How do you see beautiful Penang on a tight budget? You see and do all the free things. You eat at the markets, and you jump on the free bus. Getting a good look at Penang – on the cheap – is simple because most of Penang’s temptations are free! Yes free! For instance, the street art, a major drawcard for Georgetown, is free. The stunning national park and turtle sanctuary, is free. Furthermore, those that are not free are cheap. The food in Penang, also a leading attraction, doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it is the hawker food which attracts all the foodies that flock to Penang to taste her delights!
The charming Bolaven Plateau, known for its exceptional coffee and dramatic waterfalls, is a place of verdant tranquillity amid the muddy scenery of rustic villages and unpretentious markets. An eclectic array of sights and sounds, coupled with the pungent aroma of the agrarian lifestyle, and the scent of roasted coffee, make the Bolaven Plateau a beguiling destination for those in search of a rudimentary excursion of Laos. If coffee and waterfalls aren’t your thing, there is always tea, trekking or just relaxation.
There is an abundance of things to see and do in Kuala Lumpur. We only brushed the surface with the things we did during our six days and nights. We stayed in Chinatown before moving to Hotel 99 in the Bukit Bintang area. Both these areas, within walking distance from each other, had good public transport and there was a lot to see and do. The public transport was easy to use… the trains more so than the buses. The many train lines have good, easy to read, timetables and a search on the web will deliver all the details you need beforehand to tell you the closest station to where you are and what train you need to get where you want to go.
After the relative peacefulness of Gili Air, Kuta during the holiday season appeared pandemonic. The chaotic cacophony was made worse by the heat in the un-air-conditioned van that slowly made its way through the congested convoluted streets. Upon arrival at the hotel we found there had been an error in the booking and three of us did not have a room. Following a long exhausting debate over what we should, could and would do, Dwayne, Alex and I went and found another hotel room for a couple of nights. The disorder at the next hotel would have been comedic had I not been so tired…
We arrived in Bali on the 12th of December 2014 and got a berth at Bali Marina in Benoa. My mum always told me if you have nothing nice to say about something, don’t say anything at all. So I just say it was convenient to leave the boat there while we stayed in a villa with the kids. The boat was safe. The AUS $35 per night was too expensive for what you get… or not get as the case may be. Electricity and water cost extra. We needed to stay in the marina to keep our freezer going…. which is something we may have to rethink. I have no photos to show you as there was a sign that prohibited taking photo of the marina…
On our sail from Coffs Harbour to Yamba on the Clarence River. I saw my first water spout! The sailing was down wind the entire way and Dwayne spent most of the day at the wheel. Crossing the bar into the Clarence River was not the most fun I’ve ever had. We crossed at low tide with a 2.5+ metre swell and blowing 25 knots. We found out later that day that the fishing boats had not gone out that day… and if the fishing boat don’t cross the bar, you shouldn’t. Oops!….
This is the beginning. We have finally begun our journey! Kangaroo Island to Cape Jaffa, South Australia. – sailing, travelling, cruising, aboard a yacht! Penneshaw, American River, old fish cannery.