NICK CHAN DOT NET

Category: Travel

Hangzhou: 1-Hour Train To Shanghai Hong Qiao Station

China Trip – Hangzhou: 1-Hour Train To Shanghai Hong Qiao Station 搭快速火车到上海虹桥 (Day 1) – It’s almost 6pm at Hangzhou, I was tired and not feeling very well. I wanted to go to Shanghai, checked in the hostel and sleep so badly. Brother and I went to take our luggage back, checked that everything was still there and we went to buy the train ticket to Shanghai.

Very stupid thing is that train ticket counter was about 10 minutes walk from the platform. It’s just far away from the boarding platform. There’s super many counter at the ticketing area, but it’s easy to buy at ticket. We need to show our ID document (passport) to buy the ticket, it costs 78Yuan one-way to Shanghai Hong Qiao station. After buying ticket, we realised we only have less than 15 minutes until the train starts moving.

I hate that the platform is so far away, and with a 12kg backpack on my bag. We ran. We ran towards the platform as fast as we can, together with the backpack, I was panting away. Phewwwww. What a relief that we still have about 4 minutes before the train started moving. Train in China is very on schedule, they won’t wait for anyone who is late.

The train was pretty cool and was very clean in it. It’s a very long train, with about 15 coaches. We found our seats and rest ourselves. I think I’d a little fever, so I sleep all the way to Shanghai. The train was so smooth and calm as it’s electric train. It’s fast and takes about an hour to reach Shanghai. There’s people selling coffee and food on board too.

We reached Shanghai Hong Qiao Station, which is a train station, and also a domestic airport. I asked brother to take the cab because we did not know how long it takes for MRT to reach our hotel – Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel. I couldn’t really feel the outside temperature because we were indoor. The bad thing was, we waited the cab for about 1 hour! It’s a super duper long queue at the cab area. WOW. Cab driver in Shanghai doesn’t really speak English well, it’s better to have the address print in Chinese for him to refer.

In Shanghai already, so excited!

Felt so good after boarding the cab, it takes about half an hour to reach Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel on Shaan Xi Nan Lu 陕西南路. Actually, we should have take the Shanghai Metro, it seems faster. We did not do homework about the Metro station and hotel distance so we went for cab which cost us 70RMB.

About the Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel, it’s cheap, 130RMB/room but no attached bathroom, it’s troublesome a bit but it’s cold when taking a shit as the bathroom somehow connected to the outdoor balcony! The people at there are very friendly too, most of visitors are young travelers like us, you can mingle around with them and get social. There’s a bar with free Internet usage and free-wifi. Every Wednesday night, there’s a movie night at the bar. Besides, there’s also washing machine and dryer. Room is very small, but I don’t think you will spend many time in room. Opposite the hostel, you will find a convenience store. It’s about 10 minutes walk to famous Nanjing Lu and 15 minutes walk to the nearest Shanghai Metro, Line 2 and Line 3.

Guess what I did after check-in into the hostel? Slept until the next day! I skipped dinner. =D Wasted my first night? Not really, I have plenty of time in Shanghai. I needed to charge up for the coming days.

March 4, 2012
Hangzhou: Zhi Wei Guan & Xi Hu West Lake

Click here to read more about my China Trip.

China Trip – Hangzhou 杭州: Zhi Wei Guan & Xi Hu West Lake 知味馆，西湖 (Day 1) – After exploring Qing He Fang Cultural Street which has not much thing to see, without wasting time, we headed to the famous Xi Hu West Lake next. However, we have to eat something first because brother did not eat anything for lunch. I didn’t have much appetite though.

We get to know about Zhiweiguan Restaurant has good Dong Po Rou 东波肉, so we hopped on a motorcycle-tuk-tuk style vehicle which brought us to Zhiweiguan near to Xi Hu West Lake.

Dong Po Rou.

Xiao Long Bao.

Zhiweiguan is a famous restaurant in Hangzhou. I’ve head that Dong Po Rou is pork with fatty belly that must not be missed in Hangzhou. After trying out, it’s awesome, but not that wonderful as people said afterall. Perhaps we went to a wrong shop? Since Hangzhou was just tour-for-fun, we didn’t bother to look for the best Dong Po Rou. We also ordered Xiao Long Bao to try out. One sad and funny thing is that the restaurant does not serves Chinese tea. OMG! Chinese restaurant with no Chinese tea. I wonder why? We’ve to buy mineral water from convenience store nearby.

So, this is Xi Hu, the West Lake, what do you think?

After a little bit of food, we walked to the famous Xi Hu West Lake. Everybody say Xi Hu (West Lake) is a must-go attractions in Hangzhou. It’s a very big lake, standing by the lake side feels super duper cold because of the wind. I read that you can hop on the boat which brings you to a garden on the other side of the lake. Unfortunately, it’s raining, the weather was no good, the scenery was not really nice also. So Xi Hu did not leave a good impression to us.

What’s cool by the Xi Hu is that there’s many branded shop, designer’s brands located across the street at Xi Hu. It’s like a luxurious shopping street along the lake which is pretty cool.

Cool bus with wooden interior.

Since, it’s cold, nothing much to see in the blur rainy weather, we went to look for cab to bring us back to the train station to go to Shanghai. Sadly, it’s very hard to find a cab at there. Then local thought us to take the bus which will bring us to the train station for only 2RMB. Cool and cheap! =D

Click here to read more about my China Trip.

March 3, 2012
Hangzhou: Explore Qing He Fang Cultural Street

Click here to read more about my China Trip.

China Trip – Hangzhou: Explore Qing He Fang Cultural Street 清河坊文化街 (Day 1) – Finally I’ve touched down in Hangzhou after 6 hours of flight from LCCT, Kuala Lumpur. What a long flight, it was. I went to the WC to dressed up my winter wear and meet my brother who was waiting outside the airport.

I didn’t get a chance to take photo as my camera was in my big backpacker’s bag. My backpack was really heavy at 12kg! How wish I can find a place to drop my bag to lighten up myself. I wonder why people like backpacking. Haha.

Near to train’s station.

We went to buy ticket to Hangzhou’s train station outside the airport. There’s actually an AirAsia counter that sells bus ticket traveling to Shanghai (3 hours bus ride) for only 75 Yuan. but I recommend you to take the fast train to Shanghai, it’s only an hour ride from Hangzhou. To take the train, you have to go to the Hangzhou’s train station in city. This is where we were heading to.

Hangzhou’s alley.

At there, we found luggage drop service to drop our backpack. It’s 15Yuan per piece of big luggage for one day. It’s safe, but it’s better to get all the valuable with you like cash, passport, and electronics. I felt so relief after dropping the luggage there. We then asked for direction to go our first stop – Qing He Fang Cultural Street, about 4km away. I realised not many people know about this place, we have to show them photo only then they know about it.

Very cool thing in Hangzhou that they have bicycle rental service where citizen can rent a bike to ride, then park at another station.

Buying umbrella.

The weather was not really good, drizzling and temperature was about 11 degree Celcius, we bought umbrellas along the way. It took us about 20 minutes from the train station to Qing He Fang.

Lonely Planet introduced Qing He Fang to us. Qing He Fang Cultural Street is a street that has old Chinese shop but tourist centric, selling gift, food, sweets, and more. It’s not very wonderful because it’s raining and nothing much interesting to capture. I think it’s better to visit during fall or autumn. Wanted to find food at there, but failed, so we moved on to Xi Hu lake.

Buying Long Xu Tang, a kind of sweet.

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.0004b80a852f7e1d51867&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=30.241792,120.166612&spn=0.008898,0.013733&z=16&iwloc=0004ba3059271488315a5&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

Click here to read more about my China Trip.

March 3, 2012
China Trip: Overnight At KLIA LCCT Terminal

China Trip: Overnight At KLIA LCCT Terminal (To Hangzhou/Day 0) – Last December, I went to a 13 days-long China semi-backpacking trip. My travel destinations were Hangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen and lastly Hong Kong. For the flight, I took the Air Asia to Hangzhou, only then take the fast train to Shanghai, it costs me about RM500 for one-way ticket to Hangzhou.

Since it’s Air Asia, my flight departs at LCCT (Low Cost Carrier Terminal), Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It’s my first time at the LCCT and I’ve to spend my night at there because I actually flew from Penang to there and wait for about 8 hours, only then I get to board the flight to Hangzhou.

I was actually very excited of “transiting” at LCCT, overnight at the airport like other travelers do, but then it’s not really a good experience. Sleeping on the hard and cold tiles flooring was really bad and uncomfortable. In fact, I didn’t get any sleep on there. I think I did successfully fall asleep for about 30 minutes on the bench outside the LCCT. Hahaha.

You can’t really get a good sleep after 3.30am when the announcement of flight started going on the loudspeaker. Another thing is, don’t bother to tour around the LCCT at night, I was curious so I did not settle down at first when I touched down at LCCT about 12.30am, I toured around the airport for half an hour only then I was busy finding an empty power socket. Luckily, I found one but it’s not really working well. I have to readjust the plug to make it works. My phone battery was running low and I need charge badly for the next day usage at Hangzhou. Phew, I got 75% charge after-all.

The night was really long. 6.30am was when I started moving around again, look for a sandwich, toilet, brush and enter to the departure hall. I was started for not feeling well because I didn’t get a good sleep. My body was tired and head was heavy. When I got the board the plane, the plane was so far away and I have to walk. At the plane, sleep wasn’t pleasant too, I have no idea why. It was a long way, and luckily I’ve got chicken rice. =D Despite the tired-ness, I was still able to tour Hangzhou on the first day. =D Let’s get ready for my China trip.

There’s many restaurant at LCCT like McDonald’s, KFC, OldTown and more, but not all of them are 24 hours.

There’s not many water fountain at there and they were not working well.

Found a good spot, to lie down.

Lousy power socket. Sucks.

Flight to Hangzhou is located at the end of the parking way. LOL

Although it’s HOT SEAT, it’s very uncomfortable to sleep.

Chicken rice, not nice already. I prefer nasi lemak.

In Hangzhou already.

March 2, 2012
Hatyai: One-Day Road Trip To Hatyai, Thailand

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

Hatyai Trip: One-Day Road Trip To Hatyai, Thailand – I went on a one-day trip to Hat Yai, southern Thailand last Sunday. Hat Yai, the southern most part of Thailand is about 2.5 hours from Penang. From Penang to border of Thailand at Bukit Kayu Hitam take about 1.5 hours + and from the custom border to the city of Hat Yai, it takes about an hour.

Now, almost every year that my family will go to Hat Yai, Thailand because we want to pay a visit to a relative who lives at there. Mom asked me to join them for the road trip, since it’s only a day trip and Thai food is pretty good, why not?

On the way to Hat Yai, sunrise by the North-South highway.

Hat Yai is a small city that is famous to Malaysian and crowded with Malaysian tourist. It is located at the southern part of Thailand. I don’t really fancy about Hat Yai because it’s not attractive to me. I prefer Bangkok, Phuket, or other Thai’s island. Hat Yai, in my mind is not very authentically Thai, because people at there can actually speaks Mandarin and Hokkien. This is because of the big number of Malaysian Chinese visiting the city and the Thai learned up the language so that they can communicate in business, and food.

7 Eleven has good pork sausage and burger! =D

This is Thai’s flag.

Nevertheless, Hat Yai still have a sense of Thai with its architecture, people and food. However, you can’t really see tall building in the city. There’s not much attractions for you to visit, it’s only eat, shop and pray. Shop at Central departmental store, Lee Garden Plaza, or at the big market for some cheap bargain. Pray at Chinese Buddhist temple, or Thai’s Buddhist temple. As for eat, it’s Thai food, some travel to Songkhla seaside area for seafood, it’s about 40 minutes away from Hat Yai city.

Lunch at Saban-Nga Restaurant.

Checking out the famous shopping market where you can find clothing, bags, accessories, food and more. It’s a girl’s shopping heaven here. Most of the vendor can speaks Mandarin and Hokkien.

A Chinese charity temple.

Well, what I did there was visit my relatives, window shopping with mom, brought some Thai’s snack, pray at the Chinese temple, and eat Thai food. In this one-day trip, eat was the most interesting to me. I went to two cool restaurant – Saban-Nga Restaurant and Log Terrace Restaurant. Both serve good Thai food.

Tuk-tuk is how you get around Hat Yai area with fare as cheap as 20Baht/person.

Dinner at Log Terrace Restaurant.

Do you like Hat Yai?

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

February 28, 2012
Hat Yai: Log Terrace Thai Food Restaurant

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

Hat Yai Food: Log Terrace Thai Food Restaurant – Here’s another restaurant that I’ve visited in Hatyai, Thailand yesterday and that is the Log Terrace Thai Food Restaurant. Well, this place has a theme and which is a loggy feeling with lot’s of artificial log in the interior and entrance which gives a jungle feeling.

The location of it besides a river stream add a sense of nature while dining at there. The restaurant was very famous but then it’d become quiet nowadays, but still it’s introduces in tourism website. According to my Thai’s relative, this restaurant has been operating for about 8 years +.

Thai food is awesome and I couldn’t resist myself from it. Though, eating too much of Thai food will feel weird and uncomfortable. At that time of dinner, I was still craving for Thai food, but at the moment of writing this, I am not already. HAHA.

The restaurant has a nice set but then it’s quiet, on a Sunday evening. Check out the place here and food after the break.

(more…)

February 27, 2012
Hat Yai: Saban-nga Restaurant

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

Hat Yai Food: Saban-nga Restaurant – Sorry if I am posting many food pr0n lately which seduces your taste bud and hungriness, I just couldn’t stop myself on sharing them with you guys. Haha. Yesterday, I went to a one-day trip to Hat Yai and the most interesting stuff at there to me was the food!

I went to this restaurant called Saban-nga Restaurant which serves authentic Thai food. Most cool is steamed rice was in purplish colour! It’s located somewhere near to the university area and it was a Thai relative who brought us there.

The restaurant has a nice and comfy interior with nice garden garden outside. Well, I don’t really know how to introduce the food, so I’ll let the photo speaks. The tomyum, the vegetable, the omelet, the pork leg (not really my favourite), the petai, were good!

Purple steamed rice. The dye is from a kind of flower.

Thai loves pork leg, which I don’t really fancy about it.

Tomyum goong! With lots of shrimp and fish.

Petai fried with onion, prawn and sambal. I realised that restaurant in Bangkok does not serves petai.

Pickled mango cut into small strips, tasted sour.

Thai-style omelet. Do you know why Thai’s omelet is so good? It’s because when they cook, they add in a little bit of milk, so it looks fluffy.

Nam-prit, a kind of Thai’s sald which you eat raw vegetable with Thai-style spicy sambal.

Fish cake which tasted like otak-otak.

Fried kangkung or known as phak bung in Thai.

Fried fish with meat cut into small pieces.

A glass of ice blended watermelon to end up the meal and also to freshen up the day.

Are you feeling hungry now? =D

Saban-Nga Restaurant
Punnakan Soi 9,
Kho Hong, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110,
Thailand

Telephone: +66-081-9690686

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.0004b80a852f7e1d51867&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=7.002423,100.493671&spn=0.005111,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=0004b9ed14151e4506a13&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

Click here for more posts about my Hat Yai One-Day Trip.

February 27, 2012
Cycling & Explore Balik Pulau, The Other Side Of Penang

Cycling At Balik Pulau, The Other Side Of Penang – Last Monday, I went to the other side of Penang Island, a more rural part of Penang, a more nature part, somewhere more relax, more greens and a totally different side of the urban developed George Town – Balik Pulau. Balik Pulau also means back of Island in Malay.

It’s a small town at the back of the island, with the presence of villages, padi field and many fruit and vegetable farms. I’ve read online that there’s bicycle rental service in Balik Pulau that allows you to rent a bike to explore Balik Pulau at the same time exercise some reflexes of the feet through cycling.

I called up the person in-charged Eddie who operates the bicycle rental service and meet him up in Balik Pulau. He brought 3 bikes, one for himself, and two for me and Arron. Besides renting the bike, Eddie himself was our guide around Balik Pulau that day. I didn’t think we would have a guide, I though we would be given a map and follow the trail. But then having a guide is better than following a map, Eddie was very friendly to guide us along the way, and introduced some cool places in Balik Pulau.

Our biking trail was designed by Eddie himself and the whole trip took about 2.5 hours through 20km of journey. We started about 5pm and ended at 7.30pm. Normally it’s 15km only but he told us that we were fast and he brought us to explore more.

Being in Balik Pulau doesn’t felt like being in Penang anymore because of the rural village and the beauty of nature. Our biking trail went through Malay village, Chinese Kampung Baru, river streams, padi fields, fruit farms, vegetable farms, fishing village, Malay’s cemetery and a little beach, as well as some major road in Balik Pulau.

It’s fun, it’s a good exercise, but sitting too long on the bicycle makes my ass hurts. After all, Arron and I enjoyed the cycling trip, only that we missed out the Hokkien Mee and Laksa alongside Kuala Jalan Baru which only available during the weekend.

Arron and Eddie in front. Cycling on a less-car road.

Arron Lim.

Well, the Bike Trail signage are actually set up by the government, though Eddie doesn’t recommend following the signage as the trail is long and doesn’t has much thing to see.

Eddie introducing a Chinese temple at Kampung Jalan Bharu.

He said that if you sees a Chinese temple presence, it means that the whole area is a Chinese populated village. Normally temple is set up at the entry point of the village as well the end point, which the Chinese god will protect the people.

A dirty stream

Typical Chinese village house.

A rice paddy field at Balik Pulau, unfortunately, those paddy has been harvested and resulted a not-pretty paddy field scene.

It’s me.

Luckily the weather was pretty nice that afternoon. Google Weather did actually reported that 70% chance of storm, but there’s no rain.

Cycling through the paddy field.

Arron.

Yes, this is Penang Island, doesn’t look like Penang right? It’s the other side of Penang, the more nature side.

A hut storing stuff.

Awas = Beware.

Cow.

Our rides.

At the river mouth of Sungai Burong, where here you can get a great shot of Sunset. Unfortunately, we were still early at that time.

Looking at far, it’s Pulau Betong, a fishing village and at there you can find Pasir Panjang beach.

An abandoned house that looks creepy.

Locals playing sepak takraw.

Along the main road.

I’ve heard that Nibong Tebal has bicycle for rental for cycling trip too, guess it’ll my next destination. Cycling is fun and healthy way to explore places like this.

If you plan to go cycle at Balik Pulau, do give Eddie a call to book your bike and make appointment. He told me that there will be a Explore Balik Pulau Visitor Centre opening somewhere around May 2012 at Air Putih.

Explore Balik Pulau (by Avent Leisure Sdn Bhd)

Telephone: +6016-4522100 (Eddie)

Email: aventleisure@gmail.com

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 2pm – 6.30pm / Sat, Sun, Holiday 12pm -6.30pm

Rental: RM30/day with guided tour.

February 25, 2012
Pearl Hill Tua Pek Kong Temple

Pearl Hill Tua Pek Kong Temple – Pearl Hill’s Tua Pek Kong Temple is another cool Tua Pek Kong temple in Penang, located on the hill top of Pearl Hill at Tanjung Bungah. I found out that this temple is kinda cool because it’s located on top of a hill instead of at the ground level.

Many people might not realize about the presence of this temple because it’s at the Pearl Hill. Pearl Hill is a high-end residential area which houses many bungalow by the hillside. What’s so special about this Pearl Hill Tua Pek Kong Temple is that from here, you can get a good view of Tanjung Bungah and the sea.

You also can enjoy a nice breeze of air. It’s really relaxing up there and recently there’s news of turning the area of the Tua Pek Kong Temple into recreation park so more people can enjoy the scenery and nature. Gotto thanks my friend Merritt for introducing me about this place last time. I can see that Penang people really like Tua Pek Kong.

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.0004b80a852f7e1d51867&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=5.460386,100.295402&spn=0.005126,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=0004b9ae18dfbcb73fb14&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

Have you been here before? Penang has many hidden places.

February 24, 2012
Sea Pearl Tua Pek Kong Temple, Tanjung Tokong

Sea Pearl Tua Pek Kong Temple – Tua Pek Kong is one of the Chinese god in Malaysia which also means “Grand Uncle”. This Sea Pearl Tua Pek Kong Temple, Tanjung Tokong is known as the first Tua Pek Kong temple in Malaysia and it’s also origin of the Tua Pek Kong.

Wikipedia says that Tua Pek Kong was named Zhang Li from the Hakka clan and his Sumatra-bound boat was struck by wind and accidentally landed on Penang which at the time, that area only had 50 inhabitants. After his death, local people began worshipping him and slowly Tua Pek Kong is spread all over Malaysia.

You know, so many years of being in Penang, I’ve never been to this place. It’s located in Tanjung Tokong, somewhere after Straits Quay, by the sea. Some call this place Sea Pearl, some call this place Pearl Lagoon. It’s a low-cost housing area at there.

At Sea Pearl, you can find more than a century 0ld Tua Pek Kong temple, as well as a Chinese seafood restaurant. I went there to explore for a while and found a bunker-like watch point which I believe the British used it long ago. It has a good video Tanjung Bunga shoreline. Pretty cool.

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=215278323465761497274.0004b80a852f7e1d51867&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=5.464156,100.307697&spn=0.005126,0.006866&z=17&iwloc=0004b9ac99f879c7bec49&output=embed&w=640&h=480]

February 24, 2012

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com