May 31, 2010

The Night At Hue


Since I could stay only one night there, I had to do something. I had to go to the tourist agency to book an one day tour for next day. I remembered we had passed the agency on the way to the hotel, so I didn't get lost going there. There were some Chinese people talking loudly beside the counter when I got there, and I didn't know if they were waiting or not. But soon, I recognized that they were just talking. So I spoke to the lady behind the counter and told her that I wanted to go on an one day tour. While booking, she asked me where I was from and I told her I was from Japan. She asked me if I wouldn't go to Nha Trang because a lot of Japanese visit there when they come to Hue. I told her I had no time to visit since I was staying only one night. When everything was done, I got a piece of paper and left there. On my way to the hotel, I took a look of the paper and I found something.

"Nationality: American".

...Why? I thought I told her I was from Japan.
...Whatever.

I didn't go back to the hotel straightly since I found a supermarket on my map near by. SUPERMARKET!!!! It sounds delicious!! I love browsing local stuffs in supermarkets whenever I go abroad. However, the place that was supposed to have a supermarket was in ruins. Sorry, it looked like a ruin. I was not sure if it was a ruin or was just under the construction. However, one thing that was clear was "there was no supermarket". You have no idea how much disappointed I was. So I left there and went back to the hotel. Why had buildings on my map been already destroyed? Vietnam Airlines in HCMC and this supermarket.

When I came back to the hotel, I asked the receptionist where Fredy's room was and if he was still there. I wanted to ask him for a dinner because both of us were alone. It's much better to have someone to talk to while having a meal. I knocked the door and got a respond. I told him it was me and he opened the door. Uh oh, he was...NAKED.

I didn't expect it. Actually, he was taking a shower. But please don't worry, I didn't see anything because he was behind the opened door, lol. I apologized that I came at the timing to disturb his enjoyable shower time, and asked him if he would mind having a dinner with me. How nice, he said it would be great! Thus, I got someone to eat dinner together :D

We went to a restaurant that he found on his guidebook. It seemed not so close from our hotel, but we chose walking there. Luckily, both of us like walking. It took some time to get there (actually, we dropped in a supermarket when we found one) but I'm sure both of use enjoyed walking especially when we walked the riverside. It was getting darker and cooler, and there was a nice wind. We talked a lot while walking. I felt very peaceful in my mind walking the riverside even though I remembered about something sad.


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

We Are Popular Anywhere!


It was funny. As soon as leaving the bus, we were surrounded by people who wanted us to take their motorcycles or Xi cros. They said that the would bring us to hotels that they recommend, and it would take only 2$. According to the map, where we were wasn't far from where cheap hotels were. How dare they tried to overcharge us for the distance which takes just for a few minutes by walk!! Lol. Of course we ignored them and left there toward the hotel.

When we started walking, some people came close to us and started recommending hotels. We had been ignored them until one of them mentioned about the exact hotel that we were searching for. Fredy and I followed the guy and got to the hotel easily. We told them we needed one room for each person, and the girl at the reception told us one room costed 8$ per night. Since 8$ sounded cheap, I didn't expect too much. However, the room was much better than I thought. It looked light because of the windows, was wide enough and there was a bathtub in the bathroom!!! I didn't really need a bathtub, however, it was the only one hotel that I had bathtub among the 4 hotels I stayed in Vietnam. At that price, the room was worth a lot. Actually, the hotels I had already checked when I was in Japan costed more than 10$. So, it was great that I decided to follow Fredy to search for a hotel XD


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

Arriving At Hue City With A New Friend


When I got to the airport, I didn't know where the domestic departure lobby was. As soon as I went into the building, I found a lady that seemed to be a staff of the airport, so I asked her where it was. She pointed the escalator, and told me to go upstairs. However, at the floor, I didn't see any sign which said "domestic line". I asked another lady were it was, and the result was...it was in the other building...she said, "this building is for international line". I wondered if this happened because of my English or her English. I thought that I clearly said, "I want to go to Hue by domestic line".

Anyway, the terminal for domestic lines was in the other building and there was some distance between these two buildings. When I got there and checked in my backpack, I found myself hungry. Actually, it was time for lunch. I wanted to eat something. However, it looked like there was no cheap places to eat but couldn't find anything (I know in such places like an airport, restaurants are not so cheap). I found only one restaurant in the building...there was no choice. I entered there, and soon a waiter came and let me take a seat. I ordered some food and a winter melon tea (the tea was not good at all, lol). While waiting for the food, I found a guy sitting alone over there as well, but I was too shy to speak to him. But later, I got a chance to talk, and even went out for a dinner with him :)

The flight for Hue took only for an hour and a little bit more. When I arrived at the airport, I picked up my backpack and went toward the exit. I was wondering how to get to the city. I was thinking about taking a taxi if I didn't find anything. However, such an idea went away as soon as a lady standing behind the counter near by exit told me that there was a bus to the city. There was no reason that I wouldn't take a bus if it existed. It sounded cheaper and safer than a taxi :P

On the bus, actually on the next seat on the other side of the aisle, I found the guy that I saw at the restaurant. I was still shy to speak to him, but after a while since bus started, he spoke to me. We had some random chat (later, I got to know that his name is Fredy and he is from Germany), and soon, the bus got to the city. When we got off from the bus, he asked me if I had specific place to stay. I had a few places on my mind, but hadn't really decided where to stay yet because searching for a hotel there itself was my plan. He told me he knew a cheap hotel on his guide book and asked me if I was interested. Of course I was interested, lol. There was no hesitation. I decided to follow him and take a look of the hotel that he mentioned :)


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

May 27, 2010

Going On A Round Trip To Hue


Wish list 4: Taking local buses

Next day was the day that I was leaving for Hue with taking a domestic flight. I knew that there was a local bus that goes to the airport from Ben Thanh Bus Terminal. Actually I wanted to use it instead of pick up service if I got at the airport in the daytime when I came from Japan. That was too bad the arrival time was late at night :((Buses are available only from 6AM to 6PM.) Anyway, in the morning, I wanted to take a look of the bus terminal and check how it was working and stuff before leaving the hotel. I didn't want be unsure what to do when I carry my backpack. The bus terminal was just in front of Ben Thanh Market and it seemed almost all the people who were waiting for buses were local people...Hahaha, who cares!! It looked a small adventure for me :)

After taking a look of the bus terminal, I went to the market as well. Actually, I already went there last night, but the market building was already closed. There was a night market around the building, so I ate dinner and browsed stuff there instead. I also bought two mangoes at a fruit store near by the market, but browsing fruits stores in Ben Thanh, I noticed that I had been overcharged. How dare! I paid almost twice as much as regular price!! I promised myself that I wouldn't be overcharged when I get mangoes again...actually, I bought another one at the market, lol.

Thus, I came back to the hotel with a mango. I didn't buy anything else that I have to bring back to the hotel since I was supposed to come back to HCMC next day. So, I didn't want to do a round trip with stuffs I never use till I come back to Japan. I just wanted to check what I can buy as souvenirs when I come back :) After eating the mango, I checked out the hotel and came back to the bus terminal with my backpack. The manager told me to come back when I come back to HCMC, but I said I was not sure because I was really not sure if I would come back to the hotel.

After waiting for 15 minutes at the terminal, the bus came and I left for the airport.


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

May 26, 2010

Walking Around In HCMC


I knew that there was a city tour for half day but I didn't wanna join it. Being free in the city is more enjoyable. Why I put the half day tour for Cu Chi on the second day was because I wanted to make an Ao dai. Since I booked a round trip flight ticket for two days to Hue from the 3rd day, it had to be on the 2nd day if I want to order one, or else, I might not able to get it before going back to Japan. So, after the museum I went some sightseeing places in the city and walked to Dong Khoi area. It's like Ginza in HCMC (of course, Ginza is much greater ^_^;). Beforehand, I wanted to re-confirm my flight to Hue at the Vietnam Airline office on the way to Dong Khoi, but when I found the place, the office was already gone...what an unuseful map I had!! It seemed that they had another office in Dong Khoi, so I went there but I didn't find it as well. However, when I was walking, I found an agency which handles booking tickets of Vietnam Airline. I knew that they didn't handle confirming flights, but since I didn't have another way, I went there and told them I wanted to confirm my flight.

There were 3 girls sitting behind the counter and one of them told me I had to call them or go to their office. She gave me the address of the office, but I had no idea where it was. I asked her if the office is far from there and she told me it takes for 15 minutes by car. So I said, "so, it's easier to call them, right?" and how kind she was! She told me she would call them for me :) Maybe it was just a small thing for her, but being a tourist who can't speak Vietnamese there, it meant a lot ot me. I really appreciate her kindness. I didn't even have to pay for it. Once it was done, I said thank you to her, and left the office. Even there are bunch of troublesome Vietnamese people (motorcycle taxi drivers who I was spoken to at every single traffic on the streets, a weird guy I met at church who asked me to teach Japanese once he noticed I am Japanese even he told me he studies Korean at first), there are some kind people who help tourists :)

So, after that, I finally got time to go shopping around the area. I went into a store and told a girl I wanted to make an Ao dai dress. She speaks some English but it seemed like she didn't get what I meant. I told her I wanted to make a kind of bright Ao dai dress so that I could wear it to my co-worker's wedding party. As a poor English speaker, I knew that my English was not enough to explain things, but I didn't expect that it was that hard to make her understand what I meant, lol. I told her I wanted to make kind of traditional shaped clothes with bright materials. She asked me to show a catalogue so they could make the similar thing but I told I didn't have any. So she brought me some and then, I noticed she miss understood me. She brought me some catalogues of normal one-piece dresses! Maybe she had no idea that I wanted to wear Ao dai to a wedding party in Japan. It took some time to make her understand what I wanted to make, but it was alright. She finally got it.

After choosing the material, they measured my body. I don't know how many parts they measured. It was more than ten parts of my body. I just wished I wouldn't gain weight anymore because Ao dai is a cloth that fits the body they make for. So it means, I wouldn't be able to wear it at the party if I get fat.


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

On The Way To The Museum


Scott told me he would come with me to the museum however it was boring for him (I wonder why). I was thinking about walking there because I do like walking around when I go abroad because just hanging around the city is interesting for me. It was quite hot and humid the day, and Scott told me it was better to take a taxi and he would pay for it. Since he was saying that, we took a taxi to the museum. However, the taxi driver sucked, lol. I'm not a person who takes taxi often but I'm sure it never happens in Japan; the taxi driver doesn't know the way.

Firstly, he didn't understand English. It was alright tho. We showed him the map and pointed the place. He looked confused and asked a lady who was helping people taking taxi where it was!! HOW DARE THE TAXI DRIVER DOESN'T KNOW THE WAY!! She asked us where we were going and once we told where, she looked disgusted of the driver maybe because it was too close to be unknown. It looked like she was yelling at him complaining like "why don't you know the place!!" lol. As she told him the way, it seemed that he got it, but once he started driving, it was easy to tell he really didn't know the way to the museum!! He stopped sometimes and asked other taxi drivers the way, and went back and forward. Actually, Scott knew the way but he didn't say anything to the driver because he really didn't understand English. Since it was obvious that we were going here and there, I asked Scott if it was taking too much. Of course his answer was yes. I also asked if it happens a lot there because I've heard of such things but he told me he hadn't experienced before. After a while, finally we got to the museum. The driver looked so relieved at that time but I was wondering if we had to pay the price on the meter since it took more than reasonable time. However, I don't know how much he paid because I got out from the car firstly. That was too bad for him, but for me, it was a kind of interesting experience, lol.

When I was about to go into the museum, he changed his mind and came with me. When we were on the taxi, he told me he would leave after taking me there. However he came with me, it didn't seem he was enjoying being in the museum. I knew that he had been here before, and maybe there was a kind of uncomfortable place for Americans. I asked him if he was bored once (the answer was yes), but didn't say anything more because he was the one who chose coming with me by himself. After a while, when he was leaving there to meet his friend, I said thank you to him. Actually, he did nice things to me :)

Seeing the exhibitions there reminded me the words Yuta said. I tried to do the same thing as he did, but it was too hard to do with my compact camera. So I gave up, but tried to burn the pictures in my eyes.


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

Getting A Room To Sleep Tonight


I was not sure if Scott really wanted to come with me to search for a hotel. Firstly he asked me how about staying at the hotel he stayed because it was affordable. He told me they had an elevator, air conditioner, fan, fridge and TV and the price was 12$. It didn't seem he wanted to stay somewhere without an elevator. (Usually, cheap hotels; actually GHs like we were staying don't have a elevator but have 5th or 6th floor. And actually, 1st floor isn't really 1st floor because there is a ground floor under the 1st floor. So, it means the 5th floor there is the 6th floor in our sense.) Anyway, as for me, it didn't matter if they have an elevator or not since I don't go back to my room so many times in a day. I already knew there were a lot of rooms that were available with 10$, so I didn't wanna compromise with the price so easily. I'm a person that saves 2$ instead of getting a few times elevator ride for 5th or 6th floor in that country, lol. The cheaper would be better as long as it's not that bad :P

However it was one of the biggest things on my wish lists (because if I couldn't find one, I would have been into a big trouble), it didn't take time to find one. I've heard there are some ladies who speak to tourists who were carrying a backpack and help them find available rooms around the area. Luckily we found one of those ladies and followed her. I've told her I've searching for hotels with 10$ and she took me to a hotel. At the hotel, the staff showed me a room with window and said 12$. I told him that the lady said 10$ and he showed me another room without window. That was 10$. I checked the room and the bathroom, and said, "OK, I'm gonna stay here tonight".

The manager of the hotel is a young guy and speaks Japanese a little bit. When I came downstairs to hand him my passport, he asked me how many days I was staying and where I was going the day. I told him my plan and left there with Scott. At this time, I didn't expect that I would hang out with this manager later when I came back from Hue.


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

Good And Affordable Foods


After the half day tour, I was planning about going to the museum that Yuta talked about (actually, it was one of the biggest reason I chose HCMC this time), and go shopping to order Ao dai. But before going those places, I needed to eat lunch. When I was walking around Bui Vien st. looking here and there, searching where to eat, I guy came and spoke to me. I was cautious firstly, but soon, noticed that he wouldn't do bad things to me. The guy works at a Japanese travel agency around the area, and was handing handmade guide maps to people. NICE TIMING!!! I asked him if he knows a good cheap place to eat :) He told me a couple of places that he likes and I said thank you and left there.

After a few minutes, when I was walking with wonder where the places were, another guy came and spoke to me. He asked me what I was doing, and I told him that I was searching for a place to eat my late lunch. He told me he had his favorite bar near by and he would take me there. I asked him if the place was close from where we were and since it was just a few minutes by walk, I decided to follow him.

At the bar, I ordered chicken pho and fresh spring rolls :) He told me he was from US military and was working at a base till he broke his shoulder one day. The doctor said it wouldn't get better, but actually, it's getting better now so he is asking for working in the military again. He told me had kept visiting HCMC often since 5 years ago and was bored when he found me, so he spoke to me. He asked me what was my plan for the day and I told him that I wanted to go to the museum and maybe shopping afterward. He told me he would come with me but I wanted to do something before leaving for the museum;

Wish list 3: Finding a place to stay that night


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

May 25, 2010

Cu Chi Tunnel Tour


Next morning, I got up at 6:15. I changed clothes, washed my face and put some make up. It was the start of an adventure!! I was going to check out the hotel before going to a half day tour to Cu Chi Tunnel but I needed to change some money to VND to eat breakfast beforehand. I've heard from Yuta that the exchange shop which locates the opposite side of the street from The Shinh Tourist has a good rate, but unfortunately it opens from 9. So I walked around a bit and found a bank which opens at 7:30. After I got some money, I had a breakfast at Sasa Cafe which Yuta recommended me as well :)

Wish list 1: Going abroad with backpack - Yeah, I came here with my backpack. :P
Wish list 2: Joining a group tour in English - Don't laugh. I wanted to do that because it was a small adventure for me not being perfect at English.

I'd booked the half day tour before leaving Japan because I wanted to be sure I could join it on the day I planned. It will be a waste if I can't spend time as I want since the time was very limited. There were about 20 people on the bus and there was no Japanese other than me. Naturally, I didn't understand some words the tour guide said, and most words when we were watching the video which explained about the place and stuff. However, it was alright for me as long as I could understand when the tour guide said "what time" and "where to go" when we are leaving for the next place.

At Cu Chi Tunnel, I saw some interesting exhibitions; a lot of traps that tortured American soldiers during the war and the under ground houses they used to live at that time. Everyone who lived in the village were soldier and they trapped American soldiers with traps. When the tour guide asked if someone wanted to go inside the hole they used to hide when they fought, but it's only available for slim people, I told him that I wanted to try. I don't think I'm skinny, but compared to American soldiers...I must be, lol. Since the hole was really narrow, I had to raise both arms. When I squatted down in the hole, the tour guide put the lid. How dare. Actually it was fun. However, inside of the hole was quite humid and hot. Trying to go inside once was ok, but I really didn't want to stay there for a long while seriously :S

After Cu Chi Tunnel, we dropped into a factory where handicapped people produce some products with shell. And then, we went back to the tour office again :)


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

Jumping Into The 36℃ Humid Air Carrying My Backpack!


I knew what I had to do when I got to Tan Son Nhut International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. It was quite simple; searching for a girl/guy who was holding my name.

When I arrived at there, it was around 22:45 or something. I was supposed to get there at 23:00, but because of the good air current, the plane arrived at there a little bit early. Breathing deeply, I had an absolutely different, actually the opposite feeling from what I had when I got to Siem Reap International Airport in January. My heart was full of excitement this time :)

Since I was alone, I chose the safe way. It was my first time being there, and the time was late at night. I had heard that there are a lot of taxi drivers who want to trick tourists and was also not suer if I could find a hotel however I get to the hotel area safely, I wasn't sure if I could find one in the midnight. Yes, it was better to choose a sertain way till I check by myself. So, I chose booking a hotel for my first night, and attacked a pick up service.

It didn't take so long to find the person who was waiting for me. I went out from the door carrying my backpack, and looked around. As soon as I saw a guy holding my name, I waved a hand to him and went close. I was supposed to go to the hotel by motorcycle, but there was a girl beside him, so we moved to the hotel by car.

Since the girl looked Japanese, I asked her if she is Japanese when we took seats. She said yes and we started having a conversation. I was not sure about her age, but she looked a little bit older than me. She told me she got married last year and went to honeymoon with her husband to Finland. However, as same as me, it was her solo trip this time. Actually, first time in HCMC. She told me it had been 10 years since she went traveling abroad alone so she was a little bit strained. She also told me she didn't book hotels in old days but this time she did this time because her husband was worried. She was leaving for Cambodia next morning and will come back to HCMC later. Since she told me she would visit Siem Reap, I asked where she would stay with an expectation...Yey, I was right; she was going to stay at the same GH I stayed in Cambodia!!! At that time, my feelings missing Cambodia was kind of exploded. I talked how much I enjoyed staying there, and asked her to say hello to people I spent time with if she meet them.

After a while, we got to the hotel and said good night. Yes!! This was the start of my short stay in Vietnam :D


Web album: A Trip to Vietnam

May 11, 2010

One Coin Shop

I don't say everything that they sell is good; surely, there are cheesy stuffs. However, there are definitely some useful stuffs that you can use in daily life as well. One of the such things I got recently was a hair catcher that was made of silicon. I don't feel too comfortable to collect my hair after finishing taking a shower because it's hard to remove every single hair that gathered at drain. But since I started using the hair catcher, it became very easy to remove everything. I bought a good thing :)

What I like more than the silicon hair catcher is a container that I bought a few weeks ago. It has a strainer inside: I can put some vegetables in it, and use it as a steamer using it with a microwave oven :) It's very useful especially when I'm home alone. It's troublesome to cook with pots and microwave oven is much faster. I think I will definitely go to the store and buy some stuffs when I start living by myself...Recently I feel like leaving home and start living by myself but it looks hard yet since I haven't paid back my student loan. Maybe soon...at least in a few years.

Anyway, one coin shops have kept producing great stuffs recently. It's fun to take a look of those things and think about my new life, lol. I've also gotten something useful for my coming trip :) Thus, I found one coin shops are useful. Plus, what makes me feel good is, it makes me feel rich when I buy more than 1000yen at the store :P

May 9, 2010

Am I Becoming Insane?


Since I hadn't been listening to this kind of music, it just surprised myself. I've been listening to something more pop or rock in the past. I don't know what changed, but just feel like listening to this with full volume recently (of course I don't do that because it's too noisy for people around me). I downloaded one of their album fully few weeks ago and have kept listening to it.

I've had some chances to listen to something similar to this, but wasn't really interested at that time. Although it was something not annoying, and also not my taste; I just had neutral feeling. Timing is interesting. I found that interesting that I might have gotten chances to enjoy them more in the past, but it didn't come into my heart at that time. So, it's something new for me from now. But maybe everything comes up to me when it naturally has to happen :) I'm happy that my world of music got a little bit widened :P

May 6, 2010

My Golden Week


It passed by so quickly. I think, GW in this year was the GW that I spent the thickest time :)

As I told in my last post, my 1st day of GW (May 2nd) started by working. I came back home next morning, and went shopping with my sister. After that, we met up my friends and went to a Turkey restaurant. The master is foreigner (I'm not sure from which country he is from) and he is a very funny guy. I don't say the foods are that yummy nor the service is perfect (actually, the service is kind a halfway and the master treats us in kind a funny way), but the price is reasonable and we can see a belly dancer dancing without being charged :) The ornaments in the restaurant are nice and especially the atmosphere that the master makes is nice. I found it easy to talk to people that I don't know at the restaurant because the master speaks to the customers with making fun of them and it makes everyone laugh.

At 8pm, a dancer in a blue dress appeared and started dancing. After a while, the master started naming customers with funny nicknames (for example, a foreigner was called American; I'm not sure if he is really American. Another person who wore stripe shirt was called vertical stripe), and he made us dance with her in turn. I didn't get a strange nickname, but was made dance as well (-_-;) I can't dance at all, I haven't belly danced in my life. I tried to mimic her but of course it looked weird and ugly at all (my sister took a video with my camera), lol. But it was fun, I enjoyed.

Next day, on 4th, I went to a mountain to see the view from the observation platform of the mountain. The name of the view is commonly known by "地獄のぞき(The look of hell)" because the platform locates on the precipice that is sticking out above the forests. Firstly, we were planning to go up by a cable car and coming back on foot. However, when we got to the cable car station, we found that we had to wait for an hour because there were a lot people. So, we changed our plan and went up on foot. The mountain didn't seem so tough, but being contrary of the idea, we got so tired because the course we chose had lots of steps in the beginning!!! Anyway, we went up to the top of the mountain, saw the view or hell (lol) and saw some Jizo and a huge Daibutsu which is much bigger than that of in Kamakura, and came back.

Last day, on 5th, my sister and I went to shopping in our area. I didn't really plan buying any clothes because I bought some the other day, but I changed my mind when we found some T-shirts of USAVICH. Once we found such a thing, THERE IS NO REASON THAT WE HAVE TO REFRAIN FROM BUYING THEM (being poor will be a reason tho, lol). We crazily took a look of those T-shirts and chose which to buy. We even bought one for our brother as a souvenir :P So we were satisfied...and my wallet went empty...

Thus, I spent a thick time during my GW. How was yours??? I hope you enjoyed your GW as well :D

May 2, 2010

May Started

My Golden Week started by working.

Since May 1st is Saturday this year, there are 5 consecutive off days for most people. Some people get April 30th as well. So, such people's off days are really "whole a week". ENVYYYYY! However, I'm not gonna complain about it. As I've mentioned in past posts, I'm a person who wants to go on a trip whenever I have long off days, but only when it is kind an "off season" for Japanese tourists :)

For my coming next trip, I got to work on one of those holidays by myself. I'm so excited!! It really doesn't matter for me to have a tough schedule in May because of that :) It's not too much to say I'm alive for the trip. Hopefully I'll experience something more that I've gotten in Cambodia. I was reading my travel guidebook again and again a month ago, but stopped it after a while. Now, the trip is coming soon. I'm gonna start taking a look of the book and make plans again. It's still unbelievable that I'm in Vietnam almost in 2 weeks. In past few weeks, I made my last previous reservation for the trip; booking a hotel with a pick up service. Since I'm getting there very late at night, I chose the safeness :) When I get there, I'll see and decide if I go to the city from the airport by myself or booking a pick up service again when I'm coming back from Hue.

As I mentioned before, I have some small wish lists that I want to accomplish during the coming trip. I'm not gonna tell about the detail now because I want to write about it when I come back (please wish me luck to come back safely!). At least, one of the wish lists is almost being realized; going on a trip with a big backpack which I already bought soon after I decided to go. So this is gonna be my debut trip as a backpacker, HAHAHA. Even I don't have much time as what backpackers are thought to be in usual, I'm gonna enjoy myself as much as possible :P

Now I'm making a list of what to bring. My backpack is 50ℓ and that is 15ℓ smaller than my suitcase. I have to pack things I need beside keeping some space for souvenirs :)