Travels with Tam

Another Fabulous Stay at the Hyatt Regency Austin!

August 23, 2016 By Tam Warner 11 Comments

Austin, Texas, Hyatt — An incredible view from our room!

Last summer my husband and I ventured to Austin, Texas to see the bats…and our son, who lives there. Sadly, the bats didn’t make an appearance, but our stay at the Hyatt Regency Austin was so fabulous we decided to stay there again, and this time, we saw the bats! Any trip to Austin during the summer should include a trip to Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge (Ann Richards was Governor of Texas 1990-1994). Beneath the bridge sleep 1.5 million Mexican Free Tail Bats. At dusk on summer nights, the bats begin to emerge, and what an incredible sight! Just two weeks ago we sat at our hotel room window and watched the bats emerge. Fantastic!

The Hyatt Regency Austin has the best location in the city. Yes, you heard me, the best location in the city for awesome views! At night the city of Austin is lit up across Town Lake (aka Colorado River), at dusk bats fly, and during the day you will find kayakers and paddle boarders happily paddling the lake. I was one of them!

<a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-7321244-10775740?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FHotel_Review-g30196-d98436-Reviews-a_cja.10775740-a_cjp.7321244-m13092-s1-Hyatt_Regency_Austin-Austin_Texas.html" target="_blank">Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor</a> — The fruit buffet

Austin is a fun city to visit. It is rare to find so much outdoor activity in the heart of a city, and it makes Austin unique. It is the state capitol, and home to the University of Texas Austin’s forty thousand plus students! There is never a dull moment! And since Austin is such a great destination, I recommend staying at the Hyatt Regency Austin in order to fully appreciate the city and the glorious views! Be sure and check out Trip Advisor, and read my review!

Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor

These opinions are my own.

Why I Didn’t Get Eaten by a Komodo Dragon While I was in Komodo National Park!

August 15, 2016 By Tam Warner 24 Comments

Why I Didn’t Get Eaten by a Komodo Dragon While I was in Komodo National Park!

Komodo Dragons have a fearsome reputation and stories of their ferocity and venomous bite are legend. Komodo Dragons look extremely formidable, I can attest to that! My trip to Komodo National Park gave me a close up look at the largest of lizards, now vulnerable to extinction.

Diving Komodo: Angel Reef and Satonda

August 1, 2016 By Tam Warner 24 Comments

I have to confess that the first dive in Komodo was unbelievable! It was like turning a sugar lover loose in a candy store. There was so much to see!

The Arenui is LUX. At 6:30 a.m. we were awakened, and everyone met in the dining room for “first breakfast”. First breakfast is continental…coffee, fruit, yogurt. Then, first dive of the day, followed by Second Breakfast which was anything you wanted: pancakes, french toast, eggs, baked beans on toast (for the Brits and Aussies), noodles…as I said, anything you want! And of course, by the time we came up from the first dive, our cabin was clean and sparkling.

Our first stop was Moyo Island and Angel Reef. I have to say that Angel Reef was heavenly, indeed! My first Komodo dive…and how gorgeous it was!

Angel Reef, Satonda, scuba, Arenui — A Red Spinecheek Anenome fish with its baby

After Angel Reef and Second Breakfast (I felt like a Hobbit!) our second dive site was Satonda. I saw Pygmy Sea Horses for the first time! I was too excited to focus on them with my camera, but still! Pygmy sea horses!

Of course, there was much more to see!

Komodo, scuba, diving, Arenui — A Giant Clam!

After finishing dive two, lunch is served! After lunch, dive 3. After dive 3, snacks! If a night dive is on the schedule, you do the night dive and then have dinner. The crew of the Arenui anticipate every thing you want. They really are amazing. If you want to dive Indonesia, do go on the Arenui! It is an incredible experience.

I will be back with scenes from Day 2!

Bali’s Volcanoes and Hot Springs are Worth Visiting!

July 27, 2016 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

Bali’s Volcanoes and Hot Springs are Worth a Visit!

My first day touring Bali was spent on cultural activities like dance. On my second tour day with Bali Bliss Tour, we went to the Batur Volcano and its famous healing Hot Springs. There are three volcanos, Batur, Mount Agung, and Bratan. I chose Batur because I wanted to soak in the hot mineral water. And it was wonderful!

My Dive Experience in Bali

July 24, 2016 By Tam Warner 7 Comments

Nusa Penida is an island off the coast of Bali (and part of the nation of Bali). Rumor has it that manta rays and mola mola (oceanic sunfish) hang out at one of the dive sites there, so I scurried off to check it out!

I did my research and went diving with Blue Season Bali. A Five Star PADI dive center, their instructors and dive masters were fully qualified, professional, and friendly to boot! A lovely way to start my diving in Indonesia. My fellow divers were fun as well. I headed off with my camera equipment, hoping for some cool sightings. (By the way, if you are looking for any dive camera equipment, don’t hesitate to contact my friends at Backscatter.com. They have absolutely everything you need for underwater photography, and I mean everything. If the manufacturer doesn’t make a product, Backscatter does! They have given me great service by answering my beginner-ish questions, steering me toward awesome products, and giving great customer service. Check them out!!!!)

Scuba, diving, Bali — The best part about the Indian ocean? Anemones and anemone fish!

I did three dives off Nusa Penida one day, and the next I went to Tulumben to dive the USS Liberty. Sadly, the USS Liberty was a fiasco. I’ve heard from many people what a beautiful dive it is…but on the day we went the surf was wicked, and just getting in the water was difficult and dangerous. The visibility was absolutely horrible. I took a few photos, but it wasn’t a good dive. I skipped the second dive as I had no desire to navigate the surf again.

Bali, diving, scuba — Blue Season Bali’s pool

bali, diving, tulumben — Rooftops of Tulumben.

All in all, I have to say my dives in Bali were disappointing. No mantas, no molas, and Tulumben was a bust. However, I only went for two days, and that is certainly not enough to really judge an entire island’s dive sites. I can say that if I went back and planned dives, I would go with Blue Season Bali, they were terrific.

Touring Bali Includes The Barong and the Rangda

July 19, 2016 By Tam Warner 8 Comments

bali, barong and rangda, barong, rangda, bali dance — The black and white checked cloth is ubiquitous in Bali. This scene greets incoming visitors at the aiport in Depensar.

Touring Bali Includes The Barong and the Rangda

While enjoying a day out in Bali with Bali Bliss Tour, I learned quite a lot about Bali’s culture and history. First, the majority of Balinese are Hindu, and there are temples and offerings everywhere…in that, it reminds me of Thailand. In Bali, deities and shrines are covered in material of black and white checks, and offerings of food are covered by a small ornate umbrellas. Both the good and bad spirits are honored. Good is white, Black is evil and this is because the day is light and the night is dark….the Balinese believe you can’t have one without the other, and the evil must be honored in order to keep it at bay. So fascinating!

Bali Bliss Tour is a tour company dedicated to private and personal tours. My guide for the day, Nyomen, was so knowledgeable! Our first stop was to see the traditional Balinese dance of the Barong and the Rangda, the never ending fight between good and evil. The Barong, a mythical creature resembling a lion or tiger, is the protective spirit of good. In the dance we first see the arrival of the protector, the Barong, with accompanying monkeys. Later the arrival of the bad spirit, Rangda, brings havoc, and a lot more dancing! The battle between good and evil is never ending.