Malacca Morning visit

5 Days Impromptu Itinerary in Rainy Malaysia

November 19 to November 23, 2015

Searching the Penang Street Arts

How to go to Malacca from Kuala Lumpur;

Daily departure from TBS Bus terminal with 2 hours travel time. 

Malacca (Melaka), dubbed "The Historic State", is a state in Malaysia and located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Straits of Malacca. This historical city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008. Although it was the location of one of the earliest Malay sultanates, the local monarchy was abolished when the Portuguese conquered it in 1511. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malacca

​Kuala Lumpur to Malacca (Melaka) to Kuala Lumpur Day Trip
- ordinary seat, no toilet inside, express bus, very safe, no free snacks/drinks
- 0700H-0900H (KL-M) / 1230H-1430H (M-KL), 2hrs
- 10 MYR ordinary AC bus

Malacca Morning visit

Searching the Penang Street Arts

5 Days Impromptu Itinerary in Rainy Malaysia

November 19 to November 23, 2015

Short Visit to Genting Highlands

How to go to Penang from Kuala Lumpur;
Daily departure from TBS Bus terminal with 5 hours travel time. 

Penang is a state in Malaysia located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Strait of Malacca. It all started off with a street art project called Mirrors George Town Festival 2012. Since then, street art has been popping up all over the inner city and has stirred up quite a media frenzy. Here are a few that will probably come across when you explore George Town.

​Kuala Lumpur to Penang (Butterworth) to Kuala Lumpur Day Trip
- ordinary seat, no toilet inside, express bus, very safe, no free snacks/drinks
- 0800H-1300H (KL-P) / 1545H-2030H (P-KL), 5hrs
- 38 MYR VIP bus

Searching the Penang Street Arts (Brother and Sister)

Short Visit to Genting Highlands

5 Days Impromptu Itinerary in Rainy Malaysia

November 19 to November 23, 2015

Revisiting Kuala Lumpur City

How to go to Genting Highlands from Kuala Lumpur;
From Chinatown Petaling Street, there is an every hour departure from Pudu Central Bus with 1 hour travel time. 

Genting Highlands is a high-altitude hill resort in Malaysia, located in the Titiwangsa Mountains northeast of Kuala Lumpur. Developed since the 1960s, the site comprises hotels, a shopping mall, restaurants and the Casino de Genting. Its Chin Swee Caves Temple sits on forested acreage with mountain views. Genting Skyway, a cable car, connects the resort with the plateau town Gohtong Jaya.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genting_Highlands

​Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands to Kuala Lumpur Day Trip
- ordinary seat, no toilet inside, express bus, very safe, no free snacks/drinks
- 1100H-1200H (KL-GH) / 1530H-1630H (GL-KL), 1hr
- 11 MYR ordinary AC with skyway (cable car) return

Short Visit to Genting Highlands

Revisiting Kuala Lumpur City

5 Days Impromptu Itinerary in Rainy Malaysia

November 19 to November 23, 2015

Kuala Lumpur International Airport Arrival in the morning

This was my 2nd time visited Kuala Lumpur City, first time in January 2011 with Singapore trip. But that time, I only visited on half-day from morning and the places I visited were going inside Petronas Towers, KL Tower and Batu Cave. On this 2nd visit, I visited them by night and some of the landmarks I missed.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KUALA LUMPUR CITY:

1. Merdeka Square, the House of Parliament, the National Museum,the National Palace (Istana Negara), the Central Market, the Petaling Street, the Kuala Lumpur Tower, the National Monument,the Jamek Mosque and Batu Caves are some of the major tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur.
2. City’s cultural diversity, historical attractions, avant-guard technology, and low cost lifestyle are the main reasons that drive tourism.
3. Kuala Lumpur has been rated as alpha world city.
4. The construction of famous Petronas Towers completed in 1998 and they remained at the first position as world’s tallest building for 6 years, until the Taipei 101 was built in 2004. One of the twin towers was build by the Japanese (Hazama Corp) while the other was build by the Koreans (Samsung). The Japanese made tower of the Petronas structures has a construction fault of 25mm tilt while the tower made by Koreans is absolutely leveled. 

Revisiting Kuala Lumpur City (infront of Petronas Twin Tower)

5 Days Impromptu Itinerary in Rainy Malaysia

self-guided solo trip to Kuala Lumpur, Genting, Penang and Malacca

November 19 to November 23, 2015

"Though a tree grow ever so high, the falling leaves return to the root" - Malay proverb

My 3rd visit to Malaysia (1st visit last Jan. 2011 and 2nd visit last May 2013), 45th solo backpacking trip, 27th in Asian continent, 56 countries visited so far and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. This trip is the 2nd part on my Final Get-away Trip as an OFW in Kuwait, entitled as Final Kuwait Get-Away; Solo Trip across Winter South Asia (Iran - Bangladesh - Nepal - Bhutan - Brunei).

This journey was my 2nd impromptu trip (following the Winter Armenia last Feb. 2013) wherein Bangladesh was the planned destination. Due to strict airline counter process and confirmation that Philippine Passport holders are not visa-on-arrival in Dhaka Airport, I immediately diverted the flight just to not waste the night.

Malaysia is a mix of the modern world and a developing nation. With its investment in the high technology industries and moderate oil wealth, it has become one of the richer nations in Southeast Asia. Malaysia, for most visitors, presents a happy mix: there is high-tech infrastructure and things generally work well and more or less on schedule, but prices remain more reasonable.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Malaysia

5 Days Impromptu Itinerary in Rainy Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur at night)

My Top Nine Best Travels in 2015

6th year of my travel addictiveness, adventures that made me want to go back there

2015 "the viewing deck" year-ender report

“Nobody can discover the world for somebody else. Only when we discover it for ourselves does it become common ground and a common bond and we cease to be alone.” – Wendell Berry

Recalling the moment when I've been asked what are my dream destinations, I told them only the places I think I can possibly achieve that time based on the resources and capabilities I had. Five years after that simple question, I still could not believe I already been visited the places which I only just watch in movies and "Amazing Race" routes. I consider 2015 as "the saga that never ends" year of my travel addictiveness because of the following reasons;

1. visited a total of 22 countries (17 new, 5 revisited), in which the majority has a very developed economy. Thus, high budget is required for any tourist visitors.
2. revisited Japan for the 3rd time but on this time I brought my mother with me.
3. experienced the coldest city capital in the world at around -20'C.
4. adventured Europe for the 3rd time but this time I included those countries not belong to Schengen states.
5. reached my new extreme high altitude level on a mountain in Nepal at 5,550masl. 
6. went to my homeland on 5x because I already resigned to my work.

My Top Nine Best Travels in 2015

Budget and Safety Tips in Solo Travelling Iran

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf

November 08 to November 14, 2015

Tehran last part; Subway Hopping to Other Tourist Spots

​​1. First and foremost, IRAN IS EXTREMELY SAFE TO TRAVEL. Even though its normal to see camouflaged-wearing citizen anywhere, they don't care about you. The ambiance is like in Israel and Palestine; once you're inside, you can do the normal/usual things as a tourist. Iran is even safer than Philippines, my homeland.

2. Major reason why Iran has negative mainstream media impression is because Iran hates USA. US Embassy in Iran has been pulled-out since 1981. On my observation, I did not see any US-made products even US-owned stores such as McDo, KFC and 7-11. Despite of that, Iran fully accepts US Dollar in any money exchanger. As of November 2015, 1 USD = 35,000 IRR.

3. Iran and Iranian people are tourist friendly. Even though its hard to find English-speaking Iranians especially in public places, they are willing to help, language barrier is not much of a problem.

4. Iran is a conservative Islamic country. Proper attire in public places must be observed at all times such as mandatory veil for ladies and not wearing of shorts and sleeveless shirt.

Budget and Safety Tips in Solo Travelling Iran (dizi, local Iranian food in Seray-e Mehr Resto, Shiraz)

Tehran last part; Subway Hopping to Other Tourist Spots

7 Days Solo Backpacking Winter Iran via Persian Gulf

November 08 to November 14, 2015

Tehran 1st part; Inside National Museum of Iran and Golestan Palace 

Azadi Tower, also known as Borj-e Āzādī, "Liberty Tower", formerly known as the Shahyad Tower, monument in Tehran City,  marking the west entrance to the city, and one of the symbols of the city. Embassy of the United States of America in Tehran was severed following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and the subsequent seizure of the embassy in November 1979. The Former Embassy of Iran in Washington, D.C. is also defunct as Iran does not currently have an embassy in the United States. Its interests are handled through the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the United States at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington D.C. Imāmzādeh Sāleh is one of many Imāmzadeh mosques in Iran. The mosque is located at Tajrish Square in Tehran's northern Shemiran district. The mosque entombs the remains of Sāleh, a son of the Twelver Shī‘ah Imām, Mūsā al-Kādhim. Shāh Abdol Azīm Shrine, located in Rey, Iran, contains the tomb of Shah Abdol Azim. He was entombed here after his death in the 9th century. Adjacent to the shrine, within the complex, include the mausolea of Imamzadeh Tahir (son of the fourth shia Imam Sajjad), and Imamzadeh Hamzeh (brother of the eighth Twelver Imām - Imām Reza).

How to Go to ​Azadi Tower, US Embassy, Imāmzādeh Sāleh and Shāh Abdol Azīm Shrine;
Azadi Tower is located around 300m exit of Meydan E-Azadi metro station (line4), Tehran US Embassy is located just outside Taleghani metro station (line1), Imāmzādeh Sāleh is located around 100m exit of Tajrish metro station, Shāh Abdol Azīm Shrine is located around 1km away from Shahr-E Rey metro station (line1). A map is provided on the attached itinerary. Entrance to Azadi Tower and US Embassy is not allowed, only photography and video taking outside. Free entrance to Imāmzādeh Sāleh and Shāh Abdol Azīm Shrine, even photography and video taking is permitted inside.

Tehran last part; Subway Hopping to Other Tourist Spots (Azadi Tower)