2023

A 284-day adventure by Jessica and Alex Read more

Follow Insights Calendar Photos Share

Trip start
December 21, 2022
2023 Traveler
Time to go!
December 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The day of departure had finally come but our trip didn’t start out fantastically as our flight was delayed by 12 hours! When we finally got to Bali it was late at night and the weather wasn’t great.

For the next 10 days, we spent time around the pool and shopping. We visited Ubud for a few nights and attended a great New Year’s Eve party in the hotel. It was apparent that Bali was really struggling to recover after covid but it was great to be back. Kuta was extremely quiet and many shops were still closed!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Ubud
December 25, 2022 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 24 °C
Our trip starts in Bali for Christmas with mum. We’ve all visited Bali a number of times so my first entry starts with our short trip to Ubud to escape the terrible weather in Kuta.

After a few rainy (extreme rain!) days in Kuta, we decided to head inland and up to Ubud for a couple of days. The first of which was Christmas Day.
The trip up the mountain only took a few hours. Once we were there, we were greeted (albeit quite aggressively) by a million monkeys. Even eating our lunch was tricky and mum lost her juice when a monkey ran up onto our bench, reached out his little hand and ripped her juice from under her!

For the majority of stay, Alex insisted on eating lunch at a little warong called terrace warong. We ate sweet and sour pork/coco chicken (delicious, fresh coconut chicken)/mi goreng for around $2 a dish. For the evening meals, we ventured out to the restaurants. The restaurants were set amongst the beautiful lush gardens and ponds. The food is Ubud was fab.

We stayed at Sri Aksata resort. The rooms were 40 dollars for the night and were quite nice. Mums rooms overlooked a rice field and ours was near the pool. The location was great - right in the middle of Ubud, just up the road from the monkey forest. Although Ubud is crazy busy and this hotel is right on the main road, as soon as you got into the place, everything was quiet and peaceful.

The following day, Alex and I decided to explore the rice terraces. We walked up through Ubud until we found the Ubud market. We meandered through the markets (which were much more interesting than the Kuta markets) until we got to the end and entered the rice paddies. It was a beautiful walk and on the way back we stopped at a little warong for some fresh pineapple juices.

On our final day, we headed out once more to explore the Campuhan ridge walk. This walk was more populated, and there were many tourists exercising and exploring the area. The trek started by following a waterfall up onto the rice paddies. We then walked through a lovely little village with great views of the fields. Before heading home, we stopped for a coconut at a Warong overlooking the jungle.

Ubud is awesome. Less Aussie bogans, better shopping and better cafes/restaurants. We will definitely be back next time 💚🌿Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
New year’s eve
January 1, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 31 °C
0 likes
2023 Traveler
24 hours in the Philippines
January 4, 2023 on the Philippines ⋅ 🌙 4 °C
We left our Bali accomodation at 5.30am on Wednesday morning. Mum came to see us off and we had coffee together before we checked in. To our surprise (sarcasm intended) our flight was delayed by 3 hours and then we circled Manila airport on arrival as the air traffic was so bad. Longest 3 hour flight ever - not a good start.
Once we had landed, the ground traffic was even worse. It took us around an hour to get to our hotel. We finally arrived in Manila late on Wednesday night, we grabbed a bite to eat from the rooftop restaurant and then went off to bed.

Since we only had 24 hours in Manila, I had planned a full day of sight seeing. Disappointingly, the weather was so rubbish we decided on a late start. We started researching the rest of the Philippines and realised that the weather was unseasonably crappy just about everywhere. Island hopping in the sun just wasn’t going to happen - so we decided to can the Philippines and head to Japan!

We spent the rest of the day and night frantically shopping for warm clothes (we won’t be needing our swimmers for Japan in winter!) at second hand stores. We got some cheap flights using Qantas points and boarded our plane at 1am on Friday!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Tokyo, Japan
January 5, 2023 in Japan
We arrived at Narita airport at 6am this morning. We were exhausted but couldn’t check in until 3pm. We were also freezing and needed some new clothes urgently!
We walked about half an hour up the road from our accomodation to a place called Ueno, where I had researched a second hand shop called Mode Off. There, we were able to pick up all our jackets and jumpers for about $25. I got a coat and a few jumpers, plus a neck warmer. We also popped in UniClo to grab some thermals.

On the way back, we found a local market in Ueno called, which sold heaps of cheap brand name clothes and shoes. There was also plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, including the most perfect strawberries in the world which sell for around $50 each!!! Alex had Takoyaki for lunch from a stall in the market. He got 6 balls for $3, which is very cheap for Tokyo!

We checked into our hotel, which was located right beside the subway and up the road from the famous temples of Asakusa. Our beds were traditional Japanese futons, which are simple thin mattresses on top of bamboo mats. They are quite hard but are fine for a couple night sleep.

In the evening, we met up with Junko to see the illuminations in Shinjuku. We strolled through the lit up streets looking for options for dinner. We finally settled on a coin restaurant, which is where you order your food on a vending machine. It is then cooked for you and served in a small restaurant.

For our second day in Tokyo, we met up with Junko and headed to the imperial palace to explore the palace gardens. Since it’s winter, most trees and flowers were not blooming but we were able to see the Kaki tree with fruit.

After lunch we headed out on the monorail to Odaibo, to see the rainbow bridge as the sun was setting. We aimed to walk home afterward but it was freezing, so we caught the train back to Shinjuku for dinner.

For dinner, we tried a seafood hot pot. The pot of seafood was delivered to our table on a gas stove and we cooked it before eating. We were extremely tired tonight after the last few days of travel, so we headed back to the accomodation straight after dinner for bed.

Today, our third day in Tokyo, was a big day of exploring Tokyo. We met Junko in Harajuku to wander through Yoyogi park. Today, there was a flea market, which had lots of second hand clothes. We had a quick look through there, before heading over to Takeshita Street. This street is famous for its quirky clothes, toys and food. Alex and I tried crepes from the famous Marion Crepes, which is the original Crepe shop of Harajuku. We had Gyoza for lunch before heading over to see the Shinjuku crossing.

We have both seen the crossing before, so after a couple laps of the intersection, we popped back on the subway and headed to Shinjuku.

When we got to Shinjuku, we found Golden Guy, which is a labyrinth of tiny alleyways. There are plenty of miniature bars which sell alcohol and kebabs. We stopped by one of the bars for some plum wine and a kebab.

For dinner, Junko took us to a lovely restaurant in one of the skyscrapers of Tokyo. We we had a course meal. We tried all sorts of sushimi, duck and beef all with a beautiful view of Tokyo city!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Nagano - Yudanaka
January 12, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
After missing out on the snow monkeys last time I was here, I really wanted to see them this time around.
We boarded a 3.5 hour bus trip out to Nanagano and then another hour on the train which got us to a small town called Yudanaka. It was cold and snowing when we got there, but we stayed in a traditional Japanese Ryokan (guesthouse). It was warm and cosy and we had hot tea waiting for us on arrival. That afternoon we visited the private Onsen in the hotel. It was an indoor onsen and very small, just big enough for Alex and I to fit into.

The following day, we woke up early and the owner of the ryokan took us out to the monkey park. The snow monkeys were so cute and the winter landscape of Nagano was beautiful.

On the way home, we walked through Shibu Onsen town. People who live or stay in Shibu have access to the 9 special onsen, which are said to have special healing properties depending on which onsen you choose.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Back to Tokyo
January 12, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 5 °C
Today we met Junko and visited the Fukagawa Edo museum, which had replica streets of Tokyo during the Edo period of Japan. It was a great museum, and very interesting to learn about what life was like during the 16-1800s.

After, we visited Alex’s Obessan (grandfather), who lived close by. He lives in a traditional Japanese house. We had sushi lunch and sat with him for a little bit.

Then, we went to Tokyo team planet, which is a massive digital, immersive art museum. It was fantastic to walk through the rooms of lights, water and other sensory delights.

For dinner we ate at a Monja restaurant in Tsukishima which is a well known area for Monja. The restaurant we visited opened about 150 years ago. Monja is a simple dish made from cabbage, egg and water plus extra ingredients to add taste. We sat around a hot plate and cooked Monja ourselves - we tried squid ink Monja and also pork Monja. It was delicious!!!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Yokahoma and Kamakura
January 13, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌬 14 °C
This morning Junko and Tadonori picked us up in a hire car and drove us to Yokahoma. Yokahoma is about an hour out of Tokyo and is Japan’s second largest city.

Our first stop was the Ramen museum which basically went through the history of the first ramen dish. It was interesting to learn that ramen (along with many typical Japanese dishes and traditions) was heavily influenced by China. It was said that although the noodles come from China, the soup broth is uniquely Japanese. At the museum we also tried more ramen.

Next we visited Sankeien Garden which was a beautiful garden built during the Edo period. The houses within the garden were said to be Japanese treasures as they were so beautiful and expensive. Although it was raining, it was still a beautiful walk.

Next we visited the cup noodle museum. It was hilarious to see such an impressive facility dedicated to the history of cup noodles. At this museum we made our own cup noodles, which involved designing the cup, choosing the stock and ingredients and watch the package the cup.

Next, we rode on one of the world’s highest Ferris wheels. This Ferris wheel is seen from all over the city of Yokahoma. The view was beautiful although the ride was a bit scary.

Then we checked into a lovely hotel before heading out again to an eel restaurant. We ate eel liver and then eel with rice for a main. The taste was rich and quite delicious. The chef told us that the eel was caught this morning so what was ate was very fresh. I was initially worried to try eel but was pleasantly surprised!

After dinner, we caught the cable car over the river - another beautiful view - before boarding a sight-seeing boat around the city. It was cold but a fantastic way to see the city lights on the water.

The next day, we woke up and drove to Kamakura. First we had a delicious brunch of whitebait on rice. I had mine booked but Alex tried a mix of raw and boiled whitebait. The area is known for it‘s fresh caught whitebait. Then we visited Kamakura Hasedera which was a large temple set amongst beautiful gardens. Next, we visited Kotokuin temple which is home to one of Japan’s largest Buddha statues.
In the afternoon we drove to Enoshima island which was a fabulous seaside island. The streets were lines with markets and seafood stalls. We tried octopus rice crackers which are a typical snack of the area. We then hiked up to see the temples and beach side caves.

After our day of adventuring Tadenori drive us back to Tokyo to catch the night bus to Kyoto. Before boarding the bus, we went to a restaurant to have Kobe beef, which is Japan’s (and possible the world’s) tastiest beef. We tasted all the different types of beef and it was absolutely delicious. Alex thinks this was his favourite part of Japan!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Kyoto, Japan
January 16, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We took the overnight bus from Tokyo to Kyoto and although we paid for a luxury bus with sleeping pods, the trip was horrible! It was very loud and bumpy so we got next to no sleep (note: take the bullet train next time!). We arrived at Kyoto early in the morning and spent most of the day planning and relaxing.

For dinner we headed out to Pontocho alley, which is a narrow alleyway in the Gion area. It’s lined with restaurants and bars. We settled on Chinese for dinner which, although delicious, was very untraditional for Kyoto.

The next day, we felt fresh and ready for a day of sight seeing. First we headed to Tenryu-ji temple in Arashiyama. We didn’t spend too long here as there was an entrance fee and we had become ‘templed out’ so we headed next door to the bamboo forest. There, we walked for a few kms of bamboo lined pathways. It was beautiful.

Next we headed back to Gion to visit Nishiki market. This market had loads of seafood stalls which included crab, scallops, fish and octopus.

After lunch we headed out to Fushimi-Inari Taisha shrine, which is the famous Kyoto shrine with orange structures. We climbed to the top of Mount Inari, which was around a 30 minute hike through the orange arches. By the time we got to the top it was sunset, which meant our way back down was dark. It was beautiful to see the shadows which were cast by the shrine in the evening.

For dinner, we headed back to Pontocho alley and had crumbed wagyu - delicious!

The next day we headed to Osaka, but first a few more sights to see in Kyoto. We headed out to see Kinkaku-ji temple, which is the famous golden temple. Next we visited Motorikyu Nijo castle which was conveniently right near our accomodation.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Osaka
January 18, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 3 °C
0 likes
2023 Traveler
A (big) day in Singapore
January 20, 2023 in Singapore ⋅ 🌧 25 °C
After landing in Singapore after midnight, we headed straight to our hotel in China town.

The next morning, we took a quick stroll around the local area, however, it quickly became clear that the true buzz of China Town sets in much later in the day. So we headed to Bayfront for a stroll around the Promenade and Marina Bay. The architecture of the city was phenomenal and after being lost in Marina Bay Sands shopping centre for ages, we strolled towards the famous Merlin statue.

Next we visited Gardens by the Bay. We bought tickets to the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome. The Cloud Forest was definitely the highlight of our time in Singapore. It’s a giant glass structure, housing a living cloud forest. It was interesting to see the tropical plants living in cold temperatures at higher altitudes and gave us some awesome inspiration for our own garden.

After exploring the gardens, we hopped on the train and visited Kampong Glam, an area known for its Malaysian and Arab influences. We visited the Sultan Mosque, which was found at the end of a promenade lined with Turkish and Lebanese dishes. Here we enjoyed a quick snack of delicious pide and tzatziki. We also visited Haji Lane, which was bustling with trendy cafes, boutiques and bars. The area was clearly famous for its colourful street art, which attracted many selfie enthusiasts.

After a quick rest at the accomodation to recharge the batteries (both human and
phone), we headed back to China Town to find something to eat. As it was the celebration of the Lunar New Year, Chinatown was absolutely bustling! There were people everywhere. We headed through the markets, which we’re alive with stalls selling everything from Chinese New Year decorations, to fruit and lollies. We visited a number of restaurants trying to find a table and finally settled for one slightly out of the market area. After lining up for a short amount of time, we were hurried upstairs to quickly take our seat. We enjoyed a dinner of sweet and sour pork (of course), ginger beef and veggies. The whole experiences was both stressful and exciting!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Penang, Malaysia
January 22, 2023 in Malaysia ⋅ 🌙 14 °C
We landed in Penang in the late afternoon and headed straight out to find something to eat. Very soon after beginning our walk, we found a large hawker centre with plenty of food options from all over the world. We settled on a Malaysian dish of hot noodle soup with prawns. After dinner we headed out to see China Town, which was glowing with lanterns and decoration for Chinese new year.

The next morning, we headed out to do some sight seeing. Penang is made up of small villages, each with their own culture, foods and language. Mosques, temples and churches sat alongside each other on a single street. The most beautiful of the buildings all had welcome signs and appropriate clothes to borrow for visitors who wished to have a look inside. We were told that locals were extremely tolerant of each other and embraced each others food and culture. This resulting in delicious and unique food and experiences.

First we headed over to the Clan Jetties. These jetties were originally used as homes for Chinese immigrant fisherman. Now, locals still live and operate out of the jetties but they are also a tourist destination, so full of cafes and souvenir shops. Next we walked through Little India - you could literally smell it before you could see it. It was truly ‘Little India’. The streets were lined with people cooking curries and nan and selling spices in an array of colours. The old town of Penang is full of old British and colonial architecture. Many of the buildings have been preserved including an old fire station. To end the day, we headed back through China Town to sample the food and look at the street art.

Our final day was spent mostly planning our onward journey, but to end our Penang trip we joined a cooking class in the evening. We cooked three Malaysian dishes - the first was called Nasi Lemak which was basically coconut rice with sides. Next, we cooked a Malaysian stir fried noodle dish. Finally we made fried banana.

Penang is not only a lesson in tolerance of difference but a celebration of culture, creativity and history.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Ao Nang, Thailand
January 25, 2023 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 24 °C
After a 12 hour trip from Penang, involving two minibuses, two questionable immigration checkpoints, twice being pulled over by local police and an outdoor tuk tuk ride in the rain, we finally arrived at Ao Nang beach.

Ao Nang is a beachside town close to the city of Krabi in southwest Thailand. It caters for all types of tourists from raging backpacker accomodation all the way through to beachside resorts. We stayed in a nice hotel with a pool, close by the beach and markets.

On day one, we ventured out and did the monkey walk, which took us from Ao Nang across a headland and onto another, smaller beach. We followed the steep and rickety path up the headland and saw lots of little monkeys on the way. Once we were there, we had a walk and swim on the beach. The water was lovely albeit not as clear as I had hoped. After, we headed back and had PadThai on the beach. For dinner, we visited the Au Nang night markets. A large marketplace full of international and local cuisine at low prices attracts hundreds of tourists. After finishing our pinacoladas on the beach, we indulged in sushi, spring rolls and bbq kebabs. To end the evening, we tried thai pancakes, which were essentially fried pancakes with Nutella and banana (delish!).

The next day we did the 5 island tour. We visited a couple of islands in the morning (whose names escape me), where the water was beautiful and clear. You could follow a sandbar to cross between the different islands. In the afternoon we stopped by Railay beach, which is a beach not so far from AoNang but only accessible by boat. The whole bay is enclaved by huge limestone cliffs, which create beautiful caves and attract daring rock climbers.

On our second last day in Thailand we had to venture into the town of Krabi to get a PCR test for India. After returning from the international hospital, we joined a cooking class where we learnt to cook plenty of Thai dishes. It’s interesting to learn that many Thai dishes are not Thai but in fact influenced by Malaysia, China and India. I cooked papaya salad (sooo good), green curry, Pad Thai and mango sticky rice. Alex cooked the same but also spring rolls and Massaman curry. All our meals were very tasty but super ingredient heavy and probably difficult to reproduce at home.

On our final day, we headed back down to the beach and hired a kayak. We explored the huge cliff faces and caves. We were out for a couple of hours and paddled back around to Railay beach, stopping at a small secluded beach close by. The area is full of reef and semi-submerged rocks so we had to manoeuvre the kayak around while also avoiding the speeding longboats. On the way we spotted a group of wild monkeys (or possibly lemurs) playing in the tree.
We absolutely loved our time in Thailand and only wished we had more time to explore other areas and islands. We will be back!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Delhi and Pushka, India
January 31, 2023 in India
We arrived pretty late on the 31st and immigration seemed to take some time to check our visas (who knows why!). I had organised airport transfers but I think the man who picked us up had the most bashed up car in Delhi - and that’s saying something!
After finally arriving at the hotel, we settled for dinner up the road and explored the Karol Bagh markets. They were an absolute whirlwind of excitement, involving yelling, pushing, car horns and dodging Tuk tuks. There was plenty of clothes and food for sale at extremely low prices.

The next day we joined our tour and visited India gate which was a monument to commemorate soldiers of war. After, we headed out for dinner together before heading to bed early in preparation for an early rising.

We left our hotel at 5am to board a 6am train to Pushka. The train was relatively comfortable and they served snacks and breakfast onboard. Once we reached Pushka, we walked through a colourful market on the way to Brahama temple. I had to restrain from purchasing the beautiful bright pants and dresses - think Tiger Lilly at a fraction of the cost! Brahma is the Hindu god of creation. And the significance of this temple is that it’s the only of its kind in the world. After visiting the temple, we went for a long camel ride out to the desert. It was loads of fun but quite scary as the camels were unexpectedly tall. In the desert, we all sat around a fire and watched traditional dances. We ate a meal of Dahl and potato curry with Indian bread and dessert. It was delicious!!

The following morning, we had another early wake up. We climbed to the hilltop Savitri temple and watched the sunrise over the desert mountains. The climb was relatively tough but worth it for the beautiful view. After, our guide took us back to the markets to a small stall which sold homemade muesli with fruit for breakfast.

Then it was time to say bye to Pushka and board a two hour train to Jaipur.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Jaipur, India
February 3, 2023 in India ⋅ 🌙 18 °C
We arrived at the train station about midday and took some Tuktuks to our accomodation in Jaipur. Our guide, Jai, had bought us some street food to try. We had samosa and Chulia, they were both types of curry vegetables in pastry.
After lunch, we headed out to the old town of Jaipur. After a British documentary named Jaipur as India’s ‘pink city’, it has become a popular tourist destination along the golden triangle route. To avoid the crowds and inflated prices, our guide took us to a local market in the old town of Jaipur. The merchants in these stalls sold everything from giant sacks of spices and tea to brightly coloured, hand printed fabric and gold jewellery. We spent an hour battling through the crowds and taking in the senses.

Next, we went to a Bollywood film at Raj Mandir theatre. This theatre was named one of the top ten most beautiful theatres in the world and I would say, sat around 1000 people! We watched a movie called Pathaan, which was much like Missions Impossible except the characters would occasionally break out in song. This movie experience was unlike anything we would experience in the western world. People would call out, whistle and I heard that sometimes they even stand up and dance. Jai told us that people save up for a special occasion to visit the theatre, so everyone was very excited to be there. It was a great experience.

After the movie, we visited a rooftop bar for dinner and drinks. The views over Jaipur were beautiful and there were lots of fireworks as well.

Day 2:
After breakfast at the hotel, we visited the Amber Fort. This huge monument was built by both Hindu and Mogul rulers. The fort what both innovative and creative in design and function. We learnt about the life of the king and more interestingly the queen, who, after being married, was no longer able to leave the walls of the palace. Many of the rooms were built just for her, including a sauna room, artificial rain and the most beautiful hand painted and sculptured walls. Although I have visited this fort before, it was great to return to learn more about this areas interesting history.

After visiting the fort, we popped into a jewellery store. Jaipur is famous for its precious and semi-precious jewels as well as hand-printed fabrics. The jewellery store had so much gemstone jewellery at very reasonable prices. Although I was tempted with the sapphire rings, I decided against a purchase but really enjoyed browsing the store. Then, we visited a hand printing shop, where we watched a demonstration and did our own hand printing.

To end the day, we did a Indian cooking class. I would call this more of a demonstration as it was less interactive that the classes we have previously done. Nonetheless, we enjoyed learning about the techniques and ingredients in traditional cooking and really enjoyed the meal that was cooked.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Agra, India
February 5, 2023 in India ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Taj Mahal day!

We woke up early and walked to the Taj to be there for sunrise. We were briefed on the history of the monument before we had time to explore independently.
The Taj Mahal was built by the emperor as a testament of his love to his wife after she died during child birth. The only part of the structure which is asymmetrical is the emperor’s grave which was placed beside his wife’s.

We watched the sun rise of the marble roofs. We saw the inside of the monument which was decorated with hand carved precious and semi-precious gemstones.

After some time in the hotel to rest, we went back out to watch some carpet making, which is what Agra is famous for. After we went to a marble workshop and learnt how the artisans create the designs for furniture and ornaments.

Later in the evening we boarded the overnight train to Varanasi. Well, that was an experience! Unlike what I had pictured in my head (think Hogwarts express), the carriages were crammed full of three tier bunk beds, crying babies and people watching movies on full volume. Alex and I both slept on the very top bunk beds. I popped in some earplugs and my eye mask and slept quite soundly. Definitely not luxury but an easy way to travel.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Varanassi, India
February 5, 2023 in India ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Day 1
After the long train ride, we finally arrived at our hotel in Varanasi. In the evening we caught cycle rickshaws down to the river bank of the Ganges. Down at the river, we hopped on a small boat and sailed down to see the prayer and flower ceremonies. There were flowers with candles floating all down the river and the constant drone of chanting which echoed along the water. We floated down toward the cremation ceremonies. Here, giant fires were alight along the banks set against a backdrop of sandstone buildings. Families waited with the body of their loved one, for their turn. Hindu people believe that death is a time to celebrate life. These ceremonies are surprisingly welcoming to visitors.

By the time we had returned to the dock, there would have been easily twenty thousand people lining the banks of the river. There was also hundreds of boats pulled into the bank, full of further people. These Hindu people visit the banks of the Ganges to pray and bathe in the river, hoping to cleanse them from their sins. I was surprised to learn that this ceremony has happened every single night for over four thousand years!

The place was an absolute buzz. Imagine the sound of chanting, clapping and music, the smoke from the candles and incense, fires burning in the distance and thousands upon thousands of people dressed in colour. We were lucky enough to have a full moon glowing red in the background. It certainly had an energy not experienced anywhere else!

Day 2
Another early wake up meant we watched the sunrise over the Ganges. The area was still buzzing from the night before and we could see Hindus bathing in the river. Most had travelled long distances to bath as an important ritual of their religion.

We walked back over to the area of the cremations, where we witnessed a cremation up close. The family circled the body and chanted. Next, they lit the fire using flames from the eternal flame, which sat above the banks. The family members then stood and watched and chatted. This takes around 3 hours. We stood beside the family and observed. They didn’t mind having us there.

After a rest at the hotel, we headed back out to see the silk village. This was an area of around 2km, full of tiny alleys. As we walked around, you could here the constant galloping by of mechanical silk weaving machines coming from almost every house. We watched a demonstration and browsed the available items.

After dinner we headed straight to bed. Yet another early morning tomorrow for our trip to Nepal!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Lumbini, Nepal
February 8, 2023 in Nepal ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Day 1
Today we woke up early and caught a train to Jai’s village. There, his wife and daughters had made us a delicious lunch. After lunch, we were picked up by a private van and taken over the border to Nepal. The border crossing was dodgy. We paid 100 rupiah each to avoid covid testing and passed through about 4 immigration points before finally getting into Nepal.
We then travelled to Lumbini for the evening. The next day we visited the birthplace of Buddha. It was a large park with a humble monument which they believe was the exact birthplace of Buddha.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Chitwan, Nepal
February 9, 2023 in Nepal ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
After another long day of travel, we arrived at a home stay just outside Chitwan National park. The home stay was located on a small farm, with lots of ducks, chickens, goats and cows. We then took a bike tour through the village. The village was made up of simple yet colourful homes, usually growing their own crop (mostly mustard). We visited a huge lake to enjoy Chai Masala as the sun set.

Day 2

The next day, Alex and I wandered through the village. Everyone was very welcoming as we strolled around. Next, we hopped on the top of a truck for a safari around Chitwan National Park. We were in search of rhinos and the elusive tigers. Unfortunately we’re couldn’t find a tiger but we did spot a rhino, crocodiles, a python and plenty of birds, monkeys and deers.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Pokhara, Nepal
February 12, 2023 in Nepal ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
Pokhara is a tourist area, located at the foothills of the Himalayas. It’s main feature is Fewa Lake, which lies in between beautiful walkways, restaurants and shops. Looking up, you can see the mountains which surround it. Unfortunately for our time here, it was incredibly cloudy, so we could only really see the foothills, which were not snow capped.
The morning after we arrived, we woke up early to see the sunrise over the mountains. Disappointingly, we couldn’t see a thing due to fog.
At lunch we visited the Sisterhood of the Survivors Project. This organisation is set up to support and educate the victims of human trafficking in Pokhara and Kathmandu. They also visit schools and rural villages to educate young women and their families on the dangers of human trafficking. Women who join the program are trained as paralegals in order to join the police and help other women report trafficking. During our visit we learnt about the program, made momos and enjoyed a Nepalese style lunch.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Kathmandu, Nepal
February 13, 2023 in Nepal ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
One thing I forgot to mention about Nepal is that there’s no roads. Well, the Chinese government seem to be pushing a lot of dirt around, but for the most part, travelling through Nepal is like 4 wheel driving on a rough track. Even in the city, the roads (although not as chaotic as India) are super underdeveloped and difficult to navigate. This was particularly hairy as we drove around the mountain ranges, dodging animals, dirt piles, potholes (not sure if you would classify a giant ditch in the centre of the road this though) and machinery. The drives between cities were particularly long and uncomfortable in Nepal.

Our first stop in Kathmandu was the monkey temple to see the most famous landmark of the city. We then headed into the city centre to find our accomodation. Where we were staying was in the centre of town, with access to awesome shopping and nice cafes. We spent our time in Kathmandu mostly exploring the shops and the streets. We visited Adam Bazaar, which was a market which originated from the silk trade. As we walked deeper and deeper into the market, we saw that each of the alleyways was set up for different trade - from silk, to meat (freshly plucked chickens mostly), to electrical appliances and clothes. Small wooden appartments blocks overhang the tiny streets, with residents in windows watching the world.

In the evening we went for dinner. Alex (with the help of Jai) had organised a Valentine’s dinner. It was a lovely way to end our time in Nepal.

We woke up early for our flight to Dubai, via Delhi. We were told by a few different people to request a window seat on the right hand side of the plane. And wow! Lucky we did! The plane flew alongside the Himalayan mountain ranges for almost the entirety of our flight. The mountains seemed almost higher than the altitude of our flight and it was crazy to not be looking down at them. The highlight was spotting Everest in the distance. The photos definitely don’t do our view justice!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Duba, UAE
February 14, 2023 in the United Arab Emirates
We had two nights but only one day in Dubai. Mum met us in the morning before breakfast and ready for a day of exploring.

First we visited the gold and spice souks. Although there were some spice markets open, most of the gold shops were still closed, so we went to a local cafe for breakfast. After a quick bite, we walked around the gold market. Although many tourist sites claim this area portrays an authentic Dubai experience, it felt very touristy and overpriced.

Next we visited Dubai mall, to see the aquarium (or at least the outside of it). The aquarium is the largest suspended aquarium in the world. Next we had a look at the human waterfall in the mall. Then a quick visit to the Dubai fountain - we only caught the end of the show, but there was a lovely view of the Burj Khalifa from the base.

Next, we caught the metro to the Mall of the Emirates, which is home to Ski Dubai. This is a massive indoor snow centre, with ski slopes, tobogganing and snow games. We didn’t pay the hefty fee to enter, but we could see the whole thing through the glass wall in the mall.

After, we headed back to the hotel to relax after a big day of exploring!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Tel Aviv, Israel
February 17, 2023 in Israel
So the Israel adventure started at the airport in Dubai, where we passed through the most intense pre-boarding security screen ever. El Al, is Israel’s national airline and also the most secure but most targeted airline in the world. Before checking in, we had an in depth interview where we had to explain where we had been, if we knew anyone in the Middle East, how we knew each other (I had to present my marriage certificate) and what we were doing in Israel. We were then identified as more suspicious (who knows why) which meant we had to have a full luggage search. El Al is the only airline where the aircraft are fitted with anti missile technology.

Once we arrived in Tel Aviv, we decided to take a stroll along the beach, which was an awesome beach bustling with e-scooter riders and beach bars. We then visited Carmel markets, where Alex wrestled homeless people for a loaf of free bread. Friday at sundown marks the start of Shabbat, which means shops and public transport closed for 24 hours. We were able to catch the end of the markets before the stalls began closing up.Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the Dead Sea
February 18, 2023 in Palestine
Due to our flight getting changed, we had less time in Israel. It was for this reason that we chose to do a day tour of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the Dead Sea in one day. Also, Saturday is the Jewish holiday of Shabbat, which means public transport plus most shops and eateries are closed.

The morning started when we arrived in Jerusalem, which is around an hour drive from Tel Aviv. Jerusalem’s old town is a walled city made up of four quarters - the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Orthodox quarters. First we visited the Western Wall which is significant as it is the closest and oldest remnant of the Temple Mount, which was built by Solomon on land purchased by his father King David. The site is significant as it is where Abraham came to sacrifice his son Isaac. Later, the temple was burnt down by the Romans and the Western Wall was the only remains. Now, a mosque sits on the site of the original temple and until the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967, Jews were denied access to the wall. Now, Jews from all around the world come to visit, touch and pray at the wall, making it the most important historical site for Jewish people. During our time in the Western Wall plaza, we had the opportunity to touch the wall.

Next we moved into the Christian quarter. Here, we visited the first, and most important Christian Church - The Church of Sepulchre. This church holds the sites of the most important biblical events, including the the site where Jesus was crucified and resurrected. The tomb where Jesus’ body laid was also in the church but the line was too long for us to have time to go inside. From Jerusalem, you can also see the Mount of Olives, the site where Jesus ascended into heaven.

After touring around the quarters of Jerusalem, we hopped back on the bus and headed for Bethlehem, to visit the Church of Nativity. This is the oldest church where services still take place. The building is made up of three worship areas - for Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Greek Orthodox Christians. This church is also the site of the birth of Jesus. Again, the line into the actual area where Jesus was born was just too long, but we were able to catch a glimpse by peering down the exit.

After lunch, we traveled though the Judea desert to the Dead Sea. On the way, we passed by Jericho and the rolling dunes of the desert.

The Dead Sea was an incredible experience. The sea is 33% salt and the lowest place on earth. We floating around easily and smeared mud on our bodies to extract as many good minerals from the area as we could! After the swim I felt salty for hours!Read more
0 likes
2023 Traveler
Jaffa, Israel
February 18, 2023 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Today we hired bikes to explore some of Tel Aviv. We started by cycling south along the beach toward Jaffa and Old Jaffa. Old Jaffa is a port side town comprising of sandstone alleyways, old churches and bridges. In Jaffa, there is a huge flea market, which lines a number of streets in the town. The merchants sell everything from second hand carpets to silver wear to clothing. We also ate lunch here - we had falafel, hummus and salad pitas.

After Jaffa, we got back on our bikes and headed north up the coastline. The beach is Tel Aviv is beautiful. The ocean is clear and there are plenty of beach cafes and bars in the sand. We stopped for a quick drink to enjoy the sunset before returning the bikes.Read more
0 likes