Cost-effective cafeteria

I came across this 'cost-effective' cafeteria while we were waiting to board our flight back home from Shantou airport.

Cost effective in a sense that it only operate when there's a flight scheduled to depart.

In another words, it just cater the needs for those departing travellers and the moment they onboard their flight, they will cease operating.

Unfortunately, the unforeseen flight delay had to hurry the unprepared staff back to reopen the cafeteria to pacify those starving folks.

Scenes of chaos took place inevitably, as orders were mixed up and passengers were stretching their necks to wait for their orders.

Actually, this is a good way to streamline and manage the operating costs, but the readiness of the staff and the patient of customers are put to the test.

(P.S: to avoid waiting for too long, reach a consensus and order the SAME stuff for the SAME table)

Tips and guidance to choosing the best bus for your trip to Malaysia

(Got this article from a friend's email and thought it would be good to share with all since most of us are frequent travellers across to the other side of the Causeway.)

Singaporeans has been the largest group of visitors to Malaysia each year. Millions commute daily between these two neighbours either by air, land or sea. Even with the ever increasing number of flights between Singapore and Malaysia, express bus operators are not giving up just yet and looks set to compete with the budget airlines.

But with many bus express operators providing almost an hourly trip to towns across Peninsular Malaysia, which company is best that suits to your budget, time and convenience? Fret not.

First and foremost is, of course, to choose your destination. Singapore is connected to many towns in Malaysia. Frequencies ranges from hourly* departures to popular destinations such as Kuala Lumpur and Melaka (Malacca), to once or twice daily departures to towns such as Penang, Seremban, Alor Setar and Genting Highlands. Some destinations, such as Mersing and Kuantan are served three times weekly whereas some are served 3-5 trips daily.

*hourly trips are usually available during the morning and evening

The second step is to choose which bus that will bring you to your destination. This is by far, the hardest part of all, especially if you are the type who wish to travel on other buses that you have not travelled on.

Bear in mind that unless you are the ‘I-will-go-with-the-first-choice’ kind of person, choosing the ideal bus might take some time.

Unlike in the olden days where buses are cramped, expect at least Super VIP-class with ’2 plus 1' seating configurations on these modern buses. Buses with the conventional ’2 plus 2' seating configurations are still running though, but to smaller towns like Mentakab in Pahang.

Those who wish to indulge in simple luxury and comfort may choose the high-end coach services with facilities that can even match air services.

The majority of express bus operators from Singapore has at least one daily trip to Kuala Lumpur. Some of the bus companies that serves the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur segment are Aeroline, First Coach, Five Stars, Konsortium Bas Ekspres, NiCE, Sri Maju, Transtar, Transnasional and many others. Other smaller towns are usually served by less well-known operators which will usually call at Larkin Terminal in Johor Bahru before proceeding to the intended destination*.

I recommend prospective passengers to browse the respective websites of the bus operators first, if available. These websites can be found on the right hand column of this page. Some of these operators allows online booking as well but remember though, some do charge a small administration fee on top of your ticket price.

If all your questions are answered just by browsing the website, proceed to make your booking, either online or over the counter. But just to be safe, I highly recommend that you make that trip down to the ticketing office. Here’s why..

Not all seats are available for booking. Some seats are blocked for one reason or another. These are usually popular seats that passengers would almost always choose for any available trip.

Don’t be surprised if you find that the blocked seats, or usually shown as ‘Sold’ on some online ticketing system, are available for purchase.

You get to save more! Online reservations will incur more charges, such as the administration fee. Buying over the counter will mean you don’t have to pay for all that. One can also expect the Fuel Surcharge** to be waived.

But then again, if you choose to pay using your credit cards, you will still have to pay for the administration fee though.

Peace of mind. You get your questions answered on the spot by the ticketing officer. With all your doubts cleared there and then, choosing which bus to travel on may be easier.

Even better if the offices are located at Golden Mile Complex, where you can easily hop from one office to another to get the best deal.

*Some of these bus operators are being represented by agents in Singapore. Do check with the local office on which bus operator they are representing.

**Fuel Surcharge is applicable to express bus operators who are members of the Express Bus Agencies Association or EBAA.

By this juncture, you may have already listed down some operators which is to your liking.

But be informed, buses depart from practically everywhere in Singapore! From Tampines to Sembawang to Ang Mo Kio and Jurong East, departure points are scattered islandwide, and not just restricted to Golden Mile Complex at Beach Road.

I recommend that you make a list of departure points from where your bus will leave. For example, if you are travelling to Genting Highlands, you will notice that the departure points are exceptionally more than other destinations.

Five Stars Tours have services that departs from Tampines and Boon Lay, WTS Travel may depart from Bedok or Toa Payoh, whereas Konsortium’s K-Class may also depart from Sembawang SunPlaza Mall. From this list, it might be easier for you to choose your preferred bus.

*Look out for a list of departure points in Singapore.
When making your purchase, be sure to choose either a one-way ticket or a two-way ticket. Buying a two-way ticket may save the hassle of making unnecessary arrangements for your return trip, but on the other hand, doing a ‘mix-and-match’ may save you a few bucks.

This can be done by buying a one-way ticket from both Singapore and Malaysia, either with the same or a different bus operator. You may save up to S$10 or more with this method, simply because ticket prices for buses from Malaysia tend to be a lot cheaper.

However, be warned that not all bus operators have offices in Malaysia where you can purchase the tickets over the counter. You may not even get a ticket on some trips, especially during peak season. So it’s better for you to do a bit more research on the ‘mix-and-match’ method.

Finally, do remember to check your tickets/invoice/booking itinerary carefully before leaving the counter, or if you’re making an online purchase, do it before you make the payment. Immediately contact the local ticketing office for any amendments or corrections.

Check with the respective bus operators how early that you have to check-in or if the bus will have any grace period for late-comers. Do verify with the ticketing officer of the other arrangements that has to be made prior to departure.

And of course, always remember to keep your tickets safely!

Not "Angkat" but admiration

(The word "Angkat" means "get cosy with someone" or put it bluntly as "getting into someone's good book".)

I still don't know why AirAsia insisting in flying off from Changi's Terminal ONE despite the higher cost

At this moment, the name Tony Fernandez, the trail-blazing CEO of Airasia, can only empitomize all the good things about travelling on shoe-string budget.

Just 10 years ago, who the heck in this part of the world could imagine flying around the region is like taking a coach ride out of your town to a faraway destination?

One example, in the past the idea, travelling to-and-fro Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by air meant one MUST ready to fork out considerable amount to do so, since this lucrative route was the dual-poly of the state carriers of both sides.

Onboard the AirAsia flight to Penang

Having seen that unjustifiable rate air travellers had to bear, Fernandez lobbied tirelessly for them and eventually succeed in breaking up the stranglehold held by SIA and MAS in 2003.

It was indeed a master-stroke as the breaking up of the dual-poly meant travellers need not have to pay astronomical rates when flying around this part of the world.

Furthermore, long journey coach operators are now facing stiff competition from any budget flight operators that follow the path of this once loss-making government-linked airline, since it's just a matter of topping up a few more dollars to fly to places in minutes than hours.

On top of that, Airasia also branched itself into the hotel industry through a joint-venture arrangement with various parties to start up their own hotel chain - “Tune”.

You need to pay for the air-con if you want to use it, but the fan provided is good enough.

Just like its sister company, “Tune” is a non-frills concept accommodation that cater for budget-concious travellers, where room necessities such as air-conditioning, television set and complimentary toiletries are things of a past and will only be provided after paying certain charges for them (in short it's “Pay only when you require” kind of arrangement).

Although, one have to bear this in mind that everything comes with a price and you get what you paid for all.

Correction:

Initially, I thought free wifi is not available at the "Tune" Penang hotel lobby, only to realize 30-minute free internet access is available only if you use the terminal there, but to be sure about that, please check and confirm when you check-in.

Making full use of "Google Maps"....

I realized that this neat tool is essential to all travellers in planning their trips or archiving their journey at the end of it.

I came this tool somewhere last year, and thanks to it I was able to plan and marked out those important landmarks, building and places of interest before I arrive at my destination.

And since then, I extensively use the software by "Google" to check out my direction and location of places, be it locally or in foreign lands.

Although, I do admit that there are also places deemed "out-of-bound" that it's not possible to trace the location.


How to create a map

Some of the Maps I created

View Kotravelog's trail in a larger map


View guangzhou2 in a larger map

So next time, before you head out or want to refresh your memories of your journey... Take of this URL - "http://maps.google.com/"

[Travel Tips] Check your luggage immediately after you hauled it off the belt

Conveyor belt of Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport

This is something I only came to know few days, while having a chit-chatting with a relative who used to work in the aviation industry.

He shared with a piece of information maybe some of you guys already aware of it that is - "Check your luggage immediately after you hauled it off the belt."

If the luggage was damaged in the process when hauled it off from the airplane to the conveyor belt, the passenger should immediately notify the "Lost and Found" counter or the relevant department of the airport.

That is only if your travel insurance covers such occurrence if such event took place.

Normally, according to what my relative told me, the relevant authority are liable to such incident, and in even that the damaged luggage cannot be repaired, a new luggage of similar value will be compensated to the owner.

So do aware of this, check your luggage and whosoever should such incident takes place...

[Travelling + Saving Tips] Cut the Roaming Costs

Got a shock weeks ago when I finally got hold of my latest phone bill.

While I was mentally prepared for the surge after my recent trip and the recent addiction to the "twitter" (before I realized I'm allowed to text to a local number), nonetheless I felt it's time to stop the surge before I suffered another shock!

Having consulted some folks on and off the line, I summarized some of the feasible options available to cut down my phone bills when out for a short getaway.

MSN logo ripped from somewhere

Some guys suggested making voice-call using MSN messenger (if I decided to bring my MSI Wind along and the accommodation provides LAN cable) but the drawback is this is only limited to users using this popular communication tool.

Pre-paid SIM (above) by local operator is another option but with a lifespan of only THREE months and might be useful only for local dialling, not make call back home due to higher charges.

International Calling Card (ICC) by Singtel was mentioned too but the hassles are I always tend to forget my PIN (need to call and reset each time if happened) and also the bill takes it "own sweet time" to come.

The irony is I still keep my ICC in my wallet but hardly use it.

Furthermore, I was told it's economical to use fixed-line to make a call (even more troublesome if one is always on the road).

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) softwares such as "Skype" and "pfingo" are probably two of the most widely-used tool to make inexpensive call as compared to roaming calls.

Both the VOIP softwares can be installed on laptops equipped with Win XP or Vista and also on mobile devices such as PSP and PDA phones alike.

I only recently unpacked this "skype" phone after two years picked up as a door gift

Also the attractive part of these softwares is that calls made are not restricted within their own users (which free of charge), as users can make connecting external call to fixed-line and mobile number at a cost.

Maybe some of you guys must be thinking that I beating around the bush after the I seems to list more advantages of the VOIPs as compared than to the others but that's exactly I'm trying to prove.

I cannot deny that VOIP is, indeed, the most attractive option available that's why I need to protrude the minus-point of others before reflect the plus point of “skype” and “Pfingo”.

Below is a tip from an internet user sharing his/her experience using “Pfingo” while in China (rather tedious process though, just be patient when going through the steps).

to save your roaming cost, you can do the following:

• 1. register to Pfingo - basic user $2 per month (for 1 month) and top it up with $10 credit. You will have a number starts with 3xxx xxxx.
• 2. when u reach China, get a China pre-paid card. Take note the number
• 3. call forward your Singapore number to Pfingo number. You will be charge mobile outgoing fee, typically 16 cents per mins, depending on which plan or Telco (Singtel, M1 or Starhub) you are with.
• 4. call forward your Pfingo number to China prepaid number. You will be charged IDD for Pfingo to dial to your China prepad number. I think it's 2 cents per min.
• 5. So total = 18 cents per min as compared to probably $1 per mins or more (depending on your Telco).
• 6. Similarly, you can call to any Singapore number or any international number via Pfingo BOUNCE

Based on the above, you save 80% or more of your roaming fee. In addition, you do not need to subscribe roaming service but pay per use.

The only catch is that you need to find an internet to logon Pfingo and call forward Pfingo number to China prepaid number since you will not have a China prepaid number prior to going there to get Pfingo call forward to it.

Though it's tedious, but if you plan to make a lot of calls for whatsoever reason, you will save a lot. But if you make 1 or 2 calls throughout your trip, just use roaming... probably pay per use (+20% charge of typical fees).

In case you wonder, why need Pfingo is that you cannot call forward your Local singapore number to International number like China or any others. This is a regulation issue not just Singapore but everywhere in the world. Pfingo level "3" number helps to circumvent this issue.

[Travel Tips] Packing Clothes

Enough of those "rants" recently, here is something I think is really useful.

It depicted how to pack your clothes into a suitcase (click on the graphic for a bigger view.)

For more packing tips, do log on to this website - "http://www.onebag.com/pack.html"

[Travel Tips] - Essential Checklist before leaving for a trip

One of the purpose of this new blog, other than a platform for me to rant, also to give some travelling tips I sourced around OR experienced before to share with all.

And here's the first of many to come.


Got this something really useful, decided to share with all and at the same time got it archived for my future use.

A travel checklist here, that's something really essential before you leave your home to the airport, bus terminal, railway station etc.

Here's the link to download the checklist (in PDF format) -

http://www.simplify101.com/travel-checklist.pdf