When it comes to Latin American countries, what pops on your mind? Exotic culture, sensual music, sexy people… “Despacito” and “Havana”, perhaps? Been to Cuba in April 2018, I agree with that. However, there are things that many people, especially Asian, will find it shocking when they travel to Cuba. That’s mainly because we don’t realise that Latin American countries are underdeveloped. After sitting on the plane for almost 24 hours and feeling my a$$ flatten like chapati, quite a number of things made my jaws dropped during my 15-day tour. I was like, ‘I traveled from far far away to find this??’. Although surprising, I enjoyed the trip! It’s…
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9 Fun Facts About Sri Lanka That You Should Know
In the previous post about me feeling regret visiting Sri Lanka, I haven’t shared with you some fun facts about the country. If you have no idea about Sri Lanka, here are 9 fun facts that you should know: Bring USD If you can’t find money changers that sell Sri Lankan Rupee in your country, get USD. Remember, bring USD – NOT Pound sterling or Euro because they’ll charge travelers for commission rate. In general, the country accepts USD and Sri Lankan Rupee as payment. Therefore, even if you don’t have time to change your money into Sri Lankan Rupee, you can still pay with USD in most places. Sri…
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I Find My Soul Therapy Through Patterns. What’s Yours?
Ok, so this blog post may not be directly discussing about money or travel. However, it may help you save some bucks in case you think that a shopping spree or splurging will give you emotional and spiritual healing. There will be times when you feel anxious, moody, can’t sleep or feel lost. Maybe you’re still healing from past experience, trying to move on, etc… If you’re a religious person, praying will do a lot of wonder. Aside of praying, other activities like dancing, playing a musical instrument or colouring also help. One of the things that put my soul in peace is when I see colourful patterns. I always…
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Serene Sunset and Floating Houses at Tempe Lake
Some of us would agree that although they’ve traveled far and visited many countries, they feel most comfortable in their home country. So do I. I love staying in Malaysia, but my love for Indonesia never change. Actually, I’ve been to more European countries than destinations in Indonesia. Up until now, I’ve only been to Bandung, Jogja, Solo, Bali, Raja Ampat and Makassar. The reason is very cliche. As a native, I think I can visit other parts of Indonesia anytime. Strangely, the day that I fall in love again with my home country isn’t when I was at the top of Wayag Island, Raja Ampat but when I was…
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A Wanderlust’s Journey to The Road Less Traveled
What I’m going to share with you isn’t about discovering a secret travel escape or an inspirational book by M. Scott Peck. It’s how to overcome your wanderlust, live a life with fewer trips in a year – like what I’m trying to do. I always see wanderlusts as happiest people. Oh, the twinkle in their eyes! You can feel the burning passion in them when they share their travel stories. That cheerful, spontaneous spirit and dreamy eyes… But what happens if you take the passion away from them? Like what I’m trying to do now, toning down the wanderlust within. Toning Down the Wanderlust Within Why? Because as a…
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Breakfast and Birdwatching in M.P.S. Village, Sri Lanka
In the previous blog post, I shared that to travel is also to enjoy food. In addition, I feel that your travel experience is also affected from your choice of accommodation. This isn’t a paid post. I just want to share my experience staying in M.P.S. Village, a budget hotel with a wonderful view and yummy breakfast. Imagine hearing the sound of peacocks and other kinds of bird while enjoying your breakfast! Peacocks? Where do they come from? I’ll tell you later 😉 A Budget Hotel Surrounded by Greens and Birds First of all, this beautiful budget hotel isn’t located in Dambulla city center. You need to drive 10 km…
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How “Begpackers” Make Me Feel Grateful for My Powerless Passport
I used to feel bitter towards “begpackers” because of my powerless passport, but not anymore. First of all, according to Global Passport Power Rank, my Indonesian passport is ranked 58th out of 93. While doing this research, I get to know that my passport is ranked lower than the passport of the countries I never heard of like Nauru, Kiribati, and Vanuatu. More surprisingly, the passport of Timor-Leste, which was part of Indonesia until 1999, is doing better – sitting at the 45th position! The Roots of My Bitterness Towards “Begpackers” For someone who loves travelling, the roots of my bitterness towards “begpackers” are obvious. I have to work hard…
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Nuwara Eliya: An English Tale in Sri Lanka
Being a tropical country located near South India, I used to think that when visiting Sri Lanka, all I needed to pack was summer clothes. Wrong. Especially if you’re planning to stay in Nuwara Eliya, a beautiful English town on top of a hill. Dubbed as Little England, the town is a contrast to other cities in Sri Lanka not only because of the English history, but also the climate and architecture. Founded by Samuel Baker in 1846, Nuwara Eliya’s cool climate (daily average of 16°C) made the town a favourite place to stay for British civil servants and colonialist. I’m so happy to include Nuwara Eliya in my Sri…
