In the beginning

Keith and Wayne have been travelers for years.  Keith traveled throughout the US with his family. He was a drummer in a small band that toured the country, as well. Keith circumnavigated the globe starting in 2006 from Boston to Europe then back to California. He visited 17 countries on that trip.  Throughout these travels he immersed himself into the local culture and utilized Couchsurfing.org to find local hosts in the countries he was traveling.

Wayne took family trips throughout New England and the East Coast. He traveled to the UK for college and traveled through Europe by train during Christmas break before a required course to ski in Austria and was required to speak German the entire time.  He took a spring semester in Greece and then traveled the Cyclades for 2 weeks. Wayne visited 8 countries during his time in Europe.

Keith then took a job as a consultant and traveled extensively internationally and domestically. The first international trip with his current employer was to Dusseldorf, Germany.  During the two years Keith was working on this project, Wayne traveled to Germany to several times and they traveled the region.

Throughout the time together Keith has traveled for work and Wayne benefited from being able to visit him in Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore and The Philippines.

One trip to Europe was to Germany, we met some friends from Dusseldorf and took two vintage cars (1962 Alpha Romeo and 1994 Mazda Miata) through the countryside to Oberhausen.  What a fantastic experience, tops down and driving on country roads then the autobahn.

While Keith was working in Hong Kong for 4 weeks, Wayne took the opportunity to visit for a week. Hong Kong is a beautiful and very safe City to tour on foot or by using public transportation. Our first day was spent on Stewart Street where the British had set up a port station. We walked through vendor shops and told one man that if he told us where he ate, we would buy a belt from him.  We walked into the local restaurant and a man approached and asked what we wanted. He ordered a noodle dish and rice dish for us. He was just another customer who spoke very little English but we sat with the local residents and had a wonderful meal.  

Wayne was able to see the city while Keith was working and meet at night for dinner. Touring the botanical gardens in Kowloon, walking to The Peak and visiting the zoo are things to do while in Hong Kong. One day Keith asked where I was while I was traveling on the subway on the green line when he said he would be working a little late.  I took advantage of his working late and looked up above the exit door with joy to see the next destination had interesting temples and places to visit. It was raining a little but this did not stop my enthusiasm to take in another old temple of interest, walk the steep stairs to the top of the cemetery and look over the vast City while still respecting those entombed.

During the week we took a ferry to Macau, touring the UNESCO sites and towards the end of our day took a swim in the mouth of the Pearl River where she reaches into the South China Sea, another one of the things we try to do. Being by the water has been something we both enjoy and swim in as many bodies of water as we can, if it is safe and clean.  The Galaxy Casino opened that night along the Macau “strip” along side the Dreamweaver, Hard Rock Hotel and many other casinos. Macau is the Las Vegas of the Orient with the flavor of her former colonial rulers of Portugal.

Tian Tan Buddha, also know as the Big Buddha, is a large statue of a Sakyamuni Buddha on Lantau Island

Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, figures give offerings to Buddha

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lin Garden

Macau (UNESCO) City

As we looked forwarded to the train on Saturday to   Guangzhoua, People's Republic of China known to the west as Canton, China, Keith had to work on Friday while I took to walking the Old City of Hong Kong. Saturday morning we arrived at the train station for the 2 hour train ride into the People’s Republic of China. Once we arrived in Guangzhoua we went down an escalator in the train station. While people we were descending the people ascending peered down at us with curiosity. We exited into the mall area then out into the city. We arrived at the stadium for the Asia Games along the river to find an event by the police showing the people the new equipment they have to combat terrorism. A young man came over and practiced his English telling us the police would giving an enactment of what a hostage taking event would look like and how they would combat it. Very interesting to see them on jet skis and helicopters dropping men propelling from ropes onto a boat in the middle of the river. Explosions and gun fire with the success of retrieving the hostages safely, we felt like we were spectators on a movie set.  We walked into the arena to see people walking looking at the equipment used for security.  It was a very hot day but we did see much of the city, which was asleep with only a very few restaurants open. We happened to find a restaurant run by an American and his Chinese wife.  

Guangzhoua, People's Republic of China

We were surprised while walking in a park when we were asked to take photos, thinking at first that this cute couple wanted their photo taken together but actually the girl wanted her photo taken with us.  We had a really great time in China just walking and having small children come up to greet us with a smile and a giggle then run back to their parents.  

In 2012, Keith ’s work took him to Southeast Asia, he was working in Singapore and was able to spend time with his daughter, Ashley on the same project.  During July 4th week, Keith snuck into the house in the middle of the night and surprised everyone that he was home. We had no communication from Keith for days, which is not like him, especially since our friends from Dusseldorf were visiting.  Our time spent with them is always full of activities. We had a great couple of weeks home with our friends before flying off to Singapore for a couple of days. Ashley took us to the pier and we grabbed a boat to an island (NAME?). While crossing over we received a flier with coupons to visit a resort, for $10 you could use the fish bath, rent 2 bicycles and 2 fruit drinks.  We spent some time with our feet in the water while the fish nibbled at our toes and feet. We cycled the island for the day and rain into a bunch of monkeys. They were somewhat aggressive and one male did not want to leave the bike path. We spent the entire day bicycling and enjoying the weather as we adventured along the island before heading back into the city.  After my first weekend in Singapore touring the Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands and other parts of the city we left for Manila, PH. Keith was to start his project there and we started by staying at the DusitThani Hotel in the Markati district of Manila.

Wayne spent one full week in Manila touring the city in between devastatingly heavy monsoon type rains. While visiting, Wayne met two couchsurfers, DenDen and Richie both Filipinos who  showed him historical areas in and around Manila and general places to visit while there. Manila is one very large City with over 12 million people with a very large diversity of people. Wayne left Manila for another weekend in Singapore before heading back to the US. Keith stayed to continue his time in Southeast Asia. Keith was able to spend some time scuba diving in Batangas with some local friends. 

Keith

Wayne

Aqua Venture, Loac, Bagalangit, Mabini, Philippines

We spent Christmas and New Year’s in Manila, with a 360 degree view of the city from Bonafacio Global City. The fireworks were going off throughout the city everywhere, even from below us. Imagine a whole city with professional fireworks displays all going off simultaneously. 

The malls are filled with animation displays and tons of Christmas ornaments. The Filipinos love to celebrate Christmas, singing at the airport and malls by choral groups.

View of the fireworks celebration throughout Manila from Bonafacio Global City

From the opposite side of the apartment in Bonafacio Global City we saw another view of the constant fireworks displays.

In 2013, Keith was working in the Philippines. Wayne had been to the Philippines on two other occasions but after months apart decided to take time off work to travel through Asia and possibly find full time employment in Asia. We toured Luzon Island with friends we met and both of us dove in Batangas on several more occasions. We did a couple of trips with Dave and Cal, one we arrived late in the day to Mount Pinatubo only to find we could not go to the crater but did see the ash fields, Korean hot spring spa and a village of indigenous people. We took a weekend trip to Baugio touring this beautiful city in the mountains. We spent time with Frank Grenier on a Sunday visiting Lagun Bay (Lake) saw an amazingly beautiful gallery of the Blanco Family. Two churches (St. Jerome Church in Monrong and St. Peter of Alcantara Parish Church in Pakil) villages along the way known for embroidery, wood crafters, and Los Banos (the Baths) for hot springs.  

Keith and David Robert Citizen on our jeep ride through the ash fields of Mt. Pinatubo

Ash fields of Mt. Pinatubo

Wayne, David Robert Citizen, Cal Smith and Keith in the ash fields

Local  people using cart and oxen to travel within the fields

One of the many cultural events we have been able to see was Good Friday in P. Brugos area of Manila. Hundreds of mourners and floats were carried through the streets by barefoot men carrying floats with lights powered by generators being wheeled behind them. Catholic religion is so strong here as you see this act of faith that lasted at least 45 minutes.

Statues depicting Christ being nailed to the cross

Mourners following the statue of the crucifixion

On May 2nd at 11.57am off we go to catch our first mode of transportation, jeepney on Pasay Road to Libertad.  We were rocking out to American Music playing R.E.M. and Green Day. Get on the JAM air-con bus to Batangas Pier. Easy way to travel and relax for 166 PHP. Take the Father 'n Sons banca to Sabang for 320 pesos including the pier fee and environmental charge.  Got off the boat at Sabang pier and headed to the Castle on the hill overlooking Sabang city looking toward the pier and Sabang Beach. We started with a really nice room with four poster bed, large marble tiled bathroom. You could use the tub since they did not have water for the size of the tub.  Then Keith came back and we changed rooms to #58 on the 3rd floor with sea view. Another nice room with double bed, large marble tiled bathroom. The whole place looks like a European Castle. The owner is from Austria and has his native flag flying proudly overhead. We spent another 2 days in Puerto Galera before continuing south on Ocidental Mondoro by public transportation to Apo Reef Club for 2 days of sailing but before that we got onto a jeepney to PG and tricycle to White Beach. While on the jeepney we met Ricky Ryley and his two companions (girlie boys). The one organized and negotiating getting the jeepney to take 7 of us right through to White Beach, and proceeded to tell Wayne, her/his friend liked him. WHAT the hell? Made for an interesting experience in the Philippines. Once we got to White Beach, Keith and I found a place on the other end of the beach with shade. Went swimming and just relaxed.  Walked back down the beach to find the girlie boy looking for us.

Jeepney ride to JAM bus starts our journey to Apo Reef

From Battangas we take a banca to Mindoro Oriental

Sunsetting over Sabang Beach, we had dinner at Tamarind

Diving in Apo Reef on a live aboard was an experience of amazing gratification. Wayne did 8 full dives and Keith 6, the sea life is vast and the amount of shark was incredible. Two days of really great diving.

Live aboard ready for our trip to the reef, beached at Apo Reef club

David Caldwell and Keith on the live aboard

Wayne diving on the second day

The owner's son joined us on board and wore diving gear but basically snorkeled on the surface with his own tanks and equipment. Very cute to watch him in the water and on the boat.

David Caldwell, Keith and Wayne in the water alongside the live aboard

Dive master Fiona taking in the coral and sea life.

Keith at the ship wreck dive the last dive of the trip