Travel Archives - Page 8 of 9 - Wangechi Gitahi Travels

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…

Asia

Vibrant Manila

By Wangechi Gitahi

Manila is the capital City of the Republic of Philippines. It is the economic hub and thus has developed greatly in various sectors like infrustructure, education, financials and general lifestyle of the people. I however was overwelmed and happily so, with the history and culture that they appreciate and continue to maintain to date. I enjoyed the following activities and highly recommend the same: 1. Walk around Intramuros: Intramuros is Spanish for “Within the Walls” as this town is fortified by high walls. The walls were built to protect the residents from invasions and still stand strong. As I walked through the town, I felt like I had been teleported into the Spanish colonial times or what I think they may have looked like. On the walls, cannons stand ready to fight off any threat, the infrastructure is dominantly Spanish inspired with brightly coloured buildings and narrow streets. The soldiers…

Asia

Philippines 101

By Wangechi Gitahi

1.The country is officially known as the Republic of Philippines. 2. It is located in South East Asia and is made up of 7641islands. It is divided into three regions, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and its capital city is Manila. 3. The formal languages spoken are Tagalog and English. However, as one travels to different regions, the residents will prefer to speak the dominant language of the areae.g if you visit the Visayas Region, they speak Bisaya 4. They are the largest Christian nation in Asia and the worlds forth largest Christian country with the majority being Catholic. 5.It was colonized by three countries, Spain, Japan and America. 6.The airport charges tax-cash.Therefore, make sure you always carry cash, in Pesos- that you will pay as tax at all the airport whenever you are departing. This is regardless of whether its a local or international flight. 7.They have traditional mens clothing…