Langkawi Leisure

I've been dragging my feet in blogging about our Langkawi trip. For some reason, the MALAS syndrom has hit me bad hehehe... Anyway, I'll try my best to blog about it for my future reference. Sigh! OK here goes... we were in Langkawi last week.

DAY 1

- Reached Langkawi Airport around 9:30am, wait for luggage and hubby negotiated the price of our rented car for the duration.
- First stop, Cable Car at Gunung Mat Chincang. It was a little hazy and cloudy but we still manage to witness the amazing view. Whatever we pay for the entrance fee, it is really worth it.


- After lunch, we went to check in to our hotel. Very nice and spacious room. The room is quite a distance from the reception counter, the hotel bellboy offered to show us the way. Initially I thought he's going to hitch a ride in our car. Then he didn't which confuses me I thought I might as well walk when he showed me his bicycle and ask me to get into the car. Ooooohhhh... now I get it. The bellboy is a Bangladeshi and hubby said, "Ooooo.... nak ikut bangla naik basikal..." Hehehehe.... Lerrr... mana ada. Just a little communication breakdown :) The hotel staff were all very friendly. Whenever we cross path with any staff, they would give us salam and smile.


- After a short rest, we went to the Underwater World which is just a short drive away. I've read people calling it the lesser equals of Aquaria and Singapore but if you're here, it's worth the visit.


- I really need a bigger casual bag. All my casual bag are tiny I don't have enough space for my big purse, camera and few other things. Since there are many shops around the area, I decided to look for one. It's too hot hubby decided to wait in the car with some chocolate we bought near the Duty Free Shop at the Underwater World :) I'd love to have a canvas or BPC bag of a muted color so I can use it whenever I travel. But I found a multicolored one with the right design and compartment location. I simply must have it. It suits my need and has the functionality. But the color.... I have to choose between the multicolored fancy fashion design or multicolored teddy bear design. I choose the former. Hubby's comment... "takperlah... sue yang pakaikan" with a shock face hehehe... Too fancy is it? I immediately change to the new handbag and we headed to the beach for a drink. We ordered 1 laksa and 2 drinks but were given 2 bowls of laksa. We didn't bother arguing so decided to eat it and then head to the hotel to relax by the pool. For some reason, I started sneezing almost non-stop after eating one Andes chocolate and eating the laksa while sneezing was quite a feat. We headed to the pool at our hotel after that.


Santai by the pool
- That night, we went to Kuah to look around town and survey the area but decided to return to Pantai Cenang to look for dinner. We tried Restoran Rasa because I've read some review written about it. The ambience was OK. There's someone singing with his guitar and then going around putting his hats for some donations. I thought he's done but he continued singing. Alamakkk... encik nyanyi sedap encik tapi kalau tak nyanyi lagi sedap :) The food was just OK and I thought it costs a bomb. Aren't seafood supposed to be cheaper here? The wifi at the hotel is having some problem so we drive around looking for free wifi. None found.

DAY 2

- We had our breakfast at the hotel and hubby found a free wifi connection courtesy of a shop opposite the road from our hotel. He's busy doing work while I enjoyed the breakfast leisurely :) We're going island hopping this morning and the van will come to pick us up at 9 a.m. The driver reached the place on time has been calling me for 6 times. I left my handphone in the room to be charged while I was having breakfast.
- It drizzles when we got into our boat with 5 other people. There are a group of students from Sudan studying at various local universities and colleges in KL. Hubby asked me to communicate with them in Arabic and help him communicate with them in Arabic. As if that's gonna happen. My command of Arabic is "qalil jiddan" :) Thank God the rain stopped as we stop for a while to see a bat cave before heading towards Pulau Dayang Bunting. The view was amazing. We were lucky we saw so many eagle of different species during the eagle feeding.




Tasik Dayang Bunting


Eagle feeding




Pantai Beras Basah
- After returning from the island hoping trip, we rinse ourselves by the pool and get into the pool for more swimming. So in one day, we got into the lake at Tasik Dayang Bunting, the sea and the swimming pool :)
- We went to Kota Mahsuri after a short rest and lunch. We also make a short stop at the Gamat shop on the way to Kota Mahsuri. Hubby and I argued about the authenticity of the Mahsuri portrait shown at the gallery. We got the confirmation from the gallery staff later. We also tried the Gamat Soup at one of the shop. Hmmm.... we shared a bowl and I only could take 2-3 spoons before getting hubby to finish it. It tastes OK. I just couldn't bring myself to eat more when I think of the look of Gamat itself. Iiieeee.... We explored the house and hubby asked me to pose at the coconut grater. I sit on it like saddling a bicycle when hubby commented proper ladies in the olden days didn't sit that way hehehe... Opppsss... OK... OK... a more sopan pose :)
- Then we did some t-shirt shopping followed by short trips to Pantai Beras Terbakar, Pantai Tengkorak, the marina at Petronas Quay and the nearby beach before buying a durian and head back to the hotel. We saw an amazing sunset on our way back. The hotel room is like apartment units so nobody saw us with the durian. Errmmm... yummyy...


Beautiful paddy fields on the way to Kota Mahsuri


- After ravishing the durian, prayer and rest, we went for a massage at one of the massage place near our hotel. There's a male masseuse for hubby. The room was only separated by bamboo curtains, kain batik and soft flowy white curtains. Towards the end of the massage session I heard hubby snoring softly ROTFL. I can't stop grinning :D
- For dinner, we tried Restoran Haji Ramli. Not too bad and not very great either. I prefer the food we had when we were at Redang. We bought some more Gamat products at a shop opposite the restaurant.

DAY 3

- Beach time. After breakfast, we headed to the beach for some beach activities. I wanted to try parasailing and while waiting, the guy convinced us to go on a jetski ride first as he's still waiting for his people to come with the boat and the parasailing chute. Since he gave us good price being his first customer for the day, we agreed and had great fun. during the parasailing. the view from above was really, really amazing. I wish I have my camera with me but I need both hands on the way up and down and I don't have neck strap for my camera so no pics from above. Besides, we wanted to take photo from below.


Fooling around at the beach :) I was wearing my Muslimah swimsuit.


Getting ready for parasailing. Up, up and away....


Hubby's turn
- We played in the sea after that and then continue at the swimming pool before returning to our room to clean up and pack. We checked out slightly before 3 and went to have our lunch before going to Kuah. We had to hunt for a petrol station. Seems like RM35 worth of petrol is not enough. We put in another RM10 before we can continue driving around with a peaceful mind.
- We stopped at the Jetty Point, nothing much there. Then to the Eagle monument. A must have photo if you're in Langkawi. After that to Langkawi's largest shopping mall or so claimed by the brochure. Really?? If you're short for time, I suggest a trip to the Kuah town would be sufficient for all your shopping needs. We went to Kuah town to buy some chocolates. I don't fancy buying any dishes here. I'm a practical person. Nilai 3 or our nearby store can serve our dishes needs. There's no need to carry heavy stuff in the flight.


The Langkawi icon
- We headed to Pantai Cenang again for dinner and sunset before heading to the airport.


Sunset in Cenang
When we reached the airport and tried to check-in we were told out ticket is for the morning flight. Alamakkk... how could I make such a mistake. Hubby has asked me to check the flight schedule many times and I did. It just didn't occur to me such mistake could happen. Hubby has a meeting the next day so staying another day is not an option. Going back by ferry was also not an option. It's past 8pm already. So we asked if there's any seat on the next flight. Lucky for us, the 8:15 flight is delayed and it's not full so we can still catch it but it costs us over RM500. Sigh! Anyway, I'm not going to let that spoil our holiday. We really had a great time and yayyy... I managed to fit in our Langkawi trip story in one entry :)

What Have I Been Up To?

My first project with a series of training ended last week. Alhamdulillah it went well and Madam Kucing has finally started to purr and mew instead of bark :) I'd give credit to the power of 'buat bodoh' and not take 'pot' with pettiness and idiosyncrasies hehehe...

After South East, I have to go North. I went alone for this 5-hours drive. Since I got the room all to myself and the wifi worked well in the room, hubby make arrangement to be here by bus. I missed him so much. We barely see each other last week. After the tiring 4-days training, hubby drove us back to KL. Hubby make a stop at one of the R&R to rest and I woke up only for a while to offer him pillow and an extra shawl. All the traveling has taken a toll on me. I totally zonked out.

We had our dinner earlier at one of the restaurant before we enter the highway and as we're about to reach home, I started feeling dizzy and nauseous with an upset stomach. Probably the place was not so clean. Hubby has to make a toilet stop too somewhere before Tg. Malim if I'm not mistaken. I felt totally sick the moment we reached home and I ran to the bathroom. After cleaning up and taking a charcoal tablet, we went to sleep. Thank God I felt better the next morning.

I have few days to rest, do the laundry and pack again for the next trip. Hubby went to East Coast when I went South East right. All his clothes for the trip were still in the laundry basket. All in all, I have to do 5 laundry trips. Sigh! On Monday mom's in KL so I fetched her and we spent the day catching up. She just recovered from fever and flu after her umrah trip. Next trip was to Cherating. This time I have a room mate and hubby has few meetings in KL and then Kuantan. I took his car and hubby used mine while in KL. He reached Kuantan by bus and I went to fetch him after my training. It's not like I was familiar with the road and know where the bus terminal is but I prayed to God to make it easy for me and Alhamdulillah I found my way.

I stayed with hubby in Kuantan that night, he sent me to Cherating in the morning and after his meeting in Kuantan that day, he went to Cherating again. My room mate is checking out in the evening so we can stay there for the night. Supposedly hubby has another meeting in Kuantan the next day. I really crave for durian on our way back the next day but we don't see any along the way. I'm too lazy to hunt for durian once we reached home. I have the weekend all to myself and I have to attend a training on Monday and I have to left for East Coast in the afternoon.

I have booked a flight ticket earlier but hubby suggested I cancel it because he has to be in the East Coast at about the same time. But in the end he has to be in Kuantan first and go to East Coast only later. So he drove us to Kuantan. After checking in and having our dinner, I have to make my way to the East Coast. After driving for a while I got upset because hubby didn't even call to ask how I was doing. I was thinking of not calling him till I reached the place but I reached a confusing roundabout and needed his opinion. When I called him, he told me his phone was barred. Sigh! No wonder hehehe... Lesson: Jangan cepat merajuk :p

All the traveling makes us tend to handle our bills to the last minute. As a result, that's what happened. I normally pay my bills just before or when I received the final warning via SMS. By then, payment with M2U or even it's own online payment page is too late to stop the system from barring our line. I finally asked a local and found out I have to make a u-turn and go the other way. I was only about 2km off with the u-turn and finally reached the place by midnight. Hubby has offered to drive me to the resort earlier but there is no way I'm going to let him drive for 4 hours and another 4 hours back to Kuantan. Besides, he has a meeting with a few contacts on the same night. If we make a move after his meeting, we'll probably reach the place around 2 a.m. and I need my rest for training the next day.

I slept like a log that night and feeling fresh for the training in the morning. I even managed to go out for a short walk by the beach. It was very quiet and peaceful and I called hubby and asked him to listen to the sound of the waves hehehe... Hubby took a bus from Kuantan to KT later that day after his meeting. Again I have to fetch him after my training. From the resort, it's about 45 minutes drive to town and again I have no idea where the bus terminal was. I have only vague recollection of the bus terminal when we went to Redang last year. We hang around town for about two hours before taking the cab to airport on our return trip.

Again I thanked God for giving me the common sense to figure out the direction till I saw the 'Perhentian Bas' sign. This time we have to stay at another resort because I have a room mate and the resort is full. I love the room and the seamless pool but too bad I can't enjoy it. We checked in after Maghrib and hubby sent me for my training very early the next morning. Hubby hang around near my training room because the wifi connection is good. He only returned to the resort after his laptop battery went out to enjoy the seemless swimming pool and rest in the room until after 2. After checking out, he waited for me but this time the wifi connection's out so he did some work offline. I finished my training few minutes after 5 and we make our way to KB. Hubby has a meeting in KB the next day.

We stayed at one of the 'homestay' house near his meeting place. It was very hot that night we opted to sleep on the floor. I can rest while hubby went for his meeting. I even washed some clothes because hubby's concern he don't have anything to wear for tomorrow. I know there's enough but I washed a few anyway. Then we don't have to bring back so many dirty laundry. The weather's nice for drying the clothes. I have to pack again because we'll make a move after hubby's meeting. He has to be in Kuantan again the next day. So off we go to Kuantan that night. I checked out with hubby the next morning because I don't want him to make the return trip to fetch me at the hotel. I also can't wait to reach home after all that traveling. I waited at the cafe with a book and my laptop and was having a bad flu the whole day despite taking my allergy medication.

We bought some lychee and rambutan the night before so we finished that in the car and then we saw so many durian stalls along the highway. I asked hubby since I don't feel well already, why don't I just take the durian hehehe...He agreed and we bought 1 durian which is really worth it. It was sweet and juicy and we finished it in the car. My flu stopped while I was enjoying the durian and commenced again after we finished the durian. I even almost ran out of tissue paper. We reached home at about 4 I think. Thank God my meeting in the afternoon was cancelled or otherwise I'll be very very late. So that's how hectic our schedule was the past few weeks.

We'll be off again tomorrow very early in the morning but this time for a well deserved holiday. My treat after successfully completing my first project but I'll get hubby to chip in too lah. I still has not received my full payment :) By the way, today is the anniversary of the first time I met hubby 3 years ago. We've known each other online for a few months before meeting and it is supposed to be work related because hubby has some training contact and I'd love to do freelance training so it's natural for both of us to meet before we talk about any project. In the end we talked about a different kind of project hehehe... Not after the first meeting of course but not long after that. Anyway, I better get ready now. I'm going Muslimah swimming suit hunting and has to pack for tomorrow :D

Ants in The Water

You've probably heard its not good to drink water where ants died in it. Some has even forbid it totally and says better throw the water and waste it rather than take the risk of 'mati hati'. Didn't it seemed wasteful to do so? Especially if it is one little ant.

Then I found this and this. An excerpt from the IIU website...

Fiqh 1.7 a: Dead animals that have no running blood

(That is) bees, ants, and so on. They are considered pure. If they fall into some substance and die, the substance will not become impure. Ibn al-Munzhir said, "I do not know of any disagreement concerning the purity of such water save what has been related from ash-Shaf'i. It is well-known that he views them as being impure. Nevertheless, it does not bother him if the object falling into a substance does not alter it (in any way)."

OK! I'm so glad there's a different opinion about the purity of the water. Well... we've heard what people have said about drinking water with ants in it but those people never quote any Quranic verses or Hadith to support their claim. So if there's no direct ruling against something, we'd rely on Ijma' ulama' and it seems the general consensus is the ants did not make the water impure or unfit for consumption.

Tea For Me

Here are some health benefits of tea.

Tea is a naturally-derived beverage and, besides antioxidants, contributes valuable vitamins and minerals to our daily diets. An average daily consumption of 5 to 6 cups daily complements our body’s dietary intake of these vitamins and minerals.

5 to 6 cups of tea contributes:

* 16% of the daily requirement of calcium
* 10% of the daily requirement of zinc
* 10% of our folic acid need
* 9% of the daily requirement of vitamin B1
* 25% of the daily requirement of vitamin B2
* 6% of the daily requirement of vitamin B6
* very few calories and almost no fat (when taken without milk)

Besides containing a high amount of vitamins and minerals, tea also:

* Acts as a diuretic and therefore helps kidney as well as colon functions
* Aids digestion by stimulating the body’s digestive juices. Tea also helps the stomach muscles’ action and takes the ‘heaviness’ out of a meal.
* Helps to replace fluids after exercise. After exerting itself, the body absorbs warm drinks like tea better and more quickly than cold drinks.

Source: BOH Tea

So with all the good benefits, it's OK if I crave for tea right? Ever since I started my training project, all the trainers were treated well. We don't have to queue with the participants for food. We have special table and we were served whatever we need. The waiters and waitresses gasp when I went to take my own tea from the tea/coffee station. So we've kinda been waited hand and foot during every meal. I requested for tea almost every time after lunch or dinner, our networking time. It took only a while to build a habit isn't it.

My current favorite is Sabah Tea. My only concern is whether I really crave the tea or the sugar I put in every cup. I also take green tea sans sugar but for Sabah Tea or Boh or Lipton, I need sugar in it. The best way to appreciate tea... drink it hot, inhale the smell and take a sip. Arrrhhh... Bliss.

Tough Decisions

I've had Milo for breakfast. I'm wondering whether I should cook or go down and buy something to eat. Normally I don't like to stock food when I have to go outstation so there's nothing much left at home. I'm not going to stock food as I'll be away again soon. So should I cook that oat soup recipe that I got from the internet minus the veges or should I wait for 12 o'clock and went out to buy lunch?

I could also fry some wantan since I have some wantan skin or fry anchovies for porridge but I just mop the floor yesterday. If you fry things, the floor will tend to be sticky and oily so I'd like to keep my floor clean a lot longer. I can take out the piece of chicken breast I have left in the fridge or the frozen minced meat and make something out of it but I'm too lazy to wait for it to thaw or microwave them.

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Those are some tough eating/cooking decisions I have to make when hubby's not around hehehe...

Millionaire Ex-Boss

My jaw almost dropped when I saw the news on Malaysia's Richest Top 40 list by Forbes. My ex-boss is in the list and to think we always complain about his obsolete software. I remember when I tendered my resignation letter, he personally make a counter offer. If I stayed I probably would have published a book about him or his ideas, not to mention writing numerous proposals and manuals. I started my full time job doing system's documentation and I'm proud to say after many years leaving the company, the completed set of manuals I produced was the most complete.

The reason I did not stay... I found another interesting job. Not the most secure and fancy, but I like the challenge and the software and I... we clicked. This time, my ex-boss is a brilliant man with an interesting software. He may act like an absent-minded professor but I support his ideals and his vision of the software. Did he make it into the Forbes list. Still very vary far from it I believe. The reason I quit, I found another passion.

I would take a lower paying job if it interests me and I'm passionate about the cause. That's my weakness. But after more than 10 years of working, I'm trying to curb those tendencies and stay focus on my goal. I've had a few full time job offers that's really tempting since I'm on my own but I have to take a deep breath and think of what I want. Freedom and flexibility. I never thought I would retire with any of the organization's I've worked for. Job security is not in my priority list at all. I also never thought of becoming a government servant.

So here I am. Jaw dropped upon seeing his picture (of my now millionaire ex-boss) flashed onto the TV screen. A great lesson for me. You don't need to have the best product in the world. As long as you know how to market it well, has good connections due to your networking ability, you'll make it. Millionaire ex-boss spent most of his time on the golf course. I don't think he's so attached with his software. Poor ex-boss spent most of his time in-front of his computer tweaking and improving his software. The software is his passion and pride. Does passion bring in the big bucks? Not necessarily. But is poor ex-boss happy. I believe he is. Is millionaire ex-boss happy? I have no idea. I was never close to him when I work for him in the first place.

Having said that, what about me? I followed my passion in my career path. Would it bring me big bucks? I sure hope so. Following our passion makes us happy and any monetary reward is a bonus. I definitely want the bonus so I can continue doing what I'm passionate about. When do you think I'll become a millionaire? Let's see... if I can save and invest RM5000 per month and get a return of around 10% per annum, I'd get my first million in the year 2020. Do I want to wait that long for my first million? Hmmm.... have to find a better plan!

If There's A Genie

I returned from my outstation trip on Wednesday night. I've been away and busy for the last few weeks. I have few days break before going outstation again. Alhamdulillah for the 'rezeki' but I wish I have a genie to take care of the house. Yesterday was spent lazying around the house while sniffling and sneezing. Must have been due to the dust. So last night I took some allergy medication and feel better today so first thing I do is to mop the whole house.

If I found an ancient lamp with a genie who'll grant my wishes, those wishes will be as below:-

1. All the dust will be self-vacuumed and disappeared from my sight.
2. All the dried clothes will self-fold.
3. The plants watered accordingly.

I have a more altruistic wishes before. Nowadays, I need all the help I can get for myself.

Project Update

I'm halfway to completing my first project. It went relatively well. I hope it will end with a high note.

Due to some miscommunication, the project begins with a high level of tension. I think I have never felt as nervous before I conducted any training like this time. Here, there's a Madam Kucing who barks. I'm glad the result speaks for itself so she has to stop barking. She barked at the wrong tree in the first place and I lost my respect to her due to that. Dear Madam Kucing, why on earth don't you practice what you preach?

Anyway, I'm trying to make an honest and halal living here so help me Allah.

I miss hubby so much. I went South East, he has to go North East. I went home, he went South. Now I'm North, he's at home. And if I'm unlucky, I went home and he has to be in the East Coast again. Sigh!

I better go to bed now so I'll wake up fresh for tomorrow's training.