New Year 2013

As we are about few hours to step into year 2013, allow me to wish all my blog readers happy new year.
May 2013 will be a beneficial year for us although thousand of obstacles collided.
For me, 2013 will be my 1st year for living with my lovely family under one roof in Sg. Petani.
Surely we'll miss Ipoh very much.

House warming - Taman Chepor Sentosa

Ibu and I planned this since a month ago. 
Everything was managed so humbly and as moderate as possible.
The event was successfully held; from tahlil (recite) until lunch feast.
Thanks to Ustaz Sazali for helping me leading the tahlil, thanks to my parents and parents in law for all their moral and physical supports till end of the event and thanks to all relatives and neighbours for willing to spend their weekend attending my house warming event.
It was an event to meet and to know my neighbours since the housing estate is still new and also we used the gathering to tell everybody that we're leaving the house early next month.
I still don't have time to upload photos during the event. 
Yong was appointed as event photographer.
I need to copy all shots from her Tab.
Here are some photos of pre-event:

Gifts from The Almighty at once

What Ibu and I wish has become true.
The posting of Ibu from Ipoh to Kedah is happening.
To be honest, I was quite disagreed with the ad hoc call from Putrajaya in a first place.
Few session of "micro" quarrels between Ibu and I about her posting.
But after sometimes, I realized this posting is a gift from Him.
Why should I defy the call when I am praying for it?
Everything has been recce and firmed - house, school and nursery for kiddies.
Alhamdulillah...
Owh, Ibu is expecting a baby - Ad Din is going to have a little sibling soon.
So I've been awarded 2 gifts at once from Him.
Thank you Allah.

A reminder for bikers with panniers on their machine

Let us watch clip below the potential circumstance when fitting pair of panniers on our bike but we unintentionally forgotten having it while riding.

Becareful buddies!

Life is short... and life is managed by Him

Please watch clip below and understand yourself on superiority of Allah SWT.

Life is so simple to be taken out by Him right? 

DURIAN FIESTA.... AFTER KOTA BHARU - NOV12

As mentioned in my previous entry, we've completed our ride to Kota Bharu last Sunday; 25th November 2012 (pay day ha! ha!). This time Jejai wasn't able to ride with us due to his "Wang Client" commitment.

Ibu and I left Taiping quarter past 9 in the morning. We experienced rain at some spot prior entering Menora Tunnel. We joined the others at Simpang Pulai an hour and half after.

We had our lunch at outskirt of Gua Musang town. It's a small town but we had to pay ridiculous lunch cost. What a scumbag restaurant.

We reached Kayumas Homestay (http://kayumashomestay.blogspot.com/) Kota Bharu half past 5 in the afternoon. This was my first experience resided in homestay. The environment of Kayumas Homestay totally changed my perspective on level of comfortability. This homestay was excellent and personally it's appropriate for me to give them 2 thumbs up rating.  

 

At night time we went to my favourite dinner place; Raja Ikan Bakar situated at the heart of Kota Bharu. I had been here before, Ibu & I knew how delicious their grilled fish was and that was why I convinced all regimental to have dinner there.

Next morning we hit the road sharp 9 in the morning. Initially we planned to have our lunch at Restoran Tasik Raban, Lenggong Perak. But after thinking how congested the restaurant would be in the middle of weekend's lunchtime, so we called-off the plan and substituted it at a restaurant at Gerik town. Before we reached there, the regiment pulled over at Titiwangsa peak for a short break.

 

Ibu & I split up with the regiment after lunch at Gerik town. From there we made our own way back to Taiping via Lenggong - Batu Kurau rural road. Prior reaching Batu Kurau town, we saw a during seller being crowded. I thought it would be great to eat durian there and to pack some for kiddies and my parents. So, we made a final stop for this journey by having tasteful durians of Batu Kurau. 

PAK BARA, AO NANG & HADYAAI - NOV 12

It takes me over than 2 weeks to update my blog. So sorry for all frequent viewers eventhough it is an entry level blog.

I chose Ao Nang in province of Krabi as my school holiday vacation trip. The travelling budget was so limited as I need to save some money for kiddies next year's school preparation. So I've decided to make a 3D 2N trip with White Myvi as our mode of transportation.

1,289km in total

We began our journey from Ipoh on Saturday 10th Nov. Our 1st stop was to be at my crib; Gurun Kedah. Around 9 o'clock in the next morning we continued our journey. We reached Wang Kelian Immigration Control half past 10 in the morning. The queue wasn't terrible compare to Bukit Kayu Hitam.  

I found it very hard to snap photos without any 'distraction' at the message written behind them

We had our superb lunch with a superb scenery at Pak Bara, Satun. It's a restaurant neighbouring to beach of wide Andaman Sea. So while waiting our foods to be served, Yong and Ad Din walked and played at the seaside.

One of dining hut prepared by the restaurant

Spirit of Thai vacation clearly exposed from Ad Din's shirt.

As usual Yong looks for pocket-size creatures for her collection

Nice panorama of Andaman Sea

Ibu is watching kiddies playing at beach side

Cooking hut

Yummy lunch prior to Ao Nang

Done with our lunch, I drove straight to Ao Nang from Pak Bara. Phewww... it took almost 4 hours to reach our hotel; Pakasai Resort (http://www.pakasai.com/) from lunch point. But it made sense  since I had to drive in heavy rain from outskirt of Satun province until Trang province.

Our resident was indeed clean, spacious, close to beach but no bath tub provided. Poor my kiddies. We reached hotel almost due with our dinner time, all of us made quick fresh-up.

This time the message behind them is clear isn't it?

They provided good amenities but Ad Din still needs his regular pillows

On the 2nd day of staying in Ao Nang, we supposed to go for island hopping. But after weighing several factors (suitability of Yong and Ad Din to hop island to island in intermittent sunny-rainy day), I called off the plan. Ibu and I decided to spin around town of Krabi. We had delicious seafood fried rice (40B per plate) and pancakes (30B) sold by Thai-muslim hawker 300 meters from our crib. From the buying, I was able to make a conclusion here that people who intend to go vacation at Ao Nang can enjoy yummy and cheap halal foods instead of spending 1000 ~ 2000B at Arabian or Indian restaurants situated at the other street.

We woke up early on the 3rd day - last day for us in Ao Nang. I intentionally wanted to depart as early as possible because I wish to spin around Hadyaai city and planned to have lunch there. We finished breakfast and done with check out procedure half past 9 in the morning. The sky showed positive signal about weather and thank God, I drove all the way from Ao Nang to Hadyaai City under the clear blue sky.

Just two of us, without Ad Din because he afraid of sea water

Just two of them, again without Ad Din for the same reason

Owh... there is Ad Din playing sandy games

Ready for spinning around Krabi town

Big C Hypermarket

Tesco Lotus

We reach Hadyaai quarter past 1 in the afternoon. It's a lunch time and we stopped at Salma Restaurant. The foods were so-so but the price was quite a costly. That's Hadyaai buddy; appearance of shop really representing its product price. Well that's my opinion after experiencing 2 identical restaurants in terms of appearance in Hadyaai - Hamid Restaurant and Salma Restaurant. Maybe I was wrong (perhaps I was).

We crossed Danok - Bkt Kayu Hitam border in the evening. The queue was quite long to get through Malaysia Immigration control. I was scared to death during lining up in the queue because White Myvi was running out of gas. The fuel indicator started blinking since we halfway left Hadyaai to Danok. Thank God, again He saved us. I managed to reach Petronas pump station in Bukit Kayu Hitam after 40 minutes stranded in the long queue with White Myvi engine kept running on.

Ad Din sleepy all the way to Hadyaai

Yong always with her cheerful mood

Zumo 660 + Gpsmap 62s + built in Lookato 5.5

Waitress at Salma Restaurant is preparing our beverages

Kailan Ikan Masin

Sotong Goreng Tepung

The vacation ended up at Lynda Ikan Bakar Kuala Perlis; a restaurant that I always had their foods during Ibu study time about 10 years ago. The shop had changed its location. They still received good attendance of customers as what we experienced before.

Ibu just finished choosing the right fish to be grilled for dinner

Grilled Seabass

They have another outlet nearby Hotel Brasmana Kuala Perlis

Mutton Satay and Beef Noodles Wuhan, China - Oct. 2010

This is another old story of mine. 2 years ago I went to Wuhan China for working purpose. It happened during winter season.

I went there for a 1st time in 2005; to Harbin. I was quite surprise. Most of professional Chinese people I met in Harbin spoke English in British accent. But not so cockney enough. This trip to Wuhan was more surprise. I met Chinese people with La Francaise as their second mother tongue.

The provided resident was Novotel Xin Hua Hotel. Again, a resident with French influence. The hotel provided great amenities worth with its price.

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-3234-novotel-wuhan-xin-hua/index.shtml

View of the hotel from Xihu Lake

Something is good about this hotel

Yes, they provide praying hat, mat and tasbih too.

Not to forget direction of qiblat

Other amenities inside the room 

Need to mention here that I went there to have some works with French conglomerate. Again, French connection.

Lunch time at Guangzhou-Baiyun International Airport

All team members are ready for next agenda

Me with my superior

Morning meeting held prior official meeting with our Chinese and French counterparts.

Every night after finished meeting, I had my dinner behind hotel. There was a Xinjiang-Muslim restaurant serving halal foods. I must say here that I had tried all their cooks and I preferred their signature mutton satay and beef noodles. The noodles is handmade and it was prepared in front the restaurant.

Xinjiang-Muslim Restaurant

One of worker is preparing noodles starting from dough

Owner of the restaurant is preparing our mutton satay

Beef noodles

Everybody is patiently waiting their foods

Mutton Satay

This is the delicious mutton satay I've ever eaten

China, is very dynamic in all aspect. No wonder our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW himself encouraged all Muslims to obtain knowledge here . And based from my little experience, what he said was true.

Wuhan in memory