Travel, Wine & Shoes

Hello St Albert! I’m home.  Another adventure has come to a close. I missed Bryan so much and I’m so happy to see and hug my young man. He was over it after the first hug, I’ll be a few days yet.

I’m heading back to employment and being a productive, tax contributing member of society. Getting back into a work routine is going to be tough, really tough. I’ve bought lottery tickets just in case life wants me to continue travelling. There’s still so much of the world I haven’t coloured in.

To date, I’ve wandered around all 7 continents, 80 countries and 100 Traveller’s Century List places. I’m still restless, but my bank account has dwindled.

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Blog Posts

I had a great time, saw many interesting things, shed some tears, laughed, made new friends and had a few mishaps.

New Zealand, Australia & South East Asia

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Highlights

Sky Tower Walk
Hobbiton
Spending time with Barb, Linda and their fur babies
Penguin Parade
Climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Opera House Show
Great Barrier Reef Dive
Skydive
Singapore Slings at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel
The Gates of Heaven
Komodo National Park
Petronas Twin Towers
Borneo Orangutans
Proboscis Monkey
S-21 and The Killing Fields
Meeting Mr. Chum Mey
Angkor Wat
Temple of Literature
Ha Long Bay
Hanoi Train Street
My Custom Ao Dai
Cu Chi Tunnels
The People I Met 💕

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Countries Visited

New Zealand 🇳🇿
Australia 🇦🇺
Singapore 🇸🇬
Indonesia 🇮🇩
Malaysia 🇲🇾
Brunei 🇧🇳
Thailand 🇹🇭
Philippines 🇵🇭
Cambodia 🇰🇭
Laos 🇱🇦
Vietnam 🇻🇳
Taiwan 🇹🇼

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Airlines

I’ve always thought that the Canadian airlines were mediocre and the US airlines even less. After flying many different airlines in this region, my opinion didn’t change.

Air Canada
United Airlines
Qantas
Virgin Australia
Jetstar
SilkAir
Garuda Indonesia
Nam Air
Malaysia Airlines
Royal Brunei Airlines
Air Asia
Cebo Pacific
Bangkok Airways
Lao Airlines
Vietnam Airlines
Eva Airways

Brunei Royal Airlines was the classiest! Eva Airways (Taiwan’s national carrier) was by far my favourite. I could dance a jig in the bathroom it was so roomy. The pod was nice. The bathrooms in their lounge had heated toilet seats. That would be nice at home when it’s -40 outside. I know, I know, I’m all about the bathroom facilities. 😂

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Distance Travelled (km)

12,166 ~ Edmonton to Auckland
2,624 ~ Auckland to Melbourne
720 ~ Melbourne to Hobart
1,573 ~ Hobart to Sydney
2,414 ~ Sydney to Cairns
5,025 ~ Cairns to Singapore
2,409 ~ Singapore to Bali
784 ~ Bali to Labuan Bajo
784 ~ Labuan Bajo to Bali
2,759 ~ Bali to Kuala Lumpur
977 ~ Kuala Lumpur to Kuching
637 ~ Kuching to Bandar Seri Begawan
1,862 ~ Bandar Seri Begawan to Bangkok
2,208 ~ Bangkok to Manila
1,770 ~ Manila to Phnom Penh
320 ~ Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
677 ~ Siem Reap to Vientiane
752 ~ Vientiane to Hanoi
174 ~ Hanoi to Halong Bay
174 ~ Halong Bay to Hanoi
768 ~ Hanoi to Da Nang
29 ~ Da Nang to Hoi An
942 ~ Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
2,229 ~ Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Taipei
9,798 ~ Taipei to Edmonton

54,575 Total km Travelled

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Random Thoughts Now That I’m Home

Circle K is everywhere. It seemed in Asia there were about 3 per block.

The more I travel, the more it’s apparent to me that humans are all the same regardless of geography, religion, politics, etc. We all want the same things.

People are inherently kind. If you are not, ask yourself why.

I like to be clean, sleep in a clean bed and take care of business in an exceptionally clean bathroom.

I do NOT like rats.

I do NOT like mixed bathrooms.

I like to challenge myself.

I like adventures.

I am not an adventurous foodie person. Eating kangaroo was my only step outside my food comfort zone and I’m okay with that.

I want to continue experiencing new regions of the world, meet the people and learn about their culture.

I am proud to be Canadian and have way too much to say when people ask me about Canada.

I do not want to go back to work, but my back account and I are having a major disagreement.

A gal gets sort of used to being a hot, sweaty mess every day.

My natural curly hair sucks.

It’s nice to get up every day and not have to DO hair and makeup.

My own shower! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. All mine, an unlimited supply of hot water, hair and body products lined up where I left them, cleaned to my standards and nothing beats the first shower at home.

I was in my glee plugging in my blow dryer and hair straightener.

Can’t wait for the appointments I have booked ~ hair, nails, pedicure and waxing! I apologize to all in advance. It’s always a crap shoot on who to book first. Get a pedicure first and subject them to your hairy legs or get waxed first and subject them to your reptile feet? I’m getting the pedicure first.

Solo travel is an experience everyone should do at least once.

Solo female travel is safe.

Not all Starbucks are the same.

I would love to learn more languages.

My Kindle is a necessity.

No matter how old you get, your parents still worry. I was getting it from both sides because my son is exactly like his grandfather.

I lost about 10 pounds.

I am an airplane snob. I admit it, I would rather fly business class. My long haul flights to New Zealand and home from Vietnam were business class. All the other flights in between were economy. I hate flying economy. My new job has to pay me enough to keep me in the airplane snobbiness to which I became accustomed with my previous salary.

I ditched all the toiletries I was using at the hotel and never bothered to bring any of it home. I never want to use Palmolive shampoo again!

My short Smash+Tess romper saw me through this trip and I’m so very glad I brought it. I’m now home with the rest of my collection.

Girlfriends, when is WINE night? Hot tub night? Bike riding?

I need new interview and work clothes. I don’t need shoes or handbags. I need to buy outfits that coordinate with my shoes and handbags. Female logic.

I’m craving a humongous Alberta beef steak !!! Very well done of course.

I prefer to be called Miss instead of Madam. I feel ancient when somebody calls me Madam.

Donna and I are running the Edmonton Half-Marathon in a few weeks. I want to laugh, but it’s not funny.

My parents are visiting in a few weeks and I’m very excited.

Looking forward to getting back into my running/walking routine/route around my place.

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but also looking forward to a gym routine and I have classes already picked out.

I have seen too many places in the world now where mass extermination of a group of people have taken place ~ Auschwitz, Srebrenica and Cambodia. I feel it’s important and we should never forget, but it’s difficult to see and walk in those places.

There are no winners in war.

As much as I love to travel, I love coming home to my loved ones more.

I’ll be checking out the Vietnamese store in Edmonton ~ I want to make some of the things I learned how to make in Vietnam.

Carry-on is the best way to travel.

I checked my backpack on the way home because I had 3 cans of beer for my Daddy!

I believe I have a deeper understanding of the world, events and consequences. We have a lot to learn and change.

I’m going to continue to blog a bit and catch up on stories from last year. I have a lot of draft posts that I haven’t finished.

I have NO upcoming travel plans and it feels strange.

Chase your dreams and follow your heart.

I wonder what my Lotto Max chances are?

Can’t wait to see my fur baby nephews!

Girlfriends, when is WINE night? Yes, I repeated that question. I’ll bring Ketchup Doritos and I’ll make Spring Rolls and we can make Singapore Slings with my shaker.

I had a fabulous time and I’m so grateful to have been able to experience New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia. There are many countries I’d like to go back to for a more in depth visit.

The one thing I will always remember is listening to Mr. Chum Mey. He has a place in my heart.

Happy Travels

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