Let Google be my travel guide.

So, I'm gonna do a bit of different travelling this time. I'm gonna let Google decide where I should sleep, eat and play. So the destination's confirmed. Langkawi ;)

So where about in Langkawi? Obviously the first step is to Google the word 'Langkawi'. And then, I'll pick the best ranked (option to pick sponsored links) from the top navigation bar like the ones in Google's page:

So what does Google, my handy travel friend suggest?

Search web: Learn about Langkawi from http://cgi.members.interq.or.jp/blue/marino/

Kinda strange that a Japanese page will turn up in my search results. No idea why. But anyway, from the site it beckons us to the top 5 things that we should be doing in Langkawi, which are going up the cable car (been there, done that, not too long ago so don't think wanna do that again), going to the Eagle Square (a giant concrete Eagle... hmm...), going to the night market, going to the Underwater World and going to the Langkawi Legend Park (?).

So after much researching, Google has decided that we should:

1) Go to the night market on Friday at Air Hangat

2) Visit the Underwater World which is supposedly Malaysia's largest aquarium with over 5,000 varieties of marine species. Since I'll be working very closely with WWF this year, I really should equip myself with more knowledge

3) Langkawi Lagenda Park which is supposedly right next to the lifeless Eagle, the place to truly be enlightened on Langkawi's legends and myths. I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and I'm hard-pressed to acknowledge Langkawi's unfounded myths as part of our official history. I'm pretty sure I've read about Mahsuri in our history books in school, or did I get that wrong?

Search image: Sleep at the Four Seasons Langkawi (whoa! But dang, that does look tantalizing...)

Done. 'Nuff said. With a place like that, you don't need to go anywhere. Next.

Search video: The beach, the beach, the beach. Spend a lot a lot a lot of time on the beach ;)

Search maps: Watch sunset in Langkawi (and a whole lot of other stuff) as recommended by ChrisJBrunger from YouTube

Oh yeah baby :)

Search news: Le Tour de Langkawi 2011

Too bad we've missed it because the annual bike race will be kicking off tomorrow. So perhaps next time.

Search shopping: Buy a piece of Tanjung Rhu for home

Wow, it's actually for sale in Amazon. I didn't know we could possibly do that. Take really awesome photos of our country, photoshop it a little and introduce it to the world. This 48x72 Tanjung Rhu costs about $124.99 which is approximately RM382.47. I could spend the same amount on an air ticket to see the real thing. At least from where I am now ;)

Search blog: Langkawi is a place with throngs of Japanese and it's nice to see someone trying really hard to practice his English ;) (to buy beer, that is... he he he)

So I commented > 英語を話しますがんばってください。あきらめないでね！

Which really means, [don't give up in speaking English] in REALLY bad Japanese.

Search real-time: I have to stop Google from returning me with all these Japanese feedback! Anyone has any idea to switch it back to English!?

From the above, Twitter Shohei_Ishii says that he's begun his exciting [journey] in Langkawi an hour ago. Brackets mine for contextualizing. Wish he said what he was excited about though... And most of the tweets are either about Japanese getting very excited about/in Langkawi OR about the kickoff race of Le Tour de Langkawi tomorrow. So next search...

Search photos: Jason Chan has got some really nice shots of marine life so I'm assuming the Underwater World should be a good place to go to (okay, now I'm a bit more convinced).

I wanted to comment on his photos, it's nice to be supportive when someone's done a good job but I hate it when Picasa wants me to sign up. Hey, get on with the programme of universal connectivity! Which is Facebook!

Search groups: Langkawi Club Eco Tour which is... ran by a Japanese :P (sigh)

I can't believe that the Japanese are more entrepreneurial than locals. They offer many nature and eco activities for kids and adults but it's quite expensive, RM220 per head (adult). But I'm sure it's good. Japanese quality is always good ;) I think this will be a good back up plan in case we get too bored over the weekend.

And there ladies and gentlemen, we're done searching for today. There. I really don't need to invest in another yellowpages-sized Lonely Planet to go travelling after all. It's amazing what the web can open our eyes to. Seeing the same thing but from a different perspective altogether and in the process, minus the risk because you know it's from someone real who had been there, done that. Good job ;)

Looks like we've got loads of plans now and they're all pretty much user directed. Come the traveling day, we'll see how far off reality is from expectation :)

Up, up and away!