Nicky Wrynne Blog

Monster Fighters Vampyre™ Castle LEGO®

2014-09-26T05:58:00.001-07:00

Monster Fighters Vampyre™ Castle LEGO®

It's time for the final showdown with the Vampyre! He has gathered all 6 moonstones at his castle and is about to cloak the world in darkness forever so that his followers can roam free for the rest of eternity! Will our heroes Dr. Rodney Rathbone and Jack McHammer survive the castle's hidden spikes and traps to disable the moonstone device? Or will the Vampyre's bride and the manbats throw them into the castle dungeon? You decide! Includes 6 minifigures: Rodney Rathbone, Jack McHammer, the Vampyre, the Vampyre's bride and 2 manbats.

Includes 6 minifigures: Rodney Rathbone, Jack McHammer, the Vampyre, the Vampyre's bride and 2 manbats

Features the Vampyre's Castle with the moonstone device, shooting spiders, hidden spikes, trapdoor, stairs, secret entrances, coffin, organ and dungeon

Hero car includes a net launcher

Measures over 18” (45cm) high, 11” (28cm) wide and 10” (26cm) deep
Hero car measures over 1” (5cm) high, 2” (6cm) wide and 6” (16cm) long

The Simpsons™ House LEGO®

2014-09-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Simpsons™ House LEGO®

Recreate hilarious scenes from the classic animated TV series with The Simpsons™ House. Taken right out of Springfield, this amazing model is crammed with tons of LEGO® brick detail. Lift off the roof and open up the house to discover Homer and Marge’s big family bedroom including bed and Maggie’s crib, Bart’s room with his skateboard and Krusty the Clown poster, Lisa’s room with her favorite books, jazz poster and more, and bathroom with shower, toilet, sink and mirror. Lift off the top floor to reveal the fully-fitted kitchen with dining table, chairs, yellow and light-blue tiled floor and lots of pots, pans and other accessories. Then it’s into the living room with couch and TV playing Itchy and Scratchy, purple piano and more. Next to the house is the detachable garage, complete with workbench, tool rack, vacuum cleaner, broom, toolbox, tools and the family car, complete with dent (because only in a LEGO world are dents a plus!), opening trunk and ‘radioactive’ bar from the nuclear power plant. Step outside onto the terrace and you’ll find loads of cool items, including a grill, wheelbarrow and air conditioning unit with ‘Property of Ned Flanders’ decoration, sausages, 2 garden loungers, flowerpots, a shovel, 2 fruit cocktail glasses, Lisa’s camera, Bart’s skateboard ramp with ‘El Barto’ graffiti and an antenna on the roof. The Simpsons™ House is the perfect collector’s item for fans of all ages. Includes 6 minifigures: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and Ned Flanders.

Homer

Marge

Bart

Lisa

Maggie

Ned Flanders

First floor includes yellow and light-blue tiled floor, sink, oven and stove, drawers, cups, pot, pan, bowl, mixer, plates, cake tins, cutlery, dining table and 4 chairs

Living room features TV playing Itchy and Scratchy, couch, boat painting, telephone, carpet, purple piano and staircase to the second floor with family photos

Bart’s room features a bed, night lamp, desk with pin board, chair, Krusty the Clown poster, skateboard, shelves with books, radio and a cap

Kitchen

Purple piano

Marge and Homer’s bedroom features a bed, 2 side tables, Maggie’s crib and Marge’s bag

Lisa’s room features a vanity mirror with hairbrush, stool, bed, table with lamp and cup, shelves with books, magnifying glass, backpack and a jazz poster on the wall

Bathroom features a shower, toilet, sink and a mirror

Detachable garage features the family car, tools, workbench, tool rack, vacuum cleaner, toolbox and a broom

Family car with space for 4 minifigures features a dent in the front and an opening trunk to store

Outside area includes a grill, wheelbarrow and air conditioning unit with ‘Property of Ned Flanders’ decoration, sausages, 2 garden loungers, flowerpots, a shovel, 2 fruit cocktail glasses, Lisa’s camera, Bart’s skateboard ramp with ‘El Barto’ graffiti and an antenna on the roof

Can you spot all the items Homer has “borrowed” from Ned Flanders?

Remove the roof and top floor to access the different rooms inside

House is hinged in the middle for easy access

The perfect set for fans of LEGO® brick building and The Simpsons™!
The Simpsons™ House measures over 9” (23cm) high, 16” (42cm) wide and 9” (24cm) deep

Langkawi, Kedah

2014-09-17T14:32:00.002-07:00

Langkawi, on Northwestern shore of Malaysia is a archipelago of Langkawi Islands. Situated Just where the Indian Ocean narrows down into the Straits of Melaka,it was once a heaven for pirates. Today it serves as a retreat for visitors near and far.

Langkawi, also known as the gem of Kedah, is an excellent getaway for those looking for sunny beaches, watersports, duty-free shopping and tasty treats. I believe Langkawi’s attraction is in the fact that it offers such diversity. On one hand, you have the beautiful beaches, the exciting beach-front scene, the scenic river cruise, the thick jungles, the majestic mountains; on the other hand, you have the quiet kampong/village scenes, the buffaloes and cows roaming the pasture, the paddy fields, the rustic ambience.

Every time iam visited Langkawi, Awana Porto Malai Langkawi Resort will comes to my mind first.

Stayed at Awana Porto Malai again is not because it is near to the town area as it is quite far away from the Kuah Town. But that's one thing that not all the resort will have this opportunity for all the guests which is you will get to see the sunrise directly from Awana Porto Malai. I would recommend to get at least Seaview room to see the sunrise.

Awana Porta Malai is located in a corner of famous Pantai Cenang on Langkawi Island, is approximately 15 minutes from Langkawi Airport. Peaceful and relaxing, the resort has finely furnished rooms and boasts spectacularly unobstructed views of the ocean, the sunrise, or the garden. Enjoy the convenience of our private jetty for activities like island hopping, boat rides and sunset cruises. Intimate dining and walks along the boardwalk, or pampering at the recognized 5-star Javanese spa, are great for couples. Plus, the resort is just 10 minutes from Pantai Cenang proper and other duty-free shopping venues! Along with excellent on-site eateries and facilities, Resorts World Langkawi is perfect for travelers who appreciate scenery and romance. Hotel policy is guest must be at least 18 years of age to check-in at Resorts World Langkawi.

Top 10 Attractions of Langkawi

Here are our most favorite 10 attractions in Langkawi.

1. Langkawi Cable Car and the Langkawi Sky Bridge (Pantai Kok, near Burau Bay)

This is an awesome ride on a cable car that has the steepest gradient in the world and taking you to the summit of Mount Mat Cincang over a distance of about 2.1kms. You get breathtaking views of the Andaman sea below along with the scattered islands of Langkawi and the towering peaks. There are two cable car stations with viewing platforms and walking trails. The Skybridge is another engineering marvel. It's a curved suspension bridge high up in the sky that links the cable car top station with a nearby mountain. If you have the spirit of adventure, take the long flight of steps to reach the bridge, walk over it and appreciate the magical creation as you watch the views all around. You will feel you are on top of the world.

2. Kilim Geo Park and Mangroves (Kilim River, North East end of Langkawi)

You will need to take a boat tour to experience Kilim Geo Park which is a nature reserve full of geological formations and spanning across some 100 square km area. It offers stunning sights of gigantic limestone rocks, millions of years old fossils, mangrove swamps, lovely sights of the islands, beaches & lagoons and lot more. As part of this tour, you will also see floating fish farms where you can yourself feed stingrays, and experience other spectacular activities like eagle feeding, monkey feeding etc.

3. Pulau Dayang Bunting & Lake of the Pregnant Maiden (Dayang Bunting Island)

There is a wonderful fresh water lake locate at the Dayang Bunting Island which is steeped with legend and surrounded by hills and rainforest in a picturesque setting. The lake is great for swimming and the forests excellent for bird watchers. The island is located offshore in the south of main Langkawi island and can be easily reached by a boat. There are plenty of boat tours operating out of Pantai Tengah that can drop you to this lovely spot.

4. Underwater World (Pantai Cenang)

The 60,000 sq. ft. building houses over 4000 fish and marine creatures and have separate sections for wide range of birds and animals as well. The sections are themed on Tropical Rainforest, Temperate, Sub-Antarctic, Ponds, Corals and so on. There is a 15-meter long tunnel that showcases an array of fish and underwater life in numerous large and small glass tanks that are mostly engraved on the walls. Inside, there are souvenir shops and cafe as well.

5. Eagle Square - Dataran Lang (Kuah Town, South East Langkawi)

There is a 12-meter high sculpture of a reddish brown eagle at the square and looking into the open bay. The eagle symbolizes origin of Langawi's name and hence such a statue created at Kuah Town close to the jetty (ferry dock). The view of the waters with backdrop of mountains and ferries plying by is really spectacular.

6. Mahsuri's Tomb & Cultural Center (Padang Matsirat, Jalan Makam Mahsuri)

This place has a mausoleum and the tomb of Mahsuri, the legendary folk lady from Langkawi who was falsely accused of adultery by the wife of village chief and was finally sentenced to death. It was her dazzling beauty that led to the jealousy and the false charge. Before her death, Mahsuri cursed the island for seven generations of ill luck which apparently struck the island soon after her death. But fortunately the bad time has now passed.

This place, also known as Makam Mahsuri, has evolved as a cultural complex which also has a music theater where folk instruments are played, a large gallery with paintings & models depicting Mahsuri's life story, an audio-video room, a typical Malay house the way it used to be centuries back, souvenir shop, food stalls and more.

7. Galeria Perdana (North East, near Kilim Village, Mukim Air Hangat)

This is a plush museum that showcases collections of gifts and awards received by the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad and his wife. The Prime Minister believed that all his gifts were public properties. The large building with oriental architecture houses many precious items including jewelry, souvenirs, weapons, copper & metallic items, furniture, and even his cars and cycles that have been gifted to the Prime Minister during his tenure of service by foreign delegates, statesmen, well-wishers, friends and guests.

8. Langkawi Craft Complex (North Langkawi, Teluk Yu, Mukim Bohor)

Located at the northern part of Langkawi near Shark Bay Beach, this craft complex showcases wide range of art & handicraft craft items reflecting the rich culture and heritage of Malaysia and Langkawi. There are museum sections with exhibits depicting several themes like Heritage, History & Legends etc. There are exclusive collections of forest based products, silk batik, ceramics, brass & silverware and lot more which you can buy from the sales gallery.

9. Pulau Payar Marine Park (An island 30km south of Langkawi)

Pulau Payar is an island which is located offshore and 30kms south of the main island. A marine park has been developed in the surrounding water area that also includes few other islands. There are scheduled boat trips taking tourists to the marine park for a day's tour. Other than beautiful scenic settings, you can enjoy swimming at the beaches, snorkeling and even diving amongst Langkawi's best marine life & corals, hand feed the baby sharks, or just relax and sunbathe. The trip includes all gears and lunch.

10. Langkawi Wildlife Park, formerly Bird Paradise (North East, near Kilim Village)

Spread across some 5.5 acres of area, this wildlife park (earlier known as the Bird Paradise) is fully covered with roofed pathways. So in sun or rains, you can equally enjoy the park which has over 150 species of animal and bird life. The collection comes from various parts of the world including South Asia, Russia, South America and Malaysia. However, don't expect the large exotic species here. You can interact with the animals during feeding sessions.

The Other Great Attractions

There are several other attractions and places that come pretty close to our list top favorites. Honestly it's very difficult to rank them all. So below I have categorized them under different heads and described them all in detail under those sections.

Langkawi Parks & Nature

Know about the great parks, nature reserves, sanctuaries, lakes & lagoons etc.

Langkawi Museums, Historical Places & Shrines

An insight into the rich heritage, culture and historical background of the island.

Langkawi Waterfalls

The top waterfalls of Langkawi

Langkawi Art & Craft

The top craft centers and art galleries in Langkawi that showcase exquisite items including wide range of handicraft and paintings from exceptionally talented local artists.

Langkawi Caves

The great natural caves in Langkawi for the cave lovers. Some of them can be accessed on foot, and some by taking a boat ride. Many of them have amazing stalactite and stalagmite formations, and some are home to large number of bats & other creatures.

Langkawi Village Complexes

These are village like complexes developed with their unique and holistic offerings. Some of them like the Oriental Village offers a comprehensive complex with shopping, food, and many attractions & activities all packed in one place to make it a one-stop village.

Kapit, Sarawak

2014-09-02T06:33:00.002-07:00

My Balik Kampung Journey to Kapit, Sarawak

Day 1 : Kuala Lumpur To Sibu, Sarawak

The flight departure on time 08.25 am, I need to check in 2 hours beforehand because they check in desk close around 30 - 60mins beforehand.

Arrive in KLIA at 07.00am

Self Check In Kiosk at the KL International Airport (KLIA) open on 07.00am for all Economy Class passengers on domestic flights.

There are 3 simple steps as customers arrive at Level 5, Departure hall KLIA.

Step 1 :

Proceed to the Self Check-in Kiosks. Enter the 13 digit e-ticket number. This step must be completed before proceeding to Steps 2 & 3.

The e-ticket number is a must for Self Check-in Kiosk option.

If customers do not have this in hand, they will be directed to the MH Mobile Cart so that this number can be retrieved from the system.

Step 2.

If there is baggage to check-in, customers proceed to counters B10-B14 for the bags to be tagged and secured.

Step 3.

If there are no bags, customers can opt to have their return boarding passes also printed out and to proceed to the designated boarding gate.

The plane safely landed at Sibu International Airport at 11.00am

Sibu International Airport is quite a distance away from the town, 30 km, the taxi will charge you RM 35, with the taxi coupon sold at the counter.

If what you seek is a home away from home, located in the heart of town for your leisure or business excursion, then welcome to Premier Hotel

Only half an hour from Sibu Airport, Premier Hotel is strategically situated in the hub of shopping, entertainment and business centers. Whether it is a trendy tie you need for tomorrow's meeting, a movie you've been wanting to catch or just a relaxing session of retail therapy, you can find it all at your fingertips right here. I was check in at Premier Hotel around 1.15pm. It is centrally located. Just a walking distance to the Sibu Central Market Complex, Sibu Night Market and the ferry terminal.

At noon, im visit one of popular attraction at the Sibu central market. Found on the Market Road in the centre of Sibu town is the largest indoor market in Malaysia. One of the most widely recognised landmarks of the area, the market is the destination of choice for visitors to the area and locals alike, indeed a trip to Sibu is not complete with a trip to the market

Most tourists will find the way the locals sell the live chickens and ducks intriguing. The bird is wrapped in newspaper and tied with nylon strings.

At night Im visited the night market which offers mainly local delicacies and exotic street food. The vibrant Night Market sets up every afternoon around 5 pm and operates until 10 pm or sometimes later. It is not a big market but worth for a visit. It is also a good place to grab your dinner, snacks & bites here. Food stuff and Pork! and I found cheap beer!! For me, Sibu night market is much more cleaner than the night market I used to go at Kuala Lumpur. The last time I had at Sibu Night Market was about 3 years ago.