Homes away from home

A 769-day adventure by Anna and Greg Read more

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Trip start
November 23, 2015
Homes away from home Anna and Greg
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Day 1
Monday, November 23, 2015 at 5:00 PM
☀️ 31 °C
Altitude: 5 m
Thailand Ban Phra Ae 7.57496, 99.035027°34’30” N 99°2’6” E
Lanta Memory Resort, Ko Lanta, Thailand
November 23, 2015 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Stayed first 4 days here
Nov 23-27, 2016
OMG! Don't ever trust Agoda reviews. Ever!
The smell!!! They need to do smth about the smell!
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Day 5
Friday, November 27, 2015 at 12:00 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 7 m
Thailand Ban Phra Ae 7.57969, 99.034487°34’47” N 99°2’4” E
Lanta Lapaya, Ko Lanta, Thailand
November 27, 2015 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Lanta Lapaya aka Lanta LaPapaya
Completely new resort. We weRe the first one to move in
No one touched anything there!!!!
Stayed from Nov 27- Jan 4
Great location, had the whole place to ourselves for at least 3 weeks with big swimming pool. Then tourists started to arrive. Was the best deal so farRead more
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Day 24
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 12:00 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 66 m
Malaysia Sungai Anak Ayer Batu 3.13248, 101.665053°7’57” N 101°39’54” E
Sebelas, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
December 16, 2015 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Airbnb in Kuala Lumpur in "hipsters" district Bangsar
Stayed 3 nights Dec 16-19
Place designed by special architect
Concrete, metal, glass and wood. Very open
Good things - very stylish, bad things - it's open so full of bugs and room was tiiiiiiinyRead more
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Day 43
Monday, January 4, 2016 at 12:00 PM
☀️ 32 °C
Altitude: 16 m
Thailand Khao Khlong Haeng 8.03679, 98.833458°2’12” N 98°50’0” E
Baan Piengfah, Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
January 4, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Airbnb in Ao Nang
2 nights
Rented 2br small house with friends
Clean enough
Good location ( away from the main terrible tourist street) but still 10 mins to the beach and food places
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Day 45
Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at 7:00 PM
🌙 24 °C
Altitude: 300 m
Thailand Mae Ram Orchid & Butterfly Farm 18.80569, 98.9914118°48’20” N 98°59’29” E
HeyHa, Chiang Mai, Thailand
January 6, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 24 °C
Airbnb'ed twice this place
Jan 6-9, 2016
3 nights

Racha and Dee hosts are really chill and helpful. Smack in the middle of college area. Highly bikable and fun. went out, had a couple shots with the local college kids, downed some buffalo skin, spent the night with my heads in the toilet, returning the buffalo skin to where it belongs. rinse and repeat.Read more
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Day 48
Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 11:00 AM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 467 m
Thailand Wat Pa Kham 19.35961, 98.4448519°21’35” N 98°26’41” E
Rim Pai Cottage, Pai District, Thailand
January 9, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Rim Pai Cottage
Jan 9-10,2016
1 night
More or less stable bungalows with nice setting next to the river. Had monkey roosters - loud and aggressive. They were climbing trees super high and then falling on our terrace.Read more
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Day 49
Sunday, January 10, 2016 at 11:00 AM
☀️ 20 °C
Altitude: 478 m
Thailand Huai Mae Kon 19.3582, 98.4447219°21’30” N 98°26’41” E
Pai Village Farm, Pai District, Thailand
January 10, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Pai Village Resort & Farm
Jan 10-12, 2016
2 nights
"Rustic" bungalows. I'm beginning to think that rustic is really just a euphemism for "smells like pee and/or sewage". Good breakfast though, with various homemade jams ( mulberry strawberry, mango, passion fruit), and peanut butter.
#paialtai
Pai with it's landscape, vibe, and accommodations strongly reminded me of Altai mountains and resorts in Russia. Therefore, I call it #paiAltai from now on.

Greg edit: be advised, high concentration of wannabee hippies sporting there freshly bought original elephant print pants. too much uniqueness.Read more
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Day 51
Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 3:00 PM
☀️ 28 °C
Altitude: 301 m
Thailand Mae Ram Orchid & Butterfly Farm 18.8051, 98.9909818°48’18” N 98°59’28” E
HeyHa, Chiang Mai, Thailand
January 12, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Airbnb'ed twice this place
Jan 12-14, 2016
2 nights

Loved it so much, we went back.
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Day 53
Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 9:00 AM
☀️ 28 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Thailand Ratchakritha Samoson 13.73938, 100.5392813°44’22” N 100°32’21” E
Anantara hotel
January 14, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Jan 14-15, 2016
1 night

Or, when your buddy falls for the classic "my flight is at midnight tomorrow... or is it today?" and you inherit a swanky hotel room for the night. I could get used to this treatment.Read more
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Day 54
Friday, January 15, 2016 at 11:33 PM
🌙 28 °C
Altitude: 18 m
Thailand Khlong Silom 13.72094, 100.5171213°43’15” N 100°31’2” E
The hangover hotel
January 15, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ 🌙 28 °C
Lebua
1 night
Jan 15-16,2016
Our last night in Thailand
Luxed up to a fancy stay before the new country roadtrip
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Day 56
Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 6:00 AM
🌙 20 °C
Altitude: 2 m
New Zealand Veronica Channel -35.28611, 174.0952335°17’10” S 174°5’43” E
Paihia bunkbed room aka gypsy club
January 17, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
Saltwater lodge in Paihia
3 nights
Jan 17-20, 2016
Anna's first time in a hostel. Weird mix of old people and young german girls. One notable resident: a super super tan, older than Jesus, needle loving, bag of wrinkles. Wear sunscreen kids and stay off brown sugar.

also: owners of the place, if you're reading this, i want to tell you i'm sorry. I didn't have a fall and broke the bike. I rode it on a giant balancing board to impress some middle schoolers and it broke. I fixed it as best i could, and the 18km i had to carry it back were ample punishment.Read more
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Day 59
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 6:59 PM
☀️ 22 °C
Altitude: 52 m
New Zealand Grafton -36.85841, 174.7593136°51’30” S 174°45’34” E
Where dog was kicked by the horse
January 20, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Auckland
1 night
Jan 20-21,2016
Awesome loft in the place that used to be a department store, right above K road, the street sex shops and ladies of the night. Once again people: google street view where you're going.
6-8 rooms
Next to ponsonby neighborhood that s niceRead more
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Day 60
Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 6:00 AM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 10 m
New Zealand Auckland International Airport -37.00575, 174.7894737°0’21” S 174°47’22” E
Airport Hotel Depression
January 21, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Ibis Hotel
Jan 21-22, 2016
1 night
Online

The room can't get more depressing than this one. And the windows can't get smaller than these ones. Beehive cell hotel it should be.
Greg Edit: Full disclosure, we were lucky, we got the handicapped suite, which have those nice large bathrooms and comfy stools in the shower.Read more
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Day 61
Friday, January 22, 2016 at 9:00 PM
☀️ 22 °C
Altitude: 400 m
New Zealand Bush Creek -44.9395, 168.837544°56’22” S 168°50’15” E
"Camel ride" of Arrowtown dacha
January 22, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Jan 22-25, 2016
3 night
Airbnb

When you get lucky with your Airbnb hosts
And this is where we learnt what's a "camel ride".

CAMEL RIDE - when you do something extremely touristy but can't resist enjoying it. E.g. "Swimming with dolphins was a total camel ride!".Read more
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Day 64
Monday, January 25, 2016 at 11:44 PM
🌙 14 °C
Altitude: 307 m
New Zealand Halls Creek -44.09571, 170.8277744°5’45” S 170°49’40” E
Gas Station Bisgetti: A recipe
January 25, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 14 °C
Jan 25-26, 2016
1 night
Online

You finally have a place with kitchen that looks clean and you'd kill for a home cooked meal. But the town you're in is in the middle of nowhere and nothing is open except a gas station.

Prep time: 10min
Cooking time: 10min
Price: $
Serves: 2 desperate travelers

Ingredients:
- instant noodles
- canned tomatoes
- white wine (from anna's stash). if unavailable, substitute with despair.

Drink the wine, mix all the rest, turn on the stove. drink more wine while Anna hungrily watches the magic mike rerun for the 4th time. salt pepper and serve.Read more
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Day 65
Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 6:00 PM
☁️ 14 °C
Altitude: 161 m
New Zealand Okuti River -43.77957, 172.8142943°46’46” S 172°48’51” E
1887 Farm House Stay
January 26, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Jan 26-27, 2016
1 night
Airbnb

It was again on of those cases where your Airbnb can turn out to be either awesome or super creepy. Luckily we got the former, again!

Tranquility is what it was. Like you got removed from present and moved to the remote past. Really calming farm with the big wooden table (for two) and real fire place.Read more
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Day 66
Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at 6:00 PM
⛅ 24 °C
Altitude: 21 m
New Zealand Kaikoura -42.40077, 173.6813942°24’3” S 173°40’53” E
First time in suite
January 27, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Executive Suites Motel ( ha-ha-ha )
Jan 27-28, 2016
1 night

After a moderate hiccup of our reservation being lost in translation (aka chase travel👈 👉agoda 👉👈 expedia 👉👈 hotel) we entered our suite..

Why suite? Because it was the only availability in the town. But again - it's Executive Suites MOTEL.
Suite is one hotel room x2. Because they open the door between two rooms. Therefore, we had:
2 rooms, 2 showers, 1 burnt toaster (courtesy of Greg), 1 clean laundry.
That's pretty much everything that we saved in our memories from Kaikoura. It was pouring like hell all the time so we haven't seen anything. Saw nothing..

ADVICE: double check when you book with points. That bureaucracy keeps you always in surprise.Read more
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Day 67
Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 6:00 PM
⛅ 30 °C
Altitude: 4 m
New Zealand Riwaka -41.10547, 173.0189941°6’20” S 173°1’8” E
The place to retire
January 28, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Motueka
Jan 28-29, 2016
1 night
Airbnb

My third Airbnb in NZ on point!! 👆👆👆Successful yet again! I think I really nailed this art! 🏣

Motueka is a tiny town on the water next to Abel Tasman. Such a beautiful region! If you think of your summer house - it should be here!!
Wineries - mmmmm,
food - mmmmmm,
landscape - woooow!!!

Mountains, lakes, beach, dolphins - everything is here!!!

ADVICE: retire here!Read more
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Day 68
Friday, January 29, 2016 at 7:00 PM
☀️ 22 °C
Altitude: 3 m
New Zealand Tahunanui Beach -41.2868, 173.2366941°17’12” S 173°14’12” E
The motel had it all
January 29, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Bay Crest Motel & Lodge
Jan 29-31, 2016
2 nights
Chase points

Whatever you imagine when you say the word motel - it all had it. And the best part were the landing planes right over it.
- "Oh, I think it's 9:20 from Auckland!" 👆
Really romantic. Greg even managed to cook his own steak there without burning anything! His long waited beef with tomato and mushrooms. [Greg here: i'd like to point out that Anna's dinner consisted of wine, cheese, wine and stealing my dinner while making airplane jokes].
Belissimo!Read more
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Day 70
Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 10:00 PM
🌙 15 °C
Altitude: 6 m
New Zealand Wellington International Airport -41.32092, 174.7961841°19’15” S 174°47’46” E
Architect's house in Wellington
January 31, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Jan 31- Feb 2, 2016
2 nights
Airbnb

Probably so far the house with the nicest decore. Pretty stylish and well furnished. The host lady was nice. And the view!! - the view was awesome since the house was on the top of a steep hill. Haha, car could barely scale the hill, and threatened dangerously of deciding to go park further down the street on its own. and walking up the house counted as a daily workout.Read more
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Day 72
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 4:00 PM
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 812 m
New Zealand National Park -39.17237, 175.3990639°10’21” S 175°23’57” E
Tongariro Crossing Lodge
February 2, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Feb 2-3, 2016
1 night
Chase points

The prep night before the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (20km).
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Day 73
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
☀️ 27 °C
Altitude: 376 m
New Zealand Whangamata Stream -38.65584, 175.928638°39’21” S 175°55’43” E
Off-the-grid Eco-House
February 3, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Feb 3-5, 2016
2 nights
Airbnb

Really pleasant stay with friendly people.
It is a really off-the-grid guest house. They do really compost the toilet. Like at my grandma datcha.
They live off their own solar panels and warm the whole house including the water with the kitchen stove. But composting the toilet...it still smells.Read more
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Day 75
Friday, February 5, 2016 at 11:00 PM
☀️ 27 °C
Altitude: 89 m
New Zealand Whauwhau Stream -36.76194, 175.7261736°45’43” S 175°43’34” E
The best Airbnb so far
February 5, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Feb 5-7, 2016
2 nights
Airbnb

Sometimes you hit the airbnb jackpot: few photos and no reviews, and turns out to be awesome.
We were arriving at night. It definitely helped our imagination to let the deepest fears crawl all over us. It was a farm in the woods with shabby road, no one around, and no cellular reception. You had to cross the river to get to the house..and we got out of the car... there was a person in robes in the kitchen in the lit window..we enter.
And it appeared to be some 40 (looking 25) year old hippie guy with dread locks and his cute Polish girlfriend. Super chill. Super nice. Super awesome house. Great time.

ADVICE: trust your instincts!
Definitely the best place to HelpX or WOOF.Read more
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Day 77
Sunday, February 7, 2016 at 11:00 PM
🌙 20 °C
Altitude: 18 m
New Zealand Papatoetoe -36.98299, 174.8311436°58’59” S 174°49’52” E
Auckland Airport Motel Oysters
February 7, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
Feb 7-8, 2016
1 night
Chase points

When you are fancy enough to have freshly farmed oysters but not fancy enough to eat them at the restaurant. Because you can buy oysters to go in Coromandel.

ADVICE: after you spent time in hot springs - don't wash your swimsuit and sulphur smelly clothes together with other clothes. The smell will stay FOREVER with you. No joke. Everything is sulphur now. And everywhere we sleep retains a faint whiff of hell.Read more
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Day 78
Monday, February 8, 2016 at 8:00 AM
⛅ 24 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Philippines Palanan 14.55981, 121.0036714°33’35” N 121°0’13” E
Manila ghetto
February 8, 2016 on the Philippines ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Feb 8-10, 2016
2 nights
Agoda

Uber drivers were locking their doors when they were dropping us off at our guest house. And told us not to walk there. But the place inside was quite nice and new. Suspiciously so even. There was a slight "you can have privacy for your illicit encounters here" vibe. especially when i realized the soap distributor in the bathroom was actually lube and the TV only showed porn (ok maybe i made up those that two).

ADVICE: Google map view the area before you book through Agoda.Read more
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