View of Kuala Lumpur from the Air

I has been a year since I last travelled but I have talked about it so long in my blog that it only is just a couple of posts away. It was that time of the year again and I needed clear my leaves lest I forfeit them. I didn’t really have any idea where I should be spending my leaves on, South East Asia wasn’t really an option since it was monsoon season, I didn’t know any other place I would be comfortable going to other than China. For me, it is still one of the places which gives the most bang for your buck.

Not Sure Where This is Anymore

As usual, I took the Air Asia flight out of the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur. The ride to Kuala Lumpur itself was uneventful but I seemed to have arrived there a bit too early. That was around two in the morning. Fortunately I found a cab who brought me to the KL Sentral, where I took the bus headed to the Low Cost Carrier Teriminal. There seemed to have been a renovation there as there seems to be a bit more space now. No doubt because they are growing by leaps and bounds. I couldn’t sleep at the terminal as it is also full of people.

I didn’t really prepare much for this trip, I only packed all my stuff the previous night. I was supposed to go to Tianjin and then explore the northeast portion of China but a friend of mine convinced me to meet up in Shanghai. So I will be needing to take another flight from Tianjin to Shanghai right after landing. Fortunately, the plane was on time and had time to rest a bit from the journey before embarking on yet another one.

It was very tiring to travel from Singapore to Malaysia then take another flight to where I needed to go. The other budget airlines to China have opened new routes to China, I will probably use them the next time I visit.

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Check In Counters at Tianjin Binhai International Airport

My trip from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur took me to the Chinese city of Tianjin. It would have been a bit strange to hear about airlines flying here since there isn’t much to see here. However, if you knew Air Asia, you would know that they do this to keep the air fares low. The plane is a bit larger than the normal Air Asia planes I have previously taken. The trip from Kuala Lumpur to Tianjin Binhai International Airport takes about six hours to complete. I haven’t taken a lot of plane rides this long, although I have taken much longer bus rides.

Very Poor Visibility at Tianjin

The flight was rather uneventful. It wasn’t a full flight so after take off I quickly switched to nearest empty row. It was rather stupid of me not to have bought food since by the time it was landing at around two in the afternoon, I was already starving. Upon landing I noticed that the surrounding area of the airport was extremely hazy and visibility was really bad.

Information Board at Tianjin Binhai International Airport

Terminal building was quite modern and it is in par with the other Chinese airport terminals I have taken before. One thing which was rather annoying was that the immigration counters were quite little and it took us a while to get through immigration. Getting through customs and getting my baggage was a breeze since everything was what I expected. Strangely enough the airport isn’t anywhere near the sea as its Chinese name implies. Maybe they reclaimed much of the land beyond the airport such that it is so far inland now.

Modern Terminal Building of Tianjin Binhai International Airport

Now to get to my actual destination, Beijing. A friend told me that I can take the train from Tianjin to Beijing in around 30 minutes, however it wasn’t really that apparent to me where I can take this train, so I ended up paying for a bus which will take me to somewhere in Beijing. The bus rides costs CNY 35. The destination is Bawangfen Bus Terminal 八王坟长途客运站 in Beijing. I have no idea where this is, but I am so looking forward to this new wandering.

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Nice View of the Wing Again

I don’t really plan much when it comes to trips but it turns out that I usually go abroad once a year. This year, I have the fortune of going to China. In this trip, I plan to take the eastern coast of China following several historical sites. My previous trip to southwest China was more of a nature trip, this one will be largely historical – something which China does not have a lack of.

When I started looking for good airline deals for China, I discovered that local budget airlines do not fly to the destinations I want to. I only see a lot of southern destinations most of which I have already been to. Normal priced airlines are not an option either since they would cost a lot get a one way ticket from one place and a one way ticket out from another place as I usually do. So my only option is taking Air Asia, a low cost airline based in Malaysia. They do have the destinations I wanted to visit.

Internet Station at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal

The funny thing is, that a friend of mine suddenly had the urge to go to China because a local budget airline was having a promotion. The trouble is, Air Asia wasn’t. This meant I had to fork out more for the same flight. Oh well. Unfortunately, my friend got a shorter visa duration that what he asked for with the tickets already booked and paid for. Which was funny because the application process requires you to submit the plane tickets. Why he was given a shorter visa duration than request despite this was anyone’s guess. In the end, my friend decided not to push through with the trip since rebooking will already cost a lot, this will also mean another solo trip for me.

The flights leave from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, so I got an overnight bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. The bus drops you off at Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur, I got a cab which brought me to KL Sentral for around MYR 10. There is a bus from KL Sentral which will bring you to the LCCT or Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The bus ride costs MYR 9-10 depending on which bus you choose. You can find the buses by going to the end of the KL Sentral building and going down a flight of stairs from there. The bus ride takes around an hour to get there and they leave every hour all day.

Waiting Area at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal

Maybe it was just my imagination, The LCCT seems to be larger than before. I last visited this terminal when I took a flight to Siem Reap. Checking in was pretty standard, after which I got breakfast at a nearby McDonald’s while I killed some time waiting for the flight. It has been a long time since I last went on something like this, although it would have been better too if someone was with me, traveling alone also has its perks. I’m looking forward to what this trip will bring me!

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Flight to Phuket from Bangkok

It was time to leave. Though Myanmar was probably the least comfortable country I travelled in, it is not without its charms. What the country lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for it in culture and heart, with some of the friendliest people I’ve ever known. But alas, my lack of kyats have forced me to end the trip earlier than expected and I didn’t get to see a lot of their sights, which was a shame. I won’t hestitate to go back to Myanmar, most especially now that I know what to expect in this wonderful country and the next time, I will be prepared.

Stunning Seascapes in Thailand

The Motherland Inn II has a free shuttle service from the guest house to the airport and vice versa, of course only if you are a guest. At least I won’t have to worry about finding money to the taxi driver and just to find out I got fleeced. The trip back to Thailand was uneventful and I suddenly got a culture shock after being away from modernity for more than a week. Upon arrival at the Bangkok Suvarnambhumi International Airport, I immediately topped up on my cash which were running really low. I also changed my what was left of my US dollars to baht. I decided not to stay in Bangkok for now so I got another Air Asia flight to Phuket to indulge myself. Fortunately, they have flights almost every hour so I got one immediately.

Likewise, the Bangkok to Phuket flight was smooth and it passed over some impressive marine scenery. I guess it was just a sample of what is to come after all they are quite known for their stunning seascapes. I certainly look forward to it.

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The Food in Lashio Lay Restaurant

Having arrived late in the day in Mandalay, I went around looking for some dinner. One of the places recommended by Lonely Planet was the Lashio Lay Restaurant, which was fortunately, just a few blocks from the Royal Guest House. It took me some time to find the place but when I got there it was not difficult to miss because of the huge sign they have outside.

Inside the Lashio Lay Restaurant

Lashio Lay Restaurant specializes in Shan cuisine. Shan is one of the states of Myanmar and it known for its cuisine within the country. So I figured to give it a try. The restaurant itself looks more like an eatery than a restaurant. There was no airconditioning. But they had fans to keep everybody cool. The places has a surprisingly large number of staff making the place very busy.

Beef Dish Shan Style

Basically there are a lot of pre-cooked food on display and all you need to do if point at what you want. The guy at the counter spoke little English so I was able to find out what I was ordering. I ordered three dishes, a beef dish which reminded me to beef steak in the Philippines, some sourish chicken and lastly some bean sprouts. It was surprisingly tasty, probably the best meal I’ve had in Myanmar so far.

Shan Chicken Dish

In the middle of my dinner, another power failure struck. However, the locals were already used to this and just went about their business. I had to eat in the dark having sat so far inside the restaurant. It was still light outside so it wasn’t totally dark. This was just another glimpse into the lives of the Burmese, which made me admire how strong these people are.

Bean Sprouts Shan Style

After dinner, I needed to access the internet to rebook my flight. I had seriously unestimated the amount of money I needed to bring here and from my calculations, I don’t think I would make it if I continue with my original schedule, apparently the costs here a quite different from what the guide books say! I heard this is quite common problem for visitors to Myanmar. Another thing going against me was that Burmese festival Thingyan was coming and I was told that there will not be any buses going to Yangon on that weeklong holiday. A whole week! This basically screwed up my schedule. I need to get back to Thailand to replenish my funds.

Pots and Pots of Stuff

First I needed to find a flight out. Fortunately, I was able to book an Air Asia flight out of Yangon a few days ahead of schedule. It would be more expensive but it is better than being stuck in a foreign country with no access to funds. I was thankful that the Air Asia site was not blocked and that I had my credit card with me. I would be tough to find a travel agent on my own. This also means I need to get out of Mandalay as soon as possible. I would still have time to explore the ancient cities around Mandalay before leaving for the next town tomorrow afternoon.

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Kuala Lumpur From the Air

Mention Cambodia and immediately, the image of immense complexes of temples known as Angkor Wat comes to mind. This is exactly what happened to me when my friend proposed that we go there. Although I prefer nature trips rather than historical/cultural stuff. The chance to visit one of humanity greatest accomplishments was too good to pass up.

Batu Cave from the Air

My friend will be coming from Manila, but there doesn’t seem to be any point for him to go all the way to Singapore to meet up then go to Siem Reap, so I had to make an overnight trip to Kuala Lumpur and meet him at the airport there and take a flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. At least it would be cheaper since I do not need to fly to meet up with him.

It was my first time to the Kuala Lumpur airport and honestly, I wasn’t even absolutely sure how to get there. Fortunately, the mass transit system in Kuala Lumpur was easy enough to understand that I managed to get myself to the airport in no time.

Mighty Mekong Winds its Way through the fields

Since we will be flying with Air Asia, a budget airline. We will have to check in from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal or LCCT. The LCCT is quite big for a budget airline. Although it seems that there is still not enough space for everybody. Some counters seem to be out of place and seemed to have been placed there as an afterthought. As with all budget terminals, there isn’t really much in the way of entertainment. There are a couple of eating places there, but that’s it. I was getting hungry so I chose to go with the safe one. McDonalds. Can’t go wrong with that, right?

Fields All Around

Although, I feel terrible from that grueling overnight trip from Singapore, I was too excited to be tired. Soon, we were boarding our plane. It is not my first time on a budget carrier. I have tried Tiger Airways and Jetstar Airways from Singapore and Cebu Pacific from the Philippines. My first impression on Air Asia, was that the planes seem to be old. Well maintained but old. The seats are leather seats but a little cramped. I’m not a really big person but I feel cramped sitting on their seats. Well, it is cheap… The last time I felt this cramped was when I took Jetstar.

Houses in Cambodia

As we were on our way to Siem Reap, I managed to get a good look at Kuala Lumpur from the sky. There unmistakable figures of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Tower stood out. In fact, from the air, they look no more than toys.

The trip took around two hours. Soon, the fields of rural Cambodia spread before us. Muddy rivers wind their way through the rice fields. Our plane seems to be flying low enough that I can see the individual houses. Seems like we are already quite near. From the map, it seems that Siem Reap airport is built right beside the complex of temple ruins. But strangely enough, I didn’t get to see any temples from the air. Anyway, who cares, I’ll get there soon enough!

By the way, if you have been wondering what happened to the pictures, yes, they have been edited. Did you seriously think I can take pictures through the window of an airplane?

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