June 14, 2019
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Working from my hostel's lounge, I got a message from my Vietnamese friend inviting me for dinner. I guess her way of thanking me for playing with her daughter every weekend. I texted back saying I am ATM in Kuala Lumpur and her instant reply was - "OMG, you are like a bird, you just fly, fly and fly". It was a rather short message but amused me down to my core LOL.
I have been to Malaysia more than 3 times but I really have not explored the country much like I have explored other Southeast Asian countries like Laos, Thailand or Vietnam. I guess because it's not that far from the Philippines, thus making it easier and cheaper to visit.
However, don't get me wrong, I am not putting this country off, I love how peaceful and clean this country is. I admire the highways, the people but the food just does not sit well in my belly (a different story). If I can only afford living here, I would - the Internet is also fast and somehow pretty stable. But you know, a tourist's point of view is totally different from an expat's, so don't quote me on this. One has to live here to wait and see, as they say, "test the waters".
I Came In Prepared
Before becoming a backpacker, I was a tourist type of traveler. I don't know if that ever makes sense but yeah I can somehow explain in detail but would rather do it in a separate post. So, back in the days, the agents would do everything for me and my family and all we ever need to do was just fly. Everything was taken cared of, that easy!
When I transitioned to a budget traveler slash backpacker, it was really difficult. But for every trip, I got better and better and more amused and have become highly appreciative even with the littlest of things.
The Ultimate Advantage
Ever since I had metamorphosed into a different type of traveler, I've had to pinch pennies to make sure I get what want for a specific trip.
The art of penny-pinching, breaking it all down to the last centavo!
Expenses: VND (Vietnamese Dong) to PHP (Philippine Piso)
- Grab Bike Hanoi (house to Noi Bai International Airport)
140,000.00 VND = 311.44 PHP - Highlands Coffee
97,000.00 VND = 215.76
Grand Total: 237,000.00 VND / 527.13 PHP
Dear Steemians, calling it a day and wishing you a lot of positive vibes. For now, let me just type this out - To be continued...
Life is beautiful! No matter where our roots lie, we should create beauty and happiness!