Wanderlust Theories

Airborne-sick

2011-08-27T15:34:00.002+08:00

So here I am.

8 months later. I am so sorry.

While it seems like I've abandoned Wanderlust Theories, I really haven't. In theory, it has always been in my mind. It was just never translated from brainwave to words.

And that makes a lot of difference unfortunately.

It's not that I don't want to write or that I had lost interest in this; I just went away discovering myself and then (hopefully when I've figured it out) share my theories about whatever I've been experiencing. So this entry is dedicated to everyone who's been reminding me to start writing (David of MalaysiaAsia, Fie, Alid & Wilson of PlacesandFoods) and those who happened to read this. Seriously, I can't imagine why anyone would read my rants but yeah, do know that every reader is special to me :)

Life has been quite the roller coaster ride; physically and (especially) emotionally. The thing is, I realized I haven't set foot in an aircraft since My Selangor Story started and I *think* I have forgotten what it feels like to take off.

Dramatic right? I know. But it's the truth. Really.

Honestly, I do miss flying away to places I deem my escapism. It could be the schedule or something else. Somehow, I just never got around to getting onboard. I have sent and picked up people to/at the airport many times tho..

However, I am having fun doing what I never thought is possible.

Not in a million years.

Then again, I have went on a trip with Johan Farid Khairuddin (or affectionately known as JFK) and Fie in his Cessna around Selangor & Kuala Lumpur back in April. That was probably the closest thing to flying I suppose? 'Twas amazing!

When I said "I'd like to make Selangor as part of my journey", I never thought that my feet will be planted deep in the ground of Selangor! It's so deep, I feel like I'm the information counter for all things Selangor sometimes. Not that it's a bad thing actually ;) It's just that, this experience, this job (if you may call it) has truly changed my perception of traveling.

I've learned so much about myself as much as I have been researching about Selangor every single day. A journey I'll forever cherish.

Perhaps this quote by G. K. Chesterton said it best - “The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land.”

And in some twisted kind of way, maaaaybe that's what He's trying to tell me; that as much as I love traveling wherever, whenever, it is something else to discover your own country (or in this case, state).

I can't imagine thinking back that I've been to places, seen faces and listen to stories which I wouldn't be able to do without being part of Tourism Selangor. People who would just take me out and show me around Selangor as if I'm a foreigner. I can't say how thankful I am for having such awesome people supporting my dream.

The best thing is that, my friends are now even more excited to go on an adventure in Selangor with me like they've never been before. That alone I think is an achievement itself.

It has been a humbling and cool journey thus far.

One I keep learning and growing from experience to be a better person.

Here's a big hug to everyone! Muah :)

FoodComa: Between Love and Temptations

2010-12-17T00:36:00.002+08:00

Life is nothing when you don't have love, people, work, travel, thoughts and food. Without these elements; there won't be stories to tell. Our lives revolve around talking over something (that is food), at least in Malaysia. It's evident during Ramadhan when cafes, restaurants and the likes are empty during the day as compared to other months.

So we, Malaysians - like it or not are foodie people.

The one thing I missed when I am away from Malaysia would be the late nights/ 24-7 eateries because in overseas it closes early! There's no place to lepak (hangout), other than pubs, clubs or your own cribs. Starbucks in London closes at 5pm. Oh the shock I had on my face said it all when I asked the first time.

Anyway, part of traveling consists of food. Anyone who travels, will most definitely want to know the best/cheapest/unique food. What better way than to have an extension to WT - FoodComa.

There were 7 of us being invited to Vansh, (603 2142 6162) Feast Level, Starhill, KL all thanks to Amelia (the superwoman behind MySelangorStory). The 7 of us come from different background and being a newbie in the new age blogworld, this was my first invite for a food review.

They say (whoever they are), there's always a first to everything.

While there are hundreds/thousands across the internet regarding foodbloggers, I will claim that I am NOT one. Not my forte. I'll introduce people to great places to eat, speak endlessly what's good but that's about it.

Therefore, the format may be different from the usual food reviews other foodbloggers are accustomed to.

Let the feast begin!

I read from Starhill's website, Vansh means a new generation within the family.
Well, that makes sense.

See, the thing about Vansh is that, I've passed by this place so often it just never crossed my mind to try it out. And since I got back from India, I've always wanted to go on an Indian cuisine food getaway. But didn't.

Much like other things I managed to checked in my to-do list, this is yet another one. 2010 is a whole wacky year, I can't even begin to describe it.

I thought the people in Vansh were pleasant. Full of smiles. Which I think is a breath of fresh air in this city. They don't mind smiling as you take their photos (especially when you ask for their permission) and it makes your visit all the more enjoyable. Mokim was our go-to person regarding the food served to us.

Maybe it's Tuesday, the night we signed our lives to be in food coma because the place was almost close to empty. However, that is something I like about Starhill, it's not overcrowded, not too silent either. You can have your space, your food and your company without compromising anything.

When we were served with Vansh signature dishes, we weren't expecting an array of goodness laid out in front of our eyes all at one go, yet that's what we were faced with.

For a moment, I think I forgot to even breathe. Too busy wanting to try each and every dish there were on the tables. At least 19 dishes altogether. Yes, that's how many there were.

We were served first with Mango Lassi and Papadom while they prepare the rest of the dishes. For the avid Lassi drinkers, this might not be the one that'll rock your world. I've tasted something creamier and mango-er(I can't find a word for it), then again I'm not an avid Lassi drinker, so I actually did not not like it. :) The papadom was a new twist. I've not seen it made the way it is, rolled into a cylinder which we are meant to dipped it with the 3 sauces (mint, raita and chili) they gave us. I actually loved the raita. The sourness was perfect for my taste bud.

Maybe the only thing I found a little bit frustrating was that, as I was biting the papadom, bits and pieces were falling off all over me and I felt like it was a waste (somewhat). I like to have my food in whole rather than feeding the table and floor.

Then again, I eat like a 5 year old a lot of the times..soooo..maybe it's just me?

After papadom, we were presented with three different kebab platters - chicken tandoori, vegetarian and variety sampler. Vegetarian platter featured Aloo Mutter Tikki, Tandoori Mushroom and Tandoori Paneer Tikka. This one I've never tried before and thought it was not bad. Chicken Tandoori was just as delicious, it being one of the most popular dish in Malaysia, one must not ruin this dish. Then I had a go with the Variety platter which had Malmali Sheekh, Murg Malai Tikka and Tandoori Tiger Prawn.

I must say, I have applied a new perspective to Tandoori. Tiger Prawn rules! (Ending the sentence with rules reminds me of high school all over again)

The next batch came before we could say "Next". I saw Bombay Pani Puri (crunchy semolina puffs wtih chilled spice water and sweet tamarind chutney) and couldn't help but feed the curious cat in me, it's an appetizer I thought was exquisite in taste and presentation. If anything, it was made well.

While I'm not a cheese lover, Paneer Tikka Chaat was a delight. I know the rest of us enjoyed this one.

The three Naans (Garlic, Butter and Plain) didn't score high in my book. The taste just wasn't there.

BUT!

Yes there is a but.

For someone like me who is more often than not lazy to eat with her fingers, the Tandoori Lamb Chop was not the case. It was calling my hands to hold and eat it like a barbarian. I even licked my fingers after sucking on the bones to savour the spices absorbed in it. Now this is what I call a gastronomical experience baby!

When it was time to try other dishes, I told myself this was like a food marathon. It was back to back tasting this, munching that, smelling everything. (I suppose Dylan didn't have problem with it) Like marathon, I need to charge this with a good strategy. Small bites of everything then attack the ones I want more. There was really no time to ponder on what to eat next. It's more like ..

"Ok, I want that one, the other too. What's that? Oh that can do as well!" One after another after another after another..

Poor tummy of mine. At least you won't be singing hungry tunes for the rest of the night :)

Kashmiri Rogan Josh has my big nod for being one of the best dishes I've eaten, not just in Vansh but all over. And I'm not even a lamb eater to begin with! What is Kashmiri Rogan Josh you might ask? Well, it's lamb cubes simmered in a fennel scented yogurt gravy. Perfect marriage with it's next big dish - the lamb briyani. Oh yeah! I think I died and went to heaven at that moment. The Chicken Tikka Massala is a default dish many will order when they come to an Indian restaurants which I think was good.

Marc's been mentioning Vindaloo for at least 5 times throughout the night and he managed to get his dish. I think it was alright. Not one I'll order the next time I come but at least I know what Vansh's Vindaloo tastes like.

Credit to Marc for Honey Kulzza's photo

I actually didn't realised there was Samosa on the table (this is a proof how focused I was with the food I have in front of me) and was lucky to grab the final piece. It was not bad. The dip definitely made it tastier. Now, the Chili Cheese Kulzza was something else. It reminded me too much of a pizza but it's really just tasted something like Cheese Naan with..chilies on top. At least that's what I think. I didn't get to taste Honey Kulzza (fresh fluffy bread topped with a sweet spread of honey, tomatoes, coriander and onion seeds) but from what I've be told, it somewhat tasted weird. I think I have enough of pastries for the moment.

I was too absorbed with the tender, juicy, well spiced meat.

The Palak Paneer is a homemade cottage cheese in fresh spinach. While I may not have ordered it if I were to come here without tasting it before, I thought it was so-so. Of course if I were to overdosed on cheese, I might have puked, so I had to be smart about my cheese portion. It doesn't help that I'm lactose intolerant too.

One of the big stars in Vansh will have to be the Lamb Briyani. Hands down, one dish I couldn't get enough of. The lamb itself was so tender and juicy. The rice was well spiced and didn't stick together. That RM45 to me is worthy to spend on. It could feed 2-3 people comfortably with extra serving. And in every indian restaurant I go, I always order Chai Masala. It's just something I just had to do.

Amelia was looking at me like I grew horns and asked why was I sniffing the tea non stop. It's just too fragrant not to! Then she held her cup and she did the same. ;) The taste was just amazing. Just perfect. Just..everything I had in mind. Oh yes, surely I was in heaven by then right?

Honestly (and don't kill me), I am not a fan of Indian desserts only because more of often than not, it's too sweet to my liking. That perception changed when Mokim recommended us the Khajoor(exotic dates) Kulfi. Oh this was yummy. It wasn't sweet. Lychee Kulfi was nice but I'm definitely a Date type of Kulfi. Say what? Oh Kulfi is a homemade frosty flavoured ice cream :) And you know how I love my ice cream.

Great, just thinking about it is making me hungry right now.

No, writing this entire entry makes me hungry. Vansh I'll most definitely see you again.

Overall, I thought the food was delicious. Of course, it would have been better if the dishes weren't served all at once but given the circumstances, I thought it went successfully, especially for a noob like me. While there were some dishes that didn't get my vote, the good outweighs the not so yummy.

I'm a happy bunny. Good food, good company, good service and good ambiance. I like.

What do I think about the prices? For what it is and where it is at, I thought it was actually not as expensive as I thought it would have been, most probably because these dishes are meant to be shared. So if you think of it that way, it's a fair price.

I think Luciano Pavarotti said it best regarding food,

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ~ Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story.

And it took us at least 30 minutes or more after we were done eating to come back to reality. We did had fun talking and laughing. A good way to summed up the night. Some were in expense of Quachee (and a little bit of Bella too). Big thank you to Rebecca for compiling all the dishes we had eaten that night. A life saviour that one. The best part of the night, it was as if I was waiting for the bill to arrive only to be reminded that this wasn't the case. Yes, I am a noob.

So that's it! This is how my first food review looks like. Woohoo!

In Waking Up To A Dream

2010-12-16T15:38:00.002+08:00

They spoil every romance by trying to make it last forever. - Oscar Wilde

There are millions of nonsense going through my head, it's like a hurdle on it's own just to wake up from that place. And I have been stuck in this dark hole for a bit. It's as if I live in two worlds.

Then, as I was watching Nat Geo's Word Travels episodes, it got me thinking (eh doesn't that happen all the time anyway?) .. in today's world, we're more open, more connected to this travel world that I used to remember it was one of those very exclusive/ very lucky people only get to experience. Now, there are more mediums allowing all of us to participate in this worldly adventures; even if it's at the comfort of your homes.

Which I find very inspiring.

I always kept thinking that being a travel writer or of anything similar to that notion is a one in million kind of job. That it is probably easier to get a PhD for paleontology than to get your hands in travel writing.

But now, that's not the case. I have been lucky to meet people who in one way or another have invested in this what I nearly called impossible dream of mine and not to mention Him, who writes this in my book. Indeed, it always starts from you. If you want it bad enough, work for it; the universe will conspire to help you too.

Of course journalism has it's own levels of appreciation. Like art.

One can make something out of trash and calls it art. One can write about a place and calls it a travel experience.

Everyone can be anything they want, create the dreams they see themselves living in. But what sets each and everyone apart is the substance, the personality one carries throughout the journey. And growing up in a society that doesn't read, it makes that task much harder so to speak.

Which comes to my next point.

For as long as I'm doing this because (and only because) I love it, then my intentions will always serve it's purpose. To share with the world about what I see, do, speak, think and touch. Certainly, it's always nice to know that someone out there among billions of people in this world reads my idiosyncrasies and make effort to comment; I think I am still in the right place for doing this with the right mind frame and intentions even if I don't get high traffic.

I'm a romantic at heart, and I mean romantic in a way that, what I do, it's something personal and I have to do it because it means so much to me.

Perhaps there's to many "me" in this post. Although I feel uncomfortable putting myself in the spotlight, this one is exempted. Well, if I'm not doing it because I love it, it would just be another thing someone else is doing isn't it?

So yes, I'm now revived to be back to write after hiding in the dark. And it feels good too.

I also agree with what Oscar Wilde had said as it is better to live the moment, embrace it and then look back as one of the pages you have made the most in your life rather than brooding about how a moment will have to pass. Because it will.

Therefore, live it.

MySelangorStory Goes Off The Record

2010-12-08T19:52:00.001+08:00

Despite it being 24 hours since MySelangorStory results were out yesterday at Delicious@Marc Residence, I still can't really form sentences to describe the whole event.

So here I am, sitting and fingers ready to type but the brain just does not want to cooperate. Still blank.

Still staring.

What did I end up doing? Recording myself using iSight for the first time. Hah! I may not know how to word it but I managed to say a few words (more like a thank you speech) regarding the MSS.

// KK and Chia Li, I dunno what possessed me while recording it and slipped my mind, I ALSO WISHED YOU WERE THERE WITH US. I'm so so so sorry!! //

Oh! I must not forget.

For everyone, and I mean EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU..

Thank you so very very very very very very very much for being part of Wanderlust Theories and MSS while I was on this amazing journey. If it weren't for you, I will never know what it feels like to be a winner, what more a Grand Prize winner.

Holy crap!

Instead of telling that to myself. It is much easier to accept the reality by knowing that this win is everyone's win too. I only made up possibly 1/4 of it. The rest are you readers, supporters, friends, acquaintances, sponsors, organisers, partners and people I don't know. Ok maybe that's 1/8.

Yes, this win is ours. Not mine, not his, hers or theirs. We won this together and I hope I'll do a good job being Tourism Selangor's ambassador for you guys as well as other unwritten conditions I've yet to be made known of.

Perhaps it is time for me to step out and buck up everything I can be. Perhaps, this is my way of making the better version of myself. Honestly, it could be anything.

One thing's for sure. I'll do my best to make it as fun and awesome while never lose sight of reality. This journey is only just the beginning that we made together. One I hope I'll have the support from all of you to guide me through this unknown path I shall walk through.

For without any of you, I would never see this coming. Actually, I never saw it coming yesterday.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Thank you for everything.

As I was staring blank earlier, I came up with this which will forever be embedded in my mind.

In darkness you find light. In weakness you find faith. In downfall you find you.

Don't give up for what you believe makes you, you.

And before I forget, here are the other well deserved 7 winners for MSS!

Chen Tian Chad (First Runner Up)
Thristhan Subramaniam(Second Runner Up)
Nicole Chua (Msxeroz) (Most Creative Blog)
Iman (Eyriqazz) (Most Interactive Blog)
Dylan Phuah Zheng Dong (Best write-up)
Norman Ng (Best Video)
Firdaus Feeq (Best Photos)

Truthfully, all 26 of us are the winners. We're all in our own league and each one deserves a win just as much as the rest of us. So part of my win is also dedicated the rockstars of MSS2010 :)

Took this from Tian Chad. Sorry!

Bravo! We are awesome!

Tête-à-Tête

2010-10-30T00:04:00.002+08:00

It took me half the day to decide whether or not to publish this entry purely for links to my previous entries for MySelangorStory. I went back and forth and finally made up my mind. While the MSS Campaign is still running until end of this month, it's probably good to have a directory for all 11 (I actually wrote that many!) articles for the MSS tour. After all, sometimes when one have to scroll to the bottom of the page to no end can result to the person skipping the whole thing altogether. I think it will be a convenience for Wanderlust Theories' readers :)

So here it is!

MSS Day 1 - Introducing the Colourful Insanities, Part 1 (read / vote)
                - Like Qings and Kueens, Part 2 (read / vote)

MSS Day 2 - Certified Knockers, Part 1 (read / vote)
                  - Very Insane Personas (VIP), Part 2 (read / vote)

MSS Day 3 - The Root of the Matter, Part 1 (read / vote)
                    - The Light Root, Part 2 (read / vote)

MSS Day 4 - Concrete Desert (read / vote)

MSS Day 5 - The Medicalis, Part 1 (read / vote)
                - Devil May Care, Part 2 (read / vote)
                    - Guten Nacht, Part 3 (read / vote)

MSS Day 6 - The Beginning (read / vote)

Hidden Acrobats.

2010-10-26T13:42:00.003+08:00

Just when you think life is all about routines and schedules, just take trip to Pulau Ketam (Crab Island in English) which is situated at the other end of Selangor. Take my word for it, this is one trip that's worth your time and soul.

It's been a long time coming this one. Me and my ultimate gamer friend Hafiz had planned this trip for a very long time and finally got our heads together to go last Saturday. It's usually the last minute plans that works for me, I just don't know why.

Quite surprisingly, not everyone knows the existence of this island here. Which adds an air of mystery even more to this little place.

We decided to start early (what with the unpredictable weather and all), as early as 8.30am and instead of driving to Port Klang like we would to any other place, we decided to throw ourselves out there with the locals. That means, ditching the car at KL Sentral parking lot, take the KTM train to Port Klang and the speed boat from the jetty to the island.

I always believe to get the best stories, one should be a part of the society, which means taking the public transportation. Taxis, buses, trains, .. you name it. These are gold mines for great inspirations!

KTM ticket from KL Sentral to Port Klang is RM8.60 per way and it takes about an hour to reach to the last station (depending on the train speed, it's inconsistent).

Be prepared to stand because every train is usually pack with passengers. On average it's pretty cool inside, unless if the air condition is down .. that's not going to be a pleasant ride. While we were inside, I was happy to see many of the passengers were reading to kill the time. There were many printed materials on the panels for one to read too. Jokes were among the most common one you'll find in the train.

When we arrived at Port Klang, armed with very little information about our destination, we came up with a strategy - to follow this particular traveler who we assumed was also going to Pulau Ketam. Hafiz who did his research prior to this trip had mentioned that on average, there are many photographers who visit the island for some photography sessions. I guess last Saturday wasn't in their plans.

Soon as we got out of the station, we saw this building with big sign "Jeti Pulau Ketam" and immediately headed for it. Much to our chagrin, that wasn't the place we were suppose to take the speedboat/ferry to the island. We managed to ask one of the lady staff and she instructed us to walk on the other side where the actual jetty is located.

So here's how you get to the jetty from the train station:

As you walk out of the train station, turn right where you'll see an empty land with blue panels blocking the sea view. Keep walking until you'll see an opening/entrance with the ferry/speed boat sign board. Then make a left into the entrance and go straight ahead. Voila!

Apparently there are two ways to get to the island, you get to choose either a speed boat which takes 30 minutes to arrive for RM7 per way or the ferry. And the boat ride ends at 6pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays; 4pm on weekdays.

No worries as the attendants are friendly and the seats inside are comfortable. You could even watch WWE matches throughout the journey. Along the way, you'll see many fishing boats, villages and mangroves. Something you won't see while you're in the city, that's for sure.

The salty air is one that you have to get used to and when you do, in an instant the air smells like normal. So for the very sensitive nose, this one can be a challenge for you but hey, it's au-naturale. Can't beat that!

When I found out that photographers who visit this island love to take black and white photos, it just doesn't register in my mind. Why? Because everything about this island is just so colourful. It's vibrant colours from one person to the other, one house to another. So it makes more sense to capture the lively spirit in it's original state.

I knew people in this island are used to tourist going in and out of their territory but I didn't know they were as friendly and warm. The first person to talked to us was Miss Na, who was on her bike and dressed in vivid colours. She probably represented Pulau Ketam to the core.

Oh yeah, besides walking, your only other mode of transportation here is bicycle. That's RM5 per bike for rental :) But we preferred walking, just because we wanted to experience this area without missing a spot. Besides that, you might wonder if there were crabs around the island since it's named after this creature and I'm glad to say yes, they were crawling sideways everywhere on the sand. Heck, I got to see salamanders crawling too. Not too excited for that one actually. :/

I love the wind. It was breezy. It was also hot. But not as humid. Or maybe I was to stoked about being in the island for the first time? You'll be the judge of it when you get there.

If you feel like staying for the night or more, there's only one hotel called Sea Lion waiting for your presence. And it's just a short walk from the jetty. About 2-3minutes? If you're a fast walker, you could even do it under one minute :)

Only been there for a few minutes and I already loved the things I experienced. Not only was this island quaint and charming, it's full of character. You can find good food (naturally) here, that is a sure thing.

Don't forget to bring long lenses as well, you might never know when it comes handy. Actually you'll need at least two types of lenses, then you'll be satisfied with what you capture.

As we walked deeper inside, we discovered the many little things that were not around in the city anymore. Those old school junk food I used to buy when I was a kid can be found here. Such a joy! I was ecstatic to find my childhood chewing gum, Marukaw a's Fusen Gum, that still costs 10 sen per piece, fish/prawn crackers and fried ice cream :) It's like a mini food land here.

Cheap yet very good food land.

You might be surprised when you enter the island, it seem quiet and lonely but when you get to the market, you'll find the rest of the population hanging around there. I cannot stressed out how friendly these people were while we were there. It didn't feel like a Malaysian thing (sue me for saying this but I've always grown up knowing the unfriendly people) and suddenly it felt effortless to put on a smile or say hello. In fact, you can wave all you want too. Which I did and was reciprocated :) Hey, I really like it here.

If there's one thing I could say to describe Pulau Ketam is that, it's a kampung life, a much more basic (not to mention super bright) kampung life than the ones on other parts of the country. How basic is basic? I realised as we were walking along the path, many houses didn't have big furniture like sofa or coffee table. There's cabinet but I think that's one of the necessity ones. Then I wondered why and figured it's probably due to the fact that it's hard to bring it in. It could get to the jetty but the rest of the way, you're on your own carrying it in the narrow streets.

Besides these things only takes up more space and it'll only feel crowded for them. Therefore, they apply the minimalist concept, which I highly agree. For convenient sake, that is.

As we were exploring, we found a few attractions that one could never missed out on. There's a Buddhist temple and a very pretty police station with mountain bikes parking outside. It's possibly the prettiest police station we've ever seen. For the Muslim, the surau is called Balai Islam (I initially thought it was some Muslim station) when it's a community hall instead. So I learned something new.

From my observation, I find that the community here are very tight. Just about everything in this island involves the community. They were the ones painting the buddhist temple garden or have a chess club for people to play.

Now, that's one thing the city lacks and could learn from. I'm pretty sure everyone knows everybody here too.

It was so easy to be ourselves and take in the peaceful mood Pulau Ketam exuded. The docks were available for anyone to chill out and simply experience how simply life could be. That was what I learned from this trip. To simplify our life is to know what's essential and what's not. In reality, we could do so much without the things we have now but because we were so consumed with materials in this world, many a times we are blinded by it.

I love when a place I go strips down my belief to it's core and show me the importance in living. And I like it the way Pulau Ketam is; secluded, mysterious and charming all wrapped in one. I wouldn't want it any other way, and hopefully it will remain the way it is.

I thought I've seen it all while I was in Delhi with a small motor vehicle crammed with half dozen people. I didn't know we have our own version of acrobats too! ;) Amazing eh?

As we walked further inside, we were welcomed with an array of dried fish. I've not seen this one before, I mean the process. I'm so used to the after product that it didn't occur to me to know how it looks like before it was fully dried. The smell was overwhelming the first few seconds, and then eventually I got used to it.

It is a kampung life this one.

But we could only do so much walking for 3.5 hours that we needed to get something to eat. And behold, the best seafood in Selangor..well one of them. I like to believe to enjoy the best crabs, one should go to the island of crabs to be feasted :P So yes!

This chili crab is 1kg for RM40! Ours was RM48 for the extra weight. Look at that! I'm drooling as it is. Bah! For that price, you can't get it anywhere else in the city. Yeah baby!

We wanted to order deep fried battered squid and butter prawns but..we decided to devote our life to the crabs instead. And wouldn't you know it, Fish gave up 1/3 of the way. Thank god I'm a massive crabs fan (especially since I don't have my braces on anymore)..so I managed to wipe it clean for the two of us! That was some hearty meal alright. Possibly the best. It's just finger lickin' goooood.

Thankfully, we still have space for dessert and I promised that we would eat the fried ice cream before we head out back to reality. So we did!

If you grew up to Japanese comic Doraemon, you might recognise the look of the fried ice cream looking like Dorayaki. Only instead of red bean paste, it's ice cream :) It's just yummy! While walking back to the jetty, we managed to witness people unloading things from the boats.

To watch them work with smiles on the face as they sing song or make jokes was a breath of fresh air to me. I'd love to apply that to whatever I do. It shows the spirit they have and it was such a precious moment to capture.

On the way back to the train station, we found a lady selling fresh steamed corns :) Oh yes, this has always been one of my favourite street food to purchase. I grew up going to night markets for this! And now, after so many years, I finally get to relive it. Walking while indulging in the sweetness of the corn. Yeah, the perfect end to our trip indeed.

I love every minute of it.

A Medieval Fairy Tale Affair

2010-10-16T10:47:00.003+08:00

While writing for MySelangorStory for the past week like a train determined to send it's passengers from one destination to another, I felt a certain surge of aware. I was in the zone, relieving the journey I was in and rather than feeling the stress going up to my head; I was enjoying writing instead. I could say I work best under pressure, but it also has a lot to do with the fact that I was writing about my traveling experiences. It didn't feel like a chore. If anything, it was like a therapy in it's own remarkable way.

That was also why I started Wanderlust Theories earlier. To recapture the sights, sounds and touch of my journey.

MSS was like the force to continue my passion and a reminder of what I love the most.

So today, I decided to write about Ludlow, Shropshire, England. I had a few places to write about, somehow Ludlow piqued my interest to start this early morning with.

I remember having a cuppa with a cousin who's been living in London for most part of his life and when I told him about my trip to Ludlow during my Euro backpacking trip, he had this big question mark on his face; one I saw coming long time ago.

"Of all places? LUDLOW?!" was all he said.

See the thing is, I'm an easy traveler. Because I live to travel, you throw me anywhere in the world; I'm sure I'll bound to find something outstanding about it. That's how much I love traveling. I won't deny I have a romantic idea about traveling - meeting new people, learning new cultures and going out of the box but that is because that's what I have been experiencing, what I have been implementing in all my traveling.

Therefore, I held Ludlow like I held the bull's horns. I went and I had the time of my life.

Since I stayed in Tooting, London for a few days with a friend before heading over to the rest of Europe, I found out a very old friend is living nearby. Well 3 hours nearby. Puan Khalijah, or I'm more familiar with calling her as Puan K but told me to address her as Khalijah or her novelist name Iris Ixora, is a family friend since I was in diapers and was my tutor for 6 years before she went to UK to pursue her masters. I never heard anything from her after that.

Five years later, I got to know she was in Ludlow and so happened to be free while I was figuring out what else does UK has to offer.

At that point, I was bored of London (possibly because it reminded me too much of Kuala Lumpur). I needed to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Called her up, bought the next ticket at Waterloo Station to Birmingham and Shrewsbury and off to Ludlow! There's a detailed travel route to get to Ludlow here. Check it out!

To be honest, when I heard the name Ludlow, I wondered what it was about. Never heard, read or seen this place before and that was enough to convince me to go. What's a curious cat to do when it's curious? Investigate!

Meeting Khalijah (she requested me to call her by her name but after knowing her for so long, it's not a habit that's easy to be chucked away) at Ludlow Station around 4 in the afternoon, we walked to the city(a medieval one) within minutes and the entire surrounding was a 180degrees opposite of what my stay in London was. I would say it was the perfect anecdote during that time.

Ludlow is a medieval area where the buildings remained the way it was 500 years ago. The sad news was that, I had missed out on it's 500th year celebration the day before; much like how I missed the GLBT festival in London that happened the day before I had arrived. I guess lady luck wasn't on my side then. Would've made an even bigger impression to my backpacking experience with those events.

There was this weird craving I had throughout the journey. I wanted to drink soup so badly. Good homemade yummy chicken broth with fresh herbs and vegetables (most importantly celery). Just thinking about it is enough to make me drool. Slurp.

So when she asked me what I wanted her to make for dinner, I instantly requested for soup. A whole big pot of super duper yummy soup! She was surprised at first as she expected me to say along the lines of Malaysian food but the only thing I crave while I was there were soup and pasta. No idea why.

A good thing too that I could go without rice while I'm away.

We stopped at the nearest Tesco on the way back and it was pretty neat because the layout in Ludlow did felt medieval; quaint and original the way it has been. Thank god I didn't have a trolly bag to drag on the cobble stones as it would've made the journey difficult. I even managed to post some postcards to some of my friends along the way too :)

Obviously, being the biggest chocolate fan in the world, the first thing I went to check out was..the chocolate aisle. Lo and behold how cheap these yummy goodness were! I was contemplating of buying everything there (Wait till I go to Belgium..that's another story) but managed to hold myself back. The only thing I bought was probably car magazines.

So off we went to her flat. This was yet another godsend place I tell ya! Since her flat is on the first floor, the smell from the chocolate shop below us was just too tempting not to try. Heck, that particular shop even make it's own ice cream!

Sigh.

It's like a devil's place this one. I freaking swear it was. Every time I enter and exit the flat, it's all I smell. -____-

Her house was a different case altogether. See, I've known her since forever and to be able to meet her here, now in a different perspective was quite a shift for me so to speak. I was 21 and in a way, we're more friends now than just a teacher-student relationship therefore the things we talked about were relatively more matured? Then again I've always had a different relationship with her.

As you can see, a BIG bowl of Cadbury roses were laid on the table for me to see (and eat) and next to it were big bowls of strawberries and cherries. Up to that point, I've never been to a place with that many chocolates and berries waiting for people to eat! Such a brilliant idea!

Then I found out, she did it because she remembered those were my favourite. Aww, I was on cloud 9 that very moment. Couldn't stopped myself from smiling ear to ear and .. munching those delicious tidbits.

You can imagine what a big dork I was ;)

To enter this spectacular home was like entering a castle. A bathroom with jacuzzi and LCD screen? What?! I've never been pampered with something this luxurious. We finally catch up with her new life after she left Malaysia for UK. Things are definitely looking up for her since :) She deserves all the good things that's coming her way. With a new family by her side, I think it's more than she had prayed for :) Oh wait, publishing her own novels too.

I'm very much happy to see her this way.

While she was cooking the soup I was craving for (this reminds me of my younger days when she used to cook for fun with her other daughters at her old place back in KL), I wandered around the place, asking a lot of questions about Ludlow and how she was able to pick this place among other places.

So we started chatting about how she and her husband, Jeremy was charmed by Ludlow and when they went to visit the showroom(which is this very house), it simply took their breath away and he gifted her this flat as a present. I had gathered that they live in many places around the globe.

I finished the pot of soup in the end. Heh.

Ludlow being a very quaint city, I expected nothing less. We walked during the late afternoon and I got to see where her first book took place. There was this cottage house down the river and she pointed out how Ludlow has been an inspiration for her to write her book. She's an accomplished Malay writer indeed and I'm happy her dreams are finally coming true, one by one. So it was a nice personal tour this one.

Then she told Jeremy about our presence in their house and he was excited to meet us. He flew all the way from Düsseldorf the night after and came together with his son, Ben who was on the other side of England. I didn't expect such a warm welcome from her entire family and loved every moment of it too. I had a long (albeit funny) debate with Jeremy about needing visa to go around EU that night when the rest were having fun laughing at us by the fireplace. Cozy and charming, this is my seventh heaven.

During the day, the first view I get in the morning from the window was the square.

With the crystal blue sky to start my day, I couldn't imagine being in a bad mood while being here. Personally, Ludlow is like a page taken out from a fairy tale book. Really. The hill overlooking us and the panoramic view were divine. Made me want to roll myself over with a herd of sheep.

It was that captivating.

Yup, I'm a sucker for a place like this. A place for me to escape.

We walked further and went to the other side of the river, where they had boats to go around but when we were there it was closed. We ended up throwing rocks and decide who could throw the furthest. Obviously I lost. Yet another way to release myself; things I could only imagined, actually came true.

Sometimes it feels good to have some places that never change with time. A place like Ludlow. Around the world, we have cities with tallest buildings, making it feel like concrete jungle. To have something like this, mother nature in all her glory was truly a breath of fresh air. I always imagined myself walking in the woods having to grow up with Mark Twain and Hans Christensen; this was a gift I will never forget even today as I write this again. It's as if it had only happened yesterday.

So beautiful. So untouched. So calm. It's just so Ludlow.

We entered a mansion of a famous poet (I think) and as usual, it's not Dian if I didn't trip and fall. I did and I captured this in that brief moment. An accidental shot it was and it is still one of my most favourite shot of all time.

My other favourite things to do is picking up fresh flowers without a care in the world. It's so cheap, I'd buy flowers everyday! Unlike in KL, buying flowers is like a luxury. The fact that I could pick up any freshly squeezed fruit juice was another thing I love. You could drink it and know it's 100% natural juice. No doubt about it. The aroma of fresh pastries running across the pathway charmed me even more. There was this lady who made one of the nicest fruitcake I've ever tasted with homemade marmalade jam. Oh boy.

To top it off, there was this part of the hill which overlooks the entire area that Jeremy loves so much, he usually makes a point to walk into the woods and up the hill to this particular spot.

It was also by the river further down the hill where I caught this photo of this boy before he jumped around to throw rocks (apparently it's everyone's favourite past-time?)

Yeah I had a lot of fun getting to know this new old friend of mine.

By the time moon and stars came up to shine, the entire place turned silent. Everyone's getting some good quality family time indoors. So did we with indian food to fill our tummies. That was the first time I was introduced to Chicken Vindaloo. Something the Brits love I think? Outside, it was so quiet you could hear the sound of a pin falling to the ground. Infact, I could lie on the road and pretend to be the only human in the world and don't have to worry about getting hit by a truck. It's a peaceful deadly night.

The stars! Oh what remarkable creation God has made of you!

There were too many stars, I didn't even bother to count (obviously I could count stars with my fingers here). It was beyond anything I have ever witnessed before as I observed Ben capturing the night with his camera patiently while the rest took in the view like it was the best thing they've ever seen.

Later, we chilled by the fireplace, another experience into my book. There's no need for television or computer to be entertained if I have a family like them. Like any good storytellers, they shared many amazing stories, painting a picture of who they were/are. Warm and cozy does not even fit them any close.

Oh, there's this brown leather chair by the window I fell in love with, which I got to know later is Jeremy's favourite go to chair.

The people in Ludlow are an awesome bunch. I could go up to any random person and smile. Say Hello. Ask random questions. They treat you like any other local and it easily made my day everyday I was there.

At this point, the bell ringing from the church behind the flat has become my morning call. And as much as the duck feathered duvet were a calling to bed, I couldn't spend any longer knowing it was my last day in Ludlow. I woke up, got out of the room and realised no one was awake. I took the house key laid on the counter and made my way out to the market square outside. It looked festive, like they were celebrating life everyday with music, laughter and smiles.

I was as happy as clam walking down each stall, looking through at the things they were selling. Old records, food, clothes, books, more food.. and then I remembered it being my last day, I had to get something for the awesome family who had welcomed me to their home. Then I saw this really joyous lady preparing her table and I inhaled the best thing in the world - double chocolate fudge brownie cake.

Jackpot!

I bought some for everyone of course :) Guilty as charged. I couldn't help but talked to the great bake too. She was very friendly and happy when I greeted her. It took her since 4 in the morning to prepare this delicious sin. And was more than happy to share it with others. With gold in my hand, I spotted a drawing of a black kitten which reminded me a lot of Khalijah's cat she adored so much. It was done in charcoal if I'm not mistaken. With one artwork on one hand and brownie another, I could say that I was the happiest person on earth.

Then I received a text about breakfast being served.

Went up and presented my gifts to them :) It's the least I could do really.

So that was my little fairy tale story that will forever be plastered in my mind. A place I'll make a point to visit again (not to mentioned a little magical chocolate factory situated nearby in Birmingham :P). It was a great trip, despite it being a last minute one. A trip I needed to shake myself up.

Ludlow, thank you for having me around.

Think Tank Traveling Post Mortem

2010-10-08T17:16:00.003+08:00

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. - Seneca

We all love things the way it is, most likely because comfort zone gives us a certain contentment. Something like a safety net. What we tend to forget is that, comfort zone tend to make us complacent, accept things as static as the Statue of Liberty.

Even snails make a point to move, no matter how slow it takes to do so.

Change challenges ourselves to get the best of what we can do. It gives us better understanding about ourselves and build our confidence even more.

The same thing I noticed with blogs of this new era. I come from what I would like to call the dinosaur era of blogging. Back in the '00s, blogs were personal window to our souls. We make friends through blogs because we were truly connected with each other through opening up our minds and hearts. We had such a personal relationship with other bloggers to a point where we would write to each other, send packages; heck, one time an old blog friend was a victim of the Katrina Hurricane and all of us supported each other by doing whatever we could to help. We were like a family in our own world. At times, they know more than we tend to let out to others in our lives.

That was what blogs has meant to me. A personal experience, a personal life I've built with strangers.

While participating in the MySelangorStory, it opened up my eyes to accept how different the blog world has become today. It's so different, I felt like an alien. Despite blogging for 7 years, what blogs of those days and today talk about are so varied, it's like being in another lifetime.

Whenever I meet blog friends of mine, we'd catch up about each other like any normal friends would. Bloggers of today talk about which event to attend, what competition makes good write up or how ads help increase income. Of course all these are good but I just felt so..out of place I guess?

Being paid to blog was unheard off then, now; so many are such, to a point I felt like blogging is an extension to advertising. Well, in a way it is.

So it was an eye opening experience indeed to learn about what blog about today or how they got to know each other. :)

One thing's for sure, I still want to keep that personal feeling intact in anything I do. That way, it feels genuine and a ticket to be connected with other . Losing this part of me will only make me be like a robot. It didn't matter what my blog idea is about, at the end of the day, you'll be able to intercept bits and pieces of me in every entry I write.

The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.
- G.K. Chesterton

Physics of Lens

2010-10-07T14:16:00.002+08:00

Pentax/DSC World had been so generous to lend us their cameras throughout the MySelangorStory tour and it's only right that I'd do a write up on the Optio P80 from my point of view.

To me this camera is perfect for those who wants a camera just to take photos. The same people who doesn't bother about having a state-of-the-art newly released cameras. So Optio P80 is really for the fuss free people :) Besides, that's what point and shoot/compact camera is all about. Letting the camera do the job for you rather than the other way around.

However, the photos tend to be noisy when there's no sufficient light to feed the lens. Image quality is alright in it's category. Of course, the higher end models are far better. I have no complains for the lens, it's sharpness is fairly good.

It does have some cool settings that you need to experiment with like half-length portrait mode (you see this sort of style during the coming out of Facebook era), panoramic and wide angle modes which automatically stitches the photos together. There is this smile detection mode that I find interesting. It captures the photo the moment the camera recognises the smiles. Which is great on some level but I also realise, all of us smile differently and this mode only detects a certain way, I think it has to do with the way the eyes and lips moves up as one smiles. So it's not an ideal mode if you're in a rush.

With good lighting, I find it easy to use the 12x optical zoom but when the light starts to go dimmer, it struggles to focus but can do wonders in the club/brightly lit atmosphere.

Above all, I was impressed with Optio P80 HD video recording. Because it's sets in high definition, it takes only 4:40 minutes worth of video in 1GB memory card. This changes drastically when you set the resolution lower. Not one to really use the video mode, I actually thought this was a good feature to use when the need arises :)

What I like the most about Optio P80 is the slim design. It fits in my pocket easily during my night outing that I don't have to worry about carrying it anywhere I go :) So that's a definite thumbs up from the person who lunges her DSLR everywhere she goes.

I think this quote describes Pentax Optio P80 very well :)

For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it. - Ivan Panin

The Beginning

2010-10-06T15:36:00.004+08:00

The Future may seem terrifying if we are to ponder it right now. It is less intimidating when we make the most of the present and embrace the future for whatever it is. People tend to worry about the past and future. They rarely think about being in the moment.

The future belongs to God, and it is only he who reveals it, under extraordinary circumstances. - The Alchemist

What happened in the past 6 days has been the result of that. Of living in the moment, freeing myself from any ridiculous expectations of how people should be, what the places are like or why we do things a certain way. The future to this is up in the air and to be honest, I forgot it was a competition from day one. All we did was enjoying ourselves, opening our minds and hearts to new things, experience the dream we never thought of and laughed because that's how we were feeling.

If it's any consolation, the entire MySelangorStory trip itself is like a grand prize on it's own. One you'll have rare opportunity to have again. So, whatever I wrote in my previous entries were purely how I felt not because it was competition and I had to do it. Instead, it was my way of giving back to others and hope it keeps spreading around. That way everyone will be able to have their own version of MySelangorStory.

Since Amelia extended a little bit of time for all of us to finish up our posts, I had some time to experiment with iMovie after 6 years of not touching after college ended. Indeed, I had to go through the tutorials to learn how to make one. Ah, the noob in me has finally emerged again.

I used the theme from iMovie thinking it fits with the look I've been achieving and I must admit, it is cheating so it's ok that I don't qualify for a video category :) I had a blast going out of my comfort zone making it for fun anyway.

I tried (and failed miserably) at keeping the video under 3 minutes. This one lasts 3:18 minutes instead. Ok so this is the result of a noob's work. You're welcome to laugh XD

Day 6 actually ended after our dinner in Haven because the morning after, everyone didn't get to say goodbye to each other as one was sound asleep *stares at Victor* or have an early flight to catch like Alid, Kemal and Citra. Followed by Chia Li, KK, Fadli and Sy. Others were either hitching rides from their family, friends or Tourism Selangor's crew. So there wasn't much to report except for feeling somewhat sad for MSS to end.

Oh, Chia Li stayed up late making origami stars (I used to love collecting when I was a kid) with a message inside. That was really sweet of her, this roommate of mine :)

Quite the eccentric bunch we all were during this tour. A giant family moving about together. One that will be told for many many many years to come I'm sure.

Somehow, I feel this trip is only the beginning to something more.

And it would've have been what it was without Tourism Selangor, Amelia, and the many sponsors who supported us throughout this journey. Everyone deserves a bigggggggggggg hug :)

Voice out, I'm all about sharing thoughts and if this deserves a vote - simply click MySelangorStory/TheBeginning.

Guten Nacht

2010-10-06T10:22:00.004+08:00

It's been said too often that where there's a beginning there is an end. I like to think only this chapter has ended and new one is in the works. For some of us, this is like an adventure of a lifetime, others an opportunity to mingle. For whatever reasons it may be, I don't think it could have been done any better.

Ok, that part probably can do without the worst jam in Klang Valley - Taman Tar's traffic jam.

If you must go to this area during peak hours, I advise you to study the alternatives to avoid this mindless traffic jam. If possible, avoid at all cost; especially during Ramadhan.

We were late by 1.5 hours stuck in the jam and headed for the wrong destination. All is well after because as we reached at the lower end of Ampang's lookout point, we were told to make a run and take whichever car to Haven. (Hehe, I like how that sounded)

This particular part, with heavy rain to add, made the whole scene looked like it came from Amazing Race. Just a little bit of thrill to wake our tummies up :)

Yup, you got it right. Our final destination for the grand dinner was at the top of Ampang's Lookout point. The one place where I find solace in at night if there's a need to get away from the city's rush. And also to indulge in the food stalls by the brink of the lookout point.

Despite the many times I've been up here, this was my first time to go to Haven Restaurant. After all, there's always a first for everything right?

The moment we arrived at the entrance, we were embraced by all of Haven's staff! There were photographers taking our pictures too! To this fifth day, I've yet to get used to this sort of treatment.

As we walked further inside, we saw this hanging on the building across us. We were also taken away by their preparations for this Grand Dinner that we were late for. We felt really guilty for holding them back because we were told Haven closes at 10pm.

We arrived at 9pm.

Nonetheless, they were all smiling and receiving us warmly. We signed our name on the guest book and were given (our 6th) goodie bag! This must be what those celebrities go for when there's events around eh?

We came here because of the view too!

I don't think we could asked for more with our seating arrangements strategically facing the city skyline. Even if you're not in a good mood, you won't be for long when you lay your eyes on this majestic view :)

I think there was a good reason why we were late. Had we arrived as scheduled, we would be basking in the coldness of the heavy downpour and would not be able to see the skyline at all.

As part of this grand dinner, Encik Anantharaj Appanan, the Managing Partner for Haven Restaurant gave a welcome speech to all of us. Hey, it was a pretty nice feeling to know that people around have recognised the power of blogging (although where I come from, it's called the dinosaur blog era). It was really good, being here with everyone.

When we arrived, we were given a menu to choose our main course. The entire list sounded so delicious, it made me indecisive for a moment. Not to forget, a long list of drinks to choose from too!

After we ordered our main course, we headed to the buffet appetizer and desserts. When you know there's Lobster Thermidor waiting for you to feast on, you'll do whatever it takes to not delay it. Otherwise, there won't be any left for you.

Ah lobstaaahhh.. how I love you so very much :)

The very dish many who are close to me know I'll go crazy for.

Just as we were picking out the various appetizers on the table, Haven's waiters served our main course as well. So what does this mean? Full speed ahead when eating! My chicken chop was super yummy, that portion alone took me a while to finish. I can't imagine what I'll be like if I had ordered the ribs!

I think even Kings won't be able to finish this! Just look at the portion. It's an amazing race on it's own. Why? Because Sy, Max, Thristhan and Dylan who were sitting on our table decided to have a ribs battle among themselves. You should see how the battle started! Now this is what I call food fest! Heck, Dylan and Thristhan even went for second helping of the ribs. It must have been finger lickin' good for them to feed themselves more even though they were already full.

We were also entertained by One Night Service solo Razlan Saharuddin, Kak Ning, Hafiz and Wen Yi (I didn't get to take your photo!) throughout the night. The best part was when Kak Ning took the mic and took control of her audience. Even Haven stopped in their tracks and listened to her tongue-in-cheek comments. She should be an emcee on the side too.

We laughed, we sang, we smiled, we cheered, we took (a lot of) photos and we celebrated.

Haven couldn't have been any more sporting than to wait for the dinner to end towards midnight. Kudos for that!

We were very fortunate throughout this journey to be able to enjoy what we normally wouldn't have stumbled upon. And here we were, making memories that will forever be embedded in our minds.

Oh, there were more goodies for us to bring home before we left Haven - mooncake by Casahana and an umbrella from Haven :) More reason to hit any strangers who tries to do anything fishy. Hehe. Not to mentioned the vouchers Haven sponsored for the 10 of us too! I'm sure this is not the last time we'll be here.

That night, I think none of us wanted the night to end. We lingered on the deck for so long hoping time would move slower than usual. Alas, everyone will have to go back to reality the day after. Starting with Alid's super early flight. He had to leave us all at 6 AM and we didn't get to say proper goodbye.

The many times I've been to the lookout point, it has always given me good memories. It started of as one and this grand dinner will only add one more into the collection.

It was a very merry MySelangorStory Monday for all of us.

Oh! Before I forget, I'd like to thank Tourism Selangor crew for driving us up and down that night! The things they did for us :) Everyone's just awesome! Wee.

So Day 6 is coming by fast. Let's see how I manage to conclude the week with one single post :)

I would love to hear what you have to say or if you like this post enough to vote it, head over to MySelangorStory/GutenNacht.

Devil May Care

2010-10-05T17:47:00.003+08:00

Secretly, I think MySelangorStory is trying to convert us all into food bloggers. The amount of food we ate.. even kings don't eat this much. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, dinner and supper. Although, it is a good thing to eat 6 times a day as it burns more calories...(granted) if we eat moderately. Looking at the rate we were going.. moderate was a little bit further behind, I think.

Then again a schedule like Day 5, we probably needed all the energy so right after our "break" at Tropicana Medical Centre, we went to Frames, a concept restaurant outside Sunway Pyramid. There were a lot of trendy bars/restaurants and clubs around this area that I didn't know. Some are very interesting but because it's "trendy" therefore in a couple years down the road, it'll be yesterday's trend instead.

This Frames restaurant has an interesting concept. Like the name itself, the walls were decorated with multiple frame with photos (assuming they were all taken by different people). That was really nice actually.

It's got this contemporary minimal design theme going along the place with a dash of victorian-esque feel to it. One theme you'll see used by fashion boutiques around the city. It's just one of those "in" thing at the moment.

The thing is about trends, it comes and goes. Following a trend is something I don't really like. However, we live in a world where trend is taken seriously. I like to think that if you create a timeless idea, you'll be assured to never be forgotten. And not be used too often by others too.

Frames is a place I'll recommend for the camwhores. Because of it's decor, it makes such beautiful photos for people who love to take photos. That's the ticket to get people to come :)

The way the menu was presented on the table makes it feel somewhat like being in a wedding, a little dainty touch which is something different from the other restaurants. A nice presentation, I must say. It's a very design-y place. Would be a great attraction to those in the 18-35 years old group of people.

We had to choose among the many ala carte dishes to eat for lunch. After seeing Spectre's dory, I think that was one of the good choices. My spaghetti pomodoro sauce was a little too thick to digest. Tomato base pasta is usually lighter and easier to eat if you were to compare it with cream base but this was close to the creamy side. A little bit sad that I couldn't finished it. Maybe I'll come and try the grilled dory next time :)

After our heavy lunch, we were given with an all day all parks pass to Sunway Lagoon. Considering half the day had passed by, we only had a few more hours to spend in the theme park. This theme park is actually pretty huge, much much much bigger than the few times I've visited before. So it takes at least a day to cover the entire place.

This all parks pass is worth RM100 excluding RM10 deposit for the wristband(which we only found out when we read the fine prints at the back of the ticket) and a few other rides in the Xtreme Park. You'll get a discounted rate if you have your MyKad with you. If you would like to rent a locker, it's RM5.

Now that we're covered with the ground rules, we didn't want to waste anymore time not using this pass to the maximum.

Don't forget to apply sunblock cream on your skin. Even though Malaysia's weather is unpredictable at times, I would advised you to use it anyway.

Thank god for Denise who brought her sunblock along in her backpack. Although I got tanned after the Sunway Lagoon escapade, I would've been darker without it :) The first ride we all went together was the Grand Canyon River Rapids. A ride I've been dying to go for ages and I finally got to do it!

We then went to this giant slide thing that my heart insisted in taking a plunge out of my chest while sitting on the float. Sorry Nicole for causing your back to hurt :/ God that was really scary. Super duper scary 90 degress down the slope! Holy mother of all crazy rides.

Since I've already established myself regarding not being the fun-est person on earth when it comes to theme parks, I immediately took the liberty to take care of other people's belongings while they go for the other mad rides and horror house.

They even went to this ride that went 360 degrees. Crap.

They are truly the daredevils living among us. I must salute Wen Yi for her tenacity to brainwash me so that I'll go for the rides but she too gave up in the end :) I like watching people. So I don't mind standing on the side :)

This is just beyond madness. I may be crazy but not crazy enough to go to all these rides. Haha! Yes call me chicken or as Alid would say "Fried Chicken", it's allllll goooooood baby.

Crossing the world's longest suspension bridge wasn't as frightening as I thought it would be. I manage to walk and look down at ease. Canopy bridge is a whole different story! I don't even know how I got to walk all the way from the lowest level right up to the top alive.

On the suspension bridge is where people can do bungee jumping. Err, excuse me, what?! On the suspension bridge? Right. Okaaay.

Tian Chad went for it and even at his size, as he dived downwards, his head dipped into the pool. A little bit scary that one. If you really want to go for bungee jump, please head over to New Zealand instead. There used to be one in Menara Kuala Lumpur but not anymore. This is one of the rides you have to pay, RM50 with MyKad. Well, at least it comes with a certificate :)

Flying fox looked cool. That is, if you're willing to wait for 2 hours queuing up.

There's the reverse bungee but it didn't looked as extreme as the one I went at Menara KL. A tamer version but still not for the faint of heart ok? It's an awesome ride nonetheless! I had fun being in it. Thrown off to the sky in a ball :) Crazy crazy.

We then decided to queue for the All Terrain Vehicle(ATV) and archery. Both are free to try with our passes. I'm aware that the ATV in Sunway Lagoon is nothing like the real ATV experience in the jungle but because it's ATV, I'm all game for it. Like the name itself, it's called ATV Scenic trail so you'll be able to go around the park on a quad bike.

When it was our turn to ride it. I noticed the guide who rode with us only told us the stop/start button and breaks. And not to place our legs close to the engine. Then we're off. Mid way going through the red earth trail, Alid wasn't able to control his bike and hit the divider.

THIS WAS WHEN I GOT PISSED.

Not at Alid. But at the management of Sunway Lagoon.

Thankfully when Alid lost control of his bike, he was opposite me, so I was aware of the situation. Why would I be losing my mind over some little thing? Because.. those who hasn't ride an ATV before will have this natural instinct to stop the vehicle by placing their foot out. WHICH IS A DEFINITE NO NO.

Any qualified instructor for ATV knows this for safety reasons.

I quickly asked him to lift his foot off, didn't want his foot to get injured by the tyres or worst the hot engine. All the guide in front of me did was just look for a moment and then told him to steer it the right way. Things like this wouldn't have happened had we were briefed properly you know.

Nevermind that.

After the ride was over, I saw Spectre walking uncomfortably. He told me his back heel hit the tyre when he tried to stop the bike with his foot.

HMMMMMMMMMMM.......

I rode an ATV along with my other 3 friends in Kemensah, in the jungle with mud, in the rain, on a steep hill with massive holes inbetween for 2 hours and none of us came back with injuries or had accidents. Some of us got stuck in the mud but that's a given. And this is because the people who run the ATV Adventure Park are all professionals and stressed the importance of safety before/during/after we got on the bike.

Honestly, nobody wants something bad to happen to them so the only way is for everyone to play their roles. Then if anything did happen after that, it's just meant to be.

Later, Some of us decided to go on the trampoline. It looked fun. And it was fun for the first few minutes. It's one of the activities that challenges your stamina (with the harness on that is). Because there were 3 of us on the trampoline and only 2 employees working, one of us had to be suspended because they couldn't manage 3 people at the same time.

This was when I started to feel the pain creeping from the harness. As they tried to shuffle between the 3 of us, someone else was left behind. So it wasn't fun anymore. Max even got stuck in the middle as the 2 employees were arguing in front of him and left him suspended on his own.

Now I can understand why Sunway Lagoon injury stories comes up more often than any other theme parks. Their own management were not even focusing at what their doing. No, actually they weren't even doing their job. Go figure why there's death stories happened in this theme park before.

Sure, Sunway Lagoon is not responsible for any injuries or death happened to the visitors but such a thing wouldn't happened IF their own employees were hands on with what they are suppose to do.

It's easy for us to spend our money for entertainment, especially with the kind of "facilities" Sunway offers but seriously, with this kind of treatment, I wouldn't want to spend any more money here.

I do hope the management will take this issue seriously. I believe it would do wonders to everyone on their side and their visitors :) I'm sure the rides were really fun but safety is very crucial when running a big place like this.

With so little time left, we all rushed to the hotel to get ready for our Grand Dinner. I'm not kidding when I wrote Grand. Hello, Lobster Thermidor for appetizer yo!

My last post for Day 5 Part 3 will be dedicated to our awesome sponsor at..... oh you have to wait for the next post for that ;)

If you agree, disagree or feel indifferent, come share your views with me :) I'd love to hear them. And if you think this deserves a vote, click MySelangorStory Day 5.

The Medicalis

2010-10-05T11:15:00.007+08:00

When I woke up on Day 5, reality hit hard. I couldn't believe 4 days have gone by so fast and we're leaving the day after. Good thing that reality came and went in a minute or two, I was back on this reality right away the moment I recognized the hotel decors.

"At least we've still got one more day out of MySelangorStory." I psyched myself.

This buddy system thing MSS had been applying throughout our stay is a good rule whereby whoever we share a room with, we're responsible for each other. We're suppose to know where our roommate is if one is not around. That way no one gets lost for no reason alone. Despite many times Chia Li had told me that I could go for breakfast first before she gets ready, I was adamant not to. What if Amelia asks of her and she's not there, I'll be sure to get some drilling. Also, if ever we couldn't find the rest, we've got someone else with us to figure it out.

I highly approve of this system indeed!

Like many times before (especially during fasting month), my tummy has it's own schedule to eat. When this message is transmitted to my brain, I automatically didn't take any photos of our buffet breakfast at Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel. I managed to shove nasi lemak into my mouth knowing how grueling our itinerary for the day would be.

After breakfast, we're all set to go to the hospital. No, no one's hurt or sick. This is one trip I underestimated since the day we were made aware of it.

This is Tropicana Medical Centre (TMC). It is situated in Kota Damansara, a place I often visit for IKEA's meatballs, meet clients or friends. I never thought I'd stepped foot in this building. Then again, it's a good thing I didn't have any expectations for this visit. That way, I'm able to absorb and enjoy what they can offer us. Settle!

Going a day without warm greetings by people is a death wish. When we were greeted by TMC staff, all joy and happy to see us - it made the start of my day from nothing to Woohoo! Oh c'mon, if someone greets you sincerely, you would of course be just as elated as the next person too. Kudos TMC for rewriting hospital experiences for all of us even before we were briefed. :)

We were attended by TMC Management at the entrance, it's like a field trip but with a touch of VIP-ness to it too :) We were taken (even demonstrated) to many of their facility rooms like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner, Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner, Digital Mammography, Imagining Room (where Flouroscopy machine is seated) and even Sinar X room.

As much as I love to capture the photos of each and every machine they have, I was too busy figuring out what is where. There's simply too many medical terms to remember and understand, I just had to put my camera down; chose to concentrate to what TMC staff was explaining.

It did felt a little bit like being in the Crime Scene Investigation scene.

When we were brought to see how the machines functioned, it opened my eyes to know how hi-tech TMC has been. Their state-of-the-art machines only speaks half of what TMC offers.

They even brought us to the Physiotherapy Center for kids and adults. The parquet tiles they used for this entire section is very similar to what I have in my house, the only difference is - they applied a special coating on the surface to protect their patients from falling down or suffer injuries if they do fall. Indeed, it shows how meticulous they were when they build this hospital. From a visitor's point of view, it looks more like a gym than a physio room. Cool eh?

I remember drawing Mickey Mouse & Goofy as a thank you message to my doctor after my first surgery when I was younger and he pasted it on his message board at the waiting room. I would looked at all the messages/drawings that was pinned there. Somehow it gives a certain comfort while you're waiting.

When I saw this thank you note on the glass door, it put a smile on my face. A small gesture is never too small to give an impact to others.

In case you were curious, that's how Brandon Lee looks like. Next to him is Mr. Alan Chin, TMC's Marketing Manager who were so patient in answering my 1001 questions -______-

We also managed to make a trip to the Fertility Room. Most famous visit among all. Since we were divided into two groups, and I was with a bunch of curious cats, our tour lasted way longer compared to the other group. I'm not complaining, because I learned so much as everyone asked questions.

We even managed to go into the labs at the semen collection room, intensive care unit (ICU) room, delivery room, as well as the one and only - viewing room.

What's this viewing room about? It is where some very qualified doctors play god. It is the room where In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is performed. I used to read this from science textbooks. Now that I'm able to be present where it takes place, it gives that much more impact.

You know what would be perfect with this field trip? All schools should make a point to do the same. Our education system has been known to be full of flaws and students shouldn't be confined in the classroom and books to learn something. They should go out, be curious and see things.

That and at least it knocks some senses in their head about what reality, responsibilities and consequences are about.

Yes! This would be the perfect visit. At least for the 16-17 years old.

Each doctor in the Fertility room has a featured wall and therein photos of every baby they had help. Got me wondered how do they remember so many babies but when you've touched so many people's lives, you will somehow manage to remember each single one of them.

I didn't know TMC is the leading fertility centre. With so many articles and success rates, this is something Malaysia should be proud of :) Hello, you can give birth to twins with 18 months separated in between. That's.. almost unheard of until that very day. This world..it's moving so fast, or I'm just not on the same page. Hmm.

Their suites are very comfortable. Being the kid that I am, I love their kid's suites for it's cartoon murals. It just brightens up the room. Their room rates is stated here and with the kind of facility they offer, I think their rates are affordable. It's bigger, newer, cleaner and more comfortable than many other similarly reputable hospitals close to it's rank.

The best part is, TMC really wants to rewrite every patient's experience being in a hospital. Their suites are enough to justify that.

As we waited in the International Patient Centre, I found a leaflet regarding the classes and workshops they offer for expecting parents like Ante Natal Class, Parent Craft Programme and many others for a very affordable price. Had I not found this leaflet lying on the table, I wouldn't have known about it. See, there are many of us who are not aware what classes like this are able to help parents to expect after a baby is born. Those who do also knows that such classes are expensive to join as they'd charge you per session.

So this is definitely a blessing for all parents, one TMC should promote everywhere. I would know because I've got a friend who was interested but wasn't able to commit to the price outside, and a few others who went and praised about it.

For instance, the Parent Craft Programmed has 2 sessions, first session is about the development of foetus, understanding the stages of labour, the miracle of stem cells and baby immunisation. Second session comprises of nutrition in pregnancy, pre and post natal exercise, breast feeding and care of newborn. This package only costs RM140 per couple for both sessions. Tell me this is not the best news ever? :)

I'm very glad that TMC really placed people's needs as their utmost priority, even if they're not (yet) a registered patient of TMC. Small steps like these would most definitely woo them in :) Hey, they won my heart like many other thousands of hearts out there too.

We were served with refreshments(more food!) before we left this incredible hospital.

Amelia then announced of TMC's new plan; to publish their own medical blog which is A GREAT NEWS. They should spread the greatness to others.They should and they must. I hope they'll go all out in advertising their services because I couldn't imagine the amount of good deeds they'll able to do with people.

Trivial fact of the day, the world medical derived from Latin medicalis/medicus for physician.

It's only 1/3 of the day, and I've been made aware about the science of medicine. It's a tourism on it's own, one I just found out too.

See, not expecting anything is a good thing indeed. I wouldn't be as excited as this if I had expectations.

Well done Tropicana Medical Centre. You rock.

There's still 2/3 of the day to go and I assure you, it's a ride not to be missed. ;) So stay tuned!

All thoughts are welcome here. It's evident by the way I write that I love to communicate. Sooo..feel free to do so :) And if you think this entry deserves a vote, it's been awesome to go to MySelangorStory/TheMedicalis :) Grazie mille!

Concrete Desert

2010-10-04T16:36:00.006+08:00

There are many things in life we forget as we grow older, more technologically advance and intense surrounding like fresh air.

As the day goes by, each waking day is better than the day before. I remember the morning after Day 1, everyone looked like zombies. When we woke up the day after, we looked a lot more fresh. Waking up at Kak Ani's house got me feeling a lot more fresh. What's the conclusion to all that? We're breathing fresh air from Genting Highlands and now Sabak Bernam.

It only makes a difference when you have experienced it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Most of the time, I only bathed with hot water as I can't stand cold. When I've been in a place without heater, I'll make do with whatever I was given. Better than nothing at all right?

So when we stayed at Kak Ani's, it's understood that the water would be cold yet for some odd reason it wasn't as cold as I thought it was. Which is a good thing on my end :) There is one thing I was very thankful during this stay - no frogs lurking in the bathroom!

After all this is a good kampung life, and like many other kampung areas, these creatures are bound to be around somehow... a memory that I will never forget when I wake up in the morning during my younger days at my dad's kampung, only to find a frog standing at the corner(every single time); staring as I consciously refreshed myself. It's just one of the things that comes with such a life. One I am very terrified of too. :/

Kak Ani's home is by no means made of wooden structure, her house and many around this area are what I like to call the "new kampung". Instead of wood, it's made of bricks. Nonetheless, it still feels just as homey. To make this trip even sweeter, we wake up to the paddy field view!

We needed to get ready and be at the meeting area by 9AM. We managed to eat our ketupat and rendang for breakfast :) Well, Malaysians do celebrate raya for a month anyway. So why not? Unfortunately, my tummy is not used to super early breakfast but I managed to eat some anyway. Here the Malay custom would be to at least have a bite of the food that was served by the host as a sign of respect. Saying no too often offends many of them.

There is this saying that goes "Rezeki tidak baik ditolak" which translates something along the lines of sustenance or luck should not be refused. Anyone's got a better translation for that do let me know :)

When we got to the meeting point, we had to transfer our bags into the bus; just as Kak Ning and I were doing so, we saw an abandoned kite lying on the ground. She quickly picked it up; examined the structure and tested it out. She squealed in delight knowing the fact that it could still fly at that very moment.

It was as if the kite had found the kid hidden in her when she ran along the street, guiding the kite in the air at the same time grabbing our attention. My last kite experience was probably when I was 5 years old, and that was a plastic kite. This particular one was what I suspected, a homemade kite. There aren't many materials you need to make one. Like the kite Kak Ning tried out was made of brown paper, strings and a few sticks to form the structure.

I realised, I've yet to write about our amazing tour guide - Kak Ning. This extraordinary woman here speaks so many languages. Among them are dutch, german, javanese, mandarin, japanese, some tamil/hindi and she is currently learning arabic as well. That's only the surface of it. If there's anyone in this world who should have a blog (aside from cab drivers), it'd be her! I swear, she will never ever in her life run out of stories to share and tell. Heck, she could write a book if she wanted to! I'd definitely buy it.

If I have to describe her with a sentence, it would be - she's so full of life. That's our storyteller.

Alid on the other hand easily fit in with the locals. He brought smiles to everyone in an instant. Think I'm exaggerating? Pictures don't lie. It helps that he is from Java and speaks their second language. So there's no need to break the ice for him.

After going around the city and Selangor, I noticed that the friendly Malaysians are the ones who aren't bothered with the material things in this world. So it's much harder to say hello to locals in Kuala Lumpur when they are so distracted with their own life as compared to those who just enjoy life for what it is. I've discovered that KLites are easier to approach outside of the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur. The same thing can be applied to those in Selangor too.

Which is sad really.

Another few more hours passes by and we finally made it to our last destination. Sunway is like .. I don't know how to put it. It's pretty well known for it's ice skating rink (which I still love to go once in a while) and it's very own theme park. That and the many universities surrounding this area. Of course, the most iconic thing about Sunway is it's (faux) Pyramid and Sphinx. Till today, I've yet to know why. Kinda feels like Las Vegas a little bit.

Anyway, so we arrived at our hotel, Sunway Pyramid Tower Hotel; the hotel we only found out we were suppose to stay instead of the one printed on our itinerary, Sunway Resort & Spa. Just when we were all looking forward to the spa part. There were some minor glitch that hold our arrival, like the bus was stopped half way at the lobby for some ungodly reason or that we had to dumped our bags outside the door because there were no bellboys to help. A little bit strange but we're all fine. Too much pampering is not good anyway right? We carried our bags in and waited for a while until we were given our room keys by Mr. Hafeez.

Oh I forgot to mentioned, as the days go by, our bags were stuffed with things. Not the ones we brought or bought but goodies we were given by our sponsors everyday :) I'm sure if there were anymore of it, our bags would've exploded! The bags were getting heavier and bigger like monsters.

My roomie for the next 2 days was Chia Li! This girl has very long black straight hair. One I envy very much. When she sleeps. I couldn't tell if she was on her left or right... because her face was covered by her hair! Hehe. Not really a sight you'd want to wake up to in the middle of the morning and get scared off :P Still she rocks! A very sweet girl indeed.

As soon as we checked in and left our bags in our rooms, we were instructed to go to Mantra for lunch. An indian lunch sounds just as appetizing as any other because we Malaysians eat almost anything as long as it's good.

Due to some more glitches with Sunway City Berhad (who's our other sponsor), our itinerary had to be shuffled. Instead of going to the theme park after lunch, we were told that our passes will only be given the day after. So what does this means? After lunch onwards... it's free and easy baby! Albeit Monday will be a very hectic schedule for us since we had to squeeze the theme park in. Oh boy.

Some of us wandered in Sunway Pyramid shopping mall and a few went back to their rooms and kicked back or like Kemal, Sy and Victor, they camped inside Starbucks to hog the internet :P . Amelia and I headed to Starbucks for some downtime. This is something I usually do when I needed to clear my mind. That and before this trip, I was craving for Chocolate Chip Frappucino but didn't get around to do it.

So this was something I was on board for :D Hello CC Frap with chips!

It was a good thing to have some space not doing anything other than chilling for a short while. Just a little bit. Not too much. I'd like to call it an hour(or so) to reflect on everything in life. When you're on the move so much, you need at least this sort of moment to just relax and look back. Otherwise, there's no way you'll be enjoying what you're doing.

That's how I would conclude my coffee with Amelia. Made me realised about a lot of things. Thanks Amelia!

Then I went to visit Kak Zara & Denise's room. I realised although we all are bunked on the same floor, each and everyone of our room sizes varied. Like a lot. Theirs were very spacious indeed! Mine and Chia Li were alright. We didn't really mind the view (of the Pyramid wall) because we're hardly in the room anyway.

After hours of time to ourselves, we walked to Sunway Resort & Spa for a buffet dinner at Sun and Surf. This buffet, according to Sy cost RM78 (not sure if there's the +nett bit) with plain water to boot.

Being the food monsters that we all are, we headed straight to the buffet and gorged ourselves with soup, salad, bread/pita, roast chicken, sushi, rice, satay and god knows what. There were really a lot of food. One I try not to overload myself with. Wouldn't want to feel like a Michelin going back to the room later.

That is until.. I saw the desserts. No wait, that was the first thing I saw actually ;)

Looked at Spectre, by round 2, he was already leaning his back on the chair. I like to call this pose, the (very) satisfied king. He was a goner for the rest of the rounds.

However, there's one other person who is the opposite. I present you, the comical Victor.

During this time when I took this picture, I haven't indulged myself in the desserts. So he took the liberty to show me what I was about to miss. That ... fella. I couldn't even put a straight face when I tried to take this photo! Just look at the chocolate sauce dripping in his bowl. Tsk tsk.

Tempted by the force of eveeeellll..I took a hold of mine!

Unlike others, I prefer mine strictly marshmallows and strawberries because these are the only two most sinful combination that goes well with chocolate. It's been my childhood favourite this one. Now that I was given the opportunity to eat all I want ... bon voyage everyone!

However, there's one slight problem to this perfect story..Sy found a few strands of hair on the marshmallows at the buffet counter. Thank god I took these marshmallows from the other side. Phewh. He's got the whole run down of the story here. I hope Sunway City Berhad will be more aware about the happenings in their buildings even though it's managed by other people. It'd be ashame to have what big reputation they have go down the drain for something like this.

Because guys have bigger appetite than girls, it's only natural that I see a plate of oysters (after many plates of other things plus desserts) placed on our table. This is Thristhan and Victor's battle. One only Sy, Spectre and I could watch as spectators. This was when Victor was taught how to eat oysters (there are many ways). After that, he went to take another plate of it for himself.

Oyster is best served cold, raw and with lemon. A dish not everyone would like tho.

After our stomachs are filled with God's creations, we were allowed to wander on our own again.

And like many curious beings, we decided to walk around and see what Selangor has to offer for nightlife.

For the first time we got the Tourism Selangor guys to explore with us. Johan and Hafiz(yes the one who fed the monkeys). We had fun watching people performing, singing and dancing. It was time well spent indeed!

Amelia(the backbone to MSS trip) was with us too and I thought this photo which was taken with Alid's camera looked pretty darn cool. At least we know what Pentax Optio WS80 can do by accident :)

And this was also when Alid introduced us all to his dance moves...

I think he called it the ~~"Duck Dance"~~ ~~Victor corrected me and said it's some finger-piano-playing dance~~. Alid, care to verify this? It really was called the "Duck Dance". Not sure where he got inspired from. Perhaps one of the many Hindi movies he was watching during the morning? See, I think among all the pairs Amelia's made, this one - Victor and Alid has got to be the best match ever. Their both quirky, most definitely fun and animated.. not to mentioned, love Hindi movies too. So I'd say kudos Amelia! *These photos were also taken by Alid with Optio WS80 because my P80 died half way :/ Thank you Alid!* Mind you none of us were drinking either and we were definitely having fun.

One of the other dance we did was inspired from this group of people who were doing it :) Managed to record this, thanks to Alid's Optio WS80 :) Phewh! Thank god for his camera because the rest didn't have it with them.

In a nutshell, I think we certainly made the most of our night here because we only have one more night to go before we say au revoir to everyone.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and if you like it enough to vote, head over to MySelangorStory/ConcreteDesert :)

The Light Root

2010-10-03T12:26:00.004+08:00

Motion sickness is a very uncool thing to have when traveling. It is the enemy to any traveler!! Having said that, it's pretty obvious I was one of them. So how did I combat that devil while going through another 3 hours to Sabak Bernam?

Sleep. (Prays to God no one took picture of me sleeping in the bus)

I had to force myself to sleep, which is unfortunate because Gilbert, our resident driver drove along the coastal road (that explains the extra long hours journey) and I missed out on the many paddy fields scenery throughout the journey.

Pfft.

So anyway, when we finally arrived at Sabak Bernam .. we were dropped off at the Dorani Home Stay. The event I was patiently waiting for because home stay being home stay, it means all of us will have to stay with our foster families!

Secretly, I was also waiting for this moment because with the kind of treatment we had given by Resorts World Genting, I wouldn't know how some of them would react to this. Wanna know why? We're literally put in the middle of a kampung (village) area so far out from the city, our only option is to adapt.

Oh yes, I was soooooo looking forward to this stay indeed!

It has been like what? A decade I believe since my last visit to this place (or was it Kuala Selangor?).. one day my dad drove us to a place similar to this during raya to visit someone. I couldn't recall who or where but I knew it was in Selangor and the house was built around the paddy fields. Imagine the look on my face at that time when I saw the long lushes green paddy fields. Wished I took a picture of that.

Anyway, back to MySelangorStory..

as we got down the bus, we were welcomed with kompang and bunga manggar. Now, this particular custom is usually associated with Malay weddings or something more formal. Naturally, I thought we were going to a wedding ;)

Boy, we were celebrated alright.

On top of that, we've got the youngsters performing a traditional dance called Kuda Kepang. And wouldn't you know it, yours truly with 5 other girls and 6 other guys were taught to do this dance too.

During this perfomance, I was sitting next to Alid and he told me about the cult life of this particular dance back in Java where he lives. He explained to me in detail the rituals done such as eating live stocks alive and other mystical related things. It was pure gore to know where this dance had originated from. This dance was then introduced in Johor back in the days and the story behind this dance was based from the battles illustrated from the Quran. It was one of the methods used to attract people to Islam long long longgggg time ago.

However, considering we all are humans. We tend to misinterpret things.

As Alid and I discussed further of this dance, it reminded me of another traditional dance called Ulek Mayang, which in certain part of Malaysia is made into a cult dance that has a similar effect to the one in Java. What kind of effect you might ask? One can be possessed by "something" even without one's knowledge. Actually many of our dances which originated from Java have their own stories to tell, one many of us might not be ready to hear.

If you want to know more about it, make sure you're spiritually strong to absorb it :)

After Kuda Kepang, we were introduced to the Barogan dance. It's a folk dance based on Nabi Sulaiman a.s life as he could talk to animals. When I saw this dance, it immediately reminded me of the Barong dance from Bali. Do not be mistaken with these two dances, although I must admit there were characters/parts that were similar. Barong is a mythical character and is wrapped around Hindu characters. When I compare both of the dances, I can see how even the most trivial things in life has it's own history background. I couldn't think of anything better to learn history than to watch these dances. And I was lucky to be able to watch two different dance with similar traits from different cultures.

It simply spoke volume.

Got me thinking how come some of us could act so low against other people. After all, we came from the same source.

As soon as the show was over, we were all teamed together for the home stay program. Nicole and I were room buddies again! Our foster sister who met us was Kak Ani.

Now, this was when the conflict occur. See, I'm 25 and I look nothing like one. Kak Ani is also 25 and she looked matured for her age. Because she was referred to Kak, automatically my brain was programmed to call her that yet I couldn't comprehend it. How did I managed to fix this glitch in my brain? I made myself assumed she was born in January, a month earlier than me so that the title fits. Problem fixed!

Thank god our bags were able to fit in her Wira which were loaded with plates (we later found out that she does catering) when she initially wanted to send us one at a time. Oh no no, we made ourselves fit in it rather than making her go back and forth.

Since my dad's kampung in Kampung Sega, Rantau is the perfect image of what kampung life is about, with wooden house to add.. I was at ease being here. Only this time with paddy fields to envelope us throughout our stay.

The moment her car was parked next to her house.. I saw THIS.

What one earth was that? That my friends is how ketupat (packed rice) looked like when it's boiling in a pot.

YES FOLKS, my (yet another) dream is about to come true..or at least I made sure it would. Being the person that I am, I asked Kak Ani if she could teach us to weave ketupat. When she said yes, I swear the sun was shining with me. No kidding.

Can you imagine the (already silly) smile that she managed to carve on my face? Sorry, no photo of that tho :P

We quickly took our bags and went into our designated room. Chucked it at the corner, went out and met Kak Ani's mum, Puan Haliwati.

Maybe God was having so much fun that he decided to amp the mood one notch higher.

Why?

There on the floor laid a bundle of palm leaves calling us out. Sheesh. Talk about temptations.

Yes, I also managed to pester Kak Ani's mum to teach us this dying skill. We were told that Denise and Wen Yi had to stay with us because their foster mum could not make it in time for their stay. Both of them were also just as excited when they went into the living room where we were diligently trying to weave two strands of the palm leaf.

They say the more the merrier right? This certainly fit the description alright. Even Kak Ani joined us weaving.

Now, considering we never weaved a ketupat. It is understandable to see how difficult it was for us to do it. We sat there, Denise even recorded grand master (our foster mum) weaving and still couldn't get it right..until 2 hours later. Yes yes, two incredible hours to weave TWO ketupat. How productive is that? Despite it all, we were very very very very very verrrrryyy proud of ourselves for getting it right (of course with lots of help!). Kak Ani confessed, she too had only started weaving a few weeks back during Raya. But for a beginner like her, the ketupat took form in mere 30 minutes. -_____-

Even the one I managed to weave looked like an alien. :/ Oh well, I'm still stoked the fact that I finally know how to weave a freaking ketupat! Hip hip hurray!

Hats off to two of our most awesome masters for being very patient with us through the whole session. Of course we weren't spared with the witty remarks of having very stiff fingers.

Well, this brought me back to my first few weeks of my guitar lessons. Boy, that was some torture. But I'm sure, if we get to weave more often, we'd manage to pull off a ketupat in 30 seconds (like our foster mum). I think.

During our short stay, I managed to listened to both mother and daughter communicate in Javanese. I don't think I've ever been in the company of one before so this was yet another cool discovery. We were also told of their family background from Java. They were apparently royalty descendant but something happened in Java so Kak Ani's grandfather ran to Malaysia instead.

In just a few hours, my brain was already busy retrieving facts.

After that grueling session, we were served with kampung food which they had cooked for us earlier.

There's one dish I never tried before which is called Pejari and this was cooked with eggplant. It's a certain dish that tasted sweet but I wasn't sure how it was cooked even though it was already explained. Not bad at all.

Right after dinner, we had to rush to see the Firefly at Kuala Selangor.

In one of my previous post, I had mentioned about being able to do many things listed in my to-do list. This was definitely one of them. I think it has been 5 years since I wanted to check this place out but never got around to do it.

Now that I was able to, I was pretty damn excited indeed!

This is yet another dying breed. So to protect this species, we were not allowed to take photos with flash or make too much noise. Fireflies love mangrove area and the only way to see fireflies, we have to sit in a boat.

Before we got into the boat, I had learned yet another lesson in life.

To set the camera settings to Auto so other people who aren't familiar with it could take our photos. So this was what happened when I didn't set it to Auto. Let's just assume it's an artsy fartsy thing ok?

One boat can only fit 4 adults. If I'm not mistaken, it's RM10 per person. So Citra, Victor, Spectre and I got to share this once in a lifetime experience together.

I already knew about this particular fact - that it is hard to take a photo of a firefly with a steady hand or tripod (in a boat no less). So I wasn't so disappointed with the outcome, I much rather enjoy this moment I have watching with my eyes instead of behind the lens.

This little amazing godsend creatures are something I tell ya! When you have a glow on your finger moving about, you won't remember anything else but the little fella. It could just zen you out in an instant!

See the yellow/green glows in the photos? Those are the magical creatures. I really don't know why every firefly preferred to hang out on my steel strap watch. What is it about this texture that they like so much anyway?

Be careful not to pinch them. They're very delicate. Killing one of them is like killing one of your own family.

Since Optio P80 doesn't have long exposure, I managed to record a video of my experience :) A short clip actually.

Amazing isn't it? The feeling I got when a firefly lifted off from my finger was nothing short of magical. I just felt like one of Disney princesses in the old movies. Yeah that was a lot of fun indeed. We were laughing sitting in the boat as we did our best to attract the fireflies.

After the boat trip, we were briefed about fireflies in the auditorium room. See, I never told anyone about what I discovered when we entered the Firefly park which was sponsored by TNB. You see all these artworks plastered all over the park? These were the very work I had to help Erman, my Art Director in my first advertising company 5 years ago (who is also my mentor, one of the few people I look up to). That very year, TNB was going all out with campaigns regarding fireflies, spreading across Hari Raya, Deepavali, Chinese New..everything from tv commercials, press ads to billboards. This was his brainchild from the very beginning and I was very lucky to help him when I did my internship and then absorbed in as a permanent employee.

Every firefly brief by TNB was strictly Erman's, up to a point we ended up calling him Man Firefly. So to actually see the real work being displayed for the public to see (and hopefully appreciate) was an added bonus to my visit. Didn't know it was still there after 5 years! And it still looked just as good as it was first printed. Bravo Man!

We left the park around 10.45pm and was immediately told by Mr. Hafeez that there was a surprise waiting for us. Turns out to be Satay Hut at Tanjung Karang. The effort we Malaysians make to get good food. It didn't matter if we had to drive to the other end of the world, if it's good, it's worth going for.

They were delicious indeed. Succulent. Oh boy oh boy oh boy. But I'm a beef satay fan and I'm sure the beef must've tasted delicious. This place supposedly serve satay twice the size compared to the normal satay. There's another place synonymous with satay in Selangor too. It's in Kajang.

I don't know how we managed to finished two rounds of satay but we did anyway and was also late to arrive back to our foster family. We arrived at Sabak Bernam around 12.30AM. We apologised to Kak Ani for waking her up so late at night to drive us back.

Our Saturday was an eye opening experience indeed and I enjoyed every minute of it too.

With tired mind, body and eyes, we slept on our queen size bed at the same time wondering what Sunday will offer us next.

Day 3 Part 2 comes to an end.

If you think this post deserves a vote, vote it here at MySelangorStory Day 3 :)

The Root of the Matter

2010-10-02T01:38:00.002+08:00

The weather in Genting Highlands reminded me a lot of Haarlem during summer. Except, it's a tad more humid. The best part of sleeping at night over there is the fact that I don't need the fan or air conditioner to keep me cool. All I need to do is open the windows and let the cool breeze breathe in my hotel room. Something I often do back in my house when the temperature goes down. Maybe that's why I felt a lot like home in First World's hotel room. Or it's just a combination of everything. I will probably never know.

But what I know is that, every trip I make, I'll always discover something new about myself. Every time I walk out of an experience, I bring with me a new theory.

I never quite explained how Wanderlust Theories came about. And I think the above sentence pretty much explains it. Theories in life are meant to build our character, hopefully strengthen our principles and eventually nurture a deeper faith between you, life and God.

So spending my first ever night in First World (usually I'll stay in Awana because my dad loves to golf), awaken the kid in me - to simply be me, enjoy whatever comes and ultimately have simpler beliefs.

Waking up to this view was unbelievable to say the least.

To have breakfast with this view every morning is even more incredible! But that was exactly what we did the morning after. We were treated to World Club Lounge breakfast which I was told is where the very special people are invited to eat.

Well, what was it that I usually say..? Live the moment? Yeah might as well live it while we were given the chance.

This was the lounge we had our breakfast and I had experimented with the Panoramic settings in Optio P80. There is something unusual about the photo but I shall not reveal what it is :P Anyway this setting captures three parts of the view you have in mind and then it will stitch all 3 into one picture in less than 30 seconds. A handy tool I might add, if you don't feel like doing it manually :)

I suppose if you have all this modern techs to help you out, might as well use it. Depending on it is a different story.

Oh look who woke up as early as we did just to see off? A certain french speaking mime. I think Charles is from Cayman Island. One of the islands in the french colony. Also, Kak Zara has a secret crush on him :P Haha just kidding Kak Zara.

With that, another page flipped over regarding Genting Highlands for this trip. It was really thoughtful of Resorts World Genting representatives like Mr. Philip to send us off as well. Of course, we're not bidding adieu just yet (since we still haven't spend our points)..so we'll make a return. Possibly a whole group of us again, who knows?

Mr. Philip and Dato' Anthony Yeo had recommended us to visit Chan Swee Caves Temple. We were told by Dato' Anthony Yeo when he was giving out his speech the day before that this particular temple was build on a very difficult platform, therefore back in the days men could not use any machines to help build the temple. So they had to do it manually.

Why did the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong chose this spot to build something on a difficult terrain? Apparently this is the area most strategic to view Genting Highlands. There you go!

Yeah, see how fun the MySelangorStory bunch are? :) I really love this shot at the entrance to the temple. They either had really strong coffee, slept really well or running on reserve energy tank. Whatever it was, I love them all the same :)

Visiting this temple again finally put the curious cat in my mind to rest. Why? All this while, I've been having this image in my mind about standing at a chinese temple somewhere high up but I couldn't remember where this place was. Imagine how annoying it was to recall a memory half rendered for more than a decade! Then it hit me, I had visited this temple when it first opened back in 24 March 1994 with my family who then brought a foreign friend along. This was that place I've been trying hard to recall.

A major "AAAAAHHHHH" moment right there you bet.

There were many beautiful statues standing tall around the area; unfortunately we didn't have much time to explore every part of this place. It's really huge. You could even walk up along the pathway to the top if you have enough stamina ;) A must see place in anyone's itinerary.

I'm sure there are some of you who wondered why were we in Genting when our tour is about Selangor. Well, Genting Highlands is divided into two between Pahang and Selangor. So there is one part of Genting which belongs to Selangor. One trip to Genting Highlands from my place behind the zoo takes less than 45 minutes (ok, depending on how fast a person drives), that's how close it has become since the old days.

You don't get THIS in any other place, because many of us have forgotten about Mother Nature :( We have to go to places like this to be reminded what we have lost or is about to lose. So sad.

Now that we have finally put a full stop in our Genting pit stop, we went to sleep (well most of us; some took this opportunity to take pictures of those sleeping) for the next 1.5 hours to Rawang. What is there in Rawang?

This.

Hutan Lipur Kanching.

They might as well renamed this very day's itinerary to "Bonding Session with Mother Nature" :) There are 7 levels to this waterfall, it's so high up, you'll be proud to conquer the top without feeling like your knees are melting. Ehem, we only went as high as level 3 and most of us (including moi) were obviously not in shape to go all the way. Nonetheless, the view was breathtaking. The water was refreshing and cold. It's all you need when you see a waterfall.

Because this is Tourism Selangor territory, Mr. Fazly briefed us the do's and don'ts while being here.

He's been working hard to make sure we are good in our space. So the only other thing he reminded us not to do was not to feed the monkeys. For the obvious reason of course.

I guess one of us couldn't help but did it anyway ;) Hafiz oh Hafiz. Good thing it didn't follow you home.

We ate at the campsite where the tents were. Happily eating our chicken from KFC, then came these rascals trying to take the food away from us. What the monkeys didn't know (we didn't either) was that, in Nicole's past life, she was a monkey slayer. So she pretty much saved the day for us. Swatting the monkeys with a rolled newspaper, kung fu-ing the monkeys. Amazingly, it worked!

One thing you should also know is that, these monkeys love drinking Coke too. If only they know how to hold the can right side up... erm, if there's a colony of ants roaming around the grass at Kanching, you'll know who caused it. *Looks at Hafiz*

Apart from that, if you do plan to come to Hutan Lipur Kanching, do remember to wear proper footwear. It would be a bit ma fan(tedious in English) to take your shoes and socks off and then put it on again.

Ok, that's the end of Day 3 Part 1. Part 2 will see us embracing our roots. Happy Saturday people :)

And don't forget, if you like this post enough to vote, just go to MySelangorStory/The Root of the Matter website and browse through the days. Arigato gozaimas!

Very Insane Personas

2010-10-01T17:19:00.006+08:00

It's my first bus ride up to Genting. All motion sickness aside, I saw things that I will most likely never get to spot while in the car. Usually I'll tag along with the rest of the Lotus Club members for a drive up, zigzagging along the sharp corners and bents. One time it spun on wet tarmac up on a hill there somewhere. That was some kind of insanity.

This time, MySelangorStory journey to Genting Highlands may not be as exhilarating with the engines roaring away behind my ears but I assure you, this ride is just as mind-altering. No money in the world can buy this experience. So seat back and enjoy the ~~show~~ I mean entry ;).

Let the spectacular story begin, part deux.

The moment we arrived at Genting Highlands First World Hotel, we were welcomed like Very Important Personnels. But I like to think it as Very Insane Personas (What? It's true!). Every Senior Management from Resorts World Genting made effort to be there with us at the entrance. We were all aware about their tight schedules but to know that the Senior Management actually took the time for us made the trip even sweeter than ice cream. Even Tabby and Allie walked with us!

Ok I know, why is a 25 year old getting excited over two oversized mascots? To be honest, I've watched game show hosted by Genting every Saturday on TV3 more than a decade ago and the closest I've seen them (if it weren't for television), it would be the statues placed in front of Wisma Genting at Jalan Sultan Ismail. So it's been, you can say a childhood dream of mine to see them. Being able to take photos with them was enough to fuel me to jump over the moon I tell you!

I must admit, I have a 200 year soul in a 25 year old body with a 5 year old heart. Err.. does that make more sense? Nevermind.

Oh did I mentioned YB Elizabeth Wong was also there to have lunch with us? :)

We were then ushered over to Maxim's Club for our much awaited luncheon. Boy were we glad to see the food... the desserts were so appetizing, it's a sin.

Don't you just feel the love we were embraced by Resorts World Genting? Sigh. Never in a million years did I saw this coming..ever. Seriously.

Both Dato' Anthony Yeo, Senior Vice President of PR & Communications and YB Elizabeth Wong gave a speech each, telling us how Genting first started off as a dream that came to the late Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr. Lim Goh Tong.

See, every place we go, everyone we know will somehow have a story to tell; whether it's about themselves or the events they've seen. Everyone has a story worth listening to.

By a stroke of luck, 7 of us were picked to dine with Dato' Anthony Yeo and YB Elizabeth Wong. Lady luck must be in a good mood as of late.

Oh. And each of us were given an all day pass to outdoor/indoor theme park, 10k worth of WorldCard points (RM100), RM100 worth of Holiday Card, One night stay at Superior Deluxe with View in First World Hotel, VIP Access to Dazzle and breakfast buffet at World Club Lounge. Indeed we were spoiled rotten. My jaw literally dropped when Mr. Philip announced it to us. Resorts World Genting, you sure know how to welcome your guests. Hands freaking down baby!

Back in the 90's when Genting wasn't what it is today, things were much simpler. There'll be butterflies hanging on the wall of the souvenir shops but today, they have Galleria where guests can learn the history behind Tan Sri Dato' Seri Lim Goh Tong's vision. A remarkable visit.

Sooooooo.....with RM200 in our pocket and a pass to make use of, there's only one place we planned to go. That's right. Theme park!

After 5 years, I have finally come to terms that as much fun and exciting theme parks are, I am just not really a big fan of them. I love theme parks but not so much when it comes to extreme rides. How did I know this? It went all the way back in London when a friend told me upfront that it's not worth it for me to spend money to any theme park since I don't go to all the rides.

Perhaps it's the society we are brought up in, everyone loves theme parks. Everyone enjoys the fun feeling that comes with it. In away theme parks are usually associated with letting loose and to some it goes as far as freedom. And as we grow up, some of us would love to be part of that society rather than being different.

Being a non-conformist, I therefore will have to bare the consequences of missing out some of the happiness that theme parks bring.

I do however enjoy bumper cars :) Just anything not scary basically. Haha.

True, you can throw me into the track doing stunts with a car or a muddy slope with an ATV, heck throw in some dangerous waves for white water rafting - I am scared to death about roller coasters (and horror rides). I'm totally cool being hit hundred of times with a paintball rifle but I can't for the life of me bungee jump.

I did reverse bungee and paragliding tho :)

Indeed, I am a weirdo and I'm proud of it!

This ride caught my eyes for it's very colourful ceiling :) not brave enough to go on the ride.

TV Selangor also joined our crazy journey and recorded many events we weren't sure if it's a good thing for others to watch. Afzal makes half of TV Selangor, the other is Imran. They're always there wherever we turned our heads :P

I like to observe. Participating in this feels like my heart is being snatched with bare hand. Ouch. When the theme park closed at 7pm, we went to the top of the hill and took scenic photos of this wild resort. I don't remember it being this colourful at first. I must have not been here for the longest time.

The schedule for the night was for us to meet up at The Pavilion by 8.45pm for the Dazzle show. It has the circus feel from outside looking in. In reality, it's like an auditorium.. sort of.

There we were briefed regarding this VIP access we were given. Never before had they granted any special pass to guests for their shows yet we managed to get this one time only opportunity to take photos during the Dazzle show. At first we were allowed 15 minutes to snap but Mr. Philip then allowed us to take throughout the show except for a few shows like Statue of Jerome Murat, The Invincible Man & Hand Shadow.

Apa lagi (Malay for what else)..we took our cameras and snap snap snap snap snap like there's no tomorrow.

What's Dazzle! about? It's a 60 minute show with several different segments to entertain us including the Statue of Jerome Murat from France, award-winning magician Ernesto Planas, Sonny Fontana the hand shadow master and Duo Presto, the quick change illusion act. We were given front row seats and Spectre, who sat beside me was picked by Ernesto to take part in his magic show. Hehe, dude looked clueless but everyone had fun!

When we had to sit in front, my heart was beating so fast, it felt like it was about to jump out of my body because I knew one of us will be invited to be part of the show. As much as I love the unknown, I am just as nervous about it.

All this could not have been possible if it weren't for Resorts World Genting support as well as Tourism Selangor, MySelangorStory and Amelia.

We even got the chance to meet Charles Gluck who was the mime behind Statue of Jerome Murat, even if it were for a brief moment. French really trademarked the art of miming.

After full day of doing all kinds of activities, we finally head back to our own rooms. You read that right. All 26 of us were given individual rooms to stay. Madness!

Excuse the mess in the photo below but among the many hotels I've stayed, this is one room I really felt like home. Maybe it's the warm lit room, perhaps the mustard colour featured wall (which many pointed out when they visited my room). I dunno. All I know was that, I was really really reaaaalllllly enjoying this room all to myself. It's cooler with the view of the theme park outside too. And all this for free. Oh wow.

Even Sheepy loved it :P

So how shall I sum my day in Genting? Only one photo can speak for me.

:) That's it folks. That's Day 2 Part 2. If you like this post, head over to MySelangorStory and vote it.

What could possibly be better than this on our Day 3? That's for me to know and for all of you to find out!

Certified Knockers.

2010-10-01T11:05:00.007+08:00

Life is like a work in progress book. Days are turned into chapters, people we know are the characters playing their roles and moments are written as plots for the stories in our lives.

Now MySelangorStory is being written in my book, a whole chapter with many new characters appearing in it. And I'll look back to this event as one of the awesome-st story ever written at this point of time in my life. :)

Right. Let's get on with Day 2 where we departed from Carlton Holiday Hotel in Shah Alam to Setapak where Royal Selangor Pewter is situated. The journey took about an hour and in a way I find it funny because it's so close to where I live.

Despite the fact that I live nearby to Royal Selangor Pewter, this trip was my first visit there. I guess we tend to take something for granted when it's closer to you huh? Nonetheless, this visit might not be the last from me. There were so many other parts of RSP that we couldn't cover which had caught my interest during the visit.

So what does that mean? Round 2 visit ;)

We were divided into 2 groups hence why we needed two tour guides to bring us around :) They were pretty cool. I mean c'mon, look at the photo above and you can tell they are a fun bunch in RSP.

Like I said earlier, there were so many parts of RSP that screamed out storytelling worthy and we only covered (possibly?) 40% of the area. I really love the steel plate hand prints pasted all over the walls in the RSP building. These hand prints are RSP employees hand prints who have worked more than 5 years. I dare you to count the number of steel plates because I lost count!

Royal Selangor Pewter turns 125 years old this year. That's a century older than me! It was founded by Yong Koon. This is truly one of Malaysia's remarkable icon. You can't find any other tea pot with a story like the Melon Teapo t. Even I was on the edge of my seat when I was told by their very special, very own storyteller whom I'll reveal towards the end of this post.

Fact of the day - Pewter = Tin + Copper + Antimony.

We were then brought to the second part of the building where the real work is being done. Watching everyone walking on single file reminded me of the old days when we would go for school trips. As we observed how flat material were transformed into amazing artwork, we became more aware how difficult it is to master this skill.

Yes like kids, we were at awe watching them knocking, polishing and carving.
*Insert oohs and aahs here*

And boy, it takes years to master this skill. Once you've got it - you're able to turn nothing into something in a blink of an eye. Ok I lied. A few blinks really. Still, I admire their attention to detail. Something I should be applying in everything I do..

On a cool note, we were able to drink 100 plus from their pewter mugs. I think there was a difference drinking from pewter and glass but I can't place my finger on it. Maybe it has something to do with retaining the temperature. That and it feels a lot "crispier" when drinking it. I told you, I can't figure out what made it different. Heh.

By the way, aunty in the photo above has worked for more than 30 years for RSP. That means her hand print is definitely on the wall. Bravo!

We then moved to the furthest part of the building. The entire workshop was embracing us and it really was one heck of an experience indeed! Definitely an eye opener. I won't look at RSP's packaging the same way again after this, that's for sure. Oh, and I used the wide angle setting from Pentax P80 which stitches two parts of pictures together in case you were wondering what the middle section of the photo was. ;)

Ah, the things cameras these days can do I tell ya.

To think that was the coolest thing to happen. Ho ho ho. Merry Christmas everyone because RSP planned to blow our mind even more as we explore deeper in this mysterious building.

Look what we got ourselves into..

That's right folks, we'll be doing some hard knocking ourselves too. Never again will we ever take anything for granted after this. This school requires a lot of energy and focus, I kid you not. Just to spell 4 letters of my name was already tricky enough. I can't imagine what it takes to make the entire mug. -_-

In the end we all graduated from the School of Hard Knocks. Bravo MSS kids :) We are certified knockers!

While knocking the bowl like nobody's business, I found out that Sharmaine from RSP was my senior in Convent Bukit Nenas. The whole time we were there, I kept thinking she was so familiar but I don't know why. Then I nonchalantly blurted it out while she helped package our gift and she simply asked which school I was from. Bingo!

Like any other students, we have our own graduation ceremony too :)

What I love most about this part of the building is it's design that feels very homely. Maybe it's the english setting but I love it. Also, like many other trips we made, we're never short of food. Blessing indeed but really, wherever we go, it's always food food food fooooooooood. If my tummy could talk, it would probably be screaming throughout the 6D5N journey. Really.

I mentioned that RSP has it's own storyteller right?

Yup, it's none other Datin Paduka Chen Mun Kuen. She came all the way to meet us and tell us of this enchanting story about the Melon Teapot. Who would've thought that something like that could save a man's life? And it so happened to be Datin's own grandfather's piece of work.

Life, don't you just love to surprise people? :)

If you want to know what it's about, click on the link or better yet make your way to RSP. In case you are curious, RSP opens 365 days a year from 9AM to 5PM. Here we are complaining when we can't get a holiday, they pretty much work everyday. Salute!

And thank you to Hanin for pointing out from her comment - this tour is free for everyone :) So, no excuse not to visit and have a knocking time at RSP!

Also thank you to a certain Anonymous for directing me to the right path - School of Hard Knocks is a group activity you need to book in advance; minimum 5 participants and maximum 50. The fee is RM50 per person (I learned something new!). Just dial (6)03 4145 6000 or head over to Royal Selangor.

It was certainly a treat to meet her and RSP really made sure this trip was a memorable one. So special, I'd get myself one of the Melon Teapots too the next time. Kudos Royal Selangor Pewter. You're definitely a gem!

I'm sure many of us know this but in case you don't .. we have the largest mug in the world at RSP :) Tadah!

Before I forget (besides voting for me at this page), let me introduce to you to my very faithful friend...Sheepy :)

Oh yes, this lil' fella has gone to India, KK and wherever I happened to throw myself to.

So that's Day 2 Part 1. Next up, I'll be writing about our journey to the top of the world!

Like Qings & Kueens

2010-09-30T09:59:00.007+08:00

Come to think of it, there were many things I checked in my to do list while going for this MySelangorStory tour. One of them was to visit i-City. I got to know of this place through numerous photo albums uploaded by my friends on facebook who had visited i-City. Didn't think I'd come to this place this soon though :)

What were we doing there you might ask?

Well, the plan was to dine at i-City. But little did we know, they had set up the dining area in the middle of the digital of lights park for us, and wouldn't you know it, the only other person who had dined in that same spot was the Sultan.

Truly, we were welcomed like kings and queens indeed. Let's not even talk about feasting like one yet!

As we got off the bus, we were greeted warmly by the staff of i-City, something I still couldn't get used to. Such warmness should be spread around to every Malaysians everyday. :)

After the presentation about the developments of i-City, it made me realise that Selangor really plans to move forward with technology as it hopes to be the IT hub for everyone. What with the exceptionally fast internet speed, I couldn't think of any better reason not to drop by here. Oh wait, there is one other good reason actually. But we'll get to that stage later.

So i-City wants to be the leading animation studio in the future eh? It's high time since the economy has been moving towards advance technology and what better way to bring in more income than this right? I shall wait for the day when Lucasfilm hand picks a Malaysian animation studio to work with them :)

Hey, one can dream right? Oh, we have so much to catch up with the rest of the world!

After the short presentation by the CEO of i-City, Mr Eu Hong Chew, we then were adjourned to our dining area which was at the park. I'll tell you one thing about myself that the world already knows - I'm a sucker for steamboat.

When we went to the our tables, we found out that they were serving us seafood steamboat. Double joy! God, you should have seen the size of 'em crabs. Goodness. It was huge..and juicy too. Yummeh. I could still remember the taste of it :) After all, what is Malaysia without good food right?

Because 70% of the population at my table were girls, we couldn't finished the food as much as we had hoped to. However, we didn't put the food to waste by simply adding them inside the soup. We just added according to our consumption instead. That pretty much took roughly about 1.5 hours of eating before we went into food coma ;)

But that didn't stopped us from moving about around the park. It was too inviting to not explore!

You know, the whole time I was there, there was only one song that was played in my mind and I thought it fit so perfectly well as their anthem. U2 - City of Lights :) I think that will be my official i-City soundtrack. Being here in i-City got me thinking how amazing it can be in the years to come when they have completed this project. As of right now, it's still in an infant stage but with the right dedication and ambitions, I think it'll be a leading hub indeed. Hello, free wifi with fast internet speed is enough to lure you in (especially if you're staying nearby).

Best part about this place would be the LED lights surrounding the park in all shapes and forms. Hence the Digital Lights park. It does have the whimsical feel to it. Although, I'm not sure what T-Rex was doing at the end of the park tho o_O. In a nutshell, this park caters to all ages - young and old; a place you have to visit at least once in your lifetime.

Just so you know, the park opens from 8pm to 4am everyday. FINALLY, Malaysia has a park to call it's own without worrying about being caught or have curfews.

Since it is new, the entire place is still what I like to call a prototype. At least for now. There's a small scale snow room for everyone to wander around. This room will eventually has it's own section somewhere in the park in a bigger scale - think Mines Wonderland's Snowland. Yeah something like that. Brrr..

As usual, wherever I go, it's usually the people that I love observing. They make an interesting subject to ponder on 'cuz you'll never know when someone you don't know can make your day by doing something you didn't expect. So, it's really no surprise that a lot of my photos I took consists of other people.

And it's only in Malaysia that I'll get refused when I asked for permission to take one's picture. At least that's what happened when I approached one of the visitors at the park. It was my first time being rejected for a photo but that didn't deter me from taking other people's photos.

Then I saw this group of girls happily posing in front of (assuming) their favourite band.

They were such a sport! I couldn't help but intrude in their comfort zone. Of course this time, I had improvised my approach (actually I was misunderstood) as they thought I offered to take their photo with their camera (which I did) and then I clarified about my true intention. Luck was on my side since they didn't mind me taking their photo :) Thank you girls!

If there's any lesson I learned from this even it would be not to give up and always find alternatives to do something because there's never just one way of doing it.

Then, I walked around and saw this particular shop at the corner lit up with so many vibrant colours. Suddenly, I felt like a kid again seeing these toys coming alive with the lights. After browsing through the many incredibly awesome things they had, I walked out satisfied with a magical orb/ led lit translucent bouncing ball for RM10 :)

And apparently I wasn't the only kid at heart around here .. as soon as the rest of the bloggers saw me with this orb, I managed to persuade one of them to get it too. The power of indirect marketing! Heh.

Behold, the magical orb!

Nice eh? ;) Well, you know where to get it.

After that, we were brought to Uptown Shah Alam to enjoy the night bazaar at Seksyen 24. If it weren't for MySelangorStory, I don't think I'll ever know this place ever existed. There were many people outside waiting for us to drop by. For a moment, it did felt like we were some famous people.

Wait, En. Aizul Hisham explained further about uptown before this night bazaar thing came around, it started off as a funfair. Don't we just love the '80s? I used to anticipate funfairs when I was younger. I'll get excited whenever I see Ferris Wheel standing tall. Then in the 90's it became a pasar malam. Moving to the new era, it is now a night bazaar with sturdy structures for all stalls. Here you can find all kinds of things. Believe me when I said all kinds of things - there's a shop selling fighting fish in plastic containers and snakes.

Oh yes. Those ..err..no neck monsters are in Uptown too. *runs away*

Jass Cafe was our last pit stop in the bazaar that night. We had some refreshments to keep us awake, at least enough energy to take a look at what Uptown Shah Alam is all about.

Always expect the food stalls to be up and running till late because if there's a business that doesn't die, it's the food business. Case in point. It looked so good, I was tempted to get some but..I was too full to eat anything that night.

We were entertained by Irwan Shah as well as a local magician in some hidden corner of the area. Also featuring two people from our group (names shall not be mentioned :P). Ah, it was a nice way to end the night actually.

By the time we reached the hotel it was close to 1AM. And everyone was busy mentally jotting down what to write in our blogs.

Since the rule was to blog our journey on the day itself, P1 W1max was our official broadband provider and gave us each our own broadband to use. Unfortunately, it doesn't run on Mac OS. I was a sort of let down by it since I can't use it. Hopefully they'll be mac friendly in the future :/

And that ladies and gentlemen was how we spent our Thursday.

On a side note, it's be really really realllllyyyyyy awesome if you could vote for me (daniaryezel) at MySelangorstory/like-qings-and-kueens for the posts you like :)

Introducing the Colourful Insanities

2010-09-29T23:47:00.005+08:00

Because we are a colouful bunch of insanities during MySelangorStory tour. I couldn’t think of anything better to describe it.

The moment I stepped foot on Subang Sky Park Terminal’s ground, that familiar coming home feeling kicked in. It's been my childhood playground due to the fact that I spent a lot of my time growing up here. So this event only amplified the sentimental value I have with the airport. Ah, memories.

At the entrance of Kapitan Kopitiam, the Tourism Selangor crew as well as Firefly’s crew greeted me with big smiles. That warm welcome instantly calmed my nerves. I couldn’t thank them enough for that.

I always think that the start to anything is always the hardest and awkward but the moment all 26 bloggers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore met each other, it was as if everyone had known each other for sometime already. It’s probably because MySelangorStory has helped made the transition for all of us much smoother and easy. Also it has a lot to do with the fact that everyone sort of “ice break” through twitter and emails when the finalists were announced earlier.

I think Kapitan Kopitiam was a good location for us to sit and chill because we were definitely doing a lot talking, laughing and of course camwhoring. Not to mentioned, they made really good Teh Tarik and some local delicacies to keep our stomachs from growling. What is Malaysia without it's good o' Teh Tarik?

Sy told me that those who were flown in by Firefly (since they were our official airline) were given VIP treatment prior to their flight. Heck, they even got a tour around the airport! Now, how awesome is that? Made me wish I was from Penang instead ;)

About 30 minutes later, Raja Sa’adi, Head of PR & Marketing for Firefly kick started the tour with a short speech before handing over Firefly’s jersey to us to wear which then proceeded with more camwhoring. I guess it comes with the territory of being a blogger.

The first time when I stood next to a stewardess for a photo shoot, I was taken aback by how spontaneous Firefly cabin crew were as they posed silly with all of us. Even I can’t help but be charmed by their warm personalities and joined in the fun. Yes, me likey.

However, the one person who caught my eyes was James, the official Firefly photographer. He is quite the character I must say, so animated. I can tell he is a good storyteller by the way he talked to us.

You’ll know a good photographer when one can get the best out of the people and situation; something I keep in mind to practice in my approach when the occasion arises in the future.

Thumbs up sir =) You definitely made me day with your witty remarks.

Besides, the only way to learn something is by observing how the pros do it.

Then, we headed to the bus outside and were greeted by Kak Ning, who I must say is one of the coolest tour guide I’ve come across and standing beside her was Somu, our driver for the day.

Since the itinerary was not released yet during the time, Kak Ning informed us that our first stop would be Shah Alam where we stayed in Carlton Holiday Hotel for the night.

Later, we were sent over to one of the hall for a PENTAX-DSC World briefing. There, Madam Rissa Chan, Executive Director of DSC World Sdn. Bhd. handed out PENTAX cameras for our use during the tour. There were a few different models and I was handed the Optio P80.

Right away, we fiddled with the camera and I sure hope Citra (guy with the green camera) will get to keep his Optio W90 because he was so happy when he showed the camera he received to me and Nicole. Yes, Citra – write that advertorial ok? This tour has only just begun and I’ve already learned so much from everyone and everything that had happened.

Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart. - Sarah Ben Breathnach

As the sun went down for a rest, we went out to play. Part II will reveal what we did throughout the night.

// Think this post deserves a vote? Go to this link http://www.myselangorstory.com/introducing-the-colourful-insanities/

Traveling: It's a state of mind.

2010-09-02T01:51:00.005+08:00

Everyone travels, whether it’s from one’s house to the office or across the ocean. Different places offer different experiences, some gain a new perspective and others find it indifferent. It’s all about making the lemons into lemonade.

This is why I love traveling. It didn’t matter where I go, how I do it or why I make the journey because without fail, I will learn something from it. Able to appreciate further what a smile from a stranger without feeling hesitant to reply the same is an amazing feat I’d say! It also humbles us from the materialistic world, educating us to make the most of what we have and always be grateful.

What is the best part for me about traveling? People I rub shoulders with can easily make my day just as much as I can make theirs. It’s the little things in life that makes it so special, you truly have to be there and experience it yourself to understand how remarkable the experience is. I wouldn’t be surprised to know that Selangor can throw our socks off with its incredible characters and stories.

Since I started backpacking out of curiousity 5 years ago, I learned to be more tolerant of other cultures, have deeper connection with people I meet along the way and make each place I stay a home of my own. That way I’ll be able to embrace the beauty God has created for us that we disregard so often these days.

Maybe that’s why He wrote MySelangorStory into our lives.

I like to think that each street, area, city, state, country and continent holds a secret key for each and every one of us. I know it sounds impossible to unearth every key in the world but that’s what motivates me even more to move around. After all, to do something and follow through, we need to make sure the intentions are solid and real. Otherwise, it will just fizzles out with time. Which wouldn’t do any place, even Selangor for that matter, justice if we don’t put our heart into it.

I wouldn’t know how to word out reasons why I should be part of MySelangorStory team because you don’t need reasons to travel. You just do it because you want to and have faith that every person, place and culture touches your heart so that you’ll come out better from it.

Thus far, I can’t find a place I’ve been to that I never liked. Heck, you can throw me in Bukit Melawati tomorrow and I’d be just as ecstatic to go. Traveling has truly shaped my mind and altered it into something else that I hope I’ll be able to return the favour along the way.

Yes, I must admit, traveling is a sacred ritual in my life and I’d like to make Selangor part of that ritual too.

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. - Henry Miller

Projection

2010-08-28T10:43:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, Black Tomato had this interesting weekly competition and I got inspired with it and made this wallpaper of the thoughts I want to project out to the world. I think if each of us got around to fill in the blank canvas with thoughts and emotions, then stick it anywhere we always spend most time looking; we'd all be more positive and happy.

It's just a theory but I really do think it would work because we will be able to to see our own state of mind laid out in front of us rather. That's when you get to analyse yourself, see yourself for what you are than *think* about what you may be. You can't disregard it, nor make excuses and delete it because it's right there..in front of you.

Each and every word in that canvas are linked to each other one way or another. And a lot of them would not have been the case if it weren't for traveling. It made me grow a lot in terms of being more humble and laid back. We know all things don't happen the way we want it to be but if you go along with the journey to getting there, you'd learn a lot more when arriving at the destination.

The journey not the arrival matters. – T. S. Eliot

So I can't imagine what it'd be like not to travel at all. Not able to see, smell, touch, talk and love while traveling would be absurd to me. Then again, even those who travel and not able to experience those little things are just as pointless as each place we go (even the places we already know) is capable to teach us something we can apply to ourselves.

:) If you think you have not enough money to travel, I'd say bogus! Travel is just a state of mind - even the city you live in has a lot of hidden secrets you don't know about. Go, discover your roots and have lots of fun while you're at it.

A Candid Sensation

2010-08-21T00:26:00.007+08:00

Seven days of summer in Haarlem was meant to be the perfect escapism away from the overwhelming reality; instead it brought me closer to reality. Oh the irony! When I was caught red handed for secretly taking photo of this charming family in Grote Markt, I swear I was in big trouble.

So, I had the goofiest smile on my face, praying silently to Him I won't get sued for invading someone's privacy and unbeknownst to me, their mother welcomed me with opened arms, even consented my side activity to take their photos. I'm so thankful He had blessed me by capturing this portrait, aptly titled "A Candid Sensation". She taught me many things in a span of minutes when she allowed me into her wonderful world. Reality is what we make it to be, good or bad. We have the choices in our hands, what comes out of it is beyond our control.

With that in mind, we are capable of making life (and memories) as beautiful and crazy as we want it to be. So, to know that she invited a stranger like me into their circle without preconceived judgment enlightened me even more. If she can accept me for who I am, I should be able to do the same for others and myself. We don't have to conform to others way of life in order to blend in.

After all, where is the fun when everyone looks or acts the same?

* This post has been entered into the Grantourismo and HomeAway Holiday-Rentals travel blogging competition

You're welcome to share this story and comment it. Would love to hear your point of view :)

Le Petit Paris à Viêtnam: Part 2 - Daylight Run Around Day 1

2010-07-27T23:17:00.001+08:00

Much like the title suggested, I really do think HCMC is the Little Paris in Vietnam for it's well organised and structured town planning, all thanks to their French counterpart back in the day. Even the compact sized tall buildings were are build according to a standard measurement to keep the consistency of look and feel of the city. Like the French, HCMC has many parks for everyone to work out or wind down.

Any place with parks around is good for me when I feel like walking among the greens and not worry about crossing roads or cafes closing. Parks are perfect when you need to collect your thoughts at any time of the day or night, one thing that KL will never have due to certain regulations. Once, my Science teacher once said if my eyes are tired, all I need to do is look at the trees or anything green to relax. So yes, parks are a definite sight for sore eyes :)

This particular section of the city in Dong Khoi Street, District 1 (opposite Majestic Hotel, where I stayed) definitely resembles the French flair. The cafes are all around the city; left right, up down. It's everywhere! And I realised they love their New Zealand Natural ice cream too. Food wise, there are a whole selection to choose from whether you prefer your food to be served in restaurants, markets or by the street. This particular part reminds me a lot of Malaysian food. Vietnamese food is a mixed of Chinese, American, French, Japanese, Thai and a bit of Malaysian. So, don't worry if fried insects or snake wine isn't your thing, there are a lot of other edible food around too.

They have this concoctions to make drinks and desserts. They could make Ais Kacang (Red Bean Ice)!

If you haven't heard, Vietnam is synonymous with Phở bò - a type of beef noodle soup. Oh so very delicious. And if you choose to have it from the small stalls, your eating area will be the streets itself. Anywhere you like :) The prices ranges from very affordable to very expensive. Pretty much caters to all.

No city can get away without having a go-to market. It's your one stop to do all kinds of shopping, at least that's what Cho Ben Thanh is about. Front part of the big market will satisfy your clothes/shoes/accessories/souvenirs and the other half is dedicated to all kinds of food/drinks you can imagine. It's a mad world in there. So, if you do go in, put on your best poker face and make sure you survey the prices before bargaining. They can be very aggressive to sell you anything and sometimes, it pays to be nice and talk to them to distract them from selling you things you don't want.

I'm horrible at bargaining. Seriously. But I do enjoy chatting up with the sellers, some of them are really friendly. When they found out I'm from Malaysia, they put on this big smile and get so excited. It's an amazing energy just being around them.

I was snapping her photo when she told me she's shy then proceed to make conversations with me. The owner of this stall is the guy who was waving in the picture asked if I had taken his picture, and thank god for this one! :)

You know, now that I realised it..wherever I go, I'll bound to discover a piece of Malaysia around me. I don't know why but it's just one of those things. Like being in this very chaotic market, so chaotic, I had to remind myself to focus..lo and behold, I heard someone speaking in Malay out of the blue. Turns out to be one of the many sellers who happened to marry a Malaysian or something like that selling material cloths.

Busy busy.

:) No matter how many times something like this happens, it'll always manage to surprise me. Possibly one of the reason why I love traveling so much - the further you are away from where you come from, the closer you get to it.

Ok, I underestimated. It's more than 2 parts :/ It's obvious I love my stay while I was there and there's just so many things I experienced that I can never put it into a few words.

I'll sign off with this quote that I can relate to :)

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake.
The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Le Petit Paris à Viêtnam: Ho Chi Minh City (Formerly known as Saigon) Part 1 - The People

2010-07-21T18:05:00.002+08:00

I realised how different I have become traveling these days as compared to my first time. We all grow up, hopefully a better person and through traveling, it is easier to see where we stand in this world (if it even mattered at all). So through this blog, I'll see where/when/what and how my perception changes in every place I go while writing about it.

The thought of being 'bare naked' for the world to see me is a little intimidating. Oh well. If one out of billions of people can learn something from my journey, it's all good.

One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things
- Henry Miller

In a way, this was the lesson I learned when I went to HCMC/Saigon.

The #1 thing I learned about traveling that I carry around with me is to never have (or have as little as possible) expectations about the places you will be going. When I have this in mind, I'll be guaranteed to have the time of my life no matter the outcomes I'll be getting. It just makes it that much more easier to appreciate what you have and accept things the way it is and not the way you want it to be.

When I was getting ready in my seat to HCMC, I really don't know what to expect (even with the materials I read up about the city) except to capture as many photos as possible and..

to cross the roads of Saigon!

Yes, it was in my To-Do-Before-I-Die list. A true testament about how little expectation I had.

The journey is about 2 hours from KLIA to HCMC. There are over 20 airlines with direct flights via this route. Malaysia Airlines(MAS) offers low fares (RM180 per way) and it sure as heck worth the money + 20kg (It never hurts if you do shop a lot). :)

South East Asia's essentials are the sun and rain, but different levels of humidity. In Saigon (I'm so used to saying this than HCMC), the weather is somewhat similar to KL, not as humid but I was told it can be just as hot certain time of the year.

This is the view of HCMC from the top. Compact as compact can be.

When I saw this from my window, I was taking away but it's density yet you can still sense the French town planning. Like a kid getting a lollipop, I was excited to land and go crazy with my camera. Oh the many visuals I had in mind.

Superfragilisticexpialidocious!

The people are great, friendlier than I could have imagined. Always one to smile back at you, one to say hello. Heck, one of the motorist on the road near Notre Dame church who was planting a kiss on his son's forehead, waved at me when he realised I was taking his picture. He even greeted good morning to me too. That was simply the icing on my cake.

The guy who made my trip sweeter.

I have come across many friendly faces while I was traveling but that particular one easily stood out among the rest. Thank you for making a permanent mark in my mind whoever you are :)

So the moment I sat my foot on the ground, I asked Tom who was my guide during the stay what would be his advice for me to cross the street. He simply said - Just cross the road!

Right, in theory; that sounded so absurd, it was just not possible.

Being the scaredy-cat that I am, I took a second to close my eyes and prayed that I'll be able to cross the street in one piece. Even if it was just one street. Took a deep breath and crossed.

Holy mother of all things crazy, Tom was right (obviously) and it was really about just crossing. The road users will stop/slow down for you. So this was what it must be like for Moses to part the Red Sea back in the days huh?

In a way, I could relate that concept with driving a car. When you are driving, just drive. Once you feel hesitant in overtaking, pressing the throttle or making a turn, you will be dangerous not just to yourself but everyone around you too. In other words, being confident makes a big difference in saving your life.

After that, I'm a pro at crossing the roads :) Day or night. One more thing less to do before I die.

During my unfortunately short stay, I knew the best way to get to the heart of HCMC is through it's people. And it pays to just be yourself, happy and smiling like you know them. I can't tell you how effortless it is to break the ice with them just by smiling, as if their walls come crashing down.

Despite the war, the wound is still very much open and in recovery mode. It's so raw, it makes you realised where you come from, how lucky you have been and above all else, the fact that they can still carry on with their lives, put a smile on their face and welcome people as their own is one that I find humbling most. I can't imagine the pain they have to endure with the side effects of Agent Orange, made a million or so victims deformed.

I could still remember the feeling as I type this like it was only yesterday I was there. Devastating indeed.

I can't imagine being in the photographer's shoes when he witnessed all this behind a lens. I really can't.

So in reality, this city is walking with sorrow and motivation to move forward hand in hand. Not an easy task I must say but they are making it work, building up the people and city one step at a time. All I can say is that, they can move further as long as their good heart remains intact. They have a big heart. They truly do.

Ok, this entry turned out to be longer than I expected it so I'm breaking it into two parts - The People & The Art. I have so many things to say about this wonderful place but no words will do just therefore you people have to go there and experience it :) There's always a good reason to travel.

*A month later I got to know @Vietnam720 from twitter. Had I known his existence way before, I would've gotten a lot more out of HCMC but that's ok :) I shall make a return someday. For those of you who haven't, add him up. He's a cool guy who knows a lot about Vietnam.

Till the next post :) Make the most of what you have around you!

Hello World.

2010-07-19T23:21:00.002+08:00

Everything in life has a beginning and an end. We'll start with the beginning (and just enjoy the ride while the end comes; whenever it wants)..which will be Kuala Lumpur, my birthplace.

Let's just say it's Wanderlust Theories introduction to the world.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia and it's people are normally referred to as KLites. Tall buildings, food, shopping malls, haze, more glorious food, colourful culture, a lot of holidays and summer 24/7 pretty much sums up KL to it's core. Oh, not to forget it's traffic jam as well. But that's another story altogether.

This was taken from the Observation Deck in Menara KL.

I used to think that KL is only most beautiful during the night or very early in the morning; for the obvious reason until recently, I rediscovered this city in a different perspective and it is a lot more fun/warm too. See, the thing about living in a city is that, the real face is covered with concrete all over causing the true life experience of what made it the way it is now left unknown to many people, even KLites themselves.

To me what makes a place appealing would be the raw emotions of it's people. With the hustle and bustle of the city, one rarely get to experience it aside from it being just another city. Ok, Tokyo probably can get away with this. Never been there before, but one day some day soon I will.

So back to KL.

I'll write about what KL is in general for now and delve into my new discoveries later on in new entries.

KLCC pretty much put us in the map, aside from the Sepang International Circuit for Formula 1. For the longest time, when you ask any westerner if they know where Malaysia is, they wouldn't know, unless you say a neighbour to Singapore. It's quite frustrating because Malaysia has so much to offer but was hidden from the world. Now though, it's a different case.

I must admit, KL has a lot of energy. It caters to everyone with all kinds of interest. If you're the running type of person, there are various hills you can go to - Tabur, Broga or Gasing Hill; heck, while you're at it, might as well run up the stairs at Batu Caves. Feeling a bit more adventurous? Get your body work out with ATV or Paintball in the jungle. Hey, nothing beats being one with Mother Nature right?

Zorbing will turn your life upside down, literally. A tad crazy but it's a once in a lifetime thing being in a washing machine-like enviroment. Of course those who suffers from claustrophobia are not advised to do it.

The KL I grew up with is very humid during the first half of the year. What with global warming, boy, you'll probably want to sleep in the freezer. For someone who does not like the air condition system, I sure as heck is tempted to install one in the room but once May-June comes, hello rain! Open your windows, welcome the cool breeze into your space and it's just as chilly. I am amazed with women like them who doesn't seem bothered with the heat.

As of late, we've been getting many more Koreans and Arabs coming over to KL either for holiday or to stay. Considering the conversion rate to Ringgit Malaysia(RM), KL is pretty cheap to shop, eat & stay. It's no surprise the Arab/Korean restaurants are booming here; unfortunately the authentic good Korean restaurants (mostly in Korean Street, Ampang) are non-halal.

With so many races living together here, it's no wonder our most popular question in everyday life is "What to eat ah today?" and most frequent answer to this would be "Anythinglah". I mean of course we can't think straight when it comes to food; God, look at the choices we have here! Let me assure you that, good 'ole Malaysian food is best served in small stalls by the street or drains. There's just something about it that makes the food extra delicious. You can spend as little as RM2 for Roti Canai and Teh Tarik or spend a bit more for noodles, rice or our local Burger Ramly. Let's not even talk about the desserts!

If I can say one thing that we are rich in, it's most definitely food. It doesn't matter what your budget is, you'll be guaranteed for a gastronomical experience anywhere in the city.

We've got some nice places to hangout during the night too. Whether you're the clubbing type of person, lounge or just want to go out for the heck of it; KL's got it all! From Zouk to No Black Tie to ehem..

people who constantly serving us day and night, the mamak stalls!

What would we do without those hardworking fellas making and serving our food when we crave for something to munch at 2AM? I can't imagine a life without them. No wait, I could - something like London. That's not even a compliment.

Yes, they are our unsung heroes.

Seriously. Food is KL and KL is food. There's no other way about it.

You know what? KL is alright. It's not mad. Albeit the crime issues are terrifying but it's not so bad after all (also because of the new discoveries).

I didn't think it would be this hard to write up a place like KL but how wrong was I?

Phewh. I can now stop looping Maroon 5's Misery.

I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure
- Paulo Coelho

Think Tank Traveling Quote 01

2010-07-17T20:30:00.002+08:00

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page

- St. Augustine

Final Destination

2010-07-17T17:27:00.002+08:00

I always wanted to have a travel blog for the longest time (and many have been nagging me to set one up) but I never got around to do it for many unknown reasons. Perhaps it was the low self esteem or maybe I was waiting for the "right" moment to do so. Honestly, I don't have a clue.

So..

I guess now is just about as right as it can get, I guess?

Two days ago, I was planning on setting one up but it never materialised. Yesterday, after having a long talk with Michael who knew of my tendencies to travel around had talked me into this. He was one of the big people in my first company I worked with who actually granted me a month of unpaid leave to go backpacking around Europe in 2006 (after only worked for a year). Such a thing was almost unheard of.

And it took place exactly 4 years ago.

That decision simply changed the entire course of my life. Literally.

I can't imagine what it would be like to not do it back then and I find this quote by Mark Twain very fitting.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover

- Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Alright, we'll see what I can come up with from here and out. There's just too many stories, photos and thoughts to go through!

*Takes a deep breath*

Until then, have an open mind. There is always something new out there in the world we can learn from.