For those who love to travel alone

travelherethere

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
8
Which other options do you have for transits? I find Istanbul more interesting compared to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. If you flew Turkish and have a long layover, there are free tours and even hotel stay.
I'm thinking of Sg to Milan on Etihad, so as to transit in Abu Dhabi. The Ferrari world rollercoaster is on my checklist so this will cover it. Should have free shuttle to Yas World with correct hotel.

Return possibly Zurich/Geneva to Sg via Turkish. This would give the transit in Instanbul. I remember reading a few months back that the free tours or hotel stay is not applicable for flights originating from Singapore, but not sure if it's changed. Ok to go Instanbul, just not sure what to do there as I like theme parks 😅
 

dilphinus

Banned
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
28,130
Reaction score
2,331
I'm thinking of Sg to Milan on Etihad, so as to transit in Abu Dhabi. The Ferrari world rollercoaster is on my checklist so this will cover it. Should have free shuttle to Yas World with correct hotel.

Return possibly Zurich/Geneva to Sg via Turkish. This would give the transit in Instanbul. I remember reading a few months back that the free tours or hotel stay is not applicable for flights originating from Singapore, but not sure if it's changed. Ok to go Instanbul, just not sure what to do there as I like theme parks 😅
unless you have a lot of cash to burn, this is not feasible. You are doing one way on Etihad and one way on Turkish Airlines. Have you checked the fares? They aren't partners and there's no special fares for this kind of airlines combination.
 

dilphinus

Banned
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
28,130
Reaction score
2,331
middle east is not female-friendly. be traditional even in Dubai/Abu Dhabi.
how not female friendly is it?

your views on the Middle East seems pretty outdated.

i have a handful of female friends working and living in the Middle East. and I've been in the Middle East in the last 2 weeks. i didn't face any inconvenience nor discrimination as a female. Taxi drivers were happy to take me. Cafes and restaurants were happy for me to patronize them. Store keeps were happy to invite me into their stores. How female unfriendly is that?
 

fr33d0m

Master Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
3,154
Reaction score
478
how not female friendly is it?

your views on the Middle East seems pretty outdated.

i have a handful of female friends working and living in the Middle East. and I've been in the Middle East in the last 2 weeks. i didn't face any inconvenience nor discrimination as a female. Taxi drivers were happy to take me. Cafes and restaurants were happy for me to patronize them. Store keeps were happy to invite me into their stores. How female unfriendly is that?

Many are very particular about how female dresses/behaves.

It really depends on how you react to judgement by others.
 

travelherethere

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
8
unless you have a lot of cash to burn, this is not feasible. You are doing one way on Etihad and one way on Turkish Airlines. Have you checked the fares? They aren't partners and there's no special fares for this kind of airlines combination.
Hmm when I checked a few months back, it was about <1k return from sg to Europe, on either Etihad or Turkish. But dunno if things has changed recently. I would already burn 1.2k on the 3D2N Abu Dhabi trip so just seeing this as the cost of the one way ticket from Europe back to Sg if doing as a transit instead.

This will shift the entire trip to next year since I can't take long leaves at work now. Not sure if it's ideal to go Europe with the Paris Olympics next year. Still... better to have this problem than can't travel at all during Covid 😅
 

dilphinus

Banned
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
28,130
Reaction score
2,331
Many are very particular about how female dresses/behaves.

It really depends on how you react to judgement by others.
just becos it's not recommended for females to wear skin tight clothes, short shorts and tank tops, the Middle East is considered not female friendly? do you see men wearing singlets and shorts in the Middle East?

and what kind of behaviour?
 

dilphinus

Banned
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
28,130
Reaction score
2,331
Hmm when I checked a few months back, it was about <1k return from sg to Europe, on either Etihad or Turkish. But dunno if things has changed recently. I would already burn 1.2k on the 3D2N Abu Dhabi trip so just seeing this as the cost of the one way ticket from Europe back to Sg if doing as a transit instead.

This will shift the entire trip to next year since I can't take long leaves at work now. Not sure if it's ideal to go Europe with the Paris Olympics next year. Still... better to have this problem than can't travel at all during Covid 😅
you misinterpret my comment. there are special fares if you do both ways on the same/partner airline(s).

There is no special fare if you do a one way on Etihad and the return on Turkish. So your plan of going on Etihad with a stop in Abu Dhabi and the return on Turkish with a stop in Istanbul will be 'expensive'.

I'm thinking of Sg to Milan on Etihad, so as to transit in Abu Dhabi. The Ferrari world rollercoaster is on my checklist so this will cover it. Should have free shuttle to Yas World with correct hotel.

Return possibly Zurich/Geneva to Sg via Turkish. This would give the transit in Instanbul. I remember reading a few months back that the free tours or hotel stay is not applicable for flights originating from Singapore, but not sure if it's changed. Ok to go Instanbul, just not sure what to do there as I like theme parks 😅
 

travelherethere

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
8
you misinterpret my comment. there are special fares if you do both ways on the same/partner airline(s).

There is no special fare if you do a one way on Etihad and the return on Turkish. So your plan of going on Etihad with a stop in Abu Dhabi and the return on Turkish with a stop in Istanbul will be 'expensive'.
Thanks for taking the time to clarify dilphinus, appreciated! :)
 

dilphinus

Banned
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
28,130
Reaction score
2,331
Many are very particular about how female dresses/behaves.

It really depends on how you react to judgement by others.
No judgement on how men wear and men don’t wear singlets and shorts normally in the public anyway, even in Singapore. Or in another way, men can wear the same as in Singapore without worries.

for female, it is advisable to cover enough or attract unwanted attention in the Middle East, UAE/Qatar included.

As for behaviour, why don’t you try the same as you do in Singapore?
I behave the same in Singapore and in overseas. Duh :rolleyes:

You were the one who said 'Many are very particular about how female dresses/behaves.' I don't know so I'm asking you. And you are asking me instead? Lmao.

Obviously when one goes swimming, he/she wears a bathing suit and when one goes a religious instituition, this person will dress appropriately.

Indonesia is probably more conservative and discriminate women too. So you also discourage female travellers to Indonesia?

So what's your opinion of the Middle East being female unfriendly again?
 
Last edited:

belgarathc

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
Messages
1,644
Reaction score
136
I'm thinking of Sg to Milan on Etihad, so as to transit in Abu Dhabi. The Ferrari world rollercoaster is on my checklist so this will cover it. Should have free shuttle to Yas World with correct hotel.
Return possibly Zurich/Geneva to Sg via Turkish. This would give the transit in Instanbul. I remember reading a few months back that the free tours or hotel stay is not applicable for flights originating from Singapore, but not sure if it's changed. Ok to go Instanbul, just not sure what to do there as I like theme parks
1f605.png
Theme parks! That sounds interesting. What are some unique theme parks you have been to or intend to visit? I think I have only been to only rather standard amusement parks with thrill rides.
 

belgarathc

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
Messages
1,644
Reaction score
136
Tivoli is pretty interesting! I was there the week before!
I read your thread on the Scandinavian countries you visited. Still waiting for you to complete them as I do travel a fair bit in the region. Would love to read your take on the places. :) And yes, I have been to Tivoli. Also Bakken which is supposedly the oldest amusement park in the world. But you are right, Tivoli is nicer with a better atmosphere and also a lot of history.
 

dilphinus

Banned
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
28,130
Reaction score
2,331
I read your thread on the Scandinavian countries you visited. Still waiting for you to complete them as I do travel a fair bit in the region. Would love to read your take on the places. :) And yes, I have been to Tivoli. Also Bakken which is supposedly the oldest amusement park in the world. But you are right, Tivoli is nicer with a better atmosphere and also a lot of history.
I got lazy. Too many photos to process. Currently am on a cruise along the Norwegian coast!
 

travelherethere

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
8
Theme parks! That sounds interesting. What are some unique theme parks you have been to or intend to visit? I think I have only been to only rather standard amusement parks with thrill rides.
Yes! My most memorable was a solo trip to Orlando a few years back just for Disney World parks and Universal Studios there. Stayed at the Disney Sports themed hotel and it was really like being in a Disney safe bubble throughout. Memorable because the day I checked out, there was a huge hurricane incoming and the Disney check in were full of Florida residents trying to check in to hunker in because the Disney resorts were apparently built to withstand strong hurricanes. Really lucky because if I had stayed one day later, I would have been stuck there through the hurricane!

But prefer Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea though to the original Disney World parks. The rides are newer and the palace looks more up to date but that was a few years back, heard the new GoTG ride is fun.

For thrills, Fuji-Q is a must-go! Must do the Eejaanaika rollercoaster, which is one of the four major coasters there. It is complete nuts, your seat rotates left and right on top of the rollercoaster normal loops. Felt like being in a car crash. Very popular though, go early to avoid long queues.

The theme parks in Scandi is very meh so can skip but if in Stockholm, highly recommend the Vasa Museum. The shipwreck is completely preserved and can walk through the inner decks.

Hopefully can ride the Ferrari World rollercoaster this year or next, it's supposedly the world'd fastest!

Edit: Do you have any theme parks that you liked particularly? You sound very well-traveled! :)
 

vuzuuu

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
939
Reaction score
24
I am thinking to travel or backpack alone to nearby country or small island with less crowd.
Is there any islands around Malaysia with less crowd?
 

belgarathc

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
Messages
1,644
Reaction score
136
Yes! My most memorable was a solo trip to Orlando a few years back just for Disney World parks and Universal Studios there. Stayed at the Disney Sports themed hotel and it was really like being in a Disney safe bubble throughout. Memorable because the day I checked out, there was a huge hurricane incoming and the Disney check in were full of Florida residents trying to check in to hunker in because the Disney resorts were apparently built to withstand strong hurricanes. Really lucky because if I had stayed one day later, I would have been stuck there through the hurricane!
But prefer Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea though to the original Disney World parks. The rides are newer and the palace looks more up to date but that was a few years back, heard the new GoTG ride is fun.
For thrills, Fuji-Q is a must-go! Must do the Eejaanaika rollercoaster, which is one of the four major coasters there. It is complete nuts, your seat rotates left and right on top of the rollercoaster normal loops. Felt like being in a car crash. Very popular though, go early to avoid long queues.
The theme parks in Scandi is very meh so can skip but if in Stockholm, highly recommend the Vasa Museum. The shipwreck is completely preserved and can walk through the inner decks.
Hopefully can ride the Ferrari World rollercoaster this year or next, it's supposedly the world'd fastest!
Edit: Do you have any theme parks that you liked particularly? You sound very well-traveled!
:)
You seem like a thrill seeker! Well, there is Legoland in Billund but it is probably more family oriented. There are also many "thrill rides" which are more built into the surrounding landscapes like bungee jumping, canyon swing, sky diving, zip lines. Mostly I prefer experiences that are more "hands on" like snow mobiling in snowy landscapes, mountain hikes, motorbiking or cycling long distances and even joining overseas running events which are popular among many Singaporeans too.
 

travelherethere

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
8
You seem like a thrill seeker! Well, there is Legoland in Billund but it is probably more family oriented. There are also many "thrill rides" which are more built into the surrounding landscapes like bungee jumping, canyon swing, sky diving, zip lines. Mostly I prefer experiences that are more "hands on" like snow mobiling in snowy landscapes, mountain hikes, motorbiking or cycling long distances and even joining overseas running events which are popular among many Singaporeans too.
You are definitely more active than me! The snow mobiling sounds really fun, let me go research how to do that!
 
Important Forum Advisory Note
This forum is moderated by volunteer moderators who will react only to members' feedback on posts. Moderators are not employees or representatives of HWZ. Forum members and moderators are responsible for their own posts.

Please refer to our Community Guidelines and Standards, Terms of Service and Member T&Cs for more information.
Top