TRAVEL

Watching the
world go by
On a nostalgic cruise from Singapore to Australia,
its as good to travel in bygone style as it is to arrive
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS LISA YOUNG

ARTING
between
S i n g a p o r e s
modern
city skyscrapers in the
busy afternoon traffic, I
remember the words on
my ticket, Please board on
time or the ship will sail without you!
Im en route to embark on a nine-day
voyage from the cosmopolitan city of
Singapore, via exotic Bali and onwards
to the beautiful white sand beaches of
Fremantle in Western Australia.
Singapore is a melting pot of culture
and history, and where the worlds
hard-core shoppers come to splash
their cash on fashion, jewellery and fine
food. I had spent the day delving into
the cornucopia of treats that Singapore
has to offer. At the famous Raffles
Hotel, also known as the Grand Dame
of Singapore, I sampled the secret
ingredients of their legendary cocktail,
the Singapore Sling, and then visited
the spectacular botanical gardens
which were full of blooming orchids.
In her bygone splendour, the MS
Astor departs along the Singapore
Strait under cover of darkness, bound
for the pristine shores of Fremantle.
Flanked by endless ocean, we sail at an
average of 14.5 knots, while watching
Singapores lights fade to black, and
counting down the 1,010 nautical miles
it takes to reach Bali, my first port of
call.
Most passengers had boarded
the ship at the start of the cruise in
northern Italy, before sailing through
the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, Sri
Lanka and Thailand. The ship attracts
many Australians, who help achieve a
relaxed mood, although there were a
few disgruntled faces when the ship
ran short of Vegemite and Australian
beer.
The Astor is a classic cruise liner
which manages to offer an authentic
experience, evoking nostalgia for
the halcyon days of trans-Pacific sea
crossings. With her seven decks and
weighing 21,000 tons, she carries up
to 600 souls. She is an intimate ship,
where you are known by your name,
not your cabin number, and her recent

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14 million refurbishment is reflected

in the classy finish of the cabins and
facilities.
Daily newsletters and Tannoy
announcements keep passengers
updated about multiple activities on
board and we spend our time soaking
up the sun by the outdoor pool, turning
our focus to art classes, or playing
tennis on an open-air court.
The ship does not have a casino, but
passengers keep themselves busy with
shuffle board, zumba, learning how to
mix the perfect cocktail, quizzes and
bingo. My early mornings are spent
bent double in yoga classes, or working
up a sweat in the air-conditioned gym,
followed by a relaxing stint in the spa.
The ship has two restaurants: the
stylish la carte Waldorf restaurant,
and the open-seated Ubersee Club,
where a large hot and cold buffet is
laid out. The quality is good enough for
me to forgive the occasionally repetitive
menu.
Evenings are centred around the
Astor Lounge, where the cabaret never
fails to entertain, despite the ceilings
being too low for the famous finale lift
in Dirty Dancing.
The place to be late in the evening
is the Hanse bar on the al fresco
Boots deck, where cocktails flow and
passengers dance into the wee hours;
some even stay until sunrise.

My suite, conveniently situated at the

heart of the ship, lacks a balcony but
is fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows
that offer stunning ocean views. The
wardrobe is spacious and amply
accommodates my belongings. The
bathroom, although small, has a walkin shower and all the essentials.
While we sleep, the ship crosses the
Java Sea and we wake to find ourselves
in Benoa Harbour on the east coast of
Bali. Known as The Island of the Gods,
Bali is hot and crowded, yet beautiful.
Ship excursions depart on tours taking
in the islands varied landscape.

There are idyllic beaches, simmering

volcanoes and delicious food, but its
the warmth of the people that makes
it so easy to fall in love with Bali. Some
passengers haggle over taxi prices into
Kuta, the main shopping area six miles
from the harbour, where the streets are
mostly lined with small shops selling
souvenirs and knock-off DVDs, bags
and watches.
We leave for Australia as the sunset
douses Bali in a deep orange glow.
From the deck I see fishermen in small
colourful wooden boats bobbing about
on the water. Its a beautiful departure.

25 October, 2015 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY

Do Not disturb

THE KNIGHT RESIDENCE,

EDINBURGH

fact file
The next Cruise and Maritime cruise
from London Tilbury to Fremantle, Australia,
(taking an alternative route to that above)
sails on 16 October next year, from
4,259pp.
The cruise takes 54 nights, stops at
Funchal (Madeira), St Johns (Antigua),
Castries (St Lucia), Bridgetown (Barbados),
Acapulco (Mexico), Nuku Hiva (Marquesas
Islands, French Polynesia), Papeete
(Tahiti, French Polynesia), Moorea (French
Polynesia), Auckland (New Zealand), Sydney,
Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Fremantle
(Australia).
www.cruiseandmaritime.com
(0844 414 6185)
Tourism Western Australia: For
general travel information visit
www.westernaustralia.com

SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 25 October, 2015

With four days of sailing ahead I

wallow in the vast expanse of the ocean,
soaking up the sun and fresh sea air.
Some nights I settle in a deckchair on
the top deck waiting for the moon and
bright stars to fill the sky and bring a
soft light to the dark ocean.
Excitement gathers as we near the
equator, and congregate on deck to
raise a celebratory glass. We cross into
Australian waters and just 26 miles
from shore slowly glide past Australias
North West Cape and along the west
coast until I finally spot birds flying
overhead and make out a slither of land
on the horizon.
When we enter Fremantle Harbour,
we pass a never-ending convoy of
cargo ships carrying valuable minerals
excavated from the prosperous mines
of Western Australian, most destined
for China.
After docking alongside the Maritime
Museum on Victoria Quay, 13 miles
from the bustling streets of downtown
Perth, and under a blue sky and warm
sun, I disembark.
For a chance to visit a host of exotic
locations with little effort, travel in
comfort and with an opportunity to
learn new skills, eat great food and
be entertained along the way, the MS
Astor is surely the most gracious way
to reach Australia.

WORTH GETTING OUT OF BED FOR

Just a hop, skip and a jump out
of the door and you are in the
Grassmarket, making the hotel a
perfect base for exploring the Old
Town. Edinburgh Castle looms large
over the skyline but there are also
the bars of Lothian Road, as well as
a plethora of restaurants, cinemas
and theatres nearby to keep all ages
entertained. The friendly concierge
is on duty until 11pm each night
and has recommendations on where
to go for dinner, or maps to help
explore the city the next day.
LITTLE EXTRAS
The room even came with a canvas
bag for your shopping, with a
note to remind out-of-towners
that it costs 5p for a carrier bag
in Scotland. I was also impressed
by the green initiatives in place,
including eco-friendly settings
for lights and recycling facilities.
The living room has an array of
DVDs.
GUEST BOOK COMMENTS
A little pocket of calm within the
buzz of the city, which is friendly
enough to make you feel right at
home.
Lizzy Buchan
Studio apartments start at 79 per night this
winter and two-bedroom apartments from
113. Readers can also use the special offer
code SOS at www.theknightresidence.co.uk to
save a further 10 per cent on these rates.
The Knight Residence, 12 Lauriston Street,
Edinburgh EH3 9DJ.
info@theknightresidence.co.uk
0131-622 8120

Spectrum

DIFFERENT STROKES Clockwise from above:

the swimming pool on the cruise liner MS Astor;
Fremantles Cappuccino Strip of coffee shops; the
ship has seven decks and carries 600 passengers

R E A S O NA B LY
new
contender on the capitals
bustling aparthotel scene,
the Knight Residence
by Mansley Serviced
Apartments is already
making quite a name for itself by
notching up a string of accolades.
High-end lifestyle magazine LUX
crowned its accommodation the
best serviced apartments in the
world. The Mansley Group, which
has apartments in Londons Mayfair
and Kensington, snapped up the
property earlier this year as part of an
expansion in Scotland that also took
in No 103 By The Bridge in Inverness.
Tucked away from the bustle of
Lothian Road, but within striking
distance of Edinburgh Castle, the airy
flats of the Knight Residence provide
a welcome escape after a long day
exploring the city. Although it was
quite rowdy on the streets outside as
everyone gathered for a night on the
town, once inside you could barely
hear the thrum of city life.
BUDGET OR BOUTIQUE?
The Knight Residence is probably
somewhere in between, offering
a slick functionality that feels
luxurious. The clever people behind
these self-contained residences have
thought of everything you could
possibly want, so there is no need to
dash out for toothpaste or anything
else you may have forgotten.
ROOM SERVICE
The 28-bed complex ranges from
cosy one-bed studios to luxury
three-bed apartments that each
come with a kitchen, dining room
and living room, as well as a
spacious bathroom complete with
honey-scented bubble bath and
hair products. There is a washing
machine and a dryer in each
apartment to ensure your clothes
are kept in tip-top condition for
your stay. My two-bedroom flat was
spacious enough to run around in,
while somehow managing to be
cosy and airy at the same time. The
bedrooms are all equipped with flatscreen TVs and comfortable queenor king-sized beds in the main
bedroom, with twin beds in some of
the additional rooms. The sizeable
living room was a comfortable place
to kick back with a glass of wine
and to watch the sunset out of the
floor to ceiling windows.
WINING AND DINING
The fully serviced kitchen has
everything you could possibly need
to whip up a feast. A little basket
containing cereal, orange juice
and other breakfast materials is on
hand, as well as milk, bread and
butter to ensure even the laziest
people have something to eat. If you
want to save some money by eating
in or flex your culinary muscles
then you can do so in comfort and
style, which might be of benefit to
families in the capital for a longer
stay or business people who want to
entertain.

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