I won’t deny it – we aren’t sleeping well without air conditioning, and without solid walls to protect us from our natural environment. On the first night we dutifully enclose ourselves behind the mosquito nets as instructed during our welcome briefing, keeping the fans running full tilt, but we toss and turn in the stifling stillness of the night. The… [Read more]
We booked a week on Gili Asahan, on a whim, and a recommendation from a stranger; a week with no air conditioning, no internet, no hot water, rustic conditions, and limited fresh water supply (to be fair, we only found out about that upon arrival).… [Read more]
After a busy couple of weeks exploring Singapore and Bali, we yearned for some quiet time on a beach, with nothing to do but read a good book or do a good puzzle; lately, nonograms are our favourite. … [Read more]
Let’s face it, we hardly gave Bali a chance. We missed the beaches, many iconic temples, and everything else the average tourist would see. After just a few days in Ubud, we hightailed it off the island in search of something more our style – natural beauty, peace and tranquility.… [Read more]
Just the mention of Bali evokes images of a paradise – isolated expanses of powdery white sand beaches, wooden bungalows overlooking turquoise waters, stunning rainforests, and exotic temples and shrines. I’m… [Read more]
On our first visit to Singapore, we were impressed by how green the country/city was in spite of its dense population and small landmass (about the size of Ottawa/Gatineau). On this most recent visit, we set out to explore the city’s abundant green spaces in more depth.… [Read more]
The diversity of Singapore’s foodie scene is astonishing where old school hawker markets are as common as five-star, Michelin rated restaurants. While Chris and I are pretty adventurous travellers, I must admit we don’t have very adventurous taste buds. We… [Read more]
Adjacent to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Gardens by the Bay is an oasis of lush greenery that has won multiple accolades since it first opened in 2009. Spanning over 100 hectares, it is a nature lover’s paradise comprising man-made super trees, a flower dome, cloud forest and many kilometers of walking paths through immaculate gardens of Jurassic proportions. … [Read more]
After 36 hours of travel including two long, overnight flights (Montreal to Doha – 12 hours; Doha to Singapore– 8 hours), we arrived in Singapore on Friday morning feeling well rested.
Somewhere along the way we lost half a day of our lives, as we are now 12 hours ahead of Ottawa time. At… [Read more]
Eight years after departing for our epic around the world trip on September 8, 2011, the stars have aligned once again and we are heading out for a new 6-month adventure. Beginning in Singapore, followed by some island hopping around Bali for a few weeks, the broad plan is to spend about 6 weeks in Australia, which will include New Year’s Eve in Sydney watching the fireworks over the Harbour (check that off the bucket list). A… [Read more]