Travel tips in Vietnam

Some useful tips when travelling to Vietnam:

Travel tips in Vietnam:

1. Dress appropriately. You don’t have to show too much skin; after all, most Vietnamese dress up conservatively. Dressing up provocatively will only lead to unwanted stares by the locals.
2. Greetings are important. Always address someone politely, especially the ones much older than you. Politeness is a value one must always take with, whether locally or internationally.
3. When visiting holy places such as the Pagodas, dress up properly. If you are unsure of what to wear, follow the locals and feel free to ask around too.
4. Drink enough water. You don’t to bring a big bottle with you; there are many vendors out there selling drinks and mineral water. If you carry a backpack with you, perhaps take a small bottle with you.
5. Always take out your shoe before entering the homes of the Vietnamese. Wearing a shoe inside the house is considered rude. Bear in mind that the Asian lifestyle is different from the Westerners.

How to prepare an Australian Pavlova

The Australian Pavlova was invented in 1935 by a chef from the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Western Australia; his name was Herbert Sachse, and he created the Pavlova to celebrate the visit of the great Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. The Pavlova is one of the country’s most popular dishes.

Cooking Time

75 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 6 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/3 cups caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 200ml pure cream
• 250g frozen raspberries, slightly mashed

Method

1. Heat oven to 200°C. Draw a 24cm (diameter) circle on a sheet of baking paper and then place, pencil-side down, on a baking tray. Dust lightly with 1 teaspoon of cornflour.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) and beat constantly until thick and glossy. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons of cornflour with the last tablespoon of sugar. Fold through vanilla and vinegar.
3. Spoon meringue onto baking paper. Shape into a circle, using the pencil mark as a guide, with a slightly higher edge and a low centre. Reduce oven to 100°C. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and open oven door. Cool completely in oven (Pavlova may sink during cooling).
4. Slide the Pavlova onto a serving plate.
5. Spread with cream and top with raspberries.
6. Your Pavlova is ready to be served.

Bungee Jump in Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia

To those wanting to try the bungee jump, head down to Sunway Lagoon in Malaysia and try it yourself!

Jump down 22m from above; the jump is as high as a nine-storey building! Jumpers will have 2 options; they can choose to either jump down individually or do the water-touch, which allows them to touch the water before the bungee cord pulls them back up again. Exciting isn’t it? Yes, it is exciting indeed!

To join the fun, all jumpers must be at least 10 years of age, with a minimum weight of 35kg or maximum of up to 285 kg. Each jump will cost you RM100 (for non-MyKad holder) and RM50 (for MyKad holder).

Hurry up and experience this adrenalin rush moment! If you managed to jump successfully, you’ll be awarded with a Bungee Jump Certificate from Bungee Malaysia.

*Please be noted that Bungee Jump in Sunway Lagoon is spelled as “Bungy Jump”

Travel tips when travelling overseas

Travel tips:

1. When travelling overseas, make sure you snap as many photos as possible! Store these pictures in your external hard disk to ensure that you have enough space to store new pictures.

2. Instead of making calls from your hotel room, why not use phone cards or better, a LocalSIMKad™ of your destination!

3. Make sure you have enough cash and do keep your cash and credit cards in a secured place.

4. Before leaving your hotel room, double check the things under your bed; you’ll never what is left behind.

5. If you wish to wash your undergarments, it’s better to wash them manually using your hands and the bathroom basin available as it is much cheaper than sending it to the hotel’s laundry service.

Work in Dubai

Want to work abroad? Yes, you can! There are many places that you can go to and it also depends to your interest as well; work in a place that you think you can be comfortable in. Well, if you have no experience staying abroad, perhaps experience it yourself! Dubai is one of the great places to work in although there are of course, the black and white sides about it. Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of working in Dubai, shall we?

Some of the things that you should put into consideration:

1.      Financial

In Dubai, you will get to enjoy an income tax free salary! This way, you can always save up more money in your bank account. Having more money in the bank is essential as you may need those extra cash for the rainy days. Why pay so much when you can save more?

2.      Culture

Dubai is a place of culture, both local and international. You will get to see a lot of foreigners around the country; people from all over the world come here to work as Dubai is a country that requires professionals from other countries. Due to the multi-cultural population, you will get to learn about other cultures, language, and religion. However, there are people who prefer to work with people from their own kind; they’re not racist, but some people just have their own preference in certain things.

3.      Travel experience

Working in Dubai enables you to learn and know people from different cultures and backgrounds. Well, if you think getting to know people around Dubai is not enough, you are most welcomed to visit its neighbouring countries! Try visiting Syria, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and many more. You will get to learn more because although each country may practise different lifestyle and holds different political and religious views, they are very kind and welcoming people. This is also the best time to learn Arabic or perhaps, belly dancing!

4.      Free trip home

Being far from your friends and family back home can be stressful sometimes as many people actually suffered from home-sickness when they stay abroad for a very long time. But, don’t worry, if you’re lucky, you might get your company to pay for your trip back to your home country. Most companies in Dubai would do that, so cross your fingers!

5.      Freedom

Working in Dubai is an experience no one should miss! This emirate city has the largest population and second largest land territory among all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi. It is also one of the most well-known Arab countries for having more freedom compared to the other Middle-east countries. Night clubs are available, so you and your friends can always come over for a beer. Yes, there are more freedom here but remember to always behave too.

6.      Climate

Dubai has a very hot arid climate and if you can’t stand the heat, be prepared for this if you are going to stay there for a very long time. Summer in Dubai is even hotter; it is also windy and humid (108 °F in average). Most people find it to be uncomfortable, but to those who are used to hot weather, they tend to adapt faster.

7.      Habits

Likewise, there are so many people of different nationalities in Dubai. Can you imagine how many types of people that you’ll be dealing with? There are good and bad people; you have to learn to tolerate with others, especially when driving on the road. The road is definitely a place that challenges one’s patience.

8.      Learn to respect

You probably have your own views on certain things and the values practised are also different than the others, especially those from different cultures and backgrounds. If you are not careful with your words, this may lead you to some unwanted actions. Learn to be a good listener and bear in mind that some things are just for you to know; you don’t want to touch on sensitive issues that may put yourself into troubles. Always respect the locals and learn to be patient. If you have to learn to be or behave like the locals, try to do so; but, NEVER compare and downgrade their culture. You don’t want them to tell you to get out from the country, don’t you? So, learn to respect and love each other.

Travel tips when travelling to the Philippines

If you are planning to visit the Philippines, here are some travel tips that you should consider:

1. Travel light if possible; travel with what you really need only.

2. When you travel to the Philippines, bring light clothing especially if you are coming during summer. Wearing cotton Tees, shirts, pants and walking shorts are advisable. For ladies, a hat will protect you from the sun. A pair of sunglasses with UV protection would come in handy too. If you are someone adventurous, do wear sneaker or sport shoe!

3. Be modest wherever you go & avoid talking about sensitive issues with the locals to avoid arguments and misunderstandings.

4. If you are going to Mindanao (southern Philippines) where some areas are predominantly Muslims, make sure you dress conservatively especially, amongst women. Watch your language too.

5. Always travel with insurance.

6. Filipinos are very friendly and welcoming people. The Philippines has a lot to offer its visitors. Discover the country & get to know the locals & their culture. You will have fun if you get to know their lifestyle better=)

 

Let’s play in Everland, Korea!

Did you know that you can take your kids to the Amusement and Theme Parks in Seoul? One of the most popular is Everland (Ebeoraendeu). It is located in Yongin, a suburb of Seoul, at 310 Jeondae-ri, Pogok-myeon, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do and it is the biggest theme park in South Korea. Everland would surely blow your mind.

Everland attracts about 2.6 million worldwide visitors. It was also the 10th most visited amusement park in 2007. There are a lot of cool attractions such as the Everland’s zoo and water park, which is known as Caribeban Bay. Did you know that Everland is operated by Samsung Everland? Samsung Everland is a subsidiary of Samsung Group.

The park is divided into 5 distinct zones, which are Global Fair, European Adventure, Magic Land, Zoo-Topia, and American Adventure:

The Global Fair is basically a place for visitors to buy food, souvenirs and pictures. There are a lot of shops here as well as special services such as stroller rental and lockers.

Zoo-Topia is a place for animal lovers; there are petting zoo, pony rides, and animal shows. If you wish to watch wild animals, you can ride on the Safari bus where you get to see these animals live! Did you know that the Zoo-Topia’s elephant, named Kosik, is famous for its ability to imitate Korean words? Awesome!

If you want to visit restaurants with European themes, head to the European Adventure! There is a flower garden encircled by a train, games and arcades and the ‘Mystery Mansion’ is another place of interest here where visitors get to shoot at ghosts. The ‘T-express’ is the first roller-coaster in Korea which is made out of wood.

Magic fans out there can also visit Magic Land, a great place to experience fun rides. The American Adventure on the other hand displays an American history theme; you’ll get to ride on the Wild West rides, Eagle’s Fortress thrill ride and the rodeo.

Harajuku in Japan

You can find weird stuff in Japan, even weird styles. Japan after all, is a country full of curiosity. ‘Harajuku’ is the name of a place in Tokyo, Japan. This place displays its very own fashion trend, called the ‘Harajuku’. Every Sunday, young teens will dress up in different styles such as Gothic Lolita, Visual Kei, Decota, and Cosplay. These people would spend their time at Harajuku, showing off each other’s cool outfits and it is also one of the best ways to make new friends of the same interest. The Jingu Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that connects Harajuku to its neighbouring area, Shrine. Although some may find this fashion trend to be weird, designers from all over the world are creatively inspired by it and helped to promote and display it worldwide. The Harajuku is also a large shopping spot that sells international and local brands.

This trend includes all kinds of styles, so regardless to whatever styles you may prefer, as long as you are dressed up uniquely at Harajuku, you are displaying the Harajuku style. You’ll get to see some youngsters in cyber-punk style too; since this style takes after the gothic fashion, teens tend to wear dark-coloured clothes. Cosplay is pretty famous too; it is a costume-based style where costumes of favourite comic or anime characters are worn. If you are planning to visit Japan, make sure you visit Harajuku; perhaps dress like one.

Check out some of these photos; even Gwen Stefani loves it! Enjoy =D

Travel tips when travelling to Vietnam

Here are some travel tips for travellers who are travelling or planning to travel to Vietnam.

1. Taxi services are available at all time. The prices is about 1$ for the first 2km, and every kilometre thereafter costs about 0.5$. Try asking the locals about the rates to prevent yourself from getting cheated by dishonest taxi drivers.
2. If you prefer to drive, you can also rent a car or motorbikes which are available at most travel agencies. There are a wide range of cars you can rent there.
3. There are lots of fresh fruits such as oranges, dragon fruit, and apple which are widely available. It is recommended that all fruits should be peeled before eaten.
4. Drink enough mineral water in bottle if possible since there are cheap and available everywhere. It’s best not to drink water or tea with ice from the street. They may not be clean, so don’t take the risk!

Phra Borommathat Chedi Kanchanaphisek chedi, Thailand

One of Thailand’s interesting monuments is the Phra Borommathat Chedi Kanchanaphisek chedi that was constructed by the people of Phetchabun for their King. It is located on the summit of Khao Kho, next to the Witchamai Punyaram monastic residence. People will perform religious ceremony here such as candlelight procession around the temple.