Friday April 26, 2024

We were up early and, after a quick breakfast on the cruise ship, we headed to Diamond Head crater for our hike. The hike up can easily be completed by someone with a reasonable level of fitness, however it should not to be taken too lightly.

The Top of Diamond Head

At the top, we took a number of pictures and admired the views. One picture we were keen to capture, was the view of Waikiki from Diamond Head. There are so many views from the other angle. Having climbed to the summit, we wanted to capture the reverse. For some reason, we didn’t look for our cruise ship. Don’t ask why, we both forgot to do that and stared blankly at each other when we got to the bottom realizing our error.

During our earlier drive up to the trailhead, we noted what appeared to be a cute town just past the park. We walked for about 20 minutes to get there, but realized it was cuter driving by, so we Ubered back to the ship. After lunch, we headed out to explore a bit more and checked out Waikiki Brewing. We found their offerings were not as enjoyable as Honolulu Brewing. 

We returned to the ship and had dinner shortly after sailing away from Honolulu. Our first production show was after dinner – Rock City, after which we retired for the day.

Saturday April 27, 2024 – On to Hilo

The ship sailed overnight to Hilo, on the Big Island. Once there, we headed ashore at 9AM to get our rental car. We had no plan once we got the car, in fact we weren’t sure how to get the car. It turns out, that after you leave the ship and walk through the industrial warehouse, there are shuttles and taxis. Budget offers a shuttle to the airport for cruise ship passengers, which was a bonus. 

Once we got our car, a Nissan Rogue, we decided to head to Wal-Mart (yes, I actually wrote that). We needed some toothpaste and snacks for the day. Health regulations prevent food from being taken off the ship. There is a daily market in Hilo, however the Saturday one is the “big” market, so we to head into town and see what was there. 

Wandering around Hilo

We decided to start by visiting the Mokupapapa Discovery Centre which highlighted the marine life in and around the Hawaiian archipelago. There were displays of marine life as well as history of evolution of the marine life. The building was a historical place, very well kept. Inside, we marveled at the 100-year-old original first growth hardwood floors that have been flooded many times by salt water but looked just fine. We then wandered a few blocks to the “Big Saturday” market. Once there, there wasn’t much we wanted. We decided to have lunch at a “cool” looking hot-dog place we had seen. Let’s just say we won’t be going back there. In addition to costing $25 US for two hotdogs and two bags of chips, they were meh, at best. 

It was now time to leave downtown Hilo and we headed to the observatory visitor center, which is at 9,200’ above sea level. Due to the weather, there are a number of high-power telescopes there that provide insight to the universe. The drive is not overly scenic, lots of lava fields and, in some places, shrubs. 

High Altitude Hiking

When we arrived at the visitor centre, we parked and went inside. There were signs about altitude sickness and the Ranger told us there was 30% less oxygen at the visitor centre than at sea level. We decided to pause for a minute and then did a short 20 minute hike up a small hill. Going slowly, allowing for any adaptation due to altitude, we easily reached the summit and the views were amazing. The wind was howling so we moved to the other side of the hill where we were sheltered. Enjoying the view and getting some pictures, we headed back down. 

Driving down the mountain was a lot quicker than going up. Once down at the main road, we turned back onto the highway where there was another park. Interpretive signs outlined hikes and explained some of the topography, but we chose not to do those.

As we drove back towards Hilo, we stopped at another nature trail that explained the 1936 volcanic eruption and we did a short hike through the lava fields. They are not super exciting, sort of what you would expect the moon to be like.  

Getting closer to the ship, we started discussing where to park the car overnight. In the end, we decided to park on the road, across from a factory that was close to the ship where other cars were parked. It was a Saturday night and everything worked out fine.

Tonight’s show was a comedian and he had the audience laughing a lot.

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more of our trip in a day or two as we catch up!

Comments and questions are most welcome.

Cam and Meg

Our travel to Hawaii was unique and parts of it were experiences we hope not to repeat. Do not be alarmed, we loved our time in Hawaii, however there were some “situations”.

In order to fly to Hawaii, we arrived at the airport in good time with Doug dropping us off. Check-in was a breeze as was US customs. While we were waiting for our flight, we visited the lounge and enjoyed their hospitality until it was time to board the aircraft, a WestJet Boeing 737 – Max 8. 

An “issue” on a Boeing 737 – not a warm feeling

Once we were settled in, they announced we would be delayed for “an issue”. The update that followed informed us there was a loose panel on the door and maintenance had fixed it. Reading about all the issues with Boeing aircraft recently, that was not the most comforting pre-flight announcement I had heard. 

All seemed well and we took off, Meg was enjoying the view out the window until about 3,000’ when we entered clouds. Around 30 minutes later, Meg decided to test the quality of the motion sickness bag. We are pleased to let you know they do not leak. It was the first time she has ever been sick on a plane. Our thoughts were it was something she ate at the lounge. The good news is she slept for most of the flight and felt fine in the morning.

Once we arrived in Honolulu, we got our luggage and then I looked at booking an Uber to take us to the hotel. The Uber app indicated it would $89 and said the price was high due to high demand. We headed to the taxi line and when we got there, there were no taxis about. Meg looked at a sign that said to call a number to order a taxi and the sign also listed fees. To drop the flag, it was $40. Other taxes et al raised that to $50, before you even left the airport. Time to check Uber again. 

Hailing an Uber, a game of guessing the price?

I’m not sure how the Uber algorithm works, however the price was now $75. We headed back in the terminal to try to find the Uber pick up point. It took us about 10 minutes of wandering around and going up elevators to find the right location. I then went to order an Uber. The price was now $59. I locked it in and we headed off to our hotel. 

By the time we checked in and took our bags up to the room, it was 11PM Hawaiian time, or 2AM Vancouver time. We were hungry and wandered out to find a snack. Most restaurants closed at 9 or 10. The ABC stores all closed at 11. We did manage to find a food truck and had a light meal and then back to our hotel. 

Enjoying Hawaii from the get go

The bed was comfortable and the hotel, although dated, was spotlessly clean. We both slept well and the morning saw us head out for a light breakfast, then a walk along the beach. When we got back to the hotel, we cashed in our “drink” tokens and had a swim in the beautiful pool.

As we checked out of our hotel, there was a group of seniors in the lobby who were also checking out and going to the ship. Their tour guide had a great deal of patience with the repetitive questions about going to the ship. From the conversations I overheard (the tour guide was often yelling to hard of hearing people), I gathered the guide was also going to be on the cruise. I thought to myself ‘I could do that job and get free travel’. Then I thought ‘tour guides are not allowed to throw clients overboard, even if they deserve it’. I guess that is not the best business model for me. 

Heading to our cruise ship

We decided to get to the ship ahead of them. A short Uber ride got us to the terminal at noon where we checked into our home for the next 11 days. Even though we beat the group at our hotel to the ship, there were others we saw who caused me to pause and ask myself ‘who ties your shoes for you in the morning?’

After lunch on the ship, we headed ashore and toured the Royal Palace, the only one in the United States. While there we read some signs and learned about the history of how Hawaii came to be part of the United States. From what I read it can be summed up in one word. Invasion. Rather distressing actually.

Starting our tour of Hawaiian Brew Pubs

The grounds of the Palace were lovely and after a rest under a magnificent tree, we headed to a brew pub. Honolulu Beerworks was around the corner and a perfect stop. The brewery is an open air affair, as are many places in Hawaii and we stood outside reading the menu. A server came up to us and let us know it was “Happy Hour”, all pints were $2 off. It didn’t take much convincing after that. The cold adult beverages were delightful.

Heading back to the ship, we had our dinner in the Main Dining Room and then wandered around the ship before the evening show. A gifted pianist played amazingly well with only a few band members as back up. After the show, we called it a day and headed back to our room.

Today we took the ferry from Vancouver Island to the Mainland. We will spend one night in Surrey with my Mom and then fly to Hawaii from Vancouver. We were originally planning to leave on the 24^th, but then we had an idea. “Let’s re-do the kitchen”. What a great idea (no sarcasm intended). 

In regards to our kitchen reno, we met with some contractors, got some quotes and looked at everything we wanted to do. Figuring out what we thought we would like in a 70-year-old house can be a challenge as there are “surprises” behind every wall. In the end we decided on a local company who have good reviews and were competitive on pricing. The timing actually worked really well. They need full access to the kitchen for two weeks and during that time we would only have limited access. Well, if we’re not here, then that is not an issue, right?

Enter a Hawaiian vacation/cruise.

The contractor was gracious enough to move a few jobs around and fit our job in while we were away. In discussions with the contractor, they went over what they needed, which included all cupboards being empty. Now, I truly hate packing. I’ve been known to be stuffing a suitcase on the way to the airport because I just tossed everything into a bag 15 minutes before we had to leave. Then I tried to pack it into a suitcase on the way to the airport. Hey, it works for me. This time I have a fully bonified reason not to pack. I have to empty the kitchen. 

We had everything emptied by 9:00 AM and were off to the ferry shortly after.  We had originally planned to walk-on; however, we need to take a number of things over and lugging bags on a BC Ferry is not really anyone’s idea of fun. So, we made a reservation for our car. 

Our Plans for Hawaii

We have learned that trying to micromanage the perfect vacation is always a disaster. That leads to terrible times. Let’s face it, no plan survives first contact with the airport/customs/airline/taxi…. However, while plans are useless, planning is essential.

We’ll get in to Oahu late at night, so other than checking in to our hotel, there won’t be much to do or see.

The next day, we’ll explore the local area. We’re staying in Waikiki, about a five-minute walk to the beach. The cruise ship is open for check in at noon, so we will aim to be at the pier for noon. There’s a special lunch onboard for our loyalty status, and it’s usually pretty good. After we get settled in, we plan to head off the ship and explore the nearby park and beach.

A hike and captivating views

On day 2, we are hoping to hike the Diamond Head crater. We have park access reservations between 7:00 and 8:00 AM. Everything I’ve read says do the hike in the early morning to avoid the sun and crowds as much as possible. When we’ve finished the hike, we’ll get an Uber and either rest on Waikiki beach or try surfing, which we did last time we were in Waikiki. We might not try it though, the previous experience was humbling to say the least. There is always the other side of the island to snorkel. We will not have a car, but the bus system is pretty good. The only thing we have to watch for is the ship’s departure at 5:00 PM.

We will try to post from Waikiki, however we’ve opted not to take the internet plan on the ship. We may find some hot spots while we are sailing around the Hawaiian Islands, we will see.

Thanks for reading, please feel free to reach out with any comments or thoughts.

Cam and Meg

You can also follow us on Instagram at Roam Relax and Repeat

We’ve been back in Canada for almost three weeks now. The clean, fresh air and drinkable tap water are wonderful. Our diet has returned to a higher concentration of healthy foods and a lower level of carbs. We found it interesting that many of the vegetarian cultures do not eat a lot of vegetables. Lentils and flour make up most of the diet. Veggies, when you could find them, were often of dubious quality or highly inflated, at least for tourists. 

The weather in Victoria, despite being cooler, has been enjoyable. There’s only been one ‘wash-out’ day with heavy rain and wind. Even on that day we managed to get a walk in when the rain took a brief break. We have not, however, gone for walks in flip flops and shorts. BC has warmer weather than the rest of Canada, but it’s not that warm (yet).

When we planned our six-month trip, it was overwhelming. We’d never done anything like this before. Add to this, retirements, change of part time jobs and moving cities. It was a blur and while we had planned everything up to our arrival in Mauritius, nothing was really planned after that. Our original thought was to visit sites during the day and then in the evening, plan the next day/phase/leg. After all, when we were working, we would work during the day and plan activities at night. Sounds pretty simple.

Planning is the key to a successful trip

Not so fast. As we travelled and moved towards new places, we were either too tired at the end of the day to plan, or we wanted to be out exploring. Living in and for the moment was our goal. Planning two months down the road was not going to be as “fun”. For the most part, we just followed our plan until Mauritius. When we arrived in Mauritius towards the end of January, we started looking for things to do and places to stay in February and March.

Planning a list of things to do can be time consuming. We did not stay anywhere longer than a week and during that week we wanted to see and do everything. Our goal was always to create ideas that would allow us to see and try new things. Each country and city we visited were unique. There were always ‘must-see’ things and after that we were left with ‘what now’? 

Our last few stops were done at a much slower pace than the first stops. The original planning, done in Canada, held such anticipation. It was fun to plan and think of all the things we would be seeing and doing. The new foods we would be trying out as well as the things we would be learning. 

Heading to Hawaii

The anticipation of a trip, much like Christmas, is often as rewarding as the event itself. Ten days ago we moved back into anticipation mode. We found a re-positioning cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver at the end of April and it seemed too good to pass up. The ship will spend six days touring around the Hawaiian Islands and then make a five-day open ocean transit to Vancouver. It involves only one airfare and that is a one-way ticket from Vancouver to Honolulu. We’ll have a short hotel stay in Honolulu and then on to the cruise ship. 

We’re excited about this cruise and have been reviewing some cruise forums. We’ve now planned to hike up Diamond Head at sunrise. We won’t get to see the sunrise; the park opens at 06:00 and sunrise is 06:03 on the day we’ll be there. Despite having hiked in Nepal, we can’t cover the distance from the gate to the top in three minutes. I’m good, but I’m not as good as I was. Even so, we’ll go early to beat the crowds and heat. This is a popular outing and we’ve made reservations to ensure we can get in. Our entrance time is between 07:00 and 08:00. We’ve met up on-line with other cruisers and they will be joining us. 

Planning for Hilo and Kona

We’re now looking at things to do in Hilo and Kona. We’ve been to both places a few times before, so finding something new is a challenge. Renting a car and visiting beaches where the dolphins will likely be our default. Just walking around the warm Hawaiian air and sunshine is also a good bet. The cruise was supposed to stop in Maui, however due to the fires last year, they are not ready to host cruise ships. We’ll spend extra time in Hilo and Kona – definitely a first world problem. 

Thanks for reading.

If you have any suggestions of things you’ve done in either Kona or Hilo, let us know.

Cam and Meg

We returned home last week, our six-month journey having ended. It was a blast and we can’t believe how quickly time went by.  It seems only yesterday we left.

One thing we were able to see first-hand was how other countries and economies work in comparison to ours. We normally feel our way of doing things is superior, otherwise we wouldn’t do it that way – right? However, we witnessed firsthand how many other places match or exceed our way of doing things. Of course, there were places that were doing things in a manner we left behind years, if not decades ago.

We started exploring in Japan

Japan is known to be a world leader in technology and progress. Despite an economy that has stalled for the last number of years, they have a transport system that is efficient, affordable and simply amazing. Their culture is based on respect. They don’t invade your personal space. No one honks their horns, either in cars or on bikes.

I experienced this first hand as a tourist when I was walking on a road and unwittingly blocking traffic. I’m not sure how long I was doing this, however when I looked over my shoulder, there was a car that I was creeping along behind me. I’m not sure how long this poor fellow had been following me, patiently driving his car at 5 km/hr . I immediately moved over to the side and bowed deeply to apologise and show respect for blocking their way. The driver smiled, nodded and waved. He didn’t honk his horn as his actions might bother me. In North America, there would have been a short horn, which in our culture, would not be out of place. It would likely be a “hi there, you’re blocking me, can you move over?”. Of course, there are times when the horn could mean something else. 

Further south to Taiwan

During our time in Taiwan, which is also a very high-tech area, we saw some great things. We were served by robots at a local diner, technology is used to assist day-to-day living. At the restaurant we were at, a human waiter took our order and, a few minutes later, a robot came out with our food. It was similar to a giant iRobot vacuum cleaner that had shelves on it. The robot was programmed with a table number and then weaved around the other tables to bring you your food. Once you had your meal, you tapped the robot’s hat and it went back to the kitchen to repeat. Taiwan is hugely important to the world for technology. The computer chips that are powering the device you are reading this on were likely made in Taiwan. They make more computer chips than any other country.

Singapore was old vs new, however cleanliness was probably better than anywhere else we saw on our trip. The subway was air conditioned which was much needed for a country only one degree from the equator. 

Sri Lanka – a very interesting place and worth another visit

Our few days in Sri Lanka showed us a country that is not quite where we are in many areas, however everyone seemed happy. There was thriving commerce, shops were open, local people were dining in cafés, and there was traffic coming and going. The infrastructure, however did look as if it could use improvements. A year ago, there were news stories of protests and when I asked our guide about those he shrugged. He said there were some people unhappy, however most people simply went about their business.

India – exotic, enchanting, and polluted

India was another story. A complete juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. Efficiency and inefficiency worked in harmony beside each other. An example would be a world class subway system in Delhi that moved the masses. As you exited the subway station, you could see people digging a foundation for a new building. Amazingly, this digging was being done with a shovel by hand. Fill was removed one pail at a time by a person on a bike. Who knows where they took it.

That India can feed 1.6 billion people every day is impressive, although not everyone eats a full meal. That they can survive with the wretched pollution, is a wonder. We were worried about the pollution in Mumbai when we were there as it was in the 300 parts per million (PPM). Then we got to Delhi. On some of the days we were in Delhi the pollution was just below 500 PPM. With the exception of Goa, which is on the ocean, there was always air pollution to worry about. 

Many towns we visited in India had “good” air with readings between 50 and 100 PPM. At home, when the numbers cross 25 PPM, people go crazy and lock themselves inside. We both developed coughs in Delhi. I guess it could have been COVID, however we wrote it off to pollution and breathing the continual bad air.

Nepal – magical

Travelling to Nepal from India didn’t help the cough. In fact we both developed full-fledged “smokers cough”. Hacking at all times day and night. Kathmandu was the worst, followed by Pokhara. Open fires, for warmth, would burn in common areas of restaurants and other buildings, trapping in smoke. Even if you were outside, with everyone having a fire, you smelled like a campfire. There was no getting away from it. We would look out from our hotel balcony in the morning and evening to see the countless plumes of smoke drifting up. All of which was trapped in the valley, reducing the view of the Himalaya mountains. Even when we were hiking in the Himalaya’s, unless we were between outposts, the smell of smoke was hanging. 

Mauritius was a charming place. Located 20 degrees south of the equator, the weather there is likely as close to perfect as you can get, other than the odd cyclone. There are trade winds that keep the air moving and as it is an island, 50 miles from the other nearest island, the incoming air is always clean.

Malaysia is an up-and-coming place. The prices are reasonable. The weather is a bit on the hot side with a lot of humidity. Most places are air conditioned unless they are open air venues such as hawker stalls. Malls are modern affairs with all the usual stores, Lululemon, Bata shoes, etc. Western goods are priced similar to North America, unless you buy knock-offs at the stalls. The one thing that we enjoyed in Malaysia was losing our “cough”. We arrived there from three weeks in India/Nepal and our lungs cleared up. Well at least our coughs went away.

Bali – a magical island, but maybe not for everyone

Bali is where we ended our journey. It’s not a place that we will rush back to. There seems to be two camps on Bali, love it or hate it. I would not say we hated it, but the issues we saw there made us think we would go back to Thailand before Bali. To be clear, Balinese people, for the most part, are wonderful. They are kind, welcoming and truly wish you to be happy in their home country. Some of the “annoyances” included a mafia run taxi service that serves only to rip-off tourists. The overrun tourist spots, where you wait for hours to take a picture make the experience less than enjoyable. Of course, the masses of tourists who overtax the system didn’t help.

We did many things: here are some of our numbers:

• Length of trip:                                                  182 days
• Number of countries visited                           15
• Number of hotels/AirBnB’s/Homestays        40

Cruises are a great way to travel

• Number of cruises 3
• Number of days on cruise ships 45

Air travel is necessary

• Number of flights:                                           11
• Number of “red-eye” flights                           3
• Number of airports travelled through:       15
• Nicest airport:                                                 Singapore (sorry YVR, Singapore has you beat)
• Sketchiest airport:                                           Kathmandu

It’s all about the food!

• Number of different restaurants dined in (many more than once)     157
• Best meal – tie                                             Takayama Japan and steakhouse in Khatmandu
• Best street food Chole Bhature – New Delhi
• Number of times we ate street food – Waaaaaayyyyy to many to count
• Number of times we were sick from street food – Nil – (we used a lot of hand sanitizer)

The still frames in our minds – I hope they will always be there

• Number of tours / activities                           14
• Number of cars rented                                   2 (both were right hand drive!)
• Number of trips to Disneyland                       2
• Best memory                                                  Overnight hike in the Himalayas
• Worst memory                                                Meg having to go to the hospital in Japan  

Arriving back in Vancouver – and much cooler temperatures

When we arrived back in Vancouver, we were picked up by my Mom and Doug. One of the first questions they asked is “would you do it again?”. I answered “absolutely” and at the exact same time Meg said “yes”. The trip was not a vacation. We started out in vacation mode, likely reinforced by the 16-day trans-pacific crossing on a luxury cruise ship.

To vacation for six-months is too hard, at least for us. When we readjusted our thought process to do one, maybe two “outings” per day we started to relax more. On a vacation you generally do not have to do chores. When you travel for six-months, there are chores. Laundry is a weekly chore. So is paying bills. Yes they do come in while you are away. Internet and online banking make it easier, however you need to log in, pay attention and keep on top of things. Of course, having your iPhone stolen, as happened to me in India, makes that a bit harder.

Travel to learn and where possible, give back

For us, the trip was not so much about a vacation, but about learning. We learned so much about the places we visited. There is history beyond Europe and Canada. Much of the history we saw in Asia and Africa was influenced by European cultures. In some cases, quite heavily. During the age of exploration, England, Portugal, Spain, France and others explored and claimed foreign lands as their own. This led to massive shifts in wealth for some and impoverishment for others. The spice and slave trades are prime examples of this. Zanzibar was one of the leading places for the slave trade and it flourished there into the 1900’s. 

Travel is, for us, about enrichment. We go to seek new and exciting things. Of course, there are days when we rest by the pool/beach to recharge. There are also days where we challenge ourselves with excitement such as white-water rafting and hiking. One of the things we learned is we don’t care for winter all that much. This new knowledge is leading us to consider a way forward, possibly with annual extended travel to warmer climes. As many before us have found out, retirement arbitrage is possible. 

Skip the time change – go for jet lag instead

Another thing we were fortunate enough to do was miss the time changes at both ends. The clocks went ahead an hour the weekend before we came back. This greatly benefited us as sunset in Victoria was now 7:30 PM, us 6:30 PM a week ago. We’ll try and make note of that on any future trip, if we still do time changes in the future.

Cam and Meg

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

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.

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

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. 

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. 

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

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?

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

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!

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

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. 

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. 

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.

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

Travelling from Nepal to Malaysia, there was a 25°C temperature shift, from 10°C to 35°C. There was also a huge improvement in air quality. In Nepal, they wood burning fires to cook and keep warm. This leads to always feeling like you are in a campfire. We both developed coughs from the pollution. This was amplified by our time in New Delhi, where the air quality index was hovering around 400. That did not help matters.

The first order of business was to wash our clothes once we arrived at our Air BnB. When we checked in, we unpacked our suitcases and it was as if we were standing around a campfire. Everything smelled like smoke and needed to be washed.

Red Eye flights are tough on the body…

On our arrival day, after the “red-eye” flight, we didn’t do much. The next day we took as a recovery day and simply walked around our neighbourhood, getting our bearings and trying some of Malaysia’s street food.

The street food is delicious. The price you pay for a meal here, is roughly the same as you would pay in Canada with one major difference. Prices here are in Malaysian Ringlets. There are 3.5 Ringlets to one $ CDN, so meals are effectively less than 1/3 of prices at home. Trust me when I say the food here packs a flavour punch. 

A bike tour in the country – we learned a lot!

On Saturday we went on a bike tour in the country. We were picked up at our hotel at 07:00, half an hour before sunrise. The heat becomes too much by midday and starting early is the only way to ensure safety. From our hotel we drove about 45 minutes to the west side of Penang Island. We were outfitted with bikes and then spent 2 ½ hours cycling around the country side learning and seeing and things we would have never seen had we just stayed in the city.

There were palm oil plantations. Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil and these plantations have replaced almost all the rubber plantations. The reason is simple – labour. Once you plant a palm oil plantation, it will take three years to produce and then it will produce for 25 years. The only work you need to do is harvest the palm oil dates twice a year. Nothing else. No pruning, no fertilizer, no weeding. Rubber trees are very labour intensive. They need to be tapped every year, similar to maple trees.

Something interesting we learned was the social dynamic within Malaysia. On the west side of the Island, there were two types of communities. Malaysian (obviously) and Chinese. And never the two shall merge. Malay homes are spread out around a community and people come together at a common place to talk, socialize and work. Chinese homes are clustered together and they work, socialize and function as one harmonious unit. 

The decline of the rural population

Malaysia has an issue with the declining rural population. Currently there is a large exodus of middle-aged people to the cities and places like Singapore. These people will leave their children at home to be raised by the grandparents and only see their kids two or three times a year. When the children get to age, they too tend to leave the country for the city or abroad. This scenario has played out since time immemorial with every culture. The Industrial Revolution, the dust bowl years of the great depression, and many others. Progress has its costs and effects in ways we often do not consider. In the end everything will work out.

The British were here too…cannons guard the approaches

Penang was originally a British base and when the French declared war on all monarchies in 1793, Penang hill became a lookout for the Island. It provided a clear view of the straits of Malacca. The French, at that time, had a large naval presence in the area. By being able to see down the straits of Malacca, the British, at Fort Cornwallis below, would have ample notice of an impending attack. The hill is 712 meters above sea level and it is a steep grade. I feel bad for the men and animals that had to lug the cannons, such as this one, up to the top. The markings are from King George’s III reign. 

Today, Penang hill is a popular tourist attraction with a funicular to get you to the top in about five minutes. We spent a day there and appreciated the atmosphere. At the top we wandered through tropical forests, saw expansive views and enjoyed the afternoon. There was enough shade to “hide” from the hot equatorial sun.

The beaches are OK, the water is not clear

We headed to the beach one afternoon, however found it was not as nice as some we had been to. The beach we visited had powder white sand, however was a 30° slope, so not ideal for lounging on. There were places to sit in the shade on retaining walls, but these were not conducive to spending long hours. The biggest drawback was the water. It was not the clear blue that you hope to find on a tropical beach. It was more the murky colour of the Gulf coast. The water is part of the strait of Malacca and, despite being tidal, was not clear. There were only a few children playing in the water, not really anyone swimming.

As we wound down our time in Malaysia, we took in a few more tourist sites learning of the history and culture. We were appreciative of the extensive bus network and the fact the buses were air conditioned. It made getting around easy and very economical. 

Malaysia Airlines – wonderful service and on time track record

Our trip to the airport and the entire airport experience were fine. The first flight was as domestic flight from Penang to KL. The domestic terminal was clean, modern and had a number of eateries. There were queues and order. Things moved smoothly. We would have never thought anything would be done differently had it not been for the complete cluster at Kathmandu. Even things moved more smoothly in India. The one thing we wanted to see was if our water bottles would go through half full. They did. One pleasant surprise when we checked in, the agent asked if we would be willing to sit in the emergency exit row. That was a nice upgrade .

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more later about street art from Georgetown as well as highlights from Bali.

Feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Cam and Meg

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

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.

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.

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