INSIGHT THERE’S NO PLACE TO TRAVEL THAN HOME
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CONTENTS
Contents
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1. Our Art is dying : Penang the home of heritage 2. Why Penang 3. Places to visit in Penang 4. Places to eat in Penang 5. 10 Must-See Places in Malaysia 6. Places to see in Kuala Lumpur 7. Up and close into nature 8. Sneeze your way out: tips and tricks to avoid falling sick before or during big vacay! 9. Are you alone wolf and travel with the pack? 10. Why must a person travel 11. Natural Remedies for travellers 12. How to look good when travelling 13. How to fly kite 14. Fashion with the season 15. Precautions in travelling
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OUR ART IS DYING: PENANG THE HOME OF HERITAGE What better way to send out message to society through a city’s streets and people and Penang does it better than any other
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Penang as known by Malaysians, shaped like a shoebox is located near the coast of Kedah and further side of Peninsular Malaysia. When people mention Penang only one thing comes to mind and that is, beaches. But Penang not only has the beach to offer, it is now the city of heritage as called by Tourism of Malaysia for its amazing street art and amazing food. Heritage is something we Malaysians, especially elders, keep close to heart as we mostly believe that our ancestors has left all the things when they’re gone for us to take care and preserve. Our ancestors are the beginners and movers for all generations there is now and the generation that we have now are way more modern and innovative than they were 50 years ago. As we learned through History in high school, Penang was once conquered by a British gentlemen named, Francis Light and the fight over Penang between British and other European countries made the shoebox shaped state a “golden goose” between powerful people but in the end, all rights reserve back to the Malays and Francis Light stayed in the form of statue near Padang Kota in Penang. With the new generation taking over, new ways of approach and involvement has changed different mindsets in society and people these days don’t use papers and pens to send messages anymore. Digital devices do the trick but Penang people are way too mainstream for that sort of thing. They use art. Art may interpret different things to different people. To five-year olds, art may be crayon drawings on a piece of paper, to 17-year olds art maybe be clothes you they see on the runway and 40-year olds may seem art as undisciplined children spraying cans of paint on white walls. But art in Penang brought people’s minds together in ways no one ever knew possible. Youths in Penang has used the powerful tool of art to express their thoughts and emotions on how important art is and society needs to realize that not everything is easily understood or attained as how they think it is. Sights of big murals and paintings is what you’ll see when you walk around the streets of Penang like Armenian Street and you’ll be amazed to see the way and amount of work these “Penangites” put in to make their beautiful city more catching in the eyes of locals and tourists. Penangites expressed their feelings for art through this street work and the message that conveyed was loud and clear. Society realizes that art is not just about painting pretty characters on walls, but art brings people together and so does the world.
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WHY PENANG? Soak in the sun at one of the many beaches, explore the quaint nooks and crannies of George Town, feast on delicacies from hawker street stalls, shop at the many quaint night markets and much more. Offering the best of Asia, Penang’s sights and sounds reflect the colourful heritage of her many races and the pride of her people. Be it lush tropical gardens or ornately designed temples and unique heritage buildings, Penang will give you a glimpse into a world where nature, tradition and history blend into a rich cultural tapestry. Live like a local and see what laid back
Penangites love to indulge in - travel in trishaws and shop at the many quaint night markets. Be adventurous and explore! So, here’s our picks of “must-dos” when visiting the Pearl of the Orient.
vourite past time – food!
The Streets of George Town Experience the unique charms of Straits eclectic architecture and sights from our colonial past that has earned George Town a place in Unesco’s heritage site listing. Here, every clan house and building represents a page of Penang’s colourful history and every street corner has a tale to tell.
Penang Hills At 821m above sea level, Penang Hill visitors will be privy to some of the grandest colonial mansions (which are now restaurants and guests houses) while enjoying the cool, refreshing air and panoramic views of the island. Take a short 30-minute cable car ride up Penang Hill from the funicular station in Air Itam or trek up the hill via the Botanic Gardens – a three-hour hike through lush foliage of the rainforest.
Hawker Places Penangites love to eat – that is a fact. And as the saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans do! Penang street food encompasses Chinese, Malay and Indian “fast food” all served in a matter of minutes! Eating by the roadside stalls and coffee shops is an experience second to none as you watch locals of all races indulge in their fa-
Worship Places Grand churches, elaborate Buddhist and Indian temples and magnificent mosques are all part and parcel of the local culture. Be it the St George’s Church (built in 1816), Kapitan Keling Mosque, Kek Lok Si Temple, Snake Temple (yes, there are live snakes inside!) or Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the different races often converge at
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these places of worship to practice their faith and it is indeed, a sight to behold. National Park While Penang’s National Park in Pantai Acheh may be the smallest in the country, it is by no means less impressive. Eco-attractions like the pristine Pantai Kerachut beach and meromictic lake (a body of sea water and fresh water that do not mix) provide the perfect spot for picnics and fishing, swimming and trekking. Boat rides can also be arranged or those who want to visit the nearby islands.Also, do look out for the old lighthouse which was built in 1883 – it is still operational and visitors are welcome! The Weld Quan Clan Jetties The clan jetties perched on the backwaters of George Town are home to five main Chinese clans – Lim, Chew, Tan, Lee and Yeoh. Today, the young ones, who no longer depend on the sea for
a living, have moved out of the settlement while their elders continue to enjoy the wooden jetties’ laidback lifestyle. These humble, rickety jetties are a living heritage that serves as a reminder of the island’s stature as an important maritime port and the pioneer Chinese immigrants who came to seek their fortune here more than a century ago. Batu Ferringhi Beach With its sandy shores and vast open sea, Batu Ferringhi offers an amazing respite from the hustle and bustle of town. Check into any one of the resorts that line the stretch and spend your afternoon soaking in the soothing sound of lapping waves and bright sunny rays of this tropical paradise.At night, the popular tourist belt comes to life as traders hawk their wares while eateries bring out their best menus to satiate even the most discerning of palates. The Batu Ferringhi night market offers some eye-catching knick-knacks including wood carvings, silver jewellery, and
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crockery and display items. Butterfly Farm This tropical butterfly farm in Teluk Bahang is so famous that it was visited by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife when they came to Penang for a private holiday in 2008. A live museum with winged beauties fluttering about as well as a breeding research centre, the farm is an eco-tourism gem indeed.
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PLACES TO VISIT IN PENANG Penang has always been one of the best states in Malaysia to both locals and foreigners. It is a small island near the north western coast of Malaysia. Well in this article, we will talk about the must to see places in Penang. Normally locals who are from Kuala Lumpur are always excited to visit Penang just like a foreigner because Penang is a really different place compare to Kuala Lumpur. Usually tourists from overseas always have a tour guide to tell them where and what to see in Penang but as for local, they wouldn’t want to pay someone to tell them what to do and what to eat, they want to that by themselves. In order to make sure you don’t waste time on searching of where you must go and what to see in Penang, I’m going to tell you exactly what’s awesome in Penang and how to go there. First off we will start with Jelutong. Jelutong is a town located at the outskirts of Georgetown. It is where you will reach when you take either the bridge or the ferry service from Butterworth. From there you could straight head into Georgetown, which is the capital of Penang. At Georgetown, you can get to visit the historical Camera Museum, Dharmikarama Burmese temple, Cannon Street, Balathandayuthapani temple and also Kapitan Keling Mosque. These temples and mosque are one of the oldest buildings in Malaysia and each holds histories of its own. Other than the mention temples and street, you can also visit the Upper Penang Road and Chulia Street. This places are considered the fun places for young adults and college teenagers since they can find lots of pubs and clubs, not to forget karaoke lounges. Georgetown always has pretty decent hotels and motels which are priced at average. It at least takes a day or two in whole to visit each and every monuments and historical places of Georgetown, Penang. On your way out from Georgetown, you should also visit the Weld Quay Clan jetties. It is one of the oldest wooden jetties in Malaysia, once a living heritage of five Chinese clans. Next we will go to Batu Ferringhi. Batu Ferringhi is definitely must see place in Penang because of its beautiful beaches and many more. Batu Ferringhi also has the famous Hard Rock café. Aside from the beaches and the café, you can also go green and have a fresh start with nature in Penang by visitng Penang National Park, Penang Botanic Gardens, Penang Butterfly Farm, Penang Tropical fruit farm and Penang Spice Garden. Penang reserves and keeps their natural treasures clean and neat. If you feel this can’t probably bring lots of fun, then fear not for they have one of the best Water theme parks in Malaysia which is Wet World Wild. Wet World Wild is located along side of Jalan Batu Ferringhi. Well every fun have to come to an end at night but in Penang, that’s when the fun begins. In Batu Ferringhi you can enjoy the tasty delicacies of Penang after a tiring day at the Night Market of Batu Ferringhi. Penang is always amusing from high to low, No matter where you go in Penang, you get to enjoy yourself. Even the locals of Penang themselves enjoy Penang and never get bored of it because they get to meet new and various tourists every single day. It’s always wise to be prepared to visit a place rather than just going to the place then crack you’re head to do what next. Beside you would rather make use of your time visiting rather than sitting in one place staring at the map or asking people for directions.
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PLACES TO EAT IN PENANG Penang has always been the King of states in Malaysia when it comes to food. Penang has always secured their position when it comes to best place to get food in Malaysia. Many locals make Penang their first choice to have their Vacation at when it comes to in Malaysia and that’s because when it comes to vacation, tourists or holiday enjoyers always seeks for three most essential things which is Budget spending, Entertaining and lots of tasty Food! Well Penang has it all. In this Article we will discuss where locals and foreigners can have the best Penang food. Firstly, we will start with what are the main Penang foods that everyone wants and crave to have. We will list off top 4 foods that mostly every tourist craves for when they are at Penang. First on the list would be Penang char kway teow, followed by Penang nasi kandar, right behind it Penang asam laksa the end of the list with a chilling Penang cendol. So the reason why you have to visit certain particular shops to have this meals is because, that’s where you will find the best out of it compare to anywhere else in Penang. Penang char kway teow, also known as ‘stir- fried ricecake strips’ is one of the best food you can get in Malaysia. Many shop in Penang offers this but we are about to look at the famous Lorong Selamat char kway teow stall. This stall is easily recognized because of the red hat lady owner. The price rating for each plate of char kway teow starts from rm 9, for a char kway teow biasa (normal), rm 10 for char kway teow + bacon and finally rm 11 for char kway teow + bacon + prawns. For some they might think it’s kind of overpriced but once you try it out you know your money is worth spent. Next off it will be Penang Nasi Kandar. Nasi kandar is a dish where you get a plate of steamed rice and you can add on any kind of curry and side dish such as fried chicken, fish curry and etc. Now everyone in Penang knows this famous shop for just one thing and that is Nasi Kandar. That shop is non-other than Line Clear. Nasi Kandar Line Clear have been on the business for quite long and they also had famous peoples from around the world to test their Nasi Kandar. Prices at Line Clear are also pretty decent. Now to add up some spice on the food list, we will see Penang Asam Laksa next. Asam Laksa is one of Malaysians favourite delicacy, and the best Penang Asam Laksa you can get is at Air Itam. You can find a stall with a red signboard saying ‘Pasar Air Itam Laksa’ with and old man cooking. The best part about this stall is the price. You can have a bow of Asam Laksa for just Rm 4, what else you want to complain when you can have one of Penang’s best dishes at the best shop for the best price. Now for the last dish of the day which is Penang Cendol. Penang cendol is actually a mouth-watering dessert. It’s actually a combination of shaved ice with gula Melaka (melted brown sugar) and coconut milk and you can get the best out of this delicacy from ‘Penang Road Famous Cendol’. That’s the stall name. Many tourists often mistake this stall for another shop which is right opposite the stall. This Stall has been selling Cendol for the price of only rm 2 per bowl and also holds recipe for nearly five decades. So that concludes our Penang Delicacy and the best places to get them. Penang is a food paradise island. Every nook of it, you will be able to find the best Malaysian food but there’s always only one who prevails as the best in each types of food and now you know them all, you can now know exactly where to have your food and never waste your time on searching again.
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10 MUST-SEE PLACES IN MALAYSIA Tropical rainforest climate and diversity at its best, Malaysia is one of those countries you’d regret not to visit. Other than its wide mixture of ethnic cultures, it also varies in different customs, food and religions peacefully appreciated amongst one another. From intriguing large islands to mountains, highlands and tropical rainforest, the country has an obvious unique structure. A portion of land joint with Thailand on the West of Malaysia, one half of a peninsula, and the other at Borneo island, Eastern Malaysia. The tourist attraction spots in Malaysia magnify the historic, cultural and the natural beauty of it.
1. Penang The origin of the famous Penang Char Kuey Teow and many other famous cuisines enjoyed by Malaysians, located in the Strait of Malacca off West Malaysia’s northwestern coast. Also, it is a popular tourist destination due to its historic George Town. Its position along one of the world’s most traveled shipping routes has filled Penang with a colorful array of cultures, architecture and cuisine. 2. Langkawi Malaysia’s northwestern coast in the Andaman Sea, Langkawi is an sanctuary of 99 islands boasting picturesque beaches, rainforest, mangroves and forest-clad mountains. In recent years, resorts, hotels, restaurants and other tourist facilities have developed in Langkawi, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the archipelago’s exceptional natural beauty.
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3. Melaka This is the city that can take you back in time through the architecture and places that are unchanged since Melaka was ruled and battled over for centuries between Indian, Portugese, British and the Dutch governments. Malacca is strategically situated between India and China on West Malaysia’s southwestern coast. As a result, this modern day Malaysian city is now one of the best places to visit in Malaysia packed with architecture, culture, traditions and cuisine all reflecting its rich heritage. 4. Cameron Highlands This is probably the perfect getaway from the heat of the lowlands, Cameron Highlands (besides Genting Highlands and Frasers Hill) in the Titiwangsa Mountains is one of Malaysia’s oldest tourist destinations. Cameron highlands is known for its perfect English garden, beautiful tableland of a breath taking scenery, colorful flower farms,
tea plantations, forests, lakes, wildlife and outdoor recreation. 5. Kota Bharu Located in Peninsular Malaysia close to the Thailand border, Kota Bharu is the capital of the Kelantan State, a city easy to move about with public transport. It is usually a break in the journey for many travelers to visit the beautiful Perhentian Islands in Kota Bharu. The island carries its own unique charm, attractions, shopping and gastronomy. 6. Kota Kinabalu The capital of the Sabah State in Malaysian Borneo, Kota Kinabalu is a famously known tourist destination as it is close by to beautiful tropical islands, rainforests, wildlife refuges, national parks and Malaysia’s tallest peak, Mount Kinabalu.
7. Kuching The largest city on Borneo Island, Kuching is a popular base for exploring Borneo’s rainforest and the state of Sarawak. However, Kuching offers plenty for tourists to see and do during their stay, from sightseeing historic landmarks to bustling markets and outdoor recreation. 8. Kuala Lumpur Malaysia’s very own New York city, chaotic and busy through night and day. Kuala Lumpur or in short, KL is famous for its rich city culinary and nightlife. Just 2 centuries ago, KL was just a quiet tin-mining town in West Malaysia. Today, this same sleepy village has flourished into the country’s federal capital and largest metropolis. 9. Taman Negara Taman Negara is reputed to be the oldest tropical rainforest in the world. A popular ecotourism and adventure destination from three states across
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the northern part of West Malaysia. This national park is jam-packed of wildlife from rare plants to exotic birds and rare, close to extinction animals like the Malayan Tiger, Asian elephant and Sumatran Rhinoceros. 10. Gunung Mulu National Park Famous for its extraordinary limestone karst formations and phenomenal cave systems, the Gunung Mulu National Park is one of the most awe-inspiring natural attractions in all of Southeast Asia. Located in Malaysian Borneo in the Sarawak State, this national park features some of the largest and longest cave systems in the world. Included in these is the world’s largest cave chamber, the Sarawak Chamber, which is estimated large enough to hold 40 Boeing 747 aircraft.
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PLACES TO SEE IN KUALA LUMPUR Kuala Lumpur is a city that is currently the symbol of Malaysia’s future. Kuala Lumpur has been developing and not to mention rapidly in these few years. Static shows it gets up to 9 million tourists a year, making it one of the most visited cities in the world. Aside from the development and progress of Malaysia, what makes Malaysia unique is their culture. Malaysia is not a single culture country, it’s multicultural. Here you can find Malays, Indians, Chinese and also westerners living here peacefully. Each of their rights equally distributed to make this country better and better every day. We will be looking at few places in Malaysia that must visit which has made Malaysia unique then other countries. First on our list would be Kuala Lumpur Convection Centre, shortly known as KLCC. KLCC is a mall and park which is famous for shopping and recreation centres. It is the base for the famous Petronas Twin Towers which is one of the most iconic buildings in Malaysia. You can also go to the sky bridge which links both towers and have a good view of Kuala Lumpur city but you have to be quick since only 1000 people are allowed per day and the ticket costs about Rm 80. KLCC also have a mind blowing place called PetroSains, it is a Science Discovery Centre which basically tells about the technology of petroleum and science. Next we will be seeing Menara KL (KL Tower). It is the 7th tallest telecommunication in the world and the tallest in Southeast Asia. The purpose of this tower is for broadcasting and for communication but now it also has become a tourist attraction. Tourist just have to pay RM 30 to get themselves in the observation deck and have a good 360 view of the city, other than just the observation deck, there also other attractions such as the Blue Coral Aquarium, Traditional Malay Village and the Formula one shop which is located at the base of the tower. Aside from the Skyscrapers, there also other places which is a must visit such as Batu Caves. Batu Caves is actually a prayer temple for the Indians but now it is also a tourist attraction place for its huge statue of Lord Muruga. Standing in a height of 154 metres, it is one of the tallest Hindu statues in the world. Aside from the statue there is also another attraction which has been there longer than the statue which is the staircase to the top of the cave. It has exactly 276 steps and at the top you will have a breath taking sight of the natural beautiful cave. You just have to be careful of one little thing, Monkeys. Other than those mention above, if you would like to visit some place historical about Malaysia, then definitely the place you need to head to is Medan Merdeka (Independence Square). Medan Merdeka is where Malaya became Malaysia. It is where the citizens of Malaysia got their independence. History of Malaysia took place from here. Here you will be able to find yourself surrounded with many historical building. Finally we will look at the last place in KL in this article which is the Tugu Negara (National Monument). The Tugu Negara is a sculpture built as the remembrance of the fallen soldiers, who gave their life for the independence of Malaysia. The sculptures also have been in the book of records for the tallest freestanding group of bronze sculpture. Other than the Monument, there are other things that make the National Monument astounding, such as it is surrounded by a flower garden and fountains. It also has a war memorial. Kuala Lumpur is a beautiful place to visit for your vacation. It is a place filled with various cultures and histories that makes Malaysia unique on its own, the best time to visit Malaysia is during the Visit Malaysia Celebration, where every nook of Malaysia is made sure is ready to be visited by Tourist all around the world.
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UP AND CLOSE INTO NATURE Hi fellow readers, in this article we will bring you about a place that have to be visited in Malaysia with your family and friends. A few weeks ago, our team went into KL to search for places that could be possible family and friends bonding place. In our search we found a place which brought us loads of fun and not to mention to gain lots of knowledge about birds. If you still haven’t figure out the place, well it is non-other than the National Bird Park. We will be looking at this place and we will share what exactly you can do to have fun over there. Taman Burung Negara which is the National Bird Park. The National Bird Park is located 15 minutes away from the city centre. It was established at 1991. The Bird Park holds the record for the world’s largest covered bird park also known as the world’s largest free flight aviary. The Bird Park holds more than 3000 birds and over 200 species from all over the world. The cost to enter the bird park is Rm 25. Visiting the Bird Park for the first time made me and my team feel all young again like a child. We were excited to see birds everywhere walking and flying freely. Upon entering the park, you will come across parakeet with various colours and a board that shows the do’s and don’ts in the park. Then you will move on to a small pond area with birds like parakeets flying above you and peacocks walking around you. It’s a for sure place for children and also for parents to be close with their kids. From there, we walked up hill and came across the Hornbill cage. It felt so cool to see such majestic creature in front your eyes and looking at you. When I went close for a picture it stood still without moving an inch, almost if though it looked like it loves to be in front of the camera. There are amphitheatres for bird shows but we didn’t have much time to stay for it. What we had time for is for Bird feeding. There is a section where you only have to pay RM 2 to get a milky substance in a cup and feed the parakeets. All you have to do is stand with the cup and the parakeets will fly to you and sit on you to have their meal. Although being the photographer I couldn’t resist but to buy a cup myself and have them all over me to drink the milk. It felt nice to pet them while they drink. It had to come to an end until we move on to the Flamingo Lake. Not only can you find flamingos but also pelicans and storks. Opposite of the lake, you will be able to see a beautiful man mad waterfall. I and my team were speechless by its beauty and right in front of the waterfall is a small playground for kids. It was meant for kids but some of my team member couldn’t resist the swings and slides, so they had their time. After spending our time there, we kept on our track and reached a small building which had information of the entire thing we need to know about birds, such as how it lay eggs, what’s the egg size difference between each bird in the aviary and also complete set of bones of few birds. We pretty much spent our time in there for the cool air since it was a hot and tiring walk. Once we had our cooling period, we got out of the building and went to the Cassowary and Emu cage which was right opposite the building. It was quite scary to see the cassowaries since it is the deadliest bird in the world. At last we came upon the eagle cage. I couldn’t wait to get there to see the mighty eagles. They looked majestic and beautiful. The management have a slot where you can watch them feed the eagles. The way they fly to get a single piece of meat is just breath taking. That sums up everything you need to know about the Taman Burung Negara. It is a must sure visit place for all family to have a closer look into the wild.
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SNEEZE YOUR WAY OUT: TIPS AND TRICKS TO AVOID FALLING SICK BEFORE OR DURING YOUR BIG VACAY!
Nobody likes falling sick, especially when you had a big thing planned. You’ve been looking forward for that event for so long that you’re just counting the days backwards till the real day actually comes. But unfortunately, one of the major setbacks about getting excited for your big plans is, falling sick! Girl, put that tissue away. You’re not supposed to fall sick before your big holiday. How are you going to enjoy the beautiful sandy beach, pineapple flavored skin lotion and clear water through your skin if you can’t even get out from bed? Bacteria cause sickness and bacteria come from everything and everywhere. Either you’re turning the doorknob to the bathroom or sitting on a bench in a park, bacteria is present and we never know because they’re too small for us to see through our naked eyes. Naked you say…? Pftt not that kind of naked! Anyway, how we get sick is when the bacteria that we are contaminated with goes into our breathing system, either the nose or mouth, and stays inside. This is caused when you accidentally touch your face or the most natural form, breathes in dirt and dust. Once you start sneezing and feel that rough and sharp pain in your throat, that it when the bacteria has succeeded to get into your system and cause you to fall sick! Darn you bacteria! Ah well, everyone falls sick once in a while but that doesn’t excuse you preventing it from happening. Here are tips for you to keep the medicines away. Step one always stays hydrated. Water is the most pure and important source our body needs and water is what keeps those bad sore throats away. By drinking water, bacteria will find it difficult to infect your body as it is easier done if your body fluid is running low. If your body fluid is running high, bacteria will not easily accumulate and you will be sick-free! Remember to always drink mineral or warm water, or better green tea for good health and not those flavored and gassy drink which, will only give you…well gas. Steps two are always carries around sanitizers and wash your hands. Our hands are one of the most used parts of our body and when we have hands, we touch, and when we touch, we feel. Everyone knows the basic rule of washing your hands after going to the bathroom, but many don’t realize that washing your hands only won’t keep bacteria away. Always use soap and wash your hands thoroughly in between your fingers and palm so that it will be cleaner and bacteria will be washed away. If you are far from soap and no way of getting into a bathroom to wash your hands, buy yourself a sanitizer. Sanitizers are a great substitute for soap as they contain high level or chemicals that could kill bacteria once applied on your hands. From now on, always keep a sanitizer in your bag wherever you go just to be sure. If in case you’ve fallen sick when you’re on your vacation, don’t worry! This is a tip you should always remember the next time you go. Always carry with you fever or flu medicines in your suitcase or luggage for your trip. Going to another place may be all fun but fun stops if the flu gets the best of you. Go to the nearest pharmacy and get yourself some tablets that would help in fast recovery of flu and fever. Don’t forget to also watch what you eat when you go on vacation. Yes we know how curiosity takes place when you want to try new “exotic” foods but always bear in mind that the food you consume can also lead to sickness. So beware of the food you take and drink a lot of water after eating them foods.
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ARE YOU A LONE WOLF AND TRAVEL WITH THE PACK? Family members or a few friends usually accompany a vacation but not everyone likes to travel with other people, some like to travel alone. Each person has different opinions and goals but what unites them all is their love of going to places. Who doesn’t like going to new places? Learning new things, experiencing new culture and getting to know new people are just some of the beautiful wonders of life. But travelling is fun itself with or without company. Is what you do during the travel that matters and we are here to get to know if you are a loner traveller or packs with a group of friends? Travelling alone may seem like a “forever alone” kind of thing to some people, but believe or not, travelling alone is one of the best cures of stress. When you’re too worked up about work or that overdue assignment, take a break and go be spontaneous by going on a trip alone. Drop that pen and push away that computer keyboard because you are going on a private retreat. If you are the type of person that often spends time alone doing things like eating or watching television, you are more likely to do the same when you’re travelling. Travelling alone isn’t always bad. It’s actually a soul-searching therapy for you. You’ve been spending too much time staring at that bright laptop screen till it hurts your eyes that you forget to reward yourself after putting so much effort and dedication into it. Step out and go pack your clothes into that luggage and prepare to be jet settled to another land beyond your dreams. Friends are the backbone of your life and like the saying, “bros over hoes”, you must always appreciate your friends as they hard to find. This obviously includes in travelling where people often say travelling with friends are way more than travelling alone. Not only is it fun, but also you get to strengthen your bonds together. Girls especially, love going on road trips together to the beaches and sunbath their way to paradise. Take a fun getaway with your girlfriends and breathe in that summer air together. Fun is always when you have someone else with you and have plan a trip that you’ll never forget for the rest of your life.
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WHY MUST A PERSON TRAVEL
I have always wondered about travellers. Why on earth would you leave the comfort of your home and bed to go out? The home food, which is the best, you will not get during travelling. But when I went on my first ever travel, I realized why there are some people who love to travel. One of it I have to tell is to see man-made wonders in the world. Architectures like Taj Mahal, St.Paul’s Cathedral, Petronas Twin Tower, and Leaning Tower of Pisa have unique elements that made it to be the most iconic places in the world. We live in a world blessed with sights that are beautiful beyond words. Every human being probably dreams of visiting at least one of those places in their lifetime. Living in modern cities with high-rise buildings, we tend to miss out on what Mother Nature has to offer. Examples of places
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are Grand Canyon, The Great Barrier Reef, Mount Kinabalu and Canadian Rockies. Malaysia is known as The Paradise of Food. Don’t you want to explore it? Imagine eating at the same place during the weekdays because it’s nearer to work, and when the weekend arrives, you are just blanked out? Or you have no idea where to bring your date out? That’s just too bad. This is where travelling comes handy. Try different food and places to eat. Trust me, you won’t regret the travel when the first mouth of the food tastes like heaven! Not only has that, travelling definitely given different perspectives. Meeting folks from exotic cultures will teach you that the way you look at the world (perhaps through the lens of mass media)
is not the way everybody does it. A person can be dead wrong about certain things. Seeing it for yourself brings a healthy dose of reality to your so-called higher thinking. It broadens your mind and allows you to be more open from thinking perspective.
ematics are something we learn in school. But when we are travelling, we learn survival skills. We learn how to be creative with the things around us during emergency times. For example, if you get a bee or jellyfish sting, besides medication, you can use pee to cure it. Not only that, simple cough or sore throat can be cured with ginger.
Besides that, traveling gives you challenges and adventures. No one looks back fondly on a trip to the dry-cleaner. But after zip lining over the jungle canopy in Peru, successfully navigating the alleys of Marrakech, the speedboat ride in New Zealand, or Jeeping out with the grazing animals in Tanzania you get a feel for what being an active human being is like (again). The need for adventure is hardwired; travel lets you tap into it.
I, personally think that a person should travel to have the cool stories. Don’t you fancy yourself a storyteller? If anyone says “why travel” at a party, you’ll be able to outline why with any one of the many travel stories you’ll come home with. Even if they seemed trivial when they happened, nostalgia will create an epic spin around getting your laundry done in Zanzibar.
How human body works and how to do math-
While travelling, we can learn new language or
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slang. Especially in Malaysia, we all speak Bahasa Melayu but we have numerous accents to it. For example, in Selangor, we say eat as ‘makan’ but in Kelantan, it is pronounced as ‘maken’. There’s something satisfying about being able to throw around a few words of Greek, knowing how to say hello and thanks in Thai, pulling out that long dormant Spanish to book a room in Santiago, or simply hearing a language you didn’t know existed just a few weeks before. So now, you know why you should travel. And if anyone asks you more question and these answers don’t satisfy them, just look at them say ‘I travel cause I can!’
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NATURAL REMEDIES FOR TRAVELLERS Have you ever been in a situation where you are injured and don’t know what to do? Keep looking for appropriate medicine but can’t find it? Or the medicine you brought along just got its date expired? Most of us are not aware that the natural things around us have the tendency to be life-saving medical aid. Tomatoes
Yogurt
This fruit have many functions during travel. If there’s itching or swelling, slice a fruit and apply raw tomato at the area. After a long swim in a chlorine laden pool, sometimes hair turn green. This can be avoided just by combing tomato sauce through it. Not only that, adding two cup full of tomato juice to a warm bath helps dispel the odours of excess perspiration, especially in hot climates.
Yogurt is known as the essential travelling medicine. Firstly, yogurt can be used as facial to freshen up and give a smooth texture to the skin. Not only that, it’s an antibiotic, an immunity booster and helps clear up travellers’ diarrhoea. Yogurt also soothes ulcers and rids women of yeast infections.
Vinegar Vinegar helps with jellyfish stings. The pain of jellyfish stings can be alleviated immediately by dousing the area with vinegar and rinsing with salt water (the sea will do). In order to remove tentacles, scrape them off with a sea-shell or credit card and apply a cold compress. Do not rinse stings with alcohol or fresh water because the pain and stinging will get worse. Ginger During travelling, sore throat is very common to get. Boiling ginger in a pot of water and drinking it can be a solution to throat itchiness. Not only that, ginger can also be taken to suppress nausea and alleviate motion sickness. Salt Raid the condiment pots in hotels and restaurants, or pick up a salt on the plane, and salt apply directly to mouth ulcers. It’ll sting at first, but the soreness of the ulcer fades like magic. Alternatively if a glass of water and a sink are at hand, regular saltwater mouth washes have the same effect.
This oil-rich, nutrient rich and delicious fruit offers rapid skin penetration which quickly protects, softens and soothes the skin. Even when the sun is behind the clouds, or a more conventional sunscreen is at hand, apply as a skin moisturizer, cleansing cream, makeup base, bath oil, and hair conditioner. Toothpaste
Cinnamon Cinnamon has an antimicrobial action and can quickly settle nausea and upset stomachs. Just boil cinnamon in water and drink it or have a cinnamon cake. Coffee You know when you set up a tent, we are all ready for the different types of insects to be on us when we are in the tent. Insects are everywhere, especially camping areas. How to avoid them? We can actually use coffee beans. Just apply a lighted match to a small container of ground coffee to keep wasps away, Banana Basic use of banana when travelling is to easy the process of going to toilet. Not only that, bananas are stress relievers too. This happy fruit’s 105 calories and 14g of sugar provides a mild blood sugar boost which helps the brain produce mellowing serotonin. Not forgetting, bananas gives the energy to keep your day going. Avocado If you forgot to bring along your sunscreen, just get an avocado.
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Toothpaste helps with burn marks. Apply toothpaste at the burnt area and leave it on for almost 15-20 minutes. It will bring down the pain. Lemon We tend to get tired due to the travelling at times. Do you know just by smelling a lemon, we can get back our mood? Making a drink out of it and enjoying is even better to our body. Lime Pimples are common during travelling. Men or women do get pimples. Squeezing a small lime on the pimple can avoid it from leaving a mark on the skin. Not only pimples, rubbing lime on body after being long under the sun gives your skin freshness. So, simple home things can be natural remedies during a travel. Remember these items and use them than buying all those expensive medication. Save money, save time , and travel smartly.
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HOW TO LOOK GOOD WHEN TRAVELING Avoid additional stress. Even before you set out on a long trip, be sure to do everything needed well in advance so that you don’t begin the trip flustered. For example, pack well before it’s time to leave and be sure to have done all the leaving chores in plenty of time, such as shutting up your house, canceling papers, sorting bills, etc. Having these concerns on your mind once you start traveling can cause you to fret, so make sure they have been dealt with to your satisfaction before leaving. In addition, give yourself plenty of time to get to your chosen transport’s departure point, or if traveling in your vehicle, to get to your destination. Extra time waiting at the other end is not wasted; you can read, sigh with relief that you have done everything without rushing and simply chill out. Make sure that you get enough sleep. One smart thing to do would be to take some coffee. Choose clothing that is comfortable and stylish at the same time. • Wear a pair of fitted sweatpants, so you can stay comfortable while looking somewhat presentable. Fitted sweatpants are available for both males and females. However, if you don’t much like them, check out travel pants in outdoor stores as they’ll have some trendy but comfortable options too. • Wear a light fitted top, but carry a sweatshirt with you (airplanes tend to be cold inside). Never wear new shoes on a trip. Limping is not flattering. • Wear slip-on shoes or shoes you can take off easily (you may have to take them off in the airport for security reasons). • Wear socks, so your feet don’t get cold. (And so you don’t have any problem with odor when you take them off for security!) Choose socks that wick away moisture, such as Cool-Max® enhanced or bamboo socks. Take care of your skin when traveling. Travel often means changing climate or at least sitting inside a vehicle or airplane that has stale air circulation. Bring some moisturizer or an atomizer so that your skin won’t be dry and pale. This is as important for guys as it is for girls, so don’t be shy––get a moisturizer suited to your skin and style. • Carry a spritz bottle with a water such as Evian (often used by models and celebrities for skin refreshing) and a couple of drops of lavender oil. Spritz onto your face to freshen skin. • If you’re on a long-haul flight, wear a moisturizing face pack suitable for the night. Next morning, simply wash it off in the bathroom and apply some moisturizing serum. Your face will seem much brighter for this. • Slather hand cream over your hands while traveling. Use one with a scent you enjoy, as the familiarity will help to keep you rested. Reduce the chance for stale or unpleasant odors from the long travel. Simply sitting in one place and not doing your usual activities can result in smelling a little less fragrant than you’re used to. Easy ways to fix this include:
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• Freshen that breath. Carry breath mints to freshen your breath and brush teeth to get rid of built up gunk. • Don’t smoke. The odor will linger all over you and irritate your fellow passengers and you’ll arrive smelling stale. • Try to avoid alcohol while traveling, especially air travel. It won’t do your body any favors, as it can easily disrupt any chance of sleep you might get, it’ll dehydrate your skin and leave you with stinky breath and skin pores. You can have a glass of your favorite on touchdown! • Take along your favorite scent. Spritz yourself with a little of it at journey’s end to freshen yourself. Do this after de-planing. Some people are sensitive to scent and can be nauseated by sitting next to someone who is not aware their fragrance is overdone or unappealing. The best smell is clean. Travel wipes can go a long way towards freshing up in the airplane restroom. • For women, wear panty liners and discard regularly to keep fresh. If you have your period when traveling, change your sanitary pad or tampons regularly to avoid odors and any risk of infection. Remember to pack enough sanitary items! Wear your hair in the most comfortable way for you. If you have long hair, consider wearing it down, or up in a loose hairdo that doesn’t pull, such as a loose braid or ponytail. For everyone else with shorter hair, simply keep it combed. • Carry a travel-size bottle of leave-in conditioner and apply just before you arrive. Or, choose an anti-frizz solution if this is likely to be a problem for your hair, especially if you’re going from a cold/temperate climate into a humid one. Sleep if you can. A little sleep along the way can do wonders for how you look and feel at the other end, so do your best to include some snooze while you’re traveling. Even shutting your eyes with an eye mask drawn down and just meditating or pausing to do nothing but sit there in the dark can give you a refreshing rest. • If it’s too noisy or distracting to sleep, apart from wearing ear plugs and an eye mask, stop fighting your thoughts. If all you’re doing is saying to yourself: “I can’t sleep for all that noise from the kids in aisle 10A, then you’ll focus on what’s annoying you and not sleep. Let go and allow yourself to simply rest rather than punishing yourself for not being able to sleep perfectly. • If you can choose to travel by sleeper car in a train, always prefer this. It’s a dignified way to travel, you can sleep properly (and rhythmically), and you’ll arrive most refreshed of all types of travel. In fact, travel by train can be a pampering experience! If traveling in Europe by train, look for specials on first class deals. Carry a water bottle when traveling. This way, you’ll always be hydrated. Plus, it looks like you take care of yourself, which is always a confidence booster. • Drink water while traveling rather than sugary drinks or alcohol. It will give you the hydration needed and won’t leave you feeling hyper (ready to crash) or drowsy. Try to smile a lot, People will want to be around you if you do.
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HOW TO FLY A KITE Kite flying made easier with just a few steps.
Malaysians enjoy the same hobby since back in the days and that is to fly a kite. It’s a game that every poor and rich, old and young come together at to enjoy. In fact, a “Wau” is a traditional malay kite that contains much elements of authentic malay culture. It comes in many shapes and sizes and it is quite big. Flying a kite is easy and fun with company and it is best enjoyed with your family. First and foremost, you need to pick your kite. There many kinds of kites to choose from or you can make your own. Diamond shaped kites are much easier to fly but there are other fancy kites too. The next to keep in check is the weather. Kites are better flown on a hot windy day, not so windy too. It helps lift the kite in the air instead it doing nothing. Check the leaves on the ground if it’s being tossed around gently, they indicate if it is perfect to fly on that day. Besides just soaring, kites can do a few tricks and loops. Choose the right location. Make sure the venue is safe to fly a kite, you wouldn’t want your kite getting stuck in between power lines neither do you want to fly it near the road. The best place for that sort of thing is at the park, it has a large space and no disturbance in the air. Be careful with trees, as well, they can be a disturbance. Have a friend to hold the ball of string while you hold the kite. Unwind at least 20 metres of string with your partner with the ball of string back away from you at that distance. Keep good eyes on any obstacles along the way that can interrupt a good time flying your kite. Wait for a gust of wind to take off your kite. After that, you need to provide a bit of tension by pulling on the string to fully launch your kite. Be mindful of the wind direction. You will need to adapt to it if it changes from time to time. Basically, your role holding the kite is the launcher then the other person is the flier, so it is better to arrange yourselves so that the wind is blowing from flier to launcher. From time to time, it is okay to release the string to let the kite fly higher, however you must monitor the end of the string if it is flawed. It can break and end too fast. Pull the string to lower the kite. Just like the way it started, wrap the string around the ball. Here’s to add to the fun when flying the kite, you might ponder what to do with the kite when flying it and there are a few fun things that can challenge your kite flying skills. Try to fly the kite at a 45 degree angle from your hand and see how fast it can get to that position. See how fast you can run buy getting 150 metres of line out from a hand launch. The most fun part is to fly the kite low and not let it touch the ground, it requires a little running here and there but fun is a guarantee. Keep records of it, take pictures for posterity and save memory.
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FASHION WITH THE SEASON It doesn’t snow or fall but there are times of the year where it rains all the time and the sun is blazing hot. Malaysia has a tropical rainforest climate; however you need to know when to bring out that stylish leather jacket and when to keep it deep in your wardrobe. On rainy seasons, the temperature can decline to 20 degrees Celsius. That’s when you’ll need to carry on you an umbrella 24/7 or a raincoat, and shoes that can walk you through the rain and puddles. I wouldn’t completely hide the Louboutins away but converse or running shoes are much preferable foot wears to travel in general. During the rainy seasons, feel free to wear out flat pumps or sneakers, over heels. Anything that keeps you comfortable. If you were to walk the city or travel anywhere in the rainy season, a pair of leggings or jeans would do you a great favour. My advice ladies, keep away from short pants unless it’s over a pantyhose. You need to travel, move about to places and accommodate the rain, naturally you need to stick to comfort with style. On top, you can wear a plain t-shirt and a patterned or coloured cardigan to keep you warm. It is important to keep yourself warm during this weather as well as it can get a little humid after the rain too. It would be helpful to keep an anti-frizz serum or mist in your handbag to carry around, it works miracles. Also, the constant change of weather between hot and cold can dehydrate you and it’s known to stir problems in your body, a bottle of water is essential to carry with you at all times. As for the days we stay in under the air-conditioner until the sun goes down just enough for us to take a stroll to the park, it can get pretty hot. The highest temperature ever recorded in Malaysia is 38 degrees Celsius, as you can imagine it can get very hot here. At times like this, trust me; you would want to say sayonara to your precious leather jacket as you won’t be wearing it for a while. This is the time of the year you can see all the ladies in sundresses, shades and short pants. Wearing too little sometimes isn’t the best resort; I would recommend a spaghetti top under plaid shirt and short pants. Even if it gets too hot, you can remove the plaid shirt and tie around your waist. Wear comfort but don’t forget your style. Once again, converse and flat pumps puts the comfort in travelling, however wearing heels to walk around the city at night or even day is fine as long it is not for heavy, rough activities. Activities like climbing, walking on uneven grounds and such is a big no- no for heels. This hot weather is best to take out your heels without having to worry it might get soaked if it suddenly rains. In case of any mishaps with your heels or shoes, it is always a good habit to carry around a pair foldable flippers in your hand bag.
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PRECAUTIONS IN TRAVELLING When travelling, it is vital to look in all directions and not take our safety and the safety of our loved ones for granted. We need to take a few precautionary steps as one can never be too sure to have a pleasurable and enjoyed holiday. First and foremost, it is highly advised to avoid vacation in East Malaysia, Sabah as there have been several reported cases of kidnappings and terrorism. Following are the things to keep in mind while walking through the streets of Malaysia. 1.
Civil unrest/political tension
Every now and then there will be protests and demonstrations on the streets and at certain venues in Malaysia. By all means, you should avoid self-involvement in all protests and demonstration as it can get violent and involve arrests. Having said that, such activities causes disruption to public services and traffic congestion sometimes, keep check on local media for any information and on personal safety. 2. Crime Travellers, especially women travelling alone, are advised to book taxis by phone, use the shopping centre taxi desk or the new My Teksi App, rather than hailing taxis on the street, particularly after dark. Make sure it is a bona fide taxi. Confirm that there is a license (with photo) on the dashboard or seatback before entering the vehicle. Make sure that the driver’s appearance matches the photo. If alone sit in the back seat, and if possible keep your belongings with you. Taxis are not permitted to stop to pick up additional passengers. If they do, you should disembark when safe to do so. Note that some drivers, particularly in tourist spots or when roads are jammed, refuse to use the meter despite a law prohibiting the practice. SPAD, the government body regulating taxis in Malaysia, has an English language hotline for reporting problems: 1-800-88-7732. 3.
Money and valuables
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Consult with your bank to find out the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas. You should only use licensed money changers and count the cash given to you. Make two photocopies of valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home. While travelling, don’t carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves. 4. Vehicle If you intend to hire cars, motorcycles, jet skis or any other motorised water sport equipment, talk to your travel insurer to check if it is covered by your insurance policy. The safety standards you might expect of transport and tour operators, including adventure activities such as diving, are not always met. Sufficient safety equipment may not be provided and recommended maintenance standards and safety precautions may not be observed.
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Customs Rules The trafficking of illegal drugs is a serious offence in Malaysia and the penalty for such an offence is death. Prohibited: - all goods from South Africa and Israel; - any article with an imprint or being reproduction of any currency note, bank note or coin which are current or have at any time been issued in any country. Additional Information on regulations:: Customs duties of 30% of the value are due in case of exceeding the allowed quantities. Duty free allowances are per person only (pooling not allowed). Baggage Clearance regulations:: Baggage is cleared at the airport of final destination in Malaysia, provided it is labeled so. Exempt: baggage of transit passengers with a destination outside of Malaysia, provided it is labeled to that destination and the onward flight is on the same calendar day. Currency Import regulations: Local currency (Malaysian Ringgit-MYR) and foreign currencies: No restrictions. Amounts exceeding MYR 30,000.- and USD 10,000.- or equivalent must be declared for re-export.
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“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky INSIGHT
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