Week 43: Pirates, Skulls (and a Hangover?) at Treasure Island, Las Vegas

It’s almost Halloween, so I thought this week’s T-shirt should be semi-related to ghouls and skeletons. An added bonus is that it is also “pirate”... Arrrrrr!

I bought this t-shirt on a late night (or early morning, not sure which) walk in the Las Vegas Strip. I do not remember much from that trip, nor why we were in Vegas. I just remember seeing the Pirate Battle in Treasure Island and buying this shirt. And no, we were not drinking... just really tired.

I was not that tired to buy this shirt. I love the sparkles in this shirt - I knew I had to have it! It’s just so different from what I have. I also love the skull’s gold tooth.

I am looking forward to wearing this on Halloween. It’s one of my favorite shirts to wear…during the day. In the evening, of course, we will be in costumes.

Arrrrrrrr!

Week 42: Bali Hai Calls: Romance and Adventures in the South Pacific

For the last few weeks, it seems like we’ve been reminiscing on epic trips: Greece, China, Peru. This next post is one of those trips – but not quite as Type-A. This T-shirt is our souvenir from our trip to French Polynesia, otherwise known as "Tahiti."

Our trip to Tahiti was my husband and I’s first trip overseas together. This was actually our official honeymoon, since our Hawaiian adventure was technically our wedding trip (Huh? Whatever. *That* is my logic).

Our first stop was in Mo’orea. We landed on the island of Tahiti and took a puddle jumper to Mo’orea. Puddle jumper was the exact description: I think this was the smallest plane that I have been in, and there were only 12 passengers. It was so small that I thought it was going to fall apart (flashback: the cab in Xian from my China Trip).

In Mo’orea, we stayed at Cooks Bay at the Club Bali Hai Hotel. Although the accommodations were a bit dated (It is one of the original hotels in Mo’orea), it was quite relaxing and very laid back. We always woke up to a beautiful view of Cooks Bay. The view from Cooks Bay was the inspiration to Bali Hai in South Pacific (Hence the name of the hotel; although some say it is actually Hanalei Bay in Kauai). We often enjoyed a fresh Tahitian breakfast outside. Breakfast was usually fish that was just caught by the brother of our server and fresh fruit. In the evening, the staff always had entertainment – whether it was Tahitian dancing or crab races (long story – but I was the hit of the show).

In our four days in Mo’orea, we explored quite a bit. Looking back, it was actually quite unbelievable that we only spent four days. Club Bali Hai is walking distance to a good restaurant (Honu Iti where we had our first dinner), the Top Dive dive shop (very important – we dove two days), and the black pearl shop (most important). We also enjoyed an excursion in a glass bottom boat, a shark feeding and stingray snorkel (with Tahiti's most entertaining guide - Siki), dining, and of course, diving. In fact, this was the reason that I started diving. I figured if we’re going to Tahiti, I gotta dive!

From Mo’orea, we took a plane (a full-size airplane this time) to Bora Bora, "the most romantic island in the world." We had multiple stops, so the anticipation increased after each stop. When we landed and saw the famous Bora Bora landscape & lagoon, it actually exceeded all expectation. It was more beautiful that I ever imagined. I think that this is really the inspiration for Bali Hai.

In Bora Bora, we stayed in an over-the-water bungalow at the Le Maitai Polynesia. It is a beautiful hotel on the main beach in Bora Bora with a bar and a full restaurant. It is walking distance from a number of casual “snack” places – where we usually had our lunches. The bar has a really good happy hour: 2 for 1 drinks. However, they do not know how to make a Martini (even with clues from my husband: ‘James Bond, shaken not stirred’ – nothing worked).

In Bora Bora, we enjoyed a lot of diving (again two days of diving) and kayaking (it was free). My husband and I kayaked a lot those days, so some of the folks thought we were professionals.  We even rented a car for an hour – that was how long it took to go around the island, look at the sorry looking dogs (they were not starving, just too hot), and stop for drinks. It rained one day, so we just walked over to the nearby Intercontinental and enjoyed the buffet breakfast and passed the time to read the “newspaper” (it was more like a two sheet summary) and working on a Japanese bat puzzle (which my husband claims as the most stressful part of his vacation).

We also enjoyed a fabulous dining experience at Bloody Mary’s. When you’re in Bora Bora, you have to dine at Bloody Mary’s. It is a unique experience. You select your order from the fresh fish on a bed of ice displayed as you enter the door. The restaurant has a tropical theme: sand on the floor and palms everywhere. You really feel like you’re in the South Seas.

Another must while in Tahiti is staying at an over-water bungalow, especially in Bora Bora. The view of the lagoon is just breathtaking. We even enjoyed the moon reflecting on the lagoon one evening. It was the most awesome moonrise I have ever seen (an inspiration every time I dance hulas about the moon). My husband also had the most relaxing sleep in his life: the sound of the water under the bungalow is so soothing that it just rocks you to sleep. And oh, the coffee table in our bungalow was rather unique. The table top was glass, but the flooring below it was cut out, replaced with a glass pane, so while sitting there, you enjoy a tropical aquarium from below. My husband was actually stalking an octopus. We checked him out while snorkeling.

This trip was so fabulous that we did not have that much time to shop – that is why we bought this shirt after the fact to commemorate our trip (plus the airport shops were closed - they only open one hour before a flight). We loved Tahiti, and we do hope to return to Tahiti. I know we always say this about our adventures – but this time I think it will be true. In fact, maybe I should change that to “we will be coming back to Tahiti” (perhaps for our 15th Anniversary, which is coming up soon.) Don’t get me wrong this is not the first time we splurged on a milestone anniversary: Our fifth and tenth were back in Kona, we spent one in Maui (our 7th?). For our 10th, we spent 10 days – maybe when we return to Tahiti, it will be 15 days.

Fifteen days... Now that will be a lot diving!!!!

Week 41: On Ruins, Fishes, and Tequila Shooters

My Incan adventure was not my first encounter to a culture from South or Central America.  In my previous posts, I mentioned that for my graduate school graduation present, my mom and I shared in my expenses for a trip to Cancun, Mexico. It has been two long years of just school and work (and some sleep and zero social life in between), so I thought some rest and relaxation by the beach would be great. My featured t-shirt is from Cancun this week.

I chose Cancun because it seemed exotic and safe enough (back then) for a single woman to travel by herself. I also remember some of my college Spanish, although I am somewhat rusty. Lastly, it seemed to be a great place to veg out during the day and perhaps go dancing in the evening. The dancing part did not happen, because I really am not that big on clubbing, especially if I am travelling solo. Also, although bumming around the beach with a good book or two seemed appealing, I found that I am really a Type-A traveller. Beach time can only go so far -- I really wanted to explore. I started out exploring the miles and miles of beachfront. I found some faux ruins on the beach and was fascinated (I also saw my first iguanas, which were equally fascinating, but somewhat intimidating). So I started researching my options…

I found that there were some side trips that I can make. One of them was to Chichen Itza and Tulum. I decided turn some of my R&R time to education and booked the trip to Chichen Itza and Tulum. That was my first encounter with the Mayans.

The trip to Chichen Itza was fascinating. Exploring the grounds with a tour guide and independently was quite educational. I learned about the Maya’s astronomy skills and walked through the huge "ball" court. I even climbed El Castillo for the experience, although I forgot that I am afraid of heights and narrow ledges. Needless to say, it was an interesting experience going down.

We also travelled to Tulum. We did not have a guide for this site, but we did have an hour to explore by ourselves. I thought Tulum was more beautiful than Chichen Itza, being by the ocean. The backdrop was just gorgeous. Tulum probably served as a fort against sea invaders.

The other side trip that I enjoyed was to Isla Mujeres. It was a combination island trip and snorkeling. We took a ferry to the island and the morning to snorkel and the afternoon to shop and explore. Although I now snorkel and dive, I did not snorkel back then. In fact, I was not even a confident swimmer. With a boogie board, I was able to enjoy the underwater world of the fishes. I think this was the rationale for buying the shirt: I finally snorkeled! We were rewarded with tequila shooters on the ferry on the way home.

I really enjoyed this trip. Although I was extremely cautious since I was traveling alone. I learned I could survive in a foreign country (and a bus load of Brazilians – friendly ones, though) by myself. It did help to have some language skills. Now, every time we go to a foreign country, I try to pick up a few useful words (like "Thank You", "Please", "Hello", "Stop" - as in "Please stop the bus").

Lastly, since I enjoy learning during my travels, I’d like to spend our vacations in spots that combine culture and fun … and definitely enjoy some R&R in the process.

Week 40: The Road to Macchu Picchu… and Beyond

When my husband and I started traveling, I finally had a chance to cross off some of my travel goals. The first one that I was able to cross off was Greece (and I have a T-shirt to prove it). Before my marriage, I went to China with my friend (also have a T-shirt to prove it). Third on my list was Russia – to see Beautiful St. Petersburg and Moscow perhaps through a cruise. But I decided to change it to a Peruvian experience.

Russia is still on my list, but my priorities changed. It’s okay to change your goals. As the years pass, one changes and evolves and your tastes and goals may change with that. At first, I was hesitant to change, but I went back to my original intent – budget, prioritization, and enjoy.

Authentic Incan T-shirt (not really)

I first heard about Peru from an officemate who wonderfully described their adventures and the fabulous Incan ruins. I decided, long ago, that I wanted to visit the influential centers of the world. With that, the center of the Incan Empire should be on my list. So I knew I had to go!

We found a really great trip through Mountain Travel Sobek. It was a pretty long trip of about 12 days, I believe: starting at Cuzco and ending in Arequipa. It was the perfect trip – What would have made it more perfect was including a side trip to the rainforest and Nazca, but our allotted time and vacation times would not allow it.

We had an excellent guide, Rosa, and a really friendly driver, Raul, which made all the difference. We also had a really great group of people on the tour; most of them were very, very seasoned travelers. The tour was a lot of fun and we explored a lot of places, some of them very close to Cuzco. The biggest challenge that we had was adjusting to the altitude. Cuzco is over 11,000 feet (Yes, that is three zeroes). Our first day there, we walked four blocks to the town square, and our legs turned into putty. The coca tea helped (yes again, that is legal in Peru), but don’t drink too much, you’ll stay awake all night!

We travelled all over, explored Cuzco Cathedral in Cuzco, Sacsayhauman, Temple of the Sun (which was actually near our hotel), hiked the ruins of Pikillaqta, we went to & hiked in Pisac (one of the scariest hikes I’ve done in my life – some ancient, very narrow trails at almost 10,000 feet), visited a Quechan village at 14,000 ft (and danced the hokey pokey – long story), enjoyed sunrise at Lake Titicaca (and our barge was driven by Jesus, we can’t be in better hands), enjoyed visiting Colca Canyon and admired the flight of the magnificent condors (rising up from the canyon floor, riding the thermals) and ended our trip in the beautiful city of Arequipa (surrounded by some 14,000 foot majestic volcanoes). Through the trip we stayed in beautiful hotels and enjoyed delicious meals, even in the middle of nowhere (and that half of the time!).

Of course, no trip to Peru is complete without a trip to Macchu Picchu. We traveled to Macchu Picchu via train. Not counting the commuter trains, I believe it was my first train ride and thoroughly enjoyed it (I took lots of pictures). We stayed in nearby Agua Caliente in a gorgeous hotel with a beautiful garden that almost looked like a rainforest. We enjoyed our downtimes exploring the property.

We visited Macchu Picchu for two days. Our first afternoon there, we just chilled out and enjoyed. Some of our group was feeling a bit under the weather, so it was good just to sit and enjoy the sites. I meditated for a little bit. Day 2 was exploring. We walked all over the site. Some of the younger girls wanted to hike Huayna Picchu, but it reached maximum capacity.

Macchu Picchu was probably my most favorite spot! It was really quite ethereal - It was very calming and you could feel the serenity of the mountains around you. I was very amazed of how huge the compound was. After a day of walking, I was exhausted. We rested for a little bit, and some of the girls did yoga. I chose to borrow one of the ladies’ walking stick and did some Aikido Jo Kata. The group was impressed with my demo. In fact, one of them was so inspired as to take up some martial arts training.

When it was time to head home, my husband gave the ‘”farewell thank you speech” to Rosa and our driver Raul for the group; it was very touching; we all got teary-eyed.

Our trip to Peru was truly a trip of a lifetime. Much kudos to Rosa, Raul, and Mountain Travel Sobek for making that possible. My husband and I still fondly reminisce about our adventures. We acquired a taste for Peruvian food (Quinoa especially, which is now a staple in our diet) and Inca Cola. Most importantly we met great people (some of whom, we have exchanged letters with over the years) and experienced a wonderful adventure! We can still hear Rosa saying “Vamanos muchachos!”

BTW: I apologize for another long post. It is really difficult to summarize a trip like this in a page or two. But, it does give me ideas for a future project… Stay tuned.