Happy New Year 2021 everyone! Most of us all struggled to survive 2020 but finally we can move to the next chapter, 2021. Jake and I had a really hard time trying to survive, especially financially and mentally. Our reunion in Bali is also still pending, which originally should have been April 2020 but finally, instead, we were able to met up in October 2020 in Turkey. Many plans needed to be put on hold for a while but at least we survived! We are so grateful to have friends and family around us who always give us support. We don’t have many wishes for 2021 since we still don’t know when the situation will be back to normal. We only wish that all of us can have a better life in 2021 in any aspect, Amen.
On the second day, after we had breakfast and took some pictures at our first Hotel in Izmir, we checked out and headed to the leather factory in Selcuk. Selcuk is one of the cities in the Izmir province. It only took about 15 minutes to reach from our first hotel. Izmir is famous for the quality of it’s leather. According to the manager at the leather factory, in the Greek era, Izmir didn’t obtain paper supplies from Egypt so the people needed to think of an alternative. Animal leather was their solution. That was the history of the establishment of the leather factory in Izmir.
In the leather factory called Kobakko, they would hold a private fashion show for every group that came to their factory. Sometimes they would invite you to join to their fashion show with all their gorgeous models, hahaha. The quality of their leather is really good, you will get a lifetime guarantee if you buy their collection. Although, their normal price is high at about $1000 – $7000 depending on the model and material. They will give you discounts up to 70% but if you still think it’s not in your budget, no harm trying to negotiate a bit lower :). Oh they also have an orange garden outside. If you want to, they will let you to pick some oranges for free!
One of our group tour participant join the fashion showAnother group tour participant join the fashion showKobakko’s collectionOrange farm
After shopping-time was done, we headed to Ephesus. Ephesus is an ancient Greek city on the coast of Kusadasi which is three kilometres southwest of present-day Selcuk in Izmir Province. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of the former by Attic and Ionian Greek colonist. During the classical greek era, it was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian league. The city flourished after it came under the control of the Roman empire in 129 BC.
The city was famous for its nearby Artemis Temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and famous for its library called Library of Celcus. There is also a theatre capable of holding 25,000 spectators. If you have the time and want to explore more, up in the hill there is a house that, in legend, is said was a house of the Virgin Mary. The house where she spent the last years of her life in Ephesus.
A lot of explanation and description signs are available for you to read and learn in Ephesus. Forget about the people who walk around you and walk around slowly. Imagine you are traveling back in time by listening to some classical Greek songs while reading those descriptions. Oh, watch your step! It could be slippery at some parts 🙂 and don’t forget to take some amazing pictures!
The entrance gate to EphesusEphesus museum shopNear the entrance of EphesusAmphitheatre The home of hundred kitties!At the Amphitheatre In the front of Library of Celcus
In the late afternoon, after we had lunch, we went to Pamukkale, which means Cotton Castle in Turkish. This area was declared as a World Heritage Site and is famous for its carbonate minerals that are left by the flowing thermal spring waters. The rich mineral waters attracted people to visit this area for thousand of years and was used as a Spa since the 2nd century BC. It is located in Turkey’s Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley.
The ancient Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis was built on top of it. It can be seen from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli. In the period of the Roman Empire, Hierapolis and its site were a health centre. Thousands of people used to come to the baths. Today’s Antique Pool that we called Cleopatra’s Pool was shaped by the earthquake which happened in the 7th century AD. The marble portico with Ionic arrangement fell into the spring during that earthquake.
Puppies around PamukkaleI don’t think Turkish people know covid-19 The cotton castleHeaven on EarthJake at the thermal poolHierapolis Ancient CityCleopatra’s Pool
We’ll continue again soon with the next destination..
Every year, I would always spend some of my annual time off to travel to Singapore. It started back in 2016. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do that this year though, since COVID-19 became a pandemic. I cancelled my flight to Singapore last March 2020. Sad? of course, but hopefully I can go back there next year. I’m sure some of you have had that same experience like me, had a travel plan that couldn’t happen this year due to the travel restrictions around the world. Jake and I also had a plan for a trip to Japan in October but we need to postpone it to next year. Let’s cross our fingers that we can go to wherever we want in 2021 🙂
I would like to share our last trip, which was short, and some tips for visiting Singapore in 3 days and 2 nights. Hope this will give you an idea on what you can do in a short period in Singapore.
On the Plane
Ngurah Rai Airport
Transportation
It’s easy to get around in Singapore. The public transportation such as the Bus and MRT are well maintained with easy access to everywhere. If you need more speed and don’t mind paying a bit more, you can also choose the Taxis, (Grab/Gojek are also available here) their drivers are really good when it comes to communication. I always have good conversations with them every time but if you are an introvert they’re usually not going to push you into conversation.
The cost of MRT will range from 60 cents to SG$1.50, depending on how far you want to travel of course. You can buy tickets for each individual journey in every station. Get your ez-Link to be used for MRT trip and you can purchase the ez-Link card for $12 in every station with a value of $7. For me, MRT is the best way to get around Singapore.
Public buses are cheap, easy to use and they cover virtually every corner of Singapore. They operate from 6am to midnight every day . Most fares depend on distance and range from SG$.80 for a non-air-conditioned bus, and SG$ 1.50 for air-conditioned routes. There are also buses that charge a flat rate to the destinations displayed on the front of the bus. For a comprehensive guide on bus time-tables, routes and fares, it’s a good idea to buy a copy of the TransitLink Guide, which is sold for SG$ 1.50 at most bookstores. Like travel on the MRT, you can buy tickets for each individual journey or get a stored value card, allowing you to make multiple trips.
There’s also Singapore Tourist Pass, which is a special ez-link card that offers tourists unlimited travel on Singapore’s basic bus services, MRT and LRT trains for the duration that it is valid for as low as SG$10 per day. Find out more about the different passes here!
Singapore has more than 15,000 air-conditioned taxis. All taxis run on the meter but there are surcharges applicable when using the expressways and also if travelling within the Central Business District from 7.30am-9.30am and 5.30pm-7pm on weekdays. The fares are SG$ 2.40 for the first 1.5km, and then 10 cents for each additional 240m. However, there are quite often extra charges – such as for entering the CBD area at peak hours, travelling from the airport or travelling after midnight – so your final charge can come to more than what’s indicated on the meter. Want another option? Get the Grab/Gojek Taxi apps that are available in the apps store. Although it’s a cheaper option, it’s cheapest to choose either MRT or buses. But with those two, sometimes in the peak hour you need to wait longer. Taxis are also available from the airport, with a levy surcharge of SG$3.
Singapore MRT
Accommodation
In my opinion, the accommodation cost in Singapore is quite expensive, but of course you still can have a good deal in some of Online Travel Agents such as Booking.com, Agoda or Hotels.com. And Airbnb could also be one of the options to get an affordable place to stay in Singapore. From cheap hostels to luxury 5 star hotels are available in Singapore. I usually choose a Hostel type of accommodation since I used to be a solo traveller and didn’t need a fancy place to stay as long as it was clean and comfy. Here I give you some recommendations of Hostels that I would suggest to you based on my experience. Two of my suggestions would be Adler Hosteland The Inn Crowd. If you need more privacy, a couple hotels I would suggest would be 81 Orchid and Hotel Classic by Venue. Just a tip, Singapore is a really safe place. Last time I went there with Jake and there’s no harm in getting something more comfortable right?. Our choice was Copthorne King’s Hotel, that was a nice hotel in a good location.
It’s been a while since the last time I wrote in the blog. I hope everyone is safe and healthy. Many things have happened during these months but I’m sure we can get through it together.
Back when I was in Ubud on february, I had the chance to have lunch at Green Kubu Cafe. This place is popular, especially among local residents. Green Kubu has many aspects that you might wish for a restaurant. It is located near Tegalalang rice terrace. If you are near the area, it’s a good idea to visit and enjoy your lunch time. If you are on a tight budget for food, no worries! The cost for 2 person is about IDR 70,000 – 120,000 and what they can offer you is quite good!
If you’re looking for the instagrammable spot, in this case you want a nice view of a rice terrace Green Kubu is a good choice. There are the cute and colorful bean bags and parasols that you can use for your pictures and green rice fields that will refresh your eyes and mind. Such a good combo, isn’t it? 😊
Colorful vibesRestaurant vibesNasi Goreng and Ice Tea
Hi everyone, we are Jacob and Ayu. Jacob is a worker in a large flooring company in the USA and Ayu is a Hotelier in Bali. We love to share our hobbies, travelling, culinary, gaming and our daily life.
We are both currently living in two separate places. Jacob is living in North Carolina for work and study, while Ayu is a full timer Hotelier. Is long distance relationship hard? Oh, very much! That’s why the idea of creating a blog came up so we both have the media to share and even though we are far from each other we have something that we can work and grow together as a team.
The fun fact about us is, we know each other from game online! An online game where you can meet new friends and socialize with people all across the world, while fighting monsters and raiding dungeons! This game is called Final Fantasy XIV, it’s not all about fighting monster and raiding the dungeons, it’s always nice to have the option to sit back and relax, socializing with friends or random people online, playing mini games, crafting items, gathering materials and remodelling your home. This type of game is called a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game(MMORPG) and there are many other MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft and The Elder Scrolls Online that you can try!.
At first, we were close to each other because we have similar hobbies and music taste, (other than we both love playing the same game). Now we want more than that, we have the same dream and goals. We believe that we can make great teamwork as a couple! Fighting!
Everyone has their own wish list of what they want to have, what they want to be, where they want to go, and many other goals. This is what is generally called a New Year Resolution. Some people may have resolution about their appearance, just like how we know that some people want to go on a proper diet so they can lose weight and feel more confident and healthier. Others may have resolutions about their job or their money such as obtaining a better job and raising their salary to be able to purchase their needs and wishes (pay tuition, buy a house, buy a car, etc).
Speaking of which, we also have our resolution, which are maaaanyyyy.. 😀 hahaha. But for sure our top priority for now is to have more money (lol) so we will be able to meet each other more frequently and be able to travel more often together. The final goal, since we have our own blog now, is to grow this blog and to share useful information for the reader and, if possible, make money too!
Any resolution that you guys might have, we wish that you will achieve it. Hopefully there are not too many obstacles on the way!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 EVERYONE! Feel the love and be happy!
Wander and Explore 