The Shorea Escape

You know how you and your friends meet up for dinner one night and agree on a trip somewhere together, and then as the date to confirm approaches, one by one falls out of that agreement, whether it is because of work control, relationship commitment, health condition or financial constraint, and you're left to go alone IF you REALLY want to go alone, but usually, you will cancel the plan altogether. A familiar story?

Well, this is not that story.

With technology these days, the discussion and decision-making process were made miles apart, across different time zones. My friend shortlisted a few places and ultimately, we selected one that matched our intentions. The trickier question was the 'when'. Noticing a break in our schedules, we found a date that lit for our calling. Kudos to my friend on continuing with the arrangement: booking and dealing with the booking. Needless to say, this trip might not have happened if not for his drive. Metaphorically.

Been practising awhile for this pose.

And literally. He was the designated driver.

There were six of us, passengers stuffed with bags to our chests, in a Proton Alza (scream 'Roooaad Triiip!'). We gathered on a sunny Friday morning and headed south. Soon, we arrived at Aunty Aini's Garden Cafe in Nilai. This place was featured in Gordon Ramsey's Great Escape on Malaysia. Of course, my expectation was high.

Enter.

Upon stepping through its wooden gate, i was quickly immersed in its humble garden ambiance. There were occupied tables, although mostly already finished with their meals. They looked satisfied. We sat under a huge hut and excitedly looked at its delicious spread of Malay cuisine menu. My eyes darted to one specifically ever since i read about it on my way there.

So yum! This ikan tempoyak (fish with fermented durian curry) was uniquely delicious, to my liking.

Lunch, checked. And if you're around the area, looking for tasty Malay food, i highly recommend this. Price was reasonable too. A great start.

Navigating our way to the destination was challenging. Sign boards were not updated and we took a wrong turn, only to be assisted later by a personnel to guide us in. The Shorea was as serene as the photographs seen online. After keeping our bags in our rooms, we changed into our swimming attires and dipped in its refreshingly cool salted pool. Cassia Unit was our place for the next two nights; our weekend escape!

Surrounded by nature. I would prefer if the pool looks to 'infinity' (read as over the hills).

Chill and relax.

Our room.

I have not seen a sunken bathtub, so be wary when you use the toilet.

Oblivious that i didn't know what shorea is. At first, i thought about 'shore', like by the sea, with a sweet ending tone. Only as i was lingering by the pool, i noticed the trees. After some Googling, i learned that shorea is a genus of mainly rainforest trees, named after Sir John Shore. Now we know.

Evening lights add romance to nature.

It was a retreat, definitely. A moment to slow down life from its city speed and reconnect. With nature. With oneself. With friends. We did not plan for any outdoor activity (there are guided hiking trails to waterfalls and a fallen jet site); instead, we stayed in and bonded over board games and bbq. Sometimes doing less is more; this is more. And in a place like this, time seemed to escape from us as well. I was glad we made the most out of it.

At the end of our escape, i asked my friends about their feedback of the place. Collectively, we thought that it was a good place/experience. Given the many options of nature retreats today, however, we also concluded that we would try the others to see what they offer.

We checked out on a drizzling Sunday noon to explore the nearby Jelita Ostrich Farm. A fun and educational one hour was spent here. We fed ostriches (yes, they looked quite intimidating up-close and especially when they pecked for food off your palm), goats and pony, and learned more about the big birds from our guide. Beware though, don't stand too close to the pony for long.

Fed this birdy beast.

Hungry after the tour at the farm, we left for Bros Cafe in Seremban 2. The hipster place was spacious and prettily decorated. However, i felt the prices on the menu were rather steep for a cafe. I had the Pasta Romeo and Cheesecake.

Average pasta dish. Was expecting more.

A light delight for the weekend.

Picture worthy. But my friends didn't finish it.

We returned to where we started, physically, and i felt more relaxed, mentally. Surely, the weekend was a memorable outing for us, a toast to our friendship. Take a chance and plan for a trip together with friends. And in it, take a timeout for yourself.

Because you deserve it!