I believe in Hope and Faith.
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Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Yupz...!! I'm back, in more than one way. I'm back to Singapore and I'm also back to my blogging!! As I mentioned before in my previous entry, I needed some time to do some soul-searching. Well, after the holidaying, I think I've found the answer I'm looking for, and so, yeah, I back to my blogging ways again. :p

Bintan Trip (20-22 Dec '05)
Went with Ben and Joey to a Bintan get-away. Really enjoyed myself there, despite the little sickness and tiredness that came our way. The weather had been kind to us. Although its a monsoon season, it only starts to rain on our last day when we went indoor. Composed a song for the Phinz and the inspiration came on the second day while we were sun-tanning. (I must admit though that the sea breeze isn't the only thing that inspired me... Hehe!!)
The 1st day was more of getting used to the area. Went for the scheldued massage at night after our great dinner at Bayan Tree. Italian food if I'm not mistaken and as usual, the portion could be more, but I guessed its ok since we're going massage after that. Joey's veal set was the best and I personally like the white wine that I've ordered.
On the 2nd day, I woke up early to see the sunrise by the beach and also to pick seashell. After breakfast, all of us went sun-tanning and splashing at the beach. Later that, went cycling with Ben. (Ubin is more challenging!!) Had our dinner at the seafood kelong. Joey got car-sick as we went for our dinner but was ok after we went back to the resort. After fooling around, taking pics after pics in the room, I went for a night swim at the swimming pool. So shiok!! Had the pool all to myself!!
On the 3rd day, after checking out and place our stuff with the counter, we went to the the sea-side bar to had homemade ice-cream before heading towards the beach and just lay down on the sun-chair and enjoy the cool sea-breeze till we doze off. Stayed until I find the weather to be too cloudy for my liking. Thankfully, I was right and just as we went to the lobby, it started to pour. Had our lunch and at the resort itself. Then, Ben and Joey doze off again at the lobby as we waited for our transport to the jetty. Reached Singapore around 7.45pm. Send Joey to see a doc and then home before me and Ben head home by cab.

Ferry trip to Bintan

The seaview which is just a few walk away from our suite

After-dinner photo at Bayan Tree

A teapot of the specially-brewed ginger tea after the relaxing Fusion massages

Enjoying myself at our very own jacuzzi right at our balcony!!

Joey and I enjoying our free ice honey dew while sun-tanning. Too bad Ben doesn't like fruit!!

Ben and I went for our Adventure Cyling Ride around Bintan... after sun-tanning!!

Going crazy on 2nd night!! Photo-taking madness took place that night where we posed for ridculous and funny shots!! (can you even tell Joey wasn't feeling well just minutes ago?!?!)

Last meal at Bintan. Lunch at Angsana's Cove. My personal favourite meal for the whole trip.

After this trip, I came to a general conclusion:
1) I will definitely come back to Bintan again.
2) The service we received is the best I've ever enjoyed.

3) I'm gonna go to Bintan on a non-monsoon period to enjoy the sea sport available.
4) Sun-tanning for too long isn't a bright idea!! (as of now, I'm shedding skin not unlike a snake!)

Penang (24-26 Dec '05)
The first day started off with a long, long coach ride to our hotel. We left home at 5am and we only reached our hotel at 9pm!! The whole ride is a real torture for me... I hate long bus ride and it was worsen when the whole ride was peppered with Hokkien oldies, Techew Opera (YES!! OPERA!! FAINTZ!!) and super old Chinese oldies, (mainly singing praise of the Communist leader Mao!!) karaoke, with the chief-in-crime being my father!! I almost wanted to die... GOD!! I thought I'm there to relax, not to suffer from insomina!! Could hardly sleep throughout the whole trip, with the only reprise came from the interval stops for us to relive ourselves. Before reaching our hotel, we had our dinner at a local open space eatery place (very similar to the old old Newton Place). Finally something to cheer about as the local delights (Asam Laksa, Kangkong cuttle fish, Penang Fried Kway Tiao and Noodle, Penang Rojak) was really really superb!! When we finally reached the hotel, I decided to stay at my room and watch Harry Potter while my family and the rest of the tour group (all of them are my parents long-time friends) went shoppping. Managed to go down to the pub at the hotel and join in the count-down party. Not very wild but fun enough. Glup a few beers with those fun-loving ang mohs. Too badz the camera was with my parents and couldn't take any photo with them...

Second day was full of visiting temple after temple... Nuts!! Look all the same to me... To make matter worse, we got super lousy service from the waiteress while we having lunch at this 60th floor restaurant called the Komtar. Make me miss Bintan and the great service I've enjoyed... I really wondered if working for long period at the heady height have cause the waiteress to have oxygen-debt to her brain!! And the meal wasn't that impressive either... Went shopping with my parents after our dinner. Bought a U2 jeans (Dun ask me why I didn't bought it in Singapore) and we had a very special ice-kacang, Penang style, while we waited for my jeans to be altered. By the time I went back to the hotel, I've completed the 2nd song I'm composing for the Phinz. Called back to Singapore at 10.05pm and wished the Phinz, Limin and Yong Kang a merry christmas as I knew they are celebrating and having gift exchange. Heard that I've received Jilian's gift while Peiyih got mine!! (I have 1 more special gift for everyone!! Will pass it to all when I have the opportunity!)

Last day was the best of all. The group decided to give some of the tourist attraction a missed (thank Gohonzon!!), and head straight to Ipoh. On our way, we visited the Perak Cave. It is by the far, the best place we had visited for the past three days. Although the cave also have the regular buddha and goddess statues, but at least its natural and we get to climb up the cave. Of course, the monkeys at the outside of the cave is also quite an attraction. Had our lunch at a Ipoh restaurant called Kam Ling. The Ipoh Hor Fun was marvellous and I had a second helping. The rest of the food was also much better than what we had at Penang's restaurants. Dinner was at a Yong Ping's restaurant, whose name I've forgotten, serving Fuchou's style fare. Not too bad but still prefer the one we had earlier for lunch. Went back to Singapore with surprising ease as we did not encounter much jam as was expected. Came back home at 10.45pm, which is definitely a record since I've never came back home from a Malaysia holiday trip so early before...

The hotel that we stayed in - Evergreen Laurel. Apparently, its a 5-stars hotel. Dun still so myself...

At the foot of Bukit Bendera. Took the slowest cable(hydraulic-powered) you can ever imagained up the hill...

The Indian Temple at the top of Bukit Bendera

Took a picture with my horoscope at Ji Le Temple (极乐寺)

The giagantic Guan Yin Bronze statue at Ji Le Temple.

Inside the Burmese Temple

Thai Temple

Snake Temple... Sick of me showing you temples?!?! Now you know how I felt!!

The Perak Cave (霹雳洞）I mentioned earlier. This is the entrance, of course.

My favourite pic for the whole trip. This was taken at the top of the Perak Cave. Haha!! Majiam gain enlightenment after all the climbing of steep and slippery steps to reach the top.

Conclusion after this Penang trip:
1) Muz remember to bring own's karaoke disc if travelling with the same group again.
2) I'm not a fan of temples...
3) In Penang, the best food aren't found in restaurants (Neither is the service).
4) Never to go Malaysia again during Christmas period again!! I missed my friends in Singapore throughout the trip...

|| The stars shone for me ||
12:24 AM