Lost in Asia

Cheap Foods in Viet Nam - Suon Nuong

2011-09-07T00:39:00.000-07:00

Now i would like to share what i eat for almost everyday in Viet Nam. Basically it's a Pork BBQ, and serve with the fish sauce. It's called suon nuong in Vietnamese, don't ask me how to pronounce it since i'm having a hard time also.

Most people eat it with rice, and it's like "fried chicken" dishes in Vietnam. They eat it for lunch, dinner, sometimes even for breakfast. But some also eat it with rice noodles. But most of the time, the dishes will be called as "Com Tam Suon Nuong + Bi + Cha" in the menu. Com Tam is for the broken rice, and Bi is for the shredded pork skin and Cha is for Egg Custard with pork.

Is it delicious? I find it taste weird for the Bi and Cha first time i eat it. But after that, i eat it like crazy. But the Pork BBQ / Pork chops taste really delicious!

Anyway for the pricing it's really depend on where you eat this stuff. If you order it from a restaurant or cafe, most likely will cost you like $3-$4 per dishes. But if you eat it in some local vietnamese ~~restaurant~~ sidewalk stall, probably just cost 50cent or $1 per dishes.

Surely you guys can tell which one is the expensive one and which one is the street food right? Sorry for the bad quality picture, taken from ipod touch.

You know you're a true SE Asia backpacker when :

2011-09-06T01:58:00.000-07:00

I found this on facebook and find it very funny. Worth to read!

You know you’re a true SE Asia Backpacker when:

• You’ve used your insect repellent not only to keep insects away but also as deodorant, to moisturise your legs, make your clothes/pack smell better.

• Used wet wipes (sparingly) in lieu of a shower.

• Referred to deodorant as “shower in a can”.

• Washed your clothes in the shower with shampoo.

• Eaten bugs, testicals, intestines, eyeballs, chicken feet, spiders, seahorses, maggots and many other disgusting things off a street vender…because it was cheap, you were drunk and your mate dared you to.

• Panicked about your ‘lost’ passport, camera, wallet, bus ticket only to realise it’s in your pocket or your hand.

• Fought with your travel-buddy over the window seat on a 12 hour bus ride.

• Been touched inappropriately and slightly creeped out by a little local old lady who just wants to touch your white white skin and remind you your tans not as good as hers.

• Been stared at in horror by a little kid because they’ve never seen such a tall white monster before.

• Had to pose in some ones family photo because you’re so white, tall and have blue eyes.

• Used a squat toilet with as much skill as any local.

• Worn clothes that smell so bad it’s almost crawling away….if only because it smells better then everything else in your pack.

• Laughed at “5 starers” when they realise they have to get on the same bus/train/boat/taxi/tuk-tuk/car as you….and you know you smell like death.

• Pitied “5 Star-ers” because with all their tours, transfers, guides they never really get to see the true culture.

• Snarled at “5 star-ers” for their unwillingness to talk/joke/be friendly to local people.

• Had intense feelings of Jealously towards “5 Star-ers” when you see them enjoying their beach-side pools and villa’s, their personal bag carriers, gourmet meals, wads of cash and their clean clothes, hair and skin…*sigh*

• Spent at least an hour trying to catch that 1 rogue mosquito that’s caught in your mosquito net

• Heard someone having sex in the bed next to you while sleeping in a 10 person dorm.

• Heard the words “the buckets are lethal” but you try them anyway….and yes, they are lethal…and freaking awesome.

• Felt intense feelings of hate towards your pack….but deep down you know you’d be devastated if you lost it…its your life.

• Been so poor that you can’t afford to eat…because you need what little money you have to buy alcohol.

• While trying to communicate with a local, you’ve both dissolved into laughter because you know your not getting anywhere…and never will. Laughter and smiles are universal

• Arrived at a bus station, dock or train station 5 minutes before the time on the ticket says…only to wait another 3 hours for it to turn up and apparently it’s on time.

• Slept on your clothes because the sheets don’t quite look clean enough.

• Become so religious about wearing thongs/sandels in the shower that when you get home it almost feels dirty not to.

• Stolen napkins from restaurants to use as toilet paper.

• Become sick on a 12 hour bus ride and had to vomit into the little plastic bag they give you for your shoes.

• Had the best food of your life in places that look like the birth place of salmonella.

• Had a little celebratory dance and ran around telling everyone you meet when you find out your shower is NOT directly above your toilet.

• Have gotten more drunk then you’ve ever been in your life with a couple of locals and realised that really, they are your best friends in the whole world.

• Spent hours and hours lost and then realised that your hostel was just around the corner.
- Had at least 12 near death experiences (with at least 5 of them from crossing the road)

KLIA-LCCT by Bus

2011-09-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

Yes i know, it's a bit out of topic. But in my opinion it's still a good information to write in this blog. So last week i went back to Jakarta for couple days. And on my way back to Ho Chi Minh City, i have to use 2 diffrent airlines. The first airlines arrived on KLIA, and i use Air Asia to HCMC which in LCCT. So that's mean i have to travel between the 2 airport. My flight arrived in KLIA on 12.05 PM if it's not delay - and Thank Jesus the flight is on time. And the 2nd flight to HCMC will be on 14.55.

So i quickly rush to find the imigration, and i couldn't find it. Since this is my first time in KLIA, i have no idea where's the immigration is. So anyway, i have to take a train from where i arrived to another platform. Okay, back to the topic again.

So let say you clear the immigration already, just go outside and find the elevator that goes to the 2nd floor. It's actually go down from where you at, not going up. Once you exit the elevator, find the 2nd floor sign - just to make sure you're on the right floor. Just turn to the left, and search for the "KLIA-LCCT" sign.

If you follow the instruction right, you will find yourself a escalator that goes down and a "KLIA-LCCT" sign next to it. Go down, find the platform "10" - it's on your right. That's all.

Notes : Ask first before you get on the bus. Just to make sure the bus really take you to LCCT.

FAQS :

Bus ticket is only RM 2.50, and Taxi is around RM 40.
From the taxi counter to platform "10" - where the bus at, it only take 5 minutes walk.
From KLIA to LCCT is around 15-25 minutes, depend on the traffic.
The bus usually wait until they get at least 75-80% of full passenger before they depart. So that's 25-35 minutes waiting inside the bus.
You need at least 3 hour difference between your flight if you want to take the bus from KLIA to LCCT, even with taxi actually

Okay, im gonna noted it down again point by point how to reach LCCT from KLIA.

Clear your immigration
Get your luggage
Keep heading right and find elevator that goes to 2nd floor
Exit the elevator, turn to the left find "KLIA-LCCT" sign
Search for a escalator - it should be in front of you, and go down
Find a platform "10" - it will be on your right
Ask first before you get on the bus, is it to LCCT or not, in case they change the platform.
Pay the RM 2.50 once you get on the bus

Phan Thiet - Mui Ne day 2

2011-09-03T04:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, here's day 2 in Phan Thiet - Mui Ne. We decided to visit the Red Sand Dune and White Sand Dune - well, this is what the trip is all about. We only amazed at both the Red sand dune and White sand dune when we saw Mui Ne from thet Internet. So we woke up early, hoping to see the sunrise.

It's 5 o'clock in the morning. We thought it's enough time from the hotel to the first destination - Red Sand Dune. But well, seems like we have to woke up early to see the sunrise. Once we reach the Red Sand Dune, it's crowded already and full of people.

See picture above ? Yes, that's 5.30 AM. So better hurry up if you dont want to miss the sunrise. Anyway, here's how to reach the Red Sand Dune from Mui Ne.

It's quite simple actually from Mui Ne. All you need to do is just keep heading straight, until you reach a church at the traffic light ( the church will be on your left) you won't miss it, really. It's around 15-20 minutes ride from Mui Ne to the church, depend on how fast you go.

Turn left once you see the church and the traffic light, and you want to keep going straight from here for around 5 minutes - and you will find yourself another traffic light. Turn left again, and keep heading until you find large traffic roundabout, go right from there and there's Red sand dune on your left side.

If you go with motorbike, just park the motorbike inside the cafe infront of the Red Sand Dune. They charge you like 5.000 VND.

If you planning to visit White sand dune, skip the sand slide in here. It's far much worth it at the White Sand rather than the Red Sand Dune. Oh, and please bring bottled water because it can be quite exhausting climbing up those sand dune.

And then here's the direction to White sand dune. Once you take your motorbike out, you better check on your fuel. You need at least half-full tank to reach the White sand. So please, fill in the fuel unless you want to push your motorbike - trust me, you won't like it. If you running short of fuel, don't worry. The cafe where you park your bike, they sell the fuel also.

Anyway, you want go right from where you park your motorbike. The way to White sand dune is pretty far, 30-40 minutes or around 20-25km. So be patient. And if you got lost and not so sure, just ask the local. Tell them you want to find the direction to Bao Trang - that's what they called the White sand dune.

Just keep heading straight for 5 minutes, and you will find a gas station on your right. In case you haven't fill in the gas, here's your only chance. From there, just keep heading straight until you find this :

Take the left one, don't go on the right one. The right one will be looks like small street and it will reach the beach. Just keep heading straight from the left one. It's pretty damn far from here before you reach White sand dune. So just keep heading straight for like 10 minutes until you will find a intersection (see picture below), take the left.

From here, just keep going straight, you half way to the White sand dune already. Finally you find cemetery on your right after 5 minutes ride from the intersection. From there, just keep heading for around 10 minutes. You will see another gas station on your right. The gas station looks old, so it's actually there's 2 gas station on your way to White sand dune from Mui Ne. But i still prefer the first gas station rather than the second one.

Not far from the gas station, you will se an unfinished ~~hotel~~ / ~~villa~~ / building on your right. Now you're almost reach your destination. Now you want to find a dirt road on your right, that's the entrance to White Sand dune.

Just find that Honda Toan sign like the picture above. That's the entry to the White sand dune. The road is rocky and unfinished, so it's gonna be a rough ride. Don't go too fast unless you quite confident with your motorbike driving skill. It's another 5-8 minutes ride before you really reach the White sand dune.

Just keep heading straight, until you find this sign :

Just turn left once you see the "Bao Trang" sign. And park your motorbike inside, it cost you around 3.000 VND if im not wrong, just see what's it written on the parking ticket. You have to walk from there to reach the White sand dune. And that's all, enjoy the White sand dune!

Phan Thiet - Mui Ne day 1

2011-08-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Phan Thiet / Mui Ne is famous because of the beach, specially Mui Ne. There's a lot of attraction and seafood in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. FYI, Phan Thiet is 198km from Ho Chi Minh City. So it's around 4-5 hour if you travel by car / bus. Don't mind travelling by motorbike. Because it cost around $5 only for the bus per-person.

One of the famous attraction in Mui Ne is the Red Sand Dune and White Sand Dune. So our trip this time to Mui Ne is actually just to see Red Sand and White Sand Dune. So if you're looking for more information regarding the fishing village in Mui Ne, Fairy Stream, etc, you might want to stop reading, unless you want to know more for the direction to White Sand and Red Sand Dune.

We start on some information how to reach Mui Ne / Phan Thiet from Ho Chi Minh City. It's actually very easy to get to Phan Thiet, since there's a lot of open tour bus that travel to here every hour. Better use Mai Linh Express, Kumho, or use Sinh Cafe to book your bus - ask people where's Sinh Cafe, it's near Pham Ngu Lao.

Price is around VND 110.000 per person. Careful when you choose the bus company, don't take the cheap one, only go with the trustworthy one. Unless you want them to drop you off somewhere else before you arrive in Phan Thiet.

Once you arrived in Phan Thiet, it's up to you whether you want to spend a night in Phan Thiet or go directly to Mui Ne. Personally, i don't really like Phan Thiet, since there's nothing to see and the food is just okay. Anyway, we spend a night in here though.

Anyway, you can use public bus to Mui Ne from Phan Thiet, or you can go by taxi also. It cost around VND 170.000 for taxi, and 8.000 VND per person by public bus. Just wait at Coop Supermarket for the bus that goes to Phan Thiet. It's around 20km from Phan Thiet to Mui Ne - just around 30 minutes.

In Mui Ne itself, you will find a lot of bars, and seafood restaurant - which is quite worth it. ~~Unlucky~~ us, we dont have the time to try the seafood restaurant. Actually i'm from Bali - Indonesia, and in my opinion, seafood in Bali is taste much much much more better than Vietnam. The way it cooked, the chili sauce, all of it! But well, if you haven't tried any seafood in Asia, you might want to try the one in Mui Ne. It's cheap though.

We arrived in Phan Thiet late at night already. So basically that's the end of day 1. We spend most of our time in the road. Because the damn stupid bus goes around and around, and finally they said they not going to Phan Thiet, but somewhere else. And they left us in a small town called La Gi, where we have to find a public bus that travel to Phan Thiet from La Gi. Lucky us there's a Vietnamese that help us to reach Phan Thiet from La Gi.

Okay, that's all. More on Mui Ne and Phan Thiet in the next post. Will be more information about Red Sand Dune and White Sand Dune.

Kuala Lumpur - Day 2

2011-08-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Here comes the 2nd day in Kuala Lumpur. After looking around Bukit Bintang area and find nothing interesting - except for the shopping mall, we decided to take a look at the Petronas Tower. Since people said it's really awesome and a most go spot, we discuss whether we should take the monorail or just walk to Petronas.

After a long discussion with my wife, we decided to walk to Petronas. Since this is the first time we i visit Kuala Lumpur, we want to see what we can find along our way to Petronas from Bukit Bintang. Sadly, nothing to interesting. Except we went into the Pavillion mall and we know what to have for dinner!

So it's around 12pm, we were hungry and dying to eat. But since it's halfway already to Petronas tower - according to the map it's only 5-10 minutes walk, we thought we might want to eat at KLCC foodcourt. One of my Malaysian friend told me that i should stop at KLCC mall to eat if im going to Petronas tower.

So again, i blame the stupid map that i got from our hotel. We saw there's a big convention center (it was written KLCC in the map, and at the front of the building if i'm not wrong). So we walk into, and find ourself a small foodcourt with only 5-6 stall.

And well, here's our lunch

Cost us if im not wrong 11RM. So after 10 more minutes walk from the convention center, we finally arrived at Petronas Tower. It took us around 30 minutes walk - again, i blame on my map.

So we saw there's a big mall behind the Petronas Tower, and we took some pictures over there - since there's a lot of people taking picture too.

And once we enter the Suria KLCC Mall, i start to having doubt that the foodcourt we have lunch before is not the same foodcourt that my friend told me to go. And well, there's a lot of choices of food inside the Suria KLCC Mall. I did said i blame on my stupid map ain't i?

Seems like Kuala Lumpur is not really friendly with me. We ran out of the ticket to Petronas Tower because it's around 2 PM already. Well, here's the important information in case you want to go inside Petronas Tower.

It's only open from Tuesday to Sunday. So forget it if you visiting KL on Monday - except it's public holiday
It's limited for 1000 people only per day
They start selling the ticket since 8.30 AM, you might want to come early. Because it's first come first serve.
For each 25 minutes time slots, they only allow 25 people to go up to the skybridge.
On Friday they close from 1PM to 2.30 PM
One person can only buy maximum 5 tickets
Price for Sky Bridge is RM 10, and extra 40RM if you want to see the observation deck

And also don't forget to visit the Pavilion Mall. They have bunch of selection at the foodcourt. Try J.Co Donuts if you haven't try it. It's a bit sweet, but it's famous in Southeast Asia, specially Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Well, that's all for our short trip in Kuala Lumpur. Next i will write our trips to Mui Ne - Viet Nam.

Kuala Lumpur - Day 1

2011-08-19T00:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia is famous for its Petronas Tower. With 88 floor count, currently it's still the highest twin building ever made in the history. Am i impress? Sadly no... lol

Anyway, things to do when you arrive at Kuala Lumpur is to find the Skybus from Air Asia - or other city bus that travel to KL Sentral. Usually cost around RM 7 - 8 for one person. But becareful for your belonging if you carry a lot of stuff. They don't tag any number on your luggage, so it might missing if you're not careful.

If you arrive in KLIA, then you just need to take the train that will travel to KL Sentral. The above information is if you arrive in KLCCT.

Well, now you're in KL Sentral, and you need to take the monorail to go to citycenter. There's 2 scenario in here.

If you take the bus from KLCCT, just go straight till the end. There you will find the main street, and turn right at the traffic light. Look to your right, there should be the sign that saying you heading to the monorail station. Keep heading straight, and look to your left - around 250m from the traffic light, you should find the station now. Pay what you need to pay for the ticket, and wait for the train to take you to your destination.
Let say you arrive in KL Sentral from KLIA. All you need to do is look to your left and find the exit door once you inside KL Sentral. From there, take the escalator down, turn left, and keep heading straight until you find the main street. Rest of it should be the same as point no.1

Okay, there you go for the way to citycenter. Me myself and my wife, we went straight to Bukit Bintang from KLCCT. Well, we were lost for a bit in KL Sentral, because there's no sign at all to tell you which way is the train station. Anyway, we still a bit lost once we arrive at Bukit Bintang...lol

I remember it was around 2-3pm, it was HOOOTTT, and we were thirsty, and still couldn't find the hotel. Lucky the people in Malaysia speak good English. So we manage to find the hotel, which is actually 50 - 80 meter from the station.

Not long after we arrive at our hotel, it's dinner time! Well, mostly our trip this time to KL is to eat... :p

So after reading from couples blog also, we decided to go to Jalan Alor - "Jalan" means "Street"

There's a bunch of chinese food till the end of the street. Too many restaurant, it's all look the same, and they don't have the price in the menu. So we go till the end of the street first to see which one have price in the menu.

We ends up in a chinese restaurant that quite crowded - so it must be good we thought. We order 3 4 dishes, pork noodles, rice noodles, stingray and bbq chicken wing. I'm quite impress with the pork noodles, taste good, and same thing with the rice noodles. But not for the stingray and bbq chicken wing. Pricewise is quite cheap. Around 9RM for 1 dishes.

That's all for the day! And we visit the minimarket to buy some mineral water and snack. And look what we found! Smarties! Yum! Been like forever since the last time i ate those thing...lol

Hey World!

2011-08-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

Been blogging for quite a long time before. But i just started to do a lot travelling recently, and with budget for sure. Thing is, it's quite tough to find the right information if you want to travel with budget. So i would like to share all the things that i got into while im travelling.

Hopefully this blog give enough information for those plan to do travelling in Asia with budget