Life is a Journey - a SE Asia TR
- Thread starter zanzibar138
- Start date
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
He'd booked it himself from his previous hotel, so no excuses! He was probably in a rush, but still if it's that important that you're close to town, it's worth checking before you book.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
After spending a bit of time checking out the main monument, we moved on to some of the other sites in the park. This one was kind of the second most main one.
A bit further over there was a little information centre/museum thing, with a few other little displays around it. The museum itself wasn't anything to write home about, just a few replicas of artefacts found in the temples, but it was pleasant to wander around the area.
We kept wandering, down towards the river now, keeping our eyes open as we went. This area was quite pleasant with plenty of shade, and a few bird sightings.
There were some more ruins around too.
We made it to the river, where there was a gravesite marked on the map. I wasn't expecting to see a fully exposed human skeleton as I rounded the corner! It made me feel a bit weird, so I took the opportunity to enjoy the river views while DH read about the gravesite.
There was a small vendor here where we bought a couple of cool drinks. We took them back to the main ruins to sit in the shade and enjoy a refreshing beverage.
As we were sitting there enjoying the peace and quiet, we suddenly saw a succession of tour buses enter the park! There were half a dozen there, combination of mini vans and coaches. They must have come from one of the close by stations on the Death Railway! We had just spent a couple of hours leisurely wandering the practically deserted peaceful complex, and here there were hundreds of people about to be let loose for some pre-determined short amount of time! Once again, I found myself wondering what on earth they were going to get out of their brief visit.
And with that, we decided to head back to our driver and leave them to it!
A bit further over there was a little information centre/museum thing, with a few other little displays around it. The museum itself wasn't anything to write home about, just a few replicas of artefacts found in the temples, but it was pleasant to wander around the area.
We kept wandering, down towards the river now, keeping our eyes open as we went. This area was quite pleasant with plenty of shade, and a few bird sightings.
There were some more ruins around too.
We made it to the river, where there was a gravesite marked on the map. I wasn't expecting to see a fully exposed human skeleton as I rounded the corner! It made me feel a bit weird, so I took the opportunity to enjoy the river views while DH read about the gravesite.
There was a small vendor here where we bought a couple of cool drinks. We took them back to the main ruins to sit in the shade and enjoy a refreshing beverage.
As we were sitting there enjoying the peace and quiet, we suddenly saw a succession of tour buses enter the park! There were half a dozen there, combination of mini vans and coaches. They must have come from one of the close by stations on the Death Railway! We had just spent a couple of hours leisurely wandering the practically deserted peaceful complex, and here there were hundreds of people about to be let loose for some pre-determined short amount of time! Once again, I found myself wondering what on earth they were going to get out of their brief visit.
And with that, we decided to head back to our driver and leave them to it!
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
When we got back to Kanchanburi, we decided to check out the museum near the bridge. It seemed like a small museum, and I didn't think it would take us long to get through it.
Once we were done with the main room, we found there was a lot more to it. However, it was a bit of a mish-mash of displays and information, and pretty hard to keep track of. I really liked this building which had plates inlaid as decoration!
I decided to leave DH to it, and headed back to the hotel. We had a nice relaxing evening in preparation for another big day of travel the next day, and enjoyed a last evening out on the terrace.
Once we were done with the main room, we found there was a lot more to it. However, it was a bit of a mish-mash of displays and information, and pretty hard to keep track of. I really liked this building which had plates inlaid as decoration!
I decided to leave DH to it, and headed back to the hotel. We had a nice relaxing evening in preparation for another big day of travel the next day, and enjoyed a last evening out on the terrace.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
Day 6: On the Road Again (Kanchanaburi-Hong Kong via Bangkok)
We had a nice leisurely start to our last day in Thailand. We allowed ourselves a bit of a sleep in, and enjoyed a last leisurely breakfast by the river. We had been considering having a last massage this morning too, but sleeping in won out! We had plenty of time for packing and checking out, before making our way to the bus station in town (we would have much preferred to take the train, but it only went twice a day - the first one left at about 6am, and the next one would get us there too late for our flight). While we were checking out, we met someone else who was on their way back to Bangkok, and had booked a private transfer. We were disappointed we hadn't met the previous day so that we could have shared the cost!
DH and I wandered down to the 'taxi rank' and got a tuk tuk for the short trip into town. At the bus station, we were swooped upon as soon as we left the tuk tuk, and found a bus that would take us pretty close to a station on the airport train line in Bangkok (it was as close as we could get, there were no direct buses to the airport). We bought our tickets, then stocked up on snacks etc while we were waiting to board the bus.
When we saw our bus, our hearts sank. We had been expecting a nice comfy coach. What we had was a tiny old minibus, which ended up packed out with people and luggage (they had added an extra row of seating in the boot space, so the luggage had to be piled up in the aisle). DH and I shared the back seat with a couple of other westerners and their Thai friend/guide. I was smooshed up against the window with the wheelbase intruding into what small amount of leg room I had to start with. That wheelbase got really hot as we went along, so much so that it would burn if I accidentally let it touch my skin, and the heat went through my shoes - I was actually worried about them melting! The air-con didn't work much, and the windows didn't open. DH and I actually found ourselves coming up with an evacuation plan in case of emergency!
It was a really long trip into Bangkok! We were expecting it to take 3-4 hours, but luckily the traffic was good and it only took 3. I found myself pretty desperate for a pit stop by the halfway mark, and luckily we needed to fill up with petrol. All people had to be unloaded off the bus while they were filling up, so I used the opportunity to find a bathroom there! We bought a couple more snacks too.
After that the journey actually improved slightly. The driver turned on the fans (you can see them attached to the ceiling in the photo), which really helped. People started getting off the bus which gave us a bit more room to spread out. DH and the English guy sitting with us started talking about the soccer. As we got further into Bangkok, there was more interesting stuff to see out the window.
We finally arrived at the final stop, and we all piled off the bus. It was hot and muggy, my shoes were starting to give me blisters, and we still had to get to the train station! There was a station very close by, only a couple of minutes walk, but DH directed me past it. It turned out that he'd planned on walking the 10 minutes to the airport train station instead of going the one stop on the metro. If I'd have realised that, I would have asked to catch the metro! Anyway, we made it to the station eventually. There was a train there already, so we had to run up the stairs to catch it, and there were no seats left. I was so over it, it was all I could do to not sink down onto the floor and have a tanty lol! DH and I didn't speak all the way to the airport, but eventually I was able to sit down, and I was starting to feel better finally being able to get comfy in the air-con.
We had a nice leisurely start to our last day in Thailand. We allowed ourselves a bit of a sleep in, and enjoyed a last leisurely breakfast by the river. We had been considering having a last massage this morning too, but sleeping in won out! We had plenty of time for packing and checking out, before making our way to the bus station in town (we would have much preferred to take the train, but it only went twice a day - the first one left at about 6am, and the next one would get us there too late for our flight). While we were checking out, we met someone else who was on their way back to Bangkok, and had booked a private transfer. We were disappointed we hadn't met the previous day so that we could have shared the cost!
DH and I wandered down to the 'taxi rank' and got a tuk tuk for the short trip into town. At the bus station, we were swooped upon as soon as we left the tuk tuk, and found a bus that would take us pretty close to a station on the airport train line in Bangkok (it was as close as we could get, there were no direct buses to the airport). We bought our tickets, then stocked up on snacks etc while we were waiting to board the bus.
When we saw our bus, our hearts sank. We had been expecting a nice comfy coach. What we had was a tiny old minibus, which ended up packed out with people and luggage (they had added an extra row of seating in the boot space, so the luggage had to be piled up in the aisle). DH and I shared the back seat with a couple of other westerners and their Thai friend/guide. I was smooshed up against the window with the wheelbase intruding into what small amount of leg room I had to start with. That wheelbase got really hot as we went along, so much so that it would burn if I accidentally let it touch my skin, and the heat went through my shoes - I was actually worried about them melting! The air-con didn't work much, and the windows didn't open. DH and I actually found ourselves coming up with an evacuation plan in case of emergency!
It was a really long trip into Bangkok! We were expecting it to take 3-4 hours, but luckily the traffic was good and it only took 3. I found myself pretty desperate for a pit stop by the halfway mark, and luckily we needed to fill up with petrol. All people had to be unloaded off the bus while they were filling up, so I used the opportunity to find a bathroom there! We bought a couple more snacks too.
After that the journey actually improved slightly. The driver turned on the fans (you can see them attached to the ceiling in the photo), which really helped. People started getting off the bus which gave us a bit more room to spread out. DH and the English guy sitting with us started talking about the soccer. As we got further into Bangkok, there was more interesting stuff to see out the window.
We finally arrived at the final stop, and we all piled off the bus. It was hot and muggy, my shoes were starting to give me blisters, and we still had to get to the train station! There was a station very close by, only a couple of minutes walk, but DH directed me past it. It turned out that he'd planned on walking the 10 minutes to the airport train station instead of going the one stop on the metro. If I'd have realised that, I would have asked to catch the metro! Anyway, we made it to the station eventually. There was a train there already, so we had to run up the stairs to catch it, and there were no seats left. I was so over it, it was all I could do to not sink down onto the floor and have a tanty lol! DH and I didn't speak all the way to the airport, but eventually I was able to sit down, and I was starting to feel better finally being able to get comfy in the air-con.
Last edited:
Aussie Wendy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2008
Bummer about the bad bus, especially after the good experiences the other way. Sounded like your DH was having one of my DH moments at the end! but it probably seemed a good idea before the awful bus trip. Glad you recovered in aircon at the airport.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
If I'd have known exactly how bad that bus was going to be, I would have insisted that we splurge for a private transfer. It certainly wasn't the best way to finish our lovely few days in Kanchanaburi!
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
Things continued to improve once we got to the airport. Check in was nice and easy, and it was great to be rid of our luggage 
We still had plenty of time before our flight to relax in the lounge, and I took the opportunity to get caught up on my photo uploading and facebooking.
When we boarded the plane, we were thrilled to find that we had a bigger, newer plane than we were expecting, which had the full international style business class cabin with lie flat beds. Not that we needed it, but it was nice to be able to get really comfy and lounge around after that awful bus ride! We got meals, but weren't provided with any amenities packs for such a short flight.
On arrival in Hong Kong, we got through the airport nice and quickly - our bags were some of the first out on the conveyor belt. We had planned to catch a bus to Discovery Bay, and got a little lost on the way to the bus station. Eventually we found it at the 'hotel transfers' area, and our bus arrived shortly after. The bus ride was cheap, but we didn't have the right change so ended up paying a bit extra. I was a little confused about where to get off the bus, so I had a quick chat to the driver when we got on, and he was very helpful in giving us directions.
The bus ride took a little longer than we were expecting, but it wasn't too bad. Because we were on the pattern B bus, we had to get off at the first stop and walk through a short tunnel to get to our hotel. The bus driver actually got off the bus to point out which direction we needed to go! I would have been absolutely terrified making that walk in Australia in the middle of the night, but in Hong Kong it was well lit, there were a few people around still, and we felt safe. The hotel was nice and easy to find, and we were soon lining up to check in.
While in line, I looked up and saw a really cool chandelier which would have made an awesome photo, so I started rummaging around for my camera. Then my heart sank. I knew I'd left it on the plane! I had a little quiet panic, but there wasn't much we could do until we checked in anyway, so I tried to keep calm. The line went quickly, and the check in staff were lovely and very helpful, and even had a surprise upgrade for us!
We had been upgraded to a 'panorama' room, and it was awesome! About a quarter of our room was a circular wall of windows overlooking the water and the mountains, and the views were magnificent. The bed was right in front of the windows, so we would be able to see the amazing views without even getting up! There was also a little sitting area, work area and kitchen/amenities area. The bathroom was pretty amazing too, with a full length window overlooking the water from the massive shower, which also seemed to be a Roman tub. There were many showerhead options, but we ended up going with the large central rainfall showerhead, which was awesome!
I attempted to take a few photos on DH's iPad.
On the desk there was a card for us, wishing us a happy anniversary and inviting us to enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne and special surprise at the hotel restaurant. In that instant, we decided to ditch our plans to be out walking by sunrise, and be at Disneyland by opening. We decided instead to enjoy the sunrise from our room and indulge in a buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant, where we could redeem our voucher.
After oohing and aahing over our room some more, we called Cathay to enquire about my camera. Unfortunately being so late (well after midnight), they were not able to put us through to the right department, and no one could really help us. We decided to enquire again when we checked in for our flight, and I would just have to make do without a camera in the meantime. Worrying about my camera, I didn't think I would sleep well, but the long travel day had caught up with me, and next thing I knew there was sunlight coming into the room!
We still had plenty of time before our flight to relax in the lounge, and I took the opportunity to get caught up on my photo uploading and facebooking.When we boarded the plane, we were thrilled to find that we had a bigger, newer plane than we were expecting, which had the full international style business class cabin with lie flat beds. Not that we needed it, but it was nice to be able to get really comfy and lounge around after that awful bus ride! We got meals, but weren't provided with any amenities packs for such a short flight.
On arrival in Hong Kong, we got through the airport nice and quickly - our bags were some of the first out on the conveyor belt. We had planned to catch a bus to Discovery Bay, and got a little lost on the way to the bus station. Eventually we found it at the 'hotel transfers' area, and our bus arrived shortly after. The bus ride was cheap, but we didn't have the right change so ended up paying a bit extra. I was a little confused about where to get off the bus, so I had a quick chat to the driver when we got on, and he was very helpful in giving us directions.
The bus ride took a little longer than we were expecting, but it wasn't too bad. Because we were on the pattern B bus, we had to get off at the first stop and walk through a short tunnel to get to our hotel. The bus driver actually got off the bus to point out which direction we needed to go! I would have been absolutely terrified making that walk in Australia in the middle of the night, but in Hong Kong it was well lit, there were a few people around still, and we felt safe. The hotel was nice and easy to find, and we were soon lining up to check in.
While in line, I looked up and saw a really cool chandelier which would have made an awesome photo, so I started rummaging around for my camera. Then my heart sank. I knew I'd left it on the plane! I had a little quiet panic, but there wasn't much we could do until we checked in anyway, so I tried to keep calm. The line went quickly, and the check in staff were lovely and very helpful, and even had a surprise upgrade for us!
We had been upgraded to a 'panorama' room, and it was awesome! About a quarter of our room was a circular wall of windows overlooking the water and the mountains, and the views were magnificent. The bed was right in front of the windows, so we would be able to see the amazing views without even getting up! There was also a little sitting area, work area and kitchen/amenities area. The bathroom was pretty amazing too, with a full length window overlooking the water from the massive shower, which also seemed to be a Roman tub. There were many showerhead options, but we ended up going with the large central rainfall showerhead, which was awesome!
I attempted to take a few photos on DH's iPad.
On the desk there was a card for us, wishing us a happy anniversary and inviting us to enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne and special surprise at the hotel restaurant. In that instant, we decided to ditch our plans to be out walking by sunrise, and be at Disneyland by opening. We decided instead to enjoy the sunrise from our room and indulge in a buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant, where we could redeem our voucher.
After oohing and aahing over our room some more, we called Cathay to enquire about my camera. Unfortunately being so late (well after midnight), they were not able to put us through to the right department, and no one could really help us. We decided to enquire again when we checked in for our flight, and I would just have to make do without a camera in the meantime. Worrying about my camera, I didn't think I would sleep well, but the long travel day had caught up with me, and next thing I knew there was sunlight coming into the room!
Aussie Wendy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2008
Wow that room is amazing. Omg I would be so stressed about the camera. I am figuring you got it back with so many pics posted but waiting with bated breath to be sure. Lucky you with the anniversary treats. We usually go away locally to celebrate but have never been spoilt by our hotels even if I tell them in comments when booking.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
Luckily I had got caught up on all my photo uploading at Bangkok airport. I was still pretty upset about the camera, but at least I didn't have to stress about losing all my photos.
I always tell the hotels we're celebrating our anniversary when I book. Sometimes we get freebies, sometimes not. We seem to have the most luck in Vietnam and Hong Kong
I would be very surprised to ever receive anything from an Aussie hotel, but we probably won't have a chance to find out for a while lol!
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
Day 7: The Disney Fix
I hadn't quite caught the sunrise, but DH tells me I didn't miss much. I have heard that HK doesn't get great sunrises very often. We lazed around for a bit more enjoying the view, then got ready for our day. We decided to pack and everything before we went down for breakfast.
I've been to better breakfast buffets. There was a lot of variety, but nothing was great quality. Still, we managed to find enough to fill us up. We asked about our complimentary champagne, but apparently we needed the actual card to redeem it. DH volunteered to go back up to the room and get the card, and also booked us onto the shuttle bus while he was up (by then we'd figured out which bus we'd get). The champagne was too dry for me, but I enjoyed it once I'd mixed it with orange juice! A few minutes later, they brought out a little cakey thing. Luckily it was only small, and DH and I managed to finish most of it between us. It had been worth the breakfast to get the special treats though - it put us in more of a celebratory mood!
When we'd finished at breakfast we headed back up to the room to get our luggage and checked out. We were going to go for a short wander along the water, but the shuttle bus was already there and we were being herded towards it, so we just got on and waited. The bus ended up being pretty full! It was perfectly comfortable for the short drive to Sunny Bay station, but I found myself thinking the hassle of having to book seats on the bus, then wait for 5 minutes while everyone boarded, would probably be too much of a downer for me to consider staying at Auberge for a specific Disney trip.
The little Disney train turned up as soon as we got to the platform, and 5 minutes later we were heading towards the entrance! We did a small detour via the bag check to drop off our luggage. It would be the first of much disappointment about how expensive things have become over there with the fall of the Aussie dollar. And with that, we headed into a practically empty park (about an hour or so after opening on a Saturday)!
I hadn't quite caught the sunrise, but DH tells me I didn't miss much. I have heard that HK doesn't get great sunrises very often. We lazed around for a bit more enjoying the view, then got ready for our day. We decided to pack and everything before we went down for breakfast.
I've been to better breakfast buffets. There was a lot of variety, but nothing was great quality. Still, we managed to find enough to fill us up. We asked about our complimentary champagne, but apparently we needed the actual card to redeem it. DH volunteered to go back up to the room and get the card, and also booked us onto the shuttle bus while he was up (by then we'd figured out which bus we'd get). The champagne was too dry for me, but I enjoyed it once I'd mixed it with orange juice! A few minutes later, they brought out a little cakey thing. Luckily it was only small, and DH and I managed to finish most of it between us. It had been worth the breakfast to get the special treats though - it put us in more of a celebratory mood!
When we'd finished at breakfast we headed back up to the room to get our luggage and checked out. We were going to go for a short wander along the water, but the shuttle bus was already there and we were being herded towards it, so we just got on and waited. The bus ended up being pretty full! It was perfectly comfortable for the short drive to Sunny Bay station, but I found myself thinking the hassle of having to book seats on the bus, then wait for 5 minutes while everyone boarded, would probably be too much of a downer for me to consider staying at Auberge for a specific Disney trip.
The little Disney train turned up as soon as we got to the platform, and 5 minutes later we were heading towards the entrance! We did a small detour via the bag check to drop off our luggage. It would be the first of much disappointment about how expensive things have become over there with the fall of the Aussie dollar. And with that, we headed into a practically empty park (about an hour or so after opening on a Saturday)!
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
What a nightmare of a bus ride to Bangkok.
But YAY for a nice flight and an upgrade in the room.
I will also assume that you got the camera back.
But YAY for a nice flight and an upgrade in the room.
I will also assume that you got the camera back.
Aussie Wendy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2008
Hmm yes that booking thing and waiting does temper the attractiveness of the Auberge for a Disney trip. Yep we found things quite dear compared to your and PIOs last trips when the dollar was much better.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
It was definitely the day that kept getting better. Until I realised my camera was missing!
I have to admit, I'm really put off by the idea of shuttle buses. It's definitely part of the reason we haven't taken the plunge with WDW yet.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
At my insistence, we headed straight for Mystic Point. I was keen to ride Mystic Manor before much of a line built up. We were in plenty of time - it was practically a walk on still. We spent a bit of time exploring the surrounding areas too, which wasn't as much fun as it might have been with a camera lol! Without photo prompts to remind me of what else we did, I'll just give a brief overview of the day.
We spent a couple of hours hopping between various rides and just wandering. The park was very quiet, and I was feeling a little lost without my camera! We just missed out on getting into the new anniversary show that has replaced the Golden Mickeys (that theatre must have held about 90% of the park guests lol!), so we decided to stop for a bite to eat. We both felt like western food, so we headed over to Grizzly Gulch for fish/prawns and chips with special drinks. Those prawns looked so good, and the drink sounded awesome too - I was so looking forward to it! Unfortunately they only accept cash there, and we didn't have enough. I was so disappointed and frustrated! I know the carts don't take credit cards, but I thought all the QS restaurants did. Anyway, feeling a little down, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try out the food offerings in Mystic Point. Unfortunately since I'd so been looking forward to my prawns and chips, I didn't enjoy my meal there as much as I might have otherwise. We did get one of the special blueberry drinks from there though, which was yummy!
After lunch we decided to go in search of a camera. I'd so been looking forward to getting photos with the characters in their 10th anniversary outfits, it was practically killing me having to walk straight past, especially when there had been short lines all morning! Unfortunately now being the age of digital photography and Photopass, there were no cheap little disposable cameras or anything available, and I wasn't going to spend hundreds of dollars on a new digital camera. The trip to the camera shop did remind me of the existence of Photopass at HKDL though, and I decided to utilise that during the afternoon. Of course, by then the crowds were starting to build up, and by the time I had my photo taken with one character, I'd missed the line cut off for the next one! Still, I got my favourites Chip N Dale.
We wandered around a bit more while waiting for the next lot of characters to come out, and tried to get into the show again (and missed out again). We checked out the new Fairytale Forest attraction, which was much more interactive than I was expecting and very cute! We got a spot for the parade (2nd row) about 10 minutes before it started. There was enough cash to buy one Minnie ice-cream bar, so DH had to miss out lol! The parade was great, as usual, but it was more crowded than I'm used to in HK, and I had issues with people encroaching on my personal space. One woman (who was behind me) literally held her phone right in front of my face! After a while I managed to get enough into her space that she got annoyed and left lol! There were a couple of really well behaved kids who arrived just before the parade started, so DH and I let them in front of us. Their mother just hung at the back of the crowd and whiled away the time on her smartphone lol! After the parade, we went and lined up where Pluto and Goofy had been coming out. Unfortunately for me, it was just Pluto this time around. Still, I actually ended up having a great interaction with Pluto when he noticed that I was wearing my half marathon t-shirt!
After that, we had time for a bit more of a wander and some shopping. We tried one last time for the show with no luck. The Lion King show was down again (the CM there told us it is an annual closure in March, which explains why we've never seen it open lol!). We walked past a meet and greet with Anna and Elsa by the castle but the line had been cut off by that stage. It looked like a nice short line though, and would probably be the easiest opportunity for people to meet Anna and Elsa! We did a lap on the train, and rode Space Mountain and the Grizzly Mine Train with hardly any wait. We thought we'd better make a move, and picked up my Photopass photos on the way out.
It had been a very different experience for me spending a day in the park with no camera. It made me realise just how much of my day is usually taken up with photography! I was disappointed that we weren't able to stay for the fireworks, but I'd always known that would be the case. I had still been able to tick off Mystic Manor, Fairytale Forest, seeing the characters in 10th anniversary outfits (and even a couple of photos), and having a Minnie ice-cream, so it had been a successful visit
We spent a couple of hours hopping between various rides and just wandering. The park was very quiet, and I was feeling a little lost without my camera! We just missed out on getting into the new anniversary show that has replaced the Golden Mickeys (that theatre must have held about 90% of the park guests lol!), so we decided to stop for a bite to eat. We both felt like western food, so we headed over to Grizzly Gulch for fish/prawns and chips with special drinks. Those prawns looked so good, and the drink sounded awesome too - I was so looking forward to it! Unfortunately they only accept cash there, and we didn't have enough. I was so disappointed and frustrated! I know the carts don't take credit cards, but I thought all the QS restaurants did. Anyway, feeling a little down, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try out the food offerings in Mystic Point. Unfortunately since I'd so been looking forward to my prawns and chips, I didn't enjoy my meal there as much as I might have otherwise. We did get one of the special blueberry drinks from there though, which was yummy!
After lunch we decided to go in search of a camera. I'd so been looking forward to getting photos with the characters in their 10th anniversary outfits, it was practically killing me having to walk straight past, especially when there had been short lines all morning! Unfortunately now being the age of digital photography and Photopass, there were no cheap little disposable cameras or anything available, and I wasn't going to spend hundreds of dollars on a new digital camera. The trip to the camera shop did remind me of the existence of Photopass at HKDL though, and I decided to utilise that during the afternoon. Of course, by then the crowds were starting to build up, and by the time I had my photo taken with one character, I'd missed the line cut off for the next one! Still, I got my favourites Chip N Dale.
We wandered around a bit more while waiting for the next lot of characters to come out, and tried to get into the show again (and missed out again). We checked out the new Fairytale Forest attraction, which was much more interactive than I was expecting and very cute! We got a spot for the parade (2nd row) about 10 minutes before it started. There was enough cash to buy one Minnie ice-cream bar, so DH had to miss out lol! The parade was great, as usual, but it was more crowded than I'm used to in HK, and I had issues with people encroaching on my personal space. One woman (who was behind me) literally held her phone right in front of my face! After a while I managed to get enough into her space that she got annoyed and left lol! There were a couple of really well behaved kids who arrived just before the parade started, so DH and I let them in front of us. Their mother just hung at the back of the crowd and whiled away the time on her smartphone lol! After the parade, we went and lined up where Pluto and Goofy had been coming out. Unfortunately for me, it was just Pluto this time around. Still, I actually ended up having a great interaction with Pluto when he noticed that I was wearing my half marathon t-shirt!
After that, we had time for a bit more of a wander and some shopping. We tried one last time for the show with no luck. The Lion King show was down again (the CM there told us it is an annual closure in March, which explains why we've never seen it open lol!). We walked past a meet and greet with Anna and Elsa by the castle but the line had been cut off by that stage. It looked like a nice short line though, and would probably be the easiest opportunity for people to meet Anna and Elsa! We did a lap on the train, and rode Space Mountain and the Grizzly Mine Train with hardly any wait. We thought we'd better make a move, and picked up my Photopass photos on the way out.
It had been a very different experience for me spending a day in the park with no camera. It made me realise just how much of my day is usually taken up with photography! I was disappointed that we weren't able to stay for the fireworks, but I'd always known that would be the case. I had still been able to tick off Mystic Manor, Fairytale Forest, seeing the characters in 10th anniversary outfits (and even a couple of photos), and having a Minnie ice-cream, so it had been a successful visit
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
Pity about not having the camera but I know what you mean about photography taking up a lot of time.
Looks like a great day despite being crowded in.
Looks like a great day despite being crowded in.
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
It wasn't that crowded - the crowds mainly affected the character lines, shows and Fantasyland rides. There were still plenty of walk ons throughout the afternoon
zanzibar138
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2007
Leaving the park, we headed for the train station and DH lined up to buy tickets. I had been planning to just take a taxi to the airport to save time, but DH had insisted on taking the train. We could only buy the metro tickets from the ticket machines to cover the trip from Disneyland to Tsing Yi, then we would need to purchase airport train tickets there. Unfortunately we didn't have enough cash to cover both tickets, so DH then went to the ticket window. We couldn't buy the airport train tickets there either, and they only accepted cash too, so then he had to walk back to Disneyland to find an ATM - I knew we should have just got cash out at lunch time!
Anyway, we finally got our tickets and boarded the train. Lucky we'd left so much extra time for the journey! DH had forgotten how long the train ride actually was, and suddenly realised why I had suggested taking a taxi lol! Still, we made it in plenty of time.
We asked about my camera as we were checking in, and were directed to the luggage management office to put in an official lost item claim. The staff member there was very helpful, but informed us that no one had handed in a camera yet, and it would be fairly unlikely for it to turn up now since that plane was already on its 3rd flight since we left it. Still, we put in the claim and crossed our fingers.
The lines for security and passport control were actually fairly manageable, and we were soon relaxing in the Qantas lounge. We left slightly early and checked out one of the Cathay lounges on the way to our gate too - it had a pretty good selection of desserts available!
The flight to Perth was fairly uneventful. I pretty much slept the whole way - from the moment we were allowed to recline until just before breakfast was served. It had been a big couple of days!
My parents were there to greet us when we arrived in Perth. The plan was to head to my Granny's house for breakfast with my other grandparents and a couple of aunts and uncles. Mum called to say we were on our way, but Granny was a bit confused. Turned out she thought we were coming the next day lol! We said we'd just go out for breakfast then, but Granny said she'd already bought all the food so we'd still go ahead with Plan A. It turned out she'd actually already set the table and had made everything that could be prepared early - she was just still in her dressing gown lol! Anyway, my other grandparents turned up as planned, but because Granny had invited everyone else, they were all coming the next day too! We didn't want to call them at 6am to explain the mix up, so Mum just sent them texts and we figured they'd make it if they could. They all ended up arriving eventually, and we had a lovely breakfast after all that!
We took off late morning, and headed to Kings Park for a look over the new Elizabeth Quay development and walk around the bush. We were all pretty full still from brekky, but we did stop at the little café for coffees and milkshakes. Then it was time to head back to the airport for our flight home. We were all excited to check out the new lounge at Perth airport, but our plane was one of the older ones just with reclining seats, so we didn't get to try out the new coast to coast business class. Hopefully another time!
***Camera Update***
For those wondering, they never did find my camera. I managed to get a little bit back on insurance and bought the newer model of the camera I had. I'm not having a very good run - hopefully this one will last me for more than a year!
Anyway, we finally got our tickets and boarded the train. Lucky we'd left so much extra time for the journey! DH had forgotten how long the train ride actually was, and suddenly realised why I had suggested taking a taxi lol! Still, we made it in plenty of time.
We asked about my camera as we were checking in, and were directed to the luggage management office to put in an official lost item claim. The staff member there was very helpful, but informed us that no one had handed in a camera yet, and it would be fairly unlikely for it to turn up now since that plane was already on its 3rd flight since we left it. Still, we put in the claim and crossed our fingers.
The lines for security and passport control were actually fairly manageable, and we were soon relaxing in the Qantas lounge. We left slightly early and checked out one of the Cathay lounges on the way to our gate too - it had a pretty good selection of desserts available!
The flight to Perth was fairly uneventful. I pretty much slept the whole way - from the moment we were allowed to recline until just before breakfast was served. It had been a big couple of days!
My parents were there to greet us when we arrived in Perth. The plan was to head to my Granny's house for breakfast with my other grandparents and a couple of aunts and uncles. Mum called to say we were on our way, but Granny was a bit confused. Turned out she thought we were coming the next day lol! We said we'd just go out for breakfast then, but Granny said she'd already bought all the food so we'd still go ahead with Plan A. It turned out she'd actually already set the table and had made everything that could be prepared early - she was just still in her dressing gown lol! Anyway, my other grandparents turned up as planned, but because Granny had invited everyone else, they were all coming the next day too! We didn't want to call them at 6am to explain the mix up, so Mum just sent them texts and we figured they'd make it if they could. They all ended up arriving eventually, and we had a lovely breakfast after all that!
We took off late morning, and headed to Kings Park for a look over the new Elizabeth Quay development and walk around the bush. We were all pretty full still from brekky, but we did stop at the little café for coffees and milkshakes. Then it was time to head back to the airport for our flight home. We were all excited to check out the new lounge at Perth airport, but our plane was one of the older ones just with reclining seats, so we didn't get to try out the new coast to coast business class. Hopefully another time!
***Camera Update***
For those wondering, they never did find my camera. I managed to get a little bit back on insurance and bought the newer model of the camera I had. I'm not having a very good run - hopefully this one will last me for more than a year!
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
Husbands! When are they going to actually realise we know when to actually take a taxi??? LOL.
Shame about the camera. At least you got a newer model now.
Glad that breakfast at Granny's worked out.
Welcome back home!
Shame about the camera. At least you got a newer model now.
Glad that breakfast at Granny's worked out.
Welcome back home!
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