TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

I booked this cruise way ahead of the scheduled sailing and thus got quote a good deal because of the early booking. After almost two years of waiting, I finally boarded the ship on Monday morning of 24th February 2025. This will be an 8-night cruise on a return trip sailing from Singapore to Indonesia's Bali and Lombok before retuning to port in Singapore on 3rd March 2025. Previously, I had sailed four times onboard Spectrum of the Seas . This was my first sailing onboard Anthem of the Seas . Different ship, different vibes. Anthem of the Seas anchored on the sea during the port visit to Clean Bawang, Bali, Indonesia (2025) The ship left port and departed Singapore's Marina Cruise Centre in the late afternoon, around 4.30pm. Sailing southwards past Indonesia's Riau Island and across the Java Sea to the island of Bali. I am a frequent visitor to Bali for vacations. But this was my first time sailing to Bali instead of traveling there by flight! After two sunny sea da...

Autumn season is here.....  Just to clarify, I live in a tropical city . Thus, there is no such thing as autumn. But I do travel. And when I travel, I love the mild cool weather of autumn. Personally, I dislike summer, anywhere in the world. The heat and humidity that characterise summer is something I do not enjoy. Maybe this is because I experience "summer" all year round where I live! Besides the uncomfortable heat and humidity of summer, the peak travel season that is summer also drives up prices of everything, from air tickets to accommodation. Even if prices do not factor into the budget of the well-off travelers, there is the issue of being able to book train seats and getting that restaurant reservation. But autumn is a different season altogether. The peak summer crowd is usually absent. The weather is mild and cool. The natural scenery usually spectacular in temperate countries as the leaves on the trees started to turn yellow, orange and bright crimson in colours...

I am always fascinated by fishing boats and often wondered about how life is for those who work on fishing boats.  While in Benoa , I chanced upon a fishing port . Rows and rows of fishing boats were in port, some with friendly fishermen onboard who waved and shouted warm greetings as I walked along the pier . Returning the kind gestures, I waved back and said "hello" in return. Of course, these fishing boats are rather photogenic. Here's one of the many photographs I took of the fishing boats I saw that day. 🐟 Fishing Boats, Benoa Fishing Port , Bali , Indonesia (2025)