galmc2Report

Well, it’s now the day before the day we depart our first official stop on our #rtw2 itinerary. Lots of runway still to come, but being on Gili Air to rest, recharge and reboot ourselves before we get down to actual travel was always a big milestone for us. Time to do some errands today.…

For the most part, our time here on Gili Air has been about relaxation and restoration – swimming, yoga, beach walks, morning coffees, cycling and our daily Happy Hour at Santay Bar & Restaurant. It was here that we met Aji, who presented us with the idea of a tour around Lombok. And so we…

It’s only been about 10 days since we left home and I’m already really missing Chloe and the pups and my family, even the familiar routines like returning to work on the first week of January – Not to worry, I’ll get over that last one very quickly! I may already be past it now…

When planning our trips, we always ponder how much we really want or need to see in the time we have in each country. It is so tempting to run around and go to as many places as possible, which accomplishes seeing a lot and learning facts about the culture as you stop for tours…

We’re on day 3 of our Gili experience. One of the things I wanted to do, and we’ve been able to do a couple of times now, is get some exercise by doing a lap of the island. It’s just over 6km, and is actually much easier with bikes. One of the things we’ve seen…

As with anything new, it takes a little bit to get your groove. This is our third day on Gilli Air and we’re starting to feel more comfortable here (aka relaxed, aka chill). We are glad that we decided to start with an extended stay rather than moving quickly along (we will be doing that…

11 years ago, on our first rtw trip, I was very excited to be able to show Paul and Chloe one of my favourite places from my travels 20 years previously: Phuket. When I had been there in 1994, I stayed in a cheap little bungalow right off the main beach and it was magical…

As we were wandering around on our first evening here in Sanur, Bali, we were wondering how many of our friends and family would be surprised about what they would see and experience when they first land in Bali (Denpasar, Kuta, Sanur areas). What is your impression of Bali? Sandy beaches? Tiered rice paddies? Temples?…

So yesterday we get to Bali and check into Parigata Resort and Spa in Sanur and learn we have a lovely ground level room close to the pool. Might have been the jet lag, or maybe it’s age, or maybe it’s just getting the inevitable mishaps out of the way fast, but by the end…

Ok, here goes. So far Heather has been the witty, effusive, creative force on this blog. Time I started to add something hopefully a wee bit entertaining. 10 years ago we came across this saying in SE Asia and I think it is very relevant to our little travel endeavour. But first, for those who…