Pulau Kapas Island, Malaysia

by SayHelloBlog, in category South East Asia, Southeast Asia, Travel

The Island of Pulau Kapas (AKA Cotton Island)

Before setting off to Pulau Kapas from the Marang jetty near Kuala Terrenganu, we had to buy our ticket for the ferry. I have a lovely group of friends that reside in Kuala Terrenganu and they have been going to Pulau Kapas for so long that the man who sold us the tickets gave us the local price which I think was about 10 RM cheaper than the regular price. Tickets to Pulau are 40 RM which is around $10 USD round-trip.

As our voyage made it’s way through the glistening clear water, a bit rained down on us from the waves created by the boat propelling forward. It was a welcome break from the heat causing the little beads of sweet on our foreheads. Without a doubt this island was one of the most alluring sites I had seen in a while. As the outline of it grew closer to us the dark green clump that formed from the sandy foundation begin to take on the shape of a cluster of palm trees. I immediately wanted to jump in the glass-like water that swam around the white sand beaches.

Finding Nemo in Pulau Kapas

I had been told that snorkeling here is amazing and if you spend some time searching the coral reef you will see the Clown Fish (aka Nemo). I was so dazzled by the clown fish and the incredible amount of fish friends that I bought a underwater go pro clone to capture the specimen on digital film.

When You Buy a New Underwater Video Camera

Of course when you buy a new digital toy it’s really important to learn how to use it, and even more important to learn when it’s on and when it’s off. This was a bit confusing to me at first but since I am pretty good with my cameras, I didn’t worry about it too much. I set off with my new digital toy and filmed over an hours worth of fish! I was so happy I couldn’t wait to edit the film. I soon learned after opening up my computer and transferring the files, there was nothing to transfer. Not one Nemo. Not one orange fin. Not even shaky blurry underwater video, because apparently I hadn’t turned the thing on! Please learn from my mistake and read that manual (I probably won’t learn to do that ever, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t).

Activities on the Island

Snorkeling is simply amazing on this quiet little island. I brought a mask with me but if you don’t have one you can rent one once you get to the island. If you want to go scuba diving check out Aquasport.

Restaurants, Pulau Kapas

There are a couple places to eat right at the Jetty once you get dropped off. Bring cash and be sure to find out what time they close, I believe on the weekends they close earlier but it’s just good to know. Also it’s a good idea to bring snacks and water with you.

Staying the night, Kapas Island, Gem Island

I didn’t get to stay the night on the island, but hopefully one day I will visit again! As I didn’t stay anywhere I can’t recommend any places but Agoda is a great place to find the best prices! Two of the more popular places to stay are Kapas Island Resort and Gem Island Resort and Spa (which is on smaller island a few minutes away from Kapas.

All in all if I get to go back I would like to stay at least a week on the island to relax and escape. It seems the perfect place to do something like that. But if I don’t get to maybe you should!

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Aug162018Aug 21 2018

Bali, All the Things

by SayHelloBlog, in category Travel

Is This My Life?

When we first got off the plane in Bali it was dark, sometimes arriving somewhere new during the day gives you a reality check, I am HERE! But when you arrive at night it’s almost still a dream like state. Does anyone else know what I am talking about? You look out of the window of your Uber (or in Southeast Asia, your Grab) and watch the swirl of passing lights and buildings engrossed by shadows. You enjoy the mystery of your new adventure while anticipating the morning when what you’re experiencing will be revealed by the light.

What I Loved About Bali

When I think of Bali I think of salty wind, fresh fruit, trendy shops, rice fields, exotic architecture, monkeys galore, creme baths, and colorful smoothie bowls. It’s also packed with people, but it doesn’t feel crowded. You get to experience a sort of laid back busyness while you watch people and scooters going here and there. It’s both calming and exciting.

Canggu

My friend Brooke and I stayed in the little village of Canggu. My impression of Canggu was that there is a huge expat group living amongst the many wonderful Indonesian people. It’s a happy friendly place that welcomes and begs you not to leave too soon. As soon as you arrive you want to stay and dread leaving. But then again, there are quite possibly TOO many shops, too many foreigners, and after the charm of it hits you in the middle of your heart, you decide there is probably more to Bali than trendy shops and smoothie bowls. And there is.

I would suggest staying in Canggu a couple days to visit the lovely cafes, go for a surf at the beach, and buy something to remember it all. When the shops and the people become too much, head to Ubud and stay near the beautiful Tegallalang rice terraces.

Ubud

If your trip is short and you don’t have time to stay in Ubud, definitely hire a driver for the day. We were able to hire a driver for around $60 for the entire day and he took us to Ubud. Along the way we visited a silver shop, a lovely Balinese shop where we saw the locals designing a cloth called Batik.

After some shopping and site seeing, imagine sitting down to a lovely Indonesian lunch under a sweet little thatched roof in the middle of a rice field.

With only one day in Ubud, our day was packed. After lunch our driver took us to coffee and tea taste and do the incredible swings that allow you to view the rice terraces while floating above them. Our trip completed with dinner and an Indonesian play which was unique to say the least.

Unique experiences in Bali

Here is a list of the unique things we saw or did in Bali that you should not miss!

Tegallalang Rice Terraces

Frozen Coffee from Crate (Canggu)

Bali Swing and Tea Tasting Ubud

Silver Shopping in Ubud

Bazaar in Canggu

Monkey Forest

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Jul22018Aug 21 2018

World Meet the Koalas of Perth Australia

by SayHelloBlog, in category Australia, Travel

Adventures in Perth, Australia

Me with a Koala — Me with Jackson the Koala bear

There are dreams we have since we were young, like what we want to learn, who we want to be, and what we want to look like. I often dreamed about where I would travel to. But what I didn’t realize is that even when we are young we limit our dreams. I may have dreamed of traveling, but I never dreamed of going somewhere like Australia. I always thought it was too far, or too expensive, as if it actually existed in another galaxy. I LOVE animals, and a lot of my adventures must include them for me to be happy. I remember being in British Columbia on a Whale watching tour and feeling like nothing else in my life could be as exciting as looking for whales, until we didn’t find any whales. I thought my trip was ruined! Ha!

Brooke and I when we arrived in Perth, Australia

Before I went to Australia I was just planning a trip to countries around Southeast Asia, which I never thought to include Australia in the mix. Maybe I need a lesson in Geography but I just really thought Australia was one of those places that you can never get to because only fairy tales live there, and fairy tales aren’t real. Fairy tales like Australia (the movie) and Strictly Ballroom (fantastic movie and as much a fairy tale as Cinderella) are some of my favorites.

Cuddle a Koala at Cohunu Koala Park

So when my friend who is in Malaysia suggested we go to Australia I was like, is that possible? Apparently it’s very affordable to fly from Malaysia to Australia! Of course many might already know this, I just wasn’t one of those people. I credit my friend for the trip, and her idea to go see Koala’s (one of those dreams, I didn’t know was a dream of mine). Cohunu Koala Park does feel like a dream. The people were amazing and sweet and took photos of each of us with Jackson the Koala bear.

A Trip to Cohunu Koala Park

Cohunu Koala Park is a wildlife park 40 minutes from Perth. My friend Brooke and I traveled there by train then took an Uber to get out to the park. Don’t expect your Uber driver to be able to find the Park very easily. For some reason we had trouble going and returning to the bus station. We had to walk a bit from the park to the main road for our 2nd attempt at an Uber to find us. But on the main road it was easier for Uber to find our location and we did make it back to the train station (phew!)

Feeding the animals at Cohunu Koala Park

The park is quite amazing with talking parrots, the cutest Koalas, dingoes, kangaroos, and emus (and so many more). You can walk around the park and feed the animals. Be sure to bring a packed lunch, as it is a trip out to the park and you might get hungry. The park does have a convenience store with some snacks and drinks.

Reasons to visit Perth Australia

Seriously if you just go to Perth to cuddle a Koala I think it’s completely worth it! Perth is a sleepy little town in Western Australia and a very short plane ride away from Bali (if you happen to be visiting Bali, because why wouldn’t you be?). There are some fun things to do in Perth and I’ll will be updating the blog soon with some posts solely on Perth (a visit to a public park to hang out with Kangaroos anyone?). Enjoy all your adventures, even if you are in your home town taking a quiet little walk. Until next time!

Nov302016Aug 21 2018

Guatemala Day of the Dead and Kite Festival

by SayHelloBlog, in category Central America, Travel

Magical, whimsical, beautiful, mournful, and colorful are just a few words that describe the kite festival in Sumpango, Guatemala. Actually this day is celebrated all over Guatemala, and if you drive around you will see kite festivals going on all over. November 1st marks the recognition of loved ones as well as a friendly competition to see whose kite can fly higher and longer.

If you can make a trip down here solely for Day of the Dead and the Kite Festivals, I recommend it. You will be one in a crowd of people, and I guarantee you will feel a bit claustrophobic, but it will be worth it.

Guatemala is beautiful this time of year, but if you plan on spending a day here, I recommend a hat and sun screen, which I brought neither. An umbrella would work as well, there isn’t any shade, at least there wasn’t in Sumpango. I got a tiny bit sun burnt but still, wouldn’t have missed this day.

The kites range from small to huge! I was amazed at the fact that even with all the people there, they were still putting together the kites! The really huge ones they didn’t fly, as you can see the large bamboo poles wouldn’t allow that.

As amazing as the kite festival was in Sumpango, just around the corner from it within walking distance was the cemetery. It melted my heart to see the many children flying kites from the graveyard. Not to mention the flowers and the music, and the food.

As many people as were there, sitting and watching the festivities at the cemetery site, was actually quite peaceful. I can’t imagine how many of the people there to mourn and pay respects to their loved ones felt. I don’t know what the traditions are, and I don’t pretend to understand what all it took to prepare for the day. I am a foreigner and I just showed up.

This was an incredible and beautiful day. I can’t believe I was here for it. It definitely felt like a dream, and quite possibly is now my favorite Holiday in Guatemala.

Aug62016Aug 21 2018

Quick and Easy Paleo Donuts

by SayHelloBlog, in category Food, Recipes

I remember the first time my mom made donuts with me. Rolling out the dough and using the donut hole cutter was my favorite part. I also loved watching the dough puff up as it was fried.

I occasionally love making old fashioned glazed donuts! But to be honest, as much as I love making them, I really love making these Paleo donuts. They are fun to make, I feel like a kid, they taste great, and I don’t have to worry about low energy after a sugary treat!

The older I get the more I realize my food needs to work for me, and if it doesn’t give me lasting energy, I don’t get as much enjoyment out of eating it. It’s true.

You will have a blast making these and they taste great!

How to Make Paleo Donuts-

These donuts are healthy, sugar-free, sweetened with raw honey and you don’t need a special donut baking sheet! These are incredibly easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp Pink salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbs cacao powder
1/2 cup milk (any kind, I used raw milk)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey (or a bit more if you like sweet)
1 egg

Topping:
2 dates
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used stevia sweetened chips)

Mix the ingredients together, then mold into donuts. It’s easy, and feels kind of like you are playing with play dough.

Place all the doughnuts on a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Your doughnuts are ready to back. Set oven to 325 and bake for 20-25 minutes. While they are baking make your topping, mix the dates and coconut flakes together and melt the chocolate.

When you take your doughnuts out of the oven let them cool then dip the bottoms in chocolate. Then allow them to harden in the freezer for a few minutes.

When the chocolate has hardened flip the doughnuts over and mold the toping to the top of the doughnuts.

Finish the doughnuts bye drizzling the melted chocolate over the top.

Enjoy!

Watch the video here:

Jul212016

28 Things You Can Relate to If You Grew Up in Texas

by SayHelloBlog, in category Travel, United States

1. You can be anywhere in the world and you are bound to meet a fellow Texan, Texas is BIG.

2. No matter how many times you get made fun of for saying y’all, it is still one of your favorite words.

3. When you were a child, family pictures were taken in a field of blue bonnets.

4. Although Big Tex is shiny and new, you still mourn the original Big Tex.

5. You grew up listening to Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire

6. When stopping at any gas station while on a road trip, you are bound to hear country music blaring on the radio.

7. You grew up playing “who can count the most cows” on family road trips.

8. The most common scenery of any road trip is fields of cows.

9. Whatever little town you grew up in, when your family took a trip to “Houston, Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio” you got really excited.

10. No matter where you are in Texas, you can usually find several Dairy Queens or BBQ restaurants.

11. You know that cowboy boots and rhinestones are considered basics in the world of Texas Fashion.

12. Though big hair should be a thing of the past, it’s still alive and well in most small Texas towns.

13. You can’t hate people that wear wranglers, because that means you would hate half the population of Texas.

14. You may not be a fluent Spanish speaker, but you regularly use words like “gracias, adios, amigos, and hasta luego”.

15. When you are traveling outside of Texas, and you tell people where you are from, you are regularly asked if you drive a truck, ride horses, or wear a cowboy hat.

16. At one point in your life you thought owning a big Chevy truck would be cool.

17. When you are traveling outside of Texas you are frustrated by the lack of Tex Mex Restaurants.

18. When traveling outside the US your biggest complaint is not enough authentic Mexican restaurants.

19. A real Texas town has at least 5 Tex Mex restaurants.

20. You know what cow chip tossing competitions are.

21. You’ve participated in Country Line dancing.

22. The Blue Bell ice-cream recall was a dark period in history and you still shudder when you think about it.

23. You secretly rejoice every time you visit your local grocery store and find it fully stocked with Blue Bell Rocky Road and Cookies N’ Cream ice cream.

24. You grew up on a street named FM 2352 or FM 1093 or FM “insert four numbers here”.

25. From a very young age your parents dressed you in either maroon or burnt orange t-shirts.

26. You’ve tried most foods fried, including fried Thanksgiving Dinner, fried cookie dough, and fried Oreos.

27. As a kid one of the things you looked forward to was chasing a pig around with a bunch of other kids at the local rodeo.

28. You have a Momma and a Daddy and a Memaw and a Papa.

Jul92016Aug 21 2018

Camera Buying Guide for the Beginner

by SayHelloBlog, in category Photography, Tips

Camera Buying Guide

Are you as in love with Photography as I am? I can’t get enough. I take photos of everything, and it’s helpful to have the right camera for the photo I want to take. Today there are so many choices. A first time buyer can easily feel overwhelmed trying to make a decision on the best camera to buy. In order to make a good decision, you need to understand your choices. I hope you find this camera buying guide helpful.

Film Cameras

Film cameras are great because they force you to slow down and learn your camera settings before taking a photo. You can find used film cameras or new. A good used film camera you can find at a very affordable price. The downside is the cost of film and the time it takes to develop. But if you have don’t mind buying film the good news now is negatives can be converted to digital.

DSLR Cameras

A good camera for photography is the DSLR camera. DSLR Cameras first came around in 1999 and they have come a long way since then. Now DSLR cameras are so affordable and popular many people have one. You can buy a DSLR camera for pennies, the most well known brands having tons of choices in lenses, and they are easy to learn on. Nikon, Canon, and Sony are some of the most well known brands. You really can’t go wrong learning on a Canon Rebel or a similar camera from one of the other brands. A possible downside is some DSLR cameras are heavy and bulky to carrying around.

Mirrorless Cameras

Another good camera to buy for photography is a mirrorless camera. These digital cameras are some of my favorites. The mirror box has been taken out of the camera, making the camera much smaller in size and lighter in weight. I own one and love mine. Mirrorless cameras are a bit more expensive as they have only been around a few years. If you want to invest in a good system and it’s important for you to have a small camera then Mirrorless might possibly be the best option for you. The quality of mirrorless is very good, and you can’t go wrong with most brands. Want to learn if mirrorless cameras might be right for you? Read about mirrorless photography here.

With so many options out there it is first a good idea to ask yourself some questions before you buy a camera. It’s hard to pick a good camera if you have no idea what you are going to use it for.

Questions to ask yourself before buying a camera:

What type of photography do I want to do (Travel, Portraits, Wedding, Lifestyle, Landscape, Macro etc.)
What type of lenses will I want to buy now or eventually?
Is quality video an important aspect of buying a camera to me?
Do I need a camera for posting pictures online or will I be using those pictures for large prints?

These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself. The type of photography you want to do will influence what type of camera and lenses you need to buy. For example, if you are only posting online you might not need a full frame camera, but if you are going to be doing large prints a full frame camera might be essential to your work. If you plan on eventually doing wedding photography or low light photography a full frame camera will be what you want to invest in.

If you plan on doing Travel photography you might want to consider size and weight. A camera with a few lenses can easily become a burden to carry around, so looking for a smaller option like a full frame mirrorless camera would be a good idea. Look at this review of the Olympus Pen if you are a travel blogger.

Are you on a budget? Do you only plan on posting photos on your blog or online? A good camera for you might be a Canon Rebel. Look at this review of the Canon RebelT5i by Strange and Charmed.

Free Photography Guide

When it comes to photography, understanding your equipment is key. To learn more about good cameras for photography sign up for my blog! I share photography and equipment tips and love helping people learn! Want a must have Photography book? When you sign up it’s free!

The Travel Blogger’s Guide to Photography is a 20 page guide with beautiful photos and photography tips. Download and learn how to become a better travel photographer! Get access to this free gift by signing up for my newsletter PLUS get a second free gift, the Stock Photo Bundle for Bloggers.

Click here to for your free gifts!

Subscribe to sign up for free stock photos, travel inspiration, and photography tips sent to your inbox every month. I promise not to spam you. I aim for one newsletter per month filled with lovely photos, freebies for you, photography and travel tips.

You will learn more about picking out a camera, but you will also learn what specifications really matter when finding the perfect camera for you.

Talk to you soon,

Ronda