An Alphabetical Stroll Through Bali and Australia-A is for: A BIG, FAT FINALE!! Link to new Africa TR (4/5)

[Steppesister]

I did!!
Looking forward to reading all about it and seeing your gorgeous pictures!

Hey, hey, Paula!! Wonderful to have you here! Counting down the days now and hoping that the last paper I have to write gets done and graded before I go!!

 

[ikeandmike23]

I have to go play the lottery and here's why: I was just perusing the web searching for Australia and New Zealand tour blogs and coming up empty handed. I gave up and settled on reading some Disney Trip Reports on the ol' Dis boards. And low and behold the very first thread has Australia in the title!! I am so excited to read about your adventures and get some touring tips from you and yours! My friend and I are planning a trip with a tour group to go out sometime in 2026 or 2027(we need a little time to save for our bucket list trip). Our trip will be 25 days and will include Australia, New Zealand and Fiji!

 

[Wood Nymph]

While she is doing that, I am going to head to the island of Bali for 5 glorious days of touring the rice fields, ancient temples, and waterfalls.

My sister and her husband lived in Singapore for a few years and they loved their trips to Bali and the Great Barrier reef. Your trip sounds amazing.

Big cities just don’t interest me quite as much as finding places with fewer people and that are more nature-focused.

We prefer nature type trips, too. This trip will be very different from your last trip. It's nice to have Anara with you once again.

 

[buteraa]

Holy Moly, what a trip! I follow you and read all of your reports, but I'm bad and rarely comment. I'm really looking forward to this report. Congrats on finishing your course work and safe travels!

 

[Steppesister]

I have to go play the lottery and here's why: I was just perusing the web searching for Australia and New Zealand tour blogs and coming up empty handed. I gave up and settled on reading some Disney Trip Reports on the ol' Dis boards. And low and behold the very first thread has Australia in the title!! I am so excited to read about your adventures and get some touring tips from you and yours! My friend and I are planning a trip with a tour group to go out sometime in 2026 or 2027(we need a little time to save for our bucket list trip). Our trip will be 25 days and will include Australia, New Zealand and Fiji!

Holy smokes!!! That's amazing!!! Just be very forewarned, it's taken me 18 months to work through my Italy/Greece one. I'm very slow as I'm in the middle of this VERY intense NP program and very well may have to pick up some hours while I do full-time Clinicals next term. Life is crazy right now and will be for a few more months yet. BUT!!!! I am committed to seeing the report through and will get there. I'll throw in my best photos, hopefully a lot more video and all the info that might be helpful I can. The good news is that you have tons of time to put together a really well planned trip and can take info from lots of sources so you can tailor it to what works for you best.

 

[Steppesister]

My sister and her husband lived in Singapore for a few years and they loved their trips to Bali and the Great Barrier reef. Your trip sounds amazing.

We prefer nature type trips, too. This trip will be very different from your last trip. It's nice to have Anara with you once again.

I think, well, I know, I am looking WAY more forward to Bali than the Philippines. It seems a bit more exotic for sure.

Yes, it will be VERY different. Although with my knee acting up BIG time, I'm hoping I don't have to be medivac'd out of the netherlands. OY!

 

[Steppesister]

Holy Moly, what a trip! I follow you and read all of your reports, but I'm bad and rarely comment. I'm really looking forward to this report. Congrats on finishing your course work and safe travels!

Awww, thanks, buteraa for being here and chiming in! I only have a very small handful of commenters on my other TR and was starting to think that no one was even reading aside from those 3 or 4 folks. I mean, I do write just get my own story down somewhere, but it's always so much more fun when there is banter and interation!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Here to live vicariously through you and your amazing adventures!!! Your plan sounds so exciting! I can't wait to ride along for it all!

 

[irene_dsc]

Here and following along! Australia is on my bucket list, but who knows if I'll ever get there. It's a long, long bucket list, and that's one of the farthest places! Tho I do know some Aussies, including dd's bff's boyfriend, so who knows?

 

[Steppesister]

Aww, it's great to have you here, @missjackiemcg !! I hope I can bring back some fun adventures for you to read!

 

[Steppesister]

Here and following along! Australia is on my bucket list, but who knows if I'll ever get there. It's a long, long bucket list, and that's one of the farthest places! Tho I do know some Aussies, including dd's bff's boyfriend, so who knows?

Thanks for being here, Irene! I leave my RV in one week from today and fly overseas in 8 days now!!! So exciting!!

Yes, the flights are indeed very long. Even from Manila to Bali and from Bali to Aussie they are really long. Lots of longhaul flights involved with this one! I hope you can get there someday!

 

[Steppesister]

6 Days Left​

Time for a Pre-Trip, I’m getting pretty excited post!

With less than a week to go, I’m STILL waiting on my last assignment to be evaluated. You’re killin’ me Smalls! This silly paper didn’t pass the first time due to a few minor APA citation errors, some ridiculous grammar/punctuation errors, and not being specific enough on my timeframe for having my patient come back for a follow-up appointment to discuss his labs. Anywhoo…. All fixed and I’m praying I get a big, fat PASS tomorrow.

ETA: Yay! It passed last night just after I posted this!!!

Meanwhile, I did a little thing. I went more red than I have in a very long time. Just to make sure my hair clashes well with my pink dress. Oopsies, but I LOVE IT!!!! It may be her wedding, but it’s MY hair. Now I just need to get my nails and brows done on Monday before I head to Phoenix on Tuesday.

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Other tidbits:

I brought my most favorite-est carry-on bag my Mickey tote for the trip, but am getting a little add-on sewn onto it.

The bag:

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You know how some bags have an open “pocket” on the outside so you can slip it over your rolling carry-on’s handle? I’m doing that so I can save what little neck comfort I still have and not have to lug it on my shoulder. I’m putting my heavy camera bag, my ditty bag (does anyone else call their toiletries bag their “ditty bag”?), and my packed snacks and lunch in there, so it’s gonna be rather weighty. Sadly, it didn’t end up being quite as easy of a project as I’d hoped since my wheel-ed bag has a handle like this:

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And not like this:

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The problem is that without being "stabilized" on the sides, the top bag will just swing off to the side and drag on the ground, so we need to come up with a strap system that secures it to the backpacks handles on the sides of it. I don't know if that makes sense, but all that to say, the lady helping me with it and I have only a few days left to figure it out. It's either that or I just carry it. Which will suck.

Tomorrow is a very busy day with an appointment that I need to “be at” virtually, a visit from the RV mobile tech to talk about a leak in my gray tank, and a happy hour date with some new friends here in the park. I know, happy hours in the Arizona sunshine are rough, but someone’s gotta do it.

Friday, I’ll head to see some good friends down in Patagonia, AZ to hang out and do some birding (if you’re a birder, you probably know of this place) and catching up. Then it’s just Sunday and Monday to go. Monday, I’ll be pretty busy packing all over again, because I’m just a teensy bit obsessed with making sure I have everything. I’m sure I’ll discover 10 things I’d forgotten once I’m at the airport.

Meanwhile, I’m going over my itinerary cards (I’ve made these since my very first Disney trips) and making sure I’ve not overlooked anything. You know, like the fact that I had NO hotel booked for my last night in Bali.

Little things like that. Guys, this trip has more details and little things that could go wrong than any trip I’ve planned so far. There are sooooo many flights, almost a new hotel or hostel every single day, ferries, buses, cooking schools, a private driver, paid excursions, specialty clothing, you name it. It’s a lot and I hope there aren’t any major catastrophes. (This is just your average less-than-a-week-out Type A, panicked traveler yacking, don’t mind me.)

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So… there it is, the It’s-Almost-Here Post. Lots to do, but not so much that I’m worried about not getting it done. Well, except finish my other TR!!! YIKES! I still have a day and a half in Bologna to write about as well as our last day in Venice. Wish me luck!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I love your hair. It's very flattering.

The problem is that without being "stabilized" on the sides, the top bag will just swing off to the side and drag on the ground, so we need to come up with a strap system that secures it to the backpacks handles on the sides of it. I don't know if that makes sense, but all that to say, the lady helping me with it and I have only a few days left to figure it out. It's either that or I just carry it. Which will suck.

I can see your problem with the bag spinning on the handle. I don't have a suggestion but I hope you find one.

Meanwhile, I’m going over my itinerary cards (I’ve made these since my very first Disney trips) and making sure I’ve not overlooked anything. You know, like the fact that I had NO hotel booked for my last night in Bali.

That is smart to have printed cards that don't depend on electronic methods to read them.

 

[juniorbugman]

With less than a week to go, I’m STILL waiting on my last assignment to be evaluated. You’re killin’ me Smalls! This silly paper didn’t pass the first time due to a few minor APA citation errors, some ridiculous grammar/punctuation errors, and not being specific enough on my timeframe for having my patient come back for a follow-up appointment to discuss his labs. Anywhoo…. All fixed and I’m praying I get a big, fat PASS tomorrow.

ETA: Yay! It passed last night just after I posted this!!!

Yea glad you passed.
I had to google your quote because I thought it came from the movie Caddyshack but I was wrong and I have never seen the other movie. Oh well guess we all remember quotes differently.

Meanwhile, I’m going over my itinerary cards (I’ve made these since my very first Disney trips) and making sure I’ve not overlooked anything. You know, like the fact that I had NO hotel booked for my last night in Bali.

I love that you make all these itinerary cards since they helped you figure out you were missing something important.
Are they all still laminated?

 

[pkondz]

ETA: Yay! It passed last night just after I posted this!!!

Congrats!

Meanwhile, I did a little thing. I went more red than I have in a very long time. Just to make sure my hair clashes well with my pink dress. Oopsies, but I LOVE IT!!!! It may be her wedding, but it’s MY hair.

Looks very nice.

 

[irene_dsc]

Yikes - sounds like a lot to juggle! Good luck getting everything to mesh together!

 

[Paulaparm]

Hair looks great!

 

[rdkeim]

It's almost GO time! I hope all goes smoothly for you - happy travels!

 

[Steppesister]

I love your hair. It's very flattering.

Thanks!! I like it a lot and best of all, the gray is GONE!

I can see your problem with the bag spinning on the handle. I don't have a suggestion but I hope you find one.

Bungee cords to the rescue!!

That is smart to have printed cards that don't depend on electronic methods to read them.

For sure! I still sent a copy of my spreadsheet to myself so I can click on the links to follow our road trip maps.

 

[Steppesister]

Yea glad you passed.
I had to google your quote because I thought it came from the movie Caddyshack but I was wrong and I have never seen the other movie. Oh well guess we all remember quotes differently.

I am so super glad all that coursework is now in the rearview mirror!! Phew!!

I love that you make all these itinerary cards since they helped you figure out you were missing something important.
Are they all still laminated?

Yep, they still are, and I carry a fine tip sharpie with me so I can makes notes or changes as we go.