2014: 4-Nations Another Adventure Ride...

"Don't compare your progress with that of others. We all need our own time to travel our own distance..."

Date: 11 - 26 December 2014
Route: Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos
Bikers gang: Mus/Mun, Munawar/Rose, Pok Deng/Izan, Hj Din/Yati, Shawal, Zali, Taufik, Mat Wan, Mat Put and Zaidi

My Overseas Travel blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Pahang: A brief Sunday ride...

"If you wait until you are ready, you'll be waiting the rest of your life..."

Today we went for a solo ride to Temerloh for Ikan patin lunch. And rode back from Karak taking the old road towards Seremban passing the winding road of Kuala Klawang. From Seremban we took the Lekas highway and entered Plus highway from Kajang.

We reached our Bidara House in time for Maghrib prayers.

Veteran Veterinarian jokes...

"The first half of life consists of the capacity to enjoy without the chance, the last half consists of the chance without the capacity..." - Mark Twain

On Saturday we attended a wedding reception hosted by Tuan Syed Zaid and Puan Rokiah for their eldest son. The function was held in Kedah Royal Golf Club in Alor Star.

Syed Zaid and Rokiah were my classmates of 74/78 in ITM when we did our Diploma in Animal Health and Production a.k.a Veterinary Science. Syed Zaid was also my hubby's housemate when they were in their first year and were close buddies throughout their studying years. 30 years after our graduation, we met again in a reunion and ever since have been keeping in touch.

During the wedding reception we managed to gather a few old classmates. Though we have not seen each other over the years, we still could recollect jokes we played on each other during our four years together that jolted old sweet memories.

I am older and wiser now, yet it was a comforting thought. All my friends are getting older too...

(Middle: Zuraini, Rokiah, Mainun and me)

Thailand 2015: Betong-Hatyai Overland Solo Ride...

"If you can see the positive sides of everything, you'll be able to live a much richer life than others..."

Date: 21 - 23 November 2014

Route: KL - Betong - Yala - Pattani - Hatyai - KL
Total mileage: 1,300 km

My Overseas Travelogue: Betong to Hatyai Ride

My 59th birthday...

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream..." - Les Brown

(Marshland at Farewell Spit)

On my 59th birthday, hubby and I spent the evening watching the beautiful sunset at Farewell Spit, the northern most point of south island New Zealand.

(Sterling Point at the Bluff)

The day before, we were at the rocky beach of Bluff, the southernmost point of south island New Zealand during dusk watching the sunset too.

My Birthday Prayer

Ya Allah...
Thank you for another year of life

  For all the experience of the past
For times of success with happy memories
For times of failure from my own weakness

For times of joy when the sun was shining
For times of sadness when the sky was gloomy
 
Forgive me for the hours I wasted
  For the chances I failed to take
And help me in the days ahead

Ya Allah...
Thank you, Thank you, I am blessed
with lots of happiness, the best of health and abundance of wealth


My Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

NZ South Island - On a road trip again...

"Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better..." - Albert Einstein

New Zealand is a country of contrast.

There's no better way to appreciate the country's natural wilderness than going on a road trip. The appeal of travelling in New Zealand is seeing and experiencing the untouched and untamed nature throughout the varying landscapes.

We have been to New Zealand in June 2006 and had the opportunity of going for a 10-day caravan trip around the north island. And insyaAllah, tomorrow morning hubby and I will be flying off to New Zealand again. This time we will be exploring the south island.

We have planned for a tentative itinerary and if there's Wifi available, I will update my Overseas Travel Blog on the go...

My travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Wrestling with fear...

"Often we created a self-imposed prison that is made up of imaginary walls..."

Fear stopped my heart today.

Early in the morning I was already at the Heart Centre, Pantai Hospital. I have been wearing the BP monitoring watch for 24 hours since yesterday morning and it’s time to take it off. When the nurse offered me to have a look at the printout, I refused. I don’t usually look away from painful and complicated truths. Without looking at the result I already sensed my troubled situation. Dr Ng’s initial diagnosis of erratic pumping of the heart was so compelling, it shaped my imagination in crafting horror scenes.

When I finally met Dr Ng at 11:00, he narrated the full result of the medical check-up tests. Except for my constantly high BP the rest of the results were not that bad after all and some were even better than last year’s. After performing the heart ultra-sound, I was diagnosed with a healthy heart and he prescribed special medication to reduce my BP.

My next appointment will be in a month’s time, meanwhile I am going to breathe in air and forget about this fearful episode.

Tired body and soul...

"Show me a worrying person and I will show you a person who does not know how to relax..." Albert E. Cliffe

Rejuvenate my Soul

Lovely stillness

Makes this heart of mine sing

I am best in this state

Oh the things, I can create

With peacefulness and tranquility

As my mate

Just a bit of Silence

That is all I need

To rejuvenate my Soul

And my Spirit freed

(Neva Flores Smith)

Medical Check-up...

"The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep..." - E. Joseph Cossman

I had to let anxiety take over my life for a few days.

This morning we joined the early morning traffic to brave the massive jam from Selayang to Bangsar. My appointment for the medical check-up was at 08:30 but we reached Pantai Hospital an hour late.

At the Executive Screening Clinic on 7th floor the registration was swift. The receptionist had earlier received the GL from PM Care and booked an appointment with Dr Ng. There were many patients at the x-ray and ultrasound sections and it took me almost 2 hours to complete the chest x-ray, bone-density scan, abdominal and breast ultrasound.

I skipped the stress test as my right foot was hurting so they did ECG instead and collect my blood and urine samples. My weight was a few kg above an ideal weight and my blood pressure reading was quite high. Dr. Ng suggested for me to wear the Blood Pressure Watch for 24 hours to get a more accurate BP and other vital readings.

Looking at the results of some of the tests, Dr. Ng’s initial diagnosis was quite worrying.

Amir 1st birthday...

"May you be given more birthdays to fulfill all of your dreams..."

(Amir Ashran)

Happy Birthday Amir!

Hot Pickled Mangoes...

"Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent..."

Everyone was talking about the new pickled mango asam boi, even the fb is featuring this.

So when one of the nieces asked her hubby to pluck the young mango fruits from my emak's garden to make into pickle, I asked for half a dozen to bring back to KL. When I reached home I put the mangoes aside until a few days after. The young mango fruits had turned yellow and ripening.

I couldn't find any asam boi, regardless, I had dissolved sugar with vinegar, added chilies from my kitchen garden and turned the ripening fruits into hot pickled mangoes.

Pahang - Lunch in the mist...

"Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it..." - Lou Holtz

Do you often wonder where the time went?

The last few days were spent doing nothing in particular. Except for a few minutes of staying outside in the hot humid weather watering my kitchen garden or feeding the fishes in the pond, I would spend most of the time in the cool airconditioned indoor. Too much resting on the sofa watching TV and videos had made my fragile backbones soft and brittle.

So today we decided to give the Merc a spin on the wet and misty winding road of Karak highway and drove up Genting Highlands. We stopped at Awana Genting for a late western lunch of sirloin steak and a few cuts of lamb.

On the way back it was raining and the road was slippery, so we drove slowly and cautiously. We passed km26.5, the site where six superbikers met with an accident which killed two riders the other day.

May they rest in peace. Al-fatihah...

My first kitchen garden...

"The benefits of growing things are as much food for the soul as for dinner..."

This is my first attempt in kitchen gardening, and it won't be my last.

Last month when we visited my bother-in-law's vegetables garden it triggered me to plant something simple and easy. I surfed the web and got me an idea to plant spring onions that need little caring and no watering.

Using empty plastic bottles, compost soil and a-foot long wicks, I planted a few onions in the bottles. I added a few drops of liquid fertilizer in the water and left the bottles under direct sunlight. A few days after, I saw my first sprouts of green onion leaves.

And less than two weeks later I was ready to harvest my first spring onions.

(my first harvest of daun bawang)

(Chopped green onions in my cucur udang)

A birthday celebration TTS...

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give..." - Winston Churchill 

(A delicious birthday cheesecake)

The date for our 4-Nation ride is coming too soon and everyone was excited.

This will be the last and final meeting at Bidara House to discuss on logistics for the ride. We are also planning to have a family gathering at Sri Menanti Resort nearer to the date. Ten bikes, inclusive of four couples will be participating and routing was agreed on and finalised.

Tonight we celebrated Rose's birthday. The menu for dinner was simple, kuew teow and mee goreng from the stall.

(A simple birthday celebration)

(The gang in serious discussion)

Hana's 5th birthday...

"Let you dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions be louder than your words..."

(Hana is a big girl now)

Do what makes you happy

Be with who makes you smile

Laugh as much as you breathe

Love as much as you live...

Thailand: We braced the 1000 corners again and again...

"Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss..."

(Our reliable Ford Ranger)

For the first time we drove our Ford Ranger for an overland 4x4 Adventure Trip in Thailand. While the rest of our bikers gang opted to fly and ride, we chose to drive instead and be the support vehicle for the bikers in Chiang Mai, Pai and Mae Hong Song.

Alhamdulillah, for the 3rd and 4th time, we safely completed the Thousand Corners of Mae Hong Song, Thailand.

Date: 5 - 15 September, 2014

Route: KL - Surat Thani - Kanchanaburi - Chiang Mai - Pai - Mae Hong Son - Chiang Mai - Suphan Buri - Chumphon - Hatyai - KL

Total distance: 5284 km
The 4x4 gang: Mus/Mun, Hayami/Siti

The Fly & Ride gang: Shawal, Shanaz, Rozlan and Hj Din

(September 2014 - With one of the rented bikes)

(June 2014 - Solo ride with our KTM)

(October 2013 - With our Vulcan during the Kembara Qurban)

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Our 35th Anniversary...

“When we’re flying high tomorrow, it would be because we stood strong today…”

(Victoria Station, PJ)

Tonight we celebrated our 35th Anniversary and Iwan’s birthday at Victoria Station, Petaling Jaya. It was not that crowded but we didn’t manage to get the seats in the cabin.

While the adults ordered our favourit dishes, the three grandchildren played among themselves, shouting and jumping oblivious of the surrounding.

We are blessed to have so many good things in life… Alhamdulillah…

(Sizzling steak and lobster for dinner)

(Birthday boy with Ella, Hana and abah...)

(Sara and emak...)

(Fitri with Alia and Amir)

(Alia and Amir eating fries)

Sighting of two moons...

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." - Dale Carnegie

(Bemban Hot Spring)

Last night we had a good time soaking in the hot water full of minerals at Bemban Hot Spring. We were there with my sisters and in-laws and stayed there till way after midnight hoping to experience the sighting of the two moons.

(Soaking in the hot scalding water)

The news about the two moons were circulating in the sosial media. It is said that at 12.30 am on 27 August 2014 there will be two moons in the sky. This will happen when planet Mars will be as bright as the moon and both Mars and moon could be seen with naked eyes.

Unfortunately last night the sky was full of cloud. We could not sight the two moons. Not even one moon nor a single star.

Is this phenomena real or is it just a hoax....

TTS at Bidara House

"You must have long term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short term failures." - Charles C. Noble

The bikers gang met at Bidara House to discuss the options and routing of our 4-nation ride planned in December this year.

The discussion ended way after 2 a.m. and decision was made by majority consensus.  Although it is still a long way to go, a lot of paper work and preparation need to be done before the trip.

(The simple preparation...)

(Ready to discuss our next trip...)

(The early birds making themselves at home...)

(Serious in discussion)

My Abah 87th birthday

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one…” – Elbert Hubbard

(Chocolate moist birthday cake)

It was an impromptu decision.

Coincide with my duty days in Melaka, the siblings arranged a kenduri tahlil and doa selamat to celebrate my Abah 87^th birthday and my brother-in-law Kamarul Zaman’s retirement from the Police Force on his 56^th birthday.

It was also a family gathering of sisters, in-laws, nieces and nephews, plus a few of my sisters’ grandchildren. We prepared pulut kuning, fried mihun, satay, rendang, nasi empit and lodeh and a delicious home-made chocolate moist cake for desert. The majlis tahlil was held after the Maghrib prayer and was led by Ustaz Saufi.

It was a simple occasion, yet a joyful moment for us and my parents too...

(A simple tahlil and doa selamat)

(A group photo)

(Joyful moment with Tokbah and Tokmak)

(The three sisters and partners)

Kelantan: 4x4 KB trip with bikers gang

“A negative mind will never give you a positive life…”

(Mural on the wall in KB)

Route: KL – Sg. Koyan – Gua Musang – Kenyir – Setiu – KB – Rhu Sepuluh – Sg. Tong – Muktafibillah – Kuantan - KL

Total distance: 1080 km

Bikers gang: Shawal, Rozlan, Syanaz, Mat Put, Mat Wan, Munawar/Rose, Ayami/ Siti and Din/Yati

4x4: Mus/Mun

(A group photo at the Royal Guest House)

(A selfie with our Ford Ranger)

(Lunch break at Rhu Sepuluh)

Selamat Hari Raya Eidil-fitri...

“Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten…”

(Hari Raya card from Hana to her mom and dad)

For the past three years, hubby and I have been celebrating Eid-fitri with my ailing parents in Melaka.

Being the first girl in the family I took the responsibility to be the host in my parent’s house. Our children and grandchildren came to be with us and stayed in a nearby chalet. With the assistance from my two sisters, Amah and Zai, we prepared ketupat, rendang, kuah kacang and kuah lodeh. Biscuts and cakes came from nephews and nieces who chipped in to make the raya festivity a merry and joyful occasion.

On the first and second day of raya we entertained friends and relatives from as far as KL and Johor who came to visit. On the third day hubby and I drove to Pontian to visit my besan and spent the weekend in Sara’s house in JB.

Johor: Ramadhan Charity Ride to Telok Rimba

"Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does..."

We joined the VOG gang for a charity ride to Telok Rimba, Johor.

There were more than 50 bikes joining the convoy. The convoy started from Masjid Nilai and later we met with other bikers from Melaka and Johor at Tangkak Tol Plaza. From there we rode towards Bukit Kangkar and gathered at Masjid Telok Rimba for iftar and solat jemaah with the villagers and children from the orphanage. They were presented with duit raya and goody bags.

After dinner, the bikers gang split ways and some of us rode to Melaka to have asam pedas supper before leaving for home.

(Bikers rendezvous at Masjid Nilai)

(Lady bikers with Kitt's son)

(The start of the charity convoy)

(Picking up more bikers after Senawang)

(The road after Tangkak tol plaza)

(The junction from Bukit Kangkar to Telok Rimba) 

(Riding on the trunk road)

(Arriving at Masjid Telok Rimba)

(Meeting with the two Penghulu and Pengerusi Masjid)

(A Kembara Bumi Suci participant being interviewed)

(Bikers taking a rest before iftar)

(Majlis suai kenal and a brief introduction)

(Anak-anak yatim getting a ride of the big bikes)

(The elderlies wanted to have a go too)

(Time for iftar with the villagers and orphans)

(A group photo for the album)

(Refuelling before we ride back)

(Riding on the highway at a safe distance at night)

(A few participants having late supper)

(Traffic light drinks to quench the thirst)