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Vela Huang
Vela Huang

Vela Huang

traveled in 16 countries Read more
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  • Our OE

    Home!

    September 11, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    All good things must come to an end.

    We've been back in NZ for more than a week now and have had a bit of time to reflect on our travels. It's a great feeling to be home, although a little cold, but now we have to face the reality of finding work, a routine, and building a platform from which to continue our lives.

    A few stats for you from the trip:
    - 15 countries visited (14 if you include Taiwan with China)
    - 159 days overseas
    - 115,000km travelled total
    - 96,000km by plane (across 33 individual flights)
    - 8,000km by car
    - 6,000km by train
    - 1,500km of 4WD
    - 700km by bus
    - Over 600km walking and hiking
    - And the balance was made up with a mix of ferries, motor boats, tuktuk, cycling, sailing and cable cars

    Favourite country visited:
    V - Japan for great service, politeness, food and cleanliness
    N - Spain, the beautiful Mediterranean cities, fun vibes, and cheap wine

    Least favourite country visited:
    V - None, everywhere had its highlights
    N - Taiwan, possibly a little travel fatigued by this point, and everything just felt a little bit flat, although the milk tea was delicious!

    Best experience/activity:
    V - Americas cup sailing, boat trip and swimming around Capri, and learning to scuba dive in the Philippines
    N - Difficult choice, tossing up between sailing amongst the America's Cup boats in Barcelona, 4 wheel driving in the Northern Territory, and learning to scuba dive in the Philippines

    Best food eaten:
    V - Japanese Wagyu & Omakase, lamb hock in Xinjiang, Chongqing Hotpot (as always), deep fried baby squid tapas in Valencia, Gelato in Nice, Taiwanese street food & bubble tea
    N - The lamb hock rice in Xinjiang

    Worst food eaten:
    V - None, loved it all
    N - The beachside curry in Taiwan...

    Most memorable moment:
    V - I can't choose, just too many!
    N - Stepping inside Sagrada Familia and experiencing the amazing colours and architectural madness of Gaudi

    And to wrap things up, a collection of cloud photos from our flight home.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Vela, Wudi & Clara
    Some awesome clouds as we flew into Hong KongHotpot at 1am in ChongqingChinese massage timeDifferent type of "cold"pot in ChengduYum!Vela & LeeBreakfast in the hotelTime for a spot of Majiang

    Chengdu

    Aug 30–Sep 2, 2024 in China ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    After a pretty seamless flight back to Chongqing via Hong Kong, we met up with Vela's sailing friends from University, Wudi & Clara. We jumped in a car, and after a quick pit stop at home it was off for a midnight hotpot.

    After hotpot we had a room booked in a Chinese massage parlour. The way this works is pretty awesome, essentially you get a hotel room, breakfast, and a massage all rolled into one. The cost per person was about $65nzd, which is crazy good value when you think about it.

    The following morning - well afternoon really - we got up and caught a high speed train to Chengdu. The train made quick work of the 400km journey, getting us there in under an hour and 10 minutes, top speed about 350km/h. We hung around in a mall until dinner time, the girls doing a bit of window shopping. Dinner was a different style of hotpot, called coldpot, where the food is cooked separately and then delivered to you in a spicy oil/sauce for you to eat at your leisure. Another of Vela's school friends, Lee, joined us for dinner and drinks.

    The following day was pretty cruisy. We found a Majiang table and Nathan proceeded to win the girls money, but Vela gave it all back, and more... We said goodbye to Wudi here, while Nathan, Vela & Clara jumped back on the high speed train to Chongqing.

    A very enjoyable weekend, now just a few more days in Chongqing before we head home to NZ and have to face reality...    Read more

  • Our OE
    Exploring the streets of Taipei
    Smoked goose for lunchJapanese Wagyu for dinnerPork and chicken kidneyOutside the museumThe Green is Jade, red is coral, and the blue is from bird feathersIvory sphere - 18 layers carved within each otherLooks good enough to eat... Might need a good dentist thoughCan you spot the bugs?Taipei night market

    Taipei

    Aug 27–30, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    We made the journey from Kenting back up the west coast to Taipei. About 2 hours on the bus to Kaohsiung and then a very fast and comfortable hour and a half on a fast train to Taipei. Train travel is definitely elite.

    Nathan still wasn't feeling a hundred percent, so it was a pretty chill couple of days with a little bit of city exploration, food, hanging out in bookstores/libraries, and a trip to the museum. Vela's food highlights were a smoked goose lunch, Japanese bbq dinner with Wagyu beef, and a pork & chicken kidney dish (Nathan still not eating much).

    The museum held a few neat treasures, including some intricate Jade/red coral pieces, a stone polished and carved to look like a piece of meat, and another piece of Jade carved to look like Chinese cabbage. One of the more exceptional items was a piece of ivory that had been carved with 18 spheres inside of each other - mind blowing to imagine the time and skill required. Well worth a look.

    Next stop is back to mainland China before we take our last flight back to NZ.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Vela on a solo mission
    Veggie spaghetti with instant noodles flavour powder, okay...Good sunny dayOn the trailFound itThe most southern point of TaiwanLooking for New ZealandGiant octopus arms - no thanks!DinnerHeading back

    Kenting - the Southernmost Tip of Taiwan

    Aug 25–27, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    In a cruel twist of fate, given all of the random things that Vela eats, Nathan was the one to go down with food poisoning from what we believe was a dodgy curry at a beach cafe... What ensued was a pretty miserable 48 hours...

    But to ensure at least one of us was making the most of it, Vela hit out on her own to check out the southernmost tip of Taiwan. Stopping first for some lunch, she then took a bus as far as the road would go. Vela then walked the last couple of kilometres out to the point. Pretty sweet views out there.

    After chilling out and enjoying some "me" time, she headed back home, stopping by the Kenting night market on the way. It felt a bit more touristy than some of the others we had been to. Sushi for dinner before returning home to check her husband was still alive.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Formosa station
    Tainan beef soupKaohsiung fried rice & fishTraining aboutSunset at Kaohsiung waterfrontThunderstorm at sunsetThe regeneration of the industrial Wharf areaOne of the greenest tram stations aroundNot a very efficient way to stack containers...Liouhe night market - Vela with her duck head

    Tainan & Kaohsiung

    Aug 23–25, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    We spent the last two days travelling further south. One night in Tainan (the former Taiwanese capital) and one night in Kaohsiung (the second largest city in Taiwan). Both of these stops were rather brief. The outside temperature was in excess of 35 degrees, so we didn't really head outside until after 5pm.

    In Tainan, we sampled the local delicacy of beef soup for lunch. Afterwards, a little wander through the streets before dinner and back to the hotel room to watch the Americas Cup racing.

    Kaohsiung was a little more interesting. We hid until sunset and managed to perfectly time our arrival at the waterfront for some pretty colours and spectacular thunderclouds. We checked out a few outdoor art installations and sheltered from the 30 minute flash thunderstorm in a little market place.

    We jumped on the metro and headed to Formosa station, which has a colourful light dome as its centrepiece. We then wandered over to the Liouhe night market, where Vela enjoyed an assortment of barbecued duck body parts (including the whole head) while Nathan opted for a Taiwanese hotdog, served in a sticky rice "bun". We topped up with some fried chicken and milk tea before heading home.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Sun Moon Lake
    Wen Wu TempleWen Wu TempleCouple of temple dwellers2Cable car viewPolynesian rootsBlack tea ice-creamMoon on the left, sun on the rightVela on the biking trailCute couples biking

    Sun Moon Lake

    August 22, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Keen to explore some of the more natural sights in Taiwan, Vela booked us on a day tour to Sun Moon Lake. Sun Moon Lake was named this because if you split it down the middle on a map, it looks a little like one half is the moon, and the other half the sun.

    We were picked up at about 8am in a van and whisked away into the mountains. Just over an hour later we emerged at our first stop, Wen Wu Temple. The temple was pretty large with lots of detailed stone reliefs and artwork, not to mention a pretty decent view of the lake. We paid our respects and lit some incense to wish for good luck, good fortune, and good health. Perhaps there's something to this temple, as pretty shortly afterwards Nathan received an email for a job interview...

    After the temple, we took a cable car over the mountains for an aerial view of the lake. The cable car is designed to take you to a theme park based around the local Aboriginal Formosan people, but we stopped halfway and returned to the lake. It was interesting to see some of the artwork on the entrance to the theme park, you can definitely see the beginnings of Polynesian culture (the Pacific islands were likely populated by people originating from Taiwan)

    After lunch, we took a ferry to a couple of small stops on the lake. Nothing too much to say about these, but we did get some black tea ice cream (something the local area is famous for) which was very nice on a hot day by the lake.

    And to round out our tour, we hired bikes to check out the waterfront bike trail. This was probably the highlight of the day, with nice views of the lake, flat and shaded trails, and a nice breeze to keep us cool. We even spotted a couple of turtles chilling on a floating log, but they jumped off as we approached.

    Costing us a grand total of about $125nzd for both of us, including lunch, all transport, and the bike hire, it was a very easy and cost effective way to check out the lake.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Vela trying her disposable camera on for size
    Post travel day hotpot time!Confucius temple - turtles!Confucius templeThe birthplace of bubble tea!Outdoor local marketChilling in a park, cool trees that put down extra roots/trunks from their branchesBest sales assistant everNight market timeA sample of food for less than 20nzd

    Exploring Taichung

    August 21, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    After a stress free travel day yesterday (fly from Bangkok to Taipei, then fast train to Taichung, with a hot pot for dinner) we were ready to explore. When we started, the forecast had a 60% chance of thunderstorms, but luckily this never eventuated. Just some gusty wind which kept the temperature reasonable.

    First stop was the Confucius Temple. It was a pretty nondescript temple, but quite peaceful inside. Very well maintained, and with a pretty garden and pond filled with fish and turtles.

    Taiwan is well known for its bubble tea, and Taichung claims to be the birthplace of bubble tea. So naturally we hunted out the original bubble tea store to sample the goods. We ordered an original bubble tea as well as a jasmine & honey tea. Both were delicious, not too sweet and not overpowering, but with a very flavourful tea taste. The setting was very calm, cool and relaxing, with little water fountains and plants decorating the space. We couldn't help ourselves and also ordered some mochi balls to go with the tea.

    Next we made our way to a little street market, which was selling cute handmade goods, such as fabric coffee/tea holders, jewellery, alongside the other usual market wares. It was nice to see that it was mostly handmade goods, and not mass produced junk that you find in so many other markets. Vela was intrigued by the film camera store at the end of the market street, and having never experienced the disposable camera era of the 90s, she purchased one to play around with - hopefully we can find somewhere to develop them once we're back...

    We passed a cheesecake ice-cream store called "Pretty Wife Eat Cheese", so naturally had to stop for the pretty wife to get a photo eating cheese. Vela spent the rest of the afternoon checking out some stores in a mall, while Nathan found a quiet corner to sit down and read.

    In the evening, we headed back out onto the streets to try out one of the night markets. Full of food, lights, and people, we found plenty of food to feed us both for less than 20nzd. This included deep fried stinky tofu, some barbecued meats (and offal), cheesy corn, deep-fried & flame-grilled chicken, and a green bean milkshake for dessert.

    Yum!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Bangkok!
    Cute display in one of the mallsWagyu beef on riceThai iced teaTom yum soupShrimp saladKhao soi noodlesPad kra paoCouple of giant prawnsMango sticky rice for dessert

    Bangkok

    Aug 18–20, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    One thing NZ passport holders don't often realise is how easy travel is for us. Most places we can just show up with our passports and they'll let us in. Chinese passport holders are not always so lucky. Our intended destination is Taiwan, but with a strained relationship between Taiwan and mainland China, China is not allowing their citizens to fly direct to Taiwan. For us, this meant a little side quest to Bangkok.

    We've spent a couple of nights in Bangkok, and we didn't do a lot with our time here. It has felt a bit like "just another city" for us. The main event has been the food and drink. With a wide range of good food and iced tea, we made the most of it.

    The rest of our time here has been spent hiding inside air conditioned malls to get away from the 35 degree heat and 10 thousand percent humidity outside. We even took time out to watch the new Deadpool and Wolverine movie (really good).

    Onwards now to Taiwan!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Couple of cuties off on an evening walk
    Off into the mountainsFamily lunch, including Vela's grandma, great aunt, and some close family friendsDancing/aerobics in the square - matching outfits are a mustDancing on a hike through the bushAlways time to stop for a photo shootLittle bit of natureHanging out at the top of the hillFamily meals, a giant chicken (to become soup), frog hotpot, and selecting fresh chilliesShowing off the photos from Australia

    Chongqing & Lichuan

    Aug 12–17, 2024 in China ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After another very average itinerary involving flying 5 hours south (the wrong direction) to Sydney, a 10 hour layover in Sydney, and then a 12 hour flight north, Nathan reunited with Vela in Chongqing.

    We spent two nights in Chongqing, and made sure to have a Chongqing hotpot, before we hopped on a train for Lichuan. Vela's mum owns a small apartment in Lichuan which they use in the summer to escape the heat of Chongqing. A number of Vela's mum's friends and family also have holiday apartments in Lichuan. Lichuan has a permanent population of around 20,000, but in summer the population booms to around 400,000 with people from Chongqing, Sichuan, and other nearby areas heading here for the slightly cooler climate.

    It was nice to experience a bit of nature and get out of the big city. We had plenty of family meals, went for walks in the evening, watched the dancing/aerobics in the square, and enjoyed checking out the local produce at the markets. Of course there was a smattering of Majiang thrown in to pass the time.

    A very nice chance to unwind a little before we head off on our next steps of adventure.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Time for a beer
    Wangi FallsDeepest creek we drove throughBuley HoleLooks invitingCathedral termites mound - 4m tallLittle bit artsyMagnetic termite moundsBat colonyCroc burger

    Back to Darwin

    August 10, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Well, our 4wd trip is nearly at an end, so it's time to break camp and head back to Darwin. On the way we stopped for swims at Wangi Falls and Buley Hole. Very strange to see so many people after our week in isolation.

    Bit more 4 wheel driving was required, heading through our deepest creek - measured 0.5m on the stick but it felt deeper...

    We also stopped briefly to check out the magnetic termite mounds. These mounds are different to the cathedral termites as they're wide and flat and all oriented north to south. Very cool but they did make the landscape look a bit like a giant cemetery...

    A short stop outside of Darwin to figure out some logistics and have a bite to eat. We came across a rather large bat colony hanging out (haha) in some nearby trees. We might have disturbed them a bit as they started making a racket and a few took off and flew around the tree.

    Back in Darwin and we headed out for dinner and a beer. Croc burger was on the menu so we had to give that a go. Tasted very much like chicken (cliche) but the meat was a bit firmer. Would definitely eat it again.

    Dropped the rest of the crew off at the airport for their 1am flights home then headed to the campground for a sleep. My plane doesn't leave until the early hours of Monday morning so have a day in Darwin tomorrow to return the vehicles and chill out before flying onwards to Chongqing.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Very orange sky tonight
    Enjoying the shadows of the trees against the sunset skyEnjoying the shadows of the trees against the sunset skyThe moon peeking over the top of the treesCouple of Kiwi boys watching the sunsetMr snake hanging out on the pathFreshwater crayfish2One of the bigger frogs we spottedAstrophotography - tried to get the waterfall but it didn't quite come throughPretty amazing...

    Surprise Creek Night Excursion

    August 9, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    With an afternoon of waterfalls and beers behind us, we really enjoyed relaxing and watching our last outback sunset. The sky was particularly orange due to a fire that was burning to the west of us (downwind) throughout the day. As the sun set there were hundreds of bats silently winging their way through the sky, off to hunt again.

    Later in the evening we decided to go for a night excursion back to the waterfall. On the walk there we spotted a snake in the middle of the path. It appeared pretty relaxed and not at all concerned by us. We were very cautious however and waited for it to move off before we continued. After a bit of research we think it was a non-venomous Keelback or Children's Python.

    Also along our walk we spotted a bunch of freshwater crayfish feeding and a couple of frogs.

    We relaxed in the rocks by the waterfall for an hour or two, trying out a bit more astrophotography, watching loads of shooting stars, getting swooped by bats, and trading more stories with each other.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Posers
    Chef Max and Nate whipping up some pancakes1Still too early for JamieGloriousThe walk to the fallsThe lower plunge poolKiwis on rocks againJamie the mountain goatReady to jump#nofilter2

    Surprise Creek

    August 9, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Finally a sleep in! But we were still chased out of bed before 9am by the heat. After a glorious breakfast of pancakes we walked straight up to the falls - a short 10 minute trip. When we arrived we were the only ones there.

    The falls were a pair of decent waterfalls flowing into deep plunge pools. Ideal for both jumping into and relaxing in. We spent hours there during the hottest part of the day, revelling in the remoteness and natural beauty of the spot.

    We attempted to choreograph a group jump into one of the pools. Mostly a success but it was a bit cramped and Callum almost wore Nathan as a hat..    Read more

  • Our OE
    Good looking bunch of lads
    Not a bad view to wake up toLooking down on Edith FallsPretty little waterfall and pools complexPhoto shoot timeHeaven in a glassThis mad dude wandering around town with a snakeKangaroo bouncing off the road1Camping in our own tiny worldAnother epic outback sunset

    Leliyn (Edith) Falls

    August 8, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Awake again by 6.30am. While heading off into the bushes to find a slightly private location for the morning routine, a dozen kangaroos started bouncing away through the brush. Didn't have a camera but it was a pretty awesome sight.

    We broke camp and headed up the road to Leliyn (Edith) Falls. It was a pretty chill hike to the upper pools with a complex of waterfalls. We weren't the first ones in the water, but we didn't muck around before changing and slipping in. There were a few climbable rocks, so after scoping out the surrounding water to make sure it was safe, we were soon behaving like Kiwis and jumping off them into the water, much to the horror of some Australians sitting nearby.

    An hour of swimming and a photoshoot later we began making our way back to the carpark. There were some free showers which we made the most of - likely our last until we're back in Darwin. The local shop also sold iced coffees which went down an absolute treat.

    Feeling refreshed, we jumped back in the utes for the 3h drive to Litchfield National Park. We made a quick pit stop in Pine Creek for more drinking water and to get our punctured tyre repaired. As we were leaving, a stereotypical Aussie bloke wandered into the shop with a snake on his arm. After asking him for a photo, he informed us it was an albino carpet python and would grow up to about 2m long. Yikes. At its current size it would definitely come under the cute category. We continued on to Litchfield and passed more kangaroos on the side of the road. Finally managed to get a picture of one - albeit not a very good one.

    We had selected a spot called Surprise Creek for camping the next couple of nights. It feels pretty good to be setting up a little more permanently and knowing we don't have to rush away at first light. The campsite has long drop toilet facilities and is just a 5-10 minute walk from a swimming hole - so absolute luxury!

    Chicken stir fry for dinner. A good way to make sure we're getting enough veggies into our system. At sunset we watched hundreds of bats fly overhead, off to hunt insects. Then we finished off the night around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and talking about how we'd fix all the problems of the world and discussing whether the universe is finite or infinite. Thrilling stuff!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Sunrise
    At Motor Car FallsMore Kiwis sitting on a rockReady to get wet2Back on the trail to the carsBushfire on the side of the roadCouple of big boy road trainsCamp cookout timeGood beer at sunset - a mustAnother outback sunset

    Motor Car Falls

    August 7, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Everybody was feeling a bit sore this morning after a big day yesterday. So the best thing to cure the pain was obviously to get up early and go for another hike...

    We were back on a hiking trail by about 8am, headed to a spot called Motor Car Falls. Almost immediately a Wallaby bounced away through the underbrush, too quick to get a snap. The hiking trail was significantly easier than either of those we did yesterday, but the scenery along the path wasn't quite as picturesque either. The hike was posted as being about 6km 4 hours return, but we were already at the falls after an hour and travelling over 3km... Have to take those signs with a pinch of salt.

    The falls were stunning. Beautiful rock formations with red, white and black striations and an emerald green pool at the bottom. The water was calling out to us. So after a healthy waiting period to ensure we didn't see any critters (no croc warning signs for this spot) we were leaping into the beautiful refreshing water. There was a cave on the other side of the pool, but after a cursory investigation nobody was quite brave enough to explore.

    Refreshed, and a little less smelly, we headed back to the vehicles. On the way we drove through an area of bush fire. Very strange to see the area burning but nobody concerned about it... On one of the bigger highways we came across some very impressive road trains, which apparently can be up to 52m long and take 200m to stop when going 100km/h.

    Supplies were getting a little low, so we drove into Katherine to restock on food, water, hygiene products, and beer. We wanted to camp out at Leliyn campground, but it was all booked out so we settled for a free campsite just off the road instead.

    Another great camp feed of Gochugang while sitting out under the stars telling stories. Plenty of shooting stars were spotted and we all began playing with the astrophotography functions on our phones. Pretty amazing to find some extra features, even on some of the cheaper phones.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Inviting waterhole... Might give this one a miss
    Couple of Kiwis perched on a rockJim Jim's Falls - there are a few humans in here for scaleWater monitor sunning himselfPretty spectacularOofGolden hour drivingCamp madeEnjoying a fiery sunsetA crescent moon and Venus at sunset

    Jim Jim's Falls

    August 6, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    After lunch we drove back down the 4wd track and hung a right turn towards Jim Jim's Falls. Plenty of crocodile warning signs in the carpark definitely put us on edge, but everything we'd read online said that the plunge pool and beach pools were safe for swimming. Swim at your own risk...

    We hiked for about an hour out to the falls. There was a very inviting pool along the way, but with a big crocodile trap on the other bank, we heeded the warning signs and kept ourselves dry. The hike was reasonably flat, but arguably more tiring than this morning with a lot of boulder scrambling to reach the plunge pool.

    We arrived to a view of epic cliffs, Wikipedia says 140-200m high, but again very little water running over the falls. The water was pretty chilly, and dark as there was no direct sunlight on it. Jamie was first to take the plunge, followed by Callum, and Nathan a little further behind. Max and Nate opted to splash down in the water and then stay knee deep on the rocks. Jamie and Callum took off to the other side of the pool, Nathan followed until Callum exclaimed "what's that floating in the water?" which caused some mild panic and a quick swim back to the rocks.

    We relaxed in the water for about an hour, watching the fish swimming around. Nathan got over his panic and hopped back in to join Jamie and Callum. As we were swimming back to climb out, we ran into a rather large lizard swimming in the water - we think it was a water or lace monitor - which caused a hasty exit and a scramble over the rocks instead of a swim...

    On our way back to the main road, one of the trucks managed to get a flat tyre from what looked like a nail of some sort. 30 minutes later we had the spare on and were continuing to tonight's campsite. A wicked feed of chili con carne in wraps to refill everybody's energy meters. Looking forward to more adventures tomorrow.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Up and at em
    Not a bad viewPoserWhat sign?Crazy spot, crazy rocksTime for a paddleThis spot was even better for a dipProfile pic timeHow's your balance?Fire in the distance

    Twin Falls Hike

    August 6, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Big day today. Took too many photos so going to have to split this one into two.

    Another early start to avoid the worst of the heat during the day. We were out of the campground by 7.30am and headed to Twin Falls. The road to get there was proper 4wd material, with big ruts, massive muddy puddles, and a river crossing. We navigated the obstacles successfully and arrived at the Twin Falls carpark.

    We set off by 8.30am on what was listed as a 4-6h difficult hike. The start was very steep with lots of boulder scrambling to get to the top of the cliff. After 30 minutes or so we were at the top and it got significantly easier. We were pretty thankful to be doing this early in the morning. Another hour later and we made it to the top of Twin Falls.

    The view was epic. There were about three tiers of rock ledges to get to the bottom, and it was hard to take a photo that showed the scale of the place. There wasn't any water going over as it was right in the middle of the dry season. The bright red and coppery rocks had been worn smooth and honestly looked like they were from a movie set.

    We spent a bit of time taking photos and just enjoying the magnitude of the place.

    We explored a little further and found a couple of puddles and ponds. Figuring that a crocodile would have to be pretty intrepid to climb up the falls, Jamie paddled his feet in the water while Nathan went full kiwi, stripped to his boxers, and soaked himself in the 2ft deep water.

    We moved further upstream, and Nathan went for a paddle in another little pool. He couldn't quite persuade anyone else to get in, but enjoyed it anyway.

    On our way back down to the car we spotted a bush fire in the distance, and enjoyed checking out a few cool rock formations. Time for a bite to eat before heading to the next spot.    Read more

  • Our OE
    Family photo
    Couple of birds spotted at the wetlandsSome of the Aboriginal rock paintingsThe thylacineFunny looking log in the waterCouple big dinosaurs at Cahill'sOutback roadsCampsite #2Golden hour2Hanging out by the fire, smoking out the mozzies

    Aboriginal Paintings & Cahill's Crossing

    August 5, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    An early start today to avoid the worst of the midday heat. Callum cracked the whip and we were packed up and on the road by about 7.30 - these rooftop tents are super easy to set up and pack down.

    First stop was the wetlands where we saw a bunch of bird life. No crocs spotted yet, but plenty of warning signs. Next stop was Ubirr, where we went for a pretty chill hike and checked out some Aboriginal rock paintings. Lots of fish, turtles and dingoes were painted, as well as a thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) and a couple of Aboriginal laws and stories. The paintings are all layered on top of each other, with the earliest possibly thousands of years old, while the most recent were painted after European contact. We made our way up to a little lookout point and had a pretty cool view of the wetlands, savannah scrubland, and bush.

    Next we popped over to Cahill's Crossing, a tidal river which can be forded by car at midday. This area is famous for seeing large saltwater crocodiles, and within two minutes of arriving we'd spotted two on the mudbanks sunning themselves. The tide was in full flood, and soon the mud banks were underwater. Dozens more crocs floated up the river on the tide, we made sure to stay well away from the river while we had a spot of lunch.

    We started making our way to our campsite for the night. A short pit stop at the Aboriginal cultural centre to learn a little bit about the local culture, and Max picked up a painting as a souvenir.

    We made camp at Karnamarr campground. There were a few luxury facilities which we took advantage of, including toilets and a shower. Planning to find a spot for a dip tomorrow - hopefully no crocs.    Read more

  • Our OE
    The Boiz
    You know you're in Australia when...Hanging out in the lead carHow do you like my dust fullasCampsite #1Time to make campCampsite done, beer'o'clockStarry skyFound the noisy bugger rustling in the leaves

    The Road to Aus

    August 4, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    So Vela and Nathan have headed off in different directions. We left Boracay together on the second of August and made our way to Manila. After a quick pit stop in a hotel, Nathan managed a solid 3 hours sleep, it was back to the airport. Nathan's trip consisted of three separate planes (Manila-Singapore-Perth-Darwin), while Vela had a direct flight to Tokyo.

    After over 30 hours travelling, and a very uncomfortable 13 hours overnight in a chilly Perth airport, Nathan finally arrived in Darwin. It was an awesome feeling to meet up with Callum, Max Sun, Jamie and Nate. They'd already done the hard work and had the rental vehicles - 2x Toyota Hilux's with rooftop tents and all decked out for camping in the outback. After a stop to provision the fridges, we hit the road.

    After a pit stop at a brewery for a bevy and a pizza, we headed into Kakadu national Park. We passed a bunch of Wallabies on the side of the road as well as a herd of Buffalo. We stopped for the night at a spot called 2-mile hole. We figured out our camp gear, lit a fire to try and smoke out the mozzies (reasonably successful) and settled in. There were a bunch of bats flying around overhead and frogs rustling their way through the dry leaves we watched shooting stars overhead.

    A pretty early night was had, with everyone in bed by 10.30. Looking forward to more adventures on the morrow!

    Meanwhile, Vela flew into Tokyo and successfully met up with Fish. They're ready to hit the town and cause havoc in Japan!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Chilling in the infinity pool
    These local outriggers are pretty cool little machinesCool guys don't look at the cameraSunset and golden hourNight swimScallops for our entreeA crazy beer (and maybe a crazy wife?)The purple haze after sunset"I can touch the sky"Coconut ice cream for dessert

    Bumming at Boracay

    Jul 29–Aug 2, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Not been a lot going on for us. We moved from our bnb to a resort a little further down the beach and have spent this time enjoying the pools, the beach, and some delicious food.

    We're just about ready to pack ourselves up and leave the Philippines. We're parting ways for just over a week, with Vela heading to Japan and Nathan off to Australia's Northern Territory.Read more

  • Our OE
    Boracay!
    Trying out the sidecars and tuktuksWhite sandy beachesCute decor in our bnbNice spot for lunchHungry, plus it was happy hourSunset sailingEnjoying the cloudsSunsetTime for dinner

    Bound for Boracay

    Jul 28–29, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    After an awesome time in Panglao, it was time to say goodbye and head for Boracay. It took a little bit of planning to get to Boracay.

    Firstly we took a taxi to the ferry terminal at Tagbiliran, and then a two hour ferry over to Cebu. We stayed the night in Cebu and met up with one of Vela's ex-colleagues from Williams corp for dinner which was nice.

    The following day we took a taxi to the airport and flew to Caticlan. On arrival we jumped into a side-car motorbike which delivered us to the ferry terminal. The ferry terminal was a little frustrating as you had to buy three separate tickets to board the boat; one being a terminal fee, another being an environmental fee, and finally the actual boat ticket... And each one has a separate counter. Not the most streamlined process.

    We arrived in Boracay and jumped in a tuktuk to our air bnb. We got a little lost on the way and our driver didn't know either as it isn't a main resort, so we ended up having to walk an extra 10 minutes after our tuktuk dropped us off. But our bnb is spacious and very nicely decorated, so it was all worth it in the end.

    We spent the afternoon/evening walking on the beach. Enjoying the super white and super soft sand, as well as the local outrigger boats sailing up and down the shore. Most of the vehicles here are electric, and the sailing boats fit very nicely into the aesthetic. We enjoyed a couple of nice meals on the beach, as well as happy hour. Looking forward to chilling out and relaxing here for a few days!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Off we go!
    Our ride for the daySeeing this immediately under the dive boatDidn't even spot this guy until Vela yanked my finBetter images of the garden eels todayLoved how bright blue this coral wasThis photo doesn't do it justice, this thing was massive (2m+) and so intricateFrog fish chilling on a coralSee you later from the underwater world

    Diving Balicasag

    July 27, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Well... Unfortunately we might have caught the bug for another expensive hobby... At least while we're in the Philippines the cost isn't too bad, so we took the opportunity to book ourselves on a dive trip to the nearby island and marine reserve of Balicasag.

    The trip included 3 dives, two at Balicasag and one more back at Alona Beach. It was an early start, at the beach by 7.50am and headed out to the island on a large Outrigger (which looks a bit like a giant water skater bug). We were kitted up and in the water by 9.15 for our first dive.

    The difference from back at Panglao was immediate.

    The crystal clear water. The white sandy bottom. The water filled with amazing brightly coloured coral and teeming with brightly coloured little fish. It was awesome.

    Within 5 minutes we were swimming with turtles. There were so many that Nathan was busy filming four swimming, and completely missed the one a metre in front of him chilling on the reef.

    We left the turtles alone and headed over the edge of the reef, checking out the amazing corals and fish life. We saw more garden eels, a nudibranch, and plenty of other aquatic life.

    Dive two came around, at a site called the "Royal Garden" and it lived up to its name! The current blew us across the sand and over the edge of the reef. Floating past the wall, heading deeper to check out some cool blue tube coral and massive fan coral. We saw turtles again but none up close. The most exciting thing we spotted was an octopus. It was a little bit shy and hid in his hole, but very cool watching it change colours while hiding. Nathan got a little too close to a territorial clown fish and it gave him a little headbutt to tell him to back off... Oops...

    Back on board the Outrigger and it was lunch time before heading back to Alona beach for our third and final dive. It was a bit disappointing heading back into the murkier water after being out at Balicasag, but still very cool checking out some more eels and crabs, and even taking the time to check out the sea cucumbers and feather stars pushing food into their mouths with their feathery appendages. It was insanely hard to get everything into a 1 minute video from today...

    So after four days we completed 7 dives, spending a total of nearly 7 hours underwater. Very surreal to look back and be able to say this. Looking forward to planning some more diving in the future!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Off to explore!
    Practicing taking our BCD off underwaterPracticing taking our BCD off underwaterGotta earn those fist bumpsThe beautiful but dangerous lion fishTrumpet fishTuktuk time!Off to dinner!

    Qualified Scuba Divers!

    July 26, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Last day of our PADI Open Water qualification today. Only one final dive to go. We had our briefing with our instructor Mehdi, and then hit the water. The visibility had cleared up immensely since yesterday. We played around a bit, practicing our buoyancy control with Yoda imitations. We also completed our underwater compass navigation and the last few skills we needed to check off.

    Then it was off to explore in the much improved water quality. It was the same dive site we went to yesterday, but it was amazing how different 24 hours can make. Mehdi brought his GoPro along so we were treated to some awesome videography.

    We saw some eels, clown fish, a very venomous lionfish (which gave Mehdi a little scare when it moved), a bright yellow trumpet fish, and a playful sea snake to finish it off.

    We treated ourselves to dinner at a restaurant on the other side of Bohol island. We took a tuktuk to get there, and had a fairly decent meal of crab, white marlin, chicken and pork.

    Learning to Scuba in the Philippines has been epic. We think it will be a great skill to have and opens up new possibilities for sightseeing when we visit places in the future. But we couldn't end here... So tomorrow we've booked a trip to Balicasag Island which is a marine reserve. Two dives at the island and one more off Alona Beach before we get ourselves firmly back on dry land for a while!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Underwater selfie!
    Hi Vela!We're offThis little dude looks quite offended...Garden eels - difficult to take a photo of...Not our photo, but imagine a bunch of these guys in the previous photoOur instructor, Mehdi, pointing out a little critter on this strand of ropeSome cool coral-scapes

    Day Two Scuba Training

    July 25, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Second day learning to Scuba in the Philippines. Conditions had improved so we were able to dive right off Alona Beach today. After learning about dive planning and calculating safe nitrogen levels, we hit the water for our first dive of the day. We practiced some skills including breathing using your buddies alternate air source, and a Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. After we'd completed this we headed off to explore again.

    We rented a GoPro from the dive club (as our underwater case for our 360 got lost in the Italian post... Grr) but fortunately we were still able to get some video and photos to remember this awesome experience.

    We were able to get two dives in today, and it was quite incredible the difference in visibility between the two. Plenty to see, including a box fish, clown fish, garden eels, tonnes of coral and anemones, and some other weird and wonderful ocean life.

    After two dives we were pretty beat, so we had an early dinner and straight to bed. Final day tomorrow and then we'll officially be scuba divers!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Geared up and ready to go!
    Headed to the beachHanging out waiting for our course to startCute little gear boxesCute little gear boxesIn the tuktukAbout to go down for our first diveBeach where we're diving fromHeading to the reefHappy kids having done our first dive!

    Day One Scuba Training in Panglao

    July 24, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    While in the Philippines we're taking advantage of the warm water and reasonable prices to complete our PADI Open Water course. We have been doing our online learning over the past few weeks so it was very cool to start putting this into practice!

    We spent most of the morning doing theory and learning how to set up our gear. After lunch we were taken to the other side of the island via tuktuk and thrown in the deep end (literally). No pool learning here. We completed our skills with our instructor before he took us for a little explore of the coral reef.

    It was so freeing to glide underwater for an hour without having to surface. Definitely a bit funky getting used to the breathing and attempting to control our buoyancy - some things to work on! We were super lucky though and saw three turtles, including a Hawksbill and a big a Green turtle. There were also a few small sea snakes and tonnes of other fish.

    Unfortunately we don't have our Insta 360 dive case, but we'll try to find another way to get some underwater footage over the next couple of days! And hopefully the turtles hang around as well!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Flying into Istanbul
    Are we going to miss our bus to the airport...Wet in ManilaMidnight feast in the hotel

    Escape from Europe

    Jul 21–22, 2024 on the Philippines ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Not the smoothest 24 hours of travel for us. We thought we had everything planned out for leaving our little hotel, getting to Sorento, and catching a bus to Naples international airport. So we started the day off pretty relaxed, enjoyed our lovely breakfast at the hotel, packed our bags, and set off to the bus stop. As we were leaving, the hotel manager was a little concerned for us "Are you sure that bus is coming today? It's Sunday... Oh I think that one should come today..." He very nicely offered that if we had any issues he would help.

    So we waited for our bus. And then we waited some more. And we kept on waiting but it never came... Luckily we got talking to the guys that manage the beach over the road, and we negotiated paying them to drop us to the bus station in Sorento. Our bus was due to leave at 1pm, and we ran to board at 1.01pm... way too close for comfort. We did know that our plane wasn't until much later (8pm) so we were never missing our flight, but it was definitely the most stressed we've felt trying to catch transport!

    Our bus arrived at the airport with no issues, and we spent the last of our euro cash on McDonald's for lunch (sometimes you just need some dirty fast food). Our plane ended up delayed and we didn't leave until after 10pm, which started to get us worried about our connecting flight in Istanbul... There was no need to worry however, but Nathan did attempt to board separately in Istanbul - with Vela's passport. This led to Vela chasing Nathan down the air bridge with an airline staff member to retrieve her passport so she could board... Whoops...

    A short 12 hour flight later and we arrived into a rather wet Manila. No issues with security or border control, and Vela quickly extended her visa to cover our whole trip (she would only get 7 days by default). We then had to make our way to our hotel. It was quite literally only 200m from the airport, but we couldn't walk in a direct line due to fences and walls. As we were figuring it out, the heavy rain turned into a full blown deluge.

    We eventually figured out how to get to the hotel, but we were drenched and our shoes were sopping. We checked in and hung out our wet stuff to dry. Time for some food!    Read more

  • Our OE
    Pretty people
    Eggplant, cheese and tomatoGrilled seafood platterMeatballsGnocchiCheers!Last sunset in ItalyCya later!

    Last night in Europe

    July 20, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Our final day in Europe. After Capri we were pretty exhausted, so we made the most of our fantastic hotel room, using the private terrace, sun beds, and generally relaxing and enjoying the view of all the boats going to and from Capri.

    We thought we might head to a beach in the afternoon, but there weren't a lot of great options in walking distance, and we were happy relaxing.

    We went back to the same restaurant as our first night in Sorento, but a bit later to take full advantage of the sunset. We ordered a feast, starting with an eggplant, tomato and cheese dish before sharing a grilled seafood platter, meatballs, and gnocchi. It was delicious but our eyes were definitely bigger than our belly.

    Plan all in place for tomorrow to get back to Naples airport, bound for the Philippines!    Read more

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