Langkawi Part 2

Here's part 2 of my adventures. Take it like a scrapbook adventure blog... Hahaha!


Lunch at the Magrove - Barn Thai Restaurant. These are the friends I made during my mangrove trip.


Dead tired treking!

We were at the Floating Fish Farm. I'm not a big fan of sea creatures so it's a rather new experience on my part.

Horse shoe crab... Dan was saying that it looks like a scene from Aliens vs Predator.

Cave exploration

We actually went through this cave opening to get to our destination. Great skills on the boatman's part!

A shot of a butterfly in the forest I was treking in. Spot the butterfly. Sorry, camera lenses isn't powerful enough! New lenses... anyone?

One of the villas at The Datai. It's around RM 1800 per night for a villa surrounded by the rainforest. Feels like a kampung to me... hahaha.

Datai Bay is quite private, serene and relaxing. You get the feeling jsut by seeing this pic.

On a buggy ride at The Datai, an amazing boutique resort situated at Datai Bay, claimed to be the best beach at Langkawi. I like Tanjung Rhu as well. Torn between the two!

Long time since I saw this scene... hahaha. I was driving and then... I had to wait... wait... wait some more!

In order to reach Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells), you need climb up. From the bottom, it looks as if the staircase is never ending. However, there are benches along the way for you to rest. While I was going up, some really old people were coming down. Even though they were slower and rested a lot at the benches, I salute them for their love for thrills and adventure.

This is the view at Telaga Tujuh. If I'm not mistaken, this is Telaga #4. For some particular reason, I had a very high expectation of the whole thing and it kind of fell short of my expectation.

Here I am... tired, hot and frowning at Telaga Tujuh.

This is the view from Gunung Mat Cincang. You can see the Petronas Quay from here. The road to drive out of this place is actually along the coastal line so you can imagine the journey out of this place.

Landscape from the mountain!

Nature's spotlight... hahaha!

Whe you take the cable up to the highest peak, you get to walk along this bridge which gives you a great view. Not for the weak at heart... hahaha. Just kidding. It's really very safe.

Monkey attack! Apart from the gramatical error, you really should pay attention to this sign. They steal everything. I was on an open sea kayak trip from one island to another and on one of the stops, I left my water bottle in the kayak. To my horror of horrors, I came back to find the water bottle empty. The monkey uncapped the bottle, drank the water and capped the bottle back again. Intelligent but mischiveous creatures!

Pulau Dayang Bunting's small jetty.

Water reflecting off Tasik Dayang Bunting.

As you can see, I didn't take this picture by myself. I happened to be in this cable car together with a gay couple. I struck a conversation with them and we were chatting awhile. I guess people are still people and they don't want to be treated like they are something 'odd' or in this sense, 'queer'. I've got to admit, they are very very conscious about the way they look in front of people as well as the camera. Interesting moment; alone in a cable car with a gay couple with nowhere to go! Hahaha.

This is my ride in Pulau Langkawi. Not too bad, quite sporty!

The money shot of the White-bellied Sea-eagle. It's a little blur because the birds move really fast and my camera lenses aren't as powerful! A glimpse of National Geographic in action!

This is the Brahminy Kite or the Red-backed Sea-eagle. This is the official bird of Langkawi. Langkawi actually consists of the words 'Lang' which comes from Helang meaning eagle and 'Kawi' meaning red = Red Eagle!

The birds going in for the catch!

Langkawi

*Hi Guys. This post was meant to be up on Wednesday but there were lots of errors in uploading the post. It must have been the connection. This is the uncut and unedited version that was not meant to be... hahaha!

I'm at Langkawi now... I've been keeping myelf busy with lots of outdoor adventure activities. Island hopping, Eagle feeding, fresh water swimming, cable car ride, hiking etc... just to name a few! Tomorrow I'll be hiking to the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls, parasailing and kayaking in the open sea. Friday will be the 5 hour mangrove kayaking and cave exploration before I fly back to KLIA.

There's a lot to write but I'm quite tired (physically) and I want to rest but to be fair I'll just post a few of the pics I've taken so far!

This is Chenang Beach where I'm staying. I took this shot yesterday evening while strolling on the beach.

The sun is setting even further... Look at the top left corner of the pic and you'll see a black dot. That's somebody parasailing!


Some kids playing by the beach... panoramic with a human touch.

Today's Island hoppinbg adventure - the jetty I left off from at Pantai Tengah

Man, I love Langkawi... beautiful!

Pulau Dayang Bunting... Pregnant Maiden's Island. Check it out... her face, breasts and her pregnant belly. Cool huh?

This is Tasik Dayang Bunting. It's a freshwater lake that is so close to the sea you'd think it's part of the sea. This lake is separated by a miracle barrier that causes it to be a freshwater lake but yet so slose to the sea you'd think it's part of it.

One of the hundreds of resident monkeys on this island.

This is not me sunbathing... hahaha! I just jumped into the lake for a swim. Left my SLR with one of the tourist who wasn't swimming. too tempted already. It's way cooler than swimming in the sea.

View from the cable car up Gunung Mat Cincang.

This is the lower station of the two on the way up to Gunung Mat Cincang.

The fable goes that Mat Cincang used to be a being that transformed himself into a mountain. Hmmnn...

There is a boardwalk at the higher station that allows you to walk "through" the mountain to have a real panaoramic view... simply amazing!

Petronas Quay where the boats and some yatches are parked.

So there you have it, adventures for today. Tomorrow's going to be more fun! *Yawn... Good night!

*Yup... Thursday for so fun, I was really too tired to even start blogging. So I guess I've to tell the story, not in the midlle of the action but away from it from now onwards...

Stay tuned for pics, sights and sounds of Langkawi coming soon...

Marina @ Keppel Bay

Recently, I visited Marina @ Keppel Bay. The place is an awesome getaway that literally transports you into another world right in Singapore itself. What's amazing is that you will actually miss the place. In the hustle and bustle of Vivo City and Harbourfront, you will actually miss the tiny, indistinctive slip road that leads here! So watch for it.

Two restaurants I reccomend in this place is of course Prive (my gut feeling is that it's short for private). The other is TCC. I had dinner at the TCC when I visited the place. The view is good.

I also took the opportunity to take some shots. Here goes...

A shot of the bridge when the light was red

This when it was green

Yatch Club

Part of the Prive design...

Aimei with the bridge...

The cone shaped structure at the skyline in the background is Mt. Faber

I need a haircut

In memory of Jon Wong... you go with us... hahaha... solid shot... happened by mistake!

Joanna Wang

Recently, I got myself a CD by a Taiwanese singer called Joanna Wang dubbed the Norah Jones of the East (though I beg to differ... I think she's unique in her own way).

Everytime Aimei and I walked past the music shop, they would be playing her stuff. We didn't know who the singer was but we always commented that the song is good and her voice, superb! However, we never got to buying the album because we never got into the shop... always in a hurry.

When we finally made it to the shop, the album was sold out! Talk about circumstances...! Since then, I've been finding high and low for it and finally, yesterday, I got my hands on the album! It's an awesome album! *Exclaim Exclaim!



It's a 2 CD album; one in English and the other in Chinese. For some particular reason, I feel that she does better in English!

I checked her out in Youtube after getting the CD and I realised she has done numerous covers in live cafe performances! Just to tickle your senses... your earbuds... hahaha... here are some of my favourite songs from the album!



This song is a cover of David Tao's I Love You



This one's Spandau Ballet's True re-made!



Let's Start From Here



This one is performed live at a cafe in Taipei - Video Killed the Radio Star

She's amazing with the classical guitar... hahaha! Left handed guitarist and she's only 20! This goes down as a definite "Dev's pick"!

CIQ... I see the Queue

It's official now... The Old JB Customs is now closed! I repeat... it's now Closed! We the users are supposed to embrace the new CIQ!

Power la SGH 9323 J. Famous already!

Give it a few months and you won't see this guys (directing traffic) around anymore

As of late, I have been getting various emails and comments on the latest Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ). This 'mammoth' project has caused a mammoth headache in terms of jams due to road diversions and is a major contributer to pollution in JB city and for what... I don't know!

Now, I know there are those with their own preferences and all; some prefer the old one while others like the new one better.

For those who like the new one, I understand your feelings. At least you don't see the whole place (walls included) covered in soot! Give it some time, my friend! Hahaha. The soot is going to make a comeback... hahaha!

Some prefer the old customs due to its sentimental value. After all, it has been in operation for 41 years. For me, it's not so much the sentiments but the practicality! Nobody checks the passports! You just flash and go... (get it...? touch 'n go... flash 'n go) Of course I mean flash your passport and nothing else... hahaha! (You're so cheeky!)

Wah... are they acting or something?

For the new one, there's a super high-tech 'autogate' that is supposed to speed up the immigration process but sadly it malfunctions more than it actually functions! That's just for those who opt for public transport! For those driving, guess what? MR. J is still there, worse than ever! Yup... you guessed it. It's still JAMMED like CRAZY.

The familiar sight... Same same la...

So how do you come to terms with this mammoth project...?

Golda Meir

I'm currently reading this book called 'Golda' by Elinor Burkett.



For those who don't know who Golda Meir is, she's the first female Prime Minister of Israel, the third female Prime Minister in the world and the first female PM who got the post without any family connections!



She is one of the founders of Israel; signed its Declaration of Independence and is one of the most respected women in the world with contemporaries such as David Ben-Gurion, Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon.

She was a classic rag to riches story but remained true to her cause to the very end! She became Israel's Prime Minister at the age of 71 and led Israel in the midst of turbulent times of her era. Most of the time, she was the only woman in an old boys' club!



One look at her and you're reminded of your grandmother. Her image was perfect. the sensible shoes, frumpy dresses, swollen ankles typical to old people, her old-school handbag and her favourite Chesterfield cigarettes that were ever present with her with the hospitality of heaping food at you manipulates you into obedience! She is so good at foreign policy and her diplomacy skills so potent that she outmaneuvered Nixon and Kissinger at their own game of realpolitik!

I love her passion and tenacity to defend her homeland from skirmishes and enemies around. Her energy and stamina at that age is amazing for a leader of a nation.

I definitely recommend this book to anybody who loves to draw lessons and inspiration from others!