Things to do in Kaohsiung, Taiwan (updated August 2018)

I have been to Taiwan a couple of times, but it was my first time venturing all the way south on my recent trip - which is gonna to be the last for at least a year. Well, because baby Olivia is coming soon in November 2018 (yay)! If you haven't been to been to Taiwan, extend your trip by two to three days and venture beyond the usual Taipei, because South Taiwan has lots to offer too!

Our initial plan was to head straight to Kenting, but the continuous 4.5h flight and 2h train ride would be too strenuous for Lady M, so we decided to stop by Kaohsiung for a day. So, if you're like us, check this post on what to do when you're in Kaohsiung!

Here's what this post is going to tell you.

- Getting to Kaohsiung

- Travelling in Kaohsiung

- What to do

- Where to stay

Cijin Island, Kaohsiung

Jiufen Old Street 九份老街 @ Taiwan (updated August 2018)

One of the highlights of my Taiwan trip is Jiufen (Jioufen/Chiufen). But first, here's a quick, yet informative introduction which I hoped will not bore you:

Originally housed with only nine families in the 1800s, the villagers would purchase nine pieces of the same item in one reservation (hence the name, meaning nine parts/pieces) as roads were not built yet and materials were brought in mainly by ships. Located only minutes away from Jin Gua Shi (金瓜石), it was not long before someone struck gold at this rural village. Words leaked out and the village was soon swarmed with thousands of prospectors hoping to strike rich. The gold mines eventually exhausted and like its faded counterpart, Jiufen suffered the same fate.

Time passes and today, Jiufen is one of the most popular tourist attraction visited by travellers from all over the world to experience its former glory and well, its current glory of being a prosperous old street which offers nostalgic teahouses and the best Taiwanese cuisine, such as popular yam dishes, glutinous rice balls (粉圆), beef noodles, fish balls, herbal eggs, sun cakes (太陽餅) and the list goes on infinitely.

Birthday Flowers with Floral Garage Singapore

Like any other pretty things, a woman can never have too many flowers. Like most men, I always think that gifts should be practical, that’s why I gave her things that she could eat or use in her everyday life. Heads up, it doesn’t work. Most women love flowers, and if that’s what she likes, I will get her one. Occasionally.

Recently, I collaborated with Floral Garage Singapore to get some flowers for her birthday. Don’t ask how young, she’s #forever21. Here’s what I like about Floral Garage, who prides themselves on integrity, service, quality and price:

11 Things You Must Try in New Zealand

New Zealand is outrageously beautiful, the sceneries look like they are created straight out from a fairytale book. To fully explore the islands, you may need to migrate there. If you're like me, a salaried employee with limited annual leave, you'll need to strategise and maximise your time at New Zealand. Having said that, please, please, please take time to slow down your pace, and just enjoy the marvellous sceneries that New Zealand has got to offer. Remember you're not on Amazing Race. Without further ado, here's 11 things to clear from your NZ's bucket list!

Dive into the Maori culture

What's better than to immerse yourself in the beautiful culture of the indigenous Polynesian people? Head down to Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua for a cultural experience of the Maoris. If you ever saw videos of people stomping their feet and roaring with their tongues out, that's their traditional haka (war dance). Learn to dance like a local, or if you're up for it, why not get a Maori tattoo? Nah, I'm just kidding.

Source

New Zealand 2-Week Self-Drive South Island Itinerary

Kia Ora! - I’m probably gonna start all my New Zealand blog post like this. So, we took one of the common destinations as part of our honeymoon (we did consider Turkey, just saying), and we spent a total of 4 days in the North Island and 13 days in the South Island. This country which was once inhabited by hobbits, elves and dwarves... and Maori, is a natural beauty with its gorgeous curves and peaks. It’s not difficult to understand why the Lord of the Rings trilogy was shot here.

So if you were like us who’s temporarily sick of the city life and wish to explore Mama Nature, read on for:

1. Our full, actual itinerary (places of interests are marked in orange!)
2. More travel tips to NZ
3. Budget breakdown

If you know what you're in for, I'm still sure that you'll still need these essential tips (it saved our asses, and might save yours too!).

11 New Zealand Travel Tips You Wish You Knew, Seriously.

Kia Ora! If you are wondering where the hell did I disappear to (if only anyone noticed in the first place), we were in the beautiful land of New Zealand for our honeymoon for more than half-a-month. It was a same-same-but-different experience as Iceland, but just as amazing and epic. For most parts of the trip, we had a car, going on crazy road trips discovering the South Island. In fact, we just came back a few days ago, and as we are still basking in the holiday mood (yes, even when we are working), we would like to share some essential travel tips that we wished we knew that could make our lives so much better, seriously.

Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo