheers!
Brian & Barry
Oh James,
This blog is sooo unbelievable, I cant wait to log on every morning. The photographs are a sight to behold, and your comments wonderful. My sister(Anne Pash) sends her love and is thinking of you especially dreaming of Singapore tomorrow. She says that if you gp tp Raffles, look at the Cricket Club, and that's where she used to play hockey all those years ago.
Many many thanks, until the next chapter.
Norma & Peris
Hi James
Nice to carch up again if you see Dave n Moira about the ship please pass on my best wishes.Hope they are enjoying themselves and i hope that Daves clothes will not need letting out too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alan G
Reading your blog James (Noah) is not so very different from purusing Hello or OK! Magazine.
It just makes us realise how utterly dull our UK life is
Stand by to repel two boarders in Hong Kong on the 12th March; we're joining Noah and his Arc!
Rob & Diane Looker
Post a Comment