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A lot has happened in the past two weeks that I had to separate the blogs. But, I’m currently in Bali after finishing up another 50-page study guide for MKT1705X. I guess you can call this trip my study break before figuring out how I’m going to cram a whole textbook again :) Before jumping right into my recent trips, I was fortunate to have a taste of home right in Singapore! Since January, ads for the Shilin Night Market SG had been popping up on my Instagram so I decided to check it out with Felice. My friend, Sharon, reminded me to really support these stalls because a lot of them flew straight in from Taiwan. And I did. From wintermelon lemon aiyu to braised pork on rice to fresh taro milk, I couldn’t have asked for anything better to do after studying. Though pricey, it was well worth every bite. The event gave me a chance to find new places to eat at when I return home! Jewel Changi also opened up, so hopefully if you visit or are flying into Singapore, there’s less foot traffic. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | April 16 - April 19, 2019 Wow, where do I start? At first, KL was only a one day trip to attend a funeral. But, tickets were just the same for two more days so I figured why not fly in a day before to explore. KL’s public transportation surprises me every time. Except the monorail, don’t take it if you have a choice. Wandered around Batu Caves first thing in the morning. Definitely a tourist hot spot (don’t go right at noon) but worth going to. That took up a good three hours and luckily you can reach the caves by the Komuter train for just RM 2.60 one-way from KL Sentral. Ramayana Caves is right off to the side of Batu Caves but don’t waste your RM 5.00 going in. Just keep walking straight when you get out of the station until you hit those colorful rainbow steps. I went to Chinatown and grabbed food from Koon Kee which specializes in Wan Tan Mee (RM 6.50). They’re hidden behind the many souvenir stalls that line up Petaling Street. Then, it was time for the Petronas Twin Tower. Though I didn’t have the money to go all the way up to the observatory, Klook has deals which you should secure early. KL Tower is near Jalan Alor Street where one of the touristy night market scenes are at. Although I can never call McDonald’s a meal, it’s a eye-opener no matter where. And cheaper in Malaysia too. Thailand had these pancake wrapped ice cream sundaes, Malaysia had sarsaparilla cones. I’d say keep an eye open for new dessert flavors when you arrive in Singapore as well as McDonald’s across Asia. You’d be surprised :) On a side note, KL is mostly a one-day trip and I’d suggest spending the rest of Malaysia in Penang. Dropped off my old, old friend to the airport afterwards to live in California for the next few months. Going to miss her but I wouldn’t be upset if she decides not to leave. Her IG stories better be filled with good food daily and of course street photos. And with that, I ended my trip to KL. Bali, Indonesia | April 23 - April 27, 2019 So far, I watched the sun set. And I can definitely say I miss Hawaii. Bali is as Jason put it, a cheat code :) Filled my stomach up with $2 worth of food, listened to the waves crashed back to shore, and reminisced all that’s happened thus far. The traffic in Bali is nuts, but there’s no better place to see cotton candy skies and the sunsets we see back home. For a moment, I thought I was sitting down at Sand Island. Because I haven’t ridden a motorcycle in a year, I didn’t want to risk my life in Bali so I hired a private driver for a day. For the day, I chose Ubud. Known for its art and wood carvings, you will see many stores lined up side by side. These art pieces are made to order which means you can expect really good craftsmanship. First stop was the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Batu Caves had monkeys too but they were more tame. These monkeys aren’t aggressive by nature, just don’t trigger them. And keep everything inside your bag because they’ll snatch anything from you if you get too close. Next was Ubud Royal Palace which I skipped to go eat lunch. Nearby is Ubud Market where you can haggle for cheaper prices for souvenirs. Then it was off to Terrace River Pool Swing which was also a coffee plantation. There’s free tasting for the coffees which I suggest you do first if you don’t want to do the swings. Sadly, I couldn’t do the swings due to my past health history though it seemed really fun. They are also known for their Luwak Coffee which is a staple in Bali (IDR 50,000). A few minutes away was Tegalalang Rice Terrace but the best rice paddies to me were the ones alongside the roads of Ubud. With the setting sun in the background, the lush green fields turned golden brown. At Pura Tirta Empul, a holy spring, you could see the water emit naturally from the ground which as legend has it, is how the shrine emerged from Earth. You’ll have to put on a sarong before entering and if a girl, must tie up your hair. There you can cleanse yourself spiritually with the holy water. Ended the day at Tegenungan Village Waterfall where I witnessed a ceremony that was being celebrated across Bali for the day. It was a day of offerings to the Balinese Gods. My tour guide said it was called odalan for a day of selfless acts in a self-filled world. As we drove back to Kuta, the sun began to set. And I was mesmerized all over again. Day two was full of surprises. Surprised my old, old friend at Pura Lempuyang Luhur, one of Bali’s oldest and biggest Hindu temples during her photo shoot. While I was waiting for her, one of the kids from a nearby group of Chinese tourists got restless. So she came up to me and asked that I play with her. One of the Balinese tour guides was with me and helped me watch over her while her parents were waiting in line for my friend to finish. Her name is Tang Meng Xiao, six-years-old, and bubbly as can be :) When she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian because in Guiming, Guizhou, it’s filled with farmlands. She tells me she practically grew up with the farm animals and I really do hope her dreams comes true one day. In those short three hours, I taught her a bit of English (all she knows is apple, orange, and banana because that’s her favourite fruits) and answered her math quizzes. Played some soccer too with random branches I found and wrapped together. It was like I gained another little sister for a few hours and my only job was to make sure she laughed and was safe. She told me 2 + 2 = 3, I agree. But, I think she knew she wasn’t right so she hid behind one of the pillars and recounted. She told me don’t look and I didn’t. Then, she’d confidently tell me 2 + 2 = 4 and she would give me a high-five. Every time she gave me a high-five, my heart was full again. And when she played with the Balinese tour guides, they couldn’t communicate, but something about their smiles made me happy. I smile just thinking about it and writing it all down now. Definitely the highlight of my Bali trip. And if you know me, you’d know I’ll be that person to sit on a sidewalk in the middle of nowhere to eat. And I did. No tables, no chairs. Just the sidewalk as my seat, bakso pakjun (noodles & fishballs) in my hand, and the sun setting in the distance. I visited Tirta Gangga and Goa Lawah Temple but I feel like you could skip it. Just one trip to Lempuyang from Kuta is enough to drive you crazy. If you do have time, do go to Virgin Beach. From this trip, I’ve learned that I still can’t give up my habit of wandering around by foot even with a private driver. If there’s one place in Bali you should visit for sunsets, it’s Uluwatu Temple. My private driver, Wayan, managed to secure a good spot for me at the temple to watch the sun set. It’s like Hanauma Bay if you minus all the tourists and monkeys. Nonetheless, it is what it is and I did what I do best — captured my last breathtaking sunset in Bali, all worth it. As we drove down the mountain, it reminded me how much I missed the night views that you can’t get in Singapore :( Last day meant checking out of my AirBnB but also figuring out what to do before my flight. I bought a overnight flight into Singapore to keep everything within budget so I had a good six hours to kill. Wayan suggested we go to Tanah Lot and why not? In hindsight, this might’ve been a bad choice since Tanah Lot should’ve been done first before Uluwatu. Then again, when did I ever let logic stop me? I spent majority of the afternoon maneuvering through narrow, windy roads after Tanah Lot. But when I finally saw the airport against the setting sun, I realised this will be my last trip with my return ticket saying “To: Singapore.” With that means I’ll be MIA until Taiwan to take care of my health. And after a long but short semester of endless shenanigans with Anna, Felice, and Jonathan — it’s time to say see you later as well. It’s been real, thank you. Not my first and won’t be my last solo trip. But, it was exactly what I needed. I spent some time alone hidden in the crevices of a cove when I landed and let myself feel all that I’ve been holding back. I guess I’ve been pretty disappointed at myself about my academic results and being told I’m not good enough. A part of me knows that it’s true. I felt really defeated and still do. Then I receive a call asking that I attend an old friend’s funeral. Hearing these things were painful. I didn’t cry but every part of me wanted to drop to the floor. I’m not giving up and I’m still going to do the best I can. Let’s hope I don’t let anyone down. But I could really use this break right now. Bali is where I’m at and currently in — feeling free, disconnected, and smiling just a tad bit. Stepped in seven countries, soon to be eight. Nine cities, soon to be twelve. It’s been a rollercoaster of a semester, but I’ll focus on the small wins. Though nine cities might seem like nothing, some I returned more than once to. And that is enough. If you haven’t been able to fully read the blogs, do enjoy the photos under “Candids” They’re all my favourite sets :) I’ll be back in Singapore soon, take my final exam and off to Taipei I go. As much as I love traveling, being constantly on the go does get exhausting. At least I know I’ll be returning home for a few days. And by the end of this when I return to Hawaii, I probably won’t remember much of the touristy things or thousands of temples I visited, I’ll certainly remember all of the stories and conversations I had with every person I had the honor of meeting. Cheers to this insane journey and thank you for being right there with me! I hope all is well. - Irene small side story:
I had to attend a couple of funerals these past few days and when I read this post, it hit me hard.
Today, I was rushing at the airport to get to my gate but this elderly lady seemed quite lost. Within a few seconds, she came up to me and asked for directions to get her home. Remember when you were growing up, your parents told you don’t talk to strangers or mind your own business. It’s true that you should be careful, but sometimes you never know. Rather than her getting more lost, I said I’ll show you the way and she hesitated, asking “why would you waste your time?” I kind of lied that it was on the way, but I wouldn’t have mind wasting my time anyway. So I walked her to the train station and told security that she’s lost. Turned out she had Alzheimer’s and her daughter was looking for her too. Once her daughter arrived, it was nothing but a huge hug for her mother. Her daughter looked my age and I knew at that moment just how hard it must be for her because I understand. Her mother said thank you, and her daughter looked me in the eyes. I just smiled — a smile I’m sure she needed. She smiled back too. These moments are real. You really don’t know whose life you’ll touch. And so I tell everyone to have a day. Because we all have good days and bad days, I don’t think I need to remind someone who’s having a rough day to be happy. Instead, have a day. Feed yourself. Recharge a little. But, don’t give up on yourself and everything else just yet. Hopefully you’ll recollect what happened throughout the day and if you did something good, it must’ve made your day. If something went wrong, it’s okay. I just hope this at least tugged your face muscles upward a little :) Comments are closed.
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Apa Kabar, Ni Hao! My name is Irene Chen. I am currently a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa pursuing a BBA in Accounting & Finance. Join me on this journey through Singapore!
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