Sibu Islands Resort - WE LOVE IT!

Remember I shared this teaser photo two weekends ago?  Well, this is it.  This amazing place that I went was a super amazing place (lols... brain dead.  Can't think of more words.).  It was totally beyond expectation not just on my part, but for my girlfriends too.  All of us have this thought that we are going to some kind of island off Johor, where there will be other villages besides the resort we will be staying in.  Just like what Tioman Islands or Pulau Besar or Perhentian Islands would have been.  We gonna just spend some girly time together, bumming out at the beach enjoying the breeze.

Imagine our ecstatic-ness when we were greeted by these free roaming docile deers the moment we walked out of the jetty.  All earlier discontentment of having to fork out the additional RM150 to charter a speedboat dissipated!  Well, the chartering was because we missed the arranged ferry.  We underestimated the distance from Kluang to Tanjung Leman. 

It was such a pretty place!  No villages.  No rubbish strewn all over.  Surroundings were all landscaped to perfection!  Pretty gentle deers lazying all over the place minding their own business and peacocks too.  

There were nice table and chairs put out at every corner of the island for us to chill and enjoy the sea breeze.  By the beach, in the middle of the garden amidst the deers, along the walkway to the chalets and etc.  I remember when I just got back from my trip, my other friends asked "WHY?" when I told them that I didn't go for any dives, I simply replied: "The island is simply too pretty to leave.  I don't feel like going anywhere!"  Lols...  Really, it was that. 

The weather was awesome too.  I guess we were really blessed for having such a nice weather.  Blue sky, white clouds, breezy.... The first activity we did was went dipping at their pool!  A pool on an island you asked.  Well, that was cause at that time, we have yet to discover it's gem! :)

Lucky for us, due some reasons, probably cause we were all four hot girls group, we were given the best service ever.  A guide was arranged to show us around the island, activities were all arranged and planned out for us all.  Free of charged.  Or probably their occupancy were low on the day we arrived and they have no one else to entertain.  Well, I still prefer the first reason :p.  That we are hot! Lols.... 

It was archery next.  We were all so ambitious and wanted to start off at 15m and was pretty disappointed when the instructed make us start at 5m range.  All four of us broke out in hysterically laughters when our arrows began flying all over the place except for the target (even at 5m and we wanted 15m!)!  Hahahaha...  Nevertheless, as we progress from 5m to 10m to 15m, we did managed to aim better.  No wonder we are ladies!  It gonna be a huge problem if we are men!  Hehehehehehe....

This was what greeted us when we decided to check out Beach 2 (their best) after the arrow game.  It was so pretty and crystal clear.  Can see right thru to our feet.  Even caught sight of fishes swimming around us.  Oh my......... I never knew we have islands like these right here!  Who needs Maldives or Mauritius?!

We enjoyed the crystal clear and calm sea so much that we stay right thru sunset till the sky turned dark before heading back for shower and dinner. The sunset were really nice too with clouds like on that first day we arrived.  Lucky lucky!

The first thing we did next morning after breakfast was... snorkelling at Beach 2 together with our guide, Ah Long.  There were so many pretty colourful corals and fishes.  All of us was so excited.  But this is still not the best yet.

 I found Mr Krabs (Spongebob Squarepants) loitering on the beach.  Probably checking us out!

The not so appetizing canned food we brought were exceptionally appetizing after a day out at the beach!  We even made Ah Long take us out to another island to purchase more.  :p  Seriously yummy I tell you! No bluffing one!  We had chilli tuna, curry tuna, anchovies sambal & etc.  We didn't bring enough bread though and have no choice but to purchase a loaf from the hotel.  It was freaking RM10 for a loaf of bread!  So guys, bring more bread next time ya if you going to island!

 My blue mask and snorkel.

This is by far the highlight of our trip.  The best.  Ah Long took us out for an Island tour as well as island hopping in the afternoon and brought us to this little island called Kukus island.  It was so beautiful that we started screaming even before we get off the boat!  Lols.... yeah, when you have a bunch of crazy girls travelling together, do expect lots of screaming and laughing!  Lols... 

The sand was powdery white, the sea was greenish blue and there was a bunch of seagulls awaiting us when we arrived.  Typically out of postcards scene.  Or movies even.  James Bond.  Lols... We had so much fun there.  I know I did.  Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Went mad taking photographs.  The corals were absolutely fantastic.  We were all screaming thru our snorkel!!  It was a hillarious sight! 

After Kukus, Long brought us to this other island where they have shops to chill.  We each ordered a fried noodle and gobbled it down within minutes!  This is the place we bought extra canned food.  Long show us this kitty cat that has deformed paws.  I am no expert in cats, but I am sure u can tell the difference.

This was what greeted when we finished our fried noodles.  Such pretty sight.  Sigh....... I am missing it so much!  Shimmering golden sea....  We were actually talking quite loudly until we caught sight of the sea.  We just we silent and each pulling out cameras to capture the beauty!

When we got back to our island in the evening (yeah, our island... lols)... the deers were all out.  Nice.

And of course the peacocks too.

We absolutely had a great vacation though it was just a 3d/2n thingy.  Just nice.  Am missing the island so much and can't wait to get back as soon as possible. :)  Such a nice place right in our backyard.  If you are keen, try googling Sibu Islands Resort.  You might be able to find them.  I am too lazy to dig out the receipt for their website which was probably buried underneath a huge piles of documents on my desk.  Anyway, I highly recommend this place if you are seeking for some relaxing short vacation!

I've a lot to say.  I had a great weekend despite of the Bersih demonstration.  In fact, it was because of it that my weekend was great (other than the facial, the gymkhana, the shopping, the eating and etc).  Yeah, I did all that in one short weekend.  Not only that, I even went back to my old office to do some works, tidied & cleaned up the house a little, bathed Rumba & Sunshine, gone out for some lace for our performance skirts, bought the fish net stockings too (yeah, going for slutty theme complete with super hot corset! oo la la! *smack*).  

Was following closely on the updates of the demonstration thru the internet.  Wish I was there.  I should have. Sigh...  It's too late to say that now isnt it?  Should've walk the walk and not talk the walk.  The more I look at those updates, the more frustrated I became.  Just for your info, I hate politics.  Especially so in my country.  It give me a sense of hopelessness and despair whenever I read something about it.  That's the reason why I don't read the our newspaper (which was monopolized by the government) too.  

So I thought about it, and I've decided that should there be a BERSIH 3.0 come next year, I'll definitely go.  No more hesitation.  No more being a coward.  I shall stand together with my people to fight for what we believe in.

Then I thought about how can I get pass the police to get downtown wearing yellow?  A bright idea came to mind almost immediately.  I shall bring a tube of yellow body paint, and paint myself yellow when I get downtown. :)   Tell me it is a good idea cause I think it is SUPER!  :)

Bersih, Clean, クリーン, Schoon, สะอาด, чистый

What is BERSIH?

Wikipedia:  Bersih, literally means 'clean' in Malay.  In Malaysia, it is also a coalition of Malaysian opposition political parties and NGOs with the stated aim of reforming the electoral process in the country specifically:

1) Usage of permanent ink to ensure that voters may only vote once.

2) A clean out of the electoral rolls to remove entries that are no longer valid such as deceased people.

3) The abolition of postal votes on the basis that they are easily abused.

4) Bersih demands that all candidates and political parties have equal access to print and broadcast media.

So, what about it?

Well, BERSIH scheduled a second peaceful street demonstration for tomorrow, 9th July, ahead of the anticipated 2012 national Malaysian elections.

What's the big hoo haa?

1) The government & pro-government media critised the demonstration extensively.

2) The police arrested a number of BERSIH supporters in the lead-up to the event.

3) The government banned the demonstrations.

4) The government requested for the demonstration to be held at stadiums but did not approved stadium usage?  Confusing? 

5) Placed road blocks on all road leading into city centre to prevent demonstrator from entering.
6) Block/Checks on light rail transit and arrest whoever carries a BERSIH t-shirt.

7) They mislead the general public of BERSIH with 'May 13 Tragedy' which was erupted out of racism rather than fair electoral system thus creating dejavu sense of insecurities and anger within the people.

Seriously, what's so wrong in demonstrating for a fair electoral process?  What's so wrong in using permanent ink to ensure voters only voted once?  Or cleaning out the electoral rolls to remove deceased people's entries?  Die already definitely cannot go vote right?  Or abolishing postal voting which are easily abused or equal access to print and broadcast media?

Unless of course they don't want the electoral process to be fair and they need people to vote more than once, even the dead too.  Tempering with postal voting when necessary and monopolizing the print and broadcast media to mess up the general public's mind.

You decide.  I gave up.  But, I wore YELLOW today!  Yay! 

Another 5km Run Two Weekends Ago

Pardon me for my 'lack of blogging' lately.  I am so tired, all the time, really.  And it's not helping when you are working with some 'funny character'.  Sigh... really need to oo-sha a little more!  Or, I can do with a few more vacations (despite the fact that I just got back from one over the weekend which I will leave it for the next entry.  :p

Nevertheless, a sneak preview of most recent vacation.  Another hidden jewel right at our own backyard! :)  Awesome isn't it?  Well, this is the kind of sunset I've been enjoying this past weekend.  Not forgetting to add, dozing in and out to the sound of lapping waves and gentle breeze... Ahhhhhh!  Ok, that's it for time being on this  part.  Will leave it for next entry :p

Participated the much talked about Standard Chartered Marathon two weekends ago (last last Sunday).  Accidentally joined that is.  Forget about the details, it's a long and not interesting one.  To cut long story short, when I wanted to register, the registration was closed.  When I didn't want to join, the opportunity opened.  Complicated, yes.  Anyway, went for the 5km run with one of my run buddy, Mambo (yeah, quirky name :)).  Almost sign for 10km but thought better of it.  Why la I wanna torture myself like that on a Sunday morning?!?

Our 5km run was scheduled to be flagged off at 8am.  Nevertheless, still needs to get to town by 6am due to all the roads closure.  The full marathon (42km) was flagged off at 5am.  When the husband gave me a ride to the train station at 5:15am, the runners were already at the highway outside our house!  It only took them 15 minutes to run from Dataran Merdeka to MidValley.  Unbelievably fast!  I can't help but thought of these:

(1) They definitely will find no use of a car.  They can run to everywhere.  Go green.  Save the environment! 

(2) It gonna be good fun to watch them chasing down snatch thieves.

(3) McD can consider hiring them for delivery services.  Then we would not have 'traffic jam' excuses. :p  Hehehehehe......

Lucky for Mambo & I, we managed to execute 'Plan A'; i.e. to catch the last free shuttle service from the train station which took us right to the flag off point instead of 'Plan B', i.e. taking the train which will require us to walk for quite a fair bit to get to the point.

Though still having bout of cough/flu, I couldn't resist going.  I simply don't want to miss a thing.  Nevertheless, I kept reminding myself not to over exert myself.  Just run at my own pace.  Surprisingly, I was feeling rather ok that morning and I thought I did pretty alright. 5km under 40minutes. :)  It was quite an enjoyable route actually.  Not much terrain, pretty flat.

Conclusion, it was not the run that was tiring.  It was the whole hoo haa of getting to and from the venue that is tiring.  The early hours, the bus rides, the train rides home which we got lost on the way (thanks to Mambo) & etc... *yawn*

Will I do it again next year?  A definite yes and I will do 10km next year!

Cameron Highlandst

Took a short breakaway last weekend (real short one, just over the weekend, 2d/1n).  Before I find any time to update, it's now weekend again.  Gosh...  at this rate, I think 50 or even 80 not gonna be too far off.  Before I know it, I'll probably be at retiring age.  Mad crazy.

The short weekend away was good.  After two weekends of staying put in town, it's time to start moving again.  Lols... Like the birdpark tickets, I bought a promotional voucher from a friend when they participated at the recent travel fair.  :)  I think it was RM175/night (approx. US$60) for one night accommodation at Strawberry Park Resort.  The recently renovated/revamped rooms were really cozy and nice.

A short info on Cameron from Wikipedia: 

The highlands got its name from William Cameron, a British surveyor who was commissioned by the then colonial government to map out the are in 1885.  It was the late Sir Hugh Low, a resident of Perak, expressed the wish of developing the flat terrain as a "sanatorium, health resort and open farmland".

The highlands is one of Malaysia's most extensive hill stations which covers an area of 712 square kilometers.  It was first developed by the British in 1920s.  The temperature seldom soars above 25deg cel during the day and during the night, it can sometimes drop to as low as 12deg cel.  It has 3 main townships - RInglet, Tanah Rata and Brinchang, which nestled at an altitude of more than 1200m.

Yeah, this is the same place I went for the treasure hunt event with a bunch of friends August last year.  At that time, we never get a chance to go sight seeing around the highlands.  Just treasure hunted from KL all the way up the hill, spent the night, and back to KL the next day.

This time round, went with the husband and he was sport enough to check out all the flower nurseries with me.  The plants were all so pretty.  I wish I could bring them all back.  Lols... 

Of course I didn't.  Seriously, how many can I buy?  Actually, it is more like, how many would survive in our non-highlands weather?  I just bought some small cute ones.  Not too many.

I've been to Cameron quite a number of times and have tasted their strawberries before but this time round, they were never quite like what I've tasted all those times.  I always remember Cameron's strawberries as tiny and super sour.  I was quite surprise when I found some huge ones at the market there.  Even more surprise when they were all juicy and yummy when I bite into them!  Nice!  

We went to quite a number of flower nurseries.  Not exactly looking for anything. Just look see look see.    Basically that's what people do when they go to Cameron highlands.  Buy flowers, plants, vegetables, eat... lols...Yeah, I ate non stop.  Now that I work, I need the energy.  So it's absolutely alright to indulge!  :p

We were recommended by Florence to visit this Time Tunnel Museum while we were there.  It was really nice.  Feels like walking down memory lane.  The husband and I was so excited when we spotted and antique/classic stuff from 'our' time.  Lols... Yeah, our time.  

Sometimes when I thought about my childhood days, it doesn't feel like so long ago.  But when we started seeing these stuff from our childhood on display here, oh boy.....!  It looks like it was from a LONG time ago!  Hahahaha... Anyway, it's worth visiting. Just RM5/entry.  

Went for and early steamboat dinner.  Couldn't resist steamboat on cool weather like that.  There were many of them.  We simply picked the shop with the most customer.  One can never go wrong that way! Right?  The extra long funnel (if that is what you call that long thing) was because this particular set is using charcoal instead of running on gas.

After dinner we took a walk to their famous weekend night market nearby.  There were more goodies there.  This man is frying sweet potato balls.  I was so tempted to get some.  Unfortunately we were simply too stuffed.  Still, we bought some other food stuff - fried crab (super yummeh), apambalik (some kind of malay flour stuff), sweet corn (must try)!

The weather was rather nice throughout our stay until it began to pour while we were there in the market.  Though there were lots of umbrella for sale, we simply refuse to get one.  No, it was not expensive.  Just about RM10 each.  And rather wait out under all those canopies with chattering teeth.  Lols... I think the feeling of not-wanting-to-own-another-umbrella were rather overwhelming.  Especially not one with loud huge strawberries print (which we will never use again)!  

Next morning, wanted to bring the husband to Boh Tea Plantation (which my friends brought me the last time) for breakfast.  We got lost for a little while and ended up having lunch instead at the same place we had dinner the previous night before heading to the plantation for tea after getting better directions from the lunch waitress.

Though the tea & dessert were horrible, the experience was good for the husband.  He loves the place.  We also get to see how tea was processed.  Picture above is a tea grinding machine which was used since the plantation was set up a long long time ago and is still being used now.

Everywhere we walked, the air was filled with aroma of tea.  Nice.  Just a pity that the tea served at it's cafe doesn't taste anything near the aroma!  Personally, I feel they should outsource their cafe to more serious cafe people who serve freshly bakes yummies like scones with fresh cream and strawberry jam, variety of pastries, cupcakes and etc instead of some soggy sandwiches, spongelike cakes, tasteless tea which they are charging RM0.50 for refill of hot water!  *shaking head*  Can see it was a half hearted effort.  

Visitors still throngs the place despite of the overly priced yucky food.  It's the environment that matters.  What a waste of superb location and beautiful set up. *Sigh* 

We head back home after that.  Though just a short getaway, it was good.  Rejuvenating enough.  The beauty of traveling not in a group.  Easy going.

Breakfast with the Birds at the Park!

One thought in my mind this past week.  

"Complications, problems, unresolvable issues, obstacles are all self created.  Meaning, we created them in our mind and let it grow.  If we don't perceived them as what they were but part and parcels of life,  how complicated can them be?  A problem will not be a problem if we don't see it as a problem."  

So, it's all in the mind.  Of course I understand that sometimes they are beyond our control.  Hormones and all are much to blame for this uncontrollable perception or emotion.  But, as long as we are aware of the contributing factor, we wouldn't be too far off.  Agree not?

Example: If you think your husband doesn't love you, no matter what he did, you will still think he doesn't love you.  When he brings you flowers, you would perceive that he is just trying to make up thus insincerity and that he is just doing it out of obligation.  As time goes, it will just escalate.

Or, many other instances which have been popping up in my head except for this very moment when I wanna blog about it, nothing pops.  Lols....  It's always like this isn't it?

Anyway, was out at the Kuala Lumpur Birdpark last Sunday and it was great.  That was until my camera's battery depleted.  After that, it was not so great already. :p Lols... I supposed to bring my camera bag which has a fully charged spared battery.  On the very last minute, decided to chuck them in my handbag instead of that cumbersome bag.  Naturally, I missed out the battery.  Sigh... what's new?  Well, at least this time round, I remembered the memory card!  Lols....

Gotten the ticket at half price sometime back when I visited Matta Fair (some travel fair).  Thought it would be good for some photography practice.  Never been anyway.  Nothing to loose.

We got there at 9:30am and had breakfast with the birds at their Hornbill Restaurant.  The food sucks but environment was nice.  This bird here was at first just perching on the grill looking cute.  The moment I leave my plate, it just walk towards it.  Lols.... Seriously.  No joke. Despite of there were another two human sitting on that table.  The husband was brandishing fork & knife threatening that he will eat it alive.  It and it just strolled away cooly.  *super cute*  

The only downside was, I should've paid more attention to the names of these birds.  I was too happy snapping away.  Now, I don't know what bird are these. :p some kind of stork?

Nevermind.  I really don't know.  All I know is, they are dangerous.  They will snap their long pointy yellow beak at you if you are too close to one.

My favourite - an owl.  Some kind of owl :p  I know, I am pathetic.  Lols... I have a thing for owl.  Most people think that they look evil & spooky.  But I think they look so adorable with those heart shape pattern face, flattened, small little pointy beak curving downwards... not cute meh?  In fact, I think they are very intelligent!  Don't ask me why I think that.  I just think that. :p

You may notice that my blogging has been pretty senseless these days and that's because, I really can't find a good time for it.  If I am not working, I am dancing.  If I am not dancing, I am out with the husband compensating for limited time spent together these day (of course all those cleaning after the doggies too which somehow has become his job these days).  Or sometime, catching up with friends.  So the in-between time would be like now, at midnight?  And even that, if I have not passed out.  Literally.  The moment I hit the bed, I would be gone in not more than a minute. :p

Honestly, there are so much happenings.  I just don't have the luxury of time anymore.  Just last night, a girlfriend invited me to this really nice Contemporary Dance Performance called 'Scissors, Rock & Shadow Box' hosted by the Dutch Embassy.  Decided to just skip my training for once to enjoy myself and catch up a little.  We had such a great time and enjoyed the performance immensely.  I am never much of contemporary dance appreciator but this one, I simply love it.  The dancers were so expressive and strong.  Totally enjoying myself.  Oh, bumped into another friend there too from the Mauritius embassy and we had so much fun joking about.

Workwise was equally good too.  Began to mingle with other colleagues, feeling more comfortable at work, and every lunch time seems to be an 'updating' session or laughing senselessly with senseless jokes.  Looks like working life is fitting me rather well. :)  yeah, work fits me.  Not me fits work.  Lols.  Switching of perception. :)

Though I've no MSN nor FB connection at work (which, the thought of it used to be a nightmare), it was good too.  Some friends would always send me a 'good morning' email which never fails to add a little cheer to my otherwise maddening crazy hecticness at work! :)  Yes, my work are all those words described.  Even my mom thinks that I lost some weight few weeks into working.  Lols...  Well, the only downside would be, I can't communicate with mom as and when I like.  Even though we don't chat all the time last time, but at least I knew she was 'online'.  Now, I don't know.  So, it's a little weird.

Anyway, here's me, with an owl perching on my shoulder praying hard that it won't go crazy and start pecking my eyeball out.  :p  It's name, Kitty.  Love how it's feather swing outward above it's eyes.

With another smaller one on my wrist.  This one was a quiet one.  Shy little bird. :)

And last but not least, till I find another micro slot to blog, is a photo of us, shot with all those colourful birds.  Basically, we just sit ourselves on the bench and not move.  The workers then decorated us with those birds...  Hehehehehehe.... Nevertheless, another great photo, another great outing, another great week! :)

Cheers!