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slightly astray

an honest look at life on the road

Breakfast around the world, Vol. 2

Over 2 years since publishing Vol. 1, finally here comes the much highly anticipated (ha!) sequel.

I’ve finally gathered up enough other places to make another post. So let’s take a look at how I’ve started my day in different places!

Taipei, Taiwan

Lu rou fan is my favorite, favorite, favorite Taiwanese breakfast! I look forward to a bowl every morning whenever I’m in Taipei (ha, I say it like it’s a common occurence, but I actually haven’t been there in 1.5 years). It’s basically chopped up braised pork belly over rice with preserved veggies and an braised tea egg. I love mixing it up with a scoop of chili paste. The flavors combine so wonderfully. This actually wins a spot in my top 5 favorite breakfasts of all time!

Japan

A kind of unpleasant breakfast, if you ask me, unless you’ve acquired a taste for nattō, or fermented soybeans. It has a pungent taste, but that’s not the worst part for me. It’s the gross sticky, slimy texture that feels like eating a mouthful of mucus. But the Japanese love it. Nattō and rice is a popular quick breakfast choice, served with a side of miso soup. I think I’ll just stick with an onigiri rice ball. :P

August 2017 travel re-cap: first time in East Malaysia

Oops, I took an unintentional blogging break again… because I guess I’ve just been having too much fun. :P Now that I’m just bumming at my grandma’s again, hopefully I’ll have more time to post. Unto August’s travel re-cap! August 1 – 24: Kota Kinabalu, East Malaysia I started the month with a red-eye flight to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. I debated for a long time where to go after Chengdu. I eventually settled on KK because I’ve never been…

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How to make friends as a solo traveler when you don’t stay in hostels

Before I started traveling, I never thought of myself as an outgoing kind of person. I mean, I’m friendly, polite, and nice (most of the time, tooo nice for my own good). But I’m not naturally outgoing. I’m an introvert. I don’t just strike up conversations with strangers and I hate being the center of attention. So when I found myself on the road alone, I was really worried about being lonely all the time and hating traveling solo. I was…

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July 2017 travel re-cap: pandas, new friends, and spicy food in Chengdu

I feel like this year has been getting better and better. Maybe I’m growing more as a solo traveler each month, or picking better places, but it seriously feels like that each month is topping the previous one. At the beginning of July, I said bye to Malaysia and flew to Chengdu! I came because Amanda was doing a study abroad program here, so I came to meet up with her. And this is an area of China I’ve been very…

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A day in the life: Chengdu, China

I wake up in the morning hot and sweaty. It’s over 90 degrees (32C) in Chengdu and my AC is broken. It broke about the second week in and I’ve been melting in the heat since, even with a fan on at full speed. But despite this little mishap, I still LOVE my Airbnb rental. I never really show what my rentals look like, because they’re usually nothing to brag about, but my room is super cute here! But what really makes this…

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Malaysian eats: everything I ate in Penang

I’m seriously looking my cred as a foodie. I barely ever blog about food anymore. I miss it. And believe me, I’m still eating TONS and trying new things all the time (my thighs can attest to that). So anyway, all that to say… Yay! New foodie post! Penang is known as the foodie capital of Malaysia. Before going, I wasn’t sure how I’d like the food because I heard it’s more Cantonese style, which I’m usually not a fan of….

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I hiked up Penang Hill and all I got was a crappy view

First, let me say that I rarely go hiking. When it’s hot all the time, I just  really don’t feel like sweating outdoors. And the journey to the top can truly be terrible sometimes. But most of the time, the views are completely worth it. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be one of those hikes. The Airbnb I stayed at in Penang was on the 12th floor (technically 13th) of a condo. To attempt to work off some of the super…

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Fun with Penang street art (in photos!)

Penang is a small island city known for some of Malaysia’s best street food, cute colonial heritage houses, and street art. The last item – hunting street art – is perhaps the most fun thing to do in the city. It’s a great way to explore the Georgetown area. Most hostels in town will pass out a map with locations of the famous murals. It feels like a scavenger hunt as you search for each one and then snap a photo when you find…

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