古来象石山 Part 2 - 2020年 9 月20日

继上周末去了古来象石山探路之后，屋主和薇薇再度成为游客来打卡，这次用主要的入口进入。抵达位于Perkampungan Felda Ulu Tebrau 的Petron加油站， 你会看到大大的布条告诉你进口处在此，距离也更新了。 这条路共长3.3公里。

和上周末明显的有不同，大象石头在被报道后爆红，来打卡游客暴增，突然本来停车的地方，多了一些指示牌和负责人，停一辆车要价5 令吉，比普莱山贵，没有厕所，只有光秃秃的路和棕油园。 

这次没有转三个弯到，有好多个弯，一路去的时候有在几个分叉路口标明方向，不过回程时比较不明显，还好还是有惊无险。屋主的第六感棒棒哒。

来回有过一万步，全程6.6公里。

路有变长，没有太难，就是不能太迟，我们7点半开始，拍了照，上次的小石头被4个游客占据太久，薇薇和屋主放弃等待，下山开始变热，9点半回到起点。

今天就献上屋主骄傲的样子

和薇薇娇羞的样子。

被报导的象石

石头上满满的人头

往下看就是长这样，当时天气有点灰，不过下山之后变得好蓝。皮肤颜色应该有至少一个色差。

本来想上载4个游客在小石头上也要拍很久的特写镜头，但是看了看还是觉得屋主和薇薇随便拍还是美多了之报告到此结束。

这一路，除了人类，也看到了很多蜈蚣，和有老鼠的出没。还有上次的蛇皮。大家有空要好好欣赏。

古来象石山游记- 2020年9月12日

最近，大家不约而同地分享古来象石山的报道，屋主要我就顺便更新部落格来报导一下。

以下是当天的好天气，拍照还是不错的，石头上满满的人儿，大象在哪儿大伙儿自己想象吧。照片是谷歌自己P图让我欣赏，看看不错所以下载下来了。

话说首先是一粒先生分享中国报报道： http://johor.chinapress.com.my/?p=808558，然后是梅花姐，还发了邮件给我。 

刚好最近太常爬普莱山，爬到最后往下走的时候，无聊到快要睡着。

人生太无聊所以我决定告诉屋主，看看她是否有兴趣一起去看看。看看这里是否可以开拓新的爬山路线。

在去之前，通知爬山队友们，又有分享来说本来的步道被封了，最后决定就只和屋主先来探路。

封路原因是私人范围，但是网络上查的另一个地址去到了Ulu Tiram， 和我们所知道的古来相差甚远，最后决定往封了的步道去探个究竟。

两个傻傻的女人就这样去了，还好还是有不少车子停在那里，就下车去看看。

起个大早，结果就爬了几个弯就完了。

很多坑坑洼洼的石头路

第一个弯

第二个弯

然后就往山丘去，这是个不错的打卡行程，不用走太远就可以拍照了，不过就是人太多。

大象的头上挤了满满的人潮，那里有好几个石头，在石头上是看不到大象的，不过拍照往下看一片片棕油园还是不错滴。

起了个大早，15分钟的路程在普莱山就是连山路也还没进到，但既然来到了就来个游客照打卡，象石上人潮拥挤，我们往另一个没人的小石头上装装样子。

一如既往，屋主美美斯文的拍照。

薇薇则起了个大早，啥都没干的在问苍天：我是谁，我在哪里。

话说，下山的时候，也顺便查了一下，通告那里说的加油站的确就在Ulu Tiram, 导航说两公里的距离，我们之后尝试开车到那里看看，是有大大的招牌写着Batu Gajah (象山）。

在上山路上遇到的前同事刚好从那条路出来，满头大汗，预计30分钟的路程吧，然后是光秃秃的步道。下次要去真的要请早。刚好那里没有停车位了，我们就找了个好借口打道回府。

顺便记录一下，路上有看到一个完整的蛇皮，由于是油棕园，大家也要好好小心。

也顺便记录，九月份闷太久没出门没旅游人生了无生趣的日子，无聊没事，太懒惰太软烂后，一口气，参加了爬山高度一公里挑战，凯爱瑞从南马新山走到北马槟城计划，雀巢走一百万英里计划，再度逼迫大家陪我爬山，累死自己。

每天一万步的记录两个星期，还顺便开始和每天走路的邻居打招呼。

开始期待下一个旅程。

Blog update

 2020 has become chaos when the covid 19 started in Jan, which affected a lot especially my co-worker in China initially during the Chinese New Year. And before they control the situation, it has been spread to the whole world. This situation reflected the best how the globalization has effect on the era now. 

Last year, I finally managed to get the spirit on for sports e.g. badminton at least 2 times a week, bi-weekly hiking, quarterly marathon events and occasionally swimming. But this year it has stop me from doing all the activities at least from Mar - May. From Mar, I have not go to badminton nor swimming. Marathon events are all cancelled or postponed to next year. Luckily, now can go for hiking already. So went for the hiking at least once a month wherever possible. 

This year, is the only year that I have not step out of Malaysia for the whole year, not even the 30 minutes away Singapore. Whether lucky or unlucky, I haven't bought any ticket this year. Wanted to register for the hiking at Mount Kinabalu but all fully booked so didn't get a spot. Was supposed to revisit NZ in Apr and the lockdown started in Mar. What make it worst, thought I can at least go to Penang to visit locally and last minute I got to turn it down. Although I still feel very much to proceed with my plan, I still need to ensure that my visit don't create trouble. >.<

Enough for the negativity, what make it a positive side for this year? 

I get more time to stay at home and to really think again of what is needed. More time for cleaning although it also means more time to make it dirty too!

During the first few weeks, when I was trying to find some different thing to do other than gardening, exercise/ stretching following Youtube, I bought some DIY arts to kill time at home. Bought one pair, so that if the first one spoil then I can do another one. 

Here is the tiny box, completed in May using two of the weekends.

and next is the DIY painting, the first one finished in Jun but the second one finishing only recently. These took much longer time and patience to follow the numbering to paint it. 

The end result is not as good, but not as bad as I thought it could be.

Other than that, cooking has become an essential skill for surviving during this lockdown period. After getting bored with my lazy recipe - noodle with soup, curry chicken and fried rice. 

Recently, happily enjoying in my kitchen making dumpling and kimchi over the weekend, as it can stands for a few weeks. 

Dumpling, can be pan fried, making soup, put into noodle etc etc. 

Had trial twice with different people for making kimchi to make sure the recipe is right and I have my third batch of kimchi making today. so that i can eat it for long long time. 

Other than that, still making curry with the ready japanese curry paste and just make sure the vege are well cooked. 

And until recently, started to try a few attempt on frying noodle. Still a long way to improve but it was all edible. - I dont even get a dark soy sauce at home!

The lockdown has made everyone's life need to re-adjust and reconnect to people far from us. During this period I had also some home alone period, thanks for those who keep on checking out on each other and share some laugh even though far away. 

Now I am still 50% work from home and 50% back to the office. It take time for everything to get back to new normal. At least until now, I am glad to have a bunch of people who cares each other and also the bosses who keep check on me knowing that I am staying alone during the MCO. 

Oh ya, not forgetting, after many years thinking I should not take more language classes, I did start to learn a new language - Spanish recently, although it is still far from understanding and able to speak the language. 

That is a long gap with my last blog. So it is a little messy. Well, hope everyone keep safe and sound. Until we meet again. Ciao!

WFH : Day 28

Two more days to go, it will be officially one month staying alone at home. 

At the beginning, I really don't know what to do at home. I have get used to the daily routine of go to the office and work. Go to badminton twice a week to avoid traffic back home. Go to hiking once a month. Return to hometown once a month. Go to shopping on the rest of the weekend.

2019 has been a contented year, with the three-months once half marathon, travels within Malaysia and internationally, work, weekly sports activities and lastly moving to a new house. It has been a good year staying with ex-owner also, all the laughter, memories and care from her. I will become more and more lazy staying with her as she has been doing most of the cleaning at home. 

So what I did this month WFH? 

WFH, so it is still one week 40-hours of work required Mon to Fri. 

Possibly eating too much snacks over this period. 

I actually spend min time to cook my food and thanks for the microwave at home, I can still reheat it like I used to be at work. 

Over the weekend, it will be one of the morning for groceries shopping. 

For the past few weeks, I was just enjoying the home alone with the unlimited and high speed internet watching shows. Got a new idol recently, Hua Chenyu, a Chinese singer who is the same age as me. 

Now I see another person who is always quiet but full of power when perform on stage. Amazed by the ability of modify songs as well as as the wide tones that he can sings. 

Another one that I salute is Yan RuJing from QiPa Shuo. Another introvert that is very talented. She has got autistic but she found the savior of it, she started to be into debate and found back her confidence in talking to people. 

So, here is me, another introvert in the house, opening the shows : 《王牌对王牌》， 《饭局的诱惑》，《饭局狼人杀》。

Looking at them, I think they are more "Ice Bear" than myself. I have been called as "Ice Bear" among my colleague since Thong found that I am similar to the cartoon characters due to the non facial expressions. 

Well this is the first update to my blog during this Working from Home period. 

Hope that everyone I know are safe and survived from this Covid-19. 

IT is almost end of 2019?!

It has been a while since my last updates here.

I would summarize 2019 has been a year that slow down from many aspect.. It is amazing to see how things change and continue the journey.

It has been 5 years since I graduated from university, working for 2.5 years, leave the country for working holiday for 9 months, and back to work again until now, 2 years down.

During 2018, I was continuing my travel diary while going back to the work force. Get a chance to visit UK and Europe, and also Taiwan.

Health
During last year birthday, I started to realize that my weight started to run of out control, especially after my first blood donation. 2019, it was more on focusing to myself, as this should not be happen overnight and something need to be done.

I started to force myself to join the weekly badminton with my colleague where I used to give the excuse that it is too late for me. After a while, I started to get use to it and learn to adjust my time table to join more frequent. Then, due to the lack of people, I started to join another team on every Wed as well.

I am very glad that Mount Pulai is still able to enter without permit. The news was out before May. I thought I will have no choice but to stop hiking as there is no other mountain for me to hike nearby. However, miracles do happen, we are now still able to go and only charged RM 3 for the parking.

Running marathon for the 10 years was something I did not expect. Although I am just running half marathon, it is still a journey that a lot people do not enjoy. I managed to run four marathon this year, in Mar, 2 in Jul, 1 in Sep, and at different states: Johor, Penang, Melaka and KL. Giving me some excuse to pay a visit to my beloved friends and catch up. And feeling good to have some improvement on personal record this year.


This year also tried a different run, trail run event for twice and one pair of shoes got sacrificed during the second trail run.

Also, managed to try two more blood donation this year, in Mar and also Oct. It is really not easy to get a good timing with the blood donation events but I did tried my best.

Travel
This year I did not plan to visit overseas, as I have spent a lot in 2017 and 2018 and I did not think of the next destination I wanted to visit yet.

So the planned trip was to visit an old friend in Kota Kinabalu, my USM buddies, Elizabeth. After sometimes of disappearing from each other life, and she been also away from internet, managed to catch up with her in person at her hometown with Sue Anne.


A trip to the Gunung Arong after heard it for many years. Thanks to Doreen and Khee Hoon. Get to have the a camping weekend and enjoy the view.


Then, had a "sudden" birthday trip with Thong Thong decided two months before the trip. Visited to Japan is not the kind of "next trip" I would plan. I would always thought that Japan trip will be expensive. However, due to the potential financial status in the upcoming year, I think it is better to visit now than later.

And of course, there are still some on-going meet up with friends in Singapore, when I finally catch some times to enter there and visit them.

Work
Back to office work and back to the analytical me.

Thanks to the numerous activities we had fun beside working.

Get the 4th place in the treasure hunt in Apr.

Join the weight loss challenge and now it is the last month to go. I am happy that I get to hit the target although not much weight is loss. At least I got the monthly reward of a free lunch.

Got nominated to be part of the HSE team, although I am still not qualify to be competent people when hazards arise. Still it is something new to me.

Get a "surprised" business trip to Shanghai. So finally realized my promise to visit Nancy (my good sister during working holiday) after some years. This trip, although short, I finally made visit to the office, catch up with Sun Chen, meet some of my Chinese colleagues in the office (most of them has visited Malaysia office before) and also catch up with Nancy.




Get the 3rd place in Badminton tournament thanks to Mok Mok. I think she almost get crazy because of me keep mumbling and torture her.

It is the last quarter of the year, in Nov/Dec it is time to see big change of my old friends as a few are getting married soon.
Overall, I am still one of the lucky person in the world. Enjoying life, breathing, and get to fight for a better tomorrow.
It will be a good timing to plan for the challenges for the upcoming years too. Cheers and keep fighting!

Taiwan Trip: 10- 18 Sep 2018 Part 3: Taipei

Day 5 continue:

Depart from Taichung to Taipei using Ubus. Then we took a taxi to our airbnb host at Banqiao.

While I am feeling so lucky for the trip thus far (there was a typhoon warning getting nearer and nearer), I found myself unable to open the door leave by the airbnb host.

We climb the 5-floors building and try to open the door but failed. The host is not reachable by phone nor LINE (I purposely install that after he failed to answer my call).

Sue Anne got mad because of we have been stuck so long. Perhaps the working holiday experience that I had have been more up and down, I was trying to stay calm but there is no solution.

So I suggested that we go for dinner while waiting for the reply. Then we walk a bit further to the　stinky pot (三妈臭臭锅 ).

Unfortunately, even after we finished eating there is still no reply.

We walk back to the building and try again to open the door and still failed.

Then Sue Anne started to suggest to find a new accommodation.

I was a bit hesitate because the host was quite responsive in the morning while I check with him for the check in.

But we have waited for hours and there is no reply so I cant seem to stop her anyway.

Luckily, while chatting with Huei and Nisha, Huei told me that she will be in Taipei for the few days and able to let us stay at her place.

So, we leave the place and go to her house instead. (p/s: The host finally reply us after we left, telling us that he was in the class teaching from afternoon until 8 pm. But we have left, so I only asking if he can give us a full refund)

塞翁失马焉知非福, we are blessed with the good view of Taipei 101 at Huei house. Hehehe


Day 6: Yehliu Geopark, JiuFen Old Street, Raohe Night Market

It was the day typhoon estimate to arrive, luckily it just pass by however, it heading to HongKong and really hit it badly.

Went to witness the famous Queens head an Princess head. Did not queue up at the original ones, here are the 3D model where no queue is needed.

 

Wind too strong and luckily we are also strong enough to stand not blown away.

Revisit JiuFen however it was not as exciting as the first time visit. This time i learn to ask before go try out the famous Taro. But still ordered the wrong cake and I ordered too much! (supposed to order the 'grass cake' but i bought the taro cake. >.<)

Sue Anne bought a few souvenirs at JiuFen which reminds me of my first time excitements when I first found this shop too! Haha, managed to stop myself from buying all these.  

On the way back, my initial plan was to go back KeeLung Night Market, however the bus to KeeLung Train station was too slow, there has been a few bus pass by back to Taipei, so we decided to follow the bus back to Taipei since the weather was also not so good due to the typhoon.

Stop by at the Songshan station and we visited Raohe Night Market and Wufenpu.

This is quite a fresh try for the oyster mee sua at Raohe Night Market, the soup is clear one. 

Finally we have a day break from the stinky toufu. 

Day 7: ShiFen Water Fall, ShiFen Old Street, Ximending

We take the train and haoxing bus to ShiFen. 

Waterfalls are beautiful, but the lantern is one thing that I cannot really accept as it is so not environment friendly and it became just a trend to do so.

 Witness a few lanterns got burn up before it fly.

Wonder if the wishes will really come true.

After that, we went to Ximending to shopping again. 

While waiting for Huei to go home, we go to Taipei 101, there is a guy singing with a guitar, we just sit down there and chilling. 

Then, Bing See contacted me. So I fish her to go hiking with me at Xiangshan Park to see the Taipei 101 Night View. (actually i can see it from Huei house too.)

So she came all the way to go hiking with me. XD. Reunion after 5 years. 

Day 8: Tamsui Old Street, Tamsui Fort San Domingo, Shilin Night Market

Went to Tamsui and tried the a-gei, there are three shops in a row selling the same thing and so we tried two of them. Prefer the one with three sisters as the soup is more clear and tastier for me.

Went to the historical buildings around Tamsui, as it was almost the end of our trip and finally Sue Anne surrender to the long walks. Haha. 

Went to Shilin Night Market and try another stinky tofu.  Today, we tried two but still not satisfied with the stinky level, and i failed to find the non-fried stinky tofu.

Back to Huei house today and then start playing with Kuri, Huei's dog. She is the first dog I dare to touch after so many years too. (Because she almost day day come and wake you up in the morning)

Last day: National Palace Museum

Finally Huei got a day off and can bring me around. Leave Sue Anne to have own time explore the city, I went to the National Palace Museum with Huei. 

Visited the most famous cabbage in the museum, the roasted pork look yummy too. 

We found ourselves hungry soon after we enter the museum, so we have a quick tour then heading to take our late lunch near her home. 

After that, take a nap while waiting for Sue Anne to get back. 

Then we depart to the airport and have our dinner before on board. 

Goodbye Huei and Kuri, hope to see you guys soon. =D

Finally ended my update on the trip. Yippee!!!