Project Europe: Transportation and Accommodation

Well, it is time again to updat about my dream trip. I can't believe it just around the corner already and I've been planning for it since September last year and now about 70% finalized. Here are some finalized items for reference:

Transportation

Yap, finalized all already from flights to trains to bus. So I already bought from Qatar Airways for KL-Munich-London-KL. Another flight is Easyjet (http://www.easyjet.com/en) from Munich to Gatswick which cost me 70 euro and which is above budget but the only flight that according to my plan. I will travel from Fussen to Munich and has a little time to spend in Munich before boarding the flight. A little time will be a mad dash to Hard Rock Cafe for t-shirts of course and hopefully can spend time at Marienplatz. Trains are quite expensive, I mean seriously for 2 hours journey it was almost RM 200 but what to do, still need to buy it right? So, bought return train from Munich to Fussen for 44 euro and return train from Moreton-in-Marsh for 37 pounds (http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search). The DB Bahn train ticket or fahrkarte is in Deutsche so luckily got numbers so I know the time. You can book the train from this site http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml The cheapest transportation would be transfer bus (http://www.easybus.co.uk/) from Gatswick to London (West Brompton/Earl Courts) for 4.49 pound. So, just left for Oyster card which I will buy in London itself and budgeted around 30 pound. So overall, I have spend around RM 1500 for transportation.

Accommodation

Ok, this is the major budget, remember, my brother can't make it so I can't stay with him and I'm alone and I don't like to share bathroom. So, of course finding hotel rooms with ensuite bathroom and wifi is the major pain not to mentioned so expensive. My criteria from accommodation would be the hotel must be near to public transport, ensuite bathroom and luggage storage. For London, I would I choose Paddington area as my base as the are close to major tube and railways to outside London and not to mentioned has connected train to Heathrow Airport. At first I thought wanted to book Tune Hotel Paddington as I read good reviews from Trip Advisor and within my budget but somehow I just feel it just not right, so I keep searching until recently I found this Hyde Park Rooms Hotel (http://www.hydeparkrooms.com/) which is what I want, near Sussex Garden and near to Paddington station. Read good reviews also and cheaper than Tune Hotel. So, still e-mailing the owner as the respond is quite slow. I book 5 nights for this hotel.












Another hotel that I've book is Palm Tree Cottage, a b&b at Moreton-in-Marsh, Cotswold. (http://www.abodesofoxford.com/bed-and-breakfast-oxford-50495) It is very near to train and bus station and have a very high review from Trip Advisor and other booking side such as Agoda and Booking.com. Actually, this is the first accommodation that I booked because I saw only left one room and although above my budget, I just booked it. Other b&b although cheaper but far from public transportation.

So for Fussen, I booked rated no 2 hotel in Fussen which is Hotel Fantasia (http://www.hotelfantasia.de/en/). It is near to Fussen train station and walkaway to the castles. High reviews and look like fantasy.

So, yeah as I need single rooms ensuite with bathroom, so it was quite hefty prices for all the rooms. Most rooms in London, only got room and shared bathroom. I know, I should get the cheaper one, but for me I bathroom is quite important. I mean, for Kelana Convoy, I do need to share bathroom as we are camping so  I guess I get my experience from there. I'm nervous thinking about it. I like to go bathroom whenever I like and doesn't like to wait. Yeah, I'm frugal like that. But last time when I'm travel to Korea with other colleagues I shared bathroom with them but because I know who they are. I guess I don't like to share with strangers.

So that is the update so far and will update more soon! 

Yuna goes to Hollywood

I'm so proud of Yuna. She has collaborated with Owl City (one of my favourite singer) for a soundtrack for Dreamworks' animation The Croods (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481499/) called "Shine Your Way". The animation were featuring the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone and Nicholas Cage. Owl City aka Adam Young produced the song with film composer Alan Silvestri and songwriter Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson, Alanis Morissette, No Doubt).

I love the message of the song Yuna sound so good and insync with Adam's voice. Hope this song will climb the chart soon and I can't wait to see the music video. So, enjoy the song!

Owl City Ft. Yuna – Shine Your Way Lyrics

Just before the dawn,

When the light’s still gone,

Shine, shine your way,

And you may not know, where to go,

Shine, shine your way

Open road but it’s still dark,

Build a fire from a spark,

And shine, shine your way,

Feed the feeling in your heart,

Don’t conceal it then you’ll start,

To find, find your way

No one can stop, what has begun,

You must believe when I say

All of your tears will dry faster in the sun,

Starting today,

Shine, shine, shine,

Shine your way

There’s an open sky,

And a reason why,

You shine, shine your way,

There’s so much to learn,

And now it’s your turn,

To shine, shine your way

There’s a feeling deep inside,

You can let it be your guide,

To find, find your way,

And there’s no time for us to waste,

Got to take a leap of faith,

And fly, fly away

Don’t have to walk,

Now you can run,

Nothing can get in your way

All of your tears will dry faster in the sun,

Starting today,

Shine, shine, shine,

Shine your way

Morning is breaking,

Darkness is fading,

We found a way to the light,

It’s such a beautiful sight

Any time, anywhere,

Turn around and I’ll be there,

To shine, shine your way

Like a star burning bright,

Lighting up the darkest night,

I’ll shine, shine your way

Now I can see,

You are the one,

Sent here to show me the way

All of your tears will dry faster in the sun,

Starting today,

Shine, shine, shine,

We’re on our way,

Shine, shine, shine,

That’s what we say,

Shine, shine, shine,

Shine your way

There’s a reason why

You shine, shine your way

All of our tears will dry faster in the sun

Shine your way

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

I am seriously obsessed with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I don't know how many times I read the book since the first time I found it in the school library. Although, at that time I admit that time, I might not understand few words or thing, come on it is on old English language and it is so flowery but I loved Elizabeth's fierceness and independent as well as Mr. Darcy's true intention. The setting was in 19th Century in England and for some reason, I always imagine lady with big gown skirt in it.

I didn't manage to see the one with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in BBC's Pride and Prejudice in 1995 version, but I do watch the one with Keira Knightley and Matthew Mcfadyen and the film is awesome. I keep watching it every time it was repeated in DIVA channel. Matthew McFadyen as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is so dreamy and literally melt my heart. For some reason, Keira Knightley doesn't look so pretty in the movie. The movie was shot in Peak District which supposed to be visited this May but can't do it because it is quite far. The Pemberley would be Chatsworth House (http://www.chatsworth.org/)  which is so magnificent, and I hope I can visit it someday.

So, came out The Lizzie Bennet Diaries a drama web series adapted Pride and Prejudice, and the story was conveyed in form of vlogs. It premier in Youtube in April and I only found about it end of the last year. The series is told in vlog-style by Lizzie Bennet and given modern twist as she narrates the trials and tribulations of her family life. As in Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie's mother is all too eager to marry her and her sisters off to rich men. When wealthy medical student Bing Lee moves into the neighborhood and woos the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, it changes the entire dynamic of the family. It isn't long before Bing's even more wealthy friend and heir to an entertainment corporation, the mysterious Darcy, makes his way into the Bennets' lives as well.

So in this series, Lizzie Bennet is a  a graduate student studying mass communications and, like her original counterpart, strongly believes women should be highly educated and do more with their lives than simply pursue husbands. She is very close with her best friend, Charlotte Lu, as well as her older sister, Jane, while appearing to have a more strained relationship with her younger sister, Lydia. While it is clear that she cares for her family and friends, she can also be fairly prejudiced and quick to judge people who she perceives as condescending or a threat to her way of life, such as Darcy and, at first, Bing Lee.

William Darcy is a  wealthy heir to an entertainment corporation called Pemberly Digital.  He is described by Lizzie as a snobby and condescending robot. Darcy surprises Lizzie by confessing his love for her when she is visiting Charlotte. For a long time, Darcy was referred to but never seen and was often impersonated by Lizzie and Jane. They always ompersonated him with bow tie and talked like a robot. He made his first appearance in episode 59, where he was only seen from the neck down, until his face was revealed in episode 60, and he is capital HOT. Hot I tell ya!

So, now this is my current obsession and the episode is up to 94, where Lydia has reveal that it is William Darcy that has saved the day and I can't wait for next episode where they could confess love to each other and live happily. I will be missing these vlogs when there have end, but I will always have Youtube to re-watch the videos.

Here are some of my favourite episodes:

         First time we see Mr. Darcy

Meet Gigi and her awesome plan

Mr. Darcy looks hot in this episode

My heart melts....

I really hope I can find my own Mr. Darcy soon.......

Yep, I'm 33 today...

So, I'm the big three three today. Yep, still single and still working the same and first company I ever worked for.  The new thing about me this year is my car and my driving license that I have renew today. But, although not much changes so far, I'm still looking forward for the future. I'm going to my dream vacation soon (55 days and counting), I'm going to be aunt again as my sister in law will be having baby this August.

I don't feel like I'm 33 though, still feel like a young girl trapped into woman body. When I look a 30s woman, they look matured, they look like they know what they want and they seems happy, is not that I'm not happy but sometimes you just wonder whether is there anything else there that can make you more happy? If it is there, I want it, of course.

Facebook make it better with tons of birthday wishes and my phone notifications ring all day long. It feels good that someone wishes you (even though with reminder from facebook), because it shows that they took time to write message to me, even though just a "happy birthday'. I got extra birthday wishes this year as it comes from my new sister in law. I hope my nieces, Alyssa will learn to say happy birthday to me soon and I will be a very happy aunt in the world.

With all have been said, I will count my blessing and live my life the best that I can and hoping for the best. I'm will not give up and always think positive because I know everything happen around me are there for reasons, which I need to find out by myself!

So happy birthday to me!