21 February 2010

Then the last day (21 February), we left Cherating at 8am for a breakfast at McDonald at Teluk Chempedak , Kuantan. Why not other place? Good question because this is the McD that facing the sea or more accurately is a McD at the beach. Imagine having a meal in front of a sea that is clean….. How enjoying….

Then nothing special as it is our 3 hours drive back home……. And reach my place at 1pm……… (Now Planning for next trip….)

20 February 2010

Then next day (20 February) we wake up for a simple breakfast at the local malay stall. Cherating is a simple malay village so don’t expect too much unless you stay at Club-Med. Then we drove again to Turtle Sanctuary which offer exposure for turtle breeding and turtle preservation. Another must go. Then we proceed for Kemaman for a simple coffee and bread. It called Hai Peng Kopitiam. They served Vietnam coffee and best bread with Kaya and butter.

Then we proceed to next place the Mesra Mall at Kertih, Terengganu where we spend simple stop. Then we drove back to Cherating and stop for a break at Pantai Kemasik which had beautiful beach but cannot swim.

Subsequently, we continue to Cherating but stop again the yesterday shop for food (Otak, Satar and etc). Today we had a delicacy called Nasi Air (Water Rice) which is like something between a porridge and rice. Salty but nice because it increase your appetite. Then go again for our sun-bathing at cherating till 7pm. What a slow and relax life. Dinner this day is at a Chinese restaurant where we had seafood (price here is cheap, so don’t miss this opportunity). Then we proceed to the second pub in cherating for the night thus the Payung Café (Beside Payung guesthouse). Again, we had beer (because here rarely served liquor unless you bring your own) and this pub is more of the type of reggae. The kids of the owner are friendly and try to speak to them, there English is good. Before went to bed, we go for shopping at the stalls along the cherating town for souvenirs. Try to bargain for the price and try the T-shirt, they had good design.

19 February 2010

After that on 19 February, we left for our destination at Pahang at 8am. Why 8? We waited for another friend to arrive (Jacklyn) my place before we start our journey. We went trough MRR2, Karak Highway pass through the route to Genting Highland, Bukit Tinggi, then we followed East Coast Expressway (shit.. I got a summon for speeding here). We drove all the way till we saw Kuantan signboard and we entered Kuantan town where we had our lunch at ShiLin At Berjaya Kuantan Mall. After the meal, we proceed to Sungai Lembing Road where we go for Charas Cave. This is a cave which got statutes of Buddha and India god inside the cave. This is a miracle place as you need to pass through country road, kampung road and then drove through a Kelapa Sawit estate before you reach the bottom of the hills. You need to climb some stairs before reaching the mouth of the cave and then you enter the cave for sightseeing. This is really a paradise inside a less expected place.

Then we continue journey to Cherating Beach (Kampung Cherating), we reach there at 3pm and proceed to Ranting Beach Resort. (RM 170 per night for chalet on the beach). Then we went for the beach where we saw people surfing (Additional I am a surfer but this time I don’t surf due to I din’t bring my surfboard (there is a surf shop but I don’t like using other board while surfing) and the two girls don‘t surf). So the thing we do is sunbathing (remember to bring tanning oil because it is hard to find it here). Then we went for Kemaman for Otak-otak (Fish Paste in leaves), Satar (almost similar with Otak but different ingredient) and Keropok Lekor. The shop is hidden so try to ask locals. Then we went back for the night at a local shop called Limbong Art for Nasi kukus ayam berempah (Spice chicken with steamed rice). The meal is marvellous as the rice and the chicken combine well (chicken is those of wild kampung chicken). Then we spend night drinking beer at a cherating pub called Little Bali (live band playing Jazz). Then we finished off the night in total drunk.

18 February 2010

The last day (18 February), We left for Mid-valley Mega Mall after breakfast and spend the day there till 12.30pm. Don’t forget to have the meal at Oasis food court. Try the ikan bakar stall. It is marvellous but you may need to queue for the food. Then I send my family to LCCT to catch their flight back to Kuching. This ended the first trip.

Just 4 hours after the first trip ended. My second trip started with picking up my friend (SY) from LCCT at 6pm as she took a flight from Penang to KL. Direct from LCCT, we went to KLCC trough the new MEX highway which only took us about 50 minutes to reach destination for a dinner appointment with another friend (Eddy) at a Korean restaurant at 4th Floor KLCC. Dinner is normal but good place for a chat. Then we went for Patchi Chocolate as I wanted a chocolate with roasted coffee bean in it. (I like coffee a lot). That mark the end of Day 5.

17 February 2010

The fourth day (17 February) start late as we went to Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. Advise you about the ticket to buy, if this is your first time here, buy full parks. If it not you first time, just buy 2 parks. So we bought 2 parks (Wet and amusement park) tickets. We spend the morning at the wet park playing at the pools (three to four pools) then we went for the amusement park before we go out from the Theme Park. Here remind you, never exchange the watch for a watch as the watch they give will stop working in a week. Just go for refund. HAHA…

Then we went to Sunway Shopping mall for the rest of the evening. We went back hotel at around 7 pm and had our dinner at Sungai Wang Plaza.

16 February 2010

On the third day (16 February), we went for a Beca (trishaw) trip around old town Melaka which cost RM 40 per hour. My father was not following as he wanted to rest. The trip start at our hotel then proceed to the gym that had a big lion head and dragon (CNY special). After that, we went to the temple that had been there for hundred year. It is crowded and packed. But good artistic crafting (must-go). Then we proceed along the street to the Red House (Holland House). Just take some picture there and we proceed back to hotel. One more tips, in Melaka the Trishaw rider know more than any tour guide. The one bringing us tell us a lot about the history, development and the story behind these heritage culture and building. Who to find? Just ask the bell boy at the Hotel Puri to help you find one.

Then we left the hotel at Melaka and proceed to Kuala Lumpur. We stop at Ayer Keroh Jejantas Rest and Recreation to have our meals before we proceed to KL. It another prolonged journey as it take like 3 hours to reach instead of normal 2 hours due to traffic congestion We stay the night at Corona Inn Bukit Bintang area. We had our short meal that we like thus the beef noodle stall just in front of the hotel (the best beef noodle ever). Don’t believe… ask KL people. Cheap and delicious. Then we proceed to Sungai Wang for shopping and there go the night.

15 February 2010

The next day (15 February) start with A Famosa Animal Safari. We entered the park at 9.30pm and in time for the first show that the elephant show. Elephant show include elephant kicking ball, elephant drawing, elephant massage and elephant basketball. Then we proceed to the safari truck that drove through designated area with alive animal like tigers, lion, ostrich, elephant, wild boar, hyenas, crocodile, giraffe, camel, buffalos, deer, goats, cows and sheep. After the almost 30 minutes safari truck, we proceed to the next show thus the bird show which parrots, eagles and other birds play their own skills. During this time, my niece remain at the playground playing slide. Additionally, we purposely avoid the multi animal show as we went for food hunting. Then at around 12pm we went to the mini area that keep the animals including ponies, snakes, boar, porcupine, peacocks, sheeps, goats, bulls, camels and etc. Then to spend the time till the cowboy show, we went for the chicken hatching facility where little chicken are breed, my niece and my brother entered the hatching place where the feed the little chicken that numbered around 300 hundred. Hahaha, this is not kidding it really can fit that much. Then the last show of Safari park start at 2.15pm which is the cowboy show. Cowboy show looks normal if you had been to one that is out of Malaysia, thus nothing special except a storyline with few explosion and gun shooting (not real bullet, just sound effect and small explosion skill).

Then we proceed to Melaka town,(Malacca). We reached Melaka town at 4.30pm where we had earlier reserved a room (Family suite) at one of the well-known boutique hotel in old town Melaka thus the Puri Hotel. Our room is big room with two queen size bed and a living room. Nice room and hotel. No complaint except for a short black-out at night. We had our meal by take-away and had in the room where we bought famous Melaka chicken rice balls, Cendols and hand-made biscuits. Simple and nice meal. Then we went out for the night where we go for the walking street beside Heren Street to see and buy some souvenir and just walking around. Then we went back to hotel and rest for a better day tomorrow.

Chinese New Year 2010

The above date may seem to be day that similar to any date in every year. But in reality, the above date is the annual Chinese New Year. As the tradition of my family (which vastly differ from the ancient or other Chinese family), we went for travel.

14 February 2010

Start from 14 February which is the first day of CNY and also Valentine day, I drove from my house in Seri Kembangan to KLIA. At KLIA, I fetch and met my family members (Father, Mother, Brother, Sister-in-law and my niece) before we proceed our journey to A Famosa Theme Park. Along the hustle road, the traffic is so pack that we left KLIA at 1.15pm and successfully arrived at A Famosa TP around 4pm. We stay at one of the apartment at the TP which my family satisfied with the area but seem like there is Dark force in work. The aircon can suddenly not functioning and my niece keep complaining seeing “something”.

At night around 6 pm, we left for the Cowboy town. Cowboy town was designed as a 80’s shanghai Town as the theme for this 2010 CNY. We had our dinner at one of the western food restaurant which is consider expensive where we spend around RM 60 for drinks. Later we spend the night, playing funfair and shop around. Later we had simple meal at the kopitiam and then we go for the parade. Additionally, my brother won a dog dolls at the funfair after spending around RM 50. The night parade was deliberately divided into 3 parts. First part is the red Indian fire show which start at 8.45pm but it seem like to concentrate at the middle which make we that sit at the end of the parade street cannot see the show clearly. Second part is the parade which start at 9.15pm, during the parade there is cowboy, dancing queen, animal, fire play, Indian and shanghai car. The music is nice which make the whole town like the a carnival. The last session is fire works that play for like 10 minutes. This ended the first night.