Tag Archives: outdoors

europe, travel

I Dream of Santorini

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Pretty cliff-side houses in Oia

Santorini is much like the pretty gal that every other girl would love to hate. You know, the one who gets out of bed looking every inch exquisite, the one who exudes charm without even trying, the type who you would compliment all day and would just shrug it all off, as if gorgeousness was something you got for free with your kiddie snack.

I still get over how the steep cliffs look snow-capped from the whitewashed houses.
Snow? Nuh-uh. Whitewashed houses blanket the peaks of the Caldera’s steep cliffs.

Yes, it seems this island is blessed — with its amazing vantage points overlooking the sea, its picturesque artisan town of Oia, a muti-faceted terrain which allows one to comb through vineyards at one hour, climb a volcano the next, all before having a pick of whether to lounge the day away at a black, red or white beach. Continue reading I Dream of Santorini →

europe, travel

Catching Our Breath at Paros

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Even party girls need some chill-time. After busy, lively Mykonos, the almost sleepy-town of Paroikia in Paros was a welcome breather.

We were booked to stay for two nights at Jimmy’s Hostel, and who else would be the first person at the pier who would greet us? No less but Jimmy himself! Quite a character with his booming voice and ubiquitous grin, he helped us load our bags onto to his van and whisked us off to the apartments, which was only a few blocks away from the pier.  Continue reading Catching Our Breath at Paros →

europe, travel

Seventh Heaven at the Jungfraujoch

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The trip up Europe’s highest railway wasn’t originally in the itinerary, but I took the very pleasant weather as a push from fate. Launching myself into a fury, I cancelled and made last-minute bookings left and right. It almost looked like it wasn’t happening, but then at last, the day trip to Jungfraujoch was a go, and the sights were worth every bit of the trouble.

Continue reading Seventh Heaven at the Jungfraujoch →

asia, travel

Reasons Why Krabi Rocks

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Ladies and gentlemen, Thailand has finally crept its way up to my heart. Or, to be more apt, it rock-climbed its way.

My first glimpse of the Kingdom of Siam was Phuket, and although it was nothing to be scoffed at, a lot of things were too ‘in-your-face’ for me, and its beaches still left me wanting.

Enter Krabi.

The first time I heard of this sweet-spot for scrambling up crags, I instantly knew it was an eventuality. It was just a matter of time of when I’ll score a promo flight to this weekend warrior’s haven. Finally, that time rolled around. Continue reading Reasons Why Krabi Rocks →

oceania, travel

We’ve Struck Gold!: A Party in Paradise

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A whim, a dose of serendipity, and a promo flight alert — that’s how most of my ‘adventures’ usually start. This time, the jaunt is brought to you by Scoot, the newest budget fleet to catch my eye. As soon as they offered their launch promo fares, I clicked-clicked-clicked my way down to the Gold Coast. So to all those who were curious: Yes, Scoot flies, and by golly, it lands too! In terms of cabin service, it’s still leagues behind counterparts like AirAsia and Jetstar, but they’re a young fleet and I reckon they’ll catch up.

Gold Coast is (in)famous for its plethora of tourist spots — from its naturally-seductive stretch of golden sand and waves, to the glitzy theme parks and malls that dot the city.

However, this particular tale is more about two wanderlust-y travellers who traipsed the city: let’s call them busybody Sheng and beachbum Ish. Continue reading We’ve Struck Gold!: A Party in Paradise →

oceania, travel, video

Surf, Sun and Fun: Sydney the Vid

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God, Sydney is gorgeous. With its sparkling blue beaches, quaint cafe culture, and of course, the charming cool of its people, what’s not to like?

We were blessed to celebrate Australia Day with the Sydneysiders last January; I came back for another go at the Blue Mountains just recently. I have a feeling Sydney hasn’t seen the last of me yet.

If you want to read more about our adventures & itinerary in Sydney, then skidaddle over here: https://ishg.wordpress.com/tag/sydney/.

Song: Let’s Go Surfing by The Drums

asia, travel

When Great Means Epic

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First, let me get this off my chest — we sold out! We rode the cable car to get up the wall, instead of that dramatic hike that we originally planned. But just because passed on the chance to go ala-Dora doesn’t mean that it was any less of an adventure.

Follow the Yellow(ish-red) Brick Road!

The Road to Jinshanling

I lost track of when the day ended and when another began. I nodded off to sleep at 2 am, only to wake up at 5:30 to make sure that Jan and Alex made it all the way from the airport to our meeting point safely. Fates be praised, they did and after a few bouts of groggy discussion, we agreed to slightly change our plans. In place of far-off Jinshanling, we were heading to the Mutianyu area of the Great Wall instead, given that we had less time than we thought. Adjustments were made, and after a while we were boarding long-distance Bus 980 at the Dongzhimen terminal. Continue reading When Great Means Epic →

oceania, travel, video

Melbourne: The Posh and the Wild

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Melbourne can be a poster boy for the Weekend Warrior — on weekdays, it charms you with its effortless chic, but on weekends, it’s all about basking in the sun and heading out for the stunning raw beauty that’s just a stone’s throw away.

Hit Play for some glimpses of Melbourne and Victoria; if you fancy some tales about koalas, narrow alleyways, fairy penguins, the Twelve Apostles, et al, then check out https://ishg.wordpress.com/tag/melbourne/.

asia, singapore, video

Wakeboarding? Bangarang!

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Bangarang (as defined in urbandictionary.com)
1. Battle cry of the Lost Boys in the movie Hook.
2. Jamaican slang defined as a hubbub, uproar, disorder, or disturbance.
3. General exclamation meant to signify approval or amazement.

When almost everything in your entire country fits in one tiny island, you don’t get a lot of chances to go out to sea. That’s one of the main reasons why I love to head out to the Punggol Marina to don on those wakeboard boots — just to jump on a speedboat and feel the wind slap against my face as we zip to the vast open water — ah, this is the life! For a moment, the busy urban jungle that is Singapore feels like worlds away.

This is for Yuvraj, Parvind, Lawrence, Cecily and Dai Lin — our brave first-timers for this round, and for Gaurav, who seemed to have banished all anxieties of open water. Til next time!

Song: Bangarang by Skrillex
2012-03, Wakeboarding at Punggol Marina Country Club, Singapore

oceania, travel

Life’s a Beach in Sydney

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It was our Day 8 in Australia, and I was getting a bit frustrated as I haven’t been able to take a dip yet after seeing miles and miles of gorgeous coastlines.

Okay, let's take a vote --- Aussie dads: cool or hot?

Well, I certainly was in for a treat in Sydney’s Northern Suburbs. On a weekend, the dress code seemed to be singlets, bikinis and board shorts. We haven’t even lingered for an hour yet, and I had my nth sighting of someone crossing the road, lugging along his surfboard. All these just a brief bus ride away from alighting the tube. How could I not fall in love with this lifestyle? Continue reading Life’s a Beach in Sydney →

asia, philippines, travel

The Batad Experience: How Far Will You Go for an Epic Adventure?

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Word on the backpacker’s grapevine says that Batad is one of those rare glimpses of heaven on earth. A village that used to be a well-kept secret, Batad is neatly tucked away, almost in the shadow of Banaue, its more-familiar neighbor. A few souls have dared call it as the 8th Wonder of the World, but seriously, the title has been thrown around so often, that we can probably come up with a Top 7 ‘8th Wonders of the World’ list.

In the end, curiosity got the best of us, and at the third year of a tradition that we unknowingly started, my bundok buddies and I trooped off to Batad to kick off the year with another adventure. Continue reading The Batad Experience: How Far Will You Go for an Epic Adventure? →