Cooking Class: Laos

As what you expect in most Asian destinations, there is an abundance of cooking schools to choose from. We based our choice off the actual restaurant itself that the cooking classes were attached to.

The restaurant was Tamarind  and the cooking class was called Tamarind Restaurant's Cooking School. Every time we walked past the restaurant it was always full and reservations were highly recommended. The day we put our deposit down for the cooking class we also put our name down for one of the last open spots during their dinner service.

The restaurant itself had a great atmosphere, attentive staff and delicious Laotian meals. If the cooking class was as this high a standard, then we were in for a treat. This restaurant was definitely a higher standard than  most that were in the area, but price-wise it was very reasonable and didn't break the bank.

The cooking class:

This cost us 280,000 KIP, which, back then, was equivalent to USD35. We did end up reserving our spot online first via their website, but required a deposit no later than a couple days out from the intended date. It looked like the max number in any group was about 12 to 15. We had 12 in our group. 

We were told to meet at the restaurant by a certain time. Here we paid the balance of our class and then was served Laos Iced Tea. We were then taken by tuk-tuk to the morning markets; the largest markets in Luang Prabang. They sold all sorts of things from vegetables and spices to toys and socket plugs. We were taken to certain stalls, ones that the restaurants directly deal with, and here there were explanations of what each spice, herb or vegetable was- how it could be used in cooking.  We were also introduced to local Laotian snacks and taken through the meat section where our chef explained how locals eat nearly all parts of the animal. For example, buffalo meat. They will eat the skin, all the meat and the insides. Typically, the meat is quite gamey but the insides (being the liver, kidneys etc) are fleshier, healthier and tastier and thereby are more expensive than the meat itself.

Once we were finished with the market, the actual location of the cooking school was another 15 to 20 minute drive away through local farm lands and fields. The set up is pretty brilliant and here they grow their own vegetables to use for the classes itself. The owner of the Tamarind empire, Joy, was actually on site with us, which I thought was very neat. The chef did majority of the explanations but Joy was there to help on the side. They also gave us a quick background as to who Joy was and how he came to start up the school and restaurant. It was a very humbling story.

The class consisted of us cooking 3 main Laos dishes: Buffalo mince, Lemongrass stuffed chicken and Tilapia wrapped in banana leaves. For dessert we made purple sticky rice. The whole process was very interactive and the chef was very helpful and hands on. It was all explained very well and I think everyone in our group had a great time. Also, I think everyone was able to cook all the dishes without any disasters and we were all very satisfied at the end, and our hunger satiated. 

We were told to meet at 830am at the restaurant and we got back around 3pm. A very long day but well worth the time and money.  They do also have a shorter option where it is their evening cooking classes and you just make one less dish.

http://www.tamarindlaos.com/cooking-school/

5 Caving Adventures in One

I am super surprised I'm still awake after the adrenaline rush I had earlier today!

My finance's stint in New Zealand is slowly coming to an end and he had not done one adventurous thing while here.  I was told bungy jumping and sky diving was out of the question, and we had missed out on the shotover jet in Queenstown so I told him the other thing he could do was blackwater tubing in the Waitomo Caves. He was keen on this idea, so I did some research as to which company was best to go with (and which had discounts as we were on a tight budget) and I came across a company called Kiwi Cave Rafting. They offered the traditional glowworm tubing but also upped the anti. This wasn't your typical tour of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. This company offered a 5 hour tour which involved:
- abseiling 27 metres down into the cave,
- blackwater caving and tubing through glowworm caves,
- squeezing through some tight crevices, and
- a moderate rock climb back up to the service.
Also, they treated you to a nice, hot cup of soup at the end of the tour to help warm you up while you viewed the photos your guide took while on the trip.

I think the normal price for this tour was around $200-250, but, we managed to find a good deal on bookme.co.nz which definitely saved us a bit of money. No matter though, it is definitely worth the money you pay for. The whole tour is interactive and the guide is great. They are friendly, approachable, informative and most importantly- they make you feel like you're in great hands.

We went in July which is nearing the end of Winter. After a week of terrible weather we got a beautiful, clear day. Never the less it was still chilly, especially in the wind, but funnily enough it was much, much warmer in the caves. Plus they give you great gear which keeps you quite warm despite the crisp water. Also, after a bit of exploring our guide (Rachel) sat us down for a bit of a break and handed out hot juice and some chocolate to keep our energy levels up. This was unexpected as they didn't mention this on any brochure so I thought this was a nice touch.

We would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a  bit of adventure. It does test your fitness a bit, but in saying that, this tour is for all levels of athleticism. The guide is great and they will do all they can to make you feel comfortable and safe.

KIWI CAVE RAFTING
www.caveraft.co.nz
www.facebook.com/kiwicaveraftingnz

Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

One of the highlights and most visited sights in Kuala Lumpur are the Batu Caves. It is an easy tourist spot to get to as one of the train lines end right outside the gates of this attraction. As we were staying at Reggae Mansion the closest station to us was Masjid Jamek where we had to head to KL Sentral and transfer to get on the train heading to Batu Caves Komuter station. It may sound confusing but everything is easily sign-posted (in English) and all the transport staff were very helpful if you did need to ask a question.

Cost: Masjid Jamek - KL Sentral = 1.30 per person / KL Sentral - Batu Caves = 2.00 per person

Within one of the Hindu temples.

You purchase your entry ticket at the gates (3.00MYK fee) and the moment you step through there are different sized caves to your left and right. It was amazing! The statues and the colours are electric and the story they tell are so mesmerising you could easily spend 3 or more hours here. Even if it was just to sit down and take everything in; watch all the tourists, hawkers or locals interact, everything about this place seemed magical. The only gripe I had was that there were no English signs explaining what each little display meant but it made it more fun trying to come up with your own conclusions.

Within one of the Hindu temples.

A little walk to the right of the entrance is the main sight- the Batu Caves. This is apparently 400 million years old and has about 272 steps leading to the top. It is also home to many thieving monkeys that are very, very used to close human contact. While they aren't aggressive (if not provoked) just do be careful because they are still very wild.

Inside the Dark Cave

One thing that a lot of people miss as they don't advertise it wildly, is that about halfway to three-quarters of the way up the steps there is a mini cave to the left- the Dark Cave. Here they offer a 45 minute tour (35MYR) every 20 minutes. The groups are kept relatively small and you get given a torch and helmet before entering. The guides are very professional and informative. They give you a rundown about the history of the cave, it's exploration, foundation, the environment and it's habitants. Very interesting and very well worth the money. Also, it is a good reprieve from the hot and humid Malaysian weather.

Walking towards the main attraction.

The actual Batu Cave itself is pretty grand in size but unfortunately not in appearance. I didn't think it was well maintained and unfortunately they couldn't get rid of all the pigeons that must call this place home. Consequently, a large number of pigeons also meant a large amount of bird droppings all over the place- even on statues and carvings. I guess they don't really want to "modernise" or change the authenticity of the place, as it is very sacred to the community, but a little cleanup here and there wouldn't go amiss.

A truly wonderful sight.

All in all, the Dark Cave was definitely my highlight here at this place but overall it is a great tourist attraction and definitely an iconic landmark for Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia in general.

Burleigh Heads - health, fitness and surfing

 Burleigh Heads is situated halfway between Coolangatta Airport and Gold Coast. Mainly famous for it's surf conditions (which attracts all levels of surfers to the area) it is starting to grow in popularity due to it's location and increasing devotion to health and fitness centred lifestyles. Families, couples and solo travellers flock here for the near nightly free events at the Burleigh Heads Surf Club and the pristine beaches that are never as packed as Surfers Paradise.

Also, as it is only a 10-15 minute ride to the Gold Coast tourists can easily access the lively nightlife that is Surfers or get away from the havoc and relax in peace in Burleigh. The Gold Coast Highway is always in an easy walking distance so getting a bus in either direction is effortless. The buses run very frequently and hit all major tourist attractions.

The one thing I did notice as soon as I arrived was just how active people were. From five in the morning right into the evening there were people of all ages either running, walking, working out on the fitness equipments provided by the government or MILFs practicing group yoga on the beachside as their young ones amused themselves on the playground nearby. Also, every fifth or so restaurant I walked past was an organic, health-food or paleo store. They even had an amazing farmers market held in their local school grounds that sold a variety fruit, vegetables, meat, takeaways plus arts and crafts. Don't think that this place is super hippy with angry vegans running amok, but a town full of locals that are conscious about staying healthy and wanting to live a long, awesome life. Because of this, it has produced a very calm, relaxed vibe - perfect for a relaxing retreat from the real world or a cure to a hard night of club hopping in Surfers Paradise.

Burleigh Heads is definitely the place to be next time you are in Queensland. Just pack your paddle board, running shoes, some acai berries and coconut water and you'll be one of the locals in no time!

View from the top of Burleigh Heads National Park

View from Burleigh Heads Surf Club to Surfers Paradise

View from Solnamara Beachfront Apartments

Burleigh Head bugs

Wai Wai Place / Wai Wai Bed and Breakfast

I just wanted to show some quick love towards this property as this was one place that I will never forget. Wai Wai, the owner, is incredibly hospitable, generous and absolutely lovely. She has recently opened up another house to accommodate all the extra people that are lining up wanting to stay at her house. She is also an incredible chef and will happily host dinners for her guests without wanting anything in return just because she loves cooking! She makes sure your stay in her city is comfortable, exciting and fun. She gives great recommendations on what to see and where to eat. I wish we could have stayed here longer as she made our stay in Myanmar so special.

I truly recommend anyone going to Yangon to stay at Wai Wai Place. You will never want to leave!

Wai Wai's Place- website

Wai Wai and us

Shwedagon Pagoda

Kuang Si Waterfalls

This was hands down one of my favourite places in Luang Prabang. It is a major tourist attraction so the biggest tip I can give is to go there early. If you want to feel like you have the place to yourself for a little while before your photos get overtaken by tourists then head there about 8am; the mornings are still warm enough that you'll enjoy taking a cool dip in the pools.

There is a small entry fee into the park but it's no big deal. Also, they have a pretty sweet rehabilitation centre for hurt or mistreated Asian bears within the park which you can walk by and view the enclosures on the way to the pools.

The hostel we stayed at offered a driver to take us there, but at certain times only as it was a group deal. We were able to find another tuktuk driver on the way to the night markets who gave us an awesome price for the 3 of us, and also arranged a van instead to pick us up the next day at the time we wanted. The van was a much better idea than taking a tuktuk as there is a bit of uphill travel and the van definitely navigated the windy, beaten roads a lot more comfortably than a motorbike would.

.

Bagan, Myanmar

My travel buddies and I decided to splurge for our time in Bagan. We did have a budget we were trying to stick to but there was one accommodation that we couldn’t pass on. Accommodation prices for Myanmar are relatively expensive compared to the rest of Asia, so we decided to pay that $10-$20 more to get something that was better quality than the others we were looking to book with. We definitely made the right decision, too. We were going to Myanmar in April, which is one of their hottest seasons. Bagan is pretty much a desert. Around midday the heat can get so unbearable you do have to be very careful with your water intake and getting shade, as there is a very high chance of heat stroke. We luckily had booked into a hotel that had AC (that actually worked!) and a (clean) pool to cool us down. If you do head to Bagan, especially around this time, I do recommend having AirCon and a pool high on your list when choosing where to stay. It really does help because you won’t understand how hot it gets there until you arrive. The best times to go out are either very early in the morning and later in the evening when the sun is going down. In between it’s best to stay back at your hotel/hostel. The only time we were out during midday was when we hired a taxi for the day to drive us around to certain sites.

The place we stayed at was called Blue Bird Hotel. It is a small property therefore only a few rooms so best to book this one in advance. The staff were so great and the facilities were immaculate. Also, they have amazing waterfall showers in their rooms. These were the best showers I have had in my life! You’ll understand when you stay there =)

Anyway, that’s enough about the awesome place we stayed in. I just had to give them the credit they deserve. This post was about my top three temples to see amongst the vast amount of temples sprawled all over Old Bagan.

In no particular order:

1)      Dhamma Yan Gyi

The largest temple in Bagan. It’s 9 stories high, however, shortly after construction some of the higher levels weren’t as well supported as they initially thought so many areas were closed off soon after opening. You are able to climb to the second level and there are still great views from there.

2)      Shwe San Daw

While not the most elegant temple, it is a very popular spot to see the sunrise and sunset. Also, it is the one of the best spots to see a panoramic view of Old Bagan .

3)      Ananda

Said to be the most beautiful temple in Bagan and they aren’t wrong. It is also the most intricate with many beautiful old stone carvings and paintings within. It survived a major earthquake in 1975 however it was still badly damaged. When we were there a lot of renovations were happening and they even had some landscaping going on. Once everything is all finished, I’m sure this is going to be one grand place.

The two best ways to see these temples are:

1)      Electric Bikes

I have a love hate relationship with these things. They are awesome but they are a bit hit and miss when it comes to the quality. You can rent these usually from the accommodation itself. They are a great way to get around and are a lot of fun however, just like normal bikes, they are hard to handle when you’re driving through soft dirt or uphill.

2)      Taxi

If you’re with one or two more people, this is an inexpensive and comfortable way to get around. Plus you can get to temples that are further away and, if you’re stuck on time, you can go during the hottest part of the day. You can request a driver that speaks some English where you can ask them for recommendations on which temple to see. Otherwise, if you already know where you want to go and have a map then all you need to do is point and they will drive.

FYI: As you enter Bagan the bus will stop where they will request all foreigners to pay a $15 USD entry fee, which then you will be given a Bagan Archaeological Zone card. It is best to carry this around with you whenever you sightsee as some temples will ask you to see this card to confirm you have paid.

Also, they have only just started to learn how to really restore all their historic temples. Many have been ruined when they thought it was a good idea to cover all faded paintings with ugly, white paint and cover the floors with kitchen tiles. One temple was so bad that it made us really upset we just had to leave. Luckily, they have stopped doing this.

Lastly, just remember the more popular or modern the temple the more pushy and persistent the vendors will be. Be strong and you can say no!

Enjoy your Bagan adventure =)

Tanah Lot Temple

This was by far one of my favourite spots in Indonesia. It's a couple hours drive out of Ubud, which is where I was staying at the time, but I know you can plan a day trip to here from Kuta, too.

Long ago a temple was built on top of a beautiful rock formation off the coast of Bali. This was a perfect setting for tranquility, peace and protection. Certain times of the day, the temple will be completely surrounded by water and unaccessible. But at low tide you can walk to the base of the rock formation and it's surroundings.

The best time to head there is around sunset. This is the most popular time, too, as it faces west-ward and makes for a beautiful picture at the right moment. It definitely makes the temple that bit more magical.

You can enter the lower part of the island, after having been blessed by the monks in their natural underground spring, but the actual temple itself is closed off to visitors.

After being blessed by the local monks.

Halong Bay Day Trip

We booked our Halong Bay excursion through our hostel, Little Hanoi. They gave us the option between 'deluxe' or 'standard'. The main difference really was the space you get on the bus to the port. There is about a $12USD difference but if you are tall, or not the stereotypical Asian size, then I would suggest upgrading. The deluxe van we had was just enough leg space for me but unfortunately, for my two tall companions, it was not so comfortable.

The trip started at 9am, with a pick up from our accommodation, and we got back about 9pm. A full day away. Our guide was a young, local Vietnamese man. Very handsome, but as we ran into other tours we noticed that this was a trend among tour guides. We joked that maybe that's a requirement the tourism company had if you were to become a tour guide for this area.

Our guide spoke very good English, was very personable and very knowledgeable. Unfortunately, I can't really remember the exact time it took for us to drive from downtown Hanoi to the port, but I'm going to guess it may have taken a couple of hours. Our guide did give us some information as we did hit important parts of the city as we drove.

Once we got the port, we were told to stay in one spot while our guide sorted our tickets. The terminal looked relatively new and was surrounded by many old -style Junk Boats for the tourists to board. The wait here took only 20 to 30 minutes and then we were off. Unfortunately, we had a bit of a hazy day so the visibility wasn't as great as we had wanted it to be but the scenery was still beautiful.

The bottom area of the boat was the eating area and had about 8 to 10 cubicles that could sit 4 people comfortably - 6 to 8 people if you wanted to squish - and the top area was an open style where you could lay down and bathe in the sun, or just sit and enjoy the view. We were served lunch as part of the tour and it was delicious! There were an assortment of Vietnamese dishes put on the table and you just helped yourself, sharing with whoever you are seated with. Drinks were not included but they were very cheap (unless you wanted to get a bottle of wine, which we did. They don't serve glasses FYI, you need to purchase the whole bottle).

We got to see the typical tourist spots such as the floating village, which I though was pretty neat. It had a school, a restaurant and a medical centre. We were also told of what their tradition is if one of their village members passes away. Definitely ask your guide about that if you head there. Very interesting.

The boat docks for about an hour or and you can either relax there or on the little floating jetty. Or else, you can hired a kayak for an extra 20,000VND (only two person kayaks) and explore. There is supposedly an amazing cave you can kayak through (you pay an entrance fee of approximately $1USD) but as the water level was low we couldn't enter.

The last stop we made before heading back was the highlight of my trip - Sung Sot Cave (limestone cave). It's hard to describe the enormity of this cave, it's one of those places that you just have to see yourself. I've tried to attach photos of the inside but it really doesn't do it justice. Also, my camera wasn't a high quality one so I couldn't really capture the true essence of the place.

We had to take a train that night to Sapa, and were a bit limited with time. We told our guide of our situation and he ensured that we were one of the first ones dropped back to allow us to get to our next destination on time.