Quest Bar – Protein Bar Review

I was asked by a representative of OOsupplies to complete a review on three different flavours of Quest Bars.

As an expat in Hong Kong, it can be difficult to make a nutritious lunch for work (who actually has that kind of time on their hands?!), let alone make healthy choices in general. Protein bars offer an additional boost to your daily nutrition intake and are a good choice if you’re looking for a quick healthy snack to get you through the rest of your work day, a long hike, or pre/post workout.

Renting Bicycles In Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s bicycling culture is huge; cyclists have their own lanes and traffic lights. I’m pretty sure a requirement of living in Amsterdam is that you must own a bike, otherwise it’s off to the outskirts of the city for you. Because cycling is such a popular form of transportation and because the city itself is quite small, renting a bicycle during your stay in Amsterdam is a great way to spend a few hours or even an entire day exploring!

Climbing Up Mt. Taraw: El Nido (AKA one of the most amazing, exhausting, and dangerous things I have ever done)

El Nido allures travelers with its stunning island hopping tours, diving, and serene beauty. After you have scratched these off your to-do list and are looking for something a bit more adventurous to do, you should look into climbing up one of the mammoth limestone cliffs that surround El Nido town proper. Before travelling to El Nido I had read about others who had hiked up Mt. Taraw and saw how breathtaking the views were. Afterwards, I knew this was something I had to do while I was here.

Hiking In Hong Kong: Devil’s Peak

This is a great hike if you live east on the island or Kowloon, as it is one stop across the harbour from Quarry Bay on the purple line. It’s also ideal if you’re looking for a quick hike; you want to get up a mountain, get some exercise in, see some great views of both the island and Kowloon skyline, and then get out. I mean, your schedule is booked solid from now until your last days in this city that never sleeps, so you need to squeeze in as much as possible every single waking moment of your time here. Am I right, or what?

Hiking In Hong Kong: Lion Rock

I have been wanting to do this hike for quite some time, but was waiting for a clear day to appreciate the views a bit more. Since clear days come few and far between in Hong Kong, we decided to just try our luck one morning when we didn’t have much planned for the day. At the top of Lion Rock, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking, panoramic views of Kowloon and the Hong Kong Island harbourfront (if the smog isn’t in full force that day).

Mount Batur Volcano Sunrise Trek: Ubud, Bali

After leaving the Gili Islands, we went back to Ubud for one night as we didn’t get a chance to do the Mt Batur sunrise trek when we were there earlier. I love hiking and didn’t want to miss what was to be an incredible hike up during the night (which I had never done before) in order to see the sun rise up behind the massive mountains of Agung and Rinjani on Lombok.

I highly recommend you visit a few tour stalls before settling on a price. We were being quoted between 550,000 – 750,000 IDR ($50 – $71 CDN) per person from a few companies. Then we came upon one tour agency that offered us 600,000 IDR for both of us. We were so glad we took the time to look around before making a final decision; this price was half the cost of all the other companies and the itinerary was the same. The name of the trekking tour company was Pineh Trekking and we had no complaints during our trek.

The Many Sides Of Gili Trawangan: Bicycling Around

Spending some time bumming out on the beach on Gili T is a great escape from the fast-paced lifestyle of Bali, but if you’re like me, laying around every single day can become a bit boring. Thankfully, you can rent bikes on the island for next to nothing – we paid about $3 CDN to have our bikes for the entire day and there are bike racks in front of most shops on the main strip to park your bike for a few hours while you enjoy a refreshing beverage. Or two.

The Joys Of Teaching Abroad

When I overhear a student say, “I feel a sweat mustache developing”. 

Hiking In Hong Kong: Quarry Bay To Stanley Via The Wilson Trail

Hiking in Hong Kong is much more enjoyable when the humidity isn’t slowly suffocating you with each step you take. Thanks to the cooler weather, hiking has become bearable. Looking for something to do on the weekend? Why not get up early, (fingers crossed the sun is out and the smog is not as apparent), hike up a mountain, and appreciate the breathtaking views of the city.

I went about hiking from Quarry Bay to Stanley on two separate occasions. The first time I began my hike up Mount Parker, I was confident I knew how to get to Parkview (you need to exit the path and walk across a road to begin the next stage of the hike towards Stanley). I made my way up Mount Parker at a steady pace and ended up entering a pathway on the side of Mount Parker Road, which I thought would lead me to the top of Mount Parker quicker. Though this wasn’t exactly the case, I did come across some hidden gems.

Just Your Average Day In Hong Kong

Where you can get some exercise on the side of the road while reading your newly purchased magazine.

 

*Stanley Market