Wonder.Food.Travel

I have to be honest- this is one hill that i was fearful to hike or climb but always wanted to, seeing it from the Middle Ring Road 2 every time i pass by. Being rather infamous for the many accidents, recent or not, it took a while before one courageous day, i decided to ring my cousin and set a date to, well, face the fear and conquer that hill i always wanted to. It didn't rain the night before, which was good, because i read that the rocks at the top could be very slippery when wet- one less thing to caution. I picked my cousin up, and then parked my car alongside the road at the foothill of Bukit Tabur, near the gate of the Klang Gates Dam. The road was narrow but we didn't want to walk from my cousin's place because it meant that we had to walk back after the strenuous hike- a lesson my cousin and two other friends learned. There were a few other cars and enthusiastic climbers when we were there. As i left my car, i tightened my shoelaces, pulled my knee sleeves up ...

Malacca, or more commonly known to us as Melaka, is a relatively small state, about an hour and a half drive from KL (assuming smooth traffic). With its close distance, it is no surprise it has become the choice of many for a day trip, of makan-makan or jalan-jalan (food or travel). Expect crowd during weekends or long breaks. And long queues are common sights. Its city, like the state, is relatively small, and most attraction and interesting sites can be easily reached on foot. If you drive, i recommend to park your car and walk instead, to save you the hassle of beating the heavy traffic and finding a parking spot. One of the best places to walk is Jonker Walk (Jonker Street) and the best times are weekend nights (night market) where you can find souvenir and food, almost every corner. With the hot and humid air, be ready to feel 'sticky' as you join the sweaty crowd. A cool shower after is the best. No matter how many times i visit Melaka, or Jonker Walk, i always feel l...

It has been awhile since we returned to Seri Kembangan. As we were around the area, we decided to head to a restaurant we tried before, and i remembered liking it. My memory of the place was faded and i recalled the road the restaurant is facing at was narrower. It wasn't easy to get a parking spot by the main road on a busy afternoon.  Air-conditioned upstairs, fan on ground level. We sat under the fan and placed our orders, from our past experience and recommendations. The chrysanthemum tea i ordered was slightly bitter (less sugar) but it was fine with me as it was refreshing for a hot day. Tau Fu Kan 'Beancurd Soup' was yummy. I liked that the tau fu was tiny and not dissolved in the soup. The flavours and saltiness were well balanced. Add a dash of vinegar to elevate the taste. Yam Basket with Sweet and Sour Pork came pretty. However, i strongly advise against this combination as, while i like sweet and sour pork, this doesn't match. The sourish ...

The long-tail boat left Railay and as i saw it diminished from a distance, i saw buildings and more mangroves, indicating that i am closer to the town. The boat dropped the family off at the resort's pier, leaving me alone with the coxswain. Not long after, i arrived at Chao Fa Pier. I paid him and started walking, with my map in hand, searching for Chaofa Road. It is less than a 5-minute walk. Pak-Up Hostel I checked in and showered- oh, the feeling of being clean again after the rock climbing done earlier. This hostel is strategically located at the center of town. It is clean and neat. However, the mattress was rather hard and there was no free water. I purchased my water bottles at the nearby 7-Eleven (and there are plenty of 7-Elevens around). There is a rooftop bar but it was closed on my visit, and a Playground Bar at the back where travelers hang out for a drink and games. I had a free Free Black Cock cocktail (yes, i still find it weirdly catchy, but weirdly wrong whe...