Thanks for checking out the SpinFirst.com Travel Blog. I'm here to help you find out more about traveling your world, and inspire you to travel, too! Please check out my new book: Around The World In Eighteen Days: A fresh look at some of the world's most exciting destinations. Click here to check it out...
A selection of snaps from our recent Round the World Spin. Check out the gallery by clicking above and don't miss the destination travel blogs: Hong Kong, Singapore, Cairo and Istanbul!
Well, what a trip! Nine countries. Eleven airports. Nine train stations. Eighteen days. Paris, the perfect bookend to a wonderful spin around the world! Read all about it, After an exhilarating stay in London, the final report from Paris posted in 96 Hours across Europe by train. Rail Europe
Read all the destination blogs here...
APRIL 29 - 48 Hours in Hong Kong
MAY 1 - 48 Hours in Singapore
MAY 4 - 48 Hours in Cairo
MAY 8 - 48 Hours in Istanbul
MAY 14 - Final stops on the world tour! 96 hours Across Europe by Train
MAY 10, 2010 - Zurich - Paris - Bruges
I'm pleased to have posted the latest phase of this trip here: 96 Hours Across Europe by Train. Tonight: Bruges, Tomorrow: London. More pictures and travel notes soon!
MAY 9, 2010 - Venice
After four excellent stops, in Hong Kong, Singapore, Cairo and Istanbul, I touched down at San Marco Airport in Venice this morning to begin the second phase of my SpinFirst.com Around the World Spin! From here, I'm taking the train via Zurich, Bruges/Brussels to London with a final stop in Paris. 96 hours...
This is a different trip style, with less time at each destination, just stopovers along the way. As I've already discovered in Venice, you could take a long time to explore this place, but I have to stay focused, I have a train to catch tomorrow!
Venice at night from Ponti d' Accademia; view from room 301, Hotel American Dinesen.
MAY 5, 2010 - Istanbul.
I think I'm onto a winner here. My hotel's location (Lady Diana Hotel, Sultanhmet) is in the middle of the oldest part of the town. From the hotel's rooftop terrace is a perfect panorama over the incredible rooftops and minarets of the old city, reaching the shore of the sea of Maramara, which winds its way eventually to the Mediterranean. I can see the skyscrapers of modern Instanbul over on the Asian side of the Bosphorus River. I'll take a wander down the shore there tomorrow. The streets all around me are buzzing with markets, shopping and the incredible Grand Bazaar, I just scraped the surface of it today, it's overwhelming and will take a few visits to find my way around it.
The rooftop terrace view is priceless, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and myriad other mosques as far as the eye can see. I need to pace myself, my legs have been hurting all day, I think the after effects of entering two pyramids yesterday, the steep ascent/descent while crouched over works muscles I never knew I had, and apparently they need work.
More tomorrow.
MAY 5, 2010 - En Route to Istanbul.
Cairo is fantastic. It's an amazing change, from the glitz and sophistication of Asia, but it is unique and incredible. You can read the full article 48 hours in Cairo here. Next stop Istanbul. I really hope I don't buy a carpet, it's not in my budget!
Bit of a flights hiccup at the airport, had to buy a new ticket. Odd, but not entirely surprising. Nice to be able to call your travel agent and friends late at night where they are and get help (Thanks Steve!). What would I do without the iPhone?! See you in Istanbul.
MAY 2, 2010 - En Route to Cairo.
With such an exciting itinerary, I am obviously looking forward to my next stop, Cairo. But Singapore has grabbed me. My time here, while short, has been just about perfect, and I am sorry to leave it behind.
MAY 1, 2010 - Singapore.
Coming to Singapore after Hong Kong is like arriving at Disneyland after driving through Los Angeles -- it's clean, precise, perfect and a breath of fresh, if humid, air. That's not really a fair comparison, it's just such a dramatic contrast from the incredible scale and concentration of humanity in Hong Kong to the bright and colorful, serenely laid out beautiful Singapore.
Singapore is an Asian treasure with surprising diversity. I mention surprising because, as stated earlier, I arrived here from Hong Kong, and if there was ever a metaphor for diversity, Hong Kong is it. But within a few minutes of walking through Singapore City, I came across more variety of international cuisines than anywhere I've experienced before. Pan-Asian, European, American, British, Turkish, Arabic and countless more... Read the full article: '48 hours in Singapore.'
View from the 17th floor, Marina Mandarin, Singapore
ON THE GROUND IN HONG KONG: Wednesday April 28, 10:00 P.M.
Read the '48 Hours in Hong Kong' article here...
I lost a day somewhere there. There's a number of good inexpensive options to get from the airport to central Hong Kong, I opted for the MTL Airport Express train, efficient, costs $100 HKD and comfortable. I also opted to walk from Hong Kong Central Station, see a bit of the city en-route to my hotel (Courtyard Marriott, Connaught Road West). It was a bit of a hike in hot humid conditions, but the hotel is excellent, exactly what I needed. Hong Kong-style Seafood Curry for dinner. Turning in early for a big day of sightseeing tomorrow. Hong Kong is busy, a bit dirty, but magic. The sheer scale of this place -- and I've only seen limited views from the Western section so far -- is awesome. Hope I can find all the fun views I'm looking for!
View from 28th Floor, Courtyard Marriott, Hong Kong.
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