Showing posts with label travelling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travelling. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Babymoon at City Bayview Beach Resort, Penang

On 29 - 30th March 2015, we, Yuan, me and Jaevyn went to Bayview Beach Resort for our short babymoon trip! It has been a while since we last stayed at a hotel, the last was at Genting, 2014 CNY for Yuan's working trip. Instead of going overseas or outstation, we decided to stay at a better hotel near us so we get to use the travelling money to top up for a better hotel room.

I contacted my friend, who is currently working at Bayview to ask if she has any staff rate, happens that she doesnt have any but she can help me ask her colleague to try get a good rate for me. End up, she helped us booked a Standard Room with breakfast at RM320 nett. When we reach there, she gave us a free upgrade to Superior Room. Thanks a lot ya!

So on 29th March, Sunday, after teaching, we sent Han Zhang back and headed for lunch before checking in. Gosh, Penang is food haven right? but we just don't know where and what to eat. In the end, we just stop at a row of stalls at the road side near Tanjung Bungah, Lebuhraya Halia. The place seems crowded and there are quite a lot of stalls to choose from. They also have ice beverages and coconut. Good choice for a hot weather! After lunch, we went to Bayview at Feringghi and checked in.




The room is spacious, and it's only later i found out that Bayview has the largest hotel room in the whole of Feringghi. Although we got hillview, but since we seldom spend time in the room, it doesnt really matter. 

After checking in, Jaevyn can't wait to jump into the pool. 
 
 
The kids pool is under a shade so kids can go there anytime of the day, regardless of if the weather is hot or shady. Of course, we can't swim if it's raining. After soaking in the kids pool, we went upstairs to have a shower before exploring the resort. The beach is still under renovation or restoration so we didn't play there. J spent 30 minutes in their play room, which has toys and a small slide. He don't really like it there, perhaps the toys are kept too high, and he cant get them by themselves. End up we went back into the room again and change for our 2nd time into the pool. This time, we went to the play pool, it's a newly constructed pool for kids. Adults must accompany their kids but are not allowed to play the slide there. That pool is not shaded, so it's better to go there in the morning or evening. 













After 1.5 hours of playing, we went back into our room to get ready for dinner. We decided to have our dinner at Long Beach Food Court. We've read some blogs and it seems like that is the cheapest place with the most variety of food at Batu Feringghi. Indeed, it's worth going if you do not feel like having hotel food for dinner. We ordered Satay, RM0.80 each stick, Bak Kut Teh RM9, Fried Rice RM5. Drinks are also reasonable.


 After dinner we went back straight to hotel coz J was already tired and sleepy while at the food court. But.... he suddenly went back to recharged mode the moment we reach our room. So, we decided to go for a walk at Hard Rock Hotel next door. 





The next morning, we ate breakfast at the hotel. The room is inclusive of breakfast for 2 pax and J gets to eat for free. Well, he dont really eat though, his mind is all about swimming. After breakfast, Yuan brought J for a swim, the last swim before we check out. 

Lastly, this picture sums up our babymoon. Btw, Kaevyn is 32 weeks this week. 



Friday, March 20, 2015

Lunch at Hai Onn (hainanese restaurant)

Last Sunday, after visiting popular rm5 sales at midlands and Big Bad Wolf at Times Square, we decided to head over to Hai Onn for lunch. This was our second time there, first visit was not very pleasant as we had to wait bout one hour for our food even though there were not many people there. But we decided to go there again because the food is good and priced reasonably. We reached around 2pm, J was sleeping in the car so Yuan stayed with him while I went down to place our order in case we have to wait an hour again for the food. Food came at 2.45pm, an improvement of 15 minutes. We've ordered their famous Roti Babi, Fried Spring Roll, Hailam Mee, Chicken Chop.

Roti Babi (1 of the 4 slices served)

Popiah or fried spring roll

Chicken chop 

Didnt manage to take the photo of Hailam Mee as we were too hungry, cant wait to dig in d~ All these dishes only cost RM20 (including 1 glass of ice barley). 

To anyone who are interested in going there, this shop is very easy to find. From Penang Road, turn right into Burmah Road. you will see Hong Leong bank on your left, this shop is just few shops away from that building. Or, if you know Camera Museum, Hai Onn is just opposite the Camera Museum. Be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes for food to arrive. 

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

J's 3rd Chinese New Year

It's the Lunar New Year again! In 2013, J was born and he celebrated his CNY as a new born, who then only knew how to drink milk and sleep. Last year, 21014, we didn't come back for new year, coz didn't get to grab cheap ticket. So we spent J's 2nd CNY at Genting. This year, 2015, we are back to Kuching again. Although J is 2 years old, he has spent 3 CNY, so, according to the Chinese Calendar, he's 3 years old. Well, it doesn't matter coz no matter how old he is, he is always my little boy.

Last minute pre cny shopping at The Spring

Family portrait before attending Cousin Issac's full moon dinner

J expressive face in the car

J at City One

J at one of Kuching landmark

J with Ivan gor gor

J with Joshayne didi

J first gamble

It was an enjoyable New Year as J starts to know everything. He explores, plays, grow and had lots of fun, especially with his Ivan gor gor. J even knows how to shake hand with people, take ang pow and signs gong xi gong xi. Isn't he a big boy now? I'm so touched :)




Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Travel 12 countries with 0 bag

I came across this blog today, well - it's kinda old story and i'm kinda outdated but i'm glad i found this news. It is simply Awesome~!

can you imagine travelling to somewhere without any bag? I can't even come to work without my bag, where i have my "rubbish" in. From nail clipper to theory handbook. Rolf Potts actually did it! here's a link to the official site of this event: No Baggage Challenge

I simply cut and paste these stuffs he mentioned on his site in case i might need it on my next travel~



1. Manage the journey from your mobile phone.
A smartphone could well be the most important tool for a baggage-less traveler. It can store your boarding passes and other important documents, make phone calls from virtually anywhere in the world (with a swappable SIM card) and even act as a miniature blogging tool.
I recommend an iPhone with a foldable Bluetooth keyboard, which allows you to fit your mobile office inside a single jacket pocket. The iPhone can be loaded with a series of applications to replace everyday day items carried on a normal trip. The Kindle app lets you leave behind bulky books, and Genius Scan lets you use you iPhone’s camera as a makeshift scanner so you can quickly save receipts and email them to yourself on the fly. Wikihood utilizes the phone’s GPS to serve location-relevant Wikipedia articles, which is a unique and interesting alternative to a guidebook. Throw in your favorite currency converter, phrase book, and flight tracker, and you’ve got a single device in your pocket more powerful than its dead-weight paper counterparts.
Some recommedations:TripTracker by PageOnceLonely Planet series of phrase books (multiple links depending on language)

2. Keep your footwear simple and practical.
With no bags, the only shoes you’re going to want to bring is whatever you’re wearing from day to day. I’m traveling with a pair of Blundstone boots I bought in Australia in 2006. I’ve worn these boots all over the world the past four years, from Paris to Ethiopia to the Falkland Islands, and they’ve served me great. They work for hiking in remote environments, yet they’re easy to slip off and on at airport security.
Some travelers might prefer Chaco or Teva sandals (if nothing else to save packing socks) — and I won’t fault them for that — but my Blundstones look nice enough that they will get me into places where sandals might seem too informal. You are on your feet constantly when you travel, of course, so whichever footwear you choose to bring (be it sandals or boots or running shoes), make sure you aim for comfort, simplicity, and durability.
(Note from Tim: I opt for darker-colored Keen Newport Bison Leather Sandals. If you use black or dark socks, since they have closed toes, you can easily get into restaurants or even pass for business casual if you tuck the tightening strings in.)

3. Buy or borrow certain items as you go.
An old vagabonding adage goes, “Pack twice the money and half the gear.”
The same notion applies to no-luggage travel — even if you’re only packing a tenth of the gear. If a journey takes you to a beautiful beach region, odds are you can buy rubber flip-flop sandals there for a few dollars. If a given city is rainy, cheap umbrellas should be in plentiful supply — and if you get sick, the world is full of pharmacies (many of which are better-suited to cure local ailments that whatever medicine you might have packed).
Should you travel your way into cold weather, thrift stores are a good place to buy a warm jacket (which can be given way to a needy person or left in a hostel swap-box when you leave). You can also borrow things from other travelers along the way. You don’t want to be obnoxious about this, of course, but most travelers don’t mind sharing a spot of toothpaste or a couple of aspirin, and asking for these kinds of things can be a great way to strike up a conversation at the hostel or on the hiking trail.

4. Be disciplined and strategic with what you choose to bring along.Packing light can be enough of a challenge when you have a small backpack, let alone when you have to keep all your gear in your pockets. This in mind, don’t bring anything you’re not going to use every day.
Nail clippers can be borrowed along the way; rain ponchos can be purchased on rainy days. I left my razor out of the equation (it was better to let my beard grow and then get a hard razor shave in Morocco), and before the trip I cut my hair so short I won’t ever need shampoo. Any big-box retailer should have bins of tiny deodorants and collapsible toothbrushes to keep your toiletries micro-sized. Camping stores will sell 3-ounce snap-top storage bottles that work well for toting concentrated laundry detergent or multipurpose liquid soap. Err on the side of minimalism; you can buy or borrow items along the way.


5. Wear travel gear with strategically located pockets.If you travel without any bags, this means whatever gear you bring will have to fit in your pockets. My journey is co-sponsored by ScotteVest, an Idaho-based sportswear company that specializes in travel clothing with multiple pockets.
Most of my gear fits into the ScotteVest Tropical Jacket, which has 18 pockets of differing sizes. A majority of these pockets are accessed from the inside, which (a) is a nice deterrent against pickpockets, and (b) saves me the “dork factor” of looking like I’m traveling the world dressed like a confused trout fisherman. I can carry a majority of my gear in this jacket without looking ridiculous — plus the sleeves zip off, so I usually wear it as a vest. I’m also wearing a pair of Ultimate Cargo Pants from ScotteVest, though I’ve packed light enough that I rarely have to use the large cargo pockets. ScotteVest isn’t the only company that makes travel gear with utility pockets, of course; your local camping outfitter or travel-specialty store should provide you multiple gear options, and you can choose the clothing that best fits your needs.


6. Use a minimal rotation of clothing.
Essentially, you’ll want to travel with little more than the clothes on your back — but you will want to bring a few spare clothing items to keep things fresh and ensure you won’t get too stinky. Given that I wear cargo pants, a travel vest, socks, underwear, and a short-sleeved t-shirt under a long-sleeved shirt on a typical day of my trip, I keep one spare t-shirt, two extra pairs of socks, and two extra pairs of underwear in my pockets.
Each night I wash the day’s socks, underwear and t-shirt in the hotel/hostel sink, and these items are dry enough to pack by morning. I’ve been washing the cargo pants about once a week (and I have yet to wash the travel vest). Some people take short no-luggage trips with even fewer clothes, but my arrangement isn’t bulky and ensures that I always have a rotation of fresh socks, underwear and t-shirts.
(Note from Tim: Here what I pack for an uber-light trip, in this example less than 10 pounds total. ExOfficio underwear are a lifesaver.)


7. Utilize the postal system for souvenirs and extra gear

With airlines baggage fees quickly spiraling upward, many travelers these days are saving money and hassle by mailing certain items to one or more destinations along their itinerary.
If, say, you’re traveling from warm climates into cold climates, you can mail your warm clothing to the first cool destination (just make a pre-arrangement with the hotel you’ll be staying at in that location). On that same token, traveling without luggage doesn’t mean you have to forgo buying souvenirs — if just means you won’t be able to carry them. To solve this problem, just hit the local post office and mail that Balinese mask or Latvian amber or Syrian silk home.
This is actually a strategy that can be employed when you’re traveling with luggage: The souvenirs you find along the way might be nice, but there’s no sense in dragging them along with you. It’s worth the expense to ship them.


Remember: Travel is about the experience, not what you bring with you.

In the end, that remember that going without luggage and packing ultra-light need not be an extreme act. It isn’t a contest, or a rite of travel-superiority: It’s just a great way to eliminate distractions and concentrate on the experience of the journey itself.
Freed of baggage, there’s little to forget or lose on the road. You don’t have to stow anything, guard anything, or wait for anything (aside from the occasional train or bus): You can just throw yourself into the adventure and make the most of your travels.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Hatyai

I've been to Hatyai last year but never get a chance to post those pics up.. so... here i'm doing it now since i'm kinda free... >.<

Beef Noodle

Chrysanthemum Drink

Mixed Pork Porridge

KoYo - where prawns are caught massively

Some Thai Noodle - look like tang hoon


Chicken rice... cheap + a lot~~







The Beaches + Mermaid of Songkhla


Bak Kut Teh


Kuey Tiaw

Money Tree

Drive Thru Coconut


Seafood Restaurant

Dim Sum