An Impromptu Trip to Semarang

This past two months have been really hectic for me. A week after coming back from Chiang Mai, I had to go to Kuala Lumpur for my bi-monthly infusion. I did not look forward to my KL trip and I felt like I didn’t rest enough after Chiang Mai so when my sister told she would be coming home right after my KL trip, it gave me a boost of enthusiasm.

My sister comes home to Jogja only once in a while. This time she decided to fly to and from Semarang since the ticket was cheaper by far. I had a great time showing her some new culinary spots in Jogja.

Since she was flying back from Semarang, my mum and I (and my mum’s friend as our guide in Semarang :D) decided to take her there. I thought it would be nice visiting Semarang and continue our culinary adventure there. I had some places in mind and we planned to go from Jogja early so we could stuff ourselves silly before she headed back to Singapore.

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My First Impressions of Chiang Mai

The last time I traveled somewhere new was in 2014. I went to Bangkok and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I remember it all so clearly. I hated the city, the pollution and all the noise. I also remember that I would’ve tolerated Bangkok a lot more if I wasn’t in so much pain. My body felt strange, it ached everywhere, it just didn’t feel right.

By the end of the year, I knew what was wrong.

Fast forward to present time, I am still in treatment but it is not as hard as the years before. I go to the hospital every two months for an antibody infusion. Since this infusion does not have heavy side effects, I am able to lead a somewhat “normal life”.

One day my sister suggested a holiday for the whole family to relax and unwind, after all there was no doubt we needed it. When I asked her where, she wasn’t sure so we searched for options. I didn’t want to go too far as I didn’t want to overtire myself with long distance flight. After much searching, I suggested Chiang Mai in Thailand. I read that the city is relaxed (unlike Bangkok) and there are lots of cafes and restaurants. We all agreed.

Foodie Talk: Nasi Campur di Aroma Kasongan, Yogyakarta

Minggu lalu salah satu teman baik saya datang ke Jogja. Dia sih sudah tidak asing dengan Jogja, namun kedatangannya selalu saya tunggu-tunggu karena pergi dengan dia selalu menyenangkan. Saya memang tidak pernah membuat rencana, kami biasanya spontan memilih destinasi.

Kali ini saya mengajaknya untuk mencoba Aroma Kasongan. Saya sendiri belum pernah namun kelihatannya menarik. Kasongan juga salah satu area yang sering saya kunjungi untuk “cuci mata”. Duh barang-barang di Kasongan sungguh menarik.

Lokasi tempat ini di Jalan Raya Kasongan, jadi gak susah untuk mencarinya. Saat lihat foto-foto Aroma di Instagram, saya kira tempat ini besar ternyata tidak terlalu namun saya langsung senang ketika masuk.

Discovering The Truth About Dracula Castle

This post was originally written for my old travel blog Dream Explore Wander on 31 October 2016.

The day I decided to visit Bran Castle was all grey and cold with a chance of snow. Great. I took a peek at the sky and for a second I wanted to snooze for five more minutes. If only I was just visiting another castle. But no, I was going to Bran Castle, THE Dracula Castle. Any fans of Stoker would be stoked (pun intended) to see this place, and I too was excited about it. Besides, the gloomy weather gave some sort of dramatic effect.

My friends and I walked from our hostel to the said bus station that was supposed to take us to Stadionul Municipal. We had some trouble finding the right bus, but after asking a local with our very limited Romanian, we finally managed to find the bus. After getting inside the bus, we didn’t exactly know where to get off. Here was inside the bus, three very foreign looking tourists trying to find the right bus stop. We were lucky that the locals on the bus happily helped us.

The bus station was sad. It looked abandoned. I wondered if it would look more “cheerful” during the warmer months. No one was really there, and I was getting anxious that we were in the wrong place. A few people came, but I was still unsure. Maybe this was just the wrong time to see the castle, there didn’t seem to be many tourists like us, wait…is that wrong or perfect timing? I couldn’t decide. More people would justify that this was in fact the correct place to get to Bran, but more people would mean a crowded castle. As my mind was arguing with itself, a bus came. At the front of the bus was a sign “BRAN”. Oh yeah. Dracula Castle here I come.

A Glorious Morning at Sukorame Rice Field

It was the morning of my dad’s birthday. We set off at 6AM to go to Sukorame Rice Field (Sawah Sukorame). This rice field had been on my radar for quite a while and after much searching, I found the place to be doable for my physic. So off we went.

There are many things I love about rice fields. The colour, miles and miles of fresh green. The calm, meditative atmosphere. The sound of birds chirping like no one’s business. The silent wind that makes the scarecrows dance. This is the many reasons why I will never get tired of them, even when I see it every day.

Foodie Talk: A Quick Foodie Guide to Singapore

This post was originally written for my old travel blog Dream Explore Wander on 15 March 2017.

I’ve gone back and forth to Singapore quite a lot these past few years. That means, I’ve acquired some favourite places to eat. Of course to eat because this girl likes her food when travelling otherwise I get super hangry and no one wants to see that side of me.

Itinerary Jalan-Jalan Sendiri ke Eropa Timur Tanpa Tour by Febby of Jalan2Liburan

Oh and I also know that Singapore is super expensive (who doesn’t notice right?!) so I don’t usually eat at expensive places UNLESS someone treats me (like my sister, haha!). Anyway, the places here are pretty affordable and you should totally give it a try on your next visit to Singapore!

A Quick Guide to Enjoy North Sumatera by Noni of Nyonya Sepatu

Little India

If you are by any chance in Little India, don’t forget to visit my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE restaurant here. It’s called Jaggi’s and they specialised in Northern Indian cuisine. I got totally obsessed with this place because their butter chicken and garlic naan are to die for. They recently moved to a new area not far from their old place and it’s much bigger and brighter. They display the food and you can just choose what you want to eat. I always go for their butter chicken (did I tell you it’s amazing?!), aloo gobi (this potato and cauliflower dish that is crazy good), tandoori chicken and garlic naan. I love the fact that you can choose some dishes to share with your friends, although, I never share my butter chicken because they are just too good.

Foodie Talk: Where to Get Great Coffee in Yogyakarta

On this post my focus is on Great Coffee. I should emphasise this because in Yogyakarta (or maybe Indonesia?) there are MANY cafes who claim to serve great coffee but what they are actually selling is an instagrammable place. I love Instagram, I have nothing against it. If a place is instagrammable, that’s a plus for me but when you dedicate a coffee shop ONLY for that particular aspect (instead of the coffee part), it really drives me insane.

So let’s forget the instagrammable part and focus on the real deal: great coffee. I am not a coffee expert but I do like a good cup of coffee. Strong flavours, not runny, preferably with good bites.

Here are some coffee shops that I really like in Yogyakarta. Perhaps they are not the most instagrammable but I totally recommend it for its taste.