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Janel's Journey
  • Janel N
  • Janel N

Janel's Journey

My world tour Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 31, 2024
  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Christchurch

    Feb 2–4, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Explored Sumner Beach, Christchurch's street art and botanical garden. Tried fish & chips, venison tataki, which were both excellent. Had a NZ prosecco by the beach. Tried a local craft beer at the Riverside Market. My view at my airbnb at sunrise was amazing!Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Beginning of Sealy Tarns
    Stairway to heaven to Sealy TarnsMade it!Sealy TarnsBeginning of Hooker Valley TrackHooker LakeThe campers at the end of Hooker Valley TrackRed TarnsHikers looking like mountain goats ⛰️ 🐐

    Mount Cook

    Feb 5–7, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    First day at Mount Cook, climbed the stairway to heaven to Sealy Tarns, >2200 steps, 3.2km, 3 hours.

    The second day, I enjoyed another hike, Hooker Valley Track (10km, 3 hours), where it ended at Hooker Lake with glaciers.

    Last day at Mount Cook, I squeezed in one last hike, Red Tarns, 2 hours, only ~1243 steps up this time 😄 cloudier on this day but still beautiful!

    I've been told there's a hole in the ozone layer in this part of the world, so the UV rays are extra strong here. I applied sunscreen all over, but I forgot my hands! Now both of my hands are burnt.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Lake
    View from my hostelView from the parkWorld famous Ferg Burger. I tried NZ beef with blue cheesePianist by lake at sunset was actually very lovelyKea at kiwi parkTuatara 🦖Wine tour!My fave from here was the blushing willy roseThis award winning pinot noir gave NZ the title as the first country to win outside of FranceCanyon brewery as a part of the tourRoad trip on the way back to QueenstownTried beef and cheese pie and flat whiteLast hike in Queenstown

    Queenstown

    Feb 7–12, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Beautiful Queenstown! It's such a fun and adventurous place.

    I explored the town and enjoyed the lake, the park, the hikes, the kiwi park, the wine tour, the partying, and the food. There's a lot to see and do of all varieties. It's an interesting vibe as it's completely made up of tourists and outsiders. It makes it fun but also sterile.

    Made good friends and memories here. I enjoyed Queenstown overall and would love to see it in the winter as a ski town one day. I would also like to try their other wine tour where one tasting is under a cave. Or maybe come back to bungee jump, which is where it started from apparently!    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    First island on tour
    Lunch spot on tourSnorkeling spot on phi phiMaya baySwimming timeKoh Phi PhiMassaman curry with lamb shank, morning glory and calamariRan from this club to my interview hahahaYuzu americanoThick noodles with gravyBangtao beachBangtao muay thai & mma gym

    Phuket

    Feb 16–19, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Entered into this country in the most chaotic, heat blazing, touristic part of Thailand, patong beach. It was interesting but definitely not my favorite place. Luckily, I have a couple of friends who live in Phuket, so it was a good time overall.

    I went on a day trip to Koh Phi Phi island and saw Maya Bay. It was super touristy, so it was a little hard to enjoy the beaches, but I'll admit Maya Bay is gorgeous, the best sand I've ever stepped on. It was like walking on butter. The engine on our boat pooped out at one point, though, and some people were freaking out lol. We snorkled, which was nice, but one girl right behind me who didn't know how to swim was screaming bloody murder as if she was already drowning even though she had a lifevest and floating device on her. Met a nice Australian couple, though.

    Met Dada and his friends/clients, Michael from Australia, Dillon from Edmonton, and Steve from Australia. It was fun because without them, I would have never been on this street. It was fun to experience bangla road with them, right up until my interview, lol.

    The next day, I went up north a bit to stay 1 night in bangtao beach. It was a bit calmer and the beach there was nice, even though I got stung by a jellyfish. I saw my friend, Catherine, and I got to take a muay thai class, which was a really good experience. The coaches were great, and it was a cool gym to check out. That night, I watched the fights that the gym held, and I was asked to be a ring girl for them! I got free merchandise and an event out of it.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Kantieng bay
    Sunset at kantieng bayFire showKoh lanta national parkKoh lanta national parkKoh lanta national parkKoh lanta national parkKoh lanta national parkKoh lanta national parkOld townLunch on the waterCoconutGreen curryMangrovesMangrovesNui beachSunset at nui beachPad kra pao

    Koh Lanta

    Feb 18–20, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Took a ferry to Koh Lanta, which is a much more calm island in Thailand. It's also more noticeably Muslim, which is interesting. The sunsets here were beautiful. Beaches were nice and quiet. It was so nice to relax here right after crazy Phuket. I had a beach day for the first day. The next day, I joined some girls on an island tour where we hired a taxi to drive us for the full day. We went to the national park, which had a hike through the rainforest, a nice beach, and a cool lighthouse viewpoint. We then went to old town for lunch on the water. After that the driver took us to see a mangrove forest then nui beach for sunset.Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Sunset at ao nang beach
    Ao NangAo NangTom yum seafood noodle soupTrivia at the hostelI did not get one of these buckets (they contain 7 shots!)Tried thai McDonald'sPad see ewAo Nang beach😮Not sure what this is about but it was on phra nang beachPhra nang caveMonkeys in the trees on the beachPhra nang beachBirdyBack to ao nangPenang curryAo Nang night marketYou have to take a long tail boat from ao nang beach to railay beachRailay Beach

    Ao Nang / Railay

    Feb 20–22, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    I took a really convenient van that picked me up from my hostel to my next destination hostel. Ao Nang in Krabi is gorgeous but very touristy also. It felt like the brit's Cancun, a lot of English people just here to party. I did a trivia night and went out with the hostel. Tried Thai McDonald's.

    The beaches were really nice, though. I went to Ao Nang beach, Railay beach, and Phra Nang beach / cave. Checked out the Ao Nang night market.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Our floating bungalow we slept in
    Room viewView from roomBeginning of trekJungle walkBamboo raftCave. Looks like elephantsLooks like coral, hence the name, coral caveSunsetPark in eveningSunriseSunriseLong tail boat rideElephants!

    Khao Sok

    Feb 22–24, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Khao Sok National Park was stunning. A definite highlight. I did a 2 day, 1 night tour where we did a short jungle trek, rode a bamboo raft to check out the coral cave, then swam and relaxed by the lake. We also went on an evening and morning safari, and we saw wild elephants both times.Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Temple
    TempleOne of many things I ate during the Sunday night marketFree yoga in the parkMichelin guide khao soi!Chiang mai boxing stadiumThai tea with shot of espressoDriving rangeCrispy pork with morning glory and rice 👌How they crisp the porkRooftop barCocktails we got at the rooftop barThai tea bbtQueen pagodaViews from pagodaCurry with crabWonton with crispy porkPad thai, coconut soup, khao soiThey soak a flower and take that coloring to add to rice to make it pretty blue colour

    Chiang Mai

    Feb 24–Mar 2, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    I loved Chiang Mai. It reminded me of Ottawa, a big but small city. It felt more relaxed and authentic than the south of Thailand. Many cute cafes, inexpensive restaurants, and yummy street food.

    Things I did: explored temples, Sunday night market, elephant tour, yoga in the park, went to watch muay thai fights (3 KO's out of 6 matches!), driving range, rooftop bar, tried a bunch of different types of food, day trip to Doi inthanon national park where the tallest point in Thailand is as well as the queen and king pagodas, lots of hanging out with friends I made, and lastly I did a Thai cooking class where I made thai tea, coconut soup, pad thai, khao soi, and mango sticky rice.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    My hostel, buzzas
    Cows next to hostelPai night marketPayaya saladNoodlesMango sticky riceRelaxing by hostel poolBrunchPai canyonPai canyonPai canyonCanyon was so much fun to climb and exploreContinued on the canyonSunset at the canyonCanyonCanyonBye sunRed curryVery happy wine 🍄Another day, another brunch in PaiHippy vibes at pai jazz house360 view of canyon

    Pai

    Mar 1–3, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Very interesting spot. Cooler temperatures, farm and mountain views, hippy vibes, but unfortunately, very smokey from burning season. I liked my hostel. It was like a little resort.

    The drive to/from Pai was horrendous, though, very windy roads.Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Reclining buddha
    Head to toeSome monks at Wat Pho, largest temple in ThailandStreets of BangkokAt night market. People ate these squids whole, live!Crazy khao san roadView from IconsiamIconsiamRiver cruiseOn cruiseChinatownChinatownSkyline from rooftop bar called pastelBoat noodles 👌Went hopping around for Michelin guide foodMichelin guide chinese donutsFavourite Michelin guide item I had so far 🤤Drinks at top 50 Asian bars, opiumMy cool cocktail from pastel rooftop barScooter rides around town, either really fun or really terrifying, haha

    Bangkok

    Mar 5–8, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C

    Lively and dynamic city with a lot to see and do. Went to the biggest temple in Thailand to see the reclining buddha. Checked out some night markets. Visited MBK and Iconsiam, which are these giant, extravagant malls. Hopped around the city to try various Michelin guide dishes. Took a river cruise to china town. Had some nice cocktails as rooftop bars. Ate lots of street food. I met up with some of my aussie friends, and one of them has a pro camera, so he took some photos of me 📸Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Angkor wat at sunrise
    So many monkeys at Angkor WatTomb raider templeHero ratCute night market

    Siem Reap

    Mar 8–10, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C

    Wonder of the world, Angkor Wat. Went for sunset, which is supposed to be amazing, but it was too cloudy. It's still nice, though! Completed the small circuit and saw temples: angkor wat, bayon, ta keo, ta prohm, banteay kdei. Also checked out apopo, a nonprofit where they demonstrate the hero rats that were trained to sniff out tnt in the existing landmines in Cambodia. More night markets and exploration.Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Hostel on the riverHammock they offered me😅Some of the doggiesMore sleepy doggosThis one came up to cuddle with meCambodian version of larb. Yummy & spicyKampot townEggs benny with bacon & rice waffle. So goodCountrysideCaveSo many bats in the caveSecret lakeKampot pepper farmPeppersKep beach🦀 🍤 with kampot pepper. Soo yummySalt fieldRooftop bar in kampotSteamed fish with gingerDurian roundabout 😂

    Kampot

    Mar 11–14, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    An interesting part of my journey. I stayed at a hostel that was home to 44 rescue dogs. At first, they offered me a hammock to sleep in overnight, but luckily, they had a dorm for me. The dogs were sweet, but it was too hippy vibes for me. Overall, had a nice time in the town.

    I did a countryside tour in my own personal tuktuk where they brought me to see farms, a cave, the secret lake, a pepper farm (kampot pepper is apparently famous in Europe), a salt field and the coastal town, Kep, where I checked out the beach and had crab & prawns stir fried with the kampot pepper.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Streets of Phnom penh
    Streets of Phnom PenhViewRush hourBest coffee I've had so far. Iced coconut coffeeFish amok. Very tastyS21 museum. Used to be a school before it was a detention centreS21 memorialGraves of women and childrenMemorial

    Phnom Penh

    Mar 14–15, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    The capital city of Cambodia. Busy streets, traffic, and markets. But lovely food and coffee. Visited the S21 museum and killing field. The history of their recent civil war is heartbreaking, but definitely worth learning about and passing along.Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Taipei

    Mar 17–20, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Evan and I reunite 🤍 we walked around Taipei, went sightseeing, few night markets, and tried lots of food. We also went to a traditional tea house to try teas from Taiwan.

    We did a day trip to hike Bitoujiao trail. The trail was pretty easy. It was nice and quiet, not many tourists, and scenery was nice of the mountains and ocean even though it was cloudy.

    We then went to Jiufen, a town that similarly resembles the movie Spirited Away. We tried lots of food here also.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler
    Taro strawberry cream pie

    Taichung

    Mar 20–22, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Spent a quick couple nights here in Taichung so we can visit Sun Moon Lake. We biked along the lake. Tried more food. I also had bubble tea at the shop where it was invented.

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Kaohshiung

    Mar 22–25, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Pretty cool beach town with a good night market.

    We visited an island called Cijin to go to the beach and the lighthouse. There was a party on the beach while we watched the sunset.

    We visited interesting pagodas. When we went there, there happened to be a parade walking through. It was a nice cultural experience to watch.Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Hualien

    Mar 25–27, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Evan and I met up with friends, Jen, Curtis and Sam in Hualien. It was a lot of fun! We tried lots of food together, went to some fun bars, and explored Taroko National Park.

    We visited one bar where we started as the only people there so we started karaoke music night and as more people came to the bar, the more karaoke. Most people were great singers! The owner wouldn't let us leave 😂

    We were so lucky to have visited during this week and not the week after when the massive earthquake hit. 🙏    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Taipei

    Mar 27–30, 2024 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Went back to Taipei together as a group. This was fun too! Of course, tried more food, night markets, and bars.

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Bali

    Mar 29–Apr 5, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Jen and I explored Bali together. We stayed:
    - Seminyak, for some relaxing beach time.
    - Ubud, we did some yoga, watched their traditional kecak and fire dance show, visited waterfalls, and a rice terrace (
    - Canggu: enjoyed food and drinks by the beach.    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Nusa Penida

    Apr 3–5, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Gorgeous views of Keling King, broken beach, cliff, and crystal bay. The best sunset I have ever seen in my life at Amok Sunset bar. We stayed in a hotel in the jungle which was nice.

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Gili Trawangan

    Apr 6–9, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Gili T, a small island off Bali where there are no cars.

    Had a bad ferry experience getting here. It was soo hot on the boat, and the engine died. It delayed our arrival by 1 hour but got there eventually.

    Went on a snorkeling tour where we saw not 1, not 2, but 8 sea turtles!! I was so happy to see them in real life. Some are huge! So amazing 🥰 there was also some cool underwater statues where lots of cool fish swim around.

    Also tried shroom shakes here lol. I had a great time but these other girls did not. It made for an interesting experience 😂    Read more

  • Janel NJanel's JourneyTraveler

    Flores

    Apr 11–15, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Landed in Labuan Bajo, where I spent the night in a hostel situated in the local village. I met some young Indonesians who invited me to have dinner with them. It was fun to try local food with them.

    I then set sail on a 3 day, 2 night sailing expedition around Komodo Island. It was a highlight of my travels. We snorkled and saw lots of amazing marine life and manta rays. Hiked amazing viewpoints where we watched the sunrise. We visited islands, including Pink Beach. We also, of course, found some komodo dragons! On the last sunset on the boat, we also saw thousands of bats fly over us going from one island to the other. It was really cool. The crew was so funny too. They taught us a dance from Flores that everybody knows. We also did karaoke after haha.

    When I was back on land, I chilled at a nice hostel with a rooftop pool and live music.

    It was such an amazing time here on Flores Island!    Read more

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