My Fab Fifties Life - travel experience Archives - Page 5 of 11

Asia & Oceania Travel

Visit Beautiful Brisbane Australia

November 10, 2023

Leave a Comment

13 Comments

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.

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.

Our Pinterest followers are loving this pin this week Visting Hong Kong for the First Time – have you engaged with it?

We love it when you pin, share and comment on our posts. Thank you so much.

Leave a comment

Our Favorite Things to do in Panglao/Bohol, Philippines

November 3, 2023

Laureen

Leave a Comment

19 Comments

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

Our Pinterest followers are loving this post this week Birds of Papua New Guinea. Have you engaged with it yet?

We love it when you comment, pin and share our posts. Thank you.

Leave a comment

Asia & Oceania Travel -- Food & Drink

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

October 27, 2023

Laureen

Leave a Comment

14 Comments

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.

Our Pinterest followers are loving this post this week Birds of Papua New Guinea. Have you engaged with it?

We love it when you comment, pin and share our blog posts.

Leave a comment

Reading Wednesday

Book Review Dare to Travel Solo by Katherine Leamy

October 11, 2023

Laureen

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

Over the years of my travel blogging life I have had the unique opportunity to get to know other travel bloggers, vloggers and authors. Katherine Leamy is one of those. Although we have never met (yet) we have a great deal in common. I was very excited to read her new book written to explain how she became “The 5 Kilo Traveler”. Here is my book review Dare to Travel Solo by Katherine Leamy.

Just a Regular Mom

Katherine is many things,but not always a solo traveler. She is a wife, a mom, a nurse, a friend. And yet something was nagging at her and she felt she needed to get out of the box and try something new and daring. No her marriage wasn’t falling apart, or her job driving her crazy. She just felt the need to embark on a solo adventure and see what she might find there.

Croatia

So, with the blessing of her family, she embarked on her first ever solo trip, with only a backpack, to Croatia. Dare to Travel Solo chronicles her day to day adventures, the people she met, the experiences she had, and how she conquered her fear. This trip set her on a course to be a solo traveler, and to encourage other travelers to travel light with a back pack only.

A Following

Along the way she discovered there are many people like her interested in making the leap to solo travel and lightweight travel. And so the book became a goal too – a guide to help others see their own possibilities. As I type this, I’m in the Philippines and my friend Kathrine is on her way to Japan to hike…carrying as little as possible for her next adventure.

Like me, Katherine encourages others to find what works for them in travel, seize the moment without fear and get out there! Do it now, do it soon and don’t find yourself regretting never doing it.

Dare to Travel Solo

****Four Stars for Dare to Travel Solo.

Are you ready to travel solo? Thanks for reading my book review Dare to Travel Solo by Katherine Leamy. Have fun Katherine!! https://www.instagram.com/the5kilotraveller/

Read last week’s book review Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio. We appreciate your comments and shares.

Leave a comment

Asia & Oceania Travel -- Inspire

My Adventure in Papua New Guinea

October 6, 2023

Laureen

Leave a Comment

21 Comments

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.

Leave a comment

South & Central America Travel

So Much to Love About Mexico City

Ciudad de Mexico

September 29, 2023

Laureen

Leave a Comment

6 Comments

Location: Ciudad de Mexico

Despite our hundreds of countries and thousands of miles covered over the years, we had never made it to Ciudad de Mexico until late 2021. At that time we came just to enjoy a week long Eating My Way Through Mexico City food tour…thinking that was all there was to do. Boy were we wrong. So, we couldn’t wait to get back to this fascinating and historic place because there is just so much to love about Mexico City.

Ciudad de Mexico

Beyond the food – which is phenomenal and inexpensive, CDMX has some of the friendliest people, most beautiful architecture, incredible ancient and recent history, fantastic parks and green spaces, so many museums and… well should I mention the food again? So on this our second visit, we dug deeper to find more of the heart of this place which helped us to realize there is so much to love about Mexico City.

Fabulous green spaces and parks in the city

Museo Nacional de Anthropologia

We spent three amazing hours at the Museo Nacional de Anthropologia and you could easily spend an entire day. A vast and impressive collection that chronicles the ancient and recent history of the geology, people, and arts of Mexico. One of the best museums I have ever been to any where in the world…and that is saying something. Tours are available but it is simple enough to do without a guide. Entry fee is around $5. The museum also houses a fantastic restaurant with foods that focus on each distinctive region of Mexico. Do not miss.

Free Walking Tour

On our last visit we did an incredible free walking tour (tip-based) in the regions surrounding the beautiful historic centro area. I highly recommend that if it’s your first visit to Mexico City. This time we decided to do a free walking tour of the Roma Condesa, the neighborhood where our hotel was. We used Estacion Mexico, the same tour we used last year. Our guide Eduardo was funny, knowledgeable and passionate about this place. We loved it!

Ballet Folkloric

We try to do cultural performances whenever we can. And we often do performances just to see local performance venues. This Ballet Folkloric gave us both opportunities. The show was one of the best I have ever seen with music, dancing, acrobatics and more…performed in one of the most beautiful theaters I have ever visited, the Palacio de Belles Arts. Do not miss this show.

Eat Like a Local Mexico City

When we visited before, we spent five days with Eat Like a Local Mexico learning, tasting, cooking and seeing the wonders of the history and culture of Mexican food. We enjoyed our new friends and we definitely wanted to tour with them again. Eat Like a Local Mexico owner Rocio created a personal tour for us and guided us herself. A special treat for us was starting our tour with a cooking class learning to make Octopus Tacos with Chef Diego at Temporal. Then we worked our way around the city enjoying so much wonderful local food from tacos pastor to tamales and the finale was a very unique dessert made from mushrooms. Be absolutely sure to book with Eat Like a Local Mexico when you visit Mexico City. Don’t choose any other food tour…and don’t eat before your tour!!

Beautiful dessert of chocolate mushrooms

Pujol

I booked our dinner reservation at Pujol seven months in advance, because I did not want to miss having dinner at this restaurant, one of the top five restaurants in the world. It is expensive, but it was a wonderful experience to enjoy some very unique and beautifully presented dishes. And the service was outstanding. Cost was $165 per person before alcohol or tips for the prix fixe dinner. This price and experience were similar to the prix fixe dinners we had in both Maui at Merriman’s and in Giverny France at Jardin de Plumes.

Lucha Libre

Pronounced Loo-Cha Lee-Bra, this national Mexican past time is a spectacle and a lot of fun. I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it but I loved it. It’s a real performance that requires a lot of athleticism and choreography for the scripted wresting match. The masked gladiators are wonderful performers. Lucha Libre started more than 100 years ago. Today thousands of people come out several times a week to enjoy the show and cheer on their favorite masked gladiator. You can attend this on your own, but we chose to go with our guide Alberto from Tours by Locals. I’m glad we did because he provided us wonderful insight, history and stories, as well as other details about beautiful Mexico City and the surrounding area.

Purchased some masks for the
littles back home

Teotihuacan Pyramids

Wow. This place was way better than I was expecting and we loved our guide Hilary from Tours by Locals. We spent the entire day exploring this ancient site located about 25 miles northeast of Ciudad de Mexico. Teotihuacan construction began in 100 BCE, long before the Aztecs. The actual name of the people who built it and lived here is unknown and there is no written record. But they left behind this vast site that today is still being discovered. The Aztecs settled here and ruled the region much later from about 1200 CE until the Spanish obliterated them in the 1500’s. Archeological research and discovery first began in 1904.

Today Teotihuacan is a UNESCO Heritage Site and the second most visited site in Mexico after Chichen Itza in the Yucatan. I highly recommend visiting this fantastic ancient cultural site when in Mexico.

Xochimilco

The UNESCO heritage site south of the center of Mexico City is where the remains of the original lake and canals still exist. When the Spanish arrived they drained and filled in most of the lakes and canals that were built by the Aztecs. Today only the Xochimilco canals remain. Here the people have for generations used the rich fertile soil for agriculture. The floating gardens are the small islands in the lakes and canals that have been secured using willow trees. Today’s agriculture is primarily flowers, and the gorgeous blooms make their way to homes and businesses, restaurants and hotels all over the city. The tourist boats might seem a little kitschy but we did the boat ride early on a Monday and had the whole place to ourselves. We really enjoyed seeing this unique way of life with our guide Juan from Tours by Locals.

Coyoacan and UNAM

On the same day we visited Xochimilco (see above) with our most amazing guide Juan, we also visited the amazing murals at the Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico. UNAM is the largest university in Mexico and home to one of the most astonishing works of art I have ever seen. The tiled building that houses the central library is a UNESCO heritage site by architect and artist Juan O’Gorman from 1952. This incredible work of art tells the story of all of Mexico from ancient times to present day. It is truly a remarkable thing to see, and having the significance of the art explained to us in detail by Juan was absolutely fascinating. Learn more here.

Central Library Mosaic Mural UNAM by Juan O’Gorman

Our next stop was the amazing Coyoacan neighborhood…a fantastic artist neighborhood and home to the Frida Kahlo Museum. But Coyoacan has more. A vibrant and wonderful place to explore, full of shops and history. We visited two significant churches; a former monastery Church of San Juan Bautista, and Capilla de la Conchita a remarkable chapel built by Cortez in 1525. We walked around the colorful parks and streets and had a delicious lunch. Juan took us to a teeny coffee shop that has been operating since 1953 and we also had the famous Coyoacan Churro. I really love this neighborhood.

We also made a brief stop in the high rent district San Angel – the Beverly Hills of Mexico City. Where the Spanish built the summer homes and still today the rich and fabulous live here. Cobblestone streets and fortress style mansions line the streets.

So Much to Love About Mexico City

Since we visited the Frido Kahlo Museum Casa Azul last time we did not do it again this year…but I highly recommend it.

We also highly recommend The Red Tree House hotel. This is the first time we have ever returned to stay a second time in a hotel because of an excellent first experience. This boutique style hotel is a favorite among Americans. Book well in advance if you can. Comfortable and in the great neighborhood of Roma Condesa and the service is fantastic. The Red Tree House offers a delicious breakfast and nightly wine and beer happy hour. Don’t miss it. Rooms range from low $100 USD and up.

Getting around is easy by Metro, Metro Bus, Uber, Didi or Taxi. Something for everyone. We took a taxi from the airport on arrival but then used Uber or the Metro the rest of our trip. Many locals speak English but if they don’t they are always willing to work to help you understand. If you stay in the main tourist areas and more populated neighborhoods and shopping areas you will always feel safe.

We found the Metro clean and easy to maneuver

We will be back

I now consider Mexico City one of my favorite cities anywhere in the world. Yes I love Paris, Barcelona, Jerusalem, New York and more. But something about Ciudad de Mexico has really captured my heart. Thank you to the local people for helping me see there is so much to love about Mexico City. And there is still so much more to see…so Hasta Luego Ciudad de Mexico. Until we meet again – Muchas Gracias.

See last week’s post Eating My Way Through Mexico City

We love it when you pin and share our posts. Gracias.
NEXT WEEK our first of two posts about Papua New Guinea!!

Leave a comment

Become a World Traveler -- Inspire

Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

September 8, 2023

Laureen

Leave a Comment

15 Comments

Many images in today’s post from Canva

In the beginning we didn’t know if we would do this for 6 months or six years. In the beginning we didn’t know much. But eight years later, 270,539 miles flown, 128 countries visited – well we know a lot. And yes, I do count countries, particularly now as I work to keep track of the growing number.

It was 2016 when we launched our travel life. After three years of prep – we were anxious to get started. But as we launched, we also knew we had a lot still to learn. Honestly, we won’t ever stop learning. The magnificent cultures, ancient history, remarkable people, delicious food…it’s all been such an eye-opening experience.

Suitcase nomad — Our bags the day we left November 2016 – so shiny and clean. We still are using the same bags today.

Covid cramped our style for a while, but, we actually learned a lot from the PanDamit too. We learned to be more spontaneous, flexible and adventurous. We have learned to navigate a more difficult travel environment, more expensive and more crowded. We also give more consideration to overtourism, choosing as much as possible the less traveled destinations. But here we are, Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins.

How Much More?

We get this question a lot. We don’t exactly know the answer…but we both feel some changes will happen in year nine. Perhaps shorter trips, with more time at home between the trips…perhaps? What we do know is we have put together a very unique itinerary that will take us on the road for eight months from Asia to Europe, Oceania to Africa – hitting some major bucket list destinations. It’s time to do it again.

One Thing Different

There is one thing a bit different this time…we are doing more tours than ever before. Why? Because as we traverse the countries we still would like to visit, many are difficult to navigate without a guide. Like last spring in Bolivia, we have chosen to allow reputable tour companies to take us through three places this time; Papua New Guinea, Socotra (off the coast of Yemen), and Madagascar. See more about these destinations below.

Where do we Begin?

Papua New Guinea

Confirmed 12 days – tour

In September we have a long grueling travel day from Seattle to LA to Manila and finally to Papua New Guinea. We will spend 12 days in PNG with a company called Indigo Safaris. We will be two of only about 400 non-natives to witness the annual Goroka Festival where more than 100 tribes of Papua New Guinea come together to celebrate their unique and colorful culture. Did you know there are 800 languages in Papua New Guinea?

Hong Kong

Confirmed 7 days – Airbnb

After PNG we will head to the big city of Hong Kong. We were meant to visit Hong Kong in 2019, but the riots there had us changing our plans. We will try again; I have booked a cooking class, some tours and we also plan to walk across the border to the tiny country of Macau.

Philippines

Confirmed 32 days – Airbnb

Next stop the island of Bohol in the Philippines. We have only briefly been in Manila, and we look forward to a relaxing month on Bohol where we can kick back and regroup in October after the whirlwind of September.

Winter Down Under

Australia

Confirmed 4 weeks in an RV mainland and 30 days Airbnb Tasmania

As usual we like to spend as much time as possible in perpetual summer, so all of November and all of December we will be down under. We visited Australia very early in the Grand Adventure, but there is so much more we want to see. This time we begin in Brisbane. Then we have rented an RV for one month to travel south to Melbourne at a slow pace. In early December we fly to the Australian island of Tasmania and spend all of December relaxing in Hobart where we have rented a darling historic home.

We debated about heading from here to one or two of our past favorite countries (New Zealand and French Polynesia) but instead we will fly west. We know we will be back to those countries again some day.

South East Asia

Singapore

Confirmed 3 days hotel

I love this city/country but boy is it expensive, so we will just have a quick visit to say hello again to one of the world’s most beautiful places.

Thailand

Confirmed 30 days Airbnb

Back to Thailand! Thailand was the very FIRST country we visited when we began the Grand Adventure in November 2016. It’s a beautiful country; friendly, inexpensive, and delicious. We will spend one month on the island of Koh Chang.

Europe

Italy

Confirmed 7 days road trip Bologna to Puglio and 19 days Airbnb Sicily

Even though it will only be February, we are headed to the amazing country of Italy for an entire month. Keeping our fingers crossed for dry and not too cold; we will visit Bologna and the country of San Marino, the Puglia region and then on to Sicily.

Africa

Egypt

Confirmed 3 days hotel

We will have a brief stop back in Cairo as we transit through but we are holding a couple of days open in hopes that the new, decades in the making, Egyptian Museum will be open. But we are really going to Egypt because that is where we pick up our tour to…

Yemen

Confirmed 7 days private tour

Not on many people’s bucket list, Yemen was never on mine either. But my husband has long wanted to visit the island of Socotra off the coast of Yemen ever since we read the book The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie. This is a more complicated country to visit, so we are on a private tour. We are using the company Inertia, who we have spent months working with to make this happen. Should definitely be different…and exciting.

Back to Europe

Greece

Confirmed 18 days Airbnb

Back to Europe we go, with our first stop the island of Crete. This is one of the Greek Islands we have not visited, and I have heard so much about it. So we will spend 18 days enjoying the Greek life (and food) once again. Here we will be joined by friends, two couples we really enjoy traveling with.

Albania

Not yet confirmed

We are still trying to work our way through the last of the countries we had to abandon when Covid shut down our travels, and Albania is one. We have really enjoyed all of the Balkan countries we have visited over the years and it is one of our most favorite regions in the world. Inexpensive and so welcoming, we look forward to one week in Albania.

North Macedonia

Not yet confirmed

An easy drive over the border from Albania we could just do a day-trip to North Macedonia but we really want to spend some time in the beautiful Lake Ohrid region we have heard so much about. So we will visit for four days then return to Albania for our flight out.

Serbia

Not yet confirmed

An easy flight to Belgrade will get us to Serbia. We only plan to be in Belgrade one day, then we will do a road trip to many of the ancient and beautiful sites in this landlocked country and former Yugoslavian state. Serbia remains a less visited part of Central Europe and I can’t wait to see it.

Austria

Not yet confirmed

Somehow I have traveled all over Europe but have missed Vienna entirely. My husband has been there and keeps telling me I will LOVE it, so Vienna it is for four days. It’s also a great place to get a flight to our next destination.

And Back to Africa

Madagascar

Confirmed 10 days tour with Fosa Travel

From Vienna we will fly via Addis Ababa Ethiopia to the island of Madagascar. We have been blessed to visit several Indian Ocean islands, but Madagascar is a first for us. We have booked a private tour for ten days with Fosa Travel and it will be a dream come true for me to see the Lemurs and the magnificent Baobab Trees. A very big Bucket List for me.

Back to Europe to Wrap It Up

Spain and Andorra

Not yet confirmed

Andorra is one of our Covid-deleted countries, and I am excited to see this tiny country that borders Spain. We will fly into Barcelona and drive to Andorra for a short four day visit before returning to Barcelona for our flight back to Seattle. We expect to arrive back in Seattle May 17th; 19 countries, 8 months and a lifetime of memories.

Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

I’ll say again, we have no intention of trying to visit every country in the world (BTW there are 195 recognized countries. United Nations recognizes 193 and there are a couple unrecognized we have visited including Taiwan). However, after this trip, we still have a few left in the bucket. So, as we think about what lies ahead, we certainly know we will never stop traveling. We know we have some rock solid favorites we would like to return to. We know we have some difficult countries left we would like to see with a guide. But we also know, particularly after the PanDamit, we should not look too far out into the future…things can change so fast. So, we will embrace year eight with bells on, and we hope you will come along for the ride. As always, we feel so grateful to all of you who faithfully read and ask questions and engage with us through our crazy travel life. Thank you.

Note – there may be times when I can not make a deadline to have a travel post every Friday. Additionally I expect to not have easy access to WiFi. Just keep watching and I’ll get to it as soon as I can.

See last week’s post, our final of the Hidden Gems series, Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Pampered Wilderness Millersylvania.

See our post My Travel Wardrobe – 8 Months & 19 Countries 2023 here.

Considering full-time or long-term travel yourself? I wrote this post last year and it may help answer some of your questions. Click here for Becoming A Traveler. We’d love to connect out in the Big World with you!

We love it when you comment, pin and share our posts. Thank you. Away we go!

Leave a comment

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. We find inspiration in our Retired Midlife through travel and learning new cultures, writing and reading! What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! We write regular travel posts and book reviews and have been sharing this blog for 12 years!! Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. My Fab Fifties Life!