TOP 5 BEST ASIAN FOOD!

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone!

It feels good to meet you guys (virtually), the Escapers again! No need further explanation. This entry will be about FOOD! Yes, food! Everyone loves food. And in every new destination of our escapes, there would be food included. So, how many countries have you guys went? What is the local delicacy you think is the best, the yummiest yet very affordable?

Spaghetti?

Pizza?

Burgers?

Nope! All wrong! Those foods are too common. We are searching for rare, mouth-watering local dishes. The dishes that taste like heaven (okay, maybe I exaggerated a little bit) and are popular among tourists. The dishes that you HAVE to, at least, taste it. So, no beating around the bush. Let’s check it out – Top 5 Best Food!

#1 – PENANG LAKSA (Malaysia)

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One of my favs! Penang Laksa! This dish is a popular local dish in Malaysia where it origins from Penang (duh! obviously). And the gravy is made of fish. The 'laksa' is from rice if I'm not mistaken. Malaysians would add some cut salad, and onions, and finely cut pineapple.

Also a boiled egg! Add up some chillies and soy ketchup, HEAVEN! Oh, did I mentioned that according to CNN's world's Top 10 Yummiest Food, Penang Laksa is the 7th most delicious food in the WORLD?!

#2 – TTEOBOKKI (South Korea)

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Kpop lovers would definitely know this dish! For people who love hot burning spicy food, tteobokki is made for you. Tteobokki or spicy rice cake consist of sticky rice cake sticks, fried fish cakes. And for the sauce, usually people mix red pepper paste, red pepper powder, corn syrup and more other side ingredients.

Rice cakes are chewy, so Koreans usually eat ones that are freshly made. But, if you can't handle spiciness AT ALL, you probably wouldn't like it. Anyway, YOLO! ^^

#3 - TACOS (MEXICO)

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Well, there are variety of tacos around the world. A traditional taco is basically a small soft corn tortilla stuffed with just about anything you want! Or a more common thing is stuff in a taco is minced meat along with some onions, chillies (a particular type of chilly, but I'm not sure what's the exact name. Sorry!) Anyway, tacos are a very popular type of delicacy. I mean, there are different sorts of tacos and you can find it everywhere besides it's origin place.

Well, basically, tacos are just soft tortilla stuffed with whatever you can find!

#4 - DIM SUM (China)

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Dim Sum is also a popular local dish in China. FYI, we have lots of types of Dim Sum; Jaozi, Char Siu Bao, Ha Gow etc. Basically, Dim Sum are dumplings and steamed over high heat for a few minutes. For the fillings, well, same as the tacos, you can anything you want in it. Dumplings are always served with tea according to Chinese etiquette. It is very delicious and easy to it. And because of its popularity, there are also frozen Dim Sum available in any local stores.

Are interested in making these? Here is the LINK to make Ha Gow, shrimp dumpling! Good luck! :D

#5 - SUSHI (Japan)

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Sushi!! The signature dish of Japan! This traditional Japanese cuisine have are loved by almost everyone in world for its freshness and of course, its nutritional values! I hate repeating this, but Sushi also can be served with a number of toppings and fillings, including seafood, vegetables, and spicy wasabi paste. And their names vary depending on the way it is prepared.

Commonly, sushi is topped with fresh raw fish. But don't worry, cause these sushis won't have strong fish smell. And if you do smell, its probably more than a day old. It is also have very light flavor and almost no odor.

So, don't forget to try these extremely popular, and DELICIOUS traditional Japanese cuisine! I'm sure it is available anywhere near your place!

Happy Sushi Day! XD

Source: LINK

cr: Huffington Post // news.travel.aol.com // clicktop10now.com

AN ESCAPE FOR EVERYONE: Penang Escape Theme Park

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Hello there Divine Escapers!

Are you a thrill seeker, adventurer and happy-go-lucky Escaper?

Here we go!

Do you ever know that here in Malaysia, where love grows, there is an extremely fun place that you may want to enjoy?

Ahaaa, this place is called... 

PENANG ESCAPE THEME PARK

It is located at Jalan Teluk Bahang, 11050 Georgetown, Pulau Pinang.

Escapers, you really should visit here because it is so much fun.

SO, NOW HERE WE GO..

HOW TO BECOME AN ATAN(THE HERO OF THE PARK)

• Swing from tree to tree like a monkey

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• Go ape on the rope walk

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• bounce down slopes on tubby racers

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• become a cave explorer

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• leap through the air

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• climb like a pro

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• climbing trees

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• climb the tower like a gecko

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• climb.crawl.balance-for tots

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and much more exciting activities to escape..

Wooohooo!!

all you need to know is THE ESCAPING DAY:

• TUESDAY to SUNDAY
• 9am to 6pm
• MONDAY is OPEN if it is a HOLIDAY

Hmmm...How about the FEES?

• FUTURE KIDS (below 4 years old)- FREE
• JUNIOR KIDS (4 to 12 years old)- RM45
• BIG KIDS (13 to 59 years old)- RM60
• SUPER KIDS (60 years old and above)- RM45

So, how was it? Pretty exciting isn't it?

OMG! I'M EXCITED TOO..

Let's Divine Escape!!

DON’T BE A TRAVELLING ZOMBIE

Hello everyone!

You have planned nicely for an escape. You wish to feel more relaxing as you want to forget the never-end works for a while when you go travelling. Travel itinerary is very important to make sure that you reach your dream destination just the way, on the time you want it to be.

But, normally waiting for the flights delay, preparing your passport at the last minutes might put you in a stress. You might face any unpredictable problems on your travel. Sometimes all those inevitable problems is tempting your whole vacation mood.

To travel in style by maintaining good looks throughout your escape might be on top of the stress-o-meter also. So, this is what you could do to ease the pain of travelling. You might need this if you don’t want to look like a zombie in distress wandering around. 

So, here are the tips:

      1. BEAUTY BEFORE

Before your flight, road trip or any DE tomorrow, make sure that you get your beauty sleep. You got to need a lot of energy for an exciting travel especially when you will be facing a long numbing road trip or jet lag. You should make sure all the needs for the DE tomorrow is settled tonight and you could comfortably lay down and have an enough sleep with no worries for a wonderful DE tomorrow.

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      2. ESCAPERS SHOULD BE A HYDROPHILIC

You must bring along a tumbler of mineral water to drink to keep you hydrated all the way to your destination. When you are travelling, the changes in climates that differ from your place especially travelling across the countries might cause you a severe dehydration.

You might not want to fall sick in your DE right? So, the mineral water is the most recommended travelling energizer that you should stay with it all the time.

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      3. MASCARA VS NAKED LASHES

Here are the only make up kits that you need:

·         No Need for Mascara

While travelling, you will be sweating a lot. The mascara will only makes your eyes look like a panda when it mess up by sweat. With your naked lashes, it is easy for you to take a nap during the travel even on the flights when you have no mascara to take care of. It is also easier for you to clean up after the travel before bed.

·         Moisturizer

Keep your skin moisturize with your favorite moisturizer. My favorite is my Vaseline moisturizer which I find it very helpful to keep my skin soft on a long journey. Do not let your skin look scaly as it totally ruin your whole looks and styles on the DE.

·         Spare Blotting Papers

This blotting papers could reduce the oil produced on your face. You could dab it on the ‘T’ zone of your face as that is the most possible oily zone which you might want to get rid of.

·         Lip Gloss Better

Instead of wearing a long lasting lipstick, you just need a nice lip gloss with SPF. The lipstick will make your lips tend to be dehydrated. With the gloss, it will shimmer your lips and give a fresher looks for a DE.

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      4. GET OFF THOSE PUFFY EYES

Usually I will use crush ice in a washcloth and apply it under the eyes area. The ice works so well as an automatic wake-up call and could reduce the puffy eyes and stay away from the zombie-like.

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      5. NICE SCENT, NICER TRIPS

As you will be sweating a lot, your body will produce a smell too. Make sure you carry along your favorite body mist to get out of the unpleasant body odor. Avoid alcohol during a vacation as it would be on top of the contributing reasons of body odor while an escape.

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      6. LESS IS MORE

Wear simple and comfortable outfits while travelling. You could lessen your clothes by choosing the right one. You can choose outfits that you can mix and match with one another.

Try to minimize your accessories as well. For hijabers, it is recommended to wear express hijab as you can save your time wearing it and it ease you when you want to perform prayers during the DE.

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      7. RAINBOW HAS SEVEN COLORS

Brings the rainbow in your escape. Smile always as it helps producing endorphins (the happy hormone) that keep you stay in the best mood during the DE. You will be having a lot of unforgettable and pleasant experiences which you could share with your loved ones later.

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So, do not forget to enjoy your DIVINE ESCAPE. ttfn

Top 7 Stuffs You HAVE To Bring When Travelling

Hye.Heloo.Howdy.

When travelling, of course you have to bring along what you need, I mean the most important. As we know, travel with a lot of things only burden us because we have to bring it along everywhere. Your bag is your life, or at least becomes it. The smaller it is the less it 
sticks outs and the less vulnerable you feel. The closer you can stick to it and less cumbersome it is, the happier you will be.

Yohoo! 

So, let's check out the Top 7!

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#1 ESSENTIAL CLOTHING

Clothes are light but sometime they are bulky. The best solution is to minimize your clothes per day. Bring clothes that are matchable. And most importantly, bring comfortable clothes!

#2 IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Documents will ensure your safety when you are travelling in local or overseas. We must bring our essential documents such as identical cards, driving license and if you are going to overseas, a valid passport is a MUST

 
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#3 A GOOD CREDIT CARD

This is very important for those who are a shopaholic, if you don’t want to be handing over loads of your hard-earned money to the banks for trivial things such as conversion fees, transaction fees, and withdrawal fees. If you’re away for any great period of time then these fees really add up. 

Check out what some credit card providers are offering or look into getting a pre-pay card. you are suggested to use the credit cards which had no fees and low interests such as Halifax Clarity Credit Card.

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#4  A GUIDE BOOK

This guide book really help you a lot in travelling as it provides variety information and knowledge for the travellers.

It can be a good way of learning about places that you’d previously never heard of but may like to visit. It’s good for maps, local directory information and as a consistent source of information. 

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One example of guide books

#5 MEDICINE

Not the most exciting item on the world tour list but just as essential as the rest. Think band aids, painkillers, medical tape, bandages, antiseptic cream etc.

You may never need to use it but it’s reassuring to know that you have it if you need it. Anything can happen and it just a preparing in case you have a suddenly emergency or pain on the road.

#6  PADLOCKS AND OTHER SECURITY ITEMS

A good lock will come in handy in many situations when travelling around the world. Some of the cheaper hostels and guesthouses may require you to use your own padlock on your door.

Then, bring along a spray thing such as perfume so that you can spray on suspicious person if you sense danger and also do keep you money and necessary cards hidden in a more discreet pack, like the Undercover™ belts and wallets from Eagle Creek. 

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Undercover™ belts

#7 Cameras

 

Camera is one of the electronics that is necessary to bring along as it is used to capture memorable and amazing photos. They are perfect to carry around carefree, light, less expensive, with reasonable zoom and excellent for a record of people and places.

So, everybody let's pack your things right away and start travel with all of these necessary things!

Source :
http://www.budgettravel.com/slideshow/8-items-you-never-packbut-should,7820/

http://www.backpackingthrougheuropeguide.com/you-need-to-travel-the-world/

The First Escape: Perhentian Island

Assalamualaikum and HI Escapers! :D

 As you can read from the above title, it is crystal clearly stated that I'm going to tell you about one of the most beautiful island in Malaysia and also a MUST VISIT tourist spot, which is.......... the Perhentian Island! *Hooray!

Additional info for you guys, dear Escapers, Perhentian Island is located at Terengganu Darul Iman. A state in Malaysia which is very synonym with turtles and Nasi Dagang (a local delicacy)!

"But why I should go there?" asked an imaginary anonymous.

"Duh! Because of its breath-taking clear blue sea waters, and the palm-fringed white coral sand beaches! Also we can enjoy numerous enjoyable beach activities here such as snorkeling, fishing, jungle trekking, scuba-diving, swimming, camping, banana boat riding, canoeing and so much more. This island is a fantastic place to stop by to get a piece of mind and forget all the stress away!", answer me enthusiastically. LOL

Can you see how crystal clear the water is?
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The eyes' candy. Can I build a house near this beach?
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So, the first thing that might popped out of your mind is: HOW to get there?

Easy peasy! Cause in Malaysia, we can get there by almost all the transportation available! You can go there by:

1. By car or bus - If you depart at night, let say at 10.00 pm, from Kuala Lumpur (8 hours), Penang (8 hours), Johor Bharu (8 hours) and so on, you may arrive at Kuala Terengganu Tanjung Bus Terminal about 6.00am the next morning.

2. By train - You may take an express train from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and terminate at Tumpat

3. By airplane - Fly with the local airlines to Kuala Terengganu. From there, take a bus or a taxi to Kuala Besut Jetty.

To go to the island itself, of course you need to cross the sea first! So, from the bus stations, airports etc, you may take public transport to the Kuala Besut Jetty. Kuala Besut Jetty is a one-stop place for all tourists who want to enter the island. There is also a food stall that sells yummy local dishes such as Nasi Dagang (like I mentioned earlier), Nasi Kerabu, Nasi Lauk, Laksam and a lot more.

The price for each boat trip (two ways) normally ranges from RM 50 - RM 70 per person. And each boat trip may takes up 30 minutes to reach the island.

Extra info! Perhentian Island consist of Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil. However, Perhentian Kecil is more well-known among backpackers as the chalets are a lot cheaper and affordable. Here are a few cheap resorts/chalets available in Pulau Perhentian: Rock Garden Chalet, Arwana Resort, Floral Bay Resort, Samudera Chalet etc.

Pulau Perhentian Besar & Perhentian Kecil
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To cut off the cost, I recommend for you guys to sign up for a package.

To know more about the packages, and more choices of packages that suits your budget, you can click here and here!

As I have mentioned earlier, you can do so much things here! So be assured that you won't feel bored here! One the best activity is the SCUBA DIVING! Perhentian Island is very well-known for its gorgeous coral reefs. You can also snorkel with baby sharks and super big turtles! Imagine how cool experience will that be?

So, don't delay anymore! Book your tickets and pack your things now.....for a divine escape!

So, below are some packages to Perhentian Island. Some are cheap and some are a bit pricey. But it all depends on the activities you want to do there. A pricey package have better accommodation and more activities. Still, it's all depend on your budget.

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Till next time Escapers! XD

Source: /www.perhentianisland.info // perhentianislandresort.net // honeykoyuki.blogspot.com

It begins..

Assalamualaikum and HI everyone!

Welcome to Divine Escape. As you can see Divine Escape (we'll refer it as DE from now on) is a blog that will post travelling tips, places and so on. So, technically, it's a TRAVELOGUE! Hooray! This blog will be handled by my friends (Anis, Gee) and I (Aina)! DE is actually one of our assignments for Computer Science subject. The trio of us are foundation students for American Degree Foundation Programme; or in shortform, ADFP. Yes, we are United States-bound students studying at INTEC and in sha Allah, will be flying next year. Do pray for us. =D

So basically, like I mentioned earlier, DE is a travelogue and we will post entries on what, how and where the places you need to put in your bucket list! The places you DEADLY NEED to go before you die! Surely, the places will be the best places for backpackers who love travelling and undeniably, affordable!

So we really hope you will enjoy the useful tips that will be posted. We will work hard to ensure that you, the DIVINE ESCAPERS, receive all those juicy tips! Stay tune with us!

Oh, before I forgot! Here's the admins' picture. Tough backpackers we are! LOL

From the left: Aina, Gee and Anis! :)

Till next time! =D