South East Asia Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Wangechi Gitahi Travels

Asia

Kuala Lumpur

By Wangechi Gitahi

My arrival into Malaysia was met by excitement, pomp and galore, I actually felt like a VIP. How had the government learnt of my arrival and therefore planned for me to be received by a group of Malaysian Dancers, to be welcomed by their songs and dances and get an immediate fix of my cultural appeal. I wish this greeting was all mine, but instead, it was for all visitors arriving at that time as they were promoting their tourism campaign-Visit Malaysia 2014. I was in Kuala Lumpur for very few hours but managed to experience the below: Petronas towers: A trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia would not be complete without a visit here. It held the title of the tallest building in the world while having 88 floors from 1998-2004 and still holds the title of the worlds tallest twin towers. Batu Caves: It is prominently known for the…

Asia

Malaysia 101

By Wangechi Gitahi

1.Malaysia is located in South East Asia and its capital city is called Kuala Lumpur 2. The official language is Bahasa Malay though most people also speak English. 3. The official religion is Islam and is open to people of all faiths 4. It was colonized by both the British and the Japanese 6. The infrastructure in Malaysia is quite modern with it being home to the Worlds tallest twin towers, Petronas towers 7. The men and women do not mix much. In some of the public service buses and trains, there are clear separations “Women only”, “Men Only” 8.It is generally a conservative area so be cautious of your mode of dressing, adhere to the dress codes in the respective areas. 9. It has a population of about 30 million people 10. Kenyans receive a free tourist Visa at the airport, upon arrival. Ensure you have all your travel requirements in…

Asia

Bali, a true Beauty

By Wangechi Gitahi

Bali, you are truly a wonder, everything from your deeply cultural nature, to your amazing friendly people, to your diverse scenery. It is a shame that you have been wrongly perceived as a destination only for the elite, a reason that has kept many people away from exploring your beauty. I am glad I ventured here, and confirm, you welcome all sorts of budgets.The below is what we got up to: Ubud This is my favourite place in Bali, you will be amazed by its beauty and the culture of the people. The residents of this area are very traditional and thus, it is a cultural haven, my kind of place.. This place chose to expose its beauty to me, and I now understand why people speak with such awe about it. The culture The residents of Bali have managed to keep their cultures alive in their daily living, a…

Asia

Cultural immersion in Yogyakarta

By Wangechi Gitahi

This is a city that is located in Java and it is commonly referred to as Jogjakarta or Jogja. The area is ruled by a Sultan and the communities here are still very traditional. You will be overwhelmed by the culture in this area. Highlights of my trip: 1: Visit to Borobodur: The Borobodur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site having been built in the 9th century as a buddhist temple. It has been well maintained and I highly advise a visit as it is not only a beautiful masterpiece, the carvings on the wall tell stories about their culture. I highly advise one to arrive early, so as to enjoy the place before it is thronged by people. At the entrance, everyone is given a sarong to wear across their waist as a form of respect. I only discovered that it was a buddhist temple when we walked to…

Asia

Jakarta

By Wangechi Gitahi

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and has a population of about 9.6 million people. It has a high population and thus heavy traffic, it be motor vehicle or motorbike is common.The people are very friendly though be prepared to take many pictures with strangers as “Black Africans’, seem not to be a common occurrence. The following were my highlights: 1.Monas: This is the National Monument of Indonesia, it is about 132 meters tall and is a symbol of their fight for freedom. There is a National History Museum within the compound that tells the history of Indonesia through dioramas i.e 3 D miniature models, paintings and stone wall carvings. In the museum, the figurines have both Bahasa and English explanations thus one can easily understand what is hapenning. 2. Ancol: This is a somewhat theme park that has anything and everything. My highlight of this place was the…

Asia

Indonesia 101

By Wangechi Gitahi

Indonesia is found in South East Asia and is known officially as the Republic of Indonesia. Its capital is Jakarta It is the largest archiepelego in the world having about 17,508 islands. Their official language is Indonesian Bahasa although most people also speak English It is the worlds largest Muslim majority nation and is open to all religions . The men and women do not generally mix and thus you will find Men and Women sitting in separate areas in most public transport. The population of Indonesia is over 260 million people . There are over 200 ethnic groups, which translates to lots of cultures to learn about. It has varied biodiversity attractions from over 400 active volcanoes, to being home to the Komodo dragon Most places and homes use water in the toilet instead of tisssue paper. Ensure you carry adequate supply of tissue as you move around The…

Asia

Singapore on a budget

By Wangechi Gitahi

Singapore is a very developed country located in South East Asia. It has won many accolades and is currently referred to as a financial hub. Narratives on travel to Singapore cautioned that it was too expensive and thus one should plan a very short trip. I wish I hadn’t been scared off and had opted instead to plan a longer visit as budget travel is possible. 1)See and visit the Garden by the Bay This Garden is indeed a spectacle-especially at night when the lights are on. It is made up of several tall metal structures lined with an array of exotic plants, flowers and lights. One can enjoy a great view and picture from a distance due to the great height of the garden structures. Make sure you visit the outer gardens which are free to visit, the inner ones have an entrance fee charged. You can carry a packed…

Asia

Singapore 101

By Wangechi Gitahi

1.It is officially known as the Republic of Singapore and it is such a small country that its capital city is called Singapore 2. It is located in South East Asia and its neighbouring countries are Malaysia and Indonesia 3.Their official languages are English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. 4. It was colonized by England and Japan, and had previously merged with Malaysia before becoming independent. 5.It is one of the worlds major commercial and financial hubs 6) Singapore has one of the Best Airports I have ever visited.They have computers that you can use for free while you wait,they allow free calls within Singapore on their public phone or use of your credit card to call internationally. 7.The citizens are called Singaporeans and as per my experience, they are very impersonal. It was rare to see people laughing, talking or communicating even on public transport let alone on the streets. 8.…

Asia

Bitter, Sweet experience in Bohol

By Wangechi Gitahi

Bohol is the largest island in Philipines and is located in Central Visayas region. It is indeed a beautiful Island everything from white sandy beaches to amazing scenery. The locals speak English and Bisaya and are very friendly. As we were about to land, my window allowed me to be enticed by the aerial view of Bohol and its environs, indeed it would be a great visit. This is what I experienced: 1.Experienced the effects of the Bohol Earthquake: The area experienced a major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 on October 15, 2013. As I planned to travel to Philippines in November 2013, I was filled with fear when I heard about the earthquake. I however decided to go ahead with my plans and I am happy I did. This was my first experience with the aftermath of an earthquake and it is heartbreaking, the death toll disheartening and…

Asia

The Mysterious Baguio Exposed

By Wangechi Gitahi

I really really loved Baguio, its scenery, its people, richness in culture and great weather. This area is known as the Cordillera Administrative Region and it is in the mountain area thus is much cooler than most of Philippines. The native tribes of this place are called Igorots which means Mountain people and includes the Ifugao, Sagada, Banguet ,Apayao and the Kalinga. One way to identify the men is that they either have long hair or have a strip of long hair at the back of their heads. Below are my highlights from Baguio City. 1)Botanical Garden: This place should definitely be on your to visit list. The area shares several elements of the Igorot culture from their dressing, history, occupataion as well as a beautiful garden to visit and relax. I came to learn that some of them were farmers, hunters and gatherers as well as some of them…