1...2..3

Okay kidlets its time for some major catch up starting with:

NOVEMBER

Mike and I were spoiled with visitors in November and found ourselves away for 3 out of the 4 weekends to destinations such as: Vietnam, Bali and Thailand (I know life is rough).

TRIP 1 - VIETNAM

The last weekend in October took us back to Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam. Why? Well because my auntie Vi was there for work and well - we like her.

Hanging with Auntie Vi

Apart from eating, drinking and haggling over prices in Ben Than Market, we took a stroll through the Reunification Palace – you know that place where a few Americans were hanging out during the 70’s and a couple of army tanks disrupted them by casually crashing through the gates, resulting in most of them having to go home a little earlier then maybe originally planned.

Reunification Palace

Anyways they served Beer on the top floor, which as you can tell made Mike & Vi very happy.

Happy Mike, Happy Vi - They were done sightseeing 

The trip to Vietnam was a short weekend visit as it backed on to our visit from our 1^st official Singapore house guests – Brad and Sarah.

TRIP 2 – INDONESIA

Brad and Sarah were on a stop over in Singapore on their way to Indonesia for a 3-week vacation.

Brad & Sarah

Their first stop was Bali and, since Bali is basically my favorite place on earth and it was also a long weekend for us, you can imagine it didn’t take much convincing for us to join them to hang out on the beaches of Legian &  Seminyak.

Our Villa - equipped with our own personal pool

Dining area of our Villa

That being said, we did have to take a break from the beaches to take a day trip back up to Ubud (up in the countryside). For a couple of Reasons:

1)   Mike had a score to settle with a couple of Monkeys (see “Bali – I heart you” for full details) only this time he brought back up.

Mike's" back-up" (Peter & Iwan) ready to take on the Monkey Forest

But more importantly reason #2 - Ibu Oka - The best roasted pig place in the world.

Ladies & Gent's let me take you through an epic culinary moment entitled:

“The Pig Moment”

After skipping breakfast and a 2 ½ hour drive, we arrived at the restaurant and were quickly ushered to our seats at long tables on the floor  - our waitress told us we would have to wait for our meal as they were waiting for another pig to arrive (they only cook 5 pigs a day off premises)

We ordered a couple of Bintang beers and waited in anticipation – After a few minutes we heard the sounds of a motorbike pull up. One guy the (the driver) maneuvered his bike through the crowds to the restaurant, the other guy on the back of the bike resting our pig on a big silver platter upon his head. 

Our pig arrives!

The pig was magic and exceeded all expectations.

After a gross indulgence and two huge plates of pig later I was on a meat high and full on ready for the “sweats”  - no drug on earth could have made me happier.

To date one of the top 3 best meals I have ever eaten and a reason in itself to visit Bali (and to think I used to be a vegetarian – seriously what was I thinking).

Check out those spices!

Words cannot explain how good this pig was - so I leave it to You-Tube for the visuals
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUxue0uUHr0&feature=related

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beS8GrYAoAk&feature=related

Should you ever find yourself in Ubud - Don’t think twice about going to Ibu Oka, just put on your stretchy pants, remind yourself to spend a week in the gym doing cardio and go for it.

Mike & I with happy bellies 

TRIP #3 - THAILAND

Finally the end of November found us in Kao Lak, a cozy little beach area in Phang Nga, in South Thailand. Here we met up with my aunt and uncle - Marilyn and Wally as they were coming to the end of their 3 week “Beaches and Buddha” adventure.

Mar & Walto

Again we found ourselves amongst good people and enjoyed sheer over indulgence. We part took in a few beers, a little kayaking, visited a few villages and somehow ended up on what the locals call “James Bond Island”    

Note:  James Bond Island, is something you should avoid like Tequila - nothing good can come of it.

Toursits waiting to take a picture of the "James Bond" rock

The place is a sand spit about about 40 metres (130 ft) long and 20 meters (66 ft) wide and packed with souvenir stalls selling crap and thousands upon thousands of tourists all there to take their picture in front of a rock……..bad…..boo……hiss.


That being said I did make Mike take a picture in front of the rock.

Smile if you love me Mike!

Other than the small detour to James Bond Island, Kho Lak was a cute, quiet area with nice beaches and a generally relaxed vibe.

Not a bad way to end a day

To sum up November: I made it to the gym a total of 3 times, spent 20/30 days with a drink in hand  and consumed a much higher than normal amount of Advil and coffee but bloody hell was it fun.