I was privileged enough to live in Dubai for 6 months doing an accounting secondment (sounds great right?). Even though it was for work I managed to enjoy most of what this magnificent place has to offer. When I arrived in Dubai I could not believe the grand scale of things – I lightly use … [Read more…]
Let me begin this post by saying…….. you must add San Francisco to your bucket list! Strangely enough it reminded me a lot of Cape Town and maybe that’s why I felt some sort of connection to this amazing place! Anyway, enough about my feelings, let’s take you on the journey that is MUST do’s … [Read more…]
Kuta’s reputation Google “Kuta Bali” and the first few posts that come up will tell you why you shouldn’t visit. To put it nicely, Kuta has a pretty terrible rep. Even the wikitravel page describes it as “chaotic, overcrowded and congested” [1]. But why? Kuta is the best known tourist area in Bali [1]. Kuta … [Read more…]
Choosing accommodation in Gili T from the comfort of home Gili T is a really small island! After reading a few online forums, I figured that we should stay around the harbour (the Eastern side). The area around the harbour buzzes with activity, stalls, shops and has a legendary nightlife scene. It’s a backpacker heaven … [Read more…]
Gili Trawangan (Gili T) Gili T is a small island off the coast of Bali. It’s actually closer to Lombok and constitutes one of three islands commonly referred to as “the Gilis” (Gili Air and Gili Meno being the other two). I wasn’t really familiar with Gili T and it wasn’t on my initial list … [Read more…]
On our second day in Ubud, we decided to check out one of the many tour operator stalls. We got our tickets to Gili T and decided that the White River Rafting tour looked fun. The river rafting cost us about R350 per person. I was keen on the Mount Batur hike (which is an … [Read more…]
It seems no trip to Bali is complete without a visit to the Sacred Monkey Forest. More so if you’re staying in Ubud as its situated in the centre of the tourist hub. Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary The Monkey Forest is not merely a tourist attraction, it is seen as an important spiritual, economic and … [Read more…]
Accommodation in Ubud We were planning on spending 5 nights in Ubud. Using Tripadvisor and Booking.com, we narrowed it down to a few places situated around the Monkey Forest. That’s the main touristy area in Ubud and we like being close to the action. The accommodation just outside of Ubud looked beautiful, luxurious and lush … [Read more…]
In search of a “cheap” international vacay My partner and I were planning a holiday around Easter (March / April 2017). We were looking for a cheap (or well, budget), stress-free, beach holiday. I’m generally an anxious person (see here) and I didn’t want all the stress associated with planning a trip so I was … [Read more…]
Listening to the music of Elvis Presley brings back the nostalgia that was my childhood home. It only seemed fitting that visiting the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee was a “full circle moment” for me… The Guest House at Graceland Of course, there are several places you could opt to stay in Memphis, but I’d … [Read more…]