Cherating Surfing Trip (3D2N)

Hello peeps.

Welcome to the first post of Bubu Goes!

So the backstory is I used to blog since I was 15 years old, 

my blog was bubuchahchah.blogspot.com and it had about 270,000 views.

I closed it down because I'm very different from when I was 15 years old.

So. Introduction.

My name is Karen Tan. 

I was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

My handle is @bubuchahchah on Instagram.

I'm 27 years old this year.

My life motto is to live the life I want. Not the life society wants. 

This chapter will be about me leaving my hometown, Kuala Lumpur.

Not yet, but soon, in February 2022. I'll blog about my adventures here.

I want to immortalize my memories in pictures, video, art, language.

 

Life is not about materials, facade, and fitting into other people's expectations.

It's about fighting for the life you want- whatever that is to you. 

For me, it's about experiences, relationships, nature, dreams, goals, skills, expression.

Daring to be who you want to be. 

Taking a chance to risk, and to fight for what you want. 

I took a chance to open Art Core in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic. 

I've never run a proper business before and I've quit 3 corporate jobs prior to this. 

It was a great experience, and it was something out of my comfort zone. 

I became a workaholic. 

But it's been Covid for 2 years now.

I want to see the world. While I'm young and I don't have kids.

I want to spend a year seeing the world. 

I know I always do the things I set out to do.

When there's a voice in my head constantly asking me to give birth to an idea. 
I'll do it. Same with Art Core. 

This chapter of my life is about being wild, young, adventurous.

Fuck it all and go. Fuck it all and do it. 

And me announcing my plans here, also makes it hard for me to go back. Haha.

I was in Cherating for a short 3 Days 2 Nights trip to learn surfing again.

It's Monsoon season aka Surfing Season in Cherating from October to March. 

I wanted to travel alone to a beach. 

Then I remembered Vanessa and I DM-ed her and she told me she would be there.

Lol. So I went there. And she's practically a local there, so she pretty much

hosted me and led the way. 

I stayed at Residence Inn, the rate was RM165/night.

Club Med Cherating, the star of the place, 

is like RM1000/night or RM1500/2 nights if you go solo.

I was here for the nature/kampung life and hanging out with Vanessa so splurging was out. 

Honestly, glam things do not really matter to me now.

I want to see and experience Mother Nature more, unplugged.

Here's me crashing Vanessa's Beach Chalet.

She runs a clothing brand called Dona Plant Base too, 

which sells swimsuits and Vintage Batik pieces. 

Honestly it's inspiring to see people living lives

in a way that's authentic to themselves

and using their skills. 

It's hard to have depression or anxiety out in nature. 

Your problems become small. You become aware of the beauty and magnificence outside. 

We all die in the end anyway. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, 

why are you doing the things you do.

I don't mind cheap clothes. Or "dirty places".

Or mud. Or insects. Or mediocre food. 

I mind wasting money. Buying a facade.

Not chasing my dreams. Not being authentic to who I am. 

We went to Pantai Kijal on the 2nd Day for surfing, 

the waves aren't too high,

maybe like 1 meter, pretty good for beginners.

Vanessa was waxing her board and it takes 3 layers. 

Also, that's a bug on my bikini hahaha.

In her car that has rails for strapping on surfboards. 

I could watch this view every day. 

This was at Residence Inn Cherating. 

I would recommend it because the price is very affordable.

Breakfast is included and there's a swimming pool too, and

you can walk to the beach (10 minutes away).

It was easy to get 20,000 steps a day in Cherating.

Between walking to the beach and restaurants and swimming.

There's a black cat that likes to hang out at Vanessa's chalet.

Also, I got some blisters, cuts from corals, rash from surfing. 

Haha. But no sunburn.

A sarong is really handy dandy as a skirt, a dress, 

a cover-up, a towel, even a bag.

Went to Tumbuh in Kemaman (the city part of Cherating)

for plant shopping.

You have to cover your thighs/knees in Kemaman, cos it's still a Muslim state.

Kopi Klasik at Kemaman.

There's pretty well-known for their roti/nasi lemak and coffee.

There's a lot of local surfer boys who'll go there. 

In Cherating, it's like everyone knows each other because it's so small.

So when you're at the beach, or lunch, or dinner, or shopping, 

you'll always bump into locals. 

It used to be much more happening pre-Covid.

This was at Janda Mandi, in Kemaman. 

It's a really nice waterfall that flows to the beach. 

Like a paradise. 

It's a 45-min hike but we took about 30-mins, 

probably cos we were so excited. 

It was also raining and a weekday, so there was no one else who was hiking it. 

There's also no proper parking place and if you waze it there's just a signboard on your right 

if you're coming from Cherating so just park by the road side shoulder.

This bikini is actually... 10 years old lol.

I wore it when I was 19 years old to Penang. 

There hahahah. 2012. And now it's 2021. 

Time really flies. 

Just reminds me I've gotta take hold of my life and do what I need to do. 

There was also a huge scorpion on our way back, like larger than iPhone 12 Max. HHAHHA.

But it wasn't aggressive, we just avoided it. 

We also went thrift shopping for a bit. 

The film camera is like pretty cheap, RM250 - RM350 ish?

It'll probs be RM450 in KL.

Then I dropped by Bang Bang Geng in Publika.

They process film and do printing as well.

You have to take the escalator down from Boost Juice, 

inside BIG Supermarket.

I love Film Photography.

I usually just use 35MM Point & Shoot Film Cameras. 
I have an Olympus Mju-i, Lomography Simple Reloadable, 

Superheadz Ultra Wide & Slim.

I like the look of Kodak Colourplus 200, Portra 400 and Lomo 400. 

I'll post them up when I have the chance! 

It costs RM20 to develop a roll, which usually has 36 exposures (36 shots). 

You can't delete or preview anything. I like that.

It's more candid and also more well-thought-out.

Sometimes we don't appreciate things that are unlimited. 

I usually take a couple months to finish one roll.

But that's because it was Covid. 

I want to live a life that's more adventurous.

I want to explore, be free. I want to take lots of pictures. 

I want to go to islands. I want to be one with nature.

I want to dream again.

When I was opening Art Core, it was the same feeling.

The feeling that I had to do it no matter what.

I do not care if people tell me about the downsides or difficulties. 

I'll always find a way for the things I want to do. 

And to always follow my heart, my dreams, my passion.

I'll always figure life out like this. 

By listening to myself. 

So. That's about it. 

I have until February 2022 to plan.

I'll probs go to South America for 3 months.

Europe for 6 months. Then 3 months in Indonesia and Thailand.

That's the approximate plan. Because that's how long tourist visas last.

I'll do work exchange/volunteering and freelance work.

Online work or online business. Content creation on Youtube, Blog, Instagram, Tiktok.

Travelling is not as expensive as people think. I mean living in the city, expenses are already high.

So! See you guys next time.