RIDE TO KUALA KUBU BARU (KKB)

Heard a lot of Kuala Kubu Baru, yet to visit the place. When my former college mate Ryan invited my hubby and I to join his riding buddies sometime late March 2011, we quickly jumped onto the bandwagon.
Journey started at 6.30am! We gathered at the Shell petrol station opposite Giant Hypermarket in Kelana Jaya. Six bikes - Ryan rode the Virago, Rocker57 & Fred : Kawasaki 650 & 750cc; Philip, Ho and Chan (err...I think that's his name...) 2 Honda models 1,000cc {forgotten the model...sigh, signs of ageing, can't escape that!! Ahhh...) and a red Ducati Monster 850cc. 
And moi - the 'beautiful' rose amongst the thorns - Ahem! My first ride with a 'gang' obviously I had to wake up earlier to 'don my mask' to look presentable. Rocker57 is still questioning me (yup, till today) why I need to make up whenever we go riding. He says we should look rugged not all dolled up. Well, Rocker57, I wanna looked like a dolled up rugged rider, can??!! (psst...frankly, he doesnt give two hoots what I do as long as I'm happy). Our pact? Easy pissy...he tells me what time we leave and I'll work backwards to get ready! Frankly, sometimes when the weather is too hot and humid or when my hormones go haywire or when the mood goes nutty, I go 'naked face' with just moisturizer and sun block.
The morning was cool and breezy, I truly enjoyed the ride and watching the dawn of a new day as we rode towards KKB from Kelana Jaya. We arrived KKB for breakfast just before 8.30am. KKB is a quaint colonial days small town, to me that is. I love the fresh air and simplicity. The folks are friendly and I believe they can easily spot newbies like us visiting their town. With the loud exhaust pipes bursting from the bikes, we certainly created a 'roar' when the entourage arrived!
After breakfast, I hopped onto Ryan's Virago for a 'test ride'. I felt uncomfortable maybe because the bike was too low, there's no place for me to hold when we went through some bumpy ride and I couldnt cuddle Ryan like how I would cuddle Rocker57....hehehee. Our primarily visit to KKB was to see the KKB reservoir. And so here it is:

Kuala Kubu Baru Reservoir...beautiful

We took our time to take in a breath of fresh air and to soak in the beauty of a place a short ride from city centre. I also 'stole' the opportunity to snap a couple of pictures of the bikes parked along the long stretch of asphalt road.

Soaking in the scene and resting

Rocker 57 amongst the bikes

The trip was short, but nothing short of making me happy and the fact that we've started to look forward to joining groups for short or long outings. Psssstt..come closer, here's the thing. After the trip, Rocker57 actually took the initiative to register in a biker 'club' and now, we are scheduled to ride to Penang late June for an overnight outing. I'm so looking forward to meeting new friends and the ride with Rocker57 and kawa-babe.
Till the next blog...hasta la vista!!

What I find unique in Yangon.

There are just too many temples and pagodas to visit in Yangon alone. After visiting 3 temples (main attractions), even a devout Buddhist will scream for help!! However, the temple that attracted me most was the Shwedagon Pagoda. It stands at 366feet high with a perimeter of 1,420ft all encased in GOLD!! The main attraction isn't the gold but the 76 carat diamond that sits at the top of the pagoda! (Yeah..start calculating the cost...I knew it!!)

Simply magnificent. Felt so peaceful & blessed just being there.

Uniquely, standing at different places (specific points) in the temple, one can actually see the different shades of the diamond with the naked eye after dark! Standing at one point I saw only red, move a few inches away and the color changes hues...amazingly awesome!! Shwedagon Pagoda is said to contain relics from 3 earlier buddhas and 8 strands of Gautama Buddha's hair!! The Pagoda is believed to be over 2,500 years old (refurbished over the centuries - obviously...DUH!!).
Unique eating concepts that I and my tour group find hard to digest (both literally and realistically) The picture on the left was taken just outside a postal/IDD shop. While the one on the right was taken just outside the Myanmar embassy. Mind you, these are regular sights when you go around Yangon.

Commonly found along the streets

Miniature chairs are common sights!!

The 3rd unique thing is the flower I purchased outside the entrance to see & pay respect to the largest reclining Buddha structure in the world. I've never in my life seen a flower like this one, have you? (right) It looks to me like a small burger with anemone sitting atop the burger and protected by petals! 
Fourth is the manner medication/supplements are dispensed in pharmacies...they are sold in loose forms(blister packs!!!) Sold as if you are buying sweets!! Also, a pharmacy 'pops' up within a shopping mall just like any other cosmetic counter!! So so peculiar!

pharmacy within a shopping mall

The final uniqueness I found was the very place that Freedom Fighter Ang Sang Suu Kyi was house arrested for 15 years! Deprived of so many amenities and access (internet particularly) I would have DIED of boredom had I been house arrested (in similar conditions). Below, Ang Sang Suu Kyi's father's house where she stayed for 15 long lonely years minus her nucleus family. We weren't allowed to stay long, so I took what I could. I deeply appreciate and respect her more after what I've learned she has gone through. She's has fought for her people relentless yet in a subtle manner that is so humane. Terrorists should take some lessons from her, perhaps then we'll all have a more peaceful place to live in!!

Ang Sang Suu Kyi humble abode

Main entrance - fences made fr bamboo!!

 

YANGON, Myanmar

Street fruit seller. Would u eat this??

Prior to my trip to Yangon in late Feb 2011, I'd expected it to be similar to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. What a shocker it was. It was far worse than HCMC. On hindsight, it was Malaysia's situation some 4 decades or more back. I thanked the one up there and the Malaysian government for their foresight to bring Malaysia to where it is today. Having said that, the cost of living in Yangon is too far fetched! 4 decades ago, we could get a decent meal for about RM 50sen but the same meal in Yangon costs USD3.50 (equivalent to RM11+ at that time of FOREX)!! To be fair, locals eat from stalls (picture below) for a steal.
Apart from the cost of living, I do like the people in Myanmar. Majority are Buddhists. They are honest, hard working people and very humble. Their honesty is contagious. A close friend of mine told me that her boyfriend of many years confessed that he has been a smoker for 8 years and not just a social smoker after his trip from Myanmar!! I take my hats off for the guy to be candid about it, it took loads of guts since this close friend is very against smokers!! In any case, the relationship is still intact :)

Roadside food stall

Cigarette Seller - common sights

Here are some pictures depicting normal lifestyles in Yangon. They do have shopping malls but selection of goods are limited. Despite the lack of modern technology and amenities, people here are contended and happy. 
Our mobiles are rendered useless as access is ZERO!! Our guide says they can only talk on the mobiles and nothing else,what 3 or 4G!! No SMS, MMS or surfing on the go - they're still on analog!! When he saw the iPhone 4, he was so awed he somewhat treated the phone as if it is a diamond studded Rolex and promptly return it to the owner lest he damages it!! To get a SIM card to activate your mobilephone costs USD300!! Our guide's phone was the 2nd analog generation I've ever had - phone and SIM card total cost? USD600!! I could easily get his type of phone in Malaysia for RM150 or so. We should all be blessed with what we have for we know not how / what others are deprived of, I do now more so after the trip.
Also, if or when you do go to Myanmar, key thing to remember is they only accept clean USD. Tattered, torn or marked notes are politely returned as their national banks will reject them. Be prepared to have a big wallet to hold their currency Kyat...millionaire in no time. Our exchange rate then was 84,000 kyat for 100USD!!
In this trip, I've learned humility and to appreciate more in life. Will I go back to Myanmar again? Maybe when they are more developed because we dare not eat anything other than those served in hotels' restaurants or larger restaurants hence limiting us to explore our taste buds. Overall, an eye opener trip for me.

GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL CUSTOMER SERVICE

On 7th Jan, my mom was admitted to UKM hospital in Cheras. The service that we gotten was appalling particularly at the A&E department. (Accident & Emergency). To start off, they were tardy and slow in their investigation on the cause of my mom's ailment. Then, they are rude and unsympathetic towards the patients under their care..what kind of service oriented medical personnel are these??? 
There was a staff nurse that stood out like a sore thumb, pure racist! Each time she sees me, she barks at me to wait outside till I'm called. But, just across my mom's bed, a family of 4 (her own race) were standing around their dad/husband, yet they were left to themselves, not once were they asked to leave the A&E room. I had wanted to tell her off as I'm a tax payer and shouldn't be treated so rudely when she IS in the service industry. But I had to bite my tongue as my mom's needs surpass mine. Also, I was afraid that they will treat her badly when I've gone away. The last straw was when the nurse paged for me and sweetly said " we need urine sample, there's the kidney pan, get your mom's urine'. I said, "shouldn't this be your task?". She replied rudely " can't you see we are busy and short handed?". I had wanted to give her a piece of my mind but I held on for the sake of my mom. ArrrrgggHhhhhhhHHH!! She is lucky I didn't get to see her name or her face as she was wearing a face mask and wrapped with a plastic apron. In any case, I wouldn't want to waste my energy on her for she's not even worth my two cents worth! BAH!!
We registered at the A&E at about 12.30pm. Treatment was given at about 2pm. We only managed to get to the medical wards by 11.45pm!!! Can you believe that?? I seriously am still shocked by the way things are being carried out. Is this the kind of service we get from our government hospital? It is simply too ABSURD!! However, I need to laud a middle east doctor and a staff nurse that were empathetic and concern for my predicament as no one could tell me when my mom can be warded/discharge/need follow up. I wish to thank Dr. Ahmed and staff nurse Nurul Shikin for being there for us - THANK YOU!!
I thank god that my patience and calmness paid off. Things improved much after mom was warded. The nurses were pleasant, attentive and supportive of all patients irrespective of race. KUDOs to all the medical staff in 6E that attended patients from bed 1-6. The staff nurse from A&E should go back to class and relearn her objective to be a nurse as well as go for training to improve on her EQ! Seriously...she's in desperate need of counseling and help.
 Mom is still in hospital as I write. She has to undergo so many blood sample takes that there isn't any area left in both arms for them to take nor for IV drip. Now, the doctors have resorted to give drips from the feet (both have been punctured). Her hands are so swollen I teased her that she can box without gloves simply because her hands has bloated to twice its size!! Poor thing, I do feel for her.
Finally, the food served in the hospital is atrocious!! Even as a healthy person, the food is so unappealing what more to a ailing person. I did sample the food. Everything is blanched!! There's no salt, pepper or anything for the matter....how can the cooks expect a human being with 5 senses (sour, salty, sweet, bitter and now a fifth taste "umami") feel appetizing enough to savor these tasteless dishes meal after meal? Are they nuts??
The saddest part is that each time the orderly comes to collect food remnants, most trays are full/untouched...what a waste to throw food away but what choice has the patients got? To resort to their next of kin to bring food from home or take away food so that patients has the strength to rebuild their antibodies to fight against whatever ailments they encounter, else...relying on hospital food which they rather starve than eat! It's the same kind of food served to me when I gave birth to my daughter in 1987!! Com'on....haven't we learned anything yet???
 

CALLING A SPADE - A SPADE!

Last year, I started playing mahjong with my sis-in-law and her friend on several occasions. On the onset, we were cordial and mindful of our Ps and Qs. As time went on, this friend; Ms L and I kinda got along and we started to open up. We enjoyed our mahjong sessions as much as our non-stop chatting.
I think that as an Asian, I'm pretty much an open book i.e forthright/straight/candid..you name it, I'm that. Obviously not many can take on people like me as it is not our culture to be so candid and direct about things. I'm deemed to be loud/braggart/too open for those who do not know me. Naturally, I almost always stand out like a 'sore thumb'. Rocker57 used to say that my book should have some 'unwritten/blank' chapters, unfortunately for him...with my dense head, learning was slow. Through painful process from school of severe hard knocks, I've gradually learned albeit like a snail :)   Very unlike my nature not to say what's on my mind, much as I refrain myself. Over the years, its more refined/polished but the fact remains that I'm still me!! Alas..can't teach old dog new tricks, they say...but they have forgotten that this dog is a stubborn Ox in dog's clothing!!! 
Back to Ms L, at last, I've found my "pardner"!!!. We jokingly said that perhaps in our previous life, we were 'westerners' and now 'trapped' in Chinese bodies!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! I can safely say that if I openly admit that I'm an open book, then Ms L is an open library of sorts. I respect Ms L for her honesty and I relish the fact that though she is soft spoken and petite, she laughs heartily and is not abash to share anecdotes of her life no matter how embarrassing it is. It is good if one can laugh at oneself and this lass is one unique Asian. Of course, the fact that she spent 10 years abroad, somewhat 'globalised' her thinking. 
Say what you want, I rather have a friend that can call a spade a spade then one that tells you want you want to hear. I think Asians need to open up and speak their minds but then again...who am I but a stubborn Ox in dog's clothings...
This open book is open for reading....

The year that was-2010

2010 was a mixed year for me. Despite year long of challenges & disappointments in real estate business transactions, mood swings and lack of proper sleep due to pre-menopause, rocker57's key hole surgery the rest of it turned out better than I had expected.
What I cherished of 2010 - Spent lots of time bonding with rocker57 and our adolescent kids, traveled a fair bit (land,sea and air), started a blog, found & rekindled friendship with long lost schoolmates (after 3 long decades!), partied & networked with friends & relatives. I've also attended Deep Purple concert, Songs from ABBA by Arrival from Sweden concert apart from lots of motor riding trips with beloved rocker57.
I've also indulged and pampered myself with monthly mani & pedicures, facials and massages. It was a pleasure that I couldn't enjoy when I was gainfully employed. I basked in the pleasures of leisure and thoroughly enjoyed it with strong support from rocker57, of course! I enjoy it so much sometimes I'm even jealous and envy of myself!!!
I've also embarked on a slimmer me by exercising, dieting and of course a slimming centre to assist me :)  Though the results are slow, process trying and money wise poorer, I'm pleased with my achievements and proud that I'm at least a size or a size and a half smaller then I was in 2009!!
Another thing I relish in 2010 was improving my overall appearance. I take time to make myself more presentable by putting on make up, dressing up (i.e. buying new clothes & shoes) and spending time pampering myself. It was AWESOME!! And, I would want to continue doing it because I enjoy the compliments I get and most importantly, it makes me happy and I feel healthy!
It gets me thinking, I may not have made much money in 2010 but I've gained so much in return, its a blessing and I treasure those moments. 
Looking forward to 2011, I want to live my life pretty much the same as 2010 but perhaps with more vigour and power in my real estate business, more time with loved ones, work harder at achieving my ideal weight, stay happy and spontaneous and live life to the fullest!!

SOMETHINGS ARE BEST TO REMAIN UNCHANGE

Kuantan is a coastal township about 300kms east from Kuala Lumpur. It's the capital of Pahang, the largest state in West Malaysia. We started our ride early in the morning with 3 'pit' stops for breaks. When we stopped at a rest area (Petronas petrol station) somewhere along the highway to Kuantan, I noticed that some things remains unchanged.
I noticed a family next to our table enjoying early lunch/brunch. Nothing unusual, you might say but mind you, it was home-cooked meals not the one ordered from the cafe!! Some 20 years ago, we used to sight similar happenings when we used to ply the southern region. Back then, they used to stop along the trunk roads, place their mats/ big cloth on the grounds near shady areas, now there's tables and chairs for comfort. The end result is the same but the mechanics has changed somewhat, nostalgic.
Another sight that I've not seen in a long time was teenagers or adults riding motorbikes without a care in the world. I witnessed this when we were cruising along the coastal stretch from Kuantan to Cherating. I saw children and adults alike, riding on their bikes without helmets or having 2-3 pillion riders! I used to do that some 3 decades ago when there were fewer vehicles and safety helmets laws were not implemented. Despite safety laws and being a developing country, I'm glad I still get to see things like these still happening before it totally goes into oblivion. Though it is dangerous and risky but when one is living in a kampung (village), well, life is simple and free from laws because the police officer is your neighbor/uncle/friend's father/relative/or someone somewhere is related!! A friendly warning and one is let off the hook!

Another sight to behold is the swimming pool at Swiss Garden resort where rocker57 and I had our afternoon tea. Scores of families were seen frolicking in and around the pool. In spite of rules that swimsuits/swimwears are a must, we see people going in with long pants, long T's, sweatpants, etc. Credit must be given to those who wore swimsuits and to the Muslim ladies that bought swimming attires that befit their religion, albeit all wrapped up but it Lycra material! Kudos to the swim wear company that put deep thoughts for our Muslim population so that they can still enjoy swimming in public without exposing themselves.
Ah...I went back in time during my 3D/2N stay at Kuantan...Priceless!