February 5, 2011
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Singapore to Saigon by Train
I'm sitting on the Etihad airport coach between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and I just can't believe that yesterday morning I woke up on the Vietnamese coast, six hours north of Saigon. My two-week winter holiday has been spectacularly wonderful and the only problem was that I never had time to write about my travels on my blog. Anyway, this is a kind of preamble to my holiday blogging, which hopefully will appear over the next couple of weeks.
My travels in Southeast Asia have basically been a train journey between Singapore and Saigon. Well, if they hadn't closed the rail line in Cambodia a few a years ago, this would have been entirely true. In my case, I've travelled by train the whole distance except for the journey through Cambodia and into Vietnam, where I travelled by coach and boat.
Most people prefer to travel from A to B as quickly as possible, i e by flying, thinking that the actual travelling time is a necessary, well, if not evil, so at least an inconvenience and a waste of time. I don't. I love travelling by train and I feel the hours I sit on the train looking at the passing landscape puts me in a restful, relaxing mood. I get time to reflect, and I don't find it in the least stressful. Flying, on the other hand, is stressful, where every moment of the journey is controlled and you sit for hours without being able to move very much.
These two weeks, I've travelled through Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam for the first time in my life. I can't possibly say which country I like the most. It's been fascinating to see all these countries - all unique in their different ways - and I'll focus on each in turn.
However, as very quick intro to the blogging to come, I can say that three absolute highlights have been:
- Walking through Chinatown in Singapore in the run-up to the Chinese New Year
- Visiting the floating market outside Bangkok
- Cycling around Angkor Wat looking at the temples there
Details and pictures to come. We're soon in Dubai and I'll have to change to the Fujairah coach.
Bjorn and his iPad on the Abu Dhabi - Dubai Motorway
Comments (2)
Bjorn, I was amazed to read this since I have been surfing the web for travels by train!! Flying is hard for anyone, but especially for an older person, deaf and lame. I am looking into Amtrack and their catalog. Presently they are advertising a trip to San Antonio, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. That doesn't interest me so I will keep watching until one appears that does! Your trip sounds fascinating. I would like to hear more about Chinatown in Singapore and the boats in Saigan. I will be watching for your pictures!! You are such an interesting person!!
Hugs,
Bev
Travel by train is so much fun. I used to prefer taking the boat to Sardinia too, instead of the plain. Much better and fun.
I'm waiting to see some pictures. Wonderful countries ... and great food too.