There was the sizable screw in a piece of corn bread I bought in Thailand or the spiral metal shaving embedded in my doner kebab in Germany. Imagine Tony’s surprise when he discovered a cockroach in his sticky rice in Cambodia or a freakishly long nail in his mutton biryani in India. Not to mention the occasional rock, piece of barbed wire, band-aid, match, fingernail or hair (and I’m not talking about the silky, straight ones).

Nutritional values aside, this is mostly stuff that should stay in tool boxes, first-aid kits or people’s pants. I can’t stop wondering how these things make their way into dishes. It can’t all be accidental, can it?

Of course, the requisite visit to the Chocolate Hills view point is on everyone’s itinerary when they come to Bohol. Called the Chocolate Hills because the hillocks go cocoa-brown in the dry season, the site is one of the most famous natural attractions in the Philippines, especially for Filipinos.

But we thought the tempting landscape of 1776 conical karst formations merited more than a quick snapshot from a viewpoint. So when a couple of locals offered to give us a motorbike tour of the scenic backcountry, we quickly hopped on – without considering the fact that it had rained heavily the day before.

Shooting down the muddy tracks past the Eight Sister Hillocks through the shady palm groves, emerald rice fields, and quaint rural villages, it was a challenge to take in our surroundings while confronted with an almost certain wipeout. Our drivers plowed through huge stretches of deep mud miraculously staying upright the entire time. Clearly, monsoonal rains weren’t going to hold these guys back.

In the end, since we didn’t wipe out, it ended up being a fantastic way to take in some of Bohol’s beautiful countryside and appreciate the scale of the unique karst formations. Highly recommended for those with good balance

How to Arrange a Motorbike Tour through the Chocolate Hills

Locals with mopeds/motorbikes wait at the turn off to the Chocolate Hills Complex before you start the drive up the hill. We paid 250 Pesos per bike for a one-hour tour along a dirt loop-road that passes through the center of the Chocolate Hills.

There are many memories of World War II in the Philippines: the sunken fleets of Coron and Subic Bay, old bunkers and forts, and the destruction of old Manila, a once legendary colonial masterpiece.  One of the stranger remnants of the war is “Hey, Joe”, a greeting from the past that has been carried over into the 21st century. The name “Joe” given to the many nameless American soldiers who were stationed here, has become synonymous with male foreigners – any Joe Schmo or Average Joe who is visiting the country. Yes, the memory of G.I. Joe is very much alive in the Philippines.

It’s not unusual to hear the greeting several times a day. Whether from kids or adults, it’s usually accompanied by a wave and a fair amount of snickering. At first, I was like, “No, no, my name is Thomas,” but that only caused hysterical laughter. Now, after several months, I’m used to it. What I haven’t figured out, though, is how Western women are greeted in the Philippines. Do they get a “Hey, Jane”?

TnT in the Nubra Valley in Ladakh, India

Tony Eitnier and Thomas Arnold, authors of the Contemporary Nomad travel blog, are two of the most adventurous travel bloggers around. Eitnier, a former language and communications trainer, and Arnold, a former chemist, are drawn to less-traveled destinations—like Sudan. Their travels have resulted in an impressive >> Continue Reading on TransitionsAbroad.com >>

The Black Forest dive site off of Balicasag Island is one of the most breathtaking underwater locations we have visited in the Philippines. Located a short distance from Alona Beach, the underwater slope boasts a rare forest of black coral growth featuring all the favorites: hawksbill turtles, scorpionfish, lionfish, bright yellow leaffish, tall-fin batfish, and giant white frogfish. But what really blew us away were the huge schools of swirling Jacks.

Since our temporary replacement underwater camera can’t be used while diving, I’ve embedded another diver’s Youtube video featuring the schools. Enjoy.