It’s going to be hard to top this adventure. What I do know is that a journey as epic as this one deserves a sequel. I’ll see you again soon, Iceland!
Song: Shooting Star by Dexter Britain
Tag: video
Wow, Hualien! The Vid
I only have love for this country of which I’ve seen so little, but has wowed me immensely. This is for all the new friends we met at Hualien County in Taiwan. I await the day when we can explore more of your lovely, stunning country.
If you want to read more about our adventures in Hualien County, hop over to my blog post over here.
Song: Peach Plum Pear by Jenifer Avila
Queenstown is for the Brave
This is my tribute to a week-long spell of signing my life away in indemnity forms. Breathtaking, heart-stirring, hair-raising, all at the same time — this trip was definitely epic.
Song: Bad Girlfriend by Theory of a Deadman
Continue reading “Queenstown is for the Brave”
A Blue Paradise Called Maldives
I feel blessed to have the most adventurous and fun friends around to make dreams like these happen. From them, I’ve learned to take chances, to be unapologetic for being whimsical, to chase after adventure and celebrate life whenever I can. Til our next celebration!
Song: Brighter than the Sun by Colbie Caillat
Big Smiles and Happy Feet: The Tassie Vid
Because life is too short to not celebrate and dance around.
Tasmania, Australia | Jan 2014
Song: Make a New Dance Up by Hey Ocean
If you want to read more about our adventures in stunning Tassie, just boogie on over to here.
Africa, at last we meet!
It’s confirmed! South Africa has a lot of animals. And beaches. And breathtaking landscapes. And mouth-watering food and wine. Wait, why did I leave again?!
Song: Jubel by Klingande
If you want to read more about our safari adventure in Kruger, click here.
Our itinerary:
Days 1-2 – Touchdown Johannesburg! Settle in a bit and go around town with the City Sightseeing bus
Day 3 – Fly from Johannesburg to Nelspruit (KMIA) Airport, pick up the rental car and drive onto Kruger National Park
Days 4-6 – Take a self-drive safari around Kruger National Park
Day 6 – Drive back to KMIA to fly back to Johannesburg, then take another flight to Cape Town
Day 7 – Hike up Table Mountain and check out the nightlife at Long Street
Day 8 – Go canyoning with Abseil Africa
Day 9 – Pick up the rental car, drive off to explore Camps Bay and Muizenberg, and to visit the penguins of Boulders Beach. At night, check out the V&A Waterfront’s dinner scene.
Day 10 – Take more scenic drives to Bloubergstrand, Chapman’s Peak and Cape Point
Day 11 – Enjoy the good life in a wine-and-cheese tasting tour around Stellenbosch and Franschoek
Day 12 – Relax and see the Two Oceans Aquarium
Day 13 – See Cape Town on foot by joining a walking tour
Day 14 – Fly back to Johannesburg
Day 15-16 – Relax and drive a bit more around Johannesburg before heading home.
Expenses
- Accommodations
- Room with a double-bed & ensuite bathroom at Shoestrings Airport Lodge, Johannesburg – ~USD 40 per night (the lodge offers free shuttle to and fro the airport, which was great)
- Room with a double-bed & shared bathroom at Mbizi Backpackers Lodge, Johannesburg – ~USD 38 per night
- Bungalow for 2 people at the Skukuza camp in Kruger – ZAR 902.50 (~USD 83.17) per night
- Safari Tent for 2 people at the Lower Sabie camp in Kruger – ZAR 779 (~USD 71.8) per night
- Room with a double-bed & ensuite bathroom at Big Blue Backpackers, Cape Town – ~USD 44 per night
- Activities
- One-day Red City Sightseeing Tour in Johannesburg – ZAR 130 (~USD 12)
- Guided safari sunset drive at Lower Sabie – ZAR 220 (~USD 20.2) per person
- Table Mountain cable car fare – ZAR 215 (~USD 19) for return, ZAR 110 (~USD 10) one-way
- Abseil Africa Kamikaze Kanyon Tour in Cape Town – ZAR 895 (~USD 85) per person
- Boulders Beach National Park entrance fee – ZAR 40 (~USD 3.7) per person
- Cape of Good Hope entry – ZAR 105 (~USD 10) per adult
- Two Oceans Aquarium entrance fee – ZAR 106 (~USD 10) per adult
- A much-recommended SABP Wine Tasting Tour around Stellenbosch and Franschoek – ZAR 595 (~USD 56) per person
- Cape Town Free Walking Tour – pay what you want for the tour 🙂
- Transportation
- Johannesburg-Nelspruit KMIA return flight via South African Airways – ZAR 2301 (~USD 216)
- Johannesburg-Cape Town return flight via Mango – ZAR 2929 (~USD 274)
- Avis Car Rental for 4 days (Group A -VW Polo and similar) – EUR 72.43 (~USD 98), pick-up points are available in Nelspruit, Johannesburg and Cape Town
Floating Wishes and Soaring Hearts in Taipei: The Vid
I’ve already professed my love for Taipei in my previous posts here, but that’s no reason for me to stop gushing about one of the prettiest festivals I’ve ever been blessed to see. If you’ve hung out this blog for long enough, you know what’s next — yep, it’s the vid! This is for kindred spirits Jan, Ralph and Alex — here’s to a lifetime of our wishes coming true!
Song: Go With It by Tokimonsta
If you want to check out the what-how-where’s of our adventures in Taipei, you can read about them here.
Bewitched by Siquijor: The Vid
Don’t you love it when stars finally align your way? 2013 has been really good to me so far; I’ve garnered a lot of good experiences and memories that I’m sure will last — and we’re barely halfway through the year!
Here’s a vid of one of my favorite escapes so far — Siquijor is simply one of those places that just makes me grow fonder about growing up in a blessed archipelago. Enjoy!
If you’re interested to read the what-how-where’s of our Siquijor adventure, you can check out the all-about-Siquijor post here.
Song: One day / Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Remix) by Asaf Avidan
Project 366 – 2012: The First Half
Since the start of the year, I’ve been bent on capturing at least a second’s worth of clips each day, so that I can compile it to a 2012-series video, which I can look back to whenever I’m wondering where my time went.
I’m supposed to wait until the actual end of year before I begin piecing the clips together, but just in case we don’t make it past Dec 21, I decided to go ahead and do the first half’s worth. =P
Watching the vids once again brought me to a nostalgia trip, as can be expected. Like that first splash of water at my face in the morning, about a dozen realizations washed upon me as well. Like how everyday can’t really be a spine-tingling adventure, but can still be an opportunity to learn, to rediscover, to reconnect with loved ones and appreciate people and things simply for being there.
This vid is for all the family and friends who have paid me a visit, for those took me in whenever I dropped by, for all those who brushed against my life and made it a bit more interesting. Thank you, I sincerely mean it that this piece of work would have no meaning without you guys.
Song: Computer by State Shirt (http://stateshirt.com/music/computer/)
Melbourne: The Posh and the Wild
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/.
Wakeboarding? Bangarang!
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
Easy, Breezy, Perth
It took me a long time to finally get this done, but I’m really happy at how my Perth collage turned out. Enjoy!
Want the behind-the-scenes stories, photos & tips? You can check them out over here!
Song: Love Today by Mika
.: ishcapades 