TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

Currently on vacation in Bali, I am writing this article from the comfort of my hotel room at the Sofitel Nusa Dua. Despite my previous numerous visits to Bali, I have not known of the Pirates Bay restaurant in Nusa Dua before. This unique dining place is located along the beach and is within walking distance of 5-star hotels such as the Sofitel, Westin and Grand Hyatt. A quick glance on Google Map will help you locate the Pirates Bay easily if you are anywhere along the beach of Nusa Dua. As the name suggests, this is not your usual restaurant in Nusa Dua where one sits and dine on the beach. Instead, you get the chance to climb up a treehouse and dine right there! Treehouse dining experience at the Pirates Bay restaurant, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (2016) Intrigue by the chance of such a unique dining experience, I decided to make my way from the Sofitel, walking by the beach for about 20 minutes to reach the Pirates Bay. The menu includes mainly western style d

I usually travel to Bali for vacation once or twice a year because the island is only about a 2.5-hour flight from Singapore. Being a creature of habits, I will almost certainly stay in the Nusa Dua area due to its long stretch of white sand beach and also because of my familiarity with the surrounding areas. I have dined at the Bebek Bengil (a.k.a. Dity Duck Diner) restaurant in Nusa Dua each time I am in Bali. Bebek actually means duck in Bahasa Indonesia. The signature Bebek Bengil (a.k.a. crispy duck) dish at this restaurant is something I always enjoyed every time I dined here. The duck meat does not taste too gamey although at times, the duck breast can be a bit dry resulting in the meat being chewy. The accompanying condiments and side dishes are the highlights of the menu here and they are served together with the main course without any additional charges. Those who enjoy asian spices will definitely savour the rich tastes of these condiments and side dishes. Service

Chinese New Year is usually the time when I embark on a road trip to neighbouring Malaysia; especially to the city of Ipoh in Perak State. This is where I took a break from my hectic and punishing work schedule. During my usual 4 or 5 days stay, I will spend time reading books, writing articles, going around time to enjoy the rustic charms of Ipoh and its surrounding areas and also catching up with relatives and friends. This year, the first and second days of the Chinese New Year were on 8 and 9 February which are a Monday and Tuesday respectively. Adding the weekends prior, and we have a 4-day period where we could travel without needing to apply for vacation leave from our work. To make full use of this long holiday weekend, I drove north to Ipoh on 7 February. A row of old shophouses in the Old Town area that have been repainted in a colourful blend of rainbow hues, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia (2016) During this road trip, I stuck to my usual habit of stopping by Ayer Kero

For folks like myself who grew up, live and work in a highly urbanised city, encounters with livestock are rare, far between and occur only on my travels. During my recent road trip to Malaysia, we were driving towards Gua Tempurung when we had to stop the car to allow a herd of goats crossing the road ahead. Excited, I alighted from the vehicle and took pictures of this "rare" personal encounter. Herd of Goats crossing the road, Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia (2016) Goats on the march, Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia (2016) 21st century Gatherer (the gentleman gave his permission for this photograph to be taken), Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia (2016)

Hong Kong is an extremely vibrant and modern city. This is a city that truly never sleeps. Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I always satisfy that sweet tooth with bowls of refreshing desserts at the many dessert stores located almost everywhere in this city. My favourite dessert; Pomelo with Mango, Hong Kong (2015) Another of my classic favourites; Mango with mango puree and coconut milk, Hong Kong SAR, China (2015) In addition, there are the local "tea shops" that open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The name "tea shop" is translated directly from  the local Cantonese dialect and is not a representation of what these stores sell. Instead of just selling tea, they usually offer an awesome variety of food and beverage. All the food  items are authentically local and asian. The round the clock operating hours of these stores also mean that one will never truly goes hungry in Hong Kong, as long as you have cash with you! My favourite supper for tho

Located in the Shilin District and within walking distance of the Jiantan MRT Station of the Tamsui Line , the Shilin Night Market has established itself as one of the tourist attractions of Taipei. A busy hawker tends to her stall, Shilin Night Market, Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan (2015) This famous night market is actually one of many night markets in Taipei. How its reputation has outspread and outgrown all the other night markets could be due to its constant feature in many travel-related documentaries both made in Taiwan and by film makers in other countries. Customers enjoying their meal, Shilin Night Market, Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan (2015) The Shilin Night Market comprises hundreds of stores peddling both food and other items. What is interesting is the many roadside stalls that lined the many alleys and small side streets surrounding the main market. It is at these alleys and side streets where the most interesting sights, sounds and tastes can be