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The Aussie Nest – Part Two

December 1, 2023

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Location: Australia

A month in a motor home around eastern Australia has been a lot of fun, we have done and seen so many amazing things in this beautiful country. All from the comfort of our Aussie Nest caravan/motor home. If you didn’t see last week’s post, you can check it our here Caravan Travel Australia – The Aussie Nest Part One. In last week’s post I covered the first 14 days, covering about 900 miles. Today we continue the journey with The Aussie Nest – Part Two – the second two weeks.

Choices

Australia is big. Nearly the same size as the USA but with vast areas of emptiness and limited infrastructure. I’ve been asked why we chose the region we did and also why we didn’t visit Sydney? So take a look at these two maps. One shows how big Australia is in comparison to the USA….even in the Aussie Nest for a month you can’t even begin to cover it. The second one shows, circled in red, the area we did cover over the past month. Seems small doesn’t it? But we were enchanted at every turn. The areas circled in blue, including Sydney, are what we visited, primarily via airplanes and car rentals on our first visit to Australia six years ago. So we had to make choices. These are the choices we made.

Leaving Booderee National Park

We really enjoyed our three days in beautiful Booderee National Park, but three days is all you can book there for camping. So at the end of our first two weeks it was time to move on and start our second half of The Aussie Nest – Part Two. We continued south on a long day of driving to the tiny seaside historic village of Eden.

Historic Eden

We didn’t know a lot about Eden other than the fact it looked beautiful from the pictures. I was very interested in exploring some of the Sapphire Coast along Australia’s southern-most east coast. So we somewhat randomly chose Eden. With lots of time still to spare we thought this would be a good place to hunker down for a week in our little Aussie Nest.

We booked seven nights at Reflections Holiday Park Eden. Snuggled between the beautiful and windy Asling Beach and calm and placid Lake Curalo we really found it to be a beautiful spot. We paid only $26 USD for a lake view spot with all hook ups. Arriving mid-week, there were only a handful of other campers. But many more arrived for the weekend, and then left again on Sunday. Meanwhile we found the location, although occasionally windy, a real bargain.

Perfect Location

Each morning I did my run along a beautiful boardwalk and trail around Lake Curalo. We also did a hike around Lake Curalo, and walked the 2 km into the small town. The historic town of Eden was founded in the mid 1800’s and for generations was a whaling town. One of the best things here is the fascinating Killer Whale Museum. It’s very interesting, particularly the excellent video presentation about the history, geology and people of Eden. Whale tours are available from May – November.

On a couple of days we unhooked the Aussie Nest and made our way to enjoy the Whale Trail, an interpretive driving tour about historic sites related to the whaling days. We also visited the historic Boyd’s Tower and Seahorse Inn, the Green Cape Lighthouse and Beowa National Park.

Beowa National Park

Broken up into two coastal sections around historic Eden, we made a point to visit as much of Beowa national park as possible. We hiked many trails and followed the interpretive walks. Here we spotted many more fabulous birds, as well as wallaby. The park offers trails for both novice and advanced hikers as well as picnic areas and viewpoints. Very enjoyable.

Dining Out

Taking advantage of being in a pedestrian friendly town, we had a delicious dinner at the Pikes Italian Bistro located inside the historic Australasian Hotel. We also had another night out in the neighboring town of Pambula where we visited Longstocking Brewery and ate fish and chips at Wheeler’s Seafood.

Time to Head North

After 21 days and 1200 miles it was time to turn the Aussie Nest – Part Two around and begin our drive north, with 1200 miles between us and Brisbane. With seven days remaining we mapped out our final week which would include staying two nights in three different spots and one final night back just outside of Brisbane.

Canberra

The Capital City of Australia often gets a bad rap as a destination. But we wanted to see it and it was easily along the way. We spent two nights at a very nice campsite Canberra Park close to the city, $36 per night. Canberra is a new city, designed and built specifically to be Australia’s capital. Australia’s states did not come together as a federation until 1901. The site for the capital city was not chosen until 1913. It would take another fifty years before the city of Canberra was complete and the filling of man-made Lake Burley Griffin was complete.

Before we arrived at our campsite we spent two hours at the incredible Jerrabomberra Wetlands Reserve and another hour plus at the Australia National Botanic Gardens. Both a must especially if you enjoy the wildlife and flora of the region.

The next day was jam packed. We took a boat tour of the lake, walked all over and enjoyed the garden city…which feels so much more like a park than a city, toured the very mid-century modern Parliament House and visited the National Gallery and Sculpture Garden. All of this in one day. We finished our very full day with a movie and a delicious dinner at the Capitol Bar and Grill.

I’ll say it is no Washington DC so if that is what you are expecting you will be disappointed. However, I am so glad we took time to see it for a brief couple of days.

Mudgee

We had been told to stop in Mudgee if it was on our route, as it was a historic town surrounded by wineries. So why not? We booked two nights at the Riverside Tourist Park for $25 per night, just a couple blocks from town. Before arriving at the campground we enjoyed a lovely wine tasting at Logan Wines and picked up a couple of bottles. Delicious and affordable. We had a quiet night at the campground after a long day of driving.

And then it rained. And rained. And rained. AND RAINED. I went for a morning run along the fabulous paved pathways near the Codgegong River but nearly drowned in the deluge. Back at the Aussie Nest we debated about what to do…but we only had the one full day so we dug out our rain coats and sloshed around the town. We had a lovely breakfast at Outside the Square Cafe, took a look at the beautiful historic buildings still lovingly cared for in this town founded late 1800’s and popped into the vast and eclectic museum. We had a nice dinner at Cade Kitchen & Bar.

Moree

Another long drive as we made our way north. There wasn’t anything really special about Moree, other than the fact it was a five hour drive from Mudgee. Five hours is about our limit for each day. So we booked two nights at Moree Tourist Park campround for $25 per night.

Moree is a tiny little agricultural town (wheat) that seems to be past its glory days although farming still rules. Parts of town are boarded up but the tiny downtown is still cute and thriving somewhat. It’s one claim to fame is the local Artesian hot springs. Our campground had a hot spring pool so we soaked in the pools and had a very relaxing day. Coincidentally that was our wedding anniversary too – 41 years! Not many restaurants in Moree, but we have been celebrating already through the week so we went out for nice Indian meal at Moree Indian Restaurant. By the way – Australia is FULL of wonderful Indian Restaurants due the immigrants. Indian immigrants make up 3% of the population.

Toowoomba

After 28 days it was hard to believe this was our final day in the Aussie Nest. The Aussie Nest Part Two really flew by. Our final night was spent in Toowoomba, at Jolly Swagman Caravan Park about two hours outside of Brisbane. About $30 for one night. We spent the day packing up for our flight to Melbourne. Packing was much harder than the unpacking a month before, given our space restrictions. But we got it done. On our last night, with the cupboards bare, we went to dinner at an amazing Turkish Reataurant called Sofra in the lively and thriving downtown of Toowoomba. Despite some rain we walked around and enjoyed the murals. Next morning before departing we visited the incredible Cobb & Co. Museum. I enjoyed this final stop and wished for one more day.

Grateful for The Aussie Nest – Part Two

But finally it was time to say farewell to the Aussie Nest. We are grateful to how well it took care of us over the past month. Our journey covered 2400 miles, we stayed in 11 parks, visited 15 towns and two time zones. We saw hundreds of new birds, dozens of interesting animals and fantastic flora and trees. Ample breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, darling villages, spectacular wine, interesting history and wonderful, patriotic and welcoming local people. As you travel around in a caravan in Australia there is a surprise around every corner. You can never see it all. But you can try, and that is what we have done. Wild and wonderful. Australia is all that and more…and what a great way to enjoy it, in our little Aussie Nest. Thank you for joining us for the Aussie Nest – Part Two adventure.

More Australia to Come

But wait! We aren’t done with you yet Australia! Next we spend five days in Melbourne before heading to Tasmania for an entire month. The Australian Adventure continues and we invite you to continue to follow along. Life is good in Australia.

See last week’s post Caravan Travel Australia – Part One. Also check out our post Visit Beautiful Brisbane.

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Asia & Oceania Travel

Caravan Travel Australia – Our Little Aussie Nest Part One

November 24, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Australia

We are enjoying an entire month in a “Caravan” in Australia. Commonly referred to as a Motorhome or caravan, not a trailer or RV like we call it in the USA. Or a Tiki Tour as we referred to it in New Zealand. It’s a caravan/motorhome and we have completed two weeks of our four week itinerary. So let me tell you about the first two weeks, enjoying Caravan Travel Australia.

Small But Mobile

This is the fourth time we have done an extended time in a van or caravan. I’ve mentioned many times I am not one who needs a lot of fancy in my accommodations. Small is fine and I find it a fun challenge to live in a small space. Cooking in a small space, organizing a small space and generally making life comfy in a small space is a challenge I enjoy.

Seven years ago we spent six weeks in tiny “Betty”, our vintage pink trailer. Then we lived in a ten foot van in New Zealand for five weeks in 2017. Next we did a ten day tour in Iceland in a similar van. None of the above had a bathroom, so our current living arrangement, a 20 foot Jayco with toilet and shower, seems luxurious!

The best part for each of these caravan adventures is being able to be on the go, and tuck into unique and beautiful parks and natural areas while we move about the country. So here is our story Caravan Travel Australia – Our Little Aussie Nest Part One.

The Numbers

Before taking you on a tour of our first two weeks of Caravan Travel Australia, let’s talk about the numbers. Many followers have been asking me about what this kind of travel costs. It’s not always less expensive, when you calculate everything together, so each person needs to consider what is most important. The below numbers are in USD. This video give you a little tour of the nest.

Daily rental rate for this 20 foot caravan is $125 – in comparison a moderate hotel in Melbourne runs $130 and an Airbnb around $100

Nightly camping rates have run us between$20-$50. The low end was for sites without hookups.

Diesel fuel is costing about $4.50 per gallon. We traveled 900 miles the first two weeks and spent $200 on fuel.

With the kitchen in the rig we cook the majority of our meals. Over the first two weeks we have spent $400 on groceries and $200 on dining out.

You can of course make this less expensive or more expensive depending on your choices. But this is how it has figured for us on our first two weeks of Caravan Travel Australia.

Our Little Aussie Nest Part One

Dubbed the Aussie Nest, we have now been traveling in her for two of the four weeks. It’s time to report! Check out the graphic of the first two weeks. Here is a rundown of all the things we have enjoyed, places we have been and unique experiences we have had during the first half of our Caravan Travel Australia – Aussie Nest Adventure;

Brisbane

We picked up the Caravan just outside of Brisbane at a rental agency called Let’s Go Motorhomes. The staff at Let’s Go was great and spent an hour with us going over every detail of the vehicle. And then off we went (staying left!). On this first day we headed North first to the tiny little town of Noosa. Immediately we learned that parking the rig in a small town was going to be a challenge. Eventually we found a spot and spent a delightful afternoon hiking Noosa Heads National Park. Australia is overflowing with National Parks, most are free, and we are enjoying them very much.

Next we headed to a small RV Park called Ingenia Holidays Landsborough, only about an hour from Brisbane. We chose this spot because it was close to the Australia Zoo where we planned to spend the next day. So we booked just one night here. I liked this tiny spot with a pond and lots of trees but the snake warning reminded me I’m in Australia. We paid $29 per night with hook up.

We spent a wonderful day at the World Famous Australia Zoo (see it here), and then we headed south.

Nobby Beach

Nobby Beach is lovely little town right next to the famous Gold Beach. Although there were people swimming and surfing, we chose to do a couple of walks and hikes around the town and into the small Burleigh Head National Park. Having picked up plenty of groceries at the local Coles Grocery (our favorite Aussie market) we used our Caravan kitchen and enjoyed dining al fresco. We did take a walk to Lost Palms microbrewery and enjoyed a couple of beers with the locals.

Nobby Beach Holiday Village is where we spent these two days, about four blocks from the beach. It included a nice laundry and swimming pool. Price per night with hook up was $51 .

Coffs Harbour

We booked three nights at the Big 4 Park Beach Holiday Park in Coffs Harbour for $31 a night with hook ups. This was a very large park with lots of rental cabins as well as lots of RV spots. Aussies seem to really enjoy the park model homes or cabins and most of the parks we have stayed in had a variety of options beyond camping. We had a couple days of serious rain in Coffs Harbour, so we took some time to do laundry and work on the laptop. But between rain storms we also enjoyed our morning run on the Coffs Harbour paths along the beach and we took a great hike out to Mutton Bird Island, a wildlife reserve. It was here in Coffs Harbour that we really began to discover so many wonderful Australia birds that were new to us.

Despite the rain, on our last day we unhooked the caravan and made our way to the Coffs Harbour Botanic Gardens. We have encountered Botanic Gardens in nearly every town we have visited, and this one was particularly nice for both the flora and the number of beautiful birds. We enjoyed more than an hour of rain free walking through the gardens.

Nelson Bay

I thought this part of the Pacific Coast of Australia was truly lovely. It reminded me a bit of our home back in Gig Harbor, Washington. We spent three nights at the small but perfectly located Halifax Holiday Park. About 300 yards to the beach. Cost was $39 per night. We had lovely weather the day we arrived and we enjoyed walking around and seeing the beach.

After a week in the Aussie Nest Caravan we decided it was time to treat ourselves to a nice dinner out. So we showered and changed and walked to a highly rated beach side restaurant called Little Beach Boathouse. Such a nice treat enjoying fresh caught local cod and barramundi as well as a delicious burrata and tomato salad. Perfect.

The next day I took a wonderful long run into the town of Nelson Bay on a splendid pathway providing beautiful water and flora views. Back at the caravan a quick shower before we headed out for brunch. The host at the camp ground had recommended we visit the Inner Light Tea Room – a lovely small restaurant in the old light keepers home. Well, that sounded good, so off we went to enjoy the food and the spectacular views. We spent the rest of the day at the lovely golden sand Little Beach. A perfect day.

Next day was not as sunny, but was perfect weather for a little hike. We unhooked the Aussie Nest and drove to Shoals Bay, about five miles. Here we hiked up to the top of Tomaree Mountain. Not a very long hike but pretty steep – it was worth it at the top for the spectacular views. We saw a lot of interesting birds and kept our eye out for koala but didn’t see any – I’m sure they were there but they are camouflaged into the eucalyptus. Back down at the bottom we took a look at the beautiful Zenith Beach right as it started to rain. Perfect timing, as we headed back to our campsite.

While eating our dinner at the caravan that evening we were alerted of severe weather approaching. So we buckled up the caravan and watched the most amazing storm as it approached from the west. Really fascinating. Watch it below. It brought some rain but fortunately not the high winds predicted. Just enough to rock us to sleep. Next morning, we packed up and headed south again.

Vineyard

Although we don’t drink much wine anymore, we wanted to try some of the award winning Australian wines found in this region of New South Wales. So as we headed south towards Booderee National Park, we decided to cut the long drive in half with a couple of days just outside of Sydney. We stopped at two wonderful wineries in the Hunter Valley, did a tasting and purchased a bottle at each, and met some really lovely locals who are very passionate about Australia and its wines. The area with its mountains and forests and vineyards looked so much like Central California, a part of the United States we are very fond of.

At the end of a long day of driving we arrived just outside of the town of Vineyard and Ingenia Holidays Avina Camp Park. Since it was a weekend the park was pretty full with lots of kids and families. We paid $32 for a spot with hookups. We tucked in for the night after a long day. Next morning I did a run in a very thick fog, which burnt off about 10am and turned into the hottest day we have seen since leaving the USA two months ago…a hot 96 Fahrenheit. Day two we decided to just enjoy the warm weather, read and relax. Luckily the little Aussie Nest has aircon so we slept like babes, got up early and headed out to finish the drive to Booderee.

Local Bird Life – A Gallah (photo from Merlin Bird Identifier)

Jervis Bay

In the tiny Jervis Bay Territory we arrived at Booderee National Park, Green Patch Campsite the most rustic of our choices for this itinerary. Booderee National Park offered us a large space with water but no electricity or place to dump. We paid $33 per night and booked three days in advance as it is very difficult to get a spot in this popular National Park. We didn’t mind roughing it for a few days to enjoy this amazing park.

Each day we explored a different area of the 6400 hectare National Park. We hiked and walked and saw so much bird and wildlife it was absolutely astonishing. Every day we saw wallaby in our campsite and kangaroo all around the park. We also nearly stepped on a giant and venomous Red Bellied Black Snake and I got bit by a Red Bull Ant – that bite took weeks to heal.

We truly enjoyed the dozens of new-to-us birds we discovered, the ocean views, and local history. The park is pretty remote, with services like grocery not really available, but we had planned ahead, and had enough to make all our meals in the Aussie Nest.

Continuing South

After two weeks we now continue south where we plan to spend a week at the tiny town of Eden in Australia’s southeast coast, before turning the Aussie Nest back northward. Northbound we will stop in Australia’s capital city of Canberra, and then we will wander back to Brisbane staying inland. We are looking forward to more amazing Australia adventures in our little Aussie Nest as we continue our Caravan Travel in Australia. I’ll share part two of the story next week.

Thanks for following along Caravan Travel Australia – Our Little Aussie Nest Part One. It might not be for everyone, but for us, it’s a great way to cover a lot of territory and experience nature in this amazing country. I hope you will come back again next week for part two.

See last week’s post The World Famous Australia Zoo. Be sure to read Visit Beautiful Brisbane as well.

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A Day at the World Famous Australia Zoo

November 17, 2023

Laureen

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World famous? Well yes indeed it is. The Australia Zoo, founded originally in 1970 as the Beerwah Reptile Park, became the Australia Zoo in the mid 1990’s. The zoo has been showered with awards over the decades for conservation, energy efficiency, tourism and business. World famous. So we wanted to spend A Day at the World Famous Australia Zoo.

Steve Irwin

Raised in Queensland, Steve Irwin helped his parents with the Beerwah Reptile Park and grew to be an expert wildlife rehabilitator just like his mother. Steve was called upon by the local government for crocodile relocation and rehabilitation. He met Terri Raines, a predatory animal expert, in 1991 and they married in ’92. The team began to expand the zoo and began the docu-series The Crocodile Hunter. As the Crocodile Hunter grew in popularity, Steve and Terri were able to expand their conservation efforts. They also expanded their family with the birth of Bindi and Robert.

Steve and Terri, with the help of Steve’s mom Lyn, created a world class facility that rescues, rehabilitates and release over 7000 native Australian animals every year.

After the tragic accident that took Steve’s life in 2006, Terri vowed to continue the work in his honor and today along with her grown children they remember and keep the legacy of the greatest wildlife warrior of all time, everyday at the Australia Zoo.

Conservation Through Education

It’s been 18 years since Steve passed but his dream of “Conservation Through Exciting Education” lives on. He left a legacy with the Australia Zoo which today encompasses over 700 acres (110 open to the public) and employs over 500 staff.

The Australia Zoo is a world leader in conservation of both wildlife and habitat. Much more than just a place to view animals, the Australia Zoo works around the world on conservation projects, education, and crocodile research. Support is generated through the Wildlife Warrior program to fund the many efforts the zoo undertakes.

Hospital

Unique to this global wildlife operation is the Australia Zoo Hospital where you can actually view surgeries and recovering animals through a glassed-in viewing area. The Australia Zoo Hospital never turns an animals in need away, and accepts up to 30 animals a day. Many of the animals have been injured by cars, dogs, or other encounters with ‘civilization’. The day we visited we saw a koala undergoing surgery, a frogmouth bird, flying fox, and reptiles in incubators.

It’s also possible to book a behind the scenes tour of the hospital when you purchase your entry ticket.

Not a great picture, but this is a koala undergoing surgery

Looking into the incubator and recovery room

A Day at the World Famous Australia Zoo

We arrived at the zoo at 8:30am and headed straight to the hospital. We purchased our tickets online and added the $2 fee to get a sneak-peek at the hospital. It was a great way to start the day.

Using the map and event list provided at entry, we planned our day around the activities we wanted to see. We wanted to see the Bird Feed Out and the Crocodile show at the Crocoseum. So we worked our way around 110 acres of the zoo between these shows. It’s possible to hold a koala, pet a Rhino, and have a behind the scenes tour of the zoo. But we decided to just see as much of the zoo as possible on our own.

The zoo is home to some 1200 animals and birds (see the list here) and is laid out in a lovely, clean and meandering way with beautiful flora, frequent facilities and friendly and helpful staff.

Wandering with a Purpose

We were ready for A Day at the World Famous Australia Zoo. Using our map we headed to see the wombats and reptiles before moving on to Grace’s Bird Garden for the morning feed out which was fun and informative. Next we visited the ‘roos, koalas, Asian elephants and tigers. Moving on to Bindi’s Island, home to boa, lemurs, echidna and giant tortoises. We took a trip to Africa to visit the giraffes, rhinos and meerkats.

Backtracking a little we headed up to see the large birds included the emus, cassowary, jabiru and brogas. A quick visit over to view the darling smiling quokka and then a brief lunch break at the Crikey Cafe. Next it was the dingoes and the Tasmanian devil before leisurely enjoying the wide variety of crocodiles and alligators. Now it was time for the show.

Crocoseum

A visit to the Australia Zoo would not be complete without enjoying the daily (sometimes more than once a day) Crocoseum Show. I loved this.

The show begins with some fun activities to get the audience involved, and a short video about the beloved Steve Irwin. Next a wonderful display of some of the zoo’s incredible birds in flight, and a few snakes thrown in for good measure. Then it was time for the crocs.

Casper the Cranky Croc

The day we visited, Casper the Croc was our guy. Casper actually has a reputation as an aggressive and bit “cranky” croc and if you search online there are lots of videos of a near disaster a couple years ago when Casper came after Robert Irwin. Here are some details about Casper;

Casper is one of two leucistic (albino or light pigmented) Saltwater Crocodiles at Australia Zoo
Being leucistic basically means the animals have a dramatic reduction in dark skin pigment
Australia Zoo describe Casper as ‘one of the most aggressive crocodiles we have ever seen’
He has been paired up with the zoo’s other leucistic croc, a female named Wendy
Casper measures in at 3.7 metres long and weighs a whopping 350 kilograms
According to Australia Zoo his condition means he likely would have been picked on in the wild

The staff managing Casper during the show made it clear that Casper makes them nervous too, and there was no fooling around. This is serious and dangerous work, and watching them feed this amazing creature was heart stopping. But a not to be missed experience when visiting the Australia Zoo.

Crikey, Mate!

Visiting the Australia Zoo is a must when in Queensland. Crikey, Mate – it’s an easy day trip from Brisbane, or enjoy one of the lodges or hotels in the region. Adult tickets are $67 AUD about $41 USD (which includes the hospital sneak peek). Child tickets (3-14) are $42 AUD about $26 USD. Multi-day and Annual Passes are also available as are Family Group Rates. Additional costs for behind the scenes tours, Koala Photo Opportunity and other wildlife encounter experiences.

Thank you for reading my post Visit the World Famous Australia Zoo. I highly recommend this if you are interested in wildlife conservation, protection, education, and rehabilitation and release.

For our wildlife “we are both their greatest enemy and their only hope” – Bradley Trevor Greive

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Learn more about visiting this beautiful country at Australia.com including my visit to The Great Barrier Reef

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Visit Beautiful Brisbane Australia

November 10, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Brisbane, Australlia

We started our second visit to Australia in the beautiful city of Brisbane. We came to Australia six years ago and saw many of this country’s top sites. But not Brisbane. So on this visit, which will be for two entire months, we began in Brisbane. What a delightful surprise it was. Here are my tips to Visit Beautiful Brisbane Australia.

This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Brisbane.

Where to Stay

We spent four nights in Brisbane and wanted to be in the center of town, so booked a room at Royal Albert Hotel/Apartments in the CBD. In a historic building, we chose the Royal Albert for its location but what a nice surprise it was. A huge room with a small kitchen and a washer dryer were a big bonus for us. At only $114USD per night we were really happy with this choice.

We did not do and see everything in this beautiful city, but we did as much as we could. Brisbane is undergoing a big transformation in preparation for hosting the 2032 Summer Olympic Games, so there is a lot of construction. But we easily managed around it and enjoyed everything we saw. Below is our day by day recommendations to Visit Beautiful Brisbane Australia.

Arrival Day

Our overnight flight from Manila had us arriving in the morning – too early to check in to our hotel. So we dropped off our bags and headed out to wander and get a feel for the city.

We were hungry so we headed down to the Brisbane Riverwalk area, one of the best things this city has going for it. On the way we enjoyed a stroll through the City Botanic Gardens, a beautiful space right in the CBD. Next we wandered the Riverwalk, but we did need to dodge some construction, before arriving at the Riverbar and Kitchen for lunch. Absolutely delicious and healthy lunch at this riverside open air restaurant.

Quinoa, kale and chicken salad at Riverbar and Kitchen

Feeling revived we wandered away from the river and made brief stops at the Anzac Square Memorial, Jacobs Ladder and the beautiful City Hall at King George Square. Definitely go inside and check out this gorgeous building. We headed back to check-in to our hotel and had an early night with some much needed rest.

Day One Highlights

City Botanical Gardens

Brisbane Riverwalk

Riverbar and Kitchen

Anzac Square Memorial

City Hall and King George Square

Royal Albert Hotel/Apartments

Day Two

I got up early and did a long run on the river walk enjoying the sunrise on this remarkable and well-used space. Runners, walkers, cyclists all enjoying a beautiful early Sunday morning.

Riverwalk ancient lava flows, Kangaroo Cliffs

Back to the hotel for a shower than off we went. This was going to be a full walking day but we were rested and ready. We had yet to pick up any groceries, so we began with a delicious healthy breakfast at Felix For Goodness, just a few blocks from our hotel. Fantastic food. Don’t miss it.

After breakfast we crossed over one of several pedestrian bridges to the South Bank of Brisbane. We spent the next several hours walking for miles admiring the sun, the river, the impressive architecture and the clean and sparkling skyline. We made brief stops at the iconic BRISBANE sign, Nepalese Peace Pagoda, Rainforest Walk and Kangaroo Point.

We had walked about 8 miles so it was time to try the City Cat Ferry, one of the best things Brisbane has going. A dash into the convenience store to purchase the GO Card (also works for buses) and then on board the ferry. Just for fun we rode down river away from the city to admire some of the well appointed homes before disembarking and grabbing the next boat back towards the CBD and an afternoon rest at our hotel.

The City Cat Ferry offers efficient, inexpensive and abundant boats up and down the river all day every day. Cost is minimal. A much smaller boat called the KittyCat hops back and forth across the river, and the City Hopper runs a limited route to some of the central stops – both are free! They are all frequent, clean, and easy to use.

After a quick refresh at the hotel, we grabbed an Uber to a restaurant recommended to us called Kick’in Inn to try Australia’s famous “bugs”, similar to crawdads. It’s a fun spot especially if you are with a group where you can order a wide variety of Cajun style foods dumped directly onto your paper covered table.

Day Two Highlights

Breakfast at Felix for Goodness

South Bank Brisbane

Brisbane Sign

Nepalese Peace Pagoda

Rainforest Walk

Kangaroo Point

City Cat Ferry

Kick’in Inn

Day Three

After another morning run on the Riverwalk we were off to visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. We had booked our visit a few weeks ago, including an opportunity to hold a koala. Queensland and Lone Pine are one of the only places where holding koalas are allowed.

It was after we had booked our Lone Pine visit that we realized there is a boat you can take right from South Bank Brisbane up the river to the sanctuary. Most people book both the boat and the sanctuary tickets together, but if you are like us and already have your sanctuary tickets, you can book the boat separately with Mirimar Cruises. I’m really glad we took the boat. It offered an interesting narrated hour-plus boat ride. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was established in 1927 when Queenslander Claude Reid realized that the fur-trade was decimating the koala population. Starting with just two, he began his life’s work of protecting, rehabilitating and breeding Australia’s unique marsupials (no they are not bears!) Today the sanctuary is also home to a large collection of native birds, kangaroo and wallaby, tree kangaroo, amphibians, reptiles, dingo and 130 koalas.

Back to the hotel for a quick refresh and then we go back on the City Cat to ride at sunset in hopes of seeing Brisbane’s Flying Fox. Brisbane is home to a large population of Flying Fox (also known as Fruit Bats) and dusk is the time to see them. The City Cat is a great way to enjoy viewing these animals that are so important to the balance of the ecosystem.

We disembarked after dark near the beautiful historic Story Bridge built in 1935 and enjoyed the Brisbane night skyline as we walked to our dining destination of Greca. Definitely eat at Greca, located under the Story Bridge and offering delicious Greek food and wonderful service all at a great price.

Day Three Highlights

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Mirimar Cruises

Story Bridge

Greca Restaurant

Day Four

There aren’t many hiking opportunities near Brisbane, but we had heard about Mount Coot-tha, so on day four we headed that way. Back on the City Cat just a few stops to Regatta, where we admired the historic Regatta Hotel. We then walked more than two miles to the Brisbane Botanic Garden detouring unexpectedly through a very old cemetery. We were happy for the detour though because the cemetery offered some outstanding bird spotting opportunities.

We arrived at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, a wonderful large garden space and we were amazed it was free. The 56 hectare gardens are part of the city of Brisbane since 1970. A definite must-visit. The hike up Mount Coot-tha Reserve begins at this park. Starting at the Botanic Gardens visitor center the climb to the lookout is about two miles. The dirt path with several stair climbs meanders through native trees and flora and we spotted so many common and one rare bird.

Reaching the summit you are rewarded with a spectacular view back down to the city. If you aren’t up for the climb, it’s possible to drive or take a bus to the summit. We caught the bus back to the CBD.

Our final night in Brisbane we walked back to the South Bank and enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner with a lovely view of the river at River Quay Fish. Another perfect way to end another great Brisbane day.

Day Four Highlights

Regatta Hotel

Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Mount Coot-tha

River Quay Fish

Time to Go

Our four days in Brisbane was only the beginning of a two-month visit that will include Tasmania. As part of a visit to Brisbane it is an absolute must to head up to the Australia Zoo. We did this on day five as we headed out in our RV for a month on the road. I’ll talk about the Australia Zoo in next Friday’s blog post. But it would be easy to add it when you Visit Beautiful Brisbane Australia.

Next week I’ll have a post all about the amazing Irwin Family Australia Zoo

Visit Beautiful Brisbane Australia

Brisbane was so much better than I expected and I would love to visit again when all the construction has wrapped up. There are numerous museums we did not make it to, and wonderful performing arts of all kinds. One of Australia’s largest cities, I have to say it is now one of my favorite cities in the world.

Check back next week to learn more about our visit to the Australia Zoo and keep following as we continue our Australian journey.

See last week’s post Our Favorite Things to do in Panglao Bohol and our popular post Cooking Class in Hong Kong.

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Asia & Oceania Travel -- Island Life

Our Favorite Things to do in Panglao/Bohol, Philippines

November 3, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Panglao/Bohol, Philippines

We spent an entire month relaxing on the island of Panglao in the Philippines, a tiny island connected to the larger island of Bohol by a bridge. We came with few expectations. In fact, after a three week whirlwind of Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong, we were looking for some peace and quiet. We certainly found it, and a whole lot more. Panglao/Bohol is one of the most underrated destinations we have found. We loved it and will be back. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Panglao/Bohol Philippines.

Keeping it Simple

We originally thought we would rent a car for a couple of days to see some sights. But our wonderful Airbnb host suggested we not. He explained how crazy the drivers were, and we had to agree after just a few days of walking around. So instead we hired a private driver on two occasions to spend the day seeing sights. We also went by Tuk Tuk or Tri-Cab to a couple other sites and beaches close to our bungalow. The hired driver was safe and economical. Our host helped us secure a driver rather than going with a tour. Total cost of an entire day for two people was less for a private tour with driver than it would have been for us to go on a group tour on a bus. And we could pick and choose the sights we wanted to see.

Since we were in Panglao/Bohol for four weeks, we had lots of time to enjoy the sites as well as time to just do nothing. We like to do both! I understand most people probably won’t have a whole month, so I’m listing the things we did and how we liked them and you can pick and chose what works for you.

Weather

We spent the month of October, and every day was hot and humid. During the month we saw a couple of cloudy days and a couple of torrential downpours with thunder. Weather changes quickly so be prepared all the time. October is considered the end of the rainy season, with the dry season being December to May, however the high temperature does not fluctuate much throughout the year. It was 87 degrees Fahrenheit pretty much every single day.

So let me tell you our favorite things to do in Panglao/Bohol Philippines;

Wildlife

Our hands-down favorite was visiting the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary in Corella on the island of Bohol. If you only do one thing here it must be this. There are other places to see tarsiers on this island but the Philippine Tarsier Foundation is the one that is working to protect, save and conserve these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat for all to enjoy for generations to come.

Our visit included an informative video and then a guided tour into the forest to see up close and personal four Tarsiers who had bedded down for the day. Tarsiers are nocturnal, and because they feel safe, they return to the sanctuary each morning and spend the day. I was smitten by these darling, tiny and highly endangered little beauties. PLEASE don’t visit places that put Tarsiers in cages. These beautiful creatures only survive a very short time if in a cage. Visit the Philippine Tarsier Foundation.

Our second favorite was snorkeling the Napaling Reef with Freedive Academy Panglao. This reef is off the Northwest side of Panglao. This snorkel tour does not involve a boat, instead you are swimming right off shore in a beautiful protected reef. The highlight of this is to swim with millions of sardines…I am not kidding MILLIONS! There’s also many other tropical fish, and amazing coral. It was very cool, the water is clear and clean and our guide took so many great photos and videos for us to take home. Cost was only $20 per person. A must do in Panglao/Bohol Philippines!

Napaling Reef, Panglao

PLEASE NOTE – we chose not to swim with the Whale Sharks because we did not feel this activity was eco-friendly or sustainable for the health and welfare of the whales. We discourage you from doing this activity.

Waterfalls

We made our way to two waterfalls, both on Bohol. The first one is not far from the Chocolate Hills, but is down a long dirt road. Because the road to Pangas Falls is rough, not as many people visit. Our driver managed it and we were thrilled to arrive and find we were the only ones there. The set of small falls create a beautiful pool to swim in. Ropes are provided to pull yourself through what is a pretty strong current. It was a lot of fun and I am so glad we got to do this all by ourselves. Turned out to be one of our favorite things to do in Panglao/Bohol Philippines.

The second falls we went to was much taller. Can Umantad Falls is located a lot farther away from Panglao and it took us about two and a half hours to get there. We did not swim here although we could have and there were lots of visitors enjoying swimming. To get to the falls you have to pay a guy on a motor scooter to take you down the steep hill to the entrance of the falls. I wasn’t expecting that so I had to psych up to get on the back of that scooter. But it was very pretty and I’m glad we visited.

Caves

We visited two caves, one on Panglao close to our Airbnb and one on Bohol, more than two hours drive away. We loved the one on Panglao, but didn’t really love the second one.

On Panglao only about 15 min drive from where we were staying is Hinagdanan Cave. Entrance fee was under $2 and you walk down some dark stairs and then suddenly you are deep in the earth with the most crystal clear beautiful pool of freshwater. Life jackets are available if you need a boost of confidence, but we enjoyed a swim in the cool refreshing pool with the filtered sunlight coming through the top of the cave and the tiny bats flitting around. A definite must visit.

On Bohol, and about two hours from Alona Beach is the Cabagnow Cave Pool. This cave is deep but with a complete open top. You have to go down a steep ladder to enter. We were there right after a big rainstorm and the water was not very pleasant looking. I’ve seen photos where it is not so brown, but the day we visited it wasn’t very appealing. Also the care of the surrounding area is very poor, very muddy and rocky with no facilities, so we really thought we could have left this off our itinerary altogether. Disappointing. We only paid about $1 each so no great loss!

Popular Tourist Sights

There are several other miscellaneous sights scattered about with numerous options for getting to these sights. We did not do all the sights, some of them seeming a bit tacky to us, but here is what we did do;

Cadapdapan Rice Terraces – these beautiful terraced rice fields stretch golden across the landscape on the hill above the Can-Umantad Falls. When we visited rice was in harvest and along the stretch of road throughout the region rice is laid out to dry. Very pretty and worth a stop if you are in the region, easily combined with a visit to the falls. There is also a restaurant here.

Chocolate Hills – these geological formations are fascinating. And although the vantage to view them is very touristy, we are glad we went to learn. Wikipedia says – The Chocolate Hills form a rolling terrain of haycock-shaped hills—mounds of a generally conical and almost symmetrical shape.^[5] Estimated to be from 1,268 to about 1,776 individual mounds, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone. The domes vary in size from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 164 ft) high with the largest being 120 metres (390 ft) in height. One of Bohol’s best known tourist attractions.

Definitely worth a stop on Bohol.

A Few More Sites

Tigbao Bamboo Hanging Bridges – I had seen some photos of these twin bridges that hang over the Sipitan River and I wanted to check it out. So we did. To cross the bridge you pay less than $1, and the view is very pretty. Although the bridges sway, I felt completely safe.

Baclayon Church – historic and beautiful old Catholic Church built in 1727 of local limestone coral blocks, this is a favorite stop on most local tours. There is a museum, but we did not go inside, we just admired the exterior.

Beaches

We visited several tourist beaches during our stay and there are many more we did not visit. The most beautiful beach we thought was Dumaluan. There are many resorts on this stretch of white sand but we visited through a small private park and paid 100 pesos (about $2) for access to the beach for a day. Alona Beach, which was the closest one to our Airbnb, is also the most crowded and home to lots of resorts and departure point for dive boats. The Alona area of Panglao is definitely the tourist base, but it’s also pretty and a nice place to swim.

Dumaluan Beach a beautiful long stretch of white sand

Alona Beach is home to the tourism base on Panglao

Doljo Beach is also nice, but very shallow. Much of the island is surrounded by coral reef and you can walk hundreds of yards in shallow water. Doljo was like this but also beautiful. We spent a couple of hours on Momo Beach, where lots of locals and no tourists were enjoying the white sand. It was very swimable but a bit remote to get to.

Resort Day Use Pass

We discovered how inexpensive it is to visit local resorts on a day use pass and we took advantage on three occasions. All three were amazing and we definitely recommend this if you are staying in a place like our Airbnb that, although it has a pool, is not located near the beach. All passes included food and drink. We recommend the following;

Close to our Airbnb in Dinao

BE Grand Resort – This beautiful resort was about a mile from our Airbnb. There was a gorgeous pool, a lovely manmade sandy beach with stairs down to the ocean. We had one of the best meals we had all month in their restaurant. We paid 1200 pesos (about $22 USD) and that included $15 towards food and drinks. I really appreciated the beautiful and large locker room with showers.

Nightly rate at the beautiful BE Grand mid November starts about $140. This beautiful hotel would easily cost $600 a night in Maui.

Two on Doljo Beach an Easy Tuk Tuk Ride

Modala Resort – We really loved this beautiful beach resort as well. The pool was busy but very nice. A very shallow but long white beach fronts the property. Our lunch here was delicious and the service was great. We paid 950 pesos (about $18 USD) and that included $12 for food and drinks.

Nightly rate for mid November at Modala is around $253 per night.

The Bellevue Resort – not far from Modala Resort is The Bellevue Resort. We liked the pool here but the beach is very shallow. We had a nice relaxing day. Cost was 950 pesos (about $18) with 600 pesos for consumables. Restaurant was more expensive than the other two resorts but the food and service were excellent.

Nightly rate mid November at The Bellevue Resort is around $135 per night.

Clearly if you want the full resort experience but you are on a budget…Panglao is the place to go.

Morning Bloody Mary beach side at The Bellevue Resort

Authentic and delicious lunch at The Bellevue.

Restaurants

We used the tiny kitchen in our Airbnb most days as we usually do to stay on budget. However we did eat out a few times during our month on the island. Here are our favorites;

A Little More Upscale

The Pearl – located in the Linaw Beach Resort walking distance from our Airbnb. Our host recommended we visit and also made a reservation for us so we could sit with our toes in the sand at sunset. The service and view were impeccable. We had a full meal with several drinks and it was only $30. A lovely evening.

BE Grand Resort, The Food Hall – while visiting on a Day Pass to the BE Grand Resort we had what was possibly the best meal during our month. The service was amazing, and the food was on point, beautifully presented and absolutely delicious and authentic.

Our favorite meal in the Philippines at BE Grand

Gerardas Family Restaurant – our Airbnb host recommended this very authentically Filipino family restaurant and we are so glad he did. It was very inexpensive, (huge meal with drinks and desert $25) the service was great and we were able to try several delicious Filipino favorites. Several locations throughout the Bohol area. We enjoyed this place so much we went again on our final night on Panglao.

Halo Halo is a favorite local dessert of evaporated milk shaved ice and fruit at Gerarda’s

Very Casual

The Garden Cafe – my deaf friend Veronica, who used to live on Bohol, recommended this restaurant. It is a restaurant that employs deaf people from Bohol. We liked this concept and wanted to support their cause. We enjoyed our meal especially the lumpia. $28 for a big lunch.

Toto e’ Peppino Pizza and Italiano Restaurant – we went looking for a Taco place we had heard good reviews about, but when we found it closed we ended up at this wonderful little Italian spot. Pizza was authentic and delicious, service was great and as usual…so inexpensive. $18 dollars for pizza, salad and beer.

Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro – this highly rated Alona area restaurant says it’s Thai, but we actually didn’t find much Thai on the menu. However we did find delicious food, giant portions, lovely service and great prices. Our dinner was $25 and we took lots of food home.

The Signature Dish – Garlic Shrimp at Garlic n’ Lemon Bistro

Guitarwoodhouse – We came to the Guitarwoodhouse just because it was a must see. We only had a beer and an appetizer (an authentic Filipino pork dish called sisig), but the Guitarwoodhouse has a full menu, bar and nightly music in a unique setting.

Much More

There is much more to do on this beautiful island, and we think we should come back and visit again. We did not get out to any of the outlying islands but there are multiple options to do this. Diving, snorkeling and free diving are very popular activities and draw the most visitors.

Our Airbnb bungalow was perfect for a long stay, complete with pool, bottled water and a kind and helpful host. We paid with tax and fees $69 per night. Rate varies by season. With a long stay it included a weekly house cleaning. We would definitely stay here again.

How To Get Here

Originally we had booked an Airbnb in Cebu City on the island of Cebu. But that got canceled, and in hindsight we are so grateful it did. Otherwise we would not have ended up on Panglao/Bohol. But we already had a flight to Cebu City from Manila that we couldn’t change. So from Cebu City we took the two hour ferry to Bohol. See it here.

However, there is no reason to go through Cebu. You can fly direct to the newly opened Panglao Airport from Manila. There are also direct flights to Panglao from Korea.

We Will Be Back

We did not meet any other Americans. This surprised us given how popular Vietnam and Thailand are with American travelers, why not here? Likely the Americans here are staying at the resorts or are full-time expats we did not encounter. It’s a very inexpensive place to retire. We only met a couple of Europeans. Most the visitors are Korean, Japanese and Chinese. We thought it was an outstanding destination.

We had the best day snorkeling Napaling Reef

Our Favorite Things to do in Panglao/Bohol Philippines

Thank you for reading our post Our Favorite Things to do in Panglao/Bohol Philippines. We definitely think more people should visit here. It is so inexpensive, and also beautiful. The beaches are clean and the food is good and the people are friendly. It is now the most, budget friendly place we have ever visited since we started our world travels more than seven years ago. It beat out Bulgaria by about $15 per day. You should get here before the secret is out.

Our next stop is Australia for two months…we hope you will continue to follow us on our Grand Adventure.

See last week’s post Cooking Class in Hong Kong with Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio

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Asia & Oceania Travel -- Food & Drink

Cooking Class in Hong Kong with Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio

October 27, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Hong Kong

Y’all know I love to eat. And I love to cook as much as I love to eat. Traveling around the world gives me such great opportunities to learn and eat the best of all the countries and cultures we explore. It’s rare that I don’t love the food in a country we are visiting, and our visit last month to Hong Kong China was one of the best. So let me tell you about our Cooking Class in Hong Kong with Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio.

See my post My Favorite Cooking Classes Around the World here

Cantonese Cuisine

What is Cantonese cuisine? Focused on fresh ingredients but also relying on many dried ingredients for flavor, Cantonese cuisine is well known in the USA because of so many immigrants. Pork, chicken and beef are common but so is offal, chicken feet, duck tongue, snails and other seafood.

Rice with Sausage was one of the best things we ate while in Hong Kong

There are so many delicious dishes in the Cantonese cuisine from fried rice, beef with noodles, greens in oyster sauce, and so much more. While visiting Hong Kong we really enjoyed rice with Chinese Sausage, Beef with noodles, Rice Noodles, Lo Mein, Wonton Soup, Spare Ribs, Congee and Fried Chicken to name a few.

Pots n’ Pans

I found Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio through Viator. I’m sure glad I did. This beautiful cooking studio was founded in 2013 and our instructor (owner) Bill spoke perfect English and guided us through a private cooking class. Classes often include a market tour, and you can book private or group tours with Bill. I highly recommend this experience if you are considering visiting Hong Kong. We enjoyed it very much. Be sure to come hungry!

Cooking Class in Hong Kong with Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio

We arrived at the studio in the Kwun Tong area of Kowloon easily via subway. Bill was very flexible for our arrival time since we were the only ones in this particular class. Bill put together a wonderful course and menu for us that included; Pork Dumplings, Stir Fry French Beans with minced pork, Fried Rice with fermented veg and Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs.

We started by getting the ribs going, because they would take the longest. We browned the ribs then added ingredients for the ribs to slowly cook in a broth of sugar, ginger, vinegar, Xiaoxing wine, and soy sauce. After more than an hour, the ribs were absolutely delicious, fall apart tender and one of the best things I have ever eaten. I will definitely make these at home.

While the meat was slowly braising on the stove top we made dumplings filled with minced pork, ginger and green onions. I’ve made dumplings before. They take some practice, but we did pretty good. We then browned the dumplings on the stove top before adding a mix of water, corn starch cooking wine, oil and soy sauce. These little pillows of goodness were served with a dipping sauce of soy, sugar and chili oil. OMG. Yummy.

We stir fried the rest of the minced pork mixture while parboiling the beautiful French green beans. We tossed all that together with some chicken stock, soy sauce, cooking wine and sugar, let it reduce then serve.

We quickly stir fried the pre-cooked rice, mixing in a delicious ingredient I have never seen before – a fermented greens and olive paste from a jar. It added such a delicious flavor and texture to the fried rice. At the last minute we tossed in some toasted pine nuts.

Bill was so easy to work with. Here we stir fry the rice with fermented vegetables and olives

So Much Food

We sat down to enjoy this amazing feast and we ate until we thought we would explode. And then, we took home a big doggy bag which we enjoyed again the next day back in our Airbnb for dinner. I know I can make all of these dishes back home, or even on the road as we continue our travels. Simple and fresh ingredients, with a touch of Cantonese love. Perfect.

Come to Hong Kong

We loved our week in Hong Kong and expect we will come again. Whether you are here for a week or just a few days, spending a few hours with Bill at Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio is a must. We would do it again!

Thank you for reading my post Cooking Class in Hong Kong with Pots n’ Pans Cooking Studio. You can try these simple recipes at home yourself…or visit Hong Kong…you won’t be sorry.

Read last week’s post Visiting Hong Kong for the First Time here.

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Visiting Hong Kong for the First Time

October 20, 2023

Laureen

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Oh we have tried to get to Hong Kong twice in the past. And for one reason or another it just never happened. But this year, we made it a priority. I really wanted to see this city, but I was also a little nervous knowing how immense it was. But we went, we saw, we ate and oh what a place. I know we will visit again. Here is my post Visiting Hong Kong for the First Time.

This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Hong Kong.

Gigantic

As we drove in after dark (our flight was delayed from Manila), the lights of this city of nearly 8 million seem to go on forever. And not just forever but up…this city is built to touch the sky with literally thousands and thousands of skyscrapers as far as you can see. I was feeling a little intimidated at the mass of it all.

The Big Bus

Luckily we made the right decision to get tickets to The Big Bus, a hop-on -hop-off bus that goes all over the most touristy parts of Hong Kong and Stanley Island. This was a very good decision because it really helped us with the scale of the place and to understand where everything was. Our two day pass allowed us to do both the red line (Hong Kong Island), the green line (out to beautiful Stanley Island) and the Star Ferry that crosses Victoria Harbor from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. We did all of that. It was great.

On Kowloon we walked the waterfront boardwalk on a spectacular sunny day. We also visited the Ladies Market, the Flower Market and the Bird Market.

Another perk of the Big Bus Ticket was it gave us a round trip ticket to take the funicular tram up to Victoria Peak. We did this on day two and it was another great way to get the lay of the land. The tram takes about ten minutes to get to the top. It’s not a gondola it’s on a track, but it is so steep I couldn’t believe it. At the top you have wonderful views back down to the city. We took a hike around the circular trail at the top and enjoyed that excursion very much.

Harbor Lights

Every evening at 8pm a light show with music commences on the waterfront of Victoria Harbor. It’s a synchronized light show that illuminates buildings on both sides of the harbor. We enjoyed it but it wasn’t nearly as impressive as the show we saw in Shanghai.

Food Tour

We booked ahead of time with With Locals to do a food walking tour. We met our guide Angel in the area called the Dry Fish Street. It was fascinating to walk around and see all the dried fish products for sale as well as many other things like mushrooms, seeds, sausage and plants. The Cantonese cuisine uses these products regularly in daily meals but the street was exceptionally busy getting ready for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.

With Angel we visited a very authentic Dim Sum restaurant that a visitor would never be able to find and we had so many great dishes. I love this style of eating, like tapas or small plates, but you eat until you are full. Next we visited a very ancient temple Man Mo, a quirky local store and a former prison now a museum called The Prison Yard. We tasted a special tea, a delicious beef soup and a lovely bowl of noodles. We ended our tour with a popular sweet called a Pineapple Bun (not actually made of pineapple but shaped like one) and a tea/coffee/milk mixture very popular on a hot day. We highly recommend this tour.

We also did a cooking class, but I’m going to tell you all about that in next week’s blog post. Here is a sneak peek photo. 🙂

Lamma Island

We decided to take a 40 minute ferry to Lamma Island, one of the smaller islands in this region of islands. Lamma has no cars, and is home to a large fishing fleet. There are two paved trails to circumnavigate the island. We walked from the small town of Yung Shue Wan where the ferry let us off to the even smaller fishing town of Sok Kwu Wan where we caught another ferry. The ferry ride itself was a lovely way to see the area but we were so glad we took the time to visit this tiny island. Such a change from past-paced Hong Kong. I think it would be an attractive place to live and commute into the city – giving you time away from the hustle and bustle.

Hong Kong Palace Museum

Hong Kong is home to a handful of museums, and at the recommendation of our cooking class instructor we visited the Hong Kong Palace Museum to see two special exhibitions. This beautiful museum overlooking the water was so unexpected. We learned a great deal about ancient Chinese history, art and culture. I highly recommend it.

Eating

We were very adventurous in our eating, popping into some tiny places we stumbled on. Dim Sum, noodles, sausage and delicious stir fried greens made me very happy at our meals. We also discovered how popular the Portuguese sweet called Pastel de Nata is and the Mid-Autumn Festival speciality Moon Cake. After a week of the most delicious Cantonese Food we enjoyed an Italian Feast on our final night. Although we highly recommend eating the local food while in Hong Kong you can also find just about any other cuisines of the world.

We loved this simple dish of sausage and rice

Our final night. Cheers Hong Kong and thank you.

Getting Around Hong Kong

Getting around a city of nearly 8 million people might at first glance seem daunting. But let me tell you it was so very simple. Hong Kong is home to an exceptional subway system, an above ground tram(rail) system, a massive bus system and an impressive ferry system. All of these were efficient, clean, on time, easy to figure out and inexpensive.

The old track style tram still very popular with locals

Surprisingly Inexpensive

Maybe because I was thinking about our visits to Tokyo or Singapore I was expecting Hong Kong to be expensive. It was not. All of our restaurant visits were less than $30 for two with drinks, except for our last night where we spent about $120 for an upscale meal. We purchased some breakfast groceries and they were very inexpensive. Transportation was inexpensive and tipping is usually not expected. I did very little shopping but I looked at a couple of ladies clothing stores and I was definitely tempted. Beautiful blouse for $13, a winter coat for $30.

We Did Not See it All

It’s a big place and it was really hot and humid, which wore us out by the end of each day. We wanted to see the Dragon Dance for the Mid-Autumn Festival but it was suffocatingly packed with bodies I couldn’t take it so we decided to forego it.

Next time we will also spend a day on Stanley Island, home to the famous Stanley Island Market. We also will next time visit the giant Buddha on Lantau Island, which is home to a monastery that serves delicious vegetarian food. And finally, we tried to go to a performance at the beautiful performing arts center in Kowloon but we just couldn’t make any of the offerings fit our schedule. Too bad as it looked amazing with symphonies, ballet and much more.

Visting Hong Kong for the First Time

Kowloon side of the Harbor looking at Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Island side of the Harbor looking at Kowloon

It’s a wonderful city. Friendly, clean, efficient and inexpensive. Everyone speaks English and they are helpful and welcoming. They have some strong opinions about their place in the world and in China, and I loved hearing their input about that. Hong Kong has a long and wonderful history, and I hope the people can continue to be autonomous and flourish. We certainly hope to visit again.

Thanks for reading my post Visiting Hong Kong for the First Time. Come back next week to learn about the cooking class we took in Hong Kong.

See last week’s post Birds of Papua New Guinea.

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Asia & Oceania Travel -- Island Life

Birds of Papua New Guinea

October 13, 2023

Laureen

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Birds of Papua New Guinea: A Paradise for Avian Enthusiasts (most of the photos in this post are from Canva)

PLEASE see Special Note at the bottom of this post about Woodland Park Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Survival Program

Papua New Guinea, a country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and incredible biodiversity. Among its many natural wonders, Papua New Guinea is home to an astonishing array of bird species. It is a paradise for avian enthusiasts and ornithologists alike. My husband and I consider ourselves amateurs, but are nonetheless enthusiastic about spotting and tracking birds in our travels. The birds of Papua New Guinea were fascinating.

So Many Unique Birds

With over 700 recorded bird species, Papua New Guinea boasts one of the highest avian diversities in the world. Its unique geographical location, encompasses both tropical rainforests and highland habitats. This provides a wide range of ecosystems that support a remarkable variety of bird life. From the lowland jungles to the misty mountain peaks, Papua New Guinea offers a birdwatching experience like no other.

Raggiana Bird of Paradise

One of the most iconic bird species found in Papua New Guinea is the Raggiana bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea raggiana). This striking bird, with its vibrant red and yellow plumage and long, elegant tail feathers, is the national bird of Papua New Guinea. The male Raggiana bird-of-paradise performs elaborate courtship displays, showcasing its magnificent plumage and unique dance moves to attract a mate. Witnessing this spectacle in person is an unforgettable experience that highlights the beauty and diversity of Papua New Guinea’s avifauna.

King of Saxony Bird of Paradise

One of the most amazing birds we had the opportunity to see was the King of Saxony Bird of Paradise. Although he stayed very high up in the tree, we spent a long time in a raised “blind” built for bird viewing and watched the display of the King of Saxony’s incredible head feathers.

King of Saxony and his showy head feathers

Watching King of Saxony high in the tree showing off his very long feathers

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

Another fascinating bird species found in Papua New Guinea is the Victoria crowned pigeon (Goura victoria). This large, ground-dwelling bird is known for its regal appearance, with a beautiful blue-gray plumage, a fan-shaped crest, and bright red eyes. The Victoria crowned pigeon is endemic to the island of New Guinea and can be spotted in the lowland rainforests. Its unique appearance and gentle nature make it a favorite among birdwatchers and photographers.

Papuan Lorikeet

One of my favorites we spotted high in the mountains was the beautiful Papuan Lorikeet which we saw at the very end of our birdwatching days. It gave us a brief show and we were so impressed.

Stephanie’s Astrapia

Papua New Guinea is also home to a wide range of bird species that are endemic to the region, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. These include the stunning Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia (Astrapia stephaniae). This bird-of-paradise species has iridescent green and purple plumage. We got up close and personal with the Astrapia and although the IPhone isn’t great for wildlife photos I did manage a video of this illusive bird. Exploring the remote and untouched habitats of Papua New Guinea allows bird enthusiasts to encounter these unique and rare species up close.

My video capture Stephanie’s Astrapia

Where to View Birds of Papua New Guinea

In addition to its diverse bird life, Papua New Guinea offers a variety of birdwatching opportunities for enthusiasts. The country is home to several national parks and conservation areas, such as Varirata National Park and the Tari Gap, which provide excellent birdwatching trails and observation points. Local guides and birding tours are available to assist visitors in spotting and identifying the numerous bird species found in these areas.

Brown Sickle Bill wasn’t shy and he was fun to watch his unique feeding style

Conservation of Birds of Papua New Guinea

However, it is important to note that Papua New Guinea’s avian paradise faces numerous challenges. Deforestation, habitat loss, and illegal wildlife trade pose significant threats to the country’s bird populations. Conservation efforts, such as the establishment of protected areas and community-based initiatives, are crucial. Efforts that will preserve Papua New Guinea’s unique avifauna for future generations.

Bird watching in Papua New Guinea offers a remarkable diversity of bird species in breathtaking natural settings. From the vibrant Raggiana bird-of-paradise to the regal Victoria crowned pigeon, the country’s avian inhabitants never fail to captivate and inspire. By exploring Birds of Papua New Guinea we not only gain a deeper appreciation for the natural world but also contribute to the conservation of these magnificent creatures. I am so grateful I had this unique opportunity.

SPECIAL NOTE

Because many of my readers are from the greater Seattle area I want to point out something about the Woodland Park Zoo. I often see people criticizing zoos. While this was a valid position in the past, in today’s world it no longer is. Today’s reputable zoos, such as Woodland Park, are NOT animals in the cages. Woodland Park is a conservation organization focused on preserving endangered species of the world and educating humans on their impact to wildlife. Woodland Park is home to a renowned Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program focused on the endangered Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo of Papua New Guinea. Begun in 1996 the program helps the people of PNG understand and protect the Matschies. It also educates on how deforestation and mining can cause extinction.

The program at The Woodland Park Zoo is run by Lisa Dabek, Phd, Program Director and Senior Conservation Scientist. Originally from New York City, Lisa started studying Matschies tree kangaroos in 1987 as part of her graduate studies at the University of Washington.

The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) is the umbrella name for the partnership between the Woodland Park Zoo’s TKCP and TKCP-PNG, an independent non-governmental organization registered in Papua New Guinea. THIS is why zoos are important.

Do Your Research

Thank you for reading Birds of Papua New Guinea. I hope in your travels you will seek out conservation programs to learn and get up close with local wildlife. These are the opportunities to see wildlife but in a way that is safe for both animals and humans. We have done this in many countries around the world and never engage in unethical tourist -wildlife encounters.

Be sure to read my post from the rest of our experiences in this remarkable country My Adventures in Papua New Guinea.

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Asia & Oceania Travel -- Inspire

My Adventure in Papua New Guinea

October 6, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Papua New Guinea

I spent 12 days in Papua New Guinea in September. Twelve remarkable days. I learned and saw so much…and yet…just scratched the surface of this uniquely fascinating, isolated and diverse culture. I don’t know it all, but here is what I know – My Adventure in Papua New Guinea.

Why Papua New Guinea

It’s taken me a few weeks to finalize this blog post – there was so much to consider. During my visit to PNG many of my followers reached out asking why we had chosen to visit this remote destination. The best way I can answer this question is this; as we have explored the world these past seven years, our thirst to deeply experience new cultures has grown. Seven years ago I could not have found Papua New Guinea on a map. Today, after visiting so many nations (both highly touristed and off the beaten track), I want more. I am not satiated – rather I’m intrigued, engaged, and astounded. The clarity and understanding that comes from travel takes hold of something deep inside. It opens your heart and mind to tolerance and broadens a quest for understanding. And if I am doing anything right, travel gives me an opportunity to share an inclusive understanding of the world.

As we begin to explore lesser-traveled destinations, we find ourselves booking more tours than at anytime before in our travels. Like last spring in Bolivia (see A Very Big Bolivian Adventure here), booking with a reputable company was important for our visit to Papua New Guinea.

Ancient

Relatively little archeological work has been carried out on the island of New Guinea. On the basis of current evidence, it has been postulated that parts of New Guinea were occupied as early as 50,000 years ago. This population is primarily the Melanesian people. The Melanesians are an ancient group who migrated from Asian areas to populate the island now known as New Guinea. (Source Britanica)

This ancient peoples developed into regional tribal structures throughout today’s New Guinea, living off the land and the sea and often warring with each other. Today Papua New Guinea has more than 800 tribal languages – a reflection of the insular tribal system that has endured for tens of thousands of years.

Tribal

Considered one of the world’s most remote and least explored areas, Papua New Guinea remains a mysterious and misunderstood place in the world. A country of some 7 million people, there are anywhere from 350 to 600 distinct tribes depending on which source you reference. Many tribes continue to live in such remote areas they have little contact with the outside world. Parts of the country, particularly in the north, experience tribal warfare even today and are considered too dangerous for visitors.

Missionaries

The earliest missionaries are thought to have arrived on the island in the 1500’s and continue to have a presence among the island people today. Through colonization, de-colonization and eventually independence in 1976, missionaries have provided stable assistance in education and religion for many of the local people. Today much of the population claims to be Christian at some level.

Goroka Festival

The reason we visited Papua New Guinea in September is to attend the annual Goroka Festival, the oldest continuous festival in the nation, and where I took the majority of these photos. The Goroka Festival, always held the weekend of Independence Day, was founded by Australian missionaries in 1957. It was conceived as a way to bring tribes together in a non-violent way and to celebrate the individual differences and diversity of the island nation.

The 2023 Goroka Festival we attended was the largest festival ever held, bringing 157 tribes together from around the country. Many tribes cannot afford to attend the festival annually…so we were thrilled to witness the largest one ever held. Some tribes walk for a week to get to the three-day festival in the mountain town of Goroka (population 19,000).

Black Face Jumping Tribe at the Goroka Festival

VIP Treatment

About three-hundred VIP guest tickets are allowed. This gives access to people like me, to be up close and personal with the various tribes on the festival grounds (a soccer field). We were allowed access to the tribal celebrations from 8am to 2pm on each day, before the gates were open to the general public. Each tribe brings to the event their special form of traditional dress, dance and music. Known as a “sing-sing”, some of the tribes do a “sing-sing” style dance with music while other tribes have a more military style of marching. Still others present a seated “sing-sing”. It was loud, colorful, a bit overwhelming and an absolutely remarkable thing to behold. I felt very grateful to witness something so few outsiders ever get to see.

Some of the most fascinating tribes we found were the Huli Wig Men, the Mossmen of Jiwaka and the jumping Black Face Tribe. Such a fascinating difference between the look and dance styles makes it clear how little interaction the tribes have with each other.

Village Visits

As part of our tour we also had a unique opportunity to visit several villages throughout the country. Our first opportunity was the Asaro Mud Men Eco Lodge village, where, during the Goroka Festival, numerous tribes from the region come together to share with guests music, stories, arts and crafts, food and dance. We spent several hours here getting our first taste of the wide variety of cultures of the Island. The event provided photo opportunities as well as a chance to talk to some of the local people about their crafts and way of life. The fascinating Asaro Mud Men, the cane swallowing Bena Tribe and the Oma Bruglgoma Skeleton Tribe were all fascinating.

After we left the Goroka Festival and drove to the Mount Hagen region, we had another full day of visiting small villages. On this day we visited a small mountain village where they presented two dances and showed how they use a bamboo flute. We visited another village where we learned about ancient tools and beliefs and were greeted by the chief, his wife, mother and grandmother.

Everyday Life

At another small village we saw the local people panning for gold, drying coffee beans and cooking the evening meal. It’s important to note that most villagers today only don the traditional costume and makeup for festivals, ceremonies, special guests, weddings, funerals and holidays. On a day to day basis they will dress in informal work clothing like you see in the photos below.

The Huli Wigmen

And finally my absolute favorite village visit was to the Huli Wigman village. These fascinating people have such a unique custom for the young men in the tribe.

Visting the Huli Wigman Village. The chief in the middle and his son on the right. The chief has a small reed pierced through his nose indicating his status.

The clothes, colors and headdresses are complemented by a dramatic wig worn only by men. Each wig is made from their own hair. The process of making a wig takes 18 months. Young boys are sent to “wig school” to make their wig from their own hair as it grows during the 18 months. Only virgin boys can make the wigs. Sometimes boys and men make several wigs in their lifetime. At first glance it’s hard to tell that the headdress is made from human hair. Some of the head pieces are so intricate and are decorated with feathers and other natural items.

In addition to this amazing cultural ritual, the high pitched musical song the Huli sing while dancing is distinctive and mesmerizing.

They look fierce but they were so nice and welcoming to us

Listen to the high note and remember the head dress is made from hair

Cannibalism

Because I have been asked about cannibalism I must take a moment to answer this question here. It is well documented that a couple of the tribes of Papua New Guinea have practiced cannibalism. But it is not a custom among the majority of tribes. It is possible it still happens today…our guide told us the last documented incident was in 2016. To be clear, cannibalism in Papau New Guinea is not about a source of food…rather it is believed by some tribes that eating the brain of a revered family member or chief or even of an enemy killed in warfare will give the person strength and special powers.

But the truth was that the few tribes practicing cannibalism begun to experience serious deadly disease that was annihilating their tribes. Sometimes called “laughing disease” those who ate the dead bodies usually were dead themselves within a year.

The practice is illegal and education efforts have been made to help the tribes understand how dangerous it is. Learn more about it here.

How to Visit Papua New Guinea

My Adventure in Papua New Guinea was remarkable. Writing this blog post has been difficult, because this experience was difficult, but also incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to visit one of the most remote and unexplored places in the world was such a gift. I have no regrets.

That said, this is not a place for everyone. It’s hard to be here. Accommodations are basic to say the least. It’s hot. But also cold and wet (we went as high as 9000 feet in elevation). Infrastructure is poor. Flights are often canceled or delayed…roads are truly awful in certain places. There are bugs and snakes. And the food is bland, starchy and usually poorly seasoned and served lukewarm. But I felt safe and everyone we met was friendly and welcoming. The people are somewhat shy, soft-spoken and as interested in us as we were in them. They are extremely patriotic.

Moon Mountain Lodge was at 5000 foot elevation

You need a guide to see this country and many guiding services are available. We chose to do a group tour with a company called Indigo Safaries-The Best of Papua New Guinea Tours. This company does the annual Goroka Festival as well as takes guests to the Sepik River region and on diving excursions.

Flying is useful since the infrastructure is poor.

If you are interested in visiting, I highly recommend coming during September and experiencing the Goroka Festival. You won’t ever forget it. But additionally, the country is host to several other tribal festivals through out the year so do your research. Hopefully My Adventure in Papua New Guinea has opened your eyes to this unusual destination.

Everyone was so friendly at the Goroka Festival

My Adventure in Papua New Guinea

Next week I will share with you about the stunning bird life we discovered in Papua New Guinea. A truly phenomenal collection of rare and beautiful birds call New Guinea home. Check back next week for another new post. And watch for lots of new posts in the weeks ahead about Hong Kong and Bohol Philippines.

If you want to see about our upcoming destinations read Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins here.

As always, we thank you for engaging in our posts, pinning, sharing, and commenting. Thank you for reading my post My Adventure in Papua New Guinea.

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Asia & Oceania Travel

Korean Spa – Some Like it Hot

March 3, 2023

Laureen

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Location: Korea

As we celebrate our tenth birthday of My Fab Fifties Life, today I re-share one of my favorite blog posts from way back in the beginning…Korean Spa – Some Like it Hot! Enjoy it again or for the very first time. Thanks for helping us celebrate ten years!

I’m discovering the Korean people love to be hot. Setting the temperature in our hotel room lower than 80 * Fahrenheit is nearly impossible. The toilet seat is heated and so are seats in the car.

And they love their hot baths and saunas. And now I do too.

I was a little apprehensive about going into the sauna the first time. Only apprehensive because I’m not used to walking around naked with people I don’t know. This apparently is not a problem for the Koreans. And frankly why it is for Americans I’m not sure. We do obsess a great deal about our bodies. God knows mine is far from perfect. But what is perfect anyway? Wouldn’t it be great if we all just were satisfied with ourselves?

Some Like it Hot

I tried to think like this in the sauna. No one paid any attention to me here. You shower first, then choose between three different pools; hot (44 C), medium (41 C) and cool (21 C). There is also a 95 C dry sauna, a 73 C wet sauna and a sun lamp room in addition to several stations to wash and scrub yourself.

After two days of visiting the spa I decided to tackle the massage and body scrub. I was met by a tiny little lady, the only person in the spa wearing a bathing suit (or perhaps it was her underwear, I’m not exactly sure). She motioned me into the small room adjacent to the spa and encouraged me to get up on the bed face up. She spoke only Korean except for the word “okay” which she used to show me I was following her instructions correctly.

Every Crease and Crevice

She then proceeded to scrub the hell out of my skin. Using what I think was mitts on her hands that were abrasive and using some abrasive concoction she scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. With my eyes closed I had the image of me in my kitchen at home using my Brillo to scrub away baked-on macaroni and cheese. She scrubbed every nook, cranny, crevice and crease of my body, and I mean every crease and crevice – she was very thorough and diligent in her task. For an hour she scrubbed away years of dead skin, old suntans and crud. She even tried to scrub away a few scars. I have a permanent mark on my sternum where my running bra abrades me. She did her best to scrub that sucker away.

I wear a patch on my belly that is hormone replacement therapy. I hadn’t even thought about the patch, but she scrubbed that away too. I have no idea if she knew what it was but I felt it rip off and I laid there mentally calculating how many more I had in my suitcase. Just hoping the loss of one wouldn’t make me come up short before I headed home to my pharmacist.

She scrubbed my armpits and I was wishing I had shaved that morning. She scrubbed my breasts and I opened my eyes to peek and make sure my nipples were still there. She scrubbed my neck, my ears and every toe and finger.

She then soaped me up and I nearly shot right off the plastic covered bed like an oiled pig for being so slippery…she tossed large tubs of hot water all over me and I nearly drowned. And I loved every minute of it.

Okay Okay

“Okay, Okay” she said and sent me off to shower and soak in the pools while she cleaned the room and prepared for my massage.

I returned and she was waiting for me and I laid down again, top up. She rubbed me down, starting with my face with an oil that smelled of the sea, fresh but also of seaweed. She used another implement that was wood and covered with nodules to rub my body head to toe. She occasionally would throw a bucket of hot water on me and then begin again. She covered my face with a hot towel and then I heard her scraping something. It sounded like my kitchen grater…and then the unmistakable smell of fresh cucumber. She grated and grated and then proceeded to artistically cover my entire face with the freshly and finely grated cucumber mash. And suddenly I was hungry and my stomach growled.

While lunch sat on my face she continued my massage. She found the knot in my neck where my massage therapist at home has spent a lot of time and energy. My Korean masseuse was hell-bent on undoing this knot and she worked and worked it. It was both painful and pleasurable. She even massaged my belly, almost as if she was trying to manipulate my liver and kidneys. Oops, and my bladder. I hoped she would avoid that area or else I wasn’t gonna make it through this torture without a potty break.

Finally she removed the salad from my face, lightly washed and dried my face and then it was time for dessert. Yes I said dessert. She drizzled honey all over my face and rubbed and patted it into my skin before saying “Okay okay” and had me roll over to my belly.

Not Done Yet!

And then she started on my backside. During this 30 minutes she made my sciatica feel fabulous and my lower back feel young again. She used a pumice stone on my feet and scraped away the dead skin and calluses. She kneaded my neck further and worked my shoulders and arms.

“Okay okay” and I rolled over again, thinking we must be done, but no. She washed my face again, poured more water all over me and then had me scoot all the way to the top of the table where she proceeded to wash my hair and scrub my scalp. Really, when has your masseuse ever done this?

Finally, after nearly three hours, “Okay okay” and I am done. Off to the showers I was sent.

My day at the Korean spa was not just a body scrub and massage, it was a facial and a hair care and pure ecstasy. My inhibitions are gone forever and I am now a super fan of Korean Spa Life. I will absolutely do this again.

And by the way, three hours and all this only cost me $75. Wow. I’m really starting to enjoy Korea.

All photos in this blog post from Canva.

See last week’s post about Cooking Class in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Next week we will share our final Nicaragua post about amazing San Juan del Sur.

See this week’s top performing post Twelve Things to do on the Island of Roatan.

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