To Travel OR Not To Travel

Some people hate traveling. As much as i like to disagree to this, i must first admit that everyone entitle to their opinion. I respect that. There must be a very good reason for not wanting to travel. And by travel, notwithstanding overseas. Local is as good as going abroad.

Caen, France. We took tram from Syed's apartment to the city. The arrow pointed our location.

Ive asked a few close friends why wouldn't they travel and these are the top reasons for not doing so:

1. Financial 

2. Hate packing and unpacking

3. Bad experiences

Hmm, sounds valid ain't it. To divulge further into this, let us read with open mind. Yes, financial is the one and utmost challenges when it comes to traveling. It'll become even more challenging when you have family. Every nickel and dime are accounted for. Not only for the traveling but mostly for living expenses, daily. As for singleton, finance would not be as burden as the married lot, but it also poses the same dilemma. 

Heathrow Airport, Terminal 4. We waited for nearly 7 hours for Julie to arrive from Dublin. Managed to walk around and discover interesting places nearby. 7 jam, lama tu. eheh.

My best take is that if you want to travel, then start on with your little piggy saving dedicated for your travel. Separate it with your other savings. Well it worked for me. Also, if you have travel buddies, start a travel fund together. Decide a fix amount each member must contribute and be very disciplined. Once you reach the desired amount, GO TRAVEL! 

Mary had a little lamb. This was taken along the scenic view of Ireland's countryside. On the way to the Cliffs of Moher. About 4 hours drive from the Dublin.

For point number 2, try not to pack the whole house when traveling (exception for those with small kids). You buy as you travel (without im telling you so, this is in fact, TRUE!). So, be a light traveler and pack the most important stuffs only. Example, if im traveling for one week, i will only pack 1 pair of trousers, 2 shirts, and few briefs (not including the ones im wearing). That is all you need. When you reach your destination, you will definitely buy tshirts and trousers again. And if you stays longer, laundry is everywhere. So, go figure! 

The famous World's End pub, Edinburgh, Scorland. I've posted it's story/history in the previous posting. Checkidout!

I cannot deny the fact that we all have bad experiences when traveling. Clashes with the authorities, lodging issues, lost in the middle of nowhere, ripped off and cheated by the locals, etc etc. You name it, i've experienced it. But that does not stop me from traveling. In fact, it excites me further. We all learn everything new every single day. And trust me, along the road, faw years after that bad incidents, you will laugh at it and smile upon it and glad that it happened. It becomes part pf you and make you a better person. 

That's me! Cliffs of Moher, IRELAND. Honestly, I don't mind coming here again, and again!

EDINBURGH, Part II (because one entry is not enough)

Ok, this time, I shall not rant too much. Instead, I'll be posting photos (warning: lotsa 'em) and will write a line or two information bout it. Boleh? Sikit2 je la... ehehek.

Ok, bangunan ini adalah sangat obvious if you are across the the old town. From new town, these three famous lines of building mmg eye-catching. 

Yang ini pulak, the 300++ years old apartment where we stayed. Terletak betul2 sebelah St. Giles Cathedral. Keluar2 terus jumpa cathedral ni. Apartment ni korang kena ascend down a lil bit and its on the 2nd door to your left. ada 3 bilik. Don't be fooled by its age, because interior dia adalah sgt hype okeh. Yang cantik lagi, dlm apartment ni penuh dgn lukisan2 klasik age between 100-200 y.o. Kat sini lah kitorang lepak n tido n masak2 (jimat belanja pls). 

TIPS: kalo nak travel, make sure sorang dua geng travel tu pandai masak. untuk okeh! dlm kes ni, REZAL and HUSNA terrer gila masak. gua terrer makan jeh. hehehe. 

Ni among old road, nooks and corners at the Royal Mile. Aihhhhh pegi la 100 kali pun, you will never get bored and tired of Edinburgh. 

This one, my personal tribute to Scottish great poet, Sir Robert Ferugsson. Being an art graduate, I cannot help but appreciate and pay homage to those who have contributed significantly to the world of literature. Below excerpt taken from Wiki (where else kan!) about him:

Robert Fergusson (5 September 1750 – 16 October 1774) was a Scottish poet. After formal education at the University of St Andrews, Fergusson followed an essentially bohemian life course in Edinburgh, the city of his birth, then at the height of intellectual and cultural ferment as part of the Scottish enlightenment. Many of his extant poems were printed from 1771 onwards in Walter Ruddiman's Weekly Magazine, and a collected works was first published early in 1773. Despite a short life, his career was highly influential, especially through its impact on Robert Burns. He wrote both Scottish English and the Scots language, and it is his vivid and masterly writing in the latter leid^[1] for which he is principally acclaimed.

Ni masa aku tgh jalan2 jmpa gadis dan bunga. High probability, tourists from eastern european countries cos they couldn't speak English that well. Despite the challenges in conversing and constant lost in translation, they were quite a chatterbox and very friendly. We ended up having coffee at MacDonald's across town. *Didn't get their details. Things I regretted most. puih. 

Eheh. Abaikan gambar dpn tu. Yang ni betul2 kat bawah Scott Monument. And that gut belakang aku tu Sir Walter Scott, another famous Scottish author. The monument was erected to honour him. 

TRIVIA: The Scott Monument is featured prominently in the movie Cloud Atlas. Chekidout! 

Ramsay Garden ni apartment paling posh kt Edinburgh, terletak betul2 sebelah Edinburgh Castle. Nampak je besau... bangunan ni cuma ada 16 unit apartment je ye. Korang boleh perasan bangunan yang cantik ni daripada Princes Street. 

Yang ni lupa nama apa dah. Rose Street ke apa tah. Banyak jugak butik2 posh kat sini. Jamie Oliver restaurant pun ada kat sini. And, this is at new town. bukan kat Royal Mile.

Ni saje2 fefeling kt scotland travel agency. jakun pls... 
nak jugak yg ada sign scotland. hahahaha

Typical saturday evening. Street Bagpipe player in action. Tipping is expected.

 ok, yang ni bukan Bagpipe player and I donch wear kilt. hehek. 
I was just happy to be there.

This beautiful building is actually Bank of Scotland. 
Kiranya, Bank Negara la kalo kat Malaysia

You typical night out in Edinburgh wouldn't be complete without bar hopping and of course, watching Rugby match. 

Shops and bars along the Princes Street, about 500m to the Royal Mile. Dekat je.

Ni dlm kul 7 mlm depan St. Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Pix seround sblm blk apartment. Yup, dawn set real fast when you travel during autumn. 

Idup tak sah la kalo travel tak pegi Hard Rock Cafe kan! hahahah 

There you go, HRC, Edinburgh

Yang ni kt Cockburn Street. Nothing much here, but if you fancy posh victorian architecture, this would be the best area for walkabout. Masa ni kitorg just merayau2 pastu ujan. 
Pastu basah. Pastu pusing2 lagi. 

Penat tapi best. 

Tiga gambar atas tu adalah Edinburgh Castle. Memang cantik untuk amik gambar. You'll get the bird's eye view of Edinburgh from up here. Nak masuk castle ni korang kena bayar around 25 pound. Tp aku tak masuk pun eheheh. Mahai la!

Terjumpa William Wallace wannabe otw down from the castle :)

Levitate much?

Among favourite pictures that I've taken! Dunno why. Simply stunning, in my opinion-lah.

"The world is your oyster. TRAVEL!"

Pirates of Carribean: At World's End. Ring any bell, well it is originated from here.

This pub takes its name from the City Walls which once surrounded Edinburgh. Back in the sixteenth century, following the Battle of Flodden and Scotland’s defeat by the English, Edinburgh had become a walled city for protection. The gates to the City, which formed part of the wall, were situated outside the pub and the brass cobbles in the road outside represent their exact location. As far as the people of Edinburgh were concerned, the world outside these gates was no longer theirs and hence the name, The World’s End.

(source: http://www.scotlandspubsandbars.co.uk/location/the-worlds-end/ )

 

Stroll with Mr. Fergusson

eh eh. this was in front of the Queen's Gallery. At the end of the Royal Mile, whereby behind it is the famous 
Holyroodhouse Palace.

tau penat! hahaha

Lord Cockburn. ahah! just because he could!

Freemason anyone?

This is Scottish National Museum

Playing tourists, yes?

Gambar-gambar ni aku snap masa lepak depan Garfunkel's sambil curi wifi diorang (sebelah dia Starbuck, and wifi diorg suck). heheh. Hari-hari lepak sbb it is located less that 20 feet where we stay. And, along the stretch of Royal Mile, lots and lots of people walking around; be it tourists or local who work there. Let me check later if I have photos of Garfunkel's. If not, jap gua google. eheh. 

ok, jumpa dah. pix kat bawah ni:

Garfunkel's all over Europe, just so you know

hehehe ni la batu bersurat tempat curi wifi free. keh keh.

The Witch Tavern. Another famous pub situated down the hill, very near to Edinburgh Castle.

Edinburgh: things to do and not to do and everything in between

 

This is Victoria Street, next to the Royal Mile, Edinburgh. Lawa bak hang. Victoria Street ni best sbb  korang blh venture into some budget shopping. There are souvenir shops (plenty kt royal mile) and lines of coffee shop. mmg best minom kopi dgn cuaca Edin nih. It's windy cos Victoria St. and Royal Mile are on top of the hill in which kt puncak tu adalah Edinburgh Castle (famous landmark) and down below adalah Holyroodhouse Palace aka The Queen Summer Palace. Kat Victoria St. ni, ada world famous keju; IJ Mellis Cheesemonger. Boleh je masuk nk feeling2 beli cheese. They provide sample. Tapi jgn la makan lebih2. That's just too obnoxious and nanti kena rolleyes pulak. haha.

Who's shooting whom?

Top left & bottom right: Edin Castle, Top Right: The cemetery & 1, Bottom left: The back garden & the cemetery

Ok this one taken whilst we went on tracking up the hill from behind the Edinburght Castle. The usual tourist route would be walking straight from the Royal Mile. But since this is like the 3rd time, we figured might as well venture a lil bit into the other side of this infamous location.Walk a lil bit more, then akan jmpa the staircase to the castle. FYI, gambar gua tu, the stairs is on my right, depan sikit daripada kontena kuning tu :). So, kitorang tracking dari jln belakang, lalu century old cemetery yg not at all scary. In fact, sangat hype and alive. Siap ada cafe and bookstore lagi . Lps cemetery, kena climb sikit naik atas lalu back garden yang sangat gorgeous baru la jumpa jalan raya. 

 ok, yang kat atas ni pix taken from various angle di Royal Mile. We stayed here. Very convenient, plenty of places to go about, a lot of historical site to visit. and kalo korang jenis yang tak tido malam boleh pegi Scottish Pub yang bersepah kat sini, as many as its coffee shops. The best time to visit the pub is during the weekend or Friday nite. The pubs here really put on a show. Ada street performances and all. 

The night we arrived. My first trip here and it was Friday night. Plenty of street performances from the pubs to attract crowd. Memang ramai la orang sbb Royal Mile ni mmg tourist area. Plus, this is a very old town, 500++ years old and yang bestnya, the buildings are still intact and used by the people here. Cuma, diorg preserve dan rasanya mmg dapat status UNESCO mcm Georgetown Penang dan Bandaraya Melaka tu la.

hahaha gua tau, mmg agak vain. keh keh. various shot from behind the edin castle to royal mile to the world's end