Medan Kota

Air Asia is the first budget airline that operates from Medan… when it first started out with this Town.. not many of the locals heard or knew what budget airlines were… everyone has this idea that it was dangerous and unsafe to take… (Medan is kind of slow…. slower to know of most things from the outside world..)..  but well not for me…

So with that, I was among their first few loyaltyclients that use their services… having flown Singapore Airlines and constantly paying thousands of US$ each time I go back to Bangkok… Air Asia to me was a godsend… the initial promotions were about just ¼ of what I paid on SQ…

I remembered then that during the checked in or while waiting for flights at the Polonia airport, many times I met people who know me, who were then surprised how I chose to fly budget… they weren’t just giving me an unapproving look.. words were said how disgraceful.. unsafe.. unhygienic etc… but what these people didn’t know was that… not many people were taking up the offer.. so the plane was often less than 50% occupied… I remembered paying 3 adults + 2 infants.. and we had like 9 seats … which the boys were lying flat asleep… including myself…

Then as it became popular… the airline is no longer so budget anymore… so I often shopped around now… then guessed what… ALL the people who were saying all the negatives stuff to me, well.. I have not seen one of them NOT using the budget airlines services… As for now… I choose to fly with which ever airlines that provides me with the most convenient…

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I am very very, in fact super happy today…

I just bought my family June holiday tickets to Bangkok @ just Rp 1.212.000 per person… and this include tickets for Medan – KL – Krabi – Bangkok – KL – Medan !!!! with AirAsia

I was just surfing the site for fun and was in shock.. initially, it was just Rp 1.400.000 and I was ready to pay.. and the next day… the company makes a 2 days promotion with extra 20% off and so.. I am paying just THAT!!!  last year, I paid about 2.2JT which I thought was a big bargain for me… and this year.. my eyes practically pop out when I calculated the whole fare…

we were supposed to go to Australia by redeeming our credit card points and take advantage of the cheap AUS$, (S’pore Airlines is in fact having a 25% off for online redeemption – a bargain) , but seeing, Rp 1.2JT, I guess the kids can wait….

SO.. today is the last day (19 Feb) … log on and take up the offer… with their lowest rate, MES – KL – MES would only set you back at Rp 375.000 !!!  take your wife/girlfriend/mum/dad/family for a weekend…!!!  it’s only a cost of a dinner in Medan!!!

in fact, my hubby and me is considering making a short trip again just to eat… heheh.. we always hop there for Frangpani Restaurant (for fine dining), Wasabi Bistro (Mandarin Oriental hotel) for Japanese and many more of the local foods…  its way chepaer to eat there than Medan..  with 4 flights daily, you can even make it a day trip for shopping…..  we are simply hesitating becoz we have been traveling too much for the past 2 months…

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Medan-Penang-Bangkok-Penang-Medan  ……     This is my new found route to get to Bangkok thanks to AirAsia…  currently, getting to Bangkok can be made with AirAsia via KL, Malaysia Airlines or Silkair via Singapore…  as I was searching for a cheaper way to get to Bangkok for the up coming June holidays, I try the newly introduced Medan-Penang route with AirAsia and to my astonishment, including the cost of me having to stay overnight at the current 5star G hotel in Penang for both transit (in and out of Medan), I am still having my saving of Rp 6.000.000 for my family of 4!!!!…  and what I like is the fact that coz its on AirAsia route to Penang, it is often not as crowded and less hassle at the airport unlike with KL route…  so we will gonna try this out and see how it goes…

Songkran Festival (water festival) @ Thailand

If you happen to have free time around 10 – 14 April, try visiting Thailand to experience the Water Festival… I guarantee 100% of fun and laughter for ALL ages….  the best location to experience is in the North @ Chiangmei where the original tradition begins…  This is the time where the local Thai celebrates their New Year and coz its the time of the year where Thailand is at its hottest, hence splashing each other with water has become the custom for it….

Route to take include:

Medan-KL-ChiangMei-KL-Medan  or Medan-S’pore-ChiangMei-S’pore-Medan

Things to prepare before you go off…

1. Big Swimming goggles (to protect you eyes)

2. the tiny water bucket (buy from Medan for convenience sake)

3. rain coat for children (some people splash with icy cold water)

4. Big Huge water gun..

5. ”Zip lock” to keep your money and belonging (its very wet)

To experience the fun, you can hire the local Tuk Tuk to take you around the town while you play at the back of the car (no need to walk)..  don’t worry about running out of water as there are places along the way for you to refill your water.

The best about ChiangMei is that its a lot cheaper compared to Bangkok in all areas… food are wonderful, Spa at its best and cheapest, shopping is the extra perks, many adventures for both young and old but best of all, people are the friendliest there…  but be warn that its quite different from Bangkok…

try it and you will be thankful…

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This has to be one of the best promo I’ve ever seen….  If you hold the Citibank Platinum or Ultima credit card, consider taking up the offer they are having with Malaysia airlines on business class…  for ticket to KL and Penang, its about $50 more to enjoy the business class…  but the best destination to take up is PHUKET at only $375!!!! and its on Business class!!!   normally, for me to get to Phuket, I would choose the route of Silkair to Singapore and continue with Tigerair to Phuket (the safest and most comfortable and the cheapest) or alternate route will be Airasia i.e MES-KL-Phuket.. ( thats cheapest)..

lets see… so if u do the calculations for the singpore route, it will actually work out more expensive by almost $100 compared to the business class promo…  best yet, hotels in Phuket are in mid season for now till 31 March which the Credit card promo also ends….

and the most amazing is that, did u know that if you choose to fly out to Bali from Medan, its about Rp 3.500.000 return on economy class with Garuda? so, isnt it much better to get to Phuket, for the more exotic destinations….?  accomodations, service level, food and shopping in Phuket is a heaven place…  check out www.phuket.com for the best offer for hotel… its the site I use for all hotels booking in Thailand…

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