Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is very beautiful and clean. It is not like what we have in mind. We will visit again!

I just used my S3 phone to take these photos, it is already not too bad. Imagine if you use a DSL, you can win some photography contest!

Went to Adam peak, it is not quite tiring. We start at 1 am and reach the peak about 5am to see the sun rise. It is amazing!

Camwhore pussy

Canteens

NTU, used to have nice, affordable food. But now with the new management, everything is so commercialized.

Above - Old Canteen B, how I miss the vegetarian stall. $2, brown rice + 3 dishes.

How I miss the old school canteens which offer cheap and unique food. I think canteens are part of the school heritage or culture, I have already graduated from Singapore Poly for more than 20 years ago, I don’t remember the lecturers or whatever so. But I remember the nice western food and fruit juice that I used to eat at least twice a week in canteen 1.

Now it is just another air-con food court, like in every mall.

Cheapo Tips for Taiwan Trip Planning

Planning my X^th time trip to Taiwan in September 2013. Will be exploring areas that I never been – Will start my trip from Taipei > Taichung > Kenting > Kaohsiung > Taoyuan airport

Last few times done most of the tourist stuff already. I like Taiwan very much, maybe can consider to retire there, people are friendly, food is affordable and there is no language barrier.

It helps to plan the trip early, it saves money.

I have booked the bullet train tickets online via http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/

 

From Taipei to Taichung (Train number 1125) - Depart 9.12am and arrive 10.01am – 10% discount – TWD 630

From Zuoying which is Kaohsiung - Depart 10.00am and arrive 11.38am – 35% discount – TWD 860

 

Hotels, there are early bird specials as well. Thanks to a Taiwanese friend, he booked the hotel with rates that are only offered to residents.  He recommended this website for our research - http://www.eztravel.com.tw/ but this site is all in Chinese. My Mandarin Powder..hmm.... - out of 10 words, 5.5 words know me and I dont know them.

Air ticket, booked in February 2013 for this trip in September – cost only $216 NETT (excludes check-in luggage). Tiger airways and Jetstar timing good and Scoot is worst, their timing sucks.

I seldom book flights that depart or arrive at odd hours. Taxi fare in Singapore is super expensive and I stayed in the wild wild west. I can buy an air ticket to KL with that amount.

 

In Summary, book early , plan early and it helps to have local friends!

 

Bali Holiday Aug 2013

My first time since the launch of budget airlines, that I took SQ. It should be normal that I am impressed. With budget airlines, no one will bother about me. In a way, it is good as I normally automatically will fall asleep.

With SQ, there are food, hot towels and in-flight entertainment. I have no time to sleep for this 2.5 hours flight. AND I am not complaining.  

This is my 3^rd time to Bali and the most relaxing trip ever. Spent most of my time at Sheraton, Kuta http://www.sheratonbalikuta.com/

Not very expensive, considering they are having promotion and twin sharing room can comfortably sleep up to 4 people.

 

The toilet is so big that can fit a hobbit family of 4!!

Breakfast is very nice as well. Since I have already tried most of the local dishes, I shall eat more and skip lunch! Cheapo..haha

The best experience for this trip, I must say it is the Sunset Gathering at Sheraton 5pm to 7pm. It cost $149K++, included wine tasting and finger food. With DJ spinning, the beautiful view and a little high from the wines……Heavenly!!

 

Going slow and relax for this trip. A friend recommended Dreamland beach, it located at NEW Kuta (nearer to Uluwatu) and it is NOT near the normal Kuta, where my hotel is. We took a cab and it took about 1 hour to reach there. The beach is more for surfers, and if you don’t surf don’t waste the effort and money. Cab fare on meter, is about $150k and driver wait for us for 2 hours while we relax on the beach at $30k extra per hour.

 

 

 

For the last day, I decided to just chill by the Kuta beach which is just in front of my hotel. It is nice, if not the Hawkers!! It is super super super terrible. They will act as very pitiful and like crows they will just eat you up! Warning, if do not want to be disturb – do not buy anything from ANYONE of them. A big mistake that I did is that I rejected a few hawker in front and more hawkers asking me to buy things. I thought that just get it over with, I buy something from the next hawker. What a huge mistake, all the hawkers in front rush up to me and ask me why I didn’t buy from them and keep pestering me. I cant stand it, I really just want to relax and drive my beer!

WARNING!~ Do not need to be friendly with them! They are just acting. They may earn more than you or me!

 

When I started to fall in love with Bali, the hawkers slap me awake! Overall, I still prefer Thailand and if i ever go Bali again - I will just enjoy the villa or resort. 

 

Bali everything also expensive, mostly tourists pricing.

 

Going Bali

Never know actually changi airport is so nice

08 April 2013

Monday, will be going to Bangkok for Songkran this coming Friday.

Wet Wet weekend. Should be crowded. which i am not really looking forward.