And just like that, it was all over. We were standing in Jakarta airport, about to board our separate flights and a deep melancholic feeling settled over me. We had spent every moment of every day for the last 27 days together (miraculously without a single cross word being said) and separating from my “drunken, … More The End of an Era
We arrived in Makassar and as we looked out of the window of our guesthouse, a sickening sense of dread descended on us both – there, not 5 metres away was a loudspeaker attached to a mosque. The call to prayer starts at 4am! As we settled in, the last call to prayer erupted from … More Down on my cluck!
Things were not quite right when I woke up. My head was splitting and I had a slight fever – and when I pushed my breakfast away untasted, dad was concerned. I love breakfast. Luckily, there was a boat leaving for the mainland that morning and he decided to go to a doctor to get … More Ellie gets malaria
It started 4 years ago in Sulawesi, an island in the north of Indonesia. We were staying in the docks in Manado and, on a whim, the parents decided to jump on board a boat headed to the closest island, Siau – dragging a very reluctant Katie and me with them. When we got there … More Operation Bau-Bau – The Origins
The final stop on our whirlwind tour through Vietnam was the island of Phu Quoc. It was here that we were supposed to be able to relax, do nothing and just sit by the beach. But, in classic Stokes fashion, it took us about a day and a half to get restless.Soooo we rented motorbikes! … More “Left! DRIVE ON THE LEFT!”
Perhaps the most bizarre experience of our Hoi An stay occurred when we were out on our bikes, exploring. It was a classic sweltering Vietnamese day and we had just reached the sea. The three of us wandered on to the beach – and all of a sudden we were transported back to World War … More “But how will I get back if you both die?!”
Our escapades in Hoi An took on a new direction when mum and dad spotted a tiny, packed, little ferry just about to take off. Apparently this was their cue to jump on, dragging us with them. Of course they had absolutely no idea where the ferry was headed, how long it would take and … More “So locals only pay 5000 Dong?!?!”
Our life in Hoi An was quite a contrast to the one we had in Hue. Where temples, palaces and tombs had occupied most of our time in Hue, in Hoi An it was all about the shopping. And to the surprise of all of us, it was dad – the ultimate hater of shopping … More But you said you wanted it slim-fit!
Musings and Wanderlust 