I just came back from a media trip to Getting Highlands recently and to my surprise, there were a lot of changes from my last trip 2-3 years ago.
So here are some stuffs which you should keep a lookout for!
1) Good Food
There are so many good food at Getting Highlands, so much so that we were so well fed.
Here are my top 2 picks from the entire trip – Wanhoi Yamcha and High Line Roof Top Market.
Just when I thought cute food doesn’t really taste very good, Wanhoi Yamcha proved me wrong! The cute baos taste as good as they look!
Other than dim sum, their main courses and side dishes were delectable too! I don’t mind eating all the food in this restaurant everyday. This restaurant has just become my top favourite in the entire Genting Highlands!
My second favourite would be the Prawn Noodles from High Land. Instead of the usual prawns, the dish is served with a lobster. The soup was also nicely cooked and you can taste prawn in every sip. Even though the portion is big enough for 2 person to share, I finished the entire bowl myself!
The seafood in a bucket is also one that shouldn’t miss! Good for 2 pax to share too.
2) The VOID
While you are at getting, be sure to visit The VOID at Resorts World Genting. We were separated into groups of 4 and played 2 rounds of games. One of which, the Star Wars experience. James is a Star Wars fan so he was very excited about the game. We were gunned down as Stormtroopers in the VR game and it was quite realistic!
It was so realistic that I could not bring myself to finish the Haunted VR Game (I can’t remember the exact name). Some of the buddies on the trip stopped the game halfway because it was too scary. Think you got the guts to try them out? Go on!
3) Skytropolis Funland and Adventureland
Just enjoy yourself thoroughly when you are there – from their indoor theme parks to the different adventure lands. I felt as though I went back in time and all I had to do for that day was PLAY.
The indoor theme park did not disappoint me. I was expecting kiddy rides but there were some really thrilling rides. I did not have the balls to ride on some of the rides too. Can’t wait for their outdoor theme park to open!
I even went up the zipline and flew from one end of the mall to the other! That feeling was super shiok! I could smell the scent of freedom as I fly~
Also, how blessed was I to have met my favourite Lee Kwang Soo at their 4D Tricked Eye Museum too?!
4) Empire by Zouk
I was never a party or late night person but I must say that it is quite nice to hangout at RedTail for games & Karaoke. Friends who enjoys partying or drinking would pick Zouk Getting any time đ
However, I realized that the crowd seemed to disperse by 1am, which was quite a rare sight as the Zouk in Singapore is only empty after 3-4am.
5) Plenty of choices for your stay.
There are a few hotels there – Awana Hotel, First World Hotel, Resort Hotel and many more. We stayed in the Theme Park Hotel, which was designed to be fun and quirky. I was expecting the rooms to be small but they were spacious enough for me to lay my luggages around!
We did more than just these activities but I will leave it for you guys to experience it for yourself when you are there.
Thank you Resorts World Genting for the hospitality. We certainly had a good getaway from the hustle and bustle of Singapore!
travel
Packaged Tour for Honeymoon to Europe – Is It Worth It?
A lot of you have been asking about our honeymoon and all. So here you go! In total, we spent about $8,500 for this trip (excluding our own shopping and food). So is the trip worth every penny we spent on this trip? Read more below!
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To be honest, I have never been on a packaged tour since the age of 7. Sadly, I cannot really recall those before I turned 7.
Like what James always say: “We should enjoy hard after we have worked hard enough!”. Thus, we went straight for a good looooong holiday! This round, we took up a 13-Day, 11-Night Italy, Switzerland, Paris, Germany + 2-Night Dubai Trip with euHolidays.
I was initially very worried & scared but at the same time, excited. Worried & scared because I am more of a conservative person. I kept having thoughts like “What if there are delays”, “What if I get robbed or pickpocketed?” and just many “What ifs”! All these concerns were real because they were shared to me by close friends and relatives around me.
Having been to Europe a couple of years ago, the pickpocket issues there were very real. I went there with my university mates and some of them got ‘preyed’ upon! I almost experienced it first hand when one of my uni mates who was sitting right next to me got preyed upon by them…. I have to admit that I just developed “Euro-phobia” since then. Therefore, this is also simply the reason why we decided to go with a tour group. As much as you would think “bigger group means bigger prey”, it meant more peace of mind for us especially if you have a good mama-san there!
Thankfully, we had a great mama-san during this trip. She is actually the tour manager, Susan. Being a conservative person, she kept reminding and keeping a lookout for us. Must say that the trip wouldn’t have been the same without her!
We flew in with a stop over at Dubai airport. Fortunately, we only have to wait for a short one hour during the stopover; thankfully not much time was wasted during the flying portion! Our first stop was Italy – Rome. We visited the Colosseum and the price of the ticket was included in the trip so we did not have to top up for the entrance.
It was very hard to get a good shot there as the place is crazily packed! Still, this is not to be missed by first timers to Rome! Having been there for countless times, Susan knows where and which angle so she helped us with some photo-taking there! I was even guilty to say she took even better photos than we did! Haha! That was not the only merit of her; Susan is definitely very well read as she knows every location inside out from its rich history, heritage, local practices and so on. For James, this is definitely a plus point as he really love to know a place inside out! He always say that is the point of travelling!
For this, another plus point for euHolidays!
Picture taken in Rome
We also visited St. Peter’s Basilica, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and even visited our first Christmas Market at Piazza Novona! We were very lucky because it was the Christmas season so we had a lot of Christmas markets to shop and experience. Even more lucky as we met the Pope himself! That very day we visited the St Peter’s Cathedral, he was giving his blessing to the visitors! What else can I say, we are blessed to be on this trip LITERALLY!
Personally, I love Siena the most when we were in Italy. I love the peace and the structures of the building! They have the oldest building in whole of Italy. If you know their artistic history, that was the gothic period. From structures to food, everything is good! Even a simple pizza there taste super good! According to Susan, Siena is not somewhere easily accessible without a coach. You can make a day trip there but it will cost you a few hundred bucks to book a cab to and fro.
Picture taken in Siena
Next up, we went to Florence and Venice. Needless to say, they are very beautiful too!! Beautiful in a different way. Venice was so pretty that I look as though I was photoshopped in all the photos! We also saw how figurines were made by their masters using murano glass there. We wanted to buy wine glasses back but they were so expensive. 2 for SGD300-400 (I can’t remember the exact price)? Nonetheless, we still manage to get a glass horse which is now part of the accessories at James’ drinking corner in the house!
Fun Fact: Do you know that there are no land transport in Venice? You will have to take a water taxi to reach Venice and also when travelling within all the small winding channels of Venice.
Picture taken in Venice
Picture taken in Venice
Of course, I love my outlet shopping at The Mall in Italy too đ I bought a Gucci and Prada bag there! We were only given 2 hours to shop. I wished we had more time though. Queueing to enter the different boutiques took up 1/3 of the time already đ I also regretted not getting the YSL bag that I saw. It was only $1,800 at the outlet mall and that was nearly 40% off the retail price!!!
The bags were so affordable that I find everything in Milan expensive when we were there đ
For Germany, it was a 1-Day trip and we only visited the famous Black Forest so not much photos were taken there. It certainly is nice to know that the stuffs at Germany are really cheap. Cheapest in fact, as compared to the other parts of Europe. We bought winter beanies for 5 euros each!
Probably our most favourite activity – ‘Sledding’ in Switzerland. Sledding at Wetterhorn Mountain is only exclusively available to euHolidays so if you are keen to slede there, I would suggest you to give euHoliday a try!
Picture taken in Switzerland
P/S: Traveling up to the mountain is very expensive. The Cogwheel Mountain Train cost us more than SGD$300-400 (if I didn’t remember wrongly). Do note that the tickets are not included in the package. You will have to top up for this as an optional tour.
If it is your first visit to Switzerland, I would strongly suggest you to go for it. I enjoyed the beautiful view of the mountains and Alps but I wouldn’t spend the money again if I were there for a second visit.
Picture taken in Switzerland
Sledding was so tedious but fun though!! We did like some training before the actual 2 rounds of sledging. It was freezing like crazy because it was a mad -16 degree celsius. Our ears, fingers and toes almost broke!!! I would still pick the cold than the weather we have right now though! I love layerings!! Good for a different type of OOTD though! Haha!
Picture taken in Switzerland, Wetterhorn
Food and transportation are VERY VERY expensive in Switzerland. But if you are a Rolex fan, do shop for one here! James was definitely looking out for his sports range Rolex during this trip. They have slightly more designs available in Switzerland but…. not the biggest range. Read on to find out more about Rolex shopping.
Picture taken in I-Forgot-Where because we were having too much fun
It was my second visit to Paris and I had a very different experience. I was not on a packaged tour so I focused more on shopping the previous round. I felt that my trip to Paris this time round was more thorough – they covered the place with a city tour (We roamed around the city in a coach and in a boat ride). We had a day of free day so we roamed around the places that were introduced to us.
I met another 2 couples in the group who were there for Honeymoon as well so the 6 of us traveled together all the way. We visited Louvre Museum and died after that because we literally walked a few stations and combed the city by foot. These people here are so nice to travel with and I am so glad to have them with us!!
Picture taken in Paris
P/S: We attempted to take a night train to Zurich when we were in Switzerland, Horgen (where we stayed there for a night). We succeeded but it took us 40 minutes to get our train tickets because we couldn’t understand the language. Nonetheless, thanks to the friendly locals, we still made it! We came to a conclusion why we took up a tour package for our honeymoon. LOL!!
We topped up some euros and took a boat ride around Paris too. The view was fantastic but again, we were freezing like crazy.
Picture taken in Paris
Picture taken in Paris
We had a free day in Paris and the entire tour group decided to spend that free day at the outlet mall so all of us chipped in and paid extra for the coach and Susan’s arrangement. As compared to Italy, Paris outlet mall has more brands but lesser variety in a brand. I would pick Italy, The Mall anytime!
After spending 13 Days and 11 Nights in Europe, we flew to Dubai for a 3 Days 2 Nights trip. The change in weather was drastic. Imagine going from a -16 to 34 degree celsius in 2 days. OMG! And you can imagine our luggages, we had to pack both Winter & Summer clothing!
We took a water boat taxi to the Gold Market which they called it a Souk. Not Zouk ok! It was a very different experience and it felt as though I have been to the place before because of the show Running Man where they would played games in the show. The places looked exactly the same!
As we did not comb Dubai thoroughly, I do not have much to share except the Desert Safari Tour, which the 6 of us booked privately. It was a good experience and if you are planning to travel to Dubai, do head over for an experience too. It is not expensive. We booked the tickets online for $59/2 pax, inclusive of transportation to and from your hotel.
Like our Garden by the bay, Dubai has their own Miracle Garden too. The Dubai trip was pretty much free and easy except for a half day tour with Susan and the local tour guide. It was very cute in there but the sun was seriously too hot for us to enjoy đ
To our surprise, Dubai has a lot of Rolex models that are always out of stock in Singapore. We went to a few shops in Switzerland and were told that the few models were always out of stock too. The price of the watches (after tax rebate, exchange rate and credit card charges) are almost comparable to the retail prices in Singapore boutiques. Only difference is that you still get a chance to buy a two tone sports model there whereas in Singapore, you could be waiting for a lifetime to get a new one! If you are keen to get a sports model, do visit the biggest mall in the world, Dubai Mall. They have a three storey Rolex there!
We flew back to Singapore after Dubai and there were a lot of hiccups with the airline. Families with kids were separated and so were James and I. My seat was repeated. Another guy and I got the same seat number and the staff at the airport refused to help us rectify it; neither did they accept our request to put us together.
Luckily, Susan was there to manage the situation for us; otherwise, flying back would have been a disaster! I can’t imagine the kids sitting by themselves without their parents :O
All in all, I had a wonderful honeymoon all thanks to euHolidays; there is minimal conflict of interest as we paid for the trip but the trip did meet our expectations and it met our objective of “we just want to relax this honeymoon so let’s leave the itinerary planning to someone else”. For the places that were touched-and-go, we will certainly be back to experience them now that we have a good idea of what to do and where to explore now.
How I celebrated my birthday with a Faber Licence Membership
Among all the birthdays I had, this year has been the most fruitful! I must say it was soooo fruitful that I slept a full 10 hours straight like a long after the whole day of activities!
To give you guys a short context of the happenings, I actually spent more than 24 hours in Sentosa doing a myriad of physical activities, which I have never done it. I felt slightly ashamed as well; being a Singaporean, I have never done these activities before! Like what many would deem, these activities were “so near yet so far” from me!
It is easy to plan what to do or discover discounts with the new digital Faber Licence Membership! Explore the app and find discounts for various restaurants and enjoy unlimited cable car rides onboard Singapore Cable Car Sky Network!
This is how the digital membership card looks like. At $39, the 1-year Faber Licence offers a variety of dining, shopping and entertainment benefits and discounted staycations all-year round. It also provides one of the most generous privileges for diners, with members enjoying 20% off at F&B outlets at Faber Peak Singapore, including Dusk Restaurant & Bar and Arbora as well as Good Old Days located on Sentosa.
Psst: You can buy Singapore Cable Car tickets for your family members at 50% off! Actually, it is 50% off for Sentosa Merlion, Wings of Time and a lot more!
Registration and payment can be easily done on your phone at member.onefabergroup.com. You can view all the membership privileges in the web app too!
After registering for the membership, we checked in to Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa, the room wasn’t the only item that I was pleasantly surprised with. They went the extra mile to prepare a birthday cake! It’s my favourite flavor somemore! I couldn’t feel more pampered with their services. Nice one nailing my very first birthday cake of the year, lovely people from the team of Amara Sanctuary! *kisses*
I knew time was tight so I spare no time checking out the room and facilities before shooting out of the hotel to catch the planned activities.
Nonetheless, a quick word for the room: Apart from the captivating white colonial architecture, the room is extremely huge. As you walk past the bed, you will be invited with a pleasing view of the bathtub that promises a comforting night after a lethargic day. Both James & I took turns to soak ourselves in the tub for a one good hour at night. Not that the tub wasn’t enough to accommodate the size of two adults, we just selfishly wanted some private time with the bathtubs ourselves!
Another favourite location of the room would be the balcony. It overlooks over to the infinity lap pool, which span right next to Mother Nature! The room just gives us layers and layers of comfort close to not only nature but also our heart!
To stop us from becoming HANGRY, we took Bus A from the hotel to ‘Imbiah Lookout Station’ where we have to take a short cable car ride over to Arbora Restaurant, which is located at Faber Peak. Do note that if you are traveling to Faber Peak, you will have to travel by the Mount Faber Line. Rest assured that the instructions are pretty intuitive as long as you keep a lookout for the signboards.
The Singapore Cable Car brought back much memories as James and I dined in one before during one of our Valentine’s! Maybe even more memories for him as he did a shoot for them before as a talent to promote Cable Car Sky Dining. Lol. I love Cable Car rides as it never fails to disconnect me from reality!
It was a quick 7-10 minutes ride to Arbora (previously known as Spuds & Aprons). They rebranded themselves on October this year.
The food & services were on par. Par as in GOOD! I wished I had another stomach to try a few more of their mains. I am a super avid pasta lover and it is no surprise I would order their pasta without much consideration. But that also means that my expectation of pasta are super high! Nonetheless, they did not disappoint as the texture of the noodle was to my liking; chewy yet not being too hard.
Best part, the food was not too expensive; we had 3 mains & 1 side for $103 in total and whatâs more, you can enjoy 20% off the total bill with Faber Licence! If you are looking for somewhere romantic to bring your date to, I would strongly recommend Arbora. You do not have to travel into Sentosa for them. Just drive up to Faber Peak on Mount Faber and for those that do not drive, you can take the Singapore Cable Car up from Harbourfront Tower 2. With Faber Licence, you can enjoy unlimited cable car rides year-long!
When we were done settling our bills, the restaurant surprised me with more cakes! To be more exact, four different flavor of cakes! Sinful but all I can feel is bliss! Not only do they have good services, they are constantly smiling. That is how service should be done! Kudos to the team of Arbora!
After filling our stomach, we went back to Sentosa via the Sentosa Cable Car Line and took the Sentosa Express to Beach Station. All ready for our Skyline Luge and Gogreen Segway! Two of the activities I wanted to try but never got to do so till that day!
Don’t you think we look cute here? We look like real life version of SuperMario Kart! Kids can also join in the Luge as there were quite a few kids who zoom past us with excitement even before we sat down on our Luge. However, you have to carry your things while you are on the Luge. So, my recommendation is not to bring too much things along with you when you are heading for the Luge! Good thing is the Luge is a fairly easy to learn activity; anyone can pick it up within matter of minutes! You are off to the roads before you even know it! Ha!
Just when I thought we have to walk all the way up for another round of Luge, the guy told us that we could actually take the Skyline up. Phew!
So we had 2 rounds of Skyline & Luge in total! Here is a snapshot of us on the Skyline! We certainly look anything but tired, don’t we?!
Moving on to Segway, I was initially quite scared as I can’t balance well. However, trainings were conducted before the actual activity to ensure that we know how to operate it. One round of Segway is approximately 800m and I am super proud to say that I did not fall nor even stop a minute on it! Only regret is that 800m is so short! I want it to be loooooonger!!!
Right before the sunset, we went over to the Sentosa Merlion. Even though I visit Sentosa on a frequent basis, I have never once gone up the Sentosa Merlion. I would say that it was quite an experience for me!
We were greeted with a 5-minute show, followed by a learning journey and then, up the lift to the Merlion’s mouth & head gallery! We attempted some jumping shots there with the beautiful coastline of Singapore straits but we failed. Lol! But what was successful was my patriotism towards Singapore after the session! So proud to be a Singaporean!
Everyone who enters is also given a little GOLD souvenir (below).
Singapore Merlion Prosperity Coins! Keep one in your wallet so that your lady luck will follow you all the way! I must say they were pretty well made. So much so I would really keep one in a safety deposit box just to always remember this day!
For dinner, we had ‘Good Old Days’ as it was right beside the show “Wings of Time”. We went over for the 7.40pm show. Do not worry if you miss the 7.40pm show as there will be another show at 8.40pm đ
Sit back and relax while you enjoy the show that comprises of beautiful lights, sound, lasers and even fireworks! To be honest, there are just so many thrilling stuff that even though my body was exhausted but my mind was still as awake as the start of the day!
We concluded our day with a good meal at Good Old Days where local delights like Chicken Rice, Laksa and double boiled soup were served. The restaurant is located beside Wings of Time, and right infant of iFly!
If you have a day to spare, you can follow my itinerary and be a tourist in Sentosa for a day. Just make sure you sign up for your Faber License Membership before you go in!
Enjoy 20% off membership fees with the following promo codes
Individual Membership @ $31.20/year (U.P. $39): MAYBELINE20IND
Family Membership @ $108/year (U.P. $135): MAYBELINE20FAM
Valid until 31 Dec 2018.
Expedia New Add-On Advantage
I love traveling! So much so that I have to travel least 3 times a year just to keep myself sane. You can say that I literally work to travel so that I can get the most exposure in life! However, it can get a little taxing financially to keep up with this interest of mine as the flights and hotels can be expensive at times.
Like any typical millennial, I seek value, convenience and flexibility. The deal that allows me to combine all three aspects in one thrills me the most! This is why I rely on Expedia so much!
I have always known Expedia as a travel booking website where I can book
everything from cheap flight tickets, hotels to even packages. It saves me a lot of
time jumping from portal to portal just to get my flights and hotels settled.
What attracted me further was that they have recently launched a new feature â Add-on Advantage.
This feature allows all Expedia account members to enjoy savings up to an astounding 57%* off their hotel room bookings as long as your flight is booked on Expedia site!
It is really user-friendly and only consists of 4 easy steps here:
1) Visit Expedia.com.sg to look for a flight or package
2) After the confirmation of the flight or package, hotel discounts will be unlocked with Expedia Add-On Advantage
3) Book your hotel room ANY time you want but no later than your travel date – phew, no rush procrastinators!
4) Search thoroughly and book as many times as you want and enjoy up to 57%* off with Expedia Add-On Advantage
If this is not a good deal, I don’t know what else would be. It is less than half the usual price yo! You can save this money for shopping, eating and more shopping again!
If you need more information, please visit https://www.expedia.com.sg/addonadvantage?mcicid=AOA072018_532x299
Bye for now and see you at the other side of the globe!
PS: *terms and conditions apply.
For more information, please visit https://www.expedia.com.sg/addonadvantage?mcicid=AOA072018_532x299
The Face Shop Sent Us To Seoul!
I am no stranger to Seoul as this was my third visit to Seoul and my second visit was less than half a year ago. However, this was my first Winter experience. I have been to places like London and Newcastle and they were cold, but not as cold as minus 12 degree celsius!! Other than leaving my gloves and Heattech socks out, I must say that I was well equipped for this trip with 3 coats in my luggage. Lol!
I am not kidding about the weather. Just look at the frozen sea below!
My purpose for visiting Seoul again this year was for The Face Shop! The Face Shop (TFS) was my first K-Beauty brand during my younger days as they were one of the first to enter Singapore. So TFS Singapore, thank you for flying me all the way to Seoul, putting us up in a five star hotel and arranging all the activities for us!
Day 1 was free and easy. After touching down, we were greeted by two good-looking oppas. LOL. We were sent to the hotel and zoom, the 4 of us (Yina, Jamie, Kristin and me) set off for some good food and shopping! The weather was very very very very cold. We couldn’t do without our gloves. I shall not touch on where to shop in Seoul because I have already covered it previously: http://maybelinesim.sg/2017/10/14/where-to-shop-in-seoul-korea/
Day 2 was a little pack but enjoyable because we get to try out all the new launches and even customize our own eyeshadow palette! We also managed to visit TFS in COEXMALL and did a quick shopping at Express Bus Terminal!
My customized palette are mostly coral shades because I really love peaches & coral tones.
Not sure if you know but Dr. Belmeur is actually one of the brands that TFS carries. Dr. Belmeur is a derma-cosmetics skincare that is safe and suitable for people with dry and sensitive skin as well.
We were given a detailed run through of the products the line carries but I have yet to try any of the products from this range even though I have long heard about it. I thought the packaging looks clean but I never knew that it is a derma-cosmetics brand. New lesson learnt! And now that I have their products, I can give them a try this month! Haha.
I am a very lipstick person person so I was VERYYYYY happy when I saw the new Flat Velvet Lipstick in my room! The application was SUPERRR smooth! Check out all the colors below. I may be doing a giveaway on the entire set later this month so do check back on my Instagram đ
We actually went back to TFS 2 more times after the store visit because we couldn’t resist getting some limited edition cosmetics which are not available in Singapore :OO
Look at those marble blushes! Love love love the packaging a lot!
Day 3 was all about the SNOW AND SKI FOR MEEEEE! I have yet to see snow before so this was my first. I was told that the snow at the resort were all man-made but it’s okay, we managed to catch some snow falling from the sky right outside DongDaeMun at night! Hehe. This marks my first ever snow experience!
The highlight for the entire trip was probably learning how to ski for me! I fell really really hard a few times that left me limping for 8 days after I was back in Singapore but it was all worth it because it was SUPER FUN! I know how to ice skate and roller blade well so I thought they were the same but who knows, it was so hard to balance on the slope! Luckily for Kristin and I, we had Yina to guide us along. Lol.
The guys from TFS Headquarters were equally fun as well. We skied together for quite a bit! Haha.
Even though it was a very short trip, I am so glad I came as I got to know the brand a little deeper and I really do enjoy the company of Yina, Jamie and Kristin! Once again, Thank you TFS Singapore for flying us over for the wonderful experience!!! đ
Far EasTone Pre-paid Sim Card For Your Taiwan Data Needs
I enjoy traveling a lot and I make it a point to travel out of Singapore at least twice a year. And so far, my most frequent travel countries have got to be Taiwan and Japan. I really love the culture and people in these countries!
I will never travel without data because I still want to stalk my friends and share pretty photos on my social media platform. And if you are traveling to Taiwan soon, I have a recommendation for you!
Have you heard of Far EasTone Pre-paid Sim Card? It is in fact, on of the most affordable mobile plan you can find in Taiwan for your data usage there. Even though the price is low (starting from NTD300), you can still expect high speed unlimited 4.5G Internet data.
This is how Far EasTone looks like and I assure you that their signal is very stable!
Far EasTone is one of the most well-known among all the telecom companies in Taiwan and the company owns most of the 2600mHZ cellular towers which can support 3CA and that is why their internet speed is a lot faster!
It is also very easy for you when it comes to purchasing Far EasTone, Just head over to Terminal 1 and 2 in TaoYuan International Airport once you have safely landed!
If you need any assistance like crediting, balance check, just dial 777 on your phone. Isnât it very easy to remember?! Haha.
Hereâs a giveaway for you!
I have 10 FREE one-day trial for you guys if you are visiting Taiwan! All you have to do is to
- Follow me on Instagram
- Comment on my Far EasTone Post
- Waiting for my Direct Message!
I will provide you with a serial number and all you have to do is to enter the serial number to enjoy the one-day free trial! Contest is open to everyone traveling to Taiwan.
For more information, please visit http://fetnet.tw/h742Nb015G (English).
Where to shop in Seoul, Korea?
Shopping can be really enjoyable in Seoul when they have all the latest fashion trends there!
Here are some places to share and I am ranking these places based on my favorite. I am price (I like cheap stuffs! Haha) and quality conscious.
1. Express Bus Terminal (Goto Mall)
(Credit: Eastasy)
If I only have a day to spend in Seoul, the first place that comes to my mind will be Express Bus Terminal. It is like Singapore’s Bugis Street but with better and faster fashion trend.
Even the clothes quality here are so much better! Best of all, the prices are even cheaper. You can get a very trendy pair of jeans for $20 or a jacket for $10!
2. Hongdae (Hongik University Street) and 3. EHWA Woman’s University
(Credit: VisitKorea)
I enjoy spending time roaming around the university streets because of the atmosphere there. The people are younger, happier and chattier! It may not carry as much stuffs as Express Bus Terminal but you will be able to spot some men’s apparels here. James got himself a few outerwear at Hondae.
Be sure to try the street food here too! It is half the price of other shopping districts.
4. Myeong Dong shopping Street
(Credit: VisitKorea)
Even though Myeong Dong is one of the most famous shopping street in Seoul, I find their items OVERLY priced. Yes, including those pushcarts. They sell almost the same stuffs that you can find in Express Bus Terminal and university streets but at double to triple the price.
However, if you are looking for beauty related products, Myeong Dong has one of the most varieties to offer. I also love shopping around their ABC Marts (which you can also find in Taiwan). Sneaker lovers anyone? Catch some good deals there! You can also find designs that are not available in Singapore.
Street food? EXPENSIVE.
5. Dongdaemun: Good Morning City, hello APM
(Credit: VisitKorea)
Mmmm.. Even though this is a wholesale place, I personally do not enjoy shopping there unless I have some spare time to waste. Otherwise, it will just be another late night shopping option for me since they open till late.
However, there are a lot of food places around the area. Quite a good place to chill actually! Oh, Common Ground is another hipster place that you should visit too (not for shopping though)!
I have of course, been to more than just these 5 places but I am only sharing what I love most. Hope this post will be useful for you đ
Join me onboard Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas with a special price!
I know I have been traveling in Aug and Sept. You will be even surprised to find me traveling in October again! Haha. Lucky me! How can one with a full time job travel once a month? Just make full use of the Public Holidays or take a Friday off and travel out for 3D2N!
This time round, I will be travel out of Singapore from 20 October to 23 October 2017. You can also hop onto the ship with your family members at a special price!
These special rates are exclusive to Maybeline readers â please email your particulars to carrie@alvinology.com and you will be contacted shortly for booking.
The first 25 cabins to be booked will receive a swag bag (worth over S$100), so it’s like another $100 off! Haha.
Promotion is only valid until 22nd September 2017.
More details on the cruise:
3 Night Kuala Lumpur Weekend Cruise
Dates: October 20 â 23, 2017
Itinerary:
| Day | Port | Arrive | Depart | Remarks |
| 1 | Singapore | â | 1700 HRS | Docked |
| 2 | Port Klang | 0700 HRS | 1900 HRS | Docked |
| 3 | Cruising | â | â | Cruising |
| 4 | Singapore | 0800 HRS | â | Docked |
Special rates for twin-sharing staterooms*:
- Balcony stateroom is priced at SGD489 per pax (before taxes & gratuities of $123pp)
- Oceanview stateroom is priced at SGD389 per pax (before taxes & gratuities of $123pp)
- Promenade stateroom is priced at SGD389 per pax (before taxes & gratuities of $123pp)
*Terms and conditions apply:
- These special rates are valid only till 22 September, 2017.
- Please note that single guest in a stateroom will be charged a single supplement for the cruise fare, and guest under 18 must be accompanied by another guest 18 or older in the same stateroom.
- No cancellation, refund or changes allowed for cruise, shore excursion and specialty dining once confirmed.
- More terms and conditions are found in the booking form.
What to do in Hiroshima
So… We were back from Hiroshima less than a month ago! Our latest wanderlust took us to the city which encountered the world’s first ever nuclear destruction. Nonetheless, what we encountered during this trip was anything but terror in this modernized, beautiful city!
PS: Good news to share for those who like to fly via SilkAir – from the 30th Oct there will be flights from Singapore to Hiroshima and vice versa!
In our opinion, here are some of the must-visit places:
1) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum & A-Bomb Dome
It is one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites in Hiroshima and knowing James will never give UNESCO site in any country a miss! If you planning to go to this site, I would recommend spending a good one day there to learn of the destructive power of an Atomic Bomb & immense in the history of Hiroshima.
We stayed at ANA Crowne Plaza which is just a 5 mins walk away.
More importantly, we were there on the 6th August too! Make a guess what’s the significance of this date? It is the fateful day which the Atomic Bomb ‘Little Boy’ was dropped and to be exact, 8.15am in the morning.
Apparently, this is the only structure that survived the bomb blast and still standing till this very day. It stood there to consistently remind the future generation that nuclear power should never be used as a form of deterrence.
You won’t see much laughter or merry-making around this place even among the tourists. The mood is mainly sombre around this vicinity; It is as though the tragedy just happened the day before.
Nonetheless, we did not hesitate to break our first smile when we saw these beautiful paper cranes near the site. Folding paper crane is a form of respect and culture near the site! Be sure to fold one when you are there in memory of the victims.
We did our part and learnt how to fold paper cranes at the Orizuru Tower nearby. Best time to go to the tower would be close to evening time as you also get to enjoy the entire Hiroshima city landscape.
2) Miyajima Island (Itsukushima Shrine & the Iconic O-Torii Gate)
Ever seen the famous O-Torii Gate floating in the middle of a sea?
This is exactly where we decided to spend our second day! One can never miss out Itsukushima Shrine when they are at Hiroshima Prefecture. Take a 30-minutes boat ride near the A-Bomb Dome site to Miyajima Island!
You can take some nice photos at the back of the boat. Be sure not to miss this instagram-worthy moment!
The first impression you will get of Miyajima Island is that of Nara Park because of the wild deers roaming around freely. Sadly, the only difference is you are not allowed to feed the deers here đ
Be sure not to walk around freely with a paper in your hand. In fact, that was what happened to my map as one of the deers ripped it apart thinking it was food!
Well, the deers stole my map but did not have the chance to steal the limelight from….the iconic O-Torii Gate in front of the Itsukushima Shrine!
The are so many interesting cultural practices e.g. Praying, Ward of Bad luck, Reading your luck etc within Itsukushima Shrine. So be sure not to miss exploring every part of it!
3) Kin-taikyo Bridge
A very iconic Bridge which is broken into three sections. It was said that they made it this way to reinforce against the strong tides of tsunami/flood.
It is so long we only manage to capture one section of the whole bridge. But, you got the idea right?
4) Shimanami-Kaido Bridge
If you are a cycling enthusiasts, do a day trip out of Hiroshima for this! Just to share the distance we cycled that day; from one end of the bridge to the other.
It is approximately 6-7km. The good thing is you can return the bike at the station situated on the other end of the bridge.
Just look at how much we are sweating! I would say it is not so much from our exertion on the bike but instead the weather! The summer in Japan is definitely no joke! I would say even the hottest day in Singapore couldn’t be compared to the heat there!
4) Hondori Shopping Street
This is the biggest shopping street in Hiroshima! To be truthful, don’t expect to shop heartily here. I feel the shopping scene in Dontoburi is far more vibrant compared to this one! Nonetheless, it is still worth a visit if it is your first time there.
Well at least for retail pleasure, they have our favourite Uniqlo and GU there! If you are thinking of getting some LifeWear, you know where to head to.
Oh! Do not miss out the super famous I-chiran Ramen there too! You have to queue for it in Tokyo and Osaka, but I promise that there is no queue here! It was so good we had it for supper on two consecutive nights!
5) Sera-kogen Farm (aka The Land of Sunflowers)
You will surely smile at this place if you missed smiling at A-Bomb Dome site! Just look at this picture which is a small subset of the whole sunflower farm!
Unfortunately, due to a tight schedule, we did not get to spend much time there. I shall leave you guys to explore this place on your end and take multiple pictures!
Some other places that you may want to include in your itinerary includes Ota House, Iwakuni (Yamaguchi Prefecture) & Kikko Park (Samurai Living quarters on one end of the Kin-taikyo Bridge).
Travel: Practical Tips when you visit Lotte World in Seoul
It has been quite some time since we came back from Korea but yes, we are finally here to talk about part of our trip! Here are some practical tips for you when you visit Lotte World in Seoul.
Dispeling the MythÂ
If you try to google Lotte World, you are bound to see a lot of feedbacks saying it is one of the best theme parks for kids! However, I beg to differ as these individuals totally undermined the fun factor in there and I do feel it is no less fun for fully grown adult! Hence, young or old, if you are in Seoul, this is the first theme park you should check out!
How do you get to Lotte World?
I would say it is super convenient due to the fact that it is within 5-10 minutes walking distance from a Subway Station located near the City Centre- Jamsil Station (Seoul Subway Line 2,8). After you alight at Jamsil Station, just keep a lookout for Exit 4. If you are walking towards the correct direction, you should see a mock-up version of Trevi Fountain along the way.
Practical Discount Deals
Next, I going to share with you a piece of very practical information that is going to save you a lot of money! This is legit because we have tried and tested it. Just to set a quick disclaimer that we are not sponsored by them. Just in the good names of sharing with other first-timers to Lotte World like us.
So what is this deal all about?
So, we actually bought our tickets online from this website called ‘Funko Funtastic Korea’ after I spent some time trying to google for a good deals just 2 days before the day we went Lotte World.  It was hard to believe when I saw this deal selling tickets for 45% off the original price. That would mean an adult (Full Day) Ticket which cost approximately $60 is going for only $35! We paid for the tickets and next thing we are equipped with our email voucher on my mobile standing in front of “South Gate Ticket Office” all ready to start our fun! Best part, you do not even have to wait in the long queue outside the ticketing booth to buy your ticket. *Feeling like VIP*
Preparation Work
Firstly, let me pre-warn you that if you plan to make the most out of your day in Lotte world! Pls make sure you reach there as early as it opens. We are fortunate enough to clear most of the key popular rides before the theme park closed.
One of the reason is because of the long, crazy queues that snake around every of these popular rides. It can be as bad as at least 1 – 1.5 hour of waiting time per ride. Surely, there are some rides that you just have to wait for only 30 mins. But these are just the normal rides which do not give you the rush of adrenaline.
So I taught you how to save cost. Now, some practical tips on how you can save some waiting time. Goes back to saving money again because like they say ‘Time is Money!’ lol!
So what do you have to do? Very simple! Just download an App called ‘Lotte World Adventure’!
After registering your ticket in the App, click ‘Magic’ on top right hand corner and you will be brought to a page that has all the rides. Do note that the rides will refresh every 15 minutes. That means if you miss reserving the slot, you can try again after 15 minutes.
So how does this work? This essentially works like those typical express queue which makes you feel like a VIP while others are queueing restlessly. This is also very useful because it helps you schedule your ride for the rest of the day!
However, one of the drawbacks is you might not necessarily get the ride you wanted. I remember not being able to get this ride called ‘Atlantis’ no matter how hard I tried for the WHOLE day! Because everyone is trying to click in to reserve that ride also! Ultimately, you need very swift fingers! Secondly, you can only use this function for only 3 times! So plan your rides wisely & ‘spend’ it on a worthy popular ride like Gyro 2, Atlantis, Gyro Spin, The Adventures of Sinbad, French Revolution VR etc.
Which Rides to go for if you do not have the luxury of Time?
So let’s establish the fact that this place do need more than a day to cover both the indoor and outdoor theme rides.
So, let me point you to some of the more popular rides that you should try not to miss!
Look at how gigantic the indoor theme park is!
(Credit: myyellowsuitcase)
Let’s start with the indoor ones: The Adventure of Sinbad, Giant Loop, Camelot Carousel, Flume Ride & French Revolution VR!
I like the French Revolution the best because it takes you on a rollercoaster ride while you are wearing a VR which simulate a scene of you flying around fighting against a giant cyclops!
This one is not as fun but well.. you know we still got to do some ‘couply’ stuff right! Lol!
Now, let’s to the outdoor theme park located on the second floor next to the escalator. The outdoor theme park is called ‘Magic Island’!
So what’s the must try in Magic Island?
Gyro Swing. Bungee, Gyro 2 VR, Atlantis, Gyro Swing, The COMET Express! In short, anything with a Gyro, just go for it!!!
End of the day, look at our blissful face! Tired but pure blissful!
You can thank me for this tips later. Meanwhile, go enjoy that fun day out with your love ones!
