My Must-Have Summer Travel Item

Summer travel season is nearly upon us and it's time to start packing for our next beach destination! My must-have travel item for the summer season? The versatile and multi-functioning SARONG.

Here are some of ways to use a sarong:

A jaunt to the beach requires a sarong

1. Beach cover-up: The most common reason to use a sarong is to keep you modest between your hotel or hostel and the beach. Particularly in Southeast Asia where local cultures are still a bit conservative when it comes to the amount of skin revealed and you should stay mindful to local customs.

2. Beach spread: Okay, so now you're on the beach and ready to catch some rays or waves. Use your sarong, yes the same one you're wearing, as a beach blanket. Spread it out and you've got a lovely beach blanket!

Lounging post-bath bucket shower in Burma, about to apply thanaka

 
3. Towel: Now that you find yourself on the beach, you need a swim to cool off. Whoops! Did you realize that you've forgotten a towel? Good thing you've got your sarong! A sarong can also double as a make-shift towel in general. In warmer climates, I just wrap the damp towel around me and turn my sarong into a cooling wrap as I get ready for bed.

4. Change room: I like lazying by the beach or pool as much as the next gal, but I just can't do it in a wet swim suit so I always have a spare bikini to hand. Unfortunately, a change room on a remote beach can be hard to come by. My solution? The sarong. It took some practice, but I can now use the sarong as a change room by simply wrapping it around myself and using it to change out of my wet swimsuit and into a dry one. I suggest you practice in the privacy of your room before trying this in public. Or maybe you're not such a freak like I am and can deal with wearing a wet bathing suit.

Too cold on an overnight bus? Grab your sarong and turn it into a blanket

 
5. Blanket: Thailand and Vietnam's buses are notorious for cranking up their air conditioners. At first it is absolutely soothing to escape the heat and humidity into the cool air of a Thai or Vietnamese bus. Until five minutes later when you've got goosebumps and your teeth are rattling! Although most bus companies will provide you with a blanket (why they don't just turn down the air conditioning is beyond me), they can be too small, especially since I'm trying to bury myself into one to stay warm. I use the given blanket around my feet and body then wrap my sarong over my shoulders and neck to combat the Arctic cool.

6. Pillow: A sarong isn't going to be the best pillow you've ever slept on, but if you're traveling on an overnight train or bus, a rolled up sarong does the trick to help prevent a stiff neck in the morning. Trust me.

Use a sarong to cover your shoulders at religious temples, India 2010

 
7. Admission to Religious Sights: Many cultural and historical sights in Southeast Asia are also religious sights and they require modesty in all patrons. Bring a sarong with you (I carried mine in my daypack everywhere) and cover up when necessary.

The sarong is an essential when I travel and I always pack at least two in my bag. With so many functions, my sarongs get plenty of use (something that can't be said for many other things that I pack) and need regular replacement. Souvenir shops often sell colorful sarongs so it's not hard to pick up a couple at any destination. Plus, they're so pretty too!

What's YOUR must-have summer travel item?

**Originally posted on Travel Dudes in April 2011.

© Connie Hum 2012

Guest Post: The Truth about South East Asian Desserts

I’ll let you in on a little secret. South East Asian desserts are delicious.

Don’t believe me?

I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t believe me either if I hadn’t discovered it for myself, but Asia can offer a lot more than just mung bean broths and durian fruit. A little understanding is required when it comes to sweets in South East Asia; just accept that a French vanilla slice is not about to magically appear on your plate. Just know that you will not stumble upon a Belgian chocolatier selling lemon soufflé truffles. Realise that a warm rhubarb crumble with Madagascan vanilla custard has no place in this warm climate. Just accept it. That way, you’ll be able to open up your mind to another world of sugary goodness. You may even unearth a few delectable treasures, just like I did.

My Dessert Discoveries in South East Asia

As the author and editor of The Smart Girl’s Travel Guide, I make it my lifelong mission to eat my way around the world; tasting, trying and taking pleasure in everything. From fried tarantulas and fermented shark to mouldy thousand year old eggs, there’s very little I’m willing to try – some people will never understand my curiosity, but an inquisitive mind helped me discover the perfect desserts in what I’d previously branded as ‘The Land of No Desserts’.

South East Asia is a goldmine of sweet treats. You just have to tweak your sweet tooth expectations – just a tad – and try everything. Eventually, you’ll find something that you can’t believe you ever lived without.

My Top 5 Desserts from South East Asia

Ais Kacang with Aloe Vera Jelly

This is an ageing woman’s dream – a delicious dessert that gives you beautiful skin. At the end of a hot and humid day, there is nothing more rewarding than an evening dessert, and Ais Kacang with aloe vera jelly chunks would be my pud of preference. Singapore is overflowing with night hawkers and food courts, selling delicious aloe vera combinations at unbelievable prices, and the street food culture really comes to life in the night.

Ais Kacang is the mouth-watering combination of crushed ice, fresh fruit, tangy sorbets, large chunks of aloe vera jelly pieces, sometimes a naughty scoop of ice cream, finished off with sweet condensed milk.

Leche Flan

This is the Filipino version of the Creme Caramel, and like the chicken and the egg, I’m not really too sure which came first. But who cares when this delicate yet indulgent sweet leaves that special tooth feeling warm and fuzzy from a sugary high.

Leche flan is steamed for the ultimate softness and served chilled in its own trickling caramel sauce. Some restaurants or specialist dessert shops may add their own little touches such as fruit, chocolate sauce and other toppings.

Bubble Tea

“How is tea a dessert?” I hear you say. Trust me when I say that Bubble Tea is like no other tea you have ever tasted. If we really want to be pedantic then we could just call it a “refreshment” – and it really is so refreshing. Bubble Tea can be made in a few different ways and is available in various flavours across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Brewed mostly with black tea, plenty of milk, sugar or honey, crushed ice and lip-smacking topiaca pearls, this milky dream will feel like a rescue mission in the middle of a parched desert.

Your eyes will light up when you see the exciting exhibition of colors, and your senses will go wild when you let those slippery jelly-like pearls ooze through the straw and down your throat. Sensational.

Lo Mai Chi (Snowballs)

Now, you have to be careful with these little Chinese snowballs. They come with eccentric epicentres such as red bean paste, black sesame paste, and crushed peanut filling, or they can come in the best possible way – plain with a pretty dusting of coconut flakes. Some travellers have compared Lo Mai Chi to eating glue, but I assume they’re the same type of people who think Haloumi is salted rubber and Escargot is garlic infused elastic bands.

I love Lo Mai Chi, anyway. It’s the perfect finger food (if you don’t mind your fingers sticking together a little bit) or it can be served moist after being poached in a mildly sweet soup. If you want to taste the best snowballs around, avoid the packaged supermarket desserts and visit a street stall for a freshly made plate of chewy goodness.

Chinese Sponge Cake

I’ve never been a big fan of chocolate cake myself. I’m more of a lemon drizzle or a plain jam sponge type of girl. So with Chinese Sponge Cake (most often served as birthday cakes), absolutely nothing was missing for me – it was sheer perfection when I tried it for the first time.

If you’re a big chocolate gateau gorger, this may not rock your world like it does mine. But what I can tell you, is that this is the softest, lightest, wispiest and fluffiest cake you will ever bring your fork to. The supple bounce of the moist sponge teamed with the glorious cream and fruit filling will leave you wanting more. But don’t be fooled by that airy texture. The cake is traditionally steamed to achieve such a luscious consistency and it feels barely there as it melts in your mouth, but the calories are.

Mags Yip is a British travel writer with a compulsive obsession with food and travel. She is the
author and editor of The Smart Girl’s Travel Guide, and in her budget travel guide, she writes about
her food experiences in South East Asia, Africa, America, Europe and the UK.

What are YOUR favorite South East Asian desserts?

© Connie Hum 2011

Guest Post: Disneyland Hong Kong

Summer Guest Blog Series: Favorite Travel Memories
One of my favorite things about traveling is the personal growth you gain from the experiences you encounter. But truth be told, sometimes it's also wonderful to put all the personal growth aside and just have a great time! Disneyland is one such place that truly lets your inner child run free. Raghav shares his favorite travel memory of celebrating his daughter's first birthday in Disneyland, Hong Kong.

I think it's taken for granted that the very first international trip with my daughter is amongst my favourite travel memories. Considering that it was also to celebrate her first birthday, puts it right on top of the list.

Now, family holidays can pretty much go both ways. Traveling together after almost a decade, this one was going to be quite the experience. My parents, my sister, my brother-in-law, my wife, my daughter, and I, boarded a Cathay Pacific flight to head over to the magical kingdom of Hong Kong Disneyland.

What exactly made this a favorite travel memory? There was obviously the fact that we were celebrating something special. The whole family was there. Disneyland. Lastly, thankfully, because everything fell into place. There were no lost baggages. No missed or excessively delayed flights. Nothing.

I recommend Hong Kong Disneyland to everyone wanting to travel with a toddler. It is by far the most toddler friendliest Disney. My daughter was able to ride almost all of the rides and most of the trademark shows and events are all there.

Another reason why our trip to Hong Kong stands out is because just a month before our travel date Saanvi has started walking. That as you know is a huge landmark for parents, so watching her take tiny steps all around Disney always brought a smile to my face.

As a kid my parents took me all around the world. As an adult I always complained that I hardly remember anything from those travels. Being a parent now, I realise the importance of traveling with a toddler. They might not remember much, but as my parents said, "the joy and happiness you experienced at that time, be it that you don't remember it now, was worth the trip", and that was something I realised and wholeheartedly acknowledged during this trip.

Hong Kong Disneyland was also the perfect vacation because we decided to stay in the Disney complex in one of their two hotels. They are both kid friendly and be it playing "find all the hidden Mickey's" or eating Mickey shaped food, or better yet my daughter dancing on the table in the lobby with Goofy, memories like this are hard to come by.

You want to know a secret? If any guy tells you he hates shopping, trust me he is lying. We just hate shopping with women. Our trip to Hong Kong Disneyland could not have been a success without one thing; Shopping in Hong Kong. My father and I decided to break away from the ladies (my brother-in-law was doing the touristy things as this was his first trip), because if there is one thing for adults in HK, it's the amazing array of shopping available for all budgets. True, we ended up buying mostly for Saanvi (proof of which is in the picture below, as the carton has only her toys), HK is an amazingly vibrant and safe place to walk, shop, bargain, and simply enjoy.

After five days of tiring fun we were ready to head home and there was nothing that could possibly make this trip more memorable. Wait, do you think having an amazing look at the brightly shining peak of Mt. Everest on the way back from the airplane could be considered the perfect ending? I think so too. Unfortunately, we all were so tired that neither one of us has the strength to get up, open the overhead compartment, and take out one of many cameras that we had. Okay, I was not tired, but i'm a anxious flier
who prefers to stay put on the seat seatbelt and all.

Oh, well! You just can't have everything you want, can you!?!

Raghav is a 32-year-old avid traveler, a film enthusiast, an amateur photographer, a true Sagittarian and most importantly, a proud father. When work does not keep him busy, he can be found doing one of the above unless his wife has dragged him to the mall for some shopping which he despises. He recently started blogging and has turned into a semi-twitter addict. You can read his blogs at www.travelingticker.blogspot.com or follow him on Twitter.

Want to submit YOUR Favorite Travel Memory? Get details HERE!

© Connie Hum 2011

Guest Post: Fringe Serendipity in Adelaide, Australia

Summer Guest Blog Series: Favorite Travel Memories
Certainly some of my best travel memories stem from little twists of fate and/or chance encounters. Here, Caroline shares how a blast from her past comes up to meet her in Australia and the incredible travel memory that results!

The South Australian capital wasn’t even on the itinerary and after my boyfriend’s car flooded in Melbourne, it was doubtful we would make it back to Sydney, let alone to Adelaide, 451 miles (726 km) to the west. But when our luck turned around, we ventured down the Great Ocean Road and decided to keep going.

When we drove through town, it seemed like a smaller version of Melbourne, complete with tramlines. But it has one thing Melbourne doesn’t: the internationally acclaimed Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Actors, comedians, artists and performers of all varieties get together for two weeks of displaying their craft. I had heard of the festival because of its connection to Charleston’s Piccolo Fringe Festival, which I had written about for the Charleston City Paper back in college.

When we checked into our hostel, Annie’s Place, I noticed tickets on the bulletin board for a show called Wanderlust going on for the Fringe Festival. I was surprised to realize we had randomly arrived during the yearly festival and the show sounded familiar, but I eventually forgot about it.

The next morning at breakfast, I noticed a mid-30s guy tinkering on his laptop in the common area. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Later, I heard him talking to someone in the kitchen about how he was here in Adelaide to perform his one-man show. Then it clicked. “What’s your name?” I interrupted. “Martin Dockery.” I did know him from somewhere. I had interviewed him via email for the newspaper’s annual Spoleto Festival preview issue about his performance of Wanderlust there 8 months prior. Now here we both were on the other side of the world, meeting in person.

I never got to see his show in Charleston because I had already left for Croatia, but I was given a second chance when Martin offered us tickets. That night we arrived at the venue, called the Garden of Unearthly Delights, which had a sort of carnival freak-show vibe.

Wanderlust is the story about Martin’s decision to leave his temping job to go to West Africa in search of an epiphany. Sound familiar? His philosophy was right up my alley and his humor is over-the-top in the style of vintage Jim Carrey. If you get the chance to see one of his performances, I definitely recommend it.

I couldn’t believe that a newspaper interview I had almost forgotten about gave me the chance to experience Adelaide in a way I otherwise never would have.

Caroline Eubanks is a freelance writer, travel blogger and bartender from Atlanta, Georgia currently spending the year traveling around Australia. Read her blog at www.carolineinthecityblog.com.

Want to submit a guest post to Connvoyage? Get details HERE!

© Connie Hum 2011

Guest Post: A Dingo Ate My Birthday Cake

Summer Guest Blog Series: Favorite Travel Memories
I've found that some of the best travel memories can stem from days where you lease expected it. Jayne's celebration of her 23rd birthday in Australia highlights how a bad day can turn into something fun and memorable in a blink of an eye! Or in Jayne's case, a little Bon Jovi, chocolate cake, a hidden stash of champagne, and even a dingo!

I was in a foul mood. When I found out I would be spending my 23rd birthday, MY special day, on a sand island with no bars, nightclubs or even toilet amenities (for goodness sake!), I threw a rare and embarrassing tantrum. As we journeyed down the East Coast of Australia with the aim of arriving in Sydney in time for Christmas, unless I changed my date of birth, I was going to have to spend my birthday on Fraser Island - the largest sand island in the world. All through the briefing I remained less than impressed as the instructors described how we should ward off dingoes with sticks and bury our toilet in deep sand pits. As my team mates loaded up the jeep with snacks, booze and camping equipment I barely helped out (I told you I was being embarrassing). We piled into the back, whacked Bon Jovi on the stereo and headed for the ferry. By the time we arrived on the island I had started to sing along. As we sped along the coast, a convoy of jeeps with an endless stretch of golden sand in front of us, I started to smile. As we raced to the other end of the
island in time to catch sight of some dolphins frolicking in the surf I began to get excited.

That night we pitched up our tents and the boys of the group took charge of cooking dinner. I was told to sit back and relax. My two wonderful and patient traveling companions had sneaked a bottle of champagne onto the island without me realising, I popped the cork and whopped with joy. When they then unveiled a chocolate cake and party hats I was completely bowled over. Next came out a giant birthday card which had been signed in advance by the nine kind people in my group who had only seen me sulking thus far. I snapped out of my mood immediately. As we tucked into goon and tinnies in true Aussie spirit, the music got louder, the drinking games more raucous and slowly other campers began to gravitate towards our group. We started with just us merry ten but very soon had tripled to a cheery 30 - we partied until a dingo stole the last of the cake and our faces (literally) hit the sand!

The next day, a bit worse for wear to say the least, we set off to find the infamous Lake McKenzie, one of over 100 freshwater lakes on the island. A bumpy ride, we worried if our heads and stomachs could handle it. Thankfully we soldiered on and it was really worth it. Truly an oasis in a sand desert Lake McKenzie was a sight to behold and an invigorating dip was just what our hangovers needed. We posed for group pictures and, despite my teenage tantrum, those people became my friends for life. On reflection I can see that, even though I couldn't shower, my 23rd birthday was my best yet.

Travel obsessive does not even cover it. Jayne Gorman loves to travel, enjoys writing about travel and can often be found passionately speaking about...you guessed it – travel! Travel blogging is Jayne's hobby, passion and career – she recently took up the role as Social Media Specialist for Flight Centre UK. Jayne's lifelong ambition is to visit all 7 continents but whilst she saves for Antarctica, Jayne has set herself the slightly smaller challenge of visiting 40 countries before she turns 30. Jayne is currently 26 and has visited 36. You can find out what happened in the 36 already discovered and find out where the next 4 destinations will be on Jayne's blog, 40before30. You can also find Jayne on twitter (a lot!).

Want to submit a guest post to Connvoyage? Get details HERE!

© Connie Hum 2011

Guest Post: All Aboard the Queen of Denmark’s Private Yacht

Summer Guest Blog Series: Favorite Travel Memories
I'm a strong advocate for talking to strangers, especially while traveling abroad. You never know what adventures will come from it! Allie's favorite travel memory is the perfect blend of talking to strangers and the amazing experiences and memories you can gain from it.

During the fall of my junior year of college, when I was studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, every night out was an adventure. There was no telling what sort of dive bar we would end up at or what sort of characters we would meet. Adventures ranged from Danish rappers performing at overcrowded nightclubs serving champagne mixed with Kool Aid to Scottish pubs, karaoke bars, and late night hot dogs on the pedestrian shopping street. My best night out, however, started out with boredom.

Uninspired by the prospects ahead of us, we began our night at the bar near our school, filled to the brim with American students craving the comforts of home, like beer pong tables and 10 shots for 100 kroner. Quickly growing tired of this and seeking something different, the majority of our group went home while one other girl and I refused to call this a night. We strolled for a few blocks before walking into Heidi’s, an entirely Danish bar right around the block from Rådhuspladsen. Refusing to be intimidated by the extremely local nature of this bar, we grabbed some Carlsbergs and took a table by the window.

We sat down and began to take in our surroundings. The older Danes at the bar, clearly regulars here, engrossed in conversation with the bartenders. The group of young women, enjoying a girls’ night out. And the group of young, attractive, blond men at the table right next to us.

Maybe this night wouldn’t be as boring as we thought.

As groups of young people of opposite genders seated in bars are wont to do, we naturally struck up a conversation with these Danes, hoping to make some native friends and learn more about the culture in which we were immersed. Talking to them was more interesting and enlightening than we ever could have imagined, because they weren’t just regular Danes.

These were members of the Royal Danish Navy who happened to currently be serving as the sailors on the Queen Margrethe II’s private yacht!

Hardly believing our luck, we wanted to spend as much time with these guys as possible and hopefully wrangle ourselves a hangout the next day, perhaps on said yacht. Beer after beer was purchased, everything imaginable was discussed, and we stayed up talking with them at this bar until after 4 am. When we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer, we bid the sailors good night. As we were rising from the table, Michael uttered music to our ears: “Hey, do you guys want to come and see the ship tomorrow?”

Now, how do you say no to that?

The next afternoon, my friend and I headed across the harbor via harbor taxi to where we knew the yacht was docked (it had been pointed out to us when we first arrived on our inaugural tour of the city, so we knew what it looked like). The sailors told us to meet them “by the submarine”, and we weren’t quite sure if this submarine would be in the water or on land. Entering the dockyards, we suddenly felt very civilian, as everyone around us was dressed up in uniform. Taking turn after turn, we realized we had absolutely no idea where we were going, and began to question everything the guys had told us the night before. Self-doubt pouring forth, we began to wonder if these guys were even sailors at all and were just using that as a good pick-up line (which we would have to give them credit for – it was). And just when we were about to turn around and head home, we found the submarine. On land.

Across from the submarine was the very ship we had been looking for. Our sailor friends (indeed, actually sailors) were standing in front of it, dressed to the nines in their naval whites. They walked us up and down the length of the ship before inviting us on board. We strolled down the decks, stood on the bow, and even got to go down below to see their living quarters. The queen’s stateroom was off limits, even for them.

We spent a few minutes being starstruck and taking all sorts of pictures before bidding our sailor friends bon voyage – they were shipping out later that day, not to return for months. This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I never would have had, had I not taken the risk to visit a truly Danish bar and strike up a conversation with some strangers. Let this be a lesson in spontaneity and risk-taking: you never know whose boat you’ll end up on!

Allie just graduated from college this May and is now a grad student in Boston studying public health. Allie's semester in Denmark was her first taste of international living and she can't wait to get more of it. Allie is turning 23 this year and has been to 23 countries. Allie's hope is to keep that record going. Follow Allie's adventures at Travel Unraveled or Twitter.

Want to submit a guest post to Connvoyage? Get details HERE!

© Connie Hum 2011

Guest Post: Japan Temples

Summer Guest Blog Series: Favorite Travel Memories
Japan is a top travel destination for many travelers and although I haven't made it to Japan (yet!), Barbara's guest post below and her photos from the temples in Kyoto, especially of the Golden Pavillion, sure do inspire me to hop on the next plane to Japan! 

My precious memories of my trip to Japan include beautiful temples and shrines. They are numerous and each has a distinct personality. Kyoto is a city with over 2000 temples and shrines so it is a good place to see many in a relatively short time. Kyoto is also a friendly city and easy to navigate. It is convenient and fast to take a train and walk to many of the temples in the city. For temples outside the city, it is easy to find day tours which take you there. There are tour companies located in and around the train station.

Whichever temple you visit, you are likely to see rows of white paper twisted on what look like clotheslines. These are pieces of paper on which you write a request or a prayer. The slips of paper are in a box near the temple. You are free to take one, fill it in and tie it to the line. You can hear the paper prayers fluttering in the breeze. No matter if you believe or not in the power of prayer it is impressive to see this manifestation of faith by so many believers. In case you’re wondering… yes, I left a prayer. I’m a writer and believe in miracles. This is a perfect combination for me. In the picture below, you can see the lines of prayers at the front and side of the Heian shrine (Kyoto), also called the orange and green shrine (for obvious reasons).

At the Kiyomizu complex (Kyoto), you follow a winding path up the hillside, a path lined with handicraft, souvenir and pottery shops. It is fun to shop as you climb and then, where the shops end, you begin to see the numerous smaller shrines on the way to the top of the hill. One of these is a small shrine with an open facade where you can see little statues with red capes or bibs and orange bonnets. These are called mizuko jizo, statuettes representing aborted, stillborn or miscarried babies. Some have toys placed beside them. Jizo, one of the bodhisattva (enlightened being) in Buddhism, is the protector of these “returned” children, also called water children. The figurines are bought by the woman or the family and placed in special shrines such as this one for a certain amount of time, until a formal ritual and offering is made for their souls. After this, these unborn will be able to pass across the river separating the living from the dead. It is a jarring sight, yet comforting.

The last Kyoto temple picture I have to share is of the famous Golden Pavillion- Rokuon- Ji Temple. It was built by the Third Shogun of Ashikaga in 1397. He wanted it to be a peaceful site and in his will specified that it become a Zen temple. The second and third stories are covered with gold-leaf on Japanese lacquer. In the footpaths around the temple, you pass rock gardens, ponds and smaller shrines. It is absolutely stunning.

Barbara Bunce Desmeules, a native of Montreal, is a high school librarian who doubles as a freelance writer. She has written about topics as varied as: living in a Korean monastery, spa life, mixing and muddling drinks and haute cuisine at the CIA(culinary institute of America). She has 2 essays published in a recent anthology: Prose To Go: Tales from a private list. When not reading, writing or working, she travels and shares her experiences at: www.travellingbooky.com 

Want to submit a guest post to Connvoyage? Get details HERE!

© Connie Hum 2011

Who's Got a Story to Share?!?!

I LOVE sharing my favorite travel memories with you and now it's YOUR turn to share!

I'm looking for guest posts on what YOUR favorite travel destination or travel memory is!

One of my favorite travel memories: absolute horror with a PYTHON in Vietnam

Maybe you found that perfect secluded beach in Tahiti? Maybe you met your now or soon-to-be spouse while traveling in the most unlikely of places? Or perhaps you tasted something so gastronomically exciting that you rearranged the rest of your trip to accommodate your food cravings? (I know I'm guilty of that last one on numerous occasions!)

If you have a favorite travel destination or travel memory you'd like to share, send your story with accompanying photos and a short personal bio to ME before the summer is over. 

One of the best things I love about travel is reliving each amazing memory by sharing it with friends and family. I'm looking forward to hearing what amazing adventures you've had so start sharing and reliving!

What will YOU share?!?

© Connie Hum 2011

The Great Snack Exchange

I'm a firm believer that local snacks can tell you a lot about a country, especially what flavors are popular with the masses. What country is a fan of spicy flavors? Sweet and sour? Dried fish??? Take a look at the snack aisle at the local market and you'll find out what tastes you can expect from the local cuisine.

You can discover that Turks love nuts in Istanbul markets

Several weeks ago, I got into a Twitter chat (a "twat" if you will, haha) with Tobias (or beforeiam35, as he's known on Twitter), a fellow travel lover from Sweden. We started talking about Swedish candy, which led to talk of snacks in general, before we decided to do a snack exchange.

Tobias eagerly awaits in Sweden for his Hong Kong treats

I happily went shopping for Hong Kong specific candy and snacks, no easy feat in an ever-increasing global world. Finally, I had a box full of goodies ready to send to Tobias!

Sending my Hong Kong goodies to Tobias in Sweden

Here's what Tobias had to say about Hong Kong snacks:

The package contained a variety of of stuff, each looking a little crazier than the next one. I was especially intrigued by a red package containing prawn crackers.  "Crackers, I like that. Prawns, I like that too. What kind of wonderful sorcery is this?!"




I started with the small candies called White Rabbit. I unwrapped one, started chewing and soon discovered it was like a type of Swedish candy. Unfortunately, not the good kind. The taste is hard to describe, but to me it just tastes like egg and cream. I wish I had started with something else...





I proceeded to a rather interesting blue box containing  "Dragon's Beard Candy". This stuff was very well packaged, and it took a while to get into the vacuum sealed packaging. It was well worth the struggle though. This sugary treat with nuts was great. It has a very nice spun sugar texture and the nuts compliment this so well. One of the best candies in the package!

Since opening the package, the inner me had feared the next snack quite a bit: dried fish. I opened the packaging and the strong smell of the sea hit me right away. I had promised myself not to chicken out, but I was pretty close on this one. Deep breathe, and back at it. The texture is what I really couldn't take. It's chewy and I felt like I was eating a fish flavored rubber band. I had to cut the snacking session short. 

The next day, refusing to get defeated by some rubbery dried fish, I had decided to have another go at it, hoping that somehow my tastes had changed over night. Nope, still not my thing. I declared defeat and moved on to the next snack.

Up next was a package of black cookies, with only Chinese writing on the label. I had no idea what this was. The funny thing is I still don't know what these cookies are made of. I'm guessing black sesame and peanuts, but I'm not sure. Either way, I really liked the taste and the way it crackled in my mouth.

So what about the prawn crackers? Well, they were really good. They didn't taste as much like prawn as I had hoped, but they were still among the best snacks of the package. The small bag was emptied in a very hasty manner, and I'm gonna have to look for it in the local Asian super markets.

With that said, I would like to thank Connie for putting together a well mixed package of stuff and I really enjoyed tasting it all, even if some of the snacks did not appeal to my taste buds.  

***

Wow! First off, I must say I'm really PROUD of Tobias for pushing through and eating all the weird and strange snacks I sent him from Hong Kong!  Even I have a hard time with the fishy ones! But that just goes to show you, Hong Kong likes dried fish in their food so much, they even put it in their snacks!

Read more from Tobias and his struggle to check off his his bucket list at www.beforeiam35.com

What's the STRANGEST foreign snack you've ever tasted?

© Connie Hum 2011

Blog4NZ: A Local Tells You Why You Should Visit New Zealand

Julie Crisford is a native New Zealander and a good friend of mine. I asked her to help me write a blog for Blog4NZ, a worldwide blogging event to help raise awareness and promote tourism to New Zealand despite the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. 

Here is why Julie thinks you should come visit New Zealand!

First thing: Do come visit us. We love visitors. And we need them. New Zealand's economy is small with a population of only 4 million people and tourism is a major part of New Zealand's economy. With the earthquake in Christchurch and a tsunami in Japan – where a lot of our tourists come from – New Zealand needs people to come visit and help spur the economy. 99% of the country is still open for business and we’d love to see you!

Now, I’ve traveled the world, but I’m always drawn to my home in New Zealand. There’s so many things I could tell you about New Zealand. About how we’re bigger than the UK, but have 15 times less people, so we have SPACE. About our mountains, our glaciers, the volcanos you can ski on, our beaches. But, instead, I thought I’d just show you some of my favorite photos from places I have traveled in the last three years since I’ve been home in New Zealand.

Fifteen minutes driving from the South Coast of Wellington, where I live, you can walk around the rocks to a place where seals come to play in the winter. Wellington weather is quite mild, and on a sunny day in winter it can get up about 12-15°C (54-60°F). Don’t get me wrong, in winter it can be horrible even without snow, but when it’s nice, it’s nice.

Summer in the top of the South Island near Abel Tasman National Park is just about perfect. My good friend from high school got married and the day after his wedding, a group of us went to the beach. A beautiful summer day to chill out after a gorgeous wedding.

 
New Zealand is, along with Ireland, one of the two places in the world that doesn’t have snakes. We also don’t have any native mammals, so our birds have evolved mostly without predators until people started showing up 500 years ago. Settlers bought predators which eat bird eggs, thus endangering New Zealand's native aviary population. Pukaha, Mt Bruce, 2 hours from South Wellingon, is a wildlife sanctuary where they have many programs to protect New Zealand’s endangered birds.

A view of my hometown, Wellington, from near my mum’s house. You can see the harbour, the wooden houses nestled in the hills and how we’re surrounded by trees. In the bottom right hand corner is the business district, but it spreads right along the waterfront.

So there you have it, my thoughts and photos of New Zealand. I’m pretty bad at taking photos actually, so if you want to know more about New Zealand visit Tourism New Zealand.

If you do come visit New Zealand, and are a friend of Connie’s, please do come say hi!

Finally, if you want to help, but can’t quite plan your vacation yet; please give to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

Thanks Julie, you know I'm planning on going to New Zealand as soon as I can. READERS, has Julie persuaded YOU to visit New Zealand?

© Connie Hum 2011

Movies To Move You: Argentina and "Historias Minimas"

A new blog series combining the love of travel and film to help inspire your next destination abroad! Hope you enjoy it!

BACK TO BASICS WITH CARLOS SORIN AND ARGENTINIAN PATAGONIA… 

Another gorgeous day in Argentina

Ever get that feeling you just want to get away from it all? I mean, if you’re reading a travel blog I assume the answer is yes. It happens to me quite often, but being a wage slave I can’t always follow the “call of the wild”. The funny thing about these calls are that they can come at the strangest times. I mean, there I was, lounging around at home on a Sunday afternoon and all of a sudden I was seized by the desire to go to South America!
 
I had just decided to knock a name off my long “to watch” list, and had picked up Historias Minimas (Intimate Stories) by the master Argentinian director Carlos Sorin. Historias Minimas is a story full with Argentinian soul and way of life. As we watch the windswept steppes of Santa Cruz in Argentinian Patagonia, we are reminded how small and insignificant we really are in the face of nature… In fact, even the title makes more sense: the actual translation is “Minimal Stories”. And compared to the majestic South American continent, our day to day lives are pretty damn minimal…

Small in comparison to Argentina's landscape

So, “what’s the story” in Historias Minimas? An old man journeys to a distant town on a search for his lost dog. A traveling salesman is preparing a birthday surprise for the child of a pretty widow he has met in his travels. A poor peasant woman is selected to participate in a TV show where she may win a trip to Brazil or a food processor. All these stories come together and drift apart, along with many other little things to make a perfect mirror of life, full of laughter, irony and tragedies both small and large. ven if these stories sound slightly unconnected there is one major connector for all: the road. Indeed, it is slightly unfair to say that Sorin puts Patagonia on center-stage: Patagonia IS the stage.

Patagonian steppes

But please don’t go thinking that steppes are all Patagonia has to offer. If nature as in animals and wildlife is your thing – Patagonia boasts an actual UNESCO world heritage sight! The Valdes Peninsula in Chubut province has earned the title due to its importance as a nature reserve. Whales, seals, penguins and 181 species of birds have made the area their home.

Let’s not forget that Patagonia is actually situated at the southernmost part of the planet! Glaciers attract visitors from all over the world. This ice field is, incidentally, the world’s third biggest fresh water reserve.

Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Argentina

If it's history you seek, Patagonia has been inhabited from around 10,000 B.C. onwards. One of the most significant artifacts in the region is “La Cueva De Las Manos” (The Cave of The Hands). This is a series of caves filled with early paintings dating from as far back in time as 8.000 years. The image I find most eerie is the cave that actually gives the formation its name: a cave where hundreds of images of human hands are stenciled on the walls….

Are you beginning to see a pattern emerging here? 10,000 year-old caves, giant glaciers, whales in the ocean… Majesty. Sheer, natural majesty. Patagonia is the place to go if you want to see a place where nature is the leading actor. And Historias Minimas is a film where the little things in life that are actually so important but get overlooked get center stage for a change.

Nature takes center stage in Patagonia

Essie is a good friend and an esteemed co-blogger who is surprised, excited and honored to be included in Connvoyage. Essie is a citizen of the world, a child of a multicultural and multinational family, living in a huge metropolis, speaking four languages and watching DVDs for a living (yes really, no she's not a film critic and well, a girl has to make a living somehow). One day Essie became sick and tired of people asking her "So what’s good lately?” and decided to start a blog. Hence the birth of Essie's Pics.

*All photos courtesy of Aleks Ozerov.

What do you think of the new "Movies To Move You" blog series? Essie and I would love to have your feedback!

© Connie Hum 2011