Part of Asia but special
Acrobatic Lion Dance while I was home for the lunar new year.
Before this year, I really disliked Lion Dances because the drums make my heart uncomfortable.
But this year I enjoyed it better because I thought I must *feel* the Chinese New Year. Do I make sense>?
I blame my stinginess to being a Taurus. I love bargains and cheap buys. But most of all, I LOVE free things.
For this fortnight’s Travel Local series, I’ll be sharing some of the free things you can do in Changi Airport right after you land (or before you fly off)!
(Most of these are available in the posher terminals and might not be present at the budget terminal where airlines such as Tiger Airways leave.)
Changi Airport lost to Hong Kong International Airport for Best Airport 2011. I’ve not been to HK’s airport but can it really beat all the free stuff you can get at Changi?
I’ve bought a return trip ticket to KL for the Feb 11 weekend. This will be my first time taking the overnight train in Malaysia.
I named the trip the “KL light bulb trip” because I’m joining N and her boyfriend (whom I’ve not met) who are both coming in from overseas. “Light bulb” in colloquial Chinese means a third person among a couple. (Coincidentally, my first overnight train trip in China was with N.)
If you are planning a trip to Kota Kinabalu (or KK–pronounced “keh keh” locally instead of “kay kay” the non-local way–for short), you probably would have sun, sea, mountain in mind instead of vintage clothing.
OK OK, I’m stretching it a lot when I say vintage, it should be second hand clothing.
Continue reading “Shopping for vintage clothing in Kota Kinabalu”
Happy Chinese New Year! AirAsia gave me some surprise angpow packets–nice touch considering it’s a budget airline.
I found the staff canteen at Terminal 1 of Changi Airport. Food here is local and cheaper than the restaurants at the airport. (Actually, airport food here isn’t as inflated as other countries.)
I’ll be home for a week to rest/eat/spend time with family. To be honest, I didn’t bring any new clothes with me (not that I have much to begin with). The red (festive) dress I have with me is about three years old!!
Unlike its neighbor countries, Singapore–my current adopted country–can be a lot more expensive if you factor in the currency exchange.
If you’re on a stopover here heading to Thailand/Indonesia and do not want to break your budget holiday streak, here’s a list of 5 touristy things you can do for free on this sunny island.
When I say touristy, I don’t mean it in a negative way such as “This is not what a local would do so it’s not an authentic experience.” I actually wish more people would get around and do some of the stuff because travelling doesn’t only mean getting away.
Continue reading “5 free touristy things to do in Singapore”
A post inspired by the Travel Belles:
Welcome to Across the Cafe Table where every second Wednesday we ask a question and share our answers
Question this month: In 2012 where do you most want to go but haven’t yet, & why?
I’ve not set foot in the Land of Smiles yet. It seems to be the destination to go for Malaysians and Singaporeans. Of course, growing up on the other side of the South China Sea means it will be a bit more difficult for me to get air tickets there.
I heard that Bangkok is wonderful for its clothes/food/cosmetics/shopping/everything/people/temples. My mom said Chiang Mai was nice. And then there’s the Thai towns just across the Malaysian borders.
If it’s for a shopping or eating trip in Bangkok, I have plenty of airlines to pick from. In fact, AirAsia just added another flight in the late evening.
Or, I could take the sleeping bunk on the Malaysian train and take a whole 24 hours to get to Bangkok.
So many choices! I must visit Thailand by the end of the year.
Planning a day trip to JB but don’t know which bus to choose? If you are leaving from Queen Street, Bugis, here’s some tips on which bus company to pick, assuming you already know how to get to the Queen Street terminal. I’ll also list the steps you need to take before you reach Malaysia’s shores.
From Queen Street, there are three bus companies that leave for JB: Causeway Link, SBS and Singapore-Johor Express.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/blog/2011/12/15/food-travel-whats-your-favourite-destination/?affil=twit
Recently we asked our Twitter followers the question: which destinations have you (or will you) visit primarily for the food? As you would expect, hundreds of foodies replied with their favourite places to get their fill. The clear winner? Italy.
1. Italy
2. Thailand
3. Malaysia
4. Singapore
5. Japan
6. India
7. Spain
8. Vietnam
9. China
10. France
Guess what, I’ve been to 7 out of the Top 10. I’ll head over to Italy, Thailand and India soon (fingers crossed).
I love food and I live to eat.
Here are some of my favorite food I’ve nommed during my trips.
Continue reading “Munching through 7 of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 food destinations”
Changi Terminal 3 (?). 3.22 a.m. waiting for a delayed flight.
YQtravelling 