The One About Tenggol

It was AWESOME!

- @ the 5 Sisters wreck -

FULLSTOP

It was faneffingtastic!! 

I had so much fun diving in Tenggol that I was so sad to leave...and I could not stop talking about it and smiling about what I experience and the people I met.

*still smiling*

So ok, let me tell you about the whole trip. We started driving from Penang  to Dungun using the Grik - Pasir Puteh route, and according to our calculations on the normal speed we are used it.... it should take us about say 5-6 hours.

Ya! RITE! It freaking took us 8 hours to reach Dungun and by that time I was smelly, tired and in a very bad mood...

So during the long drive, I am like super jakun... I took pics of deer crossing, elephant crossing, the Titiwangsa ranges, the GPS, lakes...roads...

yes I was not only "kampung" I was bored shit....until we reach a nice looking place... to pee and I realized it was actually a resort in the middle of Belum rain forest... (btw, hubs keeps insisting I call him Mogli coz thinks he has come home to the jungle - I still don't understand.)

So anyhoo, this Belum Rainforest Resort is actually nice one wei... seriously! I told hubs I don't mind coming again for a short trip to "enjoy" the nature.

The journey continue until we reach Kelantan... and seriously no offense to any Kelantanis.... you guys are damn relax!!!! relax until can drive 40km per hour on a 80km per hour highway *pull all my hair out and faints* Seriously! Hubs was literally dying while driving behind them... how la to progress? rest my case....

Fast forward on the really slllooowwww drive from Kelantan towards Terengganu...also the same...*woke up, vomit and faints*

So by the time we reach the rest house in Tanjung Jara, Dungun to meet the rest of the family, it was almost dinnertime...bad mood chialat

The next morning 30 of us went on to make our way to Tenggol Island... a few of us took the SUPER speed boat while the rest took the tongkang and puke their guts out. *lol*

But then hor, my butt hurts like mad ass... coz the waves were like 5m high! really choppy but it was all worth it when I saw Tenggol Island

The place is super basic super primitive super roughing it kinda place... unspoiled by commercialism and what not....I simple love the fact that it is so simple, laid back and absolutely relaxing!


I will leave you with some pictures on the island and some of our other activities...*sigh* I wish I was back there again....

The One Where Hubs Goes GaGA Over Lekor

This time tomorrow, we will be on our way to Pulau Tenggol off the state of Terengganu! Driving from west to east of the country would be the first for us and I gotta admit, I am kinda anxious about it cause I heard the highway is not that "well kept" comparing to the north-south highway.

I have also sourced out the best place in Kuala Terengganu for their famous nasi dagang and keropok lekor and kerepok keping... I know hubs would want a dose of each before heading to the island. Just wish us luck in finding the location of the stalls.

So our haversacks are packed and our diving gear packed, I guess I am ready to go... just need to get through today in the office...

Last night while packing away, hubs warned me about my tendency to over pack... he went through my things and told me that I do not need so many bikinis and so many outfits and sarongs and shorts... hubs said I cannot bring a lot cause we are roughing it! *sigh* dunno can survive or not...I was informed that there is no hot water and no air-con. *sigh* and I might be eaten alive by sand flies and mossies! *sigh* so can you imagine the other day I went to Guardian and bought 1 huge bottle of mossie repellent and citronella patches.

So I repacked and packed and I have to forgo a few items including my make-up and my complete regime of skincare. BUT!!! I am gonna sneak in my hairdryer, eyelash curler, mascara and my bronzer. Can die loh if I don't hair my hairdryer... my hair will be like "siau lang".

Anyhoosss... I can't wait to dive and bake under the sun!

Adios!

The One Where I Survived!

I survived! Now I am officially a license PADI Open Water Diver! *proud face*

 

Day 1 of my open water dive was scary! My 1st dive  ( 12m) we descend with my instructor using line descend, where I get to hold on to the anchor line to go down. I was overwhelmed  with my surroundings...so many many many fishes!!! (unlike in my contained water dive , it was just four walls) During my 1st and 2nd dive, we did our skills, like equipment preparation, pre-dive safety check, and the works la. Did have a few hiccups, I was not relax enough so I had problems with my buoyancy and also my breathing. 

On my 2nd dive( 13.8m) of day 1, my instructor told me to free descent without assistant...kinda scary...I felt my arms and legs all over the place!! LOL! but I did ok... Oh I drank salt water!*sigh*

At the end of Day 1, my instructor gave me some lecturing pointers to get me ready for my Day 2, Dive 3 and 4. 

I was dead tired and was kinda upset cause I felt I dive shitty!

On the Day 2, we went back to Pulau Payar again to finish up our dive 3 and 4. This time around my instructor took us out on the boat to Coral Garden ( during dive 1 and 2, we dive off the platform and it was in a controlled environment). I did a back entry, I do not know the term...but its the one most diver enter the water...looks like a back flip kind. At first I was scared shit!! Then my instructor sort of "push" me in! When I hit the water...I felt so liberated! I dunno how to describe it... it was AWESOME! My 3rd dive (18.4m) was fabulous and I was at ease, relax and no major issues... I was enjoying the marine life... I was like in an aquarium!! So many type of soft and hard corals... I saw "Nemo" (clown fish) lots of them!!! The highlight of my 3rd dive was the huge Grouper I saw... it was staring cock at me!

My 4th dive(13.8m) was at Pulau Kaca. I went alone with my instructor and other license divers and left hubs behind ( he got acid reflux!) Once again I enter using the "back flip" (I LOVE IT!!) and down we went. My instructor was suppose to take me to the wreck but I had problems with my mask and could not catch up with other advanced divers, so I missed out on it :( at the end my instructor took me around and perform some safety skills. Highlight: I saw 3 HUGE Barracudas and a sea white sea slug with neon orange protruding eyes! Coolness!!

All in all... I must admit I did pretty well... and I am glad I did this!

Next dive - Pulau Tenggol!

The One With The Police Report

This weekend we will be going for our very 1st open dive with our instructor. So naturally I have a few concerns... like forgetting to breath, ascend to fast etc... one of my many small worries includes bumping into fishes. I ask hubs

Me: eh wanna ask u something. when we go diving rite what if we have collision with the fishes??will they get injured ?

Hubs: then immediately take the fish's details and go report police they have a accident report point at every coral colony

*slap head*

Then hubs went to tell a friend of mine and she pulak msn me telling me that she will be my lawyer for the fish-human accident!

*bang head on table*

The One Where I Breath Underwater For The 1st Time

I have always wanted to go scuba diving...it was like something I need to do before I hit 30. Well I hit 30 last year and I will still be 30 until October. So hubs and myself decided to go ahead and take up Open Water Diving course.

Today, I breath underwater for the very FIRST time! *clap clap*

How was it?

Daunting!

OK, I am a worry pot...and I think too much...about the worse possible thing that can happen to me in an uncontrolled situation. I have fear of situation which I cannot control and I am very uncomfortable in an environment that is out of my comfort zone (i.e. underwater!)

The last 2 days, we went through intensive 5 session of theory for the course. And trust me, I was getting more worried when I learn that the rule of diving is to breath deeply and slowly ALWAYS! you see, I always forget to breath and tend to hold my breath when I get a bit panicky and bit too excited, so can you imagine when I am having a huge panic attack?!? Can die one lor!

Soooo, this morning, we went for our very 1st confined water dive in the local pool.

We begin by assembling our "apparatus". Got our BCD, tank, regulator, mask, fins and we learn how to prep it and did our safety check. So many things to remember and I bet I will forget it by tomorrow! And damn the tank and all is SUPER heavy!!!

Then, we were in the pool with all the "heavy" equipment, learn how to breath from our own regulator and our buddy's regulator, read the gas gauge and depth gauge, control our buoyancy, clear our mask underwater, emergency ascend, hand signals, felt how is it to be out of air underwater, descend and equalize.

My problem?

I tend to forget to breath!

Very dangerous!

At one point when my instructor took us to the deep end which was only 3 meters, I panicked and I swear I kicked my instructor's balls!!!! He tried to calm me down but I could not, so we had to go back up to the surface. What a chicken shit! After a while, I tried again and I felt much better...I think it's about being comfortable and confident. After 3 hours ( which seem to me like only 45 minutes...)I felt much better and I could do all the exercise and by then our tank ran out of air and that was it! Confined dive finished.

I do not know if I can do the open water dive next week, but I think I will request for another confine dive before heading out to the "real" waters. But I guess I have to digest what I learn today.

All in all, I tot it was kinda cool and I did face my fear out of my bubble.

Oh by the way, I am a huge red lobster now. I think I am burnt....no...I am burnt.

Till the next blog entry... I am going for another cold shower and slather myself with lotsa cream.

The One With The Rising Temparature and I Went Hola!

So Chap Goh Meh is finally over... which marks the end of Chinese New Year for 2010.

My CNY this year was pretty cool... hot. LITERALLY! So hot that I have to take cold showers 4-5 times a day ( note that I hardly/never take cold shower...I am pampered like that!)

It started out as any normal decent Malaysian Chinese would start their new year celebration.... Gambling! Yes...we love to gamble and we always take CNY as an excuse to overdo it! 

This year we DID add a bit of fun into our gambling session @ Wisma Lim in Kota Kemuning. 

We Had a "P-p-p Poker Party!"

I was Lady Ace, and hubs was Captain Jack Spade

 

I guess we like to dress up.... and some of my other friends were pretty creative!

The wicked poker witch and Ms. Poker International

The Poker Hantu

Urmmm... I dunno what he was coming as...maybe her works for ACE Advertising?

Poker Officer and Poker Sheriff

I was very ONG that night! Guess my wig was working it's luck!

For the 1st day to the 3rd day of CNY was spend visiting uncles and aunties in Rawang and PJ with my in laws...and I tell you, I was wearing very very little coz the heat was so unbearable... so a lot of uncles and aunties were like "looking" at my outfit! (you know that look???)

On the 4th day, BALIK Penang!! woohoo !!! Mind you, I love spending my CNY in PJ with my in laws... but they don't do steamboat! Which is a must for my CNY celebration!

So sampai my parents house at sharp 7pm and lo and behold... two pots of steamboat...my mom so sweet invited my gramps and whole family to join in to makan makan with me... *tears*

 

OK actually this picture very little people niah... coz the rest still not here!!!But I kenot tahan dee...so I makan first!

 Then when almost everyone was here we had....

See I soooo happy and fat festively plum

Aftermath of "loh hei-ing" the yee sang....OK altogether this CNY I had 6 Yee Sang...and the best was at Mapel Palace Restaurant @ Maple Gold Club, Penang.

Then on the 5th day of CNY....what did I do?? Oh yea I went to "pai nin" with my family in Penang...(Penang wayyyyyyy hotter than PJ), then on the 6th day my office officially open for business for the Year of The Tiger, but we had Lion dance... not Tiger dance... ha ha ha ha get the joke?? corny!

On the 7th day of CNY...it's where my daddy and mummy held their annual CNY Open House... (actually its not open house more like invited guest only but we always say open house...wtf...) 

 Scottie meow (hugs)

There was like about close to 150 people but all I was interested was...

This and...

Well after a night of lotsa "siew yok" and x amount of booze.... it was our Hokkiens' most important day of the CNY, the 9th day..."Pai Thee Kong"

 

In the midst of all the festivities... 

We bought our air ticket to Argentina!!! *whoopsss*  HOLA!!!

Yes, we are going to Argentina!!! end of the year and there is no turning back coz the air tickets are non refundable ( we got it from Malaysian Airline Travel Fair ) Its super cheap and it save us a total of RM 10k!!!

I am super duper excited for this trip but there is still 10 more months to go before we actually leave for Argentina to celebrate Christmas and New Year! 

So until then, we have many many things to do and go... first we are going to do our PADI course this weekend and next weekend, then will be off to Tenggol Island for some r & r with my in-laws family. Then we will be going back to Melbourne for 3 months! ( hoping to make our Kimberley trip happen *fingers cross*)

Then back to Penang by July and hopefully *fingers cross again* we can move into our new house by November before flying off to ARGENTINA!!! Wooohooooooooo!!!!!

Actually the only words in Spanish I know is Hola or Ola ( I really dunno) = Hi and Si = Yes

Hopeless case!

Sheesh... I am in good spirits today! :)

OKBAI 

XOXO

The One With The Tiger Coming and The Ox Is Running Away

Will be going back to Pee Jay tomorrow for Chinese New Year...but that does not mean I don't decorate our house...so this year I decor a bit bit la....

 

I think I have turn into a big time Aunty loh... I follow all the Chinese traditions... got the red cloth, and all the pantang larang thingy... I call it preserving our culture... hubs calls it "nothing better to do" wtf rite!

Anyhoos... Happy celebrating the Year if the Tiger and happy jamming on the roads!

MUAKS

The One With CHYMES - The Boutique Hotel

"A Home Away From Home" that is the tag line for newly open cosy little boutique hotel tucked away from the stresses of the city life, by the beach at Tanjung Bungah.

Last night, hubs and me got invited to "go look see look see" at the opening of CHYMES. This little hideaway is open by my wedding planners ( Touching Hearts) together with some of their associates. 

So so...when we arrived, we were greeted by a small signage the the front with the word "CHYMES". At the frontage, it looks like any normal beach side bungalow. Never judge a book by its cover!

So we parked our car in the hotel compound ( plenty parking space!!! I think can fit like 8-10 cars!!) and made our way to the main reception... wait a minute...there was no reception... there was like a bunch of cosy rattan tables and chairs overlooking the coconut line beachfront.... the main lobby was wowee! 

Ok it may not look like the normal chain hotel kinda lobby which is soooo boring... CHYMES's lobby is actually super cosy and homely filled with antiques!! I heart the coffee table made out of the antique drum.

OK back to the topic of "reception". There is none... you will be registering at this super chic lobby/lounge where you will be ask to sign in and you get to choose your preferred toiletries and pillow from the menu!

Not only that, you get to choose what sort of rooms you want. CHYMES have 6 different type of rooms...

First up AQUAMARINE - I personally think this is for beach bums... located on the 1st floor with a garden view and partial seaview

The RED CHAMBER room is my FAV!!! located on the ground floor - its a room for those who are sexy and kinky...the decor is a mix of modern and  old very eclectic Shanghai.

Then we head upstairs to where the rest of the rooms are located.

The VANILLA BLACK room has a view of the sea with line coconut trees... the interior is old Parisian chic! In a way it's romantic....*hearts flutters*

 

 

The MORNING DEW room located on the 1st floor is a view of calmness.... perfect for those that wants to clear their minds off from daily stresses.

Next we have the CHOCOLAT and the STUDIO rooms... both rooms are twin bedded. Perfect for friends and children.

 

 So which is your favorite??

All rooms comes together with en suite bathroom which is so HUGE you can actually fit another bed inside! The bathroom is simple and practical with a must -have rain shower!

Back downstairs... I found the common lounge room...a medium size room to chill and listen to music, play some card games or a round of mahjong. ( got mahjong table ok....no need to BYO)..or just be a couch potato and watch mindless cable TV or DVD! OR just to surf the net from their WIFI service- (OK outside  and in the rooms also can surf the net...but just in case you want air con, plus TV and the company of new friends) 

Oh ya...I forgot to mention that there is no TV in the rooms... why you ask? Well...why do you need TV in the room?... bad for romance and bad chi! I personally hate TV in bedrooms... so CHYMES fits me perfectly

 

 

Food!! we need to be fed... CHYMES serves simple fuss free breakfast and whole day refreshments... I love the traditional Chinese biscuits they have in jars all over the place!! Reminded me of my childhood... Oh! I also LOVED the fresh nutmeg juice as a welcome drink! REFRESHING...not too sweet but sweet enough to quench your thirst!

We have not stayed there yet... but the hubs and myself will definitely book into CHYMES ... I mean why wouldn't we... a getaway from the city, by the beach, friendly and attentive service, full privacy...a home away from home.... *bliss*

I can just imagine d... we book ourselves into CHYMES on Friday after work... then head to the one of the many seafood restaurant by the beach for dinner... then head back to CHYMES to chill at the garden with the sound of waves crashing softly and a bottle of white wine. Wake up bright and early Saturday morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Have breakfast on the patio...then change into my bathers and grab my book, sunnies, towel and sunblock and head to the beach and tan myself while the hubs would probably put up a hammock and sleep again! 

Time for lunch... too lazy to go out?... can always call for McDonalds or Domino pizza delivery (hehehehe)  then continue to bake under the sun and swim in the sea or have a romantic stroll on the beach till dinner time! Dinner we have a choice of seafood again or head to Batu Ferringhi for western or Italian food. Grab some snack and head back to CHYMES for another night of star gazing and some more vino. Check out on Sunday after breakfast or lunch.... with a smile and body all relaxed! *ahhhh* so nice hor....

Did I mention, the location is perfect for small garden/beach weddings/birthdays/anniversary...imagine fairy lights and lanterns all around the bamboo tress and coconut trees....*double bliss*

So please please please....

Check CHYMES out on their website and Facebook.

 

***all pictures courtesy of CHYMES***