Lash World Tour

TRAVEL TIP- MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR TRAVEL IN MALAYSIA

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:07:00 +0000

Kuala Lumpur at sunrise

Recently I've met several long-term travelers who are visiting Malaysia for the first time. Somewhat to my surprise, I quickly found myself giving lots of tips about choosing products, finding restaurants, and saving money on all sorts of things. Even though they are veteran travelers, they didn't know many simple practical things about 'living' in Malaysia because they've never spent time here.

Meet up with travel bloggers in KL

I suppose that many common daily-life practicalities about any destination you figure out only by spending a significant amount of time there. Perhaps by returning several times, working there, or having local friends who fill you in on daily life details. And apparently guidebooks skip many of those practicalities.

Since I've spent so much time in Malaysia over the years, I discovered that I can dish up lots of useful money-saving tips that you probably won't find in guidebooks. Here's what I've come up with so far:

Maxi Hotlink

1. cell phones / sim cards

In all Asian countries, Australia, UK and Europe, you can easily and inexpensively buy a new sim card for your mobile phone, thus obtaining a local phone number. (Excluding use with US phones, which operate on a different phone system).

In Malaysia, several phone companies sell sim cards. I recommend 'Maxis' also know as 'Hotlink'. They sell new sim cards for just 8.80 RM ( < $3 US) which includes 4 RM phone credit. Domestic text messages/sms cost 0.10 RM. So, with your new sim you can already send 40 domestic text msgs, without buying any more credit! International sms rates vary per country, but are also very cheap. You can sms to every country except the USA. (Thanks US) You can call to US phones, but not text.

You can add more credit when you run out by buying 'top up' credit at 7-11s, many local convenience stores, phone shops, and Maxi/Hotlinks stores. Pre-paid (top up) cards come in increments of 10 RM / 30 RM /60 Rm / 100 RM.

IDD 132 International Calling plan

Hotlinks has a special international calling rate program, 'IDD132'. To use it, you have to add extra numbers in front of your calling number. Ask about it when you buy your sim and/or check Maxis website.

You'll need your passport to buy the sim, since Maxis officially registers the phone number to your name.

Even if you're traveling through Malaysia for just one or two weeks, it may already be worth buying a Malaysian sim to communicate with people.

2. Internet

Generally, internet connections in Malaysia are fast, consistent and abundant every where. Plentiful local internet shops typically charge 3RM/ hour ($1 US). Many guest houses, hostels, and hotels also have internet centers. I generally find their rates higher. To save money, visit a nearby internet shop.

In Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Tourism Office on Jl Ampang, just one block down from Petrronas Twin Towers, offers free internet sessions of 30 minutes. They also have unlimited free wifi.

Wifi

Most modern cafes, coffee shops, hotels, and some restaurants offer free wifi. Many budget guest houses also have wifi, either free or for a minimal charge. It's really easy to use your own computer in Malaysia, and throughout SEASia, in fact.

Malaysian train

3. Buses / trains between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Malaysian trains and buses are great: super clean, with spacious padded seats and air conditioning. Overnight sleeper trains offer decent-sized beds with clean linens. Private cabins are also available.

If you're making a round-trip journey between KL and Singapore, buy BOTH tickets in Malaysia! You will pay Malaysian prices. Currently, the overnight train from KL to Singapore costs 30 RM ($10 US). When you buy tickets in Singapore, you pay Sing $30 Sing ( $25 US) Big difference!

note- Malaysian buses and trains are what I term 'super-refrigerated'. C O L D. Make sure you have some warm pants, shirts and jacket on hand when you enter... unless, of course, you like refrigeration.

water filter system and boiled water at local hotel

4. Drinking water.

Many guest houses and hotels offer filtered drinking water free to guests. Sometimes there's a filter attached to the tap. Other times they have a huge bottle to refill from. Malaysians drink filtered tap water, boiled water, or commercial bottled water. They generally don't drink water directly from the tap unfiltered.

You can save a lot of money by not buying water while traveling in Malaysia. For example, if you drink one bottle-1.5 L - per day, then in 30 days, you'll spend minimum 60-90 RM ($20-30 US) per month. If you're on a tight budget, that makes a difference.

If you prefer commercial bottled water, it's cheapest at super markets, where you can buy 1.5 L bottle of local brands for ~ 2 RM. Branded water costs more and varies by brand.

taxi in Penang, Malaysia

5. Taxis

Make sure you get a metered taxi. The cost will be half to one-third of a 'set fee'.

On the streets and when ordering a taxi, you will generally get a metered taxi automatically. But make sure you discuss it beforehand. And make sure they flip on the meter when you start.

At some places, like Sentral Station, you don't have the option to get a metered taxi. The station has a taxi service set up whereby you pay for the taxi at a booth inside the station, get a receipt, then go wait in line for the next taxi.

However, you can walk from Sentral Station down to the main road to flag down a metered taxi if you prefer. It's less than 2 blocks down the road ramp to the main street.

Also keep in mind that after midnight there's an extra night charge of +50%. The fee should not be charged before midnight.

6. Coffee

If you prefer espresso coffees, keep in mind that prices at Starbucks, Coffee Bean, San Francisco Coffee, Dome, and other modern coffee chains the are the same or higher than in US and Europe! Various espresso drinks cost 8-15 RM ( $3-5 US)

If you're a bit of a coffee gourmand, like me, but don't want to pay US prices, here are some rescue options.

You can get delicious, high-quality local coffee at a few shops in Malaysia. It's not exactly the same flavor as espresso coffee, but it's strong and delicious. I'm extremely picky about coffee, so I do not recommend these shops lightly.

* Old Town Coffee is a Malaysian high-end coffee shop/restaurant chain. They serve a variety of dark, potent coffee drinks in a charming retro colonial setting. I often order their iced coffee for 4.30 RM ($1.50) At Starbucks or Coffee Bean, the equivalent costs about 10- 14 RM ( $3.35- 5 US)

Old Town White Coffee outlet in Penang, Malaysia

* Local coffee shops. Nowadays, local neighborhood coffee shops aren't so easy to find. You'll find tea shops, either Chinese or Indian, much easier. But when you do come across a local coffee shop, stop in. You'll get an excellent strong local coffee for just 1-1.50 RM ($0.35-.50 US)

* Another tactic I often use is to switch to Indian teas. Te Tarik is sweetened tea with milk, topped with froth. Like a tea cappucino! Te tarik is a potent caffeine/sugar combo, thjus a great substitute for espresso. And at a fraction of the cost. The going rate is 1- 1.5o RM ($0.35- 0.50 US)

7. For more money saving tips, check out my 2 posts on free things to do in Kuala Lumpur:

10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur, pt 1

10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur, pt 2

+ coming next week: '10 Free Things to do in Penang'. Stop back!

INTERVIEW WITH JESS AND DANI OF GLOBETROTTERS GIRLS

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:19:00 +0000

Lash with Dani and Jess of GlobetrotterGirls in KL, Malaysia

In Kuala Lumpur recently, I had the pleasure of meeting down-to-earth Jess and Dani, an American and German duo out traveling the world nomadically. They've been together since 2006 and have been traveling since 2010. Together, they run the popular travel blog, Globetrotter Girls. We had a chance to get to know each other, exchange travel experiences, and go over perspectives on the USA. I jumped on the opportunity to ask them for an interview, and here we are:

Globetrotter Girls at Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Q1. You've been traveling nomadically since April, 2010- nearly 2 years! What aspects of long-term nomadic travel do you love the most?

Dani and I are both restless souls and born travelers. In the past, we have both lived abroad in various countries anywhere from 6 months to four years but even then we were flying off on city breaks as often as possible. The best thing about being nomads is that we never have the chance to feel restless. We are constantly experiencing new places, new people, new foods and obviously avoiding the feeling that we are missing anything.

Q2. What do you find most difficult about your nomadic lifestyle?

As much as we love our lifestyle and the lives we are leading as nomads, finding the perfect ‘work hard-play hard’ balance has proven to be the ultimate challenge to master. Although we have the time to work, the difficulty lies in our ability to immediately switch on a work mindset at a moment’s notice to maximize the hour or two here and there we have between activities and traveling. With distractions like Facebook, Twitter, sketchy wi-fi connections and being plain old tired from traveling or sightseeing, digging deep for that kind of focused energy is a constant challenge.

Globetrotter Girls at Casa Azul, Mexico

Q3. What are your 3 favorite countries, to date, and why do you love them so much?

We both absolutely loved Mexico. We loved it because it wasn’t at all what we expected and yet everything we hoped for. We started in Mexico City and worked our way south across the country. What we discovered were strong traditions, friendly, intelligent and passionate people who want to share their Mexico with you, food better than we could have imagined, and miles and miles of perfect beaches.

On a whim, we spent three weeks in Lisbon, Portugal, this last June. Knowing almost nothing about the city we showed up to discover a manageable city in terms of size, incredible maritime history, a fascinating mix of cultures and again, miles and miles of beaches. This was by far one of the highlights for me. While we haven’t seen much outside of Lisbon (the Algarve, Porto, etc), the art, the language, and the style of Lisbon just entirely won me over. Portugal is now on my list of countries I could live in. In fact, we keep mentioning how much we loved Lisbon, but in actual fact I hope not too many people find out about what we consider the least discovered capital in Western Europe.

Dani with 'chicken bus' in Guatemala

Dani was probably most impressed with Guatemala – it is, after all, a photographer’s dream. Between the colorful but crumbling colonial buildings in Antigua, the mix of Westerners and Mayan people bumbling about their daily lives in the villages around Lake Atitlan, volcanoes which are erupting daily in the distance, the delicious coffee from the region and the fact that you can still visit remote, Mayan-only spots make the country so exciting to visit. We both also loved learning about the proud way the Mayans are taking back their culture and the 33 languages under threat of dying out.

Q4. Are there any places you hate/ never want to visit again / do not recommend to other travelers? If so, where and what's the turn off?

There haven’t been places we actually hate. It’s hard to hate a place. But we didn’t feel entirely safe in Honduras and have recently read that one of the major cities, San Pedro Sula, has even gotten more dangerous in recent months. Unfortunately, the countryside is just so beautiful, and with limited visitors here currently, we don’t like to discourage tourism as it could really help the country get back on its feet.

On the other hand, we found both the sheer amount and the specific types of tourism in Ko Phi Phi and Phuket in Thailand to be entirely not to our liking. Plenty of people were just out to enjoy a nice, budget beach holiday, others were there to get plastered or get a little too friendly with younger Thai girls. Having said that, we really enjoyed the rest of Thailand!

Globetrotter Girls crossing border bridge between Costa Rica and Panama

Q5. You've spent a lot of time in Latin America. More recently you've been traveling through SE Asia. Could you please compare the two regions, as you've noticed thus far, in terms of costs, food, accommodation, ease of travel, friendliness, and your own sense of comfort/openness as a gay couple.

With the exception of Malaysia, South East Asia is actually much cheaper than Central America. You can travel on a tight budget in either place, but the quality of what you get in SE Asia is higher. For example, $15 a night will get you a clean, basic double room in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador, but a room with the exact same amenities and feel has typically run us about $10 here in SE Asia. Costa Rica, Belize and plenty of places in Panama cost even more for the same or less quality.

Globetrotter Girls in Chiang Mai, Thailand

In Thailand it would actually be difficult to spend more than $5 per person per meal on food at regular restaurants (we usually spend around $2.50 per meal if we eat in a proper restaurant), and we eat at night markets where you can fill up on Pad Thai for under $1. In Central America, we easily spent $6-$10 per person at any restaurant, and found that – while very interesting culturally - the markets weren’t exactly places we wanted to pull up a stool and eat, though we often bought our food there to make in hostel kitchens – which are less common here in SE Asia.

Both SE Asia and Central America are a breeze to travel by bus. The quality of buses here in SE Asia is much higher – we traversed Central America almost entirely by chicken bus, which are just old American school buses decades past their prime. It’s a fun and adventurous way to travel, but bus travel in SE Asia is definitely more comfortable. Over on this side of the world there is also legitimate train travel, and thanks to airlines like AirAsia, Firefly and Tiger we can fly great distances at $30 a flight. There is nothing remotely like convenient budget airlines in Central America. The choices and quality of transportation in South East Asia is much better.

Globetrotter Girls at cooking class in Luang Prabang, Laos

In terms of friendliness…this is tough for us to evaluate for a couple of reasons. We both always been very attracted to Latin culture, music, film, and the language and because we speak Spanish fluently, we don’t have many of those frustrating communication moments. Overall we found Latin America to be incredibly friendly. In South East Asia, especially Thailand, we found locals to be friendly, too, but because we – for now – don’t speak the languages, it is difficult to get beyond surface conversations with many locals. Along the same lines, when you speak Spanish, you can use throughout all of Latin America, with minimal differences/accents in each country. In Asia, you would theoretically have to learn a new language in each country to really get along in the same way.

We found that Thailand to be open to the LGBT community, much more than what you see in Central America. However, if we extend the conversation to Mexico, then we would have to say that Mexico has the best legal policies and equal rights for the LGBT community hands down. Marriage is legal and couples throughout the country are open with their sexuality – and this despite being a Catholic nation known for its level of ‘machimso’ as well.

Globetrotter Girls in Guatemala

Q6. When you're traveling, do you seek out gay/lesbian bars, clubs or other venues? ie. Do you try to get involved in the LGBT communities where you travel? Why or why not?

If we are totally honest, we don’t really seek out lesbian bars. The fact is, purely lesbian bars are hard to come by in many places. We have found that there is almost always at least one gay bar, and a little over half the time, it’s also lesbian friendly. We also don’t tend to seek out the lesbian community as such either. When we travel to a destination, we have anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to absorb what life is like in each place. And while we certainly take notice of the LGBT community, we are interested in daily life as a whole in each place. We are usually out exploring all day and hitting up restaurants and bars we read about at night that come recommended. This might be our only chance at getting around the world the way we do, and we would rather hunt down the best kept secrets and have the most fun possible than go to a bar exclusively because it is a lesbian or a gay bar. Having said that, we don’t avoid them either, and when we do come across them, we pop in for a drink and take in what life is like for lesbians in the city (its almost always a city) where we are.

Q7. Do you ever seek out specifically advertised gay/lesbian friendly hotels, resorts to stay at? Why or why not?

We run a hotel review series on our website – Hotel Tip of the Week. These are hotels that we have personally stayed in and can confidently and enthusiastically recommend to readers. At the end of each review, we rate the hotel in terms of LGBT friendliness as well as Digital Nomad friendliness. We do seek out gay and lesbian friendly hotels when available, of course, but throughout much of our travels we have not found much exclusively lesbian accommodation. Yet!

Globetrotter Girls in Italy: Monterosso Cinque Terre

Q8. Now that you're in Asia, do you see/feel a big difference in attitudes or behavior towards and among gays and lesbians compared to Latin America? If so, what differences?

Definitely. In Thailand we felt the culture was more open to queer society in general, whereas in countries like Laos and Malaysia, there is a distinct lack of openness to any sexuality except for married heterosexual couples. One aspect that has been very interesting to observe in South East Asia so far is the cultural ‘acceptance’ of lady boys here, even in fairly small towns. We haven’t investigated any hardships they may endure, but just the fact that they feel comfortable to be so open with their sexuality says a lot for where Asian societies are culturally. The legal / political systems in places like Malaysia has not caught up to where much of society is on the issues, with the LGBT community still in danger of being imprisoned if ‘caught’.

In Latin American society, homosexuality is seen as sinful and weak, and there is almost no cultural acceptance at all whatsoever. People are out, it is not necessarily illegal, but the Catholic religion keeps people as much in the closet as the political or legal systems elsewhere in the world.

Q9. I've been living/traveling in Asia since 1991. For me, it's really easy to spot local lesbians and lesbian couples. And they're all over the place. Have you noticed? Does that differ much in Latin America?

Absolutely we have noticed. There are both butch and femme lesbians here, so open and out. In Central America there is a very big closet with thousands of lesbians inside. Capital cities in Central America can be a bit rough, so intellectuals, feminists, artists, and the gay community tend to congregate in slightly smaller, more manageable colonial cities, also popular with foreigners. In these places, there are often gay and gay friendly bars and cafes.

Globetrotter Girls in Thailand at Doi Suthep Temple

Q10. Throughout Asia, it's common for (straight) male friends to hold hands, hang on each other, and show affection. Same for female friends. Public hand holding and touching are traditionally done between friends, more so than between lovers. Therefore, it's really easy for lesbian couples to hold hands and so on, without attracting any attention or curiosity. Have you taken advantage of that yet?

We haven’t really taken advantage of this at all, no. We wrote a post a while back about living a half in half out of the closet lifestyle on the road. It’s about being careful in places where there are no legal/social safety nets for the LGBT community and although it is common for friends to be affectionate, homosexuality is illegal. Makes us pretty uncomfortable, and we’ve learned to tone down affection in public.

Jess in Mexico on Pyramid of the Moon

Q11. Any idea how much longer you'd like to travel continuously?

We are slowing down a bit now, but are at least two years away from wanting to stop. The more we travel, the more we want to see. Regions, countries, cities we had never even considered traveling to have now become passions. The rest of Latin America, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, the Trans-Siberian railway…we can’t settle down just yet!

Q12. Do you have any ideas where you'd eventually like to settle down? If so, where and why?

The problem is that the more we see the more difficult narrowing down a place to live will be. In all likelihood, we would settle in Europe but spend the winters in Mexico. In Europe, you have the cultural diversity, are within easy reach of so many travel destinations and have the right to be married and have our relationship be legally recognized and in Mexico we have warm weather, beaches and that amazing Latin American feel we miss so much when we’re away. But with so much left of the world to see, who knows what places might inspire us to stay forever!
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Thanks so much, Dani and Jess, for sharing your perceptions and travel experiences with us and giving more people an insight into the ups and downs of traveling as a lesbian couple. Enjoy the rest of your world travels!

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Time Shares

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:27:00 +0000

Singapore

Have you ever thought about living overseas, particularly outside the USA?

Are you interested in living abroad, but not sure how you'd actually like it or which country to live in?

Would you like to 'test out' living in a particular country to see what it's like?
Or perhaps you'd just like to vacation in gorgeous destinations every year?

Time shares may be the perfect way to do just that.

timeshare with GG Timeshare

Basically, a time share consists of either buying or leasing a fraction of a property. Usually, time share owners buy/lease a condo unit for a set amount of time each year. One week per year is typical. That makes the buyer's / leaser's costs much lower than buying/leasing an entire condo unit outright. All of the owners/leasers of said property are sharing the costs. It's a pool of owners. Each owner/leaser pays a fraction of the total cost. For example, if you buy a one-week time share, you pay 1/52^th of the property value. Clearly, that's a LOT less than the total property cost! Thus, time shares are affordable for many people who would not be able to buy an entire property outright.

typical timeshare kitchen

Time shares are generally condos or apartments, so you live like you would at home, or like you would if actually living in that destination. You'll generally have a fully furnished, fully-equipped kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, and common rooms. Usually TVs and other appliances are included. Essentially, they are complete homes. Usually various amenities are also included and available to time-share owners such as swimming pools, work-out facilities, spa, garden and/or yards.

Most time shares are located in amazing places around the world, including beach resort areas, charming towns, and other vacation destinations. According to statistics, internationally there are over 5000 time-share resorts in 100 countries thus far. That gives time-share owners a tremendous range of choices and countries to experience.

If you want to see how you'd enjoy living overseas, time shares are a great way to test it out. They'll give you a much better feel for daily life than staying at a hotel.

Hotels don't give you the feeling of actually living in your own home or of conducting normal daily life in the destination. Hotels are great, of course, but you'll feel like you're on vacation, not that you're living in a place.

another GG Timeshare resort

By staying in a time share, you can go about a real daily life in the location. Go grocery shopping, cook your own meals. Spend time at home: reading, watching TVs or movies, work on your computer, socialize, enjoy the yard or pool. Then go out exploring, enjoying the town's beaches, gardens, or shops. Find out how much you like the town, the people, the culture, the country. That will give you an excellent feel for living in that city, that country and see how you like it. You can compare living overseas to living Stateside before actually making any commitments. And you can find the exact place you'd love to live.

timeshare

Even better: nowadays, time shares are extremely flexible. Although you buy a particular property, in a particular location/country, you're not necessarily 'stuck' with that exact property every year. You might be able to change the dates you occupy the property. You can generally 'exchange' your property for an equivalent one in another country, at a different time. You can make a shorter stay, longer stay, roll-over your time to a future year. You can upgrade, downgrade. You can lend, let friends or family stay, rent, re-sell your units.

You can return to the same unit 'your unit' every year at the same dates if you want. But you can also change locations every year, thus visiting several different destinations within one country, or several different countries over the years. If you're not so crazy about one destination, you can check out another country next time around.

Although timeshares might be an excellent way to try living abroad and checking out lifestyles in various countries, be sure to do your research before investing in a timeshare. Rules of contract can be complex. Annual maintenance fees are usually required. And timeshares are legally considered 'equities'. Not surprisingly, many types of companies have developed to handle different aspects of timeshare ownership, exchange, rent, resale, and legal issues. Transfer America is one company that specializes in helping timeshare owners get out of their timeshare contracts as well as any yearly fee obligations. Their website also explains options and potential complications involved in selling timeshares.

Sound intriguing?

Want to learn more?

General information about time shares:

* wikipedia: Timeshares

* do a google search for time shares, where you will find several time share handling companies offering detailed information.

Time share exchanges:

* There are just 3 major time share exchanges, which help owners use any of their time share options and find compatible time share exchanges around the world for the dates, locations, and type of time share you have.

* They are: RCI, Interval International, and Trading Places International.

(* except for Singapore photo, all photos from Flickr Creative Commons from: GG Timeshares / ardee4 / kamoteus *)

PHOTO GALLERY: THAILAND ISLANDS AND BEACHES

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:17:00 +0000

Similan Islands National Park, west coast of Thailand

Here in Penang, Malaysia, I'm just a few hours from the Thai border. That fact continually reminds me of the many happy years I've spent island-hopping around Southern Thailand, scuba diving snorkeling, camping and exploring, cycling and hiking.

All those fond memories have inspired me to put together this photo gallery of dozens of amazing islands and beaches that I've had the great fortune to explore over the years. I'm also very tempted to go re-visit some of my favorite spots some time soon...

I hope these shots inspire you to head to the tropics soon, too! Happy travels.

cheers, Lash VIEW FULL GALLERY

NEPAL: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:54:00 +0000

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Lash selling bags, t-shirts and pants from Bali and Thailand in Japan at music festivals

July to Oct 2001 I conducted an import sales' trip to Japan, my first attempt at an import/export business. I sold hip bags, t-shirts and pants from Bali and Thailand at Kyoto temple markets and various trance music festivals around Japan. After successfully selling about 90% of my merchandise, I decided to visit Nepal and hike in the Himalayan mountains, at long last.

Annapurna Range of the Himalaya Mountains in Nepal

Unbeknownst to me, while I was bustling around Japan, an astounding, scandalous tragedy took place within the Nepali Royal family. The crown prince killed several of his Royal family members, including the King of Nepal (!) at a family gathering. He then turned the gun on himself, committing suicide. That had a tremendous impact on the Nepali government, the Royal family, and the nation as a whole. In addition, there were renewed stirrings of Maoist guerrilla rebels at several places around Nepal, requiring military intervention. For both those reasons, the safety of traveling in Nepal was a bit questionable. Nevertheless, I was unfazed and proceeded with my plans.

Lash boarding flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Kathmandu, Nepal

I flew into Kathmandu, via an overnight layover in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (which was an adventure itself. see: Overnight in Dhaka) I got 'stuck' in Kathmandu two weeks with some kind of 'exhaustion illness' before I could finally set out on my first cycling trip around the Kathmandu Valley. On my return to Kathmandu, I was struck hard by bronchitis, took antibiotics, and finally managed to take a bus across Nepal to Pokhara, the jumping off point for Himalaya treks in the Annapurna region. After some crazy health dramas, which caused me to cross Nepal 3 times, I did actually hike the Annapurna Circuit.

Immediately afterwards, to round things off, I experienced a very exciting and dramatic exit from Nepal (see Dramatic Departure) in the midst of Maoist bombings that lead to most countries issuing urgent warnings to all its citizens: 'depart now!'. I certainly did not have a dull time in Nepal!

Temples in Durbar Square, Baktapur, Kathmandu Valley

Unlike most travelers to Nepal, I was not so favorably impressed with the country. Although the architecture and atmosphere of Kathmandu were very interesting and unique, I greatly disliked the rubble, debris and filth of the city. I also felt constantly pestered by touts. Although they weren't many in number, they were incredibly persistent and annoying.

Then, crossing the Kathmandu Valley by bike, I became incredibly angry at the Nepali government for their obvious neglect of the country's infrastructure and citizens. I was astounded at the degree to which there was NO sanitation whatsoever. No school system. No health care. No basic infrastructure such as paved roads, sewage systems, or piped water. I found appalling conditions throughout the flat Kathmandu Valley, just outside Nepal's capital city. Many people, within a day's journey from the capital, were still living like the dark ages, with no knowledge of modern health care, sanitation, running water or education.

Lash trekking the Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

Meanwhile, I knew that tons and tons of money was pouring into Nepal for permits to hike Mt. Everest (it's at least $10,000 US per person just for the permit) and other peaks, as well as by numerous NGOs helping with projects throughout the country. Obviously, the Nepali government/ Royal family was not using any of those abundant funds for their citizens or their country.

Finally, during my entire Himalayan trek I was asked the same boring questions over and over again, day in and day out, from morning until night, by everyone I met, both locals and other trekkers... ahhhhhhhhhhh!

burning ghats in Kathmandu

Interesting how one's previous experiences color one's perceptions of a place. My response to Nepal is a perfect example. I had just been in Japan for 3 months, where everything is clean, new, mended, functional, punctual- all of which I happen to love. In addition, Japanese people almost never approach strangers, meaning me, which I also happen to love. From Japan I arrived in poor, filthy, broken down Kathmandu and got pestered by touts. Coming from Japan, it was really rather shocking.

Interestingly, in complete contrast to my reaction to Kathmandu, I met many many travelers coming up from India to 'escape' from the filth, chaos and constant harassment of India. They all found Kathmandu: CLEAN! (what?!) CALM and UNHARASSED! (What?!)

So there you go. It's all about perspective.

plaza surrounding Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu

My anger at the Nepali government/ Royal family no doubt resulted from my knowledge of the Thai government and especially the King of Thailand. I could clearly see a complete contrast between the two Royal families. Having spent several years traveling in Thailand, I'd learned much about how the Thai King had helped peasants with improved agriculture, introduced manditory free education throughout the entire country, implimented health care, and installed modern, fully-functioning infrastructure. Thailand has excellent roads, hospitals and health care, (much better than the US health care, by the way!) There's electricity throughout the country and a competent educational system. All of that was missing in Nepal, even close to the capital. I was totally disgusted.

Sadhu in Kathamandu

In addition to my annoyances with Nepal, my 'exhaustion illness', which derailed the first 2 weeks of my trip, hindered my plans and lead to a temporary health scare. No doubt that also colored my 'feeling' for Nepal.

While I did find Nepal extremely interesting, the archticture and culture in Kathmandu amazing, much of the scenery stunning, and many foods delicious, Nepal certainly wasn't my favorite country. Maybe my perceptions all boiled down to the particular moment in time that I visited. Almost every traveler I've met who's visited Nepal absolutely loved it.

Looks like I'll have to give Nepal another try!

Q: Have you been to Nepal?
What were your impressions?
What did you like and dislike about the country?

You might also like:

Trekking the Annapurna Circuit
Maoist Guerrilla Bombings and Dramatic Departure from Nepal
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Photo Gallery: Hiking the Annapurna Circuit
Photo Gallery: Kathmandu

THAIPUSAM FESTIVAL EXPLAINED

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:58:00 +0000

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* Cheeks skewered with spears.

* Backs pierced with double rows of finger-size hooks.

* Chests and stomachs buried by small silver cups or citrus fruits held on with fine hooks.

* Tongues pierced with sets of delicate silver skewers.

* Men strapped into elaborate, colorful 5-8 ft-tall 'floats'.

* Others carrying heavy, arched wooden palanquins decorated with peacock feathers and bright colors.

* Still others dressed in bright orange fabrics, carrying pots of milk atop their heads.

* Raucous Indian music, played by live musicians in traditional attire.

* Brightly-adorned cows pulling an elaborate silver chariot.

* People dramatically smashing coconuts on the streets.

* Thousands of onlookers dressed in vibrant silk saris, wearing fragrant white jasmine flowers in their hair.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the Indian Thaipusam festival, a dramatic, chaotic, noisy tribute to the Hindu God Murugan.

But what does it all mean? Why are hundreds of people undergoing such extreme piercings, bearing heavy burdens, and walking miles in the blazing sun?

Last week I attended Thaipusam in Penang, Malaysia. During the festival, I asked several Indian participants what it's all about. I clarified their responses with a little online research. Here's what I learned.

As far as I understand it:

Thaipusam is celebrated mainly by Tamil Indians on full moon in the Indian 'Thai' month- the first month of their calendar year- which falls in January or February. 'Thai' is God Murugan's month. Other Hindu Gods have a corresponding month during the year, and often festivals are conducted in honor of those Gods during their particular month. Thaipusam is celebrated in India at 6 major Murugan Temples plus in large Tamil communities abroad, particularly in Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.

Devotees are fulfilling their vows of 'bearing burdens' to Lord Murugan to show thanks for their prayers being answered. Generally, they have previously prayed to avert some serious trouble, hardship, or disaster. In exchange for their 'favor' being granted, they've promised to make particular offerings to Murugan. If such problems are indeed resolved, and their prayers answered, the devotees then 'suffer burdens' to demonstrate their profuse gratitude.

All such burdens are called 'Kavadi'. They range from carrying a simple pot of milk to offer Murugan to carrying heavy wooden palanquins on their shoulders to undergoing various piercings to bearing tall heavy 'floats'. Many walk barefoot. They march several miles in the hot blazing sun. Each devotee is accompanied by an assistant or a whole group of supporters who egg them on, protect them from throngs of onlookers, and give them sips of water. Most walk in silence, to more completely focus on God and their vows. Those with pierced tongues and cheeks literally cannot talk.

Devotees must undergo elaborate rituals before and during Thaipusam. For 48 days leading up to the festival, they must eat only particular vegetarian foods and practice celibacy. It's believed that they pass into an ecstatic trance-like state, sometimes breaking into fervent dancing, and occasionally becoming possessed temporarily by Gods.

Thaipusam lasts 2-3 days. It begins at dawn with prayers and rituals at a designated Hindu temple, amidst throngs of people. Once completed, the Thaipusam procession kicks off with two colorfully decorated cows pulling a silver chariot, which bears a statue of Lord Murugan. They proceed slowly through the streets several miles to the final Lord Murugan temple.

In Penang, the parade begins in central Georgetown's Little India and proceeds about 7 km to the Waterfall Temple, near Penang Botanical Gardens. Thousands of people, dressed in brilliantly colored saris and other traditional outfits, escort the chariot and line the parade route. Hundreds approach the chariot with offerings of fruit and flowers. Attendants on the chariot collect their offerings then bless the devotees. Consequently, the chariot must stop frequently, making the procession a long, grinding all-day affair. In Penang, it takes over 12 hours for the chariot to reach the Waterfall Temple.

Layed out along the entire parade route are piles of coconuts, tall and small. They are decorated with incense, flowers, and sometimes orange coloring. A few minutes before the chariot reaches each coconut pile, people start grabbing coconuts and smashing them open dramatically on the street. Apparently, that symbolizes cracking open one's skin to reveal one's true inner self, in pure white. After each coconut smashing 'party' a clean-up crew quickly moves in with small bulldozers, street cleaners and brooms to whisk it all away before the chariot arrives. It's all creates a big frenzy.

Traditional Indian musicians and drum troupes join the parade. Dozens of devotees carry large curved wooden kavadi. All along the route, temples and businesses have already set up stands offering free food, water, fruit, snacks and drinks to everyone in attendance. The last few miles leading up to Waterfall Temple, the road is lined with large, bright booths blasting loud Indian music, offering more food and drink, and adding to the intense visual and auditory overload. The festival continues on through the night.

On the second morning, devotees who've vowed to undergo piercings and/or to carry large strapped-in floats make their preparations, receive piercings, get strapped in, and start their long march to the temple, amid more throngs of onlookers. When they finally arrive, they present themselves to Lord Murugan. Their vows have been fulfilled. Floats are dismantled, broken up, and discarded. Piercings are removed. Devotees can relax... almost.

The night of the full moon, Lord Murugan's silver chariot, the devotees, and masses of on-lookers march all the way back to the original temple, arriving near dawn the following morning.

What do you think of Thaipusam?
Would you like to see it in person?

You might also like:

Photo Gallery: Thaipusam in Penang 2012
10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Hiking 'Dragon's Backbone' on Chinese New Year

Book Review and Interview: '20 Miles Per Cookie' by Nancy-Sathre Vogel of Family on Bikes

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:19:00 +0000

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I just finished reading Family on Bike's second intriguing book, 20 Miles Per Cookie, about the family's first long cycling journey together across the USA and Mexico. Astoundingly, they pedaled over 9300 miles during their one-year adventure in 2006. (Since then, they've made an even longer journey- all the way from Alaska to the southern tip of South America- which took them nearly 3 years).

Not surprisingly, 20 Miles Per Cookie is a fantastic tale of adventures, adversities, family bonding, exciting discoveries, and a heck of a lot of cycling. What makes the story most appealing are the personal perspectives. Nancy, the author and mom of the troupe, includes several letters written by sons, Daryl and Davy, to their grandmother while out on the road. Very charming. Nancy shares her worries, fears, and doubts about their escapades when they encounter hardships. She recounts their hardest moments and their most heart-warming. Many of their best experiences involved strangers they met along the way who spontaneously offered their help, food, yards, and homes to the passing travelers. The book includes dozens of personal photos from their journey as well.

If you're at all interested in cycling through the USA, wonder what it's like pedaling a mega-journey, or how you'll be treated by local Americans and Mexicans while traveling through their home territories, or if you need some personal inspiration, or simply love amazing true adventure tales, be sure to check out 20 Miles Per Cookie.

Meanwhile, here are some behind-the-scenes perspectives on the trip from Nancy, John, Daryl and Davy:

Family on Bikes leaving home for their America-Mexico trip in 2006

Q1. What were the major differences between cycle-touring with just you and John vs. with Daryl and Davy along?

I think the major difference between traveling as a couple and traveling as a family is that families are so well received. It’s not that John and I didn’t meet wonderful people when it was just the two of us, but having the kids along really brought out the angel side of people. John repeatedly commented on how surprised he was that people were so quick to help us out. He had never experienced reactions like that in all his years of bike touring.

If you really think about it, it makes sense. We were about as non-threatening as possible. A family with two young kids traveling on bikes. Were we really serial killers??

Family on Bikes conquering their first mountain pass

Q2. If possible, can you pick 2-3 'best family moments' on your Trans-American journey?

The best moments are always the hardest to put into words. There was one moment in the San Juan Islands, when we were cycling along the coast, when Davy spied whales out in the water. We all climbed off the bikes and stood on the side of the road watching a pod of 6 or 8 whales frolic in front of us. Blackberry bushes lined the road at our feet. And then John spotted a bald eagle perched in a massive dead tree near the water. It was one of those magical moments that I never wanted to end – but the ferry wouldn’t wait so we had to push on.

Another time that was very special was at the Grand Canyon. As we lay curled up in our sleeping bags, we started talking about nuclear physics. John explained, in elementary terms, how a nuclear reaction happens, then we went in to the consequences of a nuclear accident and power sources and taking care of the environment. The conversation actually spanned three days and was one of those educational moments that can only come from having extended periods of time together.

Family on Bikes in Redwood Forest, California

Q3. What were your personal favorite spots on the trip and why?

I love the desert of southern Utah/northern Arizona. The colors… the rock formations… the starkness… I’ve traveled the world over and I think that may be my favorite location in the whole world. It’s so gorgeous!

I also fell in love with Joshua Tree National Park on that journey. Prior to arriving there, I had never heard of it – or Joshua Trees either. We saw the national park on our map and, since the boys were into collecting Junior Ranger badges, headed into the park. It was incredible.

Family on Bikes camping in Baja

Q4. What were Davy and Daryl's favorite spots and why?

Hands down, their favorite spot was a campsite we found in Baja. As we traveled south, we would cycle until we found a tiny town (population 50 or so, but with a tiny store), then we pedaled another couple of miles before turning into the desert to camp. We were trying to kill time as we would meet John’s mom in Mazatlan, but were running early. So we started finding a nice spot in the desert to camp, then hang out for a few days. I could jump on my bike and ride to the small store every day for food and water.

So one time we pulled back into the desert and found a spot to camp next to an arroyo. The boys spent hours and hours and hours building forts and playing in the arroyo. They still talk about it now as the best campsite ever!

Family on Bikes finishing at grandma's

Q5. Towards the end of your trip you decided to slow down your pace and cut back on your original itinerary, thus skipping a chunk of your original route. What were Davy and Daryl's responses to that? Were they bummed out, relieved, could care less one way or the other?

I don’t think the boys cared one way or the other. They knew they were exhausted – as were John and me – but I don’t think they really even realized the extent of the change.

Family on Bikes cycling the Katy Trail

Q6. How about you and John's feelings about that?

It was much harder for us. The death of a dream is never easy and, when we made the decision to cut off the end of the journey, it felt like we were giving up on our dream.

On the other hand, we knew something had to give. We were exhausted and could no longer push like we had been. The magic was gone and we needed to do something to get it back. Our new plan worked.

Family on Bikes pedaling across Texas

Q7. Were there any places you felt were dangerous or risky for cyclists? Any places you would advise other cyclists to avoid if pedaling across USA and/or Mexico? If so, where and what's the danger?

Of course, any time you have to deal with heavy traffic, it’s scary. We tried to minimize the amount of time we spent on busy roads, but there were a few times when we had to do it. We discovered that Sundays were the best time to pass through big cities as there is less traffic.

We also cycled right along the Mexico/New Mexico border which, according to some people, could be dangerous. Again, I feel that cyclists in general, and a family of cyclists in particular, are pretty non-threatening. I’ve found that treating people with respect goes a long way.

Family on Bikes crossing a river

Q8. What advice would you give other families cycling with kids across the USA and/or Mexico?

Do it. It’s not as scary or as hard as it might seem. It’s an incredible experience and is wonderful for both parents and kids!

-------------------------------------------

Thanks so much, Nancy, for these insights into your incredible journey.

Get your own copy of 20 Miles Per Cookie here.

Follow Family on Bikes at the following online spots:

www.familyonbikes.org

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TRAVEL TIP: 8 STRATEGIES FOR MOSQUITO-FREE SLEEPING

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:03:00 +0000

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Getting chomped all night by mosquitoes is a total nightmare. All that stinging and itching leaves you tossing and turning then feeling like crap the next day. Even worse, mosquitoes can be downright dangerous. They potentially carry serious, life-threatening diseases including malaria, dengue fever (4 different strains) and Japanese encephalitis. So it's very important to prevent mosquito attacks while sleeping, both for a sound sleep and for avoiding disease.

During my 13 years of traveling in tropical and developing countries, I've learned that it's wise to have a variety of anti-mosquito techniques at hand in order to deal with different situations. Here are 8 simple strategies I've used over the years:

budget bungalow in Thailand with mosquito net tied up

1. Sleep inside a mosquito net that's covering the bed

This is my first choice.

Some guest houses, home stays, and budget hotels have mosquito nets permanently fastened to the ceiling above the beds. During the day, it's best to pull up the net from the bed and tie it in a bundle. At night, pull down the net, tuck it completely in around the entire bed, and make sure there are no holes anywhere. If you find a hole, simply stitch it closed with a needle and thread .

Not all budget places do offer mosquito nets, so depending on where you're traveling, it might be worth carrying your own net, which you can install wherever you go. Buy one locally. It will be cheap and easy to find since many locals use them, too.

2. Sleep inside a net tent

An alternative to the mosquito net is a stand-alone net tent. You can easily set up the tent on your bed wherever you stay. You can also use it for camping, obviously. Make sure you have a rain fly if you intend to camp, in case it rains, gets cold, or there's a heavy morning dew. If you plan on camping off and on during your travels, this is a good choice. Buy a good quality, light-weight tent for long travels from a professional outdoor store like REI, Marmot, North Face or several other N. American/European companies. This is one item that's better to buy at home, not in developing countries.

mosquito coils are found cheaply all over Asia

3. Use a mosquito coil

This is my second choice to sleeping under a mosquito net. I've found that mosquito coils keep mossies away all night if placed correctly in the room. One coil lasts about 8 hours- exactly one night's sleep for me. I usually turn a fan on low, with oscillation, to distribute the smoke throughout the room. If I'm in a tiny room, or have to keep the windows closed at night (due to lack of screens or security) the smoke can become choking, which is obviously no good. In that case, I try a different technique.

Some people don't like the smell of the coils and some believe the smoke is bad for your health. Personally, I like the smell and think of it like incense.

Mosquito coils are extremely inexpensive and easy to find all over SE Asia. (ex. in Malaysia, 1-1.50 RM for a pack of 10 coils / $0.35-0.50 US)

4. Sleep under a fast-moving fan

Wind from a fan can keep away mosquitoes if it's set on high speed. Usually the oscillating setting works best, rather than stationary.

Many travelers love sleeping under a fan. Personally, I usually find it too chilly. I also don't especially enjoy a brisk wind blowing on me all night. If I use a fan at night, I usually set it on a slow speed and additionally burn a mosquito coil nearby.

Fullerton Hotel, Signapore

5. Sleep in an a/c room

If you’re staying at mid-range to 5-star hotels, you generally don't have to worry about mosquitoes in your room. A/c rooms usually are mosquito free. One reason is that windows are usually sealed shut. There's little chance for mossies to get in. Secondly, mosquitoes definitely prefer heat to cold. Still, check over your room just to be sure. Sometimes a few mossies wander inside.

Many budget hotels and guest houses offer a choice of a/c rooms and fan rooms. A/c rooms are often double price of fan rooms, but if it fits your budget, and you prefer cooler temperatures, a/c rooms are a good choice. Personally, I love the heat and greatly dislike air conditioning. I mostly use these other tactics to deal with mosquitoes. But on ocassions that do have an a/c room, I notice that mosquitoes are generally absent.

electric mosquito 'coil' with repellent refills

6. Plug in an electric mosquito repellent

Electric mosquito repellents are also used all over Asia and provide an alternative to mosquito coils. You can buy the plug-in plastic repellent holder inexpensively just about anywhere. Buy some repellent pads and insert one until it runs out, then replace. Advantages over coils are a smoke-free environment and standard-size refill pads, which you can buy in most Asian countries. Disadvantages are that you have yet another electrical appliance to cart around, one which you'll need an adapter for when you travel to other countries.

In Malaysia, the plastic holder costs 6-8 RM ($2-2.65 US) and a set of refill pads 1 RM ($0.35 US).

Thai mosquito repellent wipe

7. Cover your body with mosquito repellent

This is one of my last choices. I don't particularly like covering my entire body with mosquito repellent. The chemical varieties are obviously somewhat poisonous, however all-natural repellents can be found around SE Asia, too. In SE Asia you can find cream, spray-on, and wipe-on types.

If it comes down to it, I'd much prefer to be covered in repellent than spend the night tossing, turning, and scratching then end up covered in mosquito bites, and risk contracting dengue fever or malaria. So, when all else fails- ie. no net, no mosquito coils, no fan- I do slather on some repellent and drift off to sleep, safe and mossie-free.

sleeping with lights on and eye mask

8. Sleep with the lights on

This is a great trick I discovered somewhere along the way. I do prefer to sleep with the lights off, but if all else fails- no coils, no net, no fan, no repellent- I simply leave the lights on all night. Miraculously, this deters mosquitoes entirely. Easy. I usually wear an eye mask to block out the light. If I don't have one, I place a bandana, towel, or clothes across my eyes. That works just as well.

I hope these techniques help you avoid mosquitoes and their potential illnesses as well as ensure good sleep during your world travels.

Q: Which of these techniques do you use?
Which do you prefer and why?
Do you have any other suggestions or tactics?

You might also like:

Travel Tip: How to Avoid Jet Lag, pt 1
Travel Tip: How to Avoid Jet Lag, pt 3
Great Reasons to Love Super-long Flights
Interview with Nina Schwarz, Head Flight Attendant at Lufthansa
Tent Escapade

PHOTO GALLERY: THAIPUSAM FESTIVAL IN PENANG 2012

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:37:00 +0000

Thaipusam's silver chariot illuminated at night in Penang

The dramatic, chaotic Indian Thaipusam Festival is punctuated by a silver chariot pulled by two brightly decorated cows; vigorous coconut smashing; devotees with pierced tongues, cheeks, chests and backs; live musicians escorting a long parade procession and throngs of onlookers. Thaipusam is celebrated annually in India and countries with large Tamil Indian communities such as Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. This photo gallery presents images from 2012 Thaipusam in Penang, Malaysia. Be prepared...

SEE FULL GALLERY

NEWS: I'M PART OF A GUEST POST ON MOVIES THAT INSPIRE TRAVEL

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:14:00 +0000

Lash cycling in Japan

I'm pleased to announce that I've been included in a post about movies that inspire people to travel. Marla-Norman Freytag of TravelCuriousOften Magazine interviewed 8 travel writers about films that have inspired our travel lives. Here are the diverse, excellent films that we have come up with: Reel Travel Goes Around the World

Have you seen any of these films? Do you agree that they inspire travel? Have you gone traveling specifically because of any of these movies?

Thanks Marla for including me! You got me thinking for a while before I came up with a few movies that prodded my wander lust.

cheers, Lash

REVIEW: KUALA LUMPUR BIRD PARK

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:44:00 +0000

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I'd been yearning to visit Kuala Lumpur Bird Park for several years. I love birds: their brilliant colors, cheerful voices, and quirky mannerisms. Every time I pass through KL, (several times per year) I cycle around Lake Garden Park 3-4 times a week. Day after day I pedal right past the sprawling bird park, listening to birds chattering, squawking, whistling and trilling. I keep telling myself, “This time I'll visit the Bird Park,” but somehow I always run out of time. Before I know it, I find myself heading out of the city without visiting the birds, yet again.

Lash taking a photo with birds at KL Bird Park

Last week I hit the jackpot: I was welcomed by the Bird Park as a guest travel blogger. I arrived with eager anticipation at the world's largest free-flight walk-in aviary. Much to my surprise, the park actually exceeded my expectations! Not only did I get to observe thousands of beautiful birds, I also got to interact with them: I was photographed with birds standing all over me and got swarmed by colorful chattering lorries who came to drink honey-sweetened milk from my hand. I fed human-size emus and watched the humorous bird show. I spent hours wandering around on my own, photographing and video-taping birds engaged in all sorts of activities. It was a fantastic experience. In fact, my visit turned out to be one of my very best days in KL.

Known as 'Taman Burung' in Malay, the 21-acre aviary is home to more than 3000 birds from all over the world. Essentially, the park is a group of gigantic netted enclosures. Birds are free to roam about as they please. Birds are everywhere. Peacocks strut along sidewalks, regal Crowned-Pigeons wander about pecking at the ground, Horn-bills perch in trees, Pink Flamingos stand preening in ponds, swans and ducks glide along ponds, vibrant Scarlet Ibis and stately storks wade through flowing streams, birds fly through the air. You can't NOT see birds at KL's bird park! They're everywhere, in all their bright, chattering, busy glory.

Many birds have been living in the park for years, so they've become quite accustomed to humans. They go about their business just as they please, undisturbed by passing guests. Birds are up-close and personal.

As for my wonderful day at the park:

I was met by Jason Chan, the park's marketing/promotions exec, a friendly, down-to-earth Chinese Malaysian man. He initially escorted me around the park, showing me the main sites, telling me facts and info on the birds and park, then later left me to wander about on my own .

male peacock attempting to court females

Entering the park's main entrance, we stepped right into a large enclosure full of brightly-colored parakeets and love birds flying around, chattering greetings. Soon after, we bumped into a male peacock strutting about in full regalia, presumably attempting to court some unseen female. During my visit I met at least 3 other strutting peacocks, one confused fellow trying hard to impress a lovely white egret, who showed no interest whatsoever.

Sulfur Crested Cockatoos eating corn for breakfast

Soon after our first peacock encounter, we came upon the 'photography birds' standing out on wooden perches, eating breakfast in preparation for their day of photographing with visitors. They included Sulfur-Crested Cockatoos, a Spotted Owl, a Malay Eagle Owl, several brightly colored Macaws, a Hornbill, and a few other raptors. They stood around chewing on corn cobs and long red chilies, a very comical sight. Mr. Spotted Owl tried to slyly sneak off into the jungle unnoticed, but was soon gently returned to his post by park staff.

Spotted Owl, sneaking into jungle

Immediately afterward, I found myself in a large enclosure with a colony of brilliantly-colored, loudly-chattering lorries. Here guests can feed them honey-sweetened milk and/or sunflower seeds, but should be prepared for an infestation! Seconds after the attendant handing me milk, I was inundated with chattering birds, all fighting to claim the most seeds and milk for themselves. They were all quite belligerent and noisy, I must say! Despite their frenzy, not once did any of them peck me. They're rambunctious but quite tame.

We left the squabbling lorries and wandered down to a large pond with a stunning, cascading waterfall. A graceful Black Swan went gliding past, just inches away. A flock of Pink Flamingos preened their feathers and waded through the water. A large stork stood silently nearby. The pond is backdrop to the twice-daily bird show, which I returned later to watch.

We continued on to the flightless bird field. Large gray emus stood around the enclosure. When we grabbed some large leafy greens, they came running over and greedily grabbed the leaves, tearing large pieces off and swallowing before grabbing some more. I was amazed at how large their heads, eyes and beaks are, face to face.

Finally, Jason showed me the park's Horn-bill Restaurant. It's a gorgeous wooden Malay-style building set on a hillside overlooking the park, and within the free flying Horn-bill enclosure. The restaurant has an atmospheric indoor a/c section plus an outdoor balcony overlooking the park. The balcony is stocked with containers of papaya to attract Horn-bills to come feed. I managed to entice one Horn-bill with the papaya, which was quite exciting. He stood eating, just two feet from me. Soon a larger, red-beaked Horn-bill came near, honking loudly in the trees. I ate a sandwich, myself, which was quite tasty with fresh meat, lettuce, mustard and brown bread. The restaurant offers both Malay and western meals for standard prices.

Horn-bill eating papaya at Bird Park's Hornbill Restaurant balcony

Jason left me to wander the park on my own. I set about photographing and video-taping birds all over the park for another 3 hours. One of the highlights was spotting the brightest, reddest, most vibrant bird imaginable. A Scarlet Ibis was strolling through a shady stream pecking at the water. I was so stunned by it's gorgeous, almost neon red color, that I stayed 15 minutes just gloating at its sheer beauty.

Soon I had to dash over to the 12:30 bird show, where the audience was entertained by vibrant, outgoing Macaws doing all sorts of silly tricks. In addition, raptors swept over the audience, snatching meat from staff – and guests- hands. Thoroughly entertaining.

If I hadn't had other obligations I would have happily stayed at the park until closing time, just enjoying the birds' colors, voices and habits. Alas, around 1:30 I had to leave. But I did take with me many wonderful memories, fond moments, great photos and video clips.

colorful Macaws waiting to perform at the bird show

Needless to say, I highly recommend visiting KL's Bird Park to everyone who likes birds. Set aside a half day or full day to fully enjoy observing the thousands of birds and all the fun interactions you can have. Besides feeding lorries and emus yourself, getting your photo taken with birds, and watching the bird show, you can learn more about birds at the park's educational center and watch various bird feedings at set times throughout the day. Free-flying birds are feed at 10.30, Horn-bills at 11.30, eagles at 2.30, and storks at 4 pm. The bird show is presented twice daily at 12.30 and 3.30. You can also photograph and video-tape birds throughout the park, though you'll need permission to use any photos for commercial purposes.

Horn-bill

If you want to experience it all, you can easily fill up an entire day. Throughout the park, there are benches and tables, strategically-placed public toilets, and several snack-drink kiosks. And don't forget the pleasant Horn-bill Restaurant for meals.

KL Bird Park is open daily, 9-6 pm.
Admission is 48 RM adults / 38 RM children.

For more information or directions on how to get there check their webpage: KL Bird Park Visitors Info

Interview with Mei of CumiDanCiki

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:57:00 +0000

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Cumi & Ciki, your Malaysian blogging couple

This week I catch up with a well-known Malaysian blogging couple, Mei and Jo, of CumiDanCiki. For several years they've been blogging about adventure travel, cuisine, and health n fitness. Recently, I was lucky enough to meet up with Mei twice in Kuala Lumpur. She's a lively, fashionable, fun girl, who clearly enjoys socializing, eating great foods and traveling the world. For CumiDanCiki, she writes refreshing, informative posts with a personal perspective. Mei and Jo also have two other blogs, WhoAdventures about adventure travels, Cikipedia about health and fitness while traveling.

In this interview we get the inside scoop on CumiDanCiki, their favorite cuisines and countries, the general Malaysian perspective on various foods, and their personal recommendations for travel in Malaysia. Here we go:

street stalls in Malaysia- the satay man

Q1. Is blogging really big in Malaysia? Or just catching on big-time, like in Europe and USA? What topics are most popular to blog about?

It’s bigger than it’s ever been, say 5 years ago. I’d say we are around 3 years behind Europe and the US of A in terms of blogging experience, but it does not mean the quality is not there. Some blogs in Asia have better quality of content than that which comes from the USA.

Q2. When did you start CumiDanCiki?

5 years ago

Q3. Your blog is based on an old Malaysian educational TV show. Please tell us more about the show and the two characters, Cumi and Ciki. (pronounced 'Choo Mee' and 'Cheeky') And, do the two names have any particular meaning, or are they simply names?

C&C was an educational programme from the 80’s. Its hosts were the two travelling, mischievous monkeys who had many adventures, and along the way, taught the audience about their new discoveries. So yes, we chose names which had a Malaysian flavor as we are, afterall, a Malaysian blog. The blog talks about our travel adventures – same as the programme. The names themselves don’t mean anything. Just screen characters.

The Pinnacles, Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malysia

Q4. In real life your names aren't actually Cumi and Ciki, but Mei and Jo... Mei, you're a pharmacist and Jo's profession is? So, how the heck did you start blogging about travel and food?

Jo runs an Adventure Sport Company. Read more here WhoAdventures . We travelled a lot and took many photos, all of which were kept in the digital camera. On day Jo told me to upload them to the web and start writing about them. The rest, as they say, is history.

fine dining at Sage, The Gardens, Kuala Lumpur

Q5. You blog a lot about food. Nowadays, among Malaysians, are there any foods / cuisines that are considered especially trendy / hot / super cool?

Not really. Fine-dining has really taken off in the last 5 years or so. Malaysia is still no.1 for their streetfood though;) Here’s a great post on fine dining in Kuala Lumpur at Sage. Sage Restaurant Wine Bar

Here’s a great post on Top 10 Street Foods in Malaysia: Dishes I Would Take You to Eat If You Came To Malaysia

Q6. Are there any foods Malaysians consider blasé or uncool?

Not really, no.

Q7. What do Malaysians think about western fast food places like McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut? Is western fast food super popular? Do people consider it delicious or unhealthy or ?

Seriously, eating junk food and being overweight used to be a health issue that afflicted mainly wealthy continents, such as North America and Europe. Now as incomes rise and populations become more urban, you will notice that in Asia, diets that were once healthy and full of greens and fiber, are now giving way to diets with higher proportions of fats, saturated fats and sugars. At the same time, large shifts towards less physically demanding work have been observed worldwide. Moves towards less physical activity are also found in the increasing use of automated transport, technology in the home, and more passive leisure pursuits. Junk food is, of course, the insidious killer and very popular in Malaysia now. If you want to learn more about my stand on health and exercising – read my other blog here: Cikipedia.com

nasi lemak, Malaysia's

Q8. What are your (you and Jo's) favorite Malay dishes and why do you love them?

We love Nasi Lemak – it’s the Malaysian version of the big English breakfast. Read about it here : Nasi Lemak

Q9. What are your favorite foreign cuisines and why do you love them?

We like most kinds of food that are made well. When in Indonesia we like the Indonesian street food e.g. Bakso. In France, you will find us in the bistro, patisserie or munching on a macaron. We like all types of cuisine.

Q10. You guys have already traveled overseas quite a lot. Where do you prefer to go? Other Asian countries? Europe? N. America? Why do you love those regions so much?

Every place has its appeal. We don’t have a favourite. We like them all. Of course the further you go from Asia, the more exotic it feels. Just like how our American friends find Asia so appealing, we love to travel further from our native soil as well. We like the States .

Q11. Are there any places you're just dying to visit? If so, where and why?

South Africa and Antarctica. Because we have not been, and we read stories on how great they are. They list high on the adventure scale!

Mt. Kinabalu summit, Sabah, Malaysia

Q12. What top 3 Malaysian destinations would you recommend westerners to visit and why?

Kuala Lumpur ! Because it’s home and we live here, so if you visit we can take you around!
Sabah, Sarawak a.k.a. Borneo – to climb Mt Kinabalu and for the great outdoors. Read more here Mt. Kinabalu Here’s another post we wrote for Wild Junket on the Top 5 Adventures in Malaysia

Q13. Do you ever think you'd like to blog full time to earn your living from it? Or do you prefer to keep it as a side hobby? In either case, why?

I think I like my day job too much at the moment. Will definitely consider going full time blogging in a year or two.. maybe ;)
--------------------------------------------------
Thanks so much, Mei, for enlightening us about your blog CumiDanCiki, about Malaysian cuisine, and about great places to visit and eat in Malaysia. Enjoy your continued blogging, eating, and adventures. Looking forward to catching up with you again soon. cheers, Lash

Follow Mei and Jo, aka Cumi and Ciki at their 3 websites and on social media:

Blogs: CC Food Travel / WhoAdventures / Cikipedia

Twitter : @agentcikay

Facebook : CC Food Travel
Writer for : Visit Britain - UK's Tourism Blog

MY STORY SELECTED AT 'BEST TRAVEL ARTICLE BY HOLE IN THE DONUT TRAVEL BLOG

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:56:00 +0000

I'm honored once again to have one of my stories selected by Barbara Weibel of Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel Blog as 'Best Weekly Narrative Travel Article'. In Cycling Bali Day 12: Lash Push Through Rural Bali, I recount my adventures pedaling from Bali's far northeast coast at Amed across the foothills of sacred Mt. Agung and on to Gianyar city, nearly at Bali's south coast. The narrative is part of my Cycling Bali Series and research for my book: Cycling Bali: Guidebook to Circumnavigating Bali by Bicycle.

Big thanks to Barbara for mentoring me on my writing skills!

You might also enjoy my other stories that were previously selected by Barbara in her Best Narrative Travel series:

Trip Through Halong Bay, Vietnam
Sapa and Vietnam's Northwest Mountains
Cycling Shanghai, China
Tent Escapade

Travel Tip: Secret Eating Spots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:16:00 +0000

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Kuala Lumpur at night

Kuala Lumpur is packed with loads of inexpensive local eating shops, many of which are well-documented in guidebooks and easy to find. For example, Jalan Alor – KL's famous street stall food street- is just beside Bukit Bintang, KL's main upscale shopping district. All city shopping malls have food courts with a huge variety of local foods. And 'downtown' Chinatown / Pasar Seni area is jammed with local shops in plain sight.

But beyond these highly trafficked areas of the city, where do you eat?

Lake Garden Park, Kuala Lumpur

What if you're at Lake Garden park for the day, where do you eat if? What if you're visiting Malaysia's National Museum, which is isolated from downtown? Where else can you eat in upscale areas besides the shopping mall food courts, which have mediocre, slightly overly-priced food? Where can you find great vegetarian food?

Since I've been in and out of KL dozens of times over the years, I've discovered several great, little-known eating spots that I visit whenever I'm in KL. In this post I recommend great local places to eat in Lake Garden Park, near Petronas Twin Towers, and at the National Museum. I spill the beans on my favorite Indian restaurant and on an amazing daily vegetarian feast. Here we go:

Petronas Twin Towers at night

A. near Petronas Twin Towers:

1. Vegetarian buffet

vegetarian buffet at Chinese temple

An elaborately decorated Chinese temple, just one block from Petronas Twin Towers is home to daily vegetarian feasts from 11am-2 pm. The massive eating hall presents an astounding variety of prepared dishes, buffet-style, in a semi-communal fashion. Diners line up and serve themselves rice and any vegetarian dishes that strike their fancy, pay at the cashier, find a seat among the dozens of long tables, then deliver their used plates to the clean-up area before leaving. The hall also serves fresh fruits, freshly baked/steamed sweets, juices and teas. Meal price is based on how much you select- usually totaling 3 RM-7 RM. ($1-2.35 US). Drinks cost 1-2 RM ( $0.35-0.65 US). Fruit and sweets are priced per piece.

It's best to arrive by noon, since hordes of local employees flock there for lunch. After noon the variety of dishes available greatly decreases as the food runs out.

How to get there? At Petronas Twin Tower's main entrance on Jalan Ampang, you will see a long fountain and, across the street directly in front of the towers, the tall brown stone National Bank building. Stand facing outward from the towers, looking at National Bank. Walk to your right along the Towers property. Continue straight along Jl. Ampang about one block. You will run right into the temple, which you can't miss with its brightly colored roof and decorative carvings. From the temple entrance, go to the left side of the temple building and walk down the long outdoor corridor. At the back is the dining hall. Food line is to the far right side as you enter.

Chinese temple one block from Petronas Twin Towers

2. Indian and Malay buffets

A much better alternative to Petronas' two food courts (in terms of food quality, taste, and cost) are the small Indian and Malay food shops in Wisma Central building on Jalan Ampang, near the Chinese temple (above). Right in front of Wisma Central is an excellent open-air restaurant serving Indian and Malay foods, fresh squeeze fruit juices and the usual drinks. In mornings until noon they serve all varieties of Indian bread meal sets such as dosai and roti canai. They resume those meals again at 4 pm until closing, about 11 pm. Meanwhile, they always offer biryani chicken rice, buffet-style rice, meat curries and vegetable dishes. Inside Wisma Central, on the ground floor, are several other Indian and Malay places serving buffet-style meals, noodle soups, and typical drinks. An inside fruit stall sells tropical fruits cut up in bags for 1-2 RM ($0.35- 0.65 US).

Indian buffet-style restaurant

The outdoor front shop is open from early mornings until about 11 pm. The indoor shops are open during usual business hours, since they cater to nearby employees.

How to get there? Wisma Central is a small brown-colored shopping mall located less than one block from Petronas Twin Towers, between the Chinese Temple and the Towers. Follow instructions to the Chinese Temple. En route, you will pass Wisma Central. Look for the large sign on the building and the outdoor restaurant right in front. The building is slightly set off Jalan Ampang by a drive way and taxi stand.

B. at Lake Gardens Park:

1. local street stalls near Police Headquarters

KL's Lake Garden Park is a wonderful, extensive tropical park full of landscaped gardens, a lake, several specialty gardens, the Islamic Arts Museum, Masjid Negara (Malaysia's national Mosque) and the fantastic Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. There's so much to do, you could easily spend an entire day, enjoying the lush vegetation, escaping from the hectic city, and marveling at all the great attractions. But where to eat if you're there all day?

local food stalls in Lake Garden Park near Police Headquarters

Luckily, there's a collection of tasty food stalls that only locals frequent. Stalls are open mornings, lunch time and in evenings, so practically any time of the day you can get a delicious, inexpensive local meal.

How to get there? The stalls are set beside a parking lot near the Police Headquarters. It's at the junction of Jalan Cenderawasih and Jalan Tanglin, in the 'upper' part of the park. You'll need to have a map of the park – park maps located throughout the park- to locate the junction and figure how to get there from your present location. It's on the same road as the Bird Park entrance.

Horn-bill Restaurant at KL Bird Park

2. Hornbill restaurant at KL Bird Park

For a more upscale dining experience, visit the bird park's great wooden restaurant which overlooks the park from a hillside balcony. Meals are priced at 12 RM – 28 RM, not exactly a budget shop, but it offers superb scenery as well as an indoor a/c section.

C. at Museum Negara:

1. Local cafe and cat haunt

Although Muzium Negara is not far from downtown KL, it does take a while to get there and it's pretty isolated, sitting alongside a big highway. The Muzium has four large rooms full of fantastically presented, educational displays about the history and culture of Malaysia. If you're a museum buff, it's easy to spend several hours there. In such a case, it's good to know:

Muzium Negara's cafe (notice 3 cats?)

Muzium Negara has a great restaurant out back, serving local dishes, buffet-style, at normal local prices. A meal will run 3-6 RM ($1-1.65 US).You can sit inside with a/c or outside in the nice tropical heat. Your choice. The outdoor area is home to a dozen or so cats, who wait around for food from the staff and customers. If you love cats, you're gonna love this little cafe! Several cats are friendly and affectionate, so you can pet and play with them or watch kittens racing around. They're also quite good picture posers. On the other hand, if you're not so fond of cats, sit inside where you can eat in peace.

D. 'downtown' Chinatown:

1. My favorite Indian restaurant

'Downtown' KL has dozens of local food eateries, including Malay, Chinese, and Indian. Over the years, I found a small Indian restaurant that I visit every time I'm downtown. One thing that sets it apart is that it serves the various Indian bread meals all day long. Most Indian shops only serve those dishes in mornings and evenings. At this restaurant, you can order dosai or roti even at lunch time. They also serve a great vegetarian rice set, with all the rice and assorted veg dishes you can eat. They always have several meat dishes as well, great drinks, and an assortment of Indian sweets.

my favorite Indian restaurant in donwtown KL

How to get there? This shop is located near Masjid Jamek train station, a few blocks from Pasar Seni. From the station, walk southeast along Jalan Tun Perak (the overhead train runs along this road), away from Merdeka Square. At the first intersection, Leboh Ampang, turn left. In that first block, on the left side, you will pass several Indian shops selling music, clothes, spices, and so on. The first restaurant you reach is the one. Sorry, I don't know its name!

grand entrance to Jalan Petaling, Chinatown's main shopping road

2. Chinese buffets in back alleys
In the heart of Chinatown, centered around Jalan Petaling, and in the midst of shopping stall frenzy, there are several local food shops within plain site. One of the most obvious is the 'economy rice' food court on the street crossing Jalan Petaling. That's a great place to get a variety of Chinese dishes, including various noodle soups and the buffet-style rice, meat, vegetable meals.

Chinese vegetarian rice and veggie meal with coconut juice

If you enjoy exploring more off-the-track places and find little alleyways intriguing, dip down one of the alleys between the main streets. (There's one across from the 'economy rice' food court) You'll find many more food stalls back there, selling every kind of food, at slightly lower prices than the main shops out on the roads. The alleys are definitely more grungy, but it's an interesting experience to wander around there and eat, especially since the locals aren't used to foreign customers. It feels kind of mysterious and edgy. If you enjoy that sort of 'real local life' experience, check out Chinatown's alleys.

Note: The alleys are quite safe, and so is the food. Don't worry about getting pick-pocketed, ripped off on prices, or getting sick from the food. Although the alleys themselves are dirty, the food is prepared just as hygienically as the main shops (all of which are a bit questionable according to western standards). I've eaten at the alley stalls several times and found the food delicious, which is why I return. I've never been sick from their food. Happy eating!

You might also like:

10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
10 MORE Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Hiking 'Dragon's Backbone' on Chinese New Year
Photo Gallery: Colorful Kuala Lumpur
Photo Gallery: Diverse Kuala Lumpur

PHOTO GALLERY: BORNEO II- SARAWAK AND BRUNEI

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:19:00 +0000

hiking to Niah Cave with European traveler I met

Borneo Island lies east of Peninsular Malaysia, in the South China Sea. Two Malaysian states, Sabah and Sarawak, occupy the northern third of Borneo. Wedged between them is the tiny Islamic nation of Brunei.

A few years ago I spent two exciting months traveling through Borneo, one month each in Sabah and Sarawak, with a short stop in Brunei.

This photo gallery showcases some highlights of my journey through Sarawak, including visits to national parks, up jungle rivers, and to two small, charming cities.

Enjoy. cheers, Lash

SEE FULL GALLERY

You might also like:

Photo Gallery: Borneo I: Sabah

TRAVEL TIP: HOW TO AVOID JET LAG, pt 3- MORE STRATEGIES

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:40:00 +0000

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view from international flight

In my original post How to Avoid Jet Lag, I detailed the technique I always use to basically skip jet lag altogether. Essentially, that entails getting yourself on the destination sleep/wake schedule during your journey, before you even arrive. I've been doing that successfully throughout 20+ years of international travels.

Clearly, the primary cause of jet lag is the difference in time schedules between your departure and destination locales. By getting yourself on the destination schedule before you arrive, you can quickly and easily adjust to the new time zone.

But there are several other factors contributing to jet lag, particularly: dehydration, poor blood circulation, lack of sleep, and stress. Therefore, it's important to incorporate a few more tactics into any super-long journey to help avoid jet lag, or to minimize its affects if you don't manage to completely avoid it. Here are the other things I do on flights, in conjunction with setting myself on my destination schedule:

Add caption

Stay well-hydrated.

Nowadays, it's pretty common knowledge that airplane air is extra dry and that you need to re-compensate for that during your journey. Your bodily hydration level is a huge factor in whether or not you suffer from jet lag. Specifically, it's important to drink a lot of water and to keep your skin moisturized, especially your face. Drinking lots of water before, during, and after your trip will help immensely with how you feel, both during the flight and after arrival. A high-quality facial moisturizer, applied several times during the journey, will save your skin from drying out. Do both!

drink fruit juices and water, not alcohol

Skip alcohol and caffeine.

Both alcohol and caffeine dehydrate your body. Skip both or minimize as much as possible before and during your trip. That includes carbonated sodas like Coke and Pepsi as well as coffee and tea. Making your flight into a big drinking party is a sure recipe for serious, head-thumping jet lag when you arrive. Yuk!

If you really want to avoid or minimize jet lag, you'd better skip the plane party and drink water and/or fruit juices en route. You can always hit the parties after your arrival.

Minimizing both alcohol and caffeine will help in another aspect of long trips: You won't have to run to the bathroom as frequently. Lol

Maintain good blood circulation.

Good blood circulation is essential for getting oxygen to all parts of your body, to digesting food, to an alert mind and brain functioning, to muscle health, and to bodily comfort. Sitting in the same position for long periods of time clogs up your circulation. So on long flights, be sure to get up, walk around, do basic stretching exercises for all parts of your body, including neck, wrists, arms, ankles, legs, and back. Some airlines include an in-flight stretching video in their video repertoire. Follow that if there is one. Or just do your own stretches. Any stretching is better than no stretching!

p.s. Don't worry about fellow passengers or staff thinking your strange. Lots of people nowadays understand the importance of stretching. Best of all, though, you'll feel much better.

be sure to sleep well

Sleep well.

If your 'avoid jet lag' itinerary (as I outlined in How to Avoid Jet Lag, pt 1) calls for you to sleep on the flight, make sure you get a good sleep. It won't do you any good to just toss and turn for hours on end. If you can sleep well on flights, you've got it made. If you have trouble, though, here are some ideas to try out:

On big planes, in the very back middle sections, there are usually groups of 2-4 seats vacant. If you can grab one of those rows, you can lay down to sleep. If not, well then:

You can sleep in all sorts of positions in your plane seat. For one, while seated normally, pull down the meal tray then lay your head and upper body on that. With your head in a horizontal position, you feel somewhat like you're laying down. Alternately, sit on the floor in front of your seat, with your upper body and head resting on the seat. Then of course, seated normally, you can lean to the right side a while, the left side a while. Slump back in the seat, stretch your legs out as far as possible. Get a window seat. You can rest your head against the back of the chair and the window, stretch your legs out and get diagonally- horizontal to some degree.

If you really have trouble sleeping, take a sleeping pill. Doing so once in a while won't cause addiction problems. There are also several natural, herbal sleeping 'pills' available.

Identify and minimize emotional stress.

I believe a major reason many people get exhausted from traveling is not so much because of the bus, train, or bus trip itself, but because of emotionally charged issues surrounding the trip. Things like 'leaving loved ones', 'saying good-bye', 'fear of the unknown', 'concerns about the new destination' can really stress you out, causing emotional exhaustion. I suspect most people don't realize how exhausting emotional stress is. It took me years to identify and acknowledge it. But once I did, I was able to 'anticipate' it and 'plan it' into my schedule, as in, 'oh, yeah I'm going to be exhausted from xyz stress, so I'd better not plan too much on days abc..”

To combat the exhausting affects of emotional stress surrounding your journey, identify what you're stressed about, acknowledge it, and try to calm yourself about those issues as much as possible. Yoga, meditation, and stretching can help. Reading and learning about unknown aspects of your destination can help alleviate those fears. Working through your feelings and getting closure can also help tremendously.

If you're still emotionally stressed out, the good thing is that it can help you sleep like a rock once you let go. Take that sleeping pill and really pass out.

airport arrivals/departure board

Plan a light itinerary the first 1-2 days after arrival.

Just to be sure, don't plan a heavy demanding schedule upon your arrival. Plan to spend the first one or two days relaxing and adapting to the new climate, culture, food and people. If you're able to successfully avoid jet lag, then upon arrival you can simply go full steam ahead. But if you're planning a heavy schedule upon arrival but then don't have the energy, you could miss appointments, meetings, or whatever else you were planning to do. If you've got important business stuff, try to arrive one or two days early to adjust. That way you'll be alert and professional when you get to your meetings.

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Qs:

Which of these tactics do you use when flying?

Which work best for you?

Do you have any other tips and suggestions? Share!

INTERVIEW WITH JEANNIE MARK OF NOMADICCHICK

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:20:00 +0000

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Jeannie Mark, aka Nomadic Chick, at cafe in New York City

Outgoing, fun-loving Canadian Jeannie Mark, aka Nomadic Chick, once lead an 'ordinary' life in Vancouver. You know: married with a good job, a house and lots of possessions. But Jeannie eventually realized something was missing, big time, and finally took the plunge to follow her true passions: travel and writing. She's been out in the world-at-large since mid-2010, all the while cooking up regular travel tales, travel tips and witty stories about her adventures to entertain and inspire others 'stuck in the rat race'. Let's find out how she made the break and what she's learned on the road so far...

Q1. So you used to have a 'typical' life in Vancouver, working in the corporate world and getting more and more dissatisfied, until finally you realized you were going to get out. Was there a specific event or situation which lead to your decision, or was it more a gradual dawning? How did you finally make the mental move?

Answer: With anything like this it’s always a process, so it was gradual. We either tend to tackle the problem or bury it. I knew something was wrong, but applied band-aid measures to avoid changing. I did have a personality conflict with a co-worker that probably tore open the fissure. Human resources ignored my valid pleas and sided with the person. That’s when I realized I had become how they saw me. Undervalued, beaten and dispassionate. A secondary realization happened at the same time, I found grey hairs. That’s when I knew I no longer wanted a life filled with regret.

Nomadic Chick volunteering in India- Jan 2011

Q2. You started your blog 6 months before you actually quit your job and set out on your nomadic adventures. What/who prompted you to start a travel blog, and especially way ahead of your trip?

Answer: My age group is entrenched in a few things, namely mortgages, children and debt. My friends were very supportive, but I still felt alone in my decision. I needed to share my story in the hopes others could relate and I could find some kind of community – was very happy to fulfill both.

Q3. How much of a following did you have when you headed out on your world trip?

Answer: I honestly didn’t pay much attention. When I started the blog I was counting on maybe 5 readers, so to even have 20 or more… let’s just say I felt very supported when I started my trip.

Q4. You finally started your trip in June, 2010. So you've been on the road for 1 ½ years already. What 2-3 most useful/ important lessons have your learned about yourself from your travels?

Answer: 1) I lost my assumptions; people are never as they appear. 2) I didn’t magically change – pretty much the same flawed person I was before, but that’s okay. Progression is a life-long project. 3) Traveling constantly doesn’t make you happy. Goals, love (self, friends, lover) and acceptance do.

Q5. Considering your dissatisfaction with your former life, I presume you've changed quite a bit since then. In what ways have you changed/ improved/ developed?

Answer: I’m less afraid to take risk, even when I don’t know the outcome. I’ve grown into someone patient, sure of herself and discovered the things that truly make my heart sing. My former life masked those things and now they are transparent. Viva la liberation!

Nomadic Chick at homestay in Bohol, Philippines- Dec 2011

Q6. What 2-3 biggest things have you learned about people from your travels?

Answer: 1) We’re all interrelated, wanting the same things that everyone does: love, security, family, happiness. 2) Governments are never the voice of real people. Meet ordinary people, don’t be reactionary and place labels. Once I opened myself up to that, I met some amazing humans who will remain in my memory. 3) No-one is one-dimensional. I use to be very black and white, but people are complex, act differently in a given situation. I learned to forgive and tolerate to great heights.

Q7. What are your 3 favorite places thus far, and why?

Answer: 1) Spain – come on, flamenco and tapas. 2) France – the men and elegance. 3) Brazil – it literally has everything. Chaos, beauty, struggle, peace, hell I could go on.

Nomadic Chick with Mini Cooper in London- Nov 2010

Q8. Jeannie, you've been offering your 'proxy' services to readers, whereby people can challenge you to do something fun, crazy, unusual while you're out traveling the world. How long have you been offering the 'proxy' program?

Answer: Since I left for my trip.

Q9. How's that going? Have you had many 'challenges'? Please tell us about 1 or 2 interesting / wonderful / terrible challenges you've received as 'proxy'.

Answer: I have to face this one, total fail! Nobody’s really taken me up on it. Here’s your chance, people!

Nomadic Chick visiting pandas at Chengdu Panda Base, China- Nov 2011

Q10. Last month in your post 'Crazy Travel Woman Needs to Stop' you announced that you're going to take a break for a while. Have you come to any concrete plans about that yet? Where will you live? What kind of job will you/did you get? How long of a break do you reckon you'll need?

Answer: By the grace of some higher power, I’ve landed a teaching job in Wuxi, China (about an hour from Shanghai). It’s perfect. Part-time hours, only 5 month contract and it’s English – supposedly my ‘field’. As for how long I actually need, 5 months sounds about right.

Q11. Any idea what's next after your well-deserved break?

Answer: I’m working on an adventure trip with some other female writers/photographers to run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain come July. Yes, it’s crazy, probably impulsive, but something about the challenge has me fired up. Stay tuned on that!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks so much, Jeannie, for sharing your personal insights and perspectives on travels, people and life thus far. Enjoy teaching in China and keep writing your fun, witty travel tales, please! cheers, Lash

Follow Jeannie / Nomadic Chick:

Nomadic Chick

Twitter page

Facebook fanpage

TRAIN TO PENANG

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:37:00 +0000

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sunrise over Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I'd expected my train trip from KL to Penang to be relaxing and uneventful. After 2 solid weeks of racing around KL- daily cycling in the park, meeting up with fellow travel bloggers and local friends, learning new photography skills, snapping photos all over the city, exploring new places, and going on assignments as a travel blogger, I was really looking forward to simply sitting for 7 hours.

I would gaze out the window at tropical forests and rice fields, enjoy the rocking chugging motion of the train, and not plan anything for an entire day. I'd taken that train trip before, so I knew what gorgeous scenery awaited me. I anticipated the fun Penang ferry, the exciting approach to Penang island, and my arrival at one of my favorite destinations in SE Asia, now a UNESCO World Heritage City.

Lash cycling in KL

Because I had so much luggage in addition to my bicycle, I rode my bike to KL's Sentral Station the day before and put it in storage. The morning of my trip, I called a taxi to haul myself, my 30 kg pack, small bag and computer to the station. I retrieved my bike and managed to get everything on the train before the doors closed. Ah, time to relax. Or so I thought...

Partly bundled up on Malaysia's refrigerated train

Oops- I was immediately reminded of two things about Malaysian trains: They are extra-refrigerated and extra-noisy. Within a few minutes I pulled on two layers of long sleeves and my floor-length skirt. That didn't suffice long. Soon I yanked on my gortex rain coat, zipped it up to the chin, and pulled up my hood. By tucking my hands inside the sleeves, I finally managed to stay warm. Except for my cheeks and calves, which still got 'frosty' by the time we arrived at Butterworth Station, on the mainland across from Penang. Steamy train windows stood as testament to the icy temps inside.

my bike and bags stowed on the train

In addition to refrigeration, train speakers began blasting out music in an endless loop as soon as we left the station. Luckily, and very strangely, they played super-chick clubbing music, much like I'd heard at KL's ultra-chic Sky Bar. How very odd! Music was soon replaced by blasting movie ads then the full feature: Rush Hour, played 3 times in 7 hours. On top of blasting movies and music, several babies and children on board somehow managed to out-volume them! The trip was a never-ending barrage of crying, laughing, screaming, action scenes, car chases, and Jimmy Chang. Ai yai yai. Thank goodness I had my ear plugs. That muffled the onslaught, though didn't block it out completely.

So much for a peaceful, relaxing day on the train. I felt more like an Eskimo bundled up against an arctic winter and tossed into a baby daycare center. Fortunately, I was so exhausted from my eventful two weeks in KL that I slept almost the entire journey, despite cold, noise, and all. Will wonders never cease?

lush Malaysian countryside

Between long knock-out naps, I managed a few glances longingly out the window at lush, hot, tropical jungles and fields just beyond my fridge train. Then, before I knew it, we arrived at Butterworth Station, the hop off point to Penang island.

long train platform at Butterworth

Then my work was about to begin: It would take me two ferry trips to transfer all my stuff to my hotel in Georgetown. I remembered, with dread, the long long walk from the station to the ferry, including up and down stairs and along miles of corridors. Once I reached Penang island, I'd then have to walk several blocks to the hotel, dragging my much-too-heavy bags behind and on top of me. Then I'd have to return for my bicycle.

When I hopped off the train, I discovered I also had an incredibly long walk down the train platform just to reach the station. Yikes, this was going to be brutal.

Then my 'savior' appeared. A dark-skinned Indian Malaysian taxi driver, named Kana. He proposed to take me to Georgetown for half the posted taxi fare of 65 RM. He needed to drive to Georgetown anyhow, so he'd carry me along for just 30 RM ($10 US). Considering my alternative, his offer sounded very tempting. When he announced, “I'll take your bike, too. No problem.” he had me convinced. We piled all my stuff in his rickety cab and hit the roads.

En route, Kana, stopped to buy fuel. At the gas station, he bought me an ice-cold bottle of water and a band-aid for my bleeding ankle, a cut just received from my bike gears. By the time we crossed Penang Bridge, he had proposed marriage.“Just think. You can marry a taxi driver and settle down in Malaysia! Hahahaha!” he exclaimed. He lost no time planning out our first night together (tonight, of course), our honeymoon, and his tactic for saving money so he could join me traveling for 10 years. Oh, he was a funny guy! Naturally, he also offered to let me stay at his modest home in Butterworth. Ah, if only I wanted to stay on the mainland instead of the island. Ironically, when we reached my hotel, he didn't even remember my name! Surprisingly, I declined his proposals, opting for Hotel Nobel in Georgetown. (alas, no photos of my potential husband-to-be)

Chinese New Year Festival in Penang

Meanwhile, upon arriving in Georgetown, we ran smack into another surprise: Chinese New year festivities in full swing. Wow, Chinese New Year was already finished in KL. I thought I'd missed it in Penang, but I lucked out. I checked into my hotel then set out, camera in hand, to capture Chinese New year. I snapped lots of photos and even managed to stay on the 'Press Only' platform when I presented my card, LashWorldTour, as a travel blogger. Cool! Travel blogging was starting to pay off.

Chinese New Year festival in Penang

After taking heaps of photos and making several videos, I realized I was still exhausted, despite sleeping all day. I returned to my hotel and was laying in bed by 8:30 pm. Once in a while I just have to rest.

Q: Do you like riding trains? Have you ever had a 'refrigerated' or 'extra-hectic' road trip?

You might also like:

Hiking 'Dragon's Backbone' on Chinese New Year
10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur

10 MORE Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Photo Gallery: Penang Architecture
Photo Gallery: Colorful Kuala Lumpur

PHOTO GALLERY: BRILLIANT BIRDS OF THE WORLD

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:55:00 +0000

striking spotted owl

I love birds, especially unusual, exotic, vibrantly colored, and cute birds, such as this super cute and striking spotted owl.

I saw plenty of gorgeous birds recently at Taman Burung, Kuala Lumpur's Bird Park, boasting the world's largest free-flight walk-in aviary.

I met with all sorts of birds: elegant, cheeky, bold, shy, arrogant, sociable, solitary, humorous, humble, and brilliant birds.

Here's a selection of beautiful birds I met during my extra-fun visit to Taman Burung. Enjoy!

SEE FULL GALLERY

reporting from the road, Lash

Q: Do you like birds, too? What are your favorites?

-- 10 FREE THINGS TO DO IN KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA -- PART II: 10 MORE!

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:08:00 +0000

Kuala Lumpur's famous Petronas Twin Towers, illuminated at night

Now that I'm back in Kuala Lumpur, I've discovered heaps more free things to do here! Some I've already done- ages ago- and forgot about. Some are new to me, eventhough I've been in and out of KL several times/year since 2004. In any event, following are 10 MORE fantastic free things to do in KL:

Lash with Malay friends in Kuala Lumpur

1. Sleep au gratis and make local friends! Tripping.com

As I mentioned in my original post 10 Free Thingsto do in Kuala Lumpu r, this city's budget guesthouses have much to be desired compared to those in neighboring countries like Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. In KL, rooms can be had for 20-30 MR ($7-10 US) but the value for money is quite poor. You'll generally find yourself in a tiny window-less 'room' made of partitioned walls, which mean lots of noise. It's much better on many levels to seek accommodation at locals' homes.

Tripping.com is an international online resource for travelers. Local residents 'host' travelers by welcoming them into their homes for free. They enjoy meeting people from countries around the globe, exchanging travel tales, and introducing them to their home town. Both hosts and travelers join Tripping, post their profile photo and info, then start looking around for people to meet and visit.

Tripping.com

Tripping has been growing exponentially during the past year, expanding their host listings throughout the globe. Currently there are about 35 Tripping hosts in KL. If you're not already a member, go check it out, sign up, and try to find some KL locals to meet and/or stay with while you're in Malaysia.

You can also check out my interview of Lauren Nicholl , Tripping's friendly, gregarious community manager, for an inside look at Tripping.

Malaysia Tourism Center, Kuala Lumpur

2. Investigate Malaysia's country-wide attractions and enjoy cultural art displays
Malaysian Tourism Center, Jl. Ampang

One block downhill from Petronas Twin Towers, on Jl. Ampang, you'll find the spacious and informative Malaysian Information Center. They offer brochures and information on every destination in Malaysia. They provide free 30 minute internet sessions, unlimited free wifi (if you have your own laptop or smart phone), pleasant sitting areas both inside and outside, a display of traditional musical instruments, an art gallery with rotating exhibitions of local artists' work, and a few shops. The tourist police station and money changers are also located within the complex.

If you have questions about visiting Malaysia beyond KL or you'd like to jump online for free, this is the place to go near Petronas Twin Towers.

Gorgeous orchids a KL's Orchid Garden

3. Take in the wonderful colors and aromas of orchids and hibiscus
Lake Garden Park's Specialty Gardens

In my previous post I mentioned a leisurely morning or all-day visit to KL's lush, tropical landscaped Lake Garden Park. However, I didn't point out that several additional free special enclaves exist within the park's sweeping grounds. Both the Hibiscus Garden and the Orchid Garden are open free of charge, except on weekends when it costs a whopping 1 RM ($ 0.35 US). :))

Here's a great chance to enjoy some of the world's most exotic, exclusive, and gorgeous flowers.

Orchid Garden is located directly across the road from KL Bird Park on Jl. Cenderawasih

Hibiscus Garden is located up a side hill road off Jl. Cenderawasih, before KL Bird Park

4. Get face to face with deer and goats
Lake Garden Park's Specialty Gardens

While you're at Lake Garden Park, check out more fun and free attractions: Taman Rusa dan Kancil i.e. deer and mouse deer park. Located very close to the lake- just 50 M up from the lake's main road. The goat 'house' is up on a hill beside the deer park. To reach it you must walk up the road outside the deer park, then turn right on the first road you meet. You'll find the goats about 50 M from that intersection.

Malaysia' National Textile Museum, Kuala Lumpur

5. Learn about Malaysia's rich and varied textiles National Textile Muzium

Malaysia's National Textile Museum is located right on Merdeka Square, a few blocks from Chinatown in 'downtown' KL. It's housed in a handsomely restored colonial building. If you're at all interested in textiles, you can easily spend 2-3 hours examining the gorgeous and extremely varied fabrics from all over Malaysia, including the 'wilder' states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo Island.

On display, with excellent explanations in English, are batiks, woven fabrics, ikat, songat, gilded fabrics, jewelry and accessories. You'll find textiles from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Perankan, Nyonya, and 'Orang Asli' (native tribes). All are showcased in impressive, artistically-created professional displays with excellent lighting.

Another bonus: the museum is housed in one of KL's historic colonial buildings. Wander along the hallways, rooms, and balconies of a superbly renovated British/Moorish building. From the second floor's outside hallway, you'll discover fantastic views of Merdeka Square and other beautiful colonial buildings. The museum also has a 'resource room', presumably with books about Malaysian textiles.

Lash in Muslim attire at Masjid Negara

6. Get your Muslim Fix Masjid Negara

If you've ever wondered what you'd look like or how it would feel dressed as a Muslim, then Masjid Negara, Malaysia's National Mosque, is your perfect opportunity! At the visitors' entrance, attendants will en-robe you in full length lavender 'gowns', for both men and women. All us girls also get 'treated' to Islamic headgear for the visit. You'll be required to take off your shoes and enter barefoot. Wearing the traditional-style dress, in itself, is quite an interesting experience, and well worth visiting the mosque for. Here's how I looked: What do you think?!

Masjid Negara is the largest mosque in Malaysia and one of the largest in all of SE Asia. It's located on the edge of Lake Garden Park, close to downtown and Merdeka Square. Inside are sprawling, glistening corridors, water pools and fountains, and the inner prayer hall.

Non-Muslim visitors are welcome daily from 9-12 / 3-4 / 5:30-6:30. On Fridays (Islam's holy day) the mosque is closed to tourists during the morning session. If you'd like to watch locals attend mosque, head there midday on Fridays. (when you won't actually be allowed inside) If you prefer quiet and solitude, visit any other day.

stunning Sultan Abdul Samad Building lining Merdeka Square

7. Do a self-guided city tour- or 2 or 3.

I just discovered KL's fairly new City Gallery, located in another beautifully restored colonial building on Merdeka Square. Last time I visited, the building housed the library. Now it offers the Kuala Lumpur Information Center and a company making models from wood veneer pieces. If you're into models, it's quite interesting to see the intricate products they're making.

In any case, definitely stop by City Gallery to check out the gorgeous building and to get a free copy of their KL map which details 3 extensive walking tours of the city. Each walk is marked out on the map with dozens of attractions. Each attraction has a photo and description, so you know exactly what you're looking for. Grab a map and set out to explore the city!

Brickfields, Indian community near Sentral Station, Kuala Lumpur

8. Get your color fix in Brickfields

Anyone who's met me knows I adore vibrant colors. This website was even once referred to as a 'Neon Blog'. I assume it was intended as an insult, but instead I felt immensely complimented. Thanks!

With that in mind, try imagining a place too colorful for the likes of me. Well, I recently discovered such a place. It's Brickfields, one of KL's renovated Indian districts, located just down from KL Sentral Station.

As soon as you arrive, you'll see what I mean. Brickfields is so vibrant, it will leave you either gaping or chuckling. Walk up and down the rainbow-columned sidewalks, gaze at windows full of bright bangles and peer into shops presenting brightly colored sari's. You don't actually need to peer in shops since you'll see plenty of sari-clad women floating down the street. Even Indian desserts are vibrant orange, yellow, pink and green. Just think: in addition to visual over-load, you can also eat color!

Descriptive sign at Bukit Nanas Rain Forest, Kuala Lumpur

9. Explore a rain forest Bukit Nanas

Bukit Nanas is a lush jungle-clad hill full of hiking trails amidst dense tropical vegetation, right in the center of KL. Bukit Nanas hill is generally more famous for Menara Tower, located on the peak. But it's an excellent place to escape the bustling city, to exercise, and to experience a genuine SE Asian rain forest. Many steep trails meander up and down the hill, so be prepared for a steamy hike. You'll be serenaded by buzzing insects and twittering birds, while the distant drone of traffic and construction fade away. Here and there, you'll catch glimpses of glistening city towers, seemingly close enough to touch- an unusual sight from a rain forest hiking trail! The park offers many benches, picnic tables and pavilions for relaxing, plus dozens of display signs describing various trees, bushes and other flora.

Reach the park entrance on Jalan Raja Chulan, a 10-minute walk from Chinatown and Puduraya Bus Station. Run by the Malaysian Forest Department, the park also has a 'refrigerated' visitor's center with attractive displays, although the information is quite basic.

Stunning Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

10.Step back into history KL Train Station and Heritage Station Hotel

This is one of the most interesting colonial buildings mentioned on the city walking tour. Its unique blend of British and Moorish architectural features makes it extremely attractive. Inside are even more unusual features. Still a functioning train station, the building has also been converted into the Heritage Station Hotel. The lobby sports a rather peculiar reception desk and an even more peculiar lobby restaurant. My favorite feature is the original antique elevator- the kind with folding accordion metal outer 'door', an inner door, old floor buttons, and a rotating dial that indicates which floor you're on. This elevator is a real vintage treat, hardly seen anywhere in the world any more. When you emerge from the elevator upstairs, you'll find long rambling wood hallways and equally long outside corridors offering superb views of another gorgeous colonial building now housing the KTMB Headquarters. (Train company).

You might also like:

10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur, pt. 1
Hiking Dragon's Backbone on Chinese New Year
Photo Gallery: Colorful Kuala Lumpur
Photo Gallery: Diverse Kuala Lumpur
Photo Gallery: Penang Architecture

INTERVIEW WITH NINA SCHWARZ- LUFTHANSA HEAD AIRLINE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:03:00 +0000

Welcome! If it's your first time here, you might want to subscribe to my free monthly newsletter. Thanks! >

This week I have an extra special traveler's interview for you!

Since I've just flown from the USA to Malaysia via a 40-hour trip with 3 flights, flying has been on my mind. It dawned on me that it would be very entertaining, insightful, and useful to hear the 'insiders scoop' on airplane passengers and flying. I wondered how flight attendants see different kinds of passengers? I wondered what advice they could give us on dealing with jet lag, fear of flying, and becoming the perfect airplane passenger? Luckily, I knew just the right person to ask!

Nina Schwarz is a career flight attendant with Lufthansa Airlines. I've known Nina for about 5 high seasons at Tonsai Beach, Krabi: Thailand's famous rock climbing mecca, one of my favorite places in the world. Besides being a flight attendant, Nina's a rock climber, scuba diver, adventurer, health and fitness addict, world traveler, and super-fun party girl.

Nina was the girl for us! In addition to her perspectives on airplane passengers, in this interview Nina shares some hilarious situations she's dealt with over the years. Thanks for your input, Nina! Here we go:

Q1. Nina, how long have you been a flight attendant?

I started in Feb.1994 so that makes it almost 18 years now.

Nina on her off months- at Tonsai

Q2. What is your airline's policy regarding flight attendants' attitudes towards/interactions with passengers/customers? (such as 'the customer is always right' or 'service with a smile') And is that most airlines' stance towards passengers, or does it vary a lot from airline to airline?

Of course, my airline supports "service professionalism". However, we are encouraged to clearly say "No" if a passenger is overstepping a line. The passenger is not always right but we try to be polite as long as the safety and security is not affected or the passenger insults any of us or the airline itself. Swearwords are not tolerated.

Airlines in general have a quite different approach: some stress the "smile in the air", whereas Lufthansa definetely stresses "safety" and the flight attendants' capability to handle any situation whatsoever (technical emergencies, medical and psychological problems, tasks of all sorts). They prefer us to be a reliable "asset", showing strong nerves when necessary. Aside from that we repeatedly get training in handling all kinds of difficult situations (a lot of psychological training is involved as well as rhetorical) and intercultural training introducing us to the cultural diversity of our passengers and the "do's and don'ts".

Q3. What do you/flight attendants consider a 'great' passenger?

Oh, I am sure everybody has different ideas of the ideal passenger. For me it's important that a passenger is polite. I really appreciate a "please" and a "thank you". You wouldn't believe how many people only say a grumpy "orange juice" when you offer them drinks. They hardly ever make a whole sentence.

Ah yes, and it's always great on early morning flights when passengers state exactly how they want their coffee (e.g. "with milk and sugar") without being asked for it. (That might sound stupid, but if you have asked 60 people "What would you like to drink?" and they say "Coffee" and you have to repeat again and again "with milk and sugar?" and then they even have to think about how they usually drink their coffee, it can be quite discouraging at times.)

Q4. What do you/flight attendants consider a 'terrible' or 'pain in the ass' passenger?

Impolite, ugly, smelly passengers who are ignorant of the rules applied in the airline business (usually men, sorry to say). And, of course, all those who think that being a frequent traveller entitles them to upgrades, champagne, being an asshole, etc.

Q5. What are your/flight attendants' 2-3 'pet peeves' with passengers?

Oops, there is... the passenger who uses the hot towel for an all over-bodywash treatment and then hands the towel back to you when you don't expect it, so you have to take it with your bare hands.

Then there are also the "nice try" people who pile up their trays, asssuming they are helping you. No, they're not! We have to separate all of them again (taking sauces, food leftovers, dirty napkins on our hands) as the trays only fit into the trolleys with a certain "filling height".

And, last but not least, the passenger who asks for an upgrade though those are not given to anybody who's just asking for it.

Q6. Do you get many passengers who are scared of flying? How do you deal with them? Do you have any 'techniques' that help calm them down?

Oh yes. Our psycholgists claim that more than 75% of the passengers are scared of flying. Not all of them show it, though. Once turbulence strikes, you'll see more of the scared ones. And once you have a technical problem, you see quite a few people freaking out.

We usually sit with them, talk to them, hold their hands, explain noises and procedures, breathe with them, and try some relaxation techniques. It really depends very much on the individual flight attendant and his/her empathy to deal with a scared person. Usually we can calm them down, but I also had an incident when an elderly lady freaked out completely and tried to open a door mid-flight. (no worries: this is technically impossible!)

Q7. What advice and/or statistics can you give people who are afraid of flying?

I have no statistics at hand since I am currently spending my vacation months (a benefit of flying for my airline is the unlimited possibilities of working part-time. In my case, I get 4 months off plus holidays). However, I find driving a car a much greater risk as there are so many mad drivers out there on the roads. And that's something statistics prove: flying is supersafe. Hotel fires occur much more often. Ferries sink a lot more often. Falling out of your window while cleaning it is a much more probable way of getting killed.

Q8. I noticed in the U.S. news last year several cases where airplane passengers were kicked off the plane! Does that happen with airlines around the world, or is that mainly an American phenomenon? What behaviours would get a passenger kicked off his/her flight?

It's an international phenomenon, though the reasons vary, and statistically a lot more people get kicked off planes in the US as the airlines/authorities are a lot more sensible on the matter.

Being a head stewardess, I can kick people off my plane for a number of reasons: being drunk (so never have too many beers at the airport lounge before take-off!), being drugged (any kind of drug that shows side-effects such as the "hard" drugs, but valium can send people through the roof, too), general bad behaviour (abusive, sexual harassment, insulting).

Q9. What's the craziest/worst incident you've ever had with a passenger? Please tell us about it.

The old lady who got completely confused in the middle of the flight and tried to open the aircraft door and get back to her son, the man who spilled beer on his trousers and then just took them off and sat there bare-naked and refused to cover himself up.

Q10. Do you have a favorite incident with an especially great passenger? Please tell us your story.

There are so many and, of course, I can't think of any right now.

I loved the "Weather Girls" being pushed down the jetway in wheelchairs, singing "It's raining men".

The Queen of Norway just wanted to be called by her first name.

That sweet boy with Down syndrom who said to me "the other stewardess is much prettier than you...but you are nice".

The man who came on board giving all stewardesses each a bunch of flowers for no other reason than it being a beautiful spring day.

Q11. What advice can you give travelers to be a 'great' plane passenger?

Be as nice as you want to be treated! It's very easy and we always honour the odd passenger who gives us a smile, who says "please" and "thank you". Seriously, there are so few out there that we sometimes even give them goodies or a glass of champagne just because they are "nice"!

Q12. Do you have any tips or advice for dealing with/avoiding jet lag? What do you do?

Be active: work out at the gym, stay awake as long as you can. Don't try (too much) alcohol. Eat light food. Support your body as much as you can, but don't give in when feeling tired!

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Wow, Nina, that was awesome! Thanks for the useful insights, the charming stories, and the tips and advice. I hope some people will take this to heart next time- and every time- they fly. Hopefully, we'll get you some cheerful, smiley, polite passengers, Nina! :)) cheers, Lash
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Readers' Qs: So, according to this interview, have you been a great, bad or so-so passenger?
Will this information change your on-flight passenger habits? If so, in which way?

You might also like:

How to Avoid Jet Lag
Great Reasons to Love Super Long Flights
How to Avoid Jet Lag- Follow Up Report on my flights USA to Malaysia
Photo Gallery: Colorful Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

HIKING 'DRAGON'S BACKBONE' ON CHINESE NEW YEAR

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Welcome! If it's your first time here, you might want to subscribe to my free monthly newsletter. Thank you! --->

Lash with 'Abah Niesa' at base of Bukit Tabur hike

'Abah Niesa' be-friended me on Facebook. He's a Malaysian man fond of hiking. When I was preparing to return to Kuala Lumpur recently, we agreed to finally meet and go hiking together. Hiking with locals was one more thing to look forward to in Malasyia!

Soon after my arrival, early one Sunday morning , Abah drove into KL city, picked me up at my friend's house, and whisked us a slight distance north of the city to hike. He had decided to introduce me to Bukit Tabur, 'Dragon’s Backbone', a superbly appropriate hike for Chinese New Year: 2012 is the Year of the Dragon.

I only had a slight idea what to expect on the 'dragon' hike. I assumed, with its name, we'd be hiking a ridge trail. In addition, Abah had told me it would take 2-3 hours. He considered 'Dragon's Backbone' one of his easier hikes. Since this was our very first time to meet and to hike together, he didn't want to thrust me into a major, exhausting all-day mountain climb. As it turned out, 'Dragon's Backbone' was challenging enough!

From central KL, near Petronas Twin Towers, Abah took big highways northeast towards Zoo Negara. In about 20 minutes we reached Desa Melawati, the neighborhood situated at the base of the hike, and took a narrow winding road along the mountain flank to the hike entry point. The area was a basic suburban neighborhood beside the mountain. However, the road was completely lined with parked cars for 100-200 M. They belonged to hordes of people hiking Dragon's Backbone! Abah explained that this was the only great hike close to the city, and one which offered stunning views. Sounded great to me!

View of Dragon's Backbone- Bukit Tabur- near KL

The trail 'head' was utterly un-marked and un-celebrated. No sign, no marker, nothing to indicate that KL's most popular and most spectacular hike began there. Just a narrow trail on the edge of the road led up the hillside. If Ahah hadn't pointed it out to me, I would have been hard-pressed to figure out where to begin! That's one more advantage of going with a local.

First viewpoint on Bukit Tabur hike- nearby apartment buildings in the valley

The trail immediately began climbing steeply up the hillside on a narrow, rock-and-root-infested forest path. It continued climbing uphill for over 20 minutes before it even hinted at leveling off. En route, the first open viewpoint showcased nearby suburban apartment buildings nestled among trees in a bowl-like mountain valley, which was watched over by a lush, vegetation-encrusted rock spire. The next, higher viewpoint revealed a much more spectacular scene: a never-ending sea of lush mountains, surrounding a reservoir lake, the whole decorated with wispy clouds and mist. Rain was hinting that morning, and soon we observed distant Kuala Lumpur darkened by passing rain.

fern forest on Bukit Tabur ridge

Soon the trail climbed onto the ridge line, following a path lined with charming ferns, low stumpy trees, and scattered algae-covered rocks. Despite being on the ridge, however, our climbing was far from over. The ridge line trail continued ascending, intermittently passing through fern or tree forests and clambering over piles of rocks.

Suddenly, the real climbing began: sections of near vertical rock cliffs, which required us to use both hands and careful placement of hands, feet and body. By then we were sharing Dragon's Backbone with a couple dozen hikers, mostly young Malaysians, both guys and gals. Some westerners were also hiking, testament to the trail's fame. As we continued ascending the dragon's rocky spine, views over the mountains and lake spread out further and further into the distance. The scenery was spectacular.

At a particularly extensive, exposed rock outcropping, Abah announced that we'd reached the best viewpoint. We stopped to rest and enjoy the amazing views. The rock-stunned ridge was filled with hikers. Everyone greeted each other with 'good morning's, remarked on the gorgeous views and rugged trail, and joked amongst themselves. As I'd experienced many times before, hiking in SE Asia is friendly, cheerful affair.

Reservoir from Bukit Tabur

'Abah Nies'a enjoying view from Bukit Tabur

Lash at Bukit Tabur

Soon the rain which had struck KL was upon us. A light mist sprinkled down as the air chilled significantly. I pulled on my raincoat, grateful I'd been prepared. All along the ridge line, cameras got packed away. We continued on. Little did I know what the dragon had in store for us just ahead...

The trail dipped down into forest. And there we were confronted with a tall rock wall. A rope was dangling from the top of the cliff for any hikers who cared to hang on. Several people were already carefully maneuvering themselves up the cliff face. We lined up for our turn. Luckily for me, I'd already done loads of climbing like this, particularly at my old stomping grounds, Krabi, Thailand, Asia's most famous rock climbing destination. Dragon’s cliff was not quite a technical rock climb, as it was not literally vertical, and was riddled with plentiful hand and foot holds. One by one, we scrambled up onto the dragon's hump.

Just over the hump, we came upon a 'traffic jam'. Dozens of hikers were waiting their turn to inch their way down the hump's other cliff side. Note: It's definitely more unsettling to climb down a cliff than up one, particularly if you haven't climbed up that cliff first. You have to go down backwards, face and body to the rock, peak down below you, and try to locate the next foothold, often without being able to see it. One poor guy that morning, afraid of heights, needed quite a lot of convincing, and a coach who'd done the trail many times, to guide him down that first cliff. Only to discover...

That was just the first of several dragon humps we all had to climb up, over, and down along the Dragon's Backbone. Each spine presented sheer, nearly vertical walls of rock. Each cliff had a dangling rope. A few also had metal handholds bolted into the rock face. For me, such routes are thrilling. But I had to wonder about novice hikers and city folk who made their way to Dragon's Backbone. It certainly was not a trail for inexperienced hikers. Indeed, Abah told me that a few people had died and several had been injured attempting to scale the dragon trail. I had no doubts as to why.

After climbing up, over, and down several rock humps, we eventually reached the very last spine bone. We took a well-deserved rest under a forest canopy beside vibrant green moss. We had hiked over 2 hours.

Rest over, we pressed on, this time down the mountainside. The trail lost its rocks and transformed into a typical forest path through leafy green tropical trees. In the upper reaches we came upon spectacular views of distant KL surrounded by lush mountains. Lower down, we marched through pleasant, shady forest all the way back to the parking area. The downhill return took only 45 minutes, bringing our total hiking time to nearly 3 hours, just as Abah had predicted.

I thanked him profusely for taking me on such a superb hiking trail. We had marveled at spectacular views of lake and mountains on one side with equally stunning views of distant city on the other. We had sustained a serious work out. And we had enjoyed a varied loop trail through forest, fern fields, rock outcrops and challenging rock climbs. It couldn't have been better.

Stunning views of Kuala Lumpur on the return trail, Bukit Tabur 'Dragon's Backbone'

I was only left wondering what Abah's harder hikes were like! Hopefully, I'll find out soon. And, in fact, I've been invited to climb Lombok Indonesia's famous Mt. Rinjani in July, with Abah and his group of climbers. Hope I can make it!

If you enjoy hiking, nature and adventures, next time you're in Kuala Lumpur, I highly recommend trekking Buikt Tabur, Dragon's Backbone. And Abah has kindly offered to assist you, if you'd like!

Below is practical information on accessing, preparing, and hiking at Bukit Tabur.
Meanwhile, you might also like:

Cycling Bali Series
Cycling in Shanghai, China
Sky Diving
10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Photo Gallery: Colorful Kuala Lumpur

my Guidebook to Hiking in Bali
my Guidebook to Cycling Bali
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Logistics for hiking Dragon's Backbone:

Location:

Bukit Tapor is located about 20 km northeast of central KL in an area called Taman Desa Melawati, and near Zoo Negara. It's about 20-30 minutes' drive from the city.

Facilities:

None. There's no bathroom, food, or shelter at the trail head. However, 5-minutes' drive below the trail head there are several 'warungs'- local eating shops- serving Indian and Malay food and drinks. They also have toilets. Stop to eat before and/or after your hike.

Take with you:

Plenty of water, preferably some electrolyte drink such as Gatorade or 100Plus, raincoat, warm pants just in case, sturdy shoes, bandana to wipe sweat, camera, snack or food if desired, smiles. *remember, ANY mountain's weather can change suddenly and drastically. It's always wise to carry rain gear, warm clothes and some energy food, just in case.

Access:

This is one difficulty for tourists wanting to hike Dragon's Backbone. There's no public transportation going there. You need private transportation. Otherwise, take a taxi. From central KL, I'm told it will cost 10-15 MR ($3.50 - $5 US) To get back, you could either ask the taxi to wait for you or else catch a ride with other hikers donw to the local food shops, where you'll be able to get a taxi.

Abah Niese FB has invited you to connect with him on FB. You can ask him for more information and, perhaps if he's available, he will take you there himself! Thanks Abah!

PHOTO GALLERY: COLORFUL KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:14:00 +0000

sunrise storm rolling into KL

For Christmas one of my gifts was Bethany Salvon's fantastic How-to-photo book, Getting Out of Auto. As the title implies, it's all about ditching 'auto' mode for various manual settings. Wow! A real eye opener understanding and using aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Literally within hours, I was taking photos never before possible. (book review coming soon)

Since I'm in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the city has become my practice grounds. This photo gallery of vibrant scenes around KL is the 'premier' of my newly found photo skills, all thanks to Beth. No doubt I'll be improving by leaps and bounds, but these are a great start. For now, I'm pleased to present these colorful sunrises, night scenes, temples and architecture, along with other miscellaneous vibrant shots. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them. SEE FULL GALLERY cheers, Lash

*p.s. Let me know what you think! (candid feedback, tips and suggestions always welcome)
What do you like to photograph? Nature? People? Architecture? Food?

INTERVIEW WITH CONNIE HUM OF CONNVOYAGE

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:03:00 +0000

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Connie Hum of ConnVoyage at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Connie Hum of ConnVoyage has been hopping out to explore the world since 2005. Based in NYC for many years, she eventually decided to leave in order to travel the world more extensively. Since late 2008, she's been a world nomad, exploring many corners of the globe and teaching English here and there. In this in-depth interview, we find out why Connie gave up a brilliant NYC career, where she's been, her favorite spots in Europe and Asia, and perspectives on teaching English in Asia. Without further ado, here's Connie:

Q1. As you explained on your website, in late 2008 you decided to give up your apartment, job and life in NYC to go travel the world. Was that decision more about dissatisfaction with corporate life in NY or pure desire to see the world or a bit of both?

I suppose it was a little bit of both, but I think the true driving force was my own unhappiness about where I was in life. I felt so incredibly lucky to be living in New York City (truly one of the greatest cities in the world), some of the best people in the world were my closest friends, I was working for a great company, and yet I felt like something was missing in my life. I was living a life that was an absolute dream and I wanted to give some of that goodness back to the world.

Connie with her mother in Istanbul, 2009

Q2. You set out on your world trip in March 2009 to Istanbul, Turkey. Why did you choose to start in Turkey, of all the countries in the world?

I had worked and traveled in Turkey during the summer of 2005 and really fell in love with the people, food and country. I honestly didn’t know a single thing about Turkey when I first arrived and everything about it was a complete wonder to me. When I started planning where to go first after New York City, Istanbul just kept coming up in my mind. I started looking for opportunities for travel and I was truly lucky to find something that allowed me to return to Turkey. In a way, it was just meant to be.

Connie in Venice, 2005

Q3. You've traveled quite extensively around Europe. What are your 3 favorite places in Europe and why?

Lisbon, Portugal – Pasteis de Belem. These incredibly tasty treats are reason enough to go to Lisbon, but the stunning architecture and friendly locals made Lisbon an instant favorite for me.
Seville, Spain – One of my favorite travel memories of all time took place one incredibly random and fun night. I found myself lost and wandering around dark alleyways after dinner when I heard some music coming out from behind a lone red door. I’m a HUGE fan of doors and so of course, I had to take a closer look. As I was admiring the red door, a Spanish couple walked in. I followed and ended up inside a famous flamenco bar (I later discovered) where I spent a magical night watching local flamenco dancers dance passionately and listening to some of the most soulful music of my life. That experience will probably never come around again, but it was enough to forever draw me to Seville.
Brasov, Romania – The little town of Brasov and its quaint square, Plata Sfatului, completely captured my heart. Every street led to some hidden gem and I seriously considered changing my plans for the rest of Europe just so that I could stay in Brasov longer.

Connie in India, 2010

Q4. Looks like most of 2010-2011 you were traveling extensively through Asia. What are your 3 favorite places in Asia and why?

India – There is just simply no other place in the world like India. I couldn’t get enough of the bright colors, flavorful food, diversity, friendly and curious people, and rich history. I dream of India often and would return in a heartbeat. Every traveler should spend at least a few months in India. It will open your eyes and change you in ways you can never imagine.
Burma – Since I’m half Burmese and I have some family living in Burma, no trip to Asia is ever complete without a trip to Burma for me. The country itself is just an absolute wonder. The people are some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered, the food is marvelous, and the country is just breath taking.
Hoi An, Vietnam – Although I love Vietnam as a whole, the little town of Hoi An really won me over. It’s just the cutest town with some of the best regional Vietnamese food in the country. It’s easy to get swept up in Hoi An’s charms and it’s one of my top destinations for Asia.

Connie volunteer teaching in Thailand, 2010

Q5. In mid 2010 you taught English to Burmese migrant workers' children in Thailand. Please tell us about that experience. And what is the situation for Burmese migrant workers there?

My three months volunteering in Thailand with Burmese migrant workers was undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have never before been so humbled by the kindness, generosity, and resilience of the people I was lucky enough to meet during that time.

The situation for Burmese migrant workers in Thailand isn’t the best and there’s much to be improved upon, but I don’t feel I’m knowledgeable enough to really get into the details. All I can say is that if anyone is looking for a truly rewarding volunteer experience, this particular cause is one of the best anyone can have.

Connie in Myanmar (Burma)

Q6. You're clearly of Asian descent. Do you mind if I ask of what nationality?

My mother is Chinese and my father is Burmese.

Q7. While traveling in Asia do you find that locals assume you're of their nationality and try speaking to you in their own language? If so, in which countries? Or do they somehow get that you're American?

To be honest, I think in every single Asian country I visited, I was mistaken for a local! Even when I tell them that I’m American and that I don’t understand their local language, they sometimes continue to fail to make that connection that someone Asian looking can be “American.” It’s only after several tries to get me to respond to them in their language and I absolutely fail, that they begin to realize that maybe I wasn’t joking after all.

Q8. In countries where locals realize you're a foreigner, what gives it away? Your clothing, mannerisms, facial features, or?

My mannerisms are probably the number one thing that gives away my American-ness. I travel alone most times, I speak with a very American accent, I have a loud laugh, I eat loads, and I’m sure I do a million other subtle things that call attention to myself and my American-ness that even I’m not aware of!

Connie freezing in Iceland, 2007

Q9. About one year ago you moved to Hong Kong to teach English. What are your impressions of HK so far?

Hong Kong is definitely an interesting place to live. There’s so much I’m still learning about this city, even after a year of living here. The people of Hong Kong take their food very seriously and for a foodie like me, there’s no end to the culinary delights I can experience. Another thing that I love about Hong Kong is the fact that I can escape the city and spend a day at the beach or hiking in the woods. Hong Kong is all about convenience and accessibility, and the ease of which I find living here never ceases to amaze me.

Connie Hum of ConnVoyage in Peru, 2008

Q10. What do you think about teaching English there?

Teaching English in Hong Kong has been quite challenging. All the students here have such rigorous schedules and high expectations placed on them. It’s a curious thing to witness, and even though I love teaching and want all my students to excel, I also think they deserve to be given a little break once in awhile and be allowed to be just be kids.

Q11. How long to do you plan to live in HK?

It’s really hard to say how long I’ll live in Hong Kong. I’ve been living here for just over a year now and although I have no immediate plans to leave, I can honestly say that I don’t see myself here for too much longer. I think one more year (at the most) in Hong Kong would be a reasonable estimate. Living in Hong Kong has been a great learning experience for me but I think there are bigger fish for me to fry out there in the world.

Connie in Costa Rica, 2007

Q12. What travel plans do you have for 2012?

I always have travel plans and 2012 is no different. I currently have no concrete plans for travel this year, but I know that I will be doing my best to take advantage of my centralized location in Hong Kong to travel more in Asia. I still haven’t been to Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, most parts of mainland China, and Laos. It’s probably a little ambitious to say that I will visit all these destinations in 2012, but it can’t hurt to dream big, can it?

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Thanks so much, Connie, for sharing your travels and Asian teaching experiences with us. Here's to visiting ALL those Asian countries this year! HOpe to meet you on the road somewhere soon. Cheers, Lash

Follow Connie:

www.connvoyage.com

missconniehum@gmail.com

TRAVEL TIP: HOW TO AVOID JET LAG- FOLLOW UP REPORT

noreply@blogger.com (LASH) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:03:00 +0000

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on board my first flight last week

For those of you who checked out last week's travel tip 'How to Avoid Jet Lag' and might be wondering how well my technique worked for me on my recent 40-hour, 3-flight trip from USA to Malaysia, here's the follow up:

Quick summary of technique: Basically, I routinely deal with jet lag by simply avoiding it entirely. I manage that by getting myself onto the destination time schedule during and/or before my trip. It has worked for me repeatedly during 20 years of international travels.

Quick summary of last week's trip from USA to Malaysia: This time I had a particularly tough schedule to deal with. It included 3 flights, 2 of which were 12 hours long. Added to that, there were 11 hours of layover in between: 4 hours in Chicago and 7 hours in Amman, Jordan. My plan of attack was to keep my usual US time schedule all the way through to Jordan and then switch to Malaysian time on my final 12-hour flight from Amman to Kuala Lumpur.

Technique in action:

As planned, I stayed awake during my 3-hour flight to Chicago (and enjoyed take off, aerial views of US and a sea of clouds floating below bright blue skies)

spectacular sea of clouds below plane

I also stayed awake during my 4-hour layover in Chicago (Wow, Chicago International Terminal has NOTHING to do! More on that later, 'Tips for Chicago International')

On my first 12-hour flight from Chicago to Amman, as planned, I stayed awake the first 2 hours of the flight, then slept the final 10 hours. I did take 2 doses of mild sleeping pills to help me out. Even so, to be honest, I didn't feel like I had a really knock-out, solid sleep. Rather, I felt liked I'd been tossing and turning all night. However, the 10 hours whizzed by super fast, so I must have actually slept a serious chunk of the time.

Hotel Lotus in Amman, Jordan

I got help in Amman, Jordan: Unbeknownst to me, Royal Jordanian Airline provides a complimentary lux hotel room for any passengers with > 6 hours layover. That included me! I was taken on the 'transit bus' to a nearby lux hotel and returned to the airport later. I luxuriated in a hot shower and enjoyed a solid 3-hour heavy sleep on a spacious bed. I'm pretty sure that helped with my 'avoid jet lag' program! (I was also treated to a huge buffet Jordanian dinner, au gratis. Thanks Royal Jordanian! ) Before boarding my next flight, I belted down two double shots of espresso, then...

Making new friends at Amman Airport, Jordan

On my final 12-hour flight from Amman to KL, I stayed awake the entire flight, without any problems. En route, I enjoyed a few movies and documentary shows. It was just like vacation! I arrived in KL at 6:30 pm, reached my friend's house about 9:30 pm, and went to bed about midnight, all ready to sleep.

I woke up the first morning in KL without a hitch and stayed up the whole day. To be honest, throughout the day I had several fluctuations in energy level, switching between full-on normal energy to feeling a bit drained or dazed. I suppose I did suffer some mild affects of jet lag. I went to bed at 11 pm.

The second day I awoke full of energy, completely switched over to local KL time schedule. Set to go!

British Colonial/Moorish architecture at Merdeka Square in 'downtown' KL

Summary: Overall, my technique worked really well. My en route waking/ sleeping scheme worked just as planned. I did get an extra help with the hotel room in Jordan. By the time I reached KL, I was pretty much on Malaysian time schedule, though I apparently felt some jet lag affect on my very first day. By my second day in KL, I was completely switched over to Malaysian time.

Not bad at all for completely reversing my sleep schedule! (13 hours difference between Florida and Kuala Lumpur)

I hope this technique will help you next time you have a super long flight schedule.

Happy travels, Lash

Q: Do you have any other tips/tricks that help you deal with jet lag? Share here!
Have you ever tried this technique? How did it work? Let's hear your version!