of Backpacks and Beards
Adventures abroad, lessons learned, and beards.
Top Posts & Pages
Archives
This week’s edition of What’s in your Backpack features a man I’ve strangely forgotten the name of. This calm, cool, and collected man might own the coolest and baggiest pair of pants known to man, and I may have spent a few days with him playing cards and hanging out all the time, but alas, his name has escaped me. I met this fellow while surfing in Balian Beach on the western… Read More
After spending a month in Indonesia biking around the islands of Bali and Lombok our 30-day tourist visa was coming to an end and it was time to begin planning the next leg of our adventure. We knew we definitely wanted to see Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand so we figured the best route was to fly to the north end of Vietnam, travel south across the country and once finished simply take… Read More
It’s been quite a pleasure asking people what they find most valuable to travel with in their backpack. I find everything between simple travel essentials to more personal travel pieces that hold a sentimental value. This weeks’ piece is on a beautiful German man named Lassie (or Lasse), either way I couldn’t pronounce it properly and he said that it made his name sound like “that dog”, so I simply called him… Read More
Balian Beach or Lalang Linggah in Bali, Indonesia is easily my favourite spot on the whole island. About an hour and a half drive from Kuta you find this quaint little surf village. The people are friendly, full of smiles, not heckling you to buy their many similar knock-off souvenirs, and always willing to lend a hand. The town is small, inclusive, and after a few days you begin to recognize the… Read More
When travelling to any destination abroad on your own, or as a group, a crucial aspect to your trip will be your ability to meet new people and experience a variety of different foods, cultures, and perspectives. Not only will it make your travel more enjoyable but you’ll find that in places where you’re out of your comfort zone, the comfort you often find is in another traveller experiencing the same feeling… Read More
It seems a common trait that the characters you tend to meet travelling have interesting tales to share, a quirky attitude, or just a different perspective on how they choose to live their life – Remi is no exception to this rule. I have no idea how old he is, but I’m assuming it’s somewhere in his mid-late thirties and he has wacky travel experiences and plans for all over the world…. Read More
If you speak English you’re in luck, since about anywhere in the world you choose to travel will feature a population that understands some basic English. It seems to be a central language, especially when travelling. However, just because many cultures have adapted and learnt enough English to get by, doesn’t mean that you have no need to learn theirs. It’s clear to see in any country you’re travelling if you learn… Read More
After spending a few days in Kuta, it’s easy to become drowned out by the mass tourist impact and consumer growth. We decided to grab a bike for a few weeks and head Northeast to Padangbai. Talking to an old Aussie man who’d been travelling back and forth to Bali for the last 22 years, we quickly became convinced that this is the place for us. The road from Kuta sticks closely… Read More
When it comes to travelling, having no set plans and little intention is the best way to experience any place you find yourself – the best laid plans are no plans at all. This popular belief for most travellers couldn’t have been truer today. We awoke around 8am with plans on slowly enjoying a coffee on the patio, renting some snorkelling gear and heading down to Blue Lagoon Beach, in Padang Bai… Read More
Perhaps one of the best things about Bali, Indonesia, and likely all of Indonesia is the food; it’s plentiful, it’s cheap, it’s spicy, full of flavour, and you’re always served a massive plate. Like most Asian food, dishes in Indonesia are typically mixed with either rice “nasi” or noodles “mie”, and the selection is a variety of items with these two bases. If you’re on a tight budget it’s easy to eat… Read More
of Backpacks and Beards 