I still prefer reading people experience on blog rather that other social media. I supposed to have a bloglist on the blog sidebar but somehow it got lost when I updated to a new template.

So here I am joining this cause she's making an updated bloglist!

Lepas ni guna bloglist siqah jelah untuk blogwalking heee.

Ahhh I just miss updating the blog. Dulu kasi alasan darling laptop condition and the lack of wifi turn me off each time ada rasa nak publish new entry. Now dah ada yang baru pun sama sebab the wifi still takde haha.

So now update cerita super lama jelah. Setahun lepas.



This is an impromptu trip. Orang dah ajak lepas tu kena pulak dengan masa and bajet kita, okay jom pergi. Kira ini adalah pertama kali lah saya pergi ke Cameron Highland.



Car ride dari rumah ke sana mengambil masa lebih kurang 3 jam (kot). Sampai around 1330 ke 1430 then terus la cari makan. Since tak boleh check in lagi, pergi jalan-jalan dulu lah. Mula-mula plan to singgah lavender farm sekali macam ramai orang so pergi tempat lain.






Singgah rose farm syok je layan bunga. Nak balik ke kereta yang dah terparking jauh tu sekali hujan pulak! Jenuh la lari-lari cari tempat teduh.




Pastu sempat la makan strawberry coklat masam masam manis ni.




Petang cuba nasib naik atas ni tapi tak sempat nak makan minum tea kat cafe, dah tutup.






Lepas maghrib singgah jap cari dinner kat pasar malam brinchang. Cameron malam-malam macam mati so relax-relax jelah dalam bilik.




Sebab dah lama sangat perap dalam draft, lain kali sambung cerita the next day.

Till then.

It is finally time for my Osaka trip story! Though it is a bit too late but I really need to document it here for my own future reference.

I spend days to weeks checking AirBnB app and website to find suitable place that suit our budget and have accessible location. I inquired few host, asking bunch of questions and finally found a home for us.

Unfortunately, I couldn't really find a good picture of the house so here just few I copied from the site.











There are 4 of us, and another 2 is coming a bit later. So I try dealing with Yuri, the host to get special price and fortunately she approved it.

What i love about this house?

1. A very responsive host. Yuri promptly reply my inquiry and explain it well so I love dealing with her. She also very attentive explaining all the rules and what we need to know when in town. Too bad I did not get to see her face to face. 
2. Location is great! It is only few stations away from Dotonburi and the house is easy to find. It is also only few minutes walking distance to the closest Subway and JR Train Station. You definitely won't suffer too long to reach home at the end of your long day.
3. Has a lot of rooms. There are 4 other rooms beside laundry room, dining room and living room. However there is only a shower room and a toilet so definitely need to take turns and managed time well if you are in a big group.
4. It has a complete home essential to cater your need. You can also cook just bring your own cooking ingredient.

Overall, my experience with this house is very pleasant and i'm highly recommended it to others.

Tips

• Always always check reviews of other tenants before booking. If the place is new or have no review, try chatting with the host to make sure that host is easy/comfortable to communicate with.
• Do check whether the house is equipped with all the necessary thing you need. Read the house descriptions carefully and don't hesitate to ask around. 
• You can save $27 in form of Airbnb credit when you sign up through this link HERE. It will automatic deducted from your total amount on the checkout page in the form of coupon. I used this and managed to save RM106.

UPDATES (APR'19)

The listing is no longer available in AirBnB. Yes, I'm disappointed too. 

UPDATES (SEPT'19)

The listing is back on AirBnB. Oh yeah go and book now if you are looking for place to stay in Osaka. The room is exactly as the picture provided. 


Till then.

Assalamualaikum, hi!



Lama sangat dah perap akhirnya jumpa juga kerajinan untuk share kat sini. Yang ini macam summary budget and itinerary je lah ya. Kalau nak details ntah nak kena tunggu tahun bila pula baru rajin.

Date :  17 September - 25 September 2017
Location : Osaka + Nara + Kobe + Kyoto, Japan
Accommodation : Yuri's AirBnB
Transportation / Passes : ICOCA Card, JR West Rail Pass (4DAYS), Kyoto City Bus All Day Pass, 1/2DAYS Osaka Amazing Pass (OAP)

ITINERARY

Day 1

• Collect pocket wifi Wiyo di KL1A2

• Touch down at Kansai International Airport around 3.30pm

• Buy all the passes needed at the airport

• Guna ICOCA naik train ke Airbnb

• Self check in and settle down, malam tu ada ribut sikit so keluar kejap je pergi mart around the neighbourhood cari bekalan makanan untuk seminggu.

Day 2

• Activate JR Pass

• Bergerak ke Hikone

• Rent bike at Hikone Station for free sebab ada JR Pass.

• Hikone Castle

• Bergerak ke Nara

• Naik bas from JR Nara Station to Nara Park sebab dah lambat takut tak sempat masuk temple and garden but still couldn't make it. So strolling around the park jelah.

Day 3

• Bergerak ke Kyoto

• Togetsukyo Bridge

• Bamboo Groves

• Sagano Scenic Railway

• Fushimi Inari Shrine

• Bergerak ke Kobe

• Masjid Kobe

• Kobe Port/Kobe Tower 

• Kobe Harbourland

Day 4

• Bergerak ke Kyoto

• Sampai Kyoto Station terus pergi beli one day bus pass. Naik bas strolling around kyoto

• Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)

• Ginkakuji Temple

• Nishiki Market

• Kiyomizu Temple

• Starbucks Coffee Kyoto

• Gion Street

Day 5

• Bergerak ke Himeji

• Himeji Castle 

• Kokoen Garden

• Bergerak ke Osaka City

• Dotonburi

• End of JR Pass usage

Day 6

• Use ICOCA

• Universal Studio Japan

• We spend the whole day there tapi masih tak dapat naik every single ride.

• Rupanya USJ ada halloween special pada end of Sept to Oct so zombie keluar waktu malam, we get distracted and terus mengejar dan dikejar zombie je sampai tempat tu tutup.

• Japanese cosplay is no joke serious macam real and the best part is not only the special staff acting like a zombie and attacked us, the visitor also join dress up and in character. 

Day 7



Hari free and easy sebab I spent the whole day fangirling at SHINee concert. Tapi travelmate yang lain teruskan perjalanan mereka ikut itinerary simple yang saya dah susun awal-awal, share jelah kat sini walaupun I'm not exactly sure exact places they covered

• Activate OAP

• Kuromon Ichiba Market

• Hozenji Temple & Hozenji Yokocho

• Dotonbori - The famous glico man 

• Namba Grand Kagetsu 

• Doguyasuji Shopping Street

• Nipponbashi DENDEN Town

• Namba Parks Shopping Complex

• Tsūtenkaku Tower

• Tennoji Park

Day 8

• Osaka Castle dan Park

• Osaka Museum Of Housing and Living

• Tempozan ferris wheel

• Santa Maria Cruise

• Umeda Sky Building

• HEP5 Ferris Wheel

• Shopping

• End of OAP usage

Day 9

• Use ICOCA

• Check out and bergerak ke airport

• Drop pocket wifi di KL1A2

• Back to real life!

BUDGET

Currency semasa pergi tu sekitar 1000¥  = RM38.50  

Category	Price
Accommodation	RM498
Transportation
Return Flight Ticket	RM707
Luggage	RM91.5
In flight meal	RM20
Top up ICOCA	2000¥
JR Pass	6300¥
OAP	3300¥
Kyoto Bus	500¥
Entrance Fees
USJ	RM259
Himeji Castle & Kokoen Garden	1040¥
Sagano Scenic Railway	620¥
Kinkakuji Temple	400¥
Rent kimono	500¥
Miscellaneous
Pocket Wifi	RM27
Insurance	RM39
TOTAL COST	RM1641.5 + 14660¥ = RM2206 (approx)

Since we are on a very tight budget, we cook everyday. Bahan mostly dari Malaysia ehem Brahim emmm so we save alot. We just bought street food here and there to try. Seorang spend around RM200 je kot on food.

TIPS

1. Dari train station ke satu-satu tempat mostly kena menapak around 5 ke 20 minit. Prepare a good walking shoes. Gunalah khidmat Google Map untuk cari jalan.
2. Google Translate untuk translate any benda yang tak paham. We don't interact much dengan local people there sebab tak sesat teruk tapi guna for check ingredient makanan.
3. Hyperdia app ada info lengkap untuk all the train schedule/infomation.
4. Kalau nak guna JR Pass beli siap-siap kat negara masing-masing. Kalau dah sampai Japan baru beli harga dah jadi lain. Beza dalam 2000¥ kalau tak silap.
5. Sagano Scenic Railway kat Kyoto tu kalau rasa nak naik pergi lah waktu winter salji putih / spring cherry blossom / autumn leaves falling. Kalau time lain, gunung ganang dia hijau je tak impressive untuk rakyat Malaysia yang dah selalu jumpa hutan hujan tropika. 
6. Kalau bawak bekal senang je nak makan kat mana-mana taman selalu ada je meja kerusi boleh relax. Tak perlu buat aksi viral duduk makan di jalan tar. Yang penting keep enviroment clean. 
7. Kalau nak beli USJ ticket kat agen guna 11street ke lazada ke pastikan pilih trusted seller lepas tu korek la promo code yang offer discount paling banyak. Guna cara ni boleh la jimat around RM10-30 per ticket.

Kalau nak details itinerary ke tips lain ke job baru ke any questions, takde hal email je.


Semoga kerajinan untuk update details experience tu kat sini sampai satu hari nanti.


Till then.

It is already February but I think it is never too late to know how many items have I checked off on my 2017 Bucket List?

Solo Trip

Okay this is a little bit hard. I do not literally had a solo trip last year but..

I actually went to SHINee Kyocera Dome Osaka Concert all by myself without knowing the language. I could not even read the ticket hahaha. All I know is konichiwa and arigatou gozaimas. I literally line up for hours not knowing that it was the wrong line. At the end of the line when the staff ask for membercard, then I realized that it is line for SHINee World Japan Member Special Merchandise *facepalm*

Let me just count that as a solo trip. And when Jonghyun's tragedy happened, I felt lucky at least I managed to see him perform on SHINee's concert live.

always missing you

Own New Gadgets

By the end of 2017, I do have new phone and laptop. I truly did not expect that but thankful that somehow i managed to get them myself. And guess what?! Currently my camera had a lens problem hmmm seems so fishy like they really know when to dysfunction themselves.

Adventurous Activities

I went to Escape Park, Penang and managed to do the free fall. And cross Universal Studio Japan off my must go theme park list. Currently still wondering where to go for this year's #projectthemepark?

Overcome Obesity

I manage to lose some kilos and escape the obesity range. Can proudly say that I am overweight now. This year I'm trying to be close to normal BMI. It is very hard, I'm not willing to give up my love for food just yet but nothing is impossible right?

Blood Donation

Finally got to know what actually my blood type is. B!
It was really scary since I'm not really fond with all related to blood and needles but since it is for a good cause, I had to do this. Turn out it is not bad at all. Sakit kebas sikit je, bearable. Ni for first timer penakut la. Kalau yang takde masalah or dah biasa, langsung tak rasa apa-apa. Now i'm aiming to donate every year.




Just realized that I actually checked all my 2017 bucket list! Yeehaaaaaa!

I could say that 2017 is the year that I learn to make my own decision and take responsibility. Guess that's an early stage of adulthood. To a brighter year ahead!