Robyn's Wanderings

James Bond Island In Thailand

Our wanderer Emily Ross is off to the beaches of Thailand this week! Being a Bermudian means serious critique of beaches all over the world.

So what does Emily find? Well, for one…it’s not as cheap to travel through the beaches of Thailand! So, Emily, tell us how to travel on a budget:

Hello, readers!

Please forgive me a contented sigh. We have reached the fabled Thai islands – having arrived in Phuket, we have nothing to worry about but sand, sun and sea. But hey, here’s a change: we’re hungry! Let’s open a menu and…

…choke.

200 ($7) baht for FRIED RICE?! 150 ($6) baht for ONION RINGS (the menu item in itself is a blasphemy).

Right, so…the islands are expensive apparently.

Extortionate, some might say.

Right, we know, we should have been expecting this. We were, to some extent. I mean, we knew down south would be expensive, we knew it would be a tourist trap but…well, dammit, we just couldn’t believe that it would be like this.

The price was almost as good as the taste!

My friends, I am experiencing what you would call ‘boomerang culture shock.’ I am surrounded by Westerners. Western lifestyle. This is not what I am used to. Or, well, it’s what I was used to. But I’m not used to it anymore.

What do you mean, the toilets flush?

I get a fork and…knife?

There’s a TESCO?!!

Fighting the urge to cower in the foetal position, we decided to accept Phuket’s challenge. Easy and expensive handed to us on a platter? FORGET THAT. We knew, just knew that Phuket could be done on the budget. Beauty will not be denied us because of a lack of funds. So, here are a few tips (which have thusfar brought us great success) for appreciating the Thai islands on a budget:

1) Ask around.

We managed to nab a bungalow for 7 dollars a night each (granted, more than what we normally like to pay but hear me out), equipped with air conditioning, TV AND pool…and all this just across the street from the gorgeous Kata beach. How did we do this? This was not advertised on hostelbookers or hostelworld, which only recommended more expensive options faaar out of our budget. This was not in good ol’ Lonely P. Actually, credit here goes to the Gap Yahs from Chiang Mai. We asked them where they had stayed when they were in Phuket – we were having no luck finding a cheap place ahead of time and our flight landed at 1am, so we couldn’t exactly just rock up anywhere. They described Rico’s Bungalows and its perks. To be honest, I wasn’t really listening, assuming where they had chosen would still be far out of our price range.

Horrible Phuket

Oh, I have turned over a new leaf, readers. I am less quick to judge, more swift to give chances.  Never more will I make assumptions based upon a person’s clothing choices for a nature park trek. Never more will I define a person based upon their uses of ‘jel’ and ‘nervy-b’ instead of jealous and nervous breakdown. For when these Gap Yah girlies named the unbelievably cheap price (I’m still scratching my head as to why it’s really this cheap, considering the super convenient location) I could scarcely believe it. I went to the website (they have a WEBSITE) of the hostel and…well, there it was. We could afford it. Thank you, gap yah girls. You have changed me.

2) Be willing to walk.

That 200 baht fried rice? It’s 40 baht around the corner. Or down the street. Or a few kilometres away. It’s 40 baht somewhere, my friend, and you will find it, come hell or high water.

Go for the less swank places, go for the hole in the wall spilling out of the owner’s house, go for the place juuust that little bit too far out of town. You won’t be disappointed. The thing about South East Asia is that more money does not guarantee better food (unless you’re talking about Western cuisine…but then again, what’re you doing in Cambodia trying to eat a filet mignon? Get that swill back in the country it belongs in!). You’ll probably have a much better foodie experience when you have a local dish, cooked by a local, in a place where other locals are eating.

If the locals like it, they must be doing something right

These tend to scare off the tourists, giving them more backpacker friendly prices. We went to an amazing Pad Thai place – a little shack packed with locals and with limited English, it was one of those great travel foodie moments. We had to walk a good few kilometres from where we were staying, but I can guarantee it’d be ten million times better than anything you’re paying 250 baht for, and it only cost us 50 – more expensive than our usual food budget but this was probably due to the place being mentioned in Lonely P. So walk. Your wallet will thank you for it.

3) Travel in the off season.

Guesthouses, tours and bars aren’t as full. Prices are lower. We were given a deal on a speedboat trip (food and pickup from hostel included) to James Bond Island (where they filmed The Man with the Golden Gun) for 50% of the original price, and still were able to haggle it lower because we were also buying an (also discounted) boat ticket to Koh Phi Phi. It’s much easier to haggle when there’s no business.

4) Travel with friends.

Use the PJ’s Warehouse Philosophy. It’s cheaper to buy in bulk. Travelling with friends to other places can save you loads of money in the long run, as vendors are generally far more generous with haggling when more than one person is buying. Let’s save money together, guys!

This sucks.

5) Go easy on the alcohol there, guys.

Those fruity, tropical cocktails? 150 baht a pop. And that’s cheap. I know, I know – ‘a DRY beach holiday?!! But…but…I’d rather be in SNOW!’

I’m afraid if your wallet is happy, your liver tends to be pretty cheerful as well. Beer is cheap (relatively) and an option if you feel your experience is tainted by sobriety. However, if you don’t drink beer…well, consider being a little more generous with your budget. There is the option of splitting a bottle of rum/vodka/what have you between friends and then mixing that in with street fruit shakes…but you already walked 5k for a meal tonight. Do you really want to stoop thatlow? Not that we’ve ever done such a thing. Cough.

So there you have it, guys! General rules that have kept us pretty much on budget for Phuket. It’s not easy but it CAN be done. Hallelujah! Go forth!

Child fishing from the third floor (Vang Vieng)

Our poor wanderer, Emily Ross. She can’t catch a break in Laos. She’s encountered everything from the flooded Mekong to buses in the mud and food poisoning…..

How will she salvage this little landlocked country? Here she plays go-fish and discovers…..dry:

Oh, readers, you have no idea how happy I am to be in Luang Prabang.

How shall I describe Laos? Now that I am nearing my final days here (we leave for Chiang Mai on Friday) I think I can confidently say that Laos…

Has been a bit of a fail.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Laos’ fault! I feel quite sorry for it. The country’s gorgeous landscapes, friendly people and zingy cuisine pretty much guarantee a positive experience…unless you have the terrible luck we have these few days. Oh, Laos. It’s alright. Everybody has an off day. Or twelve.

Unfortunate Incident 1: Pakse

Oh, Lonely Planet praised it so. Built up our expectations! Raised our hopes to divine heights with their speak of pillowy soft naan and moreish tikka masala. But no, the diarrhoeal consistency of the curries at Jasmin Restaurant (we ordered three different dishes which all tasted exactly the same.) and the crunchy toast pretending to be naan left us wondering what the Laos Lonely Planet dude was ON when he wrote that recommendation. As we later learn, turns out a plethora of potential substances.

*As a side note, I know not to have high expectations of food that is not a local specialty. I weren’t born yesterday, bie (a little of Emily’s Bermudian for you).  But even by South East Asian standards of Indian food, this was terrible. AND it was owned by an Indian guy. They gave us ketchup to dip poppadoms in. Ketchup.

Girl on a water buffalo on Don Det

Unfortunate Incident 2: Don Det (the 4000 Islands)

Now, the 4000 Islands were personally my favourite part of Laos. Robyn described them as ‘a trip back in time with no electricity’ and she was right. They were beautiful and laid back, the perfect place to sit back in a hammock and watch the world go by. We had a few incidences of torrential downpour (which would become a more than familiar occurrence over the next few days) but our few days there were still beautiful. Now, in Don Det at least, they’ve become quite eco-conscious (probably as a counter measure against the tourists, we’re in the slow season but I’ve heard this island in particular can get very busy) and have numerous stations where you can fill up your water bottles with filtered water rather than buy new bottles. Unfortunately for my British travel companion, she forgot her wallet on the table next to the water container. By the time she realised it was gone, it was gone. Long gone. At least we were on an island with no ATMs or card readers? Oh, and did I mention Laos doesn’t have a British embassy? Thankfully I also have a British bank account so my friend was able to transfer money to me and now I’m her walking, talking ATM. It is amazing how painless losing everything can be sometimes. Just don’t lose your passport!

Unfortunate Incident 3: The Road to Vientiane

Food poisoning. Horrific food poisoning. All of us. And bumpy roads. I was on the top bunk of the sleeper bus (they’re like proper beds! That was a nice touch) but couldn’t sleep as every bump I was literally thrown in the air (I’m not exaggerating – I was clutching onto the side rails for dear life).

Unfortunate Incident 4: Vientiane

Food poisoning.

Oh, and rain.

Unfortunate Incident 5: Vang Vieng

Ah, Vang Vieng. Notorious party town. Heaven for the hedonist. Your liver’s worst nightmare. Robyn explained it well. Our hostel, run by a father like expat, had a handy advice booklet in each room, reminding us that ‘there are no health and safety regulations in Laos’ (tubing claims at least one life a year, this year somebody has already died) and warning us of the dangers of opium and opium tea. Yes. Opium TEA. I thought opium disappeared in Victorian times, dude!

Palm tree submerged in Vang Vieng

But (I’m not sure how unfortunate this really is, now that I think about it) the town is currently experiencing the worst flooding in decades. Even the elderly were crowded around the river in awe…so you can imagine the extent of how bad this really was. Thankfully there was no tubing – the river was moving quickly and was FILTHY. We met a guy who had just recently recovered from a dangerous parasite born fever caused by swimming in the river with open wounds (this includes mosquito bites). One of his travel companion’s feet had swollen to five times its size due to parasites.

Unfortunately, with no tubing there is literally nothing to do in Vang Vieng – it did not stop raining for the two days we were there, not even for a few minutes, and all we could do was watch Friends in the numerous Friends Bars. Yes. The bars play Friends ALL. DAY. Now I love Friends, the choice of show wasn’t really an issue for me personally, but I can understand why a few backpackers had that crazed ‘get-me-out-of-here’ look in their eyes.

Buuut it’s not that easy to leave Vang Vieng. And so we move on to Unfortunate Incident 6….

The largest landslide

Unfortunate Incident 6: The Road to Luang Prabang

So we decided to escape a day early to Luang Prabang. Easier said than done. We were concerned as we’d already heard that the way to Vientiane was blocked due to landslides caused by all the rain. And you have to understand that we had to get to Luang Prabang – we have a flight on the 1^st July and can’t miss it because we’ve been trapped in Vang Vieng. So we join the many evacuees. The ride was smooth enough…until the first landslide. And then the next. Our six hour journey was lengthened to a whopping seventeen hours. I was amazed we made it to Luang Prabang without spending the entire night on the bus. Late at night on a mountain, waiting for the largest of the landslides to be cleared (it was 9pm, some people had been there since 8am – thankfully we arrived at the Big Boy at 4pm), we played cards. What else could we do? Don’t worry about the lack of food or the possibility of being crushed by a mini mountain of mud as you wait for another to be cleared….go fish.

Nothing else to do but......

But we made it, readers. We made it. And a miraculous thing happened in Luang Prabang.

It’s stopped raining.

I feel strange.

I think it’s called dry.

I can’t remember anymore.

So Laos, I feel sorry for you. We chose a bad time to visit, didn’t we? Don’t worry, I won’t take it personally.

At least Luang Prabang has yummy cinnamon rolls.

A bus with a bike...on top? Of course it's Laos!

How do you explain half-naked backpackers cavorting with Laotian children while rum flows faster than the water? Well there is only one: Vang Vieng.

This tiny town in the middle of Laos is the Vegas of South East Asia. It’s a place that uses the Mekong River not for the practical delivery of goods, but of a good time.

What am I talking about? Upon arrival in Vang Vieng the plan is: rent tube, ride old truck with the tube to a bar and then sit in the tube to jump between bars along the river.

Buckets of different drinks await these tubers along the way making it more precarious as you continue down the river.

The danger? Well besides the buckets? The danger is being stuck there. Vang Vieng is also the Bermuda triangle, as it were, of South East Asia.

So how do you survive this town? Well my tip one starts with how to get to Vang Vieng. Ensconced in the hills of Laos a tricky bus ride can leave your stomach upside down, so make sure you DO NOT EAT before you board.

Tip two? Do NOT follow the first westerner that takes you to a hostel. Especially if it is an Australian guy who promises to fit you and your two friends in your own house. The next morning? We had mould growing over us and could barely breathe. Nice, huh?

Tip three: Stay with a Laotian family who survive on your rent and who care whether you get back from your tubing experience alive!

The river where backpackers send themselves silly on drink

If there is one problem I met in Vang Vieng it was the backpacker that could not escape.

“Dude, I’ve done it 20 times.”

“No biggie, I’ve been here two months.”

“Whatever 65 days in a row man!”

I’m not kidding. DO NOT let that happen to you. Tip Four: plan to get out of Vang Vieng. Have somewhere after the tubing you ABSOLUTELY have to do…..or face your liver abandoning you.

How do I know how long these guys have been in Vang Vieng? Good question.

They told me….by writing it all over their bodies. Now this can be a tough tip five, but make sure no one spray paints, writes or draws on your body.

It will take you enough days to wipe it off that you will be tubing again! Do not tube again!

One is enough. Ok it’s six, but one day of tubing is enough! I know you can get a deal on tubes for more than one day and you may not even want to bring your tube back, but DO IT!

You must, must extricate yourself from Vang Vieng. Yes, it’s a great town with beautiful mountains and sunsets, but it is dangerous.

Exaggerating? Nope. Tip seven be careful with the caves. There are caves in those mountains, but they are guarded by little boys with knives.

Walking out to the caves of Vang Vieng

Ok, well it was one boy and it was after we ignored his pleas to pay him for a non-entrance. In any case, I wouldn’t ignore the kids or visit the caves on your own.

Tip eight: while tubing be careful on the slide (do I sound old, yet?). Slide? Ok that’s not really what I would call it all. Maybe a tiled (yes, tiled) attempt to end your trip to Vang Vieng.

Yes, this tiled-attempt-to-end-your-trip is located at one of the last bars on the river and by then anything might sound good.

But don’t do it! There is no forgiving one false move on the slide and you will conk your head on the hard corner of the TATEYT.

Tip nine: ignore the constant streaming of TV shows like Friends and Family Guy in the bars. Do not become the zombie backpacker who “takes a break” from tubing to leave your brain on the side of the road. It’s too easy a life. Remember you want more! You want more!!

Finally, the only other way that Vang Vieng can trap you is by drugs that seem way to available and far too dangerous. Go to Amsterdam if that’s your gig. The problem with Vang Vieng? It’s so far from reality the drugs push the backpackers over the edge and away from home forever. Then you find them serving you the only all-you-can-eat buffet (I know buffets are self-serve so you get what I’m saying now, right?)

Wel that’s about the end of my tips to survive Vang Vieng. It’s a great town with a lot of fun, but just like Vegas….there is no need to be there for more than two days! Enjoy!

Angkor Thom

Today we are traveling to the ancient kingdom of Angkor Wat in Cambodia where our Wanderer, Emily Ross, spent six days here. Doing what? And what should you see? Well let Emily lead the way:

Hola, travellers!

I write from Pakse, Laos – yes, the Cambodian chapter of my journey has regrettably come to an end. After Battambang we moved onto Siem Reap and spent an entire SIX nights there (the longest I think we’ll be anywhere on this trip. We have two rather good reasons for slowing the pace, I promise! Firstly, one of our friends from the Hong Kong exchange is based in Siem Reap volunteering with Rachna Satrei, a local NGO aiming to empower disadvantaged groups in Cambodia (visit http://www.rachnasatrei.webs.com/ for information about the organisation and how to help) and secondly, we’d bought a three day pass to see the incredible ruins of Angkor – where one can find the world’s largest religious monument, the impressive Angkor Wat.

The ruins of Angkor are, as expected, gorgeous – and remarkably well preserved, although unfortunately as we’re travelling during off-peak season (ie rainy season. Very rainy season) one needs to be rather creative with the camera angles in order to avoid the ever present scaffolding and tarpaulins necessary for keeping the ruins so well preserved. In fact, the middle and largest tower of the famous Angkor Wat was rather anticlimactically hidden under a gleaming green tarp, glinting mockingly at you in the sunlight as if to say: ‘Well…you’re here! You HAVE to photograph me, sucker! You can’t NOT take a picture of Angkor Wat, bud. ’

Angkor Wat, be-Tarped

Curse you, Green Tarp. I shall never be avenged, reduced to but a rogue and peasant slave.

Grumble.

Of course, if you go to Angkor Wat you’ve got to watch the sunrise. It’s number one on the Lonely Planet’s Greater Mekong Highlights, although as we noted after the fact they may have slightly romanticised the experience.

‘In the steamy pre-dawn hush we waited, yawning. The glowing orange sun appeared, rising slowly between the graceful stone domes of Angkor Wat – its iconic silhouette mirrored perfectly in the still lake in front of us. With the first soft ray of sun to alight on the water it was as though someone flicked the ‘on’ switch. The quiet filled with a cacophony of buzzing, chirping insects and the day’s throbbing heat was all of a sudden there, where it hadn’t been a moment before.’

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

I suggest a slightly more realistic summary:

The alarm was piercing. Blearily we blinked back our disbelief, our incredulity that we were really willingly getting out of bed at 4 o’clock in the morning. We know how Pyrrhus must have felt. We jumped into the tuk-tuk, shivering (yes, shivering) as we raced through the chilly morning air towards the ruins. We found our way to the lake, and amidst the sound of vendors selling ‘Breakfast, Coffee, Best Price Lady!’, we waited, yawning. A great grey cloud appeared, hovering over the five towers, ominously threatening the day’s afternoon rain. The temple was silhouetted by the few rays of light able to pierce through the cloud – this at least hid The Tarp from view.  The cloud dissipated slightly, we were able to spot speckles of pink in the sky, the silhouette of Angkor Wat reflected in the lake in front of us – but distorted by the skittering of insects, the ripples created when their lives are abruptly ended after being snapped up by…something. You itch a bite. A middle aged Japanese man hits you with his tripod. Repeatedly. Pushing through the crowd of backpackers and tourists, you attempt to get a better angle. The angle is not better. You fight once again through the crowd to reclaim your spot on the waterfront. The sun is higher now, you can’t see it, but can tell by the sweat beads on your brow, suddenly there, where they hadn’t been a moment before. All at once you’re blinded by the glint of The Tarp, now illuminated, ready for the day.

I should write one of these for the Great Wall!

In all seriousness, it WAS worth it. Despite The Tarp, the sweat, the fatigue, the cloud….I still managed to get a good shot and a glimpse at the masochistic lengths we travellers will go to (without question) for ‘the experience.’

Happy Chinese New Year from the Philippines

Happy New Year! Well, Happy Chinese New Year! And it’s the year of the Rabbit. While we in Bermuda may not have the day off Emily Ross, a Bermudian who is currently studying in Hong Kong does!

So she’s off to the Philippines enjoying some cocktails! Oh yeah and learning what it’s like in the thousand-island country. So Emily tell us about your trip! (oh yeah and you’ll have to imagine it until she can give us some photos next week).

So…I’ve got a week off of uni to start off the Year of the Rabbit – time for a beach holiday in the Philippines?

Unfortunately you will have no photos as I have no camera cord. Use your imaginations.

I find myself in Boracay – a small island south of Manila, only 7km long. I’ve been spending most of my time lounging on the gorgeous White Beach, taking advantage of time away from the fast pace of Hong Kong.

Getting to Boracay on a budget is a bit of a mission – we flew from Hong Kong to Manila, Manila to Kalibo and then took a two hour bus ride from Kalibo airport to a pier at the north of Panay Island. From there we (somewhat reluctantly) got into a rickety banca boat (a wooden boat with outriggers which seats about 30 people) and battled the night winds to get to the island, where we were met by a man from our hostel who accompanied us on a ‘tricycle’ – a motorcycle with a side carriage – to our hostel.

I prefer the somewhat unorthodox and less comfortable route – it’s always more fun! I’m addicted to www.hostelbookers.com. That’s where we found our hostel – ‘Trafalgar Cottages’. Clean, a couple minutes from the beach with friendly staff, cooking facilities and a fan. The shower’s cold and it’s situated close to some karaoke bars but for fewer than eight dollars a night it’s perfect for backpackers on a budget.

The White Beach is about 4km long and lined with palm trees, restaurants, bars, street vendors and tourists. It’s a strange combination of a backpacker and family holiday destination, but definitely worth considering if you’re hunting for a budget holiday. The Filipino food is delicious and cheap – I’ve been feasting on stuffed squid and barbecue for the equivalent of about two American dollars. From about 5.30 onwards the beach is flooded with the smell of barbecue: restaurants set up tables and buffets on the beach, complete with live music and fire dancing. Tonight we’re splurging and hunting down a seafood and barbecue buffet – all you can eat for 300 pesos (just under 7 bucks)! Lemme at ‘em.

It’s impossible to walk down the White Beach without being stopped by multiple vendors selling street food, sunglasses, pearls and boat tours. I was expecting to be as irritated as I was in South America, but the difference here is that once you say no, they don’t bug you. Nobody follows you or pushes what they’re selling in your face, so as long as you don’t mind repeatedly shaking your head it’s less of an annoyance than expected.

The Filipinos are friendly – the women have no problem complimenting you (and with no ulterior motive, ie selling something) and the men are typically sociable and helpful without being overtly flirtatious. Talk to the bartenders! Drinks cost the equivalent of a couple dollars but you’re guaranteed to get deals if you strike up conversations. If you’re looking for an even cheaper night, a bottle of the local rum also costs about $2 and is surprisingly smooth for that price!

This is definitely the more touristy side of the Philippines, but we’ll be spending Monday night in Manila (shown around by my friend’s aunt who’s local) to get a glimpse of the grittier side of the islands. For now, I’m relishing time away from the smog and traffic. Cocktail, anyone?

So bookshelves don’t tend to be something you think about when you’re hitting the road.

I never do. That’s said from a person who can’t stand NOT reading a book! If I don’t have my nose in a novel then something is wrong (or I’m insanely busy as I have been for the last few months).

And if anyone has been following this blog then you know what my reading list often consists of – randoms (remember: Eight Travel Books and not one is Eat, Pray, Love?)

But what got me thinking about this blog post today is multi-pronged. One is listening to CBC (the Canadian online radio) about a Canadian (of course) artist who decided to get rid of all of her books! Sacrelege as as far as I’m concerned.

I get why people want to deconstruct their lives, but if there is one thing I will never (ok almost never, which is why I write this blog) are my books!

Which brings me to point two about this post: I have been researching an article about travel items available in Bermuda. I know, I know, not always easy!

So I debated…..do I try and find the Kindle? Do I include the iPad? Everyone seems to be all about reading words on a computer these days. And, really, who am I to complain? I do have a blog by the way.

But the point is books don’t translate. Call me old fashioned! When I read a book I want to be able to scroll through the pages. I want to be able to bend the pages.

And the best part? No matter how tatty or wet they might get….the words will not go. Now tell that to someone who soaks their iPad in the rain!

What has this got to do with travel? I thought you’d never ask. It’s got everything to do with travel because the

more books

Kindle, in particular, was introduced as a compact way to carry around all the reading material you might need on the road.

BAH! Is what I say. The beauty of the road is the loving way that people read their books and then sell them to the tiny second hand shops that spring-up in every backpacker haunt or on the shelves of hostels around the world (yes, from South America to Europe and Asia). In fact many will even give you a book for a book (or two). It’s exchange and commerce!

Even better? Well nothing could be better than having the chance to wander around a book store taking in the titles and deciding what type of adventure you want next. Do you want to go through someone’s life? Perhaps visit your next trip to Thailand?

It’s old school – exchanging books, but it’s more than a chance to recycle books. It’s also a convenient way to expand your own literary adventures.

Do you know how many times I’ve need to lighten my backpack only to be faced with the prospect of titles I have never heard of before? Lots of times. But that’s when you pick-up a book like River of Time written by journalist Jon Swain who lived in Cambodia between 1970 and 1975. The book is his account of these tumultuous years at the beginning of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. It was one I could not put down.

Not only do the old-school manners of exchanging books expand your own personal library it also means that you’re not another backpacker with a cool electronic gadget.

Look I’ll be the first to admit that I travel with an iPod, but when I see the amount of gadgets that some people pull out (i.e. a place tracker for photos) and I look at the poverty that surrounds them (i.e. anywhere in South East Asia) a good, old book is better for the soul!

And because you can exchange them you never have to keep them in your backpack. Well I will admit this, as I finish this post….I couldn’t part with The White Tiger! I just couldn’t do it….so I gave it to my dad when I saw him during my trip around the world.

Does this make me sentimental? I don’t think so. I will never be the Canadian artist able to sell all of her books. Even on the road when I was breaking my back and an exchange loomed ahead I found it hard to part with my papers filled with escapes.

Does that make me a bad traveler? Does that make me too sentimental? Who knows. It does mean when I walk into my room and I’m looking for inspiration, now, I have a library of adventures to choose from.

Hell it’s cheaper than jewelry!

Surfers in Bali - I could only look-on and wish.....

“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” – John Steinbeck

All I wanted for my 30th birthday was to surf and to surf in Bali. Sounds like a plan, no? Yeah I thought so. I mean if you’re going to have to face the feared why not do it in a magical place with friends? Well I had the friends – a travel buddy and a friend from a TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language) course. I had the place – I arrived in Bali two days before ‘D’ day.

I even had the food.

Bali was full of gluten-free food and I found pancake mix for my troubled tummy. Banana pancakes for my birthday breakfast were a sure thing.

What wasn’t was the nausea. I was on the back of my TEFL friend’s bike heading for my first surfing lesson. He had to pull over. It couldn’t have been something I ate. I had been very careful since arriving Bali. It couldn’t have been the sun. I was used to that. I had been traveling through South East Asia for three months before Bali.

All I wanted to do was pick-up a board, but I could barely pick myself off the sand. This was not fair. This was not what I had planned. I pouted.

“Robyn come on you need to go to the hospital. Get an IV you’ll feel great!”

“No way I hate needles. I am NOT getting an IV. And I have no idea if I’m even sick. Maybe I’m just tired.”

I can be stubborn.

“Have you got insurance, Robyn?”

“Yes.”

“Ok then stop moaning and get on the back of the bike. We’re going to figure out what is wrong with you.”

Bali might also be a very cheap country to visit. A steak dinner will cost you $5 and a full tank of gas $2. For more on my Bali travels check out My Postcards. For my Bali Photos visit where else? My Photos. You get the gist of this Monday Rock Fever Column featured in The Royal Gazette.

Beautiful Bali Beach

Their medical care? Let’s say I was happy I had insurance. My bill in Bali? Almost $150. I had to pay upfront, but I kept my paperwork. When I returned to Bermuda six months later I was reimbursed. That helped the finances!

Which is why I spoke to Andrew Hanwell, the Assistant Vice-President of Personal Insurance at BF&M insurance for the expert advice on insuring travel. His advice: “Buy the policy before you need it.”

Q: But Mr. Hanwell, I was away all of last year and I needed to buy health insurance while I was not on the island. What should I have done?

A: “The internet. That’s where we sell a lot of our policies. When we launched our website that was the big seller at first. The upshot is if you forget to call your insurance company before you go you can buy the insurance online and a lot of people do that.

“It’s totally tailor-made for yourself. You don’t have to take out medical if you don’t want too and it’s very inexpensive. It’s not going to to cost a lot of money but if you need the coverage you will be happy you have it.”

Q: What if I go away all the time? What are my options?

A: “There are two different policies. There is a short-term and we cover you once for particular days you are away. You have to have a minimum of $30 of coverage.

“Then there’s the annual travel insurance, which is helpful if you travel more than two or three times a year. For annual you might pay $45 for a full year of coverage. It might make it cheaper overall.

“We also have student travel insurance. It’s an annual policy and it’s for parents sending their kids away for school. Any of the belongings they have in their dorm rooms and all the items they own overseas, we will take care of that. And any trips back and forth from school for holidays.”

Q: Ok Mr. Hanwell you said most people buy the Baggage and Personal effects insurance. How does it work?

A: “First (if you lose a bag in transit) you need to see what you can get from the Airline and if they say nothing then you need to come back to see us. It also covers loss from a locked hotel room.”

However he added: “If you have a cell phones and other electronics we would want you to insure them on home insurance. Travel insurance is for personal belongings but not valuables.”

Q: What should I buy if I worry about getting sick before a big trip?

A: “Cancellation insurance. The main reason people get this is they have booked a $10,000 cruise. If you get sick a couple of days before most of that is non-refundable. You would get that back with the insurance. Also if you, someone you are traveling with or someone in your immediate family dies we will pay any non-refundable deposits.

“It also works if you need to extend the trip. i.e. you’re away and you get sick. They will cover the $150 change fee, for example.”

Q: How do I get my money back?

A: “Like with baggage we say go to the cruise line and see if you can et a refund and then we will pay back the rest.”

Make sure you're insured before you leave Bermuda.

Q: But let’s say Hurricane Fiona came this week and I can’t get off the island. Would you cover that?

A: “We do not cover if, for example, the hurricane comes on Saturday and you cannot leave on Saturday. So natural disasters, missed flights, or missed connections.

“If we started extending it it would become a lot more expensive. At the moment it is sickness and death. There’s an upper age limit too. Once you turn 76 they have to get a doctors not that they are fit to travel. Then we would extend the coverage to them.”

Q: What if you do not have major medical insurance and you’re worried about…getting sick in Bali, for example?

A: “The medical expenses travel insurance is a very small amount. We cover up to $5,000. It’s for emergencies. It’s really for people who have HIP insurance.

“Major medical will cover treatment abroad and HIP will not. Ninety percent of Bermuda doesn’t need this. If you have major medical you don’t need this. If you just have HIP, you can give yourself medical coverage overseas with this.”

Q: What else can I insure while I’m away?

A: “Accidental Death. We sell this in units of $10,000. If you were overseas and had a car accident and die we would pay your beneficiary up to the limit of the policy. For temporary disablement we will pay up to 104 weeks.

“It’s life insurance while you are overseas. If people have a life insurance policy maybe they don’t need this, but they will still take a unit out to cover funeral costs which are not covered under life insurance policies.”

Q: And how, most importantly, do I make sure I get my money back?

“Keep receipts from what you purchase. A lot of times we can get that stuff if we need to, but the things they can keep will make the claim easier.

“For the airlines you will have to file the claim through the airline and get back a no (and keep this denial letter). If there was a break-in you need a police report.”

And finally make sure you report back here next Monday for my Rock Fever Column about a company that gives its employees up to two months off to do…..whatever they want! And they get paid! Of course before then check back for daily updates.

Walking through rice paddies in Laos

I was with my California travel buddy; the one I met over a cooking course in Thailand. We decided over spring rolls that we would conquer Laos together. It turned-out to be a successful coupling.

Especially when we had to contend with knife-wielding youths.

Yes. A knife. We were innocently trying to walk from our B&B to some caves in Vang Vieng, Laos. This town is known for its drunken, tubing experience (i.e. bars along the river banks which are accessed via inflatable tubes), but it is also known for spectacular scenery as well as caves lodged in rice paddies.

Me and the California travel buddy decided after one day of tubing we were going to work-off the various buckets (a bucket filled with rum, cokes and red bulls) with a wander. We found ourselves lost and a six-year-old sitting in a tree yelling at us.

“You must pay. You want to go to the cave? You have to pay. Hey. You have to pay.”

We had been told to ignore the kids waiting by the caves. Why? Because they were running a scheme. So we did. We continued walking, found a dead-end and had to turn back.

Our heckler had found a knife by the time that we returned.

“You find the cave?”

We kept walking, which became speed-walking as I noticed him slapping his hand with a knife. We picked-up the pace and made it back to the main road and to our B&B.

We never did find caves, but that is not to say we didn’t find a way to exercise while abroad. Which leads me to my Rock Fever Column in The Royal Gazette today: Exercising Anywhere.

I offered some of my own advice, knife’s excluded, but I also conferred with Bermuda-based, personal fitness trainer, Jenille Devenson-Smith for back-up. With her own business, Heart Core, she regularly trains people without the use of gyms. In the National Stadium, the botanical gardens or other “free” spaces are her work-out stations.

Getting away from the mirrors offers her clients the chance to focus on themselves as well as offering exercises for those who may need to do them in imperfect positions – travelers.

What does she have to say? Here’s a quick Q&A from the expert herself:

1. For someone who travels often, do you have any tips for maintaining their exercise routine? Exercise and diet are a marriage. So when you travel and want to exercise don’t forget that in order to see the benefits of your exercise you need to eat properly. This does not mean “no cake” I am an advocate of cake, especially coconut cake with vanilla icing… But I am also and advocate of moderation. Allow yourself to indulge, but don’t allow yourself to fail. There is a difference. On vacation a lot of people just give up on eating right. Diet is a life long challenge. You are in control, even when you are not. So don’t forget, you are what you eat.

When you travel there are simple weightless exercises you can do. Squats, lunges, jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches and sit ups. I prefer to travel with a jump-rope as well. Jumping rope is a complete body workout that can burns a lot of calories. If you don’t have time do 10 min here , 10 min there, til you reach 30 min of cardio. Use the stairs in your hotel. Most people don’t use them, so you will find you have them all to yourself. A lot of hotels these days are also equipped with gyms, so you may jus commit  to a few gym visits while you are on vacation, and of course, walk, walk, walk.

2. Is there an easy and quick “maintenance” work-out that someone could do in their hotel room/hostel room? When you travel there are simple weightless exercises you can do. Squats, lunges, jumping jacks, push ups, crunches and sit ups. I prefer to travel with a jump-rope as well.

Eating on the road

3. I know that diet is also an important consideration when it comes to exercise. Do you have suggestions for those on the road to how to eat healthy?

Try to eat protein, while on vacation I try to eat clean, but I still indulge. Sometimes the fish I order may be breaded, or have a wonderful sauce on it. For me this is a luxury I allow those luxuries but pair it with a nice clean vegetable. Try to limit your carbohydrates to your daytime meals, ie breakfast and lunch. Then for your remaining meals chose protein and vegetables. Try not to go to sleep with a belly full of pasta or baked potato. Eat fresh, go to the grocery store, buy fresh fruits, veg and nuts to snack on. Keep them in the fridge in your hotel room. Just because you are on vacation does not mean you are not in control. Don’t forget to drink water. So many empty calories are consumed in beverages. Save the calories for something you really want to eat.

Don’t be afraid to customize your meal. If you are dining out, and you see something you want don’t be afraid to add and take away ingredients or dressings to make the meal acceptable. You are in control or your results.

4. What should we do at home? And why is it important to eat healthy for travel and other activities? Try a class when you are away. Sometimes it helps to be anonymous when u exercise.  It is a good way to meet people and gain confidence.

5. How would you encourage someone who, perhaps, has not been very active and wants to start working-out? Working out can be a little overwhelming for someone who has never done it before, or who is self-conscious. Gyms tend to be intimidating to a lot of people. Everyone in the gym seems to be advanced, experienced or even fearless. Intimidation can offset the average person and prevent them from achieving their goals. If you are not comfortable in a gym, go outside, away from the mirrors and away from the on-lookers and get fit. You don’t have to start at a high level, the main thing is just to begin. You must walk before you can run, so by all means, walk. Take long walks, short walks, fast walks, slow walks, walk upstairs, downstairs, up hill and down hill. Alternate, one day power walk, one day distance… Have fun with it. When you are comfortable jog a little, then jog a little more. Fitness and exercise should be a life long journey and in life you grow so be patient with yourself and allow yourself to grow. You can not run a marathon in a day. There are things you can do in everyday life to enhance your fitness level as well. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, ride a pedal bike to work, or walk to work avoid short cuts…

If you are entering the gym for the first time, it is so important that you know what you are doing or you could lose the battle before you begin. If you have never set foot in a gym before I highly recommend you hire a personal trainer for your fist few sessions. Just to make sure you do all the exercises properly and that you make the best use of your time. If you hire a trainer, don’t be afraid to speak up. You know your body better than anyone and you know how far you can push. Your relationship with your trainer will not work if you do not have open communication. It Is a team effort.

Workout DVDs are also a great start for those who wish to start working out. You can learn in the privacy of your own home. I would advise watching it all the way through before attempting. A good workout DVD will let you know the proper posture and position for each exercise to ensure that you do not injure yourself. Be sure to listen carefully to all instruction.

Running through the Valley of the Kings

6. Finally, why should exercise be part of our everyday activities? Exercise is like maintaining your car, you body is an amazing machine that requires daily maintenance. It does not have to be intense or grueling you just have to keep your body in motion. You know the saying if you don’t use it you lose it, well through simple excercise, and diet regularity you can keep your body healthy and humming. Eating well and staying fit helps fight diseases diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and as we age these are all things we must think about.

For your own training session don’t contact me. I’m no trainer. Try Jenille at heartcorefitness@gmail.com or 504-336 and get fit anywhere!

It’s Monday and time for another Rock Fever Column. Let me know what you think. Any of your own observations on fellow travelers?

With fellow travel buddies Oliver and Alexis in Singapore...a couple of friends who kept me sane.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – JRR Tolkien

When the rooster begins crowing at 4 a.m., and the dogs outside your window start picking on each other and you haven’t gone to sleep until 2 a.m. because the electricity went out and you couldn’t breathe … you start to wonder … why am I here?

At least I did, multiple times, while travelling through 24 countries in 12 months. Did I regret my decision to do it? Never. But did I get tired? Yes. What did I do on nights like the one above? My iPod became my best friend. In Thailand/Laos/Cambodia or Vietnam – Enya was the only thing that kept my sanity. In the morning I would find myself alive and twisted in my headphone cords with no recollection of actually falling asleep. Ahhh Southeast Asia.

The other way I would keep my sanity? Travel buddies. These came in all varieties and for various lengths of the trip. Some were better friends than others and more often than not, encounters were brief. What I noticed after a while was that fellow backpackers became like baseball cards (sorry for the American reference, but until cricket and dare I say football get these cards … baseball it is).

First you get the stats. “So where are you from?”

“Bermuda.”

“No way. Like the Triangle. Is that real?”

“No. And the shorts. Yes we are little and no we are not in the Caribbean. We are closer to New York.”

“No way.”

“Yes, way.”

Finally it’s time to move on: “How long have you been in: Vietnam/ Cambodia/ Thailand, Laos?

Obviously the answer varied on the country asked about.

“Where are you going next? What do you do? How long are you travelling for?”

Funnily, unlike baseball cards, the least important thing was their names. I have been on a slow boat between Thailand and Laos for two days chatting with people whose names I only found out after sharing a hotel room with them.

If these stats worked and the answers were right the travellers joined my card collection.

Other travellers never made it into my hand. Why? Sometimes they were just not on the same page. Like the backpackers in Europe. These guys are newbies. They are Americans taking time after/during college to break away from home. Dressed in collared shirts and jeans, roughing it requires making your own dinner in the communal kitchen.

These disappear by the Middle East. No great surprise there. Backpackers here are lost souls trying to ensure the countries of media-created nightmares are not so. Their clothes start becoming more tattered. The caravan tourists? You know what I mean? The middle-aged-escaping-from-their-cubicles-to-tell-everyone-they-made-it-to-Jordan tourists. These have covered themselves in khaki and their heads enshrined in Indiana Jones’ hats. They have yet to find the Lost Ark. On the flight East, hair grows, it gets matted or completely shaved off and suddenly clothes don’t fit. In India backpackers swim in their pants or wear barely any at all. Their attempts to understand poverty this way is lost on those who actually do not have the money for clothes. As you get to Thailand the tank-tops fall off tattooed shoulders, or the dresses barely cover the pale British bum. The dreadlocks sit in the corner chatting to the locals and giving the evil eye to the drunk, barely clothed gap year students. Neither can be bothered to just enjoy the experience of each other and the new culture they find themselves in.

Travel they might be doing, but sometimes it’s middle school again with cliques in their corners. By South America it’s filled with the adventurous side of Americans who have raided their local Patagonia store before actually heading to Patagonia. The other travellers – from South American countries. What a change from Asia. Here the economies are strong enough for internal travel. Brazilians seem to do the most and will enjoy taunting you over coffee in the morning as to why you chose Chile rather than their country. Hint: There is no good answer just say you’re on your way!

Finally … Africa … I haven’t been. Well besides Egypt, but even Egyptians would argue they’re not “Africa”. That’s the next stop … maybe. I will let you know when I go. Have you been? Tell me about it in 500 words and photos! I’m looking for the next Bermuda Abroad story. Do you have to be Bermudian? NO! Do you have to travel? Yes! I want to hear your take on a country – it will inevitably have some Bermudian reference just by virtue of you having spent time in Bermuda.

So check out my website: www.robynswanderings.com for more travel tips and tales.

E-mail me at robynswanderings@gmail.com with your own.

Until next week when we: Battle Boston: 24 hours in this gritty town that manages to throw punches and peace for a weekend.