From savings to suitcases : Strengthening love through travel and finance

From savings to suitcases : Strengthening love through travel and finance 

 1. Monthly Financial Discussions

Money is one of those topics many couples avoid, but talking about it regularly has brought us closer. Once a month, we sit down and go through our finances together. We talk about bills, savings, and even our travel budget. This practice has helped us stay honest, avoid misunderstandings, and most importantly reminded us that we are partners working toward the same goals.

We keep a notebook to track all our finances and travel plans,and we use a card for most travel transactions so it’s easier to keep records.

2. Planning Travel Together

Travel requires decisions on where to go, how much to spend, and what to prioritize. Instead of one person deciding, we both take part in the process. It teaches us how to compromise, respect each other’s preferences, and find joy in shared decisions. Every trip feels special because we know we planned it together, from the budget to the little details.I used to do most of the planning but now we share the workload.

3. Building Shared Memories Instead of Just Buying Things

Financial planning is not about restricting ourselves. It is about choosing wisely. For us, that often means spending on experiences rather than just material things. Sometimes both,why not right ? But set your priorities.

Traveling gives us memories, laughter, and stories that last a lifetime. These shared experiences have become the foundation of our bond, much stronger than anything we could buy.

4. Setting Couple Goals

As much as we have individual dreams, we also create financial and travel goals as a couple. Sometimes it is saving for a big trip next year or generally our monthly savings. Having these goals keeps us motivated and makes every achievement feel like a joint victory. It is not just my win or his win. It is ours.

We have 2 different savings,one is our life savings and the other one is our holiday savings. We try not to use our life savings for anything except emergencies. Sometimes, we do borrow some money from our life savings for big transactions. But,we will make sure we pay back, discipline is the key. At least of you must be dicipline so the other person could feel motivated to make this work.

5. Having a Joint Savings Card

One of the best things we did was open a joint card specifically for savings. This is not for daily spending, but for bigger things we dream about such as vacations, home projects, or long term plans. It gives us a sense of accountability and excitement, knowing that every contribution is building toward something meaningful we will enjoy together.

6. Choose the right partner 

If you are not married, this is perhaps the most important advice I can give to young girls and boys out there. When I got married, I wasn’t 100% sure if my husband was ‘perfect’ for me. But what I knew was that he is a good man.

Over the years, I have come to appreciate not just his kindness, but his dedication. He works equally hard to make our life together smooth and happy, from planning our finances and making our travel experiences meaningful.He shows up consistently, puts in effort, and cares about my happiness as much as his own.Choosing the right partner is about finding someone to will walk beside you, not just in love, but in effort,respect and shared dreams.

Sri Lanka Travel Diary: The Good, the Scenic & the Unexpected

Sri Lanka Travel Diary: The Good, the Scenic & the Unexpected

We landed in Sri Lanka in the evening via Sri Lankan Airlines and stayed one night at a hotel we found online - Grand Pearl By Ratna. It looked great in pictures, but in reality, it was dodgy, uncomfortable, and not somewhere I’d recommend. Just a heads-up,avoid being swayed by pretty pictures when booking budget hotels!

For dinner, we went to Nuga Gama, a buffet-style Sri Lankan village-themed restaurant. The food was really good, with lots of variety. I’d definitely recommend it for a taste of authentic local cuisine.

Day 2: Colombo to Nuwara Eliya

We hired a driver for the entire trip, which made things much easier. The drive up was very winding, so we took motion sickness pills to manage. Our driver dropped us off at a train station to experience the famous train ride to Nuwara Eliya. It’s known for its scenic views, but honestly, I regretted it. We didn’t get first or second-class tickets, and it was packed like sardines. Maybe with a better seat it would’ve been more enjoyable.

Nuwara Eliya is a popular hilltop escape for locals too,think of it as the Cameron Highlands of Sri Lanka. We stayed at Hill Cottage, which I highly recommend. Big, comfy rooms and breakfast served in the garden. It’s more of a home-style stay, so it can get a little noisy depending on the other guests. We spent 2 nights there.

Day 4: Journey to Ella

We drove around 4 hours to reach Ella. It’s a cute town with lots of cafes, and it gets lively at night. We had some of our best meals in Ella! Our stay was at Planter’s Bungalow, nestled deep in nature,about a 30-minute drive from town. It’s a beautiful, scenic old house. I personally loved it, being a nature lover. But my husband found it dusty and scary. Unfortunately, the dust made both of us sick, so that affected our stay a bit. We were here for 2 nights.

We also visited the famous Nine Arch Bridge on our First day, it was hot and very crowded. Luckily, our driver arranged a tuk tuk that could take us close since cars aren’t allowed near the bridge. The tuk tuk ride was about 10 minutes.

Day 5: Ella Adventures

We headed up to Flying Ravana for some adventure. Because we spoke Tamil, we managed to get a good deal on a tuk tuk ride up the hill.You can hike but it would take about 20-30 minutes. We did zip-lining and then relaxed at Ravana Beach Club, which has a stunning view of the mountains. Later, we chilled at the bungalow, surrounded by nothing but peace and greenery.

Day 6: Down to Yala

We drove down to Yala, stopping at a small village selling palm sugar and curd (a local dessert). The palm sugar was incredibly cheap,about RM3 per bottle!

We checked in at Rock Wild Yala , a 3-storey bungalow with a huge pool. The Indian chef there made us feel completely at home. He took such good care of us, it felt like staying with family. I was even walking around barefoot in the house,it was that cozy!

Day 7: Safari at Yala National Park

Our driver arranged a tour guide for our safari. I was really looking forward to spotting a leopard in the wild for the first time,but unfortunately, we didn’t get to see one. We did see elephants, deer, crocodiles, and other wildlife.

However, the experience was chaotic. The jeep came speeding to pick us up and didn’t even have the shades down. We were hit by flying bugs.I thought it was bees and screamed because my face was stinging. Honestly, the whole experience felt more like a roller coaster ride than a safari.

The park was overcrowded, and the drivers seemed to be racing each other to find animals for their guests,likely for better tips. Compared to my safari in South Africa, this one felt unethical and uncomfortable. It lacked the respect and calm you’d expect in a wildlife experience.

Day 8 & 9 : Relaxing Mirissa

Mirissa ended up being my favourite spot among all the places we visited. The whole vibe there was so chilled out and relaxing,exactly what I needed. Staying at Beach & Bliss made it even better, with the ocean just a few steps away and nothing but the sound of waves to keep us company. The private beach at the hotel was rocky so swimming wasn’t recommended but I saw a cute turtle swimming around. 

 

Day 10 : Back to Colombo 

After our time in Mirissa, we headed back to Colombo for a night and stayed at Grandbell Colombo. We actually changed our plans at the last minute,cancelling the hotel we had originally booked for our final night,and I’m so glad we did. Grandbell turned out to be a much better choice, with its modern design, comfortable rooms, and city views that felt like the perfect way to wrap up our trip.

Below is the rough itinerary planned before our trip. However, we did make some changes during our trip. 

*Shopping tips

 I would not recommend clothing shopping in Sri Lanka as it would cost twice as much as what we can get here in Malaysia.However, we did some gem shopping. I can’t really recommend any gem shops as we got to buy ours directly from a wholeseller (A friend of ours). Avoid any spices store as they would cost you a lot, just get them from the supermarket. 

  

Northern light at the Arctic Circle

 

                                              

Planning is essential for all my trips, but this one required more intensive preparation. Unlike my usual approach, I began planning this trip just three months before departing. Following our return from Vienna and Paris in February, we had a saving period before purchasing the tickets.

Our itinerary involved flying with Emirates (KUL-Oslo-Munich-KUL) and checking our luggage through to our final destination at Bardufoss Airport. However, upon arriving in Dubai, Emirates took our carry-on bag due to full overhead compartments, promising it reach our final destination, which unfortunately didn't happen. It took three days for our luggage to arrive at our hotel via a local delivery company as Emirates had failed to load them into the cargo. This incident emphasized the necessity of purchasing travel insurance, which thankfully reimbursed us well for the lost baggage. I would recommend Etiqa’s family insurance which cost us about Rm180 including tax.

                                        

Upon arrival in Oslo, we took a Scandinavian Airlines flight to Bardufoss Airport. From there, we embarked on an hour-long bus journey to Senja. We had purchased our bus tickets online a week prior to departure and checked into the Senja Hotel. Not wanting to waste the evening, we promptly booked an Aurora tour with Senja Experience. Anne, our tour guide, picked us up from the hotel at 7:30 pm, and after a two-hour drive, we witnessed the northern lights. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy night, limiting our view of the aurora. Anne captured some pictures of us using her camera, and the tour concluded around 1 am, leaving us exhausted from the day's  

                                      

The following day, Peter from the Aurora Borealis Observatory (ABO) arrived to take us to our resort. We made a stop at a supermarket as the family-owned resort did not provide lunch options, and the on-site restaurant only served dinner. Our three-night stay at ABO proved to be a remarkable experience as we had the opportunity to witness the northern lights right outside our apartment.

                          

Originally, we had booked an aurora glass igloo for two nights, but a day before our flight, they notified us of maintenance work, which was disappointing. However, upon arrival, we realized the igloo was situated on a very steep terrain, making daily movement challenging.

We were fortunate to witness the northern lights on our second and third nights, even amidst heavy snowfall on the third day. Despite the weather affecting visibility during our Senja scenic route tour, one of 18 scenic routes in Norway, we still found the landscape beautiful, giving us a white Christmas feeling. The northern lights appeared at night, even when the sky was overcast, leaving me immensely grateful for nature's wonders.                     

                        

Our days were spent sledding, relaxing in the jacuzzi, and taking naps. Uncharacteristically for my holidays, this trip was exceptionally relaxing.

                                              

Norway tends to be expensive. A single meal for two cost around RM350-400, and for our three-night stay, we spent over RM1000 solely on dinners. 

The primary aim of our stay was to witness the northern lights right outside our accommodation, and that goal was fulfilled.

                                     

You may download the app called AURORA. This app will show you the chances to witness the Northern Lights. However, it is not 100% accurate. 

You may find the details on our expenses below : 

Flight ticket (Kul-Oslo-Munich-Kul) Rm4200

Scandinavian airlines Rm1200

Senja hotel Rm300 per night

ABO Rm6400

Northern light hunting with Senja Experience Rm1000 pp

Senja Route Tour Rm850 pp

Thank you for reading. See you in my next blog post. 

What's more magical than South Africa's Safari ?

Going on a safari was a dream after watching the movie 'Blended' and 'Holiday in the Wild'. I did my research on safaris ever since that. My plan was to fly to Johannesburg for the safari and Cape Town for water activities such as Whale watching and Shark cage diving. Safaris were not cheap especially if you want to stay in the game reserve area. There's also options for a daily safari and you don't have to stay in their resort. 

 Kruger National Park is the biggest National Park in SA and is accessible via Johannesburg. However, the resorts in Kruger were very expensive so I found cheaper options back then. Unfortunately, Covid happened and we postponed that plan. I think it worked in my favor as I was in a financially better place and I could opt for a 5 star resort after Covid.

As usual I use hotel booking platforms to find a few options. Then, I narrowed it down to the best two. I looked at the reviews, pictures and price of course. My husband and I voted and we picked Pumba Private Game Reserve. I could say we read all the reviews, watched vlogs and fell in love with Pumba instantly. We knew our stay will be worth it, even before the entire experience. Their reviews and pictures shared by guests said a lot about them.

We flew into Port Elizabeth Airport with SafAir which was a hassle free journey and the reviews about the airline was on point. They were on time and it was a smooth journey. Upon arrival, a driver assigned by Pumba picked us up and drove us to the resort. We started seeing so many animal on both sides of the highway because the place is surrounded with a few game reserves. After the main signboard of Pumba, it is a windy gravel road for 10-15 minutes. We reached the entrance gate which was guarded by armed personnel. We thought the next stop will be the resort but no, it was the reception where they checked us in and we were required to sign a declaration form. From there, a ranger picked us up to our resort. Yes, the place is huge. There are two resorts run by the same company, Water Lodge and Bush Lodge. The difference is the view you get from your deck, the name of the lodge says it all.

Our first game drive was in the evening. Our ranger, Denise did not rush us as we were the only guest in her vehicle. She briefed us the do's and don'ts before starting our first game drive. Shouting, talking loudly and sudden movement could spook the animals, sometimes they wouldn't approach the vehicle and we will never get to see them up-close, so behaving accordingly is important. 

Unfortunately, the vehicle broke down after 10 minutes. It was in the middle of nowhere and Denise asked us if we are hungry. I was definitely hungry after skipping lunch so she set up the food and made some drinks for us. I remember asking her if it's safe to be here and she said there are other rangers looking out for us. 

On the first day itself, we spotted one of the big fives, elephants. One of the young female elephant in the herd just gave birth. None of the rangers got to see the baby elephant in fact they did not even know the gender. The herd can be very protective over a new born especially when the mother is still young as she needs help from the herd to take care of the baby. We found out it was a boy on the last day of our safari. The best thing about a safari is you also get to learn about plants and birds, very interesting indeed.

Upon arriving back to the resort, the receptionist waited for us with a hot towel because it's cold out there during winter. Then, the waiter gave us the day's menu. You can order and let them know what time you want your dinner to be ready. It was a 3 course meal and indeed very delicious. The chef even made me something special because I did not feel like eating anything from the menu.

The next morning game drive was at 7:00am.We got some mini sandwich bites before the game drive and breakfast after the game drive. Our second day, we spotted a female white lion alone, even though it seems they are like unlikely to be alone. That was the first time I saw a white lion up-close. They do give a lot of eye contact, like they are judging you. You have to look into their eyes as well to show that you are not afraid of them. Lions and elephants like to intimidate you and if you are scared, that's when they will attack. Other than that, I felt they are such wonderful creatures, so graceful and beautiful. After day 2, we literally saw the white lions everyday, almost every game drive. They are overpopulated in Pumba and they go for big animals such as the buffaloes as it is a bigger meal, a bigger share. But, unfortunately this reduced the chance of us seeing the African Buffaloes, one of the Big Fives.

The fourth day was the coldest day and that morning felt so quiet. We couldn't see any animals even the giraffes and you can usually spot them from a mile away. That's one disadvantage when you do a safari during winter but the advantages are lesser crowd and cheaper accommodation. We chose winter because it was a great time to spot Great Whites. You can read about that here.

It seems when it's too cold they go into the bushes and that makes it difficult to spot them. Sometimes we could see them from far but we can't approach them as there is no path leading to that area. I know for sure I had some connections with the white lion's pride because I was seeing them everyday  although we only got to see the male brown lions from far using a binoculars. The father (previous alpha) and his son were kicked out of the pride. Usually this happens when another lion challenges him to be the next alpha and the loser will be kicked out. The other males will be kicked out once they reach puberty to avoid them mating with any females in that pride. The alpha male is the only one who can mate with the females in a pride. It works the same with most of the other animals.

The lodge area was not fenced last time but it was when we got there. It was a funny but scary story. They had this "resident" leopard that chills around the lodge. Sometimes, he will sit on the deck and they have to do all kinds of tricks to chase him off. Once, he started chasing this kid because he got annoyed with the loud noise the kid was making and it ended in tragedy. Nothing happened to the kid but he hurt one of the rangers. Even with the fence, some animals do jump in. I was walking alone once and I saw a huge Impala. I did not run but I started walking backwards slowly. I knew it's just an impala but it could hurt me with it's horns although the staffs said they won't. 

Before every game drive ends, the ranger will stop at a beautiful location to have a drink. I think that's one of my favorite part of the experience. We spent some time to explore the available activities like fishing and archery. There are also other activities you can sign up for such as stargazing, bush walk and wild life photography. 

We are advised to tip the ranger for their services. The suggested amount was about RM50+- per pax per day. However, we tipped ours about RM125 per day. I think you should tip them for their exceptional service, our ranger never said no to any of our requests. Tipping is totally up to you, I did not tip the spa therapist because I didn't enjoy the spa experience. 

The place looked so beautiful to me that I actually forgot about all the worldly worries as long as I was there while enjoying the nature. I loved the natural quietness and serenity of that place. You MUST go to South Africa's safari at least once in your lifetime. I assure you after the trip you will not overthink about the penny you'd spent.

Expenses

Safair RM500+ per pax

Pumba Private Game Reserve STARTS at RM2000-RM3000 per night all-inclusive (you may email them for the current price). I would recommend at least 4-5 nights for best experience, more days if you want to experience the other activities as well. We had no time to do the bush walk or even the wild life photography short course (chargeable). Some of the activities are included in the package and some are not.

Private airport transfer RM1200

Tipping RM700+- 

Spa RM200+-

I hope my blog helps you with your SA safari trip. Do not forget your sunscreen and hat. Have fun !