Lombok and The Gili Islands: Sasak Sade Traditional Village

Next stop in our Wonderful Indonesia trip (#TripOfWonders), is the Island of Lombok. In our itinerary, we will be visiting a traditional local village and explore the Gili Islands.

We flew from Makassar to Lombok via Garuda Indonesia Airlines. Although just a short trip, I was amazed by how the service in the plane was handled (more on this soon).

We arrived at the hotel late in the evening, and while waiting for our room keys, the friendly hotel staff served each of us a glass of refreshingly cold lemon grass brew. (hmmmm I think I can get used to this life!).

ALSO READ: SURPRISING THINGS YOU CAN DO IN MAKASAAR, INDONESIA

My introduction to Lombok was the view from my hotel room. Looking from my window, I started to get excited with our upcoming adventures.

[caption id="attachment_4297" align="alignnone" width="800"] View from my room at Golden Tulip Hotel, Lombok[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4296" align="alignnone" width="800"] Everything so green and beautiful![/caption]

First stop, which will be the focus of this blog, is the Sasak Traditional Sade Village.

In the Philippines, we do have traditional villages all over the country and I always get fascinated learning their culture, especially their arts. So, knowing that I’ll get to see this on our first day in Lombok made this trip extra special.

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SASAK SADE TRADITIONAL VILLAGE

[caption id="attachment_4307" align="alignnone" width="800"] The houses at Sasak Village - almost similar to the Philippine's Bahay Kubo[/caption]

Around 80% of the entire population of Lombok consists of Sasak people, an indigenous group in Indonesia. The Sade Village is one of the villages in Lombok where Sasak people live. Despite the modernity of our times, quite a number of houses - a total of 150, built in traditional Sasak style, are a common sight in this village.

The moment that we hopped out of the bus, we were welcomed in a very festive way. We were given weaved sashes (sort of a scarf), that were hanged around our shoulders. It seemed as if there was a 'fiesta' going on in the village. I LOVE IT (I felt special haha). Along the entranceway, there were people playing traditional musical instruments, stringed, percussion (and even a flute---I think?).

[caption id="attachment_4298" align="alignnone" width="800"] A very musical welcome upon entering the village[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4299" align="alignnone" width="800"] .........oooh yeah....I can see a flute![/caption]

Our group was not the only one who visited the village during that time. There were several tourists who enjoyed the festive welcome as well (I guess it’s like this everyday). My first impression was that the village had become so commercialized and I am a bit scared that it might lose its authentic heritage. Hoping that my fear was wrong, I sat down and started observing my surroundings with an open mind.

We watched several dance acts prepared to entertain the village’s guests. Each dance was given an introduction, I think it was for our benefit, so we’ll not get culture shocked. There were some dances that made me sit at the edge of my seat, particularly the Peresaian Dance ( a dance between two men armed with sticks and buffalo skin shield - warrior ritual dance). Every hit felt as if one will surely get hurt. At one point, I was not sure if this was scripted or not. It was really hard and painful to watch.

[caption id="attachment_4302" align="alignnone" width="800"] So intense, I can't even take a proper photo[/caption]

Although I can live without watching the Peresaian Dance, other dances were entertaining and fun.

Tarian Gendang Belek - Welcoming dance (big drum dance)

Petuk Dance - Dance performed during circumcision ceremony

Amak Tempengus Dance - a dance to entertain the warriors who returned from war

[caption id="attachment_4301" align="alignnone" width="800"] Petuk Dance[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4303" align="alignnone" width="800"] Amak Tempengus Dance - This dance is fun and very comedic[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4294" align="alignnone" width="800"] Can't resist a selfie!.....and a photobomber Jeremy @g0lden0h[/caption]

After watching the performances, it was our turn to walk around the village.

While walking down the small alleyways, you will see traditional houses built from wood, bamboo and thatched roof, something very similar to our 'bahay kubo' (but look sturdier).

[caption id="attachment_4295" align="alignnone" width="800"] Walking around the village[/caption]

During my undergrad studies, my thesis was about restoration and preservation of the Ivatan House (Ivatan: group of people living in Batanes, a province north of the Philippines). In a way, I can relate how hard it is to preserve such a village/lifestyle in the modern days.

For sure, tourism had an impact to the village. One thing that you can’t really miss are all the souvenir shops placed in front of almost all houses.

[caption id="attachment_4300" align="alignnone" width="800"] She instantly smiled and poses as I passed by her house/store[/caption]

The village is famous for their 'Ikat' Weaving, and you can see that almost everyone in this village is selling beautifully weaved fabrics. You can see Sasak women in front of their houses weaving the next available fabric for sale. According to our guide, the whole community are working together to promote their craft and keep their culture alive (this is actually very commendable).

(Ikat, or ikkat, is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric. In ikat the resist is formed by binding individual yarns or bundles of yarns with a tight wrapping applied in the desired pattern. The yarns are then dyed.)- Wikipedia

 

[caption id="attachment_4304" align="alignnone" width="800"] Showing us a finished product[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4305" align="alignnone" width="800"] Sampling the traditional way of weaving[/caption]

It was nice to know that the Sasak people in Sade Village, understand the value of their heritage, and they are showcasing this to educate those who are visiting, even for a short time.

At first, it might look like a very commercial-centric traditional village, and at one point, one may question the authenticity of what was being showcased. After touring around and fed with some information, it became clear to me that these inputs (possibly in collaboration with the local government) not only help the village but also those who are visiting Indonesia. It is an adaptation that is mostly beneficial to the Sasak people in terms of livelihood and keeping their heritage alive. For us, who are mere spectators, the Sade Village became an immersion crash course in the life of the Sasaks.

[caption id="attachment_4306" align="alignnone" width="800"] Patiently working to help the tradition stay alive[/caption]

I am happy that I was able to visit this village (and even bought myself a scarf and sarong). To be with the ‘real’ locals, the legitimate owners of the land we were walking on, felt so surreal. After my brief experience in this village and mingling with indigenous people, I sincerely hope that this place will keep on educating not only tourists like us, but also locals who want to discover their roots and the rich culture of their country.

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Coming Up Next: Part 2 of our Lombok and Gilis Adventure: Exploring The Gili Islands.

 

ALSO READ: Trip of Wonders: Wonderful Indonesia 2016 in a Nutshell

 

This post is in collaboration with The Tourism Ministry of Indonesia

Check out more information about #TripOfWonders:

Indonesia.travel

#TripOfWonders

@kennethsurat

Surprising Things You Can Do in Makassar, Indonesia

With just an hour of sleep, fresh from our flight from Manila, our 11 days “Trip of Wonders” officially started. While it seemed as if that we just arrived from the airport, we found ourselves flying again to the city of Makassar.

[caption id="attachment_4258" align="alignnone" width="800"] #TripOfWonders official ID cards (we have one for our luggages as well)[/caption]

Before this trip, I didn’t even know about the existence of this city (which made it more exciting for me to explore). When you mention Indonesia to me, all I can think of are Jakarta, Indonesia, and Bandung (because I have a friend who lives here ^^). So when I read in our itinerary that this is the first city that we will visit, I got so intrigued on what we will do there.

[caption id="attachment_4259" align="alignnone" width="800"] The closest thing I can have of a drone (ish) shot of Makassar. Thanks @garuda.indonesia[/caption]

If you are like me, who is a first time explorer of this city, here are some suggestions that will make your time in Makassar worth while. (Note: you don’t necessarily have to do all of these in one trip—unless you really want to –insert evil laugh)

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BANTIMURUNG BULUSARAUNG NATIONAL PARK (EXPLORE THE CAVES + TAKE A SPLASH + HAVE A PICNIC)

[caption id="attachment_4261" align="alignnone" width="800"] Families and friends gather by the foot of the falls to relax and cool down (maybe even a hydro-massage)[/caption]

If you are traveling in groups (whether with friends or family) this destination can be a good option. The Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park is famous for its waterfall, caves and apparently, butterflies.

The main attraction that we visited was the Bantimurung Waterfall. The waterfall is open to the public, so anyone who wants a cool splash can just go and have a dip. There are also life-savers for rent which can be used as a make-shift-one-person-only-raft (yheap extreme sports! Aha).

[caption id="attachment_4260" align="alignnone" width="800"] Every kid has their version of EXTREME SPORTS! I bet this is so much fun![/caption]

At the side of the waterfall, you can find a staircase going to two caves that surround the area, the Cave of Dreams and the Batu Caves. If you have time to spare, you can visit either one of these caves. I go a chance to visit the Batu Cave along with my friends Edgar (@eazytraveler), Govit (itong2go) and Pojie (@pojiegraphy) .Tip: if you have a torch in your mobile phone, you don’t have to rent a flashlight at the entrance of the cave.

[caption id="attachment_4288" align="alignnone" width="800"] Cave of Wonders!! :). Exploring the Batu Cave with my friends Govit, Edgar and Pojie[/caption]

Aside from the main tourist attractions that I mentioned, Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park is also known as a breeding ground of several rare butterfly species. In fact from a previous exploration, around 250 species of butterflies were found in the park, hence it was also called as the “Kingdom of Butterflies”- (www.sulawesi-experience.com). So don’t forget to take time looking for at least a few butterflies before leaving the park (magnets and key rings are not counted ok?).

KONDINGARENG KEKE ISLAND

[caption id="attachment_4263" align="alignnone" width="800"] That pose that almost everyone did: Enjoying the beach and getting a good tan at Kondingareng Keke Island[/caption]

One of the awesome things you can definitely do in Makassar is to hop on a boat and snorkel. The first island we went to is the Kondingareng Keke Island. It is famous for its crystal blue waters and beautiful diving spots. We were able to snorkel around and also played along its white sand beach (note: be careful, wear proper aqua shoes as we’ve seen a lot of sea urchins a few meters from the beach).

[caption id="attachment_4257" align="alignnone" width="800"] I have plenty of shots like this during the whole #TripOfWonders tour, this is the first one though (and first snorkeling in Indonesia).[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4264" align="alignnone" width="800"] This Island is a work of art (both figuratively and literally). Sketch by @motulz[/caption]

While snorkeling, we were approached by a guy who can sail you around the island for only 100,000 IDR/head ( you will see his boat with a National Geographic printed sail). This can be an option if you want to experience traveling on a sailboat. We didn’t do this, because our visit came just after our arrival in Indonesia and we were still not sure of the conversion rate, so we felt 100,000 IDR was too expensive (hahaha).

PICNIC LUNCH AT SAMALONA  ISLAND

[caption id="attachment_4267" align="alignnone" width="800"] Our beautiful feast at Samalona Island[/caption]

Just a little boat ride away from Kondingareng Keke Island lies this (also) beautiful island called Samalona. Normally, these two islands come in a package as you cannot find any food and refreshments available in Kondingareng Keke Island. In Samalona Island, you can have freshly cooked local food perfectly prepared for you and your crew (don’t forget to grab some coconut to quench your thirst!).

[caption id="attachment_4266" align="alignnone" width="800"] Yheap we were hungry![/caption]

Aside from the tropical dining experience, the island also offers accommodations for a small group of tourists or even locals looking for a weekender.

Interesting fact about Samalona Island (especially for those who are thinking of going for a diving exploration):

"The island is saving a million mystery about his wreck of the ship-relics of World War II. There are about seven boats that sank in the area of this island, among them: Maru ship, owned by a Japanese warship sank at a depth of about 30 meters; ship Lancaster Bomber which also sank at a depth of about 30 meters; submarine hunter (gunboat) Japanese-owned ; Hakko Maru cargo ship made in the Netherlands, and Japan's submarines. Wrecked ships have been transformed into a reef and became a "house" or "residence" for hundreds of diverse marine life forms, and type and color that is very admirable. The beauty of this is the major attraction for tourists to come swim in the carcasses of the shipwreck." - www.Indonesia-tourism.com

SUNSET AT LOSARI BEACH

[caption id="attachment_4268" align="alignnone" width="800"] Perfectly painted sunset sky[/caption]

Makassar being at the west side of the South Sulawesi is very proud of its sunset. Our group went to Losari Beach (Pantai Losari) to view the beautiful Makassar sunset. Losari Beach is located on the west side of Makassar (imagine, west of the west – you can’t have anything better than that). We stayed at the city square where a lot of the locals meet (and eat). It was a bit crowded, but somehow when the sky turned red, I didn’t mind.

HISTORICAL FORT ROTTERDAM AND MUSEUM LA GALIGO

[caption id="attachment_4269" align="alignnone" width="800"] Fort Rotterdam[/caption]

Fort Rotterdam is a 17^th century fort located at the heart of the city of Makassar. The fort dates back to the Kingdom of Gowa to the colonization by the Dutch. It was a bit warm during our morning visit, so I suggest to visit around afternoon time as the heat can be a bit discomforting.

The idea that this fort has been a witnessed of many historical episodes that molded the Makassar we have known today, makes walking around it visit worth every step.

When visiting the Rotterdam Fort, one shouldn’t miss a tour around the Museum La Galigo. The main collection shows the art, livelihood, architecture and objects made and used by the ethnic Bugis, Makassar, Mandar and Toraja.

Being an architect (or let me say, ex architect), it was interesting to see the different houses from these ethnic groups, their similarities from each other and also their unique forms.

Our guide telling us a brief about the the whole fort

It took us almost an hour to go around the museum. It will be helpful to ask for a guide at the reception to fill you up with insightful information during your tour. For sure I will be disappointed walking around and seeing artifacts but can't understand any of them (note: most of the display descriptions are in Bahasa).

TAKE A CULINARY TRIP

[caption id="attachment_4265" align="alignnone" width="800"] Seafood ------ SEE FOOD![/caption]

Another note during our trip, Makassar is proud of their food (specially their seafood dishes). We ate a lot of fish during our stay. Steamed, fried and even soup dish, name it they have it. As expected, most of the dishes were spicy, thanks to the ever present sambal (chili paste). It was a good thing that I love spicy food, although at times it did get too spicy.

[caption id="attachment_4262" align="alignnone" width="800"] Yellow Fish Soup - forgot the Indonesian name for this ^^[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4256" align="alignnone" width="800"] Pallubasa - Beef and coconut soup with raw egg yolk. Photo cred: @jelitodeleon[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4271" align="alignnone" width="800"] Pisang Ijo - banana dish dessert[/caption]

Other notable food to try are:

Pallubasa = coconut, beef and raw eggyolk soup

Jalangkote = meat pie, similar to an empanada or calzone with meat

Pisang Ijo = banana covers in rice dough, dipped in milk and topped with shredded ice (this is my favorite).

BONUS DETOUR: KARAOKE?

[caption id="attachment_4272" align="alignnone" width="800"] Karaoke Night with some of the SEA Influencers![/caption]

Ok ok ok, I was not supposed to include this but, well, we did it and we really enjoyed it. Plus, there were a full strip of karaoke clubs in Makassar just a few walks from Losari Beach. If you just want to unwind after a long day of traveling around, this can be a good option and also a chance to bond with your friends.

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As a first time visitor to Indonesia, I was very happy that my introduction to the culture and beauty of this land was through the city of Makassar. I got a good dose of history, sceneries and a belly full of Indonesian flavors.

If you already visited Makassar before, are there other places that you can recommend to add in this tour? What is you favorite food from your trip? Share it with us by commenting below. ^^

From Makassar, we went to the island/s of Lombok where we visited a traditional village and explored more islands! Blog about this adventure is coming up next.

 

ALSO READ: Trip of Wonders: Wonderful Indonesia 2016 in a Nutshell

 

This post is in collaboration with The Tourism Ministry of Indonesia

Check out more information about #TripOfWonders:

Indonesia.travel

#TripOfWonders

@kennethsurat

 

Competition Alert: Win 4D/3N stay in BALI

Dreaming of sipping a coconut by the beach in Bali? How about gliding and riding on Bali's perfect surfing waves (well others can just watch and enjoy the view).

As part of #WonderfulIndonesia's #TripOfWonders campaign, they are giving away a trip for 2 to Bali (4D3N) to 10 lucky winners.

Just simply answer 10 random questions about Indonesia from this link

http://wonderful.indonesia.travel/tripofwonders.

Deadline for answering will on Oct 5 2016. Good luck!

Also don't forget to follow @kennethsurat and @indtravel on Instagram and share this post.

Trip of Wonders: Wonderful Indonesia 2016 in a Nutshell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbfJrT5R36s

 

What will do you if one day, you will receive an invitation to explore a country that you haven’t been to?

[caption id="attachment_4228" align="alignnone" width="800"] Sunrise in Gili Trawangan, GIli Islands., Lombok[/caption]

This happened to me last June (2016). I was invited by Pinneng Muljadi & Gemala Hanafiah-the author of www.WetTraveler.com in behalf of the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia. I got so excited after I read what the email was all about.

The email stated that I’ll get a chance to travel around Indonesia along with other international bloggers from the 6^th till the 19^th of August. Hooot hoot. When I left Dubai and after my previous backpacking trip around Europe and Australia, I told myself that it is about time to explore Southeast Asia. Although my home country (the Philippines) is part of this region, I haven't really explored it that much in comparison to Europe and North America (so I was really excited!).

After passing all requirements and I was about to announce in all of my social media platforms about this upcoming collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, I got an email that after I sent my travel documents, they realized that I am holding a Philippine passport. Unfortunately, the invitation (or let me say this specific trip --- I’ll get into this later), was only for Middle Eastern, American and European bloggers, and because of that, it is unfortunate that I will not be able to join the trip. I was a little bit (well more than a bit) sad. I was ready to explore this beautiful land and also I was looking forward to meet bloggers from different countries. The confusion came upon because I am originally an ‘Influential’ based in Dubai (the Middle East)…. still feels weird whenever I call myself as an ‘Infulential’ haha.

Right before I’ll get fully disappointed, the representative from the Ministry of tourism told me that they have a different trip being planned for South East Asian Bloggers. YEY! Let me check again, I am from the Philippines, my passport is from the Philippines and I am currently in the Philippines! YES! I am very much qualified this time.-----------fast forward: after a few weeks, I just came back from this amazing trip!

I can’t be more thankful that I got moved to this batch of bloggers who will visit Indonesia. This easily became one of the best trips that I have ever been (and as you know, if you’ve been following me, I have been to a lot of places). Aside from exploring the wonderful Indonesia, I was able to meet amazing and humble South East Asian Influencers who I considered now as my friends.

For 11 days along with 39 influencers from Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, we explored the cities of Makassar, Lombok, Banyuwangi and Bandung.

[caption id="attachment_4223" align="alignnone" width="960"] #TripOfWonders Group photo in Makassar (Photo cred: Indonesia.travel)[/caption]

The next few blogs will be a series of stories and retelling of what went down during this wonderful trip. To watch our trip in a Nutshell, check out the video above by clicking in play.

Competition Alert:

Want to win a trip to Bali? Check out this link

Follow our Journey:

#Tripofwonders

@kennethsurat

Indonesia.travel

 

 

 

 

 

Are You a Traveling Budgetarian?

Nowadays many people call themselves as a budget traveler or even a thrifty one. On my past travels, I always been proud of telling my friends that I don’t travel luxuriously and survived traveling halfway around the globe on a tight budget. However, on my recent backpacking trip, as someone who travels while being unemployed and embarking a journey as a full time travel blogger, I started to realized that calling my self as a budget traveler before was a disgrace to those who are feeding their wanderlust with their last pennies.

As I officially became part of the ‘#funemployed’ pool, I realized how it is like to weigh on everything whenever I have to open my wallet. Don't get me wrong, I still dream of having unlimited budget on a trip around the world but while that is still under process, here are some things I noted to know if you really are part of our growing family of traveling budgetarians.

1. If you are on alert and hungry for airline deals.

A big chunk of our travel budget comes from booking all those flights. Those of us who want to save but itching to travel miles and miles away often found ourselves subscribing to several budget airline promo alerts. Believe me, it is worth it! You can even get deals as low as 0.02 USD for a return flight (google Piso flight).

[caption id="attachment_4178" align="alignnone" width="800"] Flying shouldn't be expensive[/caption]

2. When you are fine on not getting any flight miles rewards just to get a buddy pass ticket, or doesn't mind to wait as a chance passenger just to get that 90% discounted staff ticket.

Recently, one of my favorite airlines is giving out discounted tickets to friends of its staff (called a buddy pass). As someone who doesn’t have any family member working in the airline industry, this news was music to my ears. I was able to use tickets from my cabin crew friends on several trips going to Europe (paying only 50%) and also to Australia (paying only 10%). If you have friends in the industry, try asking them. The only catch is that, you will not earn any miles points and at some occasion, you’ll be a chance passenger ----- well, I don’t really mind, as long as I can save some big bu-bu-bucks.

3. If you spend all your pre-travel time browsing through hostelwold.com or hotelscombined.ae to find the cheapest accommodation that will serve its sole purpose = a PLACE TO SLEEP. Free Breakfast is a plus.

 Just yesterday I spent hours looking for a place to stay in Bali. Of course, one can argue that hotels are the best (and most relaxing) place to stay but for someone who doesn’t mind bending a little to save more travel money for tours and food, getting a cheap hostel is a major option. Saving up doesn’t mean that you’ll dish out all your standards. There are amazing hostels out there, clean, fun and with free breakfast! Just check out what other travelers are saying about your potential home away from home. ( I met more of my travel bestfriends in hostels ^^)

[caption id="attachment_4173" align="alignnone" width="800"] Got this hostel for only 9 euros! This is Patio Hostel in Bratislava ^^[/caption]

4. Or convincing yourself that best way to travel is to live with a local. So you start contacting friends in Facebook or post couch requests in Couchsurfing.com

If I have friends ( I mean real friends—the one I have ‘real’ relationship with) in the city that I am about to travel to, I always ask them first if they can host me during my visit. It might be a cliché, but based from my experience, the best way to learn about a new city is to live with the locals. They will bring you to places and give you insights that travel guides will not tell you. If you don’t know anyone, you can try your luck through an app called Couchsurfing.

[caption id="attachment_4183" align="alignnone" width="800"] Staying with Friends is always the BEST (Bergen, Norway)[/caption]

Most of the time, if you choose this type of accommodation, you’ll spend Z E R O on board and lodging. YEY!

5. When Blablacar.com or Bus Radar is your new best friend when traveling around Europe.

During my last backpacking trip around Europe, because I really don’t have any clear plans where to go and when to move. These online tools ( blablacar.com and busradar.com) became my go to travel options whenever I plan to move from one country to another. If you have enough time to go around (I mean if you can spare 12 hrs of your travel time cruising on land), forget about booking an inter-European train or a plane ride, hopping on a bus or hitchhiking is the new way to travel if you are on a budget.

[caption id="attachment_4176" align="alignnone" width="800"] My bus going from Bratislava to Vienna for only 4 Euros! Score![/caption]

6. When eating out is not anymore an option

Eating out? What is that? Hahaha…well, of course, part of traveling is experiencing the local food. During the time that I was traveling and still expecting a salary by the end of the month, going to fancy restaurants every now and then was part of my normal travel itinerary. But as I embarked on being a full time traveler, budgetary sources became too tight. This means, less restaurants and more visits to the local supermarket ---also more home cooked meals (which means, if you are staying with a local friend --- from #4 --- you’ll experience how the locals dine and wine).

[caption id="attachment_4175" align="alignnone" width="800"] Thank you Tesco for not allowing me to go hungry[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4181" align="alignnone" width="800"] Being a local and enjoying everything local in the South of France[/caption]

7. When buying ref magnets for a souvenir, you are thinking which meal to skip or to sacrifice with your 3.50 euro purchase, will it be lunch, dinner or both? (well you had your free breakfast in the hostel anyway)

Of course, like all budgetarians, you’ll master the art of which budget to sacrifice in order to buy something or pay for something. Normally I skip a meal or forget about being fancy go straight to a street food cart (talking about a 1 euro hotdog sandwich here)

[caption id="attachment_4180" align="alignnone" width="800"] My Afternoon snack/ lunch in Amsterdam[/caption]

8. Mastering the art of alternative souvenirs

Do you collect things whenever you travel? Three things that I normally buy, magnets, Starbucks city mugs and museum books, but lately I started to think outside box (or lemme say, outside my wallet) and figure out what to get as a souvenir. I started visiting local markets where I got old magazines and newspapers dated around 1950s- 70s (this will replace those museum books that costs between 30 – 60 usd). Another thing I started collecting are leaves from every city I visited (talk about bringing something from your travels right? --- this will replace my magnets). For the Starbucks mugs, I completely just look the other way whenever I pass by this café (spending 15 -20 usd for a mug became a no-no).

 

[caption id="attachment_4184" align="alignnone" width="800"] My new souvenir collection - This one is from Iceland[/caption]

9. When paying for a laundry service is a no no.

Paying to wash clothes? Whaaat? No no no. Just look for a sink and buy a detergent soap and you’ll have clean clothes the next day! Also, it is best as well whenever you book a hostel to look for one that offers free laundry services.

[caption id="attachment_4174" align="alignnone" width="800"] Doing laundry while working on an article for a travel magazine. Yheap washing clothes is free in my hostel (Patio Hostel) in Bratislava.[/caption]

10. Convincing yourself that the best experience is always free

 Well it is! You can find a lot of things to do for free. One of the things I always do is to join free walking tours and hunt for free museum entry days (most museums in Australia are free, some in the UK and there are free museums every Wednesdays in Paris). Aside from that, you can brag about hanging out with the locals along the river La Seine.

[caption id="attachment_4179" align="alignnone" width="800"] Bergen!! Yes this view is FREE[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4177" align="alignnone" width="800"] Ai Weiwei's Forever Bikes at the National Gallery of Victoria --- Yheap you can see it for FREE[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4172" align="alignnone" width="800"] Welcoming spring in Budapest and celebrating it with the locals with ZERO entrance fee.[/caption]

11. When walking is your main recreation

If you are a budgetarian, walking should be your besfriend. Aside from it will keep you fit while you are on the road, it is also the cheapest way to travel ( just bring your own bottled water from the tap---you are all set to go without even spending a dime). True, Eastern Europe’s transport is very cheap but once you step on the western boarder, you’ll find that this tip will save you a lot of hard earned travel money which you can eventually use to pay for those activities at the top of your bucket list (maybe climbing the Eiffel Tower? Anyone?).

[caption id="attachment_4185" align="alignnone" width="800"] Taking the path of a koala :p. - Gold Coast, Queensland[/caption]

Traveling on a tight budget is really a big challenge but also fun. I call it 'good problem'. Of course, if we just stay at home we will never face this problem, but we still chose this path. The path to explore and enjoy God's creation (one way or another).  So now the question is, are you a traveling budgetarian? Share your stories at the comments below.

[caption id="attachment_3892" align="alignnone" width="242"] Dubai Travel Blogger[/caption]