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Snapshot Sunday: Borneo Stilt Homes
I’m getting excited about my upcoming destination to Vietnam. In doing research and preparation for my trip, I keep finding similarities of Malaysian fishing villages when I spent time in Borneo, especially these stilt homes in Sabah. Simplistic design in impoverished communities, these families rely on the water running below their floorboards for their livelihood. I’m looking forward to learn and experience first hand about Vietnamese life on the water.
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George Town, Malaysia: The Ultimate Street Art
How have I missed sharing one of my favorite places!?! Ready yourself for an onslaught of photographs of one of my all time locations, George Town. The capital of Penang, Malaysia, the old town section is a UNESCO World Culture Heritage city founded in the 1700’s by a trader in the British East India Company with European architectural influences along with a predominant Chinese populations, it’s a wonderful blend of east meeting west. Oozing with charm the town is a fusion of cultures all from it’s architecture to the cuisine. The best thing I decided to do while in Malaysia was hang out here for a week, rent a bike…
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My Favorite Moments of 2014
2014, what a whirlwind! I had several one of a kind experiences this year and I think I spent a lot of time pinching myself making sure I wasn’t dreaming, exploring new places, meeting new friends and enjoying life has a way of seeming unreal. It has been a treat to go through TONS of photos of the past year and I’ve collected a few to share some of the stand outs. My day as a Maltese falconer By far and away one of my more favorite memories of this year. While in Malta I decided to take the Maltese Falcon story to the next level and go to the…
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Snapshot Sunday: Malaysia in a minute, A Video Wrap Up
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You had me at UNESCO: Why I’m head over heels for heritage cities
UNESCO. Â For those of you who aren’t familiar, the acronym may look like letters for a combination gas station/carwash, a bulk goods grocery store, or some Silicon Valley Tech start up, BUT it stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Â UNESCO has a mission to promote the protection of natural and cultural sites and that their preservation be a way to educate future generations while bringing awareness to unique places all over the world. Â I’ve been checking their website before going to a new place to see if they have a world heritage site near where I’ll be staying and a pattern started to develop. Â I love…
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Snapshot Sunday: George Town Penang, Malaysia
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The Jewel of Kedah: Langkawi Island Hopping
I’ve got 99 islets…Â Nestled in the Andaman Sea not far from the Thai border, the island of Langkawi is a Malaysian paradise. The area has so much to offer, from UNESCO world geopark sites, sailing, and duty free shopping. From mangrove forests to scenic views and unique wildlife, Langkawi island hopping is the best way to experience everything the region has to offer. One of the more serene beaches is Baras Basah which you can get to by boat. A white sand beach with beautiful clear water, with a dense forest in the background it is a great spot to relax in the afternoon. There isn’t much on the…
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Snapshot Sunday: 100 Steps in Borneo
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Ethical Malaysian Wildlife: Visiting Turtle Island Borneo
I rolled my pen across the wooden linoleum, sliding it back and forth over the table top as I glanced over towards the clock. Everyone busied themselves with small talk, knitting, or writing as we patiently waited in the cafeteria after dinner for a ranger to run into the room alerting us of a turtle laying her eggs. Female Green or Hawksbill turtles can come up to lay at any time so the wait in the dining hall could be anywhere from right after dinner to twiddling our thumbs well into the night. Turtles will only lay eggs in the evening and can be choosey about the conditions of where…
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Monkey Business: Borneo and a day with the Orangutans
Borneo The region evokes images of sprawling jungle, dark forests with murky rivers running through them, exotic animals lurking in tall, towering trees.  I’ve always envisioned it to be a mysterious place full of wildlife and dense uninhabited rain forests, a place where you could explore the unknown. Borneo is about the size of Texas, and is comprised of three countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei and houses some of the world’s oldest rain forests.  This small island makes up about 1% of earth’s land but the tropical paradise is home to over 6% of all the world’s species making it a region with incredible biodiversity.  Here’s a couple of facts that…
