When I can’t travel..

It’s been a crazy 2020.. Initially I wanted to use the year to document the travels from previous trips and the coming trips. Who knew that Covid-19 had other plans? 🤷🏻‍♀️

So instead of the #moleonthetoe.. It was pretty much a cooped at home working (which I have been doing since March!) and with the initial lockdown in Singapore, it was just heading out on weekends for groceries and cooking for the rest of the weekdays and the cycle continues. 

I’ve known how to cook all these years, just that I prefer eating over cooking. Such a pig eh! 😂 

Back in school, it was Food and Nutrition in the secondary school years (or high school as some know it as), and I took up the course of Hospitality in polytechnic (tiertiary) and so cooking was part of the modules I had to go through. So with the lockdown, never fear, Yix to the rescue! 

A little late in the year to start documenting down my cooking adventures, but as the saying goes, better late than never! Inspired by many homecooks, I shamelessly learnt from their recipes and tried to make them better. 🙈 

I’m definitely more active on Facebook and Instagram and I share my recipes with the photos, but it’s getting difficult to search back those, and that’s when it struck me - Foodie goes Travelling. I can’t travel this year (and probably even the next), but hey! A foodie can also be someone who cooks right? 😆 So here we go on a new adventure of cooking and good food around Singapore! ❤️

My travel peeves..

There are many articles out there about what kind of travellers (or rather tourists..) there are. And they always ask the same things.. Asking you which category you fall in. Which type of traveller you are. So I was having dinner with a friend recently and it just struck me that wouldn't it be fun to share what kind of traveller I am? =)

Bathroom picker:

I am icky when it comes to picking accommodation that does not have attached bathrooms. And even more icky if the bathroom comes in olive green. =/ I recently tried a open dorm hostel in Siargao Philippines and after the initial shock. It really was not too bad! Coz it was clean and there was no foul smell. =) But the best (or rather more memorable one that I had was the one in Galle Sri Lanka. Where it was an open bathroom! Hahaha.. Imagine showering in the rain! =D

My bathroom in a hostel!

My outdoor bathroom in Galle! 

My outdoor bathroom in Galle! 

Cheap and good accommodations:

When I mean cheap I really mean cheap. Anything about USD$80 per night is too expensive for me. Especially if I travel alone. My cheapest stay was in the dorm (yes.. That dorm..) for USD$3.50 per night. And my most expensive was a stay in Maldives (well it was my birthday week and I wanted to pamper myself..) and it set be back about USD$150 per night. =D The best deal I had? A villa for USD$40 in Krabi Thailand! Hahaha..  I scourge for my deals by comparing (Agoda. Tripadvisor. Individual websites of the place I wanted to stay in..) and of course booking in advance. I am a solo backpacker but I do not like scrambling for accommodations at the very last minute so it has been a habit that I will always book in advance. =) the headaches it save me is tremendous.

My overwater villa in Maldives!

And the open dorm I had in Siargao!

Street food and cafes:

I am always intrigued by the street food in each place I visit. But thing is. I am very selective on the kind of street food I try. I love fried and grilled insects and so far have tried locusts. Crickets. Grasshoppers. Tarantulas (I know this doesn't count. It's not an insect.. But still.. =P). Scorpions. Tried balut in Philippines but I could not bring myself to swallow the ungrown chick. =/ Worms are not my kinda thing either. Even though I have seen people slurping up tamilok in Philippines too. *horroz*

We were trying grilled golden locusts in Beijing. 

Street food in the cold in Lhasa.

I looked damn happy for some oily/grilled/spicy food!

My favourite tempura when I'm back in Philippines.

And the tamilok that I will never ever ever try! *shudderz*

And I simply love cafes. The smell of the beans.. The aroma of freshly ground coffee. And the decor and atmosphere of most cafes. 

In Malacca!

And another also in Malacca!

Local beers:

And me being me. I love my alcohol. Mainly the beers and ciders. Best when they are served icy cold and either I am alone enjoying the place I am in. Or with my drinking kakis/travellers while we stone and catch up. =)

In Sri Lanka!

And in Phnom Penh.

A must try Cambodian beer!

Water activities:

Sometimes I wonder if I was a fish my in my last lifetime. I could never stay away from water activities for too long. And now that on my last trip 'home' (read: Philippines) I picked up scuba diving. Nothing can keep me away from it for too long. *grinz* Mainly dived in Philippines and Maldives so far. (I only clocked 19 dives since May when I got my license. And next month. I am going for more! Perhaps I can hit 25 before 2014 comes to an end!) I love white water rafting too since my first experience in Bali Indonesia. And went on to do it in Kitulgala Sri Lanka. Cagayan de Oro Philippines is famous for their waters too so I gave it a try too! 

In Maldives.

That's me! =D

In Cagayan de Oro Philippines.

Picky about who I travel with: 

And like everyone else. I have pet peeves too. I dislike travelling with people who cannot sit still and want to pack the whole day with activities. Sometimes when you are at a place where you are keen in. It is annoying when your friend is walking around you looking listless. That feeling sucks. I do not like to travel to places where most people have been. Coz after seeing/reading so much about it. It just takes the thrill out of everything. I like to go where the locals go. Do what the locals do. And I get an experience like none other.

I dislike travelling with people who are super connected to technology. Checking your phone once every hour is too much for me. Even when eating if you can't put down you phone. Then 'Thank you. (Never) see you again.' When I travel alone. I check my phone probably in the early morning when I wake up and after dinner. If not for my job. I would love to stay unconnected totally. (That's for another post.)

I love travelling with people who are super laid back and have no plans. Maybe coz I love to plan for trips. I would ask those friends I love to travel with what they want to see so I can incorporate it into my plans. Other than that. It is free flow for all. =) We wake up when we are ready. Not because we had to rush from place to place. I used to be packing my 7 days back to back with places. usually covering 3 places in a week. But after my trip to Philippines in May. I realized that probably age is catching up and staying put in the same place for 7 days isn't too bad. And that is what I am doing on my next trip 'home'. =)

I love travelling with friends who ain't sticky and enjoys doing and seeing the things I do.

So far me being the picky me. I only have 3 friends good for road trips and 2 friends for backpacking. Of course it can be 'mix and match' in a sense coz I haven't brought those 2 of those 3 road trips friends for backpacking. But we shall see. =)

What kinda traveller are you? =)

Bali for..?

Headed to Bali beginning of the month. But disclaimer: I didn't really enjoy myself that much. Wasn't a place that captures my attention or perhaps it was coz I wasn't feeling really well. Whatever it is. I very much doubt I'll head back for a second visit. 

I spent 6 days in Bali - which to most of the locals I met was a long time. Hmmmz. 

Here's my first stop on day 1. Ubud Art Village. A place where I could spend more time. But as I was with a driver and had some other plans in mind. It was only 21/2 hours for me. 

The quirky handicraft shop which I enjoyed browsing in! 

And it was off to Tanah Lot to see the famous temple. What would Bali be without the temples - I didn't fancy any. So didn't wasted any time going to any. =P

A quick bite at an overrated Ku De Ta. Hmmmz. 

What made my day on the second day was going white water rafting with Bali Adventures (expensive at USD$79) but well worth every single cent. And this is the reason why I'm heading for white water rafting next year again someplace else! =D 

Dinner beach walk at Kuta beach.. Good for surfing (but looking at the water and price I didn't bother learning). =D

Day 3 was R&R. Cafe hopping without planning.. =P Afternoon tea at Biku at Seminyak..

Baby latte (aka piccolo) at Cafe Bali..

Earth Market was something different but interesting! =)

And with another piccolo at Kopi Asli.. =D

Dinner was Jap with good and cheap sashimi! *yumz*

And then I moved over to Kind Villa Bintang at Nusa Dua. Lunch by the pool! 

Dinner at Jimbaran - Aroma.. sunset seafood dinner! =)

Day 5 was spent on the beach - and without entering the waters I was browned. Hmmmz.. 

And I truly miss home.. 

Dinner was at Sami Sami in Ayana Resort. Lovely Italian place with another awesome sunset! 

Ended my night at Rock Bar.. =)

Bali's an interesting place. But not on my list. Hahaha. In actual fact this was the last place that I wanted to visit but coz airfare was cheap hence the travel over.. =)