Hostel Review

Expenses and Hostel Review from My Recent Europe Trip

June 23, 2018

Hello everyone!

I'm back from my Europe trip. This is actually my second trip to Europe. The first one was in year 2015 where I travelled to 8 cities: Berlin--Dresden--Munich--Vienna--Venice--Florence--Rome--Vatican City.

This time, I went to 4 cities: Paris--Brussels--Amsterdam--Milan. I took a flight by Oman Air from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) to Paris CDG (Charles de Gaulle) airport. After spending 3 nights in Paris, I took a bus (Flixbus) to Brussels and from there, I took another bus from Brussels to Amsterdam and from Amsterdam, I took a budget flight (Vueling Airlines) to Milan and lastly, from Milan, I took Thai Airways back to Kuala Lumpur.

In total, I spent 10 days for this trip, from June 11th to 20th, and if you're interested to know how much I've spent, look no further as I will break it down for you below.

Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris: RM 1,562
Bus from Paris to Brussels: RM 64.25
Bus from Brussels to Amsterdam: RM 54.47
Flight from Amsterdam to Milan: RM 225.08
Flight from Milan to Kuala Lumpur: RM 1,691.48

*Please note that prices varies according to the time you book the flight/bus tickets and the amount depends on the currency exchange rate.

Now comes the accommodation part......

Paris, France
Le Montclair Montmartre by Hiphoshostels
Address: 62, Rue Ramey, 18th arr., Paris, 75018, France
Contact no: +33146064607
Price: RM 357.89 (€74.43) €67.66 1 bed in 6-bed Mixed Dormitory + 10% VAT €6.77 
*PAY €0.88 City Tax per night is excluded (€2.64 for 3 nights)
Website: Booking.com
Total for 3 nights: RM 370.50



Brussels, Belgium

ES Hostel
Address: Square de l’Aviation 22, Brussels 1070
Contact no: +3225270130
Price: €36 (RM 167) 1 bed in 3 twin bed bunk male only dormitory
*PAY AT THE HOTEL City tax: €8.48 for 2 nights
Website: Hotels.com
Total for 2 nights: RM 211.95 (€44.48) 


Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hostel Centraal 
Address: Plantage Kerklaan 19, Amsterdam-Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands 1018 S2
Price: 1st night: €65, 2nd night: €25.50, City Tax €5.43 = €95.93 (€65 paid by credit card = RM 306.50) remaining €30.93 paid by cash at the hostel 1 bed in 30-bed dormitory
Website: Agoda
Total for 2 nights: RM 453.88 (€95.93)


Milan, Italy
Babila Hostel
Address: via Conservatorio 2a, City Center, Milan, Italy 20122
Price: RM 285.90 (RM 130 per night) City Tax: €4 (RM 19.06)
Breakfast included
Website: Agoda
Total for 2 nights: RM 304.96



EXPENSES 

Total for 3 flights: RM 3,478.56
Total of 2 Flixbus: RM 118.72
Total of 4 accommodations: RM 1,341.29
Food/Public Transport: €198.62 (RM 946.42)
GRAND TOTAL: RM 5,885 



Most of my friends thought I would have spent at least 10k for this trip. Let's face it, when you talk about travelling around Europe countries, one would have expected to at least spend 10k but like I always tell my friends and relatives, that's one of the reasons why I prefer to plan and travel on my own.


Who would have thought you could visit 4 cities under 6k? Well, for one, I don't eat at those tourist areas, I don't go for fine dining restaurants. I eat cheap and don't splurge on shopping. I'm not those shopping type of traveller. I'm more into seeing how the life of the local people there, visit old historical architecture such as palaces, castles, cathedrals, churches, and some museums.

Now let's talk about what I think of each of the hostels I stayed. Let's start with Le Montclair Montmartre in Paris.

Room size: Small

Number of beds: 3 bunk-beds which can accommodate 6 people.

Level of noise: Quite noisy whenever people walking fast or running upstairs, you could hear it and when they talk, you could hear it too, so it's not a quiet place to sleep if you're a light sleeper. But for the cheap price, that's what you get. Every room in Paris is small for budget stay.

Reception: The staff was helpful and polite and speaks English well. They will try to help you in every possible way to make sure you're comfortable with everything.

Amenities: There is no bathroom or toilet inside the room. The whole building must share a common shower room and toilet which there are only 2 very tiny shower stalls, 3 very small toilets, and 2 sinks. There is a kitchen for anyone to use. You can even cook meals there but you have to buy your own groceries from a supermarket. They provide electric kettle, tableware: plates, bowls, cups, glasses, cutlery (forks and spoons), and even pans, and pots for you to cook.

Would I stay there again or recommend you? Err... if you're just for 1 or 2 nights, I think it's fine but if you're spending more nights than that, I don't recommend because although it is very near to a metro subway station but it's not an ideal place for a long stay. For me, I don't mind going back if the price is cheaper than other hostels.


Let's move on to the hostel in Brussels, Belgium.

Room size: A normal standard hotel room

Number of beds: 4 single beds

Level of noise: Quiet. Very nice.

Reception: The staff doesn't look friendly or warmth because he doesn't smile and doesn't try to engage in a conversation with guests but he's not arrogant or what. Just doesn't seem easy to approach.

Amenities: There is a big bathroom inside the room but on the downside, the bathroom door has no lock, but that's fine because they will arrange all male guests to stay in the same room and female guests in another room. The bathroom is very clean. I am impressed. On the downside, there is no kitchen area for guests to use. So you cannot cook or even boil hot water to have a cup of tea/coffee. The lobby area is very classy, elegant, and you don't expect to see such design and furniture in a hostel. It definitely looks more like a hotel than a hostel.

Would I stay there again or recommend you? Yes. Although the room has not much space for you to walk around after putting 4 beds but it is quiet, clean, with a bathroom inside the room and the overall feel is nice. I would definitely stay there again if I ever go back there.


Next is the hostel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Room size: Big

Number of beds: 15 bunk-beds which can accommodate 30 people. Yes! All 30 beds in one huge hall and you feel like you're an immigrant sleeping with other immigrants in a locked up area. Hahaha! The bed is very small and you may fall off if you're those who turn around a lot when you sleep.

Level of noise: Can be noisy if you have noisy guests who talk and laugh so loud with no consideration of other guests who sleep early. All males and females in the same room.

Reception: Quite friendly. I suspect they're originally from Arab country or Middle-East because they speak in Arabic among themselves. The young guy was very kind and helpful although they don't talk much to the guests.

Amenities: There are 2 shower stalls, 2 toilets, and 2 sinks in the same room but in another partition, away from all the 30 beds.

Would I stay there again or recommend you? Definitely NO! It is noisy, bed too small, too many people in one room, and it's not cheap!


Lastly, the hostel in Milan, Italy.

Room size: Normal queen size hotel room

Number of beds: 4 bunk-beds which can accommodate 8 people.

Level of noise: Quiet.

Reception: Very helpful and friendly. I couldn't connect to the free Wi-Fi so the girl used my phone to connect to their private internet line so that I can get online. It was so thoughtful and kind of her to do that.

Amenities: There is a nice middle size bathroom with 2 shower stalls, 1 toilet, and 2 sinks. Breakfast buffet was included in the price when I book. The breakfast spread were mini croissants, some very delicious jam type of pies, toasts, butter, cheese, cold cut meats, fresh tomato juice, orange juice, milk, cereal, granola, coffee and tea. This hostel has a chef which you can order dinner from their menu and dine in the dining area next to the lobby. There is bar and a kitchen on the 3rd floor for you to use. When you arrive for check-in, you're given a key to your own locker in the room and a coupon for you to get a free drink at the bar (wine or beer).

Would I stay there again or recommend you? Yes. It's nice although it's 10 mins walk from the nearest metro station but it's easy to locate if you use Google Maps for direction.


Overall, I like the hostels in Brussels and Milan. It's comfortable, clean, quiet, great vibes, friendly staff and good amenities for the guests.


In my next post, I will write about the prices of food and public transport (metro, subway, bus, train). So, stay tuned!

Travel

My New Travel Backpack

June 26, 2017

Since my last trip, I am always looking forward to get a new backpack as my current Deuter backpack was starting to fall into pieces during my Europe trip with straps being snapped into half and it came to a point in which even the zips are malfunctioning after my recent Taiwan trip. I know it's time for me to get a new one before it became worse.

As I was walking around with my brother and his family today, I saw the Moving Out Clearance Sale being displayed at the House of Leather store in Aeon Cheras Selatan mall and I walked in to have a look without the intention of buying but I saw one which suits my needs and the colour I want and since it's having a 50% discount, I decided to get it.

The sales assistant was very helpful and was able to answer all my questions about the backpack. With a pleasant customer service like this, it adds extra points when a customer is having doubts on whether to buy or not.

The backpack I got from the House of Leather is a Blue Mountain 75L Adventure Outdoors Hiking Trekking Bag. This backpack is made from lightweight fabrics with water resistant material to ensure minimum weight without loss of strength and it comes with a rain cover for the bag.

After I got home, I checked the price on Lazada website and it's the same so I'm happy with that. Hahaha. Now I can use this new backpack for my next trip. Woohoo!

Source: Lazada
(Guess which colour I chose)

Source: Lazada


Source: Lazada

Travel

10 Reasons Why You Should Travel Alone At Least Once In Your Lifetime

April 30, 2017

Image credit: Google


"Travelling alone is the best gift you can give yourself"


When I announce that I’m going to travel, the most common questions I get are “Where are you going?, "When”, “With whom?”, and when I told them I’m travelling alone, some would give me that look on their face as if they couldn’t believe that one can travel alone because the next question that comes from them is… “What? Travelling alone? All by yourself? Oh my gosh!”

I mean, what’s wrong with travelling alone? It’s so much more liberating than travelling with a group of friends to be honest. I’m not saying travelling with friends is a bad idea but if you have experienced travelling alone to a foreign land, you know what I mean. So here are the 10 reasons I believe why you should travel alone at least once in your lifetime.


1. You Get To Plan Your Own Itinerary 

When you travel alone, you don’t have to stick to a fixed plan like those you follow if you travel with a tour. If you travel with friends, everyone has to come to a compromising conclusion on where to go, what to see, which place to visit. Imagine going with a group of friends, one is a history buff and can spend one whole day in a museum, another one wanna take photographs of nature, while the others want to go shopping which you’re not interested at all, but you like to just walk around the city to wander off along the streets to witness the daily life of the locals there. Are you going to follow your friends to a museum which you hate? When you travel alone, you get to go wherever you feel like it.


2. You Get To Eat What And Where You Like 

One friend wanna try Japanese food, another one must have Chinese food, while the other one just wanna grab something at a fast food chain while you want to try local delicacies. Another headache! Hahaha… when I travel alone in Europe, I can walk for so many miles just to find the cheapest restaurant. When it comes to food, everyone’s budget is different. Some would splurge on fine dining while others on tight budget would just grab and go.


3. You Can Go At Your Own Pace

When you are travelling alone, you can walk as slow or as fast as you want. You can spend the entire day in museum if you want to, or you can just walk around the town the whole day to see what interests you. When I enter cathedrals and palaces, I would spend so long standing there admiring at the details of the architecture and design. I would walk slowly to feel the atmosphere and the surrounding of the area while imagining how the aristocrats live there during that era. If your friends are not into architecture, they would feel so boring and want to leave that place to go to another place and that would spoil your mood because you don’t get to see what you want. Imagine having spent so much on the air ticket and flying so many miles but you don’t get to see what you like most. Isn’t that disappointing? You would regret. 


4. You Will Be More Independent 

When you travel alone, you have no one to guide you or help you but yourself. You have to ask directions on your own, you have to approach strangers (the locals there) to ask, you have to force yourself to talk a little bit of the foreign language in that country. Basically, you have to do everything on your own, thus training you indirectly to be more independent compared to if you’re in your own country where you friends might help you, your siblings or parents will get things done for you. If you travel with a tour, all you need to do is ask your tour guide and he or she will solve your problems for you and get the things you want.


5. You Will Be More Confident And Brave 

Relating to the point above, when you’re independent, you will become fearless. Well, to some extent. Not to say, you will now dare to jump out of the plane with a parachute immediately, but when you learn to solve problems and get things done all by yourself, you will have that confident in you. Imagine you’re in a foreign land where nothing is familiar to you. Everything is different from where you come from, so if you can survive there, you will have no problem going to other foreign countries in future on your own.


6. You Get To Make New Friends

When you stay in a hostel, you get to meet other travellers from other countries and you get to mix around with them, hang out with them at night and exchange travelling stories. At the end of your stay, you could exchange contacts such as add each other in Facebook, Whatsapp or other social platforms to stay connected.


7. You Will Be More Alert 

When you are travelling alone, you are responsible for your own belongings (passport, money, wallet, etc.). No one will be in-charge to take care of your stuff for you. Hence, you will stay alert and observe your surrounding to avoid pickpockets.


8. You Get To Stay Where You Like 

When you are travelling with friends, most likely all of you will choose to stay in a hotel or rent a big house for everyone to stay together, but when you’re travelling alone, you get to choose where you want to stay. If you’re on a tight budget, you can choose a bed in a hostel or a cheap room from those homestay websites but if you want to pamper yourself and can afford to splurge on luxury bed, then you can choose from the many hotels in that city.


9. You Will Create A Rewarding Memories

When you’re travelling alone, you get to experience everything first-hand because you walk on your own, you see things on your own, you approach strangers, you ask for directions, you get help from the locals, or you help other travellers, you try on the local delicacies, you take the local public transport. Every little action you take is decided by you and so, you will remember every single detail of your trip if you travel alone. It is a very rewarding experience. I can tell you that because until now, I remember every little thing that I experience on my own while I was in Europe.


10. You Get To Enrich Your Life Experience

With all the points above, I’m sure you get to see that the experience you get from travelling alone is not only rewarding but it enriches your life overall. Money can buy the air tickets, the accommodation and food but nothing can buy the memories you create with you along the trip, and that is what you will have in your brain for the rest of your life.

Therefore, in my opinion, travelling alone is the best gift you can give to yourself. Let go of that fear. Let go of your doubts. Go for it. After several times of travelling on my own, I kinda like it and I will definitely travel alone again. What about you? Have you travelled alone before? Where to? Do share your experience with us. Love to hear from you.

Travel

How To Plan Your First Solo Trip

April 23, 2017

So you have decided to travel on your own. Planning everything from scratch for the first time may sound intimidating but don't worry. It's not that difficult as it seems. Speaking from experience, I still remember my first time planning for my Europe trip which gave me such a big headache! I just don't know where to start, what to do, how to plan.

It took me awhile to get used to it and trust me, after you have succeeded in your first trip planning, you will gain experience to do the same or even better in your next trip.

Here are the step-by-step on what you can do in planning your first solo trip. Most people don't know where to start or what to look out for in their planning. With this guide, I hope it will somehow put you on track to get you going without going bonkers! Have fun and all the best!


STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:

1. First, do you know where you want to visit? Decide on which country you wanna visit. Let's take for example: Italy.

2. List out all the cities you wanna visit in Italy. For example: Venice, Rome, Florence.

3. Then, search online to see and read what is there to see or do in Venice. Write down the name of the places you want to see. Do the same with Rome and Florence.

4. Next, check out if the places you want to visit requires any admission fee. Most of the churches and cathedrals are usually FREE admission. Museums, castles, palaces will need admission fee but if you just want to walk around on the ground area of the palace without going inside, then it's free to walk around. Remember to write down the opening hours of the places to avoid being denied entry when you reach there.

5. Once you have the list of places you want to see in Venice, now you may decide on how many days you want to stay in order for you to be able to visit each place in Venice. If you only want to stay for a certain number of days, for instance, two days, then make sure you plan out carefully on the number of places that can fit into your schedule. Remember, you're travelling on your own. You may decide on how long you wanna stay in one place. Give yourself at least one hour for each place, so that you won't be rushing to the next stop without slowly admiring the beauty and details of the architecture.

6. Plan out the route from one attraction to the next one. Write down which train or bus to take. I recommend Lonely Planet guidebook because each attraction is listed with its public transport to take you there. You can also search it online.

7. Now, you may search and compare flight tickets via websites such as skyscanner or other reliable websites. If you know which date you want to go, make sure you check the weather because some first-timers end up experiencing snow without knowing it's winter time! Imagine not having the appropriate winter clothing and you have to buy there. It may be more expensive than to buy in your home country, but that depends. Worse still, some places may be closed during winter, so to avoid being disappointed, check on the website of the palace if they close on winter months.

8. For accommodation, search for the suitable one via Airbnb or other websites such as Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Expedia, Traveloka, Trivago, etc on which is near to most of the attractions sites you want to visit. Read the reviews from other customers about the hotel and decide if it's what you want. Some people must have hot shower and not all budget hotels have that amenity, so make sure you read carefully on the services and amenities the hotel provide before you make a booking.

9. Change your local money to the foreign currency. How much to bring? That depends on the admission fee to all the places you want to visit. Jot down each admission fee, add the total up. Next, you can search online on how much does a meal cost in Italy. Let's say a quick cheap breakfast on the go is €8, lunch is €10 and dinner is €20, so food for each day is €38. If you are staying for a week, multiply it: €38 x 7 = €266. I suggest you to make a round figure of €300. Don't forget that you need money to buy bottled mineral water, bus ticket, subway ticket to get you around.

NOTE: Most of the small shops, museums, local eatery shop may not accept credit cards. You may bring your credit card for emergency and remember to contact the bank issuer of your credit card and inform them on the country you're going to avoid having your card being rejected when you make a payment in a foreign country. 

10. Pack your luggage in advance to avoid missing out items you may need. I make a list of the items I need and tick-off each one after I've put it into my backpack to avoid leaving it behind at home.

Once you reached the train station or bus station of the next city you're about to embark on, try to get a free city map from the station information counter to get you around. They have maps for tourists and you can see the places of attractions and which bus or train to take or if some are within walking distance, that will save you from buying a ticket.

Image credit: Google

I recommend you to buy a safety travel pouch/money belt (as shown in the photo above) that you can wear it around your waist inside your shirt. You may keep your important documents such as passport, flight tickets, credit cards, extra cash in there and keep enough cash in your wallet. DO NOT wear the money belt outside your shirt, it is meant to be worn INSIDE! so that no one can see.


THINGS TO PRINT OUT:
Once you have booked your flights and accommodation, print out your boarding pass, the hotel reservation confirmation email from the hotel, the bus/train ticket (if you buy online). Basically, print out any important confirmation email and tickets and bring it with you. Also, print your passport (the personal info page) and bring it with you. In any case of loss, at least you have a print-out passport to prove your identity when you're making a police report.


IMPORTANT ITEMS TO BRING:

  1. Passport (check your passport validation, make sure it's not expired)
  2. Foreign cash
  3. Money belt
  4. Basic toiletries (Check the airline's regulations on the bottle size and volume)
  5. Clothing (Make sure it's appropriate for the season you're travelling. Check the weather forecast)
  6. Smartphone
  7. Phone charger (powerbank if you need)
  8. Universal plug adapter (Different countries have different power socket plug)
  9. All the print-out of important documents
  10. Credit cards (For emergency)
  11. Walking shoes (Make sure it's comfortable for walking)
  12. Spectacles/Contact lens (If you need. Don't forget the contact lens solution and lens case too)
  13. Pen and notebook (In case you need to write down addresses, or other important notes along the way)
  14. Camera and its kit (If you're bringing your DSLR or a compact digital camera)
  15. Travel guidebook (If you want to bring along)


P/S: If you have any other questions about planning your first trip, do leave your questions in the comment.

Travel

Europe Travel Tips

April 22, 2017

1. Bring your own recycle bag when you go supermarket because they don’t give plastic bags and if you want, they will charge you. Luckily I brought my backpack whenever I go out, therefore I can put the mineral water bottle, sandwich, bread all inside my bag when I buy these from supermarket. 

2. In Germany, Austria, and Italy, one ticket allows you to take any public transport: bus, train, tram (except taxi) provided the time duration on your ticket is enough for your journey. Yes, with that same ticket, you can just take a train and then switch to take a bus and so on. 

3. In Italy, a ticket of €1.50 is worth of 100 minutes (1 hour 40 mins) which means you can take public transport to anywhere you want within that period of time. Once that period expires, you have to buy another ticket. In Germany and Austria tickets also have their own duration on their ticket. 

4. Once you have bought the ticket, don’t assume you can just hop on the train or bus. You must first VALIDATE your ticket. How? In Germany, next to the ticket machine, you will find a small machine (as shown in the photo I took below) for you to slot your ticket into it and the machine will stamp your ticket with the date and time. Ticket Validate Machine 

Ticket Validate Machine

5. If you take bus or tram, you can validate your ticket inside as there are machines inside the bus and tram. Plain-clothing officers may inspect passengers if they have tickets or if you have validate the ticket or not. If you’re caught with a ticket without validation, you will be fined on the spot for €60 (around RM 300). So please REMEMBER to VALIDATE your ticket. In some places, you can buy and validate the ticket inside the trams. Tickets come in Single-ticket, Day-ticket, Family/Group tickets. If you buy the Day-ticket, you can use that same ticket for the whole day with limitless of times you take the public transport. 

6. If you want to take away, never eat it sitting down in their cafe/restaurant as it is rude and disrespectful to the food and the chef. And if you cannot finish your food, NEVER ask the waiter to tapau (pack to take away) the leftovers. It’s also disrespectful to their wonderful cuisine. I have witnessed how the Italian waitress admonished the two China girls on this matter to which I will only tell and demonstrate in person to my friends because the effect is more realistic. Hahaha… 

7. If you have empty bottles from the mineral water you bought, bring those empty bottles to any supermarket and they have a recycle machine where you put the bottles one by one into that machine to be crushed into pieces and after you have finished putting all your empty bottles, coins will be paid to you in a slot. How cool is that, huh? You are paid to recycle. What a good way to encourage people to recycle. Your empty bottles can earn some extra money and you can use it to buy sandwich or a public transport ticket for the day. 

8. When the train stops at your station, please don’t expect the door will open automatically. It won’t. There is a button for you to press or a handle for you to pull to open the door. So, don’t just stand there and wait for the door to open. Observe how the locals do it and you will get it. I guess with this way, the train doesn’t need to open every single door even there’s no one going out, as not to waste time and energy. 

9. In Europe countries (well, at least the 3 countries I went), people will stand on the right side of the escalator and those who are in a hurry, they will walk on the left side. So, please don’t stand in the middle or at the wrong side. Again, observe the locals and follow. 

10. Public transport (train, bus, tram) in Europe countries are very punctual on time and they display the time on the monitor at the station but please be aware that trains may be delayed or cancelled due to unforeseen reasons. If this happens, they will display the info on the big information screen but the thing is, everything is in German in Germany and Italian in Italy. You have to go to the information counter to ask or you could ask a local who speaks English to translate to you what does the information says on the monitor. German people are very helpful and kind. On this matter, I will blog in another post. If the train is cancelled, they will either direct you to take another train to connect you to your destination on the same day. So you have to ask the information counter staff and they will tell you which platform, which train number, what time to catch that other train.

Travel

How I Plan My First Europe Trip

April 21, 2017

Going to Europe countries has been my dream from young and I have been working so hard and saving even harder for years to make this dream come true one day, and this day has come. For many years, I have researched on the places I want to visit so the itinerary part is already done long ago. Early June in year 2015, I have started searching for flight fares, accommodation, bus and train fares as I’m going to take either the bus or train (whichever is cheaper and shorter in duration) from one city to another.

My mission is… 

4 countries 
8 cities 
In a month’s time. 

Sounds like The Amazing Race, eh? Haha… but unlike the Amazing Race where you see a couple or 2 friends in a group competing with other groups, I’ll be travelling all by myself. Yup! I’m gonna backpack alone through Europe. Woohoo! 

So, which 8 cities I’ll be visiting? Below is my route from the starting point to the last city. 

Berlin – Dresden – Munich – Vienna – Venice – Florence – Rome – Vatican City 

As you can see clearly from the map (please forgive my ugly and not drawn to the scale drawing but at least you get the picture and it helps readers to see clearly on my route), I’ll be flying to Berlin which is the first city in my trip and I will be flying back from Rome. I’m going to spend at least 3-4 days in each city. While I’m in Rome, I’ll go over and visit Vatican City too, so that makes it 8 cities. 

At first, I wanted to include France which is just next to Germany but if I include France, I’ll take more than a month and I can’t afford to take so many days off work. Haha… Another reason being France is huge and there are many places that I wanna visit there, so I decided to travel to France only in my next trip. Hopefully next year. 

Why am I travelling in September? Because it’s my birthday! Woohoo! This is my birthday gift for myself. For many years, I have been praying and wishing that I would be able to travel to these Europe countries one day, but I didn’t make a move to plan because there’s always question that comes haunting at the back of my mind asking, “Should I?” And then, I will just put it aside and brush it off by telling myself, “It’s OK, I’ll plan it next year.” but the same scenario would repeat like a cycle every year. 

Therefore, I told myself, enough is enough. Don’t let any excuse to hold you back from realizing this dream of yours. If I don’t make the first step, this Europe trip will always be a dream. I do not want to live with regrets. I do not want to regret for not doing things that I want to do when I’m able to do it. 

Don’t wait until you’re too old to travel where you no longer as energetic as you’re young. By that time, you won’t have the stamina and energy to walk for long and for far. Don’t wait until you’re married with kids because once you have a family, it’s difficult to travel and you have so many responsibilities and bills to pay. When you have a family, you can’t travel alone and just leave them behind. You will most probably travel with your whole family (imagine the expenses, well, if you can afford it then it won’t be a problem). 

Don’t wait until your parents are old and retired and they have to depend on you for allowance. How are you going to save for travelling? Don’t wait until you have no more teeth to taste the good food of other countries. Don’t wait until your eyes are blur to see those beautiful amazing architecture of historical palaces, cathedrals, museums, outdoor park/garden. 

So start saving seriously and start planning. Why start to plan so early? When you plan and search for air fares and accommodation, you will roughly know the total figure of how much you need for the trip and that figure will let you know how much and how long you have to save from each month’s pay in order to be able to book the flights and accommodation. 

Yes, flight tickets and accommodation fees will change yearly but at least for now, you get a rough idea on how much you need for that dream trip of yours. Do not just save without a purpose. You will never know how much you need until you start to plan and do your research.

Travel

The Italian People I Met During My Europe Trip

April 20, 2017

The Grand Canal of Venice, Italy. 
(Photo taken by me using Huawei Ascend G7 smartphone) 

What is the most common stereotype remark you hear about Italian people? That they are loud when they talk, and they move their hands a lot which to some may deem as too much or even rude but they are not rude. Italian people are very expressive when it comes to speech, music, food, and that is why it is only natural for them to have body movement and a wide range of intonations in their words. Italians use hand gestures to enliven conversations, strengthen their point, and communicate on a non-verbal level.

When I reached the B&B (Bed & Breakfast) hotel in Rome,I greeted by a pretty Italian girl working at the hotel. Besides showing me where the shared bathroom and the kitchen is, she gives me a map showing me the location of the hotel by circling on the map and then points with her pen and telling me how to get to each major tourist site from the hotel and where to take the train and bus to the city centre.

After she has done explaning, she repeats the whole thing again! YES! Repeat the whole thing from the very beginning by telling me, “So, this is the hotel…. *she circles it again… from here you can take the bus to… *points her pen along the route to show me…”

In the end, I have lost count on the number of times she repeated the whole thing but it’s at least twice if it’s not thrice. Please don’t get me wrong. I truly appreciate it because it makes thing very clear and she doesn’t want the guests to get confused and forgot what she said if she only explains it once. I love her personality and her service to the guests.

Another thing I like and admire about the Italians are the ones working in retail shops and restaurants. They will greet you “Buongiorno” when they see you and they will say, “Grazie” when you pay. Even the mail man, the guy who delivers newspapers to every house on the street will greet me. I was not very comfortable at first with strangers greeting me because in my country, people don’t do that. I know, it’s not very polite but that’s how it is.

The Italians make you feel welcomed, they can get friendly with you almost instantly, easy to warm-up kind of people. Below are some common Italian stereotypes that are actually true.

  1. Italians can’t live without pasta. 
  2. Italians talk with their hands. 
  3. Italians are all about “La Famiglia” (family is so important to Italians that they either live close to their parents or in the same house. The ties that bind families together are undeniably strong. Families often gather weekly for a meal or stay in close contact.) 
  4. Italians love good cappuccino. (They will travel blocks to find the best cappuccino.) 
  5. Italians are obsessed with fashion. (While everything doesn’t have to be designer, Italians like to wear high-quality fabrics. Individualism is also valued in Italy, and men aren’t afraid to wear bright colors. In fact, don’t be surprised if you see men wearing orange, blue, or pink pants.) 
  6. Italians aren’t afraid of public affection (I see many couples hugging, kissing on the street, in shopping malls, in the park, everywhere.) 

A good example on how friendly and helpful the Italians are can be described in two incidents of mine while I was in Italy. After pressing on the screen of the ticket machine, I was ready to insert the money but was shocked seeing so many compartment holes. While I was trying to figure out which slot to insert the money, I heard a man saying loudly, “the green one”. I turned my back to see who was shouting and to whom he was talking to.

There was no one around except me and that guy and then I realize he was talking to me when he looked at me and said, “the green one” again. I thanked him and gave a few nods to show my appreciation for his help. He was standing at the entrance and I was standing inside the station at the ticket machine so it was quite a distance, that’s why he has to raise his voice in order for me to get his words. How thoughtful of him to help a stranger even though he’s standing so far away.

Another incident is when I get into a bus, I have to insert my ticket into a machine to validate my ticket. In other words, your ticket must be stamped by the machine or else it is considered invalid and if you’re caught, you will be fined on the spot. As I was trying to insert the ticket into the machine, my card just wouldn’t get in. A lady who just got into the bus saw my predicament and helped me by taking my ticket and said, “Come, let me show you. Put it upside down. See? It went in.” See how thoughtful the Italians are.

I love how friendly and how kind and thoughtful the Italians are when they see you in trouble. They will never hesitate to come forward to help you without you asking. And don’t get me started with the food. Italian food (pizzas, pasta, cheese, coffee) are the best! I would definitely visit Italy again for more good tasty food. To all my Italian readers who are reading this, I love your country and the food there!

Travel

The German People I Met During My Europe Trip

April 19, 2017

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany.
(photo taken with my Huawei Ascend G7)

Admit it. We all stereotype people from another country. In the olden days, we woud hear people saying Japanese people are short but look at them now. We would also hear them saying all Chinese have single eyelid but you know that’s not entirely true. 

When it comes to Germany, the common stereotype one would hear is that the German people are cold and unfriendly. Let me tell you my experience with the locals in Germany during my Europe trip there and you would have a total perspective of the German people. 

The German people are very helpful and kind. They may look cold and unfriendly on the outside because they hardly smile but deep down, they are very helpful and kind. On my first day there, I have to take a train to the city from the place I was staying. As it was my first day, I only have big notes and the ticket machine only accepts small notes up to €10. 

Upon checking my wallet, the smallest I have is €20. I saw a local man buying his ticket at the machine next to mine. I waited until he bought his ticket before approaching him. I ask in my rusty slow German, “Excuse me, I have €20 but the machine only accepts €10. Do you have any small notes for me to change my €20 with you?” 

No question asked. He straightaway took out his wallet, pull out two €10 and handed it over to me. I gave him my €20 and thanked him profusely. No questions asked. He did not ask me anything nor said a word. The trust that they put on other people, even strangers is just amazing! That was my first encounter with a German. 

When I was at the train station looking at the time-table board, a young German guy who got down from the train, came up to me and said, “Are you OK?”. He was probably thinking I might get confused with their extreme detailed time-table of the trains and wanted to help me. I ask if this was the correct platform for the train number (I’ve forgotten the number now) and he said, “Oh! You just missed the train. It was this one just now. But never mind, the next one is 10 minutes and it is the red one. The red one,” he repeated the colour to make sure I remember it’s the red coloured train that I must get on board. You see? You don’t even have to ask anyone for help and this guy just approached to offer help. I was caught off guard initially because I never expected anyone would actually come up to ask if you’re OK, to check and make sure you are not lost. That was so kind of him. 

On the day I have to take a bus from Berlin to Dresden, I was kinda lost trying to find the street where the bus will arrive so I walked to a random bus stop and ask a lady there. Although she apologize for not being sure where the street is, she took out her iPad, tap on the map with street view and search for the street for me. To make sure she got the correct direction, she turned to another lady who was standing next to her waiting for the bus and I heard them conversing in German with the first one telling the other lady that I want to go to this street and if her direction is correct. The other lady confirmed it’s correct and so the first lady turned to me and taught me how to walk to there by showing me the map and also by pointing to some buildings as landmark for me to get to my destination. 

I thanked her profusely for the help. I find that even if they do not know, they would try their best to get the answer for you because they really want to help you. That is what I admire and respect the German people for. The extra miles they would go just to help you out is truly admirable. They are truly kind and helpful to those in need of help. 

Another incident is when I reached the main train station in Dresden, I went to the information counter and ask the lady there how to get the tram and which tram to take to the street that I want to go. She said, “Follow me,” and walked out from the counter and led me to a ticket machine. She pressed everything for me and all I need to do was to insert my money to get the ticket. She stood next to me to make sure I got the ticket and then showed me which exit to walk out from the train station to wait for the tram and told me the tram number to take. Oh my God! Where on earth would you expect a staff walking out from the information counter to help you to that extent? This is just too nice, isn’t it? 

There are many more nice heartwarming stories like these about my encounter with German people. To all my German readers out there who are reading this, I truly admire your qualities and respect your people and your country. I would definitely visit Germany again and again in future. You guys are the best! Germany always has a spot in my heart.

Travel

My Europe Trip Expenses

April 18, 2017

Image credit: Google

Many have asked me how much does it cost to travel on my own compared to following a tour agency. Please note that this Europe trip was travelled in the autumn of 2015 during September. Therefore, the prices and currency exchange rate is based on that period of time.

In this post, I will blog about the accommodation and the train/long-distance bus I took from one city to the another city. Please note that this post does NOT include the expenses of the underground train, tram, local bus that I took on my daily outing during my sightseeing.

When I state ‘whole apartment’ in the type of accommodation, it means I am staying all by myself without sharing with anyone, not even the host. The host is staying somewhere else, so I got the whole place to myself. The price stated is the total price for the duration of my stay, NOT the price for one night.

All the accommodation and the long-distance trains and buses are booked online and paid by credit card in June before my trip in September. All I need to do is print out the e-tickets to show proof to the officer on train when they go round to check each passenger’s ticket.


ACCOMMODATION

BERLIN
Type: Whole apartment
Duration: 3 nights
Price: €84
Booking website: Airbnb

DRESDEN
Type: One private room (staying with the host but he’s sleeping in his own room)
Duration: 2 nights
Price: €47
Booking website: Airbnb

MUNICH
Type: Euro Youth Hotel Munich
Duration: 3 nights
Price: €152.50
Booking website: booking.com

VIENNA
Type: One private room
Duration: 3 nights
Price: €98
Booking website: Airbnb

VENICE
Type: Hotel Astoria
Duration: 3 nights
Price: €198
Booking website: expedia.com

FLORENCE
Type: One private room
Duration: 3 nights
Price: €101
Booking website: Airbnb

ROME
Type: Colazione Al Vaticano B&B Hotel
Duration: 3 nights
Price: €163.50
Booking website: expedia.com


LONG-DISTANCE TRANSPORTATION

From BERLIN to DRESDEN
Type: Long-distance bus
Company: Meinfernbus
Price: €7
Duration: 2 hours 40 mins

From DRESDEN to MUNICH
Type: Long-distance bus
Company: Meinfernbus
Price: €22
Duration: 8 hours

From MUNICH to VIENNA
Type: Train
Company: OBB
Price: €49
Duration: 5 hours

From VIENNA to VENICE
Type: Train
Company: OBB
Price: €69
Duration: 11 hours 48 mins

From VENICE to FLORENCE
Type: Train
Company: Trenitalia
Price: €34
Duration: 2 hours

From FLORENCE to ROME
Type: Train
Company: Trenitalia
Price: €29
Duration: 1 hours 31 mins


Currency Exchange Rate
13/7/15 €700 x 4.27 = RM 2,989
12/8/15 €900 x 4.46 = RM 4,014
Total: €1,600 = RM 7,003

Accommodation and Train: €1,054
€700 x 4.27= RM 2,989
€354 x 4.46 = RM 1,579
€1,054 = RM 4,568


FLIGHT TICKETS


Departure Flight
Airline: Qatar Airways from Kuala Lumpur to Berlin (1 stop at Doha, Qatar)
Price: RM 2,251

Return Flight
Airline: Sri Lankan Airlines from Rome to Kuala Lumpur (with 1 stop at Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka)
Price: RM 1,341 (€317.73)

Total Expenses:
4,568 (accommodation & train) + 3,592 (flights) = RM 8,160

*this total DO NOT include daily meals, subway train fare, snacks, bottled mineral water, admission fees to museums and palaces.



FOOD

What about food? How much should I prepare to bring for my daily meals? I believe this is the another crucial factor to take into consideration when you travel. I have written down everything I ate and the price so below is a list of the price for each food and drink in Germany, Austria, Italy in general.
  • A slice of pizza from subway train station:  €5 (RM 25)
  • Sandwich: €5 (RM 25)
  • A bottle of mineral water (1.5L): €1 – €2 (RM 5 – 10) *the price varies depending on whether you buy near tourist spot or at that far away shop down the road.
  • A plate of spaghetti: €8 – €13 (RM 40 – 65) *again it depends if the restaurant is located near major attractions or not.
One day, you probably need AT LEAST €20 (RM 100) for meals, so if you are staying for one week, €20 x 7 = €140 (RM 700)

So, if you take the previous amount of RM 8,160 + RM 700 (Food) = RM 8,860. That's not even up to RM10k yet. With approximately RM9,000, you can travel like me visiting Germany, Austria, Italy, and Vatican City within three weeks.

On an addition note, if you're lucky, you could get a cheaper flight ticket depending on the month you're going and also if you book in advance. Same goes with accommodation, if you choose a off-peak season, you might get a cheaper rate for your room.

If you have any questions regarding Europe trip, don’t hesitate to send me a message. I would try to help.

Travel

Many Travel Booking Sites Are Misleading Consumers

April 13, 2017

Image credit: Google

In the past, when one wants to travel, you would most probably go to a travel agency which provides the service to plan and book everything for you. All you need to do is to tell them your choice of destinations and once the itinerary has been set and prices are agreed upon, you just pay and wait to board the plane on that date.

In today's digital-era, many opt to plan their own itinerary and book flights and hotel on their own without the hassle of going through a middle-party. With many booking websites available, it is easy to look through and compare on the screen of your laptop or smartphone and with a few clicks here and there, voila! You'll be on your way to your dream destination.

But did you know that in a report published last week, the European Commission revealed that 235 of 352 travel booking websites they examined advertised prices or deals which were not the actual price at the end of the final page of your booking process. That's two-thirds of the total checked.

I'm sure some of you have encountered this scenario where you saw a good deal on the front page of a booking website and after you have clicked and filled up all your particulars, the moment when you click to proceed to make payment, you realised the total amount is not the same as the price advertised.

It baffles you as to what happened and why did the price hiked up at the last minute? Some of the websites did not show the hotel taxes and other miscellaneous amount until you click the final button to make a payment. In some cases, special deals prices were not available at the actual booking page.

Apart from that, some booking websites gave you the impression that certain deals are only available within a limited time, for instance, only 2 rooms left, only available today! The next time you see tagline like these, do not panic and book immediately to grab the last room because what they didn't tell you is that each booking website has a fixed amount of rooms given by the hotel to sell through their websites. That last two rooms applied strictly on their website. If you can't get a room in this website, try another one. Maybe you would get a cheaper or better rate.

Every year the Commission coordinates the screening of websites for a particular sector, with the help of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network which brings together the consumer authorities of 28 countries (26 EU countries, Norway and Iceland). The authorities are responsible for enforcing EU consumer protection laws in the EU. The 235 websites with irregularities will have to correct the irregularities. Consumer Protection Cooperation authorities will ensure they comply by activating their national enforcement procedures.

Remember this tip: ALWAYS pay attention to the details. Read everything, every line. Make sure you know what you're paying.

Hotels Review

Hotel Review: Inn Cube Ximen

September 22, 2016

Hotel: Inn Cube 品格子旅店 - 西門館
Address: 8F, No.45, Section 2, Hankou Street, Wanhua District, Ximending, Taipei, Taiwan 10842.
萬華區漢口街二段45號8樓, 西門町, 台北市, 台灣 10842 Tel no: 886223618008

I’m a solo traveller but this time I have two friends following me to Taiwan for the first time, therefore I booked one single room for myself and a double room for them. This is my first time staying at this hotel. After searching for some budget hotels around Ximending area, I decided to take this one due to the price and the location which is directly in Ximending shopping district area and it’s very near to the Ximen MRT station which can connects you to many other places around Taipei.

Since we have our luggage with us, we decided to take Uber to help us with the luggage and to take us to the hotel. Luckily we paid someone to take us there because after arriving, I can honestly tell you that it’s not very easy to find or to see where the entrance to the hotel is because the huge signboard is placed on top of the tall building for those who are at a further distance to see.

The entrance doesn’t have its own signboard, just a stand-up poster because the hotel is inside a building in which there are two other hotels at different floors. That’s the reason they cannot put a big signboard at the entrance, but don’t worry, taxi drivers know the streets very well.

Just tell them the address as stated above this post. No point telling them the name Inn Cube because they do not know the hotel. Tell them it’s no.45, Hankou street, Wanhua District in Ximending. The corner shop of that row is a Japanese restaurant named Mala Hotpot with many Japanese lanterns hanging outside and a long huge signboard in red. If you are at the Mala Hotpot, the hotel is just a few steps away.

Take a lift to the 8th floor and once you step out from the elevator, you will see the white reception counter. The staff are very polite, nice, and helpful when you need anything. Let me tell you the policies of the hotel. All rooms have no bathroom or toilet. The bathrooms are outside next to the reception counter and all guests share. The shower area for men is divided by walls and a curtain only. There’s no door. Just imagine a hostel type of shower area. Don’t worry, you won’t be seen by anyone.

Since the name is called Inn Cube, the rooms are very small, just like those capsule hotel where once you open the door, the bed is just a foot away. There are a low desk with a table lamp, small T.V., a cabinet to put your stuff and a very small dustbin. There is practically no space for you to walk around the room, there is no windows, so you won’t know if it’s day or night, rain or sunshine.

For me, I’m fine with it. As long as I have a place to sleep and keep my luggage, I’m fine. I don’t mind sharing a common bathroom. If you are those travellers whom like to have a bathroom inside your room, a room with window, then this is definitely not suitable for you.

Overall, the whole hotel is very clean. They have an area for guests to sit, or to have meals or just chit-chat with your friends. There is a table full of brochures and travel guidebooks for guests to read about where to go, what to eat in Taiwan. The hotel also sells few items such as toothpaste, slippers, and some small cute souvenirs if you need any. Towel is provided in your room and if you need them to change it everyday, you must inform the staff at the counter. Shampoo and body gel are provided inside the bathroom if you didn’t bring any though some travellers prefer to use their own. Free Wi-Fi connection is provided in every room and even in the recreational area for guests.

Now, let me show you my single room in Inn Cube hotel.

The layout of my hotel room

The single bed in my room

The bed is surrounded by the walls on both sides of the bed so you cannot stretch your hands and legs, and when you want get up from the bed to stand on the floor, you have to move your butt or crawl until you reach the end of the bed. Don’t worry, the bed is not very high, it’s very low to the ground.

In conclusion, I am satisfied with the service and amenities provided by the hotel and the staff is very nice and helpful. On the last day of my stay, I booked their shuttle car to the airport and they told me they will bring my luggage down for me and take me down to the car. The shuttle car fare is TWD 950 (RM 124.50) 

If you ask would I return to the hotel again in future, I would say yes because of the location, the good service by the hotel staff, and the amenities. Although the room is very small, I think it’s not a problem to me as I go out the whole day for sightseeing and shopping and only come back late at night to take a shower and sleep.

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