ROTI JOHN, A TASTE OF MIRI

I had never been a fan of Roti John until I first travelled to Miri, Sarawak, a few years ago. I had tried it in other places in Kuala Lumpur, but I found it to be quite unappetizing. I also couldn't understand why the burger stalls near Mega Hotel in Miri were always so busy at night, especially on weekends. It didn't look much different from other types of burgers, but Roti John is physically longer than a normal burger, usually cut into pieces.

On my recent visit to Miri after a long journey to Brunei, my friend Emy from a Legal Aid Organization recommended that I go there to satisfy my late-night hunger. I initially said I didn't even want to eat Roti John, but she insisted that it was a must-go place in Miri. I have to admit that there is no other Roti John in Malaysia that is as good as the one in Miri.

We drove to the place that night and near Mega Hotel, there were several burger stalls selling the best Roti John in town. It was truly a delight to have it again after almost two years. It had a variety of flavors with a delicious combination of mayonnaise and battered egg, and you could choose between beef or chicken.

If you ever find yourself in Miri, Sarawak, I highly recommend that you try this local fast food. I personally rate it as one of the best in Malaysia.

/original article through Emy in 2011.

CREATING BEST TWITTER BIO

Maybe one of the most important for twitter users to understand when creating the new account is to have their best Twitter Profile Bio. This is the most potential followers will check when they view our page. One shouldn't leave this part blank because people might think that you are spammers or else. 

Your profile bio must say what you do and what you like. The best is to add in URL that link followers to your real site. Create your profile bio with personal touch and informative with personality as this will help potential followers to understand well what is all about you. Some might listed only an easy 'Search Keywords' but it best to make it readable in sentence. Example of mine:

Twitting Travel Info & News Event. Media Relations, Communications & Tourism. Chat about Borneo Jazz & Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo. Twitter Celebrity at http://www.blog.gustinotravel.com/   

Hopefully these tips might helps!.

WHO'S ON STAGE THIS YEAR - RWMF 2011

Rainforest World Music Festival 2011?. Every year must certainly be something new and all 22 bands this year will make their debut appearance on the stage. They are coming from across the globe from a host of genres making for a truly unique world music experience.

Among them are the Pacific Curls of New Zealand,  Mamak Khadem  (Iran), Startijenn (France),   The Blue Canyon Boys (USA), Lisa Haley & The Zydekats (USA), The Shin (Georgia), Iskwew (Canada), Frigg (Finland), Malick Pathe Sow (Senegal), Agungbeat (Sabah, Malaysia), Victor Valdez Trio (Mexico/Australia), Ilgi (Latvia), Leweton Women's Water Music (Vanuatu), Kamerunga (Australia), Kissmet (India/UK), Paddy Keenan Trio (Ireland), DuOud (Tunisia/Algeria), Joaquin Diaz (Dominican Republic), Kamafei (Italy), Kenge Kenge (Kenya) and Warsaw Village band (Poland).

Representing Sarawak is a very own Masters of the Sape' from Ulu Baram, at the northern part of Sarawak.

Check it out ! Rainforest World Music Festival on the second weekend of July this year.

BLUESMAN JOHN HAMMOND TO HIT THE BORNEO JAZZ 2011

Another Grammy award winner to heat up this year's jazz festival in Sarawak, Borneo. The Bluesman John Hammond from USA schedule to hit the second night stage at Borneo Jazz in Miri city. 

With seven times Grammy nominations, John Hammond has so many stories to tell, including putting the band together for the young Jimi Hendrix that launched his international career. Hammond has also repeatedly been voted as one of the world's top ten blues artist. Over two dozen album over the four decade career it is no more surprise therefore that he will be the main highlights among the Borneo Jazz line-up this year.

The jazz festival which recently re-branded as "Borneo Jazz" is stepping into its 6th edition this year. Discount tickets offers online whilst it is also possible to purchase at the festival entrance.

Read more about Miri, Sarawak www.sarawaktourism.com or Borneo Jazz at www.jazzborneo.com/

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KUTA ALLEYWAYS & BALI EXPERIENCE

I had decided to take a vacation in Bali when Shiddiely, Cindy, and I found an incredibly affordable offer for flight tickets about a year prior to our departure. We chose to stay in Kuta while we were there, a vibrant and bustling city known for its stunning beaches and unique culture.

   

This area of town is known for its grungy atmosphere and narrow alleyways, which are lined with budget-friendly eateries and shops. Accommodations that cater to this demographic are plentiful and can be found throughout the maze of alleyways between Jl Kuta Beach and Jl Legian. Although we had already made reservations for a hotel in Bali, we discovered many more affordable options while exploring the area. Most budget hotels come with a complimentary breakfast.

I was not particularly interested in exploring the food options in the Kuta area, as the majority of Balinese cuisine is not halal and my friend Shiddiely would not be able to partake. However, Cindy was intrigued by the prospect of trying Babi Giling, though she never got the chance. It is worth putting in the effort to find places that offer a variety of menu options and frequenting those that have a good turnout, as this is a good indication of the quality and freshness of the food. Unfortunately, cleanliness may not be a priority for these establishments due to time constraints.

Though most people do not enjoy the presence of beggars, I did not encounter any during my first two days in Kuta. However, on our way to Legian, we noticed a mother and her child sleeping in the shadows of an alleyway. Compared to other parts of Indonesia, Kuta appears to have fewer beggars and the situation is not as dire as one might expect in a tourist destination. We also encountered a group of young girls selling pens and pencils as souvenirs, rather than begging from European tourists. It was heartening to see that they were making an honest effort to make a living.

Another common experience in Kuta is the service offered to braid hair, or Kepang Rambut in the local dialect. On their first day, Cindy and Fiza were also offered the service. A group of ladies offered their services for a very low price, much cheaper than the services at a hair salon. As they walked along the deserted beach, the ladies kept begging them to let them tie their hair into cute little pleads for a minimal price. Despite the tempting offer, Cindy and Fiza refused and quickly walked away. The farther they went, the lower the price dropped!
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TRAVEL WITH BLACKBERRY IN 2011 - BALI EXPERIENCE

Cindy & Fiza - First thing to do at the Arrival in Bali

When I first arrived in Bali, I had little hope of getting my Blackberry connected to a local carrier, as I had experienced in Kalimantan. 

Upon arriving at the hotel near Jl Poppies 1, myself, Deli, Cindy, and Fiza went to a nearby shop to purchase a new local SIM card. We were fortunate to find Eddy, the helpful owner of the kiosk, who sold us a starter-pack of AXIS for Rp50,000, which included Rp2000. Although it was easy to get a SIM card in Bali, I have to admit that the reliability was not as good as I had hoped. The 3G connection was also quite slow, and it would often disconnect every few minutes.

Deli 'Checked-in' at Kuta Beach

Overall, getting a SIM card in Bali was a pleasant experience, despite the expensive phone plans and potential for being cheated. The service was average and the rates were cheap. Even though the network was not very reliable, we were still glad to get our phones hooked up with a local carrier. This enabled us to tweet, Facebook, email, and access information about almost everything regarding the island, which was invaluable to us.

RWMF TOP 5 MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ASIA

Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) was listed amongst the Top Five festivals in Asia by ContentCreatorZ, an international website. This augurs well for the festival which is making a name for itself in the international music scene and thus also putting Sarawak on the world tourism map.

Leweton Women's Water Music from Vanuatu
among the group perform at RWMF 2011

ContentCreatorZ’s website lists key events and festivals from around the globe. Rainforest World Music Festival was rated in the Top Five amongst other acclaimed music festivals in Asia. Amongst the festivals lauded are Seoul World DJ Festival in South Korea, Beijing Pop Festival, Jaffna Music Festival and Madras Music Season which is held in India.

RWMF which features world famous World-Music artist from all over the world will be held in Santubong near Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak in the island of Borneo. The days of festival are filled with jamming session in each ethnic houses within the Sarawak Cultural Village which also involved close interaction audience with the performers. Evenings fill the air with music on the stage with the rainforest jungle as the backdrop.  

More info about RWMF at http://www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com/
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RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL 2011 LAUNCHED

Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2011 was officially launched today by the Sarawak Tourism Minister. The festival will be held on July 8 to 10 in Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

The organiser has confirmed participation from by Startijenn of France, Pacific Curls of New Zealand, Mamak Khadem of Iran, The Blue Canyon Boys from USA, Lisa Haley & The Zydekats also USA, The Shin of Georgia in Eastern Europe, Ikswew of Canada, Frigg from Finland, Malick Pathe Sow of Senegal, Agungbeat, the only Malaysian represents, Victor Valdez Trio of Mexico/Australia, Ilgi from Latvia, Hanggai of China, Kissmet of India/UK, Paddy Keenan Trio from Ireland, Duoud from Tunisia/Algeria, Joaquin Diaz from Dominican Republic, Kamafei from Italy, Kenge Kenge from Kenya and Warsaw Village band from Poland.

The festival venue capacity is the matter but the festival organizers hope to attract a crowd of at least 21,000 for the whole 3 nights event. 70% from outside the state of Sarawak are the target which will thus augur well for the local business people as well as contributing to the tourist arrival numbers into Sarawak which was the main role of their Tourism Board. The organizer has also promised to make an efforts to move towards making this year's Music Festival a greener festival.

Festival’s official website www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com.

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