My Travelling Experience

First of all, I must admit… I have never had a burning desire to go travelling, nor holiday to exotic destinations etc, I just landed lucky and got a job which happened to offer all of that as a bonus. Having said that, it was amazing and I now have a bit of the travelling bug. Getting to experience all those countries, cultures and people is something I can now treasure for life and seeing all that I did, definitely has an impact on your view of life. Having returned home and been overwhelmed with people’s interest in my travels, I thought it would make sense to share my experiences of these countries, and what they have to offer…

Mediterranean Highlights

We spent around a month and a half in the Med, however some of that time I wasn’t allowed off the ship due to rehearsals and training, but I still managed to see lots of amazing places… These are just a few of my favourites!

VENICE, Italy

A stunning city, full of character and the stereotypical Italian experience. Some areas are obviously quite touristy, but if you walk around for a while and find a lovely authentic restaurant, it’s amazing. There’s loads and loads of shopping to be done also, from high-end to high-street brands. Lovely place for a get away!

(All photos taken by me, on my iPhone & GoPro. I have also linked most businesses I mention.) 

ATHENS, Greece

Love, love, LOVED Athens. I think we got particularly lucky because we found a taxi driver who gave us a tour for the whole day to the big attractions (Acropolis of Athens, Parthenon, and the Theatre of Dionysus) then to a beautiful restaurant by the river at night – it was amazing. It’s just got so much history and it’s beauty everywhere you look. Highly recommend visiting.

RHODES, Greece

We only got to visit the Old Town of Rhodes, which was right beside where we docked, but it was so nice. Such a lovely vibe as you walked around, and the further you walked, past all the tourist area, it was even more beautiful. You can also get a boot of beer… which is literally what it says on the tin. We spoke to some lovely locals and had some amazing food. We also visited the castle which was lovely! I wish I had managed to see more of the island, but nevertheless, it was still great.

 

ROME, Italy

We only had one day in Rome, so we tired to do as much as possible, but it was difficult with our timescale. The Colosseum was incredible to look at…. but we got bombarded by people offering tours and speedy entry etc, which distracted from the beauty of it – very “tourist-y”. We then headed to the Trevi Fountain, so so cool. Got gelato – amazing. Climbed The Spanish Steps. All in all, or it only being one short day, it still left a mark. I would definitely go back.

 JERUSELUM, Israel

I personally didn’t manage to go to Jerusalem itself, because I didn’t sign up for the tour on time and it was actually a million miles from where we docked (though I was told it was highly “touristy” which kind of took away from the religious aspect of it), BUT, I did go to the dead sea, which in itself was enough to make me love this place. It was also a rushed day, but still an amazing memory.

Then we did our 7 day crossing and passed through the Suez Canal*. 

*Suez Canal was awesome.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi was awesome. Largest mosque in the world (Sheik Zayed Al Kabeer Mosque) was absolutely insane, so incredibly beautiful – I didn’t think I would have loved it as much as I did. Ferrari World was also amazing. There are lots of virtual reality rides and roller coasters, including the world’s fastest rollercoaster, and the cues weren’t too bad either. So much fun. There are also plenty malls as well for shopping (some were way more expensive than U.K prices though). I’d particularly recommend YAS Mall.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Dubai was my SECOND FAVOURITE DESTINATION. I had so many incredible experiences there, I don’t know where to start… The World’s Largest Mall is something else. It literally has every shop you could ever imagine and more. It also has an ice-rink, roller coasters, aquarium, INCREDIBLE water fountain display outside, etc. It’s a little overwhelming but unforgettable. The mall is right next to the World’s Tallest Building (The Burj Khalifa).  The Burj is absolutely stunning, especially at night during the beautiful light display, and you can go for a tour inside and get a view of the whole of Dubai. I also went on a dinner dune safari tour. We were taken to the desert in a 4×4 and we drove over the sand dunes, nearly tipping the car with every crazy bump (not for anyone with motion sickness). We then had dinner (buffet and unlimited beer and wine included) as the sun set in a complex in the middle of the desert, rode camels, watched belly dancer’s, got henna tattoos and then shisha. The best tour of the whole contract.

In the The Mall Of The Emirates (another of Dubai’s gigantic malls), there is an indoor Ski Resort which has a dry ski slope, bobsledding, inflatable ball and the chance to meet penguins. I was lucky enough to win a competition so I got to meet the penguins for free. Best. Day. Ever. Dubai also has amazing restaurants and nightlife. I loved Q43, which is a restaurant/bar 43 floors up, for an amazing view while you eat. A brilliant bar is also Lock, Stock and Barrel in the Grand Millennium Hotel, which has fab live music until late.

KHASAB, Oman

I really wasn’t sure about Oman at first, until we did this incredible tour. We were taken from the ship on a boat through the Omani Fjords, and on the way we stopped to watch Dolphins chasing the boat – incredible – then we stopped to dive in and snorkel. Amazing, amazing day that I won’t forget. Stunning views, and so much fun.

INDIA, (Goa, Mumbai, New Mangalore and Cochin)

India was an eye opener, and not exactly what I expected. On one corner there would be scenes that you would see on the news, and round the next corner would be an incredible building, such as The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel – which was absolutely stunning. I saw around 10 temples around India, all beautiful, some more so than others, but all very interesting. I visited a cashew factory, a spices plantation, saw Elephants, visited The Gateway of India etc. I wouldn’t say that I’ve seen all that India has to offer due to where we docked etc (for example, Goa is said to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, BUT of course, we docked on the opposite side of Goa), but what I would say is that, it isn’t your typical “holiday destination”, but amazing life experience, and I now know some of the most amazing people from India who I’m lucky enough to call friends.

Then the crossing to Asia began….

PHUKET, Thailand

We only had one day in Phuket, and it was when my parents were onboard, so we tried to cram as much as possible into one day. We visited several beaches, some more beautiful than others. We then took quad bikes up to the top of the island to the Big Buddha, which is huge and from there, you got a 360 view of the whole island. Around there you can also find Monkeys and other animals running around. Finally, we then visited a huge jewellery store, called WangTalang which had beautiful, expensive, jewellery. I would definitely go back to explore more.

KOH SAMUI, Thailand

Koh Samui was my THIRD FAVOURITE DESTINATION. Yes yes yes, visit here. First time there we visited Chaweng Beach, but it was so far from the ship that we only got to spend 30 mins there. The actual beach was beautiful, but a bit overcrowded. Around the area of the beach, there was so much to do that we never got to explore unfortunately. Second time, it was raining pretty badly so we opted for Thai Massage. Insane, and only cost $6. Third and last time was the best. We rented scooters which were $10 each for the whole day, and went to the Na Muang Waterfalls. Un-bel-ievable. We only checked out the “smaller” one because you could swim in it, and it was the most amazing experience. Afterwards, we headed to the beach near the ship, where there was a sandy passage to walk right into the middle of sea. So cool. Thoroughly recommend visiting here.

BANGKOK/PATTAYA, Thailand

Where we docked was a 2 hour drive from Bangkok itself, so the first time we just went for a night to The Walking Street in Pattaya which was much closer. It is an absolutely crazy strip of bars, strip clubs, ping-pong shows, nightclubs… you name it. If you want an absolutely crazy and cheap holiday, this is the place to go. We also once booked a beautiful 4 star hotel in Pattaya called The Amari Garden, which was only 5 minute drive from the Walking Street and right by the beach. That night we went to see the famous Tiffany’s Show, which was a ladyboy show – absolutely stunning and unforgettable. We did actually go to Bangkok once also. It was amazing. We stayed in a very cheap but functional hotel on KhaoSan Road (the strip) itself called, Rikka Inn. Amazing night out, so cheap, so many choices of bars and nightclubs. Love love love.

Khao San Road, Bangkok

VIETNAM, (Da Nang, Nha Trang, Hoi An)

I had varied experiences in Vietnam. From amazing free pool resorts, to food poisoning… The Lotus Resort was a beautiful place we spent a day by the pool. We visited a beach in Da Nang and did Jet Ski-ing for super cheap – absolute highlight – but the same day, 5 of us also got food poisoning from the beach’s restaurant – not such a highlight. (Due to the food poisoning, I didn’t make it to Ho Chi Minh, aka Saigon, unfortunately). There are definitely amazing things to do in Vietnam, you just have to research and plan well.

SINGAPORE, Singapore

Singapore was my FAVOURITE DESTINATION OF THE CONTRACT. I am seriously in love with this place. My first impressions were that it was like Dubai but more homely, welcoming and green! In the end, I realised it’s actually so much more than that. Where to start? The Marina Bay Sands Hotel is epic. It is absolutely gigantic. It has an infinity pool, numerous restaurants and bars, but my favourite is the Cé La Vie bar on the 57th floor which is an incredible place to watch the sunset whilst drinking a Singapore Sling, of course. It also turns into a club at night with a DJ. The Marina Bay Sands Mall is also amazing, but mostly high-end, unaffordable shops. From the mall, you can visit the Gardens By The Bay, which I only saw at night but it was stunning at night. In the Gardens, is a treetop restaurant and bar called the Supertree which was arguably a better view at night than the Cé La Vie bar, because instead of being above the view, you are right in the middle of it all, and Singapore is all around you. Absolutely STUNNING. There is also a stunning theatre in the Marina Bay Sands Mall, where I went to see the International Tour of Chicago – my stagey heart was happy. In terms of Nightlife, Clarke Quay was the place to be. Endless amazing bars, restaurants and nightclubs to ensure you have the best night out ever. Sentosa Island is also brilliant. There are also loads of restaurants, beach clubs, casino etc. I didn’t get a chance to visit Universal Studios, but everyone who went loved it.  You can also visit China Town, for endless Asian cuisine and culture. For LOADS of shopping and general happiness, Orchard Road is fabulous. I could go on and on… that’s just some the highlights from Singapore. I didn’t even manage to see everything – I will 100% be going back one day. EVERYONE MUST GO!

So, all in all, I think it can be said that I have been so incredibly lucky to have visited 22 countries in the space of only 6 months! I have so many memories I will treasure for life. I hope this blog can give some insight into these amazing destinations and what to expect if you choose to visit. If anyone has any questions about any of these places, feel free to ask!

 

I hope you enjoyed reading, and thank you!

 

Georgia. X