EnHui @ Unschooling

Skateboarding at Kompleks Rakan Muda Extreme Sport, Bukit Kiara 11 January 2012

2012-01-28T22:57:00.004+08:00

En commented "Teacher Johary is like Totto-chan's Tomoe school headmaster". Upon hearing that, I am certain this teacher is wonderful.

Totto-chan at Wikipedia

Read Totto-chan

En's on her first skateboarding lesson.

Hui is so sure she doesn't want to be involved in it.

She ended up getting her hands and white dress black by sliding on the slope meant for skateboarding.

What En did, after her class ended.

Teacher's skateboard which is RM280, purchased at BB plaza.

Sandy top surface to prevent skidding.

En's Joerex skateboard, purchased at Skateline TTDI for RM129.

When compare En's to teacher's skateboard, the latter moves easier and faster.

We need to get our wheels changed for RM80.

The bearings on the wheel is most important. You can test it by gently pushing the skateboard on the flat ground and see if it moves easily by itself.

Kiddo skateboard is a waste of money. :)

Lego Nxt Robotic Workshop at Pusat Sains Negara 10 January 2012

2012-01-27T23:15:00.003+08:00

Lego Nxt workshop is held at Innotech Room, located inside the Thinking Machine exhibits hall, second floor.

To initiate a workshop, get a group of 20 children, aged 10 and above.

Email to Pn Siti zuhaini@psn.gov.my

RM4 per person for non PSN-member.

50% discount for PSN member.

This Lego Nxt set costs RM1500!

The children enjoyed themselves so much, setting instruction and see how the robot moved accordingly.

The microprocessor which we used to communicate with the robot.

Simple installation which I think suited younger kids, less than 10 years old.

Older ones might find the workshop too easy and boring.

Have a look.

Newspaper Recycling and Mangrove Seed Planting at MNS - Environmental Intrepretive Centre, Sepang 9 January 2012

2012-01-27T23:03:00.001+08:00

I explained to En, incidentally the road that we are travelling now is a border marker between the state of Negeri Sembilan on the left and Selangor is the road itself.

Malaysian Nature Society, Environmental Interpretive Centre, Sepang.

Compound outside the office.

Map to MNS EIC

Tapak Lama Balai Polis

Jalan Sepang 43900 Sepang.

03- 3142 2748

Entrance to the office.

Orang asli and other traditional tools on display.

Common stingray specimen.

Zooplankton and other microorganism under the microscope.

Newspaper recycling activity.

The sample of a paper recycled out of newspaper and you can also shaped it into a gecko shape.

Our group recycling newpaper.

Tear the newpapers to small pieces.

Blend them with water in a blender, to turn the paper into pulp.

Pour the mixture out.

This is the strainer, to scoop the pulp up.

Scooping the mushy pulp

Bring it up.

Overturn the strainer onto a piece of newspaper and sponge out the water.

Add decoration if you like, dry flowers, leaves, glittery etc.

Older ones are trying to mould pulp into shapes.

Recycled paper left to dry. Children can bring home the paper.

Animal Planet Video.

At the back of the MNS EIC, is mangrove swamp.

Young mangrove plants.

A 30 years old mangrove tree.

It feels good to be in the nature.

Mangrove Seed Planting.

Small hoes, plastic bags and mangrove seeds.

Get soil from the swamp.

Mangrove seeds planted in a plastic bag.

The seed will be nurtured till it is 1.5 years old before replanting them by the river.

The platfrom across the mangrove swamp is still under construction.

To join the activity, email sepang_eic@mns.org.my

RM16 per child.

RM200 for management and staff fees.

About MNS

Camping at Khersonese Basecamp, Kampung Slim, Tanjung Malim, Perak 1 January 2012

2012-01-27T22:23:00.005+08:00

A quiet Kampung Slim at Tanjung Malim.

It consists of two rows of multi-racial shophouses.

We waited for Bai, an orang asli of Jakun tribe at Kg Slim, who brought us to the campsite.

The chinese shophouse is sandwiched between a Malay-run grocery store and an Indian stall.

The journey from Kg Slim to the orang asli campsite is so picturesque.

Some part of the road are sandy.

A still lake and a range of green mountains.

Sooo beautiful.

Crossed a bridge and saw a group of orang asli children played in the river without clothes on.

Ah Man's house by the road side.

The campsite is just across his house.

After a 20minutes drive from Kg Slim, Bai finally stopped his car.

The hut is the dining area and we camped next to it.

Dining hall.

Wash basin at the hall but dont expect clean water.

Ah Man, setting up the 2-men Coleman tent, available for rent at RM30.

Clothes line made of sticks and ropes.

Toilet and shower.

Big juicy caterpillar which camped along with us.

And a giant spider with its humongous web.

A high long table, perfect for setting up our stove.

The brownish river which had given such pleasure to the kids.

Observing the queen ant digging for a new home.

En's jumping stint from the fallen tree trunk.

Catch of the day.

Dad and En, setting up protection for our tent, during the heavy downpour.

It has been ages since the last time En performed a shadowy show.

Perfect fire for corns and sweet potatoes.

Few scarab beetles joined us at night. En didn't mind having one on her palm.

My view of the green morning stillness was abruptly interrupted by the appearance of three pair of legs.

Muzailan binti Musaed

Manager

Khersonese Expedition Sdn Bhd.

No. 86, Jalan SS22/13,

Damansara Jaya

47400 Petaling Jaya

Selangor.

HP: 019 6998890

DL: 03 77223516

Fax: 03 77223554

Email: muzailan@thepaddlerz.com

muzaymsd@gmail.com

Website: http://www.thepaddlerz.com/

Campsite charges is RM15 per person.

Grow your own food, from garden to cooking pot 29 December 2011

2012-01-22T13:20:00.000+08:00

Hui harvesting amaranth leaves.

Sweet turnip is growing underground.

Hui cutting the chilli for me.

Simple dinner.

Amaranth leaves soup with red dates, wolfberry, yuk cuk and onion.

A bowl of brown and red rice, sprinkled with black sesame powder and flax seeds.

Samila Beach, Songkhla Thailand 26 December 2011

2012-01-22T13:14:00.003+08:00

Walking towards Samila beach.

The famous mermaid statue at Laem Samila.

Kite-flying was so easy under windy weather.

Our kite and the beautiful blue sky.

A group of boys admiring En's castle. :))

Wil and En enjoying the strong waves.

Selling toilet rolls?

Food and souvenir vendors.

Coconut ice cream.

From left - bread, sweet potato, attap chee, coconut and peanut.

Samila beach is about 40 minutes drive from Hatyai city.

Ko Yo, Thailand 26 December 2011

2012-01-22T13:11:00.002+08:00

Tinnasulanon Bridge

Ko Yo is about 20km from Hatyai city and it can be accessed through Tinnasulanon Bridge.

Driving across the bridge.

We stopped by a fish farm for lunch.

Walking across the platform to the fish farm.

Fish farm.

En explored the area.

Sirada restaurant adjacent to the fish farm.

Southern Folklore Museum, Ko(island) Yo, Thailand 26 December 2011

2012-01-22T13:01:00.003+08:00

As we drove into Ko Yo main road, Southern Folklore Museum is visible by the road side.

The charges.

Dad, the curator of the museum.

We had a bird 's eye view of a fish farm from the museum's glass window.

My favourtite part, knives and tools are so cool.

Traditional coconut shaving of all sort of designs!

The kids remember their coconut shaving experience at Badan Warisan and Taman Warisan Pertanian.

Cow bells.

Hui pointed out that, one of the page in Paul Bunyan storybook has a similar gigantic saw.

This is it.

En danced along with the mask man, imagining his move.

The back scene of a shadow puppet theatre.

Hui, the Tok Dalang and Wil, the musician.

We spent almost 2.5 hours here and weren't able to see every galleries. The museum is huge for a small island.

Khao Seng Fishing Village, Songkhla, Thailand 26 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:47:00.003+08:00

The wind was strong and waves were roaring high when we arrived Chalatat beach, Khao Seng fishing village.

It is around half an hour drive from Hatyai city.

As we walked towards the tiny dilapidated village, we heard hammering sound coming from the green canopy.

Fishing made impossible with such gutsy wind.

Fishermen chatting around the boat while repairing it.

Black burnt kettle boiling under firewood.

The people seems unperturbed by us and carried on with whatever they were doing.

Salted fishes.

We strolled in uninvited.

The condition of the homes depicted their harsh life.

A woman villager.

One of the lanes among the old houses.

A boy playing contentedly with his toy truck, loaded with sand.

The sandy flooring in a home.

The back of the village.

En climbed over to check the other side of it.

An overview of the village from the other end.

"I know how it works", En muttered.

A crab trap.

Fish heads were strewn everywhere.

Khao Seng Fishing Village is located at the end of Chalatat beach, along the same coast as the famous touristy Samila beach..

Khlong Hae Floating Market, Hatyai, Thailand. 25 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:41:00.004+08:00

A 20minutes tuk-tuk ride from Novotel Centara Hotel.

It costs 500baht to and fro.

Our driver, Akai parked his tuk tuk here and waited patiently for our return.

He gestured us to walk past the arch and to the left.

We strolled past numerous stalls before reaching Khlong Hae Floating Market.

Ice-loli.

Rice in bamboo.

Fried insect of all sorts.

Don't fancy insects? How about maggot?

The boats were parked along the platform.

Goods and money are exchanged through a basket tied to a long pole.

I can never get enough of coconut ice cream.

En bought her favourite tornado potato.

Mackerel fish ball with a tinge of sour and spicy taste.

Eating area next to the floating market.

Sauces to enhance your tastebud.

Coconut juice.

25baht, served with a claymug and 5baht less, if you prefer to drink from a paper cup.

Flower weaving.

Yummy but I don't know what it is.

This is how it looks like, glutinous rice maybe.

Morning market in Hatyai, Thailand 26 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:32:00.001+08:00

At 645am, monks were seen walking in a line, each holding a metal bowl.

They were seen stationed around the market, waiting to receive food donation.

Some stalls sell food packed ready for the monks at 100baht.

After the person donated food, the monk recited a sanskrit blessing in return.

Vendor getting ready to set up stall for business.

Monks stood by both side of the markets.

It was interesting seeing the locals and the stuffs they sell.

Not sure what sort of food this is.

Was the frying pan too small?

Crabs.

Dumplings.

The unwrapped one.

Market's location.

It is a short walk distance from Novotel Centara Hotel.

Pitcher plants delicacies!

Hui kept a watchful eye the whole morning.

More food.

Noodles with all sort of meat balls.

4-wheeler tuk-tuk at Hatyai, Thailand 25 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:26:00.002+08:00

4-wheeler tuk tuk is the main public transport in Hatyai.

Our tuk tuk driver, Akai is patient and helpful.

Tel : 087 2880032

14 of us fitted into one tuk-tuk.

20baht per ride, within Hatyai and little children ride for free.

Akai was our regular driver and we only pay the total accumulated fares on the last day of our stay.

Ride onboard a tuk tuk at night.

Kimyong Market, Hatyai Thailand 25 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:22:00.005+08:00

We took a 4-wheeler tuk tuk to Kimyong market.

It costs 20baht per adult and kids ride for free. In fact, all our rides, to and fro within Hatyai city costs the same.

This is the reason we came here.

To buy Zebra product.

Superware shop left a good impression on us.

The price of the Zebra goods in Hatyai, is cheaper by more than 50% when compare to KL.

Fragrant coconut. 30baht each.

Hopped on a tuk tuk back to hotel.

Hotel Novotel Centara, Hatyai, Thailand 24 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:10:00.003+08:00

Our superior bedroom.

En checked out the fridge and mini bar.

Internet broadband is available at 300baht for a 2D3N stay.

Very clean bathroom.

The not-so-big hotel pool.

Kid's room adjadent to the pool.

I thought I can take a break away.

Thankfully, there is a computer inside the room.

I "googled" away even though I am not between the age of 7 to 12 while Hui entertained herself to the toys available.

Novotel Centara

Body Massage Centre in Hatyai, Thailand 24 December 2011

2012-01-15T23:10:00.002+08:00

The first place we went, was to a traditional Thai massage centre at Hatyai Central Hotel.

Our group having a full body massage in a room, which costs 300baht per person.

Kids had fun watching each and everyone of them being massaged.

The massage parlour is located at second floor.

Driving to Hatyai, Thailand 23 December 2011

2012-01-15T22:42:00.003+08:00

It was about 1.5 hour drive to Changlun, Kedah from Juru toll, Penang. We drove early in the morning where traffic was much less.

Alongside the main road where we came from, there are "kopitiam" (coffee shop) restaurants where we bought car insurance for Thailand, which is compulsory. Custom and Immigration form is available for a fee of RM1 per piece, and form will be filled in by them as well.

There is a money changer.

Other services that are available.

Insurance fees.

We paid RM15 for our sedan car.

At Changlun, Malaysia Immigration.

You can drive through just like going through CIQ from Johore, Malaysia to Singapore.

There is a BHP petrol station available at Changlun, which will be the last available station before you arrive the checkpoint.

At Thailand border, you need to park your vehicle at parking space located on the left, just before the Custom & Immigratin clearance.

The queue for passport stamping and submission of car documents are at different booths.
You will need a photocopy of the car registration card. And if you are driving a company vehicle, a letter with company letterhead is needed, stating you have the permission to drive to Hatyai.

The Immigration officer will ask for a fee of RM1 for each passport he/she stamps!

Paste motor insurance on your screen. A vinyl sticker is provided.

Drive through the checkpoint.

It took us about 40minutes to clear the Thai Custom and Immigration.

Inline skates for kids 20 December 2011

2012-01-15T22:39:00.001+08:00

A pair of K2 skate costs around RM560! If you attend skating class with Skateline, you will get a 10%off.

We bought a pair of Joerex, a China brand at RM161.10 after a 10% discount during sale at Royal Sporting House. To top it up with protective gear and a bicycle helmet, it came up to almost RM300.

En insisted that she could teach herself.

After numerous falls, on the second day of skating.

Industrial Training ! 15 December 2011

2012-01-15T22:27:00.000+08:00

One day, En suggested she wants to find a job, to lessen dad's burden.

She asked dad for a job.

So here she was at dad's work place. Dad gave her a pile of papers where she needed to remove staplets and paper clips. She got a dollar after completing the job. "So little!" was what she said.

Drawing was what Hui did.

She didn't take the job offered.

Coconut Exploration Programme and Orchard Tour at Taman Warisan Pertanian, Putrajaya 19 December 2011

2012-01-15T22:17:00.002+08:00

Taman Warisan Pertanian covers a huge area with varieties of tropical fruit trees.

There isn't much shelter and so, starting early in the morning is advisable.

The opening hour is at 830am.

The kids love the scarecrow in the padi field.

Hui joined the boys, picking up sticks and recce the slope.

It was a long trip on foot under the hot sun and kids got tired after a short while.

Occasionally, En stopped to weave.

"Coconut exploration programme" brings the kids to see how the coconut leaves could be weave into ketupat and whistle and how the midrib of the leaf can be made into broom.

This hands-on activities got the kids gather around and took part.

Petai, dangling from trees.

Coconut shaving.

En tasting the sweet coconut shaving. It reminded her of onde onde, a nyonya delicacy.

The curator blew into a whistle which was folded using coconut leaves.

Rubber tapping demonstration.

Latex is poured into the mould and formic acid is added to coalgulate the liquid.

Block of rubber was initially rolled using a wooden roller, so that it will be thin enough to roll by the mangle machine.

Rubber sheets were then rolled manually several times with the mangle machine, to squeeze out the water.

Thereafter, the rubber sheet will be put in the smoke house for drying.

The dried rubber sheets are golden brown in colour.

Taman Warisan Pertanian - 03 8887 7772

Enrichment Centre at Zoo Negara 12 December 2011

2012-01-12T23:20:00.002+08:00

We started off with two activities at Zoo's enrichment centre. I like the part where kids get to choose which activity they wish to do.

1. to prepare food for elephants.

Wrap rice mixed with fruits with banana leaf.

En went to this activity.

Tie it with the central rib of a banana leaf

This is it.

2. Make pinata balloon.

Hui dashed out to make pinata.

After trying her hands on wrapping the rice, En walked to the pinata line. She stayed longer here.

Then, I saw her sat down with worksheet provided on the table.

Worksheet on skulls & footprints.

Incidentally, when Hui finished pasting the pinata, she sat down to wrap the rice.

When a child is doing something she 's passionately interested in, she grows like a tree - in all directions. This is how children learn, how children grow. They send down a taproot like a tree in dry soil. The tree may be stunted, but it sends out these roots, and suddenly one of these little taproots gone down and strikes a source of water. And the whole tree grows. - John Holt.

We were ushered to a room, filled with exhibits from the various educational programmes that we have joined.

Orang Utan's hair.

Reptiles' eggs.

Stones taken from stomach of Estuarine Crocodile.

Molded footprints.

Zoo Negara Educational Package.

Introductory to Birdwatching at Lake Garden with MNS 11 December 2011

2012-01-09T00:55:00.001+08:00

Introductory to birds' briefing by Liong, a veteran birder.

We were loaned a pair of binocular with greater magnification than the pairs we owned.

Pond heron - photo captured through the lens of a telescope.

This time around, a telescope was set at kid's height.

En's weaving.

Checking the mynah species we spotted - which was a Javan mynah.

Birding at Lake Garden was so much friendlier compare to our previous experienced at Kemensah.

We had a wonderful morning as the location chosen was more kids' friendly - with wide space to roam without disrupting the birds from afar.

We sighted Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Asia Glossy Starling, Asian Koel, White-throated Kingfisher, Black-naped oriole, Spotted Dove, Common Iora, Magpie and many more.

Three types of crows in Malaysia.

After an hour, the kids had enough of birding and hopped onto the huge playground.

Lots of opportunity for physical movement.

2011 Total Lunar Eclipse 10 December 2011

2012-01-09T00:53:00.001+08:00

Why does a moon look red during a total lunar eclipse?

The total lunar esclipse was visible to the naked eye at our neighbourhood's park. Such an astounding phenomenon, from sparkly full moon to full total esclipse with brownish red colour.

Revive Project - Beach Clean-up, Teluk Kemang, Negeri Sembilan 9 December 11

2012-01-09T00:47:00.001+08:00

MNS booth at Project Revive.

En has asked to set up a beach clean up day almost a year ago. That shows how inefficient I can be as a facilitator.

Upon hearing a beach clean-up project, without second thought I volunteered at MNS.

My duty was to attend to visitors at the booth.

Join us.

Donations to MNS are tax-exempted.

Mud balls.

Participants threw mudballs into the sea, behind the drawn line.

The line was too far for Hui. She hopped to the sea instead.

Cleaning up the beach.

Home- packed lunch by the car.

Cricket and housefly!

Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman, Badan Warisan Malaysia 6 December 2011

2012-01-08T01:50:00.003+08:00

Briefing before tour, in front of Badan Warisan.

Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman is located next to Badan Warisan.

Such a lovely kampung house admist the city centre.

Some photos of the house

I admire the carving of the house and this reminded me of En's long overdue request for a set of carving tool!!

Well designed for ventilation, sun and rain.

The structure of the house.

Some info and Q&A on kampung house by our tour guide, Intan. She is great with kids. We simply adore her.

Our shoes at the bottom of the stairs.

Dining hall.

Coconut shaving traditional style.

I love the laidback way of learning.

Kukur Kelapa

Check how it is done.

Each kid took turn to try under Intan's watchful eyes.

In the kitchen.

Kids get to hands-on the traditional tools.

Kids chose whichever tool they love to try on.

It is such a great joy to observe each child tried on the tools happily.

This is the most popular one.

Grinding rice into powder.

Water and oil were added into the container to prevent ants from crawling up the kitchen cabinet.

Wedding chamber in the living room.

Role-play on a malay traditional wedding scene.

Bridge and groom.

Hui blessed the couples with confetti.

Clicked! at the penghulu's office.

Playing hopscotch drawn on the sand, under the kampung house.

Marble game.

Kids played other tradional games on the mat, next to the kampung house.

Congkak.

Huge marbles, slingshot and extremely large tops.

Home-prepared lunch picnic by the kampung house.

Badan Warisan - Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman

Contact 03 2144 9273

Decomposition of fruit and vegetable. 13 November 2011

2011-12-20T23:40:00.002+08:00

Observation on how fruits(guava and pineapple) and lettuce decompose. Larva fed on whatever substance they were hatched in.