About Gallivanting Gai

The first time I went to Bali was in 2009, I had just left my company after 29 years and decided to take six months off work to finish my Masters and do some travelling. With no job it was quite an easy decision and I have never felt so free in my life! I had wanted to 'Escape the World', not forever, well as it turned out for longer than I expected.

My plan was do a yoga retreat anywhere in the world, that anywhere turned out to be in Ubud in Bali. I had never been to Bali and really had no desire to go there but I am so glad that I did. After Bali I was planning to head to Florence for a month and continue to study Italian in a university there. I had contacted my friends around the world to see if they could come and visit me. They couldn't but I did get invitations to visit them so a month in Florence became five month in Europe.

And so the journey started and looked something like this

Ubud, Bali

Sydney

Bangkok

London

Paris

Florence

London

Roadtrip around Ireland - From Doonbeg to Dublin

Exmouth - Roadtrip around the West Country in UK - Devon and Cornwall

Bristol & Bath

Switzerland

Hong Kong

Sydney

2010 saw my planted but in Sydney. On returning home from my travels I was planning to head back to Florence for a year to study photography there. That sounds amazing doesn't it absolutely however, the universe had another plan for me. I was back in Sydney for only a couple of weeks madly doing my uni assignments, I submitted them and decided to have one day off study to catch up with a friend before I started studying for my exam.

While waiting for my friend I slipped over in the rain and shattered my right wrist. Not happy Jan! So I was planted in Sydney for the rest of the year. I even went back to work for a few months. I have to say that I had more fun the year before........hopefully 2011 would be better!

Oh yes it was!

My brother was getting married in Philadelphia in January. I would not have missed his wedding for the world, so a month in the USA and Caribbean was a must. Of course there was a Sydney wedding as well in March so need to be in Sydney celebrate there also.

Colorado

Philadelphia - for my brother's wedding

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Central Park, New York City

San Francisco

Then I decided that I wanted to take off for the rest of the year. The plan was Bali, Vietnam, India and hub through Singapore. As you know with all good plans they are subject to change and mine changed quite a bit.

My approach to Ubud was a little different as I had planned to stay for about three months. This would give me a better chance to understand the culture. I had also decided to journal about my experiences and share them with friends and family. I really did have the best time but as I got sick in Bali I didn't want to risk going to Vietnam and India so stayed much longer than expected in Bali. It was a blast!!! When I was a bit slow with my journal I would get messages from friends eagerly awaiting the next instalment of my adventures....

Raffles, Singapore

Playing with the Elephants in Laos

Sydney

My Journal

My intro to Bali was an interesting and I started to understand the culture of this beautiful country

In Italy a couple of years back I didn't mean to but I gatecrashed a funeral, could it happen again in Bali. Had I become the serial funeral gatecrasher?

I was invited behind the scene of a traditional Balinese wedding, something that is reserved for the only and local villagers. When I arrived I realised that I was the wedding photographer!

People go to Ubud for a number of reason while I was there I had my own Eat, Pray, Love experience

The village I was living in had a lot of new houses being built and all the material were transported on the heads of women

Being an adventurous traveller each time I visit a new place I have an objective of something new that I would like to discover. I don't often do the usual tourist haunts so I spend a lot of time researching in order to make sure that life is just that little bit adventurous also.

On one of my New York visits I wanted to find some hidden bars. Well, when I say hidden I mean hidden! We had such a great time and laughed and laughed at the fun we had trying to find them and getting 'allowed' in without the "password".

The first one is called The Angels Share which is in the East Village. The instructions I found where to go to the Japanese Restaurant 8 Stuyvesant Street go to the 2nd floor and find the hidden door at the back of the restaurant.

My brother and I where travelling together so we went to the Japanese restuarant went to the second floor but could seem to find the door. We then headed back to the bar to plot our next move of course a wine helped with this! Ok so now we had a plan he would go looking for the door while I kept guard. He walked through a door and seems to be under the building somehow so walked around for a bit until he found a staff member.

He came back to the bar looking a little sheepish....you may have guessed by now ...we were in the wrong Japanese restaurant so headed next door (laughing all the way) up to the second floor through the door and found the most amazing little place with Angels painted all over it. It was a great night and a great tale.

The place I was really looking forward to was called La Esquina. Make sure you click the link now so you can see what I am talking about. This place also has an interesting entry the instructions I had were to go to the taco stand; go inside; find the door marked employees only and go through and if you seeing someone who looks like Paris Hilton it probably is Paris Hilton.

We were intrigued but after the mix up at the Angels Share this time it was my turn to go hunting. So we found the Taco Stand; found the door marked 'Employees Only' but it was being guarded by a really big guy and we didn't have a booking. I clearly pleaded our case given that we had come all the way from Australia to come here how could they not let us in!

Luckily my pleas worked and he said that they could fit us in at 11pm if we wanted to come back - which of course we did. It was amazing! If you are in New York City and you get the chance to go to La Esquina don't miss it. Be aware that now you have to book three weeks in advance to get a table........but I think it is well worth it!

These are two of the places I discovered in New York City tips at read more at Gallivanting Gai

Image Courtesy of Burger Baroness via Flickr

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to live in Florence while I studied Italian, Art History and Italian Wine in a university in Florence. It was an amazing experience and one which I will always remember fondly. I rented an apartment which was near the Pitti Palace and each afternoon I would work along to road and practice my Italian with unweary locals. My favourite place of all was a little bar called Pitti a Gola e Cantina.

There are three young guys that own and run the enoteca and they are absolutely passionate about both their wine and food. They live their motto which is to 'come as a client and leave as a friend'. I certainly did! One of the guys was a chef and ensures that the food melts in your mouth, I still remember the ravioli which sends my taste buds into a flurry. If you are there late a night you will probably run into one of the local farmers delivering the fresh produce, so Italian!

The guys will help you however they possibly can whether that is trying to select some wine to send home; tasting some of their marvellous wines in a wine flight; or pairing the wines with their cheese selection. However you decide to enjoy it my tip is to sit inside, and you will make new friends by the time the night is over.

Read the reviews for yourself as the Pitti a Gola e Cantina is now the Number 1 restaurant in Florence.

Read more about The Top 5 Things to do in Florence