Wonder.Food.Travel

Five years ago, i left a place i spent five years in. That place is near Ipoh, a usual weekend getaway for food and entertainment. In other words, to de-stress and keep balance being a student. The fond memories of Ipoh will remain with me and forever hold a special spot. Over the years, Ipoh has grown to be a booming tourist attraction. No surprise as i always see its potential, but there are definitely still room for improvements. Recently, my family and i visited Ipoh, partly to reminisce, and partly to explore and discover, creating new memories. Colourful mural art scattered around Ipoh. It was challenging to find them previously ( read Wall Paintings in Ipoh ) but today, there were abundant.  We came from the north ( read about Kuala Sepetang ) and our first stop was the Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang . Passing by this place numerous times in the past, i was often intrigued. It was a crowded late morning, school holiday, Saturday when we arrived. Upon stepping onto the v...

Kuala Sepetang in Perak is a testament to a place that has nothing much to do yet so much to learn and experience. Irony, yes, but that's the truth, or at least that's what i felt after spending a lovely evening in the charming coastal town. Since i developed an interest to visit less known places, this town shone brightly under my radar. My family came along on this retreat- that's how i call it. Kuala Sepetang is also known as Port Weld, named after a former Governor, Frederick Weld. Familiar? Perhaps from our Sejarah (History) textbook. This multilingual signboard , something you don't see often today, is a landmark of the town which once had a railway in 1885 linking this port to the Larut tin-mining quarry. It is claimed to be the first railway station in the country.

I read that my travel to Nha Trang would be the start of the wet season. Often, i checked its weather forecast and it showed scattered thunderstorms and pouring days. I even emailed a place to check if it opens during rainy days. So when i boarded the plane from KL, i was half expecting wet days, half hoping to get at least an hour, if not a day, of sunshine. I gambled with an umbrella on my side. Surprisingly, upon landing in Cam Ranh International Airport, i was welcomed by blue, sunny, morning sky. Whether it is global warming or a plot to deter tourists in this period (or sheer luck), i was secretly in jubilation. Shades of blue, censored by sand. The immigration counter check was quick and soon, i exited the arrival hall. Immediately, i caught sight of many Russian groups, readying to board their tour buses. Prior to my arrival, i learned that there are many Russian tourists in this part of Vietnam. Shops are manned by Russians; menus are written in Russian. Even local Viet...