Travel
Chan, the restaurant manager, who pre-arranged our dining needs and seating. Although it is a tradition to experience mixed seating among a diverse group of fellow passengers, we opted to have our evenings on our own. Many passengers enjoyed the changing of dinner partners and made new friends on this trip. After check in we boarded the train, which
even from the outside was impressive. T e royal green and ivory exterior, complete with the golden tiger logo, greeted us when we headed towards the platform. We also noticed the incredible observation car at the rear of the train which became a brilliant place to sit and observe the beauty of the environment. However our admiration of the exterior was only the beginning as my partner and I headed towards our own compartment which held a banquette sofa capable of turning into an upper and lower bed, a shower room and even a storage cupboard. From the window we could see the countryside as we readied ourselves for the evening meal and we made our way to the restaurant car where we would sit and enjoy some of the greatest culinary delights available. With a specially selected menu consisting of the fi nest T ai cuisine, we fi lled ourselves up with a perfect dinner. However dinner did not have to end there as the bar car provided guests with a night cap accompanied by some light entertainment in the form of lovely songs performed by the resident pianist. As we returned to our compartment we found that our room had been set up for a good night’s sleep by
published in 1952 and written by French author Pierre Boulle, T e Bridge over the River Kwai depicted the war experiences of Boulle and was a worldwide bestseller. Its success only increased when in 1957 the story was made into a feature fi lm starring the legendary British actor Sir Alec Guinness. However, as refl ected in T e Bridge over the River Kwai, the history behind the T ailand-Burma Railway was full of hardships and sacrifi ce. I felt a personal sadness in visiting this bridge as my grandfather had spent more than three years here as a prisoner of war. T e Lear Museum and cemetery served as a reminder of all those people who never returned home, providing a place of closure and honour for the soldiers and their families. When construction of the railway began during World War II, according to Japanese
T e romance of the Orient had truly begun.
our personal steward. T e romance of the Orient was truly evident. It is from Wang Po that we found ourselves
heading to the small town of Kanchanaburi where we would be spending our day. Here we were taken on a guided river tour of the majestic River Kwai and its fascinating railway bridge. One of the most historical signifi cances of this river is the railway bridge stretching over it. T e basis of the world famous novel
fi gures there was a prisoner of war labour force of 68,888. Among these labourers were thousands of Australian, British and Dutch prisoners as well as 700 Americans. T ere were also Asian workers who worked for a wage of one Straits dollar a day. It is thought around 16,000 people died during its construction and there were many times where the project was postponed due to political and fi nancial issues. However the realisation of how much hard work went into the making of this railway needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. Also for those who have a family connection such as me, it can be an even more fascinating and moving experience. Feeling refreshed after enjoying a much needed lie-in the next morning, we were prepared for the next stop in our journey as we awoke to fi nd ourselves in Malaysia. A nice touch was the delicious continental breakfast served directly to us in the comfort of our compartment. T e day ahead consisted of the colonial provinces of Malaysia as we enjoyed a brunch on board the train before stopping in Butterworth. Here my partner and I disembarked the train to go on an excursion through the colonial town of Georgetown, the capital of Penang. Named after King George III, Georgetown was yet another place stooped in history. T is beautiful town holds pre-World War II mosques, temples, churches, bazaars and colourful shop houses. We enjoyed our exploration around this fascinating town as it provided a look into what life was like all those years ago. As our tummies rumbled we knew it was time to rejoin our train. When boarding again, the train continued the journey as the train snaked its way southwards
dressed up in gold ornate costumes and fans. T is reminded me of the days of the King and I which fl ashed through my mind as we sat there in admiration. With a fi nal night cap we retired for our fi nal sleep on this splendid train. As the day closed we found ourselves coming to an end of our four day trip aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express. Travelling from Johor to Singapore the next morning we enjoyed another relaxing lie-in as our breakfast was delivered to us and we were given our fi nal farewell. Taking in the last views we would have from our wonderful cabin whilst enjoying our breakfast we found ourselves wishing the journey would have been longer so we could enjoy more of the wonderful experience. Having had a long but relaxing journey we
fi nally arrived at our last stop in Singapore train station feeling refreshed and invigorated. It was sad to say goodbye to the Eastern & Oriental Express, however we enjoyed every minute of our journey and all of the fascinating excursions we took part in. In reliving the golden age of railway travel my partner and I learned many things about the history of T ailand and Malaysia and grasped a better understanding of why they are so highly regarded as a once in a lifetime travel destinations. As Agatha Christie once said: “To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns…and rivers, in fact to see life.” T is statement couldn’t be more appropriate for the wonderment experienced on the Eastern & Oriental Express.
For more information visit
www.orient-express.com
27
through the lush rainforests and rural towns of Malaysia which were a picturesque sight from the observation car. As we travelled past the local villages we were greeted by the villagers who waved and smiled at us. It became more apparent here that T ailand truly is the land of smiles. T e evening entertainment after dinner consisted of wonderful traditional T ai dancers
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68