18 minute read
The Little Things We Miss
Text & Images by IRNEE NORRIS & IRINA NORRIS FB | TW | IG | YOU TUBE @gayatraveller #gayatraveller
Macleod Island, Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar
GAYA Traveller First article in Issue 3.5
2021 marks our magazine’s 16th year in publication. GAYA Traveller has been part of Gaya Travel Magazine since 2008; that’s 13 years of sharing snippets of our domestic and overseas travels! We hope to share more travel tips and information for many years to come. However, at time of writing, the world’s travel industry is still at a standstill and has been so since March 2020. With the Covid-19 vaccine finally being rolled out and the Government of Malaysia able to secure vaccine supplies for all of its citizens, there is a ray of hope for the travel industry.
As we sat down and think about what to share in our first column for 2021, we realised that it has been more than a year since we last travelled abroad. Like other fellow Malaysian travellers, we took our previously carefree travelling life for granted.
Gone were the days when we excitedly decide on the region to be explored, the anticipation of getting the best price Since nothing is for certain yet, we asked friends of GAYA Traveller about their take on the current travel situation.
MAS Pilot Parker has been travelling with GAYA Traveller since 2015 @gtxpilotparker
First issue of Gaya Travel Nusantara 2005 : Sabah
Gaya Travel Nusantara with a new logo Issue 2.4
GAYA Traveller team made it on the cover of Gaya Travel Nusantara Issue 8.2
for flights, the furious googling to get the itinerary together, the sleepless nights as the travel dates gets nearer… these are just the tip of the iceberg.
As the yearning to travel continues well into 2021, we thought it would be nice to reminisce and put together a list of things we miss now since we are practically grounded at home due to the Movement Control Order 2.0 imposed by the Malaysian government to contain the spread of COVID-19. GAYA Traveller Fun Facts : » 59 features to date » 22 features on domestic & 37 on international destination » 5 features on Taiwan » 5 features on Sabah » Dato’ Sheila Majid is the only Malaysian Singer that has been on our cover- we discovered Belum Rainforest together!
We asked each of them: 1.What do you miss most about travelling? 2.Where is the first place you would head to once international travel is allowed?
Looks like they are missing what we have been missing too... May we all get to reach our international travel destination wish sooner than expected!
* Feedback from Friends of GAYA Traveller are in the blue boxes *
» We miss the preparation! Admittedly, we are not the devil may care type of travellers. All of our travels are meticulously planned, discussed, thoroughly researched and definitely booked well in advance. Being ladies who appreciate comfort at a good price, we know good bargain hunting begins early! Our travel preparation starts as early as a year before the intended date of departure.
» We miss the airport dramas! We have a love-hate relationship with airports, especially when it comes to connecting flights. There are countless times we had to run to the next boarding gate, located at the other end of the airport! Lesson learned: allow a minimum of 4 hours in between flights.
China Airlines’ Trail Mix
READ ONLINE: Garut, The Road Less Travelled. Garut, Indonesia Issue 7.5
The Haad Tien Beach Resort
Wan Aliazar Wan Abd Halim @wan_aliazar Professional Emcee, TV Host
1. Everything! The journey to the destination, trying new food, meeting new people, adjusting to new bed, counting foreign currency… I normally travel to recharge myself after finishing one assignment.
2. Indonesia and Thailand are my favourite countries and I call them my second homes. » We miss applying for travel visas! Some countries require travel visas for Malaysians. The most nerve-wrecking one was to America back in 2011. Being Muslim ladies wearing headscarves, we were unsure whether it was a good idea to visit the country post 9/11.
But we persevered, and the whole interview process was not at all what we imagined it to be. It was friendly and relaxed over-the-counter conversation.
Another memorable one was when we were asked about our visa while checking in for our flight to Dubai at Muscat Airport, Oman. Honestly, it never crossed our minds that we needed to apply visa to Dubai, and never bothered to check beforehand. It was truly a lesson well learnt for us, to always remember to check if visa is required to every country we want to visit. It is a good thing that for Malaysians, visa is granted by the United Arab Emirates immigration upon arrival!
» We miss hearing in-flight announcements! We know we are not alone on this; we always look forward to hearing “Please be seated, we are ready for take-off”. Our most favourite announcement of all is by Malaysia Airlines, especially “ And to all Malaysians, welcome home” after returning from somewhere far.
» We miss in-flight meals! We have had our fair share of travel comfort while travelling long haul; we have flown from Economy Class right up to Business Class and First Class. We love it when being handed out the menu card, which gives us something to look forward to during the long hours. Our favourite snacks are Malaysia Airlines’ peanuts, China Airlines’ Trail Mix, Turkish Airways’ Turkish Delights and Oman Air’s pies. We would always ask for apple juice as it helps to settle our stomachs throughout the journey.
GAYA Traveller Recommends: The Haad Tien Beach Resort at Thian Og Bay (Shark Bay), Koh Tao, Thailand. @haadtien www. https://www.haadtien.com
Ghaz Abu Bakar @ghazabubakar TV producer & Director
1. What I miss the most about travelling is the smell of the airport! And of course the “overseas feeling”, being in different atmosphere and all.
2. I would love to go back to my favourite country, Japan!
» We miss in-flight entertainment! We have been taking long haul flights since early 1990s, therefore we have experienced the shared big screen where we have no choice but to just watch whatever is shown or just sleep! It was indeed a refreshing change when the economy class started to offer individual screens, and now we can even choose from the extensive list of available entertainment.
» We miss looking down the window and see clouds! This can only happen when you opt for the window seat. To our dismay, this doesn’t happen often enough! But when it does, we try to gaze out the window and take as many photos of the beautiful clouds and landscapes as we could!
» We miss the long queues at Customs Clearance / Immigration! Customs clearance seems to last a long time at any popular airport! What do we do as soon as we join the queue? We search for free wi-fi to send a report home saying we have safely landed. It is nice to people-watch during the long wait too. Once an immigration officer asked for help if we could become an interpreter for a Malaysian Chinese elderly lady who cannot speak English well. Thankfully, she spoke Bahasa Malaysia, and we managed to assist her at the immigration.
» We miss getting our passports stamped! It is one of the simple joys of life: checking out the freshly acquired stamp as soon as we say thank you to the immigration officer. We would be elated if the officer did a nice job by stamping it neatly and orderly, and irritated if the stamping were done sloppily and randomly!
» We miss the nervewrecking wait at the luggage carrousel! The anticipation of seeing our luggage on the carousel is enough to cause panic attack at times, especially when the announcement on last luggage comes up and your luggage is nowhere to be seen! Chef Norman Musa @chefnormanmusa - TV Chef, Tutor, Author, Lecturer, Entrepreneur
1. I miss the excitement that hits you a few days before travelling for holiday, the days when you picture yourself in the destination where you get to enjoy and breathe the air, interact with the people and relish local delicacies.
2. My favourite Redang Island will be the holiday I will first book once we can travel again. I want to travel back to Malaysia from The Netherlands, swim in the crystal clear sea water and enjoy the beautiful sunset!
Good to know: Chef Norman Musa, who is currently residing in Netherlands, actively promotes Malaysian food to the European market and beyond via his social media platforms. Norman & Friends Live Cooking Demo is held every Thursday. Recently, his virtual travel tour, Travel Cook Eat! takes viewers to Penang and Melaka to discover interesting places and delicious culinary delights at the comfort of your home.
Deanna Yusoff @deannayusoff_official Actress
1. The different seasons, the food, the scenery and people.
2. Malaysia!!! I need to go home first! » We miss the excitement of walking out the arrivals gate! We enjoy both independent and hosted trips. There is a different level of excitement and stomach churns whenever we walk out the arrivals gate. Of course, it is always nice to see your name on a placard held by the host and you could sigh a relief knowing you are in good hands. But nothing beats the adrenaline rush when trying to figure out your bearings in a foreign city yourself!
» We miss living minimally! Believe it or not, we could survive living out of a small suitcase for three to four weeks! Our secret of travelling light is only pack 3 sets of clothing. We have been living by this rule for all of our trips; be it for a three-day or a three-month trip. Since we only bring three sets of clothing, we need access to a laundry facility every other day.
Mostar Bridge, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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GAYA Traveller Tips: Make it a habit to take a photo of your luggage before Check-in and the tag is printed to the correct destination. It happened to us before on our Palestine, Jordan & Umra trips; our luggages decided to stay in Jordan.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, YOU HAVE A PHOTO OF YOUR LUGGAGE!
We love Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport luggage security procedure; we must ensure our luggages entered the baggage handling carousel system safely before going into the departure hall.
» We miss our quirky hunts! We each have our own favourite hunts to keep our travels amusing and fun. Irnee hunts for doors, while Irina hunts for George Clooney! Friends would often send us photos of beautiful doors and handsome George Clooney too whenever they travel. Besides these two, we also try to hunt for more serious stuff like the UNESCO World Heritage sites and Kilometre Zero.
» We miss not sleeping in our bed! As much as we love our own bed at home, travelling allows us to experience the different levels of comfort. Extra fluffy pillows and thick duvets are something to look forward to at the end of a long adventure-filled day. Nice decors and facilities are much appreciated too. This is exactly why we travel: to live outside our comfort zone and gather inspiration as much as we can.
» We miss wearing jackets! Our favourite seasons to travel are spring and autumn. Not too freezing cold and not too warm either. Nice weather to be wearing jackets! Shafik Jaafar @shafik_jaafar Medical Doctor
1. I think it’s the amount of freedom, the break from routine. Travel offers us an easy escape, a change of scene that recharges our senses. Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and making new memories!
2. Peru
Fiqrie @fiqrieisme Professional Emcee, Radio DJ/TVHost
1. The adventure, the air you breathe in, the food, the different cultures, the anticipation of experiencing everything new!
2. I was supposed to go to Japan for a homestay experience last December in a UNESCO Heritage Site. I also was supposed to be in Dubai for work. Hopefully those two materialise again.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
READ ONLINE: The Handsome Highlands of Scotland Issue 9.6
Dina Zaman @tdinazaman suggests three travel fiction books:
The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire William Dalrymple
My Twenty-five Years in Provence: Reflections on Then and Now Peter Mayle
Beauty Is A Wound Eka Kurniawan
READ ONLINE: Journey of the Hujjaj Our Hajj Journey Issue 10.1
Älmhult Station, Sweden; 12 min walk to IKEA Museum
» We miss the train rides and train stations! We love train stations with beautiful architecture and consider the train to be our most frequent mode of transportat when travelling between countries and cities. We feel that the train offers more comfort and space compared to the bus.
One of the most unique train stations we had encountered was Madrid’s Atocha Station; home to more than 300 turtles! However, we heard that the turtles got evacuated in 2018 as they were getting uncontrollable. We love scenic train rides the most, especially the ones we boarded when travelling across Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries – downright breathtaking! The only thing we hate about train rides was the need to carry our luggage up and down the trains. Most of all, we miss hearing “Mind the gap” on repeat! Dato’ Sheila Majid @sheilamajidofficial Professional Singer
1. I miss going to countries that have rich Islamic history and look at the culture. I am not a shopping person. The last thing I’ll do is go shopping (while on holiday). Because to me when I travel to other countries, I would like to learn more about their traditions, culture and history instead of the going to the shops, unless I am going to go buy stuff that are uniquely authentic to those countries. I love to go sightseeing. That I miss the most.
2. I would like to go to Mecca. I really miss that place. I love going there, with all the chaos and the hurry burry and not getting enough sleep. I feel a strong sense of fulfilment and calmness being close to a place where our prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born. I feel safe and I don’t have the word to describe it. I just feel peaceful there.
1. Time out and relaxation, the way it slows down things and helps you appreciate every moment.
2. Korea » We miss learning new skils! We go for classes when time permits, for example learning about choux pastries in Paris, cooking Thai cuisine in Bangkok, making floating paper lanterns and making aromatherapy pillows in Taiwan. Interacting with locals and fellow travellers is the best way to learn about other culture and their people.
» We miss driving in a foreign country! We love road tripping and have done a few throughout the years. Driving on a different side of the road can be harrowing at first, but after a while you get used to it. A big plus is that you can move at your own pace and there is no need to tow around your heavy luggage!
Latest Music Releases:
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Dayang Nurfaizah
Single: Ketika Cinta Ingin Dimengerti Sheila Majid
Single: Sendiri
Anuar Zain
» We miss going for concerts, theatres and the various television & movie shooting locations! We love entertainment; be it in the form of music, movies or theatres. Since we live in Johor Bahru, we frequently go to Singapore to catch various shows like NKOTB, Michael Jackson, and even Malaysia’s very own Anuar Zain, just to name a few. We also managed to get tickets to Celine Dion’s comeback show in Las Vegas back in 2011. Sheila Majid’s 2016 concert in Jakarta was memorable too! Apart from entertainment, we go for sporting events like the Gland Slam Tennis series (Australian Open and Wimbledon) and a National Basketball Association (NBA) match in New York.
» We miss London! As whiny as it may sound, London has been our favourite base whenever we travel; it provides easy access to many countries and regions worth exploring. Hence we will always keep an eye out for cheap flights to London from Kuala Lumpur before deciding on our holiday destination. Since we go to London annually, we do have a standard list of things to do while in the UK. It has somewhat become a tradition for us.
Celine Dion Concert : The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Anuar Zain @anuarzainnetwork Professional Singer
1. The preparation before travelling, going to the airport, going through immigration, arrival and the feeling that you are on a different display than what you are used to (home country).
2. Anywhere, as long as I get the tickets and going to the airport! Maybe to Kent, York and a few UK countryside destinations.
Good to know: Kent is called the Garden of England and it is very close to Dover ferry port to Calais, France.
GAYA Traveller Recommends: » Solley’s Ice Cream Parlour » Castle Farm Lavendar Hill, near Shoreham » Scotney Castle, near Lamberhurst
Art Fazil @art_fazil Professional Singer
1. I miss waking up in an unfamiliar environment.
2. London » We miss eating all the yummy local food! We are Malaysians after all, therefore we live to eat! Wherever we are in the world, food is always one of the highlights. Being Muslims, we try our best to search for halal options before embarking on our journey. Other than eating local food, we also love going to cake shops and bakeries to ogle at all the beautiful pastries and desserts!
Novak Djokovic Wimbledon 2013
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Once international travel is allowed, where will GAYA Traveller head to?
As we patiently wait for our turn to obtain the Covid-19 vaccine, our future travel dreams continue. Though we are eager to get our passports stamped, we must be mindful and careful too. We love being in big cities and board intercity buses and trains to satisfy our curiosities.
However, it is a different world we are living in now. Covid-19 is still at large. Slowly, our travel appetites are evolving to suit the current situation we are in. Until Covid-19 is safely gone and we can behave like it was 2018, we need a new game plan!
Most famous churros in Madrid; Chocolatería San Ginés Trdelnik; Czech sweet pastry roll
We would love to go on The Ghan Expedition between Darwin and Adelaide! @journeybeyondrail
READ ONLINE : OPULENT CHARM Part 3 Agra & Jaipur, India Issue 6.4
Mouthwatering patisserie at Harrods Roastery & Bake Hall Chef Adu Amran @chefaduamran Celebrity Chef
1. What I miss most about travelling is the opportunity to discover different cultures, people and at the same time, reflect upon myself. I’m a lone traveller most times, so I find tranquillity and chaos when moving about.
2. India. The last time I was there was 10 years ago. Since then, I have been going back to the UK, France and South East Asia. Don’t get me wrong, I love it there in the UK or France, and South East Asia especially Indonesia; but I miss India so much. I feel spiritually connected to India and Indonesia.
Good to know: Halal food is sometimes hard to access while travelling. There are plenty ready-to-eat cooking paste available in the market now and we love Chef Adu’s ADU SUGAR premium cooking paste!
Pojie @pojiegraphy Travel Blogger & Content Creator
1. Hearing foreign languages and tasting different food.
2. Islands in Indonesia. To relax, enjoy the beauty and catch up with my friends there! We have thought and discussed long and hard about our first international destination once it is allowed. We agreed that it should be somewhere not too crowded, and social distancing can be achieved easily. Perhaps somewhere that is not too far and preferably with a good COVID-19 containment track-record.
Singapore, Taiwan or Australia seem to be safe choices for us. We have been to these countries multiple times and we are familiar with the people and places, therefore we can better plan our trip and enjoy the destination more.
Fast paced city-hopping may no longer be suitable for the time being. Let’s opt for longer stays and lesser inter-city movements by treading the paths less travelled and discover hidden local gems instead!
How does stargazing in the Australian outback sound?
