RE: True or FALSE? - THE WHITE SHARK KAYAK STORY

So who here likes sharks?
I for one love sharks! Why? My father once took me to the cinema and one of the very first few "horror" shows was Jaws!
I can still remember sitting next to his big size muslim brother and when the shark appeared on screen, he shouted "Jerung!" ..ok...it was more like "Jeeerrrrruuunnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggg!!!"
I don't know what startled me more, the shark or the scream!
But I cant laugh too much about that myself, as I too was shivering and squirming every time the great white shark (super huge and gigantic) tried to take a bite of those people of the boat.

So why talk about sharks?

I guess the memory was reignited when i read this shark article online.

Fake OR not?
Is this a myth? urban legend? or whipped up by some master Photoshop wizard in an underground base?
I never could tell or know until I read this...
and I was really amazed at the length and efforts that some people really put in because of their passion to capture the moments that creates history.
Truly, this one picture tells a thousand, no actually a million words...it sings a song!
Looking at it strikes a chord of fear, but it is quickly dampened by the feeling of amazement and wonder of nature..

I really wound not know what to do or react if I was there at that moment. I would probably just "freeze" or be "stunted" (as DoTa players would term it).

Anyway, here it is for your reference...

So the next time you go kayaking.... (to be continued below)

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THOMAS P. PESCHAK
OCEAN REPORTAGE / CONSERVATION PHOTOGRAPHY

THE WHITE SHARK KAYAK STORY

When this photograph was first published in Africa Geographic, BBC Wildlife and later in Paris Match and the Daily Mail (London) it resulted in a flurry of e-mails, phone calls and letters from around the world asking if the image was a fake. The image became the most talked about of shark photograph ever.

The photograph is real, no photoshop, no digital manipulation, no nothing, in fact it was shot on slide film Fuji Provia 100 using a Nikon F5 Camera and 17-35 mm lens. For those conspiracy fans who still doubt its authenticity please read how I took the photograph.

"To capture this image I tied myself to the tower of the research boat Lamnidae and leaned into the void, precariously hanging over the ocean while waiting patiently for a white shark to come along. I wanted to shot a photograph that would tell the story of our research efforts to track white sharks using kayaks. When the first shark of the day came across our sea kayak it dove to the seabed and inspected it from below. I quickly trained my camera on the dark shadow which slowly transformed from diffuse shape into the sleek outline of a large great white. When the shark’s dorsal fin broke the surface I thought I had the shot, but hesitated a fraction of a second and was rewarded with marine biologist Trey Snow in the kayak turning around to look behind him. I pressed the shutter and the rest was history. Throughout the day I shot many more images, most showing the kayak following the shark, but all lacked the power of that first image of the great white tracking the kayak. "

Thomas Peschak

 

Kayaking with Great White Sharks

In 2003 my friend and white shark biologist Michael Scholl discovered large numbers of great white sharks in extremely shallow water near the southernmost tip of South Africa. We initiated a research project but all of our initial attempts were thwarted because the sharks were repelled or attracted to the boats engine’s electrical fields, disrupting their natural behaviour. 

I have been sea kayaking for quite a number of years, frequently using it as a photographic platform and could not think of a better, less unobtrusive vessel from which to track white sharks from. Granted the first few attempts were a little nerve-wracking, even though we had observed the sharks reaction to an empty kayak numerous times. It is hard to describe what goes through ones mind when sitting in a yellow plastic sea kayak and a 4.5 m + great white shark is heading your way. 

White sharks, despite their bad reputation are much more cautious and inquisitive in nature than aggressive and unpredictable. At no time did any shark show any agression towards our little yum yum yellow craft.

We believe that white sharks come inshore in such great numbers to socially interact with others of their species, perhaps even to mate or give birth to their young. We have observed sharks following behind or swimming tight circles around one another. To observe and document great white sharks mating or giving birth is the holy grail of shark research and photography, but it is also a extremely difficult and perhaps an even almost impossible task. 

For a more detailed account of the research and to see more images please refer to the following book: South Africa’s Great White Shark, by Thomas P. Peschak and Michael C. Scholl, published by Struik in 2006. It is available from all good bookshops and online book merchants. 

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so the next time you go kayaking in MALAYSIA..especially Penang...dont worry!
It would probably be a plastic bottle of coca-cola or a plastic bag behind you (most probably thrown by some ruthless inconsiderate person).
Why would I say that? After a few experiences of kayaking in Penang waters, this is very common...
and also a steam of dead jelly fish too...
but i heard somewhere at Batu Ferringi, there are sightings of dolphins !!! Yes!
I must try kayaking there or even taking the boat out soon! 

If anyone has similar experiences, please feel free to share! You have a listening ear here :)

source

SXI vs PFS - The rivalry of the Saints and the Frees

Ahhh...this brings back so many memories, such a stir of mixed emotions! 

Secondary school life! - the football, skipping classes, sleeping in class, chasing the girls, gossips, spiteful teachers, exam cheating and "gang" fights (seems those gangs are not as big as I thought them to be) and ect...
 
So as someone that grew up in Penang, I always had a feeling of some internal invincible conflict between the Saints and the Frees!
No, I am not talking about some triad underground group..I'm talking about the 2 secondary schools! (Saint Xaviers Institution [SXI] and Penang Free School [PFS])
Though, so far apart in distance (location wise)..but the invincible line of tension is felt when the 2 meet 

This has been true since the generation of our parents and the Star newspaper recently brought some enlightenment on this subject:

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Penang Free School has a long history with St Xavier’s Institution
by penang 's history

Steeped in history: Jalan Cheesemen, which is near the school, is named after Harold Ambrose Robinson Cheeseman, a PFS teacher who started the scouting movement in Penang in 1915.

IT IS impossible to write about the history of my alma mater, St Xavier’s Institution (Penang’s History, My Story, The Star on Jan 26), and to risk the wrath of my readers, especially Penangites, by ignoring rivals Penang Free School (PFS).

 

Hallways of SXI

 The irony is that we were once neighbours along Farquhar Street. PFS was founded by Anglican chaplain Rev Spark Hutchings in 1816. Hutchings School, where PFS had its beginnings, is located next to the state museum, which is just steps away from SXI.

Hutchings also founded the St George’s Church in Farquhar Street, the oldest Anglican church in South-East Asia.

PFS was the first English medium school in the country, and also in South-East Asia. Many thought “free” means free from fees, but actually, the “free” means the school is “open to all”. Unlike missionary schools such as SXI, care was taken in providing secular education.
It was only in 1928 that PFS moved to Green Lane — now renamed Jalan Masjid Negeri — and has remained until today.

Penang Free School (PFS)

V.S.

Saint Xaviers Institution (SXI)

SXI v.s. PFS: The great rivalry
When we talk about rivalry between SXI and PFS, it was so strong at one time that fistfights used to break out between schoolboys at sport matches. Police had been known to be called in to stop these squabbles.

Each time the teams met, the supporters will be out in full force, and many creative sports chants have been heard through the years. Even in defeat, we could be creative. I remember one time, when the Saints had lost a hockey match, the disappointed supporters were still able to sing (to the tune of Give Peace a Chance) – “Call us the Saints… we gave them a chance!”

This writer himself has turned up at such games, especially football and hockey matches, to support my school in “enemy territory”, the very huge field that fronts the school building.

The Frees shudder when they are told to run round the field as punishment, because one full round is not 400m but close to a mile. And another interesting aspect of this school is that surrounding the field are residential houses that are much sought-after by the upper middle class.

Previously, the headmasters would stay in the two-storey Straits-style bungalow next to the pavilion but after being empty for some years, it was recently refurbished and turned into a hostel and homestay programme.

Both SXI and PFS, as premier schools then, also had boarding accommodation for out-of-state students, and both definitely had good sport facilities as well as other extra-curricular activities.
They were also elitist in nature with the Western teachers running the schools the way it was done in England. The first headmaster was James Cox and until 1963, when Datuk Tan Boon Lin became the first homegrown Malaysian headmaster, all previous headmasters were Westerners.

Expectedly, three roads in the vicinity of PFS have been named in honour of three PFS headmasters — William Hargreaves (1891-1904), Ralph Henry Pinhorn (1904-1925) and William Hamilton (1925-1926).

There is also another road nearby named Cheeseman Road, after Harold Ambrose Robinson Cheeseman, a PFS teacher who started the scouting movement in Penang in 1915.

The school has honoured all four by naming sport houses after them. Another two houses were named after two famous alumni — the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and legendary plague fighter Dr Wu Lien Teh. In 2009, headmaster Ramli Din increased the sport houses to eight by including the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail and Tan Sri P. Ramlee.

Pinhorn
Let me share a bit about Pinhorn. According to various documents and reports, Pinhorn was the old, stern English principal that we often see in the movies.
“The most obvious feature of his character was his stern discipline and he was very much loved and respected by the pupils and teachers as well,” one website recorded.
“His circle of friends greatly admired him for his geniality, modesty and humility. Dignified in appearance, his capacity to act in full awareness of the great question that was all meant by education, took a heavy toll of his time and energy.”

It was reported that “the school’s management to treasure Pinhorn’s loving memory as a great headmaster, had set up several memorials, namely school prizes in English Language and Literature, History and the School House in games and the Library. The local council had fittingly named a road Pinhorn Road.

Pinhorn retired in 1924 and reportedly after spending some years in happy retirement, he passed away peacefully in England in 1938.

Of Spirits & Ghosts
Old Frees are fond of relating the many ghost stories related to some of the headmasters, in particular Pinhorn.
A colleague told me how students who stayed back to study late into the night would hear footsteps along the corridors, which many believe were those of Pinhorn.
But Pinhorn was in the news more recently because the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is now staying at a rented bungalow at Pinhorn Road instead of the official residence, Sri Teratai, at Macalister Road, opposite the St George’s Girls’ School, where Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil was once a student.
Interestingly, Guan Eng has decided to send his son to study at SXI despite staying at a road named after a PFS headmaster.

Apart from their legacy, the good thing about these two schools is that they still kept their Latin mottos. For the Saints, it is Labor Omnia Vincit (Labour Conquers All). And for the Frees, Fortis Atque Fidelis (Strong and Faithful).
 
Readers write:

Reader SL Wong, who stays in Air Itam, wants to know about the origins of Zoo Road.
Chun Wai: There indeed was a zoo in that location. According to reports, a flamboyant monk by the name of Fa Kong, which purportedly means “Empty Dharma”, had built a zoo at the foothills of Penang hill. He was said to be a practitioner of Zen Buddhism. Except for the name of the road, there is no evidence that the zoo was located at the actual road itself but it is accepted that he kept the animals at the foothills. Well, Zoo Road is at the foothills.

Email from Roger Scott Lewis in Toronto, Canada : Just read your very interesting article about historical George Town. However, I want to just bring one small error to your attention. Technically, Convent Light Street was not the first girls’ school in town. Martina Rozells, the wife of Captain Francis Light, had a small thatched nipah hut built along King Street, somwhere between Church Street and Bishop Street. It shows up on the oldest map of George Town and was written in French as “Ecole des Jeune Filles” (Why in French? I’m not sure) It was supposed to be for girls and/or orphan girls, I believe.
Chun Wai: Thank you for this bit of information. It is always good to learn something new. The Convent Light Street was founded by three French nuns namely Sister Gaetau, Sister Appolinaire and Sister Gregoire who arrived in Penang in 1852.

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So what is the outcome? 
As fellow Xavarian myself, I think that the Free's are not so bad once you get to know them! In fact now I have quite a number of friends who were from free school and we get along just fine! 
Just to add, SXI serves one of the best char koay teow! *but that's for a different article post*
no contest about that!

source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/02/02/Penang-Free-School-has-a-long-history-with-St-Xaviers-Institution.aspx/

Flappy Bird creator found dead? Is it real? Foul play? Conspiracy? Oh..NO!?

So who plays Flappy Bird?
The new game that made a huge smashing breakthrough for mobile users worldwide!! 

I for one didnt want to touch it because it seems so highly addictive and got everyone competing against each other! 
Some phones were smashed, others thrown into the dark abyss of the floor because 'poor o' flappy bird' crashed into another steel pipe again...(you didn't tap it enough, huh?)

So I turned on facebook and saw this headline that phones with flappy bird installed are now selling at a high price! apparently allot of people who had pre-downloaded flappy bird on their phones are selling them online...and there are apparently takers! iPhones, Android phones, HTC's and ect...

SO Not to miss out on this golden opportunity, I too quickly went to my google play and search for the flappy bird app to be dismayed because it is now GONE! I quickly jumped unto my iPad and sprint my fingers to the nearest app store on my iOS device and guess what? I'ts GONE !!!!!!!!!! 

The saying of "You will never know what you have been missing till it's gone" has come true for me in this situation!

Soon enough, social media sites were buzzing around...(or should I say "flapping" around) with hot spicy shocking devastating news that ....the creator of Flappy Bird had committed suicide! SUICIDE! For the love of God...can you imagine? The poor soul!

Here are the articles below:
-----------

Creator of “Flappy Bird” Commits Suicide 7 Others Also Suicide This Morning Due To Flappy Bird

SAN FRANCISCO – Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen has just been found dead in his home with a gunshot wound in his head. Authorities are confirming that Nguyen committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol. Authorities are saying that the sensational game Flappy Bird had something to do with the suicide.

There has also been 7 reports of other suicides around the U.S. today alone. Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen has just taken Flappy Bird off app stores this morning and is believed to be the cause of the suicides.

Flappy Bird was generating an estimated $50,000 daily just off in game advertisements. Dong Nguyen apparently could not handle the publicity as he said “It is not anything related to legal issues, I just cannot keep it anymore.” Nguyen was also posting similar tweets on his Twitter account. Authorities are still investigating the suicides as well as trying to find out Nguyen’s motives for taking down the famous game, Authorities believe it could have been death threats.

source: http://huzlers.com/creator-flappy-bird-commits-suicide-minutes-removing-flappy-bird-app-store/

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And SO I was devastated! I not never got the chance to play, and just when I was thinking about downloading it last night too!
How could such an artist kill themselves? Was there foul play? Too much fame till he couldn't handle it? Some secret conspiracy between game makers and game masters? Virtual world business gone bad? 

Well...after further reading, an article proved otherwise!

-----------

The story is fake.

The article comes from the humorous website huzlers.com. The same website was responsible for another “Flappy Bird” rumor that went viral last week with a story that a teen killed his brother over the game.
In this fake story about the Flappy Bird developer, we read:

SAN FRANCISCO – Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen has just been found dead in his home with a gunshot wound in his head. Authorities are confirming that Nguyen committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol. Authorities are saying that the sensational game Flappy Bird had something to do with the suicide.

The fake news account was not reported by any reputable news source.
While the story about Nguyen committing suicide is a work of fiction, this “satire” falls on the heels of a number of odd tweets by the “Flappy Bird” developer who said he planned to take the game down because “I cannot take this anymore.”


source: http://wafflesatnoon.com/2014/02/09/flappy-bird-suicide/
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Well, never be too careful about what you have read online! 
Thank God the creator of the game is still alive and well! Just too bad that I didn't download flappy bird app earlier :(

Oh well....

The only outcome from this is that this app has gotten more publicity that it ever could imagine.. 

Flap away guys

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 - top 10 countries

So who hasn't heard of "lonely planet"?
They are one of the biggest organizations for travelers and they give really good advise on places!
And I stumbled across this article!
Guess which country ranks 10? And Penang's "Keh Lok Si" where the facous pagoda stands is in the featured picture!! 
Woo hoooo!!

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 - top 10 countries

These 10 countries are destined for an epic year, whether they’re hosting festivals, cutting the ribbon on new attractions or simply raising their game for travellers. Feast your eyes on 2014's most unmissable destinations.

1. Brazil

All eyes on the pitch for 2014’s World Cup

A game of beach football in Rio.

As if endless strands of sun-toasted coast, mountains splashed with Crayola-green rainforest and some of the planet’s most beautiful colonial villages didn’t already add up to an unfair share of heaven, Brazil goes and snags two of the most coveted sporting events in the world, beginning with the 2014 FIFA World Cup and followed two years later by the 2016 Summer Olympics. Tack on a recession-dodging economy, and boom! Brazil is the belle of the ball. 

Be it trekking across towering windswept dunes peppered with cerulean lagoons in Lençóis Maranhenses, exploring gilded colonial churches in frozen-in-time cities such as Ouro Preto or swimming in aquarium-like rivers near Bonito, Brazil’s diversity will leave you slack-jawed.

2. Antarctica

The adventure of a lifetime

 A noisy gentoo penguin in Antarctica.

Tune into your average wildlife television program and you can’t fail to be dazzled by Antarctica’s majestic icebergs, calving glaciers and unexplored mountain ranges. Or you’ll watch its native penguin species frolic while avoiding fierce leopard seals and roaming pods of killer whales, as millions of seabirds spiral over the wild Southern Ocean. This year marks the centenary of the start of Ernest Shackleton’s infamous attempted Antarctic crossing. Visiting this pristine continent (which doesn’t have an indigenous population and is not actually a country) in 2014 is a chance to take life on and follow in the path of other intrepid explorers – but with cushier amenities.

3. Scotland

An eventful year

The rugged scenery of Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands.

To coincide with Glasgow hosting the XX Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2014, the city has had a multi-million-pound facelift: new sports venues, improved transport links and a regeneration of Glasgow Harbour. It is also the Year of Homecoming, a government initiative to welcome the Scottish diaspora back to the mother country by celebrating Scotland’s heritage, food and drink. 

The phrase ‘there’s something for everyone’ applies: Europe’s biggest brass band festival blasts Perthshire, an orienteering contest around Scottish castles, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in May... Despite all this, politics will take centre stage: to be or not to be independent, that is the question. Hold onto your hats, Scotland.

4. Sweden

Food, culture and scary stories

Summertime in Västra Götaland, Sweden.

Thanks to the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson, most people have a sense of what Sweden’s like, even in the far north – cold, beautiful and a bit scary. Sweden is emerging with a new pop-culture persona. Perhaps not coincidentally, northern Sweden’s largest city, Umeå, is the European Capital of Culture for 2014. Then there’s the food. The capital has long been a stylish, top-notch destination for serious gourmands and boldly experimental chefs but lately the reputation and influence of Swedish cooking have spread beyond the country’s borders. Considering that Swedish cuisine is so strongly tied to locally sourced ingredients (be it seafood, game, berries, herbs or regional cheeses), it makes perfect sense to go to the source of all this fine food.

5. Malawi

The Big Five and beach life without the crowds

Elephant marches through Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi.

Picture this: mere hours after touching down in Malawi’s second-largest city, Blantyre, you check into superluxe digs (or pitch your tent) at the Majete Wildlife Reserve, which only 10 years ago lay decimated by poaching, but last year gained Big Five status thanks to a wildlife relocation project. You get up close to the aforementioned elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo without the pesky 4WD scrum so common in Africa’s best-known parks. Then perhaps it’s off to Lake Malawi for a spot of high-visibility snorkelling, or Mt Mulanje for a hike over hazy peaks in an otherworldly moonscape. And there’s always the Viphya Plateau, a haunting wilderness of grasslands and whaleback hills that feels downright prehistoric.

6. Mexico

The sleeping giant is waking

Roadside fruit and vegetable stall in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Sun-baking on a Caribbean beach after partying all night in Cancún; shopping for brightly coloured handicrafts or gorging on seven types of mole (chilli sauce) in Oaxaca; stepping back in time at a Mayan temple – it’s easy to feel optimistic when you’re kicking back in Mexico. And it’s not just the holidaymakers - many Mexicans are happier about living in Mexico now than most can ever remember. Exciting developments on the travel scene have continued, from major new Maya museums in Cancún and Mérida to the installation of Latin America’s longest ziplines on the rim of the awe-inspiring Copper Canyon. Now Mexico’s image is on the cusp of change – it’s time to dust off your Mexican dream again and enjoy it to the max before those prices go back up and the crowds really start rolling in.

7. Seychelles

Paradise within reach

An idyllic spot on Anse Lazio beach on Praslin in the Seychelles.

These 115 divine islands strewn across the peacock-blue Indian Ocean have all the key ingredients for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, but their reputation as a millionaire’s playground may have kept you away. Good news: on top of exclusive island hideaways and elegant eco-villas, you can benefit from the wallet-friendlier B&Bs, picturesque Creole guesthouses and self-catering apartments that have sprung up over the past decade. And if expensive air tickets deterred you from visiting, rejoice! Increased competition has dramatically changed the situation over the past few years. And there’s much more to do than sipping cocktails on the beach. Hiking, diving, snorkelling, boat tours and other adventure options are all readily available, with the added appeal of grandiose scenery. Wildlife lovers will get a buzz too – the Seychelles is not dubbed ‘The Galápagos of the Indian Ocean’ for nothing.

8. Belgium

High emotions in Europe's underrated gem

Historic buildings along the River Leie in Ghent, Belgium.

Belgium has picturesque cities – Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent – and in Brussels a walkable capital with great museums. The food and drink is a gustatory blast (think the world’s best beer, chocolate and chips), the countryside flat and placid, the seaside surprisingly chic, while cultural treasures range from medieval masters to Tintin. Yet the words ‘Belgium’ and ‘holiday’ don’t usually mix. From 2014, a huge influx of visitors is expected due to the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI – a festival of remembrance lasting until 2018 – which may change preconceptions. Belgo-newbies will find medieval towns where culture and gastronomy meet, with Gothic buildings, paintings by Breugel, Van Eyck and Magritte, canals and cool shops. And they’ll discover mellow meadows, where cows moo beside monuments, and battlefields and cemeteries that testify to the horrors of a war now shifting from living memory.

9. Macedonia

Back to the future, Balkan-style

Church on the shores of Lake Ohrid, Macedonia.

The year 2014 marks the completion of the government’s love-it-or-hate-it makeover of the capital, Skopje. The Macedonian capital has at the same time quietly become more visitor-friendly, with a bevy of cool new hostels, upscale wine bars and bistros, and one of southeastern Europe’s best club scenes. Beyond work-in-progress Skopje and the more established tourist sites such as Lake Ohrid, Mavrovo ski area and ancient Stobi, new things are happening elsewhere. Quiet Berovo, on the border with Bulgaria, is an up-and-coming contender on the spa-hotel scene. Also in Macedonia’s idyllic eastern half, sturdy old Kratovo – with Ottoman-era stone bridges and cobblestone lanes – is revitalising previously derelict Turkish mansions, attesting the bygone wealth of this old mining town. And in the arid central vineyard region of Tikveš, new quality wineries are catering to thirsty visitors.

10. Malaysia

A revitalised Malaysia goes back to business

Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang, Malaysia.

With its sights set on 28 million visitors to the country, Malaysia is rolling out an array of new attractions. The headline-grabbers are the largest bird park in Southeast Asia in Melaka (with 6000 birds featuring 400 species), and Legoland Malaysia and Hello Kitty Land in Nusajaya, which are packing in both locals and Singaporeans flocking across the causeway. The new second terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2), catering mainly to the booming budget airline sector, is another major factor in attracting more visitors. Competitive fares offered by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Firefly and new operator Malindo Air make getting around this widely spread-out country a cinch. Further afield, weekly direct links are now scheduled to destinations as diverse as Istanbul and Pyongyang. Amazing experiences await in Malaysian Borneo, from exploring off-the-beaten- track Kudat to indulging at the luxurious Gaya Island Resort on Pulau Gaya. And active travellers can discover the country on two wheels as cycle tourism takes off with guided tours in Sabah, a proposal to build a bike path around the coast of Penang, and a community project to map out cycle routes around Kuala Lumpur.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/lonely-planets-best-in-travel-2014-top-10-countries#ixzz2kzrSyqEh

Images: Getty Images

Travel: Before India

Hihi!

Recently I did join a training and had the golden opportunity to travel! Where to? It's to Chennai, India! Some still call it by its ancient name: Madras!
It's a magical city where there are thousands of gods and thousands of people. I couldn't wait to go! I can still feel the lingering excitement as I look back at this moment as I am typing this

Here is a shot taken at the infamous KLCC! This is the spot where they have this indoor green garden concept. "Indoor forest" if i'm not mistaken. A nice place to have a short escape out of the hustle and bustle of the ever crowded airport!

Yeahhh!! Posin before the Flyin' 

A shot of my airplane...the vehicle that will take me to a foreign land

Here is my travel buddy and my official room mate! Very good and experienced traveler!  

I gotta say "Mmmmmm, I love traveling!"

Recent Genting Highlands Trip - Pt 1

Hello everyone!

Come around and let me tell you of an adventure trip we took to super cool Genting Highlands!

You are in for a treat! I have pictures to show you on my entire journey!

and yes

We are up, up and away!

Yes, I was certainly "blown" away by the cool breeze that greeted me on my way up. Genting Highlands's "cool breeze" certainly defines "cool" on another scale! (coming from a Penang guy who have lived life on a tropical island) haha

It's a long winding road to the top! My sincere respect to "Uncle Lim" that have started the vision to build this path up for all of us to enjoy..thank you!

The roads are so misty! But that's what we all love about Genting Highlands isn't it?

Beautiful oak trees standing strong. The climate is so suitable for the trees growth and nurturing !

I had the chance to stop by Tan Sri (Dr) Lim Goh Tong's memorial hall. Tan Sri Lim is also better known as "uncle Lim" by most local people. People remember him as a cheerful guy who was kind and also fiercely passionate about his dream. Well, due to that dream that he had, now everyone can enjoy Genting Highlands as a resort and super cool get away!

The fishes here are huge!

The rainforest trees just towering majestically above me

Morning Glory soaking up fresh dew from the atmosphere! So refreshing!~

Finally we had arrived at our hotel: Genting Highlands first world hotel! Thank God the queue was short as we were all so tired and needed our rest. A long queue may take for hours, this is why there is even a ticket counter board at the casino so that guest may leave their baggage at their respective area and head towards the casino for some game time while waiting to check in the hotel

So whats the first thing you will do when you check into a hotel after a 5 hour drive?

Ah I just love the greetings of loud cheers and screams for the amusement park, i really do (not)! Well..perhaps after some sleep and rest it will all just go away..

Attempted HDR effect, hehe

Well, the first thing we gotta do after such a long drive is - charge up the devices! I must say that our electronic gadgets keep sucking out battery power faster and faster these days! Screen size are getting larger and larger and we grow to be more and more dependent on battery charging! Halt! Open the flood gates of portable battery charges please!

Uhh!! The mist is here! I love the mist! ahhh...such a warm and fuzzy feeling inside - freezing cold on the outside tho :/

Well, again I must say - can you blame this tropical island guy for getting all excited about the mist? Hey, its not something I can see everyday...if this happens on the island, its not the "cool mist"..its the haze, baby!

The view of Genting's theme park! so much fond memories of me there! Well..will be heading there soon for a blast again! (Gotta get those adrenaline pump system up and full speed ahead soon) ;)

But first..lets get some sleep!

Woke up and found that it was almost sun down..

so what woke me up from such beauty sleep? Ahh....Well it was my internal alarm clock..my tummy! 

This is us, dining at one of our favorite dinner spot! You know you are close to be "haunting" the place when the waitress remembers your face even after 2 months of absence... :0

What could I ask more when I could have a classic cup of hot Chinese tea up at the cold mountain?

One of em billboards

Tho the shop was crowded, the service here is quite efficient!

For those "breathers", you can purchase your needs here...

The servers are dressed in striking orange! Nice colour I must commend

So..where is our food?

Ah, mine came! I love their curry laksa! One of my favorite orders here! Now now, not every body loves this spicy delight, but I for sure will never cancel it out of my top 30 "hitlist" for food when I am in the area.

"So I'm gonna take one last shot..dont touch your meal, 

okay, your giving me that "look"..

shot taken..please enjoy your meal in peace! "

This guy however looks eager, well pleased and ready to FEAST! 

 

Welllll... that's all for part 1 of my recent trip from Penang to to Genting Highlands, gonna upload more pictures and footage to share soon

 

So until then, tooled-doo!