I only started traveling since three years back, which is in 2008, when I first stepped into Europe. When I was back in Malaysia, travelling was such a big luxury that people can only go for vacations after saving money for two years or planning them for the last five years. This, I mean the middle class people who earns about Rm2000 monthly, with a spouse and two kids. I can't say for families with four kids. It's very difficult really. Even planning a family trip from East Malaysia to West Malaysia takes a year in advance! Since I'm from the east, it's not like we can drive up to Songkhla in Thailand. We need to take a flight to be able to got the West Malaysia. And that already costs a bomb. A standard two-way economy clas ticket would cost around Rm400. It's a pity. Some East Malaysian who graduate in West Malaysia can't have their parents attend their convocation just because they can't afford it!
So Rm400 for a domestic, which equals to less than 100€. Here, a two way flight to Spain with RyanAir (which is like Air Asia) costs about 30€-50€ during low seasons. So this makes me smile from my left ear back to my left ear. How coul I resist that. There's always so many choices to choose from and even the supermarkets have travel packages, be it winter or summer. It caters to everyone because it's very affordable.
Then there's the German Rail that connects to every possible country it can reach. Or you may transit in another big city : Paris, Rome, Madrid. Even Moscow is possible to reach. Compared to flights, trains are more expensive but you can take a night train if you would like to save on accomodations. My first time taking a night train was from Münich to Budapest (7 hours) last summer. I was travelling alone and it was really safe! There are sleeper coaches which generally means you get a bed. Busses are abundant and rediculously cheap. They do take quite a while to reach destinations though. Not as comfortable as a train, but it's a cheaper choice.
Since I've stayed in Germany, I've been to most of the countries in its surrounding. My first ever trip outside of Germany was to alzburg, in Austria which was about 3 hours by train from my place. It was a day trip in autumn and it rained like nobodys business. I went there a second time lat year in winter and it snowed like nobodys business. Tough luck.
Our first trip to London
Then came my first travel by flight in Europe. It was during the winter semester break (Feb-March 2009). We were suppose to take a flight to Edinburgh, spend a night there and then to London. But we missed the bus to the airport. So we spend almost 12 hours waiting for the next flight directly to London. It was funny. Deprived of going to Edinburgh, I went for a Gawai visit to Glasgow, Scotland to meet relatives. It was a 5 day weekend during the Passover and we had holidays. Then My First Summer was spent in Switzerland, which we went by train. After the Switzerland trip, we all went back to Malaysia during the rest of the holidays. It was our first year, and we were all kind of home sick. That year, 2009, was ended in Vienna, Austria. There was a promotion : 30€ one way by speed train.
Summer in Switzerland :: Summer in France
Then came 2010, which highlighted my feelings towards the world of travelling. I went to Paris with my bestfriends (Worldcup South Africa Season 2010). After the exam period of the summer was over, we all took a train to Berlin, a bus to Coppahagen and a day trip to Mälmo. In the beginning of September we had more than a week of summer in Turkey and Greece. Turkey still stands high as my number one place I've visited. The culture, the food, the people. I wasa very extremely happy girl because I had lamb for almost every meal!
The trip which we laughed so hard. I can still laugh thinking about it!
Istanbuls famous Blue Mosque
And in the end of the year, we had a family vacation to Italy, France and England. My mum finally got her EPF after all those years of working so hard. So why not coem visit me right? It was fantastic! The three of us had so much fun having pasta in Italy, celebrating Christmas with Micky in Paris Disneyland and shopping in Londons all time famous Boxing Day. It was a good end to 2010.
Family vacation to Italy and France
My first travel this year was back home to Malaysia, during the winter holidays while most of my friends were off to Spain because they found a 5€ flight ticket. Back home, I took the opportunity to travel to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, since I've friends studying there. The flight was Rm120 if I'm not mistaken. I went alone because no one had holidays, but I had fun spending time with my friends over there. Sabah and Sarawak may neighbouring states but not everyone has the opportunity to travel here. The main reason I went back was ebcause my mum's birthay was in March and she turned 50. So we all got a ticket to Bali, Indonesia to celebrate, which was awesome!
A fine day strolling along the Danube in Budapest
I usually don't travel when it's a very expensive trip (or expected to be). I save quite a lot montly to be able to afford my travels, and I usually do a survey three months before to see which places and tickets are the cheapest. Then I'll procede. You can even travel with 200€ to places like Prague and Budapest. It's a good bargain. I travel not because I'm rich, but because I've been blessed with lots of opportunities.
Up to the Prague Castle.
I sleep in hostels that I book on hostel world with good reviews, and of course it must be safe. Hostels are cheap and they have kitchen and common rooms to cook in. I most of all prefer hostels because I can meet other travellers too. And you can book a whole room if you have 6 people coming with you. Hotels are expensive, and in Europe, hostels are booked per head. So you can fit more than two in a double room. The third person has to get another room.
Travelling is a culture here. In the companies, after the summer is over, everyone will be asking their colleagues about their summer vacations. It's what they all do whenever they get to. (and they get 6 working weeks of holidays, and this does not include overtime. Some companies even have Vacation allowences every 3 months!)
Travelling isn't imposible. You just have to know how to make do of the little cash or savings you have. Air Asia does offer really cheap flights from Kuala Lumpur LCCT *stalker alert* (I was eyeing on a Rm500 two-way flight to South Korea). And travelling does'nt mean you have to go overseas. Cuti-cuti Malaysia no? There's Mount Kinabalu to climb, Sipadan islands to dive, Redang island to snorkel, Genting to gamble :D
So yes, I love to travel. Even if I have to sleep on a camel.
