I had a lovely experience at Casa de Suenos Bed and Breakfast in St. Augustine, Florida! I loved the city, the architecture, the history of it all, and I loved the Bed and Breakfast I stayed at in the historic district. It was the perfect location! Casa de Suenos is an easy walk to the fabulous Old Town Trolley Tours as well as many of the sights and shopping areas. Perfect!
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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!
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!
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These opinions are my own.
Last month, July 2016, I traveled to Bali Indonesia to board The Arenui for a Ray of Hope Expedition with Marine Megafauna director Dr Andrea Marshall. The trip was nothing short of amazing. My dives with The Arenui and Ray of Hope Expeditions were so fabulous…I saw so many animals I’d never seen before, and I want to see them again (well, not the Komodo Dragons! Once is enough). I have posted so many dive photographs, and photos of the formidable Komodo Dragons, but not the life of the boat or the people who populated it, neither have I posted many photos of the incredible islands of Komodo National Park. Dive boats are a special experience because the bonding that takes place on board, even if only for the trip itself, is unusual. Just a day after boarding you have met everyone, and personalities emerge immediately. Divers get right to it, they don’t need to have a persona, or a social mask. We are all so excited to be on a dive boat, ready to go, that we start sharing information and experiences immediately. This trip was somewhat atypical for me because it had so many Americans on board. Usually it is the League of Nations, with several different nationalities and ethnicities. There was a lovely Australian couple on board, and they were hilarious and wonderful and fabulous divers. The cruise directors were Mexican and British, the crew was Indonesian. Hopefully this photo post will give you an idea of the trip overall! The Arenui is absolutely luxurious! I’m ready to do it again!
At the end of my stay on Bali, I embarked upon a journey through Indonesia to Komodo Island, diving, and much more, along the way. I chose the Arenui because it was sponsoring a Ray of Hope Expedition (Marine Megafauna Foundation) and Dr Andrea Marshall, aka Queen of Mantas, was on board as the resident expert. As many of my readers know, I have been on several trips with Ray of Hope, doing Citizen Science Volunteer work, and I love the Foundation’s mission to save marine megafauna from extinction. Andrea and I shared a room, and what a room! The Arenui is absolutely luxurious! The stateroom was large and roomy and so Indonesian! We stayed in Garuda, the stateroom named for the Hindu deity Garuda, a large humanlike bird who carried Vishnu on its back. The carvings in the room were beautiful, as you can see! The Arenui is definitely the most luxurious boat I have been on, and I am now absolutely spoiled.
The mission of the trip was to identify as many Reef Mantas as possible. Of course, along the way we would dive several other dive sites as well. The diving was incredible. The trip map below shows our journey from Bali, past Lombok and Sumbawa to Moyo Island and the Sangeang Volcano, to Komodo and Rinca Islands in the Flores Sea. It was an incredibly beautiful journey, both above and below the surface.
Andrea Marshall was the first person to do a PhD on Manta Rays. Until her research, very little was known about them. She discovered two species, and a large population off the coast of Mozambique, where she makes her home. She has advocated for protection everywhere in the world. Indonesia, once the main fishery for Manta Rays for Chinese medicine, is now protecting Manta Rays as they have realized they are worth more for their economy alive than dead. Sadly, the once flourishing colony of Reef Mantas off Mozambique has declined by 95% due to Mozambique’s refusal to protect the animals. Manta encounters drew many to Mozambique’s dive centers, and the disappearance of the mantas will have a negative effect on Mozambique’s economy. Andrea has witnessed the decline of mantas in Mozambique over the last 12 years, and it has been heartbreaking. The species is very vulnerable to extinction because of the slow reproduction of the animals. Females give birth every 2 or 3 years to only one pup, rarely there are twins. Fishing Mantas can destroy entire populations because they are taken faster than they can reproduce. These gentle, intelligent ocean giants must be protected in order to save the species from extinction. Andrea devotes her life to advocating for Manta Rays and other pelagics such as Whale Sharks, Mola Mola, and turtles.
Diving Indonesia was an unbelievable experience for me. The sheer amount of life in the seas is almost mind blowing. Stay tuned to Travels with Tam for photos and reports on this fabulous journey. I will be posting frequently to show you the wonders of Komodo (yes, there will be dragons!).
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! 
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The trip to Bali was exhausting….and long. The routing was very lacking! I had to fly from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur, a 9 hour flight, then from Kuala Lumpur to Depensar, Bali. I arrived in need of succor, and I certainly received it at the Maya Sanur Resort and Spa. I was given a cool towel, a cold drink, and a warm welcome. It was a lovely introduction to the island of Bali. I loved my simple yet luxurious, “zen” room with a deep tub and fabulous balcony.
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The grounds at the Maya Sanur are gorgeous, and also very cultural. I can’t wait to share the culture of Bali with you!
I had an amazing Maya Massage and facial at the spa where one is treated like royalty. Incredibly beautiful and relaxing!
My stay at Maya Sanur was wonderful. I was well taken care of. My favorite spot? The infinity pool with ocean view, of course! A wonderfully relaxing spot next to the beach bar…my order? Lemon Squash! If you are headed to Sanur Beach, I recommend the wonderful Maya Sanur Beach Resort and Spa!
Thank you, Maya Sanur, for a lovely stay! And anyone interested in staying at the Maya Sanur should click Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor
