Luxor โ palace of Egypt. Luxor is surprisingly peaceful as compared to other parts of Egypt. 2 days are sufficient to explore the east and west bank or Luxor. It is a 3 hours train ride from Aswan to Luxor. Purchasing train tickets in Egypt was not straightforward as we had some challenges to do it online. We had resorted to buying them at the train station itself. Do note that they only accept payments in cash.
Day 1 – Exploring East Bank of Luxor
1. Karnak Temple
๐ Karnak, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
2. Mummification Museum
๐ ุด Kornish Al Nile, Luxor City, Luxor, Luxor Governorate 1362501, Egypt
3. Felucca Ride on the Nile
4. Luxor Temple
๐ Luxor City, Luxor, Luxor Governorate 1362501, Egypt
Day 2 – Exploring West Bank of Luxor
5. Hot air balloon
๐ Luxor, Luxor Governorate 1340420, Egypt
5. Colossi of Memnon
๐ Al Bairat, Al Qarna, Luxor Governorate 1341703, Egypt
Aswan โ also known as land of gold. It’s the most colorful city I have seen in Egypt. There are several sources that says that it’s known as land of gold not because they have gold mines, but it’s because it’s the center for trading, either that or they believe that the gold was the flesh of gods that were buried in Aswan. We travelled via evening flight from Cairo to Aswan, which takes about 50 mins and it cost $110.
1. Cruising along the Nile River
๐ Nile River, Aswan
2. Nubian Village
๐ West, Aswan, Aswan Governorate 1231022, Egypt
3. Light Show at Philae Temple
๐ Aswan 1, ุงูุจุญุฑ ุงูุฃุญู ุฑ 1240271, Egypt
Siwa Oasis โ what captured my attention about Siwa was the turquoise salt lake. It was the best decision ever to explore Siwa with @touritos_ for 3 days, from Cairo to Siwa and back to Cairo. One thing I had learnt while planning for Egypt is that, not all places are accessible via train. Hence the only way we could find to go to Siwa, is to drive, which is unpleasant because it takes 8 hours to get there. On the day we travelled to Siwa, the weather wasn’t the best. It was so windy, and our car broke down in the middle of nowhere. Our driver/guide was the best. He is always ensuring that we are comfortable and we will never go thirsty or hungry in the car. Yes, they provided us with water and snacks. However we were just napping most of the time :’) The package cost $380 per person, and it’s inclusive of meals, accommodation and transport. It is not a private tour, but we were blessed with the best group and met new friends from across the world!
1. Panta Lodge Siwa
๐ Siwa, Marsa Matrouh Governorate 5011611, Egypt
I love the style of the resort. It’s not a 5 star accommodation, but it’s so picturesque and the vibe is just phenomenal.
I didn’t expect myself coming back to Bali after 2 or 3 years, it was kind of like an impromptu trip for me but a planned trip for a friend. I decided to go since it was my birthday week, I thought why not give it another break. I am always up for a new experiences (the only thing that takes my step back is probably my limited annual leaves). We took the taxi to Kintamani from the airport, which cost around $50 for a one way trip. It is actually about 2 hours drive away. So the main highlight about this trip is glamping at Black Lava camp! Going in and out of the campsite is not exactly convenient, since not any vehicle can actually go to the campsite as it is a hilly narrow off road track. Hence it is not recommended for visitors to drive in. It is also unexpectedly cold at night so do bring some sweaters or jacket!
1. Black Lava Camp
๐ Jalan Bukit Payang No.88, Desa Batur Tengah, Kintamani Banjar Bugbugan, Central Batur, Kintamani, Bangli Regency, Bali 80652, Indonesia Family suite cost $200 per night
The skies were really clear on our third day so we were lucky enough to stargaze at night!
2. Abiansila Adventures Bali ATV
๐ Jl. Raya Bresela No.8, Bresela, Kec. Payangan, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80572, Indonesiaa $88 per pax for shared tandem ride for 1.5 hours, including transport
Super recommended! The track is really extreme but it is also soooo fun! PS: I actually did get myself injured (on my birthday!)
3. Snorkelling at Lovina
๐ R2RG+544, Sea, Anturan, Buleleng, Buleleng Regency, Bali 81152, Indonesia $100 for 2 pax, including transport
Lovina is by far one of the best place to snorkel so far, as compared to Nusa Penida. I am not sure if I recommend the dolphins tour though, as it is so uncomfortable seeing how many boats are chasing after the dolphins. Definitely not cool.
4. Beachwalk Kuta
๐ Jl. Pantai Kuta, Kuta, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
4. Beachbowl Cafe
๐ Jl. Benesari, Pantai, Kuta, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesiaal Batur, Kintamani, Bangli Regency, Bali 80652, Indonesia
Cape Town! We were so excited to finally explore South Africa on our own feet. I was kinda nervous because Cape Town is known to be unsafe to many. The number one rule we did was to not go out at night. Usually we were back at the airbnb just before the sun goes down, which is also a downer because the sun goes down at 5 PM hence we did not have a lot of time to explore Cape Town. It was a good thing that we had a really cozy Airbnb with such perfect views, overlooking the popular hills – Table Mountain, Signal hill and Lion’s head. It is stunning. On another note, transport wise, we felt safe travelling via Uber! It is not recommended to take their public transports, even local taxis because you’ll never know if it’s a fake. There’s definitely a lot to see/do in Cape Town and we were kinda bummed that we did not have enough time here. Will definitely visit again!
It is located 20 minutes away from Cape Town International Airport and not too far away from the waterfront as well. We felt safe during our stay. We had to register our identity at the lobby since not just anyone is allowed to access the building. We actually left our luggages behind at the lobby since the guard said they will bring it up to us but as we went up with our host, he said, “rule no #1 in South Africa is not to leave your luggages with strangers, but it’s fine, the building guys here are trustworthy.“
Cape Point is about 1 hr 40 minutes ride away. We decided to take the city sightseeing bus because it felt like a safer option for us. Totally recommend! We got to see African penguins at Boulders beach and they are super adorable. We also saw some naughty baboons at Cape Point. At Cape Point, you can choose to hike up or take the Funicular up which cost around $7 SGD. It is often referred as a place where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meets although we could not really see the separation.
We had a road trip to Gaansbai which is about 2 hours drive away just to see the big 5 marine life in South Africa. We actually had to reschedule due to bad weather conditions (hence be prepared to be flexible with your days in Cape Town). We got to see Southern whales, humpback whales, sunfish, fur seal, shark and penguins. Unfortunately we did not see the dolphins this time round! (PS: It is so hard trying to take a good pictures of the humpback whales when they are rarely bridging. It is so hard to appreciate their beauty just on the surface! It would be so nice to see them beneath the waters, hopefully one day!)
Day 3 – Sight seeing in Cape Town
Table Mountain
๐ Tafelberg Rd, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa
The cable car to the mountains cost about $37. Did you know that Table Mountain is now the New 7 Wonder of Nature of the world? It is stunning! The name of the mountain explains it all, since it is flat like a table. Check the weather forecast before going probably, it’s best to go when the skies are clear otherwise all you can see from the mountain is clouds. We were a bit lucky to have a quick view of Cape Town before the clouds came over covering the city.
Bo Kaap
๐ 71 Wale St, Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Green Point
๐ 100 Beach Rd, Mouille Point, Cape Town, 8005, South Africa
Greenmarket Square
๐ Burg St &, Longmarket St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa
City hall
๐ Darling St, CBD, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Bored of staycays? Yes. Need a break? Also yes. My friend & I had booked for a cruise trip in November. I have been to cruise once when I was younger, but I was too young to remember how the experience was like. We decided to go with Dream cruise because they offers halal friendly food options. I guess one thing to take note from the cruise trip is that, apart from your booking payment, you still have to pay a gratuity fee of $24 per night/per person. All the other activities and food are pretty much paid off (some activities are not free).
Few weeks before your trip, you will receive an email from the cruise company for online check-in. Once done you will receive your ART test appointment timing. I was allocated to the 11am slot, which is for the first group. Test results were out in 30 minutes. It was a pretty smooth process. The immigration gate opens around 12:30 (I had to wait longer since I am in the first group) and the ship was ready for boarding by 2 PM. Checking out was really smooth as well, it was all done in about 30 minutes. We stayed in deck 10 and they have cleared the floor around 10:30 AM.
Food options was just average to me. You can never go hungry in the cruise as there are 24/7 snacks bar. On my first night the snack choices were not the best though. It can be better, but it is not the worst!
Our balcony stateroom was on the east side of the ship so we managed to catch the beautiful sunrise on the first morning. The bed is so comfortable, and the room is SO cold. It is quite spacious for 2 pax. There was nothing new to watch on the TV, but good thing is I brought my Nintendo Switch games just in case we have some free time to play.
Shows: there are 2 free shows which is available for booking once you are onboard. The slots run out pretty fast so it is advised to have the app handy before you board. If you did not manage to book any slots, I believe they do accept walk ins based on the availability. I’d totally recommend going for Jolly Holly, their performances are exceptional.
Free activities: Rock climbing, table tennis and mini golf are available for booking upon walk in (on the same day itself), swimming/jacuzzi slots are open for 1 hr per day upon availability, ropes courses & zip-line are available on walk in, waterslides operates for 2 sessions per day and it is available upon walk in as well; we went there around 12pm and there were no queue at all!
It has been 2 years since Covid started. Infection rates in Singapore had increased ever since the measures were lighten as we slowly transition to ‘endemic’ phase. A couple of my friends were tested positive once. I was once or twice, were in contact with a Covid patient but thankfully, I was not infected. Not too sure how this virus spreads honestly. If you get it, you get it. Sooner or later this is going to be a norm, and eventually everyone will get it. It is a good thing though that almost everyone in Singapore are vaccinated – though we are not sure how much longer can the vaccine sustain. I feel like the best we can do now is to take safety precautions; especially if you are going to have a group gathering and such – it is better to get ART tested first. At times like this, it is so SO important to be responsible. Enough of the covid rant, let’s get started on the topic of this post: staycation.
Of course, I had a couple of staycations during this tough times (it is the most we can do to unwind from our stressful busy life). Honestly I am tired of staycations by now, lol. Can’t wait till we can actually start travelling again, well as a matter of fact we can now travel with the vaccinated travel lanes options open – but it is still rather early a.k.a risky to travel hence I shall wait a little longer and observe the situation. Below are the list of hotels I have been to during this Covid period. Try to make a guess which is my ultimate favourite hotel based on my list below :’)
1. ONEยฐ15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Singapore
๐ 11 Cove Drive, #01-01, Sentosa Cove, Singapore 098497 Cost: About $200 per night
Pros: Spacious room and toilet, amazing swimming pool, peaceful hotel surroundings
Cons: Maybe food options are pretty limited in the area, but food delivery is the answer
2. Sofitel City Centre Singapore
๐ 9 Wallich St, Singapore 078885 Cost: About $150 per night
Pros: Spacious hotel room, early check in, great service, speaker in the room
Cons: Swimming pool were rather dirty, breakfast options
3. Yotel Air Orchard
๐ 366 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238904 Cost: About $150 per night
Pros: Smart bed, pillows were too soft but can request for change upon request, nicely design compartments for a small space, really affordable rates, HDMI is just next to the bed (which is pretty convenient to connect your laptop to the tv)
Cons: Room size is rather small, small pool, choice of breakfast is really limited
4. The Fullerton Bay, Singapore
๐ 80 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049326 Cost: About $500 per night
Pros: The view is amazing, SMART TV option available, nice jacuzzi (they even serve you a glass of water during your pool session), free bath salts, speaker in the room
Cons: Our check in time were delayed but they gave us late check out (can be considered as a pros), Quite pricey
5. Andaz Singapore
๐ 5 Fraser St, Singapore 189354 Cost: About $150 per night
Pros: 36 hours in Andaz (just nice for a short getaway - 9am to 9pm next day), room is beautiful, great service, bidet in the toilet (rare), speaker in the room
Cons: Can't think of anything really
6. Dusit Thani Singapore
๐ 11 Laguna Golf Green, Singapore 488047 Cost: About $150 per night
Pros: Peaceful surroundings, gorgeous restaurant, amazing pool
Cons: Golf club nearby is for members only, floats were not allowed, our room window were dirty (we were just unlucky)
7. Shangri-La Sentosa
๐ 101 Siloso Rd, 098970 Cost: About $150 per night
Pros: Holiday resort vibes, spacious room, amazing beach facilities, pool view, 2 hours of booking per day for beach/pool, good variety of breakfast selection
Cons: Maybe not having toilet bidet
8. Marina Bay Sands
๐ 10 Bayfront Avenue Cost: About $350 per night
Pros: Nice views, spacious room, can be pricey, infamous amazing pool and jacuzzi
Cons: Can be spooky, room access can be inconvenient, guest needs to be registered and restricted no of guest allowed per day
9. The list ended at #8
But if I happen to go for another, I will update it here. Stay tuned. Thanks for dropping by!
Hi guys! I am Atiqah, currently living in Singapore. I love to travel and when I do, I enjoy logging my journeys through video blogs and writing. The great thing about documenting my travels are that I can never forget all these little details about the trip by reading my blog post or “reliving” the moments by watching my video blogs on YouTube. Concurrently, I hope these information shared inspires you to travel or helped you plan for your upcoming trips. My goal is to travel as much as I can, keep vlogging and aspire to create better videos.
PS: Bucket list is not in order and changes overtime.
Can’t wait to explore the world โ๏ธ
โ Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt โ Visit the Colosseum โ Discover the Taj Mahal โ Visit Milan Cathedral โ Explore Paris and Versailles โ Explore Moscow, Russia โ Visit Bali โ Visit Yogyakarta โ Swimming with whale sharks in Cebu โ Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls in Cebu (Cliff jumping) โ Swimming with millions of sardines โ Swimming with sea turtles โ Dolphin watching/swimming with dolphins โ Swimming with Manta Rays โ Swimming/Diving with sharks โ Visit a pink beach โ Dive/Snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef โ Visit Grand Canyon โ Visit Palawan in the Philippines โ Northern Lights – Iceland/Norway โ Hop on the hot air balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey โ Niagara Waterfalls โ Go to Disneyland Orlando โ Visit Japan โ Explore London โ Explore Amsterdam โ Visit Brighton in United Kingdom โ Go to Paris Disneyland โ Road trip in Melbourne Great Ocean Road โ Relax at Blue Lagoon, Iceland โ Go to Capri, Italy and visit Blue Grotto โ Visit Positano and Almafi Coast โ Explore Morocco โ Explore Czech Republic โ Hop on a gondola ride in Venice โ Visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center in Abu Dhabi โ Desert Safari tour โ Walk on Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco โ Visit the leaning tower of Pisa โ Explore Switzerland – Toboggan Ride, Paragliding, Flying fox โ Take Scuba Diving certification โ Visit Mount Kinabalu โ Explore Kota Kinabalu, Sabah โ Go to Hong Kong Disneyland โ Stay in a Disneyland Hotel โ Ride on a Jetski โ Go on a Parasailing โ Rent a clear kayak and explore island to island โ Ziplining from one island to another island (above the sea) โ Loy Krathong and Yi Peng festival in Chiang Mai โ Visit Greece – Santorini, Mykonos โ Go on a helicopter tour โ Walk Through Indonesiaโs Tegalalang Rice Terraces โ Explore Istanbul โ Travelling by land via night sleeper train โ Ride on an ATV โ Experience Christmas Wonderland in London โ White water rafting โ Visit an active volcano โ Skydiving (honestly unsure) โ Spend the night on a boat โ Stargazing โ Visit Iran โ South Africa + exploring exotic islands! โ Learn snowboarding โ Road trip on a Caravan at Great Ocean Road โ Mountain flight at Mount Everest โ Camping in Sahara Desert โ Sandboarding โ Experiencing life in Safari โ See Victoria Falls in Africa โ Visit Kenya โ Visit Zimbabwe โ Visit Namibia โ Overnight in a treehouse
โ Visit Sri Lanka โ Visit Socotra โ Learn Freediving โ Explore Kazakhstan
Memories in the making 
You must be logged in to post a comment.