Author: Charles Chua

Hi guys, (excuse the typo and spacing errors),

Last night we met and agreed on the following itinerary. Ther is only space for another as Genet cannot come.

• The Treasurer for this trip is Pauline Chew. Please pay to her if you have not already done so.
• We have agreed that all the drivers and Abel are ‘exempted’ from the $50 fee. Everything else is prorated.

Please ask your questions here for clarification.  Some people are trying to get another car, and if successful there will be 20 people. So keep your ears opened.

Thanks very much. Don’t eat too much from now till May 22nd, save your calories for Batu Pahat. Batu Pahat here we come.

Itinerary:  Johor 2 days 1 nite Getaway

22nd May 2009

• 09.00am Pick up at various points.
• 10.00am Meeting point at Shell station Johore after ICA.
• 10.30am Proceed to Kluang for lunch.
• 12.30pm Lunch in Kluang.
• 02.30pm Coffee/Tea at Railway station.
• 04.00pm Check in Katerina Hotel Batu Pahat.
• 05.00pm Viewing giant fish at Seringtin (optional)
• or Ladies to hairdresser (optional).
• 07.00pm Dinner steam boat with Chili crab at Minyat Beku.
• 09.00pm Back to Hotel.

23rd May 2009

• 08.00am Buffet breakfast in Hotel.
• 09.00am Meeting Hotel’s owner Dato Au (Photo session).
• 10.00am View Batu Pahat on Mt. Soga from Mr. Liew’s Hse.
• 11.00am Depart BP for JB.
• 01.00pm Lunch at Fatty Heng Rest at Kempas.
• 02.00pm Shopping at New Carrefour – Tmn Impian.
• 03.30pm Tea time at Toast Box – Bread Talk.
• 05.00pm Back to Singapore.

1. Food in itinerary is non Halal and non vegetarian.
2. Kluang:- No option for both.
3. Batu Pahat:- Halal and vegetarian available.
4. Johore:- No option for both.
5. Cost:- SD50/- approx. accommodation, food & transport.

Spore pick up points:

Hi again,

Since our Malaysian East Coast trip was postponed to next year, we have found another trip up north.

Briefly, we will fly to Bkk on Oct 11 or earlier and start the tour on Oct 12th. There is a cruise upriver, followed by a van ride to Wangnam Keao, the ‘Switzerland of Thailand’. Next day we will go up to Korat and Khonkaen and really ‘makan angin’, at the ‘7th level of pure Ozone’. Day 4 will bring us up to Nongkhai, near the border between Laos and Thailand. We will cross over to Laos the next day and stay in Vientiane, Laos.

After that we will return to Thailand but will take a different route down south, but slightly to the west, again visiting towns away from the usual tourist joints, arriving in Bkk on Oct 19th. We fly back to Sgp on the next day

We aim to travel no more than 160kms per day so that we will have ample time to ‘absorb’ the ambience. As usual we intend to visit ‘non-touristy’ places, on a casual drive and eat whatever food the journey brings. The distance fom Bkk to Vientiane is say, less than 1000+kms, so you can estimate how leisurely it can be. FYI that’s about the distance from Sgp to Penang, but without the N-S highway convenience.

We are looking for another 4 to 6 persons, easy-going, with a spirit of adventure and cautious curiosity, preferably those who can sleep in the same room, ie couples or same-sex types. The cost will be the return airfare Sgp-Bkk-Sgp, plus tour at THB25000 to THB28000 plus meals and spending money plus tips for the tour guides. The tour fare is  inclusive of ABF (breakfast) in Thailand, lunch and dinner in Laos only, plus van, fuel and toll charges, accident insurance, an English speaking guide, and entrance fees in Laos. BTW THB 25k-28k approximates S$1000-1120. So perhaps S$1500 plus return fare is the ball-park figure.

Since there is not much time, we will appreciate a firm, commited response so we can tidy up the details with the tour coy. Payment will be required soon for the airtickets and a deposit. Both these items are non-refundable. I am also looking for a person who can help with the booking of the airtickets

All Singaporeans do not need a visa for either Thailand or Laos, but a Singapore passport with more than 6 mos expiry is standard.

I am sorry if this is a rush job but it is the dry season in Oct plus we are trying for that week as there will be a festival in Nong Khai then (Bang Fai Phaya Nark festival). I don’t know what the festival is but any festival is always a joyous and happy occasion.

Please register your interests or questions here first and sms or email me later.

Thanks and Cheers to all.

Hi there,

Lim Tian Soo is again planning for another ‘free and easy’ trip, this time to the Malaysian east coast. We intend to leave Sgp on Sept 23rd, a Tuesday and be back about 6 or 7 days later.

As before we will be visiting the out of the way and non-touristy places. However there will be no shopping, or very minimal, and lots of sun , sea and sand.

First stop will be Kuantan, the beginning of the famous 200km beaches of the Malaysian east coast. We will detour to Lake Chini or perhaps Lake Kenyir. Both these lakes are man-made in that they were formed when the dam was built. Then we will work our way north towards Kota Bahru, stopping at the beaches in Telok Chempedak, Balok, Marang, Rantau Abang, Kuala Trengganu till we reach Besut, where we will hop aboard a boat to Pulau Perhentian, the northernmost islands of Malaysia. There are other islands on the east coast which we can stay if we are not successful in P. Perhentian. We will just have to see what this trip brings.

Along the way we will stay in modest accomodation, including home stays with the PAS members and eat in humble fare like the local folks.

We are looking for SHC members who are interested in this form of travel, preferably one with another car. Ladies are forewarned about the mode of travel and the itinerary, lots of sun, sea and sand. Also they should come in pairs for accomodation reasons.

Costs will be shared as before, with the owner/driver/s exempt from fuel charges plus a full tank upon return. Everything else will be pro-rated.

Ciao for now

Hello again,

Lim Tian Soo and myself are thinking of driving to Malaysia, starting Jun 30th (a Monday). We intend to be back by Jul 6th (Sunday).

We will be covering Malacca, some small towns near Ipoh, (eg Tanjong Malim or up to Bidor) or even Ipoh if the traffic is good. We also intend to visit Pangkor Island, Maxwell Hill (Bkt Larut) in Taiping and drive up to Penang. On the way back we may visit Cameron Highlands, taking the new road up and the old road back. Essentially it will be a free and easy trip and the timing will be dictated by what the journey brings. No hotel bookings have been made. We believe there are enough hotels in Malaysia for us. The above is a rough outline of our visits.

We are looking for another 2 to 4 members as 2 have backed out. All costs will be equally shared except for fuel and toll charges which will be shared by all except the driver. I believe that is the SHC norm. Please educate me if I need to be corrected.

Those interested please respond to this post. Much obliged and Cheers to all.

Hi to all members,

Eleanor and I are trying to arrange a visit to an oil palm mill and the details are:

Date: Jun 14th, 2008, a Saturday.   Time: Meet at a pre-arranged place at 7.30am

Duration: 8-10 hrs.  Estimated time back in Sgp: About 10pm, depending on the customs and immigration jam.

Costs: to be advised. This will cover the cost of renting a bus. All meals will be shared

All members who ae interested please register in this thread.

As an alternative, we are also considering using our cars instead of renting a bus if the numbers are small. Those members who are willing to drive please indicate here. The usual mode of payment for the owner/drivers for their fuel will be made. If we have 10 to 12 interested members, we can drive up in 2 or 3 cars, avoiding the hassle of arranging for a bus.

Can someone here also please tell me the usual practice of how the costs are shared in your earlier trips. Please use this thread for all your questions and Eleanor and I will try to answer them.

Let’s have a show of hands to see how many are interested.

Cheers to all,

Eleanor and Charles

Click here to view photos

Hi everyone,

I just came back from the ‘tea meeting’ at Han’s. I met Ron Koh who has this great idea of travelling from Phuket to Siem Reap in Cambodia. The trip will be by land, with a van and a Thai guide, crossing Kanchanburi with the Gulf of Thailand on the east (right). It will then reach Bangkok where we will travel up north to Korat (recent Asean Games) to cross the border to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Ron has a Thai friend who can be our driver and guide and accomodation will be about 2 or 3 * class. The idea is to travel like a local, eating from what is conveniently available, exploring what the area has to offer, beaches, mountains, temples, Ang Ko Wat etc. There is no fixed itinerary, save for what is agreed upon by the group. If the place is interesting, we will stay longer, if not we can move on and just along the way, eg staying for 1 or 2 nights.