A Couple Traveling Around the World

From the time we met in year 2000, during our courtship until our marriage in 2004, and right up to the current day, we have been traveling to exotic & exciting locations. You might say it’s been the cement of our relationship.

We’ve chronicled these decades of travel into two sections: 16 years of voyages from years 2000 to 2016 and our current slooow trip around the world from 2017 to present day.

Our early years of trips are revealed in the lower sections of our About Page. The descriptions on this Our Travels Page are reserved for our current slooow trip around the world. More detailed info and our Top Picks on each country we visited are found on our Destinations Page. Pictures and videos are abundant. Thanks for following!

Our Slooow Trip Around the World Started in January 2017 

In late 2016 Grandma peacefully passed away in our hospice-converted living room at the ripe old age of 92. We decided it was now the perfect time to take the trip of a lifetime: an endless slooow trip of a couple traveling around the world. Yahoooooo!!! 

We sold the house, 2 cars and most of our worldly goods. We had over 200 Craigslist ads and hundreds of phone calls, texts and visits to dispose of it all. But of course, we couldn’t part with everything so we did put some items in storage. (We’ll explain our nifty discovery later.) 

So in January 2017 after making some improvements to our pop-top Dodge van Sportsmobile camper conversion we headed out to explore the rest of the world. Combining van camping, boondocking, timeshares, Airbnbs, hotels and friends’ generosity allowed us to continuously travel for over 48 months as of this editing (JULY 2021), and the endless journey has barely begun! 

United States of America – “America”

(January – May 2017)

We took a leisurely 4 months crossing the most southerly portion of the USA, hugging the Mexico border and Gulf of Mexico coast. We passed CA, NV, AZ, NM, TX, the southern belle states of LA, MS, AL, and into the Florida Panhandle and the rest of the Sunshine State, the timeshare mecca of the world.

Heading north we kept to the coast for GA, SC & NC, then moved inland to the USA’s eastern mountain spine, traversing the Appalachians: Blue Ridge, Great Smokies and Poconos, by navigating the states of TN, WV, VI & PA. Crossing CN we headed back to the coast and historic Newport, RI.

Shane had a high school reunion so up to Massachusetts we drove. Then on to NH, VT & ME where we visited friends, enjoyed New England history and had the highlight of camping in Acadia National Park.

Dominion of Canada -“The Great White North”

(May – October 2017)

In northern Maine we said good-bye to the USA and bonjour to sweet Canada for an extended 4-month, coast-to-coast, complete 10-province tour of the 2nd largest country in the world. As luck would have it, Canada was celebrating its sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of Confederation. The whole country was awash in celebrations, parties & special events. Entrance to all its National Parks was free and everyone was in fantastic spirits. What a perfect time to visit: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. We even ferried over to Labrador and their terrible roads! Boondock camping was the best in Canada!

Northwest USA – The Pacific Northwest”   

(October – November 2017) 

In mid-autumn we re-entered the USA from BC into Washington state. The northwest section is the only corner of the US where Shane has not lived so we loved our month there exploring its ancient old growth forests, lakes and majestic mountains. It was getting chilly, but we loved camping in the North Cascades and especially enjoyed Olympic Nat Park on the coast. 

Our last state to visit was beautiful Oregon. More Cascades’ camping & timesharing was invigorating, especially around Bend. It was now mid-November and the winter snows were beginning. Laughing about it now, we got caught without chains or snow tires, in heavy snow and dangerous, curvy, icy slicked roads on the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. We had to get towed over the accident-filled, mile high Willamette Pass. Thank you AAA! It was our closest call for the whole trip. 

Another trip highlight was meeting our friends near Eugene at their 20-acre, tree-filled ranch bordering the Willamette River. Spending a week including Thanksgiving was a delight. They made us the hugely generous offer of storing our beloved van with their boats in their outbuilding while we traipsed around the rest of the world. Halleluiah!!! 

The day after Thanksgiving we said goodbye to our dear friends & van, rented a one-way car to Portland and said farewell to the mainland USA while flying to our favorite Hawaiian island of Kauai. 

Hawaii – “The Aloha State” & Guam – “Hub of the Pacific”   

(November – December 2017) 

Kauai is the oldest, rainiest and greenest of the Hawaiian chain. Having been to the other islands it is still our favorite. Shane had lived in Hawaii for a year and still changes that famous saying to: “Kauai No Ka ‘Oi” meaning Kauai is Best. This was the perfect 2-week transition station for our next extended stops. We shared a spacious timeshare condo in Poipu with Shane’s sister & her wife and once again explored the island’s many beautiful spots. Then it was off to the USA Possession of Guam for a short stay before arriving in the Philippines. 

The Philippines – “Pearl of the Orient”

(Dec 2017 – Oct 2018) 

We stayed for 10 months in the Philippines, by far our longest stay here. But being in a foreign country re-installed our title of a couple traveling around the world. It was the 13th trip for Shane and 5th for us as a married couple. Many reasons have kept us here this long, not to mention PI’s 7,000+ islands which could take a lifetime to see them all.

We arrived in December, prime time to visit Christmas-obsessed Filipinos. When the months start to end in …ber Filipinos drag out the Xmas decorations, playlists and festive spirit.

Renting a 30th  floor condo in multi-tower, call center mecca, restaurant & shopping mall Eastwood Village put us close to Vivian’s family for Christmas & New Year’s celebrations filled with merriment, fireworks and plenty of delicious Filipino food and treats.

Spring saw us hosting Vivian’s parents 50th Wedding Anniversary and Easter. At the condo we were busy at work developing plans to fund the rest of our world travels. During all these months we’d take weekend forays outside of metro-Manila with family to visit waterfalls, caves, historical & religious sites. But we were itching for some extended roaming.

The 2-Month Philippine Road Trip 

(May – July 2018)

In May 2018 we embarked on a 2 month, 3,056 mile (4,850 km) land and ferry circular voyage to many of the Philippine outer islands. We rented the van & driving services of a longtime friend and his son to take on a trip of a lifetime.

We explored the southern, volcano dotted portion of the main island of Luzon, ferried down to the cave capital island of Samar, crossed the longest bridge in PI to the waterfall capital island of Leyte, and headed even further south to PI’s second largest island (under martial law) Mindanao, only 8.5 degrees north of the equator (San Diego is 33 degrees). Traveling between machine gun totting soldier checkpoints, we journeyed across Mindanao’s northern coast. Starting to head back north we ferried to PI’s “Sugarbowl”, the friendly island of Negros.

Another ferry brought us to the many beaches of Panay. Panay is most famous for the talcum white sand beaches on its small island of Boracay. We were fortunate to have spent an adventuresome week there in 2003 with a rented motorcycle. However, in an unprecedented move, the national government recently closed Boracay for at least 6 months while the infrastructure is dramatically improved to prevent further pollution due to rampart over building. We could only drool as we passed its white sand beaches in the distance from our ship.

The next northern ferry ride was to Mindoro, famous for its coral reefs, diving and nice beaches. After a week it was on to our 6th and final ferry back to Batangas, Luzon. We wanted to re-visit one of our favorite spots there: Malabrigo and its fish/coral preserve.

During all these travels we visited many, many other smaller & tiny islands on island hopping tours. Ubiquitous bangka boats of all sizes transported us to dramatic karst limestone rock formations, hidden beaches and excellent coral reefs for snorkeling. We explored scores of caves and dozens of waterfalls, hiking through some amazing remote jungle trails and skinny dipping in private rock pools under towering falls. Some of the dirt roads we traveled became impassable at points and we had to hoof it. We loved ALL of it.

We camped in our tent; stayed in primitive “kubos” and bamboo cottages; grimaced in “resorts” with no toilet seats, towels or amenities, plywood walls & floors with holes; and then some truly nice hotels/resorts. One thing was constant: we always used our mosquito net. We appreciated the variety and every place we could rest our heads.

It was hard saying good-bye to the Philippines. It was our longest stay yet of 10 months, including our 2 month van & ferry trip to all 3 major island regions. But with most of Vivian’s family living there it will always be a place we visit often. 

Vietnam – “Timeless Charm”

(October 2018)

Early October 2018 we flew from Manila to Hanoi, Vietnam, a Southeast Asian country of 96 million, known for its beaches, rivers, Buddhist pagodas and bustling cities. The elongated roughly S–shaped skinny country has a north-to-south distance of 1,650 km (1,030 mi) and is about 50 km (31 mi) wide at the narrowest point. It was our intention to travel the whole length to see & experience as much as we could.   

Braving Hanoi’s traffic (8m pop &  6m motorbikes), over a week we visited the Old Quarter, the French Quarter, the Night Markets, Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, St Joseph Cathedral, Opera House, Parliament, Presidential Palace, Hoan Kiem Lake, Jade Island, the Imperial Citadel, the Puppet Theater, Tortoise Tower, many temples and pagodas and too many other sites to mention here. 

Leaving Hanoi we made the bus, row boat, hike & cable car journey to the revered Perfume Pagoda. It is a vast network of Buddhist temples, grottos & shrines built into the limestone caves of the Huong Tich mountains.  

A multi day bus trip to the Ba Be region, found us enjoying temples, lakes, boat rides, caves, rock diving, the majestic Ban Gioc Waterfall right on the Chinese border, and 4 wonderful new Aussie friends.  

A definite highlight of our visit was otherworldly, overnight cruising Ha Long & Lan Ha Bays in multi-sailed junk boats. The sea is bright green, and there are countless dramatic karst islands and rocks rising from the water in every direction plus caves, secret lagoons, and sea gypsies. A must see! 

Other highlights as we ventured south by sleeper bus & private cars were: Nimh Binh & nearby Bai Dinh Pagoda Complex, Am Tien & Tiger Caves, Lying Dragon mountain hike, and the fascinating Trang An 9 cave tunnels in a boat rowed by a woman’s feet. Phong Nha caves & boat rides and the brilliant Lantern Festival at Hoi An were also memorable. 

We spent some time in Danang but longer on the Nha Trang beaches. Luckily we scored a week’s lakeside 2-story timeshare villa in mid-country Dalat, the “City of Eternal Spring” for its distinctive temperate climate. Sampling weasel coffee, visiting silk factories, cricket farms & pagodas was overshadowed by the awesome Elephant Waterfall.  

Before arriving in Saigon we visited the beach town of Mui Ne where we had thrilling sunrise dune buggy rides in the White Sand Dunes and marvelled at the colorful cliffs of the Fairy Stream gorge.  

Our final stop was Ho Chi Minh City, aka Saigon, the largest city of Vietnam with a population of almost 9m and over 21m metro. We spent several day exploring its many sights: the History Museum, Hung King’s Temple, War Remnants Museum, 49th floor Skydeck, Opera House, City Hall, Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral  and many more. After 5 weeks exploring this beautiful country from top to bottom it was time to move on.

Cambodia – “Kingdom of Wonder”

(Nov 2018)

From Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) we flew an unexpected turbo-prop engine plane to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The kingdom state of Cambodia has a population of over 15 million. Buddhism is enshrined in the constitution as the official state religion, and is practiced by more than 97% of the population.  

We spent the first week in a great Airbnb apartment. Phnom Penh (pop 2+m), sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, street markets, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market.  

A tuk-tuk is a two-wheeled carriage pulled by a motorbike. We used this local transportation to visit all Phnom Penh’s major attractions. By sheer chance we were there during The Water Festival, one of Cambodia’s most festive celebrations dating back to the 12th century. People gather by the riverbanks for big 10-20 rower boat races, huge illuminated floats, concerts for all kinds of music, a moon salutation and massive fireworks we watched from the roof of our 4 story house.  

We hired a private car & driver for the 5 hour trip north & inland to our next destination: Siem Reap, gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th–15th centuries. We were able to stay the first 2 nights for free in the magnificent Park Hyatt downtown thanks to our Chase Hyatt credit cards. (See the Resources section for more on this benefit.) The next 5 nights were in a friendly Airbnb apartment.  

We bought a 3-day pass to see all the temples at Angkor Park which included the most iconic Angkor Wat and many more areas. It was a lifetime goal & high bucket list to visit & climb these ancient and magnificent structures. We did both the Small & Big Circuits.  Angkors Wat & Thom, Bayon Temple, Pre Rup, Neal Pean, East Mebon & Ta Prohm from Tomb Raider were all spell binding. We really loved Cambodia! 

Thailand – “Land of Smiles”

(December 2018)

The Kingdom of Thailand surely lives up to its nickname. We were smiling the whole time we were there. With a population of over 66m, it’s known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of the Buddha. We experienced it all. 

We flew to the capital city of Bangkok (8+m pop), which welcomes more visitors than any other city in the world and it doesn’t take long to realize why. Staying in an Airbnb apartment, we visiting most of its key attractions: Golden Buddha Temple, Chinatown, Grand Palace & Wat Prakaew, Marble Temple, Golden Mount, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Traimit, Floating Markets and many more. We had a grand time of it. 

Now it was time to get out of the big city. We took a bus and a ferry to the island of Koh Chang, one of the largest Thai islands in the Gulf of Thailand, containing dense, steep jungle, waterfalls, beaches, coral reefs, smaller off-islands and elephant reserves.  

We rented a scooter to get around and had a blast visiting the island’s many delights. On our first night we had dinner at a table right on the beach and enjoyed a spectacular fire show. Future days saw us scooting around to the Khlong Plu waterfall, Bang Bao Pier, Ba Kwan Chang Elephant Camp, White Sands beach, Klong Nonsi Waterfall, Mangrove Forest Walkway, Wat Salakpet Temple and more island wonders. 

We super enjoyed our stay at the Island View Resort at the southern tip of the island with its bay views and sumptuous dinners. A big highlight was taking a small 5 hp boat trip to 4 different smaller islands for snorkelling, swimming and lounging in hammocks.   

Then it was a pickup truck taxi back to the ferry port, the ferry ride back to Trat, and the bus ride back to the Bangkok airport hotel to await our flight to Singapore.  

Singapore – “The Lion City”

(December 2018)

We next flew to Singapore, the sovereign island city-state in maritime Southeast Asia which is barely separated from the Malaysian peninsula. Singapore’s name comes from ‘Singa Pura’, which means Lion City in Sanskrit. This tiny wealthy country, just 1 degree north of the equator, has the second greatest population density in the world with almost 5.7 million residents. 

Much has been touted about Singapore’s Changi Airport as being the most beautiful in the world. We can wholeheartedly confirm those reviews. It now has the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, the Rain Vortex, at seven storeys tall. It also has: a butterfly garden, movie theatre, swimming pool, tons of shopping, hotels and many nature “parks”. Some people stay there for days to enjoy all the attractions.  

Tearing ourselves away from the airport we secured our Little India Airbnb apartment for a week. Mostly using the homegrown leader ride sharing app Grab, we filled our days discovering Singapore’s earthly delights and there was certainly lots to see. Highlights included: the iconic Merlion statue & fountain, the Helix Bridge, taking a cable car to Sentosa Island, the Marina Bay Waterfront, the Art Science Museum, Chinatown and Red Dot Design Museum. 

But what’s truly memorable and our favorite was Gardens By The Bay and its clusters of  iconic, futuristic structures such as the Cloud Forest Dome, Supertree Grove and Bay East Garden. The adjacent opulent Marina Bay Sands resort complex with its iconic tri-tower building has a surfboard-like Skypark Observation Deck on top. Both were modern wonders.  

Leaving Singapore in December we flew to another continent beginning with same letter “A”. 

Australia – “The Land Down Under”

(Dec 2018- Mar 2020)

In mid-December 2018 we flew from Singapore to Sydney, Australia for our 3rd time visiting that magnificent country/continent. We wanted to arrive in time to spend the holidays with Vivian’s sister & family. The first 2 times we only explored the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) and the enchanting island state of Tasmania (“Tassie”). This time we intended to visit the other 5 states and 2 territories. 

To accomplish our goal of completely circumnavigating the entire Australian continent, about the same size as the 48 states continental USA, we purchased a 1994 Toyota Hiace pop-top campervan. We calculated that it would cost less than renting a campervan for the estimated year+ long trip.   

Travelling with our campervan in AU was similar to what we had done in the USA & Canada. We would intersperse camping with stays in timeshares and Airbnbs when we needed proper bathrooms, kitchens & room to stretch out.  

The Australian adventure ended up taking over 15 months. We’ll describe it in more detail in other sections of this website. Per the conditions of our 1 year AU visas we could only stay in AU for 3 month terms. We then had to leave the country and come back in to resume our travels. This lead to some international jaunts to Bali, Brunei, the Philippines and glorious New Zealand. 

Travelling counter-clockwise from Sydney we explored the coast and mountains of northern New South Wales. We marveled at the Queensland coastline from Brisbane to Cairns, and especially the rainforests of Daintree, Cape Tribulation & Cooktown, going as far as the sealed roads would take us. From Cairns we flew to Bali per our visa requirements.  

Back from Cairns we crossed the Cape York Peninsula to enter the Northern Territory. We chose to go north through Daly Waters, Katherine, Kakadu National Park & Darwin, the only AU city to be bombed by the Japanese in WWII. That was as far north we travelled in AU. 

The massive state of Western Australia was next. We clung to the coastal route visiting Broome, Eighty Mile Beach, Port Hedland for our 15th Anniversary, Exmouth & Cape Range Nat Park, Carnarvon, Kalbarri Nat Park with its awesome Nature’s Window & Natural Bridge, Geraldton, then driving through the ghostly Pinnacles on the way to Perth. From Perth we flew to Brunei to once again meet our AU visa terms.  

Back from Cairns we crossed the Cape York Peninsula to enter the Northern Territory. We chose to go north through Daly Waters, Katherine, Kakadu National Park & Darwin, the only AU city to be bombed by the Japanese in WWII. That was as far north we travelled in AU. 

The massive state of Western Australia was next. We clung to the coastal route visiting Broome, Eighty Mile Beach, Port Hedland for our 15th Anniversary, Exmouth & Cape Range Nat Park, Carnarvon, Kalbarri Nat Park with its awesome Nature’s Window & Natural Bridge, Geraldton, then driving through the ghostly Pinnacles on the way to Perth. From Perth we flew to Brunei to once again meet our AU visa terms. 

After staying in a few timeshares above & below Perth we travelled south along the coast through the beautiful Margaret River area, Albany, adding a 400km zigzag to see the amazing Wave Rock, then the beautiful coastal city of Esperance. We stayed on the coastal route to arrive in South Australia. Crossing the iconic Nullarbor Plain desert highway we made our way down to Port Lincoln, up to Port Augusta, then down again to the capital city of Adelaide. 

It was now time for our 5,000+km round trip to the brilliant Uluru/Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon, MacDonnell Ranges & Alice Springs in Australia’s heartland of the Northern Territory. This area was easily one of our main highlights of the whole year despite the high temps & scorching sun. 

Finally back in Adelaide we then made our way to our final unvisited state: Victoria. After touring the capital of Melbourne we had to leave AU once again to satisfy our visa terms. This time it was to New Zealand. 

After a month in NZ we flew back to Melbourne and made our smoky way back to Sydney during Australia’s horrific wildfires. This completed our full circumnavigation of the Australian continent. We wanted to be sure to be back in time for our second in a row Christmas & New Year’s in Sydney with our favorite relatives.  

Bali – “Island of the Gods”

(March 2019)

The Indonesian island of Bali evokes dreamy images of gorgeous beaches, swaying palm trees and Hindu temples. These images have held our fascination for decades. Although quite crowded in places, Bali did not disappoint.  

Bali is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia, with 83% of the population adhering to Balinese Hinduism. It is Indonesia’s main tourist destination. Tourism-related business makes up 80% of its economy. Bali is part of the Coral Triangle, the area with the highest biodiversity of marine species especially fish and turtles. In this area alone, over 500 reef-building coral species can be found. For comparison, this is about seven times as many as in the entire Caribbean. 

Staying in timeshare resorts & Airbnb apartments we visited almost all of the island’s territory & attractions from the sea to the mountains. Beginning in the southern section of Kuta Selatan, we explored places like: Uluwatu Temple & Lookouts, Pandawa Beach Lookout, the immense Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, a Balinese dance show, and the giant statues of Hindu god Vishnu and his mount, Garuda. 

Maybe unfortunately we were in Bali for Nyepi: Bali’s Day of Silence. Nobody, including tourists, can leave their house, TV & internet are voided and you are meant to observe silence.  

We were not too far from the famous beaches of Pandawa, Kuta, Seminyak & Double Six. Leaving the south for the west side we visited the iconic Tanah Lot Temple, Museum Ogoh-Ogoh Soka on the way to Medewi Bay Retreat where we stayed for a week. We rented a scooter and visited many more temples, mountainside lookouts, a waterfall and great beaches.  

We crossed the island through Ubud to stay on the east side for a week on the coast. From here we were able to wind our way up the eastern mountains to spectacular sights like Tirta Gangga, Besakih Temple, Pura Goa Lawah and Puri Klungkung & its Royal Palace and snorkeling at the Blue Lagoon Beach.  

But maybe our most fun came when taking the 1st crack of dawn ferry to the small island of Nusa Penida. Here we visited iconic Kelingking Secret Point, T-Rex Bay, Broken Beach, Angels Billabong Beach and swimming at Crystal Bay before taking the last ferry back.  

Our final week was spent in the town of Ubud, in the uplands of Bali, known as a center for traditional crafts and dance and magnificent temples & museums. We visited the Filipino artist Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum, Pura Goa Lawah Bat Cave, Goa Gajah (Elephant) Temple, Tegalalang Rice Terraces, the Big Swing, Monkey Forest,  Tegenungan & Blangsinga Waterfalls, Pura Tirta Empul, Lake Batur, Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, Handara Rustic Gates and Ubud Royal Palace. Lots to see in the small island of Bali! 

Our highly recommended driver Donald & his wife Mia, who took us everywhere for a month, drove us to the airport to return to Cairns.  

Brunei – “The Abode of Peace”

(June -July 2019) 

Flying from Perth we arrived in tiny, 1984 independent Brunei, a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, Malaysia in Southeast Asia. Brunei’s population was 428,963 in 2018. The government is an absolute monarchy under the Sultan, which implements a combination of English common law and sharia law, as well as direct general Islamic practices such as no alcohol sales.  

We spent 10 days living on the outskirts of Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital and largest city of Brunei. Using the ride hailing app Dart we visited all the capital had to offer. We marveled at the many beautiful mosques including its most famous Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque and the opulent Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque with its 29 golden domes. The capital’s massive Istana Nurul Iman palace is the residence of Brunei’s ruling sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, We also visited his Royal Regalia Building, a golden-domed museum featuring exhibits on royal life, including chariots & ceremonial costumes. 

Other sites we toured were: the History Center, Darussalam Maritime Museum, Malay Technology Museum, Kota Batu Archaeological Park, Mausoleum of Sultan Bolkiah, Chinese Temple, Raja Ayang Mausoleum, Time Piece Stone Monument, General Post Office and the Secretariat Building. 

Nature outings included: Tasek Lama Rec Park & waterfalls, Heritage Trail, and walking the elevated boardwalks of Kampong Ayer, which consists of 42 stilt villages on the banks of the Brunei River. Founded at least 1,000 years ago, it’s the largest stilt settlement in the world. Water taxis ply the river, while a boat ride took us into the narrow waterways between schools, colorful houses and mosques. From there we took a trip along the channels, zipping past the palace’s backyard into the mangroves to see proboscis monkeys and crocodiles. We enjoyed Brunei more than expected.

New Zealand – “Land of the Long White Cloud” or “Middle Earth”  (November 2019)

This country is so beautiful it has 2 nicknames above! The 1st has been there for many years while the 2nd refers to Lord of the Rings/Hobbit trilogy being filmed there by its Kiwi director. We visited twice before, 2007 & 2009, but only North Island both times due to great flight & timeshare deals. This time we were determined to exclusively tour South Island in a campervan for a solid month. 

Arriving in Christchurch from Melbourne, we rented a raised hard-top Toyota Hiace campervan, the same yet newer model we owned in Australia. And like AU we used a WikiCamps app to find “freedom camping” spots throughout our travels.  

Our goal was to counter clockwise circumnavigate South Island and crisscross the mountainous interior. Leaving Christchurch we travelled north on coastal State Highway 1, the longest and most significant road in the NZ road network, running the length of both main islands. The road through Kaikoura is absolutely beautiful as it hugs the coast with high cliffs on the inland side. The ski mountains of Mt Lyford & Mt Teraco give extra weight to the scenery. 

Getting as far north as Picton on the Queen Charlotte Sound we enjoyed Victoria Park and watched the massive ferries take people, cargo & vehicles to North Island, AU & beyond. The super curvy road from Picton, dawdling at the Pelorus Suspension Bridge and over to Nelson, the oldest city in NZ on the Tasman Bay was quite a treat. Jagging inland we marvelled at the gorgeous Buller River & Gorge on our way to Westport, the oldest European settlement on the West Coast.  

Westport to Greymouth followed the gorgeous Tasman Sea coastline on the Great Coastal Road Rte 6, one of 10 most beautiful roads in world according to Lonely Planet. Some of our NZ highlights there were the Fox River formations, Punakaiki Lookout, Punakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowholes and the Punakaiki Cavern. Beyond Greymouth we jagged inland on the super scenic route 73 twisting our way upward in the mountains, past many waterfalls, up to Arthur’s Pass Nat Park, the highest and most spectacular pass across the Southern Alps, where we camped and hiked our buns off most notably at Devils Punchbowl Falls.  

Back on the Tasman Sea coast we visited another trip highlight, the Franz Josef Glacier, one of the steepest glaciers in the country. We hiked all the way to the retreating glacier passing many, many waterfalls along the way. Primo site! 

Passing awesome Mt Aspiring Nat Park & 12 waterfalls we stayed a week in a timeshare, the Ramada/Wyndham on 1,000 ft deep, mountain-ringed Lake Wanaka, the 4th largest lake in NZ with its iconic Wanaka tree. It was in the beautiful Otago region.  

 After exploring iconic Queenstown we hit another, if not the favorite, highlight of our NZ adventure: Milford Sound and the hyper-astounding drive there from Te Anau. Lake TeAnau is the largest lake in So Island & 2nd largest in NZ. It leads to the most amazing, breathtaking & picturesque road in the world passing countless waterfalls, hairpin turns, glaciers and iconic mountain peaks.  

 Milford Sound was a complete joy. We took a scenic cruise on NZ’s most stunning natural attraction. With its magical combination of mountain peaks; Lady Bowen, Fairy & Stirling waterfalls; ink-dark waters and superb dramatic forest-clad cliffs, it must be seen to be believed. 

 Another favorite of ours was Lake Tekapo. We were fortunate to be there when the glorious, multi-colored lupines were in full bloom against the deep blue lake and circling mountains. 

 A day trip from Christchurch to the Banks Peninsula, originally an island formed by two volcanic cones, and the charming township of Akaroa, the only French settlement in New Zealand with its historic buildings, magnificent harbour and delightful lighthouse. 

 Before we left Christchurch we make sure to visit all its iconic sites, mostly rebuilt following the disastrous 2010 & 2011 earthquakes: the Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, NZ Air Force Museum, Bridge of Remembrance, the Heritage, New Regent St, Victoria Square, the Floral Clock and of course the heavily damaged Christchurch Cathedral & surrounding Square.  

South Africa – “The Rainbow Nation”

(March 2020 – Present)

In March of 2020 we needed to leave Australia. Our 1 year visas were expiring but we had managed to stretch them to 15 months due to a technicality. Nevertheless, we were sadly obligated to depart. But the Couple travelling around the world must move on….

We chose South Africa for 2 reasons. At that time SA had only 2-3 confirmed Covid-19 cases and no fatalities, lagging far behind all other countries. (Those statistics were drastically different 11 months later.) Secondly, it was the furthest we could fly for free with our United Airlines award miles code shared with Qatar Airlines, thus giving us way more bang for the buck.

After a long layover in the sleek & modern Doha terminal we arrived very jetlagged in Johannesburg. Informally known as Jozi, Joburg, or “The City of Gold”, it is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. We rented a car, cured our jetlag in a local hotel, then sped away to less urban areas.

Our original itinerary was very detailed for our 90 day visa excursion. Similar to our Australia journey we would circumnavigate the entire country visiting all 9 provinces, fly up to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe & Zambia border, then fly somewhere to continue our slooow trip around the world. We had confirmed reservations in timeshares, Airbnbs & hotels. Damn you Covid for wrecking these plans but we did manage to do quite a bit, visiting 5 of the 9 provinces (as of this writing).

Our first stop was a week at the Sudwala Lodge timeshare in the province of Mpumalanga ((Zulu name for “the place where the sun rises”). Our 2 bedroom thatched cottage was a great launching point for visiting the local ancient Sudwala Caves, Dinosaur Park and Butterfly Effect. But the highlight was getting up before dawn to drive to Kruger National Park. Watching elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras and more crossing the dirt roads of our self-drive safari was a dream come true.

The next stop for a week was at the Crystal Springs Mountain Lodge timeshare high in the mountains of Mpumalanga. Here we had a 2 bedroom, 2 level cabin with sweeping views of its spectacular cliffs, gorges and forests. Within its 2,400 hectares of pristine countryside, birdlife was plentiful and wild animals such as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, antelope and jackal inhabited the area. The nearby Panorama Route lived up to its name and offered 5 waterfalls; remarkable formations like the Pinnacle, 3 Rondavels & Bourke Potholes; Echo & Madonna Caves; and the third-largest canyon on Earth-Blyde River Canyon. And again we entered Kruger National Park through a different gate for another wild animal filled self-drive safari. 

We then proceeded 5 hrs to the Mabalingwe Game Reserve timeshare in SA’s most northern Limpopo province which borders Botswana, Zimbabwe & Mozambique. Mabalingwe is a huge 8,500 hectares and malaria free unspoiled bushveld nestled in the shadow of the majestic Waterberg Mountains. It hosts its own dams, lakes and wildlife reserve. On many self-drives around the property we encountered all manner of wildlife while hanging around the many waterholes. We had a 2-level loft-style stone chalet with 30 ft wood rafter ceilings and sweeping views of the countryside. Just outside our door we’d be greeted with wild bush pigs, baboons or an assortment of birds. ‘Twas a nice stay until….. 

Covid-19 hit South Africa with a thunderclap. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the highest level lockdown 5 to go into effect near the end of March 2020. The resort was required to close and we had to locate new accommodations fast. Fortunately we found a one bedroom condo in Durban but had to drive a tortuous 9 hours/800km to get there before the lockdown commenced. The drive was a race against time but we arrived a few hours before the lockdown commenced. 

Our 600 sq ft condo is in a very modern, curved building entitled The Sails. Out wall to wall & floor to ceiling windows & large 130 sq ft deck overlook the entrance to the harbor, the harbor itself, and the Indian Ocean. Good thing because we’ve been here for the past 10 months as of this writing. A few minutes walking brings us to the ocean, the longest beachfront promenade in Sub-Saharan Africa, many piers, a canal system and the uShaka Marine complex with the 5th largest aquarium in the world. Not a bad place to be stranded…..   

Durban is South Africa’s 3rd largest city, the largest and busiest shipping terminal in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the largest Indian cities outside India. When the lockdown restrictions eased were able to visit many of its highlights and other areas of our KwaZulu-Natal province.

Durban city highlights include: Moses Mabhida Stadium which hosted soccer’s 2010 World Cup; Durban Botanical Gardens; Blue Lagoon; Wilson’s Warf; Durban City Hall; Farewell Square; Riverside Mosque; Old Durban Railway Station; Playhouse Bldg; Durban High Court; Port Natal Maritime Museum; Brighton Beach & Cave Rock; Beachwood Mangroves Boardwalk; and St Paul Anglican Church.  

Venturing north we especially enjoyed the uMhlanga Lighthouse & nearby beaches; Whale Bone Pier; Gateway Mall; and uMhlanga Nature Reserve. A little further north were the uMdolti beaches & interesting rock formations.  

Further lockdown easing gave us a chance to do some further explorations. One day/week we ventured further out to hike some marvelous places such as: Krantzloof Nature Reserve and its many falls; Tala Game Reserve; Natal Lion Park; Howick Falls; Midmar Nature Reserve; Umgeni Nature Reserve; Paradise Valley Nature Reserve; Harold Johnson Nature Reserve; The Midlands; African Raptor Center; Natal Zoological Gardens; and more. 

Starting in October 2020, with added easing of Covid restrictions, we decided to travel further distances one week/month to stay in a timeshare. Our first such foray was deep into the Drakensbergs, the highest mountain range in SA and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We scored a 4-level, 2 bedroom chalet at a magnificent resort with a lake, hiking trails and many activities. It felt so good to sleep somewhere else besides Durban after 5 months. 

Our favorite trail at the resort was to the Blue Grotto & Waterfall which had a grand cave. Several other hikes proved interesting as well. But our highlight was driving to Monks Cowl. Several days of hiking to Sterkspruit & Nandi Falls, The Sphinx and Robin Hood Grove brought us into the heart of the dramatic Drakensbergs.   

We liked it so much we spent another week in November at the same Drakensberg Sun in the same chalet. We took some other resort hikes for different views but this time the highlight was driving 90 minutes to the even more dramatic part of the Drakensbergs-Cathedral Peak. The jagged mountain vistas were awesome and the waterfall hikes were robust. We’re so keen on the Drakenbergs that we’ll go back there in March.  

The last month in 2020 saw us travel south to the seaside town of Manaba Beach where we enjoyed a gorgeous 5th story 2 bedroom condo with a huge deck overlooking Lucien & Margate beaches. We had some local hikes along the coastline; Red Desert; Splash Rock; and the Mpenjati Nature Reserve. But the highlight was easily the 2 times we visited brilliant Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve. We went to the Lake Eland Game Reserve and the Oribi Gorge Hotel sections. Each had thrilling suspension bridges; waterfalls; great hikes; caves; and splendid vistas. Oribi gorge is a million years old, cut by the Umzinkulwana River, 400m deep and 4km at its widest point. The total length is 27kms long. .

The first month of 2021 found us travelling 3 hours north along the coast to St Lucia, a sleepy, 500 population beach town renowned for its hippos and proximity to wonderful nature reserves. We spent a few days entering the Dukuduku & Bhangazi Gates to explore different areas of the iSimmangaliso Wetland Park, SA’s first World Heritage site. We saw many mammals in their natural habitat but were most impressed with the huge hippos, who we watched play for hours. The park has undoubtedly the largest hippo population in SA, estimated at 800 hippos. At the far end of coast lies Cape Vidal where there was excellent snorkeling in a protected bay. 

Getting up before dawn we drove to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, small in comparison to the Kruger National Park, but the oldest proclaimed nature reserve on the continent. It remains one of the best places in Africa to see wild black & white rhinos. We did a self-drive safari for a day and spent hours hanging with rhinos, giraffe, zebras, wildebeest and rare centenary birds.  

Who knows when we’ll be able to leave SA due to the devastating Covid-19 pandemic curtailing much of air traffic and entry restrictions for so many countries. The couple traveling around the world wants to get back on the road again! So…..you’ll probably see more of our travels in SA. Ciao! 

A Couple Traveling Around the World will be adding more to this section soon!