Naturally Nepal

After half my life (at least I hope), I've finally stepped into Nepal, the country most associated with the mighty Himalayas. Done Ladakh before, and this was very different, though also beautiful in its own way. Mighty peaks, cool mountain air, pristine forests covered with flowering trees (particularly bright red or pink Rhododendron - It's springtime), the nature here is so mesmerizing that for the most part, the supposedly arduous treks during the 4-5 days didn't seem to bother me much. The Kathmandu Valley, on the other hand, I could enjoy for just a couple of days. Never a big city person, and Kathmandu is about as chaotic and frenetic as it can get; whatever I can use to describe Mumbai or Delhi, this is a notch up. Nevertheless, the cultural sites are really interesting, and I must say it was still a pretty entertaining couple of days. Lots of stuff in this beautiful land that I've not seen yet, Chitwan national park, the other mountain ranges, etc., I'll be back for sure!

Quaint little Gurung village of Ghandruk

View from Poon Hill - Highlight of Ghorepani Trek

Dhaulagiri Range extending to the Annapurnas

Accompaniment of music created by nature 

Serene Phewa lake in Pokhara

Splendid vistas from the Domestic flights

Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu

View of the sprawling city from Swayabhunath Temple

Peaceful moment at dawn on the rooftops of the city

Peaceful spot in Patan Durbar Square

Ancient city of Lalipur

Arabian Nights

Abu Dhabi City, UAE. The Liwa Oasis in Rub' al Khali. (Empty Quarter) Looked for a novel travel experience, and we definitely found it!  More than just the awe-inspiring Islamic architecture in the splendid Grand Mosque and the Palace hotel, what truly took my breath away was the beautiful setting of the Qasr al sarab resort. An impressive desert fort set in the middle of endless sand dunes, I think we've got enough desert to last us for a llloooonnnggg time. It's really getting more and more challenging looking out for the next experience!

Magnificent Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque

Stunning Interior of the Prayer Hall

Liwa Sand dunes in all its glory

Rub' al Khali - The Empty Quarter

Camel trekking in the desert landscape

The fort like Structures of the Anantara Qasr Al Sarab

Truly Magnificent desert compound

Daddy Daughter Bonding Trip

Back to Hong Kong for the 2nd time in half a year, this time only with my precious little darling. Not a whole lot of pictures about the place, just wefies and my princess, yet the memories will last a lifetime for me. If anything, coming back to Ocean park after more than 20 years was a real 'blast from the past' for me, so I've chosen a pic taken there to post here.

View from the summit of Ocean Park

Back to Ubud

Back to Ubud with my beautiful darlings, the original one whom I came here with 7 years back and for the first time my precious little Chloe. It's grown to be quite crowded, it seems, but fortunately, we still got to find our tranquil little piece of heaven at our resort, the Chedi club. Beautifully landscaped gardens, wide open padi fields, splendid pool villa - it's the perfect place for some serious family bonding. Now that we've savored it, it's time to find the next novel family travel experience!

Mount Agung in the Background

Stunning Water Features throughout the estate

The reason we chose the Chedi Club - The Padi Fields!

Kia Ora North Island

Paradise found! Stunning scenery, amazing yet healthy food - If South Island is supposed to be even prettier than North Island, I really can't imagine what it can be like, and I certainly will go see it for myself. The 'little' road incident aside, this has been a nature lover's dream... from the 19.4km Tongariro Alpine crossing hike, our drives and cruise in the Coromandel Peninsula, my solo exploration at Rotorua and Waitomo, and most spectacular of all - 'the Shire'.... couldn't ask for more in a short 6 day trip. Believe it - NZ really lives up to the hype.

The start of the mighty Tongariro Crossing Trek

In search of Mount Doom

Spectacular Green Lakes with Snow

On the way down with Lake Taupo in the horizon

Spectacular coastal scenery in the Coromandel Peninsula

Seascape dotted with tiny little Islands

Cathedral Cove from our sea expedition

Artist's Palette at Waiotapu

Beautifully clear pools at Whakarewarewa Redwoods Park

Beautiful Hobbiton, the highlight of the trip

Fanboy's dream - the peaceful Shire

Tropical Paradise Langkawi

The Datai Langkawi - a beautiful resort nestled in a tropical rainforest with easy access to the just as pretty Datai Bay. More than just the architecture or setting, it's the magical experience that truly sets it apart. From the divine spa where relaxing massages are done accompanied by the sounds of nature, (calling birds, babbling stream, lapping waves) to the close proximity one gets to the abundant wildlife right out of our villa, (Macaque Monkeys, Dusky Leaf Monkeys, Hornbills, Squirrels) I couldn't have asked for a better place to bond over conversations around nature with my inquisitive little princess... *sigh*... I miss this place already...

Main Pool at the Datai

Lots of cute little frogs at the lily pond in their main lobby

Our rainforest villa with the balcony facing the stream 

Wide swathes of beach at Datai Bay

View out into some of the other Langkawi Islands

Magic moment captured

Third time Hawaii

Welcome to Taiwan (Part 1)

Not too much to show for this short 4D3N getaway based out of Taipei in Feb, 'less I want to make this a food post. Nevertheless, it was really enjoyable: great(and reasonably-priced) food, excellent customer service, easy to get around, and cool weather. We'll be back in Nov for part two!

Golden Waterfall near Jiufen