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

Gearing up for my next trip......  In less than a week's time, I will be going on my planned vacation. This will be my second trip of the year. After this, I have no other trips either planned or confirmed for 2024. I am still trying to come to grips with the astronomical increase in travel costs. Thus, I have been searching and waiting for discount deals on flight tickets and accommodations, but no luck so far. And so, the search and wait continue. The coming trip is a relatively short and unadventurous 5 days/4 nights return cruise from Singapore to Penang and Phuket. I had booked this cruise sometime in the middle of last year, paying a lot less than what I would need to pay if I am to book a similar cruise itinerary today. And, I love the ship, Spectrum of the Seas. Sadly for me, this ship will leave Singapore next month (April 2024) for its new home ports in China. Thus, this will very likely be the last time I cruise on Spectrum unless it returns to be home ported in Singapor...

Following my first-ever cruise trip in July 2022, I embarked on my second cruise vacation in end-October 2022. Despite this being my second cruise holiday, I had actually booked this trip way back in January 2022 before I even booked my first cruise trip for July 2022. Ah, the irony of life! 😁 Like my first cruise, this trip was also on the same ship, Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas. Unlike my first cruise, this was a slightly longer trip for 5 nights onboard, 2 nights more than the previous trip. Deck 15 of Spectrum of the Seas as seen through the glass canopy of the North Star , Phuket, Thailand (2022) No longer a cruise virgin and having been onboard the same ship just months earlier, I had matured into a seasoned cruise pro. Boarding on sailing day was a breeze, I had my essentials packed and was all ready to enjoy my holiday. View of Marina Bay Cruise Centre as Spectrum of the Seas pulled out of port, Marina Bay, Singapore (2022) Cabin Classes I had booked myself and m...

After more than 5 years, I visited Phuket again in October 2022. While this trip was a short few hours because I was visiting this beautiful island as part of my cruise ship's sailing itinerary, it was nonetheless nice to be back in Phuket. More than 2 years of border restrictions due to the COVID pandemic, things seem to be returning pretty much to normal in Phuket. Eateries are open for business again, although many do remain shut, tourists numbers are rising again and the locals seem a lot happier to be able to again welcome visitors to lovely Phuket. In my few short hours on shore, we kept to the Patong beach area to dine on our favourite Thai food including Mango Sticky Rice, chill at a beachfront cafe, went for a nice foot reflexology session and just walked along the beach to enjoy the view, the sun and the Phuket vibes. I promised myself I will be back to Phuket soon, for a vacation. See you again Phuket! 😀 A tourist doing the touristy adventures, Phuket, Thailand (2022) A...

  Where would you travel to, if you can travel back in time....... The end of November 2020 is almost here. This heralds the arrival of December, the last month of the calendar year. 2020 is best remembered as the year of a worldwide pandemic. For travel bugs like myself, the pandemic resulted in a whole travel-less year. Yes, no travel anywhere for a whole year and well into the foreseeable months ahead. News of the promising results of several vaccines under advance-staged trials provided glimpses of hope not just for travel but more importantly, for the health of the global population and economy. But it is still early days in terms of vaccine development, production and distribution. Without any travel for the year, there is definitely no trips to reflect upon during this year-end. Instead, I can only rely on my imaginations to reflect upon what could have been. So, I asked myself an age-old question. If I can travel back in time, where would I want to travel to? I would l...

Just next to the popular and crowded Patong Beach in Phuket, are many small shops selling local food, touristy souvenirs, t-shirts and many other items. There are also shops selling art pieces. Being a person who is not artistically inclined, I have always admired those talented individuals who are good with art, whether it is in the areas of drawing or painting pictures, or crafting sculptures. Thankfully, I do enjoy art pieces. And on occasions when I encountered some nice works, I do buy them to support the artists, as long as the prices are within my budget.  While strolling and window shopping along the rows of shops next to Patong Beach on an extremely warm and humid afternoon, I came across a small art shop selling unique art pieces. The displays were captured by my mobile phone camera. The photograph was a nice memento for my after-lunch walk. Shop display, Phuket, Thailand (2017)