Sunday, May 17, 2009

How We Do It so far...

First of all, we're really appreciate with all the comments and suggestions that we have received so far.. and to answer some of the questions from the readers, here we go.

Okay, let's start by How we plan?

Our tour guides
Normally we like to travel during low season, you guys can check it out on website from each country. For a longer backpacking (2 weeks onwards) we have to plan at least up to 6 months ahead. But for a week, normally take us 3-4 months. The reason why? because, easy to apply leave ( for those who are working) and can get the flight cheaper. Contohnya: this coming October, insyaAllah we are planning to go to Hong Kong and Macau,and also Shenzhen. We have bought the tickets for 2 (RM500 return).

After that, we start to check on hotel/hostels. Before that, we usually have to list down what are the places we wanted to go. Then we'll figure it out whether to book hotel/hostels close to airport or city or places of interest or close to train stations. All depends on you guys.. 

The tips: Cari accomodation yang senang untuk sampai dari airport dengan menaiki public transport.
Next, yang dekat dengan public transportation (MRT, subway, bus or train). Walaupun accomodation tak dekat dengan places of interest, tapi kalau ada public transport pun ok.. Sebabnya kadang-kadang, accomodation yang dengan city centre/interesting places biasanya mahal sikit... Tapi jangan cari yang jauh sangat, nanti nak balik malam maybe agak inconvenience (especially girls and kids). Beberapa contoh yang kami pernah pergi:

J-Hoppers @ Osaka,JpnHi Sukhumvit, BangkokIbis Arcadia Hotel, JakartaHotel Serena, BandungI-Drive Inn, OrlandoDays Inn Hotel, Memphis
*J-Hoppers @ Osaka, Japan, 5mins walk to train station, close to Universal Studios Japan.

*HI-Sukhmuvit @ Bangkok, 5mins to skytrain station.

*Arcadia Hotel @ Jakarta, dekat dengan station busway, senang nak ke mana-mana dalam Jakarta.

*Hotel Serena @ Bandung, depan railway station.

*Orlando @ International Drive, close to Universal Studios (boleh jalan kaki, lebih kurang 20mins), ada free shuttle to Disneyworld.

*Memphis @ Elvis Presley Boulevard, sebelah dengan Graceland dan ada free shuttle untuk ke city centre.

Reservation hostel boleh dibuat di Hostel World atau Hostels.  
Untuk hotel biasanya kami guna, Asia Rooms, Agoda , atau Expedia.

ShinkansenUntuk domestic transportation, kalau ada banyak masa, boleh menaiki keretapi atau bas, jika tidak budget airline. Untuk dari satu tempat ke satu tempat, kalau ambil masa lebih dari 8 jam, biasanya kami ambil transport malam so boleh jimat satu malam di hotel. Atau kalau early departure for flight, kami bermalam di airport, pun jimat jugak! He..he...



SkyTrain Station, BangkokSkyTrain Station, BangkokTanjong Pagar MRT StationTake a ride on BajajCharlotte Airport, North CarolinaNew York subway
Untuk jimatkan kos transportation, kadang2 kami beli One Day Pass, Tourist Pass dan macam-macam pakej tiket yang disediakan, biasanya lebih jimat. Ada beberapa contoh:


Some of the tickets, you can purchase before you go, sometimes it's cheaper. Tapi semuanya kena buat research, dari buku, forum, blogs dan reviews. Nampak macam banyak kerja kan? Tapi once you have everything in place, you are not only enjoying the trip but also can save a few hundred.

Singapore EZ Link cardJapan Rail PassTickets in IndonesiaUSA Trip
Ada beberapa readers yang teringin untuk mengembara secara backpack, tapi tak cukup duit, susah dapat cuti dan masih belajar. Pada pendapat kami, most of us are facing the same problem. We are not lucky enough to be sent by the company to travel, or never won any contest dan macam-macam lagi la..

Tapi apa yang kita semua boleh buat ialah put aside a few RM dalam tabung khas ke, ASB ke atau apa-apa yang boleh memberi kita dividen atau extra cash. Jangan sekali-kali guna kad kredit (kecuali untuk tempahan online dan emergency semasa melancong). Takut nanti balik jalan, asyik kena bayar hutang, nanti tak dapat la nak ke tempat lain.

Istana Maziah, Kuala Terengganu
Actually we started pun dah lewat. Dah masuk ke 30an baru serius backpack. Tapi sesiapa yang mampu boleh start lebih awal. Untuk permulaan, boleh backpack dalam Malaysia dulu. Kami pun start kat Pantai Timur, naik bas dari KL (9 jam ke Kenyir) dan kemudian ke Kuala Terengganu dan Cherating. Pun dah adventure dan murah..



Tasik KenyirTasik KenyirSeberang Takir, Kuala Terengganu
Jadi kepada sesiapa yang rasa belum cukup mampu, jangan risau, the time will come cuma kena ada displin sikit..Itu aje..Bak kata pepatah, "Di mana ada kemahuan, Di situ ada jalan", and Dare To Dream (itu yang selalu Anna telling herself).

Harap2 beberapa tip tadi boleh membantu, kalau ada sesiapa yang mempunyai tips yang lebih baik dan berkesan, bolehlah berkongsi sama...

Us@Sentosa Island, Singapore
*Akan ke Singapore hujung bulan ni, kalau tak ada aral. Dengar2 Universal Studios akan dibuka di Singapore next year, boleh lah start your backpacking story! Next, we'll let you know how much have we spent for the trips.







13 comments:

Irnie said...

hi guys...interesting blog..
dapat tau pn dr kosmo..
so i thank u as well as kosmo ;)
kno what? the passion for backpacking is growing inside me now..
never had one before..
wish i can hv stories of backpacking like u guys are having in the future..
thanks for the tips, seems like the plan is on my head now. thanks guys :)
thank youuu ;p

MAKAN ANGIN said...

Salam, Faizal n Anna

Interesting gak ur blog nih, cuma abg nk tanya mcm mana nk dptkan tiket for 2 cost RM500 to macau, shenzen n HK, abg pun minat nk ke Hk n Macau tuu...

Nti bla free kita sembang lagi...

Ok plz past the info yekkk!!! tQ

RAZMAN MOHAMED
hp 0122129509
dkasihsayang@yahoo.com

Faizal and Anna said...

Hai Angah,

Don't worry, you'll have your own backpacking story too.

Unknown said...

Faizal and Anna, keep traveling and loving life! It sounds like you have learned a lot while traveling.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Anonymous said...

salam....boleh saudara terangkan dengan lebih lanjut maksud backpacking..?adakah backpacking bermaksud kita menggunakan sebuah beg galas yang diisi dengan segala keperluan kita..?harap saudara boleh terangkan

Faizal and Anna said...

Thank you, Natalie!

Faizal and Anna said...

onetrg07, backpacking ni sebenarnya tidak tertumpu kepada jenis bag. Ia lebih kepada cara travelling tu sendiri. Backpacking ni sebenarnya cara pengembaraan/melancong yang tidak terikat dengan mana2 agenda atau pakej. Low cost budget, hostels,public transport and self-service pakej adalah antara kriteria backpack. Actually, we have described a bit on our latest post. Hopefully it answers your question.

Thank you for asking.

Cikgooden said...

tq..

dah dapat idea sikit2....mungkin try buat dengan budak2 skull..he he he.

dekat2 dulu...

Anonymous said...

it's not about early or lewat.. it's all about travelling without kids kanns.. really nice travelog.. keep it up guys.. salammms

Faizal and Anna said...

Yes, it is true...Alhamdulillah we had that chance...
Thank you for dropping by..

mucho_dinero said...

kewl..i love backpacking travel too.. i started since i was 24yrs old (now im 27) and my first solo trip was to Manila for 12 days..and my last trip was to Krabi by land (last March)..Memang buat ketagih travelling ni... keep it up guys... like george clooney uncle said, 'don't wake up at 65 and says, how wish i did that!'

Faizal and Anna said...

Hi Mucho_Dinero, same to you too..
Keep on backpacking!

Unknown said...

hi guys..interesting blog..banyak tips blh dapt dari ur blog.
i plan for backpacking japan this oct. first time nak backpacking..excited & nervous pn ada :) nanti boleh la bagi info pasal hostel kat japan.