2024 - 'Revenge Travel' Continues

2024 was a continuation of 'revenge travel' from the year before. I needed to restore hope after the pandemic destroyed my travel hopes and dreams for about 3 years from 2020 till 2023.

Here's a lookback at my travels in 2024.

February - Travelled to Taipei

The main purpose of my trip to Taipei was to visit a fellow traveler whom I had met when I was travelling in Tunis in December 2023. He had relocated temporarily to Taipei and I took the opportunity to visit Taipei too.

The highlight of that trip was hiking at Yangmingshan National Park.

Interestingly, I visited Taipei again in May when I was on a long transit back from Kagoshima.

I love this colourful piece of art becomes life at the Taoyuan International Airport.

April - Travelled to Central Asia

I made this trip simply because AirAsia had launched a new route between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty, and there were promotional tickets. 

Since I was going to be in that part of the world, I took the opportunity to visit 3 more countries in Central Asia, i.e. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. 

All in all, I covered 5 cities in 4 different countries. The cities were Almaty, Dushanbe, Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bishkek.

If you have the opportunity to visit Samarkand, don't miss the Registan Square. Begin your visit around 7:00pm and end with the light and sound show which begins at 8:00pm daily.

May - Travelled to Kagoshima

This was an unplanned trip. 

Earlier in February, I had reconnected with a former college mate after more than 20 years! And whilst talking, he invited me to join him to visit Kagoshima. 

Highlights of the trip was taking the ferry to Sakurajima, watched a dolphin show at Kagoshima City Aquarium, and made a road trip to Kirishima Geopark where we hiked to Mt Karakuni. 

I was pleasantly surprise to discover that Kagoshima was St Francis Xavier's landing spot when he brought Christianity to Japan. 

The Japanese Yen had depreciated against the Malaysian Ringgit, so I took the opportunity to purchase apparels from Muji and Uniqlo because it's cheaper in the home land. As a foreign tourist, I get to shop tax free with min purchase of JPY5,000. Just flash your passport and you'll get the discount on the spot! No need to hassle and redeem the discounts at the airport.

We hiked to the summit of Mt Karakuni (1,700 metres) and saw craters which used to be active volcanoes. Some of the craters were active and I could hear rumblings from the belly of the earth.

June - Travelled to Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB)

I purposely made this trip to BSB so that I can add another country to my List of Countries that I've Visited.

Two highlights of the trip were attending Mass at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and visiting Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. 

There's nothing much to see and do in BSB (which explains why I've never had a desire to visit Brunei) so we went to a mall to watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga which I found difficult to like especially after the genius of Mad Max: Fury Road.

Inside the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.

September - Travelled to Colombo

In about two days we covered the main sights in Colombo such as St Anthony's Shrine, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, and Gangaramaya Temple. 

On the third day, we hired a car and a driver to visit Sigiriya Fortress and Dambulla Cave Temple. Initially we wanted to join a local tour to those places, but Sri Lanka does not have group tours like other countries. So we had no choice but to pay for a car and a driver which were relatively expensive.

I was eager to visit Kandy but we only had a limited number of days for this trip. But now I have an excuse to revisit Sri Lanka.

It was a public holiday in Sri Lanka when we visited Sigiriya Fortress and the locals were out and about. The crowd was so big that we ditched the idea of climbing to the top of the fortress.

October - Travelled to Penang for a pilgrimage

This is the second consecutive year that Samaritan Hope Home organised a pilgrimage for its volunteers and benefactors. 

On this pilgrimage we visited the Penang Diocesan Museum in Georgetown, College General in Tanjung Bungah and the Minor Basilica of St Anne in Bukit Mertajam. 

The Minor Basilica of St Anne in Bukit Mertajam was one of the places we visited.

November - Travelled to Maldives

The highlight of my trip to Maldives was a day trip where we visited a sand bank in the middle of the sea, stopped for lunch at Himmafushi, and went snorkeling to look for stingray. 

Along the way, we spotted a pod of dolphins which got everyone on the boat excited. Who doesn't love dolphins. 

Artificial Beach in Male. When I posted this pic in Instagram, someone asked why do they need to create an artificial beach when Maldives already have natural beaches.

December - Travelled to Langkawi for a wedding

This is the first destination wedding that I've attended. 

It was held at The Danna Langkawi which was a great experience albeit the rates. After discount, a basic room was RM1,300.00 per night for 2 pax with breakfast. 

Looking ahead

In conclusion, I visited 8 new countries in 2024, and made a second visit to Japan (last visit was in June 2017).

How many new countries will I visit in 2025? I better start planning now. 

Bye bye Taffy :-(

After 17 years with the family, our beloved Australian Silky Terrier, Taffy was put down. 

At that age, she had become blind and had deteriorated to skin and bones. She could hardly stand up and could only consume liquid food.

So, with a very heavy heart, a decision was made to end her suffering.

Taffy was given a grand pet farewell. She was cremated and her ashes are now mixed with soil and kept in a flower pot in the garden with a tombstone.

With the lost of Rambo in December 2023, and now Taffy, we lost two dogs within four months of each other.

2023 - Reignited my travel mojo

2023 was an interesting year filled with many travels, and an unexpected big trip to the Mediterranean at the end of the year.

Here's a recap of the places I travelled to, as well as personal highs and lows in 2023:

Holiday to Perhentian Island (June)

I've been visiting the island annually, and this was my third consecutive year. I always stay at the same resort because I love the beach there!

Even though I've been to the same resort three times, and I see the same staff working there, interestingly, they never acknowledge me as a returning guest. As a former employee of an international hotel chain, and having written articles on hospitality, I feel that the resort could have a returning guest programme, or improve on its existing one (if there is one to begin with).

This year we splurged on a beach front chalet, and this was the view from our chalet:

Participated in Kuching Marathon (1 October)

Two days before the half marathon, I fell sick. 

I had a sore throat, flu and body aches. I was praying that I would recover before the run, which I did, albeit not fully. 

As my body was still weak, I walked for most parts of the race and completed it within the 4 hour cut-off time (not gonna reveal my embarrassing time here).

Trip to Sandakan (November)

A colleague wanted to see monkeys and sun bears, so I organised the trip for her, considering that I went on the same trip couple of years ago.

We hired a driver for the day who drove us to the following places:

a) Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary

b) Sepilok Orang Utan Centre

c) Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

d) Rainforest Discovery Centre

Amongst all the spots, my favourite was the Rainforest Discovery Centre.

This proboscis monkey looks like it's wearing a bomber jacket.

Pilgrimage got cancelled (November)

I was supposed to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but it got cancelled due to the war. I wrote about the experience in my column in Herald. 

As there's a silver lining in every dark cloud, I went on a "revenge" trip instead to make-up for the disappointment of a cancelled pilgrimage. 

 

Trip to Malta, Sicily and Tunis (November/December)

Since it was a last minute trip. it took me roughly a month to plan the trip and make all the bookings.

My trip began in Malta, after which I took the ferry from Valletta to Pozzalo (in Sicily) and onwards to Catania. In Catania, I had a great time visiting Mt Etna, Taormina, Isola Bella and Syracuse. 

From Catania, I took the bus to Palermo (capital of Sicily).

From Palermo, I took the ferry to Tunis. I may have been the first Malaysian to have travelled into Tunis via ferry. This is because at immigration (in Palermo and Tunis), I was asked to wait aside whilst the immigration officer checked whether Malaysians require a visa to enter Tunisia. You should see the puzzled faces of the immigration officers at La Goulette port in Tunis when they saw my passport. So for the record, Malaysians DO NOT need visa to enter Tunisia (as at December 2023).

When international borders were closed due to the pandemic, I couldn't travel outside Malaysia for 3 years, my last trip was in October 2019 to Central Europe. I thought I had lost my passion for travel. However, the trip to the Mediterranean have reignited my travel mojo.

Street food at Ballaro Market in Palermo.

My mum's dog passed away (3 December)

I was in Tunis when my sister messaged to inform that our beloved dog, Rambo had passed on that morning. She found him lying motionless on the floor with a stream of blood flowing from his mouth. 

Rambo was a stray that turned up regularly at my mum's place, and she eventually adopted him into the family in 2017. Therefore, we don't know his exact age. 

My only regret was not going back to my mum's place to give Rambo pets and hugs before my big trip to the Mediterranean. Now it's goodbye forever :-(

Bye bye, Rambo ...

Completed my MBA (December)

I enrolled for the course during the pandemic lockdown when I had loads of time being stuck at home. I had ample time to follow the online lessons, and to complete my assignments.

The graduation ceremony was held on 3 December, but I had to give it a miss as I was travelling in Sicily at that time. 

At the point of writing, I have yet to collect my certificate from the university. Without revealing the name of the university, I wouldn't encourage anyone to study there. The administrative part(s) of the university needs lots of improvement.

Maid of Honour in Singapore (December)

I was honoured (no pun intended) to become Maid of Honour at a friend's wedding in Singapore. 

The Mass was held at the lovely Church of Saints Peter and Paul on Queen Street.

I made two short trips to Singapore on two consecutive weekends - to attend the wedding rehearsal, and for the wedding itself.

So what lies ahead in the new year?

I already have two trips planned in 2024. And this time, I'm planning those trips around projects and events that I need to complete at the office. 

Chinese people the world over will also be celebrating the dragon lunar year in 2024 (CNY is on 10 Feb 2024). So I'm looking forward to 2024.

I wish everyone a year that is filled with hope, good health, and keep on having a growth mindset!

Finally Renewed my Passport

I finally renewed my passport. It had expired in June 2020 and I didn't bother to renew it because the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height at that time and international borders were closed. So there was no point having a passport as I couldn't travel abroad.

Before renewing my passport on 8 May 2023, I made sure to read in the Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia website the requirements for passport photo, e.g. must wear dark coloured top, hair must be pulled back and not cover the face, ears must be seen, must not smile and show teeth, etc. 

With that knowledge, I went confidently to a tiny photo studio at the Intermark to take my pic. I paid RM30 for 4 hard copies, and the soft copy was sent to my email too. 

Next, was to apply for passport renewal through the Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia website. After filling up my details and uploading my pic, my application got accepted on the first try. Thank heavens! I've heard of stories where the pic was rejected and the applicant had to go to the Immigration Office in-person to take the pic there.

After 4 days, I received an email to collect my passport from UTC Kuala Lumpur, the centre which I had selected in my application. 

When I went to UTC Kuala Lumpur to pick-up my passport, I presented my Identity Card (IC), receipt of payment (for the RM200 renewal fee) and the expired passport.

Alas, when the officer saw my documents, he said I had to update my IC before they could release my passport. I was aghast! This is why I detest going to Government offices because the nonsense that we need to comply makes life difficult.

The Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara office was opposite the Malaysian Immigration Office in UTC Kuala Lumpur. That is convenient, however I didn't bring necessary documents to update my IC. 

To cut a long story short, I managed to update the address in my IC using the assessment rate notification issued by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. I didn't update my IC for 28 years!

After collecting my passport, I now have my travel power back. It is time to plan a trip abroad. Which country shall I go next? 

Into my fourth passport now. My current one is in the fancy cover.

2022 - The Year I Climbed a Mountain

The only achievement that I am proud off this year was climbing Mount Kinabalu. It was my second time ascending the mountain, and I posted an entry about it onto my Facebook page. Here, take a read:

"Every hiker will snap a photo at this signboard when they reach the summit of Mount Kinabalu - to proof that they have reached the peak of one of the highest mountains in South East Asia.

To reach the summit, hikers would have to start hiking at 2.30am in pitch darkness with only a head lamp lighting their way. The steep incline, low oxygen level and freezing temperature makes the ascend more challenging. Therefore, when they reach the peak, it is their moment of achievement and glory.

On 20 June 2022, I had my mountaintop experience on the peak of Mount Kinabalu. But it is a shame that my three comrades did not make it to the summit within the time frame, and that is why I am the only one in the photo."

(Pics to come)

2021 - A Lost Year

Here we are at the end of another year. 

2021 had passed by in the blink of an eye. I certainly didn't have time to reflect on the year that was - the wins, hits and misses. 

(1) Resurrected my writing stint with Herald (July 2021)

I used to work as a full-time journalist with Herald circa 2001, but left after 1.5 years to join the corporate sector.

Now that a close friend has been appointed as the Editor in July, she had asked me to help with the reporting, which I gladly accepted. 

In November, I began a monthly column in Herald titled, 'Faithfully Speaking'. God only knows how long I'll be able to sustain the column, but as the Bible says, nothing is impossible for God.

(2) Commenced postgraduate studies (July 2021)

A prelate said in his sermon that the pandemic lockdown is a time of grace which has been given to us, and that we should make good use of this time which we will not get back again. 

After listening to that sermon, and motivated by my circumstances of working from home (indefinitely), I decided to invest in myself by enrolling in a long-distance MBA programme. 

The assessment for each module comprises of 70% assignment and 30% written examination, the latter being a 24-hour open book examination. As a person who dislike exams (read my challenges to obtain the Chartered Banker qualifications in item No. 5 below), this long distance MBA programme is ideal for me. However, since it is not an in-person MBA programme, I don't get the full impact and experience of discussing case studies with fellow course mates.  

(3) Completed two doses of vaccine on 4 August 2021 

I wanted to be one of the last few in the country to take the vaccine so that others may take it first. However, since our turn to take the vaccine is determined by the MySejahtera app, I decided to go with the flow.

I wanted to get Pfizer vaccine because I was under the impression that it is widely accepted in many countries, which would make my global gallivanting easier once international borders reopened. Thanks to an acquaintance who has a wide network of connections, I was able to get the vaccine. 

After the first jab, I suffered excruciating back pain that I could not get up whenever I laid down. I had to hold onto the sides and with a deep breath pull myself up. Getting up from bed takes a couple of minutes each morning. My menstrual cycle also became haywire, now early by 5 days each month. I suffered breakouts between my jawline and the bottom of my face. With all these complications I decided not to take the booster shot.

(4) Completed Chartered Banker Diploma (September 2021)

The journey from Professional Banker to Chartered Banker was a long and arduous journey. I certainly wouldn't want to do this again. 

Update: I recorded my experience of studying for the Chartered Banker Diploma and posted it on my LinkedIn in August 2022:

"I received my Chartered Banker ("CB") qualification in June 2022. It was a long journey that thought me the importance of staying focus, changing tactics and not giving up. In order to receive the the CB qualification, candidates had to complete three modules which includes a compulsory, 'Professionalism, Ethics & Regulation' ("PER") module. Having completed two modules, PER was the final one that I had to complete in order to become a CB. Unfortunately I had sat for the exam thrice but did not make it. I was always short of 2 or 3 marks to pass. After the third unsuccessful attempt, I had to change tactics, because insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Since the PER module consists of 70% written examination and 30% assignment, I decided to redo my assignment. The decision paid off because my assignment scored higher marks than the initial one, and I finally pulled through the PER module! The three takeaways from this experience are: 1) Stay focused. It is easy to lose focus on our goals especially after failures and disappointments. But we need to keep our eye on the prize and don't let other distractions lure us away from our goal. 2) Change tactics. If what you have been doing is not bearing the results that you desire, perhaps it is time to reflect on what you have been doing wrong and make changes. 3) Don't give up. Few of my colleagues gave up pursuing the CB qualification after failing one module. They were afraid they will continue failing. Some of them lost interest along the way. If you are thinking of throwing in the towel, think instead of the satisfaction of success if you had trudged on and hadn't given up. Good luck!"

(5) Appeared on Conversation Hour (October 2021)

I accepted the invitation to appear on Conversation Hour because a BEC member had asked me.  

Conversation Hour is a weekly talk-show on Facebook where guests from different backgrounds are invited to share their reflection on pre-determined Bible verses. The topic that I shared about was on the parable of the talents (Matthew 25: 14 - 30).

It was the first time appearing on a live talk show. The one thing I learnt from the experience is the importance of preparation. It is crucial to prepare talking points and rehearse your heart out.

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Now that we are on the onset of another new year, I pray and hope that we will always be healthy in body, mind and soul. And that our economy and livelihoods will improve.

2020 - A Pandemic Year of Challenges

This will probably be the shortest look back post I've written in this blog as I didn't travel much in 2020 because of the pandemic. 

Ronan Keating Concert at Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting - 14 February 2020

An acquaintance from church had given me 2 tics for the concert in return for a ride up to Resorts World Genting and coffee money. I happily agreed on the barter trade and brought a friend to accompany me to the concert. 

Although we sang our hearts out at Ronan's hits like When You Say Nothing At All and If Tomorrow Never Comes, I felt that the concert which lasted around 1.5 hours was a tad too short for the price of the tic. Thankfully I didn't pay for the tics or else I would have asked for a refund.

Mr Keating rocking the crowd at the concert. 

Participated in Kuala Lumpur City Day Half Marathon - 8 March 2020

This was the first and last run I had participated in before the Movement Control Order (MCO) kicked in on 18 March 2020. 

Because COVID-19 was spreading rapidly at that time, many participants didn't turn up and this gave ample room for those who participated to practise physical distancing throughout the run.

COVID-19 pandemic

What can I say but the pandemic has turned our lives upside down. It had indeed been a challenge and perhaps even a blessing to some extend. I captured my experiences during the initial part of the MCO here.

The things that I had learned during the pandemic warrants another blog post on its own.

Started volunteering at Samaritan Hope Home (SHH)

SHH is a centre for the homeless located in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. The homeless could go to SHH for a meal 6 days a week. However when the MCO was enforced on 18 March 2020, SHH had changed its modus operandi to packing food for distribution to the homeless instead. 

This is the food that we packed daily during the MCO:

Getting sufficient manpower to pack the food was a challenge as many volunteers were fearful of stepping out of their homes, let alone volunteer at SHH. 

In the end we only had around 8 volunteers to pack the food and clean up after. We started at 8.00am and finished around 2.00pm daily, 7 days a week. Back breaking work indeed, but the rewards were immeasurable. 

Visited Perhentian Island in August

This was a long awaited trip after not being able to go anywhere since 18 March 2020. 

We drove to Kuala Besut, stayed overnight at a small motel beside the bus station, and took the ferry to the island the next day. Along the way we stuffed ourselves silly with nasi kerabu and keropok.

After seeing the beauty of Perhentian Island, I kept asking myself how come I didn't visit this island before. 

Perhentian Island is indeed paradise on earth and I'm planning to make a trip there again once the monsoon season is over.

The drive from KL to Kuala Besut was an 8-hour journey which was too long for me. By the time I reached home, my feet had become swollen due to water retention. I had to get a feet massage and went for a short 5km run to get my blood circulating. So no more driving to the East Coast. Instead, I'll fly to Kota Bahru and travel by road to the jetty.

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In the coming year I hope we'll be able to travel more and that marathons (HM & FM) will be allowed too. 

Eventhough I like to travel out of Malaysia, perhaps 2021 is the year I do my part as a citizen by travelling more within Malaysia to help revive the economy.

However the end of the pandemic is not in sight yet. As I type this, a new strain of virus have been found, and eventhough vaccines are being distributed around the world, we do not know whether it'll be effective at all.

So in the meantime, we must take care of our health, watch out for each other, and trust in the Lord that everything will be alright.

Here's to a hopeful 2021.

Life in a time of COVID-19

The Movement Control Order (MCO) has been in effect since 18 March 2020 and will go on till 14 April 2020.

The aim of the MCO is for people to stay home and to practise social distancing. We're also told to wash our hands frequently using soap and water and to use hand sanitisers.

During this time only essential businesses are allowed to operate. Supermarkets and convenient stores can only operate between 8.00am - 8.00pm. However only the head of the family is allowed to go get groceries. Customers are not allowed to dine-in at eateries but take-away and food delivery are allowed. Public transportation such as MRT and e-hailing services have limited operating hours.

The Malaysian Government is very strict on this and many who have flouted the law have been arrested. Yesterday 24 seminarians from College General were arrested for playing football in the college field. They pleaded guilty and were sentenced to three hours of community service on weekdays for three months.

The World Health Organisation has said today that they expect Malaysia's COVID-19 cases to peak in mid-April. So there's a possibility that the MCO may be extended. I tell you ... if that happens, there'll be more people suffering from psychological problems compared to coronavirus.

'Work from Home'

I've been 'working from home' since 23 March 2020 after the Central Bank of Malaysia asked all banks to reduce their staff working in the office to 50%. The thing is ... my bank does not provide laptops for staff due to security issue. Therefore I can only 'work from home' via phone calls and WhatsApp messages. I feel helpless at times but there's no other way. 

More Time

Now that I have alot of time on my hands, I'm maximising it by doing all the things that I didn't have time to do before, e.g. catching up on my reading, blogging (already completed 2 blog posts in a week!), Netflix (finished Season 1 of Mindhunter), etc. It would be a shame if I didn't accomplish anything by the time the MCO ends on 14 April 2020. 

Routine

On weekdays I've established a daily routine like waking up the same time as on a typical day to the office. I need to report to my Head of Department every morning via WhatsApp about my health condition, i.e. whether I'm having a fever, whether I'm not feeling well, etc.

After showering and taking my breakfast I'll read the news and do some writing or fiddle around on social media.

Since the laundromat is closed during the MCO, I now have to hand wash my clothing which I do twice a week. Thank heavens that the usage of clothing is minimal when one is staying home. And thank heavens for dry-fit t-shirts which dries quickly. 

Food

I go out to get groceries about once a week and I wear a face mask each time I go out. 

I'm blessed to be living right smack in the middle of the city where there're many supermarkets and convenient stores within walking distance from my flat. 

I'm careful whenever I go out as there have been reports of people getting robbed on their way back from grocery shopping. People are getting desparate these days and some are resorting to robbery and thef.

When I went to get groceries during the initial stages of MCO, I bumped into three youth dressed in black jacket and black jeans in one of the lanes. Their menacing way of walking told me they were up to no good and I quickly walked away as fast as I could. 

During the early stages of the MCO, I had ordered vegan burgers and sausages online and that has lasted me till now. Today I ordered salad in support of local businesses. I made sure I ordered two salads to maximise the delivery charges.

Influx of Nonsensical Information and Fake News

Now with the MCO is in full force and many of us are staying home, people use their free time to forward anything they receive via WhatsApp without verifying the info first. Most of the time the info turns out to be nonsensical information or fake news. I've muted many chat groups and individuals because there's just too much of these being sent around.

What irritates me most is when two people in the same chat group sends the same shit one after the other to the same chat group. Clearly shows that people don't read their messages.

Chartered Banker Examination

My Chartered Banker examination which was scheduled at the end of March 2020 has been postponed to July 2020. 

Part of me was rejoicing when AICB called to inform that my exam had been postponed. When it finally sank in, the other half of me was loathing the thought of having to sit for two papers in July. Well, I'll just have to wing it.

Highlights of 2018

Lo and behold ... I've not updated this blog since August, and that's a long period in the social media universe.

So what have I been up to lately? Let me share with you in a flashback post since it's already end of the year.

1) Visited Boracay in January

It was my first time in the Philippines and I was lucky I made the trip because not long after, the island was closed down in April 2018 so that environmental problems on the island could be fixed. Air Asia also terminated its Kuala Lumpur - Kalibo route not long after. Anyway, Boracay has since reopened early this month.

The most popular beach in Boracay is White Beach which had lovely soft, white sand, and the waters were crystal clear. The locals were also friendly. However each time I lay on the beach, there would be an endless stream of locals asking me to buy souvenirs and snacks. In the beginning it was ok, but then it started annoying me.

Sunset on White Beach in Boracay.

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2) Visited Redang Island in April

Because my trip to Boracay was so-so, I compensated with a trip to Redang Island in the state of Terengganu in Malaysia.

It was a very relaxing trip. No locals bugged me to buy stuff and I could sleep for hours on the beach and hammock.

The crystal clear waters of Redang Island never fails to amaze me.

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3) Visited Taiping in May

This was a road trip with my family. This was my first time to Taiping and I enjoyed the laidback town that Taiping is. In case you don't know, Taiping is a town in the state of Perak in Malaysia.

We visited the Taiping Zoo Night Safari, Taiping War Cemetery, Lake Gardens and Antong Coffee Mill.

I enjoyed the Night Safari the best. The highlight was seeing one of the elephants wash its food in the pond before consuming it. After the meal, the elephants gathered in a circle and emitted weird sounds as if though they were talking to each other. I could hear all this clearly because it was night time when the slightest sound is accentuated.

You can see how powder is prepared at the Antong Coffee Mill in Taiping.

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4) East Europe & St Petersburg, Russia in September

I was away for 20 days when the weather was not too cold and the crowd manageable.

From Kuala Lumpur I flew to Helsinki (Finland) via London.

In Helsinki I visited the Suomenlinna fortress and ate salmon soup at the Kauppatori. The weather was chilly and becomes very cold when it rains which was quite frequent. I had come prepared with three jackets and was wondering whether I could survive a winter in Finland.

From Helsinki, I took the ferry to Tallinn to visit the holy trinity of the Baltics, i.e. Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania). Amongst the three cities, I like Riga the most. Don't know why.

One of the squares in Old Town Riga.

The Three Sisters is a popular attraction in Riga.

Then I moved southwest into Poland into its capital city Warsaw and then to lovely Krakow where I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mines Salt Mines. Many people had told me not to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau because it's a sad place filled with restless souls. But it was an eye opening experience which I'll remember for a long time to com; from the lady who burst out crying after listening to how the Jews were murdered, to the lingering smell of the chemicals used to preserve the hair of the victims.

From Krakow, I flew back to Helsinki and took the overnight Princess Anastasia ferry to St Petersburg in Russia.

The Russians really know how to build grandeur and magnificence into their buildings. I was astounded. In that magnificent city, I watched a ballet performance called Le Corsaire at the legendary Marinsky Theatre.

I had so much fun during this trip that I didn't want to come home.

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5) Chartered Banker qualification

I progressed to the third and final level of the Chartered Banker professional qualification.

There are three modules for this level. I sat for the first module (Professionalism, Ethics & Regulation) on 24 November 2018 and currently awaiting exam results which will be out in February 2019.

If everything goes according to plan and I don't have to resit any module, I would be able to obtain my Chartered Banker qualification by end of 2019.

Completing assignments and studying for exams has been the main reason why I didn't update this blog since August.

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6) Tried volunteering for 14th Malaysian General Election

I registered as a volunteer PACA (Polling Agent Counting Agent) for the 14th Malaysian General Election on 9 May 2018.

However I was not assigned a polling centre due to a blunder on the organiser's side. What a bloody waste of time and effort to attend PACA trainings which were usually held in the evening after work.

Eventhough the candidate I volunteered with won her parliamentary seat, I don't think I'll volunteer again for future elections after this bad experience.

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7) Knee problem

I gave up running for almost 6 months due to a knee problem.

Each time I hit 2km - 3km at a certain speed, my left knee would start having a discomfort which leads to pain.

After recuperating for almost 6 months I'm trying to start running again. I'm hoping that my knee won't let me down or else I would have to seek professional help.

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8) Hard Rock Cafe bottle openers

Added six new bottle openers from Helsinki, Hong Kong (two different types), Houston, Krakow and Warsaw.

I could have collected more because Helsinki alone had like six different types of bottle openers. But I didn't want to spend so much on a single outlet.

The most disappointing was Hard Rock Cafe St Petersburg in Russia. I had walked almost 2km to the outlet only to find that the bottle openers were sold out. The sales assistant tried to convince me to purchase other stuff from the Rock Shop but my heart is with the bottle openers.

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Looking forward to 2019

I've booked a trip to South Korea in May 2019. Tickets on Air Asia were bloody cheap to not book it. I'll be flying into Seoul and flying back from Busan. Gonna skip Jeju because I would need to drive around the island which is not economical since I'll be travelling alone. Ah some of the perils of solo travel.

A friend has mooted the idea of travelling to Morocco in September. So I hope that materialises. But you know when we plan so far ahead and depend on another person, most of the time it doesn't happen. That's why I prefer solo travel.

Highlights of 2017

1) Visited Japan in June

Covered Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo in that order.

The highlights of the trip was the super expensive Shinkansen train ride from Kyoto to Tokyo and the eye opeing experience of bathing in an onsen completely nude with other women.

 Was happy to see a familiar face (look at the yellow flag) in Dotonbori, Osaka.

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2) Visited Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro in September

That trip was one of the best trips I've had in a long time.

The Balkans is certainly blessed with amazing landscapes, aquamarine waters and awesome weather. It was also relatively easy to travel through these 3 countries.

I think it's kinda cool that they built this basketball court inside the Old City of Dubrovnik in Croatia.

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3) Visited London in September

London was my entry into Europe where I stayed with friends.

It was my second time in London (first trip was in September 2009) and this time I observed the following:

a) The locals are more friendlier. My friend said it's because Great Britain is no longer great after it voted out from the EU. So the locals have been made humble.

b) There were tourists everywhere. Perhaps the weakening of the GBP have enabled more people to visit London.

c) There were many foreign workers from other parts of Europe working in London.

d) London has become dirtier. There were rubbish everywhere. I found food wrappers and paper cups stuffed between shrubs/plants in that little square in front of the Bank of England where the London Troops War Memorial is. I also found chewing gum stuck on the underside of railings.

e) The British Museum and St Paul's Cathedral certainly needs a new coat of paint. Both buildings look rundown from the outside.

Having said all that, I did have a marvellous time in London. Some of the things I did:

- Went to the Bank of England to change an old 50 pound note for a colleague.
- Had dinner at Jamie's Italian restaurant on Threadneedle street.
- Visited the Natural History Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum.
- Went to Bicester Village to get two TOD's bags and two Longchamp bags.

London is a great city and I'll never get tired of visiting it again.

The Natural History Museum in London.

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4) Started participating in runs

- 2017 is the year that I ran my first 10km at the MPI Generali Run on 8 January 2017 to be exact. I've been running 5km all these while, so I thought why not up the game. Fellow running enthusiasts have encouraged me to do a half marathon next, but let's see it goes.

- Emerged 10th place in the 5km Women's Open KL New Year's Day Run

- Emerged 8th place in the 10km Women's Veteran HSN21KM Run on 14 October 2017.

- Participated in 8 runs and 2 bandit runs

- Still trying to do a sub 1 for 10km, best time is 1:04:28

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5) Collected 12 Hard Rock Bottle Openers (City-T Guitar V+)

- Bali Cafe

- Bali Airport

- Hamburg

- Ho Chi Minh City

- Kota Kinabalu

- Lisbon
- London

- Munich

- Osaka
- Podgorica
- Sentosa Singapore

- Tokyo

Didn't expect such a haul but luck was on my side because friends were travelling and I requested them to get the magnets for me.

I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that Kuala Lumpur finally has changed its bottle opener after having the previous one for ages.

The latest Kuala Lumpur bottle opener.

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May 2018 bring good health, happiness and success to everyone!

Photo was taken at the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Kyoto, Japan.

2016 - Not many travels but lotsa learning

At the end of each year, I go through my customary look back at the year.

I travelled to only 2 places in 2016. But there were many learning opportunities throughout the year to improve my career prospects, health and just for the sake of pursuing passion. Here goes:

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Travelled to Nepal (again!). Was supposed to do Everest Base Camp but was unsuccessful because we couldn't fly into Lukla where the trek begins. You can read all about it here.

View of Kathmandu city from the rooftop of Hotel Yambu.

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Travelled to Kuching, Sarawak for the first time. Went there to participate in the Kuching Marathon.

Also took the opportunity to visit some interesting sights in Kuching and gluttoned all the way with Kuching food.

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Took part in 2 fun runs: Kuching Marathon and Score Run.

Finishers medal.

I also registered for the Precious Ladies & Men's Possible Run on 12 December 2016 but didn't go because it was raining that morning.

Will be doing my first 10km on 8 January 2017 at the MPI Generali Run. Keeping fingers crossed that I'll be able to complete the race within 1 hour 15 minutes which is the time limit I've set for myself.

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Enrolled for the Chartered Bankers course offered by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers. 

I completed my first module, Marketing and Selling in Financial Services on 20 November 2016.

I've got 2 more papers to sit in April 2017 before I move on to the final level, i.e. Chartered Bankers level.

This is how the study text look like.

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Started taking up tai chi and completed learning the 37 steps, Cheng Man Cheng style on 19 October 2016.

Attended push hands technique workshop on 21 October 2016 at Cova Square in Kota Damansara. The workshop turned out to be a self defence class instead of push hands which was a disappointment. What a bloody waste of RM399.00.

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Completed a Basic Nail Course where I learned to give a manicure, pedicure and buffing amongst other things.

Somehow I've developed an interest in making nails look pretty and healthy. I still need to work on my nail polish application though, to make it look flawless.

My manicure/pedicure kit which is included in the fees. 

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Added 4 Hard Rock Cafe bottle openers to my collection, i.e. Amsterdam, Helsinki, Pattaya and Yokohama.

I could have added Lisbon, Macau and Munich to the collection, but was on a cost discipline exercise. Hard Rock Cafe bottle openers don't come cheap, you know ...

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Started embracing a minimalist lifestyle because we actually don't need much to live. Having less stuff also means more space to free my flat and mind. Cleaning my flat is also so much easier with less stuff lying around.

I started this minimalist lifestyle by slowly decluttering my stuff using the Konmari method. It's a slow process but I'm getting there.

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Happy New Year 2017 everyone !

My New Pursuit - Chartered Bankers Course

I recently enrolled for the Chartered Bankers course offered by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB).

The course has 3 levels, i.e. Executive Banker (EB), Professional Banker (PB) and Chartered Banker (CB). Candidates must pass 3 modules (subjects) in each level to move on to the next.

While studying for my first EB module, Risk in Financial Services, AICB announced the accelerated route entry and I was lucky to get 'promoted' to PB level and skipped EB completely. I was overjoyed because having to pay for this course myself, being able to skip 3 EB papers means money saved!

On 20 November 2016 I sat for my first PB paper, Marketing & Selling in Financial Services. It's been more than 10 years since I sat for a proper exam. However the whole process of preparing for an exam came back clearly to me - from mugging non-stop 1 week before the exam, getting my 2B pencils sharpened and last minute note browsing just before entering the exam hall. I even used the same pencil case that I used when I was in Form 6 and college!

Now that my first PB paper is completed, I plan to register for 2 more papers, i.e. Customer Relationship Management and Business Lending for the next exam in April 2017. If I pull through I'll move on to CB level. Wish me luck!

Less Travels in 2015

2015 was a relatively boring year for me in terms of travel. I only travelled to 6 places locally and abroad. Here goes:

Bangkok in January

Left for Bangkok immediately after work and arrived at the hostel at 12 midnight on New Year's Day just in time to see the fireworks.

This trip to Bangkok was a fruitful one because we met up with Sitt and Orn whom we met during our trek to Poon Hill, Nepal in October 2012. We went for dinner at CentralWorld to catch up and to talk about more travels, what else!

And what would a trip to Bangkok be without shopping. I bought loads of dresses, t-shirts and shoes at the Platinum Fashion Mall.

Boat ride on the Chao Praya river to get to the Grand Palace. The water was black in colour that I was careful to keep my mouth closed literally throughout the ride for obvious reasons. 

Pulau Tidung (Jakarta) in March

This trip was relatively disappointing because the island was dirty, dirty, dirty. You can read about my experiences here.

Sunset on Pulau Tidung. The piece of land on the right are dead corals with rubbish on it.

Universal Studios Singapore in April

LvH was in Singapore for work at that time so I took the opportunity to organise a trip to Universal Studios Singapore, for the sake of visiting it.

We also visited the SEA Aquarium which I think LvH enjoyed most because he's an avid diver. The rest of the rides in Universal Studios were too young for us actually but I had a great time!

Jelly fish at SEA Aquarium.

Mulu World Heritage Area in May

This was my second time in Mulu. Decided to go again to accompany LvH who has never been there.

I had a great time doing other stuff that I didn't get to do during my first visit. The new stuff that I did were Garden of Eden Valley Walk, Fastlane to Lagang Cave, adventure caving in Stonehorse Cave and the canopy walk.

We saw this snake during the canopy walk early in the morning.

Sandakan (Sabah) in July

It was a long Aidilfitri weekend and we took the opportunity to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Labuk Bay Proboscis Money Sanctuary and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.

You can read about my experiences here.

Australia in September

Saved the biggest (read: expensive) trip for last.

The main reason I went to Australia was to attend my sister's MBA graduation in Toowoomba which is about 125km from Brisbane. So I took the opportunity to visit Sydney and Melbourne too.

View of the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge from Circular Quay.

New job

Joining a Japanese bank was probably the biggest change for me in 2015.

I was already almost 2 years working under the bloodiest bitch of a boss at one of Malaysia's leading resort & hospitality company, and I was planning to move on. So I upated my Linked-In profile and waited. Soon I received a call from a headhunter and the rest as they say, is history.

I left for Australia on 28 August which was my last day at the job, spent 2 weeks in Australia, returned to Kuala Lumpur on 12 September and started my new job on 14 September. Timing was absolutely perfect.


2016 travel plans 

I have 31 days annual leave in 2016 (includes 9 days carried forward from 2015). So I'll have more time to travel compared to my previous jobs which had less annual leave.

Angie and I are already preparing ourselves physically and mentally to trek to Everest Base Camp in September/October 2016. I plan to blog about my preparations - monthly practise treks, wardrobe, gear, etc.

I'll also be making a trip to Oman at the end of the year to visit LvH who's now based there.

Apart from that, I don't have any other plans to travel. If I do, it would only be domestic travel. One reason is because of the drastic fall of the Malaysian Ringgit. Malaysians are now poorer everytime we step out of the country. And foreigners are richer whenever they come to Malaysia. I won't be surprised if the number of tourists to Malaysia will reach an all time high in 2015 and beyond.

As the world welcomes 2016, I wish all my readers, followers, family members, friends, relatives, etc. a wonderful year ahead. The world may be in a state of chaos and disarray. But I believe that there's always hope.

Happy New Year 2016! May we be continuously blessed in every way.

2013 ... What an Incredible Year!

Took up Salsa and Bachata

Started lessons after TC introduced these dances to me. Now I go dancing minimum twice a week and it's a great feeling to be able to do that. Salsa and bachata songs rocks!

Moved to City Centre

I got meself a new pad, renovated it and moved my body, heart and soul there in September. This was one of the best decisions I've ever made as location, location, location is everything. Now I can walk to almost everywhere - Sungai Wang Plaza, Lot 10, Pavilion and Suria KLCC. 

My new pad, unfinished at that time.

Changed Jobs

After 3.5 years in an IT company, I went back to work for a previous company albeit in a different position. Best part is that my office is only a 10-minute walk from my new pad. Life is indeed blissful.

Underwent a Surgical Operation (for the first time)

Upon returning from Phuket in September, a freaking lump started growing beside my thyroid. It became so big that it can be seen moving up and down my throat each time I swallowed.

So I did a scan and the doctor said it's a cystic colloid. He recommended surgery to remove the darn thing and I gladly agreed. Now I have a scar below my neck to live with.

Snapped this pic after I woke up from general anaesthetic.

Travel

Didn't go anywhere exotic or jaw dropping this year. Only places I visited were Redang, Railay and Phuket. Gosh, can you see a pattern here? Oh yeah, I also did some nude sunbathing in Railay for the first time.

Beautiful Redang

I'll be going to the Mulu Caves tomorrow for some adventure. It's a good end to the year and I'm hoping to catch Abe Lincoln's silhouette in the Deer Cave and watch some bats fly around. 

I wish you and your family a great 2014. The best is yet to come!