I've no time for jetlag and feel pretty much back to normal which is a good job as it's been a very hectic day. I had the 8am service at St Oswalds, then came Messy Church - half term lull but still had 20 there then the short dedication service for the plaque in remembrance of our long standing bell ringer and tower captain Les Holt who died last year. It was my first 'faculty' akin to planning application for grade 1 listed building. Then it was the 11am family service , my oppo is skiing but I'd better get used to it as I'm on my own in April. Then it was back to start again on editing my films from the Asia trip. I've now completed all the films from Malaysia and am just doing the first of the Singapore DVDs. All the DVDs are going straight on to the PMP shop and here for reference are the covers for the Malaysian offerings both truck, tram and bus. For the truck fans among you we start with our first day at Port Klang at the end of the railway line from Kuala Lumpur a journey of about 75 minutes from the capital. As you can see the Malaysian truck scene was quire interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the choice of Port Klang seems to have given me a good starting place. The mix of European and Asian types gives us plenty to identify with and strive to learn about. Tomorrow I have the dentist visit to repair the filling which I lost on the Asian trip and to get my little IQ it's MOT certificate. Lots of other errands have accumulated not to mention a table full of DVD orders which must be posted out. I will get out and about with current British buses , hopefully several days this week and the two following weeks when Mandy is in Sri Lanka with friend Sue. I do have an assignment for my ministry course to get ready, three weeks to submission but I don't like to be rushing at the last minute. I also need to get my sermon written up as I deliver my first at St Oswalds next Sunday evening. Although we seldom get bad ones earthquakes are quite common in Britain it's their small magnitude which keeps them out of the news but the one that shook Kent a few years back caused considerable damage and I still remember many years ago at digs in the loft at a house in Darlington, Co Durham when one in Wales sent tremors through to Co Durham, it felt like the mattress was a blancmange on the wobble. This time I was in the PMP editing suite and it was Mandy's family heirloom wardrobe which starting rattling and well as a wobble on the swivel chair, I knew immediately what it was after experiencing a few over the years. I've done quite well with the editing today, I managed to stay awake last night until 9.30pm then wenmt to bed, woke at 7am this morning which has nearly swung me round to our time zone although there is a bit of jet lag going on which means I have to double check everything I do. There has been quite a shower of DVD orders, all are ready to be packed and will go out Monday. I've edited the Kuala Lumpur buses DVD and all six of the Port Klang trucks DVDs, Port Klang is the main port in Malaysia near Kuala Lumpur. I've kept ahead of the game with the DVD covers for the new releases so I don't get too lost in he process. A few other jobs under way to get back quickly to normal as Mandy and friend Sue are off to Sri Lanka Monday week. I've already listed several of the new DVD releases on our shop. Tomorrow will be a busy church day, 8am, then Messy Church at 9.30, then unveiling Les Holt's plaque and then the 11am service. In the afternoon I hope to carry on with the DVD editing. I did stop and watched a bit of tv as a break. I haven't given too much thought to this weeks filming schedule, I haven't even looked at the weather, Monday I have the dentist to get the filling replaced which fell out in KUala Lumpur then the car is due its MOT at Quickfit in Northwich. I'm sure I'll get something done but the two weeks while Mandy is away should be a good time to catch up with the to do list. Anyway lets have some shots from the trip starting in Kuala Lumpur with some buses, the intended coverage of the extended fleet of double deckers didn't come to fruition and by the look of it neither had the route renumbering in KL but I'm sure many will be interested in the Enviro 500's which have been on route 251 for a couple of years. The world doesn't stand still while I'm away filming - Mandy has been doing a sterling job holding the fort and getting the DVD orders away promptly. Two lengthy flights through the night take their toll and trying to re balance the body clock very quickly;y is a hard thing to manage but I arrived feeling relatively bright eyed and bushy tailed and nothing that a change of clothes and a shower couldn't sort out. I'm busy download the many hours of film I've taken and there is a whole cavernful of still photo shots to accompany the video, now as sleep beckons and I'm nowhere near dinner its going to be a struggle so to keep things simple and break you in with the Singapore bus scene here are some shots I took yesterday afternoon along Orchard Rd, the only shots that are really downtown and the vast majority are at the transport interchanges. The weather was hot and humid and by the time I was changing trains for the airport line a huge brief shower fell from the sky the only rain I'd had on the Singapore / Indonesian sector of the trip. So without further ado lets gets a feel for things. As you can see there is still a great variety of models and colour schemes but it's the lime green that is the new standard for the government owned fleet and the buses are issued to the franchise winners. Thus the continued developing story of Singapore's bus services carries on to enthrall the traditional British type deckers with names already familiar such as Go Ahead, Tower Transit, Comfort Delgro and the rest with nearly half the services parcelled out. By tomorrow I should be getting some DVDs out. Greetjngs friend, readers, customers, relations world wide, wrllwmy success in singapore belies the response iigot which wasczero and from all the requests I had tonupdate my coverage not one of you came forward to say hello but a great time anyway although I just say Singapore is one of the least pedestrian friendly and almost completel vy disabled unfriendly cities in the modern wourld. By el C here to edit.anyway I had a bit of a lay in this morning the first on the trip. I managed to get all my packing ready to be redone at the carport this evening. A curious day something akin to Christmas Eve being chinese New year and my warmest wishes to our friends around China, John and family in guangzhou, li my kind lost friend, those who provide our travel and all the wonderful Chinese people we have encountered and especially remembering the kind security guards who handed John and I ice creams and a welcome to China and the ladies that time who wouldn't accept a tip but had a donation for their church and of course to the millions of Christians who do worship freely in that great people's republic. I tried to polish off a few more bus interchanges during the day but not all are that easy to cover with strong sunlight often they enter or emerge against the light but for some it does work and iveI plenty more for the go ahead fans. I ended up by strolling through the likes of orchsrdroad and other down town areas as the run up to the public holiday began with Thursday rush hour over after lunch time. Queues were getting longer and longer and buses thinner on the ground, it had been one of the hottest and most humid of days, the frustrating signage on their metro sends you to distraction often pointing anywhere at random and the bus stop make are equally frustrating sometimes running from right to left then sometimes as we would expect without warning of which way they have laid it out. I've just about filled all my memory sticks, sittjngnowi .the exec lounge at changi airport in Singapore waiting a for the emirateE flight first to Dubai at about one am then on from there to Manchester to arrive local time before midday. By saturdSa I hope to have downloaded the results of the trip and will be blogging with photos for a week or so although UK coverage will revommence almost straight away weather permitting. It will be strange not being in sandals and shorts sweating it out, I think my arms have already peeled twice. I think the success of the bsttam side trip will be most memorable even if very frustrating but I've the tickets to prove my bus file and apdoubtless two disconcerted conducters who couldn't understand why they were being asked for tickets, their stachels certainly held the machines which also worked but they sllrentky seldom .if ever issue tickrt
Welcome totreaders world wide on ash wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent, as I progressing my training for lay ministry innthe church of englanf these marker days of the annual cycle bfocus us on some of the more serious things of life but it is hard to concentrate on such things here in the blisterin heat of Asia. I was up early once again and ready for the first MTR training harbour side in singapore, work on the network had created almost thirty minute delays. At last the train arrived only a couple of stops but a fair distance. I also managed to catch the first ferry of the day to battam nowhere near as early as I'd immagjne. The main problem in bsttam is the lack of English although a relief from the Chinese intoned harsh workd. It took two abortive taxi trips and the useless efforts of the information desk, taxi controller and ask spice to come up with nothing but giving itinerary more shot an old chap in a taxi sussed out what I wanted and we ended up at the highly active freight port the other side of this ever spexpanfing sprawling city.. I but about three hours of film and enjoyed two short local bus rides one away from the sure when it hit lunchtime and another further on as I got desperate for water. I don't Cecil with Avery nice Chao who had his impromptu motocymoto taxi service near the bus service. Talking of buses I got onetravel card and one ordinary bus ticket in Malaysia. In Singapore I at last got a ticket as my three day pass expired last night. I got tickets for both my battam rides which cost four thousand thingeys which is so cheap compared with a taxi. My Mac on the bike took me back to the docks where I used up my last memory chip. The sea was rough so a delay in returning but I was still back at my Singapore hotel before six pm. Indinesians were a delight from the friendly truckers tongue friendly police many decades since I covered Bali and my first shift return to Indonesia even if fir about 7 hours. I got my boarding cards printed at the hotel beforehand I went to the penny black pub at the boat quay which is nothing to do with harbourside. I'm going to have a look at the soaps and have a lay in tomorrow Thursday. I fly home in the early hours of Friday so I'll check out then stick to city centre in Singapore as they get ready for the run up to Chinese New year, everyinr here is set up for it as it's the biggest event in the Chinese cskendsc.
I wont ramble too much as tine seems to be hurtlinghby and i want an early night as i want to be up early to get to indonesia , no idea if there will be much to see if not ill get an early ferry back. Its all getting hyped up ready for new yesr, the central srea gets closed off at about five pm onothursday as im getting ready to go tonthe airport.i had another productive day all truckrd out now on singapore and ditto really the buses as iipicked off another three interchanges this after noon.
I got the results through for my ministry course essay, getting the spelling and grammar checked sseemed to pay dividends and the mark was markedly higher and the proposal for the next piece of work seems to have found great favour let's hope I can live up to their expectations? Avacado ice-cream is brilliant I got off at the wrong bus stop but got that do ight have been planned. I must get myself scrubbed down and after dinner at the penny black pub I'm going to try and catch up with the soaps before bed so cheerio for the moment, I'm certainly going to have slot of eciting to do when I get bavk even running out of memory sticks. IIhad a much better night's sleep although it was worrying that I've still been unable to get in touch with Mandy either by phone or email although I had hoped Skype would work. I had a good meal at the penny black rngliEn pub and a chat with lads from tools Royce in Derby working on zero engines. Today I actually met someone I knew on the MTR in Singapore and it wasn't transport related but the young musician who sat with us at one of the rncm receptions last year, his parents wanted him to be an acountsacc but he is a fiddler, his friend had a viola with her, they were about to get off so not much chance to chat, he would have been home for half term and Chinese New year which is getting ever more closer Thursday will be like Christmas Eve and public transport will be on overload, I guess they'll all be finishing work early. Mt plan for today worked like a dream it went straifht to plant, I went by MTR to boon lay interchange and got the bus to Jurong pier road and the intersection worked a treat the light was perfect and very busy at lunch time I went back tongue bus station and used the coffee shop I'd been to on Sunday afternoon only it was a lot less busy today, I had a soft of green scream cake which was v different but tastey I'd try it again. Then I headed to far east of MTR and go ageah bus territory at the terminal and had zero hassles filming, everyone super friendly. Also tried the next bus interchange which was a lot less friendly as far as blank refusal iris the home of the comfort delgro operation from what I have seen that didn't promissory but I continued till five pm then packed up and headed back to my hotel where the lock had broken finally got entry but I guess the cleaners hadn't. I managed the whole day in sandals without socks which has been good for my left big toe as it struggled togetbsck to normal after losing the nail twice after the long distance charity walks. Hot and sunny all day. Doing final round of trucks in Singapore tomorrowmust to Indonesia for the day on Wednesday. Thursday I leave after midnight so it's actually tried which is a public holiday, I'll also up the atmosphere perhaps stick to city centre or roam up the the area to the causeway to Malaysia. Clic here to edit.
I didnt really sleep that much ladt night knowingki had an early stsrt, i think I rattled around the huge suite too much and eveb got up and went to reception at one am when I realised how I could recocer the failed print out for baggusg check in, it was still in my downloads section and the night shift receptionist had iy printed in seconds where three of the daytime staff had failed. Had a bit of a dose then up at four am to shower and check out, got taxi to central station, supposed to be metres and hassle free but he was a taxi cowboy just had a metre as well, feigned no change trick at station it was not a particularly large note, anyway we got change in nkiosk shop at station. Boarded the first airport express which was ready to set off at five am, met a girl from Tibet whoese flight as an hour before mine . I actually managed to get through all stages of check him and customs, passport etc and through to lounges to find the priority pass lounge didntd open until seven am shelf hour before my boarding thus ended up at Mac cafe any port in a storm. Flight was so smoothe I didn't notice take off. Quickly through immigration in Singapore very friendly all so clean after malaysia. My case was about half way through the bags which was fine and I knew roughly the score for getting transport pass as I remembered from last trip. Found horel, seedy ares but really in the middle of down town hotels and pubs, loads of Irish and English pubs to choose from .must avoid football on their TVs this evrning. The hotel is fine nice small room dry quiet situation asked to sacrifice view for quiet and it seems to have worked left bag here to check in later and went off to west and visited two bus interchanges mostly Thames transit and she but I saw arrival in the city so need to suss out their main locations, quite a variety but why choose lime green for livery it looked as though but does take a good photo. Ready to have a shower and get down pub for dinner, I need to charge up the iPad so will leave it in room. Later I'll research the dick entrances at Jurong easy where I've been recommended to try for the lorries I saw a lot of logistics places from the MTR. Weather still v hot and needed plenty of drinks had sugar cane joive and ice no worries about water here not like kl. It is strange to see everythjng so clean and tidy, had sought run in with Indian security at mating east interchange but Chinese station nsmafer most obliging so no problem, police came on some other business but decided to have a passing question as to what I was doing but no problem and he hurried back to his squad car when he noticed her got a huge smash in the rear he obviously hadn't been aware of!
Good eveningereaders, friens, customers,relationx world wide. Well an earky stsrt tomorrow as i fly first thing from kl to singaoore. I must say the malasia sector has turned out to be aagem with brilliant weather, first burn Turing to peel should be broen by home time. Today did the lrt, metro, monorail, airport express and non express, nose there's a thought. Apologies as spell check seems to be on acid. I also visited the main out of town coach station, several hours of cab tide s on the metro and lrt. I'm having a chill after a beer and swim on the rooftop pool at my hotel, it's centrally placed tou can see the petronis goers from the pool. I've got so many hours of film already I might have tio think about getting additinaad chips. The sky is clearing which is strange, not sure if illI get tongue Irish pub, my suppll of sweets has lasted well. Anyway overcame out from Malaysia and I'll write tomorrowClick Singapore, if you are local and see an old but with white hair give me a wave or come and say hi. veni here to edit.
My lastlday in kualalumpur tomorrowmust get checked in fir the flight to singapore on sunday morning. It getting hotter but will peak tomorrow at 33 theb fall back a couple of degrees, there was rain yesterday evening but iinly got one drop on me walking to the Irish pub. I got a better night's sleep although the hassle with a spurious text from nstwaest in India meant Mandy had to abandon her polio fellowship meeting and drive home pick up my bank card and to tongue bank in knutsford where as expected they actually confirmed that all was well and there had been neither any suspicious transactions and beithen wasn't account overdrawn and had not been. So what an amazing thing to discover that may west has its suspicious activity dept in India where most suspicious activity arises. After breakfast I had another early start as it's quite Arun out to port Klang. I knew my way very well and got to the central station quickly and the train was only a few minutes late. Got a taxi to the area which I'd covered yesterday for a fraction of yesterday albeit without the grand tour I wouldn't have known where to go, I actually waved to yesterday's taxi driver as he passed me filming. Hot and dry today and thankfully drinks are cheap enlightenment, had lots of water. It went quiet after lunch while they had Friday prayers then mayhem. I got the bus back for a change and actually got a nice bus ticket for Martin. It was more comfortable in yhe bus and it stopped where I'd filmed the double deckers the first afternoon. Finding the way between lrt and metro isawful, signage is rubbish, it's even harder than following the signs in london. Tomorrow I'll do the monorail, lrt and automated metro if it has any above ground section. Nothing is very accessable for photography but thankfully it isoneof the things which isn't banned! Clic here to edit.
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