Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Langkawi Budget Trip

Remember in my 2011 Bucket List, I wanted to do para sailing in Langkawi? Well, I did but only it was in Penang. I finally went to Langkawi under tight budget, slept in cheapest rooms I can find and did some foc activities to kill time. Why I went there? Another ex-roomate of mine got married, got me thinking...what's with January

Rented a Car

We started off clueless of where to stay and how to get where to where. After touched down at Langkawi Airport at around 2.00 pm, we decided to ask several car rental services on the cheapest car available since it was a high peak season and mostly were RM100 - RM130 for a Kancil. Then there was this one guy at one of the counters saw our frugal face and offered RM60 for an old Iswara, allowed for a late return, at 9.00 pm the next day. What a bargain, the car indeed was old but heck we travelled everywhere without a problem! Petrol station was nearby, so we filled the tank for RM30.

The Motel

So we drove down to Cenang, the signboard was all clear, the road was too easy, the hunt for a place to crash begun. Some 15 minutes later, we found plenty of signs for accommodation and drove into one small road, stopped and asked around. Several budget hotels/motels were right next to one another. We opted for the cheapest rooms available, Green Hill Beach Motel. RM150 for two rooms for one night. Fairly clean room, air conditioned and has hot shower, though mine wasn't working. Pissed off that I had to shower in cold morning water. This place was a mere 3 minutes walk to Underwater World and Cenang Walk (whatever they call it), and was right in front of a beach, apparently it was Tengah Beach.

Cenang Beach, separated by a small cape, was about 5 minutes from this motel - where you find the crowd and water activities like banana boat, jet ski etc. We did tried to search for hostel since I experienced that in New Zealand and Phuket but seems like Langkawi doesn't have one.

You know prior to this trip I googled 'Ghosts in Langkawi hotels' but missed this Green Hill Beach Motel so honestly I was reluctant at first but gave in for reasons that we need to make decision fast and the beach was just few feet away from our doorstep! You know when I said missed, something did happened.

Green Hill View Motel

Fairly clean, a bit sandy

Tinted window, 24/7 air conditioned

Few blocks with different rates

Tengah Beach
After checked-in, we hopped into the old car and had our lunch at one restaurant at a roadside further up which was tasty but darn expensive RM21++ for two simple plates of rice with fish/chicken! Didn't want it to spoil our mood, we started our journey in search of Summer Palace (movie site in Anna and the King, one of my 2012 Bucket List is to take photo at one movie site). Sadly we couldn't locate this place but stumbled Quay Perdana along the way. Yay lucky us!


Quay Perdana

Felt like rich folks owning the yachts
The entire time I was holding a map I got from the airport. We decided to visit Oriental Village since according to my maps, it was nearby.


Oriental Village

Hilly roads but finding here was a piece of cake

Plenty of activities in this village alone

Shops, some are duty free. Must mention ice cream here was super yummy 

Entrance to cable car. Pony ride for kids were also available
Scenic lake. Paddle boat if you want

Segway

Cable car, Mount Mat Cincang

Langkawi Cable Car


Two stops, this was the second station where you find steel bridge connecting to observatory deck.
Imagine the view from cable car
Breathtaking panoramic view of Langkawi at 6.45 p.m., best time ever

Stopped at a stall by a beach. Rojak buah and Mee Rebus were so-so

First day sunset

Cenang Night Walk

Went strolling at Cenang Walk. Lively town.

Shops selling souvenir, clothes, swimming equipments lined up as far as we could see

Plenty of marts

Plenty of places to eat

I want to relate my eerie feeling in the room but I shall let it pass. That night, I slept like a rock but suddenly woken up by sound of my mobile alarm blaring at 1.00 am which I was wondering too why I had that alarm turned on at that hour? I tried hard to get back to sleep but it was as if something held me back from sleep. It was too scary sleeping alone in an atmosphere that was standstill. Failed getting back to sleep, I drove away to Cenang Walk. Had supper at Tomato Nasi Kandar, delicious k. Most marts were closed after 1.00 pm but finally stopped by a mart where drunk people hang out.  I was too sleepy to be alarmed by wildness of those people and slept till morning.


Second Day

Woken up at 10.00 pm, went swimming and unfortunately stung by something, baby jellyfish perhaps. Checked-out, went to my friend's wedding. Right after the wedding it was raining so we took shelter at one of the malls in Pekan Kuah till the rain subsided and went to Eagle Square. 


Eagle Square

Eagle stature at Eagle Square

Clear sky

The Eagle up-close

Lagenda Langkawi Dalam Taman

We didn't went into the garden...the weather was too hot

Map of Langkawi

Chocolate Shopping

Located at Jalan Pandak Mayah 2 Pusat Bandar Kuah, Perniagaan Haji Ismail Group Sdn Bhd, as told by two of my friends originated from this island, is the cheapest duty free shop in Langkawi. 


In case you're wondering what's the price like:
Hershey's Kisses/Nugget: RM12.00, 3 for RM35
Ferrero Rocher T30: 20.90
Daim 300g: RM14.80
Snickers Mini 400g: RM13.90
M&M 430g: RM16.50
After Eight 400g: RM17.90


Agro Technology Park MARDI

About 15 minutes from town. We didn't really went in because most of the fruits were not in the season. Entrance fee for adult is RM15.00, kids RM8.00, you get to taste all the fruits in the park under Guided Farm Tour where they drive you around.

Bad timing, not much fruit in January so we didn't went into the park

They sell these

MARDI products

Best time to visit is July


Cenang Beach Sunset

With nothing left to do, we went back to Cenang Beach, to enjoy real sunset:

Long white talcum powder sandy beach
Someone's husband and daughter
Cloudy day

With sunglasses
Had early dinner at Sandy Beach Resort

Best satay ever!

Chicken chop
Sandy Beach Resort chalets were behind me. So close to the beach
Sunset in Cenang Beach
Pretty much sums up my 2 days 1 night at Langkawi.

Saturday, 31 December 2011

Bucket List 2012

Aiming for these to materialised for tomorrow's 2012, the year of water dragon!
  1. Learn cursive writing
  2. Shopping in Bandung
  3. Go snorkeling and take underwater photos
  4. Complete a proposal for Phd
  5. Buy birthday presents for parents, aunty and siblings, on time
  6. Take photo at 1 movie site
  7. Give rural schoolchildren nice gifts
  8. Fly a kite
  9. Master 2 dishes
  10. Visit National Museum (recycled)
  11. Setup a business concept
  12. Be more religious (will keep recycling as it never ends)
May God bless us all...


2011 Bucket List -

Sunday, 27 November 2011

Measurement

In academic nowadays it's all about numbers - number of paper, citation etc.

"If you can measure it, you can improve it"

Friday, 4 November 2011

Caving in Gua Tempurung and Water Rafting in Perak

Gua Tempurung or Tempurung Cave, in Perak.

My first nature adventure in a cave apart from Gua Kelam in Perlis but ya know, nothing there. 

I was trained under National Service, where we march and climb, 80% of our time. Then in my Matriculation days, the most memorable climb of all, the 7 ridiculous hills behind UiTM Sabah and we got lost. I was drained up to the point I quietly questioning my friends, weren't they exhausted? All poker face WTH. We climbed 90° cliff, where we had to push our friends up. If you fall by the side, you're gone.

With all these experiences I thought, caving is a piece of cake. 

Okay now, the story.

First, Durian was in the season! Slurrpppp!

Durian. Urghhhh I LOVE DURIAN!!!
The road to Gua Tempurung. We were in a lorry, cool breezes on our face! Nature greeted us well!
Ze Tempurung Cave!
From inside
Some lighting at the entrance
This is easy
Planned to show Stalactites to me brother, the T
Then the nightmare begun:

First thing I said, CRAZY!
In denial, I asked my friend, "Biar betul?". I couldn't believe it. It was pitch dark and we were in the front line, looking down, not expecting this at all. We saw nothing except where my torch pointing at. Total darkness and the slippery slope.

So I slowly sat and dragged my bum little by little. It was really slippery and I don't want to be out of control. One of my friends actually slides really fast till the end. OH MY GOD. 

The nightmare didn't end there.

It got a lot WORST!

I was already at the top, it was 70 degree angle, no rope! Just kind Malaysians pulling each other up
Scariest, the two tier steepest climb of all. It was 70 degree angle and if you fall, I don't know where you'll end. I hurt my knees from keeping my body from sliding down. I seriously believe, if I lost my grip, I would be a rolling ball, knocking everybody behind me. It was slippery, rocky and crazy all the same. I don't where to grip and pull my body up, it was insane because all I saw was darkness! I was glad when I made it to the top.

Finally, the river
and some eerie looking spiders. Reminded me of movies of ancient creatures in caves. Ewww
Now tell me how a person goes down this slope?

Anyway, it was fun.