Asia

If you didn’t see my post about snorkeling with whale sharks in the Maldives, you need to go back and watch that video first.

Go ahead, I’ll wait right here for you. 

Now that we’re all on the same page I’m going to tell you the entire story.

I don’t know when it all started, or even why but sometime in the last ten years I developed a VERY BIG phobia of deep, dark water. More specifically the things that lurk in the water. Fish. Seaweed. Things that we don’t even know about – you get the picture. So I avoided lakes, rivers, and other less friendly water. I had no issue putting my feet in the ocean or riding in boats, but don’t ask me to jump in and take a swim.

I don’t hate water, and I’m a very strong swimmer even though that’s what people assume my hesitation is about. I just don’t like the things IN the water. But, I’m trying to get over it. I recognize that it holds me back. While my kids are swimming and playing in the water they know mom is not going to go in. I kind of hate that. When K and I went to Kenya this fall I knew I was going to have to get in the water when he begged me to go snorkeling. Since I was the only playmate, he couldn’t go alone, and he had been such a good kid I had to do it. I think when you’re a parent you have this power to summon up courage and face something you’re really scared of just to put on a brave face for your kids.

So we went snorkeling. But the water was clear, the fish were small, and it was very shallow – meaning no big creatures could be lurking about. Yay, I did it!

Before we went to the Maldives I knew that swimming with whale sharks was a special offering Centara offered guests. Cool, right? Before we even left I started to prepare myself. I was going to do this {maybe} and it might help me begin to get over this fear. The day came and we were geared up to go in. I spent the three previous days snorkeling off our villa but the water again was shallow and the fish were small. I once made it to the edge of the reef and panicked and beelined back to the steps as fast as I could. This time there would be nowhere to swim back to.

On the ride out I wavered between excitement and fear. Maybe we wouldn’t find any whale sharks and then we could go back and I wouldn’t even have to face this. I could always back out right? Then it happened.

Whale Shark Spotting!

Before we knew it everyone was getting their gear on to get in the water. The staff told us when we got there we should get in as soon as possible or we might miss the chance. I told MarocBaba that he should go in first and then I would come in. He promised to stay with me. The time arrived and he jumped in. I was ready to go next and then they stopped me. The boat was going to move a bit. Wait, what? I stood back and was waiting for MarocBaba to catch up and then I felt myself being picked up and put into the water. I screamed for MarocBaba. I froze in place with terror filling my face.

I was in the water.

It was down there somewhere near me.

He wasn’t there!

But soon I saw him frantically swimming to reach me and when he got there he grabbed me as tears filled my eyes. “I’m taking you back to the boat,” he yelled at me. I later realized he had no clue what to do with me in that state and just wanted me to stop crying. I said no, just let me look and then we’ll go back. So I held my breath and put my face in the water.

It was RIGHT there!

You know how animals can sense when someone doesn’t like them and then they target that person to become their new BFF? Yea, this whale shark totally knew I was not excited about being near it. It kept swimming right towards me. A five meter long whale shark is not my friend. I spent all the time in the water swimming away from the thing. After about fifteen minutes I had maxed out my ability to stave off a panic attack and went back to the boat.

I don’t know how much of my fear has gone away. The thought of getting in the water again sends shivers up my spine and my heart beat a little faster. But, I’m determined not to let it stop me either.

Do you have a fear that slows you down? I’d love to hear about it!

Our stay at Centara Ras Fushi and Centara Grand was sponsored by the hotel. All opinions and experiences are my own.

MarocBaba and I never had a honeymoon even though a Maldives honeymoon would have blown me away! We were two, very broke, very young, almost teenagers when we were married. All of our funds went towards paying immigration fees and diapers, because you know we had babies to take care of. We only had an actual wedding because of generous family members who wanted to give us something special even if they were a little skeptical of the whole arrangement. But, you know what. It never bothered me. I never was a bridezilla. I really didn’t care that much about a fancy dress – I just wanted something to make me feel pretty. I wanted people to have a good time. I wanted to have a night I would remember. But most of all, I just wanted to marry the most amazing man I’d ever met. Period. 

Fast forward a decade + some years and I mention the Maldives to him in my very rapid pleasedontsayno ” voice; as in “would you want to go to the Maldives, it’s one of the only dream destinations left on my dream list and I think I can make this happen…” 

Silence.

“Of course I want to go to the Maldives,” was his answer. Me: good because I already booked the tickets. I’m not ashamed that’s the point we’re at in this relationship. Just in case you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, this is the Maldives.

Swoon. There are a lot of Maldives resorts to choose from. There are 1,200 islands that make up the Maldives but only 200 are inhabited. Of those, many are private resorts. You can reach some of the resorts by speedboat from Ibrahim Naser International airport, the Maldives main airport located in Male (also the capital). While others you need to reach via seaplane. 

We stayed at two different resorts; Centara Ras Fushi and Centara Grand, located on different islands. Our introduction to the Maldives was at Ras Fushi, an adults only resort and what an introduction it was. 

I’m not really a resort person, well at least I didn’t think I was. Ras Fushi is on it’s own island with the iconic overwater villas. There also are on the water villas if you’re trying to save a little money. Let’s just say I think it’s worth the splurge for the overwater villas! When you book here, most everything is included. There are three levels you can choose from; gold all-inclusive, all-inclusive, and half board plus. If you’d rather not worry about any extra charges go with the gold plan; it includes most all food, all drinks (including alcohol if you drink), a 30 minute spa service each day and unlimited use of several water sports, and/or scuba dives as an alternative to the spa sessions. The all inclusive package has a few less offers but is still very good and the half board plus has the fewest included options. You should consider when booking you likely won’t be leaving the island so any meals that aren’t included you’ll need to purchase from the restaurants on the island.

 

All of the overwater villas have walk down decks that go straight into the ocean. Snorkel equipment is free to use, you will just need to show the staff you can swim and it’s yours to keep for the length of your stay. I have a phobia of open water especially when the water is dark. This was not a problem here because the water is crystal clear. My first trip into the water was met with a little panic but through out the week I kept at it. You can see in the video that there is a light area and dark area in the water. The dark area is where the shelf ends. The resort and island are surrounded by coral reefs and the water is pretty shallow but once you hit the edge it’s open ocean with a huge drop off. 

You know that scene in Finding Nemo where the little fish make it to the drop off and their jaws drop? I had that moment. My heart started racing and my throat was closing. While it was insanely amazing to see, I immediately turned tail and swam under the rope while trying to stave off a complete panic attack. I swam all the way back to the villa before MarocBaba could catch me or ask what was wrong. I really needed to chill out after this so we ordered two mocktails from the bar and laid on the deck instead!

We enjoyed a wonderful sunset dinner and multiple meals throughout our stay. Our favorite was the Thai restaurant where we ate a delicious dinner. There’s also a buffet restaurant that is open for all meals, and is where breakfast is served. We also tried the Arabic restaurant. After eating in every one of the restaurants our verdict was for Suan Ban especially the Tom Yum Goong soup that both of us are wishing we had a huge bowl of right now! 

As you may have read last year about our trip to Thailand, a relaxing trip for me needs to include spatime and specifically massages. The good news is at Centara there is an excellent spa. We both had an Indian head massage one day and the Maldivian Signature massage another day. Oh. My. Goodness. We were both so relaxed after each one of the treatments that it really took effort to walk back to our villa. I was especially fond of the Maldivian signature massage and highly recommend you do this if you do only one special thing. 

On our last night here we discovered the Viu bar and the amazing back area for watching the sunset. This space is stunning at sunset. We were there a little early and snagged one of the catamaran nets with pillows to layback and watch the sun go down. It doesn’t get much  more romantic than that!

This was just the start of our time in the Maldives, there’s much more to come! 

Singapore has never been on my “to visit” radar. But, a speaking engagement this fall had me on my way to this island nation in Southeast Asia. I truthfully had no idea what to expect. There were just three things I knew about Singapore; they have zero tolerance laws, it’s expensive, and they love food.

I was most intrigued by the food.

I’ve heard about hawker stalls but seeing it was nothing like I imagined – in the best possible way. If you’re heading to Singapore this will help! I spent just under 48 hours here and made it a point to eat as much as possible. Singapore really is the ultimate culinary travel destination.

Thankfully, I had a partner in crime. Juno (of Runaway Juno) was my roommate for our time in Singapore and showed me the ropes as she’s been to Singapore several times before. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend!

Unlike street food in other cities, Singapore’s street food is sold in hawker markets. They are like an open air food hall. We luckily had one center right across from our apartment, giving me no excuses not to eat until I popped. The Lau Pa Sat market is in a GORGEOUS building designed in the late 1800’s. There are stalls set up all over with tables intermixed.  The best thing about food in Singapore is the mix of cultures. Here you’ll find strong food influences from China, Malaysia and India as well as other countries.

How it Works

Hawker centers are, as mentioned open air food courts (more or less). There are stalls and tables set up under the cover. You can choose whatever you’d like to eat from any of the vendors. Just go up, order and pay. If you only eat halal you’re in luck. In Singapore all the stalls are labeled whether or not they are halal so you don’t have to worry about asking everyone. Order as much or little as you like, wait for your food and enjoy!

To save your place at the tables, especially during busy rush hours, a tissue packet placed in your spot will hold your place. This is important to know if you’re looking for a spot and see tissues set down – don’t steal the seat! When you’re finished you can leave your plate and tray as there are staff who come by to clean up. Everything is also available to take away but you’ll pay a little extra for a container and bag. Bring cash as that’s the best way to pay.

Breakfast

So, I had this for breakfast one day. It’s a beef noodle soup. Not something I EVER envisioned making for good dinner food but it was fantastic! I learned it’s pretty typical to eat savory things like this for breakfast, and that’s ok by me. I still am dreaming of another bowl of this soup.

Something else I tried for breakfast was congee. Not a fan. This was the one thing that I just really didn’t care for. The best part was the fried garlic (the brown bits). I’ve been told you should load this up with a lot more toppings but I’m really not sure anything could have made this enjoyable for me.

I also tried kaya toast – you have to eat this when you visit. It’s like a jam/custard made with eggs and condensed milk as well as pandan leaves sometimes. LOVE it! I even bought jars of kaya to take home because I wanted to have it on my toast at every opportunity. If you prefer sweets for breakfast, this is for you.

Lunch + Dinner

When I asked people what were a few dishes that I couldn’t leave Singapore without eating, chicken rice came up time and time again. Hainanese chicken rice might be called THE national dish of Singapore. It’s a simple meal. It’s steamed white chicken meat with rice and soy sauce plus assorted sides. This was so-so for me. It was good but it wasn’t out of this world. I would eat it again just to see if I could see if it would be better elsewhere.

Chicken Peanut Satay was another thing I needed to have. I have had this many times before and this version at the Maxwell Hawker Market was a bit spicier than other versions I’ve had. The rice was a nice addition and I took part of this home for a snack later on!

Fried Carrot Cake. This is not a cake nor does it have carrots so the name is completely misleading. However, I’m glad Juno had me try this! The ingredients are rice flour and white radish. The vegetable is steamed and then fried with garlic, eggs, and preserved radish. It tasted nothing like I expected and was much more sweet than I tend to think radishes are. You need to try it!

The first food stall I saw was for Indian food and I would be lying if it wasn’t my first inclination to run right to something familiar. But, instead I made it my last meal in Singapore and I’m glad I did. The food was excellent but I love Indian so much I would have avoided trying so many other things. Something really popular is a “banana leaf” meal. We went to Little India to eat which only makes sense. Instead of the food being served on a plate, it’s served on a leaf. Sop up your curry and rice and dig in – it’s fantastic!

During my time in Singapore I stayed in an apartment rented from MetroRes. I could very easily see using this company again WHEN we return (because I will!). The apartment was really convenient for its location and amenities. There were two bedrooms with a shared bathroom, common room, and a small kitchen. Perfect for a family or friends traveling together. It was also was directly across the street from the Lau Pa Sat hawker market making it very easy to eat well on the regular. My apartment was in the business district which worked well for getting to the conference site but there are metros nearby and it’s a very quick walk to Chinatown, another great area of Singapore to see. If you were planning a longer stay in Singapore, and you should because 2 days was not nearly enough, an apartment like this makes great sense. I appreciated that there was a washer/dryer in the apartment too so there was no need to seek out a laundromat. The apartment building itself had keycard access only, making it secure. You also have access to the pool area should you want to take a swim in the tropical heat.

Check out this guide to spending three days in Singapore and how to use public transportation in the city to get you started! I think spending even a week in Singapore wouldn’t be too much!

If you go to Singapore you can not miss out on eating at the hawker markets. I hope this gives you the confidence to try new things and go out of your comfort zone!