Thailand: Ride to Koh Phangan - Full Moon Party...

"You must experience and accept the extremes. Because if the contrast is lost, you lose appreciation; and lose the value of everything..." - Philippos 



(Vibrant coloured t-shirt...)

What is it about this party that attracts such crowds to the island of Koh Phangan? Perhaps, a very long time ago, under the spell and the magic of the moon, the pagans sacrificed beautiful virgins and danced around rock statues to celebrate full moon festivals...


(Flying high during full moon...)

It is claimed that the most beautiful full moon can be seen from this island. Every month, tourists from all over the world gather to have a blast party along the crescent-shaped beach of Haad Rin to celebrate the Full Moon night.

(Koh Phangan twilight serenity...)

The party begins at dusk, when the bright round moon makes its appearance over the white sand beach. In twilight, tourists painted their faces and bodies with glow-in-the-dark paint and carry with them small colorful pails filled with assortment of liquors.

(A relaxing holiday for body and soul...)

As the evening progresses the beach explodes into a dancing frenzy as different DJs take turn to spin their favorite trance music. If you are there at the right time, you'll see jugglers and fire-eaters entertain the crowds as the night goes on and there will be displays of fireworks along the beach.

(Another part of the island, unspoilt and calm...)

The streets leading to the beach will be busy all night with traders selling various kind of foods and drinks and the bistros and spas are opened till morning to cater for the large crowd.

Total Mileage: 1,780km
Route Taken: KL - Bkt Kayu Hitam - Hatyai - Koh Phangan - Hatyai - Bkt Kayu Kitam - KL
Bikers gang: Mus/Mun, Din/Yati, Munawar/Rose, Taufik, Zali, Rahim, Fazli, Rozlan, Syawal, Fadley, Sham, Syed, Zaini

My Overseas Travel Blog: Koh Phangan - 2013

A night for Super heroes...

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears...” - John Lennon

(Grandpa with 2 super-girls...)

(Super-girl Alia with her mum...)

(Super-girl Alia with her dad...)

(Super-girl Hana with her Super mum and dad...)


Tonight all in the family gathered at Zin's house in Taman Melawati to celebrate my mother-in-law's 74th birthday...

Melaka: Ride to a Portuguese Settlement...

“You cannot discover new oceans unless you leave sight of the shore...”

(A lone boat in the Straits of Malacca...)

The sky was dark and moody. Outside, rain began to pour heavily without indication that it will stop any sooner. We would be soaked to the skin if we ride in this kind of weather. It was still early so we decided to have toasts and half-boiled eggs for breakfast.

When the dark clouds cleared a little we left the apartment and arrived at Welly Batu Caves early. There were already a few bikers having breakfast at the Mamak Restaurant while waiting for the rest to come. The initial plan was for us to ride to Fraser's Hill and have lunch there and ride back. But because of the heavy rain and the road may be slippery and dangerous we decided to ride to Melaka instead, to the disappointment of a few new bike owners who look forward to having a go at the winding mountainous road.

In Melaka we could easily find seafood or ikan bakar restaurants opened at night. But it was not easy to find seafood restaurants by the seaside opened and serving lunch in the middle of the day. We rode to Muara Sg Duyung but both the ikan bakar restaurants were closed. We tried our luck to look for restaurant in the Portugese Settlement area and were lucky that a few restaurants there do serve seafood lunch after a little persuasion.

And the seafood dishes were delicious too...


(A convoy of 19 bikes on Seremban Highway...)

(Refueling at R&R Ayer Keroh...)

(Ikan Bakar restaurant was closed at Muara Sungai Duyung...)

(Hotel Lisbon by the coast at the end of the Portuguese Settlement...)

Total mileage: 400 km

Route taken: KL - Melaka - KL

Bikers gang: Welly Advanced Bikers

Precious moments with mom ...

"You don't throw away a whole life just because it's banged up a little..."

(Having breakfast with Bee @ NLTJ...)

I almost forgot my appointment with Bee this morning.

The Friday morning traffic was crawling heavy but bearable. It almost took me an hour from my apartment to Bee's house in Taman Tunku. We stopped at NLTJ Sri Petaling to have our late breakfast and met the owner En Aziz and wife.

With the help of the garmin, still we missed a few junctions but managed to locate Atan's house. Today it was Bee's turn to take over from Kak Chik to take care of their mok. Mok looks healthy and although a little depressed, our arrival had somehow evade her mind off things bothering her. Her memory is sharp when she reminisced about the younger years. She still remembers my emak, who very long time ago used to learn to recite the Quran with her.

When Kak Yati came, it was time to leave Bee and her siblings with their mok. Watching them fussing over their mother reminds me of my own ailing emak in Melaka who will wait patiently for me to be with her from Tuesday to Thursday every week.

Hana first day to school...

"A lonely time in my daily routine, sets the tone a deserted scene..."

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A lonely flower in a field

A lonely child does not yield

A lonely kitten under a tree

A lonely girl, this is me

Momento from Spain (2012)

"The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us..." - Ashley Montagu

(Momento from Torremolinos)

Beaches of Costa del Sol

In November 2012 on the way to Algeciras to cross over to Morocco, we stopped for a last minute souvenirs shopping in Torremolinos.

There are around 90 kilometres of beaches on the Western Costa del Sol. This area comprises the towns to the west of Málaga capital, taking in Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Estepona, Casares and Manilva.

The city beaches stand out for the range of services on offer. You can find everything you need to enjoy the very best in sun and sea experiences. Los Álamos Beach in Torremolinos is extremely popular with young people looking for exciting nightlife.

We were in Spain in June 2001, December 2001 and November 2012.

(Kitchen towels from Torremolinos)

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013...

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness..." - Robert Muller

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Alhamdullilah, we are still alive to celebrate the new year. And I believe that there is more reality than life or death, which after all man-made concepts...

In the coming years, may every step we take be blessed with the best of health, abundance of wealth and lots of love and happiness... Amin.