WA - Fremantle

It started to rain on Saturday so we headed to the hippy port town of Fremantle, just outside Perth. Here we went on a tour of the prison. The convicts built their own prison and between 1855 and 1991 three hundred and fifty thousand people were detained there. We went on the ‘Doing Time’ tour which took an hour and a quarter. Our guide was entertaining with his quirky sense of humor and the grey sky, wind and rain created an adapt atmosphere for this grim cold prison. 

I closed Peter in the small, bare solitary confinement cell, apparently the longest anyone was kept here was 6 months, living on bread and water. 

The rather grim flogging posts are part of the tour and the gallows where 43 men and 1 woman were executed. There were even cells decorated with art and finally the story of how in 1855 a fire was started by rioting inmates which lead to the realisation that a modern fire engine couldn't fit through the 1855 gates.

Next was a trip to the local microbrewery for lunch and a walk round the town and local market. This was a fabulous market with everything from fruit and veg to souvenirs, with a lot of locally produced art. There were buskers and street entertainers to be found as well. We ended our day with a lovely meal back in the Perth suburb or Subiaco.

WA - North of Perth

We started our Western Australia holiday by heading north to the town of Cervantes near the Pinnacle Desert. Along the way the fields smoldered as the land had been intentionally burned for fire breaks and wild Emu’s picked at the charred remains. Sadly by the time we reached the desert the sun had already set but we decided to drive round anyway. There was no moonlight but driving round the dirt track in the dark was fun none the less. The limestone pillars looked eerie in the car headlights. The random formations are made from compacted seashells which have eroded over thousands of years.

  

We headed onto Cervantes with a plan to return to the desert for sunrise the following morning. It was worth the early start, we were treated to a deep blue sky as the orange sunlight spread wide over the horizon before turning through various shades of orange and pink. After two circuits round the dirt one-way track we headed back to our motel for breakfast.

On our way out of Cervantes we stopped off to see the stromatolites (the world’s oldest living organisms), which live in and around Lake Thetis. Colonies of cyanobacterial settle in layers to form the stromatolites. Bacteria in the top layers of sediment release oxygen to create sand bubbles. Part of the reason they thrive in Lake Thetis is because it is 1.5 times saltier than the ocean, and in these conditions few predators exist. Some stromatolites have been growing there for 3,500 years.

On route back to Perth we stopped off at the monastery town of New Norcia. In 1846 a Spanish monk, Benedictine, founded an aboriginal mission and monastery here.  We had a look round the museum and art gallery which trace the monastery history and feature religious art. The Spanish architecture looked pretty in the Autumn sunshine.

The small chapel contains Benedictine’s tomb and some odd wall fresco's including an astronaut, most random!

From here we headed onwards to Perth for the night.

Volcanoes of Java

 On Friday May 1st Reshma and I flew into Surabaya airport on the island of Java, Indonesia. We were prepared for the 6-7 hour drive described in our itinerary. Unfortunately, this was May day weekend and the heavy traffic resulted in a 9 hour journey broken only by a slightly confusing lunch stop where the food was described in an unusual way (pictures on the menu are so much easier!) and scrambled eggs turned out to be an omelet.  The food was good so all was well and we were soon on our way again.

Having driven to the far end of Java we arrived at our hotel at 8 pm and we were told we would be collected again just 5 hours later, so we opted to skip dinner and head straight for bed.

At 1 am the following morning we climbed into a 4 wheel drive jeep and proceeded up a dark narrow road to the base of Ijen. This drive was an experience in itself with no other vehicles around in the pitch dark and only a narrow strip of the front windscreen visible from the back of the Jeep. After a little while I was slumped down in the back seat with my eyes closed trying not to feel sick! Reshma has this amazing ability to sleep no matter how bumpy a car journey :)

We started our trek up to Ijen crater, it wasn't long before we started seeing the sulphur miners carrying the sulphur blocks down the mountain. In around two hours we reached the crater rim where our guide pointed out the blue flame way deep down in the crater, which can only be seen in darkness. Honestly, not that exciting from this far away. It was here that the sulphur dioxide started to become more prevalent.  Our guide offered us flimsy paper masks which we knew did nothing to prevent such a toxic gas but it did allow a wet wipe to be placed in front of the nose and mouth to alleviate the smell somewhat. With this 'safety' precaution in place we proceeded down into the crater.  Maybe 100m or so from the blue flame the smoke was getting quite thick. We started coughing and it was stinging my eyes, at which point I decided I didn't want to go any closer, Reshma agreed. By now the blue flame was large and clear and we didn't feel getting closer would really offer us a better experience. It didn't matter what the guide said, sulphur dioxide is toxic and I wasn't risking it. He kindly offered to proceed with my camera while we started our retreat away from the smoke back up the crater.

 As we picked our way back up the sun rose, revealing a beautiful turquoise blue lake, the yellow sulphur and the smoky cloud. This blue lake is considered the largest acidic lake in the world. This was breathtaking and unlike anything I have ever see before. 

All the while the sulphur miners trek up and down with their heavy loads of up to 90kg. I am certain their exposure to the gas must have long term health effects. Some wore a gas mask of sorts but most removed it for the return climb, struggling to breath hard through the fitted mask.

Our decision to turn back early was fortuitous, as soon as we reached the crater rim the wind had turned and the toxic smoke had engulfed the entire crater including anyone still trekking back up the path. The beautiful sight in the crater vanished. 

The daylight revealed a rather foreboding sign which we had unknowingly wondered past in the dark at the crater rim. We kept moving retreating down and round the path to escape the gas cloud and made our way back to the car park.

I think anyone considering this trek should do some research into the effects of the sulphur dioxide, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory issues. I was disappointed to see children being lead down into the crater although I suspect their parents were unaware of the danger. The guides are very reassuring that there is no risk but I think they are also unaware. As with any volcano there is also the unlikely scenario that it might erupt whilst you are inside. This being said even the trek to the crater rim is extremely worthwhile and you can decide if, and how far, to descend based on conditions as we did. Below is a distant volcano.

The drive back to the hotel was more fun now that we could see the beautiful rain forest and the giant ferns, we even stopped for a photo opportunity. Back at the hotel we had breakfast, showered and packed up ready for our 5 hour drive to the Bromo area.

On route the rain started and we saw many locals working away in the rice paddies and school children splashing in the new puddles that formed. The roads here were pretty poor and driving seemed to consist of either standing still in jams or hurdling forward at 100km an hour, quite often on the wrong side of the road. We eventually started our climb up the steep road to Bromo. This area was really stunning, the steep valley sides were lined with farmed fields and rickety huts clung to the hill sides with no apparent way to access them easily.

We were checked in at Cafe lava, around 2000m up the mountain side around 5pm in time for an early dinner and an early night before a 2 am start. Again we climbed aboard a 4 wheel drive, this time for a fantastic drive across the sea of sand. We could later see this was essentially the base of a volcanic caldera. This time there were many other jeeps and a little competition seemed to be happening.  Our driver raced over the bumpy sand trying to find a route to cut off the other drivers, it was all pretty fun.  We found the mountain busy and had to park on the steep road side. After a short walk to the viewpoint we managed to squeeze into the front row. Our prime position was thanks to a shallow puddle which everyone else was avoiding due to their inadequate footwear. We then realised we had two hours to wait for sunrise so we bounced around trying to keep warm and taking photos of the disappearing moon. 

When the sun eventually crept up we realised we were high on the rim of the enormous Tengger caldera looking down to its center. A steady stream of smoke bellowed from the blown off crater of Mount Bromo and we were stunned by the beautiful scenery that had been hiding in the dark for 2 hours.

Below, Bromo is in the front left of the photo billowing smoke and greyish in colour, Mount Semeru is at the back of the photo, Java's highest mountain.

After sufficient photo taking we squeezed out through the crowds to let others in.  Returning to the jeep the driver had to expertly squeeze it through the miles of additional jeeps that had parked up since ours. All the time mopeds with tourists on the back squeezed through any tiny space around us, everyone wanting to get ahead.

After another thrilling race along the sea of sand we parked near the base of Bromo. Many people opted to ride a horse to the base, but we made the 45 minute walk on foot.  The whole area was soft black volcanic sand. 250 steps completed the ascent to the Bromo crater. Up close it was very impressive.  The base of the crater was far below and smoke bellowed from it's centre like a snoozing giant. It is in fact only snoozing, it last erupted in 2011.

We continued round the rim on the soft black sand. The valley floor below looked flat and vast and small dunes lined the edged of the caldera. Contrasting with the lush green hills on the outskirts you can see why this is considered Indonesia's most beautiful volcano.

Eventually it was time to retreat and get back in the Jeep.  Breakfast,  shower and checkout were followed by a 4 hour drive back to Surabaya airport a good 5 and a half hours before our flight. I am using the time to write this, there is little else to do at this airport!

So often over the last year I return from holiday feeling very blessed and contemplative about these amazing experiences. The poverty of Asia contrasting with the extreme beauty and cultural experiences always leaves me feeling this way.  Of course I can never fully understand what living this these places is like, I can only view this world with my own eyes and understanding . This is most definitely a positive feeling for me, I only hope it is one that never leaves me.  I hope to never take these experiences for granted. And as for the morning after, well I am filled with that magical power that the mountains always instill in me, for me mountains are like a drug to which I am addicted.

Bollywood Veggies

I recently went on a trip to Singapore's wild wild west as they call it. For someone born in rural Scotland this is stretching it a bit but in Singapore terms it's probably as wild as it gets, other than the zoo perhaps! We dropped in for a tour round Bollywood Veggies, an educational farm and restaurant.

This farm is run by Ivy Singh and her husband Lim Ho Seng. It was established in the year 2000, after the death of a close friend made them re-evaluate their retirement plans. All set to leave Singapore for the golf and space of western Australia their plans changed when they chanced upon the opportunity to get into farming. Ivy has campaigned for many cause and it took her 5 years to get the necessary legislative changes in place to allow her to open up Poison Ivy, the onsite restaurant.

We were taken on a tour round the farm by 'Uncle Tony' who assured us as we were an adult tour we could perhaps call him just Tony. He is quite a character and very entertaining. 

He showed us quite a few plants I hadn't seen before. Who knew that the cashew tree not only produces nuts but also an 'apple'. In fact the internet now tells me that the cashew nut we eat is actually the kernel from inside a nut which is attached to the outside of a fruit, that is a mind twister - is it even a nut at all?

And the reason rice can grow in water is that it's roots have air spaces which allow it them to circulate air and it is capable of absorbing oxygen through the stems. This also got me googling and establishing that mangroves absorb air by sticking roots up above the water like snorkels, this blog post really is proving educational!

The farm was buzzing with wild life and I loved all the hand painted signs telling you what the plants were and warning us about ant crossings.

This farm is organic and sustainable, the items grown here are used in the restaurants and any excess can be brought from the shop there. At Bollywood they believe that going back to nature is the future.

Home

On her recent visit to Singapore my Mum asked me where 'home' was for me. It's an interesting question, from birth to the age of 11 my family moved around a lot. For the 18 years that followed I was pretty much settled in north east Scotland and this is where my family remain. So this seems the obvious answer. It is however strange going back there, it always feels like a lot has happened since I really called it home, like I have changed and it hasn't. Then there is London, where we set up home for a little over two years before relocating out to Singapore and a couple of weeks ago I flew back there for the first time in nearly a year.

I have never been in any particular hurry to go back but with the second leg of a return flight hanging it was a 'use it or loose it' situation. So, why not come back and make a holiday of it. It's a strange experience coming back to a place that feels familiar yet not so familiar. I couldn't quite get over the fact its warmer inside than out, that I needed to stand on the right of the escalators instead of the left and that everyone was in such a rush.

Perhaps it's not fair to compare London to Singapore. The shiny, clean MRT of Singapore is modern, the London underground was built in the 1860's when Singapore was just establishing itself. The London underground is small and cramped but so full of history and character. I had also forgot about the sprawling size of London. In Singapore ou can can easily walk one MRT stop but when I took this approach in London I found myself walking and walking and walking.........and stumbling across green park!

 I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum and looked in awe at the shear size, variety and quite simply huge artefacts!

After a fun couple of weeks in the UK, taking in some visits to North Devon and Wales I returned once again to Singapore. The truth is, this did feel like coming home. Surrounded by my things, the familiar ways that I fell back into and even that familiar smell of a place that you know is home. So I guess my answer is, as it always has been, home is where my stuff and my husband are!

Remembering Lee Kuan Yew

On March 23rd 2015 modern Singapore lost its founding father. The week that followed saw an out pouring of grief, respect and stories of how Lee Kuan Yew had personally helped build the nation. Within hours newspapers were printed in dedication to him, exhibitions and memorials sprung up and social media was buzzing with the hashtag rememberingleekuanyew.  Almost 450,000 people paid their respects whilst his body was lying in state at Parliament House, many queuing for 8-9 hours to do so. This prompt, organised and respectful response was perhaps testament to the modern Singapore that Lee had helped build, a nation that is always prepared.

 Lee was born in Singapore on September 16th 1923. The eldest of five Lee was a top student from his early days, topping his class at the Raffles Institution. This was the top school in the country and he went on not only top his class but also all the students in Singapore and Malaya. He had hoped to go to London to study law but when the war started in Europe in 1939 he was forced to postpone this dream. Instead he took a place at Raffles College where he studied English, Mathematics and economics.  This is where he met Kwa Geok Choo, also a top student at Raffles College. Although three years his senior she was an academic rival to Lee as they both contended for the Queen’s scholarship for further studies in Britain. Their rivalry was interrupted when Japan invaded and occupied Singapore in 1942. During this time Lee narrowly escaped being killed when the Japanese carried out sook ching (purge by cleansing) which took the lives of many Chinese. In later years Lee described how he had never planned to get into politics. The Japanese occupation brought politics to him, it made him realise that Singaporeans needed to take their fate into their own hands.

After World War II Lee followed through with his dream and moved to Britain instead of returning to Raffles College. Studying Law at the University of Cambridge he graduated with a Double First and received the only star for distinction in his year. During this time his former rival and now girlfriend, Kwa Geok Choo, won the Queen’s scholarship and she also graduated with a First in Law from Girton College in Cambridge.  The couple later married and raised three children together.

In 1950 Lee was called to the Bar and he returned to Singapore to work as a Lawyer. His legal work resulted in him gaining respect from the Chinese-educated and in 1954 he helped found the People’s Action Party (PAP). Their aim was to fight for independence. In a new Legislative Assembly in 1955 Lee was elected to represent Tanjong Pagar. Excelling in debates he emerged as a natural leader of the anti-colonial movement. Finally in 1959, at the age of 35, Lee became the first Prime Minister of a self-governing Singapore. This, in many respects, was just the beginning.

There was widespread fear that an independent Singapore could not survive, with its small land mass and no natural resources. For this reason Lee and the PAP fought hard for a merger with Malaya. This came to fruition in 1963 when Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak merged into a new country known as Malaysia. Sadly, or perhaps fortuitously, this merger did not last and Malaysia ejected Singapore in 1965. This was devastating for Lee and he famously shed a tear as he addressed the nation on television.

Faced with a new independent country Lee and he cabinet set about transforming Singapore from a developing country into one of Asia’s most prosperous. They identified five key areas for development: Stability, education, attracting investment, improving living standards and ensuring safety. They setup the Housing Development Board, demolished slums, and created the opportunity for Singaporeans to own their own home. The belief was that for Singaporeans to be dedicated and committed to their own country they needed to have real investment in it. The PAP ensured British military support could remain until they established defences in the form of national service.  English was adopted as the country’s working language, setting the stage for international business. Lee showed his stubborn side on many occasions such as in the case of Changi airport. Despite many independent surveys recommending the expansion of the Paya Lebar Airport, Lee was determined to go against the plan. He refused to saddle modern Singapore with a lifetime of aircraft noise and instead pushed forward with the huge task of developing Changi airport. An airport that has gone on to win an accolade of awards of the years, including worlds best airport 2015. Lee was always forward thinking and in 1987 he spoke about the desire to build a city water reservoir across the mouth of the marina channel. In October 2008, 21 years after Lee first voiced the idea, the Marina Reservoir officially opened. The low level dam has the ability to collect water across a 10,000 hectare catchment,which along with 14 other reservoirs, allows Singapore to hold an independent water supply. 

Lee made early preparations for his replacement and when he stepped down 1990 he was the world’s longest serving prime minister. Goh Chok Tong took over and Lee remained on the cabinet as senior minister. When his son Lee Hsien Loong took over as prime minister in 2004 he moved position again to minister mentor. It was only in 2011, at the age of 87, that Lee stepped down from the cabinet altogether, although he continued to serve as a member of parliament for Tanjong Pagar.

Lee Kuan Yew must have been incredibly proud of Singapore reaching the grand old age of 50 and it seems fitting that I end this article not with my words, but instead with his.

“In the end, my greatest satisfaction in life comes from the fact that I have spent years gathering support, mustering the will to make the place meritocratic, corruption-free and equal for all races – and that it will endure beyond me, as it has.” 

Geo|Graphic

When you want to find out more about Singapore history looking at old maps may not immediately spring to mind. However, maps can be a very important window into the past. Not only do they show how this part of the world was seen but also how it was perceived by the explorers and map makers of the time. This is the aim of Geo|Graphic, a collaborative project being run by the National Library Board, NUM Museum and the National Archives.

Inside the National Library this exhibition is spread over a number of floors in the building. On the first floor, where you enter the building, you can see Singapore’s first full scale topographical map. It was issued in 1924 and came in 16 pieces. This map shows the natural features at that time, such as swamps, rivers and corals as well as places of worship, railway and telephone lines, buildings and bridges. Also displayed here is the first coloured map that was made after Singapore received its ‘City’ status in 1951.

Land of Gold and Spices – Level 10

This exhibition looks at how the Europeans mapped South East Asia between the 15th and the 19th century. The first of these are maps based on geography, the Greek astronomer responsible for these referred to South East Asia as ‘India beyond the Ganges’. This was a land where gold, silver, spices and other riches were abundant.

One highlight are some pre-1800 maps which contains names such as Cinca pula, Cingatola and Sincapura, could these names refer to Singapore? Other maps refer to Singapore as Old Strieghts of Sincapura, Iantana, Paulau Panjang and Sincapour. Whatever the name used for this island these maps show evidence of life and perhaps even maritime trade existing before the arrival of Raffles in 1819.

There are also rare maps on display here which are on loan from European libraries, the first time they have been on display in Singapore.

Island of Stories – Level 11

This exhibition shows the development of Singapore from a small port settlement to the busy city it is today. Here the maps tell stories of the country’s history. British army intelligence maps show the location and movement of the British and Japanese forces during the Second World War. Maps of the harbour show the planned improvement works as Singapore developed as a major international port during the early 20th century. Aerial photographs from 1947 capture areas identified under the ‘Grow More Food’ campaign as the British administrators ensured there was enough food for the growing settlement. The expansion of the coastline can be seen in the maps from 1960 onwards, when land reclamation has a dramatic effect on the shape of the island. Also during this time major changes started to take place to the transport networks.

After gaining independence in 1965 Singapore embarked on a major urban planning exercise. Between 1967 and 1971 concept plans were developed that would alter the future of Singapore forever. All 13 of these plans are on display and are a rare insight into how different Singapore could have been.

This is a really enjoyable exhibition, an insight into Singapore's past from a new perspective. I have always been a lover of maps and for me not only are these maps pieces of history but they are also hand drawn works of art.