Trip to far far away

Preparing for my next oncoming trip ..... to the land of Liberty :) USA. But this time round as I have to be there for meetings, the most important thing on my agenda is SHOPPING!!! Hmm will I get to walk on the Golden Gate and go to the peak.

Shopping is a must...Great Outlet Mall at Miltipas here I come. And hope I have time to visit Gilroy too.

More stories and pictures to update...yeah.

Leisure + work in Penang

Had been promising colleagues in Penang that I will be up to meet with them including ex-colleagues for years therefore this year, I plug my courage and booked a flight to Penang. Anyway nowadays flight are getting cheaper, I meant budget airlines.

Instead of wasting my 1 day leave, decided to come to the office in Penang to work and also to meet with a number of colleagues. One of my colleague (we have never met only communicate via email and phone) offered to fetch me from the airport eventhough I arrived very late in the night.

I chose a hotel which is located near town ...Northam All Suite. The reason for choosing the hotel is pretty easy; THERE'S A JACCUZI IN THE ROOM!! and also for a suite I'm paying RM180 per night (nett) inclusive of breakfast, what more can I ask for.

Had problems sleeping on the first night as the room is rather too big for 1 person. Breakfast was good and managed to get a car + driver to drive me to the office. Had not visited the office for almost 8 years and it had changed..but luckly my instinct managed to get me to find the office and my host. Spending some time clearing emails, short official meeting and a few rounds of meetings with various people to chat. It was a short day and didn't had much time to walk around and meet everyone. Ended the day with dinner with a group of Finance folks at a nearby Thai Restaurant; decided to treat them :). After dinner, decided that I should go back to the hotel to rest as I'm having a full long day the day after.

After breakfast, decided to soak myself in the Jacuzzi while waiting the time to fly ...and meet an ex-colleague who will be bringing me around Penang Island. It's so refreshing ..having my own personal time and enjoying the bubbles in the Jacuzzi with the music blasting the room ...I'm all alone so there's no worries about privacy hee..hee..

Upon meeting Leng Leng (my dear ex-colleague), she brought me near the pier to have lunch. Didnt realise that I had brought my camera in my handbag therefore forgot to take all the good shots of the yatch and delicious food. It's definately delicious food as I couldn't finish my food for the very first time. Rich and super delicious...hard to describe.

After lunch, Leng Leng brought me to have my dessert near Komtar. Hmm chendol! And she also ordered a bowl of Laksa for me (without noodle). As my pants almost burst on me, I could only savour a few spoonful of the Laksa. Eventhough I am not Assam Laksa lover, but this laksa make me love it! Now I really had a problem walking as I'm over loaded with food and liquid.

Leng Leng decided to drive to Batu Feringgi...the long drive make my eyes drowsy and tired (it must be the food!), but I was eager to see what's along the road. And also to make sure that Leng Leng is awake while driving.

After a short break (I mean toilet break) at Rasa Sayang (Shang-ri La), we continue our drive...and stopped by the Spice Garden. The Spice Garden was featured in the recent Amazing Race. I wasn't really interested in spice but I wanted to sit in the big swing that Guru sat in Amazing Race....we sat there for almost half an hour before realising mosquitoes had attacked our hands and legs. Feeling great and peaceful swinging on the big swing over looking the sea..with the green...minus mosquitoes please.

We also stopped by the Butterfly park....

After that we went to the jetty ....to relax ourselves as we look at the calm sea. The whole atmosphere make me feel like I'm not in Penang but in some wonderful island which is under developed.

We end our day with dinner at Gurney drive. I had my char kuey teow; must say I'm super greedy...I thought my plate is too small and start digging on other food too...Satay, cuttlefish, rojak ....but the small plate of char kuey teow prove to be quite a lot to me that I had problem finishing it. But I would say....it's a good cheap dinner. After dinner, Leng Leng drive me back to the hotel where I soak in the jacuzzi to "slim down".

On my last day in Penang, I didn't want to do anything but just look around and also to buy some tidbits home...some folks requested me to buy Tau Sar Peah. And I also wanted to go to the toilet bowl cafe.

Ordered "shit" ice cream...it turn me off at first (i mean the look of it) and then the taste. The ice cream taste weird not like normal ice cream....ok first and last time there.

Before I depart back to Singapore, I told myself that I will come back to Penang again....for its food! yum yum

Bali (again!)

No one can ever get tired/bored of this beautiful paradise. For a simple person like me, I just love it. I love the Balinese who welcome you with a smile, affordable delicious food, beautiful people, rich culture and most importantly out of the Country to destress and SHOP!

A group of 6 of us (all ages) managed to get return tickets to Bali for S$50 each, what a deal. As most of them didn't want to stay at Kuta; for a reason or another, we decided to stay in Tuban which is a non-touristy area and about 5 minutes drive from Denpasar Airport. For an avid traveller, I'm pretty easy on where to stay as long as I am given clean bed, clean towels...basically clean rooms!

We visited workshops for Batik and Silver ("Celop").

Not forgeting free coffee/tea/cocoa drinks along the way up to Kintamani. All the drinks come with a natural stirrer - cinamon stick.

And not forgeting the view from Kintamani. I can never get tired of enjoying the view and the clean fresh air.

We also stopped by Tanggalang to see the beautiful scenery of green rice plantations.

While having our dinner at Jimbaran, my eyes caught of a beautiful sight (including the sunset by the beach)...a young Australian girl chasing the waves.

We also tried on trekking at Bentulu. This is my first trekking and had not done any exercise or warm up. At first, we thought we would be walking down the road as we were informed that it will be a a simple 2 hr trek. But what shocked us or rather me was that we had to go through the "jungle" to go down to the lake and we were the pioneers to the trek.

That 2 hr was a nightmare for me, I was stung by poisonous plant that numb my right hand, I kept falling as the sand were too soft, rocks kept falling and trees uprooted. But I was lucky to have 2 heroes (the guide) holding my hands and offering their legs as steps for me. Among the 5 girls who "roll down" the hill (one back off as she was too afraid), I was the lucky princess :).

When I reached the lake after an exhausting 2hr and 15 mins, it's worth it. Finally I make it....ALIVE! (minus the numb on my hands)

To treat ourselves, we went to catch the sunset at Tanah Lot. Breathtaking view as I watch every single second of the sun being "eaten" by the waves.

We spent the other 2 days shopping at Kuta and pampering ourselves with Spa...but in the end, we crawled back home with an aching legs (due to the trekking) and lots of damage; bags from shopping, broke but contented.

If given another chance, I would still go to Bali and promote Bali....yeah!

MIA

Had been busy with too much activities that didn't had the time to upload most of the travel activities.

Updates more to come.