Poor Arif, weak and warded...

"Health is not valued till sickness comes..." - Thomas Fuller

(Sick and weak)

We were in Johor Bahru as soon as we heard the news from Sara.

Arif was experiencing hard of breathing early in the morning. Earlier of the week he was having bad cough and cold. Arif was warded for three nights and given antibiotics to clear his infected lungs.

Arif is not going to start school any time now. He needs to get well first...

2017: Q6 4-Nation Ride

“The strongest people aren’t always the people who win, but the people who don’t give up when they lose…”

A week before my South America trip I had a bad fall that hurt the small of my back.

I was overcome by anxiety attack when we were in Sacred Valley Peru, a day before our excursion to Machu Pichu. At an elevation of 4,000 meter above sea level, I was experiencing severe back ache, short of breath and light headedness, all at once. The next morning before boarding the train to Machu Pichu we were advised to drink cocca tea to prevent altitude sickness. After drinking a few cups I was suddenly well and fine. It was either the cocaine in the tea or the excitement of visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World that made me high and happy while tracing the Inca Trails in Machu Pichu.

It’s been three weeks since we came back from the South America trip and I am still nursing my sore throat and back pain. In a few days’ time hubby and I are planning to go for the year-end ride crossing borders of Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam over a duration of approximately 24 days. The first seven days we will be riding with the KKB gang to Ayutthaya, Thailand. The next ten days we will ride solo from Ayutthaya to Cambodia and into Vietnam. The last seven days we will join the JBMC and the Truecolors gang in Pai, Thailand and will ride back home with them.

Part I: KKB gang - Malaysia/Thailand

Date: 24 – 28 November 2017

Route: KL – Hatyai - Chumphon – Kanchanaburi – Phitsanulok – Route 12 - Phu Tubberk - Khao Kho - Petchabun – Ayutthaya

Total Distance: 2,465 km

Part II: Solo Ride – Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam 

Date: 28 Nov – 10 Dec 2017

Route: Ayutthaya – Koh Kong – Kampot - Ha Tien - Phnom Penh – Ho Chi Minh – Siem Reap – Prachin Buri – Kamphaeng Pet - Pai

Total Distance: 2,990 km

Part III: JBMC and the Truecolors gang – Thailand/Malaysia

Date: 10 - 16 Dec 2017

Route: Pai – Mae Hong Song – Mae Sot – Kanchanaburi – Chumphon – Dannok – KL

Total Distance: 2,630 km

This kembara biking trip will be the last trip for 2017 and will be our 6th. We have been doing the year-end kembara like this since 2012.  As it is going to be a long trip for us, it’s easy to underestimate just how much preparations need to be thought of, right? We don't wish to be caught by lack of preparedness, or a case of been-there-done-that mentality.

Semoga di permudahkan urusan kembara kami ini, insyaAllah, Aamin...

My Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Next Trip: Ireland and Iceland

Selangor: Selera Rimba Day Ride...

"If you are losing your leisure, look out, you may be losing your soul..." - Logan Pearsall Smith

(Beware of wild animals)

03°42′32.31″N 101°10′27.5″E

3.708976, 101.174305

It seems like a long time since we last wore our riding gears. And this morning it felt pretty good to get into them.

Today we decided to take a leisure ride to Restoran Selera Rimba in Sungai Panjang Selangor for lunch. If you are into exortic food, this is the place to go. The dishes are cooked Banjar and Jawa style. Besides daging rusa, pelanduk, landak and ayam hutan, they also serves siput and udang galah. Depending on the catch for the day you may be lucky to have ikan keli, ikan puyu, ikan sepat and many more variety of fresh water fish.

Be aware that the operating hours are from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm only.

(Solo ride just the two of us)

(Popular at lunch time)

Annual B-P Guild Gathering...

"A scout smiles and whistles under under all circumstances..." - Robert Baden-Powell

(A welcoming rain greeting us at the resort)

7th Annual B-P Guild Gathering

Date: 10 - 12 November 2017

Venue: Semenyih Eco Venture Resort

(Ready for the Qi gong exercise)

(Paint ball target shooting)

(Testing... testing...)

(Trying out the ATV)

(First Aid and CPR demonstration)

(The girls having fun before raising of flag)

(47 years of sisterhood in scouting)

(Our lodging in the background)

(Some of the Kelantan B-P Guild representatives)

(Celebrating my 62nd birthday with best friends)

Representatives from Kelantan B-P Guild: Mus/Mun, Hizan/Adilah, Hj Din/Sariah, Dato Salleh/Datin Mahiran, Bee Noriah, Nik Kamaliah and a few others...

Brunch with the hostelite sisters...

"Sisters are for sharing laughter and wiping tears..."

(Nik Yah, Kak Jon, Kak Sariah and Datin Sri Dah)

(Sultan Ismail College Girl Hostel 72/73)

Hostel life is the best life

Which change our life style

We start the new life here

We make new friends

We enjoy the little things in our life

For one day we will look back

And realize they were the best things ever

happened in our life

- Ananya Bihari -

Printis Pengakap Wanita...

"The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers..." - Juliette Gordon Low

(The pioneers - Nong, Kid, Ubai, Ani and Bee)

The Big Five, we made history again today...

In 1969 we joined the Girl Guide troop in Sekolah Menengah Kota Bharu. In 1970 we asked the Scout Master's permission to join the Boy Scout troop and were allowed to join the Jamboree in Kem Kijang. It was then, the first Girl Scouts were officially acknowledged.

From 42nd KB Scout Troop in Sekolah Menengah Kota Bharu we moved to 1st KB Scout Troop in Sultan Ismail College. Scout values have remained with us and inspired us to put forth our best throughout our life.

(Our stories in Mingguan Metro)

(42nd and 1st KB Girl Scouts)

South America - Exploring the Wonders of the World...

“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand...” - Neil Armstrong.

South America - Exploring the Wonders of the World

Argentina - Peru - Brazil

(16 -30 October 2017)

Hubby and I are going for a trip to South America.

We will be travelling to Argentina, Peru and Brazil and plan to visit two of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Machu Pichu in Peru and Christ the Redeemer in Brazil. We will also visit one of the Natural Wonders of the World, the Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfalls in the World, bordering Brazil and Argentina.

Towns visited in our itinerary:

Beunos Aires, Argentina - Paris of the South

Lima, Peru - City of the Kings
Pisac, Peru - Hilltop Incan Citadel

Machu Pichu, Peru - The ancient city on the mountain

Sacred Valley, Peru - Sacred valley of the Inca
Chinchero, Peru - Birthplace of the rainbow

Cuzco, Peru - The Capital of Inca Empire
Foz de Iguazu, Brazil/Argentina - The largest waterfalls in the World

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - The River of January

I will be updating my travel blog munmus.blogspot.com when we come back from the trip.

Next trip: Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam

A get together again...

"Distance and time apart are irrelevant to the bond formed by a true friendship..." 

The SMKB gang gathered again at Sariah's house in Kota Warisan to celebrate her hubby's birthday and to meet friends we have not met for a long time.

The home-cooked food spread was in abundance and very delicious, of course...

(The ladies in waiting)

(The host with the late comers)

(Nong with Nik Kama and Bee)

Thailand: Betong Trip...

"Let's find some beautiful place to get lost..."

(A t-shirt for souvenir)

Hari Malaysia Betong Trip

Date: 15 - 17 September 2017

Distance: 940 km

KKB Gang: 5 bikes and a Ford Ranger

(Awan Nano at Ayer Weng)

(Ayer Weng View Point)

(Piyamit Comunist Tunnel)

My Overseas Travelogue: Betong: September in the rain

Next trip: Latin America 2017

42nd SMKB Troop...

"Life is not just making new friends, it's keeping the ones dear and special to you..."

(SMKB 42nd Scout Troop 1969 - 1972)

We are catching up with old friends over good food...

In conjunction with Nik Arif and wife homecoming, we arranged a lunch gathering at Rumah Makan Chibiuk in Kinrara. We also invited the SMKB 42nd Scout Troop, seniors and juniors to join the gathering. It was a happy noisy occasion. It is nothing better than catching up with old friends especially those we have not met for decades.

Friends are precious. In the end you always go back to the people that were there in the beginning...

(The ladies of SMKB)

(The gentlemen of SMKB 42nd  Troop)

Knowledge Sharing...

"Talent is god given, be humble. Fame is man-given, be grateful. Conceit is self-given, be careful..."

(Discussing their next trip at Bidara House)

It was raining non-stop the whole afternoon...

Instead of having a teh tarik session at the warung, the gang decided to tapau kuew teow goreng and had dinner at Bidara house instead. During dinner, we shared important coordinates and our experience of overland crossings through the many Thailand/Cambodia border points. 

Next week the Melaka Bikers is planning for a trip to Cambodia through Hadlek/Kong Kong border point. Safe ride to all...

A Nephew Wedding...

"The goal in marriage is not to think alike, but to think together..." - Robert C Dodds

Congratulations to

Aiman

&

Sarah

May your life together be full of love

and your love be full of life...

(Hari Raya Haji at Bidara House)

(Home-stay in Kubang Seman)

(A family photo at Masjid Padang Ibu)

Momento from Uzbekistan (2017)

“It stands to reason that anyone who learns to live well will die well. The skills are the same: being present in the moment, and humble, and brave, and keeping a sense of humor…” ― Victoria Moran

(Wood carvings fridge magnets)

Wood Carving Art of Uzbekistan

Traveling around Uzbekistan, it is hardly possible to see a traditional Uzbek house, where there were no wooden ornaments. Since ancient times, local masters loved and valued the tree and artfully shaped it with carvings.

Wood carving in Uzbekistan arose as decorations of wooden columns, which were greatly used in the ancient architecture. Later decorative carving was presented on various wooden objects, beginning from massive columns and beams for the ceiling, and ending with trunks, caskets, Koran stands, book cases, pencil cases, musical instruments and tiny children's amulets. All of them generously convey the wealth of the traditional vegetative geometric ornament. Such trees as walnut, plane, juniper, elm and mulberry are often used by wood carvers.

The characteristic feature of the Uzbek school of wood-carving is that all products are made without the use of nails, but from a single block of pure wood. The identification and preservation of the beauty of the tree is one of the principles of the Uzbek folk masters. Thick carving patterns do not disturb the natural beauty of the tree, but reveal features of texture and color. There are numerous combinations of geometric and floral ornaments, with which masters decorate wooden products.

(Foldable wooden Quran stand)

In August 2017 we had a 2-week tour of the three Stan countries, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. In Uzbekistan we visited the cities of Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Shahrisabz and Termez.

My Overseas Travel Blog: munmus.blogspot.com

Our 38th Anniversary...

"Life is a journey, and love is what makes that journey worthwhile..."

Our anniversary

Is not meant to be

A reminder of

A long journey...

Our anniversary

Is meant to be

A mark of good times

That we are yet to see...

Happy Anniversary Yang...

Travelling on The Ancient Silk Road again...

"Traveling - it offers you a hundred roads to adventure, and gives your heart wings!" - Ibn Battuta

(The Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis in Samarkand)

Date: 11 – 22 August 2017

Route: Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Tajikistan 

We are going for a Central Asian exploration that need us to travel from Tashkent in Uzbekistan, to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, and to Dushanbe in Tajikistan, stopping at some of the medieval cities and admiring the stunning architecture and colourful history on the lesser-visited side of the Ancient Silk Road.

This is our second visit to Uzbekistan and our first to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. In 2009 we visited Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand in Uzbekistan and discovered the mystical, spiritual and historical side of the cities.

(2009 winter holiday in Uzbekistan)

We planned to visit the following cities along our exploration route:

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Khiva, Uzbekistan

Shavat (Uzbek/Turkmen border)

Darvaza, Turkmenistan

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Mary, Turkmenistan

Farab (Turkmen/Uzbek border) 

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Shakrisabz, Uzbekistan

Termez, Uzbekistan

Tursunzoda (Uzbek/Tajik border) 

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Khujand, Tajikistan

Oybek (Tajik/Uzbek border)

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Visit My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com

Banana Leaf Rice for lunch...

"Stop leaving and you will arrive, stop searching and you will see, stop running away and you will be found..."

(Nasi Kandar Daun Pisang)

Today, for the first time, we tried the Nasi Kandar Daun Pisang at Macha & Co at the Curve. The price is quite expensive compared to other Nasi Kandar restaurants in town but it has a comfortable dining environment and ambiance.

This restaurant serves other meal sets too.

(Lunch @ Macha & Co)

Brunch with SIC sisters...

"True friends isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated and nothing changes..."

(Brunch date at Datin Sri Zaidah's house)

When old hostelite sisters get together, everything else fades to insignificance. It doesn't matter what stories we are telling, we are telling stories of sweet memories we shared more than 45 years ago...

(A spread of delicious home-cooked food)

(With the charming hostess)