Thailand: Betong ka-One Ride...

“If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light..."

On Friday we joined Welly Ka-One Ride with 30 other bikers and spent the last few days of 2012 across the Thailand-Malaysia border in the Grand Mandarin Hotel, Betong.

On Sunday, the group had a free and easy convoy ride to the Piyamit tunnel and explored the well-preserved communist tunnel and camp.

(The start of the journey...)

(The entrance of Piyamit Tunnel, Betong...)

(Jungle walk to a communist base camp...)



Total mileage: 900 km

Route taken: KL - Grik - Nenering - Betong - Pengkalan Hulu - KL

Bikers gang: Welly Advanced Bikers

Overseas Travel Blog: Betong (IV), Thailand

Celebrating Ja's birthday...

"Memories are meant to fade. They're designed that way for a reason..."

Colors only made to fade

It gets faster every single day

Our brightest red is turning into gray

And it's gonna leave a stain...

Today we planned to have lunch at Insaf, Jalan TAR but got stuck almost an hour in a massive traffic jam. We decided to drive to PJ and had lunch at A&W drive-in instead. Went to Amcorp Mall then later picked up our order of carrot walnut cake from Suanson in Bangsar. In the apartment we ordered on-line Dominos pizza and had family dinner before Sara, Fitri and Alia drove back to JB. Tonight we celebrated our late beloved son 26th birthday in spirit.

Ja, we miss you a lot. Al-fatihah…

A family weekend...

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present…” - Jim Rohn

(Hana and Alia with grandpa at VS...)

On Saturday we rested at home while Sara, Fitri and Alia went to Ikano for some shopping and had their lunch at Italianies. We had leftover mihun goreng lunch in the apartment. They bought food from chicken rice shop for dinner.

On Sunday we had lunch at Devi daun pisang in Bangsar. After lunch went for window shopping in Bangsar Village. At night we went to Victoria Station in PJ for a family dinner of western food. Today Hana had her first LRT ride to KLCC.

The Mayan doomsday...

“At every single moment of one's life one is what one is going to be no less than what one has been...” - Oscar Wilde

Friday was supposed to be the day life on earth ceased to exist, according to the Mayan ancient calendar. Alhamdulillah, that day came and went without a glitch.

(Hana at the Mines...)

Early morning, we went to the Mines for the Big Bad Wolf book fair and bought a second round of books. The men went to perform their Friday prayer at Masjid Kg Baginda. Later we drove to One-Utama for lunch at Fish & Co and later bought some provisions at Jusco.

Armageddon - Is it about to happen?

The End

'

The end is such a scary place to start

Everything is torn apart

And I don't know where to go from here

'

'

And it's such a scary place to be

Everything is in between

I don't know where to go from here

'

I don't know where I'll fall down

But I'm sure to hit the ground
'

'Cause it's not over 'til it's over

Every ending is a new beginning

One more chance to get it right

One more chance to get it wrong

'

And it's not over 'til it's over

Sometimes nowhere leads to somewhere

And it all starts again

Yeah, It all starts again in the end

'

(Jason Reeves)

Pahang: Riding in the monsoon rain...

"We can’t control the weather, but we can change how it controls us..."

(A start of a wet journey, dark clouds looming...)

(Kuala Lipis town, quiet and laid-back...)

Lipis to Jerantut, undulating road...) 

(Half a kilometer of off-roading to Jerantut...)

(Jerantut old town, colorful and vibrant...)

(Didgeridoo street music at Telok Chempedak...)

(Muddy Vulcan having a snow wash...)

(Ready to ride back in the rain...)

Total mileage: 520 km

Route taken: KL - Bentong - Raub - Kuala Lipis - Temerloh - Kuantan - Pekan - Chini - Terapai - Chenor -Temerloh - Karak - KL

My colorful berets...

"A tinge of color brightens a dull day..."



(Red in Granada, Green in Torremolinos, Blue in Cardoba and Rasta in Marrakesh)

(Black in Casablanca, Orange in Madrid, Brown in Tangiers and Grey in Meknes)

Spain and Morocco Tour

(10 - 22 November 2012)

My Overseas Travel blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Weekend shoppings...

"They said that the year's shopping is not truly done until the end of the year..."

(Planning for next year's travel...)

So for a start, this weekend we will start our year-end shoppings at PWTC and the Mines where they are having  the Selangor MATTA Islamic Travel Fair (SMITF) and the Big Bad Wolf book sales.

(Books to last us till 2014...)

Momento from Morroco (2012)

"He who has nothing to die for, has nothing to live for..." - Moroccan Proverb

(Cute lipstick containers) 

The Moroccan Tajine Pots

A tajine is a North African Berber Arabic dish which is named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked.

The traditional tajine pottery, sometimes painted or glazed, consists of two parts: a circular base unit that is flat with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to return all condensation to the bottom.

Tajine is traditionally cooked over hot charcoal leaving an adequate space between the coals and the tajine pot to avoid having the temperature rise too quickly. Large bricks of charcoal are used, specifically for their ability to stay hot for hours.

I wished to buy a Tajine Pot when I visited the market place in Marakesh in November 2012 but it was much too big. Instead, I bought three cute miniture Tanjine Pots which were actually lipstick containers.

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

My 57th Birthday in Casablanca...

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart..." - Helen Keller

'

I thought you fell in love with me watching Casablanca

Holding hands 'neath the paddle fans in Rick's Candle lit cafe

Hiding in the shadows, Moroccan moonlight in your eyes

Making magic at the movies in my old chevrolet...

Oh! A kiss is still a kiss in Casablanca

But a kiss is not a kiss without your sigh

Please come back to me in Casablanca

I love you more and more each day as time goes by...

'
My travel reflections: munmus.blogspot.com

Bitten by The Travel Bug...

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it...” - J.K. Rowling

(Still blistering and sore...)

It is less than 2 weeks since we came back from our Kembara Kemboja.

While some people prefer to stay in the comfort of their home and rest, our restlessness, our impassioned spirits, our love for the open road, and our desire to wonder the world have urge us to travel again. And I can’t even wait for my leg wound to heal.

Tonight, dear hubby and I will be flying Qatar Airways to Madrid via Doha and will be spending a week in Spain and another in Morocco. This is our 3rd trip to Spain but our first to Morocco. In Spain, we will be visiting Madrid, Toledo, Cardoba, Seville, Granada and Torremolinos. And in Morocco we’ll stay in Algeciraz, Tangiers, Fez, Meknes, Marrakesh and Casablanca.

This year, I am spending my 57th birthday in Madrid enroute to Casablanca… Yeay!

My Overseas Travel: munmus.blogspot.com

Momento from South Africa (1996)

“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in...” - Robert Orben

(Beautiful and colourful)

Hand-made ceramic

The authentic unique handmade and hand-painted ceramics are crafted from African Clay. The most famous world class ceramics is claimed to be from Africa! At Zizamele Ceramics in Cape Town, South Africa there is a team of artisanal women potters who are working together to create a range of handmade and hand-painted African ceramics. All members of the team are from the local community.

(Unique ceramic jugs)

We were in South Africa in November 1996 for business and leisure trip visiting Johannesburg and Cape Town.

My Overseas Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

2012: Kembara Dana Madrasah Kemboja...

“Travel is not a reward for working, it’s an education for living...”

Alhamdulillah… We are back home after a 14-day 4-nation ride for a Kembara Dana Madrasah Kemboja. The journey was from 18 Oct 2012 to 31 Oct 2012 covering more than 6,000 km. 

7 motorbikes and 7 4x4 vehicles took different routes through Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for qurban and infaq activities organized by the DMK group to be distributed to remote areas in Cambodia.

(The bikers and 4x4 team group photo)

(After solat Eidil-Adha at Masjid Kg Kendal, Cambodia)

Total mileage: 6,900 km

Route taken: Malaysia - Thailand - Laos - Kambodia - Thailand - Malaysia

Bikers gang: Mus/Mun, Din/Yati, Syawal, Zali, Taufik, Kitwan, Bakar

My Overseas Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Thailand: 3-Nation Charity Ride to Krabi...

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine..."

(5 - 6 October, 2012 in Krabi, Thailand)

This year we joined 23 other bikes in the first motorcycle event jointly organized by On The Road Magazine and Welly Advance Bikers in conjunction with the 3-Nation Charity Ride to Krabi, an annual event which has been taking place since 1994.

(A group photo before flag-off)

(Safe convoy from KL to Krabi)

(A welcome reception at Hansa JB Hotel in Hatyai)

(Meeting and event venue at Black Crab View Point)

(Bikers convoy around Krabi)

(Releasing fishes at Thalan Bay)

(Lunch at scenic Noppharat Beach)

(Two of the  Malaysian delegates...)

Total mileage: 1,900 km
Route taken: KL - Hatyai - Krabi - Hatyai - KL
Bikers gang: Welly Advanced Bikers

Overseas Travel Blog: Krabi 3NCR

Momento from Italy (2003)

“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” — Abraham Maslow

(Vibrant coloured glass sweets)

Venice has been a tourist mecca for years, with millions of visitors flocking to explore this unique floating city on the face of the Earth. While we were in Venice in February 2003, we went for a day trip to the neighbouring island of Murano, known worldwide for its beautiful Murano glass

What makes Murano Glass so famous?

The history of glassmaking in Murano dates back to 1291 when the Venetian government ordered the glassmakers of Venice to relocate to Murano as a precautionary measure to avert a huge fire. From there on, the small island emerged as one of the most prominent centres of glassmaking in the world. during ourday-trip, we had the opportunity to catch a first hand glimpse of artisans handcrafting glass in one of the many glass-making foundries in Murano and bought some souvenirs to bring home.

The avant-garde Murano glass is so fine that it can be easily differentiated from all other forms of Venetian glasses. What’s more; the island of Murano boasts a monopoly of quality glassmaking for more than 700 years, developing and perfecting numerous glass working techniques. The incredibly wide range of pure colours of Murano glass is still looked at with awe and envy by the glassmakers from all around the world.

We were in Italy in January/February 2003, May 2004 and March 2008, both for business and leisure trips.

My Overseas Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Pahang: Sunday ride to Cameron Highlands...

“The journey not the arrival matters...” – T. S. Eliot


(Early to arrive at Welly's...)

(48 bikes lined up ready to roll...)

(Different makes, different colors...)

(A short briefing before the journey...)

(Waiting in line to refuel...)

(The ladies taking a break too...)

(A mishap at one sharp corner...)

(Checking on the unfortunate bike...)

(Bikers stopping to assist...)

(Stopping at a strawberry farm for fresh fruits and juice...)

(Ripe strawberries ready for harvest...)

(Sweet honey in cute bottles...)

(Slow and cautious ride home...)



Total Mileage: 520 km

Route taken: KL - Raub - Sg Koyan - Ringlet/Tanah Rata - Simpang Pulai - KL

Bikers gang: Welly Advanced Bikers