Adventures of PrincessNg

I wanted to see Grand Canyon.. Add on to that, I really want to try snowboarding or skiing. I've only lived in Singapore practically all my life. And a short stint in California (which has no snow either!). So basically, I am CRAZY for snow.

I had a long weekend and decided to escape away from the hustle bustle city of Singapore. There is only so much to explore in Singapore. And as a local, nothing is interesting to me.. *hmmmm*

Since I could get my hands on CHEAP airfares to Bali, the destination is SET.

For a more detailed breakdown, CLICK HERE for my itinerary!


It really is a FUN-FILLED Adventure. I would recommend Bali to just about everyone. I feel it has everything that could and would interest everyone. For a romance, or relaxed trip? For adventure? Or to see the myths come alive? Bali has it all!

Personally for me, I love adventure and to do things that I can't possibly do or see in Singapore. I thought 4 Days was too short, but since Bali is so close (just 2.5hr flight away).. I can visit Bali again.



Day 1: Exploring Kuta, Legian & Seminyak

This is doing very normal touristy things. Being in South East Asia and having so many beaches around me, I was greatly disappointed with what Bali has to offer. There were no pristine beaches, nor are they very clean. So TAKE NOTE..

I do know there are many more beautiful beaches around in the whole HUGE island (anything bigger than Singapore is HUGE to me... that makes it everything except the Vatican City). However, I chose to plonk myself in the tourist spot because I just HAVE to!! *haha* I like seeing things that is off the normal tourist traps, but I still love the amenities these touristy places provide. I don't want to have to take a cab for an hr just to grab a meal out of the hotel compounds.



Day 2: Climbing Mount Batur, Besakih Temple & Kerta Gosa

I seriously wanted to climb this active volcano to see the sunrise. And as luck would have it! It was raining as we trudge up the Volcano. Not only was I cold and wet (not so wet as it wasn't raining heavily), the Sunrise was hidden among all the LOW-LYING Clouds... Seriously!! Anyway, I would still recommend it!! I heard it is beautiful. And it was still an accomplishment for a non-seasoned hiker like me.

We visited the Holiest Temple in Bali. It is also the largest and is believed to be dated back to the 14th Century. So that is OLD!! (And coming from a Singaporean who's country history is so short.. I doubt anything from the 15th Century can be found either)

Most memorable: Lunch overlooking Rive Terraced Fields.. BEAUTIFUL!!! Living in a concrete jungle, seeing any form of agricultural land is virtually not possible.



Day 3: Cycling through the Villages of Ubud

It was nice riding through the villages and seeing another side of Bali. The less touristy side. I love the friendly children, the "uncles" sitting around, etc. It was nice catch a glimpse of the "REAL" Bali.



Day 4: Surfing & Ubud Market

I just HAD to learn how to surf. Singapore has pathetic waves that (and during my trip it still wasn't possible yet) to learn how to surf, we need to get on a fake surf machine. Yes... those stuff that spits jet of water and foam beneath to form the waves. Pathetic right...

So off I went to learn how to at least stand on the board!!



I'll see you again Bali....

I had heard Glen Canyon described, by those who planned to reserve that part of the river for hydroelectric power development, as an unspectacular, gently flowing stretch of the river unruffled by significant rapids, that in fact the Bureau of Reclamation had begun to dam. From the very first day, I was overwhelmed by the scenery--both in prospect and in description grossly underrated. The monumental structure of the towering walls in variety and color defied comprehension.
- Eliot Porter

Eliot Porter made his first rafting trip down the Colorado River through Glen Canyon in 1960. He became captivated by the region's beauty, and over the next decade, returned to it ten times to photograph its weathered trees, colorful rock formations, and hidden slit canyons.

Instead of heading for the highly famed Grand Canyon, I decided to visit Glen Canyon. The reason was because I chanced upon beautiful pictures of hidden slit canyons. And the photos were taken in Antelope Canyon. So... OF COURSE I had to head down to get some pictures of my own and to stand there in awe of what nature has created for us, and that many would have missed it!

So off we went. The view from Glen Canyon Dam is amazing.. We were at Glen Canyon Dam as the Visitor Centre is there too. We found out that the Tour of the Dam is free. Of course we wanted to go. But alas, we missed the tour timings for the day. So we just mingled around and viewed the exhibits and goofed around.



The next morning we were there. In true KIASU (scared lose: literal translation) Singaporean style we were there at 10:00AM to book for the 11:00AM tour. Little did we know, most Americans are KIASU too, just that they didn't know the term. So even though we thought we were 1 hr early, we took the last 2 slots for the tour.. It was a very educational tour. Something I appreciated.


Of course we talked to the park rangers about the different places we might see. And I was asking about Antelope Canyon. To get to Antelope Canyon, you MUST have a guide. Antelope Canyon is a cathedral to the older Navajo generation. They would probably pause before going in, to be in the right frame of mind and prepare for protection and respect. This would also allow them to leave with an uplifted feeling of what Mother Nature has to offer, and to be in harmony with something greater than themselves. It was, and is, a spiritual experience.

But my excitement was quelled!! It has been raining the past week.. And there was a high risk of flash floods! And to be caught in these hidden slit canyons would be a recipe for death. So... instead, the park ranger told me that I could hike the Horseshoe Bend trail.

It was WONDERFUL! Seeing the horseshoe bend.. It just popped out from my geography text books. I can only imagine how many decades and centuries of erosion it took look like this! The pictures I took didn't do any justice. For one, I didn't have a wide-angle camera then. (I was but a student who had to practically BEG her parents for a camera for her birthday.. Beggars can't be choosers).


It was truly a sight to behold. It reminds me how little I am compared to what the world has to offer.