Hong Kong & Vegas of the East

Destination: Hong Kong & Macau, Special Administrative Republic, China

Date: February 3-7, 2012 – Prophet Muhammed’s Birthday (6^th) and Thaipusam(7^th); both public holidays

Getting there: Air Asia – 3 hours 45 minute fight from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong; 1 hour ferry ride from Hong Kong to Macau

Where we stayed: Cosmo Hotel Mongkok, Kowloon – small, but clean, affordable and in close proximity to MTR (Olympic) station

Time spent: 4 nights, 4 full days (1 day in Macau)

Currency: $1 HKD = ~$7.75 USD

Things to know before you go: The Octopus card is a great card to purchase ($50 HKD refundable deposit) if you are going to spend more than a few days in Hong Kong and is used on all MTR (train) stations, buses, and can be used at many convenient stores and fast food restaurants. Very handy to have and use to travel in between the islands and throughout the city.

Our first trip to Hong Kong was a nice change to cooler weather (55 - 60˚F) away from the “winter” months of KL where we have been seeing 85-90˚F. We decided to go for a 4-day weekend and left after work on Friday evening and stayed through the two public holidays on Monday and Tuesday. Friday night was a late night by the time we arrived and checked into our hotel, so we were ready to crash for the night and start our site seeing the next day.

Saturday morning I planned for us to tour around the sites closer to our hotel, so we went to New Territories area of Hong Kong to the Po Fook Hill Cemetery and hiked straight up a hill to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. It is said that there are actually closer to thirteen thousand buddhas, all with different faces and expressions!!!

After the Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery, we decided to head north to the (very local) Tai Po market for lunch. We ended up finding something to eat, but it was so local that we were only able to convey what we wanted by pointing, smiling, and hoping for the best ;) It hit the spot and turned out okay. After lunch, we took the MTR back down to Kowloon area to walk down Tsim Sha Tsui where there are cheap restaurants, local shopping and markets.

Victoria Peak, or The Peak, is the highest peak in Hong Kong with a beautiful view of the city skyline on the edge of Victoria Harbour. I had planned for us to try and arrive in time to take the 120 - year old railway, the Peak Tram, up in time to watch the sundown and the city lights as they come on lighting up the sky. It was very windy and chilly, but a romantic way to end our wonderful first day.

Our second day in Hong Kong, we started the day off watching part of the Standard Charter Hong Kong marathon. The next site we were anxious to see was the Tian Tan Buddha, or most commonly known as Big Buddha and the Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery. We were not able to ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car up to the Big Buddha but were able to reach it up in the mountain via a bus. For a small entry fee of $3.50 USD, we were able to walk up to Big Buddha and were given an ice cream and bottled water at the end of our tour. Big Buddha is on Lantau island and shows such a beautiful and more serene side of Hong Kong.

Big Buddha was definitely an incredible site, being the largest sitting bronzed Buddha in the world. After we got back to town, we watched a laser light show over Victoria Harbour, then got a little taste of home with a delicious dinner at Outback Steakhouse to end the night.

The next day was our last full day in Hong Kong, so we decided to take a 1-hour ferry ride (via First Ferry - $20 USD each per way) over to explore Macau. Macau is known as the Las Vegas of Asia for its glamorous hotels,  casinos (a favorite pastime of the Chinese) and plenty of shopping.

Macau was a former Portuguese colony, both the first and last European colony in China. Like Hong Kong, Macau is a SAR (Special Administrative Republic) of China and Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover in December 1999. The Basic Law of Macau stipulates that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer.

The SAR means that China is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, and immigration policy. According to The World Factbook, Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world with an average of 84.36 years.

MGM Macau - Fortune Dragon of Spring

Portuguese inspired cobblestone Senado (Senate) Square in Macau

Kaes and I in front of the Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral

Our last day half day, we decided to take the MTR over to the financial district and walk through Hong Kong Park. They day was clear and crisp and we picked up some lunch and headed over for a picnic in the park. Kaes just got a new 100mm macro lens and tried it out for a close up on these little guys warming themselves in the sun.

Our delicious and relaxing picnic in the park was a perfect end to our long weekend getaway to Hong Kong and Macau. 

You can view the rest of the pictures at the following link
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3214728854676.2152660.1459951651&type=3&l=e512311434

Gong Xi Fa Cai: Happy New Year from Boracay, Philippines

Destination: Boracay, Philippines

Getting there: Cebu Pacific Air – 3 hours 45 minute fight from Kuala Lumpur to Manila, Philippines; 45 minute flight from Manila to Caticlan; 10 minute boat ride to Boracay Island

Where we stayed: Boracay Beach Club hotel – Station 1, White Beach

Time spent: 5 nights, 6 days

Gong Xi Fa Cai, literal translation "to increase your wealth" is a saying for Chinese New Year, or the Lunar New Year that is celebrated throughout China. Due to the large Chinese population all over Asia, we are fortunate enough to get this as a long holiday; a perfect opportunity for a beach getaway to the beautiful island of Boracay in the Philippines.

The first day we spent traveling starting from Kuala Lumpur to Manila on a 1 am redeye flight, which was 3 hours and 45mins. Once we got to Manila, we had a 3 hour layover, then another 45 minute flight to Caticlan (Boracay) A greeter from our hotel, Boracay Beach Club, was waiting for us when we arrived and we took a quick 10 minute boat ride to the island of Boracay. We arrived at 11 am on Thursday morning and were ready to find a bed, quick. The crystal clear water and white powdery beach tempted us to start exploring, but we had to take a quick nap first as we had missed a night of sleep due to our early flight.

Boracay Beach Club was a nice boutique hotel located on Station 1 of White Beach. It was prime location for restaurants, nightlife, or just lounging on the beach. After we got a bit of rest, we had dinner on the beach at our hotel while watching the breathtaking sunset. It was the perfect way to end our first day.

The next day was even better than the first! We went out on our first dive with Fisheye Divers, with our dive guides Carlos and Peter, to the dive site Camilia that was a shipwreck that happened 10 years ago. The water was clear and warm and it was a great way to get back in the water and acquainted with diving. After our first dive, Kaes decided to go on another dive and I decided that I had overexerted myself too much for one day. Therefore, I opted out of the second dive and decided on a massage on the beach. It was the perfect way to relieve me of all the stress ;) After my massage and Kaes' dive, we went back to our room to clean up and get ready to watch the beautiful sunset with bright orange and pink lighting over the horizon.

Moray eel

Nemo

Lion fish

Day three we had a delicious breakfast at our hotel, and then went out for a dive to the site called Bailinghai. The dive was quite easy and relaxing. The afternoon had a few rain storms, but luckily we were able to enjoy some Mexican food at Jony’s Bar and the most delicious mango shake we have ever had. Fresh mango is everywhere throughout the Philippines and fresh fruit drinks are made all up and down the beach.

Enjoying a swim in the clear waters

Of course we had to get our fill of fresh delicious Mexican food and once we discovered Jony’s, we had every meal after at the same place. Mahi Mahi grilled burritos with fresh cilantro and pico de gallo and tuna ceviche in coconut milk were some of our favorites {the whole menu was wonderful!!!}. We were thrilled to finally get some delicious Mexican food as we have not found a place in KL that is worthy of calling their food “Mexican.”

Tempted to eat here, but it was half the food for 3 times the price AND  you were required to pay for your neighbor's dinner as well as your own...

The entire island was stunning with beauty!

The rest of the trip was spent relaxing on the beach and going diving. The coral was so colorful and full of many different species of fish and other sea life. Boracay has taken the crown for our favorite beach vacation in Southeast Asia. We couldn’t seem to get enough of the crystal blue water, white powdery sand, great diving, romantic sunsets, cheap local beer, excellent Mexican food, and friendly faces. It is definitely a place we hope to visit again very soon!

View from the boat coming back from a dive

In two weeks, we have another 2 day holiday and will make use of the long weekend on our first visit to Hong Kong!!!

Stay tuned for our adventures in the southern province of China - Hong Kong!

New Year's Resolutions...and what I have learned so far....

I know this comes almost a month now after New Year's, but I figured I would go ahead and post it anyway. After much thought, I wanted to discuss my New Year's resolutions...

The typical resolution of "I'm going to lose weight this year" is always a given, but I wanted to really stick to some New Year's resolutions that were not your "ordinary" resolutions, and something to make me a better person, as well as help me enjoy our new adventure in KL.

My first one is to try and be more positive. I say this in that as some of you may know, the first month here in KL was pretty rough for us. I would say it was our hardest move yet, and we should be better at it by the 4th move (in 4 years). KL is a wonderful city with a lot to offer, but like a lot of places, it has its own challenges. People do not operate and do things the way we do in the US. That being said, I have noticed that I lose my patience a lot more than I should (and need to) I guess that ties in with another resolution of being more patient. Not only for health reasons, but being patient and explaining things that you want done in a calm manner can get you much further than losing your temper. Knowing this is one thing...doing is another. Asians in general do not respond well to blowing up and being loud or yelling at them, and customer service doesn't really exist. They pretty much freeze up do not respond at all. So, I am trying each day to be more patient, calm, and to enjoy the new culture we are living in.

My second is to do a better job of chronicling our lives overseas. I usually write up about our most recent excursion to some other foreign country, but don't do a good job of discussing what we do here on the weekends, our new friends we meet, or touring around the city in search of a new market place to get great cheap food.

I will do my best to work on my resolutions in hopes that they become more of a way of life instead of a "resolution" (especially the positive and patient part)

So what are your resolutions for the New Year???? Would love to hear what new goals you have for the new year!!!

Love and Hugs,
Kim

Happy New Year from Kuala Lumpur!!!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and very Happy New Year!!!

Our Christmas was spent anxiously awaiting the completion of work on our new house in KL. Christmas day was pretty quiet and we missed being home with family and friends, but were invited to spend Christmas dinner with some friends. Traditional dinner of turkey, ham, green bean casserole, dressing, and more desserts than you can imagine, made the day seem like we were at home.

After moving to KL almost two months earlier, we finally got to move in! The movers delivered and help unload all of our goods, and the feeling of sleeping back in our own bed was indescribable. Oh how we had missed it so much!

The pups were excited to explore their new yard and Jaek couldn't wait to jump into the refreshing pool to cool off. He loves to swim!

I have been travelling for the past 6 weeks to Singapore during the week and come home on the weekends. I have to say I am definitely ready to finally stay home and enjoy our home (as well as finish organizing and unpacking the rest of the boxes!!!) The house is in livable order, but needs a bit more attention in the office area and bedrooms. Unfortunately, our office desk top (made of glass) was shattered in the move, so we are waiting until a new desk comes in. Hopefully we will be able to get the office all sorted and looking more organized after, but for now, our makeshift desk will have to do.

Below are a few pictures (minus the photos of unfinished rooms) of the kitchen, dining, living room, lounge, and pool area.

The lounge area looking out to the patio and pool

The dining room looking out to the outdoor breakfast area and kitchen

The dry kitchen area

One of our first priorities to get the BBQ pit, smoker, patio furniture and pool area ready to have a pool party. We both worked very hard and were able to celebrate New Year's Day smoking some delicious pork ribs and grilling on the BBQ while sitting by the pool with friends. It was a great way to start out the New Year.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!!! xoxo

The de Jong Family has relocated!

After spending 2 1/2 years in the beautiful city of Perth, it was time for us to make another move, this time to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We were fortunate that even under the circumstances of a last minute trip to Houston, the move went as well as it could have. Moving {especially internationally} with your house packed up and not having your goods for 2-3 months is never an easy task.

The dogs and I moved over and they went straight into quarantine. Luckily, they will only be in for 10 days, so it isn't terrible {originally there was no quarantine, but the Hendra virus set us back}. We are currently in a temporary apartment while I house hunt to find a permanent place. I am hopeful we will find our new home quickly so we can start to get settled.

Kaes and I {as well as the pups} enjoyed our time in Perth with the great weather and beautiful beaches, but are very excited to explore Malaysia and more of SE Asia. Leaving behind such great friends is always a struggle with each place we leave, but we are excited about new adventures to come!

It's Official - We are Moving!!!

Well the time has come once again for us to relocate to our next position. Our company has been very good to us over the past 3.5 years with new and exciting places to live and amazing opportunities for both of us. We have known about this potential move since June, but it was just finalized a few weeks ago, and Kaes' announcement was published to the region this week.

We will be relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. KL is just a short 3.5 hour drive to Singapore and on the Malaysia mainland that is bordered by Thailand to the north, and Singapore and Indonesia to the south. For those of that are unsure of where it is located, see the map below.

{click map for larger view}

Our very first overseas location was in Malaysia, but on the eastern side of the country in Miri, on the island of Borneo and close to the border of Brunei. I have pinpointed each location {A - KL and B - Miri} to see the distance between each city. 2.5 hours by flight separates the two from each other; similar to the distance between Houston and Denver.

Kaes officially starts his new position on October 1, which is a 2-year assignment, but it will take us a bit longer to relocate. Currently, there is a ban on importing horses and domestic animals from Australia to Malaysia {this is very unusual due to the strict quarantine process in Australia} due to the deadly Hendra virus {transmitted by fruit bats} that has killed 20 horses, a dog, and has infected humans. The ban on livestock and goats was just lifted a few weeks ago as they are the biggest exports for Australia and where Malaysia gets its main source of meat. Unfortunately, the virus is on the eastern side of Australia, over 2,000 miles away, but Malaysia is taking all precautions to ensure it is not transmitted to Malaysia.

What that means for us is a waiting game...the dogs and I will stay in Perth until the ban is lifted and Kaes will travel back and forth to KL. Hopefully the Malaysia and Australian governments can sort the issue quickly so this does not turn into a lengthy process. Once we get the green light, it will take 6 weeks by sea for all of our furniture to be transported from Perth to KL. I cannot say that I am ever excited to be packed up, wait for what seems like forever to finally get to sleep in your own bed again, then have to unpack and organize everything...it is quite the daunting task...

Perth's beautiful summer is quickly approaching, so I can't say that I am complaining {too} much!! It will be bittersweet to leave the beautiful beaches, river, and amazing weather that makes Perth such an enjoyable place, as well has the many friends that we have met, but we are excited about new opportunities in Malaysia as well as being closer to quick getaways in SE Asia.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures of our new city and home!!!

Weekend Down South - Albany and Denmark

As our time in Australia is coming to an end, Kaes and I are taking advantage of our 9/80's {having every other Friday off work} to travel somewhere within Australia. This weekend, we decided to drive south 5 hours {260 miles SE of Perth} to the old whaling town of Albany and the Dutch discovered town of Denmark. I found a quaint hotel on Middleton Beach called The Pelicans where we would spend the weekend.

The first day we woke up to beautiful clear blue sunny skies and decided to drive along Middleton Beach along Frenchman Bay. Our first stop was to Cable Beach where we had breathtaking views of the ocean breaking against the cliffs. We even walked down the side of the cliffs to see a school of 5 dolphins fishing for food. Incredible doesn't come close to describing just how beautiful the cliffside is along the vast ocean.

Our next attraction was to Torndirrup National Park to see The Gap, Natural bridge and Blowholes all shaped by local granite. This point was where Australia was attached to Antarctica 45 billion years ago in what was then call the Gondwana land mass. The Natural bridge is pictured below.

The afternoon started to get dark and rainy, so we drove through the town and stopped at a local brewery for lunch and a "middie." The rest of the day was spent relaxing at our hotel planning the next days adventures.

The next morning we decided to head to Denmark for the day. Denmark is about 40 minutes west of Albany. On the way, we stopped at Mount Clarence for a panoramic view of Albany with its harbors and bays. The view was just stunning! An ANZAC war memorial is also at the top of the mountain to honor everyone that died between 1916-1918.

Once into Denmark, we stopped at Ocean Beach and Lights Beach, both with beautiful clear waters and great wave breaks that attracted the avid surfer. After a bit of time at the beach, we stopped off at Swiss Annie's chocolate lounge for some delicious hot chocolate and hand made truffles.

The next stop further down the coast was to Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks. The Greens Pool was a swimming beach area that had the most beautiful bright blue/green water. The pool was surrounded by what they call "Elephant Rocks." I was curious as to exactly what elephant rocks was supposed to look like until I actually saw the enormous boulders that resembeled a herd of elephant. We were both quite amazed at the similarity the rocks had to real elephant.

Before heading back to Albany, we stopped off at the town center that was holding a 100 year celebration of Denmark being a town. Children games and activities lined the streets and the local primary school was raising money selling homemade donuts, scones, having a dunk tank and even a small petting zoo. An antique car show was on display as well as other local craftsmen and artists. We also tried our first "meat pie," a staple food in Australia. It was fun to enjoy the local events of the town and reminded both of us of a small town back home.

Our drive back to Albany seemed to go quickly and we spent the rest of the afternoon at Emu Point, a beach just close to where we were staying by Middleton Beach. No wind made the bay very peaceful and a perfect end to our weekend.

Family Reunion - Rocky Mountain National Park - Estes Park, Colorado

Our weekend in Colorado was short, but it sure was a wonderful time. Back in March, we started planning a surprise 80th birthday celebration for my father-in-law and a family reunion with extended cousins and other family members. We rented 5 cabins for all of us at Solitude Cabins in Estes Park, CO. The management there was so accommodating and helpful to make sure our weekend was perfect. Anyone in the Estes Park area looking for a place to stay, I highly recommend these cabins. They were just the perfect size with all the amenities and very friendly management to help make our family weekend a huge success!

We had a wonderful turnout of 32 family members from the de Jong/Spiller/Davis family as well as extended family members. The weekend was chilly with beautiful weather during the day, perfect for hiking through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Saturday, we got up and headed out for our first hike through RMNP. Below is a picture of the West Alluvial Fan that was created many years ago from a lake that overflowed during a flood, creating a waterfall and the "fan" of rocks seen below.

We also came across a field of elk sitting in the sun enjoying the weather. Everyone had to stop and take a look at the amazing creatures.

This guy was grazing and walked up pretty close to us as we stood very still. The size of these creatures is amazing and quite frightening at the same time. Kaes and I didn't know whether to stay still and take our chances, or turn and run for the car!

Saturday evening we had Dirk's birthday dinner at the cabins' pavilion where they grilled for us and we were able to enjoy the crisp weather while catching up with each other and getting to know some of the ones we have never met.

Sunday morning, several of us got up at 4:30 am to see the sunrise at Sprague Lake. Dawn is such a breathtaking time of day when the whole world seems so peaceful and everything around you is still. With the Continental Divide in the background, the lush green aspens, and the pristine water of Sprague Lake, it was clear that the good Lord spared no expense when created this place.

On our sunrise hike, we saw elk, a momma duck with her seven babies, and even a busy beaver swimming across the lake.

Sunday afternoon, Kaes and I went walking through the town of Estes Park to visit the cute shops and restaurants. It had been off and on drizzling, so a group of us decided to drive over Grand Lake pass for some incredible views. The highest point of the pass is a bit over 12,000 ft. It was quite frigid and even snowed on us as we made the stop for some hot chocolate at the top of pass. The pass boasts some of the most beautiful views far and wide.

Monday was our last day in Colorado and we had just a few days before we had to return to Australia. After giving lots of hugs and saying our goodbyes, we headed back to Denver to have lunch with a friend we had not seen in a few years before we flew to Houston.

Colorado is always one of my favorite places to visit in the winter. My first visit during the summer was so beautiful and reminded me of our vacation last year to New Zealand. The lush greenery and snow-capped mountains make both destinations a favorite, and we cannot wait until our next visit!~

Happy 3rd Anniversary!!!

Happy Anniversary to Mr. & Mrs. Kaes de Jong! 3 wonderful years together experiencing so many amazing places. It has been a wonderful experience and I can't wait for us to make many more memories together :)

On that note, just a re-cap of our recent AH-MAZING trip to the Maldives!!!!

For those of you who don't know, the Republic of Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls stretching in a north-south direction off India, about seven hundred kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and (250 mi) south-west of India.

Distance Travelled: 5 hour flight from Perth to Singapore, 2 hour layover, 4 1/2 hour flight from Singapore to Male, and a not-so-pleasant sea plane ride from Male to the South Ari Atoll where our beautiful paradise at Centara Island Resort began. {Side note: stormy weather, confined space, and the smell of diesel is NOT a good combo for motion sick sufferers...}

Our original plan for our Easter holiday and anniversary was to go to Japan to see the Cherry Blossoms in season. With the recent devastating effects on Japan, we decided to search elsewhere to spend our holiday. It turned out that the Maldives happen to be in great dive season and we headed off in hopes to see and snorkel with the famous {gentle giants} the whale sharks. Unfortunately, we weren't lucky enough to see them, but we did come across some some really cool creatures we haven't seen before.

The first time we have ever seen a sting ray! Unfortunately, we didn't have anything next to it to compare the size, but it was 6 to 7 feet in width and about 10 feet long!!! He was a pretty big fella.

We are very excited about coming home to Houston soon! It is been a year since we have been home and we are both in need of some family and friends time as well as some Mexican food!!!