Cabo was not at all what I expected. Resting at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, the sparkling resort towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, known as “the capes,” or Los Cabos in Spanish, differ in many respects from their “Mexican Riviera” counterparts.
Having been to Mexico a couple of times (Cancun and Puerto Vallarta), my first big surprise in Cabo when I stepped off the plane was the weather. Compared to the heat and humidity of other parts of Mexico, the dry, desert landscape of the Baja Peninsula was a nice change of pace. This time of year, Cabo boasts average highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the high 50’s. The bright, sunny, breezy days reminded me more of Vegas or Phoenix in the spring than Mexico.
Occupying the stretch of land where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are connected by an 18-mile long Tourist Corridor lined with gleaming resorts. Cabo San Lucas is the more famous of the two towns with more beaches, resorts and a much-heralded reputation with spring-breakers world-wide. San Jose del Cabo is the smaller, sleepier town with shop-lined streets and a charming town square.
For my final stop in Cabo, I chose a hotel that I’d always wanted to try out – the Westin Los Cabos. The Westin’s dramatic architecture was designed with a nod toward Cabo’s most famous attraction, the Arch. The colorful lobby and beautiful beach on the Sea of Cortez are a photographer’s dream.
My Cabo plan was simply to enjoy a few days of sunshine-filled R&R after a full month of globe-trotting and time-zone-hopping. Sometimes, a girl just needs some quality time in a beachfront lounge chair with a good book and a margarita. Cabo seemed just the spot for that.
However, I did have one activity in particular on the agenda…whale-watching. In my quick research on the area, I discovered that January – March is whale season along the Baja Peninsula. Having been whale-watching once a few years ago in Maui, I knew I would welcome any opportunity to re-visit this incredible experience.
Whale watching is one of the world’s great travel excursions. Every fall the grey whales make their migration to the Sea of Cortez from the northern Bering waters. They birth their young and spend the winter months in the warm waters near the equator. These grey whales make the longest migration of any mammal, traveling 6,000 miles. Although grey whales were also once plentiful off the shores of Europe, today they can only be found making a Pacific migration.
After checking in, I booked a 2-hour whale-watching trip through the Westin’s concierge for the next day and headed out to the beach to enjoy what remained of the day. I should also mention that my room at the Westin was incredible and even featured a jacuzzi on the balcony.
When I arrived at the marina in Cabo San Lucas the next morning, I expected there to be at least a dozen other people in the boat with me. As it turned out, the time that I picked to go (10:00am) wasn’t as popular as the afternoon trips…I had the entire boat to myself! Now, since one of the challenges of whale-watching trips is the jockeying for camera position that ensues at each whale sighting, this was a pleasant surprise.
The next challenge is, of course, finding whales. In Maui, this wasn’t a problem at all and Cabo would also not disappoint. After a quick round of introductions, our little glass-bottom boat – skippered by the ever-personable Julio and “professional whale-spotter” a.k.a. 1st mate, Chris – headed out into open waters in search of whales. The water was very rough today and our small wooden boat bounced along the waves toward our first stop. Just off Cabo’s shore is “El Arco” (the Arch) - the area’s signature landmark, and one of the world’s most awesome natural wonders.
There were a number of other boats, large and small, filled with whale-seekers and it wasn’t long before we all zeroed in on a group of whales spouting dead ahead. The process goes something like this: 1) a whale is spotted 2) all boats head immediately in that direction and encircle the approximate spot 3) wait for them to surface and snap photos frantically 4) repeat. Each group of whales will put on a show for a while before diving below the surface long enough to cause you to seek out another group. It’s all good fun.
After spotting at least half a dozen whales, cruising back by the Arch and a nearby sea lion colony, we headed back to the marina. I thanked Chris and Julio for a great morning and headed back to the hotel where I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the beach.
The next day I took the hotel’s shuttle into San Jose del Cabo for lunch and a little shopping. San Jose is definitely the quieter and ritzier cousin of Cabo San Lucas and it was a nice morning spent visiting the shops and the town square. That afternoon I watched some of the Super Bowl (sans commercials on the satellite feed, unfortunately) at the poolside bar.
After 3 sublimely relaxing days in sunny Los Cabos, it was finally time to head back home. After more than a month away it is always strange to return home. It’s funny how quickly I get accustomed to life on the road but I was definitely looking forward to seeing my friends and family and sleeping in my own bed for a while.
At the end of these trips people always ask me what my favorite place was and my least favorite. This year I’d have to say it might be a tie between New Caledonia and Seychelles. Petra is also a strong contender and I think it’s one of those places in the world everyone should see in their lifetime. Absolutely amazing.
But for the purposes of pure relaxation and natural beauty, it’s hard to beat either Seychelles or New Caledonia. I would love to go back to New Caledonia to visit the Loyalty Islands someday.
As for my least favorite? Well, if I were to weigh “amount of fun had” versus “price paid”, Bora Bora definitely comes out the loser (I don’t think that will come as a shock to anyone!). Though I’d still go back to Tahiti someday, especially Moorea.
It’s been another amazing circumnavigation of the globe and I know it won’t be my last. After 5 years, it’s just become a part of my life. And yes, there are still more parts of the world I’d like to see!
Thanks to all who have followed along with me again this year. I hope you grew to like the new website format as I hope to stick with it for the foreseeable future (with a few upgrades, of course).
And just when you thought I was headed home to rejoin the world of the working…in another week I’ll be venturing south to San Juan, PR and my FIRST Caribbean cruise in 20 years. It’s a week-long adventure with the girls for my friend Dena’s birthday. This will be an entirely new travel experience for me (I’m sure cruising has changed a bit since I was in high school) and I’m sure I will learn a few things!
If you missed any of the previous trip entries, they are all now residing under the “RTW #5″ tab at the top of the page.
So long for now!
Posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago at 11:32 am. 2 comments
I admit, I have been procrastinating. Couldn’t seem to make myself sit down and start writing about my ill-fated week in Bora Bora. There is just something about surviving a tropical cyclone on a tiny dot of sand in the South Pacific that gives you pause. Paradise? Not exactly.
Last year, when I visited Moorea, I fell head over heels in love with the lagoon-encircled island and confidently proclaimed it “the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.” And that’s saying a lot, folks. So, you can imagine how excited I was about my upcoming trip to Bora Bora (which I’d heard was even better).
French Polynesia is made up of a number of islands, the most famous of which are Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea. All international flights arrive in the city of Papeete on the main island of Tahiti – interisland flights go out from there. My 6-hour flight from Noumea to Papeete, Tahiti was as terrific as a 6hr coach flight can be. The flight wasn’t full and I ended up with an entire row of 5 seats to myself…heaven! We landed in Papeete at dusk to a pounding rain.
I had decided to spend my two nights on the island of Tahiti (1st and last night of the trip) in downtown Papeete instead of going out to one of the resort properties. Though Papeete is mostly a dump, it’s close to the airport which saves taxi fare and offers more food options. I also wanted to do a little shopping at the huge market in the city before leaving Tahiti. I’d already done a resort hotel on Tahiti the last time I visited so this trip it was just meant to be a stopover. Bora Bora was the main event.
So, I’d done a little research on Papeete hotels and tried to find something cheap but clean and functional for my brief stays. I decided on the Hotel Tiare. The reviews on Trip Advisor were mixed but that seemed to be the case with all the hotels in the area. At $140/night, it was just about the cheapest thing in town and I figured how bad could it be?
Well, turns out, it wasn’t good. It wasn’t horrible but it was definitely bare bones. I was happy that the room did have a nice size balcony that I’m sure had a lovely view of the harbor if only it hadn’t been monsoon season outside.
Needless to say, it was a less than glamorous start to my 8 nights in Tahiti. But I didn’t care because I was SO excited about my morning flight to Bora Bora. I didn’t sleep well on the small bed with the single flat pillow (what is this, prison??). On the plus side, the front desk clerk was very friendly and helpful and spoke perfect English.
The big plus to staying one night at Hotel Tiare again after Bora Bora was the fact that I could store a bag with them and not have to take everything with me for my 6 nights in Bora Bora. This was especially crucial because the Air Tahiti flights have extremely low baggage limits due to the weight restrictions for their aircraft. These interisland flights are rarely full because they have to carefully balance their flight loads between people and luggage. The reason for this is the extremely short length of the runways on the smaller islands. For example, Bora Bora is one of the many islands with an airport on an outer “motu” or small atoll surrounding the main island.
So, the bottom line is, if you plan to go to Bora Bora, you better pack light. Even my small carry-on size bag would have weighed too much if I hadn’t taken 1/3 of the stuff out of it and left it at the Tiare. My flight was delayed by more than an hour due to the continuing lousy weather. I started to wonder if this rain was ever going to stop (little did I know).
We finally got in the air and as we approached Bora Bora 40 minutes later, I realized I was going to miss out on one of the most exciting parts of coming to Bora Bora…flying over the stunning lagoons upon landing on the motu. The rain was still pounding and the water was dark and murky. It was still quite an exciting approach to fly over all of the other motus with their overwater bungalows dotting the lagoon. It would have been amazing with the sun out. Oh well.
Since the airport is on a motu, Air Tahiti is kind enough to provide a free boat shuttle to the main town of Viatape (this is quite possibly the only free thing in the entire island chain). Since my hotel for the first two nights, the Novotel, was on the main island, I decided to take advantage of the free shuttle and head into town figuring I could get a cab or bus from there to the hotel. When the boat docked there was a driver waiting with a Novotel sign. Since I hadn’t given the hotel my flight arrival information I was surprised. But I guess they probably send a driver to meet the airport boat from all 3 flights each day.
The driver seemed to be an “independent contractor” working for the Novotel so I was able to cut a deal with him for 500xfp or only about $6. Not bad! Cheapest Tahiti transportation ever. The Novotel’s boat transfer fee would have been $60 if I had arranged it. It was a short 10-15 ride around the island to the hotel and as I checked in the rain was still unrelenting.
The Novotel was my budget hotel choice for my stay on the island. With 6 nights on Bora Bora, my budget just would not allow $600/night hotels for the whole time (and that’s what they all are on this island, at a minumum). At $120/night, the Novotel was a true steal. I would recommend it to anyone planning a holiday in Bora Bora. Spending a night or two there before heading out to one of the more expensive hotels would save hundreds…and trust me, you’ll need that extra cash to be able to eat at these prices!
Not only was the Novotel a great deal, it totally lived up to the glowing reviews it gets on Trip Advisor. The hotel shares a beautiful beach with the much more expensive Sofitel property next door. The lobby, restaurant, bar and pool are all right on the beach and the rooms are across the street surrounding a garden. I had a room on the top (2nd) floor and it was really lovely. Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a budget hotel. I can’t believe on an island this expensive there is a decent hotel option with rates this cheap. It’s a miracle!
Unfortunately, for my next miracle I would need to master walking on water to be able to leave my hotel room for the next few days. The rain continued unabated for the entire two days I was at the Novotel leaving limited options for getting out of the hotel. I did take advantage of one of the local pearl farms’ offer to pick up guests and bring them to their store to learn about the Tahitian black pearls (and of course shop a little – though I didn’t buy anything). It was a nice way to pass an hour or two and it got me a free ride into the main town of Viatape where I even found a place with good, reasonably-priced food and cheap wifi.
Monday, February 1, 2010
After the Novotel, my next hotel for nights #3 and #4 was Le Merdien Bora Bora. This hotel was my splurge for the trip. Like most of Bora Bora’s resorts, it was located on its own private motu and the only way to get there was by boat. I don’t know if any of you have ever arrived at your hotel by boat but I must say, it’s an awesome experience.
The rain had let up on my 3rd day though the clouds persisted. As the boat passed by the Meridien’s outer overwater bungalows and docked near the white-sand beach, I was speechless. What an absolutely gorgeous place. My main reason for choosing the Meridien and splurging on these 2 nights here was the resort’s Sea Turtle Sanctuary. One of only a few of its kind in the world (and the only one on Bora Bora) the Meridien’s inner lagoon allowed guests to learn about and swim with these beautiful creatures. I was dying to do that.
Unfortunately, in addition to the weather, the sea turtle experience turned out to be another disappointment. Though I was able to attend their daily feedings and learn about the sea turtles from the director of the program, due to the weather (curses!) all the turtles had been corralled for safe-keeping within the lagoon. They were safe in their pens instead of loose in the lagoon to frolic with the likes of tourists like me. Something about it being dangerous with rising sea levels for them to escape into the outer lagoon and then into the ocean. All of the turtles in the Meridien sanctuary are under 3yrs old and too young to be released into the wild. When they reach an appropriate age they will be tagged and released into the Pacific, free to roam where they like. But for now, they were captive, just like I soon would be.
On the plus side, my overwater bungalow at the Meridien was completely wonderful and had stunning views of Bora Bora’s famous Mt. Otemanu (in the fleeting moments it wasn’t obscured by clouds). The other downer was the condition of the lagoons around the island. Thanks to all the rain and wind in the preceding days, the lagoon – though still beautifully turquoise in color – was cloudy and not nearly as remarkable as the lagoons I remembered surrounding Moorea.
After 2 nights at the Meridien, it was time to move over to my final hotel for the week, The Bora Bora Nui Hilton. For the past 24hrs there were increasing rumors of a tropical cyclone developing strength and heading our way. Though information on the island was limited, thanks to internet access (and a little help from my Dad back home) I was keeping an eye on the storm myself. It was too early to tell where or when (or if) it would make landfall but I was seriously considering taking an early flight back to Papeete and scratching my final two days. I was not necessarily scared of the storm, more of getting stuck on the island and screwing up the remainder of my itinerary.
When I first arrived on Bora Bora, there were warnings issued for Tropical Cyclone Nisha. Luckily, on my 2nd day here it took an easterly turn away from Bora Bora and all was well. I would not be so lucky with Tropical Cyclone Oli.
Before checking out, I spoke to the General Manager at the Meridien and asked him what they were advising guests to do. He assured me that the cyclone was being monitored by the hotels via the Tahitian government authorities and that for the moment, they were not advising any evacuation of the island. It was a “wait and see” approach.
Later that day I went into Viatape to do a little shopping before catching the Hilton’s free shuttle boat. Figuring I should take the opportunity to do a little more due diligence with Air Tahiti and the local tourism office in town, I visited both looking for advice on whether to get off the island today. The Air Tahiti office was closed but the tourism office was reassuring by saying that when the islands get bad storms, the airline will often call guests at their hotels (it’s a tiny island as I mentioned) and advise them that their flight has been moved up a day due to approaching bad weather. Apparently, this is common.
Reassured, but still not 100% convinced, I also spoke with the Hilton’s Front Desk Manager before I checked in. “Should I be trying to get out now,” I asked, “or do they expect this cyclone to miss us?” For a 3rd time that day, I was again informed that if the situation became serious, the hotel would keep us informed. They were not advising guests to leave the island. So, I checked in and spent the remainder of the partly sunny day enjoying another fantastic overwater bungalow and a dip in the lagoon from my private dock. Had I known it would be the last bit of Bora Bora I would get to enjoy, I would have savored it a little more.
Wednesday, February 2, 2010 – Tropical Cyclone Oli
This morning at 7:30am I was jarred out of the kind of sound sleep that can only be achieved in a South Pacific overwater bungalow by a ringing phone next to the bed. It was the hotel manager informing me that they were evacuating the overwater bungalows and would be moving me to a hillside bungalow. I had 30 minutes to pack. There are a lot of ways to be woken up in the morning, this one is not high on my list.
I walked outside on my deck to see what all the fuss was about; I mean, it wasn’t even raining. Very windy, yes, but no rain. Then I noticed that the swimming deck at the end of the stairs going down from my upper deck was almost completely submerged. Yesterday there had been about 3 ft between platform and water. Alright, alright, I’m packing.
I showered and packed hastily and 30 minutes later a bellman in a golf cart pulled up outside to deliver me to 5-star luxury on higher ground. On the ride I noticed hotel employees everywhere busily boarding up windows and moving furniture inside – including all the windows & deck furniture on the bungalows. When we arrived at my new bungalow, it was a twin of the one I’d been enjoying in the lagoon but with an excellent panoramic view. As far as cyclone shelters go, this seemed like a winner. As long as I still had A/C and internet, I’d be a happy girl.
After the bellman left, I realized he didn’t leave me a key to my new room. I called the front desk to inquire about getting one and was told (by a hesitant front desk clerk) that the hotel advises all guests to please remain in their bungalows until further notice. I said, “Does that mean you won’t give me a key to my room?” The response gave me pause, “that is correct, Madam.” Swell. I’m a prisoner in paradise.
I was advised that the hotel would be delivering food and water to the bungalows for as long as the “lock-down” lasted. Ok, fine. There was nothing I could do so I decided to hunker down and make the best of the situation. After all, I was in a gorgeous bungalow, things could certainly be worse. So, I spent a few hours online working and e-mailing family and friends with updates. I was actually starting to enjoy my little storm shelter…and then around noon, the power went out. The situation went rapidly downhill from there.
I called the front desk to inquire as to whether the whole resort had lost power or it was just me (after all, it still hadn’t even rained much – seemed a little early for the power to abandon us). The manager said that most of the property still had power (this was a lie, I later learned that the hotel cut the power on purpose to force everyone to evacuate) but that they were now evacuating everyone to the spa situated at the very top of the hill. I was to go there right away and they would provide us with further information once everyone was together. It was looking like I would be forced to give up my solitude and wait this thing out with the rest of the hotel’s guests.
I gathered everything essential to me (laptop, cell phone, camera, Flipcam, passport, book to read, etc.) threw it in my backpack and made my way up the hill to join the rest of the nervous-looking guests. Within the confines of the spa, the gym – a single room that didn’t appear to exceed the approximate square footage of my bungalow – had been cleared out and outfitted as a make-shift shelter. The floor was covered wall to wall with bare mattresses.
The hotel front desk manager was handing out towels and sheets for the mattresses at the door and explained that we would all need to share the mattresses because there would be 80 other people in the room. I counted 12 mattresses, a mix of singles and kings. Yes, it seemed I would get to know my fellow guests well by the time this was all over.
When I arrived, there were only about 10 other people in the room already “making up their mattress.” They were all American and 2 were even from Atlanta. We got to chatting about what a great story this would make when we all finally got home. Assuming we didn’t get blown off the top of this hill, of course (cue nervous laughter).
The small room filled quickly as the remainder of the hotel’s sun-burned and disenchanted guests filed in each taking up residence on a spot of mattress. Though we still had power, the A/C was not up to the challenge and within an hour the room was stifling. Not to mention lousy with flies. Gross!! The hotel manager, Karine, went down a list taking attendance to make sure we were all accounted for. Then she proceeded to give us an update on the weather situation.
Tropical Cyclone Oli would be passing just to our west in the next few hours and the situation on the island was expected to get serious. She said she had no idea how long we would be stuck in here but that they would continue to supply us with food and water and try to make us as comfortable as possible. She warned that it was possible we’d be spending the night in here (which at only noon seemed an absurd possibility). It is at this point I decide that I want my 80,000 Hilton Honors points back for this stay. I’m not sure “fly-infested, mattress-on-a-floor-shared-with-12” should qualify as a “Category 7” redemption.
Hour after hour dragged by with no sign of relief. The room we were in was an interior room downstairs in the spa building and everything upstairs was boarded up tight so we couldn’t even hear what was going on outside. I prayed we would not be forced to spend the night in this miserable room.
The make-up of the 80 guests in the room was about 50% Japanese with the other 50% split between Europeans and Americans. The American group bonded quickly. There were Randy and Autumn from Atlanta, Craig and Kathy from Kansas and a few others. As our confinement conditions worsened into the day we christened ourselves “Team America” and set about demanding better treatment from the hotel.
Craig requested fans for the room to help fight the oppressive heat and the hotel complied with 2 tiny stand-up fans. It was about as helpful as dropping an ice cube into a pot of boiling water but at least it was a start. After 7 hours in lock-down with no end in sight, they announced they would be serving us dinner. Finally, we thought! After all, none of us had eaten since they brought lunch (a small sandwich & salad) to our bungalows right before the evacuation around noon.
Karine came into the gym and told us that the two options for dinner would be ravioli (from a can that she held up) or ramen noodles and she was going to begin heating them up. Team America was not impressed. This is a 5-star hotel and the best they can do is canned ravioli and bottled water!!?!?! Dinner was served as flies continued to buzz around the room making the gross factor on a scale of 1 to 10 somewhere around a 27.
Unfortunately for us, Oli may have been the slowest moving cyclone ever, advancing at a leaden pace of only 12 miles per hour. For the first few hours of our captivity, Karine had allowed us to escape the stuffiness of the gym by standing just outside the door to the spa for some fresh air. It was much more pleasant out there even when you were getting pelted with rain and dirt (which should tell you something about the conditions inside) so that’s where Team America spent most of our time.
Right at the entrance to the spa there was a single, large palm tree that had been swaying with the winds throughout the afternoon. Around 7pm when we were all standing outside chatting and watching the storm the wind picked up in intesity knocking us off balance. It was enough to unnerve us so we headed back inside the shelter. The next time we cracked the door open to look out, the huge palm was on the ground landing exactly where we had just been standing. Needless to say, after that, all field trips were canceled and it was back to the fly-infested oven.
By midnight, the storm seemed to have settled a bit and the natives were getting restless after 12 hours in captivity. Team America had made repeated requests for cold Cokes, beer or wine but were denied at every turn by a stern-faced Karine who was apparently determined to keep us miserable. Some guests were beginning to demand to return to their rooms but since none of us had keys, we had nowhere to go until they agreed to release us. Karine said we were waiting on a government minister in Papeete to give the OK for the hotels to release guests back to their rooms.
Several more hours passed and we were all getting despondent. Luckily, the spa never lost power or cable so we were able to monitor the storm about once an hour when CNN International would do an update. This was crucial since the hotel was giving us NOTHING in the way of updates. Just kept telling us they had no idea how long we would be here.
By 4am we were all exhausted and getting angrier by the hour. According to CNN the storm was well past us and moving on south to the island of Tahiti. Though there were still bands with strong winds passing over us, it definitely seemed the worst was over. We couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t release us. Led by Team America, the whole room was ready to revolt.
We were at the point of being willing to sign waivers releasing the hotel of any liability if we went back to our rooms against their advice when they finally got a call from the minister granting our release. Hooray!! Karine whipped out a small basket she’d been hiding which contained all of our key packets and began to distribute them. She wanted us to wait for them to take us each back to our rooms in the hotel golf cart but since that would have taken hours most of us elected to go it alone and make the walk.
My hillside villa wasn’t far down the hill from the spa so I didn’t have much trouble making it back. Though I did have to use my Blackberry for light to navigate sidewalks with downed trees and palm fronds. I would have gladly navigated the Sahara desert to get back to my room at this point.
Miraculously, the power had been returned to all of the villas (though the walkway lights were still out) so when I got back to my room I jumped into the shower. It’s was the best shower I’ve had since the end of my 18-hour stint in India. Next, I raided the mini bar of the two Hinano Tahitian beers (a little pact Team America had made during our hours of captivity – we were taking the beers, and we were NOT going to pay for them…sometimes it’s the small victories that matter the most) and finally sat down to my computer to e-mail my family and let them know I was OK. It was 5am by this time…17 hours of hell.
I tried to get a little sleep but with the sun just beginning to rise, I was anxious to get outside and see the storm damage by the light of day. So around 7am, I grabbed my camera and headed out. The gorgeous resort had clearly suffered substantial damage (the General Manager later estimated it at $5 million – not sure if I believe that but it’s possible). Downed trees were everywhere, some landing just inches from bungalows. Many of the resort’s sidewalks were underwater making it difficult to get around. Swim decks were snapped off many of the overwater bungalows due to the rising waters. Some of them were captured by hotel staff and tethered to the overwater lobby building.
The lobby suffered the most damage with a few holes in the roof and damage to the boat docks. Rumors abounded that the hotel on the other side of our motu had lost 2 overwater bungalows in the storm. When I made it to the restaurant for breakfast, Karine informed me that there would be no flights and no boats for the day. The airport in Papeete was closed down until the storm had passed that island as well.
Karine said the hotel staff would do their best to provide limited services to us for the day. Lunch and dinner would be served in the only restaurant able to re-open. There would be no maid service or room service but they would try to at least come by with fresh towels at some point. The few staff that had remained on the motu during the storm would be focusing on cleaning up the property and making sure the grounds were safe.
After breakfast, I re-united with Team America who had gathered at the pool to re-hash the previous night’s events and combine resources on getting off the island in time for our international flights. Kathy and Craig had the biggest issue since they were scheduled on a flight back to LA that night. Mine wasn’t until the next morning but it wasn’t looking good for me either.
Just about the time we’d all given up hope and made peace with the fact that we were going to be stuck here for another night, Karine came running up to us at the pool like she was on fire waving a list of names and telling us that a boat was coming to take us to the airport. Air Tahiti had managed to scramble one plane from another island and it would be arriving within the hour. She said we had 15 minutes to pack and get our bags down to the hotel dock. We dropped our beers and ran for our bungalows.
Since there were a number of people who were scheduled to leave the day before, PLUS those of us who were scheduled to leave today, seats on that flight would be at a premium. Within minutes we were back to the main dock and going thru the checkout process at a table with a cash box substituting for the damaged front desk.
About 50 of us (more than half of the hotel guests) were rushed onto the Hilton boat and after a very rough 30 minute ride, we docked at the airport. As we disembarked and grabbed our luggage, boats from other hotels were also approaching. Craig and Kathy of Team America fame were also on the boat with me and when we realized how many boats were pulling up to try to get on the flight, we practically ran to the check-in line. There was no one from Air Tahiti behind the desk yet but as we waited the line grew quickly out onto the dock of the tiny airport.
Tensions were rising in the airport as the people toward the back of the line started doing the math. About an hour after we arrived, the small Air Tahiti plane finally arrived and they began checking people in. Craig, Kathy and I didn’t relax until we all had boarding passes in our hands. At which point we bought a round of Hinano beers from the stand in the terminal and sat outside on the dock to celebrate.
While we waited we struck up conversations with other passengers and started an unscientific poll about how everyone was treated by their hotels during the evacuation. Judging from our results, those of us at the Hilton got the shaft. Guests of other hotels reported free wi-fi (one hotel evacuated everyone to their business center), decent food, their own mattresses (oh, the luxury!) and most importantly, cocktails. At least some were able to make a bit of a party out of it. The only thing we had going over everyone else was that most of them spent the whole night in lockdown and weren’t released until almost 9am (4 hours longer than us) – probably because they were all sleeping soundly instead of plotting an overthrow.
It took 2 more hours for the airline to sort out who would get the 100 or so seats on the only flight out but eventually we boarded just as the sun was setting. Things were looking up but I was still a little concerned about my Air France flight to LAX the next morning. What if Air France had decided not to send one of their big, fancy planes to an island just coming up for air after a cyclone?
After takeoff, I struck up a conversation with my French seat-mate who relayed his evacuation experience at the Sofitel (they were evacuated to the guest rooms at the Novotel next door and were allowed to stay in their individual rooms!). I shared my concern about whether my flight to LA would still leave tomorrow morning. He said, “You are on the Air France flight to LAX tomorrow?” When I said yes, he looked at me with a broad, knowing smile and responded in his thick French accent, “Oh, I can assure you it will be on-time…I am your pilot.”
What a hysterical coincidence! Marc had been on layover in Tahiti since last Thursday and decided to hop on over to Bora Bora for a few days…big mistake! Guess I was lucky he made it on the flight, too.
When we landed in Papeete the rain was still coming down hard. I caught a cab back to the Hotel Tiare hoping they would still have a room for me since I had e-mailed this morning cancelling my reservation for tonight. Luckily, they did and the bag that I’d left a week ago was waiting for me behind the front desk right where I’d left it. The room they gave me this time was much larger and nicer than the previous room which was a nice surprise. After a shower, I set 3 alarms (taking NO chances on missing my flight) and fell into bed.
The next morning as I boarded the plane, Marc was at the top of the stairs to greet me decked out in full pilot regalia. As I settled into my seat, I was overjoyed at the prospect of finally escaping paradise. Time to move on to my final stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and put this entire experience behind me.
After a few days to reflect, my final thoughts on Bora Bora and answers to some of the questions I’ve been getting:
Q. Would I go back?
A. Probably not. At least not to Bora Bora. Though there were a few hours over the course of the week where I really could see the natural beauty of the island; in general, I think it’s overrated and most certainly overpriced. That said, I would return to Moorea in a heartbeat, even during cyclone season. Since Moorea is only a quick ferry ride from Papeete, it’s much easier to get out in the case of bad weather. Not to mention the lagoons are just as stunning and the overwater bungalows just as fabulous for about half the price of Bora Bora.
Q. Was I scared during the cyclone?
A. Well, not until the palm tree by the door came crashing down. That was a wake-up call for those of us who had been underestimating the power of the storm…and standing under that tree a few minutes earlier.
Q. Will I be lodging a complaint with Hilton about how we were treating during the evacuation?
A. You bet. As will the rest of Team America. It was plain to see from our conversations with people at the airport that the other hotels on the island managed to protect their guests while at the same time keeping them comfortable. The Hilton’s managers were clearly in over their heads. At the very least I’ll be asking for those 80,000 Hilton points back.
A big thank you to those back in the States who helped me during and after the storm. My Dad for staying on top of the weather situation (you’d be amazed how hard it is to get good weather info for Bora Bora) and texting me updates. Lynn for keeping everyone updated through Facebook for me while I was in lockdown. And Gary for exhausting all options trying to find me a flight out of Bora Bora after the storm and help me come up with a “Plan B” if I couldn’t make my original flight to LA (thank God for that last minute Air Tahiti flight because Plan B was NOT looking good!).
And thanks to everyone for your concern. I have never been so happy to be leaving “paradise.”
Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago at 10:27 am. 1 comment
January 26, 2010
I have to begin today by giving the French due credit for their colonial taste in islands. It is becoming abundantly clear that they got all the good ones while no one was looking. First Tahiti, then Seychelles – and now this?? Someone has GOT to start keeping tabs on these people.
Here’s just a rough list of current or former French colonial islands (many of whom are still speaking French to this day): Tahiti, New Caledonia, Mauritius, Martinique, St Croix, St Kitts, Vanuatu, St. Martin and Reunion. I have only been to two of these, but they are two of the most gorgeous islands I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. Well done, Frenchies.
Though most of these islands no longer fall under the French flag, the country’s cultural legacy often remains. When I first took up French in high school, I never thought it would be so useful in real life. When I began travelling overseas, I was excited to brush up on my language skills for trips to France. But I always thought that would be the only place I would use my remedial French language skills. Not so! You’d be amazed how often I’ve been able to use French in my travels. Morocco, Vietnam, Cambodia and, of course, some of the most beautiful islands the world has to offer. Not to mention 90% of Northern Africa. Yes, the French have been busy over the years.
When I spent a month in Paris several years ago, I was feeling almost fluent in the language by the time I left. Unfortunately, when you don’t converse in a language daily, you lose it rapidly. While I still have a mastery of the basics, my conversational skills take a little practice. I’m fairly adept at asking questions in French. Unfortunately, that’s a double-edged sword as asking a question in French often gets you a rapid-fire answer in French – which I often can’t decipher.
But I’ll be getting a lot of practice as French is widely spoken in French Polynesia as well. So, that’s two weeks spent with native French speakers with limited English capabilities. It is a challenge I hope to rise to!
Since I know many of you have probably never even heard of New Caledonia, a little history…
New Caledonia is home to the world’s 2nd largest reef (2nd only by a hair to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef) and the world’s largest lagoon – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the 3rd largest archipelago in the Pacific after Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. The territory consists of the main island (or Mainland), the Isle of Pines to the southeast and the 4 Loyalty Islands (Mare, Lifou, Tiga and Ouvea) to the east; as well as a number of other smaller islands.
The Mainland is home to a spectacular central mountain range running the length of the island and the capital city of Noumea, where I stayed.
The islands were originally settled by Melanesian tribes. In 1853, under the reign of Napoleon, France took possession of the islands. During this time vast mineral deposits were discovered which eventually led to a burst in economic growth with the mining of copper, cobalt and especially, nickel. France utilized the island as a penal colony and shipped more than 22,000 convicts to its shores in the late 1800’s.
WWII marked a turning point in New Caledonian history. Its strategic location in the middle of the Pacific conflict opened it up to the rest of the world. In 1942, the Americans arrived taking over much of the unoccupied land for their military installations. During the occupation, the American GI’s built roads, troop housing and hospitals, drained marshes, laid water and electrical lines and made other numerous improvements to the infrastructure that remain to this day. Over the course of 4 years, more than a million American troops transited through New Caledonia.
The older locals have fond memories of the American GI’s and there is a lovely American memorial in downtown Noumea that honors the contributions of the Americans. Though still a French territory, since the signing of the 1998 Noumea Accords, New Caledonia has enjoyed more autonomy within the French Republic.
Noumea itself is a cosmopolitan city with all the modern conveniences. Most of the restaurants serve French food which I was excited about because I love French food! Not to mention the great snacks like crepes and paninis.
My hotel for this stop was the Le Meridien Noumea situated a few miles south of the capital on beautiful Anse Vata beach. Luckily for me, the town of Anse Vata – with all of its shops and restaurants – was a 10 minute stroll down the beach so I was able to dodge the exorbitant prices at the hotel restaurants.
Like Tahiti, New Caledonia is definitely not a budget destination. The currency is the French Pacific Franc which is pegged to the euro and no bargain for US dollars. The airport is located more than 40 miles from Noumea and the transportation options are limited and expensive. I opted for the airport shuttle which was $70 round trip and took about an hour each way.
When I arrived at the hotel, I was very pleased with the suite they upgraded me to. Though the furnishings were a bit dated, the suite had a spectacular balcony with a panoramic view of the sea. It was magnificent. From my balcony, I had a terrific view of the area’s #1 sporting activity – kite surfing. The kite surfers were at it from mid-morning until the sun set each day, sometimes dozens of them at a time, criss-crossing the bay doing tricks and flips. It was very entertaining to watch and I was even able to get a few great pictures with my zoom lens.
After settling into my room and unpacking a little (a luxury with 3 full nights in one place for the 1st time all trip), I headed down to the concierge desk to make some plans for the next day. I had decided to take a day trip to the southern island of Ile des Pins (Island of Pines). The pictures I’d seen of the island looked unbelievable so I was willing to splurge on the $120 round-trip ferry ticket. My plan was to take the ferry out in the morning, rent a bike to ride around the island for the day and then return on the evening ferry.
The concierge was very helpful in getting everything booked for me so I spent the rest of the afternoon poolside before walking into Anse Vata for dinner.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The next morning I was up bright and early both working and getting ready to head to the ferry. The boat departed Noumea harbor at 6:45am and docked in Ile des Pins just over 2 hours later.
I could tell right away that the glowing reviews I’d read of the tiny island still didn’t do it proper justice. It was quite literally like a Garden of Eden in the middle of the South Pacific.
The water was so clear in some places it was colorless against the pure white sand of the beaches. The two most remarkable beaches were Kuto Bay and Kanumera Bay which were only about 200ft across a narrow road from each other.
Time seems to stand still on Ile des Pins with its turquoise lagoons, sparse Melanesian tribal population, swaying palms and soaring Araucaria pines. The island’s inhabitants are known as “Kunies” and they have kept their tribal traditions alive in their small villages scattered around the island. The Kunies are very friendly to tourists and every time I passed one I was greeted with a cheerfull, “Bonjour!”
In a moment of frugality, I ended up forgoing the bike rental after finding out the price was a good deal higher than I’d been told. The main village I wanted to visit was Vao and the sign said it was only 3 kilometers away, an easy walk. Plus, I was anxious to get back toward the ferry dock where I’d seen the first two gorgeous beaches. Those were certainly worthy of spending a little leisure time. So, I decided to start my day by making the walk to Vao and then head back toward the ferry to spend the afternoon at the beach.
One of the most fascinating things to see on Ile des Pins are the “pirogues.” The tradition of sailing these ancient craft from St Joseph’s Bay has been kept alive for centuries by the Kunies. They are quite a sight to see and I was lucky enough to stumble across them in St Maurice while looking for the seaside totem poles, even though I never made it to St Joseph. The solemn circle of totem poles are said to be guarding the nearby statue of Christ.
As I followed the path toward the shore to see the statue, I was passed by what had to be the entire population of the island (about 50 people) engaged in what seemed to be a walking church service. They were led by a man who was giving a sermon into a handheld loudspeaker and walking in sync while chanting verses. They were walking from the statue of Christ to the island’s only church in the village of Vao. It was quite a sight to see after not seeing another soul for my first hour or so on what was starting to seem like a deserted island.
One of the first things I learned about Ile des Pins was that just because an area on the map has a name, doesn’t make it a town. Vao appeared to be the main town on the island so I assumed there would be a few lunch options on the area. I was wrong. The only buildings in the small village were modest homes and huts, the Church, a single-room each post office, hospital and town hall. I finally came across a small market and was at least able to buy a Diet Coke and a bottle of water but their food options were limited to grocery staples that would require kitchen facilities. I was beginning to think I was going to have to settle for the granola bar in my backpack. Luckily, once I made it back to the beach, there was a little beachside grill (and by “grill” I mean just a guy with a grill) selling delicious chicken skewers for only about $3. I bought one and enjoyed it on the beach with a lagoon view better than any I’ve ever seen.
After spending the rest of my afternoon lounging under a palm tree on the beach and swimming in the lagoon the temperature of bath water, it was finally time to head back to the ferry. After the 2 hour trip home, I stopped in the town of Noumea for dinner and finally got back to my hotel around 9pm.
For my final day on the island, I decided to take a trip into Anse Vata for some shopping. I bought a few souvenirs and had a nice lunch by the sea, then spent the remainder of the afternoon enjoying the hotel’s pool and beach and watching the kite surfers play in the bay.
I thoroughly enjoyed my 4 days in New Caledonia, the islands are a true wonder. I would love to go back sometime to visit the Loyalty Islands. Rumor has it they are just as amazing as Ile des Pins. Can’t imagine doing the flight from the States (Noumea is just two hours from Sydney) but if I find myself in the neighborhood again (and I suspect that I will), I will definitely be back.
Next up on the itinerary…a long-anticipated return to Tahiti.
Posted 1 month ago at 1:34 pm. Add a comment
Monday, January 25, 2010
Auckland has become the perfect jumping-off point to the South Pacific for me these past few trips. It’s the closest I can get to the islands on my RTW ticket but luckily flights are pretty cheap from Auckland to almost any destination in the Pacific. It’s also a nice break from Asia both from a language and food perspective. And to top it off, you just can’t beat the weather.
My final flight on Korean Airlines for this trip was perfect as always. Great service, great food and an excellent seat for sleeping. I arrived in Auckland feeling pretty good though with all the time zone changes lately, I think it’s starting to catch up to me. Let’s just say my critical thinking skills aren’t quite as sharp as usual. I’m hopeful that a good meal and a good night’s sleep in a real bed will help.
For this year’s visit, I’ve been forced to try out a new hotel. Usually I stay at the Westin or the Hilton (which are both beautiful and right on the water in Viaduct Harbour) but this year the rates at both were out of sight. (My mental threshold for hotels is about $175 unless they are located on a tropical island…or in Dubai.)
So, I went to my usual back-up plan – a combination of Expedia prices and Trip Advisor reviews. Once again, that combo didn’t disappoint. My choice for my one night stay in Auckland was the Auckland City Hotel. The location was great. Though not on the water, it was just a short 6-7 block walk away. The room was clean, roomy and well-appointed and most importantly – the hotel had laundry facilities! I was able to do 2 loads of laundry and wash everything in my suitcase, hooray! The only thing missing was free-wifi but at $80/night it was still a steal.
I spent the afternoon walking around the city enjoying the 70-degree sunshine and had dinner at my favorite restaurant (Buffalo on Princes Wharf) – New Zealand green-lipped mussels and sauvignon blanc!
It was a perfect day and I finally got a good night’s sleep before heading back to the airport bright and early for my flight to Noumea, New Caledonia.
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago at 3:48 pm. Add a comment
Saturday, January 23, 2010
For my brief stop in Taipei I didn’t have especially ambitious plans. Kind of a random choice as a stop, I know, but it was one of those Asian cities on my to-do list so I decided to squeeze it in between tropical locales this year. Time for a “city-break” and a return to high-rise hotels and actual high-speed internet.
Upon landing in Taipei, I was surprised to see that for such a hi-tech city, the airport was not nearly the modern facility I’ve become accustomed to with major Asian capitals. There was, however, an enormous tourism desk staffed with a dozen helpful agents who checked my hotel reservation on a list, provided me with a good city map and suggested a bus to the city that made a stop right in front of my hotel. I was disappointed there was no train to the city, just the bus or a taxi. But, at only $2.80, it was definitely the cheapest airport transportation I’ve ever taken.
It took a full hour to get to my hotel, the Sheraton Taipei, but it was a pleasant enough ride and I decided that I’d take the bus again back to the airport the next day. If nothing else, the price was certainly right!
I didn’t really have a game plan for my day in Taipei, just figured I’d get a map and ask the concierge for advice on the major sights. After settling into my room and taking a quick shower, I headed out into the city armed with my map and a few helpful suggestions from the concierge. The weather was decidedly overcast but I was just grateful that it wasn’t actually raining.
Taiwan has an interesting history. The Dutch occupied and ruled Taiwan, known then as Formosa, from 1624 to 1661. The Dutch were routed from the island in 1661. Taiwan then became, rather loosely, a dependency of the Chinese Empire. In 1885, the island became an official province of China. In 1895, following a Japanese invasion, Taiwan became a Japanese colony. This situation continued until the defeat of the Japanese by the Allied forces in 1945. Following the exit of the Japanese, control of Taiwan was vested in the hands of Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang government, which presided briefly in mainland China.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) came into being when the rebel forces of Mao Tse Tung overran and displaced the corrupt and decadent regime of the Kuomintang in 1949, which then fled to Taiwan. The Kuomintang-dominated government ruled Taiwan, as a government-in-exile from the mainland, until the first ethnic Taiwanese president was elected in 1996.
Taiwan’s political situation is complex. In recent years, Taiwan has embraced its native culture and ushered in an era of growing “Taiwanization” in politics. Most Taiwanese now prefer separation from China rather than unification. But fears still persist that Beijing will use force to stop Taiwan from asserting itself on the world stage. Despite these fears, the country’s economy has grown exponentially in the past few decades giving Taiwan recognition as one of the 4 “Asian Tigers” in the region.
Anxious to explore this “Asian Tiger,” my first stop was walking distance from my hotel, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Encompassing the National Theater, National Concert Hall, Chiang Kai-shek Gate and Memorial, the plaza was packed with people on this Saturday afternoon. The Chinese architecture of all 4 buildings was ornate and vibrantly colorful and the plaza elaborately landscaped, it was a beautiful area to wander around.
My next stop required a little navigation of the Taipei metro system. It turned out to be pretty simple and at only $.60 per ride, quite a bargain. My destination was Taipei 101, the city’s iconic skyscraper and – until 2 weeks ago with the opening of the Burj Dubai – the world’s tallest building. As I exited the train station at the City Hall stop, I stopped to look around and get my bearings on which direction to go. A girl who had walked out just in front of me seemed to be doing the same thing and turned to ask me if I knew which way to Taipei 101. I said, “Not really, but it’s the world’s 2nd tallest building, how hard could it be to find?” We laughed and decided to try to find it together. Her name was Robin and she was in Taipei on business from Seattle. Like me, she had just gotten in today and this afternoon was her only chance to get out and see some of the city before starting work the next day.
Taipei 101 turned out to be a little harder to find than we thought. With the cloud cover today the top of the building was intermittently obscured by clouds. But, it didn’t take us too long to find and after taking a walk inside and seeing the insane line to the observation tower we decided to skip it. After all, considering the weather, we were unlikely to be able to see much from the top anyway.
Since Robin and I were kind of on the same sightseeing plan for the day, we decided to continue on to a few more stops together. Our next stop was a nearby street market where we had a little snack from a street vendor grilling meat on a huge round grill. Then we visited the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall next door before hopping back on the train to check out the temple that both of our concierges had recommended.
Longshan Temple was only a few stops away on the metro but it was a world away from the skyscrapers of central Taipei. The ornate temple was overflowing with worshippers, colorful floral offerings and wafting incense. It was amazing and unlike anything I’ve seen before. I’m pretty sure Robin and I were the only tourists in the entire places, it was full of worshipping locals.
It was getting dark by this time and I was fading fast since I’d spent the last night on the plane. But I decided to hit one more stop with Robin before calling it a night. The Huaxi Street Night Market (better known as the “Snake Street Market”) was just getting underway next door to the temple so we took a walk over there to check it out.
We weren’t entirely sure we were on the right street until we actually did see a restaurant with an enormous python in a glass case at the front. Yikes! There was a big sign saying “No Photos” but I did manage to get one or two from an angle where the owner couldn’t see me (sneaky American that I am). Apparently snake is a delicacy in this part of the world but I had no plans to include it on my culinary tour.
Finally, we hopped back on the metro and got off at the Central Station next to my hotel. Robin wanted to see the nearby Chiang Kai-shek Memorial I’d told her about and I was ready for bed so we said goodbye there. It was nice to have another American to spend the afternoon walking around with, we had a lot of fun.
It’s funny that’s she’s now the 2nd person who has asked me for directions on this trip and turned into a travel buddy for the day. I just have one question, though, where are all the hot guys in need of directions?? Ha-ha. But, seriously, it was a great day and I really enjoyed my brief stop in Taipei. Though I wasn’t there long, I think I really got a good feel for this vibrant city.
The next morning I slept in a little, had breakfast in the lounge and went to the concierge desk to mail a few things back home. Time to lighten my load a little by shipping home guidebooks, maps, city info, etc. from previous stops. After shipping home a whole large Fed-Ex envelope, my suitcase still didn’t seem to be much easier to close…what’s up with that?
I caught the bus back to the airport for my short flight to Seoul and then 12 hour overnight flight to Auckland. Can’t wait to get back to the land of the kiwis!
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago at 5:59 pm. Add a comment
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I hadn’t been on the ground 5 minutes in Bali before I began wondering why on earth I hadn’t thought to come here sooner. Known as the “Island of the Gods,” even the airport’s intricate stone carvings and temple offerings at every counter tell you right away that this island is unique.
My 3-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur couldn’t have been easier and within minutes of arrival I had processed my “Visa on Arrival” and was headed out to the arrivals lounge to meet my driver. For my 2-night stay at the Westin Nusa Dua in Bali, I’d done something I usually don’t – arranged for a hotel car to pick me up at the airport.
Typically, the hotel car service is horridly overpriced compared to just hopping in a taxi or on the train. But, when I got an e-mail from the Westin a few days before arrival asking for my flight info and inquiring as to whether I would like to be picked up for a cost of only $11 US, I decided to take them up on it. Though I probably could’ve haggled my way into a cab for half that, $11 bucks was totally worth it to just have a driver waiting for me for once once. A nice, stress-free start to my few days in Bali.
When I arrived at the hotel, I was greeted at the door by both a front desk clerk and a manager offering a warm welcome and an ice cold hand towel and beverage. We were seated in the lobby for the check-in process while the manager explained the amenities of the hotel including the Royal Beach Club Lounge which I would have access to during my stay. The Lounge turned out to be fabulous. They served full breakfast, lunch and evening cocktails and appetizers in there along with free wifi 24 hours a day. Perfect!
I’d been upgraded to a suite which wasn’t yet ready but they checked me into another room to use until it was. I love it when hotels do this. Most will just store your luggage and call you when the room is ready – but good hotels give you another available room while you wait. I had heard wonderful things about the high level of service at Bali hotels and so far the Westin was certainly living up to that reputation.
I went to my temporary room to change and then headed down to the lobby to arrange for a car to tour the island the next day. Normally, I would have just rented a car myself to drive around the island, however, I’d seen a number of advertisements at the airport offering cars with a driver, guide and all fuel included for around $40 US for 6 hours. Pretty good deal to save myself the time of figuring out where to go and how to get there. Plus I always love to take the opportunity to hire a personal guide in countries where it’s especially affordable. The hotel’s tour desk was able to arrange a car for me for the next day so, since it was now almost 2pm, I decided to spend the rest of the day “exploring” the Westin’s beach and pool.
After just a few minutes on the beach, I discovered that the #1 thing to do in Bali appears to be enjoying the local Bintang beer while relaxing on the shore of the spectacular Indian Ocean. Always one to “do as the locals do” I joined the crowd. It was a lovely way to ease into the relaxed Balinese lifestyle. I think I could get used to this.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The next morning I awoke early for breakfast in the lounge before meeting my guide for the day, Roi, in the lobby. We had six hours to fill and the itinerary was totally up to me. I told Roi that I had 3 things I really wanted to see but I would leave it up to him as to how best to go about it. My #1 priority was visiting Bali’s ubiquitous rice fields. Since that would require almost a 2 hour drive each way, it limited the rest of our itinerary.
I also wanted to visit a Balinese temple so Roi suggested one that was located near the rice fields we would visit. And then, finally, I wanted to see the beaches of Seminyak and Kuta on the western side of the island. Though the driving distances aren’t necessarily prohibitive in Bali, the traffic often can be, so much of our day was spent in the car.
The long drive up to the terraced rice fields north of Ubud was definitely worth the investment. They are Bali’s most photographed attraction and what the average person visualizes when they think of Bali. The classic Balinese terraced growing system (called subak) allows the water to flow from one field to the next ensuring that every farmer gets enough water for his field. Though practical in nature, the visual effect of the terraces is stunning.
After leaving the rice fields, our next stop was the nearby Gunung Kawi temple. Like the rice fields, religion in Bali is everywhere. While the majority of Indonesia is Muslim, Hinduism is practiced by more than 90% of Balinese. There is a temple in every village and a shrine in every field. Small, delicate offerings of flowers, rice and incense to the Gods can be found at every corner – and you really have to watch where you’re going so as not to step right on them!
The temple of Ganung Kawi was a lovely example of the traditional open air Hindu temple including a holy water pool for bathing and elaborate stone carvings and shrines. As we walked through the temple, I was happy to have Roi with me to explain the different areas of the temple and what they were each used for. This was my first visit to a Hindu temple and I found it to be really interesting. Very peaceful and serene.
Next, it was back in the car for the hour-long drive to the western side of the island to the surfer-laden beaches of Seminyak. Though the town of Seminyak was very upscale and charming, the beach turned out to be much less attractive than my own hotel’s beach in Nusa Dua. It’s primarily meant for surfers because of the big waves on that side of the island but the beach itself is a bit dirty and unappealing. Luckily, I had the Westin’s beautiful beach to head back to.
We returned to the hotel around 3pm and I spent the rest of the day enjoying the hotel’s beach and pool…with another Bintang, of course!
Friday, January 22, 2010
For my final day, I decided it was time to head into town and hit the markets for a little shopping. I hadn’t really done any shopping on the trip so far and since this was my first time in Bali I figured this was a good place to pick up a few gifts and other things.
I always have to be careful with how much I buy since everything still has to fit in my already over-loaded carry-on suitcase. But I did manage to pick up a few things that were suitcase-friendly before heading back to the hotel to pack for my flight.
Next stop, Taipei!
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago at 10:00 am. Add a comment
Friday, January 15, 2010
After a restful night in the upstairs cabin on a 747-400 from Paris, I awoke eagerly anticipating our landing in Bangkok. My all-time favorite RTW stop (and the only country I have visited on every trip), Thailand is truly the ultimate destination.
From the bright lights and speeding tuk-tuks of Bangkok to the secluded and tranquil beaches of the south, Thailand has something for everyone – and everything for me. After spending 3 of the past 5 nights sleeping on airplanes, the first order of business was the famous $5 Thai massage.
When I arrived at my hotel, the beautiful Royal Orchid Sheraton on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, I was excited to see that they had finally completed a much-needed renovation. I’ve stayed at this property several times over the years and have always loved it for its perfect location on the river and sweeping views – but the rooms were a little tired. I’m happy to say that’s no longer the case. I was upgraded to a lovely suite so newly renovated that I think the paint might still have been wet. What a nice surprise!
After a quick shower I was ready to hop on the tourist boat for a scenic and leisurely ride up to Khao San Road. Though it may be faster to get there in a taxi or a tuk-tuk, there is no cheaper or more beautiful way to go than by tourist boat. The boats stop at all the main tourist sights along the way and for 13baht (about 30 cents) you just can’t beat it for the view. Instead of breathing in exhaust fumes on the crowded city streets, you can inhale the (mostly) fresh air along the river.
I wanted to refresh my memory about what was on the streets surrounding the hotel (for dining and future massage purposes) so I decided to forgo the hotel’s conveniently-located tourist boat dock (Stop #3) and wander up the road a little to Stop #4. I had a map and I was confident it wouldn’t be hard to find – just follow the river, right? As I was walking through the chaotic city streets, I was approached by a girl I assumed was a tourist (she was obviously not Thai, at least) who was searching for Dock #4 as well. She didn’t have a map and wasn’t familiar with the area so I told her she could walk with me and I was sure we could find it.
Her name was Helene, and as it turns out, she is French but living in Bangkok working as a math teacher. Coincidentally, she was also headed to Khao San Road so after finding the dock, we got to talking while on the boat ride. She’d only been in the city about 2 months so was still learning her way around. She was in search of a bookstore to find guidebooks for Vietnam and Cambodia – two places she planned to visit while living in Thailand.
Khao San Road is known the world over as a haven for backpackers. The street offers everything under the sun from cheap lodging and food to clothing, books, laundry service – you name it. It also happens to be the place for some of the cheapest massages in the city, which was my main reason for heading there. I also wanted to find the used bookstore I’d discovered last year with super cheap paperbacks since I was almost through with the one I was reading.
Sidebar: Paperbacks in English are often difficult to find when you’re travelling overseas. If you do find them, there is usually a limited selection at a hugely inflated price. So, when I discovered the bookstore last year, it was a great find. Travelers from all over the world have traded books here, bring in one you’ve finished and leave with a new one for pennies on the dollar. There are a number of great bookshops like this on Khao San Road.
So, my plan was to get a massage, pick up a new read and maybe grab a bite to eat. Since Helene was also looking for a bookshop, we decided to wander around together. After finding the books we were both looking for, I headed to the massage place and Helene continued shopping. When I was done, we grabbed some delicious pad thai from a street cart and ate it as we walked back to the boat dock.
After a long day on a plane and traipsing around Bangkok, I was happy to finally get back to the hotel…and start my work day. Yes, I know, you all think I am living the life of leisure while on this trip but I do have clients at home (thankfully) and work must go on! Since Thailand is 12 hours ahead of US ET, that means I have to be available on e-mail from 8:00pm – 5:00am.
It’s like this – with 24 hours in a day, I figure that breaks down to 8 hrs of sleep, 8 hrs of work and 8 hrs of play. However, the tricky part is that for the vast majority of the trip, thanks to the time difference, work hours and sleep hours fall into roughly the same time frame. Darn the luck! So, that usually means staying up late and getting my work day started by answering the morning e-mails. Then sleeping for a few hours and setting my alarm to check e-mail again around 4pm in the US. Then, if there’s nothing pressing, I go back to sleep and try to get the rest of that 8 hours. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t.
Sometimes I find myself in the lobby of my resort at 3am because it has free wifi and I am too cheap to spring for the $20/day for in-room internet (it really adds up over the course of a month so I only get in-room internet when there is no other alternative). Thank God for my Blackberry – it saves me a lot of trips to the lobby.
But, I digress…for my second and last full day in Bangkok, I did what I always do when I find myself in Bangkok over a weekend – I headed straight for the enormous Chatuchak Weekend Market. I found the market on my first trip to Bangkok several years ago and have continued to return because I find new entire sections of the place every time I go. It is so large you could spend the entire weekend there and not see it all.
Last year I discovered the animal section where they had a huge selection of adorable puppies for sale (though I prefer the term “adoption”). There are a lot of puppies that definitely look too young to be away from their mommies but they all seem to be well-fed and taken care of when I walk through the shops. And I have seen nice, normal looking families adopting them so I hope they are all getting good homes.
I headed straight for the shop with all of the huskies and watched some of them being bathed and blow dried – just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. And there’s an entire section of the market devoted to “pet clothing” (which is a little ridiculous but oddly entertaining). I’ve included a photo montage of “baby husky getting a bath” and “small dogs in absurd clothing” in the photo gallery this week. You’re welcome.
After a full day at the market, I headed back near the hotel for another massage and some dinner before calling it a night (and being a Saturday night, I actually got a full night’s sleep!).
Sunday, January 17, 2010
I awoke fully refreshed after an uninterrupted night of sleep, got some breakfast and grabbed a cab to the airport for my morning flight to Phuket. Just an hour’s flight south of Bangkok, the island of Phuket is an oasis of beautiful beaches and teal bays studded with limestone cliffs. I had booked a rental car in advance for my two days in Phuket since they are often at a premium during high season in Thailand (which this is).
A rental car was a necessity for this stop since I had decided to stay in the charming little beach town of Khao Lak – which, though charming, is about a 90 minute drive from the airport in Phuket. There are so many different towns and beaches in southern Thailand it would take forever to see them all. For this year’s trip, I had decided to do a day trip to the turquoise waters of Phang Nga Bay. I had a loose plan of hiring a boat to explore the bay on my own but figured I’d sort that out when I go to the hotel.
After a relatively easy drive to the Le Meridien Khao Lak (I’m getting used to the whole driving on the left thing) I arrived just after lunch. I was excited to learn that I had been upgraded to one of the hotels few “private villas”. Last year when I stayed here I had a lovely suite but a villa? Now we’re talking.
The villa was gorgeous and I spent most of the afternoon enjoying the hotel’s beach and expansive grounds before driving into town for a massage and some dinner (and yes, my Thai days are always loosely schedule around my next massage – at $5, how can you not?). When I returned from dinner, I spoke to the hotel’s concierge who assured me that I could indeed just drive to the docks in Phang Nga and hire my own boat for around $50 for the afternoon. Since the group tours were more than $100; that sounded like a great idea to me. Not to mention I generally despise group tours anyway.
So after another great night of sleep (still the weekend!), I had a leisurely breakfast and headed out of the hotel around 9am. The drive to Phang Nga took about an hour and I managed to eventually find the dock (sounds easy but trust me, it was cleverly concealed). There were several boats to choose from so I felt like I had pretty good odds at cutting a deal. I eventually went with the guy who spoke the best English but negotiated him down to a little more than $30 (still a lot of baht) for a 3-hour tour of the Bay. Negotiations concluded, I hopped in the boat and off we went.
It was a perfect sunny day for a cruise around the bay and of course there were a ton of other boats out there. But having my own private boat was definitely the way to go. The craggy limestone cliffs that dot the teal waters of Phang Nga Bay reminded me a lot of Halong Bay in Vietnam. Just as beautiful but much better weather!
We cruised the bay for a while lingering around some of the more popular tourist stops – caves, limestone carvings, fishing villages, etc. Finally, we approached the most popular tourist stop in Phang Nga Bay – James Bond Island. Made famous in the movie, “The Man with the Golden Gun,” the movie had the location set in China but Thailand is its true home. It was an extremely popular stop with the jam-packed tourist boats so the island was crawling with people. I got my photo op and headed straight back for my boat. After another hour or so of exploring the bay and breathing in the clean ocean air, it was time to head back. What an incredibly enjoyable way to spend the day.
I drove back toward Khao Lak for one final Thai massage before heading back to the hotel for a full evening spent luxuriating in my villa. Upgrades are gooood.
Another wonderful but brief stay in Thailand comes to a close and I am once again sad to say goodbye. Thailand is such an amazing country that I fall more and more in love with it every year. One of these days I really am going to stay awhile and see it all.
Up next, a one-night stopover in Kuala Lumpur before continuing on to Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday.
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago at 9:01 am. 1 comment
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The flight to Seychelles from Paris takes about 10 hours. Not a bad trade - the cold and rain of a Parisian winter for tropical paradise. We landed at 8:30am and when the boarding door cracked open, I was greeted by a wall of heat and humidity (did I mention it was only 8:30 in the morning?). Situated just 4 degrees south of the Equator, the humid climate of Seychelles is not for the faint of heart. The heat can be, quite literally, stifling. But, since I have been complaining about the cold weather at home for weeks, I decide to put my rapidly expanding hair in a ponytail and keep my mouth shut.
My first mission was to get a rental car. Though the island of Mahe has an extensive and inexpensive bus system, with only two days to explore, I needed my own wheels to maximize my time. I was fortunate that there were at least a dozen companies with desks in the airport, all with cars available. It was a renter’s market and within 10 minutes, I had cut a deal I was satisfied with. With keys to my little red car and a map of the island in hand, I hit the open road in search of my hotel.
Stretching from the Equator to the tip of Madagascar, the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles are scattered across 154,000 square miles of the Indian Ocean. The granite island of Mahe is, by far, the largest of these and home to 80% of the population of 85,000. Interestingly, all other mid-oceanic islands in the world were formed by coral and volcanic activity. However, the inner islands of Seychelles are actually the tips of continental granite mountains submerged millions of years ago when the supercontinent Gondwana tore itself apart separating India from Africa.
When you drive around the island, it is easy to picture the soaring granite peaks as the tips of submerged mountains. They create a dramatic backdrop for the white sand beaches and blue lagoons unlike any other I have seen. They also create a bit of a driving hazard for several reasons. One – because it is difficult not to be awed by the scenery around you when you should be focused on the road in front of you. And two – because getting from one side of the island to the other requires going up a steep and winding road through the mountain pass that will definitely keep you on your toes. Adding to the difficult terrain is the total absence of anything resembling a shoulder on the narrow roads. The edge of every road is a drop-off – sometimes 4 feet, sometimes 400 feet. Needless to say, it is in your best interest to stay carefully between the lines at all times.
Once I’d checked in at the beautiful Le Meridien Barbarons, situated on a pristine beach on the western side of the Mahe, it was time to head out and explore the island. I decided that for my first day, I would hop on the perimeter road and make a loop of the island, stopping to see the sights along the way. Without stopping, the drive would probably take about 2 hours. But when you want to stop and explore many of the 70+ beaches on the island, it quickly becomes a full day affair.
And what a day it was. The enormous granite boulders that define the beaches of Seychelles give them almost a prehistoric feel. As if they tumbled down the side of a mountain millions of years ago splashing into the ocean exactly where they lay now – and maybe they did.
After a full and wonderful day exploring every remote beach on Mahe, I headed back to the hotel for dinner, sunset and a night of sleep that didn’t involve an airplane seat. I had big plans for my next and final day on the island.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
As some of you may know, I first fell in love with the idea of visiting the Seychelles when Matt Lauer went there several years ago on “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” I tried to go last year but the flights were totally booked (Air France only flies to the islands twice a week so frequent flyer seats are scarce). In one especially memorable segment on the Today Show, Matt was sitting on a stunning white sand beach with swaying palms behind him. As he interviewed the Minister of Tourism, a giant tortoise lumbered into the shot while in the midst of a seemingly typical stroll down the beach. I was mesmerized. I mean, really, where else does that happen??
So, one of the main things I was dying to see in Seychelles were the giant tortoises. I scoured my guidebook and the in-flight magazine on the flight down for any information I could find on where to go to see these giant creatures. And here’s what I learned: Seychelles is indeed one of only two places in the world to see the endangered giant land tortoises in their natural habitat (the other is the Galapagos Islands).
However, if you want to see them on a beach, you’ll need permission from the government and possibly a science degree. Turns out, all 150,000 giant land tortoises reside on the island of Aldabra – the world’s largest atoll and a World Heritage Site that is closed to everyone but the scientists who work there. The only tortoises available for public viewing on the main island of Mahe are those in residence at the Victoria Botanical Gardens. So, grudgingly, that’s where I went.
Starting my second day in the capital city of Victoria, I headed straight for the Botanical Gardens. Within the gardens is a giant tortoise pen formed by natural black boulders. About a dozen giant tortoises live here and I was happy to see that I was allowed to get into the pen with them to get a closer look. It was feeding time while I was there so they were all happily chomping away on leafy greens. One was even enjoying an impromptu shower provided by a garden worker’s hose. They were quite entertaining and I’m glad I got to see them, even if it wasn’t exactly the “Matt Lauer experience”.
The Gardens are also home to Seychelles’ other famous inhabitant, the enormous coco de mer palm. The double nut of the coco de mer is the world’s heaviest fruit weighing in at a whopping 40lbs.
I spent the rest of the morning exploring Victoria’s shops and market. Then took a drive through the mountain passes in the afternoon to stop along the way and appreciate the magnificent views of the island from above. Finally, I headed back to the Meridien to spend my final hours enjoying the lovely beach at my own hotel.
My two days in Seychelles were extraordinary. The islands are so sublimely unique with their granite peaks and boulder-strewn beaches. It is with good reason that the slogan of the Seychelles tourist bureau is, “Not just another place, another world.” Another world, indeed.
I forgive you, Matt Lauer.
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago at 9:34 am. 2 comments
Thursday, January 7, 2010
After 2 last minute flight changes, I was lucky to escape Atlanta before the snow started to fall. My Delta Business Elite flight from JFK to Amman could not have been better. Empty seat next to me = double the fluffly pillows and duvets = lots of sleep!
We landed in Amman 12 hours later around 4pm on Friday and my first hurdle was getting a visa on arrival. This turned out to be the simplest process ever - took less than 5 minutes and cost about $15 US. Definitely no reason to get a visa in advance if you’re travelling to Jordan. Next up, finding a taxi and getting to the hotel. Finding a taxi was easy, getting to the hotel proved more difficult.
I hopped in a cab and within 10 minutes we had the misfortune to become car #4 in a 5-car pile-up on the highway, yikes! My driver managed to swerve the car into the shoulder to avoid a direct hit on the car in front of us so we were in better shape than the other cars involved. Instantly, all of the drivers jumped out of their cars – arms flailing, Arabic expletives flying – to survey the damage. At this point I’m thinking, oh great, we’re going to be stuck here on the highway while we wait for the police. But no! Apparently that’s not how they do things in Jordan. All of the drivers circled their vehicles reclaiming any loose items like hubcaps and taillights, got right back in their cars and drove off! Not so much as an exchange of contact info. All in all, a 5-minute delay. Definitely could have been worse.
That adventure behind me, I finally arrived at my hotel of choice for my visit to Jordan, the Le Meridien Amman. Always a big fan of Starwood hotels, I chose this property because of its excellent location in the city center. It turned out to be a beautiful hotel but its most impressive feature was definitely the service. From the security guards running the metal detector at the front door, to the front desk agents and housekeepers, everyone called me by name and took great interest in ensuring that I was enjoying my stay and seeing everything I wanted to see while in Jordan.
Once I was settled into my room, the next step was to line up a trip to Petra for the next day. With two full days to explore, Petra was tops on my list. After a helpful visit to the concierge desk, I had a ticket on the JETT bus to Petra for 6am the next morning. With a 5am wake-up call looming, I headed for bed.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
After a good night’s sleep I was at the bus stop at 5:45am, ready to go. The bus to Petra (operated by JETT) costs about $17 US roundtrip and was a steal considering the trip was 3 hours each way. The bus was a nice air-condited motor coach and I was happy to see we would only have 12 passengers on the ride down so there was plenty of room to spread out.
During the ride, I got to talking to the people sitting around me. I first met Rebecca and Marcus from Sweden. Rebecca is a nurse living in Amman while studying Arabic so she can work as a nurse in the Middle East. Marcus was visiting her from Sweden for the week so they were making the trip down to Petra to do some sightseeing. Also with them was Yousef, a Jordanian friend of Rebecca’s who would turn out to be our tour guide for the day. I also met Lucy, an America from Minnesota living and studying in Damascus, Syria. She was on her way back from the States for the holidays and stopped over in Jordan to see the sights for a few days. After chatting most of the drive down, we decided to band together for the day to explore Petra.
Though Jordan is a country steeped in history, Petra is by far its most famous attraction. Aptly-named, Petra means “stone” in Greek. Dating back as early as the 5th century BC, this city on the edge of the Wadi Araba was quite literally carved into the sandstone of a deep canyon. Originally created by the Nabateans, a group of Arab-speaking Semitics who moved into Southern Jordan two thousand years ago, Petra was in control of trade routes stretching from Africa to India and China. The Romans later conquered the area and it was eventually abandoned and forgotten until a Swiss explorer rediscovered it in 1812.
After a bit of sticker shock at the ticket counter (the entrance fee has recently skyrocketed to almost $50 US), we entered a narrow gorge called “the Siq” which creates the almost mile-long dramatic opening act to Petra’s wonders. After winding our way through the astonishing geological formations, colorful rocks and water channels, we were rewarded with our first glimpe of the famous Treasury. As we emerged from the Siq, I was blown away by the sight of the Treasury. Tourists snapping pictures and local Bedouins hawking camel rides through the site added to the chaos surrounding Pertra’s first treasure. Featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Treasury was painstakingly chiselled from sand and stone by the ancient Nabateans. It is truly stunning.
Next, we dodged the persistent camel jockeys and made straight for our ultimate destination, the Monastery. Located several miles into the site, we knew that if we wanted enough time to make the challenging hike to the top we’d need to start there first. Our bus had arrived around nine and we had to be back on it by 4pm.
The twisting climb through a narrow gorge to the Monastery consists of 800 steps with seemingly endless uphill slopes in between. It took us a little more than 2 hours to make the climb with a couple of breaks along the way. Many people opt to ride one of the readily available “air-conditioned” donkeys (or so their owners claimed) to the top, but we toughed out the climb. Well, except for Marcus who made it halfway before flagging down the first available donkey. We found him sipping a cold beverage when the rest of us finally neared the top.
The climb was well worth it, though, when we got our first look at the Monastery, we were all in awe. It was amazingly beautiful. Since we were exhausted and it was now past lunch time, we decided to find a shady spot and have lunch. It was at this point that I was immensely grateful I had made friends on the bus. Though there was a small stand selling drinks at the top, there was no food for sale. Thankfully, Rebecca had brought enough sandwiches for everyone and I gratefully accepted when she offered me one. Lucy had also brought food and snacks so we had a lovely lunch on a large rock with a killer view.
After lunch and several photo ops, we realized we had better start the climb down as it would take us almost 2 hours to make the hike back to the bus. It took longer than we thought with a little more sightseeing on the way back and we just barely made it by 4pm. The sun set quickly once we began the drive back and post-hike exhaustion lulled most of us to sleep for the ride. By 8pm we were back in Amman and I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel for a shower and some dinner. Slept like a champ that night.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Woke up today feeling like I ran a marathon yesterday. Uphill. O-U-C-H. Slept in a little and then met up with Yousef from the Petra trip yesterday for a tour of the city of Amman. Yousef is Jordanian and lives in Amman and graciously offered to give me a walking tour of the city for my last day in Jordan.
Our first stop was the King Abdullah Mosque. Built between 1982 and 1989, the mosque is a memorial to the assassinated King Abdullah I and is capped by an enormous blue mosaic dome. I was especially happy to have Yousef with me at the mosque to determine which entrance we should use and where I needed to go to obtain a hijab, which women must wear to enter. We took off our shoes and made our way inside. The mosque was empty as it was still almost an hour before the next call to prayer. The interior was bright and colorful with an extravagant chandelier and intricate stained glass and mosaics. I am always impressed with the beauty of the interior of the mosques I’ve visited. It’s very different from the inside of a church but equally ornate and beautiful.
Our next stop was the Roman Theater where we also visited both the Museum of Popular Traditions and the Museum of Folklore. Yousef was an excellent tour guide explaining the local customs and traditions to me as we went along and I told him he should consider a career change to tour guide.
Our last stop and the place I was most excited to visit was the Amman Citadel. Towering above the city, the Citadel is the site of the ancient city of Rabbath-Ammon. The National Archaeological Museum here contains the earliest known biblical texts ever discovered, the Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls were written sometime around 50 BC and were later discovered stored in caves on the West Bank of the River Jordan. Though the scrolls tell of a treasure hidden somewhere on the West Bank, nothing has ever been found.
After leaving the Museum, we strolled around the Citadel taking in the sweeping view of the hills of downtown Amman. It’s a beautiful city from above and the views were incredible on such a magnificent day. My tour of Amman complete, I thanked Yousef profusely, said goodbye and headed back to my hotel.
Bordered by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Isreal, Jordan is an oasis in an otherwise turbulent and troubled region. I was impressed by the quality of the tourism infrastructure here, from the hotels to the preservation of ancient wonders like Petra. But mostly I will remember the friendliness of the people and the warm welcome I received from everyone I encountered here. Jordan is a safe and modern destination and the opportunity to immerse myself in the ancient history of the region was an experience I will not soon forget.
Posted 1 month, 4 weeks ago at 3:37 am. 1 comment
Hello all and welcome to the new and improved version of my travel site! I know, I know…no one likes change. But it was time to make the jump from the My Trip Journal site (which has served me well over the years) to my very own website. All of the journal entries from my previous trips can be found under the tabs above.
And please check out the new “GALLERY” tab that now contains all of my photo albums from every corner of the world. I spent most of the holidays getting all of the photos online and I think that the display quality of the albums is miles above the Trip Journal site (which I always thought displayed them a little fuzzy). Let me know what you think. Still working on tweaking things to make it as user friendly as possible but what you see here will have to do for now because…
RTW 5 starts this week!!!
Where has the year gone?
This year I’ll be heading to several new and exciting spots and (of course) a couple of old favorites. Here’s the itinerary:
Jordan – Seychelles Islands – Thailand - Malaysia – Bali, Indonesia
Taipei, Taiwan – Auckland, NZ – New Caledonia
Bora Bora – Cabo San Lucas
I am packing like mad and trying to get everything done before I leave. Leaving the country for a month is never as easy as it sounds.
If you want to receive e-mail updates or the RSS feed when I post new updates, click on the SUBSCRIBE button on the upper left.
Hope you will all enjoy the new site and won’t be shy with the comments form – I love hearing from everyone!
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 1:16 pm. 2 comments
