Magic Travel Blog Stories
  • We recently spent 10 days in Singapore. Singapore isn’t exactly off the beaten path or known for being cheap and cheerful. If anything it’s very well established and rather expensive. However you don’t have to spend a fortune in Singapore. Here are some of the things we did that didn’t...0May 15, 2013

    Cheap Things To Do In Singapore

    We recently spent 10 days in Singapore. Singapore isn’t exactly off the beaten path or known for being cheap and cheerful. If anything it’s very well established and rather expensive. However you don’t have to spend a fortune in Singapore. Here are some of the things we did that didn’t…

  • I recently wrote a big long email worth of tips for someone about to move to Chiang Mai. It’s stuff that’s applicable to most people so I thought I’d repeat a slightly edited version of it here. This is a bit of brain dump but hopefully it makes sense.  ...0May 8, 2013

    Advice if You’re Moving to Chiang Mai

    I recently wrote a big long email worth of tips for someone about to move to Chiang Mai. It’s stuff that’s applicable to most people so I thought I’d repeat a slightly edited version of it here. This is a bit of brain dump but hopefully it makes sense.  …

  • We are now at the tail end of our two month stay in Bali. We’ve spent two months here as part of our ongoing quest to find places to spend bigger chunks of time in the future. How has Bali stacked up? We knew going in that convenient access back...0May 1, 2013

    Bali Round Up For Long Term Travelers

    We are now at the tail end of our two month stay in Bali. We’ve spent two months here as part of our ongoing quest to find places to spend bigger chunks of time in the future. How has Bali stacked up? We knew going in that convenient access back…

  • We stayed on the island of Bali in Indonesia for 59 days, lets call it two months. We spent a grand total of AUD $3367.92 during that time.  We certainly didn’t live like kings or queens and we also didn’t live like paupers… we lived a “just right for us”...0April 24, 2013

    Two Months In Bali, How Much Did We Spend?

    We stayed on the island of Bali in Indonesia for 59 days, lets call it two months. We spent a grand total of AUD $3367.92 during that time.  We certainly didn’t live like kings or queens and we also didn’t live like paupers… we lived a “just right for us”…

  • Kerobokan in Bali is quite the intriguing mish mash of places. You can find the famous Kerobokan prison, not that you would ever want to actually visit the place. Ample fairly awesome condos, rooms, villas and houses to rent and buy can be found in Kerobokan. And, you can also...1April 17, 2013

    Kerobokan, Bali For Long Term Travellers Like Us

    Kerobokan in Bali is quite the intriguing mish mash of places. You can find the famous Kerobokan prison, not that you would ever want to actually visit the place. Ample fairly awesome condos, rooms, villas and houses to rent and buy can be found in Kerobokan. And, you can also…

  • A few months ago I entered a competition from Bagworld by liking and sharing a product of theirs on Facebook. Of course, I chose the Pacsafe Travelsafe 20L Portable Safe, and I won. Thanks again Bagworld! I love Pacsafe. I love Bagworld. I love Security. Put them all together and...0April 10, 2013

    Pacsafe 20L Personal Safe Review

    A few months ago I entered a competition from Bagworld by liking and sharing a product of theirs on Facebook. Of course, I chose the Pacsafe Travelsafe 20L Portable Safe, and I won. Thanks again Bagworld! I love Pacsafe. I love Bagworld. I love Security. Put them all together and…

  • Candidasa or Candi Dasa is a small village located on the east side of Bali. The drive from the airport takes approximately 90 minutes. The drive from Ubud is about the same. It is a very relaxing place but the pros and cos of Candidasa pretty much cancel each other...0April 3, 2013

    Candidasa, Bali For Long Term Travellers Like Us

    Candidasa or Candi Dasa is a small village located on the east side of Bali. The drive from the airport takes approximately 90 minutes. The drive from Ubud is about the same. It is a very relaxing place but the pros and cos of Candidasa pretty much cancel each other…

  • Queue the love gush time: One of the best things that EVER happened to me was meeting Andrew. He is the soothing yin to my raging yang. He is my lover, best friend, travel partner, money maker, maker of cups of tea, and all around awesome person. How I love thee! Surprisingly we...4March 27, 2013

    Happy Third Year Wedding Anniversary To Us

    Queue the love gush time: One of the best things that EVER happened to me was meeting Andrew. He is the soothing yin to my raging yang. He is my lover, best friend, travel partner, money maker, maker of cups of tea, and all around awesome person. How I love thee! Surprisingly we…

  • While in Ubud we took the opportunity to go on a bicycle tour of the area. There’s a multitude of people offering tours and we opted for Bali Budaya based on them having a nice brochure. It’s very scientific. They picked us up bright and early and drove us and...3March 20, 2013

    Bicycle Tour of Bali

    While in Ubud we took the opportunity to go on a bicycle tour of the area. There’s a multitude of people offering tours and we opted for Bali Budaya based on them having a nice brochure. It’s very scientific. They picked us up bright and early and drove us and…

  •   I came across this iPhone / iPad / iPod app a few months ago and without any hesitation, I paid my USD $1.99 and have’t looked back since. Trail Wallet is an app that can easily track your daily expenditure in the local currency of the country you are...4March 13, 2013

    Trail Wallet App Review

      I came across this iPhone / iPad / iPod app a few months ago and without any hesitation, I paid my USD $1.99 and have’t looked back since. Trail Wallet is an app that can easily track your daily expenditure in the local currency of the country you are…

  • Yoga, meditation, breathing classes, re-birthing, and tantric retreats. I may not be totally into these things but there are plenty of expats living in Ubud that are. This is the place you want to hang out if you want to eat healthy, breathe healthy and just live life simply. Most...2March 6, 2013

    Ubud, Bali For Long Term Travellers Like Us

    Yoga, meditation, breathing classes, re-birthing, and tantric retreats. I may not be totally into these things but there are plenty of expats living in Ubud that are. This is the place you want to hang out if you want to eat healthy, breathe healthy and just live life simply. Most…

  • One of the first things we do when sizing up a place to stay long-term is to check out the prices in a supermarket. The bigger the supermarket the better as then you will be able to find all the things you actually need / want to help make your...0February 27, 2013

    What Things Cost At Carrefour In Bali, Indonesia

    One of the first things we do when sizing up a place to stay long-term is to check out the prices in a supermarket. The bigger the supermarket the better as then you will be able to find all the things you actually need / want to help make your…

  • The sleepy beachside village, but more like a city, of Sanur in Bali was our next stop on our “lets find a suitable place or three in Bali to keep coming back to” tour. I liked the place, Andrew did not. Of course, we don’t have to agree on everything...2February 20, 2013

    Sanur, Bali For Long Term Travellers Like Us

    The sleepy beachside village, but more like a city, of Sanur in Bali was our next stop on our “lets find a suitable place or three in Bali to keep coming back to” tour. I liked the place, Andrew did not. Of course, we don’t have to agree on everything…

  • Recently someone asked me how they could go about staying in Thailand for 2-3 years. That’s quite an involved question so I decided to publish my response here. All of this is accurate as far as I know. The regulations change periodically so you should make sure to double check...5February 13, 2013

    Thailand Long Term Visas

    Recently someone asked me how they could go about staying in Thailand for 2-3 years. That’s quite an involved question so I decided to publish my response here. All of this is accurate as far as I know. The regulations change periodically so you should make sure to double check…

  • We’ve been to Bali a number of times before. I (Tanya) have enjoyed the Bali tourist route six times now. Andrew, three. The difference, this time, is that we are here as potential long-termers. We have sixty days to explore what Bali has to offer for someone like us, long...0February 6, 2013

    Legian, Bali For Long Term Travellers Like Us

    We’ve been to Bali a number of times before. I (Tanya) have enjoyed the Bali tourist route six times now. Andrew, three. The difference, this time, is that we are here as potential long-termers. We have sixty days to explore what Bali has to offer for someone like us, long…