A tourist information office is conventionally known as a resource where visitors can learn about the local region. Generally, these are nondescript locales that seldom merit a mention. However, during my vacation in New Zealand, the local tourist information office took on a whole new meaning for me. Owned and managed by Tourism New Zealand, i-SITE Visitor Information Centers not only offer the best information to help tourists navigate, they … [Read more...]
About Teh Chin Liang
Teh Chin Liang lives in Georgetown, Malaysia, a scenic island city which is also a UNESCO heritage site. As a travel enthusiast, he has extensively traveled to more than 30 countries over the course of 16 years. He is a book lover. His favorite pastime is finding a quiet oasis and tucking away with a good book and a pot of matcha tea. He is currently a Communications Manager at a multinational company. While working a full-time job, he tries to take time off whenever possible to travel the world. He is multilingual too; he speaks Mandarin, Hokkien (Chinese dialect), Malay, English and a little Spanish - hablo muy poco Español.
His future plans include starting a digital nomad career, self-publishing his own books, venturing into screenwriting and learning to swim (his only regret in life is he does not swim!).
Open Cremation at Pashupatinath Temple
It was a crisp Friday morning in December; I was standing on a temple compound in Kathmandu thronged by hundreds of sombre-looking devotees offering prayers with garlands and fruits. The air was scented with a mixture of fragrance from the flowers and incense. The sidewalks were bustling with vendors hawking a wide variety of religious souvenirs and infested with stray dogs scavenging for food through piles of garbage. The place was overrun with … [Read more...]
2018 Penang Temple Fair
Chinese New Year is undoubtedly the best time to visit Penang. During this time, this UNESCO World Heritage site becomes a buzz of activity with crowds, colorful holiday decorations and a lineup of exciting and interesting events. One of the most anticipated events that always draws a diverse crowd is the Temple Fair, otherwise known as Miao Hui in Chinese. This celebration is a large-scale street fair co-hosted by a collective of Chinese … [Read more...]
People I met on the Romanian train ride – Part 2
After a fun-filled day of exploring the historic and scenic sights of Sighisoara, I made my way back to the train station. The earlier encounter with the eccentric Romanian family was still vivid in my mind. I wonder what the next train ride back to Brasov had in store for me. The train back to Brasov was a couchette car. It was old, stuffy and reeked of cigarette smoke, a far cry from the train I took earlier with a modern and air-conditioned … [Read more...]
People I met on the Romanian train ride – Part 1
Travelling by train is an easy and affordable way to see Romania as the country offers an extensive rail network connecting all major cities and towns. Its official website https://www.cfrcalatori.ro/ provides comprehensive train timetables and fare information. During my visit to Romania, I chose train as my means of transportation to whisk me from one city to the other. The experience was both exhilarating and intimidating to me. Why does it … [Read more...]
My first experience of a Turkish Hamam
There are many Turkish bathhouses (Hamams) in Istanbul. The famous ones being Çemberlitaş, Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamam, Cağaloğlu etc where you fork out a fortune (more than 100 liras) to enjoy the finest bathing experience in a lavish and elegant environment. Being a frugal traveler (or cheapskate as sometimes the meaning of frugal connotes), those bathhouses with world-class facilities surely are places I would not be able to … [Read more...]
My Two Favorite Spots in Luang Prabang, Laos
After recently visiting Luang Prabang, hindsight has given me a unique perspective of the region. I can inform you that not all activities were worthy of exploration. Therefore, to save you the hassles of doing these non pleasing activities - I have whittled my list down to two top activities that I found the most enjoyable during my stay. Kwang Xi Waterfalls: Tourists will be coaxed into visiting the waterfalls soon after they land - by … [Read more...]
Lost to the charm of Seville
Sometimes it is better to travel and be surprised by a destination rather then trying to do research ahead of time. My time in Seville has given me a new perspective about this beautiful part of Spain and my trip here has been without any preconceived expectations. Previously I had only heard of Sevilla through an opera that was based on a story about a barber - other than this fragment of knowledge I knew nothing about this charming little town … [Read more...]
An Alternative Journey from England to Ireland
David and I had been discussing visiting Ireland for a number of years. We both tend to gravitate towards cooler weather climates - and Ireland in late October would be a good break from our warm Malyasian weather. We arrived into London and rather than continuing via airplane from the UK, we chose to travel by train and fast ferry, in hopes this alternative would create a more memorable travel experience then being crammed into tiny seats … [Read more...]
The Disappointing Northern Lights Mystery Tour
The primary purpose of my trip to Iceland was to see the Northern Lights. October is generally a rainy month in Iceland and the sky is usually covered with clouds; hence the possibility of seeing the lights is very minimal. However, I am by nature a wanderluster with a “play it by ear” philosophy and I believe good luck is always with me so the harsh reality of bad weather did not shake my determination to explore the land of ice and fire this … [Read more...]