Cameo Entry part ll

this pic of Mukhlis taken at Pandan

Post-Raya mood is not the best mood in the world I must say. After the festive ambient of 1 week holiday, to restart the dinamo of working mode is not an easy job. It's like you wake up from your comfy bed in the chill gusty rainy monday morning and multiply to 500. It's like that. Sort of.

To go to work, to the job that u are not fancy enough is one of the great challenge. And to face your new boss, who is corky, pasive and dumb is always a big task to do everyday. But take it as it comes, you know you are doing the right thing when somebody pat you at the back and tell you, you did a good job. That is enough.

Selamat Hari Raya Maaf Zahir Batin.

Episode 1 : The Christmas Trip

Hatyai backstreet

We went to Thailand last December. It was a very no-plan-trip I can say. We only bought an online flight ticket back from Hatyai - KL. No other bookings, no nothing. The rest we left it to God to decide where we were heading.

The hawker sellling grill seafoods at Aonang street. Drool*

I was in KL for official trip and my significant other joint me few days after. The initial plan was to go to Pulau Tuba, Langkawi and spend few nights there at fishing village then off to my Alma Meter in Sintok.

Pay per Ride Elephant at Aonang. She looks old and overworked

But we ended up going further up to Hatyai by bus from KL after a short discussion and bought the flight ticket straight away online from hotel room in KL. Typical us.

The fire performer at one of the pub at Aonang

The bus from Bukit Jalil took us 9 freaking hours and we arrived Hatyai at 6am. From there we just opened Southern Thai map to look where to spend the night and decided to go to Krabi by van after getting the info from the bus ticket counter lady. It took us almost 5 hours to reach Krabi with 1pm van.

The young dudes bathing at the clean stream of Aonang Village

In the van, we sat next to a Singaporean who settled down in Krabi and he suggested to us to go straight away to Aonang Beach, that is 20 minutes away from Krabi Town.

Krabi Town Waterfront. Coolness*

At Aonang we managed to bargain a chalet room that cost us 400baht from 600baht. Cool ey? Actually we can bargain everything in Thailand. Trust me.

The Aonang Beach that we didn't fancy

So we spent 4 days at Aonang, which famous with white beach, blue sea, beautiful islands and limestone cliffs and packs with resorts, hotels and pubs.

We were there. The 7th Anniversary of Disasturous Tsunamy : Dec 26

We didn't really amazed with the beach and the beach was packed with tourists. And we hate it. It was xmas holiday and we should have been aware of the consequences.

My significant other tried to read the tourist info signboard that is not tourist friendly

We spent most our time roaming around the village area and Krabi Town by bike we rent. We didn't even go for Island hopping nor swimming at the beach. Crowded place made me dizzy I guess.

One Village One Industry. Thai Batik chanting at Aonang Village

The Pasar Malam at Aonang

I know it was a backpack trip but telling the truth, we didn't really enjoy this trip especially me. It was like something holding me to enjoy the trip and and urged me to go back home.

Work Life Balance & Mak

These few months have been very hectic for me. A lots of work, promotion, new post, programs, travelling and blah blah blah. But nothing beats the time I spend for Mak.

She has been diagnosed with stroke since December 30th. I spent 15 days of my January's rainy nights at hospital, accompanying Mak, next to her all nights.

Mak, you are the greatest Matriarch ever. Get well soon. I'm desperate to listen to your daily basis nagging of things around the house and having breakfast of your nasik aruk. the best ever in the universe. and the tumpik. It's out of this Milky Way.

Talk Mak.

Kapit

I'm off to Kapit next Monday. Can't wait and looking forward to visit the laidback small town in the middle of Sarawak rainforest. I never been there before and will spend 3 nights at the long house which I don't remember the name.

and I want to witness the catastrophe from the out of hand the so called logging industry which created by the greedy blind idiot logging interpreneur from the view of Express Boat along Rajang River. Damn Loggers! Damn you all.

Random Pics

My Wife, Her Baby Sis & My Mother In Law - 3 pieces of cooling factors. Batang Ai Hilton Resort Jetty and the tranquil sunset. Awesome.

Tupong Bridge of Jalan Merdeka, Petra Jaya, Kuching. I subconciously noticed this kampung bridge and the small river of Tupong have their own aesthetic view which I doubt it if any of the villagers do have the same sight. I hope they do.

Sikog Waterfall of Padawan Highland

Sikog Waterfall located at Kampung Sikog, somewhere near Mambong Area around 30 minutes drive from Kuching City Centre. I never heard of this kampung till Che'gu Hafiz mentioned about it when we had a discussion few weeks ago, about our initial plan to climb Santubong.

The akek where his yard we parked our car

After a suicidal plan of climbing Santubong last week, we decided to do something lighter and casual. And there came the idea of going to Sikog Waterfall. So we called Che'gu Hafiz, and asked him to guide us to the mystery waterfall of Sikog.

Get lost starts from the first step. I love that grass!

We arrived at Kampung Sikog at 9am, slightly late from initial plan. After parked our car at the one of the kampung's resident and paid him handsomely RM5 for parking fee, off we go into the kebun & jungle at the back of the kampung, confidently.

Dain & Aseng : Lost in the secondary jungle of Sikog

We supposedly trekking in estimation of 30 minutes to arrive to the waterfall but instead it took us almost 2 hours plus to reach there after being lost in the jungle and villagers farm. It wasn't really a nice experience, to get lost and knowing that you were in an alien surrounding.

Slippery plank bridge on the way to the waterfall

We reached the waterfall and it was a stunning one. One high waterfall from the rocky hilly river straight to the deep basin. The water was ice cold and refreshing. And the best thing is, we are the only people there and the waterfall is all ours.

The Sikog Waterfall

After we had our lunch, Din, Che'gu Hafiz and I went up stream and found the reservoir which the main source of the villagers to get their clean water for daily usage.

Surveying the Up Stream

Fresh and clean highland water with no clorine, no water treatment, no bills to be paid and just using gravity to channel the water to the surrounding villages. Cool.

Din clearing the filter of the pipes to smoothing the flow of the water supply to the villages

Then it started to rain heavily packaged with thunder storm. Great. We didn't stay longer, we packed our stuffs and trekking back to the kampung, soaking in the heavy rain. I love it! Jungle, Heavy Rain, Muddy Pathway, Leeches & Nature. All together in one package.

The pipeline of clean water to the whole villages

We arrived the kampung within 30 minutes, changed our soaked clothes and drove to 10th Mile Market, 15 minutes away from the kampung and had our tea break.

The Lost Gang. From left : Din, Aseng, Aji, Che'gu Hafiz & me, behind the camera.

It was not really adventurous as I expected and the feeling of going back to Santubong Mountain really dwell deep inside of me. I need to go back there and standing up on the top of the Santubong next!

Santubong XPDC - The Failed One

I went climbing up Gunung Santubong yesterday with 3 other highscool ex-classmates. It was an impromptu plan and it was a suicidal! Without any preparation physically neither mentally, we just went off to the legendary mountain of Sarawak, in the cold mist of early morning of good Sunday.

Early Birds. We were the first 4 climbers checking in

Our plan was to start trekking early and reach the top by 11am, and have our simple brunch before off back to the entrance by afternoon. But, we were wrong! very wrong and totally underestimated the track and overestimated our capability.

Sepul's first round agony

I had my last mountain climbing back in 1998, when i was still an undergrad student. While Din never climb any mountain before but he his a gymgoer. Sepul & Asseng, let just say the last time they had intensive exercised was like err.. when Siti Nurhaliza not even popular yet! And to have a mountain climbing without well preparation, its like a disaster in the making.

Climbing down the first slope

We started climbing up at 8am, and just right after 45 minutes of treking from the first check point, Sepul vomitted and he justified it because of the heavy breakfast he had and the redbull drink that I gave him before that. and Asseng, he started to have difficulty in breathing and we kept stopping for every few hundred metres we walked but he did fine after that.

The view halfway of the mountain. Santubong River and Kuching City from afar

We reached the waterfall at checkpoint 5 and that was after 2 1/2 hours of trekking which supposed to be under 2 hours by normal trekking and the stiff part is yet to come. It is a small waterfall with a wood bridge cross it from the other side of the trek. One beautiful waterfall and we decided to hang out there on the way down after reach the top. The plan will be the spirit boost for us, supposedly.

We proceed with our trekking till we reached the checkpoint 9, when the nightmare started. The trek is full of 90 degrees slopes forgodsake! with the rope ladder we managed to go till checkpoint 13 except for Sepul. We had to leave him alone at checkpoint 11 due to his groin and old injury of his knee.

Going down after lunch with 90 degrees slope. And there are alot of it all the way to checkpoint 9

So we had our lunch up there and it was already 1pm. Thinking about Sepul who was still sitting alone in pain at checkpoint 11, we decided to go down and just forget about the the summit, which just 30 minutes away from the last checkpoint we reached.

Sepul's second agony

We went down, picked Sepul up then slowly declining the mountain while enjoying the spectacular view of the surrounding area and Kuching City from afar. Breathtaking view I can say with the fresh gust and different type of flora and fauna, It was one of the best feeling ever. Escape from the daily busy routine and breakaway from the hectic life, with fresh air and the green nature, it was one hell of the feeling! but it comes with cost. I have problem with my knee from my old injury from playing football and harmstring, and it was killing me!

Din took a power nap at the waterfall. Awesome.

We managed to reach the waterfall at 3pm and spent like 30 minutes there, enjoying the cold water and clean our selves up a bit. With the sound of flowing water, the chirping birds, jungle sound really can make you calm and placid. I took 10 minutes nap on the bridge before we off again to the starting point.

The waterfall. It used to be bigger. Well, what do you expect, its a global warming era =))

We reached our car by 515pm with a supergreat relief, sore body, limping and stink shirt. We promised to be back, and this time we will conquer the top with whatever cost it will take. Im so proud of everybody, with no preparation we managed to reach checkpoint 13 which is the second summit.

It was fun but we wont do it again without a proper preparation and never again underestimate the challenge of Mount Santubong. With sore legs and ache shoulders, its gonna be a long day in the office today. Longgg dayyy...