Travelling on the Spectrum

Travelling on the Spectrum Ex-Travel Agent , mum of a neurodiverse child navigating travel. Just returned from visiting 6 countries in a month. Come along on our journey

Hi, Mum of 4 , ex travel agent now in the education system , looking to help other families with neurodiversity navigate travel. Tips, ideas for travel , helpful hints and more.

Bali, Indonesia: A Memorable 10-Day AdventureWe just returned from an amazing 10-day stay in Bali, celebrating our middl...
26/01/2025

Bali, Indonesia: A Memorable 10-Day Adventure

We just returned from an amazing 10-day stay in Bali, celebrating our middle son’s 21st birthday! From fun activities to relaxing villa life, this trip was packed with highlights.

Flights

Qantas (Melbourne to Bali): We opted out of extra legroom as it was a day flight. The service included snacks, dinner, and drinks, making for a pleasant journey.

Garuda (Bali to Melbourne): Garuda offers superior legroom at no extra cost, full-service perks, and overnight amenities like blankets and pillows. While the entertainment could be more up-to-date, the friendly staff made up for it. With a 2-4-2 seat configuration, our group of 13 stayed seated together without paying extra to pre-select seats. Our only wish? That the cabin lights had dimmed sooner for better rest!

Airport Transfers
We prearranged transport with our friend Komang from Gustry Bali. He provided three vans to accommodate our large group and luggage for approximately $25 AUD per car.

Accommodation
We stayed in three stunning villas, owned by a friend, on the border of Legian/Kuta. Each villa had:

3 bedrooms with ensuites

Private pools

Daily cleaning and a dedicated house manager

Optional breakfast service and affordable laundry (around $10 AUD for three loads washed, dried, and ironed).
Conveniently located within walking distance of fantastic food and shopping, the villas were a perfect base for our stay!

Getting Around
For day trips, we relied on Komang’s services, while quick rides were easily handled via Grab or Gojek, costing as little as $2 AUD per trip.

It was a trip full of unforgettable memories with family and friends, and Bali continues to hold a special place in our hearts. Can't wait to return!

πŸ”₯ Victorian Leaders Take Brisbane by Storm for the Share the Dignity Ignite Conference! πŸ”₯This weekend was all about Igni...
22/09/2024

πŸ”₯ Victorian Leaders Take Brisbane by Storm for the Share the Dignity Ignite Conference! πŸ”₯

This weekend was all about Igniting Passion, Purpose, and People!

Leaders from every State and Territory united to share, learn, and power up for the future.

We celebrated what we’ve achieved so farβ€”and mapped out everything that’s still to come. πŸ’ͺ

But don’t think it was all business! We joined forces for a scavenger hunt that led us to none other than the hilarious Hull! πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™€οΈ

We got expert time management wisdom from the amazing Christie ⏳, packed bags for a cause that’s close to our hearts, and even ended the weekend with a fabulous Barbie-themed dance party! πŸ’ƒπŸŽ€ Cue sore feet, legs, arms, and more laughs than we can count!

And of course, we couldn’t miss an early celebration of 10 INCREDIBLE YEARS of Share the Dignity!! πŸŽ‰πŸŽˆ From heartwarming hugs to tears of joy, we left with full hearts and so much love. πŸ’•πŸ’•

A massive thank you to everyone who gave up their time, worked behind the scenes, and supported us along the wayβ€”you made this weekend unforgettable! πŸ™πŸ’–

This weekend will be one for the books! πŸ₯°

Today we ventured out to the One plus piece Cafe.For any One piece fan this is a great place to come and soak in the atm...
04/04/2024

Today we ventured out to the One plus piece Cafe.

For any One piece fan this is a great place to come and soak in the atmosphere of Luffy and his friends.

Food is great and themed around one piece and memorabilia all around.

Reasonably priced and with fun items to buy.

Details here https://onepluspiece.com.au/

This is written by a good friend of mine and the words resonate so well to me.https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Ed5Z6Dqrv...
23/03/2024

This is written by a good friend of mine and the words resonate so well to me.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Ed5Z6Dqrvpr596rF/?mibextid=oFDknk

πŸ–€ Honoured to have been asked to write this article for BeKeane Healthy and Fit as we celebrate 2024 Neurodiversity Week.

π‘·π’Šπ’„π’•π’–π’“π’† 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‰π’–π’ˆπ’† 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 π’Žπ’π’•π’π’“π’ƒπ’Šπ’Œπ’† π’“π’Šπ’…π’†π’” 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕 π’šπ’π’–. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’Šπ’•π’” 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆.

π‘»π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œ 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 π’π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’•π’” π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’”π’–π’‘π’†π’“π’Žπ’‚π’“π’Œπ’†π’•. π‘»π’‰π’†π’š π’”π’†π’†π’Ž π’ƒπ’“π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’•, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–β€™π’“π’† π’”π’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 π’ˆπ’†π’• π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’”π’‰π’π’‘π’‘π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆.

π‘°π’Žπ’‚π’ˆπ’Šπ’π’† 𝒂𝒏 π’–π’π’‡π’‚π’Žπ’Šπ’π’Šπ’‚π’“ 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 π’˜π’‚π’π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Šπ’π’•π’ π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆 π’‚π’”π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒂 π’’π’–π’†π’”π’•π’Šπ’π’ π’šπ’π’–β€™π’“π’† 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 π’‰π’π’˜ 𝒕𝒐 π’‚π’π’”π’˜π’†π’“. 𝑰𝒕 π’”π’†π’†π’Žπ’” 𝒂 π’π’Šπ’•π’•π’π’† π’‡π’π’“π’˜π’‚π’“π’…, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–β€™π’“π’† 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 π’ƒπ’‚π’„π’Œ, π’ˆπ’‚π’•π’‰π’†π’“ π’šπ’π’–π’“π’”π’†π’π’‡ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’‚π’π’”π’˜π’†π’“ π’•π’‰π’†π’Ž.

π‘½π’Šπ’”π’–π’‚π’π’Šπ’”π’† 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅, π’„π’“π’π’˜π’…π’†π’… π’“π’π’π’Ž. π‘«π’Šπ’‡π’‡π’†π’“π’†π’π’• π’”π’Žπ’†π’π’π’”, π’–π’π’‡π’‚π’Žπ’Šπ’π’Šπ’‚π’“ 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒕, π’šπ’π’–β€™π’“π’† π’‰π’–π’π’ˆπ’“π’š 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’•π’‰π’Šπ’“π’”π’•π’š. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 π’Šπ’” 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 π’ˆπ’π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’šπ’π’–, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’– π’“π’†π’„π’π’ˆπ’π’Šπ’”π’† 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’”π’Šπ’ˆπ’π’” π’†π’‚π’“π’π’š π’†π’π’π’–π’ˆπ’‰ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 π’”π’šπ’”π’•π’†π’Ž 𝒕𝒐 π’„π’‚π’π’Ž π’…π’π’˜π’.

π‘»π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œ 𝒐𝒇 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’‡π’‚π’—π’π’–π’“π’Šπ’•π’† 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 π’ˆπ’. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 π’šπ’π’– 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’‰π’‚π’‘π’‘π’Šπ’†π’”π’• π’Šπ’. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 π’‚π’“π’“π’Šπ’—π’†π’… π’π’π’π’š 𝒕𝒐 π’‡π’Šπ’π’… 𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’Šπ’•π’” π’‚π’„π’•π’–π’‚π’π’π’š 𝒔𝒉𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’‘π’‚π’“π’•π’Šπ’„π’–π’π’‚π’“ π’…π’‚π’š. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 π’…π’Šπ’”π’‚π’‘π’‘π’π’Šπ’π’•π’†π’… 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’– 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏. 𝑡𝒐𝒕 𝒂 π’‰π’–π’ˆπ’† 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’–β€™π’π’ 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 π’ˆπ’ 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 π’•π’Šπ’Žπ’†.

π‘»π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œ π’ƒπ’‚π’„π’Œ 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’•π’Šπ’Žπ’† π’šπ’π’– 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇𝒇 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’ƒπ’Šπ’Œπ’† 𝒐𝒓 π’Žπ’‚π’šπ’ƒπ’† π’•π’“π’Šπ’‘π’‘π’†π’… π’…π’π’˜π’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’”π’•π’‚π’Šπ’“π’”. 𝑰𝒕 π’„π’‚π’–π’ˆπ’‰π’• π’šπ’π’– π’ƒπ’š π’”π’–π’“π’‘π’“π’Šπ’”π’†, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’– 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’Œπ’π’†π’†. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 π’‘π’Šπ’„π’Œ π’šπ’π’–π’“π’”π’†π’π’‡ 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’Žπ’‚π’šπ’ƒπ’† 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅-π’‚π’Šπ’… 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’˜π’π’–π’π’…. π‘¨π’„π’„π’Šπ’…π’†π’π’•π’” 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’Šπ’•β€™π’” 𝒏𝒐 – 𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕.

π‘»π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œ 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’…π’‚π’š 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒅 π’šπ’π’– π’π’†π’‚π’—π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’‰π’π’Žπ’† π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’†π’‚π’“π’π’š 𝑨𝑴, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’‚π’“π’“π’Šπ’—π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’‰π’π’Žπ’† π’•π’Šπ’π’ π’“π’†π’‚π’π’π’š 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’•. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒕 π’‰π’π’Žπ’† π’Šπ’ π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’π’˜π’ π’„π’π’Žπ’‡π’π’“π’•π’” 𝒐𝒓 π’”π’Šπ’• 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 π’˜π’‰π’Šπ’„π’‰ π’Šπ’” π’˜π’‰π’‚π’• π’šπ’π’– 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 π’‡π’Šπ’π’‚π’π’π’š π’ˆπ’†π’• π’‰π’π’Žπ’†, π’šπ’π’–β€™π’“π’† π’•π’Šπ’“π’†π’…, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 π’…π’‚π’š π’šπ’π’–β€™π’“π’† π’‡π’†π’†π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’ˆπ’π’π’… 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 π’Šπ’• 𝒂𝒍𝒍 π’‚π’ˆπ’‚π’Šπ’.

π‘»π’‰π’Šπ’π’Œ 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 π’•π’Šπ’Žπ’† π’˜π’‰π’†π’“π’† π’šπ’π’– π’˜π’†π’“π’† π’‘π’“π’π’Žπ’Šπ’”π’†π’… π’”π’π’Žπ’†π’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’“π’†π’‚π’π’π’š π’†π’™π’„π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’„π’π’Žπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’˜π’†π’†π’Œπ’”. 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 π’„π’‰π’‚π’π’ˆπ’† π’Šπ’ 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’–β€™π’π’ π’π’π’˜ 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 π’˜π’‚π’Šπ’• 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 π’π’π’π’ˆπ’†π’“ π’–π’π’•π’Šπ’ π’Šπ’•β€™π’” π’“π’†π’‚π’…π’š.
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’„π’π’Žπ’‡π’π’“π’•π’‚π’ƒπ’π’† π’˜π’‚π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ, π’‰π’π’˜π’†π’—π’†π’“ π’π’π’π’ˆ π’Šπ’• π’•π’‚π’Œπ’†π’”.

These scenarios may not seem a big deal for the typical person, but they can cause unbearable pain for my autistic son. They are not 2-minute reflections that can be forgotten about, and it’s not a matter of moving on with the day like nothing has happened.
They can be extremely debilitating, draining and affect his ability to function and think about anything else.

I talk about them because it does interfere with his everyday life, and not everyone understands the true impact it can have on an autistic person and how they function afterwards.
But as we’ve learnt over the years, it’s a matter of changing and adapting to the supports he requires, and always remaining positive and calm for him when those situations arise.

Whilst we navigate the chaos of the world, and confusion inside his precious brain, he sure does continue to amaze us with the incredible way he sees the world. He’s taught us that the small things in life are actually the big things. He’s shown us the joy you can find in unexpected places. He’s proven that kindness costs nothing but can literally change someone’s entire day, and to of course honour all our feelings, no matter how big or small.

We let him show us his intensely focused passions and love interests, and we use those as a focus for connection and appreciation. From the soothing hum of air conditioners to the click of TV remotes, the thunderous applause of hand dryers, the motion of vacuum cleaners, the rhythm of traffic lights, and now the captivating world of DVD players – each fascination taking us on a unique journey showcasing his incredible and unique way of doing things.

As his mother and biggest supporter, I will always advocate for him and promote kindness, inclusion and acceptance for all. By sharing his brilliant mind, soul and story, my goal is to show others the beauty in being different. It’s how we break down barriers, create a kinder world and enrich the experiences for everyone, regardless of differences.

And as I continue to share the struggles, the differences, the special interests, the meltdowns and the fight for inclusion and acceptance for my son and the whole neurodivergent community…. can I ask, will you be willing to do this too?

Will you recognise that being different is simply a difference, but by no means less?
Will you shine a light on the talents and abilities of our neurodivergent children, so people can truly understand how amazing they are?
Will you spark conversations around β€˜out of the box’ thinking, so their roles in society are valued just like everyone else?
Will you acknowledge that we should all express ourselves freely and unapologetically?
And will you always show kindness, no matter our differences or the paths we’ve walked?

With support and unity, we are then able to move towards inclusivity and understanding for all.
We need every voice to be heard, every story to be valued, and every dream to be realised.

That’s how we truly make the world a better place.

Julia Ryan
William Ready


Would love you to spread this message.
Share and tag with your friends, family and networks to help create more acceptance for all. X x x

Australia zoo After arriving back in Australia after our big overseas trip , we had a quick trip to Queensland and to Au...
20/03/2024

Australia zoo

After arriving back in Australia after our big overseas trip , we had a quick trip to Queensland and to Australia Zoo.

I love Australia Zoo is has such an inclusive environment.

Prices were good at $71.95 for adults and Kids$ 46.95, this included a sneak peak at the animal hospital.

The day we went it was hot and we pre planned that we would get to the crocosseum.The staff had told us where to sit due to the heat and this helped.

We paid on the day to do photo encounters with 2 animals and it is well worth the Price $ 29.95 and includes a photo.

The staff are amazing everywhere.

The food was reasonably priced and the attractions great.

We were lucky and got to have Bindi and Chandler as hosts for the show.

It's a great day out and well worth it for the animal lover.

https://australiazoo.com.au/?gad_source=1

Hong Kong Disneyland was our last Theme Park and it was great.The park consists of seven themed areas: Main Street, U.S....
09/02/2024

Hong Kong Disneyland was our last Theme Park and it was great.

The park consists of seven themed areas: Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, and Toy Story Land. A new themed area β€” World of Frozen.

We did a one day pass and grabbed tickets via Klook.

We did the full day starting early and going til the end of the night to watch the light show.

2 days would have been better to get the full experience but we still got see nearly everything

Food was reasonable.

Make sure you do your most wanted rides first and then work your way around.

The parade is great and we found a great spot further away from Main St which wasn't as crowded.

The railway is great to see all of the park.

It's a beautiful park with lots to do.

It's got a different feel than USA but still packs the same Disneyland feels.

Merch was reasonably priced.

We got an Uber to and from our hotel which was approx 20 mins away from the resort.
The MRT is close by and our hotel did a shuttle to MRT but it worked out around the same price for our larger sized group.

The new frozen area is great and has some great rides.
My fav has always been it's a small world and it didn't disappoint.

I love theme parks but not for the roller-coaster for the atmosphere and fun.

Final country was Hong Kong.We travelled from Singapore with Cathay Pacific, it was comfortable and the staff were amazi...
07/02/2024

Final country was Hong Kong.

We travelled from Singapore with Cathay Pacific, it was comfortable and the staff were amazing.

We arrived at the airport early due to the cruise disenbarkment not taking as long, we went to counter to check flight and they said we can get you on an earlier flight if you like, we were like yes please. Went out of their way to help us in all aspects.

Oh how beautiful is Hong Kong , I wasn't expecting the mountains and the water.

We stayed at Grand Bay View Hotel , it was a great hotel , large with 1 separate bedroom and an extra bed in the studio area.

It is quite far from the main areas but luckily they had a free shuttle bus to 2 local areas which had trains and buses.

You can walk to a local mall which is approx 30 mins.

It was an easy access to Disneyland via car.

Things I loved in Hong Kong
* Food
* The attractions
* Paintings on the street to buy
* Don Don Donki it's a Japanese retail store with everything including its own food court.

We did Disneyland , the city and the Tram Car.

The Peak Tram Car

https://g.co/kgs/Nr6a2pY

This is a great attraction , at the top is a mall which also has Madame Tussauds.

We walked around and found the most amazing art work with paintings by local artists.
I got the most amazing artwork for approx $20 Aud.

It's a great city and need more time to explore.

Last post for our 6 countries will be Disneyland Hong Kong

Our next stop was Thailand.This is a must and I would love to go back.We didn't do the Day trip to Bangkok but instead w...
04/02/2024

Our next stop was Thailand.

This is a must and I would love to go back.

We didn't do the Day trip to Bangkok but instead went to Pattaya via the Bus from the port.
The price was quite expensive and the following day we used a Grab outside of the port by walking a small distance.
Once in Pattaya the stop was near the Mall which was great to grab some local currency and have a look around.
We ordered and Grab and went to Pattaya Floating Market approx $8 aud for entry and you can add other extras.
Paddle through a 100,000 sqm river market that features over 114 shops and water vendors
Divided into 4 sections, each representing the north, northeast, central and south of Thailand, you will find many eateries, stalls, and souvenir shops
Shop a variety of souvenirs for friends and families back home, including wood carvings, handmade clocks, traditional Thai wear and more
Enjoy Thai food and snacks prepared by locals, including BBQ crocodile!
Watch cultural shows that occur every afternoon for a dose of Thai tradition

Not far was the Tiger Park which was approx $15 Aud for each person this included the safari ticket.
We paid extra to interact with the tigers, this was approx $30 PP.

The newborn tigers were lovely but as they get bigger , I think ethically I wouldn't do it again.

We also looked at the chocolate Factory and shooting range in close proximity to this area.

The following day the family did the Sanctuary of Truth, I unfortunately was sick that day and was unable to attend.
The Sanctuary of Truth is an unfinished museum in Pattaya, Thailand designed by Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphan. The museum structure is a hybrid of a temple and a castle that is themed on the Ayutthaya Kingdom and of Buddhist and Hindu belief.
It was approx $25 pp entry.

My family loved the meaning behind it all and the Handcrafted aspects.

They used a Grab both ways.

Thailand is beautiful and a must .

Next stop was Vietnam How beautiful is Vietnam, the people are friendly,food yummy and the cultural experiences amazing....
03/02/2024

Next stop was Vietnam

How beautiful is Vietnam, the people are friendly,food yummy and the cultural experiences amazing.
Via the cruise we did the Ba Ria experiences Cao Dai Temple, Buddhist Temple, a century old Vietnamese House, Rice Paper Making demonstration and Hawkers Market, all was included in our price which was approx $90 Australian Per person except food, via bus trip.
We had an amazing Tour guide who was knowledgeable and showed us so much , he also gave his own experiences of growing up in Vietnam and showed us how to speak some words to help us at markets.

At Nha Trang we walked to the beach, did a tuk tuk ride back to Port this was quite a good price , and mall.
As you arrive in the port and walking from ship the Driver's are very pushy and in your face so beware of this, once we said we were walking they seemed to back off.

You will need a visa for Vietnam from Australia.

Also we grabbed some local currency especially for the markets.

Cruise time on Royal Carribean.I have done a cruise before on Carnival and it didn't go well , so I went to my Dr and sa...
24/01/2024

Cruise time on Royal Carribean.

I have done a cruise before on Carnival and it didn't go well , so I went to my Dr and said help and he said you need Ondansatran 2 days before cruise and 2 days after and you will be fine.
He was right I did well and enjoyed my time.

Royal Carribean is a great cruise line and spectrum of the seas is a great ship.

We did the 10 days Vietnam and Thailand Cruise out of Singapore.

It's great for kids and teens with IFly, dodgem cars, laser tag , seaplex area which transforms into a basketball or soccer area, Table Tennis, arcade and pools plus kids club.

We had 2 Balcony rooms they are spacious and bigger than expected.

The couch folds out into a bed.

You can order room service for an extra cost which was great for the day I wasn't feeling well and couldn't make it to Lunch or Dinner.

The food is great buffet style at Windjammer, hot dogs for a snack , Cafe and Main Dining Room all included.

Extra restaurants are good we tried Chops Grille and it was great food and a nice treat.

They do have a special in the first few days you can try 3 restaurants for a discounted price should have got that as it would have been good value.

They have great shows silk road , magician , showgirls and other shows which our family loved.

We also did Trivia, Karoke and game shows.

Bingo was expensive and was only one game.

The staff are amazing, knowledgeable and friendly , shoutout to the Main Dining Room staff who organised my non dairy meals every night.

We did one of the tours through the ship it was well worth the money and our tour guide was Fantastic.

Would I do it again absolutely.

For visas we needed one for Vietnam and didn't need one for Thailand if Australian.
For Vietnam make sure you put correct dates in we stuffed up one and one of adults wasn't allowed to disembark the first day.
Also make sure you put the correct ports in for us it was Nha Trang and leaving Phu My.

We also did Grab again after walking through Port gates it was cheaper than the bus from the ship.

Hello Singapore.Oh how I loved you.We got our driver to take us across the border back to Singapore approx $110 SD and o...
23/01/2024

Hello Singapore.

Oh how I loved you.

We got our driver to take us across the border back to Singapore approx $110 SD and once again a great process across the border.

We stayed at Hotel Bencoolen Singapore it was a no frills hotel but allowed alot of room , we had 3 twin rooms.

The best part about the hotel was you could walk 3 mins down the road to the MRT network.
This amazing system is easy to manoeuvre and great price, we did day trips , airport , marina Bay and cruise terminal and the most we spent was $8 Australian a day.The airport was $3.

Breakfast was terrible but included in price.

In Singapore we enjoyed spending time at Gardens by the Bay, Winter Wonderland, Universal Studios and Orchard Rd.

Winter Wonderland was a Christmas themed area next to Gardens by the Bay.

https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/

https://christmaswonderland.sg/

This was a highlight for our Christmas obsessed 9 year old.

We also did Universal Singapore, it is no where near as big as LA but it's a great place to get used to theme parks.

https://www.rwsentosa.com/en/attractions/universal-studios-singapore
To get to Universal you grab a monorail easy to find and use also has a food court

Klook had cheaper tickets again.

We went mid afternoon and stayed til close.
By the end of the night it was a 5 min wait for any ride so no need for fast pass.

Orchard Rd is great for high end shops but it also has lovely displays especially at Christmas.

It rained pretty much every day we were there so an umbrella and or poncho is a must especially at Universal.
Universal umbrellas were approx $25 Aus to buy.

Marina Bay cruise terminal is easy to get to and allowed us to get straight to our boat with an easy 10 min walk from MRT.

The train system as I have said is amazing, it's all mostly underground and easy to navigate.

We didn't need to use Uber or Grab we did train everywhere.

Even on new years eve half the family jumped on a train to watch fireworks and back within 30 mins.

Food is exceptional in the area we stayed the mini food court down the road had the best Thai Food.

I would definitely go back, singapore in beautiful.

Have popped a video of how easy the train system is in comments.

Our next stop was Malaysia via Singapore.We flew Scoot Airlines and business class it was a great flight and a good pric...
22/01/2024

Our next stop was Malaysia via Singapore.

We flew Scoot Airlines and business class it was a great flight and a good price which gave us great food , great seats and priority boarding.

From Changi Airport we had a driver pick us up and take us across the border into Malaysia for our 4 night stay.

We stayed at D Pristine Apartments it was in a great position opposite Mall of Medini and walking distance to Lego Land.

We were on a high floor like floor 35 which was scary for me and the property had glass elevators, luckily they also had one covered over.

The apartment had 4 bedrooms and bathrooms , kitchen and lounge area.
The only thing was no WiFi.

We spent 2 days doing Lego Land , Sea Life and Water World with a 3 park pass , discounted through Klook.

We also went to Johor Bahru Night Market which was great and my son got a custom made tshirt with One piece for Australian $15 and Crocs for $10.
They also had the best Desserts.

Johor Bahru also has City Square Mall which was great as well

We also did Xpark at Sunway Mall , great for all ages we did the Go Karts
https://www.xparkmalaysia.com/

Legoland was great , caters for smaller kids aged 3-12.
The food is reasonably priced but you can also get a pass out and at the Mall is KFC , Mcdonalds and more.

https://www.legoland.com.my/

Interesting fact in most South East Asian countries McDonald's has lots of chicken options and sell out quickly often running out they also have alot of squat toilets which we were just not used to, often no toilet paper either so we always carried toilet paper roll.

The process to cross the border is easy approx 1 hour from Airport , your driver takes you to check in point and immigration asks for passport.
They individually ask your name and check passport photo to person.
You don't have to leave the van or car just open doors.

Declare if you have to , we always do as we carry epipens and medication for our child.

We paid approx $150 singapore with SG-MY Taxis one way for 6 people.
https://www.sgmytaxi.com

We used Grab and found them easy to use and reasonably priced.

At legoland take a poncho or umbrella just in case, it was a saviour for us.

Get prepared to get really wet on the Dino Island Log Ride , I am talking saturated, I have never been so wet in my life.
They do have a dry cave which was $5.

Wise Card was handy to transfer money into RM and use especially in Legoland.
Cash was needed for night market, ATM if needed at Malls.

Bali Hints Get a Wise Card , it is a lifesaver.For cheap meals go to local places or Warungs.Green Warrung was amazing a...
20/01/2024

Bali Hints

Get a Wise Card , it is a lifesaver.

For cheap meals go to local places or Warungs.
Green Warrung was amazing and we did the cooking class with Iluh Nicjoy she was amazing with our 9 year old and would totally recommend this at Legian Food Court.

Gojek and Grab are great for quick trips.

Get a driver for day trips and airport pick up, they wait for you with sign and help you out when needed.

If using money changer use a glass front one or get someone to come to you.

Same with ATMs use well lit ones close to hotels.

Banana Juice $1 Aud my son lived on these from our fav juice place next door to Depot Candra which has the best food for such a great price.
Friendly service and literally cheap as to eat, we did Takeaways and ate in 6 dishes and cost us less than $20 Australian.

Circle K or Mini Marts are great for drinks and snacks.

Soft drink is cheap and bread is delicious.

I am lactose intolerant and was able to get milk easily.

Cordial is lovely and my kids wished we could have got some to bring home.

We had our laundry done before leaving we had over 2 kgs and it cost less than $10 and the smell is amazing.

Ack Burgers are cheap and in lots of places.

We did Aussie Brazilian BBQ for Xmas lunch it was reasonably priced and lots to eat, we had to book in advance.

Traffic is crazy at Xmas and new year time as everyone comes down to celebrate, allow lots of time for airport and getting anywhere.
What is usually a 15 min trip was an hour.

We did alot of walking but lots of places not made for walking , uneven surface so wear good shoes.Also not a lot of pedestrian walkways so have to put hand out to cross.

Toilets are not like you are used to , lots of shopping centres have stand up toilets and no toilet paper we carried a roll of toilet paper with us

Some people have asked about our flights and accomodation.
We stayed at Dekuba Villa 2 its a 3 bedroom and 3 bathroom villa with its own pool.
It's amazing details here https://www.facebook.com/dekubuvilla2

Flight was one way through Virgin unfortunately they cancelled our flight and gave us a flight on Qantas which was great they provide food, blanket and entertainment at no extra cost.

We did have premium economy tickets with Virgin which we had allocated extra leg room seats and food and priority check in.

Visa we did at airport it was approx $50 we gave $100 Aus and got change in Rp which was great for first days.
We did declaration on line you can do as a group which was great for us 6.
https://www.welcomebacktobali.com/blog/latest-updates/customs-declaration-form-online

On the 20 th of December 2023, we set out on an adventure of 28 days , 6 countries , a cruise , airports , car trips, tu...
20/01/2024

On the 20 th of December 2023, we set out on an adventure of 28 days , 6 countries , a cruise , airports , car trips, tuk tuks, 4 Theme Parks, at least 20 Malls and Markets and more.

Over the next few weeks, I will be uploading photos from our trip

Photo is at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport or Denpasar airport, our first stop.

Ubud As first time travellers to Bali , we were told you have to do Ubud.Luckily we stayed at the amazing Dekuba villa 2...
20/01/2024

Ubud
As first time travellers to Bali , we were told you have to do Ubud.
Luckily we stayed at the amazing Dekuba villa 2
https://www.facebook.com/dekubuvilla2
and were introduced to Komang from Gustry Bali
https://www.facebook.com/MangEkok79, he is an amazing driver and picked us up from the airport and back as well.
Ubud was a long day started early and didn't get back til late at night.
We did so much in the one day and looking back probably should have done over 2 days.

It was hot and a long day.

We did the Tirta Empul Temple Tirta it is a Hindu Balinese water temple located near the town of Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia. The temple compound consists of a petirtaan or bathing structure, famous for its holy spring water, where Balinese Hindus go to for a ritual purification called Melukat.

You must be covered and wear a sarong which is given to you at the temple to borrow.You can bathe for an extra cost.

Uma pakel Bali Swing and Coffee it's great and friendly staff.
To use swings you pay extra, you get to try tea and if you want to have the luwak coffee you pay extra.
My husband tried it said it was interesting but once we heard about the treatment of the animals later, I wouldn't have got him to try it.

The swings are great and well worth the price paid.

Tegalalang Rice Fields is great but it's a massive walk, particularly in the heat.
Make sure you take water and cash as when you get to the other side of Fields , they take photos for you with gear on.

After Rice fields we ate at a local resturant which was a minimal cost.

Tegenugen Village Waterfall minimal cost , i think it worked out to be $2 Aud each and has amazing views.
Stairs are hard but have been told that if you go through the Beach Club they have a lift but may cost you.

We finished the day off with Kecak Balinese Dance it was lovely but after a long day probably would have given it a miss.

Ubud is lovely and would go back but do over a couple of days.

Trans Studio Bali This is a great indoor theme park on top of a mall.Price was $500,000 Rp for Adults and $350,000 Rp fo...
19/01/2024

Trans Studio Bali

This is a great indoor theme park on top of a mall.

Price was $500,000 Rp for Adults and $350,000 Rp for Kids.

No outside food allowed so bring extra money or eat beforehand.

The food is good and the burgers they serve inside are yum.

Lockers can be hired to store your items so you can go on rides.

We attended with our 9 year old, Teenager and 4 Adults, all had a great time.

There are heaps of rides and shows suitable for all ages.

It's a long day and our ASD child had a meltdown over the noise and having to wait in lines.
We had music on a phone and headphones which we used to calm him down and regulate.

The most popular ride is the formula racer it was an hour wait in the am and in the afternoon it was 2 hours.

Transport Gojek Car XL , download and book.Great Prices and easy to use.

https://www.transentertainment.com/transstudio/bali

On the 20 th of December 2023, we set out on an adventure of 28 days , 6 countries , a cruise , airports , car trips, tu...
17/01/2024

On the 20 th of December 2023, we set out on an adventure of 28 days , 6 countries , a cruise , airports , car trips, tuk tuks, 4 Theme Parks, at least 20 Malls and Markets and more.

Over the next few weeks I will be uploading hints and info in regard to places we visited , and ideas.

We had our challenges and our neuro diverse child had his moments but it has made us closer and helped us learn about ourselves more.

Photo is at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport or Denpasar airport our first stop.

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