Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand: A Visit From Home Along the Way

This part of Winnie’s journey included Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand — with several sea days in between. After months at sea, she has settled into a rhythm, and this stretch of the trip was a mix of exploring new places, pacing herself and, most importantly, a very special visit from home.

Singapore: Clean, Beautiful and One of Her Favorites

Of all the cities on this part of the trip, Singapore stood out immediately.

Winnie spent two days touring the city and was especially impressed by how clean and well-maintained everything was, and how beautifully the city blends historic buildings with modern architecture.

“It was clean, it was beautiful. We felt safe there… It’s one of my favorite cities so far.”

During her time there, she visited Chinatown, saw the famous Merlion statue (half fish, half lion), tried traditional Singapore coffee made with condensed milk and walked through the famous orchid gardens, which she described as absolutely beautiful — lush, colorful and thoughtfully designed.

The only challenge? The heat and humidity, which often felt well over 100 degrees. Even so, Singapore was a highlight.

Malaysia: Temples, Batik and Mountain Roads

In George Town, Malaysia, Winnie visited several temples and then traveled into the countryside to see how traditional batik fabric is made using hand-printing techniques, including beautiful work on silk.

One memorable stop was a fruit stand at the top of a mountain, reached by a winding road lined with wild fruit trees growing everywhere. At the stand, they sampled local fruits and bought spices before continuing on to a snake temple — which Winnie described as “the biggest tourist trap I’ve ever been in,” complete with photo opportunities holding a very large snake for a hefty fee.

What made the day especially enjoyable, though, was their guide, who she said was excellent and made the experience much more interesting and enjoyable.

Thailand: A Day That Meant Everything

When the ship arrived in Phuket, Winnie didn’t take a tour or go sightseeing. Instead, she had something much more important to do — her son Jack happened to be traveling in Thailand at the same time, and they were able to arrange a visit while the ship was in port.

She met him at the dock, brought him aboard the ship and spent the day showing him her home for the past several months — from the top decks down to the dining rooms and common areas. They had breakfast and lunch together on board and spent the afternoon catching up.

“It was just great to see somebody from home,” said Winnie.

Their time together was short, but it was one of the most meaningful days of the trip — a chance to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with family and to show him what her daily life has been like on this journey around the world.

Sometimes the most memorable travel moments aren’t the tours or the landmarks, but the people you share the experience with.

Life at Sea: Finding a Routine

With more sea days during this part of the journey, Winnie says life on the ship has started to feel familiar — almost like home.

“It’s almost like living where I live in a retirement community, except it’s bigger and a lot more luxurious, and they do a lot more for you,” said Winnie.

Sea days are spent doing laundry, reading, attending activities, writing in her journal and simply taking time to rest between ports. After such a long journey, pacing has become important — knowing when to take a tour and when to take a day off and recharge.

Up Next: Sri Lanka and The Maldives

Next, the journey continues to Sri Lanka and The Maldives — another entirely new part of the world, with different cultures, history and food still ahead on this around-the-world adventure.