Singapore slings and Bali beaches
Singapore
I have to confess I almost didn’t go to Singapore. My friend, Lynda, got a stellar deal on this specific itinerary, but since I didn’t know anything about Singapore I contemplated spending a couple more days in Tokyo. I’m so glad I changed my mind, despite the seven hour flight.
I didn’t really know what to expect in Singapore, except that they spoke English. Our two days there were jam packed and perfect. The first day we walked around the Botanical Gardens and then paid to enter the rightfully famous orchid garden. The orchids were some of the most colorful I’d ever seen, and worth the $3USD entry fee.
Chili crab is best eaten with friends and while wearing plastic food service gloves.
This was probably the most time all six of us were together, so we went looking for chili crab, one of Singapore’s national dishes. We knew it was going to be messy when we saw food prep gloves on the table, and it was. I also enjoyed a Tiger prawn and Tiger beer before I headed to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel; after two nights in capsule hotels, I splurged. The threatening rain clouds couldn’t even keep me out of the hotel’s infinity pool that overlooked the city 50 floors up.
Met A Space Pod – Capsule hotel. From this…
To this. Palm tree in the sky at the rooftop infinity pool.
The group decided to split up, so I spent about a day checking out the sites by myself. And there was plenty to keep me
busy. There’s a light show that runs three times each night on the bay for about 15 minutes, I watched it twice. The Gardens by the Bay also has a light show and because it was November it was Christmas themed. I walked over to the Gardens by the Bay and laid down under the trees to enjoy the show. The holiday spirit was upon me when I heard Mariah’s All I Want For Christmas! As I walked by the food court, I was surprised to see a restaurant called ‘Texas Chicken’, who’s logo looks a lot like Church’s Chicken. Mariah and fried chicken? I felt right at home.
Texas Chicken!
I hit the hay about 11:30 pm and set my alarm for 4 am. While we were walking around that first morning, I saw a banner for a women’s race that was starting right by the hotel. 
Problem was everyone I asked either didn’t know anything about it or told me there was no day of registration, but I had to find out for myself. I didn’t know the distance, how much it cost or if I would even be able to register but I knew it started at 5 am, and that I would be there if only to cheer on the runners. But God is good and when I showed up at 4:30, of course they let me register. The race would highlight a half marathon, but also included a 10k and 5k. I handed the volunteer all my cash which gained me a 5k entry and a feeling of home. To line up with all those ladies at a start line reminded me that we really are very similar. I couldn’t have been more thankful for that moment. The weather in Singapore was quite warm and humid, similar to the weather at home, so I ran quite well. After collecting my metal and customary finisher photo, I headed back to the hotel for one last dip in the infinity pool.
The best thing I ate in Singapore were these soft bread ducks filled with yam, and they look cute too!
I met up with one of my travel buddies, and we decided to take the cable car from Faber Peak to Sentosa Island. Sentosa is a touristy area with a Universal Studios, Wax Museum, aquarium, restaurants, and a beach. It was a pretty cool area, but basically the same tourist trap as every big city. While my friend did the Luge, I took a nap on a bench. Ten days of go-go-go was catching up to me.
This is not what I expected to see in the vending machine.
Prawn and crab flavored snacks are popular, as are hotdogs for breakfast.
Our last stop was the Raffles Hotel, the spot that originated the Singapore Sling. This drink has too interesting of a backstory to skip. Now we could officially leave. I recommend checking out that hotel, it’s beautiful and the gin isn’t so bad either. Now we just had a short flight to our final destination – Bali.
A bag of peanuts accompany your drink. It’s ok to toss the shells on the floor, but don’t get caught littering anywhere else.
Bali
We would spend our last three days in Indonesia. Relaxing on the beach was exactly how I wanted to end a long two 
weeks of traveling. The food in Bali was quite good and cheap. So, we ate well, got massages and bought cheap souvenirs. Our second morning we decided to explore more of the island, so we hired a driver to drive us around for the day. The first stop was a place to snorkel. After negotiating the price of about $25 for each of us we got on a little boat that took us to a nearby cove. I had to laugh when one of the girls asked where the life jackets were and the guy said back on shore because we didn’t pay for them. The snorkeling was just OK at that spot, but it was the first time I saw an octopus and that alone made it worth my $25. The beaches were quite nice but the water wasn’t crystal clear there like other places I’ve been. Apparently, those beaches are located on nearby islands.
It was our last day and I was determined to surf before we left. I stepped into a surf school and for two hours it only cost about 25 bucks. Although I didn’t really need a lesson, my coworker did so I joined in. We surfed in the white water for an exhausting hour and a half and it was a blast.
Time to get some souvenirs!
Now one more massage before we are off to the airport and head home. I had no desire to spend any time in Jakarta but our return flight started there, so we took the last flight out of Bali. We only had about 4 hours to sleep before we caught our flights home. I was impressed that the free continental breakfast started at 3am, I guess there are a lot of early flights. I wasn’t looking forward to the 30 hour travel time, but I was ready to get home.
There is an excessive amount of zeros. 100 Rupiah was worth about half a cent.
Tips:
- In Bali get a massage…everyday. An hour massage costs less than $10.
- Kuta beach in Bali has great beginner surf – give it a try!
- Be willing to throw away your itinerary if something comes along that moves you.
Chica Brava Surfing in San Juan del Sur
Chica Brava: Surf House
Austin isn’t known for surfing, but this may soon change, as Austinites anxiously await the opening of NLand Surf Park. The park will be the first inland surfing lagoon and uses wave technology to create the perfect break. But for now, we wait.
When I called Erin (see New York) and asked if she wanted to go to surf camp in Nicaragua, she was in. Never mind neither of us had ever surfed before, despite all the time we’ve spent on beaches. I had read an article about an all girls surf camp called Chica Brava, and the next thing I knew I was packing my rash guards.
Everything I knew about Nicaragua came from watching two seasons of Survivor played there (now three), so I knew it was going to be awesome.
We decided to stay at the Surf House in town, which is the cheaper option of camps. But it still include yoga classes, a massage and daily surfing and theory. The Surf House even employs overnight security, but we didn’t have an issues walking around town at night.
Although the Surf House only provided breakfast, we had the benefit of trying a bunch of local restaurants for dinner. The food was excellent, and inexpensive. But we didn’t go there for the food – that was just a bonus. Some nights were really loud in town, which
would have been fun in our younger years, but if we had to get up at dawn it was one of the few downsides to staying in town.
Each day, we surfed based on the tide. Some days we surfed in the afternoon, some days it was dawn patrol. The instructors are amazingly patient and hail from all over the world, much like their clients. The week Erin and I stayed, there was only four of us, including a mother daughter duo from the mid-west. We had a schedule everyday, but there was plenty of down time, and evenings to recover. I couldn’t believe the bruises I earned on my hips, but I was having way too much fun to worry. Each day we went to one of three nearby beaches, and quickly progressed in our ability to paddle out to, catch and ride the waves to shore. Some times just paddling out to the waves I would turtle roll myself out, but the feeling of catching a wave on my own kept me coming back for more.
After only a week, I’d say we were surfers. We’d enjoyed amazing food, cheap ice cream at the shop across the street from the Surf House, and a renewed confidence in our ability to tackle challenges. There is something about the ocean and surfing being a metaphor for life. I hated to leave Erin again after having such a wonderful time, but I thought I’d be hitting the waves again soon.
Well, that was not the case. The times I made it to the gulf coast there were no waves, and other beaches I traveled to weren’t surf friendly. That’s when Chrissy called. She wanted to know if I’d be interested in going back to Chica Brava for her birthday, since I’d talked it up to all my friend after I got back. Well, of course I was stoked!
Chica Brava: Cloud Farm
Our friend Jenny decided to use her tax refund and join us. So the three of us planned our trip to the Cloud Farm location, which included all our meals. The farm is pretty self-sustaining, and the fresh cuisine prepared daily was delicious. The farm even had its own group of howler monkeys to wake us from our peaceful dreams!
But with most adventures, the experience is what it is because of the people you share it with. When we were boarding the plane in Houston, I started talking to a group of 10 ladies. Turned out they were also headed to Chica Brava, and they were also from Austin. Sometimes you show up and know its exactly where you were meant to be.
The women I met were all friends from work or their kids’ school, and when they shared their case of Deep Eddy with the three of us, I hoped we’d be friends for a long time to come.
Photo credit: Jerson Barboza
While I chose to surf everyday, some of the girls spent a day ziplining and horseback riding. And each of us had the time of our lives. I think the point of this camp, and most adventures is not just doing the thing, but enjoying the journey. While we ranged in age from 20-50 at both camps I attended, the desire to live out your dreams is ageless.
By the end of the week, not only was I paddling beyond the break and catching head high waves (OK, maybe one head high), I was inspired. None of us journey alone, there are always others that cross our paths for a week, for a season, for years. Others that encourage you, and give your board a little push when you aren’t paddling fast enough to catch the wave. Others that stand on the shore cheering. And others that wait at home praying for your safe return.
And oh, were those prayers needed. I’d never seen a bunch of women give themselves so fully to something! There was a black eye, a busted nose, a fracture, a stingray sting, jellyfish stings, bruises, scrapes, and more laughter than I ever thought possible.
As for the instructors, you’ve never met a more capable and diverse team. The coach I wanted at dawn was different than the coach I needed at noon, and the coach I wanted to keep me playing in the white wash, was not the coach that made me paddle beyond the breaks. Nothing could have really prepared me for the surfing, but the women that paddled next to me were better than I could have hoped.
Yes, I learned to surf, but the reason I returned to Chica Brava was something more. You have to just go and see for yourself.
For more fun click here.
Tips:
- Try the ceviche, Toña, and a fresh piña colada at the beach.
- Check out the market in town for cheap shirts and souvenirs, bring cash.
- Take cash to tip the camp staff, they will earn it.
- Rolling brownouts happen often, enjoy the unplugged life.
- Say “Hey” to the J, and take the steep hike to Jesus. $2 cash for an amazing view of SJDS.
- If you stay at the House, take ear plugs. If you stay at the Farm, take bug spray.
- Take the catamaran cruise.
- Buy the pictures, they are worth it!