Happy Elephants

“Look how her ears flap. This is a sign she is happy”, explained Tan, our guide  “Sun” had every reason to be happy. She had as many bananas as she could eat and piles of bamboo to gnaw on. A far cry from her sad, previous existence as a working elephant, dragging logs up and down hills all day in the logging camp.

We were in the sleepy, graceful town of Luang Prabang, a few hours drive north of the Laos capital, Vientiane. I wrote here about how much we loved Laos. Today, we would be spending a full day with the MandaLao Elephant Conservation team. MandaLao is one of a growing trend in this part of the world. A shift away from elephant exploitation, elephant rides, and treating these intelligent animals as slaves. There are no rides available at MandaLao, and this is a good thing.

MandaLao Conservation Camp

What they do have is passionate people. Our guide for the day, the ebullient Tan, had previously worked at such a camp. “It was all we knew”, he told us. “For many years, it was so deep in our culture.” And it is little wonder, in a country that has a motto of “Land of a million elephants.”

Working at MandaLao, and in particular, meeting the project director, Prasop, had changed Tan’s life, and his whole perspective on how we treat elephants. He used to view them as workers. His personal slaves. An income. This has changed and Tan’s mission now is to educate the rest of us, one visitor at a time.

We were his visitors today and he collected us from our hotel in the leafy outskirts of Luang Prabang. The air conditioning in the minivan was welcome, even this early in the morning. Our day would be spent with a traveller from Switzerland, and one from Canada. A young man who was on his winter break from planting trees across British Columbia.

A long way from British Columbia, and around 30 minutes from the centre of Luang Prabang, we we were soon sat around a table at the Conservation camp. Each of us engrossed in the enigmatic Prasop. An elderly Thai gentleman who has been helping elephants for over 30 years. He did tell us that he is of an age where he would now like to retire, but the owner of MandaLao does not share his enthusiasm. Listening to Prasop, and how he draws you in, I suspect that he is too much of an asset to let go.

From Thailand to Laos

Hearing Prasop talk about his work across the world, starting in his native Thailand and then wherever elephants were exploited, you could see how much these animals meant to him. He tells local elephant camps, the remaining few that still offer elephant rides, that we should treat elephants as we treat our friends. Not chained up. Not whipping them. And not having people carried on their backs. Put in such simple terms it is hard to disagree. Prasop has worked with Dr Andrew McLean of Australia, a pioneer of working with horses who introduced the “clicker” to the work with elephants. In place of the old fashioned stick to “encourage” an elephant, they were now trained to listen to a click as the command.

Slowly crossing the river, Prasop’s words bouncing around my head, we got our first sight of the two elephants we would be walking with today. MandaLao has rescued nine Asian (smaller ears than their African cousins) elephants to this point, and one more was due to arrive in the coming days. Today, Sun, of the flapping ears, was going to be one of our trekking partners. Not before we had fed them their morning snack. Dozens of bananas, seemingly inhaled, skins and all.

Meandering with the mahouts

The morning was spent slowly walking with the two elephants and their mahouts. A mahout is the person closest to the elephant. In previous times they would have been called a trainer, and we now know that a free elephant needs no training. The term, mahout has stuck as the person who is the elephant’s best friend. With the mahout leading, we cross shallow rivers. Trek down narrow paths. We wait whilst one or both of the elephants had found just the right tree, neck high, to scratch that irritating itch. And the best of all? Watching as both elephants stop in the river and bathe themselves. Their trunks acting as high powered shower heads, spraying mud and water all over themselves. The mud acting as nature’s screen.

Lunch in the forest

As the sun reached its apex, we found shade under the canopy of the forest trees. It was time for lunch. Sat around simple tables, Tan passed around warm parcels of food from the bag he had been carrying. In a game reminiscent of childhood “pass the parcel” we handed each other a parcel, exquisitely wrapped in a banana leaf. I could still feel the heat, trapped in by the leaf. As we unwrapped our “gifts” we got beautiful aromas of tomatoes, fresh vegetables, and the unmistakable sticky rice. Eating with our fingers, we each reflected on what an unforgettable morning it had been.

Lunch over it was time to head into the forest and chop down some banana tree. We may have been full by a simple, and rather excellent lunch. Our walking companions were still hungry. The surprisingly heavy, and very moist trunk is a favourite of the elephants. I marvelled at how the elephants just eat, and eat, all day long.

As the elephants kept on eating. we had the opportunity to visit a small organic farm. Leaving the elephants with their mahouts, we headed over to meet the farmer. Translating through Tan, the farmer walked us through his very impressive crops. Tomatoes, kale, ocra, cabbage, lettuce, spring onions. Some carrots that appeared to be struggling a little. With each crop proudly presented, the farmer gave us samples to try, smiling and nodding as we nibbled and replied with an approving thumbs up.

Time to head back

A quick glance at my watch told me, sadly, our time with the elephants was drawing to a close. Time that had gone all too quickly. Back at the camp we had a serendipitous meeting with Aaron, the CEO of Planting Peace. Aaron first began helping the elephants when, prompted by a story he had read, he decided to jump on a flight from his home in the US and come immediately to Laos. That resulting rescue story can viewed in a short YouTube video that now has some half a million views. Aaron’s new commitment is to save an elephant every year on his birthday.

Whilst it wasn’t Aaron’s birthday this week, it turns out that the latest rescue will be arriving tomorrow. After protracted negotiations with the logging farm owner. In conditions that Aaron described as “one of the worst states he has ever seen”, previously chained and used to drag logs up and down hills all day, the elephant was now in the possession of MandaLao, thank you in large part to a generous donor, Ash, who we also met. Wondering to myself how much an elephant might cost, I hadn’t figured on the amount being as high as the $32,000US that had just been paid for the new addition to the MandaLao family.

“It was quite a process,” said Aaron.

And I am sure it was. But, holding on to the thought that the new elephant will see out their days, free, out of chains, and able to choose which tree to scratch that itch and where to have a shower, we know that there will be no better sight than an elephants’ ears flapping.

Need to know:

MandaLao offers half and full day treks.

Half day – $100US

Full day – $150US

Website: https://mandalaotours.com/

From brawn to beauty

Although you could be forgiven for not realising this. There is a large portion of the WA population that seem to have a predilection for men in tight shorts and vests running in circles, chasing a rugby ball.

That the majority of these men look like they have been transported from the 1970s, with moustaches and unfinished haircuts, adds to my confusion. I find myself asking, just what is going on?

Searching out solitude

Thankfully, there is much to redeem the largest state in Australia. Places of pure beauty and solitude. Recently, we found ourselves enjoying a full weekend of unadulterated solitude, living off grid for a few nights in the middle of a very large field.

Narrogin is a small town in the Wheatbelt area of WA. And yes, we didn’t know where the Wheatbelt was either. It is a 3 hour drive south east of Perth. An area that grows a lot of, well, wheat, actually. Driving through you can’t help but be struck by the looming silos that dominate the landscape. It is easy to see where the organisational metaphor of teams working in silos comes from.

Tiny Cabin Joey

Our home for the weekend was “Joey”. An off grid tiny cabin, hosted by Heyscapes. We had stayed in a tiny cabin previously, but this was our first in WA. And we were excited. We had brought all our food supplies and plenty of wine to keep us entertained. The outdoor BBQ was going to get a lot of use, and I had my eye on the outdoor bathtub, too. We were so isolated I cheekily wondered if I even needed bathers.

Joey was just what we wanted. Very small. Very self contained, And with everything we needed. Granted, as we were off grid, we only had a drop toilet, but a flushing toilet is just a luxury, isn’t it? The small roof of the cabin was clad in solar panels and whilst there were no power outlets in the cabin, we did have a USB outlet, allowing us to ensure the batteries on our camera and Kindles did not let us down.

Slowing down

Immediately, life slowed down. We were a long way from civilisation. The nearest shop a 30 minute drive away. We opened a cold bottle of wine and got settled in the Adirondack chairs, breathing in the fresh country air, and taking in the sweeping views across the paddocks.

As we drained the last of the chardonnay, the sun started to set. Checking our watches I was pleased to see we had passed the fire pit embargo of 6pm. Time to light her up. Half of the fun is trying to get the fire started. I foraged around the paddock for bits of kindling, and selected a few choice pieces of wood that I felt would see us through the evening.

Stargazing

As darkness set in, we sat back and enjoyed one of the greatest shows on earth. The complete lack of light pollution meant we had front row seats to the night sky. Spotting satellites used to be a novelty, but with Elon Musk launching more and more of his SpaceX Starlink satellites every year, this has become less of a novelty. Our new game is spotting shooting stars. And we see a surprising number. Scanning the night sky, there is suddenly a quick movement of light. Shift your head fast enough and you get to see it as it shoots to earth. High five. A whisky nightcap, and time to return to Joey for the night.

Margaret River, where else?

If space was at a premium in Joey, for our next WA adventure we definitely had a lot more room. In fact, more than we originally planned. The week before we headed to Margaret River for the long weekend, (thank you King Charles), our AirBnB got cancelled. Cue a frantic evening searching for somewhere to stay in what is quite possibly the most popular place in the whole of WA. On a long weekend this left us with few options. 

Thankfully, one of those options was out at Gnarabup Beach. One of my most favourite spots in the world, and close to both the excellent White Elephant cafe and the Sea Garden cafe. Suddenly, our accommodation costs had shot up, but we were still going to Margaret River. That felt like a win in my book.

The Jetty

Our home for the weekend was “The Jetty”, and I am pleased to report that it even had a flushing toilet. And the even more important BBQ. This time we didn’t bring any wine from home. We were in the best wine region in the world. We wouldn’t go short. And Victoria had already told me she was planning to take much of it home with us.

How Margaret River stole our hearts

Long time readers of the blog will know how special the Margaret River region is to us. It was here that we eloped in April 2021, getting married amongst the trees of Boranup. We have only been back in the country since April and this was already our second trip down there. With over 200 cellar doors to visit, our quest to visit every one continues. Currently, our tally stands at 50(ish). A long way to go before we taste every cellar door’s offerings.

The wine spreadsheet had three new wineries added. And the wine rack looked a lot healthier when we got all our purchases home. In between we spent three blissful days starting with walks along the beach, visiting cellar doors, and eating some truly world class food. It is our opinion that Margaret River has it all. It is a shame that we ever have to leave, but until we get jobs as a sommelier, or grape picker, back to the city it is. That said, it may not surprise you to learn that we have booked a return visit in December. Oh, and another visit to a new tiny cabin, in October.

Bustling Busselton

But, not without stopping off at another location that we struggle to drive past. Busselton is half an hour’s drive from the Margaret River region, and is a small town with lots going on. We planned to have a bite to eat at the gargantuan Shelter Brewery on the foreshore, but wouldn’t you know, it was full. Undeterred, we walked to what is quite possibly my favourite brewery. Rocky Ridge Taphouse. A microbrewery, in a converted cottage selling an inordinately massive range of fresh brews. And yes, I got my “go to”, Jindong Juicy.

Another long weekend doing what we do best. Eating and drinking. And not a thought about Aussie Rules, or moustachioed men in shorts.

Transitions

Transitions are difficult. In whatever sphere of life. Adjusting from one way of being, one way of living, to something very different is hard. It is a process. As humans, we usually avoid change. Our brains see it as a threat to the status quo. Our amygdala kicks in. And we resist. Try to cling to the relative safety of the “known”.

If we don’t move out of the “known”, explore new things, we don’t grow. We stagnate. And I don’t like stagnating. With this in mind, I like to throw everything up in the air and see where it lands. Chart a new course every now and again. And this is what we chose to do when packing up our lives in Australia in June last year to explore the world.

Our travel journey

Many of you came along on the journey. Reading the blogs we shared of our trials and tribulations. The amazing ups and, relatively few, downs of long term travel. You will have seen our pictures, and maybe got a sense of what we saw, and maybe how we felt. It was truly a life changing trip. It changes how you see the world. How you come to realise that we are the same. Part of one big family. Granted, a family with almost 8 billion family members.

You come to realise how arbitrary the borders are. How much of what we take for “geography” is just a social construct. Some countries we have to get visas for. Others, we just jump on a train, leaving one country, and entering another. A bus takes us from France to Spain, with no discernible demarcation of the border between the two countries. In Switzerland we could look across the river in Basel, looking into the windows of apartments on the other side, in France. Look in the other direction and you could throw a stone into Germany. Nothing but a river separating three countries. 

Arriving back in Australia

Ten months later, we flew back to Australia. A country with very strict borders. A country that forbids you to even bring in an apple, woe betide it introduces a threat to the ecosystem. And with our return, we have to re-adjust to a life where we don’t move every few days. Where we have more options of what to wear other than what we have in our backpacks. Deal with the reverse culture shock.

“How much!?”, became a common refrain as we converted the price of a pizza from Australian into Indonesian rupiah. 

The biggest shock was the price of accommodation. In a rental market that is crazy beyond crazy, we had to start out bouncing between AirBnBs. And the cost was killing us. With no money coming in, and lots going out, we needed to find a rental. Fast. This was no easy feat. For each of the four viewings we had in the first week, there were an average of 20 people showing up to view. With a viewing window of only 15 minutes, for everyone, we were like rats running around a maze. Bumping into each other as we all raced to get a good look around, and take a few photos.

Finding a home in Perth

One viewing number five, or was it six, we managed to turn up early and got to view an apartment in relative quiet. It also allowed us to use our well refined stakeholder management skills, chatting to both the owner and her partner. Showing an interest in them and not just the apartment. Asking a few questions and showing our genuine interest. This apartment was above our budget, but with our options dwindling, and with this being a great apartment, we wanted it.

A phone call whilst we were at yet another viewing brought very good news. We had secured the rental. However, as neither of us were working, our offer of paying the full six months rent up front was accepted. A large chunk of our savings gone, temporarily, but we had a home for the immediate future. A huge milestone in our “settling back into normal life” plan.

Whilst we were looking for a rental, we decided to review our priorities for settling back into Western Australia. And what came out on top was a visit to Margaret River. The wine region that we hold close to our heart, more so we got married there in 2021. We spent a great few days, hunting down new wineries, and checking out a few recent additions to the brewery scene, before heading back to Perth.

In Perth, we are now in a modern two bedroom apartment in a great suburb called Leederville. A suburb full of cafes, bars, and restaurants. And on the bus, only 15 minutes into the city. When we left Perth last year we were living just up the road in Mt Hawthorn. So we know the area very well and love it. If only we weren’t doing “dry May”. It is a killer walking past everyone enjoying a glass of full bodied red wine, or a hazy pale ale. Roll on June!

Transitioning back to work

Our life plan hit top gear when shortly afterwards, Victoria secured a full time job. Again, at the first time of asking. She has a perfect record of applying for a job, and getting it. Other people must also see how special she is. For me, I had already been back working, albeit part time. A friend runs a consultancy in Perth and I had been partnering to deliver training to some of the companies in Perth. This work is now expanding, and I will be complementing the training with some dedicated coaching and consulting for one of the clients.

My new life involves me trying to work Monday through Thursday. I am keeping Friday free to build up my private coaching practice. To that end, I had a call with a previous client in Sydney and we are having discussions in further developing our working relationship. I hope this could be the start of a new chapter and a new approach to work and life.

As I shift more in to coaching and mentoring I continue to see the benefits that are brought to others. Having a coach, holding the space for you whilst you think through a challenge. Be it professional, or personal, having a thinking partner provides immense benefits. I would love to share more, and even have a coaching conversation if anybody out there thinks they would get value from this.

Is the travel itch scratched?

If you are wondering whether travel features in our new life chapter. Yes. And I would be off again today if I had the money. In fact, if I had the money i would be on the road more than I would be at a “home base”. The experience of travel, the “grabbing life by the balls”, the making the most of every minute becomes ever more important. You never know what life is going to throw at you. When you least expect it. As a family, we have all experienced this over the last year.

Seize the day

If you have a bucket list, what is stopping you from doing the things on that list? Tomorrow might never come. Take steps today to get you closer to the things in life that you dream of. We have a short time here, and we never know when the bell is going to ring for us, telling us to come back in, our time is up. Tell those around you that you love them. Tell them every day. You don’t know when your opportunities to do this will end.

With this, I love you. I love you for reading this blog. I love you for sharing our amazing journey over the last year. And I hope you will continue to follow on as we transition back into life in Australia. 

Memento mori.

Do we really have to go home?

The Philippines were supposed to be our last stop. A final holiday before heading back to reality. And yet, that phrase, “back to reality” always gets me thinking. What is “reality” anyway? Was the last 10 months not reality? The many ups, and few downs of life on the road. A life of uncertainty. Not knowing where you will be tomorrow. How you will get there. And where you will sleep when you get there. Is this not “reality”? I contend that it is.

Bali bound

With this in mind, our current reality was going to continue for some time yet. From Manila we had ourselves booked onto a flight to the small Indonesian island of Bali. A place we hadn’t visited for over 6 years. One of the draws of living in Perth was to be regular trips to Bali. The pandemic had something to say about that and we didn’t get to leave the country for the 2 years that we previously lived in West Australia. 

The pandemic was not going to stop us this time, and late in the evening we queued with hundreds of other travellers at the airport, all waiting to get our “visa on arrival”, despite already having an electronic version. By the time we had cleared immigration, then customs, and finally found a taxi, (Grab were very inconspicuous this time of the evening), we rocked up at our hotel in Seminyak well after midnight.

That first day in Seminyak was how we spent the next six days. Coffee in bed with a view of the early morning sun glimmering off the swimming pool. Followed by the included breakfast and a morning stroll before getting settled on a sun bed around the pool, reading. And occasionally drinking cold Bintang beers at the swim up pool bar. This was the Bali we remembered. 

Searching out the best Balinese food in Seminyak

It was our first visit to the Seminyak area. An area bustling with tourists, cafes, and lots of restaurants. What I love about Bali is that the local food is delicious. Who can resist a steaming plate of either Nasi or Mie Goreng. As I love both rice and noodles I found it hard to veer from these dishes.  That said, being a holiday destination, every taste is catered for, and I did appreciate getting a big burger one evening. Looking across at Victoria’s plate I did get a bit of food envy. A steak that looked very good. How long is it since I last had a steak?

One afternoon, over a cold beer, Victoria had that look on her face. I knew that look. She had something cooking in her mind.

“I just wondered if you fancied a week in Nusa Dua?”

That is all she had to say. Once she had opened that door, I was charging through. It turns out she had received an email with a deal on a luxury hotel in the Nusa Dua district of Bali. 

“Let’s do it”, I immediately said. “Life is short. But first, let me go and get one of those $10 haircuts we saw advertised. I don’t want to be strolling around a 5 star hotel looking like a yeti with a failed man bun.”

The Nusa Dua Hotel and Spa

And on checking out of our week in Seminyak, we jumped in a Grab taxi and headed 30 minutes down to Nusa Dua. For a final splurge in a 5 star hotel. With lots of inclusions such as free drinks, lunch and dinners, and four Balinese massages. A great way to end our 10 month travel sabbatical. 

The Nusa Dua Hotel & Spa is situated in the gated area of Nusa Dua, hugging the beach along with its neighbouring hotel complexes. If life in Seminyak was chilled, we had taken it to a new level. No longer having to negotiate the death trap pavements of most Balinese towns, our walks for the week were along the beach. Peace and serenity prevailed. Pausing on the hill to watch the novice surfers crash in the small waves. 

We started each day with a fabulous breakfast and a walk along the beach. Lunch saw us circulating amongst the restaurants of the hotel. Food was included and we only had drinks to pay for. The bar drinks were all inclusive between 3pm and 6pm. And we could often be found around the pool with a Bintang. 

Cocktails and canapes

Keeping an eye on the time we then had to time it so that we didn’t miss the “evening cocktails”. Another inclusion in our package that ran from 5.30pm to 7pm. Who can resist canapes and free drinks? A perfect way to start an evening. Twice whilst we were there we had an included “themed” dinner and got to watch some very traditional Balinese dancing. The week was good. So good in fact we still didn’t want to come home. You can probably guess what was coming next…

Ubud, the spiritual heart of Bali

Our final, final week on the road would still be in Bali, but we moved to the spiritual heart of the island. Five nights in Ubud, and bed number 93, would be a great end to an amazing trip. Ubud is popular. Crazily so. The traffic has to be seen to be believed. Whatever hour, day and night, the road through the centre is gridlocked as cars, vans, and scooters vie for a piece of the road. With the pavements being in such bad repair, we had to contend with the traffic ourselves many times.

In fact, the pavements were so bad that in a moment of absent mindedness, Victoria smashed her big toe on a broken paving stone, ripping off the nail. Welcome to Ubud! A very kind man nearby immediately ran over and offered to take her to the nearest clinic. With blood pouring from her toe we very gratefully accepted. I stood there, still in a little shock myself, watching as she disappeared into the distance on the back of a stranger’s scooter. Will I ever see her again?

I did see her again, and the nurses at the clinic were very good, patching Victoria up, giving her a tetanus jab and sending her on her way with some antibiotics and a bill for the work. Thankfully, this being Bali, the prices were very reasonable. We almost made it through the whole 10 months without any injuries.

Escaping the crowds in Ubud

Hobbling along, we did our best to escape the traffic and the terrible pavements. Wandering down an alleyway, we soon came face to face with the greenery I always associate with Ubud. Rice paddie fields as far as the eye can see. Now, you get a sense of what Bali was like before overseas tourists started descending on this small island. It is paradise. Which is why it draws so many people here.

The infrastructure that has been developed to support all these visitors includes some of the best villas you will ever stay in. Luxury hotels. Spas offering traditional massages at rock bottom prices. Fabulous clothing shops. And some of the best restaurants and bars you will come across in Southeast Asia. It is easy to see why Ubud is a mecca for digital nomads, flocking to the very modern, very flash co-working spaces dotted throughout the town. If it wasn’t easier to get a rental in Perth, and jobs to pay for it, by actually being in Perth, it would have been cheaper for us to remain in Bali.

Our last trip to the airport for some time

It wasn’t to be. Sunday rolled around and we were off to an airport for the very last time on this trip. An afternoon flight would get us to Perth in just under 3 and a half hours. And back to real life, whatever that is.

The travel day of all travel days

As we crawl into bed, shattered, in a small bed and breakfast in downtown Manila, it is easy to forget the day we had to leave Malaysia. Our taxi picked us up just before 9am in Melaka to take us to the rather hectic bus terminal. The 9.30am bus to Singapore took us over 3 and a half hours, negotiating both Malaysian customs, and then Singapore customs and immigration. Even though we were only transiting through. Getting off the bus in the city state of Singapore we then had to find a taxi to take us to Changi airport. Arriving in good time for our 4.30pm flight to Manila we had time to refuel, knowing that this would be our last meal of the day.

Arriving in Manila we once more negotiated customs, our third country today, and went off to collect our bags and use the Grab app to get a taxi. We had the foresight to book into a very simple bed and breakfast close to the airport, making it easier both that night, and for our flight out the next morning. The reception we got at Rain B&B could not have been friendlier, and after a refreshing drink, a cold towel, we were shown to our room. Where I promptly collapsed into bed number 88 of the trip and slept like the dead.

Bound for beautiful Boracay

The next day we were headed to the holiday island of Boracay, in the central Philippines. A simpler travel day and yet… If you have been to Manila you will know what the traffic is like. Then, there is the small fact that Manila airport has four terminals, none of which are connected. There is a reason that the Philippines does not always figure high on the itinerary of travellers passing through Southeast Asia. A collection of 7,640 islands, the Philippines is hard to get into, and even harder to move around.

Knowing of those 7,640 islands, we had grand plans of island hopping for a while but due to the logistical challenges of this we settled for a week of rest and relaxation on the island of Boracay. Boracay is rightly popular amongst Filipino travellers. A tiny island, fringed by beautiful palm trees, and sand so soft and white that you could almost be back on the famous Whitehaven Beach in Australia.

The week of relaxation was due to be our last stop before heading back home. But, midway through the week, sipping cold San Miguel whilst watching the best sunset of our lives, we looked at each other and just knew what each was thinking. We let it sit there. Between us. Unspoken, yet so powerful. In that moment we knew that the Philippines was not to be the end of this amazing odyssey.

The rehabilitation of Boracay

Boracay is not this beautiful by accident. Whilst naturally stunning, and blessed with beaches, the island suffered a fate common to other tourist hotspots in the region. Overdeveloped. Too many tourists. Not the correct infrastructure to deal with the volume of people. We saw, or rather smelt this, first hand on the Thai island of Phi Phi. Without the sewerage to deal with the vast numbers of visitors the streets literally stink of shit, emanating up from the open sewers.  

Boracay may, or may not have been at this level, yet in 2018 the Philippine government closed the island down for 6 months. They even went to the extent of posting soldiers and police officers at the entry points on the pier to turn visitors away. The rehabilitation was considered a success and now the island is abuzz with tourists looking to laze away the day on the perfect “White Beach” and party long into the night.

I am afraid to say that the “influencers” are out in force too. It is probably the first time in my life I have seen grown women dressing up in mermaid outfits and lolling around on the beach. The photographers that are paid to follow them about throw out demands to “lift your tail higher”. Could I BE any more saddened at what the world is becoming?

White Beach of Boracay

Our 6 days there were spent in a state of bliss. Starting with the excellent breakfast provided by the hotel, followed by long walks along White Beach. The feel of the sand under our feet was unreal. So soft. As part of the rehabilitation of the island, sun loungers and parasols are no longer permitted and this does cause an issue as the sun gets higher in the sky. It is a bit of a scramble to find a spare palm tree to lay in the shade of.

As the sun goes down, Boracay comes to life. There is something for everyone. Many restaurants serving every cuisine under the sun. Cheap beach bars where I was having a rum and coke for $1.37 (74p). And enough karaoke bars to satisfy all the budding Filipino Gloria Gaynors. Days passed way too quick.

Makati in Manila

Before we knew it, our time on the island had come to an end. We now had another travel trek back to Manila. Getting picked up at 6.30am from Watercolors Hotel was just the start of it. What followed was a ride to the boat terminal in Boracay. A boat across to Catical, saying goodbye to the island of Boracay. A minibus to the airport, which took all of 4 minutes. A 40 minutes flight  to Manila and finally a Grab taxi to Havitat Hotel. Phew.

Thankfully, on arrival at the hotel our room was ready and we were able to drop the bags and freshen up, before heading out for some lunch. We were staying in the Makati part of Manila, and were conveniently very close to the Power Plant mall, which had many dining options. It was also here, in the Starbucks Roastery, that I got to catch up with an old friend.

Friendship and the importance of connection

Whilst working with a client in Sydney back in 2019 I had the opportunity to travel to Manila for a week, delivering some training to the teams based in the Bonifacio Global Centre in Manila. Having met him previously in Sydney, being in Manila gave me more time to get to know Edwin, who has turned into a great friend. Meeting Edwin for a coffee and catching up on the last few years, and how the Filipinos have been navigating COVID was great. And a great reminder that connection to each other is so important. We can use all the technology we have available to us and yet nothing beats the human connection we feel when we are sat facing each other, chatting over a coffee.

With our Philippines adventure drawing to a close it was time to look ahead. Look forward to where the road will take us. Reluctant to head home as first planned, we scraped a little more money out of the travel jar and are now on our way to country number 25, and onto Indonesia. We are Bali bound.

Entering Malaysia by boat

This was the second time on the world trip that we had arrived in a new country by boat. The first time being when we disembarked from the Norwegian Epic, after 9 days at sea, in a cold, wet New York City . Today, we were entering Malaysia through immigration at the port on Langkawi Island. This was after a two hour boat ride since clearing customs in Thailand.

Although I have previously travelled through Malaysia, Langkawi was a new destination for both of us. I wasn’t sure what to expect and there is always a sense of excitement when crossing the borders of neighbouring countries. How similar will they be? How hard will it be to adapt to (another) new currency? And, perhaps most importantly, what will the local beer be like*

Languid Langkawi

What we did find in those early days in Langkawi was that many of the restaurants did not serve alcohol. For the first time in as long as we could remember, we had dinners without an alcoholic drink. Never have we drunk so much Sprite. Due to sharia law in Malaysia, muslims are not allowed to consume alcohol. It follows that alcohol is a little harder to come by. We even saw mini marts, usually our go to for cheap beer, with signs in the window pointing out the fact that they don’t sell beer. 

Langkawi had the feel of a place that needed some love and attention. Possibly as a result of the pandemic, and a lack of tourists, many places looked abandoned, or run down. The beach was a wide expanse of sand, with lots of potential. Yet, there were few sun loungers or parasols to encourage lingering. We did what most people seemed to be doing, spending days around our hotel pool, wandering back out for dinner in the evening. 

We did do a trip whilst on Langkawi. To the mangrove forests of the Kilim Geoforest Park. An enjoyable day out on the river, exploring the natural beauty of Langkawi, with nearby Thailand in the distance. Cruising through the mangroves, sharing the forest with some very inquisitive monkeys. Monkeys that had the temerity to jump on board our boat and steal bottles of water. On this trip we are meeting some monkeys that are not endearing me to the species. 

Pressing on to Penang

Our plan was to jump on a boat from Langkawi, heading south. Yet, the effects of COVID linger in these parts of the world. The boat to Penang was out of service because of it. This left us having to jump on a plane for the 45 minute flight. If only all flights could be this short. On the island of Penang we were staying in Georgetown, the UNESCO listed heritage town. 

The Citadines is a chain of hotels we first came across whilst in Brussels, all those months ago. In Penang the Citadines was brand new. In a gorgeous, renovated heritage building. So new you could still smell the paint. It was a great place to rest our heads for three nights. Francis Light established modern Penang in 1786. Following the second World War, Penang merged with Malaysia which itself gained independence from Britain in 1957.

Wandering around Penang is a delight. Beautiful architecture. Hawkers selling local street food. And some of the best street art you will see. We happened across a couple and started reading about them. It turns out that Penang is a street art delight. One of the simple pleasures is going on a “treasure hunt” to find more. To see them all would take a lot longer than the 3 days we were in town. We will have to save the rest for the next time we are passing through.

From Penang to Kuala Lumpur

For now, we were back in the air. Another short flight. From Penang to the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Known locally as KL, this is a city that for me is so reminiscent of Singapore. Clean streets. Great hawker food. And some of the best shopping malls in the world. It is true that we weren’t here to shop, but after a long walk to see the Petronas Towers you can’t believe how welcome a bit of air conditioning is. A life saver. The Petronas Towers are the highest twin towers in the world but these are put in the shade by the new Merdeka 118 tower. The second highest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Much like Singapore, KL has very diverse neighbourhoods. It was whilst strolling through Chinatown that we discovered KL has its very own street art. Our treasure hunt was back on. But first, coffee. I may have mentioned coffee in previous blogs, and how the coffee shop experience across southeast asia is off the scale. In KL we found a self proclaimed “Melbourne coffee shop”. I am afraid to say that whilst it was a decent drop, it wasn’t the quality of Melbourne.

On the bus to Melaka

Leaving KL and heading south we were able to eschew the airport this time. Our taxi dropped us at the out of town bus terminal and despite a 30 minute delay we still arrived in Melaka (Malacca) in good time. Melaka is another port town, colonised in the past due to its strategic location, much like Penang. In fact, at one point in the past the British destroyed the fort at Melaka, trying to encourage people to relocate to either Singapore or Penang, ports they deemed to be of more importance. 

Travelling in the way we have been doing for the last 10 months is an education in itself. We learn more than we ever could sat in a classroom. The colonial past of many countries is intertwined. With some countries, such as Britain, coming out looking less than favourabley. In building an empire, Britain subverted cultures, destroyed families, and imposed their will in places that were mostly not wanted. We look in horror at what Putin is doing to Ukraine. If we look in the mirror, what do we see?

Melaka is a very popular tourist town. And it is easy to see why. Weekend visits for nearby Singaporeans. European backpackers. And lots of Malaysian visitors. It is easy to see why the town is so popular. It is very easy on the eye with the many buildings painted in a vibrant red. And yes, it even has its own street art. With the town now protected by UNESCO I hope all the ugly high rise hotels I see on the outskirts of town don’t ever start encroaching on the lovely historical centre.

One day we took a river cruise. An activity that gets a lot of visitors. We joined a boat load of them and slowly cruised up the river, giving us a new perspective of the shophouses that line the river as it snakes its way north. En route there were a number of “ghost” stops that I imagine the boats stopping at in previous times. Like a lot of things we have encountered on our travels I wonder how much as been shaped by the pandemic, and how much will return to how it was.

Walking back along the river, later in the day, we got quite the shock. I have seen Komodo dragons in a zoo before. But never in real life. The size of these things give you a shock. I am sure, should they be inclined, they could drag me in the river and devour me. Thankfully, we survived, and I had to (absolutely had to) go for yet another coffee to calm my nerves.

A travel day like no other

It was time to leave Melaka, and Malaysia. We had somewhere to be. And it was going to take us a while to get there. Starting with a taxi to the bus station in Melaka. Then, a 3 hour bus ride across the border, clearing both Malaysian and Singaporean customs. A ride through Singapore. A taxi to Changi airport. Finally, a flight to Manila. Phew. I am tired just thinking about it and will save the next leg of the trip for the next blog.

*For those wondering, the “local” beer appeared to be Tiger. Despite being from across the border in Singapore, it was ubiquitous in Malaysia. And it only cost 92 cents a can (52p).