bidding farewell to 2010!

as im sailing toward 2011, i started to think back my 2010. another big year in my life, many incidents occurred. i started off 2010 in newcastle and going to end it in kuala lumpur. after finished my study, id think i will get a job in uk and be happy. somehow, it didnt turn out the way i want it to be.

the 1st 5 months of 2010 was the most depressing period in my life. i was jobless! during that period, i woke up every morning and hoped that i will get a phone call for interview. i have too many sleepless nights in that period. the job market in europe during that period was extremely bad. after 5 months of struggling, i finally decided to come back to malaysia for good. at such circumstance, i dont have a choice. with a distinction in my master degree, i really dont wanna wash dishes or cleaning tables at chinatown.

in the mid of april 2010, i finally took up the courage and told my parents that i wanna go back to malaysia. im blessed with a pair of very supportive and understanding parents. they encouraged me to come back for good. somehow, i still think i have disappointed them. i didnt really take up my duty as a responsible son. i failed to make their life easier and didnt give them enough love.

since i made up my decision to come back for good, i knew i have to get myself a job in kl. where else can be better than to be back at technip? since i left two years ago, i have been missing my colleagues dearly. hence, i rejoined technip on 7th of june 2010. im happy to be back and so is everyone in pipeline (i think). very déjà vu! after jobless for so long, im so happy doing pipeline analyses and designs with funny colleagues around me. i love them so much…

as i didnt have a proper job (no income) for the 1st 5 months of the year, i only managed to explore three european countries. i went to italy in february, czech in april and finland in may. all budget trips! eating self-made sandwiches everyday wasnt something easy! however, i was able to overcome it and explored many great places. gotta thank deric for being such a good and tolerate travel partner. there are still many places in europe that are waiting for me to explore. hope i will be able to make it back to europe in 2012. I wanna have my footprints on the soil of poland, croatia, portugal, hungary and greece.

since i moved back to malaysia, i have now shifted my travel focus to asia. there are still so many places in asia for me to explore. in the last quarter of 2010, i explored myanmar and india. both places gave me different inspirations and perceptions. personally, i prefer india more and would love to go back to the exotic land for more adventures.

in 2010, I only managed to explore 25 world heritage sites. a lot lesser than what i have done in 2009! in 2010, i have the times but i didnt have the budget. probably if i didnt buy so many paul smith or ralph lauren, i might have visited more sites. anyway, hope 2011, i can at least visit 30 sites.

there is another special thing took place in my 2010! for the past 4 years, i have stopped believing in love. previous relationships took everything out of me! my trust, my confidence, my happiness and my desire to be with someone. and in that 4 years, i focused everything on myself, family and friends. i forced myself to believe that oneself doesnt need to be in love in order to be happy and he or she can be happy because of himself or herself. but something happened recently changed my perception. i found someone! im not sure how long it gonna last but im so in love right now. all i can do is to make it works and hope for the best to come from both of us.

2010 is such an amazing year in my life. way too many great stories have taken place! from uk to malaysia, from europe to asia, from jobless to technip, from depress to happy and from avoiding love to loving somebody! im closing down the curtain for 2010 with a big smile! couldnt ask for more! a big thanks to 2010.

exotic india!

it has been a week since i came back from india but somehow, my mind is still floating between mumbai and aurangabad. india mesmerized me. apart from europe, india is the place i wanna explore so badly. the strong indian culture and heritage really strike my heart and soul. before the trip, i was quite concerned over hygienic and cleanliness issue. it all happened because of my colleagues and friends who scared me with so many stories. danny boyle is to be blamed as well! if i didnt watch slumdog millionaire, i might not have so many unwanted imagines in my brain. yes, the country isn’t very clean but I still able to stand it. anyway, i survived 6 days in india without any difficulty.

mumbai wasnt in my travel plan for 2010. it came by surprise, a happy surprise. free room at intercontinental mumbai which cost about 600 ringgit a night! thanks to priority club! hope such offer will come more often in the future.

mumbai, the heart of indian cinema and where the famous khan is staying. speaking of khan, his house is facing the beautiful arabian sea but at the shore where his house is facing is where many locals do their daily activities. it was actually quite shocking! i don’t think i can accept seeing people doing their laundry, bathing, peeing, shitting etc in front of my house. wondering how can he stands it?

what can mumbai offers? mumbai was once an important port for the british which is why you can easily mistaken yourself being in an european city rather than in india. the city is filled up with many beautiful european style (with a hint of indian touch) architectures. when i was walking along bhaurao patil marg, i felt more like a student in england rather than a tourist loitering in an indian city. mumbai is also the home to two world heritage sites – victoria terminus (a train station) and elephanta caves. both sites are pretty impressive and grandeur in their own way.

beside mumbai, i also explored aurangabad, a city about an hour from mumbai by flight. what is there? why i wanna waste 200++ ringgit to get there and 250 ringgit per night for lodging? the city is an important base to explore ajanta and ellora caves. the caves were the reason why i wanna go to the city. the trip was so damn worthy. both caves are very beautiful and unique. i will let the pictures do the talking.

ajanta caves

ellora caves

for me, india is both amazing and enchanting. this might not sound right to many of you especially those of you who have glued to discovery channel most of the times. apart from the cleanliness problem and culture shock moments a few times a day, india is a place worth exploring. i definitely will go to india again in the future. targeting delhi and agra in early 2012 for more gulab jammu and sweet lassi!

land of sarongs!

it is rather strange to see a street full of people wearing sarong. well! if you see such sight, hello folks... you are in myanmar, a land where sarong is the official attire. kids wear sarong to school and adults wear sarong to work. somehow, it made pants wearing humans look kinda strange!

to many of my friends, myanmar isnt somewhere they wanna get near. many of them were surprised by my decision to explore the country. a colleague even laughed at me! at first, i was rather clueless and not sure what i will be getting from the trip. therefore, i headed to mynmar with my mates without any expectation. i guess travel without any expectation is a good thing. why? you will have surprises along the journey.

apart from having too many face to face encounter with lord buddha, overall the trip was such an amazing experience. im still wondering why the country needs so many temples... i think i have visited more than 100 temples/ pagodas. never visited so many religious monuments in one single trip before!

what can myanmar offers to travellers? stunning temples, beautiful countryside, friendly faces and exquisite cuisine! we started off our burmese story at the famous yangon (where au sang suu kyi is house detained). at yangon, i felt like i was walking backward. everything is so like 60s and 70s! old vehicles, old buildings, etc. after two days in yangon, i remember only two places, the super gold pagoda, shwedagon and the famous strand hotel. desserts at the hotel is freaking good!

beside yangon, we also explored the world famous ancient city, bagan and the former royal capital, mandalay. bagan is such an amazing place. i love that place so much and would love to explore that place again in the future. the grandeur of bagan is not easy to put down in words and it is only our own eyes can portray the beauty of it perfectly. bagan is a must for anyone going to myanmar.

mandalay isnt as interesting as bagan but it still able to charm me. seeing a few hundred monks queuing up for morning meal isnt something you can experience easily. but the best experience i got from mandalay is the sunset at u-bein bridge, postcard perfect! one of the best sunset i have ever seen!

those of you who have never been to myanmar should really consider going there. forget about the military ruling or any political related issue. the country is safe and the locals are so friendly and helpful. we enjoyed myanmar... thanks to all burmese for making our trips such a memorable one!

for pictures, click here!

classy bangkok

my last trip was 4 months ago, visited helsinki. hence, i was dying to stop working and get out of malaysia. as i just started working, i have no big cash to spend! with a budget of rm 1200, i dont have many choices. rm 1200 is surely not enough for a shopping trip at singapore and countries like indonesia and philippines have be avoided at the moment! means, with such a small amount, i can only go to the land of smile, thailand. initial plan was phuket... but raining season over there! so, i ended up at bangkok. rm 1200 might not be much but it certainly can get you very very far in bangkok! i stayed at a 4* hotel for three nights, went for drinks at skybars everynite, dined at nice restaurants and even went for a half day tour... all in just rm 1200! no wonder bangkok is full of tourists and not kl!

whenever i mentioned bangkok, people will somehow relate it to the sex industry! for many people out there, bangkok is the sex capital of asia but not for me! hence, i went there to prove that bangkok has more to offer and how pathetic it is to think nothing but prostitution. i'm really against exchanging money for sex! stop prostituting, people!!! anyway, a conversation took place at my office just a day before my trip...

colleague 1: where you going?
me: bangkok
colleague 2: yeh... cari ayam!
me: (rolled eyes and annoyed)

during my 4 days at bangkok...i explored many new places which i have never explored in my previous trips to bangkok. i went two different skybars/ rooftop bars! personally, i prefer moon bar at banyan tree hotel. the setting/ layout is better plus the 360 degree view of bangkok is truly amazing, just breathtaking! what else can be better than to drink a glass of martini while seeing sunset over bangkok? im pretty sure i will go there again... love the martini! love the view!

i have visited bangkok many many times before (since i was five) but somehow i have never been to any floating market. this time around, i booked a half day tour and ended up at damnoen saduak. the money was so well spent! it was very interesting to see how sellers making living on the canal. it was also my first time eating a bowl of noodles while siting by the canal side with the vendor preparing the noodles soup on a small boat. awesome experience!

i'm not just famous for being a great traveller, i am also famous for being a shopaholic! somehow, i ended up my bangkok trip with just one t-shirt and a few packs of pork jerky! since i got back from europe, i kinda lost my desire to shop! is not that asia has less thing to buy but the brands i like are too expensive over here. i'm now saving money... instead of buying here, why not save and go back to europe for a great shopping trip?

i'm not really a fan of thai food but i'm a big fan of thai desserts! why i don't like thai food? i don't enjoy eating sour food! most thai dishes are kinda hot, spicy and sour! as for the desserts, i love the sweet egg yolk desserts (thong yip, thong yot and foi thong). most people think they are too sweet but for me... the sweetness is just perfect (i gotta admit, i have a very very sweet tooth... gotta thanks my dad for it!!!).

bangkok is a budget destination with a twist! with just rm 1200, i pampered myself for 4 days! gosh! i really wish i can be in bangkok now... i need more martinis (with a breathtaking view, of course)!

please click here for the pictures taken at bangkok!

missing europe!

two months have passed since i got back from europe. my life is full of positive energy at the moment. but somehow, 30% of my soul is still not here (kl) with me! when i was young, i fantasized too much on europe. hence, 30% of my soul didnt fly back to malaysia with me. when i have nothing to do, i will look at the photos i took over there...

here, i listed some of my favourite and less favourite places in europe...

most beautiful cities
1) paris, france
2) prague, czech republic
3) stockholm, sweden
3) vienna, austria

most beautiful towns
1) cesky krumlov, czech republic
2) brugge, belgium
3) cuenca, spain

most friendly cities
1) amsterdam, netherlands
2) stockholm, sweden
3) helsinki, finland

best museums
1) musee du louvre, paris, france
2) van gogh museum, amsterdam, netherlands
3) british museum, london, uk

most beautiful palaces
1) chateau de versailles, paris, france
2) schonbrunn, vienna, austria
3) palazzo reale, caserta, italy

most beautiful castles
1) tower of london, london, uk
2) edinburgh castle, edinburgh, uk
3) durham castle, durham, uk

most beautiful cathedrals
1) la sagrada familia, barcelona, spain
2) st john's co-cathedral, valletta, malta
3) duomo, milan, italy

most beautiful bridges
1) karluv most (charles bridge), prague, czech republic
2) tower bridge, london, uk
3) ponte rialto, venice, italy

most beautiful squares
1) grand place, brussels, belgium
2) piazza san marco, venice, italy
3) piazza navona, rome, italy

most beautiful parks/ gardens
1) parc guell, barcelona, spain
2) the garden of palazzo reale, caserta, italy
3) princes street gardens, edinburgh, uk

best european beers
1) leffe, belgium
2) budweiser budvar, czech republic
3) beck's, germany

most beautiful streets
1) avenue des champs-elysees, paris, france
2) royal mile, edinburgh, uk
3) victoria street, london, uk

most beautiful rivers
1) seine river, paris, france
2) grand canal, venice, italy
3) river thames, london, uk

most boring cities
1) helsinki, finland
2) manchester, uk
3) frankfurt, germany

most dirty cities
1) naples, italy
2) rome, italy
3) paris, france

most unfriendly cities
1) rome, italy
2) edinburgh, uk
3) venice, italy

most dangerous cities
1) naples, italy
2) rome, italy
3) paris, france

kl! kl!

i have came back from europe for more than a month now and have completed my first month with technip. everything is pretty smooth and nice at the moment! i might not be making a lot of $$$ but i'm pretty happy with what i have now.

i was very doubt on my decision before i came back but now, i'm more than happy to be back. somehow, my root is here! no matter how far i go or how long i'll be away, i will still come back here. kl is such a nice city! i think i will be around for another 2-3 years.

my parents are my strength! they are always there for me. sometimes, i did think i have disappointed them. no matter what, i love them more than anything in the world! i will be an extremely good son, i promise!

a big thank to technip and hood for giving me a chance to prove myself. after being jobless for so many months, i'm so eager to gain back all the knowledge i once mastered. i really enjoy being a pipeline engineer. many of you might not believe this... but hey folks, i love doing those pipeline analyses and design works.

my friends are just great... i'm so glad that we are meeting again. my colleagues/ office mates are extremely amazing. after not being together for almost two years, i'd feel like the bond between us is actually stronger and you guys are even more "funny" and "yellowish" than before. and you guys should stop blaming me for triggering the "yellow" side of your brain.

no matter where i go... travelling can't be separated from me! i'm going to conquer india and china! india is always a dream to me... going there will be a huge challenge for me. i have a big issue with cleanliness and hygienic matter. anyway, i will kick off my asia exploration at myanmar in october and vietnam in december this year. next year, hopefully, i will have no problem going to china, maldives, laos and sri lanka.

life is just great... no matter where we are, as long as we believe we can! life can be extremely beautiful. thanks to my family and friends for being so supportive and added so much colours to my life.

John Denver - Leaving on a Jet Plane

leaving on a jet plane!

two more days, i will be flying back to kuala lumpur for good! i'm still very doubt on the decision i made. somehow, my parents are happy and excited! for myself, i have mixed feelings! im a bit upset for leaving here (i love europe) but at the same time im quite excited as i will be meeting my family and friends again.

the past 20 months have been very exciting (the best in my life)! i actually dont wanna leave europe but i dont have any other option. i have already been jobless for 6 months and if i keep waiting, i might get myself into serious mental illness (i already suspect myself of having mental disorder). the recent recession hasnt recovered and pound is still very weak. not just in the british soil, the situation in mainland europe is pretty bad as well. with chaos in greece, icelandic volcano still erupting, financial problems in spain and portugal and so on... maybe leaving europe isnt a bad decision.

anyway, i have yet to get enough of europe. i have not yet stepped into greece, croatia, portugal, norway and poland. i really wanna go to those countries! im sure i will be coming back to europe in the future. europe is like a heaven to me! beautiful places and great shopping. i need a few more pairs of paul smith shoes! after 20 months of shopping in europe, i think i will not be buying many things in malaysia. everything in malaysia is so overpriced! so, i gonna target of visiting europe once a year, starting 2011.

i'm still in uk but my parents already have plans for me in malaysia! they want me to get an apartment in kl and settle down. i dont really believe in marriage and they knew about it but my mom is still hoping for miracle. anyway, hope she gonna understand one day! what can i get in kl? aside for stupid politicians, overpriced clothes/ shoes and low wages, kuala lumpur isnt that bad! i can have many good friends around me and eat good food everyday and the most important, i can see my parents very often!

as for my travelling life, there are still many countries in asia which i have yet to travel. where will be next for me... for rest of 2010, i hope i can make it to laos, sri lanka and vietnam. in 2011, hope i can make it to china and india!

well... going back to kl isnt that bad after all! hope i can get back to technip and enjoy the life in kl i once had! all the best to myself!

21/05/2010

flirting with the romantic side of europe!

czech has long been in my wishlist but somehow i didnt manage to go until a week ago. czech is so different from other european nations i have visited. the country is extremely beautiful and being a budget traveller, it is a dream destination... everything is so cheap! a superb bohemian dinner (with czech beer of course) costs not more than 7 pound. for 8 days, i used less than 200 pound for souvenirs, transportations, entrance fees and meals.

i kicked off my czech expedition at the world renowned city, prague. somehow... i'd feel like i was in korea rather than in an european country. i saw koreans everywhere!! i'm 100% sure they are korean. why? japanese are more polite and talk with manner and 10 out of 10 korean aunties perm their hair (is it a culture thing? no idea). back to prague... the city is so inspiring and absolutely romantic! the city is just like a painting...

Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral

Prague Castle

vltava river, prague

church of st nicholas

charles bridge

prague city

on day three, i took a bus to south bohemia and visited ceske budejovice and cesky krumlov. ceske budejovice is the home to the famous beer, budweiser. i have lost count on how many bottles/ glasses i have drank in czech. ceske budejovice is a nice city but nothing to be amazed. the story is kinda different with cesky krumlov. the town is so charming (of all the old towns i have visited in europe, only bruges in belgium can rival this place). for those who are planning to go to czech, make sure you include this charming town in your itinerary. i'd feel like i'm there to film a fairytale.

ceske budejovice

cesky krumlov

day four, i explored two charming towns, telc and trebic. telc is the home to a very beautiful town square. telc is listed in unesco world heritage list. trebic is famous for its old jewish quarter which is also a unesco world heritage site. it was my first time visiting a jewish area (hope my muslim friends wont hate me for it). beside the jewish quarter, trebic also has a very beautiful square and basilica.

telc

trebic

on day five, after checked-in at the executive room at holiday inn brno, i took 1 hour bus ride to komeriz. the chateau in komeriz is listed in unesco world heritage list. komeriz is a very relaxing town with beautiful park and garden. after done exploring komeriz, i took another bus ride and arrived 1 and a half hours later at olomouc. olomouc is an extremely beautiful city (100 times better than ceske budejovice and brno). the city has many squares, fountains and architecture wonders. i snapped more than 100 pictures at the main square (horni namesti) alone. the holy trinity column is so damn cool! but somehow, olomouc isnt a very popular tourist spot. it should deserves the limelight like other czech cities.

komeriz

olomouc

day six, i explored lednice, a small town in the south of brno. sadly, the beautiful chateau was on renovation. to be honest, the nearby park isnt as interesting as described. i should have visited the nearby town (valtice) as well. from pictures, valtice seems to be a very nice place for a spring afternoon walk. anyway, i spent the rest of the afternoon at brno city.

lednice

brno

on day 7, i spent the morning in litomysl. i really like litomysl. the chateau is a unesco world heritage site. it isnt a very big or grand castle but very pretty. i will let my pictures below do the talking.

litomysl

day 8, i explored the famous kutna hora. the town is the home to a very eerie and spooky church/ ossuary. bones are used to decorate the church! it definately not a place to go after dark. the town also has many other interesting churches/ cathedrals.

kutna hora

czech has so much to offer! the whole country has many interesting attractions and so much to learn and of course, good beer! after spent slightly more than a week in czech, i finally understand why everyone wanna go there! the country is so beautiful and fit everyone's budget. i didnt need to spend a fortune to enjoy the best in the country! czechs are helpful and friendly which made my whole trip even more meaningful. folks... start planning your czech exploration now and i am sure you wont regret!

for more photos, click here.