It has to be one of the longest border crossings I have ever experienced, besides the China-Kazakhstan one. This time, I took an overnight bus from Johannesburg as we headed up north to Beit Bridge to cross the border. Many of my friends had warned me about the horrendous queues, but in order to save …
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The original plan was to head to Harare (the capital of Zimbabwe) to find my friend before going to Victoria Falls. However, due to a lack of time and sold out bus tickets, I had to change my route by going to Bulawayo (second largest town) before taking the train to Victoria falls. I took …
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Most people only know Johannesburg and Cape Town when they think of South Africa, both of which are serviced by direct flights from Singapore. However, this time I decided to venture deeper into South Africa to explore other regions. Port Elizabeth caught my eye because it is a coastal city and also it was holding …
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After spending two days in Tallinn, it was time to head over to Finland. Finland has been named one of the top three destinations to visit in 2017.The capital Helsinki is just a two hour ferry ride from Tallinn. The national airline Finnair also has five weekly flights between Singapore and Helsinki. It offers the …
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Did you know that Stockholm has a gender equal snow-clearing policy? Men are statistically more likely to be drivers, while women are more likely to use pavements, cycle paths, and public transport. Instead of clearing main roads first, day care centres, where parents typically take their children first thing in the morning have been prioritised, …
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Bandung is the capital of Java Barat province of West Java in Indonesia. It is well known for its fashion and wide varieties of flowers, trees and parks. Café and boutiques are spread throughout its street. The climate of Bandung is very pleasant throughout the year. This city is situated at an elevation of 768 …
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There is at least one daily direct flight on AirAsia from Singapore to Bandung. Silkair flies to Bandung thrice a week. However, since I was looking for an evening flight and also due to budget, we decided to fly to Jakarta, then take a bus to Bandung. From Jakarta airport, there is a direct airport …
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Just 5 hours away from Amritsar, the Himalayan foothills of Dharamshala provide a calm and serene alternative to the crowded city. If you are looking for malls and buzzing touristy avenues, then this is the wrong place for you to go. The picturesque natural beauty of the mountains offers a unique mix of Tibetan and …
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The incessant honking, the heaps of rubbish on the dusty streets, roadside stalls selling fried food or snacks, beggars with pitiful looks on their faces, welcome to incredible India! It is overwhelming for the senses, especially for the first timer like me. Even though I’ve visited other congested and polluted developing cities (eg. Manila, Jakarta), …
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Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a country that would immediately come to your mind when you think of Europe. However, this small country in Southeast Europe is definitely worth a visit for off-the-beaten-track travellers and only recently till 1995, it was struggling with a civil war. It was the year 1991, Yugoslavia disintegrated under the …
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Wat Rong Khun, better known as “the White Temple” is one of the most recognizable temples in Thailand. The temple outside the town of Chiang Rai attracts a large number of visitors, both Thai and foreign, making it one of Chiang Rai’s most visited attractions. It is a unique temple that stands out through the …
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*** Update: I managed to get my Indian visa after applying a second time!*** Facing a rejection is normal for us, but having a rejection without any reason is outrageous. I am officially hating India and its bureaucracy. In short, my application for the Indian tourist visa was rejected and if I were to reapply …
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In light of the recent news about the military coup in Turkey, I felt that it was unjustified and would put off many people from traveling to this beautiful country. While safety is an important issue to consider, I believe that Turkey will clean up its act and restore faith among travellers quickly. One of …
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After trekking in the Annapurna circuit for almost two weeks, it was nice to be back in the city again. Pokhara is the next largest city in Nepal after Kathmandu, and with its dramatic backdrop of the Annapurna Massif over the lake Phewa Tal, which can be compared to the Switzerland of Nepal. Pokhara is …
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Day 1 From Kathmandu we took the morning bus to Besi Sahar which is the starting point of the trek. We had to carry our backpacks on our laps as the bus got more crowded and it was uncomfortable for us. We were not sure when the bus reached Besi Sahar as it was supposed …
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Nepal is home to 8 out of 10 of the world’s tallest mountains, including the mother of all mountains Mt Everest (8848m), so naturally when you think of Nepal, you would associate it with mountain climbing. The best way to discover Nepal is on foot; nothing beats walking from teahouse to teahouse under crystal-clear Himalayan …
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Welcome to paradise! The Maldives is home to the best beaches in the world; they are available on almost every one of the country’s nearly 1200 islands and are so consistently perfect that it’s hard to fault them. With the white sandy beaches, serene turquoise lagoons, richly colourful coral reefs renowned for their biodiversity, the …
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On the day that my Brunei friend was not free to show me around, I decided to be adventurous and try out the public transport system. You know, so that I can write a review on it. The main bus terminal where all long-distance and local buses leave from and arrive is at Jalan Cator …
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Brunei is a small and rich country in Southeast Asia thanks to its oil and gas resources. It is not a famous destination on the tourist map, but normally visitors to Borneo would spend one day in Brunei just to get a feel of this oil – rich state. For Singaporeans, Brunei is synonymous with …
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After hearing about the proposed name change to “Czechia”, I felt that Czech Republic deserves a post. Well, I find that the new name would sound like the Chechnya separtist region in Russia, or that it sounds like the “chacha” dance. I guess most of the locals are opposing to the new name as they …
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Sahara desert? No Gobi desert? No Arabian desert? No Kalahari desert? No Atacama desert? No Well, we can also find such beautiful deserts in our region (Southeast Asia rocks! heh) without the need to travel too far. It was amazing to see the desert on one side, and the beach on the other end. So …
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Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is Vietnam at its most dizzying: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the country forward with its pulsating energy. Most people mistake HCMC to be the capital of the country, in comparison to its quieter and less international city of Hanoi, in the north, which used …
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Jakarta is a typical metropolitan city in Asia, filled with congested roads that can drive you crazy, shrouded with smog everyday and skyscrapers being built at an alarming rate as the city expands. It is a dynamic city filled with rickety slums built around train tracks to the glitzy upmarket gated communities around Menteng or …
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With a strong urge to get out of the noisy city of Jakarta with its incessant traffic and bad pollution, I decided to make a day trip to Curug Nangka, a famous waterfall located at the base of Mount Salak. It is about an hour’s travel from Bogor, a city south of Jakarta, in the …
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