I know, Smiles (bookmark blogpost for later) is an already used blog name for my trip to Southeast Asia in 2024. However, when I think back to my recent fall 2025 adventure to Southeast Asia all I can think of are “smiles”-everywhere. Hence Smiles 2.0.
Since Goggle Reflections is suppose to be a swim blog, I will start first with the swimming part of the trip. In looking for another excuse to visit this exciting part of the world-I thought Swim Trek. Swim Trek has a growing portfolio of trips in Southeast Asia so I zeroed in on Shiprwreck Coast-Bali-why not? It’s also close to Singapore near some dear friends-big bonus.
Indonesia is the 4th most populous country in the world with over 17,000 islands. One of the biggest islands in this archepeligo is Bali. My home, for the week was Blue Earth Village in Amed in the remote northeast part of the island known for scuba and free diving. Blue Earth Village is a small yoga focused hotel (two shalas) with a very friendly staff set on a bluff over looking the blue Indian Ocean and volcano Mt. Agung.
There were 12 swimmers on this trek mostly from Australia, a couple from Spain and then three of us from United States. There were two guides Marlys and Arnaud. Marlys is from Corvallis, Oregon and a legendary Swim Trek guide. Arnaud is a Frenchman that has lived in Bali for 20+ years. Oddly, enough in this remote part of the world there were four of us that live or use to live in the Pacific Northwest. Small world.
Our days started and frankly ended in a very similar fashion—talking, laughing and eating. Of course, in between we swam! I was paired with Oscar a very fun and fast swimmer from Madrid. We often started from behind the larger group, caught up with them and then basically swam with them, around with them, or a little ahead of them.
Basically, we had two coastal swims a day. One in the morning and one after lunch at a nearby small resort along the coast. Daily we saw the tropical coastline and dotted with temples and Mt. Agung rising in the near background. In the water we saw some shipwrecks and lots and lots of pretty tropical fish. No wonder this part of Bali attracts divers and free divers. The water was blue and very, very hot-88+ degrees-yes there is global warming!
We had a field trip one afternoon to Titra Gannga Water Palace a former summer residence for the royal family. It was a fun way to split the day between the ocean and a unique swimming experience in the pools.
The five days went quickly with new friendships and experiences. One of the things I like about Swim Trek is the commonality of swimming and bringing like minded people together to create new friendship’s. Looking forward to the next one!
The fun didn’t end with Swim Trek and Bali. It was merely a point in time of a nearly a month long adventure in Southeast Asia.
So much goodness and fun happened I am not necessarily sure how to capture it all. I am going to give it a shot.
As I mentioned part of the allure of Swim Trek Amed was that it was near Singapore and dear friends. The adventure kicked off with visiting Mike and Anne in Singapore for a few days before heading to Bali.
Aside from truly enjoying each other’s company, good meals and walking around the city we went on the Seifert infamous backroads bike tour of Singapore. Shannon and I weren’t able to it on the last trip so it was good to get this bucket list item checked off.
After Swim Trek, Mike and Anne made a special effort to spend a long weekend in Sanur, Bali with me. Sanur is in the more touristy part of Bali with a boardwalk that goes a long the ocean with all sorts of beach bars and restaurants.
We did what we seem to do best hang out with each other, eat and pamper ourselves.
After Sanur, Mike and Anne winged their way back to Singapore and I to Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. In the past we had been to Hanoi in the north part of the country and I was excited to see HCMC/Saigon. It is such a vibrant and bustling city with a cosmopolitan feel to it-I really liked it.
There a few highlights that jump out at me. First, it is the historical significance of the city from its French colonization to the American/Vietnam War. I saw the War Renamennt Museum that was quite sobering with the atrocities of war.
I also saw Independence Palace where the fall of Saigon took place in 1975 and the CIA Saigon staff housing building where the famous pic of the American airlift took place during Saigon’s fall. There is so much history to still learn to better understand Vietnam and Southeast Asia and America’s role in that region.
Second and on a much more positive note was all the motorbikes-everywhere! The tour I was most excited about was Saigon At Night Motor Bike Tour. Omg-it was unique and sooo much fun!!! There were only 3 of us on the tour riding behind our own drivers. We had four different stops; a bar, two restaurants and a music club. In a city with a population of 14 million there are over 9 million motorbikes. Old, young, big, small and entire families-you name it and they are on a bike. While it looks totally chaotic, it totally works with an easy fluidity of motorbikes and cars maneuvering around each other. Honestly, I never felt unsafe once on the back of the bike.
Below are a couple videos that I just have to share. The first is my perspective riding on back of the bike during the tour and the second video is the street outside my hotel during a torrential rain storm-absolutely wild!
Midweek Mike met me in HCMC and we went on a 3 night and 4 day bike tour of the Mekong Delta with Mr. Biker Saigon tour company. Honestly, it was such a fun and memorable experience not sure I can really describe it however I will try to as succinctly as possible.
It was a private tour with Mike, myself our guide An and the sag wagon driver Mr. Vuh. Our guide, An was a handsome and outgoing young man. Every morning he met us with a big smile and was proud to share his culture and the Mekong countryside that he grew up in. While we rode we learned about three distinct things; the coconut kingdom, the rice paddies fields and life along the river.
We tried and ate different types of Vietnamese food everyday, acquired the taste for sweet and strong Vietnamese coffee and stayed in some communist hotels with all the luxury they have to offer.
There is sooo much to reflect on however there will be three strong remembrances of our bike journey. First the people that we saw, met and engaged with (còm ún-An) on a daily basis. The smiles on the school kids we met, the people we saw on road and nearly everyone yelling “hallo” at us as we rode by.
Second, meeting An’s mom, aunties and uncles and enjoying a homemade dinner at An’s mom’s house. After dinner we sat in front his mom’s store and watched the world go by-it felt like a very memorable and personal night.
And lastly, the time we all spend together, laughing, eating, drinking and sharing new experiences. There is so much more however this is the best I can do. The motto of Mr. Biker Saigon is “never try, never know” and we did our very best to live up to it.
Mike returned to Singapore and I was off to Laos for a few days of exploration. Laos is a new country for me and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
My destination was Luang Prabang in north central Laos. It sits at the confluence of the Mekong and Nan Kahn rivers. It is known for its Lao architecture, French colonial influences and a spiritual center with lots of Buddhist temples.
I stayed at a quaint little hotel Villa Maly and just enjoyed wandering around town checking out the night market, walking up Phousi Hill and checking out all the temples.
My highlights were using the hotel’s bike and riding through town and along the river and a half day trip to Kuang Se Falls where I met my new Singaporean Chinese friends. Two crazy old guys traveling with each other…hmmm maybe that will be me one day.
I really enjoyed Luang Prabang and wish I could have spent a more time in Laos. A bit of travel advice give your self a couple extra days and check out Vang-Vieng. I didn’t go however, I heard good things about it and the area looked cool as I whizzed by it on the train. Also make sure you exchange your Laotian kip before you leave the country because it’s absolutely worthless currency outside the country. Foreign currency exchanges won’t even accept it.
All good things must come to an end and this tour of Southeast Asia ended in Koh Samui, Thailand. Mike and I spent fours days at the Anatara Bophut Resort. The resort was also the location for a handful scenes from the White Lotus series on HBO-kinda cool.
We found it very, very stressful in Koh Samui. We ate well, we showed up on time for happy hours, and Mike even got a pedicure on the beach.
Cultural events included visiting the Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai and then Wat Plai Laem to see the multi-armed Guanyin and the Laughing Buddha.
There was even a very impressive fire show on the beach at Coco Tams that we got to witness very up close and in person.
And no trip to Southeast Asia would be complete without some Burrow/Seifert custom clothes shopping. Our new tailor friend was Chabe (definitely not chubby) he was a fast talker and pretty good sales person. I am not sure why we get such a kick out of this activity. Is it choosing the fabric? Or that it’s inexpensive custom clothes and we get to bargain? Or, is it the fact that the tailor always tells us how good we look? Duh! I don’t know, but we sure have fun and makes for a fun cultural event.
In a month period of time, I was in five countries. I swam, I biked, I met new people, I learned new things about different cultures and I made new memories with new friends and new memories with old friends. Doesn’t get much better than that-right? Travel is good and travel is important to better understand our world. While the climate and water in Southeast Asia is warm (dare I say hot) what still hits me most is the warmth of the smiles on majority of the people I encountered on this fabulous journey. They may not enjoy many of the big or small luxury’s we enjoy however the people seem, happy, grateful and in the moment. Perhaps something we can learn from.
Upon my return I have had to remind myself more than handful of times of the expression-don’t be sad it’s over, be happy that it happened!
I am very happy it happened.
Goggle Reflections 