A traveller's reflection

Kanchanaburi, Thailand - 2011

2011-12-01T00:21:00.002+08:00

Wet Monsoon Ride

(24 - 29 Nov 2011)

(Seven bikes lined up...)

Thursday - 24 November 2011

The bikers gang met at Sungai Buluh R&R and started our ride just after subuh prayer. We rode free and easy on the North-South Highway towards north. The weather was sunny, we had a few stops along the way for refueling and rest.

(The bikers gang)

In Changloon, we settled our motor insurance, filled up border passes and changed money for some Bahts. At Bukit Kayu Hitam, the border entry was simple and easy. The Thai immigration, which is officially called the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint, used to be conducted at Sadao town but has since moved to Dannok just before the border gate of Malaysia/Thailand. We had Tomyam lunch at one of the muslim restaurants in the border town.

We rode on Thailand's National Highway 4 towards Surat Thani. The weather changed suddenly from sunny to heavy rain with some parts of the highway covered with flood water. The highway was a straight road which runs all the way to Bangkok via Hat Yai but the rain had made the road wet and slippery.

(Riding in the rain)

It was already dark when we reached Surat Thani. After checking in at The Grand Thara Hotel, we went for a hearty Sup ekor dinner at one muslim restaurant by the river side.

(City Pillar Shrine)

Friday - 25 November 2011

(Group photo by the river bank)

Surat Thani is the capital of the province Surat Thani. It is situated near the mouth of the river Tapi on the Gulf of Thailand. The city offers no major tourist attractions, thus mainly known to tourists as a transfer to the nearby popular islands. The name Surat Thani mean "City of the Good People" but Surat Thani is also known as “the province of a thousand islands” -- many of which lay off the coast in the Gulf of Thailand, including the archipelago that contains Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and the Mu Koh Ang Thong Marine National Park.

(Roti telur breakfast...)

We had late breakfast of roti telur before we started riding towards Kanchanaburi. As it was difficult to look for muslim restaurant on the highway, we had light lunch of bread and tuna at one of the rest areas to fill hungry stomachs.

(Deep in discussion, checking the route...)

We took the main highway via Hua Hin, a famous beautiful beach resort town. Hua Hin Beach extends some five kilometers southwards from a rocky headland until Kao Takiap, a southern headland where a Buddhist temple clings to the cliffs.

(Road junctions...)

We reached Kanchanaburi late night. After checking-in The Luxury Hotel, we took a van to have nasi briani dinner at one of the muslim night stalls. After dinner we had a leisure walk back to the hotel to rest. Some detoured to enjoy Kanchanaburi night life, or spend a few hours of therapeutic thai massage or just laze around and listen to live bands at a nearby joint.

Saturday – 26 November 2011

On the second day in Kanchanaburi, despite an early-morning wake up, everyone seemed bright-eyed and energetic. We had breakfast of toasts and eggs in the hotel restaurant and later decided to rent a van for a personalized tour to some of the major attractions.

Kanchanaburi, is located where the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers converge into the Mae Klong river and is a popular spot for travelers. Located at the edge of a mountain range makes it much cooler than the other provinces of central Thailand. Kanchanaburi boasts a beautiful natural landscape of dense tropical jungles, crisscrossing rivers and streams, and spell-binding waterfalls with emerald-coloured pools.

Hellfire Pass

Hellfire Pass is the name of a railway cutting on the former "Death Railway" which was built with forced labor during the WWII, in part by Allied prisoners of war.

(POW laborers hard at work...)

The pass is noted for the harsh conditions and heavy loss of life suffered by its laborers during construction. Hellfire Pass is so called because the sight of emaciated prisoners laboring was said to resemble a scene from Hell.

(Wooden railroad...)

(Pancakes for lunch)

Death railway

In 1942 Kanchanaburi was under Japanese control. It was here that Asian forced laborers and Allied POWs, building the infamous Burma Railway, constructed a bridge; an event immortalized in the film Bridge on the River Kwai. Almost half of the prisoners working on the project died from diseases, maltreatment and accidents.

(Death railway...)

Krasae Cave

This cave, which houses sacred Buddha images, is located approximately 55 km from Kanchanaburi, beside the surviving remnants of the Death Railway overlooking Khwae Noi River near Wang Pho Railway Station. The cave is within walking distance from the railway tracks of Wang Pho Railway Station, the most beautiful view point along travelling by train Kanchanaburi - Namtok Train Station.

(Railway by the River Kwai...)

(Bridge over the River Kwai)

Bridge over the River Kwai

The infamous Bridge over the River Kwai is probably the most visited attraction in Kanchanaburi. Once a year a carnival comes to town and is set up in the area next to the bridge. At night there is a small pyrotechnics display that re-enacts the wartime bombing of the bridge. The Death Railway is, today, one of the most scenic rail routes in the country.

(Floating restaurants)

JEATH War Museum

(Art Gallery and War Museum)

In Kanchanaburi there is a memorial and two museums to commemorate the dead. The Thailand-Burma Railway Museum and the JEATH War Museum dedicated to the bridge and the Death Railway. The city is also home to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.

Sunday – 27 November 2011

(Petronas Petrol Station, Kanchanaburi)

We started riding early morning from Kanchanaburi and headed towards Krabi. On the way we detoured and had lunch at one muslim restaurant and performed our solat at a nearby madrasah.

(Solat break...)

Using the Garmin to navigate, we thought of taking a short cut but we were met with a dusty rough road and we had to turn back and took the highway instead.

(Off-roading for a short distance...)

We reached Ao Nang beach, Krabi late night in the rain and checked-in Ben’s House, a cosy boutique resort. Later we took a tuk-tuk for a hearty tomyam dinner.

(Taking the right junction...)

Due to its central location in the Andaman Sea and to its fabulous topography and sporting opportunities, Ao Nang is arguably Thailand’s best all-round beach destination. It is predominately a family and sports destination. Whilst it lacks wild nightlife, it does have a few relaxed bars and nightclubs.

(Abundance of muslim restaurants...)

Monday – 28 November 2011

(One of the Ao Nang beaches...)

We checked-out early and before we headed to Hat Yai, we stopped for a hearty nasi kerabu breakfast and stopped at the beach front for photo shots of the pristine sandy beach and later went shopping at the many souvenir shops along the beach.

(Beautiful pristine beach...)

Ao Nang itself has two idyllic, unspoilt beaches, which are lapped by clear, warm water. Other beaches are located on a number of outlying islands which can be accessed cheaply and quickly from Ao Nang by local long-tail boats. Thai and muslim food is abundant in Ao Nang and is available 24 hours a day.

We reached Hat Yai late afternoon. The Versys riders rode off to spend the night at Dannok. We stayed back with another couple and spent the night at The Lee Gardens Hotel.

(City skyline from the 27th floor...)

Hat Yai, a city in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border is the largest city of Songkhla Province, the largest metropolitan area in Southern, and third largest metropolitan area of the country. It is often mistaken as being the capital of the province, but Songkhla is the capital and the center of administration and culture, while Hat Yai is the business center. Hat Yai is well-known as a shopping destination for both Thais and foreigners. There are numbers of department stores and markets around the city.

Tuesday – 29 November 2011

(Ready to ride back...)

We had breakfast in the hotel restaurant and went for a last minute shopping for t-shirts and gloves. We checked-out at noon and rode towards the Thailand/Malaysian border. We had lunch at Dannok and headed direct to KL in the heavy rain with a few pit stops for refueling...

Route taken: KL – Bkt Kayu Hitam – Dannok – Surat Thani

– Kanchanaburi – Krabi – Hat Yai – Dannok

– Bkt Kayu Hitam – KL

Total mileage: 3,300 km

Betong (II), Thailand - 2011

2011-07-17T14:26:00.001+08:00

'
Riding across the border just the two of us...
(July 17 - 19, 2011)
'

(At the Immigration Centre for border check)

(Butterfly Princess Hotel)

(The Post Office and biggest mail box)

(Riding around following the road signs)

(Cooking eggs in the boiling water @ The Hot Spring)

(Jungle trekking to the communist tunnel)

(Exploring the Piyamit Tunnel)

(Taking a rest @ Winter Flower Garden)

(Resting area along the winding road)

Makkah Al-Mukarramah - 2011

2011-05-07T16:45:00.002+08:00

Monday - 18 April 2011
Madinah - Makkah

(Painting on the hotel wall)

After solat Zohor, we performed the Ziarah Wida' to bade good-bye to Rasullullah SAW with a promise to come again to this holy land. We started the 5-hour journey to Makkah in our ihram attire. The bus stopped at Bir Ali Mosque for miqat and we performed our solat sunat ihram and niat for our first Umrah. All along the journey we recited the doa and talbiah before we entered the holy city of Makkah.

(Miqat at Masjid Bir Ali)

We checked-in Al-Mohdar Diamond Hotel, situated just behind Hilton Makkah, a 10 minute walk to Masjidil-Harram. After a short rest, led by Ustaz Halim, we performed the Tawaf dan Sa'ei and completed our 1st Umrah by midnight.

(Performing the tawaf at night)

(Clean shaven after 1st Umrah)

Tuesday - 19 April 2011
Makkah - Tannaim

After breakfast we took a taxi to Tannaim for miqat and performed our 2nd Umrah. The rest of the day was spent in the room resting and performed the solats in Masjidil-Haram.

(Air-conditioned praying area)

Wednesday - 20 April 2011
Makkah - Tannaim

We went to Tannaim again today to miqat for our 3rd Umrah.

(One of the historical pillars in Masjidil-Haram)

Thursday - 21 April 2011
Makkah – Ja’ranah

(Saying prayers on Jabbal Rahmah at Padang Arafah)

We started early morning and the bus headed for Ja'ranah, which is 20 km away from Makkah to miqat. On the way we stopped at Jabal Thur, Jabal Nur, Jabal Rahmah at Padang Arafah, Mina and Mudzalifah.

(The 5-storey Jamrat and tents for Haj season)

We were amazed by the new developments especially the five storey Jamrah stone throwing (melontar) location.

(Miqat at Masjid Ja'aranah)

We completed our 4th Umrah before the Zuhur solat.

Friday - 22 April 2011
Makkah - Tannaim

(Building under construction on fire)

Today we took a taxi to Tannaim to miqat for our 5th Umrah. Since Friday was the weekend holiday in Saudi Arabia, Masjidil Haram was packed with worshippers hours before the noon Friday prayers. We elected to remain in Masjidil Haram till the completion of the Friday prayers.

Saturday - 23 April 2011
Makkah – Hudaibiah

(At the camel farm)

The whole group headed to Hudaibiah by bus after breakfast. Ustaz Halim narrated the history about the Treaty of Hudaibiah, between Muslims and the enemies. On the way we stopped at a camel farm to drink camel milk and bought a bottle to bring back to the hotel. We did not have the opportunity to meet the Melaka born imam of the Hudaibiah mosque.

(The ruins of old Masjid Hudaibiah)

After buying some trinkets, we went back to Makkah to complete our 6th Umrah before the Zuhur solat.

Sunday - 24 April 2011
Makkah – Jeddah

(Masjid Kisas in Jeddah)

Today is our last day in Makkah. We took a taxi to Tannaim to miqat for our 7th Umrah. After resting a while in the hotel room we went back to Masjidil-Haram to performed our Tawaf Wida' and recited our doa at the Multazam. We checked out after lunch and departed Makkah for Jeddah around 2.30 pm. We had a short city tour of Jeddah, passing maqam Siti Hawa, Masjid Qisas and Masjid Terapung (Masjid Siti Rahmah) at the Red Sea.

(Floating Masjid Siti Rahmah by the Red Sea)

By 5.00 pm we checked-in Jeddah International Airport and had packed dinner at the boarding lounge. The flight from Jeddah to Ammam was a little delayed so we had time to perform the solat jama’ Maghrib and Isyak.

Monday – 25 April 2011
Amman – Kuala Lumpur

The 2-hour flight reached Amman around 10.00 pm. We transited for 4 hours in Amman Airport before we boarded the flight back to Kuala Lumpur. We had some coffee to unsuccessfully help keep us awake while waiting for the flight.

The flight safely reached KLIA 7.30 pm after an hour stoppage in Bangkok. Alhamdulillah…

We are already planning for the next trip…..

(Fly away...)

Madinah Al-Munawarah - 2011

2011-05-04T00:38:00.004+08:00

Friday - 15 April 2011
Amman – Madinah

From the Syrian border we went direct for a Morrocan lunch at Tawaheen Al-Hawa situated in a suburb of Amman. After retrieving the rest of our luggage, we headed to Amman International Airport to catch the 7.15 pm onward flight to Jeddah.

The flight to Jeddah took 2 hours. After immigration and customs clearance, we were greeted by Ustaz Halim. He was our local guide and Mutawwif throughout our visit in Madinah and Makkah.

Saturday - 16 April 2011
Madinah

We boarded the bus for a 5-hour journey to Madinah with one stop at Yaman Restaurant for supper. We reached Madinah and checked-in the Elaf At-Taiyibah Hotel just in time for solat Subuh at Masjid Nabawi.

(Hotel Elaf Al-Taiyibah at the background)

After breakfast we had time to rest in the room until prayer times. After solat Asar, lead by Ustaz Halim, the group went to visit historical places around Masjid Nabawi.

(Entrance to Maqam Rasulullah)

After solat Isya', the ladies were lead by an Ustazah to visit Maqam Rasullullah and Maqam Saidina Abu Bakar and Saidina Othman. At the Raudah, the gardens of Jannah, we recited the selawat and conveyed the salam from family members and friends and performed our solat sunat and recited our doas.

(Inside Majid Nabawi)

Sunday - 17 April 2011
Madinah

After a hearty breakfast we gathered at the lobby at 7.00 am for the ziarah around Madinah city and visited Masjid Quba’ the first mosque of the muslims, Masjid Qiblatain - the mosque where the qiblat was changed from Baitul-Muqaddis to Kaabah and passed by Masjid Tujuh.

(Masjid Quba')

(Masjid Qiblatain)

We visited Jabal Uhud and Maqam Saidina Hamzah and the Shuhada’ and recited doa for them. On the way back we stopped at Tamar Souk to buy dates and nuts.

(Jabal Uhud)

(Tamar Souk)

After ‘solat Asar, we gathered in the dining hall and recited the tahlil and listened to a short tazkirah by Ustaz Halim.

(Ice-cream kiosk)

(Cakes and donuts for Sara's birthday)

Damascus, Syria - 2011

2011-05-04T00:32:00.003+08:00

Wednesday - 13 April 2011
Damascus

We were quite nervous to cross into the Syrian border as the pro democracy protests were already widespread throughout the major cities, according to the news.

(Painting of Old Damshik)

We arrived at the Syrian border around Maghrib and we had a smooth group border check-in and drove safely into Damascus.

(Typical Syrian meal)

We had a late chicken rice dinner at Carthage Restaurant and later changed bus and headed to Saifer Al-Saidah Zainab Hotel situated in the Damascus Old City.

(The Saifer Al-Saidah Zainab Hotel, Damascus)

Thursday - 14 April 2011
Damascus

(The great Omayyad Mosque)

(The Saladin Mousoleum)

We had early breakfast but the day tour started a little late as one of our group had to be sent to hospital as he was having breathing difficulties.

(Maqam Saydina Hussein)

(Maqam Nabi Yahya)

For the day tour we visited famous Islamic historical sites including the 8th century Omayyad Mosque, one of the largest and most famous mosques in the world right in the heart of the medieval city of Damascus and situated next to the famous Al-Hamidiah souk.

(Maqam Zainab)

(Maqam Bilal)

Before entering the mosque, there was Saladin's Mausoleum built in 1193, set in a relaxing garden. We later proceeded inside the mosque to visit the Tomb of John the Baptist (Nabi Yahya) and a shrine of Sydina Hussein.

(Eating ice cream at the Al-Hamidiah Bazaar)

(Statue of Salahuddin at the entrace of the Citadel)

Other historical tombs and mausoleums visited were Maqam Zainab Ali, Maqam Bilal, Maqam Um-Salamah and Maqam Um-Habibah.

(Panoramic view of Damascus from Jabbal Qassioun)

(A full moon at Al-Kamal Restaurant)

After a hearty lunch at Old Damascus Restaurant and a round of shopping at Al-Hamadiah Souk, the bus ascended Mount Qassioun (Jebal Kasioun) for a beautiful panoramic view of Damascus while we enjoyed the beautiful scenic sunset.

Dinner was at Al-Kamal Restaurant in Damascus New City.

Friday - 15 April 2011
Damascus

(Roman ruins)

(Masjid Omar and graveyards)

We had breakfast and checked-out early. On the way to the Syrian border we stopped at Bosra to visit the ancient Roman amphitheatre and the surrounding historical sites and ruins, including the historical Masjid Omar.

(The Roman Amphiteater)

(A group photo)

We arrived at the Syrian border around 11.00 am for border checks.
'

Amman, Jordan - 2011

2011-05-04T00:29:00.006+08:00

Wednesday - 13 April 2011
Amman

We had buffet lunch at the beautiful Amman Tourist Beach Restaurant by the Dead Sea.

(A beautiful beach at the Dead Sea)

The bus then drove through winding mountainous road to Maqam Nabi Shuaib and we performed our solat jama’ Zohor and ‘Asar there.

(Tomb and Mosque of Nabi Shuaib)

After repacking our overnight bags, we visited the Ashabul Kahfi Cave on the way to the Syrian border.

(The entrance to the Ashabul Kahfi Cave)

Palestine, Israel - 2011

2011-05-04T00:23:00.003+08:00

Tuesday - 12 April 2011
KL – Amman

The Royal Jordanian flight departed at 10.30pm on Monday, 11 April 2011. The 11-hour flight to Amman transited in Bangkok for an hour. We reached Amman at 6.00 am and were cleared through immigrations and customs swiftly by our ground agent. A 40-seater bus took us to Jerusalem Hotel in Amman for breakfast and after a good breakfast, went to a place to store our luggage. We only brought an overnight bag each for our travel into Jerusalem, the 3rd most sacred city in Islam.

(At the Israel border)

Jerusalem

We went through group check-in at the Jordan border but at the Israel border, the entry process was a little thorough and we have to go through 5 check points. The process was tedious but swift and we were cleared within 2 hours. Our Jerusalem tourist guide Mr. Sharif met us on the Israel side and would be with us throughout our stay in Baitul-Muqaddis. Our first stop was at Temptation Restaurant in Jericho for a sumptuous buffet lunch. Jericho is claimed to be the lowest and oldest city in the world and also the home of the late Yaseer Arafat.

(In front of Temptation Restaurant, Jerico)

Around 4.00 pm we reached the National Hotel Jerusalem, situated a short walking distance from the Holy City. After a short rest and freshened up, led by the local guide we walked through the city streets and entered the Citadel through the Herod’s Gate to visit the two most important Muslim sites in Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque..

(Palestine Citadel of the old Holy City)

The winding narrow streets and stairs of the old Holy City lead us to Masjid Al-Sakrah (The Dome of the Rock), the site where Rasullullah SAW miraculously traveled to Jerusalem by night and ascended to heaven (Isra’ Mi’raj). We performed our solat jama’ Zohor and ‘Asar under the sacred hanging rock.

(The Dome of the Rock)

We later visited Masjid Al-Aqsa, the original qiblat before it was changed to Makkah and performed the solat jama’ Maghrib and ‘Isya after listening to a short tazkirah by the Imam Sheikh Hussein.

(Masjid Al-Aqsa in the background)

The weather was chilly and windy when we walked back to the hotel and had our late buffer dinner at Al-Wattani Restaurant.

Wednesday - 13 April 2011
Jerusalem

We checked out from the hotel at 7.45 am and stopped at the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem and visited the Chapel of Ascension, a Christian and Muslim holy site believed to mark the place where Jesus ascended into heaven. We also visited the nearby tomb of Rabiatul Adawiah.

(Panoramic view of Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives)

(Chapel of Ascension)

After buying souvenirs and having photo shots of Jerusalem, we stopped to visit the tomb of Nabi Musa on the way to the Israel border and cleared border checks by 12.30 pm.

(Masjid and Tomb of Nabi Musa)

With the right connections, our passports were unstamped by the Zionist regime. The professional manner our Malaysian and local guides managed the border crossings was very exemplary.

(Passport clearance at the Israel border)

Singapore Trip - 2011

2011-02-22T00:38:00.000+08:00

'
Two hearts beating together till the end of time...

We started from KL early in the morning and reached the causeway before noon. The entry process at the border was smooth and not that tedious but could be better. The cousin's wedding reception in Tampines was lively and full of jovial moods.

(Two hearts entwined)

(A photo of the lovely couple)

Before we left Singapore, we went to a motor shop and bought us a pair of Nolan helmets and communicators. The journey back was smooth and we reached home just before midnight.
'

Betong (I), Thailand - 2011

2011-01-20T19:00:00.003+08:00

(15 - 16 January 2011)

Despite the recent and ongoing troubles in the South of Thailand I have to say it is still very safe for us to visit this small border town of Betong, nicknamed 'A Town in the Mist with Beautiful Flowers'.

(Group photo @ Welly's Batu Caves)

We joined the convoy with more than 50 bikers and crossed the Malaysia-Thailand border for a one-night stay in Betong. The town reminds me of a Malay fantasy story ‘Anak buluh Betong’ played by Ahmad Mahmood and Aziz Jaafar. The movie was about a man who was actually the son of the bamboo demon who grew up wild and overthrew his adopted father who is the Sultan of this country.

(Refuelling @ Petronas)

(Lunch break @ Tasik Raban)

Betong is in a district of Yala Province, situated in the southernmost Thailand in Sankalakhiri mountain range. It borders the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perak. Its terrain is mostly mountainous and hilly with forested plateaus. About 1,900 feet above sea level, 140km from Yala and 1,224km from the capital city of Bangkok.

(Immigration Malaysia/Thai border checks)

Betong, meaning bamboo, in Malay has a population of less than 50,000 mostly Muslims and Chinese, the majority of its people are agriculturists. Climatically, it is the same as peninsular Malaysia, under the influence of the Southwest and Northwest monsoons with a lot of rain and the weather is nice and cool with fog in the morning. This is perhaps how it got its nickname. We had a relaxing foot massage and spent our free time to ride around town and snapped pictures of some of Betong local scenes and attractions:

(A clock tower in the centre of town)

World's Largest Mailbox:
The mailbox is located at the Clock Tower Intersection in the town center. It was built in 1924. The purpose of this mail-box is to distribute news and to give services in posting and distributing mails for the people of Betong. It is made of reinforced concrete, with a cylindrical shape body. At a total height of 320cm, it is at present used as an ordinary mailbox.

(World largest mail box?)

Mongkollit tunnel:
The Betong Mongkollit tunnel is situated in the town area, a pretty short tunnel connecting to the south. The temple behind is the Hilltop Yala Shrine.

(Mongkollit Tunnel and Hilltop Shrine)

Betong Central Mosque:
Al-Jamek Al-Ahmadi Mosque is located on the river bank is equipped with basic necessities. The water supply is from the natural spring that comes from the ground exactly below the mosque and piped to be drained at the abolution area. The water from the stream is cool and crystal clear.

(Al-Jamek Al-Ahmadi Mosque)

Phramahathat Chedi:
This spectacular chedi sits atop a hill at the eastern edge of town. The chedi is faced with four sparklingly gold Buddhas in four different poses. At the base of the chedi is a massive 80m tall bronze Buddha -- the largest in Thailand. The views from the top of the chedi over town are splendid.

Betong Hot springs:
These hot springs can hard-boil an egg in 7 minutes. The springs have been built into a pool structure with a walkway to the centre where the water is extremely hot. The rest of the pond is very warm and there is a second pond where you can dangle your feet for some supposed mineral medical miracle.

(Betong Hot Springs)

Piyamit Tunnels:
Excavated by Malayan communists in 1976 to avoid bombardment, this network of tunnels stretches for over a kilometre and is in a lush jungle setting. It is not as massive as the Chu Chi tunnels in Vietnam. There is also a very interesting museum on site tracing the struggle the communists fought and ultimately lost.

(The Piyamit Tunnel)

(Betong Tut-tut)

Singapore Duck Tour...

2010-12-12T19:42:00.002+08:00

'
This is not my first time on a duck tour but I still find it fascinatingly fun.

We bought our tickets at Suntec City and had McD lunch before boarding the remodelled WWII amphibious Vietnamese war craft. The an hour-long journey on land and water brought us close to Singapore's famous skyline, historical landmarks and fantastic bay view.

Tour Highlights

Fountain of Wealth - Accorded as the World's Largest Fountain in Guinness Book of Record, the water flowing from the fountain is a symbol of wealth and the essence of life.

Singapore Flyer - Singapore's magnificent cityscape from a height of 165m on the world's largest observation wheel.

(Fly as high as the eagle)

Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay – An architectural icon with its distinctive twin shells, which houses world-class performance spaces.

Civic District - The Cenotaph - Singapore's first major war memorial.

Merlion Statue – Stood at 8.6 m high and weighing 40 tons, is one of Singapore's national icons.

Cairo

2010-11-01T21:13:00.002+08:00

'
We checked out at noon, and walked towards the pyramids. For the last time we want to be near the magnificient structures and appreciate the beauty of one of the remaining ancient wonders.

(Pyramid climbing not allowed)

As the days passed, however, our ancient Egyptian adventures began to lose their thrill. As did everything else. The sumptuous cuisine lost its taste, ancient ruins no longer held our interest, the begging culture started to irritate our nerves. Even the dazzling sunsets looked dull.

How could this be? What more is there to experience? What is it we are missing now?

It's the end of our trip. We are starting to miss our grand daughter and home sweet home...
'

Cairo

2010-10-31T14:12:00.004+08:00

'
We had breakfast at 4am and got ready to disembark at Giza train station at 5am. The guide was already waiting for us and sent us to Mercure Cairo El Mirage hotel. We stayed in the lobby until we are allowed to check in at noon.

(Cozy lobby of Mercure El Mirage Hotel)

We had bread, cheese and honey for lunch and room service for dinner. The whole afternoon and night was spent in the cool room resting our tired bodies...

(Supplement for steaming hot soup)

Luxor/Cairo

2010-10-30T23:12:00.002+08:00

'
We had breakfast early and checked out at 8.30am. The boat would be sailing off at noon so we have to be transported to Ibrotel hotel for a transit before we boarded the sleeper train at 7.30pm.

(Lobby of Iberotel Hotel)

We had lunch at McD which is situated next to the Luxor Temple. It was hot when we walked back to the hotel. With nothing particular to do we spent the whole afternoon resting at the hotel lobby until the guide picked us at 6.30pm and sent us to the train station.

(Sail boats docking at the Marina)

The sleeper train was on time. We had dinner straight after the train moved and slept right after.
'

Luxor/Nile Cruise

2010-10-29T18:12:00.004+08:00

'
We had our breakfast early and there was a slight confusion on the day's iterinery. But at least we were lucky to have Nasser, an expert in Egypt antiquities to be our guide and enlightened us on ancient histories of interesting places around Luxor. He was one of those involved in the excavation of the latest tomb discovered.

Colossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon (known to locals as el-Colossat, or es-Salamat) are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. the most imposing monument on the West Bank at Luxor.

Valley of The Kings

The Valley of the Kings is a valley in Egypt where for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the kings, including Tutankhamun and Ramesses the Great. We had the opportunity to visit three of the famous tombs.

Queen Hatchepsut Temple

Hatshepsut was an 18th-dynasty pharaoh who was one of the handful of female rulers in Ancient Egypt. Her reign was the longest of all the female pharaohs, and her funerary temple still stands as a tribute to her incredible rise to power.

Karnak Temple

Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man. Its ancient name was Ipet-isut, meaning "The Most Select (or Sacred) of Places".

Luxor Temple

Luxor Temple is among the most beautiful Temples in Egypt. It was known in the New Kingdom period as Ipt-Rsyt, which means the southern shrine.

Aswan/Nile Cruise

2010-10-28T22:11:00.001+08:00

'
Last night The Armada sailed silently and docked at Kom Ombo. Some passengers went on land for a night walk. We overslept and woke up late this morning and had to rush to make offerings to the crocodile and falcon gods at the Kom Ombo temple.

Kom Ombo Temple

The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty for the Sorbek and Horus, the crocodile and falcon gods in the Egyptian town of Kom Ombo. The design is almost perfectly symmetrical, with two side-by-side sanctuaries and two parallel passageways leading through the outer parts of the temple.

We had a late heavy breakfast after the tour and later rested in our cabin for we had another 3 hours of free time on board before Edfu, the next walking tour.

Edfu Temple

The Armada was behind schedule. We missed lunch which was served before the tour began. The Edfu temple is 2km away and you can either take a cab or ride on horse carriage to get there.

The Temple is dedicated to Horus, the falcon headed god, it was built during the reigns of six Ptolemies. Edfu is located 60 Km to the North of Aswan. It was the 2nd Nome of Upper Egypt and the centre of the cult of a triad of Gods.

After the tour we spent the rest of the afternoon resting in the cabin and watch the beautiful reflection of sunset on the Nile from the balcony.

After dinner, we went to the upper deck to enjoy the cool night breeze while watching the Armada passed through one of the river gates in pair with another cruise boat.
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Aswan/Nile cruise

2010-10-27T20:11:00.002+08:00

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We checked out after breakfast. By 8am the luxury coach and our guide were already waiting to take us to interesting historic places around Aswan.

(By the pool side at Cornische Hotel)

The Unfinished Obelisk

(An obelisk, broken and abandoned)

Our first stop was to visit the unfinished obelisk, one of the most popular sites in ancient Aswan and provides immense insight into the stone working methods employed by the ancient Egyptians.

Philae Temple

We took a speed boat to The Temple dedicated to Goddess Isis constructed on the beautiful island of Philae.

(On a speed boat to Philae Island)

Philae Island was a rocky island in the middle of the River Nile, south of Aswan. It was called in Hieroglyphic "Apo" which means Ivory.

It was also known by the Greek "Elephantine", most probably because it was an important centre of trade, especially for ivory.

The High Dam

We visited The Aswan High Dam, one of the biggest dam in the world. It is the largest of the two dams, both of which are situated across the Nile River. The Aswan High Dam, when it was built created Lake Nasser which streches back 270 km and cut across Egypt and Sudan.

So far this trip looks like a trip for the rich and famous with our own dedicated limousines, luxury coach and speed boat attended by personalised tour guides just for the two of us.

At noon we checked in the Armada cruise boat and had our lunch on lower deck.

The ship only started cruising at 8pm. We had so much of free time till then. It was hot to go for a walk. There were full of half naked mat sallehs on the deck trying to get a sun tan. So we went back to our cabin to rest till it was time for dinner.
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Aswan/Abu Simbel

2010-10-26T23:10:00.003+08:00

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At Aswan train station we were met by the tour rep and transported to Isis Cornish Hotel situated by the river Nile. We couldn't check-in until 2pm but we need to leave our bags at the hotel as the coach to Abu Simbel will leave at 10.30am.

Before the start of the journey, there were checks on the vehicles for bombs or explosives. The security was extra tight. We didn't expect it to be like this and have not read anything like this in the internet. There must be a threat of some sort. It is a 275 km journey across upper Egypt dessert, there were more than 10 buses and 20 vans of foreign tourist in a convoy escorted by military vehicles in front and back.

There were only the 2 of us in the van and we had a soldier and an officer riding with us. It was a start of an adventure with a slight uneasy feeling of apprehension...

(Rocky desert)

Along the journey to Abu Simbel, on a hot day like today, the vast desert was playing tricks on us. We could see water reflections of the sand dunes. A mirage that make many thirsty desert travellers go crazy.

We reached Abu Simbel at 2.30pm and were impressed by the vastness and blueness of the biggest man-made Nassir Lake. A catchment area resulting from the construction of the Aswan dam.

Temple of Abu Simbel

Pharaoh Ramses II had two temples carved out of solid rock at a remote location near the Sudanese border in sourthern Egypt, a site on the west bank of the Nile south of Aswan in the land of Nubia and known today as Abu Simbel.

The temple built by Ramses was dedicated to the sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte. The two temple were since moved to a safer higher ground when the area was flooded.

We watched the beautiful sunset on the trip back to Aswan. And at night the sand dunes laid in crisp cool whiteness in luminous moonlight. The night was lulled by soft whispers of past histories of the desert...
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Cairo/Aswan

2010-10-25T23:33:00.008+08:00

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The sun was already high up in the sky when we awoke. We had breakfast early and waited for our tour guide to take us to interesting places around the Giza province.

Pyramids of Giza Cheops

They are one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the most amazing and world-renowned iconic features in all of Egypt. We skipped the journey into the heart of the Pyramids as we have been there before.

(Majestic and ancient)

The journey to the innermost chamber is hot, humid and claustrophobic for some. The biggest of the 3 Pyramids to look for is Khufu (at nearly five hundred feet high), Khafre and Menkaure.

(Sentinels of time)

The Sphinx

Besides the Pyramids, another popular feature on Giza Pyramids is the Sphinx and the Temple of the Sphinx. This human headed lion was originally built in honor of the sun god Re-Horakhty. Looking at the majestic statue we wonder what had happened to the Sphinx's missing nose?

(The largest monolithic sttatue)

We visited the Egyptian cotton store and a perfumery. But didn't buy anything there much to the guide's dissapointment. Buffet lunch was at the Imperial Restaurant, a cozy tied down converted boat house on the river Nile.

(Sleepy camels)

The Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum was first built in Boulak. In 1891, it was moved to Giza Palace of "Ismail Pasha" which housed the antiquities that were later moved to the present building. The Egyptian Museum is situated at Tahrir square in Cairo. It has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies.

(Collection of treasures)

Khan El Khalili Bazaar

We spent less than an hour visititng the Hussein Mosque and Khan El khalili Bazaar. The bazaar is named after Prince Jaharkas Al-Khalili, who was one of the powerful Mamluke Princes in the 14th century. It is famous for its unusual, typically oriental souvenirs, and handmade crafts. The Bazaar is situated next to the famous El-Hussein mosque.

(Cemetery of the Fatimid Caliphs)

We arrived 2 hours earlier at Cairo train station. The sleeper train was scheduled to leave Cairo at 8pm. It was already dark, the station was chaotic packed full with commuters and foreigners bound for Luxor and Aswan.
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(Cozy double decker beds)

The more than 12-hour journey from Cairo to Aswan was comfortable with dinner and breakfast served by our personal butler in the cabin. The rest of the night was spent sleeping soundly, gently rocked by the gentle movement of the speeding train.

Cairo

2010-10-24T23:50:00.004+08:00

KL - Cairo

It was a full moon over the land of the pharaohs when our plane began to descent for landing at the new Cairo International Airport. The cold October morning air felt liberating.

We were met by our tour guide and were transported in a limousine to the hotel. When we crossed Cairo city, it was still very early in the morning and the traffic jam was beginning to build up. The 5-star Mercure Le Sphinx Hotel was located in the Giza province overlooking two of the three majestic pyramids.

(Mercure Le Sphinx Hotel)

We had to wait for a while for our room to get ready. After a refreshing bath we had our much needed nap to rest tired body and woke up to order room service of steak and sandwiches to fill hungry tummies.

(Sculpture on the wall)

The whole night was spent in the hotel room watching movies on TV.
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Singapore - 2010

2010-07-11T23:27:00.002+08:00

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We went for a day trip to Singapore to attend a cousin's wedding reception for his daughter...

(The lovely couple...)

Fun Taiwan - 2010

2010-01-29T18:47:00.000+08:00

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After an hour stopover in Kota Kinabalu, we arrived in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport late Friday night.

The airport commenced operations in 1979 as Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in memory of former President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek. In 2006, the name was changed to Taoyuan International Airport. The overall layout is simple and traveler friendly.

John Duang, our local host was waiting for us at the arrival gates and we were whisked off to the Cosmos Hotel Taipei, located at the heart of the city's most prosperous financial district. It is adjacent to the Taipei Train Station and the bus main station. After a brief checking in process, we unpacked and rested for the night.

Pigeon Racing

Early next morning we began our tour. During the drive south to Taichung, John pointed out the numerous red and blue pigeon coops on rooftops. The Japanese introduced pigeon racing to Taiwan early last century. This curious combination of sport, gambling, and animal husbandry was an instant hit. It seized the hearts and minds of the people in Taiwan. The pigeons eat birdseed and grit, but the racing itself is fueled by cash. Money is what makes pigeon racing so popular though gambling is illegal in Taiwan. The lucky owners make a lot of money, the stakes can be very high and could reach almost US$3 million, and any bird that does well in a seven-race season is automatically worth more than US$20,000. These racing pigeons are measured by a simple yardstick, their race results. Thieves throw up nets to snare the little aviators and hold them for ransom.

Wu Chang Temple

Through multi level mountain highways intersecting each other, approaching Taichung, we had no idea of the horrific damage inflicted by the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that shook the island eleven years ago. To ensure the unimaginable power nature unleashed on Taiwan that day was never totally forgotten, several sites around the island had been left exactly as they were after that terrible night.

When that earthquake hit Taiwan, the Wu Chang Temple collapsed leaving the temple in ruins. This is perhaps the most famous and often visited temple in the town of Jiji in Nantou County, situated close to the quake’s epicentre. The remains of the village’s Wu Chang Temple whose first floor entirely collapsed is a dramatic sight.

Sun Moon Lake

Driving onwards and upwards, we headed towards the Sun Moon Lake. Surrounded by green mountains, the 8km square Sun Moon Lake is the pearl of Central Taiwan. It is the largest natural lake in Taiwan. It is a beautiful alpine lake, divided by the tiny Lalu Island. The Eastern part of the lake is round like the sun, while the Western part is shaped like a crescent moon - hence the name "Sun Moon Lake".
Its crystalline, emerald green waters reflect the hills and mountains which rise on all sides. Natural beauty is enhanced by numerous cultural and historical sites. Its beauty is created by the combination of mountain and water scenery, and its 760-meter elevation helps give the impression of a Chinese landscape painting with mist-laden water and clearly defined levels of mountains.

Thao Chieftains House

We made a brief stop at a Thao Chieftains house. The Thao represent the smallest of Taiwan's indigenous, non Chinese, population, with just over 500 members. Pictures on the wall showed world dignitaries who has visited the Chieftain in the past. The Thao claim that they produce the world’s best Royal Jelly. Their colourful vests were prominently displayed for sale.

Peacock Garden Park

We followed the winding road bordering the lake to the Peacock Garden Park. It has over 200 peacocks and other rare and valuable birds. Over 100 other species live in this park, including the mountain chicken, the Formosan blue magpie, the long-tailed pheasant, the golden pheasant, the ampherst pheasant, and the black coot. The park seems to be a popular vacation spot for the locals.

The Wenwu Temple

During the Japanese occupation period there were two temples on the banks of the lake: Longfong Temple in Shueishe Village and Yihua Hall in what is now Yitashao. But when the Japanese built their hydroelectric power plants, the water levels rose, and the temples had to be removed. The Japanese electric company paid compensation, and the temple managers decided to combine their resources and build a single new temple at Songboling on the northern shore of the lake. The result was the Wenwu Temple.

This Wenwu temple was built in 1938, combining two temples that had to be relocated when the dam was constructed.　It was rebuilt in 1969. This temple of literature and martial arts has a pair of lions in front of the temple, reputed to be the largest in Taiwan.

Chung Tai Chan Monastery

Leaving Taichung, we sped off towards Puli. Located there in Taiwan's Nantou County is the Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Its construction began in 1990 and lasted for a whole decade. The structure was designed by the renowned Taiwanese architect, Li Tsu-Yuan, and combines both Chinese and Western architectural designs.

The main building of the monastery stretches vertically, in sharp contrast to many traditional Chinese temples which are horizontally extended. The primary building material is stone, which represents the firmness of Buddhist belief. It also depicts longevity.
The monastery pursues the main tenets espoused for mankind:
1. Respect subdues arrogance
2. Kindness dispels anger
3. Harmony overcomes rudeness and violence
4. Truthfulness eradicates deceit

The main structure stands upright among other lower buildings and the surrounding hills, resembling a saint sitting in the green woods. This symbolizes a pursuit of eternal peace, which is the Buddhist goal. The monastery can be seen as a symbol of hope for the people in the surrounding villages.

More than one hundred thousand religious followers come to visit Chung Tai Chan Monastery every year. Other local and international visitors come to participate in art and science seminars in the confines of the monastery's architectural beauty.

Feng Chia Night Market

John assured us that he was bringing us to a night market that provides the most diverse, delicious, and non-traditional Taiwanese snacks, the Feng Chia Night Market!

The Feng Chia Night Market situated in the Situn District in Taichung City is full of people. It offers a wider array of Taiwanese snacks, drinks, food shops, and fashion goods at competitive prices. More than 1,000 shops and food stalls line Wenhua Road, Feng Chia Road, Fushing Road, and Hsian Road. As we waded through the crowd, smells of stinking tofu wafted through the market. Of course there were various varieties of Taiwanese dishes on sale. Even Turkish Ice Cream can be found here!

Fun Won Hotel

Our Ful Won hotel is located on a convenient traffic entrance connected to Zhonggang Road and Wensin Road. Surrounding it are many large department stores, the Feng Chia night market, the Jingming commercial zone and the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. It’s a nice cosy hotel to rest our tired bones.

Leofoo Village Theme Park

Located in Guansi Township in Hsinchu County, Leofoo Village Theme Park is the largest theme park in Taiwan. Leofoo Village Theme Park comprises a well segmented wildlife zoo and four other theme parks. Enroute to the park, it is like a fairytale castle, it’s most famous feature, rising in the middle of the surrounding forest.

In Chinese ‘Leo’ means ‘six’ and ‘Foo’ stands for ‘luck’. Thus the park symbolizes six lucks. The Theme Park was established in 1994 and has received overwhelming response from the domestic as well as the foreign tourists. It took only couple of years after its opening for the number of visitors to the Park to touch the figures of 2.3 million. This figure surpassed Taiwan’s tourist record.

Apart from a wild life zoo, Leofoo Village Theme Park has a four other theme parks, the Wild West, the Arabian Palace, the South Pacific and the Safari Park. Newer themes like China Town, the Wildlife and the Fairy Tales are slated to be added to the park soon. The Park is also planning to include a huge garden and an international hotel.

There are also fun rides like the Volcano Adventures, 360 degree Roller Coasters, pendulum themed Pirate Ships and the Jurassic Park. We were treated to an MJ dance routine in the theme streets. Costumed staff depicting cowboys, arabian warriors and south pacific natives mingled freely with the visitors.

Pi Xiu Museum

We stopped at a Pi Xiu museum on the way back to Taipei. In Chinese Feng Shui, a Pi Xiu is a mythical animal which is depicted with the head of a dragon and a dog or lion's body often with hoofs, little wings and a tail.

The Pi Xiu is a loyal guardian that is frequently seen guarding the tombs of emperors or on the roofs of important buildings. It is believed a Pi Xiu absorbs evil and as it has no anus the evil cannot escape and infect the place it protects. It also absorbs wealth from all directions and signifies money coming in without going out which is why they are often depicted with a full belly standing on a bed of Chinese coins. It is said that you do not simple buy a Pi Xiu. The Pi Xiu chooses you!

Ximending

Located in west Taipei, Ximending is one of the most popular tourist spots among locals and visitors from all over the world. Ximending features a wide array of fashion clothing and accessories in various styles including Japanese, Chinese and Western.

Ximending is similar to the fashionable streets of major cities in the world like the Shibuya in Japan, Wang Fu Jing of Beijing, Nanjing Road of Shanghai, Drottninggatan of Stockholm, and Petaling Street of KL to name a few. All are famed for a diversity of entertainment and activities that allure young people and young adults to visit.

With packed breakfasts provided by the hotel, we left the hotel before dawn. Arriving still in the dark at the airport, we flew home in the early morning mist...
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The Silk Road - Tashkent

2009-12-17T08:36:00.002+08:00

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We reached Tashkent, and checked in the Hotel Markaziy after a five hour drive. Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital, shows its roots as a Silk Road city even today. The 2,000 year-old-city whose name means “Stone Fortress” has the look of a modern metropolis.

Tashkent became a Muslim city in the 8th century AD, and was an important commercial centre during the middle Ages. Wars and natural calamities have swept most of the buildings dating back to the time of the ancient city.
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Despite its modern Soviet appearance, Tashkent lacks neither beauty nor culture; this city of three million has beautifully laid out parks and glistening fountains. The weather was wonderful as we strolled through the parks.
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It boasts an efficient Soviet era metro with unique breathtaking designs at its stations. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos. Soviet phobia... Up above, an electric tram system snakes across the city, complementing its public buses and taxis. The taxis are mostly new twenty five year old Lada models.
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We visited the Tashkent Islamic Institute. During the time when Caliph Uthman was the caliph of the Muslims, dispute arose about the reading of the Quran. To put the discord to an end, the Quran Uthmani was written down on buckskin in six copies and sent to different parts of the world. One of the six copies was brought to Samarkand and for many years caringly kept. After the tsarist Russia took over Samarkand, this Quran to St. Petersburg and placed into the Emperor's library.
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Since 1989 the sacred manuscript has been returned and kept, in the Tashkent Islamic Institute. The Muskhaf Khazrati (Quran) of Uthman is the rarest and priceless gem, which is loved and revered by every Muslim. In 2007, Tashkent was named the cultural capital of the Islamic world. Maybe because it has the Telyashayakh Mosque (Khast Imam Mosque) which contains one of the six sacred Quran Uthmani.
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We ended the last day of our Uzbek discovery with an authentic Uzbek dance. It is characterized by intricate arm and hand movements, a variety of spins and turns, backbends, shoulder isolations and animated facial expressions. Footwork is relatively simple. The solo dancing was supported by a ghijak, whose round body and sound resembles that of a violin. It is played being placed vertically on the knee and the sound is produced with the help of special bow kamon.
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Supporting the ghijak, is undoubtedly, the most favourite percussion instrument of the Uzbeks, the doira. One side of the wooden rim with a diameter up to fifty centimetres is covered with tight leather membrane, whereas sixty metal rings are fixed on the other side. With fingers of both hands a musician beats out a rhythm on the tightly stretched leather and at the same time he shakes the doira thus accompanying the rhythmic sound strikes with melodically chime of the rings. In the hands of a virtuoso doira player, the doira can produce tender sounds resembling rustling of the wind, or loud drumming, like a spring thunder.

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On the last day it was snowing heavily. While waiting for the bus and at the airport we walked hand in hand with snowflakes falling from the skies.....

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The Silk Road - Samarqand

2009-12-12T22:44:00.003+08:00

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After a five hour drive, during which we saw the snow covered majestic mountain borders of Uzbekistan, we reached Samarkand. This hilly city is the second largest in Uzbekistan and is as old as Rome, Athens and Babylon. Situated on the Silk Road, ancient Arabs called it the “Gem of the East”, Europeans called it the “The Land of Scientists”. Ulugbhek built his observatory here and charted the stars even before astronomy was invented.

Samarkand is the city of legends. When Alexander the Great saw Samarkand, he exclaimed “I heard that the city was beautiful but never thought that it could be so beautiful and majestic”. It’s also a city of love akin to Shakespeare’s tragic Romeo and Juliet but with Samar and Qand miraculously brought back to life at the end.

One ancient poet wrote:
You can travel through the whole world, have a look at the pyramids and admire the smile of the Sphinx; You can listen to the soft singing of the wind at the Adriatic Sea and kneel down reverently at the ruins of the Acropolis, be dazzled by Rome with its Forum and Coliseum, be charmed by Notre Dame in Paris or by the old domes of Milan; But if you have seen buildings of Samarkanda, you will be enchanted by its magic forever....

It is believed that parts of Nabi Danial remains, namely a hand, were conveyed to Samarkand by Timur. A mausoleum was constructed over the burial place of this remains. Quite near to the mausoleum there is a spring with water considered sacred. The locals say that everyone wishing to visit this mausoleum should have a drink of this water and wash the open parts of their body. This is a place of pilgrimage for both local residents and international guests. In 1996, the Patriarch of All Russia Alexey II visited this mausoleum and sanctified it. The locals say, after sanctifying the mausoleum, a pistachio tree in the courtyard thought dead, began to blossom again.

In this city too, is situated one of the world’s notable architectural ensemble of the Samarkand, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis. It’s also called the Street Of the Dead. Thirty five steps up leads to the eleven mausoleums. The most ancient is the ensemble of Kusam ibn-Abbas, a cousin of our revered prophet, Nabi Muhammad SAW. This ensemble is a monument of the warriors who charted world history. We ended the day at dusk at this beautiful ensemble to return to our hotel the Regal Palace.

Early next morning, we set off to the most famous attraction in Samarkand is the Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex which is located in Kharteng village, 12 kilometers from Samarkand. The complex includes mausoleums, mosques and administrative buildings.

The Imam al-Bukhari mausoleum is located in the center of this complex. This cubical building is crowned with a seventeen-meter dome. The right side door leads downstairs to a do dakhma, a place of worship. On the right side, under the sagana decorated with light blue onyx, there is a grave of Imam Al-Bukhari covered with marble.

According to local historians, the present four side arched shaped building was constructed on top of the original grave of Imam Al Bukhari by the Uzbekistan government in 1997 while the Iranian government financed the project. Some lucky visitors had the opportunity to visit down to the actual grave. Unfortunately, we were not among those.

Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari popularly known as Imam Al Bukhari is best known for authoring the hadith collection of Sahih Bukhari, a collection which Sunni Muslims regard as the most authentic of all hadith compilations and the most authoritative book after the Qur'an. May God Bless the Imam. We thank God Almighty for giving us the opportunity to be here. Syukur Alhamdulillah.

On the left side of the inner yard there is a mosque that can accommodate 1500 people. The walls are decorated with light-green, blue and white glazed slabs, as well as with marble, onyx and granite; the floor with girikh. There is the Kiswah near the mihrab. This Ka’abah covering was presented to Uzbekistan by the king of Saudi Arabia.

About 1,000 visitors, including non-Muslims, from all over the world visit Imam Al-Bukhari's mausoleum every day.

Another magnificent landmark in this twenty five century old city, the Registan Square, a traditional centre of the city. The square is flanked on three sides by sparkling and turquoise tiled madrasahs, the Ulugbhek Madrasah, the Sherdor and the Tilla Qori. The interior and exterior facades of these buildings are decorated with ornaments of glazed brick, mosaic and carved marble. The Square is considered an architectural gem representing the finest in Islamic Art.

The Mausoleum of Tamerlane or Gur Emir is not far from the Registan. This famous blue ribbed cantaloupe dome of the mausoleum rises over the tin rooftops in central Samarkand. A massive slab of green jade, under which Tamerlane was laid is said to be the largest such stone in the world. Normally seen as black, it turns green when illuminated by the sun for lucky visitors. It was in its finest green during our visit.

There is the fifteen century Bibi-Khanum Mosque, standing next to a noisy and crowded oriental market full of colourful fruits, vegetables and fragrant spices. Amir Timur dedicated this Bibi-Khanum Mosque to his wife and his victorious Indian Delhi campaign. It is said that he used elephants to haul the construction material. We had a short shopping stop here.

Across the intersection from the market, the Hazrat-Hizr (Nabi Khidzir) Mosque occupies a hill on the fringes of Afrosiab. The eight century mosque that once stood here was burnt to the ground by Genghis Khan in the thirteenth century and was not rebuilt until 1854. In the 1990s it was lovingly restored by a wealthy Bukharan and today is Samarkand's most beautiful mosque, with a fine domed interior.

The Silk Road - Buxoro

2009-12-09T22:12:00.002+08:00

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After a seven hour overnight Uzbek Air flight plus a five hour local departure delay, we landed safely in Bukhara and checked in at the Grand Bukhara Hotel.

The city is locally known as Buxoro. A caravansary city rich in history and dramatic architecture. The city’s most famous landmark, the Kalyan Minaret is the greatest remnant of truly old Bukhara; Genghis Khan destroyed most of the city, but left the minaret standing, supposedly because he was struck by its beauty. Locals take wedding pictures with this minaret as a symbol of their undying love.

Part of the Kalyan Ensemble, the Mir-i Arab Madrasah was built across from the Kalyan Mosque in the 1530's, during the reign of Ubaydallah Khan, of the Shaybanid in Bukhara. It is still an active madrasah. Like the Kalyan Mosque, it exhibits traditional four courtyards. Over one hundred spacious student cells are located behind the double-height courtyard arcade. Each of the courtyard façades contains a central area that functions as a summer classroom. The tomb of the madrasah's founder, Mir-i Arab, occupies the largest classroom, located behind the main façade.

Bukhara, with its population of a quarter of a million, is a major attraction for travellers following the old Silk Road. Celebrating its 2,500th anniversary Bukhara’s mud-coloured buildings, the city’s subdued desert hues and centuries old buildings exude their own exotic air of ancient culture.

The tenth century Ismail Samani Mausoleum is one of Bukhara's oldest monuments. Built for the founder of the Samanid dynasty, its delicate terracotta brickwork disguises 2metre thick walls that have never needed repair in the 1100 years it has stood here. Ancient technology at its best.

Close by is another mausoleum with a conical cupola. It is said that Nabi Ayub struck the ground with his staff and hit upon a life giving spring of water during a drought when crops, animals and people perished. This mausoleum was erected over that spring.

Ancient souks with shops named “Ali Baba and the Forty Robberies” sells traditional carpets, ceramics and modern wares. Age old hamams (turkish baths) can be found all over the city. In winter, the blowing winds relentlessly reminds visitors of the hardship endured by its inhabitants. Fur hats and warm gear are sold everywhere by street vendors to ward off the cold.

Twenty minutes from Bukhara lies the Sufi shrine complex of Bahauddin Nakshabandi. It’s a large complex with a main mosque. There is a large petrified tree supposedly blessed. Pilgrims walk around it and under its branches and tie knots onto the tree saying silent prayers. People come here from all over Uzbekistan as it is considered by some as an adequate substitution for the Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca.

We had typical Uzbek food which consists of bread and a variety of salad, a soup/stew followed by the main meat course. Green or oolong tea flowed copiously during each meal. Our search for the well known Nasi Bokhara led to the discovery that there are more than a dozen varieties of Pilaf Rice throughout Uzbekistan. And Pilaf Rice in Bukhara would be Nasi Bukhara, in Samarkand it would be Nasi Samarkand and Nasi Tashkent in Tashkent. Anyone found Mee Bandung in Bandung? All in all, we enjoyed the food varieties.

Beijing - 2009

2009-10-19T20:35:00.006+08:00

19 October 2009

Day -1

Arrived at Beijing Capital Airport early dawn and was greeted by Selena, our guide for the whole week. We checked in the Sheng Hao Hotel and took a short nap before exploring Beijing city.

Summer Palace

After lunch at one Muslim restaurant, we visited the Summer Palace or Yiheyuan in the western outskirts of Haidian District about 15km from Beijing. Designated as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China it is the archetypal Chinese garden, and in 1998, it became one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.The Palace was constructed in the Jin Dynasty and during the succeeding reign of feudal emperors, it was extended continuously. Like most of the gardens of Beijing, it could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French allied force and was destroyed by fire. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it for her own benefit, changing its name to Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most of her later years there, dealing with state affairs and entertaining. After the success of the 1911 Revolution, it was opened to the public.

Due to strong winds the day before, we could not enjoy the leisure boat ride across the Kunming Lake which made up almost 60 percent of the Palace area. But we did take in the wonderful vistas of the Palace and the visitors.

Pearl House

We stopped at the Freesky Pearl House specialising in freshwater pearls. Each bred oyster normally produces up to 30 small pearls each. We bought a couple of souvenir pearl bracelets for the ladies in the family.

Tea House

We ventured into Dr. Tea’s teahouse to experience tea tasting. With the aid of a pee-pee doll to check water temperature for perfect tea making, we went through the rituals of proper tea making, cup holding and tasting.

We had dinner at one of the numerous muslim restaurants available in Beijing. After a good dinner, we headed back to hotel for a good nites rest.

20 October 2009
Day-2

Tiananmen Square

After breakfast we headed to Tiananmen Square. It is the geographical centre of Beijing City. It is the largest city square in the world and is able to accommodate 10,000,000 people at one time! The square is flanked by 56 pillars depicting the various ethnic groups in China. It has two gigantic TV screens showcasing the Beijing 2008 Olympics Opening grandeur.

With the towering Monument to the People's Heroes at the centre, Tiananmen Square has the magnificent Tiananmen Tower in the north, the solemn Mao Zedong Memorial Hall in the south, the National Museum of China in the east and the Great Hall of the People in the west. Surrounded by these lofty buildings, the Square looks majestic and attracts thousands of tourists daily. Tour guides with flags held high to keep their group together were in abundance.

We snaked our way through the jostling crowd to enter the underpass to get to the Forbidden City.

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is situated in the heart of the Beijing and was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In ancient times, the emperors claimed to be the sons of the heaven and their supreme power conferred upon them from the heavens. Their residence on the earth was built as a replica of the Purple Palace where the God lived in the Heaven. Such a divine place, forbidden for the ordinary people was called the Forbidden City. However, nowadays, visitors can get a glimpse of these residences and their surrounding abodes.

The Forbidden City houses treasures of Chinese cultural and historical relics, and is recognized as one of the most important five palaces in the world (the other four are the Palace of Versailles in France, the Buckingham Palace in the UK, the White House in the US and the Kremlin in Russia). The splendid architecture of the Forbidden City represents the essence and culmination of the traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment. In 1987, it was nominated as Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. It is the best preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world.

We travelled back through time as we walked through the City.

Reflexology herbal Medicine

Before proceeding on with the tour, we stopped at the old Olympic Stadium for a foot massage. The massage was not as good as the ones we frequent in Malaysia. We thought that we’d get a good reflexology session. We were disappointed.

Royal Silk House

We stopped at a silk house and watched the ladies work the silkworm all the way to the finished products. The place was full with tourists and after a look see look see, we left for more interesting sights.

Hutong Rickshaw ride

A hutong is an ancient city alley or lane with quadrangle courtyard residences typical in Beijing. Surrounding the Forbidden City, many were built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. In the prime of these dynasties the emperors, in order to establish supreme power for themselves, planned the city and arranged the residential areas according to the etiquette systems of the Zhou Dynasty. The centre of the city of Beijing was the royal palace -- the Forbidden City.

One kind of hutongs, usually referred to as the regular hutong, was near the palace to the east and west and arranged in orderly fashion along the streets. Most of the residents of these hutongs were imperial kinsmen and aristocrats. Another kind, the simple and crude hutong, was mostly located far to the north and south of the palace. The residents were merchants and other ordinary people.

We took a rickshaw ride through a hutong filled with small criss crossing alleys. The ride wasn’t smooth due to major earthworks being done. The hutong we were in had been designated as protected heritage areas and conservation work was being done. It gave us a glimpse of the locals in their natural surroundings.

Acrobatic Troupe Show

After the trishaw ride, we relaxed at the Children’s Park. While waiting for the show, we saw men and women alike exercising in the park. It seems that exercising in various forms is a way of life for the Chinese here. Taichi, lion dancing and traditional dancing is a common street sight.

The show itself covered a large variety of acrobatics ending with more than 15 youths on a bicycle circling on stage. But the highlight was the face changing (Bianlian in Chinese) Bianlian was the fascinating part of the show. This is where two performers changed through half a dozen or more fearsome and brightly-coloured face masks seemingly by magic!

21 October 2009
Day-3

Great Wall of China

After about a 2hr drive north and two shopping stops at a jade and crystal factory, we had lunch at a Chinese Cloissone enamel factory. We watched them produce the enamelware. Cloisonne enamel is high-grade artwork. During the Jingtai period of the Ming Dynasty, it became popular. Handicraftsmen used the dark-blue enamel that gave the cloisonné the blue colour, hence it is called Jingtai blue, and is still used today.

The making of cloisonné integrates bronze and porcelain-working skills, traditional painting and etching. It is the pinnacle of traditional Chinese handicraft. Cloisonne is also known as "inlaid enamel", which refers to the unique technique of the combination of porcelain and bronze. Lunch was good but the portions were huge. Fellow Malaysian travellers who crossed our paths agreed that while the food was good, the portions were impossible to finish. Our guide said that the Chinese ate large portions yet remained slim. Slimming Chinese tea must be their secret :)

The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 5,600 km from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the sections are now in ruins or have disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

We walked, climbed, crawled and made it up the peak at the Badaling Great Wall situated in Yanqing County, over 70 km north of Beijing. It is the most well-preserved section of the Great Wall, built during the Ming Dynasty. This section has an average altitude of over 1,000m and is the outpost of the Juyongguan Pass. The mountain slope is very steep and the roads are tortuous. These features made it a military stronghold. The Badaling Great Wall is like a strong dragon winding its way along the mountain ranges. And we scaled this dragon :)

Masjids

We had the opportunity to visit the Nan Dou Ya Qing Zhen Si Mosque, serving the Hui community in the area.

Like most of the mosques in Beijing, Nan Dou Ya mosque is a combination of traditional Chinese architecture and Islamic art, with a series of pavilions and courtyard buildings and the Arabian characters and touches.

At the courtyard, we were surrounded by the courtyard chambers comprising the main prayer hall. It’s like being back in time!

After performing our prayers, we bought some sweet bepang like snacks outside the masjid. Our guide said that the snack was sold by the muslim chinese outside mosques only.

Wangfujing Street

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Wangfujing. It is now considered the central heart of the city. It is close to the Forbidden City. Wangfujing is a long shopping street! A walk from end to end would take about 30 minutes, and that's without looking at any shops. A major portion of Wangfujing consists of a pedestrian mall. It is comparable to most pedestrian malls worldwide. The street was full with local and international tourists. It reminded us of Vienna’s Stephenplatz. '
We had dinner and met with a couple of Malaysian visitors at another muslim restaurant before heading back to the hotel to rest after a full tiring day.

22 October 2009
Day-4

Yashow Market

As today has been designated a shopping day, we went to Yashow Market. Yashow is a paradise for bargain hunters in Beijing, a big draw for the tourist with some money to spend and some serious shopping to do too. It is located in the northeast of Beijing. Yashow is surrounded by the bars, restaurants and cafes of the Sanlitun area, the hottest eating and drinking area for tourists in the city.It's a 4 story building with shopping inside. The general quality of the goods here is not bad. The Yashow Market itself provides various articles of clothing a well as a lot of cashmere garments, down jackets, leather goods, shoes, hats, watches and some handicrafts and trinkets. It also has custom-fitted suits available. Good bargaining skills is a must to survive here. Our guide advised us to start at 30% from what was offered!

We people watched more than shopping :) We had a good seat across a shop selling wigs and hair stuff. Wigs must be cheap here because many western tourists were trying and buying them. Redheads became blondes instantaneously. One lady walked off buying a blue haired wig. Wonder when will she get to use it?

After a filling dinner which was largely unfinished, we headed back to the hotel.

Bird’s Nest

As a last stop before returning home, we visited the Beijing 2008 Olympic Stadium. The spectacular Bird's Nest stadium, hailed as the finest arena in the world and the centrepiece of the most expensive Olympics in history, is full of hidden symbolism.

In Chinese mythology, the sun is represented by a circle and the moon by a square, reflected by the shape of the bird's nest and the Water Cube aquatic centre opposite, reinforced when the venues are lit at night, red for the Bird's Nest and blue for the Water Cube.

The shapes also echo the Chinese symbols for male and female, and are built either side of the north-south axis road which runs in a perfect straight line for three miles through Beijing, centered on the Forbidden City.

Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the stadium has a revolutionary design, comprising an outer skeleton of 42,000 tons of steel, and an inner 'skin' of double-layered plastic which keeps out wind and rain and filters out UV light. It is designed to last for 100 years and withstand a force eight magnitude earthquake.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by hundreds of local and foreign tourists gathered between the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube. It was the official opening ceremony of the Beijing International Tourism Festival. There were brightly colored floats with hundreds of colorful participants. Since we have a plane to catch, we couldn’t enjoy the whole event. We had lunch on the way to the airport.

The flight home was on time and we reached home just past midnight. It had been a perfect week break. What would be the next greatest wonder of the world to visit eh? Somewhere in the Middle East or South America kut?

Till then....

Brisbane - 2009

2009-06-27T19:35:00.004+08:00

Attractions and botanical parks
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We further retraced our past path and visited the Sea World, Dream World, Movie World, Wet & Wild and White Water parks. We didn’t have much time to spend, but contented just to have some photo shots to remind us of our visits to the attractions some 10 years ago.

We then drove towards Brisbane and planned to visit a few museums but couldn’t find suitable car parks to accommodate the height of our caravan.

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We then drove to the Botanical Park which is situated at the outskirts of Brisbane and whiled away our time in the park before we got some lunch at McD and refueled.
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We returned the caravan, and after the vehicle checks, paper work and a cup of hot coffee, we took a cab to Brisbane International Airport. We were early to check-in and bought a couple of Merino sweaters and more souvenirs at the duty-free shops before boarding the 2320 flight back to KL..'
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It was a good exciting holiday and we plan to come back soon to venture further in the land down under...

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G’day Mate…
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Green Mountain - 2009

2009-06-26T20:01:00.004+08:00

The tin man of Mt. Tamborine
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It was a sombre start for the day with news of a fallen angel, Farrah Fawcet, who passed away after a long bout with cancer. No sooner had the news ended, the demise of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson was announced. The creator of the ‘moon walk’ was a favorite in our family. Our late son Ja liked to imitate his dance movements. Most of his songs were played in the radio throughout the day as tribute to his achievements.
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The drive to O’Reilly’s was an uphill winding road with one lane stretches. There was a winery and an Alpaca farm along the way. We had light lunch and a chance to feed the birds and got some lorikeets resting on our heads and shoulders.
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We drove to Mt. Tamborine to revisit the path that we took 10 years ago. The quaint and picturesque towns are still standing though some of the establishments had changed.

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The German Cuckoo Nest is still there. Ten years ago we had coffee and scones at a small café with a tin man as the café’s maître de. We decided to look him up and were surprised to see him relegated. Once a commanding figure in front of the café, he’s now the head of the scrap yard.

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Guess life’s like that, one time we’re important and respected but over time, we’ll get sent to the scrap yard…
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Sunshine Coast - 2009

2009-06-25T20:55:00.006+08:00

Home of the Crocodile Hunter
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This morning we woke up later than usual and had scrambled eggs for breakfast. Today we decided to drive towards Brisbane and maybe visit one of Australia's many nature parks.
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We drove north towards Noosa Heads passing the Sunshine Coast and decided to visit the Australia Zoo at Beerwah. The Australia Zoo was reborn in 1992 when the crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin and wife, Terri took over the management of the zoo.
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Formerly known as the Beerwah Reptile Park, it was opened in 1970 by Steve’s parents Bob and Lyn. It was a place where rogue crocodiles were rescued and rehabilitated wildlife called home. It has now grown to become a global attraction.
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The zoo cares for over 1000 animals. As the zoo does not receive government funding, it relies on sponsorships and donations to provide care for the wildlife. Steve always believed in conservation through an exciting education. Crikey!
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On the way back to our campsite, we drove through Noosa Great Sandy National Park, one of Southern Queenland's best kept secrets with the top end of the Noosa River and Everglades give a view into ancient lowlands and waterways. They have not changed for thousands of years and are unspoiled by the human race...
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Gold Coast – 2009

2009-06-24T21:26:00.004+08:00

Surfers Paradise, Whale watching
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After a Subway breakfast of seafood and egg sandwiches, we checked out of the Montego Mermaid Beach Motel and drove towards Broadwater to seek out the caravan park. The park is a premium park due to its close proximity to Surfers Paradise and is consistently fully occupied throughout the year. Once we had confirmed our site for the night, we decided to explore the attractions in Surfers Paradise.
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There is a Wax Museum here that houses one of the three original wax figures of Madame Tussaud. We posed for photos with the eighty over celebrities and prominent personalities of our time. It was déjà vu, since we were here ten years ago. The waxwork figures have not aged. Even Michael Jackson looked black! Though she’s white now.
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Humpback whales migrate through the Australian coast for breeding before turning south towards the Antarctica to mature before returning to propagate once again. This being the season, we took a whale watching cruise to see these magnificent creatures just off the Australian coast.
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After a few hours offshore, we were rewarded with distant spouts of air blown by the whales. As we ventured closer, we could see these whales playfully swimming, breaching the water and splashing the water with their tails. One had to be quick with the camera to capture these moments.
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It was almost dusk when we returned to shore. It was a worthwhile cruise. Maybe once in a lifetime opportunity even.
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After a filling meal of nan, aloo gobi and lamb curry at a halal Indian restaurant, we retired for the night at the Broadwater Park.
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Mermaid Beach – 2009

2009-06-23T21:20:00.004+08:00

No vacancy at all caravan parks
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We decided to skip breakfast as we were out of cooking gas. We had a peek at the One Mile Beach of Nelson Bay and stopped at the site office to get our gas tank refilled before we drove off to Port Stephens. Port Stephens is not a city but rather a region spread around and beyond the magnificent waterway. It is a major coastal recreation and holiday centre, rightly known as ‘Blue Water Paradise’. Port Stephens is a mecca for experienced divers, underwater photographers for its colourful garden of soft corals. Port Stephens is official dolphin capital of Australia and well known for its resident population of over 150 bottlenose dolphins. Whales pass very close to shore and are easily accessible by whale watching cruises. The blue waters of Port Stephens are known to produce high quality rock oysters desired for their taste and freshness.
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At Port Stephens, we stopped at McD to have breakfast but the restaurant was closed as there was no electricity. We were informed that the power cut is affecting the whole region and all the petrol pumps could not function without electricity. And our fuel was running very dangerously close to empty.
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We braved ourselves and drove on the M1, the Pacific Motorway hoping that the petrol will last us to the next petrol station. We were banking on that their pumps would be on a different power grid and working. We were very lucky to reach the rest area, known as the Rock and filled up the caravan and our empty stomachs.
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Both caravan and travelers fueled, we headed north and decided to stop for the night at Ballina but the campsite was full. Ballina campsite is a 10 minutes drive from Ballina Central between the Pacific Ocean and the broad water of Richmond River. It is a secluded spot for a relaxing stay for there is no traffic noise. Ballina is surrounded by white sandy beaches and endless waterways. A blend of tranquility seaside hideaway ad vibrant holiday resort, Bellina is the commercial and entertainment hub of the shire. The historic thoroughfares of the town centre are lined with shopping arcades, stylish cafés and classic country pubs. We tried another campsite but Ballina seems to be a popular resort city and all campsites were fully occupied. We travelled on gravel and even a flooded road to Byron Bay but were greeted with no vacancy signs at every campsite.
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We went further north till Surfers Paradise and had the choice of parking at the highway rest areas and spending the night in the caravan without electrical heating, or in a cozy bed of a motel and we decided on the latter. We selected one with outdoor parking available and rested the night in a warm motel bed.
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Port Stephens - 2009

2009-06-22T21:09:00.004+08:00

Hop-on, Hop-off Sydney Sightseeing

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After breakfast, we parked the caravan and boarded a City Rail from the Thornleigh train station to Sydney. The train stopped at every station and it took a sleepy hour to get to Sydney’s Central, its main train terminal.

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The weather was cool and sunny and it was a great day for sightseeing. To ensure we could cover most of Sydney’s top attractions, we decided to take the topless bright red Sightseeing bus. It’s quite similar to the ones we see in London, Istanbul and even Singapore. Our KL Hop On Hop Off is related to another franchise and not that popular. We sat at the top and had the cool Sydney wind blowing in our faces.
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The bus wound through the Sydney streets to showcase their Sydney Harbor Bridge (The Coathanger), the Darling Harbor and of course, the Opera House, to name a few. We even managed to stop and walk at the world famous surf beach, the Bondi Beach.
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Sydney is a bustling cosmopolitan city with many nationalities and languages. Aussies and English seemed to be the odd ones out. Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Japanese, Indonesian, Turkish and Spanish were among the nationalities and languages we could pick out in the few hours of our sightseeing.
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At the end of the day, we got back into our caravan at Thornleigh and proceeded north towards Brisbane. We made it to the secluded Port Stephens for the night. At the campsite, we discovered that our cooking gas is finished. We have to resupply soon or else we won’t be able to cook our meals!
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Sydney Hills – 2009

2009-06-21T20:52:00.005+08:00

Grand Pacific Drive
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We had an early McD breakfast this morning and drove out of Batemans Bay towards the Grand Pacific Drive starting from Nowra to Audley. The Grand Pacific Drive is the award winning coastal drive encompassing 140km of some of the most spectacular scenery and coastline in New South Wales.
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The route traversed through dramatic coastal scenery, quaint villages, and through the bustling city of Wollongong. We stopped for some photo shots at Seven Mile Beach, Kiama Blowholes and passed over the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge. We stopped at the magnificent Bald Hill lookout for a sweeping panoramic coastal view.
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Along the way, some roads in the low lying areas prone to flooding had water lapping at the road sides. During the rainy season, these roads would be inaccessible.
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We continued along the Royal National Park and exited at Audley and headed north towards Sydney passing through the Coat Hanger with a glimpse of the Opera House. The roads were full with holiday makers returning to the city after the weekend break.
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We stayed the night at the Sydney Hills Holiday Park. We have travelled over 3,500 km so far and we still have another week to go!
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Batemans Bay – 2009

2009-06-20T20:42:00.003+08:00

Lakes, valleys and parks
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It was cold and frosty when we drove out of the Traralgon Park Lane Tourist Park. We headed towards the Lakes Entrance passing through Sale and Bairnsdale. It was foggy when we passed Snowy River National Park but the weather was sunny and bright when we stopped at the Gippsland Lakes Fishing Club to watch fishing and boating activities. Some pelicans and seagulls were seen anxiously waiting for food opportunities when those fishes caught were being cleaned.
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Lakes Entrance is the largest tourist town east of Melbourne. It is a family holiday haven ideally located where Tuggerah Lake meets the sea. It is interesting to watch the comical resident pelicans that congregate on the waters edge and wait to be fed.

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We drove along the memorable coastal route of Princes Highway, stopped at Merimbula for a McD lunch. From the restaurant, we had a stunning panoramic ocean view of the South Coast. We continued our journey and stopped for some photo shots of the breathtaking Bega Valley.
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We stopped for the night at Batemans Bay Pleasurelea Tourist Park and slept with the sounds of the ocean waves lapping the shore.
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Traralgon - 2009

2009-06-19T18:53:00.006+08:00

A glimpse of Melbourne
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We packed and drove out of Port Campbell at 0845 and stopped at the Twelve Apostles again for some more photo shots. With full sunshine, hopefully the pictures are better than yesterday's.
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We headed towards Apollo Bay but stopped at the Cape Otway Lightstation. We saw our first koala bear on the way to Cape Otway! Cape Otway is in natural bush setting, with an abundance of birds and wildlife, excellent walks and close to secluded beaches. There is easy access to hundreds of waterfalls, the natural beauty of the Great Ocean Road and the Great Ocean Walk.
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The lighthouse, which has been in operations since 1848, is perched on towering sea cliffs 80 m above where the Bass Straits and the Southern Ocean collide.

For thousands of immigrants, Cape Otway was their first sight of land after leaving Europe or North America and after many months at sea. There is even a meticulously restored Telegraph Station, and a World War II radar bunker.

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We had lunch at one of the stunning beaches along the route. After refueling, we headed towards Melbourne passing Geelong. As Melbourne is the Australian epicenter of the swine flue, we decided to bypass the town completely. However, we managed to get a fleeting glimpse of Melbourne skyline before we entered the 3.4 km Burnley Tunnel which is one of the longest urban three-lane tunnels in the world.

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We stopped for the night at Traralgon Parklane Tourist Park.

Port Campbell - 2009

2009-06-18T18:21:00.004+08:00

The Twelve Apostles
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We drove from Benalla early morning and headed on the Hume Motorway towards the Great Ocean Road bypassing both Melbourne and Geelong. Taking the new inland motorway to Colac, we ventured through the Great Otway National Park winding road down to Apollo Bay.
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The Great Ocean Road later transformed into a mountain drive, winding through the tall timber of the Otway Range jutting over the Southern Ocean, before descending to the eroded cliffs that served as a grandstand for the Twelve Apostles, previously known as The Sow And The Piglets.
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Further up the road, some visitors descended Gibson Steps onto Gibson Beach to take a closer look at the iconic Lord Ard Gorge limestone stacks. We decided to watch the sunset over these steep limestone cliffs.
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We parked at Port Campbell Holiday Park for the night.
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Benalla - 2009

2009-06-17T18:18:00.004+08:00

Passing through the outback
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This morning it was still raining quite heavily. We decided to pack and continue our journey towards the Great Ocean Road. If we have time, we’ll visit Sydney later during our return journey.
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It took us 2 hours to get out of Sydney. We were caught in the morning jam as well as constantly rerouting our direction to avoid the M7 Motorway which required the use of either the E-tag or e-pass. No cash was accepted. We finally decided to use the motorway anyway and paid the toll using our visa card. We did it through one phone call. It was a great customer service experience!
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From the M7 Motorway we changed into Hume Highway which led us through the towns of Goulburn, passed Canberra to Yass and Albury. Along the way, we stopped to refuel in Gunning, a small town with a population of 531 and had our lunch at the Yass Rest Center.
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The journey was uninteresting as there were a lot of road-works which required us to slow down to a crawling pace. However, there were numerous farms along the way. There was even one Arabian horse farm. There were also many family owned wineries along the highway. On one stretch of the highway we saw huge windmills that reminded us of Spain.
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The scenery that greeted us in Victoria was pleasantly green as compared to the harsh browns of New South Wales. Unfortunately we didn’t see any skippies but only a few scattered koala remains which had the misfortune of venturing too close to the highway.
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We reached our campsite at Benalla around dusk and had time to do the laundry before having a hearty dinner. Ever notice how we tend to eat more when the weather is cold :)
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Forster - 2009

2009-06-16T18:05:00.007+08:00

The Great Lakes lonely pelican
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This morning we had cereal for breakfast. Lanis Great Lake campsite is located within peaceful natural surroundings where you get sunset and serenity absolutely free. As it was a working day, the campsite was quite empty except for long term tenants who stayed a week or more to enjoy the serene ambience and wildlife of the Great Lakes.
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The Great Lakes is only a 3 hour drive from Sydney but it seems a world away. The magnificent eastern dividing range forms a backdrop to one of the most dazzling stretches of coast. There are many things to do in the Great Lakes; there are amazing program of events including visiting stunning natural attractions and National Parks. If you are seeking relaxation or craving adrenalin fuelled adventure - the Great Lakes is the perfect holiday destination to visit all year round, even in winter!
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We circled the Great Lakes and headed towards Seal Rocks Camping Reserve, passing Booti Booti National Park and a few small beach towns with wide range of accommodations for visitors. Along the way we saw a few kangaroos merrily crossing our path.
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Seal Rocks is a fishing village and is accessible by a pleasant drive through Myall Lakes National Park. With great scuba diving, fabulous surf and beach fishing and clear turquoise water, Seal Rocks is an uncrowded natural paradise. One can stroll to the lighthouse and be rewarded with a panoramic view of the coastline. We expected to find a light house at end of the road at Seal Rocks but there was none in sight, most probably we need to access through another road. The spectacular sandy beach is beautifully surrounded by black rocks with stunning blowholes. The site is also famous for its dive with the sharks program and the 1992 whale rescue.
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We drove on and stopped at Hexham for lunch. It was raining dogs and cats during the rest of the drive and the road was slippery. We saw an accident that caused a massive 24km traffic jam. Our next stop for the night was the Sydney Hills Holiday Park situated at Dural, a suburb of Sydney.
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Coffs Harbour - 2009

2009-06-15T18:23:00.007+08:00

The Big Banana
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From Moonee Beach Camp site we drove to Coffs Harbor Yacht Club to walk along the beautiful beach and have some photo shots. Coffs Harbour is the commercial and administrative centre of the Mid North Coast and is the major resort of the NSW North Coast. Coffs Harbour is popular with retirees and tourists.

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It is also famous for its banana plantations, celebrated by 'The Big Banana' tourist destination. Apart from banana growing fishing is important here. The Jetty area of the city includes a marina, a large harbour with an accessible jetty, shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as the Muttonbird Island reserve, famous for its muttonbird population.

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Coffs Harbour is a vibrant coastal city brimming with holiday fun. Between June to November, whale watching is Coff’s prime activity. We refueled and bought some provisions at the petrol station outside town. Lunch was fillet-o-fish at McD.
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We headed towards Sydney and stopped at Forsters Great Lake campsite for the night.
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Moone Beach - 2009

2009-06-14T18:02:00.008+08:00

The Ocean Tide
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After a hearty breakfast, with Annie’s help, we managed to contact Apollo, a well-known campervan company, and booked us a caravan. With the campervan we can enjoy the freedom of a self drive escape that can take us anywhere. And there'll be a special offer of 10% discount if we stay at any of the Top Tourist Campsites. It cost us AUD 1,889 for 2 full weeks complete with comprehensive insurance coverage and GPS navigator. We headed for Coffs Harbor and stopped for provisions at an Asian Groceries Market.
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We drove along the coast using the Pacific Highway, via Kemsey, Port Macquarie, Taree, passed a historical bridge crossing Clarence River. We saw our first kangaroo along the hi-way. A few kilometers ahead, we saw another one on its back with 4 legs pointing to the skies. Must have played too near the road and got knocked down by vehicles that passed by. We witnessed 2 accidents along the way too.
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We reached Moonee Beach Camp site late and got into difficulties to get the caravan to power up and ended sleeping without a heater. Luckily the night was not that cold and we kept each other warm…
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Brisbane - 2009

2009-06-13T08:26:00.005+08:00

Australia - The starting point
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Our flight to Sydney departed 0900 and transited Sydney for 11/2 hours. It took another 2 hours to reach Brisbane. We arrived Brisbane International Airport at 2200. We booked a double room at Annie Shandon's Inn from the airport list and took a bus direct to the inn’s door step. It was a modest B&B hostel room with communal facilities, good enough for us to clean ourselves and had a good night rest. The weather was cool around 11C.

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2009-05-07T13:53:00.002+08:00

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A love story
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An eternal love story,
so magical
Against the blue sky,
white marble sparkles
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The reflecting pool,
so mesmerizing
A symbol of love,
forever endearing…
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musmun
(Taj Mahal, 31 Dec 2008)
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Delhi - 2009

2009-01-01T23:29:00.002+08:00

The Capital City

Because of the massive traffic jam we decided not to stop at old Delhi and missed visiting the Red Fort, built in 1648 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Jame’ Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India and Qutab Minar built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibek in 1199. We had time to stop for a while at India Gate (War Memorial Arch), the Parliament House and Government Secretariat Buildings and later spent sometime at Gandhi Smriti.

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India Gate

The India Gate is one of the largest war memorials in India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate is a prominent landmark in Delhi and commemorates the members of the erstwhile British Indian Army who lost their lives fighting for the Indian Empire in World War I and the Afghan Wars.

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Following India's independence, India Gate became the site of Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti.

Parliament House

To the northwest of Vijay Chowk, this huge circular, colonnaded building comprises three semicircular chambers for the Legislatures and a Central Library crowned by a 27.4m high dome. It is 173m in diameter and covers 2.02 hectares in area, with colonnaded verandahs enclosing the entire circumference.

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Gandhi Smriti

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian Nation, was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic, Nathuram Godse, on 30 January 1948 on the premises of the Birla House as he was coming out into the lawn for a prayer meeting.

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The building was turned into a national museum after his death and people from all over the country visit to pay their respects.
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Agra - 2008

2008-12-31T22:52:00.008+08:00

The city of Taj
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After breakfast we drove towards Agra , the city of Taj Mahal via Fatehpur Sikri. The distance of about 235 km was covered in about 5 hours.
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Fatehpur Sikri

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Fatehpur Sikri was built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. The principal buildings of the imperial palace complex, clustered on a series of terraces along the sandstone ridge, formed the core of Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's city. The royal complex contains the private and public spaces of Akbar's court, which included the harem and treasury.
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The adjoining sacred complex with the Jame’ Masjid, Salim Chisti's tomb and the Buland Darwaza are separated from the royal quarters by the Badshahi Darwaza, an exclusive royal gateway. Stylistically, it marked the absorption of Gujrat into the Mughal empire and reveals a successful synthesis of pre-Islamic, Hindu and Jain architecture with elegant domes and arches of Islamic building.
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Taj Mahal
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The world famous Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in 1630 in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The monument said to be one of the most elegant and harmonious buildings in the world, is the manifestation of the wealth and luxury of Mughal art as seen in its architecture, garden design, painting, and calligraphy.
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The 144 foot double dome of the Taj is capped with a finial and the four minarets each 131 ft high are crowned by an open octagonal pavilion, highlighting the perfect symmetry of the tomb. The filigree screen, meant to veil the area around the royal tomb, was carved out of single block of marble. Mumtaz Mahal's cenotaph, raised on a platform is next to Shah Jahan's. The actual graves are in a dark crypt below and closed to visitors.
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The Mughals believed that flowers were the symbols of the divine realm, thus in the Taj pietra dura has been extensively used to translate naturalistic forms into decorative patterns that complement the majesty of its architecture. Inlaid calligraphy in black marble was used as a form of ornamentation on undecorated surfaces, with the size of the Quranic verses increasing as the arch gets higher, creating the subtle optical illusion of an uniformly flowing script.
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Agra Fort
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Agra Fort is a massive structure on the bank of Yamuna River. The entrance is from the south through the impressive Amar Singh gate. To its right is the so-called Jahangiri Mahal, the only major palace in the fort that dates back to Akbar's reign. This complex arrangement of halls, courtyards and galleries was Zenana or the main harem.
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Along the river front are the Khas Mahal an elegant marble hall with a vividly painted ceiling, characteristic of Shah Jahan's style of architecture and two garden pavilions with bangaldar roofs. The Sheesh Mahal and the royal baths are to the northeast, near the gloriously inlaid Musamman Burj, a double storied octagonal tower with clear views of the Taj, where Shah Jahan was said to be imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.
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Jaipur - 2008

2008-12-29T20:12:00.007+08:00

The Pink City
(29 – 30 December 2008)
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' We passed 6 checkpoints before we boarded the delayed flight from Srinagar to Delhi. Due to bad weather, the flight passed Jammu without stopping. Our driver Santosh waited 4 hours for us at the airport. We had dinner then started our 265 km journey to Jaipur braving the dense fog and icy night. Along the way we met with 2 accidents. We arrived safely way after midnight at Maharani Hotel in Jaipur.
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Jaipur also popularly known as Pink City is where modernity and tradition exist side by side. The walled pink city, vibrant with colours, houses the City Palace, an astronomical observatory and a bustling bazaar where artisans displayed colorful puppets, silver jewellery, bangles and other handicrafts in their shops.
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The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex of Hawa Mahal, or palace of winds, formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. Another noteworthy building is Sawai Jai Singh's observatory, Jantar Mantar.
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Amber Fort
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Amber Fort is known for its unique artistic style, blending both Hindu and Muslim Mughal elements, and its ornate and breathtaking artistic mastery. The fort borders the Maota Lake, and is a major tourist attraction in Rajasthan.
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Amber Fort is a well preserved 16th century built on 4 levels surrounded by ruins. We had a choice to either drive up by car or ascend on elephant back.
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The Fort is the ancient capital of the State until 1728. Among the many splendours of the fort, we visited the Jagmandir or the Hall of victory glittering with mirrors, Jai Mahal and Temple of Kali.
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Maharaja City Palace
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The focal point of the city of Jaipur is the Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds, a five storey high Baroque- like structure built to enable the veiled ladies of the harem to observe the street scenes below and remain unnoticed. The side facing the street outside the palace complex has 953 small windows, and the breeze (hawa) which circulates through these windows gives the palace its name, and keeps it cool even in hot months.

The City Palace, a wonderful combination of Mughal and Rajput forms of architecture, is now partly a museum housing miniature paintings, manuscripts, Mughal carpets, musical instruments, royal costumes and weapons, giving invaluable insight into Jaipur's royal past.
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Jantar Mantar

It is the 18th century astronomical observatory with several incredible sundials and sun clocks. Some of the instruments at the observatory are still used today to forecast the weather and the turns of nature.

Jal Mahal
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The Rajput style 'Water Palace' sits in the center of the Mansagar lake. The lake is often dry in the summer but winter monsoons frequently turn it into a beautiful lake filled with water hyacinths.

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Kashmir - 2008

2008-12-25T21:30:00.004+08:00

Paradise on earth
(26 – 29 December 2008)

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The economic down turn had severely damaged the tourism sector, the catastrophic Mumbai incident made matters worst. Since the Mumbai attacks, several countries have cautioned their nationals against visiting India, while others have asked to review holiday plans. There were no guarantees against repeat attacks.'But this had not dampened our enthusiasm to visit India and Kashmir…When we arrived at Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi we were met and assured by our ground tour agent that our security is their utmost concern, especially at tourist attractions in Jaipur, Agra and Delhi and we were also informed of the current plight for independence and the unstable political condition in Kashmir.
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Cradled in the lap of majestic Himalayas, Kashmir is the most beautiful place on earth. One of the Mughal emperors, is said to have exclaimed:'“If there is paradise anywhere on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here... “'
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The Khyber Boathouse

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The flight transited in Jammu and reached Srinagar an hour late. We were met upon arrival by Farouk and Gulam, our personal guide and driver. In Srinagar we experienced a 3-night stay on one of the houseboats on the vibrant lively Dal Lake situated at the edge of the city. The transportation used on the lake was the shikara.
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The Dal Lake sustains within its periphery a community so unique that it has a complete infrastructure that one can find almost anything from doctors, tailors, bakers, sundry shops on tiny floating wooden houses, surrounded by vegetable and lotus gardens. The Dal Lake is famous not only for its beauty and tranquility from night to dawn but also its vibrancy bustling with activities during the day.
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The boathouse stay was a unique experience for us. The serenity of the lake, with its beautiful sunset, a picturesque scene we often see only on postcards.
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The 3-room boathouse is equipped with heater and warm water bed at night. With Abdul, our personal butler and a cook to attend to all our needs, we were treated like a Maharaja and Maharani.
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Mughal Gardens
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We visited 2 Mughal Gardens, Nishat Bagh (Abode of pleasure) built by Asif Khan, brother in law of Jehangir in the 16th Century and Shalimar Bagh (Abode of love) built by Jehangir for his wife Noor Jehan. The gardens are situated on the bank of Dal Lake with the Zabarwan Mountains in the background.
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The gardens comprise of terraces, containing canals supplied with water from the river from the mountain. The top garden, unseen from below, was reserved for the ladies of the court. The garden is considered to be very beautiful during autumn and spring due to the color change in leaves and the blooming of flowers.
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' Sonamarg - Meadow of Gold

Sonamarg is a tourist resort situated at a distance of 84 km from Srinagar. Our trip passed through the scenic town of Ganderbal, Kangan and Gund of the Sindh Valley. At Ganderbal beyond the Mular Lake is the point where the icy Sindh River leaves the mountains and enters the plains.'Spectacular views of the Harmukh range dominate the horizon all along the route. Sonamarg is at an altitude of 2730 m, with a backdrop of snowy mountains against the blue sky. The Sindh River that meanders through the valley abounds with trout.
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We hired ponies for the trip up the mountain which can lead to Thajiwas glacier. This place is a major local attraction during the summer months. During winter there are less people crowding the resort.
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Sonamarg is the base of a major trek that passes along several mountain lakes –Vishansar, Kishansar, Gadsar, Satsar and Gangabal. It is also the take off station for the drive to Ladakh across the Zojila, a major pass in the Great Himalayan Range, through which the Srinagar-Leh Road passes. But during this time of the year, the pass was closed for a few months because of heavy snow.

Gulmarg – Meadow of Flowers
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Gulmarg is at 2650 m above sea level. The distance of 65 km was covered in 2 hours. The view enroute from Tangmarg to Gulmarg is fascinating. It has one of the best ski slopes and claimed to be the highest golf course of the world with 18 holes. Gulmarg also prides itself as one of the highest lift-served ski resorts in the world with a Gondola Cable Car Lift to Apharwat top. The first section of the Gondola, from Gulmarg to Kongdori gives a downhill ski run of about 3 km.
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After the cable car ride we tried the not-so-smooth sledge ride which caused my injured back to ache again. We had a hearty, hot lunch at the Pines Resort Hotel at the top of the mountain.'The Mosque of Hazratbal'Reminiscent of the Mughal rule is the mosque of Hazratbal, made of white marble with a dome and a minaret. Hazratbal Mosque is the repository of a single hair of the Prophet Mohammed, exhibited to the public on certain days of the year. When we visited the mosque, only the men were allowed in. After reciting the ayat kursi I stayed outside and watched the kids feeding pigeons.

Dubai - 2008

2008-07-22T21:09:00.003+08:00

(22 - 24 July 2008)

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Makkah/Madinah - 2008

2008-07-11T20:35:00.005+08:00

'(11 - 21 July 2008)

(Bukit Magnet in Madinah)

(All in the family)

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(In front of the Kaabah)
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(The Kaabah between Maghrib and Isya' prayer)
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Jogjakarta - 2008

2008-05-28T21:45:00.001+08:00

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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Jogja Nusa Travel
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We booked a cab for 3.30 a.m. from our apartment to KL Central where we took the bus to LCCT. Group checked-in was smooth and the agent, Nazran will accompany us in this trip. When we arrived at Adisumarmo Airport, Solo we were met by Pak Kiki, the tour guide and boarded the tour bus to Jogyakarta. On the way the bus stalled and we had to wait almost an hour for another bus to pick us.
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After we checked in the Mutiara Hotel, the rest went out shopping along the Malioboro street packed with rows of sidewalk vendors. This is the primary shopping street for tourists in the city. He and I took a nap till it was time to ride the ‘andong’ to the Royal Restaurant for a buffet dinner.After dinner we made appointment with the spa for a relaxing tradional massage.

Thursday, May 29, 2008
Shopping Excursion

We started the day by visiting the Kraton, the Sultan Palace situated in the centre of Jogjakarta and Taman Sari, the water garden which is no longer used by the sultan and had been largely abandoned. We passed along the bird market and visited Kota Gede for silverware and souvenirs at Kampung Kasongan. Lunch was at a local restaurant with a nice view of the padi fields.
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We spent the hot and windy afternoon at Parangtritis Beach and later went to Kampung Manding to look for leather goods. Dinner was at a local nasi padang restaurant. The night was spent walking along Malioboro streets and window shopping in the Matahari Mall..

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Friday, May 30, 2008
Lava Borobodur Tour
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After breakfast, we boarded the bus to Kampung Kaliedem for a beautiful panoramic view of the Gunung Merapi. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. Its name means Mountain of Fire and smoke can be seen emerging from the mountain top at least 300 days a year. Several eruptions have caused fatalities and the most recent eruption occurred in 2006, shortly before the Jogjakarta earthquake.

In kampong Turi, we stopped at the salak market to buy snake-skin fruits. We continued our journey to Magelang Province and visited the famous Borobudur temple complex, which is one of the greatest monuments in the world and listed as UNESCO heritage site. This Buddist temple was built in the 8th Century with 55,000 sq meters of lava rocks erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

We also passed the Pawon and Mendut temples situated in the vicinity of Borobudur. We noticed that the three temples are lined in one straight line position. We stopped at the batik factory and bought some materials. Tonight we had teppanyaki dinner at the Mall. Back in the hotel we enjoyed another round of light traditional massage.

Saturday, May 31, 2008
Surakarta Massage
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Early morning, we checked out of the hotel and headed to Solo. We circled the famous university of Gadjah Madha, the oldest university in Indonesia. We then passed the Prambanan temple complex, another one of UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia. It is characterised by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.We had more shopping at the Busana Muslim and local shops selling local delicacies.After we checked in the Hotel Riyadi Palace, we rode in a trishaw to Solo Mall for more shopping. After dinner, we had a therapeutic body massage and slept like a log.

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Sunday, June 01, 2008
Goodbye Solo
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After breakfast , some of us visited Mangkunegaran Palace while the rest stayed in the hotel to rest. For those who still have some Rupiah to spend, went to Pasar Klewer or pasar groser for more shopping. After checking out, we went for a nasi padang lunch at the famous Wong Solo Restaurant. Before going to the airport, we stopped at the antique market for last minute shopping and along the way, had a glimpse of the Bengawan Solo river, the longest river on the island of Java.Our lugage need to be transported separately in a van. All in all, the group recorded 57 kg excess bagage, which they had to settle at RM15/kg.
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Athens - 2008

2008-03-13T20:54:00.007+08:00

The Greece Getaway

(14 - 17 March 2008)

Two hearts are beating, strong and true
The sound grows louder, waiting is through
Two hearts are beating, within one another
Searching is over, they have found that lover
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Two hearts are beating, they grow and grow
Together forever, never wanting to go
Two hearts are beating, as the sun goes down
A love true, a love strong, both are bound
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Tunisia - 2008

2008-03-09T19:13:00.006+08:00

Tunisian Trails

(13 - 19 March 2008)'

We boarded the Eurostar Salerno ferry around 7.30 p.m. It was nearly a 11-hr journey across the ocean from Palermo to Tunis. We slept on the reclining seats in a room filled with Tunisian and tourist. Dinner and breakfast were served at the dining hall.

We took a train to Tunis town and checked in Calrton Hotel where we stayed a night. The next day we rented a car and started our journey around Tunisia.

(Carthage Museum)

(Sousse Water front)

(Sunset at El-Jem Amphiteather)

(The Medina in Sfax)

(The spice souk)

(Berber dwelling at Matmata)

(A beautiful beach at Gabes)

(An interesting wall mural)

Palermo - 2008

2008-03-06T21:52:00.001+08:00

The Sicilian Secret
Palermo, Italy: 6 - 8 March 2008
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Secret rendezvous in the Mafia City...

Rome - 2008

2008-03-05T21:44:00.001+08:00

The Roman Renaissance Revisited

Rome, Italy: 5 & 17 March 2008
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One of the ancient wonders of the world...

Pisa - 2008

2008-03-04T21:36:00.001+08:00

The Panoramic Leaning Tower
Pisa, Italy: 4 March 2008
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The tower has not fallen over yet...

Genoa - 2008

2008-03-01T21:27:00.002+08:00

The Genoan Great Escape
Genoa, Italy: 1 - 4 March 2008

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The Italian Port City of Genoa...

Bandung - 2007

2007-07-21T13:48:00.002+08:00

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Shoppers' Paradise...
(21 - 24 July 2007)
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The 2-hour flight to Bandung was full. Normah and I chit-chatting to while away the time. Iwan and Ella slept the whole journey. From Bandung International Airport we took a taxi to the Grand Preanger Hotel situated at Asia-Afrika Road.The Grand Preanger Hotel is a 4-star hotel and has two side entrances: the old wing and the modern wing. The old facade has an interesting story. And the new wing art-deco style blended with the local culture. It was a controversial issue the time the new wing was built, but that gives a unique style to the hotel. We checked in and requested for adjoining rooms. As we were early, we decided to take a day tour of Bandung in a taxi.
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The taxi driver suggested the Lembang trip to the north of Bandung. We took the uphill winding road to Lembang, a cool resort city. On the way, we stopped at the roadside to admire cute little rabbits in cages. You may want to enjoy cold fresh milk drinks with many flavors at the roadside restaurant and ask for the local delicacies of satay arnab and ketan bakar.After an hour’s drive we reached the top of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu, a still active volcanic mountain. We circled around Kawah Ratu on foot to see the volcanic activity closely. The crater is a touristic spot where you can smell the sulfur, watch the hot water springs closely or even boiled eggs from the boiling hot surface.
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Later we went for a jungle trekking to the other craters: Kawah Upas and Kawah Domas and have to unnecessarily pay the tour guide IDR200,000 whose service we can do without. Along the trek we were hassled by so many tourist hawkers who sell many things at unreasonably expensive prices.From the rest area at the Mt. Tangkuban Perahu we could see the panoramic view of Bandung, The lower crater is reachable by car, though it is more fun for us to hike from the top by foot at an elevation of 2084 m above the sea level and the path is not too steep although at certain places we have to crawl on hands and knees.
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At some points, Iwan has to help both the emaks from toppling down hills. We were not prepared for the jungle trekking and were in our flimsy walking slippers and were not dressed appropriately.
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After the exhausting and strenuous jungle trekking, we continued our journey to Sari Ater, a hot water spring resort complex with natural hot water spring pools, some recreation parks and health spas. We stayed a while and dipped our tired feet in the hot water until our feel become as red as grilled prawns. On the way back to Bandung, we passed tea plantations and stopped at a strawberry farm and tasted freshly ice blended strawberry juice.We reached Bandung at night fall. After a light shopping and a simple dinner at the food court we went back to the hotel and slept like a log…
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Other attractions
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Bandung is famous for food and factory outlets. Rumah Mode is the biggest factory outlet in town and sells various types of branded clothes. And it can get very crowded on weekends. Most of the visitors are from Jakarta as it only takes 2 hours via the new toll hi-way.
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Other good outlets are at Cihampelas Street and in Setiabuhdi and along Dago and Riau Streets where they have converted bungalows into boutiques selling varieties of clothes of all sizes, colors and brands and at cheap prices too. Shopping in Bandung is fun, simple but quite tiring!Pasar Baru is where you can test your bargaining skill. Textiles, batiks and clothes at cheap to moderate prices are available here. Kain telekong with intricate sulams are sold at reasonable prices too.For visitors who really want to truly enjoy your visit to Bandung, you should also try to ride the Angkot, or eat the local delicacies at the roadside stalls.
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Chittagong - 2007

2007-07-05T13:42:00.004+08:00

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5 July 2007
Day-1 : Summer Blossoms
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The discussion with the boss ended right after 6 o’clock. I went to the gym to take a quick shower. By the time I took the Komuter train, it was already 7.30 p.m. The line was long at the check-in counter at KL Sentral so I took the ERL direct to KLIA. My flight was at 10 p.m. so I have time to solat and had a light dinner at McD.
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The 4-hour flight reached Dhaka Zia International Airport around midnight. He was already at the airport waiting for me. It was good to be with him again, even just for the weekend. Tonight we spent the night at Asia Pacific Blossom Hotel in the Baridhara area.
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6 July 2007
Day-2 : Top of the Town
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We slept late last night. It was really difficult to get out of bed early in the morning but we need to get ready. Munir, the driver came to pick us up and send us to the Bus Station. This morning, Yin and Saba joined us to board the Shohagh Classic Line for a 6-hour bus trip to Chittagong and spent the weekend there.
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Chittagong is the second largest city in Bangladesh. It is the Commercial Capital City of Bangladesh. The surrounding mountains and rivers make the city attractive. Karnaphuli River falls in Chittagong. Chittagong is the chief port of Bangladesh and has extensively developed port facilities for ocean steamers. Chittagong is an ancient city which passed from Tippera (Buddhist) dominance to Arakan (Hindu) and then Moghul (Muslim) rule.
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It was monsoon season at this time of the year. There were reported floods and mudslides at certain parts of Bangladesh. It was raining heavily when we arrived in Chittagong. We checked-in the Tower Inn Hotel and had late lunch at the hotel restaurant. The rest of the afternoon was spent in a shopping complex, window shopping. Tonight we had our dinner at the revolving ‘Top of the Town’ Restaurant at the Zia Sriti Complex. After dinner we had the opportunity to watch an elaborate Bangladeshi wedding, complete with a musical band
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7 July 2007
Day-3 : Barbeque Tonight
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We woke up late again this morning. Breakfast was at the hotel restaurant. We had time to kill till 3 p.m. and the best way to get around is by the CNG. We directed the driver to bring us to Foy’s Lake. We were too early for the Adventure Land and Paradise Valley Amusement Park so we detoured to the Zoo, situated next to Foy’s Lake. We took the CNG and got a few locals to help us to direct the CNG drivers to Zia Museum. We ended at another amusement park and another round in the CNG got us where we started. At the end we gave up and directed the driver to send us back to our hotel where we had early lunch to ease our disappointment. To make matters worst, we got into a heated argument when we checked-out as they had charged breakfast to our bill when breakfast was inclusive.
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Our trip back to Dhaka was uneventful. I slept most of the time. When we reached Dhaka we had to wait for the driver to pick us up and send us to ‘BBQ tonight’ restaurant for a hearty dinner. We reached our hotel near midnight and slept like a log…
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8 July 2007
Day-4 : Goodbye again...
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We skipped breakfast and stayed in bed till noon. We had early lunch before we checked out and the driver drove us to Elephant Road where I bought a pair of tracking shoes at a very cheap price. We later went to the apartment and spent the afternoon napping. When Rani and Saba came home from work, we drove to Asia Pacific Blossom Hotel and had a light dinner. We later went to Movenpick to indulge in ice-cream delights. I have to catch the flight back to KL tonight.
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He sent me to the airport and we kissed goodbye with heavy hearts. We’ll be seeing each other again in KL this weekend, but already, I’m missing him…..
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Pokhara - 2009

2007-04-30T13:39:00.002+08:00

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30 April 2007
Day-4 : Sunset and Moondance at Phewa Lake
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Pokhara was only 200 km from Kathmandu but we have to drive along a winding mountain road which took us 6 hours to reach the resort city. Pokhara is one of the tourist hub of Nepal, one of the happening places, where you can find almost everything. We stayed in Barahi Hotel a minute walk from Lake Phewa. Barahi Mandir is a tiny temple island on Phewa Lake, has an exceptional view of the Annapurna Range as the backdrop.
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01 May 2007
Day-5 : Breathtaking view of Sarangkot
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Sarangkot, 1600 m high hill situated at the Northern shore of Phewa Lake where we could view the Pokhara valley and the spectacular view of the Anapurna range. To the south we could view the Phewa Lake and its tributaries. Sarangkot is also famous for paragliding.
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02 May 2007
Day-6 : Off the beaten trail
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10 KM east of Pokhara, we trekked along less frequented trail up to a vantage point where it offers lovely views of two lakes with a breathtaking mountain-scape. On one side we could see the Begnas lake and the other side the Rupa Lake. We rented three boats to transport us to the other side of the Begnas Lake.
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The beautiful Fishtail Mountain dominates the northern horizon of Pokhara and its name derives from its twin peaks. On the hill overlooking the lake from the South is the World Peace Stupa. That evening the sunset was magnificent. We met the rest at Moondance restaurant for a sumptuous dinner of local fish delicacies.
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On the way back we visited the International Mountain Muzium and later stopped at the Tibetan Refugee camp to observe carpet hand-weaving.
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We went to Devi’s fall and explored the Gupteswar Cave. The water comes from the Phewa Lake and thunders into a hole and disappears only to reappear underneath Gupteswar Cave. At some part of the cave, the walkway is too narrow that we need to crawl. But it was worth the effort as there is impressive underground scenery of Devi’s fall. I have not seen anything like this before.
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03 May 2007
Day-8 : Long and winding road
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The trip back to Kathmandu was eventful, the scenery beautiful. We stopped to experience crossing the hanging bridge across the river. There were so many mountains and rivers, with their tributaries created deep gorges and impressive canyons. The road was narrow, winding and bumpy. When we took a sharp corner, everyone held their breath. A roller coaster ride will never be fun any more after this.

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04 May 2007
Day-9 : Mountain flight
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This morning we went for a mountain flight on Buddha Air. The 20-seater plane circled the mountain range twice and we had the opportunity to take pictures of the magnificent Himalaya range. It was an hour of breathtaking views from around 25,000 feet.
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Although this morning the weather is a little cloudy, we enjoyed an endless chain of snow capped peaks, over glaciers and lakes, rivers and gorges.
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Today, I didn't climb Mt Everest, but I touched it with my heart....
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Namaste....
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Kathmandu – 2007

2007-04-27T13:34:00.003+08:00

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27 April 2007
Day-1 : On the Hippie Trail
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I joined the Puspanita group for a 10-day trip to Nepal. Our flight supposed to be at 8.30 a.m. was postponed to 5 p.m.To while away the time we stayed in the departure area, listening to musics, and reading story books. I have my sudoku book with me to keep me busy.
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The 4-hour flight reached Tribhuvan International Airport at 11.30 p.m. Nepal’s time. We checked-in Vaishali Hotel at Thamel, a lively tourist area. We had late supper of chapatti and hot chocolate at the restaurant.Tonight, we slept like a log although the bar next door was playing loud funky music all night long.
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28 April 2007
Day-2 : Colorful scenes of Kathmandu
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Today we walked along the Thamel streets. The shops were colourfully decorated. T-shirts, pashminas and cashmere shawls were sold cheaply. There were exotic collections of precious stones. Bargaining was highly encouraged here. We bought us lots of t-shirts and other things and later stopped at Shalimar Restaurant for a hearty beriani lunch.

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After lunch, the rest went shopping. We walked along the Royal Palace back to our hotel. At the hotel we slept till 9 p.m. and later ordered room service of roti nan and vege curry.
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29 April 2007

Day-3 : Exciting History and Culture
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There are numerous historical monuments, old palaces, shrines and temples featuring ageless traditions and legends. The Kathmandu Valley boasts of seven UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites all within a radius of 20 Km. The birth place of Lord Buddha is in Lumbini. In the morning, we spent time visiting the two most important Buddhist stupas, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath.
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After lunch some wanted to go back to the hotel and rest, some continued shopping. The three of us took a trishaw to Durbar Square located at the heart of ancient Kathmandu. It is a complex of beutiful temples and shrine, both Hindu and Buddist. Most of them are built pagoda style with intricately carved exteriors. We visited a unique temple, where the entire structure contains no iron nails or supports and is made entirely of wood from a single tree.
'

Kathmandu

think I'm going to Kathmandu,
that's really, really where I'm going to.

If I ever get out of here,

that's what I'm gonna do.

I'm tired of looking at the TV news.

I'm tired of driving hard and paying dues.

I figure, I've got nothing to lose,

I'm tired of being blue.
'

That's why I'm going to Kathmandu,
up to the mountains where I'm going to.
If I ever get out of here,
that's what I'm gonna do.
'

(Bob Seger)

Dhaka - 2007

2007-03-26T13:26:00.005+08:00

'
26 March 2007
Day-1 : Home of the Royal Bengal
'
The SIA flight transited in Singapore and we have to rush to board the connecting flight to Dhaka. The fight was uneventful and I slept all the way while listening to light music. He watched the in-flight movie until touched down at Zia International Airport where we were met by his staff and driver and checked in the Chalet Hotel somewhere down town Dhaka.I was dead tired. His voice was droning and I was fast asleep by the time he kissed me goodnight. He continued tapping on his lap-top in the wee hour, preparing for the slide presentations for his briefing tomorrow.
'
27 March 2007
Day-2 : Pronounced dry and dusty
'
'
The weather was fine for a walk around the hotel so I headed towards north but the road led to no where in particular. It is the hot season in Dhaka now and I was sweating profusely. The air is dusty and humid too. Along the narrow road the side-walk was crowded with hawkers, peddlars and roadside vendors selling knick-knacks.
'

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And the streets were made even more busy with rickshaws conquering half the road. I while away my time looking at colorful drawings at the back of the rickshaws. I was amazed at the creativity of these people.The rickshaws of Bangladesh are said to be the gaudiest in the world!
'
28 March 2007
Day-3 : Exciting History and Culture
'
I planned to explore Dhaka on my own as the rest of the team need to work. And Munir is going to be my tourist guide for the day although I envisaged that communication between us would be very difficult as his English is limited to ‘yes madam, no madam, alright madam…’
'

'
We started early, after the hotel Manager gave a series of instructions to Munir. He drove away from the congested Dhaka city into the suburb. We took the hi-way then into a village road criss-crossing several rivers. Located on the northern banks of the river Buriganga, Dhaka is virtually an island framed by many rivers and a watery landscape. We avoided the busy waterfront road but I could see that it is crowded and bustling with activities.
'

'
Our first destination was the National Memorial located at Savar, 35 km from Dhaka city. The memorial designed by architect Moinul Hossein, is dedicated to the sacred memory of the millions of unknown martyrs of the 1971 war of liberation. Jahangir Nagar University and its sprawling campus is also located nearby. An attractive village bazaar is held at Savar every Saturday and Tuesday where typical Bangladeshi sweets, vegetables, fish, seasonal fruits and handicrafts are available.
'

'
On the way back to Dhaka, we stopped at the Chandrima Uddan, sometimes called Zia Uddan. It is a park situated in the road beside the Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban. The name literally means "Moonlight Park" in Bengali. The park is notable for being the place where the former Bangladeshi President, Ziaur Rahman was buried. It is connected to the road with a bridge which runs over the Crescent Lake. The park is a common place to spend leisure time in the vicinity.Right across the road is the Parliament House: Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban located at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar has distinctive architectural features. Designed by the famous architect Louis I. Kahn, it may be called an architectural wonder of this region.
'

'
Then we passed the Central Shahid Minar, a symbol of Bengali nationalism. This monument was built to commemorate the martyrs of the historic Language movement of 1952. Hundreds and thousands of people with floral wreaths and bouquet gather on 21 February every year to pay respect in a solemn atmosphere. Celebrations begin at zero hour of midnight.
'

'
The next prominent building is the Baitull Mukarram. It is the national mosque of Bangladesh. Located at the heart of Dhaka, this mosque was founded in the 1960s.The mosque complex was designed by architect T Abdul Hussain Thariani. The National Mosque of Bangladesh has several modern architectural features, and at the same time it beautifully preserves the traditional principles of mosques architecture. Baitul Mukarram’s resemblance to the famous Ka'abah at Makkah makes this a unique mosque in Bangladesh.We stopped to take photo of the High Court Building, originally built as the residence of British Governor. It illustrates a happy blend of European Mughal architecture.
'

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The National Museum and the Bangladesh Bank were centrally located but the streets were busy for us to stop for photo shots. The museum contains a large number of interesting collections including sculptures and paintings of the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim periods.
'
We ended our tour at 2.30 p.m. By that time I was feeling very hungry so I ordered room service for lunch. I slept the whole afternoon only to wake up when he returned. We ordered room service again for dinner as we were tired and too lazy to go out...
'
29 March 2007
Day-4 : Bangla Local Scenes
'
Cycle and auto rickshaws are the main mode of transport which cause traffic congestion and have been banned from many parts of the city. Scooters, taxis and private automobiles are becoming increasingly popular and run on compressed natural gas to avoid pollution. Can you imagine being caught in long hours of traffic jam in the middle of Dhaka city!Dhaka is connected by highways and railways to other major cities. The Kamalapur Railway Station and the Biman Bandar Railway Station are the main stations providing trains on suburban and national routes. Another form of transport is the public bus, which will only move once filled to the maximum. You can choose to ride on top of the bus with the rest of your belogings...
'

'
For those staying along the river, the Sadarghat Port on the banks of the Buriganga River serves to transport goods and passengers up river and to other ports in Bangladesh and South Asia. During the dry season, water subsides to expose dry river bed...
'

'
Tropical vegetation, paddy fields and moist soils characterise the land surrouding Dhaka, which is flat and close to sea-level. This leaves Dhaka susceptible to flooding during the monsoon seasons owing to heavy rainfall and cyclones.Each year Dhaka and its surrounding low areas experience severe threat of flood with devastating death tolls reported across the country, from drowning and diseases. Many were made homeless and live in temporary shelters in unhygienic conditions...
'

'
30 March 2007
Day-4 : End of Bangla Holiday
'
This morning we woke up late then the 4 of us went for a shopping spree. Our first destination is the new market where we bought t-shirts and track-bottoms. Blue Jeans and bone china are also cheap here.We went to Elephant Street to change some Taka and bought Punjabi shirts and leather shoes. Then we headed to Baitul Mukarram to order wedding cards for a friend in KL.
'

Our last stop was at Arong, one of the famous super-markets in Dhaka. We finally reached our hotel around 3 p.m. and had a very late lunch. The whole afternoon was spent packing and napping.

Our flight tonight is at 11.50 p.m. My holiday is coming to its end. There's sadness in my heart…
'

Journey

Life is just passing by the window

catching a glimpse or two

nothing is precious in the end, but the journey.

There may be no apparent right or left turn

in the heart of turning, there is a joy

Embracing that joy is a unique fulfillment.
'

Life is just passing by the window

catching a glimpse or two

that is the ultimate experience......

M Iqbal Hussain

(26-03-04)

Phnom Penh/Siem Reap - 2006

2006-12-20T21:34:00.004+08:00

20th December 2006

Day 1 - Phnom Penh - Muzeums and Palaces

Our flight from KLIA arrived at Phnom Penh around noon. The weather was bright and cool. The airport was small and bustling with taxi and tuk-tuk drivers looking for passengers. Our plan was to stay a night in Phnom Penh and look for a transport to go to Siem Reap to explore the temples of the Angkor. We got hold of some brochures from the Tourist Information Centre and took a taxi to Phnom Penh town. We had nowhere to go as we had not booked any hotel. The taxi driver was a great help and suggested some good hotels. We ended up at the Star Royal Hotel situated along the river front.

The hotel was cozy amidst the colonial ambience reflecting the era when the French were present in indo-china. Located at the confluence of two rivers, the hotel was reasonably cheap too. Around the hotel, there are a few places of interests such as the National Museum, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda.A distance away from the city will be the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum where we could learn the history of the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields, where a memorial stupa and shallow pits remind visitors of the thousands killed under the Pol Pot Regime.

'
'
Other attractions are The Phsar Thmei, the Central Market reported to be the biggest domed market in the world and the famous Russian Market where everything from souvenirs to car parts are on sale.Walked along the riverbank and watched the sunset while we eat sweet corn and observed street vendors selling goods and food along the river bank. We had a good relaxing full body massage at the Spa next door before a good night rest.

21 December 2006

Day 2 - Siem Reap - Boat People and Apsara Dancers

'
'

After a hearty breakfast the Hotel Limousine sent us to the Ferry Terminal at the foot of Phnom Krom to catch the 7 o’clock boat to Siem Reap.The 6-hour boat ride along the Mekong river runs right through the heart of Cambodia offers a perfect opportunity to discover more of this fascinating country. The boat cruised past fisherman and floating markets and crossed the northern end of the Tonle Sap Lake.

'
'

The journey was comfortable and the mat sallehs chose to stay on top of the boat to have a better view of the boat people and fishermen.When we embarked at the Jetty, we were met by the hotel limousine and checked-in the Hotel Angkorian situated in front of the Siem Reap Angkor Muzeum. We rested a while and took the tuk-tuk to Chiang Mai Restaurant for a late lunch of seafood tom yam.

'
'

We visited the old market for some souvenirs.Back in the hotel we had coffee by the poolside, a nice place to chill out and relax, while the concierge arranged for tickets to watch the Apsara Dance Show, a Khmer classical dance with buffet dinner at Roulen II. Apsara dancers are celestial nymphs seen on the many ruins of Angkor.Siem Reap is a very safe place in the evenings by our experiences as we ride on the tuk-tuk and observed the unspoilt town of Siem Reap by night.
'''
22 December 2006

Day 3 - Siem Reap - Temple Hopping and Sunset

'
'

We had a heavy breakfast of eggs and toasts. We had rented a tuk-tuk for the day and the driver was ready to bring us to anywhere we want to go. Our first destination was the Angkor Archeological Park where we will visit ancient temples situated within the impressive natural scenery. Eventhough Angkor Wat grandly portrays the Hindu cosmology, the Angkor Wat remains a shrine for the Buddist pilgrims.

The day admission ticket gave us ample time to visit the famous Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the world, and see the highlights of major temples around the area. The sun was intense but it was windy and cool. The temples are far apart so the tuk-tuk driver waited for us at every attractions.Angkor Wat is the largest and most awe-inspiring of all the monuments. As the sun rises we will have the perfect opportunity to contemplate the enormity and grandeur of this magnificent monastery.

Angkor Thom is in the Bayon style, manifests itself in the large scale of the construction of laterite face-towers at each of the entrances to the city and in the naga-carrying giant figures which accompany each of the towers.At the temple of Ta Prohm, roots of a silk cotton tree can be seen running along the gallery of the second enclosure. The trees growing out of the ruins are the distinctive feature of this temple. This temple was used as a location of the film 'Tomb Raider". Around the temples the terrain is landscaped by an intricate system of reservoirs, canals and moats that were used for water control and irrigation.

'
'

After half day of temple-hopping we exited the archeological park and headed to Chiang Mai Restaurant to have a hearty lunch. Later we indulged in a relaxing foot massage to relief tired muscles. After the short rest, we enjoyed the tuk-tuk ride through rural Cambodian village to the Tonle Sap Lake where we took a boat ride to the middle of the lake and watched the beautiful sunset.If one has a list of places to visit in a lifetime, then surely this must be one of them.

'
'

23 December 2006

Day 4 - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

After breakfast we walked around the park to watch a Cambodian wedding at a nearby temple and passed a peaceful demonstration by the farmers and NGOs. Would have love to visit the Angkor Muzium but it was still under construction. The hotel limousine picked us up at 10 a.m. Today we travelled for another 6 hours by road. Stopped for lunch at Kampong Thom and reached Phnom Penh late afternoon. Lazed among the locals at the riverbank watching cruise boats ferrying tourists along the Mekong River.

After a 2-hour of strong foot massage, we had a hearty dinner at the Bali Restaurant next door to the Hotel. Before we slept, we recalled back all the places we had visited and before we dozed off, we planned for our next travel to another 'wonders of the world'.

Next time we'll try back-packing instead. It would be more exciting...

Abu Dhabi/Dubai - 2006

2006-09-16T20:55:00.002+08:00

Emirates family holiday...

After our Umrah trip, we decided to stop-over Duabai and rent a van to Abu Dhabi to visit my nephew. We stayed 3 nights there and have time to visit interesting places in Dubai as well as in Abu Dhabi.In Dubai we visited Ski Dubai, a first indoor ski resort in the Middle East and offers an amazing snow setting for skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing, or just playing in the snow. Young or old, there is something for everyone. Ski Dubai is a unique mountain-themed attraction that offers you the opportunity to enjoy real snow in Dubai all year round.

We have a peek at Burj Al Arab from Dubai's big shopping complex. This luxury hotel was built in 1999 on Jumeirah Beach Road next to the Wild Wadi Water Park. The 27 story hotel is positioned 280 meters offshore on a man-made island and is designed in the shape of a blowing arabian dhow sail, symbolizing Dubai's ancient traditions. The hotel is 25km from Dubai Airport, and a limousine service is available for those staying at the hotel. The hotel's luxury has given it the approval of being a seven star hotel.

'
'

Dubai's central business district is divided into two parts: Diera on the north side of the Creek and Bur Dubai to the south. They are connected by a tunnel and two bridges. A stroll along its banks will remind you of the city's centuries-old trading traditions. And each side has everything from great hotels and stores to mosques and souks.

'
'

Some of Dubai's prettiest beaches are located along the Jumeirah strip. This long stretch of beach is lined with palm trees and has plenty of lifeguards on duty. Jumeirah Beach is especially appealing to women, as they have their own days to bask in the hot sun without the unwanted male attention. Next to the beach is the Jumierah Park, which provides a nice break from the sun and sand to eat lunch or gather with friends.

'
'

New Zealand - 2006

2006-06-05T14:03:00.005+08:00

'
5 June 2006
Day-1 : Thermal Wonderland
'
'
Arrived at Auckland International Airport at 11.00 a.m. We decided to rent a campervan that will allow us to explore the beuty of New Zealand lush green landscape at our own pace. The Apollo Motorhomes Holiday sent a pick-up at the airport and after some paper works at the office, we were off on our journey in a cute and well-equipped Cheapa-campa, a 2-berth campervan. The day was sunny and the weather cool and wonderful!

'
Drove to Manukau Supermarket for provision. On the way to Rotorua we stopped in Hamilton for a fillet-o-fish lunch at McD. It was already dark when we reached Rotorua. Rotorua is situated on the shore of the lake Rotorua, the thermal heartland of the volcanic central North Island. We camped the night at Holidaypark Campsite. After dinner, we slept in like babies. The heater in the campervan kept us warm till late morning.

'
6 June 2006
Day-2 : Maori Culture
'
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We had bread and scrambled eggs for breakfast. We drove to Rotorua Agrodome for Sheep Shearing Show and bought some souvenirs. Other attractions include a helicopter ride for a breathtaking view of the vast sheep farms and a tour of the organic farm.
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Next attraction was the Tepuia Thermal Wonderland to watch the Maori cultural show with contemporary song and dances, including the welcome ceremony, stick dance and the ferocious haka, the posture dance.
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Later we joined a guided tour around the Ngamakaiakoko Mud Pool and the world famous Pohutu Geyser, the largest of several geysers within the valley. The Pohutu geyser erupts on average once or twice each hour and can reach heights of up to 30 meters.
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We later took the Thermal Explorer Highway to Taupo. On the way we stopped at Waikato River’s biggest Huka Falls. Arrived Taupo around 4 p.m. and stopped at the lake side for a rest. We filled up petrol and bought some provisions.Took the dessert road to Turangi. The road was winding wet and some parks covered with frost. We had McD dinner in Bulls. As it was already late and the weather was extra chilly, we stopped at Sanson Caravan Camp for the night.
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7 June 2006
Day-3 : Windy Wellington
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Breakfast with cereal and scrambled eggs. We drove to Palmerson North through Levin and Otaki. Stopped at Puikura Beach for a short rest.We continued to Wellington and headed to Te Papa Museum. Visited the Lord of the ring Exhibition. We had lunch at one Thai Restaurant.

'
Called Kid and promised to arrive at her house in Churton Park by 3 p.m. Her Consulate husband was at work but their chidren Muhamad and Sarah were home. Stayed for a while and she packed Nasi Briani and beef curry for us. We drove to Napier, but on the way we stopped at Waipikurau Campsite for the night.
/' '
The weather was wonderful and we had a good night's rest.

'
8 June 2006
Day-4 : Shadow of the Sun
'.
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Breakfast with bread and beef curry. Drove to Napier and stopped at Pak n’ Save and the Bank to exchange some foreign currency. Took a rest and photo shots along the beach.Drove direct to Taupo and had late lunch at the lake side.Toured around the Crater of the Moon, steam vents and boiling mud pools at Wairakei Terraces . Drove along the Thermal Explorer Highway to Auckland. Reached Manukau Campsite late night. Dinner was bread and sardine.The weather was wonderful and we had a good night's rest.
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9 June 2006
Day-5 : City of Sails
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Early morning we drove to Devonport and parked our camper at the car park and took a ferry across to the Ferry Terminal at Auckland City. We took the Hop-on Hop-off bus for a 1-hour tour of scenic views around the Auckland City.
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After the tour, we took the ferry back to Devonport and drove to Whangarei along the Twin Beach Discovery Highway. Drove back to Auckland and stayed another night at Manukau Campsite.Before we sleep we packed our bags, Our flight tomorrow is at noon but we need to return the campervan before 10 a.m.The holiday is coming to its end.
'
Kia Ore...

Bratislava – 2006

2006-05-12T13:35:00.002+08:00

'
Old city
' '
The day-excursion to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia began at 7.15 a.m. we saw vineyards on the slopes of the Little Carpathian Mountains, where they meet the Danube River. The Austrian border is almost within sight of the city and Hungary is just 16 km away. Many beautiful monuments survive in the old town to tell of its past under Hungarian rule, and Bratislava's numerous museums are surprisingly rich.
' '
When we arrived at the main bus station, a guide took us to the old city and the castle area which are the best parts of Bratislava. The old city is packed with museums such as the Municipal Museum which comes complete with torture chambers and the Museum of Wine Production and Primate's Palace and the Mirbach Palace.
' '
The castle, built above the Danube, was a frontier post of the Roman Empire from the 1st to the 5th century. Since the 9th century it has been rebuilt several times, most recently between 1953 and 1962. Up the hill are the very interesting Slovak National Museum expositions within. The Natural Sciences Museum of the Slovak National Museum and the Slovak National Gallery on the river are also worth a visit.
' '
Hviezdoslavovo námestie Square is a convenient orientation point, with the old town to the north, the Danube to the south, and Bratislava Castle to the west. Bratislava's main train station, Hlavná stanica, is several km north of town. The Old Town offers numerous good places to eat and a rich nightlife but we took the afternoon bus so that we could spend more time in Vienna.
'
'

Budapest - 2006

2006-05-11T13:33:00.002+08:00

'
City of Spas
'

'
Today we drove through the enchanting countryside of western Hungary to Budapest, a city rich in traditions. Buda and Pest blend several centuries of architectural and cultural heritage with all the innovations thrown at it by modern life. Historic buildings and monuments are renovated and restored.
' '
The Castle District, the River Danube embankments and the whole of Andrássy út have been officially recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Castle District in Buda is the ancient kernel of the capital's right-bank settlement.
' '
The whole area within the ramparts is protected as an ancient monument: the lines of the streets and the foundations and architectural remains of the buildings retain the atmosphere and memories of the medieval and eighteenth and nineteenth-century capital.
' '
A panoramic view of the whole city from the Fishermen’s Bastion is an absolute must! In Pest, the most important sight is Andrássy út. As far as Kodály Körönd both sides are lined with large shops and flats built close together. Between there and Heroes’ Square the houses are detached and altogether grander.
' '
Heroes’ Square is dominated by the Millenary Monument, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front. To the sides are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Arts, and behind City Park opens out, with Vajdahunyad Castle on its own island in the little lake, and further off the Zoo.
'

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There are many sights to be seen just from riding along the embankment of the River Danube, Pest side, the Matthias Church, the Fishermen’s Bastion, the Castle District, the Chain Bridge, Elizabeth Bridge, Gellért Hill, the Gellért Hotel and Baths. Just before the Lágymányosi Bridge the new National Theatre and Palace of Arts.
'

On the return journey there is the Corvinus University building, the Central Market Hall, the Vigadó Concert Hall, and the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences both on Roosevelt Square.

Wachau – 2006

2006-05-10T13:31:00.001+08:00

'
Scenic Romantic View
' '
Today we took a full-day excursion to Wachau. The first part of the trip from Vienna was by bus and second part by boat. The journey drived through the beauty of Wachau scenery full of history and legends of the Danube.
' '
The Wachau is a stretch of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems, a landscape of high visual quality. It preserves in an intact and visible form many traces in terms of architecture, monasteries, castles, ruins, towns and villages, and agricultural use for the cultivation of vines.
' '
The romantic boat trip started from Spitz, winds its way past charming old villages and steep wineyards. The old castles, one of them the Durnstein is famous because here King Richard the Lion Heart was imprisoned, while waiting for his ransom to arrive from England.
' '
The heart of the Wachau is the old wine-merchants’ town of Krems. The highlight of the visit Melk, the magnificient Benedictine Abbey.
'

Vienna - 2006

2006-05-07T20:52:00.000+08:00

7 May 2006

Day 1: Dinner at Ken’s

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Arrived at vienna at 6.15 p.m. with hotel transfered already pre-arranged. The Astoria Hotel is situated right in the middle of Stephanplatz. Allen and the Philippines’ team have checked-in earlier. Dinner was at Ken’s, a Turkish Restaurant where we had nasi briani and lamb kebab. Roger and wife, Gernoit and Wife and Dr. Raluca, from the Austrian Mint team joined us

8 May 2006

Day 2: Visits the Austrian Mint and Printing Plant

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Picked-up and transferred to OeBS at 8.30 a.m. General presentation was by Oliver F on Company profile and products. Together with the Philippines’ team visited the origination team, National Analysis Center, production department and finishing department.

Transferred to the Austrian Mint and visited GSA and listened to a briefing by G Maier. Visited the precious metal casting and blanking, proof production and auto packaging system. End of day dinner with K Meyer, the Director of the Mint at the Wok, a Malaysian Chinese restaurant.9

'
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9 May 2006

Day 3: Witness dies destruction

The Philippines’ team flew to Zurich this morning. I was picked-up and transferred to OeBS at 9.30 a.m. Expert presentation was by Dr. D Schwarzbach on security features. Transferred to the Austrian Mint and toured the plant with B Wohletz. Later witness the destruction of dies and signing of certificates. Lunch was with B Wohletz and Bridget at a seafood restaurant.

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By 3 p.m. I was back at the hotel and he was already in the room waiting for me. His flight from KL reached Vienna very early in the morning. We had ample time to have breakfast before my appointment with the OeBS and the Austrian Mint.The Astoria Hotel is situated at the center of Stephanplazt, with rows of shops and famous Viennese cafes. For those keen on shopping there are plenty of flea markets and shopping streets to browse through. At the end of Stephanplazt stood the Gothic Imperial Chapel, houses a wealth of art treasures where the Vienna Boys’ Choir performs during High Mass on Sunday, is also a remnant of the Imperial Palace during the Middle Ages.

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Places of interest

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Vienna has plenty to offer for everyone. The world capital of music was home to numerous opera, operetta and musical composers. In 2006 Vieanna is celebrating Mozart's 250 birthday. In the center of the old city, you can admire the splendor and magnificence of the daily life of the noblest family of the Habsburg monarchy. The Imperial Palace, which until 1918 was inhabited by the imperial family, was originally a castle built in the thirteenth century.The Vienna Opera House has a world-wide reputation for its first-class opera performances and is also known because of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. A night at the State Opera is one of the most impressive events any visitor to Vienna can experience.The building itself closely resembles Italian Renaissance, as this epoch was immensely important for art and music. The first operas were written and performed in Italy during the 16th century.
'

Vast "Heldenplatz" (square of heroes), situated next to it, is very impressive, too. Equestrian statues of Archduke Karl, who won the battle of Aspern against Napoleon's troops (1809), and Prince Eugene of Savoy, who defeated the Turks, attest to Austria's glorious past."Heldenplatz" is more than a square, it is one of Austria's symbols of national identity. The trip turn around the old city, we could see Otto Wagner's Post Office Building, the Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna's City Park, the Vienna State Opera, the Imperial Palace, the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History, Parliament, the Burgtheater, the University and the Stock Exchange.