I always read blogs and articles of different people's ideas of the MUST-DOs before they die. Just like in the movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. They were both diagnosed with terminal cancer, so they came up with the idea to fulfill all the things they dreamt about doing. For example they raced Ford Shelbys, visited the pyramids in Giza, the Taj Mahal, a safari in Africa,Etc. It was a good list. So since everybody else that blogs writes a bucket list, I thought I'd write down the ones on the list I have done and the list that I hope to do soon in the near future.
Checked off list: traveled to all six inhabited continents, unfortunately there aren't any hotels in Antarctica. Had pizza in Naples, attended a sumo tournament in Japan, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, Carnaval in Brazil, drove a Ferrari in Monaco, and a safari in Africa. I really wish I had started younger on this list. A lot of time and money was wasted in my 20's but it's never too late and a good thing is I haven't been diagnosed with cancer yet but who knows what tomorrow will bring, so live each day to the fullest because tomorrow is never promised. That being said, here's my list for the future:
1) Climb on Everest. It's the tallest mountain. The photos I see of Sagarmatha are majestic. Even if I don't go up to the summit, just getting there and to Base Camp would be a dream.
2) Run with the Bulls. I know the danger and the brutality of the whole event. I know and I get it but it's one of the those things I have to see for myself. Even if I don't run, at least if I get a nice balcony view would be awesome.
3) Speaking of mountains, another must is Kilimanjaro and Tanzania. I've been to a safari but the one I went to is a little zoo compared to the wildlife running free there. Witnessing this country would be truly awe inspiring.
4) Speaking of wildlife again. The Galápagos Islands with the turtles and diversity of animals concentrated in that tiny area. Being able to snorkel and explore the islands.
5) Visiting the Bible Lands. Being able to see all the places I've read about in the Bible for so many years. The Sea of Galilee, Mount of Olives, the Red Sea. There's too many to list but Israel and Jordan are very high on my list and I hope to visit soon.
6) The Great Wall of China. There's a lot to see in the most populated country in the world. But the Great Wall is a must. As much as I try to avoid the country of my family's origin, basically just because I think it's too cliche to visit a country that I'm the same nationality as. It's like a Filipino going to the Philippines. Not really any excitement in that but it's the Great Wall. Come On!
7) This next one is really roughing it but I think I would enjoy it. Dog sledding with 8 huskies from Chile to Argentina through Patagonia. It sounds cold, tiring, and all. But I imagine seeing the beautiful scenery of Patagonia, working closely with a team of genius doggies. I'd have the time of my life despite any hardships I face along the way.
8) Even though I would probably be over it in a couple days. Easter Island is a place I dream about going to. It's the most remote island in the world. All those huge statues distributed around the island. From the photos, there is a strong appeal for me to see it in person.
9) Going to Songkran in Thailand. It happens in April around the 13th thru the 15th. This is a seriously fun water fight held where everybody in the streets have buckets and super soakers. Even the elephants shoot water from their trunks. That would be a blast! Literally.
Hopefully I get to all of these 9 bucket list items in the near future. But by the time I'm done with these there there will be another 9 added to continue my quest.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Travel tips for Great Barrier Reef and Cairns Australia
I just got back from a two week trip to the Great Barrier Reef/Cairns area. For many this is a bucket list location because there are two World Heritage sites that are connected together here. The Daintree Rainforest which is considered to be the oldest rainforest on Earth and the Great Barrier Reef which is the largest living organism on Earth that can even be seen from outer space. After visiting the area I must say that it is a special place. If you enjoy wildlife, trees on top of trees, waterfalls, beautiful coral reefs, and just really enjoy seeing God's creation there really is no better place in the world. That all being said I have a few tips for traveling to GBR.
Passport/Visa:
If you google whether or not a visa is needed for US citizens to Australia it will tell you to pay the $20 Australian Dollar Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). I did as I was told and paid for the visas online. The interesting part is that at no time was I asked to see a copy of my ETA, not when we arrived or when we left so I'm not going to recommend to not get an ETA but I really question if it is even necessary.
Where to Stay:
There is much debate as to where to stay in the GBR. Many will say Port Douglass which is a small resort town with good access to the Outer Reef for great snorkeling, it's close to the Daintree rainforest, and has quite a few restaurants, shops, and even a couple grocery stores. Some may say Palm Cove is a nice place to stay which is also true. Palm Cove is a very small resort town with very limited restaurants and things to do, so for me I think visiting for a day would be enough. Then of course the biggest town with the airport is Cairns. Cairns has many hotels, restaurants, shops, a mall, casino, and a marina terminal to go out to the reef. I picked this option because I like having a ton of places to choose from. Especially being that I was staying to weeks and since I rented a car, I knew if we could drive to everywhere we wanted to go. Some say break it up, maybe a week in Cairns and a week in Port Douglass. That's actually not a bad idea.
Flights:
As far as flights, good deals are available on websites like Expedia for hotel/airfare/car. We took New Zealand Air which I enjoyed, the leg room was sufficient, flights were for the most part on time, and the food wasn't terrible as other airlines. There are no direct flights to Cairns so the choices were to stop off in Sydney or Auckland.
What to bring:
Sunscreen is a good idea, if going to the beach or the reef, protecting your skin is a good idea. I'm a slight germ-a-phob so bringing my own snorkel gear was important. Most of the Reef boats offer cheap snorkel gear that has been in about million people's mouths. Gross. Bring an Atm card and credit card. Things cost a lot in Australia, especially food. A burger is about $20. Dinner will be at least $60 or more. I ended up spending a lot more than I had anticipated.
Getting Around:
Get a car. There's no way around it. Everything in Australia is far apart and I can't imagine waiting for the bus or taking a taxi everywhere.
Thing to do:
It would too long of a blog to describe everything but here is a list of fun things to do or see:
Daintree Rainforest, Kuranda, Snorkeling the reef, Hartley's, Palm Cove, Port Douglass, Crystal Cascades, Atherton Tablelands, Platypus Park, Aboriginal show, Skyrail and Tully. I'm sure there is more but that's a start.
So if you get the chance to go to GBR, do it. You won't regret it.
Passport/Visa:
If you google whether or not a visa is needed for US citizens to Australia it will tell you to pay the $20 Australian Dollar Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). I did as I was told and paid for the visas online. The interesting part is that at no time was I asked to see a copy of my ETA, not when we arrived or when we left so I'm not going to recommend to not get an ETA but I really question if it is even necessary.
Where to Stay:
There is much debate as to where to stay in the GBR. Many will say Port Douglass which is a small resort town with good access to the Outer Reef for great snorkeling, it's close to the Daintree rainforest, and has quite a few restaurants, shops, and even a couple grocery stores. Some may say Palm Cove is a nice place to stay which is also true. Palm Cove is a very small resort town with very limited restaurants and things to do, so for me I think visiting for a day would be enough. Then of course the biggest town with the airport is Cairns. Cairns has many hotels, restaurants, shops, a mall, casino, and a marina terminal to go out to the reef. I picked this option because I like having a ton of places to choose from. Especially being that I was staying to weeks and since I rented a car, I knew if we could drive to everywhere we wanted to go. Some say break it up, maybe a week in Cairns and a week in Port Douglass. That's actually not a bad idea.
Flights:
As far as flights, good deals are available on websites like Expedia for hotel/airfare/car. We took New Zealand Air which I enjoyed, the leg room was sufficient, flights were for the most part on time, and the food wasn't terrible as other airlines. There are no direct flights to Cairns so the choices were to stop off in Sydney or Auckland.
What to bring:
Sunscreen is a good idea, if going to the beach or the reef, protecting your skin is a good idea. I'm a slight germ-a-phob so bringing my own snorkel gear was important. Most of the Reef boats offer cheap snorkel gear that has been in about million people's mouths. Gross. Bring an Atm card and credit card. Things cost a lot in Australia, especially food. A burger is about $20. Dinner will be at least $60 or more. I ended up spending a lot more than I had anticipated.
Getting Around:
Get a car. There's no way around it. Everything in Australia is far apart and I can't imagine waiting for the bus or taking a taxi everywhere.
Thing to do:
It would too long of a blog to describe everything but here is a list of fun things to do or see:
Daintree Rainforest, Kuranda, Snorkeling the reef, Hartley's, Palm Cove, Port Douglass, Crystal Cascades, Atherton Tablelands, Platypus Park, Aboriginal show, Skyrail and Tully. I'm sure there is more but that's a start.
So if you get the chance to go to GBR, do it. You won't regret it.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Tips for Travel to Cuba
Since travel to Cuba is still semi-new for most Americans I thought it would be helpful to leave a few tips from my recent experience traveling from SFO-MIAMI-HAVANA and back. In the old days Americans had to travel from Mexico or Panama to Cuba or from Canada to Cuba. There was the risk of being fined by the US upon return even though it was never really enforced, at least not for quite a few years. But now with the eased restrictions for US citizens, as long as they are going for educational purposes or any of the 12 categories provided by the US law its ok to travel to Cuba.
FLIGHTS AND VISAS
The first thing needed is a flight. I booked through a company in Miami who's primary customers are Cubans, called CubaMax Travel. They provided me with a roundtrip charter flight from Miami to Havana for $339 and they charged me $75 for a Visa for Cuba. I also then booked a separate roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Miami which was about $400. If I had booked through Mexico from SFO to CANCUN to CUBA, the flight to Cancun would have been about $325, Cancun to Havana about $325. Also to buy a visa for Cuba in Mexico is only $25 there. So I would have saved about $150 total but we also killed two birds with one stone visiting family in Miami. Soon commercial flights will be going to Cuba so all the advice I give may all change after the airlines start daily flights to Cuba.
WHAT TO BRING
SUNSCREEN is important because unlike the Cubans who have skin that doesn't need protection, my wife and I did need it. And finding sunscreen there is extremely difficult if not impossible. TOLIET PAPER may sound like a funny item to bring but it's good as gold in Havana. Unfortunately many of the restrooms don't have it, and plumbing isn't quite up to code in this Third World Country so take my advice and bring some TP. CASH, and lots of it. Food is cheap, hotels are a little pricey, but American's still can't use the ATMs or credit cards for the most part. That hopefully will change soon but until then bring all the money you plan on spending in Cuba, and put it in your wallet. A CAMERA, the Spanish colonial architecture, the people, the old 50's cars, and the scenic ocean views are like no other place in the world. Take pics and save the memories.
NO GROUPS
I'm so against tour groups. I think its as bad as cruises. But Havana is one place where speaking Spanish is good to know. My wife understands well and I took it back in 10th grade even though I don't remember much, but we had a Cuban born cousin take us around which was a huge help. For many years English was the language of the enemy for Cuba so it wasn't taught in schools. But now many Cubans are learning English so at some restaurants and hotels a person can definitely get by. So even if I didn't have my Cuban cousin I would rather travel alone than with a tour group. On top of that they are a total rip off with their prices.
GETTING AROUND
Getting around town is really easy. There's a Hop on Hop off Red Bus that goes around to many key hotels and sites in Havana for 10 CUC. There's also a nice bus called Transtur (I believe it's called) that goes to the beach around 40 minutes away for 5 CUC. Taxis, the bike taxis, etc will be around 3 CUC, more if going further of course. But transportation is easy.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed in a Casa Particular, which is just a rented apartment which is the economical way to go. It ranges from 20 CUC TO 50 CUC. But to me they are not as comfortable as a hotel of course. Air BNB also can be booked from the United States for a stay in Havana. Cuban officials when arriving may ask for the address of where a person plans to stay so that info is vital to have on arrival, at least even if it's for one night only.
So those are just some tips for those interested in going. Havana should be on everyone's bucket list and sooner rather than later with all the changes that will happen in the coming years.
FLIGHTS AND VISAS
The first thing needed is a flight. I booked through a company in Miami who's primary customers are Cubans, called CubaMax Travel. They provided me with a roundtrip charter flight from Miami to Havana for $339 and they charged me $75 for a Visa for Cuba. I also then booked a separate roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Miami which was about $400. If I had booked through Mexico from SFO to CANCUN to CUBA, the flight to Cancun would have been about $325, Cancun to Havana about $325. Also to buy a visa for Cuba in Mexico is only $25 there. So I would have saved about $150 total but we also killed two birds with one stone visiting family in Miami. Soon commercial flights will be going to Cuba so all the advice I give may all change after the airlines start daily flights to Cuba.
WHAT TO BRING
SUNSCREEN is important because unlike the Cubans who have skin that doesn't need protection, my wife and I did need it. And finding sunscreen there is extremely difficult if not impossible. TOLIET PAPER may sound like a funny item to bring but it's good as gold in Havana. Unfortunately many of the restrooms don't have it, and plumbing isn't quite up to code in this Third World Country so take my advice and bring some TP. CASH, and lots of it. Food is cheap, hotels are a little pricey, but American's still can't use the ATMs or credit cards for the most part. That hopefully will change soon but until then bring all the money you plan on spending in Cuba, and put it in your wallet. A CAMERA, the Spanish colonial architecture, the people, the old 50's cars, and the scenic ocean views are like no other place in the world. Take pics and save the memories.
NO GROUPS
I'm so against tour groups. I think its as bad as cruises. But Havana is one place where speaking Spanish is good to know. My wife understands well and I took it back in 10th grade even though I don't remember much, but we had a Cuban born cousin take us around which was a huge help. For many years English was the language of the enemy for Cuba so it wasn't taught in schools. But now many Cubans are learning English so at some restaurants and hotels a person can definitely get by. So even if I didn't have my Cuban cousin I would rather travel alone than with a tour group. On top of that they are a total rip off with their prices.
GETTING AROUND
Getting around town is really easy. There's a Hop on Hop off Red Bus that goes around to many key hotels and sites in Havana for 10 CUC. There's also a nice bus called Transtur (I believe it's called) that goes to the beach around 40 minutes away for 5 CUC. Taxis, the bike taxis, etc will be around 3 CUC, more if going further of course. But transportation is easy.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed in a Casa Particular, which is just a rented apartment which is the economical way to go. It ranges from 20 CUC TO 50 CUC. But to me they are not as comfortable as a hotel of course. Air BNB also can be booked from the United States for a stay in Havana. Cuban officials when arriving may ask for the address of where a person plans to stay so that info is vital to have on arrival, at least even if it's for one night only.
So those are just some tips for those interested in going. Havana should be on everyone's bucket list and sooner rather than later with all the changes that will happen in the coming years.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Japan - Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of the Most Respectful People
I'll start off with our first experience as we arrived back in San Francisco after two weeks in Japan. We get off the airplane and head over to the Bart trains to catch a ride home. When we get to the platform we find out there is a 30 minute delay until the next train arrives. When the train does finally arrive we find empty bottles on the seats, a guy laying across two seats, and a girl blasting her radio for everyone in the train to "enjoy". I said to my wife "I wish we were still in Japan, this would never happen there."
I've been all over the world and have interacted with many cultures. Each culture has wonderful qualities worth imitating. What Japan excels in more than any place I've been is, they are the most polite, honest, and thoughtful people. Not to say the Japanese do not possess many other good qualities like generosity and cleanliness, but the first qualities I mention are above and beyond.
Just to give examples, when taking the subways since I mentioned Bart at the start of my blog. The punctuality of the trains is ridiculous. I never waited for a train more than a couple minutes and the time that is listed on the schedule is the time the train arrives. No litter is left in the trains, no music playing or loud talking. In fact when we got on the train, if my wife sat down next to someone that notices I'm with her, they automatically slide over or move so that I can sit next to my wife! Where else are people so polite and thoughtful?!
Being the coffee-addicted wifi-dependent American that I am, my wife and I headed to one of the many Starbucks in Japan. I noticed all around me that the Japanese would leave their iPads or laptop computers and go to the restroom or grab a drink. They never thought twice about their property being stolen. Just for the sake of comparison, leave an iPad laying around at the Starbucks near my condo in Oakland, if a person were to do that they would walk out of Starbucks iPad-less. When we got up to leave Starbucks I was so pre-occupied searching the maps on my iPhone for the next place we were going to visit I left my wallet at the table I was sitting at. When we were about a block away I realized I left my wallet so I rushed back to find that it was sitting exactly were I left it. Along with that we never felt unsafe or worried about crime which is testament to the people of Japan's integrity and honor.
Also during our trip there was a holiday which was called "Respect for the Aged Day" which is a national holiday to honor elderly citizens. Respect not only for the elderly is stressed in the Japanese culture but respect and honor are taught and emphasized from infancy on in Japan. When I talk to my Japanese friend who lives in the Tokyo area how impressed I was by the conduct of the people, he said "all these millions of people on this little island have to learn this because there's so many in such a small area". But it's more than that, it's truly remarkable to me that everybody in the country is on the "same page", they understand, they "get it". The whole "do unto others as you would have them do to you", they actually follow that! It works!
There's of course many superficial things that I enjoyed as well in Japan like the food. The food is the best in the world and the Japanese definitely take pride in their cuisine. How modern everything is in Tokyo, yet they keep the traditions of their culture alive despite that. Everyone I met was so friendly, I received so many gifts, my wife and I were overwhelmed by the generosity shown to us.
Japan was a special experience, I was touched by the new friends we made, the friends I was able to reconnect with after so many years, and being in a culture that does so many things "right". I look forward to the opportunity to visit again, to visit the Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of the most respectful people.
I've been all over the world and have interacted with many cultures. Each culture has wonderful qualities worth imitating. What Japan excels in more than any place I've been is, they are the most polite, honest, and thoughtful people. Not to say the Japanese do not possess many other good qualities like generosity and cleanliness, but the first qualities I mention are above and beyond.
Just to give examples, when taking the subways since I mentioned Bart at the start of my blog. The punctuality of the trains is ridiculous. I never waited for a train more than a couple minutes and the time that is listed on the schedule is the time the train arrives. No litter is left in the trains, no music playing or loud talking. In fact when we got on the train, if my wife sat down next to someone that notices I'm with her, they automatically slide over or move so that I can sit next to my wife! Where else are people so polite and thoughtful?!
Being the coffee-addicted wifi-dependent American that I am, my wife and I headed to one of the many Starbucks in Japan. I noticed all around me that the Japanese would leave their iPads or laptop computers and go to the restroom or grab a drink. They never thought twice about their property being stolen. Just for the sake of comparison, leave an iPad laying around at the Starbucks near my condo in Oakland, if a person were to do that they would walk out of Starbucks iPad-less. When we got up to leave Starbucks I was so pre-occupied searching the maps on my iPhone for the next place we were going to visit I left my wallet at the table I was sitting at. When we were about a block away I realized I left my wallet so I rushed back to find that it was sitting exactly were I left it. Along with that we never felt unsafe or worried about crime which is testament to the people of Japan's integrity and honor.
Also during our trip there was a holiday which was called "Respect for the Aged Day" which is a national holiday to honor elderly citizens. Respect not only for the elderly is stressed in the Japanese culture but respect and honor are taught and emphasized from infancy on in Japan. When I talk to my Japanese friend who lives in the Tokyo area how impressed I was by the conduct of the people, he said "all these millions of people on this little island have to learn this because there's so many in such a small area". But it's more than that, it's truly remarkable to me that everybody in the country is on the "same page", they understand, they "get it". The whole "do unto others as you would have them do to you", they actually follow that! It works!
There's of course many superficial things that I enjoyed as well in Japan like the food. The food is the best in the world and the Japanese definitely take pride in their cuisine. How modern everything is in Tokyo, yet they keep the traditions of their culture alive despite that. Everyone I met was so friendly, I received so many gifts, my wife and I were overwhelmed by the generosity shown to us.
Japan was a special experience, I was touched by the new friends we made, the friends I was able to reconnect with after so many years, and being in a culture that does so many things "right". I look forward to the opportunity to visit again, to visit the Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of the most respectful people.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
The difference between traveling and vacationing.
What is the difference between traveling and vacationing? A lot of people confuse the two being that both are time away from our secular jobs. Both require leaving home for a certain about of time. But the differences are substantial, and understanding the difference and really what your goal is when a person is off work will determine which they prefer. Is your time off to relax and do nothing, being care free? Or is your time off for seeing or doing something new that you can't do while being stuck at work.
That ability or desire to understand and see the world is what separates humans from animals. A dog doesn't care about what dogs in India do or eat. There are no museums for cows to look at the history of cows. This is a unique gift we have that I think very few take advantage of.
So the other day a person asked me why I don't just go on a cruise. Which is a good question being that thousands and thousands of people go on cruises every year. People like the convenience of it all. The entertainment, food, rooms, and ports of call are all included in one economic price. From my own experience I went on a cruise that started off in Tampa that went to Cozumel, Belize, and Grand Cayman. I'll be honest, I felt like a prisoner or cattle on the ship. I was allowed to eat and go out to the yard for a few hours a day until they told me to get back on the ship, "prison/barn." The people on the boat were older and "less adventurous types." It was like hanging out with "Joe from Chicago" who just retired or "Bob from Florida" who decided to go because it was a good deal. I left feeling empty like I got nothing from it but a slightly bigger stomach and maybe a little extra sleep. But I could've done all that at home! I could have laid around and stuffed my face with food and never left the house. The stops at the ports of call leave barely anytime to do anything let alone understand something about the place I visited. I've had layovers to my next flight longer than the time spent at the ports of call.
That's the difference between travel and vacation. Going to Hawaii every year or to a resort in Cancun or Jamaica is not traveling. That is under the vacation category. There's absolutely nothing wrong choosing to relax in a comfortable environment and spending time to re-energize and rejuvenate one's self before the grind of everyday life comes again. I forgot the percentage but I believe 85% of people go to places they have already been to. So I would say most people, and when I say people I mean Americans like to vacation.
So most will probably guess I prefer travel. What do you prefer?
Thursday, March 31, 2016
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