Kisah Pengembara Dunia

Kuching, Sarawak

2011-12-14T17:13:00.011+08:00

A rainy start to our holiday!

Finally, I can say that I've been to east Malaysia! A good friend's wedding is definitely a great and worthy excuse to make the trip there. And not just by myself but with the entire family tagging along :)

Our holiday was off to a rather grumpy start - weather wise it poured cats and dogs while we were waiting at the boarding gate and the MAS flight was delayed (apparently an usual occurrence - how can?!). Whilst checking in the whole family, we were attended by service people with long faces and worst still, no manners! Considering that we had an 80 years old lady and an infant as part of our entourage, you'd think they could be a little bit more helpful. So much for "Malaysian Hospitality"!

Also, note that not all MAS planes have facilities for babies such as baby seat belts and even diaper changing boards in the restroom. So, if traveling with a baby, do check before selecting your MAS flight.

Anyway, thank goodness, things took a turn for the better upon our arrival in Kuching. The airport transfer service provided by the Limetree Hotel was excellent! The person waited for us (even though we were more than an hour delayed) and greeted us warmly, welcoming us to Kuching. An easy and smooth check in upon arriving to the hotel lifted our holiday spirits even further.

The Limetree Hotel, conveniently located on Abell Road

Unfortunately the weather was not quite on our side, and it continued to pour even in Kuching. Luckily, we were staying just a road away from "Chinatown" a.k.a Jalan Padungan, so it was an easy walking distance to food outlets.

One of the views from the waterfront as taken during my car ride on the way to the church for the wedding ceremony

As I was there mainly for a wedding, I didn't have much time to see much of the city as much as I would have liked to - especially with a baby, it is even more challenging :p On the evening we planned to try out the seafood at the "Top Spot" food court, my little one decided to call it a day at 6:30pm! So, my evening was spent in the hotel room packing for our following day's trip to Damai. Lucky me, the hubby was sweet to head out to get me some Sarawak Kolo Mee for dinner instead and my family packed us oyster omelette (ochien) and baked crabs. Yummy!

One other food worth trying, which is probably not as popular as the usual Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee, is the Bak Pau (steamed pork meat bun) at the Hong Kong Pau Restaurant on Jalan Padungan. It's full house from morning till afternoon, with people coming in to eat or take away baked and steamed buns/pastries. The Bak Pau here looks like a Tai Pau (big sized pork meat bun) as per Klang Valley standard. Don't ask for Tai Pau here, you're gonna get blank stares from the servers. I know, coz I asked. Haha...

Spot the Kuching in Kuching! >_< (At the junction of Abell Road and Jalan Padungan)

Our trip to Damai Puri Resort can be summed up in a word: Disappointing. Their service is comparable to MAS. Rooms were not well maintained - we took 3 rooms, and every room had something which was not working. Food there was even worse - they served us cold and uncooked food - rice for that matter! And being so remote, there really is no where else for you to head out to for better food. I'm not going to waste more words on this place. The only saving grace is that it was however an idyllic place for my friends to exchange their wedding vows. That's about it.

Did you know doves only have one mate for their entire lifetime? :)

Overall, it was a decent experience in Kuching. Most of the attractions in the city are within walking distance of the Limetree Hotel. Love the slightly laid back pace of life (or perhaps I felt that way just cause I'm on a holiday? ;D) and somehow the air in Kuching felt fresher than in PJ/KL (I can hear the Kuching-ites shouting "Of course!" on this statement...hehe). Yes, I do think the air there is better as my son's ezcema cleared up during our holiday there! Despite being in Kuching for 4 days, I didn't really have much chance to see and experience the city. Definitely a good excuse to be there again!

Meowr...

2011-11-26T23:22:00.003+08:00

Cat City, here I come!!!

Meowr...

hehehe...I just had to do that

I'm going to be in Kuching first and foremost for an incredibly happy occasion. The union of two lovely people. *love love love* ^_^ There will be a Catholic Church wedding ceremony and a beach ceremony (it'll be my first time experiencing one). How much more romantic can this get!

And on the side, a holiday with my family. And holidays with my family usually means going around for food experiences! *slurp*

Top on our must eat list in Kuching:
Kolo Mee
Sarawak Laksa
Mee Tomato
Fresh Seafood!

Anything else to recommend? Do let me know ;)

It'll also be my first time traveling on a plane with the little one. Hope the entire journey will be a smooth one for him and the rest of us. *cross fingers*

Five more days to go! Can't wait!

2011 Update

2011-11-11T10:52:00.006+08:00

Hellooo...anybody here?!

My poor blog. Left alone. For more than a year.

Here's why:

The Pengembara has found a partner for her journey in life!

An addition to the Pengembara's little family :)

Two major events in my life in just 12 months. Phew...! Anyway, I'm now ready to hit the road again and the next destination will be Kuching, Sarawak. Finally, heading to East Malaysia!!!

Stay tuned.

Taiwan Touched My Heart :)

2010-07-08T23:11:00.020+08:00

At the base of the Taipei 101.

Well, at least Taipei did since that was the only city in Taiwan that I visited.

LOVE at Taipei 101. The Pengembara trying to act cute ^_^

Sidetracked: This holiday was planned very early in the year and we got a really good deal from Air Asia's Go Holiday Package. We got two return air tickets from KL to Taipei together with a 6 days/5 nights stay at the Howard Plaza Hotel (a 4 star hotel in downtown Taipei) with breakfast included for less than RM4000.00. Good deal indeed!

Anyway, we aren't the best of tourists (as usual). I'm probably the laziest traveller if there ever is - just happy to be wherever I am, enjoy the place without being hurried to see this or that and I like to go the same places over and over again. BUT I like to eat. Haha... therefore, my pictures reflects how little of Taipei that I've actually seen and little more about where/what I've ate.

At the very first Din Tai Fung restaurant. Serves yummy xiao long bao (steamed dumplings with soup inside it) and dan dan noodles *slurp.

Lotsa taoist temples everywhere, just like lotsa mosques back home.

At the entrance of the Shilin Night Market. It's rather huge and quite a bit of a maze.

Cold noodles with peanut sauce and miso soup at the Shilin Night Market.

More food :) Sweet ice shavings with condensed milk and pudding at Shilin Night Market. We just couldn't finish it.... toooo sweet.

At Jiufen, a picturesque town set on the hills with a amazing view of the sea ahead, about 45 minutes train ride from Taipei city.

Queuing up for steaming hot bao. We passed this shop everyday as our hotel is just round the corner and there is always a queue at this stall. We figured that it must be good. It IS!

At some super popular mee suah ko (starchy rice flour noodle) stall recommended by the locals. It's so popular that even though there are not enough chairs, people will just order, stand and eat.

One of the thing that amused us were some of the names and types of shops they have here at Taipei, such as:

Easy Shop. In it are four floors of women lingerie!

The Modern Toilet Restaurant. Nope, we didn't try the food there, just posed with the signage and the bear :p

Really Good Seafood Restaurant. Really?! Hahaha....talk about self praise!

So much has happened..

2010-06-29T21:12:00.000+08:00

between now and since I last wrote a post for this poor neglected travelblog of mine.

Terrible!

O_o

And I thought...

2010-03-25T22:54:00.002+08:00

...that settling down means staying put in the homeland.

But looks like there may be possible changes with option of China, Abu Dhabi and possibly Singapore on the cards for W-LJ.

Oh well, wherever the wind blows :)

Next planned destination: Taiwan

2010-02-01T14:32:00.002+08:00

Yes, I'll be heading to Taiwan sometime in May/June (exact date yet to be determined)!

If you've been there before, please do share on where are some nice places to go out and about Taipei and what's good to eat - no smelly tofu for me though :p

Going to Taiwan for what?

Hehe...will tell you then ;)

Meanwhile the pengembara is currently staying put in the homeland for quite awhile.

Life Update

2010-01-07T00:48:00.002+08:00

The Pengembara has gone into temporary hiding due to the following:
1. Status update :)
2. Change of job
3. Moved into a new place

Indeed, best days are ahead!

Happy New Year!!!

Telangana, India's newest state

2009-12-12T21:55:00.002+08:00

I lived and worked in Hyderabad for a year, hence any news about it captures my attention.

Hyderabad was recently announced to be the capital of Telangana.

I, personally find it strange and somehow preferred if it had remained as the capital of Andhra Pradesh. But of course, who am I to speak about it.

I wish both states best of luck and hope that the separation of states would truly be for the better for the people and not some politically hyped up activity.

Transit: Home

2009-12-08T01:44:00.004+08:00

Just got home a few days back and already preparing to head back to Mumbai.

*sigh.....

I need a break!

Anyway, hopefully I get to go have some good chaat this time around. And gonna start contacting some of my lovely friends who are from Mumbai so that I have enough time to meet up - need to share some awesome news.....hehe :)

Status Update: In Delhi

2009-11-28T22:34:00.001+08:00

When in India, buy books. It's my heaven.

I bought five books for less than RM 100. Loving it here.

Why can't books in Malaysia be as well priced. Surely it will make it more accessible to many to be able to own a book?

By the way, it is cold here in Delhi :p And I'm not quite prepared for it.

Status Update: In Mumbai

2009-11-25T01:43:00.003+08:00

Ha! I know where Amitabh Bachan lives!

I'm just staying 2 minutes walk away ;)

Ok, gotta go. "Free" internet connection about to expire in 5 minutes.

Re-Routed

2009-11-22T00:29:00.002+08:00

Guess what? I won't be heading to Jakarta for the third time in three weeks.

Instead I will be in India for the next 10 days.

Mumbai & Delhi, here I come!

Ayo ke Jakarta lagi!

2009-11-18T09:10:00.003+08:00

Wah, having not been to Indonesia throughout my whole life, I suddenly have to make 3 trips to Jakarta within 3 weeks.

Madness.

And I'm not there for holiday. So, yes, when I do get back to my regular, sane and comfortable pace of life - will update on what else I have experienced on my other working trips back to Jakarta. Hint: It's hot and spicy!

Walking in Hong Kong

2009-11-03T09:32:00.014+08:00

I have walked in many cities but nothing had tired me out like walking in Hong Kong. It is crazy.

Not only do they walk a lot, but they also walk fast, walk in huge crowd and goodness how they walk in their fancy shoes! Especially the high heels. I tried for a day - by the end of the day, I was ready to chop off my legs.

So, a note for those who are planning to walk around Hong Kong, do so in your most comfortable pair of shoes.

Beyond that, besides being on a hectic schedule for work, I had an enjoyable time in Hong Kong. I ate A LOT - food portions were HUGE - and managed to squeeze in a tiny bit of time for shopping :)

Speaking of huge food portions, I wonder how all the Hong Kong people remain slim and thin despite being fed with huge portions of food? And it does always seem that they do finish their food.

Perhaps it is the walking :p

Here are snippets of my Hong Kong ~~walking~~ working trip:

High rise pigeon holes and train stations everywhere - this is at the Tung Chung area.

Food, glorious food...roast pork, roast chicken and salted egg combo with loads of rice at one of the Cafe de Coral outlets.

More food lol sour-spicy beef noodles at Wan Chai. One of my new favourites :)

At one of the underground MTR station. My colleague doing a "commuter waiting patiently" pose.

At the Ngau Tau Kok MTR station - if you're not underground, you're above ground. Talk about land scarcity.

Hong Kong style milk tea served in the cutest tea cup ever ^____^ Anyone knows where I can buy one?

Catching up with lovely Z!

Space is luxury. Five of us crammed into a corner at a tiny busy restaurant at the peak of lunch hour. Its maddening!

Nevertheless, there are some hidden gems of peace and serenity such as this lovely traditional chinese quartet playing somewhere in between big buildings in Sheung Wan.

Directions in Hong Kong

2009-11-02T23:52:00.003+08:00

Funny experience.

I was stepping out of a taxi in Hong Kong and was heading off to a MTR station. The driver was kind enough to ask if I knew the way to the train station which was located inside the mall. I said,"Erm...I think I can find it."

He was not sure if I really knew how to get to the station with that vague answer of mine.

Taxi driver: I tell you how to get to the MTR station.
Me: Oh ok ...
Taxi driver: Go straight, then turn right over there and then follow the people.
Me: Follow the people? Er ok...

*LOL*

Follow the people. Best directions ever given. I did get to the MTR station with that.

Off to Hong Kong

2009-10-25T13:40:00.003+08:00

Currently on transit for 48 hours at home. Trying to do a million things in that few hours.

Heading off to Hong Kong next. In less than 18 hours to be precise.

My internet connection is being a pain. Couldn't check my emails properly without being disconnected a gazillion times and can't upload pictures of Jakarta to blogger, no thanks to the broadband service.

Note to the M'sian Government: Your RM 500 relief for broadband users is useless if no upgrade in services is going to be made. Shame on you!

Jakarta, Indonesia

2009-10-25T11:53:00.012+08:00

Everyone has a love-hate relationship with all their neighbours. It's a can't live with them, can't live without them situation.

Whether it is your next door cubicle co-worker, your house neighbour or even your neighbouring country.

You'd be lying to say that you have the perfect neighbour :p

My country has amazingly been always successful in provoking our neighbouring countries in all sorts of ways. I don't know why. We could be successful in so many other things but we always choose to excel in the unneccessary.

Having said that, it was a relief to be welcomed with open arms when I arrived in Jakarta for the first time. From immigration officers, taxi drivers to my co-workers, everyone has been very friendly and helpful. Indonesians are generally very warm and hospitable.

Jakarta is huge. So huge that one part of the city (e.g Jakarta East, Jakarta Centre, etc) is equivalent to an entire PJ or KL. So imagine traveling across five times of KL. Of course, not forgetting to add in the infamous bumper to bumper traffic - so, I've heard. I was rather lucky because throughout my five working days in Jakarta and traveling all over north, south, east, west, centre of Jakarta - I was not at all caught in any traffic jam. Talk about beginner's luck :)

As I was there pretty much for work, most of time are spent in offices and taxis once more. So, not much pictures to share except for few shots taken from my taxi rides. Talking about taxis - it's a two thumbs up for the Blue Bird Taxis in Jakarta. Never have I felt so safe taking a taxi ride in a so-called developing country. The drivers are courteous, goes by the meter, does not even try to cheat you in anyway, and the taxis are in tip top condition. Now, why don't my countrymen take a lesson from there.

So, here are some snapshots of Jakarta:

The view of part of the Kemayoran area from my hotel room - look at how dense the place is. Shops, houses, buildings all cramped together.

The view from inside a Blue Bird taxi while traveling in the city centre.

The new amidst the old. Some cool looking skyscrapers.

Meeting up with good friends!!! :) Sky dining at Plaza Semanggi.

Jakarta street art at its best. The graffiti here looks way better than the scribbled profanities in the streets of KL. Obviously, the M'sian art scene has yet to mature.

One thing that truly amused me while travelling around the streets of Jakarta is how almost every house walls up (literally) their house compound. Sure, back home here we have fences. But here, it's right up to the roof!

Anyhow, love thy neighbour ;)

Next: Dari KL ke Jakarta

2009-10-16T19:05:00.000+08:00

Map showing location of Jakarta, Indonesia taken from Google Maps

I'm always excited to visit a neighbouring country. Especially if it is for the first time. And finally, I'm going to get to see Indonesia!

And well, since it is for work, I definitely won't have the luxury of visiting the touristy places such as exotic Bali, shopping haven Bandung (or according to a good friend who claims that it is the most beautiful city in the world :D) or enchanting Lake Toba or amazing Borobudur...gosh! There is just too many places that I'll be missing.

Oh well, someone once told me that by not being able to see everything in one trip, you have even more reason to return to another country for a second visit!

So, where will I be? Yeah, obviously as explained in my post header - Jakarta la :)

Terry Fox Run Kuala Lumpur 2009

2009-10-13T18:43:00.003+08:00

Date: 1 November 2009
Venue: Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur
Flag Off: 9:00am

The run is a scenic route round the beautiful Lake Gardens with a distance of 3.5 Km or 5 Km (for the more serious runners).

Once again, the run is organized to raise funds in support of cancer research. The money raised from the T-shirt sale for the Terry Fox Run Kuala Lumpur 2009 goes to CARIF.

See you there!

Oh My Geeks..

2009-10-07T08:45:00.000+08:00

Between travels (next one is supposedly to Jakarta), the Pengembara enjoys life at home - especially with family and dearest friends.

Birthdays are always an occasion to look forward to, especially with this particular group of friends, as it is almost always celebrated with a twist to it. I don't quite remember how it started but ever since then we always had a theme birthday dinner.

This time around, it was LAD's early birthday celebration. He chose Computer Geeks (no offence to any group of people out there). Hahaha...I like.

So, here's to share some of our crazy moment at this lovely pork & beer restaurant. Thank you to all the staff and customers for tolerating our crazy antics and for the applause despite our off-pitch birthday song singing.

Photos courtesy of PY and Germ.

Lemon & AO (the OC for this round) all dressed up!

Pork Pork Pork...

and more pork!

The birthday cake - it was real good that the picture here doesn't quite do justice to it! Compliments to fatboybakes.

Happy Birthday LAD!

Yikes!

2009-09-30T18:41:00.003+08:00

OMG!

The Jaya One building was swaying and I was inside of it.

My colleagues and I were stunned for a moment before realising that it could be an earthquake. Thank goodness we had enough sense to evacuate safely out of the building.

Scary.

I hope the people at Sumatra are ok.

Help Needed For Philippines

2009-09-30T11:17:00.003+08:00

I've been to Manila once a long time ago and I was blown away by the hospitality of my Filipino hosts. And so it saddens me to know that their city is now going through a time of crisis.

As you all know, a tropical storm has blown through the Philippines causing severe flooding which has left over 200 people dead.

The people in Philippines needs medical aid, food and clothes. If you would like to help in terms of sending a donation to help the tropical storm victims, you can do so via the Philippine National Red Cross.

Please help in whatever way you can.

Thank you.

Same same...but different?

2009-09-07T22:15:00.002+08:00

Extremely random note: *lol <--- my new favourite e-expression :p

Same same...!

That's what you hear when you walk along the streets browsing for the best deal in town for massage, food, clothes, souvenirs, water sports, etc. The difference here would be certain deals comes with the ever optional extra services.

*lol

Heading to Phuket, my team mates and I were looking forward to a generous dose of sun, sea and sand as a good break from work. Unfortunately, the rain from KL decided that it wanted to join us on our holiday. So, out of the 3 days that we were on Phuket island, the first 1 1/2 days were spent dodging the rain.

It was probably a good thing, as on the first morning, we all slept in till almost noon :) Nothing beats a good beauty sleep on a holiday.

The city tour was quite hilarious as our enthusiastic local guide tried to interest us in seeing several places of interest while it was pouring. Excerpts of our response to his enthusiasm:

rain, rain, rain...
Local Tour Guide (LTG): Ok, now we go city tour!
Us: Ok...

rain, rain, rain...drives to town centre
LTG: Ok, this is China Town! Very beautiful buildings!
Us: Ok... erm ~ it looks like Georgetown, Penang lah...

rain, rain, rain...drives to some viewpoint
LTG: Ok, now we go to a viewpoint to see the sea!
Us: Erm...ok
arriving at viewpoint
LTG: Ok, here is viewpoint. Very beautiful!
Us: Ok...(peers out of the van window, can't see much through the rain)
LTG: Ok, everybody go down? Take picture?
Us: Erm... not really
LTG: Ok, let's go down!

*lol

Thankfully, the rain decided to have some mercy on us and decided to just drizzle a little on us the following day when we were out island hopping and gave us a sunny day when we were out shopping.

Still in my syok sendiri mode, here are some pictures and notes of my recent trip to Phuket, Thailand.

The rain ain't stopping M & S doing the touristy thing at the viewpoint :) Photo courtesy of TC.

At the largest Buddhist temple in Phuket. Photo courtesy of TC.

Cartoon statues of the famed Siamese Twins - Chang & Eng - at the Phuket Fantasea theme park. Note: The theater show at the Phuket Fantasea is defintely worth watching!

Day 2: Jeering to the dark clouds looming above - "Sun, sand and sea...here we come (on a boat)!"

Ha! Found where the sun has been hiding! - Canoeing around some island, which I forgot what the name was :p

The famed James Bond island - Phang Nga Bay

Chang beer at dinner in a "Thailand" beer sleeve. How appropriate.

Yummy prawns and lobsters for dinner ^___^

Brekkie at Patong Beach with loads of holiday makers (some of them flying with the wind, as pointed out by yours truly) on a MONDAY before heading out for shopping. Awesomeness... all Mondays should be spent like that :)

Next: Phuket, Thailand

2009-08-15T11:22:00.002+08:00

Finally! A holiday in sight!

Sand, sun and the sea...mmm..lovely..

Oh...and a good a massage :)

Missing May

2009-06-23T18:59:00.002+08:00

A whole month went by in a whizz.

Crazy.

Meanwhile, the world is plagued by the swine flu.

While the pengembara is not traveling around much (save for one needed business trip to Singapore), the pengembara is morbidly fascinated by the tracking of the global pandemic on BBC News.

Erm...

2009-04-24T19:32:00.003+08:00

I'm STILL alive la~

Due to crazy workload and family commitments, am on a temporary hiatus.

Off I go in a heart beat to where the music man is.

^_____^

Bukit Jalil National Stadium, 8pm, 2nd May 2009.

Gentlemen, start your engines!

2009-03-30T22:09:00.003+08:00

sheepish note: I doubt that my overdue posting on Ironman Langkawi would see the light of day anytime soon :p all the pics are in W-LJ's machine and he is off half way round the world till mid of next month.

Meanwhile, Formula 1 is coming to town!

It'll be interesting to see if team Brawn GP can live it up here in hot, sunny, maybe rainy Malaysia. What a debut they have made in Melbourne!

I'm just hoping Kimi will have better luck this time ;) keke...

W-LJ rolls eyes and cheers for Hamilton

Kimi's picture conveniently taken from FeverPitcher ^_____^

Mark your calendars, it's this weekend: 3 - 5 April 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit. Get your tickets here.

In the past 7 days...

2009-03-04T23:11:00.003+08:00

Stayed at three different hotels in three different cities in two different countries.

Experienced the sub zero temperature, a teeny bit of snow, killer winds, then the searing heat, high humidity, then the rain.

I'm exhausted. For now.

On a brighter note, a special shout out to M & P. Congratulations and wishing you both blessed wedded bliss throughout your next phase in life as man & wife (and soon with many little ones adding further joy to the family...keke...no pressure peeps) :) I can't believe that I'm missing the wedding of the year...*sob sob* Would have loved to be in Ujjain if not for work commitments.

Pending:
A post on my trip to Langkawi and the fantastic but incredibly crazy Ironman event.

Orang Besi Di Langkawi

2009-02-27T09:32:00.002+08:00

In bout 10 hours time, W-LJ and me will be heading to Langkawi! Hooray! Hopefully we do not bring the dreary KL rain with us.

I'm in desperate need for some sun after returning from freezing Qingdao.

Anyway, in case you were wondering why is the Ironman logo on this posting or if I'm taking part in it - here's to clarify:
1. No, I'm not taking part.
2. We're there to cheer and support a good friend of ours who is participating in the Ironman triathlon for the very time. We have a suprise in store for him...keke..

Have a great weekend!

In between meetings

2009-02-24T23:08:00.007+08:00

Managed to do some "sight-seeing" of Qingdao today. The very minimal.

Here's some pictures of the 2008 Olympic Sailing venue.

It's rather cold and misty at this time of the year. But yes, I can imagine it to be a very nice place in summer.

The Olympic Media Center at the front of the marina.

Empty spectator stands.

The winner's platform with the Qingdao City skyline in the background.

Seafood by the seashore

2009-02-23T22:24:00.008+08:00

Qingdao is a coastal city. You can drive about 20 miles along the coastline, as I was told.

So, of course, seafood is THE thing to eat here.

Which is fine as I lurve seafood.

Mini lobsters (actually, I don't really know what they are called) cooked in chilli oil infused with pepper corns, spices and green pepper. Spicy? YES!

Abalone. Plain boiled with brocolli. Sounds tasteless? Not at all. The soup was suprisingly sweet.

Qingdao style Man Dao. Baked, not steamed.

I don't know the exact name, I just call it Chai Choy with squid - haha, well...that's what it tasted like. It's really good. In the background is a dish called "Mixed Fish" which is four different fishes cooked in the same pepper sauce style. Good too :)

But whatever you do in Qingdao, and to truly enjoy your meal, NEVER read the menu before ordering your meal. Just ask the waiter/waitress to recommend. And if you have a nice local friend, to also translate what has been recommended.

Why not to read the menu, you ask?

Environmentally damaged fish?! Who would order such a thing? :p

你好!*

2009-02-22T23:17:00.003+08:00

*Means "Hello!" or literally "how are you?" in Mandarin.

Yes yes...I finally made it to Qingdao, China.

Quite a lovely city. People here are, so far, very nice. Plus, it is incredibly CLEAN :) I like.

It's my first time in Qingdao but my third trip to China. The first time being in Shenzhen and the second being in Guangzhou.

Which made me realize that the last time that I was in China was about 8 years back.

Anyway, a quick update. It's COLD. 6°C to be exact - well, when I was coming out of the airport. I believe that it's even lower now, at night.

But the good thing with cold weather is:
1. I get to enjoy super HOT & SPICY which I wouldn't eat in Malaysian weather. Which I already did. Pictures later.
2. Have a drink or two without feeling all flushed and warm. Which I also did.

Keke...

After next: Langkawi

2009-02-11T19:02:00.003+08:00

The sun, the sea breeze, the fine sandy beaches, the sea...

But above all, some time with W-LJ :)

Will I make it back on time?

Hopefully...

Next: Qingdao, China

2009-02-09T13:12:00.000+08:00

Heading to the home of the famed Tsingtao Beer. For work :p

And guess what? Temperature there is expected to dip - the average is between 1°C and 10°C.

Brr...

Hong Kong

2009-01-15T20:56:00.011+08:00

Visiting Hong Kong after a 10 year gap is like to never have visited Hong Kong. Or at least that is what my Hong Konger friends tell me :)

Buildings have grown taller:
I was staying on the 24th floor and when I look out of my window, I see that I'm only at the halfway point of the building across the street. Plus I hardly get the sun. Oh and the new tallest building on the block? Not China Bank Building anymore. It's now the IFC.

More people speak mandarin:
I'm guessing that's because there are now more people who are from Mainland China.

People are friendlier:
That's because most people I met on this trip are my co-workers or friends :) Plus when I said thank you to the bus driver, he replied with a polite "you're welcome". Service people were not so polite 10 years ago.

OOh...and lots of Singaporeans too. I don't know why.

It's like moving from a normal pigeon hole to a smaller pigeon hole? :p

However, some things don't change.

Like the speed of their walk. Everyone is in a hurry! Constantly.

Interesting sense of dressing. Sure, it was sort of winter when I was there but seriously, the temp was just about 18-19 Celcius. However, a lot of people were dressed like it was an Alaskan winter - siap with fancy beanies, snow boots and thick jackets when a T-shirt will do just fine.

Expensive. Everything. Meals, transport, shopping (I did not shop at all! boo ~), entertainment, coffee, internet.

Population density. Crowded, crowded, crowded.

TVB? Hahaha...I had good fun watching the latest TVB drama. Yes, syok sendiri.

Here's some snapshots of HK to share:

Tall buildings everywhere. The tallest building in the background of the picture is the IFC.

I'm taking this picture from the 24th floor.

Teeheehee...guess where I went? :) My very first time at the race course.

The atmosphere at the track: An odd mix of depression, desperation, hope, thrill and fun.

The night view of the Victoria Harbour from Kowloon.

Wanton noodle at a tiny shop behind my hotel at Wan Chai :) *slurp...

Sydney

2009-01-11T22:40:00.014+08:00

W-LJ's bro, who coincidentally also goes by the initial W-LJ, resides in Sydney. Which comes to the main purpose of our trip to Australia - to visit W-LJ no.2 and SY :)

They were awesome hosts! We were utterly spoiled. They got us a queen size inflatable bed, SY made us delicious brekkies and allowed us the luxury of sleeping into the late mornings :P Some family friends who came along on the trip probably were not too pleased with us sleeping in and wasting precious touring time..haha..

Oh well, WE were on a holiday!

Anyway, some of the highlights of our trip were a day trip to the Blue Mountains - we went to view the Three Sisters and did a tour of the Jenolan Caves, lunch at the Sydney Fish Market, doing the Skywalk at the Sydney Tower, ferry ride to Manly and of course checking out the ever famous Bondi beach. Oh, and we went to the casino too! My first time entering one! :) keke...

Yes, very touristy.

Anyway, here's some pictures to share.

W-LJ's mom, SY and me doing a Three Sisters pose by the Three Sisters...hahaha...

A very empty Bondi beach on a windy-chilly-summery weekend. Contrary to popular belief, most people are fully clothed.

Me and my lunch at the Sydney Fish Market. By the way, an evil seagull swooped down and pinched a calamari from our plate while W-LJ was on the way to the table and were harassing us throughout our lunch!

Wl-J, me, his mom, SY and his dad at the BIG Christmas Tree at Martin's Place. Too bad we missed the lighting ceremony by a day.

At Darling Harbour.

The iconic Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House which we get the see at least twice a day commuting to and fro between W-LJ's parents place and his bro's place. This picture was taken from the Circular Quay train station at 6:00am when we were on our way to the airport on the last day.

Update: Aiks! I just realised that I posted all the pictures here in large! *pengsan...

Vanilla

2008-12-22T16:20:00.002+08:00

I've always wondered where to buy vanilla beans in Malaysia since I've not actually seen any being sold at local markets and supermarkets (even those that sells imported stuff for expatriates).

Until I came across this: www.greenvanillastore.com.

:)

Yes, this is an extremely random post :p

On hold

2008-12-17T12:27:00.002+08:00

Pending:

A post on Sydney, Australia
(it's been so long that almost all the people I've caught up with in Australia are already back for their holidays or on their way back to Malaysia :p)

A post on Hong Kong

Next: Fragrant Harbour

2008-12-04T15:33:00.002+08:00

Dim Sum
Victoria Peak
Ocean Park
Lan Kwai Fong
Shek O
Ladies Market
Causeway Bay
Tsim Sha Tsui

Still don't know where I'm going next? :)

It's that time of the year!

2008-12-02T12:40:00.003+08:00

The Malaysia Savings Sale!

I'm not sure about the savings part but yes, THE Sale is back! Anyone need a shopping partner? :)

Tuckers

2008-11-29T22:39:00.009+08:00

One of my favourite to-do during my trip - eat :)

The very fresh and tasty Baa baa burger at Grill'd.

Hot chocolate and pastries. At Max Brenner, Koko Black, Brunetti's and Lindt. Cold weather plus hot choc = fabulous!

Chicken Parma. SM made a great version of this sans the ham, unfortunately, we only thought of taking pics after the meal :p

Meringue with fresh cream, topped with fresh raspberries and black berries. Specially made by SM.

Seafood at the Sydney Fish Market.

Super sandwich brekkie made by SY, our lovely hostess in Sydney.

Strawberry Stacks at Pancake On The Rocks. Buttermilk pancakes with fresh cream, ice cream and lots of strawberries. Aaaah...! I want to have that now~

Great Ocean Road

2008-11-28T18:09:00.015+08:00

Ever watched those car advertisement on TV where the car cruises down a long winding road with a rocky cliff on one side and the sea on the other and just wonder how it would feel like to be to drive on such a picturesque route?

Now I know how it feels. Windy. Haha....

We were very lucky to drive along the Great Ocean Road and have the sun shine down upon us the entire journey despite the weather man (or woman) predicting rain for that day.

Here are some shots of the sea-nic (get it? scenic :p...haha...*syok sendiri*) route of the Great Ocean Road:

The sea in front

The sea at the side

The sea at the back. If you can spot it :)

Our plan for the trip was to take a slow and easy drive from Melbourne to Port Campbell along the Great Ocean Road, spend a night at Port Campbell before returning to Melbourne via the Princes Highway the following day. It was really nice as we took time to stop at some seaside towns along the way such as Lorne and Apollo Bay to enjoy the local atmosphere.

We also tried to visit the Cape Otway Lightstation. Alas, we were 10 minutes too late :( Funnily, we weren't the only ones who were late. Many tourists were still driving in as we exited at the main road (takes about 20 minutes drive from the main road to the station...so, imagine our disappointment when we got to the station!).

The road leading to the Cape Otway Station after turning in from the main road. 20 minutes of this one way!

Yay, almost there! <-- Our excited cheer just before finding out that the lightstation was closed...boo ~

Oh well, we're on holiday...might as well enjoy the rest of the journey.

W-LJ trying to do the jump shot at some unknown stop. Obviously, as I am the camera person, the result is such....haha :p

Well, since we are already on the Great Ocean Road, we had to do the touristy thing of seeing and taking pics of & with the 7? 10? 12? ( Everyone I meet seem to tell me a different number) Apostles.

Ta-da! The 12 Apostles. Erm...maybe not 12. Well, you count for yourself la.

It was actually called The Sow and Piglets prior to being renamed the more biblical sounding 12 Apostles. Read here for more information.

By the end of the day, we spent a total of 7 hours on the road, starting from Melbourne and ending our journey at Port Campbell, although we only covered about 250km. But we really enjoyed the drive and all the little stops we made to enjoy the view. It was all worth it :)

Melbourne

2008-11-27T22:05:00.009+08:00

Unless you are prepared to sit up straight for a total of 8 hours, do not attempt to fly on the Air Asia flight from KL to Melbourne. It was a torture.

Yup, a case of good things not cheap, cheap things not good.

Thankfully, my travel destination made the entire torture worthwhile.

I love Melbourne for so many reasons:

1. Food. Special thanks to my food loving friends for pointing out some great hidden gems which a tourist like me might not have otherwise known.
2. My friends.
3. Dogs are allowed almost anywhere.
4. The parks in the middle of everywhere greening the city. It's hard to imagine that Melbourne is facing water shortage with all these greens.
5. The fantastic arts scene.
6. The pace of life - erm, a little laid back but not too slow either...my kind of pace.
7. Shopping.
8. The Royal Exhibition Building at the Carlton Gardens. It is soooooo pretty!
9. The street festivals.
10. Having breakfast at the lorong right next to the Deli Hall at Queen Victoria Market.
11. I'm too lazy to continue this list but yes there is still more reasons to why I love Melbourne.

W-LJ's mom and me on one of the bridges crossing the Yarra River. The Melbourne CBD skyline and Flinders Street Station in the background.

At the Federation Square on a cold and windy day. Wasn't too prepared for the "four seasons in one day".

Inside the Ian Potter Centre at Fed Square. Isn't it amazing?

6:30PM in the Central Business District (CBD) of Melbourne. Everyone's heading home. Most shops are closed except for restaurants, bars and cafés.

The most "kaw" hot chocolate ever with some yummilicious pastries at Brunetti's somewhere on Lygon Street.

Voted as one of the Most Livable Cities by The Economist in 2008, it is definitely very tempting to just pack up and move over to Melbourne ;)

Next after next: Middle Kingdom

2008-11-11T12:41:00.003+08:00

China. I forgot where I got the picture of the Chinese character from. Sorry :(

Next: The Land Down Under

2008-11-08T13:58:00.005+08:00

Map of Australia taken from here

The first places I visited in Australia was Brisbane and Gold Coast.

Then my second visit was to Sydney.

My up coming visit would be to Melbourne.

Looks like I'm going through this country clock wise! :p

Ho Chin Minh City

2008-10-30T21:33:00.008+08:00

At a roundabout somewhere in Ho Chin Minh City.

On the day that I forgot to bring my umbrella out with me, it rains.

Such was my welcome to Ho Chin Minh City.

But it is a very nice city. I love the fact that there are parks everywhere in the city making the city very nice, cosy and green. And a very pedestrian friendly city as well with proper and broad sidewalks unlike KL.

There are some touristy places to see here in Ho Chin Minh City but once again, due to my very limited time as I'm here for work, I did not do any touristy activity except for shopping for fabric at the Ben Thanh market. I tried to bargain, but as I don't speak even a smattering of Vietnamese, I did not get any discount :(

So, tip of the day: Learn to at least say "Cheaper" in Vietnamese if you want to shop.

By the time I was done with buying my two pieces of fabric, all the other stalls were already packing up and closing. And it's only 6pm! *sigh...* So, that was pretty much all I bought.

Well, to make up for what I didn't see or buy, I eat...keke.

I tried Phở wherever I went - at the hotel, local eateries, cafés. As odd as it may be, I liked the ones served at Pho24 best.

Prawn curry served with baguette. Yum! From now onwards, no more gardenia bread with whatever curry mom or grandma makes at home. It'll be baguettes. I was skeptical at first coz I'm the kind of person who doesn't like the "roti skin". But the crust of the baguette in curry...so good! :p

Sorry, no pictures of the above.

Seafood. Fresh seafood. Barbecued. Salt and pepper stir fry. Steamed with lemon grass. Sweet garlic stir fry. Top it all up with Saigon beer. Bliss ^__^

Seafood dinner outside the Ben Thanh Market

Besides proper meals, I had a good many cups of coffee and tea at many cafés all over the city. Interestingly, I noticed that no matter what time of the day, these cafés are always packed. With young people. Who looked liked they are dressed for work but seem to be gossiping with friends or just enjoying their drink with a cigarette.

Le bourgeois?

A good sign that all is well in this Socialist Republic? Well, so it seems ;)

A glimpse of Hanoi

2008-10-28T22:43:00.004+08:00

I'm in Hanoi for work. Which means that I spent most of my time in some office building in various parts of the city. The other majority of my time is spent in a taxi traveling from one office to another.

So, here is a glimpse of Hanoi as seen from the passenger window of the taxi :)

Motorcycles on the move.

Ho Chin Minh Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square - I hope I got the name of the place right :p

Al fresco dining, Vietnamese style :)

Which came first - the tree or the wires? keke...

There is actually way more places to visit and see in Hanoi than I can do justice in this post. Lots of lakes, parks, temples, pagodas, museums, art galleries, beautiful buildings (especially in the Old Quarters area where the Opera House is situated), quaint cafés, and the list just goes on. Definitely will need another trip back here to properly enjoy this lovely city :)

Tomorrow: Ho Chin Minh City, here I come!

First Impression

2008-10-27T23:07:00.003+08:00

Charming :)

A little dusty, but charming nonetheless.

That's my first impression of Hanoi, Vietnam.

9 hours to departure time...

2008-10-26T21:57:00.002+08:00

And I'm still not packed.

I'm blogging.

Thinking about what else I need to work on for the China project.

Writing reminder notes for someone to water my chili plant.

My heart longing to hear W-LJ's voice.

Tsk tsk..

2008-10-24T17:42:00.005+08:00

I was looking for information on the Malaysia Visa On Arrival as I wanted to reconfirm some details for a friend. Of course, where better to get the accurate information from then the official website of the Malaysian Immigration Department.

And this is what we get.

A message which reads," Under Construction. Please refer Malay Version. Sorry for the inconvenient".

1) I believe that most people who are looking for information on Visa On Arrival are foreigners who wants to visit Malaysia. Hence, 99.99% of them are most likely to be non-Malay. So how? As usual...the tidak apa attitude. The people in the immigration department seems to have it in their head that every foreigner who is going to visit Malaysia would have done Bahasa Malaysia 101.

2) English is taught at all Malaysian schools from Primary One until Secondary Five, which means we all have at least 11 years of exposure to the English language. So, such mistakes shouldn't be made at all especially on a government website.

Tsk tsk...

Xin chào!

2008-10-24T13:24:00.000+08:00

Map of Vietnam taken from Wikipedia

Next destination: Hanoi and Ho Chin Minh City, Vietnam
When: Next week!

Mmm...looking forward to really good Phở Bo, Vietnamese Spring rolls and I wonder if they do good French pastries (er, well since they were once colonized by the French) like say...chocolate eclairs? yummy...

I'm recovering from a dreadful viral fever at this point of time. To be craving for real food after a stint of no appetite plus starving a fever* for the past five days, a sure sign that I'm on the road to recovery!

Muka tebal

2008-10-13T01:49:00.003+08:00

It's odd. I've ported my mobile line from Maxis to DiGi.

But I'm still receiving spam messages from Maxis. Well, most of it goes along the lines of "Sertailah peraduan..." from what is known as Maxis Gift.

It's like they are trying to trick me back into using their line. How lame.

Anyway, recently a Maxis customer service person called up to ask for my feedback on their service to apparently find out why I terminated their services.

Hmm...let's see:
1. I always had to dial twice to call anyone as I always receive a "network failed" message for the first dial out. I've informed Maxis bout that and guess what? They say my phone problem woh...They tell me to restart my phone every time I receive that message. Wah lau...I make like an average of 20 calls a day, so I have to restart my phone like 20 times? siao...
2. I have missing calls. People would call me and my phone would not ring and then I may (coz sometimes nothing happens at all) receive a miss call message.
3. I registered for their 3G modem - fill up the form, got all the necessary documents, send the form to the Maxis centre and guess what? They lost my form (at their own centre!) and asked me to register all over again. Sure, in their dreams.
4. Their customer service people are not well informed about the e-payment and sometimes talk rubbish which simply pisses me off.

Anyway, I told the person that I am not interested to participate in their survey because I've always given my feedback at any point of time I was not satisfied with their service but no one took me seriously.

And in the his last futile attempt to get me to participate in the survey, he said that this survey will help Maxis find out why this has happened and to find out if people weren't doing their job properly.

Well, I just told him that it's too late. I'm not helping them this time. They should have done that before I switched to DiGi :p

I hope I DiGi will live up to being "the smarter choice". Well, so far so good :)

haha...IF Maxis is smart, they can pick up my feedback from here. Do you think they will?

Terry Fox Run KL is back!

2008-10-09T10:29:00.003+08:00

Terry Fox Run KL 2008 promo liberally taken from here :)

I'll be there! Will you?

For more information about the run, please visit the organizer's website here

China calling...

2008-09-29T10:07:00.003+08:00

Hangzhou, Qingdao, or Chengdu?

Which city will it be?

Not quite for me to decide but incredibly excited anyway :)

My last trip to China was eons ago to the city of Guangzhou. I remember it as a very lovely city with wonderful food. Fabric shopping is also great - a must do activity for grandma and mom every time they were in Guangzhou. Enjoying coffee by the Pearl River was a nice past time albeit an expensive activity as coffee is somewhat a novelty at that time. I wonder if it is all still the same?

DiGi-ed

2008-09-18T22:33:00.002+08:00

Good riddance to Maxis Mobile.

Hello to DiGi!.

Psst...It's really simple to make the switch. Just need to fill up a form at any DiGi Centre or Specialised Store, provide a copy of your IC, and it's free! You keep your current number and they give you a SIM card instantly. Only thing is that you'll have to wait between 4-5 working days for Maxis & DiGi to make the transition for you and then you can use your new line. To get rid of horrible customer service experience? It's worth the wait.

Malaysia's Got Talent

2008-09-17T00:53:00.002+08:00

The talented Sean Ghazi singing "Semalam". I love the music video. Classy :)

A Malaysian Consumer's Frustration

2008-09-11T08:41:00.004+08:00

Maxis Mobile officially sucks.

BIG time.

I thought my bad experiences with them were over but I was wrong.

Anyway, the background of my frustrations this time:

I woke up this morning to find missed calls on my mobile phone and so I dialed back to return those calls. That is when I found out that my mobile service has been barred.

Which surprised me because I have paid my bill yesterday, first thing I did at my office because I received a text message from Maxis that I've reached my post paid credit limit and to make payment immediately to avoid disruption of service. Which I did.

Unfortunately, they did not honour their part of the deal and went on to bar my line.

So, of course, I wanted an explanation and connected to their "Collection Department".

Now, this is the reasons a.k.a excuses they give:
1. Online banking takes 3 days to process.
My question: Why do you need 3 days?
The Maxis representative keeps on saying "the system needs 3 days la".
So, I ask another question: Why does "the system" do on day 1, day 2, day 3 in processing the payment?
The Maxis representative continues saying "the system needs 3 days la."
If that is the case, shouldn't they give me 3 days grace period before barring my phone since "the system needs 3 days la".

As a consumer, I want to know what exactly those 3 days are for. I am after all paying for service. Not excuses.

(I called the bank to ask if it is true that they need 3 days and if yes, why do they need 3 days. Here's their answer: Actually, the money and report from the bank is updated within 1 working day. The other 2-3 days, is for the company to update their payment records. Question: If maxis is so hardworking to update me on my credit limit, why couldn't they do the same for my payment information?)

2. They can only connect my line back in the next 2 hours.
&T@$%*?!
I have paid YESTERDAY and I have to wait for something I don't even owe. I am so angry.

So, yes, I'm now counting down to 15 Sept to switch to DiGi. That is when they are launching their postpaid switching services. How timely.

Great news to all non-DiGi customers who are looking to switch, you can retain your entire number including the 012/019/013/017/etc.

I'm looking forward to the switch!

5 years from now...

2008-09-04T21:59:00.004+08:00

What will it be?

The village hero or the world leader?

My alma mater, Universiti Sains Malaysia, has recently been selected for Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX) or in layman terms - given government grants worth millions of ringgit to transform it into a world-class university.

Read here for news of it which is laced with bombastic words which I believe at least 35% of Science & Mathematics teachers in my country are unable to comprehend.

I shall be keeping tab on the development of the university. It will be interesting to look back 5 years from now to see what it has become.

Di Bandar...

2008-09-02T10:51:00.005+08:00

Ok, I have to admit I did not do any sightseeing when I was in Bandar Seri Begawan for the two weeks that I was there. Which means no pictures.

*boo...

But I did meet some great people :)

And in case you wonder why I'm there and what I have been up to in Bandar, take a peek at the pictures of this talented artist. Nice leh... :)

Melbourne, here I come!

2008-08-24T23:05:00.003+08:00

:)

WL-J was just trying his luck to see if he could actually book tickets to Melbourne for RM 99.00 when Air Asia announced the promotion. And next thing I know, we're planning a trip to Melbourne this November.

Yippee!

Note: The total cost is 10 times the ticket price or more. So, check the deals and be prepared to pay for more then just RM 99.00.

Sigh...

2008-08-17T22:06:00.004+08:00

Victory is not ours this time.

Nevertheless, a well deserved first medal for this Olympics for us. Lots of room for improvement but a good effort by Lee Chong Wei :)

Where is everybody?

2008-08-17T10:59:00.002+08:00

No traffic jams, no crowd at the restaurants, no evening walkers around the neighbourhood.

At 8:05pm on a Sunday evening.

Yup, as the headline on The Star says, the entire nation is truly set to watch Lee Chong Wei's bid for immortality.

Land of Petrol

2008-08-11T23:41:00.004+08:00

Petrol for B$ 0.53 per litre. Wow.

Ok, I'm sorry to disappoint people who wants to see how Bandar Seri Begawan looks like to instead only see a picture of a petrol kiosk...keke...

That B$ 10.00 worth of petrol was enough to fill half tank of a Cherry CRV (er, sorry don't know what model and all that). No wonder some ~~ultra rich~~ people can afford fleets of Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Porche, etc in their ~~palaces~~ garages here :p

Ok ok, no more random rantings. Shall show the world how Brunei (specifically Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuala Belait - well, I'm working there mah...) actually looks like. One thing for sure, no fancy sky scrapers here.

Next: A visit to the Palace grounds. Also looking forward to trying Nasi Katok or Ambuyat!

Next: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

2008-08-10T03:15:00.003+08:00

Yo, there goes the Pengembara from the west to the east!

Haha...being lame at 3:00am.

Finally, I'll have the chance to set foot on Borneo island. I feel a teeny wee bit guilty that my first trip to Borneo will be to Brunei instead of either of the lovely states of Sabah or Sarawak.

Nevertheless, I'm excited and looking forward to cross the South China Sea to visit another neighbouring country of Malaysia - the very regal and oil rich Brunei Darussalam.

Will update soon from Bandar Seri Begawan!

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

2008-08-09T19:44:00.011+08:00

Special thanks to PY for egging me to update the blog :)

Last weekend, due to special request from my guests from abroad, I finally got an opportunity to discover some hidden gems of my country. One of it is the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary.

This little gem of a place (which was established some 20 years ago) provided us a great learning experience to know more about the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) of Malaysia, and the efforts of the wildlife unit to protect the elephants. We also got to interact with the elephants!

The elephant sanctuary is really well maintained and all the staff are very knowledgable about the elephants. Except for the sour faced woman who handled the donation, the staff of the center were very pleasant and helpful as well.

Sour faced people and bratty noisy tourists aside (haha....ok, enough enough), I was there to obviously meet the elephants. And oh boy...it was an awesome experience :)

Welcome to Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary! No, that's not my car.

Baby elephants ^___^

Oops...blur picture of Zora trying to pat one of the elephant

Elephant: Feed me! Feed me! Zora: Yikes...!

Aaargh...! More Homo sapiens than Elephas maximus. Sheesh...

Elephant: Oi! Hurry up, scrub my back!

They didn't allow me to take one home :(

BIG thank you to Wei Han for driving us there and to my dad for the cuti-cuti mobile...keke :)

It's going to be a WILD weekend

2008-08-01T16:13:00.004+08:00

Now now...don't go thinking about things which are not quite what you think it may be :p

4 EA staff - 2 Malaysians, 2 Lithuanians; 4 China babes & 1 Portugese dude all set to enjoy a jumbo weekend!!!

Haha...not understanding all this wild mumbo jumbo? Stay tuned to find out!

Note to self: Recharge camera batteries and waterproof all valuables before heading to this gem of a place in Kuala Gandah :)

New Discovery: A Malaysian Fashion Label

2008-07-25T02:42:00.003+08:00

Farah Khan

Which is absolutely GORGEOUS!

"She wanted a collection that was simply effortless - simple shapes, mostly rumple-proof and easy to be worn; something which drapes naturally on the body whilst glamorizes instantly through the embellishments."

I love the fact that Dato' Farah Khan's inspiration for her collection is really what most girls are looking for when buying clothes. It does take a woman to understand another, doesn't it?

Didn't quite notice her label until recently. Well, better late than never, eh? Not sure if it within my budget though :p

I so *heart* one of those dresses in the recent Farah Khan collection as seen in her website. Can you guess which one?

Being Host

2008-07-21T12:48:00.003+08:00

The Pengembara is once again honoured to play host to a group of friends from abroad - four lovely ladies from Hong Kong and China to be exact :)

The irony of it is that India brought us together...haha...

Small world? Complicated world? Borderless world? Whatever, it doesn't matter.

Can't wait! 5 more days!!!

Latest Addition to UNESCO World Heritage Properties: Melaka & Georgetown

2008-07-14T22:42:00.004+08:00

Ahem ahem...

Yes, it is yesterday's (more like yester-week's) news. But, being a proud Malaysian, I just had to re-announce it on my blog :)

Here's a brief description of the historical cities of Melaka and Georgetown on the UNESCO World Heritage website.

I think the brief description is just too brief la... haha... doesn't do justice to this two lovely cities

Melaka is like the begining of it all for us Malaysians. Bless Parameswara and the Malacca tree.

Georgetown, Penang is like the beginning of it all for my family :)

Hyderabad's New Pinch

2008-07-02T17:32:00.005+08:00

City and airport route map of Hyderabad.

Ok, it's not THAT new. The airport was commissioned sometime in March 2008. Just that I only found out.

The new Hyderabad Airport looks good. Well, better than the ones at Mumbai and Delhi. Ok, maybe I'm just biased ;)

A small part of my heart jumped with joy when I saw those road names again. Yes, even though it's just on the map.

Zombie-ing

2008-07-01T13:00:00.002+08:00

The pengembara is buried with work. Will emerge soon.

:)

ps. Beauty and the Beast was good fun! Although I personally felt that the KLCC Plenery Hall was not so suited for a musical as compared to Istana Budaya.

Next week's indulgence...

2008-06-20T15:04:00.002+08:00

Beauty & The Beast Poster taken from here.

Past couple of weeks, this week and possibly next week has been dedicated to running a series of tests for a system at work. Hence, the lack of updates.

Am looking forward my date with EH and PY to watch Disney's Beauty and The Beast Broadway Musical next week which will be held at the KLCC Convention Center :)

Next...

2008-06-09T00:39:00.003+08:00

Not entirely confirmed but yes, hoping it will happen in due time :)

1. Jakarta, Indonesia
2. Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei

Neighbours, here I come!!!

IF luck is on my side, Miri might be a possible destination-in-between-next-destinations.

*fingers crossed*

Cool looking fuel burning machines

2008-06-05T15:01:00.005+08:00

Picture of a cool looking NISSAN GT-R race car liberally taken from here

According to NISMO SUPER GT Team Director Yoshitaka Iijima ,"There is a saying in racing, 'Fast car is cool looking.'"

No wonder my small car crawls. It ain't cool looking enough.

Hahahaha... :p

The Super GT International Series Malaysia is happening at the Sepang International Circuit from 20 - 22 June 2008. Get your tickets soon if you're interested to watch some mean but cool looking fuel burning machines do their thing!

Ikat Perut

2008-06-04T21:09:00.003+08:00

Ikat perut is a simpulan bahasa (phrase) which the English equivalent would be to tighten one's belt.

Not for fashion but for economical reasons la.

Which is what the pengembara has to do from now onwards as the price of petrol, electricity, rice and even chicken has been raised tremendously in the past few weeks. Of course, today's update that price of petrol is now RM 2.70 has just set us all back a ~~fortune~~ little.

*Poof* Oh, that was my Aussie trip fund disappearing.

Less unnecessary driving, shopping and eating. Especially nasi lemak and chicken rice. Sigh...

*nooooo......I love my food......!

Oh well, was planning to go on a diet anyway :p

But how about for those who have already ikat perut all their lives? I wonder if the gohmen thought about them long and hard before making this decision.

Forever 21

2008-06-02T23:01:00.006+08:00

Yes, I'm in denial :p

Age aside, I'm having a great time celebrating life and catching up with family and friends since two weeks back. Calls from across the causeway and all the way from Kuching made my day. Thank you all!

Some memorable celebration moments/quotes:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" - one week before the correct day, KEH.

"Happy Bird'ay" - my lame-humoured hero, W-LJ :p

"You're officially old..." - hmm...from a few people, notably:
1. chimui forever & super OC, TPY
2. dearest bro, TTY.

note to self: remind them of the same on their birthdays! :p

"And wishing you the best in your future career!" - work absorbed OTC, followed by a resounding "Haiyo..." by the rest :)

"..don't ask where I got my (groovy buttons, shoulder padded and bright coloured floral) shirt" - best dressed for my floral themed b'day dinner, LAD ;)

And the celebration continues!

The blue moon is out...

2008-05-26T21:38:00.003+08:00

Besides school shoes and perhaps the occasional running shoes, my dad never exactly encourage me to get a new and good pair of shoes.

In fact he would roar out loud and ask in a big ho-hum voice, "Did you buy another pair of shoes AGAIN?"

Well, yes I usually do. And usually quite impulsively. Yes, I am weak. I know...

BUT today, my dad actually said that I should get a good pair of shoes.

Ok, the reason being that I complained of pain at the back of my ankle. I think flats are not very good for long term wearing. It's almost like walking barefoot everywhere. I have been wearing flats most of the time at work and everywhere else since I got back home about 7 months back - gosh, has it been so long already?!!!

Anyway, that got me started looking at shoes in my latest Harper's Bazaar Magazine which unfortunately I don't think I can afford any of those shoes advertised. And then, a tiny article on Louis Vuitton caught my eye. Well, not that tiny actually, it was like 3 pages of announcing their latest real estate - the Canton Road Maison, in Hong Kong. Which then got me going to website.

And check out how they make their stuff especially the shoes, leather goods, and jewellery: Louis Vuitton creations made by hand. Well, I don't know if those people are posing for the shoot but they definitely look incredibly passionate about what they do.

I spent 2 full hours watching all those video and oogling at shoes on the website.

I now have the utmost respect for Louis Vuitton creations and solemnly promise never to buy any LV counterfeit anywhere.

Till then, I shall stick to my favourite local brands Vincci and Lewre. I wonder if all these qualify as good shoes in the eyes of my dad.

Anyway, mid year sale is going on everywhere. Anyone up for (more) shopping? :)

I not stupid

2008-05-23T21:40:00.005+08:00

So many good things to learn from our neighbour down south but of all the things they want to emulate: Media Control.

*Wah lau eh..laugh until fall off my chair....!!! Hahahaha...*

I think best way to control these gohmen people is to tape their mouths so that they don't say anymore stupid things and get down to the business of serving the nation. Unless on their list of to-do-for-the-rakyat is to provide us entertainment. Which by the way, sucks.

Track Day at Sepang

2008-05-22T21:21:00.013+08:00

Cloudy day at Sepang. Perfect for sleeping -_-

My first time ever at a "track day" and also to be at the pit lane of the Sepang Circuit.

And boy, these people take driving their fast cars seriously. Everyone geared up with safety helmets, gloves and some even with fancy driving shoes. Some even brought the "track cars" which was trucked in coz track cars usually don't have road tax and hence are technically not allowed on public access roads. Spare tyres of different sorts, pressured air hoses, and all sorts of funky gadgets (well, this is the best of my car-technical-vocabulary :p so don't laugh la) were brought in. I was most amused that someone even brought their own petrol in a barrel! Wow...

No worries, I didn't drive :p Didn't even sit in for a round at the track - I'm terrified of speeding cars, ok. I just took pictures the entire morning. And read the comic section of the papers :)

Have to say that I was very impressed by the organizers for making the event fun and also safe for everyone. Of course, the participants were a great lot as well for adhering to all safety rules.

Here are the pictures!

The pengembara's muka-baru-bangun at the briefing session before the start of the track session. One of the enthusiastic drivers of the group, J.Tatt, posing for the camera too.

The briefing session was held at the Media Room. Check out the rows of flatscreen TV hanging from above!

At our group's er...garage/service centre/pit? well, whatever you call it la :p

Upclose view of pitlane and paddock

View of grandstand from the pitlane

Vroom vroom vroom ~ W-LJ gearing up for another round on the track.

Traffic jam in the pitlane? Haha...no la, just waiting for clearance to go on the track.

Still smitten ^_^

2008-05-22T20:22:00.002+08:00

Although he didn't win, an obsessed a loyal fan will be waiting for his album!!! ^__________^

W-LJ: Haiyo.....

At the Sepang Circuit

2008-05-21T16:13:00.006+08:00

Last Monday morning was my first time ever on the other side of the track of the Sepang Circuit.

Have previously only been at the grandstand and always wondered what is it like to be at the pit lane.

Will share more on my experience being on the pit lane during a recent track day at Sepang in the next post.

And contrary to what W-LJ believes - the smell of burnt clutch or brake pads do not smell nice...nor manly :p

Here In My Home

2008-05-18T14:29:00.002+08:00

As sung and performed by Malaysian Artistes For Unity.

One love undivided, that's what it's all about

Well said.

Malaysia Boleh! :)

Highland Getaway

2008-05-14T22:10:00.012+08:00

Shell Bungalow a.k.a Strawberry Suite at Bukit Ruil, Cameron Highlands

The magical food table...food appears at the right time, everytime :)

Unfortunately, according to the law of physics: whatever food that appears on the magic table must also disappear...into the stomach of 9 hungry people...hehe

BOH Tea Centre at Sungai Palas. It is quite loverly to have a cuppa tea at the tea shop which overlooks the entire tea garden valley below

Fwens: Eh, what are you doing lah?
Pengembara: Doing the BOH ada Uumph pose...haha!
Fwens: "-_- What the...

Fwens giving tips on how to pose properly :)

S.Han, where is all our pictures? :p

At a strawberry farm which didn't have any strawberry

Tea and scones at the magic table! ^____^

When not eating or doing touristy stuff, board games (and E! on tv .....oh, and Prof Layton...haha) rule the house. In pic: my Super Munchkin cards...horrible cards, I got like a "Budget Hireling"...wtf? Obviously, I didn't win...keke..

Holiday destination: Good
Weather at Cameron Highlands: Perfect
Accommodation: Lovely
Magic Table of Food: Awesome (although I had only 2 meals ...*sigh*)
Company of fwens: Wonderful :)

Next Destination: Did someone say Penang?

Starts dreaming of favourite peanut butter chee cheong fun at island glades, curry laksa, mee goreng sultan at swatow lane, asam laksa, pasembur, crabs at tanjong tokong, nasi kandar, fresh seafood at tambun...... :p ok, I better stop thinking about food NOW

Don't be jealous babe :)

2008-05-08T20:51:00.002+08:00

Blown away! ^______^

W-LJ rolls his eyes, let's out a sigh followed by a "Haiyo..." and says he'll sing this for me. Keke.....

Tea, Strawberry and Scouting memories

2008-05-08T15:39:00.005+08:00

Guess where am I heading to this weekend?

Fantastic hand drawn map taken from http://www.cameron-highland-destination.com

Special thanks to Shen Han for getting us the accommodation. Let's see if the place lives up to our incredibly high expectations although I would be missing out on the meals since I would be arriving late *boo...

Well, at least I would still have the chance to ~~gorge~~ enjoy the following must haves: Tea, Scones, Steamboat with loads of fresh greens (which hopefully is pesticide free :p), Fried Mushroom, Strawberries & Roti Pisang (the last time I had this in Cameron Highlands was like 10 years ago!)

Oh, and of course not forgetting the good time I'll be having with friends :)

Can't wait for the weekend!

Pictures to come after that. Duh!

Olympics 2008 Mascots

2008-05-05T17:52:00.005+08:00

Picture of the mascots taken from here

I used to think these Mascots looked wierd. But after seeing them around for quite awhile now, they don't look too bad :)

Anyway, I thought it was quite cute to name them as they are - Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni

If not mistaken (coz my mandarin half past six wan :p), it basically means Beijing Welcomes You!

Haha...talk about being straight to the point!

Potong markah...

2008-05-05T16:10:00.004+08:00

I simply cannot imagine what goes through the minds of these idiot menfolk!

A woman to have consent from her family to travel abroad alone? Absurd.

There goes another idiot man minister. Trying to sound macho thinking with his balls instead of his brains. Which at the end does not sound macho nor intelligent either. Pfft...

I am a woman. I have travel abroad alone. In fact, I have lived abroad alone. It has always been purely my own decision.

And I have NEVER agreed to assist anyone to carry anything during my travels - not even my closest friends or bosses. I always ensure that my luggage is locked and sealed to prevent anyone from stealing my belongings or to insert anything into my luggage. I always carried my own luggage in and out of airports, busses, trains, ships, etc.

Plus, I know that there is never such thing as a free lunch. Irregardless of the shape and size of it (promise of love, money, diamonds, whatever), there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Doing drugs is also not a way of life which I agree to.

All the above is to the credit of my family. They TAUGHT me on how to take care of myself irregardless of where I am and the VALUES they have instilled into me will be the guiding light in my life decisions.

And when the time comes when I have children, they will be taught and reminded of the same irregardless of them having either the XX or XY chromosome.

Mambo Night

2008-04-29T11:35:00.004+08:00

The plan this Wednesday night - Mambo night.

I've heard a lot about this Mambo night thingy (well, mainly from one particular Ms. EH) but I've not been to one myself.

After all, the following is what Mambo seems to be defined as generally:

Noun 1. mambo - a Latin American dance similar in rhythm to the rumba
dancing, terpsichore, dance, saltation - taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music

Verb 1. mambo - dance a mambo
trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe, dance - move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance; "My husband and I like to dance at home to the radio"

So, since I neither know the Latin dance itself nor am very trip-the-light-fantastic-toe dancer, I figured that I should never embarass myself at such dance nights.

Until it is revealed that they actually play songs like Ice Ice Baby.

Hmm...

Dengue cases on the rise

2008-04-26T12:08:00.003+08:00

Especially in my home state.

Latest report from the Ministry of Health here

People, you know the drill -
1. Check your property/neighbourhood throughly every 5-7 days to look out for breeding areas of the Aedes mosquito.
2. Frequently change/discard the water in anything that contains water - e.g vases, water tubs, etc.
3. Dispose all rubbish or unwanted things properly to avoid containment of water (which is where the Aedes mosquito breeds). This does not mean putting it in front of your neighbour's house, ok. Or worse still, throwing things by the side of the road.
4. Educate your neighbour to do the same.

Generally, if everyone does the above properly, you should be covered. Problem is, most people just never do!

This is a disease we can eliminate. Let's do it.

^_^

2008-04-23T21:59:00.003+08:00

Say whatever you want. Doesn't matter because I like!!!!!

* Ah....Kawaii-ne...! * ^______^

It's been awhile...

2008-04-19T16:03:00.002+08:00

It's been awhile since I last went to the cinema. Seok Ming asked what was the last movie I watched at the cinema. That's when I realised that it was back in India - like more than 6 months ago!

Anyway, finally got the chance to watch a movie in the cinema again, thanks to my chi muis :) We just watched Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon.

I thought it was pretty good. I like the movie for the fact that it is in Mandarin...haha...ok, I don't know why but I think I always think that Chinese epic movies in Mandarin just sounds nicer than say a Cantonese version although I have been brought up with the Cantonese fare since young. It's a story which is based or more like inspired by the epic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Not entirely accurate as per the novel and partially fictional but it was a pleasant watch overall. I have to say it got me wanting to read the novel again :)

Can't stand the gory bits in the film though :p (I'm one of those faint hearted people who will avoid watching war or horror film).

Tempted...

2008-04-18T12:11:00.002+08:00

To buy a ticket and fly out to Kuching for a weekend :)

Yippee! 6 hours left to the start of the weekend!

A mini reunion

2008-04-09T23:00:00.011+08:00

I had two lovely guests last weekend (well, at least the plan was to meet up during the weekend but was inevitably postponed to Monday...yes, yes...I'm not that good a host after all :p) who came all the way from Hyderabad, India!

Soumnya and Sandhya at our first meet up session over dinner at KLCC.

These two lovely ladies are part of the several main reasons why I enjoyed my experience in India so much. I still clearly remember the dinner and sleepover parties we have at my place which Soumnya would join which were so fun as well as I still can remember how good Sandhya's vegetarian cooking were - you have no idea how great tasting vegetarian food is until you eat what Sandhya cooks! :) Unfortunately, I have not mastered it yet which is why I still am not a vegetarian.

* coughs....excuses...coughs * :p

It was awesome to just sit down with them again and talk and laugh and simply have a great time together.

As they had spent a week in KL prior to meeting up with me, on our day out together, we decided to have lunch at Annalakshmi (it is now at Brickfields opposite the Buddhist temple on Jalan Berhala) and then try the "Fish Spa" at Kenko Fish Spa which is located in Pavillion.

Lunch at Annalakshmi was interesting as it turned out that it was their Guru's birthday, therefore anyone and everyone was invited to a free lunch. I felt rather odd and awkward initially - I did call to the Annalakshmi restaurant earlier in the morning and was told that they were "closed for the day but to come for lunch" Well, I didn't quite know what to make out of that statement and was just trying my luck to see if it was actually open for lunch that day. - However, when we arrived, the people hosting the lunch were so welcoming that even helped us find available seats and tucked us in to a very nice Indian vegetarian lunch.

Our gracious and welcoming hosts at the Annalakshmi restaurant serving everyone lunch

Mine mine mine! My lunch :)

Anyway, if you're interested to try good and authentic south indian food - the Annalakshmi restaurant is the place to go. Plus, very interestingly, the restaurant operates on a "Eat as you want, Pay as you wish" concept. To know more about Annalakshmi, go here

After that, we went into the city center to Pavillion to try out the "Fish Spa" at the Kenko Fish Spa. Now, this even more interesting. The "Fish Spa" treatment basically involves soaking your legs (till just below your knee) - a full body treatment is available too but we were not that adventurous quite yet - into a water tank filled with the Garra Rufa (I hope I spelt that right) fish are also known at the "Doctor Fish" which eats away the dead skin cells of your leg/body. Apparently it is a good treatment for those who have skin disorders.

Attack of the Doctor Fish eating away at dead skin cells! Woohoo...! Mine and W-LJ's leg getting the "Fish Spa" treatment

Soumnya looking mad because the fishies are nibbling at her toes only!!! :p

It was a good experience overall although for the first 5 minutes, the ticklish sensation of the fishies nibbling at the our legs were almost unbearable :p At least for me. Was in fits of laughter and giggles.

All in all, the relative simple, short and easy outing I planned for turned out to be fun and was extended till about 9pm as we continued with more food, coffee breaks and of course shopping from Pavillion to The Curve :)

I now look forward to their return to Malaysia and also hope that I would be able to visit them in Hyderabad as well!

The plan for this weekend

2008-04-01T21:50:00.002+08:00

Plan No. 1

Bringing a couple of very special guests around Kuala Lumpur. Will show you who in my next post. Well, IF I don't forget to take pictures.

Highlights: Shopping

(ok, don't give me the "what the.." look - I'm a pretty good shopping guide ok and it's an interesting experience to shop with me :p)

and Dining in the evening at the KLCC - I'm hoping to get a table by the window overlooking the park with the city skyline in the backdrop. I love the view...well, I hope that will impress them too :)

Plan No. 2

Ipoh calling!

Highlights: Catching up with W-LJ's family, enjoy Dino's company, possibly visit to some temple and of course, enjoy the food :)

Now, if only the weekend would come sooner...

It's so funny-lah!!!

2008-03-18T17:11:00.003+08:00

Somebody is still sleeping!!!

"I hope they will perform better than before and I believe that with the choice we have made we will be able to fulfil our agenda," he said, as he announced the new cabinet line-up.

BUT he puts someone with a history like this on his cabinet.

Haven't he heard of the saying - garbage in, garbage out?

To top things up, the sleepy one announces that Ministers, deputy ministers must declare assets publicly!

Haha...

Can anyone tell me where the rakyat can view these declaration of assets of ministers & deputy ministers?

I only appreciate and laud the fact that Dr. Ng Yen Yen is in the line up. The rest? I can't say I'm very excited about them :(

Do you know anything about Formula 1?

2008-03-13T23:59:00.002+08:00

Haha...I like this ad. This kids are all so cute.

I also do think that Raikonen is cute too...hehe...

If you're interested to catch the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, do plan your trip and get your tickets from here soon!

Wave of change

2008-03-09T17:43:00.002+08:00

Malaysians have spoken. The "silent majority" is not so silent after all :)

And the winner of this 12th General Election?

It's us! Us, the people of Malaysia.

Our voice is heard.

For the 12th General Elections result: http://thestar.com.my/election/results/results.html

History starts now

2008-03-08T10:28:00.004+08:00

Ok, I plucked my post's title from the lyrics of World by Five For Fighting. I'm not too original after all.

But yes, I found those three words meaningful.

Today is 8th March 2008. And today, I cast my vote for my country.

Our country, our responsibility - one of the many motivational phrases found at the school which was used as a polling station and directions to the respective polling streams a.k.a classroom.

Where my vote sits patiently till 5:00pm today.

With this vote, are my hopes for my country.

Hope for economic parity for all Malaysians for sustainable development of the country, leadership with integrity and of greater transparency & accountability towards all Malaysians, and the realisation of bangsa Malaysia.

I've cast my vote. I now can only wait and pray that all will be clean and fair in this 12th general elections as well as hope that I'm not the only one who is looking forward and ready for a change.

It's going to be a long and anxious wait till the results are announced this evening.

Imagine

2008-02-28T22:01:00.002+08:00

In between work and catching up on the general election campaign news, I'm also following one of my favourite TV shows - American Idol :) Yes, it's back!

And this is my favourite of the lot ^___^ Isn't he cute?!!!