El Nido, Philippines - Spring Break 2014

What is known as Philippines' 'Last Frontier', El Nido on the island of Palawan was our Spring Break destination! Ok yes, we are in our late twenties, graduated from university almost five years ago, and by all rights should not be celebrating Spring Break with such gusto...but we can't help ourselves. Call it what you want, we all need and deserve an escape from the day-to-day every now and again. So, after hearing nothing but rave reviews about the Philippines, we were more than excited to check it out for 10 days!

So as far as travel goes, Tyler and I have always been pretty lucky; Our flights usually leave on time, our luggage arrives on the same plane, transfers are smooth, etc. So I can accept that our hassle-free travel streak had to come to an end. I do however have a bit of trouble accepting that it all came crashing down at once. *Moms...this is the point where you should skip ahead to the paragraphs detailing sunshine and boat rides :) So our flight leaving from KL was supposed to depart at 8pm Friday night, however was delayed four hours and left sometime around midnight. No problem...until we realized we had a connecting flight with a different airline leaving at 4:30am. As it is a four hour flight to Manila, this left us with a grand total of 30 min to get through immigration and onto to the next flight. We breathed a sigh of relief when we arrived at a seemingly small airport, thinking it wouldn't take long to get from point A to point B. This was until a security guard told us we needed to get to another terminal and which required a taxi. From here a series of poor decisions on our part, and a manic taxi driver would set us up for a scary morning (ok, seriously mom..skip the next paragraph)
With the delusion that we could still make this flight, we jumped in the first cab we saw. As we pulled away from the airport, we asked the price, as we noticed the meter wasn't on. The guy pulls out a price list quoting 6000 pesos (!) in which Tyler's mathelete mind quickly blurted out "WHAT?! $130?" Asking how long it would take, the cabbie answered 10 min. At that, since we had only gone 100m, we asked him to pull over and let us out, in which he refused and proceeded to drive like a lunatic through traffic. Having no point of reference, we finally agreed on 1500 pesos for the ride, feeling pretty uneasy about this guy screaming at everything out the window.
We wheeled up to the airport and the cabbie ran off to get us change. Out of curiosity, Tyler asked the next driver how much the fare would be and he quoted 150 pesos. At that, the second driver decided he would help us get our money back. As the crazy guy came back and saw that he was going to be hassled, he jumped in the car and sped off...with the car doors open...and me inside! As I was driven down the highway ramp and away from the airport with this lunatic driver he just kept screaming at me to jump out of the car. Now, I was panicking about the thought of being driven away from Tyler into Manila at 4am with a clearly unstable individual, but I am not one to tuck-and-roll out of a car on a highway. In a strangely calm (teacher) voice I just kept repeating "You have to stop the car so I can get out."... it only seemed logical that if you want someone to get out of your car, you stop moving, right? As the airport was quickly disappearing, true panic set in and I finally lost it, screaming "You have to stop the *&%^ing car!!" That seemed to do the trick, as he slammed on the breaks, to find the doors only opened from the outside. He had to park the car, get out (see...even he wasn't going to get out of a moving vehicle) and let me out. By that time, the second, justice-seeking cabbie and Tyler were hot on our trail, picking me up on the highway.

Super shaken, we got into the airport, obviously having missed our flight, booked, checked in, and waited for the next one. Upon reflection, we made some pretty big errors resulting in the aforementioned drama; Not settling a fare price before getting in the cab, not researching the airport terminals, being naive enough to think we could still catch the next flight...and above all else (the last thing both our moms tell us before we head out) we weren't holding hands. For the next ten days, Tyler would just look over at me, and in his best Liam Neeson voice say "You were almost taken!"

Finally on our way...and still smiling!

So after a delayed flight, wild cab ride, missed flight, we took the 6 hour bus ride to El Nido...only to find that our hotel reservation had been 'lost', and that we no longer had a place to stay for the 10 days. After being awake for 36 hours, we just dropped our bags, sat on the patio of our 'almost' hotel, and asked if they could sell us a beer. As the sun was near gone, we found a place to stay for two nights (high tourist seasons=no hotel rooms), played Uno, ate curried vegetables (our Asian comfort food) and hoped for a better tomorrow!

These Uno cards are well traveled.. 10 countries so far! Thanks Michelle <3

As a result of our journey to El Nido, it took a couple of days to truly unwind. Fortunately, El Nido is a pretty chilled out spot! We spent most of the days on the beach, frequenting a place called Las Cabanas; Building sand castles, drinking from coconuts, reading and dipping. While at the beach we would see about 20 people..all doing the same thing. We would stay until sunset and then make our way back to town for a couple Sam Miguels and call it a night. (If we were lucky, the electricity would even come on in the evenings, if not, then Uno by candlelight worked too!)

Beaches, sunsets and the ever reliable, public transport, 'King of the Road'..the Jeepney.

As awesomely chilled out as El Nido was, we were lucky to have caught some excitement at 'El Nido Fest' and had a couple party nights (it was 'Spring Break' after all) that were reminiscent of any small-town festival; You know, where the local talent is performing on a makeshift stage and carnival games and food are aplenty. We were beyond excited, as we perpetually seem to just miss festivals when we are home, always rolling in a weekend too late. So when we heard that the town's beauty pageant was to be held in the town square (the outdoor basketball court) we grabbed some popcorn and found a spot on the bleachers. Fearing that we would be witness to a Filipino 'Toddlers and Tiaras' show (thanks for the psychological damage TLC) we were pretty excited when the beautiful and confident contestants of Ms. Gay, El Nido  danced their way on stage. After the champion was crowned, we wandered down to the 'casino', made up of a series of outdoor carnival games being run, and bet on by one and all. Seriously, I wouldn't have been surprised if a C.M Coolidge painting came to life at one of the roulette tables, which would have obviously been set up next to the table run by a gang of smoking ten year olds. We bet, we chatted, and I sang a bit of karaoke (I just can't resist) until the wee hours of the morning.

The next morning we jumped on a boat bright and early for a day of diving. As it turned out to be a very choppy day on the surface, and underneath visibility was terrible, we only ended up doing two dives. That was ok with us, as the water was cold (about 24 degrees opposed to the 30 degree water we have become accustomed to in Malaysia (not too sure what's going to happen when we get back to Canada)), and we weren't loving being pounded with waves. We stopped off at an island and had a delicious BBQ lunch, and as we headed back to the mainland...our boat died. What was going to be a day on the water cut short, turned into a full day of sun and bobbing around. The waters redeemed themselves on a second day of diving that was absolutely gorgeous! Again, poor visibility, but the bonus was spending a couple hours on the most beautiful island for lunch. Apparently the island had been bought by a Japanese man, who has no plans to develop it, but simply bought it so it will remain in its natural beauty forever. *Sigh* if only to have Yen to burn.

Besides bumming around El Nido, we took a 40 min. tricycle ride to Nacpan beach. This beach was the largest, most underpopulated beach I have seen (granted, we do tend to hit the more popular ones). The whole day we saw one other napping Western guy, two little Filipino kids (who ate all our chips) and four sweet women who made it rain mango shakes all day. As it turned out, these women were all Jehovah's Witnesses and naturally, we got to talking. It was really inspiring to hear their messages of faith and devotion and of the struggles of living in a very rural location with minimal resources. It's a widely known fact that Filipinos are by and large very devout Christians. As religion and faith is something Tyler and I are both interested in, it was no surprise that we got to chatting with different individuals about their faith and perspectives on religion. At different points of our vacation we spoke at length with groups of Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics and Muslims, and although all very devout to their own differing religions, they all spoke with an open-mind and respect for other religions, and more predominantly, about universal love, acceptance, understanding and ultimately human decency. After each conversation, the individuals left us feeling uplifted, with gained perspectives and further restored emotionally...something that we definitely needed after our experience in Manila which left us wary of all strangers. I do know it is always good to exercise an air of caution, but it was a really awful feeling to look at everyone with distrust during the first couple days of our holiday. Anyway, if you are in El Nido, take a trip to Nacpan beach, have them fire up the generator, and drink a mango shake. But don't wait too long, it's prime real estate, and I can't imagine it would stay deserted for long!

After a welcomed smooth trip home, that sadly wrapped up Spring Break, 2014! Otherwise, we are fresh into our last term of the school year and with that the rainy (and ever humid) season has returned to Malaysia. We are already looking forward to our summer vacation...which will be spent in non other than Canada! Until then, we are sending warm thoughts and summertime vibes to all those still experiencing Winter...In return, eat an extra Creme Egg for us!

Cambodian Love Affair

Cambodia; A country that remains on replay in our minds and that we have raved about since visiting almost two years ago. The people, despite having been devastated by a genocide only 40 years ago, were as a whole, the kindest and most genuine folks we have ever met. The landscape was beautiful and the history was rich. This was the country where we took our first tuktuk ride, were introduced to coconut curries (in the form of amok), became deathly ill, and began to change a lot of our perspectives. This is a place where we will, without a doubt spend some years in the future.

After our first year in Korea, we did the standard trip around S.E Asia, starting with Malaysia (obviously influencing our next move). From Malaysia we landed in Siem Reap Cambodia for a 3 day tour of Angkor Wat, which turned into a week-long stretch.We stayed at Happy Guesthouse, which was beautiful and the price was right. They had a great bar and restaurant which was an ideal place to hangout and chill. They also had very kind staff. This is where we met Soapy. Soapy worked at the guesthouse with his brother. We hired him for a couple of days of touring around Angkor Wat, and ended up spending some serious facetime with him (the real face, not the iphone kind). He talked a lot about what it was like to live in Cambodia and his family. We also talked a lot about learning English. The thing that we found in general was that Cambodians spoke pretty great English. After coming from Korea, a country pouring millions every year into ESL programs, this was mind boggling. Soapy, a guy with limited means, scrimped and saved $10 each month to attend English class (about 1/5 of his salary), and studied when he wasn't working (literally, when we'd pull up to a temple he'd whip his book out, and by the time we came out he had questions ready for us). As a result, he was able to chat about all aspects of his life and ask us about ours. Alternately, Korean parents throw money at hagwons, forcing their children to toil away for hours each day and still the majority of Koreans cannot sustain a conversation beyond the basics. Perhaps the school of hard knocks has a perk or two?
Anyway, Tyler and I spent time checking out Angkor Wat with Soapy (the obligatory sunrises and sunsets), but after two solid days we needed a break from marveling at ancient stone buildings. We ventured into the city, shopped the markets, lazed on the river banks, biked the dusty roads and ate the happiest of pizzas. I really think we could've stayed in this town forever. But alas, we had to keep on moving.

The smile we left Siem Reap with quickly faded as we rolled into Phnom Penh. Granted, we only spent a few days in the capital city, and did not give it the chance it deserved; Even after returning for a couple of days, we remain disenchanted. Our guesthouse (although certainly not the worst...a certain Sri Lankan hole in the ground comes to mind..) did lack a certain ...je ne sais quoi. Probably contributing to its prison-like ambiance were the lack of windows, air con, and showers. As we emerged from our 'cell', hitting the street, we were quickly and constantly accosted by large groups of street babies, toddlers and kids. Instead of giving them money, we thought we'd do the ol' trick of buying some candies and passing them around. Well, I know I've been accused of being a Grandma (old soul is more becoming) but I hit an alltime high (or low...) in the geriatrics department. After passing out our first round of single candies to a hoard of kids, then to watch their faces and the scene go sour, we realized we had picked up a pack of menthol Halls singles. If this was Halloween, we were the house that gave out raisins and tooth brushes, and our house was about to get egged. After outrunning a mob of kids whose sinuses had just been cleared and smelled of Vics Vapour Rub, the children of Phnom Penh taught us that it is a city not to be messed with.

While in Phnom Penh we checked out the genocide museum, and for lack of a better word, the killing fields which serve as mass graves sites. So, in the 1970's Cambodia was under the thumb of the Khmer Rouge led by a big ol' psycho by the name of Pol Pot. His role models included Stalin and Mao, and he did a good job of being a prodigal son. Basically he envisioned a country that sustained themselves through agriculture, scrapping any advances or influences that could be considered modern or worldly. This included forced labour, killing the educated, burning all of the Cambodian money, and most notably, the murdering of millions of Cambodians. Knowing the history, why did we visit these places? To learn more, be aware of the indecency humans are capable of, and to pay respect to the country's people that had shown us so much warmth. As expected, the day was filled with horrific photos, and accounts of injustice that stirred feelings of sadness and anger. The unexpected aspect was that the killing fields were very much beautiful. Yes, it was the scene of unthinkable violence, however due to the standard audio tour, it was by and large silent. Walking around listening to the stories, and seeing the evidence left behind by way of bones being unearthed each time it rains, there was peace. The silence, a calm lake, and dozens of butterflies made it the perfect place to listen, learn and reflect. It made us hopeful that the victims had found peace too.

After having a heavy few days in the capital city, we bussed it to Sihanoukville, a beach area in the southern part of the country. Again, we were only to stay for a few days, but an unfortunate bout of suspected food poisoning kept us for over a week. I should say, a suspected bout of food poisoning. After 3 days of Tyler writhing in pain and bound to the hotel room, we did a little research as to where the most reputable doctor could be found. As our tuktuk rolled up to what I would describe as a once car garage outfitted with hospital beds, we remained hopeful. While waiting for medical attention we smiled nervously at family members fanning the flies off patients' fresh wounds, and began to assess Tyler's real need to see a doctor. However, after blood tests, wait time, and a hefty bill, it was concluded that Tyler had picked up a parasite somewhere along the way. With a slue of prescriptions in hand, Ty was hitting the beach like a champ within 12 hours and vacation was back on!

What was supposed to be a 10 day stay, turned into a three week love affair. Cambodia showed us its best and worst, and still left us wanting more; I think that's what they call unconditional love! With the sun on our faces, we said 'See you soon' to Cambodia via the Mekong Delta, crossing the border into Vietnam.

Singapore Slingin'

Some are of the opinion that Valentine's Day is a pointless and consumer-driven holiday...although that point can be made, just as any other holiday, there is no obligation to participate. However, don't hate on a day that is based around passing on positive and loving vibes. Isn't that what the world needs more of? Instead, let's not over-analyze and put a dark cloud on the day, scorning people who acknowledge it. Yes, we should strive to let the people we love know it throughout the entire year, but why hate on a holiday that is an excuse to lay it on a little thicker than usual? Who knows? Maybe spreading love and cheer would become more of a habit if we had a few more 'arbitrary love holidays' throughout the year. Am I saying Valentine's Day is the key to world peace? No. But just imagine if Kim Jung Un sent Obama this little gem....

Anyway... the day of love gave Tyler and I the excuse to get out of town check out the city-state of Singapore, just a four hour drive south of Kuala Lumpur. Modernly, Singapore is a country founded by people who decided they didn't like the way things were going for them in Malaysia (and historically, colonized by the British..of course). Knowing this, we assumed that there wouldn't be much difference between Singapore and Malaysia. However, simply put, when comparing the two, the term 'You get what you pay for' comes to mind. Similar to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore's tourist highlights include (although not limited to) Little India, Chinatown, interesting towers and a major world food scene...but with a twist; Everything is so clean, everything is three times the price, and because of insane laws and punishments, it feels safe. Singapore has some of the craziest laws coupled with pretty severe punishments. Most famously in Western culture, we know about the prohibition of chewing gum, however other laws we found a bit over the top were; failure to flush toilet resulting in a fine or public canning, littering on the street three times resulting in having to wear a “I am a litter lout” sign, hugging without permission and connecting to an unsecure wifi hotspot both coming with big fines or jail time.

 So I'm sure you are all thinking..."But what did you do if you couldn't cuddle while while coyly sitting outside Starbucks checking Facebook and chomping down on a big piece of Hubba Bubba?!" Well, as we only had two days in this non-Halal country (in fact even chatting about religion is..as you guessed it, illegal), we ate bacon, drank Singapore Slings and hit the sights...with a few detours along the way.

As you can see..
not a morning person!

 First, to anyone who has spent as little as an evening with Tyler and I, you will know it is quite shocking that there hasn't been entire posts dedicated to the foods of our travels (and their cost effective nature). I will however say that the breakfast buffet we had at our hotel was phenomenal. It was actually one of those breakfasts that makes you excited to wake up, and for me who is not a particularly chipper morning person and one that usually needs to be coaxed into eating a yogurt cup, this is a big statement. Unlimited crispy bacon, french toast, fresh fruit, curry and chapati, baked beans, potato, omlettes, cheeses, pastries! As mundane as it sounds, I can easily say that the complimentary breakfast was the highlight meal(s) of our weekend. (Note: The buffet did not include rice, fish, nor seaweed soup).

Once our bellies were full we headed out to solve a murder mystery. If you've ever played a 'hidden object' computer game, this was the spot for you. After an hour of figuring out riddles and finding clues, we broke out of the room having found out who killed brother 'Brook'. From there we had a wander around town which led us to Chinatown. Although quite similar to KL's Chinatown I found myself repeatedly asking "Where are all the people?" and loving the beauty (and cleanliness) of the Chinese decor mixed with the colonial architecture. Later we spent the heat of the day lounging by the pool and sipping on a few cocktails that share the country's namesake.

That night we had tickets to a production of Romeo and Juliet. It was a modern (and Asian) take on the play and a perfect way to kickoff the evening! From the theatre we wandered around the the harbour where we enjoyed the impressive cityscape, indecisively looked at menus, and even caught the Russia/U.S hockey game (possibly live?..It has proved to be exhausting trying to follow the Olympics in a country that doesn't even have a winter team).

 The next day we had no real plans, so we jumped on an hour-long bus tour to get a brief overview of the city, and an idea of an area or two that we'd like to check out. We ended up wandering around the harbour, checking out the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the iconic 'Merlion' and returning to Chinatown to grab a few souvenirs.

 Although just scratching the surface of Singapore, I am a big fan and can't wait to head back (once our credit cards have had a break)! As it is a change of scenery, and quite a bit more Western, I believe that Singapore will be to Kuala Lumpur, which Seoul was to Busan when we lived there. An expensive weekend retreat where things feel different and vaguely the same.
...And even though it's not Valentine's Day for another year... much love to you friends! You are never far from our thoughts :) xo