• asian girl smiling in public bus geneva agirlnamedclara
    Life,  Travel

    The Art of Taking Your Time in Geneva

    Hello, friends! This week, I feel like sharing with you my express, one-day trip in Geneva. I didn’t explore the city much, but I enjoyed the slow pace. I went to Geneva during the summer of 2023. It was blazing hot and in some areas, the roads were completely empty like a ghost town. Maybe people opted to have a siesta to avoid the heat, hehe! I joined a group rail tour from Amsterdam to Barcelona, and we stopped in Geneva for one day. Since it was only for a day, I didn’t have a to-do list or must-visit restaurants. But one thing was for sure, I wanted to visit…

  • Girl smile on sampan tam coc river vietnam agirlnamedclara
    Travel

    Sampan Ride in Tam Coc River, Vietnam

    Happy August, friends! We’re entering the 8th month of the year. How’s 2023 for you so far? πŸ˜‰ This week, I’ll take you for a sampan ride in Tam Coc River, Vietnam. Sampan is a small boat with a flat bottom that is commonly used in Asia. Think about the small boats that you see in Bangkok’s floating market. If it doesn’t ring a bell, I’ll show you what sampan looks like soon, hehe! If you’ve been following my blog, you may remember that I love the sea and everything related to it – underwater restaurants, cruise holidays, island-hopping, and of course, sampan rides! Whenever I look at the sea,…

  • girl smile selfie neighbourhood local house pulau ketam malaysia agirlnamedclara
    Travel

    Malaysia Day Trip: Pulau Ketam (Crab Island)

    Alohaaa, friends! This week, let me take you on a Malaysia day trip to Pulau Ketam (Crab Island)πŸ¦€πŸ˜Š Last week, my auntie and uncle visited me. It wasn’t their first time in Malaysia, they’d seen the city and some places. So, we decided to visit Pulau Ketam for a change of scenery. In the previous blog post, I shared with you my favourite seafood restaurants. Pulau Ketam was also famous for its fresh and affordable seafood, especially crabs! To reach this island, first, you have to go to Pelabuhan Klang (Port Klang), then buy return tickets to board a small ship to the island. Return tickets cost you RM20, while…

  • girl happy walking in garden of sutras tam chuc pagoda vietnam agirlnamedclara
    Travel

    Vietnam Day Trip: Tam Chuc Pagoda

    Hi, friends! I hope you’re doing well so far, it’s already the middle of the month 😁 This week, I’ll take you for a day trip to Vietnam to see Tam Chuc Pagoda, one of the largest pagodas in the world. Prepare your walking shoes, jacket, and hat for the long walk! I went to see this famous Buddhist temple with my mom and sister. One of the perks of joining a group tour is you can visit far far away places without having to worry about transportation. According to Google, it takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes from Hanoi to Tam Chuc Pagoda. It was a wonderful day…

  • penguin sleeping in a shelter boulders beach south africa agirlnamedclara
    Travel

    South Africa Trip: Boulders Beach and Karoo Moon Motel (Route 62)

    Hi, friends! Psst, your small blogger turned 32 last week πŸŽ‰ Actually, I wanted to skip this week’s blog post because I had a relaxing weekend. Suddenly, right now on Monday evening, I have the inspiration to share with you Boulders Beach (Cape Town) and Karoo Moon Motel (Route 62) in South Africa. I’ll take you to see cute, chubby penguins in Boulders Beach. As for Route 62… Yes the US has Route 66 but South Africa has Route 62 πŸ˜‰πŸ›£οΈ There’s a cool and quirky rest stop on Route 62, Karoo Moon Motel. It’s actually a motel but it also has a restaurant. Since it’s a long ride along…

  • man in infinity pool look at jungle bucu view resort ubud agirlnamedclara
    Money,  Travel

    Bali Trip: Why You Should Choose Unpopular Hotels During Peak Seasons

    It’s the second week of January 2023 but who’s still in a holiday mood? πŸ™‹β€β™€οΈπŸ™‹β€β™‚οΈDon’t worry! When you focus on your job, summer won’t be too far, hehe! If you’re a conscious spender like me and are planning to travel to Bali during peak seasons, I suggest you stay in unpopular hotels over popular ones. Last Christmas, I finally realised my dream to stay in a five-star hotel in Nusa Dua. I heard that the big hotels in that area were gorgeous, so I couldn’t wait for my stay. But I found out that the experience wasn’t fully satisfying, compared to my expectation and the money spent. Staying in Popular…

  • girl hands wide open hermanus walker bay south africa agirlnamedclara
    Travel

    Hermanus & Almost Whale Watching, South Africa

    This week, I feel like taking you to Hermanus, South Africa, and show you how beautiful this seaside town is. This is thanks to how I currently feel while writing this blog post β€” serene yet wavy like the ocean, waiting for the day I meet my childhood crush (fangirling over Maksim Mrvica) πŸŽΉπŸ™ˆβ€οΈ I decided to come to South Africa in October because it was the season for whale watching. Travellers would flock to Hermanus, boarding a ship to see the whales, sharks, and other marine animals up close. On the way to Hermanus, I kept replaying Michael Jackson’s song “Will You Be There” and the scene when Willy…

  • girl hands up stand on storms river suspension bridge tsitsikamma national park agirlnamedclara
    Travel

    Tsitsikamma: National Park, Monkeyland, Ziplining & Marilyn’s 60’s Diner

    Hi, friends! For the past two weeks, I’ve shown you what safari looks like. Ready to see another side of South Africa? This week, I’ll take you on an adventure in Tsitsikamma, where we’ll explore the National Park, Monkeyland, do a tree canopy ziplining, and dine at the unique Marilyn’s 60’s Diner. The Tsitsikamma forest is a part of the Garden Route National Park. You’ll find rivers, forests, mountains, gorges, and plantations. Bye Indiana Jones, hello Dora the Explorer! πŸ’πŸŒ³πŸŒŠ When you travel to South Africa, make sure that you also explore the Garden Route and Fruit Route. There are so many things to see and experience in South Africa…