Melbourne – pics
Category: Play
Melbourne – pics
Melbourne – pics
Melbourne – pics
peace play passion: the midway point
it blows my mind that i’m only halfway through peace play pash, mainly because i have no idea how the second half could ever measure up to the first. i have made memories to last a lifetime and then some. and i am savouring every. single. moment.
wrote some thoughts on feb 2, 2018 – exactly halfway into my trip. here’s where i’m at:
#1 highlight: gorilla trekking in Uganda. nothing will beat that. ever.
other so-happy-i-could-cry moments:
– diving with turtles in Gili. this is what they mean when they say it’s a different world underwater. i never wanted that tank to run out of air.
– hiking up Lion’s Head at sunrise. taking in the view of Table Mountain. trail running down the mountain. looking at that INSANE view, feeling so happy and deciding that whatever the rest of my life holds, i will make sure it’s epic
– walking around Cape Town’s waterfront on my first day and feeling that butterflies-in-my-stomach, falling-in-love-with-this-city feeling. Paris and New York, you know what i mean.
– shark diving in Cape Town and getting a surprise visit by a Great White at the very end. lost my shit. that was so epic.
– safari at Akagera in Rwanda. rounding the bend with the thrill that there may be an elephant around the corner and pinching myself this is my life.
– of course, finding out Janice was prego while in Rwanda. bawled my eyes out.
^^those feelings of 100% contentment and happiness in Africa – those defined my “peace” leg.
living my best life moments
– dancing every. damn. night. in southeast asia. koh tao, sky garden in bali, gili. all my favourite songs. discovering that it is so fun being me. that is my “play” leg.
– when Capsule Hostel in Seminyak took requests for my fave songs and played Macklemore x2 and Slow Hands. i love when people get me.
– obviously New York with Carmy for the #pregame. all the free drinks and dance floors. thriving.
other highlights:
– bike tour through Ubud countryside, getting a reminder of that untouched local lifestyle that i fell in love with in Rwanda
– double rainbow from the back of Christine’s scooter in Kigali
– guests of honour at a small village’s soccer game in Rwanda. that was the CRAZIEST.
– seeing baby turtles run into the sea and out into the world for the first time, against insane odds, on a slice of paradise called Turtle Island
current internal dilemma:
– which lifestyle is really me. who even am i. walking through Louis Vuitton in Melbs i was remembering how i used to want to grow up to hustle at a high-paying job and be wealthy and live a life of luxury. i was always about designer purses, nice shoes, name brand everything. now i think i just want to travel and stay in hostels the rest of my life if it means getting to see the world?? i feel like i’ve changed??
– where is MY city?? Paris obviously has my heart, like i NAMED my passion leg after it. but for the past few years i have been a New York girl. then i absolutely fell in love with Cape Town. it’s stunning, liveable, but has that African edge. on the other hand, i THRIVE in that no makeup, no shoes, beach life. but then arriving in Melbourne i was like oh nonono not another city i love. i’m already with Paris, New York, Cape Town, and Vancouver, my home – I AM AT CAPACITY. (luckily i have since realized Melbourne’s not MY city – it’s perfect in every way, but my heart is somewhere with a little more grit. a little more magic.)
– like you know when you’re growing up you’re like “i’m going to get married when i’m 25 and live in Abbotsford my whole life.” then i moved to Vancouver, visualize the rest of my life there, and loved travelling to Europe but that’s it. didn’t even want to go to SE Asia cause it was dirty and i get seasick. then i went to Rio and fell in love in every way and all bets were off – i wanted every adventure and i needed to see the world. enter peace play passion. Africa, Asia by myself, gorillas, sharks, leeches, waking up to cockroaches on my lips, making new friends every night. 2-years-ago me did not see THIS comin’. so what’s next???? who knows??
what ppp has taught me:
– i am strong and independent and i take no bullshit. i woke up with a cockroach on my lips in Railay and i demanded the hotel manager give me my money back. same thing when i got screwed out of a ferry in Koh Phangan. Mat from Gili told me i have a “tough” vibe and i was like oh that’s weird because i am just a small unintimidating blonde girl but i know what he means. it feels good to travel the world and know i can 100% hold my own. to quote Christine on the phone a few weeks ago, “YOU CAN’T F WITH ME” !!
– i have crazy fomo for cities outside of vancouver. like i can never stay in. because what if i miss the best night of dancing ever?? what if macklemore shows up?? what if i could have met a hilarious, smart, tall dark and handsome latino gentleman??
– when i was leaving Bali our driver Bagus told me i am positive and i love music and dancing and vodka. i loled because he nailed it, that is me in a NUTSHELL. i am really that simple – play me my fave song or give me a shot of vod and i’m happy.
– all this self love feels so good because i am the happiest i have ever been in my life, and it’s because of me. not a guy, not work or anyone or anything else. that’s what ppp was all about – taking my happiness into my own hands. i sincerely hope everyone else finds their own peace play passion.
– there have been a couple times i pushed MYSELF out of my comfort zone (sleeping in Akagera Park amidst the lions and elephants, rock climbing in Railay, walking up to live 400 pound gorillas.. travelling Africa in general..) and there have been times when i’ve GOTTEN pushed out of my comfort zone (near-death ferries in Thailand, maybe a couple vibes in Zanzibar and Cape Town). it’s been wild. now if something comes up that is out of my comfort zone i literally just take a breath and get’er done.
—
travel tips:
– obv research everything. i paid about $100 more for the turtles in Borneo than i should have if i had looked online first. same with our Ubud bike tour. ROOKIE MISTAKES.
– i did not want to travel alone but now i wouldn’t have it any other way – i believe anyone can do it. stay in party hostels (or at least make sure they’re busy) to meet people. learn to appreciate your me-time. and LOVE YOURSELF – i am now my favourite person to hang out with. like i am a blast.
– i never thought i could travel without my hair curler and straightener – they just make me feel presentable/human. i have used my curler twice and i sent my straightener home – scrap ‘em.
– bring only thin beach clothes to southeast asia. like even my aritzia dress was not worn once. too fricken hot and sweaty.
– walk on the side of the road where the cars are coming at you. so far Rwanda was the only place where they drive on the right side of the street. and in most places i’ve been, the rules of the road are slim to none.
– use XE currency app for converting mula.
– use maps.me or google maps to download offline maps, it’s been so helpful
– bring a portable charger, earplugs, eye mask, neck pillow. small quick drying towel. i havent needed my sheet liner.
– check if any stains on sheets at hostels = bed bugs
– just count on a chunk of money going down the drain. booking issues, flight delays, rip offs. but barter every chance you get. EVERYONE is trying to scam tourists – lowball them hard right at the beginning and then you can meet in the middle. taxis, tours, food, clothes, everything. also google like how much the taxi should cost from the airport to your hostel. if there’s uber, check what the rate is and don’t pay much more for a taxi.
– music on travel days is obviously so key (so is gravol !!!!) so make sure you have your fave songs or a new album lined up. i’ve been so busy that i actually love those transit days to catch up on music
—
okay this halfway point status update has mostly been about self love but i do have to acknowledge the amazing people who have shared this journey with me from near and far. how lucky am i that i got to stay with my best friends Tommy and my newfound soul sister Christine in Rwanda, Dan in Melbourne, that Christie had her Borchelorette while i was in SE Asia, that i got to frolic with Carmen in the pregame and she is coming to join passion as well. i SO appreciate my fam and friends that have been so supportive and happy that i’m happy. i’ve gotten so many lovely messages from people. then there’s everyone i’ve met along the way – too many to list, but including my other soul sis Jen and pull-at-my-heartstrings Eric in Kigali, the Uganda triathlon crew, my Cape Town bodyguards Andrew Derek and Pedro, the Goodtime Koh Tao crew Logan Ian etc, fellow dancing queens Diana Caroline Michu etc, Mat and Egy from Blue Marlin. i haven’t spent a day fully on my own this whole trip, and honestly so many people have touched my heart along the way.
okay – is that a lot?? it’s been a crazy amazing 3 months, so it should be a lot lol. i can’t even imagine how the latter half could even compare but let’s give it a shot, here we go!!
Borneo – welcome to the j u n g l e
went to Borneo for 2 reasons:
1. orangutans
2. survivor season 1
this was a total ppp spontaneous addition that cost me way too much but like i just couldn’t think of any other logical way to follow up gorillas in Uganda.
Borneo is 26% Malaysia, 73% Indonesia, and 1% Brunei. i went to the Malaysian part to a little town called Sandakan, which is about 30 mins from the orangutan samctuary called Sepilok. it was a reminder of Rwanda because everyone stared at me or yelled “hello” because i was white. stayed at Sandakan Backpackers and booked my tours through them – Borneo is all about the excursions. it really is a jungle out there, and i only scratched the surface!!!people were overall friendly (like my lil uber driver named Ming) but i was a wee bit creeped out with all the stares 😐
– met Rina for delish pizza and drinks on a rooftop restaurant above Nak Hotel and good life chats
– River Jungle cruise at Kinagatangan River – was cool because you stay overnight in the jungle. the cruise felt a lil like a safari but we didnt see any elephants (they actually have pygmy elephants there) and it was so hard to see the animals in the trees. did a night walk with lots of weird creatures like a bird-deer and raccoon-cat, lots of colourful sleeping birds that made me feel like i was in a Planet Earth episode. leeches that stuck to our guide’s neck and came into our room with my roomie. this is my life lol. i didn’t even know about leeches before, except i think in one book if a Series of Unfortunate Events. ppp has pushed me out if my comfort zone in ways i didn’t even know were possible. went on 2 cruises and saw an orangutan and its baby, lots of monkeys including Proboscis monkeys with the big nose, a croc hidden in the water. lots of tropical birds, a snake, lizards.
– Sepilok orangutan sanctuary – was SUPER cool to see the orangutans cause they are hilarious and like where else would i see them. they’re only in Borneo and Sumatra. but i was hoping for an experience more like the gorilla trek, while this was more like a zoo – watching them play in the nursery through glass, and none showed up for the feeding lol. (there’s a feeding at 10am and 3pm). but anyway they are so goofy and just hang and swing and eat. one did like 8 somersaults to get across the lawn lololol. they seem like a fun time, i wish more humans were like them.
– Turtle Island – 1 hr boat with Aussie Ben and a fam from Barcelona and from Denmark. great meals, hung out at the perfect picturesque beach all day, pretended i was on the same beach where Richard Hatch won the title of the FIRST SOLE SURVIVOR. we waited after dinner for our little guide to come out yelling TURTLE TIME! which meant a turtle had come onto the beach. was around 9:30 pm for us. we watched her lay 82 eggs (felt weirdly intrusive but kinda amazing to watch), then the ranger buried the eggs in the fenced area to keep them safe from the giant lizards. then we let 152 little newly hatched baby turtles run into the sea. only 1-2% survive because or predators, current, etc and i almost cried i was rooting for those little guys so hard. i like to think our group had a higher success rate than 1-2%.
Borneo is off the beaten path, and basically every animal i saw was one that i have never seen before or even heard of. not exaggerating. if you’re looking for a real adventure in southeast asia, this is it. didn’t quite fit in my “play” theme (didn’t make friends really, didn’t dance) but definitely was something i needed to do! yolo!
Gili T – turtle diving & reggae dancing
for me Gili T is Koh Tao but with more horse poop and better diving.
partied every night and danced my heart out to reggae music – reedd reddd wiiine & girl i want to make you sweat, sweat till you can’t sweat no more 🎶
had the best turtle-filled dive at Turtle Heaven which was a magical underwater land that i never wanted to leave. the turtles were bigger than me and there were so many fish i have never seen before. i was worried i was breathing too fast and using up air cause i was so excited, but we were down there for 45 mins. my fave is when a turtle decides to venture from the bottom and they swim past you up, up, up into the light at the surface. Egy from blue marlin dive was my little munchkin with afro dreads and he took me on all 3 dives. dive #3 was only 17 mins on account of getting swept away in an insane current to a depth i will not disclose as an open water diver. but there was a magical moment in the deep when we saw a giant manta ray – like bigger than my apartment – in the dark depths of the sea and then it bolted away into the abyss. i thought it was a dream. officially hooked on diving i want it all. the. time. !!!
rented a bike and went around the island to watch sunset with british Mat from blue marlin – banana daiquiris at exile. the next night same thing with Jules and Jess from Aus, and when the sun went down the locals built a bonfire and played the drums. i hula hooped, hoping to apply full time but tbd if they’ll hire me.
danced at sama sama every night, lil monsoon party at Gili Mansion with some obnox australian fetuses, ladies night cocktails at Irish Bar, dancing at Blue Marlin with my fave twirler from Sky Garden. living my bestest life in my classic se asia dance uniform.
one of my absolute FAVE parts about Gili – the friendly, hilarious locals who yell whatever the hell they please. they LOVE life and i LOVE them.
– hello! where you go! come back to me!
– canada? justin bieberrr (roll the r)
– I LOVE ME! I LOVE MY MOM!
– lalalalala girrll i want to make you sweat. (or any other reggae song))
– HAPPY NEW YEAR!
– how are you? good you? better than you! i don’t think so! OHHHH!
– see you again! you come back? ya in two weeks. two WEEKS?!?
stayed at Gili Castle one night and switched to Turtle Bay resort because wifi and toilet paper. take the fast boat from Serangan and take a gravol. banana shakes are $1 more than Thailand but still are life. restaurant right next to sama sama (?) i got the poke but jules got the pasta it was AMAZINGGGGG. fyi the beaches are rocky, but if you go to turtle point you can snorkle with turtles right off the shore. also fyi no motor vehicles on the island, only bikes and horse & carriage. also got some presh macrame wall art to deck out my apt bali-style.
Gili i will see you again someday!
BALI BORCHELORETTE
pt.1
prior to ppp, bali was #1 on my bucket list and h o l y it did NOT disappoint. by some stroke of luck one of my bffs Christie had her bachelorette party there (at borchy’s dad’s villa) so i got to reunite with some of my faves from home annnddd be treated like royalty. bali is everything i’d ever dreamed of (based mainly off of Eat Pray Love) – gorgeous, lush, zen, temples everywhere. nicest people, partying, beaches, shopping, nature. a dream. perfect place to #play.
jan 3 – arrive at Capsule Hostel New Seminyak, i am the happiest because they ask you for song requests at check in (havana, macklemore, drake, slow hands for me – is anyone who has ever seen my insta stories surprised?) and they played glorious and then slow hands and then good old days in the first 10 mins and i probs have never been more touched. Ash and i walk to Ku De Ta for $14 drinks (a shocker after Thailand but i’m posting this is Australia, the land of $22 cocktails sssooo..) colourful bean bag chair beach for a sunset that was a lil TOO romantic pour moi, potato head for corn on the cob and cider, golf cart home.
first impresh was that i love bali except for when there are no sidewalks. but very lush and cute and the people are SO MUCH NICER than in thailand, everyone smiles at you!! there are also offerings everywhere of flowers, rice, leaves in little boxes. the locals put them out twice a day to keep away the bad spirits.
jan 4 – delish benny + smoothie down the street from Capsule, macrame shopping, then find the jackpot shopping st with la favela and basically try so hard not to buy everything. pick up christie, sarah and kaylyn at the airport, SO EXCITEDDD, the Borchelorette has begun!!!! arrive at Borchy’s dad’s Villa Teana in Jimbaran which is the nicest place i have ever stayed i am not worthy. Living Well for dins – healthy restaurant 2 mins from villa that we’re obsessed with. Kaylyn and i sharesies quesadilla and noodles every time.
i have a party itch and Ash rallies so i find “ladies night free drink upon arrival” on the Unique bar website which, we discovered upon arrival, expired in 2015.. then Rock Bar (closed) and Bosche (dead). basically taxiied our life away but we had fun so whatevs
jan 5 – villa cocktails, day drunkie to Nusa Dua for frolicking on the beautiful beach and $5 caipirinhas and delish nachos at the Marriot. i said it was my favourite beach yet but i can’t remember if those were my sober thoughts too. Ash eats a dough ball from a rando on a scooter at a stoplight. we are all dyyyinggg. Bagus our driver is THE BEST so sweet and patient and always says “why not?”
buffet dinner at sky garden (5 floor rooftop club) and i have the best night of my whole trip (k at least top 5) – good music, dancing living my best life on the tables, getting twirled and involuntarily flipped all night long. ash and i make so many dancing friends from korea (?), borneo, lombok .. canada ..
jan 6 – uluwatu afternoon – temples and terrifying monkeys. first one we saw was ripping a tied shoe off a kid’s foot, RELENTLESS. people ask Christie to take photos cause she’s tall, she goes “oh sure” so nonchalant lol. a monkey is coming at us with fangs out so Christie panic-surrenders her flip flops .. “guys i left my shoes” lololol. monkey sees the free shoes and is like k i guess i’ll take one?
dinner at Living Well probs and then i go meet up with Cam Monish & ecklagram at their friends house and then a speakeasy called 40 thieves or something. it was fun but i just wanna dance – get an uber for sky garden, distracted by mcdonalds on the way because i think there is all day breakfast and i haven’t had an egg mcmuffin since Bangkok airport, end up settling for a cheeseburg and going to bed. cant win em all.
jan 7 – drive to ubud with a stop at the rice patties – gorg, hot, little girl following christie with a robotic little voice saying “buuuyyyy booook” on repeat. slowly but surely falling in love with Bali – its beauty is so unique.
we try to bike but it is monsooning so hard and we get caught in the rain, call it after 20 mins and have lunch. then to Blue Mango villa in Ubud town and the most amazing Yoga Barn sesh with Carlos and his sweet guitar serenading us. Ubud is the most blissful place on earth and we are all zenned out and obsessed. dinner at the delish yoga barn healthy restaurant and then sangria at Cafe du Monyet (also recommend – sooo cute!!)
jan 8 – early morning bbg sesh on balcony had to be aborted on account of a monkey invasion. still traumatized by uluwatu. but we gave it our best shot. Bagus comes back to take us back to the bike tour now that it’s sunny and it is AMAZING – through the backroads of the Balinese countryside, rice fields, locals’ homes and temples with farms of cows, pigs, puppies, and kaylyn’s favourite gigantic spiders. the bike ride is like 20km and was absolutely stunning – bali landscapes give rwanda a run for their money. every home has a gorgeous temple in front. i finally get that feeling i’ve been missing since Rwanda – these are REAL locals, not hustling to scam tourists, their homes and crops are BEAUTIFUL, little kids are excited to wave at us and say hello. it feels untained and special, which i had been missing amongst all the “play” of the last month in thailand. love love loved it.
we head to the Mason Elephant Park & Lodge to see Christie’s long lost Mona, back to shop in Ubud, then home to our sweet sweet villa.
jan 9 – 10:30am vod shots and off to Potato Head. i need a vod + pee stop so Bagus pulls over at a mini mart and we get a mini Smirnoff, take a swig, was defs methanol or something. v syrupy. don’t want to go blind so we shelve that one.
Potates is a bit of a blur – caulifower and something for lunch, Kaylyn orders the cheapest shots on the menu which are disgust probs blinding tequila, Ash mixes it with her ceviche juice. Annie and her precious face come to join us, we head to their hotel next door, Alila, where she sings us “what a wonderful world” in prep for the wedding. voice of an angel. we mow down pizza and pina coladas. back to Potates for a nap.
jan 10 – shop at samasta but no dice (and by dice i mean macrames), only AMAZING doughnuts at Dough Darlings omgomg the cheesecake one. back to the villa to relax. head to Rock Bar which is the most STUNNNINGGG drinking establishment on planet earth. bars on bars on patios on cabanas on the edge of the cliff with the waves crashing against it. our drinks are $20 but they are steaming with dry ice and are delish so it’s basically worth it.
without warning a huge wave comes up and SOAKS Chris, Ash and Kaylyn – me and Sarah don’t get a drop but we are DYING laughing, along with the Aussie 50th bday party next to us.
back at the villa joined by Nelson, Annie, Nigel for Bagus’ homemade indo cooking – amazing but spicy af, my mouth is still cooling down i think.
jan 11 – nusa dua for diving for me/snorkelling for the girls. diving was better than koh tao but not fab – need to go to penida!! stroll the market and stop for lunch: pizza/banana daiquiris. unbeatable combo. then our default for all rainy days: massage sesh
at night we are ready to PARTAY so we crank some “never be the same” camila cabello and embrace our inner animals. chris: gazelle.. sarah: koala.. ash: tasmanian devil.. kaylyn: cat. and then off to la favela where we defs started the d floor and danced our hearts out all night. had to screen for aussies but music was 10/10 (red red wiiiine, it’s time for africa, ja rule, ALL THE HITS). soooo fun.
jan 12 – borchy arrives, his bride welcomes him with a gangley dance. they are my fave couple. we go to Jimbaran beach for seafood where you pick out your creatures by weight (kaylyn and i obv shared calamari and prawns) and enjoy dinner on the beach with a live band serenading you and fireworks in the distance. gorg.
the ooonly con to bali is traffic. especially staying at the villa in Jimbaran, it took us like an hour to get to Seminyak or at least 45 to most places. but Uber is super cheap (like $8 for an hour car ride).
the borchelorette girls were amazing, chill, fun, harious, easygoing. no other stagette will ever measure up.
also that villa was probs the nicest place i will ever stay, i loved walking out onto the pool deck in the mornings and soaking it in, and Winda brings me ice coffee and cooks us breakfast. when we arrive her and Anoos (Agus??) and crew sprint to get cold wet towels and fresh juice for us – NOT WORTHY but again, not sorry.
reasons i need to come back to bali:
– diving at Penida where there are manta rays
– Loop Pool bar, classic infinity pool you’ve seen on insta
– more la favela
– more sky garden
– temples up north
– waterfalls
– Finn’s beach club
– Mt Batur sunrise hike
– motel Mexicola for dinner + congo line
this one’s definitely a see you later, not goodbye!!
BALI BORCHELORETTE pt.2
we head to the Mason Elephant Park & Lodge to see Christie’s long lost Mona, back to shop in Ubud, then home to our sweet sweet villa.
jan 9 – 10:30am vod shots and off to Potato Head. i need a vod + pee stop so Bagus pulls over at a mini mart and we get a mini Smirnoff, take a swig, was defs methanol or something. v syrupy. don’t want to go blind so we shelve that one.
Potates is a bit of a blur – caulifower and something for lunch, Kaylyn orders the cheapest shots on the menu which are disgust probs blinding tequila, Ash mixes it with her ceviche juice. Annie and her precious face come to join us, we head to their hotel next door, Alila, where she sings us “what a wonderful world” in prep for the wedding. voice of an angel. we mow down pizza and pina coladas. back to Potates for a nap.
jan 10 – shop at samasta but no dice (and by dice i mean macrames), only AMAZING doughnuts at Dough Darlings omgomg the cheesecake one. back to the villa to relax. head to Rock Bar which is the most STUNNNINGGG drinking establishment on planet earth. bars on bars on patios on cabanas on the edge of the cliff with the waves crashing against it. our drinks are $20 but they are steaming with dry ice and are delish so it’s basically worth it.
without warning a huge wave comes up and SOAKS Chris, Ash and Kaylyn – me and Sarah don’t get a drop but we are DYING laughing, along with the Aussie 50th bday party next to us.
back at the villa joined by Nelson, Annie, Nigel for Bagus’ homemade indo cooking – amazing but spicy af, my mouth is still cooling down i think.
jan 11 – nusa dua for diving for me/snorkelling for the girls. diving was better than koh tao but not fab – need to go to penida!! stroll the market and stop for lunch: pizza/banana daiquiris. unbeatable combo. then our default for all rainy days: massage sesh
at night we are ready to PARTAY so we crank some “never be the same” camila cabello and embrace our inner animals. chris: gazelle.. sarah: koala.. ash: tasmanian devil.. kaylyn: cat. and then off to la favela where we defs started the d floor and danced our hearts out all night. had to screen for aussies but music was 10/10 (red red wiiiine, it’s time for africa, ja rule, ALL THE HITS). soooo fun.
jan 12 – borchy arrives, his bride welcomes him with a gangley dance. they are my fave couple. we go to Jimbaran beach for seafood where you pick out your creatures by weight (kaylyn and i obv shared calamari and prawns) and enjoy dinner on the beach with a live band serenading you and fireworks in the distance. gorg.
the ooonly con to bali is traffic. especially staying at the villa in Jimbaran, it took us like an hour to get to Seminyak or at least 45 to most places. but Uber is super cheap (like $8 for an hour car ride).
the borchelorette girls were amazing, chill, fun, harious, easygoing. no other stagette will ever measure up.
also that villa was probs the nicest place i will ever stay, i loved walking out onto the pool deck in the mornings and soaking it in, and Winda brings me ice coffee and cooks us breakfast. when we arrive her and Anoos (Agus??) and crew sprint to get cold wet towels and fresh juice for us – NOT WORTHY but again, not sorry.
reasons i need to come back to bali:
– diving at Penida where there are manta rays
– Loop Pool bar, classic infinity pool you’ve seen on insta
– more la favela
– more sky garden
– temples up north
– waterfalls
– Finn’s beach club
– Mt Batur sunrise hike
– motel Mexicola for dinner + congo line
this one’s definitely a see you later, not goodbye!!
Bali – pics
Bali – pics
Thailand: a bit cliche, a lot of play
dec 12-jan 3
i wrote some notes on Thailand earlier on in the trip and then closer to the end i had a bit of a shift in perspective in the peace play pash scheme of things, so i’m posting this one in 2 parts!
PART ONE:
feelin’ very basic in Thailand after Africa. like my peace leg was just so far beyond my expectations and here i am feeling a bit.. uninspired. a bit cliche. also not to be a debbie but Zanzibar turned me into a total beach snob, like the sand here could be whiter and the water could be bluer. just sayin.
MOVING ON. had a lil stopover in Dubai (a mix of fancy vs. beige buildings, world’s talkest building Burj Khalifa, 7-star resort Butj Al Arab) and kicked off the play leg in FULL FORCE. flew into Phuket, met up with Matt (thanks to Martha for the referral!!) and headed straight for Koh Phi Phi for lots of afternoon vodka, body paint, fire limbo/skipping, Israelis, and beach dance parties.
my previous shark/gorilla encounters did not prepare me for the terror that was a fish pedicure at Dr Fish, during which Matt tries to namaste me by reminding me “PLAY.” play is the new yolo.
a snorkel tour took us to the world’s most crowded snorkelling sites, the beautiful Bamboo Beach featuring posing Asians, the viscious Monkey Beach, Maya Beach sans Leo (sadface), and then to “wait and watch the sun set” for 1 hour during which we were trapped under a longtail boat’s canopy. finished off with a night snorkel and waving our hands to see some flecks of light which were supposedly plankton.
that was enough play at Phi Phi. i headed to Railay Beach, a much tamer and quieter version of Thailand. met Manel and his Portugese med school friends, rock climbed up the limestone cliffs and into a lagoon. thought i might die but successfully lived through it. cannot say the same for my formerly white shoes and socks. hit rock bottom when i woke up to a cockroach crawling across my lips. like that was a new low. the only time i’ve really been homesick this whole trip. needless to say i checked out very quickly that day.
8 hr boat van boat ferry ride from hell (literally thought i was going to die the entire ride. vommed the whole night) to arrive in the cutest Koh Tao. known for diving, but complete with cute streets, shops, scooters, beach bars. met Kirsty from Scotland for pub crawl – the most hilar wingwoman ❤ together with Ryan from England we are not NOT the coolest peeps at Goodtime Hostel. i defs recommend staying here except not above Leo Bar, which pounds music till 3am. every. night.
Koh Tao is like a magical little tropical paradise where you literally walk on the same street, eat at the same restaurant, go to the same 3 bars (Fishbowl, BND, Leo) every single day but it NEVER GETS OLD. i could live there. i went for 3 days and stayed 12 (due to various circumstances), left for Koh Phangan and just about booked a ferry right back because i missed it already. Koh Tao is magic.
activity log:
– paradise zone infinity pool – met some lovely french ladies here!! celia and sandra. spent a rainy afternoon in the pool there and then sipping cappuccinos by a little espresso bar on the beach
– black garlic – this is legit the best restaurant in koh tao. i dont even have to try all the restaurants to say that with 100% confidence. i got the pulled pork quesadillas which came with mango salsa – deeelish. chef is from vancouver, used to work at l’abbatoir. kirsty ryan sarah and i had our christmas dinner here
– pub crawl obv. 450 baht, free tank, bucket, 2 shots. unlimited 20 year old drunken boys. Thailand, amiright.
– Drake acoustic mashups and South Africa. unbeatable combo.
– fire shows every night. does your mother know you are limboing under a bar of flames.
– banana shakes all day err day
PART TWO
i stayed at Goodtime Hostel for 12 days. in that time i was seasick from the ferry, then actual sick, then deaf because my ears were blocked from diving for 6 days. everything was muffled. pro: built-in, natural earplugs for Leo Bar’s music downstairs. con: very difficult to socialize on account of i could not hear. there was also a monsoon where it downpoured for 5 days nonstop.
this is called part two because for the most part, although i was having fun in Thailand, i was mostly feeling kinda meh. uninspired, health issues, rain. like after the epicness of Africa i was now just another Thailand cliche. the places i went were PACKED with tourists and i was missing the authenticity and local culture that i felt in Rwanda and Cape Town.
around the time where i could hear again and the monsoon stopped, i had a change of heart where i realized i was having a BLAST. i was dancing to my favourite songs all night every night, the Goodtime Hostel crew basically adopted me as a member of their family, i made amazing girlfriends that were so so much fun and met some boys that weren’t that bad either. i wasn’t trekking with gorillas or hiking Table Mountain or visiting rural African villages, but i was having a different kind of fun. and isn’t that the point of the play leg?!?
LIFE LESSON, PEOPLE: don’t let yourself get the traveller blues if things aren’t epic 24/7. maybe your body needs a few days to recoop, maybe you need a few chill days to really appreciate and soak in your experience. maybe it’s just a different kind of fun.
i also realized how much i freaking LOVE travelling alone omg. i can do whatever i want, stay for however many days i want, go wherever i please. i have not spent a day fully by myself. i have met SO MANY awesome friends. i am only travelling solo from now on!!!!
things that happened after i wrote part one:
– dancing every single freaking night at Fishbowl/BND/Leo Bar. dancing partners include Michu (Argentina), Diana and Caroline (Brazil), Julian (Argentina), Christian (UK), Matt and Phil (Toronto) and of course the Goodtimes crew – Logan, Ian, Flash
– eggs benny x2 at Black Garlic
– fresh smoothies, beach views and breakfast at Cafe Culture
– days on days of lounging, reading, napping in the heavenly bean bag chairs at Savage Hostel rooftop pool
– celebrated getting my hearing back with a treat myself day – shopping at Flip Flop and Treacle (BEST store) and getting daydrunk off pina coladas. joined by Tom (Belgium) and Julian
– finished my diving course – i am offish Open Water Certified!!! shout out to Vicky at Goodtime for being awesome through the world’s longest certification due to health/weather issues
– jungle trek in my flip flops with Julian and friends to Ao Tanote, where they went cliff jumping and i made friends with Johanna (Vienna) in the waves
– thai massage and mani. still treating myself.
– the world’s biggest most delish burg at Baia Burger Concept
– crashing the pub crawl live music for the sweatest, most fun dance party ever
– reuny with Matt (a real sicko) and Phil who is lookin for a roofie colada. lots of #play
– acoustic MJ, the way you make me feel – i’m done.
– then to Koh Phanghan for New Years. Full Moon party was probably the biggest NYE party on planet earth?? a bit much for me. lots of pushing/losing friends/kids on drugs. but was an experience!! and we got to wear body paint!!
– stayed at Phanganist Hostel, really nice & clean, pretty paradise beach just down the path.
– thai food/pregame with Phil who shares my exact Koh Tao obsession. we live there now. Jungle Party ft muy thai fight which was very stressful for me and fun for Phil. more dancing to the DJ, he didn’t play Drake or Macklemore though
– a day of having to rebook 2 flights and ferries with no refunds, another near death experience longtail boating through the treacherous waves en route to Koh Samui. the open air airport and free food made it almost worth it. almost. but dear Air Asia and Lompraya Ferries, you suck give me my money back.
– Bangkok layover – quick drive by Khao San Road and straight to sleep for a 6am wakeup. not much to report.
wrote this para on New Years Eve and thought it would sum things up nicely, 2 months into peace play pash: just feeling so lucky and pumped. i usually make a collage at the end of each year and this one is ft. the places i’ve been in 2017 – San Diego, LA, New Yorkx2, Scottsdale, Seattle, Portland, Rwanda, Uganda, Zanzibar, Cape Town, Dubai for a hot min, Thailand. this is what life’s about – enjoying the world and the people in it !!!!!!
peace play passion 