Visiting Clark, Philippines

On December 9, 2025December 8, 2025 By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travelLeave a comment

The only reason I flew to Clark was for a joiner hiking tour to Mt. Pinatubo.

I’d booked a month in advance. Sent in my passport. Sent in a doctor’s confirmation of health. AND still wasn’t allowed to join the group.

Nobody can tell me why.

It’s yet one more example of inefficiency in most of the S.E. Asian nations. (Singapore a HUGE exception.)

On the upside, the Facebook only group who couldn’t get me on Pinatubo, offered an alternative next day. And I did enjoy my hike to the Aw Sen waterfall with Filipino young people.

Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone serves as a hub for business, industry, aviation, education, and tourism in the Philippines, as well as a center for leisure, fitness, entertainment, and gaming.

You know the name because Clark Air Base grew into the largest U.S. military installation outside America.

Controversial with citizens, the U.S. returned the base to the Philippines after the terrible 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption.

I did a recommended walking tour around the Clark Parade Grounds.

Nice — but short.

Clark Museum was interesting. Tourist Information and the 4D Video attraction both inexplicably closed, as are so many things in the Philippines.

Rented a mountain bike and did about 30km of touring green spaces.

This no nonsense character was selling used golf balls.

Cycles and Brew had an all day breakfast deal with good coffee.

One thing that is very impressive in the Philippines is shopping malls.

I hung out quite a bit at SM Clark Mall.

They LOVE celebrating Christmas in the Philippines, starting in September !

Visiting El Nido, Philippines

On December 3, 2025December 2, 2025 By Rick McIn food, hiking, travel1 Comment

One of the most popular destinations in all 7000+ islands.

First morning I signed up for the Taraw Cliff Via Ferrata Canopy Walk.

Easy access right from the main tourist area.

It rewards with a great overview of the town and harbour.

There’s another Canopy Walk, similar, but it’s about 4km out of town.

Click PLAY or watch some drone footage on YouTube.

El Nido is one of the most popular tourist traps in the Philippines.

El Nido town itself isn’t exactly charming. Crowded, kind of messy, and very touristy.

Dozens of feral dogs roam the streets at night, making me nervous.

The beach is no hell — but I liked it better in the evening with fewer tourists.

Public transit is non-existent. Cycling near impossible due to traffic. The only way to get around is by tricycle or “trike”. Most are crappy, rickety motorcycles with a sidecar somehow welded on.

With all the dollars coming in, I’m surprised El Nido’s not been improved. Boracay is modern, by comparison.

My best meal was Calzone in a stone oven.

Cycling ’round Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

On November 14, 2025 By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travelLeave a comment

Sun Moon Lake is a highlight for everyone visiting Taiwan.

748 m (2,454 ft) above sea level, temperatures are more moderate than the coastline.

In 2020, the number of annual tourist visits was 4.65 million people. Yet it didn’t feel crowded to me.

Surrounding the lake are biking and hiking trails for visitors.

I did both.

Cycling around is about 30 km + side trips. I stopped at most of the side trip attractions. Several temples.

The highlight was seeing indigenous Formosan macaques at play. They are much shyer than the macaques I’d seen in S.E. Asia.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Highly recommended.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Visiting Jiufen, Taiwan

On November 9, 2025November 8, 2025 By Rick McIn food, hiking, travelLeave a comment

Almost every tourist itinerary includes Jiufen.

It’s a tiny seaside town outside Taipei City. 45 minute bus ride.

I went, actually, for the Teapot Mountain Trail — but Jufien was terrific, as well.

Jiufen Old Street is the main attraction, a narrow, winding alleyway with shops, teahouses, and restaurants that offer tourists something of a view of traditional Taiwanese life.

It was positively packed when I arrived at dusk.

Happily, I found a restaurant balcony providing a view of the chaos below. 😀

The lanterns are evocative.

There is an incredible variety of foods to try in the night market.

Old street closes early when the ice-cream mini-trucks arrive. Actually, small garbage trucks play music, trying to get tourists to get out of the way.

I stayed just above the impressive Jiufen Zhaoling Temple.

Definitely an excellent stop.

Farewell Singapore

On November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel1 Comment

My new home away from home in S.E. Asia.

I used to consider Hong Kong my jumping off point for Asia — but I don’t like the dictator-for-life who now runs that city.

I first got to Singapore in 1996. Amazing airport. Fantastic zoos.

Everything WORKS in Singapore. It’s ultra-modern in most ways.

Very welcoming for tourists.

Public transportation is a dream. You tap a credit card to take any subway or bus. And they run everywhere frequently.

I stay in Little India, the least expensive area. Most of the hostels are there.

Mustafa Centre is a highlight. Open 24 hours. Packed at all hours of the day and night. An experience.

YES, Singapore is expensive. But there are plenty of free attractions to keep you busy if you don’t want to pay $30 for a museum entrance.

For example, Shimano Cycling World will rent you a high end road bike for $150. Or you can take one of their mountain bikes for free. Nice.

I did a lot of hiking on my most recent trip. The Botanic Gardens are excellent and mostly free.

It’s a surprisingly green city.

I explored Sentosa island more this time.

My A.I. Halloween costume in front of Universal Studios globe.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

More PHOTOS

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Visiting Ubud, Bali

On September 1, 2025August 31, 2025 By Rick McIn hiking, movies, travelLeave a comment

You might recall Julia Roberts here in Eat, Pray, Love.

The small city of Ubud has developed a serious tourism industry, promoted as an arts and culture centre.

More than three million foreign tourists each year, many of those NOT YOUNG. (Youth are on some beach instead.) I saw many families with young kids, as well.

Ubud is inland amongst rice terraces.

Highlights for me were:

Ubud Monkey Forest (VIDEO)
Campuhan Ridge Walk (VIDEO)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I twice went walking in the local rice paddies, as well.

My favourite restaurant there, Sweet Orange.

Even better was a splurge for steak and mushrooms at Funky Chunks. Cost about CAD $15.

Traffic is terrible. But I did like Ubud.

I FINALLY Made It to Bromo Volcano at Dawn

On August 25, 2025 By Rick McIn hiking, travel1 Comment

One of my goals for Indonesia.

PHOTOS and trip report posted on my hiking site.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Arrived Surabaya, Indonesia

On August 20, 2025 By Rick McIn hiking, travel1 Comment

My first visit to the world’s fourth-most-populous country.

It would take a LONG time to explore over 17,000 islands!

I flew into Surabaya, the 2nd largest city, for the great airfare.

Location-wise it was ideal for me jumping off to the Bromo volcano climb.

That said, Surabaya has little to offer for the tourist. It’s mostly a loud, polluted sprawl. Transportation is difficult.

I’ll leave for Malang as quickly as possible.

The Left-handed Twin by Thomas Perry

On August 15, 2025August 4, 2025 By Rick McIn books, hikingLeave a comment

The Left-handed Twin (2021) by Thomas Perry is good, but not as good as the previous 8 books in the series.

One part I did enjoy was a chase on Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness.

Jane Whitefield helps people disappear.

Fearing for their lives, fleeing dangerous situations, her clients come to her when they need to vanish completely—to assume a new identity and establish a new life somewhere they won’t be found. …

… Jane finds a young woman fresh from LA with a whole lot of trouble behind her. After she cheated on her boyfriend, he dragged her to the home of the offending man and made her watch as he killed him. She testified against the boyfriend, but a bribed jury acquitted him, and now he’s free and trying to find and kill her.

Jane agrees to help, and it soon becomes clear that outsmarting the murderous boyfriend is not beyond Jane’s skills. But the boyfriend has some new friends: members of a Russian organized crime brotherhood.

When they learn that Sara is traveling with a tall, dark-haired woman who disappears people, the Russians become increasingly interested in helping the boyfriend find the duo. They’ve heard rumors that such a woman existed—and believe that, if forcibly extracted, the knowledge she has of past clients could be worth millions.

He does plan a 10th book to be called The Tree of Life and Flowers (2026).