Category Archives: Abroad

Southeast Asian Series: Transit to Yogyakarta

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Every hour matters. Four hours of sleep on a comfy bed was already a blessing. At first, I was thinking that my travel buddy, Ate Macon and I should just sleep at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. But I guess, both of us were not yet prepared for that. Despite being sleepy, we have to force ourselves to get up and catch the Aerobus scheduled to depart KL Sentral at 5:00 am.

Staying at MyHotel Sentral was a good choice. As soon as we exit the mini-hotel, we were just a few steps away from the Aerobus and successfully boarded it. The fare is 1RM cheaper than AirAsia’s Skybus which I’ve tried during my arrival in KL. The fare of Aerobus is RM8 (Php 110.87)  while a ticket of Skybus costs RM9.

It took us an hour to reach the Low Cost Carrier Terminal. It’s 6:00 am. Our flight is at 7:00 am. It was a wise decision to use AirAsia’s web check-in. But what I disliked about it was that I cannot choose my seat since the seating arrangement is assigned when you check-in online. I used to select a window seat but this time, I was assigned in between two seats. Great. (insert sarcasm here).

Good thing, the LCCT Terminal has a good number of food kiosks at the waiting area. So we filled our hungry stomachs before departing KL.

photo by macon

When our flight number was called for boarding, we lined up along with other passengers who were mostly Malaysians and Indonesians. I guess we’re the only Filipinos who were boarding that flight to Yogyakarta.

It was dark and drizzling outside. Guess what, we have to run in the rain. They didn’t have umbrellas to accompany the passengers. Oh well.

Here’s a map of the transit: Total Distance: 971 miles (KL-Jogja)

 

THE FLIGHT TO JOGJA

Hay, I didn’t get the window seat but at least I can sleep. Travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Yogyakarta was around 2 hours and 25 minutes. Yogyakarta, Indonesia is 1 hour behind Malaysia. Malaysia and the Philippines are in the same time zone.

I got to rest my eyes for an hour. My seatmate was so noisy. She was giggling with her other companions. It was really disappointing that I didn’t get the window seat. Silhouettes of volcanoes started to appear. Since my seatmate was also shooting, here’s the only shot that I got. I think it’s Mt. Merapi.

The plane landed at the Adisucipto International Airport at around 8:35 am. When I was about to get my bag, my other seatmate on my left helped me to get it from the overhead cabin. Yes, there were still good people.

After the long line out, Ate Macon and I alighted from the plane. We cheered like kids, “Yey!”

photo courtesy of macon

photo courtesy of macon

Finally, we’re on our second leg of the Southeast Asian Challenge: Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Yogyakarta is pronounced as [Jog-ja-karta]. From the airport, I’ve already noticed how they incorporated their art through the architecture of the airport. The rooves were made of terracotta tiles.

The arrival area was small making it crowded for the numerous passengers that have just arrived.

IMMIGRATION

Ate Macon easily passed the immigration because of her SG workpass. On the other hand, I was still asked some questions by the immigration. Only few Filipinos visit Yogyakarta. It’s not the usual destinations for Pinoys who are on a holiday. So what are the questions? Just the basics: What are you doing here? Are you alone? I said, “No.” I then pointed to my companion. The key here was to answer confidently. Don’t stutter. Don’t be afraid and everything will be alright.

MONEY CHANGER

Since I didn’t have any Indonesian Rupiahs (IDR) with me, I had to change a few bills at the Airport. The foreign exchange rate here was small so I only changed a few USD to IDR. Their rate: 1 USD is equal to 8,000 IDR. The going rate was 1 USD= 9,185 Rupiah. I changed 50 USD which gave me 400,000 IDR. In Pesos, my pocket money was Php 1,839.08.

In Indonesia, one can be a millionaire! :)

After we left the money changer counter, I went on to find their Tourism desk to ask for maps. They gave out a card-like map with the size of a bond paper.

photo courtesy of macon

Hoards of taxi drivers and tour operators approached us and asked if we want to avail of their tours. I was determined that we do it the DIY way for Prambanan. I’ve researched well enough. PTB friends FlipNomad and FramelessWorld Bino Caina (Thanks Flip and Bino!) gave tips as well on how to commute from the airport to Prambanan, our next destination.

Ate Macon was hungry so she decided to eat first at KFC. I wanted to try local dishes so I did not eat. My mistake. I forgot that our itinerary was jampacked that day.

To be Continued….

*This is the first post of my Indonesia Series, part of the 57-hour Southeast Asian Challenge

Southeast Asian Series: 17 hours in Kuala Lumpur

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The body is like a car that needs fuel. Even if you’re traveling on a budget, never sacrifice on food. The body needs energy. This was lesson number one in my Southeast Asian trip.

It was around 11:30 am when the plane flew to the skies. I forgot to order an inflight meal and fell asleep. When I opened my eyes, it’s already quarter to 2:00 pm. The plane’s about to land at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Yes, the challenge has begun.

From afar, the LCCT looked like a warehouse but it was presentable. Travelers from different countries hurried to queue in front of the immigration counters. As a first timer at the LCCT airport, I took my time to observe the people. If my estimate’s right, there were hundreds of passengers who were rushing here and there. Tourism in Malaysia is indeed healthy.

KL Immigration

I lined up and prayed silently that the immigration won’t question my itinerary. Nonetheless, I was prepared to explain that I’ll be going to Yogyakarta after. It was my turn. I handed out my passport and smiled. He just stared at me, put the stamp, and returned my passport. No questions asked. Yes! Maybe, he saw the two previous visits in KL.

It’s my third time to enter Kuala Lumpur. The first one was for a work assignment. I covered a technology event. The second one was for the Youth Engagement Summit, which is also work-related. This third one was really just a transit to Yogyakarta.

Thank God for the free wifi at the LCCT terminal. I readily checked my Facebook to send a message to my travel buddy, Ate Macon, who came from Singapore. She arrived earlier than me since SG was nearer to KL. We agreed to meet at My Hotel. I wasted no time and bought a bus ticket to KL Sentral for RM9 (Php 125.50). It was past 3pm. I heard my stomach grumbling. But I have to run and chase the bus or else I would be waiting again for another 15 minutes.

I just followed the signage outside the LCCT terminal. I was catching my breath when I called the attention of the conductor to wait for me. Thank God! I was able to get in the bus just in time. I was the last passenger to board the Skybus.

RIDING the Skybus

At first glance of the bus, most of the seats were taken until I saw the first row, where a bag was placed on top of the seat. I politely asked the European (?) to please put down his bag. He did remove it. But instead of sitting on the vacated seat so I can sit easily on the aisle seat, he did not bother moving to the window seat. So I have to exert extra effort to get into my seat. Whew! Sigh of relief.

It was already 4:00 PM when the bus arrived at the KL Sentral Station. The airport was an hour away from the city. My initial instinct was to climb the stairs to the station. I was scanning the map of the station trying to find how I can get to MyHotel Sentral. A Malaysian guy who thought I was lost said, “Excuse me miss, may I help you? What are you looking for?”

FINDING MyHotel 

I replied, “I’m looking for MyHotel Sentral.” He said, “Oh. Just go down and cross the streets.” I thanked him and returned downstairs. I was still clueless but trusted what he said. My feet led me to the other side of what seemed like an under construction pathwalk. I followed the people passing by until I reached a road. I crossed the street and saw MyHotel Sentral. Whew! The guy was right. It was just a few meters away from KL Sentral Station.

The security of the hotel opened the door and asked if I have a reservation. I told him that my friend has booked already. Weary from the travel, I sat down on the sofa and texted ate Macon. Then the receptionist noticed me. I asked her if my friend has arrived already. And she answered affirmatively. Relieved.

After a few minutes, we met. I went up to the room, dropped my bag, and rested. The room came with a complimentary bottle of water. The thirst was quenched.My stomach could not take it anymore.

FINALLY, Lunch!

We returned to KL Sentral Station. And guess, where we ended up eating? The fastfood with the golden arches—McDonalds. It was a lunch and early dinner at 5:00PM. My energy was back!

On our way back, I saw a tourist information center at the KL Sentral Station and asked for maps.

Photowalk at BRICKFIELDS

From KL Sentral Station, we walked to Brickfields Little India. I first saw it in pictures, which then inspired me to visit it.

The artistic lamp posts and feminine-looking arches welcomed us.The sight and smell of Brickfields made it a piece of India in Kuala Lumpur.

Indian women fancy clothes outside a shop while men were eating merrily at a nearby eatery.

Scary Vendor at Jalan Petaling

After the glimpse of Little India, we went to China—China Town that is. Just a few steps away from Brickfields was the KL Monorail Sentral Station. While waiting for the train, I checked on the map and Ate Macon caught it on cam. Hahaha. It made me looked like Dora the Explorer.

Photo courtesy of Macon

For a fare of RM 1.60 (Php 22.31), we boarded the train to Maharajalela (I really had a hard time pronouncing this one).

Jalan Petaling (Petaling Street) or China Town is just a few steps away from the Maharajalela Station. On our way down the station, we passed by this Buddhist Temple.

It has caught our attention because of the intricate designs on the wall. Imagine how the sculptors made these.

During my first visit to KL in 2009, I went to Jalan Petaling. This made it easy for me to return to the place. They say that the cheapest goods can be found from Jalan Petaling.

From wrist watches, bags, clothes, and other souvenirs, you can find them in this busy street. Bargain hard. When the vendor bids his price, haggle for the 50% off the price. Most items were marked-up way higher than the true value of the product. But just a word of caution: Some vendors may become rude.

While browsing for a bag, we haggled but then we still wanted to compare with others. Then this vendor went mad and yelled at us. He was so furious. We walked fast away from him. It was really scary. We had a sigh of relief when we found another vendor who was calm and very approachable. This was how a vendor should be to his customers. And because of his attitude towards customers, he made a sale.

Promoting the Philippines in KL

The sun was bidding farewell. From Jalan Petaling, we walked to Jalan Tun Hslee, where the 7/11 store and the S & M Warisan Shopping Center are located.

We bought drinks and waited for JV, our FC brod who’s working in KL as a teacher. Check out what I saw at 7-11: A newspaper whose name reads “Utusan Malaysia”. In Filipino, Utusan means servant. But it has a negative connotation.

While waiting, the staff of the store asked us, “You Filipina?” I smiled and answered affirmatively. He then began telling us that he’s going to Manila, Philippines. My ambassador button was on and there I was sharing the beauty of the Philippines in KL. He said it would be his first time in the Philippines. I urged him to visit the islands too.

After 20 minutes, JV arrived with a car. Ate Macon was thrilled. We weren’t aware that JV would be picking us up with his own car. Yey!

 The Dazzling Twins

From Jalan Tun Hslee, JV drove us to the famous icon of KL- the Petronas Twin Towers. It was my third time to visit these towers but it always felt like the first one. I hope one day, I can get inside the towers so I can climb to the bridge that connects the two.

We entered KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center), one of the luxurious malls in KL.

my travel buddies in KL: JV and Macon

From there, we exited to the park. Kuala Lumpur has one of the best public parks that I’ve seen.

This proves that the money of the taxpayers were put into good use. I do hope that someday I’d see the same for the Philippines.

Outdoor Dinner at Jalan Alor

It was already 10pm when we left the park to go to Jalan Alor for dinner. Jalan Alor is a street where you can taste some of the best Malaysian cuisines.

I ordered Bah Kut Teh with rice for RM 12 (Php 166.84) while ate Macon ordered Char Kway Teow.

Bah Kut Teh is a healthy dish with tofu, beef, and vegetables. It was good for the price.

bah kut teh

Goodmornight KL!

We called it a day when the clock struck at 11 pm. We were back at the MyHotel around 12am.  As soon as I saw the bed, I was dead tired. Whew! And guess what, we have only 4 hours to sleep!

We need to leave KL by 5am to reach the LCCT Airport by 6am. Flight was at 7:30am. Oh Yes, that’s how tight this trip was. But nonetheless, every second, every minute, every hour was worth treasuring.

Southeast Asian Series: Departing from Clark Airport

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The airport is a bittersweet place. It is where families, friends and loved ones wave goodbyes to departing passengers. It is also where people welcome arriving travelers.

It was no different when I was at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. We parted after the comforting hugs. And there I was, with only my backpack and courage. I showed my passport and printed itinerary to the security personnel and had my backpack checked in the scanner.

As a first timer at the Clark Airport, I first let my eyes wander and observe. Many passengers were in line at the check-in counters. Good thing, I already had my web check-in online. Though I printed the boarding pass for the airport security check, I still wanted to try if the code from my phone will work. I walked to the self-service web check-in machines of AirAsia. It was so amazing to scan the code from my phone and print the boarding pass. How I wish other local airlines will do the same.

After printing my boarding pass, I went to the Philippine Travel Tax section to pay the required Php 1,620 travel tax of TIEZA. It’s okay to pay as long as you see where your money go. But where do travel taxes go TIEZA? I can’t see any improvement that justifies the payment of the travel tax.

After the travel tax was paid, I filled out the departing passengers form and paid the terminal fee of Php 600. The Clark Airport terminal fee is lower by Php 150. At the NAIA terminals, they charge Php 750 for the terminal fee.

There was no line at the immigration counters so I was readily called. I smiled at the officer and gave out my passport. The questioning began. As I observed, the officer tried to sound threatening with his questions. I just answered confidently to every question that he threw at me. There were relevant questions but there were also irrelevant questions.

RELEVANT QUESTION: Bakit wala kang return flight sa Clark? (Why don’t you have a return flight bound for Clark?)

ANSWER: My return flight is bound for Manila from Singapore. Of course, it’s nearer to my home. I ‘ll be flying here at Clark because AirAsia’s here and I bought a ticket on sale. (Good thing, I printed the itinerary of my return flight. I showed it to him then.)

IRRELEVANT QUESTION: Anong course mo at saan ka nag-aral? ( What’s your course and Where did you study?)

ANSWER: As much as I would like to say, “It must be the baby face but I’m no longer a student. lol…“ I said confidently, “I graduated with a degree of BS Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Banos.” (I would have added with flying colors but chose not to.)

After that, he was silent and did not ask any further questions. He handed out my passport and off I went to the departure area. Whew! Sigh of relief.

I looked around and sat at one of the benches. Most of the passengers bound for Kuala Lumpur were foreigners and overseas Filipino workers.

Thank God for the chocolate banana sandwiches that J made for me. Somehow, it filled the hunger. It was 11:00 am. It’s time to board the plane. Goodbye Philippines! In 3 hours, hello again KL! And the 57-hour Southeast Asia challenge begins in KL.

Southeast Asia: The 57-hour Challenge

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57 hours around Southeast Asia? Are you kidding me? Impossible? Crazy?

This may raise your eyebrow but yes, it was possible. It was one of my craziest trips to date. But why 57 hours? Here’s the story.

My trips always begin with seat sales because I want to maximize my budget and make travel affordable.

Around October 2011, I saw the teaser of AirAsia’s zero fare seat sale. I was firm to explore other countries that don’t require visas. Fortunately, being a Filipino has its perks. Southeast Asian countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos) don’t require visas for Filipinos. I did not let the chance passed and booked flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It cost me Php 4,000 for the four segment flights.

Originally, my route was Clark to KL then from KL to Yogyakarta and back to KL. Then from KL, I planned to take a bus to Singapore. The trip was scheduled on March 27 until April 1, 2012.

2012 came in. As February approaches, I realized that my youngest brother would be graduating from college in March. I was torn between pursuing the trip or canceling it. Mama won’t allow me to be absent on his graduation. And yes, family’s important.

Thank God for another round of seat sales. I was able to fix my route–Clark>KL>Yogyakarta>SG>Manila. Whew! I believe that it’s better to grab opportunities than regret them later.

So what’s the challenge? To have an enriching experience in 57 hours around Southeast Asia with a Php 15,000 budget.

Let me share what I read recently from my favorite novelist Paulo Coelho in his novel, Aleph: “I started traveling like a mad thing. The great lessons I learned had been precisely those that my journeys had taught me.”

“Travel is never a matter of money but of courage. I spent a large part of my youth traveling the world as a hippie and what money did I have then? None. I barely had enough to pay for my fare but I still consider those to have been the best years of my youth…”

Here’s the map of my Southeast Asian Challenge:

How did I deal with the immigration officers of all countries? This was one of the questions posted by one of my readers. I would share these stories in my succeeding posts. :)

Commuting 101: Getting around Hong Kong

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What I love the most about Hong Kong is their transportation. It’s easy to go from one place to another, be it through their MTR system, the traditional TRAM, bus or the Star Ferry. All you need is one access card to pay for the fare. This access card is called the Octopus Card. It’s like your stored value card used in the MRT in the Philippines.

Since we stayed in Hong Kong for 6 days & 5 nights, we bought an octopus card for easy transport. Being a DIY Traveler, the Octopus Card has become our friend during our stay there. An Octopus Card costs HK$ 150 (Php 827). This card has a credit worth HK$100 (Php 551.00) while the HK$ 50 served as a refundable deposit. When you leave Hong Kong, you can return the card and you get your HK$50.

The next important thing is to get a map. As soon as you arrive at the airport, get maps. These maps would really help you do your trip at your own pace and time. I would share our itinerary in a different post.

Types of Transportation in Hong Kong: 

  • Tram- The tram is one of the icons of Hong Kong. You shouldn’t miss riding this. Getting around via the tram would only cost you HK$2.00 (Php 11.00). But you should also be careful when you alight, you might get yourself into an accident since there are at least three railways. We almost got ourselves into an accident when we were there.
  • Star Ferry- The Star Ferry is one way of enjoying a scenic ride from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island. You should do this when the sun is about to set or at night time. Fare is HK$2.20 (Php 12.00). On our way back to Kowloon, I saw this junket cruising.

  • Bus- There are numerous buses around Hong Kong. But you should be aware of the codes corresponding with the routes of the buses. The maps or other tourist brochures would guide you.

  • TAXI- You can always hail a cab if you want but flag down rate is HK$18.00 (Php 99.25) and sometimes the driver asks for an additional HK$15.00 (Php 82.70). Yes, they’re similar to drivers in the Philippines.
  • MTR- Commuting around Hong Kong via the MTR is very convenient. They have 7 lines. The MTR from Kowloon Station also connects you to the airport via the airport express. So when you’re on a rush to chase your flight, this is your best option. You should expect a large number of commuters during rush hours. When taking their elevators, hold tight because the elevators are fast too. If you have a smartphone, you can download their apps to plan your trip


FARES and DESTINATIONS (based on what we spent in Dec 2010): 

via MTR (You can check out updated rates here)

  • Jordan (Kowloon Island) to Central Station- HK$ 7.90 (Php 43.55)
  • Going to Ngong Ping Village- Central to Tung Chung (Ngong Ping Village/ Lantau Island) – HK$ 13.8 (Php 76.00)
  • Going to Disneyland- Central (HK Island) to Sunny Bay Station (gateway to HK Disneyland)- HK$ 16.6 (Php 91.53)
  • Going to the Airport- Airport Express -HK$ 70.00 (Php 385.97)

via the Bus

  • Going to Ocean Park- From Admiralty Station (MTR), you can take the bus 629 going to Ocean Park. Fare is HK$ 10.00 (Php 55.13)

 via the TAXI

  • Salisbury to Kowloon ( Tung Chung Line for Airport Express) – HK$ 24.00 + HK$15.00 (additional)= HK$ 39 (Php 215.00)

via the Star Ferry

  • Going to Victoria Peak – Take the Star Ferry at the Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. Then alight at Pier 7 in Hong Kong Island. Fare is HK$ 2.20 (Php 12.00) From Central, take bus no. 15 C (It’s a maroon open-top bus) just a few meters away from the pier. Fare is HK$4.20. This bus will bring you to the Peak Tram Station, your gateway to the Victoria Peak.

via the Peak Tram

  • This tram gives you a 45 degree-angle ride when going to the Victoria Peak. Return ticket (roundtrip) costs HK$40.00 (Php 220.55). The Peak is where the Madam Tussauds Wax Museum is.

How I wish the Philippines is well connected too. But with 7,107 islands, how can transport system be connected? hehe. Nonetheless, in the Philippines, commuting is more fun–that is through island hopping.