From Morocco to Myanmar: My travel top 12 (so far)

A question I get asked a lot is, 'where is your favorite place you've ever been?' Choosing just one is literally impossible, but I've managed to get it down to a dozen. This list is short on major sites and singular monuments and big on places and experiences. Sometimes it's the journey and not the destination that makes a trip.

This is a list that will almost certainly change over time, we have a lot of work to do in South America, Africa and right here in Australia. But at this moment in time, here are my top 12 (in no particular order):

1. Getting lost in Essaouira, Morocco

Essaouira was our penultimate stop on a long, hard journey through Morocco; a dot on the map that broke up a long bus ride between Agadir and Casablanca. I was 23 and this was my first encounter with the third world and the Islamic world (these were the days before Easy Jet was depositing 'stag do's' by the planeload in Marrakech).

With no male travel companion, we spent a lot of the trip seeking solace on the rooftop terraces of our riads to escape the steady stream of sexual slurs and general harassment that had trailed us through Fez and Marrakech. We dressed conservatively and it was the driest college 'spring break' trip this side of Cancun.

By the end of our journey we were feeling fairly defeated and then we alighted in Essaouria. We were among just a sprinkling of other tourists and for the first time in two weeks, left largely to our own devices. Free to stroll on the beach, wander the souk and browse without interference or a relentless sales pitch, it was the Morocco I had envisioned - beautiful, exotic, and hospitable.

2. Swan Lake at the Bolshoi, Moscow, Russia

When I was in kindergarten, each week a different student got to fill in a poster about themselves. You got to fill in things like your favorite food (spaghetti), favorite colour (blue) etc. One of the categories was 'three wishes' and I wrote that, 'I wish I lived in Russia.' It was 1988. I'm pretty sure my reasoning had more to do with ballerinas than Cold War politics, but I was positively smitten by Russia, even as a child.

Fast-forward to 2004 when I was on a college trip to Moscow and St Petersburg. One evening in Moscow, my professor knocked on my hotel room door and asked my roommate and I if we liked the ballet, I replied, 'we love the ballet'. Through some booking quirk our group had been split up and there were two premium, front row, box seats available and we were the chosen ones. Sipping champagne we watched the most famous ballet company in the world perform the most famous ballet in the world!

3. The Taj Mahal, Agra, India

India may have a bit of trouble taking care of its nice things, but this is not one of them. The Taj positively sparkles and it's hard to believe that it is pushing 400 years old; it looks like it was completed yesterday. I can't quite put my finger on why I'm so much more impressed by the Taj than the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House or even Angkor Wat, but I think it has something to do with the size, the symmetry and scale. The Taj is one that you really need to see for yourself, photos just don't capture it.

4. London like a local

I was lucky enough to 'live' in London as a study abroad student and have been back many times since. Sure, it's crowded, expensive, a bit dowdy and the weather is terrible, but who cares. Londoners are terribly smug about being Londoners, but I probably would be too if I lived there. It is a city positively groaning under the weight of history. It has some of the best museums in the world (most of which are free), the food is far better than you think, and there is no shortage of excellent watering holes.

5. Inveraray, Scotland

In Scotland, if you tell a local that you are going to Inveraray at the weekend, their immediate reply will be, 'Oh, are you going to The George?' Aside from a stunning position on Loch Fyne (which in my humble opinion produces the world's best oysters) Inveraray boasts what must be one of the finest gastropubs in all of Scotland (it's a good thing too, because it's practically the only place in town.)

The George (which is also a hotel) shatters my rule about hotel restaurants generally being paragons of mediocrity. (Outside of Edinburgh) Scottish pubs frequently lack the charm of their English counterparts, but not the George. The building dates from 1770 and has been lovingly cared for and restored. There are over 100 malt whiskies to choose from (believe me, when Uncle Matt came to town we got through an impressive selection of them). There are cozy nooks, open fireplaces and a gorgeous conservatory. Sadly, it's been a few years since we were last there, but I still salivate at the thought of their local scallops with brown butter and roasted hazelnuts or their to-die-for sticky toffee pudding.

The flagship Loch Fyne restaurant is also just down the road, and they hold a fabulous little seafood festival every 'summer'. If I was made of time and money, I'd go every year.

6. The Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

Anyone who has been will probably agree. Our first glimpse was the day after our emergency wedding in Vegas (short version, we needed to get married so I could get a residency visa in Malaysia). We approached from the North Rim, it was early autumn; cool, clear and the summertime crowds had largely dispersed. We spent two spellbound days photographing it from every vantage point we could find. Unfortunately, Ian had a broken foot, so we didn't get to do any serious hiking. I guess it means we'll have to go back.

7. Margaret River to Monkey Mia, Western Australia's Indian Ocean Coast

I have no doubt that this is a permanent fixture on the list. This stretch of coast is without question one of my favorite places on the planet. There's almost nothing (and no one) here and that is a huge part of its charm. The best part is, we haven't even covered half of it. Margaret River to Monkey Mia is only 1,125km (700 miles) of this magnificent stretch. From Monkey Mia, it's another 1,800km (1,120 miles) up to Broome and we can't wait to pick up where we left off.

8. Into the Heart of Borneo: Kuching, Malaysia

 

I'll be honest, when we arrived at Kuching's shiny new airport for the first time in 2011 and found ourselves in a tidy, orderly, little city and not some jungle-backwater (I'd been reading too much Conrad), I was a tiny bit put out. It certainly wasn't the image of Borneo that I had in my head, but I rallied and graciously accepted my unanticipated creature comforts. We dined at atmospheric little restaurants serving up local specialities like midin (an edible jungle fern) and drank ritzy cocktails made from local arak. There is a pleasant promenade along the riverfront, a quaint and crusty Victorian natural history museum and plenty of shops selling (not made in China) Dyak and Iban arts and crafts.

But in Kuching you can have your cake and eat it too. While the city is pleasantly civilised, the surrounding area allows you to sample Borneo's wild side. The orang-utans at Semmengoh Nature Reserve are real show-stoppers, but so too is Bako National Park. Bako is accessible only by boat (through crocodile-infested waters) and is home to rare proboscis monkeys and far, far too many kinds of snakes. There are extensive hikes to remote beaches and waterfalls and it is truly hotter than hell. There's also Kubah National Park, the Fairy Caves, Damai Beach and Mount Santubong. You can get all the jungle you require and then some.

9. Monet's Garden, Giverny, France

When I was a kid, my sister and I had a book called Linnea in Monet's Garden, if I think hard enough I can still recall specific passages and illustrations from the book. I loved it that much. So standing on the Japanese Bridge in Monet's Garden was kind of a big deal. The garden isn't overly landscaped; it's dense, almost shabby-chic and just as pretty as in the paintings.

10. The slow train: Yangon to Bagan, Myanmar

It was long, it was uncomfortable, and it was exactly as it was supposed to be. We trundled (and occasionally alarmingly rocked) along at an inconceivably slow pace, watching life in one of the world's least developed and most disconnected countries slide by. When things go according to plan, the journey takes about 17 hours to cover just under 400 miles. There's cold beer, no wifi, probably some of the safest food you'll eat, and definitely not the worst toilet you'll encounter (that's back at the station), so open the window wide, sit back and enjoy.

11. Sailing and snorkeling Komodo National Park, Indonesia

 

36 hours of sailing the Flores sea, snorkeling in pristine tropical waters, and spotting Komodo dragons (which are the closest thing you are ever going to see to a real life dinosaur). This is the only place on the planet you can spot these beasts and the scenery isn't bad either. Just make sure you have a good travel insurance policy and bring your own beer for the boat ride.

12. My (kind of) town, Chicago, USA

Despite a long tradition of megalomaniac mayors, Chicago is remarkably and refreshingly unpretentious. Chicago is one of the best looking cities in the world, but I think it looks particularly good in snow. A boozy brunch and a matinee at Second City is pretty much the perfect day out. Or maybe a leisurely stroll around the Art Institute and a ribeye the size of your face for dinner. Between London and Chicago, who needs New York?

The beer run

Lacking any dramatic tales of vicious attacks by Komodo dragons we will continue our Indonesia odyssey with a moment nearly as dramatic - our emergency beer run.

Note: in this part of the world the provision of alcoholic beverages should always be taken very seriously and can never be taken for granted.   

After long, hot day of dragon spotting and snorkeling we found ourselves with a desperately low beer supply. Doing our best not to panic, we managed to communicate our situation to the teenage cook on board our boat.  

Half an hour later we docked at a very small, very isolated and very Muslim village. My heart sank. 

We were instantly swarmed by hordes of gorgeous local children. Some proffering cheap trinkets at extortionate prices others drawn by the sudden presence of a red-head in their midst. 

Yes, Amelia was an instant hit and children lined the dock to stare at her while she tinkered around on the boat.

The cook beckoned Ian and Jeremy to follow and he led them on an extended expedition through the village. Tucked away in a far corner of this town was a single shop. When Ian and Jeremy entered, the shopkeeper's face was radiant with joy. She knew she was about to make a killing. 

In the back of the shop, buried under dust and debris was a single case of Bintang. She asked an outrageous price and the boys didn't bat an eye. Sensing she might be able to fund her retirement in a single transaction she began offering to sell virtually everything but the shop itself. They politely declined offers of dusty sunglasses, cigarettes and expired cat food.

Twenty minutes later the dream team came parading back down the dock looking slightly dazed and extremely pleased with themselves. 

I almost couldn't believe my eyes. If there was a single village in all of Southeast Asia that didn't have beer for sale, I would have guessed this was it. 

Happy and now with refreshment we travelled a short distance to a quiet bay where we would spend the night. We had a delicious dinner of stuffed squid (and beer) and retreated to the top deck of the boat where miles away from any light pollution or obstruction watched the stars appear in their thousands.

There be dragons

This blog has recently suffered from serious neglect. We had a fabulous two-week trip to Indonesia which was followed by the abrupt and inevitable return to the real world and work. Two weeks home now, we are just about back into the regular swing of things and I've just about been able to coalesce my thoughts on our second Indonesia adventure.

This trip was a big 'bucket-list' tick for us. Ian has been talking about going to Komodo pretty much as long as I have known him. Our expectations were high, really high, and I'm pleased to report that Komodo lives up to its World Heritage status and delivered on pretty much every level.

Having survived the one hour flight from Bali in propeller plane with the somewhat notorious Lion Air, we arrived safely in Labuan Bajo - a small but bustling hamlet on the tip of west Flores. We set ourselves up in a five-star hotel for about $65 a night (why not, right?) and with far less hassle than anticipated, we negotiated to get the four of us - a private boat for a 2 day/1 night trip into the park - departing at 8am the following day.

*As a guideline for anyone else thinking of this trip, we paid $250 for a private boat for 4 people, sleeper cabins and 4 (excellent) meals, beer not included (more on that later . . . )

We met our crew which consisted of : a small, sinewy captain, a chain-smoking first-mate who appeared to double as the 'muscle' in case of mutiny on our small craft and a teenage cook - who was quite clearly at the bottom of the pay-scale but an invaluable resource as the only one who spoke any English.

We quickly settled into a mutually silent but cordial routine.

Our first stop was Rinca, one of the two main islands that form the park.  Here we embarked on our first dragon sighting expedition. Our guide (you must have a guide) was a sweet but self-conscious teenager from the only village on the island who had somehow managed to acquire just enough English to work as an official park guide. After a perfunctory, but slightly alarming speech on the importance of not getting too close to these 10ft, 300+ pound beasts, I was suddenly very aware that all that stood between me and the dragons was scrawny teenager with a big stick.

After checking out a few large dragons hanging around the park HQ, we embarked on hike through some unremarkable scrubby flatlands, but we were rewarded with spotting a 'baby' dragon scuttling along the forest floor.  Even at 'baby' size, I would not have relished a close encounter with the little beast.

A single bite from a Komodo Dragon is usually fatal to prey as the 50+ kinds of bacteria they harbor in their mouths does a fine job of spreading infection. Dragons will patiently wait while deer, wild pigs and other large prey succumb to a slow poisonous death rather than a swift but gory thrashing.  But don't be misled - these creatures can move a lot faster than they look - the only way to seriously consider outrunning one would be to go straight up a tree.  They can also eat up to 80% of their body weight in a single feeding.

Trying not to linger on these gruesome thoughts we carried on and although we did not spot any more dragons, we did start to move out of the scrub and into the hills - where after a short but steep climb we were rewarded with stunning views across the island and into the Flores Sea.

 We returned to park HQ and despite being barely past noon we each bought a 'big Bintang' (Indonesia's main domestic beer) and cooled off for a few moments before our diligent guide led us back to the dock where our boat was waiting. Trooping along merrily with our beers we spotted, under the single tree on a large baked-mud plain, a huge dragon roosting in the shade.

There was another flurry of photography and then we returned to the boat and cracked open a few more big Bintangs.