Chinatown Kuala Lumpur: a walk through time

Hello y'all! I'm back with not one but two videos this time round! These were actually taken on the same weekend but I split them as they were getting quite lengthy! In the first part, I bring you together with me to Kafei Dian and Fung Wong. Then to what I did on my weekend that is hanging out with the fam and mostly playing with the cats~

The second part of my video highlights REXKL, an old cinema given a makeover and now houses an array of cafes, shops, exhibition area and bookstores. 

The refurbished building has been reopen to public since 2019 but probably due to the pandemic, I didn't hear much of it until recently! I love the old school aesthetics they have implemented in almost every corner of the building. It brings back memories of my childhood days when movie theaters look just like that and still uses rolled film projectors. 

The BookXCess bookstore being the main attraction with its unique and insta-worthy interior! And I thought the branch in MyTown Cheras (checkout my video on MyTown Cheras' BookXCess here) was impressive already, this one was equally as impressive! It's any booklovers' romantic rendezvous *swoon*

exploring Kebun Kebun Bangsar & Brickfields KL | a weekend with me

Last month (yes, the videos have been left unedited for that long because life happens) I decided that I needed some time outdoors and that I wanted to check out the list of places I have yet to explore before. I know, I've been around KL for almost a decade but there are so many places to check out. Even more now! Also, I've been feeling really stuck and try to be open with the endemic idea. Though now we have Omicron OMG so plans may change. Again.

I decided to check out Kebun Kebun Bangsar, located not too far from the city center yet good enough to supply me with a dose of nature. I love the place! Mainly because I didn't have to travel very far to be close to nature and animals, which is something I really am looking forward to doing more. Suddenly I'm done with too much urban lifestyle. I still love the convenience of living in the city and that it is a very lively spot but Covid19 happened.

Here's a vlog I made while exploring KKB and Brickfields. Yeah, I also went to Little India since it is quite close by. I've hung around KL Sentral a lot but somehow never cross my mind to explore Bricksfield. Somehow the timing is right as it was the weekend just before Deepavali and so there were much more festivities and that's really nice! Thankfully it isn't super packed. I'm sure it would be if people aren't still wary with the whole Covid19 situation.

Tell me if you've been to these place yourself! I actually have a list of places and things I want to do around Kuala Lumpur. If you know anywhere fun, tell me and I may include them in my bucket list!

Phuket 5D4N Itinerary under RM2K

Hello y'all! Can you believe we're just a few days shy from 2020??? Anyway, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and wishing everyone an early Happy New Year! 

I haven't been blogging much  for the year because adulting but still wanted to post something before the end of 2019. What better timing than my return from a trip just last week, at least I have something to post hahahaha! This trip was a rather last minute plan, Japan didn't happen because I can't seem to find a time to get off work! (T⌓T) Still, I'm grateful I could afford money and time to go someplace! Sharing them with y'all in this post!

~♡~

Where to stay

As always, I opted for AirBnB because it is more affordable and there were very limited options in the other sites since it was such a last minute thing. I stayed at New Life Phuket Classic, a hotel at the quieter end of Patong. It's a 10 minutes or so walk away from the bustling Patong town and beach. I'm quite glad we did because it seems come Friday and the weekend, it can get really loud! We could still feel the beat of the music from our room, I cannot imagine what's it like staying closer! I also appreciate that my AirBnB contact person was very responsive. Plus we were allowed to check in earlier that what's stated and could even leave our luggages after we checked out at noon (our flight was at night).

I do have one complain, the toilet/washroom isn't exactly private you can hear others doing their business so I had the toilet kinda 'stage fright'. Probably why I had constipation during my trip
(￣□￣) FML. If I gained weight from the past week, it's just cause I'm full of shit.

Staying connected 
with local SIM card

I'm a bit kiasu and need to stay connected. Glad I did this because many times I had to rely on Waze and Grab. I have to admit, this time I was not fully prepared having just worked on the itinerary (big responsibility!) two weeks prior to the trip! I booked a local sim card from Klook for RM20 and then had to reload 100TBH / RM13.90 on one day I needed to make a call to my tour group because they were late to pick me up ( TдT ) Definitely cheaper than roaming with a Malaysia sim card which will cost RM10-RM40 per day!


Getting around Phuket

Tuk tuks are one interesting way to get around but boy, are they're pricey. A 10-minute ride from Patong to Karon will easily set you back by 400TBH. For comparison, that's thrice as expensive as getting around in Penang island! So this is not the best option for those on a budget. If you insist to experience them, I'd recommend you going to No. 6 Restaurant and inform the staff you'd like to go to the No. 6 by the hill. They offer free rides to their branch well, on the hill with a view of the town and more tables so you wouldn't need to share. Expect a bumpy ride up the crazy steep hill, my friends and I had quite a shock when the tuk tuk stopped abruptly at our destination almost sending us rolling out the tuk tuk and down the hill!

Another option is to use Grab, which is best when exploring the central or east coast. You can negotiate with the drivers to stop at multiple destinations for additional fees. Price vary depending on tuk tuk drivers but the best offer we've got was 300TBH per hour so you'd definitely need to budget for that. I had to muster up some courage (because my friends weren't helpful) to negotiate with our Grab driver who was thankfully, open to that. Super grateful!

Many times during the trip I wished I had motorcycle license, it'd probably save us a lot (I've seen 350TBH per day rental deals) and is more convenient.

Another affordable option is by getting around with the local buses whether it is the Smart Bus (covers the west coast), Blue Bus (covers the central & west coast) or Pink Bus (covers Phuket Old Town). My friends and I had bought the Rabbit Card for the Smart Bus ride from the airport to Patong where our Airbnb were. We didn't utilized it until the day before we left but it got me thinking we should have experimented more to take advantage of the discounted fare! The huge downside of this Rabbit Card is there are very incomplete information online and even tourist information centers weren't helpful, therefore leading to some inconvenienced (and annoyance). For your convenience, I am listing down what I found out about the Rabbit Card, you're welcome!


What to consider 
BEFORE 
purchasing the Rabbit Card:-

1) In Phuket, the Rabbit Card can be use for the Smart Bus with possible minimum of 170TBH. Or when purchasing items from partner stores such as McDonalds, 7Eleven, Family Mart, etc. with minimum balance of 300TBH.
2) The card can be reloaded with value of 100TBH-200TBH-300TBH-and so forth.
3) The card can be purchased at the airport's local bus stop for 300TBH whereupon 100TBH is the card fee and 200TBH is the available amount to use.
4) With the Rabbit Card, passengers are entitled for discount and fees will be depending on distances and destination. Without the card, every trip for each person will be 170TBH irregardless of the destination.
5) The Smart Bus only covers destinations along the West Coast of Phuket.
6) Rabbit Cards can be used in Phuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
7) The most complete details about the Rabbit Card can be found here.
8) The Rabbit Card is NOT refundable/exchangeable.


Fees by destinations for passengers with Rabbit Card

~♡~

5D4N Itinerary
& recommendations

I prepped my itinerary rather last minute and somehow during the trip, plans changed to cut down on transportation cost and for the sake of exploring the part of Phuket. Besides that, my friends and I spent a lot of time walking as means of getting around. For those who choose to charter a tour van or have their own motorcycle, you'd definitely be able to cover a lot more places in a single day!

Day	Itinerary
*Day 1	Arrival in Phuket & checking into New Life Phuket Classic Lunch at Da Number 6 Restaurant Exploring Banzaan Fresh Market, Patong Beach & Kamala Beach Dinner at Malin Plaza then exploring Dragon Night Market & OTOP Night Market
*Day 2	Breakfast at The Pad Thai Shop, Karon Karon Beach Khao Rang Hill, Tunk Ka Restaurant & Wat Khao Rang Phuket Old Town Dinner at Chillva Night Market, Yaowarat Road
*Day 3	7Eleven breakfast Full-day Islands hopping around Phang Nga Bay (James Bond & 5 other islands) Dinner at Banzaan Night Market, exploring Chillva Night Market & Bangla Road in Patong
*Day 4	7Eleven breakfast Sightseeing at Chalong Pier & Big Buddha Kata Noi Beach & Kata Yai Beach Kata Night Bazaar & Night Market
*Day 5	Breakfast at Sam Chor Free & easy souvenirs shopping day around Patong Lunch at No.6 Restaurant on the hill

**Links to daily travelogue coming soon!

My favorite part besides the island hopping where I had the first opportunity in years to kayak (i super miss this!) is Chalong Pier and the Big Buddha. There's something about the combination of blue blue sea and blue blue sky and boats and cool breeze that is just super relaxing. I also noticed I love highlands because it's cooler which was where the status of the Big Buddha is stationed, overlooking the beautiful Chalong Pier.

What & Where to eat

Pad thai, tom yum soup and local Thai cuisines are a must! Other novel food I have tried include crocodile meat, baby crickets & sago worms, parrot fish, sea grapes and gac fruit juice. Some may sound cringe-worthy but don't let that stop you from trying! Judge only after you ate them.

Also, what's better than rolled ice cream on a sunny day. Totally recommending a mix of mango & lemon flavor! (￣￢￣)

Family Mart and 7Eleven are a common sight in Phuket, there are a branch in almost each rows of shops! Definitely do drop by to grab some burgers or sandwiches which the staffs will assist you to reheat. I super love the cream puffs that are available in original and salted egg creams, yummy!

Will post in more details in my daily travelogues (coming soon!), so don't forget to check them out!


Souvenirs shopping

My top 10 recommendations will be dried mangoes, traditional massage oil or balms, melon flavor or original milk candy, Harnn massage oil, snail body care, beach dresses, white beach tops/dresses, swimming suits, waterproof bucket bags and gold masks.




Seen in a shop along Kata Road. The dresses and tankinis are so cute!

Patong Central has the best offer for dried mangoes, at 50TBH per 100g pack (but only sold at bulk in 6-12-18) and 6-pack Siang Pure Oil for 740TBH. On the other hand, the best deals for the snail beauty products and health foot patches at Fruit Paradise, a beauty & souvenirs shop along Phangmuang Sai Kor Road in Patong. It is not far from the malls but for convenience, you can simply get them all from Patong Central.

You can also find fruits & chocolate flavors milk candies in Patong Central's Big C.

There's even a guide prepared in case you're wondering what to get!

~♡~

Budgeting for Phuket

Overall, I spend approximately RM2K for my entire 5D4N trip.

Prior to the trip, I have pre-booked the following:-

Description	Price
Kuala Lumpur à Phuket Return Flight with Air Asia	RM418.77
4-Night AirBnB Accommodation	RM160.15
Full-day Phang Nga Bay (including James Bond Island) tour experience with BJ Canoeing Tour bought from Klook	RM246.30 / 1,772TBH
DTAC 8-day Unlimited Data Plan (also from Klook)	RM19.70
TOTAL	RM844.12

I brought 7,000TBH in cash, just slightly under RM1K and I'd say that was exactly what I spent! A big chunk went to public transportation, food, shopping and some donation to the Big Buddha temple. I bought few souvenirs _ 6 pack of 50g dried mangoes, 3 pack of Siang Pure Oil, 10 packs of milk candy and a dress _ so if you're a bigger spender, you'd want to consider a bigger budget. I'd also recommend you budget for tours around Phi Phi or Similan islands and experience Phuket's Fantasea, things I wished I had done.

The one extra thing I swiped with my card (because I ran outta cash) was a bottle of Choya Yuzu from the duty free section in the airport. Die die want it because I have never seen it around Malaysia! True enough, there weren't any in KLIA2 or in the supermarket!٩( ^ᴗ^  )۶

~♡~

In conclusion

Phuket is a place for those who truly want to enjoy to take your time and relax. The people are welcoming, there are many beautiful islands and beaches to explore. I also feel safe walking around the island during the day and at night _ you get more hamsap stares in KLIA2 by foreigner security guards. 

Food and transportation can get a bit pricey. I think islands hopping, kayaking and snorkeling should be considered especially around James Bond/Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi or Similan _ at least I wished I've done more!

reflecting on 2018 & welcoming 2019

In just a few hours, it will be the New Year, oh how scarily fast time flies when you're adulting! As much as I would love to clear my other blog drafts before the new year begin, things have been so hectic the past weeks and I even fell sick. I finally had some time for myself early this week but with work still constantly at the back of my head *sigh* Nevertheless, 2018 has been a quite an amazing journey for myself so I am crossing my hands 2019 will be kind to me as well!

Anyways, this post is just me looking back into 2018 and counting my blessings. There were bad things such as how I contracted dengue but that showed how I am surrounded by people who cared about me. Of course,even my parents overfed me while I was recuperating at home. In many ways, I feel loved and blessed.

The other random highlights of my 2018 life, not in specific order are:- 

#1 Okay, not something I did in 2018 but rather something I managed to do _ I completed my Bali & Singapore's Travelogues woohoo!!

#2 I bought a DSLR and took lotsa photos! Our relationship is still going strong hahahaha

#3 tried Merchants' Lane cafe for the first time with my homies

#4 Explored several parks in KL & Selangor such as Taman Botani in Shah Alam, Lake Gardens, Desa Park, Kota Damansara Community Forest Park and early this week, Serendah Waterfall. I super love being in contact with nature. In case y'all never heard, shinrin yoku aka forest bathing is a natural therapy involving spending time in nature to promote self-healing. It works for me especially when I feel so stress up thinking about work but the moment I spend time just looking at trees and flowers or dipping my legs into streams and waterfall, I feel so calm.

#5 Speaking of shinrin yoku, Japonisme is back and they are such fascinating concepts such as Ikigai, Kintsugi and more (there are books of these titles which I totally wanna read!). Japan is freaking awesome! Of course, Japonisme revolves around a whole lot more such as art, sculptures and architectures but I'm more fascinated with the cultures and ideas which can be put into practice in our everyday life.

#6 Went on a random 2D1N trip to Cameron Highlands. Sharing my Cameron Highlands' itinerary & budget in case y'all planning for vacays! Because I had a lot on my plates this year, I decided to hold all international travel which is quite a bummer! This may continue until 2019 IDK but I really am missing Japan a lot *sniff*

#7 I did explore quite a few local spots, one of them Tadom Hill Resort with my colleagues. It's a small recreational spot but we had great fun playing human size jenga and some of us jumped into the man-made lake

#8 Probably the coolest thing ever _ I attended an Indian wedding for the first time! Check out how it went. I find the ceremony truly fascinating and eye-opening.

#9 my old friends, Daniel and Naoko came down from England for a visit & I met their baby, Nagisa-chan for the first time! Aside from the lovely family, two other friends from Australia and another from the Netherlands were around for a visit and we hung out. I feel grateful that they remember and took some time to hang out with me albeit their short visit. I also find it funny how whenever I think of them, they'll somehow always end up contacting me soon after!

Of course, there are great friends living locally whom I wish we could meet up more often but everyone is busy with their lives. Still, I can always count on them for being there! *virtual hugs* It's just like the quote about how "Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you know they're there". I tried looking for other quotes but I think this is the closest way to describe them.

#10 Attended another of my gal pal and ex-colleague's wedding, such a pretty bride!

#11 Ate a lot of durians when durian runtuh, literally.


#12 I discovered Hermo, the ultimate online beauty shopping haven

#13 went to the 2018 Bon Odori in Shah Alam for 2 consecutive years

#14 Decluttered my room. Still working on being a minimalist!


#15 Discovered thrifting, namely in Kedai Bless and ReFash


#16 I discover a love for nude shade lippies and eyeshadow. Wanted to write about them but I didn't have the time! Soon!!


#17 One of the many things in my head these days are the topic about sustainability and nature. By now you've probably heard me mentioned about this several times now. I noticed in the past few months, there were more brands and companies supporting the concept of recycling which is great news! From the ban of plastic straws, to a garment brand accepting bras recycling, to Uniqlo's recycling program and even 1 Utama Mall's electronics recycling. The list goes on. Totally supporting this movement and I hope this practice be a long term goals for many.


Those are pretty much what I can recount for now. Until the next post, wishing y'all all the best for 2019! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Is Air Asia's ASEAN PASS worth it's value?

Its almost a year and I'm finally posting this up OMG I'm so efficient. At the end of 2017, I made plans with my friends to travel to BOTH Bali and Singapore. That was the first time I have been to multiple destinations and 2 countries in a single vacation! So far, Air Asia has been my only choice of flying so obviously I opted for Air Asia for my trip.

The idea to visit all these places came from my discovery of Air Asia's ASEAN Pass, a unique flying pass which allows you to travel to multiple destinations in several countries for a much more affordable price, as Air Asia claims. With a quick search on Google, I found that this pass was launched way back in 2015! Therefore, I am dedicating this post to share with y'all on how you can use this to your advantage, whether this is something you should opt to get,  the pros and cons and so on. Just a disclaimer, this is NOT a sponsored post but simply a review to share with y'all my experience in using the ASEAN Pass.

How does the ASEAN Pass work?

You first have to decide whether to purchase either 10 or 20 credits ASEAN Pass. From here, you can start booking your flight ticket using these 'credits' instead of cash.



Here is a table illustrating the list of destinations you can head to FROM KUALA LUMPUR with 1 and 3 credits respectively.

Here are some of the suggested itineraries from Air Asia's website to illustrate how the pass works.




What you want to note is that the credits will differ depending on where you are departing from and where are you heading. 

Aside from that, while some destinations are available say if you fly from Kuala Lumpur, will not be available in another country. For example, you can fly to Bandung, Indonesia from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore BUT that is not possible from Bangkok, Thailand. Thorough planning is required if you want to fully optimize the credits!

Where did I travel?

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
↓ 
Bali, Indonesia
↓ 
Singapore
↓
Kuala Lumpur


Initially, I was very ambitious and wanted to include several more destinations, simply to utilize the credits I have. In the end, I only decided on Bali and Singapore which was quite an experience nevertheless! 

With the pass, I also bought an additional flight ticket from Lombok back to Kuala Lumpur. This was my contingency plan in case Mount Agung erupts and I definitely don't want to be left stranded. Thankfully, I didn't have to go forward with this but prior to my flight, I was so concerned. A bit kiasi of melah but I'd rather be prepared. The volcano's activity reduced in October 2017, and even when it erupted a month later and again in January 2018, it did little damage to Bali's tourism and the major tourists' sites.

Just for comparison sake, I checked on Air Asia's normal flight routes for flights in November to December 2018 for the routes I took last year and my findings are as below:-

ROUTES	*Air Asia’s  Flight Tickets	Air Asia’s  ASEAN Pass
Kuala Lumpur à Bali	RM204.00	3 Credits
Bali à Singapore	RM174.48	3 Credits
Singapore à Kuala Lumpur	RM256.33	1 Credit
Lombok à Kuala Lumpur	RM205.92	3 Credits
TOTAL	**RM840.73	**10 Credits

* This is the cheapest flight tickets on random dates between Nov-Dec'2018 as of 29th Oct'2018

**In-flight meals, luggage check in and other surcharges are NOT included in the amount mentioned above

At first glance, the prices gap in the table above seem rather huge, but is it really the case?

How much does AirAsia ASEAN Pass 
really cost


The pass that I chose the Rm499 for 10 Credits which I must use within 1-month period from my first flight bookings. I made a one-way journey from Kuala Lumpur to Bali for about 10 days before heading straight to Singapore for two days and back to Kuala Lumpur.

I looked back into all the receipts in my purchase history and summarize everything in the table below.

ROUTES	Air Asia's ASEAN Pass	Fare fees & taxes	Airport 15KG Baggage	Total Additional Fares	TOTAL FLIGHT FEES
Kuala Lumpur à Bali	RM149.70	RM40.10	RM115.00	RM155.10	RM304.80
Bali à Singapore	RM197.50	RM65.96	RM131.92	RM197.89	RM395.39
Singapore à Kuala Lumpur	RM68.37	RM112.24	RM193.04	RM305.28	RM373.65
Lombok à Kuala Lumpur	RM192.94	RM65.96	-	RM65.96	RM258.90
TOTAL	RM608.51	RM284.26	RM439.96	RM724.23	RM1,332.74

Conversion rate as of at Oct'2017: 1M Indonesia Rupiah = RM329.81 and 1SGD = RM3.2713

HOW TO READ THE TABLE ABOVE: "ASEAN Pass Ticket" is the price illustrated in the receipt, I DO NOT pay for this amount. For what purpose they are listed in the receipts, I have no idea. However, looking into it, it appears that the ASEAN Pass is more affordable at just a fixed price of RM499. What I paid for is the amount in "Total Additional Fares" = "Fare fees & taxes" + "Airport 15KG Baggage".  Adding these with my initial payment of RM499, I have spent a total of RM1,223.23 to two different countries (with return flight). Assuming I have paid for the normal fare prices of RM840.73 AND for the same additional fares of RM724.23, I would have paid RM1,564.96 instead.

Tip #1: If you are travelling more than 5 days, pre-book your Air Asia's additional 15kg baggage weight together with your flight. Best if you can share the luggage fee with your family or friends.

Tip #2: Remember to check out Air Asia's ASEAN Pass' Terms & Conditions prior to deciding on purchasing this pass.

~♡~

The Good

#1 This is an affordable option when you are travelling to more than one destinations. Like just YOLO, you know.

#2 This is a cheaper option especially if you're booking tickets last minute. I know because I compared the prices then.

#3 In addition to my observation in #2, I noticed there are extra seats seemingly allocated for ASEAN Pass when normal tickets run out (This is my assumption from observation, I'm not 100% sure). Though to be on the safer end, I would usually checked in my flights online as soon as I can. I have never experienced being told that I cannot get on any Air Asia's flights because the plane's fully booked but have read about such horror stories and am aware that some airlines over book themselves in case some of their passengers didn't turn up. But then, I have not flown very frequently.

#4 Pass is valid to use within 1-year period after purchase, so plenty of time to plan!

#5 Affordable if you do not add on the other services offered by Air Asia or you will be travelling light.

#6 When travelling to and from neighboring countries over a short period and flight costs more than purchasing your tickets separately, this is an option to consider

~♡~

The Bad

#1 I needed luggage space but did not pre-booked them, so I ended up paying about the same to the usual flight fares as the regular flight fares.

#2 Limited destinations. Why no Japan?!

#3 You cannot use the pass for the same routes twice so proper planning is a must! For example, flying from KL to Singapore twice is not possible.

#4 For reason in #3 and because the credits require to travel to the same destination vary depending on your where you choose to depart from, planning can be a headache!

#5 Validity one or two months which means unless you have a lot of leaves to clear or longer holidays, this is not the best choice especially when if your company doesn't allow month-long leaves typically in Asian company culture.

#6 Travelling a lot can get tiring and boring so this travel style is not for everyone! From my recent experience, I realize I do get bored and tired when going on long vacay. Or if my holidays involved spending a lot of time heading to multiple destinations or countries. Perhaps it would have been different if I am travelling around Japan hahaha.

 #7 If I remembered correctly, there was no option for seats booking, as in you can't decide on aisle or window seat. While I was flying towards Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, I ended up with the aisle seat and that was no fun!

~♡~

To conclude everything, was the ASEAN Pass really worth it? With proper itinerary plannings and pre-booking luggage, this pass may be worth it for travelers seeking an adventure. Myself, I wouldn't opt for Air Asia's ASEAN Pass in the nearest future mainly for the reason I discovered I prefer to travel at a pace I'm comfortable at and I am the kind of traveler who is contented with spending time at a place/state/country to soak in the local cultures and lifestyles. Perhaps I may have a change of heart if I'm feeling adventurous! As of now, I am not too keen on airport-hopping. If you cannot or have not decide what type of traveler you are, might as well give this Air Asia's ASEAN Pass a try for the experience!