TRAVEL Archives - Letterbox on the Lane

Summer Vacation 2024: Family, Friends, Smithsonian, Kennywood, National Parks, and more!

Summer Vacation 2024 was filled with lots of warm and wonderful memories. It was another bittersweet trip home – so wonderful to see everyone, but my mom was not there.

We started with the miserably long trip: 7-hour flight to Tokyo and then a 13 hour flight to the U.S.

We transited through Tokyo/Haneda again and we went straight for the Ramen place. We shopped at the Japanese souvenir shop for some Japanese-style cookies, and then hit up the 7-11 for strawberry Pocky before settling in at our gate. This is becoming our routine.

The trip was uneventful and this time, we stopped in Washington, D.C. for a week-long rest before continuing on to South Carolina. We picked up our rental car and headed to our hotel.

Although I was completely shattered and wanted to sleep, Jackson was desperate to start Summer Vacation 2024 with a visit to the National Air and Space Museum at the nearby Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. This turned out to be a great choice! It helped with the jet lag and the museum was very nice! Jackson and I squeezed into the flight simulator, and he did a great job of not flipping me upside down! We walked around and saw the space shuttle and so many other cool displays. We hit the gift shop on the way out and took an Uber back to the hotel.

We drove from Washington, DC to Pennsylvania and stayed at the 7 Springs mountain resort for a week. This was our hotel of choice when they offered deep discounts for summer stays, as it is near-ish to family and friends, with plenty to do. The discounts aren’t as great these days, the hotel needs refurbishment, and we’re noticing that some of our desired amenities are disappearing (the laundromat is gone, daily room cleaning is gone. Our room was only serviced once, after 5 days – and this is post-Covid). This has become a tradition for us, so we still go. We did get the breakfast buffet included this time, and it was plentiful. However, one day we were given menus to select from; the blueberry pancakes were amazing, and were a nice treat from the morning buffet. We found the summertime activities to be quite expensive, although a lot is included. $66/day: mini golf, Alpine Slide, bowling, etc. My older brother and his family came out to hang out with us. (I can’t believe how fast my niece is growing up!!) We splurged on mini-golf for everyone and then we enjoyed the pool and hot tub. We ordered pizza – and it was really good. Then stopped at the ice cream shop for sweet treats and coffee. It was so nice to get to spend time with everyone.

In looking for an activity that Jackson could do while I visited with a friend, I discovered a flight training school with a simulator. I booked him a lesson. Then I looked at the map and realized that the school was too far out. We ended up stopping in at Oakmont Bakery for breakfast and a good catchup with my friend, whom I’ve known since we were five years old!! We ordered fancy coffees, and I got a delicious breakfast sandwich that I was dreaming about days later. Then Jackson and I continued north to the flight school – High Flight. He had an amazing lesson – the best day of his life, as he tells it.

During this trip, we were so close to the Flight 93 Memorial, we made time to visit. I’m glad we did. We’ve been once before, but Jackson was a baby. This time, Jackson got the Junior Ranger book, and we focused on the items in the book, keeping the visit age appropriate. He picked up the I Survived book in the gift shop on the way out and read it on the road.

We saw signs for a covered bridge, so naturally, we followed them! We stopped at Glessner Covered Bridge for a few quick photos. I was more impressed than my travel companion – who was engrossed in his new book.

He did enjoy lunch at Eat n’ Park, and a visit to the movie theater after our heavy morning.

I had a nice catch-up dinner with my friend Missy. (Another friend from my childhood days.) The jetlag caught up with Jackson, and he slept all through dinner.

Meeting up with my younger brother and his family, we had an amazing day at Kennywood Park. So much good family time. Taking turns riding with each other, sharing a meal together. All the things we miss out on while living overseas.

I love going to my favorite Italian shops when I go home. DeLallo is ‘my’ Italian grocery store. I love to pick up some olives from the ‘olive bar’, and I always grab a pepperoni roll and some pizzelles. Moios Italian Patry Shop is another favorite. I consider the chocolate torte cake my birthday cake – a moist chocolate sponge with chocolate pudding in the middle and topped with fudgy chocolate frosting. So, I must have a slice along with cannoli. Jackson was excited about the Italian ice when he saw the sign advertising it. When he ordered, he was not so excited to hear that they only had the lemon flavor, but once he tasted it, he was all in!

Moios Italian Patry Shop - Cannoli in the bag! — Moios Italian Patry Shop

As my time in Pennsylvania was about finished, we met up at Cracker Barrel for a farewell breakfast. The blueberry pancakes were amazing, as always – but it was really so special to spend this time with my family. I got to visit a bit with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson…who has grown so much since I last saw him!! It was hard to say goodbye, but it was time for me and Jackson to head south to see ‘our dads’.

We drove back to Dulles airport, returned the rental car and flew to South Carolina.

In South Carolina, we grabbed our bags and another rental car, and off we went to see Grandpa.

The next day, I drove Jackson to Greenville, SC, for his two-week visit with his dad. This is tougher on me than it is on Jackson.

I spent the next week hanging out with my dad. Running errands, cooking, cleaning, squeezing in a Hallmark movie here and there. I did my best to fill up on Starbucks and Chick Fil A, and I enjoyed the flora and fauna on the Lane.

Life has a strange serendipity and I ended up in Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore during the pony penning festivities.

Assateague Island horses - pony penning — Assateague Island horses – pony penning

From there, I continued back south and visited Aunt Darlene for lots of hugs, planning for our trip next summer, and remembering my mom and Uncle Wilson. These visits are never long enough.

As I traveled further south, I popped into Buc-ee’s for some gas, fudge for my dad, and a quick shop around. This felt like Disneyworld for grownups. I immediately felt the excitement when I walked through the doors!

Back in South Carolina, I went for a morning visit of Congaree National Park. After battling all the golden webbed spiders, I was treated to a sighting of a Barred owl. I’ll be honest, the spiders had me freaked out. They were EVERYWHERE. I ended up turning back on the path and I found another visitor with a tri-pod set up – viewing/filming something in the trees. He pointed to the owl! I would have never found it on my own…I was too focused on the spider webs.

When Jackson returned, we went to Edventure children’s museum. One of his favorite places to visit. He loves the airplane built into the wall, and Eddie!

For our very last adventure, Jackson and I flew to Washington state to visit Josh and see Olympic National Park. We had a wonderful visit! Lots of catching up and exploring the beauty of the national park. This visit was much too short!

That’s a wrap on Summer Vacation 2024. We had to head back to SC for our flight home early the following morning.

One last family photo before we head to the airport.

TRAVEL

Our first trip to Bali!

Our first trip to Bali!

The stars aligned and Jackson and I both had some time to travel. There is a holiday in Indonesia called Idul Fitri. This is equivalent to our Christmas. Lots of celebrations with family throughout the month of Ramadan, culminating in a week or two of workers traveling out of the city to their villages to visit family. Even schools and offices close up for a few days to allow everyone time to celebrate.

We flew from Jakarta to Denpasar. The flight was about 1.5 hours. Since we were staying in Indonesia, we did not have to clear customs and my cell phone worked! We spent three nights in a jungle city called Ubud and then three nights in ocean front Nusa Dua.

In Ubud, we stayed at the Padma Resort. I knew it was a big holiday and there would be crowds, so I arranged in advance for the hotel to collect us from the airport. What is normally a two-hour drive, took us 4 hours. It was a long and slow commute from the airport to the hotel due to the heavy traffic, but in the end, it was worth it!

The Padma is amazing! It is quite a distance from Ubud city, but we never felt the need to leave the resort. We swam, drank tropical drinks, I got a pedicure, we visited the little farm with bunnies and deer. Jackson fished in the fishing pond, and then fed the fish he caught to the pair of rescued otters! We fed the fish in the Koi ponds. On our last day, we hired a driver to pick us up, give us a tour, and then drop us off on the other side of the island.

In Nusa Dua, we stayed at the Westin. The Westin is completely different from the Padma, but it was amazing in its own way. We walked right out of our room to the swimming pools. Lots of kids and families, a slide into the pool. Poolside ice cream and tropical drinks were on hand. The hotel is right on the beach.

We met up with friends at Waterbom Bali waterpark and spent the day having so much fun. The moms got massages while the kids ran around riding the waterslides!! The next day, we met up with other friends and the kids had a two-hour surfing lesson on the beach. The parents chilled on beanbag chairs under an umbrella – in view of the kids. After the lesson, the kids played in the sand and surf. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Jackson decided that he is a surfer and can’t wait to go back! I picked up a long sleeved rash guard from the hotel, and when we came home, I ordered him these chafe-free swim shorts to wear under his swim trunks. He is all set!

We didn’t get to do everything we wanted in Bali, so we’ll just have to return!

TRAVEL

Singapore – 2024

The morning after Jackson’s birthday party, we jetted off to Singapore for the long weekend!

This trip had a bit of a learning curve for us.

My plan was to stay on Sentosa island, go to Universal Studios, and also visit Legoland in neighboring Malaysia.

The first challenge was to find an affordable hotel. As it turns out, Taylor Swift was performing in Singapore this weekend. The prices of the expensive island rose considerably. I felt lucky to book a room at the Sofitel resort on Sentosa island.

The next hurdle, which I was not able to overcome was the transportation to Malaysia from Singapore. To hire a private car, the hotel quoted me $600. I found a few other private drivers, but their mornings were booked, and could only collect us after lunch. They quoted prices around $400. I also reached out to Klook to jump on a bus, but the bus departed Singapore before our flight arrived. Taking a local bus or taxi was risky, as you had to hop out of the vehicle at the border, and find another ride on the other side. I was not willing to take that risk. I ended up cancelling the trip to Legoland before we even departed Jakarta.

The flight was uneventful. I used my Grab app and booked a taxi to the hotel. Here I made a rookie mistake. I did not get Singapore dollars from an ATM and I did not look into getting a Singapore SIM card.

It was a bit of a challenge to find the taxi pickup point, but we eventually connected with our taxi and were on our way.

As I mentioned, we were staying on Sentosa island. The island is quite small and popular, so there are schemes to reduce the number of cars on the island. If you don’t have proof of a hotel reservation (or other documentation that you should be on the island), then you must pay a fee. I went to pull up the hotel confirmation on my phone, and discovered that I had no data. This caused me quite a bit of stress until I found the email was available on my phone without data.

One crisis averted.

Next up, we arrive at the hotel, and the driver wants paid in cash. I advised that I booked through the app. My balance should be billed. I can pay by credit card. (Remember – I did not stop for cash at the airport!)

He was irritated with me. He pointed out that the app showed I had to pay him cash. He suggested I speak with the concierge of the hotel. Perhaps they could pay, and then bill my room. The hotel was filled with Swifties attempting to check in and check out – the concierge was not happy with me. He checked with the hotel manager, who was slammed with lines of customers – and told the concierge to just deal with me. The concierge pulled out his wallet and paid my taxi bill with his own money. This vacation was really off to a rocky start.

It doesn’t get much better. When I booked the room, check-in was at 3pm, but my ‘package’ promised an early check-in, if available. I attempted to check in around 1pm, and was advised that they were still checking guests out, and could not possibly check anyone in yet. At this point, I was regretting not booking the afternoon transport to Legoland. Jackson and I had lunch at the hotel, we lounged by the pool with tropical drinks. We checked back in with the front desk several times, and finally, at 5pm, our room was ready. I was REALLY agitated, but was trying to show outward calm, to set a good example for Jackson. This was hard.

We went for a swim and had $36 chicken tenders from the poolside bar for dinner, as the food was just exorbitantly expensive. I cringed when he said he was still hungry and asked for more.

The next day, we headed to Universal Studios. It was quite easy to get there from the hotel. We walked down the driveway and out to the main road to catch a shuttle bus. We then had to catch a tram to the park. It was a bit of walking, but really not too bad.

I had already purchased the tickets online but was not able to buy the fast passes. I bought them at a kiosk outside of the park and we finally headed in. Our spirits were high, we were ready for an adventure. We found that it was quite a small park. Some rides cautioned that they were not suitable for all ‘body sizes’, so I assumed that meant me. We skipped those rides – such as the Revenge of the Mummy ride. We rode others and had a lovely time. The lines were short, and there was absolutely no need for the fast passes. Then, the clouds burst open and it started pouring down rain. We bought ponchos and went inside a restaurant for lunch. We had ramen, chicken nuggets, and fresh fruit. The rain cleared so we wandered a bit more, until I got sick to my stomach and I just wanted to go ‘home’. We made a dash back to the hotel. Walking quickly to the tram, and then finding the shuttle bus. We stopped at all the stops on the way. My tummy was raging. By the time we got to our stop, it was pouring rain. With our ponchos on, we splashed through the puddles to get up to the hotel and to our room. This was par for the course on this less than perfect adventure.

I couldn’t justify spending $60 on chicken nuggets again, so I worked on my Grab app, updated it to a Singapore account, and ordered burgers from Shake Shack. (This update also allowed me to book a taxi back to the airport and be able to pay for it!!!)

On our last morning, I was concerned about going out into town and not being able to call a taxi to get back to the hotel or to the airport, so we hung out at the hotel. We enjoyed the amazing hotel breakfast, went for a swim, put our feet into the fish pond and allowed the fish to nibble our feet, and then we followed two peacocks around. It was actually a really nice, relaxed morning…full of discovery.

Many colleagues in Jakarta enjoy getting away to Singapore, but we do not feel an urgent need to go back.

Cub Scouts, LIFE, TRAVEL

Cub Scout Camping – Caldera – February 2024

Our second camping trip of the Scout year found us back at Caldera Adventure River Resort in Citarik: https://calderaindonesia.com, about a three-hour drive outside of Jakarta. We started our journey at 5:30am, and we broke up the trip with a pit stop at a Starbucks along the way.

According to my standards, we were not glamping this time. Actual tents on the ground, but they did have mattresses and electric cords supplied. And the tents were put up for us prior to our arrival…so some may call that glamping!! It was so damp. Everything felt wet…including the mattresses and bedding.

This camping trip really stretched our comfort zones, and Jackson and I agreed that we would not do any more camping after this.

The day started with a ‘baby’ hike that ‘anyone’ could do. I even asked in advance about the challenge level, and if there was an ‘out’, should I decide not to continue. I was assured that it was an easy hike and I could just turn back if it became too much. After hiking up the mountain in 90-degree temperatures, I could feel myself getting overheated. (It was my own fault – I was ill-prepared. We did not bring water bottles, had not had breakfast, etc.) I was ready to turn back. I was confident that Jackson could make it to the end, but I was not confident that he could make it with ease, so I had him return with me. At this point, we were in the middle of the rice terraces. The guide brought in two others on motorbikes, and Jackson and I were ferried back to camp on the backs of the motorbikes. This was both terrifying and exhilarating. We later learned that the hike finished with the scouts climbing a near vertical hill to get out of the rice terraces, clutching at roots to pull themselves up!! (It was after this that we agreed that camping was not for us!!)

Next up was the river rafting. Jackson joined the group, while I sat out and continued to calm my nerves. He had a blast! This is his favorite part of camping at Caldera. While they were out, the sunny skies turned black and then opened up on us. We were in for a wet weekend!

Altoids tin filled with Band-Aids and Neosporin — I had to pull out the first aid kit, and bandage up a Boy Scout.

We managed to learn some new things and worked on our adventures. The Webelos worked on Into the Woods and some of the activities for the World Conservation Award. It was pouring cats and dogs at dinner time. Working on the Castaway adventure, the goal was for the kids to make two recipes without using pots/pans. The plan was for them to build a fire and cook pizza breads in foil and hard-boiled eggs in paper cups over their fire. The rain put a damper on the kids starting a fire to cook their food, so we attempted to make the pizzas on a camp stove. Although the pizza breads were wrapped in heavy duty foil, the blast from the camp stove was too much. The foil melted and the pizza tasted like fuel. Luckily, there were enough hot dogs for everyone!

There was enough of a pause in the rain that we did have a bonfire after dinner – and as the Caldera Team was setting up the bonfire, the Webelos set out to build a fire without matches. It was amazing to watch as they each took turns using cotton balls and string, toilet paper rolls, a flint and striker, and magnesium to light their own fires! After safely extinguishing the Webelos fires, we joined the group and enjoyed s’mores, watched the Boy Scouts perform a few skits, and then performed our own.

Thankfully, Jackson was exhausted and was able to fall asleep. I lay in the sweltering damp tent, thinking about the large spider the size of my hand that I saw in the dining hut and the 12-inch centipede that was in the bathroom and sent Facebook messages to my dad, complaining about the day. He told me “sounds like you are making memories!”. Dad was right. I tried to look at it from that point of view and tried to get some rest.

The next day, it was still raining. Everyone was ready to go home. We were standing by in hopes of getting cleared to do the Flying Fox (zipline). It was not to be, so we packed up camp and headed home – hot, wet, muddy, exhausted – memories made.

FOOD, LIFE, LOVE, TRAVEL

Cub Scout Camping at Lodges Ekologika – Portibi Farms in West Java

Another campout with the cub scouts is in the books.

We departed around 6:00am Saturday morning and traveled by hired bus for about 1.5 hours to the Lodges Ekologika – Portibi Farms in West Java. http://portibi.com/

When we arrived, we dropped our bags in our respective bungalows, huts, and tents and then enjoyed a light breakfast of bagels, toast, banana bread, fresh fruit, etc. We filled our tummies and then headed off on a hike. The Webelos scouts recited their Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace principles.

Bungalow en suite at Portibi Farms, Indonesia

After the hike, we had lunch – enjoying many of the delicacies of the farm. Lots of fresh salads, local specialties, hot soup, and beef tenderloin sandwiches.

People serving themselves from a lunch buffet of sandwiches and soup.

Then, the kids moved on to a lesson in first aide, before heading down the hill to do some farming.

They discovered that cinnamon grows on TREES! They harvested lettuce, nutmeg, rosemary, cassava. I understand there was also a bit of fighting over whose turn it was to fertilize the plants with goat poop! While the kids were farming, the adults had afternoon tea – Indonesian farm style. Lots of hot tea and fried snacks – like fried bananas – and we had fresh fruits like watermelon, honeydew, and orange slices.

Cassava is also known as yuca or manioc, Cassava is a type of root vegetable that is high on vitamin C. It can be boiled, fried, grated, or pureed.

When the kids returned, the Webelos had a cooking lesson – peeling, chopping, and boiling their cassava. While dinner was cooking – and to keep the kids out of the rain that had started – it was time for some art practice. The Webelos needed to create two self-portraits – using two different mediums. All the kids joined in and we did pencil drawings with colored pencils and then paintings with water based acrylic paints. It was so much fun to see all of the kids sitting together and showing off their creativity. We had to stop at 5:00pm, so dinner could be set up, but I think some of the kids would have been happy to keep on creating.

At 6pm, we had a lovely dinner of beef tenderloin, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes made with purple ‘sweet potatoes’. We topped them with some butter and pesto! We had French fries made with the purple sweet potatoes, and delicious salads.

Of course, it would not be a cub scout campout without a bonfire and s’mores. So, after dinner, we went in search of the bonfire. It was at the very bottom of the hill. We had to navigate our way down a narrow path lined with stepping stones, and it was getting quite dark. Luckily, we had our flashlights and (battery operated) lanterns. The kids enjoyed roasting their marshmallows and lining up for mini chocolate bars and graham crackers to make s’mores. What a fun-filled day. We all wound our way back up the mountain to find our beds. Jackson and I were lucky to have a shower (with hot water!) in our bungalow. However, another mom was in a ‘hut’, and although she was dripping sweat from climbing the mountain in the heat and humidity, she did not want to venture out in the dark to the shared shower room, so she used her fan to cool off before drifting off to sleep. (I think we are all glad to be back to ‘civilization’!!)

Sunday morning included a lovely breakfast of mini waffles, eggs, bagels, and some local favorites such as Nasi Goreng (fried rice). The kids learned to tie square knots and then we packed up and headed home.

We had loads of fun and made new friends.

TRAVEL

R&R June 2023

R&R 2023

As soon as school let out for the summer, Jackson and I were on a plane to the U.S.A.

Travel to the east coast from Jakarta is brutal. We took three planes. The first flight was from Jakarta to Tokyo and was about 7 hours in the air. Then we had a 9-hour layover in Tokyo! We tried ramen, we shopped in the Japanese souvenir store, and we walked back and forth to kill time.

Next up was a 14-hour flight from Tokyo to Washington, D.C. This leg is tough. We couldn’t get off the plane fast enough and thankfully breezed through customs and immigration with our Global Entry passes. We collected our checked bags, rechecked them, and then boarded our last flight for another 2 hours to South Carolina.

Jackson said a quick hello to Grandma and Grandpa (and their dog Indy), before he was whisked off for a summer adventure with his dad.

For the next week or so we suffered from jet lag – sleeping all day – and lying awake all night, until our bodies accepted that we are on the other side of the world.

This visit, I hung out with my mom and dad for two weeks.

Once Jackson was finished with his visit to his dad, he and I took a road trip to see family in Pennsylvania.

After a month of sleeping on air mattresses and living out of suitcases, we were both ready to head home.

Trying Ramen in Tokyo (the broth was very fishy!)

Playing the piano for grandma and grandpa – showing off all of the new songs he has learned.

Celebrating my birthday at Seven Springs!

Jackson rode the Wild Mouse at Idlewild…and he LOVED it!!!

Kettle Corn at the Arts and Culture fair at Twin Lakes Park. It was hot, fresh, and delicious!

Cousin time! We got to see cousin Chelsea perform at the festival!

I picked up a National Parks pass while home.

TRAVEL

Lombok Island, Indonesia

Welcome Lei at Oberoi Beach Resort, Lombok

Lombok is an Indonesian island east of Bali and west of Sumbawa, part of the Lesser Sunda Island chain. It’s known for beaches and surfing spots, particularly at Kuta and Banko Banko (in south Lombok). The motor-vehicle-free Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno), off Lombok’s west coast, offer more beaches, reefs for diving and snorkeling, and a sea turtle hatchery. ― Google

At the end of April, over the local holiday called Idul Fitri, Jackson and I flew to the island of Lombok, in Indonesia. It is about a 1.5-hour flight from Jakarta.

We stayed at the Oberoi Beach Resort for 3 nights, using the resident discount, and it was really lovely.

It was about a 1.5-hour drive, with the option of taking the oceanside route, or the monkey forest route. We chose the monkey forest route on the way to the hotel, and we saw lots of monkeys along the way. The drivers on the road would slow down and feed the monkeys, but they were not aggressive, like I hear the monkeys in Bali are. Tip: Consider taking the monkey forest route back to the airport and bring some of the fruit from your room to feed the monkeys.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by a line of hotel staff whisking open the car doors and donning us with flower leis. It was such an amazing welcome!

We quickly checked in and were then shown to our room. Sweeping ocean views, high ceilings, massive windows, and frangipane flowers placed throughout the room, the shower, the bathtub…everywhere! We had a bowl of fresh fruit, and a cookie jar filled with cookies.

That afternoon, we signed up for a few activities like snorkeling the Gili islands, visiting a wildlife park, and junior bartending. We explored the place – with Jackson on a borrowed bicycle, we learned to play congklak, which is similar to mancala, and then we had a lovely dinner under the stars. It was very late (for us), but Jackson had to try out the AMAZING bathtub before he hopped into bed.

Amazing bathtub, with a lily pond outside the window.

The next morning was a bit of a scramble. I assumed the breakfast was a buffet (as it was included in the room rate). Fortunately/Unfortunately – it was just as luxurious as everything else. There was no buffet. I asked our waiter to notify the boathouse that we would miss our snorkeling adventure. I understood that it was completely my fault for not allowing enough time for breakfast. The snorkeling outfit agreed to wait 20 minutes for us! The waiter rushed our order, and Jackson and I wolfed down our breakfast (and my cappuccino!) and ran off to the boat house to join our trip.

Another family must have also miscalculated as they missed the trip entirely. There was one other couple, and when I apologized for being late, they said they had also just arrived, so it really all worked out perfectly. It ended up just being me, Jackson, and the couple – who happened to be from the U.S. They were lovely and made the trip enjoyable. We boarded the boat and headed off to the Gili Islands with two boat hands – one captain, the other was the snorkeling guide. Once we arrived at the snorkeling spot, they expected us to actually GET OFF THE BOAT. The other three hopped right into the water…but I was not as keen. I got myself on the edge, and unwillingly thrust myself into the water. I struggled with the flippers on my feet – I couldn’t tread water like I’m used to, and just wanted them off. The guy on the boat kept offering to give me a life vest. By the time I got the flippers off, the others had swam away. I tried to catch up to Jackson, but we were going against the tide. I did some snorkeling but didn’t see anything. I was trying not to panic. The guy on the boat told me to hold on to the ladder on the side of the boat, and he would drag me to the group. It was slow going. I tried my best not to get flung into the propeller. We picked up Jackson and the other lady along the way. But the guy eventually stopped the boat and told us to hop back on – he would have to speed up to catch the guide. Using the ladder I had been clinging to, I got on the boat, and wasn’t planning to get out again. HA! We had to get off the boat at the first Gili island called Gili Meno. Here, we backed in, and were able to use the back of the boat as a step. We saw a baby turtle sanctuary. The baby turtles were adorable but were not ready for release. Getting back on the boat was easy enough, using that back step. The others did some more snorkeling along the way to the next Gili island called Gili Air, and they got to swim with a turtle! At Gili Air, they drove the boat in frontways, and we had to jump off onto the sand – no step, no ladder. The boat man did his best to catch me before we tumbled onto the sand together. We enjoyed lunch with our travel companions, and then it was time to head back to Lombok. Surprisingly, they expected me to climb back into the boat without a ladder or a step. I tried, but it was not going to happen. Eventually, they turned the boat around, so that we could all use the step. I was done getting off and on the boat by now. The others were tired, and we were all ready to get back to shore. It was a lovely, peaceful return journey, and I have no desire to go snorkeling again. 😊

After making our way back to our room to change, we went off to find the junior bartending class that Jackson signed up for. He had so much fun making a Shirley Temple and a ‘Mojito’. He tasted them both, and actually liked them. We poked around the resort for a bit, stopped for afternoon tea, and then a tropical coconut drink for me while watching the sunset. (And even bumped into colleagues from the office!) We signed up for the 6:30 (early) dinner. It was lovely – this time with live music. Another soak in the tub and then off to bed.

Coconut Drink and sunset, Lombok Island, Indonesia

Our second full day, we had a more leisurely breakfast of pancakes, croissants, yogurt, fresh tropical fruits, cappuccino, before heading to the local wildlife sanctuary. After purchasing our tickets and paying for baskets of fruit to feed the animals, we met our guide. He shared information about the animals, carried our fruit baskets, and even took loads of pictures of us with my camera. (This was especially nice, as we don’t have many pictures of the two of us together on these adventures!) It was a hot and steamy day, but full of fun. Jackson held a python! We had an orangutan interaction with Kiki the baby orangutan. He got to pet an owl. I’ll let the pictures do the talking here.

Breakfast at Oberoi Beach Resort, Lombok

Fruit Basket for the animals at the wildlife park

Welcome Committee at the Lombok WIldlife Park

Jackson and Kiki at the Lombok Wildlife Park

Jackson petting an owl – is this Hedwig?

On our way out, we stopped for ‘tea’. What a lovely set up. It was too hot for traditional tea, so we each had a ‘sweet lime soda’ otherwise known as a ‘lime squash’. (Fresh lime juice, soda water, and some simple syrup.) I tried a bite of everything, but Jackson was not feeling so adventurous.

We headed back to the resort and hopped into the infinity pool to cool off. Ha! The water was warm! We had fun splashing about – with the palm trees swaying and the gorgeous views of the Indian Ocean. We lounged in one of the pavilions, sharing a massive burger and some fries for a late lunch. We poked around some more – playing lawn games and swinging on the massive tree swing. Then, Jackson found the “Business Lounge”. There was another family of boys his age going in and out. He discovered that they were in there playing video games!! He joined them, and I sat next door at the outdoor tearoom and enjoyed some spicy ginger tea and the gorgeous views. By dinner, Jackson was exhausted. We found our table and discovered that there was a buffet dinner instead of the ‘normal’ menu offerings that we had started to grow accustomed to. He was thrown off by the buffet dinner, as he was looking forward to having pizza for dinner. Luckily, they allowed him to order the pizza from the regular menu. I enjoyed a few items on the buffet – they had a whole roast pig, a Soto Ayam buffet: Soto Ayam is a traditional chicken (ayam) soup which is based on flavorsome broth and incorporates shredded chicken, rice noodles, turmeric (hence the rich yellow color), lemongrass, ginger, chili, and kafir lime leaf, shredded vegetables and it is traditionally served with half a boiled egg and segments of lime on the side, and then we called it an early night.

On our last day, we packed our bags, enjoyed one last amazing oceanfront breakfast and checked out. The kids were back in the ‘business lounge’, so Jackson hung out with them for a bit while we waited for our time to head to the airport. We were prepared for the monkeys with the leftover fruit from our room, but the driver took us along the ocean road this time. The views were so amazing – we were not disappointed. We bumped into more colleagues at the airport – all heading back to Jakarta from a lovely stay on Lombok Island.

PHOTOGRAPHY, TRAVEL

Photo Story

American kids in Jakarta, Indonesia can take part in Cub Scouts through the Far East Council. The pack is a blend of American kids and local Indonesian kids. The American kids might have parents who work at the U.S. Embassy, for a private company, or even as missionaries. The Indonesian kids all have some connection to the U.S. – perhaps their family lived in the U.S. for a bit – and they all speak fluent English. The pack meetings are conducted in English, and are very similar to scouting in the U.S.

The pack is made up of both boys and girls – ages 6-11, the parents volunteer as den leaders, and we start each pack meeting with the Scout Oath and the Scout Law – just like in the United States. The kids go camping here too – and this is what my story is about. Instead of camping in the woods, they camped on a remote island! The kids were busy earning their advancement requirements and earned ‘belt loops’ for adventures such as fishing and whittling. As part of learning about ‘community’, the kids had a beach clean-up and planted mangrove trees to help the environment.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Scouts arrive and start the official program by reciting the Scout Oath. March 25, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Cubmaster Tim and Den Leader Mark help Tiger scouts Mateo (6) and Chase (6) fly a drone over the Java Sea. March 25, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Scouts having fun on the paddleboards. March 25, 2023.

Den Leader Ishak leading the Webelos and Arrow of Light scouts of Pack 3455, Jakarta, Indonesia. April 15, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna island, Indonesia. March 25, 2023. Bear Scout Presley (9), working on her Whittling Chip for the Bear Claws adventure.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Catching crabs. March 25, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Bear Scouts Luna (8) and Kirana (8), along with Arrow of Light scout Ewald (11) washing up before lunch. March 25, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Scouts and parents enjoying the lovely sunset while dining al fresco. March 25, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Bear Scout Clara (8) roasting marshmallows for s’mores. March 25, 2023.

Cub Scout Jackson (9) of Far East Council, Pack 3455, Jakarta, Indonesia. Asleep in his tent after a very full day of fun! April 16, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. New growth on the island’s mangrove trees. March 26, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Scouts Alberto (8), Mateo (6), Presley (9), Jackson (9), and Ewald (11) discovering a hermit crab. March 26, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia. Scout moms Lisa, Linda, and Monica – the magic behind each adventure. March 26, 2023.

Cub Scout Pack 3455, Camping Trip to Desa Laguna Regenerative Village Resort island, Indonesia comes to an end. March 26, 2023.

LIFE, TRAVEL

Desa Laguna Camping

Our second camping trip with the Cub Scouts was much more our speed.

We arrived by speed boat. It was an hour and a half trip, and the last part of it was wild! The water in the Java Sea was a bit rough. The boat hit the white caps, and we sailed into the air, and then landed hard. Over and over again. My head was pounding by the time we arrived.

We were greeted with cold drinks and snacks such as sandwiches and tropical fruit, and then we took a quick tour of the island and found our assigned tents. The tent was right on the water – with beautiful views. We were in a ‘glamping’ tent, so the tent was raised off the ground on a wooden platform. We had mattresses and little tables inside the tent. (I put my glasses on the table this time, so I didn’t step on them in the middle of the night!) We also had a ‘power brick’ that kept a fan running all night. I was also able to use it to charge my phone and camera batteries.

This was an eco-adventure and the kids did a beach clean up and planted mangrove trees to help the environment. But mostly, they just played in the sand. The island was small enough to let the kids run around. They also went fishing, they found crabs, played with sticks, and went paddleboarding and snorkeling. They earned their whittling chip and Bear Claws adventure. We even had another bonfire and roasted marshmallows. Jackson loved roasting them and then turning them into s’mores for me! As we crawled into the tent, we were both feeling pretty good. Neither of us said “I want to go home”. The second day was just as fun and relaxing, but by lunch we were ready to go home.

LIFE, TRAVEL

Traveling Home: December 2022

With all of the busyness of unpacking and getting ready for the holidays, I had not yet packed for our trip home! I typically start early and slowly add everything we need to our bags. This time I was looking for our winter gear and throwing stuff into the suitcases the night before we left.

I was so thankful that the taxi showed up on time for our 2:30am departure from home. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time, and the airline was not even open for check-in when we arrived!

The flight was unremarkable, except that it was 6.5 hours long, and the food was bleh. With a quick layover in Japan, we didn’t do much but take advantage of the wi-fi and let everyone know that we made it to Tokyo. Jackson was amazed with the bathroom! Lots of automation in there!

After a 10.5 hour flight, we made it to Chicago. Again, the food was bleh. But the flight was fine. I was excited to have an Italian Beef sandwich while in Chicago, but the airport sandwich left a lot to be desired. We had a long layover here, so we indulged in Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds! We had a few flight delays, and since it was snowing, we had to get ‘de-iced’ before we could take off. Two hours later, (and after 30+ hours of travel) we arrived! It’s good to be ‘home’!