Come sail with me on a virtual cruise on Majestic Princess to Fiji!

[ellie1145]

 

It's feeding time and the keepers offer insects on sticks to these colourful reptiles. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ellie1145]

 

 

 

 

 

[ellie1145]

Reptile Garden

 

Outside we walk through Reptile Garden where we see komodo dragons, iguanas, and giant tortoises. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little girl is feeding the turtles. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ellie1145]

Elephants of Asia

 

We decide to hop on the tram and make our way round to see the Asian elephants. The herd consists of five females, and there are daily feeding sessions, but unfortunately we are too late for that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A final glimpse of an orangutan. 

 

Back on the tram we make our way to the entrance. We've had an amazing day, and I hope you have had one too.

[ellie1145]

29 minutes ago, ellie1145 said:

This little girl is feeding the turtles. 

Apologies, this should, of course, read ‘tortoises.’  🥴

[ellie1145]

Well, Cruising Adventurers, our trip to the zoo is at an end, and it is almost time to check in for our flight.

 

And it’s certainly time for some shut eye. 

 

So goodnight, sleep tight all.  

 

 

 

 

[AF-1]

your pics are superb.   Thanks for sharing

[ellie1145]

4 hours ago, AF-1 said:

your pics are superb.   Thanks for sharing

 

Thank you so much AF-1. Glad you enjoyed them. 

[ellie1145]

🎶 Regretfully they tell us

      And firmly they compel us,

      To say goodbye to you!  🎶

 

 

The Tardis deposits us safely back in the Crowne Plaza, and now it’s time to gather up our luggage and make our way into the airport. 

 

It’s brilliant being able to walk straight into the terminal and saves so much time and energy.

 

 

I stop at the beautiful Deepavali display, and take more photos, whilst my DH frets that we are going to be late. He is very patient when I keep stopping to take photos. At least this time I’m not hanging precariously from the top of an escalator!

 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our flight is up on the board - 12.45 London - LHR - so I drag myself away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by ellie1145

[PaulS]

I am always melancholy when it is time to go home after a cruise and this one is no exception. I have so enjoyed coming to Cruise Critic each day for the last three months to read your posts and look at your beautiful pictures. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I hope we will all be able to take a real cruise in the not too distant future.

[ellie1145]

Terminal 3 Changi

 

Changi Airport has repeatedly won ‘Best Airport’ and has had over 620 awards. In 2019, alone, it won 28 Best Airport awards.

 

It serves over 100 airlines, which fly to 380 cities and 100 countries. A flight arrives or takes off every 80 seconds.

 

In 2019 the airport handled 68,300,000 passengers, making it the seventh busiest airport in the world by international traffic. On 20 December 2019, 226, 692 passengers passed through it in one day.

 

It is one of the most amazing airports in the world, and one which we have only partly explored. It is stunning inside with its soaring ceilings and endless shops and restaurants, not to mention the wonderful Vortex.

 

We pass by these stunning sculptures, they are huge. 

 

 

 

 

What a fantastic ceiling! There are living walls in this area of the terminal.

 

 

 

 

The durian is a type of fruit with a thorn covered rind. It can grow as large as 30 cm long (12 inches) and in Singapore it is banned on all forms of transport. There are notices everywhere banning their consumption in public. 

 

It, apparently, has a really unpleasant odour, although it seems popular, and is on sale in many places. This shop has a wide range of products for sale. I’m afraid we don’t purchase any to take home!

 

Singapore Armed Force and Singapore Police Force officers armed with assault rifles or sub-machine guns have patrolled the terminals since the September 11th, 2001

 

 

 

 

We reach bag drop, which is all automatic. The machine scans your ticket, spews out your baggage labels, and you put your suitcases on the conveyor and it disappears.

Thankfully there is a very helpful person to assist. 

 

For the last time, our bags disappear, our luggage cart is empty, and now it really hits us that we are on our way home. How sad is that? 😢

Edited September 25, 2020 by ellie1145

[ellie1145]

Our gate is A2. We have quite a walk, and must go through security at the gate. 

 

 

 

We see our ‘plane, not an A380 this time. 

 

 

 

 

 

The gate opens and we make our way onto the ‘plane. We are glad it’s a day flight. We had a good night’s sleep, we’ve had time for breakfast and we will arrive home in time for bed. Last night we decided to book a hotel in Heathrow rather than drive home, so we will be able to rest and recover from the flight. 

 

 

[ellie1145]

28 minutes ago, PaulS said:

I am always melancholy when it is time to go home after a cruise and this one is no exception. I have so enjoyed coming to Cruise Critic each day for the last three months to read your posts and look at your beautiful pictures. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I hope we will all be able to take a real cruise in the not too distant future.

 

I have to agree, PaulS, it is a sad time. I, too, shall miss posting and reading all the lovely comments by those who have been following. It’s been lovely, too, to have azbirdmom posting her contributions. 

 

We have finally received our refund for our cancelled May cruise and have not booked anything else since then. However, we did book a Transatlantic for October 2020 when we were onboard Allure of the Seas. Whether things will be ‘normal’ by then I just don’t know, but we can live in hopes. I just can’t wait to step back onboard a ship.

 

The only good thing is that we will all value cruising even more, and how exciting it will be when we see our ‘ship of dreams’ waiting for us at the dockside, though hopefully it won’t be the Titanic! 

[Loucat]

Ellie- I feel as though we have gotten to know you through your detailed and informative posts. I share the feelings of others who have read your virtual cruise who will miss seeing what comes up next. Great photos, depth of sharing your knowledge and opened my eyes to a new world with lots to experience. I am not sure what you have planned going forth, but we are all here ready for your next adventure. Thank you and safe travels.

[chipz]

So far, I really enjoy your story. I just finished page 1, only 63 to go.....

[ellie1145]

10 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

However, we did book a Transatlantic for October 2020 when we were onboard Allure of the Seas.

That should have read 2021, of course! Wishful thinking! 😢

[RLK33853]

Thanks very much for taking us on a daily adventure Ellie - and just when we needed the distraction!

[TRUEBLUE66]

Hi Ellie,

            Still here and still enjoying all you photos and detail. I have been playing catch up for your last few pages!

We also loved the Orchid garden and the zoo. We should have been returning to both of them, and the night zoo, back in March but for the 😷.! 

One of the best reviews I have had the pleasure to follow along with! Thank you.

We can only hope that sailing will, one day soon, take us all on such adventures again!

Cheers!

David

 

 

[ellie1145]

19 hours ago, Loucat said:

Ellie- I feel as though we have gotten to know you through your detailed and informative posts. I share the feelings of others who have read your virtual cruise who will miss seeing what comes up next. Great photos, depth of sharing your knowledge and opened my eyes to a new world with lots to experience. I am not sure what you have planned going forth, but we are all here ready for your next adventure. Thank you and safe travels.

 

Thank you so much, Loucat. I am thrilled that you have enjoyed our adventure together. Actually, I am really shocked that anyone has stayed the course! But I’m really pleased that I have been able to give you an insight into some of the pleasures of each place we have been to. 

 

It has been such a joy to look each day to see what others have posted, and what they are enjoying. It has kept me on the straight and narrow - I might have given up if it had not been for the enthusiasm of all you Cruising Adventurers. 

 

You never know, I might even manage a ‘virtual cruise’ to Hawaii in the near future.......

 

Would be honoured to have you along. 

[ellie1145]

17 hours ago, chipz said:

So far, I really enjoy your story. I just finished page 1, only 63 to go.....

 

Hi chipz! How great to have you along. Hope you enjoy the other 63 pages! 😉

[ellie1145]

6 hours ago, RLK33853 said:

Thanks very much for taking us on a daily adventure Ellie - and just when we needed the distraction!

 

RKL33853, Many thanks for your kind words. Great to hear you have enjoyed travelling along with us. 

[ellie1145]

4 hours ago, TRUEBLUE66 said:

Hi Ellie,

            Still here and still enjoying all you photos and detail. I have been playing catch up for your last few pages!

We also loved the Orchid garden and the zoo. We should have been returning to both of them, and the night zoo, back in March but for the 😷.! 

One of the best reviews I have had the pleasure to follow along with! Thank you.

We can only hope that sailing will, one day soon, take us all on such adventures again!

Cheers!

David

 

 

 

Hi David. Glad to hear you are still enjoying our trip, although it is fast coming to an end.

 

How sad that you were unable to return to Singapore. I know that I can’t wait to go back again, there is still so much to see and do. I have everything crossed that we will be able to realise our dreams, but, sadly, we must be patient for a little longer.

 

How exciting it will be when we can finally step on a ‘plane without fear, or stand on the deck of a cruise ship without a mask.

 

Perhaps the one good thing about this unbelievable time is that we will value those things which we took for granted - being able to hug a friend, seeing grandchildren, even being with a loved one as they leave this earth. 

 

What has made this review so special for me has been the wonderful people who have sailed along with me. I couldn’t have done it without you all! 

 

So a million thanks to all of you! 

[ellie1145]

🎶 I’m leaving, on a jet ‘plane,

     Don’t know when I’ll be back again.... 🎶

 

 

We make our way to our seats and settle down for the flight. It’s not an Airbus 380 this time. But the Singapore Girls are just as gracious and charming as ever. 

 

The doors close and we are pleased that, although the ‘plane is very full, we have a spare seat in the middle of DH and me. He likes an aisle seat, I love a window seat, and this time we have struck lucky, with an extra space. 

We taxi past the wonderful Crowne Plaza and I get a final view of this lovely hotel.

There’s the control tower which was visible from the pool area of the hotel.

There’s the dome which encloses the Vortex.

 

Goodbye, Changi Airport!

 

 

 

 

The ‘plane revs up and makes its lumbering way down the runway before lifting gracefully into the air, but above my head there is a worrying rattling sound. It sounds as if something is about to drop off, but as I look out of the window I am relieved to see that the wings appear to be firmly fixed to the fuselage.

 

Now it really hits home that we are on our way back to London. I watch as we climb into the sky and say a fond farewell to beautiful Singapore. 

 

 

I’m really glad that we have chosen a day flight this time as we will pass over some amazing terrain on our way home.

 

So sit back, and enjoy the flight - well as much as you can in economy! 🤣

[ellie1145]

 

🎶  Up, up and away... 🎶

 

 

We climb steadily and below us we can see the boats anchored in the strait - tankers, super tankers, container ships, they stretch as far as the eye can see.

 

It is one of the most memorable sights when approaching Singapore, and one which makes me gasp every time I see it. This is the world’s busiest shipping lane, and over 100,000 ships pass through this body of water each year, transporting a quarter of the world’s traded goods. It looks just like a motorway traffic jam.

 

 

 

 

it is 4.56 am in London, and we are expected to arrive there at 6.11 pm.

[ellie1145]

We leave behind the grey skies and haze over Singapore and the horizon is filled with fluffy white clouds, and an azure blue sky.

 

We are flying over Sungai Tiram in southeastern Penang Island.