See the world through Asri’s eyes!
T: A short bio about yourself
A: Hey there! My name is Mohd Asri bin Jusoh, a kampung boy from Dungun, Terengganu. Momentarily, I am working as an English teacher in MRSM Sandakan, Sabah. I studied in New Zealand for four years and since then I discovered my love to travel. I consider myself an avid traveller and have been to a few countries all over the world for the past five years.
T: Where have you been?
A: If I were to list down my travel repertoire, there are 13 countries altogether – Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Czechia, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey and Denmark. All these in the span of five years. I’ve known some people who have travelled to 25 countries or more so that’s my motivation. I am not even close to done.
T: What’s your favourite place so far? Why?
A: This is one of the most popular questions I get asked by everyone. The truth is, I don’t have a favourite place. There are simply too many places and it’s tough to pick just one. Every place has something different and unique. So, to answer this question, I have three different places which are my favourites. First, of course, New Zealand. As aforementioned, I stayed there for four years but from the moment I touched down Wellington, I fell in love with everything about New Zealand. This country is overwhelming in its beauty, its people, and its unassuming modesty. From the picturesque snow-capped mountain views in Queenstown to my favourite spot at Harbour in Wellington. It may be expensive, but it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. I left my heart there and someday, I will be back and take it.
Next, Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. I went there in December 2013 and I was blessed to be able to experience this trip with my beloved mother. I remember that one particular day when both of us performed pilgrimage in Mecca while it’s drizzling and there and then, we promised to come back and bring all our family members together. A sense of catharsis overtook us that moment and it was indeed a surreal experience. Lastly, I would say, Prague in the Czech Republic. I went there last August with my travel mate, Hilmi. Gothic. Classic. Beautiful. Those are some of the words that come to my mind when I think about Prague. One thing for sure: I strongly recommend my friends to come here! It’s one of my absolute favourite cities on Earth. My goal is to bring my future wife here one fine day. But I need to find a wife first haha.
T: What was the most challenging thing about travelling?
A: Thus far, the major one for me is the fear of being scammed. There are a limitless number of scams in each part of the world. Yes, I was stupidly a victim of some kind of a scam in Istanbul. We took a cab from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Sabiha International Airport in which it should cost us 300 lira (about RM310) but we have to pay the cab driver 180 Euro (about RM900). So tourist trap can be an absolute nightmare for travellers so try not to fall a victim. But the greatest challenge about travelling is having had an awesome experience abroad, and then returning home to ‘normal life’.
T: What place is top of your bucket list?
A: Right now, I am intrigued to visit Iceland and Santorini. I’ve seen both places being picturized in Bollywood movies so if I have all the money in the world, I would love to travel there. Oh yeah, and Mauritius too!
T: One advice for travellers?
A: Everyone will tell you that travelling (especially international travel) has to be expensive. Do not listen to them. The truth is, you don’t need to be rich to travel the world. If you have enough knowledge and put extra effort to get to know about the tips and tricks to travel cheap, you’ll be surprised at how much money you can save. I always tell my students that, I believe travel changes a life. It makes us better people, more social, develops independence and problem-solving skills. The kind of high, the kind of joy you get being in a new country is priceless.