Bangkok '07

Wah-Wee. It's been so long since I visited Bangkok-Chiangmai and I'd really love going back there.

Here are some of the photos taken while on the trip in 2007.

Bangkok is just absolutely lovely! It's a lively, vibrant city that will keep you moving; grooving.

Tuk-tuk, oh, you're gonna love travelling on one of these charmingly noisy babies.

They're the kings of the roads.

Beautiful temples with intricate carvings can be easily found in Bangkok.

I can't recollect much from my memory bank of my Bangkok trip, but it was certainly one of the most memorable ones.

I backpacked with my lovely travel partner, my cousie; and we were quite a team.

I particularly like the train ride experience from Bangkok to ChiangMai (throughout the night). 

It was simply AMAZING.

No wonder its tagline is 'Amazing Thailand.'

A Day in Singapore

In a Day's Trip



To Go

While in Singapore, better known as the Lion City, my uncle who's lived there for ages brought me to....


The Singapore Changi International Airport

If you're on a shoestring budget, this is a place to go.

It may sound like an unconventional way of spending your time as a tourist, but once you enter, you can immediately feel the inviting atmosphere.

Terminal 3 boasts wonderful contemporary architectural designs and it's rather amazing how everything blend in perfectly inside this Terminal.

The airport is absolutely clean, including its washrooms.

This elegantly-dressed Terminal  has so much to offer that it looks (to me) more like a shopping mall than an actual airport, where you just sit down and wait for your departure.

The locals, called Singaporeans, bring their families to this very Terminal for a pleasant family outing - taking a stroll, grabing a bite and watching airplanes touch down and depart at the viewing point.

Students bring along their books and find a nice spot to sit down and study; some teenagers even bring their own games to play with friends.

Why do people hang out in Terminal 3?

Not only does it clad in a contemporary architectural outfit, the terminal's also hugged with trees to balance the whole environment of the airport terminal, and it's absolutely spacious and relaxing.

The architects of Terminal 3 incorporate skylights into their design, as part of their "go green' effort.

Just look at the photos!

Restaurants are everywhere. If you want a more economical meal, head to the Food Court.

It's not just simply an airport, it completes your travelling experience and becomes part of your journey.

We spent absolutely nothing, except $2.50 for the parking fee.

If you're not driving, you can take the MRT train that takes you directly to the airport.





To Dine

For a whole new dining atmosphere, visit Marche at Vivo City (MRT stop at Harbourfront).

It's located at the very top level of Vivo City.

Marche is a Swiss restaurant and you can expect the setting similar to a market's, but cleaner and sweeter.

Oh, this place is for food enthusiasts. It's a food haven! The food are a delight to see.

There are so much to choose from, that you might get lost in your excitement and lose track of how much you've spent using the swipe card system.

Here's how it works at Marche:

1. Wait to be seated.
2. The staff will give a card to you.
3. After ordering food, give your card to the staff in-charged for a swipe.
4. After finishing your food and leaving, pay at the counter at the exit.

Simple steps!

The fresh food and beverages served at Marche will undoubtedly leave you drooling...and asking for more, if you like Swedish cuisine.

They have a fine range of food and beverages, including pasta, vege, sandwiches, muffins, desserts and fresh juices.

I tried their homemade pineapple lemonade and how thirst quenching it was! Absolutely tropical.

                          (The restaurant is so authentic, even the decor are all so Swedish; so cosy and at home)

They have bottles of Oranginas too!

My friend told me there's one Marche in Mid Valley, but not as good as this one in Singapore. I'm not aware of Marche in KL!





To Dine 2


Changi Village


According to my uncle, this is an area where many "Ang Mohs" (westerners) like to chill out because the place is breezy and cool 'cos it's at the beach.

Changi Village is around 20 minutes drive from the airport, depending on the traffic.

This place is AWEsome.

There are many food stalls, including pubs. The food are nice and served in generous portions, at very reasonable prices too!

However, that's the not the key attraction in Changi Village.

It's the beach where an amazing experience awaits.

Take a stroll along the beach after a satisfying dinner and make sure you keep your eyes open all the time.

You wouldn't want to miss out seeing airplanes zooming past your head, would you?

From a distance, you'll see two beaming lights, that will slowly approach the beach and if lucky, right above your head and that's when you'll realised the lights come from an airplane.

You can watch an airplane in the sky, flying, at a close range. Cool? It's better than watching them at the airport, right?



Well, I ended my trip in Singapore at Changi Village, bade my farewell and headed to Skudai, Johor for a one-night stay there.


Note: Always wear comfortable shoes, preferably no heels, for you're gonna walk, walk and walk in this city.



(All photos and texts are copyright reserved -z)

Australia, Blue Mountains - Part 1

Australia, Blue Mountains Review


By z_l3nG

22 Apr 2010


We went to the Blue Mountains for one reason - it's Famous!
And, we just had to see it.  
  
Why is Blue Mountains so famous?
One:  The mountains look bluish.
Two:  The 3 Sisters. 
 

Meet 3 Pretty Sisters


Temperature: Only a little chilly, around 20 degree celcius?
To bring: Water, light jacket.
To wear: Sports shoes or hiking shoes, trousers or short pants, tight jeans is not advisable.


What do the 3 sisters of Katoomba have in common?
They're all stunning.
Not only do they look almost alike, they're carefully sculpted.

           3 Sisters (922, 918 and 906 metres tall) standing in front of the never-ending stretch of mountains


OK, I gave the wrong info. The 3 Sisters don't look alike.
They come in different sizes, the middle being the fattest.

There's an interesting myth about the 3 Sisters in Blue Mountains though, involving 3 men from a different tribe and a witch doctor who got killed in the war before he could transform the 3 sisters back into humans.

You can read about the myth at:
http://www.marimari.com/content/australia/popular_places/new_south_wales/blue_mountains/main.html


To Get There

You have to get to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia.

You can either take the train and get down at Katoomba station OR drive for about 1.5 hours from Sydney.
Make sure you get a GPS.


Our Trip

We left Sydney at 9.45am and reached Blue Mountains at around 11.20am.
Without the traffic jams in Sydney, we would've had reached earlier.

Take note: Travel early. You don't want to get stuck in traffic jams during peak hours, when people are rushing to work.


Car Rental

We rented a car, a Nissan Sentra, from DISCOUNT for AUD75 for a distance of 250km.

Every extra km is charged AUD0.25.

The condition of the car was not bad.
At least the car didn't break down, so that's good. :)


#1 Stop - Echo Point, Katoomba

First, we went to the loo!
Once we got out of the car, we hopped straight to the World Heritage Plaza, Blue Mountains to answer the urgent call from nature.

What? We were travelling non-stop for 1.5 hours.
You don't have to pay a penny to use the toilet. *Sweet*

Apart from the loo, it was a sweet treat for me to see a huge, cuddly bear sitting at the entrance of the Plaza, waiting for me to hug it. 

And, what's more, it's my Koala Bear! 

There are some pretty interesting souvenir shops, but I didn't enter any of the shops in order to Save time.

We then walked to Echo Point to take a look at the 3 Sisters and Blue Mountains.


On Echo Point
 
There isn't much to see, really, at this Point.
However, this is the closest Point to view the 3 Sisters in Blue Mountains and the mountainous landscape.

If you want more fun out of this trip, head to Scenic World.
It's a great place to be for the whole family.

For more details, go to http://www.scenicworld.com.au./

I'll talk about Scenic World in my next post!


Sea of People

Expect this - a lot of tourists. Chinese tourists, especially.
Remember, this is a tourist spot.
If you're planning to do yoga here, it's foolish.

If you're lucky, you'll get to snap a photo without any strangers in the background.

We stayed there for 1 hour, taking as many photos as we could and left for lunch.

What you can do at Echo Point, Blue Mountains is to sit and breathe in the aura of the nature.
Just admire the beauty.

To me, the 3 sisters is not the centre of attention at Echo Point, it's the mountains that stretch infinitely to another end.


To Get There

By car:
It takes around 40-45 minutes to reach Echo Point, Blue Mountains from Sydney.

Follow the signs of Paramatta and take the M4 Motorway that starts at Strathfield, through Lapstone to Blue Mountains. 


By train:
It takes around 2 hours to get to Katoomba from Sydney.

From Katoomba station, you can take a cab to Blue Mountains. Train leaves every hour.


By coach: Most coaches leave from Circular Quay in Sydney.


(Note: All texts and photos are copyright reserved by Z)

Australia, Blue Mountains - Part 2

Australia, Blue Mountains Review  

 


By z_l3nG 
 

#2 Stop - Katoomba Town

Lunch Time!

Let's talk a bit about Katoomba town, shall we?

If you get hungry while seeing the 3 Sisters at Echo Point, you have 2 options.

1. Grab a bite at a cafe at the World Heritage Plaza. (the nearest)
2. Choose your preferable cuisine from a row of cafes and restaurants in Katoomba town.

We drove to Katoomba town and reached there in 5-10minutes.
It's a pretty quiet town and a relaxing one.

Discounts & Bargains!

Katoomba town is a place where you'd want to take a stroll and do some shopping.

They have quite a fantastic collection of jewelleries there.

What's best? You can bargain the prices with the sellers.

OR, you can just sit back and relax at a cafe and enjoy the tranquility.


Colourful Smileys

Calling all those with sweet tooth!
You just can't resist all the wonderful, colourful and yummy-ful buns and muffins displaying at the window of this bakery shop.

But, be warned, there might be unwanted guests feasting on those buns.
We saw flies circling around the pastries and we were immediately turned off by the sight.


Spot the Proton


Wasn't able to spot one in Sydney, but here, in Katoomba town, we spotted a Proton Gen-2 parked near a store, next to a VW. 


We walked past several cars, and I was immediately attracted to the well-kept orange VW, but it was Gen-2 that got my fiance's attention.

He's got sharp eyes for Malaysian cars.

To Scenic World, we go!

We didn't spend too much time in the town of Katoomba.
We had our lunch at a Chinese restaurant, took a brief walk along the street and dashed our way to Scenic World!


(Note: All texts and photos are copyright reserved - Z)

Australia, Blue Mountains - Part 3

Australia, Blue Mountains Review  
 


Scenic World, Blue Mountains

Walk on Air

Never mind Echo Point, that place's no fun. 
But, undoubtedly an ideal point to snap photos of The 3 Sisters in close range. 

Oh, have I mentioned that Blue Mountains is in the World Heritage list?
Yes, you bet it is! 
You'll know why when you get there.


But now...

Welcome to Scenic World Blue Mountains, where a whole new experience awaits...
Yeah, I know, it does feel like I'm writing for a Scenic World advertisement.

But, it's the truth! 
I had a jolly good time there and I'll tell you why.

Before that, let me feed you with some infos.

There are 3 rides you can take to explore Blue Mountains.

1. Scenic Skyway
2. Scenic Cableway
3. Scenic Railway

Another way of exploring the ancient rainforest at Blue Mountains is by walking.


#1 Float on Air

You've experienced this before, on cable cars, perhaps.
Or bungee-jumping. Or parachuting.

At Scenic World Blue Mountains, it's called the Scenic Skyway ride, in which you'd be standing or sitting throughout the journey which will take you across the ravines, mountains and Katoomba Falls.

The sight of Katoomba Falls will leave you breathless. 

If you're worried about your safety, don't have to. 
It's a slow and relaxing ride.   
Even my fiance who has fear of heights (aka Acrophobia) had no problem throughout the ride!

One Skyway car can accomodate more than 20 passengers. 



Highlight of the ride
  
I find this feature Awesome. 
Black men would say, 'Dang!'.

Here's why:

Electro-Sceniglass floor 


You can see everything that's below your feet from 270m above, through the see-through glass floor.


With this feature, you now literally have a 360 degree view!

If you have acrophobia, it's not advisable to look down for too long.

Pic: Looking downward to see the rainforest and Katoomba Falls, through the glass floor







Admission Prices:

Adult
$ 16 (return), $ 9 (1 way)

Child (4-13)
$ 8 (return), $5 (1 way)


Family Pass (2 Adults & Kids below 13)
$ 40 (return), $25 (1 way)

(Note: All texts and photos are copyright reserved - Z)

Australia, Blue Mountains - Last Part

Australia, Blue Mountains Review  

 

by z_l3nG


Let's resume with Scenic World's other exciting rides!

But first, let's take a stroll along a trail (over 2.8kms of boardwalk) set in the heart of the rainforest in Blue Mountains.

To enter, you have to get the Scenic Walkway pass (at the entrance).

It's quite an educational tour because there are fact boards provided about the local flora as well as the history of the valley as you walk.

This walkway is disabled-friendly as it offers a 380-metre long of wheelchair accessible walkway.

In addition, there are benches along the way for you to sit and rest your sore legs after a long, tiring walk.

It's worth the walk, really. You can feel tranquility setting in as you enter the rainforest. 

Don't worry, I've checked.
There's no "Not for the faint-hearted" sign at the entrance although it may get a little creepy as evening sets in...

Before exiting the walkway, there's a very old site of Katoomba Coal Mine.

Katoomba Coal Mine

At the press of a button, you can listen to the narration of the history on this particular coal mine, the Katoomba Coal Mine.

I pushed the button, but I could only hear a word or two clearly. Speakers no good.


Tools used by the coal miners are exhibited, like the "Pit Pony Shoes" and "Rabbit (or rat) trap". Other artifacts on display are as below:

Well, that's all I have on Scenic Walkway!

Now, let's proceed to the next ride...


Scenic Railway (aka the coal miner's ride)

 

All of I've gotta say for this ride is, Hang On Tight!

We took this ride to return to the centre. And, it was pure FUN!

Imagine going down the hill on this, with a rather fast speed.
Oh, the thrill and adrenaline!

But, it's no roller-coaster ride, so you're good to take that ride.




Scenic World opens everyday, from 9am to 5pm.
Take note: Last rides at 4.30pm.


For more info, visit http://www.scenicworld.com.au/

SYDNEY - Take 1

Australia, Sydney Review 

 

By z_l3nG


Temperature
15 - 26 degree celcius


I was in Sydney for 4 nights,  from 20-24th April,  2010.

I would be lying if I say Sydney isn't a beautiful city,  the weather was so fine I wouldn't want to come home. Imagine,  walking for one hour without breaking a sweat!

 

 (Top: Darling Harbour bridge in Sydney standing proud under the bright, clear sky)





I was surprised that my brief stay in Sydney was completely dry,  not a single raindrop,  as opposed to the information I got online saying that the weather is unpredictable and it's advisable to bring weather gear such as umbrella and raincoat.

My fiance's uncle said we were lucky with the weather.

I bet we were, since we all agreed that the weather was 'just nice'.
Humidity at its lowest level.

However,  I didn't like the wind that was trying to blow my hair off and making me look like a Mad lady. Other than that, it was fine.


Chinatown Mostly

We did mostly sightseeing in Sydney,  as tourists do,  as we didn't have much time exploring every single corner of the city.

 (Top: Charming Sydney view at Circular Quay)






I like the cleanliness of the streets in Sydney,  except those in Chinatown.
Dirty is always the adjective to describe every Chinatown I've been to.

Despite that reality,  people in Chinatown Do Not represent the whole Chinese community in general.

Talking about Chinese,  yes,  I discovered that Sydney is just full of them, and Koreans too.  But then and again,  maybe because we were staying near Chinatown,  which is just a few streets away.


On Top of the World

Four nights were spent in one of the amazing units at the World Tower in Sydney,  which cost AUS 255 per night.  Yes, it's rather costly but worth every penny.

It's a spacious 2-bedroom apartment,  equipped with sofas,  flat panel TV,  toaster,  oven,  cutleries and so on.  They even provide food containers for you to store leftovers.

The best part of this unit is...its viewing deck (enclosed balcony) that allows you to have a bird's eye view of Sydney.

A rattan table and 2 chairs are provided for you (and your partner) to sit and enjoy the panoramic view of the city.

It's definitely the vantage point to see the city,  apart from Sydney Tower.

(Top: Smog covering the horizon in the morning, creating a mystical atmosphere. Picture taken from our room.)

(Right: Colourful lights lit up the dark sky, bringing Sydney to life. Picture taken from viewing balcony)





On the first morning in Sydney,  when I was still sleeping soundly,  my fiance woke me up from my dreams, and said,  "You've got to see this."

In the corner of my mind,  I was thinking,  "What's the big deal that you need to wake me up like this?"

But,  I got up and looked out of the window and...was stunned by the sight. It was phenomenal.

"Wow! Is that beautiful or what?" I finally uttered,  after getting hold of myself.

It was a magical morning.  The light, thin clouds (or was it smog?) was enveloping the entire city and I felt like I was on top of the world,  whisking me away from the real world.



(Note: All texts and photos are copyright reserved - Z)

SYDNEY - Take 2

Australia, Sydney Review  
 


By z_l3nG


Pancakes Rock!

Nah, we weren't on a gastronomical trip in Sydney, but an economical one.
Food in Sydney is costlier than in the US and the statement is based purely on my observation.

Nonetheless, we spoilt ourselves one evening by having this wonderful dinner at the 'Pancakes on the Rock' restaurant.

You don't have to guess what they serve 'cos it's so obvious - Pancakes.

We ordered one plate of pork ribs, a Thai chicken salad and a yummy-licious pancake for dessert.  We devoured everything (except the bones) and ended up with big bellies.

Now,  let the food be served.

(Top: The pancake is called the Devil for good reason! It's so delicious you'd be asking for more)

 

I can't remember all the names of the food we ordered, but does it matter?  

What matters most is that the food were absolutely scrumptious, every single bite of it. 

The huge piece of pork ribs was very well-marinated and the meat, Tender, which means you don't have to have razor-sharp teeth to tear the meat apart. 

Still, you need to have a good set of teeth.

The best is always saved for last, they say.  

Oh yes, the pancake was heaven-made. 

The ice-cream as the topping and melted chocolate spreading all over the pancake and fresh strawberries - Muah! A perfect combination.

(Note: A friend told me the Hurricane in Sydney serves to-die-for pork ribs. We found one at Darling Harbour, but the food is really pricey.)

On a Quest

To see koala bears!

I have this obsession for koala bears since I was very young.  The first time I saw it on TV, I told myself I Have to go to Australia one day. 

So, I was there. And my fiance brought me to Taronga Zoo! 

To get there,  we took a ferry ride from Wharf #2 at Circular Quay in Sydney.  

The ticket is priced at AUD49.50, which includes return ferry trip, entrance fee and sky safari (cable car ride).

 

(Top: Lady Northcott ferry took us to Taronga zoo)

The ride was an awesome one. We sailed passed some of the biggest landmarks in Sydney, such as the Sydney Opera House and the bridge. 

Oh, so cute!

Ta-Da! Adorable bears.

I had no luck with them that day for all three of them were taking a nap.
They slept in funny ways.

They looked like cute stuffed animals to me when they were sitting motionless. 

To see them, their captivity is on the immediate right at the entrance.

To see them upclose and even cuddle them, a fee of AUD20 is charged per person for 10 minutes.

Even cuter animal

The highlight of Taronga zoo, to me, is the Platypus.  

OMG, was that fella cute or what! 

It's small-sized and it looked like many animals combined.

Unfortunately, the place was dimly lit and there was only one platypus swimming in the tank, I didn't think it was possible to snap a photo of it.


Not-so-cute animals

For instance, penguins, sea lions, chimpanzees and gorillas, nocturnal species (some are really cuties, I must admit) and also the bird in the picture, plus so many more...which I can't recall.



On Taronga Zoo

One thing's for sure, none of the zoos in Malaysia can compete with Taronga zoo. Who are we kidding, right?

Taronga zoo was, I'd say OK, considering that the view was pretty amazing and, they house more variety of animals there.

Central Park Zoo in New York City, on the other hand, is rather small, but it was more fun!

 

(This is the view you can get from Taronga Zoo)

Do take note of this, the zoo's under construction when I was there, so you might want to delay your plan to go there.

I hope the zoo's going to have heaps of exotic animals after the expansion.

To get a map of the zoo, you can find it at the zoo entrance. 

Note that the ferry leaves every half an hour.

(Note: All texts and photos are copyright reserved - Z)