Yogyakarta, Indonesia ( Day 3) - Nava K Trailed

Buffet breakfast.The first and foremost on our third day. Buffet breakfast, as you know travellers, those of you who travel for business or pleasure so be it, generally is included in our hotel stay Unless otherwise? You have opted out for reasons only you know best? You and your reasons could possibly be? You are not a breakfast person or you prefer to seek your own, your start-up meal of the day? You can. Certainly. But make sure when you book your room, you have made it known. Some hotels do allow, others, sorry to say, I think you have to take the deal. I usually, I grab the deal whenever I am galloping the horizon. Easier, convenient and saves my time. Local inbound tripping on the contrary, well, a different food matter altogether for me. I won’t mind, sure, I am all in for walking my Malaysian ground for food seeking (Kuantan Pahang & Vistana Kuantan City Centre). Anywhere. Literally. Coffee shops or even street stalls. 

Kuantan (Pahang) - Nava K Travel Guide (Part 2)

Where else and what else for us in Kuantan (Kuantan Part 1 & Vistana Kuantan)? Well, food spotting or perhaps better for me to say as dinner hunger tucking in. Food of course is a compulsory matter right, no matter where we are? Whether we have crossed the horizon for out of the country travel venturing or within our own country in-bound? Precisely. Weather in Kuantan on this day, hell-hack of a weather. Rainy day. Rain which started pouring, mind you, one of the heaviest for causing sky darkness as early as 6.00pm and we on the other hand, braving rain for heading to Ana Ikan Bakar Petai. At the suggestion of our Kuantan friend who have been driving us around from the time we arrived in Kuantan. According to him further, Ana Ikan Bakar Petai seemingly is the populous. In other words, the popularity. Ana Ikan Bakar Petai is the one that draws much more customers compared to the rest of the other ikan bakar/grilled fish eateries I bet you will notice while on your way to within this specific long stretch of road. Ana Ikan Bakar Petai and the rest however are simultaneous. Meaning, these are the unassuming, basic, stall kinda concept eateries and most probably, I'm guessing by the way, offering the same kinda food.    

Mount Merapi Jeep Tour - Jogyakarta, Indonesia (From Nava K To You)

Adventurous exciting one hack of a hack Yogyakarta jeep sightseeing tour. Loved it to every bit of its core until its still memorable till this day as I pitch my this travelling gram. Mount Merapi Jeep Tour, in case you don’t know or you have not heard of, is a must do. No matter what, I suggest you include it if you have come this far to this part of the world. Trust me, you won’t regret because each and every moment you ponder back on your Jogyakarta travel tripping, I can assure you that Mount Merapi Jeep Tour will pop up on your mind. Utterly, my one of the best among the rest of my treasured lifetime experience. Wee hours conquered and broken in Borobudur Temple, followed by other eye catching sightseeing segments (Jogyakarta Day 2, Borobudur & Yogyakarta Day 1), subsequently,  Mount Merapi Jeep Tour wild card pulled out from the rest of the itinerary cards the moment we arrived at the not really a big open space where we hopped into the jeep. Three to a jeep for kick starting our one and a half hours Mount Merapi Jeep Tour. For those of you who will be doing your own free and easy sightseeing instead of like our tour package, you also have to decide between the different jeep tour packages, of course, money paying simultaneously.  

Vistana Kuantan City Centre

Airbnb, no air whatever air home stay, relatives/friend’s house or hotels? Say all you want, say all you like or say none, perhaps better for you not to open your mouth, hotel is definitely our absolute number one pick. Hotel. Yes hotel. Not the budgeted nor low cost hotels though, neither we are free loaders, nothing is free in this world for your information, but a decent hotel we can afford. Of course, given a choice, I want the best among the rest. Maybe if there's 7 star or 8 star high status exclusive hotels, I want it all. Yet, the reality is otherwise. Unless money is sunny, come on people, let's get real. Can we travel within our means? Precisely. 

Yogyakarta Day 2 - From Nava K To You

Eventually and finally. My lifelong, for the years I have been stalling mission, my many years put on hold mission eventually became reality. Borobudur (Borobudur & Yogyakarta Travel Guide) finally, yippee-yeh, listed as an achievement on my travelling wonder lust. What’s the big deal, are you asking me? Excuse me? Of course, it is definitely a big deal for an average ordinary Malaysian like me. Malaysians like me, we not only juggle between our high daily financial commitment and monthly cost of living, we mind you, have to provide for our aged parents and siblings who are money dependent on us as well. Only thereafter, anything extra we struggle to save bit by bit is kept aside as our money revenue for exploring the world.Trust me, unlike our current generation who are money pampered and money handed out in a silver platter by parents, or dolls who hassle money from sugar daddies, for us, in our fifties, its our hard earned precious money. Money by right we should be keeping aside for our old age instead of travel spending because, as I have already said before (Attractions In Penang), expect no much from children who won't hesitate dumping you when you can't fan for yourself, Sadly, this is the reality bullet from our supposedly educated, professional and earning well Generation Y.     

Langkawi (Kedah) - 2 Nights 2 Days (Part 2)

Honestly, if I am to speak my mind on breakfast next morning in the cramped dining area, I must brand it as such a corny thing (Langkawi Part 1). Basically, food to keep your tummy warm. That's it. Forget about taste and what not, maybe because I have tucked into really sumptuous buffet breakfast in 4 or 5 stars hotels (Casa Del Rio Melaka) before, this breakfast came on as an irritating thingy. Dishes disappearing as quickly as they were refilled because people were akin scrounging scavenging for free food. Not at all a pleasant sight. Mannerism ditched aside, food spilled all over the place, disgusting more than anything else. I really hate such an ugly scenario, albeit I won't complain about the ordinaries like bread, jam, scrambled eggs and the rest of the items anyone can prepare (Port Dickson Part 2 & Sungkai Perak). But if you are asking me about the rest of the dishes, goodness gracious, I rather not even waste my time telling you. I did however tuck into a tiny bit of food (Alor Setar Kedah), of course coffee is a must (Penang Thaipusam) for me first thing in the morning. 

Kyoto (Japan) - Arashiyama

After two winters trip-travelling, I thought I had enough. No more winter holiday for me. Honestly, I can’t stand-sit-walk winter at all. Definitely not for someone like me who winter shiver and shake till my bones, until almost every part of my body is frozen numbed. Literally till down “there” degree cold. Down where? Down there. That my akin KGB classified part I will never reveal to the virtual world. As it is, believe me, when it rains, I switch off all the fans, can you imagine me-my winter time? Layers upon layers with or without stitches, yet I tremble. Therefore, when another all paid winter holiday was thrown at my feet (Hilton Niseko Village, Hokkaido), to tell you the truth, I was unsure. To go or not to go? Dilemma. Should I? A yes would mean I must brave winter shivering, on the other hand, if I reject, it will be such a waste for not capping another feather on my world globe-trotting gram (Seoul Korea). Eventually, what the hell I told myself. Hack aside winter, I will deal with it there and then, moreover, since my travelling legs were massively itching (Kerala India), I tagged alongside my other half-half and some known, others unknown 25 people for this back again to Japan wanderlust (Sapporo/Hokkaido). Kyoto and Osaka (6 Days 5 Nights).   

Seoul - (Korea Day 7 & 8)

I made sure I fueled energized my tummy with lotsa food next morning. I had to. Remember, I skipped dinner the previous night, moreover, my last meal was at 2.00pm (Pyeongchang/Yongjin)?Right. Actually, I could have, if I wanted to, call for room service, then again, what for? Korean food is already up my throat. Enough. Thankfully, instead of the usual hotel buffet, we had breakfast in one of the unknown restaurants. Self service, comparatively an appetizing meal, pumpkin porridge and spinach porridge, eaten alongside Kimchi soup and condiments. But, eating in the messy dining area, after the big groups of tourists have left, simultaneously, while the staff were massively sulking, as if earthquake is gonna strike soon, didn't go down well with us. Did we have a choice? I guess not. I of course was  irritated. I still ate because my hunger throne was my only concern.   

Melaka - Jonker Walk (Part 3)

Inconclusive. Our walking mission from one corner of Jonker Walk to the other for another overnight stay (Melaka Jonker Walk Part 2) didn't get us anywhere. Unfortunately. We did in fact, viewed quite a number of home stays, some of it highly recommended in online travelling platforms (Melaka Jonker Walk Part 1 & Portuguese Settlement). However, despite almost two hours of walking, at the same time popping in and our of the home stays, we concluded that its such a waste to our time. All we ended up with was not only sweat dripping, our legs too almost ripped, fell apart. Still, mission was not halted, who knows we may discover a home stay we will be pleased with, at this juncture, to wind down our momentum and for a cool burst down our dry throat and tongue, we unanimously we agreed for Melaka Cendol and Melaka Ice Kacang in Jonker 88. Absolutely. Melaka dessert game on.  

Nami Island & Petite France - Korea (Day 4)

Bye bye Jeju Island, here we come Nami Island. Breakfast, bags packed, off to the airport and by the time we arrived in Seoul, timing was just right for lunch. Hunger of course had already called. I definitely need my lunch meal because I am not the piggy-pig kind of buffet breakfast person. In fact, I think I have told you before, I don’t take breakfast. But when I travel, I do keep my tummy warm by filling in some food to fuel energy for all the walking during sightseeing. On this day, after just tadbit of breakfast at about 8.00am, I naturally yearned for a fulfilling meal once we arrived in this tiny Korean restaurant. But the sight of Korean steamboat again, again?, almost killed me on the spot even before tucking in. Oh-god! Is there no other food in Korea except steamboat and hot-pot? Unbelievable. Either, as I have already said, its steamboat or hotplate, or none other, or is it like this when you travel in a tour? I don’t know. Rather puzzling actually. Did we dare ask the pain in the butt tour guide? Nope. 

Melaka - Jonker Walk (Part 1)

Not many friends can be your great, maybe not even accommodating travel companions. Why go so far, sometimes, even our love broadest band width can also be tested when we travel together. I personally know of courting couples who broke up after their first love travel because something snapped somewhere. Anyway, nothing is shocking anymore. Love is fragile, relationship is equally a turmoil and travelling with family members is the other to tolerating all sorts of bizarre characters, speak about money which is never sunny, if not for all, but for some who prefer to travel at our expense. Tell me all about it please? That’s why, remember I told you why I am standing tall with my principle of travelling alone (Travelling Solo When You Are Married). 

Jeju Island (Part 1) - Korea (Day 2)

First half day of sightseeing in Seoul (Korea Day I - Incheon to Seoul), we returned to Incheon airport for our domestic flight to Jeju Island. Spilling over await in the long queue among the hundreds during this supposedly off peak season in Korea, who do you expect to see travelling throughout the year, except mostly “Made In China” Chinese. Malaysians too I think are seriously taking their globetrotting lifestyle "Up In The Air", in fact, even those born with a dented wooden spoon in their mouth are joining forces in trip-travelling all the time. 

Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan Getaway (Day 1)

Ages ago, in fact I can’t even clearly recall when my last trip to Port Dickson was. Let me think. Okay, vaguely 32 years old ago. Gosh! When I was 20 years old. That’s been ages, isn’t it? Really. Not that I didn’t initiate another Port Dickson holiday, but you know how confusing lady fairs are? One minute they agree, next minute they want their unruly-uncontrollable kids to tag along, later, slowly igniting the anger fire by pointing fingers who should drive and you also somehow sense that you may end up being the banker. Mayday! Mayday! Port Dickson zipped up. No more friends forever holidays I have already decided in my early forties (Travelling Solo When You Are Married).

Kochi/Cochin - Day 1 (Kerala Day 4)

Mouthwatering, tummy filling, absolutely splendid Kerala cuisine in Travancore Court (Trivandrum Part 2). Whether I have been enjoying Kerala sightseeing so far besides the point, I definitely can't put a stop to blowing big hot air balloons on Kerala cooking (Allepey Houseboat & Trivandrum/Kovalam - Kerala Day 3). Food love Kerala deliciousness I must stress is most probably the other side to Kerala hailed as one of the best tourists spots in India. Of course. I am not at all doubting. By far, a close cousin to my another favourite Sri Lankan cuisine (Colombo Sri Lanka) and unlike not so favourable Western array of dishes (Norway/Denmark & Italy). So, we ate. Up next? Obviously, finding out what's in store for us in Cochin. Another of the other in this southern tip of Indian Peninsula, overall known as “God’s Own Country”. "God's Own Country? Honestly, I really couldn't compute, neither did our forever smiling, humble but really shy-shy tour guide cum driver could explain. This forever grinning guy I also felt was intimidated by a woman like me who is bold, vocal, loud and outspoken. He just wouldn't make any eye contact neither nor he wanted to communicate with me. Full-stop! 

Trivandrum - Part 2 (Kerala Day 4)

The start of the day for us to journeying to Cochin, aka Kochi. Cochin and Kochi by the way is the same. Same. Basically. Basically, its up to you how you want to address or call this part of Kerala, I somehow, don't ask me why, prefer Cochin. Cochin indeed as I have already told you, is the jump start, but we will be doing Trivandrum sightseeing first. Those places we didn't cover on the first day, prior to stepping foot in Cochin. My last night sleeping, are you curious in finding out? I bet you are, especially solo women travellers like me? Albeit, remember, I told you? About the couple joining in my Kerala holidaying (Kerala Alleppey Houseboat & Trivandrum Part 1)? Which means, I didn't do Kerala on my own, yet, its me my sleeping alone. Honestly, not a peaceful sleep because as always, my fear of sleeping alone in a new county, in a new hotel is far out, the fear of hammer house of ghost horror. Those horror stories I am assuming you have already been told by sleeping alone solo travellers? Those horrifying stories, trust me, kept popping up on my mind. Back and forth throughout the night. As if automatically striking on my head constantly. What then? I tossed and turned the whole night despite leaving all the lights on. Leaving the lights on definitely I think will help in thwarting evil because basically darkness is our fear and darkness in return will put imaginative scariness on our mind? Wouldn't you agree?  

Trivandrum/Kovalam - Kerala Day 3

Blissful overnight splendor experience. Honestly, I loved the whole lock, stock and barrel of Alleppey Houseboat. Except, mind you, no one for the matter I think will enjoy blood suckers mosquitoes and water rationing. Speak about water rationing? God, can you imagine not showering? Before night-night time and hopes were also dashed down again next morning when I realise substantial water is only enough for brushing teeth, washing your face and down there cleaning up as well. Yuks! Then again, anything else possibly? Nothing. Unless you wanna chance yourself into Allleppey backwaters itself? Tipping the houseboat guys, yes we did, not necessarily you must or should, do it only if you feel they truly extended their warmest Kerala hospitality, we moved on for journeying and Kovalam sightseeing. Four hours on the road if I am not mistaken, Kovalam is another must do. In fact, if you are tour travelling, Kovalam will be included because its marketed as “must-see-must-experience” destination for International tourists (Colombo Sri Lanka). Yet to be known to us whether Kovalam will be joy of Kerala, hopefully, we definitely kept our fingers crossed it will add another feather on our traveling cap as another Kerala gem. By the next two hours most to most whilst we travelling, we I think already concluded that Kovalam won't be let down once we passed by the serenity and nature given beauty of Kerala as a whole.   

Pretoria City Tour - Gauteng Province (South Africa)

South Africa! My-my! Never in my slightest moment, honestly, would I have thought South Africa will be an absolute travel wonder winner. Not at all. I actually had no clue whatsoever what to expect in South Africa. Neither did I bother to imagine, nor did I read up prior to flying the distance. Of course, like many of you who keep abreast on world issues, I knew who is Nelson Mandela. The legendary man of history who struggle for South Africa's independence. 27 years of spending his life in prison and known as the longest serving political prisoner. Salute him till this day. What a man of the century. Besides Nelson Mandela and looking up at him from Malaysia, I was quite alien to lo and behold South Africa, until I stepped foot in Cape Town (Cape Town Part 3, Part 2 & Part 1), followed by Johannesburg & Sun City, and on this day, we embarked on Pretoria City Tour. 

Johannesburg Travel Guide - (South Africa)

 

Cape Town (Part 3, Part 2 & Part 1) and Lion Park conquered, subsequently, its gonna be here we coming to get you Sun City. Where we will spending the hours at our leisure or at our whims and fancy, free and easy fullest. Into the coach after breakfast for the estimated two hours journey to north-west Johannesburg, our lunch break in between took place in "Upper Deck Restaurant”. Another similar ambiance to Kirstenbosch Garden Moyo Restaurant, boosting a laid-back rustic, huge lively garden and live music, Upper Deck Restaurant on the other hand is a grill restaurant. Wow! Impressive for someone like me who have always been fond of dining in a garden setting, shaded by trees and plants. Taking our seat at the already reserved outside dining area, thank god, instead of being cramped in the inside, noisy and packed to its rim dining area, we tucked into our meal consisting of soup, salad and opting between the seafood, steak and lamb platters. Washed down with canned drinks, some preferred chilled beers, whereas the sweet ending of the extremely and overly sweet local delicacies were too much to handle. All in all, I must say it was an appreciated meal. That's about it. Nothing sensational nor spectacular or something totally new to me and honestly, this kinda of huge portion meal will go down well for big eaters and not for small eaters. Basically, such a waste when you can't finish up.        

Despite literally forcing ourselves, maybe one or two managed to lick the platter clean, but for the most of us, there food went to waste. However, the good thing of it all, instead of leaving behind the portions, we helped our tour guide to pack them for the underprivileged whom we were told dig rubbish bins for food. Sad and heart breaking isn't it? I know. Here we are dining in a classy restaurant and there people are scavenging bins for food. In fact, for the past few days after our lunch and dinner, we packed whatever leftovers for the needy and poor people. Initially, we didn't know what was going. We couldn't understand what our tour guide was up to, but once it reached our ears, we too did our part in lending support to her kind deeds. Sincerely, something that touched us deep into our mind. More importantly, one of the best lessons to our travelling gram for making us realise not to waste food and to appreciate each decent meal we sometimes take for granted or fuss for no apparent reason.