Travels – Travels with Ali

~ A Relaxing Week with the Family at Hotel Nikko, Benoa, Bali ~

We decided to head back to the easiest place to visit outside of Australia, our home away from home, Bali. The munchkins were counting down the days from weeks ago. There are still a few red tape issues to enter Bali, eVisa, customs declaration and now a tourist tax. It would be great if they used the tourist tax to pay for better rubbish removal.

Normally around Easter Bali is bustling and busy, but with what is going on in the World right now, we noticed that the queues for immigration weren’t as long as normal. Also if you have little ones or you are over 60 you could go join a special line. It seems that everyone has this demographic!

Nikko Hotel Pool

We were staying at the Nikko Hotel in Benoa. It is situated on the beach and around 10 minutes by car to Nusa Dua. The cost was three times cheaper than Nusa Dua, where all the high end hotels are. Having left home at 5 am, we were checked in and by the pool 1.30.

I had requested adjoining rooms and happy to see this was granted. It meant that we could watch the kids when our daughter went to the gym or shops. I would say Nikko Hotel was 3.5 stars not the 5 as advertised! Not if the Conrad was anything to go by. It was very much old style Bali with a rustic charm. Solid wooden furniture and our bed was enormous. The bathrooms had been renovated, with separate bath and shower cubicle.

The swimming pool was fantastic with a sandy “shoreline” making for an easy entry. It was right on the beach with sunbeds facing towards the sea to catch the cool breeze. You could gaze for ages at the shimmering water and watch the various water sports in action.

There were always plenty of beds and who doesn’t love a swim up bar for happy hour.

Going on an adventure

There were always so many ships, tugs and cargo boats waiting to enter the harbour. Jet skis, banana boats, parachutes and hoverboards in were in action throughout the day, so never a dull moment on the ocean.

Benoa Beach, Boats and Mount Agung

We tried different restaurants every night enjoying the Balinese cuisine and friendly service. I felt sad for the Balinese people who tried to entice us into their venues, so many of the places were empty. Having just recovered from Covid and now to suffer another blow to their economy.

One restaurant in particular stands out for the munchkins, called Ketut. There were many iguanas on display who loved to be petted. After dinner every night they would go along for ice cream and a cuddle with the iguanas!

And the rest!

Don’t be koi now!

We were all very well rested and relaxed after a week here. Back to school on Monday and my decluttering awaits.

~ Views from the Eurostar – London to Paris ~

I’m joining Dan’s Fun Foto Challenge this week and the theme is views from or in public transport. I took the Eurostar a few years ago to join a friend in Paris for the weekend. It’s the ideal way to travel, avoiding those lengthy queues at the airport and not having to put all your liquids in a tiny bag.

I opted for lunch on board and was happily surprised by the food served and being waited on! It was such a comfortable journey and I would happily do it again.

Seems like I had the train to myself, but it did fill up!

Leaving St. Pancras

The windfarms at Beaulencourt

The Return Journey

Slightly blurred shots of the French countryside!

~ Monsoon Valley Winery, Hua Hin, Thailand – Dining with a View ~

During our stay in Thailand we headed out to the hills to have lunch at Monsoon Valley Winery. I was surprised that there was a winery here, never having been to one in Thailand before.

There is also an elephant sanctuary situated here and you can take a small minibus out to see them. We had left it too late to book a tour though.

Anthony and I were delightfully surprised by the magnificent scenery that surrounded us.

We were seated outside on the verandah and had a lovely view over the extensive vineyards. It was exceptionally hot though and I was still recovering from a flu virus! There was a fan nearby which I had positioned to blow on me.

Stunning views from our table on the verandah

The menu was full of delicious dishes and when they arrived did not disappoint. Starting with a charcuterie board followed by coconut flakes and dried shrimp in grape leaves and grilled prawns and pineapple fried rice. We enjoyed every mouthwatering morsel.

A multi coloured sculpture of an elephant made from wood

The Monsoon Valley Restaurant

What a wonderful way to wile away an afternoon, good company, great views and gourmet food. I would definitely recommend a visit if you are ever in Hua Hin.

🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇 🍇

~ February Adventures – Wan Chai’s Historical Gems ~

Back in February we had a few days in Hong Kong. Normally February weather can be quite bleak, getting ready for the Chinese New Year cold snap. We were surprised this time by how mild it was, we even saw blue skies.

I’ll be linking to Monday Windows and The Changing Seasons hosted by Brian and Ju-Lyn.

There was somewhere particular I wanted to see after spotting it on google maps. It wasn’t too far from our hotel so one morning we took a walk there. Just my luck that the day we went it was closed. Anyway I was still able to take a few photos. It was called simply “The Blue House”.

The building was constructed in 1920 and is a four tier tenement block. It was fully renovated around ten years ago and the original tenants were allowed to stay. The Housing Society came up with a plan of HK$100 million to preserve nine Chinese-style buildings in Wan Chai. I’m glad that money is not just being spent on high rise buildings, it’s great to see a glimpse of the past.

**Emas – Wooden Plaques for writing prayer**s

Inside the courtyard of the Blue House – decorated for Chinese New Year

The front of the building is in Stone Nullah Lane.

At the start of the 20th century, shops that processed soybeans were established near Stone Nullah Lane. Because of the unpleasant odour emitted during the processing, this led to protests from residents in the neighbourhood. Eventually, the shops were forced to move to other areas. The nullah, (a water channel made of stone or concrete was located on the street ) which also emitted a foul stench, was culverted in 1959 and relocated underground, where the stream from The Peak still flows today. Although the nullah can no longer be found on the lane, the street name was left unchanged. Source: Stone Nullah Lane.

Disappointed that we couldn’t enter the house that day we wandered down the street to Wan Chai Pak Tai Temple. It was built in 1863 by locals and is dedicated to Pak Tai, a martial deity.

Red framed windows of the temple

**A Door God to protect against evil spirits and intruders**

I didn’t want to intrude on the people worshipping and praying, so no photos from inside.

Street Scenes

As we wandered back to our hotel I took some photos of everyday street scenes.

**As fresh as it gets! – not sure about the joint on the ground**

Fishmongers hard at work

Orange trees in preparation for Chinese New Year

Every time I visit Hong Kong I always see a different tram.

It was good to spot a mural without graffiti for a change

I’ll finish with this photo that I took from the top of the bus. Another side of Hong Kong. I’m wondering is he homeless or selling some wares? He has a few too many items to pack up.

~ Adventures in Hua Hin, Thailand – Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park ~

Continuing with our week in Hua Hin, today we set off for the wetlands in a nearby national park. We had missed out on the abundant lotus flowers blooming but were hoping to see some birdlife.

This national park is surrounded by towering majestic limestone mountains. There is also a kilometre long boardwalk to view the surroundings or you can hire a boatman and his boat, which we did.

The first thing I noticed was the complete silence with maybe the occasional bird call. You are immediately struck by the serenity and peace here.

The birds were there of course, hidden by the long grasses so it was difficult for me to take any decent shots.

It was a hard job for our tiller man to navigate through the reeds. Going slow or fast or stopping completely to untangle the propellor. He did need to get out a few times to push us through!

The photos below are the best of the bunch. It was tricky trying to focus, especially when Mr. Tiller only briefly slowed down.

Gliding through the reedy waters and looking out for the birds was a great way to spend an afternoon. We were on the boat for around 45 minutes and our backsides were getting quite numb.

A pagoda to sit and relax and watch for wildlife

This is a tour well worth taking, reasonably priced and well organised.

After this we stopped at a small place for iced coffee. Although try as I might I find iced coffee too bitter for my liking.

Behind the kiosk there was a large cactus display showing some very quirky and colourful blooms.

A Gallery of Cacti

If you’re ever in Hua Hin, I highly recommend setting aside a day for this amazing outing. It’s a wonderful escape from a day at the beach.

🐎 Kung Hei Fat Choi 2026 – Year of the Fire Horse 🐎

Kung Hei Fat Choi everyone, Happy New Year of the Fire Horse. Although the Chinese New Year Calandar cycle is every 12 years, the year of the Fire Horse is only once every 60 years. After shedding the year of the snake in 2025, 2026 is meant to be an abundant year for all. This is something I am hoping for anyway, after a somewhat stressful 2025.

Having recently been in Hong Kong I took the opportunity of snapping a few shots of some of the decorations I saw.

Hong Kong can always be relied upon for ornate decorations whatever the event.

The lotus blossom is a powerful, auspicious symbol for Chinese New Year representing purity, harmony and abundance.

We stayed in Wanchai on Hong Kong Island and below are photos I took at different times of the day from our window.

Above is a video playing of different images of horses.

In case you are wondering what animal you are I have added a photo of a Chinese New Year Calandar. I am a dog, faithful and loyal. Which one are you?

How did these particular animals get chosen to represent the Chinese Calandar? For your information I looked this up!

According to legend, the 12 Chinese New Year animals were chosen by the Jade Emperor or Buddha to compete in a great race across a river. This was to determine their place in the zodiac. The first 12 animals to finish secured their spots, resulting in the order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

1. Rat: Won by hitching a ride on the Ox and jumping ahead at the end.
2. Ox: Diligent, but outsmarted by the Rat.
3. Tiger: Strong, powered through the current.
4. Rabbit: Nimble, hopped across stones and rode a log.
5. Dragon: Strong, but stopped to help others.
6. Snake: Hid on the Horse’s hoof.
7. Horse: Spooked by the snake.
8. Sheep; 9. Monkey; 10. Rooster: Worked together to cross.
11. Dog: Delayed by bathing in the river.
12. Pig: Stopped to eat and nap.

🔥 Wishing everyone a Happy Year of the Fire Horse 🔥

~ Exploring Hua Hin – A Week of Adventure ~

We recently spent a week in Hua Hin with Anthony’s brother and wife in their beautiful apartment. On our first night I managed to capture the bright orange moon from their verandah.

Daytime photos

Our first morning was spent walking around Khao Tao Lake. It is a serene and tranquil man-made reservoir. There is a running track and cycle path. We met plenty of other walkers on our way.

The lake is surrounded by ornate gold lamp posts topped with turtles. Luckily for us the water lilies were still blooming.

A fresh fruit juice bar to quench your thirst after your walk sits on one side of the lake.

A traditional fishing village is located just by the lake.

A quick stop at the beach for breakfast

After a lovely morning walk we headed to a local shopping mall where I could get a pedicure.

We decided to get a tuk tuk back instead of waiting for a taxi. Such fun weaving through the traffic with the wind in our hair. Our tuk tuk was a “Hello Kitty” style, decked out with small toys and painted pink.