For those of you who do follow this blog (no idea how many, if any), I have moved most of my web life under one roof. Finally, my Creative Meanderings blog/site is able to house all of my posts in one place.
So, this blogger site will remain up for a few more months, but after this anything new will be posted on my main site. Travel bits will be found in the "Meanderings Abroad (General)" tab and you can enjoy perusing the rest of my meaningless web presence there as well.
It's been great on Blogger, but I hope you'll continue to lurk on Creative Meanderings as well.
-T
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Jordan: Day 1 (Night 2)
Somehow I managed to get as much sleep as is possible in a strange hotel room. Though I did leave the TV on for much of the night to comfort me - not much of a comfort still....
Breakfast, like dinner, is included in the hotel fare so I went down for a very meager meal. The standard breakfast in this part of the world seems to be fake sausages, hard-boiled eggs, pastries/breads, cheese and meat slices, and then the same kind of salads that you might see on the dinner buffet. Still, I cannot complain too much as coffee was available - unlike when I went to Egypt and was dying of caffeine withdrawal. Also, I wasn't left for want of something to fill my stomach in the end.
The tour began at 9:15 with Yammen(?) the driver for the trip picking me up first. I met the guide for the next four days, Mohammed - if you can't remember someone's name here, you have a high chance of success with guessing Mohammed - who offered an interesting element to the overall experience. As suspected, the tour was to be in Spanish and we headed to the Regency Hotel to pick up the Olaverri family of four.
Our first stop was Mt. Nebo, where Moses stood overlooking the promise land for the Israelites. It is also said that he died nearby this area. The view was hazed-over, but a map directed our eyes to Jerusalem across the river and other famous areas.
From there, we made a requisite tourist stop at a handicraft center where handicapped men were working on mosaics, which were nice, but nothing worth buying to bring home.
The first day was a short one and so the Olaverri family requested that we make a trip to the Dead Sea even though it was scheduled for our return trip from the south later in the tour. It was fine by me and so we spent the afternoon at the Amman Beach, had a float in the Dead Sea and then a refreshing swim in the pool.
After a couple of hours, we made our way down to Petra where we would stay the night. Along the way, we stopped to check out the salt build-up on the shore and passed through the hot springs area, which seemed to be a stomping ground for the men to get together and be men.
Also, as an extra to our tour since it was along the way, we stopped at Karak to see the castle ruins there. It was a location of battles between the Christian Crusaders and the Islamic armies as well as the capital of the Moabites. It was good fun to climb up and down the ruins and in some ways reminded me of visiting Japanese castles and looking through the arrow slits to ward off unwanted visitors. Also, the importance will become clearer later, but Mohammed made sure to mention to me that he was separated from his family at some random point in my exploration of the ruins. I left it alone without interest nor concern.
Finally, we made it to Petra. As we descended, the lights of the city made me feel like I was truly entering a historical area. My hotel was King's Way Hotel or Tulip Inn according to the bathroom amenities. The dinner on offer was much better than the Dana Plaza, though eating alone is an interesting experience. I had decided to wear a ring on my left-hand during the trip whenever I was alone to avoid any unwanted proposals, etc. However, when you eat alone in a hotel restaurant full of tourists, some people offer looks of pity, interest (why is a young woman eating all alone in a foreign country?), and confusion. The staff still offered me extra attention, but I do believe it was less than if I were perceived as single....
Thus, ended my first full day in Jordan.
More to come...
-T
Breakfast, like dinner, is included in the hotel fare so I went down for a very meager meal. The standard breakfast in this part of the world seems to be fake sausages, hard-boiled eggs, pastries/breads, cheese and meat slices, and then the same kind of salads that you might see on the dinner buffet. Still, I cannot complain too much as coffee was available - unlike when I went to Egypt and was dying of caffeine withdrawal. Also, I wasn't left for want of something to fill my stomach in the end.
The tour began at 9:15 with Yammen(?) the driver for the trip picking me up first. I met the guide for the next four days, Mohammed - if you can't remember someone's name here, you have a high chance of success with guessing Mohammed - who offered an interesting element to the overall experience. As suspected, the tour was to be in Spanish and we headed to the Regency Hotel to pick up the Olaverri family of four.
Our first stop was Mt. Nebo, where Moses stood overlooking the promise land for the Israelites. It is also said that he died nearby this area. The view was hazed-over, but a map directed our eyes to Jerusalem across the river and other famous areas.
From there, we made a requisite tourist stop at a handicraft center where handicapped men were working on mosaics, which were nice, but nothing worth buying to bring home.
The first day was a short one and so the Olaverri family requested that we make a trip to the Dead Sea even though it was scheduled for our return trip from the south later in the tour. It was fine by me and so we spent the afternoon at the Amman Beach, had a float in the Dead Sea and then a refreshing swim in the pool.
After a couple of hours, we made our way down to Petra where we would stay the night. Along the way, we stopped to check out the salt build-up on the shore and passed through the hot springs area, which seemed to be a stomping ground for the men to get together and be men.
Also, as an extra to our tour since it was along the way, we stopped at Karak to see the castle ruins there. It was a location of battles between the Christian Crusaders and the Islamic armies as well as the capital of the Moabites. It was good fun to climb up and down the ruins and in some ways reminded me of visiting Japanese castles and looking through the arrow slits to ward off unwanted visitors. Also, the importance will become clearer later, but Mohammed made sure to mention to me that he was separated from his family at some random point in my exploration of the ruins. I left it alone without interest nor concern.
Finally, we made it to Petra. As we descended, the lights of the city made me feel like I was truly entering a historical area. My hotel was King's Way Hotel or Tulip Inn according to the bathroom amenities. The dinner on offer was much better than the Dana Plaza, though eating alone is an interesting experience. I had decided to wear a ring on my left-hand during the trip whenever I was alone to avoid any unwanted proposals, etc. However, when you eat alone in a hotel restaurant full of tourists, some people offer looks of pity, interest (why is a young woman eating all alone in a foreign country?), and confusion. The staff still offered me extra attention, but I do believe it was less than if I were perceived as single....
Thus, ended my first full day in Jordan.
More to come...
-T
Jordan: Arrival (Night 1)
First, calling the taxi service through the Al Ghazal (Trans AD) system was one of the most responsive services I've ever encountered in this city. Within five minutes of me calling to reserve a cab to take me to the airport, I was in the taxi on my way!
Abu Dhabi International Airport is one of my favorite airports in terms of getting through check-in and immigration. Though the airport itself leaves quite a bit to be desired if you have to spend any amount of time in it. So, I went quickly through all the lines and waited for my flight to board at Costa cafe beginning my writings and feelings of anticipation for the trip.
I flew Royal Jordanian because it's part of the three major mileage conglomerates that I have cards for - One World - and I enjoyed their flights before when my mother and aunt visited last summer. So, the 2.5-hour flight to Amman was fairly uneventful, though the male passengers seemed to enjoy trying to move their seats to wherever they please until someone tells them they can't sit where they like. When I got up to use the restroom some guy thought it was an opening to try to take my seat until I returned and explained it was still my seat...
The food on the flight was average, though I did enjoy the variety of choice from chicken or lamb instead of the usual beef option. :D
It was only 7pm when I arrived in Jordan and once I disembarked from the plane, I was met by a Mohammed, from the tour company who helped me change money, pay for my visa and go through the immigration line. As I had no checked luggage, we quickly met the driver outside and were off to my hotel.
The drive in took about 40-minutes and I immediately felt that it was a much more civilized place than Cairo had been. The first tip-off was that people used their headlights at night regularly - not just when another car was approaching or when passing. Also, I noticed a number of female drivers as we sped by them and in general the landscape looked cleaner. Once inside the city limits, the traffic got denser and horns were heard more - though not nearly as much as one hears in Abu Dhabi at all hours of the day or night.
My lodging for the evening was the Dana Plaza Hotel - a four-star place - with fairly spacious rooms and kind staff. I settled in for the night with a shower, quick bite to eat at the hotel restaurant and some TV in my room. While I would have liked to have ventured out to explore, I could tell when we arrived that the location was not easy for a walk-around and I had read that going out at night alone as a single female traveler was not the best of options. So, since it was only the first night, I decided to just take it easy and wait for the morning when my tour would begin.
More to come...
-T
Abu Dhabi International Airport is one of my favorite airports in terms of getting through check-in and immigration. Though the airport itself leaves quite a bit to be desired if you have to spend any amount of time in it. So, I went quickly through all the lines and waited for my flight to board at Costa cafe beginning my writings and feelings of anticipation for the trip.
I flew Royal Jordanian because it's part of the three major mileage conglomerates that I have cards for - One World - and I enjoyed their flights before when my mother and aunt visited last summer. So, the 2.5-hour flight to Amman was fairly uneventful, though the male passengers seemed to enjoy trying to move their seats to wherever they please until someone tells them they can't sit where they like. When I got up to use the restroom some guy thought it was an opening to try to take my seat until I returned and explained it was still my seat...
The food on the flight was average, though I did enjoy the variety of choice from chicken or lamb instead of the usual beef option. :D
It was only 7pm when I arrived in Jordan and once I disembarked from the plane, I was met by a Mohammed, from the tour company who helped me change money, pay for my visa and go through the immigration line. As I had no checked luggage, we quickly met the driver outside and were off to my hotel.
The drive in took about 40-minutes and I immediately felt that it was a much more civilized place than Cairo had been. The first tip-off was that people used their headlights at night regularly - not just when another car was approaching or when passing. Also, I noticed a number of female drivers as we sped by them and in general the landscape looked cleaner. Once inside the city limits, the traffic got denser and horns were heard more - though not nearly as much as one hears in Abu Dhabi at all hours of the day or night.
My lodging for the evening was the Dana Plaza Hotel - a four-star place - with fairly spacious rooms and kind staff. I settled in for the night with a shower, quick bite to eat at the hotel restaurant and some TV in my room. While I would have liked to have ventured out to explore, I could tell when we arrived that the location was not easy for a walk-around and I had read that going out at night alone as a single female traveler was not the best of options. So, since it was only the first night, I decided to just take it easy and wait for the morning when my tour would begin.
A not so interesting pic of my hotel room. :D
-T
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Jordan: Pre-departure
Well, it's been a year already since I took my first solo trip. Last year, I was pretty excited about my trip to Egypt, but this year I feel a bit differently about my heading to Jordan.
Initially, I didn't really want to do this trip alone as I sorta learned my lesson from traveling alone in this region, but then no one could go or wanted to go with me and I decided that if I have to wait until I can travel with someone I might miss out on the opportunities to see places I want to see. Plus, one of my five reminders for this year is to remember that I came to the area to travel!
So, I found a tour company (Golden Crown Tours) that was able to put me into a small tour group so that I wouldn't have to pay individual tour prices and I could have some company while traveling in Jordan. I've learned that I'll be joining a group of 4 from Spain, so this might be an all-Spanish tour - good for my language skills... - and hopefully it'll be a good group.
Truthfully, I'm a bit nervous about this trip. There's no logical explanation for my anxiety, but I'm praying and hoping it will be fine once I arrive. Last year, I was only excited, but maybe that was because I was going somewhere I had dreamed of since I was eight. This time, I'm not even sure why I picked Jordan other than it was nearby and I've heard good things about Petra and other sites. So... I'll try to update when I can with pics and thoughts.
Off we go!
Until next time,
-T
Initially, I didn't really want to do this trip alone as I sorta learned my lesson from traveling alone in this region, but then no one could go or wanted to go with me and I decided that if I have to wait until I can travel with someone I might miss out on the opportunities to see places I want to see. Plus, one of my five reminders for this year is to remember that I came to the area to travel!
So, I found a tour company (Golden Crown Tours) that was able to put me into a small tour group so that I wouldn't have to pay individual tour prices and I could have some company while traveling in Jordan. I've learned that I'll be joining a group of 4 from Spain, so this might be an all-Spanish tour - good for my language skills... - and hopefully it'll be a good group.
Truthfully, I'm a bit nervous about this trip. There's no logical explanation for my anxiety, but I'm praying and hoping it will be fine once I arrive. Last year, I was only excited, but maybe that was because I was going somewhere I had dreamed of since I was eight. This time, I'm not even sure why I picked Jordan other than it was nearby and I've heard good things about Petra and other sites. So... I'll try to update when I can with pics and thoughts.
Off we go!
Until next time,
-T
Thursday, February 4, 2010
On the plane again...Stop 3 Part 3 (The last for this trip!)
From KL, I took a short flight to Kuching, Sarawak located on the Borneo island, but still a part of Malaysia. The remainder of my trip was spent with a friend in this area. Kuching means "Cat city" in Malay, so there were a lot of cat statues around the city. I don't have too much to say about my impressions or daily activities. Most of the time was spent exploring on the back of a scooter and seeing the sights. The weather was fairly unpredictable as it was the wet season there and not many tourists or activities were seen around town. So, here are some photos and more can be found (eventually) on my main website. Enjoy!
One of the many cat statues
A poor mangy kitten on the street, but so cute!
Museum or something...
Chinese temple
Night view of the boardwalk
Top Spot food court...poor fish....
Food court - was really good seafood, actually!
One day kayaking in the highlands
A Malaysian night
While I'm definitely glad I made a visit here, I'm not sure that I would go again..., but you never know! It was a good holiday and I'm already thinking about the next adventure!
Until next time...
-T
On the plane again...Stop 3 Part 2
Feeling refreshed after a good long sleep, I awoke ready to explore outside of the city for a little bit by visiting the Batu Caves. It's a mere half hour bus ride from the city centre to the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur to climb 272 steps to the caves that hold a Hindu shrine. I don't really know much about the history, but Phyllisse recommended that I see it and I figured it was a good chance for me to get out and explore on my own a bit.
While finding the right bus was a bit of a challenge, I did eventually find it and made it out to the cave. It was an interesting experience and while I think the monkeys are perhaps the main attraction to the area, I'm told that the attraction is really the shrine and the Thaipusum festival draws quite the crowd (which I thankfully missed by a week as I'd hate to visit anywhere with thousands of other people...).
After seeing the caves, I ventured back into the city centre and enjoyed Chinatown a bit more.
In the evening, I met up with Phyllise for dinner and she showed me around Bukit Bintang area, which is part of the Golden Triangle section of the city. This area is known as the main shopping and entertainment area where you might find more of the pubs and tourists.
While I really enjoyed getting to see the city of KL through the eyes of a couple of local ladies, I was happy to be escaping the city for my next destination in hopes of seeing a bit more of a quieter and natural-side of the country.
More to come...
-T
PS More pictures to be found on main website.
Entrance to the Batu Caves
Shrine inside caves
Monkey attraction
After seeing the caves, I ventured back into the city centre and enjoyed Chinatown a bit more.
Petaling Street (Chinatown)
In the evening, I met up with Phyllise for dinner and she showed me around Bukit Bintang area, which is part of the Golden Triangle section of the city. This area is known as the main shopping and entertainment area where you might find more of the pubs and tourists.
Chinese New Year decorations inside mall
Food stalls
While I really enjoyed getting to see the city of KL through the eyes of a couple of local ladies, I was happy to be escaping the city for my next destination in hopes of seeing a bit more of a quieter and natural-side of the country.
More to come...
-T
PS More pictures to be found on main website.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
On the plane again...Stop 3 Part 1
It only took me about 24 hours to get to Malaysia from Hawaii, but I made it! I've wanted to see Kuala Lumpur for a while now, though I can't remember what caused me to have an interest in the city initially. With vacation still left to use up, hitting this Southeast Asian country seemed like a good idea. :D
Upon arrival, I caught the KLIA train in to KL Sentral station to drop off my bags as I had decided to take advantage of Couchsurfing and couldn't meet my host until later in the evening. However, through Couchsurfing, I met Nicole who had contacted me about staying at my place when she visits Abu Dhabi. So, she kindly agreed to meet with me and spent most of the day driving me around the city showing me the sites.
Upon arrival, I caught the KLIA train in to KL Sentral station to drop off my bags as I had decided to take advantage of Couchsurfing and couldn't meet my host until later in the evening. However, through Couchsurfing, I met Nicole who had contacted me about staying at my place when she visits Abu Dhabi. So, she kindly agreed to meet with me and spent most of the day driving me around the city showing me the sites.
Thean Hou Temple
Merdeka
The National Mosque
The famous Petronas Towers
It was great to get oriented to the city of Kuala Lumpur via car as I was kept from having to traipse around on the trains in my very tired state.
I finally was able to meet my host, Phyllisse, in the evening, but was so exhausted that we went to her place where I got a short nap and got up for quick Chinese food dinner near her place, then went back and crashed out! More pictures and update for the following day to come!
Until then,
-T
Monday, January 18, 2010
On the plane again...Stop 2 Part 2
~ Hawaii - Oahu ~
In Japan, I used to attend a Hope Chapel chain of churches. The Hope Chapel group started in Kaneohe, Hawaii on Oahu. So, over the years I've made a few friends and though I've lost touch with a few, with the wonders of Facebook, I've reconnected with some. One of my friends from way back when, invited me to stop in Oahu since I was going to be in the area. :D Though time was short, I was able to visit for a day.
Some of the photos here:
Sam greeted me in Hawaiian style with a lei (too bad I can't take it with me...)
A visit to Oahu wouldn't be complete without seeing Pearl Harbor. It was a small area, but worth a visit.
Pearl Harbor - USS Bowfin Sub
Pearl Harbor - Memorial
Pearl Harbor - Flag waving on USS Arizona Memorial
After our stop at Pearl Harbor, we drove through the city a bit and headed up for a view. We discussed doing a short hike on Diamond head to get a view coming the other direction, but after an early start to my day, my energy was running low. So, the drive to this point was good enough. :D
View of Honolulu from Tantalus Point (Diamond Head on left)
Waikiki Beach
Oahu definitely has more of the Hawaiian feel for me. We drove around the city of Honolulu a bit during the day so I was able to see the neighborhoods (saw Obama's haunts) and enjoy some of the flora that I was expecting to see. In the afternoon, I took a rest, but hit the sands of Waikiki for a swim and sunbathe before resting up for dinner. Though time was too short, I had a great visit and shout out a THANK YOU to Sam, my tour guide for the day. :D
I definitely hope to visit again. Hawaii is a great vacation destination!
More travels to come...
-T
On the plane again...Stop 2 Part 1
~ Hawaii - Kailua Kona ~
It was family vacation time for the past week in Kailua Kona on the Big Island! We haven't all been together like this in years - perhaps longer than my memory serves. So, it was so great to hang out with my brother and catch up with my parents. Since I don't live closeby, these moments are more precious whenever they are had.
My parents rented a house off of Ali'i road just a bit outside of the main downtown area. We had a Jeep Rubicon as our wheels to get around. Throughout the week, we snorkeled, surfed, boogie-boarded, tanned, and explored the island a bit.
When I first arrived, I was a bit surprised at the scenery as I had imagined Hawaii to be lush with flora all over. However, due to the volcanic activity on the Big Island, there is more lava to be seen. It's interesting and makes for different views of this tropical paradise. However, the beaches were still great, the water still warm and much fun still had.
I'll post a few pics here, but more will come on my main blog site when I return home. Enjoy!
It was family vacation time for the past week in Kailua Kona on the Big Island! We haven't all been together like this in years - perhaps longer than my memory serves. So, it was so great to hang out with my brother and catch up with my parents. Since I don't live closeby, these moments are more precious whenever they are had.
My parents rented a house off of Ali'i road just a bit outside of the main downtown area. We had a Jeep Rubicon as our wheels to get around. Throughout the week, we snorkeled, surfed, boogie-boarded, tanned, and explored the island a bit.
When I first arrived, I was a bit surprised at the scenery as I had imagined Hawaii to be lush with flora all over. However, due to the volcanic activity on the Big Island, there is more lava to be seen. It's interesting and makes for different views of this tropical paradise. However, the beaches were still great, the water still warm and much fun still had.
I'll post a few pics here, but more will come on my main blog site when I return home. Enjoy!
The lava scenery
Sunset on the first night
The parents enjoying the beach life!
Green sands beach - yes the sand is green!
South Point - southern most point in the US and so much water.
Sunset from the house - each night we waited for the green flash...., but the margaritas didn't help. :D
Cheers! for my family!!!
Next stop coming up...
-T
Sunday, January 10, 2010
On the plane again...Stop 1 Part 2
A visit to Japan is never complete unless I have seen my BFF, godson and friend (same family). Since my godson, Ethan, just had a birthday last week turning the ripe ol' age of 4, I wanted to be sure to celebrate and give him a present. Also, I'm not sure when I'm going to see all of them again (hopefully back home in the summer...).
Since Ethan had a free meal and dessert coming to him at Outback Steakhouse, we met there to catch up. Though a quiet meal, we still had fun.
Since Ethan had a free meal and dessert coming to him at Outback Steakhouse, we met there to catch up. Though a quiet meal, we still had fun.
The Suzuki family
The birthday boy spacing off....
A look of disappointment when waiting for his birthday ice cream...(they sang for someone else first...)
At last, it has arrived!!
"Not gonna let a single bite go...even if it makes me sick!!"
The whole gang - Happy Birthday, Ethan!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
On the plane again...Stop 1 Part 1
Holidays are here again. It seems like I'm always on holiday, but one must always remind others that my last trip to Japan was indeed a business trip and not all business can be labeled as "holiday"... okay maybe it can!!! :D
In any case, real holidays are here and I'm on the planes again to see what I can see.
First up - a stopover in Japan on my way to meet my family in Hawaii. Since I was a bit late in getting my tickets to Hawaii (sorry family...), I couldn't get there until the 11th anyway. The flight route brought me to Japan anyway, so since my friend was getting married and having his wedding party on the 9th, I thought it was a great opportunity to squeeze it in!
Though I had hoped to stay in warmer climates for this trip, I figured I could endure the cold for a couple of days. So far, it's been okay, but I'm definitely a warm-weather girl now.
Last night was the party - here's a photo of the whole gang -
Ah, how I miss the crew. This is the end of everyone being in the same place as people have finished their contracts and are moving on to new ones down south or elsewhere. It's a great bunch and I miss them all dearly. Still, I know we'll keep in touch and I will always have a reason to come back for a visit!!!
More to come...
-T
In any case, real holidays are here and I'm on the planes again to see what I can see.
First up - a stopover in Japan on my way to meet my family in Hawaii. Since I was a bit late in getting my tickets to Hawaii (sorry family...), I couldn't get there until the 11th anyway. The flight route brought me to Japan anyway, so since my friend was getting married and having his wedding party on the 9th, I thought it was a great opportunity to squeeze it in!
Though I had hoped to stay in warmer climates for this trip, I figured I could endure the cold for a couple of days. So far, it's been okay, but I'm definitely a warm-weather girl now.
Last night was the party - here's a photo of the whole gang -
Ah, how I miss the crew. This is the end of everyone being in the same place as people have finished their contracts and are moving on to new ones down south or elsewhere. It's a great bunch and I miss them all dearly. Still, I know we'll keep in touch and I will always have a reason to come back for a visit!!!
More to come...
-T
Friday, September 18, 2009
Posts updated
Just thought I'd post to say that my posts for the summer have all been updated. You can see all the photos from my travels on my main website under Photo Journeys. So, I hope you'll enjoy viewing and reading.
More trips are hoped, but until then, I'll be posting on my website.
Until next time,
-T
More trips are hoped, but until then, I'll be posting on my website.
Until next time,
-T
Monday, September 7, 2009
Brief update
My regular site cannot be updated at the moment due to some problem uploading my photos from my summer travels. I've not had time to update this blog with photos in the posts as I had hoped. So, it's all coming in due time.... I'm hoping to get it worked out in the next few weeks, but no promises!
All's well, but busy at the moment.
So, that's the update.
T
All's well, but busy at the moment.
So, that's the update.
T
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Vietnam - Mui Ne: Days 15 - 17
The last of our trip was spent in Mui Ne. We went full out on the hotel for this part. It is a beach town and so we might as well stay at a nice place, right? Sailing Club Mui Ne was a lovely place to end our stay. Since the reviews said it was worth the extra dough to get the most expensive room, that's what we did. I would say it was worth it.
Mui Ne is laid out rather differently than the other towns we visited. It's just one long road of hotels on the beach side and restaurants on the other side. So, the first day we just explored a bit, used the pool and enjoyed our bungalow. The water was always pretty muddy and so we didn't ever venture out in it sadly. But, we had a couple of walks on the beach and dinner on our last night on the sand.
On the second day, we rented a motorbike to get around to explore. It was my first time on a motorbike on the road as well (lots of firsts here!). It was great to feel the hot wind as we sped along the road. Plus, we got to see some of the regular life along the way.
We rode in to a neighboring town and then explored Mui Ne a little bit. In the afternoon, we relaxed back at the resort. I had a massage while Craig had some man-time. ;D
The next morning, we headed off to take a look at the sand dunes that are suppose to be the highlight in the area. We found the Red Dunes and had a walk up, but we never really did find the White Dunes. Still, it was great to ride around a bit. By afternoon, I was somehow quite tired and so I relaxed more by the pool to soak up the last of cool weather before heading back to the Dab.
All-in-all, I'd say Vietnam was a lovely country to visit. Of course, I had great company in Craig and Roman. The weather was great for us and we managed to get out of the big city, which is a must to fully enjoy what Vietnam has to offer.
Until the next update!
-T
PS Photos for the posts are coming and all other photos will be available on my main website, so check'em out!
Mui Ne is laid out rather differently than the other towns we visited. It's just one long road of hotels on the beach side and restaurants on the other side. So, the first day we just explored a bit, used the pool and enjoyed our bungalow. The water was always pretty muddy and so we didn't ever venture out in it sadly. But, we had a couple of walks on the beach and dinner on our last night on the sand.
On the second day, we rented a motorbike to get around to explore. It was my first time on a motorbike on the road as well (lots of firsts here!). It was great to feel the hot wind as we sped along the road. Plus, we got to see some of the regular life along the way.
We rode in to a neighboring town and then explored Mui Ne a little bit. In the afternoon, we relaxed back at the resort. I had a massage while Craig had some man-time. ;D
The next morning, we headed off to take a look at the sand dunes that are suppose to be the highlight in the area. We found the Red Dunes and had a walk up, but we never really did find the White Dunes. Still, it was great to ride around a bit. By afternoon, I was somehow quite tired and so I relaxed more by the pool to soak up the last of cool weather before heading back to the Dab.
All-in-all, I'd say Vietnam was a lovely country to visit. Of course, I had great company in Craig and Roman. The weather was great for us and we managed to get out of the big city, which is a must to fully enjoy what Vietnam has to offer.
Until the next update!
-T
PS Photos for the posts are coming and all other photos will be available on my main website, so check'em out!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Vietnam - Nha Trang: Days 12 - 14
The first of our six days on the beach began in Nha Trang. Since a bus would have been a long 11 to 12 hours, we opted for a flight from the Danang airport to Nha Trang. From the small airport, we caught a taxi in to our hotel for a fairly reasonable fee, about 100,000VND cheaper than the hotel was going to charge us for a pick-up. We stayed at the Asia Paradise Hotel, just a little bit away from the beachside and about 45-minutes from the airport. It's a nice enough hotel, though we paid for a room with a view, we had a bit of an obstructed view of the sea. Overall though it was a good enough place to stay.
Nha Trang doesn't have much to offer in terms of sightseeing, though I think there are a couple of pagodas and perhaps a Buddha one could see. Since we were more interested in relaxing, we focused on the beach aspect of the city. Like in Spain, there were areas of the beach where you could pay for a cabina to rest on for the day and then go for a dip when the mood inspired it.
So, we had one day just walking around and not doing too much. Then, another day we just spent on the beach totally chilling out. The evenings were spent exploring the different restaurants and bars. I think my favorite place was Crazy Kim Bar. The owner is an advocate against pedophiles, which made taking advantage of the buy 1 get 2 cocktails happy hour more fun and meaningful than just getting very happy on the VERY STRONG drinks!
On our second night, we had a farewell dinner with Roman since he was moving on from traveling with us the next morning. We found a nice Vietnamese restaurant and though the food was cheap, it wasn't great tasting. Roman made friends with one of the fish, though, so that was worth it! ;D
For our last day in Nha Trang, we decided to go on a boat trip since that is recommended in the area. Through the hotel we booked a trip with Nha Trang Tourist company and were guided by Funky Monkey to visit four islands. We made a first stop at an aquarium that was severely lacking as a tourist attraction. Then, we went off for a swim and some snorkeling. I tried snorkeling in real water for the first time ever! It was a bit scary at first and so Craig was sweet enough to hold my hand. Eventually I got brave enough to go on my own and was so amazed by the number of fish in the water below. I'm not sure if it creeps me out more to know they are there or to just not see them...but it was a cool sight to see and now I understand why people like snorkeling. :D
After the swim, we had lunch, some entertainment and dancing, then happy hour out on the water. There was only one drink of choice for happy hour and it was a bit dodgy, so I had a couple of sips and just enjoyed floating on my dinghy in the water more than anything else.
Our final stop was at another island that we had to pay to go onto, but I didn't really enjoy it as my leg was burned by a cigarette and I had to get it to stop hurting. We were both pretty tired by the end of the day. Overall, though it was a nice day to spend with other crazy tourists and a good time was had.
One more stop in Vietnam to go!
-T
Nha Trang doesn't have much to offer in terms of sightseeing, though I think there are a couple of pagodas and perhaps a Buddha one could see. Since we were more interested in relaxing, we focused on the beach aspect of the city. Like in Spain, there were areas of the beach where you could pay for a cabina to rest on for the day and then go for a dip when the mood inspired it.
So, we had one day just walking around and not doing too much. Then, another day we just spent on the beach totally chilling out. The evenings were spent exploring the different restaurants and bars. I think my favorite place was Crazy Kim Bar. The owner is an advocate against pedophiles, which made taking advantage of the buy 1 get 2 cocktails happy hour more fun and meaningful than just getting very happy on the VERY STRONG drinks!On our second night, we had a farewell dinner with Roman since he was moving on from traveling with us the next morning. We found a nice Vietnamese restaurant and though the food was cheap, it wasn't great tasting. Roman made friends with one of the fish, though, so that was worth it! ;D
For our last day in Nha Trang, we decided to go on a boat trip since that is recommended in the area. Through the hotel we booked a trip with Nha Trang Tourist company and were guided by Funky Monkey to visit four islands. We made a first stop at an aquarium that was severely lacking as a tourist attraction. Then, we went off for a swim and some snorkeling. I tried snorkeling in real water for the first time ever! It was a bit scary at first and so Craig was sweet enough to hold my hand. Eventually I got brave enough to go on my own and was so amazed by the number of fish in the water below. I'm not sure if it creeps me out more to know they are there or to just not see them...but it was a cool sight to see and now I understand why people like snorkeling. :D
After the swim, we had lunch, some entertainment and dancing, then happy hour out on the water. There was only one drink of choice for happy hour and it was a bit dodgy, so I had a couple of sips and just enjoyed floating on my dinghy in the water more than anything else.Our final stop was at another island that we had to pay to go onto, but I didn't really enjoy it as my leg was burned by a cigarette and I had to get it to stop hurting. We were both pretty tired by the end of the day. Overall, though it was a nice day to spend with other crazy tourists and a good time was had.
One more stop in Vietnam to go!
-T
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