Turkey 2014- Part 4

Damn, it took me ages to continue about my Turkey trip.

I'm so busy with my so called life as a baker, ( feel free to follow my instagram - @nowwaheavenlydessert ) plus other so called routine.

Let's us continue. 

As our apartment is just like 500meter from the Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia area, we decided just to walk.I love the Sultanahmet area in the morning with the breezy air and nice weather. Now I feel that I miss Istanbul.( vigil mak lama day tak travel ni oiiii)

On the way to the Blue Mosque, we stopped by at Kucuk Hagia Sophia which is in front of our apartment.

As part of the group members, insisted to have belly dance show, on the way from the apartment, we were like, stop to each of the travel agent that we met for the best price for the Bhosporus River Cruise at nite. Then we arrived at Blue Mosque which opposite of it is Hagia Sophia.

The feeling of seeing both monuments for the first time was priceless. As we only have two days in Istanbul, before we're going to Cappadocia, we decided to try the Hop in Hop Out service and cover both sides of the city. The Asia part & the Europe Part.

You can click here for the map that we covered that day as we opt for the blue line for the 1st day and red line for the second day plus the Bosphorus Tour on the day.

All photos are taken using my iPhone. I've no mood in DSLR anymore and just be happy with this quality photo that I have.

Turkey 2014- Part 3

Alhamdulillah after 4 hours++ we arrived safely at Ataturk Airport.

Everything was fine except, where is my airport transfer?

I called Suleiman, the owner of the apartment and asked him about the airport transfer but, it took us more than 1 hour to get in the shuttle to our apartment. It's tiring, frustrating for me as I've told him earlier about my arrival time.

We're staying at the old city, the Sultanahmet area, where the Blue Mosque is just 500 meter away from our apartment.

It's cold, dark and am hungry.

Luckily the apartment was really nice for 7 of us except, the stairs are too small.

We check-in, have some rest and we cooked our meal that day.

I went to the shop nearby to buy some groceries and have a nice night out that nite even it's really cold.

View from our apartment. Till then,  to be continued.

Things to ponder
*we booked our apartment through Airbnb.com
*need to confirm about the airport transfer
*old city area required a lot of walking to the main attraction

Turkey 2014 - Part 2

17th October was our date to be departed from Malaysia to Dubai.

On the day, all of us gathered at the airport and try to get to know each other. I only know 3 of them and another 3 on that day.It's another challenge for me. To travel with strangers!!!

My head starts thinking a lot. How if they don't like it.How if they will complain?Arghh, that's what I hate the most.

Our flight at 10.30 am local time with the total of 12 bags checked in. Phew 7 person with 12 bags and the adventure not yet begin.Now I'm so ruin if they are shopaholic!( extra baggage)

The journey to Dubai was really smooth except for the 1st time I saw someone ( I mean my travel partners) ate Nasi Impit on board. They brought bekal on board and eat Nasi Impit with rendang. Ok fine, it's funny and weird for me but it's ok as long they're happy.

Once we touched down, our hand luggages were send to my friends house as my mom don't want to follow us strolling over Dubai. As we only have 21 hours before our tomorrow's flight, I've decided to bring them to Dubai Mall, to take some photos of Burj Al Dubai, the Fountain, the Aquarium and having a nice day out there.

They enjoyed it so much and take as many photos as it can be. Then we went to my friend's house and sleep over there for a nite before we off to Istanbul the next morning.

The traveling partners are Zac, Maina, Kak Abid, Kak Mid & Along.

Things to ponder:
*Malaysian don't need visa to enter UAE
*There are taxi for ladies in Dubai
*Once arrived at the airport just find the signage for Taxi and Q there
*They speaks English everywhere
*Their money is AED - Emirati Dirham
*Dubai Mall is HUGE. Avoid being there on weekends, especially Friday.It was packed, the toilet is not as clean as it used to be, and you can have what type of food there as everything is HALAL.
*Go for Dubai Fountain Show at 6pm.

Turkey 2014 - Part 1

Jetlag strikes me.

I've touched down since 3pm, having the nice of breezy Malaysian air and had nice Malaysian meal, then a nice shower from my own bathroom then I fall asleep like a baby on my bed.

Owh! How I missed being home.15 days away and missing those smell of my pillows are really hard actually. Somehow, I love to be out from my comfort zone and challenge myself out but missing home is always part of me.

After a nice sleep, now I'm fully awake jumping out and down watching my favourite series Scandal, while typing this too. LOL :)

Let's get started.

I've been dreaming to have a solo trip to Turkey ever since I want to be there. It's just because not many people will be happy with my addiction of historical places if they follow me there.

I've been dreaming ever since to see Blue Mosque in front of my eyes, have glance of Hagia Sophia, feel the victory once in the Constantinople used to be the capital of Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman empires.

Duhh! Alien words for non historical fan people hah..

OK ok..am not going to write some history facts here but just wanna share with you Turkey from my eyes.

I've booked my ticket since June and planning for the Autumn trip as I'm dying to wear any of my 7 trench coats that I've with my knee high boots. Well it's me, I love being photographed, I love selfie and hell yeah am addicted to myself. 

Can I say that too? Weirdo? Come on at least I've the guts to admit for that and I know myself to damn well before anyone of you gonna say bad about me.Woohoo...

After Eid, some of my friends wanna tag along for my trip. Well instead of being alone, I think the more is merrier. Damn! Without realising that I'm going to plan for every single thing for the trip and manage around 40k++ of money for the tickets and ground arrangement. As they are 7 of us!

OK we will see what RM7k per person will do for us.

The route will be KL- Dubai-Istanbul-Cappadocia-Pamukkale -Ephasus - Athens -Santorini.

8 places, 7 peoples with RM7k per person.

Woweee...It was a big decision. It was tiring days of planning, reading every single reviews, trying to find the best ground arrangement, the best place to stay, the itinerary, need to check the entrance ticket for each places, activities, meals, transportation and bla bla bla.

I'm not interested in hiring any Travel Agency for this,  because I want to challenge myself of doing everything by myself.

So, I've booked my tickets through Emirates and plan for 21 hours of transit for me to meet some  of my friends and stroll over the Dubai Mall, before off to Istanbul.

My ticket was booked on June and I got it at RM2.2k for return ticket while them RM2.6k as they booked 3 months later than mine.

After the tickets are booked, now the tiring part started. The ground arrangements. Most of my hotels booking done by Booking.Com and Airbnb.com for my accommodation.

Both are trusted website and not to worry to much. Done the air tickets, done with the ground arrangement and the adventure begin! Yeeehaaaa....

Teaser for my Turkey-Greece 2104 Trip

I have another 3 days before I'm back to my beautiful country, Malaysia.

I had so many adventure in handling 6 of traveling partner in this trip.

Can't wait to share with all of you my happiness and my adventure this time.

I want to write in a fun way but detail itineraries about my adventure.

You know why? Cuz none of blogger ever describe to me some of the information that I think I need to know as guidance to anyone who wants to travel cheap but fun.

I will Insha Allah, to blog, to share lotsa of things for your guidelines.

Till then.

Singapore 2014

This is a day out. This is definitely a gastronomy adventure.

As I'm back from Dubai at the end of December, my addiction to be in plane strikes me.

It's like, hell yea  I'm on drug , ( a good drug) where I need to feel again,the feeling of being in the flight, to be at new place, stamp the passport and here we go.

After spending a lot for my year end trip, my traveling fund will never survive for an adventure that more than 2 days. The only thing that I need to do is, where to go with RM500.

So I called my partner in crime, Fida asking her would her mind to spend a day with me in Singapore.(ayat tak boles blah,kau bayar ticket je aku belanja lunch).

Kemain mak limah sorang ni, ingat macam belanja mamak depan rumah dia kat Senawang je kan. Knowing me which is half crazy half insane, she said ok.

Well we bought the ticket for around RM169 for a day trip to SINGAPORE.

Then on February, here we go, Singapore here I come.

Once touched down at the airport we had our breakfast and then just go to the MRT Station and off to the city centre itself. 

Nahhh..we went to Arab Street area to eat again. I want to go to Fluffy Bakery one of the famous HALAL BAKERY in Singapore which sell nice cupcakes, but unlucky me it's closed on Tuesday. Haih! So we just had the famous putu piring and murtabak singapore.

Then we went to another shop kopitiam cafe alike for desserts after we prayed at the Mosque at the Arab Street and go for textile hunting.Kemain kau beli main kan nok!

We continued our journey to see the Merlion before we headed home.

It's a day where I spend just for eating and I think, if anyone said that I'm that crazy well, I'm insane too.

Makan ,makan ,makan.

Food ,food, food.

Owh, Singapore?This is my 7th time I think to be precise, so even the MRT Map still on my mind.LOL

Till my next trip.

Things to ponder

*Public transport in Singapore is really efficient not to worry about getting everywhere there

*A day is enough if you just want to EAT.

*Halal Food is available at many places now and google it up peeps

*My day trip cost me more or less just RM500.

Krabi 2014

Krabi, Krabi, Krabi.

When it's school holiday my friend Adelina who declares that she won't travel with anyone except me, bugging me to bring her somewhere.

I've been to Singapore on Feb, Brunei on March, Dubai & Oman on April and Perth on May, another trip on June? ( kau ingat aku cap duit?!!!)

Looking at my traveling fund, it's ridiculous for me to travel in very short time.Nahh..this is the time I need to loan from my emergency account.

Kau Adelina memang, gi la jalan ngan kawan gym kau ke, kawan sekolah ke, dengan aku jugak kau nak kan?

Grrrr...takpela aku ambik sebagai compliment jalan ngan I sangat best.Hahahaha...Paghee next year?Kehkehkeh...

My feeling was 50% on that trip.

Krabi?

I don't like Thailand that much.

I don't like beaches activities, I hate of being wet.

But for the sake of friend, I do it and go for it.

Well, Krabi is not that bad.

We arrived quite early that morning, than took a bus to the Krabi Town. Once your stamp your passport, just go down to pick your bag and go to the counter to buy the bus ticket to Krabi. Then tell the bus driver where is your hotel is. He will drop you by in front of the hotel itself.

Check in Aonang Princeville Resort & Spa ( it's halal hotel so if you want to lazying around and can just call the room service for food)

The check in is really smooth, we paid the breakfast at the hotel as we arrived early that morning, and then went for the Spa.

At night we just strolling over the beaches area and the next day going for island hopping.

I love the island hopping and enjoying it much but it's raining.

(mula-mula paneh pastu hujan, pastu aku rasa aku debab sangat pakai tight dah sekarang, I need  to go for gym!!!)

Back to the hotel and lazying around again.

The next day check out and fly back to Malaysia.

Things to ponder.

* Don't worry about HALAL food there are plenty of Muslim Restaurants in Krabi itself just google it up
*The street food - Pancake is a MUST

*Island Hopping is a MUST, just stroll over the town and try to compare and contrast the price between the travel agencies

*Enjoy the cheap spa & massage there but try to find which is not mix with the public or they have separate room not just curtains, if you considered about covering your aurah, kalau nak belasah je and murah no hal meh.Kau urut,dalam langsir sebelah kau jantan.Nak ke?

*Enjoy the people as the place itself

*My trip to Krabi also less than RM1k.( I spend around RM800 for every single thing there)

*Shopping? Some local stuffs and souvenirs is available everywhere in the town (bargain, bargain & bargain)

*So, say who you can't travel abroad, just do some research through online, then go and be adventurous.