Taiping, Kuala Kangsar, Lumut & an Elephant Ride

Saturday 16th

It’s the school holiday and this time, santai-santai was in Perak Darul Ridzuan! We started off with AROCKV's Anniversary/Family Day/Grand Tour to Taiping. It was a bit different for us this time- we didn't go in our Alfa!! Though we have two of them, both had to stay home due to their 'unfortunate' conditions: one can’t seem to get into gear and the other is like a mobile heat sauna! So, there was the Camry, apprehensively volunteered itself to become the 'sweeper' of the convoy- behind the official sweeper!.... But the uneasy feeling quickly vaporized when we then realized the privileges of being an Alfa driver with a Camry skin- we can overtake the lead marshal!! Hence, made us a self-elected 'media car' who's free to move anywhere in between the convoy... apart from having a great photo collection of those sturdy Italian bodies on the road...


Taiping is a beautiful town with visible considerations for heritage and conservations of historic buildings. Our lodging was at Taiping Golf Resort in Kamunting, a tranquil little town adjacent to Taiping, surrounded by hills of greens... serene, indeed...


That night, after the anniversary dinner, speech & cake cutting ceremony, we treated the kids a tour of the Night Safari. Seems rather scarry to take a walk in the dark, with background sounds of wild animals (especially the lions!), but the train ride appeared to solve it all...
More pictures here.

Sunday 17th


The whole of the following morning was dedicated for time at the swimming pool, a necessity on almost every holiday now! From Taiping, the convoy moved on to Kuala Kangsar to savour gulai tempoyak ikan patin near the riverside. Fresh terubuk bakar with air asam was also a favourite, along with a bowl of cendol.... what a divine afternoon meal... if only this tummy have more space for laksa kuale....


After lunch, the convoy made their way back to KL, but off we were to Lumut, as the fun is yet to begin.... The trunk road from Kuala Kangsar to Lumut via Manong offered refreshing views of traditional Malay kampungs, with lots of fruit trees alongside the route. The road blends with the topography of the place, thus travel is less boring. Should be a good stretch to show off what Alfa’s can do, but, hey, Camry’s not bad after all....
More pictures here.

Monday 18th

This day really reminded me of UK.... gloomy, dull, downpour and we’re stuck in the air-conditioned hotel room for the whole day!! Lunch was at the hotel as well. We stayed at the Orient Star Resort Lumut. Nothing much to do but TV, newspaper, a Sudoku puzzle & a doze in the late afternoon... The kids finished up the hotel room’s memo pads and were about to grumble over boredom when suddenly.... out came the sun!! Woo-hoo.... off to Teluk Batik for a splash in the waves... Everyone had fun, except for my youngest 4 year old boy- he never liked sands in his slippers!!
Dinner was splendid- not only we enjoyed the seafood steamboat, it was with the company of a long-lost school friend (and his family) whom I haven’t met in 20 years!!

Tuesday 19th
Well, so much of Lumut, Teluk Batik, Sitiawan & Sri Manjung.... as usual, there was a swimming pool slot before checking out. By half past 12, we were off to KL, with a drive-thru lunch....
The drive back had everyone smiling, a sign they enjoyed their break. Again, except for one- the 4 year old. He remembered my promise in Taiping, and demanded for the reward of being a good boy! Something I almost forgot, as there was change of plans in Taiping- instead of going to the zoo in the day time, we went to the night safari instead, so he missed his elephant ride!!
He’s not going to be quiet about his mum’s promise, so after reaching home, getting ample rest & freshened up, off we went, in search of “the elephant with a seat on his back” as he described it...
Fortunate enough, there was MAHA2008 nearby, a place we were sure there will be some kind of animal ride, hoping that any animal would do, to compensate with the elephant. Should have seen the excitement on his face when he spotted the elephant “with a seat on his back” as he had imagined! So the boy got his elephant ride (though a bit nervous when the elephant started walking), and so did his 2 sisters. Not only that, they each had a pony ride and some fun time in the “do-what-u-like-with-the-rabbits” den...Putting all the 4 days holidays together, the kids said they enjoyed the last two hours the most...



So, for those who haven't been there, you only have until this weekend to go on animal rides, savour some great snacks and food (fruits, especially). And of course for plant lovers, I saw some beautiful species of orchids there... Ha'ahh...

More pictures in My Fotopage...

Too busy to santai?

This morning, i got a 'wake up call' from our dear RoyalTLady. I just realised i haven't been writing here for exactly 2 months already!! How time flies... Yup, i'm rather busy lately with my research and thesis, and have not been 'santai'ing for quite a while. Except that there were other forms of santai: we had old friends over, there were weddings almost every weekend for the past 2 months, and i'v started going to the gym once or twice a week to boost my stamina, release some stress, and of course to get rid of a few bulges here n there.... ummm..... I needn't blog about that, need i?
Our next santai will be next weekend... stay tuned!!

UK Holiday- Part 2

We're home on Thursday night. Coping with jetlag is tougher when travelling east! And who says unpacking is easy?
So, back to the itinerary.... On the way to Aberdeen, we stopped over at Crathes Castle. Beautiful gardens, only that it rained!

We then visited Ayah's ex-school, RGU, must've been so nostalgic that Ayah smiled the whole day.... The following day, we continued our journey to Edinburgh. Very nice of Joe to serve us lunch there! Thanks Joe! Edinburgh is a beautiful and vibrant city. Though we only manage to have a short visit, it was a splendid experience.

By 7pm we moved on to Newcastle Upon Tyne, via the highlands roads, with spectacular views! Arriving rather late, Yazid still served us dinner! Thank you Yazid!

The next day, Friday 30th May, we dropped by Fashie's place in Newcastle before visiting our dear friends Abg Mill & Kak Fida in Nottingham. It was nice of them to offer us a room at their place, though our original plan was to drive back to my sis's place in Birmingham that night.
Saturday we travelled to Oxford, the place where i used to stay while studying at Brookes. So it was my turn to smile as we passed by the nostalgic path of series of houses that i've lived in! we visited the school, but since it was a weekend, nobody was around, obviously.... The city centre is still the same as it was 14 years ago! Only that some roads were converted to one-way streets.

Sunday 1st June we went to London, dropping by Atok's house in Reading for breakfast of yummy nasi lemak. Thanks Atok.

Lunch was at Mara House and me & hubby did some souvenir shopping at Harrods and in Bayswater while mok & abah attended the kids at Hyde Park. The rest of the day was spent touring London in the car (taking advantage of no congestion charges on Sunday!). Monday, we toured London via tube using a one-day travelcard. Visited most places other tourists normally do. we even took a cruise on River Thames from Westminister to Tower Pier. Lovely, though the weather was a bit dull. Late evening, we visited a family friend, Pak Mat, an expat, in East Ham and had a lovely dinner of laksa.
Tuesday 3rd June we headed up north again, after receiving an unexpected text message from a long lost friend. 20 years of lost contact, i didn't want to miss this opportunity, so we drove up to Northwich to meet her! It was wonderful to finally meet Ana again, and of course I must thank Ana for the delicious meal! We headed back to Birmingham that evening, realising that our holiday was over! How time flies, though in the long days of summer, time was short on us! The next day was our final day in UK- a day of intensive packing for me, while the kids enjoy the sunlight at the park, the sunlight which came out finally on the day we are departing home....
Owhhh... we missed UK...

P/s: there were so many pictures- i will try to upload as many as i can, but not here, they will be in my fotopages.