no travel required: #frifotos
TGIF, travelers!
Frifotos has become a real test of our ability to understand timezones now that the romantic is eleven hours ahead and also just generally has no idea what day it is anymore. But you know. We make it work.
This week’s photo theme? Architecture.
As two self-proclaimed europhiles, our architecture tastes shouldn’t be too surprising. Give us Parisian rooftops and stone villas in Tuscany any day. But now that the romantic is traipsing around the other side of the world? At least one of us may be developing a serious appreciation for Asia’s ornate pavilions and pagodas.
So far, one of her favorite spots was a self-guided tour of the Temple of Literature in Hanoi:
Gorgeous, right? And, based on the other people around the grounds, the school is a serious photo opp for Vietnamese brides-to-be and future grads.
Enjoy your weekends, lovelies! For those of you hanging stateside for Memorial Day, kick off the summer with an extra beer & burger in honor of the romantic. Cambodia probably doesn’t do summer pool parties & barbecues in the same way.
xo!
the romantic & the wino
style spotter: marina bay sands hotel, singapore
During our recent 36 hour whirlwind tour of Singapore, the hubs and I made the mistake of heading up to the roof of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
I say mistake because alas, our budget did not allow for an actual room in the hotel… which means it also did not allow for anytime spent lounging by their amazing infinity pool overlooking all of Singapore:
Naturally, those who were swimming were dressed to the nines and were the type of people who still looked perfectly coiffed even as they climbed out of the pool. Life is so unfair.
Though it wasn’t in the cards this round, I trust that we’ll find ourselves back at the Marina Bay Sands… someday. And when we do, I’ll be prepared:
Should you be interested in any of the pieces above, shop the look on Polyvore here and please e-mail me if you think we’re the same size and would be willing to share.
xo!
the romantic
no travel required
When it comes to pizza, we’re partial to New York City, buuut I guess we wouldn’t mind trying it out in Naples. Eating Your Way Through Italy
For all you philanthropic photographers! We’re so good at alliteration. 2013 Photo Challenge: Travel With a Purpose
Did we mention that the romantic and The World Wanderer have a weird fascination with sloths? Sloths in the City – Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica
Move over, Candy Crush. 30 Must-Have iPhone Apps for Frequent Flyers
If you’re weren’t already jealous of the romantic, you can be now.
This is her view from the hotel pool in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
xo!
the romantic & the wino
#LTGoWithOh bucket list item 6
Believe it or not, we’re both pretty good in the kitchen (and tend to think we’re even better depending on the amount of wine consumed). One category we haven’t tried to master, however, is pastries. There’s just like, a lot of measuring involved and it just seems like it takes a lot of PLANNING, you know? But when in Rome and all of that…so we decided if we’re going to be in the city of strudel HEAVEN, we’re gonna make us some strudel.
Learn to make a strudel.
Photo courtesy of Captain and Clark
We know the basics. Sorta. Flaky, golden crust, fruit filling, topped with powdered sugar. Right? Luckily for us, though probably not for him, the hubs will be present to taste test all of our strudels. And, if we fail in our attempts, we’re falling back on Marieta, a Viennese tour guide we found through ToursByLocals, who teaches all of her guests how to make the perfect apple strudel in her own home.
Wish us (and Marieta) some luck!
Does anyone have a strudel recipe you think we should try?
xo!
the romantic & the wino
no travel required
We’ll admit it–feeling lonely is probably our #1 concern. Why I Was Afraid to Travel Alone
We can’t tell if this is catered for everyone except New Yorkers or catered specifically FOR self-centered New Yorkers. Either way: no thanks. Rockettes Christen New York Themed Cruise Ship
We only just started hearing the term “flashpacker” thrown around. Thanks for clearing up so many questions, Vagabondish. I Wanna Be a Flashpacker: When Backpackers Grow Up or Get Rich
We wanna go! To all of them! It List: The Best New Hotels 2013
The romantic continues her trip down the Vietnamese Coast with a stop in Nha Trang
Follow along on all of our adventures here: the romantic & the wino
xo!
the romantic & the wino
jetsetters: @NWTravelNerd
It’s Jetsetters time! To all of our budget-conscious readers: get your pencils and paper ready.
Say hello to the finance-savvy team from Travel Nerd. Like the Lazy Travelers, their blogging awesomeness is a team effort. Chief nerd, Annie (though I believe she technically goes by the title editor and chief curator), kindly took time from teaching travel lovers how to stretch a buck to answer our Jetsetters questions. Read on, dear friends. Read on.
Favorite Place: I’m not a big fan of picking favorite places. I think it’s all about the experience.
More importantly, favorite meal: Tea at Smith & Hsu in Taipei – sitting with a friend for a leisurely afternoon tea with perfect scones and clotted cream while its raining outside was a perfect afternoon spent. It’s the small experiences that really make the trip!
The moment you caught the travel bug: I’ve always had the travel bug. We took my first trip before I even turned a year old!
First experience traveling alone: I took a college spring break trip to NYC, and almost got lost on the subways trying to get downtown. Thankfully I could call up a local friend to ask for directions. The subway system there is no joke.
Ever been (or thought you’ve been) in imminent danger while traveling?: Thankfully, I’ve never felt threatened or in danger on my travels. I always recommend doing research beforehand to find out what are common scams or potential sources of danger.
Worst hotel/hostel experience: Nothing too terrible – I’ve encountered mold in some hotels in humid climates, but that’s about as bad it got.
Best hotel/hostel experience: The most surprisingly nice hotel was a love motel I accidentally checked into in Japan. It was a surprisingly cushy experience for the price!
Favorite family vacation: I always love visiting my grandmother, who lives in a sleepy little country town in Taiwan. The change in pace is always refreshing. She doesn’t have internet, so I’m forced to really slow down and reconnect.
Must-have packing item: My phone. I do everything on there.
Most unbelievable travel experience: Running into an old friend across the world on the Great Wall. It’s the moment like those where I realize how small the world can be.
Favorite “I can’t believe I’m doing this” moment: Surfing for the first time in the big surf of Hawaii.
Place you can’t wait to return to: Any and all of them. There’s good memories everywhere.
Place you can’t be paid to return to: I’d be willing to go anywhere, paid or not!
Any exciting trips coming up?: Sadly, nothing huge coming up right now. I’m trying to see more of my own backyards, so I’m planning some short road trips for the summer.
Dream vacation: RTW trips – what a great way to see the world. However, I’m a bit of a homebody. Not sure how well I’d take to being on the road 24/7.
Favorite tourist attraction:
Favorite “I’m trying not to look like a tourist” attraction: Street food. Having a stomach of steel helps.
Favorite travel photo: The Zhu Jia Jiao watertown outside of Shanghai.
For more Travel Nerd stories (and budget advice!), meander over to their Facebook or Twitter pages.
And hey, don’t be shy. If you have travel stories you’re itching to tell, get in touch with us and we may feature you as our next Jetsetter!
xo!
the romantic & the wino
#LTGoWithOh bucket list item 5
We don’t mean to brag, but the countdown to our epic reunion adventure is under ONE MONTH away. Cha, we know. Ridiculous.
This means our bucket list is growing by the minute. We’ll try not to overwhelm you, but know this: the number of planning posts is going to increase in direct proportion with our level of excitement. You have been warned.
So,what else must we do while traversing Eastern Europe for the very first time?
Visit Prague.
Photo Credit: the lovely Leah Travels
We’ve said it from the very beginning: we’re drawn to Vienna for its proximity to other key cities in Eastern Europe. As Prague has always been near the tippy top of our list of cities to explore, how could we pass up the chance to hop a train to a city with a castle that teeters above it? We can’t, and this is why–at the end of our weeklong stay in our Viennese apartment–we’re making our way to the Czech Republic for two quick nights of exploring (and beer bingeing, le duh).
Photo Credit: G&Q of GQ Trippin (WHO got engaged in this fine city!)
Any recs and must-sees? You know we depend on you people. Leave ‘em in the comments!
xo,
the romantic & the wino
no travel required
Solution: send The Lazy Travelers’ to all of these sites and we’ll attempt, single-handedly, to save them from vanishing! But like, also, can’t you totally see Daenerys Targaryen hanging in Nineveh? 12 Ancient Landmarks on the Verge of Vanishing
Personally, we’d visit any time of the year, but nothing beats springtime in Paris. 7 Great Tips for Visiting Paris in Springtime
A pub inside of a tree?! We must try this. Big Baobab Bar: The World’s Only Bar That’s Inside a Tree
We’ve tried afternoon tea before, and we’re BIG FANS. Stepping Out in London: Afternoon Tea at the Horseguards Hotel
The romantic spent her weekend exploring the Citadel in Hue, Vietnam
You can see what the wino did with her weekend here.
xo!
the romantic & the wino
hotel highlight: first landing beach resort
Because we wanted to spend the majority of our time in Fiji in the Yasawas, we sadly said goodbye to Taupo and John after our short visit at Danny’s Village Homestay, and made our way back toward Nadi. Stop #2 in Fiji: First Landing Beach Resort in Lautoka.
Another friendly TTF driver, Rishi, came and picked us up in the afternoon. As we had again booked a shuttle, he made a second stop at a nearby resort to pick up a group of Australians heading to the airport—one of whom was a little boy about eight years old. The roads in Fiji can be pretty bumpy, so it wasn’t surprising when the little boy said his tum hurt. It WAS surprising when he threw up all over the seat in front of him about thirty minutes into the two hour ride. Apparently, Fiji was going to be full of rough travel days.
Photo Credit: C’est moi!
In keeping with the Fijian way, Rishni stayed in good spirits, despite the fact that the parents barely mumbled goodbye, let alone tipped the man. I’m aware that tipping isn’t customary in Fiji, but rules are meant to be broken, people. Especially when bile is involved.
With the stench of whatever that kid had for breakfast still burning our noses, we bid Rishni adieu (very sympathetically since he still had to stay in the shuttle…) and made our way into First Landing.
“Bula! Welcome home!”
We had originally decided to stay at First Landing because of its convenient distance from both the port at Denarau and the airport in Nadi, but as soon as we stepped into the resort, we were transported. Despite the fact that it’s only 15-20 minutes from “the city,” Nadi, we felt completely removed from anything else… though I guess Fiji has a way of making that happen.
Photo courtesy of me
I have never been whisked anywhere in my life… until arriving at First Landing. As soon as we stepped off the shuttle and waved goodbye to Rishi, the porter was at our side, prying our bags from our hands and leading us to check-in. He then excitedly took us to our villa for the night, telling us all about the beauty and comfort of our new home:
Photo Credit: First Landing Beach Resort
Home INDEED. Complete with our own private pool, a washer & dryer, and two outdoor showers, I was immediately unsure of how we were ever going to leave this place.
Photo Credit: First Landing Resort & Spa
One of my favorite parts about First Landing is that it really did feel like home–unlike many resorts, nothing about the property was remotely sterile. It had its quirks (everything was a little bit older), but the style and design fit perfectly with the natural, untouched beauty of Fiji, and we both felt as though the understated decor only added to the charm. PLUS. ALSO: our own private pool.
Our villa floorplan [click to enlarge]
Photo Credit: First Landing Resort & Spa
After our porter set down our bags and gave us a quick orientation, we both mentioned we’d love to take a shower and unwind. Our request went unnoticed, because we were again being whisked away.
“Your welcome drink awaits! And so does the spa!”
Poor us.
At this point, the porter might as well have been holding our hands and running us through the resort, he was so excited. It was contagious. By the time we reached the bar for our welcome drink, we were giggling…almost maniacally.
“Bring your welcome drink! It’s time for the spa!”
From what I recall, we then hopped onto a giant seahorse and floated through the air, straight into the warm embrace of two waiting masseuses. Or at least we could have… we were moving so quickly that I actually have no idea HOW we got to the spa. I just know that the next 60 minutes were insanely relaxing, and exactly what we needed after our first rough night of sleep in Fiji.
Though the spa was under renovation and not the coziest of spaces, the masseuses made up for it—as did whatever heavenly smelling products they were using… I can only imagine the level of magic that will happen once the spa is fully redesigned. It took the hubs and me an embarrassing amount of time to find our way back to our villa because we were so relaxed, but don’t worry: find our way we did.
We spent the rest of our afternoon in the pool, lounging around and watching frogs hop around our patio—sometimes even hopping INTO the pool. Silly drunk frogs. Eventually, we forced ourselves to go inside and shower, before heading to the bar for happy hour:
And this sunset:
Photo credits: the hubs… completely unedited, taken with an iPhone.
That’s how magical this sunset was.
As we sat at the bar, chatting with other tourists and the bartenders, we overheard one woman talking to some of the staff about how sad she was to leave the next day. They immediately gathered together and sang the traditional goodbye song while the woman, her friend, and both of their husbands sobbed. I mean it—these people were weeping. It was then that our initial impression was officially confirmed: this place and these people get under your skin.
We headed back to our villa shortly after, and arrived to see it looking perfectly peaceful and even prettier at night:
Photo Credit: First Landing Resort & Spa
When we looked up and realized that the sky was full of stars so close you could practically grab them, we laid out in the hammock for a bit and reflected on the fact that, technically, if we had followed all our other life plans, we should be at work. This was better.
Though we were definitely sad to leave so quickly, five days later we returned to First Landing. Unfortunately, our return boat from the Yasawas arrived later than expected (more on that later), so we didn’t have as much time as we had hoped. However, since we had to leave bright and early for the airport (we’re talking 5 AM, people), it was the perfect choice for our last night in Fiji.
Photo credits: yours truly
The bure is perfect if your budget is a little more moderate, though we had been far too spoiled in the villa on our first night. Still, the style totally matched the rest of the resort and was clean and comfortable—the only thing we didn’t love the bathroom. It could use some upgrading, but old doesn’t mean dirty, so we were happy.
Photo Credit: First Landing Resort & Spa
We had been looking for a hotel near Denarau because we had an early morning boat out to the Yasawas and later, something accessible to Nadi for our early flight to New Zealand. First Landing completely fit the bill on both accounts. Most people we talked to said that this was their go-to resort, either for the few days surrounding their arrival and departure, or for their entire time in Fiji. We can see why.
xo!
the romantic
Though TTF offered complimentary services and First Landing hosted both of our nights at the resort, all opinions are, as always, my own. I mean, private pool & a killer sunset? What’s not to love?
laws to travel by – #41
Push yourself.
Ok, maybe this doesn’t sound particularly lazy of us, but hear us out.
We don’t mean that if you’re scared of heights, you should go bungee jumping. Facing your fears is one thing, but even on a much smaller scale, travel should always involve pushing yourself in at least one way. Try a new food, explore a new ‘hood, leave your super comfy hotel room and catch the sunrise.
Want to know a secret?
The romantic wasn’t sure about city hopping through Southeast Asia. Major crowds = major anxiety, and up until she stepped off the plane in Vietnam, she was nervous. But, three days in and she’s here to tell you: pushing herself to explore this new-to-her region is one of the best decisions of their RTW.
Do something new today, travelers!
xo,
the romantic & the wino
