PADI Open Water Dive Course

Hello bloggers/readers!

I am back to share a little about my little adventure in my hometown Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Being so close to the ocean and beautiful islands, taking a diving license is merely a foot step away. Just like every other home girl, I have taken this for granted for 17 years of saying yes I will do it but never did. Giving myself excuses like "Hey, there is always next time." Finally, on 17th July 2016, I took the step and paid for it which by all means I have to finish the course or I will lose my money.

With that being said, it turned into the best 3 days of my life. Diving is definitely different from skin diving/free dive. Which I do so often. Diving is literally breathing under water and 45 minutes underwater feels like 5 minutes. I dare not say that I love diving more than free-diving or vice-versa because the experience from either are two separate experiences. But rest assure, diving is for the brave of heart.

I say breach the fear of deep waters, experience the life beneath and its nothing but pure bliss!

WHERE TO GET YOUR LICENSE IN KK

Scuba Junkie Wisma Sabah
RM 1030 (ALL INCLUSIVE + LUNCH FOR 2 DAY DIVE)
*its definitely cheaper that any other trip advisor scuba company, they are generally at the price of RM1200
*book a day earlier, Scuba Junkie get fully booked real fast

WHAT TO BRING

• Towels
• Extra clothes
• Sunscreen
• Motion sickness pills (if you have)
• Basic essentials

WHAT TO DO

• Have loads of courage
• Remember to keep breathing (especially if you are so used to skin-dive like me)
• Do NOT panic
• Try and stay calm
• Trust your instructor
• Enjoy!
• Ask loads of questions 

WHAT TO EXPECT IN A 3 DAY COURSE

Day 1

Watching videos on Scuba Diving (5 sections)

Knowledge Review

Final Exam (Paper)- General questions that you will learn from DVD

Day 2

Water confinement (10 min water float without equipment)

Dive with equipment on shallow water (Dive skills as instructed by instructor)

Day 3

Water confinement (200M swim without equipment)

Dive deep water (Dive skills as instructed by instructor)

Hopefully pass and get your license!

Go get your license soon! Its definitely bucket list checked for me!

Here are some pictures!

Dive instructor

my buddy, my instructor

Hi Nemo

Prawny touched me

Breath and keep breathing!

xxx

xoxo

Amberstories

Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand

Hello my lovely blogers and readers. Yes this is a long overdue post that has to go up. I am so sorry for not posting in a long while as this semester is a real hectic one. I am on my study week now and finally got the chance to travel and some time to write about it. So here goes.

I have decided to travel again to Krabi but this time to Ao Nang. It is a very pretty town and full of life. I love it.

How to get there;
We decide to go by mini van which brings us from PENANG-HATYAI-KRABI and KRABI-HATYAI-PENANG. Both ways with about THB1800/RM180. Its not the best option but its a road trip, backpack for sure! *Try book a flight if you have car sick*

Where to stay:
SLUMBER PARTY HOSTEL AND BAR. There are two Slumber Party Hostel in Ao Nang, the one in the beach and the one off beach.
My friend and I stayed off beach, but its only 15-20minutes by foot to get to the beach and Ao Nang civilization. This hostel is so much fun!
They offer free BBQ dinner and breakfast, pretty awesome drinks and even party all night, every night.
So if you are not looking forward to party, dont stay here.
It is also very very clean, with a cubic style beds and the staff are super friendly.
A night per bed would cost about RM50/THB500.

What to bring;
-Light clothes
-Good slippers
-Good liver (drinks are so cheap you have to drink)
-Beach wear/supplies
-Your crazy self
-Stamina to last you the whole night partying

What to do;
AM: 
- Have breakfast in Cafe 8, serves one of the best breakfast
- Walk to the beach, tan yourself
- Go on an Island trip (We took the tour from Slumber Party Hostel and did almost everything from snorkelling to jumping into the sea)
-Eat ice cream (Movenpick is a good one)
-Get manicure and pedicure done
-Get a massage
-Walk about the streets
-Shop

PM;
-Have dinner in Jenna's if you fancy a fancy dinner
-Have dinner at a local restaurant (they serve the best pad thai)
-Party in Slumber Party Hostel (They are wild)
-Head to Chang Bar/ Disappointment Street for more fun and more parties
-Walk about the night market for shopping
-Take beautiful pictures
- Enjoy the beautiful lights of Ao Nang at night.

Ao Nang is party and solitude as well.
So if you have the time, pack your bags and head off somewhere.
It might change you or even so you might just find yourself <3

Slumber Party Hostel (Orange Building)

Ao Nang at night

Breakfast at Cafe8

Hello

Ao Nang Beach

Ice Cream?

Island Tour

It means I love You

Party at Slumber

Cubic beds

Jenna's

For all the love

xoxo

Amberstories

Langkawi

Hello lovelies,

It has been busy lately as its the exam week and I am lucky enough to have a week gap to my next paper. So what else is better than a short weekend getaway to Langkawi.

Here are some little travel tips and fun stuff to do in Langkawi. Enjoy!!

How to get there; Air Asia ( I got a return (PEN-LGK) for only RM119) Check on the flights now they even have a promo for only RM10 to Langkawi

Where to stay: Langkawi Dormitorio, Chenang beach is the place. They have funky cubic bed style and the owner Richard and Lin are the most amazing people you will ever get to know. They also do pick-up from the airport. (RM 50 per night and RM20 for pick-up/drop off)

What to bring:

• Beach towel
• Light clothes
• Umbrella (weather is unpredictable. When I was there it rained in the morning as well as mid-night and clear skies after 12pm)
• Sunglasses
• Flip-flop/good pair of sandals
• Big appetite
• Book
• Sketch book (I sketch a lot in Langkawi. Each cafe actually have something nice to sketch)
• Camera ( for random pictures by the street)
• Bikini

What to do:

• Have breakfast in The English Tea Room and Coffee Bar. They serve good breakfast and their teas are amazing! Not forgetting their very British ambience. A very good place for good tea and just chill. 

• Have lunch at Red Tomato Restaurant and Lounge. Their pastas are AMAZING. Full flavour and the owner is friendly. Ambience is very chic and cool. It keeps bringing you back to it. I know it did to me and my friend. It is also a great place to chill at night for a few drinks.

• Have dinner at The Sunset Boulevard. If you are looking for the most authentic Indian food, I suggest you to eat here. The chicken tikka and mutton vindallo is so so good! This is certified good Indian food (my friend is from Sri Lanka and she knows her Indian food, trust me)

• If you want a fancy dinner like I did or just some place fancy, then head to The Cliff. Their western food is good and comes with a complimentary red or white wine. The ambience is a five star as you can see the sunset and hear the waves just hitting the shore. Amazing.

• Chill by the beach at noon or night at Yellow Beach Cafe. It is such a cute cafe and just at the heart of Chenang beach. What more to do then have a glass of juice by the beach?

• Place to club is definitely Sunba at Pantai Tengah. If you are living in Chenang, it takes about 20 minutes to get there (by feet). But if you have a scooter or a car then it would be less than 10 minutes away. Just beware of the local Malaysian who endlessly try to pick-up girls at the bar even when you are not interested. I suggest don't go there alone or by two. Go with at least in a group of 3.

• Another place for a drink is called Lepak. It is situated right next to Red Tomato. Their signature XL size Mojito is the bomb. Ambience is so great and getting to know Tracey and their owner Frankie makes the place even more amazing than anything else. 

• Walk and explore Chenang streets. You would find a lot of nice hippie spots and cute cool cafes.

• Relax and unwind at Alun-Alun Spa. The ambience is so relaxing it is worth every trip to get yourself pampered. Message was good as well

• Lay on the beach and sun-tan yourself

• Shops open late and based on the weather in Langkawi. So dont be afraid to sleep in as the earliest they would open their shops is at 11am/12pm

• Lastly of course is to buy LOTS of chocolates and alcohol. Tax and duty-free

This trip was a good one. I really got to adapt the "beach life" and just do what I feel like doing. It is a trip worth going. Finding myself and just be connected again to life. 

It is also a trip of friendship. I got to make friends with some locals and they have shown me the inside of Langkawi that I wouldn't have known. Not just that, they even taught me a little something about life and hard work. 

Sometimes, life is just about that. Getting to know new people at your very own country and learning about life from others. I have found more than what I expected in this trip. 

So live life and live for the moment. Just once, so you can say, I breathe!

P/s I dare you to write a note to a stranger. Because I did (left it on his wind shield and run!) :)

Here are some random pictures!

xoxo
Amberstories

Cubic style dorm

Yes?

Sea

Cool streets

Indian food, happy food

The cliff

Just sketching

Visha my travel girl

Fine dinning

Lepak bar

XL Mojito

The breakfast