Being Sick in a Foreign Land

Rewind for a moment back to Borneo, where Mike and I practiced our body-surfing skills in the warm South China Sea at Damai Beach. It was one of those days where the waves were great, each set bigger than the last. I’m a pretty good swimmer; I took Red Cross swimming lessons as a young child, and grew up at a lake home where swimming and waterskiing were the main activities.

I’ve had my fair share of waterskiing wipeouts, complete with water up the nose and a fierce wedgie. Never-the-less, I was knocked down a couple of times by really big waves that caught me unawares. I got saltwater up my nose, in my ears and down my throat; at that point I decided to admit defeat and head back to dry land.

Fast forward through several bus, airplane and ferry rides where undoubtedly people were sick. Throw in a few snorkeling excursions where I did some free-diving, adding to the pressure on my ears. Then on Koh Tarutao I came down with a cold but didn’t think much of it. But by the time we reached Ao Nang, my condition had not improved. The sun and heat made me feel drained and dizzy, so I was forced to stay in the hotel room during the majority of the day. I was very frustrated to be sick for Christmas and then for Mike’s birthday (which consisted of a mini loaf of banana bread with two birthday candles stuck in it … the most I could manage in my weakened state). Luckily Mike took good care of me, and he didn’t mind a bit that we had to be cooped up in the hotel room - it gave him a chance to do some solid writing and upload pictures to the website.

By the way, some of you are probably thinking, “gosh, I didn’t think people in tropical climates got the common cold”. Well, the majority of tourists here are Europeans, so I have them to thank for bringing illness along with their Euro dollars. In fact, about 95% of the tourists in Ao Nang were Swedish, the remainder being German or Dutch. People were very surprised to learn we were from the US.

After that, we took a flight to Bangkok (and we all know that flying when you are sick is not the best idea), where my condition promptly escalated into a sinus infection. I have had them before, so I recognized the telltale symptoms. In the past, antibiotics have been the only way to knock out my sinus infections. Luckily it is very easy to find a pharmacy in Thailand, and the pharmacists are very knowledgeable (they might have nursing degrees or something equivalent). I was asked if I had any drug allergies, and was given my choice of brand name drugs. I chose Augmentin (amoxicillin) because it had worked for me in the past without an adverse reaction. The pharmacist gave me the dosage instructions, as I was on my way.

The irony in this story is that Mike and I had numerous vaccinations and immunizations at a Minnesota travel clinic in preparation for this trip (including Typhoid, Rabies, Polio, Hepatitis A and B, and Japanese Encephalitis). The travel nurse had even joked with us about having flu shots while we were at it, and we all had a good laugh. But it was something as silly as a common cold that ultimately took me down.

From Koh Tarutao to Ao Nang: Worlds Apart

Koh Tarutao was a nice place to get away from it all for a few days. It is one of those slow-paced getaways where you see the same people every day, and prices were very reasonable. On Christmas Day, we decided we were ready to move onward to mainland Thailand, so we booked tickets on the daily speedboat from Tarutao to the port of Pak Bara.

When the speed boat arrived (in the US it would be a large waterskiing boat), we were dismayed to see the entire boat was already crammed with passengers and baggage. Even the bow of the boat was piled high with backpacks with people atop, leaning back on the windshield. Where were we supposed to sit? We threw our bags in and piled on top. It was cramped and uncomfortable, and the sun was beating down relentlessly.

The engine revved up and we sped away from Tarutao; those of us in the front were whipped in the face by loose sand on the bow. The open water was choppy, and we were knocked around like pinballs for a good 15 minutes. Then all of a sudden, the boat slowed to a crawl near a small lagoon, and a Thai coast guard boat cruised towards our vessel. Our skipper quickly instructed everyone to tell the coast guard that we had picked up some people whose boat had broken down. Of course, this was just a bogus story. The speedboat operators liked to squeeze as many paying customers onto the boat as possible for maximum profit. The coast guard boat pulled up alongside ours and demanded that some of our passengers be transferred to their boat to bring our number of passengers down to capacity. Several people heaved themselves from one boat to the other, and when the coast guard was satisfied they followed us into port.

We arrived at Pak Bara and met a nice Swedish couple who were close in age to Mike and me. Josephine and Michael were also going to Ao Nang, so we split the cost of a songtheaw (pickup truck with benches) to Trang. Along the way, Mike and I noticed dozens and dozens of what looked like bathmats hanging to dry in peoples' yards on clotheslines. He and I couldn't figure out what they were, and thought perhaps they were leather hides or some type of textile. Finally we asked our friends, and they explained it was natural rubber being processed. There are thousands of rubber trees in southern Thailand; they are scored diagonally along their trunks and fitted with taps. The rubber slowly drains from the trees where is collected and rolled through a calendar. The resulting cakes or mats are cured in the sun and sold in the market. We arrived in Trang and transferred to an air-con bus to Krabi, where we booked a hotel in Ao Nang. We shared a final songtheaw ride with the Swedes the short distance from Krabi to Ao Nang, and then went our separate ways.

Ao Nang is a bustling tourist town filled with dive shops, hotels, pubs, restaurants, and overpriced souvenir shops. Oh, and about a bazillion Swedish people. The long sandy beach merely serves as a starting point for island-hopping boat trips. Most of Ao Nang's tourists are Swedish, the remainder being Dutch, German or other western Europeans. Our hotel room cost double our budgeted amount, but being that I was sick with a sinus infection and it was Mike's birthday, we somehow justified the expense. When we checked into the Pranang Bay Resort, the Thai hotel clerk was ecstatic that we were American - she had never had any Americans guests before, and wanted to hear all about where we were from. We took out some postcards of Minneapolis we had brought along with us showing the lakes, city and snow.

We hired a longtail boat driver for what we thought was a day of island-hopping and snorkeling (even though I was sick, I couldn't resist some snorkeling!). However, our driver picked up three more people in order to make more money. There went our nice, private boat trip together. Oh, and the driver only took us to one nearby island where we were supposed to stay for four hours; all the tourists from Ao Nang were already there sunning themselves and drinking beer at a makeshift bar. It was neither private nor quiet, but we made the most of it by finding a shady spot on the beach and relaxing for a while. We also did some snorkeling which was surprisingly good, given the large number of boats passing through the area. It was very shallow and the coral was a bit damaged, but we saw many playful fish - including two fish who kissed each other on the lips. (Do fish have lips?) After our trip to the beach we took a taxi into Krabi town for some shopping, where the souvenirs were much better priced. We wandered through town and ended up in a New Year's carnival with rides, games and carnival food. By then it was getting dark, so we grabbed a songtheaw back to our hotel.

When we checked out of our hotel in Ao Nang we had several things to accomplish in a short period of time: pick up our plane tickets, mail a package back to the US, and get to the Krabi airport for our flight. Luckily the hotel manager put herself at our disposal. She is a sharp, witty, organized woman who takes control when things get chaotic. Her Thai name is very long and complicated, so she goes by "Mo" for short. She explained that she was up all night with a sick hotel guest, so she was exhausted. She described her job duties as being all things to all people - hotel manager, customer service, nurse, doctor, bellboy, phone operator, travel agent, driver, concierge, post office, personal shopper, cleaning lady, and plumber. In other words, she does everything!

First, Mo had the plane ticket couriered over immediately so we wouldn't have to wait an hour and a half for it. Next, she personally escorted us in the hotel minibus to the DHL shipping office in Krabi (closed), and then the post office (about to close). Mo gripped my wrist tightly each time we crossed the busy streets, as if I were her own daughter; it was very sweet. She rushed us to the front of the Post Office line, and the postal workers snapped to her commands. Within minutes we had a big cardboard box and all the necessary paperwork to mail our souvenirs and excess junk back to the States. Finally we raced to the airport where Mo checked us in. She even got us switched to a flight an hour earlier than our original flight. We were so impressed with her invaluable service that we gave her Mike's business card for www.UnrealTravels.com, along with a generous tip. She reluctantly accepted the tip, and explained that she was simply doing her duty. She was an amazing person.

As we waited to board our plane at the tiny Krabi airport (only 3 gates), out of the blue came a horrendous downpour. It rained so hard that the gate attendants stared out at the tarmac in disbelief. The rain was so heavy that our flight was delayed an hour. It was very odd, because we had not seen any rain since we left Borneo at the beginning of our trip. Finally the downpour relented enough so everyone could walk outside and board the plane. Everyone was pretty wet and soggy, but we were just glad to get on with the flight. --Susanne

Ko Tarutao: It's Time For You To Go ...

We had a good time on Tarutao. It was rustic, to say the least. The shower was ice cold and I suspect the bed had fleas. And by bed I mean the plywood they gave us to sleep on. It was made off weaved bamboo, but it felt more like cinder blocks. So, with a hard bed, no fan and ice cold water you would expect us to be bitter, right? On the contrary, it might have been the best part of our trip so far.

Sure, I've been camping with better facilities, but for the most part Tarutao lived up to her expectations of being a remote tropical paradise. The time and effort it takes to get there is well worth it. If you're ever looking for your own private little strip of beach to call your own, this place is for you.

Like I said in a previous entry, we stayed at one of the basic bungalows (only bungalows) on the island for two days. We probably would have stayed longer, buit we wanted to make it back to the mainland to make telephone calls for Christmas. Two days was just enough time for us to explore a few beachs, enjoy a few quiet moments to ourselves, and a few really loud times with a screaming kid behind our bungalow. Come to think of it, there were 2 quiet times and 5 gazillion times spent with screaming kid.

The first night we walked down shore and onto a more deserted beach along the west coast of the island. We were pretty shocked at what we found there: garbage. Garbage everywhere! This included tossed-aside water bottles to discarded flip-flops. Not to mention the endless string of nets, fishing line and broken traps. The entire beach was like that ... for nearly a mile. We were horrified, but found ourselves curiously poking around to the remains that had been discarded over the sides of boats. It's pretty amazing what washes up on a beach these days.

After our walk, I realized I might have gotten a bit too much sun. When my left ear fell off I should have considered it a bad sign. Slighly crispy around the edges is a good description. I've never been much for wearing hats, especially the kind that I see so many tourists wearing. You know, the kind that look like Gilligan's -- only far worse. Needless to say, I'm the proud owner of said hat, and you'll all be happy to know there are a few pictures in the gallery of me displaying the latest in hat fashions. I'll probably get my ass kicked by some local for looking too stupid. But at least my ears can recover. Next time I'll remember sunscreen.

We had planned to spend our second day exploring some of the caves on the east side of the island. If you're a Survivor fan, this is the area where the cave camp was (and Magilla the bannana-stealing monkey). We figured caves = shade. We reserved a long-tail boat to take us there for a few hours. It was going to be something like 400 baht for the trip (US$9.50) and last a couple of hours, after which we would do something else.

At the last minute the information/booking desk informed us that another boat was going on a slighly different trip to a pair of smaller islands to the west for a snorkeling trip. We figured they were the same price and the same ammount of time so we agreeded. And by "we" I mean Susanne. I was still cringing at the thought of being out in the sun. Ok, it was really the thought of someone seeing me in my new hat that caused me the most stress.

We both heard them say something about being a "half-hour" trip out to the island. What we didn't hear was "one hour and a half." Big, big difference when you're talking about crossing an ocean on a Thai Longboat. Never-the-less, we made the voyage and had a great time snorkling with a Dutch couple who had brought their kids to Thailand for the holidays. I never got that when I was a kid ... but we'll talk about that in therapy another time.

Fortunately, the boat had a nice cover and after taking a few dives among the coral and fish, I retired to the boat for a few hours of shade. It's actually not a bad way to get over a sun burn. When we were moving it was kind of like having air-con, much unlike the fan-less bungalow.

I now know how that whole "... three hour tour" thing started on Gilligan's Island.

Surviving Ko Tarutao National Park

We made our way into Thailand to visit Tarutao National Park, the filming location of the hit reality television show Survivor: Thailand. We had visions of Tribal Council, Immunity Challenges and 16 Castaways trying to eek out an existence from whatever they could fish out of the ocean or forage for in the jungle. We imagined there would be good insider information about the show, or remains left behind when the production crew left. This wasn’t the case at all. There was no sign that anything had even been there.

Tarutao National Park was once a remote undiscovered group of islands located at the very tip of the south peninsula of Thailand. Her beaches of pearl white sand stood completely empty, save the occasional tented backpacker and makeshift fisherman village. Among the group of 51 islands that make up the park, Ko Tarutao is the largest and also has the longest history of the group; which includes being home to a band of Andaman Sea pirates and a penal colony that housed some of Thailand’s most notorious political prisoners. These days the park is somewhat different.

The prison has long been consumed by the jungle and a park headquarters has been built on Ao Taloh Wow on Tarutao Island. A few private bungalows have started to dot the shores of a Ko Adang and Ko Lipe (a pair of smaller islands to the west), but for the most part, Ko Tarutao remains very much an isolated tropical destination. The major difference now is that over 30 million Americans can now point to Ko Tarutao on the map (and not Iraq or Canada from what the news has recently reported). The most recent season of CBS’s Survivor was filmed there last summer. The good news is that we’ve discovered our beloved t.v.-watching American comrades are far too lazy to make the trek to Thailand, much less make it all the way to Tarutao. And as far as Tarutao exploiting its new found fame? We couldn’t see a single shred of evidence that a film crew had ever been there.

For Susanne and me the trip was rather easy, relative to a few other destinations we tried to reach. After spending a few days on Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia -- which turned out to be just 5km from Ko Tarutao’s southern tip – we moved north into Thailand. The only problem with traveling from Langkawi to Tarutao is the political border that divides Thailand and Malaysia. This minor geographic issue meant that we would have to go to mainland Thailand to pass through immigration before we could go to the national park. The original plan called for us to stay overnight in Satun (arrival pier from Langkawi) or Pak Bara (departure pier for Tarutao). They’re about 30 minutes from each other via songthaw (that’s a pickup truck) and there’s not much in terms of bungalows, guesthouses or hotels in the area. They are pretty much both fishing villages turned transport points for independent travelers.

Our guidebook said the National Park could be booked up solid during the holiday season, which caused us a little stress. The books suggested we call the park headquarters to see if a room or bungalow was available. Problem: The park staff speak Thai. Mike does not speak Thai, nor does Susanne for that matter.

When we arrived in Satun we were greeted by host of touts asking us if we wanted to go to Pak Bara, Hat Yai, Krabi … just about anywhere. They were also willing to change money, sell us boat tickets and do whatever necessary to part us from the little Thai Bhat we had in our possession at the time. The interesting thing was that the day we arrived in Satun happened to be the maiden voyage of the Satun-Tarutao ferry service. We were talked into buying tickets, exchanging money at a terrible rate (with a nice profit of 10% going to the tout) and heading directly to Tarutao.

Please Note: we had not yet booked a bungalow. We didn’t even know if they had any. In addition, there were no returning ferries until the next morning, which left us in a pretty anxious condition for the hour and a half it took to make the hour-long boat ride.

The boat ride was nice. Air-con, but I chose to spend most of the time on the deck as we made our way out to sea.

As to preserve the picture-perfect setting, the boat was kind enough to blow its air-horn a million times upon arrival at Ao Taloh Wow Pier at Ko Tarutao. The boat was about half-full -- probably because nobody knew of this ferry existed before they got to the Satun Pier. Which meant this boat was filled with a bunch of people just like us: no plans, no accommodations or any idea where they were going. Of the approximate 60 people on the boat, only a handful of us got off on Tarutao Island. The rest of the passengers headed to Lipe or Adang, or into the deep blue sea to be captured by pirates, as far as I know.

The pier was located next to an amazing … [searching for words to describe] stone thingy. It was a big rock, a very big rock. Kind of a boulder, kind of a spire, but maybe more like a monolith left by aliens or a CBS film crew. In other words; see pictures in gallery.

Once you make your way down the pier, sans tribal-torches and panoramic helicopter quick-reverse camera shots, you end up at the park Ranger Station. It’s a fairly large complex that seems to have been built recently, as if a big American television crew had needed someplace to run filming operations from. If you saw the show Survivor: Thailand, at the end of Ao Taloh Wow Pier is where Tribal Council was filmed. I didn’t see the finale, but it would be my guess that the set was shipped back to the states after the last Tribal Council -- because there was no sign of it at the pier when we got there.

There were a few grungy German backpackers dining at the outdoor restaurant (translation: a few tables and plastic chairs), while a group of young Thai men, wearing Park Ranger camouflage, did their best to ensure the steps didn’t run away.

The National Parks Board recently started charging tourists 200 baht to enter the park. This is about US$4.65 or US$5.12 each, depending on the exchange rate you’re ripped-off at. Thai’s are charged somewhere in the region of 35 baht. I guess the National Park system thinks we’re all rich westerners, which might be true, all things considered. We paid our fee and continued to ask if they had bungalows available:

“You have bungalow?”
“Yes, yes.”
[blank stare … continues to collect fees]
“You have bungalows we can stay at?”
“Yes, yes.”
[silence]
“Can we get one of them?”
[collects fees]
“You take car.”
“A car?”
“Yes, we have car. Take you to bungalow. You make reservation there.”
“Oh. And where is that?”
[mumbles]

It was like we were asking if he knew how to perform a kidney transplant. He looked at us with such confusion, even though he seemed to speak and understand English pretty well. Is it so odd that someone would travel to the island and then want someplace to stay for the night? I’m not sure what the issue was, but we weren’t alone. The rest of the passengers that landed with us seemed to encounter the same aloofness we did. The Cliff Notes™ version of the story is that we waited around for 30 minutes for a large double-axel work truck with 4 rows of benches in the trailer bed (the car) to come from the other side of the island and take us to the beach where the bungalows were located.

The other side of the island stood in sharp contrast to the pier we landed at. There was a paved road leading through the jungle to the other side of the island where rows of bungalows lined the mountain side of the road while tents were scattered across the beach side. We passed a restaurant, a park center, a place that we swear thought said “Thai Massage,” and a health center before we reached the very end of the beach and the information booth. Sure enough, there were bungalows available. In all, it was a pretty nice place. But naturally, we had to pay 30 baht for the “car” ride to the other side of the island (one way). Once this was collected they showed us the bungalows. 600 baht ($14) a night got you one bungalow with a pair of twin beds, bamboo mattresses that smelled a little funky, generator-driven electricity for 12 hours at night, a western toilet and an ice-cold shower.

Oh, how we forgot what it was like to be fleeced in Thailand. They had collected US$11 from us before we did or saw anything, plus the food we bought at the park-run restaurant while “waiting” for the truck to arrive.

I shouldn’t complain. It was a very nice place and we were glad to be out of Malaysia. It wasn’t quite the jungle setting we had imagined it was going to be, but that was alright. It was nice to have the comforts of a restaurant and running water. And since there wasn’t a million-dollar prize on the line, we would gladly sleep in a bungalow rather than a cave.

As for the secluded beaches and hidden waterfalls? They were there, they just happened to be covered with trash washed up from the ocean.

(updated) Pulau Langkawi: Eco-Tourism & Fine Cuisine

During our travels, a friend warned that Langkawi was “pretty, but boring as hell”. Likewise, the tour operator in KL advised we should only go to Langkawi for a day trip because there wasn’t much to see there. Both of these opinions were way off base, as we found out for ourselves.

Langkawi is a series of one hundred small islands (give or take a few, depending on the tide level), clustered together near the Malaysian-Thai border. The terrain is lush and mountainous, with beautiful beaches. You won’t see any high-rise hotels on Pulau Langkawi, the main island of the group; the government requires that hotels may not be taller than a coconut tree. As a result, the island’s businesses have remained in the hands of the locals, and few tourists venture out here. The result is a very quiet, laid-back atmosphere with friendly local folks.

We arrived at the Kuah Pier tired and dirty from the ferry ride, and asked our taxi to drop us at the mid-priced Sunset Beach Resort. Our modus operandi is to travel without hotel reservations, allowing us maximum flexibility; we crossed our fingers that Sunset Beach would have a vacancy because it sounded like a peaceful place. Luckily they had two vacant chalets set in a lush garden tastefully adorned with orchids, palms, statues, fountains and ponds. It was quite charming, to say the least. The beachfront was pristine and secluded. Our well-spoken innkeeper, Jeffrey, had Chinese ancestry and knew all about the island and its cultural history. The architecture was a combination of traditional Asian aesthetics and modern amentities, and each chalet was carefully decorated with pottery, furniture and textiles from local artisans. Each day, Jeffrey would greet us by name and chat with us about our plans for the day; he truly cared about his customers.

One of the highlights of our visit to Langkawi was a breathtaking gondola ride up the mountainside. The Swiss-made gondola opened in fall of this year, each car seating up to six passengers. The first leg of the ride glides straight up the mountain for an awe-inspiring distance, while the second leg takes you from one mountaintop station to a second station. The top lookout point has a 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding islands and sea. In addition, there is a steep trekking path between the two peaks for those who wish to explore the jungle on foot (which, of course, included us). The station at the base of the mountain sits next to an Oriental Village (read: shopping mall for tourists). Also nearby is a short and very, very steep trek to the Seven Pools - a legendary series of waterfalls where you can slide from one pool to the next on the smooth, slippery rocks. This was a refreshing dip for us after our grueling trek. Sitting under a pounding waterfall is pretty exhilarating!

Another highlight of our trip was gourmet cuisine - at very reasonable prices, I might add. The first night we sat at a beachside table at the Lighthouse Restaurant and enjoyed a leisurely dinner as the sun sank down beyond the horizon. For dessert we shared peach gelati molded into the shape of a peach, covered with a delicate white chocolate shell (dyed peach, of course) and adorned with a real leaf. There was even a “peach pit” inside, made of a chocolate hazelnut truffle. The entertainment for the evening came when a herd of water buffalo ambled down the beach for their nightly stroll - definitely not something you would see in Minneapolis! Later, Jeffrey told us that the buffalo have traditionally been used to work the fields on the island, although modern machinery is starting to make them obsolete. Some of the residents still keep their herds of buffalo though, as a means of preserving cultural traditions. Apparently, the herds used to roam freely and cause all kinds of traffic jams by walking down the middle of the road in packs of thirty or more. Some restrictions have been put in place, but few farmers actually abide by them. As a result, you never know when you might be graced by the presence of a water buffalo sauntering down the sidewalk.

The second night in Langkawi we ate dinner at the Sun Village Seafood Restaurant. Jeffrey, our innkeeper, manages this restaurant along with another restaurant and an art gallery. Once again, dinner was superb and dessert was very unusual. Jeffrey sent us an order of the traditional Malay dessert, sago, on the house. Sago is hard to describe; it comes from a tree, and is similar to tapioca pearls (about 1/8” in diameter). The emerald green jelly-like pearls were molded into three little mounds, and presented in a bowl of brown sugar and cream. We were instructed to stir everything up to sweeten the sago with the brown sugar, resulting in a unique flavor. This dessert is traditionally eaten during Ramadan. Sago is the staple of the Penam tribe’s diet; they are a nomadic tribe, known for their stealth and accuracy when hunting with blowdarts.

Our third and final night in Langkawi, we decided to be adventurous and take taxi to the opposite side of the island for dinner. The cab dropped us off and we embarked on a 15 minute walk through the mangrove jungle to reach the restaurant. This place was built with eco-tourism in mind; instead of knocking down trees, the building was constructed around them. The main dining room has trees coming up through the floor and reaching towards the towering skylight above. A wraparound deck allows diners to view the mangrove wildlife between courses.

We loved Langkawi, and will probably go back there someday - as long as it doesn't get too built-up and touristy! Maybe that's why people kept telling us not to go there...maybe they just secretly wanted the island to remain quiet. In that case, I don't blame them in the least. - Susanne

Perspectives on Malaysia: Tourism, Telkom and Service

Malaysia is an awkward pre-teenager in the tourism industry. It seems that Malaysia was thrown into the hospitality industry before it was fully ready, or maybe they just forgot to read “Customer Service for Dummies”. The Malays have mastered the art of the glossy brochure, but don’t quite understand that travelers have some expectations when they book a vacation.

I think it’s important to note that what we experienced on Malaysian Borneo and what we experienced on peninsular Malaysia were two different things, almost as if we were in two separate countries. The people on Borneo were really friendly and helpful, while on the mainland, they were the complete opposite. Being treated like an outsider is acceptable while touring in areas not typically exposed to western travelers. But we were treated more like outcasts in places like Kuala Lumpur and Penang (two very developed areas of Malaysia).

That’s not to say we didn’t run into friendly people in peninsular Malaysia, but it became obvious that we were not wanted by some people we encountered. We couldn’t quite figure out the pattern, until we noticed an overwhelming number of Chinese Muslim women completely ignoring us or treating us with a great deal of distain. We tried to eat at “Super Noodles” in KL and waited around for nearly 30 minutes while tables around us ordered their food, ate and departed. We were never approached by a waitress to even take our order. This happened several times in various shops around the city. This was especially clear at the ferry terminal when Muslim women pushed past us with not even an “excuse me” or “may I pass.” If I could read minds, it would have been more like, “get the hell out of the way you infidel.”

But despite the cold shoulder, we moved on with our plans to tour the various areas of Malaysia and experience as much as we could in such a short time. One of the things that we rely on to save us time and money is doing research online for hotels, transportation and activities. We’ve had great success in all our travels over the years using this technique. The unfortunate down side is that we’re forced to travel with 10 pounds worth of laptop and seek out local pre-paid internet access, or rely on cyber cafes and shared 28 kbps lines.

We have never had a problem getting a local dialup number for Internet access until we traveled to Malaysia. For a country so preoccupied with technology, growth and westernization, we were shocked to find that the entire telecom system was based on a per-minute fee (about $.10 per minute minimum no matter where we went). Furthermore, the only prepaid Internet access in Malaysia came directly from the telecom company in charge of the nation’s entire infrastructure. Usually we pick up pre-paid cards at places like 7-11 or any number of mini-mart stores.

In Malaysia we had to go directly to the Telkom (that’s the name of the big company) headquarters, running between the numerous offices trying to explain what we were looking for, to purchase a simple pre-paid card. Once we had the access card it was virtually useless due to the nature of the telephone systems in hotels and resorts. Of the places we found with phone systems, very few had IDD (international direct dial) phones. The ones that did charged insane rates to make a local call – charging by the minute for every call. The others required operator assistance to get an outside line.

This was just one example of how the infrastructure in Malaysia is severely lacking. The busses run consistently a few hours late, hotels routinely loose reservations (despite pre-payment); VIP busses are switched to minibuses half-way through trips. Hotels are never like the brochure … NEVER. Not even close. In addition, there must not be any regulations on travel agents in Malaysia. Either that or they believe that everyone’s ideal vacation consists of checking into a sub-standard hotel, eating a stale buffet and getting a wonderful sea-view room to remarkably resembles a busy street.

What we can only assume is that there are a few translation errors between Malay and English. Here are a few words we discovered:

Super: late, smelly, overbooked, no service. Interchangeable with the English word “sucks.”

VIP: Very Ignorant Person to have booked this mode of transportation or hotel.

SuperVIP: Combination of above terms.

Garden View Room: A patch of grass behind the dumpster.

Sea View Room: You pay for a sea view but get a street view. If moved to a street view, add the noise of runny toilet to depreciate value of sea view.

Leaves at ______: The bus, van, car will leave whenever it is so full that it can’t possibly fit another person. Generally this happens 2 hours after your scheduled time.

Telephone in Room: There is a phone in the room that was once in working condition, usually around the time the brochure photo was taken.

Mini Bar: Place for hotel to store overly priced items (this term is the same in America).

Spooky Borneo and the Island's Tribal Traditions

Borneo is the hidden gem that every traveler searches for. It is a place of natural beauty not yet overrun by pre-packaged tours and glossy brochures. It’s one of those places that remain a little bit inaccessible; making the tourist trail a dirt path rather than the expressways that cross into traditional coastal destinations.

The images I had of Borneo before landing there were of a dark and mysterious island home to head-hunters and nomadic tribes; snakes and lizards; jungles, caves and swamps. I had visions of Indiana Jones, moss covered tress and an island cloaked in eerie superstition, legend and folklore. In reality, I wasn’t far off. Borneo is the hidden gem that every traveler searches for. It is a place of natural beauty not yet overrun by pre-packaged tours and glossy brochures. It’s one of those places that remain a little bit inaccessible; making the tourist trail a dirt path rather than the expressways that cross into traditional coastal destinations.

Borneo is the world’s third largest island, geographically located East of Singapore and South of Hong Kong. The South China Sea, Java Sea, Sulu and Celebes Seas surround its shorelines.

Most of Borneo’s land mass is covered with lush green rainforest, which is home to the many species of flora and fauna that are native to the island. It is also home to the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, the size of a coffee table; squirrels and snakes that fly; deer the size of cats; plants that eat insects (and small mammals); flying bats that could carry away an unattended child; and countless plant and insect species still waiting to be discovered. Borneo also contains a wide spectrum of culture, which not only holds some of the richest people in the world, but also some of the poorest, such as the thousands of indigenous tribes hidden safely within the shadowy jungles.

That being the National Geographic description of Borneo, I’ll give you the short version: Borneo is really cool. It’s an exotic island Hollywood makes movies about. Imagine King Kong, Tarzan, Fantasy Island, Rippley’s Believe it Or Not and The Blue Lagoon - or any number of movies where two lovers are stranded thousands of miles from civilization (there are many). We only spent a few days on Borneo, but enough to know we will go back in the near future … which should be quite easy after someone asks me to set up an office in Singapore.

While on Borneo we were somewhat limited to the activities we could perform because of a slight injury Susanne experienced while crumpled up in the back of an airplane for 24 hours. The airlines are secretly shredding documents as I write this which concludes: if you keep a normal sized human confined to a space no larger than the luggage she travels with, she will inevitably strain or pull some muscle in her body. Furthermore, that passenger will also contract every known ailment that other passengers also suffer from (colds, coughs, runny noses, ebola virus, black plague, etc.). In short, Susanne pulled a muscle in her right leg. Since Borneo’s primary attractions are jungle hikes, cave exploring and long distance trekking, we didn’t have much of a choice when it came time to decide what we needed to do next.

Never-the-less, we had a fantastic time. In the four days we spent on Borneo, we managed to take in quite a lot of activities. We wandered the early morning streets of Kuching, discovering a local market where ladies spread blankets on the street to display their hand-picked fruits, vegetables, spices and other exotic items. We ate breakfast at a hawker stand where 2 roles, 2 sweet breads, 2 deep fried bananas and an assortment of jellied creations cost us merely one ringget (it’s better when said with the local accent and with an appreciation of how cheap one ringget really is – about 26.3 cents $US).

We wove our way through the main bazaar and marveled at the vast array of wares on display. We soon realized, however, that we were more the feature curiosity to locals than they were to us. It was patently obvious that very few “white” people travel these streets, which perhaps drew upon the region’s memory of White Rajahs over a century ago. We then found ourselves drifting along the waterfront into the tourist/business district of town. Instead of hawker stands, high-rise hotels towered over the streets. Instead of one ringget breakfast feasts, Italian restaurants stood with open doors and western prices. It was two worlds divided by a hundred meters or less.

Tucked inside this maze of cultural clash were the Sarawak Tourism Office and Sarawak Museum, which both seemed to take us back to a better, more glorious, time of early exploration and discovery on Borneo. The tourism office provided more information than we could process about Sarawak, including history, culture and accommodations. The museum is said to be the finest in Southeast Asia. For over a century, a succession of conscientious curators have collected and catalogued the single most extensive archive and exhibit of Bornean history, art and ethnography anywhere in the world. On display were taxidermy specimens, ranging from full-sized Orang-Utans to tribal-painted elephant skulls and hand-carved protective Iban tribal idols.

After the museum, we drove to Damai Beach on the South China Sea. We stayed at Camp Permai in a traditional tree house (with minor amenities such as hot water, air-con, mini-fridge, full-sized bed and fresh linens). Our house was elevated three stories above the ground on wooden stilts, and nestled under the rainforest canopy at the foot of Mount Santubong. Each night we were tuned to the constant buzzing, chirping and humming of the rainforest creatures.

While Susanne recovered from her injury I set out on a torturous trek up the side of the mountain. This involved crossing fresh-water streams, navigating rope bridges, clambering across fallen trees, conquering two-story boulders, and wading under thrashing waterfalls. I was Indiana Jones … sans the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and/or pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Instead, my only reward was a sweat-soaked shirt and muddy shoes. Susanne, on the other hand, was peacefully sunning herself on the deck when I returned.

Singapore to Malaysia: Crossing Between Two Worlds

With nothing more than a few paragraphs of text in a guidebook to go by, we headed to the Singapore Airport leaving for the mysterious island of Borneo. If it wasn’t for a few bouts of pure luck we would probably still be at the airport wandering around with no place to stay, not knowing what to do. After crossing into Malaysia from Singapore, it becomes very clear that these two countries share little in common other than their geographic location.

After a full day of deliberation, a few meetings with Deborah, the pushy "you-should-do-a-package-tour-to-Penang" travel agent, and a last-minute price increase by Singapore Airlines for a flight to Bali (nearly tripled overnight), we decided on our own to fly to Kuching in the state of Sarawak on Malaysian Borneo. Since Borneo was never on our original plan of places to see, we figured it would make a perfect place to start our travels. With nothing more than a few paragraphs of text in a guidebook to go by, we headed to the Singapore Airport where we were treated to the most efficient air-transit system I have ever seen. We booked our ticket in no time and we're on our way.

Let me point out a few obvious differences between Singapore and Malaysia that I noticed on the airplane. Singapore Airport is large and spacious; Malaysian Airlines' planes are not. The service at the Singapore Airport is second-to-none; on Malaysian Airlines there is none. Food service at the Singapore Airport consisted of every possible ethnic food at every range of service and quality the star-ranking system; on Malaysian Airlines they said it was food. I recognized the fork, knife and spoon ... the other stuff on the tray was a mystery. I know it had something to do with curry. Roughly translated, the menu consisted of "Styrofoam Curry Platter" with a side of "Curry Plastic Wrap" and a desert of "Curry Custard Cup."

We were the only “westerners” at the airport and probably the only travelers on the airplane from what I could tell. When we arrived at the Kuching airport, things were not as smooth as they were in Singapore. We were hustled off the airplane and lead to the baggage claim area where we waited for our packs to come around. At this point we only had to accomplish a few things: change money (new country=new currency), book a hotel and find a taxi to take us to said hotel. In reality, we had nothing. We didn’t even know where Kuching was on the map. If it wasn’t for a few bouts of pure luck we would probably still be at the airport right now wandering around.

We knew of only one hotel in Kuching, Sarawak that we wanted to stay at, but had no confirmed booking. There are a great number of mega-resort hotels along the waterfront in Kuching (Hilton, Marriot, Holiday Inn), but we didn’t want that type of hotel experience. We had sent Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites an email right before we left Singapore to see if they had any available rooms and at what price. Naturally, we didn’t expect to get a response in time, but figured it was worth a try. As soon as we left the baggage claim area at the airport we found a row tout-booths. These are counters at airports and popular travel destinations where they try to get you to book a hotel, minibus or car. There is usually a pretty good game of deception going on at these places.

The strange, or lucky, thing was that the only booth for hotel booking was for the Merdeka Palace Hotel itself. And, as a bonus, the price was considerably lower than what was listed online. I think the price came out to be around US$40 a night, including breakfast. I should also mention that it was a 5-star hotel fashioned after 1950’s Havana, Cuba? Pretty cool place, very kitsch. Having booked the hotel room, I stood in line to buy a Taxi voucher while Susanne tried to find an ATM or Money Exchange counter. In Malaysia it seems to be customary to pre-pay for a taxi, either at the airport or at your hotel. It’s unusual to see a taxi with a meter available, much-less working. But the ones that we hailed down on the street seemed pretty honest. Nearly every time we took a taxi in town, it was 6 Ringgit Malaysian (RM), or US$1.57.

As far as how the Taxi Queue worked, it’s easiest to simply say everything was an all-for-one battle to get a taxi from the airport. Fortunately, we met a local man was just returning from Brunei where he had just led a tour of 50+ year-olds from England. Knowing the system much better than us, he helped us grab a taxi. I’m pretty sure this was a way for him to get a free ride into town, but considering we weren’t waiting on the curb fighting with the rest of the blood-thirsty locals anymore, I was ok with the non-spoken arrangement. In addition, he was extremely helpful in suggesting things to do and see while in Sarawak. Although it seemed that after returning from Brunei, a very Muslim country where alcohol is illegal, our helpful local guide was more interested in seeing the inside of a brew pub than the National Parks he was suggesting we visit.

Making our way through Malaysia

I wanted to send a quick update to let you all know that we've made our way to Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia on the Thailand/Malaysia border. The weather has been fantastic since we left Borneo (more to come on that later) and made our way to the west coast where the monsoon season is over. We have tons of pictures to show you, but haven't yet been able to get them uploaded to the site.

We also have several stories to tell about Borneo, KL, Pulau Penang and making our way to Langkawi where we've been relaxing in the sun for the past few days. No phone in our challet, which make it difficult to update the site with images. The Internet connections here on the island are less than perfect. I'm going to try and get everything uploaded before Christmas (including images).

Until then, know that we're safe and thinking of everyone back at home. We wish we could be with you during the holidays ... only wishing you would all be here in SE Asia rather than Minnesota (or other cold location).

Singapore International Airport

You may wonder why I am writing an article about an airport. Well, this airport deserves some mention because it was designed with something particular in mind: people. Imagine that – an airport where you actually don’t mind staying for a while! Many airports were built only for the most basic functions – check-in counter, departure gates, baggage claim – but this airport has so much more.

There is a rooftop garden full of many sunflower varieties where you can relax in the sunshine and watch the planes take off and land. Nearby is a tiny movie theater in case you have a longer layover. Down the hall is an arcade with video games and amusement for children. A hotel is conveniently located right inside the airport if you get bumped from your flight, complete with a spa and beauty salon. There are also the obligatory restaurants, bars and duty-free shops, but there is also a nice collection of better boutiques with upscale brands. The best part, though, is the computing center.

There are a couple dozen computer workstations complete with a high-speed internet connection and flat-screen monitors. Power supply and internet connections allow you to recharge your laptop battery while downloading information from the internet. These workstations are perfect for checking email, getting a little work done, or just killing time. We used it to look up hotels at our next destination, Malaysian Borneo.

We only had an hour or so in the Singapore Airport, but we were sure that we could have stayed there for quite a while if we had to. Now, if only more airports would take the hint and start building more features for the weary traveler.

The Orchid Garden – Singapore Botanic Garden

On our last day in Singapore we decided to take a quick cab ride to the botanical gardens, within which the National Orchid Garden resides. We were particularly interested in the latter because a recent episode of the hit TV show “The Amazing Race” had contestants race through the gardens to find the Margaret Thatcher orchid.

It was drizzling lightly when we arrived at the garden, but this didn’t stop us from exploring the vast expanse of indigenous plants – especially since it was free. We took a less-traveled path into the woods, where various plants and trees were marked with their Latin and common names. As it turned out, the path took us almost directly to the entrance of the orchid garden. The National Orchid Garden contains hundreds of different orchid varieties and hybrids, each with its own distinct characteristics. I am an orchid-lover, but have never been successful at keeping them at home due to the dry winters and a lack of consistent sunlight in my home. Orchids are very particular about their climate, and they wither away if the conditions are not just right. Orchids do really well in Southeast Asia’s tropical climate – warm and humid.

We paid our $2.00 entrance fee and bought a couple of umbrellas since the rain was starting to pick up. The landscaping really accentuates each type of orchids – some grow on stumps or trees, while others grow in the ground or in a hanging basket. There are many fountains and pagodas throughout the garden to rest take pictures.

In addition, we found a mist room containing some orchid varieties that require constant misting. There was also a cool room, but it was closed for construction. Finally we made it to the V.I.P. garden, where certain orchid types have been named for government officials or royalty who had visited the National Orchid Garden. Among them we found one for Benizir Bhutto, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth, and of course Margaret Thatcher.

Finally our time was up, and we found a cab to return us to our hotel. We needed to pack everything up and head to the airport and our next destination, Borneo.

Experiencing Singapore: The easiest way to enter SE Asia.

I flew to Singapore last Tuesday. Actually, after the 22 hour flight moving across several time-zones it was Friday when I landed… I think. Considering I don’t even know what today is, I am not really in any condition to try and figure out what I was doing this time last week.

I checked into my pre-booked hotel (the only one of the trip) and soon learned why so many people fall in love with Singapore. It’s a vibrant ultra-modern city that has more charm and character than all of America’s large cities put together. It is a nearly crime-free country known for economic growth and clean (some would say sanitary) living conditions. Everything seems to run like a finely-tuned Swiss watch. It is a city that leaves a person breathless in its shadow.

Singapore is so perfect that I actually get physically upset thinking about it. I am so angry that the United States screws-up so much when it comes to city planning and urban development. I kept asking myself why the United States doesn’t have cities like Singapore. What is keeping us from having a “Swiss-Watch-City” rather than the Knock-off-Timex-Cities we tend to produce? We waste billions of dollars every year “studying” urban issues when what we should be doing is buying every city planner a direct flight to Singapore.

Which reminds me of something I left out of the last newsletter. The last email I pointed out that I would be looking for real work when I return to the States in February. What I meant to say is, “If your company would like to open an office in Singapore ….”

Being that my past two entry points into SE Asia were through Bangkok, Singapore really stood out as a pleasant change. I stayed at The Royal Plaza on Scotts, which is a 4-Star hotel (aiming at 5, I suspect). I had already exchanged a few emails with the Marketing Manager to inform them of my trip, travelogue and a few other things I had planned. They graciously provided me with a free upgrade to the executive floor, including free breakfast and snacks daily, free cocktails, and free high-speed internet access for my laptop. All of this for a little over $75 a night. The last time I paid that little for a hotel I was at a Super 8 somewhere in the middle of rural Iowa. All they could offer me was a stale Danish and all the pig-manure smell I could soak up.

Side Note: the shopping in Singapore is fantastic. I hadn’t planned on making any purchases while in Singapore, mostly out of necessity to keep my pack light. The only problem was that I had forgotten a few essential items. Being that I was starting a two month trek through one of the hottest regions on earth, I was smart enough to forget to pack shorts. You know, those shorter length pants that help you keep cool when it’s hot. Go figure, right? I guess knowing that I would be one degree north of the equator wasn’t a big enough reminder that I was going to get hot at some point. Funny thing is that it took me two days to figure it out. Who would have thought a packing lists would actually serve a purpose?

Completely wardrobed in the finest $11.70 Arnold Palmer shorts I could find, I was ready to greet my travel partner. The plan was to have me fly in a few days early to handle the logistical planning elements such as, “what are we going to do first?” The plan was simple, two days after I arrived, Susanne would get there and we would be ready to go. Did anyone ever expect that to happen?

Susanne came directly to the hotel where I was waiting for her on the front steps. No, seriously, I was. I was pretty happy to see someone I knew. Despite what you may have heard, Singapore is full of Asian looking people. I’m not sure how to say this in the most politically correct way, other than to say I was the “white” guy no matter where I went. My attempts to blend in by wearing a “got rice?” t-shirt were unsuccessful.

Susanne arriving also gave me a break from shopping, which was a good thing, knowing that anything I purchased would have to be carried on my back for the entire trip. Naturally, I had to show her all the stores. It’s fortunate that I did this while she was still jet-lagged otherwise I might have had to buy a shipping container to send back all the new digs she would have bought.

The Night Safari

Saturday night we grabbed a taxi from our hotel and headed north to the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoological Gardens. The safari opens around dusk; about 90% of all tropical animals are nocturnal, and therefore most active after dusk.

The safari path winds through an outdoor jungle, with dim lighting to help you view the wildlife. Flash cameras were prohibited, but we attempted to take some photos anyway without the aid of a flash. We'll see how they turned out. We had our choice of walking on a path or sitting in a monorail-type tram. We opted for walking, of course, since we are not lazy tourists!

I am a die-hard animal-lover, but my favorites that night were the giraffes, leopards and otters. It's hard to explain the awe and peacefulness I felt as I stood a mere 10 yards away from two giraffes eating their dinner. Their quiet nature and graceful beauty is truly amazing, with those long legs, knobby knees, and dinosaur-like necks. The leopards were also very beautiful, although they mostly laid around relaxing. Encyclopedia photos simply don't do their spotted coats any justice. My third favorite, the otters, were hysterical. They made these high-pitched squawking and squeaking noises and tumbled over one another, as if clambering for attention. I couldn't figure out if they were agitated by our presence, if they wanted us to play with them, or if they were begging for treats. Which ever it was, they were really cute and comical.

Another highlight of the safari was a walk through the enclosed bat area. Here, bats hung upside down and fed on a lump of seeds. These were the largest bats I've ever seen - the size of a small monkey or cat - and they are very furry too! It made my skin crawl - I was traumatized by a bat in my bedroom when I was about 5 years old. Nevertheless, I couldn't stop staring at these bizarre creatures. They are pretty creepy, hanging upside down and "walking" around the branches. Their "feet" are oddly monkey-like, which is a little disconcerting.

The last standout from the safari was the suspension bridge, or as they called it, the Bridge of Suspense. We laughed, because you often see misspelled words or phrases in Asia (such as Hair Saloon instead of Hair Salon). This one actually did have a double meaning, since many people crossing the suspension bridge really were afraid and in suspense of the crossing. We thought the swaying bridge was fun, but not scary in the least.

For more information visit the zoo's website at:
http://www.zoo.com.sg/safari/

Surviving a 24-hour flight: tips and tricks to stay alive

For those of you that didn't get a chance to talk to me before I left, which is just about everyone I know, I wanted to let you know that I'll be gone for a couple months. To the utilities companies, “yeah, um…the check is probably in the mail.” To the rest of you, yes, you’re going to get some stupid trinket for Christmas. Get over it. I’ll try to get you something to match your house(s). A life-sized Golden Buddha looks great in every bathroom, right?

We started planning this trip almost immediately after taking off from Bangkok last May. Timelines moved, budgets increased, jobs were gained and lost (and in some cases turned-down). The original plan was to take six months to travel. A year seemed so irresponsible, don’t you think? I mean, really. In my case, that’s 2 companies that could have gone bankrupt.

In the end, Susanne was only able to get 6 weeks off work without getting fired, or something like that. For me? Well, you know, it’s a funny thing about that … [note : for those looking for an experienced Interactive Producer and Strategist, I’ll be available 9 February 2003. Offers in cash, trade, and other forms of barter will all be considered. Seriously.] Future postings will probably discuss my theory on CLM’s (Career Limiting Moves).

I will miss Christmas, my birthday, New Year's, a birth of a friend’s baby and Canadian Boxing Day. But I won’t miss the freezing cold, shopping mall traffic and snow shoveling. In all, I think I got the better end of the deal.

For those of you that have been keeping track of my flight miles in the past 12 months, it includes three trans-pacific flights. That's 6 full days of flying in the back of an airplane, or the front as was the case the last two times. The more you fly the further up front your seat gets. On this pace, I should be flying in the cockpit sometime early next year. Either way it doesn't make much of a difference where you sit on the airplane. The flight is still long, uncomfortable and eventually you're going to get sick.

Flying does have its perks. Strike that ... flying a lot comes with perks. The last trip we took to and from Bangkok we were able to upgrade our seats to World Business Class (50k miles for both ways). It's a lot of miles, but considering I was never able to book an actual ticket with them anyway, I figure they were kind of like Monopoly money (see rule-buster fares on nwa.com or NWA company handbook under "treat customers like crap when you have total control of their hub city").

I'll take two houses on Park Place and 3 decent meals on an ocean crossing flight, please.

This leads me to the first topic:

Surviving a 24-hour flight: tips and tricks to stay alive

Lesson One: Exit Row and Bulkhead Seats :

Airplane seating is a fierce and competive battle were you must fight the toughest fight of your life in order to get the ultimate seat. And getting the right seat can be the single deciding factor which makes it a successful trip. A bad seat can ruin the whole thing. It becomes especially important on trans-oceanic flights. Think about it from this perspective, you would never check into a hotel room for $1,400 a night and say, “Sure, the broom closet is just fine. So long as someone wakes me up every 20 minutes trying to get past me to go to the bathroom.”

Why we put up with this type of treatment on airplanes is beyond me. On the flip-side, you get what you pay for.

As a somewhat rookie traveler, a good friend and CEO of eBody.com taught me the glorious benefits of “exit row” seating. Here’s the secret: there’s a ton of room in those seats to stretch out. I’m not kidding. It’s like having your own dance floor sometimes. And, get this; all you have to do is ask to sit there. Granted, you have to arrive at the airport a week before your flight, or learn how to kiss-ass real good to the ticketing agents. Both of which I have been known to do.

The second-best option, and one that takes just a little bit of extra planning and a little more flight miles under your belt, is getting a bulkhead seat.

Bulkhead (def):

a. One of the upright partitions dividing a ship into compartments and serving to add structural rigidity and to prevent the spread of leakage or fire.
b. A partition or wall serving a similar purpose in a vehicle, such as an aircraft or spacecraft.

Let’s use (b) and not think about the “fire” element or why they put this divider between Business Class and Coach. Which, I think is actually quite obvious.
They’re the seats at the very front of the plane, behind business class. There is typically an extra 6-12 inches of leg space in front of these seats. The only down-side is that the airlines typically reserve these areas for people with children. This is where I sat on my flight to Tokyo. So too did a small teething child.

Getting the bulkhead seat can be as simple as logging in the night before your flight to use the seat-picker function on most national carrier’s websites. In the case of Northwest, they limit the first 20+ rows of seats to those with Worldperks Elite status. Bummer for Susanne “I’m in row 65 right behind the rear galley” Leighton.

Thailand: Consular Information Sheet

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Approximately 95 percent of the population is Buddhist and ethnically Thai, yet Thailand is a multicultural country. Most Thais in the northeast are closely related to the Lao people both culturally and linguistically, although a few northeastern provinces have substantial Khmer-speaking populations. The majority of people in the far southern provinces are Muslims who speak a dialect of the Malay language, while there are numerous ethnically distinct hilltribes in the north which practice Protestantism and animism. Thailand is a popular travel destination, and tourist facilities and services are available throughout the country.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:
U.S. citizen tourists staying for less than 30 days do not require a visa, but must possess a passport and onward/return ticket. A Passenger Service Charge, currently 500 baht (USD equivalent as of September 2001: $11.50), must be paid in Thai baht when departing the country from any of Thailand’s international airports. Thailand’s Entry/Exit information is subject to change without notice. For further information on Thailand’s entry/exit requirements, contact the Royal Thai Embassy, 1024 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007, telephone (202) 944-3600, or Internet web site http://www.thaiembdc.org, or the Thai consulates in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York City.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:
In the aftermath of the October 2002 terrorist bombings in Bali, Indonesia, the State Department is concerned that similar attacks may occur in other Southeast Asian nations. American citizens traveling to Thailand should therefore exercise caution, especially in locations where Westerners congregate, such as clubs, discos, bars, restaurants, hotels, places of worship, schools, outdoor recreation venues, tourist areas, beach resorts, and other places frequented by foreigners. They should remain vigilant with regard to their personal security.

The far south of Thailand has experienced incidents of criminally and politically motivated violence, including incidents attributed to armed local separatist/extremist groups. Although these groups focus primarily on Thai government interests, U.S. citizen travelers should remain vigilant with regard to their personal security. At this time, there is no specific threat information.

Tourists should also exercise caution in remote areas along the border with Burma. The Thai/Burma border is the site of on-going conflicts between the Burmese Army and armed opposition groups as well as clashes between Thai security forces and armed drug traffickers. In addition, pirates, bandits, and drug traffickers operate in these border areas.

In light of the continuing unsettled situation along the Thailand border with Burma, which is subject to frequent closings to all traffic, the Department of State recommends that all Americans exercise caution when traveling in remote or rural areas immediately adjacent to the Burma border. There remains a possibility of significant flare-ups of military activity on the Burmese side of the border that could spill over into immediately adjacent areas of northern Thailand. Visitors should travel off-road in undeveloped areas only with local guides who are familiar with the area. As border closings and re-openings occur frequently, U.S. citizens considering traveling into Burma from Thailand should be aware that in the event of a border closure they may not be able to re-enter Thailand.

In February 2000, two Australians camping near the Burma border in Ang Kang Park, in the Fang District, were attacked by robbers. One of the campers was shot and killed. In April 1999, a dozen Thai villagers and tribesmen were killed in separate incidents near Thailand's northern border with Burma. In January 2000, 10 gunmen from two fringe groups in Burma crossed into Thailand and took several hundred people hostage at a provincial hospital in Ratchaburi Province. All ten gunmen were killed when Thai authorities stormed the hospital to end the crisis. Tourists should obtain information from Thai authorities about whether official border crossing points are open, and should cross into neighboring countries only at designated crossing points. Licensed guides can help ensure that trekkers do not cross inadvertently into a neighboring country.

Travelers should be aware that there are occasional incidents of violence on Thailand’s northern and eastern borders with Laos. In July 2000, five people were killed and several fled to Thailand during a skirmish between apparent insurgents and government forces in Laos near the eastern border crossing at Chong Mek. Additionally, two U.S. citizens in 1999 and one in early 2000 were reported missing after attempting to cross illegally into Laos at the Lao-Thai border.

Although tourists have not been targeted specifically by this occasional violence, due caution remains advisable. It is recommended that persons wishing to travel to border areas check with the Thai tourist police and the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai or the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

Strong seasonal undercurrents at popular beach resorts pose a sometimes fatal threat to surfers and swimmers. During the monsoon season from May through October, drowning is the leading cause of death for tourists visiting Phuket. Some, but not all, beaches have warning flags to indicate the degree of risk (red flag: sea condition dangerous for swimming; yellow flag: sea condition rough, swim with caution; green flag: sea condition stable). In July 2001, an American tourist died in a surfing accident in Phuket at a beach that was not marked.

CRIME INFORMATION:
In recent years crimes of opportunity such as pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, and burglaries have become more common, though the crime threat in Bangkok remains less than in many American cities. Violent crimes against foreigners are relatively rare. Travelers should be especially wary when walking in crowded markets, tourist sites and bus or train stations. Women are generally not subject to sexual harassment.

Reports of serious transportation-related crimes involving taxis or three-wheeled vehicles called “tuk tuks” are relatively rare, though fare scams can occur. More serious are incidents in which drivers tout disreputable gem stores or entertainment venues because they receive money for bringing in customers. Travelers should always use official metered taxis in Bangkok and never enter a cab that has anyone besides a driver in it. In March 2000, a U.S. citizen was attacked and robbed by a taxi driver and an accomplice picked up en route by the driver.

There are occasional reports of scopolamine druggings perpetrated by prostitutes or unscrupulous bar workers for the purpose of robbery. Tourists have also been victimized by drugged food and drink, usually offered by a friendly stranger (sometimes posing as a fellow traveler). In addition, casual acquaintances met in a bar or on the street may pose a threat. Travelers are advised to avoid leaving drinks or food unattended and should avoid going to unfamiliar venues alone. Some trekking tour companies, particularly in Northern Thailand, have been known to make drugs available to trekkers. In July 2001, an American died after smoking opium in a northern hilltribe village. Travelers should not accept drugs of any kind, as the drugs may be altered or harmful, and the use or sale of drugs is illegal.

Scams involving gems, city tours, entertainment venues and credit cards are also common, especially in areas heavily visited by tourists. Credit cards should be used only in reputable, established businesses, and the amount charged should be checked for accuracy. Travelers should not accept tours or offers from touts who solicit on the streets. Shopping at lesser-known gem stores carries a serious risk; the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) receives over 1,000 complaints each year from visitors who have been cheated on gem purchases. The gems often turn out to be greatly overpriced and money-back guarantees are not honored. Lists of gem dealers who have promised to abide by TAT guidelines are available online at http://www.tat.or.th/do/gems.htm, while information on gem scams can be found on the Thai Tourist Police website at http://www.police.go.th/touristpolice/. A traveler who has fallen victim to a gem scam should contact the local branch of the Tourist Police, or call their country-wide toll-free number: 1155. Finally, bars or entertainment venues in tourist areas may at times try to charge exorbitant amounts for drinks or unadvertised cover charges. If victimized in this fashion, travelers should not attempt to resolve the problem themselves, but should instead pay the price demanded and then contact the nearest branch of the Tourist Police for help in getting restitution. (The toll-free number for the Tourist Police is indicated above.)

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. U.S. citizens may refer to the Department of State’s pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad, for ways to promote a more trouble-free journey. The pamphlet is available by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, via the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov.

If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The embassy/consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends, and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

MEDICAL FACILITIES:
Medical treatment is good. This is particularly true in Bangkok, where excellent facilities exist for routine, long-term and emergency health care. Thailand has been experiencing an epidemic of HIV infection and AIDS. Heterosexual transmission accounts for most HIV infections, and HIV is common among prostitutes of both sexes. Additionally, alcoholic beverages, medications and drugs may be more potent and of a different composition than similar ones in the United States. Several U.S. citizen tourists die in Thailand each year of apparent premature heart attacks after drinking alcohol or using drugs.

MEDICAL INSURANCE:
U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.

Travelers should check with their insurance company to confirm whether their policies offer coverage overseas, including provision for medical evacuation, and for adequacy of coverage. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more. Travelers should ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether the traveler must pay first and then be reimbursed later. Some insurance policies may also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death.

Persons with serious medical conditions who travel to Thailand may wish to consider insurance that specifically covers medical evacuation, as the cost for medical evacuation from Thailand can be extremely expensive.

Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad, available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or autofax: (202) 647-3000.

OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION:
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Thailand is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Safety of Public Transportation: Good
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Good
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Good
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Poor

Traffic moves on the left in Thailand. The city of Bangkok has heavy traffic composed of motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, and three-wheeled "tuk-tuks." For safety, and to avoid jaywalking fines, pedestrians should use overhead walkways whenever possible. Accidents are common, and those involving motorcycles can be particularly deadly. The Embassy strongly recommends that Americans refrain from riding motorcycles. In 2000, four Americans were killed in traffic accidents in Thailand, three of whom were riding motorcycles; during the first nine months of 2001, there were five American traffic deaths in Thailand, two involving motorcycles. Use of motorcycle helmets is mandatory, but this law is seldom enforced. Congested roads and a scarcity of ambulances can make it difficult for accident victims to receive timely medical attention. Paved roads connect Thailand’s major cities, but most have only two lanes. Slow-moving trucks limit speed and visibility. Speeding and reckless passing in all regions is common. Consumption of alcohol, amphetamines and other stimulants by commercial drivers is also common. In recent years there have been serious bus crashes involving foreign passengers on overnight bus trips; one of these crashes resulted in fatalities. Motorists may wish to obtain accident insurance that covers medical and liability costs. The more affluent driver, even if not at fault, is frequently compelled to cover the expenses of the other party in an accident.

Travelers may wish to use Bangkok’s elevated "Skytrain" mass transit system to travel about the city. The system operates everyday from 6 a.m. to midnight.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Thailand’s civil aviation authority as Category 1 - in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Thailand’s air carrier operations.

For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA’s Internet website at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact DOD at (618) 256-4801.

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS:
Thai customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Thailand of items such as firearms, explosives, narcotics and drugs, radio equipment, books or other printed material and video or audio recordings which might be considered subversive to national security, obscene, or in any way harmful to the public interest and cultural property. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of Thailand in Washington, D.C. or one of the Thai consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Thai customs authorities encourage the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes. ATA Carnet Headquarters, located at the U.S. Council for International Business, 1212 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, issues and guarantees the ATA Carnet in the United States. For additional information call (212) 354-4480, send an e-mail to atacarnet@uscib.org, or visit www.uscib.org for details.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:
While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Thai laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.

In this connection, it is a criminal offense to make negative comments about the King or other members of the royal family. Thais hold the King in the highest regard, and it is a serious crime to make critical or defamatory comments about him. This particular crime, dubbed "lese majeste," is punishable by a prison sentence of three to fifteen years. Purposely tearing or destroying Thai bank notes, which carry an image of the King, may be considered such an offense.

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs in Thailand are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. The U.S. Embassy frequently does not learn of the arrest of U.S. citizens for minor drug offenses, particularly in southern Thailand, until several days after the incident. Prison conditions in Thailand are harsh, and Thailand has a death sentence for serious drug offenses. A recent change in Thai law lowered threshold quantities that may result in its imposition. After a period when the death penalty was seldom imposed, Thailand is once again executing convicted traffickers. There are at present approximately fifteen Americans serving long-term prison sentences in Thailand, but in previous years the total went above sixty. A ruse sometimes used to transport drugs out of the country involves offering an American a free vacation to Thailand, then requesting the American’s assistance in transporting excess "luggage" or gifts back to the United States. The American’s claim that he or she did not know that the package contained drugs has not been a successful defense in Thailand.

CHILDREN’S ISSUES:
For general information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, please refer to the Office of Children's Issues home page on the internet at http://travel.state.gov/children's_issues.html or telephone (202) 312-9700.

REGISTRATION/EMBASSY AND CONSULATE LOCATIONS:
Americans living in or visiting Thailand are encouraged to register, either online or in person at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok or the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai. At both locations updated information on travel and security in Thailand is available. The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok; the U.S. mailing address is APO AP 96546-0001. The central switchboard number is (66-2) 205-4000; the American Citizen Services Unit number is (66-2) 205-4049; and the fax number is (66-2) 205-4103. The web site for the U.S. Embassy is http://usa.or.th. American citizens can register online via the web site. Questions regarding American Citizens Services can be submitted by E-mail to . The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai is located at 387 Wichayanond Road; the U.S. mailing address is Box, C, APO AP 96546. The telephone number is (66-53) 252-629 and the fax number is (66-53) 252-633.

* * *

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 9, 2002 to update the section on Safety and Security.

The History of Singapore: the past of a modern city

Written accounts of the early history of Singapore are sketchy and the names used to refer to the country are varied. In the third century, a Chinese account gave reference to Singapore as Pu-luo-chung, or "island at the end of a peninsula".

In 1320, however, the Mongol court sent a mission to a place called Long Yamen (Dragon's Tooth Strait) to get elephants. This probably referred to Keppel Harbour. A visitor from China, Wang Dayuan, who came around 1330, called the main settlement Pancur (spring), and reported that there were Chinese already living here.

One of the earliest references to Singapore as Temasek, or Sea Town, was found in the Javanese Nagarakretagama' of 1365. The name was also mentioned in a Vietnamese source at around the same time. By the end of the 14th century, the Sanskrit name, Singapura (Lion City), became commonly used.

At that time, Singapore was caught in the struggles between Siam (now Thailand) and the Java-based Majapahit Empire for control over the Malay Peninsula. According to the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals), Singapore was defeated in one Majapahit attack, but Iskandar Shah, or Parameswara, a prince of Palembang, later killed the local chieftain and installed himself as the island's new ruler. Shortly after, he was driven out, either by the Siamese or by the Javanese forces of the Majapahit Empire. He fled north to Muar in the Malay Peninsula, where he founded the Malacca Sultanate. Singapore remained an important part of the Malacca Sultanate; it was the fief of the admirals (laksamanas), including the famous Hang Tuah.

Founding of Modern Singapore

The British, who were extending their dominion in India, and whose trade with China in the second half of the 18th century was expanding, saw the need for a port of call in this region to refit, revitalise and protect their merchant fleet, as well as to forestall any advance by the Dutch in the East Indies. As a result, they established trading posts in Penang (1786) and Singapore (1819), and captured Malacca from the Dutch (1795).

In late l818, Lord Hastings, Governor-General of India, gave tacit approval to Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen, to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the

1. A Javanese poem written in 1365 by Prapanca. It is considered the most important work of the vernacular literature developed during the Majapahit era. The poem venerates King Hayam Wuruk (reigned 1350-1389) and gives a detailed account of life in his kingdom.

Malay Peninsula. On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands. The next day, he concluded a preliminary treaty with Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman to set up a trading post here. On 6 February 1819, a formal treaty was concluded with Sultan Hussein of Johor and the Temenggong, the de jure and defacto rulers of Singapore respectively.

Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. In 1824, Singapore's status as a British possession was formalised by two new treaties. The first was the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of March 1824, by which the Dutch withdrew all objections to the British occupation of Singapore. The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman in August, by which the two owners ceded the island out right to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions.

The Straits Settlements

Singapore, together with Malacca and Penang, the two British settlements in the Malay Peninsula, became the Straits Settlements in 1826, under the control of British India. By 1832, Singapore had become the centre of government for the three areas. On 1 April 1867, the Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony under the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office in London.

With the advent of the steamship in the mid-1 860s and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Singapore became a major port of call for ships plying between Europe and East Asia. And with the development of rubber planting, especially after the 1870s, it also became the main sorting and export centre in the world for rubber. Before the close of the 19th century, Singapore was experiencing unprecedented prosperity and trade expanded eightfold between 1873 and 1913. The prosperity attracted immigrants from areas around the region. By 1860, the population had grown to 80,792. The Chinese accounted for 61.9 per cent of the number; the Malays and Indians 13.5 and 16.05 per cent respectively; and others, including the Europeans, 8.5 per cent.

The peace and prosperity ended when Japanese aircraft bombed the sleeping city in the early hours of 8 December 1941. Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, and was renamed Syonan (Light of the South). It remained under Japanese occupation for three and a half years.

Towards Self-Government

The British forces returned in September 1945 and Singapore came under the British Military Administration. When the period of military administration ended in March 1946, the Straits Settlements was dissolved. On 1 April 1946, Singapore became a Crown Colony. Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union in 1946, and later the Federation of Malaya in 1948.

Postwar Singapore was a contrast to the prewar country of transient immigrants. The people, especially the merchant class, clamored for a say in the government. Constitutional powers were initially vested in the Governor who had an advisory council of officials and nominated non-officials. This evolved into the separate Executive and Legislative Councils in July 1947. The Governor retained firm control over the colony but there was provision for the election of six members to the Legislative Council by popular vote. Hence, Singapore's first election was held on 20 March 1948.

When the Communist Party of Malaya tried to take over Malaya and Singapore by force, a state of emergency was declared in June 1948. The emergency lasted for 12 years. Towards the end of 1953, the British government appointed a commission under Sir George Rendel to review Singapore's constitutional position and make recommendations for change. The Rendel proposals were accepted by the government and served as the basis of a new constitution that gave Singapore a greater measure of self-government.

The 1955 election was the first lively political contest in Singapore's history. Automatic registration expanded the register of voters from 75,000 to over 300,000, and for the first time, it included large numbers of Chinese, who had manifested political apathy in previous elections. The Labor Front won 10 seats. The Peoples Action Party (PAP), which fielded four candidates, won three seats. David Marshall became Singapore's first Chief Minister on 6 April 1955, with a coalition government made up of his own Labor Front, the United Malays National Organization and the Malayan Chinese Association .

Marshall resigned on 6 June 1956, after the breakdown of constitutional talks in London on attaining full internal self government. Lim Yew Hock, Marshall's deputy and minister for Labor became the Chief Minister. The March 1957 constitutional mission to London led by Lim Yew Hock was successful in negotiating the main terms of a new Singapore Constitution. On 28 May 1958, the Constitutional Agreement was signed in London.

Self-government was attained in 1959. In May that year Singapore's first general election was held to choose 51 representatives to the first fully elected Legislative Assembly. The PAP won 43 seats, gleaning 53.4 percent of the total votes. On June 3, the new Constitution confirming Singapore as a self-governing state was brought into force by the proclamation of the Governor, Sir William Goode, who became the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State). The first Government of the State of Singapore was sworn in on June 5, with Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's first Prime Minister.

The PAP had come to power in a united front with the communists to fight British colonialism. The communists controlled many mass organizations, especially of workers and students. It was an uneasy alliance between the PAP moderates and the pro communists, with each side trying to use the other for its own ultimate objective--in the case of the moderates, to obtain full independence for Singapore as part of a non-communist Malaya; in the case of the communists, to work towards a communist take-over.

The tension between the two factions worsened from 1960 and led to an open split in l961, with the pro-communists subsequently forming a new political party, the Barisan Sosialis. The other main players in this drama were the Malayans, who, in 1961, agreed to Singapore's merger with Malaya as part of a larger federation. This was also to include British territories in Borneo, with the British controlling the foreign affairs, defense and internal security of Singapore.

The Malaysia Proposal

On 27 May 1961, the Malayan Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, proposed closer political and economic co-operation between the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo and Brunei in the form of a merger. The main terms of the merger, agreed on by him and Lee Kuan Yew, were to have central government responsibility for defense, foreign affairs and internal security, but local autonomy in matters pertaining to education and labor. A referendum on the terms of the merger held in Singapore on 1 September 1962 showed the people's overwhelming support for PAP's plan to go ahead with the merger.

Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, and consisted of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah). Brunei opted out. Indonesia and the Philippines opposed the merger. President Sukarno of Indonesia worked actively against it during the three years of Indonesian confrontation.

Independence

The merger proved to be short-lived. Singapore was separated from the rest of Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation.

Independent Singapore was admitted to the United Nations on 21 September 1965, and became a member of the Common wealth of Nations on 15 October 1965. On 22 December 1965, it became a republic, with Yusof bin Ishak as the republic's first President.

Thereafter commenced Singapore's struggle to survive and prosper on its own. It also had to create a sense of national identity and consciousness among a disparate population of immigrants. Singapore's strategy for survival and development was essentially to take advantage of its strategic location and the favourable world economy.

Coming of Age
A massive industrialization program was launched with the extension of the Jurong industrial estate and the creation of smaller estates in Kallang Park, Tanjong Rhu, Redhill, Tiong Bahru and Tanglin Halt. The Employment Act and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act were passed in 1968 to promote industrial peace and discipline among the workforce.

The Economic Development Board was reorganized in 1968 and the Jurong Town Corporation and the Development Bank of Singapore were set up in the same year In 1970, the Monetary Authority of Singapore was established to formulate and implement Singapore's monetary policies.

In 1979, after the shock of two oil crises, the Government started a program of economic restructuring. This was achieved by modifying education policies, expanding technology and computer education, offering financial incentives to industrial enterprises and launching a productivity campaign.

Public housing was given top priority. New towns sprang up and Housing and Development Board apartments were sold at a low cost. To encourage home ownership, Singaporeans were allowed to use their Central Provident Fund savings to pay for these apartments.

With the British Government's sudden decision in 1967 to withdraw its armed forces from Singapore by the end of 1971, Singapore set out to build up its own defence forces. The Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute was established in 1966 and compulsory national service was introduced in 1967. A Singapore Air Defense Command and a Singapore Maritime Command were set up in 1969. In August 1967, Singapore joined Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand to form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. The one-party Parliament that emerged from the 1968 general election became the pattern, with the PAP winning all seats in 1972,1976 and 1980. In the 1984 and 1991 general elections, the PAP won all but two and four seats respectively.

On 28 November 1990, a new chapter opened in Singapore's modern history Goh Chok Tong became the second Prime Minster of Singapore when he took over the office from Lee Kuan Yew who resigned after having been Prime Minster since 1959.

Indonesia: Basic Facts

The floating emerald islands of the Indonesian archipelago have for centuries lured everyone from missionaries to pirates, mining companies and backpackers to their sandalwood and spice breezes, their Bali Hai lifestyle and their magnificent beaches, mountains and volcanoes.

However, the myth of a paradise is often marred by deep racial divides, religious warring, high-handed autocracy, government corruption, economic mismanagment and natural disasters. The latest round of sectarian violence has made Indonesia a problematic destination for most Western travellers.

Warning
Religious violence and clashes between the military and independence movements have made many areas unsafe to travellers, including the popular destination of Bali. Rising anti-Western sentiment among some pockets of society means the utmost caution is required when visiting the archipelago.

In recent years, 'Westerners' have become targets of acts of violence, as well as the government and military. Sites such as military installations, government monuments and buildings and places where 'Westerners' congregate, such as hotels are ongoing at-risk locales for such violence.

More specifically, travellers should exercise every possible precaution in Jakarta and other metropolitan centres in Java and Sumatra. All travel should be avoided in west Timor, Maluku and North Maluku, remote parts of North, East and Central Kalimantan, North, South and Central Sulawesi, Papua, and Aceh.

Full country name: Republic of Indonesia
Area: 1.9 million sq km
Population: 234.89 million
Capital City: Jakarta (pop 9.3 million)
People: There are around 300 ethnic and tribal groups. The principal ones are Acehnese, Bataks, Minangkabaus (Sumatra); Javanese, Sundanese (Java); Balinese (Bali); Sasaks (Lombok); and Dani (Irian Jaya/West Papuan)
Languge:

Tempura is a speciality in Asakusa and Daikokuya is where your fried food dreams will come true. This authentic Japanese restaurant is the place to savour the excellent tempura donburi (tempura served with rice in a bowl), a perfect accompaniment to a locally brewed beer.

, English, Dutch
Religion: 88% Muslim, 8% Christian, 2% Hindu
Government: Republic
Head of State: President Megawati Sukarnoputri

GDP: US$173 billion
GDP per capita: US$807
Annual Growth: -4%
Inflation: 11.9%
Major Industries: Oil, gas, textiles, timber, coffee, rubber, coal, tin, copper, rice, pepper, palm oil
Major Trading Partners: Japan, USA, Singapore