Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Singapore - City in a Garden!


The concept of Gardens by the Bay are the principles of environmental sustainability. Such effort was made to plan and design for sustainable cycles in energy and water throughout this lovely garden in the heart of a busy city.

From the famous Marina Bay Sands you can just cross a bridge linking to this beautiful Garden. Spanning at hundred and one hectares of greenery that would make you feel very relaxed and connected with nature. Its a great way to end a very tiring and busy day at work or if you happen to be a tourist then i can say after your wanderlust and shopping spree in the city a lush green garden is a perfect way to spend a laidback and soothing afternoon or night to put away all that tensions and pressures of the city life.

This Garden has two cooled conservatories - Flower dome and Cloud Forest dome that showcases different plants that can be found from Mediterranean, semi-arid tropical to tropical mountain regions. For the 2 conservatories the tickets for both costs S$28 for tourists and S$20 for locals, PRs and employment pass holders . But if you dont want to spend any money dont fret because there are outdoor horticultural themed gardens and lake that you can still enjoy. There are benches around the garden where you can sit and relax and listen to the sounds of birds and frogs. Fireflies are the only ones that are missing. :D

 There are also these super trees that are gigantic tree like structures that stands tall at 25 - 50 metres that has environmentally sustainable functions that comes alive at night displaying a myriad of fascinating light display and sound. At one point i was feeling i was in the 2009 James Cameron movie Avatar. The Gigantic trees with the sounds and the dazzlings lights makes me have that awesome feeling that im in Pandora's biosphere. Definitely it brings out the child in me.



Tips: If you're planning to visit on a day, do bring your sunnies and your sunblock. You know how hot it can get here in Singapore. Plus an insect repellant will come handy. :) Foods and drinks are allowed on outdoor gardens but there are cafes and restaurant around but quite not friendly for the budget conscious people.  

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Who wouldnt know about the Petronas Towers? The famous twin towers located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? The two skyscraper that looks like their dearly holding each others hands. Promising and telling each other not to leave each side and to stay together forever?! Okay well, that is how i see them..

Funny and silly it may sound, but i thought it was a romantic place to visit. To gaze at this beautiful and mighty skyscrapers that stands tall at 1,483 ft on a breezy night against a pale moonlight.. Ah how lovely! Okay, thats me dreaming back in university days, thats almost a decade ago. And yes thats how i pictured KL, and of course it with be lovelier if i'll experience all this with a special someone or atleast with somebody.

I dreamed of it. We dreamed of it. Luckily i have a bestfriend who agrees with all my antics, delusions, craziness and fantasies. And promised to go there together. But sometimes it makes me think that if he was just caught up with my antics and he just didnt have much of a choice? OR maybe because were both engineers that always sees romantic and lovely things over and even a stiff building or structure. I hope so. :D

Fast forward, after almost a decade, things changed and so as people. I stick to my dream to visit this lovely scraper. And I did. But not with the person who promised me to witness the mighty tower. Maybe it wasnt really his dream, maybe it was all mine, mine alone..

TRAVEL TRIPS & TIPS w/less drama and more on info :

I went with my close girl friend and her friend for a 3 day trip to KL and stayed in a hotel around KLCC area. The place was pretty like Manila, loud and busy street and yes the traffic jam. Specially during rush hours. It can be a bumper to bumper scenario that reminded me of my Good old Manila. But despite of all this KL is still a very interesting city to visit. You could always find stuff that will fascinates and feeds the wanderlust in you.

We spent our time in Suria KLCC the huge shopping centre at the base of the tower that offers wide luxury and fashionable shops that will make every shopaholics go gaga! :D KLCC also houses some good restaurants, cafes, cinemas, art galleries and a science discovery centre.

At night there are nice spots to dine, chill and just simply enjoy the lovely night over a bottle of a beer or a glass of your favorite mojitos.

But if youre in the mood for partying, there is this famous dance club also near the KLCC area called ZOUK. Just grab your stilletos and some sexy outfit and party the night away.


During our stay we also visited Genting Highlands or the Resort World Genting. This resort has a themepark, casino, hotels, event centers, dining and shopping outlets. It is a great place for fun and entertainment for everyone.





Genting is 1 hour taxi ride from KLCC and other means of transpo is to take a bus and cable car combo that will takes about 2 hours which is much cheaper than taking a cab.. Its located up in the highlands so be sure to bring a jacket or something to make you warm.

Another must visit place and not so far in KL is the the Batu Caves. But unfortunately i wasnt able to visit this place since my friends are not so keen to see the shrine..:( But as ive read and heard from other friends it is a cool place to visit. This caves are located in Gombak District 13 half an hour travel from KL you can get through here by cab or by bus. But now i heard you can get here by train. Will research when i visit.. This famous limestone hill is a series of Hindu temple caves and shrines that is dedicated to Lord Murugan. At the top is the main cave that visitors need to climb the steep stair with 272 steps in able to reach it. At the base of the hill is the huge Murugan Statue that greets the visitors upon entering the shrines. I borrowed from a friend J.M. for a photo of the beautiful statue.

Promise I'll come back and visit you Batu Caves..


And for our last stop is no other than but the chinatown in KL. A fun and cheap shopping spree for souvenirs. And yes we also tried some local street food. Yumm..

PS: Beware of overcharged taxi rates! Even for a short distance some will ask for excessive fares. Make sure and make clear to them to use the taxi meter and no add ons!

On the other side..

I wonder how its like at your end..
Do you walk, sleep and eat like I do? Like everybody elses?
Is grass way much greener on the the other side as Macy Gray sings on her song?

Yes i can get answers with some clicks on good 'ol google..
I can see your ways and details on a picturesque manner, thanks to Godly invention - Internet.
But what i really want is to be there with you on the other side of this lonely world..

Bali, Indonesia

Im pretty sure most ladies have seen or read the story about a woman's search for everything across the world. The title of this memoir is Eat, Pray, Love. The american author Elizabeth Gilbert wrote about her trip around the world after her divorce and what she discovered during her travel. She visited Italy, eating and enjoying life. She went in India, finding her spirituality and ended her travel in Bali, Indonesia, looking for balance of the two and found love.

Having seen the movie and being captivated and inspired by the story, i told myself why not travel like Liz (Elizabeth) she sure had some awesome fun and adventures. And yes, she found what she's been looking for. Well, maybe i'd be able to find what im searching for (if i have one) or just the heck of experiencing to travel alone. :)

Inspired and fascinated by the EPL story i search on the three country she went -Italy, India and Indonesia. So the first one is quite expensive, second one i was kinda hesitant for my safety and third seems perfectly fine for me. Well, not that i wanna do a shortcut for the quests for the three. Actually theres really no quest for me, i just wanted to travel and give in to my wanderlust. :) The movie just motivated me and awaken the tamed desires of travelling in me.

So i searched about tourism in Bali, Indonesia. Some information about the place, accomodation, flight tickets and all the stuff i need to know.. I was thrilled but quite unsure about the idea of travelling alone. Its a pretty scary idea for me beside from the bali bombings incident Im a newbie when it comes to travelling. So fear got the best of me, luckily ive got friends who's keen to accompany me. Oh yeah, now were a party of six. All girls. :)

I really wanted to stay in Ubud, Bali, i thought it would be nice to stay in a villa in a lush green surrounding and go biking in rice paddies like Liz did. Ha! But unfortunately my friends wanted to stay near the beach. So we all decided to stay in Kuta. We stayed there for 3 days and it was not enough. :(

But for people who cant take long holidays from work like me, it'll be fine for weekend sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The area we've chosen to stay is the busiest district, its where all the lively bars and restaurants are located. Luckily the accommodation we've chosen is a 5-10 minute drive to all these loud bars.

For our short trip we were able to squeeze in some temple hopping, elephant camp, white water rafting, spa & massage, beach bumming and a lot of pigging out.

Its all fun experience for me and my friends. I promise to come back again. Not for any quest but because i just fell in love with this wonderful paradise.

 

PS. Try their famous pork dish babi guling. Enjoy spa and whole body massage for less than 4-10 usd

Travel date : March 2011

Flotsam and jetsam

We are like flotsam and jetsam.. Most of the times like lagan and derelicts.. Yes all compared to a ship wreckage.. We swim.. We float.. And we sink..

We all live in a sea of sorrows, happiness, fame, struggles, fear, anger, love, power and the lists goes on..

We are the shipmaster of our own life. We are the ones who make our own navigation, discoveries, decisions specially when a storm comes our way, when our ship is about to sink...

Its our call to save it from sinking or to let our dear selves be drowned and be lost in an abyss of all the nothingness of the world.

Its our call to maneuver, to live and take control, to make more wonderful journeys or have a loosing grip and just give it all up and be defeated in life. And become like a ship wreckage. Lost, abandoned and forgotten.