Country #111 - Brunei

The Airport Mosque

Flying from Timor-Leste to Brunei was definitely a round-about situation. Flying out of Dili I had a six hour layover back in Bali where I hung out in a lounge before catching my next flight. From Bali I flew to Kuala Lumpur where I had another six hour layover, this time overnight. I stayed in a capsule hotel in the airport for a few hours. It was quite a small space but I was able to manage a few hours of sleep. I then headed to my gate where I found I was a bit delayed heading to Brunei which, yet again, kept me from getting to see much in the country.

I had wanted to take a tour for a few hours but being just a little late kept me from doing so. Instead, I at least had an interesting time exploring the airport. I didn’t know what to expect of the Brunei International Airport, located in Bandar Seri Begawan, but I wasn’t anticipating that it would be so new or impressive. I really appreciated how nice it was and spent some time upon landing walking around the stores before I checked in for my next flight. After checking in I walked around the grounds outside which led me to the most interesting part of the airport - there was a beautiful mosque right outside. I did not go inside but enjoyed my walk around the entire outside. I was amazed with its size for being on the grounds of an airport. After my time at the mosque I headed back inside where I got a quick snack before going through immigration and security.

The inside of the airport was just as nice with a spiral staircase leading up to the airport lounge. I attempted to make myself a grilled cheese (by toasting bread and then filling it with lots of sliced cheddar cheese) before spending a few hours getting work done. I enjoyed my time in the airport before heading back to Kuala Lumpur for the night. I just wish I had had more time to see Brunei, but there is always next time!

When I arrived back in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia I took an Uber to my hotel, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel. As soon as I arrived I didn’t want to leave! It was an absolutely beautiful lobby and I was greeted very warmly at reception. I was given a room on the club level and it was stunning. I loved how nice it was and how much attention to room it showed. The view of the city was amazing as well! Thank you so much to Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel for sponsoring this night of my trip! I ordered a tasty (and much needed) burger for dinner and spent the evening enjoying my room. It was a lovely evening and I really didn’t want to have to wake up early tomorrow, so much so that I seriously considered changing my flight time, but the cost was just too much. It would be a super early morning but I am beyond excited for my next destination. I’m headed to Singapore!

111 countries down, 85 to go.

To learn more about Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel click here.

Country #110 - Timor-Leste

The Island Park

I woke up once again in paradise on Bali where I had a quick breakfast and wished everyone at Sanur House farewell before heading to the airport around 8am. When I got there I enjoyed the lounge for a bit before heading to my gate. But I should have just stayed in the lounge. My flight kept getting delayed. They eventually had to feed everyone and it ended up being hours before the plane finally left. I was starting to get worried that the might cancel the flight but luckily everything worked out.

I arrived in Dili, Timor-Leste much later than I had anticipated and had lost the entire day as a result. A driver from my hotel, Discovery Inn, was there to pick me up at the airport with some chocolate so at least that made my day a bit better! The drive to the hotel was a beautiful one with most of it being along the water. I had a welcome greeting when I arrived at Discovery Inn before being shown to my room. Thank you so much to Discovery Inn for sponsoring this night of my trip! After a long day being stuck in the airport it was nice to have a great place to stay.

I enjoyed the nice Deck Bar at the hotel for a bit before heading down to the restaurant to eat dinner. I had a very tasty schnitzel and was quite entertained by the loud group of Americans taking up most of the restaurant throughout dinner. After dinner I headed back up to my room to get some sleep before having a few hours to explore Dili in the morning.

The next day I had a mid afternoon flight today which left me with plenty of time to as least see a little bit of Dili. I had a tasty breakfast at Discovery Inn before being dropped off at the water in an area called Largo de Lecidere to walk around for a while. It was a nice place to relax and there were plenty of locals out enjoying the nice weather. After walking around for a bit I stopped by Fatima Park, which was closed off, and then headed back towards my hotel. It was, unfortunately, a Sunday so almost everything was closed, including the National Museum that I had been hoping to see. Next time, I guess!

I had a very nice morning seeing as much as I could on a Sunday. Once I arrived back at the hotel it was time to say goodbye and take the enjoyable drive back to the airport. Luckily this flight decided to cooperate, contrary to yesterday, and was on time. I had a few hour layover in Bali after my first flight where I was lucky that the lounge had tasty food, and from there I then had a layover in Kuala Lumpur. It was only about five hours, but it was overnight, so I decided to stay in a pod style hotel in the airport to get a few hours of sleep. It was very inexpensive and definitely worth it to get a few hours of sleep! When I woke up a few hours later it was time for my flight to my next country, Brunei.

110 countries down, 86 to go.

To learn more about Discovery Inn click here.

Country #109 - Indonesia

The Rice Paddies

My time in Indonesia was absolutely wonderful! I landed in Bali well after midnight and had a car waiting to take me to my hotel, Sanur House. It was very late when I arrived but I received a very warm welcome and was really appreciated my lovely room to get a great night of sleep in. Thank you so much to Sanur House for sponsoring my time in Bali! I also can’t thank Sanur House enough for how much they went above and beyond during my stay.

The next day I woke up to meet Agata, the general manager of Sanur House, and go on a tour of Bali for the day. I was so excited and appreciative! We had a tasty breakfast to-go in the car and started our trip off by heading towards Tegenungan Waterfall. On the drive there I was introduced to Pak and Ibu, two locals who were helping to drive and guide us for the day. They were both so cool and I was very glad to get to know them and Agata as well. It was an enjoyable drive through the island and I was able to learn a lot even just starting our trip.

When we got to Tegenungan Waterfall Agata, Ibu, and I made our way to the bottom. It was a lot of stairs but was well worth it to get up close - the waterfall was amazing and the entire surrounding area was beautiful! I opted against swimming so I wouldn’t be wet for the rest of the day, but there were plenty of other people doing so. The walk back up was definitely exhausting and we were all excited to get back in the car and rest.

Our next stop was the Tirta Empul Temple. Before we entered we all had to tie a wrap around our waists and pull our hair up. It was definitely interesting to learn all of the regulations to entering! I’m glad we were able to go inside, though, because it was amazing. People were bathing in the pools and the actual structure itself was very intricate. The whole complex was quite impressive. I loved the giant koi pond and we were sure to look for the fabled blue fish, though we failed to see it. After learning about the Tirta Empul Temple and taking pictures we then headed back to the car to head to eat lunch. 

We ate at a place nearby where you literally sat above giant ponds while eating. It was so cool and my satay was very tasty! After a refreshing and unique lunch we headed back on our way, this time towards Tegalalang Rice Terrace. I have to say it was the most impressive rice terrace that I have ever seen! It was absolutely giant and we climbed all the way to the bottom. Not only was it deep but very wide as well. It was so interesting to see, especially up close, and to learn about the process as well.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace was, unfortunately, our last stop for the day. It was an amazing day driving around with Agata, Ibu, and Pak and I cannot thank them all enough for spending their day with me and truly showing me Bali. It was great to get to know them all and to learn more about Bali and Indonesia.

After arriving back at Sanur House and wishing them all goodbye I then walked around the fantastic property to take pictures before heading to Segara Ayu Beach. It was just a short walk down the road to get there and it is absolutely magnificent. You can see Mount Rinjani, an active volcano, off in the distance. I walked down the beach for a while before heading back into town and eating dinner at a nice pizza place. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day and I am so glad that I got to spend it exploring Bali. After dinner I made my way back to Sanur House to get a good night of sleep before my 8am departure tomorrow. I only wish that I didn’t have to leave so soon, but I can’t wait to visit Indonesia again soon!

109 countries down, 87 to go.

To learn more about Sanur House click here.

Country #108 - Malaysia

The Petronas Twin Towers

It was very early the next morning by the time that I finally arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I took an Uber into the city to my hotel for the night, PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur. My experience at check in was very welcome and I was blown away by my room - it was huge! It was a studio suite with a giant kitchen and had everything I could possibly need. It was so nice and I only wish that I had had more time to enjoy it. Thank you so much to PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur for sponsoring my stay in Malaysia!

I was not able to sleep for long as I had a meeting at 10am with Christy, who helped to arrange my stay. She was so nice and it was very enjoyable to talk with her about Kuala Lumpur (she had some great recommendations) and to learn more about the hotel. She gave me a tour of the different room types and all of the facilities. It was really cool to see the whole hotel! After our meeting I called an Uber to head to my first stop: the Petronas Twin Towers. The Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin towers in the world and for a time were the tallest buildings. A mall, Suria KLCC, sits under the most iconic buildings in Malaysia and I took a quick walk through before heading outside to explore the KLCC Park outside. It has amazing views of the Petronas Twin Towers and the park itself was so cool! It had so many different ares, including a water activity area for kids and some unique trees.

It was so hot outside but I really enjoyed walking around and seeing it all. Afterwards I made my way to Merdeka Square, the old colonial square of the city. Malaysia had been British from the 18th to 20th century and there are still many reminders of that part of the country’s history. The buildings around Merdeka Square definitely feel colonial and it was very interesting to walk around and learn the history. Around back of the buildings it was like a mix of the old and the new - the buildings ran up against a modern walkway along the Gombak River that made for a very enjoyable walk.

From there I walked to the Central Market. It actually wasn’t too exciting and was a very quick walk to get to my final destination of the day, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple. It is a Hindu temple and, as a result, is the first of its kind that I have seen. It was very unique and I’m glad I was able to see it before grabbing my bags and heading back to the airport. I had a very chatty Uber driver on the way back to the PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur who talked about all different things about Malaysia with me. It’s a long ride out to the airport, but the train to and from the city is actually just as much as an Uber so it wasn’t worth figuring out the rail system. I made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare for my next flight and found a nice Priority Pass lounge to grab some food from. My next stop is Indonesia and I’m very excited to explore Bali!

108 countries down, 88 to go.

To learn more about PARKROYAL Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur click here.

Hong Kong

Day 1 – The Persistent Cold

I landed in Hong Kong around 10pm and was feeling sick all over again. I took the local bus, which is totally worth the cost savings, straight from the airport to the front door of my hotel, Mojo Nomad. Thanks so much to Mojo Nomad for sponsoring my stay in Hong Kong. I had a big room all to myself and went to sleep as soon as I got there.

When I got up I was still feeling bad and decided to call it a sick day. Yes, I cam to Hong Kong just to see it (because it doesn’t count as a country and really I don’t know exactly what to call it - Wikipedia says it is an autonomous territory so we will go with that, I guess). I wanted to see Hong Kong but I also really need to stay healthy on this trip. I have a whole day again tomorrow so I spent the day today sleeping and working on planning the rest of this trip. I didn’t even feel like eating, that’s how bad that I felt. I went to sleep pretty early to have a full day ahead of me tomorrow. I’m just hoping that I feel up to it!

Day 2 – The Gardens

Good news: I felt much better this morning! I had breakfast in the Mojo Nomad lobby before storing my luggage for the day and heading out to see the city. My first stop was to buy the very important Octopus card. Side note: I don’t know if they are all done by the same company or not, but way too many public transit systems have cards that start with the letter O. Octopus, Oyster, and Opal? Seems like a lot. But anyways, I had to get my Octopus card to be able to get around for the day. I headed to a convenience store down the street to buy a card and top it up before taking a bus to my first destination, Victoria Peak.

It was an enjoyable bus ride along the water into the heart of what felt like a major business district. I walked the last ten minutes to the Victoria Peak cable car station and immediately realized that was not going to happen: the line was out the door and around the block! Instead I visited a cool old church just down the street, St. John’s Cathedral, and from there walked through a few parks to catch the ferry. It was a about to depart right when I got to the Wan Chai Ferry Pier and getting on was simple enough. All I had to do was tap my Octopus card. The ride across Kowloon Bay was amazing! There were giant buildings on both sides and both skylines were impressive. The ride itself took under ten minutes before arriving at Star Ferry Pier on the other side. 

I really enjoyed walking around the area near the Star Ferry Pier. There was a really cool shopping area, Tsim Sha Tsui, and tons of other neat stores. I went in one mega-mall where I knew immediately what I had to have for lunch: I spotted another Din Tai Fung! It was in Taiwan (where I tried it for the first time) but I was so excited to see it again and ordered twice as many dumplings on this visit, trying both the chicken and pork. Pork was still the best but they were both tasty!

After a very fulfilling lunch I headed north to visit two places: the Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden. I took the metro to go most of the way and took a bus the rest of the way. The two are right across the street (via a bridge) from each other and I decided to visit the Chi Lin Nunnery first. It was massive and so interesting. It featured many Buddhist figures and I really appreciated the explanations in English. It was a beautiful place and I really enjoyed walking through and learning about it. Afterwards I crossed the bridge to the Nan Lian Garden. It was amazing! Truly it is one of the coolest parks I have ever seen. There were so many unique aspects in it, from waterfalls and statues, to flowers and cultural buildings, there was so much to see. I took my time and visited the entire park and definitely recommend a walk through it all.

After finishing up a great visit around the city I took the bus back to the metro station where I decided to walk around a local mall. It was massive and I had one goal: I needed chapstick! While walking around I stumbled into a McDonalds, which by itself would be no big deal, but they were serving strawberry flavored soft serve ice cream. Now that’s a McDonalds food I could get behind! I got a cone to go and enjoyed it on my walk through the mall. I finally found a pharmacy and luckily they had just what I needed. I then took the metro back into the heart of the city where I caught a bus to take me back to Mojo Nomad. I picked up my luggage and, after a bit of a wait at the bus stop, caught the local bus back to the airport. The hour ride was enjoyable as I was able to see the outskirts of the city during the daytime this time. I really found the massive port area to be interesting and also attempted to see Hong Kong Disney as we passed the exit. I would love to go on my next visit to Hong Kong. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time for my flight which was, unfortunately, delayed. I finally boarded my flight for Kuala Lumpur after midnight, and really am looking forward to my time in Malaysia.

107 countries down, 89 to go.

To learn more about Mojo Nomad click here.