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Here we are again! Another year in review. It feels like 2016 has come and gone too fast. We are in that weird and scary part of the year where it feels as if iconic figures are dropping off like flies as fate cherry picks those that won't make it into the new year. Celebrity deaths of 2016; from the shocking death of Carrie Fisher from a heart attack, then her mother Debbie Reynolds the day after. Also, the death of Wham legend George Michael, then the likes of David Bowie, Ricky Harris, Prince, Gene Wilder. It’s always sad when you lose people that you have grown up listening to and watching from a young age. It’s also a lesson that we must all live the lives we were intended to live, not living according to anyone else’s forced dreams or expectations of us. Live a life that is fearless, where we take charge of our own happiness. Both in our professional and personal lives. "So many people make that mistake and allow others fears and insecurities to change the trajectory of their lives." If you need inspiration for pursuing your dreams and living a life without fear check out an interview with Natasha Rock on her move to live and teach in Saudi Arabia.
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Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asia. Show all posts
29 December 2016
2016 In Review | One Year - 10 Countries, 19 Cities + A Full-Time Job!
29 October 2016
4 Reasons To Vacation In Off-Peak Season
1. Prices of Flights Are Cheaper In Low Season
I have found prices to be super cheap or reasonably inexpensive soon after the school holidays. So around November when University students have had their freshers week is usually a great time to fly. Also around mid-January but not too far into February because they pick up again people being flooded with valentines ideas. Mid-January, I guess because people are still traveling back from the Xmas holidays so I guess airline bookings dip after the first and second week of January hence why they reduce the prices to entice bookings.
20 October 2016
Mandarin Oriental | A slice of Luxury In Kuala Lumpur
![Mandarin Oriental [5 Star Hotel] | A slice of Luxury In Kuala Lumpur](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCXUwENAyw0U-gMJ1tPVrqc9_rd2mGErglFOjb8pNo-JIDWxM_VkNPFi-zQGJTVtjdDiX9unOohal3wGg71-57YKAXoVq277ySZ-ibuCnUkoiauvYdnbFit48iyru0iY65NbF2O2LVuQ/s1600/Mandarin+Fan+-+Mandarin+Hotel+Kuala+Lumpur+-+Malaysia+%252838+of+78%2529.jpg)
Up there among some of my favourite stays from last year. I was in Malaysia late last year and twice thrice this year. I am smittened with the city and yearn to see more of this beautiful country. Known for its beaches and rain forests, sadly none of which were on the itinerary for the last few trips. You have seen me post about my visit to the Batu Caves, a run down on what to see and do in Kuala Lumpur as well as the experiencing city views from Petronas Towers, and a culinary tour of KL's China Town. With all the city gems available to explore in Kuala Lumpur one needs to consider a comfort spot to lay your head. It doesn't get any better than Mandarin Oriental in the heart of the capital. Perfectly located, sits right next to Petronas Towers, KLCC shopping mall and many cool and trendy bars and restaurants within reach. It was definitely worth the splurge! Plus, we managed to snub a room with a view of the twin towers.
13 October 2016
Visiting Thailand | 10 Experiences You Need To Have In Phuket
Thailand is one of those countries that can have your drooling just by mentioning it. There is plenty to do, but sometimes nothing to do, while lounging on the beach like a castaway character is also an option that will very much be a one you might want to include as the scenery calls for it, demands it, so you can do is sit still and have those shiny little marbles take it all it and gaze in wonder at just how amazingly beautiful the land is. Hey, don't be too surprised if your minds start questioning how the world can be so bad with all the crap your news feeds are inundated with, we have such flawless beautiful right before your very own eyes. Okay, I guess it's clear that I fell in love with Phuket and Thailand in General. So, if you have a spare flight ticket...I have no doubt I will be heading back to Thailand someday in the meantime I have take places on the Island that you need to check out when visiting Phuket. If your idea paradise is hoping from one palm-fringed island to the next then Thailand is the place for you! More precisely Phuket is one island you want to head to pronto! There is plenty to do so I will give you a run down of a few things you might want to consider adding to your itinerary.
7 October 2016
See Do Eat Sleep | Guide to Exploring Kuala Lumpur
11 September 2016
Exploring Cambodia's Banteay Kdei Temple - A Citadel of Chambers
30 August 2016
Marriott Court | Where to Stay In New Delhi
It's no surprise that I am a big fan of Marriott hotels. Having stayed at many of their hotels. From USA to Germany, from Thailand to England, and From Hong Kong to Poland. I use them a lot when I travel for work but now also look at their properties when traveling for leisure as well. When my boyfriend was going to work in India for two months, I new it was only going to be one place I was going to be looking at. His office was Gurgaon, which is just on the border with New Delhi. Perfect for my exploring of New Delhi's tourist sights and perfect for his morning commute to the office.
Marriott Hotels are some of the most comfortable hotels I have ever stayed in. Service is impeccable whatever the time of day and the locations of the hotels are usually in the best spots in the city. Clean, comfortable and affordable luxury! Why wouldn't I want to stay there? This is one is part of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotels. In addition to a spacious room and comfortable bed, food is great and even better breakfast selection to set up for the day. The hotel also has a rooftop pool, perfect for watching the sunset while lounging by the pool - the makings of a great stay. My stay was super short but my boyfriend stayed on for 2 months with no problems.
The hotel is also on hand to help with arranging tours to many other places around India. They were also on hand to help book and arrange for a car and driver from New Delhi to Agra so that we could visit The Taj Mahal before I left to come back to London. I am keen to revisit India again soon. For more hotels options in New Delhi check out this list of hotels in New Delhi as well as my post on Top 13 Place You Should Visit In New New Delhi.
17 August 2016
Malaysia's Best Kept Secret : Why You Must Visit The Heli Bar In Kuala Lumpur
Where in the world can you land a chopper on a helipad, only to have that same helipad turn into a bar after dark? Only in Kuala Lumpur! The Heli Lounge Bar is quite literally a breath of fresh air. One of 5 helipads in the city but what makes this one special is that you can stand on it and sip cocktails as the sun sets into the horizon.
Before you get too excited and rush to the stairs leading to the heli-pad on the 36th floor, you will have to buy a drink in the bar before being shown up to the roof. The Heli Lounge Bar sits on the on 34th floor and comes complete with an aeronautical theme to the decor. You have panels from Boeing 737 and 747 turned into sitting booth and DJ console. The Heli Pad is 2 flights of stairs, also note that other than the light barriers around the helipad, you are basically on the roof of a building with no safety net. There is security on deck to ensure no one gets too close to the edge.
22 June 2016
Bangkok | Views Of The City From The Back Of A Tuk Tuk
I am going to take you for a ride around Bangkok. Hold on to your Tuk Tuk seat. I took these pictures on our last day in Bangkok as we were taking off to visit Phuket that evening. My, what a last day it was! Having been to Cambodia and parts of Bangkok, we had a few incidents where people would ask for a tip for even giving you directions. Listen, Mr Local Man, Bee may be travelling like she doesn't care(see what I did there), but make no mistake she works for every penny used for these trips and does not pluck money from the rich foreign tree that you thing she has in her backyard. I say that because on this day my faith in reconnecting with locals had been restored after many a mishap.
9 June 2016
That Time I Rented A Car and Driver - Fell Asleep and Ended Up on The Wrong Side of Bangkok
Each time I think back on our exploration of Thailand while on a month long birthday celebration trip I burst into laughter. As someone who plans most of the trips that my boyfriend and I go on, I thought for my birthday month of December I would let my hair down a little bit and not plan quite to a 'T'. So a few things that I had on my list as things that I didn't want to miss out on before leaving Bangkok had been added to the itinerary but not really booked. This was so that we could go with the flow as much as possible.
I had seen pictures of Erwan Waterfalls before I visited Thailand and knew that they were a good drive out of the city, so you either have get up and drive at stupid o'clock to avoid the traffic in Bangkok. To allow for getting out there with enough time to explore before heading back, if you are not staying overnight. I had done enough research to know roughly how long it takes to get there and seen enough pictures to know if I was heading in the wrong direction. Quite good with my barings like that. The joys of an overplanner.
7 June 2016
Grand Palace Bangkok | A Must-See For Anyone Visiting Bangkok (+Tips!)
And here I thought I had seen all the gold I could possibly see when I visited Dubai, where by the way, they have ATMs with gold bullion. Well, visiting Bangkok had a whole host of surprises for us. More specifically the Grand Palace of Bangkok. Built in 1792 during the reign of King Rama I, to be the royal residence of the Thai King. It comprises several buildings including the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha as well as offices and living areas. For about 150 years, Bangkok's Grand Palace was not only the home of the King and his court but the administrative seat of the government in its entirety. Thai Royalty stopped residing full-time by the 20th century but the Grand Palace still remains an important building, used for ceremonial purposes mainly and very much the seat of power at the heart of Thailand.
As a must see when visiting Bangkok, prepare for the crowds and add to that the heat and you have one sweaty visit. To avoid that though either visit early in the day of after 2pm when the heat is not as intense and the crowds, although still there, are perhaps not as crazy. Before you even enter the premises, you can see some of the gold leaf buildings peeking from the high walls. The internal buildings are a mix of styles combining European architecture, traditional Thai roof tiles and spires, as well as a neo-renaissance style. The attention to detail is just amazing! I can just imagine how long the it took the workers to build, carve and sculpt. From the tiles, to the statues that are clad in colourful outfits if not plastered in gold leaf. As beautiful as it is it makes you think about how we as humans place so much importance on material things. It is quite thought-provoking and definitely worth a visit when you visit Bangkok.
23 May 2016
Thailand | Sun, Sea and Style in Koh Phi Phi Islands
Another installment from my island hopping and exploration in Thailand. If you didn't catch the first post in the series, you can read my tips on island hopping in Thailand's Phuket. Of all the places that I have traveled to Thailand is up there in the top 5. Stunning landscapes, beautiful beaches, great activities to sink your teeth into and so much more that you will easily be plotting your return soon after you leave. These shots were taken on some of the other stops on the same tour as the stop to May Bay, also famously known as The Beach. We had a few stops for snorkeling, lunch and a bit of shopping on some of the islands. We had the pleasure of exploring some of the islands and getting up and down hiking, sailing to make the most of our stay in the country. If you have not been to Thailand and have it on your list, I would highly recommend you move it to the top of the list soon. If you need more reasons, to help you move it to the top of the list here are some to get you started off - all rolled in with some tips.
Shiny Happy People - Get Some Sun - I come from a hot country and by hot, I mean HOT! Our hottest time of the year is October and temperatures can get as high as 40's! So now living in London, you know that summer is promised to no one, so if you want to be in with the shiny happy people then getting some sun will definitely do you some good. Thailand is not short of the rays and even when it rains, it's hot and sunny soon after a few drops. Another advantage is that you can also have beautiful beaches to enjoy the sun all to yourself.
13 May 2016
Maya Bay [The Beach] | Tips For Island Hopping In Thailand's Phuket
Maya Bay is the very epitome of paradise. Maya Bay is a little enclave of pristinely soft melt-in-your-toes white powdery sand on the Ko Phi Phi Lay island. It is, of course, the island made famous by the blockbuster film 'The Beach', featuring Leonardo DiCarprio. Visiting Thailand, or more specifically when visiting Phuket, island hopping tours are a must! There are many tour operators and depending on where you stay on the island you will either have to pay an additional fee if you are far away from the main collection points or starting points of the tours i.e the boat piers. Two really popular tours in Phuket are the tours to James Bond Island as Phang Nga Bay and Ko Phi Phi Island for Maya Bay - The Beach. I will be sharing details of the other tour soon but for now, this is part one of the stops on the Ko Phi Phi Island tour. Ko Phi Phi Islands are about 40-50km of the coast of Thailand's Phuket in the Andaman Sea.
You can have a look at Phuket tours available on the Expedia website before leaving for Phuket. You can also check out tours on Viator as its usually same vendors and just compare prices. Clear turquoise waters and breathtaking beaches, stunning rock formations rising out of the beautiful waters of Phi Phi Island. The majority of tours will take you to a few stops that include, Maya Bay, Lo Samah Bay(see below), Viking Cave, Money Beach and another I can't seem to recall the name of. I will post separate pictures from the other stops. You also get time to go snorkeling at 2 or 3 stops depending on weather and time of the trip.
Quick Tips For Phuket Island Tours
10 May 2016
Exploring Ta Prohm | The "Tomb Raider" Temple In Cambodia
Ta Prohm is and should be on the list of every visitor to Cambodia's Siem Reap. Nicknamed The Tomb Raider Temple as it was used a location for the filming of Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. It's also unfortunate that it's one of the temples that is least well preserved among the popular Angkor temples . Although, there is now a restriction on climbing some of the towers, walking around the site will still leave your in awe are you take in Ta Prohm's atmospheric ruins. It's almost as if the jungle wants to swallow up and reclaim the jungle as its own again.
Ta Prohm was built in 1186 and was originally know as Rajavihara or Monastery of the King and it's also said to be the only one with inscriptions providing details about the temples dependents and inhabitants. Around 80, 000 people would have been required to maintain or attend the temple. Though, looking at the state of it now, you wonder how they could have let go and thought nature would reclaim its land back. Many of the corridors are impassible, crumbling towers rendered too dangerous and precious to climb. Plants, trees, shrubs all fighting their way through bricks have stated their claim on the site and they seem to be winning. Winning they may be, and a great expense too as the more land they reclaim the more humanity loses such a beautiful and historical site more over the more cryptic, captivating the scenery at Ta Prohm. Although some of these sights are now beeing restored and maintained in a bid to hold on to them, I wouldn't wait too long to visit Cambodia.
Below are some of my pictures from our visit to Ta Prohm.
8 May 2016
Gelato Lab Co | A Slice of Italy In Cambodia
Cambodia is a country that calls souls to witness the awe-inspiring Angkor Temples. With flocks of tourist heading to Siem Reap to see the temple ruins, the city is lively and constantly abuzz. Food is not so far behind city explorations and in such a tropical destination you can beat the heat is not so far behind. When the heat calls so does the thirst for something cool. Gelato Lab and Co is a little gem that we discovered when wandering the alleyways of Siem Reap's Pub Street narrow and long alleys.
Gelato Lab Co offers authentic Italian gelato and sorbets all freshly made on site and with all natural ingredients too. Made the Italian way! Ice-creams are made with the finest Madagascan vanilla beans and made using the Cattabrigga Eff 6, said to introduce air to the gelato that distinguishes it from the standard ice-creams. The put in similar effect into their aromatic coffees. The ice-creams, sorbets and the coffee are all full of flavour and a testament to the pride and joy that goes into producing food in this cafe. Its a cool and laid back cafe with friendly staff.
Gelato Lab Co - Alley West | Between Sivatha Rd and Street 11, Siem Reap 855, Cambodia
Open - 9am -11.30pm
7 May 2016
Cambodia | Where To Eat, Sleep, Shop and Relax In Siem Reap
Siem Reap is lively whether it's during the day or late in the evening. I actually found it to be even more lively in the late evenings. Possibly because everyone had come back from their explorations of Angkorian Temples. While you are in the city don't be fooled into thinking that all there is to see are old ruins of these temples. You will also find modern temples within the main town that you should definitely check out. As far as what to do when you are not temple running I have posted details below on where to eat, shop, relax and seek entertainment in Siem Reap.
1 May 2016
Exploring Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves
You cannot visit Kuala Lumpur without visiting KLCC, Chinatown or indeed the Batu Caves. The Batu Caves are an iconic tourist attraction in Selangor, about 13km from Kuala Lumpur's city center. The Batu Caves are spectacular caves that feature temples and Hindu Shrines in caves that are over 400 million years old. As you approach the site you are greeted by Lord Murugan Statue, the tallest statue of a Hindu deity in Malaysia. It's also the second tallest statue of a Hindu deity in the world. This thing is huge, so I would love to see just how big the biggest one is. The tallest of the Hindu deities is the Kailashnath Mahadev Statue in Nepal.
To the left of Lord Murugan Statue are the steep steps to the caves. All 272 steps of them to get you up to the limestone outcrop that harbours the 400 million old caves. On the way up you will pass crazy monkeys that will snatch your fruit,sweets, water, ice-cream or anything attractive that you lightly hold without too much care. Look away and it's gone! Especially look out for your phones.
27 April 2016
Mandarin Oriental | Where To Stay In Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Twin Towers are Kuala Lumpur's most famous landmarks in Malaysia, if not the whole of Southeast Asia. When I was planning our visit to Kuala Lumpur I was also on the hunt for hotels in Kuala Lumpur city center as almost everything that I planned was close if not within the main part of the city center. We checked into Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur, which not only sits pretty with views of Malaysia's business district but comes with a bonus of being right next to Petronas Towers and the ridiculously HUGE Suria KLCC shopping mall. The location makes it some much easier to get started on the list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur as KLCC and Petronas Tower Bridge Tour Experience are right at your door!
The luxury hotel boasts 10 restaurants serving up Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Spanish and other international cuisines. Gastronomy to the max! Kuala Lumpur is already a multi-cultural city but I love that the hotel is already offering you a piece of the world in all its international flavours without even having to leave the premises. With all the city's tourist sights we had on the cards, first on the list was a bit of R&R on the rooftop's infinity pool. Considering we had just spent a few days temple running through Cambodia's Angkorian Temples, it was time to relax by the pool with a cocktail before exploring began. A few days ago I also shared some pictures from our culinary tour through Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown.
Obviously, Mandarin Oriental is in the luxury category so expect to pay a premium for that, but it was well worth every penny or dollar that we paid. We had a room that was looking out to Petronas Towers, again those rooms charge a bit more. Others not facing the towers are slightly less. I will be posting more on the hotel. It was a birthday treat so totally justified, I guess. For a list of hotels in Kuala Lumpur head over to this list of hotels in KL.
Location of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur doesn't get any better! You are bang in the middle of it all. If you are after a hotel near KLCC then this is the place for you! Firstly you have the 10 restaurants inside the hotel, then the major Suria Mall within Petronas Towers next door. You have stores from luxury to sensibly priced stores. So from your Gucci, Fendi, Chanel to H&M and all the gadgets shops like the Microsoft, Samsung and Apple stores. I couldn't resist, I managed to come back to London with a gold and shiny Samsung A8. Exclusive to Asia, so I feel pretty chuffed that only a few people in the UK might have it. The hotel is perfectly located with plenty of sights are your finger tips. Also, perfect for anyone short on time but wanting to get the most out of your stay. You won't have to go very far to see the sights.
Budget - Wise
Obviously, Mandarin Oriental is in the luxury category so expect to pay a premium for that, but it was well worth every penny or dollar that we paid. We had a room that was looking out to Petronas Towers, again those rooms charge a bit more. Others not facing the towers are slightly less. I will be posting more on the hotel. It was a birthday treat so totally justified, I guess. For a list of hotels in Kuala Lumpur head over to this list of hotels in KL.
Location Location Location
Location of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur doesn't get any better! You are bang in the middle of it all. If you are after a hotel near KLCC then this is the place for you! Firstly you have the 10 restaurants inside the hotel, then the major Suria Mall within Petronas Towers next door. You have stores from luxury to sensibly priced stores. So from your Gucci, Fendi, Chanel to H&M and all the gadgets shops like the Microsoft, Samsung and Apple stores. I couldn't resist, I managed to come back to London with a gold and shiny Samsung A8. Exclusive to Asia, so I feel pretty chuffed that only a few people in the UK might have it. The hotel is perfectly located with plenty of sights are your finger tips. Also, perfect for anyone short on time but wanting to get the most out of your stay. You won't have to go very far to see the sights.
26 April 2016
Kuala Lumpur | A Culinary Tour Through Chinatown
Exploring a new city is not just about the tourist sites. Food is very much as the heart of cultural explorations. When it comes to Kuala Lumpur, its got it all! Kuala Lumpur is a city that never sleeps and at the heart of it, you have the lively and bustling neighbourhoods of KLCC, Bukit Bintang and Chinatown. Having heard great things about China town it wasn't long before we were hunting down Petaling Street, where Chinatown is based. Day or night this part of town is bustling with food stalls, shops calling out customers for nail and massage services. We were too famished for grooming sessions, so we skipped the nail and hair salons and got right down to business; the food!
Famous for its street food and the beauty of it is that majority of it is cooked right in front of you. It's a paradise if you are a lover of seafood or exotic food in addition to the usual Chinese delicates that includes scorpions and other weird and wonderful creatures. As far as entertainment goes, there are folks that pass through and play music next to the dinners outside, there sellers walking around the tables selling selfie sticks, laser pens, and other nicknacks. It's well-known as a bargain hunter's paradise where you can find everything from souvenirs, clothes, electronics to imitation goods. Make sure you up your haggling game as you will find brands like Adidas, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Nike, the list goes on!
Even if you are short on time in the city be sure you make time for Chinatown. The best part is that whatever time or day you come it's always lively.
24 April 2016
Cambodia | Exploring Siem Reap's Bayon Temple [Pt 2]
Yesterday I shared the first installment of my pictures of Bayon Temple on our first visit to Bayon Temple. Being that it was my favourite temple out of all the ones we had seen I had to go back for a second visit. Sadly on our second visit to Bayon Temple, the weather wasn't the best, but we were lucky in that there was some sort of gathering on the day and a lot of monks out on the day. In an around many of the temples, the monks were out exploring much like the tourists themselves so from what I gathered, a lot of them were also visiting the city as visitors.
Our visit, this time, was a lot more slow paced this time as we visited slightly later in the afternoon so it was much quieter, although there were still tourists out and about. Below are some of our shots from our to my favourite Temple in Siem Reap; Bayon Temple.
So, have you been to Siem Reap? What was your favourite temple?
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