Happy 2nd birthday, YQtravelling.com

Tomorrow, January 8 is the second birthday of this blog. *insert trumpet sound* Since I blog on Tuesdays and Fridays, this birthday greeting comes one day in advance.

Three cheers to YQtravelling's second birthday. — Three cheers to YQtravelling’s second birthday.

I know it kind of kills the mood when I don’t talk about travelling. But but but, it’s once a year so bear with me while I talk about the past year for a bit.

Travel wise, last year was pretty crazy and writing a post for each day of my RTW was crazy too.

As for other highlights of the year.

I was on Runaway Juno, talking about my hometown, Kota Kinabalu.
I started my newsletter list in January 2013. (Check out the very first edition here.)
As a birthday wish, could you sign up for the newsletter, please? You’ll receive future updates from me sporadically.
I started posting on Instagram in April in Sri Lanka.

How has your 2013 of travelling been? Share them in the comments below.

With love from Singapore + postcard giveaway

Hello everybody, it’s YQ writing from Singapore. Yes, I am back in the land I am most familiar with. Yes, I’m more familiar with Singapore than my hometown Kota Kinabalu.

It’s been more than a week since I came back and I am now in full job hunting mode. I’ll update you guys on my job search if I have any happy news. Oh, if you know anyone in Singapore hiring writers, do drop me a mail at hello@yqtravelling.com.

I am actually very glad to be back in Singapore, for five reasons:
Check out the rest of the post…!

Choosing transportation for Weekend Travel [Weekend Traveller series: Part 3]

Welcome to part 3 of the Weekend Traveller series, a fortnightly segment where I share tips and strategies for travelling during the weekend so you can travel more without using your work leave.

Last week, we talked about deciding which places to go for the weekend. Today, we will learn the pros and cons of different transportations for your weekend trip.

Plane

For long distances, planes are your best bet but the ticket prices can be quite expensive if you do not do a lot of planning. I usually buy my air tickets for budget airlines about 6 months in advance when there is a sale. I try not to buy full price tickets because it’s not worth the money.

Pros of planes for weekend travel:

Fast
Comfortable (compared to 6 hours of bus or train)
Not affected by traffic jam

Cons of planes for weekend travel:

Expensive ticket price [Solution: Buy tickets only during promo periods, do not buy luggage for budget flights.]
Terrible arrival/departure timings [Solution: Check other airlines or skip the destination]

Train

If you have good train connections to the places you want to visit, taking the train might be a good option. I love taking night trains because I save on the cost of a night’s accommodation.

Pros of trains for weekend travel:

Relatively cheap prices (at least in Malaysia)
Not affected by traffic jams on the road
Trains with bunks==better sleep

Cons of trains for weekend travel:

Limited tickets for weekend travel [Solution: Buy your tickets in advance]
Shaky train, snoring passengers==not enough sleep [Solution: Sleeping pills? Deal with it.]

Night bus

I put night bus instead of I figure that you will need night buses for long distance travels.

Pros of buses for weekend travel:

Cheap

Cons of night buses for weekend travel:

Bad sleep [Solution: Even I cannot solve this. I just suck it up]

Affected by traffic jams [I was once 5 hours late because of a massive jam. Lesson learned: Take the train ]

Driving

My mom and I had a mini road trip to the most northern part of Borneo island [LINK: Kudat Marina]. I would choose trains and buses over driving for a weekend trip because it’s more tiring. But if the place you are going to doesn’t have good

Pros of driving for weekend travel:

You have a car to drive around

Cons of driving for weekend travel:

Driving is quite tiring, especially for long hours

Boat

If you’re planning an island getaway for the weekend, taking a boat is probably your only choice so I won’t go into the pros and cons.

I haven’t been on any island trips for the weekend but the planning process should be the same: pick a nearby place and a good package so you don’t spend too much money.

Check out the rest of the series here:

Part 1: Pros & cons of weekend travel
Part 2: Where to go for Weekend Travel?
Part 3: Choosing transportation for weekend travel
Part 4: Travel planning for weekend trips
Part 5: Make your own travel guide for a weekend trip
Part 6: How to pack for a weekend trip
Part 7: How to use Foursquare to plan a day’s travel
Part 8: Why a weekend trip is the best time to start solo travelling
Part 9: I’m going to Melaka for a weekend trip

Where to go for Weekend Travel? [Weekend Traveller series: Part 2]

Welcome to part 2 of the Weekend Traveller series, a fortnightly segment where I share tips and strategies for travelling during the weekend so you can travel more without using your work leave.

how to choose weekend trip destination — How to choose your weekend trip destination.

Last week, I talked about the pros and cons of weekend travelling. Today, we’ll be looking at how to choose a destination for your weekend travel so you save on travel time and cost.

Back when I still had a job during which I took quite a lot of weekend travel, the destinations that I chose were based on the challenges that I gave myself and the availability of cheap air tickets from AirAsia (Bangkok, Jakarta and Kuching are a few examples).

Unless you have similar self-imposed travel challenges, you’ll most likely choose the destination based on places you actually want to visit. (I’ll admit that there are some Malaysian states which I’d rather not go at all.)

Main factor for choosing a weekend travel destination

To choose a weekend travel destination, you must keep in mind the how much time you will be able to spend there which really means the time of arrival and departure. To enjoy a place, I’d say you need a minimum of 24 hours of visiting time.

So when you are making travel plans, you have to see that the transportation timing is right. It’s better to travel 13 hours on a night bus on Friday and reach on a Saturday morning than it is to take a 1-hour plane ride that reaches the destination at 4pm on a Saturday.

What you can do now is list down a few locations that you want to go for a weekend trip. Next you should do your research on what transportation there are for you to get there. (Coincidentally, transportation choices is our next discussion topic.)

Good weekend travel destinations from Singapore

Since I was based in Singapore when I started my travelling craze, I’ll list down a few places you can consider visiting for your weekend travel:

Bangkok, Thailand
Every capital city on the peninsula of Malaysia (That’s 11 of them!)
Kuching, Malaysia
Jakarta, Indonesia

Sadly, my hometown Kota Kinabalu does not make a good weekend travel destination from Singapore because of the bad AirAsia flight timing. Boo hoo.

Check out the rest of the series here:

Can you think of places you can go for weekend trips? Share them in the comments below.

Welcome to Weekend Traveller series: Pros & cons of weekend travel

Do you complain about the lack of annual leave at your work place?
Do you want something more from your weekend than sleeping in till noon?
Do you ask yourself, “What did I do during the weekend?” as the days were too unmemorable?

If you’ve answered “YES” to all three questions, perhaps it is time you try travelling during the weekend.

Travel more by travelling during the weekend.

[Photo credit: Duane Mendoza]

Before I quit my job for this round-the-world trip, I was travelling quite a lot despite only having 20 days of annual leave. I wanted to get away from the busy life in Singapore so I was plotting at least one trip each month.

Many of these trips did not require me to take days off my annual leave because I chose to travel during the weekend.

Welcome to the start of the “Weekend Traveller” series where I share my tips on why you should travel more during the weekends, how to choose a weekend destination, how to prepare for a weekend trip and other related information.

The Weekend Traveller will appear every 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Here are some of the topics I have in mind:

Should you be a weekend traveller? Pros and cons of weekend travel
How to choose a destination (time, cost)
How to pack for a weekend
Research to make every second count
Making your personal guidebook
What to do when travelling
What to do when you are back
Useful sites for booking and useful smartphone apps

If you think there are more that I can touch on, feel free to leave it in the comments.

Let’s start this week’s discussion with the pros and cons of weekend travel.

Pros of travelling during the weekend

Travel more: There are 52 weekends in a year so you get to travel beyond the days you have in your annual leave.
Use less annual leave: Annual leaves are best used in chunks so you can travel to further destinations and spend more time there.
Weekends will be more interesting: No more weekends filled with sleeping in until noon and Youtube watching. You get to go out and smell different air.
Less luggage: A backpack of clothes is sufficient for a weekend trip which cuts down on luggage cost on budget airlines.

Cons of travelling during the weekend

Short time: Even if you travel during Friday night and reach your home early Monday morning, weekend trips are really short.
More expensive: When you consider that your air ticket is split into only 2 days of expenses, it can be more expensive than a week’s trip.
Tiring: Trying to pack loads of sights and things-to-do into 2 days can drain your energy.

Are you convinced that being a Weekend Traveller is for you? If so, join me in 2 weeks when I discuss how to choose a location for a weekend trip.

If you are not yet convinced, read on and see if you change your mind.

Are you a Weekend Traveller? Which places have you visited during the weekends? What related topics do you want me to cover?

Check out the rest of the series:

Around the world with The Overexposed Model

There’s a side of me on the internet that I’ve not shared on YQ Travelling, until today.

Back in December 2012 when I was in Singapore, I created a Tumblr called The Overexposed Model (OEM) to record ads which I’ve come across that feature an ambiguously raced young lady.

The tumblr was actually a follow up of a blog with a similar goal. The blog was called The Overexposed Big Mouth Model but it disappeared when I was trying to submit my sightings.

Since OEM was in so many ads as the generic smiling women, I thought it was fun to chronicle my discoveries. I shared the blog link with a few friends but I mostly kept it as a semi-private collection.

Then one day, a freelancer from the Phillipines asked if he could interview me about the blog as part of a feature on the model. I can now honestly say that I was in Esquire Philippines (or something like that), however not as a bikini model.

In March, the Singapore media ran out of story ideas and featured The Overexposed Model in various print and web outlets. Some readers started submitting their own sightings of OEM to the tumblr. I put those up too.

Naively, I thought that the tumblr will hibernate while I go on my four-month journey. I still keep seeing OEM.

In the beginning, it was fun spotting OEM but now it feels kind of like a nightmare. Each time I see her, there’s less giddy surprise and more “NOT AGAIN!” Of course, I still obediently take out my camera and snap her photos.

Overexposed Model in Malaysia

OEM selling ulcer medication in Sabah, Malaysia.

My first overseas sighting of OEM was back home in Sabah in a clinic. She was in a ulcer medication ad.

Overexposed Model in Greece

Overexposed Model in an optician ad in Athens, Greece.

In Greece, I found OEM hawking glasses in Athens.

Overexposed Model in Argentina

Overexposed Model in Buenos Aires airport

I thought I was safe from OEM but I found her at Buenos Aires airport, selling some sort of travel card.

Overexposed Model in Peru

Overexposed Model on Cruz del Sur website.

I found her on a bus company’s website, ready to go for an unplanned weekend travel.

Overexposed Model in a clinic ad in Arequipa, Peru.

In Arequipa, in a lonely building, I found her in a life size printout. I thought I should stand next to her to prove that I spotted her.

Overexposed Model in the papers in Peru.

Then I saw her again in the papers.

Overexposed Model in San Salvador

Overexposed Model in a pharmacy ad in San Salvador

When I was out window shopping, I saw her outside a supermarket.

I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing OEM in an ad. It’s funny how she’s featured in so many different countries. Does her looks makes her the everyday person of the countries she’s been featured?

Have you seen the Overexposed Model? Share where you’ve seen her in the comments below.

11 travel blogs from Asia to follow

Fist with rings spelling out B-L-O-G. Image credit Thomas Hawk

Header image credit: Thomas Hawk

My friend D inspired me to write a post about travel blogs to follow when she asked for blog recommendation.

I started working on the post about travel blogs I follow and I realized that the majority of the blogs I was going to recommend were not from Asia. So I decided to write a new post to feature some of the blogs from Asia.

How do I define “from Asia”? I don’t have a specific rule but if the blogger is now based in Asia or was from Asia, then I’ll pile them in.

I’m only listing people I follow on a regular basis so if your favorite blogger in Asia is not in, tell me in the comments below.

Probably already on your reading list

Solitary Wanderer

site: http://www.solitarywanderer.com/
twitter: @ALEAHphils

You might know Aleah from her famous post “Date A Girl who Travels“. Or if you don’t know her, you might have read the post in one way or another. She’s still being awesome travelling solo so follow her on her trips.

Runaway Juno

site: http://runawayjuno.com/
twitter: @RunawayJuno

Juno was from South Korea but now she’s travelling all over the world. I love how she’s very honest about how her family perceived her travelling lifestyle. She is organizing a conference in KL called Asian Women’s Empowerment conference in November.

The Shooting Star

site: http://the-shooting-star.com/
twitter: @shivya

Besides her travel stories, Shivya shares freelance travel writing tips and travel blogging tips. I love it when pros share their tips.

Should be on your reading list

Walk Fly Pinoy

site: http://www.walkflypinoy.com/
twitter: @walkflypinoy

Paul’s post on how he has money to travel long term is good for anyone who wants to travel more. He also takes very good photos.

The Thrifty Traveller

site: http://thriftytraveller.wordpress.com/

I came across David’s blog when I was doing research for my YQ Conquers Malaysia trips. He’s very detailed about his visits to different towns in Malaysia. If you would like to know more about small town Malaysia, check out his blog. One of his latest post about following the trail of Assassin’s Creed in Istanbul is fascinating because I loved Assassin’s Creed I.

Bloggers I know in real life and are awesome online

The Nomad Damsel

site: http://nomaddamsel.wordpress.com/
twitter: @_thermar

I was there to witness Therese’s first travel blog post. *wipes tear from eyes* She touches on subject that I never thought about writing but should have. For example, squat toilets.

The Traveling Squid

site: http://thetravellingsquid.com
fb: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Travelling-Squid

Phebe travelled in India alone before. I think that should be enough reason to follow her blog. One of her latest post about whether travelling too much is a sign of discontent resonated with me.

If you read Chinese, follow them!

943 (就是省）

site: http://blog.xuite.net/iq943
fb: https://www.facebook.com/943fans

If I have to name a person who pushed me to really do this RTW, it’s 943, a Taiwanese traveller/author/money saver who wrote the book “Round the world with NT$100,000“. I didn’t know that travelling around the world doesn’t require millions of dollars and can be achieved cheaply.

Silvia the traveler

site: http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/silvia-huang/

Another Taiwanese blogger, I loved her recent post about how we should wander around responsibly and not impulsively. She also posted a multi-part love story of her and a German boy nicknamed F. I love love stories!

If you read Indonesian,you probably already know her

Trinity, The Naked Traveler

site: http://naked-traveler.com/
twitter: @TrinityTraveler

I learned of Trinity when I bought one of her books. Trinity is now doing a RTW and I love her tweets because they are in digestible chunks of Indonesian. If you are good in Malay and Indonesia, check out her blog.

Do you have favorite travel blogs? Share them in the comment below.

Winner of YQ Travelling giveaway announced

Thanks everyone for participating in the first giveaway on YQ Travelling.

I’ve used random.org to choose a random number and have the name of the winner.

It’s Keith from Singapore.

Congratulations! I’m sending you an e-mail about the prize.

For the others who did not win this time, stick around because there will be more of such virtual luck draw/giveaways on this blog.

Until the next trip,

Yun Qing

YQ Travelling giveaway: Win a S$100 Jetstar voucher

[Giveaway has closed!]

Welcome to the first giveaway on YQ Travelling.

Last year, I won some Jetstar vouchers in a competition. I want to give away one of the S$100 vouchers to you my lovely reader.

What do you need to do?

Just sign up for my newsletter and you will be in the running for the S$100 Jetstar voucher.

For those who already have signed up for the newsletter, you will automatically be included in the draw for the voucher.

The giveaway is open for 2 weeks. Last sign up date and time is March 2 11:59PM GMT+8.

After the closing date, I’ll select one winner using http://www.random.org/. Winner will be announced on the blog on March 3.

This giveaway is not affiliated with Jetstar. The prize was not given by Jetstar for this giveaway. I am giving away one of my Jetstar vouchers.

Terms and condition:

Anyone can enter the competition as long as they provide a valid e-mail address in the newsletter sign up.
To be in the giveaway, you must sign up by March 2 11:59PM GMT+8.
Winner will be contacted through e-mail and must claim the gift in 7 days. If not, another winner will be chosen.
Winner will need to book the ticket themselves.
Voucher expires on June 8, 2013; must be redeemed in one booking.
While giveaway is not affiliated with Jetstar, booking queries should be directed to Jetstar.
I have rights to change the T&C when needed (hopefully not!)

What are you waiting for?