Crazy Journey to Paradise

Hello Friends and Family!

After the arduous task of summiting Mt. Rinjani, Shaina and I decided that our next course of action would be to search out beach perfection. Lucky for us, we were on Lombok island with a pair of scooters and a hearty appetite for adventure.


Beach walking Kuta style

After zooming around on our scooters for seven days and finding many beautiful beaches we started to branch out and look at the local culture. Our next stop was the fish market of Tanjung Luar. Wow oh wow! Why did we leave the beaches! Haha! This amazing fish market that we heard about turned out to be little more than the ten platters of warm stinky fish seen in the photo below!


Fish market of Tanjung Luar

I'm glad that we got our culture fix over and done with quickly, because there were more beaches to explore! The most amazing beach we found on Lombok was also the most difficult to reach, but we are so glad that we made the effort. The beach of Mekaki can be found on the south side of the southern peninsula of Lombok. It is miles and miles away from any tourist centers, completely abandoned, and beautiful in every way you'd want a beach to be. Go quickly before a Sandals resort sprouts up and ruins this sublime slice of paradise.


Path to the gem of Lombok: Mekaki Beach


A totally deserted Mekaki Beach


Our crazy journey to Paradise


Amazing deserted beach on the southwest peninsula of Lombok


Shaina showing how it's done on the slackline

Well folks our trip is winding down to a close. We have one last chill-out day here on Bali, and we hope to pass the time with some shopping, massage, and one last sunset on the beach. Tomorrow at this time, we will begin our forty seven hour journey home! Uuugghhh! It hurt to write that number out!

Please wish us safe (if not speedy) travels and we'll see you State-Side soon!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Southern Lombok, Indonesia

Creepy Crawlies!

Hello All!

Here is a sampling of some of the creepy crawlies that we encountered on this trip. If South East Asia has only one thing it's bugs, lots of them!


Ginormous Grasshopper of Senggigi!



Jumping Spider of Crazy Horse Buttress!



This One Made A Ten Foot Wide Spiderweb!



Fresh Crickets! Soon To Be Kentucky Fried Crickets!



Yet Another Freaky Specimen Twice The Size Of My Hand!



Big Hairy Spider!



Nasty Bugger Hiding Out In A Hindu Temple!

Ok that's it! Can't take it any more! We are heading home in a day and a half, and we'll be leaving these monsters safely behind. I have one more update that will be posted tomorrow. See ya soon!
Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:South East Asia

Blue Depths to Soaring Heights

Hello Family and Friends!

We have made it off of Bali and onto the Gilis and Lombok. The Gilis are a set of three islands at the northwestern tip of Lombok. They are full of palm trees, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and tons of aquatic life; these things combine to create a true island paradise.

The main reason people come to the Gilis is to plunge into the beautiful azure blue waters and do a little diving. In my case I decided to get my advanced PADI certification and it was such a blast. I went on a series of five dives that included the following: deep (30 meters), navigation, multilevel/computer, photography, and night.


Me and a huge school of 200+ barracuda


Me and my new turtle friend Crush

After four nights on the Gilis we started to get a bit restless and decided to kick it up a notch an climb a mountain. Actually it was a volcano, and it was a really big volcano. On the island of Lombok Gunung Rinjani rises straight from the sea to a towering 12,221 feet. We booked this hike trough an agent so that we would not have to worry about pretty much anything along the way. They carry the gear, cook the food, and break and set camp. This means that the only thing we had to do was put one foot in front of the other for 20 miles over a course that would ultimately have over 25,000 feet of elevation change. After three days and two nights we had done just that.


Shaina and me at Rim Camp One with a stellar view of the Rinjani summit in the background


Glimpse of camp life on Rinjani


The clouds moving in as we move to Rim Camp Two


Google Earth view of the trail we took


A fun look into our Rinjani experience

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Gili Trawangan & Gunung Rinjani

Beach time in Bali!

Hi there folks!

We have left the hill country and have fully embraced the beaches, coves, lagoons, bays, scuba and snorkel sites, and all the other realms of the aquatic. We bid adieu to Ubud and went straight to the surfer's Mecca of Bali, Balian Beach. It would seem that this place is incapable of making bad swells, and thus it is chalk full of surfers from dawn to dusk. The current here is really strong, and after a quick scare when we were swept out over 130 yards from shore in just a few minutes we decided that this was not the place for us to learn how to surf. Instead of surfing, we busied ourselves with running on the incredibly soft black sand beach, eating freshly caught red snapper, playing cards, and enjoying the sound, smell and feel of the coast.

After three days of chilling in Balian Beach we were ready to move on, and we took a bemo (small van packed full of people) across the island to Padangbai. Padangbai in and of itself is really nothing special, but we used it as our staging point for further exploration on a three day motorbike excursion. We headed north out of the city, and followed the beautiful coastal road to the region of Amed. This ride was amazing: tiny little road that twisted and turned over countless cliffs that dive down into the most deep blue ocean I've ever seen. Best ride ever.

Once we were in Amed we stopped in the village of Lipah, and promptly rented mask, fins, and snorkels for our first plunge. This only served to wet my appetite and I knew that I'd need to get some scuba time. So that is what I did.



Self portrait on first dive in Bali



Pool at a diving resort in Tulamben, Bali (where Shaina chilled while I was diving)


A fun look at my scuba experience in Tulamben

The diving was pretty amazing, but when I wasn't submerged in the sea, Shaina and I were able to entertain ourselves by sipping tea on our terrace, moseying around the village, or going sailing. The sailing was particularly fantastic. For a little over $20 we went out on a fishing boat at dawn and got to watch the sun rise while our captain busied himself with his fishing duties. It was a salty and wet joyride that we will not soon forget.



The morning view from our $17 per night hotel in Amed, Bali (tea at no extra charge)



Fishing boat from our boat at dawn with a great view of Mt. Rinjani



A snapshot of us on the dock in Padangbai, Bali

That, my friends, is our Bali whirlwind in a nut shell. We are so happy that we made it here. It was time truly well spent. Next stop will be on the next set of islands in Indonesia, the Gilis. See you then!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Amed Coast, Bali

Welcome To Bali!

Hello Friends!

The big city life is now behind, and in our near future we foresee surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, slack lining, and singing simple songs whilst sipping Singapore slings as we skip swiftly across the sand. Before we get to that, however, let me tell you about our quick sojourn into the hill country of Bali. A short hour hop north of Denpasar, we found the cultural center of this island paradise, Ubud.


The lush rice paddie terraces of Ubud, Bali

Per usual, Shaina and I rented motorbikes and cruised the surrounding area to get a better feel for area and what we found was fantastic. There are hill after hill of beautifully terraced rice paddies, bustling markets, holy white herons that roost in a sacred village, and thousands of Hindu temples.


The heart and soul of Bali: Ubud


Dusk at a flooded rice field


The beautifully manicured garden of our homestay


A cool stone path along a ridge just outside of Ubud

In addition to the aforementioned items, one can find more yoga shops per capita than anywhere else in the known world as well as many traditional Balinese theaters. We declined the opportunity to harness our inner yogi, but we decided it would be a great idea to take a peek at a Kecak performance, arguably the most famous of all the Balinese song and dance numbers. We were not disappointed. It was a mix of a cappella, beat box, dance, and theater.


A brief example of a Kecak performance

And there ends Bali part one! Next up will be a week or so of fun in the sun. Below is a glimpse of things to come.


Pretty sunset on Balian Beach in western Bali

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Bali, Indonesia

Dollars go quicker in Singapore!

Hello All!

All I can say about Singapore is, Wow! On so many levels, wow! The infrastructure is amazing, the entire city is tidy, the skyscrapers are spectacular, the shopping is phenomenal (Shaina ogled over a S$2.7 million necklace, and oddly declined the offer to try it on), and the food is top-notch. All this glam comes at a pretty steep cost, however. To date, the most that we have ever paid for a private room with an attached bath is $17.00. So when the cheapest room we could find was $23.00 we were a little surprised, but then we found out that that was for a dorm bed and we were a little more surprised. But then came the kicker: that price was per person! From that point on we knew that our time in Singapore was going to be quite different from the rest of our trip.


A view from atop the Marina Bay Sands Hotel of the Eye of Singapore


Cool view of the Marina Bay Sands, the Art and Science Museum, and a few of Singapore's skyscrapers


The nightlife is abuzz along the Singapore River

One of the coolest things about Singapore is how cosmopolitan it is. There is a Little India, China Town, Arab Street, the financial district, the marina, and the Orchard shopping district. Then there are all the parks, green areas, zoos, bird sanctuaries, and nature reserves. The acreage of these areas is not all that great when compared to the States, but as a percent of total land area it completely blows us away! There are more than 300 parks, 4 nature reserves, and about 50% of the country is covered in greenery, hence it is often refered to as the Garden City.


Shaina and me in front of the Marina Bay Sands and the Art and Science Museum


The mascot of Singapore, the Merlion, shooting water into Marina Bay with a backdrop of skyscrapers

To finish off our trip to Singapore we were recommended to go to the Colonial District and stop in at Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling. The Singapore Sling was invented around 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon while working at the Long Bar at Raffles. Here is the recipe:

8 parts Gin
4 parts Cherry Brandy
1 part Cointreau
1 part DOM Benedictine
2 parts Grenadine
16 parts Pineapple Juice
6 parts Lemon Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Pour all ingredients into ice-filled shaker. Shake well. Strain into Poco Grande glass. Garnish with pineapple and maraschino cherry.


Shaina and me with our tasty Singapore Slings from the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel

At home or at pretty much any bar in the world this drink can be had with a reasonable price tag attached. At this bar however, two of these drinks and two appetizers will set you back S$102.40!!! Haha! I love Singapore. I really do want to come back here one day with a bit more disposable income. However, until that day I've got to get the heck out of here least I go broke before the end of our trip! See you next in Bali!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Singapore

A Glimpse of Malaysia

Hello Friends!

Malaysia is such a vibrant, colorful, tasty, friendly, and fun place; how did we not have it on our original itinerary?! After Shaina and I had gotten our fill of wats and ancient history in Cambodia, we decided to take a three day detour into the über high-tech, ultra-developed, and crazy expensive world of Kuala Lumpur or "KL". KL is so developed that it gives cities like New York, Shanghai, and London a good run for their money. One look at the impressive KL Tower, the shimmering Petronas Towers, the efficient metro system, or the glitzy malls and one realizes they have entered a first rate city.


Petronas Towers: The amazing twin skyscrapers of KL



Me at the base of KL Tower

Serendipity is one of the most fun aspects of traveling, and on this stretch of our trip we had one of our most fun and serendipitous moments. I normally try not to post things on Facebook that I am going to be blogging about before the blog is published, but the first thing I did upon arriving in KL was to post a picture of me in front of KL Tower. Within a few short hours a buddy from my days in Chengdu, China contacted me saying that he lived in KL and that we should grab dinner and a drink. I thought, "Well how about that! Sounds like a blast!". We picked a time to reconnoiter and in the meantime Shaina and I went to a movie. When we got out of the movie I checked Facebook and another one of my Chengdu mates, Emily, just so happened to be on a 10 day holiday in Malaysia before moving to China to teach English! We all met up and had beef noodle bowls and then proceeded to drink, laugh, and catch up on all that had happened in the five years since Chengdu.


A night out on the town with Billy and Emily, with whom I studied in China!

We next jumped two hours south of KL for the UNESCO world heritage town of Melaka, and this cool little town was such a blast. With its tiny streets, meandering river, and seaside vibe we felt right at home during our three days spent here. We went golfing (albeit very badly), went on a river cruise, explored the old town, did a little archery, and rode around in a trishaw all bedecked in flowers, Barbie dolls, LEDs, neon lights, and a banging stereo system!


The beautiful Tiara Melaka golf resort



Shaina on her über fabulous trishaw

When we weren't exploring, we were eating and eating well. Malaysian food is the product of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisine all infused one with the other, and the results are truly mouthwatering. One very tasty example of this is satay. This is a dining experience, not just a meal. Here one choose from a plethora of skewered meats, veggies, seafoods, mushrooms, and eggs, and then dip these items in to a pot of boiling spicy deliciousness. The results may not look like the prettiest meal in the world, but it is certainly one of the better meals we have had on this trip; and that is saying a lot!


Satay sticks all lined up and ready for cooking


A whirl wind glimpse of our Malaysian trip

And that pretty much sums up our time in Malaysia. I'm sorry that we didn't have time to visit some more areas, but I guess we have to save something for next time! See ya again soon right after Singapore!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Kuala Lumpur & Melaka, Malaysia

Angkor Wat & Cooking in Siem Reap

Hello Friends and Family!

The lazy times on the Mekong have come and gone, and now we make way for one of the coolest places we have ever been: Angkor Wat.


Angkor Wat at Dawn


An example of one of the many temples at Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is part of a huge area of Hindu and Buddhist temples just outside of the modern day city of Siem Reap, Cambodia. All of these temples were begun some time in the 7th century by the Khmer Empire, and culminated with Angkor Wat in the 12th century. It is one of the world's largest religious structures; it is amazingly beautiful, and if it is not on your "bucket list" you might want to reconsider. Here is the wiki page for Angkor Wat.


The Eighth Wonder of the World: Angkor Wat

When we weren't ogling over the grandeur of Angkor Wat, we were busy finding all sorts of neat ways to keep ourselves entertained. Anyone who has been to Siem Reap will know all about Dr. Fish Massage. These are weird little fish that literally chew the dead and loose skin off of your feet! It is super ticklish, but it only costs a dollar for 15 minutes of torture and a beer! Haha!


Shaina and I drinking beer and having fish nibble on our toes

After we got our toes squeaky clean, we decided that we needed to learn how to cook some of the amazing Khmer food that we had been eating in Cambodia. We headed over to "Le Tigre Papier", a local restaurant, for a few hours of cooking instruction and feasting!


Cooking in Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the only town we went to in Cambodia, and our pallet has been wet for more. The people are so friendly, the food is great, and it is super affordable. I don't know anywhere else you can get an hour massage for $3, and we took advantage four times in three days. I can hardly wait for a future opportunity to go back to Cambodia for further exploration of this truly remarkable place.

Next, we bought our tickets for Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia. This was not on our original itinerary, but since all flights from Siem Reap to Bali stop in KL we figured we'd stop for few days. So we are off! Next time I check in I'll let you know how things have gone in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Siem Reap, Cambodia

Four Thousand Islands and Leaving Laos

Hello Friends!

Laos has been one amazing experience after another, and our final hoorah was no exception. Si Phan Don, or the Four Thousand Islands as they are known in English, is an inland river archipelago of literally thousands (although some are very small) islands located at the very southern end of Laos. Laos is a landlocked country, but in this area the pace of life slows way down just like it does on so many tropical islands in the South Pacific.


A transit boat moves through the slow flowing Mekong at sunset.


360 Pano of the foot bridge connecting Don Khone with Don Det.

This area lacked quite a bit of the adrenaline-packed activities that have made up so much our time in Laos, so we copied the locals and just chilled: going to small restaurants that overlook the Mekong, reading our books, lazily peddling our bikes around the island, slowly cruising up and down the Mekong on a long boat, and checking out the short but mighty waterfalls.


Our long boat moving us and our gear to our guesthouse on Don Khone.

The most exciting part of the Mekong is when it changes very dramatically from its pacific slow-flowing self into the behemoth falls called Khone Phapheng Falls. If you ever wondered why Laos never developed the Mekong as a major shipping thoroughfare, this is why. Over 9km of rapids and waterfalls, the tallest of which tops out at over 69 feet!


360 Pano view of the Khone Phapheng Falls.


A view of the impressive thrashing of Khone Phapheng Falls.


Very short clip of the raging waters of the mighty Mekong!

We are sad to see the end of Laos, but with Cambodia coming up we know that we have some very cool things in store for us. The only downside to the move from Laos to Cambodia is that we are going to have a 21-hour boat/three bus/tuk tuk ride between the two!!! Wish us luck and we'll see ya soon!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Si Phan Don, Laos

Hippie Communes, Rice Paddies, and Motorbikes

Hi All!

After Vientiane, Shaina and I were ready to ditch the city scene and rough it in the boonies a bit, and that is exactly what Thakhek gave us. The town of Thakhek is little more than an outpost from which one can launch into different backpacker-oriented activities. We decided to opt for motorbike cruises through the countryside and rock climbing.


Beautiful karst hills are the backdrop to Lao rice paddies.

Out first day in Thakhek was spent going from holy cave to holy cave and tiny village to tiny village on our awesome 100cc scooters. It was a total blast! This part of the country is completely flat in between the karst mountains so there was no need at all for a bigger bike. We had one small hiccup of a flat tire along the way, but that just added to the experience!

Our second day was spent rock climbing in an area just outside of Thakhek that has been developed by Green Climbers Home. This is a hippie climber paradise. Twelve bungalows, two dorm rooms, a big open area to pitch a tent, over 89 routes, and a huge range of difficulty ranging from 4's to 8a+'s What more could you ask for?! The biggest downside to this area was the horrible little flys that incessantly buzz into your eyes, nose, and ears! In the picture of me below, I am trying to prevent the little buggers from going into my ears by pulling my shirt over my head.


A few snapshots of our climbing trip to Thakhek.


Hippie Climbing Commune!



Signs of development are creeping into Laos.

After getting our fill of climbing, we hopped even further south to a slightly more developed town called Pakse, where we promptly rented motorbikes and headed for the hills. To be precise, we headed for the Bolaven Plateau which is due east of Pakse and rises up a good 1300 meters. This area is notable for three reasons. First, it is wonderfully cooler in temperature than the rest of southern Laos. Second, it is a very fertile area where the main crop is coffee. Third, it is full of amazing waterfalls. I thought that we would have been waterfalled out by this point, but there is no getting over a waterfall that plunges hundreds of feet and is surrounded by lush green forests.


Tat Yuang Waterfall.


Our Southern Laos Experience.

Our time in Laos will be coming to a close very soon and we just hit our half way point in our trip. Sad day! So far the trip has met and exceeded all our expectations and let's just hope it keeps going that way!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Southern Laos

Chilling, Climbing, and Partying in Vang Vieng

Hello Friends!

After leaving the slow pace, quite streets, and solemn monks of Luang Prabang, Shaina and I bussed 200km south to the party central of Laos: Vang Vieng. This town is enthralling, disappointing, fun, pathetic, and exciting all wrapped up in one.

The best part of this town is its location. It is set in a valley in the middle of a huge range of karst mountain peaks, which is criss-crossed by rivers of smoothly flowing warm water. These conditions have lead to a burgeoning tourist industry focused on tubing, kayaking, white water rafting (wet season only), rock climbing, and river rope swings; ziplines; and slides. We indulged in the climbing, tubing, and river rope swings and it was fantastic!


Shaina and me on the "sleeping wall" just outside Vang Vieng.


Short clip of our amusing time on the river in Vang Vieng.

The worst part of this town is all the tourists who overindulge in copious amounts of drugs and alcohol and end up stumbling, falling, vomiting, and pissing themselves through the streets. According to Lonely Planet, the main attractions for Vang Vieng have traditionally been the aforementioned outdoor awesomeness, but in the last ten years the popularity of these activities has been eclipsed by a huge growth of ramshackle bars that blast music as loud as can be and pride themselves on their "happy food". (Happy food being anything from fruit shakes to pizza laced with any combination of drugs ranging from opium to methamphetamines).

As bad as this is, it has led to one thing Shaina absolutely loves: endless repeats of the show "Friends". The connection might not be immediately evident, but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. What would you rather do the morning after an all-night drunken whacked-out raver than lounge around in comfy recliners, eating super tasty fried food, and watching a show that is so mindless and funny that even one who is totally hungover from last night's bender can giggle at it?!

After three days in the craziness that is Vang Vieng we decided it was time to boogie out of there and grace the capital of Laos, Vientiane, with our presence. Our hopes for Vientiane were really not that high, and the reality of it was not that different: a big hot city without a whole lot to do.


Shaina and me in front of the Lao Arc de Triumph!


A view of the Arc Plaza.

The only highlight we had in Vientiane was our dinner at a fabulous French restaurant called L'Address de Tinay. Everything from our starter made from seven varietals of organic goat cheese to our confit de canard served with Toulouse sausage and sweet garlic cream were absolutely stunning.


Our goat cheese starter and confit de canard.

Next, we will be heading south of Vientiane. See you then!

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Vang Vieng, Laos

Mekong Cruise, Waterfall Hike, and Monks on Procession

It's time for a video!

This covers our time cruising down the Mekong, playing in waterfalls, and watching the Alms Procession in Luang Prabang.

Enjoy!



Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Luang Prabang, Laos

Mekong River Boat Cruise and Monks on the March

Hi All!

After finishing the Gibbon Experience, it was time to move out of the border town of Huay Xai and on to the cultural capital of Laos, Luang Prabang. The only question we had to answer was how we wanted to get there. Two options laid in front of us: 17 hour nonstop bus ride or pleasant 2 day Mekong river cruise. Needless to say we chose the latter.

The cruise was by no means a luxury affair. The boat is fitted with seats for 75 and they stuffed us like sardines until we were well over a hundred. People and their baggage we strewn everywhere! And to top it all off, the engine compartment wasn't insulated at all so the ear splitting drone of the huge diesel engin was a constant companion.


A few of our boat mates as we made or way down the Mekong.

Despite the few drawbacks of the boat it really was quite an enjoyable experience. The scenery was pretty amazing as we wound our way through lazy valleys, huge karst mountains, and some exciting rapids. Our time was split pretty evenly between soaking up all those views, chatting with newfound friends, and playing the game Risk on the iPhone!


One of our Aussie buddies, Luke, taking in the views on the Mekong.


One of the many awesome karst mountains that dot the shores of the Mekong.

At 5:30, after a long second day on the boat, we pulled into the boat ramp at Luang Prabang. We made our way through the clamoring packs of tuk tuk drivers and guest house hawkers and into a lovely city full of wats, markets, quaint eateries, and small secluded side streets ripe for exploring.

As much as we enjoyed the city of Luang Prabang and all of its offerings, the true highlight of our stay here came from a 32km motorbike ride to the Kuang Si waterfall. While it was perhaps not the tallest waterfall we have ever seen it was definitely the most spectacularly dynamic one in our books. For starters, the water is a milky turquoise blue. It is milky because of high concentration of calcium in the water that is picked up from the limestone mountains from where it descends. The excess calcium creates pool after pool of this stunning water, each connected by a waterfall.


The lower pools at Kuang Si falls.


A full view of the Kuang Si waterfall.


The upper portion of the multi tiered Kuang Si waterfalls.


Shaina above the Kuang Si falls in a meadow full of purple flowers.

Another very neat thing about Luang Prabang is the daily Buddhist monk procession of alms that takes place at dawn. At 6:00 sharp the monks bang their gongs to announce the arrival of the new day, and then they head into the streets to collect offerings from the locals. The most common offering is sticky rice, but they also accept bananas, marigold flowers, and of course cash. With these items the monks sustain the faith, take care of the poor, and restore the older wats to their former glory.


Neat wat at the end of the alms procession.


The monks of Luang Prabang on their morning procession.


Two novice monks walking the streets under a parasol.

Luang Prabang was wonderful to us. As far as South East Asia goes it was one of the more expensive places we have been, but I guess there is a price to pay for a location as amazing as this one.

Cheers!

Maxell

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Location:Luang Prabang, Laos