Ending in Indonesia

From Bali I took a boat to Gili Trawangan, one of 3 small islands off the coast. Gili T, where I spent 3 nights, is the most developed. Its made of dusty roads, horse-drawn carriages, lots of chickens and children running around--and of course, perfect paradise  beach. The water is a deep deep blue, then bright turquoise, and finally clear as it hits the sand. There are huge mountains surrounding the islands, making for an even more awe-inspiring backdrop. It's a really relaxed place, I had lots of beach time (something I clearly never tire of). There's also some pretty great diving, and I did a dive and saw some massive sea turtles! The current on the Gilis is really strong, wade into the water just a few steps and you feel yourself being pulled. This made for a a challenging dive, but I loved it! We also spent a day on Gili Air, a bit smaller and even less developed than T. All in all, a lovely 3 days of sand and sun.

From the Gilis we headed over to Lombok, a much bigger island. And so stunning! Greenery and coconut trees everywhere, and sweeping views of the Indian Ocean as you come around the curving roads. It was one day relaxing on sengiggi beach and booking a 3 day trek to the summit of Mt. Rinjani, a volcano that reaches 3726 meters.

Luckily, I don't think I really knew what I was signing up for. Oh my word, this was hands down the most physically challenging thing I have ever done in my life. It makes all other treks I've done look like a stroll around the park. Pretty much every step is straight up or straight down, it is grueling and unrelenting. At many points I was unsure if I would make it to the finish.

Day one we trekked uphill for about 6 hours, after a 5am pickup from our guesthouse. It was slow going with many breaks--we made it to our campsite just for sunset. But wow, what a sunset! We were camping overlooking the crater lake of the volcano, which was beautiful. And we were above the clouds, almost at the full moon, so the night sky was gorgeous. We had a view of the volcano on Bali, the Gili islands, and massive green hills all around. Stunning. The night was really cold so we huddled around a small fire while we ate dinner, then fell asleep probably by 9pm.

The next day we woke up to watch the sunrise over the crater lake, wrapped in our sleeping bags. After breakfast we hiked down 2-3 hours, my knees starting to get mad at me about an hour in. They had no idea what they were in for. We reached the lake, took a quick dip, then walked a little more to some natural hot springs under a steaming waterfall. This was a godsend for our already sore muscles and dirty skin. It was absolutely delicious.
But then we had to make our way back up. It was only 3 more hours, but this was where I shed my first tears. There
was some free rock climbing/scaling, and every now and again I would look down and remind myself not to fall. It wasn't easy, but we made it to our campsite, set atop a mountain with another gorgeous view and night sky. And we had a clear shot of the summit of Rinjani, the beast we were going to tackle. Everyone talks about how the summit is the hardest part, obviously, and I wasn't convinced that I'd make it.
We had an early dinner and went to sleep around 7:30pm, me a little excited and very scared.

We woke up at 2am, with sunrise at the summit our goal. It was a full moon, and friday the 13th--good thing im not superstitious. This was where shit got real, holy moley. It was intense, to say the least. Picture me on my hands and feet clawing my way up what looked like a 90degree slope, over gravel-y loose rocks and volcanic ash. Every movement felt like one step up, two back, with already screaming muscles and a pounding heart. It should take about 3 hours, I made it in 4, and could not have been prouder of myself. I got to the summit and started crying, can't even tell you why. The view was amazing and I'll say that it was worth it, and I'm glad I did it. But never again.

2-3 hour walk straight down back down to our campsite for breakfast. Then I made the mistake of asking the guide "how long do we walk to get back to the bottom?" "6 hours." My spirits sunk, I couldn't even imagine making it back down. I wanted to throw a temper tantrum. That would bring me to a grand total of 12 hours or so of trekking. And so it did. It was allllll downhill, much of it on loose gravel. I went down a lot of it on my bum, and did not enjoy this part! So painful. But we finally reached the bottom, dirty and tired and sore but proud!

A lot of people traveling out here go to Nepal; unfortunately I couldn't get there on this trip. But I've now been told that if I can summit Rinjani, I can definitely accomplish Everest base camp. So who knows, maybe I'll add that to my bucket list.

At this point I had about 4 days left of my travels (eep!), but I couldn't even be bothered to use them wisely. Days later I'm still sore from the trek, there's no way that the next morning I was going to do much of anything. One of the things I was most excited for in Indonesia was Flores, a beautiful island and base for Komodo National Park. The park is where you can see some Komodo dragons and do some of the best diving in the world. But when I first got to Lombok, I learned that I had wayyyyy underestimated how long it takes to get there---at least 24 hours by boat! Big whoops. Originally I planned to do Flores/Komodo after Lombok, but since I had already given up on that dream, I decided to just take it easy during my last few days. I went to Kuta Lombok, south on the island, a little surfer paradise. That's where I stayed the past few days, not doing much of anything. All week I've been battling a cold and feeling pretty sick (yes, trek included), so I'm glad I gave myself time to just chill. I'll get to Flores and Komodo one day!

While in Kuta I got a manicure, necessary due to the layers of dirt under any of my remaining unbroken nails. Clawing your way up a mountain can have that effect! I also got my last Asian massage, which was very needed. Mani and massage set me back about $10--it should be so easy to get spoiled back at home!!

And now it's pretty much all over. I'm waiting for flight number 1 of 4, ending in Newark almost 40 hours later. I can't believe I'm here already! It's been quite the adventure. 

Bali Bound

One day late on the blog (even with the time difference), but good morning and happy Father's Day dad!! I love you so much. And hey, I can bring you coffee in bed SO SOON!

When I first arrived to Bali, I was not immediately impressed. I started out in Kuta, the main backpacker zone and very close to the airport. I knew that it wasn't one of the nicest places, but I figured Bali is Bali, right? And it was really convenient since I was landing late. I found it to be frenetic, hassle-filled, crazy touristy...and the beach looked more like the jersey shore than paradise.
I'm aware that I'm spoiled though, and I still had a nice time.

My first morning in Bali I ran into an irish girl I had met in Malaysia; we were at the same hostel. This happens all the time on my travels! Such serendipity. (We've since done basically all of Indonesia together these past 2 weeks). I spent the day on the beach with her and the other girls from our dorm. I tried and failed miserably to surf, since Bali has world class surfing. I was wayyyyy too optimistic about my skills, and figured that since almost 5 years ago I stood up a few times on small waves, I didn't need a lesson. Major oops. I spent about an hour getting knocked around by massive waves, then returned my board with my tail between my legs. Ah well, at least I gave it a go. And once the sun came out later on, the beach looked much more beautiful. Capped off with an icy beer watching another spectacular sunset, I'd call the day a success.

Next was Ubud, a few hours away. I fell in love before getting out of the van; I want to live here. This may be the spot where Elizabeth Gilbert came in Eat, Pray, Love, and I can totally see why. It's a little hippie town, geared to yoga, health food stores, retreats, new age-y crap, countless stores with flowy dresses, and many retired expats. Very relaxed and welcoming vibe, cute little guesthouses dotting the narrow roads, Hindu temples, a monkey forest--and all set among hills and bright green rice fields. It was the kind of place I'd have gotten stuck in earlier in my trip. One of my favorite places for sure.

I spent a day walking through the stunning fields, stopping at villages and art shops along the way. Lovely day out in nature, the views were incredible, I found multiple dream houses...can you tell that I loved Ubud?!

Unfortunately that was all the time I had for Bali, and I know I didn't do it justice. There is SO much to see. Indonesia is maybe the first place where I really feel that I need to come back to, since I'm skipping so much on my wish list. So I'll definitely be back one day!!

Borneo or Bust

I spent a day and a half in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. It was alright, but as expected, I didn't need any more time there. I did really enjoy the combination of really old mosques set alongside tall modern skyscrapers, and the Petronas Towers are cool. I also spent half a day exploring the Batu Caves, Indian caves with a Hindu shrine (and a gang of vicious little monkeys) 13k north of the city.

From KL I hopped a flight to Kota Kinabalu, on the eastern side of Borneo. My friend Nick, who I met in Thailand, is from KK, and per the travelers code, he invited me to come stay with him should I ever make it to the area. I never really expected to make it to Borneo, but with his invitation, I figured why not?! And I'm SO glad I did!

Borneo is gorgeoussssss!! My oh my. City, beach, jungle--at one point, all in one picture. Dayum.

For those of you who are limited in your southeast Asian geography, as I was before arriving--Malaysia is on 2 land masses, cut in half by the South China Sea. So you've got Peninsular Malaysia (sharing a border with Thailand up north), then you've got the island of Borneo (comprised of Malaysian Borneo, Brunei, and Indonesia).

The main tourist draw of KK is Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak in SEA (outside of Papua, per lonely planet...). Borneo is known also for dense untouched jungle, world class diving, and an orangutan rescue center. I was meant to come only for 4 days or so, but I ended up staying a week. Nick and his family and friends were so lovely and welcoming, it was a really nice time. 

The days sort of blend together, so in no particular order, some of my activities included:

White water rafting. Really fun, slightly treacherous and our raft flipped over twice. Minus a little lump on my forehead, I escaped unharmed. The scenery was stunning around the river; it's only accessible by a rickety old train that rumbles through the jungle.

Wildlife center, aka a zoo. The orangutans I wanted to see were many hours away, so I figured it was much more economical and simpler to go to the zoo in town. Lazy? Maybe. Ah well. Saw lotssss of other animals, including tigers, bears, elephants, monkeys, and an ostrich that proceeded to legitimately breakdance when he felt we got too close. Rock on.

A day to Mt. Kinabalu national park. Slightly anticlimactic, as it was rainy and cloudy all day--so I never even got to see the mountain!! Fail. It's really really expensive to climb the mountain, so I gave up on that goal. Oops. But still a nice day, we did a canopy walk, saw a waterfall, and relaxed in some hot springs.

A group of nine of us spent an afternoon at a gorgeous island just 15min by boat from KK. Beautiful scenery, snorkeling, banana boat ride--really fun.

Lots of seafood and local yuminess.

Absolutely incredible sunsets overlooking the water. Nick told me when I arrived that "the sunsets are proof that god loves Borneo" and now I fully understand and have to agree.
We watched a sunset last night, and with sandy toes and a drink in hand, I told myself to remember this Monday when I'm back in the 9-5 world, cold and stressed and hating Mondays. Life is what you make it, a lesson I learn every day out here. 

The Saturday I was here was the annual harvest festival, so we checked out the event--beauty pageant, coconut wine, food, families, traditional clothing...good times. The celebrations were spread out over a few days, I spent wayy too much time drinking with Nick's many uncles. Hilarity ensued, lots of dancing Malaysian men and a whole lot of beer. As they said, I was just participating in the local culture.

Lots of time cuddling puppies, clean laundry, my own room/shower, home cooked food...all in all a lovely week. 

Where am I now, you ask? Oh, just waiting for my flight to Bali. No big deal.

I can't believe that I'm off to my final country of the trip! How is it June already?! I have a jam packed itinerary for Indonesia, it should be a great way to end this adventure. 

And I must admit, I'm getting excited about all the hugs I'm gonna get back home. I miss you all loads!

Insert Witty Title Here

My first week in Malaysia has been a whirlwind, but I'm absolutely loving it here! I really wish I had more time to explore. I was totally uneducated before arriving, really knowing very little about the country or what to expect. So I'm extra thrilled by how lovely it is! It's been a lot of moving and travel time, but I actually planned out a pretty solid itinerary so I'm happy with it. I don't really have the luxury of getting stuck in places anymore or I'll run out of time, but I can't complain!

First stop was Penang, after approximately 21 hours of travel from Thailand. I enjoyed wandering around the many Indian, Chinese, and Malay foods/sites/smells/buildings on small winding roads. It's been cool to see new things, switching from Buddhist Wats to mosques, Chinese temples, and churches. Women walk in hijabs or saris, incense burn from the small shops--it's just a really interesting and beautiful blend of cultures. I loved the energy in Penang, with consistently busy streets, running children, markets, and smiling faces. People have been super friendly as well. As a bonus, Penang is known for its street food, so it was (mostly Indian and Chinese) food galore. 

Next stop, Perhentian islands, because clearly I hadn't had enough beach time. After a bumpy and uncomfortable overnight bus journey where I didn't really sleep at all, I saw my 3rd sunrise in 4 days. I slept on the beach all afternoon and recovered nicely, not to worry. I was also able to do another dive, and I saw so many huge fish, a manta ray, and a shark! 

Next up was Taman Negara, Malaysia's  largest national park, and by some accounts the oldest rainforest in the world. I did a night jungle walk and saw some creepy crawlies, plus a really big tapir and a porcupine. Sadly, no larger animals, which was to be expected. But deeper in the jungle live elephants, tigers, and panthers. Would have loved to see them! Ah well. I spent a day trekking in the jungle, including a canopy walk and some pretty views. We also successfully found a "swimming hole," but it looked really muddy and dirty so our dreams of cooling off in the water were dashed. The day reminded me a bit of Costa Rica; it was a beautiful area.

Now I'm in the Cameron highlands, where I spent yesterday trekking up and through muddy paths--I think in total we walked something like 20k. The area is known for beautiful nature and a cooler climate (I actually wore long sleeves and my fleece for a bit!!), and as a result, it's perfect for lots of plantations: tea, butterflies, bees, and strawberries. So we stopped at strawberry and tea plantations for respite, and I enjoyed a strawberry ice pop and then a strawberry pastry and tea while overlooking the sprawling green fields/hills. Parts of the hike were pretty steep, muddy, and treacherous, but the treats made it all worth it. 

Today is a relaxed day, with a short walk to get my nature fix, then eating strawberry goodies and tea all day. I walked around the small town a lot as well--my legs are aching now! The cooler climate has also been such a nice change of pace.

So one week down, one week to go in Malaysia! I still have Kuala Lumpur and Borneo to hit, so I bus to KL tomorrow morning to start that. The countdown to home is definitely on, but there's still lots left on my wish list before that time comes!

Island Hopping

Wake up

Sunblock, bikini, flip flops? Check.

Beach! Read. Tan. Snooze. Swim. Snooze. Read. 

Banana shake. Pad thai/fried rice/curry.

Maybe drinks on the beach. Possibly dance. 

Which island should I go to next? Should I go tomorrow or the next day? 

Ill sleep on it.

Repeat.

That's basically been my life for the past 3 weeks. There have been some long days of travel, lots of planning the last (eek!) month of my trip, and many mosquito bites, but overall, life has been pretty good. And hot!

There's only so many ways to describe beach/island life, but just some highlights:

-Day boat trips to snorkel and check out small islands 

-Meeting some really wonderful people 

-Visiting Maya Bay, where they filmed The Beach. Sadly Leo wasn't there, and it's jam packed with hordes of tourists, but still beautiful!

-Full Moon party last night and watching the sun rise over the beach (while hundreds of people did the YMCA--quite a sight).

-Having dinner with an English friend of mine who I haven't seen in 2 years. We just happened to be on the same island at the same time. Small world!

I've also been planning a jam packed itinerary for my short time in NY in June, so I'm getting excited for that! Time is flying!!

Tonight I head to Malaysia! Thailand has been incredible, but I'm ready for the next stamp in my passport! 

Swimming with the Fishies

I am officially a certified scuba diver! I spent about a week on Ko Tao, an island a few hours off of the mainland, and spent about 6 days diving. Getting here was a 24 hour adventure--I could have made it home in the same amount of time! Left Joc's apt at 645am and discovered that the 8am train I wanted was full. "Ok, when's the next train?" "1pm." Oops. So I was 5 1/2 hours in the train station, a 9 1/2 hour train ride, a quick moto ride to the pier, then a 6-7 overnight ferry ride to the island. Ooof. But I made it!

I did a 4 day open water course to get certified, meaning I can dive anywhere in the world up to 18meters. Then I stayed on to do the advanced course (because money grows on trees, right?) so now I'm certified to dive up to 30 meters, the limit for recreational diving. 

It was amazing!! I've always loved water and swimming and snorkeling, so after the initial "oh wow this is weird I'm uncomfortable how am i still breathing under water ah my ears are popping wait shit how do I float" etc etc, it was great. And you start in the classroom and the pool, so you feel ready for the sea. Rough life, I had to do homework and take an exam and talk about physics. I'm sure you all feed bad for me. 

I learned to hover upside down and "mission impossible," style (ie on my stomach just above the sand/coral), did a navigation dive (and only got a litttttle lost), a night dive, a wreck dive at an old WWII ship, a deep dive (up to 30m), and saw lots of cool fish and coral. It felt like I was in Finding Nemo--and we did see the only 5 little clown fish at the dive site, so I found him! To be honest, I saw more while snorkeling in the Galapagos than I did diving here, but I guess when you start at the pinnacle, that's to be expected. So I can't complain! 

Diving is a really expensive hobby--of course the only athletics I'm good at are skiing and diving. Why couldn't I be good at basketball?! But even though this took a massive portion of my budget, Ko Tao is actually one of the cheapest places to dive and get certified in the world. I've always always always wanted to scuba dive, so it just made sense to do it here. I'm hoping to dive again in Indonesia for sure, and maybe Malaysia if I can swing it.

Tonight I'm off overnight to Krabi,

on the other coast, where i'll island hop for about 2ish more weeks. 

Summary: I'm tan and happy and exhausted and feeling good! 

Songkran

Happy(belated) Thai new year! You all missed quite the celebration. Songkran is absolute madness--it reminded me of carnaval, but with water guns. At night the streets are like Times Square on New Year's Eve. Songkran is basically a 4 day country wide water fight. Everyone is out, everyone is drunk, everyone is trying to soak you with water and smear this goopy white paste onto your face. Good times. 
Apparently in Thailand its a thing to sprinkle water for good luck, so the water symbolizes good luck in the new year? Or something like that. But over the years I guess it's morphed into a huge crazy party. It was SO nice that I was staying with Joc, my friend who lives in Bangkok. It was a few crazy days, and such a unique experience. Really fun. 

While in Bangkok I made an impulse purchase and flew round trip back to Cambodia for a few days. Had a nice time in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville (beach), and now I have a slightly extended visa for Thailand since I got another 30 days when I flew back. Win.

Also, before Songkran started, I was able to explore Bangkok a little more. I also took a 2 hour meditation course at a Wat, led by a monk, which was an interesting experience. 

I also have my return ticket home now, which feels weird and sad and final--but I'm also really excited! Looks like ill be in NY June 18-29 an Boston until July 3rd. If you're on the east coast, pencil me in! 

Sending big ol hugs and kisses home to everyone!!