SHORT VACAY: BANGKOK 4D3N [Part II]

Wat Arun: The Temple of the Dawn

Day 3: 05 Mac 2018 (Bangkok main attractions)

On our third day, our visit mainly focuses on the places at the heart of Bangkok. The first places we went was the Wat Arun. We rode a long-tail boat (orange flag) cruising the river from the Taksin jetty to the Wat Arun which cost us only 15 baht (one-way). Remember that ships with different flag go to a different path and destination. The journey was fun, there were lots of resort, temple, commercial building and home along the sides of the river. Tips -Tourist entering temples are compulsory to wear appropriate attire, no short pants/skirts above knees and shoulder must be covered. When we arrived, there a few stalls open just outside the temple, do not worry if you forgot bringing your long pants or maxi skirt, there near the entrance of the counter, renting cover is available. I have to be honest the temple is beautifully mesmerizing. It is perfect for taking a good photoshoot/picture but always remembers that this place is a holy place, behave and respect the local and the surrounding. 

Wat Arun Temple

After in awe of Wat Arun, we went to Wat Pho which also a Buddhist temple. The uniqueness of this temple is the existence of the giant sleeping Buddha. It was massive, unusual and in gold. Even the wall of the building painted with pictures of a story in the past probably about Buddha ( sorry we did not have a tour guide to explain everything ) but trust me it was detail beautifully. O yah, do not forget to take off shoes and arrange it properly on the rack provided before entering the sacred place. The day we went there the crowds were crazy. There a lot of people coming from different places visiting this place because most blogger recommends it as a must visit sites in Bangkok. Due to the heat, we only stayed inside Wat Pho probably less than 30 minutes. Then continued our journey to The Grand Palace which is not far from the sleeping Buddha. We decided to take Tuk Tuk. The crowds at the Grand Palace was also insane. Ha-Ha. We took lots of photos inside because the buildings are beautiful. Afterward, we visited the Big Swing which is near to the Wat Suthat temple. The red swing is just outside of the temple, and no fee charged. We did not enter the Wat Suthat, but I recommended to visit this place because it was less crowded than the other hotspot temple. Below is briefly the fee and operation hours of the holy places we been visited;

Places	Fee	Operation Hours
Wat Arun	50 Baht	8.00 am – 17.30 pm
Wat Pho	100 Baht	8.00 am – 17.00 pm
The Grand Palace	500 Baht	8.30 am – 15.30 pm

The Sleeping Buddha and the Big Swing (Red)

The evening we visited the Anantha Samakhon Hall which is approximately 2.4 km from the big swing. We rode grab to the destination which cost us inexpensive baht. Luckily, when we went there, the place held a flower festival just outside the building. Before entering the places the authorities checked us, they examine our passport and even scan our bag before allowing us to pass the areas. The scenery in front of the Anantha Samakhon Hall is stunning; there were different colors of real flowers arrange, and the local wore their custom beautifully. It is fortunate of us to see the culture emerge from the event. We tried their local foods from different stalls, saw local do their crafts and even enjoying their traditional song and dance. I felt so close to the local. Tips - Browse exciting events and festivals in Bangkok here.

The local wearing their custom clothes while making a meal

Flower Festival in front of the Anantha Samakhon Hall

The late evening, we went to Siam Paragon, one of Bangkok busiest mall. We went there by train and stop at Siam BTS. We do some window shopping at the mall. At the last minute, we decided to enter the Bangkok Seaworld which is inside the same building. I have never been to any big aquarium and never saw a real-life shark before (poor me). We got an exclusive deal, so the entrance fee we paid was 1490 Baht per adult. You can check this website for up-to-date info on the fees rate. The aquatic life inside the aquarium was fascinating. I saw many varieties of beautiful aquatic flora and fauna. I got a chance to touch Patrick the starfish too. Haha. It was the best experiences. On our earlier plan, we want to go to the 21 Terminal Bangkok, but unfortunately, we have to cancel the plans due to lack of time. 

The mall

Pretty big aquarium there

Creatures you can find in Bangkok Seaworld

I recommended at night at Bangkok take some time to experience the night market, especially in Khoa San Road. We rode Tuk Tuk from Siam Paragon to the market; it took us about 20 minutes (6.7 Km) to get there because of road congestion. We arrived around 7.30 pm, and it is still early, but there were some stalls and shops open. We were strolling around, have char kuew Teoh while waiting the whole market came alive. The Khoa San Road famous for being a backpacker places by tourist and also for hanging out until morning (clubbing). Local open stalls were selling varieties of goods ranging from local foods, bizarre food (scorpion, cockroach, grasshopper, etc.) clothes, crafts, souvenirs, and etcetera. There also had an outdoor massage; it was unique. Before going back to our hostel, we managed visited Asiatique the RiverFront. There were lots of people doing their shopping and had their supper. Interesting about this places was the giant go-around-wheel, we did ride it and experienced the beautiful night view of Bangkok at the top of the Ferris-wheel. It was surreal. The day was over and to conclude it was the hectic fun, memorable day because we had to catch-up all the itineraries we planned and enjoyably visited all the place.

The crowds at night market

You can easily find this stall of bizarre food at Khoa San Road

Night view at Asiatic

Foods we had nyum2!!

Day 4: 06 Mac 2018 (See you again Thailand)

It was our last-half day in Bangkok, where we spent our precious time at several places such as the Lumpini Park, Boat Temple, the Assumption Cathedral, and Robinson Mall before going back home. Our first stop was Lumpini Park. We used BTS from Taksin BTS near our stay to Ratchadamri BTS, walk a few meters before reaching the Lumpini Park. The parks operation hours were from 5.00 am to 9.00 pm, and the entrance was free. The place was huge with trees and an artificial lake where visitors can rent boats. Besides, Lumpini Park offers open public space for activities like jogging and other physical activities. After satisfied relaxing at the park, we went to the Boat Temple a.k.a Wat Yannawa which was near to our stay at The Glur Hostel, again we used BTS. The temple is rare due to its shape which is like a boat, and there were other buildings inside the temple area. It is a recommended place if you want to enjoy temple without crowd and hustle.

Near Taksin BTS

Food glorious food, we had outside the Lumpini Park

Fantastic right the temple in shape of a boat

We went to Assumption Cathedral which was located 1.2 Km from Boat Temple, and it took us less than 10 minutes to reach there by Tuk-Tuk. Assumption Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church which is the main church of the Archdiocese of Bangkok. The church building is beautiful. Before we headed to the airport, we went to Robinson Mall which was just a walk away from our hostel. We had our lunch at McD, noted that fast food premises like McDonald's in Bangkok do not sell HALAL food. Our last stop was the airport, we used BTS from Taksin BTS and stop at the Mochit BTS and takes the A1 bus to the airport. And then we flew home. Home sweet home.

Let's pray

The interior design looks like an old European church

Overall the short vacation was memorable, full of fun, the street foods were delicious, and I am exhausted (in a right way). I am satisfied with what we had achieved, our stay in Bangkok was short, yet we did accomplish most of the plan that we have set. Probably I am going to revisit this country for the second time in this year, and when that time came, I am going to switch on my shopping hunter mode. Lastly, this website might help you with your visit to Bangkok, Thailand soon. 😁

      

SHORT VACAY: BANGKOK 4D3N [Part I]

Tuk-Tuk 

Recently my friend and I went to Bangkok, Thailand for a short vacation. We bought the flight ticket earlier when AirAsia launched their promo last year. I have never visited any part of this country, so it excites me. Since we prefer to travel on a budget, we chose to stay at the hostel, a backpacker's style. So, here is our simple itinerary for your future reference, hopefully, it will help.

Day 1: 03 Mac 2018 ( Hello Bangkok )

We departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport approximately at 1.20 pm and arrived at Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok around 2.30 pm. The local time in Bangkok is an hour late of Kuala Lumpur. After successfully passing through the immigration clearance we booked Grab and went to Chatuchak Weekend Market. There are many alternative transportations from the airport to the city if you want to hurry I recommended to book Grab, choose a taxi meter or rent a car from the airport. The cheaper transportation to the city is using a bus, from the airport get the bus number A1 which heads to Mo Chit BTS.  From there, you can choose to go to any BTS stations.

At the Chatuchak Weekend Market, there are more than a thousand stalls selling varieties of goods ranging from foods, clothes, cosmetics, souvenirs, craft, and the lists go on. The market opens only on Saturday and Sunday from 6.00 a.m until 6.00 p.m. This place is heaven for the shopaholic, trust me the price here is way lower. Even I can't remember how much baht have I spent, totally worth it. We only spent three hours shopping before we went to Sathorn to check-in at the Glur Hostel and Coffee bar. I chose this hostel because the location is strategic and it's inexpensive. For three days stay I only paid RM75.52. Tips to find a good hostel download the Hostelworld app, there you can select your preferred hostel with guidance from the reviews.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

In the late evening, we went to the Hertz rental car by foot, the company distance from our stay probably was less than 3 Km. We were renting a car for our trip the next morning to Pattaya. After walking with more than 10,000 steps, sweating and lost we managed to arrive at the rental car building thanks to the staff.

Here is the list of documents needed to rent a car in Thailand:
1. Passport
2. International driving permit/ driving license
3. Credit card for deposit
* Remember to leave only the copy of the above documents, not the physical one.
** Actually, we forgot our international driving permit back at the hostel, luckily they also accept Malaysian driving license 😁

The last destination was to the Roi Fai Train Market in Srinakarin. We drove to the market. It was an annoying experience because we were stuck in the traffic jam almost an hour before successfully entering the market. Worst we can’t find the perfect spot to take a beautiful night picture from above of the market (actually we gave up quickly to search, due to the tiredness bah!!) Similar to the Chatuchak Weekend Market; the Roi Fai Train Market also sells goods. It is open on Thursday until Sunday and operates around 5.00 pm until 1.00 am. Favorite activities to do there are to chill in the bar, enjoying the music, buy antique souvenirs and of course trying all the foods.

Day 2: 04 Mac 2018 (Exploring Pattaya)

We started our journey early at 6.00 a.m. to Pattaya and went to Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden (NNTBG). The distance between NNTBG from Bangkok city is around 169.1 Km which took us almost two hours to get there. We arrived at the beautiful garden around 8.++ a.m and bought the entrance ticket which costs us 500 baht. The place was huge with lush greenery, flowers, animal sculptures and also traditional buildings/structures. One thing that amazed me throughout this experience was visiting the  Dinosaurs Valley, the size of the replica was huge, and the details are on point. The developer of this place must be creative and ambitious, salute you, sir!!

Trust me, you won't get disappointed

Our next destination was the Pattaya Dolphin World, which was only 12.5 Km from NNTBG. We managed to enter the show arena before the entertainment started. Since I never seen real-life dolphin before, that day, I was so excited. Overall it was a fun and relaxing experiences seeing those cute Dolphins doing their act. P/s you need to pay 100 baht to take photos with the Dolly after the show. Afterward, we went to the Pattaya Floating Market where there were multi-colored shops with traditional Thai crafts and products sold from the waterfront shops and boats. We did not cruise along the river because surveying the markets on foot was doable. We had our lunch, and I did pose for photos while wearing Thai's traditional clothes rented from Thai studio N23, the whole fee was only 320 baht. Haha. Satisfied with all the things we saw and tried in the markets, we went to Jomtien Beach which located almost 10 km from our previous location. We saw lots of people doing their things on the blue beach such as sun-bathing, picnic and enjoying each other companions. That day was so hot, we did not spend much of our time there. Tip: Don't forget to apply sun-protector cream.

Impressive Pattaya

One of the highlights of that day was visiting the Ripley's Believe it or not, it is known as a museum that contains some of the validated and weird things. There were many parts of the museum, but we only purchased tickets for the education tour on the museum, well, there was no staff following us explaining everything, there were just us and some tourist act like in an ordinary museum. The cost was 1250 baht, it was quite costly than any other ticket entrance we went, but overall it was a pleasant and informative experience. After that, we went to The Sanctuary of Truth, but unfortunately, it was closed during our visit at almost 6.00 pm. The operation hours of this place is from 8.00 a.m. until 6.00 p.m. I will definitely going to visit this place in other time. Exhausted, we drove back to Bangkok City directly to our hostel. Thankfully that day the traffic was not crazy, and our journey was smooth. We had our Dinner at Bangrak Bazaar which is in front of our hostel; there were stall selling foods, drinks and also goods like clothes, electronic devices and etc. Stay tuned for the third and last day diary in Bangkok on part two.

WORKING ANNIVERSARY AS AEHO...AEHO?

No!! I am not a salesgirl 😂
Awareness and promoting public on the non-smoking zone in the park areas.

Today marks my 6th years working anniversary as an AEHO. Hooray!! Hooray!! Hooray to my batch of DKP12/2009, we have made this far. There were lots of things happened during those time. The good, the bad, the easy, the hard, the love and the hates along the ways. But all in all, I am entirely grateful for all those memories, the knowledge, the opportunities, and the challenges of working in this field. Partly, I am also thankful for the paycheck I got every month. I got to be honest. Ha-Ha. This entry was a throwback and just a brief story on the journey of how I became an AEHO (exclusion to other past opportunities I had) 

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It was 2008 when the SPM result was released, my friends and I went to school, received the result and joyously we all passed. During those time there was limited availability of wifi or internet connection compared to what we have now. Since we need to fill forms to apply for higher education, my friends and I went to the cyber cafe a.k.a CC and filled all the forms available online. I remembered our family has an old white compact PC computer which was heavier than a 10 kg rice packet  😆 still we did not have internet. The only memory I remembered using the PC was to save school assignment using a floppy disk and stayed up playing pokemon games. I was a pokemon addict back than even the creatures names I still remember until now (mostly from the first season).

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I applied the application online through Suruhanjaya Perkidmatan Awam (SPA). At that time AEHO was known as the health inspector, and I had no ideas what is the job is about. Apart from applying AEHO, I also applied for other courses such as in pharmacy and laboratory field. When my application was accepted and passed, I received a letter to attend the examination and interview. I think I did well on my objectives exam. When I was interviewed I remembered the veteran officer questions, it was like below, back then the question was in Bahasa Melayu;

Greetings and introduction session.

Officer 1: Congratulation, you are offered all the courses, which is the field that you are most interested in? Why? (very straightforward question)

Me: I want to learn more about medicine, and I am interested in the pharmacy field. (I do have interest in pharmacy, looks so cool giving a patient their medication He-He)

Officer 2: Can you give the differences between modern medicine and traditional medicine?

Me: Yes...Blah...blah (I am not so sure if all the point is facts or just fancy made words)

Officer 1: Are you ready to be sent to the rural areas to do your service if you successfully enrolled?

Me: Yes (my tone is confident, but my mind thought what the worst things could happen)

When it was the time to open the result letter, I took a deep breath and had some positive monolog (whatever happen, happen I already did my best). I was shocked when I read the letter because I did not get the pharmacy courses, but at the same time felt joyous due to successfully enrolled in one of the classes (AEHO). Late on December 2008, I prepared and packed everything, I went to the Kolej Kesihatan Awam Kuching located at Batu 7, Kuching, Sarawak. The period of studying was 3 years, where most of my 2 years were in the college and a year undergoing practical in Kinabatangan. There were lots of bittersweet memories. After successfully completed the courses, I did work part-time for probably 3 months. Then, I started working in the Health District Officer in April 2012. 

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Brief right!! I am hoping for a better future and keep moving forward towards dreams and goals. Even if it takes slower progress, it's okay, as long as I step forwards I know there is nothing to regret of.  

SHORT VACAY: SEAHORSE CITY OF MIRI

Last month my friend and I went to visit Miri, Sarawak for a short holiday of 3 days and 2 nights (weekend getaway). Guess what? The trip was planned at the last minute. We bought Air Asia return tickets from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) directly to Miri Airport. Luckily, the ticket’s cost was affordable at that time, it was around RM 150 per person (Ok Lah). We didn’t have enough time to cover all the places of attractions in Miri, but hopefully, this simple plan will help you and give a quick guide for your travel to Miri soon. Just a plain itinerary.

Somewhere at Sarawak Sky

10 Jun 2017 (Saturday)

Early morning, our flight to Miri was scheduled at 7.30 am. We had an incredible journey during the trip, no harsh shaking and the weather was just fine. Bright sunshine and clear sky. We arrived at Miri at around 8.20 am. Upon arrival, we met this one guy from the Greenmatrix rental car company. Previously, my friend had paid and rented Perodua Axia for two and half days which rated approximately RM234 (that was the best deal we’ve got). Thrilled and excited, both of us searched a place to have breakfast to fuel our self before exploring the seahorse city. I can’t remember precisely the name of the restaurant we stop by, but the foods were delicious, and my tummy was in high for a moment.

Delicious food

So the tour began, first we layover in Taman Awam Miri. No entrance fee. What is so cool about this place is that it has a long canopy walk and almost clean public pool (I guess, from my observation) which is rare. I found the surrounding was pleasant and there were only a few people that morning, couples and families. Near this site, located opposite Taman Awam, there was a colorful staircase which leads to nowhere (why bother). Yeah, really!! The staircase doesn’t do anything, but if you’re like me, a photography freak, well an amateur one, you are going to appreciate it and take a photo with that kind of background.

The pool and the stair

Around noon we went to Miri City Fan Recreation Park and the Miri Library. Both of this places located side by side. Again there are no entrance fees to enter both places. The only thing that captured my eyes is the front structure of the library building. Yeap!! Photo, please!! We took several pictures with the huge white pillars (it’s quite famous then). It was a bit boring to explore the recreation park during the high sun due to the absence of people. Maybe, the atmosphere would be different in the evening. Exhausted and experiencing stomach growl, we headed to the Summit Cafe for lunch. Yummy!! I am in love with the dishes. Recommended!!

White pillar vs. my clothe

With our stomach full, we moved to Marina Bay also known as Coco Cabana which is just 2.4 Km from the Summit Cafe. The environment was wonderful. Although the heat from the sun slowly burned our skin, the cold, strong smelly ocean breeze ease the moments. Don’t worry if you got dehydrated because there are a few stalls selling foods and drinks. Remember to bring your families or your loved one to adore the sea and the setting.  I love the sea unconditionally. I can live and relish this view forever. How can you resist this?

Sea. Breeze. Relax. Chill

Almost 3.00 pm we checked in at Coco house. We booked the hostel for two nights through Traveloka app. The app is convenient and easy to use plus it does offer discounts. Imagine for two days we only have to pay RM104.58 for two people (there were, female dorm, male and mixed gender dorms available). Halleluiah!! We rested for almost 2 hours.

Wide awakened we started beach hunting near the town. Miri grant plentiful, beautiful beaches namely Luak Bay and Tanjung Lobang. We went to this mysterious splendid beach. Several people were enjoying the beaches. Kids were building a sand castle, some seen chasing one another. While the adults were taking photos, playing bubble and couple seen enjoying their chit-chat. Hmm!! Not so mystical after all. Okay, I admit it, I forgot the location. It was just a typical beach with the presence of ordinary people enjoying their evening.

Beach is gorgeous

Roughly at 5.30 pm, we headed to the Sky Garden Meritz. Almost all searches on the internet suggested visiting this hotel for a fantastic sunset experience. We ordered our dinner. Delicious. Unfortunately, that day the clouds were too thick, and the view wasn’t as mesmerizing as I have imagined. But all and all it was the perfect occasion to complete day one in Miri. O wait, we did watch Baywatch after that at Bintang Megamall. 

Beautiful sunset

11 Jun 2017 (Sunday)

Early in the morning, around 7.00 am we started our second-day adventure in Miri. I am hysterical, cannot wait to dive in, the forest of Lambir Hills National Park, to be captivated by the natural cave of Niah National Park and be fascinated by the enchanting Tuscan beach in Miri. I had high hope to be blown away by all the sceneries. 

Alert: Things to remember, before continuing the ride, make sure the car tank is full of fuel because the journey can take almost a half day. Also, make sure to bring along full charged power bank, you need to use google maps and Waze along the way (plus you need to update FB and insta, right?). Wear appropriate attire with proper shoes when visiting the National Park (hungry leeches are waiting for you...Blood!! Blood!! Kidding).

It takes almost 40 minutes to reach Lambir Hills National Park, with the distance of 31.4 Km from our hostel. The entrance fee was only RM 10. Due to the Short amount of time, we only manage to hike to watch the Latak Waterfall which was just 2 Km from the main counter.  We spend almost an hours walking, chit-chatting and enjoying the morning ambiance in the forest (only a nature lover would acknowledge the jungle). We also had our breakfast in the canteen. Overall, it was a light sweaty visit.

We departed to Niah National Park around 10.00 am and drove more than one hour to reach the National Park. The distance from Lambir Hills National Park to Niah National Park is about 71.5 Km. Almost 11.30 am, we arrived at the counter and paid the entrance fee for RM 10 / per person. We had our short boat ride. Ha-ha!! I thought it was going to be a long ride.

Proof: I was there

The pathway to get to the main caves was in good condition, but that particular day there was drizzle rain which made the plank a bit slippery. Despite, the moody weather, we succeed in entering the caves and were in awe for a moment. One word, Magnificent!!! The cave was humongous and had strong faulty smelling. I wonder how it is made. There were many visitors during our visit. Relatively, we spend more than three hours there.              

Alert – take you pee and business before the expedition because there are no toilets along the way except for the building near the jetty and at the entrance.

Majestic view, like a painting

Next, we went to Tusan Beach which was approximately 40 minutes from Niah National Park. We were not going farther away from Miri town. The direction of Tusan Beach from Niah Cave was on the way back to Miri town. We arrived at the beach, and there were groups of people already strolled around and enjoyed the sea. The environment of the beach was stunning and windy. Even my eyes caught some sand particles. Fuh!! I was annoyed. Lesson learned, do not forget to bring sunglasses.  Most people went here to take photos with the magical Tusan Cliff that look like a horse head. The view was breathtaking.  Hopefully, in the future, the food and drink shop will be upgraded into more convenient and clean premises.

More beaches

OMG beautiful 

Head horse

Throat reliever

12 Jun 2017 (Monday)

Early in the morning, we spent our last day by watching the sunrise from the top of Canada Hills. We saw the extended sea and entertained by the image of Miri City. There were Petroleum Museum located on the hill. Unfortunately, the museum was closed every Monday. Other attraction near the petroleum museum was the Grand Old Lady Miri also known as Miri well. After we satisfyingly explored the hill, we departed to the heart of Miri city. There we searched for the handicraft shop and bought some souvenirs. Around 11.30 am we went to the airport and returned the rented car.  We waited for our flight and headed home.

Miri at the top hill

Yesss!! Finally, it is finished. Ha-Ha!! If you ask me if I ever want to come back to Miri, the answer is definitely YES. Why? I wish to explore the Mulu cave someday.      

MY FIRST TRAVEL ABROAD: IN SINGAPORE 

A few weeks ago, my friend and I embarked on a fascinating journey to the unfamiliar places called the Lion City of Singapore. The country is small-but-booming and takes only two hours flight from Kota Kinabalu. Since it was my first ever time abroad, of course, I am super duper thrilled. Even though the visit was a short period but the whole experiences was worthy and magical. Unfortunately, in this post, I can not details everything as I am at the moment, immersed and overwhelmed by the trip. I forgot to take essential notes such as costs and other important info which might be helpful. Herein, I show some of the best pictures taken at Singapore. I am definitely coming back soon. Enjoy!!!

Singapore airport is sophisticated and vibrant.

There are 3 main gardens inside the airport. How cool is that?

Even the recycling bin look adorable ha-ha.

We stayed at The Blue Jazz Hostel.

A must see places for all traveler Merlion & the Marina Bay Sand.

A favorite spot to take a photo (Thank God, no competitor).

Taking a cable car at Sentosa

 Brilliant garden at night.

A type of souvenir can be found at Chinatown

The duo friend at Singapore.