To know Malaysia

Last week, I was sitting next to a lady from India in an open lecture class. We were chitchatting while waiting for the lecture to start. She told me about her holiday plan to Malaysia this summer and she has never been in Malaysia before. She asked briefly about Malaysia, the weather, the places and all. Since she has 2 children below 12 years old, I was suggesting places which I think would be fun for kids. 

I remembered when a colleague to hubby whom previously an expatriate in Malaysia told us that he and his family enjoyed being in Malaysia. He quoted: "if you drive in any direction within 2 hrs from Kuala Lumpur, you'll always find interesting places for family activities, unlike in Doha" I couldn't agree more. 

Map of Peninsular Malaysia - google pix

So in my entry this time, I'm suggesting 10 interesting places for family with kid/s. It would not be the best places but those I think are fun and suitable for family activities and they are either in KL or within +/- 2hrs drive from KL. Most importantly my family & I have been there. Been there, done that! I can't suggest places that I've never been before ;p

I just throw the list and for further info, one can google about it. The sequence is of no particular order. 

Let's start with KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre), the highest twin tower in the world and the centre of attraction in Kuala Lumpur. In Klcc itself, there are fun places for kids. Bring them to Petrosains and Aquaria. Bet they'll love them :)

Klcc at night

1. Petrosains - on level 4 in Klcc.

The pix dinosour was taken in the Petrosains.

2. Aquaria - Concourse level in Klcc.

3. Sunway Lagoon Theme Park

A favourite water park among children, 30 minutes drive from Klcc unless stuck in the traffic jam during peak hours. 

Let's go to the zoo!

4. Zoo Negara (National Zoo) 
The location is in Kuala Lumpur itself, 20 minutes from Klcc.

For more info, pls visit: http://www.zoonegaramalaysia.my

For those who love nature, they can go to Sungai Congkak in Ulu Langat, approximately 50km away from Kuala Lumpur and 1 hour drive.

5. Sungai Congkak

For those who love cool weather, they can go up to Genting Highland which approximately 1 hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Cable car to the peak of Genting Highland

Genting Higland Theme Park

6. Genting Highland

Let's go to the beach. Within 1hr drive, we can reach Port Dickson. There are quite a number of good hotels and resorts along the beach. If you stay in Avillion, apart of wading pool (as most hotels will provide) they have pet farm for children and kids obviously love it.

7. Port Dickson

I love travel to Malacca for its heritage values and it has been among the top tourist spot. Driving there from Kuala Lumpur takes around 1.5 to 2 hrs and on the way within 45 mins drive, we'll pass the A Famosa Resort. Other than water park, it has the animal world theme. 

Drive further to Malacca, to be specific in Ayer Keroh, we can go to the Malacca Zoo, a comparable zoo to the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur.

A Famosa Resort map - google pix

A Famosa Animal World

8. A Famosa Resort

Safari Park in Malacca Zoo

 9. Zoo Melaka (Malacca Zoo)

Let's drive to Kuantan, another nearby city in Pahang. Pahang has a lot to offer especially for those who love nature and outdoor experience such as hiking and camping in Mount Tahan and National Park and also famous for its beautiful beaches and resorts. By the way, the focus in this entry is for the near distance travelling for family with kids. Another option is to go to Gambang water park in Kuantan and driving there from KL via highway is approximately 2hrs.

10. Gambang Water Park

Again, the 10 places above are only few among interesting places for family within Kuala Lumpur and nearby areas (+/-2hrs drive from Kuala Lumpur). At least to give some ideas for the first timers to Malaysia :)

Balik kampung, Malaysia :)

Last December school break, Akid and I flew back to Malaysia, followed suit by hubby 2 weeks later. Being in Malaysia means makan, makan and makan, especially when we were in Kota Bharu (KB). Ayyo, we had put on few kgs :(

Almost every morning in KB, we had nasi (rice) for breakfast. Either 'nasi berlauk, nasi kerabu, nasi dagang' and sometimes, on top of nasi we had 'pulut pagi', 'laksam' or some sweet dessert i.e. 'kuih-muih' such as 'cek mek molek', 'serikaya' etc. I don't have the pics for all these as I'm not a kind of person who'll take the pic of every single food. I think I should consider to take pics of traditional food as I believe not many are familiar with Malaysian and Kelantanese food.

Pic 1: Nasi kerabu ayam percik & sup campur

Pic 2: Akid with the grandparents having breakfast at Tok Ti's house. It was her birthday on Christmas day, so I brought along the birthday cake.

Oh, I miss these: ABC & Colek jambu

On our way to Kota Tinggi, we stopped by the newly launched JPO (Johor Premium Outlet) located in Kulaijaya. Well since it was on a new year holiday, the mall was packed with people, mostly the locals and Singaporeans. My intention was just to have a look and survey the prices offered for branded stuffs such as burberry and coach but there were long queues to enter those shops. I didn't have that kind of patient to queue along. So no comment on those stuffs. For other shops in general, I can say at that point of time, the choices were not much and the prices were not worth it. I'm also comparing the prices for Salvatore Ferragamo (SF). There were more choices in Klia SF shop and the prices were discounted ranging of 30-50%. At Klia, one could get the discounted ferra shoes of a better design for rm800+ as to compare to rm1k+ (for last season's design) in JPO. I'm referring to JPO at that particular time, i.e on 1st Jan 2012. Maybe and hopefully, it'll be more attractive and worthy items offered in the future.

We went down to Desaru beach and stayed at Lotus Beach Resort. I don't really fancy the 2 storey rooms in one apartment unit (like a town-house concept). It means I have to go upstairs to the bedroom. Since it was a 'terjah' check-in, no survey, no booking, so I guess, I can't complain much. 

It was a monsoon season, with strong sea waves and high tides, so no swimming, not jet-skiing or banana boating but just relaxing by the beach. Swimming activities for Akid were restricted inside the hotel's swimming pool.

One of the scene in Ombak Rindu

So much heard about the movie 'Ombak Rindu', Jo, Lida and I went to watch it in Klcc. It was a day after I arrived Kl. (hmmm mcm semangat plak) Well, it's not a bad movie even the storyline is so cliche. When my hubby asked, why it's so over-rated?? My answer was because it's a Pretty Woman's malay version ;p 

It was about a son of a rich family met a naive kampung girl whom was sold as a prostitute. He married the girl when pleaded by her, but her status was more like his 'mistress'. The marriage, apparently did not get his high class mother's consent. Obviously because of their different status and that guy was engaged to a girl of his mother's choice, a famous artist. The love developed between the hero and the kampung girl when they spent a lot of time together bla bla... Sorry, not my intention to write the movie synopsis but I want to explain the cliche. A rich handsome man marries a poor naive girl with beauty and had a hard time with his rich mother and not to forget the competitor's character, or a triangle love of another attractive, glamorous and so-called high class city girl. 

However, I think the success of that movie was contributed by it's strong team of both main and supporting actors and actresses and its beautiful cinematography which kind of making the movie alive. Honestly, I was a bit bored with it's slow pace especially when the same song was repeated again and again. I heard most of viewers think it's a great song. My galfrens like the song. They immediately googled for that song while we were having drinks right after the movie;) Personally, I thinks the movie theme song is just so-so.

Last but not least, meeting my GBS galfrens (Gang Breakfast Selalu) from office. Miss them already...

It's 2012, Already!

Today is already 12.01.2012 and hope it's not too late to wish all Happy New Year. 

Alhamdulillah, praise to Allah for giving me, my love ones and all of us the chance to go through another year, living in this temporary world. May each day, we'll love ALLAH more and will put HIM above all, ameen. 

As for me and my family, we spent our year end 2011 and new year 2012 in our hometown, Malaysia. Alhamdulillah, even it was a short trip, we managed to spare our time with our parents, visiting families and relatives, meeting up with old friends and relaxed by the beach (my favourite). Also managed to settle few things at home that was left the last time we moved to Doha and stocked up some of the Malaysian food to Doha's home ;)

It had been sometimes, I mean some years that I made a list of which I wish to achieve for that particular year aka making new resolutions. And that might be of some lame reasons, either too busy with officeworks, outstations or tired of same old resolutions which kind of 'hangat2 chicken's shit';p Btw, making resolutions are not only for a new year, birthday, anniversary, etc but muslims are encouraged to make a resolution to be a better person today compared to as of yesterday. On a big picture, it's still good to however have a reflect and make resolutions for a new year or any milestone date. For this 2012, I think I should detail out in my personal list or revisit the old (ancient, maybe) list again... Hmmm sounds like the same Me even in the new year?? Normally, being me as quite an organized person, I would categorize the things that I want to achieve which relates me with:

1) Me with Allah

2) Me with Family

3) Me with work, social & nature

4) Me, myself

My repeated resolutions (still dealing with same issue ever) would be to improve the quality of my solat and my Quran reading and being istiqamah in reading the Quran and performing the sunnah prayers. To be honest I'm still lacking of making those as routines, my bad! Dealing with 'iman senipis kulit bawang' which has it's up and down.... Ya Allah, grant me and us all the iman and taqwa, ameen.

I have yet to revisit, reflect and update my resolution list of ages ago and it's all in my handphone. Hmm, I've been depending too much on my handphone for the info, data, dates, calculations, etc. I think I should make a new resolution to rely more on my 'brain' (I mean memory haha) rather than the gadgets :p