Here are some thoughts from the students on the remainder of their time in Bangkok, and on Singapore.

Our last day in Bangkok began with a tour of some of the exotic temples around the city. Wat Arun and the reclining Buddha of Wat Po to name a few. These amazing structures are located right off the Chao Phraya River and provide some excellent scenery. The architecture on these temples is truly astounding and unlike anything that can be found in the west.  Antonio

While Bangkok is still a developing city with many of its people being of low wealth, a strong culture and pride is emitted amongst all citizens. This combination of history, quality, and pride is what makes Bangkok the most popular tourism city in the world.  The exquisiteness of Singapore is evident the moment you step of the plane and into its world-class airport which has won the title of best airport in the world for the sixth straight year in 2018. This is visibly apparent and deserved when noting its impeccable cleanliness, high amount of organization, and overall internal beauty.  Brandon

On Friday, we spent the morning navigating the rivers of Bangkok by ferry, stopping first
at Wat Arun temple. Arguably the most iconic temple in the city, the size and incredible intricacy were stunning. After some time, we ventured across the river to a neighboring temple named Wat Pho, where we feasted our eyes on an enormous reclining Buddha. The temple grounds were very large, and it was enjoyable to simply walk the area admiring the history and craftsmanship. Before the day’s end we also ventured to a flower market, and I experienced some other lifetime firsts, such as my first Thai massage. I’m not entirely sure how some could consider this relaxing, as a great deal of the hour was painful, but it was still a valuable experience. I also tried new foods in the form of crocodile, scorpion, and crickets.  Connor

Singapore was a different experience than I was expecting. Leaving the airport it felt like I was in Florida, warm somewhat humid weather with palm trees all around. When we went to get food I was excited for different food. However to my surprise it was once again all Asian food, so I settled for a couple fried bananas. Then we hopped on the met and headed to the garden by the bay. It wasn’t what I expected but very nice. I enjoyed the sculptures they had spread throughout the exhibits, and the cloud forest with the waterfall.   Monica

Singapore is an incredible place. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it exceed anything I could have thought of. Singapore has a saying “low crime does not mean no crime” and I can see why they have it. It seemed incredibly safe and the city was super clean, and very well organized. It reminded me of Florida in way. It’s a place where anyone would be lucky to live and work.  When we first arrived we went to street vendors. Although they may not have been located in dark sketchy alleys like some of the ones in Thailand, they were still pretty cool. If you ever go to Singapore, you have to try a fried banana. While they don’t taste as good as my beloved banana pancakes, it was still an excellent experience and a great desert.  Allison

My last day in Bangkok was one of my favorite days there, we went to Wat Arun and Wat Pho temples. The architecture and details of these temples was unbelievable, Wat Arun built in the early 1800’s was in pristine condition and that is a testament to the Thai people for upkeeping and restoring the temple. Buddhism is in the blood of the Thai people and brings the rich and the poor of Thailand together.  I truly enjoyed my time in Bangkok, the business side, the night life and the freedom we received to explore the city on our own terms.  Griffin

I was immediately blown away by how beautiful the city (Singapore) is. It reminded me of a hotter, cleaner Florida with a lot more money and a lot less humidity. Lunch at the hawker center was mildly stressful as it brought up another large person in a small space situation, but the food was good. There was a lot of food that still looked strange to me, even after Thailand.  The Gardens by the Bay was my favorite part of the day, if not the trip. Walking into the flower dome, it felt like everything around me froze. Despite being constantly surrounded by people for most of the trip, I suddenly felt a living vibrance around me that I have only ever matched a few times in my life. It reminded me of a handful of times during the Adirondack semester in my sophomore year. I found myself fixated on so many different individual flowers that I had no idea how much time had passed. Numerous things I had unsuccessfully tried not to stress out about for the entire trip suddenly disappeared. I could have stayed there for the entire day.  Sean

Early on Saturday morning, we headed to Singapore. For what seemed like such a short flight, we landed in a very different city. The streets were quite empty, the hawker center had barely any lines, and I could breathe in fresh air. It like a very quiet city, especially for a Saturday afternoon. We visited the Gardens by the Bay. It was filled with plants from across the world and a moderate number of tourists. Given that we only had about 8 hours to walk around, we certainly had a high-quality experience throughout the gardens and got a taste of Singapore. Just as we were about to take the train back to the airport, we decided to head on top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. Although it was $20, it was spectacular. To the right, the blue ocean was filled with clusters of various boats. To the left, it was the stretch of the city. Photos really cannot do this view justice. I am grateful for the spontaneous decision of my classmates to go to the top of the hotel; the endless city and blue skies are something I will never forget.         Taite

That’s it for Asia!  You can follow the remainder of our adventures at https://www.cusbaustralia.com/march2019.   Enjoy!