UntiedEscape

Malaysia: Around the City, Food and How I See It

Such a smooth train ride :)

My stay is too short for me to know the life here in Kuala Lumpur. I actually do not have any expectations or whatsoever because we had a very limited time. It may not be the country that’s on top of my list but I am still very glad that I was able to see the place right through my eyes.

Taken somewhere on our way out the KL airport

The airport is obviously way better than what we have in Pinas. Well we’re tagged as having the worst airport in the world so it’s very evidently true. What do you expect in a corrupt government anyway? (Hays, silently praying here for a better Philippines)

Bus ticket booth before exiting the airport

While waiting for the bus to arrive

And this is where you buy your tickets

KTM ride going to Batu Caves

I admire how organize the airport is and how easy we can get a bus from the airport. It was a smooth welcome for us. By the way, they are also prompt with bus and train schedules unlike here. Transportation like buses and trains are relatively new and clean unlike what we have here which is old, rusty and asking for retirement already. Lol. And also, much cleaner view of the streets and highways with lesser traffic.

There are lots of Indian, Chinese and also Filipino nationals in the country but of course the majorities are the Malays that look closely like us. Communication is not hard as most of the locals can speak English well.

They call this Petaling Street "China Town"

This is where we bought our souvenirs

And their local palamig (refreshments)

Because it was almost Chinese new year, there are lanterns for sale

The food is generally spicy in which I am not very fond of. Though I enjoy the curry rice, we were so lucky that we have our friend Ems and Arjie who served as our guide and introduce us to the local food such as the The Tarik and Nasi Lemak. Make sure to ask first if the dish you’re ordering is spicy or not. But sometimes, when they say its not, it’s still spicy for me. There are also lots of street foods that are very tempting to try.

Big serving of Curry rice with some of the common chicken dishes

Local pita bread and some spreads

Sweets on the streets

Shop for souvenirs!

We were advised not to practice the “haggle to the max then forget about it” style that we used to do in local markets in Pinas like in Divisoria. You know what I mean? Normally they are a bit sensitive if you’ll ask for the price, haggle to the very last price they you’ll still not but from them. We were advised to instead buy in one shop so we can haggle since we will be buying in bulk. Prices are almost the same here in Pinas if you'll convert the rate to Peso. (1 MYR is around 12 PHP)

Cute canvass bag for sale :)

It was indeed a short memorable trip to Malaysia and we’re so happy to visit Arjie here. Overall, I guess it's not very hard to live in this city. There are many Pinoys and since it's very close to Pinas, going back and forth is not a problem. I know there's a lot more to discover and experience. Maybe on the next visit and hopefully next time we’ll be able to stay longer.

Phuket Town: Phuket Backpacker Hostel and the Nightcrawlers

Our first backpacking experience in Phuket

In the search for an affordable place to stay in the town of Phuket, we decided to book a hostel instead of a normal hotel. We also considered the location in finding our place and because Phuket Backpacker is just at the center of the town, we chose to stay here. It’s very near the market, local shops and the local bus terminal.

We really wanted to maximize our funds and finding a place like this really suite our budget needs. Rooms varies from Standard (with AC), Standard (Fan only) and the Dormitory (Fan/AC) with shared bathroom. Our dormitory rate, which was four of us in a room was only 275 pesos a night per person.

The coffeshop/bar area plus the hallway to the reception desk.

Taken in front of the hostel, it gets busy at night.

It was mid afternoon when we arrived. We saw several solo backpackers already and even met a Pinoy sharing his 4-months backpacking journey. I wish I could do that to. The receptionist easily arranged our rooms for the day. The ambiance is like a hippie fun cool vibe. We are totally in it.

The reception area

Some maps and printouts about Phuket and other places in Thailand.

This is the lobby area, everyone can hang out and just read books, get online and meet new friends.

Staffs were accommodating and they also allowed us to leave our baggage in the storage room for free even we’re already checked out. The Wi-Fi signal is also very good. You can also play some DVD’s in the lobby. The activity area becomes bar/hangout during nighttime where most of the backpackers chillin' out, enjoying the music, dancing to the beat, drinking the local beers, playing billiards and meeting new friends.

You can also play some games, try the hula hoops, jenga and the guitar and socialize.

The hallway to our room for the night

I love the feel; it was fresh and very trendy. I wasn’t able to take picture of the shared bathroom but it was clean and well maintained. No complaints on that part for me. Overall, it should’ve been two thumbs up except for one thing which is very important if you’re looking for a place to rest. There were bed bugs on my bed. It is my first time experiencing it and it was really horrifying. I did put insect repellant all over my body but I forgot my neck and so the bites were all over it. It was really itchy and it took days before the itch has gone completely. Though some of my friends haven’t experience it, one of the guest that we met also vent out the same concern upon seeing him the next morning. With the high Agoda reviews, I hope it’s just a one time deal.

Be careful as there might be a night crawlers everywhere :)

No more space to doodle

So how's your first backpacker hostel night girls?

Should I stay again here for a night? I’m not really sure, maybe for a place to hang out and have a Chang beer.

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves

Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves

Batu Caves is one of the most well-known Hindu Shrine located outside of India which is dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is located in Gombak district, North of Kuala Lumpur. It’s also another famous spot for travelers. From KL Sentral, we took the Komuter train using the Batu Caves Port Klang Route. It was around 30mins ride.

Monkey Deity

Very detailed structures

After a few minutes walk, we saw this Monkey Deity and some more statues and shrines. You’ll see a lot of Monkeys around the vicinity that’s why you need to be extra careful as they are likely to grab some food and items from you.

Monkey eating Banana

Murugan Statue

Before going up, outside the Batu Cave is the world’s tallest Murugan statue at around 140 feet. He is the Hindu god of war who is known as the commander in chief of the army of the gods. They said that the statue painted in Gold costs approximately 24 million Rupees.

How cute are they

You’ll also notice hundreds of Pigeons being fed by some tourist and even locals.

On the way up

Sarong for rent

On top of the limestone hill are some temple caves. You need to climb 272 steps to reach it. You also need to show respect to the temples by following the dress code or else they will not allow you to enter the cave. On the side are some locals where you can rent Sarong for cover up. It’s already crowded but they said that there are even more people during the Thaipusam festival because of the devotees. I decided not to go inside because I was really tired. It was scourging hot and we're all hungry that's why we did not stay long here.

Batu Caves,
Sri Subramaniam Temple,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Office Number: +603 2287 9422

Malaysia: Petronas Twin Towers - The Iconic Landmark

Oh, hello there?! Petronas Twin Towers!

It was an easy landing for the group because our dearest friend Arjie will be hosting our night in Kuala Lumpur. We arrived around past afternoon in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) so to utilize the remaining time of the day, as soon as we met her, we rushed immediately to see Petronas.

From KL Sentral, we ride LRT going to KLCC and went inside the Suria Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) without knowing that the building is beneath the tower already or should I say part of it.

Petronas Twin was considered as one of the highest building in the world. Seeing the mega structure up-close is amazing. Though it's not the spot I've imagined seeing on my first out of the country trip, with these wonderful people around me, I still enjoyed the view of the night.

And this is what you can see around - taken by Sol.

The view on the other side

Busy tourist checking their photos with the towers.

Ladies group shot - of course

And our feeling honeymooners - turista pose :)

Thanks Arjie for the tour!

You can get more details of the Petronas on this LINK
PETRONAS Twin Towers,
Kuala Lumpur City Centre,
50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Telephone : +60 (3) 2331 8080 Fax: +60 (3) 2331 1723
Email : pettvo@gmail.com

In God’s Perfect Timing: The Best Days

My La-Loves Eskapaderas Travel Buddies!

I promised myself that one day. I’ll be able to fly across the sea and wander what else we have outside my homeland. It has always been with me, dreaming and claiming for that day to come. Just a few weeks after getting married, it finally came true. Part of my wish was that it should be before my 30th birthday and it's another wish granted too. What makes it more grateful is that hal and I shared the trip with my friends. Traveling in group can be a bit stressful at times but definitely twice more fun and most of all saves you a lot of money. I really cannot tell how grateful I am and up to now I’m thanking the Lord everyday for the overwhelming blessings. Expenses were just around 20k each for the 15days trip, airfare excluded. :)

Our DIY Route – Manila – Kuala Lumpur – Phuket – Cambodia - Bangkok – then back to Manila