ATV Party

(Getting ready to rumble!)

After being away in Egypt for two weeks then recuperating for another weekend, I finally went out again to do something different this weekend. The Boyfriends birthday was yesterday and since I didnt manage to throw him a party last year (a fact that I have been reminded off) I looked around to throw one this year.

Located in Kemensah, right behind the national zoo is ATV Malaysia. A rigged out ATV center where you can rent ATV's to travel around on regular routes or to head over to a waterfall. We opted for ~3 hours where it took us about an hour or so to head over to the waterfall, spent some time at the waterfall with a picnic and heading back here.


(The waterfall)


(Driving up from the waterfall)

The downside... we got drenched!!! it was the wrong season to go I guess and even worse that we didnt realize to prepare for it. It poured the entire time we were there and while we ate but dried up whilst we were riding back. Initially I was super freaked out riding it up and down all those slipper rocks and mud but was a lot of fun to have this kind of adventure rides in the rainforest.


(You'll get stuck in the mud sometimes)

Some tips the next time you go. Wear shoes and proper attire. Wear clothing that you dont mind getting completely splattered with mud.

and enjoy!

~1.5 - 2/3 hours : RM150 each

http://www.atvmalaysia.net/index.html

Hiatus

Hello everyone,

I will be going on leave from this weekend till the 8th of November. Ill be in Egypt! see u after!

Treasure hunting

Last weekend my sister came to me with a very interesting proposition. Why dont we go treasure hunting she said. The hunt in mind? Food treasure hunting! She had heard about it through the grapevines and signed us up. Me, her and her gf. RM70 per person per car with a max of 4 people in each car.

We met up at 630 am on a Saturday. yes.. the things I do... and still werent close to being the first car there. By about 730 we were off! with a total of ~140 cars participating


(all the people waiting to go)

The trip is broken down into two phases. Phase one with four different locations. Clues are given to each team and youre supposed to note down the answer to be submitted. Answers can be found on signboards or signs around that area. Youre allocated four hours to finish this leg. After 4.5 hrs, you are disqualified.


(Example of clues : Newspaper that's brand new? Or are they greens for me and you)

Then you stop at the pit stop. And face a quick 'challenge'. Then go on to collect Phase two clues.

Phase two involves driving in accordance to the directions given - i.e. using the meter measurements. And again, being given clues and you having to find the answers on signboards around that area. You are allocated two hours to complete.


(Example of clues : Saya dengar siapa siapa pun boleh minum kopi di sini (I hear 'anyone' can drink coffee here))

At the end of it, you submit all answers to the final stop. On top of that you can also opt to complete the bonus questions and find the 'treasures' noted on a clue page in case a few teams would have the same score. The final challenge is then also used as a tie breaker.


(The final challenge)

In this case, the final challenge was to toss a roti canai in the most graceful way... not easy I promise you


(They also have a best dressed contest)

All in all, it was quite a lot of fun... and drama of course!

Go ahead and sign up for the next one. But be prepared! and take a nap the day before!!

http://www.timeoutsolutions.com/

Port Dickson weekend

(The view from Acheh lookout, Avillion)

2009 is a year where everyone in Malaysia waited to see if the recession would finally hit these shores. Companies including mine started cutting costs and streamlining their workforce. Budgets were halved, hiring freezed, and people working extra hours to make up for increasing client demands. Its been a tough year, and what had been my company's annual retreat for South East Asia had been cancelled.

But then, the year didnt end up as bad as everyone had anticipated, and the Big Boss decided to bring all of us out for an offsite trip to Port Dickson!

Located about one hour out of KL, Port Dickson is a small town by the sea. The KL-ites used to flock down here in droves to enjoy the sun, surf and sand. But years and generations of not being civic minded had damaged the waters and the beach. Its not even close to being pristine with soft silky beaches like their sisters on the East Coast, but the hotel we stayed at played it up quite smartly.

We stayed at the Avillion, a cluster of water chalet hotels located on stilts facing out to the sea. Its actually really nice and has some really nice quite lookout points (look for the Acheh lookout) where you are under a tree, under an umbrella, looking out at the sea, hearing the sea and enjoying the breeze without actually touching the water or having sand kicked onto you.


(Balcony in Avillion)

If youre not a social person, each room comes with two deck chairs and a balcony where u can enjoy the view and the sun and sea in your own privacy. They also have a really amazing open air shower with a lookout floor directly onto the sea.


(House on stilts)

For those with families, they even have a petting zoo! and plenty of cute bunnies.


(Baby bunnies!)

So, we didnt do much there ourselves, some team games in the evening, and then we went for dinner at El Cactus, a Mexican restaurant located close by. Then back to the hotel for a giant karaoke session with all office staff before passing out, packing up and leaving the next day.


(Dinner at El Cactus)

If youre looking for a quick retreat to somewhere quite cosy, and breezy, I would deff recommend going back there. I know that I probably would.

http://www.avillionportdickson.com/

Mulu weekend

Once in a while, I get real lucky. This time around, my work required me to actually travel around Malaysia and to visit some sites. My team decided to check out East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). Since Ive been to Kota Kinabalu (attempted to climb Mt. Kinbalu), I opted to go to the Mulu caves in Sarawak instead.

To get to Mulu, first you need to take a flight to Miri or Kota Kinabalu (KK) and then switch flights to a propeller plane (MAS Wings) to Mulu. Takes about 30 min.

Miss C and I opted for a package deal (you can find some good ones on MAS wings website) that costs RM600 per person for the transfer flight from Miri (round trip), hotel for one night and two days at the Royal Mulu Resort (most high end in Mulu, there's 3 resorts all together though there are also Homestays), food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as well as the tour guide and park fees itself. Quite a good deal I would say.

Mulu is really nice. Deff a good place for eco-tourism if people are interested. Essentially you are immersed in nature. Rainforests surrounding you, the Melinau river by your feet. Not a single skyscraper in sight. Not even a taxi actually. I was informed that a lot of Germans and Dutch like to come here for a vacation, few domestic travellers (though after this article you should deff go)

We visited two caves on our first day, Langs Cave and Deer Cave. Langs Cave is nice to see the formation of different stalagmites and stalagtites. Deer Cave is where ~3 Mn bats live (~12 different species). Its the biggest cave in the world (even after part of it fell in seprataing Deer Cave from Green Cave) and can easily fit in a 747. There is guana (bat poo) everywhere, but the trail is actually very very good and very very easy to do (essentially you can just wear flip flops the whole day). Its planked walkway EVERYWHERE. The dark clumps that you see on the ceiling are the bats! And in the evening, you walk out to the viewing area to watch all the bats fly out to have their dinner. Was pretty fascinating especially seeing that bats seem to fly in single formations and by species groups.


(Inside Langs Cave)


(Bats flying out of Deer Cave)

And at night for dinner, you'll be able to watch a cultural show as well as participate in bamboo pole dancing and blow pipe exhibition.


(Inside Deers Cave, the largest in the world)

The second day you'll visit Wind Cave, Clearwater Cave and Young Lady Cave. Wind caves is great for that little area where it cooly blows over you, Young Lady Cave amazing for the different formations (look out for the Kings face, the young lady herself, the statue of Kuan Yin and his followers as well as the really creepy baby's hand hanging down. Clearwater cave is called so for the fact that clearwater connection (waterway) runs right through it. There's also a legend that claims if you wash your face with water from there you'll be young forever =)


(Abraham Lincoln's profile in Deer Cave)

Outside of Clearwater cave there's actually a real nice pool of water. Pack a pair of swimmers with you for this days hike. After all that walking around, trust me, youre going to enoy dipping yourself into the pool. I sadly didnt bring mine and had to remain sticky and itchy the whole way back.

What was great was actually the trip back to the hotel. You ride a longboat down the Melinau river. Its very peaceful and calming and you will feel that you are the only person in this untouched land.


(Boating down the Melinau River)

***

Tour guides are great, price pretty decent, and infrastructure of the Mulu Park amazing. Not a piece of rubbish in sight! Tour guides speak fluent English and are extremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna in that area.

If the Mulu caves itself is too tame/ much for you, there are ATV's and bikes that you can rent and ride around the area (there's a hot spring nearby)or if youre in shape and want to be challenged, you can try to climb to see the Pinnacles. Word of caution, you need to be in pretty good shape to do this.

Hit me up for more information!