shavy

Hi, welcome to my travel blog. About me: my real name is Belinda I live in the Flemish part of Belgium in West Flanders. Traveling was always my dream since I'm a little girl and didn't realize that someday this dream come true. I've always been fascinated by culture and nature, this probably part of growing up from my origin. I am not a beach person, but don't mind lying on the beach for a day or two and not on my entire trip.

I've been traveling for so long and blogged about it. You may see some of my blogs here or on other websites. Hope you enjoyed reading it. I'm traveling up to ten times in a year. I go twice in a year for non-European places which happens mostly in the winter to escape from the cold for a while. A lot of people asked how do I manage to be able to go on a trip a couple of times in a year. Simple answer: firstly, the most expensive in a trip is the airfare. My trips planned from six months up to one year in advance and never used agencies everything's booked straight to airlines website.

Minsk, is a pleasant city that has a lot to offer

Europe » Belarus » Minsk Voblast » Minsk April 1st 2018

Svislach river

shavy

Just a year ago Belarusian airline (Belavia) starting out a flight from Belgium to Minsk, and at the same time, they withdrew the tourist visa. Most nationalities can visit Belarus for five days with a visa-free. Minsk is on my list for quite some time, but our trip was postponed a few times due to the hassle of the visa. When I heard the news about withdrawn the tourist visa I can't wait to visit Minsk. This a good news for all of us, so with no doubt I book our ticket through the website of Belavia airline and can't wait the day we departed. Belavia airline based in Brussels South, a second and smaller airport in Belgium. The airport is mostly used for short haul destination, due to its location, takes an effort to reach ... read more

Our final destination, Inle Lake

Asia » Burma June 1st 2017

On the way to floating village

shavy

We reached our final destination on this trip Inle lake. After stranded for hours at the train station in Kalaw, we made it very late in Inle. Normally a three hours ride which departed in Kalaw at 1:15 pm but departure time change twice, so we stuck in train station for hours and there’s no food or drink vendors at the station and having our luggage in hand is not an option to walk away, so I asked my partner to stay with the luggage and I walk to the center to get some food and drinks. I was on time when I came back, we could buy the ticket. They only sell tickets 30 minutes before departure. Ticket price between Kalaw and Inle cost 1150 kyats in tourist class carriage. Trains in Myanmar are not ... read more

Walks through the beautiful nature in Kalaw

Asia » Burma May 31st 2017

In the mountains

shavy

We decided to include Kalaw in our route to go on trekking. We took the night bus in Hsipaw, the trip of 12 hours was not exactly I expected, uncomfortable and no recliner seat on the bus. Arriving in Kalaw wasn't exactly an adventure, we were dropped in the middle of nowhere at night in the dark dragged our luggage looking our hotel that we booked in advance, without realized if we're in danger or not, thank god Kalaw is known as a safe town. There were four of us getting off the bus, two guys went on different ways. And the bus continued to his final destination in Inle Lake. We're having difficulty finding the hotel as it's so dark, no light on street. Luckily we meet a man with a motorbike, the whole city ... read more

Stopping at this point to see the dried chili

Discover the best of the Shan countryside in Hsipaw

Asia » Burma May 28th 2017

Some of the landscape

shavy

We reached the northern destination of Myanmar after taking a 6 hour train. Hsipaw, a former royal city of the Shan peoples, the city itself is not very special, is mainly the surrounding landscape that attracts travelers. We had a long and exhausted trip but is worth it. However the train in Pyin U Lwin didn’t arrive on time we supposed to have a train at 8:20 in the morning but we got news that the train has 20 minutes delayed, I'm not surprised when I heard the announcement and there is nothing we can do except of waiting. Since we arrived in Myanmar I noticed that you really can’t relying on their timetables when it comes to public transport. In fact train is the best transport to travel around maybe one of the slowest, but ... read more

Pyin U Lwin, small and cosy town

Asia » Burma May 27th 2017

Red local church

shavy

We have a little problem of getting here, I thought a train running between Mandalay and Pyin U Lwin, but we only got bad news one person said the train is not going to Pyin U Lwin and while other people said there is a train but they didn’t know the time of departure, so its worrying us because we already booked a hotel for one night. Typical thing in Myanmar, never relying on the schedule of public transport. I read about a shared taxi, so I ask our hotel reception about it, and yes they have share taxi for 6500 kyat per person. I asked them to arrange one for us. And while the clerk calling the taxi company I heard him talking about the pick up time, there are taxis every hour, so I ... read more

Mandalay, so big and different

Asia » Burma May 24th 2017

U-Bein Bridge

shavy

Arriving in the afternoon with minibus from Bagan after a 4 hour drive. We were so lucky the bus offered free pick-up and drop-off, the service of Moe Htun Express bus is pretty good. There isn't much buses between Bagan and Mandalay. That time, there were only two bus service between Bagan and Mandalay: OK Bus and Moe Htun Express. I booked the ticket on the day we arrived in Bagan in their office at the station- price is 9000 kyat. And I think any hotel in Bagan can arrange a bus ticket, I want to be secured that we can leave on the day we wanted, that's why I purchase our ticket in advance. I find Mandalay a hectic city compare to Yangon, I always known that Yangon is a busy city, but here in ... read more

Bagan, and the ruins

Asia » Burma May 22nd 2017

One of the many temples

shavy

After a two night stay in Ngwe Saung, we took the bus back to Yangon to get a night bus to Bagan. I book the bus in advance with JJ EXPRESS, according to what I heard this is the best and comfortable bus in Myanmar, but the price is not very cheap comparing to any buses in Southeast Asia - 19 USD for a one way ticket. To make a reservation I contacted them through Facebook in messenger, they hold our tickets till we get there. A few days before our trip they sent me a message of our seat number (no advance payment is required) we collect the ticket at the bus station in Yangon and pay over there. The bus departed in Yangon at 21:00 pm. We arrived in Bagan at 6:00 am the ... read more

Ngwe Saung, Myanmar

Asia » Burma May 18th 2017

Taken at sunset with quad bike on the beach

shavy

From Yangon we travel to Ngwe Saung, is a 6 - 7 hour by bus with Asia Dragon Express Bus. When doing my research looking for the nicest beach in Myanmar I came to different locations, but I choose Ngwe Saung as this is recommended by everyone and also closer to Yangon. We took the night bus departed in Yangon at 9:00 pm. There is no bus station in Yangon to Ngwe Saung. We were drop off by a taxi at the back of train station. I arranged the bus ticket in advance through our hotel in Yangon - this is highly recommended to book a bus ticket in advance either go to bus website or ask your hotel in Yangon to reserved for you. No ticket for sale on the bus - the seats are ... read more

A good place to start in Myanmar - Yangon

Asia » Burma May 17th 2017

Yangoon

shavy

We started this trip from Brussels flying with Emirates and have a couple of days stopover in Dubai. Our flight landed in Yangon at 11:40 am, entering Myanmar we need a visa, but we have this in advance. Applying online is a fast process and cost 50$ (paid with credit card). When we arrived in Yangon passport control goes very fast, is like in 10 minutes we were out there. After pick up the luggage l search for ATM machine but this located outside the arrival terminal. I've done some research before coming to Myanmar about banks - KBZ bank charge 5000 kyat for cash withdrawals while CB bank charge 6500 kyat. Thus, I certainly know which bank to avoid. I withdraw cash from KBZ ATM machine, the limit amount is 300.000 kyat equivalent to 200 ... read more

Two days in Dubai

Middle East » United Arab Emirates May 14th 2017

shavy

We arrived at midnight in Dubai, by the time we clear from the immigration and pick up our luggage it was after 1:00am when we got out the terminal plus we have queues outside while waited for a taxi. The metro in Dubai terminates at 11:30pm so everyone is taking a taxi. There are two different taxis outside color black and creme - the creme is cheaper than the black one, the meter starts at 25.50 dirham, taxi driver is friendly and speak English. It was a very short night, 7am were already awake, so I quickly check my mails. Before coming to Dubai I reserved a ticket for Burj Khalifa Tower at 11:00 am but we need to pick up the ticket at Dubai Mall. During my reservation online I only receive a confirmation mail ... read more

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