Flashback Friday: Monkey Juice On The Perhentian Islands

In my mini guide to Perhentian Kecil I talked about "Monkey Juice" and the fact that it was a potent local-style rum drink. This is Scott and I sunbathing, looking out to the clear blue water with a bottle of it between us.

Funnily, when Scott had approached the beach shack bar where it was served to buy some earlier in the day, the owner had shooed him away saying that the cops were coming to patrol the beach and that he shouldn't be seen selling it.

I'm not sure what dodgy deals proceeded to be made, but let's just say that not an hour later the bartender was back in business, selling bottles of Monkey Juice faster than he could unload them off the fishing boats.

This is bloody strong stuff and very cheap (by Perhentian standards) so it's no wonder it's most visitors' drink of choice. We used to mix it with Sprite and make our own Monkey Cocktails.

Tweet

Why You Should Choose Hawaii For Your Next Vacation

Hawaii has always been a dream destination for me, but I still have yet to visit the islands. I know I'll get there one day, but I want to make sure that when I do, I stay in a luxurious resort and get to sip tropical cocktails at a luau. Like I needed any more persuading, my friends at HawaiiGaga have put together a list of the main reasons why everyone should put Hawaii on their vacation list.


Every year millions of travellers discover Hawaii and fall in love. What is it about the Hawaiian Islands that makes them so enchanting and captivating? Unlike many tropical destinations Hawaii offers beaches and sun with no caveats. You don’t have to worry about diseases, dangerous animals, unfriendly locals, or other hazards often associated with tropical areas. This article takes a closer look at why Hawaii is such a relaxing and stress free destination.

Beautiful Scenery

The four main Hawaiian islands – Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island are all relatively small land masses, formed by volcanic activity. As such one may expect little contrast in scenery. But one of Hawaii’s interesting traits is the variation of land and seascapes. One reason for this is an extreme variation in rainfall over small distances. Mountains create weather systems by funneling clouds and moisture. A distance of 20 miles can separate dessert like conditions and some of the wettest spots on earth.

And with volcanic mountains that reach nearly 14000 ft, Hawaii experiences 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones. Millions of years of wind and water erosion have also shaped the islands, creating dramatic valleys, canyons and sea cliffs.

No Dangerous Animals

As one of the most isolated land masses in the world, only one land mammal (a bat) was found in Hawaii when humans first arrived around 300 AD. All other mammals were introduced. Today, the only alarming animal you may encounter while hiking in the forest is a wild boar. There are no snakes and few venomous creatures. Birds like the big Laysan Albatross don’t even understand the concept of a predator and can approached.

An Amazing Climate

Hawaii’s climate is obviously one of its selling points. Temperatures are very consistent, with highs typically ranging from 78 (26C) in the winter to 88 (31C) in the summer. Night times are about 15 degrees cooler. The ocean temperature varies from 74 (23C) in the winter to 82 (28C) in the summer.

Tweet

Did Oaxaca Live Up To The Hype?

Since the last time I visited Mexico back in 2011, I had wanted to go to Oaxaca.

It was supposedly the food capital of Mexico, being the "land of the seven mole sauces" and producing the country's finest chocolate, so of course this was one of the main reasons for me wanting to visit.

For two years I had talked about how when I made it back to Mexico, Oaxaca had to be on the list of places to visit. Many people hadn't heard of it (and certainly didn't know how to pronounce or spell it), but that didn't deter me. Oaxaca was going to be the stuff of dreams. And chocolate - who could forget the chocolate?

So after all that waiting and all that hype, did Oaxaca live up to my expectations?

Well, yes and no.

Like everything in life, if you build it up too much, it is bound to disappoint.

Oaxaca is a very pretty city. Like many Mexican towns and cities, it is full of attractive churches and features the ubiquitous cobbled pedestrian-only street. It was a lot more gentrified than Mexico City; less rough-around-the-edges and had a big zocalo which seemed to always be alive with people celebrating one event or another.

And the food was...good. Not mind-blowing, but consistently good (if often more expensive than some of its neighbouring destinations). There were two great food markets, a grilled meat alley (yes, that's right - a whole "alley") and hot chocolate was being sold everywhere with a side of sweet bread.

But, for some reason, it just didn't excite me. It was just a little bit "meh".

Having come from San Cristobal, we had been warned that Oaxaca might seem quite quiet in comparison and apart from the family-oriented celebrations in the zocalo, this was correct. Everything was usually shutting by 10pm, even the large fast-food chains. When we researched good places to eat, there were two or three that regularly got mentioned, although none of them could be considered as budget-friendly.

Tweet

Teach English in Mexico - The Experience of a Lifetime!

This post is very fitting - not only because I'm currently travelling around Mexico, but also because I have a lot of blogger friends (and possibly readers? Speak up if it's you!) who take TEFL certifications so that they can teach abroad. I think Mexico would be a wonderful place to teach English and this post from my friends at the International TEFL Academy goes into more detail about what teaching abroad is really like.


There aren’t many jobs in this world that allow you such great flexibility, the freedom to travel widely and the opportunity to inspire whole groups of people on a daily basis, but teaching English in Mexico is one of them. It’s exciting, different and is quite unique in that it really is one of those careers where every single day is
different. Want to know more? I suppose it’s only fair that we spread the word on living and working in one of the greatest places on Earth. Think you’re ready?

First of all… why teach English in Mexico?

In the simplest terms possible, Mexico has high demand for qualified English language teachers (a college/university degree isn’t always required, though it is often preferred – but a TEFL or TESOL qualification is essential) and treats their teachers well as a result. Mexico is a rapidly developing country with booming industry and an even faster growing language learning industry. People here are keener than ever to learn English (amongst other languages) so it is a dream destination for those looking to teach abroad. Add into the mix the stunning scenery, beaches and extravagant yet enormously welcoming local people… I don’t think we need to say any more, do we?

Tweet

Flashback Friday: Hitchhiking in Nadi, Fiji

This is me looking less-than-glamourous in the back of a pickup truck in Nadi, Fiji.

After realising that our hotel was down a dirt path which was only frequented by about three buses a day (and which were driven by drivers who would pull up outside their own houses and turf you off if it was the end of their shift), we quickly realised we would have to hitchhike with passing locals if we wanted to get into town.

Luckily most local drivers are used to this situation and have no problem picking hitchhikers up (although some may expect a small payment for thanks).

This was within the first couple of days of my round-the-world trip and I couldn't believe I was sitting in the back of a stranger's truck already. The grin on my face says it all though - my adventure was just getting started.

Tweet

The Hippie Town of San Cristobal de las Casas

Dreadlocks, hemp shoes and vegan pizzas abound. We had reached San Cristobal de las Casas on our travel-as-fast-as-we-could-from-one-side-of-Mexico-to-the-other extravaganza.

Or something like that.

I had read passing mention in guide books and on the internet that San Cris (as the locals and cool kids call it) was a haven for hippies or "Trustafarians", as one guy at our hostel liked to call them. This is because many of the hippies who live here are young and come from fairly rich families, but instead have decided to throw off the shackles of normal society and live off their trust fund in a nice sunny place where they can grow their dreadlocks in peace without having to explain to there parents why they haven't started their career in investment banking yet.

Or something like that.

Having had no prior expectations of San Cristobal and not having really done my homework, I was pleasantly surprised at how pretty this town was. Pastel-coloured churches seemed to sit on every street corner and the cobbled streets, although lined with touts and street-sellers, were relatively calm.

Our hostel was a quiet little oasis of hammocks and people strumming guitars and I was far too giddy about the fact that the town reportedly had good Lebanese food (having not had a hummus fix since Belgrade).

I can't say I did much in San Cristobal. I worked and I ate. I didn't go on any day trips, mainly because I was so tired from the aforementioned "extravaganza".

But I did try traditional Mayan hot chocolate, handmade chocolates and a chocolate frappe for the first time and damn, were they good. I don't know the meaning of overkill, just in case you were wondering.

Tweet