THE KRABI - PHUKET ADVENTURE (PART III)

Hello dear readers! It's me again, still here (as in still in my home, then office, then back home again). Many thanks for those who read The Krabi - Phuket Adventure (Part I & II), though Part I still received the highest hit (EVER). To have actual people reading this blog made my day! So I will try my level best in this post to break the record. This post had nothing to do with the ride but what we did in Krabi. Do read until the end, this one is INTERESTING (for my standard it really is)!

The Brotherhood: These were the men I traveled with. This bunch of people are simply the best and I really hoped we'll ride again soon, to somewhere even further. Let's go BROS!

So after we checked in at the chalet (I somehow managed to forget the name, I'll look for it later), we took a dip in the swimming pool and then planned for a late dinner. Before I venture any deeper into the food domain, let me explain a thing about our Krabi - Phuket Ride. Our fearless leader (Mr. Nizam Sandi) PROMISED us that by joining this ride, the members WILL loose at least a few kilos of weight due to the stress of the ride. Well my dear readers, THAT turns out to be a LIE. While the ride was hard to say the least, the food here was heavenly (bloody delicious Halal food) and dear Allah, CHEAP as hell (I'm very sorry to actually use the word hell, but this is the simplest way to convey what I felt). It's not entirely Mr. Nizam Sandi's fault, his first ride proved his point of loosing weight (but he rode with his wife, who is a professional dietitian thus making eating not so healthy food is a big NO hence the weight lost).

The Nasi Kerabu: A delightful feast, traditionally made just for us. And the veggies were fresh!

Now, back to the late dinner. We were ushered by our newly made friend to his wife's small restaurant near the chalet. It served 'Nasi Kerabu' and burgers among other things, though seems not much, it was really delicious. On top of that, the restaurant was really clean (We wondered if we should take off our shoes before going in). The 'Nasi Kerabu' was fantastic, so was the burger. We ate, we smiled and had this ideas of wanting more, but of course we didn't, hoping to loose some weight (It's true, especially for me. I was in a bad place in my life where weight is a problem). The restaurant owner (an evil person who don't seems to support the idea of us getting thin) then served us with a jug of hot coffee that was so sweet that we thought of cutting off our legs in advance.

The Beef Burger: Even the simplest of menu was so delicious .

We're lucky back then as there was a small night market, which was held only once a year. We were there at that particular night and it was the last day of the yearly night market. So we strolled along the lines of hawkers (not hookers), and watched  Siamese bands entertaining a small crowd (not really sure of the genre, but the crowd seems to be enjoying it) and I'd almost ate fried grasshopper of which I always wanted to try (Our 'out of the blue' tour guide stopped me just in time telling me it was non-Halal, as it was prepared by non-Muslim). Thanked Allah for that. Phew...

The Insect Feast: I always wanted to try this, but not here, not yet. Maybe next time.

The Tour Guide: The women in the left was our newly discovered Tour Guide. She helped us a lot during our stay in Krabi. The man on the right was Mr. Rashdan Hafizi, smiling brightly after hearing the word 
massage parlor being mentioned.

We ended the night happily as we retired for bed. The next day, we went for an island hopping tour. Our other tour guide (the same guy that introduced us to his wife's restaurant) arranged the tour to the four islands which were the Penis Island (yes, penis as in men's genitalia), Poda Beach and two other islands (yup, did it again, I forgot the names). The tour was basically fun (boys + boat + water + girls in bikini = FUN) and we really enjoyed it. We took our sweet time basking in the sun, snorkeling and had quite a nice pre prepared lunch. We also took a lot of photos but Mr. Rusihan Arifin was reluctant to take a dip (he got his own reasons). Nonetheless, even he had fun laughing at Mr. Rashdan Hafizi 'manly' scream as the fishes nibbled his feet while snorkeling.

Happy Faces: The boys on a boat ride to the four islands. Mr. Rahdan Hafizi (on the left) and Mr. Rusihan Ariffin (on the right) were laughing about a joke I shared (that's me in the middle).

To Penis Island!: We were pumped to see the Penis Island, not that we haven't see one of those (penis) as all of us got one, but the name of the island was too intriguing and mysterious ; ) 

The experience was out of the world. The deep sea views (for those who snorkeled) was heavenly, almost as beautiful as the ones in Redang Island. The beaches (yes, beaches, not bitches) was also beautiful though once was struck by tsunami that devastated much in its path and killed so many lives. But once there, that tragedy seems so far away as if it never happened. But then again, a moment of silence was in place while we were there, as a reminder of mother natures' power. We spent almost the whole day enjoying the tour and head back to Ao Nang Beach later that day. On the way back to the chalet, we stopped for a quick snack (snack meening another round of unhealthy greasy food), which were deep fried 'everything'. There were fish cakes, fish balls, squid, fishes etc. We pick our poison and the hawker re fried it, again (adding more oil to the already oily food). The snacks were great as we ate it just by the stall as the hawker also provide us with a small mat.

Men of Penis Island: A group photo of us, in front of a small cavern that contains lots and lots of penises.

Tsunami Hazard Zone: A reminder of what'd hit Poda Beach years back. The images of the Tsunami still send shivers down my spine.

Afterward we retired for the day, preparing for the trip to Phuket the next day. That night we had another fantastic feast consists of green curry, Tom Yam Gong, stir fried veggies and other Thai food at one of the many restaurants that served Halal food in Krabi. Then we went for a massage (don't get any wrong ideas. We got a real massage) to rejuvenate ourselves after such a tiring day. We then spent the rest of the night strolling the street of Ao Nang and then to bed.

Time to Relax: After a tiring day of touring, sightseeing and eating vigorously, a massage therapy was in place to rejuvenate the body.

The Great Breakfast: The part I liked most about Krabi was the food. It's Halal, super cheap and delicious! What more can a chubby man like me ask?

I'll be writing on the ride to Phuket (or maybe not. As they said, what happened in Phuket stays in Phuket) in my next post. I'll leave you guys with something to ponder.

"It's best to travel with your love ones or those closest to you. Create great memories together as you might not be able to do it again" - in memory of Wira's little sister. Al Fatihah...

Yours truly,
Kaz
28 February 2014

Please note that all the photos were taken by Mr. Haneef Ahmad Ibrahim, an old friend who is now working in Dubai, UAE.

    

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NAM TOUR OFF DUTY - DAY 1

It was more of a self-interested gut feeling when I decided for Hanoi as our next holiday trip (my wife preferred basking in the sun somewhere on the beach, with all that heat and sweat, which is not my cup of coffee, hence the word I). I’m more of a winter culture enthusiast, which makes more sense because there is no winter here in Malaysia. So it was a good sense to book our flight for Hanoi on the 12^th of January, somewhat in the middle of its winter term. There were six of us, myself, my mom, my wife, Adam, Raiyyan and my youngest brother. And before I continue I just need to say that don’t believe everything your travel agent says. Our travel agent convincingly told us that the temperature over there at that particular time was the same as Cameron Highland’s. I hereby would like to declare that it was not. Not even close. Enough with the prelude.

DAY 1

The plane safely touched down at Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport approximately 0800hrs local time. Nothing interesting happened on the flight except when the air hostess made two specific announcements to remind the guests not to take the life jackets along with them (err.. yes, sadly it happened quite frequently to this particular commercial airline). The immigration and customs procedures were surprisingly smooth despite their officers being outright rigid.  Herry Hung, our guide met us at the airport and quickly took us to the van as it was freezing. He was in his mid thirties, neatly dressed and was trying at his very best to be polite (not that he’s not, but I sensed that he wasn't sure of the friendship boundary that is tolerated between a Vietnamese tour guide and Malaysian tourist affiliation). As we drove to our first destination which was the renowned Mao’s Silk Farm, he briefly explained the itinerary that was prepared for us and also some interesting facts about Vietnam/Hanoi’s culture and history. Some of the well known facts are:-

1.         Ha Noi means “City inside rivers”

2.         Also sometimes is called ‘City of lakes’

3.         The houses in Hanoi are super narrow because property tax is based on the width of the building

4.         Ho Chi Minh’s body is preserved and exhibited at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

Just came out of the airport

Super narrow houses (and super tall)

Mr Herry Hung with the kids

It was all swell but I couldn't help myself from taking out my camera and snap some photos of local motorists in their winter outfit cruising their way on their bikes/scooters to work and what not. I love cold weathers, I love jackets, and I love bikes, and I was surrounded by all three at once. Nice ;-)

It's Hanoi Winter.Moto.Culture

The trip to the Silk Farm was brief because it wasn't something that peculiar to be exact, at least not for me. I've seen silkworms, I've seen their cocoons, I know what they eat (Mulberry leaves), their conservative weaving technique and machines are more or less the same as anywhere else in the Asian region. Plus I had to watch over the kids while the ladies did some quick shopping (the real reason for visiting there I guess).

The weaving machine at close up

The same machine from another angle

The weather did not slow them down

Just chilling outside the shop

The locals right across the street, also chilling it down

Next we visited the Al Noor Mosque which is the one and only mosque in Hanoi city. Herry mentioned that of nearly 300 devotees gathering for Jumaat prayer in the mosque of more than hundred years old, only 55 are Vietnamese, the remaining are officials from the embassies of Muslims countries in Hanoi, which explained why halal food are very much scarce here. It was interesting to get a glimpse of how the Muslim community preserves in the socialist republic nation.

Masjid Al Noor

The rest of the day was made free for us to rest and rejuvenate. We stayed at the Boss Hotel somewhere in the bustling streets of Hoan Kiem District. The room was neat, the staffs were friendly and helpful and there were no bad experience encountered during our stay there. I would recommend this hotel but just bear in mind that their restaurant do not serve halal food.

Later that night Lily, my mom and myself did get a chance to shop for souvenirs at the nearby night market (opens weekends only) and experience bargaining with the local traders. It was fun and contrary to popular belief, a lot of Vietnamese there can understand and speak English, at least with moderate comprehension.

At the hotel lobby

Sport shoes are ubiquitous here 

More shoes

We had our lunch at The Red House Restaurant and dinner at The Cosiana Hotel which I was told is owned by a Malaysian. Both provide halal foods. We were served with Malaysian local dishes which according to my wife was exceptionally delicious, even better than back home (the weather did contribute significant influence to our appetite, I think). 

Inside the Red House Restaurant

Our First lunch

Coming soon, Day 2. Until then. - Ariffin

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THE KRABI - PHUKET ADVENTURE (PART II)

The Part I for Krabi - Phuket Adventure received quite a warm supports from the readers (actually the highest hit EVER). So I would like to take this opportunity  to thanks all the readers for reading the post and for supporting our not so famous blog. This is Part II and please read the first part before reading this one.

Finally Trang!: A group photo of us when we FINALLY reached Trang. It's a mighty relief after hours riding in the glaring sun.

Now, after the unexpected problem in Bukit Kayu Hitam (the border crossing thingy), the group continued the ride, destination: Trang. Mr. Nizam Sandi told us that is was not that far and we had blindly believed him. Well my friends, it turned out to be ridiculously grueling ride. Imagine this: glaring sun, road filled with other vehicles and most of all no smoking break. All of us smoke, except for Mr. Nizam Sandi and Mr. Haneef Ahmad Ibrahim (we should have quit, smoking is hazardous to our health) and kept asking the same question billions of children all around the world asked while traveling: Are we there yet? (Like billions of time). And Mr. Nizam Sandi calmly answered Trang is just around the corner (and yes, we passed every single corner hoping to see the word Trang).

Lunch Time: After the much needed smoke (for those who smoked), we stuffed our not so empty bellies with cheap Halal food. We took our time savoring every bite.

The road condition to Trang was actually better than the Malaysian highways. The tarmac's surface was smooth and though looked slippery, they're not. However unlike highways in Malaysia (which are gated and nicely maintained), there were no border or what so ever. There were cows, three wheels motorcycles, bicycles and vehicles from the other side of the road can simply cross over. But we also received warm welcome from the Thais especially those riding behind of a lorry, a four wheel drive etc. They waved their hands smiling and some even took our photos (I did the obvious, smiled. But don't really know if they noticed it because I'm was wearing a full face helmet).

On The Bike!: That was Mr. Rashdan Hafizi urging Mr. Najib Jaafar to get ready. Mr. Najib simply ignored the instruction to savor his last cigarette before the long ride to Krabi.

Enough about the suffering, we reached Trang safely (me with an aching back and shoulder). The smokers (expectedly) went smoking,  forgetting about food or drink. Mr. Rashdan Hafizi (our official Time Keeper) did his job well by reminding us (every minutes) to get ready but the boys just ignored him due to severe hunger and thirst. The Trang R & R was actually similar to what we have in Malaysia. There were many stalls, a small food court (serving Halal food with cheap price), toilets and a small 'Surau'. So we prayed, ate, nurture our aching body and when Mr. Rashdan Hafizi said "On the bike!", everybody was ready for the next part of the ride, which will take us straight to Krabi.

The ride from Trang to Krabi was pleasant as the riders had enough rest, filled bellies and of course having the chance to smoke. The route was also interesting as the curves and corners took away that sleepy feeling (the riders took the corners as if they were racing in MotoGP) and the day wasn't as hot. The drizzling rain kept the riders cool and of course increases the focus as the road was a bit slippery.

R & R Trang: A photo of a small building consisting a 'Surau' and toilets. It was fairly clean and comfortable enough for the riders to relieve them self and of course to pray.   

We reached Krabi at around 1930HRS (after 14 hours). I almost ran over a red light, hit the emergency brake and almost fell but didn't due to purely adrenaline that rushed through my veins. I had to literally dragged my ER6 back to where I was supposed to stop. Then Mr. Najib Jaafar asked me the most ridiculous question: "Are you alright?" (when he already knew the answer would be: Holy s**t! I'd almost got myself killed! Of course I'm not ALRIGHT!). But I knew his intention was good and I really appreciate him for asking.

Having safely arrived at our destination, all the riders were SUPER happy and most of all were very proud with ourselves. We hugged each other, sharing high fives (and maybe, just maybe some shed happy manly tears. Not me though.) The next order of business is to check in the hotel (we stayed in Ao Nang Beach), took a dip in the swimming pool (though we claimed that we were so tired that we'll be flat out after we'd checked in) and a late dinner.

Let's Continue the Ride!: This photo was taken right before we continue the ride to Krabi. Happy faces all around as the riders had their bellies filled, lungs filled with toxin and enough rest.

So that's the ride from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Krabi. I'll be writing on the activities that we did in Krabi in the next post. The next post is going to be fun to read as we did had LOTS of fun in Krabi. The food was also fantastic. Cheers!

"Riding motorcycle is more than an adrenaline rush, it's actually experiencing life to the fullest."

Yours truly,
Kaz
17 Feb. 2014
  

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THE KRABI - PHUKET ADVENTURE (PART I)

I'm currently living a boring life as lack of money leads to no travel or what so ever. Since there was no new update on this blog, I decided to write about my travel (mind you, with motorcycle) to Krabi and Phuket about a year ago. And boy, that was really an adventure of a life time!

The Rendezvous: This photo was taken right after the guy who was late arrived. That's me on the left of the photo. We were busy ensuring all the documentations for border crossing were in place. 

So there were seven of us riding (five Kawasaki ER6 and two Kawasaki Versys). More than half were inexperience riders but led by our very own trusted leader (Mr. Nizam Sandi, ER6) and the most patience rider I ever met as the Sweeper (Mr. Shukri Abdullah, ER6) we pressed ON! The other riders were Mr. Rusihan Ariffin (Versys), Mr. Haneef Ahmad Ibrahim (Versys), Mr. Najib Jaafar (ER6), Mr. Rashdan Hafizi (ER6) and of course yours truly (ER6).

The Main Men: The guys on the left is our fearless leader, the one on the middle is our main photographer and the man on the left is the Sweeper. A SUPERB team. And the rest were SUPERB followers of course!

We started the ride as early as 0500HRS. We decided to rendezvous in R & R Rawang and head for Penang from there. As happened in every ride, one of us (the guy with the Go-Pro video camera & the best DSLR among us) were one and a half hour late. Nobody wants to ride without the guy with the camera (no camera equals to no photos, selfie etc.) so we waited for him. And at around 0630HRS we begin our adventure.

The ride to Penang was swift and smooth as there were not so many cars (and of course we maintained 160 - 180KMH). Not that we were rushing, but riding a motorcycle in the glaring sun is really not a wise idea (trust me, it's like sitting in a sauna while avoiding lorries, cars and other incoming vehicles). So around 0930HRS all of us safely made it to Penang for a quick breakfast and refueling. The next stop (among other 'pit stop' along the way, mainly to smoke) was Bukit Kayu Hitam translated as the Black Wood Hill. We finally arrived there at 1230HRS, the last stop in Malaysia (I can still remember this clearly, what a thrill, crossing the Malaysia - Thai border for the first time by motorcycle).

The Breakfast Break: Mr. Rusihan eyeing (maybe envious) Mr. Haneef's Versys that was prepped as if he was going to race in Dakkar. Mr. Haneef (aside from being our photographer) was also the quartermaster. 

While every single person in the group swiftly concluded the border crossing business, I came a across my first challenge. Somehow the officer handling my papers managed to screw me up by (maybe) purposely misplacing it. So I had to get in line (again) and repeat the whole process (all over again) and yes, I had to 'pay' them as well. This, in utter truth really spoil my mood then. I was super pissed, it was hot as hell (not that I've been to hell nor wishes to go there) and I was so damn thirsty. Nonetheless,  I managed to keep my cool and got through the border (accompanied by lots and lots of F word as I was cursing inside the hellishly hot helmet).

Finally Through: Ladies and gentlemen, that was me proudly holding my papers keeping my cool though the F word keep on flowing steadily inside my heart. But still I was thankful to Allah having safely made it across the border.

That was it for the first part of the adventure. I will write on the Bukit Kayu Hitam - Krabi ride in my next post. There is more interesting story to tell with better photos and yes, drama. Nothing like a good drama in a story right fellow readers?

So like always, I'll leave you guys with something to ponder. Cheers!

"Doesn't really matter how you travel (Plane, car, motorcycle etc), as long as you have FUN doing it."

Yours truly,
Kaz
14 Feb. 2014

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TALE OF THE TWO MOUNTAINS: GENTING & CAMERON (PART II)

This is part II of the 'Tale of The Two Mountains'. So do read part I to grasp better understanding of the whole picture before reading this or else you might be lost. Now if you still have no ideas what the heck I'm babbling about after reading part I, then I must really sucks at writing (maybe blogging is not my thing).

After the quite successful photo session with my beloved family, we packed our stuff and continue our journey to Cameron Highland. We didn't go through Sungai Koyan, instead we turned back towards Kuala Lumpur and took PLUS Highway. The plan was to head for Gopeng, pick up my mother-in-law, the Korean barbecue set, the marinated meat/chicken and other stuff needed for the night's ceremony (we're having a barbecue/steamboat Korean style). The drive took us around two and a half hours (miraculously I was fully awake throughout the drive. Solely because the girls DIDN'T STOP shouting all the way to Gopeng). Since it was not public holiday, the drive was quite pleasant.

So we safely reached Gopeng, pick up my mom-in-law and head straight for Cameron Highland via Simpang Pulai. The route is a lot better than going up through Tapah (bigger & better road. Motorcycle enthusiasts are crazy about the Simpang Pulai route). Halfway there,  the rain started pouring down, at one point the mist was so thick I had to drive around 10 to 20 KMH (Seriously, I'm not making this up to make the story interesting). We made it safely across the dreaded mountain route (now I'm being dramatic to make this more interesting) and headed towards Brinchang. The rain was still pouring (thus making the temperature drop. It was really cold). We kept going but decided to stop for a hot meal before checking in the Parkland Apartment. We found a small restaurant (2 KM from Brincang), which served delicious looking Malay meal (lamb curry, fish curry, 'sambal pedas' etc). Due the severe hunger and cold, we REALLY ate, and I mean REALLY ate as the food tasted so good. After half an hour, we continued our journey to the Parkland Apartment (apparently just 5 minutes drive from the small restaurant).

Fresh mushrooms:  A photo taken in one of the Mushroom Farm. I tried the macro setting on this one. The result is actually stunning. (Canon G15)

The apartment that we stayed in the Parkland Apartment (Confusing isn't it? The name of the place we stayed was Parkland Apartment) was modest. There were three rooms with its own bathroom, complete with queen sized beds (one of the smaller room has 2 single beds), a locker, side table and I have to say the bathrooms were clean (with hot shower of course). The apartment was also furnished with a dining table, sofas, a 32 inches flat screen and other essential electrical appliances. So for RM260/night it was worth the money. What I like the most was the windows and the sliding doors, which designed to mimic those in the colonial era. The colonial looking windows plus the mountain view plus the cold weather equals to a perfect English feel (Seriously it was really cold, surprising for me because it wasn't THAT cold the last few times I visited Cameron Highland).

Ready for plucking: I tried to create 'bokeh' in the foreground as well as the background, focusing on the two strawberries in the middle. (Canon G15)

After settling down, my wife, mom and mom-in-laws were already busy preparing for the night's barbecue (forgot to mention this, we bought some veggies, sweet corns and potatoes after lunch). The lil' girls (as if they ran on nuclear reactor, meaning lots and lots of energy) were also 'busy' in their own way. The noise woke me from my pleasant English dream and brought me back to reality. Nonetheless, the boys (meaning me, my younger brother and my dad) also helped in preparing for dinner. And I have to say, the Korean barbecue was superb! Imagine this: Fresh veggies, perfectly marinated meat/chicken, hot and spicy Tom Yam and best of all in the company of loved ones.

Misty: A pit stop at the Boh Tea Valley hoping for a scenic photos. But the mist was too thick, low sunlight and no blue sky. So this was kind of the best of the bunch taken that morning. (Canon G15)

So the day went well. We crept under the blanket after the Korean barbecue and weathered the cold night (it was cold! Really cold!). My little family crowded under one blanket, it was warm though not very comfortable (the girls keep kicking me on the face and the youngest at one point kick my crouch so hard I had to wake up and pee). But it was something that I will cherished ; )

The rain was still pouring the next morning. So the plan to visits  few places of interest was canceled. We just made a stop at the Cameron Highland Tea Valley for a cup of tea and not forgetting scones. Right after we head back to my mom-in-laws place in Gopeng.

That my fellow travelers, wrapped this trip. Cheers!

"Look forward for a new journey and you'll find work is not that boring"

Yours truly,
Kaz
29 January 2014

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Sandakan, The Nature City - Day 3 (b)

1608, Sandakan Memorial Park.

Peta Sabah menunjukkan jarak POW bergerak dari Sandakan ke Ranau. 200++ km.

Hehe, historical piece kot. Mana tahan. Kena melawat juga la. Datang dengan bus sahaja. Nanti aku cerita sikit tips untuk ke sini dengan bus. Nak menghayati kisah tahanan perang (POW) sekejap.

1839, Bilik 324 Hotel Swiss In

Kawasan Sandakan Memorial Park (SMP). Ada juga penduduk yang beriadah di sini. Masuk adalah percuma

Boiler. Pada zaman Jepun. Digunakan untuk menjana elektrik

Dah siap mandi. Dah siap beli dinner. Sekarang lepak saja dalam bilik tengok Korusuke di TV3. Akan continue cerita Sandakan Memorial Park.

Lepas balik dari Pasar Basah, kami memang tak plan nak ke mana-mana. Tapi tetap rasa ralat kerana tak dapat pergi ke Sandakan Memorial Park (SMP). Lepak fikir fikir, alang-alang dah sampai why not tak pergi saja. Dah la tak dapat pergi Pulau Selingan. Takkan SMP pun tak pergi. Lagipun ada lagi 3 jam sebelum pukul 1700.

 Ini katanya store dan dapur tentera Jepun.

So, we make up our mind. Google di mana SMP dan pergi saja. SMP terletak di Batu 8. Kami pergi dengan menaiki bas. Tunggu bus dekat Stesyen Labuk Sdn Bhd. Dekat dengan stesyen minyak Shell. Kebetulan ada bus yang hendak ke Bt 32. So aku tanya conductor tu, dia kata berhenti di Bt. 8. Tambang hanya RM1.70 sahaja. Landmark dia adalah roundabout yang ada patung buaya berdiri. Sampai sahaja roundabout itu, picit loceng dan turun. Kemudian ada signboard ke SMP. Kena berjalan lebih kurang 200m ke SMP. Masuk adalah percuma. Kawasan SMP ini dikelilingi oleh perumahan. Baik, sedikit pasal SMP.

Buku memorial mengandungi gambar-gambar tahan perang yang meninggal dunia

SMP merupakan tapak asal kem tahanan perang (POW) Sandakan ketika zaman Jepun. Sekitar Januari hingga Ogos 1945 sewaktu Jepun menduduki Sandakan. Pada tahun 1942 hingga 1943, tentera Jepun membawa 2,700 tahanan perang Australia dan British ke Sandakan. Kebanyakan mereka ditangkap di Singapura sewaktu Jepun mula menduduki Asia. Tahanan perang ini digunakan sebagai buruh untuk membina lapangan terbang dan kerja-kerja kasar yang lain. Tahu kan kisah kejamnya tentera Jepun? Tahanan perang juga dikenakan tindakan yang sama malah lebih teruk. Diseksa, dipukul, dibiarkan kelaparan dan sebagainya. Bila tentera bersekutu mengebom lapangan terbang Jepun, Tentera Jepun bercadang untuk memindahkan tahanan perang ini ke Ranau. Yes, 240km ke barat Sabah. Dengan hanya berjalan kaki meredah hutan. Waktu itu ramai yang mati. Ada sebab sakit dan ada sebab kena seksa. Jadi, dari 2,700 tahanan perang, hanya 6 orang yang hidup. Lain-lain mati sama ada masa on the way ke Ranau, di Ranau atau di Sandakan sendiri. Tapi kubur-kubur yang di Sandakan semua sudah dipindahkan ke Labuan. Kawasan kem tahanan itulah dijadikan Sandakan Memorial Park. Aku budget ada lagi body yang tak dipindahkan. Mesti ada punya. Sebahagian kawasan kem itu sekarang dijadikan perumahan. Scary!!

Di SMP ini ada beberapa artifak tinggalan Jepun seperti kapal korek untuk buat lapangan terbang, ada boiler air untuk hasilkan stim bagi hidupkan alternator untuk hasilkan elektrik, ada tangki air dari konkrit dan store serta dapur tentera Jepun.

Kawasan ini menerima kunjungan dari pihak Kementerian Hal Ehwal Vateren Australia. Mereka sponsor untuk bangunkan memorial ini. Setiap tahun, mereka datang ke sini untuk upacara peringati tahanan perang yang mati. Ada juga buku autograf yang ada tandatangan sanak saudara tentera yang mati.

Selepas selesai melawat, kami balik ke Pekan Sandakan dengan menaiki van (bas mini). Van memang ada depan gate SMP itu. Tambang hanya RM2 sahaja. Puas hati rasa dapat datang ke sini.

Baik, sampai sahaja Pekan Sandakan, terus beli dinner dan balik ke bilik. So tak perlu keluar untuk makan lagi. Stock makanan cukup sampai esok pagi.

Di hadapan galeri pameran. Menceritakan mengenai sejarah SMP ini.

Sikit ulasan dan tips, aku rasa Sandakan ini menarik. Banyak history and very backpacker friendly. Public transport juga banyak. Selain teksi, bus dan van juga banyak dan meliputi hampir semua kawasan. Cuma perlu tahu mana nak naik sahaja. Penduduk Sandakan overall macam friendly. Tapi susah nak tau mana local mana pendatang. Semua macam sama sahaja. Makan juga senang. Ada fastfood dan local food. Tak banyak beza pun. Time pergi Pasar Tamu aku expect ada macam kala jengking goreng atau ulat beluncas masak lemak, tapi tak ada pun. So aku anggap makanan dia biasa sahaja. Untuk ke Kg Buli Sim Sim pun senang. Naik sahaja bus yang tulis Buli Sim Sim atau naik teksi. Tak jauh sebenarnya. Tapi bagus kalau ada local teman kita. Bole dia cerita sikit. Sebab bukan ada signboard penerangan pun dekat kampung ni.

Ikan bakar macam biasa. Sedap dan harga memuaskan. I bet seafood area lagi best cuma kami tak berkesempatan pergi. Siapa yang berani cuba, boleh try. Kami pergi pagi, tokey kedai baru nak beli ikan dari nelayan. Maybe next time sahaja. Dari apa aku dengar, makanan dia murah juga. Dan ikan dia fresh.

Aku rasa itu sahaja kot. Nak wrap untuk day 3. Esok dah nak balik dah. Flight pukul 1025. Boleh terserempak pulak dengan pakcik teksi yang hantar ke Buli Sim Sim pagi tadi. Dia beriya nak hantar ke airport. So ok lah, esok at 0900 dia tunggu di lobi. Lagipun kami dah check in online. Esok hantar masuk luggage sahaja. Ok, nak melayan Sandakan di malam terakhir. Bye. Good Night.

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TALE OF THE TWO MOUNTAINS: GENTING & CAMERON (PART I)

To stay true to my own words, on this post I'll be writing on my most recent travel (8 - 10 Jan. 2014). Yes ladies and gentlemen, that was just last week (there were strawberries, sweet corns, not so fresh mushrooms and bunch of veggies, which will turn into a nice lamb stew in my refrigerator as I wrote this). Fresh from the oven,  unlike the last two or maybe three posts, which was written purely based on my not so good memories.

The entrance: A photo of Colmar Tropicale's entrance. Bright daylight, actually too bright.
(Canon G15, ISO100, F6.3, Tv1/320)

Upon planning this trip, I've decided not to stay anywhere near the theme park, so First World Hotel was first to be crossed out from my list. I wanted a quiet place to have a peace of mind (not going to happen anyway thanks to the girls) and to take some family photos to hang on an appointed wall (I'm redecorating my place after a few years of waiting the girls to grow up). On this trip, I brought along my new Canon Powershot G15 leaving my bulky D90 back home. I'm trying out the new camera and by far, taking into consideration its size, the G15 was simply fantastic! So I booked the Awana Genting Hotel from Agoda (for a good price). And as expected, the room was simply fantastic with mountain view. I can even see the theme park from the balcony. Sweetening the deal was the twin queen sized beds (meaning one for me and my lovely wife and one for the girls. Also didn't happened as I end up sleeping beside my eldest). The room was nicely decorated (modern contemporary) with soothing choice of colors (earthy brown and beige). There was also a 32 inches Panasonic flat screen with 12 channels including KBS (a plus point for me as my lovely wife is a Korean drama addict).

Just chillin': The girs upon arriving, simply happy just to be there. A simple point and shoot photo.
(canon G15, ISO200, F1.8, Tv1/200)

Enough about the hotel. Now, before arriving at Awana Genting we make a quick stop at Colmar Tropicale (I forgot to mention this, my parents were with me on this trip, they never been to Colmar Tropicale). So I acted as a tour guide as I have been there before (So does the girls as they were there before). After a few cups of freshly brewed coffee and French pastries (I assumed it was French), we finally made our way to Awana Genting. Checking in was swift (Agoda by far never failed), we then freshened up with time to spare for a quick rest.

A French connection: A portraiture of my lovely wife having a cup of coffee. Enough lights coming from her ride so I didn't use the flash. (Canon G15, ISO100, F1.8, Tv1/250)

After the much needed rest, we went to Genting Highland's Theme Park (the outdoor park was closed for maintenance) so we just hang out inside the plaza just wondering around (and yes, the girls did more than wondering around. I guess if you guys followed my last posts, you'll probably guess what the girls did other than just wondering around). We planned to watch a movie but our timing was awful as the only show was around 1.30 in the morning. Photos opportunities was also scarce as we were limited just inside the plaza (which was swarmed with people though it is not school holidays anymore). Frustrated, we decided to retire for the day and hope for better tomorrow (sounded a bit melancholic, bet Wira'll LOVE this).

From 12364 to First World: This is my favorite shot throughout the whole trip. It's been quite a while since I wanted to try a long exposure shot. So this is it, not that great by still my first. Of course I had to use a tripod for this shot.
(Canon G15, ISO80, F4.0, Tv5")  

So the next morning the whole family had breakfast at the Coffee House's terrace overlooking the mountains. Delicious food and fantastic views, what more can I ask? It was a perfect start for us. Right after breakfast my parents went back to their room, getting ready to check out. My little family and I went to this small garden on the lower level of the hotel to take a few family photos with interesting if not wacky looking poses (like I mentioned earlier,  for the wall back home). The small garden was fashioned as Japanese rock garden. There were small ponds with fishes gently swimming, bamboo and some nice looking bonsai. It makes a great setting for our family photography session. The photography session went not so smoothly as working with children (asking them to pose and to stop moving apparently was quite hard). But we managed to walk away with a few good photos.

Uh-oh: A family portraiture with a wacky pose. With a help of a tripod and good looking background. I'm quite happy with this shot. (Canon G15, ISO320, F2.0, Tv1/60)

We went up to our rooms and started to pack our stuff. We've checked out around 10.30 and were well on our way to Cameron Highland for our next adventure. If you ask why Cameron? It's simply because we plan to have a Korean style steamboat (a family tradition, one started by my late father in law). I'll write all about that in my next post.

The not so red dawn: A landscape photography, a view from the balcony. I was hoping for a sunset but as you can see... But we work with what we can. (Canon G15, ISO400, F4.5, Tv1/160) 

And it's time for the quote so that you'll have something to ponder. Cheers!

"There are always something new to see and experience even though you visit the same place more than once. Just open up your eyes and heart and you'll see."

Thanks.

Yours truly,
Kaz
13 Jan. 2014

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