Friday, August 29, 2014

Day 2: Dublin

Salam,

Dublin is a city of literature they say and a visit to all the libraries and places related to authors are a must to visit. So they say. But since most of the libraries, museums and pretty much everything have entrance free, I skipped all those and focused on the 'free' places hehe. Well you know how backpackers on super tight budget are right? When you are in Dublin City Centre, the one thing that you cannot missed is the Spire of Dublin! Me and my friends been calling it the needle.
It does look like a needle from this angle right? haha
This is the real thing, it was destroyed by the Irish because this was built by English. But the replaceing Spire of Dublin too is an English design. funfact. hoho

Again. This is the Spire of Dublin. If you miss it, that means you are just blind. hehe. sorry.
You heard bout Guinness beer? this is the place they made it originally. there are packed with people the whole day. no not me. i can't stand the smell. Sorry no review on this. hehe 
one of the monument in Pheonix Park. great place to bring your kids for a run. or just bring yourself for a sunbath. i love it! 
This was taken at The Little Museum of Dublin. I forgot U2 is irish. and here they have one whole room dedicated to Bono and U2. The museum is free to visit if you take the freedom pass. 
in front of the museum, there is this park called St Stephen's Green. Took a stroll here while enjoying the sun and while i checked for the places i can visit later on. 
The view is just great and calming.

In front of the green, there's this shopping mall. great view too. worth a visit. 
Dublin Castle
The Royal Church. Those uncles were really friendly. Seriously this is the reason why I am not scared of travelling alone. 
It never occur to me that the Irish don't really like the English. They even painted the post boxes green after they win aginst the English. Just wow!
The Croke Park. there are 2 stadiums in Dublin and both can be reached with public transport. no worries. 
The second one is Aviva Stadium. It is nearby the beach. the beach!!! 
And here's the beach! yey! Sandymount's beach.

There are lots more pictures but if i put it all here for sure this entry will crash again. So feel free to search me on instagram with the name azyy_ishak or just search with the #azyjenjalan. but be prepared. they are too much picture there you might get bored. hehe. so don't say I don't warn you. 

Oh. later that day, I checked to my next hostel, a horrible one. but I think they still have chance to improve with all the bad reviews they got on Booking.com. Spent the night in a 10-bed dorm with another 9 men. Crazy? oh..it was fine. I was under my blankie the whole night. hahaha. thanks to this 62 years old grandpa. He guard me well. haha. Well..it was a new experience that i will never ever forget.

That's all for my Day 2 updates. Stay tune for the rest of the updates 

oh yes, expenses for Day 2: I bought water and paid for the second night at the hostel and total cost = €16

Peace N out ~


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Eurotrip August 20 days 10 countries

Salam

Like the title? nope? well i do! Actually at this very moment, I am already on my 7th day. I tried to post earlier but somehow the post crashed. sigh. so here it is again. This is just for my save keeping of my own ultimate adventure just in case I forgot what I did (me and my short term memory lost) hehe. And also to everyone out there who are curious bout my trip. There's nothing special about my trip, just me, myself and I doing a backpacking trip alone for the first time ever!! hehe. oh ya..mind my entries all the pictures wont be properly align as I will be posting from tab and phone. Sorry in advance 😁.  If I wait till i get to my PC I might forget the details. (again..me and my short term memory lost) 😘

The original plan is as below:
fancy eh? not much..there are lots of people I met along the way that did much much greater plan which amaze me to the max. How on earth they did a 3 years adventure plan? As you go? planned ahead? well i know mine is pretty much do as my heart desire. hehe

So let's start with the details. I will do the post by day as I think blogspot can't take all my pictures in one entry( or they just cant take me brag bout my trip haha..sorry dudes)

Day 1: Glasgow - Dublin

As you know (if you been following my entry since forever) I just finished my study in Glasgow, Strathclyde University for a year programme. So, that's explain the starting point.

From Glasgow, you can take either bus or train to the airport. Since my ticket to Dublin is by Ryanair so I am taking it from Preswick Airport, Glasgow. The train fare is £3.80 if you show your boarding pass when you buy the train ticket at the counter. If you buy the ticket online or from the machine it will cost you double, so choose which one you prefer. 😁

Oh yes, the flight ticket cost me £15 and I booked it around a month early thanks to all the price alert by skyscanner. My flight was at 6.45am but the first train from Glasgow Central is at 6am so there is no other choice, I spent the whole night at the airport as I took the last train at 12.05am from Glasgow Central Station. Thanks to Tasnim and Kak Ayu for sending me off. Well it is kinda sad since it will be my last time on Glaswegian soil. for now. 😁 So till we meet again Glasgow. 

The flight touch down at Dublin Airport Terminal 1 at 7.40am. As I already bought a 3-days freedom pass earlier online which cost €30 and it includes return trips to Dublin City Centre. Arrived at the city centre around 8.30am and I need to wait for the Hop-on-hop-off (HOHO bus for short in later entries) so I grab this chance to have brunch. Thank God this place do serve early lunch menu. 
My usual coffee.
Nyummeh! I even wrap some for dinner. haha see how saving I am on holiday. This lot cost €10.

Then I took the bus around 3 trips before I checked in the hostel and leave my stuff there before I continue my journey. I stayed at a female only dorm with 8 beds for €16 include breakfast. found it on Booking.com called Abraham House. Nice hostel, very eazy to find. If you took the Airlink Bus, you can stop around 20meter from the hostel. 

Total expenses for day 1 = £18.80 + €41 

The sight seeing details will come in later entry. I will let you rest for awhile before you get too excited hahaha. Because I think i need my beauty sleep now. Nite2..

Peace and out~

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Glasgow World Pipe Band Championship

Salam,

Monday is the starting day for another big event in Glasgow. It's the Glasgow World Pipe Band Championships! Yeheyy! I am really lucky to be here this year. It was the Commonwealth last month and now it's the piping championships. So i have decided not to miss this. The main event will take place this Saturday 16 August 2014. I just can't wait. Hehe. 

Just bought the ticket the main event which cost me as a student £8 for a 2 days pass. Yipee. Can't wait can't wait!! So everyday in this week sound of bagpipes can be heard everywhere in the city. Which is too me very pleasant and made me somehow felt like home. 😁
Took this on Monday in front of Buchanan Galleries. This is a team from Canada. Wow. I thought only Scottish people play this. Silly me 😁
They marched along the Buchanan Street and somehow we followed them. Haha 
They stop here to do another performance before they marched till Candleriggs.
Yes. We did follow them till Candleriggs 😁
So that's it for today. Been quite buzy with life. Can't wait for this weekend for the Championship! Stay tune! 

Peace and out 




Sunday, August 10, 2014

A day at the UNESCO site in Scotland.


Salam,

Today's activities is visiting Scotland latest UNESCO heritage site, New Lanark World Heritage Site. 
Return ticket from Glasgow Central is £7.50 which took around an hour. Arrived at Lanark Station, you can choose either to take £1.45 for a 10min bus or just take a walk and enjoy the scenery of the town for less than 30min. 
Crazy us waiting for the train at Glasgow Central. 
I always find church buildings in Scotland interesting and have the touch of ancient. Not sure of the correct architectural term.. But oh well, i'm an engineering student. What do you expect. Haha. 
There's a retail park near the Lanark station. This picture is taken on our way to the site. Nice view right? 😁
Another building that catch my attention. Abandon school. 
I would love to live here. Who wont love this view? 
Almost there..
We're here!! Yey!!! 
Love the foresty look! Keep calling for Jacob and Edward.. But no one reply 😭
Tadaaaa. This is New Lanark World Heritage Village. Pheww. We made it safe and sound. 
Can't stop taking pictures
More..
There's a sign saying this way to the school. Who want to go all the way up there? Haha not me. Well.. Not this time. 😁
Oh yaa.. Here's the bus if you are lazy to walk all the way from the train station. But be warned, most of the passagers are elders. Shame on you! 😅 
Nice archy tree
The hotel. If you are thinking of spending the night here.
There's a garden on top of the roof. We forgot to go there 😭
The water from the river that will get thru the mill.
River Clyde at the Heritage site.
There's a path you should take to see the Falls of Clyde. Here are some of interesting view along the trail. Took around 1 hour. 
Love this! 
Can you see the humble river?
Almost there...
Tadaaaaa. We spend almost 45 min while having some noodle we brought for breakfast. Haha lovely view? Of course it is!!! 
Another view of the Falls of Clyde.
Some interesting bench we found there. 
Another part of the river before we headed back. 
Love the cliff. Just be careful. 
One more picture of the river.
Love the sun rays 
Yey! We arrived back at the visitor centre. 
This is the old water turbine they used before. 
The water mill
Caramel Flan with Lanark very own ice cream. £4.10. Taste ok. 
Before we headed back to the train station, we stop for a while at the town. 
Lanark town
Lanark Train Station
St Mary Church. Nice architecture. Right in front of the train station. 

And that's all what we did today. 
Oh. We rest for another hour at George Square. Hahaha 
I will always remember Glasgow 

Peace and out