The Malaya in Sydney is an institution, renowned for its vibrant Malaysian and Singaporean flavours. Established in the 1960s, it continues to impress with signature dishes like chicken and pork satay’s, char kway teow, and beef rendang, and all served with warm, attentive service that keeps diners returning. This post may contain affiliate links, to…
Tag: Asia
Classic Vietnamese at Phở Pasteur, Sydney.
Phở Pasteur is a beloved Vietnamese eatery famous for its cuisine, generous portions, and fast service, a go to spot for authentic, comforting Vietnamese dishes in the heart of the Sydney. It thoroughly takes me back to the times I have spent in Vietnam. This post may contain affiliate links, to read more click here….
The Virgin Australia Lounge – Melbourne
The Virgin Australia Lounge in Melbourne offers a relaxed, modern space with plenty of seating, work areas, and tarmac views. Guests enjoy a self serve buffet, barista made coffee, and a selection of beverages, ideal for unwinding before a domestic flight. This post may contain affiliate links, to read more click here. Virgin Australia domestic…
The Teriyaki McBurger at McDonalds – Japan!
Welcome back for another Macca’s post from around the world! This time I am in Japan! The usual rules apply: I’ll try a burger that is not available in Australia and I’ll have fries for comparison; if there is something else quite different on the menu, like gazpacho in Spain, or the Kaprao Crispy Chicken and Rice…
Eating Fugu: The Dangerous and Daring Delicacy of Japan
Do you ever have that feeling where you suddenly think, should I really be doing this? Kind of like the first time you went skydiving, bungee jumping or zip lining (I’ve only done one of these things and probably won’t do the others…Can you guess which one I have done?). I am, however, a little…
Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken
With a current Sydney lockdown (and still no International travel on the cards for awhile) I am missing international food. A Taiwanese friend gave me this easy recipe which is so tasty, and easy to make, it’s a banging good dish! Many years ago, I was flying from Australia to the United States via Asia….
Ancient Buddhist Temple Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Love to travel? Me too, so I thought I might share a post from 9 years ago, 2012 – What an amazing adventure into history this was! This is Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. What: Borobudur, the largest and oldest singular Buddhist Temple worldwide Where: Approx. 38kms from Yogyakarta (Jogjakarta) in Central Java, Indonesia When: 9th century…
Jetstar, Sydney to Bali on the 787-8 Dreamliner, Economy Class.
“Pop the butter on top of your meal, it will soften it” After all my years of flying, I’d never heard something so simply ingenious when it comes to that hard frozen butter sometimes served on board a flight. I was heading on a last minute trip to Bali, partly birthday celebration, partly Christmas shopping trip but mostly…
Air Bagan, Heho (Lake Inle) to Yangon, Myanmar. ATR72-500
“Should we stop and get something to eat before the flight?” I asked my travel companion Bert. It had been a long journey from the Novotel Myat Min in Lake Inle to Heho Airport in Myanmar for our flight to Yangon. We did enjoy a delicious a-la-carte breakfast rather early at the hotel, eggs, bacon,…
Pay As You Use At The Tune Hotel – Downtown Kuala Lumpur
“Charge ’em for the lice, extra for the mice Two percent for looking in the mirror twice Here a little slice, there a little cut Three percent for sleeping with the window shut When it comes to fixing prices There are a lot of tricks I knows How it all increases, all them bits and…
The Changing of the Guard, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea
When I mentioned to fellow Australians I was going to see the Changing of the Guard on my trip to South Korea, I could see the confusion in their faces as I’m sure they were picturing Beefeaters with large cylindrical black fur hats, gallantly dressed horses and all that pomp and pageantry that comes with…
Review: 中国南方航空 – China Southern Airlines, Guangzhou to Sydney, Airbus A380, Economy Class (Part 1)
“WOW! I had no idea we’d be on the ‘double-decker’, isn’t this AMAZING!” my seemingly chatty seat-neighbour said to me as I flashed my boarding pass and pointed, indicating she was in my window seat. She sighed loudly as she grabbed her bags knowing they’d have to be re-stowed in the overhead locker. I had purposely…
Review: Swissôtel The Stamford, Singapore – King Grand Room
I wouldn’t normally review a hotel, to be honest I rarely stay in top notch, five star properties, but my stop at the Swissotel The Stamford was such a memorable one I had to tell you about my visit. Singapore hotels can be extremely pricey, however for a five star high rise property in one…
Review: Scoot Airlines Sydney to Singapore, ScootBiz
Fees. It can sometimes be all about fees and ancillary charges with low cost carriers, but only if you decide to pay them or if you’ve done something wrong, wrong as in not followed the conditions of the ticket you have purchased. I’ve flown low cost carriers and budget airlines, with their ‘user pays’ systems…
Review: Vietnam Airlines Dong Hoi to Ha Noi – ATR72-500 Economy Class
Flight date: 20 July 2012 Aircraft: ATR72-500 Flight Number: VN1590 Flight Time: 1hrs 40mins Class: Economy Seat: 6A I have travelled on hundreds of flights on jet aircraft all over the world, Airbuses, Boeings, Embraers, Canadairs and even a few DC”s, but I can count the number of propeller aircraft I have flown on on one hand. In fact, my first…
Hanging out with the locals in Hai Phong, Vietnam
What: Hai Phong Opera House forecourt and adjacent park Where: Hai Phong, Norther Vietnam Who: The locals Sometimes, to really get the feel for a place, its nice to take a break from the information overload that sightseeing can cause and just hang out and do what the locals do. On recent trip to Vietnam,…
Prambanan, A Hindu Temple in Yogyakarta
What: Ancient Hindu Temple Prambanan Where: Located about 18 kilometres from Yogyakarta, Indonesia When: 8th Century “A group tour or independent?” was often one of the first question I would ask as a Travel Consultant. “No not a group tour, I don’t want to be with a bunch of people I don’t know” was usually…
Review: Jetstar Airways – Darwin to Denpasar (Bali) Economy Class
Flight date: 12 February 2012 Aircraft: Airbus A321-200 Flight Number: JQ85 Flight Time: 2hrs 35mins Class: Economy (Value Plus fare) Seat: 28A Travelling overseas, for those living in the southeastern part of Australia, usually means a long-haul flight unless, of course, you are crossing the ditch to visit our Kiwi cousins. But for our country folk that reside in the north…
The Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China
What: Temple of Heaven Where: Beijing, PR China When: 15th – 20th Century One Christmas, when I was about seven or eight years of age, Santa Claus left my brother and I a board game called Chinese Checkers under the Christmas Tree. I don’t think my brother and I ever learnt how to correctly play…
Review: Vietnam Airlines Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, Business Class
Flight date: 15 July 2012 Aircraft: Airbus a330-200 Flight Number:VN772 Flight Time: 9hrs Class: Business Class Seat: 4c For me, a big part of the excitement of long-haul travel is the unknown. I’m not talking about where I’m going and what cultures, foods and history I will encounter, that surely is an exciting part, but my experience of getting there….
Tanah Lot and the Balinese Festival of Buda Wage, Bali, Indonesia
What: Tanah Lot, A picturesque Hindu Temple built on a coastal rock formation Where: Bali, Indonesia, about 45 minutes drive from the tourist centre of Kuta When: 15th century, restored in the 1980’s I’m not one that enjoys large crowds, I avoid the hoards of people around Sydney Harbour on New Years Eve and the thought of shopping…
Matty Somewhere 