Out of Norm Travels

List of trips taken over the years  2020: 1. Nepal - Kathmandu, Pokhara  http://outofnormtravels-magty.blogspot.com/2020/03/out-of-norm-travels-2020-yoga-retreat.html 2019: 1. Feb  Italy  Venice - Carnival with Ugo Cei and Robin Yong  http://outofnormtravels-magty.blogspot.com/2019/03/out-of-norm-travels-2019-venice.html 2. Feb Italy Florence and Cinque Terre  3. March Indonesia Batam Nikon School Singapore Photo Fiesta 4. April Malaysia Penang  http://outofnormtravels-magty.blogspot.com/2019/04/out-of-norm-travels-2019-penang-food.html 5. May Australia Astrophotography 6. August - Japan Lake Biwa & Okinawa  http://outofnormtravels-magty.blogspot.com/2019/11/out-of-norm-travels-adventures-in-japan_21.html 7. Nov - Japan - Karatsu & Saga http://outofnormtravels-magty.blogspot.com/2019/11/out-of-norm-travels-adventures-in-japan_97.html & http://outofnormtravels-magty.blogspot.com/2019/11/out-of-norm-travels-adventures-in-j...

Astro or Star gazing is a new genre of photography for me and frankly quite intimidating and foreign territory for a city girl like me.  Stars are something present but unseen in many parts of the little island city due to the vast amounts of light pollution. However, the first impression of astro following a pre trip workshop is how complicated the entire process is with different considerations for the taking a decent photograph.  Naturally, my expectations of getting something decent from my first astro photography trip to mount Bromo is understandably on the low side. What I got out of the trip is definitely more than I expected.  The amazement of seeing the millions of stars clearly for the first time reminded me of the many reasons I took up this amazing art form. It helps when it takes some 4 hours by van to reach Bromo from Surabaya and although it is near to some villages, the level of light pollution is low. Justin our pro was aware of the daunting natu...

A long standing travel wish was fulfilled in November 2012 when I attended Thailand's International Balloon Festival at Chiang Mai , in northern Thailand. I was fortunate enough to be there for the morning flights and evening programmes for 2 out of the 3 days of the Festival as the 3rd day of the festival forced to be cancelled due to a huge thunderstorm. It was a festival like no other that I have attended elsewhere - it was filled with lovely big balloons and a marvelous carnival-like atmosphere in the evenings complete with music and delicious food for picnic on the grounds of one of the oldest golf courses in Thailand. One cannot feel but happiness and joy when seeing the hot air balloons take off into the big blue skies. Truly a beautiful sight!  I managed to get up close with the balloon when it was being filled and it was HOT, HOT, HOT!  I have made a pledge to come down for the 2013 festival as for me, this is the Life that is worth livin...

" Charity Through Photography " is started by 2 gentlemen who came up with the brilliant idea to  added a dose of charity  with my 2 loves, photography & travel. The idea is simple - arrange for trips for those who love to take photographs and travelling so that they can do  a little good by taking trips that bring happiness to the people in the  villages they visit and at the same time, take photographs to document the life of villages itself. I started my 2013 trip list with a 2D1N trip to Bintan, Indonesia which is some 45mins away from Singapore.  We dropped in at a Charcoal village and did a quick photowalk around. Part of this involved the distribution of goodies like stationery, biscuits and clothing to the children who stayed at the village.  It was lovely to spend some time with the villagers & I captured many shots of their simple village life where a simple game of catching crabs can occupy a child's afternoon and fresh seafood can b...

Like most travelers, a trip out of home country means taking an air plane out of the country. In the not so distant past, many travel out of their country using the only means of affordable transport i.e. train. I am not old enough to say that I did that but I was glad I managed to catch one of the last few trains that departed from our grand ol dame, Tanjong Pagar Railway Station back in June 2011. The feeling of nostalgia was what spurred on me taking the journey up north from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was surreal that I was still in my country yet the land the station stood on was actually Malaysian land. In a typical Singaporean way, I facebooked my location & wondered if I should state Singapore or Malaysia as place of origin? Anyway, this dilemma soon ended on 30 June 2011 when the land on which the train station stood was closed to the public with the land returned to Singapore. It was thus unfortunate that my kids will not be able to experience such ...

[transferred from my other blog, http://mty-sensa.blogspot.sg/2010/07/farewell-to-bhutan.html ] When I wrote this, I was sitting in Paro airport waiting to board the only flight out of Bhutan to Bangkok ETD 1150am.   My room-mate asked me this morning if I am happy to leave Bhutan . I replied that I am neither happy or sad to leave as although I have enjoyed my 8 full days of travelling in Bhutan , I am grateful for the experience yet thankful to be back home soon in Singapore .   My most memorable experience in Bhutan is the sight of Tiger's Nest or Taktshang Monastery in Paro . I opted for a horse ride up to the holy place which is some 45mins-1hr by walking. It was an enjoyable albeit sometimes nerve wreaking experience as the horse tended to trot along the cliff edge as it goes up the mountain side.   What was special for me to lay eyes on the monastery is that it has come to represent Bhutan to me. In almost every literature about Bhutan , a...

Transferred from my other blog, http://mty-sensa.blogspot.sg/   The guidebook said that trekking in Bhutan offers the best opportunity to experience the “real Bhutan ”. I cannot agree more although it was definitely the most challenging part for me personally for the whole trip. I think the altitude didn’t help with the “mini expedition”. I could hear the thumping of my heart throughout the entire 7 hours or so trek on the 1st day and will totally agree with my pre-trip assessment that this part of the trip is and will be a “once in lifetime experience” for me.   The trek started at Haa valley . This place is, according to the guidebook, only opened to tourists on 2001. We arrived in Haa valley after a drive through the Chele-la Pass from Paro which is also the highest drivable road in Bhutan at 3810m.   The town of Haa is essentially a training camp for Bhutan army by the Indian army. Wheat is grown here instead of rice as its elevation is higher than P...