Raya oh Raya and Maldives oh Maldives Trip

I think I cannot stay put when off work and despite muslim around the world celebrating eid fitr. I was taking myself away from "beraya" but YES I did go for Eid prayer in the morning of Eid in my hometown and left for Maldives at 2 pm in the afternoon by Sri Lankan Airlines.

Sri Lankan Airlines service is superb.

There you are "my plane my plane"

For Sri Lankan Airlines means transit in Colombo, Bandaranaike International Airport and also is a good airport offers a lot of things to buy and at reasonable price. There is prayer room that divided into two sections man and women and when I asked the customer service and was told its not for muslim prayer room but for others. I was so curious but did not dare to explore further. May be on my next transit there.

Flying duration from Colombo to Velana International Airport Maldives is approximately 1 hour 15 min. Obviously not that far but had rough flying time as I believe the wind were so strong. I arrived at 8:20 pm and since I have read about airport shuttle to Hulhumale for a nite before to Rashdoo Island. So I took the airport shuttle to Hulhumale.

Picture taken in the airport shuttle bus from Hulhumale to the airport jetty for Male City before taking boat to the island. Beginning I was planning to take ferry to the island unfortunately it was Eid holiday period, there is no service provided so we took speed boat as recommended by the resort. 

Type of speed boat but not this boat as this one belong to a luxury resort.  I did not take the picture of the boat on our way to the island. It took about 2 hours on bumpy sea but I was so lucky that we saw dolphin passing by. Tak payah nak bayar USD 80 for dophin trip. Forgot to tell that one way trip by speed boat is USD 35.

Once arrived at the resort.There are lot of resorts in the island. The one that I stayed is located at the center of the island. I found one resort that known as Rashdoo Inn. I would recommend anyone who intend to spend their holiday in Rashdoo Island. At my  chosen resort called Coral Rasdhoo Resort not bad as well but just that it far from the beach.

 

This is the area to the beach, so calm, so quiet and so peaceful.

How Maldivian celebrate their raya, very very simple I bet no "open house" practice in Maldivian cultures. There is a dance perform during Eid but I did not that the photo.  For a corrupted mind like me to be in this peaceful place, definitely a boring place for me. Nonetheless I learned that Maldivian guys are very shy, very kind and very helpful.

The weather is so nice when hot it is really hot and humid and sticky feeling even though the temperature is only 29 degree celcious but when raining it is really cool. I am not into sea cause the water is too "salty" for me hahahahahaha. Why i still go because I had set in my mind to be in Maldives during Eid.

Here is few photos that been taken while in Rashdoo and it surrounding islands :-

This is Maldivian traditional house 

Met a group from China in the hotel and we went for sea activities together.

Fish feeding

A construction in Rashdoo Island. There is no safety requirements. hurmmmm

Most women are wearing hijab

the water is super clear until I captured this sea creature but don't know what is that.

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This is Rashdoo Inn right in front of the beach. Super nice indeed.

On the last day and it was in Velana International Airport

 

I belanja skit when I was at sand bank in the middle of the sea in between Island. Owh forgot to mention that since this is a muslim country, so there is no bar, no nite club, no liquor and sea is everything and everything is about sea so we can own the beaches as much as we like.

Note : All transactions are in USD. The resort that I stayed cost me pretty cheap because of off peak season and cost me USD 180 for 3 nites. Meal pretty expensive as per meal cost me USD 9. Souvenirs are sold in USD. Trip to sand bank complete with lunch box is USD 40. Diving trip which I did not take is USD 70. Agak mahal la compared if we travel to Indonesia or Bangkok. However its worth to experience it. I will go again as I have made a promise for another trip with someone.

To be in Maldives means you are dealing with only sea activities, nothing else unless you are on honeymoon trip. 

Till then
A Perpetual Student and Globe Trotter

Lahore -Murree Trip

This is a trip that I would like to share which a place that anyone of ladies, I mean not girls'  dream destination to explore. Ok as I said in the brief statement that I am an avid traveler and no one will stop me once I have set my mind on it.

At first I was supposed to fly to Lahore on Eid Fitr 2016, but unfortunately I did not apply for visitor visa. I was not able to pass thru even the check in counter haish....This is because the statement in wikipedia is pretty misleading that stated those who are intend to visit less than 7 days do not need to apply visa beforehand. On that day, it was really made me so sad but... I was never give up on this trip which during Eid Adha in the same year, I bought another ticket, I applied visitor visa which only permit me to stay for 5 days... huh. I felt so ridiculous. Anyway its their country kan, suka hati mak bapak jiran sebelah la.

The visa process. To be in Pakistan generally, we need to apply a visitor or business visa in advance. For visitor, there are requirements for us to comply which we must have someone in Pakistan to sponsor us and the weirdest thing was, the embassy officer asked me if I am not married, I need  to get a permission from my family or any relatives and have to write to them for allowing me to travel to Pakistan. Ridiculous isn't it.
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Only 5 DAYS, I repeat 5 DAYS.

P.s : I told them that I am an orphan hehehe and for the sponsor I got a FB friend who being my sponsor for the trip, thank God I have it.

I was flying with Malindo Air, not too bad it cost me RM 1500 for the second ticket which on the first ticket was RM 1640 that gone with the wind due to my carelessness for not checking thoroughly on the requirements to enter Pakistan.

The excited face with some packages as "buahtangan".. for my Dr friend .. sampai kat airport and had to turn back. What an experience!!.

I will never never give up as "give up"  is not in my vocabulary for certain things especially when  comes to travelling matters.

With full excitement, again I was at the KLIA airport for Lahore 3 days before Eid Adha.

Upon my arrival, I was going straight to Murree by car who drove by local people which it took about 8 hours driving from Lahore. There are lot of check points, one of the check points, I was asked whether I have made a report at Police Station in Lahore that I will be in Murree. I just got to know that every state of Pakistan as visitor need to report ourselves at Police Station for security purpose, so do I but being the first timer I did not do that and after a long discussion and negotiation, the issue was resolved amicably. Thank God. It was early morning in Murree and was so cold.

Hotel...there are lots of cheap hotels, thus not an interesting topic to elaborate further.

Murree Town just like Cameron Highland but there is snow during winter season.

 These photos taken are surrounding Lahore 

It was only a nite in Murree, nothing much to see just like any other highland environment. I kind of regretted to go to Murree as I was just wasted my limited time in Pakistan. I could do many other things in Lahore and its surrounding areas.

This was my breakfast in one of the restaurants. Owh I should tell that women is not allowed to eat alone outside, must be accompanied by man, so I engaged the hotel staff to be my chaperon :)

 Because, Pakistanis hardly seen foreigner like me so this guy requests to take photo with me. Yeay yeay I got a fan :)

These two guys I met in Mac Donald at Fortress Mall, one of them is a model and the other one is Jewelry Entrepreneur.

 This is their market just like Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman but in Urdu signboard. So congested and only guys are seen hanging out at stalls for drinks or eats.

This is Old Anarkali Bazar, pretty good for local. You wont see tourist there. In fact I bumped into one local which he asked me whether I am from UK, I am a Chinese...... and i m proudly said that I am from Malaysia 

Another menu that I had tried besides their nasi beriyani... so tasty...

I went to Mall Road where I bought two Levi's jeans at Levi's boutique as per wikitravel info, it is very cheap for Levi's. I also bought Pakistani Lenga which I wore it during this year raya. Pretty nice and I love it.

This is the dress from Lahore, I m not sure if its called Lenga. Could be other name that I m not so familiar with that.

On my way back, at the immigration, an immigration officer was so nice to me and asking if I wanna come here again,  if wanna get married here in Pakistan, whether I am a christian and my answers were with sugar coated words I told him, yea I love it very much and of course I would want to marry  someone here provided the guy is Imran Khan.....wakkakakakakaka....boring kot and I am muslim, being a Malaysian female muslim, we can do anything as we like achachacchacha.

What I learned from this trip, I saw one old man picked up "roti"from waste bin,  I was told by a security guard that he works 24 hours a day with a minimum wage, I saw a family with kids, I mean more than 4 kids in front of a wealthy person house during eid adha, perhaps they were waiting for foods to be given by those wealthy people, I learned that wealthy people in Lahore built very high fence surrounding their house. I saw wealthy people conduct "korban"at their house compound as the blood of the "korban" flewing out from their house gate. I got to know that women in Pakistan commonly do not perform eid prayers nonetheless there is but very minimum. Not all masjed have women place to pray. The most unfortunately I went during eid adha therefore I was not able to visit all the historical places as Pakistanis holiday for eid is more than 5 days..means was not the right time. Somehow I learned alot other things. The most interesting thing that I learned "The most daring female traveler is known NOT from Malaysia". Well I believe in Malaysia tagline "Malaysia Boleh" !!!! Memang Boleh sangat!

Till then,
Perpertual student and globe trotter

My first trip to New York City

Being an avid traveler, I always wanted to explore places that never been before however,  it depends on if there is enough fund to do so. Nonetheless, once I have set my mind, I will somehow make it happen.

Back to my topic, how I managed to get myself to be in the NYC while Trump has banned most Islamic countries' citizen from entering the USA. I guess,  luckily I am a Malaysian and being a Malaysian Trump ok kot for now.

How the plan started.

Not to forget to tell you all that this is my solo trip of many trips. 

a. Finding the best price for Plane Ticket

I had been browsing for ticket for many months in order to grab the cheapest price possible. Finally in December 2016, I decided to buy and  chose Emirates  for this trip which it cost me RM 5,800 inclusive preset seat.

Yeay I got the ticket.

b. Finding the best hotel and cheapest price that located in Manhattan itself.

Same process, I had been browsing for many months in many sites to name but I preferred Agoda somehow and I found a reasonably good price that located in 55th Street West of Manhattan which cost me RM 400 a night. 

Do you know how dang excited I am at the same time a bit skeptical about the recent news after the appointment of Trump as The President of America. It became worst when my friend in the NYC warned me that I might not be able to pass the immigration. Wow that's sounds creepy isn't it but it did not stop me and my gut is so strong that I will be in the NYC somehow or rather.

Yeay that's my plane that's my plane.  

The Gate B19 when it open for boarding, my heart is pumping fast, it could be due to excitement to be in the NYC or nervousness if I would be stopped from entering the NYC. I proceed somehow.

I don't want to elaborate further on the experience to be in flight for long long long hours , I bet some of you are well-versed with that. 

Once my flight touched down, my heart started pumping fast again. I keep walking towards the immigration. Hey I forgot to tell I met a lady who is a US citizen and we chatted and she was a bit surprised that I am travelling alone and on my own. Huh ? well I thought its norm for western people?.  Ok  hurm....I should be proud of myself for doing it.

There she is who was sleeping most of the flying hours.

The moment the plane entering NYC air space, slightly lower for touch down preparation, from the plane can be seen that that day weather is super cold and snowing. Do you know how excited I am to experience it. Gosh I m loving it indeed. I feel like I want to dance in the snow. Haish too bad I m not that daring to do it alone. 

Back to the immigration. As I am walking towards the immigration, firstly for a new visitor we need to self-registration at kiosks which we need to scan our visa and passport and to capture our current photo. Well I did that very well and  was given a slip for me to present to the immigration personnel. I was line up behind a Pakistanis.My curiosity level increasing then I started  to become super friendly from reserved type of person, :) in order for me to interview the Pakistanis. Apparently he is on business trip and a frequent visitor for business. When his turn to ask me and I briefly story him and he seemed surprised as well. Hurm...

After him, so my turn to pass through the immigration personnel, the personnel was asking me where how and no of days to be in the NYC. At first, pretty difficult for me to digest his questions but managed to answer it accordingly. Yeay I passed through.... immediately I post it on FB .....

The moment I m out from the JFK airport building, guess what ? I immediately went out to touch the snow. I saw falling snow....amazing amazing hahahaha saya sangat jakun.

From the airport to the city, at first, I wanted to take the yellow cab taxi and UBER driver offered me  USD 90 for a single trip to Manhattan. Damn!.. that's expensive and thank God, as per customer service of JFK airport counter's recommendation I  took train and its a free ride from JFK to Jamaica station. Cool huh. Finally I learned how to travel by train up to 55th Street West of Manhattan and surrounding places.

Looks snow isn't it. 

What had I done while in the NYC

The above photos are part of places that I explored while in the NYC.

Concern about halal foods... don't worry there are a lot of  Egyptian food trucks, Turkish restaurants and vegetarian etc...around the city. 

People of NYC are friendly and kind but not that gentlemen enough as my earlier perception that western guys are mostly very gentlemen. Do you know why I said that because when I carry my heavy luggage from the underground station out to the ground, no one offers me a help to carry the luggage up to the ground. Nonetheless I managed it myself successfully. Consequences of the incident, I changed my perception immediately dengan kata depa ni sama jer. Sorry dude its true right
 :P

Another amazing experience that my taxi to JFK Airport was a limousine. A classic limousine that I could ever dream to ride it at USD 35 ONLY. cool huh.

This is the limo that was mentioned earlier. Cool isn't it.

There were alot of other things happened during my trip but all are amazing experiences which I think I just keep it to myself, let you all to experience it yourself and my advice to others, you can do it whatever you wish to. Go for it! becos  YES we can do it!

In approximately 5 days minus the travelling trip which took 2 days, I experienced pretty much and I am proud that I managed to get myself to be in the NYC.

Till then. Cheers and take care

A Perpetual Student & Globe Trotter