Home Articles Posted by Izy Berry (Page 71)
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Non Touristy Things to do in Auckland
Auckland is not only the city of sails, but also a place of attractions and activities. In fact, it frequently tops the lists as one of the most livable cities in the world. If you are searching for natural beauty, being positioned between the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea, you will be welcomed with two beautiful harbours- in the east is the Hauraki Gulf and the Manukau harbour in the west. If you want fun, world-class hotels, dining, shopping, and diverse clubs and bars Auckland is unlikely to disappoint. Make sure you check out the rugged west coast surf beaches and visit some of the 100 plus wineries – many of which are in Kumeu.
Auckland is also a well loved destination for foodies, with its hearty locally sourced ingredients inspiring beautiful menues. Potato hash with some grilled goat’s cheese and avocado, coupled with a flat white? What about braised wild venison served with caramelized pears? Travelers will enjoy more combinations like beef short ribs with fondant potatoes or a gourmet lamb burger made with premium NZ lamb, Havarti cheese, beetroot, and dill pickle served with some shoestring fries.
Check our the infographic below for 10 of the best un-touristy things to try on your next Auckland stay.
Courtesy of: Short Term Renting
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Five Weeks in Costa Rica + New Years
I didn’t even know I was going to visit Costa Rica at this time, it wasn’t a part of the plan.
But plans are made to be broken!
I had originally booked only a week in Panama with a flight to Guatemala and after then was planning to knuckle down, work my butt off and volunteer in Guatemala. I had a weird feeling about that flight to Guatemala, and so I didn’t take it. I went to Peru instead and it was AWESOME. When I returned to Panama I thought about booking flights again to Guatemala, but unfortunately the prices were a bit too high so I decided to coast my way to Costa Rica. After more than 5 weeks in CR, I’m in Nicaragua and it’s LOVELY.
I had grand ambitions for Costa Rica. For one, I planned on seeing many sloths. The only sloths I saw here were on the currency.
After a week in Playa Samara and a handful of days in San Jose, which I felt was more than enough, I headed to Playa Jaco. Now Playa Jaco is not somewhere I would usually spend three and a half weeks. It feels like Thailand’s Patong, Bali’s Kuta or Laos’ Veng Vieng. There’s a seediness to it that’s hard to ignore. The reason I spent so long there was because I found a school to learn Spanish and then I decided to hang around there for New Years. I made some really special friends during my time in Jaco that I’ll treasure forever. It was a really fun experience!
What else did I do in Costa Rica? I chilled out.
I saw pretty beaches
I made plantain chips (also known as giant bananas)
I admired the Pacific Ocean – my ocean the ocean that reminds me of home.
I collected too many coins and felt like a pirate
And I saw many many beautiful sunsets
New Years was nice. It wasn’t ridiculously crazy and I only spent $10 the whole night, on a bottle of wine and a wine glass to drink it on the beach. There was no official countdown, everyone was a bit too disorganised. People lit laterns that flickered in the night sky like gold, glowing stars. Others lit fireworks that darted off in all directions. At the stroke of 12, or our best guess, people threw confetti. I celebrated the turn of the year with people I hadn’t met 4 weeks ago in a country I hadn’t really planned on visiting.
It was perfect.
As most of you know 2014 was a year that was riddled with bad news. Health problems in my family, other problems in my family and then a painful breakup. This new years was everything I needed: spontaneous, simple and comforting. Comforting in the sense that I know I’m more than capable of exploring the world alone and finding myself surrounded by a great group of likeminded people.
Costa Rica was surprisingly hard on my budget and I spent probably twice as much as I wanted to during my time there. I’ve decided to book a private room in a hotel for two weeks to knuckle down and focus on my Spanish. I need some time to myself, to sleep to my heart’s content and to focus on some ideas I have brewing in my mind.
I have such a good feeling about 2015, I can’t shake it. I’m really excited about the limitless possibilities this year holds for me. I’m also pretty chuffed that it’s only the second day of the year and I’m already on my way to visiting a new country.
What are you excited about for 2015? I’d love to hear!
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Sydney vs Melbourne: What is the Fashion Capital of Australia?
There is an ongoing debate over which city is the fashion capital of Australia. Whether this conflict can be settled remains to be seen. However, it is clear that both cities have earned their place as fashion centres within Australia and around the world. While Sydney shines in the arena of sports clothes and street wear, Melbourne is considered the Aussie ‘retail king.’ So, let’s compare fashions in these cities and see what they have to offer.
Shopping in Sydney
Any shopper, who walks down Smith or Chapel Streets, is aware that Sydney excels in the area of beachwear and trending street fashions. They have successfully combined sports jackets with lightweight trousers, jeans, t-shirts and an exciting assortment of trendy accessories for years. Shirts, pants and jeans, like the relaxed styles found at Johnny Bigg, provide some of the most popular trends in the city. Warm weather fabrics and casual lifestyle clothing provide shoppers with incredible options. It’s easy to find the latest trends in a city that naturally lends itself to a comfortable fit, rousing wardrobe selections, and unlimited accessories. From the designer to discount brands, Sydney is built on fashion.
Melbourne – The ‘Retail King’
While Melbourne also offers the latest street styles and accessories, Melbourne incorporates high style with designer brands. Formalwear takes fashion to the next level, with sophisticated suits and tailored menswear and womenswear. Australian designers are earning international acclaim and many boutique shops provide some of the most cutting-edge designs in the world. An extensive selection of clothing and accessories provides shoppers with limitless options. From sleek monochrome sophistication to colourful knits, the city provides almost anything shoppers might want. With fabrics and materials that are appropriate for board meetings… to relaxed styles designed for daily errands, Melbourne seems to place an uptown twist on everything it does.
Sydney vs. Melbourne
Clearly, both cities keep raising the bar. With the ‘beach culture’ and street trends at the forefront in the world of design, Australia has it mastered. Australians have known for years that the secret of dressing well lies in the ability to match any style with ease. Textures and patterns are colourful and exciting, and tailoring includes the details necessary for a truly polished look. Australian style is clearly a cut above. Formal, casual, and in-between business attire can be found in the shops and malls within both cities. Lightweight twill, cotton, denims, V-neck tees jackets, and sweatshirts are what Aussies understand. Designs are based on wear-ability and the Australians know how (and where) to shop.
While the argument isn’t likely to end soon, it can be said that both cities have an advantage. Moreover, Australia may well be on its way to becoming the fashion capital of the world with its inherent understanding of what makes fashion great! With top styles heralding from Australian, the designers ‘down under’ are earning global recognition for their groundbreaking contributors to the fashion industry. From Milan to Paris and New York, the world has taken notice and may very well need to make way for great Australian designs.
So, where do you think is the fashion capital of Australia? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below:
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Christmas and New Year Getaways
Whether you like traditional or modern, Christmas is a special time of year, and the way you celebrate it is an entirely personal thing. Some people wouldn’t dream of going away somewhere different for the big day, but some people relish the idea of spending it in different surroundings. I guess it all depends on your preference, but I think it’s something you should certainly try once. An alternative is to spend Christmas at home, but to jet off for New Year, which is an extremely popular choice for many people.
Popular does tend to mean one thing though – prices shooting through the roof. This is why why I’m writing this despite Christmas and New Year being over because I believe it’s a good idea to decide early on, and book your flights and travel extras as early as possible. I went away for New Year last year, visiting friends in Turkey and I was glad I booked my flight early for the end of the year, because with a month to go, the flight price had almost doubled! I also booked my airport parking with ParkBCP at the same time, so I knew everything travel wise was taken care of and I wouldn’t get stung later on.
Travel can be difficult during the winter months, and especially during the festive period, not only because of it being a busy time, but also because of the potential for bad weather, with public transport sometimes being cancelled or significantly delayed. Because of that, I decided to drive myself. The other downside was that I couldn’t get a direct flight to Dalaman Airport, where I would normally fly to, and had to go via Istanbul from London. This is a common problem with travelling to resorts during winter, which are typically summer-based, and flights will often be restricted to larger airports. I flew from Gatwick, so I booked Gatwick north terminal parking and decided to make a day of my travel, stopping a few times along the way and getting in the holiday spirit. It wasn’t too much of a problem, and it only added a few hours onto my travel anyway.
Once you get around potential travel road-blocks, going away somewhere new or familiar during the festive or New Year period means you will remember it for entirely different reasons, and who knows, you might actually find that spending Christmas away from home is something you’d like to repeat.
The options for destination are endless, and of course, entirely down to preference. Maybe you’d like to go to New York, extending your stay to watch the New Year celebrations in Times Square, or maybe you’d like to head to Sydney, and spend Christmas day having a barbeque on the beach, for a total change of routine! Alternatively, you could stick to the snow and visit Santa in Lapland, or go skiing in Austria.
The world is your oyster, even during the festive period.
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Five Things I Wish I Knew Before I Travelled
Aside from my friends and family, I don’t think there’s anything I love more than travel. Yes, I love them more, but the pursuit of travel, the addiction that many of us long term travellers suffer from, is stronger than my need to be around them everyday. This is wonderful and terrible all at the same time. There’s also the fact that my friends are scattered in so many places around the world. For me there’s not one place in the world I miss, because I’ve left a little of my heart in so many places.
Traveling is the greatest adventure I’ve ever been on. It’s the hardest, too. It’s also where I’ve learned more than I ever did at home, or in my university. I’ve learned about myself, about the world, about different cultures and about what purpose I truly want to serve.
There are five key things I wish I knew before I set off on my own adventure and I’ve learned them the hard way.
1) You Can Never Go Home
Okay, you can. There’s nothing stopping you from going home, but it’ll never be the same. You’ll never be the same. When you go out and do all these cool things, are in life changing situations and push yourself outside your comfort zone, most things you left behind at home will seem under stimulating, stuck in time. Yes, you’ll love to see your friends and family for approximately 2 weeks, but after then you’re probably ready to go again.
My friends Dale and Franca wrote about this exact thing the other day, feeling like a foreigner at home.
2) You’ll Always Miss Something
You’ll miss a certain cafe in Morocco that served something a certain way. You’ll miss how the sunset looked while you were on Charles’ Bridge, etching your feet into the ground. You’ll miss that person who you met who you could have talked to for 10 hours a day, every day. You’ll miss the way the water glittered due to the bioluminescent plankton in Ha Long Bay. You’ll miss it all.
3) You Can Buy It There
Aside from specialised medications and specific brand products, everything you will NEED (not want) for your time in a certain country will be able to be bought there. If you’re traveling to a third-world country, or at least a country that’s cheaper than yours, hold out buying it until you arrive. Exceptions for this rule is if you are considerably smaller or larger than the local population in terms of clothing or shoes.
4) You’ll Be Okay
Things will go wrong. Some days everything will go wrong. Other days you’ll be suspicious you’re actually staring in a feature film, because everything will seem too perfect, too coordinated, impossibly wonderful. You’ll feel lonely if you’re traveling by yourself, sick of your companion if you’re not alone. Some days you’ll make ten new friends and sometimes days will go by before you have a real conversation with anyone. You’ll miss a flight, a bus, a boat. You’ll have something stolen. You’ll get sick. You’ll miss home at some point and probably wonder why you ever came out. Through it all, you’ll be okay and you’ll be stronger, more secure and more self aware from each experience.
5) It Can Be Cheaper Than Living at Home
If you come from a relatively expensive country, like I do, much of the world will be cheaper. Want exceptional value? Head to South East Asia, you can live there on a week’s expenses for the month. Central America isn’t quite so cheap so far, but here in Granada, staying in a hotel – not long term accommodation – I’m going to be spending half of what I do at home. That includes eating out for every meal and getting my laundry done for me. It’s a good deal! Even better if you figure out how to earn money online.
Is there anything you wish you knew before you set out traveling? I’d love to hear it.
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How I Can Afford to Travel Full Time
Whenever I met anyone new and the “what do you do” question comes up… I hesitate. It can be a little hard to explain exactly what I do and then most travellers are very interested in learning more about it so they can do it too.
When I first set out traveling, I fell in love. I fell in love with the movement, the amount of life I could cram into days on the road, the types of people I met – both fellow travellers and locals – and what I learned from them. I knew within days of starting my first solo trip that I wanted to figure out a way to do this longterm, without limitation, without expirations.
For quite some time I was traveling on a budget. A real budget. There’s nothing wrong with that, but as I grew older I felt happy that I was able to travel, but a little sad that financially I was not moving forward. I wanted to be able to travel now, without compromising my options and financial security for the future.
So how did I go from perpetually broke, shoestring traveller to someone who can afford to travel indefinitely while saving some decent coin?
Unfortunately there were no lotto wins or massive surprise inheritances.
I worked.
The Job That Never Happened
My money started to run low in 2011. I was in South East Asia and had applied and was accepted to be an English teacher in South Korea. From all the research I’d done, I would be able to save a considerable amount of money and make some dents on my student loan. I hadn’t thought much further than that.
But for some reason, there was a big part of me that really, really didn’t want to go. I can’t explain why, I just knew it wasn’t the right move for me.
So I moved to the Czech Republic and became an au pair. It was a chance to have some breathing space. To not have to worry about money or bills for a while. I was supposed to stay for 3 months, but loved the family so much that I wound up staying for six.
During that time I started this blog.
Originally I started this blog to tell my family what I was doing and also because I had so much free time. I was mostly interested in having a platform for showcasing my photography, but as time went on I fell in love with writing. Some friends told me I was good at it and I really enjoyed it, so I started thinking about how I could make it work for me.
I also read a book: The Four Hour Work Week and my mind was opened up to concepts I’d never heard before. Like taking short retirements right now rather than waiting for when you’re older. I read about how people were earning considerable sums of money online with great freedom and independence and I wanted that for myself too.
I continued to work on the blog. For months and months I wrote and wrote with no returns. I had friends commenting, new followers appear and it keep ticking away.
Then I went to Coachella, home to New Zealand for a visit and was an au pair in Spain. During that time money was tight and I started casually looking into freelance writing on Elance. I slowly built up some clients and within a few months I was earning a pretty good salary, more than I’d ever earned in New Zealand.
The ‘problem’ was that I was working full time. How do you enjoy traveling when you’re busy glued to your computer smashing away at your keyboard for the majority of the week.
During this time I had a few advertisers approach me to advertise on my blog and I took them up on the offer. After some time I traded contacts with friends and everything grew from there. Now I earn enough from advertising on my blogs to sustain my travels full time. It wasn’t a logical path and when I first started this blog, it wasn’t to earn an income although I was open to the idea.
I would not suggest that anyone starts a blog just to make money, it’s so much work! If you’re passionate about writing, have a voice you want to be heard and genuinely love starring at your computer for hours on end, then maybe start. I spent hundreds of hours working on my blog for free and while now I’m reaping the rewards, there are probably more efficient ways to make money.
So there we go, that’s the story of how I went from budget shoestring traveller to earning a decent salary and galavanting around the world.
Let me know if you have any questions, I’m most happy to answer them.
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Tips for Traveling as a Solo Female
I love traveling as a solo chick. It’s actually my favourite kind of travel style. I’ve written before about the pros of traveling solo and I really feel there are a lot. Obviously I’ve never tried traveling as a solo guy, but I think that there’s a bit of a difference between traveling as the two sexes. One of my friends suggested I write about the truth of traveling solo and I figured after some 3+ years of mostly travel solo, I have enough experience to write about it.
At the moment I’m making my way through a book called The Gift of Fear. It’s a very well written book by an excellent author. It talks about the at the root of fear, men and women really fear different things. Men fear being made fun of or not being ‘the man’, while on the flipside, woman fear being attacked/raped.
As a woman, I can agree it’s true. My mind constantly races to the worst case scenario when I find myself in a mildly compromising situation. Perhaps it is because I was stabbed a few years ago and have seen that side of mankind, but perhaps it is an innate safety mechanism designed to keep me safe.
The truth is with a little common sense, almost everywhere you visit will be safe.
Here are some tips I’ve collected over the years that might help you feel more secure and excited about traveling as a solo female.
1) Talk to the Hostel/Hotel Staff
Coming from New Zealand, most places are more dangerous than home. There are certain cities I’ve been to that I would feel safe walking home drunk, by myself, at 3am. Where I am right now, Jaco, is one of them. There are numerous places where I wouldn’t do this. I find the best piece of advice is to talk to the hostel/hotel staff about where is safe to avoid and whether they would feel comfortable doing so themselves (if they’re a female) or whether they’d let their sisters do the same. A lot of crap online/in the media will scare you off doing anything, including leaving your home, so I prefer to take ‘on the ground advice’ from people really living there. Of course, make sure you know the area well enough in the day time before you try to navigate it by night.
2) Be Realistic in Your Expectations of People
When traveling it’s pretty easy to feel like that person you JUST met is your new best friend for life. You’ve done all this cool stuff together; looked out over New York from the Rock, swum around Ha Long Bay by night and admired the glowing fish, and you’re contemplating getting matching tattoos. Just be careful.
I remember one night, early in my travels, I thought I’d made some really good friends, so I got crazy drunk. They ended up leaving because one of the girls was feeling unwell and I found myself on Koh Phangan, drunk and alone, trying to figure out how to get home. My “real” friends from home would never do this, but these were just travel friends. We’d only met a few days before. From that point onwards, I lowered my expectations and made sure I was always responsible for myself. After a few hours of failed attempts to get home via the beach and the forest, I made it home, but it could have panned out a lot worse if I’d had any more to drink.
3) Have Your Own Back
Keep a spare credit card or bank card in another bag so if your stuff is stolen, you’re fine. Keep a copy of your hotel’s address in your phone so that if you forget where it is or lose the card, you’re fine. Walk on the opposite side of the road to the direction traffic is driving. Make sure someone from home knows your travel plans and where you’re headed next. Keep a copy of your travel insurance details in your phone or better yet, a card in your wallet. It’s the little details that will make all the difference.
4) Make Friends
There are certain things I want to do on my travels that I wont do by myself. For example, when I get to Nicaragua I wont be wandering the streets after dark by myself. I would do this in a group of people, for sure, but alone? No Thank You. Now my life will be just fine without any nights spent wandering the streets alone, but if I find a great group of people then we can do some bar hopping. I also have a personal rule that I don’t get drunk without knowing anyone well enough to trust they would have my back (and my hair back) in case of emergency.
5) Set Clear Boundaries
Let’s be honest right now, most women do not have the strength of men. We’re lacking in the testosterone department. As such, as it’s very important to use our ‘strength’ in other ways and to make the situation very clear from the beginning. When you’re traveling new places it’s imperative that you set clear boundaries. Things that might be really appropriate in your home country, might send the wrong signals in another. When I was Couchsurfing in San Sebastian I found myself in an uncomfortable situation where my host decided that I would be his “girlfriend” for a night. I hadn’t sent any mixed messages, I hadn’t been affectionate, he was just a bit of a creep. Thankfully after a few “NOs” he backed down.
Here’s a golden piece of advice: If you feel uncomfortable, make it clear and remove yourself from the situation. I found myself in a very, very unusual situation in Burma and I should have said something. My “tour guide” decided to give my friend and I a massage. It felt a little inappropriate, but because I didn’t want to offend his customs I said nothing. I regretted it. I endured something that made me feel uncomfortable because I didn’t want to make my tour guide feel uncomfortable. That’s retarded logic and with a whole lot of hindsight, I know I’d never make this mistake twice. In future I wont be accepting massages from people outside of spas, but it was a good lesson for me to learn in a relatively safe way. Making yourself uncomfortable to ensure someone else’s comfort is NOT the right way to go about things. Set CLEAR boundaries and ensure you feel comfortable at all times.
6) Have a Fake Boyfriend
When you’re having marriage proposals flung at you from all directions wandering the streets of Morocco, it’s a good idea to have a fake boyfriend or husband in mind to deter the unwanted attention. Some travellers wear a wedding ring, others have photos of them and their “love” to show anyone who is coming on strong. While personally I haven’t reached this level, it’s something I would strongly consider for any travels in South America and the Middle East.
7) Dress Appropriately
While it would be wonderful if we didn’t live in a world where we are judged for what we wear or how we look, we have to be realistic. You should try your best to dress according to local customs. Don’t wear short shorts in India and then wonder why you are constantly being harassed and followed. Western style clothing is embraced in many countries around the world, but there are tons of places where it is not. Bikinis might seem like a staple for any beach environment, but there are numerous conservative countries with beautiful beaches where bikinis are considered inappropriate. Do the research, dress appropriately and you’ll be able to blend in a lot more comfortably. As sad as it is, in many conservative countries the only real exposure men have to sparingly dressed woman might be in porn or movies, and you need to be mindful of the kind of message you want to send.
8) Don’t Tell Too Much
Say you find yourself attracting the attention of someone you’re not particularly interested in being around, for whatever reason. The person asks how long you have left in town and the truth is you’re spending another 3 weeks here, but don’t want them to offer their services or try to inject themselves into your plan. Lie. Say you’re leaving tomorrow. You’re catching a bus to blah blah in a few hours. You really don’t have to offer any more than you’re interested in offering.
Traveling as a female solo is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life. While this list might seem a little grim, it’s important to cover the basics of keeping yourself safe and happy so that you can relax and enjoy the magic that is traveling the world.
Have you travelled as a solo female? Do you have any tips you think I need to add in here?
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Did Travel Help me Find Myself?
I remember how it felt, bright-eyed and oh-so-fresh off the boat when I first landed in Phuket, all by myself some four years ago.
I had no idea what I was doing with my life. All I knew was that I wanted to see more of the world. I wanted to meet some new people. I wanted new experiences. And, if I’m completely honest, there was a little part of me in the back of my head that wanted to ‘find myself’.
I’d heard it before: you need to get really, truly lost in order to find yourself.
There are events that happen in life that shake you to your core. You start to question your priorities. Who you can trust. Who are the Good People for you and who are the Bad People. If there’s a God. Why bad things happen to good people. There’s a good chance that at some point you’ll question who you are.
When I meet people back home, one of the first questions I’m asked is what I do. It’s probably one of the first questions you’re asked too. Whatever your reply, people quickly put your into a box. Oh, a lawyer, you must be good at studying, English and probably are focused on making a decent salary. Graphic designer? You’re good at art. Barman? You probably like drinking.
We like to put people in boxes and there’s nothing wrong with that. Stereotypes exist for a reason and as long as they don’t stop you from taking someone as they are, then they’re fine.
One of my favourite things about travel is the fact these things tend to matter a lot less. It doesn’t matter what area code someone lives in when you’re on the road, or what they do, what gossip has been spread about them, who they dated last and so on. None of this matters. You take someone solely on their face value.
Travel forces you to live in the moment as that’s all you have. Most often when you meet someone travelling your paths will only cross for a brief flicker in time, so there’s no point in getting too invested.
This detachment proves useful for getting to know yourself, as you get to be ‘stripped’ away of all that usual nonsense that clouds who you are at the core.
There’s also something else I love about travel that allowed me to ‘find myself’ and it’s the simple fact that when you meet someone traveling chances are they know absolutely nothing about you. You can be whoever you want to be. You can be the version of yourself you were too shy to be when you were home. You can be vulnerable (or more vulnerable than usual) because in the end you know it’s all temporary. If someone doesn’t like you, or isn’t receptive to who you are at the core, then it doesn’t matter because you can go home anyway.
The fleetingness of travel allows you to be the realest version of yourself, if you want to be.
So did travel help me find myself? Kind of. It created an environment where I could be vulnerable, where who I was (in the past) and what I do doesn’t matter as much as who I am right now. Every day I go somewhere new is a blank slate to move an inch closer to be the best version of myself, with nothing to compare it to so I can move there at my own pace.
Have you “found yourself” traveling? How has travel changed you? I’d love to know!
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Top places to visit in Malaysia
Malaysia holidays are some of the best in the world. Malaysia itself is a beautiful country to visit with amazing beaches, beautiful jungles, bustling cities, great food and friendly people. It is a complete melting pot of different cultures, which means you get some of the most diverse cuisine around. So if Malaysia is next on your holiday list I’ve rounded up the top places to visit. For more exciting Malaysia itineraries you can check out Eshores here.
Malaysian Islands
You can’t have Malaysia holidays without visiting one or more of it’s many beautiful islands. In fact there are over 40 to choose from. Some are extremely built up and you can get all you creature comforts, or if you feel like something totally exotic and remote you can do that too. Some of my favourite are Tiga island (survivor island) where the first series of Survivor was filmed, then there is also Rawa Island, Tinggi Island, Tenggol Island and then of course the famous Perhentian Islands. The Perhentian Islands is made up of two islands and both are true paradise, as they are fringed with white sands, turquoise waters, and great snorkeling.
Trekking in the jungles
Suggested itineraries in Malaysia will always take you exploring some of it’s luscious jungles and you will not be disappointed. The most popular for Malaysia holidays is of course heading on over to Borneo to see the Orangutans. Here you can do a jungle and river safari that will take you down the Lokan River, where you will spot everything from Orangutans, Crocodiles and some beautiful birds.
Taste and shop up a storm in Kuala Lumpur
Being the largest city in Kuala Lumpur it’s no wonder it’s the perfect hub for shopping and eating and you can’t have a Malaysia holiday without trying all it’s tasty delights. My absolute two favourite dishes in Malaysia are the Laksa and then the Roti Canai. Roti Canai is a beautiful flakey bread served with a few different curry dipping sauces that seem to incorporate Indian, Thai and Chinese flavours into one. You can pick up tasty treats all over the city and also go check out the night markets for food and shopping too.
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron highlands is home to the biggest and brightest tea plantations in Malaysia. Here you can sip on high quality word class tea over looking lush green tea plantations. There is also a wide variety of great wild life you can check out too whilst visiting there.
Visit the world heritage site of Malacca
Malacca has been under occupations since 1509 by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British, which adds a lot of charm to this little village. It’s bright colour colonial buildings light up the town and the Christ Church attracts many visitor worldwide.
Have you ever been to Malaysia? Where is your favorite place? Let me know in the comments below.
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My Travel Wish List for 2015
This is the first time in my life I’ve been free, like really free. In the past there’s always been a restriction; my bank account, someone who was depending on me, or a responsibility at home or elsewhere. After my first trip to Thailand I told myself I needed to figure out a way to travel without restriction and some four years later I find myself in that position. It’s both wonderful and extremely overwhelming.
It’s actually pretty hard to decide where to go when everywhere is an option. In saying that, it’s the best ‘problem’ I could have and I’m extremely grateful for that. At some point next year I have to return home for a month, but aside from that my calendar is completely free. A blank canvas in which I can paint my travel dreams onto.
Places I want to go this year… dun dun dun!
Nicaragua:
I’m currently in Costa Rica at the moment and while there are aspects of it that I love, I’m itching to go somewhere else and get deeper into Central America. Sometime within the next few weeks I’ll make my way to Nicaragua to do some yoga, hang on some beaches and experience somewhere that’s hopefully a little less American. Most people I’ve met who have travelled Nicaragua have cited it as their favourite place so I’m excited to see what it holds.
El Salvador:
As I’m planning to base myself in Antigua, Guatemala, El Salvador seems like an obvious stop on my way by land. I’ve heard mixed things about the safety of El Salvador, but am also acutely aware it’s home to some stunning natural landscapes, including lakes, volcanoes and rainforests. I’m a big believer in not letting fear stop you from doing what you really want to do, so I’ll spend at least a little time here.
Guatemala:
I’m planning to set up a base in Guatemala if I like it, otherwise I’ll be heading back to Panama. There are a few reasons why I chose Guatemala and I’m really excited to see how I like Antigua. One of my favourite things to do is volunteering and I haven’t volunteered in over a year. There are a few projects I’m thinking of becoming involved in, but I want to find something where I wont have to speak so much English. I’m also planning on hiring a Spanish tutor and getting right into the language.
Belize:
While living in Guatemala I really want to do a trip to Belize, I’ll be next door, so why not?! Belize was another contestor of places I might live, so I need to see how I feel about it and what it is like.
Argentina:
Ah, Buenos Aires… to think I was supposed to be there now. A few years ago a friend of mine went there on a trip and took heaps of photos of cool art, graffiti, beautiful buildings and ever since I’ve mentally put it high on my “want to visit and/or live list”. I don’t know when exactly I’ll visit, as it could be a good place to stop over on the way home or back to SA.
Cuba:
It sounds like things are going to change pretty fast here, so I really need to hurry up and get my butt here. I found some cheap flights a few weeks ago, but it turns out the dates didn’t coincide with when I want to visit; bummer. I would really like to visit Cuba by the end of 2015 as I feel it’s going to lose some of it’s “old charm” pretty quickly.
Croatia:
My roommate at my school told me about a festival, called Awesomefest, which is so up my alley. I really would love to go – there’s only a limited number of spaces – and meet some more like minded people while enjoying beautiful Croatia. So fingers crossed I can get in and get some European sun in this year.
Italy:
Can you believe I’ve never been to Italy? I’ve lived in Europe, made a lot of Italian friends, but I’ve never been so bold to go to Italy. I was supposed to be visiting this year, but plans changed. To be honest, I’ve been scared of visiting Italy because I’m worried I’ll never leave. But that’s no excuse to miss out on some of the world’s greatest cities, including Rome, Florence, and Venice.
Greece:
This is another place I can’t believe I haven’t visited before. I really love Greek mythology and history, so I think I’ll be completely spoiled here. Santanorini is also one of the places I’ve most wanted to visit, so I need to ‘tick it off’ whether it’s at the beginning of the year or towards the end. It’s gotta happen.
The Nordic Countries:
I’ve avoided all of the Nordic countries, because, well I don’t love having my wallet violated, but I feel it’s time to visit. I’m torn as to whether I want to visit in summer or winter, as I’d love to see the Northern Lights, but hate the cold.
Japan:
Ah, Japan. As a small child I was obsessed with everything Japanese; the language, the food (well, more like, plain rice hahah), chopsticks, oragami, Hello Kitty and so on. I want to see the quirky side of Japan, the weird restaurants and cafes, the cherry blossoms, the beautiful art, design and clothing. Of course, I want to try all the delicious food too.
The Philippines
I love me a good beach. From what I’ve seen, the Philippines have some of the best beaches, for the best value. Also my assistant lives in the Philipphines so I’d love to meet her. Every single Filippino I’ve met has been the nicest, sweetest thing, so I’d love to be surrounded by them! I’m also missing good ‘value’ travel and I think I’ll find an abundance of it here.
San Fran/Chicago/Colorado:
I’d like to see a bit more of the states. Unfortunately these places aren’t really near each other, but I’ll see how many of them I can visit. I want to go to San Fran to see if it’s somewhere I’d like to base myself for a bit longer. Chicago is somewhere one of my best friends LOVES and it sounds like a really cool city, so I want to visit, especially if she’s back there. Colorado I want to visit for the beautiful scenery and to get some serious skiing in.
So that’s my travel wish list for 2015! It will be interesting to see how things pan out, as I have no idea what I’m doing at this stage. I don’t even know where I’ll be in the next two weeks, but I’m sure it will be exactly where I need to be.
Have you been to any of these places? Do you have any tips? What about your plans? Where are you going in 2015!?
