Mostly only in Vietnam, part of my experience in central part of Vietnam (23/8 - 27/8)

Hello guys, Happy Merdeka Day (Happy National Days)!!! 
Few days ago I've been back from Vietnam tour (23/8 till 27/8)...

I am here to share a bit of my thoughts about the things that I had seen in Vietnam...

Last few days I had been to Central part of Vietnam - Da Nang, Hue and Hoi An. From these few places, I had found some interest things to share to you guys... I will also indirectly make some comparison with the live in Malaysia, my country.

1. Motorcycles are everywhere.

Basically, motorcycles are everywhere in Vietnam. This is because of their roads and highways are not that wide and smooth as in Malaysia. Futhermore, car ownership in Vietnam is considered as something extremely luxurious for their people as most of the car were imported and got imposed by taxes.

Peak hour after working hours in Danang, Vietnam

Therefore, many people there opt for motorcycles as theirs mode of transportation as it is cheaper and easier to get a motorcycle license there. Motorcycles were also unable them to travel through some narrow street and cutting through hustling and bustling roads.

Motorcycles parked somewhere in Hue, Vietnam.

2. Jaywalking

Jaywalking in Malaysia is definitely a norm, however in Vietnam, jaywalking is also a norm for them. The only difference is that there are absolutely countless motorcycles and other mode of vehicles on the road which is also poising a challenge for the tourists in Vietnam to cross over the street... Usually, the locals there cross the street slowly and steadily as the drivers and motocycles usually being able to predict if there are pedestrians walking across the street. So, there is no problem jaywalking across the hustling and bustling street in Vietnam. Furthermore, there are so many cameras on the road, so the drivers wouldn't dare to simply accelerate on the road. Therefore, crossing the road steadily if there's no traffic light for pedestrians. Oh ya, some drivers and motorcyclists will use honks to urge the pedestrians cross the street faster.

Jaywalking across the street... View from Danang market.

3. Cheaper beer
Vietnam has cheaper beer compared to in Malaysia. This is because Malaysia is a Muslim majority country and the government taxed heavily on any alcohol drinks as it is deemed as non-halal beverage. However, in Vietnam, many people were not Muslim, they were either Buddhists, Catholic or even Atheists. Therefore, drinking alcohol or beer there isn't any problem. Besides, the beer there is cheap due to higher demand as compared to in Malaysia.

4. Energy consumption savers
In Vietnam, especially the South and Central part of Vietnam is extremely hot due to its monsoon tropical climate there. Amid the hotness, the locals there were seemingly reluctant to switch on the fans as well as air-conditioners.  Why? This is because of Vietnam has higher chance to face severe power shortage from 2021 year and hike in electricity production cost. Therefore, Vietnam electricity is deemed as more precious compared to in Malaysia.

Fans were available in the normal price restaurant, air-conditioners were provided in some expensive restaurants.

5. Roadside food stalls
In Malaysia, there are also have roadside food stalls same as in Vietnam. However, the food stalls in Vietnam usually are using smaller chairs and tables as compared to in Malaysia. There are lots of stools and tables in the food stall as shown in the picture. They are using stools and smaller tables mainly because of they need to cater more spaces to more customer to patronize their foods there. Wow...

Banh mi stall

6. E-hailing motor service
The number of motorcycles in Vietnam is higher as compared to the number of cars. Therefore, the e-hailing motor service is very welcoming in Vietnam. Usually, the grab e-hailing service is by car, however, in Vietnam, the grab e-hailing service is totally localized to cater the locals needs by using motorcycles. Motorcycles are more convenient just as I mentioned on my first point.

Last but not least...
7. Narrow and tall shop lots building
There was a plenty of spaces for building up shop lots in the city and town centres of Vietnam to cater the need of population. Therefore, the shop lots there were built narrowly and upwards.

In my opinion, Vietnam is an interesting country that worth us to visit. There one could see their attitude and creativities in saving up spaces and energy consumption. Not only for that, the people there is also being so disciplined by abiding the traffic laws and no simply speeding on the road as most of the speed limit in Vietnam are at 50km/h to 90km/h. Although the traffics there are always in congestion but the flows of traffic there never stop.

Johor and Singapore trip 2019 (7/8/19 - 9/8/19) part 2 - Singapore One Day Trip from Johor bahru

This is the part two of my Johor and Singapore trip. Part one click link here…

Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Sungai Segget, Johor Bahru.

In the next early morning (8/8/19), I walked from the guest house to the CIQ Malaysia checkpoint in order to get into Singapore. The reason why I wanted to get into Singapore on that timing was to get to feel their National Day’s eve atmosphere as well as I had been 9 years for me didn’t visit there. The Malaysian’s side customs checking was very fast, nevertheless, it was getting slower and long queue when I reached to Singaporean’s side of customs - Woodlands, Singapore. Fortunately, it took less than 20 minutes in order to get my passport stamped there.

Malaysia CIQ checkpoint

There were 2 types of buses get us into Singapore downtown area, which were…

·       CW02 Causeway Link Express Bus from CIQ Malaysia Customs to Singapore Queen Street.

·       170 or 160 or 160x SBS Transit Bus from Larkin Terminal, Johor Bahru to Singapore Queen Street.

Waiting for CW02 express bus

After arriving to Queen Street, I followed a group of people heading to the nearest Bugis MRT station. Then, I made myself an Ez-Link Card there. Ez-Link card is like Singapore version of Touch n Go (Malaysia), where it can literally take you to everywhere in terms of the usageof public transportation. Also, it is being sold at each of the MRT stations as well as nearest 7-eleven stalls in Singapore. I bought Ez-Link card for 12 SGD and 7 SGD was usable.

Ez-Link Card.

Singapore is a small city state, one can easily reach to a destination by just commuting the designated MRT. It was a few stations to reach to Chinatown from Bugis station (along Downtown Line)Chinatown in Singapore, in the previous time, known as Kreta Ayer (Corrupted Malay of “Kereta Air” and in Mandarin Chinese is called as 牛车水). There basically are a variety of Chinese delicacies there for us to give a try… I went to the Hawker center there to try Singapore Hokkien Mee, it was differed than in Penang and Kuala Lumpur styles of hokkien mee… It was indeed stir-fried prawn hokkien mee… I also had visited the Buddhist tooth relic temple there in Chinatown. Here are the photos in Chinatown, Singapore.

Mosque Street, Chinatown (Kreta Ayer), Singapore.

Singaporean Stir fried Hokkien Mee...

After finish visiting Chinatown, I took MRT to Marina Bay there to have a view of Singapore Skyscrapers. These picturesque photos of mine gave a sense of Singapore is so prosperous city compared to in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia. The pictures below were showing Marina Bay, Merlion Park and Financial Hub of Singapore, Victoria Theatre, National Gallery Singapore as well as parlimen and supreme court of Singapore.

Victoria Theatre of Singapore

Parliament of Singapore

Oh yah, I also got visited Singapore National Museum (reachable from Bras Basah, Circle Line MRT and Bencoolen, Downtown Line MRT stations), Their museum collections were almost similar with Malaysia until 1965. Post-independence Singapore was totally different from Malaysia already... It had becoming more united, prosperous and thriving first class nation while Malaysia still have a minor racial tension issues. Oh yah... It is free entrance for Singaporeans, but for non Singaporean Citizens it cost 15SGD and Student Price cost 10SGD.

Singapore National Museum nearby Bras Basah and Bencoolen MRT stations.

The late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew

There was also a place that I did like to visit in Singapore before I was departing to Malaysia. Originally, I intended to visit Geylang of Singapore, a place where prostitution and brothel were legalized there (to have a look of the red-light street). Unfortunately, I went wrong place to Geylang Bahru. Geylang Bahru is just a house planning area with nothing much there. Hence, I just seek for anything to consume there, oh yah I found Singaporean Chicken Rice stall there. Then, I ordered their pork char siew rice, instead of chicken rice… (both the same price SGD 2.50). That stall did offer Char Siew Rice and Chicken Rice, I tried only Char Siew Rice there, the taste just as same as in Malaysia, no difference.

Geylang Bahru MRT station.

Char Siew Rice

In conclusion, Singaporean foods are cheap for them, but for me and the other Malaysians those are so expensive. We pay x3 times to purchase foods which are almost similar with Malaysia.

Checking the time on my watch it was still early to go back to Singapore, that timing was at 4pm. So, I decided to go to the nearby Queen Street bus terminal place to loiter around – Kampong Glam. Kampong Glam is the Arab-Malay enclave in Singapore downtown area. There have lots of Arabian, Mamak and Malay eateries stalls and restaurants lah… For me, it is still more or less the same foods as in Malaysia, no difference as well as these foods Malaysians could find it nearly at all roadsides, mamak or simply a restaurant in Malaysia. So, I didn’t order food there instead. Here are the photos I captured there…

Arab Street

Masjid Sultan, Singapore.

Finally, 5:00pm, it was the time for me to go back to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. I took SBS transit bus 170 from Queen Street to Woodlands custom. As compared to CW02 express bus, this SBS transit bus stopped station to station. It took about slightly more an hour to reach to Kranji Sungei Kadut and there was really congested amid the eve of Singapore’s National Day. I was literally “genius” as I didn’t care about bus driver’s advice of that day would be really jam and took alternative express bus or MRT to customs. After being stuck in the traffic for roughly 30 minutes, I had decided to walk from Kranji to Checkpoint of Woodlands in a bid of going back to JB as fast as possible...

Here are the photos I had taken along the way to the Woodlands checkpoint. Sungei Kadut to Woodlands checkpoint was roughly 5km, it took me a solid an hour to reach there. Then, waiting at the checkpoint there to get my passport checked and yeah! I finally made my way back to Malaysia by crossing the causeway bridge.

Walking 5km to Checkpoint from Kranji, Singapore.

That was my first-time crossing causeway bridge by foot. It was being said that Johor Bahru – Woodlands Causeway Bridge was length about 2km. That was indeed a “leg day” for me. Tiring experience.

Causeway bridge towards JB

Malaysia CIQ checkpoint

Speaking of tiring, look at this picture… There were many people including me queuing up at Malaysian Citizens electronic passport checking line… Again, this is also my first time to see that crowd in order to getting back to Malaysia.

On the next day 9/8/19 - Singapore's National day, it was the last day for me in Johor Bahru. After I had check-out from the guesthouse, I simply strolled in the JB city centre.

Here are the places I had strolled around before going back to Kuala Lumpur.

Stulang Laut, stulang laut is a suburb which is facing towards Johor Straits and Singapore. Stulang Laut also has its duty-free zone shopping mall as well as ferry services to Batam, Indonesia and Singapore (Harbour city or Changi).

Stulang Laut beach

Foon Yew Independent High School

And then these temples as well as Bangunan Sultan Ibrahim…

Johor Chinese Old Temple

Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple.

Bangunan Sultan Ibrahim

Okay… time to end this blog post regarding of Southern Johor and Singapore. Initially, before visiting to both Johor Bahru and Singapore, I thought that living in Johor Bahru and working in Singapore was a good idea. Until… I had visited both places, my delusion was totally disappeared. Yes, you can get three times (x3) more money in terms of currency there in Singapore, however, you are indirectly sacrificing your health and money by sleeping late and waking up early in order to get to there almost everyday basis. For me, I will stay in a place and get a job in that place (eg: Live in JB, work in JB or Live in SG, work in SG).

Alright, that’s all of my today’s blog post. I hope you all are enjoying reading my blog. Please do subscribe to my blog too. Thank you, see you guys in the next blog post.

Johor and Singapore trip (7/8/19 - 9/9/19) part 1 - Pontian and Johor Bahru

This is the part one of my Johor- Singapore trip. Second part link here*

Hello everybody! After the brief part time job in July, I decided to travel to south Johor state and Singapore. The reason for me to do is because I rarely been to the Southern part of Johor state of Malaysia. Meanwhile, the last I had been to Singapore was 9 years ago before for me this time travelling there again…

Singapore downtown... Part 2 will be talking more about it...

In that trip, I had travelled 3 destinations which 2 were in Johor state and Singapore.

·       Johor is considered as one of the large states in West Malaysia. Basically, Johor already covered the majority southern part of Peninsular Malaysia or also known as West Malaysia. It is the only state with two coastlines facing to Malacca Straits and South China Sea as well as the only state in Malaysia which shares border with Singapore, a small city state. Most of the Johor economy hub is in the southern part of Johor also known as Iskandar region. Southern part of Johor is thriving and being much benefited due to its proximity with neighboring country, Singapore. In Iskandar region, Johor Bahru especially, the Singaporeans spend their money when the national celebrations or occasions are around the corner. This made Iskandar region an economy hub with highest cost of living in the Johor State (compared to the northern Johor and eastern Johor).

·        For Singapore, it was being part of Malaysia, but it got its independence since 9^th of August 1965 due to political and racial tensions reason with Malaysia federation in the 60’s. Then, the Singapore founding father, the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew who was a visionary leader being able to develop Singapore from a fishing village into the city with first world kind of living and facilities. That was really a miracle as Singapore a nation without any natural resources also could develop to this date first world status, which is largely due to their leaders and civilians were good in managing resources effectively and being creative and innovative in searching for resources. Well… This year, I made my plan to visit Singapore on its eve of National Day (9^th of August) was to get to look their amenities and of course food and culture there compared to in Malaysia.

Pontian Kecil main T-junction to Johor Bahru and Batu Pahat.

In the first day of the trip (7^th August 2019), I departed from express bus station of KL TBS (Terminal Bas Bersepadu) to Pontian Kecil, Johor in the early morning. It took about 4 to 5 hours to reach there. Upon reaching there, I was hungry and craving for their own local delicacies. Under the hot and scorching sun, I had finally found a restaurant which was specialized in cooking for wanton noodle. There had a few choices of wanton noodles such as ketchup sauce, chili sauce or dark soy source wanton noodle. However, ketchup or chili sauce wanton noodle were the norm for the locals there to patronize there, according to the owner of the wanton noodle restaurant. The picture below was the ketchup wanton noodle that I had order, it cost only RM5.00…

Ketchup Wanton Mee.

After finishing my lunch, I simply strolled around the town of Pontian Kecil, Johor… Pontian Kecil, Johor is used to be small fishing village in Pontian District back then, however, as the time goes by, it is gradually developed into a small township that is connected with the other eco-tourism places in the district such as Kukup Fishing Village, Kukup Island and Tanjung Piai National Park. Pontian Kecil is also a gateway to Pekan Nanas (the then largest Pineapple can industrial area) and Johor Bahru too. Due to its proximity with Johor Bahru and Singapore, many people from there will come there to have a short vacation in Pontian Kecil. Here are the photos of Pontian Kecil of mine there…

Pontian Seaside Recreation Park.

In the evening roughly 3 o’clock, I took an intercity bus from Pontian Kecil to Larkin Terminal, Johor Bahru. The bus trip cost me for RM5.40 and it took roughly an hour to reach the destinations.

Pontian - Larkin Johor Bahru intercity bus.

Upon reaching there, I immediately took a grab car to the so-called hotel. I was shocked when I reached to the hotel, it was a renovated bungalow guest house. The guest housekeeper told me this guest house was the most budget hotel in Johor Bahru. I booked that guest house room for RM30.00 without any facilities that will have in hotel room such as air-conditioning and water heater shower. Fortunately, there was a toilet in my room, so I need not to share with others. This guest house name is Southern Guest House located in Stulang Darat, Johor Bahru. It was also roughly 10 mins to the CIQ Malaysian side customs.

The guest house room I booked

5-10 mins walking distance to CIQ Malaysia customs

In the night, I came to JB city center to have my dinner. My first dinner there was McDonalds in City Square Mall. It is unusual as City Square Mall that time were jostled so much Singaporeans than Malaysians. It was easy to distinguish whether they were Singaporeans or not by listening to their conversations. Normally, Singaporeans tend to speak more in English compared to speaking in Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil regardless of their races. So, it was so fascinating for me lah… 

An alley nearby Jalan Wong Ah Fook at night

Jalan Wong Ah Fook at night