Craig's posts (15)

The Tegalalang terraces are one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Got here at 7am before the tourist hordes. Just mist curling between the palms and the sound of water in the channels.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat. Got there at 4:30am and it was still worth every minute of lost sleep. The mist rolling off the moat, the silhouette of the towers against an orange sky. This is why you travel.

Crossed into Thailand at the Sadao border crossing. Heading north to Pai tomorrow for a week in the mountains.

Ha Long Bay by kayak. Paddled through a floating fishing village at dawn, kids waving from wooden boats. The limestone karsts just appear out of nowhere and they never stop being dramatic.

Quick overnight stop in Hoi An. Lanterns everywhere. Had the best Cao Lau of my life at a tiny street stall — fat noodles, crispy croutons, fresh herbs. The old town at night is pure magic.

I have been trying to write about Angkor Wat for 20 minutes and keep deleting it. Massive. Ancient. Stones carved with more detail than seems humanly possible. Walked 5 hours and did not see half of it. Just go.

Day 3 on Nusa Penida. Rented a scooter and rode to Kelingking Beach. That cliff viewpoint is the most dramatic thing I have ever seen — a T-rex shaped peninsula dropping straight into electric blue water.

Nusa Penida. The road here is basically rubble and the ferry makes you question your life choices. But then you see Kelingking Beach from the cliff and absolutely none of that matters.

Spent the morning at Tanah Lot watching the sunrise over the sea. Got there before the crowds and had the whole clifftop almost to myself. The Indian Ocean mist rolling in was something else.

Arrived in Ubud after a long overnight bus from Kuta. The rice terraces here are absolutely unreal — layers of green cascading down volcanic slopes. Already booked a cooking class for tomorrow morning.

Landed in Phuket after a week in Bali. Louder, more chaotic, neon everywhere. Patong is party central but walk 20 minutes north and the beaches are stunning. Found great pad thai off the main strip, 80 baht.

First morning in Ubud and already completely in love. The rice paddies stretch out behind the hostel, emerald green under heavy cloud. Had the best banana pancake of my life from a tiny warung down the laneway.

Tanah Lot at sunset should be on every bucket list. Temple on a rock stack in the ocean, sky turns impossible orange and pink. Yes it is crowded. Does not matter. The view absolutely slaps.

Hoi An at night is something else. Lanterns reflect off the Thu Bon River, the whole old town glows. Got custom shoes made for $35, measured in the morning and picked up in the afternoon. Best value shopping anywhere.

One of the macaques mugged me for my sunglasses. Just reached up and snatched them off my face. The ranger said they trade them back for bananas. I thought it was a bluff until it worked. Lost: dignity. Gained: a story.