Maldives

I’ve been dreaming to visit Maldives since a long time, ok you got my point, I am a girl with so many dreams haha. But really, visiting Maldives is one of my bucket list. Not to mention that we have been overdosed by hundred of Maldives pictures advertised everywhere that show the awesomeness of this country.  A tosca blue color water, a 5 stars fancy resorts constructed with overwater concept, beautiful sandy beach and crystal clear water that looks like a natural private swimming pool. Okay, now tell me how come people not dreaming about this place ?

I always remind myself to never set any expectation to places I would like to go, and that’s what I did before I arrive in Maldives. Keep my expectation as lowest as I can and let the fact surprise me later. I have heard that Maldives is a part of Srilanka country, but no it’s not. Maldives is an independent country located in indian ocean (geographically below srilanka) consisted by 1200 islands. I was so surprised knowing the fact that every island in Maldives is owned by one resort. So basically, there is only a few islands where the local Maldivian still living.

Taj Exottica Resort, Maldives

My night flight from Singapore to Maldives caused me arrived when the sky was dark already and I couldn’t feel the vibes of Maldives right away landed at the airport. Ibrahim Nasir International Airport was located in one island in Maldives, it was separated with its capital city, Male. A tall young guy with dark skin and curly long hair hold a sign board of Alaka Maafushi hotel in front of the arrival gate. “Hey welcome to Maldives. Now we are waiting for the speed boat that will bring you to Maafushi” he said. I could see the rumor that says Maldives has a blue tosca colour sea water even though it was dark already from the harbour.

The day that I’ve been waiting for so long has finally came !! It was so sunny and bright, we jumped to the speed boat that would bring us wandering around the island of Maldives. I was just happily yelling “OH MY GOD !! look at that tosca blue water !!” to start the journey.

Turtle Point
We stopped at turtle point which was our first spot, as excited as before I directly jumped into the sea. Maldives has such a very clear water with great visibility and so many kind of fishes. My first snorkeling experience in Maldives left me such a good impression that caused me can’t wait to the next snorkeling session. Oh I couldn’t describe how happy I was to be back to my favorite playground !

Turtle Point around Maafushi Island, Maldives

Sand bank
Second stop is sandbank, a sand dune that exist in the middle of the sea. We had a lunch break on the sand dunes with our own private beach view. We were pretty much excited running from here to there, getting dry and getting wet.

crystal clear water of Maldives

Dolphin Point
It even doesn’t need much effort to see thousands of dolphins. They swam around our boat and right under my feet when I was sitting on the boat’s deck.

Sunset time in Maldives

Private Picnic Island
WOW THAT’S STRING RAY JUST PASSED BY ! yess we saw some string rays and baby sharks swimming around on the surface. This island became the last spot to end first day in Maldives which is ended up AWESOME !

White sandy beach of Maldives

One Day Trip at Taj Exotica Resort
On the second day we have been asked which resort to choose for a day trip. There are some resorts with different day trip package prices. Usually a 5 stars hotel will charge minimum 100 usd for one day visit including minimum spent for lunch. The top 2 resorts are Centaara Resort and Taj Exotica Resort, they are both 5 stars hotel with overwater room concept. Centaara is the most popular one among travelers as the price is quite reasonable on 143 USD, Taj exotica is more expensive on 173 USD but it has more spots to take photo.

Taj Exottica Resort, Maldives

Taj Exottica Resort, Maldives

Taj Exottica Resort, Maldives

The prices are including lunch and a free time exploring the resort but not for entering the room. We spent the whole day just hanging around at the resort, chill on the pool and swim on its white sand beach and tosca blue water.

Taj Exottica Resort, Maldives

On the third day, we left for Thoddoo island and spent 4 days in this tiny interesting island. See how I fall in love with Thoddoo Island on the next post.

PS : For more details about my Maldives itinerary, You can contact @MaldivesLowBudget on instagram or visit the website to see the next Maldives Open Trip Schedule www.maldiveslowbudget.com


cheers,
kadekarini

“Someone showing off his dick when I was walking alone” that’s how I started the day in Kangding.

My first day in Kangding has been started with such a horrible memory. I am really confused whether to tell the story or not, but since I promised to myself to treat my blog as my online diary (2017 resolution), to share everything what I’ve been through, what I feel, what I impress to and what I am afraid to, either good or bad, here I finally share it. After spent 4 days in Chengdu (read my story in Chengdu), I continued my #SoloTravelChina to Kangding County. It’s 8 hours away from Chengdu to the side of border between China and Tibet (Please see the maps for its detail location).

I am currently in Kangding

Kangding city sits on 2.600 masl, it’s a getaway of Kham Region of Tibetan Plateu.

On my #SoloTravelChina Day 13, I Arrived in Kangding after a bumpy 8 hours bus ride from Chengdu. Departed from Chengdu Bus terminal, that was my first stop of my overland Sichuan Province journey. Since it’s located in the high altitude, the weather was going more crazy cold. Managed to stay in Zhilam Hostel (most traveler hostel recommendation in Kangding owned by 2 americans, so don’t worry anymore about speaking english), and woke up in a very fresh condition.

Zhilam Hostel (the best hostel in kangding)

In the morning, I was walking alone and heading to the monastery. The road to the monastery was quite uphill, and while I was on the way, there was a 40’s chinese guy approached me and told something in chinese. Since I don’t speak chinese, so I just said that I didn’t understand what he was saying. I continued walking and ignored this guy, but he kept following me and suddenly he was showing off his dick and giggles annoyingly at the same time.
I was bloody shocked and all of the sudden ran so fast to find someone to help me. I was totally clueless where the direction I was heading to, the only thing on my mind was “find someone” since there was really no one that time. I kept running as fast as I could without looking back because I was just too scared, that might be the fastest running speed I’ve ever done (hell yeah!) I stopped at the small local convenient store with my breathless look which made the lady (the seller) raised her eyebrows. Then I looked back and found he wasn’t there. Sooner, I realized that I ran too far away of the direction I should have to go. That’s how I started my day in Kangding, the little obstacle that might happen when you travel solo.
I told the story to my friend who has been staying at the same hostel with me for 3 years because she works in Kangding, and you know what is the fact about Kangding ? Kangding is very safe of sexual harrasement, during 3 years of her life while she always do everything alone, she never experience any about that kind of thing. Well, i believe that there must be 1 unlucky person among 100 people, and for this time i was that unlucky one.

Was I scared ? Yes Totally, Did i know how this thing could happen ? Hell no, life is full surprises, no matter how well prepared we are, there might be something unpredictable coming. What do we have to do then ? Just let it happens, never make something that you’re afraid to be the reason to not doing it, sometimes things will go as good as you’ve expected, most of the times it will just go far away of your expectation, but bad thing doesn’t mean bad.

Remember that life’s greatest lessons are usually learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes. 

Will it stop you to travel solo ? Never consider a “NO” as the answer, just like in school, you had to pass several final tests to continue to the next grade, the tests were getting harder year by year of course, but you’ve finally finished them. I know that being a solo travel means you have to overcome more obstacles during the journey, but that’s the same thing we’ve done in school. It always seems impossible at first until it’s done.

Kangding had been historical border between Tibet and China, from Kangding to the west lies Tibetan civilization where as to the east Chinese cultural areas –wikipedia

Walking around the city is the best you can do in Kangding, listen to the voice of Yala river flow stream down along the center of the main road. Sitting down with the locals who dress up beautifully unique, or socialize in people’s square in the city. Despite of the bad accident, I then found the monastery that I was looking for. The first time I came to the monastery is when I was in Ladakh, India. I fell in love the moment I stepped my foot into that huge building. Monasteries usually are located in high altitude area, those are homes to monks who decided to dedicate their life to serving all other living beings, and live their life in prayer and contemplation.
As fall in love as before, Nanwu monastery is a tibetan Buddhist monastery located 3 km away from the city center of Kangding. I walked up from Zhilam Hostel which only needed 2 km left to be arrived. The main building contained of 4 stories with square shape with one inner square on the center where usually be used to held the ceremonies. I spent totally a day walking around the city, started at 09.00 am and ended up at 09.00 pm. Well, I am not a good story teller, but I hope you can imagine how peaceful Kangding is from all photos that I took.

HOW TO GET THERE
1.   Chengdu – Kangding by bus (7-9hrs, 111 RMB). Go to Chengdu Bus terminal (Xinnanmen Bus Station) and ask the locket to buy ticket to Kangding. The buses run from 7 am to 1 pm. I departed at 11.00 pm and arrived at 06.00 pm.
2.   Arrive in Kangding Bus Terminal, find taxi and ask the driver to go to Zhilam Hostel. I just told them to go to Bei Tuo Kan (the name of the village), then they will understand that you go to Zhilam Hostel. It cost around 10 RMB. It’s worth it since the distance is quite far and uphill. you need 30 minutes to walk uphill.
3.   For Transportation in Kangding city, you can just walk, it’s a very small city that you can cover the main destination by walking.

WHERE TO STAY
There are only several hostels there and I am not sure whether the staffs can speak English or not, so I recommend you to stay in Zhilam Hostel (hostel owned by 2 Americans). This hostel is really famous among travelers. They have such a nice hostel, nice bedroom, very clean, and everyone speaks English (finally I can communicate with people, since when I was in Chengdu I stayed with the chinese roommates who didn’t speak English at all for 4 days !). Dorm room cost 45 rmb/bed/night. They don't receive an online reservation, so you'd better call in advance for reservation. Ask your hostel's reception to borrow the phone if you don't have a local number. Or just simply email them, they will reply 24 hrs as the longest.
Email : manager@zhilamhostel.com
phone : (+86)0836-2831100
website : www.zhilamhostel.com

cheers,
kadekarini

Reach the top of Mount Tambora, Sumbawa, Indonesia

“They say by not having white skin is weird, being not white means dirty !”

I grew up in circumstances where people think that a beautiful woman is the one with white skin. No matter what your original skin is, you need to have a white skin to not being humiliated. It’s sometimes funny knowing the fact that we are living in a tropical country which almost all the season of  the year is summer, but those bunch of women still spend a lot of money and do too much effort to make them have white skin, just because to meet the ideal beauty that the society expects.

Nusa penida, Bali (read full strory here )

Daocheng National Park, China

I was born with a brown skin and grew up with it all of my life. I joined several outdoor activities back when I was in school. Spent 2 days in a week playing basketball, went swimming every weekend and keep continuing what I do really enjoy until now, exploring the nature. There was a moment when I was sick of those derision teasing me to buy all the whitening products and just stay at home coz my skin is getting way too dark.
 
“They told me to stop meet the sun to get my skin lighter”

Instead of having less confidence of my brown skin, I keep questioning what’s wrong with a tanned skin ? do I have to stop what I love to live the dream that the society is striving for ? Is it really wrong to have a tanned skin ?

“It’s OK not to have white skin, as long as we have a healthy proud tanned skin !”

Let’s deal with it ! I spent almost quarter time of my life going to the beach, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking the mountains, riding a motorcycle and call myself a #ProudTan as the result of those outdoor activities afterwards. But there is something you have to be aware of facing the sun frequently. When the skin gets darker doesn’t mean it turns out to be unhealthy. There is nothing wrong of being tan as long as we still manage the health of our skin.
Do not ever leave the house with bare skin, either when the sun is bright or in a cloudy day. The skin uses sunlight to help produce vitamin D, which is important for normal bone formation. But sometimes its ultraviolet light can be very detrimental.

“Frequent and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays over many years is the chief cause of skin cancer”

That’s why we should protect our skin by covering up sensitive areas and wearing sun screen with SPF. Use the skin protector especially on the face for daily routine. I currently use Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 for my daily treatment before leaving the house. To be honest, I am quite picky in choosing the daily skin care for myself. I prefer the one which has light texture and easy to apply, as I will use it everyday. Skin that is kept moisturized feels more supple and smoother when you touch it, and Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 is just like the answer of the problems. Non-greasy moisturizer nourishes and hydrates the skin and the SPF 15 will also protect it from the sun’s harmful rays.
If you haven’t known before that I have such a sensitive kind of skin type, hence I always worry to try any new skin care. But, this Cetaphil product is suitable for all skin type and for those who have sensitive skin becomes the reason why I didn’t doubt at all to try. The fragrance free means that it does not contain any overrated chemical composition (you can see more the details of product here) Moreover, I really love how convenient the packaging is. It comes in a bottle that has a pump dispenser at the top. With one pump, it dispenses just the right amount of lotion to cover my whole face.

I believe that just like the other organ of our body, skin doesn’t only need outer treatment but also inner. Drink mineral water, have a regular sleep time and be happy ! Do what you love, and never stop doing things you really enjoy.

“Because healthy skin originally comes from the happy soul :)*


For More details of the products, kindly visit the pages
Website : www.cetaphil.co.id/id/product
Facebook : www.facebook.com/cetaphilindonesia
Instagram @cetaphil_id : www.instagram.com/cetaphil_id/


cheers,
kadekarini