April 2024

May

Pittsburgh

July

Japan & Korea

Camping at Algonquin Park

August

Osheaga Music & Arts Festival in Montreal

Cottaging at Collingwood

September

New York City

October

Upstate New York & Vermont

November

Bills game at Buffalo

Chicago

The Sum of my 2017 Travels

2017 has been the best year of my life, and the biggest reason is being to travel to so many places! All together, I spent a total of $9,564.77 CAD. The new experiences, friendships made, delicious foods eaten, definitely made the money I spent worth it!

Here is to an even better 2018!

Similar to last year, I have made a summary of my 2018 travels. Below are the trips I went on and the links to the separate blog post about each trip. Furthermore, I included a financial analysis and commentary of what I spent on my travels in 2018.

Beating my 2017 spend, I spent a total of $12,083.18 CAD in 2018. Below are my analysis of what that amount entails.

Here is the breakdown of my total year budget based on each trip.

As you can see, my trip to see the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia was by far my most expensive trip as it accounts for 22% of my total budget. The World Cup tickets itself came in at $607.20 CAD, the most I spent on any event. Also getting myself to Russia for the World Cup was not cheap as I spent $1,288.71 CAD on flights

This is how the $12,083.18 CAD is broken down based on each category.

Here are the most I spent on each category:

• Flight: Toronto, Canada to Stockholm, Sweden for $926.22 CAD on WOW Air for my trip to Russia.
• Food & Drinks: Butcher’s Feast at Cote Korean Steakhouse in New York, USA $48 USD which came to $64.90 USD ($84.92 CAD) after tax and tip.
• Transportation: Half of the cost of a rental car for 4 days in Yucatan which came to $125.28 CAD each.
• Accommodation: One night at Temptations Resort in Cancun $193.53 CAD per person (also includes activities and food & drinks).
• Activities: A Ticket to the Semi Final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia (Croatia vs. England) at $285 USD ($376.20 CAD)
• Other: a new pair of glasses 1,089,000 IDR ($93.15 CAD). I had to get a new pair as I lost my glasses in Indonesia.

Below is the number of days I spent on and how much money I spent per day on each trip.

In general, the longer the trip, the lower the $ spend per day is. You have more days to spread your fixed travel costs such as flights and/or visas. The shorter the trip, the more that time becomes valuable resource. For example, you would spend more on a better location for your accommodation or on private transportation (Uber or Grab) rather than taking public transportation.

It is also clear that the trips towards the end of the graph are destinations that have lower cost of living (e.g. Southeast Asia)

The country of Malaysia has three distinct people group: the Malay, the Chinese, and the Indians. Due to this, food in Malaysia has strong influences from the three ethnicities. You can get a variety of yummy eats no matter where you go in the country and in this post, I will go over my top 5 eats in Malaysia!

1. Roti Canai

This Indian-influenced flatbread dish is found all over Malaysia. Often served as breakfast, this the most famous examples of Malaysian Indian cuisine. This dish can be savoury or sweet depending on the ingredients added into the roti such as eggs, bananas, coconut spread, and many more. Roti Canai also is usually served with dal (lentil) curry, but might be served with different kinds of curries such as chicken curry and mutton curry. My favourite is the roti canai with egg and chicken curry which is 8.3 MYR ($2.60 CAD) in Penang. The egg-filled roti is great to soak up the curry and to eat with the chicken. Such a great way to start your day!

Roti Canai with egg and chicken curry. 8.5/10

2. Char kway teow

Take flat rice noodles, eggs, seafood, bean sprouts, Chinese chives and stir fry it around in soy sauce, chili and shrimp paste. What you get is delicious Char kway teow. This is Malaysia and Singapore’s version of a pad thai, and my opinion a better version too. Definitely try some in Penang as they add a piece of banana leaf to enhance the aroma on the noodles and can be had for only 5 MYR ($1.56 CAD)!

Char kway teow. 8.5/10

3. Nasi Lemak

This is the national dish of Malaysia for a good reason. The rice is not any plain white rice, but its cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf creating a really fragrant taste. It is usually paired with anchovies, peanuts, fried egg, cucumber, sambal, and some sort of meat. For those that do not know, sambal is chili paste mixed with shrimp paste, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, lime juice, and is common to the cuisines of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. This mixed with the tasty rice, meat, egg together so well with the fresh cucumbers and the crunch of the peanuts and anchovies. It is found all over the country and can be had for around 7 MYR ($2.20 CAD).

Nasi Lemak. 8/10

4. Cendol Durian

This iced sweet dessert has a base that contains droplets of worm-like green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, shaved ice and palm sugar syrup. Then you can have additional toppings such as red beans,  sweet corn, diced jack fruit, or my favourite, durian! You get the creaminess of coconut milk, the custard taste of durian, sweetness from red beans and palm sugar, and the crunchiness from the shaved ice. This is such a great dish to cool you down on any hot day in Malaysia (which is most days)! This big bowl of cendol durian can be had for 13 MYR ($4.06 CAD)

Cendol Durian. 8/10

5. Hokkien Mee

This noodle dish has its origins from the China’s Fujian (Hokkien) province. There are many variations in Malaysia, but the one that made it to this list is the Penang version which is egg (yellow) and rice (white) noodles with shrimp, slices of chicken or pork, squid, fish cakes, leafy vegetables and a side of sambal. This is all served with a spicy shrimp based broth. Its delicious, filling, and super cheap at only 4 MYR ($1.25 CAD) a bowl!

Hokkien Mee. 7.5/10

Other Malaysian foods I tried

• Asam laksa
• Claypot chicken rice
• Hokkien mee
• Hokkien char
• Wantan mee
• Air bandung
• Malaysian fried rice
• Curry mee
• Mutton biryani
• Honey char siew noodles
• Macau pork chop rice
• Kaya toast
• Thosai
• Paneer butter masala
• Banana leaf Indian meal
• Sweet lassi
• Steamboat meal (hot pot)

If you have been to Malaysia, I would like to know your top 5 eats in Malaysia!

The cost of accommodation can be an expensive part of your travels, especially if like to stay in hotels. But of all the travel categories, the cost of accommodation is the one that is the easiest to reduce. This is due to the wide array of options of accommodation andContinue Reading

After my first experience on a business class flight with LATAM Airlines, I was looking for my next opportunity to fly another business class flight. I didn’t have to wait long as I went aboard Ethiopian Airlines’ Cloud Nine a couple of months after. Here is my review of EthiopianContinue Reading

In: Asia, Budget Breakdown

South Korea is often overlooked by backpackers who are either drawn to the cheap Southeast Asia or the more popular Japan. But this country offers so much for a great value. Below I will provide you my budget breakdown so that you can go backpacking South Korea on the cheap.Continue Reading

If you love strong flavours and spicy foods, then you either already like Korean food or you should give it a go! For myself, Korean food is one of my favourite cuisines. From Korean BBQ, to boiling hot stews, to pickled vegetables, to fried chicken, to shaved ice, there willContinue Reading

In: Asia, Budget Breakdown

There is no place in the world like Japan. It’s a country where ancient traditions are fused with modern life. This is actually my second time visiting this country. I last visited in 2017 and I’m back two years later, this time with Shelly! Here is the breakdown of myContinue Reading

In: Africa, Budget Breakdown

South Africa has a bad reputation with its high levels of corruption and crime but the country’s rich history, natural beauty, and culture is what made me visit. It certainly did not disappoint! South Africa has it all–from vibrant cities to white sand beaches to breathtaking landscapes. As part ofContinue Reading

In: Budget Breakdown, Canada & USA

After having travelled abroad for over 8 months, I was excited about the prospect of exploring more of my own country. Atlantic Canada is the most easterly region of Canada, comprising the four provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island (PEI), Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador. This part ofContinue Reading

In: Canada & USA, Top 5 Eats

Due to its proximity to the ocean, Atlantic Canada is home to the most delicious seafood, wild fruits and fresh vegetables in the country. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t other things to eat. Game meat, such as moose and deer, are also commonly consumed. Cities like Halifax, St. John’s,Continue Reading

During my travels in South America, I had the chance to fly business class with South America’s largest airline, LATAM Airlines. Flying on the Boeing 767, I flew from Bogota, Colombia to Sao Paulo, Brazil where I would continue my mini round the world trip with Aeroplan. Here is my reviewContinue Reading

In: Budget Breakdown, Latin America & Carribean

Today’s Colombia is unlike the one of which your parents once imagined. Gone for the most part are the violence from drug cartels and rebel factions. Because of this, tourism has skyrocketed over the past years and has shown visitors the country’s immense diversity of landscapes and cultures. There areContinue Reading

In: Canada & USA, Top 5 Eats

The thing I was looking forward to the most during my trip to New Orleans was definitely the food. The cuisine of New Orleans is one of the most unique in the world due to its heavy influence from Creole cuisine, Cajun cuisine, and Southern soul food. Seafood is also important toContinue Reading

In July 2018, I had the experience of attending the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. I have never really had the experience of eating Russian food, so everything that I ate was new and different for my taste buds. With some research and with my Russian friend’s knowledge, IContinue Reading

In: Canada & USA, Top 5 Eats

On my trip to Boston in May 2018, I got to eat a fair share of what the Boston food scene has to offer. In this list, I will share you my top 5 eats in Boston!

In: Latin America & Carribean, Top 5 Eats

During my trip to Riviera Maya & Yucatan, I got to experience a wide variety of Mexican and Yucatan cuisine. The food was one of the many things I enjoyed during my time in Mexico. In this list, I will share you my Top 5 Eats in Riviera Maya &Continue Reading

The thing I was looking forward to the most during my trip to New Orleans was definitely the food. The cuisine of New Orleans is one of the most unique in the world due to its heavy influence from Creole cuisine, Cajun cuisine, and Southern soul food. Seafood is also important to the cuisine as the city is located between the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, meaning that residents have access to a wide variety of both saltwater and freshwater sea creatures. In this list, I will go over my top 5 eats in New Orleans!

1. Pralines

Prah-lins are a form of sweets containing nuts, sugar, butter and cream (basically everything that is not good for you!). I didn’t consider myself having a sweet tooth, but after practically eating the whole bag myself, I probably have to re consider that. They are so sweet and creamy and melts in your mouth!

I was able to try pralines at both Leah’s Pralines and Southern Candymakers. Upon entering either stores, you can sample pieces of the different kinds of pralines they have! The price of these treats do not come cheap at $10 USD for this bag of pralettes below, which were small bags of bite-size pralines, but they are so worth it!

Leah’s Pralines. 9.5/10

2. Fried Chicken

Just let me start with a disclaimer that fried chicken is probably my favourite food in the world! So note some bias adding this to my list. My favourite fast food restaurant is Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which originated in New Orleans, so I had high hopes for fried chicken in NOLA. Let me tell you that it did not disappoint. I don’t think there is such thing as a dry piece of fried chicken in the city.

Here are the spots I was able to try:

I had such a good time eating fried chicken in New Orleans that I have made a guide of the fried chicken in New Orleans.

Fried Chicken at Mother’s Restaurant. 9.5/10

3. Shrimp Po’ Boy

This traditional sandwich from Louisiana consists of meat which is usually roast beef or fried seafood in a French baguette. Back in 1930’s in New Orleans, these sandwiches were given to feed striking streetcar drivers. These strikers were jokingly referred to as “poor boys”, and soon the sandwiches themselves took on the name.

The best in NOLA that I had was at Parasol’s Bar & Restaurant. Located outside the French Quarter, this dive bar has the Firecracker shrimp Po’ Boy, which is a spicy take on the classic fried shrimp Po’ Boy.  The shrimp are breaded, fried and dipped in of spicy buffalo like sauce, which created a good kick. The French Bread and the accompaniments such as the lettuce, tomato, pickles, and sauce were spot on in terms of ratio and quality. The sandwich comes in two sizes, the regular (pictured below) comes to $10.50 USD and the large which is $13 USD.

Firecracker shrimp Po’ Boy at Parasol’s. 9/10

4. Bread Pudding

A surprise entry to my list as I was never huge fan of bread pudding. But this dessert overshadowed all the other dishes I had in ACME Oyster House. The bread pudding had juicy raisins inside and was accompanied with whiskey sauce and vanilla ice cream. The warm bread pudding with its caramel-y taste goes so well with the cool vanilla ice cream. This sweet treat will cost you a reasonable $5.99 USD.

Bread Pudding at ACME Oyster House. 9/10

5. Jambalaya

Probably the most iconic Louisiana dish on this list, the jambalaya is a dish consisting mainly of meat and vegetables mixed with rice. It has roots from the Spanish, when they introduced paella into the new region. However it evolved when the locals used more popular ingredients such as celery, onions, bell peppers (or the Holy Trinity). I went to Johnny’s Po-Boys to get the their Po’ Boys. They also had a special for the day for their shrimp and alligator sausage jambalaya which cause my eye. It might not look too appetizing, served in a styrofoam cup, but the jambalaya packs a good amount of flavour and heat. The rice was cooked perfectly as texture was just right. The big chunks of alligator sausage and shrimp were juicy and tender. All in all, pretty good for $7.95 USD.

Shrimp and alligator sausage jambalaya at Johnny Po Boys. 8.5/10

Other Nawlins foods I tried

• Raw and charbroiled oysters at Acme Oyster House
• Crawfish from Cajun Seafood
• Fried Seafood Platter
• Turtle Soup from Mothers
• Shrimp Po Boy from Johnny Po Boys
• Coconut Cream Snoball from Ike’s Snoballs
• Banana Foster Ice Cream Cake
• Seafood Gumbo from Coops and Mothers
• Muffuletta at Central Grocery and Deli
• Beignets from Cafe Du Monde and Cafe Beignets
• Étouffée from Coops

If you have been to New Orleans, I would like to know your top 5 eats in New Orleans!