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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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 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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THE BUKIT TINGGI ADVENTURE (PART II)

Before I begin, I would like to wish all the readers (I'm not really sure if there are any) a happy new year. Hopefully 2014 will bring forth prosperity and success to whatever field you're in. As for me, I will try my very best to become a better husband and a loving father. The plan is to spend more time with the family, not just travelling but in everything. As for blogging, I'll try to write more on my recent travels, bringing more adventures (and try to be funnier in the posts) and with a bit of luck, increasing the number of readers.

Colmar Tropicale: I took this photo on the top of the tower I mentioned. I had to crop the photo to eliminate unwanted distractions. (Nikon D90, 10 - 20mm Nikkor lens)

Now back to Bukit Tinggi. In my last post, I'd mentioned about Colmar Tropicale, a place my family and I stayed during the visit to Bukit Tinggi. Colmar Tropicale was built based on a town called Colmar in Alsace, France. The place looked (how do I put this?) European. The entrance was extravagantly built as a castle with huge gate (yes, like the ones in Disney's fairy tales), complete with a bridge going into the small town (yes, like the one Joan of Arc stormed in the movie Joan of Arc). The buildings inside were built in an old European fashion, painted in different colors making it interesting rather than that gloomy Gothic feeling one would feel in certain European town (yes, like the one in Sleepy Hollow).

Girls in 'France'. The family woke up a bit early. As you can see the 'town' was almost vacant. Too many people will make the photo overcrowded. (Nikon D90, 18 - 55mm Nikkor lens)

Adding to the European feel were the brigs pathway as opposed to the usual tarmac. There were also a rustic looking fountain in the middle of the small 'town' and at the end of the other side was a tower, overlooking the whole town. One can also see the whole Bukit Tinggi on top of the tower (the climb up was a bit tiring, but no worries, you can use the elevator). 

Having fun! A normal shot out off boredom. (Nikon D90, 18 - 55mm Nikkor lens)

The designs and the cold weather does add to the overall European feel, however the compound was too small (30 minutes top to witness everything) thus after the 30 minutes, you'll be back to square one (meaning you got bored very fast). So staying for more than two days is not advisable, unless you're a honeymooning couple who can't afford to go to the city of love (France) but still want to experience the feel. 

What's up Doc? Another normal looking shot. However it's always great to be able to capture the moment. (Nikon D90, 18 - 55mm Nikkor lens)

The girls (actually it was me who got bored first) lost interest after half an hour and I decided to make their day. The next stop was the Rabbit Farm (a few minutes drive from Colmar Tropicale). And I tell you, the girls had a blast! (I got bored again after half an hour. But hey, it's for the girls). There were rabbits, rabbits and more rabbits on the Rabbit Farms (hence the name Rabbit Farm). There were fat rabbits, not so fat rabbits, ugly looking rabbits, cute and cuddly rabbits (in shorts there were a lot of 'em). We bought the rabbits' munchies for RM3 and the girls started feeding the rabbits (at one time throwing the munchies on the air like some kind of billionaire). The rabbits were more than happy (if not full) and followed the girls while they ran and jump and ran and... you got the point. There were also deer on the farm (I'm not commenting on this. But I tell you what, read this paragraph again and change the word rabbits to deer. Seriously try it, it's fun!).

Bambee! This is what happened when a subject get too close to a wide angle lens. It's quite fascinating isn't it? (Nikon D90, 10 - 20mm Nikkor lens) 

We spent quite a while there and I decided it was time to end the rabbits madness. The girls were a bit annoyed when I told them that we're leaving. But when I told them my next plan (ice cream), they straight away went inside the car (without even saying good bye to the rabbits).

I'm actually out of words. So I'll stop now before I bored you to death. But as always, I'll leave you guys with something to ponder. Cheers!

"Life is a travel hence travel is life. So travel more often as you'll live your life" (it makes sense doesn't it?)

Thanks.

Yours truly,
Kaz
3 Jan. 2014

  

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THE BUKIT TINGGI ADVENTURE (PART I)

I've been writing on my visits abroad of late and come to think of it, I've been to a few interesting places in my beloved country as well (Yes, Malaysia is one of the best travel destination in the world). One of the place my family and I visited was Bukit Tinggi (I'm naturally drawn to mountains, have no idea why). We took the trip a while back, but we've created lovely memories on that particular visits. Before I forget, we drove to Bukit Tinggi, from Bangi (not that far, it took us around one an a half hour).

Now, there are a few interesting places in Bukit Tinggi including the Japanese Garden, the Botanical Garden, the Rabbit Farm and the main attraction (for me) the Colmar Tropicale. Colmar Tropicale is a replica of a small French town of which housed the hotel and a few restaurant. I'll talk about that later.

The Small Pond: I used a slow shutter speed to create the effect of water flowing. By doing so, I had to use the smallest possible aperture (big number) and low ISO. (Nikon D90, 10 - 24mm Nikkor lens)

The first place we went to was the Japanese Garden (personally Malaysian prefers a Korean Garden nowadays due to the popularity of K-Pop culture that spread like virus especially among young adults). It was a beautifully well kept garden with small streams, ponds, Japanese style huts and a small trail connecting the places together. In short, it makes a picturesque scenes for photographers. There was even a Japanese tea ceremony (which you have to pay quite a lot. I lost interest due to the monetary factor). But still, it was pleasing and my family and I had good times there with tonnes of photos as prove.

The Hut: I focused on the hut on the top of the small hill and creating 'bokeh' to the subject nearest to the camera, which is the grass. (Nikon D90, 18 - 55mm Nikkor lens)

After spending quite sometimes in the Japanese Garden, we decided to go to the Botanical Garden, which was only a few paces away (it was actually quite a distance, my armpit was sweating like hell). The garden boasts its flora and fauna with more than hundred species of trees. Of course there were labels on each tree consisting its name and scientific terms (a hard to pronounce name that no one hardly ever used). It might appeals to those with forestry major which I'm not, but nevertheless it was still informative. The pathway was a bit moldy and slippery, so if you're with children you might want to be a bit careful. A nasty fall might spoil the whole trip (magically my two girls stayed on their feet! Even with all the running around leaving me with a probable heart attack). 

Lost: I used my wide angle lens to capture this area, but personally the composition was way off. I used small aperture (big number) to capture the details. (Nikon D90, 10 - 24mm Nikkor lens)

The girls had a lot of fun running around as mentioned earlier (I had a lot of 'fun' chasing them around). The only setback was it was not as cold as I imagines it would be (which was a waste as I brought my favorite Camel Active jacket and had no chance of putting it on). I was really hoping for a colder weather, but one can only hope and Allah will take care of the rest ; )   

Cheeky Lil' Girls: A normal shot, but I purposely place the subjects on the left and not in the middle.

The stopover at the Botanical Garden wrapped up the day and all of us went back to the Colmar Tropicale. The girls were fast asleep after five minutes in the car, tired of all the running and jumping (and whatever they did that I hardly noticed) in the gardens. I was also tired having to chase after the girls while carrying the quite heavy D90 camera bag and my wife's handbag and the burden of being a good Dad (watching over the girls while screaming on top of my lung: "DON'T RUN! DON'T RUN!"). The plan was to get a decent rest, and then have a family dinner (steak & lamb were my favorite after the long day) and start early the next day.

The Moldy Steps: I took this photo because of the color and the lights through the trees.  However, it was hard to balance the lighting which was overexposed on the tree lines but darker on the steps. (Nikon D90, Nikkor 18 - 55mm)

Before I sign off, I'll leave you guys with something to ponder, cheers!:

"Time is always the greatest adversary, so use it well to see the world with the loved ones even if you only have a jiffy."

Thanks.

Yours truly,

Kaz

30 Dec. 2013 

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A SMALL GUY IN BIG WORLD SERIES: THIS IS AFRICA! (PART II)

As the war of melancholic between the authors of this blog rages on (Wira kept tabs on who wrote more melancholic, of which I don't really understand why), I like to continue writing on my visit to South Africa, in particular the Apartheid Museum (as stated in earlier post as a tribute the great Nelson Mandela).

A self portrait at the entrance of the Apartheid Museum. Red bricks signifying a 'wall' separating
the whites and the colored.

So here goes. The second day of the visit, I was told that we were going to the Apartheid Museum, of which was built as a solemn reminder of the 'colorful past' of South Africa. When the color of ones' skin determined how they should live their lives, when being colored means that dogs were treated better and when the whites rules with supremacy. That was the time of Apartheid, hence the Apartheid Museum.

A series of Nelson Mandela's portrait. The faces of a man who inspired billions to fight against what they believe.

Though the museum was built as a reminder of the past, the designs weren't. It boast of modern arts and design in almost every corner of the place. Without the exhibits, one would think that this is a modern art museum. Most of the exhibits tell stories on the great Nelson Mandela, a story of him since he was young, as a teenager,  adulthood (where most of the fights took place), his life in prison and his presidency (after more than 30 years of waiting). A story of a man who change the history, a man who defied bigger power for what he believed in.

The museum's passageway. Decorated with mirrors of people strolling. A mixture of the whites and
the colored, sharing the space together.

The passageways of the museum was designed as maze, which took me on a little adventure through time. There were complete history of Apartheid with displays, manikins, photos and even a model of Nelson Mandela's cell in prison. The history portrayed how mankind treat one another without any sense of respect, and at one time my head started spinning, unable to compute and understand why we acted such ways. I took the time to thank Allah for the peace and unity in my homeland (Malaysia, I'm a Malaysian and proud to be one).

The Apartheid Museum, a solemn reminder.

Visiting the Apartheid Museum in a away reminds us of how fragile and dangerous the world of men is but yet the story of Nelson Mandela was so inspiring, leading me to believe there are still hope for mankind, hope for the world so that all of us can live in peace, enjoying the awesome place we all call home (yes, I'm talking about earth).

So I'll leave you guys with something to ponder, cheers!

" To know a place, one needs to understand its culture, food and most importantly its people. So take the time to get to know the locals as only then you'll understand the place."

Thanks.

Yours truly,

Kaz

26 Dec. 2013 

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A SMALL GUY IN A BIG WORLD SERIES: THIS IS AFRICA! (PART I)

In accordance with the passing of Nelson Mandela, I was inspired to write about my visit to South Africa, a place I always wanted to visit (especially because I'm a BIG fan of NatGeo). But this was about three years back (so I'll be writing plainly based on my memories), the one that I remembered the most about the trip.

Once landed in Johannesburg, I remembered spreading both my arms and yelled "This is Africa!" (without any guilt or any sense of embarrassment) as I simply wanted to do that. The trip to Sheraton Pretoria was a remarkable one. I had to cross a 'Safari like' area to reach Johannesburg. Can you imagine seeing impalas and wilder beasts even before reaching the hotel? It was simply wondrous. A dream came true.

The dead tree: I took this photo right after the Safari's entrance. The glaring sunlight made it hard to balance up the sky and the bushes.

One of the first destination once the checking in process was finally concluded (a formal G to G visit requires a formal sentences), was the Safari. One can only imagine how I felt then (I'm going full NatGeo on this). So there I was, standing in front of the entrance, with a big smile on my face (I can almost hear my heart pounding).

A self portrait: A friend of mine took this for me and yes, that were wild hogs in the background.

Once inside, I was ushered into a truck by the guide and off we went. Like I said earlier, a dream came true. What you see in NatGeo is exactly what you see here, except it's not from a TV screen more than a thousand miles across the sea, it's right in front of your eyes.

Kwang Soo: Looking back at this photo reminds me of Kwang Soo (a goofy character in Running Man, a Korean show). But there was no Kwang Soo back then, it's just a giraffe. 

As you can imagine, there were giraffes, antelopes, crocodiles and many other animals. I went trigger happy, forgetting to compose the photos nicely (hey, not my fault, too happy). But the harsh sunlight made it quite hard to get the perfect photos. Nonetheless, I was still so darn happy (furthermore, back then, I didn't even own a DSLR yet). All the photos was taken by my Sony compact camera.

Bambi and friends: How I wished the two will run so I can get a dramatic shot of the antelopes in action.

The tour got more interesting when the guide said (in a thick African accent) "Now we go to see lion feeding". I went "Yeay!" and almost knock myself down the truck. So the guide took us into a caged area, complete with barbed wire and men with guns (yes dear readers, lion feeding is dangerous. They sure as hell not gonna let the lions feed on us). Seeing the mighty lions devour the carcasses prepared was a pure adrenaline rush. The sound, the action, the intensity and most of all, the blood was awesome!

A feeding frenzy: The King of the jungle, devouring it's meal, it couldn't care less of the people watching. Why bother? He is the King!

The lion feeding ended the Safari tour and off I went back to the hotel. It was a tiring trip but so satisfying (it's not like I'm going back to Africa any time soon). So a rest for the next big African adventure was in place. The next day I went to the Apartheid Museum and that story will come in my next post.

So keep on travelling, take photos ( a lot of 'em) and enjoy life. Like I always said to my friends:

"Life is short, working 8 hours a day to gain money and not spending it to see the world is a sin as the world is just awesome!"

I'll leave it to that, as something to ponder. Cheers!

Thanks.

Yours truly,
Kaz
18 Dec. 2013

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A SMALL GUY IN A BIG WORLD SERIES: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (PART II)

After a day of wondering alone in the Botanical Park and the King's Garden, the next day I decided to visit The Rundetarn (translated as The Round Tower). It was a walking distance from the hotel I was staying (Saint Peter's Hotel) right in the middle of central Copenhagen. So I took a morning stroll towards The Round Tower through some alleys and walkways (which was very elegant by the way). So after half an hour walking, there I was standing right in front of the magnificent tower (not like the gloomy ones you see in The Lord of The Ring). My first impression was 'Wow! it's so tall' (kind of funny coming from a short guy like me).

The Round Tower: Low ISO, high shutter speed and small aperture (large number) to capture the details. There was more than enough light to use small ISO. (Nikon D90, 18-55mm lens)

After paying the not so expensive (for European) entrance fee, I started my hike up the tower. I was expecting stairs, stairs and more stairs but I was wrong. The Round Tower was designed in such ways that you can actually ride a bicycle up the tower. It goes spiraling upwards! Amazing isn't it? The design allowed me to actually walk slowly with more than enough space to snap some photos.

The curve: I had to use high ISO as there was small amount of light coming from the two windows. I had also used large aperture (small number) to allow more light. (Nikon D90, 50mm prime lens)

So I took my time enjoying the details in the building. The natural lighting in the tower was fantastic with soft light coming from the window highlighting shadows of bricks and curves. The design was stunning with lots of photography opportunities along the way up. I had to stop a few times to snap some photos (while waiting some of the areas to be vacant), but it was worth the wait.

The girl with a camera: It was challenging shooting this photo. The girl was facing away from the light not to mention snapping this one without her permission. But I personally love this photo as the girl makes good subject with
story to tell. (Nikon D90, 50mm prime lens)

Apart from the old section of the tower, a new section housing modern art galleries was also built. It's interesting to have both the old and the new in the same building. The contrasting designs and built was fascinating. It's like alternating between the pass and the present (yup, somewhat I became a time traveler). The only problem was I'm a bit ignorant on understanding modern art. So I had a really hard time appreciating the display (if course it was easy to act by looking and occasionally nodding my head and scratching my chin as if I understand what is was all about).

The modern art: I used the wooded structure to frame this photo, centered around the window. It was quite hard to balance between the back light from the window and the room's existing lights. (Nikon D90, 18-55mm lens)

I was in for another surprise in the next level of the tower. There was a display of an original part of the tower with a small 'peeping hole' giving access to the particular view. It was stunning! There was a small arm chair facing a small window with beautiful sunlight streaming through it. The only thing missing was an old lady sitting on the armchair, knitting with a cup of steaming hot coffee by her side.

An empty chair: I had used high ISO and large aperture (small number) as the only source of light was from the small window. It was hard to compose this shot as I only had limited space (through the 'peeping hole').
(Nikon D90, 50mm prime lens)

A few minutes after, I was at the top of the tower. The view was so unforgettable (but I somehow manage to forget where the hell I saved the photos). I can see the whole of Copenhagen from the top of the tower. I stood there with awe as its stretches as far as the eye can see.

So that wraps up this post. Keep on traveling and taking photos. Do share it here in this blog by commenting on posts. Cheers!

Thanks.

Yours truly,
Kaz
16 Dec. 2013 

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