#nadiagoingplaces: USA

Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts

What are manatees? It is a mammal that looks like a seal, except it lives in the river. Florida has a lot of Manatee Reservation and the closest one to Orlando is the Blue Spring State Park, Orange City. It took about 1 hour drive from Orlando. I got in touch with hannahonearth on her trip to see the manatees while she's in FL. She went to a larger spring called Crytal Lake. Too bad for me, Crystal Lake was further away from Orlando and my flight was at noon.

After checking out, this time I properly downloaded my offline map and off I go to the Blue Spring. The entrance fee was $6 and the park opens at 8am - perfect for my short time in Orlando. I dreamt of maybe do some canoeing or paddle boarding but the rental centre does not open until 10 am. At the park ranger's booth the manatee count was 6 (pretty low) due to colder water temperature.

There is a trail called the Blue Pool trail, where you can walk on the board walk and see couple of pools in the park. I expected clear pools that you can see the bottom just like hannahoneath's pictures and I did not get disappointed. It was amazing that the river was crystal clear! I can see the bottom and all the fishes inside the river. And, I manage to spot 2 manatees swimming and floating in the middle of the lake.

Couple of manatees (squint your eyes a bit)

The park actually open for swimming and water sports, but the activity ceased during manatee season. I saw a couple owning a boat actually get closed and personal with the manatees. Ahh, how I wish I have an inflatable pocket kayak in my bag. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience and the river was very beautiful. We always thought US waters are polluted but not in Orlando. they keep it very clean and beautiful. I don't see any blue river like this in Malaysia - the only ones I saw was when I visited Interlaken, Switzerland.

I can spot what type of fish in the river. It was so clear!

A mansion in the park

"Too Friendly" Squirrel. I thought I'm being stalked.

I spend 1.5 hours at the park (I wish I spent more) and I drove straight to the airport to return the car rental and board the flight to Houston. I initially wanted to go to the beaches but considering it is Spring Break, I don't think I managed to handle the massive crowds. I had to passed on the Cape Canevral Space Centre too. The security line in Orlando was worst. Thankfully they open two sections to speed up the process. The flight was okay except when the plane was about to land. it was so scary since we're landing cross-wind. The plane shook and sway very hard that a kid besides me started to cry. I was terrified but thankfully, the pilot land it smoothly.

Overall, I am very happy on how my solo trip turns out. I get to go to every places I planned to despite of several short comings. Who knows, I might come back to visit Orlando next time?

After the harrowing journey to get here, I managed to find the Main Gate to the parking complex. I salute the USO management in handling massive crowds. The parking complex was huge and has multiple travelators. Parking fee was compulsory and the charged $20. Unless you stayed at a hotel the night before, you have to park here. I bought my tickets from the website and trust me, it was so expensive. It costs $156 for the entrance. I nearly cried while paying but considering this is my ultimate dream since I was a big Potterhead, I concede and pay.

There was a huge line at the parking entrance. I spent 20 minutes going through the counter. The parking lot was assigned to each character and I got the SpiderMan zone. Entering the park, they have employed security with X-ray scanner and metal detector. Just like other Universal, they have different Worlds and my eye was fixed on ONE - Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Diagon Alley/King's Cross. Getting through to WWHP, I passed through the whimsical and colourful World of Dr Seuss obviously for kids. Amazingly, the queue time was not bad at all! I don't have to buy the Express Pass like I did for USS.

Florida beaches

Whimsical World of Dr Seuss

I entered the gateway and there it was, the magnificent Hogwart's Castle. Walked through Hogsmeade and saw the Hogwart's Express station. Yes, there is only ONE Hogwart's Express ride and it is in Orlando. They don't have it in Japan. Being in Hogsmeade was so magical that is brings the memories of reading and imagining the famous JK Rowling fantasy that was a huge part of my childhood. I scream internally when I saw the Three Broomstick, the Ollivander shop. It was so magical and moving.

Hogsmeade

Hogwarts Express

Dragon Challenge Coaster

I chose two ride both Dragon Challenge roller coaster which consist of the Hungarian Horntail and the Chinese Fireball track. There was a locker, free for 1 hour and it was packed with people. I managed to squeeze and keep my bags. Well, the beauty of a Single Rider is that you get on the ride quickly. I waited for 20 minutes for each coaster. It reminds me of the Battlestar Galactica in USS. The ride was fierce and I think the Chinese Fireball was the fastest. Then, I went to the next ride which was the famous Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey. 1 hour queues.

Butter Beer. yes, it's non-alcoholic.

The luncheon at Three Broomsticks

We enter the Hogwart's Castle where the magic come to live. Literally. The paintings move, talk and there's magical spell and you can spot Dumbledore in the Castle. It was amazing! Just like I'm in Hogwarts! They even got the Madam Pomfrey's garden right to the detail. I mean, the details is just amazing! The ride? Well, I got stuck in the middle. Fair to say, I hate the ride. I got severe motion sickness that I actually closed my eyes the entire time. I had a Butter Beer and lunch in the Three Broomstick, just like Harry did!

I then went to ride the Hogwarts Express back to King's Cross. There was a very long queue since it was almost 7 pm. You will be seated with 5 other occupants and you can see experience the train ride as if the characters' are right outside your coach door. It is a real train you guys.

My last ride in WWHP would be the Escape From Gringotts ride in Dragon Alley. I got lost trying to find Diagon Alley. It was located behind the set of brick gates somewhere in King's Cross. This was the BEST ride among them all. Located well, in Gringotts, complete with a fire breathing dragon on top of the bank.

The fire breathing dragon on top of Gringott's

I attend a couple of shows including the Choir, the Ollivander shop, some singing in Dragon Alley. Also bought some souvenirs from both WWHP and Dragon Alley. The Weasley shop was colourfully decorated and magical - not interested in tasting the Puking Pastiles though.

King's Cross

London's Bus

At night, USO has a Mardi Gras parade along with a free The Script Concert. I was running out of time and do not want to spend too long there at night, alone. The last ride I took was the Hollywood Ripe Ride Rock It coaster. It was super fast and the thrill of being vertically carried to the peak was awesome. My song choice for this one was Kanye West's Stronger. I rode with a hype college dude who was very excited for the ride. LOL.

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

My room at Best Western Orlando Convention Centre

After buying souvenir, I walked to the parking complex. The USO complex seems alive since they have a mall with cinemas and restaurants. I was greeted by a Muslim family on my way back and it seems they were very happy to see me. I am off to my hotel which was Best Western Orlando Convention Centre. It was cheap, located about 7 minutes drive from USO. The room was spacious and clean. They even let me use the printer and PC for free. For me, this was probably the best hotel since it was away from the crowd (I went there during Spring Break), very family friendly and cheap. On to next post where I meet Manatees!

You know what this is.

I have been dreaming to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. I used to made remarks of going here and here I am, standing in front of the Hogwart's Castle. It was the first for everything. This was my first Solo Trip in my life.

As a lot of you may have read my post on Tips for Solo Female Traveller, I choose to go to Orlando for my trip. I was initially planning to go to San Francisco, but the flight tickets were so high,I could not even afford it (costs $770 return, on a budget airline).

From Houston, I parked my car at the EcoPark at IAH paying $12. Went there at 5 since my flight is at 7 am. They provide free shuttle to each terminals and they will give you a coupon stating your parking lot (keep it so they can take you straight to your car). This was my first domestic flight in the US. The flight will took 2 hours and the airline I chose was Spirit. Spirit is a low cost airline that charged you for you cabin carry-on. Seriously? I just packed a small bag pack inside my Longchamp since I was staying for 1 night. I, now appreciate Air Asia after my Spirit experience.

Well, security of US airports were a hassle. There was a very long line to the Homeland and Security counter (they just check your boarding pass and ID). Then, it was the harrowing X-ray scanner, metal detector and full body scan. I always prepared so I did not wear layers or shoes that are hard to take off when I fly. The plane was normal, but the seat pitch was bigger that AA, I would say same as EasyJet in EU.

Landing at the airport, I finally told my mother I was in Florida. She was shocked and didn't believe me, so I send her the photo I took of the Florida beaches from the plane. Queue was long at the car rental counter. Walk across the road for car rental and I got a Mitsubishi Lancer (here, it was considered as compact car). I thought I finished downloading my Here Offline Maps so I venture out of the airport to the highway. The highway has too many intersection, it was confusing. I followed the sign and then my GPS kicked off. I set the GPS to bring me to Universal Resort and reaching 30 minutes of my drive, the place looks weird and I saw the sign of Tampa.

My heart dropped. I know I was lost! I felt weird the GPS brought me so close to Tampa. Then it instructed me to exit the highway and after 20 minutes I reached Universal Resort, which is a local resort named Universal. NOT UNIVERSAL STUDIO. I was horrified. I on my mobile data, but there is no data received and I thought it was a connection problem initially. I almost CRY alone in the car in the middle of a strange town. I stopped at Shell, wishing there was wifi but there was none. I decided to go back to the airport.

I saw a Walmart and immediately stop near the entrance to get the Free WiFi. Walmart save my life that day. I finally located myself near Tampa, far from Orlando. I reset the GPS to the airport since my GPS failed to recognise Universal Studio or any other landmarks. I was 1.5 hours away from Orlando and I want to cry. Calculating properly, I would reach Universal Studio around 1pm because of traffic . HALF DAY GONE just like that. I quickly exited the highway and follow the Airport sign. The traffic was bad and reaching at the airport, I followed the sign to Universal Studio. The thing was, there was not many sign at the highway. After 30 minutes, I finally saw the Exit to Disney World and Universal Studio. Yeay!!!

It was odd that the theme parks were located in the middle of the town. Then, I saw the Universal Boulevard and I reached Universal Studio safe and sound at 12.30 pm. I keep my positivity up and don't give up.

Later that day, I found out Celcom actually barred my line because I exceeded the max limit of RM150. I remember I called TWICE to raised my credit limit to RM500 and clearly that failed. Can you imagine if something bad happen during the trip and I could not communicate to the outside world? Celcom is so irresponsible and I do not trust them at all point forward. I regretted I did not purchase the US sim card and trust Celcom instead. I was lucky that day that everything was smooth and I got to be at the place I want to be.

It was definitely a lesson learnt. Make sure map is correctly downloaded and don't trust Celcom.

This is my favourite places in Texas. This was our last stop in the road trip and we choose to spent the night at the Riverwalk. San Antonio Riverwalk consists of some small rivers and flood management system in San Antonio. Along the banks, they constructed hotels, houses and it was a walk away from one of Texas War Memorial called The Alamo for the Alamo battle.

San Antonio is located South of Austin and 3.5 hours drive from Houston. There were plenty of hotels at the Riverbank. We choose to stay at an old charming hotel called San Antonio Riverwalk O'Briens Historic Hotel. It was the cheapest option with excellent review. It is located in front of a parking bay and 2 mins walk from the Riverwalk. It was old but very clean and provide breakfast, except noises I heard coming from the road at 3 am during the commencement of Daylight Savings in US.

Very European vibe

The parking across the hotel is a private parking that charges $5 from evening to 6am. We reached the hotel quite late around 8pm. Checked in, and we went exploring the Riverwalk at night. There was a lot of people considering it was actually near to St. Patrick's Day. We walked halfway and basically trying to survey restaurants along the riverbank. We choose the Hilton's fresco restaurant right by the river and I ate salmon while RR had some salad. We were just people watching and just take in the environment. The Riverwalk reminds me of Venice in a lot of ways. But, Riverwalk was prettier and not smelly.

We then took a walk and visited some flee market along one of the river's bridge. There was a lot of college kids on their Spring break and I think we fit in just well LOL. We found a souvenir shop and we decided to buy our Texas souvenirs here. Price was not that bad. I managed to buy loads of fridge magnets and a San Antonio t-shirt for my dad. We decided to take the river cruise in the morning instead and went to the hotel to get some sleep. We went to sleep at 11 and woke up at 6 to refill our parking meter.

This is where they shoot the film Selena

I'm the Captain for 2 minutes

Had a simple breakfast at the hotel (I just had pastries and coffee) and RR decided she was still hungry. So we went into a Breakfast Bar to had some breakfast. The food was blend and tasteless. We then went to buy tickets for the cruise. We sat in front and the boatman again, had lived in Malaysia row few years. Another small world. We talked and he invited us to take photo as if we are steering the boat. It was amazing and the boat man was super nice. We went around the river with the boat man told the history of the place and mentioned how the Riverwalk was build. The water was green because the dyed it for St. Patrick's Day.

Fountain garden near The Alamo

The Alamo

After the cruise, we went for a short walk to get to The Alamo. The Alamo is a war memorial for the Alamo battle. It was actually a church. We did not go in since the line was so long. We just read the brief history outside and left. A lot of people we chat with thought we were studying in Texas. I guess RR and I still got the college kids look.

We went off early to San Marcos Outlet to shop. Again. This time I scored some A&F shirts. We left quite early to make sure we reached Houston in the evening. San Antonio Riverwalk is an amazing short vacation spot. It was happening, pretty and so relaxing. I would go back if I ever be in Texas again. Perhaps I would stay longer here just chilling.

Small Rodeo show by Cowboys at George's Ranch

What kind of Texas road trip it is without being in a ranch?! Everytime I mentioned Texas, a Cowboy will crossed through everyone's mind. From the famous blogger hannahonearth , most Cowboys are seen in Dallas. Well, RR and I spent a lot of time researching on ranch that we can visit and saw cows and cowboys.

RR found a working ranch called George's Ranch located in Richmond, which is about 1.5 hours drive from Houston. What makes it perfect is not only it was enrolee to Austin but the ranch is actually a real working ranch! So, real cowboys here!

Richmond is a small town and going to the ranch, we go through some small roads. The ranch was one of the largest ranch here and what makes it interesting, the ranch was owned by 4 generations of women, not men.

How they live in 1830s

Mr Jones actor re-enacting shooting at the yard

The 1st occupants of this ranch got their land from the government where back in the late 1800s, before Texas was in USA, the government gave it's people land to do some farming or ranching for free. Basically Mr Jones work on the land, and later on expand this land in the coming years. Mr and Mrs Jones has 12 kids and they passed the ranch to the eldest daughter who marry a Ryon. Ryon's daughter inherit this and marry a Davis and passed it to her daughter. Then this daughter married a George and this is where the family line ends.

Ryon's house. Where the Butter Churning is happening

Peek into Ryon's family routine

Ryon's house

It was a big complex and the ranch consists of a cattle farm, rodeo stands and the 4 houses of each generation - Jones, Ryon, Davis and George. Each inheritor own their own house on the land. The oldest hoist was dated back in 1830 which was the Jones' house. It looks like a shed and the Park worker kept all belongings of the family dated back to 1830. They even have actors which will re-enact how they lived in 1830s. It was a very interesting experience seeing on how people lived in that era. It was just a shed with outdoor cooking area. Very simple beds made with hay.

George's House. Interesting.

We visited the Ryon and George's house as well. You can see the difference in living condition for each house which is very interesting. It was a walk in living museum. During our visit, there was a Butter Churning demo in the Ryon's house. It was mind blowing seeing how people made butter back in those days. Such hard work. I wouldn't do it if I have to. lol. Remember I told you the line ends at George's? The George's only son and child died during infancy. They raised their niece, Nancy and she would then become the heir. Unfortunately, she was killed in an automobile accident at a very young age, around her early 20s. At that time, Nancy, the last surviving heir was pregnant with her first child. With no heritage line continue, the extended family set up a George Foundation which kept the ranch running until today and later transform this land to a Historical Park.

The house was a typical ranch house - like RR like to point out, she felt like we were in the film The Notebook. The house was huge and of course creepy. Each house has their own guide which dressed and talk like the house's era. Well, I find the George's house the creepiest since the setting reminds me of the house in The Conjuring. My God.

Doc, the horse

We also visited the ranch show. First, the cowboys will show us some rodeo skills. We are one of the first so one of the head cowboys introduced us to it's horse called Doc. So cute, but RR was scared of animals. Sigh. We talked with the Cowboy and we were surprised when he greeted us with "Selamat Pagi". He told us he was a marine and actually went to Malaysia for 1 year to train with our Army. What a small world indeed. We talked a lot about KL and Malaysia.

The cowboys showed us the famous Longhorn. Owh my God, the horns are soooo long and it does not seem happy. LOL. The cowboys then demonstrates on how they disinfect cows and cattles in the farm. Well, the new stock will come to a stable in a line, injected and then the cows fly into a small pool of disinfectant. Yes, flying cows.

Overall, it was such a great experience for me and RR. We had so much fun walking around the beautiful ranch, learn on the ranch history and even get to see the living experience of several different eras. I truly recommend you go here if you are ever in Houston.

Author at Texas State Capitol

Percutian ke San Antonio & Austin

March 2016

It has been a while since I wrote something, well work caught up as well as other things. Minta maaf ban yak-banyak. Janji nak tulis pasal pengalaman di USA sampan habis.

One of the favourite type of vacation is a road trip (it was my favourite at least). I can tell that not all places are suitable for road trip , I mean people don't road trip across Europe do they? Or at least in congested city like Paris even somewhere close to Malaysia which is Singapore or Indonesia. You need resources (car rental can be hefty, fuels) and willing drivers. One of the country which is perfect for road trip is USA. My parents did the USA East-West Coast road trip back in their college years and trust me, it will be something you'll remember forever.

I too, dream of road trip while I'm in USA, but for a couple of months' trip, I can only do Texas. Texas is big y'all. It will take 3 hours or more just to cross Texas borders. I found my road trip buddy, RR which turns out to be a very close friend. (being on the road bring people together, need I say more?). We're gonna do 3 cities and agreed on our stops in this short road trip. Being on the same page as your trip buddy is important! Learn to share, respect and give and take to each others' needs. Don't be a selfish organiser. Road trip is all about partnership and fun of course.

Our stops: Richmond, Austin, San Antonio and San Marcos (of course)

Today, I'm gonna talk about the capital city of Texas. Yes, many of you thought it's Houston, but NO. Come on, Houston is being popularised due to it's significant role as a NASA base. The capital of Texas, kids, is Austin.

Austin is located about 3 hours drive Noth-East side from Houston. Like many capital city in USA, Austin has it's own State Capitol Building. It is a replica of the State Capitol Building in Washington DC. Austin is special because unlike other Texas state, the metropolitan area is situated around series of lakes, which is huge! The lakes are part of a river called the Colorado River. Not to be confused the same river in Arizona.

To me, Austin is more laid back and it certainly has a metropolitan feel to it. Well, the entrance to Texas State Capitol is free but there is no parking nearby (same as Houston). We choose to park at a parking building 2 blocks away from the Capitol. When we reached Austin, it was already in the evening around 5pm.

The centre of the Capitol dome from top floor. Around it are the paintings of US presidents.

They erected several memorials around the Capitol. Funny story is that, we didn't plan to go inside the Capitol building. We went in because RR need to use the bathroom. As usual for government building, there will be security screening at the entrance. It was a Saturday so there is no proceeding inside the Capitol and there are quite number of visitors inside.

After the toilet break, we wander off and visited the top floor to the bottom. Inside, there's a dome and around this dome at each floor, the hang the paintings of US previous and current President. We spotted Abe Lincoln, Adams, Bush and Obama here. It's like their own hall of fame. You can go freely inside the Capitol except the proceeding room where they conduct the session.

The building is simply stunning inside and out. It was our first time entering any State Capitol in the US and we learn something about their politics. Thanks to RR of course. If she didn't have that bathroom break, we will missed out.

Austin Skyline from lady Bird Lake

Our last location in Austin before heading to San Antonio is Lady Bird Lake. Well, I researched on photo spots and this came up. Since the Lake/river is huge, they had constructed a boardwalk on the river across Austin downtown. This is where you can actually the see the Austin skyline from across the lake. There was no proper parking but people park on the side road. We just followed and park our car there. Thankfully there is no police and we are quick.

Boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake/ Colorado River

The river bank hosts some private houses and jogging track. We also see some people canoeing in the river/lake. I can tell that I like Austin more than Houston. The environment is different and the city is beautiful. Next story is about Texas Ranch. On to the next post.

HPO

It's been a while (again) since I wrote my post in this blog. I did not even finish my USA posts. I promise, it will be completely out sooner or later. Hehe.

Well, one of the popular choice of activities in Houston is..... shopping at the Premium Outlet. *sigh*. Believe it or not, when I asked around, people always pointed out that this is the shopping heaven for Malaysians. At first, I was astonished thinking that could it be that much of a bargain? Well, after hearing about how cheaper stuff are in the USA, I choose to do some shopping myself to have a proof that the statements are true (konon2. padahal memang aim nak shopping).

OK. In Texas, there are few Premium Outlets but I manage to go to 3 establishments: Katy Mills, Katy, Houston Premium Outlet and San Marcos Premium Outlet, San Antonio. I will elaborate on what is worth buying in the USA and which outlet/store to go to.

WHAT IS WORTH BUYING IN THE USA?

1. Levi's Jeans. Yes! Oh Lord, the Levi's is really cheap. I mean, I regretted that I brought a lot of pants with me. I bought 2 pairs of jeans- black skinny and grey slim fit (I would buy more if not for the luggage). Unlike in Malaysia, Levi's are sold in the department store itself. In Malaysia we have to buy in it's dedicated store, right?

The cut is slightly different but the classics are definitely there. I was looking for Curve ID - sadly I did not manage to find the cut I want. I opt for the slim fit/ skinny 501. Sizes? In US, you have to shop for waist and length! I wore a length of 31/32. The length comes in 5 lengths - 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Jadi, tak payah susah payah potong.

Price? I bought my jeans for USD33.90 before tax. Cheap right?

Where to buy: I highly recommend you buy Levi's in Macy's. They have amazing deals.

2. Calvin Klein. Another favourite for pants. This time work pants. I think I bought 4 pairs - different colours and a pattern pants. Seeing the price, I almost faint. Okay, disclaimer: i bought my CKs at outlet. For CK, you have to shop for waist size and length. This time not the circumference but the US size (e.g 8, 10, 12...).

Price? USD39.90 before tax. A real bargain.

Where to buy: Buy at any Premium Outlet. I bought mine at Katy, Houston PO and San Marcos.

3. Corelle. My mum will laugh because I used to criticised her for buying too much Corelle in Langkawi. Since I have my own SoHo now, I bought 1 set for my new house. Again, if only I have luggage, I will buy multiple of this. Seriously.

Price? Brace yourself. USD29.90- USD 31.90. Cheapos right? Like, really? Not only Corelle, Pyrex are cheap as well. I bought the 16 pcs set.

Where to buy: The only place that has Corningware shop is Katy Mills. The entire shop is full with Corningware, Corelle and Pyrex at really cheap price.

4. Bedsheets. OK, this is for my home and results of my mum's influence. She bought a lot of flat sheets while my parents lived in the US. I did the same. Ugh- for my home.

Price? Depends on thread counts. I got 300 thread counts (which feels like 600 thread counts) for USD22.90 for King Size. These are sheet set (fitted sheet+flatsheet+pillow cases) Range is USD18-59.

Where to buy: Walmart or Target

5. Ralph Lauren. Basically the only place you can afford RL. I am not kidding. At premium outlets, you can buy these for USD 29-60. Seems expensive, but try to compare to RL in iSetan KLCC - RM500 per piece.

Where to buy: Macy's, San Marcos Premium Outlet

6. Abercrombie & Fitch. Love the clothes, hate the smell of the shop. It irritates my sinus cavities. I bought few shirts here and the quality was superb. Too bad there are no A&F in Malaysia.

Price: USD 30 and up

Where to buy: San Marcos/HPO

7. Shoes/Sport Attire. I bought a sport shoe from Nike for USD 29.90 and my friend bought a cute Ralph Lauren shoe for USD65. Kenneth Cole is pretty cheap as well.

Where to buy: Macy's, HPO, Katy Mills

7. Handbags. See below.

Kate Spade - definitely yes! So cheap! I bought a small WOC for USD 35. Wallets for USD20. They have good deals like 60%+20% off.

Coach - yes! You can get a pretty coach sling bag for USD 129. Crazy right? A full leather mid size bag costs RM500. In KL? Don't ever dream to get price.

Michael Kors - Hmmm. People might bash me, but I bought my handbag in Europe for a cheaper price. Seriously.

My watch bought for USD89. The watch has a diamond-like surface

Fossil - I bought a watch for a cheap price. Price was okay I guess, but I think Japan is slightly cheaper. Watch costs me USD89 and I saw cross body bags starts from USD159.

My bucket bag bought for USD160

Furla - amazingly, this European brand is cheap in US. My bucket bag costs me USD160. I saw some PS charged RM990 for the same bag.

Where to buy: San Marcos Premium or HPO.

THE SHOPPING WONDERLANDS

Katy Mills Mall - Located about 30 mins from Spring, TX (using the Grand Parkway) or 1.5 hour (using I45). Big indoor mall with a lot of brands. The only outlet that sells Corelle, Corningware.

Houston Premium Outlet - Located 20 mins from Spring via Grand Parkway and 1 hour via I45. Outdoor style just like our Johor Premium Outlets. Has variety of brands and frequent promotions.

San Marcos Premium Outlet - perhaps the biggest outlet I have been to. Located in between Houston and San Antonio. Approximately 2.5 hours from Houston. Everything you can imagine is here. Is a huge area, so sometimes you have to walk very far. Thus, plan which store you want to go.

Macy's - Another personal favourite. You can find everything in Macy's from economic to high end stuff. Levi's, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren are all sold in Macy's. They are the best department store so far. While I was there, they have a 70% off for designer shoes.

Walmart's - Okay, I love Walmarts. My favourite place to shop so far. They have good deals. Believe it or not, I bought my Texans t-shirt and Harry Potter sweater for a total of USD9. Yes. USD 9. It's the holy grail of everyday shopping and mothership of deals. I remember taking like 5 items totalling USD33. But after I checked out that the counter, the total is USD15. Whaaaaaaaaat.

Luggage costs USD60 and baby clothes, you can get around USD1-2 for onesies. That is cheap. This is also where I go to buy souvenirs like Texan Football tshirts and Texans mug etc.

Target - another cheap outlet. I bought a sweater for USD7. Really? They also sell other stuff like foods, electrical.

Author in Florida, USA on her solo trip

I wouldn't consider my work trip to the US as a solo trip even though technically I travel alone but I have friends over here (so, not alone!). Just like the most of us, I have been wondering on when I'm going to be able to do a solo trip abroad. It might seem easy for guys, but for girls like me and the readers out there, solo trip might seem like a high target.

Why? Because as a female, being alone on your trip in a foreign land will bring out the first issue - safety. We fear for our safety. Being alone, helpless in the middle of a foreign land will demotivate your dream for solo travelling. This fear will encorouge you to Google stuff like "crime rate in....", "female solo traveller...". Don;t be ashamed as I have done the same.

So, what did I do to convince my dear self to venture out on my own? Let's be honest, your yearning curiosity is not enough just like many times before, we (including myself) actually gone through the recycle phase - plan, research, confidence, staring at airline website contemplating, research again, looking for logistics, second thoughts and in the end ended up not going.

It is normal. We need a push to go through something new, a leap of faith some might say. This time, for me, it's the phrase "now, or never" that keep on haunting me. I hate a wasted opportunity. In fact, I am still in doubt until the moment I board my plane to Florida.

1. If safety is your main concern - as would I; start asking around. There might be some friends that have done some solo travelling to some city around you. I did ask around, asked my colleagues (local and Malaysians) about what city is okay for solo travelling, what do they think. I was planning to go to San Francisco initially and Orlando came to a close second. So, I asked my friends about those city. One colleague actually did not encourage me to go to NY alone since yeah, you rely on Subway there and he got mugged.

2. Flight tickets is important. Like I mentioned, I was keen to go to San Francisco but the flight ticket was ridiculously expensive when I finally decided to buy it. So, I went to Orlando instead. I made a late decision and I regret it since SF is my top destination! I use Google Flights and the monthly Skyscanner search even before it got viral on Facebook. Again - ask around won't hurt.

3. If you are indeed solo travelling, please make sure you are at your hotel by night, not midnight. Plan ahead your day/night at the city. Choose a family friendly hotel or a backpackers. I stayed at a very decent hotel in Orlando.

4. Where to go? Up to you entirely! If you want to go to the usual touristy spot or you want a side local adventure like me, go ahead and do what you are comfortable with.

5. Drive or Public transport? This is up to you and also influenced by the place you actually go. I recommend you Uber rather than cab hailing. In Orlando, I choose to drive myself since it is easy, I love driving and Im going to a place outside of the city itself.

6. Make sure you have connection to the outside World. Call your service provider to ensure your line is not being barred (I'm looking at you Celcom, the incompetent Customer Service) and make sure you have your online map ready. Download the offline map for the said city before hand (this is my lesson learnt). Keep in touch with your friends or family letting them know where you are.

7. If you are unlucky to get stuck with Celcom as I did, there is always free Wifi at the airport, Starbucks, Walmart and McDonald's.

8. If you get lost, do not panic. Just went out to the nearest exit, trace yourself back to the airport (if you are going to the attraction) or exited the freeway and look for free Wifi spot. (story to be told in future post)

9. Crowd Control - Party people or no? This applicable for Spring Break season. If you are there for the parties, take precautions and be safe. If you are avoiding those crowds, like myself, research properly on the area where the Spring Break parties will be held.

10. Loosen Up and enjoy! This is the most important thing in solo travelling. The bliss is you are on your own schedule and you are on a journey for self exploration. You just chill, follow your own pace and keep on exploring. Embrace it. Be proud that you have made the journey.

Solo travelling is fun and full of adventure. For us girls, it will be a little bit challenging but it was very rewarding. I came back from my solo trip being more confident, independent and discover new things about my ownself. If you are able to plan your own vacation with family/friends, solo travelling is just the same, with lesser participant - just you.

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