by Red

Hanguk D-4: Of Ancient Silla Kings

17 May,2011, Gyeongju, Korea

From Jeju to Gyeongju in a Day

So far, it’s been a flash travelling blitz across Korea. From Seoul to Jeju in 3 days, and today Day 4 I am headed for Busan and then to Gyeongju. Here’s the plan: Take a bus from Seogwipo up to Jeju City. Look for the next available flight out to Busan. Take a bus out from Busan Airport to Gyeongju. When in Gyeongju, hunt for a place to stay. Spontaneous travel.

A couple taking a stroll into through the burial mounds.

The first part was easy enough. I found the tourist bus pick-up point which led straight to Jeju City airport. The fantastic thing about travelling in Korea is that the transport network is fantastic. Every place is connected and buses leave frequently. At the airport, I found a Jeju Air flight at 1pm headed for Busan. Booked the ticket. Don’t try getting a ticket off the counter during peak season though.

Jeju Air – cheap and convenient

The flight was short, and on reaching Busan, I thought to myself. ‘How convenient was it that there was a bus terminal just outside the airport with destinations to all the nearby cities.’ Took lunch and my 4pm bus ticket. The bus left for Gyeongju and took an hour to reach the city. Objective for today met. In summary, it is perfectly possible to hit Gyeongju from Jeju in a day, with plenty of time to spare. (considering that I wasn’t rushing from point to point – I set off late in the morning and even missed the earlier Busan to Gyeongju bus because I was ogling this hot Korean babe at the airport.)

Silla

Once upon a time (57 BCE-935 CE actually), the Korea that we know today existed as 3 separate kingdoms. The Silla kingdom, and its two rivals the Goguryeo and Baekje kingdoms. Then one day the a particularly belligerent Silla king made a decision to annex the other two, and in the process, unified the three under the Silla flag. They ruled for almost 900 years from their capital in Gyeongju, until they were conquered by the Goryeo Dynasty. In a nutshell, that was the history of Silla.

Hanjin Hostel. A homely place to spend the night. You can even buy homemade calligraphy poems here.

What was more exciting was that I’m now in Gyeongju, the seat of the Silla kings for hundreds of years. I got a room at the Hanjin Hostel, barely a hundred meters off the bus station. Chucked my bag and off I headed towards the city’s attractions, clearly printed out on the handwritten map given out free by the Hanjin Hostel guy. Gyeongju has been named the museum without walls, and I was starting to understand why.

I peeked into a roadside taekwondo dojo.

Tumuli

It was evening when I reached the Tumuli Park. These mounds ahead of me are barrows, burial tombs of ancient Silla kings. In the middle of downtown Gyeongju are the Noeseo-Ri tombs and the huge tree-covered Bonghwangdae tomb. There were locals picnicking here, schoolchildren walking through, and boy playing baseball even. How odd, that these thousand year old tombs are so much a part of the locals everyday life. Further down I passed through the Tumuli Park, with yet more tumuli. There was even one, Cheonmachong (Heavenly Horse Tomb) which had been excavated and one could enter via a short tunnel into the burial chamber. Somehow, I was the only foreign traveller around the park, which was mostly empty anyway.

Neoseo-Ri Tombs

An evening game of catch.

In meditation under a tumulus

The excavated tomb entrance of the Cheonmachong.

A tumulus, covered by bamboo

The sun setting over a Silla royal tomb

Anapji

Next, I strolled to the Cheomseongdae Observatory, which, built around 600 CE, is probably one of the oldest observatories around. Past more of those peculiar low rise buildings and shops. I realised I had already walked halfway across town, and dusk was approaching. Anapji Pond is just ahead, across the main road, so I decided to do that as well, and worry about finding my way back later.

The two cute mascots of Gyeongju

Cheomseongdae

Flower garden en route to Anapji

Serendipitously, Anapji was a sight to behold at night. It waslighted, and all the missing tourists I could not find in town earlier starting dropping off at entrance carpark by the busloads. Anapji Pond is an artificial pond built by one of the Silla kings, King Munmu (his tumulus is on a rock in the sea!) in Gyeongju National Park. It is very much a tourist attraction, having been spruced up nicely.

So that’s where everyone is!

Looking over the Anapji pond

Exhibits from the Silla empire are displayed here

 

That was enough activity for one day, I thought to myself. I flagged a bus back to town, and grabbed dinner, some instant noodles at 7-Eleven and that was Gyeongju in a (half)day.

in Asia / South Korea 0 comments
 by Red

Hanguk D-3: Jeju-Do and Don’ts

16 May,2011, Seogwipo, Korea

Today I’m in Seogwipo, the main town in the southern half of Jeju Island. Did a walk along the main streets to the harbour area. Checked out some restaurants. Most here had signs proclaiming ‘authentic seafood caught by haenyos’, those famous diving grandmas of Jeju. I myself was looking to dive as well. I searched for the building housing one of the English speaking dive outfits here, BigBlue33. I met Ralf, the owner at BigBlue33 but they were not going out that day. It is always a hit and miss affair when you do a walk-in, and alone at that. No worries, we had a chat, he was nice and directed me towards a couple of Korean run dive shops. But it seemed like there were no other leisure divers going out to sea that day. I would recommend trying to dive though, read that it was pretty decent – Diving? Do!

In late morning, I decided to be a tourist. The Jungmun Tourist Complex, just a twenty minute bus ride west of Seogwipo, is for the tourist. Many five star hotels (check out some of the hotels in Jeju), attractions, restaurants and an extraordinary number of museums. There’s the famous Loveland, Teddy Bear Museum, a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! and several other really random attractions that makes you go “WTF has this got to do with anything?“ I decided to while away my time at the Jeju Museum of African Art. The building itself is a replica of the Grand Mosque of Djenne in Mali, West Africa. It’s a realistic representation too, check out those ‘torons’ sticking out of the walls. The building houses images, masked, and carvings from Africa, and there was also an animal section. It was OK, actually I just wanted a glimpse of the building. The real thing in Mali is on my bucket list! – Museums? Generally Don’t!

The it was the Cheonjeyeon area. Cheonjeyeon Falls is one of three waterfalls of Jeju. From Jongmun, you could see the forested valley below, and the three tiered waterfalls. Apparently, Cheonjeyeon was the Pond of the Emperor of Heaven, and seven nymphs regularly bathe in the waters. There is a huge arched bridge, Seonimgyo Bridge, which crosses over the valley. This bridge has the same seven nymphs carved on the side. I sensed a theme of ‘in harmony with nature’ throughout. – Waterfalls? Do!

Back in Seogwipo, I walked the town center for a bit before settling for dinner. The South Korean’s preoccupation with healthy living can be seen here. Besides all the Olle hiking trails, natural parks, the food here had calorie count on their labels. Check out these ice-cream labels. – Healthy Living? Do!

Next up, From Jeju to Gyeongju.

in Asia / South Korea 0 comments
 by Red

The Fascinating History of the Spice Islands

Deep in the Indonesian archipelago lie the Maluku Islands. Here, where the mountains are pretty, the waters sublime, and the people friendly, this group of islands little visited by tourists is where I would be spending this upcoming X’mas festive period.

A Long Long Time Ago

The islands of Maluku are collectively known as the Spice Islands. Why? To answer this, we have to go back 500 years. Back then, the islands were ruled by various sultanates that grew powerful through trade of the spices uniquely found on the island: nutmegs and cloves. The sultanates of Ternate, Tidore, Bacan and Jailolo had been trading spices with the Chinese and later the Islamic World (hence the conversion of locals to Islam and the formation of the Muslim Sultanates) pre-16th century. The Arabs of that time, essentially the Mamluks (1250-1517), the Ottomans (1281-1924) and the Safavids of Persia, transported these valuable spices and traded from the Mediterranean coast to Venice. The Republic of Venice hence enjoyed a monopoly of the spice trade, and grew powerful from trade with the rest of the European powers.

Of course, the Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and British wanted a piece of the pie, and sent explorers to find the source of the spices, in the hopes of setting up their own trade route. This was the Renaissance Period, and individual empires had the financial clout to send expeditions around Africa and through to Asia.

Spice Wars

No, that‘s not the title of the latest Facebook game. It’s the almost comical yet tragic occupations of the Maluku by the colonial powers of the time. The Portuguese were the first to find Maluku, after colonizing Malacca in 1511. They made their way to Ternate, Bacan and Tidore, and set up trading posts and forts. They didn’t make themselves too popular, proselytizing Christianity to the locals, helping themselves to the spice production, beheading one of the Sultans, and in general making total pricks of themselves. The ramifications were inevitable. The local populace kicked them out of their main base on Ternate, and the Portuguese ended up  setting shop further south in Ambon.

The Spanish were already in Maluku, coming in a few years after the Portuguese. Despite a treaty (Treaty of Zaragoza, 1525) between the two stating that the Spanish will not lay claim to Maluku, they continued to shadily trade spices with the locals.

The Portuguese in the meantime, weren’t doing very well in Ambon either. Successive revolts from pissed-off locals on Ambon eventually ended up in a full out assault by the Ternate sultan and his allies from the Sultanate of Mataram, Java.  Already licking their wounds, they encountered the Dutch. The belligerent Dutch came along, besieged Ambon and kicked out the Portuguese from the region for good in 1605.

Pick Your Allies Carefully

And where were the locals in all this? The Sultanates of Ternate and Tidore were inconsequentially bickering with each other, oblivious to the European powers desire to completely take over the spice trade. With the Portuguese gone, the Spanish filled the power vacuum and occupied both Tidore and Ternate. As with their predecessors, the Spanish weren’t too popular either, controlling the cloves production. Ternate, eager to put one up against their southern rivals, allied themselves (stupidly) with the Dutch, and proceeded to square off against Tidore, who (even more stupidly) were allied with the Spanish.

The stronger power won, and to the victor, the spoils. The Dutch monopoly of the Maluku spice trade grew with the establishment in 1602 of the VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie), more commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, to take advantage of the spice trade. Meanwhile the influence of the Spanish and Tidore waned. The Spanish removed themselves from Maluku in 1663.

A Massacre at the Bandas

The Dutch weren’t saints either. They were now the superpowers of the region, and proceeded to flex their muscles. They quelled any uprising around the islands violently. They restricted the production of cloves to only Ambon Island in order to protect their trade. Of course the locals’ livelihood was affected and their revolt was again spectacularly put down. One of the Moluccan heroes was the Pattimura, Thomas Matulessy, a local from Ambon who led a failed revolt in 1817. He was hanged by the Dutch. His last words were: ‘I wish you all a pleasant stay’.

The epitome was probably in 1621, when the Dutch forcibly occupied the Banda Islands and massacred its entire population (15000!). They resettled the island with imported slaves from Java and elsewhere in Indonesia. Before this, the interaction was treaty based, but after the Banda massacre, it was full out occupation by the Dutch.

The British were also in the middle of these shenanigans. Latecomers to the show, they set up their forts in the islands of Rum and Ai. They were paying higher prices for the spices, which seriously undermined the Dutch. So, the Dutch did what they do best, invading Ai in 1615 and causing a full scale rivalry with British revenge attacks. In 1623, the Dutch murdered a bunch of British merchants on Ambon, which probably made things worse. Things only got better after the British seceded control of the Bandas to the Dutch in 1667.

You Would Trade Manhattan for One of These Islands???!!

Amazingly, the Dutch wanted to complete their Pokemon collection (gotta catch them all!) of all the Banda Islands. The last island of Run was traded with the British, after the second Anglo-Dutch War of 1665–1667, where under the Treaty of Breda (1667), the Dutch got Run in exchange for what is now Manhattan Island in New York. Seriously. They MUST have regretted that decision ever since.

Anyway, the sly Brits smuggled out the spices to their colonies in Sri Lanka, Singapore and replanted them there, thereby ending the Dutch monopoly of the spice trade. The Maluku islands fell to obscurity, and the sultanates were abolished by the Dutch.

Modern History

After the Japanese occupation, and when Indonesia gained independence, the Maluku people were surprisingly pro-Dutch. These nederlandophiles had what I would think is a case of Stockholm Syndrome. They set up a secessionist movement in 1950, creating the unrecognized Republic of South Maluku. Matters weren’t helped by the silly idea to transmigrate Indonesians from elsewhere to Maluku. There was actually an incident in 2000 where local Muslims and Christian Ambonese fought each other. Today, things are OK, the sultanates reinstated, and the Maluku Islands are peaceful little visited historically important sites. (And a great dive paradise too, I might add).

The impact of the colonial powers’ rule was many: Portuguese words such as bendera (flag), meja (table), sabun (soap) exist in the Indonesian language. Locals in Ambon have Portuguese sounding surnames like de Souza and de Fretes. And many immigrants formerly from Ambon and the rest of the Maluku islands have been assimilated and are living in Holland.

To read my post about the other Spice Islands, of the Zanzibar Archipelago, click here: http://www.thefuriouspanda.com/2010/02/25/87-%E2%80%93-zanzibar-the-places-just-gets-more-and-more-exotic/

References:
Carboni, Stefano. Venice and the Islamic world, 828-1797: Yale University Press, 2007
Timeline : Molucca Islands http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/seasia/tlmoluccas.html
Various Wikipedia entries

in Indonesia / South East Asia 0 comments
 by Red

Airport Hubs in Indonesia

Indonesia is made up of more than 17000 islands. And besides commonly visited places like Jakarta and Bali, there are many, many fantastic places to visit. Navigating your way through to these locations is a potential headache though. There are so many airlines and so many routes to consider.  Indonesian domestic airlines do not exactly have the best reputation for safety. But that’s not an excuse for not exploring what the Indonesian archipelago has to offer.

I’ve been flying in and out of Indonesia, visiting little enclaves of paradise and historical and natural wonders over the last few years, flash traveller style.  This meant travelling out of Singapore, taking flights that no sane traveller would even consider taking, either because I was trying to keep costs low, or simply because the bigger airlines don’t fly to the destination. It used to be a nightmare booking flight tickets through local agents or at the ticketing counter. However, over the last year, local airlines have started using online ticketing, to my relief.

Online Ticketing

First, let’s take a look at the different airline ticketing methods:

LionAir – I’ve tried booking online for Singapore to Bali (this route no longer exists). Verdict: Successful.

AirAsia – No problem with online booking here. Very reliable, though they only cover the major hubs.

Sriwijaya Air – Site goes down sometimes. But I just booked Jakarta to Ternate just now. They email you the ticket/itinerary. Someone will call to confirm your credit card user info. Verdict: Successful.

Batavia Air – Selecting the destination may stump you. There’s a field for “Departure city”, “Destination City” and “Return City”. So your return city technically can be completely different from your departure city. Weird. Leaving the Return City field empty will allow you to book one-way ticket. Worked for me. I didn’t get an email, but you can print out the ticket after payment confirmation. No idea how you can access your ticket if you don’t have a printer at that time though. Verdict: Successful.

Merpati Air – I’ve only tried buying from counter (Denpasar to Tambolaka), but there is an online booking option on the website now. However, there is a line saying that only Indonesian issued credit cards can be used. Plus the session keeps timing out each time I tried booking. Tell me if you managed to book Merpati tickets through their ticketing system. Verdict: Unsuccessful

Trigana Air – I can’t find any online ticketing service. And the page is in Indonesian. Verdict: Not Available

Express Air – The site is in English. But there is no online booking. You need to call, which means if you are not somewhere in Indonesia, it will be very tough to book. Verdict: Not Available

Air Transport Hubs of Indonesia

Depending on where in Indonesia you actually want to go, there are some routes that make more sense than others. I don’t profess to be an expert, but let me try to share what I know. This next section assumes you have a good geographical knowledge of the Indonesian islands, or at least have Google Maps opened in another tab right now. If not, please open one and type in Indonesia. =)

Jakarta‘s Soekarno-Hatta airport is obviously the main transport hub to the rest of Indonesia. (Side note: all the airports have unique funky names I love!).  You can’t go wrong if you start from here. It’s the main international airport where most airlines end up.

On Java, Surabaya‘s Juanda airport is another hub that serves east Java. Conveniently, AirAsia flies there from Kuala Lumpur, and Batavia Air and Jetstar flies there from Singapore. Both are convenient entry points if you want to avoid Jakarta.

Further east, of course Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar, Bali is well known, going out to many International destinations, and probably the destination we Singaporeans end up at. But did you know you can actually go beyond Bali to places like Dili, East Timor through Batavia Air, for example? Ngurah Rai is also the hub for destinations to its east, covering the Nusa Tenggara  Timur / Barat (East/West Nusa Tenggara) provinces, which covers attractions like Lombok (the Gili Islands! Rinjani!) and Flores (Alor diving/whaling! Komodo Islands!).

While Denpasar covers the western end of Nusa Tenggara’s two provinces, the eastern end’s hub is served by Kupang’s El Tari airport. I’ve never been there myself, but it’s somewhere to start if you want to do an overland crossing to East Timor.

Over on Sumatra, Polonia Airport in Medan is a hub serving the land mass. Its close proximity to Malaysia and Singapore means airlines such as Jetstar, AirAsia and Firefly make frequent flights there. Medan itself is an interesting destination (Lake Toba! Bukit Lawang Orang Utans!)

Balikpapan‘s Sepinggan Airport is the hub for sights around Kalimantan. Diving in Derawan and Sangalaki is to the north. Surprisingly there are no connections from the north side. (Borneo’s Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia). AirAsia flies here from Kuala Lumpur though.

Recently the Indo government is trying to make Makassar (Sultan Hasanuddin Airport) the major transport hub leading to destinations in East Indonesia. So now Garuda, Indonesia’s national carrier flies direct from Singapore. Makassar is the start-off point for adventures up north in Sulawesi (Tanah Toraja!) though a connecting flight is oft needed elsewhere, even on Sulawesi since travelling overland is not easy. Makassar would serve people wanting flights to Manado, and elsewhere on the Maluku islands (Ambon, Ternate etc)

Lastly, all the way to the east is Papua. Jayapura is the capital of the province (Sentani Airport) leading to Cenderawasih Bay and overland crossings into Vanimo, Papua New Guinea. Sorong (Domine Edward Osok Airport) is where you start for Raja Ampat diving. I haven’t been on Papua myself, so I do not have much information on these airports.

There you have it. So in summary, you have Jakarta for destinations all over Indonesia including western Indonesia, plus Makassar as the main hub to destinations in eastern Indonesia.Then you have the seaports and the Pelni boats. But that would stretch this post to twice the length, and I doubt you want to spend 48 hrs sitting on board boats. If any of your reading this is an expert on the sea network, you can educate me. =)

If you found this entry useful, do share the post! Do comment or drop me a note if you need help with these routes. I’ll share what I know.

in Indonesia / South East Asia / Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

Travel Footwear in Southeast Asia: Quirky & Cool

Forget your Crocs and your Tevas, when travelling in South-East Asia, there are more fascinating brands worth mentioning. This post will tell you all about some of the footwear I’ve come across or worn while travelling the neighbouring countries.

Stripe-rubber-shoes. Photo from outdoor-gear-malaysia.com

First you have the Kampung Adidas. This is from Malaysia. It is 100% rubber shoes, with rubber studs and the distinctive 4 yellow stripes. Used by plantation workers and eager locals doing weekend hikes, the shoes’ grip is much better suited to slippery Malaysian rainforests than thick hiking boots. They bend easily to the contour of tree roots. I’ve got my first pair in Malaysia and can swear by it. Really fantastic for short hikes. True, you look slightly silly with thick socks and these black shoes, but hey, deep in the jungle, no one cares. Cost: < 5 SGD (about 10 Malaysian Ringgit)

Chu Chi tire sandals

Then there are Vietnamese tire sandals. These are novelty souvenirs popular in the 1960s in Saigon. I got mine at the souvenir shop in Chu Chi War Tunnels. They are made out of old tires and inner tubings. While not exactly a fashion statement, these sandals are surprisingly comfortable and you wouldn’t look out of place wearing it on the MRT train. Cost: 4 SGD (around 70 Vietnamese Dong).

Eiger sandals

Eiger slippers

There’s this brand of outdoor gear, Eiger. Made in Indonesia, it’s the local alternative to international outdoor brands. I’ve a pair of slippers, their basic black model, with good soles. I wear it everywhere. My first pair was bought in Mataram shopping centre in Lombok. After I lost that one (stupidly left it behind after a game of football), I was compelled to buy a replacement pair when I was in Batam. Yes, that’s how I love the, Eiger slippers. Cost: around 10 SGD.

My model with his Sandugo

My model with his Sandugo

In the Phillipines, I came across a local brand while window shopping in Tagbilaran City. Sandugo outdoor gear, specializing in sandals. Sandugo also means One Blood in Visayan. There’s actually a Sandugo Monument in Bohol dedicated to the blood compact signed by two parties, a Spanish explorer and a Bohol chief. But I digress. It’s a decent looking brand and cheap too. Cost: around 15 SGD.

Lastly, I need to give a shout out to my trusty Chaco sandals. From Nov 2009 to Mar 2010, I travelled using only this pair of Chaco sandals (and my Eiger slippers during downtime). No shoes, no problem. The Chacos works just as well, plus they are a whole lot more comfortable. Cost: 180 SGD but I’ve recouped that investment long, long ago.

Do you have any footwear that you swear by? Comment below!

Chaco sandals by the edge of the Siwa desert, Egypt

in Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

The Art of Flash Travelling

How many times have you told yourself, ‘I really look forward to that holiday at the end of the year.’ Why not instead tell yourself ‘I’m going for a holiday this weekend, and the next, and the next…’

In the last six months I have been diving with sharks in the Philippines, got stuck during a countrywide strike in Bangladesh, explored Chu Chi’s Vietnam war tunnels, looked across the border to North Korea in the DMZ. All this while holding a full time job in work-crazy Singapore.

Now how is this possible? Don’t I have to work? How can I afford to go on so many holidays on a meager engineer’s salary? How is it that I have so much annual leave? I get all these questions all the time.

The answer is: Become a Flash Traveller. Huh? What is that? Let me explain.

The Flash Traveller (FT) is someone who makes full use of his time to explore and travel. It’s a term I coined from:

1) Flash as in “flashpackers”. This is the general term for travellers who are more well-to-do than the average backpacker and carry with him/her gadgets that make travelling easier (like a laptop, GPS, camera).

2) Flash as in “blindingly fast”– This is when the traveller goes on travelling during the weekend or during a short work-week. His ideology is to maximize each long weekend, and see as many sights as possible during that short travel opportunity.

How to be a Flash Traveler

1)      Plan your trips for the year. Look at the Singapore Public Holiday list. In the year 2012 there are 10 public holidays. That’s potentially 10 different travel opportunities that you can take. If the public holiday falls on a long weekend (Friday or Monday), then you have a three day break. If it falls on any other weekday, then it’s an opportunity to take leave for the remaining four days of the week, which gives you a whopping 9 days of travel (Saturday to the next Sunday, do the math).

2)      Book your tickets early. This is because most budget carriers sell tickets much cheaper the earlier you buy them. The ticket I bought to Delhi this coming August costs only SGD230 return. I got the ticket more than 6 months ago. Ok, you might not know whether you would be able to make the trip that is planned a year down the road. Who plans so far ahead? And furthermore, would you even be able to apply for leave? My answer to all these? Just get the plane ticket first. Don’t worry so much because things always have a way of working out. The worst case scenario is that you forfeit your cheap ticket.

3)      Go for no frills. Since you will be travelling so many times during the year, all the airfares will add up, no matter how cheap. So something’s got to give to make this lifestyle sustainable. And that something is your spending habit while overseas. Stay at cheaper places, avoid expensive restaurants. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 slumming it out in grungy dank hostels, and 10 being a five star hotel accommodation, I would target a 2 or a 3. Occasionally to reward myself for a trip well done, I’d go for a 5 on the last night. Foodwise, simple local fare would do. Eat what the locals eat. If you are looking for food from home (Where are my damn hamburgers!?), then you probably shouldn’t be reading this article anyway. For souvenirs, other than the odd trinket or t-shirt, I generally avoid buying them.

4)      Pack light. You will be gone for only 3 to 9 days, so you do not have to lug that 65 liter all-terrain backpack. Most of the time, a simple 30 litre pack will do. This also saves on cost, since you won’t have to check-in any bags. Most budget airlines charge extra for baggage check-in. Inside your bags, have minimal clothing. One change of clothes is enough for a 3 day trip. I use 3 sets for a nine day trip, doing quick washes over the sink as necessary. Essentials I cannot do without include my flashpack gear. Keep to around 6 -7kg, since you will be travelling from place to place with your pack, and not chucking your bag in a hotel. You want to start the day in City A, and end in City B. That’s not possible if you have to go back to your hotel to collect your bag. Remember: You want to see as many sights as possible and you have minimal time, so keep yourself mobile.

5)      Plan your itinerary when you reach your destination. There’s no point planning months in advance for a trip. You won’t have the time to do so anyway, at the flash travelling rate of one trip a month. Instead, read a guidebook, have a rough idea of what sights you want to see, and work from there. Most of the time I do my detailed planning only on the plane ride, with Lonely Planet in hand. And half the time, my plans change. Someone I meet recommends something new, and it often results in the most exciting adventures. As a general rule of thumb: Let serendipity be your guide.

6)      Stay connected. I bring my netbook wherever I go, but a smartphone with wifi will do fine. You can keep in touch with friends and family (remember to let them know where you are!). Nowadays, you can plug in and get connected anywhere. I use this to frequently research the sights and get directions. Photos can be backed-up and Facebook junkies like me can stay updated. Remember that you travel light, so cut the heavy guidebooks whenever possible. Everything you need, you can get online.

7)      Ask. Besides my netbook, the best way to get information is to ask the locals. Don’t speak the language? Use hand signals. You are forced to interact with people, and often learn more than you’d expect. When I need a breather (that’s when I’m lost!), I take a seat at the local coffee shop, and ask for directions. People are generally nice and will help you out. All you need to do is ask.

8)      Get off the beaten track. Sure, start off with the easier places. Aspiring flash travellers can go to nearby Malaysia for a quick weekend getaway. Or a trip to Bangkok. Once you get a feel of it, try somewhere different. How about a small town in Kelantan, or a market in Udon Thani? The budget airlines fly to these places. The tickets are cheaper since only locals use the route. And at the destination, everything from lodging to food will be cheaper. The cultural experience you get would be more authentic, since it’s off the tourist trail.

9)      Go solo. This isn’t a rule. But to get the best experience, I would recommend going solo, or with one friend. Too big a group isn’t optimal, since you will spend more time talking to the group rather than experiencing what your destination has to offer. By being alone, locals will also be more inclined to come up to you and strike up a conversation. The other point is flexibility. You can do what you want to do, go where you want to go, and see what you want to see. You have 3 days, you don’t need half the morning waiting for your buddy to finish using the toilet.

10)   It’s the journey, not the destination. Lastly remember that within the short time you have flash travelling, you may end up frustrated. You didn’t have the time to plan your itinerary well enough, or you missed the bus which resulted in a wasted day. Or maybe the destination you picked was a disappointment. Don’t despair. Keep an open mind. Enjoy the journey. Take back the experience, and go back to work the next Monday knowing that you spent the weekend doing something that no other colleague in your office would have even dreamt of doing.

And here are reasons why flash travelling works:

  1. Singapore is in a perfect position to do this. The location is within hours of each and every exotic destination in Asia. If you talk to foreigners, they look at us with ENVY.  We can travel out easily to places like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, all countries which they put on their bucket lists. “What do you want to do in your lifetime?” “I want to go to Thailand”. Heck, Thailand’s beaches are 2 hours away from us!
  2. The other reason is the strong Singapore dollar. Your dollar is equivalent, if not better than most of the countries in the region. You can do so much more with $100 in Indonesia than in Singapore. Take advantage of that.
  3. The budget airlines boom. There are so many budget airlines flying around the region nowadays it’s crazy. With sales every other day, it’s so easy to get a good deal. Check out this other post for all budget airlines flying out of Singapore to various airports. Each one is a potential destination worth visiting.

In summary, to be a successful flash traveller, you need mobility (travel light!), flexibility (keep an open mind!) and live frugally (don’t overspend!)

Got a flash travel story to share? Drop me a comment below!

in Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

Hong Kong: Living Large In Small Spaces

Date: 14 Mar 2011

Arriving into Kowloon at in the evening, we took the train to catch the daily impressive symphony of lights in Hong Kong harbour. Apparently, foreigners and mainland Chinese tourists view this spectacle at least once during their stay here. After the show, (sadly the commentary that day was in the Cantonese dialect), we proceeded next to find our quarters for the night. On another day, and travelling with another person, KW would probably be staying in a fancy posh HK hotel. Unfortunately for him, he’s with me, and add to that the exorbitant hotel room prices here in HK, we will slum it out in Kowloon.

Living Large In Small Spaces


Back in Kowloon, we walked along Nathan Road, wherein lies our destination. Chungking Manor, the setting for Wong Kar Wai’s 1994 masterpiece, Chungking Express. Chungking Manor is actually an old apartment building located in the Tsim Tsa Shui area of Kowloon district. It lies smack along the busy Nathan Road, overlooking a sea of traffic. Within Chungking Manor lies dozens of little establishments offering cheap lodging. And further down the road, a similar building offers the same. This one, Mirador Mansion, was the one we ended up in.

The ground floor of the building is made up of many different little shops, and a cluster of money-changers. The maze-like corridors of shops could certainly do with better lighting. At the staircase landing, someone will undoubtedly come up to anyone who looks like a non-local, and offer cheap lodging, at fairly reasonable prices (they have to, if you think of it, just because of the intense competition for customers). So unless you know specifically where you want to go, or have plenty of time to shop around for a place you like, it makes sense to follow the person and check out his place.

In our case, it was a lady that offered to show us her guesthouse, which is actually a cluster of rooms on one of the floors inside the building. The “office” where they work out from is one of the apartments. The lift is dingy, slow, yet there was constant traffic of people going up and down. Similarly, the corridor is grimy, with dried stains which looked as though a trigger-happy betel-nut chewing auntie had passed through. “Well, I’ve been in worse”, I comforted myself. The lady passed us the room key. “I mean, how bad can it be right?”


Surprisingly, once we turned the key, the interior was a clean, bright room, with twin beds, nice white sheets and a tiny bathroom. Not what I expected, considering the outside corridor. It was very tight quarters though, with the door opening narrowly missing the corner of one of the beds. No matter, the room was sufficient, air-conditioned even.

Out we go for dinner. Again, as elsewhere in Hong Kong, space is a premium. The pizza joint where we had dinner was yet another example of making full use of limited space. A short flight of steps wound up to the 2nd floor (1st floor was a storefront), and led to the 5x3m waiting area. Indeed, the eatery seemed like it was set within the confines of a 5 room Singaporean HDB flat.

Savouring Bits of Hong Kong

Recall the story of the 5 blind men feeling various parts of an elephant, with each concluding with different ideas of what an elephant is. Hong Kong here is the elephant, and with so many things to do, different visitors would have different experiences. Some think of HK as a big financial center, some know it as a cacophony of noise within the side streets, offering cheap eats and street charms. Yet others consider it an outdoor heaven, outside of the city lies expanses of hills and trekking opportunities. Me? I’m the blind man who sees it as a shopping mecca. Mongkok, Kowloon was where we headed for. Stores and stores of electronic gadgets line the streets. Step into one, look around. Two shops down, another gadget shop. And then another. It was hard not to get into the groove. I ended up purchasing a new Asus notebook, a pair of cargo pants off Esprit (buttoned pockets are great for travelling) and more fancy gadgets.

One final thing. The HK metro system has a direct line that goes to the HK International airport. Known as the Airport Express, it goes from Hong Kong station down to the airport station. The brilliant thing about this Airport Express is that it conveniently allows tourists to check-in and deposit their luggage at the Hong Kong and Kowloon stations. How’s that when you want to continue shopping without lugging your gear about!

 HK definitely deserves repeat visits. All you regulars who go there frequently, will surely agree.

in Asia / China 0 comments
 by Red

The KLIA LCCT Customs Clearance Run

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit” runs through my mind as I stand in the snaking queue. I glance at my watch every few seconds, mentally wishing the queue before me would vanish, and I would be next in line to have my passport stamped. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) customs clearance building is a huge high-ceilinged hall which fits hundreds comfortably. Yet, with thousands pouring out of the planes outside on the tarmac and making their way into the building, it is inevitable that there will be a huge crowd.

Despite the surprising efficiency of the passport-stamping customs officers behind the tables, it really was a long queue, and I seriously doubted I would make it in time for the next flight. I will need to clear customs, collect my checked-in bag from the conveyor, rush to the departure counter, do my paperwork for the connecting flight, check in again, and rush back on the SAME tarmac I left earlier to get to this second plane.

I hear the final boarding call, the check-in counter closes 45 minutes before departure, which meant I have exactly 5 minutes left. As soon as the line reached me, I beseeched the customs officer to be quick, and then sprinted down the corridor, traversing the escalator, to the check-in row, only to find out the counter close, and the staff packing up. I pleaded with them to let me check-in. To my enormous relief, they decided to help the flustered pathetic Singaporean, and made a phone call or two, telling the plane crew that there’s one more passenger coming in. Phew, made it by the skin of my teeth, I thought as I finally boarded the plane.

How did I get into this predicament? I was flying Singapore to KL, and then KL to Aceh. I had buffered two hours for the transit period. What I didn’t count on, however, was a delay on the Singapore to KL flight, which seems to be the norm, especially later in the afternoon, when the accumulated delay of multiple SG to KL return flights starts to add up.
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There’s no doubt about it, for the budget-conscious Singaporean traveller, AirAsia flights out of Kuala Lumpur (KL) are considerably cheaper than on other low cost airlines that fly out of Singapore. It could be the airport tax, or price competition, but flying from KL to Siem Reap is on average cheaper than from flying from Singapore to Siem Reap. Now this point about cheaper prices is moot, since most Singaporeans (i) can’t be bothered with the extra hassle of taking two flights, (ii) the cost of the SG-KL return flight included adds up to about the same price anyway, and (iii) we don’t have so much time to do things like take overnight coaches or trains from SG to KL, which though cheaper than the SG-KL flights, demands much of our precious time.

And yet, why do I do it? Simply because in the AirAsia network, there are many exciting destinations that both Jetstar and Tiger currently do not cover. Want to dive the Indonesian Sulawesi archipelago? Fly KL to Makassar. Want to see how well the tsunami recovery work goes in Aceh? Fly KL to Banda Aceh. Want to see Sri Lanka’s many historical and natural marvels? Fly KL to Colombo.

Visiting these places requires that I plan properly. After the aforementioned incident, I decided that putting in extra buffer time is not just a good idea, it is a practically a necessity! Better to lounge at KLIA / LCCT and wait (wifi available) for a few hours rather than risk missing the flight altogether.

However, in accordance to Murphy’s Law, anything that can go wrong probably will. So here below are a few tips to get through a potentially really bad situation, in case you do try the KLIA / LCCT Customs Clearance Run.

1) Firstly, prevention is still the better option. Plan your trip well, don’t allocate 2 hours to clear the entry and then exit customs. It’s not enough, knowing the unreliability of low-cost carriers. Flightstats.com’s Feb-Mar 2011 data shows that despite AirAsia’s higher than industry average of 96% on-time performance; the KL-SG route achieves only 89% on-time performance. Which means that there is a whopping 11% chance your flight will be delayed. (There is some doubt on the accuracy of data, since SG-KL is 100%, impossible since it’s the same plane going back and forth.) Delays are brief, around 45 minutes is the max I have ever come across. A safe guide then is 3 hours buffer, more if you can afford the time.

2) Don’t check-in luggage. This cuts at least 5 to 10 minutes of waiting time, important especially when you have no time to hunt for your bag amongst the mess that is on the conveyor. Or maybe you have to wait because you are too fast and they have yet to unload the bags (No snaking queue, but you didn’t buffer enough time). Without luggage, you may just get that next flight before the counter closes.

3) If you really need to have checked-in luggage, consider waiting for the ground staff to unload the luggage. I’m not sure this is possible at LCCT, but I have witnessed elsewhere at a smaller airport where a fellow traveller picked up his backpack straight from the baggage compartment and going himself, thereby saving valuable time.

4) Make sure all your papers are in order: fill up your white immigration card, don’t have suspicious stamps on your passport. You really don’t want to get into a situation where you miss the flight because the customs officer cannot read your handwriting, or starts questioning you about your Israel stamp.

5) Join the queue that is on either end of the mass of queuing passengers. Somehow, experience has shown that these are the fastest queues. It is a clear line, unlike in the middle lines, where two squashed masses may merge to form one line, once they realize there is only one queue in front of them. This slows down the queue considerably. Another variant of this trick is to simply join the queue which has an adjacent empty counter. A customs officer would inevitably start a new counter, and half the crowd from your line will shift to this new line. Since you are in the adjacent line, you can call dibs to stay or join the new line. Either way, you r queue is halved.

6) Take care to remove all airport prohibited items, and get rid of all your metallic gear so you can go through the metal detector without a hitch. Any delay is unacceptable, and missing the flight because you are too lazy to take off your belt is a sad, sad thing.

So that’s the post. Hopefully it helps to get you through the customs clearance run without a hitch. If you have other tips, do post a comment below.

And finally, a footnote: Since the end of 2010, AirAsia has introduced the “fly-through” concept, which allows flights out of Singapore, via KL, to a destination, to be booked under a single return ticket. This applies for most of the AirAsiaX destinations, to further places in South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, even London and Paris. I have yet to try out, but it is a smart idea that opens up many new destinations, albeit, with the extra waiting time, and changing out to another plane. However, with no plan in sight to allow Singapore to become an AirAsia hub, the “fly through” concept ensures AirAsia still gets a big piece of that lucrative Singapore travel market. Personally, I have not tried it before (let me know if you have) but I will let you know how it went, come August. SG-KL-New Delhi.

in Malaysia / Singapore / South East Asia 0 comments
 by Red

My List of Essential Travel Gear

Flash traveling with Red. That is the name of the Facebook page associated with this site. Flash traveling alludes to two things: First, the fact that my traveling trips are short and they are over in a flash. Second, it also refers to my flashpacking style of traveling. This post will talk more about the latter. So what is flashpacking?  According to knowledgeable websites out there, flashpacking is the same as backpacking, but with fancier gear. Some other sites define it as backpacking on a bigger budget. Wikipedia’s take on it: Flashpacking.

Today’s post will then talk about what kind of gear goes into my pack. What are the must-have items and what are those I can do without. Hopefully, you will get some good ideas on what to carry with you when traveling. At the very least, you will have a right laugh discovering how obsessive I can get with my packing habits.

  • Asus EEE PC. This sleek little piece of work is a netbook to die for. It comes equipped with Intel dual core processors, a video card (on a netbook?!! meh) and enough juice to run for up to 5 hrs.  It is an upgrade from my 2.5 year old trusty Lenovo S-10. Back then, I was deciding between this Asus EE PC and the Lenovo S-10C when the HK service staff remarked, “I’m wondering why you would prefer to pick a Chinese brand over a Taiwanese brand.”

  • The Elecom Grast wireless laser optical mouse is useful for when I need to surf. At 9x5cm, it’s easy to store inside my pack. I suck at using touchpads, and a mouse is always useful when I’m on the road playing games
  • Bass speaker from Lifetrons. One needs to have a little bit of music when alone in the hotel room. Plugged into my HTC or netbook, this Swiss designed mini bass speaker blasts music that adds some life to an otherwise quiet room. Of course I have my earphones too for those long bus rides.

  • Durable anti-damage camera. Olympus U-tough. I use this because it is 1.5m shockproof, 5m waterproof and in general can withstand a great deal of punishment.  I can probably use it as weapon to smack potential muggers too. The only drawback is it’s lousy shutter lag.
  • Together with the Olympus camera, I bring along the underwater casing PT-048 whenever I might hit up a diving spot. It goes up to 40m depth. It’s a bit bulky, and since I’m a stickler for light gear, I leave this behind unless I know I’m going for some dives.

  • LED headlamp from Soundtech Electronic. It’s from a consumer electronics company and I got it at Challenger. Why they sell headlights is anyone’s guess, but at a third of the price of other brands, it’s a sweet deal.
  • HTC Tattoo. OK, I’m not proud of this, it’s not the latest gadget available out there, but it functions well enough. It’s due an upgrade soon though. =)
  • Multi-plug adaptor. This is essential and I got a nice portable one from MSD. All those electronics above need charging up and so I normally have a couple of these.
  • Mini compass and thermometer. I can be a klutz finding my way around, but I am pretty good with maps. Give me a map and a compass and I’ll get from Point A to Point B. So this Coleman compass is essential and one of my most important pieces of gear.

  • Collapsible bowl and utensils from Tupperware. For those longer trips where I end up cooking my own meals. It’s compact, fits snugly into my backpack pockets and mighty useful whenever I need a container.

  • Electric kettle. Again, for extended trips, this ends up being my best friend. Boil water? Check. Make tea? Check. Cook noodles? Check. I even use it to boil eggs.

  • Number coded Ziploc bags. To prevent losing things when I move from one place to another, I pack my stuff by putting them into Ziploc bags. Besides keeping things waterproof, it also gives me a quick way to keep track of everything. Pack 1: Clothing (Tops & undergarments). Pack 2: Clothing (Bottoms ).  Pack 3: Dirty clothes. Pack 4: Wires and charging appliances. Pack 5: Miscellaneous items like nylon rope, mosquito coils, mini sealed bags. Pack 6: Toiletries bag. Pack 7: First aid kit. Whenever I pack, I will do a roll-call of all my packs. I should have 7 at all times, and if you have traveled somewhere with me, you will probably know that it’s almost obsessive compulsive the way I keep counting my packs!

So that’s it. Some other things that I cannot live without are: Dental floss, a USB drive, trunks & goggles. Other must-haves for extended travel are sleeping bags, windbreakers and either the 36 or 50 litre backpack.

What are your traveling must-have items?

in Gadgets & apps / Travel Tips 0 comments
 by Red

Macau = Tasty Pastéis de Nata

Most people go to Macau to gamble. I go to Macau to eat Portuguese egg tarts.

The former Portuguese colony officially became part of China in 1999, as one of two Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. It still maintains a high degree of autonomy and runs its own currency, education and legislative systems. The official languages are Portuguese and Cantonese, even though almost all the citizens are Chinese, with only 2% or so being Macanese, a mix of Chinese and Portugese ancestry.

 

Besides the casinos, of which there are many, including those along the new Cotai strip touted as the Las Vegas of the east, the other main draw is the mix of Portugese architecture and culture here, the result of more than 400 years of Portuguese interaction with the Chinese.

So in the morning of 13th Mar 2011, we took the bus back from Kaiping, China to the Border Gate in Zhuhai and crossed back into Macau. That was about noon, and we had a few hours in the Macau Peninsula before taking the 530pm fast ferry to Hong Kong, the third leg of this trip.

We headed out by public bus towards the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was the main highlight of this UNESCO heritage area. It was crowded. You get all sorts of tourists, Westerners, Asians (mainland Chinese, Indonesians, Filipinos) all posing in front of the impressive façade, the only remains of the cathedral. Around the area, within walking distance, lies the Outer Walls of the old Fortress, whose interior has now been transformed into the ultra-modern Macau Museum.

That done, we walked down the narrow streets leading out from the cathedral towards the Largo do Senado, a pedestrian square where neo-classical buildings give the area a charming feel. And the mild weather adds to the general atmosphere. Interestingly enough, there was a protest by what appeared to be marginalized old wives (or something, neither of us spoke or read Cantonese).

The walk from the cathedral to the square was interesting enough, through the throng of human traffic, mostly camera toting tourists and souvenir hunters. The souvenirs here are the almond cookies and wife cakes and Portuguese egg tarts, of which I bought plenty. Almost every other shop on the stretch is a bakery selling these sweets.

Evening. An easy ride to the harbour, and we are on the fast ferry to Kowloon, Hong Kong. Next up: Hong Kong skyline by night and the symphony of lights in Hong Kong Harbour.

in Asia / China 0 comments