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| A summer holiday in Poland for $100! |
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October 21st, 2009 |
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“My name is Szymon and I’m a Polish translator for a4trip. Ryanne asked me to describe how it is possible to spend a summer holiday in Poland for only 100$. It is possible, but not so easy as you would think.
First of all, Poland is the country where you can go for any holiday you like. Well, maybe if you like hot and dry areas you should go to Southern Europe. Summer in Poland is actually hot and dry, but I can’t guarantee good weather. The picture of you spending a week in Poland with umbrella is not so not possible. Rain happens in summer.
However, if you choose Poland for your destination, you must choose mountains or sea; cities with their relics or wild forest (primeval too); living large or budget.
This year I’ve chosen the option with lakes, rivers, forest, wild animals and reeaall economical budget. So, lets start:
1. First of all, we don’t count travel costs. Let’s say you’re starting in Katowice (capital city of Silesia).
2. Holiday destination: Kostkowice – village near Zawiercie in region dotted with Jurassic rocks and stones. Travel costs from Katowice to Kostkowice (80 km): by car (Daewoo Tico 4,5 litres per km) – c.a. 17 zł [1$ = c.a. 3 zł]; by bus: c.a. 15 zł; by bike – none.
Hospitality
There is only one full legal way to spend a night in Kostkowice. It’s scouts’ camping place. The place was founded by government for scouts only, but Poland has changed and since 1989 everyone can be guest now. You can rent a wooden hat for 18 zł per person. There are also tents for rent, which of course costs less, but I don’t remember how much. However, if you have your own tent, you have to pay just 8 zł per night.
 The wooden hat we used to live in. It was a little bit dirty inside, but cheap. 3. Food
In nearby town called Kroczyce you can have a great dinners just for 20 zł (soup and second plate). Dinner time in Poland is between 13:00 to 16:00, but restaurants are open from 9:00 to 22:00. Some other prices (if breakfast and supper you make for your own of course):
bread: c.a. 2 zł
cheese [Hochland Gouda]: 3 zł (7 slices)
bottled water 1l: 1,50 zł
So, lets get the costs together. Two way travel costs (up to 5 people in Daewoo Tico, yes it’s true): 34 zł + hospitality: 18*6 = 108 zł + food and drink per day: c.a. 40*7 = 280 zł. So, for 7 days you need to have 422 zł with all costs and we have 140 $. It’s more than 100$, but just subtly.
 Lovely sunset and balloon.
 One of the three lakes in Kostkowice/Dzibice  The Jura Krakowsko – Częstochowska” region.  Mirów / Bobolice. One of the medieval castles in the region. Little river, where you can spot a beavers family. We've seen them couple of times, but unfortunately we didn't make a good photo (they are black, like to bottom of the river)
Thank you Szymon for sharing with us!
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| We Love Our Wives :) |
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August 5th, 2009 |
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It’s our annual trip back to Tronoh, Perak for Ching Beng. This time is special. A new addition family member is following. Yep! She is my wife. First time this part of Perak State and never heard of Kellie Castle. So we decided to show her. After all it’s just along the way.
Kellie Castle is actually a big mansion build by Mr. Kellie early 20th century for his wife. The building was never complete as Mr. Kellie died while on a trip to Europe. The building was left in ruined until a few years ago the state government decided to turn it into a tourist attraction.
 Kellie's castle, standing tall and pretty.  My wife is hot ;) To go there, exit from North-south expressway from Gopeng and head towards Ipoh. Upon reaching Ipoh there is a junction which indicate Batu Gajah. Turn into that road and after about 15 minutes you will reach Kellie Castle which situated along a river bank by the road side. Sure to spot it. It’s the only half complete and big structure which also look Victorian or maybe Tudor. I am not so sure which is which. At least we have a castle even it is just a very big house.
Thanks to Yong for sharing his experience and also kind enough to provide directions for those who might want to head there after knowing about the place!
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| Riding West Coast Malaysia |
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October 7th, 2008 |
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It was a journey back to my hometown without to worry about rising petrol price and toll to pay. This off-the-beaten-road trip is going to give you more than what you want for a holiday. This is definitely the best way to get to know the Truly Malaysia! Travelers to Malaysia, read this…
First, fly with your bike. From the airport, head straight to Sepang, the small town which is located roughly 10km from the airport. From there, it is a pleasant ride from Sepang to Malacca which is roughly about 120km. You can make it a two days trip and stay a night at Port Dickson. You can put up a tent by the beautiful seaside. Malacca is the historical city which I’m sure you will like it a lot!
White sandy Port Dickson beach. You wish you have more days here with a nice book.
This is not Phuket for sure. The public beach is full of people, a scene only available during public holidays.
Along the trunk road, you will pass by many small town with forgotten old buildings.
Traditional malay house which you won’t find it in the city.
Rubber tree’s seed. There are more to see on the road!
From Malacca, make your ways to Muar and then Batu Pahat. Visit the Tanjung Emas and try this famous Ice Kacang and Rojak, nice!
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| Mahalo nui loa |
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July 24th, 2008 |
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Mahalo nui loa is Hawaiian for “Thank you very much!”
I recently talked to John, customer service of Wizard Publications. He is so helpful, and he is sharing few interesting words with me :)
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| An ideal workplace designed by designers for a designer! |
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June 19th, 2008 |
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Sam was excited. With a pair of teary eyes shining vividly amid brownish furs, he was pacing behind Lina impatiently. Waging its tail, he stretched both of his back leg muscles, welcoming me a warm hug to his home, a sweet, lovely home indeed.
“Sam, you are too friendly” Lina winked to Sam, gesturing him to clam down, while she pushed open the door, inviting me to begin my most memorable tour in Kluang… …
I got to know Lina through a4trip when Pin, the founder of a4trip, told me that I am going to work with a very talented graphic designer. We were assigned to complete the first a4trip Siem Reap guidebook. The task was challenging. I am going to strategize the best guidebook content for a4trip guidebook while Lina would illustrate the color theme and map design template.
Weeks over weeks, after several researches, plus continuous comments from Pin and supports from Lina, we have finally outlined the content structure of a4trip guidebook. The experience was like hatching an unlimited potential golden goose egg, which will determine the future of a4trip. Three objectives of a4trip guidebooks are defined, which are Compact Structured, Customer Oriented and Charity Basis.
These 3Cs objectives have finally won us an honored testimonial from a traveler using a4trip Siem Reap guidebook. She quoted that “A4trip Guidebook is best guidebook in Siem Reap and this is a good guidebook should be.”
With the overwhelming positive feedbacks received over the months, we are confident to expand our a4trip guidebook project to all of the destinations in South East Asia by inviting writers and graphic illustrators to join our triumphed force.
7 June 2008, it was about half a year ago later since I have worked with Lina on three guidebooks. I have been hearing about her workplace in Kluang and her lovely dogs. I always wonder about her workplace while typing each character from my laptop over the online messenger. How her work place is in order to supply her on endless creative designs and remarkable masterpieces. Would it be a messy workplace like mine packed with books and manuscripts? Or would it be a funky spotlighted workplace with colorful drawings with rock music playing at the background?
Guess no more and have a second look in the photo. It’s a neat, modern and Swedish designed workplace. An ideal workplace designed by designers for a designer.
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| Pin’s Jungle Book |
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June 16th, 2008 |
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Love doesn’t always translate to act of kindness, especially when it comes to animal conservation. When I was young, I’ve always thought that by keeping animals close to my side (read: caging them up) meant that I love them. After growing up, I realized nothing could be further from the truth. Animals should roam free in the wild, to love them you got to set them free.
This is my first Jungle book, made up of newspaper cuttings related to animals. I started doing this since I was 8.
When it was first captured, villagers gathered in my house and no one can tell what this shy cat-sized, bear-looking, tail-less animal is. We got to know the name one year later- Slowloris, I wish I had Google back then. It died few days after we decided to free it, after 2 years of selfish captivity and showering it with the wrong kind of love.
In those days, encounters with huge tortoise often ends up with the slower one eaten by the fast one. There’s always an exception, the tortoise above was released after a memorable photo session.
My first animal conservation lesson came from my parents. Some animals such as pangolin and porcupine are believed to bring bad luck. Other animals such as snakes and scorpions should be killed without any second thoughts as they pose poisonous threats.
River prawns and small crabs had to be sacrificed before kids understood the importance of protecting animals, no matter how insignificant they might be.
The snake above is taken in Malaysia’s National Park in Pahang. They are lot of foreigners in this national park, especially families. Their kids are taught to love and appreciate these animals.
This Common Palm Civet was captured accidentally. Thanks Andy for its name, Malaysia Carnivore Project. The trap was supposed to capture monkeys that invade into oil palm nurseries. I secretly released it and fortunately no questions was asked by my dad.
This oil palm plantation was originally part of the primitive jungle. It was situated along the route used by elephants when migrating from one spot to another in search of greener pastures. When wild elephants meet men, the conflict begins and the same old story begins. Elephants pay a heavy price for damaging the crops. Penalty includes electrical shock, and in some unfortunate cases, death itself.
Elephants are very intelligent creatures. They can always find ways to defuse an electrical fence and always has their way to tell the plantation owner that “they were here last night”.
This was a visit to The Sumatran Rhinoceros Conservation Park in Sungai Dusun, Selangor. The centre probably had a bad feng shui. The first accident involving a fallen tree killed one of the rhino. Then, another mysterious virus outbreak killed the rest of the herd.
Share with us your animal stories
Read how river terrapins ended up as soap
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| The 3U’s- Unique, Updated and Useful |
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April 25th, 2008 |
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One of the most important rule you must keep it mind when you want to drive traffic into your blog is the Rule of the 3U’s- Unique, Updated and Useful.
Updated- Regularly update your blog will help to ensure “freshness”, which is something major search engines take into consideration when evaluating the “importance” of your site. 1-2 new post a day is a good practice. Also, keeping existing information up-to-date is important especially if you want to keep visitors coming back.
Useful- Needless to say, nobody likes to read irrelevant information. Your job as a guide book blogger is to inform and to educate your visitors. If possible, you should be the voice of authority in the topics that you blog about. Use tools like directories, listings, travel related calculators and various other “useful” information on your blog to attract visitors.
Unique- This is the tougher challenge. Making your blog unique requires more than just copy and paste information from other sources. In this section, originality will help alot. Think of all the possible ways on how you can make your blog the most comprehensive information silo on the traveling destination you are writing about.
That’s basically the 3U to get you started on building your traffic. It’s going to take time, probably 3 months to 6 months before you start seeing the effort.
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