Pulau Lankawi, Malaysia

Langkawi, aka the Jewel of Kedah is a beautiful group of islands off the West coast of Malaysia. This was a welcome splash of beach isolation after the hustle and bustle of KL. It's a tad (x 5) more expensive than it's Thai island cousins in the North but has a very different / more affluent/private vibe. 

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Tags: .Pulau Lankawi Malaysia..

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Babies in Airport Lounges

What do you think about bringing babies into airport lounges? Today we took the wee man into the United Airlines lounge in Boston as we had a 3 hour layover and I have a bunch of free passes which get you free beer and wine and a measly selection of snacks. The reception staff were very welcoming but it's a small lounge and our son was making some typical baby gurgles and grunts which soon cleared the area of passengers but with the extra room we setup baby camp and he was a happy camper . Curious to know your thoughts?

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Baby on Board

We flew Boston to Dublin last week on Aer Lingus using Avios points which is a points bargain and avoids fuel surcharges. We had our 9 month old son with us so were very happy when we got the bassinet seat where the wee man was able to sleep in this cardboard box / bed. Anyone know if this is standard for an airline?

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Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur

KL is a food lovers paradise with a fusion of multiple Asian cuisines, Indian, Chinese, Thai to name a few but Malaysia has stamped it's own twist on these classics. The Petronas towers are the most infamous landmarks and the city has an average temperature of 30C/90F year round. Shopping is a serious past time for those seeking to escape the heat with 60 large malls. The food courts in the malls are excellent in terms of quality and value and a far cry from the deep fried crap served up in Western malls .

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Tags: ..Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur..

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The many faces of Singapore

I've been on several trips to Singapore and was never disappointed. It has an interesting mix of East meets West with sightseeing, business, expat party life, diverse ethnic people / food, shopping and bizarre pampering.

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Tags: ..Singapore..

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Ubud - Indonesia

For all the hoopla I had heard about Bali, I have to say I was very disappointed as I mentioned here but luckily not far away is the spiritual center of Ubud which is a tranquil shot of bliss (if such a thing exists). Rice fields, monkey sanctuaries, rain forests, waterfalls are among the highlights. Forget about sleeping in as the local wildlife is buzzing from the wee hours.  Here are some pics and video.

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Tags: ..Ubud - Indonesia..

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All aboard the bus..Indonesia Style

Travel in Asia can be a little chaotic at the best of times and space is a premium luxury not often afforded to budget travelers.  Case in point, this 3 hour ride in a minivan with official seat capacity for 9 people which at one point had 17 people with luggage. Comfy! Check the video below.

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Tags: .All aboard the bus....

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Prambanan, Indonesia

We visited the impressive 9th century Hindu temple compound (one of the largest in South East Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site). There was a local school tour where the kids obviously didn't have much interaction with pasty face westerners like us, so we were immediately inundated with requests for photos and felt like celebs for 15 seconds.  There is a night show with dinner and the backdrop of the illuminated temples which is well worth seeing.    

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Yogyakarta - Indonesia

The more time I am back in the 'comfort' of the West the more I think about the pleasure of the East which was not so comfortable at the time. Here are some pics / vid from Indonesia. 


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Tags: ..Yogyakarta - Indonesia..

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Mount Bromo Volcano - Indonesia

This spectacular active volcano in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, was one of the highlights of our trip to East Java, Indonesia.  You can take a trip by jeep to the heart of the crater but the real jewel is watching the sunrise from a distance.  Enjoy the pics.

    

Tags: ..Gunung Bromo..

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Watch Town, Guangzhou, China

Guangzhou, China is not exactly on the main tourist trek but anyone in retail will be more than familiar with this industrial city.  Different neighborhoods are home to blocks of shops selling the same thing. The video below is from 'watch town' where you can buy real and fake watches in bulk and all accessories to along with them. There were no shortage of customers when we were there. 

We bumped into a very strange bunch of kids doing an even stranger photo shoot.

As always there is a classic 'Ching-lish' sign to amuse..

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Tags: ..Watch Town, Guangzhou, China..

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'The Place' Shopping Mall, Beijing

More video from my brief travels in China. This one is from Beijing in 2009. This shopping street is good for people watching and a pre-dinner drink (plenty of western style restaurants  too - but why would you want western food - when in the East).  It's actually more modern and happening than most 'Western' commercial centers, yet wander a few blocks and peasant 80+ old folks are risking life and limb, weaving thru smoggy rush hour traffic on bicycles collecting recyclable materials. China continues to be full of surprises.
You can text a message to the gigantic screen to the amusement / dismay of all

Followed by dinner including insects, frog and 'lamb'!

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Tags: ..The Place Shopping Mall, Beijing.

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