On Seventh

Travelling to Japan for 2 weeks : Budget Travel Guide

2018-06-22T12:44:00.002+08:00

12 places/cities in 2 weeks? Yes, you heard me. It is doable and I did it. There are people out there, they just do more than me. I can say, I am pretty laid back.

1. Tokyo
2. Hakone
3. Hakata
4. Nagasaki
5. Osaka
6. Miyajima
7. Hiroshima
8. Himeji
9. Kobe
10. Nara
11. Nagoya
12. Kyoto

4 nights in Tokyo

2 nights in Hakata

8 nights in Osaka

Osaka is my base to explore the surrounding 7 area/cities - Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, Kobe, Nara, Nagoya and Kyoto.

Flew in to Haneda Airport at 10:30pm. I was worried that we cannot make it to take the last train to our first accommodation. Japanese Immigration was all good, easy breezy and we all done at 11:30pm. Quickly to the train station right outside the departure hall.

Check out this link > Haneda Airport - 2nd Floor Arrival Lobby Access Hall

Accomodation
1. 1 Night > Otorii > Guest House Sensu
2. 3 Nights > Shinjuku > Airbnb
3. 2 Nights > Hakata > Airbnb
4. 8 Nights > Osaka > Airbnb

Average per night per person: RM 98.00
Total 14 nights per person: RM 1,372.00

I loved Guest House Sensu and Airbnb. If I want to go back, I'll go back to these places again.

Transportation:
1. Pasmo card for 14 nights > 8,000 Yen
2. JR Pass 7 days > 29,110 Yen
3. RomanceCar Hakone > 1,090 Yen
4. Osaka 1-day pass > 2,500 Yen
5. Osaka 2-day pass > 3,300 Yen
6. Nagasaki streetcar > 500 Yen
7. Fukuoka City pass > 720 Yen
8. Fukuoka Open Top Bus > 1,540 Yen
9. Tokyo One-Hour Tour on Open-Top Bus > 1,800 Yen
10. Hakone Pass > 5,140 Yen
11. Train from Haneda to Otorii Station > 290 Yen
12. Bus from Hakone to Shinjuku > 870 Yen

Total Yen: 54,860
Total RM: 2,002.00

Using Pasmo is awesome. Same goes to JRPass. It is very convenient. We can use Pasmo to buy our food and stuff. For JRPass, here to activate your JR Pass. Plan ahead and give a copy to the officer and they will issue your ticket accordingly. Easy peasy. You can even cancel your ticket and ask them to re-issue. You just need to go back to their office and inform and walaa, you get your new ticket. At each of JR Office, they have a special lane for the JRPass. Do not worry, JR Japanese officers are very helpful.
For Hakone Free pass, you have to go Shinjuku station to purchase the tickets. There is no online purchase.

Food ! What about food? Well, in average cost per meal in Japan, roughly 1,000 Yen per meal. However if you have the time and effort to go around and search, you can get 500 Yen and below. That's how cheap it can be. I budgeted 3,000 Yen per day for food. In train station, it could be more than 1,000 Yen. If you go to convenience store, yes, it is definitely cheaper.For those who likes to drink coffee, tea+milk, milo, or anything hot in the morning for breakfast, I can say, it is difficult to find. Japanese drink cold water in the morning and also throughout the day. They serve cold water for you, unlimited and it's free!
How do I survived without my daily hot cereal drink? I bought hot green tea at the train station.

Food 3,000 Yen x 14 days = 42,000 Yen

RM 1,533.00

Attraction Places

1. Kobe Maritime Museum > 1,000 Yen

2. Nagoya SCMaglev and Railway Park > 1,000 Yen

3. Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum > 200 Yen

Total RM 81.00

The rest are free. Some covered by the JRPass, local pass. Osaka pass.

Others

1. Tokyo baggage storage > 420 Yen

Total RM 16.00

What do you think of my budget for 2 weeks? I used RM 5004.00 for 2 weeks. Of course minus souvenirs. Your budget could varies. Depending your lifestyle. :)

Travelling with new friend

2018-06-21T10:22:00.001+08:00

I recently came back from 2 weeks long trip to Japan. What's the feeling? Accomplished? Satisfied? Awesome? Tired? I did it? Happy?

Yay! All sorts of feeling. As usual, I took more than 6 months to prepare ourselves to the Land Of Rising Sun. I hate the feeling being lost and could not figure on what to do next. For any overseas trip, I never give a second thought not to do research before going to the trip. It is always, always research and reading.

One could think that is tiresome, bored, read again and again. Well, for me, it is an opportunity getting to know a place. Even the place is not in my itinerary, it is a valuable knowledge. Second could say, "Why don't you take tour? It solved the hassle". I don't like to be on the bus all the time. I don't like to wait for everyone. I don't like too many people. I don't like to listen the tour guide, I don't like the fixed itinerary. I love flexibility, freedom, adventure, walk the city, use public transport, mix with the locals, etc.

Everyone is different and everyone has different travel styles. I do understand when a person choose to opt for tour. I respect your choice. It is not everyone can do a backpacking travel. Reason like health, no stamina to walk, afraid of crowded places, no sense of direction, lazy to do R&D, too much of walking, don't know how to read map, don't know how to read signage, etc.

This time around, a new friend joined our trip. Her standard phrase "I will just follow you", "Up to you" and no opinion at all. It is extremely annoying to hear this. I did not declare myself as tour guide for this trip and we all should contribute ideas / opinions / comments. Yes, I did the itinerary and it does not mean I know everything.

Writing this post is not about ranting a person. Do not get me wrong. I want to tell everyone out there, when you travel with your friends and when they need your opinion, please tell your most honest and sincere opinion. When you travel backpacking, you need plenty of patience.

We have moments where we need to agree about things like food, time, that's when we need opinions. Communication is key. There is likely there will be times when you get on each other's nerve. It is better to have a calm discussion than to let it build up. Be open, appreciate the importance of listening and respecting of each other's opinion.

Travel Companion

2018-05-03T10:35:00.004+08:00

Travelling locally, overseas or within your neighborhood, you always getting someone to accompany you. It's best to travel with someone who is fascinated by the unknown places and new experiences.

It's very exciting to travel places together with your friends however at the same it is the time also stress-test for a friendship - being in new surrounding, different foods, different culture, different languages. To some, it is a challenges to your friendship.

Everyone knows how to blend it comes to a situation. On the other hand, imagine your travel companion refused to blend in. It makes the whole travelling experience more stiffer than enjoyable. When you have planned a lot for the trip, it is the worse could happen when someone dragging everybody down by not having together.

I traveled before with a group of 6, 4, 3 and 2. My best group is always group of 3 or 4. I will never go beyond 4 except for family trip - this is no doubt. The bigger group you joined, the bigger hassle you're going to overcome. I have seen my own friend ditched me during the trip. The reason being she was tired. Communication is crucial. The plan is always flexible as long we communicate to each other. The plan does not have to be rigid. Be flexible, you open yourself up to opportunities.

Do you have sense of direction? Do you have skill as a photographer? Do what you are best at. Do not use the phrase "whatever you want to do" to your travelling companion. Never having an opinion puts all of the responsibility and exciting plans on someone else. If the outing goes sour, that person will feel bad.

Being able to travel makes me happy. Travelling really changes my perspective on things.

“Remember that happiness is a way of travel—not a destination.” ~Roy M. Goodman.

2 weeks on Bali

2018-05-01T22:11:00.001+08:00

Bali is never on my travel list. Making itinerary was less than 3 months, the fastest I guess. :)

I had a culture shocked while I was there. Most probably due to the timing. Upon landing, our driver has waited for us and I was still blur as I saw a lot of people waiting at the arrival hall. I was like... "We're not celebrity". Really really a lot of people.

On the way to Canggu, to our Airbnb villa, we stopped by at a cafe to grab some food to eat. I was so hungry. So we decided to grab donuts. Along the way to Canggu, a lot of beautiful shops, colorful, full of souvenirs. What amazed me was the road system. The road was so narrow however the amount of vehicles on the road, A LOT than my place. My culture shocked has not ended, it's just about to begin. Looking at the houses, roads, people, no tall buildings, I didn't see any fast food restaurant and there I was thinking, "Ohhh, this is it. This is BALI !" When we reached the villa, I was like "Yeah, this is it. This is Bali again..." Beautiful villas, village area, narrow road system, motorcycle buzzing noise here and there.

My expectation was the high-rise building, big road system, traffic lights here and there, and so, my brain was still processing that time. I kept to myself. We overnight in Canggu and next day we traveled to Lovina. Lovina is located at the north coast of Bali.

Shops along the way to Canggu

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan

Dermaga Lovina

Lovina

Relaxing at Reef Seen Diver's Resort

There were so many places to visit. Beautiful places, Bali never stops to amaze me! From visiting waterfall, going out to the sea, visiting temples, hiking in Ubud, etc. Here's my itinerary:

Day 1
Relax Day

Day 2
Tanah Lot
Travel to Lovina

Day 3
Twin Lake Wanagiri Spot
Wanagiri Hidden Hill (Swing)
Gigit Waterfall
Handara Golf & Resort Bali
Pura Ulun Danu Beratan
Bali Strawberry Farm & Restaurant

Day 4
Pura Ulun Danu Batur
Holy Hot Spring Banjar

Day 5
Dolphin Watching
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Pemuteran Bay
Projek Penyu / Turtle Hatchery Project

Day 6
Travel to Ubud
Lakeview Restaurant, Kintamani
Lake Batur

Day 7
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Antonio Blanco
Art Market
Green Village Bali
Teba Sari Bali Agrotourism
Agung Rai Museum of Art
Goa Gajah

Day 8
Tegallalang Rice Terrace
Big Tree Farms Bamboo Chocolate Factory
Sukawati Market

Day 9
Back to Canggu
Tiara Gatzu
Hard Rock Cafe
Free and Easy Kuta
Uluwatu Temple
Kecak Dance

Day 10
Free and Easy

When we're back to Canggu and starting to explore Denpasar, Legian, Kuta and nearby areas, then I saw tall buildings, supermarkets, malls, McDonalds, KFC, etc. I laughed myself. This is city life. How silly I am that thinking Bali is just some nature gateway. Bali offer more than you imagine !

Travelling to Taipei-Macau-Hong kong : Budget Travel Guide 2017

2017-07-01T23:03:00.002+08:00

After such a long hiatus, unexpected blog break, it's me again blogging about my recent backpacking.

I guess it is an odd trip to Taipei then Macau and Hong Kong. Normally people do not travel this kind of route. People would just stick to Macau and Hong Kong only. Unless it is a tour. Yes, i checked through online, there is one company offering this route Taipei-Macau-Hong Kong via London.

I was thinking why need 3 days to Macau. Some says a day is enough to see Macau. I read a lot of blogs, almost 99% had a day trip to Macau. My last trip to Macau and Hong Kong was in September 2007. It was 10 years ago. That time, Macau was a transit for us to go Hong Kong. I didn't spend a good whole day in Macau. It was a brief visit. It made me thinking, what Macau could offer us in 3 days.

Building itinerary is a very challenging task when you travel with a group of friends. From accomodation, transportation, money, food, etc. Of course, 1 thing always our priority is budget. Trying to minimise on what we could. It doesn't spell to minus the fun. It has to be balance in everything.

Accomodation - This is our first time to try Airbnb.

4 nights	Taipei	RM1,257.00
3 nights	Macau	RM1,047.00
3 nights	Hongkong	RM825.00
	Total	RM3,129.00
	Per person	RM1,043.00

Flight + Ferry

Kota Kinabalu - Taipei	RM177.00	AirAsia
Taipei - Macau	RM324.52	TigerAir Taiwan
Macau - Hong Kong	RM104.00	TurboJet (Ferry)
Hong Kong - Kota Kinabalu	RM305.27	AirAsia
Per Person	RM910.79

Tour

Madame Tussaud	RM422.03
Macau Hop on Bus	RM344.29
Taipei Tour	RM391.90
Per person	RM386.07

Taxi
To Taipei Airport                                                 : RM 130.00
Macau Airport to Lodging                                   : RM 170.00
Macau Lodging to Hong Kong Ferry Terminal   : RM 170.00
Hong Kong Ferry Terminal to Lodging              : RM 170.00
Hong Kong Lodging to Hong Kong Airport        : RM 170.00
Per person                                                             : RM 270.00

All tour were booked online. Booking online has the advantage. The tour company normally will give some discounts for tour being booked online.

We're using Octopus Card and EasyCard while in Hong Kong and Taipei respectively.
Octopus we used about HKD 250 / 3 nights and EasyCard about NT 500 / 4 nights. Macau, we rarely take taxi to anywhere except the day of arrival and departure. That's the only time we took taxi. The rest of the days, we used the free shuttle bus offered by the casino hotel. It's awesome.

Here the itineraries:
Taipei
Day 1 : Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Nanmen South Gate Market, Lungshan Temple & Shopping Bazaar
Day 2 : Wulai, Tamsui, Lover's Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf, Shilin Night Market
Day 3 : Yehliu Geopark, Ying Yang Sea, Golden Walterfall, Jiufen Old Street, Houtong, Shifen Old Street
Day 4 : Taipei Fish Market, Eslite Mall - Eslite Bookstore Xinyi, Taipei 101, St Christopher Church (Mass)

Macau
Day 1 : Macau Ferry Terminal, Se Cathedral Church (Mass), Largo Senado and surrounding
Day 2 : Macau Tower Ticket with Open Top Bus ( Macau Ferry Terminal, Macau Fisherman's Wharf, Macau Science Center, Kun Lam Statue, Hotel Lisboa, Grand Emporer, Macau Tower, A-Ma Temple, Galaxy Macau, The Venetian Macau)
Day 3 : Self Walking Tour - Crossroads China and Portugal (Senado Square, St Augustine Square, St Joseph's Seminary and Church, St Lawrence's Church, Mandarin's House, Lilau Square, A-Ma Temple, Maritime Museum)

Hong Kong
Day 1 : Hong Kong Museum of History, St Rosary Church (Mass), Ladies Market
Day 2 : Stanley Market, Peak Tram, Madame Tussauds, Sky Terrace
Day 3 : Stanley Market, One Dim Sum, Prince Edward Area.

Well, it is not a typo error if you realised there were 2 times visits to Stanley Market.Stanley Market is awesome. Lots of bargain, lots of sale, lots of varities.
We attended masses while travelling. Beautiful churches especially in Macau. The minute I sat inside the church, i was mesmerized by it's beauty.

Food - we tried to capped 100 NT & HKD and below everytime we had a meal. Anything more than that, it is expensive. Well, it depends on surrounding, timing and many factors. We do share foods, some food portions were big.
Taipei RM 200
Macau + Hong Kong : RM 900

Conclusion: Per person spent about RM 3,920.00 for 10 days Taipei-Macau-Hong Kong minus shopping budget.

I am not sure whether it is the cheapest , medium or splurge budget. However, it is definitely not splurge. That's the best budget we could afford !

Happy travelling everyone !

Top 10 Hong Kong Tourist Attraction

2014-04-30T22:41:00.002+08:00

Hong Kong Tourism board: http://www.discoverhongkong.com

Hong Kong is a popular travel destination year round. The city enjoys a mild climate from the middle of September to the end of February, while the weather from May to mid-September can be hot, wet and humid, with August being the wettest month.

1. Avenue of Stars
2. The Peak
3. Ocean Park Hong Kong
4. Hong Kong Disneyland
5. Ladies Market
6. Temple Street Night Market
7. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
8. Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade
9. Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple
10. Clock Tower

Almost all I went except item [7] and [9]. Back then I didn't know the places are rated as Top 10 must see places. Wow, it's amazing I covered it. Being at Hong Kong Disneyland is amazing. You get to see Disney favourite's cast of characters.

Courtesy of Official Travel Guide from Hong Kong Tourism Board

2014-04-26T22:35:00.000+08:00

Grand Palace.
I went there in July 2006. Awesome place.

Top 10 Attractions in Bangkok - What To See in Bangkok

2014-04-26T22:24:00.001+08:00

1. Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn)
2. Grand Palace & Wat Prakeaw
3. Floating Market
4. Chinatown (Yaowarat)
5. Wat Pho
6. Chao Phraya River & Waterways
7. Chatuchak Weekend Market
8. Khao San Road
9. Soi Cowboy
10. Jim Thompson's House

Courtesy of bangkok.com

Over the sea

2014-04-25T22:38:00.000+08:00

Everyone loves holiday. Getting away from work, getting away from hectic life. I love to travel. There's always preparation ahead. I hate going to a new place without knowing a thing about the place. That's always the case that we always buy flight tickets and plan later. We always do that. The longest I ever planned was 6 months preparation. Me and friends were going to Korea for 2 weeks. We have to make sure we cover the MUST SEE places. FOOD.

But I do have colleagues, they prefer to pay to travel agent to do all the preparation. There's no thrill for me. Paying someone and don't like the standard itinerary plus you have to go with a bunch of unknown people. Arghhh.. I ever been once on a free ticket. Of course, you're meeting new people, probably that will be the thrill.

I, personally love to explore more on the city rather than following the standard itinerary. Travel agent itinerary sometimes is very rigid. You can't change much as there are other people like the itinerary. Timing. It's not flexible. You have to be on time to be on the bus. You have to be on time to eat. It's like you're going to school.

Before I go to a new city, I always check what are the MUST SEE places. I'll read and read. Forum, etc For accommodation, I do the same thing also, read. Sometimes when we google, the first url displayed, it become your main source of information. Sometimes it doesn't show the correct value. It's recommended to read and read different websites to understand more be it your accommodation or MUST SEE places.

It has been awhile...

2013-10-12T21:58:00.003+08:00

My last post was last year. It has been awhile I didn't blog anything. Time.. Time.. Working environment changed. Tough one. Priority changed. GST is coming. Good or bad? Perhaps it time. Company transformation is everywhere. Trying not to lose out on the 'fast' pacing economy or rather changes in our economy. Interested on personal money thingy. Should I blog about it? Or perhaps traveling? or perhaps food?

11 Days in South Korea

2012-03-07T07:44:00.002+08:00

To have the fullest fun, you must plan properly. Get the best plan and you'll never forget the experience you ever had. People always thought going to Seoul is expensive. Even my sister thought to spend RM10K for Seoul Holiday. It's ridiculous. Unless you join a tour travel, and yes, they are going to slash you out on every interesting places you wish to visit in Seoul. Joining a tour agent, to me, doesn't promise you, FUN. Sorry to people out there who loves joining tour agent. You got to walk the town in order to feel it. Go to subway, read the map, you'll get dizzy awhile. :) Seoul subway map has the most complex route I ever seen.

It is NOT IMPOSSIBLE to spend RM2,000 for accomodation, transportation, food and admission (for parks) for the 11 days itinerary in Jeju/Busan/Seoul.

We travelled using Air Busan not once but twice. We flew from Seoul to Jeju then Jeju to Busan. Isn't it convenient? I was waiting the right time to buy the discounted tickets just like our AirAsia. If you're lucky, you'll get 60% off from your tickets!

Accomodation, you don't have to be choosy. As long the place is safe, clean, nearer to subway, shops, that's all it matters. I don't need a 5-stars treatment when I'm on holiday. I just need a place to rest my head.

Walk. If you're willing to walk more, you'll save some money for food/subway. On our Day 7, we walked from Changdeokgung Palace and Garden -> Buchon Hanok Village -> Insadong ->Ssamziegil -> Gwanghwamun Square -> Gwanghwamun Sejong Belt -> Cheonggyecheon.
Amazingly we survived. :)

Food. Yes, I admit that some food are expensive. But if you are really look around, you'll get food worth your money. Imagine, budgetting 15,000 won a day, do you think is too little? Think again. Our first day in Jeju was pre-packed lunch at a convenient store. It tastes great and comes with a free drink.

Budget Travel Part 2

2012-02-14T21:51:00.000+08:00

My bike at Nami Island

I started planning in Nov 2010 for my travel to South Korea in Sept 2011. Yeah, it's kinda long for others to plan. For me, its a fun and joy. Getting to know place, is to walk the town. There is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Seoul is eminently walkable. The city centre and most of its attractions worth visiting are all easy to reach on foot.

I went to South Korea with my sister, my best friend and my sister's colleague. We went there for 2 freaking weeks. Here I want to share my itinerary. It's a modified version after the trip. We managed to go all the places listed in the itinerary.

Here ya goes! Jeju-Busan-Seoul Budget Travel.

Lodging
Day 1 - Lazy Bird Guesthouse 19,000
Day 2 to 3 - Yeha GuestHouse 19,000 x 2 = 38,000
Day 4 to 5 - BlueBackpacker 20,000 x 2 = 40,000
Day 6 to 10 - Namsan 3 Guesthouse 27,500 x 5 = 137,500

Charted Taxi at Jeju for a day 33,750

Transportation
Day 2 Air Busan from Seoul to Jeju 48,400
Day 4 Air Busan from Jeju to Busan 29,870
Day 6 Train Mugunghwa from Busan to Seoul 27,700

Food 15,000 x 10 = 150,000
Fares to Park in Jeju 30,000
Fares to Park in Seoul 30,000
Subway in Busan 10,000
Subway in Seoul 25,000
Taxi in Busan 2,200 / 4 = 550
Danubi Tram 3,500
Nami Island 21,000
Taxi to Airport 2,700 / 4 = 675

Total: 644,945 (~RM2,000.00) not included shopping.

Day 1
Reached Incheon 10:30pm

Day 2 Jeju - by Taxi
1. O'Sulloc Tea Museum
2. Glass Castle
3. Jeju Soingook Theme Park
4. Teddy Bear Museum
5. Oedolgae Rock
6. Jeongbang Falls
7. Seongsan IIchulbong Sunrise Peak

Day 3 Jeju - by Bus
1. Gimbyeong Maze Park
2. Jeju Loveland
3. Dongmun Market

Day 4 Busan
1. Haeundae Beach
2. Haeundae Traditional Market
3. Sajik Stadium

Day 5 Busan
1. Jagalchi Market
2. PIFF
3. Yongsan Tower
4. 40 stairs Theme Cultural Hall
5. Taejongdae
6. Gwangan Beach

Day 6 Seoul
Reaching Seoul around 4pm+. Tired. Doing laundry for 5 days clothing.
1. Dongdaemun

Day 7 Seoul
1. Myeongdong Catholic Church
2. Changdeokgung Palace and Garden
3. Buchon Hanok Village
4. Insadong
5. Ssamziegil
6. Gwanghwamun Square
7. Gwanghwamun Sejong Belt
8. Cheonggyecheon

Day 8 Seoul
1. Nami Island
2. Gwangjang Market

Day 9 Seoul
1. Namsan Seoul Tower
2. Sinchon
3. Hongik University
4. Ewha University
5. Gangnam Station Street

Day 10 Seoul
1. KBS
2. Hangang Park
3. 63 Building
3. Itaewon
4. Yongsan Electronic Market
6. Rodeo Street
7. Sinsa
8. Banpo Bridge

Day 11
1. Myeongdong - last minute shopping.It rained in Seoul during our last day. Luckily it didn't rain on other days.

Budget Travel Part 1

2012-02-13T22:54:00.001+08:00

It has been long time. I wish I had done it earlier. Anyway, its better than none.

I will always love, Budget Travel. I don't believe one should spend a fortune to get to place they love. You can see the world on a shoestring. Sleeping accommodations does not always have to be 5-star hotel. For me, as long there is a clean bed and pillow, it will be just fine.

You're probably heard that the best things in life are FREE. When it comes to travel, some of the places you'll visit require an admission fee. But don't assume that free things to do are not worth putting into your itinerary.

How to save money on Airfares? Draw up a budget and stick to your plan. Keep in mind that most low fares require advance purchase time of two or three weeks or even months. Also watch carefully for fares that are advertised at low rates. And that's what I did.

One of the blog I found interesting is http://budgettravel2korea.blogspot.com the blogger currently studying Korean Language in Sogang University, Seoul.

One of her posting 7 days itinerary in Korea : Part 2 I find it quite interesting. At the ending of her posting, she put "Anyone has better ideas to reduce the budget and any unbeaten paths to explore with this kinda time limit?" I would say, YES!

Her 7 days itinerary with estimated budget RM1,800.00. That means per day spending ~ RM257.00. What if I take out RM57.00 for each day and I add another 3 days ? Doesn't it sound cool?

what do you love...

2011-10-06T22:40:00.000+08:00

i love travelling. it can be little stressful travelling to a new place with the planning, budget, etc. advantages travelling without joining travel agent is just awesome! You get far more flexible in terms of time and budgets.

The 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes Of All Time

1. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain
2. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
3. “There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
4. “The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson
5. “All the pathos and irony of leaving one’s youth behind is thus implicit in every joyous moment of travel: one knows that the first joy can never be recovered, and the wise traveler learns not to repeat successes but tries new places all the time.” – Paul Fussell
6. “Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” – Jack Kerouac
7. “He who does not travel does not know the value of men.” – Moorish proverb
8. “People travel to faraway places to watch, in fascination, the kind of people they ignore at home.” – Dagobert D. Runes
9. “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” – John Steinbeck
10. “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” – Lin Yutang
11. “Your true traveler finds boredom rather agreeable than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty-his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom, when it comes, not merely philosophically, but almost with pleasure.” – Aldous Huxley
12. “All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.” – Samuel Johnson
13. “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

14. “Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” – Cesare Pavese
15. “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller
16″A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” – Moslih Eddin Saadi
17. “When we get out of the glass bottle of our ego and when we escape like the squirrels in the cage of our personality and get into the forest again, we shall shiver with cold and fright. But things will happen to us so that we don’t know ourselves. Cool, unlying life will rush in.” – D. H. Lawrence
18. “To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” – Freya Stark
19. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
20. “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard
21. “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber
22. “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharial Nehru
23. “Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” – Paul Theroux
24. “To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson
25. “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
26. “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by.” – Robert Frost
27. “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
28. “There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.” – Charles Dudley Warner
29. “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
30. “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” – James Michener
31. “The journey not the arrival matters.” – T. S. Eliot
32. “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill
33. “I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” – Mark Twain
34. “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quiestest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

35. “Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien
36. “Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” – Benjamin Disraeli
37. “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou
38. “Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation.” – Elizabeth Drew
39. “Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe”……Anatole France
40. “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca
41. “What you’ve done becomes the judge of what you’re going to do – especially in other people’s minds. When you’re traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don’t have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.” – William Least Heat Moon
42. “I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.” – Lillian Smith
43. “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley
44. “Travel does what good novelists also do to the life of everyday, placing it like a picture in a frame or a gem in its setting, so that the intrinsic qualities are made more clear. Travel does this with the very stuff that everyday life is made of, giving to it the sharp contour and meaning of art.” – Freya Stark
45. “The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.” – Rudyard Kipling
46. “Travel is glamorous only in retrospect.” – Paul Theroux
47. “The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” – G. K. Chesterton
48. “When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman
49. “A wise traveler never despises his own country.” – Carlo Goldoni
50. “Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” – Mark Jenkins

Courtesy at The 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes Of All Time

joke of the day

2011-08-17T09:19:00.002+08:00

i got a new bag!

2011-08-16T13:55:00.000+08:00

I'll be backpack again soon. I cant wait. This will be the first time for my baby to go out from MY. I brought my baby during climbing Mt Kinabalu and yet to travel out from MY.

Bringing out my baby definitely need an extra protection and something convenient for me to carry around. After done so much thinking, I finally settle down for this bag.
Lowepro Passport Sling
Here is a video about the bag >> Lowepro Passport Sling
Lowepro unveils a unique and unexpected kind of camera sling bag that offers freedom of movement, protection for a DSLR kit and lots of space for personal gear: the Passport Sling.

awol

2011-08-16T12:25:00.000+08:00

pretty much tied up with work. and hoping the get time off to start blogging again.

Personal Finance: A Smart Start

2011-03-25T08:32:00.004+08:00

Courtesy from Personal Finance: A Smart Start
By Emily Schmitt

Common-Sense Advice
It can be hard for young adults to get a handle on their personal finances, and there can be some painful lessons along the way. That's where a little common sense can work wonders. BusinessWeek asked Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You to be Rich, for 10 smart ideas for those setting out on life's financial journey.

1. Consumer Debt

One of the most important things a twentysomething can do is pay off debt as soon as possible. Sethi outlines ways to streamline this process, like asking for a lower APR on your credit cards. Not all card companies will bite, but this step could significantly reduce the amount of money you owe. You may also want to prioritize your cards, making larger payments on higher-interest debt.

2. Bank Smarter

Sethi's advice: Try to avoid monthly fees, and look for accounts with a decent interest rate on deposits. Sethi says all students should have accounts with no fees and no minimums, adding that most big banks offer this for student or direct-deposit accounts. If you find yourself in an account that charges fees, he suggests calling the bank to negotiate out of them.

Sethi is a fan of online accounts, like those featured by ING Direct and Emigrant Direct, because of their higher interest rates.

3. Invest Now

There is no better time than now for twentysomethings to start investing, says Sethi, even if it's just $50. Why? Two reasons. First, most Gen-Y'ers have no dependents, so there's limited downside to losing money. Plus, the stock market remains relatively cheap even after its recent big gains.

In his book, Sethi points out that if you invest just $10 a week at an average of 8% return, you'll have $8,136 in ten years. "Paying off debt isn't enough. You actually have to get ahead by investing aggressively in your twenties," says Sethi.

4. Spend Wisely

The goal isn't to stop spending money but to spend it wisely. Sethi calls this approach conscious spending, and says it's something all twentysomethings should be doing. "I'm not the guy who says don't spend $3.50 on lattes, or $250 on jeans. Spend extravagantly on the things you love, but cut mercilessly on things you don't," says Sethi. He gives the example of his friend who adores shoes but is rarely home. She spends more of her disposable income on shoes but lives in a tiny room. In this way, she's prioritized her money to spend more on what matters to her and less on what doesn't.

5. Saving Strategies

It's important to save, but if you're not doing it wisely you could erase any gains you made. Sethi says a lot of twentysomethings have "should accounts": they know they should be saving so they open an account, but as soon as they want to buy something, they dip into their savings for the purchase. To avoid this, Sethi recommends saving for a near-term goal. This could mean setting up an account for a wedding, a down payment on a house, or a vacation. The point is, if you have a specific reason for saving, you're less likely to touch the money.

6. Student Loans

Sethi says there are two approaches to consider when making your payments. First, there's the technical approach. This works best if you have a very low interest rate on your loans. Because your rate is low, you can afford to pay only the minimum amount on your loans and put the rest of your money toward other, higher-yielding investments.

Then there's what he calls the emotional approach. This is best for those that absolutely hate being in debt. The goal is to pay it off as soon as possible by making more than the minimum payment each month. Once your loans are paid off, you can redirect that extra money to your investments.

7. Retirement

It may seem a long way off, but the sooner you start saving for retirement, the more comfortable your post-work lifestyle will be. Sethi outlines two popular investment vehicles: 401(k) and IRA. If your company offers a 401(k), sign up. If your company offers a 401(k) match, contribute the amount needed to receive it, since you're getting free money. If not, keep the account open but wait to contribute to it until you have your debt paid off, he says. In the meantime, you can set up a Roth IRA to save for retirement.

Sethi prefers Roth IRAs for two reasons: (1) you can invest in anything you want; (2) you contribute after-tax dollars and don't pay taxes on the money you withdraw. This is great for young people who expect their tax levels to rise in the future.

8. Salary Negotiations

For those just entering the work force, Sethi says that the best time to negotiate a salary increase is when you get hired, not after. He says a successful negotiation is more about mindset than tactics. Tell the hiring manager the ways that you can help her company—the value you can add—rather than drone on about your academic accomplishments.

Once you receive a raise, don't be in a hurry to spend the money. Think of the pay hike as a way to boost your savings or pay down debt faster, not a ticket to a fancier lifestyle.

9. DIY Investing

It's easy to buy into the allure of financial advisers, but Sethi says the cost of their services is too much for the pay-off received. He says most twenty-somethings are making such simple investments that paying for expert help is pointless. What's more, he points out that mutual funds are a bad investment because the money earned is eroded by the fees paid. Instead, Sethi recommends lifecycle funds because they are low-cost and rebalance your allocations as you age. "Most people think they'll rebalance their funds, so they may want to buy index funds, but most don't," he says.

10. Financial Check-Ups

Sethi suggests that once you choose your investments, set up systems so that money is automatically redirected to your investment accounts. Make it easy to check up on your various accounts, so that you can ensure that your portfolio reflects your strategy and long-term goals.

Sethi has one more piece of advice. Only sell your investments under three circumstances: (1) you need the money for an emergency; (2) you want to get rid of a bad investment that continues to underperform; or (3) you've reached your investing goal.

World Walking Day

2010-11-25T16:22:00.003+08:00

I never know there is such event until Nestle Malaysia decided to organised it last weekend, 21st November 2010. The World Walking Day is an event to celebrate that simple form of motion we do everyday. Walking burns calories, tones muscles, shapes your body and helps de-stress your mind. There are so many benefits you could enjoy from walking.

Anyway, why I wanted to blog about it was because in the advertisement saying,
"FREE: ENTRY, T-SHIRT, BREAKFAST". I love free t-shirt. :)
Who would want to wake up as early 5:30am to get ready to go Penampang Sports Complex just to get a t-shirt? me. Started 6:30am everyone was queuing to get a free t-shirt and a milo drink. All participants has to changed to the t-shirt given. So we all looked the same. GREEN!

The event officiated by YB Donald Mojuntin. The coordinater said for those who wear jeans cannot participate the walk! But YB did! hahahha

The walk. It was about 2kms walk, from stadium to Megalong and make a U-turn at library and back to the stadium. oo peanuts. Now, in your mind must be, "breakfast is waiting for me".. So they did. Reaching at the stadium compound, ooh gosh, everyone was queuing at MAGGIE MEE booth! I never know maggie mee is a healthy breakfast. And so everyone was joining the fun queuing, so I did. The cup given super small and I was super hungry. Had few cups for cereal, all nestle related products free flow. What a good weekend...

end. :)

limitless...

2010-11-04T10:19:00.000+08:00

it's a busy year. as the time goes by, everyone's needs changes. Many times we get mixed up between desire and priority. If we are not careful, we might fulfill our desire instead on priorities. When we feed only on our desire, we have very little left for priorities. In fact, most of the times, you won't have anything left because your desire is limitless.

rmwf wristband

2010-07-25T21:07:00.002+08:00

RMWF

2010-07-25T21:00:00.001+08:00

What is RMWF? The Rainforest World Music Festival is a major international event featuring prominent touring world musicians sharing the stage with indigenous musicians from the interiors of the mythical island of Borneo.

This 3-day festival (8 to 10 July 2011) is held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, a living museum where the traditional habitats of Sarawak's major ethnic groups have been lovingly reproduced. Set amid lush rainforest greenery at the foothills of jungle clad Mount Santubong, and a stone's throw away from the beach resorts of the Santubong peninsula, the village provides the ideal venue for this festival that celebrates nature, traditional music and the indigenous cultures of the world.

The magic of the festival is our afternoon themed interactive "workshops", where artists of similar instruments or interests are pulled from the various groups to demonstrate their craft and to find a common music. Example themes are: Women's voices, Bamboo Instruments, Drums of the World, Gypsy Music, etc..

It's a great event. You can't find any in Sabah. One must go and experience it, at least once in a lifetime. It can't be miss! Great workshop, great organizer and great performances.

Check this out RMWF website, for next year's schedule.

Life

2010-05-07T23:20:00.001+08:00

~ Live your life and forget your age.~

Running again...

2010-05-07T22:42:00.001+08:00

Before the run

After the run

I completed 21km last sunday. Feel good. Met familiar faces for 3 years in a row. But the participation this year was very low.

Here are the number of participations for Half Marathon Women Open:

2008 - 68

2009 - 92

2010 - 55

The figure does not look good. Most probably due to the change of date. For this year, I targeted to finish at 9am, to the max time. I have less training and thank God that I finished within the time given. At 4km, I started walking. It's super HOT! I wish the organizer would change the time.. again. When the weather is HOT, I barely can run. When entering the stadium, I ran to the finishing line as my watch showing 8.45am++ It just feels good to finish the run!

46/55 time 03:25:53

Burst!

2010-02-19T08:45:00.000+08:00