Evie's Escape

Axel Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

2012-08-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Winner of TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice 2012 and very very deserving!

Axel Hotel is located at this beautiful building at the middle junction of Aribau Street. This street is known for gay hotels but everyone is welcome here as the hotel is Hetero-Friendly ;) No matter what your sexual orientation, you actually do get to enjoy this good hotel.

The staff are all very friendly, speak a good amount of English and are always ready to help. The lobby is white and black and beautifully decorated with tasteful furniture. They have a restaurant, bar/club, health club, lounge area for internet usage and printing facilities!

The location of the hotel was quite convenient as the airport shuttle stop is about 3-5 minutes away from the hotel. However, please remember that because most roads are one-way in Barcelona, you need to go to a different place to take the airport shuttle back to the airport.

I loved that there was a clinic, coffee house and convenience store right across the hotel entrance. There was also a cozy little Japanese Restaurant there. The location where the airport shuttle stops is also near the metro @ subway station.

The room was large, had 2 balconies - one with stained glass and another modernly decorated, which I absolutely loved. There wasn't much of a view from our room but I was still happy. The bed was comfy and it faced the electric powered Jacuzzi! The bathroom had a "his and hers" sink with all the little vanity items you may need.

One extremely unique quality about the room that I wanted was that the room and the Jacuzzi is separated by a glass. So basically, you can soak in the massaging bathtub and watch TV. If you are planning a honeymoon, this is the room to get. I did not have a look at the Suites but since this room was so fabulous, I can only imagine that the Suites are better. But, this room is very very satisfactory!

I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who would want to stay in Barcelona. The positive thing about the hotel is that it's not directly at the city so it's not that busy and noisy but it is walking distance. It can get a bit lonely at night to walk out but if you are not alone, it's fine.

Me at Axel Hotel

Axel Hotel Official Website

Barcelona, Spain

2012-08-26T10:51:00.001-07:00

I had a short and exciting trip to Barcelona, Spain early this year. I went in February so it was cold, windy but still very sunny. I must say, after the cold wet weather in Dublin, Barcelona was an amazing switch of weather.

My first trip to Barcelona, Spain

My partner booked the whole trip via Expedia.com for a very good bargain. We flew Aer Lingus and stayed at a cozy little hotel called Axel Hotel on Aribau Street. We arrived at the Barca airport quite late at night and the man at the information counter was helpful in advising us to take the airport shuttle to town, instead of taking a taxi. It was relatively cheap and the driver was friendly enough to inform us where to get off as well.

Axel Hotel Logo

It was quite of a language barrier as most of the people we came across did not speak English, but I was more than happy to give speaking Spanish a shot ;) Anyway, when we got off the bus, we kinda wandered around for a while before an old lady pointed us to Aribau Street. It was quite dark but we managed to get to the hotel safely.

Unfortunately, upon checking in, I was disappointed as the room type we booked and the pictures I saw was totally totally different. But, since we were in Barcelona and have no idea when we would return, we paid for an upgrade and got that particular room that I wanted.

The hotel was clean, trendy and gay. Yes, it was a hetero-friendly hotel ;) The lobby was tastefully decorated, the rooms were clean and spacious. For more specifics on the hotel, please refer to the post called Axel Hotel, Barcelona, Spain.

In the balcony of the hotel

Tours

Anyway, the next day we made our way to the Touristic Booth to collect our all day tour tickets, which we had previously purchased online for 24 Euros. The Barcelona Bus Turistic was an all day tour covering ALL the major tourist spots. Honestly, if you are staying longer, I would suggest to take a full 2 days to explore all the locations on the map.

Bus Turistic Stop Signs

When you get on the bus, all you need to do is plug in the headphones provided and listen to the "tour guide" who will guide you through all the locations. We stopped at many many locations including Sagrada Familia (a must go - even though the line to enter is extremely long), Park Guell and many more. If you visit Park Guell, I would suggest a restaurant at the end of the road called La Toretta, which had a nice outdoor location at the back of the restaurant, over-looking the city.

I would also suggest to sit on the top deck of the Double Decker bus for a full view of all the locations. We covered most locations, some by not even getting off the bus.

Sagrada Familia

Inside Sagrada Familia

Park Guell

At La Toretta with my Sangria

Shopping

Another wonderful thing about Barcelona is of course the shopping - Zara, Zara Home, Mango, etc. Everything is so much cheaper than Dublin. But sorry guys, the ladies' section had a better bargain! I spent 135 Euros for a ton of clothes. I only wished I could have bought more things from Zara Home but our flight only included carry-ons.

While exploring the city, we decided to take the subway or metro. It was a challenge as everything, I repeat, Everything was in Spanish. But we managed. Got on the right train and headed to Placa De Catalunya. There was this Halal restaurant there called City Gate - not bad Indian Muslim food.

Placa De Catalunya

Pick Pockets

Now we get to the main thing you have to worry about in Barcelona - pick pockets. Seriously, it's bad. We actually witnessed a pick pocket getting beaten up by this group of Honkies from Hong Kong - young boys, big group. They only fought back because they were in a big group, otherwise.. well you know.. The pick pockets travel in groups and they generally look the same - of a certain race, I cant say which one for sure though. But it's kind of weird because you are able to feel like they are targeting you, sort of? So my partner and I always looked after each other's bags.

I guess you have to constantly be alert and I would suggest to carry a sling bag that is hard to open so that they cant slip their hands in. I would also suggest to keep your money in two places (handbag and pouch) so you have emergency money, just in case.

All in all, it was a beautiful trip! I love Barcelona and I imagine it would have been better in summer. I might go back just to experience the cultural city when the sun really comes out. I can also see myself living there, minus the scary pick pockets, because the apartments and houses look like 'work of art'. Everywhere you turn, you see art - on buildings. I love looking at architecture and design - Barcelona filled that need, to the fullest.

Barcelona Bus Turistic

We took the Barcelona City Tour Hop On Hop Off tour.

Mystical and Green Ubud, Bali

2012-08-12T17:06:00.001-07:00

Something about waking up in a foreign country- although its strange, you do not feel out of place or like you do not belong. Today, i have the pleasure of waking up in Ubud, Bali. The sounds of water flowing from the river and birds chirping is exactly what I need after a long period of just working.. My 6 day journey started yesterday, but it was filled with traveling - changing from one mode of transportation to another. Today, my holiday really starts as we explore Ubud by foot!

Location: On my bed, in a Superior Room at Bali Spirit Hotel & Spa, Ubud.
Time: 8.07am

Park View Hotel, Singapore

2011-04-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

So my best friends and i took a trip to Singapore recently for a shopping and party weekend. As we were all on a budget, me especially - in progress of switching jobs, we needed an affordable hotel to stay at..

We finally decided on Park View Hotel hoping it was a good choice.. It was. For the price we paid which is 120 SGD per night, it was just right. We booked a double room and there was 3 of us.. many of us try to cheat hotel management this way (i am not gonna lie) but we didnt have to with this hotel because they allowed all 3 of us to stay in that double room.

The staff was very friendly, the room were clean, the toilet was clean, we had no complains. Although its an old hotel, i would say everything was maintained quite well. Wifi was available for 5.99/2 hours and 28.99/24 hours. The housekeeping staff were all very friendly as well, as we needed 3 towels :P

One other plus point i would say is that the room came with 4 pillows and not the traditional 2 pillows :) So we all had a comfortable nights' sleep..

Recommended, definitely recommended!

For more info visit: Park View Hotel's Official Site

Budget Car Rental, Ireland

2011-02-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

There are place in Ireland which is easily accessible via roads and if you are in need of wheels, i would suggest you to take a car from Budget. They have many outlets all over Ireland and even have an online car booking system through their website.

We manage to get a 4 door VW Polo for about 160 EUR, inclusive of GPS, insurance and 80++ EUR deposit which will be returned upon successfully returning the car in the condition it was lent out and with a full tank of petrol. We did not have any problems with the cars so far, both the times we rented it to drive up to Wicklow.

All you need is a valid drivers license from your country and a credit card. I heard its much cheaper to order the car online, maybe you can try doing so. The downside is that they do not accept cash, could be for security reasons should anything happen to the car that was lent out to you.

You can work your way around the cashless system if you have a friend in Ireland. Deposit the money into their bank account and they will be able to use their ATM card or Laser service to pay for the car.

The staff are a little stuffy and arrogant and sometimes you have to wait a while for your car, but i don't think its that bad considering the price you are renting the car for. And oh! btw, the amount mentioned above is for a 24hour time period.

They usually give you about 1 to 2 hours if you are late in returning your car. Just make sure you call and inform them on your situation, chances are you get a good person, they will still refund your full deposit, like what happened to me when the car got clamped because of insufficient parking fee :P

For more information, visit: http://www.budget.ie/

Garden City Apartment, Malacca

2011-02-14T11:53:00.000-08:00

It is sometimes a hassle to travel in a group because of accommodation. If you are a family with 2 young kids, a family room will do just fine but if you are a group of friends or family with young teenage children, staying in one big room can be somewhat uncomfortable especially if its a long trip.

I recently took a group trip to Malacca and when i browse through the internet there were so many apartments made out to be, not what they actually look it.. Some are outdated and are not in operation anymore.

Garden City Hotel was my second choice after my first choice just left be baffled. Luckily i had back up and the back up turned out to be something worth blogging about. For a fee of RM300/night and RM50 deposit, i booked a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment in the heart of Malacca town, just behind the Bandar Hilir Police Sation, good location if you have a car.

The apartment itself looked a little run down from outside, but it had good security, ample parking, the reception staff were friendly and it came with a HUGE pool. When i say huge, i mean HUGE.

All your basic amenities are provided in the apartment - vanity set, clean sheets, tea cups, cutlery, kettle, fridge, stove, TV and so forth. The was no internet/WiFi though.. But clean and well maintained, i can say..

Most of the units here belong to private owners who rent out their units to vacationers so do not expect a fancy furnishing, however i would say for the price we paid, the apartment was more than perfect. Definitely recommended for a huge group or family vacation.

For more information, visit: http://www.gardencity.com.my/

Trinity Capital Hotel, Dublin

2010-10-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled by its name, as simple as it may sound, or shall i say, as holy as it may sound.. haha.. this hotel is the best hotel I've stayed at ever.. Not because of the superior service or the amazing food at the cafe below, which are both not too bad in their own respect, but because of the decor.

This is a Georgian boutique hotel. Extremely gorgeous.

The room booked was the Mini Suite, which was Oval. Yes, the room was oval-shaped. With a king size bed, vanity kit and huge bathroom. And mind you, only the Mini Suite comes with a power jacuzzi.

It was set to a very romantic lighting with dark and sexy colors that fill the space. Colors like red, dark purple with a simple Thai-ish satin touch to it.

The service was good, the staff were really friendly. The booking, checking in and checking out were all done fast and with ease. The room was very clean and it came with all the basic necessities, except.

There was no proper accessories in the room. Things like, bedroom slippers, snacks and drinks in the fridge (which was totally empty), some lights were not functioning as well as the water pressure from the shower - not good.

But other than these petty things, it was an overall 10/10 stay. I love it and would go back to spend the night at the Mini Suite again, anytime ;)

And oh, don't get me started on their beautiful lobby..

Trinity Capital Hotel Website

Swiss Hotel: Romantic View

2010-09-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine treated me to nice evening out to Swiss Hotel The Stamford a few months ago. It was truly an unforgettable experience as i am a sucker for scenery and all things beautiful.. who doesn't like to look at beautiful things right? Ya well, im a bigger sucker for it than most people :)

So it was really a good choice for her to bring me here. We met there at about 5.30pm, went to the top floor and found ourselves a spot by the best sceneries of Singapore. The drinks are a bit pricey and not too much for what you get to see, what seems like the whole of Singapore.

I truly formed a fascination for Singapore when i saw how well planned and nice it looked from the top. for all the things we hate Singapore about, this is something i think all Singaporeans can be proud of, its government's thorough city planning. I know i was impressed.

Let me show you what i'm going on and on about :P enjoy the pics..

Recommended to take your girlfriends out on a date.. Its a very romantic spot and i think its well worth the drinks.. but like we did, have dinner else where.. make this your first stop.. just like my friend planned..

Tiger Airways Cheated My Money

2010-09-24T05:42:00.000-07:00

Tiger Airways Flight Delay due to shortage of staff cost me time and money!

Please take this letter seriously as i will circulate it without any remorse. It is bad enough that Tiger Airways does not have an email address on their website. Reason being, too many duplicate emails from customers, easy isn’t it to avoid complaint letters? Best part is, when i called the call center for complaints and feedback, they can only provide me with a fax number. They have no email address to write into. How convenient?

I am Evelyn Kurup, i had booked a flight on Tiger Airways on the 18th of August 2010 from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. The delay in Tiger Airways flight TR 2455 had caused me to miss my connecting flight to Dublin.

Booking reference number M2U9DI, flight number TR 2455 departing from Kuala Lumpur (according to itinerary) 16:40 on the 23rd of September 2010 and arriving in Singapore (according to itinerary) at 17:30. I had arrived at LCCT at 3.30pm to check-in, only to discover that the flight had been delayed to 5.35pm. I made a little noise at the counter because this was unacceptable. The flight was delayed for an hour. I had already planned for such delays, should they happen, which is why i had booked the flight to arrive 2 hours before my next connecting flight to Dublin, via Etihad.

I continued to check-in as i calculated arrival in Singapore would be around 6.20pm, i could still catch my flight with Etihad. Boarding time was at 5pm at LCCT, and ETA was 5.35pm. I waited and waited at gate T3 until 5.45pm. The staff did not announce any further delay, we customers had to inquire and only then they let us know that the aircraft had just left Singapore. Many customers made complained at the counter, but the response that we go from them was that they were not employees of Tiger Airways.

There was no representative of Tiger Airways present for us to make a complaint. Even the guy i spoke to at the call center named Arvin said he is not an employee of Tiger Airways.The aircraft finally arrived at 6.10pm. By the time we left it was 6.35pm and the pilot announced that the flight was delayed DUE TO SHORTAGE OF STAFF, AND THEY WERE WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT STAFF TO ARRIVE.

This is a huge management problem but for Tiger Airways and has nothing to do with me and it caused customers of flight TR2455 to miss other connecting flights, meetings and so forth. I cannot imagine, that such a well known budget airline, have problem in staffing. This is a huge inconvenience that innocent, paying customers have to bare. Like myself, i missed my connecting flight to Dublin as i reached Singapore at 7.35pm as appose to the rightful 5.30pm.

In total, the flight was delayed from 5.30pm, then 6.10pm and finally we left at 6.35pm which was MORE THAN 2 HOURS DELAY. I had paid SGD 1,300 for my flight to Dublin. Travelling alone, i am now staying at a hotel in Singapore during the F1 weekend, having to bare total hotel costs of SGD 270, which was the cheapest available rate for a decent and simple hotel in a red district area. To rebook another flight, i have to pay SGD 530! Total of SGD 800 because Tiger Airways had Staffing Problems!!

Tiger Airways not only caused me a total of SGD 2,100 but also time. I have to stay in Singapore for 2 days as the next flight to Dublin is on Saturday. The unnecessary time lost cannot be brought back. I am even unsure if there are available seats for the flight to Dublin on Saturday, when missing the flight was not my fault in the first place!

I had purchased this flight ticket to Dublin 40 days in advance to avoid high traveling cost. Thanks to the "tremendously efficient" service of Tiger Airways, i am not forced to bare most cost for something that was not my fault and for something that was out of my control. All i could do was wait and hope and pray, that the people at the counter we're giving us the right time. Even that was not true as they promised we would leave at 6.10pm after the 5.35pm timing didn't work out. If they would have told us earlier, that we would leave at 6.35pm, i could have looked for a different flight. It would be cheaper than paying for hotel in Singapore!!

I am now alone in a hotel room in Singapore, and i have to spend tomorrow night here as well.

I am extremely furious with Tiger Airways for the delay!! And for what reason? Shortage of staff?? Its amazing how they can even admit to such reasons for delay.

I demand that Tiger Airways compensate me for this extra cost that i have to incur due to their mismanagement. There was no faulty on my part whatsoever. I made sure i arrived at LCCT early to catch my flight.

I will never recommend Tiger Airways to anyone after today. The airlines might as well not exist, if it cannot be on time. A 30 minutes delay, is fine, a one hour delay is also still fine. But more than 2 hours delay due to shortage of staff is plain stupid and irresponsible!!

I am forced to bare the extra cost just because Tiger Airways had shortage of staff!! How is that my problem?? They seriously have no respect for people’s time and schedule!! Something needs to be done!! Tiger Airways needs to be closed down if this is the way they are going to operate!! Cheating people of their money!!

Tiger Airways is just the same as the robbers on the streets! But the robbers are better because you expect that from them! Tiger Airways takes your money, promises you one thing and cheats you out of it!

Cheaters!!!

Sky Park, Singapore

2010-08-07T01:53:00.001-07:00

Let me just say first, that the building on which the sky park is situated on is a huge architectural monument. I love that building so much. Its so beautiful and definitely a place to be pictures at if you come to Singapore.

So i headed to the sky park a few months back, about a month after the opening. I paid SGD 20 per pax and 4 of us - my mom, 2 cousins and me made our way up to the park. We were given this recording device which had numbers on it. It synchronizes with the number points on the park. Each number represent a spot on Singapore, and when the number is selected, the history of that spot will be told to you like a story.

Unfortunately, this was the only interesting thing, i thought, was available at the sky park. but when i was there, many restaurants and stuff was not opened yet. Maybe its better now, i dont know. Also i would recommend to go at night than to go during the day. I think Singapore will light up and look better at night.

Ofcourse, another attraction is the long border-less swimming pool which is only available for hotel guests.

Overall i think, i went to early as the attractions were limited as well as i think i should have went at night. Other than that, it might be a good experience to stay at the hotel itself and enjoy the pool with a special loved one. I bet it would be amazing. I heard the higher the floor, the higher the price, as always, but not sure if this is true.

If anyone has some experience at the hotel or sky park much later, after it was opened, or if you went at night, comment! Let me know if it would be worth going again at night.

Personally, i preferred the view from the top floor of Swiss Hotel, but that's another story :P

Fragrance Hotel, Middle Road

2010-08-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

Fragrance Hotel Middle Road, is the hotel for me right now..

As i'm Malaysian and work in Singapore, i constantly get visitors, family and friends from KL.. I used to book Bencoolen Hotel on Bencoolen Street for them, which is in its own right a good hotel, convenient location and what not.. I feel tha Fragrance is my pick right now, simply because its 3 minutes away from Bugis, and I love Bugis!

My mom recently visited me, along with my cousins just a month ago and it was my first stay at Fragrance. Here are some pictures of the room. Sorry about the lighting, the room is naturally dark, as it has an earthy theme to it, which i love (btw)..

The room price range from SGD 130 - SGD 150, for a normal standard room for 2 persons.. Its clean, and relatively new.. The toilets are clean as well.. the room is actually a little small.. you may get a bigger room else where for this price.. but i think its well worth it considering the location.. :)

Recommended. Definitely. :)

My Home Budget Hotel, Rampai Business Park

2010-05-03T05:41:00.000-07:00

My Home is a budget hotel at Taman Sri Rampai, opposite the international school. I would say the rates are reasonable and the place is clean as when i stayed here about 1 year ago, the hotel was fairly new. At the time some friends came to KL from Singapore and i wanted them to be near to where i was staying.

So we booked a family room consisting of 1 double bed and 1 single bed. As this was sometime back, i cannot remember the exact rate, but i know it was less than RM100. 4 people stayed in the room. I would say the room is a economical in terms of space. But it wasnt a problem to my friends as the plan was only to use to the room to sleep. We were most of the time out and they just needed a place to crash at night at freshen up. For this purpose, the hotel was perfect.

The room came with the basic amenities - LCD TV, hot shower and a table. There was no cupboard or safety box so if you are planning to stay here, i would suggest you take your valuables with you.There were however hooks on the wall for you to hang your clothes..

As my friends were the ones who stayed here, i wasnt able to get in and take a picture of the hotel before it was forcefully "tainted" by them. But i still took some pictures just so you can a clue on what the inside of the hotel looks like. I would say my friends were happy with the services provided - the staff were very friendly and they were happy the accommodation expenses didnt burn a hole through their pockets.

I would definitely recommend this hotel if you are coming for the weekend to KL and need a place to crash, somewhere other than in the thriving noises in town. There are many shops nearby at the Rampai business park - Paparich, Oldtown White Coffee, just to name a few, so you will not go hungry.

Again, sorry for the quality of the pictures. Its raw, but at least you get to see what it looks like inside right? :)

For more details (and better pictures :p), please visit the official website: My Home Hotel

New Look to the old Puduraya!

2010-03-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

What you read is correct, this is the new puduraya...

But dont get your hopes up just yet..

This is just the 2nd floor..

Better things to come for dear old puduraya..

Selesa Resort, Bukit Tinggi

2010-03-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

If you have read my previous post on Bukit Tinggi, you will know that my family and i have stayed at this apartment called Selesa Resort, which is not at Bukit Tinggi itself, but about 10 minutes drive away. Affordable and spacious.. That is how i would describe this hotel.. Check out the 2 rooms below..

I'm sure everyone will want to know.. about the toilet! Especially you girls.. Well, it was ok.. If you are a super neat freak you might not like it.. I wasnt difty or anything.. but old? Like the were little stains here and there but for me.. its was okay.. for the price we paid, it was quite awsome.. especially since we were in a group of 8... Anyway, a pic below to explain..

We were particularly happy about the kitchen, coz it meant we could spend a lot of family time, cooking simple and tasty food.. there were shops about 3 minutes away by car as well as many shops if you rather eat out.. But dont walk, its really dark and lone, drive with company as well.. It seemed to me like a cool adventure though.. not your typical prim and proper hotel, u know?

I dont have to talk about how big is the living.. you can practically fit another 10 people in there.. it has a nice green scenary, as well as other simple family activities.. Like the river beach which can accomodate picnics and outdoor activities. They also accept reservations for company retreats and functions..

Btw, the river was awesome!

For more information,

please visit their official website:

http://www.selesa.com.my/

Bukit Tinggi, French Colony

2010-02-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

Hey travel birds! How yall doin? Good i hope! You might wonder why i have not been updating and going travelling so often now.. well.... i'm working now.. bummer i know! but hey.. gotta make the money to travel to more exotic places right? Haha.. see, there's always a positive in everything :D

Anyways, this was around Christmas year 2009. My family went for short trip. We wanted to go somewhere near, affordable and nice. First bet was Port Dickson.. I didn't mind since i haven't been there in a while.. but i was in the mood for something different! Plus, i just got fairer from the beautiful breeze in Singapore, didn't wanna get all tanned up again :P Such a girl, i Know..

Anyway, this was only like 40mins away from where i live. The hotels at Bukit Tinggi itself were damned expensive so we booked an apartment 10 minutes away called Selesa Resort.

It wasn't bad.. If you have a car to drive up to Bukit Tinggi, Selesa is definitely the affordable solution. The apartment had 2 rooms, 1 kitchen, 1 balcony and a huge living room! Other activities at the hotel include swimming, golfing, camping, snooker and ping pong.. Simple family activity i would say..

Bukti Tinggi itself was quite good.. French and Italian restaurants, beautiful scenery, carnivals and so forth. Perfect place for the family and a bunch of friends looking for a simple weekend holiday..

One thing though, the Japanese Spa costs like RM500 per treatment and its never open! So if you wanna go there just to experience the spa, please look elsewhere.. The Japanese botanical garden is OK to me.. nothing really great considering all the uphill walking we had to do, but hey, got some good pictures!.. But given a choice, i would visit Cafe Del Mar rather than the Japanese botanical..

Enjoy the slideshow!

My Checklist Failed Me..

2009-08-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

Many of you have been asking me to update on my recent travel.. why have i taken so long.. well, here's the story.. i always make a checklist for every where i go.. i cannot live without certain things so this checklist is essential to me..

Just as i was about to leave, i realise that my camera battery was low, so i put a mental note to charge it in the hotel.. guess what.. i get to the hotel, my charger.. was.. not.. IN.. MY.. BAG!!!

I sobbed for days and even lost interest in sight seeing.. but moved on and had fun after that.. so... long story short, i cant really blog on my trip coz people need to SEE what i'm talking about.. without pictures, my blog is practically useless :P

I shall not make the same mistake for Bali, 100% positive.

So sorry guys, i know you were all looking forward to the posts and pictures.. i make it up to you during my trip to Bali aight.. muah!!

Taxi Services Anyone?

2009-06-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

I've got tons of udpdates to get started on.. on top of that, tons of other work to do! Can someone give me their 24 hours so i can have more time? Pweese? :P

Anyway.. My uncle has set up a taxi service! Yeay! He does trips to the airport, i.e. KLIA and even trips to other parts of Malaysia.. His name is Gilbert, nice and friendly guy with a smirky smile and sense of humor to go along!

Check out his website : http://sites.google.com/site/malaysiacab/Home

Get his number and call him to drive you anywhere you want kay? :D

Hotel 81, Bencoolen Street

2009-06-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Finally i have time to update this blog.. Anyway.. what can i say about Bencoolen hotel? My mom stays here every time she visits me in Singapore.. We choose this location simply because of its location, free parking, clean hotels and friendly staff.

Location - its near to a bus stop, walking distance to doby ghaut MRT, walking distance to bugis and many other spots..

Free Parking - If you drive to Singapore, you can park your car at the hotel and take a bus around, you know, experience Singapore the sporean way..

Clean Hotels - as you can see the pics below, although the hotel room is small, its a practical clean room.. if you don't mind confined spaces, for about S$150, this hotel is quite a catch!

Replica Inn, Bukit Bintang

2009-05-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

I was totally amazed that such a hotel was at Bukti Bintang at such a cheap price.. the hotel was nice, clean and STRATEGIC!! Imagine just 3 mins walk away to Bintang Walk..

If you wanna make a trip to KL, Bukit Bintang especially, get a room at Replica Inn..

Park your car next to the hotel and walk along the strips of clubs and pubs, bars and cafe and have your nights of fun! i know i wanna do something like this sometime soon!

Pink Dolphine, Singapore

2009-05-12T03:48:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine had requested videos of Singapore's famous pink dolphin. As dolphins are my favorite, absolutely favorite animal, i thought i would share a little..

The show was only about 20mins and it was quite impressive, the tricks these dolphins could do.. Most people dont know however that the pink dolphins arent really pink.. they are pink with patches of grey.. but they still look adorable.. its hard not to love dolphins..

During the show, they usually get 2 people to get in the water and help the trainers with few tricks.. obviously you'll get wet but you'll be able to get really close and touch these dolphins and take pictures with it.. I wasnt dressed for that.. plus i had another tour after that so i couldnt get on the bus soaking wet.. but for those of you who plan to do.. bring a change of clothes and make sure you have time to spare after..

i was kinda sad i couldnt get that opportunity but im waiting to go to Batam.. they have swim with the dolphins programs there, so ive heard :)

The Budget Way to Cameron Highlands

2009-04-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

This was my first trip to Cameron highlands about 3 years ago.. after lots of planning, we had found 2 good hotels, one of which was Father's Guest House and another, Daniel's Lodge.. Initially we wanted to stay at Father's Guest House because of all the lovely comments we read about the place in many forums, true enough, it was famous as they were fully booked for the whole month.. so we decided to go with Daniel's Lodge which is just walking distance from the Tanah Rata bus stop..

When we arrived, we were a little sceptical about the place as it looked a little run down.. my main concern was if they had maintained the rooms and toilets.. when the receptionist pointed us to our room, i was glad as everything looked clean and nice.. for RM60, it was good enough..

We were informed by the receptionist that they have tour services from as low as RM25.. so as soon as we got settled, we booked a tour and waited for our van.. The itinerary on the tour included 4 places; a flower farm, a bee farm, a Chinese temple and the tea plantation.

First stop, Chinese temple.

Second stop, Flower Farm. We were happy that the flower farm not only had flowers, but strawberries, insects, reptiles and a butterfly farm too. The weather there permits the flowers to grow so wonderfully beautiful and healthy that some flowers are so big and tall, you feel like for a second they can take over the human race!

After our stop at the bee farm, we went to the tea plantation and got a tour on how tea was made from start to finish. There was even a special tea museum and speciality shop where you can buy all sorts of tea! and the view.. breathe taking!

As it was a short weekend trip, we decided to spend the night in so we paid a visit to Daniel's lodge jungle bar which was cool.. they had a bon fire and all.. the next afternoon we watched 2 movies in their mini cinema.. all in all it was a holiday to remember.. especially since i had to wash my face in icy cold water..

Don't forget to stop at the Tanah Rata market.. things to buy/try: natural honey, honey with it honeycomb, tomato jam, fresh strawberries and vegetables, key chains and other small gifts of that sort.

You may wanna buy plants but unless you are really good at looking after them, i suggest you don't. The weather in KL is just not sufficient for them to survive so let them live in Cameron, rather than die in KL. Let the fern i bought be the only plant that had die a dreadful death..

Daniel's Lodge. Recommended 5 stars!
http://www.daniels.cameronhighlands.com/

Malacca Straits Hotel

2009-04-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

All my years studying in Malacca, I've never set foot to this hotel. But i bless the day i did because, although small, its my #1 choice now if i were to holiday at my fav 2 hours away destination..

Upon arrival we were greeted by friendly staff who precessed our check-in very fast. Heading up to the room, i was excited, not knowing what to expect. Frankly i thought it would be just like those normal looking, typical hotel rooms which over populate our country but no! Here's what we saw...

The highlight for me at any hotel, would be the bathroom. Don't ask me why but all my family members know that its the first thing I'll check, followed by the water heater. A clean, well maintain bathroom and hot water is key. But i think i kinda forgot about the hot water when i saw that our room had a JACUZZI!

Everything about this hotel rubbed me the right way that even after the we found out the jacuzzi for the first room was not working, i was still cool and calm. Otherwise i would have thrown a fit. Also i was excited to see the other room! I thought at first that it might be just as similar to the previous one given to us but.. hehehe.. i love this hotel!

There could be other, more expensive hotels that are better decorated but for my budget, this is so far the best. It really embodies the whole earthy atmosphere and the whole essence of Malacca being a traditional and historically diverse state. Did i mention that there was a computer in the room? Yes. A computer.

It amazed me too that such a small hotel, as you can see from the pictures above, had this..

The food from the coffee house was tasty. The pool was clean and well maintained. The only thing that bothered me was the kitchen staff from Equatorial Hotel. As the pool was directly behind EQ, there were so many "watch-birds" who couldn't just mind their own business.

Besides this, i give Malacca Straits Hotel, 10 Stars!! For more information on the hotel, view the pic below! Website address & contact number is also available in the pic :D

Stay at the hotel, you will not regret it! :)

Tickle Your Excitement at Genting

2008-12-22T06:01:00.000-08:00

I'm lucky, i live very near to the Terminal Putra.. The location where you can take the bus to Genting? While i live near the terminal, the Genting express way exit is also only about 10mins away :D

I've taken both routes and my conclusion is i prefer to take the bus, simply because i don't have to drive.. heheh.. you can get a package deal inclusive of return bus ride, return cable car ride and tickets for the theme park at Terminal Putra at Melati for about RM50 which is very reasonable.. but if you want to drive to the cable car station, the parking is safe and FREE. I found this out the hard way.. it being my first time, i actually asked the guard where to get the parking ticket and he was like.. "err... its free?" *blush*

So anyway, i love the cable car ride.. its exciting and a bit scary! Especially if you're afraid of heights.. Just don't look down!

When you reach the other end of the cable car station, just follow the signs to the theme park.. I love Genting because it brings out the child in you, just by being there.. the color and designs make you feel like you're a kid in this huge carnival with endless fun rides to go on..

I can say that i have been on almost all the rides.. including the Flying Coaster which happens to be my favourite! As in i went on it 5 times on just the 2 trips i had to Genting. The only ride i can admitted say i haven't been on as a personal choice is the Space Shot.. Its the one where you sit in a circle facing outward, go right up and shoot down really really fast... 2nd pic below. Other than that, even the cork screw is extremely fun!

The pic above is of my gang, yup both cars.. We went in a big group and that's how i feel you should enjoy Genting.. Enough of the outdoor theme park..? there is also the indoor theme park.. where you can go to the snow world, have a shot at the indoor sky diving, watch a movie, go thru the Ripley's museum, go bowling, sing your heart out at kbox and lots lots more roller coasters.. I for one love the vast decorations they have..

You can head to Genting in the morning and come home the same day.. That is what most people from around here do.. coz its so near.. If you manage to get a good deal for First World Hotel, then by all means spend the night.. You will never be able to cover both the indoor and outdoor theme parks in 1 day.. especially if its during the rainy season.. some rides will be temporarily discontinued as a safety precaution.. check the genting website from time to time.. i hear the room rate goes down all the way to a crazy RM30 sometimes..

I had a great time with my friends and their kids but i think these boys can express it way better than i will ever be able to..

Sweet Breeze at Kinabalu Park

2008-12-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

Even if you are not planning to go tracking to the top of Mount Kinabalu, you should visit the Kinabalu Park.. Why? A promising view of the top of this righteous mountain! Did you know that the top of the mountain is covered by rocks? This is why you can track right to the peak..

After paying the entrance and conservation fee, we parked and got out to have this cool and cold breeze sweep our cheeks! And the view from here was totally amazing.. Such a scenic destination.. exceptionally beautiful and suitable for lots of picture taking!

All you need to do here is the enjoy the view.. just looking at the mountain gives you the chills.. something so high and so far away can be seen with your bare eyes.. really a wonder..

I would totally recommend anyone going to Kota Kinabalu to take the tour to Kinabalu park as well as the Poring Hot Spring.. the tours are usually together for these 2 places.. although there's nothing much to do here, except if you're hiking.. its a clean fresh experience for your eyes and skin.. especially if you're from a city like KL..

Heal at Poring Hot Spring

2008-12-19T02:10:00.000-08:00

There are many places where you can go to experience a good and hot spring water experience.. My family and I recently paid a visit to some relatives living in Sabah and they took us to Poring for a nice day out with the kids..

I got to say the drive was kinda long.. From Penampang (where we stayed) to Kundasang.. I was expecting a run down place with small tubs where the hot water comes out but i was pleasantly surprise.. It was almost like a Mini Sunway Lagoon, minus the rides of course..

We immediately went to the section where we can soak our legs in steamy hot water.. I for one, love love love hot water.. and i soak my legs till my feet was practically red! Its safe to say that my legs looked like it was cooked.. Don't worry about the water being too hot.. You cannot adjust this but logically speaking, the further away you sit from the tap, the better.. Once you get used to it, you can slowly move nearer.. I did it and i enjoyed myself..

After soaking our legs, one of our aunties got us a private chalet.. ranging from RM50 i guess.. There are 2 tubs in this chalet.. with a bathroom so you can change and wash up after.. This is where you get to soak your whole body.. and i think everyone going to poring should get a chalet.. its totally worth it..

For the kids who don't like hot water.. all they need to do is pay RM3 and get themselves tickets to the pool.. My cousin and I thought we had enough of hot water so we went to the huge pool area.. guess what? The water was freaking.. i repeat, freaking cold!! Imagine soaking in ice..

I was totally admiring nature just then.. these are all natural source water.. the hot and the cold and its amazing how 1 location can have 2 totally diverse temperature.. best part is.. there was a huge slide.. plunging into ice water was my first, one of a kind experience! Also there 2 pools.. another with the same icy cold water but at 8 feet.. :)

I was soo busy swimming i left my camera in the bag guys and girls.. sorry! I'll be sure to get pictures next time before i jump.. i couldn't help it.. i was too excited! :D

p/s: please bring along, fresh change of clothes, towel, bathing suit, toiletries, some cash to pay for entrance and conservation fees and some finger food, in case your kids get hungry from all the swimming :D