2019 POSTCARD FROM ASIA - SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA AND BHUTAN Wednesday 13 February – Sunday 17 March 2019

Feeling awful with a dreadful cough I set off on the long flight to Singapore.  Thankfully my Travel Agent had managed to get me a First-Class seat without paying anything too much extra so I had a relatively comfortable journey.  Fortunately, there was a baby in first class making more noise than me!  I kept off the alcohol and drank lots of water, as well as honey and lemon drinks and made to Singapore in one piece.

My first day I spent quietly, nipping out to get some more cough medicine, and then lying in the sunshine for 4-5 hours.  Day two was also spent quietly by the pool.  In the evening I had a Greek dinner with my nephew, Simon, who kindly also picked up some honey to help me!

On Sunday 17February, I took a morning flight to Kuala Lumpur, which was easy enough, but then I had a five-and-a-half-hour car journey to Tanjong Jara Resort in Kuala Dungun.  It was meant to take 4 hours so not quite sure what went wrong. In spite of new medicine from the airport pharmacist in Singapore, I was not improving, so on Monday the Manager got me to a local clinic/doctor and hopefully the new pills will put me right, but it means no alcohol for a week!  Once back in the Resort I relaxed by the pool, but can’t start the pills until after dinner.  

I spent my days quietly [but coughing away] by the pool and my evenings in their very nice restaurant. However, by Thursday I was not much better so back to the doctor for a few more pills and one to help me sleep which I was getting little of.  By Friday after a bit more sleep I was a lot better and not coughing nearly so much. At last!

Sadly, on Saturday I went back a step – I left the hotel at 10am on a long 6 hour car journey to KL, followed by an hour’s flight to Singapore, then into the Crowne Plaza by 7.30pm.  After a recovery bath, I ordered an omelette and went to bed by 9.30pm but didn’t sleep a wink and kept waking with coughing fits and worrying about over-sleeping. Anyway, thankfully I made check-in at 4.30am for the 6.30am flight on Sunday morning and arrived in Paro [Bhutan] at midday their time [2pm mine].  An absolutely amazing flight in through the mountains with the Himalayas in the distance.  I believe one of the most difficult places to land a plane as you can’t see the runway until the last minute.

My delightful guide, Sangay, and driver, Tshewang, met me and we drove to Thimphu.  After checking into the Taj Tashi, we then went out for lunch before doing a tour of some of the local sights.  They were both very kind and have offered to take me to a doctor if my cough persists.  At least this evening it will be a light supper and an early night!

On Monday morning I was feeling a lot better after a good night’s sleep but still coughing!  We set off on the trek to Cheri Monastery.  I got half way but was struggling so decided that it was crazy to overdo it and returned to the bottom.  We did however visit the Chang Gang Kha Temple [for mothers and children] on the way back into Thimphu.  After lunch I went to a pharmacist and she said I should be checked out by a doctor in the hospital.  So off we went – all free here!  The doctor told me that he thought my infection had gone but that often a cough persists for two weeks afterwards so he has given me some decongestant to try and clear the rest!  In the afternoon we visited the School of Arts and Crafts, the National Textile Museum and a Handmade paper factory, before I returned to the hotel to relax and pack up for departure from the hotel in the morning.

At 10am on Tuesday 26 February, I set off with my guide and my driver for Punakha  We went across the beautiful Dochula Pass and had a reasonable view of the Himalayas.  It had snowed a little overnight so the trees looked beautiful.  We then wound our way down the long mountain slopes for an hour or so until we reached Punakha.   Once there I checked into Dhensa Resort, my rather modern dreary hotel up in the hills around the little town, and then we set off for some lunch.  After lunch we walked up to the Chimmi Lhakhang temple – for childless couples – and then visited Punakha Dzong, an amazing and rather beautiful Fortress.  Finally, we walked half across Punakha Suspension Bridge which connects villages and mountains.  In the evening it was a very quiet dinner as I appeared to be the only guest in the hotel!

On Wednesday morning I set off with Sangay and Tshewang to visit Khamsum Yulley Temple, this is a fairly modern temple built for the present king [the 5^thKing] and was consecrated in 1999.  This was an hour’s hike and this time, with the help of my two young men, I made it! Fantastic to get there and to see such a beautiful place.  It didn’t take quite so long on the way down!   After that we went to lunch, and then we visited the beautiful little village of Talo, way up in the mountains.  We took a 15-20 minute walk there, but sadly it was cold and wet! After that we visited the temple at Nalanda Buddhist College, and Sanchen Dorji Nunnery.  A busy and exhausting day, but I was back in my room by 3.30pm so much needed time to relax and unwind as I am still coughing a lot. Once again a quiet dinner in a soulless dining room with no one else!

On Thursday I woke to a miserable rainy day, and at 9.30am I set off with my guide and my driver for Paro, but after a short time we discovered that it was snowing heavily in the Dochula Pass and it was closed!  So we went for a drive around to Wangdue and Rinchengang, and we stopped for lunch, not that I ate anything that early!  Eventually at midday the Pass opened and we set off.  It took us three hours in heavy snow, but it was beautiful to see! We eventually reached Paro and made a quick visit to the National Museum, but it was too late for anything else, so I then checked into the Naksel Hotel, a delightful hotel with a great view of the mountains.  I had a quiet evening and an early night!

At 9am on Friday 1 March I met up with Sangay and Tshewang and set off for the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It was a beautiful morning with lots of snow everywhere and the mountains looked wonderful.  However, the icy and snowy weather meant that the track to the Tiger’s Nest was deadly! I decided to try and do the first half on a horse – quite something for someone who hasn’t been on a horse for over 60 years!  We set off very slowly but even the horse was slipping and many people were coming back as the track was too treacherous.  Once I got near enough to see the famous Tiger’s Nest for myself, we called it a day.  I got off the horse and my wonderful two ‘walking sticks’ helped me back down the very slippery slopes on foot!  After a visit to a beautiful temple and Paro ‘fortress’, followed by a little lunch and souvenir shopping, I returned to my hotel to get myself sorted for my flight to Singapore early the next morning.

 

At 6am on Saturday my guide and my driver took me to the airport and I took off just before 8am on a very painless flight to Singapore [stopping at  Guwahati, in Assam, India en route].  As soon as I had checked into my room, I went straight to A&E at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital behind the hotel to get myself checked over and to get something to knock my cough on its head.  After three hours I came back to the hotel a little poorer but much relieved to know that an x-ray showed my lungs are clear.  The infection is still lingering so they gave me some more efficient pills and medicines.  So no alcohol on this trip for a further five days!

On Sunday I met up with nephew Simon and great niece Natasha for a nice lunch at PS Café @ One Fullerton, and then Simon and I went for a wander on foot and by car before I returned to a quiet evening in the Hyatt.   Monday was spent relaxing by the Hyatt pool. On Tuesday morning I left the Hyatt at 9.30am and headed for the airport where I took a Scoot flight to Langkawi.  I know I have to return to Singapore with them, but never again after that.  Virtually no service unless pre-ordered, and they even refused to give me a glass of water. Arrived at The Danna Hotel in Langkawi at 2.45pm and was given a beautiful room overlooking the Andaman Sea. Spent a quiet afternoon unpacking and sorting!  Still getting coughing fits but not quite so many!

My week in Langkawi was spent quietly by the pool, swimming and reading lots of books!  I enjoyed the hotel which was very comfortable and quiet. My days were spent lying beside the beautiful pool and reading lots of books!  On Wednesday 13^thMarch I took a Scoot flight back to Singapore and was glad to get off safely!  On arrival at the Grand Hyatt the top team were out to meet me, including the Hotel Manager, so I was well looked after there.  That afternoon collected some dresses I had had altered and then had a relaxing evening, although still coughing.

I had a nice Spanish dinner with nephew Simon on my last evening, sadly without his wife Seetha as she is keeping a vigil at her sick father’s bedside.  On Saturday I had a very comfortable and easy, if long, flight home.  BA is avoiding Pakistan on its routes at the moment.  First stop on Monday is the doctor!