Bromo-Bali 2

The clock strikes 3am and my alarm started to ring. The temperature must have fell lower than we arrived. I was freezing to death. Hui and I had a tug of blanket yesterday night too. Without breakfast, we just freshen up and took about a 1 hour drive up to Mount Penanjakan to catch the sunrise view of Mount Bromo and a few other mounts around it which I could not remember the name. I was wearing 4 layers of clothing and the 5th one is a rented one.









Nothing can be more wonderful than having a nice cup of hot noodles and milo when it is freezing at less than 5 celcious, plus it is 5am.















After the sunrise view, we head over to Mount Bromo. On the way, there is a piece of empty grass land with the mountains behind which is gorgeous. Felt like I was in New Zealand or so.
As we reached the site of Mount Bromo, it was as if we have been transported to Tibet or Mongolia.



Sandy grounds, horses, temples in the middle and the steep steps leading up the crater. Steam puffed out gently and the air is filled with sulphur particles. I was choking a bit on it. The worst part is, hiking up and breathing in polluted air.



As we reached the top, I realize I have lost my lens cap. Of all times and places, at the sandy area. My camera was covered with fine sand after the journey.

I find Mount Bromo pretty plain but the road leading to it is much more interesting. Something that I havent seen in my life at least, volcano, I am just at the mouth of the active volcano.












We went back to Hotel Cemara Indah for breakfast, which is at 9am. Had fried rice, chilled out a bit with coffee and tea with Juni and Hui. The view from the lobby is awesome! The weather has became slightly warmer, very much like Cameron Highlands back in Malaysia

Next destination would be a long ride to the town Malang where Mount Ijen is located. We started our journey at 10 something in the morning and we reached the Catimor homestay at about 4-6pm...could not remember the exact time.
We passed by a coffee plantation as well. The sun rises early there and the sky is dark at 6pm. The ride there was horrible, and the song 'Rocky Mountain' was playing in my brain constantly. The road is rocky and steep. Poor car engine, luckilly it is a four wheel, if not we would be stranded. Catimor homestay is rather cosy. Hot spring ten steps away from our room. Took a long dip in the warm water though it was rather murky in colour. We must be mad. Weather is cooling. Free coffee and tea for the guest. We have to wait till 7pm for the dinner. Fried rice again :) We slept in early and the following day, we have to wake up at about 6am.

What a long day. Though half of it was spent on the road. Travelling for hours from one destination to another.

Bromo-Bali 1

This is the trip that we have been waiting for since last year. Way before West Side Story production and also Cambodia trip. We are off to see the volcano. I remember reading all about it when I was a kid and remembering the different types of volcano from dormant, active and layers in a volcano. NOW we are really flying there!

Mount Bromo, one of the popular attraction located in East Java,Indonesia, still active and puffing :)

We got a really cheap rate for MAS to go to Surabaya. RM250, two way ticket. My very first time on MAS. We flew off at 430pm and reached Juanda Airport at about 730pm (their local time). It was pitched black in Indonesia. Oki, our driver picked us up and we realized our tour guide FFK us. Gosh! It was just him driving us around, not like what we expected. It was a long ride up to where we stay, Cemara Indah Hotel. We reached there at about 1130 pm and it is freezing!! Much more than Genting Highland in November. We are guessing it is about 10-15 celcious there.

The hotel is wonderful, we get a view of the volcano next to us. Giant size. As soon as we reached our hotel, we were digging for clothes to wear because the chill was really great. Water were ice cold and took about 15 min or so for the hot water to come around. After shower, we just hopped to bed and zzzzz. I was having a lil flu then but one magic Panadol flu medicine, I'm up and alive next morning.

Malang Tidak Berbau

Finally.... another Sunday of AlMOsT nothingness :D. Almost because I still gotta crawl out from bed to work a few hours. MALAS!! This should be one of the first Sunday I am quite relaxed at home and not out somewhere since school starts.

I miss my room in Subang subsequencely. My nice and peaceful room. I miss sitting whole day in front of the computer and doing nothing or just writing. Hmm..anyway, that is not the point of today's rambling.

I wanted to talk about how 'sui' my day yesterday or it is out of my callous brains! I was supposed to meet up Yinn, Hui , Juni, Rose, Ten and a few other heng tais (Keith, Dale, Kelvin). So i left my house after an exhausted work session. I was driving towards Midvalley and it is RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Somehow, my brilliant brain decided to take a turn to some lorong and missed a turning. I thought that would lead me back to Midvalley but I ended up in Pantai Highway, either going to Sg Besi or Sunway. SHIT! So, I chose Sg Besi and ended up in Cheras. After I cross the Connaught Toll, I decided to give Hui a call to see if I can still meet her and go together. Then, I realize I never bring my handphone. DOUBLE SHIT! I do not have a single CPAC friends number and we promised to call when we reach. That means, I might not be able to contact anyone at all and I would have no idea where to meet them.

So, it was either go back to Subang to take my phone or go to Hui's house and ask her father since am in Cheras. So, i chose the second option. I got the number written on my hand like tattoo. I reached Midvalley finally. Searching for public phone, and it was a tough search because the top floor do not have public phone. I have to run all the way down. Found one! Then, I called and realized it was a wrong number. I walked out dissapointed, almost in tears and I have no sense of time also. Then, I remember Ann gave me her name card. I called her and finally I got those numbers. PHEW!! Found them in Pasta Zanmai.

So lesson number 1,

"never leave your house without a handphone unless u can remember all your friend's number". Lesson Number 2,

"jgn pandai pandai venture new roads when ya freaking tired and it is almost dinner time!"

SIGHH...but the night was good. Nice meetin up with everyone even though my bowl of pasta sucks. Too sour for my craving that night. well...haihh


Me and Juni
Rose and Ten, the new wed couple *sweet*

Miss Hui hui! :) so kawaii here!The three Heng tai (kelvin, dale ,keith) and ji mui, yinn

All pics credits to Dale.

Anway, tonight, another adventure is yet to begin :).....Muahahhahahh!

Till then,

XXXXX

A Spontaneous Trip

This is random.

It started with:

Ann: Eh Ly, want to go visit Ai Ting tmr?
LY: okay, can ;)
Ann: We go pangkor in the morning also le
Ly: Yea ok! cool ! let's go!
Ann: We call Jfoo also.
Ly: wookay!



And then, the next morning the three psychos started journey at about 8 am zooming off to Lumut.



We landed at the jetty about 9ish and just in time to catch the ferry to Pangkor at 930am.

I have never been to Pankor since I am in primary school. Wow, really cant' remember when was the last time. I have a very bad impression on the beach there, dirty and disgusting. Somehow, I was wrong. It is a beautiful island and rather affordable trip if you dont stay in expensive hotels. Had our breakfast at some random stalls, everything has more seafood than what we get in mainland. We took a van to teluk nipah RM12 one way ride.

Thought want to 'santai' on the beach then we have crazy idea of snorkelling and going round the islands in speedboat. And so we are off to a exciting drift ride with our Mat boat. Met some sea creatures , sea cucumbers...


Next stop, he zoom us off to another place where ann and jfoo goes snorkelling. I decided to stay and jaga my baby while snapping more pics with it. The other side of this small stop has a magnificent view. Gorgeous and more dead twigs or branches :D



Never knew Pangkor can be so blueee! Always had it brown in my mind with twigs and polutions in the water.



Thanks gals! It was a really fun trip! :D Should have more random ones! And finally, we reached our 'MAIN PLAN'. We reach Princess Gan's Palace and being served with so much of Sitiawan yummilicious food and her family traditional cooking. Yam paste, famous Mi Sua with . That is princess gan and her adorable brother (cetak of the father, even walking pose)




Last but not least, her fav pet dinosaur, Bronty Gan :) Thanks Ai Ting for a lovely evening even though we are massively late :P A lunch that became tea time.

Rose's Wedding Day

This is one of the fun and exciting wedding that I have been. The Heng Tai and Ji Muis are just as mad man.

We went there earlier one day, on the 10th of Jan. Stayed in Hotel S2, which I have a spooky story to tell in a while. The night was spent preparing stuff for the Heng Tai session, 'torture' materials and other stuff for the games. It is one of the chinese wedding tradition where the groom and their friends (heng tai) have to go through games which some can be quite torturous before the groom reach the bride's room. Games in our session includes leg waxing with wax strips, eating banana tie to the groom's body, singing, reciting vows, and others .

Here is the adorable couple, Rosemary and Ten. Then the 7 Ji Mui's from CPAC, including Mr Terrence.



There is the other four more ji mui's on the right. Then, the whole bunch of Heng tais.

Then, subsequently after that is the wedding dinner night. Pictures courtesy of Terrence, our wonderful photographer :)

Ooo, now the spooky story. The room that we stayed in should not be haunted but I think the location that the room at is bad. It is on the T junction of the building. So we were sleeping soundly that night and suddenly a very loud knock came about. I was like 'who the hell' at this hour. I thought it was a morning call from the gals the other room. So i ran and peep through the whole. I saw a girl in white jacket, long hair but her face was looking to the right. I couldn't see how does she look like. Waited there for while for her to turn back and nearly wanted to shout Who are you. But, I just decided not too and tryin no to believe that it might not be a human. She stood rather still and did not move for so long. Rather strange. Too sleepy , I just walked off and jump to the bed, telling hui 'i dunno la, dun care!'.

The moment i walked away, she knocked again. This time hui ran to peep. She saw the exact thing that I saw, then she was spooked up. Runnin to the bed shivering and her heart was beating fast. Hui was like' eeeeeeeee..dunno what is that. scaryyy'. That really adds up to my adrenaline rush by confirming what I did not want to believe. We just huddle together. The time is 5 am. Ahh, still have no idea what is that. It could be human playing pranks or did I really encounter a ghost? EEEEEEEEEEEE!

*splat and hide under the blanket*

Seasons

Everything in life has its own season. Life itself has little phases that resembles seasons on earth, only more than four. I used to remember writing about the seasons in my life. There was spring, summer, autumn, winter, stormy and the last one, I have yet to fit a season to it. I never brought myself to finish up the writings of the last 4 seasons. Those memories are just too nostalgic for my heart to bear, to remember it. The last cycle of season has ended in 2006. In between it, there was a void filled with random weather...


This morning, i woke up and felt that the new cycle has already began in 2007. I could be entering the 3rd season already. Spring that is filled with hope and summer with all its warm ray has passed. I have reached the cloudy season. Things are just gray and cooling, occasionally, a nice ray will peak through the clouds to greet. It is lukewarm and not as hot as summer. Some things still remain green in the plain, somethings has start to wither. Some creatures are departing to warmer habitats and some are just going away for a new adventure.

For those who remains, they long for the bright blue sky with cotton like clouds that accompanies. Lying in the meadow while popping juicy berries from the summer harvest. Rasberries, blueberries, cherry tomatoes, strawberries... all the vibrant coloured and aromatic berries. All these are missed by those that remains. Envy for those who left. Turning into a dreamer day by day. Searching for new paths to tread on.

6 seasons that seems to run in a period of 3 years...will this cycle be the same as the last?

King Of The Earth

Absolutely in love with this song King of The Earth by John Ondrasik from August Rush soundtrack. It is dream like, rich and chill out song. John is from Five for Fighting who have written tracks such as Superman.


For those who haven't seen the movie, it is a MUST watch. You will fall in love with the soundtrack even before you watched the show. A tale of a boy in search of his parents through music whom he believes that they are still alive somewhere. And it is music which brought his parents together, separated and united at last.

KING OF THE EARTH

I'm as crazy as clown tonight
a clown without a crown tonight
a simple sack of wishes and bones.
I'm as useless as a memory
the day before it came to me
to save your time stitches and stones

But once in my life
I was the king of the earth once in my life, I was.

I've flown horses on the skies above
that aint enough for you my love to fill
these empty castles with ghosts
I've married devils to their history
sood where you would bury me
through a time of statues and rows

But once in my life
I was the king of the Earth
Once in my life I was.

now that the stars have frozen
in their places all that
I've hold seems gone now
that the stars have fallen from their faces I will see you on
I'll never be your picture present
but I hope you go the rose I sent
to save your town of stitches and bones
I'm nothing more than a simple man
born to be american out to draw these bridges and motes

but once in my life I was the king of the Earth Once in my life...

Almost Forgotten

I almost forgotten that I used to have a love for blogging. Just sitting beside my hostel window in my uni days. Time is usually 2-5am. That's when my brain will start to tick back to the past. Today, at 5.27 am. I have ticked back into my blogging self. Lost since I started working, till I couldn't breath.

This year was unusual. It is the year 2008. Almost 15 days left before 2009. This year went by so fast, I made myself into a robot or more like a living dead. I worked almost more than 12 hours a day, minus all the extra and compulsory activities. I am left with barely 2 hours a day for myself. These are my weekdays. My weekends, it is usually work again or replacement classes or there is just something that will come along. To cut my granny stories, the point is..... I lost myself. Depression kicks in. Out of balance.

Today, it is the 16th day of December. I realize what I was missing.

Life itself.

Sitting down for a nice cup of teh tarik yesterday afternoon was refreshing. Chatting up with Sasha, brought me back to uni times where we would just chill and watch people and talk bout life. An ordinary day with empty events but time is stilled. Just sipping in the milky tea as if I am sipping in the time, appreciating every second that past for the day. Next, a wholesome meal in Williams that I am so stuffed. Top it up with a bottle of Heneiken...I just sigh with pleasure.

That was one day gone. Here I am now, refusing to sleep. Digging through this blog and now I have reconstructed it. Digging into the archive and i read back random writings. How much I have evolved and how much I have not changed as well. I thought I have to write this post before I sleep, it's time to revive a new lifestyle.

2009, work hard but PLAY HARD too. Live life and be healthy. Spend time with family, friends and Self. I guess I got my next year's resolution sorted out. This year's resolution was great, I did all that I need to, plan goes well but the Self was neglected :(

Ahh, time to sign off. Or I'll end up sleeping in Red Box tomorrow afternoon..ahhahaah


I will not say I will blog everyday, I will try instead.

Returning to Siem Reap Day 1

Dec the 1st, 2008, I am officially flying back to Siem Reap again after babbling about it for almost a year. Gazing out of the window, with the morning sun staring at me, with its mild flare. I try to breath in the ray separated by the window glass. Sunrise was more beautiful from here then below the land. Though the landscape I saw could not be walked by any feet, only by your imagination. My friend was telling me, that's 'yun hai' or Cloud Sea literally.

We reached about 8am, our tuk-tuk guy was waiting for us patiently as he ushered us and our luggages. This time, I stayed in Mandalay Inn and came back to Siem Reap with 3 of my colleagues. The guest house that we will be staying in is well kept and has great service. Within half an hour, the front desk dude has helped us to arrange a tour guide and transportation after much inquiries.


The first temple that we toured to was the gateway Angkor Tom that leads us to Bayon temple, still looked as great as ever. These are the 3 buddies (left pic) that came with my lil adventure back to Cambodia again. Took a nose-touching-nose-with-Buddha picture (right pic). Brings good luck and happiness according to the guide. He is Than Sopear, very interesting and informative guide.


After lunch, we went over to Angkor Wat. I finally reached the center of Angkor Wat, where the 5 towers are, which I always thought they are only 3 as how the pictures always portrays it. The five towers represent the 5 mountains of Mount Meru. It was gorgeous. Mr. Sopear would make an excellent photographer. He guide us not only in history, but also the best spots to take nice pictures and how to get a wide angle view of the whole place, without any sophisticated lens. Here are some pictures from Angkor Wat.



































































































And to end the day, we went to Phnom Bahkeng to watch the sunset. It is not as fantastic to watch it there compared to Angkor Wat. Well, a final photo to end the post. And again, pictures can be deceiving from what the naked eye had seen. This lovely sunset photo is an example. The marvel of technology and how they capture light to shape the picture :)

Sometimes its best to Ssshhhhhh

Sometimes when we explain our fear,
it seems like an excuse,
When it repeats itself,
We just want to hear that constant reassurance..

Sometimes we share our pain,
it seems like a complaint,
One year, two year,
One decade,
Till next life,
It's still the same pain,
Stuck like scars

Sometimes we say we are depressed,
What if it is just genetic?
Just your screwed up hormones,
Its not going to go away,
For years and years it stays,
Everyday you struggle to crawl out of that black hole,
What a drag...
What if you tell somebody,
One day they just go,
"you're always depressed as I remember?"
Those are just signs that they are sick of our crap,
Our neverending stories..
That's when you realized,
Maybe I should just shut up,
Or more like turning back time again..

Why tell somebody?
When they cant understand...
Though they might lend an ear,
Its great to just let out what the heart is groaning..
If lending an ear means not saying anything,
Purely listening,
Why dont just talk to the wall,
Talk to the sky,
Talk to the trees or your dog?
Talk in your prayers or...anything...
And make believe IT is listening,
Does it makes us more comfortable that a human is listening,
Because you are sure that the ear's function is to listen?
Plus their neuron cells will react to our words...

Sometimes we are just not at the same perception level,
You might share the same feeling,
But not the same sight to get out...

Sometimes its best to just Sssshhhh,
Look within for solution,
What if there is none?
How?

May You Rest Well in Heaven

To Speedy, with love,

The most loyal dog,
Despite a lil' temper,
He is a wonderful dog,
Alwiz stuck close to the family,
Right beside our sofa,
As we watch TV,
While he takes his nap.

A brave hero indeed,
Have fought snakes to rats,
Foe in his eyes,
Danger to those he guards,
Protective over his master and family..

A strong soul as well,
Fought cancer with strength,
Lived on for almost two years,
Today, we return him to god and goddess ..
Released from the sufferings of Earth..

A Haloween baby indeed,
Came to us only in November 1995,
Today he departs on 12th November 2007,
May you rest well in heaven,
Among all the brightest stars.

We will miss your handshake,
Your smile,
Your warm welcome when we return,
Your craze over juicy bones,
Your cuddly warm fur,
Your pom pom tail,
That thunderous bark,
Your face during your rat-hunt,
Your tricks to run out of the gate,
And all those wonderful moment you gave us...

We love you,

Speedy aka 'Fei Lou' aka 'Furball'