About Me

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am married to my loving husband for more than 40 years now. I am a mother to 3 beautiful children, until years ago when I lost my youngest son. Since then my life is forever altered but yet unbroken....

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Sunday 29 March 2015

2015 Kembara Borneo Day 07: Kuching - Kuala Lumpur

“I think you travel to search and you come back home to find yourself there…” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

(Motorbikes ready to board MASKargo)

DAY 07: Sunday (29 Mar 2015)
Route: Kuching- Kuala Lumpur

It was raining very heavily with thunder and lightning in the morning.

Our flight MH2529 was rescheduled to 1805 and we were given an extended stay in the hotel till 1400.

This morning the gang had the van at our disposal. Most of the bikers went to the kek lapis bakery across the river then later had a drive around town in the heavy rain. We decided to stay in the hotel room and had another hour or two of a much needed nap to rejuvenate our tired bodies. At noon we drove to Kuching Chicken Rice restaurant to have lunch hosted by a Sarawak lady biker.

(Heavy rain early in the morning)
(A free lunch treat at Sarawak Chicken Rice Restaurant)
(Sending the motorbikes to MASKargo)
(The KTM ready to be wrapped and tied)

After checking-out from the hotel, we rode to MasKargo to send our motorbikes for onward journey back to Kuala Lumpur. By 1630 we completed custom clearance and went to the Airport next door for group check-in.

(One final group photo at the Airport)
(Feeling melancholic to leave Borneo)
(Happy faces on board MH2529)
(Safely arrived in KLIA)

We performed our prayers, had a tall glass of Caramel Latte before we boarded the delayed flight to Kuala Lumpur. We safely arrived in KLIA around 2100.

(Article on our trip in the Motocycling News)

Alhamdulillah…

Our heartfelt gratitude to Wilhin Motors for allowing us to join last minute the '2015 Discovery Borneo on Wheels Ride' and to the organiser. Not forgetting Bro Amin the van driver and Bro Yapp Kui Nam who joined the convoy from Kota Kinablu to Kuching

2015: Kuching/Serikin ðŸ‘‰ðŸ‘‰

Saturday 28 March 2015

2015 Kembara Borneo Day 06: Kuching - Serikin - Damai Beach

“I wandered everywhere, through cities and countries wide. And everywhere I went, the world was on my side…” – Roman Payne

(The Bidayuh Longhouse)

DAY 06: Saturday (28 Mar 2015)
Route: Kuching- Serikin – Damai Beach
Kuching City Tour
Hotel: Merdeka Palace

After breakfast we were escorted by the Skuad Muda 1-JPJ to Serikin, less than an hour ride from Kuching. Serikin is a small Bidayuh town situated near the Sarawak/Kalimantan border. The famous Serikin Pasar Minggu opens only on weekend selling arrays of cheap merchandise.

It is always crowded with local and foreign tourists who will come as early as possible to avoid the hot sun. One needs to walk almost a mile from end to end of the open space stalls, mostly operated by Indonesians, to look for a good bargain.

(Merdeka Palace, our lodging for two nights)
(The start of the day tour)
(Heading toward Serikin, the border town)
(A bright sunny day for a ride)
(The start of the open-air  stalls)
(A resting place by the river)
(The crowd of local and foreign tourists)
(An hour of foot reflexology)

We managed to purchase sun-glasses, kain batik and a few KTM t-shirts and had an hour of strong foot massage to while away our time. By 1230 the gang started riding back to town and stopped at Medan Niaga Satok where we met with some JPJ officers. JPJ was having ‘Hari Bersama Skuad Muda 1-JPJ’ where they are recruiting new volunteers.

Medan Niaga Satok is the biggest market in Kuching selling assortment of product ranging from vegetables, fruits, traditional snacks to handicraft. Medan Niaga Satok has five main complexes replacing the old Satok weekend market. We bought some kek lapis and terubuk masin and while the rest went on a shopping spree, we had lunch at a nearby food court.

(The new look of Pasar Minggu Satok)
(Heavy rain when we arrived)
(Spacious and clean stalls)
(Trying a local delicacy at the Food Court)

After some formalities with JPJ and group photo, we rode to the Cultural village at Damai Beach where we were entertained with an hour of cultural show followed by a very late lunch. Although we already had lunch earlier, we could not resist having another round of the mouth-watering dishes. After the heavy meal, we had a walking tour of the Cultural Village, also known as the ‘Living Museum’ set up to preserve and showcase Sarawak’s cultural heritage.

Later we stayed a while at the beach and watched the beautiful sunset.

(Heading towards Damai Beach)
(A nice weather for a leisure ride)
(A clear view of Sentubong)
(A good road with less traffic)
(Arriving at Damai Beach)
(A group photo at The Cultural Village)
(An hour of colorful cultural show)
(Dance and music of the many ethnic groups)
(Dato' Wilson and Dato' Dr Faizal with tourism officials)
(A living village depicting the life of the ethnic groups)
(The start of the walking tour)
(Tall totem poles at the entrance)
(The Rumah Penan)
(The longhouse of Rumah Orang Ulu)
(The site of the Rainforest Music Festival)
(A burung Kenyalang at Damai Beach)
(Bikers ready to fly...)
(Serene tranquil beach at sunset)

Tonight we had dinner at the Golf club hosted by the President of Sarawak Skuad Muda 1-JPJ and were presented with t-shirts and stickers.

(Dinner hosted by Dato Dr Azman)

👈👈 2015: Kuching - KL
2015: Sibu- Kuching ðŸ‘‰ðŸ‘‰

Friday 27 March 2015

2015 Kembara Borneo Day 05: Sibu -Sri Aman - Serian - Kuching

“There ain’t no journey what don’t change you some…” – David Mitchell

(The junction to Lubuk Antu)

DAY 05: Friday (27 Mar 2015)
Route: Sibu - Seri Aman - Serian – Kuching
Total distance: 419 km
Hotel: Merdeka Palace

It was drizzling slightly when we started riding. From the hotel we were escorted by Skuad JPJ and bikers rode carefully as the road was wet and slippery. The sky was cloudy and it started to rain heavily on the way.

Halfway to Sri Aman, at the Lubuk Antu junction, we detoured when one of the riders need to stop for toilet break. The rest continued riding and waited for us before proceeding to Taman Panorama Benak in Sri Aman.

(Our support vehicle with Amin, the driver)
(Motorbikes neatly parked, ready to roll)
(A group photo with JPJ officials)
(Riding safely in a convoy)
(Dark clouds looming in the horizon)
(Escorted by Skuad Muda 1-JPJ)
(It was raining heavily on the way)
(Convoy led by Bro Ipin)
(Detouring to the Tidal Bore site at Sri Aman)

Sri Aman is famous for the Benak, or Tidal Bore, of the Batang Lupar River. The Tidal Bore mud wave is ranked in the list of Top 10 Tidal Bores in the world. We visited the museum and had a short video presentation of the Tidal Bore. We were informed that there was a mild mud wave earlier this morning.

(A welcoming archway of Sri Aman)
(Visiting the Taman Panorama Benak by the river)
(A briefing and exchange of tokens)
(Bikers listening seriously to the briefing)
(At the Tidal Bore Museum)
(A picture of the mud wave)
(A group photo)
(And one for the album)

After a few group photos with the Museum and JPJ officials we rode to Hamdi Café for a light lunch. We were later escorted to a JPJ office in Serian for high tea. From Serian, accompanied by the Sarawak bikers, we thronged the after office traffic to Kuching. It started raining again when we approached town. We checked in Merdeka Palace and had a short rest before our next activity at night.

(Having a light lunch at Hamdi Cafe)
(Wet and slippery road after a heavy rain)
(A high-tea hosted by JPJ Serian)
(Neatly parked bikes, KTM without the vest)
(A row of Sarawak Bikers motorbikes)
(A good comradeship and brotherhood)
(Riding towards Kuching)
(Heavy traffic on the way)
(Still drizzling as we approached town centre)
(Arriving at Merdeka Palace)

Tonight we had dinner at the famous Top Spot Food Court in the heart of Kuching town. The food court is located at the top of a massive multi-level carpark. Top Spot has the loud and lively feel of a hawker centre with variety of seafood and local dishes to choose from.

After dinner, some rode to the water front for a teh Tarik session, some rode around town to look for souvenirs and others rode back to the hotel to have a good night sleep.

(The famous seafood food court in Kuching)
(Free and easy colorful dress code)
(Crispy oyster omelette, a local delicacy)

👈👈 2015: Kuching/Serikin
2015: Miri - Sibu ðŸ‘‰ðŸ‘‰