Year 2012 had been a busy year for me.. Managing my time between my career, my family, my friends and my personal life.. and of course.. for traveling as well.. it was not easy but I really had a wonderful time.

My travelogue ??..  2012 was the most busy year so far..

Winter Japan Trip with my friend to Osaka – Nara – Kyoto, and visiting the Universal Studio Japan

Umrah with my whole family

Korea trip with my colleague to Seoul – Jeju – Yeosu and visiting the Yeosu World Expo

Surabaya and Mount Bromo with my family

Shopping trip to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, with my family

Another Korea trip with my friends to Seoul and Jeju, encounter with the typhoon Samba

Trip to Guilin and Yangshuo with both my parents

• Vientiane, Laos with my family

As an architect, having 8 projects in hand, with some of it in design stage, some of it in construction stage and also some contract management project, enough to keep me busy all year round… and most of the project required me to travel between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru frequently .. tiring.. but I consider it as a challenge.. I love my job and I love my life..

How do I manage my time ??.. Being a private firm architect in Malaysia, I don’t have the luxury of annual leave  like the government servant. My yearly annual leave only 14days per year..  I had to plan my travel ahead of time..   I had planned most of my travel trip during public holidays and weekends that I have.. And also important to know places that I’ll go, so that I can roughly figure how many days required for each trip..

How do I manage my financial ??.. Cheap flight ticket and DIY travel.. (do-it-yourself).. Most of my trip was quite cheap.. My last trip to Vientiane only cost me RM900 for 4 pax, all-in.. Ho Chi Minh, RM1200 for 5 pax, all-in.. Even my Japan trip cost me only RM2600 per pax all-in.. My tips.. always alert on promotions, either flight promotions or hotel promotion, or even entrance ticket promotion.. I got a good deal during my Japan trip, through an internet promotion, a return flight to Osaka with 4night hotel stay for only rm800.. good bargain, right ??

I always heard some of my architect’s friend complaining about their stress full life, always constantly busy, shortage of money, unable to enjoy their life.. and they always said I can do it because I haven’t married and have my own family yet.. Well… I just smile.. They were totally wrong.. I may not married yet, but I’m supporting my family.. Having both my parents lived with me, and three younger siblings also lived with me.. just do the math… but I won’t complaint.. For me, negative thinking will create a stress full life.. The most important is to live life to the fullest… and enjoy things that I love most.. traveling…

Hopefully year 2013 will be a better year than before.. I’ve already planned for another Japan trip end of January 2013 , this time will focus on Tokyo and also visiting the Sapporo Ice Festival.. Others maybe visiting China.. Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanning.. And more yet to come.. 🙂