Category Archives: Asia

Our Philippine Adventure – Deserted Islands and Typhoons!

Commencing our trip

The evening before our tour started, we attended an orientation briefing for the upcoming expedition. TAO Expeditions was the outfit we selected, based on research. They seemed less ‘boozy’ and more environmentally focused. https://www.taophilippines.com (we do not receive anything if you follow the link.) They were also the most expensive, which, naturally culls the herd of 20-somethings. The briefing had 22 of the 25 guests show up. The talk started with a drink of “Jungle Juice”, basically 1 ½ oz of local rum and 1 ½ oz of pineapple juice. Remember this is the less booze cruise. The outline covered off the company history, the community work it does, the planned route, accommodations, food and other things. One-hour later we left, feeling excited.

The Group Make Up – Spoiler Alert – We Were the Oldest

The Magic Bus – nothing was lashed down…

The group around us was mostly young folks with the exception of three older couples which included us. Any one of the three couples could easily be parents to the other passengers. Everyone seemed friendly and there didn’t seem to be that ‘one’ idiot who could be annoying and foolish at the same time. We met at 8 AM the next morning and signed in. Our luggage was tossed on the roof of what I could only call a Magic Bus, in reference to the Who’s 1960s hit. When I say ‘tossed’, I actually mean tossed. Nothing was lashed down for the one-hour drive. Then we boarded the Magic Bus for the journey. There was no air conditioning and all the windows were down as we sat on two wooden benches facing each other.

Once at El Nido port, we jumped off and hiked through the woods for about 15-minutes. Arriving at TAO Base Camp, we saw huts, eating areas, common areas, community bathrooms and more. A quick orientation followed by a delicious breakfast started our day. More talks, then lunch, then on to our boat where we headed to a nearby remote island. This was our first snorkelling adventure.

Colourful Reefs and Fish

What we saw underwater was more impressive that what we were able to see on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). This was likely due to the ‘bleaching’ of the GBR. In the Philippines, there were more colours and the water was warmer. While there were more fish on the Barrier Reef, both the coral and fish were brighter in the Philippines. Both places had numerous things that could bite, attack, harm and kill you. Caution was in order the entire time.

A Philippine Reef (my underwater camera did not do it justice)

That evening we returned to Base Camp for a four-course meal that was well prepared. The focus was on local ingredients and flavours. Each course was explained and there was more food than we could eat. Seconds and even third helpings were encouraged. After dinner, we wandered a bit, looking at the countless stars we could see. Then, returning to our huts, we hunkered down, on a mat under mosquito netting for a great sleep. The only sounds were the ocean and nature. As the temperature only dipped to 26C at night, we were both a bit worried we’d be too hot, but that was not the case.

Day Two – Sailing and Snorkelling

The inside of our huts – a thin foamy with mosquito netting. Gilligan would feel at home!

We woke up, around 6AM which was sunrise. There was not much to block the sun, but we were not complaining. Looking around, it hit us that we slept in an open-air bamboo hut next to the ocean. There was a stretch/yoga class for those who were interested, like me. There were also pots and pots of fresh coffee for those who so desired, like Meg. Breakfast was another feast where there was no shortage of food. Fresh fruit was a key to all meals.

Today was Meg’s birthday. Me being me, I rapped my glass with my spoon to announce the special day and all of Meg’s new 24 friends sang happy birthday to her. There were also bets on if they would witness a burial at sea later that day as she was likely to kill me for what I did. We packed up our stuff into our dry bags, and swam out to the boat. Nothing like a dip in the ocean to start your day.

More Reefs, Snorkelling and Eating

During the day we sailed to a few islands where we snorkeled, ate and enjoyed life. It is pretty hard lifestyle to beat. Later that day the ship anchored off Linapacan Island. Then we got to jump back into the water and swim ashore. As the water was warm, it was not too much of a hardship. Once ashore, while dripping wet, we were told where our huts for the night would be. They put the couples on one side of the camp and the single travellers on the other side. Couple huts are a fair bit wider and accommodate two foam mattresses.

Settling into Our Camp for the Evening

Putting our drybags into our hut, we wandered around and were in awe of how picture perfect this was. On a beach, on a deserted part of a large island, with a breeze blowing and sunset approaching. Our home was a bamboo hut. It was so magical. Wandering the beach for views, the clouds were putting on a show of red, pink and other colours. Since we had been in and out of the ocean a number of times, a fresh water shower was in order. There were four showers, all in one area, with no dividers between them. You just showered with your bathing suit on.

Once we had gotten the salt off us, a pre-dinner drink (jungle juice) was provided. Our dinner that night was another feast, followed by a bon-fire and eventually off to bed. As we scrambled up into our huts, it was breezy which made the warm temperature pleasant for sleeping. Since there was really not much artificial light on the island, there was really no point in staying up late. Sunrise would be at 6 AM, so going to bed and rising early made sense.

Storms and a Diversion

Waking up and hearing only waves on the beach was great. Sunrise was at 6AM, and with nothing to block the light, we were up by then. Wandering the beach, we saw fishermen, there are no women fishing there, heading out for the day.

Once breakfast was over, our tour guide made an announcement. He told us there was a storm coming and it looked nasty. The word he used was typhoon. An open-air boat with no radio or radar and two outriggers for balance is no match for a typhoon. Mother nature will win every time. To keep the passengers, crew and boat safe, the planned route was being altered. We would be going east instead of our planned westerly route. This would keep us in a wind shadow and likely avoid the worst of it. As we swam out to the boat, we were all just glad to be safe and everyone agreed, it was all part of the adventure.

Rain, Rain and more Rain

Trying to stay dry in a heavy downpour – it wasn’t much fun

As we sailed, we could see the rain approaching. Eventually there was no place to hide from the rain, other than the galley. In the end, 15 of the 25 guests were crammed into the galley to try and keep warm and dry. Nine hours later, through wind and rain, we arrived at camp for the night. Similar to the previous evening, they placed couples on one side and singles on the other. The two rows of huts were only about 40’ apart, but faced different directions.

We all managed to get dry and eat a lovely dinner before settling down in our huts for the night. It was a bit breezy. Little did we know the wind was only starting…

Meeting A Tropical Depression in a Bamboo Hut

Around 11 pm, we woke up to torrential rain hitting the side of our hut. There were also high winds whistling through. The shaking of our bamboo hut was not either of us moving around as we both first thought. Remember, always blame the other person. It was actually the wind shaking the hut. Howling wind with no reprieve. Between crashing waves, violent wind and driving rain, the noise was deafening. We kept telling each other that we were dry and warm, we would be fine. In reality, we confessed to each other the next morning we were both quite scared. Recently, we had both read “One Perfect Couple” by Ruth Ware. It is a story of group who ended up stranded on a deserted island after a storm. No one came to rescue them and slowly people started dying. It was not a comforting thought for either of us.

We managed to stay dry. The hut, for all its basic-ness, did an excellent job of keeping the rain out. We could feel mist coming in the front and back of the hut, but no leaks from the roof. Then we heard a crash. While we can’t be sure, we think it was a palm branch or a coconut hitting the ground nearby with a terrific thud. The rain continued to drive and the hut shook. Lying in bed, with driving rain and wind while your home shakes is not for the faint of heart. Actually, it isn’t for us either. More thuds and more wind.

Staying Put

Eventually, around 1 AM both the wind and rain seemed to stop. Then one of the staff came around and asked if we were ok. We said yes. He then asked if we wanted to go to the safe hut, a concrete building where most of the other guests had gone some time ago. Ummm, why were only checking on us now? As the wind and rain had both died down, we decided to stick it out in our hut. We were dry, fairly warm and it seemed the worst had passed.

Once the staff member had left, we remembered that sometimes, the eye of the storm is the calmest. What if we were in the eye of the storm and round two was about to start? In the end, our decision to stay turned out to be the right one. Things were quiet for the rest of the night and a few hours later, we heard the others coming back to their huts.

The Morning After

Our hut after the typhoon – sunny skies and calm winds.

Most of the others were not so lucky. Some huts had water pouring in from holes in the roof. Others leaked from the sides. All of the single huts faced the storm and rain came in at full force, they, along with everything inside was soaked. The couples huts took the storm on the side, so less damage. We traded stories of how we managed with others and learned that our hut was one of only two that did not leak. A couple from Australia had water pouring in through their roof all night long. We were one of two couples that did not go to the safe house. Most of the other passengers thought we were crazy to stay in the hut, but it all worked out fine.

In the end, no one was physically hurt – but four guests opted to leave the tour the next morning, so there may have been emotional injuries.

Storm Report

The next morning, there was debate amongst the staff whether the storm was a tropical depression or a typhoon – either way, it was scary. 53 mm of rain in about 2 hours; wind at 40 km/hr sustained with gusts to 65. Nothing that we don’t encounter at home – but in a bamboo hut, in the pitch dark, it feels a lot different!

Updated bucket list

Survive a tropical storm in a bamboo hut was not on the bucket list, but now that we are safely through it, it’s a pretty unique thing for have on our resumes!

Carrying On With Our Trip

In reality, how can you top that? The next day was uneventful in comparison. There was a stop at the ‘best’ reef on the tour. Unfortunately, that reef was a bit murky with the previous night’s storm but still plenty of coral and fish.

We made it to the final campsite where we took some time to relax, wander about and share stories. A grand finale dinner put everyone in a good mood and we all slept well that night. There was no wind, no rain and no crashing waves. Only gentle lapping of water on the shore. Our huts were all dry.

Finishing Our Expedition

In the morning, we broke camp and by noon were in Coron where we caught a flight to Cebu Island. At the Coron airport, there is not much there other than the landing strip. It is paved. We managed to check in without issues, although you need to show your boarding pass to get into the airport terminal. As we had not checked in, we held up our phones to a lit screen and were waived through. I guess they don’t check tourists as carefully as locals. To pass the time, after check-in, we left the airport and walked across the road to a series of small restaurants. These are really just roadside stands and they back onto the runway. But don’t worry about security, even though there’s no fence, there is a sign there that says do not enter, so it’s safe.

The flight was uneventful and we arrived on the Island of Cebu for the next phase of our trip.

Thanks for reading,

Cam and Meg

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

Disneyland Tokyo – October 2025

We hope to always be young at heart!

We visited DisneySea Tokyo and had a blast. It was our third time to this park. Even though we are not able to understand many of the characters as they speak Japanese, the magic is the same.

The park opens at 9AM and they say to get there early. We chose to arrive at 9AM and there were hoards in front of us, but as we entered, there were hoards behind us. Everyone was, for the most part, polite except one person on the subway.

As we left the subway to head to Disney, a short man started aggressively pushing Meg and trying to get in front of her. I was behind her and oblivious to this at first. Once I noticed him shoving to get in front, I put my arm between him and Meg. He turned toward me and, as the Friendly Giant would say “look up, way up”. Then, for some reason only he will know, he tried to push in front of me. Another one of his not-so-good ideas. I pushed my arm out and he disappeared behind us. Meg thanked me for that. There are idiots everywhere.

Soaring Fantastic Flight – We’ve Seen Almost All of the Sights!

Once inside the park, we headed toward Soaring Fantastic Flight. As we arrived, it was a 150-minute wait. So we decided to pay the premium and get fast access for ¥2,000 each. The ride, in which you strapped into a chair that “flies”, took us over many of the world’s most famous landmarks. Taj Mahal, Sydney Opera house, the plains of the Serengeti, Mad King Ludwig’s Castle in Barvaria, Canadian glaciers and polar bears, The Great Wall of China, Tokyo and ended by landing at Disney. Along the way there were wind gusts and smells. It was really well done and lasted about five minutes.

From there, we headed over to Rapunzel’s castle. We saw her in the top of the castle, singing but she was not letting down her hair! Again, we chose to fork out for a quick access but this ride left us underwhelmed. Then we waited, like common folk, for 100-minutes to ride the Peter Pan ride. This was by far the best Disney ride either of us has ever been on.

Peter Pan – a Classic in 3-D

You board a “boat” and, wearing 3-D glasses, are immersed in the novel, Peter Pan. Peter fights Hook in a dueling sword battle (spoiler alert Peter wins). Tinker Bell spreads pixie dust you can almost feel. The Lost boys are “found” and in the end, all the children return home to London where Nana is waiting for them. You get to see 3-D London at the end of the Industrial Revolution, Never Land with its mountains and crystal-clear water. Of course, in the end Hook is chased by the croc! We liked this so much, we lined up again for 70-minutes later in the day.

Breaking for a light snack, we were back at it, heading to the Tower or Terror. Poor Harrison Hightower III, disappeared in this New York building after discovering a scared relic from some jungle. In the pre-ride, there is Harrison talking with the relic by his side. Lightning strikes and Harrison changes, shrinks and then disappears. The relic smiles and with a bang it too disappears. To make it entertaining, there was spectacular lighting and sound.

Of course, the idea was for us to find Harrison, so we followed his footsteps and got into the elevator where he was last seen. Strapped in, we were whisked to the top, but not without some blackouts, huge drops and shakes. At the top, there was an open window where we could see outside Tokyo before we plunged again into darkness. Alas, we did not find Harrison, but we had some good laughs.

The Quiet Rides Were very Noltsalgic

With many long lines, we started to aim for shorter lines. Sinbad’s adventure was a cross between “It’s a Small World” and Pirates of the Caribbean, but with an Arabian twist. Aquatopia had us in open air saucers that travelled around a water park. Captain Nemo’s 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was a take on the 1954 movie. In our submarine we saw numerous deep-sea creatures. Of note, this ride was shut down in 1994 in the US so this may be the only place to see it.

Poor Harrison…he didn’t know the Idol would be his end….

It was nearing the end of our day and as we headed out, Meg noticed a sign on the Raging Spirits roller coaster. The line was estimated to be 90-minutes, but there was a single rider lane. In this lane, you basically wait until they have one empty seat and then you go. You don’t ride with your party, but with strangers. We decided to try it and it took 22-minutes to get us both through. For the record, this was Cam’s first 360-degree loop roller coaster. It was short but a blast.

We left upbeat and happy. While the Indiana Jones ride was closed for maintenance, there was scaffolding everywhere, it was still a good day. The closure of the Indy ride obviously meant there were more people not in that line and in the other lines. Disney does a good job of handling lines and staff are always smiling. One thing we noticed from our last visits is the costumes. We were in the very small minority of people not wearing Disney hats, ears or full out costumes.

We Are Planning Our Next Trip to Disney!

On our next visit, one thing we will do differently is to buy our tickets closer to the day. Of course you need to watch they don’t sell out, but that will ensure we know what rides are closed. Also, the weather plays a big factor and if you can go when it is lightly raining, the lines are a lot shorter. Being from the west coast of British Columbia, rain is a fact of life and we know we will not melt.

Thanks for reading. Have you ever been to Disney, either as a child, an adult or a parent with kids in tow? Feel free to share any Disney tips you may have.

A Quote From Disney…It Rings True in Every Sense

“The things that make me different are the things that make me.” – Piglet from Winnie the Pooh

Cam and Meg

Our Trip is Interrupted!

Read on to see how we handled it.

Day 15 – Hakodate, Japan

We arrived alongside at 7AM and it looked as if we were a long way from downtown. Shuttles had been arranged and were first come, first serve until 8AM, after which time you would need a ticket. Let’s face it, most people on vacation want to sleep in. However….at 7:15AM the Captain came on the loudspeaker and dropped a bombshell.

A weather map of the typhoon with 160 km/hr winds

Super cyclone Halong, off the coast of Japan, was tracking towards Tokyo. Its projected path would be right along the ship’s route to get to Yokohama. The Ship’s Officers, in consultation with Royal Caribbean’s (RCL) head office, made the decision to extend the cruise by two days. This would let the storm pass and make it safer for the ship. There is a full write up at Cruise Hive

https://www.cruisehive.com/typhoon-delays-royal-caribbean-ships-return-for-two-days/188231

Arriving in Yokohama on Saturday vs Thursday

These two sea days would bring the ship into Yokohama on Saturday, October 11^th, vs the planned arrival of Thursday October 9^th. RCL would cover some change fees for flights and offered to extend beverage packages for a price (no freebies here!). Unfortunately, we had tickets for Expo 2025 in Osaka on Friday October 10^th. The tickets are not changeable. Our travel from Yokohama to Osaka for the 9^th and additional tickets for Osaka to Kagoshima on Kyushu Island on the 11th were also non-refundable.

We considered what to do and decided to leave the ship in Hakodate. We made a hotel reservation for one night in Hakodate, booked Shinkansen tickets to Yokohama for the next day and found a hotel for one night in Yokohama. Had it not been for Expo, we likely would have opted to stay on the ship. There were many people who had flights home the day we were scheduled to arrive as well as other plans. In all, around 500 people, out of 3,900, departed early.

Of course, most passengers stayed on including 100’s who were doing a back-to-back cruises ending in Singapore. That next cruise will now be two days shorter as the next cruise will obviously not start until this cruise arrives. It must be a huge logistical challenge for the ship. We had noted they were running low on fresh fruit and veggies as the cruise carried on. Portions were getting smaller every day – with some strange substitutions for ingredients they’d run out of.

Making our Escape from the Ship

Leaving the ship was easy, although time consuming. Our hotel, the Toyku-Stay Hakodate, had an onsen and was well located. The bed was comfortable and although the room was small, it was functional. We wandered around town for a few hours in the afternoon once all the cruise ship passengers had left and it was very peaceful. Dinner was a quiet meal followed by the onsen which was spectacular.

It was on the 18^th floor and there was an open-air portion, providing a sweeping view of the ocean complete with a full moon shining down. It was a great way to relax before heading to bed.

Day 1 of Interruption or Day one of our land based tour?

Once we got up and updated our families on the changes, we headed over to the train station to catch the train to Yokohama. The first part was on a local train and then a transfer to Shin-Hakodate, where the Shinkansen (bullet train) left from. Being Japan, we expected all the trains to be on time, but one was about five minutes late – shocking. It also meant we needed to move quickly, not run but not dawdle at the next station, which was Omiya, to catch our third of four trains.

Checking into the Hyatt

Sunset in Yokohama – not a stormy sky line…

We arrived at our hotel at 4:30PM, it had been a seven hour day, but it did not seem as long as flying would have been. Our hotel tonight was the Hyatt in Yokohama, there was a shortage of hotel rooms in Yokohama as up to 4,000 cruise passengers for the next cruise needed extra rooms on short notice! We were very glad to come to this brand tonight, a large room with very comfortable beds.

The hotel is only 200 metres from the water, so a sunset stroll helped us shake off the time spent sitting on the train. The sky was a lovely colour, there were very few clouds and the water was calm. Unless I had seen a weather map, I would not have believed there was a typhoon out there.

Having Local Knowledge is Helpful

There is no way we would have tried to pull this off if we had not been to Japan before. Understanding the trains, the culture et al was the key to us having the confidence to leave our cruise ship on our own and make this work. The bulk of the credit for making it work is my bride of almost 38 years. She pulled pretty much everything together and did a great job. I had a key role too, it all went on my credit card!

Thanks for reading, feel free to share any trip interruption you may have had. We’d love to hear about what happened and how you got around it.

Remember, attitude is the difference between adventure and ordeal!

Cam and Meg

Bali – Sanur

Once we settled into our homestay in Sanur, on Bali’s south east side, we did our normal routine and checked out the local area. We visited markets, beaches and had countless offers of new friends who were only too happy to take us on a tour…for a price.

We could not have been more pleased with our accommodation. A three-unit complex, with a swimming pool and one of the kindest people I have ever met as our manager. She gave us numerous recommendations, all of which were top-notch.

Nusa Lembongan – a quaint island off Bali’s coast

We had planned to visit Penida island during our stay, just off the east coast of Bali. Seeking suggestion for which ferry to take there, she mentioned Nusa Lembongan may be a better alternative. Less touristy, not as much of a party crowd, calmer and a bit closer. We cannot say what Penida Island is like, as we did not visit it, however we can say we absolutely loved Nusa Lembongan.

We booked a tour which included hotel pick-up, ferry, snorkeling on the reef, water activities, and touring of the island. The sights and experiences are what we expected all of Bali to be, all of the time. In reality, we know, it can’t always be like that, but when it is, it is amazing.

Bali ferries…interesting

From our hotel, we were taken to the “fast ferry” terminal. If you want to know how the terminal was organized, imagine chaos. Everyone running everywhere, trying to get you on their boat. I don’t even know how many ferry companies there were, but the touts assured us “theirs” was the best!

Once our passage to Nusa Lembongan was sorted out and we waited for our departure. No, there was no departure lounge, remember this is chaos. We sat on a bench, watching our ferry boats “shack” where they sold tickets. They do keep records and had full manifest of passengers. At least that’s why they told us when we were told to write our names on a list, where others had done so. It included our home country and phone number.

At the appointed time someone yelled out from the “shack” for our time and around 65 of us got up. We were herded through two ticket checking gates, but no screening security. From there, we were shuffled out on a jetty and then onto the boat.

There were five 300 HP outboard motors on the vessel and all the seats were in an enclosed cabin. We found seats, even though there was no assigned seating, remember this is chaos. As we settled in for the scheduled 30-minute transit we were offered bar service, beer of soft drinks. As it was 9:30 in the morning, we declined. The trip over took 45 minutes and, despite some large waves, it was a pleasant ride.

Storming the beaches of Nusa Lembongan

As we approached the shore, the boat did a 180° turn and backed up towards the shore. The engines were then turned off and they told us we were at Lemgongan. If this is your stop, please get off. I looked out of the rear of the boat and saw we were about 50’ from shore. Ummmmm, where’s the dock? Similar to the way the soldiers had to get off the landing craft on D-Day, we had to jump off the rear of the boat, into about 2 ½’ of water. Yes, that really happened. You can’t make this up.

Once we waded ashore, our guide met us and took us to our van, more like an open back pick-up truck with two benches on either side. Well, the open sides meant good air movement.

Snorkeling – the highlight of the day

We headed up island to our first stop, snorkeling. There are no photos of the snorkeling as neither of us have a water proof camera. As we only have one iPhone, since mine was stolen, we’re not willing to take chances on having a “splash” with our remaining one. It was left safely on shore. The colour of the fishes, the coral, the reef and beautiful blue water were amazing and they are “the still frames in our minds”.

The boat took us out about 1km from shore and we jumped in the warm tropical water. There was no real need to swim as the current was strong enough to carry us along, seeing an ever-changing display of Angel fish, Zebra fish and who knows what other type of fish. At times we were swimming a large school of small fish, about 6 – 8 cm in length. 100’s if not 1,000’s of fish all around us. It was truly inspiring. I’ve decided if I’m ever likely to do something like that again, I’ll be looking for a waterproof camera. We’re tossing around the Great Barrier Reef in 2026, nothing is firm right now, just a thought.

After we got back in the boat, we went on a banana boat ride. Not really our thing, however it came with the package, so why not? I know it would have been more fun with our own family/group, but we still laughed.

Mangroves – always enchanting

We then went through the Mangroves and saw the channels. It could have been New Orleans, or Disney for that matter. The birds were amazing, we were not quick enough to get pictures, however the calls were unbelievable.

When all that was over, we had time for lunch and then a tour of some more of the island, although not all of it. Despite Nusa Lembongan being a smallish island, it was too big to see in one day. The guide and our homestay host, both suggested spending a few nights there to fully explore the island and all there is to do there.

Island Scenery

As we explored, we saw rocky crags where tidal waves pounded in. There were towering views and magical beaches as well as numerous viewpoints for photos.

Getting back on the ferry

As the day wound down, we returned to the beach where we “landed” in the morning and waited for our ferry. If we had thought getting ashore was a challenge, we were in a for another surprise. This time we were boarding from the front of the vessel. There was a small folding ladder, and I do not think a “large” person would have been able to fit on it.

Once you “humped” up on the first rung of the ladder, you could climb up and onboard to the bow (pointy end). However, as the only entrance to the cabin was at the rear, we had to shimmy down the side of the boat on a 3” lip. The ship was a smooth fiberglass hull. As our feet were wet and most of us were barefoot, it created another level of excitement for this tour. For balance, we held on to guard rails, some of which were missing, likely pulled off by previous passengers who fell into the ocean, never to be seen again. While we are not what anyone would call “young”, there were a number of people who were older and a lot less mobile than us. It was certainly challenging for them. BC Ferries is indeed looking a lot better.

Meg shimmying down the side of the boat, minimal safety standards…

Once onboard, the normal offer of beers and soft drinks was made, as the boat returned to the main island of Bali. It was a full and tiring day, however it was an amazing experience that I recommend anyone who is here take.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.

Cam and Meg

Bali – our home for three weeks

We left Malaysia and took a flight to Bali. Arriving at Bali’s airport at 18:40 we obtained our visas, cleared immigration, claimed our luggage and exited through customs. There were multiple SIM card dealers and we chose Telkomsel, based on a review I had read. Really, they were all about the same price.

Bali’s “open air” airport – a perpetually busy place

With a working phone, we checked Whatsapp and located our pre-arranged driver. Walking the gauntlet of touts, all yelling “taxi, taxi, taxi” was amusing, only because we had a driver waiting for us. Bali’s airport is a bit of a zoo, so having someone standing by to pick you up can reduce the stress, especially after a long flight.

The never-ending drive to UBud

Once the luggage was loaded in the SUV, we were on our way for the 40 km drive to UBud. The driver said it would be about 1 ½ hours to UBud. Ummm….what? It’s only 40km? In reality, it took 1 Hr 45 minutes. An average of 22 km/hr. We really never went too much faster than 30 km/hr the entire way. Being tired and having sat on a plane for five hours, our behinds were feeling it. To complicate matters, our driver wasn’t sure of where he was going.

We eventually found the hotel. It was down a closed off street that was under construction. Great. Once all that was sorted out, we met the nicest reception worker ever. She checked us in, got us some water and helped us up to our room. Given the time, almost 10 PM, we asked for a restaurant recommendation as we were hungry.

Our first meal in Bali – Satay’s – Delicious!

A Warung (family style restaurant) was less than 100 meters from our hotel. Sugriwa Warung was open and the happily sat us and took our order. Everyone has told us that Balinese food is wonderful. We didn’t venture too far as we were tired, so we ordered satay’s. OMG they were soooooo good. We were so happy and full when we left that we managed to have a great first night sleep.

What to do in UBud

A worker tending to rice fields just outside of Ubud

Our first full day in a new place, when time permits, is not to schedule anything but wander around on foot. Picking up the local vibe, where to get things, tours, restaurants, etc. We scouted out a number of places and then ended up doing a short walk through the rice terraces. The local rice terraces were amazing to see.

Our first adventure was a couples Bali massage. This was a one-hour experience and I do not think one-hour of time has ever gone by so fast. When my masseuse said it was over, I thought “nah, we’re only half way through”. Sure enough, we had been on the table for a full hour. We were both very relaxed, although we were also covered in massage oil.

It was a challenge to find a massage, not because they are hard to find, but because there are so many of them. Within 100 meters of our hotel there are at least eight places to get a massage. Price depends on the type of massage but also on the type of place. If you head to a full out spa, you’ll pay more, sometimes double or triple. We chose a “massage only spa” and could not have been happier with the results.

A day tour of UBud

The guide books and countless websites all tell you to tour certain temples and locations. The easiest way to do this is with a private driver for the day. Costs vary, however they are reasonable compared to western prices. Most places are pretty flexible with the itinerary and adjustments are easy to do. One place that is on almost every tour is the monkey forest where, according to some websites, approximately 700 ~~hoodlums~~ monkeys live. People are generally in two camps regarding monkeys. One group loves them, despite them being outright thieves, stealing phones, shoes (they can undo Velcro tabs), and of course snacks. The other camp, which you probably deduced I’m in, can’t stand them. Who wants a possibly rabid primate crawling over you, intending to steal anything they can?

Swinging over the rice terraces in Bali!

For our tour, we swapped out the ~~hoodlums~~ monkey forest for a coffee plantation. All of the places we visited were touristy, in fact very touristy. The goal of those operating these places was not to appreciate nature and beauty, but rather to separate you from your money. There were some interesting sites and a bit of history, which we valued. Not wanting to be the only people who came to Bali and couldn’t prove it with Instagram-able pictures, we did take the obligatory “swing” pictures and other famous snaps.

UBud’s traffic gridlock – almost all day long

UBud’s traffic chaos – all is not always well in paradise.

Traffic congestion is an issue in Bali, with narrow roads and every increasing tourists. We found having a driver for the day was a blessing. The reason you would want a private driver is to avoid having to haggle for a taxi at each site with the local taxi mafia. Ride sharing apps are frowned upon in some areas, including UBud, and taxi drivers will assault both drivers and passengers for using them. They have a stranglehold on the business and hence over inflated prices. This works for them and tourists can pay through the nose thank you very much.

Adventure excursions – taking a walk on the wild side!

On our ATV before I ran over my sunglasses…

One excursion we decided to try was ATV riding through the countryside. We drove out to the country and had a briefing on how to use the ATV. The briefing was, “here’s the accelerator, front brake and rear brake. Any questions?” Seriously, the guy could not have been less interested. We headed out with a guide and eight other ATV’s and had a blast. The one downer was going through the tunnel. It was dark, obviously, and I went to take my sunglasses off. They slipped, falling to the ground and I heard the distinct “crunching” of glass as the ATV went over them. Sigh.

From land to water…challenging the rapids.

We also went river rafting which we enjoyed so much, we did it a second time. The river rafting often combines with ATV’ing, however we decided to do one activity at a time. You needed to be in decent shape to do the rafting because you have to walk down 300 stairs to get to the river. You worked up a sweat before you got to the river where you received a short knowledge lecture and then you are off.

The river is not too rough, Class II rapids, but we were still tossed around a bit and were totally soaked. The boats only hold six people, so we all had to work together, under the direction of the guide. We met waves over the bow almost as soon as we started and continued to get wet regularly throughout the journey. Part way through we stopped at a waterfall and had the option to go under the rushing water. Being that the water was warm, the experience was amazing. At the end, you get to go up about 200 steps where you clean up and have an enjoyable lunch.

Heading to Sanur – an ocean town

As our eight days in UBud came to a close, we prepared to head to the south of Bali to the ocean town of Sanur.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.

Cam and Meg

Penang – Street Art, Food and Jetties

Walking around the old historic part of Georgetown, Penang, you see street art everywhere. The history of the town and, the art that captures it has earned a UNESCO Heritage designation.

A street mural of playful cats curiously watching tourists

Young children getting a helping start – the bike is real and fused into the wall with the characters painted to bring the whole image to life.

There are many wrought iron works of art that depict Penang’s history. Here, the rickshaw is shown.

Meg holds onto the young driver as she gets a lift on a scooter in Georgetown

The Clan Jetties – a glimpse of history, but now touristy today

In addition to the street art, there are “Clan Jetties”. These five jetties were where people from Chinese clans would go upon arrival to Georgetown from China. The original occupants were unable to buy land for a home, so they built houses on stilts and fished from there. As they acquired boats, they tied their boats up at their houses and would start and end their day there.

The view from one Clan Jetty to another. There are five in total.

Today, the Clan Jetties are mostly an overhyped tourist trap, although people still live here.

The jetty looking in towards town from the ocean

There are even murals around the Clan Jetties

Street Food in Penang – simply delicious.

Street markets abound in S.E. Asia and Penang is rumoured to be the street food capital of Malaysia. Different markets cater to different clients. The CoCo Island Hawker Stall, catered to tourists. There are a number of large hotel chains within walking distance such as the Marriott, Evergreen, Ascott, etc. The lighting, ambiance and environs were a bit nicer than some of the other markets. Of course, the prices were a bit higher. Unfortunately, some of the food was disappointing compared to more “local” stalls.

Our favourite was the New World market, which had almost the same food types CoCo Island had. At New World, prices were lower and quality was better.

The tropical lights of CoCo Island food market

Char Kuay Teow. This is Malaysia’s version of Pad Thai and is made of fried rice noodles, shrimps, Chinese sausage, bean sprouts, chives, and egg. Irresistible!

Nasi Champur – a traditional Indonesian dish. It’s made with white rice and small dishes, all lumped onto one plate. You choose your meat, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, etc.

This post was really about the art, historical clan jetties and food. I know some of the pictures have been on Instagram, however I do know some folks do not have Instagram.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.

Cam and Meg

Our time in Pokhara, Nepal

Nepal is a country most people have heard of, primarily due to Mt. Everest being located there. There is a lot more to Nepal than Mt. Everest and Kathmandu. About 200 km west of Nepal’s capital lies its second largest city, Pokhara.

Pokhara – Nepal’s second city and trekking hotspot

When we were mapping out our Nepal itinerary, we had always planned to go to Pokhara. We just weren’t sure for how long or what we would do there. After completing three enjoyable days in Kathmandu, we headed to Pokhara.

There are two ways to get between Nepal’s two biggest cities. You can go by road which requires a bus or a private taxi. Driving in Nepal is not recommended, hence the taxi. The other option is to fly. The bus between the two cities will take about ten hours to travel the 200 km. The traffic congestion along with the never-ending road work and restaurant/nature breaks, means your average speed is 20 km/hr for ten hours. That sounds painful. A private taxi will take about 6 – 7 hours and cost more than a flight. There are about 20 – 30 flights each way every day and they only take about 30 minutes.

Flying vs Driving between cities

On Yeti Airlines, they load the luggage in the front of the plane

We opted to fly on Yeti Airlines. Despite the flight being a bit late, were pleased with our decision. Once we started exploring Pokhara, we realized it was a special place. It has a more laid-back vibe than its larger neighbour and was a lot quieter. We were surprised by the sheer number of hotels in and around the Lake District, which is the area we were staying in. Most of the hotels were very empty as we were here in the “off-season”. Things do not start to pick up until March when the weather gets warmer.

Our hotel was great and, the manager, who arranged excursions for us was awesome. We outlined what we wanted to do and were quoted prices that were better than what I had seen online. There was a one day driving trip to some of the local “highlights” and must see’s. Of course, our overnight hike, as detailed in our previous post was a great memory.

Yoga in Nepal seemed natural

We also did a yoga class, it only seemed fitting to do one in Nepal. It was a private class, not that we wanted a private class, however we were the only people who showed up. The view of the lake in the morning sun was awesome. The class was just meh.

The Himalaya Mountains as seen from 11,000′

After eight days in Pokhara, we returned to Kathmandu, via Yeti airlines and this time we were appreciative of their tardiness. Our flight was scheduled for a 13:40 departure. We arrived at the airport at 12:00 and were told our flight was delayed by an hour. Then, despite it being noon, we asked if we could go on the 11:30 flight. That flight was also an hour late, now departing at 12:30. As it is a small airport, dropping of luggage as close to 10 minutes in advance is fine. There was no charge for this flight change (take note Air Canada). Clear weather gave us to wonderful mountain views while flying. It is, however, a bit disconcerting to be flying so close to the tops of various hills. I guess the pilots do this enough they know what they are doing.

Having a cold beverage on our rooftop patio in Kathmandu

We spent our last day and a half wandering around Kathmandu enjoying life. We also acquired some souvenirs that we likely did not need. As we wound down our time, we headed to the airport for what we could only describe as the biggest airport cluster I have ever seen.

The biggest airport cluster ever

We left downtown at 8:30 PM for our 11:30 PM overnight flight. Arriving at the airport at 8:50, we stared, in horror, at the mass confusion and chaos that was Kathmandu’s airport. We had difficulty exiting our taxi due to the sheer number of people crowding the curb and sidewalk. We waded through the huge crowds towards the terminal, only to arrive at a long line to get into the terminal. Prior to entering, you had to show your boarding passr.

We located our check-in gate and joined what could only be described as a throng. There was no order and we waited about 45 minutes to drop our luggage off. Then we headed to the escalator to go towards the gates. That line was five minutes long, however, we needed to show our boarding passes and passports to get on the escalator. From here, it was 75 minutes in the immigration line. If you overstay your visa, there is a fine. Everyone, including Nepali residents, are “stamped” out when leaving Nepal.

Security may not meet North American standards

As the immigration line moved at a glacial pace, I thought it would mean no line-ups at security. I then recalled something from my recent post – “never assume”. The line for security, while shorter, was still painfully slow. In Nepal, there is really no point in emptying your pockets. I went through the scanner and did not “beep”. I was still searched. My ½ filled water bottle in my backpack went through without issues.

After exiting security, well past the time for boarding, we located our gate. Lining up at our gate, we waited another 15 minutes for a bus to take us 200 meters to the plane. Shortly after boarding, the Captain came on and said there were still people in the immigration line and we would be delayed a bit. Taking off at 00:10, 40 minutes late, we headed to Kuala Lumpur (KL), arriving only 15 minutes late. KL’s airport was an ultra-modern, beautiful airport with high end shops and spotlessly clean facilities. We had a short layover then on to Penang.

Our time in Nepal was wonderful and we have put it down on the list of places to visit again. The warmth of the people, the scenery as well as the value all make it a top destination. The air quality and difficulty getting as well as the absolute gong show of flying out of there, are the only drawbacks. Pokhara’s air is better than Kathmandu’s and we like Pokhara more than its noisy neighbour.

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more later this week.

Feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Cam and Meg

Travel to Nepal – “I’m going to Kathmandu”

Bob Seger, in his 1976 hit song Katmandu said – “I think I’m going to Katmandu”. I remember listening and singing that phrase as a youth back in the day. It is a place that is so far from “safe” Mississauga where I grew up that it held mystery. I never knew where it was and I didn’t think I would get there, and yet, here I am!

Nepal Visa Process

We arrived from Delhi over three hours late, (thank you Air India). Instead of arriving in the early afternoon, we arrived after sunset. There was the initial immigration processing and $30US fee for a 15-day visa. This had to be filled out at one of their six kiosks, half of which did not work. When we got that done, we went to the Immigration “bank” where we paid, in US dollars. It turned out that we made a mistake and I had to do mine again but surprise – this could be done online and there was free Wi-Fi in the arrival’s hall. 3 minutes later my form was redone, vs 45 painful process at the quirky kiosk.

Once we had receipts for the payment of our visas on arrival, we could go to immigration where the standard passport stamping took place. Then a photo was taken. Interestingly, you did not need a passport photo for immigration. More on where you need photos later. We collected our luggage and then through security. That was not a type-o. You need to go through security to enter Nepal. Their process was a lot more professional than India.

Getting a Nepali SIM card

We were now in Nepal. First thing, get a SIM card. There was a lineup at the cell phone place we saw, so we joined it. If we had known there were other carriers, we would have gone around the corner and gotten a similar SIM card where there was no line. One thing you need to get a SIM card is a passport photo. If you don’t have one, no big deal, they will take one for you for 50 rupees, which is about $0.50 CDN. That’s a lot cheaper than getting it done at London Drugs.

The SIM card clicked and we had internet and a Nepali phone number. Then came the arranging transport. There were various “pre-paid” taxis booths, and of course they were all calling out to you. In the end we booked one for 900 rupees. The tout who took our money took us to a taxi, exchanged some paperwork with a guy who had a clipboard and then we got into a cab with both the tout and driver.

The Touts are everywhere

On the drive into town, our tout let us know that he had a tour company and he could “help” us book some tours the next day. How convenient. As it was now 19:00, we said we would meet him tomorrow, in the hotel lobby at 10:00 and he could take us to his office, which he said was only a two-minute walk from out hotel. That made him happy and the rest of the 30-minute ride to the hotel was fine.

Our first taste of Mo-Mo’s

Once we checked into our hotel, we searched on-line for a restaurant and selected one that served Mo-Mo’s, the local specialty, and was nearby. A five-minute walk took us down a labyrinth of alleys into an outdoor restaurant. Now normally, I love outdoor restaurants and patios, however it was 5C, dark and had no view other than the walls of other buildings. As we were tired, we ordered and kept our coats on. We both had hot tea with our mo-mo’s which were delicious.

When we finished our dinner, we walked around the Thamel district, where we were staying. We found the shops, the people, the atmosphere and generally everything was nicer than India. One thing we noticed, almost all restaurants, if not outdoors, had all the windows open despite the cold temperature. Everyone, locals and tourists alike, were bundled up to eat. I guess that’s how they do it here.

We called it a night and headed to bed. The next morning, we headed out again and found a breakfast place that wasn’t totally outside, although it was still colder than we would have liked. Meg was happy as she got French press coffee. I had mango juice; it was the best option if you didn’t want tea or coffee.

You can tour Nepal and “my friend” will give you a good deal…

At 10:00 we met our “taxi driver arranger” and walked for about five minutes, then up two flights of stairs to a travel office. Our tout told us this was his office, however we would be better dealing with his manager and our tout left, closing the door. Our “new” friend asked a number of questions about how long we would be in Nepal, what we wanted to do, etc.

As we were talking, he drafted a plan and then presented it to us. We would have two days in Kathmandu with a car and driver and would see everything that we “should” see. The problem is, those would be 6 – 8-hour days. Not what we were looking for after the breakneck pace we had been going. We would then fly to Pokhara and tour there, followed by an overnight hike, staying a tea house in the mountains. The shock was the price, it would be $1,285 USD, not including accommodations. We were offered hotels, however we weren’t keen to book without reading reviews, we’ve been burned before.

Of course, there was high pressure to close the deal, but we stuck firm and said we’d think about it. As we left the office, we noticed our tout sitting on a milk crate outside the boss’s office. Things became a bit clearer then. Our tout was going to get a commission, that’s how it works in this part of the world.

Back in our hotel, we priced out some of the “package” and found we could do most of it for a lot less. We spent the rest of the day wandering Thamel, looking at monuments and other historical buildings. There were souvenirs to look at, spices, scenery, mountains et al. Lunch was on a rooftop restaurant in the sunshine with mountain views. The rest of the day was quiet as we mapped out how we wanted to spend our time in Nepal.

Traveling in Nepal

We booked our flight to Pokhara and found a highly rated hotel. We didn’t book any tours for Pokhara. We’ve learned you can book the day before, so we’ll watch the weather and do that when the weather is good. There are countless trekking outfits, travel agents, ticket vendors and others around. Every hotel has a tour desk. We’re planning to take it one day at a time.

One thing that made us laugh, is our flight to Pokhara from Kathmandu. It is on Yeti Airlines – seriously. We’ve captured a picture of the aircraft tailfin as a memory. Of course, being Nepal, our flight was late. We were scheduled to depart at 12:40. When we checked in at the airport, (there is no on-line check in), we were moved to an early flight as our 12:40 flight was “very delayed”. The 11:50 flight we were moved to did not depart until 13:40.

We remained in touch with our Pokhara hotel as they were sending a taxi for us. Sometimes, rather than dealing with the touts and haggling, it’s easier to pre arrange.

Our flight was fine, other than it was totally in the clouds and we didn’t see any mountains. Once we landed, we waited for our luggage. Picture the luggage carts the airlines use to move luggage to/from the airplane/terminal in Canada, or any major airport. Now, picture the truck that moves those luggage carts. In Nepal, there is no truck – a couple of baggage handlers push the truck to the terminal. Then they toss it on to a conveyor belt.

We collected our luggage, met up with our taxi driver and headed to the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised with our $25/night hotel. It was clean and quiet with a large room and wonderful staff. We will now settle into Pokhara for a week or so, including an overnight trek with a stay at a mountain tea house.

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave any comments or questions.

Cam and Meg

Leaving India

We left New Delhi and headed for Kathmandu, a place I’ve dreamed about visiting. The name itself conjures up mystery. Everest, prayer flags, rugged snow-capped mountains, adventure!

As for India, we spent 4 ½ weeks in total there, between two trips. I have mixed feelings which I have to make sure I keep certain emotions in check to be fair.

Our time in Delhi

Our first few days in Delhi were typical from what I’ve discussed with others. Loud, crowded, dirty, noisy, polluted. While in Delhi, we saw some things that make Delhi famous such as the Lotus Temple, however other places were closed due to Republic-day holiday. While we were wandering the partially closed Chandni Chowk market near the Red Fort, we observed a youth passing people and feeling their pockets. I guess he was planning on who to target for pickpocketing. It was at that point, with the crowds building, similar to July 1^st in Canada, we headed back to our hotel.

A few days later, we boarded a high-speed train for Agra. Let’s be clear here, this is a high speed by Indian standards, not Europe. It could reach 160 km/hr. That is a speed people do on HWY #1. The train left on time, however in true Indian fashion, it arrived 30 minutes late. The journey was only supposed to take 1 hr 40 minutes.

The Taj Mahal

Once in Agra, we saw the Agra Fort and then the Taj Mahal. I was blown away by the Taj Mahal. At the Taj, we hired a guide who passed on a lot of information and took some amazing pictures of us. After our one-hour tour, we said we wanted to wander about some more and take it all in. The guide said OK and curiously said “be careful”. I didn’t think to ask “why”.

We wandered about for an hour, taking even more pictures. Then, as it was late in the day and getting cold and windy, we decided to head out. Looking at Google Maps we saw it was a 20-minute walk to the home-stay and headed towards the stairs leading to the exit. At the top of the stairs, I went to check my phone again and it was gone.

The loss of my cell phone

I had become the victim of a pickpocket. We went to security and they looked at the CCTV and we saw exactly where the theft took place. A group of four young males came in behind us and nudged us apart, pushing and shoving in the way that is common in India. My phone, which was in a cargo pant pocket that I neglected to zip up, was an easy target. Security tried to call the phone but it was off-line.

With the loss of the phone, we lost almost all of our Taj Mahal photos. Meg took very few. We lost our internet as I had the SIM card for India. Our Indian phone number was gone. I was devastated. Heading back to our hotel I frantically thought of what to do, but honestly, I was a mess.

How I dealt with my cell phone being stolen

The hotel staff were great, they walked me some things to do with a lost iPhone, however I could not initially access my passwords. Eventually I was able to log into my iCloud account and “lock” the phone. I have since instructed the phone to “erase”. The phone has not accessed the internet since it was stolen. From the Apple site, the phone, with that EMI number, is nothing but a paper weight. According to Apple, no one can use it until I unlock it. I’ve read the phones are used for parts after being stolen. Who knows?

The past few days have been difficult for us; however, it is getting easier and this too shall pass. I do not intend to get a new phone until I return to Canada. There are subtle continental differences in phones and warranty may be an issue. I did check my warranty and I had declined theft coverage. House insurance has a $1,000 deductible and the phone was $1,050 – not worth the time/paperwork to file a claim.

There were things that were magnificent in Northern India. The Taj was amazing, Jaigrah Fort in Jaipur had incredible displays and only a fraction of the crowds of the nearby Amber Fort. Some things in northern India left a lot to be desired. For example, when we were heading to Jaigrah fort, we ordered an Uber from Meg’s phone. While walking to the pick-up point, we saw what could only be described as feral people in the streets and alleys. Everywhere was dirty and dusty.

Jaipur Homestay – a bright spot in our travels

One exception was our homestay in Jaipur. Our was beyond amazing. It was the best hotel experience we have had in India other than the safari lodge which was $400/night. In Jaipur, we truly felt like family and we welcomed to dinner with the host and another travelling couple.

Pollution in Delhi – terrible on a good day

Delhi was dirty. Air quality index hovered between 375 and 500. People in Victoria go crazy if the index hits 20. You could see the pollution in the air. When we flew from Mauritius to Delhi, on an overnight flight, we landed at Delhi’s airport around 8:00 AM. This was well after sunrise. As we were on our final approach, I honestly thought we were still flying through clouds. At about 100 meters from the ground, we saw the runway break through the smog and the plane touched safely down.

Our flight from Jaipur to Delhi had a similar experience. Half way though the 75-minute flight, the pilot said the visibility in Delhi was 50 meters due to haze, they don’t like to say the air is polluted. In order to land they would require a CAT 3 trained crew. The pilot then said the crew was CAT 3 trained and as long as the visibility stayed at 50 meters or better, they could land. Similar to our previous arrival from Mauritius, we did not see the runway until about 100 meters above ground.

There is no way they would try that in Canada, however if they did not do this in India, they simply would not fly. Beside, the alternate airport likely had the same visibility so why use the alternate? A number of Indian people we met said India is famous for two things – people and pollution. There does not seem to be a will to fix the pollution problem. Breathing the air is like smoking a pack or two of cigarettes a day. I wore a mask about half the time. Meg wore her mask about 95% of the time.

Moving forward and being safer

I hope to write more about India, because I did enjoy much of it, I am hopeful I won’t paint the entire country with the brush of one organized pickpocket group. As for me, I am getting used to not having my security blanket (phone) next to me. I have tightened up my personal security, zipping pockets and using a money belt. I am thankful that my passport was not stolen, nor my credit cards.

Thanks for reading and stay safe.

Going off line for a bit

Today we checked onto the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn. We sail for Abu Dhabi this evening. It is great to be on a clean ship with tap water you can drink – the simplest things can make you the happiest!

The cruise ship has it’s drawbacks and one of them is internet. Of course there is internet, however they require a King’s ransom to get it.

So, until we arrive in Mauritius on January 20th, this will be my last post.

Thank you for reading. I hope you are sticking to your resolutions and making the start of 2024 your best year yet. We’ll see you towards the end of January.

Cam and Meg