Pagoda’s and friendly faces

It has already been a week since I got back from our Myanmar trip. After making my first quiz, working on the video, and being busy like I always am, I finally found the time to write about Myanmar.

To start of, this trip to Myanmar was probably one of the most impressive and remarkable trips I’ve ever made. Since I was very busy with school before going on the trip I didn’t prepare anything at all. And honestly that paid off! I will admit that it wasn’t the most practical move I made, but since I didn’t know anything about the country with its nature and culture, I got positively surprised multiple times. During our trip we traveled from Yangon to Mandalay which also included staying at Kalaw, Inle Lake, and Bagan.

Yangon:

We started of in Yangon, ‘the big city’. I immediately noticed that the Burmese people still live so authentic (which I enjoyed the most about this trip). For example both women and men wore longyi’s (same as a sarong) and covered their shoulders. In order not to offend the locals, I decided to buy some t shirts, long pants, and a longyi.

While walking towards Yangon’s Central Station we stopped by our first pagoda (not knowing that we would come across with at least hundred other pagoda’s during this trip): the Sula Pagoda. A monk gave us a tour which was very interesting but sometimes uncomfortable as well since I didn’t want to take part in any of the rituals.  Arriving at the Central Station we bought our tickets and had to wait for 50 minutes until the next train would arrive! We took the circular line and travelled towards a random destination where we would get off. It was a very nice experience sitting in the train, in the door opening, while the train slowly took us across many things to see.

After getting of, we took a taxi towards ‘the Laying Buddha’. We stopped there for a while to see the immense statue but soon continued our way towards the main highlight of the day: The Shwedagon Pagoda. Since one of the taxi drivers told us it was the most beautiful during sunset, we had to rush to the temple. Well, we didn’t make it in time but it was still very nice to see since the pagoda was so big.

The next day we walked towards a local market and stopped by a shopping mall where I was able to buy some ‘appropriate’ clothing. In the afternoon we got stuck in traffic while going to the ‘bus stop’. Arriving at a place you wouldn’t see as a nice bus stop we were surprised by the (VIP) night bus who brought us to the next destination: Kalaw.

Kalaw:

We arrived around 4:30AM in the small village and it was actually cold (not realizing that the village lays 1300 meters above sea level)! We went to our hotel and slept for a few hours. While walking to a viewpoint we came across a market where all the locals did their groceries, which I enjoyed very much. After enjoying the amazing view and having a great lunch we rented bikes and had a very intensive steep ride towards a pagoda where a monk invited us in to have some tea. Next, we cycled to the Shwe Oo Min Paya. After admiring the many golden pagodas, we walked into the caves which was even more impressive. The caves were completely filled with Buddhas, and if no one was talking it was completely silent. On our way back we stopped by a golf course where the guys had their moment.

From Kalaw to Inle Lake:

Today was the day, we started our trekking. In the morning we were picked up by our two guides in a ‘taxi’ and drove to the location where we would start the trekking. Besides walking in the mud and being very exhausted it was such an incredible experience! The scenery changed every once in a while (which was astonishing) and we visited a few small villages from different tribes. Another highlight was the lunch which was provided by our very own talented chef. Afterwards we even got one hour to take a nap haha! After walking for twenty kilometers we reached the village where we would spend the night. It was obviously quite different from a hotel: a ‘shower’ behind a small wall and sleeping on such a thin mattress you’re basically sleeping on the floor. However, we had such a nice evening eating together and making music with the locals.

After a rough night of sleep, we woke up at six, had some breakfast, and continued the trekking. The first part was quite intensive, since it was all uphill, but after that it was easier. Even though the nature was still very beautiful, I noticed that I wasn’t paying that much attention to it anymore. I was very tired and I had pain in my back and feet. When we reached our final village around noon and had our final meal. After that our guides brought us to the boats which brought us to our resort on Inle Lake. The afternoon included: showering, resting by the pool, enjoying a massage, having dinner, and going to bed.

Inle Lake:

Today we did a boat tour over Inle Lake. With two boats we travelled across the beautiful lake stopping at a few of the lake’s highlights: a weaving workshop, pagoda, boat and cigar workshop, silversmith, monastery, woodcarving workshop, and one other big pagoda. It was very nice to sit in the boat, get a tan, and see some local workshops. However, we immediately noticed that the spots we visited were not that local since the prices were in US$ and you could pay by credit card.

Together with the girls we spend our final day on Inle lake at the resort. After enjoying the breakfast for as long as possible and packed our bags, we laid by the pool until the boat picked us up.  It took an hour before we reached the village from which the bus would pick us up. We found an amazing restaurant who sold lovely Arabic dishes for a very good price and just opened a few days earlier.

 

Bagan:

So the plan was that we would arrive in Bagan at 3:30AM, drop our bags, and watch the sunrise. Therefore, we didn’t book a hotel for that night. However, we arrived two hours later with rain which meant: no sunrise, no hotel. We went to the hotel which we booked for the following night, dropped our luggage, and rented E-bikes. After we drove for a while, Ruben’s bike broke down, got stuck in a traffic jam, and had breakfast in a sketchy ‘restaurant’, we visited a few pagodas. The pagodas in Bagan where so different from the ones we saw until so far! Instead of the shiny golden and glamorous ones these (which I liked more) where just made oud of bricks, blending in with the nature.  After cruising around a bit more and stopping by the lake, we went to the hotel where we had some good sleep and room service.

Another day, another attempt to see the sunrise. Sitting on one of the higher temples we already figured that because of the clouds we wouldn’t get the most beautiful sunrise. Even though we didn’t get to see the sunrise and balloons we were hoping for, it was still a very nice experience. After getting back to the hotel and having breakfast, we rented the e-bikes again and had a very adventurous trip towards the viewing point.  We visited another few temples, stopped by at a market, and drove through some cornfields (yes we did that). In the afternoon we relaxed at the pool and we watched the sunrise on top of a hill.

Mandalay:

After a very interesting bus trip (read: lack of air-conditioning and hygienic employees) we arrived at our final destination. Since we only had one day, we did some quick sightseeing including a gold leaf workshop, market where they sell jades, and the palace. I do have to say that at this point was very exhausted of all the days sleeping irregular. This caused me not being able to enjoy everything to the fullest. Next to that, I also didn’t like the city as much as the other villages we have been to. However, together with a few we went to a spa where we were able to relax with some massage and manicure.

To conclude, I can say that in this special country I enjoyed the small villages the most. The Burmese people were so kind and eager to help. It was very nice to experience their way of living! If you want to see more of our trip (in 2 minutes and 10 seconds), you can watch the aftermovie by clicking here.

Getting ‘lazy’ in Langkawi

Getting into the travel vibe, Dirk, Thijn, and I decided to go on another trip, this time to Langkawi! Two days after getting back from KL we booked our flights for the weekend.

Thursday morning, we went to the Changi Airport to get our flight to Langkawi. Arriving there, it seemed quite the same as Singapore (can you image getting used to the hot temperature?!). It took about twenty minutes to reach our beautiful hostel Tubotel. Located next to the beach and being decorated with bright colors, it was the perfect accommodation for a relaxing weekend on the island.

After having pizza for lunch, we walked towards the beach. Even though it was weird that the water of the sea wasn’t actually cold, we definitely enjoyed our afternoon over there! After swimming in the sea for a while we found a really nice bar where we were able to sit and lay on the beach while having a drink. As soon as it started to rain we walked our way back to the hostel, and after a quick shower we had some late dinner at a local restaurant next to Tubotel.

Waterfalls, crocodiles, and car problems:

As soon as we finished our surprisingly good breakfast (imagine some Nutella pancakes after eating fruit and kaya toast for a month), we rented out own car for the day. We started our day of with visiting the Seven Wells Waterfall. After an intensive walk, because of humidity, we arrived at the waterfall. Besides admiring the different wells which the locals used for a swim, we hid under a roof for the tropical rain. After hiding out for about twenty minutes we decided to just not care about the rain and walk towards the bottom of the waterfall. We took a few pictures and then we went back to our car.

Wanting to go to ‘Tiger Tiger’ we had some nice lunch in oriental village. Arriving at the park we found out that the main event in the park was the elephant ride. Now we all know that elephants don’t actually enjoy the rides so we decided not to go into the park. Since Dirk really wanted to go, we went to the Crocodile farm instead. After seeing more crocodiles than I did in my entire life and watching them being fed, we went on our way to the next waterfall.

Driving towards the Temerun waterfall we already noticed that our car wasn’t working properly, but yet kept going. Arriving at the Temerun Waterfall we decided to take a swim. However, I (as a girl) had the feeling that it would be inappropriate to swim in my normal swimwear since the women that did actually go into the water (most were sitting on the side) were completely covered up. So I went into the water with my clothes on! When we wanted to go back we found out that the car was unable to start. Luckily there was a group of young travelers who were able to help us with the car. Driving our way back towards our Village the car stopped working again and we were stranded on the side of a road. After waiting for a while, the car renting company was able to give us a new car so we could continue our way.

Kayaking through the mangrove:

The next morning, we were being picked up by a van which brought us to the departure destination. We were surprised at first because we left the main platform with a group of 40 people and a tour guide. Together with the group we got a short tour through a bat cave and we walked next to the mangrove. However, when the rest of the group got a tour at the fish farm, the guide continued with us for our kayak tour. It was such an impressive experience! With the four of us we went kayaking and after a short while we reached the mangrove. It was so peaceful and quit, even though the speed boats weren’t that far away. After kayaking for a while the guide asked us if we would want to take a swim. It took some intense kayaking in the heavy waters, but eventually we reached a private small beach where we were able to rest and take a swim. We continued kayaking afterwards and went towards the most breathtaking experience. We stopped somewhere in the middle of the water and were surrounded by eagles flying around. It was so beautiful to see them from such a short distance! After our final kayaking, we ended the tour with an included (yeah) lunch.

The rest of the afternoon and evening consisted of some ultimate chilling, including taking a tan and eating tacos.

Standing in the clouds and (finally) eating satay:

We wanted to start of our final full day in Langkawi with taking the SkyCab. But since it was pouring rain we did a sort of road trip instead. We stopped by Eagle Square which is famous for its big eagle statue. After driving around some more we went back to Cenang where I had some delicious shawarma. Since the sky had cleared up we decided to go to the Panaroma Langkawi where we took the SkyCab into the mountains. Even though people already warned us, we were still surprised by the clouds. Because of the clouds the view wasn’t that great and since you almost couldn’t see the famous Sky Bridge, we decided not to go up there.

We spend the rest of the afternoon at our favorite spot on the beach and took our last swim. We were sitting next to a very cool Dutch couple who were travelling around Malaysia for their vacation. After some nice talks we went to the Pasar Malam! Sadly it started raining again, but that definitely did not stop me from eating my satay! The night market wasn’t that big but I was still very satisfied with my dinner which included 12 satays and 1 big piece of delicious grilled chicken.

To conclude, this weekend consisted both of relaxing and intensive sightseeing, but especially a lot of good food. By clicking here you can watch the after movie I made of our trip!

Spending the weekend in KL

Being busy with lectures and travelling I finally found some time to post about our trip to Kuala Lumpur, which we visited in the first weekend of September.

On Wednesday afternoon we were able to collect our Student Pass (visa) which enables us to travel around and use fast lanes at the immigration point. Since we couldn’t leave Singapore before collecting our pass we planned our first trip the day after we collected our pass.

Thursday morning, we travelled to KL by bus. Not looking forward to the five our trip because of the bad reviews, I was surprised when the inside of the bus looked like business class (including massage chairs). Thanks to some nice conversations and good Blacklist episodes the trip went by very fast. We had a short stop after arriving in Malaysia where we found out the major price differences between Malaysia and Singapore. Arriving at our hostel, which was located in a huge and fancy suite complex, we met the other guys who joined us on the trip. In total we spend the weekend with 14 people and we had the hostel/apartment for ourselves! After enjoying the infinity pool for a while, we went to the Petronas Twin Towers with a few. First we had dinner at the mall attached to the towers (I got to eat shawarma!!) and then we went back to the towers for our ‘Petronas picture moment’.

 

Batu caves & China Town:

The next morning, we got up quite early to visit the Batu Caves nearby Kuala Lumpur. It was a very hot but beautiful day to do some outdoor sightseeing! Arriving there, we soon saw the huge golden statue in front of the caves which was very impressive. After climbing the 272 steps we arrived in the highest cave where we were surprised by cute looking, but very savage, monkeys. Besides taking pictures of monkeys we also did the Dark Cave Tour. After walking into cave for a while we had to switch of the lights and we were able to experience complete darkness which was really impressive.

After the tour we split up and together with a few we went to China Town. It is one of the famous spots where you can buy many fake brands for very low prices. But before negotiating about every price we had lunch in a Chinese restaurant. The food wasn’t my favorite, and so wasn’t the toilet, but it was definitely a nice experience. Just when we finished the shops down the street, it started to rain very hard so we went home. After relaxing in the apartment for a bit and ordering some pizza’s we went to a café in the Trec Area where we were just able to sit back and talk with one another.

Thean Hou Temple, China Town, and the Heli Lounge:

The next morning Dirk, Thijn, and I got out of bed early and went to the Thean Hou Temple. It is a very big and bright temple with elements of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. We walked around and in the temple for a while and saw many couples getting their Bridal photo-shoot. Since we didn’t have internet we couldn’t order an Uber, so we walked around the streets for 30 minutes around the area to find a taxi. When we finally found a taxi, we went to China Town again (since going to China Town with a group of guys makes you look at less things then you actually want). Because the line at the aquarium was very long we went to Time Square, a huge shopping mall which includes a theme park, where we had lunch and bought a few items.

After relaxing for a bit at the apartment and having dinner downstairs, we went to the Heli Lounge. The bar was located on a heli deck on top of a high building. It was a breathtaking, open air experience since you could see the whole city by night including the famous towers. When we finished our drink we went to the Petronas Twin Towers one more time for a few pictures.

The next morning, we had to get up early for the bus ride. Even though I didn’t feel that well we had a safe trip and arrived in Singapore again in the afternoon!

Although I wouldn’t go back very fast, it was a very nice experience for our first trip. You can watch a short after movie of our trip by clicking here. Next week I will post something about the previous weekend we spent in Langkawi!

Going to Singapore Zoo and booking my trips

The past week was just a ‘normal’ lecture week. Luckily there were a few highlights!

Last Sunday we went to Singapore Zoo! After a short Uber ride we arrived in the crowded zoo. Such a cool thing about the zoo was that most animals don’t live in cages. The more dangerous animals were separated from us, by for example water. But animals like monkeys and birds actually had the opportunity to move freely within the zoo. The other funny thing was that the zoo was filled with tropical plants and trees, which is of course very normal in Singapore with its environment. However, it reminded me of these ‘artificial tropical environment’ zones that you will find in zoos in The Netherlands, where they try to simulate the environment of countries. It was very hot that day. In the beginning we were walking actively but eventually we walked from bench to bench, preferably with air-conditioning. After seeing the whole zoo and watching two shows we went back to our campus again. You can watch a short after movie by clicking here.

Unfortunately, my normal week now consists of four days with lectures. The STARS program didn’t work in my favor so now I have a class every day (with a class on Friday from 14:30 till 18:30!!) except for Thursday. But hey, an exchange is not only about travelling. In the end you will also need your course credits.

A few NTU students from the HOGC invited me to have dinner with them on Tuesday. It was very nice to get to know them better and it was also very fun! But I also got to learn more about the HOGC and Christianity in Singapore. Most of the people who go to the HOGC are first generation Christians, which means that most of them are the first (and only) Christian in their family. When they told this to me, I immediately understood why the church is so passionate about Jesus. For example, most Christians in Europe grow up with the bible and don’t see the relevance of it after a few years. But these young people just got to know about Jesus, so they live radically for Him! I am so excited to be more inspired about how the HOGC people live their life and I can’t wait to hear more of their stories.

Wednesday I was able to meet with Robert and Sophie, since they ended their trip with a few days of Singapore. The idea that I was in Singapore with one of my housemates from the Netherlands was pretty cool! We met each other in The Shops near Marina Bay Sands where we had some coffee. Then we walked towards Marina Square where we were able to have dinner with an amazing view over Marina Bay.

This week we also booked two trips! At the end of this week we will go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Besides exploring the city, we will be able to experience both the National Day and the Hari Raya Haji Holidays! The other country, which we will visit during our recess week, is Myanmar! With 11 days of travelling we will be able to travel across the country and experience its culture.

Next week I will tell you something about the Singapore Night Festival and perhaps even a bit about our trip to KL!

Riding a tandem, visting Little India, and going to church

It is the start of a new week, which means I will give a new update about the past seven days!

Last Sunday we went to Palau Ubin. Together with a group of Duthies, Frenchmen, English people, and a Canadian we travelled across Singapore with the transportation system for more than three hours! We arrived at a Hawker’s food court where we were having lunch. After eating some satay’s, we went to the boats which brought us to Palau Ubin. Arriving at the island we were looking for some bikes to do a mountain bike course. Dirk and I decided to go by tandem but that probably wasn’t the smartest idea haha! After riding on the main road for a while we soon discovered that the mountain bike course would become a tough task. Even though the tandem wasn’t the smartest idea and I got scared multiple times, we had a very fun time and were able to enjoy the beautiful nature! You can watch a (short) after movie of our Palau Ubin experience by clicking here.

This week the fall semester started, which meant that I had my first (four hour!!) lecture on Monday at 8.30AM. In the first two weeks you have the possibility to add and drop courses in the STARS program. Since it is very hard to get the courses you want, at least for me it was, students also call this period the ‘STAR wars’. After one week I managed to get enough courses and this week I will try to make the courses fit into a nice schedule.

Thursday I went to Little India with Mila who is studying at NUS. We met at a MRT station and travelled the last part together. We walked around Little India to get some good first impressions and after a short walk we ate some naan bread with curry for lunch in a small restaurant. Since we had some time left we walked towards Arab street. It was a fifteen-minute walk, but because of the heat it felt like we had to walk way longer. The Arab street was so beautiful! Besides the Sultan Mosque, the street had all kind of restaurants and little shops. Walking a bit further we ended up in a street full of street art, café’s, and urban shops. To see more about our visit to Little India and Arab Street you can click here to see the short video on my Instagram.

This Saturday I went to church for the first time! Thanks to pastor Henk I got into contact with Nadia, a young woman working in Singapore. After at least an hour of travelling across Singapore I reached the station near the Heart Of God Church. It is a huge church which focusses on the youth and young adults. I was amazed by how big the church was, and even though I didn’t understand the whole service (since it was a special service for the Mandarin speaking people) it felt really good to be there. After the service I got introduced to many people from which there were also many (NTU) students. We all went to the Marina Square food court where I got to know everyone a little, but they especially got to know me (since they asked me a lot haha). I really wanted to visit the MUJI store, so we went there and they actually surprised me by giving me a notebook! Initially I thought that going to church here for the first would be pretty scary. But everyone was so friendly and I really felt like a warm welcome, so I am very thankful for that.

Next week I will tell you about our visit to the Singapore Zoo and the other things I will experience this week!

Taking off, arrving, and wandering around the city

After a chaotic but interesting and fun week I finally found some time to sit down and write. The past week existed of saying goodbye, arriving in this crazy city, trying to settle down, and of course exploring the country where I will spend the next couple of months!

Last Monday the big day arrived. The day that I had to say my final goodbye’s and that I took off to a place far from home. After some encouraging words and many tears, I walked towards the security check, knowing that months will pass by before I will see The Netherlands and some of my favorite people again. Luckily I wasn’t travelling alone. Together with three guys from IBA we took off and flew our way to Qatar where we had to transfer. By walking around at the airport and playing cards the time passed by pretty quick. After the next eight-hour flight which consisted of eating and sleeping we arrived in Singapore! Fully packed with our luggage in a taxi we went to the hostel where we would stay for the first two nights. Walking around looking for a place to eat, we found out that our hostel was located near Little India! After having dinner, wandering around the quarter, and sitting at a café we went back to the hostel.

On our first full day we were able to experience the National Independence Day of Singapore! In the morning we walked towards Marina Bay to see some of the highlights. Not being used to the Singaporean heat, we went to a shopping mall nearby to have lunch and enjoy the air conditioning. After walking around the bay, we decided to find some place to sit to enjoy a show full of airplanes and fireworks. Even though it took some time between the different parts of the show, it was very impressive to watch! After the show was done we walked together with the mass of people finding a place to eat. This was a pretty tough task since almost al places to eat were closed.

The next two days consisted of arriving at Nanyang, getting my room, joining some information sessions, and being amazed by the campus. Besides buying some items at the local mall which I need for a comfortable stay and getting lost around campus for a couple of times, I realized that in the various food courts around campus I can definitely enjoy some meals for the upcoming months.

Saturday afternoon we decided to go to the Gardens by the Bay to enjoy the lightshow. After walking around in front of the Marina Bay Sands we found the big trees and it didn’t take long before we could experience a beautiful and impressive show. After eating some weird noodles in China Town we sat down at the bridge by Clarke Que where we could enjoy the nice temperature and lovely view.

You can watch the aftermovie of last week by clicking here. Next week I will tell you something about our small trip to Palau Ubin and other things I will experience this upcoming week!

Packing my bags and saying goodbye

Hello friends and family,

There are only 24 hours left before my plane will take off to Singapore! I can’t believe that after talking about this opportunity for more than half a year, the moment has arrived and that I will actually go. It is so exciting yet so scary to leave the Netherlands for almost six months. Leaving my room in Tilburg and not being able to stop by in Almelo whenever I want. But of course also leaving the people behind that I care about.

So last week I got to say goodbye to many friends and family. During this cloudy but warm day I was able to enjoy the company of the people that I love with much laughter and much food. By clicking here you can watch a short aftermovie that I made during that day!

This week existed of saying goodbye to others and preparing for my big adventure. Having to choose between clothes and shoes is a tough task, especially if you find out that you should halve the selection you already made. But it worked out, eventually. Together with my suitcase, and backpack, I will be able to survive Singapore for at least the upcoming months!

Realizing that my adventure will start tomorrow, I am of course thinking about how it will be. Meeting new people, enjoying the food, and seeing new places. But also missing my family, friends, and Thomas. However, I believe that it will be such a good experience for me to find out things on my own not depending on others. In five months you will see a grown-up version of me haha!

If you want to keep updated with me and my, hopefully, many adventures, you can do that by checking out this blog. Depending on the things I will experience, I am planning to write a weekly blog about my life in the beautiful Singapore. I also hope to make short videos of my week which will go with each blog post. Even though I am not sure whether that will actually happen, I can assure you that my next post will be written at least 10.388 km from here!