Taller Than Most

Best Hotel Lobby; Kowloon, Hong Kong

Ubud and Jambaran Bay, Bali

We were told by a friend who lives in Singapore that we HAD TO try the Chili Crab, the country’s unofficial national dish.

We asked around and found ourselves a popular restaurant in the Clark Quay district called Jumbo Seafood.  

Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce. Lets just say—IT WAS AWESOME. MESSY, BUT AWESOME!

-NIKO

Alongside eating,  shopping is considered the national past time in Singapore.

Fancy-Schmancy

Singapore has a world-class reputation for offering some of the finest shopping on the planet. It’s hard to pin down what’s so impressive here.  From the international list of trendy boutiques to the artsy window displays, there is something for everyone.

We went down the most popular shopping street, Orchard Road, the longest shopping stretch in Singapore at 2.2 km long.  With all the top name brands competing for retail space and brand recognition, there were stores that we replicated at least 4 or 5 times down the boulevard.  I felt like the Louis Vuitton print was following me everywhere I went.

Fitting right in

The shopping is seriously unlike anything I have every seen before, not to mention the actual malls and stores are in impeccable condition and are entertaining to walk through without even having to buy anything (not that I could afford anything, anyway)!

Finally, at home.

-NIKO

ONLY IN SINGAPORE do waitresses stroll around in segways offering drinks to customers.

Chewing Gum is illegal in Singapore. This law was created because people disposed of gum incorrectly by sticking them under places like chairs or tables.  Except for chewing gum of therapeutic value, the “importing” of chewing gum into Singapore is absolutely banned, as in bringing it in large amounts.

The Singapore Sling is a cocktail that was invented by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore.

Somewhere just after the turn of the century, Mr Boon invented a pink cocktail for the colonial ladies – the Singapore Sling. The drink was supposedly created to please the ladies, so in that great tradition of female drinks, it’s pretty, pink, and hides its kick behind a deceptively sweet taste.  His recipe book was considered so valuable that it was kept locked in a safe. Visitors may now view the safe and other colonial treasures in the hotel’s museum.

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

• 1 1/2oz gin
• 1/2oz Peter Herring Cherry Heering
• 1/4oz Cointreau
• 1/4oz Benedictine
• 2oz pineapple juice
• 1 dash Angsostura bitters
• 1/4oz grenadine (homemade)
• 1/2oz lime juice
• club soda
• orange slice and maraschino cherry, for garnish
• Shake all ingredients except the club soda with ice, and strain into a highball glass. Fill mostly full with ice, and top with the club soda. Garnish.

This must-try drink runs with a steep $30 US dollar price tag if you have it at the original Ruffles Hotel. We opted for a less expensive version for only $8 US dollars at a seaside restaurant.  And it was GOOD.

-NIKO

We are not in Vietnam.

Bescause of strict rules against Americans to enter Vietnam due to past encounters (Vietnam War), Vietnam is one of two SE Asian countries that recently did away with upon-arrival visas just for Americans.  Therefore, trying to manage a rush visa was almost impossible and our flight was missed. Damn.

THERE LOSS NOT OURS!

We had to skip a flight but landed a sweeeeeeet booking on Singapore Airlines directly to our next destination—Singapore. Fully equipped with onboard entertainment (I finally saw The Hurt Locker), fancy food, and hot wash towels before and after the flight, I soon forgot about all the confusion and frustration about skipping our first trip.

And so far, Singapore is amazing.  Easily one of my favorite cities I have ever traveled to.  More to come!

-NIKO

Well here we go again!  Off to our next adventure.

Now that we have finished our six month teaching placement in Thailand, we are taking six weeks to travel around surrounding countries.  Our itinerary is as follows (stalkers get your pencils ready):

April 4-7 Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam

April 7-9 Singapore; Singapore

April 9-12 Ubud; Bali

April 12-16 Jimbaran Bay; Bali

April 16-20 Bangkok; Thailand

April 20-24 Chiang Mai; Thailand

April 24-28 Hong Kong/Macau; China

April 28- May 2 Beijing; China

May 2-May 4 Xian; China

May 4-May 8 Chengdu; China

May 8-May 9 Shanghai; China

May 9-May 13 Hangzhou; China

May 14-May 15 Bangkok; Thailand

May 15-Flight back to Los Angeles

This laundry list is thanks to HOURS on international flight websites, reccomendations from friends, and lots of reading on Lonelyplanet.com.  So glad the planning is done and even more excited to get movin’!

Updates from here on out might be a bit spastic.  Please forgive us.

Sending our love from God-knows-where!!

-NIKO

Fortunately and unfortunately we spent the day at one of the nicest beaches we have seen thus far Baan Luan Pa (about 15 minutes north of our apartment).  

Wish we could have found this one sooner!!

Far away from the hype and tourism of Pattaya City, we were able to have an awesome day relaxing and consequently hanging out with one of my students and her grandma who live on this particular beach. Baan Luan Pa was complete with a stretch of land that was umbrella-free and didn’t have any street vendors trying to sell popsicles and cheap souvenirs. 

PHOTO-OP

Queen of the World

White men CAN jump

One thing about Thai beaches that stands out from beaches back home is that they are all so full of life.  You walk along the water and you see starfish, sand dollars, crabs, and exotic looking shells that are being traded by the crabs as new homes.  Fish are often swimming around you and high and low tides are no joke.  

Kids playing during low tide

Days like this remind me to sit back and take it all in.  Forget about the 20 odd flights and hotel reservations for the next six weeks and to live in the moment. 

-NIKO

Big Gulp (yep, thats his name)

Boys will be boys

The Russian beauty, Catya

“Teacha! Teacha!”

Poo-Pee-Man prefers soy milk and B. Gulp prefers chocolate

Big Gulp and Polly, sitting in a tree…

Young love

No, but really.  I already miss them.

-NIKO

Niko

Every afternoon before the kids are picked up by their parents, all the girls line up to get their hair done by the Thai assistants.  Thais have the incredible ability to convert messy and bed-head hair into works of art.  From vertical pony tails that look like something out of a Dr. Seuss movie to french braids that circle completely around your head, its a great way to send the kids home looking fresh and clean after a long day at school.

Jessy showing off her new ‘do

Whoville goes Asian

Today Sommer was lucky enough to get a departing makeover and requested the fancy-schmancy braid below.

-NIKO

ITS OFFICIAL WE ARE FLYING BACK TO LOS ANGELES ON MAY 15th