Borneo Trekker

The Day I Went to Party Play

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:27:00 +0000

Party Play is not a party as in the real 'party'. It's the latest cafe in town (i guess so :-p). And not just an ordinary cafe but it's a lifestyle cafe.

Party Play in Gaya Street, KK

went there last nite with my friend from Kuching who came down to KK for work. thanks to my other friend who recommend me this place.

such an awesome cafe with a nice bar

and you would be accompanied with smooth jazz music. romantic tau :-p LOL

and the foods are not bad at all.

the Spaghetti with Tom Yam Sauce is to die for

close-up shot

now you see...

now you don't :-p

so far the best ever Spaghetti for me

my friend had ordered the Duck Pizza. something different...hehe

the T-Shirts wear by the staff are kinda of creative. they have these writings on the back...

"respect the food as you respect the chef"

"never trust a skinny chef"

huh? who?? Anthony Bourdain??? haha

ya ya the Guinness's banner is bigger than me...haha

anyway, i say Party Play is a nice place to 'lepak' with your friends

-->

Discovering Kinabatangan

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

i went to Kinabatangan for the 1st time on 2009 after I finished the Sandakan Sepilok Nature Marathon race which is so far is the BEST half marathon for me ever. no other marathon can beat that. seriously!!! it's the toughest race for me but at the same time it's full of surprises which I like. hee!

then recently, fate bring me back to Kinabatangan for the 2nd time. but this time it's a totally different experience. the feeling is more real & deep within me. deeper than the Kinabatangan river. kunu :-P

a good place to eat while you drive on the way to Lahad Datu or Sandakan.

if you go here, you must try the 'sambal belacan'. "trus ko nampak London ohhh" (that's a familiar description to a delicious food by my orang kampong...hehe).

the signature 'sambal belacan' of Kedai Kopi Santa

one of my favourite dish, the 'sup tulang' is not bad at all.

i don't know how to describe Lahad Datu town but I think it's a town that have it's own special things. small but full of surprises ;-)

and right away I went to subscribe as a member to this society, which the offcie is just opposite to where we stay for the night. kidding :-P

that night, we went to dinner at this place. recommended by my colleagues who are based at Lahad Datu. they always go there to eat. even the lady owner already recognizes them.

they told me to try this dish which it's called 'bayam goreng'.

a bit oily but nevertheless, it's still look & taste good. as Andrew Zimmern always said "if it looks good, eat it!"

when you have a full stomach with a good foods, you can sleep anytime, anyhow & anywhere. haha!

guess which one is mine? :-D

my best friends. without them i'm nothing :-P

next morning, we had our breakfast at the nearby coffee shop.

kai kiok dim sum (kaki ayam). i loike so much!!

can't live without them :-P

this house bring some memory back :-D

while waiting for our boat to Kg. Abai, i play with this cute puppy. he is so tiny. puppies always makes my heart melt. don't know how big he can grow tho. but have you heard this before:

"best things come in small packages"

ehemmm!! just like me. contoh :-P

the boat journey to Kg. Abai takes about 1 hour from Sukau.

the modified jetty at Kg. Abai

another animal to play with. the cat has a very white & clean furs. (bikin gerigitan)

Kg. Abai is one of the village who supply native tree seedlings for forest restoration for Kinabatangan area.

one of the nurseries at Kg. Abai.

a nice place to eat & hang out just beside the river. another idea to munch over for my future homestay. angan-angan saja bah. hehe!

Johnsonville Cafe

our lunch for the day is beyond words. so out of the world!!! (exaggerate :-P) actually what i trying to say here is that when the foods is prepare with a deep sincerity & straight from the heart, indeed it is out of the world. i'm deeply touched.

our lunch for the day are plain white rice with simple dishes like curry chicken, chicken cook with ketchup sauce, pumpkin with coconut milk (my favourite!!!) & fried vegetable popia. but nothing in this world can beat the 'sambal belacan' prepared by the villagers there. it was my drug for the two (2) days I spent at Abai. hee!.

and there were many varieties of 'kuih Raya' being served. i'm dancing in delight.

yay!

we slept at this building which still looks new.

whoever interested to stay here instead of the lodges, you can contact Mr Rukee at 013-5505349 or email him at rukee_abai@yahoo.com for further details & arrangement.

they provide morning & night boat cruise for travelers. which we went for both (tamaha). hee!

if you're looking for different experience in discovering Kinabatangan, stay at Kg. Abai ;-)

this is the bathroom cum the toilet. a slightly far from where we slept. therefore, if you're already started to feel something, you better start to walk immediately. or might as well run. haha

then in the evening, before we go for the night cruise to watch the fireflies (i loike), we went for some leisure walk around the village.

hello Pizza Hut! hello! hello! tut! tut! unfortunately, the public phone doesn't have connection yet. mission failed :-p

by the way, there is only one spot at Abai where you can get the phone connection. but the connection is quite weak. so if you're lucky, you would be able to get the line. and forget it if you're a Digi or Maxis subscribers. Celcom is still the best when it comes to rural areas ;-)

there was this walkway build by the government from the villagers' houses to the school.

they said it is quite useful when the area near the river is flooded during the raining season.

caught up with some villagers collecting their river prawns from their net. either they will sell the prawns to the middle person at Sukau or keep them to eat.

we're looking at the opposite of the river where it's on the progress of clearing the land for oil palm. hmmm! looks like we still have a long long way in our line of work.

bcoz of the Hari Raya festivity, the village is run out of prawns. so our host didn't managed to cook them for us. tapun2 :-(

the bathroom

look at the boat. cool huh :D

'kedai runcit'

from time to time, elephants will go roaming at the field. the village folks told me that the elephants are quite tame & sometime they play with the kids. whoa! i didn't know that.

paddy field?

this fruit is called 'kangis' by the locals & it's one of the favourite fruit eaten by the wild Orang Utan near the river.

when you peel it open, it looks like a small 'manggis'.

the villager have given us few of those fruits to eat. extremely sour! like i can loss 1 kg of my fats for each 'kangis'. haha!

teatime! i am smurfly happy! (godoot)...hehe

time to hit the river for the night cruise. while waiting for the boat, we managed to snap a few photos of the Kinabatangan river during sunset...

with Joannie, who has a great sense of humour

spot the similarity

didn't took any photos during the night cruise. my camera can't capture anything. too dark. a lot of fireflies tho. a lot than those at Klias River, Beaufort. they reminds me of Christmas tree.

our dinner

rarely dance in my life before but that night was totally a different story. i lose count on how many types of dance i learn only in one night...joget, cha-cha, twist...

poco-poco....hahaha!!! okay, the only reason why I dare to dance my hear out is bcoz nobody knows me there except for my few friends. but they are also having so much fun themselves. hehe!

i tell you those people at Kg Abai is very very talented. actually not only in Kg Abai but everywhere in Sabah. singing & dancing is already a common thing for Sabahan. i guess i'm the only Sabahan who needs to enroll in a 'kelas pemulihan'....he he he

managed to sing one song only. erkk actually two songs. but the first song I have to stop half way. don't ask me what did happen and don't ask me either what songs was those two *epic fail...ha ha ha

sunrise at Kinabatangan river

sleep quite late that night. but we managed to wake up early for the morning cruise. we are quite excited to explore the place that we're going to later.

by the way, the place is called Danau Pitas.

i don't know how to describe Danau Pitas. wait till you see the pictures or better go there yourself. such a beauty ;-)

wish i have this kind of view in my bedroom

will continue on my next post. till then have a peaceful rest & imagine yourself sleeping near a river, accompany by the beautiful sounds of the surrounding.

Sit by a river. Find peace and meaning in the rhythm of the lifeblood of the Earth. — (Anonymous)

********************************************************************
on a different note, did you know that Ulai is a name of an ancient river somewhere in the Middle East...hehe!

Ulai

The Eulaus of the Greeks; a river of Susiana. It was probably the eastern branch of the Choasper (Kerkhan), which divided into two branches some 20 miles above the city of Susa. Hence Daniel (8:2, 16) speaks of standing "between the banks of Ulai", i.e., between the two streams of the divided river.

Source: http://bible-library.com/Ulai

RANAU MASSAGE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:15:00 +0000

every time i go back to my hometown, Ranau, one of the things that i appreciate most is the lovely scenery along the road.

and apart from spending quality time with my family, another thing that I look forward to when I go back to my hometown, is the 'massage'. yup! the 'massage'! you heard me right!

not any Thai Massage or Bali Massage but Ranau Massage! don't play-play! haha (okay, i just made that up :-P)

anyway, on a serious note, yes, we have a new reflexology centre in Ranau & it's located at one of the new blocks in town.

(update 23/02/2015: new address-1st Floor, Lot No.2, Bangunan Ranau Plaza, Pekan Ranau.) It's best is that you call them first before you come ;-) You can get their contact no from one of the photos below.

The centre is run by a family, which a familiar acquaintance to us.

sauna

At first I'm not interested. But after I keep hearing from my mother and people around me talk about how good their massage are, the curiosity getting the best of me. Then I decided to go there & experience them myself. Turn out in the end, I'm addictive to their massage.

And I went there again yesterday. Haha!

This time, I've requested for a full body massage. I never been feel better as I feel now. This is a perfect timing for me to get a massage bcoz starting from tomorrow till the coming weekend, it's going to be a long road trip for me. And I need all the energy in the world. Of course, I look forward to the trip ;-)

Okay, personally I would like to recommend to anyone who have the opportunity to go to Ranau or only pass by, to go to Kinabalu Traveler Reflexology & try out their massage. By the way, I'm not getting any commission on this :-P. Just helping them to promote and I don't simply promote if I don't believe in their good service :D

In terms of qualification & experience, I assured you that they do have those.

I also know they have good reputation among the tourist when a Japanese couple came all the way from Kota Kinabalu to look for them, in their second trip to Sabah recently.

As for the price, they are quite standard & affordable.

(Update 23 Feb 2015: As for now, they have a new price list. I will update the price once I get the new price from them. In the meantime, please call & ask them the new price)

Apart from being 'Dusun' (an origin which I am & always be thankful & honored to be born & raised from), I am proud of their achievement as they have brought something new to our humble town.

On a different note, apart from the ~~overrated~~ famous Mt Kinabalu, my humble & beloved hometown, Ranau have a lot of interesting things to offer.

So stay tuned for my next post about Ranau...

Sabah Tea Garden

good life

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:36:00 +0000

i'm dedicating this song especially for those out there who loves to travel, who loves to explore the unknowns, who dares to get out from their comfort zone, who likes to see places off the beaten track (ahaks!)....

you are living a Good Life ^ - ^

What there is to complain about?

as for myself, am going to a remote place deep in Borneo in less than 1 week from now due to work commitments. hope to cross paths with the Borneo Pygmy Elephants in the wild. fingers crossed ;-)
(and i consider that as traveling okay :-P)

ohh how i love my ~~career~~ life :-P

Zoo Negara (back in January 2011)

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes & heart open." -- Jawaharal Nehru

being foodie at the BIG city

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:35:00 +0000

one of the things that I love about the BIG city, compared to the small city, is the variety of FOODS it can offer me. plus the price of course, especially when it comes to the street food.

Blue Freezer - TGIF

Lamb Chop with Black Pepper Sauce - TGIF

Fried Yong Tau Fu - Wangsa Maju

The Best Cendol in Town...hehe

Curry Mee - Brickfields

Sup Tulang, Telur Dadar & Kangkung Belacan - Wangsa Maju

Ikan Masak 3 Rasa, Kerabu Mangga & Sup Tom Yam - The Curve

Cantonese Meehoon....smth smth...(i can't remember) - Cheras

but but NOTHING AT ALL in this whole world can ever match to...

oopppss wrong picture. i mean this one...

my all time favorite. cheers y'all !!!

ohh no!!! wrong picture again. what is wrong with me??? i think i'm craving for them right now :-P what i mean is this one...

D.U.R.I.A.N

he he he

actually, there is a lot more than that, but I didn't take picture. too many...hee

ya i know...foodie! foodie! foodie :D

“When I get a little money, I buy books. And if there is any left over, I buy food.”
Desiderius Erasmus

how Starbucks makes me happy

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:10:00 +0000

i would like to believe that i have 'good luck' with Starbucks. it seems that almost each time i buy coffee from them, i will receive another complimentary drink (or maybe it's not just me, but everybody else also) :-P

ohh never mind, at least those complimentary drinks makes me happy :-D

on a different note...one fine evening, i saw this one book in one of the bookstores which I usually visit when i'm there. the title & the synopsis capture my attention. so does the colour which is Green. okay i admit that i'm a colourful person which means i love colours. or whatever la....haha! anyway, i didn't buy the book straight away, because i'm thinking of looking for a better price somewhere.

so after looking around, found a dead end and for a moment there, i forget about the book.

then suddenly after some time, someone comes to me with a good news. to cut a long story short, after successfully bribing the owner of the book with Starbucks, i've managed to borrow the book. talking about strategy huh....har har har

just kidding :-P actually, i know deep down that the owner is more than willing to lend the book to me. all i need to do is just ask nicely ;-)

Extra Coffee Java Chip frappuccino

so for this coming long Raya holiday, i will have this book to cure my loneliness...errrkk i mean to inspire me bah :-P hehe

"Starbucks give me light, when all other lights go out"

(sounds familiar right? actually i got the idea to create this quote from the Lord of the Rings...haha)

(on a additional note, i really can't close my eyes to sleep right now. i can feel my heart beat exactly like after running a half marathon. which is good actually. which is give me extra boost to update my blog...lalalalalala)

Green Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:34:00 +0000

Green Hotel....yup! I really like the sound of it!

Beside being clean...

and with a nice view :-P....hee

what draw my attention about Cititel Mid Valley, is when I found this on the bathroom's wall...

opppss i guess i have to reduce my time in the shower then :-P

and I like this one...

I believe this hotel is going towards the concept of Green Hotel.

Not yet 100%, but at least they are going that way.

saw this at Taylor's University, Lakeside Campus, Subang Jaya during my workshop

Good for you Cititel ;-) No wonder most of my colleague like to stay here (kunun) :-P

Pine Tree Trail, Fraser's Hill

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0000

I always love being among the trees in a forest. They are my 'serene' world!

i sleep on the tree first, you guys go ahead...hehe

I really miss 'trekking' :-( Last one I did was at the Pine Tree Trail, Fraser's Hill, Pahang with a bunch of happy-go-lucky friends who shared the same spirit & passion of nature. I'm truly bless having friends like them.

I love the trail! It's one of the most beautiful & peaceful trail I've ever walk in my life.

this is me BEFORE trekking - looks energetic & happy

Okay, I let the pictures tell the story. Honestly, I'm not good in remembering facts or stories or details in and out unlike somebody I know. Gosh! He is naturally born with what i call 'photographic memory'. Haha! I'm impress :-P ~~Neyyy I'm just a lazy bum I guess~~...hehe!

This is the MOST important thing to start any adventure day of our life. At least for me la :-P

breakfast of a champion....aiseyman :-P

The trail start with 'Do Not Enter' signboard...

Mr Rambo told me that there is these few incidents before where people use the wrong trail and eventually got lost in the jungle. That's why they put the signboard there.

This is the right trail actually...

And this time, I'm smart enough to use the right trekking shoes. I had learn enough from my previous trekking to Nuang :-(

Somebody hang this pair of shoes on the first hut. It's already an early sign showing that the trail must be very difficult. But wait till you experience the trail yourself, it's worth every pain & sweat ;-)

Trekking with Mr Pang, Mr Rambo, Mr Casey & Miss Helen is absolutely fun and interesting and every time I went for a trip with them, I always learn something new & useful from them.

There's another one group trekking at the Pine Tree Trail at the same day with us. Mr Pang found out that they are from the Firefighter Department. No wonder they all looks so fit.

Along the trail, there are so many interesting things to see & to hear. To touch & to feel. To love & to appreciate.

Most of them are Green, obviously :-D

coal ain't cool

i call this lovey-dovey leaves :D

my friends call this 'question mark' plant...???

i love touching them bcoz they are soft beneath my hands

this small Green plant reminds me of how precious our forest is. it takes like hundred or not, thousand of years for this plant to become one matured tree

and some of them are colorful

yay!!! orange tree

i love tree & i love orange color. so we are soul mate. nging!

I just take picture of anything that trigger my curiosity...

this is looks mysterious isn't

This is my main 'sifu' of the day. He teach me what sort of plants that can be eat in the jungle, what type of trees that you can extract water to drink, etc. It's good to know just in case I lost in the jungle (palis-palis). Hopefully I still be able to recall what he teach me then :D

they called him Mr Rambo. must be bcoz he's quite knowledgeable in the jungle ;-)

He place this plant on my backpack & told me it can chase away the mosquitoes. How about leeches? Unfortunately he said 'NO' :-(

Thank you to my kampong upbringing, so far, I don't have issue with the leeches (minta puji :-P). Had deal before with the similar blood-sucking species called 'lintah sawah' at our paddy field back at my kampong. And they are even bigger and can stretch longer as I used to play with them. Hehe!

One of my favourite lunch time of course having them in the middle of the jungle, surrounding by trees, the sound of the wildlife, insects, etc and breathing the fresh air.

Apples has always been my favourite snack in the jungle. They are refreshing & not heavy to my stomach.

We also stop and rest at the huts provided. And just chit chat or sing a song. There is one time where each of us have to sing their favourite song. When is my turn, they ask me to sing a 'Dusun' song called 'Jambatan Tamparuli'. They know the song bcoz they heard it before when they went to Sabah & they kind of liking the tunes. Luckily, there was no 'Dusun' around there except me, so they won't know if my pronunciations were wrong or out of tunes. Hahaha!!!

When we are in the middle of a forest, we need to be creative & smart if we involved in a certain situation and I'm talking about Mr Casey's shoe here.

See what Mr Casey did to his shoe...

tadaaaa....

Hehe! But this trick won't work if the track is wet & slippery. You keep slipping off the track. That's why it's quite important to bring a spare of slipper or shoes during trekking. Thank goodness to Mr Casey years of experience of trekking in the jungle ;-)

The Pine Tree Trail is located exactly at the edge of Pahang's border with Selangor.

That's why there is this marking somewhere along the trail.

And I'm standing at the two (2) states at the same time wohhh!!! Isn't that awesome??? (exaggerate huh :-P) haha!

My friends with their sense of humour ask me 'How to stand at the three (3) states at the same time?' Immediately I know the answer. Only man would be able to do that trick ;-)

As we enjoy the trekking so much, we were being force to turn back as it's starting to drizzle & we are way behind our schedule. According to Mr Pang, trekkers should, on the average, take about eight hours at moderate pace to the peak and return. However, the trek gets challenging and difficult when one happens to trek along wet, muddy and slippery paths in the rain.

I don't mind that we didn't reach the peak. Having the opportunity to trek only half way of the trail & accompanied by a bunch of good friends are more than enough for me. Beside I still can come back here if there is opportunity to do so. Who knows ;-)

Sometimes with traveling; it is the journey & the people you are with and meet along the way are more important than the destination. Learn to love & appreciate simple things along the way makes you a happier & better person.

Going back the trail is another story. We have to climb this steep staircase. Ohh how I dislike staircase. Especially my knees :-P hehe!

From what I seen, the trail is well-trodden, but it seems well-maintained and the best thing is the Pine Tree Hill is clean almost unspoilt by human garbage. See the rope at the staircase. They still looks new & strong.

why i got the feeling that this picture is quite familiar...hmmm

And the trail also well marked.

As always, I love my time spend in the jungle. There are my precious moments in life. Whenever I feel sad, I will remember them, my Green journey :D And I will feel happy all over again.

See my friends still looks stronger & full of stamina after the trekking.

Unlike me, eventho I'm the youngest among them (ehem) :-P

this is me AFTER trekking. huarghh sakit lutut leh! i'm really getting older i guess :-P hahaha!!!

We did take group photos together but had to use some creativity using the ground, towels, bags, etc as there is nobody around to help & no tripod available at that time. Few shots had to be taken as to came out with the perfect picture.

Take 1: Where are Mr Pang & me? (scratch head)

Take 2: Aiya! Mr Pang is still missing (scratch head again)

Take 3: Almost there...

Take 4: PERFECT!!! (i usually said that when i give up already...hehe)

Before leaving Fraser's Hill, everyone must or at least take a picture with the ever famous & much-photographed clock tower of Fraser's Hill. Hee!

One of the rules after trekking is that you must take a dip in the river nearby. The cold naturally water from the river could cure the pain & tiredness in your body. Immediately you would feel strong & ready to take up any challenge in the world all over again. Crap huh! Haha! So far it works for me la. Hehe!

Before we return to the big city (sigh), we drop by at this restaurant to have our dinner together. This is would be my last get together with them before I return to where I belong (happy not, kidding :-P). Never mind, I bet I will have another trip with them sooner than I realized ;-)

The foods here are not bad at all. In fact, the dishes we order are quite delicious. Especially the one called sweet & sour 'bebola babi' (just hantam la the name, can't remember anymore) hahaha!!!

Or maybe I'm just being hungry as always :-P Or as usual, for me anything to do with foods, almost all of them can go into my mouth. It's good right, when I travel, I will not have problem to eat anything & everything that come across my path :-P hehe!

As for the drinks it's another story. Eventho I'm not much into alcoholic drinks (ehem, innocent girl bah :-P), I saw the beers sell here are much more expensive compared to those at my native land (ehemmm).

Anyway, cheers to more unpredictable yet challenging adventures ahead of us. Wish & pray they all comes across our path very very soon ^ - ^

As to conclude my journey, feel free to take a look at my humble video which I took somewhere along the trail. I call them 'the dancing leaves of Pine Tree Trail' ^ - ^

Note: For more information, you may go to: Fraser's Hill Treasure Trails

You can download & read the booklet which contains a full pictorial map of Fraser’s Hill which completes the picture for any visitors to Fraser’s Hill to take the step in venturing to discover the treasures in Fraser’s Hill

(Source: http://www.wwf.org.my/)

“People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.”
St. Augustine, Early Christian Priest

Rhythm of Love

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 15 May 2011 15:30:00 +0000

i love flip flops...

and

i love traveling...

like a Rhythm of Love

And long after I've gone You'll still be humming along And I will keep you in my mind The way you make love so fine We may only have tonight But till the morning sun you're mine all mine Play the music low and sway to the rhythm of love...

the climb

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Fri, 13 May 2011 23:09:00 +0000

Yup, I'm climbing....

Photo Courtesy of Rachel Lamam

And I will not stop till I reach the peak ;-)

Of course running is always in my list.

That's why I just register to run for the Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon and aiming to break my personal best time at the 'City of Angels'.

See you guys there ;-)

I'm praying, waiting & crossing my fingers & toes for another one marathon to open their registration. Nothing is PERFECT for me but to end my 2011 with 2 marathons & backpacking in 2 countries. Cheers!!!

I believe I am more

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 13:10:00 +0000

I see a bigger vision of who I am and what I can do.

My body rejuvenates, my mind sharpens and my soul inspires.

I find passion and strength to dream and live a larger life.

Above all, I BELIEVE I AM MORE

Source: Somewhere in Singapore. Thank you Sifu Lumix ;-)

My 30th Birthday Present - 3 for 3 + 0

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 12:13:00 +0000

After the BIM 2010 in May, somehow I decided to set a target which is to run for 3 marathons this year and to collect 3 hard-earned finisher medals before I reach 30.

So here they are finally and they are proving to me that I have a long long long way to go and my life is just started at 30. Ahaks! :-P

Cheers to a continuous years of living life to the fullest!!!

May GOD bless us ALL with good health, happiness, love & never-ending adventures ^ - ^

"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars." Henry Van Dyke

Tiger

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 04:17:00 +0000

opps wrong! that's not what i mean...he he

Tiger is actually my dog. finally, i manage to capture him in his true expression...

he is a good & loyal dog to us. we all love him very much. seems like he's part of our family already.

Cook, Eat, Love

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:00:00 +0000

recently, i don't know what is happening to me but since he comes into my life, i always being inspired in many ways than i can never imagine. one of them is the effort to cook my own dinner at home after work. at the same time he's making me healthy by eating my own home-cooked meal. in the end, i know i would have some nice pictures to remind me of my own journey of self satisfaction ;o)

5 small letters 1 BIG change! don't you think so??? :-P

again, this picture is not edited ;o)

honestly, i have fallen deeply in love with him ^ - ^

Drive, Play, Love

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 12:00:00 +0000

when you combined a girl who driving on her own and is so eager to play with her Lumix, you will get unlimited pit stops.....lalalalalala

some insect i found at Pekan Nabalu. seems like my macro skill is still under performance. never mind, i try & try again till i reach there. give up is never exist in my dictionary. kunun! :-P

therefore better think twice or triple before you want to become her passengers. you need a patience as high as the Mt Kinabalu :-P

anyway, i'm not there yet. still a lot more to learn & to improve. okay, where bah is my LX3 sifu nie??? harharhar!!!

**FYI, all of these pictures are unedited ;o)

Something to remember - LX5

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Finally, after a few months of planning, budgeting, researching & thinking, I have finally made up my mind today on 31 October 2010, Sunday, 1.00 p.m. at the Lumix Station, Wisma Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

At least I have something to remember from my extra incentive in my five (5) and a half years working with my current company. sob! sob! (suddenly emo lah pula) he he he

Mt Kinabalu Mesilau Trail May 2007

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

What's inspired me in the first place to start this borneotrekker blog is because of my passion for mountaineering. Which is started since I enter university back on 2000. I don't know where it comes from but maybe my Dusun ancestors who are still living on the Mt Kinabalu (the locals believe so), have given me the aura. I guess :-P

Mt Kinabalu is the 1st mountain I climb in Borneo & the 5th mountain in Malaysia after Mt. Ledang, Mt. Yong Yap, Mt. Stong Ayam & Mt Tahan. Hope to share the experience about these mountains in another stories.

Donkey's Ears (one of the peak at Mt. Kinabalu)

Then I just realized that up until now, I haven't blog anything about any mountains that I had climb before. Which is quite a big issue for a blog with the mountain as the main theme right :-P. Anyway, it's not too late to blog about it now & the important thing is I want to keep my promise to my friends. So here are the pictures and pretty much of the story behind the pictures that I still can recall until now.

a village at the foot of the mountain

29 May 2007:

Four (4) of us started the journey from Kota Kinabalu (KK) late in the morning. We had rented this van with an affordable price...

together with this driver which I forget his name already & I lost his contact numbers. Should keep it, just in case we needed for the second trip to Mt. Kinabalu. Thinking about the Via Ferrata or the new back trail from Kota Belud. Hehe!

Stop over at Restoran Bayu Kinabalu for lunch. That time the restaurant is just in front of the Kinabalu National Park main gate. But now, it has moved further back before the National Park, if you're from KK.

The foods here are not bad at all. Actually, when I think back, among all the restaurants along the KK-Ranau road that I've went before, so far they served the nicest. But as for now, I'm not sure about their quality of their foods anymore. Maybe SIRIM should go there & check it whether it's still up to the ISO standard. Right Anee? :-P

This is what I had order for my lunch. A set of plain rice & chicken with mixed vegetables. Doesn't it look delicious to you? The only thing is that the restaurant is also visited by some special guests called flies. But I bet those flies are a bit hygienic than the KK's ones bocz they just perch on the vegetables. Kunun! Hehe! Luckily, we didn't have any sort of food poisoning symptom after eating there.

After lunch, we continued our journey to the Mesilau Nature Resort. Usually for the first-timers to Mt. Kinabalu, they will choose Timpohon Trail which is faster & shorter. But not for us. We choose Mesilau Trail eventho it's longer bcoz we heard that the trail have much more interesting things to see. You'll understand what I'm saying when you go there to see for yourself.

Before we reached the resort, we pass by the Kundasang Golf Club. I was just want to lie down there, breath the cold fresh air and looking at the beautiful green surrounding.

Upon reaching the Mesilau Nature Resort, we have to stop over at the security gate to inform them about our arrival. Then I still remember until now, when one of the security guard asked us. He said something like this: "Are you guys from the Angkatan Berat group?" Then one of my friend reply him "Errkkk we never heard about Angkatan Berat but we do know about Angkatan Hebat." I think that time, everyone is trying very hard to control their laughter including me. I feel like my lungs going to explode anytime soon. Out of respect, we only laugh our head off when we pass the security gate. Haha!!! Jokes of the day!

We stayed at one of the lodge there and ours called Witti Range Lodge.

It's quite comfortable with three (3) bedrooms, attached bathroom, comes with heated shower & a living room. Only two (2) rooms are occupied by us. The family that supposed to stay in the 3rd room is joining their friends in the other lodge. So we have the lodge all to ourselves.

courtesy of ujie's camera

Actually, we join this trip under the Sutera Harbour Resort group. One of my colleague had a sister working at Sutera Harbour and was in-charge for this trip. So it's easy for me to get few places & arrange with her since Mt. Kinabalu is managed by the Sutera Harbour. You must be thinking that we pay a large sum for this kind of accommodation, but you're so wrong. We only pay roughly like RM180 including guide & park fees, climbing permit & insurance plus accommodation both at Mesilau & Laban Rata Rest House. But it's all in the past. Nowadays, the cost of climbing Mt. Kinabalu is equal with going for oversea trip. Maybe lesser if you can get the Air Asia free seats promotion.

courtesy of ujie's camera

Usually when we bring foods, we intend to bring more than necessary. It's like we are very very scared of starvation :-P But more is better than less right??? Hehe

30 May 2007:

After the good night sleep, we started our 1st part of the climbing around 8.00 a.m.

To accompany me for this climbing would be my trusted 'Adidas Kampung'. Until now, I'm still using this shoes for most of my trekking activities. It's reliable & cheap which only cost me like RM4 per pair. And after each trip, I just can easily throw it away if I'm bored with it. Errkk what I mean is if it's torn & cannot be use anymore. Hehe! You can buy this kind of shoes at the shops around Sinsuran, KK or at Donggongon Town, Penampang.

Adidas Kampung

Of course being the city girls & have so much money to spend :-P, we shared on paying the potters to carry our stuff. We only bring our own pack lunch, drinks & camera.

see how light I am but still makes no difference. i still feel like crawling to reach Laban Rata :-P

courtesy of lena's camera

At the same time, we're helping those school kids who are looking for an extra income during school holiday by becoming part time porters. Should we not helping our own people? Or do you called that a lame excuse? Hehe

Anyway, the view along the Mesilau Trail is beyond imagination. You feel like you're somewhere else and not at Sabah. I never know that such place exist just at my doorsteps.

Mesilau Trail

the valley

one of my favourite picture. I called it "Stairway to Heaven"

with my walking stick! ehem! that time I'm not so fit as I'm now okay. kidding :-P

The flowers at the mountain are one of the most fascinating I ever seen in my life. With the mist engulfing them, I feel like I'm in a heaven. Almost!

flowers

Mushrooms on the mountain!

As we taking our sweet time climbing or should I say, we're not fit enough unlike the rest of them :-P, we arrived at the Laban Rata Resthouse almost 5 p.m. & that time, it started to drizzle already.

see how clever I pose in flow with the trees...haha

I'm so hungry & exhausted by the time we arrived at Laban Rata. I just want to go straight to the Laban Rata Restaurant, sit there & eat as much as I want. But as my other friends have taken their bath & I don't want them to comment something like this "Ko fikir ko C*#% kah???". Yikes!!! Better I take a shower first to prevent from hearing unwanted & spicy comments. Huhu! Thank goodness, they provide hot shower there. I feel so fresh after that & so ready to attack the restaurant.

Guess what I ate for dinner??? Hehe! I think the cold weather had preserved my chicken. When I check it, it's still edible for dinner. So I just request for plain rice only. Save some extra cost :-P Anyway, I don't want to complain about the price of the foods & drinks they charge at the restaurant because I had seen how the locals carry the stuff from below. I just hope they pay the porters fair & equal with their hard work & effort.

A hot milo is just what I need for the cold weather. It's never been tastier as much as you drink it on the mountain.

After filling our stomach & chit chat for a while, we retired to our room to get some decent sleep as we're going to leave early at 2.30 a.m. the next morning for the 2nd part of the climbing to the summit. As all of them easily went into sleep mode, it's a different story for me. I can't sleep eventho I try very very hard to close my eyes. So I decide to play around with my camera and this is one of the picture that I had captured. I'm not sure whether I'm still going to be alive tomorrow after she read this blog. Hehe!

Guess who's this?

By 12.30 a.m, I still can't sleep so I just get up & start sorting my things to bring to the summit. Some of them complaining that I making too much noise. Oppss sorry! I think I'm just too over excited. I've been waiting for this moment for so long & I can't wait to be on the summit of Mt. Kinabalu. You see when I was in high school, my family never allowed me to go for any outdoor trips, let alone climbing a mountain. I don't know whether it's got to do something with me being the youngest child but I think they care too much than necessary. So when I enter university, I just threw caution into the wind and being rebellious by doing all the outdoor stuff whenever I got the chance. And I told them only after I graduate. Kahkahkah!!! On the serious note, please do not follow this example :-P

Ujie is sorting out her unnecessary stuff :-P

31 May 2007

We started our journey to the summit by 2.30 a.m. Don't you think all of us looks like 'kogutan' faces? he he he

"comel kan muka blur si lena?" harharhar!!!

It's totally dark when we started walking up to the peak from Laban Rata. We depends entirely on our head lamp & follow the ropes that being provided. The trail to the summit is quite pack with people. From far, you can see torch lights flashing like the giant fireflies. And I can see the moon beautifully shinning. It's look so near when you're on top of the mountain. Pity my camera is not good enough to take picture at dark.

After some walking, crawling, begging & almost want to give up at the last peak, I arrived just on time to see the break of dawn at approximately 5.30 a.m. I'm speechless for a while. I really want to freeze the moment so that I can savour it as much as I want.

"There is beauty in the world! So much beauty in the world! Always beauty in the world! So much beauty in the world!"

Now I feel like I want to sing like Macy Gray. Luv that song! Next time I should sing it for my next mountain climbing, jungle trekking or adventure caving ^ = ^

the V shape light

darn! i forget to check my hair. but i've to accept this picture as it's not easy to go there :-P

with Lena my climbing buddy

with Uji on the top of the mountain

Thank goodness I found a picture of three of us. Thanks to Lena's camera :)) Errkk my face is so round there & I look like a boy. Haha!

courtesy of Lena's camera

Actually I don't want to go yet, but we can't stay too long at the peak because many people are coming up and the peak cannot accommodate too much people at one time. We must give chance to other people to take picture. If you want to stay longer there, you must be fit enough to reach there early. Like some of them already reached the peak by 4.30 a.m. Whoaaa! What are they made from? Iron? But you have to get ready to face the cold of course.

As we're making our way down, Lena had taken the picture of this guide carrying a boy. I can't recall the story behind it but it's a rare sight. Normally, if you really can't afford to climb anymore to the summit, they will recommend for you to go back down. I think this is a special case.

courtesy of lena's camera

The way down is more relaxing as we slowly walk & take more picture. We can see the view as far as Kota Kinabalu & Kundasang.

Low's Peak (the highest peak)

South Peak
(this is the picture which I've taken & use it for my blog's header)

it's quite spooky with the mist hanging over the peak. not sure whether this is the St John's Peak?

Or this? I forgot & I confused! Blame it on the 3 years old memory :-P

I had seen many coins on the Sacrifice Pool. Very tempted to take it & use it later to buy drinks at the Laban Rata restaurant. Just kidding :-P I don't want my ancestors chasing me down the mountain later. Hehe!

Before proceeding to the Timpohon Gate, we stop over at the Laban Rata Restaurant to have our lunch. On the way down, it's raining & the trail is quite slippery with the water going down on it. Thank goodness for my Adidas Kampung! It has a good grip & easily dry out bcoz it mades from rubber. But why I don't feel happy by looking at my face's expression below???

Must be bcoz I'm drinking this untreated water.

No la! :-P I never have problem with this kind of water. Palis-palis! My stomach has been trained well since I went for all those trekking back at Peninsular Malaysia during my Uni time. The source of water in the jungle there is much worse than here. I used to drink from a small & dirty pool before bcoz it's the only nearest water source from the camp site. And I didn't have my bath for 3 days long. Imagine that!!! I'm still alive & healthy till now tho :))

Beside one good thing about trekking during raining season, is that you just look up at the sky & open your mouth whenever you feel thirsty. I used to do that when I'm so lazy to take out my water bottle from my backpack. Kahkahkah!!!

Anyway, a few of my friends had stomach ache and vomited after that. Not sure whether it's bcoz of the water or the altitude sickness. Actually it's recommended to bring some Iodine Tablet to keep your drinking water safe every time you go for a camping or trekking. Prevention is better than cure ;-)

Meet this 'friend' on the way down. The longest & healthier worm I've ever seen. He/She must be feeding on all the good things from the mountain.

We know that we're getting near to the Timpohon Gate when we saw those stairs. Reached there around 3-4 p.m. if I'm not mistaken. Three of my friends went back straight to Kota Kinabalu. As for me, I went back to Ranau bcoz there are few more days left of the Harvest Festival holiday before I come back to work.

I'm glad that I already climb the Mt. Kinabalu in that year bcoz after that the cost to climb the mountain has been increased tremendously. Actually I would like to go there again, as I've fell in love with the magnificent mountain. But, when I think back, why not I try to conquer the other two (2) mountains first. I'm talking about Mt. Trus Madi & Mt. Tambuyukon. Heard that their trails are more difficult & challenging. Okay, it's time to start planning for the next mountain to conquer! ^ = ^

Mulu - The Spectacular Bat Exodus

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:30:00 +0000

We're at the Bat Observatory to view the evening exodus of bats from the Deer Cave, Mulu, Sarawak. We're so lucky that day. One of my best moments in life. Sharing the moment with a bunch of great friends makes it more priceless ^ - ^

The video is too long so I have to split it into two (2) parts:

Part 1: Where I spoiled the brief moment clip of Jipp. Sorry! Next time I stay far far away into the Deer Cave :-P. Hmmm I just realized that he is quite excited when he heard the word 'panjanggg'. I wonder why??? He he he

Part 2: Yeah I shyly admitted that my voice is so so prominent till I'm pretty sure that all the bats flying up at the sky there can hear me. Thank goodness I didn't scared them back into the Deer Cave. I really try my best to control my third world country gene inside of me. Anyway I'm proud that I'm belong from the third world country you know :-P

Actually, I really really love to upload two (2) more videos (something to do with poco-poco & 'berbaris'), but I don't dare. I'm scared that I won't be able to stay alive till end of this year to run for the Penang & Singapore Marathon if I did ^ - ^

Mulu - The Sound of the Penan Seruling

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:45:00 +0000

The sound of the traditional Penan Seruling played along at the River Walk, nearby the Garden of Eden Valley at Mulu, Sarawak.

Left: Ismail (our guide for the trip)
Right: Lena Gregory 7(see how she proudly smiles :D )

Finally, the time has come...

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Are you ready??? Errkkk I guess so....hantam saja la :-p

Received a few final race advise from one of my marathon buddies this morning and I would like to shared it here. It sounds like this:

Rather then keep repeating ^_^, better i just email, less then 48 hours to go

1. Sleep a lot tonight, tomorrow night you will be most likely 'worried' 'scared' 'excited' to sleep

2. Pin your race number(front/back) tonite, set aside your shoe, socks, jersey, fav underware, watches

3. Tie your timing chips to your shoes tonite

4. Don't eat anything new, don't use anything new

5. Have a plan and stick to it

6. Take one last look at your starting time and race course

7. You don't need to wear extra clothing at Stadium, the hot spot lights are on from 3.30am to keep you warm

8. Warm up, walk a few laps

9. Don't go crazy at the first 2km , stick to the plan, let all the headless chickens run full speed first

10. SMILE for the cameras, you don't want people tag you on face book looking at your shoes or watch

11. Drink at water stations

12. SMILE and look forward at the finish line, you might want to buy the photo :)

13. Have Fun!!!!

Thanks a lot CY! My favourite is no. 10 & no. 12 & headless chickens. Haha!!!

and I add there:

ENJOY THE RUN, THE PEOPLE & THE SCENERIES!!!! ALL THE BEST!!!

BE DUMB & JUST RUN!!!

I'll see you guys when I see you this Sunday :D

Flora, Fauna & Friends

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0000

The final weekend before the BIM is spend with them....

flowers & dried leaves

snowing at Tun Fuad Stephen's park

my NB & flowers

the tree with flowers

'be responsible for your environment' **Alice WWF**

Alice & April **they have something in common :D**

black clouds hanging over Kota Kinabalu

apa bangsa bunga nie? **ada makna tersirat si noorainee :D**

Unite for a Greener Sabah! Coal ain't Cool!!!

BIM sticker convo

maliau basin convo **they have something in common also :D**

house hunting at 'shang'

discover Nasi Briyani **the taste is quite nice actually** at Donggongon

Alice & her favourite repetition of '28'

Rocky who caused 2 giggling girls not to come out from the car. He's harmless but quite smelly!

And I love every moment spend with them. Even though I'm getting nervous as the BIM getting close.

The only few things I can do right now is carbo-load, get enough sleep, pray (kunun) and hope that I can finish the race and still in good condition to hangout with my friends after that.

Okay guys! Where we should hangout after the race??? :D

**In the meantime, don't forget our carbo-load date this coming Friday okay...hehe**

Give EARTH a Hand

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 06:46:00 +0000

i want clean air

i want food without destruction

i want water without pollution

i want our rainforests intact

i want to keep our oceans alive

and our polar seas pristine

i want an energy revolution

give Earth a hand

One fine Sunday at Tun Fuad Stephen's Park

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:10:00 +0000

Last Sunday morning, I did my long run training at Tun Fuad Stephen's Park for my 3rd race for the Borneo International Marathon. Yup! This year, I'll be joining the BIM again with the rest of my running buddies.

While running, I've bumped with a few friends who are training for the BIM also. One of them is Rita. I'm so happy to meet her. She give me hope, inspiration & courage which I really need right now.

Then, the best part is I meet "Wong Wong'. I always saw him with his owner at Tun Fuad during weekends. This time I have the chance running with him.

Isn't he cute??? Yay! I heart Wong Wong :D

Another 16 days to BIM! Another 16 days to my longest run ever in my life! Well, this is another mess I've gotten myself into. Never mind, I'll just keep playing the words, what Jipp used to said to me before, in my head over & over again.....Be Dumb Just Run!!!

Ranau Gong's Tune

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:50:00 +0000

Last Saturday, I went to the Hongkod Koisaan (Unity Hall) to attend a wedding reception which involving family, relatives & friends from Ranau, Penampang & Keningau. The groom is from Kg Marakau, Ranau which happens to be my kampong also.

One of the performances during the wedding reception is the Gong Beating. And my kampong people have been given the privilege to play the Ranau's tune. I have the chance to record them playing the local instrument. Here is their performance:

End of the day, I'm glad & happy to see some familiar faces from my kampong. Makes me feel at home. Of course, the 'bonus' question will always come out one way or another. But I understand, they just care too much about me :D

The Sound of the Forest – Maliau Basin

noreply@blogger.com (ULAI) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:10:00 +0000

One of my own personal best moments at Maliau Basin would be the early morning sounds of the forest...

The first morning at Ginseng Camp

The second morning at Ginseng Camp

I wish I can hear them every time I wake up every morning, everyday of my life. Because I feel Peace, I feel Love, I feel Happy. Yeah I know I’m asking too much from God. Until then…..

LOVE YOUR FOREST AND THEY WILL LOVE YOU MORE