Category Archives: Travel

JR Marriott.

Fatty Tuna, Urchin and Roe on sushi rice.

We lost a day in transit today. Everyone was moving super slow due to lack of sleep, and we’ve got a pretty big group so it almost got testing. We spent most of the morning trying to get on a plane in China, and once we finally landed in HK we got stuck in hardcore traffic as the streets were blocked off for a protest of some sort, the traffic was so bad that we didn’t get to our hotels by dinner time.

I’m not a huge fan of HK. I’ve visited Hong Kong more times than any other country I’m pretty sure, mainly because Mum and Dad used to take my sister and I every single year for one of their 2 business trips (Mum used to own a couple of high fashion stores in the CBD back in the day). When I was a kid I hated it that I couldn’t speak Chinese, just made me feel dumb, still does!

First stop Hulishan Fortress to check out the largest coastal cannon in the world.

Bullet.

We then hopped on a ferry to Gu Lang Yu. Funny thing is this little lady had the loudest voice of everyone on the boat!

The beach…

… Chinese styles!

We then were treated to an epic Chinese dinner and our relos here had booked the most expensive room in the restaurant for NYE, ROOM 888!!!!!!!!!!

CHEERS!

This stuff was nailpolish remover.

The relos were pushing us to drink, HARD!

We then hit Karaoke!

We got up earlier yesterday to make the trek out to Grandpa’s village.

The first house we checked out was one which Grandpa made for his younger brother, who sadly 15 years ago was robbed and murdered in this house (and even sadder, people only found his body days later AND the killer has never been found).

Photo of his brother, his house now abandoned and acting as a shrine of sorts.

Inside.

We then made our way to Grandpa’s house.

There were a fair few villagers there ready for our arrival so the traditional ceremonies kicked off right away with deafening crackers!

We all made a beeline to a wall of photos next to a shrine. This is Grandpa!

Mum cleaning the photo.

Yeah, cousins know how to dress!

I saw lots of this stuff drying out on slabs of concrete, it’s turnip for pig food!

Haha! My Uncle Julius rocks the ZEN Snapback so well!

Yeah Indo men, we drink and smoke! We then had a feast, eating all the food that was prepared for Grandpa earlier. The food we were eating was raised in the village too. So rad.

Mum meeting one of her cousins for the very first time. This guy drinks 3 bottles of a red a day, and smokes like a chimney. Happy life!

Cheers! We stayed here a while and I waxed lyrical a bit too (red wine does that to me!). I live for this!

I then got a scooter ride down to visit the last living brother.

On the way we stopped by the house in which Grandpa grew up in until he was 13 (funny that the house number was 13 too), this house was in a pretty bad state now with nothing but chickens living in it.

I was pretty welled up with emotions, as you can see in this photo. Was so hard to contain!

Family after family, house after house.

Super cute village girls!

And another family, the little kid was super naughty, as soon as he saw me he threw stuff in my face!

Tea, we had LOTS of it in each house. Each house owner would pour us tea, shove food in our faces and tell us stories, both happy ones and sad ones. I loved it.

With happy hearts we left the village and by the time we got back to the city it was dinner time.

I really wasn’t hungry at all, but when in doubt, power out!

6.30AM, I’m the first at Buffet Breakfast (as usual!!!).

OMG where do I start?! Mum loves a good buffet brekkie too!

So much variety. I could eat here all day!

I had a little trouble getting to sleep last night. No weed, and YouTube has been banned on the Hotel WiFi (so too all video streaming services) so I couldn’t use that to help me get to sleep (couldn’t figure the TV out lol!). I ended up having to raid the mini-fridge.

Morning view from my room.

That China haze, but at least the sky is blue-ish?!

My Uncle Julius is a big time lawyer in Indo (and he loves his new hat!).

All aboard the bus!

Our first stop was to visit my brother’s HUGE print factory (one of 5 in China!).

At the entrance, this awesome Heidelberg which is pretty much exactly the same one which The Distillery used to print my businsess cards (which cost $4 each to make!!!).

These guys can also do in-house design work.

And some of their clients include: Disney…

… And Aussie clients!

And Home Depot!

And they make packaging for anything, from TV’s to inflatable pools.

One of many huge machines, this one seemed to cut paper into different sizes.

This is their latest machine which cost a cool US $7 million (!!!).

They even have their own Ista certified test lab to test all the boxes (and ensure products inside them are safe).

Laser cut goods.

And here are just some of the goods they’ve made in the past. I’ve now got a great contact at the factory that speaks amazing english! ZEN BOXES TO COME!!!!!!

Yum Cha was amaze. So China, so good!

Indo men, we smoke!

Loved the coffee ashtray touch at this cafe.

This took me by surprise and reminds me of seeing UFO’s in Ancient Egyptian wall art.

We then visited the home that my Grandpa made for his adopted kids 50+ years ago. Check it out, it’s so Architecturally unique, so solid (they sure as hell built houses differently back in the day!). I think it’ll last forever.

The courtyard, I’d so do my Wing Chun here.

Solid granite handrail and staircase all the way to the 3rd floor where the lady of the house took her own life. I was asked if I’d like to check out the 3rd floor but out of respect I decided not to go up.

There are now many buildings across the road from the house but back in the day it was the only house around.

After spending some time at the house, we did a bit of shopping.

Dinner was even more amaze than lunch as I ate and drank a whole lotta stuff I’ve never had before!

We have a B’Day on the trip!

Loved how long the B’Day paused for when asked to make a wish, man it must have been one seriously heavy wish…

7AM brekkie at the Qantas Lounge, Mum travels in style!!!

Goodie bags.

Massage chair?! Bring it on! In truth I just ended up laying it flat and sleeping most of the way.

Go Perry!

Over Hong Kong somewhere.

Hey the relos… they’re cool!

A short flight from HK where we met up with family and we’ve just landed in Xiamen and booked into a hotel WAY classier than what I was expecting!!! The Shangri-La.

A while back Mum asked if I’d like to tag along on a journey to China, to see the area in which my Grandpa was born. Grandpa was an amazing man from what I’ve heard. He created an empire with Imora Motor (Honda in Indonesia), had 2 wives (which has been my goal in life ever since hearing about it when I was a teen), he adopted children into our HUGE family and he was still working the day before he died (that kinda guy!).

Seeing his place of rest in Indo many years ago left a lasting impression on me so I jumped at the opportunity to tag along! I’ll be here until the new years and I have no idea what to expect, but my camera is packed and ready!

PS: Looks like Instagram and Facebook are banned here in China! I can’t access!!!

Hangs at the airport before the quick (teleport) home!!!