Category: Travel

You Are At The Tip

You Are At The Tip

Tanjung Piai (pronounced Pee-I) is a weird place. Geographically, it is seriously significant because it is the Southernmost tip of mainland or continental Asia. On the opposite and other extreme end is Cape Chelyuskin in Russia, just below the North Pole.Yet sadly, Tg Piai is virtually unknown to many Malaysians and Singaporeans. In reality the place is a dump. I went there in 2003 with Pooi San, with Emily Lowe in 2011 and with Sharon in 2014 on various roadtrips.

Malaysians only know one thing in promoting a seaside attraction: build chalets on stilts. There is nothing much to see unless you enjoy looking at oil tankers in the narrow Straits of Johor or at the industrial areas of Tuas in Singapore. It is also part of a national park with the mangrove shore as attraction. One thing I noticed is the first thing people do when they arrive at the Tanjung Piai resort is to pee. It is a long drive.

Tip: I don’t recommend staying here. Look for accommodation in Kukup or Pontian or even the kinky love hotel in JB. Search in MyCen Hotels.

Pic 1, If gazebos turn you on.
Pic 2. Malaysians also know selling T shirts.
Pic 3. A family bored out of their skulls bonding at the restaurant. Thank goodness for wi-fi.

#tanjungpiai #johor #jb #tip #southernmost #asia #pontian #kukup #landmark #roadtrip

T&L’s Top 100 Hotels in the World – Oberoi

T&L’s Top 100 Hotels in the World.

Travel & Leisure Magazine and website (http://www.travelandleisure.com/) under TIME Inc has an annual list of The Top 100 Hotels in the World ranked with input from readers and savvy travelers.

This year’s list of the best 100 hotels include exclusive safari lodges, urban sanctuaries, and family-friendly beach resorts that they claimed will inspire some serious wanderlust.

We will look at some of the hotels that made the list that are available for booking at MyCen Hotels. Ranked at 84th is the The Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur Hotel in the beautiful Lake City of India. On its grounds, is a twenty-acre wildlife sanctuary with deers and wild boars.

Book and see more of the hotel here: https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&hid=111166

Pic from Agoda.com

#oberoi #udaipur #lakecity #india #luxuryhotel #myvenhotels #t&l #travel #travellust

Tehran, Iran

When you see a bunch of Muslim tourists exploring every nook and cranny in the massive Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, they are probably Iranians. This family are. I asked.

They are liberal and curious about another culture. After that, I met a family of Iranians inside a lift in Sungai Wang mall. In a small talk, the head of the family kept asking me if I know the difference between Iran and Iraq. He was surprised when I told him I know Iran is Persian while Iraq is Arab. They all speak good English. I am surprised and happy I can find the original camera file/ image of Thean Hou from 2010.

In the early 1980s, I was about to enter Iran and the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini and the toppling of the Pahlavi dynasty under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was fresh news. There after came the Iran hostage crisis which lasted 444 days. The diplomatic standoff between Iran and the United States resulted in a very complicated relationship between the two countries lasting till today. Friends told me then. getting an Iranian stamp on my passport will jeopardize future US visa applications.

The playboy Shah was supported by the United States.The last monarch and emperor of Iran spent his final days in exile in the United States. He died in Egypt in 1980.

Fast forward to today and a friend and hotel booking client asked if I know of any hotel in Tehran. I checked and found many roadblocks. I suspect it is because of economic sanctions by US and UN. The booking middle men companies and credit card companies are American. I persevered and found the hotels, After all, people of other nationality do travel to Iran because of legit involvement in the oil and gas industry. You can try here.

http://www.mycen.my/tehran-hotel-deals-finder/

#tehran #teheran #iran #persia #mycenhotels

Le Apple Boutique Hotel KLCC

Monalisa Ding (@monalisading on IG) from Sarawak is a smart shopper. The last time, I featured her, was about her stay in a strategically located hotel in Penang, booked through MyCen Hotels. This time she found another ‘value for money’ deal in another big city, Kuala Lumpur. She booked via my website again and I am grateful for her consistent support.

She sent me a pic of her room. Beyond the boutique hotel moniker and stylish exterior, the room looked basic but functional. The real attraction may be its location at the heart of Kua;a Lumpur, Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC are a short walk from the hotel. So is the Ampang Park LRT station, The chain has another hotel of the same name in Bukit Bintang.

See rates, view the gallery and book the hotel here:
https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&hid=686956

#kualalumpur #klcc#hotel #mycenhotels #travel #appleboutiquehotel

An Old Relic Of The American Road Trip Is Disappearing

Love this article which traces the history of the roadside motels in America. The traditional mom and pop motels – once ubiquitous are slipping away without much notice, People bypass the old roads.

Fascinating read: http://www.businessinsider.com/american-road-trip-hotel-2017-6/?IR=T

Crushing realities: The early travelers were Depression-era migrants who’d been pushed off their land by failing crops, relentless dust and heartless banks.

Struggling to find some sense of home on the road, these environmental and economic refugees searched for hope against a backdrop of unfathomable loss. They were heading to California, the land of hope. Along the way, cheap motels popped up to cater to the new wave of travelers across America,

After the war, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, frustrated by the difficulty of moving military tanks across the country, promoted a plan that mimicked the German autobahn: the Federal Interstate Highway System. But the first of these four-lane highways would take over a decade to build.

In America, the new highways bypassed many classic motels, diners and gas stations such as those found on Route 66. I think another reason is the decline of the roadtrip culture sue escalating costs of gas, tolls and vehicle maintenance.

Our nation built highways because our truck roads were narrow,winding and sloping, Many lives were lost in horrific crashes.

The story in America in many ways mirrored our history. The NSE bypassed many small towns that led to its decline. The only exception I think is Bidor town which was once a popular rest stop due to Pun Chun restaurant. They are fortunate because the toll plaza is located near town. Today it is still bustling. Other popular stopover towns were Tanjung Malim, Kajang, Seremban, Gemas, Ayer Hitam. Batu Pahat and more.

Many family owned hotels known as Runah Tumpangan faded away without record or people documenting it.

The picture used in the article is the historic motel chain Wigwam which uses concrete tipi or teepee tents as rooms.

You can book one of three the surviving ones in San Bernardino, California here:

https://www.agoda.com/partners/partnersearch.aspx?cid=1775757&pcs=1&hid=173118

Pic by Agods. Remember, American friends, you can book a hotel anywhere in the USA via MyCen Hotels

#roadtrip #nse #highway #motels #wigwam #history #freeway #expressway #mycenhotels