Moved to www.trailofasia.com

This site is moving

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:14:00 +0000

Looking at the current trend of readers on my blog and also the way I blog, I will be taking this site to the next level where I'm hosting its own dot com. The new site will be about the same stuff, photoblogging and travel blog with a slightly different focus which enhances usability and readers experience. Hope to get it up and running in August. freezingthemo.blogspot.com will be redirected to a new domain name once it is ready.

Updates:
This site has moved to www.trailofasia.com

Exploring Luang Prabang Through The Lens, Northern Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:19:00 +0000

After spending 1 night in Vientiane and 1 night in Vang Vieng, we head up north for approximately 6 hours from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang by bus.

This town was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 making it one of the well preserved town in terms of historical, cultural and natural heritage.

When we first arrived, I personally had a strange feeling about this place but couldn't really explain why. The streets are quiet, surrounded by greens, people are soft spoken, the buildings are well maintained and restored to its original structure reflecting the traditional Lao houses and hints of European influence architecture.

Luang Prabang town is big if you go beyond the central area. Hiring bicycle is a good idea for half a day exploration. It costs only 10,000 Kip/USD1.20 for this type of bicycle. So what is there to do in this quiet town? Here are a glimpse of things to do and see in LP through my lens.

Wander off the street of Luang Prabang and chill out at one of the store next to Mekong River.

Paintings on sale by the roadside.

If you're into exotic stuff like cobra and snake wine, you can find them here along the Mekong River.

The numerous well preserved Wats (temples) are a symbol of rich religious culture and influence in Luang Prabang.

One of the main street for tourists at Sisavangvong Road. Cafes and restaurants are plentiful along this stretch (with only a handful of free wifi services) but nonetheless you can find cyber cafes, massage parlor, guest houses, sundry shops, ticketing services and LP night market which starts at 5pm until 10pm every night.

You can book your half to multiday tours with any of the tour operators operating along this road according to your travel itinerary preference. We booked our1 day Kuang Xi Waterfall trekking package through Green Discovery and half-day Nam Khan river kayak through All Lao Travel Service. Details on both outdoor activities will be out soon.

At the end of a tiring day, a good Lao massage is helpful to ease the soreness on your body muscles. My personal preference goes to XiengMuan Spa and Massage for the staff has the right strength and skills to relief my tiredness. I went back again the next day and true enough the skills are consistent.

This is something that you cannot miss in Luang Prabang. If you have visited other parts of Indochina that has the same ritual, consider seeing this in a different environment.

Monks receiving alms all around the central area starting at 5.30am until 6am everyday as a morning ritual.

Devotees will wait quietly for them and drop a hand full of rice into the alms bowl. The monks will bring the alms back to the temple for their own consumption and also to serve other Buddhist community. There was one incident where kids as young as 5 years old stood along the devotees line with a big plastic bag open up gesturing for donations, the monk dug into his alms bowl and dropped 10 times more than what he received from one devotee. It was truly a sight to behold to reflect on our own life in the area of giving and receiving.

Moving on to the fresh produce market tucked away in Ban Pakam and Sisavangsong, this market is a great place to observe and discover the fresh produce available in Laos.

The staple food.

Leafy greens.

Fresh herbs.

Honey.

Baguette.

Pancake.

Cat fish from Mekong River.

Live frogs.

Silk worm cocoons.

As mentioned earlier on, Luang Prabang night market is the place to hunt for souvenirs. Bargaining in Laos is the most relaxing and pleasant experience I ever had. Vendors are not pushy and if you can't reach mutually agreed price, just politely walk away and they'll smile and leave you alone. No pulling and chasing around.

One common practice you can observe here is that once they received money from customers, they'll slap the money on the ground before keeping it as a notion of good luck. Perhaps it is also a show of respect and gratitude towards their earnings?

Blow Review: Saysong Guest House & Riverhill Bungalows, Vang Vieng

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:58:00 +0000

Guest houses are everywhere in Vang Vieng. Looking for one without much complains on Tripadvisor is a little bit difficult, each guest houses even hotels has its own dissatisfaction. At the end of the day, it depends on your level of tolerance.

So how does SaySong Guest House and Riverhills Bungalows fair?

Here's the Riverhills Bungalows at USD15 per night. Basic room with fan and air-conditioning, soap and towels are provided, average bed and bathroom with water heater. However, at night we spotted a cockroach running across the room, loud music leaks in as it is located few meters away from the happening bars. No wifi connection but it claims to provide free wifi. The padlock key to our bungalow fits other rooms' padlock as well, we accidentally went to the wrong unit and able to unlock the padlock, but you can always have double lock by locking the door knob.

Despite all that, this beautiful view of limestone running across Nam Song just outside the bungalow is absolutely stunning. It was not all that perfect but good enough for its price range.

Top 10 Things to Do in Vang Vieng, Northern Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:25:00 +0000

Vang Vieng is a town built for backpackers. If you take tourism away, the town will lose its energetic soul. Vang Vieng (4 hours from Vientiane) has become a pit stop for backpackers who are heading to Luang Prabang. This town is generally known for its "happy" pizzas, booze, party and more booze. Apart from that, here are a list of things you can do and find in Vang Vieng.

1) Tubing. If you only have limited time to spare, I reckon river tubing along Nam Song since this is one of the popular activity among backpackers. You can read more about tubing here.

2) Caving. There are a few caves to explore, you can hire tuk-tuk to bring you around.

3) Kayaking along Nam Song. If you are fit enough and up for the challenge, you can take a one day trip kayak from Vang Vieng to Vientiane. Otherwise, a short kayak along Nam Song is sufficient.

4) If you want more of outdoor activities, buzz one of the many tour operators lining up in town for rock climbing, biking and trekking tour packages.

5) Party. There are lots of bars in town especially along Old Market Riverside Road. Loud music, whiskey bucket (mixture of Tiger Whiskey, Coke, Red Bull, lime, lemon juice, honey and ice) and beer lao all night long.

6) Chill out at one of the restaurant while enjoying (if not annoyed) by the endless re-runs of Friends and Family Guy. You pick your restaurant based on Friends or Family Guy preference, period.

7) Hammock is a common sight especially at the guesthouse. If you're a hammock person just like me, this is a good place to spend a quiet afternoon with a good book to keep you company.

8) Local fishermen can be seen along Nam Song with fishing nets. Casting fishing nets required a lot of skills and it isn't easy as it seems. If you're lucky, they might ask you to give it a try.

9) To witness a typical routine by mostly women and children, head up to Old Market Riverside Road for the morning market at 7am.

10) Head to Norkeo for Lao food. The typical sticky rice, grilled fish/chicken/beef without any TV (Friends or Family Guy re-runs) insight.

Tubing in Vang Vieng, Northern Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:32:00 +0000

If you are heading to Luang Prabang from Vientiane by bus, I reckon that you break your journey in Vang Vieng and do what the backpackers usually do, river tubing. There are lots of dry bags for sale ranging from 10,000 Kip to 40,000 Kip (USD 1.20-USD4.80). These dry bags will keep your passport, money and even camera from getting wet.

Head down to one of the tubing shops in town for registration and payment.

Tubing normally starts at 8am-6pm, that is if you bring the tube back before 6.00pm, otherwise tubing can costs more than USD7.

Hop onto tuk-tuk and head further up from the town approximately 20 minutes drive.

In order to get into the spirit of tubing the backpackers way, what people normally do is to start it with a bucket whiskey, beer Lao and more booze. But do bear in mind that excessive alcohol intoxication is not encouraged and it makes tubing a very dangerous water activity.

Tubing down Nam Song river has a few more bars to offer. And if you choose to stop by every bar and have a sip, it will take more than 1.5 hours to reach the end point approximately 3.5KM.

Beside boozing and tubing, you can do flying fox or even kayaking along Nam Song.

This is the last bar which is approximately less than 1KM away from the starting point.

Then the loud party music slowly fades away and all is quiet and serene for the next 2.5KM. This is when you truly immerse yourself in the natural environment and enjoy the never ending limestone landscape. About 1.5KM down the river we saw a signboard saying "Tuk-tuk service to town", we skipped that and came across another signboard saying "2KM to end point". There's no guide accompanying you so staying clear headed along the quiet river is recommended for safety sake.

The end point is just before this bridge and guesthouse. Hop off from here and bring the tube back to the shop just minutes away from the river. Tubing the sane way (without much alcohol) can be a bit dull, with constant stop along river for more than enough booze can be fun, entertaining and dangerous. So which type of backpacker are you? Happy tubing!

Recorded by: freezingthemo
Camera: Panasonic DMC-FT1

Bus Travel in Northern Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:05:00 +0000

*Talat Sao Bus Station*

If you have been reading and researching on long distance bus travel in Laos, you should be well aware of the frequently breakdown ancient local public buses and the journey could take forever in a dusty, windy and bumpy road.

*Local bus to Vang Vieng departing from Talat Sao Bus Station*

For this trip, our travel itinerary covers north of Vientiane, heading to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. Traveling on a bus is not that horrible as it sounds unless you choose to do it the local way.

*The seats and interior of a local bus*

The earliest local bus leaves at 7am and it takes 5-6 hours to arrive Vang Vieng. If the bus breaks down, it will take even longer.

Local buses heading to Vang Vieng occasionally stop for picking up and dropping passengers along the way. When the proper seats are full, plastic stools (shown on picture) are lined up along the aisle. So there's no such thing as 'no more seats', there's always a space for everyone or anything including livestock.

So yes, you should be prepared for the worst in Laos. Long distance travel in Laos is more difficult and dangerous than its neighboring countries. We spotted 2 breakdown incidents and 1 car accident along the narrow and winding hill. These guys were repairing the bus and decided to take a break. Remember PDR?

With the little time we have, we can't afford to spend too much time on the road.So we decided to go for VIP/tourist bus which departs daily to Vang Vieng at 10am or 2pm and it takes 4 hours. Bus ticket should costs around USD6-8.

Taking the local bus can be a nightmare to most travelers but it is part of traveling adventure and experience one can tell others.

VIP bus schedule departing from Vang Vieng to other destinations.

VIP bus from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang costs 90,000 Kip/USD11 . It takes approximately 6 hours.

Though it's a VIP bus, the air-conditioning is not working and there's no fan available.

So off we went up the dusty and ridiculously windy mountain road with windows open for any semblance of air.

Yet another sharp turning, close to a "V" shape.

Passing a toll.

Luang Prabang bus station.

Bus schedule from Luang Prabang to other destinations.

An express bus to Vientiane approximately 9-10 hours. Do take note that "express" bus from Luang Prabang is not faster than VIP.

VIP bus to Vientiane approximately 8 hours. This bus comes with a toilet, but be warned that the toilet is really tiny and please mind your head too.

Such a huge difference as compare to the local bus, this bus is sturdy (less impact on the windy road) and comes with functioning air conditioner. Putting comfort and safety aside, a trip to Laos is not complete without few hours of traveling experience on a local bus. I am definitely going back to Laos again, this time with much more traveling time to spare.

Blog Review: Hotel Khamvongsa, Vientiane, Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:28:00 +0000

Looking for a decent place to stay in Vientiane is not that difficult as compare to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. After a thorough research on Tripadvisor, Hotel Khamvongsa fits into our budget at USD30 per night for double occupancy. This is quite a luxury and comfortable stay as compare to other cheaper guest houses which is commonly available in the city centre. If you're looking for absolute comfort and free wifi, this is the place to stay. Bus ticket to Vang Vieng or any other destinations can be arranged through the hotel at a slightly marked up price or can be purchased even at night along Setthathirath Road (1-2 minutes walk from the hotel).

I'm quite impressed by this; the hotel advocates the move to reduce food's carbon footprint by serving locally produced foods to its guests. It is a great effort to support their own local farmers too. You can read more about their hotel policy here. Responsible tourism, you reckon? Have you found any hotel similar to this in Vientiane?

Walking Down the Streets of Vientiane, Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:15:00 +0000

A trip to Laos- Welcome to the Lao PDR (People's Democratic Republic) also known as "please don't rush" country. Generally, Laotians are friendly and easy-going. Even the streets and traffic are calm, no honking every other seconds like its neighbor, Vietnam and Cambodia. As a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, Laos is blessed with beautiful rugged mountain, long stretch of Mekong River and historical heritage.

Wattay International Airport, the government has standardized USD6 flat fare for the official taxis pick up at the airport to the city centre. If you want something cheaper, you have to walk out from the terminal and look for tuk tuk or jumbos which are prohibited to enter into the premise.

The city can be explored on foot (depending on where you want to explore) or you can rent a bicycle, motorbike or hire tuk-tuk/jumbos.

There's 3 types of tuk-tuk/jumbos in Vientiane, the fixed route share jumbos, the wandering tuk-tuk and tourist tuk-tuk. They all look the same to the untrained eyes, best way is to hail one up and ask for the price. Negotiation is sometimes recommended.

Unfortunately, the much talk about 'Beer Gardens' along the banks of the Mekong River undergoes a face-lift.

It looks quite promising.

Setthathirath Road, one of the main street where you can find Green Discovery Tour Operators, ANZ ATM, Phimphone Market, Joma Bakery Cafe, Nam Phu fountain and to the Presidential Palace (picture shown below). Not forgetting the small shops run by the locals, there's this particular shop we frequent a lot during our stay in Vientiane for Beer Lao and some chips to munch on. The lady owner appears to be busy organizing her store everytime we drop by.

The traffic in Vientiane is not that hectic. Motorbikes are lesser here and 4WD is a common sight. Crossing the road is not a problem at all.

Laundry shop available almost every block, ranging from 5,000Kip ($0.60) to 10,000Kip (USD1.20) per kg.

Unframed paintings for sale outside the temple.

Vientiane is also well known for its stupa scattered around the city. That Dam, sitting in the middle of roundabout.

Pha That Luang also known as the golden stupa is the most important monument in Laos.

Revolutionary Monument.

Patuxai, a reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

To explore even further, we paid 3,000Kip ($0.40) entrance fee to go up the building.

Souvenir shops along the stairway.

A grand view of Vientiane.

Being the least developed country in Southeast Asia, foreign aid organizations are easily spotted within the city. Here's a United Nations office along Lane Xang Avenue.

I bet in no time this country will lift itself out of its "least developed" status.

Japan Official Development Assistant (ODA) sticker spotted on public buses in Vientiane. A contribution from foreign aid fund to its public transportation.

ANZ building and other foreign corporations. Expatriates are everywhere in Vientiane too.

Talat Sao Mall.

Morning Market (Talat Sao Market)with its pirated DVD and CDs.

Pirated copies of Lonely Planet Guide Book can be found here too at around USD8. But the price is much higher than its counterpart, Cambodia (we were once offered at USD1 by street kids at Angkor Wat) and Vietnam (USD4). This is when intellectual property comes into debate.

Hmong Market right beside the Morning Market.

A very relaxing market..haggle if you want to, they won't push you hard to close the deal. Walk away and they'll definitely leave you alone. No pulling and shouting scenario.

Talat Sao Bus Station (next to the Morning Market). If you're looking for a local bus to Vang Vieng (the backpackers haven), this is where you get on board.

Lao ladies dressed in traditional skirt "Sinh", a common sight in Vientiane.

Local street fruit vendors along Talat Sao Market.

Pharmacy in Vientiane.

Falang means westerners. Here's a shot of French-inspired loaves.

Anyone interested to stay longer in Laos?

General Travel Information:

1) Bring along USD and change to their local currencies, Lao Kip (LAK). In Vientiane, most shops and restaurants accept USD. They have their own conversion rate and if you tend to stay longer in Laos, it is better to change to their currency at Licensed Money Changer or banks.

2) Beggars and theft are rare but still exists. Generally it feels safe to walk around the city at night. But do exercise basic precautions.

3) For Malaysian passport holders, visa is not required as travelers can stay up to 30 days per entry. Airport tax is also exempted. For other passport holders visit here for more information.

Gearing Up For Laos

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:21:00 +0000

As planned half a year ago, this coming week we are going to spend 8 days in the most remote and laid-back country of mountains and rivers in Southeast Asia, Laos. When I told people around me that my next destination is Laos, most people gave me a puzzling look, "where is Laos?", "you mean Myanmar?", or "what is there in Laos?". One thing I'm sure is that every country (rich or poor) is unique and definitely it has got something to offer. I have read about it, seen it on youtube, and now I'm yet to experience it myself and blog about it.

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 3 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sun, 16 May 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Ginseng plant.

According to our ranger, sun bear usually comes at night to look for food. Even the kitchen wall and windows were broken and food gone missing. So the first thing in the morning we checked our food and thank goodness it was safe.

Day 3 in the Lost World, from Ginseng Camp to Maliau Falls (5KM). This time round we only bring bread and water and leave the clothes behind because we are staying another night at Ginseng Camp before heading back to Agathis Camp (where we started).

The moment we started our journey, we were immediately greeted by tiger leech.

Tiger leech is slightly different from brown leech. Tiger leech can be seen on tree leaves whereas brown leech is commonly hiding on the ground (picture below). Tiger leech bite is more painful and the scar can be permanent.

Brown leech possessing the ability of camouflage.

Along the way there's a lot of wild 'buah belunu'. It has a strong sweet smell but it tastes extremely sour. We brought it back to the camp and eat it with chili and lime.

More flora along the way to Lobah before reaching Maliau Falls.

The terrain is rather flat and going up and down not-so-steep-hill.

Tractor millipede.

Lobah hill overseeing Maliau Basin rim.

It gets tougher after Lobah.

There are more rocks than before, eroded soil, and very steep hills almost 80 to 90 degree.

The formation of Maliau Basin has a very long history. This area was covered by sea 10 million years ago. We were told that scientist found corals in this area and soil are quite different from where we came from.

Going down hill...

...and here it is! The 'majestic' Maliau Falls. Maliau is famous for its seven tier waterfalls...but this is only the 5th and 6th tier.

I think an aerial view of the fall is going to be awesome.

After spending about 40 minutes at the falls (already 1.30pm), we need to head back to Ginseng Camp (another 5KM) before it gets dark. So off we went...up the hill, the rock climbing style. By that time most of us ran out of water and I was extremely thirsty and dehydrated. Myself and 2 others went ahead with full speed, hoping to wet our throat with water as soon as we can.

But along the way things were not as beautiful and leisure as before. After the Lobah hill, when we were in the deep woods, there were times we heard provoking sound of wild animals and 'unknown creatures' just few meters away from us with no direct sunlight, wet and extremely gloomy. We stood still for a moment. Then we sped our way through the forest and there were times we got confused by the path. The signs in the jungle are really helpful, at least we know that we are heading the right direction. But I think we took the longer route, we have not seen those signs before and it felt ages to reach Ginseng Camp. With not even a drop of water in our bottles, we cannot afford to lose our way. This was the toughest part...tired, thirsty, rough terrain, wild animals, it was a great mental and physical challenge. We reached Ginseng Camp around 4.30pm. Now we are able to laugh about it of course...

With the sound of the pouring rain and the gentle breeze of the rainforest, we were sound asleep that night, recharging for the next day last adventure, 9KM from Ginseng Camp back to Agathis Camp.

Even though it is 9KM, the terrain is pleasant and not as steep as the ones we been through. The only challenge was the first kilometer where we need to go up hill 800 meters steep.

It was a waste that I did not see any animals (but only hear the intimidating sound at the wrong time). Those who walked ahead of us get to see birds, deer, bearded pigs and more. The animals went hiding after sensing 'human interference'.

So I took more photos of fungus :)

It was a leisure trail all the way to Agathis Camp.

There was a great sense of achievement the moment we stepped out from the track! Tired but satisfied. We have hiked 33.5KM and conquered Sabah's Lost World. It is an experience that I will not forget. We should at least experience it once in a lifetime.

We went back to Maliau Basin Studies Centre, stayed one night before heading back to KK.

Now that I'm back to civilization, spoiled for choices in life and realize how I take for granted the basic necessities that come by easily. There's so much life in the rainforest, if we don't pay attention to the details, it can be history.

Read related posts:

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 1 of 3

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 2 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Day 2 from Nepenthes Camp to Ginseng Camp, 7KM.

The Camel Trophy Camp was later named as Nepenthes Camp because of its surrounding..nepenthes/pitcher plant can be seen everywhere on the way out from the camp.

Too bad it isn't blooming season, limited orchids spotted around the area.

It was quite an easy trek for the first few kilometers.

We basically breezed through the place, enjoy the nature and fresh air.

Then slowly there's more and more tree branches in our way, crawling is part of the adventure.

Eroded slopes where we need to grab onto tree roots and hug tree trunks in order to go on the journey. Here is where the leeches start attacking, with easier access because of the direct body contact to the ground and trees. The cold and slimy creature landed in between my fingers during the grabbing attempt.

Going deeper into the rainforest...hearing the birds and monkeys enjoying themselves in their natural habitat.

Heading down Microphone Hill...

Don't know where they get the name from, but this is quite a challenging path for those coming from Ginseng to Nepenthes (because of the 1KM going up hill), but we are lucky enough to go the other way round. However, with the wet climate in the tropical forest and the heavy rain the night before, the 1000 meters steep path is slippery and muddy. Going down is sure dangerous and challenging.

The next 700 meters to Ginseng Camp is all going down hill...70 to 80 degree steep hill.

A glimpse of hope...

Ginseng Camp in 4.5 hours. We should have visited the Ginseng Falls which is not far from the camp but we didn't due to certain reasons.

Love this camp so much, very relaxing and cooling. But hate the buzzing bees all over the place during the day.

Bunk beds sponsored by IKEA.

Due to miscommunication, we didn't bring sleeping bags and there's no pillow available at that moment. So we slept with what we have, sarongs as bed sheet and blanket, clean clothes and socks as pillow. You might want to avoid using backpack as pillow after 2 days of muddy, sweaty and leeches crawling adventure.

The water is much better here, it has less 'weird' taste than water from Nepenthes Camp.

Proper sink with gravity-fed 'clean' water system. Same goes to the toilet, proper tap connected to the toilet, uses pail for shower, nails to hang clothes and toiletries, and functioning flush toilets. Pretty good for a jungle right?

The kitchen area.

Maggi Mee and milo for lunch (carried by porter for common consumption).

So what's our usual dinner and breakfast? Fried rice, black salted fish and sardines in cans. Bread for lunch. I think this is luxury enough.

Read related posts:

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 1 0f 3

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 3 of 3

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 1 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sat, 15 May 2010 13:09:00 +0000

From Kota Kinabalu, we took the Kimanis road heading to Keningau, Sook, Nabawan, then Sepulut (gravel road for almost 1-2 hours all the way to Maliau Basin). The whole journey took about 5 hours from KK. (Map)

Shell Maliau Basin Reception & Information Building. Here is where we register before entering into the premise.

Another 27KM to Maliau Basin Studies Centre. You definitely need a 4WD.

Hostel at Maliau Basin Studies Centre. 6 days 5 nights expedition, stayed 2 nights in the hostel (first and last day), remaining 3 nights in the rainforest. Still not completely out of touch from the outside world, there's Astro in the entertainment lounge, and able to receive and make phone calls using Maxis or Celcom.

Here is where we spent a night before the great adventure begins. The hostel is rather comfortable, power supply up to 12midnight, bed sheets, pillow case, blanket, toilet roll, and clean tap water. You can choose to rent the kitchen for cooking, or opt for the meal-inclusive package.

Next morning drove to Agathis Camp, about 20 minutes from Maliau Basin Studies Centre.

This journey begins from Agathis Camp to Nepenthes Camp, then off to Ginseng Camp, Maliau Falls, back to Ginseng Camp again before heading back to Agathis Camp (MAP). Total 3 nights in the rainforest, 33.5 KM hike. If you click on the map, you'll see that we only cover the south of Maliau Basin (that's where the Maliau Falls is). Rafflesia Camp and Eucalyptus Camp are in the making, currently those are research areas.

With a backpack full of 3 nights clothes, "survivor food- power bar, chocolates, bread etc", camera batteries (make sure you fully charged all your batteries, there's not enough power supply in the forest), water bottles and all other essentials, I was lugging 8 to 10 Kg backpack throughout the hike. We have porters carrying our staple food for dinner.

Day 1 challenge is 7.5 KM from Agathis Camp to Nepenthes Camp.

The first few kilometers are killers... rough terrain with ladders almost 90 degree.

It feels much easier with ladder than stepping on rocks and tree roots. Well, the worse is yet to happen later on...

Nice view from the top.

Dry terrain, love it!

Trekking is not all about reaching the destination, it is much more rewarding to examine the surroundings, paying greater attention to what's around us. Isn't the journey in life the same as well?

This reminds me of the underwater.

Fungus, very poisonous I assume...no insects, untouched and extremely 'pretty'.

Up we go again...

Leech socks is a must in Sabah's Lost World (unless you don't mind leech bites). At the end of day 1, I had 20 over brown leeches stuck in my shoes, in and outside of leech socks. Tobacco can slowly 'kill' the leech before it crawls or bite any further, if the leech is already sucking your blood, you either wait for it to drop off when it's full, or apply salt to it, the leech will drop off immediately .

As we go further and further into the rainforest...

We can see the change of environment, it gets darker, wet soil, steamy...best natural habitat for leeches. You can literally see groups of leeches every inch of your step searching for nice warm blood.

Tea colored and acidic water at Maliau Basin. This is our source of water for the next 3 nights. It is safe to drink (make sure you heat the water to boiling point), tastes salty, weird...But if you're thirsty, it doesn't bother you much anymore.

The end of 7.5 KM (5 to 6 hours hike), the Nepenthes Camp previously known as Camel Trophy Camp. This is the first permanent camp in Maliau Basin, a two-storey building with bunk beds, solar electricity, and showers. Can occupied up to 15 people.

Our dining and hang out area at night.

A Malayan Chivet spotted at night just outside the dining area.

Read related posts:

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 2 of 3

Maliau Basin Expedition Part 3 of 3

KFC Black Pepper Crunch

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:55:00 +0000

I was thinking about KFC when I came out from 33.5KM hike at Maliau Basin. So I tried the new black pepper crunch recipe (a bit too spicy/hot) and now I'm satisfied :)

Rugged May

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:40:00 +0000

Photo: Pancur Hitam Beach, Labuan

It has been really hot these days, the rain came and went within minutes...humidity level is escalating. Nonetheless, this month is going to be exciting, challenging and perhaps a bit of self-discovery for myself. With my little physical training (come close to none), I'll be joining the 5 days 4 nights Maliau Basin Expedition in 2 days time. The only thing that I can 'counter' the lack of preparation for my fitness is to make sure I bring the right food, right equipment and have the 'will power' to trek through the rainforest despite of the mental and physical challenges ahead. Not forgetting Laos trip that is taking place 2 weeks after that. It is indeed a rugged month.

Tempurung Seaside Lodge, Kuala Penyu

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:22:00 +0000

A perfect weekend getaway at Tempurung Seaside Lodge, Kuala Penyu. This place is about 2 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu. Used to be very difficult to find (comments from other visitors) but the management has done a good job by erecting road signs by the road and junctions. So finding this place is 'a piece of cake', provided the road signs still around.

Relaxing by the beach before heading out for sea kayak...a great challenge especially with strong wave. Other than kayak, you can do mountain biking..the current rate for renting a bike is RM40 for 3 hours.

Highly recommend this place for its unique and secluded spot, clean lodge, hospitable staff, reasonable price for locals (RM110) per night and great food (tourists can have a taste of authentic local home-cooked meals). Here's some useful information for you to get started with your holiday plan:

Tempurung Lodge contact details

Borneo Authentic

Telephone: +6088 773066
Fax: +6088 772066

Email: info@borneo-authentic.com
Website: Borneo Authentic Advenure

Places to visit in Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:47:00 +0000

A trip to Summer Palace (one of the many World Heritage site in Beijing)

Tian Tan Yuen- The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

The compound is huge surrounded by elderly people which look pretty much entertained...

...with all kind of activities.

Few lists of other places worth going:

Beijing Delicacies

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:55:00 +0000

This is not a complete guide to Beijing cuisine, but just to highlight a few dishes that we came across. Giving you a rough guide of what to eat in Beijing.

Five types of different dumplings which Beijing is famous for.

Lunch at Golden Hans not Chinese delicacies and not so Brazilian as it claims. But the buffet BBQ lunch and beer is something to brag about. BBQ lunch is RMB45 (USD 7) and the beer is only RMB6 (USD0.90).

*Dinner at Lao Zhang Jia Chai- where the locals dine) near Wanshou Road.

Jing Jiang Rou Shi (salted meat shreds with soy bean paste) wrap in tofu skin wrappers. "Old school Beijing style dish" at RMB16 (USD2.50)

Hui Tou Bing (Pancake wraps with scrambled eggs) at RMB12 (USD2).

Zha Jiang Mien- thick wheat noodles topped with a mixture of stir-fried pork with salty fermented soybean paste.

Top Left: Rou Shi Suan Tai (veggie shoot with shredded pork) Top Right: Luo Be Xi Bing (Carrot Pancake) Bottom: Chung Gua Bing (Onion Pancake).

Last but not least, the Peking Duck wraps.

Note: Most dishes are salty and oily, might not suite our taste.

Shopping Area in Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Shopping in Beijing can be very costly, depending on where you shop. Qian Men Da Jie is newly built and completed in 2008 before the start of the Olympics. Easy access by train, Qian Men Station.

Tourists can take a ride in the tram down the street approximately 5 minutes ride, just to get a feel of it.

70% of the retails stores are selling China brands..

Like Clio Coddle...looks familiar? Note: Shopping can be quite expensive here.

Another popular spot is Wang Fu Jing. Easy access by train, Wang Fu Jing Station. Quite a handful of shopping malls and you can find western brands too.

Wang Fu Jing Street Food Alley.

Exotic food...

According to our tour guide, the locals (people who stay in Beijing) don't eat these...only people from other cities/ remote areas will eat it. Note: Shopping can be quite expensive here.

Xi Dan shopping area. Easy access by train, Xi Dan Station. This place is less touristy, the locals shop here. It is a mix of big original branded stores and small stores selling fake/replica clothing, jackets, shoes...you name it..they have it.

If you're looking for a bargain, this is the place to go. Avoid the main street where the big stores are and take a walk down the small alleys...you'll find entrance to big shopping malls filled with bargain stores. You'll be surprised with the quality, it is apparently quite good.

Silk Street (they sell other things as well other than silk). Quite far away from the Beijing CBD, I reckon you take a cab if you want to shop here and be prepared to spend 1 whole day in this 5 storey building. This place is filled with tourists, so the prices for all items are mark-up tremendously. Sales girls are good at english and other foreign languages, they are ready to bargain with you. I witnessed a successful transaction bargaining from RMB500 to RMB100. Welcome to China :)

Beijing Hutong Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:46:00 +0000

"A tour through Beijing's Hutongs gives you insight into Beijing's local life"

This courtyard and 'house' belongs to this man who is living here with 3 other family members. They open up this place for tourists who want to visit, and of course in return they earn a little bit of cash.

A short visit to Si He Yuen (historical type of residence) also brought us to the discovery of a great place to stay in Beijing.. Hotel Du Palais Rouge.

It costs about RMB250/USD35 (if i'm not mistaken) per night.

I think this is a good place to stay considering its modern furnishing, clean and most importantly it situated at a strategic location right in the middle of Beijing. For further information you may log on to www.rouge2008.com. This website is in chinese..which kind of defeat the purpose for non-chinese speaking guests.

Hutong area...

Trishaw that brings you around...

Perhaps a glass or two before you end the night.

Great Wall of China (Access from Ju Yong Guan)

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:44:00 +0000

A place that cannot be missed, the Great Wall of China.

Replica of terracotta warriors. Kinda out of nowhere because the First Qin Emperor's Mausoleum is situated at Xi'an (one hour by flight from Beijing). That's where the 8,000 terracotta figures and quite a number of chariots buried in the pits together with the late Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Thanks to his brilliant idea, the foundation for the Great Wall is being laid..needless to say, a lot of people lost their life along the way too. But anyway...enough of history.

The Great Wall can be accessed from different point and Ju Yong Guan is one of the main access point for tourists.

Climbing up and down is no easy task. Only certain part of it is open for tourists...just for the sake of been there, done that...and bought the t-shirt.

Took us about 20 minutes to complete one section of it.

Guess what's up here? Scribbles on the wall..in another words..vandalism. Guess which country has the most 'tag/signature' on it? Malaysian tourists cover most of the wall...and I can see Malaysians made the boldest remark here.. Malaysia Boleh! Even in Great Wall...You made us 'p r o u d' guys. . . . . . . . .

Beijing Olympic Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:03:00 +0000

A trip up north of Beijing CBD lies the most high-profile projects of China, the Bird's Nest and Water Cube buildings for the 2008 Olympics.

Nicely curved with crosshatched net of steel.

A common sight in Beijing during early spring. Maybe here's where they got the idea from.

Bringing up to 80,000 seating capacity.

Water Cube, a blue Olympic wonder.

A closer look at its surrounding.

A sight of Beijing endorsing the push towards more transparency, or is it?

Forbidden City, Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:31:00 +0000

Forbidden City (aka Palace Museum) was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of Qing Dynasty. It is now located in the heart of Beijing.

Entering into the Forbidden City.

Looking back at the gate from the inside.

I'm amazed by the architecture..how they took 14 years to build the Forbidden City 600 years ago.

It does not only exemplify the culture, but the whole built-up show how forward thinking the people were back then.

And that explains why China is a powerful nation today...

Since the built-up area is huge, they surrounded the building by 6 meters deep moat or water to avoid easy access/trespass/attack from the outsiders leaving a few heavily guarded gates accessible by land.

Tiananmen Square, Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 06:23:00 +0000

Sandstorm on the first day we arrived in Beijing. The sky started to clear around noon, sooner than I expected.

Beijing Parliament Building.

Monument to the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People.

Tiananmen Gate to the Forbidden City.

"With all due respect"

Pass by Tiananmen Square several days later after the storm.

This site has also been a place for protests and political events.
Note: freezingthemo.blogspot.com is now known as www.trailofasia.com

Beijing Photoblog Coming up

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:20:00 +0000

Just returned from an eight days tour in China which covers Beijing, including a brief stint in Cheng De and Tian Jing. More post coming up.

St. Patrick's Day @ Kota Kinabalu

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Chung) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:48:00 +0000

Spent the night at the newly opened Cock & Bull at Jesselton Point, Kota Kinabalu.

Had a great night with live band, the good old faithful Arthur and friends that matter...to Arthur!