[Travel Tips]: How to plan a trip

Life is short. Why not spend some time to explore the world?

More and more people are addicted to travel nowadays. I can't stop myself from feeling jealous towards people who can travel often to different places in the world. I don't have the time and money. So, recently, I have been reading on a lot of travel blogs and posts. They inspired me to share my ways of planning trips. I may not be as good or as professional as other travel bloggers, but I have my way to plan a trip, either domestically or internationally. 

Here are some tips on how to plan a trip! This can help me to imagine that I'm indeed on a vacation NOW! 


#1 DECIDE ON A DESTINATION
You have been saying that you want to travel, you want to explore. But, W-H-E-R-E?? Do you prefer going on a shopping trip? Relaxation trip? Adventurous trip? Beach getaway? It is very important that you choose a place that you will like and enjoy to the fullest. Don't just follow the crowd or the trend. You could be a beach person but all your friends went Bangkok for a shopping trip. Which one would you choose? Follow the trend? The point here is, if you have limited travel fund and time, please follow your heart.  


#2  BOOK YOUR TICKET
Either you are traveling by land, sea or air, you need to book a ticket to leave your home. Checking schedules of bus, flight or boat is very important if you are on a tight schedule. Make sure you get cheap tickets by comparing prices from different companies. Not to forget, allocate enough time for yourself to travel. If you found really really cheap flight ticket, I would suggest you to grab it first! Of course, pick a time that you probably can travel to avoid wastage. 


#3 PLAN YOUR ITINERARY
You've chose a place to explore. And now you have your tickets ready. You must have something in your mind about the place. What you want to see? Where you want to visit? I would strongly suggest to visit tourist spots if you are visiting the place for the FIRST time, at least the famous ones. List down the places that you want to visit and then take a look at the map. Group places that are near to each other accordingly. This will help you to save time on traveling and also easier to plan your itinerary too! If you have no idea at all, you can ask Mr. Google, or visit TripAdvisor website for suggestions. 

Travel Tips: My Favourite Top 10 Things to do in Australia

,I'm looking back at my photo albums tonight and I really miss the Land Down Under (Australia). Hence, I decide to share my list of the Top 10 Things to do in Australia. These are the things I missed the most and I will definitely go back for it. 

#1 Hot Chocolate Drink 

I miss Max Brenner! It is a must try because till now, I still hardly find hot chocolate that satisfy my taste buds. Drinking hot chocolate in the middle of the night is so sinful, but I did that! Cold weather and hot chocolate -- such a perfect match! =)

#2 Drink alcohol

There are so many types of alcohol here and how could you not try them? I even tried drinking alcohol in the afternoon XD

#3 Have a Fish & Chips by the sea
Pack your fish and chips and have it at a beach or somewhere near the sea. The feel is there. But beware of your food because the birds will attack! 

#4 Explore the small lanes and you will find nice graffiti
Artistic people love to express themselves and they turn small lanes into beautiful graffiti lanes. There are people who come and take wedding photos at these lanes. As a tourist/backpacker, how can you miss this place?

#5 Oysters

Have some fresh oysters when you're in Aussie! You can get them real fresh at Sydney Fish Market/Queens Victoria Market/etc etc.... And... The price is quite reasonable! Don't miss the chance!

 #6 Visit "typical" tourist spots
Definitely cannot miss them because they are so beautiful. Visiting them everyday wouldn't bored me. Nice architecture.

OPERA HOUSE

TWELVE APOSTLES 

#7 Enjoy the scenery
I enjoy the blue sky a lot. Not to say that sky in other countries look nicer, but it may be because of weather there. Cold weather make me feel more keen to enjoy looking at the blue sky. 

 #8 Visit their historical sites/small town
They have nice architecture and it is possible to know more about Australia's history and culture. May have chance to meet aborigines too! 

 #9 Explore cities nearby
I've the chance to explore Tasmania and it was a really great experience. Small town with beautiful views. Totally worth a road trip there. If I have a chance, I would like to go back and explore more places. Adelaide, Perth, Alice Springs, etc etc.... Australia is not just about Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast XD

#10 MUST EXPLORE Coles or Woolworths
I love shopping at Coles/Woolworths because they have great offers to surprise me. Cheap Tim Tams. Cheap Coffee. They sell a lot of things that we can't find in hypermarkets in Malaysia (if it exists, it will cost a bomb!). If you are in Australia, don't miss your chance to pack your luggage with your favourite snacks/coffee/whatever. Oh! Just a tip.. Coles sells nice muffins! =)

There are actually more things that you can and you should do while in Australia. I'm just listing my favorite things here. What else? You should definitely enjoy their coffee culture. You should at least see a kangaroo and koala bear once. You should go to the parks because they have a lot (especially in Melbourne). What are your top 10 list? Mind to share?

Travel is part of my life

Travel needs time, money, and energy. 
But it is a MUST in my life. 

Believe me or not, I started traveling in 2010. I've never taken a flight before 2010, but since then, I am addicted to it. From Korea, to Kuching, to Melbourne, to Miri and Brunei, to Taiwan, to Kota Kinabalu, to Taiwan. I flew a few times to East Malaysia and the scenery there really attracts me, especially beach at Kota Kinabalu.

Although it is quite tiring to travel, which you have to pack, take flight, walk, explore, come back, unpack, and do the forever undone laundry. But the process, the moment, when you are in a different place, I believe you can feel your happiness. Even though under hot sun, even though eating awful food, you will just pissed off for 5 seconds. Why? Because you are doing something different from your routine life. It is something special. 

For me, travel domestically or internationally does not matter much. As long as you have the chance to explore and experience new things, it is worth a trip. 

Don't complain about how boring your life is. You are the one who make the decision. Either sleep at home whole day or pack your luggage and go have a walk, it is your choice!

Don't jealous others who can go travel very often. You can do it too! Money? Find ways to earn it. Time? Squeeze out some from your schedule. What else to hold you back? =D 

Plan. Book. Go! Vroomm Vroommm..... 

Why should we travel?

I'm always enthusiastic about traveling, whether locally or internationally. I start to feel excited from the moment I purchase the flight ticket. It is quite interesting to 'hunt' for a good deal for hotel(s) and also cheap flight. I have plenty of places that I wanted to visit in mind. Sadly, I have no savings at the moment. Travel plan should come in a halt.

To be honest, I never take a plane until I was 18. First flight was a domestic flight from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to Penang (PNG). Air Asia. It is just a flight for me to go home. Second time was my family trip to Korea. First international flight was exciting, yet tiring! I felt like a kampung (village) girl when I was in the airport. XD

Why should we travel? In my opinion, traveling is good. Why? Continue reading! 

1) You explore new things when you travel.
Either food, culture, weather, scenery, or people. The more new things you explore, the more exciting is your journey. The more new things you try/learn, the more knowledgeable you are. Do some homework before your trip. It would be a life lesson. A new country. A new place. Meet new people.

Nice scenery at Tasmania. It looks like heaven. (2011)

2) You learn to manage your money.  
Allocate an amount for your trip and you will learn how to spend them wisely. You know you can't spend too much as you will have a hard time after the trip. Basic financial management # Lesson 1.