The beautiful Whitsundays
13 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
What a day! When you visit Airlie Beach you have to see the Whitsunday Islands, a collection of 74 islands off the coast which Captain Cook first discovered and documented in 1770. Of course people had been living on the islands for thousands of years before that. We booked the tour online which meant that we were able to go with a company that are number 1 in Australia for adventure tours. We were picked up and checked in quickly before we got into our wetsuits. Our boat is mostly inflatable which meant we skimmed over the waves like a stone riding high and crashing down low. I don't think we stopped smiling the whole part of the first ride as we were being bumped around. It was such an adrenaline rush. We were able to snorkel at two different sites around the islands where they encouraged fish to come up to us with food. The water was so unbelievably cold! We're definitely not in Asia anymore. Unfortunately the reef and wildlife have been badly damaged by a cyclone that hit two months ago but it was still amazing to swim amongst schools of fish even if the coral below wasn't so pretty. They are very protective of their Great Barrier Reef here so it's such a shame that all the work they do at preserving and saving the reef can be pushed so backward by a natural event. After snorkeling we had another great ride to the biggest island called Whitsunday Island would you believe. Here we climbed up to a view point but Nick and I were more climbing at speed to reach the loo at the top. After a toilet stop we went and saw the most breathtaking view ever. Whitehaven beach was in front of us with its magnificent swirls of blue and turquoise waters over white sand. When the sun shone down it made the colours even more amazing. The beach does stretch from the far island to where we were sanding but the tide was in for us so it meant we were able to enjoy the colours of the waters more. One of our tour guides gave us some history of the islands and area while we enjoyed the view. It was now time for a late lunch and the company with are with are the only tour company with permits to dock on this side of Whitehaven beach. They also have one permit to land on the side away from the view point and it was our lucky day as our boat was chosen to go here. It was us and 20 or so others on a completely deserted beach. The sand is made up of 98.5% volcanic silica making it so incredibly fine, light, white and heat resistant. Your feet just sunk through the layers of untouched sand. We didn't opt to pay extra for the buffet lunch which meant we could stray further away from the crowd and eat quicker and enjoy untouched areas of the beach alone. We walked further down the shore just jumping, running and messing around in the sand feeling so completely free. It was paradise and we were not only seeing it, we were living it. After an hour and a half soaking it all in it was time for our last thrilling ride to the mainland. We decided to be daring and sit on the edge of the boat holding onto a strap and a rope on the other side. It was hard to stay upright and straining on your arms but so exhilarating at the same time. At the port our guide started swerving the boat and spinning in circles before driving full throttle at the harbour wall to the turn and skid to a stop at the last second. One last thrill for the day. We had the most incredible experience and Nick has since said to me that it was one of the best days of his life, if not the best. That's what it's all about really, that's why we're on this journey to fill our lives with the best and happiest of days.Meer informatie
Bye bye you beautiful island
12 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
I've loved our time on Magnetic Island. The things we've seen and done have been incredible and I'd love to come and spend more time here one day. For now though it was time to pack up and move on. We had a bus at 2:30pm so we planned to get he 12:15pm ferry just to make sure we were waiting on the mainland rather than waiting around on the island, incase anything went wrong with the ferry. We walked to the ferry area and bought a freshly cooked pizza from the supermarket for lunch. It's the same as they do in England with the build your own but they cook it too! The ferry arrived soon after so we boarded and ate it while on the deck. It was then that we saw Peter and his wife get on the boat. He'd wanted to get a 10am ferry so we were shocked to see them. They didn't see us so we chose to wait until the end to say hello so we could eat our pizza. Once we arrived back in Townsville we said hi as they headed past and he was delighted to see us. I helped with his bag and only when I was waking off the boat did he actually want to get off the vessel. We had a brief chat and they again offered us to come and visit or stay. He remembered my name but couldn't place Nick's, obviously I'm more memorable! It was lovely to see them again before we left. We had a 2 hour wait for the bus which we filled with playing cards and having drinks from the cafe. We also met a woman from York on the stop who we think is in her 40's and decided to just travel for 10 months, as you do! She was lovely to speak to but sadly was heading in the other direction to us so as the buses came we parted ways. The journey wasn't too bad; 4.5 hours with a 40 minute break. As you can see Nick had a lovely little nap! We arrived at 7pm and were met by someone working at the hostel in exchange for a bed who walked us the 10 minutes to the hostel. We originally checked into a 8 bed dorm but we saw that the prices weren't too different so after going to the supermarket and thinking on it we paid the extra to get a private room. The main reason being people were already asleep in our room so it was awkward and there's no storage lockers so it's all on trust that everyone will respect your belongings. We're glad we moved and have spent the evening outside in the wifi area watching a programme and blogging. Tomorrow we have a tour to the Whitsundays which we cannot wait for, it does mean an early start but we're sure it will be worth it!Meer informatie
Let's get our walking boots back on
11 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
After our great walking explore yesterday we were keen to get our boots back on and head in the other direction to the way we walked yesterday. We woke up earlier but the tiredness from walking kicked in and it took us a while to muster up the strength to get out of bed and make breakfast. We got ready and headed out from our accommodation in the direction of Picnic Bay. Our aim was to reach West Point where you get great views of the mainland, it is a 12km walk each way but we were determined. We soon reached a walking track that took you down the hill we'd just climbed into the Picnic Bay area. On our ascent we saw there was a view point on the top of a huge rock up a hill so decided even though the sign said it's a two hour trip we'd give it a go. It was a tough climb in parts but it was so incredibly worth it. The section of land protrudes out into the ocean so we had views of both sides of the island and the mainland. We sat and ate our sandwiches on the top before heading back down. We walked through Picnic Bay and found the road that leads to West Point. We diverted part of the way down to a small cove where the tide was out and boats sat moored in the mud/sand. We considered walking along the sand for part of the way but as we didn't know when the tide would come back in we thought it was best to not be caught off guard. After walking along the road a couple of kilometres we came to realise that the track wouldn't change. It was just a road with no view so was proving less enjoyable then yesterday. We were tired anyway so we decided that we'd head back instead to do some planning of day trips for our next two places and maybe go out in the evening. That was the plan anyway. We sat on a bus stop back in Picnic Bay and having discovered the bus wasn't for over an hour we chose to eat more of our lunch before walking. It was during this time that an elderly gentleman walked up the street and joined us on the stop. We were concerned for his welfare from the off because he was very hunched over a shaking but he struck up a conversation with us and it turned out that he has Parkinson's disease. He was wanting to find a woman who lived near where we are staying to thank he for giving himself and his wife a lift from the ferry to their accommodation. We decided it was in all our best interests to help so waited with him for an hour for the bus. We talked about his life, his gliding hobby when he was younger and our trip. His wife competes in scrabble championships and won a couple of years ago so they are here for a holiday and for her to have a few matches. It wasn't clear to us if she knew he'd left the hotel and what his plan was. We got on the bus and it was lucky we were with him as I'm not sure he would of had a clue when to get off and the driver didn't ask where he was going. We walked around looking for the woman's car and knocking on a few doors but with no luck. We only had a first name, car colour and general area to go on. We asked a couple who were outside if they knew anything and they were lovely with trying to help but sadly they knew no more than us. We did see some kookaburras which he was super happy about as an hour before we said we hadn't seen any yet. He decided he wasn't going to find her and we sat again waiting for the bus. We offered to go with him to make sure he got back okay. After 30 minutes the bus hadn't come that was meant to and with that the couple we spoke to pulled up in their car. They offered to take him around other streets to look then drop him back at the hotel. I felt a little uneasy about it and even more so when he asked us to come too but there wasn't room in the car with the baby seat. He agreed but I'm not sure he was keen. After they drove off it didn't sit right with us, we needed to know he got back okay. We got the bus back to the bay where we hid like crazy people in a bush watching and waiting for their car. It came but they parked up and spent a long time inside. In the meantime we saw the amazing east coast side of the sunset over the bay and jetty. After a while we decided to just go in even though the couple was there, after all Peter had asked us to pop by or to get the same ferry as them tomorrow because he wanted to invite us to visit them in Brisbane. He was happy to see us and thanked us for everything and from speaking to his wife the couple knew who the woman was and promised to thank her personally for helping them yesterday. We're pretty sure his wife didn't know where he'd gone and apparently he wonders off a lot so I imagine she must always worry. We took her number and left them be knowing it all ended well, we're so glad we went to check in on him. It wasn't the afternoon we planned but it felt so good helping someone. It was also scary seeing someone who is so together mentally be so withheld by their condition. Hopefully we can visit in Brisbane but if not we'll never forget our time spent listening to the amazing stories and mind of Peter.Meer informatie
We love Magnetic Island... and koalas!
10 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
What an incredible day! I'm so beyond in love with Magnetic Island that it's easily my favourite place so far and I wish we lived here! The lack of work might be a downside though. We gave ourselves a lie in and after some eggs on toast we got geared up in our hiking clothes ready to take on one of the islands walking trails. It took us a good hour and a half to walk to the area where the track started and then a little longer to actually find it but soon we were leaving the houses behind us and heading deep into the wilderness. Our aim was to make it to Horseshoe Bay on the other side of the island, a walk of 8km each way but we planned to get the bus back if it was too late. The trail had many inclines and declines so it was challenging over the rocky terrain but we were blessed with the most beautiful scenery. Views of rolling hills and deep valleys full of tropical and forest trees with parrots squawking while flying over the canyon. It honestly was breathtaking and surreal that we are here doing this on our own and it's this feeling we have been craving so much. After an hour or so Nick spotted our first koala! High in the trees and munching away he was adorably cute. Their fluffy ears are the sweetest. It was from then on we were on a roll with spotting them and by the end of the day we'd spotted a grand total of 9. It's such an amazing feeling that you are seeing these beautiful animals in the wild, not in a zoo, safari park or national park but completely in their natural habitat. We visited a few lookout points on the route as well which gave you great views of the ocean and bays below and hills behind you. We arrived at a trail that is about a 1km round trip but with quite a bit of climbing that takes you around the ruins of a WW2 military base that was set up on the island as a lookout for the Japanese. It was an amazing example of skill and determination to build this up such a huge hill carving the path as they climbed. They also had stands for guns the length of 2-3 men lead down, how they got these up this hill I do not know! They also had two lookout buildings at the top of the steepest points that at the time were perfectly camouflaged with foliage and fake rocks to protect them from enemy view. The trail was so interesting and informative but also provided some of the best views and a extra close encounter with a koala which was within reaching distance when I climbed up onto a rock to see him. It was late afternoon when were there and the sun was beginning to set, being on the East Coast at the moment means we having seen any sunsets so we waited and watched the sun disappear from the top of one of the lookouts. By the time we climbed down and made it to the road it was dark and annoyingly we'd missed the bus by 5 minutes and the next one wasn't for another hour and 15 minutes. We decided rather than sitting being attacked by mosquitos we'd walk it and catch it further along if needed. Armed with phone torches, white shirts and Nick's reflectors on his backpack that are conveniently arrow shaped pointing to the right we set off up the highway. It was a windy country road that had a steep 1km ascent and the a 1km steep descent. We managed it with ease and felt like we were flying along compared to earlier on the hill walking track. We arrived at the bay we were at earlier where we started the off road track and soon we were at the harbour. After a quick stop in the shop we walked the last 15 minutes and it was then that we saw the bus go past. This last section was a bit spooky because the biggest bat we've ever seen decided to jump out of the tree above us and fly away but the sound of his wings beating was so loud it really made us jump. Further along what we assume to be a koala broke off a thick branch in a tree and that smacked to the ground just a metre from us. Finally though we made it back safely and had beans on toast to celebrate. We didn't make it to Horseshoe Bay but we were out for 9 hours, walked around 11km, saw 8 koalas, countless lizards, a spider the size of my hand and had the most incredible day ever. Magnetic Island you are sensational.Meer informatie
Our first Australian island
9 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
We've left the sunny area of Wongaling Beach and arrived on Magnetic Island off the coast of Townsville. We're a little sad that we didn't see any cassowaries before we left as apparently the area is known to have the wild birds roaming. We have seen a giant statue of one every day and today I finally excepted that a photo this will have to be in place of the real thing. We left our hosts a little thank you note along with a passionfruit that we found yesterday. It does feel sad to be moving on so soon but money has meant this has become a little bit of a rushed trip. Unfortunately the bus was packed when it arrived so we were unable to sit together but luckily we sat one on front of the other. This meant we could still share water and check each other is doing okay every now and again. The journey began very broken up because we stopped about 30 minutes in for a toilet break and then another 40 minutes or so was for lunch. We arrived at a town called Cardwell where we visited the nearby bakery to buy us a fresh hot pie to share, we've missed pies! It wasn't fab quality but it was still very tasty and we sat eating while looking out over the ocean. After carrying on our journey I managed to get an hour sleep and read my book to pass the time. After 4 and a half hours we arrived at Townsville ferry terminal, our stop to get off. We collected our tickets for the ferry and waited an hour for the next one to depart. After what felt like no time at all after the bus ride we were on the ferry sat on the roof setting sail. The ocean and island in front of us was beautiful and as we approached we could see more and more of the tropical paradise we'd be staying on for a few days. We docked at Nelly Bay and began our walk to our Airbnb, it was only 15 minutes away so we felt we should walk it. We arrived and were greeted by our host who was having a baby shower as their first child is due in 4 weeks time. The apartment is lovely. It's attached to their bungalow but we have our own kitchen area and bathroom so it is all self contained and with everything we need. We headed to the supermarket and bought a few bits although they'd completely sold out of bread so we have to head there in the morning to try and get in their quick to get a loaf. We spent the evening cooking pasta, watching youtube and planning for our time here. Tomorrow we plan on a full day of walking so an early night is in order after another non exciting day of moving on.Meer informatie
Exploring the coast by bike
8 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
When you don't have a car the best way to explore the area is definitely by bike. You are able to see so much more and go so much further than on foot. That was our plan for today. After a quick stop at the supermarket to get suncream and have a tea we went and rented the last two bikes from the only shop in the area that offers this service. We cycled from Wongaling Beach where we are staying along the cycle route that leads to North Mission Beach. Here we cycled part of our journey on the sand and what a free and liberating feeling that was. The sound of the waves crashing, the sun shining down and the wind blowing past you, we couldn't of enjoyed it more. Shortly after rejoining the road was Clump Point view point where we enjoyed breathtaking ocean views while tucking into our sandwiches. After a short break here we hit the road once more and continued northwards where we entered the most scenic part of the ride. We road down the coastal road that has the ocean and tree lined beaches to the right and Clump Mountain National Park to the left. The whole route was so beautiful and with every bend we discovered a new little beach and rockpool area. We had our sight set on a cafe near Bingil Bay and after a steep climb away from the sea we finally made it after around an hour and a half. We sat outside overlooking the hill we just cycled up while we sipped on tea and caramel milkshake. We continued our cycle journey through the hilly landscape struggling up the hills and screaming with joy as we zoomed down the descents. All of 2 cars past us in 20 minutes so we felt as if we were kings of the road. There was a tricky last 10 minute part to the route that went over gravel and sand roads but finally we made it to Garners Beach which had so many beautiful trees on the side of a secluded beach. We spent time walking around and investigating the many shallows and rockpools. There were so many starfish on the sand and we saved one from drying out by returning it to the nearest pool. We also saw mangrove trees growing here and realised it's a sign of where the river meets the ocean here. The whole place was amazing and based on the footprints in the sand only one other person had walked this area today. The way back was tough and we did get off and push a couple of times but we did it. I also made Nick stop for a few photos but he's use to that now! As we rode back into town we saw more wallabies just before the road we are staying on. After some pizza wraps we spent about an hour talking with Heidi and Ben and it's a shame we are leaving tomorrow when we now feel so settled and relaxed around them. It was a bit too late to pack so we're getting up early for all the fun of travelling to begin again tomorrow. We couldn't of had a better day on this part of the East Coast.Meer informatie
We saw a wallaby!
7 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
We've had a very chilled out Australian beach day today. Our host Heidi had made us a great breakfast of homemade muesli or cornflakes followed by a whole fruit platter. There was fresh coconut and passionfruit that her husband had found on his run as well as banana, apple and we were able to try star fruit for the first time. After breakfast we got ready with the plan of walking one of the trails here that leads to North Mission beach. As always though the heat got to us and we decided to trek up the beach instead. The beach is beautiful; clean golden sands and deep blue oceans lined with coconut trees. We took it at a very leisurely pace and spent time trying to break into coconuts. Nick managed to get into two to retrieve the nut inside but I unfortunately lacked the same strength needed but I gave it a good go. The beach was also huge and very empty which was a perk. We sat and had lunch on a bench just admiring and taking in the beautiful view. We also saw people skydiving and landing on the beach which was super cool. I wish I was brave enough to try it but I just know I'd be freaking out so much beforehand that I couldn't go through with it. We wondered up further until we reach a river that joins the sea. We were wearing our walking shoes so were unable to to cross and instead followed it for a while in the hunt for crocodiles. Sadly we saw none but it was still nice seeing how the beach, rainforest and river merge together. We decided the river ended our walk so we headed back the way we came and out to the road at our first opportunity. Waking through the small forest we found our own passionfruit on the floor to take back with us. They are actually pale green/yellow when they fall compared to the shrivelled brown colour you see in the supermarket. On our way to the shop I spotted through the trees our first wallaby that we've seen. I saw a couple of kangaroos from the bus yesterday but no wallabies and this was our first up close encounter. He was quite timid but let me get quite close to him before he hopped away. I was under the tree line for all of 2 minutes and had 4 mosquitos descend onto me so that's something we need to be wary of. We headed back and made nachos for dinner, another quick and easy meal. We've spoken more to our hosts and we've settled in a a bit now and are finding it less awkward than before so that's really good. Tomorrow we plan to rent out bikes and hopefully see some more of Australia's wonderful wildlife.Meer informatie
The first of many bus journies
6 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Today was a long and tiring day of not doing a lot. Our coach didn't leave until 1:45pm so we had a lot of time to kill this morning. We checked out at 10am but hung around in the common area researching into working in New Zealand up until the time to leave to walk to the bus stop. After lugging our heavy bags around for 20 minutes we found the stop and set about having some lunch while we waited. After 10 minutes or so the bus arrived and unloaded all its passangers before leaving again and we figured the driver had gone on lunch. During this time a van had pulled up and an elderly gentlemen got out and Nick gave up his seat for him. He spoke to me in great length for 45 minutes while we waited for the bus to return. He'd been spending time at a cancer clinic having radiotherapy for prostate cancer. He was the most remarkable and interesting man to talk to and had a very positive outlook on life. The bus finally came back and the journey itself was long and tiring. We only had a few hours until we got off but it felt like a lot longer. Finally we arrived and after giving our wishes and goodbyes to the man I'd met we were on our way, backpacks on hunting for our Airbnb. We found it and were greeted by the owner, a young couple who moved to Mission Beach 6 months ago. Their place is a lot smaller than we expected so it's a little bit awkward and intimate but we're sure we will get use to it. The only downside is they don't have a hob which incredibly restricts cooking. They just have a mini oven/grill machine similar to what I had while at uni. We spent a good while in the supermarket trying to work out what we can make and for tonight our first meal ended up being wraps turned into mini pizzas, we also have enough to repeat this another night as well. They're lovely people it's just with only an open plan living space, two bedrooms and a bathroom the house isn't ideal for privacy and we do feel we are treading on their toes a little. Still we will remain open minded and for now having come from a noisy hostel with twin beds and no duvet it's definitely feeling like luxury to have a comfy double bed with a warm duvet and everything being so unbelievably clean.Meer informatie
Seeing Australia from the scenic train
5 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
My dad would of definitely liked today and it would be something he'd choose to do on a day out on our holidays. Our hostel is opposite the central Cairns station which offers trips on their scenic railway train. The track is a feat of engineering and was completed in 1891 to provide a vital link for resources between Cairns and near by settlements including Kurunda, it's finally stop. It became necessary after gold was discovered in Cairns. It's 37km long and was all built by hand with 55 bridges and 15 hand carved tunnels, the longest being 490m which claimed the lives of 7 workers during it's construction. Many men also died of dysentery and malaria because Cairns use to be swamp land before they filled it with mud and rocks to make it inhabitable. We set off at 8:30am and initially had the carriage to ourselves for the first 20 minutes. We then stopped at another station where the rest of the passangers got on and we were sat with a couple and their two boys, both under 5. The older boy who was opposite me did ask me things but if I tried to interact with him he'd shy away. Seeing there excited faces made the journey even more enjoyable. At one point the little boy showed me how high he can jump and it reminded me so much of my niece who was trying so desperately to jump before we left and believed so much she was doing though he feet never left the floor. We saw incredible scenery including a spectacular bridge that was built on a curve with a waterfall behind, a very difficult build during those times. At one stage the workers had to be suspended down the cliff face by ropes and carve out the track by hand. We had a commentary which told us the facts and stories along the way and we also stopped to disembark for 10 minutes to see a huge waterfall that is being used as hydroelectric power source. We arrived at our destination of Kurunda and the station had been kept in it's same old fashioned very British style. We were excited to be having tea and scones at the tea rooms on the platform and I imagined cute little tea cups and saucers and fancy plates for our scones. As you can see from the photo what we got wasn't exactly what I pictured! It wasn't even clotted cream. We had 3 and a half hours before our return trip so we explored the local markets and area. It's a very artsy place with lots of galleries and hand made trinkets. The shops we couldn't get over were ones selling stuffed crocodiles, crocodile and kangaroo skin products and even purses and bags made from a whole frogs skin. It was so beyond gross, who would walk around with a hollowed out frog as a bag?! Our return journey was a little less nice. We were with a Chinese tour group who spoke no English so didn't know what was being said or what they were meant to be looking at and as we were sat by the window there was lots of leaning over us to take photos. At one point one of the women even rested her bum on my knee while she took a photo! It was like we were transported back to China. We made it back to Cairns and after a little bit of shopping we came back and had another more successful curry making session. No one else was in the kitchen which helped as well. Tomorrow we head to our next stop on the east coast so we're packing once again ready for our first bus trip of many in Australia.Meer informatie
We love Australia!
4 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Isn't it great how within a matter of a couple of days you can go from feeling so uneasy and unsafe to feeling more relaxed and at home when walking around the streets? We are loving this feeling right now. Nick was far more tired than I was so I woke up 2 hours before him and decided he'd probably had enough sleep so woke him up, after 14 hours! The lie in was just what we needed and we set about making our first home cooked breakfast of poached eggs on toast. It was going to be boiled eggs but the hobs are naff and the water didn't reach boiling again in the pan so at least with poaching I could tell when they were done. After a great hearty and cheap breakfast we headed to the mall still on the hunt for an adapter and currency exchange. Luckily where we'd seen them that were out of stock yesterday now had them in so we got one with no trouble. It's very hard to buy a UK or USB adapter for the country you're in! Nick's also super pleased as he got a battery powered trimmer for super cheap so it means he doesn't have to suffer razor burn anymore, on the 3 times he's shaved in almost 5 months! He also bought about his 6th pair of sunglasses as he snapped the last one, I'm still on my first ones from home! We got lots of tasks sorted including finding a print shop to print our bus tickets. After a productive few hours and a healthy fruit orientated lunch we walked the few blocks to the esplanade by the marina. The sky was a beautiful blue by this point and so picturesque. The harbour front has an amazing vibe; so many people running, dog walking, using the free gym equipment and splashing around in the outdoor fun pool. We had brought our swimming costumes but it felt just that little bit too cold for swimming. They also offer free exercise classes and there were people sunbathing and having bbqs with friends. It was a little glimpse into what our lives might have been like if we'd moved to Australia when I was 11 as my parents considered. We walked up most of the front before turning back as the sun began to make a descent turning the sky a pale pink. We popped back to the supermarket before going back to have our first go at a meal. I made us brown rice with butter chicken sauce and some cheap veg chucked in. It took over an hour for the rice to cook because of the rubbish hobs but it was so worth the wait for hot home cooked food. Hopefully tomorrow's attempt is more rapid!Meer informatie
We've escaped... with 1 hour sleep!
3 juli 2017, Australië ⋅ 🌧 23 °C
Hello Australia and goodbye Bali! What a long night we have had. The first selfie from today was taken just after midnight while we sat waiting to find out which gate our flight would leave from. We had a second security check before being allowed to sit in the waiting area for our gate, they're very keen on letting anyone on the flight with water. We boarded our flight late so we didn't depart until 20 minutes after we should do. Sleeping was almost impossible. The seats were uncomfortable and you felt beyond exhausted but almost too exhausted to sleep in a weird way. We tried for 20 minutes or so once the seat belt sign was off and the lights were dimmed but then had a little surprise from the crew of a meal. This flight was organised by STA before we left and we had no idea we'd be getting a meal and very few people had paid the extra for it. It was great though. Not only did we get a mini chicken roast dinner (out first since we've left) but we got a bar of Dairy Milk each to finish it off. A very nice unexpected perk. The flight took about 4.5 hours but I think we both slept for an hour, if that, so we were very sluggish getting off the plane. We were worried about customs and how strict they'd be but we went through with no problems and they didn't even ask for our bags to be scanned or searched which was lovely. We took a minibus to the city which dropped us right at our hostel's door. We thought we'd booked into a dorm room but upon arriving we found out it was actually a twin room we'd booked, much to our delight. We definitely needed the privacy when we'd had such little sleep. We hung around in their common area until our room was ready about an hour later. We got in, drew the curtains and went to sleep. I found it easy to sleep and got 3 hours in the end but unfortunately Nick didn't fair as well and I woke up without him being here and note saying he'd gone to find a shop an hour earlier. He came back pretty quickly after I woke up, water in hand. We showered, which felt amazing, and got ready to head out. We went back to the mall that Nick had visited to hunt for an adapter, ours for Australia is the wrong plug, and to do some food shopping. We have a kitchen here and at most places we stay so we plan to make breakfast, have a packed lunch and then cook dinner each night. For 3 days worth of food we spent what one of us spent alone for dinner tonight so it's well worth doing! We ate rubbish food in the food court and now at 8pm we're calling it a night. No alarms set so hopefully a good nights sleep will sort us out for tomorrow.Meer informatie
Suppose we better see some of Bali
2 juli 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Today we hired a driver to take us around some of the sights in Bali we want to see for 10 hours ending the trip at the airport. In hind sight this might not have been the best thing to do before a 1 am flight but we did see some pretty cool things. We started our day early to make sure we had time for breakfast and get our bags finished before the driver arrived. When checking out the card machine wasn't working to pay for today and our laundry we had done so our first stop with our driver was to an ATM. We set off after paying and luckily we had our books with us from the boot as it took over 2 hours to get to the rice fields that we wanted to see. The drive up the hills to get there provided some breathtaking scenery and we were shown the many different types of fruit and vegetables grown here. The rice fields were incredible. Thousands of shelf platforms built into the side of the hills that are all maintained by hand. They are using some modern equipment like a grass trimmer but this is still being operated by hand. One of the highlights was when we met a farmer who was ploughing one field using a water buffalo and a spiral plough that he turned through the mud as they walked together. He was knee deep in mud and barefoot, there was no point in wellies really. He was kind enough to let me take photos as he worked. Other tourists tend not to ask before taking a photo, almost as if they forget they are people or feel it's their right to. I always try to remember to ask. We walked down the valley and up the other side before returning to our driver for another long drive to visit a temple. The temple is on the lakeside and has a monument that is in the water. The cloud had descended so usually there would be the huge commanding volcano behind it but sadly we only saw the bottom of it. By this point we were already feeling the exhaustion and wondered how'd we'd make it to 1am. Another long drive later and we visited a garden the driver had recommend that had a temple in the middle surrounded by a wall and moat, you could see in but not enter. It felt a more genuine place of worship becuase of this restriction to not let everyone walk in their holy place. After we finished exploring it was gone 6pm and we'd told the driver 9pm for the airport so we set off with him saying it will take that long. We read the whole way so we were not paying attention to the road and at 7:30pm as he was driving into the airport itself he alerted us of this and asked if that's okay. He was paying for the entrance fee to come into the airport as he asked. Rather annoying really because we would of asked to be taken somewhere to have tea first if we had known but at that point when he's already paid to get in we felt we had to be okay with it. We treated his £10 for the hour and a half we didn't get as his tip to himself. We had at least until 11pm until we'd be allowed to check in so we checked out everyone food place and came to same conclusion, that it's all a rip off. But we had to eat. In the end Nick had a curry, what he's had everyday for about 2 months, and I had a sausage in a roll with caramelised onions and chips. We sat around waiting, brushing our teeth, I finished my book and then finally our flight was on the board to check in. It was a rapid check in process as we were one of the first in the queue but immigration took longer and I had some rude Chinese women behind me who didn't understand personally space. They were stood pressed against me and my backpack and even at the end pushed in front of us which by this point I was not having so as we moved I pushed us back in, I was too tired for their level of rudeness. We made it through and now the wait continues, until 1am! Send help, and energy!Meer informatie
Pool days are the best days
1 juli 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
What lazy people we have become. We've had another day of doing the bare minimum which has actually been fantastic. As you can see I wasn't afraid to jump into the freezing cold pool. Nick on the other hand was being a little less care free. I did however overestimate the depth of the pool so I hit my knee on the bottom as I went in, not really the cool entrance I'd hoped for. Turned out the pool is only shoulder height, oh well, this week has been a time of living and learning. We swam and messed around in the pool for a while, making full use of this luxury before we head off to Australia. We also read our books and eventually decided maybe we'd been lazy enough and we should shower and head out and get some food. Our last day in Indonesia is tomorrow and we have a flight at 1:10am on the 3rd so it's going to be a very long day, however we do want to see some of the sights of Bali before we jet off. We went and got a drink next door and researched into what we wanted to see and in the end arranged a taxi with reception to take us around for 10 hours ending at the airport. A good way to combine seeing things with getting transport to our flight as well. We chilled out at the restuarant until we decided it was an acceptable time to eat tea. They had a bridal shower going on and it was entertaining and interesting to see the guest decorate the area out ready for the bride to be. With full bellies and feeling fully relaxed we walked the 15 minutes to the supermarket to get snacks for tomorrow's day out exploring before returning to back up all of our things once more. It feels good knowing we doing something a bit more interesting tomorrow but I do feel the whole day is going to be very tiring. We'll see how awake we are at the airport at 1am afterwards!Meer informatie
Always time for an arcade
30 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We've had a very lazy day today, something we both needed. We had plan to go in the pool after breakfast but it was freezing so putting our legs in was as far as we got! Maybe tomorrow we will attempt a swim. We spent time this morning reading and relaxing before having a coffee and snack for lunch at the resturant next door, that we visited last night, before heading to explore the area. We found a few department stores before finding a nice modern mall further down the road. The mall had an arcade so we had fun playing on the games for a while and trading our tickets in for some fab animal print pencils and a pencil sharpener designed as a watermelon segment. I mean what more could you want! We considered going to the cinema but unfortunately there wasn't anything showing we fancied. Instead we found an Italian resturant for dinner where we had a 50cm pizza for £7 and it came with free ice cream after as well. We were expecting an elongated pizza but nope it was a circle that's 50cm around. The amazing thing is that they also offer a metre width pizza as well! Can't even imagine how they fit that on their small tables. Luckily it was quite thin so wasn't too filling or stodgy which was a bonus. So quite a lazy day or not doing much but something that was needed for both of us to unwind and relax.Meer informatie
Good riddance Gili Air!
29 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We got off the island! The island that initially brought so much joy but ended up providing us with our worst travelling experience to date. We boarded the ferry and at first there wasn't any seats available so we initially sat at the back of the boat when we departed from the island. With the roar of the engine we sped away from the shore and the bad memories this place now holds for us. After ten minutes the staff made someone move their bag off their seat so we moved inside where it was quieter and Nick sat on the steps while I took the seat. The journey was long and included a stop at Lombok but we finally made it back to Bali where we were swamped by lies and people trying to rip you off straight away. There were around 20 guys showing us the same shuttle bus tickets we had that we purchased with our ticket and they then asked where we wanted to go. Once we told them they said it'd take 3 hours because it's the last stop and that they'd take us privately for £18. I didn't believe this. It made no sense to me why each bus would go to the same places and not separate people into areas. I insisted on going back to the travel desk and we're so glad we did as we got our shuttle bus to an area near our hotel for free and it took an hour. Just unbelievable how many people try and take advantage. Around 120 were on that boat and only 12 including us made it to the correct point to get the free buses so they know people fall for it. We were dropped off and after and quick break in KFC we found out we were only 10 minutes drive away. It took a while to find a taxi but we made it to the hotel for £2.40 instead of the £18 two guys quoted us on the pier, result! The hotel is lovely. Our room opens out onto our own private decking and then straight into the pool. Just bliss and it feels we can relax and get over what happened here. We chilled out for a while and looked through my old phone which the burglars luckily failed to find. It was in my day backpack which they emptied but must of gotten caught on the top of the pocket it was in when they tipped it out because it was still in there when we got back. We looked through all the precious photos and videos of Aeryn and became even more grateful they didn't manage to find it and it also means Nick has a phone to use as well. We had dinner at the restuarant next door and both had amazing curries. We treated ourselves to drinks as after all it was a celebration that we've got through what has happened, we're both safe and both know what happened could of be a whole lot worse. Onwards and upwards!Meer informatie
And we thought yesterday was bad
28 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
6 hours. 6 hours we spent at the police station feeling helpless, crying, pleading for a translator and calling the British embassy. Conveniently for the bungalow place the police officer stayed the night so when we arrived in the morning they were very buddy with him already and laughing and joking over breakfast when 17 hours ago I'd been hysterically crying in front of them. It set the tone for the day really and we set off to the pier and on a boat to Lombok where the police station is. Luckily there was no mention of us paying for this journey and the bungalow owners paid for it all without question. We did have to use the horse and carts we strongly disagree with but there was no choice. We went the whole journey with barely a word said from the owners or the police officer, it was all one big fun day out for them it seemed. We were up first and it didn't go well. The police spoke to the owners in their own language and lots of joking was happening. They asked for our passports, details and a brief statement of when we left and came back. They also checked what was stolen and all this had to be translated by one of the owners as no one else really spoke English. He could of told them anything. They printed the report and everything was wrong from dates to spellings but our biggest issue was they'd used the word 'lost' and not 'stolen' and it didn't include the owners name or the name of the bungalows. Our things were simply "lost on Gili Air". Unbelievable. After all we'd been through we now spent 4 hours battling with 6 officers and the owners for the details we needed, mainly being the owner's name and ID number. It took us calling the embassy for which we used all the owners credit on his phone and the other couple threatening to call a lawyer for the owners and original police officer to leave. After this things went smoother and we sat down on the officer's computer and wrote our own police report basically. They have no idea what our statement said, they simply printed it and signed and stamped on the dotted line. The owners finally returned to take us back but we were sceptical if they would return at all. We left in disbelief at the level of corruption, disregard for the law and lack of sympathy or care. At least we had our police report and we could focus now on the insurance side of things. After returning to the island the owner disappeared as soon as we docked on the shore. The other guy who could speak English did hang around so we thanked him, we had to be the bigger person. We then joined the German couple for a well needed drink and some food at their hotel on the sea front. It's surreal that we've bonded and been brought together in that moment because of one terrible incident. Our hotel has a pool so we decided to make use of that even though it was 6:30 and the mosquitos had descended. Now we plan to stay up to talk to my parents about everything and insurance. I've been dying to speak to them about it all and it's at times like this where the time difference really isn't helpful. We can never replace the photos, videos lost on those devices or our souvenir money but at least we are safe. I can't even imagine what could of happened if we'd caught these criminals in the act. We can move on from this and that is what matters most.Meer informatie
The worst day
27 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Today was brilliant. At least it started that way. We were picked up from the bungalows and went on a snorkeling trip. We saw sea turtles, swam with so many beautiful fish through rich undamaged reefs and even spotted a couple of octopus. It was the first snorkeling trip where Nick felt confident enough to not wear a life jacket and boy did it set him free. He was diving down, swimming against strong currents far from the boat and shore and feeling as though he was on cloud 9. I felt so proud and delighted by how happy he was. We truly had an amazing experience and then that was destroyed and ended by someone's single cruel act. We returned to find the door of our bungalow kicked in, the lock on the floor, lights on and all the contents of our bags everywhere. They'd taken Nick's phone, our tablet, all our money and even our souvenir money that we'd kept from each country we'd visited. We were heartbroken, violated, hysterical and distraught. Next door was broken into as well but they left the door unlocked (it had to be double locked) and the bathroom door open when it's an open roof bathroom. At least ours was completely not our fault. Yes we could of hidden things better, yes we should of taken all our money with us but is it really any safer on a boat while you're in the ocean than in your locked accommodation? After hours of crying, cancelling cards, changing passwords and genuinely wondering what we are meant to do the police finally were called and arrived. Nick had gone to get food so I went through it with the policeman alone and he took photos and details and I felt a little reassured. The hotel were appalling. They offered us nothing, no drink, no food, no way of securing our bungalow, no sympathy and no apology. These bungalows had been empty all day and no one checked them until we returned to find the chaos. The policeman however was offered a buffet of food, drinks, cigarettes and a whole family gathering. It was then that we realised the owners are trying to get him on side so it goes in their favour. We are meeting tomorrow to go to Lombok to get a police report for our insurance. It was 9:20pm by the time this had been wrapped up and only then almost 5 and a half hours of our bungalow being unsecured and unmanned did someone put on a tiny little padlock to close the front door, again another act for the police. We left with the other couple and after an hour we both had new hotels to stay in even though the owners were expecting us to want to stay the night in our unlockable burgled room! We returned and packed up our bags and went to break the news of leaving to reception together and they were very shocked. Now we're here in our new bungalow, it's secure with decent locks, has security 24/7, is enclosed in a walled area and attached to other bungalows with no open fields around or dodgey houses around. We feel safer but still as if we will sleep with one eye open. The shower felt amazing after such a traumatic experience. I cannot wait to get off this island and at the moment go home but I will try and get over that and not let them beat me. As my sister said; they've already taken your things, don't let them take the world from you as well. I don't know where we'd be without my family. We love you all.Meer informatie
From one bungalow hut to the next
26 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Goodbye Gili Meno and hello Gili Air! We've safely arrived onto the next Gili Island we had planned to visit before returning to Bali. Our day began pretty early as the public ferry which is over half the price of a private boat left at 9:50am but we were told to turn up an hour early to ensure we get a seat. With that in mind we woke up and finalised our packing before setting down to our last breakfast on Gili Meno cooked by the neighbour of the place we were staying because the owner was stuck on Lombok (a large island near by). We left our key and walked the painful trip to the ferry dock. Having bought our ticket we sat down while we waited willing time to pass. The boat ride wasn't the comfiest as we sat with our big bags on but it was fast and efficient. We landed on Gili Air and walked the 10 minutes to our accommodation, another collection of bungalows. We were quite early so our room wasn't ready yet but they let us sit with our bags and use their wifi. We do feel this made them feel pressured to get us in a room because we have been put in a bungalow on a separate site of only two bungalows set further back from the road. It doesn't look as nice as the others so that's a shame and also the wifi isn't currently working there so that's even more of a shame but oh well. We dumped our stuff and headed for the ocean. There aren't many beaches here so we hung our things on a tree and went swimming hunting for turtles. We've booked onto a snorkeling trip tomorrow that only cost £6 each and you get your money back if you don't see a turtle so we weren't too fussed that we didn't see them. It was so nice to be in the water and cooling off from the heat. After a swim we chilled out at a restuarant on their loungers reading and having a small snack and tea. All of sudden I'm really missing tea so it's nice to have it offered everywhere. We spent about 3 hours reading and watching the family who own the resturant fish. A boy who looked about 10 would go out on his paddle board and set out a net then splash around causing the fish to swim into the net. After a few hours they had a bucket full of fish. We headed back to the bungalow and sat in the main area on their gazebo to use the wifi and we booked all our Australia bus routes. We paid for a pass from Cairns to Melbourne then just chose the buses and times we wanted to book onto. It was a lot easier than we expected and after an hour later the next important part of Australia is sorted m. All that's left to do is screen shot the routes from the bus stops to each accommodation. Then came the time to get the insect repellent on and cover up completely to head out for dinner. Last night I got 11 more bites and I'm reacting quite badly to them so we can't have anymore tonight! We do have a net in our room but as last night taught us that doesn't seem to stop them. It's the only downside to these islands and makes you want to run back to the mainland where it isn't such a problem. So fingers crossed it isn't that bad tonight as we're getting an early night ready to get up for our trip tomorrow.Meer informatie
We've finished booking Australia!
25 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
All night! The fireworks went on all night long and up until about 11am when you can't even see them! It was horrible as someone was setting them off right next to us and he had the loudest firework I've ever heard to the point where I jumped every time it went off. So sleeping was non existent really. Also a little annoyingly we were forced out of bed at 8:30am to eat breakfast that had been made by a neighbour who now needed to dash somewhere so I'm not sure where Kathy the owner was and we haven't seen her all day. This meant lack of sleep and no lie in so a planning day seemed like the best idea. As Gili Meno is so small we've done and seen much of the island and seeing as swimming is so hard to do here we decided to set up in places with wifi and get the rest of Australia booked. The place we planned to have lunch wasn't serving food so we had drinks there and booked a couple of locations before moving onto the next area. On route we saw a house that had used plastic bottles to build their wall and gate, an effective recycling method when there are so many plastic bottles on the island. We stayed at our next resturant for a good couple of hours where we finalised the last 3 places and we can now finally say that a months worth of accommodation in Australia has been booked! We're so very proud of ourselves especially as we managed to achieve an average of £16 a night each. If we'd left it last minute it could of been double or triple that cost as we really have snapped up the cheapest airbnb's, hostels and dorms. We have a few stays in dormitories but we knew that would have to be the case in places where the average night was costing £150. It feels like a weight has been lifted and now all that is left to do is book all our buses in between. Hopefully out next place we are staying has working wifi as that would be so much easier and cheaper to not have to buy drinks to use it! We spent the evening packing up for tomorrow's move and watching episodes I'd downloaded. Although it wasn't an exciting day it was something that needed doing and I'm glad we were able to do it while drinking tea and overlooking the beautiful scenery.Meer informatie
Sunset by the lake
24 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
We're fully sinking into the Gili Islands way of life. We had a glorious lie in until 11:30am because we set no alarms and the curtains are way too blackout for their own good! Luckily Kathy the owner was still gracious enough to make us scrambled eggs for breakfast which was a little taste of home. We had a chicken family visit us during breakfast who did a great job at clearing up the crumbs from our toast. Of course we didn't give them any scrambled eggs though! There's a lake on Gili Meno which I find so impressive when the island is so small. Apparently watching sunset from the jetty is amazing so we planned to visit there tonight. However on our hunt to find a good swimming spot we stopped by the lake to see it in daylight as well. On the route we passed many goats and cows roaming around as well as lots of locals who we said hello to. There was a group of tourists in front of us and the men were topless and the girls walking around in bikinis. That's okay on a party western island but on a Muslim majority island and when walking past a Mosque it baffles you how they feel this is appropriate. It's that lack of care and respect that gives westerners a bad reputation sadly. We walked around the lake and saw a huge nest of 4 orb weaving spiders who had built webs together. One's legs were the size of your hand! We hit the coast and headed around to the north east side of the island where many turtles are spotted in the waters. Unfortunately the rocks were once again preventing any chance of getting out far enough to see them so we've come to realise we need to book onto a snorkeling tour to be able to do it here. We gave up on swimming and decided to do Australia planning first so headed around the island back to the harbour jetty and to a place that has okay wifi. We spent most of the afternoon there trying to work out the best places to stop and booking accommodation for the trip. Everything is so expensive so I'm glad we're doing it now before the cheaper places are snapped up. After a couple of juices, ice cream and much frustration we decided we needed to come at it with fresh eyes. We abandoned planning and went back to get insect repellent on and cover up ready for the evening. The sunset at the lake was spectacular. You always feel you've seen the best sunset has to offer and then something just goes ahead and trumps it. The lake was calm and still so reflected the colours and clouds beautifully. We stayed until almost all the colour had faded from the sky and then went back to where we ate last night to have food and use the wifi to plan. We thought it would be the same where we couldn't eat until 7pm but we hadn't realised that today is the end of Ramadan so the resturant was closed as they were celebrating. We ended up eating at somewhere more expensive down the road where the wifi was pretty poor unfortunately but even still we got a few things sorted and booked. Now we're back at the room with a few YouTube episodes saved offline to watch listening to the Mosque calls and a million fireworks going off. Hopefully the fireworks and celebrations don't go on all night but we shall see!Meer informatie
Gili island way of life
23 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
We've arrived on Gili Meno! The smallest and least popular of the Gili islands to visit by tourists but that's what drew us towards it the most. There are three islands in total and Gili Meno is the only one that does not have a direct boat that goes from Bali to it. That meant that we had to catch a boat to Gili Air and then book another ticket to transfer over. Luckily we're staying on Gili Air next before heading back to Bali so that meant we could book a return boat ticket and save some money. Our ferry transport arrived at 6:45am so we were up early at 5:30 to get ready. So very hard to wake up! It took an hour to get to the ferry port where we were greated by two half sunken boats in the harbour so it was a optimistic start. After a short wait we boarded the boat which was completely full and began the journey to the Gili Islands. The boat was very fast so it didn't take too long to reach the first island and then Gili Air afterwards. After a quick juice and an investigation into island transfers we booked onto a boat that was more expensive than the public boat but meant we didn't have to wait 4 hours for it to leave. We landed on Gili Meno pretty quickly via transferring to another boat near the shore and began our hunt for our accommodation. After a lot of walking down small bumpy roads and dirt tracks we found it. It's a small collection of three tall huts and one larger villa hut owned by an English woman who sold her house before travelling and ended up buying these instead of going back home 5 years ago. She lives in one of the huts herself. Although the area of land she has is small she's grown such beautiful green plants and trees that you have privacy sitting on the patio or lounging on our shaded lounger area. It feels almost like glamping in the sense that we are in the middle of tropical jungle with free roaming chickens and goats in a hut that only has cold water. It's so peaceful to just sit outside and listen to all the insects and cockerels with the sound of the call to Mosque in the background. After dumping our stuff we got our swimming gear and suncream on before heading on a walk for somewhere to have lunch. We ate a place overlooking the sea on the west side of the island where I saw this crab who took on a bee that was about 3 times the size of a bumble bee back home and almost as big as the crab was and he was fighting with it before he pulled it down into a hole in the ground never to be seen again! We walked from here round the bottom of the island and to the east side where the ferry dropped us looking for somewhere to swim and snorkel. Unfortunately the waves were rough which meant you couldn't see clearly in the water and there were many huge rocks so after 2 minutes of me trying I realised it wasn't going to work out. We abandoned swimming and went hunting for somewhere with wifi as rather annoyingly our accommodation's wifi is currently being fixed so we are without it. That's a little bit difficult when we want to plan the rest of Australia before we set off there next so we will have to keep visiting places with wifi to do so. The owner said she'll give us a discount if she doesn't get it working so hopefully she follows through with that and returns some of the money we paid. We realised the sun was setting after visiting two places with wifi so we rushed the 15 minute walk across the island to the west side and just caught the sun as it set behind the island in front of us. The mosquitos then descended in force and after finding out that food isn't served anywhere until 7pm to allow people to eat who are doing Ramadan we headed back to get covered in repellent and layer up the clothing. Still in the 10 minutes we were out when they were around and with constant swiping them off you I received about 10 bites! Just how! By the time we got back out it was 7pm and we had tea at a nice beach front place looking out at the lights of the island across from us and the black sea between us and them. If there wasn't any mosquitos this island would be paradise.Meer informatie
A temple by the sea
22 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
We enjoyed a lazy morning today, having a lie in and relaxing watching episodes of a programme on YouTube. We're not enjoying the touristy area we are staying in so even though today is our last day we had no desire to rush out. When we were ready to start the day if had to begin with a Starbucks of course and a bit of brunch before waking around trying to find a bank. Many ATM machines in Bali have been tampered with apparently and my friend had her card cloned from a ATM machine here so we wanted to find a genuine bank to use their ATM and not risk the ones on the street. After getting some money we caught a taxi to the temple Tanah Lot, a temple that has been built on a rock on the sea. We didn't realise how far away the temple was and it took us over an hour to get there. One of us might have had a little nap in the car that kept being interrupted by our crazy taxi driver who didn't understand breaking softly and insisted on beeping at everyone who was even vaguely near him. Eventually we arrived after what felt like a lifetime. We walked through the abundance of tourist aimed stalls until we climbed down the steps to the temple area. At high tide the sea engulfs the rocks around the temple but luckily when we went it was low tide so we were able to walk around over the rocks and see the many rockpools left behind. The temple wasn't that impressive but we thoroughly enjoyed the surrounding rocks and sea front. We spent a good couple of hours exploring and sitting on a rock just taking in the sound of the huge crashing waves. Because it's such a large tourist hub with so many visitors there it did ruin the whole atmosphere of the place a bit. As the sun set we headed back in the taxi to our area in Kuta which again was another death defying trip. After walking and looking at many resturants and even in a mall for somewhere cheap to eat we ended up back where we ate on the first night having burgers again. All the resturants are so western aimed that we are pretty sure that we won't be trying any Indonesian cuisine here. We leave to head to the Gili Islands tomorrow so it was back to the hotel to pack up our bags once again ready for our 5:30am alarm tomorrow. Definitely not looking forward to that one!Meer informatie
Planning, planning and more planning
21 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
We've arrived in Bali with no plan of how we are spending the next two weeks. The only thing we do know is the area we are in right now is far too touristy for our liking to stay long than our 3 nights we booked. We needed to look into the island and other islands around and make a decision of what we want to do while here. The wifi at our hotel is very slow and poor so we decided to do our planning at Starbucks, the only place we plan. With teas in hand we researched heavily and after a few hours have divided our two weeks between staying on two different Gili islands and then coming back to Bali and staying in the capital for the last few days before our flight. We've been booking accommodation in Australia and are unable to afford anything that nice because it's so expensive so with that in mind we've booked into somewhere a bit nicer and slightly higher in price for our time in the capital. We want a little last taste of luxury before our cheap Australia places. After a successful planning trip and some lunch we went on a walk up the beach which has a strong surfing scene and a heavy amount of washed up coral on the beach which was a shame. It feels like a beach that's been run down by tourists and we wouldn't want to swim there or anything so we simply walked up the sand and headed back on the streets when we could. Our walk took us in search of a new supermarket that sells bigger bottles of water so we spent a good 2 hours visiting two different stores across town. Sadly no big water but it felt good to be out and be walking even if you are talked to by shop owners every 10 seconds or beeped at by taxis that you clearly don't want. There are many horse and carts here to pull tourists around but all the horses look so depressed and exhausted without water which has become upsetting to see and there's no way we will ever be using one. We headed to an Indian restuarant for tea and I ordered a korma as it had no meat in it and Nick had a red curry. Unfortunately mine was so incredibly hot, even with more yoghurt I couldn't eat it and it had no bearings of what a korma is or anything like they had described on the menu. Nick's was even worse and tasted as if it contained about a ladle full of salt and he had to send it back so luckily he ate mine instead. We didn't want to risk another so we decided I'd get a pizza afterwards from another place we'd seen. Luckily and rightly so we weren't charged for the salty curry. It was a bit of a shame but then again I had a great pizza after instead so all's well that ends well.Meer informatie
Travelling back to the island life
20 juni 2017, Indonesië ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We've left the busy city of Singapore behind and have arrived in Bali. We caught an Uber to the airport which was arranged by the hostel and enjoyed a ride in a brand new swanky black and red car. At the airport for the first time our check in desk that was allocated was a self service area. All we had to do was scan our passports and pick our flight which gave us our boarding passes and luggage tags. After labelling up the luggage we had to electronically link it to our passports and send it on it way to the plane. All very modern and efficient. We still then had a finally check for security about our purpose and time in Bali but then we were done and on our way in about 10 minutes rather than queueing for an hour or so to check in. This gave us more time than we planned so we headed through immigration and then the Starbucks. Rather annoyingly the airport do there hand luggage checks at each gate which you understand is more efficient because they have so many gates but it means we couldn't buy water to take onto the plan we were told. Rather a pain when you have a headache but oh well! The flight was a couple of hours and I spent most of it gripped to my book. I'm 20 pages off the ending so as you can imagine I was wishing we had more time as soon as we'd landed and parked up. We caught an airport taxi to our hotel and checked in. Our room has a little seating area outside and we even have a pool here which is great. After getting a map from reception we headed in search of a supermarket and for a wonder. We're in a very busy tourist area and we're not sure we like that so it's good we only booked 3 nights at our hotel so we can move if we want to. With shopping in hand we went and had an early tea as we were pretty hungry from not having lunch. I had an amazing chocolate shake as you can see. The most interesting part of our day then happened. We'd spoke to a guy in the street who stopped us and was promoting his hotel. He spoke about it and then gave us these tickets to open where you can win a prize. We opened them as we walked to the supermarket and Nick had won the top prize: 7 night free stay, a gopro camera or £120. We were very excited as you can imagine! On our way back from dinner the guy was still there so we asked him what this means and he called over his supervisor. They seemed elated for Nick as if this never happens and said all we have to do is have a tour of their hotel for an hour with free pick up and drop off and we get the prize, simple. We arranged it all for tomorrow morning and set off back to the hotel in disbelief of what was happening and joking about when and where we'd stay if we got the free holiday. We were a bit sceptical about it though so did some googling and after an hour of looking into it we discovered it's usually a scam. They get you to their hotel and then try and make you sign up to timeshares and if you don't suddenly the prize isn't available and you've wasted your morning or even day in some cases. It is also listed as one of Bali's top scams. There seems to be a lot of scams and ripping off tourists in Bali and seeing as we're in such a tourist area we fear we're right in the heart of it. Feeling unnerved by it and not wanting to waste our time here and be put in that position we headed back to cancel. The supervisor drove off in the other direction as we walked up to the original man we spoke which we were glad about as we were quite nervous about this encounter but it went fine and we just used our limited time here as an excuse. We walked back relieved knowing we have avoided potentially a threatening and pressurised encounter so even though a prize would of been lovely it is more than likely one of the 'too good to be true' situations.Meer informatie
A truly amazing view
19 juni 2017, Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
We had a bit of a long morning as we spent almost an hour in the post office sending a parcel full of little trinkets we'd picked up along the away home. We're not sure how tight customs will be in Australia and it's taking up lots of room in our bags (mainly my bag) so we just decided it's better to send it home now. It cost £45 in the end. A lot more than the estimate said online but having gone to all the effort of boxing it all up twice and filling out all of the custom labels we still decided to go ahead with it. Hopefully it gets delivered okay and it'll be worth it. We hadn't had breakfast so we went and had some much needed brunch after. I wasn't feeling too well so we had a break from doing things and relaxed back at the hostel for a while. After recouping we headed to Little India and then Chinatown. Having been to both India and China these small areas in major cities are always interesting to see. They show the best parts of the country and shield the residents and tourists from the no so nice parts, especially in Little India. Living in Little India in Singapore must be a world away from what the country is like back home. After an early tea we headed back to Marina Bay where we visited yesterday with the hopes of catching sunset while on the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, a huge hotel where the top is shaped like a boat and rooms start from almost £300 a night. We had very little money left but managed to have enough to pay to go to the 56th floor or sky deck as they call it and what an amazing view it was! It was still light when we got up there but very cloudy so no amazing sunset to be seen so after walking around the area we were allowed in we sat down looking out and waited and watched as the nighttime skyline came to life with beautiful lights. By the time we left 2 hours later the city was a buzz of activity and electricity. We walked back across the road to the Gardens by the Bay to attempt to use our tickets to climb up one of their metal plant covered trees and luckily we arrived 2 minutes before the last entry and walked up the stairs all the way to the viewing bridge. The height gave the area and design so much more depth and perspective and that combined with the lights was most impressive. It was the perfect evening to end our short time here in Singapore.Meer informatie