My 7th Continent
By Jennifer Sutherland, Guest Blogger
I knew Asia was going to be my final continent to visit. But, for years, I’ve been overwhelmed by the variety of amazing places I could visit in Asia. So, I ended up with a version of writer’s block – traveler’s block! I couldn’t decide WHICH place to visit, so I didn’t visit any of them.
Finally, though, I visited Antarctica last January 2018, so I knew my trip to my 7th continent had to be planned. After a lot of research, I decided on a combined land/cruise trip that would allow me to visit a few different countries.
My trip started with a decadently expensive flight in a Delta One business class seat, where you can fully recline in your own little enclosed pod (I, of course, did the completely irresponsible opposite of sleeping during the 14 hour flight to my layover in South Korea – I watched Marvel movies the entire time!
I stayed in Singapore for the first 3 days – which was enough time to explore this very small, wealthy, clean country (and also a city). Did you see Crazy Rich Asians? It was set in Singapore. If you visit Singapore, do a little research on the very interesting laws – or you may regret it. Sanitation and health are very important here. You can’t spit, chew gum, litter, or eat/drink on public transportation. Apparently, you also can’t take photos on public transportation – which is probably why I got this side eye. OOPS!
There are a lot of great things to see in Singapore. I stayed in an Airbnb for 2 nights. I prefer to do that – so I can stay in fun, interesting neighborhoods. In the time I was there, I took the on/off city bus (this is often my first ‘tourist’ activity in a new place so I can get acclimated and decide where I want to go back for a longer visit). I met a fun woman on the bus – she is Norwegian, but lives in Germany. She was on her way to be a “granny” to a young family near Melbourne, Australia. It’s a new trend, instead of nannies – people hire older women to care for their children for a short time. I went to the botanical gardens, which I normally avoid during trips – but this one was highly recommended and I know why. It was beautiful. There was an entire orchid garden. Rode the cable car, and went to Sentosa – a beach park/amusement area. We also tried Singapore Slings! We then met up with one of my Jaycee friends who lives in Singapore, and went to dinner with him at the local Hawker Market (multiple food stalls). I loved the fresh fruit. I am not an adventurous eater – but they loved a variety of things – stingray, carrot cake (not the dessert), prawns, etc.
Public transportation in Singapore is really convenient, easy and clean. They use Grab (as a taxi service, similar to Uber/Lyft).
I also chose to splurge on one night at the Marina Bay Sands, for the amazing views and the infinity pool on the top floor. It was a luxury hotel – but expensive. I was able to take some great photos. The Gardens by the Bay are right next door and beautiful.
I boarded my cruise from Singapore. After a day at sea, we docked at our first destination – Port Klang, Malaysia (which is the closest port to Kuala Lumpur). I booked a private driver/taxi for the day to visit the Batu Caves (site of a Hindu temple), which was beautifully colorful and had lots of monkeys– I shared my durian fruit ice cream with a monkey who had a baby monkey attached. They also loved the coconuts.
Durian is a local fruit – it is actually banned in many countries, including the US, because it smells so strongly and so badly. I also went to Chinatown and did a little shopping. Throughout Southeast Asia, take coins with you – you have to pay to get toilet paper for the public toilets (which are usually not western style – they are a hole in the ground with a hose to clean, accessed from a raised platform – there are sometimes bars on each side to hold on to, but not always).
Remember that Malaysia is a Muslim country – so be prepared to dress appropriately and modestly to enter many buildings, including temples. Women must have their legs and shoulders covered. No hats. And remove your shoes to show respect. But beware of shoe thieves. No, really. There are signs everywhere to warn visitors.
We visited Penang, Malaysia next – it’s known for its street food. I did another hop on/off bus tour and met 3 fun women from near Leeds, England who were celebrating their 60th birthdays – they have been friends since school days. We visited the reclining Buddha temple and another temple across the street (which was a working monastery).
Went to the Clan Jetties – a floating village of Chinese settlers. The Chew Jetty is the most accessible to visitors, one of the 6 remaining families.
Next port was Langkawi, Malaysia which is known for its natural beauty. The cable car is the steepest in the world and I was so nervous. But, the view was incredible. Water and green everywhere. I even walked across the sky bridge – the longest free span pedestrian bridge in the world. It was curved to maximize the gorgeous views. It was a packed destination, though, so plan on long waits. And the power went out at one point, so there were some extended delays.
The final cruise destination was Phuket Thailand. Well, it was actually Patong Beach – Phuket is inland. We had an overnight stop here to allow for additional time. I had preplanned visiting the only ethical elephant sanctuary in the area. As a tourist, please diligently research any animal activities to ensure it’s not dangerous or harmful.
Many elephants in Asia are used in traveling tourist shows (similar to circuses) and are tortured to be ‘trained’ to ride that bicycle or their spine is broken so you can ride it in a circle. Or they are used in the logging industry – forced to work non-stop pulling giant logs and often with broken legs and deformed feet. The sanctuary I visited buys older female elephants from these types of places and gives them a wonderful life, relaxing and bathing. Twice/day, they provide an opportunity to feed the elephants. Each elephant has a mahout/handler that stays with them every day. They live on the sanctuary.
Then, I had booked an Airbnb experience. Check these out when you travel – you get to meet locals that offer a specific activity that they guide you through. I did a photo shoot/walk in Old Town Phuket with a photographer. He took some awesome photos, which I never could have taken as a solo traveler. He and his girlfriend showed me some great local highlights.
The next day, I enjoyed a Buddhist temple blessing early in the morning with a local Buddhist, who brought all of the supplies for the morning experience. I also was able to unexpectedly see a man commit to become a Buddhist monk, and watch his family celebrate. Such an incredible opportunity. And she told me such fascinating stories about the Buddhist faith and traditions. For example, it’s illegal to buy a Buddha statue for anything other than prayer and it must be the entire Buddha (not just the Buddha head you sometimes see). It’s also extremely regulated to get a Buddha tattoo.
My afternoon was spent getting a Thai massage, called a 4 hand massage. So, there were 2 massage therapists. The Thai massage is given on a thin mat on the floor. They provided a silky flowy shirt and pants to wear during the massage. It was 2 hours long and felt amazing! After wandering back to Patong Beach and some souvenir shopping, I stopped for some more fruit – including pomegranate and my local favorite, called mangosteen. Before I boarded the ship, I stopped for a one hour foot massage. It felt decadent, but it was only about $7 US.
After another day at sea on the ship, I stayed at another local Airbnb for my last night in Singapore. I visited Little India for some souvenirs (including beautiful fabrics and clothing), and some henna. I also had lunch at Clark’s Quay (pronounced key) – a fun place for a variety of bars and restaurants on the water.
My favorite things about visiting Southeast Asia? The fresh fruit, the sunshine, the friendly people, the affordable activities and souvenirs, and the lush landscape.
I can now say I’ve been to all 7 continents. #travelbrag
Time to explore my new community – I just moved to Greenville South Carolina. I’m looking forward to more adventure!
Jennifer Sutherland is a world traveler with intense wanderlust (and she has the tattoo to prove it). She began traveling as a child with her parents, including a 23 day road trip from Michigan to Las Vegas up to San Francisco and back in a minivan.
Jennifer was lucky to participate in 2 study abroad trips – one in high school to England and France, and the other at 39 for her MBA program to 7 Eastern European countries over one month. She has been to all seven continents, and 44 US states. Her favorite vacation is always her next one. Her next trip is a New England/Canada cruise this October to see her final 6 states and to enjoy the fall colors.