Accommodation review # 3 Soi 18 (near the ASOK station)

I dragged my only luggage along the Sukhumvit Road (I can almost pronounced it now…). I said goodbye to N during the skytrain trip. I passed the Emporium and the queen’s park.  Memories came up like old movies only this time I’m here alone physically and mentally as well.

photo from Baan Sukhumvit Soi 18 website

I should have got off the skytrain one stop earlier as I found Soi 18 is only 3 minute walk from the ASOK station. The downside of traveling alone is you don’t have anyone to share the traveling cost, eg. accommodation, transportation and the FUN of carrying the luggage by yourself up and down the skywalk.

Only later I realized a shortcut to save myself from doing weight lifting with my 14 kg luggage. There is a building (couldn’t remember the name, but it is connected to the skywalk to the ASOK station) near the station. Remember to go into the building and take the escalator downstairs if you happen to stay in Soi 18. It would save you heaps of time and effort!

Soi 18 located in a shabby lane (I’m sorry to say that but it is true) but once you got in the hotel, there’s not much to complain about. They have an elevator (it is very important since I once uplift my luggage alone for 5 floors in Prague) and my room is in the 4th floor.

The room is clean and in a just right size for me. The view, well, don’t expect anything grand but the quality is generally satisfying. They offer free wifi and breakfast  is included.

While I’m waiting for the check-in, a Chinese elder came to assist me with the luggage. He asked me if I’m from China and I said no. He reminds me the stereotypical Asian roles in most Western movies, polite and humble. He said he just arrived the country and he came from 廣東, the southern province of China.

From his eyes, I see homesickness.

The manager is very nice and helpful. In general, I’ll recommend this place to budget travelers.

Accommodation review #2 Dhevan Dara Resort And Spa 華欣住宿

My friend, Jr, the expert of Thailand, suggests the place and I really appreciate his idea!

It is about 13K away from the city centre of Hua Hin but the trip worth it!

Hua Hin is a place where the Thai Royal family enjoy their retreat from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.

N is my travelling companion for the 5-hr journey by train from Bangkok. We met at the central station (the local doesn’t seem like understanding the name in English, it is better to learn the name in Thai to avoid misunderstanding). I went to Jim Thompson house again before leaving for Hua Hin.

There is a storage room for you to leave your luggage in the Central Station. It cost me 50 Baht

The train really isn’t very presentable considering its narrow walkway and interior deco and most importantly, punctuality doesn’t seem to be an important value in this country.

Luckily, N and I have numerous stories to share with. We literally couldn’t stop talking!

Then finally we arrived. We wandered around the city centre and had some light dinner (well, in small quantity but rather hot and spicy!) before the pick-up van showed up.

It’s better to acquire the bus timetable before you head  off to Dhevan Dara Resort And Spa.

The service is free but you have to notify them beforehand.

Here in Dhevan Dara Resort And Spa I have my own villa! Well it’s not grand but good enough for me. N was a bit surprised at the place, too. So after dropped off our stuff at our private villa (couldn’t help emphasize that again…), we head off to the beach by the shuttle bus.

 

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So this is my villa in the evening! Looks very cozy, isn’t it?

It’s nice to have someone next to you when you travel along. Good to feel relaxed and off-guard. I actually fell asleep by the beach! N told me some interesting news in Thailand and how they have mafia IMPORTED from Germany and the love stories between numerous westerners (especially elders) and local girls.

We then did our stall shopping and I found a shop sells incense oil starts from 60 Baht ~ 100 Baht!! Great bargain!

The breakfast comes with the room is nice but needs to be improved about sanitary. I saw flies circling on top of the salad plate…

Finally N asked the staff in Thai if there’s any better way to go back to the city. They offered a shuttle service from the resort to the Victoria Monument for only 180 Baht!! Thanks to my lovely companion!

It’s always good to know a bit of local culture, here’s one piece from BBC.  What Thai royal family means to the country

Home away from home_my review over the accomodation in Thailand

I met this cheerful Brit couple over the breakfast table at Be my guest B&B. They asked me how I learned this place among all the various places in different styles and scales for travelers. I told them I did my research via tripadviser. Apparently, they got their resources from the same website, too. Then there came another newly-wed couple to join our breakfast chat. They, too, did their homework via TRIPADVISER. We all agree the INTELLIGENCE we got from this online forum genuinely reflects the reality.

I always booked my accommodation via the price comparing system offered by Backpacker's Forum TW. It's a great tool for independent travelers. They have similar app. for airline tickets, too.

The host of Be my guest B&B is a Thai. He seems to run the place on his own term. He's very efficient, quick and a bit distant from the first sight. The place is full of information about the country and he himself is a great information center as I learned a few local knowledge from him.

Examples

He told me to avoid private buses like this. These kind of bus tend to wait long for more people so you can never count on them to take you to places promptly. It's true. I saw two of these red buses waited for more customers in the same spot for more than 10 minutes!The place seems to be a popular choices for Europeans and it seems like I'm the first Taiwanese customer. It's really a gem in this city sometimes seems a bit over developed for tourism.
The kitchen is nice and spacious. The breakfast sometimes comes with a bit local twist (see the clip).

The downside of the Be my guest B&B, however, is its quite difficult to find it even for taxi drivers. The place is located in a maze! So do print out the detailed map before you leave as the host suggests in the info. It costs me 260 Baht of taxi from the airport to the place. The Brit couple spent 300 Baht for the same trip...have no idea why??

and guest what, the Bri couple are not going back home until mid April!! and it's only the end of January now!! What a life!!

Get to and from Changi airport

Though I stayed in Singapore for one day only, I still managed to spend most of my money before going home. The things is I actually have to open my wallet, carefully count the coins and 2 dollar notes one by one to make sure I have enough money for shuttle bus fare.

Then I realized that taking MRT is a much sensible choice of traveling. Singapore MRT website is pretty user friendly.  Check out the online calculator for the fare of a ride. Then you can decide which way to go, the $9 shuttle bus? or the $1.9 MRT( from the Matraa to airport)? 

 

One thing to keep in mind is that if you intend to book the shuttle bus to pick up from hotel, you need to book the service 2 hours ahead!!

If you are taking MRT, avoid Central station as much as possible. There are just too many people happen to be in the same place!! Check the network map to find an alternative transfer spot. 

Technorati 的標籤：singapore,MRT,airport,新加坡,捷運,機場

How do you define good service? My stay in the Matraa backpacker hostel, Singapore

I booked the airport shuttle bus service on arrival to Singapore in late hours. It has been 10 years since my last visit to Singapore and I wonder if things have changed a lot. Airport shuttle bus service is in fair price(9 SGD P/P) and easily accessible in the airport lobby. The city-country is still as sparkling as ever in the evening yet I can't help feeling lonely. I think this would be my last solo trip. Traveling without a companion can be a tremendous stress for girls. Here's another example.

I stayed in the Matraa backpackers hostel for 2 nights. The accommodation is cheap but unfortunately it's at the rim of the city, which is a bit far away from everything else. It doesn't even get to show on the Singapore official map! The advantage is its 7-minute walking distance from the nearest MRT station, Farrar Park.

The host of the backpacker hostel welcomed me with bright broad smile. One of the staff showed me the double room I booked. I can see my roommate has taken the lower bunk. I tried to catch up some sleep after finishing my shower (the place is small but clean) and rang W and Dad via Skype. The bed is the most shaky one I have ever slept on, worse than the one I slept in Melbourne. The handrail is shaky and noisy. There's no way you can get up without waking up your roommate.

So I slept on and off until 4am. I heard someone turning the key. Someone came in the room, someone took off the cloth, someone made squeaky noises when climbing up the bed.

I was wondering for the next 10 minutes.....Is my roommate male or female? It supposed to be a she? But I can sense that person sleeping downstairs is not a GIRL! So I climb down the bed and gave a quick glance over the lower bunk. There he is, sleep like a log.

My double room roommate is a guy, a stranger!

I DON'T LIKE THIS SURPRISE!

So 4:30 in the morning I went downstairs to make the complain. The indian boy seemed surprise to learn the news then he tried to comfort me with "No problem!"

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I have no where else to go but going back to the room and wait for a new day to start.

8:30 am in the morning I packed my stuff and hurry downstairs to ask for a new room, which the Indian boy promised.

Later on the host of the Mitraa explained that the booking info from Hostel. com doesn't specify gender, which inevitably leads to unexpected room arrangement.

He even claimed that Europeans and American girls usually don't mind to share rooms with guys.

Is it true? I think not!

But then again The Matraa does have its  own advantages. Friendly staff, for one thing, is one of them.

On the second day in Singapore, my poor sense of direction put me in almost an hour of search for the Matraa after a day's walkabout. The Matraa is situated on the Race course road and the road is extremely long. By the time I finally find the Matraa, I've got blister on my right foot.

One of the Asian-background Singaporean offered two bandages right after I ask for help. For that, The Matraa is still a nice lovely place for budget traveler. 

It is, however, a no no if you have an issue to share a room with guys. Also, I wouldn't recommend it to someone who care a little more about sleeping quality.

Technorati 的標籤：singapore,backpack,hostel,the Matraa,新加坡,住宿,背包客

Cute postal service car and tax refund

退稅這件事我一向懶得辦,不過這次在新加坡忍不住手癢意外的買了幾件衫.想想不如去試試退稅一下,退下來的零錢去買些文具也不錯!!

在新加坡只要購買100元新幣就可以請商家開退稅單.然後在離境前於機場辦理退稅.

由於退稅時有可能會被要求出具購買商品,因此在打包行李時要記得把購得的商品放在好取得的地方.我就看到一個大男生手忙腳亂的翻找行李箱內,實在有點窘迫啊!!

整個退稅流程不超過8分鐘,算是很簡便.

你可以選擇將退稅金額退至信用卡或以現金退稅,不過對只退15元的我,還是拿現金好用吧?!拿著15元新幣走到轉角就花掉了,15元剛好可以買一本早就想買的Stieg Larsson小說第二集:-)在新加坡買比澳洲便宜吔? 真奇怪.

 

在大廳裏發現這個可愛的郵政車,很有新加坡的感覺,什麼都亮晶晶的!這個郵政車有賣明信片(可惜選擇只有6種),郵票,車頭前還有個郵筒可以直接投入.當然也可以跟可愛的郵政車小姐借膠水哦!

想想什麼時候我們的機場才可以變得更乾淨,更有活力,處處有想讓觀光客拍照的設施呢?

Technorati 的標籤：Singapore,Changi airport,postal service,tax refund,新加坡退稅,樟宜機場,郵政服務

The quiet side of Praha- Vysehrad

This is a journal late for 6 months. I thought I'll never forget my days in Praha but apparently memory subsides with or without your consent. So I'd better start writing down things I still remember.

Leaving the hustle and bustle Praha city behind, I found my way to where everything started in Praha, Vysehrad. It took me a while to find the right direction. Police were everywhere on that day. I wonder what was the occasion for such tight security? While I stroll on the quiet lanes in the neighborhood, an attractive mural came in sight. I guess anyone would love to see "the whole picture" under the circumstances. So I took a few steps closer to have a better look ..... hehehehe

Would you say "ah" or "wow"?

Such mural would never exists in Taiwan. But I kind of like it:-)

It is said that Vysehrad was founded in the 10th century.

 

I'll never tired of doors and gates here. They all come in different styles, patterns and history. I must compile a showcase of Praha doors and gates someday!

 

I came across this information center on the way to the cemetary. It doesn't look very welcoming. I mean what kind of information center would have door closed during office hour?

Still I decided to go in and see if I can grab a map there. It looked very gloomy inside, the lady wasn't showing her hospitality and I smell booze. It didn't take long to realize they don't want to be interrupted by tourists. So I left with the repeting wonders in my head: What's wrong with the information centers here?

They don't smile. They don't speak English; and even if they do, they don't talk much as to showcase their country to tourists. Is it just me or them? Maybe I'll enjoy a better service if I speak German?

Anyway, the cenmetary is a great place to visit. This is where the celebrities and important people buried in Chezch. I love the atmosphere and the versertile ways Chezch people honor their beloved ones..

Check out the pictures I took in Vysehrad here. Don't worry, there's nothing scarry but beautiful works of art.

Technorati 的標籤：Chezch,Praha,Vysehrad,beautiful cemetary

Free walk in Praha

Joining a free walk group is a great way to start your day in Prague. It helps to learn the city in 2 hours plus you get the chance to ask insider's idea of where to eat and hangout. Then you get to develop your own itenery in the following days.

Free is indeed fasinating for most budget travellers but expect to tip the guide at the end of the excusion, depends on how good he or she is. For this particular Free Walk group I joined, the guide is friendly with clear English and really knowledgable considering her European history majored background.

Stories make places alive. She told tons of stories along the way. Stories that you don't get to read in the travel guides, stories that go beyond what's told by other tourists. I enjoyed her way  of outlining the city and learned some personal experiences from this American lady on the way.

She said it's a bit challenging to pick Prague as the first stop of Europe since English is not the popular language here. The Cezchs are mostly more aware of foriengers espeiclaly those from free countries. Indifferent maybe the word to describe Cezch people but I came across a lot of locals offer to help along the journy.

Well, sometiems it's all about luuck.

Free Walk takes around 2 hours and covers mostly every major tourist spots. The guide usually holds a placard says Free Walk early in the morning around 9 in the Old Town Square( in front of the information centre). The Walk finishes in the castle area.

Technorati 的標籤：free walk,Prague

The bone church人骨教堂

最近幾天心情和人造雨一樣很彆扭.不如繼續寫寫布拉格遊記,重溫一下.

每個人對死亡的感受都不同,也許有些人因為生活經驗而熟悉,有些人雖未經歷過但也多能想像出那回事.

我對死亡這回事,是屬於後者.

但是我怕看恐怖片,連異形都可以把我嚇得面部表情扭曲至極,鬼片更不會在我家出現.

因此要說去bone church的原因是什麼,連我自己都有些說不清楚.

 

從Prague到Kutna Hura大約是一個小時的車程,我到Florance轉車到Kutna Hura.售票亭小姐照例是張死魚臉,但是我當時已經挺習慣這樣的臉色了.反正不管什麼臉色,該做的事就要做.該問的就得問.

還好司機挺和善,我指指旅遊書上的地名再次確認目的地.他點點頭.

下車的地方有些荒涼,附近有個Billa超市建築物,走到超市附近的馬路邊就有標誌指向市中心.

這是捷克的"月台",長相不太符合我的想像,

車票上印的platform 號碼就是對應於這根杆子上的號碼(號碼在背面啦! 沒拍到)

車站旁有個類似售票處的地方,那裏也有電子看板提供搭車資訊

NAST=platform

走到市中心後到處晃晃, Kutna Hura和布拉格一樣是個相當適合步行的城市.

從市中心到bone church要轉搭當地市內公車才行,問了在Santa Barbara Cathedral的小姐公車位置,(她特別強調教堂中午休息1個小時).方向感不佳的我又是來回走了幾遍問了家水果店老闆順便買了3顆蘋果後才順利找到站牌.在此註記:水果店老闆與公車站旁的送報小姐都很和善,所以還是有很多和善樂於助人的捷克人

公車司機很親切的告訴我bone church的位置,由於仍在教堂午休時間,我便去附近超市找了家咖啡店小坐一會兒,想嚐嚐看起來像是小店特別的點心,無奈語言不通作罷.

雖然午休時間尚未結束,但是我想到教堂附近走走也好.

當天天氣氣溫尚稱溫和,街上照例冷冷清清,偶而呼嘯而過的車子更突顯小鎮的寧靜.

走著走著就看到教堂了

再近看一點...

捷克人其實也相當隨性,雖然話說是有午休時間,但是其實...並沒有!

付了50元克朗,拿了一張由台北雙連教會姐妺寫的教堂繁體中文簡介,管理的太太還用中文說了句"謝謝"

教堂其實相當小,但是非常攝人的呈現各式人骨創作.

是的,那些掛著的,罷著的,吊著的,相互串連著的,全都是人骨,真的.

我到時只有一對情侶.

也許是採光佳或是我天生較鈍感,我完全沒有感到任何令人害怕的氣氛,反而是相當詳和的地方.

保守估計這座教尚至少保存了4萬人的骨頭.

我很喜歡這一張

Mia說這張很有油畫的感覺..

投下4塊克朗,點一盞燭光.我在教堂裏做了已很久未做的祈禱,希望主保佑那些這一路上幫助過我的人

 

Technorati 的標籤：Kutna Hura,Prague,Bone Church,捷克,布拉格,人骨教堂

The many WOWs I have in Prague

離開布拉格已快1個月了,我仍然時常想到那個城市,那個國家,那些只能對著自己說wow的時刻.在那個時候,獨自旅行的我,開始懷念身邊有個伴的感覺.

到達布拉格的第一晚,從 starromaska地鐵站出來, 問了2位捷克女士怎麼走到old town square, 沿著不怎麼寬敞的石子路,吃力的拉著行李,終於走到廣場時,我站著呆立了好幾秒..

wow....I wish you can see this.

視線所及不再是兩旁林立的建築物,而是豁然開朗的廣場.打著燈光的Tyn Cathedral是最佳的地標.我住的Hostel Tyn就在附近.雖然號稱是歐洲最冷的冬季,當晚卻不怎麼冷.街頭上賣藝的2個提琴手,被三三兩兩的觀光客包圍著.雖說是淡季,仍然有相當多來自歐洲的觀光客三兩成群的出來夜遊. 後來我也能深切體會到冬遊捷克的樂趣,簡而言之,就是相對於置身龐大的歷史資產所須付出的代價,對喜歡旅遊的人來說,捷克都是相當划算的目的地.

當然,如果你愛聽故事的話,布拉格不但提供故事內容,也給你非常authentic的場景.

倒是方向感很差的我,不斷的發現自己處於迷路的狀態.從old town square走到我的第一個住宿點其實應該只有5分鐘的路程,但是卻花了我20分鐘,問了4,5個人都不得其門而入.後來我終於找到時,雙臂已經酸疼的要命.

布拉格的小巷子很多,小巷子中的court yard也很多,往往店家隐身於court yard裏,對不熟悉這樣的建築風格的旅人來說,往往過門而不自知.

像是背包客裏相當受好評的hostel tyn,由於地理位置絶佳,收費又低廉,我付的是700克朗一晚的雙人房.在背包客間很受歡迎.

從舊城廣場到hostle tyn得先走卡夫卡書店旁那個巷子(如下)

接著走左邊那條巷子,會經過一些art shop和一間pub.

然後會經過下面這個gate,要穿過這個corridor

 

穿過corridor 之後會來到一個 courtyard. Hostel Tyn就在這裏.

 

實在不是個好找的地方.但是很乾淨,暖氣很強(強到我得開窗調節氣溫).唯一不好的是...

沒有手扶梯亦無電梯,因為我背著背包提著行李到5樓!

Technorati 的標籤：prague,Hostel Tyn,accomodation,布拉格,背包客,住宿