Singapore

I landed in Singapore yesterday.
I feel like in a Western Europe city, no poverty and chaos on the streets.
There are large shopping malls almost everewhere near my hostel on North Bridge Road.
I don't like shopping and shops but yesterday I spent more than 2 hours walking there.
They have quite competitive prices. I saw lots of cheap computer books. (A pity that I am not travelling by car.)
Multiple shopping houses are connected and covered by glass and tunnels and air-conditioned.
Food in budget asian restaurants is also quite cheep (1 US dollar for chicken curry)

And it's relief from Bangkok hot summer.
Only 27 degrees here. I don't know what season is here because on the Equator aren't seasons.

Bangkok - Thailand

Bangkok is 'Krung Thep - City of Angels' (A. are maybe ordinary people). But devils are next to them. I spent one week in a hostel in Sukhumvit area. Very narrow streets filled with salesmen of everything, specially every 15 meters someone from a black widowed shop offers you a "massage" even in the daylight.

I joined friends from hostel for couple of nights and we went to
GoGo bars(there were also some girs in our hostel group :), pubs and loud nightclubs.
I am innocent. First mandatory night was guided by the hostel owner and staff :)

It was quite a bit different experience after decent hostel barbeque and birthday parties in hostels in New Zealand and Australia :)

Beer or drink cost me in Bangkok bars from 80 - 200 baht (2.6 - 6.7 US$).
The minimum wage in Thailand was 175 baht per day(year 2005).

Grand Palace and Temples Bangkok - Thailand

Reclining Budha (around 15 meters high):

This Budha monument fills 80 % of the temple where it is located.

There is place to walk around, burn oriental sticks and candles and give a small coin gift.

You have to take off your shoes, cannot wear shorts and somewhere photos are not allowed.

Ayutthaya - Thailand

Some photos from old former capital city of Thailand.
Guided tour took us to couple of temples, town ruins and the Kings Palace(no photo because of battery strike).





small statues:

Statue high around 15 metres:

Bangkok - Thailand

Yesterday around midnight I arrived to Bangkok.
First impression if horrible hot and wet weather(34 degrees), but
better than cold :)
People smile a lot, when I speak to them, there is bad traffic on the streets
tuk-tuk(pict.) looks like the second most dangerous transport mean after motorcycle taxi.
Around 5 km long journey in tuk-tuk cost me 0.6 US$, taxis (all have to be air conditioned) are more expensive(3 US$).

And a big problem I see, that Thai alphabet is different and although they name the streets in Thai and in English as well, it is almost impossible to find out where are you located even with the map in your hand, because one street can have multiple names and every map uses different.

Sydney - Australia

I went 4 times to Hyde Park to eat my morning sandwich and 3 of 4 mornings this guy came to walk around my park bench:



Some audio from Australian Museum:
(museum guide playing live Didgeridoo, it was too dark environment to make a video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcGuPagTfdU

and illustration video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g592I-p-dc

Sydney - Australia

Monorail:



Sydney Opera House:



Harbour Bridge, background:



Watsons Bay:

Sydney, Blue Mountains - Australia

Yesterday I went to the Bondi beach and I definitely have to go here in the summer to learn to surf. Massive waves, noise and smell of the sea everywhere, great.



Today I bought organised guided 1 day tour to The Blue Mountains.
Yes, I know, hardcore backpackers never do it.

It was quite good value because I sat in the front of our 10 seat minibus and I also got driving lesson from our guide, former truck driver.
Now I know how to drive in the peak hours traffic jam and reduce the driving time to a half.

We had a stop at Sydney Olympic Park,
Sydney Olympic Stadium:



One of many solar systems installed in Sydney Olympic Park:



Our guide said that there is also a rain water collection system on the roof of the stadium and they use the collected water to supply the park and the athletes village as well.

Stop at Blue Mountains park area and one of the wild kangaroos:



Blue Mountains:





Three Sisters:



check the story behind Three Sisters

http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/thingsToDo/threeSisters.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(Australia)

Real Three Sisters:



Real Three Sisters and me:
(I asked our truck driver to make this tourist photo for me, but never do again. Look at that horrible smile :)



World Steepest railway:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katoomba_Scenic_Railway

Sydney - Australia

It's nice shiny weather here in Sydney (around 15 deg.) and some people wear T - shirts and shorts.







Cars drive on the left side of the road as in New Zealand and you can see subway train just above your head :) in the middle of the downtown street.

You can buy 20 minutes of Internet for 2$ and when you go 200 metres, on the same street you find another Internet Cafe with the same computer and Internet for 2$ for unlimited access.

Rotorua, Waiotapu - New Zealand

For last 2 days in NZ I went to small city Rotorua, which is around 4 hours by bus to the east.

Geothermal natural park Waiotapu is 27 km from the city:



devil's ink pots:











Champagne pool:




devil's pool:






Lady Knox Geyser:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu1ovmqHqFU