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!

Active weekend

This weekend was filled with zoom zoom zooming around the city. After listening to The Boyfriend talk about all these exciting plans he wanted to do I started feeling a little left out. Then I thought, I seriously need to pick up a hobby. So I tried to filter down what I would like to do and ta-da! dancing came back to me.

I used to be a semi serious dancer, did ballet all the way to Grade 5 (so close to a diploma, I am still kicking myself for not just finishing it). I was a gymnast as well for 3 years (and a funky chicken dancer for a few more). I thought about the different things I could pick up and decided on...

Pole dancing!

A lot of people have this look of shock/ disgust/ interest on their face when I say this. The Boyfriend of course is not very keen on the idea. But erase the erotic and exotic nature of the dance and what do you get? Dancing, with a pole.

In Malaysia there's only one group that teaches this (Im guessing its hush hush since our country isnt very 'open' about ideas like this). You can find all the details at http://vivavertical.com/ look under the schedules and classes and you'll find Lola's contact details.

The dance itself is quite... painful. You are essentially balancing and holding yourself up with your two hands the whole time. Your entire weight is shifted to your hands. I joined the beginners class which was a lot of fun (though I must warn you since all you do is spin around a pole, you might get a bit dizzy). Please wear shorts and sleeveless top to enable you to exercise better (and not get stuck to the pole). For my first class we learned a dance routine that included two spins around the pole. Incredible fun, but it is now two days later and I am still aching in my arms and my legs (from falling down from the pole oh-not-so elegantly)

And of course, if you do want to learn the fancy schmancy exotic pole dancing. That option is available as well =)

http://vivavertical.com/
Contact Lola : 016-209-6997
RM 50 per class for drop-in session
RM 160 for 4 lessons

Acquaria - KLCC

Ive always been a fan of acquariums. Im not sure what is it about it that really gets to me. Maybe its the slowness of the fish swimming. Maybe its the cool blue of the 'ocean' bottom. Its always been fascinating to watch the giant fish just swim about. So last weekend The Boyfriend and I visited Acquaria - KLCC, KL's acquarium in the city.

Its located right next to the twin towers in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (also known as KLCC - similar to the shopping mall under the towers itself). You have to walk downstairs to the lower ground area where you will see a food court. Keep on walking straight and you will find yourself at the acquarium. Entrance will set you back around RM28 per person for an adult with a MyKad (make friends with locals since only one person needs to have the MyKad to get the discount)

As you enter, you will be greeted by piranha's. =) These fish are actually quite pretty with its silver streaks and you cannot tell that they eat meat! since their teeth looks pretty small. They do have a piranha feeding session but you can check up to see what times these are (we missed it)


(eeps! Piranha's!)

Further in you'll see the reptile/ insect section (dont ask me why an acquarium would have this). Tends to creep me out what with the scorpians and tarantula's running around their little glass boxes. Im freakishly scared of them breaking out.


(Reptile zone)


(Heading on downstairs to the big tanks)

Then you enter my favourite part of the acquarium. There are huge tanks here - one just on Amazon life where the fish are HUGE. And please bear in mind fish seem 30% smaller viewed than they actually are. Keep on walking and you will enter a tunnel filled with sharks and rays. The walk-a-lator will keep you moving nice and slow while you enjoy seeing these animals belly first as they swim over your head. Keep a peep out for the GIANT ray fish in one of the tanks. I swear i thought it was a huge rock at first. And then it MOVED.


(Inside the walk-a-lator)


(Shark attack!)

The walk-a-lator is the last part of the acquarium and brings you right into the... gift store!

The Acquarium also allows for diving with the sharks (if you have a diving license) as well as sleepovers at the acquarium! (except its only for kids... phoey)

Acquaria KLCC
http://www.klaquaria.com/
Adults without MyKad RM38 with MyKad RM28
Opened daily from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.