Lombok Island, The New Bali

  Everyone dreams of going to Bali, the exotic island in Indonesia, but we were shocked to discover that dreamy Bali is not what it used to be. Now Bali is dirty and touristy with beaches full of garbage. Move over Bali – here comes Lombok.   Bali since 2017…… Continue reading

How To Make Roti in Borneo

  One of our stops on our way to a new jungle resort in Borneo was for Indian food. What a treat it was to watch this guy making each individual fresh roti, and with a bright smile that showed how much he really seemed to enjoy doing it. To… Continue reading

Bird’s Nest Soup: Most Expensive Soup in the World

Travelling through the mountains of Borneo, we made a stop at Gomantong Cave, known for its ancient Bird’s Nest harvesting. A delicacy in this part of the world is Bird’s Nest Soup.  [spacer height=”20px”] Inside the Cave [spacer height=”20px”] The first half-kilometre into the cave is a beautiful forest.  … Continue reading

Stomping Your Feet Does Not Help

  It started with a comedy of errors. Freezing rain cancelled our flight out of Toronto to Nicaragua so there were 40-minute line-ups at the pay phones just to try to re-schedule. T was relatively new at “travel glitches” and was wringing his hands in anxiety. After many years of travel… Continue reading

The Scene of the Crime: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Before we tell you about Victoria Falls, we have to share a scary little adventure we had as we left the Urban Rose Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Trapped We had a 6 am flight to Victoria Falls, via Johannesburg, South Africa. Half asleep, we got ready in the… Continue reading

Women In Cuba Smoke Cigars

  If you want to get a feel for local culture in Cuba, settle down for a morning (or afternoon or evening) of people-watching in any one of Cuba’s central parks.   You’ll find a central park in every village, town, or in each area of a city all through Cuba…. Continue reading

Pay To Pee

  God Forbid if you have to go to the bathroom in Italy train stations.   First of all, they are scarce and hard to find. There is usually only one bathroom, and these train stations are huge! Train stations are the size of malls, with many shops and restaurants,… Continue reading

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Hot, Noisy, Bustling City

AFRICA! We were finally on our way to Africa. After years of putting this trip aside because of the high cost, we were on our way to experience the trip we both had on our bucket list of many years. AFRICA MAP Flying to Africa Just in case you’re planning… Continue reading

Bad To The Bone and Tall Boy

  It was another warm sunny day, and we were down for breakfast at the Lobster Inn on Little Corn Island. Everyone was friendly and chatting, including the staff and locals.   One of the staff, the owner’s niece, tells us that there was a big fire on Big Corn Island last night…. Continue reading

Amsterdam: Chocolate, Bicycles and Canals

  Our plane left Canada late because they had to put air in the tires. Hmph, I chuckled to myself, ‘I thought we were flying, not driving’. As long as we were leaving the frigid cold of a Canadian winter, either mode would be excellent.   On our way to… Continue reading

China Consumes the Most Beer in the World

  From Xian, we flew to Tsingtao (pronounced ching-dow), a small city (according to Chinese standards) of only 6 million people, on the southeast coast of China in Shandong province.   It had the feel of a beautiful small resort nestled between the mountains and the ocean.   It was quiet, and… Continue reading

El Nido, Philippines: Pompous Roosters, Leaping Geckos and a Heartbreaking Story

  As one of the most beautiful places on earth, El Nido was a week of pure indulgence. Relaxing in a hammock, staring out across an aquamarine bay studded with gorgeous islands, tucking into a good novel, eating great food, and with barely anyone else there, what could be better… Continue reading

Close Your Eyes & Spin The Globe

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  We couldn’t decide where to go so we just closed our eyes and spun the globe. Crazy way to choose a place, but exciting none the less. Wherever the finger landed was where we would go. We landed on some little dots in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean…. Continue reading

Valentine’s Day On A Dangerous Island

  We didn’t want to go to crime-and-drug-ridden Big Corn Island but we had no choice. It was the only way to get to gorgeous Little Corn Island on the virtually unknown Caribbean side of Nicaragua.   First we had to fly from Managua to Big Corn Island, then take a small… Continue reading

Little Corn Island – No Cars, No Roads, No Worries

At last! Big Corn Island disappeared far off in the distance. No more threatening thugs, no more loud music, no more hurtling cars – just crystal clear blue water, soft sand, and the sweet sweet quiet of Little Corn Island.   That’s right – there are no roads on Little… Continue reading

6 Things To Know Before You Go To Penang & Best Value Hotel

  It was hard to leave raw natural Borneo, but we were on our way to Malaysia, and to another adventure. [mapsmarker marker=”75″]     At the airport in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, we waited for Air Asia to open, and stopped for a bite to eat.   Wow. This simple… Continue reading

An Inflatable Car?

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  For years, we have wanted to go to Belize.    Belize is located directly South of Mexico, below the Mayan Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula. It was cheaper to fly into Cancun and drive down the Mayan Riviera coast, scattered with delectable turquoise beaches, and then drive on into… Continue reading

La Citee Medievale de Carcassonne

The drive to Carcassonne was beautiful…   We loved the little towns perched on hilltops…     Then, as you come around a corner of the highway, you might think you are seeing a mirage, an illusion, but there in the distance on a hill, is an astonishingly huge citadel!… Continue reading

Canadian Woman Disgraces New York Opera House

    When a friend invited me to join him in New York to go the opera (his big obsession), I was hesitant. I was not that keen on opera, or even on a big city for that matter. We’ve always taken a ‘pass’ on big, busy, noisy cities, preferring… Continue reading