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Tag: Travel

  • Good Morning Buckingham Palace & London

    Good Morning Buckingham Palace & London

    London // Good Morning Buckingham Palace & London – Oh hello people, I am back, finally, after a long hiatus from the social network as I was so so so busy with travelling, and school’s assignment. Luckily, I was not killed by the deadlines and submissions. Thank god that I am so alive and sounding well right now.
    Oh London! I am missing the great city so much right now as I am flipping through the photos that I’ve taken. This series of photos were from the London weekend trip that I had back in November, more to come as London is getting to be my second home in the UK, since it’s so easy to get there and cheap! A return ticket of Newcastle – London costs at about £20-25 via Megabus. Although the journey is darn long at 7-hours per way, but it’s still cheap when comparing to Aeroline that I used to connect KL – Penang back in Malaysia.
    7-hours of journey was not that bad in a warm and stuffy bus, I slept all the way! Waking up in London was just so exciting and looking around just gave me a super different experience as compare to Newcastle. It’s a huge city, it’s metropolitan urban city!
    Without knowing where to go from Victoria Coach Station, I just tried to walk around to see if any attractions nearby while waiting a London friend to ring me and tell me where to go. Followed the Google Maps and the information board, and me and Alvin were leaded to the Buckingham Palace.
    Snap shot of the palace, couldn’t see any sign of Her Majesty Queen, or Prince, guard were just standing there, and cold, we walked away. Heading to some direction we didn’t know about, and ended at Piccadilly Circus! Phone rang and headed to my friend’s place at Euston and he was just shocked about how we made it to Piccadilly from Victoria. Quite a random walk, but the sunny morning did bring a good feeling to that morning. Too much to talk about London, in just simple word, good morning great London and let’s the pictures speak for now.
    London’s specialty, cab.
    Mounted police, or police who patrol on horseback, roaming the street nearby Buckingham Palace. Be prepared to smell some poo-poo.
    Good morning precious sunny London, where sun is so rare in the UK.
    A temporary bus stop.
    Reminds me of my childhood where I lived on a street named Buckingham Street in Penang, Malaysia.
    Selfy.
    Guard, not changing.
    Buckingham Palace. Where’s the queen now?
    Me and the Palace.
    Statue of I’ve-no-idea.
    Victoria Memorial.
    The Mall, which attracted me to go this way after checking out the palace.
    Dedicated bicycle lane which I always hope that Penang can have a network of it too.
    Sunny!
    Good morning.
    Some monument structure.
    Road construction.
    Wayfinding board. Very helpful for exploring London.
    Underground Tube entrance.
    On a very quiet Saturday morning. It’s just so not-London in this picture where the street is empty. I was too early!
    Interchanging at Leicester Square to Euston Station.
    Euston Railway & Tube Station.
    Passfield Hall, where the Londoner friend stays.
  • Eastern Europe Trip: A Very Short Update

    Eastern Europe Trip: A Very Short Update

    Eastern Europe Trip: A Very Short Update – Just a short update on my blog as it’s been a few weeks since I’ve written something here. The previous posts were adverts so you can just ignore it. Well, I am having my winter term break right now and I am on a 2 weeks getaway to Eastern Europe. I have done Warsaw and Krakow of Poland and currently in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, which is also a very weird and boring city. I have no idea why I am here now. Haha. I am more likely to look forward to my next stop, guess where it would be? 😀

    Not a perfect relaxing getaway as there’s many work to do after the holiday, but for the time being, let’s just put the mind of the assignment stress right now.
    Gonna share everything when I am back to the UK. Cheers! Follow me on Instagram for more updates! 🙂 @nicholaschan
  • A Good Day To Durham

    A Good Day To Durham

    Durham // A Good Day To Durham – Durham is a small town located just 45km from Newcastle upon Tyne and it’s a lovely place to visit as there’s a very beautiful Roman-style cathedral. The Durham Cathedral was also part of the film location for the first two Harry Potter films, so it’s a place must not be missed if you are visiting Newcastle, moreover the entrance to the cathedral is free!
    Last week, I’ve visited the Lumiere Festival at Durham, but this visit happened like 2 months ago when it was a very good day with beautiful clear blue sky and warm weather. We went to the bus station at Eldon Square to board the Angel 21 bus to Durham, it cost about £6.30 for a unlimited day trip ticket to Durham and back, so in between you can choose to stop by Angel Of The North for a little photoshoot, but we did after visiting Durham. Bus ride took about 45 minutes and it was pretty pleasant.
    I was like sticking my head out at the window, curiously looking out along the way as that time I was still very fresh to England, UK. 😀 Durham is small, everything is in walking distance, the town is small too, with a few retails outlet, and some eatery restaurants. There’s nothing much to do except chill walking in the peaceful UNESCO World Heritage Site, looking around and just relax. 🙂 It was really a good day, and I was so grateful for the sunshine. Well, it seems like visiting Durham during the winter might be interesting too, when there’s snow and the river Wear freezes. I shall plan another trip again, when it snows.
    On the bus Angel 21, heading to Durham..
    Wayne.
    Durham Cathedral and University of Durham on top.
    A group photo with Jon, Eunice, Yee Hua, Ling, Wayne & Alvin.
    Add caption
    Market Place, Durham.
    Sun bathing, embracing the sun.
    Standing by the grave.
    Harry Potter had his Quidditch practice here!
  • Angel of the North – A Huge Piece Of Steel Structure By A1 Road

    Angel of the North – A Huge Piece Of Steel Structure By A1 Road

    Angel of the North – A Huge Piece Of Steel Structure By A1 Road – Sometimes, my friend would ask me what to see in Newcastle, or is there anything that represent the Newcastle? Anything as in Big Ben, Tower Bridge for London, Petronas Twin Towers for Malaysia, and Newcastle? I would say the Angel of the North, and the Millennium Bridge. 😀
    Funny that my friend who went there and back told me, “It’s just a piece of useless steel standing by the major A1 road”. Haha. No matter it’s useful or useless, I still insisted to visit it to check it out. Indeed, it’s a huge piece of steel, doesn’t look like an angel (I don’t really know how an angel looks like, perhaps with a ring floating on top of the head, with feather wings.), I don’t really know the purpose, but it’s just an art installation to me, and I find it interesting!
    JUMP!
    It’s not easy to stick a huge piece of steel in the ground at North East where it often windy here. It’d been here for a long time since 1998, designed by artist Antony Gormley. It was a good, clear blue sky day and I just glad I visited it. Heading there is pretty easy, hop on the Angel 21 bus from Elton Square Bus Station or Durham and just alight when you see the angel. You can visit the angel when you are visiting Durham, it’s just in between the route from Newcastle to Durham. Cheers!
  • Durham Lumiere Festival 2013

    Durham Lumiere Festival 2013

    Durham Lumiere Festival 2013 – I find that I am quite lucky to visit the Durham Lumiere Festival last week because this beautiful light festival happens only once every two years. I am here in the UK for only a year, so I shall not skip this festival in Durham which is just so nearby to Newcastle.
    On the second week of arrival in Newcastle, I went to visit Durham and the Angel of the North, it was during the day time; visiting Durham after sun goes does gives a different feeling. The small little town with beautiful old cathedrals glows at night at this Durham Lumiere Festival. Instead of getting on the bus, we took the train to Durham and it takes about 15 minutes only! Train ticket was just £6.70 return (£4.45 with Rail Card), so that’s cheaper than the bus!
    Arriving at Durham at a different place (the train station) actually tried to test my way-finding skill, but luckily we met a friend who lives in Durham at the railway station who then brought us into town. A huge swamp of people was heading toward the town too, where the main venue for the light festival was. The light installations spread across various part of the town, first thing first we went to the information counter to get ourselves a guide-map.
    Best green curry I had in the UK
    We couldn’t really start the exploration then because we were hungry and we went to an Asian restaurant for dinner – Fat Buddha. Well, I guess that’s the best Asian food I’ve ever had since I came to the UK. Awesome green curry and awesome salad wasabi prawn. Energy recharged and we started following the guide map to the light installation.
    Music visualizer on a building!
    Water + Bleach = Light. Interesting.
    Desserted circus.
    The aquarium in a phone booth.
    The feeling of wandering the Durham town at night was pretty interesting. Light installation was somehow not as surprising as I thought, they were somehow smaller in scale, or simpler than I thought. However the image projection on Durham Cathedral was just uber cool, as well as the huge elephant projected at the castle gate. I like the light installation of plastic bag lanterns along the alley which is so colourful. The British-signature red telephone booth which turned into fish tank was interesting too!
    We didn’t really get to check out all the light installation as the time passes quite quickly, moreover we were like chit chatting and walking slowly. Haha. Nevertheless, it was a great night, not a large scale light festival, but I just enjoyed the evening with crowds and Durham. Lastly, we spent an hour at the rail at 3 degree celcius waiting for the next train! Oh my.
  • Hello UK: Kuala Lumpur – London – Newcastle Upon Tyne

    Hello UK: Kuala Lumpur – London – Newcastle Upon Tyne

    Hello UK: Kuala Lumpur – London – Newcastle Upon Tyne – Ladies and gentlemen, Nick Chan is now in the United Kingdom! I’ve been here for about 3 weeks and no, I am not here for travel, I am here to further my studies! It’s just a one year program for me to get a Bachelor Degree, like some sort of an advance entry into the final year program.

    Farewell Penang!
    Rainy night, I almost late for my connecting flight in KLIA, damn the delay,
    Farewell Kuala Lumpur from sky. I miss KL actually.
    London, here I come!
    It was my first time taking such a long flight trip from Kuala Lumpur direct to London Heathrow Airport. I was excited at first, you know, flying on A380, and travelling backwards in the timezone, but it’s not as fun as I thought. Trying hard to sleep in a 12 hours flight is a very difficult thing for me and A380 is just like no other flight when you are in economy zone. However, food was pretty good, nasi lemak and something chicken, mash potato thingy.

    My travel buddy – Alvin!
    Welcome to London Heathrow Airport!
    All the Penang-Lang at LHR!
    Oyster Card is a must for travelling in London.
    Tired face after 11 hours of flight.
    So, yeah, London, after 12 hours of direct flight from Kuala Lumpur, but I didn’t feel London actually because once arrived in London, I was stuck in the airport for about an hour to get through the immigration as there’s a bunch of international students like us. Then, I took the London Underground Tube to King’s Cross Station, I didn’t see Big Ben, nor the Tower Bridge, nor the city. The only London that I saw was King’s Cross Station and that’s it, and perhaps the surrounding. It’s just a transit for me to Newcastle Upon Tyne, the real current location of mine right now.

    First thing to do upon reaching King’s Cross Station is head to the ground and breath the London’s air. Oooo, just like this.
    King’s Cross Station! Modern shell on a classical terminal.
    Londeners, hello!
    Flying to Hogwarts at Platform 9 3/4.
    Bye London, time to head North to Newcastle!
    King’s Cross Station is not as huge as I thought, it’s just a train terminal connecting everywhere in the UK and the Harry Potter’s Platfrom 9 3/4 is just a fake prop at the station. First English breakfast in UK was quite pleasant, thinking of 5 times the currency rate, yet enjoyed the meal.

    The train ride was pretty smooth and fast; passed through vast green grasslands and farms and many horse and sheep, there’s nothing much to see out of the window actually and 3 hours later, I am in Newcastle. Wet, colder than London and still feeling energetic despite the long hour of journey.

    Newcastle Central Station. Checked!
    Welcome to Newcastle!
    Hailed for a cab, initially thought of Blue Line Taxi (a company), but I couldn’t find it so just simply hopped into one and it took us to my hostel. Checked in, and the rest and relax part haven’t started yet. I have to sort out the bedding thing as I have to sleep at night. Went for a small shopping at Primark (wow, everything is so cheap!), got back to hostel, no idea about what to eat for dinner, made an instant noodle, felt dizzy and floating, then fell into the bed of Newcastle and slept till the next day. Hello UK!
  • Louie Manalastas: Three Can’t Miss Destinations In The UK

    Louie Manalastas: Three Can’t Miss Destinations In The UK

    If you’re planning a trip to the United Kingdom (UK), you’re in for a real treat. An intriguing and beautiful mix of past and present, the UK is the gateway to Europe and has a fascinating and well-defined culture all its own. Prominent business marketing consultant Louie Manalastas has been there many times and he finds new things to love and explore each time he goes. Here are some top recommendations for things you must see when you get there.
    1. The Tower of London
    This site is almost a no-brainer for anyone visiting the UK. Arguably the country’s most popular and well-known tourist attraction, the Tower of London has been standing guard over the nation for nearly 1,000 years. Throughout its storied and checkered past, it has been a defense for the city of London, a royal residence, a treasury, a prison, a museum and more. Some of history’s most famous tales and enduring mysteries took place there. Such well-known historical persons as Queen Anne Boleyn, Queen Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, Lord Guildford Dudley and more have found their final resting places within the Tower grounds. The infamous Princes in the Tower vanished from there in 1483 and their real fate has never been discovered.
    The Tower buildings and sprawling grounds provide plenty to see and do. Plan on spending an entire day at the Tower of London when you come. A visit here is almost like a trip in a time machine. It is definitely something that is not to be missed on a first visit to the UK.
    2. Stonehenge
    About an hour and a half drive north of London is one of the most famous landmarks of ancient history. The stone circle atStonehenge on the Salisbury Plain is recognized in images all over the world. Historians are still debating exactly when, how and by whom it was built. Estimates of its construction range from 4,000 to 10,000 years ago. Debate over its purpose continues to this day. Many fascinating archaeological finds have been discovered there that offer tantalizing clues, but no real answers. It’s an ongoing historical mystery. Louie Manalastas loves Stonehenge and is drawn to it nearly every time he goes to the UK.
    The government of the UK is very concerned with preserving the integrity of Stonehenge. Therefore, access to the stones themselves is much more restricted now than in the past. The stone circle is surrounded by a fence and the fence keeps most visitors at a pretty good distance. It’s still awe-inspiring to be in the vicinity of the stones, though. Not everyone is kept at arm’s length, however. One (and only one) tour company in the UK is authorized to take visitors beyond the fence to the stones themselves. Try to get on that tour if you can. There’s a waiting list. The government also opens up Stonehenge for everyone twice a year on the solstices.
    3. Rosslyn Chapel
    This chapel inspired some of the most exciting scenes in Dan Brown’s bestselling novel, “The DaVinci Code.” Located in Scotland (part of the UK), Rosslyn Chapel is a stunning example of medieval stonework. It was built in the mid-1400s by the Sinclair family and has a strong association with the Knights Templar and Freemasonry. Rumors circulate about the unusual architecture of Rosslyn Chapel and what certain symbols and adornments may mean. Some say that the Masons who built the chapel hid messages and even artifacts within their work. The chapel is also rumored to be the hiding place for the mummified head of Jesus, the treasures of the Knights Templar, the Holy Grail and the original Scottish crown jewels. This is a wonderful place to visit to immerse yourself in mystery and legend. Maybe you’ll even solve one of the chapel’s many secrets while you’re there.
  • Bangkok: Khao San Road

    Bangkok: Khao San Road

    Bangkok: Khao San Road – The Hangover 2 Place – Last year, I’ve wanted to go to Khao San Road during my Bangkok trip in 2012, but I didn’t get the chance cause I was busy checking out other night market. The recent trip had gave me another chance to visit the scene from Hangover Part 2 – Khao San Road!
    If you read from Lonely Planet or any online source, this place was very famous for Caucasian backpackers with lots of cheap hostel, bars, internet cafes and Pad Thai! But it gets even famous now, still to the tourist, but from everywhere of the world, Asian, Blacks, everyone young and energetic just loves this place.
    You can hear music blasting off the bar while walking pass food stalls, and imitation branded stuff stalls as well as some little fashion boutique stalls. Tourist roaming along Khao San Road and the alleys with a beer on hand, backpackers with handful of luggage and camera, booth that can help you make fake ID, Thai walking around selling exotic food like scorpion, mobile bar with Chang and Singha Beer… Well, this place is just awesome at night.
    I have a friend told me that it gets even more happenings after 12 when 7 Eleven stops selling beer and mobile bars move out all scale to sell you beer, music turns even louder, the whole street literally become an open party area. Too bad, I couldn’t experience that, it rained during my visit. Down. Nevermind, will go again the next time!
    Fruit seller!
    This is Khao San Road!
    Me, blocking the road.
    Angmo doing her selfy!
    Mr Thai Scorpion.
    Mango Sticky Rice.
    Miss Pad Thai.
    Pad Thai, I’ll call it the Thai’s Koay Teow which taste sweet and spicy.
    Cheers with Singha!
    BBQ stalls.
    They bring foot massage outdoor. By this, they can have more chair and more customer eventually!
    More of foot massage. You like?
  • Bangkok: Random Street Walks

    Bangkok: Random Street Walks

    Bangkok: Random Street Walks – I find Bangkok has culture, has style, and it’s very vibrant when comparing to Kuala Lumpur. Although lifestyle can be more luxurious in Kuala Lumpur, but then the what stands out in Bangkok is their culture, hardly being influence by others. Well, that’s the Thai-style. Malaysian-style is to follow what’s and who’s cool.
    One side of the road can be super modern shopping mall in Bangkok, and across the street, you might stumble upon some small alleys with good foods, small and cheaper fashion boutique, street performers by the pedestrian walkway and then you might come to a mid-end shopping mall, and again some interesting alleys. Best part of all, people are walking here and there, the city itself is happenings! Walking is not our Malaysian culture, we prefer to drive here and there, we are quite lazy huh? Haha.
    Woman’s heaven where you can shop till you really drop @ Platinum Fashion Mall.
    Walking to Central World, a very big shopping mall in Bangkok, you can find almost everything!
    Thai’s Steven Tyler. =D
    SIAM. You can find Siam Paragon, the luxurious mall and Siam Center, a new modern and young mall just side by side. Interesting!
    Got a free icy cool herbal drinks!
    No idea what these letter balloons are.
    SIAM BTS station.
    Stumbled into a back alley and found people queuing for Mango Sticky Rice! @ Mango Tango. It seems very cool, but we didn’t get a chance to try it out, long queue oh long queue!
    Lots of mango.
    MBK, place where you can find a lot of high quality imitation branded bags. I’ve read that there’s Thai’s boxing fight every week! Must check it out on the next visit. My parents are not interested in that.
  • Bangkok: Must-Eat Swensens Ice Cream

    Bangkok: Must-Eat Swensens Ice Cream

    Bangkok: Must-Eat Swensens Ice Cream – You know right, one of the must-eat thing in Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand is Swensen’s Ice Cream. Why? It’s because it’s dirty cheap, no I should say low-priced! Yeah, the desserts are so much cheaper than the Swensen’s in Malaysia and Singapore. Ice cream desserts in Thai’s Swensen’s starts from 69Baht (about RM7), and in Malaysia it’s from RM15, there’s so much difference!
    After some research, I found out that Swensen’s actually specialize in ice cream desserts and founded in San Francisco, California. Somehow, the Swensen’s in Malaysia and Singapore serves food, which seems more to be a Western cuisine restaurant than ice cream restaurant.
    So in Thai, the Swensen’s only serves ice cream, and you must just try it out!
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