Author and compilations by: Chow Kat Liang
A small group of KBCHMS Alumni embarked on a memorable journey from March 24 to March 29, 2017 aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship “Ovation of the Seas” for a Mini Cruise Reunion (Singapore-Penang-Phuket-Singapore).
Welcome aboard, cruise information, deck 15, open pool activities and North Star which can take 20 persons up to 92 meters high, swing around 180 degree for a 360 degree view of the whole ship and beyond.
Penang, Malaysia Shore Excursion:
Most were split into small groups visiting the famous Georgetown by taxi for half day excursions, shopping, sampling the local dishes like Penang Laksa, fried rice, noodles and rojak, etc.
One lucky group, the Chow family went off with a private tour in a 7 seaters van organised by their relatives living in Penang. They had a full day tour crossing the bridge to Butterworth. They even tried out the infamous king of the fruit “Durian”- check out a photo! Yapp Yun Fui & his Uncle Chong Min Chong, hired a taxi for a short city tour and he took lots of video shots to bring home to show to his family in New Zealand. Some just went ashore and walked to a nearby shopping complex and some just stayed on board to enjoy the cruise organised entertainments.
We saw a video “The Little Nyonya” some years ago and some where we were told it was filmed in Penang . So we took a taxi straight to the Peranakan Museum where we enjoyed 3 floors full of priceless heritage and antique artifacts; rich heritage collections that depict the assimilation of the Malay-Chinese culture.
Phuket, Thailand Shore Excursion:
Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and our cruise ship drops anchor a few kilometer from the Patong Beach. Tourists have to alight small ferries to go on shore. Lots of international tourists flock to Phuket where there are plenty to see and do, there are several smaller surrounding islands such as the Phi Phi Island and James Bond Island (through its starring role in the James Bond movie ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’). Each Island offers unique sights of their own.
Patong beach is quite far from the Phuket Town (city ) so most of us would just walk around the many small shops dotted along the Patong beach.
Credits: photos from various cruise members
Text added and edited by Chong See Kui
This is Part 1 and to be continued in Part 2 & 3
Memories of The Way We Were 
This has been republished in the format so that these stories can be enjoyed and shared with loved ones.
With past KBCHMS memories within us, now this reunion has created new memories to fuel friendship and family bonds.
Afterall, these are the memories that tell our story to our family & friends and brings joy when remembered.
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