Philippines #2

MOALBOAL DIVING.

Moalboal, my frist pigmy seahorse!

Named after a long gone King of Spain, this archipelago comprising a cluster of 7,107 islands makes up what we now call the Philippines. It's sort of wedged between Southern Taiwan, Vietnam, Borneo and a few northern Indonesian Islands with the Philippine Sea  and vast North Pacific to it's east.  This little cluster of lands is one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world which may have something to do with it's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and distinct tropical climate.  We were there during the rainy season which is also commonly known as "balaklaot", or monsoon season.  Not the best time of year to be there if rain storms aren't your thing but if that's not a problem then bask in the empty beaches when the sun is shining and deserted little tourist towns.  We discovered the beauty of the "off-season" not only in the deep mountains of the North but also what we really came for, the diving. 

Next stop Cebu City, Cebu Island which is either a flight from Cauayan City, Luzon or a few tedious days of land and sea travel.  Flight please.  In our efforts to save some money for the flight we were attempting to arrive at and have a true slice, we did it the way the locals do.  First we got to cram ourselves and bags into a colorful jeepnie, with colorful painting and destination/routes displayed along the side.  We took this one for about an hr and half through narrow windy roads to another little town where we had to catch jeepnie number two.  The locals are helpful and most young ones speak english in this country, telling us exactly when our next ride arrived at his little bus stop.   Bags on top this time and off we went with new strange faces to the same destination.  After another 45 minutes or so and a peculiar chat over religion with a devote middle-aged man eager to convert us to his "way", we hopped back off to literally the side of the road outside a village next a road-stand offering hot food from steel pots and bags of chips.  I was briefly enticed by the cooler of ice-creams but walked away to sit on my bag in the dirt until our bus came.  They said it would be a bus with a city name way passed our destinations on the window which arrived after only 40 min of wait.  Bags on lap and off we went in a large bus packed with eyes on us and blaring karaoke music.  I imagine they don't see tourists on those busses often enough to not still be a little taken aback by the sight of us.  In the bustling little city  of Cauayan we asked the tricycle driver at the bus stop to take us to a hotel close to the airport, he heard "to the airport" and took us straight there.  We finally got dropped us at a large building without many windows and a kind young woman behind the desk.  Just one double-bed room, nothing fancy.  Seedy and clearly not for tourist this looked more like a one stop shop pleasure house of sorts.  But being we were in the middle of this large hot town late in the afternoon, tired, dirty, hungry and excited at the thought of cold shower and clean sheets we took it.  

Relaxing next door

Just steps from our room's balcony

One prop plain flight later we were on Cebu island and ready for a couple days of city.  We had heard of the succulent Lechon, supposedly most delicious in this region and that we just have to try it.  We did have a taste of this succulent spit-roasted pig with crispy skin, but our main reason to be there was a little town on the south-west side called Moalboal.  Our morning bus was full and we were the only white people taking this road south.  By late afternoon we were taking a taxi (motorbike with little covered carriage attached to the side) to our pre-booked room on the water.  Thanks to Craig's meticulously detailed research we found a little room right on the water with a balcony for a relatively cheep low-season rate.  There's no beach along the town so a retaining wall below our balcony was the only thing that kept us from the water while it lapped up at high tide.  The dive companies in this area vary slightly by price and you usually get what you pay for in a few variants of equipment, boat style, Dive Master, meals/drinks incl. and most often air quality etc.  The  one we chose may have been for convenience as much as good reviews being right behind our cottage with the boat launch directly in front of us.  Savedra Dive Company

 

Our dive boat

 We spent 5 relaxing days diving the Tonon Strait early mornings and afternoons reading and relaxing on the deck of our room or one of the nearby restaurants also on the water.  Blissful times doing some of our favorite things with a spectacular backdrop.  Diving in low season pays off in multiple ways, lower prices, less crowded boats at far less underwater traffic.  I'm hooked.  Where we stayed booked through Agoda. 

Reading on the balcony

Philippines #1

MANILA Philippines, where "malling" is a common verb used multi generationally and has made it to the list of favorite national past times.  What struck me as curious early in this city was that just meters from many of these designer malls lie extreme poverty and hunger.   The night ride to our hostel left me suspended in the usual awe struck state I  have when we're first exposed to a new county.  Everything is fresh to me from the person driving us to the smell of air hitting my face from the open view of my window.  Different architecture, streets, locomotives, people crossing streets and walking beside them; different smells, sounds of vehicle-horns and tones coming out of peoples mouths all unique and new to me.  But there do exist those few things that remain the same no matter where we are.   There are always happy faces and sad ones, children laughing and crying all spread about varying "sections" of town with distinctly subtle lines dividing them.  The presence of separation lingers in every culture, country and race though everyone's choices to live with and in them are the same. 

So we arrived at our carefully selected and booked hostel (as we usually do for our first few nights in a country), in the hot rain, glad to be greeted by a lovely  little Philippina woman close to me in age.  After some chat about the online reservation, we were given a little tour of the hostel and shown to our rooms as per normal procedure in most countries' hostels.  We were told that in Manila the lines between "safe" and "unsafe" areas were quite fine for a wandering tourist so we tried to keep awareness up and feet on the right side of the streets.  We stayed at One River Central Hostel which was supposedly on a little "line" by the river but being close to a subway made the rest of the city more aces sable.

On the balcony of our hotel.

 MANILA to BANAUE

After many hours on a couple of buses we arrived in the quaint mountain village of Banaue famous for the surrounding rice terraces built some say more than 2000 years ago, but debatable. Since we don't plan ahead all that much once the feet are on the ground we had no reservation, so it struck us as a little odd when a young local dude held a sign reading "Demelza and Craig" and a huge smile.  All his comrades seemed to know who we were as well and that we were to go with this particular red mouthed young man.  He quickly informed us that the 2 British sisters (we had met at our hostel in Manila) asked him to meet us at the bus stop and guide us not only to the hotel where they were sleeping but for our entire time around the area as well.  I weren't even sure if we wanted a guide yet.  The stopping busses are usually swarmed with mostly young and some occasionally old men to be your "guide" through the mountains and terraces.  Many designated trek routes for tourists line the hills to view the stacked green marvels.  We laughingly followed him down to the hill-side hotel where the girls were resting after just one strenuous day up and down mountain passes with this same guide.  Feeling uniquely welcomed in this paradise we waited for our room to be cleaned and sat overlooking what is the most stunning little jungle valley village I've ever seen.  Millions of pictures exist attempting to steal it's detail and grandour but they can't duplicate the way it feels to experience the rhythm of mountainous glory.  To top it off there runs a healthy steam that threads this crevice of the world that is the village of Banaue.  It's a bustling little hive despite it's remoteness with a town center where the Jeepnies come and go  with supplies and people all day and a tiny bus stop just a few stories above on the hill by the main road in.  The little markets sell the necessities of a simple life and share a good dose of smiles.  Drinks, along with just about everything else up here are more expensive because it all has to take the same long journey we did to get there.  This makes buying a beer from the local man across the way not only beneficial for him in business but for our budget as well and the chance to meet another interesting local, rather than just the waitress of a restaurant.  The locals in these parts young and old alike continue the tradition of chewing on Areca nuts with betel leaf for their effects as a mild stimulant similar to that of coffee.  The remnants of this habit are red stained smiles and sidewalks painted in crimson from decades of tinted saliva spit onto them.  I regret not grabbing the  opportunity to stain my own lips just once for the experience.

Our new friend/guide met us the next day with his reddened smile for a day out to a lovely view and hot springs deep in the mountains.  His friend and he on the motorbike with us in the tiny little covered side carriage we traversed muddy slopes and sharp paved corners for at least and hr and a half through rice fields and step terraces dotted with sporadic house here and there.  Suddenly we stopped and followed him in a soft drizzle through and along rice terraces' narrow beams of cement and stone.  After a lovely walk and chat with our young guide who's also a husband and father at the age of 19, or so he says, we arrived at a steaming pool aside a briskly running chilly river.  This was what we came for so with no hesitation stripping down to suits and jumping right in.  He hose to sit chatting with some guys he apparently knew.  The little local kids and a couple of grown men sat scrubbing themselves with rocks from head to toe while we soaked in the sulfury goodness.  Our guide who's name I don't recall, suggested we dip in the cold and then the heat for circulation stimulation.   I was a little too chilly to do it more than once though it was quite exhilarating to be lying in a rush of cold water on my heated skin.   Again a blissful time, surrounded by thick greenery, the sound of running water while soaking in a natural heat pool.  The way back was fresh and just as cleansing as the prize we just partook of though not as relaxing down muddy roads in pouring rain in a little motorbike carriage.

This is the cold one! 

Peaceful mist!

On our way to Batad without a guide via the top of an overloaded jeepnie, up and through some fairly narrow mountain roads very close to the edge leaving me either not looking down or enjoying the scarce and exhilarating feeling and scene below and before me.  I got the edge of the roof facing sideways and had a shock-absorbing tire to sit on making it easy to hold onto the bars but had to look straight down the mountain side.  Craig on the other hand was also on the edge but sitting on a board facing forward without much to hold onto or place to put his legs.  Sharp corners and tilts of this strange bus like truck made the ride a little uncomfortable but in a moment of novelty like that I tend to forget about the awkwardness quickly replaced by pure awe of the moment.  These people do it every day, have worse seats and complain not at all.  The passengers are even paid a little to carry extra baggage of whatever has to be hauled to this remote destination.  This means little boys holding chickens on laps is everyday business.

We eventually moved where craig is there. 

Holding on.

 Finally at the top of the Saddle, a lonely mountain top junction and the closest road access to the town of Batad (after the arduous trek down which we knew we would have to climb on the return). You can rent a walking stick out of a basket next to the first step down, buy a banana or young coconut from a little lady who will chop it open for you with the machette tucked into her skirt as she flashes her red toothed smile at you. Once at this elevated destination we pealed from our precarious spots atop and inside this strange carriage and one by one decended down the stairs into a deep valley of pure lush greenery.

First step down of many. 

The tedious steps led us to a little wooden shanty at a T-junction representing the Tourist office and entrance to Batad where you pay a donation to the town for your visit.   The dirt path leads right, to the more popular guesthouses and small restaurants and to the left, less frequented guesthouses and local's homes.  We took our time and literally looked at each one of our option being that they were just a handful.  We chose a little place on the road left with a family who's kids played the guitar at night on this quiet hillside. In the early quiet mornings overlooking a cluster of little smoking chimneys at the bottom of the amphitheater-like stone-walled terraces of rice that toured to the top of my view.  The electricity is still new and novel to the locals and only works certain hours of the day.  There's a serenity there unlike any other i've felt in the world.

View into basin of Batad

First new at the junction.  we stayed just blow craig to the left in a guesthouse on the hillside.  The u-dip in the mountain across the way is the access to waterfall trail. 

 Over the next few days we balanced our way along the top ridge of the highest terrance admiring the ancient irrigation system that still works today and the specks of people maintaining stone walls the growing rice on these ancestral steps from a couple millennia ago.  Across the amphitheater and down another steep valley flows a heavy waterfall which refreshed us after the day of exploration without a guide.  Getting a little lost in the maize of stone  paths allowed us to ask some local kids which way to the top, or down again along the other side.  To sit as a speck atop this man made phenomenon is inspiring though words cannot fully describe the moments value.  Priceless and well worth the effort it took to arrive at this spot in the world.  This place is a symbol of dedication and unified effort effort that lies within each of us as human beings.  Motivation drives actions to the point of accomplishment on this scale and if they could do something this spectacular to create a food source what's stopping or generations from being even greater?  These kids of the hills live in a time far off from our own, no television computer or video games they sit with their thoughts, stories, musical instruments and the hills whose growth relies on their participation. 

to the right of the picture there's a ridge going down, those are the stairs i'm going down in the picture below.

Ancient irrigation systems still working with constant maintenance. 

More of the Philippines to come...

Welcome back!

Thanks to a loving nudge of kind words and enthusiasm from a special family member, i'm happy to be sharing our trip with you all once again.  I had felt a desperate lack of motivation for getting the trip's details down on paper and wanted to experience it rather than document it.  Or is that just my excuse for a little bout of laziness I'm in hind sight appreciating as my teacher?  Either way it's refreshing to be documenting and sharing memories again of this incredible journey we've been experiencing this last year of our lives.  Considering the time that's passed since my last post there will be a little back tracking of info as I relive those moments.  We're currently in Buenos Aires Argentina sitting in a little apartment on the boarder of San Telmo and Monserat enjoying a bit of much needed down time from being on the go.  

I'll pick up where we left off, in the Philippines!  

Enjoy!

Eat this!

I'm continuously inspired by people who use their creativity to improve and better the environment they choose to live in.  One of my best friends shared this link with me and though I don't yet have children of my own, I'm passionate about the little things in life.  Especially when these little things, and ones, make a change for the better.

I love this idea!  Play dough that really is edible dough!  So if you care what the little ones in your life are putting in their mouths then this will interest you.   Play dough is a fantastic way for children to discover their own creativity, and now they can safely eat it too!

Click the link to be a part of bringing this wonderful product to homes in America!

The Worlds First Edible Play Dough!


DISCOVER, SHARE, INSPIRE AND BE A PART OF SOMETHING GREAT.  

Packing List

MUST HAVES

The first two items on this list should not be taken lightly.  You can skimp or save money on just about anything else, but your backpack and shoes will make or break your trip.  I've never regretted spending a little extra on either of them, even when hitching-hiking in NZ and walking for hours before someone picked us up.  (hitch hiking in NZ was perfectly safe for us by the way).

*Back pack -with full suspension, solid frame fit for your size.   I prefer front loading for accessibility and 60 liter is sufficient.  We're very happy with  the Lowe Alpine TT Tour ND 60 woman's.  There are many good packs out there so do some homework and find  something that works for your style of travel.

 *Walking shoes -Well made, multi-terrain with good tread and support.  But make sure you like them cause you'll be wearing them a lot!!

CLOTHING

*Flip flops - for beach, public showers etc. 

*A hat.

*Scarf - monochromatic goes with more things.  These are great for cold busses, planes or trains with AC; cover-up for sun, temples and sacred places where they require woman to be covered.  

*Sarong -  Also great for covering your legs at temples and such; a thin blanket for long journeys; something to sit or lie on at parks, dirty benches.  Priceless and multi purpose. 

*Bandanas - at lease two.  come in handy for anything you can imagine.  Eye cover from light on buses etc; a rag for anything; cover around cold water bottle for condensation; sweat scarf, or wet it and wrap around neck to keep cool. I could go on but there are as  many uses for these as you can think of.

*Durable and light weight clothes.  Not half as many as you think you might need. 

*A couple pairs of socks. 

*Breathable, comfortable underwear.  

*Jacket- water-proof, light weight, dark looks cleaner longer.  (We're following the summer, so this is perfect for us to stay dry and layer underneath if it's chilly).

TOILETRIES

*Contact Lenses -(enough for the time you're gone) and pair of glasses. 

*Wet wipes and TP in a small ziplock.  Some places don't have it in the toilets. 

*Whatever else you need or use in 2-3oz screw top bottles.  (we found really durable ones at REI)  I just refill mine with whatever product I need and purchase along the way.  

***Things like toothpaste, lotion, face wash, shampoo, conditioner etc can be bought anywhere you go.  If it's not a specialty item you "must" have then you can find each countries' version of it somewhere.

STORAGE

*Small dry bag-  Great for going to the beach and taking valuables into the water with you. 

*Small reusable containers for liquid items. (mentioned in toiletries)

*Day pack/ bag - light weight but comfortable and can pack inside your big bag if you don't need it.

*Ziplock bags- various sizes. The freezer kind last longer and seal better.  They're light so you can bring a lot of them and probably should, the good ones are hard to find in some countries.  They come in handy for toiletries that might leak, food you don't   want roaches getting into, left-overs, storing soiled socks or clothes before you get to a place to wash them. Again these have been priceless for us and there are an endless amount of things they can be used for. 

*Nalgene water bottle-  When i don't need it for water I pack things inside it. 

SAFETY

*Small door alarm - You can buy these at most travel stores or find them in the "travel section" of certain stores.  They're small and light, wedge into the door crack and make a huge noise when opened unexpectadly.  In some areas this extra security measure has        really helped us sleep more soundly. 

*A cheep fake wallet with some old business cards a few buck and whatever else you don't mind loosing.  Give it to a thief while making some noise and they probably won't take the time to go through it until they've left.  

*Money belt for inside your clothes.  

*Copies of important documents - kept in a safe place at all times.  If you're traveling with a partner each have a copy of the other's as well just in case.   If your passport is lost or stolen at least you have a copy of it somewhere.  

*US $$- We both keep a secret stash tucked in a safe place just in case.  Even if you're not from the US, every country we've been to prefers USD.  Ideas (under the insole of a shoe, a secret zipper in your back pack, money belt...get creative)

*Locks - one for my backpack (TSA lock) and one extra big one.  We have Pacsafe cords to tie our bags to something steady in the room this prevents someone from just walking out with it.  These can be found at most travel stores and even airport shops.  Small  price for peace of mind. 

* First-Aid kit-  a pain killer with anti inflammatory has duel purpose, Advil PM is great for insomnia, anti-itch/bite cream, anti-nausea pills, Laxatives, and something for Diarrhea.  And of course a couple band-aids and anything else a regular kit comes with. Again this  all comes down to the type of travel you intend to embark on.  We have water purifying tablets just in case.

***Most places have stores with the stuff you might need, however there aren't always store close enough when you need them. But again this all depends on the type of travel you intend to do.  

ELECTRONICS AND ENTERTAINMENT

*Camara (we had our waterproof, crush proof from HI and it's been well worth it having something this durable.  

*All country power converter

*A cheep watch with alarm. 

*Playing cards

*I-Pod, good for calculator and music.  

*Books. 

* Computer or iPad. Great for booking ahead, keeping in touch with family and such.  We have a Y-splitter as well in case we want to listen to something together. 

*whatever keeps you busy on busses, trains and sick days. 

MESS KIT

*Tupperware?  Yes a small durable storage container that doubles as a bowl and food storage and when you're not using it just store random stuff in it.  

*Spoons

*Good chopsticks.  Learn how to use them and never look for a fork again.

*Bottle/can opener with a small knife all in one.  

*Reusable compact shopping bag.  (I get passionate when I see all the plastic littering some of the most beautiful places on our planet) 

RANDOM BUT PRICELESS

*Safety pins - You'll be surprised how handy they can be. 

*Glue stick or two- these don't leak like liquid glues and with the flame from a lighter you have some super strong glue handy.

*A couple of climbing carabiners -These come in handy when you need to clip something to the back pack, clip your back pack to the racks of a train or bus. many more uses with some creativity. 

*Rubber/elastic bands-  they help with keeping things compact, cords together, bags sealed, book pages together etc. I almost always have one around my wrist in case and use it all the time. 

*Pen and note book.  There are always things to note down like reservation numbers, addresses, to do lists, and it's a good idea to write down some of your experiences.  It's surprising how fast I've forgotten little details when every day is packed with different ones.  Having a journal is well worth it.  

*Headlamp-  These are good for reading in bed or busses, getting around a dorm room that's packed with sleeping people, or when the power on the whole island you're on goes out and there are no generators. 

*Travel Towel-  Super light and compact

*Sleep-Sac-  Silk is best but you can even make your own with a sheet.  If you plan to sleep in hostel beds or budget accommodation then these might bring an extra level of comfort while sleeping at night.  

*Dryer sheets-  Place one in your pack between your clothes and it works it's smell magic.  

*Portable clothes line - Doing my own laundry saves us money and our clothes.  use a dirty sock or bandana to plug any sink. 

*Sunglass Chums - never lose glasses again.  

*Belt - goes with everything, no holes

*Extra passport photos - It's very handy to have them ready when applying for a visa on arrival on 6am after a 20 Hr bus ride.
*Duct tape - roll it around a pen or pencil to save space.  We've been surprised how handy this was.
*Tea - I love it, not a lot of places have it and its light to carry 

There are more than likely items I'm forgetting to mention that have been useful for us and other items I have mentioned that you'll find useless to you.  But the bottom line is, everyone travels just a little differently from the next person.   In addition to personal preference, time of year and location all play a huge part in deciding what to take.  Think about your specific travel details and take into account the length you'll be away from home.  When it comes right down to it, once you're on the road you won't need half the stuff you thought you would while laying out items on your bed at home.

                                                 HAPPY TRAVELS!

Budget

How it all began for us...

Once the idea of traveling for a year was born, we started our plans with a world atlas pinned to a cork board mounted on the wall in a place we could see often.   In the case of our tiny two bedroom house it was on the wall in the kitchen/dining/living room where we spent most of out time.  With a tin of colorful sewing pins we started placing them in counties we wanted to see, alternating terns.  I said Africa, he said Poland.  I said Italy and he said Australia, so we continued along with dreams far apart of places we both wished to see and taste.   It took us a while before me met again at the map, this time to connect the dots with all the potential routes and directions we could imagine.  Both loving warm weather made it easy with the choice to follow the summer, but where to begin and which direction would we travel?   How long could we afford this fantasy after all and how much time would we want to spend in each country?   How would we get to each country; around the world ticket, land and sea travel, buy as you go?  And once we got to these destinations what on earth did we want do there?  Once one question was answered two more arose.   We had loads of time to plan and save so didn't rush anything.   I did endless hours of research through blogs,  books and magazines from the library and websites on world travel, packing, destinations and anything that had to do with it.  

One year and 5 or so months after making the decision to leap, we flew from Indianapolis to Auckland, New Zealand on a one way ticket.  We finally ended up running across a great deal in Queenstown NZ on an around the world ticket through Star Alliance.  This alone has saved us thousands of dollars on flights.  $3500 each, 16 flights to use in 12 months.  No fees for change of dates within 24 hrs from scheduled flight (we've used this a lot) and small fees to change destinations after purchase of ticket.  There are mileage brackets and allowances for all sorts of trips and different travel plans but this one worked best for us.  At the time we purchased the tickets we looked into our flight from Capetown to Johannesburg alone which would have cost us $1200/person.  Now they're included in our tickets.  It's almost unbelievable when I think of it.  (I priced a similar ticket at a lot higher if I would have bought it in the US before we left.  The rate of exchange worked in our favor). 

After being on the road for around eight months now we've learned a thing or two about travel, still however, realizing that there is an endless well of  knowledge and experience ahead of us.  Much like life in a way.  No matter how much planning we do based on other people's travel experience, there are always the priceless lessons we get to learn for ourselves.

A few people have emailed me recently asking just how exactly we went  about planning a trip like ours.  The two most common questions  thus far:   What do you pack?  How do you plan the budget?  So the next two posts will be dedicated to these two questions. 

THE BUDGET

This is of course the first question at hand because how on earth are you going to start a journey of this length and depth without the funding?  Unless you are sponsored by a lucrative company you can benefit through your travels somehow (not a bad idea if you can think of a way, and if you can then you deserve it), then it takes some planning and potentially sacrificing some of the things you're accustomed to spending your money on.

Determine how much time you can take off or if you can afford to quite your job  for longer term travel.

There are details of each day that have to be planned, but the key is to start broad and then work your way in. There is no possible way you can plan details of every single day for the whole trip that far in advance.  So start with the basics.  Where to go and how long can you afford to stay, eat and enjoy the place you're seeing?    

When planning a budget ask yourself these questions:

*Where do I want to go?

*How do I want to get there?

*What do I want to do while there?

*How and what will we eat?

*Where will we sleep/stay, e.g.  hostels, Couch Surfing, camping, hotel...

*How much can you afford with a generous buffer for incidentals?

but most importantly...

*What kind of traveler am I?

The internet is a great resource to find average prices for accommodation, meals, travel tickets, activities, etc in specific locations.  Estimate the amount of time you wish to stay and this should be a relative gauge for your individual costs.  For instance we have found the $30-40/day in most S.E. Asian countries is more than enough for both of us to have a wonderful time and stay in private rooms.  (I have a list of helpful links at the bottom right of this blog)

If you're going to spend 10 months in South East Asia then it's going to cost far less than spending 10 moths in Europe, or Australia and New Zealand.  However one budget traveler could spend the same amount in Europe for 10 months as a high end traveler would spend in South East Asia for 10 months.  So it all depends on what you're willing to save money on.  Can you sleep in a hostel with 10 other people and share a bathroom while couch surfing or do you require a hotel room to yourself with Air Conditioner and internet all the time?  Can you buy your own food from local markets and cook in your hostel kitchen, eat street/local food and not go out every night?  Or do you have to eat at restaurants every night not wiling to sacrifice the little luxuries you love at home?  Are you willing to take a local train for 30 hrs rather than a luxury sleeper?  Are you willing to take a bus rather than fly?

Now I admit that we are not at the extreme end of budget traveler and afford ourselves treats every now and then.  But no matter what, there is always a way to save more money and travel just a little smarter.

Rainy days

When the goal is to follow the summer for a year and half and the rain persists for a week straight,  I start to appreciate the often taken for granted days we have a shade to sit in.  Rainy season in the Philippines means days of full shade from cloud cover and wet feet from puddled sidewalks.  Today, I'm watching the rain with gratitude for teaching me to take a deep breath, sit back and enjoy doing absolutely nothing!  Or better yet, take a deep breath and enjoy doing whatever the hell I please.   I'll even dare admit that it's taken me these eight months we've been on the road to now finally allow myself to throw out the expectations I've placed on making the most of each place we visit, by doing and seeing as much as we can in each location.  Of course we want to experience a place for what it has and enjoy as many facets of it as we want, but there's a delicate balance I'm finding in being on vacation and seeing the world.


I am finding this lesson can be applied equally to my entire life.  I remember how I would so often run around always have something to do or get done.  Even if there wasn't something to do I would find or create something.  I'll even admit to making a mess or leaving things out so that I would later have something to re-organize.  I was the queen of finding advice for people even if it was unsolicited,  I almost always had something to throw in of an opinion.   I'm not sure if i'm abnormal in these traits or not but it doesn't really matter does it,  because it's what I did.  I am now however, through these lessons and my greatest life teachers, learning to sit back and allow other people to live life the way they choose. In doing so I'm able to enjoy my life and the results of my own creations with a deeper focus and appreciation for the details.   I feel freer already and it's only been just a few days with this fresh out-look.


Rain, like any form of water, has a profound calming affect on my physique.   Maybe it's because I'm a firry Aries quenched by water, or I can feel Mother Earth's energy cleansed by Father's Sky's love.  The reason is unimportant but the affect is unequivocal.   And so I thank the Philippines for sharing with me this lovely tropical storm so that I can learn a lesson or two.   And it helps to have an understanding and calm partner who's the perfect Yin to my Yang.  


I am learning to live my life on the road rather than making this trip a mission to see and do as much as possible.  And by the time i've perfected the art, it will be time to return to "the real world" where I will be able to apply the exact same lessons.

Ps. Our camera broke a few weeks ago so no photo's until we get to a city again and look into having it repaired. xoxo

Photo update

There are new photos of Japan on our Everlater link.  Check out some of the amazing food we enjoyed and the sites we got to see.  xoxohttp://www.everlater.com/demelzad/asia

Japanimation

 I love Japan!!!  The food, the people, the few sites we got to see in two weeks, the language, culture and even the small tremor of the earth we felt one night while falling asleep.  Our first night in Tokyo was welcomed by a lovely couple that invited us to stay with them through Couchsurfing.org.  Keita met us at Gotanda Rail Station and walked with us to his flat where his lovely girlfriend was preparing a meal for us.  We put our bags down, and through the major language barrier enjoyed a meal of sushi, sauté, Kirin and miso soup.  They would like to open a guesthouse when they retire so for now they invite people who are planning visits to Tokyo into their space and show them around when they can.  Keita spent the following day taking us to all the embassies we needed to visit in the attempt to get a Shengan visa for EU and was so patient looking up addresses and walking in the heat with us.  We spent that night thanking them with a meal Craig and I cooked for with foods we found from local markets and grocers.

From Gotanda we went to Asakusa area where the Sky Tree lives and our new hostel we would call home for the next 2 nights.  One guarantee in Japan is that even if you're not paying much for the place you stay, it's still going to be nicer compared to most other countries you're in paying the same amount.  The toilets are always nice and the place will be clean.  At least this was our experience of a budget hostel. 

Mika and us at one of the lakes around Mnt. Fuji. 

After only 4 days in Tokyo we took a super fast bullet train to Kyoto where we stayed in a very clean hostel with little cubicles for beds and nice Japanese toilets with the bidets I've fallen in love with.  We spend the next few days on bikes exploring temples, back streets, parks, and finding the best Ramen in town.  Oh and we found it!  4 days in Kyoto didn't seem like enough but we packed as much into our time there as we could before heading to Osaka for the last 5 days in Japan.  We got on bikes and explored some more.  With Craig's expert navigation skills and my sense of adventure we found some really cool places and things in Osaka.  Being one of the highest populated cities in the world, it's big.  But on a bike you can see it slow enough to take it in but faster than walking which would take triple the amount of time to cover the ground we did.  There's ferris wheel we enjoyed the view of the whole city from right next to one of the largest aquariums in the world with a whale shark, which we didn't visit.  I'd rather spend the money scuba diving to be honest.  Aquariums are like zoo's to me.  Cruel.

Osaka has some serious Baseball.  So since there were no Sumo matches while we were there we got the cheapest seats we could and went to a Japanese baseball game.  The Osaka Buffaloes vs the Osaka Tigers.  We were on the Buffaloes side with a bunch of highly participating fans who were proud to have us there.  Some of them even offered us some of their snacks!  So nice.  With one grand slam from our team and two more runs in the 7th inning the Buffaloes took the game!  We had a really good time.  Next time we'll know that you can bring your own drinks and snacks to these games.  The gate check dude will even give you a cup for your own beer you bring from the store.  Nothing like any US sporting event where they capitalize on you having to purchase concessions from them.

The best way to explore Kyoto and Osaka is on bike!  If the hotels you stay in have free bike rentals like ours did you save enough money and burn enough calories to spend it on more delicious food which both these places are well known for.

Mika Masuda, a kind loving friend who drove us to the most lovely Mnt. Fuji San on one of her few days off.  I met her in Hawaii when she came to visit the boutique I was working for, while she was the manager of our Japan store at the time.  Thanks to Facebook we stayed in contact and i'm so happy we did.  She treated us like long lost friends not only driving us to Fuji and taking us to a very lovely dinner. Our last night in Japan she picked us up from the train station, took us to her favorite local restaurant and let us sleep in her home.  It is people like this that inspire me to be a better person than I am and think of the way I treat people.  Thank you Mika San again for your love and hospitality.  

New Itinerary

So since Europe is out due to silly visas and countries not wanting to give them to me, we finally have a new plan.  We're only going to countries from now on that I don't need visas for.  This list of countries that South Africans can visit without rigorous visa requirements isn't as long as we would have liked, but it does include most of the South and Central American countries we had wanted to visit anyway.  So thanks to our wonderful travel agent in New Zealand and a smaller fee than we anticipated,  we have a new itinerary and a new outlook to go with it.

After leaving Japan 2 days ago we hopped down to Guam where we've been relaxing, catching up and trying to get some sun in-between the rain showers.  I got to use my green card for the first time and they let me in with questions at all.  From here we will head to the Philippines for about a month and do some scuba diving and eat more delicious food, then head to Malaysia for a month. In August we'll finally land in South Africa where we hope to spend about 2 months visiting family, showing Craig where I grew up and seeing places I haven't even seen yet.  After South Africa we fly to Brazil and then our last flight with the Around the World ticket is to Argentina.  For there we're on our own again and depending on funds and desire we might slowly make our way back up to the US or just catch a flight back on the points we've accrued throughout the year of travel.  We'll cross that bridge when we get there through.  For now we're excited about our new plan of attack and the new places we're going to see.  There a bit of planning to catch up on now so Guam is the perfect place for it.

Speaking of Guam, i'm surprised at how tired this place seems.  The hotels are all sort of run down and dilapidated, along with the rest of the buildings and streets.  Everything is over priced except for our hotel room which due to the lack of people visiting we got at an outrageous discount.  We're only here for four days and that's enough for us.  It's nice to be here and strange to be using USD again but I'm ready to get back on the road and see some different places.  If I were to choose between Hawaii and Guam I'd take the former without hesitation.

Change of plans

dearest friends and family,



                     First of all my wish is that this finds you all happy, healthy and well wherever you may be.  Craig and I send our love to you!

                           Our trip is going swell and we`re having such a wonderful time now n Japan.  We`ve been giving something called Couchsurfing a try and actually finding it to be such a unique and lovely way to travel.  We stay with locals who open their homes to travelers and if they have time and desire show us around and give us advice on local customs, language and good local food. We had our first experience with it in Seoul, S. Korea and though sleeping on a couch wasn`t ideal the first 3 nights it was free and we had an amazing experience with the new friends we had made.  We had a couple invite us to their home in Tokyo where we stayed the last 2 nights and though there is a language barrier they are learning and we had such am amazing time with them and thier friends, cooking and hanging out together.  It`s become one of our favorite ways to travel and it:s free which isn`t even the biggest reason its our fav. 


            We have however run into a little, okay large hicup.  After many visits and phone calls to various Embassies in Hong Kong, Seoul and now Tokyo I am unable to get a Shengan visa for Europe as a South Afican passport holder applying outside my own country.  So we are in the process of changing our `around the world` tickets and deciding which countries we will go to insead.  This does mean that we will be going to South Africa a lot sooner than October but still not sure on the dates as of right now.
 

            To our family in SA, would we still be able to come and stay with you in the next few months.  I:ll be more certain on dates within the week so will let you know.  I am so excited to come HOME after so many years and Craig is also excited to see SA for the frist time and since we have more time now we may be staying a few weeks longer. 


       To those of you who offered your homes and hospitality to us throughout Europe thank you again and though we will not be able to see you this time we will be going to see you at some point in our lives, maybe when I have a US passport.  Also to the people we were going to meet in EU Sorry for the sudden change.  We were so excited to see you there but maybe we can meet somewhere else like S. America. 

           After working with our amazing travel agent in New Zealand and figuring out a new itinerary we will be posting it on the blog again and I:ll send another email. 
We love and appreciate you all!  thanks for your support and love returned.  xoxo


      Demelza and Craig