Rugby, Raffles and Fine Dining, the only way to end an odyssey

Our last overland journey as a group began as we scrambled into the back of three minibuses that were to take us through the border and into Singapore.  It was sad to think this would be our last journey of the trip and would take us to the end of the road, and from here we would be getting on planes to carry on the rest of our journeys to different destinations. 

Arriving in Singapore, we only had time to dump our bags and head to the nearest pub showing the rugby, (which happened to be an Irish pub), and try and catch what was left of the Ireland verses Wales game and then watch the

England verses France match.  Due to being the wrong side of town and being unable to hail a taxi as they all seemed to be full, then having to get the hotel to call us one and then being stuck in heavy traffic, we arrived at the pub to see lots of solemn faces leave and were told the score which wasn't in Ireland's favour.  As I was with two Irish people at the time, Ben and Aoife, I feigned my upset for the sad end of the tournament for Ireland, but hurried into the pub to get a pint and watch what I was really there for, the England game.  Well, I wish I hadn't bothered, what a waste of time, a poor performance from England and they too were out of the tournament.

We were so sure England and Ireland would both win their games and get to play each other, just as Aoife and I would hit Auckland.  Oh well, we had other things to think about now, like getting ready for Raffles!

We legged it back to the hotel and got dressed up in our best for Raffles Long Bar, and all arrived looking very smart, a far cry from our bush camping days a few months ago!  We all got our cocktails, mine was the obligatory Singapore

Sling, and CJ said a few words before handing out awards for everybody, and we all said cheers to a fantastic trip, one we will never, (or could ever!) forget.

We sipped our cocktails (at those prices we were only getting one!) and munched on the peanuts, dropping the shells on the floor as has been done since the colonial times.

The girls in Raffles Long Bar

Everyone went their separate ways as we headed out for dinner after Raffles, we ended up in a food court and I had 3 dollar noodles which sounds ridiculous when I had just drunk a 35 dollar cocktail!

Then it was back to the hotel where we congregated in our hotel room and had a few drinks whilst we all reminisced about the past six months.

The next morning, breakfast was skipped as we prepared for a feast, literally.  We dressed once again in our finery, well the best we could muster from our well worn selection of clothes from our back packs, slapped on some make up and

tried to remember how to use cutlery correctly and remember our manners, and headed to the Hyatt Hotel for their legendary brunch.  Mandy had been once before when she visited Singapore, and thought it would be a great way to

end our trip, so she organised it months ago.  All of the Calypso-ites came along, and we arrived at the Hyatt at 11.30am and basically ate and drank until brunch finished at 3pm.  The food was amazing, with a huge range of food available,

and champagne was on tap or anything else you wanted so I had a fair few Mojitos too!!  It definitely was the best meal of the six months, and that's saying something after some of the meals cook group five turned out! hahahaha.

Emily Susan and Zoe

Steve and Mandy

The Wonkas

Cook group 5, minus Richard

It was at the Hyatt that we said farewell to Jim, our trusty driver who was leaving to catch the plane to Darwin that night, where the official end of the trip was.

Jim headed back to the hotel from the Hyatt, whilst some of us headed to the Irish pub again to watch the All Blacks game against Argentina. By that stage we were rolling around with bellies so full, I felt like a weeble. A taxi ride back to our hotel and it was then time for the next adios, and that was to Emily.  She was also catching the evening flight to Darwin, and we all gathered with bleary eyes to say bye bye.  It suddenly started to feel real as one by one the

group got smaller.

We went out for a drink that night, definitely no dinner as I was still weeble-like, and most headed back to the hotel, but Me, Aoife, Ben and Mel headed down to the Karaoke bar to end the trip with a bit of a sing-a-long.  Climbing the steps to the bar, we went through the door to be approached by a guy so we asked if we could do karaoke, he said to Ben that he could do karaoke but not us, we immediately realised why as all these scantily clad girls started appearing from out of the woodwork and preening themselves at the mirrors, and we realised it was a knocking shop.

We legged it out and chuckled to ourselves and decided to try another "karaoke bar".  We went passed one and saw a woman gyrating at the bar, and tried the one next door, asking the guy if we could do karaoke there or if we could only

the hotel, realising that probably all the karaoke bars we had seen throughout Asia were probably brothels, and we saw absolutely shed loads of them in China!  So back at the hotel we regaled our story in Zoe and Susan's room where we all gathered for one last time for a couple of drinks before bed.

Waking up in the morning I knew it would be an emotional day, and it started with CJ, Clare, Wendy and Colin leaving us, as they were heading back to Malacca to the truck and then driving it to Kuala Lumpa where it was to be cleaned and then shipped back to England.  Next was Denis and Steve and then an hour later, Zoe, Susan, Sally, Sandra and Keith, all heading for the airport to go their separate ways.

The rest of us had a day of hanging around the hotel before going to the airport together in one taxi, saying bye to the Bears as they were staying another night in Singapore.

Aoife and I were the first to leave as we were heading to Auckland, so we said a teary goodbye to Mandy, Mel, Ben and Jenn.

So that was it, the end of a truly great odyssey.  A journey of epic proportions.  6 months.  23 countries. 260000 Kms....

...........and life long friendships, countless experiences and memories to treasure forever....................

                                                                                                                                                     

Here we all are enjoying a drink at the Hyatt:

Straight talking Denis - "fancy a pint?" Always up for a laugh!

Colin, always there with a helping hand

The lovely Emily, I will forever say pants and 'balls'!

Susan, the ever witty and hilarious...I am still chuckling now

Zoe the brilliant organiser of many quizzes and games, and making us run a lot

Uncle Steve, getting ready for the next leg of his travels

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Melissa, Essex's greatest export

Mandy - Our amazing photographer

Moi

Ben, our comedian extraordinaire

Aoife - our little Irish eejit, only joking, ray of sunshine

Sally, who has unwittingly entertained us all throughout the journey

Wendy, she's been there for us all, with a needle and thread and lots more!

CJ relaxing at the end of the road

Jenn my tent buddy - enjoying  the wine

Jim having a well deserved drink!

Clare enjoying the champers, and toasting to a fab six months!

Papa Bear Russell, our protector at camps!

Mama Bear Sylvia enjoying the vino with a few laughs, always there to help with the medical emergencies!

The very lovely Sandra, aka Mrs Wonka, who provided us with well needed sugar fixes on long journeys!

 

Keith, or Keita as he became affectionately known or Mr Wonka, provided hours of entertainment with the truck quizzes, to which we are all grateful!