There is Nothing in Alessandria!

This post was originally written for my old travel blog Dream Explore Wander on 21 February 2013.

…that was what my lovely friends who were living in Alessandria for our semester of study said. While I was in Romania, they were living in Alessandria, Italy. They kept telling me that there really is nothing in Alessandria.

If you go to Milano Centrale (train station) and find platform 23 (or was it 22?), you will find a train to Alessandria every hour. Located only an hour away from Milan, Alessandria is a pretty little town in the Piedmont region of Italy (please don’t get it mixed up with Alexandria in Egypt).

As I arrived to the city, I didn’t see there was anything wrong with it. The city is lovely filled with cobbled-stones streets. I love this kind of city. My friend took me around the city and it did indeed only took several hours by foot to explore the city as it was quite small.

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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.

A (Polish) Wedding to Remember

This post was originally written for my old travel blog Dream Explore Wander on 14 March 2013.

Back in September, I went to Poland for the first time. I also went to a Polish wedding party, for the first time too. I have written about it before, but as I read my previous post about it, I feel like I didn’t do the great event any justice. I didn’t write enough about its atmosphere, its bursting energy, my mixed emotions – I feel like I just have to re-write the experience in a more personal and deeper meaning. I also think that the event in itself deserves one full post concentrating on that happy moment.

So here I am, rewriting my experience because it was not only a trip, it was a cultural gathering, celebrating the love of two people in a country where I didn’t speak the language and barely know the culture – and somehow I was invited to be a part of it all. Words just cannot describe how happy I was to be a part of that wedding celebration. 50 years from now when I’m grey and old and sitting in a rocking chair, I would like to open my blog and re-read this story because it has given me the chance to explore a culture in a way only a few people could experience. I would like to reminisce about how extremely happy everyone was at the party and the couple gleaming with love. I would like to remember all that and smile about it.

Weekend di Jogja Bersama Teman Lama

Salah satu teman baik saya yang kebetulan bekerja di Singapore berkunjung ke Jogja 2 minggu yang lalu. Kami bertemu ketika kuliah S2 dan sudah berteman bahkan sebelum kuliah dimulai. Kebetulan nama saya (Agata) adalah nama yang populer di negara asalnya, Polandia. Waktu itu dia mengirimkan pesan untuk saya dan berkata bahwa nama saya familiar buatnya hahaha.

Kami sudah banyak melalui banyak hal bersama dari bete karena assignment yang bikin kepala pecah hingga bersenang-senang saat musim panas datang. Saat dia pindah ke Singapore saya senang sekali namun sayangnya saya sedang parah-parahnya sakit sehingga tidak bisa langsung ketemu dengannya. Beberapa saat setelah dia settle, dia dan adik saya datang ke Kuala Lumpur untuk menjenguk saya yang saat itu sedang tidak bisa apa-apa di rumah sakit. 

Podcasts I Love

I really can’t remember the first time I listened to a podcast. I have known of its existence a long time ago but I was never really into them. Around one or two years ago I started listening to podcasts because I was bored. I started with some boring ones which left me uninspired and sleepy but I searched for some podcasts with topics of my interest and I was hooked.

Picture from Pixabay.

What I love about podcasts is that they can be as long and short as you want. You have 20 minutes to spare? No problem! Your plane is delayed and you have two hours of nothing to do? I’ve got just the podcast for you. Podcasts are also very diverse, there are lots of different topics out there, just find the ones that interest you the most and you’re all set.

Foodie Talk: A Foodie Guide to Penang

This post was originally written for my old travel blog Dream Explore Wander on 26 January 2014.

When you are in Penang, one of the activities you are encouraged to do is to eat. The streets of Penang is filled with people chattering on the side of the street with a plate full of goodness. From savoury food to sweet desserts, there is something for everyone. Asian food is always exciting, it’s more than just a bite to fulfill the stomach, there’s always a lot of colours and tons of flavours involved, which I can never get enough!

I found the food in Penang to be delicious and cheap. A drink should not cost more than 2 RM while a full meal should be around 3-5 RM, unless of course you eat inside a fancy café. Hopefully this guide can help you find some mouth-watering food when you visit Penang.

Socialising Now vs. Then

Lately I have been trying to “put myself out there” more. I feel like I have been too cooped up at home and really want to make an effort to go out and socialise with other people. In the past, if you asked me whether I was an introvert or an extrovert, I would’ve easily said extrovert. Now, I’m not so sure.

I have only started being active in 2017. My body was starting to feel good and I could go out without having any pain for at least half a day. I started hanging out at cafes and meeting my friends for a few hours. Now I can manage a full day out though my back would probably need some rest afterwards. I realise that I am still sensitive to sunlight. Not only does it make me weak from the heat but it also hurts my eyes which often leads to migraines. I got some sunglasses and it really helps me, though I still avoid going out in the blazing hot sun. Though my immune system is way better than last year, I still get super anxious around large crowds. I tend to avoid it at all cost. Sometimes I want to attend local events, but then I remember the heat and crowd so I know better and find solace in my books instead.