tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64909422276780747502023-11-16T02:27:26.034+11:00Tight Arse TravelRamblings from the road, and tips to save you time and moneyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger84125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-82707596977907410722015-01-10T14:22:00.000+11:002015-01-10T14:22:24.280+11:00Kathmandu Shuttle Cargo Travel Bag - A Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kathmandu.com.au/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Kathmandu</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"> named their purpose built travel bag the ‘</span><a href="http://www.kathmandu.com.au/shuttle-cargo-v4-black-1.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Shuttle 40L Convertible Backpack Cargo v4</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">’. I guess the marketing guys at Kathmandu brainstormed a few words, and then went out to drink lunch forgetting the catalogue deadline. Jimmy the mail boy transcribed the whiteboard for the graphic design team, and voila, we have the ‘Shuttle 40L Convertible Backpack Cargo v4’. I find the name a little wordy, so for this review I’ll call it ‘the bag’.</span></span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3yVvcpRaDU/VLCaN1AQCoI/AAAAAAAAKFM/ZzbufF1QoZQ/s1600/KMD%2BShuttle%2BCargo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3yVvcpRaDU/VLCaN1AQCoI/AAAAAAAAKFM/ZzbufF1QoZQ/s1600/KMD%2BShuttle%2BCargo.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo: http://www.kathmandu.com.au</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">The bag is aimed squarely at the lightweight traveller – lightweight in mass, not in </span>mission<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">. If your travel mission includes saving time and hassle at transit hubs, then this is the bag for you. If you can travel with only one bag, and have no need for checked baggage, this is the bag for you. If your idea of travel is to be agile and adaptable, you have found your next best friend.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h3 style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To maximise the amount of cargo the bag can consume before hitting the airline-industry carry-on limit of 7kg, Kathmandu kept the weight down to 800g. They also sized the bag to be within most airline dimension limits. The bag has no frame, no wheels, and no extendable handle. If you are looking for a sexy hard-shell, four-wheeled, Samsonite® to match your nail polish on your next trip to the fashion shows in New York and Milan, then this is <i>not</i> the bag for you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">The handles allow it to be carried or manhandled in a variety of ways: it can be pulled to the roof of a bus in rural India by the moulded handles on either end; it can be carried as a duffle bag between security and immigration checks at </span><a href="http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Charles de Gaulle airport</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"> by the main straps; or it can be worn as a backpack along the Inca trail in Peru. It has pockets too. Kathmandu haven’t gone over-the-top, but judiciously provided a few pockets to quarantine your precious things. Like little life rafts, they provide safety for precious cargo instead of drifting loose in the rough seas of the main compartment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="background: white;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></h3>
<h3 style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Prior to a two-week trip to Malaysia </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tightarsetravel"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">TightArseTravel</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"> purchased two of these bags as we wanted to try one-bag travel for the first time. They performed admirably. They were poked through security scanners in airports, shoved in overhead bins and under seats in airplanes, used as armrests on trains, footrests on buses, chucked onto piles of other luggage on ferries, and plonked into boots of taxis. We walked between train stations and hotels with them as backpacks, and ran to avoid tropical downpours carrying them duffle-bag style. With the main compartment opened completely, they sat on spare beds in hotels with their meagre contents visible and easily found.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
The Kathmandu Shuttle Cargo is not the most stylish travel bag on the market, but if you are looking for a simple, robust do-it-all travel bag, this just might be the one you have been looking for.</span></span><div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-61194598302046676302014-12-22T17:35:00.000+11:002014-12-22T17:37:30.454+11:00Tight Arse Travel went Light Arse Travel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well we did it; we now have personal proof that you don’t have to travel with checked baggage. Two tight arse travellers spent two weeks in Malaysia with only one carry-on bag each. It was a breeze, in fact it was almost too easy - a no-brainer. There were a few things we took which we did not need or use, but because this was our first one-bag trip we allowed for a few contingencies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmyOCyID9Vg/VJe7KjwfqzI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/_CDo2A-HTN0/s1600/One-bag%2Btravel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmyOCyID9Vg/VJe7KjwfqzI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/_CDo2A-HTN0/s1600/One-bag%2Btravel.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything went into the black bag on the right</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">Although we were only toting one carry-on bag each, we also had a shoulder bag containing sundry items which needed to be close at hand during transit. I also packed a </span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><a href="http://www.camelbak.com/en/International/Sports-Recreation.aspx">Camelbak</a> </u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">which I usually use for Mountain biking, and a </span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_cycling#musette">musette</a></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">. I thought the </span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><a href="http://www.camelbak.com/en/International/Sports-Recreation.aspx">Camelbak</a></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"> would come in handy for day-to-day carrying needs when based for a few days. I never used it. On the other hand, I did use the </span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_cycling#musette">musette</a></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"> when I needed to carry more than my pockets would accommodate, or comfort dictated. The </span><u style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_cycling#musette">musette</a></u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"> is very light and rolls up small enough to stuff in a pocket when not in use. It was well worth taking.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">On the outward leg, both bags were around the 5kg mark, I think we could get that down a little next time. On the way home, that had increased to about 5.8kg and 6.5kg. It pays to keep an eye on what is your bag before you fly; it is amazing what finds its way into it between journey legs: maps, pamphlets, business cards, extra water bottles, rubber bands, napkins…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">Even though we were conscious of the 7kg limit imposed by most airlines - and weighed our bags a few times during the journey – we were never asked to weigh them at airports; you could probably get away with going over 7kg. If you are worried that your bag is </span>over-weight<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"> and may be checked, carry some heavy items in a shoulder bag. Along with your single 7kg carry-on bag, most airlines allow another smaller personal bag like a handbag. Another benefit to one-bag travel is web check-in; if you don’t have baggage to check in, you can ‘check-in’ online prior to your flights and print your own boarding passes. This circumvents the need to go to the airline check-in counter; if you don’t need to check any bags there is less chance that airline staff will ask to weigh your carry-on bag.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">So the plan worked, and except for a few small changes and omissions for our next trip, we will certainly be travelling this way again. It saves money, time, and hassles. It also increases smugness watching other travellers struggle with mountains of baggage, wondering what they could possibly have in there or need for their journey. Next time we won’t bother purchasing a checked bag for the return journey unless we are sure there is going to be a final run-out sale on Tiger Balm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">I had one anxious moment when questioned at the Australian Immigration desk as we were departing. When asked to confirm that I had only one bag and no checked baggage, I sheepishly answered yes to which the woman on the desk turned to her colleague and said “look at this guy with one bag, I take more than that for an overnight stay!” With this imaginary crisis averted, we were on our way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;">On a recent overnight domestic trip to the big, bad dirty </span>city<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"> we used public transport so did not have the luxury that a personal vehicle affords. We reprised the afore-mentioned overseas </span>trip,<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17.15pt;"> but upped the ante by taking only one bag between us. There were no weight restrictions this time so we were well over the 7kg airline limit, but it certainly would not have been more than 14kg. This made the trip simple and easy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you tried travelling without checked baggage? How did it work for you? What bag did you use, and did it perform? If not, would you try it in future?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; margin-bottom: 8.55pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-32025464224397105142014-12-11T15:06:00.000+11:002014-12-11T15:06:23.009+11:00Scoot to Singapore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And now we have another Low Cost Carrier in the Melbourne - Singapore market. Singapore makes a nice soft landing before heading into the deep dark interior of the rest of SE Asia. It will be interesting to see if they can give Jetstar a run for our money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.ausbt.com.au/scoot-to-launch-melbourne-singapore-boeing-787-flights</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ho7Ffa8BVmc/VIkX5QPnBsI/AAAAAAAAJ_Q/it-khZRx79s/s1600/Scoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ho7Ffa8BVmc/VIkX5QPnBsI/AAAAAAAAJ_Q/it-khZRx79s/s1600/Scoot.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: http://www.flyscoot.com/index.php/en/</td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-72882544971373642202014-11-13T19:09:00.002+11:002014-11-17T13:54:10.130+11:00Johor Bahru<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There seem to be very few reasons to view JB as a destination in itself.
Maybe you are a border-hopping Singaporean on a cheap-electronics shopping
spree in one of the vast mega-malls. Maybe you are transiting through JB
Sentral on your way to the white sand beaches of the string-o-pearls tropical
islands of the east coast. Alternatively like me, taking a journey down memory
lane to visit a half-remembered childhood home, a home often spoken of within
the family and conjured up through old faded black-and-white photographs,
anecdotes, and half memories. Either way, the list of reasons for visiting JB
is not long.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OW_qibfzEFM/VGRhoYKQUMI/AAAAAAAAJ74/nosTFgUxDYc/s1600/20141027_170138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OW_qibfzEFM/VGRhoYKQUMI/AAAAAAAAJ74/nosTFgUxDYc/s640/20141027_170138.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not that there is anything wrong with JB, it just does not have the
appeal of other destinations. Malaysia's second largest city is a business
city. It is a getting-things-done-without-any-fuss-and-bother city. It is a no
glitz or glamour, no razzamatazz, a no fanfare city. That said, if you do find
yourself in JB on one of the afore-mentioned missions or maybe another beyond
my imagination, stay at least one night for the food!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bQPKUqYifB4/VGRiMwZdmII/AAAAAAAAJ8I/jYsqtEwEf0U/s1600/20141028_095052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bQPKUqYifB4/VGRiMwZdmII/AAAAAAAAJ8I/jYsqtEwEf0U/s640/20141028_095052.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After completing our trip down memory lane, Tight Arse Travel checked
into the Citrus Hotel. Chosen for no other reason than its location close to JB
Sentral for a quick getaway in the morning and proximity to down town. After
checking in, we headed out in search of dinner. Not knowing any better, we
headed south along Jalan Meldrum, as it seemed reasonably vibrant and lively.
Almost immediately we spied a small lane closed to traffic, furnished with the
ubiquitous street food sign - red plastic chairs - a sure indication of good
things to come. Scurrying in, we were spoilt for choice; attacked from all
sides by mouth-watering smells, assaulted by the riot of colour, and cajoled by
the stall vendors to try their wares. What to choose?</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQZTrGUFaJQ/VGRjI5Zoa2I/AAAAAAAAJ8s/SSWTsL0qUPA/s1600/20141027_182712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQZTrGUFaJQ/VGRjI5Zoa2I/AAAAAAAAJ8s/SSWTsL0qUPA/s400/20141027_182712.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pEWUcWWUuLE/VGRjIp3pj2I/AAAAAAAAJ8w/lOFaGobOzsw/s1600/20141027_183337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pEWUcWWUuLE/VGRjIp3pj2I/AAAAAAAAJ8w/lOFaGobOzsw/s400/20141027_183337.jpg" width="225" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a long, hot day on the road, the first thing
the Tight Arse Travel rats do is seek out a thirst-quenching, palate-cleansing
cold beverage, usually of the fermented barley variety. Unfortunately, tea-total
Malays ran all of the stalls and though the food was tempting, and their siren
calls seductive, the lure of the refreshing amber nectar was like wax in our
ears ... we sailed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After crossing a small street, semi-delusional with our mixed luck, we realised that the faces had changed and there were glasses of ambrosia on the tables. That street was an invisible boundary between the pious Malays and the ever-pragmatic Chinese stallholders - our quest was near its end. After confirming that the Egyptian elixir was indeed available to wash the road dust from our parched throats, the second horn of our dilemma rose, what to eat. Each stallholder was a specialist and laid out their wares with flair and artistry. All fresh and recently prepared, we struggled to choose, then finally in a 'When Harry met Sally' moment, we spied a plate on a nearby table and said, "We’ll have what they're having!" 'What they're having' was a plate of calamari in a fiery red chilli sauce accompanied by okra.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H2gHIDpqGP8/VGRkruqjCWI/AAAAAAAAJ9I/I4Rp2Ard1U0/s1600/20141027_184939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H2gHIDpqGP8/VGRkruqjCWI/AAAAAAAAJ9I/I4Rp2Ard1U0/s320/20141027_184939.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nApg8zQERFA/VGRkuOcNCYI/AAAAAAAAJ9Q/HPA_Mm7q1_k/s1600/20141027_184538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nApg8zQERFA/VGRkuOcNCYI/AAAAAAAAJ9Q/HPA_Mm7q1_k/s320/20141027_184538.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We chose our own cephalopods from the ice-laden
display, and the lady stallholder quickly and expertly cleaned and chopped before
resting them on a banana leaf on her hot plate under a steamer lid. After a few
minutes, she stirred in the fiery sauce and okra. A quick stir later and we
were tucking into our first course for the night washed down with a
delightfully Dutch Heineken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Second
course was the ubiquitous sate - goat this time - accompanied by sweet red
onion, cucumber and a Tiger. Third course was barbequed chicken wings with
another Heineken.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fKW6VB9mKTE/VGRlXU2XatI/AAAAAAAAJ9o/4v5KmZTPXxQ/s1600/20141027_200829-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fKW6VB9mKTE/VGRlXU2XatI/AAAAAAAAJ9o/4v5KmZTPXxQ/s320/20141027_200829-1.jpg" width="241" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CAo8HldByfU/VGRlM8QnGmI/AAAAAAAAJ9g/226TSMnG7yk/s1600/20141027_201409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CAo8HldByfU/VGRlM8QnGmI/AAAAAAAAJ9g/226TSMnG7yk/s320/20141027_201409.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This may seem like over-indulgence to the uninitiated, but there are
factors not mentioned to be taken into consideration. All dishes were shared by
two tight arses, and the meal was taken over several hours as we wandered the
alley taking in the sights and smells, and avoiding the rats, cats and
cockroaches that would be on clean up duty later in the night. This is a superb
way to eat in this climate as a full plate can sit heavily and you get to
experience a wider array from the cornucopia on offer.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yPlbaQKUDhA/VGRmNm9q6MI/AAAAAAAAJ-A/w1jgGE9OYfA/s1600/20141027_191028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yPlbaQKUDhA/VGRmNm9q6MI/AAAAAAAAJ-A/w1jgGE9OYfA/s320/20141027_191028.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j7RGQ0pEkYA/VGRmOdxj2kI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/oRkyyB4KqhQ/s1600/20141027_204619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j7RGQ0pEkYA/VGRmOdxj2kI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/oRkyyB4KqhQ/s320/20141027_204619.jpg" width="180" /></span></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Just
outside Hotel Citrus is a great place for a cheap breakfast. Perfect for a
quick bite before you catch your train or bus onward.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_qSgQSURnjU/VGRmq9rqVLI/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/BojQU-6QbL0/s1600/20141028_091538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_qSgQSURnjU/VGRmq9rqVLI/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/BojQU-6QbL0/s640/20141028_091538.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have had a similar experience, feel free to
leave a comment.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-62977425444958274092014-10-31T16:52:00.001+11:002014-11-11T17:10:22.138+11:00From Senai to JB<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you fly with AirAsia into Senai International
airport, Johor Bahru (JB) you can get a free bus ride into JB. Go to
the bus kiosk just inside the main terminal exit and enter your flight booking
number into the PC on the counter. You will be issued tickets for the short bus
ride to JB Sentral station. From here you can catch buses or trains to
Singapore, or trains heading north in Malaysia. If you want to catch a bus for
another destination in Malaysia, take a local bus from JB Sentral to Larkin bus
station where buses leave regularly to many destinations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While waiting for our free bus, we noted the clothing choice of the locals who were also waiting. Although most of the women were wearing traditional Muslim garb covering their bodies from head to foot - only showing their hands and faces - most had an extra layer, a jacket, coat, or some such. To a man the gents were clad in long sleeves - some with a second layer of a jumper or jacket - trousers or jeans, and even though they were wearing the ubiquitous thongs or sandals, some were also wearing socks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Standing and waiting for our bus into town we
commented on how accustomed to the heat and humidity the locals were,
juxtaposed with our comfort level and clothing choice. We were wearing the
minimum required for modesty in a nominally secular, but in reality, Muslim
country - short sleeved shirt, shorts, and thongs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only a few degrees north of the equator the
temperature rarely dips below 25C and when the humidity tops out at 100% the
air bleeds rain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Standing in this Southeast Asian sauna the sweat
begins to run down your back. It collects and fills the small. Once full, it
then cascades happily down the valley of bum to join the other rivulets pouring
south. By the time the bus arrived we were how you say - moist!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The relief encountered by the initial blast of
frigid air from the bus air-conditioning was quickly tempered as all the
previously mentioned body moisture began to rapidly evaporate in the
near-arctic 18C ... 18C! Who sets the a/c to 18C in the tropics?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
Our bodies attempted to adapt from 35C & 100% humidity to 18C
& 20% humidity, but were found lacking. Luckily my travelling companion had
a light jumper with a hood or I fear she may have been overcome with
hypothermia and gone into shock. It was about now that we realised why the
locals were dressed as they were.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F5ejssROq0I/VFMji9dZIcI/AAAAAAAAJ7Q/-bt_r8tKN5w/s1600/20141028_095052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F5ejssROq0I/VFMji9dZIcI/AAAAAAAAJ7Q/-bt_r8tKN5w/s640/20141028_095052.jpg" /> </a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-38029477050844772062014-10-22T12:16:00.001+11:002014-10-22T12:16:48.999+11:00Panas & Pedas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you come across these words in Indonesia or Malaysia, it is worth the effort to understand their difference & meaning.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Both mean hot but with quite distinct and important differences. One means high temperature, the other spicy.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Indonesian & Malay word for water is air, so if you see a sign for Air Panas you can be sure there is a hot spring nearby.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It could be embarrassing to ask for directions to the spicy spring.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are looking at a food item in a store, or reading a menu and see Pedas, rest assured the product or dish will be spicy.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Indonesians & Malays are known for their use Chilli, so it would behove you to know the difference.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t0_xbTXIl_Y/VEcDhfji1_I/AAAAAAAAJ60/5bAu4iIHij8/s1600/IMG_3508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t0_xbTXIl_Y/VEcDhfji1_I/AAAAAAAAJ60/5bAu4iIHij8/s1600/IMG_3508.jpg" height="640" width="468" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: C. D. Solum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.428571em;">Knowledge of the words is useful, but remembering which is which can be difficult. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.428571em;">One way to remember is to break down the word into its component parts, or meanings.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Pedas</strong>: <em style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span data-mce-style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0cm;" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 1.428571em; padding: 0cm;">ped - </span></em>from the Latin for foot. <em style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span data-mce-style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0cm;" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 1.428571em; padding: 0cm;">as</span></em> - the Greek for bum.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So remember, hot spicy food will give you a kick up the bum later.</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px; margin-bottom: 0.714285em; padding: 0px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Panas</strong>: <em style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span data-mce-style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0cm;" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 1.428571em; padding: 0cm;">pan</span></em> - is from the French meaning a cooking implement. <em style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.428571em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span data-mce-style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0cm;" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 1.428571em; padding: 0cm;">as</span></em> - the Greek for bum.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;">So remember, if whacked on the bum with a pan the affected area will become hot.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;">I hope this has been of some use.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-89270291081843157412014-10-17T09:45:00.003+11:002014-10-17T09:45:32.633+11:00MY14 Pre-trip warm up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">It is just under a week until Tight Arse Travel is
off again, this time for a two-week sojourn in Malaysia. We have stayed a few
nights in Kuala Lumpur over the past 3 years; poor flight connections with
cheap airlines, and the opportunity for a quick look whetted our appetite. We
liked what we saw, and on the recommendation of other travellers decided that
the time was ripe for a proper investigation of another of our South-East Asian
neighbours. That and an extraordinarily cheap return ticket!</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Py87oxlDMT4/VEBIvFvds8I/AAAAAAAAJ6U/1T4CCnk1i4s/s1600/Petronas%2Btowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Py87oxlDMT4/VEBIvFvds8I/AAAAAAAAJ6U/1T4CCnk1i4s/s1600/Petronas%2Btowers.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;"> Image: Man Vs World - </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;">http://www.manversusworld.com/for-the-best-view-of-the-petronas-towers/</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">This time we are upping the ante – Tight Arse goes Light
Arse; we are attempting our first trip without checked baggage.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Since the big Bali mountain biking extravaganza of 2013,
we have been reading about one-bag travel and think we are ready to attempt a
one-bag trip. That said, we two tight arses have paid for one checked bag
between us just in case we go crazy buying wooden dolphins or there is run-out
sale of Tiger Balm. We will be taking one bag each on the outward leg, but if
we need extra capacity, we will buy a cheap bag for the dolphins and Tiger Balm
and check it in for the homeward leg.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">The aim is to not only keep costs down, but
decrease the time and hassle spent checking in and picking up bags from the
carousel. Travelling in the tropics makes this proposal easier as there is no
need to pack bulky or warm clothes; it may be a tougher gig trying it in a colder
clime.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On previous trips we have tried to keep the stuff
we pack to a minimum; especially clothes, but invariably we always take things
we do not use, prompting us to cut down even more this time. Hopefully we have
not forgotten anything, but if we have, we will have fun trying to find it in
Malaysia. It feels quite liberating knowing that the only bag you have to worry
about, is the one on your back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">We have both purchased Kathmandu Shuttle cargo 40l
bags. They are designed to be the maximum size airlines allow as carry-on, and
after a test pack, we have both come in around the 5kg mark, well under the 7kg
airline limit for carry-on - look out for a bag review later.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V0zgcshEI9k/VEBJJCYmpOI/AAAAAAAAJ6c/37W9aiDTm-4/s1600/KMD%2BShuttle%2BCargo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V0zgcshEI9k/VEBJJCYmpOI/AAAAAAAAJ6c/37W9aiDTm-4/s1600/KMD%2BShuttle%2BCargo.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;">Image: Kathmandu - </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;">http://www.kathmandu.com.au/packs-and-bags/hybrids/shuttle-cargo-v4-black-1.html</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 15pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">The plan so far is to spend the first few days in
KL exploring the delights of the capital, then fly to Johor Bahru (JB) and
check out the house and street I lived in when my Father was posted to
Singapore in the British Navy. We were going to take the Jungle Railway to
Tumpat in the far northeast near the Thai border and spend some time beach
bumming. KTM, the Malay railways put paid to that idea as they have shut down
day-time trips for two years while they work on the line during the day; that
journey will have to wait for another trip.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">So now the plan is to bus it from JB to Melaka and
check out the heritage listed trading port for a few days, then head further
north to Pulau Pangkor, a small island about halfway between KL and Penang on
the west coast for some coastal relaxing. Pangkor does not have the pulling
power of the more well known Penang or Langkawi, but it also lacks the crowds
of drunk westerners looking for a good time. We are looking forward to some
beach time and hopefully some snorkelling, maybe a jungle trek, and a cycle or
scooter around the island.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Then it is back to KL for the last two days for a
significant birthday dinner before heading home.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We
are looking forward to some warmth after a particularly bitter Southern
Australian winter, some tasty food, and maybe a few cold beverages! But most of
all we are looking forward to being in a foreign country, interacting with the locals,
and enjoying whatever comes our way.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-56730117567468082212014-05-27T14:41:00.000+10:002014-05-27T14:41:39.841+10:00Emirates offers Australian travellers free Dubai stopover<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It is not
often you get something free from a quality airline, let alone one of the
top-ten in the world backed by an oil-rich Gulf State. Emirates are offering
Australians travelling to Europe a free stopover in Dubai for a limited time. </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">http://bit.ly/1lHFIEm</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a wholly
owned subsidiary of the Government of Dubai, the airline is obviously trying to
snare some goodwill from those able to take up this offer. Who, after being
lavished with Middle-Eastern hospitality, isn’t going to sing the praises of a
stopover in Dubai to friends, family, and business associates?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1IxEW831ng/U4QWq_ke5II/AAAAAAAAJVA/6V4JoIb5Jdg/s1600/Emirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1IxEW831ng/U4QWq_ke5II/AAAAAAAAJVA/6V4JoIb5Jdg/s1600/Emirates.jpg" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo: Emirates / Australian Business Traveller</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">China currently
has a similar offer – a more generous visa-free 72-hour stopover in certain
cities for transiting passengers. Aimed at the business traveller on their way
to Europe, China is offering a hassle-free break to your journey. Although
China is not offering hotel transfers, a hotel room for one night, and
breakfast like Emirates, three days and nights in China is a nice length of
time to get out-and-about and familiarise yourself with a new destination. http://bit.ly/1gZgBwa<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tight Arse Travel would not normally fly with a full
service airline like Emirates as we detest long-haul flights, and are usually
penny pinching on transport costs. That said, the opportunity to break a long
journey in a strange and unfamiliar land, and experience a little luxury, might
sway us to loosen the purse strings once-in-a while.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-27201365331330179572014-05-15T16:28:00.000+10:002014-05-15T16:29:07.422+10:00Jetstar's new non-stop flights from Melbourne to Tokyo take off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was intrigued by this piece - </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">http://bit.ly/1iVTC7q - </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">by Robert Upe, The Age's Travel,
and Tourism Writer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why did he need to fly to Japan? Unlike the 'Flight
Tests' in The Saturday Age, he mentions nothing about the aircraft, service,
classes, food, and seats. In fact, nothing about the flight at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He probably researched the article from his desk, read
the press release from Jetstar, and received a free flight to Japan in return
for a puff-piece!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Good onya Bob, you win this week's Tight Arse Traveller
award - The Golden Pucker.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1iGv5iIXz4/U3ReRrwxZiI/AAAAAAAAJQU/7jlvB5QWNKc/s1600/Jetstar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1iGv5iIXz4/U3ReRrwxZiI/AAAAAAAAJQU/7jlvB5QWNKc/s1600/Jetstar.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo: Jetstar / The Age</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-77053103386714518262014-02-20T14:57:00.000+11:002014-05-15T16:29:58.409+10:00How can I get free travel insurance?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Bankwest Zero Platinum Mastercard</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RlpvGaNrMko/U3RezY_O-SI/AAAAAAAAJQc/HNxmSjTRkWc/s1600/Bankwest+Zero+Platinum+Mastercard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RlpvGaNrMko/U3RezY_O-SI/AAAAAAAAJQc/HNxmSjTRkWc/s1600/Bankwest+Zero+Platinum+Mastercard.jpg" height="73" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo: Bankwest</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here at Tight Arse Travel we are always on the lookout
for ways to make our travel dollar go further; why pay more for something when
you don’t need to? The further your money goes, the longer you can travel; or
with the money saved, you can afford to splurge occasionally. Then there is the
thrill of the hunt! That said, we don’t always take the cheapest option if it
compromises safety or increases risk.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of travel’s little necessities is insurance, and
even though we have never needed to use it, the peace-of-mind it affords is
well worth the price. Imagine having an accident in the U.S. with no medical
insurance, you may end up with a debt for life. Alternatively, falling ill in a
third-world country with poor medical facilities; not only could your condition
deteriorate quickly, without insurance you may not be able to arrange or afford
repatriation home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To that end, travel insurance is worth every cent as
long as it covers every eventuality of the trip – read the fine print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We heard from a friend who has travelled extensively
that some credit cards are bundled with a travel insurance component, so like a
truffle pig we started grubbing around the Interwebs for the scent of a product
that would suit our needs. Now, it is not hard to find a credit card with
bundled travel insurance, but there is usually a catch: some only provide
insurance if you buy your travel tickets with the card, others have an annual
fee; yet others provide only a very rudimentary coverage, forcing you to pay
more for the things you really need. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, Eureka! Could it be true? Had we found a card with
no annual fee and a great insurance policy? Wait a minute, surely there had to
be a catch. As we said earlier: read the fine print! After checking everything
twice, we have found the perfect product – Bankwest Zero Platinum MasterCard. Although
there is a requirement to buy your travel tickets with the card, you have to
buy them somehow! By using the card the bank and the insurer have evidence of
your purchase and intended journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The application process could not have been easier – it can
all be done on-line. A good thing too … Bankwest is based in Western Australia
with no branch network in the eastern states where we live. Approval took about
2 days, and about a week later our shiny new credit card arrived in the mail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now we have a line of credit for emergencies
when travelling, the peace-of-mind good travel insurance affords (for free, we
might add), and it did not cost us a cent!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check it out here -> </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://bit.ly/1gYgKzJ</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-43249065607100620242014-01-29T16:30:00.000+11:002014-01-29T16:30:35.355+11:00Over-development in Bali threatens to kill the Golden Goose<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This article - <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/rubbish-tsunami-swamps-bali-beachfront-20140125-31f4u.html">Rubbish tsunami swamps Bali beach front</a> - in The Age on January 25, 2014 prompted this post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TqQxSKlyDoI/UuiOuupEhKI/AAAAAAAAFAg/mr0dOXS1rW8/s1600/Bali+resort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TqQxSKlyDoI/UuiOuupEhKI/AAAAAAAAFAg/mr0dOXS1rW8/s1600/Bali+resort.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The irony of this situation is the rubbish generated servicing
tourists is <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/rubbish-tsunami-swamps-bali-beachfront-20140125-31f4u.html">coming
back to bite them</a>, turning their tropical playground into a rubbish dump. Unfortunately,
most tourists are blissfully unaware that the rubbish is dumped in waterways in
places where they rarely go … or see. The annual monsoon rains flush the
waterways into the sea; the tide and wind do the rest, delivering the rubbish back
to the very beach where some of it was produced. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This situation highlights the slow pace of much needed infrastructure
to keep up with tourist development on the island. Some rapacious land
developers gain approval for new hotels and restaurants by greasing the right
palms. Planning rules – if they exist – are often flouted, or just plain
ignored. This goes to the old hoary chestnut of short-term gain winning over long-term
vision. Selfishness beats sagacity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are environmental groups pointing out the problems
with Bali’s <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/travel/have-you-seen-this-bali-too-20101104-17fhr.html">current
growth spurt</a>; that unless it is slowed to allow infrastructure to catch up,
the problem will continue to grow exponentially to the point where the tourists
may stop coming. Tourists may find the next best place to holiday and spend
their hard earned – moving on, and leaving the Balinese to wonder how it all
went wrong. The green group’s voices struggle to be heard over the deafening clatter
of the jackhammer and beep-beep-beep of reversing cement trucks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although numbers of tourists arriving continue to grow
every year, they are not completely to blame. Bali’s own population is on the
rise - climbing by 20% in the last decade. This adds pressure to an ailing
electricity grid - which draws all of its power from the neighbouring island of
Java - and the water supply network. Ironically, Bali is blessed with abundant
rainfall, and has one of the oldest and most sophisticated distribution systems
designed to ensure all rice farmers get a fair share of the available water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tourists, and especially Australians who make up the vast
majority go to Bali for various reasons; sun, surf, sand, and sex is the usual
image of Aussie tourists, but many eschew the tourist strip of
Kuta-Legian-Seminyak with its knock-off DVD stores and happy-hour sports bars
for <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/travel/have-you-seen-this-bali-too-20101104-17fhr.html">quieter
pleasures</a>. They head inland to savour the arts and crafts, or to unwind at
a yoga retreat or spa. Others with a more adventurous bent head to the
mountains for trekking, mountain biking, white-water rafting, or canyoning. Yet
others head to the coastal towns and villages for snorkelling and SCUBA diving.
Whatever they come for, one thing is for sure, they come because it is cheap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2013, the Governor of Bali proposed all foreign
tourists “make a <a href="http://bit.ly/1dMGgDg">US$10 donation</a> which would
be used to finance cultural heritage and environmental efforts across the
island.” Effectively this is a tax - a good tax. Tight Arse Travel supports
this measure, as it would ensure every foreign tourist contributes directly to
the cultural and environmental upkeep of the island from which his or her pleasure
is derived. We would go further and suggest that arriving travellers are made
aware of the effect of tourism. They should also be made aware of how the tax
is being used to support and enhance the culture and environment of the island.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-91230715646722673452014-01-15T09:26:00.000+11:002014-01-15T09:26:04.565+11:00Qantas leaves Tasmania to regional service, cutting 35 jobs in Hobart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Apologies dear reader for my lack of correspondence over the holiday season. After blogging so hard in the latter half of 2013, Tight Arse Travel was feeling a little stale and needed a break to freshen up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This morning there is a story about Qantas downgrading their service into the Apple Isle. I wonder if they would find it as easy to pull the same move on the mainland. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Qantas states that "This change is about making sure we have the right aircraft on the right routes in support of leisure and business travel opportunities between Tasmania and the mainland."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Although earlier in 2013, Tasmania's economic outlook was a little downbeat, there were positive signs that the economy was on the mend toward the end of the year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Qantas gets the Tight Arse award for today for sacking 35 ground handling staff in Hobart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://bit.ly/1doQjCG</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<img height="331" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQD80iUti9d4eMaS&w=398&h=208&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FGuardian%2FPix%2Fpictures%2F2014%2F1%2F14%2F1389735059504%2F5194f8ee-cc45-473a-96d8-42b43bf556f3-2060x1236.jpeg&cfs=1&upscale" width="640" /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-11878669111716664932013-11-07T14:22:00.000+11:002014-11-12T15:57:34.212+11:00Ngurah Rai International Airport - Bali Indonesia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<b style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Visa on Arrival & Departure Tax</span></b></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<b style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tight Arse Travel was fortunate to travel to Bali for a Mountain Biking tour with <a href="http://www.bali-trailblazers.com/">Bali Trailblazers</a>.</span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We'd like to pass on some tips which may make your arrival and departure easier.</span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most nationalities can purchase a Visa on Arrival (VoA) at the airport, but it is always worth <a href="http://www.indo.com/tplan/visa.html">checking</a> before firming up your travel plans.</span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we travelled in July 2013, the 30 day <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">VoA was $25US.</span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This could be paid in US$, A$ or by credit card.</span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is also a departure tax levied by the Indonesian Government on all tourists leaving the country of <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rp200,000. This is also payable at the airport.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<a href="http://www.ngurahrai-airport.co.id/home/eng/index.php"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.ngurahrai-airport.co.id/home/eng/index.php</span></a></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<a href="http://www.baliairport.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.baliairport.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngurah_Rai_International_Airport">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngurah_Rai_International_Airport</a></span></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-69162073263332056742013-10-23T11:50:00.001+11:002013-10-23T11:50:46.490+11:00Bali trailblazers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tight Arse Travel toured with Bali trailblazers in mid 2013.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are looking for a great mountain biking holiday in a tropical paradise, check them out; they put together a great tour for us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwIaBPfthPE/UmccxMixFqI/AAAAAAAAE6k/sKTB_7O2PiA/s1600/IMG_2143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwIaBPfthPE/UmccxMixFqI/AAAAAAAAE6k/sKTB_7O2PiA/s640/IMG_2143.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They've also published part of our blog on their web site.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.bali-trailblazers.com/tour-de-bali-pre-tour/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-27477973317812152182013-10-15T14:00:00.000+11:002013-10-15T16:36:57.621+11:00What's the best passport in the world for travellers?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even though Australia came equal sixth with Greece and Singapore with 167 countries allowing our citizens in without a visa, it is not bad compared with Afghanistan - 28!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That said, you can still probably get into other countries, you just need a visa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7XszeQwrdE/UlyvSGwD77I/AAAAAAAAE28/Q87qlug1yn4/s1600/Oz+Passport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7XszeQwrdE/UlyvSGwD77I/AAAAAAAAE28/Q87qlug1yn4/s1600/Oz+Passport.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other good news is that India is reviewing its visa policy, and may soon allow Australians to purchase a visa-on-arrival (VoA).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://bit.ly/1bYV2ZC</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-52573990580372562732013-10-15T13:54:00.000+11:002013-10-15T13:54:20.555+11:00Why don't some airlines enforce their own carry-on baggage limits?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MFyeYlJvBPI/Ulyt_D0-9tI/AAAAAAAAE2w/Z3e6HOuBZ80/s1600/Overhead+locker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MFyeYlJvBPI/Ulyt_D0-9tI/AAAAAAAAE2w/Z3e6HOuBZ80/s400/Overhead+locker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">This is something which makes Tight Arse Travel cranky.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /></span><a href="http://bit.ly/1apdf5o" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1apdf5o</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-85422392290000700832013-09-30T09:55:00.002+10:002013-09-30T09:58:10.988+10:00QANTAS trials 'all day check-in' for international flights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">QANTAS is trialling <a href="http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-trials-all-day-checkin-for-international-flights-from-sydney">all-day check-in</a> for international flights out of T1 at Sydney International Airport.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After reading one of the conditions, it begs the question "what rules currently apply to checked-in passengers at other Qantas terminals?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After checking in at <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/">Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne</a>, there is nothing to stop you going outside the building for some fresh air. While there you may spy the <a href="http://www.parkroyalhotels.com/en/hotels/australia/melbourne/parkroyal/index.html">Park Royal Hotel</a> across the road, and wander over for a pre-flight Scotch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No harm done...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S4U3lbLWjiU/Uki9jVvJxzI/AAAAAAAAE18/Ly-cWbAgMxQ/s1600/QANTAS+-+Original+747+colours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="459" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S4U3lbLWjiU/Uki9jVvJxzI/AAAAAAAAE18/Ly-cWbAgMxQ/s640/QANTAS+-+Original+747+colours.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-17971612797011450742013-09-25T14:15:00.001+10:002013-09-25T14:15:33.231+10:00Free voice calls from your mobile<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you want free voice calls? Try iOS7 FaceTime over WiFi.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://bit.ly/18osXbt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VJ4NxB4QXE/UkJjOfCDwWI/AAAAAAAAE1s/QUhyU5bdGyA/s1600/Free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VJ4NxB4QXE/UkJjOfCDwWI/AAAAAAAAE1s/QUhyU5bdGyA/s400/Free.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-35252115491456617112013-09-23T13:28:00.000+10:002013-09-23T13:28:10.419+10:00China Bird Tours Travel tip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="userContentWrapper aboveUnitContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px;">
<div class="_wk mbm" style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="userContent"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks China Bird Tours</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="_wk shareUnit attachmentUnit" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(192, 201, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 2px; padding: 5px 0px 5px 8px;">
<div class="userContentWrapper">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Travel tip. If you are wandering on your own, take a few photos of landmarks and street names to help you find your way back.</span></div>
<div class="userContentWrapper" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SbWY2yHQWZ4/Uj-1Fpn2x8I/AAAAAAAAE1c/N8XJiWr7lpQ/s1600/China+Bird+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SbWY2yHQWZ4/Uj-1Fpn2x8I/AAAAAAAAE1c/N8XJiWr7lpQ/s640/China+Bird+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="userContentWrapper" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-26357727085854862962013-09-20T08:37:00.000+10:002013-09-20T08:37:08.512+10:00Google makes QuickOffice free, gives away 10 GB in Drive storage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">This could be great for working on docs while travelling - </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F157u16J&h=FAQGe8ONp&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/157u16J</a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OIza-0Nk9zY/Ujt8VAEfchI/AAAAAAAAE1M/r5USCl0Ulys/s1600/Google+Quickoffice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="497" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OIza-0Nk9zY/Ujt8VAEfchI/AAAAAAAAE1M/r5USCl0Ulys/s640/Google+Quickoffice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-69445492920322836312013-09-05T10:23:00.001+10:002013-09-05T10:23:34.239+10:00Air India resumes direct flights to Australia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ps0YysZKP1s/UifOXdoE8WI/AAAAAAAAE08/AhxF5034ubg/s1600/Air+India+-+Australia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ps0YysZKP1s/UifOXdoE8WI/AAAAAAAAE08/AhxF5034ubg/s1600/Air+India+-+Australia.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those of you with a penchant for the sub-continent, travelling from Australia to India just got a little bit easier, and quicker.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Air India are flying direct to and from Australia again - http://www.airindia.com/announcing-australia.htm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For all the trainspotters out there, check out the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner landing - http://bit.ly/14s3n2O</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and taking off - http://bit.ly/1a7Xc8n</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from Sydney International on September 4, 2013.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-73111709312657589622013-08-09T16:50:00.002+10:002013-10-31T08:31:24.291+11:002013 Tour de Bali - Post tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Seminyak</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hotel Puri Wisata<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the tour over and four days left before I head home, we base ourselves at the Puri Wisata hotel on the border of Legian and Seminyak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A quick internet search and access to a reasonable Indonesian dictionary help me understand the meaning of 'Puri Wisata'. Puri means castle, palace or place of worship, and Wisata means journey. So I guess they named the hotel to mean 'A palace at journey's end'. In reality - but keeping in mind you only get what you pay for - in this case Puri means 'Moth-eaten, worn out, run down, and in need of some serious renovations', and Wisata means 'Can I drag your bag to reception!'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But seriously folks, it is in a great location. There is a pub and a Circle K next door, and it is adjacent to a major intersection, so there are always plenty of taxis available; the airport is a lazy 30 minute drive away. Even though the streets are crazy busy, it is a cool, calm oasis from the hot and noisy world outside. Yes, it could do with a good lick and spit to tidy up the rough edges, but with free Wi-Fi and breakfast, a large cool, shaded pool, and friendly staff, $15 a night for a twin-share room is not to be sneezed at.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although this is not my favourite part of Bali, it does make the last few days of the trip easier in terms of finding a variety of food to eat, access to ATMs, ubiquitous free Wi-Fi, Internet cafes, and the ability to do some last minute shopping.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are about a 10 minute walk from the beach, which means that the hotel is quite a bit cheaper than those with an ocean front view. Although I like beaches - and there is nothing wrong with this one, it is a very nice beach, world famous in fact - it is not the beach per se to which I am not enamoured. It is what the beach has become - a 24 hour party zone. That, and the fact that you become a sitting target for touts attempting to sell you paintings, watches, sunglasses, wooden elephants, massages and the like which make this a type of living hell for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cheaply provided umbrellas, and access to cool refreshing beverages do afford a level of luxury and comfort, but this is generally not what I look for in a beach.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BB_SXx91rho/UnF5qjqPAHI/AAAAAAAAE_s/BEX43_2xaYs/s1600/IMG_2288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BB_SXx91rho/UnF5qjqPAHI/AAAAAAAAE_s/BEX43_2xaYs/s640/IMG_2288.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That said, it has been observed by me and pointed out by others, that this is all highly concentrated in the Kuta-Legian-Seminyak area. Although some people who have not been to Bali - or who have, but have not ventured any further than this tacky tourist strip - may have a vision that this is all there is, or that all of Bali must be the same. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first two weeks in Bali were spent 'On tour', an organised mountain biking trip over 14 days. Eight riding days were broken up with a couple of rest days, one of which was used to access amazing snorkelling. The other non-riding days were filled with a climb up a volcano to watch the sunrise, river rafting, and canyoning. We found this a good way to do it for a number of reasons. There were no more than 2 riding days in a row - giving us a rest from the bikes. We saw a great deal of Bali - parts of which I'm guessing most westerners would not otherwise get the chance to see, and we spent time with two awesome locals - Ketut and Made.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d_7B5F07z88/UnF5jL8SvyI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/T4S9Cp-q4Yc/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d_7B5F07z88/UnF5jL8SvyI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/T4S9Cp-q4Yc/s640/IMG_1771.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ketut - our riding guide - is a wiry mountain biking machine. If he can't climb up it, it can't be climbed. If he can't ride down it, it is probably a wall! He always warned us of tricky sections of trail, made an amazing clicking noise with his mouth to warn others of our approach, and was helpful in explaining Indonesian words, phrases, history, culture and geography. He is also a bike nut - he owns 10 bikes - so he is always up for a chat about bikes and parts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made was our soigner; he drove the team bus, set up and broke down the bikes for transit, organised lunch and other refreshment breaks, and was always ready to help in any other way. He was always cheerful, and constantly smiling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These two made the trip. If Isabelle is the brains, these guys are the heart and soul of the operation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the tour we only had two days when it rained, and then not enough to spoil our fun. One riding day started with some light rain, but it soon cleared, and left the trails nice and tacky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We saw cows - Indonesian cows are very short haired, rust coloured, and when young look like fawns - goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, herons, fish, water buffalo, snakes, geckos, lizards, cats and dogs. Most of which we ate at some stage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We rode through jungle, vegetable fields, fruit orchards, cashew and clove groves, coffee patches, farmer's yards, lava fields, and streams and of course - rice paddies. We rode on or through dirt, rocks, mud, sand, concrete, tarmac, lava, and all the afore-mentioned animals manure (Hello AQIS!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had only one mechanical - a flat tyre on day three - and one stack each, neither of which required medical evacuation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me, this is one of the best ways to really see, and hopefully start to understand a place. Rather than stand there and look at it, do something in it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfPFwe8BzS0/UnF6EkWA1KI/AAAAAAAAE_w/7Rwv0O6CVEo/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfPFwe8BzS0/UnF6EkWA1KI/AAAAAAAAE_w/7Rwv0O6CVEo/s640/IMG_1779.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those playing at home we rode 280k in 27:26, ascending 3590m and descending 9792m</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://app.strava.com/activities/72498714</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-87033465458347624072013-08-09T16:42:00.002+10:002013-10-30T09:38:57.364+11:002013 Tour de Bali - Stage 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Belimbing to Tibubiyu</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>From rice paddy to rice paddy<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stage 8; the last stage, the ultimate stage, the one after stage 7, the end of the tour. At the end of this stage we will be delivered to our hotel in Seminyak, where we'll say goodbye to Ketut, Made and the bikes which have served us so well over the past two weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a few team photos for posterity we start riding amid the beautiful rice paddies of south-central Bali. The first 11 kilometres take over an hour of ride time. We follow Ketut down though rough, almost invisible jungle tracks. I look for the flattened foliage left behind hoping there are no hidden surprises. At the bottom we cross a small boulder filled creek, the first of many. On the other side we push our bikes up a steep slippery, sometimes overgrown and almost indiscernible track. I follow Ketut hoping he has not lost the trail. How he remembers not only this trail, but all the others, some of which he does not ride for a year or more is beyond me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PiLhh1rvqCE/UnA3d87REHI/AAAAAAAAE-w/S3EqDQ1-8gI/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PiLhh1rvqCE/UnA3d87REHI/AAAAAAAAE-w/S3EqDQ1-8gI/s640/IMG_2269.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In between dropping into creeks and hauling our sweaty, muddy arses back out again, we are rewarded with sublime, almost endless views across terraced rice paddies. At lunch we both agree that although the scenery has been fantastic, the reward for effort ratio is definitely in the negative. (I'm not sure if ratios can be negative, but go with me!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The location Made chose for our lunch break is the best so far. Shaded by small trees, we sit on the side of a small broken tarmac lane. In front of us the ground drops away, and on the other side of a small stream rises in steps carved into the rich, pliable earth, and each one covered in a bountiful rice crop. A few workers ply their trade, planting young rice plants while we soak in the view. Above the paddies the ground is steeper and reverts to dense jungle. This is the archetypal view of rural Bali.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hVXhRDekFM/UnA3cCgxX9I/AAAAAAAAE-o/oRdBDximCy8/s1600/IMG_2272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hVXhRDekFM/UnA3cCgxX9I/AAAAAAAAE-o/oRdBDximCy8/s640/IMG_2272.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made has gone above and beyond for today's last lunch. He has obviously noted my comments about how much I like sate, and especially sate kambing (goat), and I was touched by his gesture. Steamed white rice (Nasi putih) and the sate are individually wrapped origami style for take-away. As I slide the gristly, sauce covered meat off the skewers, I have no qualms discarding them into the undergrowth as they will be quickly reclaimed by nature. Unfortunately, many Balinese use this same method with all types of waste. We have seen many vacant blocks, roadsides, and waterways fouled with plastic detritus; the worst was disposable nappies in a creek we had just crossed. I fail to understand why they would choose to do this, and live amid such non-biodegradeble detritus, especially when they are in such a paradise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorry, rant over - back to the tasty lunch with sublime views.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After finishing the meat, I poured the excess sauce onto my rice so as not to miss out on one mouthful of the peanutty spiciness. That was first course; second course is hard to describe. Nestled in a plastic take-away cup is a gelatinous mass of fruit seeds, cubes of jelly, and chunks of fruit, all swimming in a coconut milk slurry. The textures are unusual to the western palate, but the flavours were subdued and well blended. There were also rice cakes, flavoured with palm and coconut.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As usual the post lunch riding started uphill. Too much of my blood supply went to my stomach, employed in digesting the mini Balinese feast. Unfortunately, I am also asking it supply oxygen to my legs to get me over the next crest of the roller-coaster concrete double track. We bust a lung climbing, then recover and cool down bombing along country lanes hemmed by forest and fruit trees. The countryside is dotted with rustic houses and farm buildings. We scatter the ubiquitous mother hen and chicks in our wake, are howled at by grumpy moth-eaten dogs, and are waved to by small children. We pass the deer and fawn like local cattle tied in their stalls, slowly munching the fodder cut and delivered by the farmer. Occasionally we hear the grunts of, and smell the unmistakable odour of pigs. As we leave the forest, we are again surrounded by rice paddies. As we cruise on slightly downhill flowy double concrete tracks, we can see the ocean in the distance indicating we are close to the end; the end of stage 8, and the end of the tour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we turn the last corner Made is smiling and waving to us. He and the vehicle are ready to take us away from all this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gx-J2B9fkig/UnA4EWq0__I/AAAAAAAAE_A/ffWyXPEnmhw/s1600/IMG_2279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gx-J2B9fkig/UnA4EWq0__I/AAAAAAAAE_A/ffWyXPEnmhw/s640/IMG_2279.JPG" width="478" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those playing at home we rode 26k in 2:04, ascending 389m and descending 883m.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://app.strava.com/activities/72498714</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-15445986372315505412013-08-09T16:36:00.002+10:002013-10-29T09:25:29.434+11:002013 Tour de Bali - Canyoning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gitgit</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part three of our gravity fed non-cycling
adventures<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a healthy fear of heights, and having tried rock climbing - both indoor & outdoor - I know that I can be easily scared into a semi-irrational quivering mess. I can get to a point in a climb where I fear going on and can't return, swearing to myself that I will never again willingly put myself in a similar situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So why am I canyoning? Well, I thought it would be a merry jape, shits and giggles, akin to a child playing in puddles. I thought there would be a bit of swimming through deep, cool, crystal-clear pools, mixed with a bit of sliding into the next pool, maybe a little jump from a rock ledge a few metres above the water to add a frisson of excitement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How wrong I was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uvUmr_7xyq8/Um7hr-Bi03I/AAAAAAAAE9c/ky6yxdKrLjE/s1600/P7271001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uvUmr_7xyq8/Um7hr-Bi03I/AAAAAAAAE9c/ky6yxdKrLjE/s320/P7271001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we were introduced to the guides by the maniacally laughing Mika, soon to be named 'The Crazy Frog' - they were using this trip as an assessment to qualify for the next level in canyon guiding - I realised that my expectations were far from reality. The guides - a Balinese whose name I have unfortunately forgotten, and a Jordanian called Bashir - were both young, keen and professional as they explained the basics of our gear and how to attach to, and descend the abseiling rope.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we entered the canyon it was a relief to get wet, wading and splashing though cool pools before the first 'feature'. This is what I had been expecting; a small chute maybe 3 metres in length, which we slid down into a very deep accommodating pool below. Next it was time to put all that extreme abseiling training into practice; a 4 meter drop over slippery, smooth worn volcanic rock, a bit tricky, but no real problem. As we progressed down the canyon the features became more challenging, until after a short break for a cup of sweet tea and some cakes, we were faced with a sheer 25m drop - with a waterfall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lY92UF-d1sA/Um7jBDigBnI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/mBK_V3aiBks/s1600/P7271012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lY92UF-d1sA/Um7jBDigBnI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/mBK_V3aiBks/s320/P7271012.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jhgjjkwShG4/Um7hxg8fo3I/AAAAAAAAE9s/nhhFB4kjh6o/s1600/P7271030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jhgjjkwShG4/Um7hxg8fo3I/AAAAAAAAE9s/nhhFB4kjh6o/s320/P7271030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At this point I was thinking back to those times where I promised myself never to do this again. My emotional brain was saying 'stop, this is crazy', and my logical brain was saying 'the gear is safe; the guides know what they are doing'. My logical brain won.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Onward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The roping up and preparation were the worst, it was sphincter tightening territory. Once I was abseiling, and getting closer to the pool below I felt much happier. Or should I say, less unhappy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One more 19m abseil and zip-line later and it was over. I can't say I was disappointed. I let my fear wash away, safe in the knowledge that I had survived. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7S_GW_MxBAI/Um7h8InOaQI/AAAAAAAAE-E/BuN64K46qaI/s1600/P7271037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7S_GW_MxBAI/Um7h8InOaQI/AAAAAAAAE-E/BuN64K46qaI/s640/P7271037.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was not what I had expected. It was far more intense and adrenaline pumping. I may not do it again, but I'm glad I did it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh … by the way, the canyon was beautiful; the black-green walls worn smooth by eons of rising and falling flood water. At times the whole sky was covered by an umbrella of green foliage, cracked open by shafts of bright sunlight. Where the walls were soil, layers of geologic strata were laid bare, dripping profusely and losing groundwater in veils of diamond droplets. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nqVnKavkVZY/Um7jCHAEkpI/AAAAAAAAE-U/M3pOuMegtgA/s1600/P7271033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nqVnKavkVZY/Um7jCHAEkpI/AAAAAAAAE-U/M3pOuMegtgA/s640/P7271033.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those playing at home we canyoned for 3 hours and I peed in my wetsuit 3 times!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6490942227678074750.post-10193807730344976402013-08-09T16:30:00.002+10:002013-10-28T09:43:45.928+11:002013 Tour de Bali - Stage 7<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: large;"><b>Danau Tamblingan to Seririt</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">From mountain lake to infinity pool</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We start this stage on the crater rim of Mt. Bratan - with views inward to the three lakes; Danau Bratan, Danau Buyan, and Danau Tamblingan - and outward into the clouds obscuring the north coast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgIyZPageWg/Um2U7HV5oDI/AAAAAAAAE80/JxTYo1PNM94/s1600/IMG_2220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgIyZPageWg/Um2U7HV5oDI/AAAAAAAAE80/JxTYo1PNM94/s640/IMG_2220.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We dropped quickly on tarmac then slippery concrete and clay single track through clove groves. The tracks are partly moss covered and as slippery as greased ice because of the unseasonal rains.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flTi52YW2Jo/Um2U6hY5hJI/AAAAAAAAE8w/UKU6WX-6Kbg/s1600/IMG_2224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flTi52YW2Jo/Um2U6hY5hJI/AAAAAAAAE8w/UKU6WX-6Kbg/s320/IMG_2224.JPG" width="238" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we leave the forest and slip through small villages, men are building bamboo ladders beside the road to harvest the cloves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A clove harvesting ladder is a work of genius and art. It consists of a single bamboo pole up to 15 metres long, into which the builder cuts rectangular slots at regular intervals, and then hammers bamboo pegs through to create the rungs. I saw one roped upright to a tall clove tree. Because the trees are not pruned or controlled in any way, the crop is small and sparse. A lot of work goes into harvesting this valuable crop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We continue to contour around the hill on narrow tracks beside irrigation trenches, and as we bomb down country lanes, the heady odour of cloves drying on the side of the road greets us at every corner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hynwOmyESxE/Um2WqNO9zBI/AAAAAAAAE9E/PwVIfFVaPiU/s1600/Clove+ladder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hynwOmyESxE/Um2WqNO9zBI/AAAAAAAAE9E/PwVIfFVaPiU/s320/Clove+ladder.jpg" width="239" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a lunch with the additional pleasure of a spicy sate ayam, (Thanks Made) we have a few small climbs before some insanely steep concrete path drops. These lead onto silky smooth brown clay sinews of single track, which have us grinning like idiots. The ride concludes with a Euro smooth tarmac descent into Seririt. This gives us time to enjoy the views, relax a little and 'hallo' the locals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think we are the only people staying at the Bali Hotel Nibbana Resort, a compound of terraced bungalows leading down to an infinity pool overlooking rice paddies below and the ocean in the distance - sublime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BiqxX2yf2E/Um2Sio9R-VI/AAAAAAAAE8U/sDp51ZTLXAk/s1600/IMG_2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BiqxX2yf2E/Um2Sio9R-VI/AAAAAAAAE8U/sDp51ZTLXAk/s640/IMG_2232.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those playing at home we rode 32k in 2:04, ascending 256m and descending 1509m</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://www.strava.com/activities/69880291</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0