Travel Inspiration: Waterfalls

I don't go chasing waterfalls, but I somehow always manage to end up at one during my adventures. (I hope you caught that crazy, sexy, cool 90's reference)

I'm always this happy around waterfalls

To get you over the end of the weekend blues here is a short list of some of my favorite waterfalls in Southeast Asia. Hopefully they will inspire your next holiday or at least your next daydream...

Kawasan Falls, Cebu Island, Philippines

#nofilter

I saw a picture on Instagram of Kawasan and I knew I had to go there. I booked my entire trip to the Philippines based off of that one picture and it did not disappoint. Words and pictures can't do this place justice, there is just something magical about that blue water.

Hop on the raft and float through the falls

I'm sure you can hire a car to take you there but why do that when you could jump off cliffs and swim through a canyon to get there? We chose the latter and booked a tour through Cyan Adventures, highly recommended, it turned the whole experience into one epic adventure.

Tad Sae & Kuang Si, Luang Prabang, Laos

I visited Tad Sae in 2011 and being the adventurous newbie I chose to ride a mountain bike out to the waterfalls, all 16 kilometers. Learn from my mistake and hop in a tuk-tuk. Most street corners will have drivers offering to take you to both waterfalls.

The many pools of Tad Sae

Tad Sae is a place you could spend all day with a big 'pool' to swim in. I recommend packing a lunch and camping out for the day. It can get a bit noisy and crowded with local kids but watching them dive off rocks was all part of the fun.

Show off

I visited Kuang Si more recently and worked equally as hard to get there, we drove the 30kms on a motorbike. (Correction, I drove the 30kms with a 6 foot something Aussie on the back of the moto.) I wouldn't recommend driving there, it's quiet boring and you can probably get there for cheaper in a shared tuk-tuk.

The pools at Kuang Si

Kuang Si is a beautiful trail of small waterfalls. You can pick and choose one to swim in, although the water can be quiet chilly. While Kuang Si is stunning to look at and is well maintained I found it my least favorite place to go swimming. The photo at the beginning of this post is of the main falls at Kuang Si, no swimming in that bad boy *sigh*

Mo Paeng, Pai, Thailand

A friend and I rented a motorbike to drive out to the falls and I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable motorbike drives I've had in all of SE Asia. Just hills of green everywhere you look and not another motorbike in sight.

Also, driving on the wrong side of the road

It's a short walk from the parking lot to the falls, where you have to do some mild rock climbing to get to the main swimming pool.

View from the top of the waterfall

Some of the rocks are covered with water and algae making them quiet slippery. I happened to slip and fall not once but twice. I tried to ease my pain by sitting in the pool at the top of the falls and taking in the view of the valley below. The icy cold water was actually refreshing, but my arm was in some serious pain so we headed to the hospital. I didn't get the chance to explore the waterfall as much as I wanted to but it's a big must if you're spending a few days in Pai.

Thai hospital, check!

Good news, it wasn't broken but I got a sweet sling to wear and some nice pain meds.

London, Baby

'ello London!

If you're looking for a post about the hidden gems of London this is not it. I packed all the touristy bits into a 2 day London extravaganza. Maybe you've seen that episode of Friends, the one where they all go to London (minus Phoebe), well, I was Joey.

Or 'the tube' as the cool kids say

While London is  massive city seeing all the tourist sights within 2 days was a breeze. Here's a run down of how I saw (almost) all the sights in 2 days.

Day 1
Following too many cups of coffee, we took the tube from Hampstead to Green Park. At this point I was skipping through the park as I got my first glimpse of Buckingham Palace.

I'd like to stop here and thank the London Police for being the friendliest bunch of police officers. We got to Buckingham Palace shortly before the changing of the guards meaning it was getting VERY crowded. A police officer reminded me to keep my bag in front of me as pickpockets are common. But even more fantastic were the two police officers that took epic pictures with me. It was a general win for the city of London that day.

Once at Buckingham Palace we were walking distance to everything. We took a path from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square then onto Westminster Abbey. We opted not to go into Westminster Abbey as it was a little too expensive. *Pro tip: you can get in free when you attend Mass*

From Westminster Abbey you can walk to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Big Ben was the big attraction for me and we got there just in time to hear the bell ring at noon. The view from Westminster Bridge is everything. The Thames, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and the city of London it's all there. And if you don't mind making a fool of yourself you can find the perfect angle on the bridge to take pictures with Big Ben. I went with the "somebody to lean on" pose.

Gangsta Lean on Big Ben

At this point in my London Tour Extravaganza we needed lunch. We slowly worked our way to Chinatown by way of Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square. Post lunch coma we headed to Piccadilly Circus and did a little browsing in the nearby shops. After a glass of bubbly at a shop that shall remain nameless, I was ready to take on the rest of London. We made our way back to the Thames and crossed over the Millennium Bridge, taking us by the Tate Modern, the Globe Theater and the London Bridge.

Those London Views 

For our mid afternoon snack we stopped by the Borough Market, located in a rebuilt part of South London. The market has literally everything from apple juice to zebra meat. We stuck to brownies and pretzels.

Isn't she lovely? 

We were almost finished with our marathon loop of London as we marched on to Tower Bridge. We crossed Tower Bridge just before sunset so we marveled at the Tower of London while we waited for the sun to set. I highly recommend getting a glimpse of Tower Bridge at night, it really is magnificent.

Day 2
We brunched and we brunched hard. There's really not too much you can or want to do after a booze filled brunch but we did manage to wander around Soho and Shoreditch. Shoreditch is definitely on my list for my next visit to London.

Street Art in Shoreditch

After a rest and change of shoes we continued on to Abbey Road and Oxford Street. Even though I love shopping and the Beatles, Abbey Road and Oxford Street were so overrun with people that they were difficult to enjoy.

Cheerio for now

I was pleasantly surprised by how much of London I could see in just two days. If you've only got a couple days seeing don't be overwhelmed by the size of the city it is a manageable and quite friendly city. Cheers x

12 hours in Aarhus

A little spontaneity is a great thing. With a few days of freedom left before school started back up we decided to buy a train ticket and head to Aarhus for the day.

Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark and is located on the east coast of Jutland. You're asking, "What's Jutland?". I like to say it's the part of Denmark that "jutes" out of Germany. It's a quick and easy 3 hour train ride from Copenhagen, complete with lovely Danish scenery. And if you're not into quaint scenes of Danish countryside there is also free WiFi on the train. 

Train Views

If I had done some research before our trip I would have found out that Aarhus is #13 on New York Times "52 Places to Go in 2016".  

The playground at Dokk1

One of the sights listed in the New York Times article is Dokk1. It's a new library and cultural center located in the old industrial harbor. Though calling it a library does not do it justice. Dokk1 has an expansive balcony that includes multiple playgrounds, each based off a different continent. Inside there is a cafe, vintage arcade games, playrooms, games and oh yeah, books. Head down the escalator and outside to watch the cars get parked. Seriously, the parking garage has car elevators that whisk the cars away, we weren't the only ones standing around to watch. 

THE Gong

But by far my favorite part was The Gong. The Gong, is well a gong, hanging in one corner of the library. Besides the fact that its quite beautiful hanging in front of the windows over looking the harbor, the gong rings when a baby is born in Aarhus. Apparently, new born parents have the opportunity to activate the gong from the hospital. Needless to say if I ever have children I will be giving birth in Aarhus.

The quiet streets of The Old Town

From the futuristic library we headed to Den Gamle By or The Old Town. Den Gamle By is an open air museum and it feels a bit like you are on a field trip in the 5th grade, learning how people lived in centuries past. The highlight of the museum is the newest addition, a recreation of a building from the 1970's. It includes a family apartment, gynecologist office and a collective. The 1970's portion of the museum is a big upgrade from the rest of the museum. The exhibits are hands on and interactive with working phones, videos and a mirror where you can try on clothes from the 70s. 

What I'd look like in 1974. Damn Good.

We ended our day in Aarhus at our friends collective. A collective is just a group of people living together, but actually living together. They have meetings, clean, cook dinner and eat together almost every night. This communal way of living is far different than anything I've experienced in America, where every inch of fridge space is divided up. Our friends collective has been around the 1970's and you could tell it was old and lived in, in all the best ways. It was the perfect way to end a chilly day in Aarhus, champagne soup (it's a thing!) in a warm, old, friendly Danish house. 

The run down on Aarhus: 

Get there: Around 3 hours from Copenhagen, easy and cheap by bus or train 

Eat there: Il Mercatino, Mejlgade 18. Great for lunch, delicious paninis to go. 

See there: Dokk1, Free

                  Den Gamle By, prices vary by season

City Inspiration: Cocktails in Saigon

I lived in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) for about two years. In those two years I matured from street side beer drinker to sch-mancy cocktail drinker. Below I give you my run down of the best cocktail bars in Ho Chi Minh City....and one brewery.

Living it up at Eon Heli Bar 

Racha Room 

I fall asleep at night dreaming of the cocktails at Racha Room. The Racha Room is a Thai, street food inspired restaurant in central District 1. I HIGHLY recommend the Concubine, a sweet vodka and lycee concoction and the Sin Gin Sling, gin based (surprise!) with a  nice basil aftertaste . What makes their cocktails even better is that the Racha Room has happy hour Monday to Saturday from 5pm to 8pm.  

The Racha Room 12-14 Mac Thi Buoi, D1, HCMC

O.M.G.

Normally I would never advocate drinking at a bar named after a valley girl expression, but the view will soon have you forgetting about the name. O.M.G. is on the 9th floor of the Tan Hai Long Hotel, overlooking the always busy Benh Thanh round about. It's a great alternative to Skybar or EON Heli Bar (Bitexco) you still get a killer view and drink without the ear popping elevator ride. Or is that just me? I recommend the passion fruit mojito with less sugar (ít đường)

O.M.G.-Tan Hai Long Hotel, Nguyen An Ninh, D1 HCMC

Broma: Not a Bar

When O.M.G. gets too loud head to Broma for another rooftop with a more chill/laid-back vibe.  Broma has a solid cocktail menu and a serves an even better sangria. If your lucky enough to become besties with the staff you can host your own 90's dance party. If your going to add to the noise pollution 90's music is the way to go. 

 The view from Broma- 41 Nguyen Hue, D1, HCMC

The Deck

The Deck is the most expensive on the list especially if you factor in the Uber ride to get to District 2. It's definitely worth the ride as you'll be sitting right on the Saigon River, plan it accordingly and you can be sitting on the river at sunset, swoon. My experience with their menu is limited but not much experience is needed to conclude they were perfect. 

The Deck- 38 Nguyen U Di, D2, HCMC

Pasteur Street Brewing Company

I don't discriminate when it comes to alcoholic beverages, but beer is usually low on my list, except this beer. Pasteur is a craft brewery that literally makes the best beer I've ever had. I always recommend the flight as the beers on tap. My personal favorite is the passion fruit wheat ale and the jasmine IPA. The location on Pasteur can be difficult to find as it's hidden down a sketchy alley, but that's part of the charm. 

Pasteur Street Brewing Company- 144 Pasteur, D1, HCMC

New Year, New Blog

Somewhere in Cambodia written on a bathroom stall I found inspiration

"Teach people what you have seen on your journey and maybe one day they will travel too"

Inspired by jet lag and the aforementioned bathroom stall I decided to (re)start a travel blog. All good decisions are made after midnight while sleep deprived, right?

You should know I'm not a photographer, foodie or writer. I am a traveler, a backpacker, an adventurer and a wanderer. My goal here is to share my stories, experiences and tips to inspire others to travel and maybe make the journey a little bit easier.

Oh my beer

There may be critics of Asian beer, but I am not one. I happen to be a huge fan of every Asian beer I've tried and the cheap price makes it even easier to be a fan. Here's a run down of the beer's I've tried so far:

BeerLao: I'm completely biased and think Beerlao is the best beer in the world. Beerlao was my first Southeast Asian beer experience and I have Beerlao to thank for some hazy travel memories. It has a distinct flavor but if light beers aren't your thing they also make Beerlao dark. Head to your local Asian market in the States and you might be able to find some. If you can't figure it out where Beerlao is from then move along.


Leo: Leo beer is from Thailand and I thought it was quite nice. It's similar to all Asian beers in that it's a pretty light beer, but I found it had a slightly stronger flavor than Beerlao and Angkor.

Bia Saigon: Again, it tastes like most other Asian beers, light and easy to drink in this heat and humidity. Bia Saigon comes in two varieties red and green, no the beer isn't that color. For the life of me I was never able to tell the difference between the two, but I usually go for the red.

Angkor: Angkor beer is from Cambodia, named after Angkor Wat. You can get Angkor draft for about .50 cents and for .50 cents you can almost forgive the lack of flavor. I would compare it to a Keystone Light, it's got that nice watered down taste. Be careful when ordering at the bar in Cambodia, there is  Angkor and Anchor beer. Just like Bia Saigon, you probably won't be able to tell the difference but if you ask most people will have a preference.

Tiger: Tiger is eponymous with Southeast Asia and for a good reason; it's good and cheap. Tiger is one of my favorites, especially Tiger Crystal served with a giant ice cube. I know, sacrilege, but don't knock it till you try it.

If you decide to try one of these beers back in the states and think its horrible, don't blame me. Book a flight to Southeast Asia and grab a Beerlao in Laos, I promise it will taste a whole lot better.

Adventurous Eating

I've been a little behind in my blog postings. The training program I'm in has actually been a lot of work. I'll get into the training experience in a later blog. There's a way more important issues to deal with right now and that's food. 

The food in Cambodia wasn't as good as I was expecting, but I did try some interesting dishes.

Tarantula: Not as bad as you'd think, but still not good. It tastes a little like fried tempura with a little hair mixed in. YUM!

Sticky rice in bamboo: sticky rice and mung beans are cooked in a bamboo stalk. Amazing and delicious road side snack!

Crocodile: Tastes like chicken, no really, just chewier. Although I think our crocodile cooking techniques could use some work.

Snake: Tastes exactly what you think snake would taste like; something that's been slithering around on the ground. 

Whole shell crab: This may not be unusual or interesting for some, but it was my first experience eating crab like this. It's delicious but for me it's not worth the work. There was no melted butter here, we dipped the crab into a lime juice, salt and pepper mix. Believe me, it's so much better than melted butter. Yes, I just said that.