A trip to Bandung, Indonesia

On the 26th March, Repin and I were off to Bandung by Air Asia. This trip had been planned since last year- in late August when Air Asia had a sale. We only paid for the flight over, the return flight was free! And we were supposed to celebrate Repin's birthday there. Anyway we arrived in Bandung in the late evening - our flight had been delayed by almost an hour in Kuala Lumpur so instead of arriving at 4.40 as scheduled we arrived at 5.40 pm. After checking in we decided to eat dinner at the hotel instead and have an early night, rather than go out. Pak Rosikin was supposed to come the next day anyway. 

The weather in Bandung at this time of year is cool but slightly wet. According to the driver it has been raining almost everyday this past week but mainly drizzles. I hope it does not rain while we are here. 

Dinner was simple but delicious. I had fried noodles while Repin had a soup ( ox tail soup) with rice and vegetables. That night we went to bed fairly early - around 9.30 pm and woke up the next day at 4 am for the early morning prayers. 

The next day Wan and Emma arrived. We went to the airport to get them and then had breakfast at the coffee shop nearby. Good breakfast with pancakes and scrambled eggs, just the way we liked it. After checking in Emma and I decided to go the the Pasar Baru first for some shopping, then off we went to a few places for sight seeing. Rosikin told us about this nice place for families - where we can eat and relax. It was on the way to the Daun which is on the way to the mountains so we went there first. 

    

It's a man made lake with a lovely garden around it and beside it one can see all the various plants which are found in the area. There is also a kind of herb garden with lots of herbs growing  and even vegetables such as tomatoes, peas, cabbages, kailan etc

Later we went to the Daun, a restaurant that specialises in local delicacies set amidst lush greenery, complete with man made streams and even a waterfall. This is a popular place for both locals and visitors and one has to book in advance in order to eat here. Unfortunately for us it rained while we were there, and spoiled the view for us. But luckily, as always the food did not disappoint. 

 

Going to Kota Bahru, Kelantan

,The next day we started out around 10.00 am, after a leisurely breakfast of nasi lemak, scrambled eggs on toast and some salad at the picturesque beach side restaurant. Wan took some final photos of the surrounding area and then off we went on the way to KB. 

Looking at the map, KB is at least 400km away so Repin decided to share the drive with Wan. He took the first shift and we drove slowly along the coast passing serene looking fishing villages, small towns and by 12.30pm we had reached the outskirts of Kuala Terengganu. Earlier we had stopped for a bit of a snack of keropok lekor (a fish sausage made with fish and flour) and eaten with a sweet and spicy chill sauce. The ones sold along the roadside seems better than the ones we buy at home, maybe because its freshly made on the spot and fried then and there. 

We also stopped for some pictures along the way. This coastal road is really picturesque with lots of photo opportunities. 

Wan and Repin at one of the beaches we passed by

a fishing village

We stopped for prayers at one of the masjid in Kuala Terengganu and then stopped for lunch at a restaurant nearby where they sold nasi campur - rice with a mixture of fish, curry and vegetables. 

Then off we went again, this time with Wan doing the driving. This is a very unfamiliar road because none of us had ever driven to Kota Bahru recently. In fact Wan  had never ever been to Kota Bahru. This would be his first trip there. It's a pity that Emma could not come with us. It would have been more fun for Wan if his wife came along.

Anyway according to our guide/ gps WAZE we should be in KB by 7.30pm. However we made it there earlier by half an hour - we reached there by 7.00pm and was at the hotel by 7.30pm. 

Wan was very impressed by the hotel - it has a luxurious lobby with a definite age-old charm and an ambience. Palm trees decorated the entrance with liveried bell boys waiting to help us with our luggage. After the registration were taken care off we went up to our rooms to freshen up and then went back downstairs for dinner at the Chinese restaurant downstairs. That night we decided to have an early night and went back to our rooms although Wan decided he wanted to explore a bit. 

I had a bad experience though in this hotel and I vowed never again to use this place. The next day after we had explored the town and visited the museum, I decided to try out their spa and facial. I made an appoint for the evening just after dinner. Thinking that this was Kelantan ( where people are supposedly more religious) I left my handbag unguarded in the facial room. After my facial I went up to my room and since it was already 10.00 pm decided to sleep early since we were going home the next day. In the morning I opened my handbag to look for my necklace and locket which I had left in it during the facial. I was shocked to find that it wasn't there. Thinking that I had forgotten where I kept it I emptied the bag and looked in every pocket and zipped area but it wasn't anywhere in the bag. I knew then that it had been taken. So I went downstairs with hubby to reception and told them but they said the spa was not operated by the hotel but was a private enterprise. They gave me the owner's name and number however and I called the owner and explained the problem. But even though she sympathised and made apologetic noises she maintained that her staff were all above suspicion and very trustworthy. If they were trustworthy how did my chain go missing? So that's it - never again will I go there! 

Our East coast road trip

This trip had been planned by Repin since last year when he first got the Exora. In fact one of the reasons he wanted to go to the East Coast was because he wanted to test the car. When Yati went back to Indonesia and was detained at Surabaya Airport, we thought - there goes our trip!  But luckily she managed to come back in time for us to still drive there, although we had to cut short the trip by one day.

So here we are in Cherating at last! We started out a bit late yesterday because we wanted to send Sarah and Neville to Sentral for their express bus yo Singapore. Then drove up to KL to leave Saru's food and finally picked Wan from his house in Ampang. However in spite of delays, we arrived in Cherating at 3.00 pm- just in time to check in.

It wasn't a bright and sunny day but the sea was beautifully calm, the breeze welcoming and cool to the senses and we had a pleasant tea break on the beach. That night we decided to try out the firefly watching which was on the River Cherating and run by a passionate nature lover, Hafiz, who originally came from Myanmar. He gave a short talk on the habits of fireflies and how we have to conserve it's natural environment, ie the mangrove swamps where they are found.

The boat ride to see the fireflies cost only RM25 per person but I think it was really worth it. The night was dark and at first a bit eerie but I enjoyed the breeze. There were about 15 people on each boat and 3 boats all together. At first we could not see anything but slowly as our eyes got used to the dark we saw tiny flickering lights. At first, just a few then there were dozens of them everywhere- mostly nearer the water's edge, just above the shore. Hafiz had mentioned that bright lights frightened them or kills them so nobody was allowed to take pictures. Even a small light from our phones could distract and confuse them according to Hafiz. And since light is their means of communication to each other especially when they want to mate, by flashing lights at them we would essentially be blocking them from mating and thus indirectly cause them to slowly disappear, which was what had happened in Kuala Selangor. Today there are so few fireflies there tourists no longer visit the place anymore. Also according to Hafiz, they are very susceptible to water pollution. If the rivers are polluted, the mangroves too will die and this too will endanger the fireflies. So he and his team will clean the river every once in a while- collecting plastics, tins and other rubbish thrown by careless people, to make sure the environment is clean.

At one point the mangroves looked like a fairy land- with the tiny flickering lights on the trees and they were so friendly these fireflies even flew down to our boats and landed on our hands and clothes. I felt awed and fascinated by these beautiful lighted creatures and was so glad we made a point of coming here to see them.

A Japanese Alpine village

From Fukuoka, we were back on the Shinkanzen to Takayama. Takayama is a little town right up the mountains in Central Japan. Actually it is situated in a valley with the Japanese Alps all around it. It took us a little more than 5 hours from Southern Japan to Central Japan - a journey of more than 800 km. we had to change trains in Osaka because the only train that goes to Takayama is the limited express. 

On the way we saw really beautiful scenery - crystal clear rivers , gorges that take your breath away, fields of spring wildflowers. Parts of this scenery reminded me so much of New Zealand - except that sometimes we would see cherry blossoms or the Zakura tree.  We passed a number of small towns too that looked quite picturesque. 

          

            

In Takayama we stayed at a lovely hotel called .... Which was within walking distance of the railway station. The weather was cool and breezy - perfect spring weather!  Our room too was fantastic - it faced a small stream running behind the hotel and we could see glimpses of the mountains in the distance. That evening we took an exploratory walk around the town and saw a lot of interesting things. First of all, Takayama is actually an old Meiji emperor town. Some of the shops in the town goes back to the 17th century and the roads are cobbled still. However there is also a modern part of town with a few high rises ( about 10 stories) . We passed an old shrine that looked as if it has stood there since the 17th century! Then we crossed the river - this is really a fantastic place. The river is so clear you can see the stones in it and there are Japanese carp or koi ! Imagine that. In Malaysia the koi is an expensive fish and is only reared in man made ponds but here they swim freely. 

The river we passed by. 

That night I had a steam bath and slept like a log! 

Fukuoka

After Osaka we went to Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. We were supposed to go by Shinkanzen but the tickets had been sold out - no tickets for seating places but we could take the non- reserved cars so we decided to take that anyway. However the earliest train would be at 1.50pm and we had already checked out of our hotel so we had to take whichever train that was traveling south that was earliest, and it happened to be the Hakata Express. Express is actually a misnomer. Once on the train we realised this was like a mail train - it would stop at every station, big or small, passenger or no. So it took us all of 4 hours and 30 minutes to reach Hakata whereas the normal Shinkanzen would have taken us only 3 hours. Anyway it was a good experience and we could see much more of the countryside.

Japan is really very developed and even though Kyushu, when we studied Geography in school, was an island off Honshu, in reality it was almost part of the main island of Honshu. We could not even see where Honshu ended and Kyushu began - it was all one smooth track, with lots of bridges and tunnels linking one island to another.

Hakata, or its old name Fukuoka was quite a large city. There are many canals linking  different parts of the city and gardens. The hotel where we stayed was the New Otani, about 10 minutes away from the station. After checking in and refreshing ourselves we decided to take a look at the shopping centre which we saw was very near the hotel - just a stop away by subway. 

The shopping centre was actually part of the subway - everything was underground and you could practically walk from one end of the town to another without getting out. And it was all shops along the way, shops, restaurants, cafés and even a small garden! 

A short trip to Bandung in Indonesia

After I came back from Mauritius, my sisters Laila and Sabar invited me to follow them on a shopping trip to Bandung, in I ndonesia. Indonesia is our neighbor and although I won't say that it has fantastic shopping ( not to be compared to London or Paris) but things there are really much cheaper than here in Malaysia. We were there for three days and two nights- just a small forage into their fabric market where one can buy Swiss voile and French lace for a third of the price here in Malaysia.

My sister Laila intends to open a bridal boutique and the best source for bridal wear and other stuff is Indonesia. A beautiful lace kebaya here costs only RM20/- while here in Malaysia the same one could cost up to RM200-300/-. So off to Bandung we went - my sisters,  my niece Azlin and myself. It was a fairly hectic trip because Sabar is a shopaholic and does not know the meaning of tiredness or fatigue. After the first day of going around looking at fabrics, haggling the prices, trying on clothes, I felt ready to give up. But Sabar and Lin my niece will go on, saying oh this is beautiful! Or 'you should take a look at this one!' The many willing salespeople were so so helpful - demonstrating  lines and shapes, pulling out more and more fabrics for our perusal and persuading us to make our decisions to buy.

Mauritius scenery in pictures

The sea  near our hotel

A British schooner of the time

The seven coloured earth - a geological phenomena

a local festival  celebrating the birth of Shiva

Setting sun at our hotel

Sea front at Grand Bay

That's me, infront of the Chateau De La Bourddanais

At the Sucre Adventure Museum

Mauritius- a fascinating land of varied cultures

Last week on 14 September, Repin and I went to Mauritius - he for a business meeting and me, just for the fun of it.While preparing for the trip I realised that most of my pre-conceptions of this island were wrong. First I found out that it was closer to Africa than to any Asian continent so technically it is an African country. Historically the island had been in use by Arab traders for a long time, normally to rest and stock up on food after a long journey around the Cape of Good Hope. However there were no original inhabitants of the island unless one calls the dodo bird as a native. Then sometime in the 16th century the Dutch came and they too used the island as a resting place and to refuel. Like the Arabs, they did not settle on the island, although they did give it a name - Mauritzius, in honor of their stadholder, Prince Maurice Van Nassau. Unlike the Arabs though, the Dutch were held responsible for the extinction of the dodo, a bird that looks rather like a duck but much bigger in size than our present ducks and unique to Mauritius. The dodo was a flightless bird and could easily be trapped. So they were hunted down in large numbers to feed the Dutch soldiers and sailors who stopped here. By the time the French came in the 17th century, the dodo was already dead and gone, never again to reappear .

The French stayed for almost a 100 years, bringing settlers from France to open up the island. To encourage settlers to stay, they were offered parcels of land of about 90 hectares per family to open up the main crop of the island - sugar cane. The French  brought in slaves from Africa to work their plantations and renamed the island Isle De France. 

The last Europeans to come to Mauritius were the British who also had interests in the Indian Ocean.

In the 19th century the British made a number of attempts to take over the island but failed until in December 1810 they came again with 76 vessels armed with more than 20,000 soldiers. They took the French by surprise and conquered the island in one epic battle at sea.

The English took over the island officially after the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1814. Once again Isle de France became known as Mauritius and the British quickly began a policy of agriculture that would change the landscape of the island forever. They were more interested in exploiting Mauritius's agricultural potential and began planting sugar cane on a large scale. They abolished slavery  and freed all the slaves, most of whom had become entrenched on the island and even spoke a kind of pidgin French they called Creole. To help them work their plantations, the British used indentured workers whom they brought in from India and China, two large countries in which they were already deeply involved. They included workers from various parts of India - Bihar, Madras, Oudh and some even from the North west provinces. Thus it is that the people of Mauritius today consists of Indians, Africans, many of French-Mauritian descent, Arab Muslims and Chinese.

The language spoken today is still called Creole, and taught in schools as their mother tongue, while English is the language of instruction and commerce. The capital, Port Louis is a bustling metropolis with an intriguing combination of cultures, languages and religions. By the time Mauritius had gained its independence from the British in 1968, Mauritian Creole was recognised as the main  language which united these various ethnicities

La Bourddanais Park

and English became the official language in government and in commerce. All the various festivals are celebrated, just as in Malaysia. It is a fascinating country with splendid views wherever one turns, whether it is the sea, the hinterland or the rugged mountains.
 

Part of the Black River Gorge National Reserve

A trip to the Maldives

Soft white sand, clear blue skies and the sea 

The water chalets where we stayed for 4 nights

Last week Repin and I followed the Open University of Malaysia delegation to the Maldives to attend a convocation - their third to date. This is the branch campus of our OUM in the maldives and all together 77 students graduated this time around, most of them doing Business Administration and a few in Education. 

The trip there was by Sri Lankan Air which was surprisingly good. We were in business class and the seats were very comfortable while  the food was great. We landed in Maale around 4.30pm and were quickly whisked off to Paradise Island Resort, about 15 minutes away by boat. It was a speed boat so the ride was swift though a bit bumpy. All around me were tiny islands, some inhabited, many uninhabited. At the resort we were met by the Liaisons officer,

Fatimath Nadja Ibrahim who would be with us throughout the trip.

This was the beginning of a wonderful 5 day 4 night trip, full of new experiences and sights. The first day there, which was a Tuesday was a free day and we explored on our own, walking on the beach, exploring the whole island (which was about 2km by 3 km only) and swimming in the shallow lagoon made by the corals surrounding the island. The water was so clear one could see the bottom very easily and sometimes this could be deceptive in that it may look shallow but can easily be 6-7 feet deep. We could see the variety of coral and other types of fishes swimming gracefully in the water. In the early morning, walking to the restaurant for our breakfast we saw some baby sharks and even a bay manta. Even a baby can easily be at least 3 feet in length! I was so excited at the sight I nearly dropped my iphone to catch their images!

A school of dolphins passing by our boat

On the third day after attending the convocation we were taken to see a tuna factory, where the tuna were caught, graded and processed before being exported to Europe. However I did not stay to watch because I was overcome by the sight and smell of raw tuna being processed I had to leave. That night we saw the feeding of the sharks, which was an awesome sight. It seems that the sharks are offered free food every night  by the seafood restaurant at 8pm. So every night around 7.30pm the sharks would assemble before the restaurant hoping for a free meal! It was a sight I wont forget easily - 10 or more sharks fighting for the tidbits thrown to them by the kitchen staff! 

A view from the shore 

Queenstown

Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu

From Franz Josef we drove down to Queenstown, another beautiful town on the Lake Wakatipu. This is one of the most gorgeous towns in New Zealand even though it was a typical tourist attraction. The views from the lake and of the surrounding countryside were really spectacular. We left Franz Josef at 8.30 am and  stopped by to see another scenic wonder - Lake Matheson on the way to Haarst. From here we could see the top of Mount Cook - just the tips of its snow capped top but a glorious view nevertheless. Lake Mathieson itself was quite a walk inside - almost one and a half kilometers away but once we were there no words could describe the awe and wonder of it -with the surrounding mountains reflected in the still waters of the lake. It was a picture postcard.

A cruise on Lake Wakatipu

Lake Mathieson with Mount Cook in the distance

Queenstown as seen from the lake

Across the Southern Alps by train

Getting ready to board the train

Repin with the Kea, the only alpine parrot in the world

From Christchurch we traversed the Southern Alps aboard the famous Trans -Alpine train to Arthur's Pass. We boarded the train very early in the morning (8.00am). It was quite full actually - mostly tourists from all over the world.  As the train moved over the Alps we saw the snow capped mountains of the Alps and spectacular gorges and the Waimakariri river winding its way through the valley. Here and there are mountain farms or highland farms as they call it here in New Zealand. They reminded me so much of Essie Summers' books about New Zealand high country life. We passed by a small town high up on the mountains called Springfield - according to the commentator it served as the collecting point for wool and other high country produce for the farmers in days gone by. Today much of the high country farms are no longer in operation and many of them have been taken over by the government.

We stopped at Arthur's Pass and boarded our coach here. From Arthur's pass we drove through more scenic country and stopped at Spooner's View point to get a look at the surrounding landscape and also got an intimate introduction to the Kea - the only alpine parrot found in the world. The Kea is said to be as clever as a 3 year old and just as mischievous!

Repin at Arthur's Pass station

That night  we stayed at another scenic resort - the Franz Josef Scenic Resort with a gorgeous view of the mountains and the temperate forests. The next day, 6th May we visited  the famous Franz Josef glacier, one of the few fairly accessible glaciers in the world.

Another gorgeous view from the train

Hamner Springs to Christchurch

After Picton we drove down south towards Christchurch but made a few stops. One of them was an Alpine village called Hamner Springs, situated at the foothills of the Southern Alps. This little village is actually very touristy, which means that everything is geared towards attracting tourists. The houses are very picturesque looking , some replicas of Queen Anne cottages, some looking like Swiss cottages. We made a lunch stop here and Repin and I walked around the little town admiring the beautiful views of the mountains in the background and the trees in their fall glory. 

For lunch we stopped at this delightful cafe and had the most sumptuous seafood chowder eaten with freshly baked bread. Topped with a mug of steaming hot coffee, we felt fresh and able to tackle whatever came next.

 

Hanmer Springs

 

The drive to Christchurch was long but full of wonderous sights. At one stage we passed deep dark forests which reminded me so much  of Lord Of The Rings! Looking at the tall trees and forest paths one can imagine Gandalf riding through with the forest people.

From Hanmer Springs we drive through Lewis Pass and down towards the Murchison river before we reach the upper reaches of the Canterbury Plains. Here again dotted all over the landscape are sheep, and sheep and more sheep! No wonder they say you see more sheep than people here.

We arrived in Christchurch rather late in the evening and didn't have any time for a city tour. Since the next day we would be traveling fairly early in the morning  we decided to give the city tour a pass and opted for an early night.  Dinner was at the hotel and was baked trout with potatoes in coriander gravy. I would say that it was all delicious! Hmm , after this trip I really have to go on a diet and trim away my waist!

The Canterbury plains

Crossing Cook Strait

The crossing was quite uneventful and smooth- going. It was a 2 and half hour crossing and quite comfortable. I saw a pod of dolphins frolicking in the water but they were too far to capture on camera.

The ferry crossing

First view of South Island as we came closer

By 11.00am we had arrived in Picton, a very small town on South Island. After lunch at a delicious Indian restaurant there we drove on towards Nelson, our stay for the night before Christchurch. Along the way were lots of beautiful views - beech and pedocarp forests gleaming golden in the sunlight, towering mountains  covered in lush vegetation, deep gorges and the Pelorous bridge, spanning the Pelorous River.

Wellington- Nelson

Time really flies when you are enjoying yourself. Without realising it this is already the 5th day of our tour and we are rolling down south towards Wellington. Last night we stayed at Napier, at a scenic hotel resort. Napier is situated at Hawkes Bay and its a fairly quiet little town. The weather had turned rather chilly and even though we had time for a walk, Repin and I went only to the beach and part of the town before the chilly weather drove us back to the hotel. I think  because Napier faces the Pacific Ocean it is more open to the colder winds from the Antartic. Temperatures in Napier were down to 13 degrees Celsius.

View of Wellington from Mount Victoria 

From Napier we stopped by to visit a natural museum  which shows the way of life of the Maoris, their houses and their activities. From there it was a straight road to Wellington, with one short stop for lunch at Dannevirke, a town once dominated by Norwegians and Swedish people. In fact many of the buildings here had pictures of Norse men or Vikings with their famous hammers.

Viking town called Dannevirke

We arrived in Wellington late in the afternoon and Repin as well as the other s decided to go to the Wellington Museum or Te Papa  before it closed at 5pm. However I had developed a headache and decided to go straight to the hotel for a rest. Dinner that night was provided at the hotel and the next day would be an early start  as we would be crossing over to Picton, on South Island . Our ferry would move at 8am which means being at the pier as early as 7.30 am. 

Our hotel was called the Grand Chancellor and it was a 4 star hotel with really beautiful views of Wellington. We also were taken on a cable car ride to the top of Mount Victoria and we saw our son's university - Victoria University as well as his residence while he was studying there : Weir House.

Roturua, where hotsprings bubble and geysers blow

thefamous Pohutu Geyser in Roturua

We had two days in Roturua. On the first day, not wanting to waste time we walked around town to view the sights. First we went to the lakeside where a large paddleboat was waiting for passengers. This was the lake cruise and the boat looked like something out of Mark Twain. It was too late for a cuise which would take an hour so we decided to defer this and walked on towards the centre of town. The weather was beautifully cool - not cold but nice when you are wearing a sweater, (about 17 degrees Celsius) and I enjoyed looking at the wonderful colours of fall on the trees along the road side - reds, orange, yellows. 

A road in Roturua

   

Repin relaxing after some shopping

That night we were entertained to a Maori concert and dinner. We were taken to a Maori village and shown their ancestral history and how they arrived at New Zealand. Then they showed us the Haka -  a traditional Maori dance which mostly consisted of singing and war like movements and scary faces! The typical Maori feast was called a hangi (pronounced as hungee) where they barbeque the meat inside a deep hole filled with hot stones. The meat was wrapped in leaves and cooked to perfection.

After the dinner we were taken to see the kiwi, also a typical New Zealand flightless bird. The kiwi is nocturnal so we could only see it at night - in looks it was bigger than a chicken and dark brown in colour so it is not easy to find. Kiwis are protected animals and on the endangered list though today their main predator is the possum.

Still in Roturua

Me with the Pohutu geyser in the background 

A Maori Traditional concert 

Another view of lake Roturua

The Roturua National Museum

An active geyser

 Today we spent a whole day just enjoying the sights.First we went to the Roturua National Museum which was in a beautiful building, reminiscent of our own Sultan Abdul Samad building in Kuala Lumpur. Here we learnt of the coming of the Maoris to New Zealand which they call Ao Te Aroa or Land of the Long White Cloud. It was thought that the Maoris came from the pacific Islands, some of them even came from South Asia and some from as far as South America. The first group probably came over as early as the 12th or 13th century in four long canoes which they called hoka. One canoe was thought to have carried about 100 people and so it was thought that the first batch of immigrants were about 300-400 people. They first landed in the north island, which explained why most  of them can be found in the North Island. Most of the Maoris today live around and in Roturua.