Standard Chartered KL Marathon 26th June 2011 - Are you ready?

Hey, ya'll! The Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2011 is coming up this Sunday - 26th June ! Are you ready for some good and fun running?

Personally, I'm going to be easy on myself for this 10 km event which I will participate this Sunday. I'm not running for any top 3 placings like how I used to train and run about a decade ago. I've done some trainings and a trial run last weekend. The timing is fair enough for someone who recently started training to run again after years of long hiatus. Although, I really think my running coaches years back would have expected me to run at a better timing - about an hour for a 10 km run. Haha.

I figured that I should be able to finish a 10 km run probably about an hour and half and that will be a combination of running and fast walk. No need for extra exertion to finish the run but still you'll just never know. I may be fully motivated by other runners during the event day,hence there are highly likely that I'll be running faster than usual.

I'll be running light with no mp3 ( I think so - I still haven't decided on this one) and probably I'll stash some cash into my pocket ( still deciding on which pants to use) and I'll be running along with my handphone just for good measures since I don't intend to store anything at the locker. I may probably be taking the free bus ride from Kelana Jaya LRT station somewhere around 6 am. I really need to finalize on these. But no matter what, I'll get myself at the starting point somehow.

I wonder if there are a lot of people who are running alone on that day and if you are, probably we should start making friends. LOL.

Praying for good health, excellent running, super awesome weather condition, nice crowds and loads of fun this Sunday. See you guys at the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2011 yeah! Ooh, I can't wait ... or maybe I just can't wait for it to be over! :)

White Water Rafting Slim River, Perak

White water rafting has become an addiction to me and it I have official had my 4th white water rafting experience in two different rivers in Perak. One was at Sg.Kampar, Gopeng with the Riverbug crew and the latest one was at Slim River White Water Rafting or more precisely the rafting is located at Kg. Ulu Slim, Slim River.

Interesting things you may want to know about White Water Rafting at Slim River, Perak :

- The guides that we went with was with these guys http://www.thepaddlerz.com/ or better known as the Khersonese Expedition crew.

- The drive to Kg. Ulu Slim seems to take forever. Haha. That's how far it really is after you exited the toll at Behrang. Nevertheless, it was a nice winding, narrow road ride through the villages and oil palm plantations of course. This route would be even better if you are riding either on the motorbikes or bicycles.

- After you gathered and sign up your particulars at 'base camp', you get to board on the trucks. We chose this black truck / lorry and the ride was yet another adventure on its own. Totally off road muddy track, hilly, going through no where deeper into the jungle and more oil palm plantations. However most important of all is that  it is a super awesome route if you are riding on a quad bike or off road motorcycles.

- The whole white water rafting takes about an hour and a half, I think. But I thought it took longer time than that.

- We got to snack on some chocolates, apples and drink up at one rest point. That was a much needed break because I was super thirsty by then.

- There are a LOT of Rapids to look forward to at Slim River comparatively to the ones at Sg. Kampar. So on that note, if you must compare on the two rivers, Slim River has a lot more 'work' to offer and add on for your white water rafting experience. Hence, it doesn't matter that I've done this for the 4th time because every single rafting trip is different from the last and it is so much fun!

This is the most anticipated drop at Slim River - The L drop. I think we dropped at a 90 degrees angle and thankfully my raft and this raft above didn't flipped. A couple of other rafts flipped real bad and they were like hopeless little thing drifted, sunken for a few seconds by the mighty white water. It was good fun as well as nerve-wrecking to watch them flipped over their rafts since our raft was the first to made the run. * No one got injured during the drop, so all was well.

Also, did I mentioned that our sole, waterproof camera's battery died minutes before we actually hit the water to resume rafting? Yeah, it did and we were lucky enough to finally have a bit of battery on during this last and shot. ;)

In conclusion, white water rafting rocks no matter how many times you did it. I'm still addicted to water rafting and we shall see where else we will be 'rafting' in the future! So stay tuned on that one!

Running Playlist - Barbra Streisand : Duck Sauce

This Barbra Streisand song by Duck Sauce is my current craze! It pumps you up real good and it can be an incredible music companion while you are running. This song can boost up your energy and motivation in a beat. If you have never heard of this song before, you really SHOULD right now.

To download from Amazon , click here : Barbra Streisand by Duck Sauce MP3 Download

FYI, the AJ Hackett crew at Nevis Bungy got this Barbra Streisand tune pumping on full blast at the bungy platform. This song really helped to boost up the adrenaline in my blood just a little bit before I had my moment of free-falling at the Nevis Bungy. Otherwise, you can still count on Duck Sauce with their Barbra Streisand song while you are running.

This is yet another must have tune in your running playlist - Barbra Streisand, so go listen and load it on your mp3 now!

Foodie Road Trip : The Best Nyonya Laksa and Cendol in Melaka

Where can you find the Best Nyonya Laksa and Cendol in Melaka? Here is where you will get them :

[caption id="attachment_2216" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Ocean Cafe serves the best Nyonya Laksa in Melaka"][/caption]

The Best Nyonya Laksa and Cendol in Melaka (as of to date) can be found at Ocean Cafe! The shop is located somewhere around Jonker Walk and the best way to locate this cafe is by foot! We found out about this cafe by pure coincidence and it was not something planned at all. I just always knew that you can find some awesome Nyonya Laksa somewhere in around Jonker Walk and that was just about the only hint that I had.

You are heading to the right direction if you start seeing these houses of worships : The Buddist Temple, Mosque and the Hindu Temple.

Local call this street: Harmony Street - (from Left to Right) The Buddist temple, Mosque and Hindu Temple are located all on the same street. Ocean cafe is right opposite the Mosque and Hindu Temple

It is a long straight road and just keep going ahead until you see the mosque on your left and you will see Ocean Cafe  on your right. The Hindu temple is just a couple of steps ahead on the left side.

[caption id="attachment_2224" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Ocean Cafe has the best nyoya laksa in Melaka town"][/caption]

We seriously wouldn't even think of dropping by the cafe if the cafe lady owner didn't invited us in to have a go at her laksa. You really don't expect to see that many cafe around this Jln Tukang Emas so finding one during that lunch hour time couldn't be of a better timing. We were hungry, the laksa looks tempting and I have been craving for a proper Nyonya Laksa since last year and yes, we came at the right timing, found the best shop all at once.

So what makes Ocean Cafe Nyonya Laksa the best laksa I've ever tasted?

[caption id="attachment_2218" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Nyonya Laksa by Oceon Cafe - Best Nyonya Laksa in Melaka"][/caption]

The Nyonya Laksa smell and tasted really good. In case you dont' know, Laksa from the Southern side of Malaysia is what we from the North will call it as Curry Mee. So this is different from your usual Asam Laksa dish.

We've been told by the chef herself that she uses a lot of fresh ingredients and herbs to bring out the best smelling fragrance in her laksa. She even makes her own curry paste ( I think) and  the laksa soup is rich in flavour, thick and when you taste it you can tell that a lot of work in terms of the ingredients have been put to make that delicious dish. The noodles used for this laksa is a mix of yellow mee and meehoon. This Nyonya Laksa is also topped with crunchy bean sprouts, fresh juicy cockles ( I kid you not on this one - very juicy okay! ), some fish cakes, half an egg and other yummy stuffs too.

Next up, we were asked if we wanted to have a go at the cendol too and of course we said Yes! She mentioned that her cendol is different because she uses only Gula Melaka and that's the key to having the best cendol ever! Gula Melaka has a rich, thick sugary taste to it and that makes a cendol a Real Cendol! Haha.

[caption id="attachment_2221" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The best Cendol ever!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2222" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Laoban (boss in Mandarin) making cendol"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2223" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Barley Lime Ice - recommended beverage by Ocean Cafe lady chef"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2225" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The full menu"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2226" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The modest prep kitchen - typical hawker stall style"][/caption]

Last but not least, you will be a happy camper if you can have a taste of this Nyonya Laksa. That I can guarantee you! Check out the picture below if you don't believe it. Haha.

[caption id="attachment_2227" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="When you eat Laksa, you will always end up looking like this : A happy eater!"][/caption]

I don't know about other places and I've heard of really excellent feedbacks from this cafe on their Nyonya Laksa. Hence, the next time you happen to hang around Jonker Walk in Melaka, do take the time to hunt down this place. It will be worth the walk and search!

Best Nyonya Laksa & Cendol In Melaka ( as rated by me and a lot of other people especially backpacking foreigners and locals too) is located at this addresss :

Ocean Cafe, Jln Tukang Emas 20 ( near Jonker Walk, opposite of Mosque and Hindu Temple)

Quad Biking : It Gets Even Better After You Crash!

When it comes down to quad biking and especially when it is your first time riding a quad bike, things only get even better when you experienced your first ever bike crash! Yes, bike riding gets crazily addictive even after you crash. You got to believe me on that one, although  I have to admit that I was a little bit traumatized for a good few minutes after the crash.

Cutting the long and boring story short ( I hope this excites you instead), I figured that I should at least capture the quad bike crashing moment and the best thing I could come up with was to illustrate the crash with my sketches. Below is the closest on what  I could vividly remember during my quad biking crash at Queenstown, New Zealand :

[caption id="attachment_2199" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is how I crashed on my quad bike and yes, I sketched this one up myself . :)"][/caption]

Let's close up on the sketch shall we.



1. I lost control of the quad during a turning (it wasn't even a sharp turning) and I hit straight on towards a 'huge ass' pole. Haha talking about being a big time klutz right!



2. Naturally, after a strong impact one will fall and in my case, I plunged forward over the handle bar and the sequence of events followed by a couple of front rolls all over the ground. This was an awesome stunt and I remembered falling over the yellow fender of my quad, tucking in my head and did a front roll like a gymnast!



3 & 4.  I continued on rolling while both my legs went scraping against the wire fence.



5. Finally, the rolling stopped with me falling flat on my stomach with my face down kissing the dirt on the ground.



6. I rolled myself to face up and at this point, I felt a sharp pain on my right side around the pelvic area. I tried to stand up but I can't and I laid there on the ground for a couple of seconds feeling utterly hopeless.

7. I tried again to stand up from my left side and pushed myself upward and...



8. Phew, it was a huge relief to be up again. The next thing I knew, the guide came running back to find me and he saw that I had crashed and the first thing he asked was, " Are you okay? Did you break any bones? ". He did looked genuinely worried there but all was good. I was fine and I continued the next hour quad biking on the off road adventure.

The quad biking adventure in Queenstown, New Zealand was awesome and it gets way awesome-r after I crashed! And this, shall be a great adventure story that I can always talk or brag about always in the future. Have you any great biking incident that you can always share or brag about with people? Do share it with me! :)

Photo Travel : Quad Biking in Queenstown, New Zealand

I've never rode on a four wheeler or quad bike or the ATV bike before, hence having a go at it while I was in Queenstown, New Zealand for our close to a month Great Kiwi Road Trip, couldn't have been any better than that. It was superb and a MUST DO thing for anyone looking for a real biking, dirt road adventure.

Another important thing to note is : Quad Biking can be ADDICTIVE! If speed and thrill is your kind of game, Quad Biking is an absolute MUST TRY!

[caption id="attachment_2188" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Yours truly posing on a quad bike minutes after I had an awesome 'fall & flip' from the quad bike"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2189" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Splashing through the water on the quad bike"][/caption]

Juicy things you ought to know on my first time quad biking experience :

1. It was awesome shite and  I want to do it again and again!

2. It got a whole lot better because I met with an accident with my quad and no, nobody hit me. Instead, I hit a mega huge fencing pole for no reason at all and I literally 'flew' over the handle bar, flipped 360 degrees twice, scraped my legs over the wire of the fence and finally, falling flat on my stomach. All that happened in a split second while my quad bike and my friend were already ahead of me in front and yes, it took them sometime to realize that I had gone MIA. Lol!

Oh, other than that, I'm perfectly FINE! Thank God!

3. I love speed and drifting at cornering whenever I drive and I got to do just that on those many corners with the quad! Super great fun!

4. With my level of competency on the quad, I was riding on automatic transmission all the way (that's on the 3rd gear I think) and I was only riding on the Beginners Trail for about an hour 15minutes. It was exhausting, bumpy but with tonnes of fun!

5. I'm in love with quad and now I'm having some crazy ideas to get one in the future or at least if I can't get a quad, I should get a motorbike.

6. It was a great quad biking experience after going through an insanely exhilarating and heart wrenching free fall from my first ever bungy jump at Nevis Bungy the day before.

So yeah, if you happen to travel around to Queenstown, New Zealand and you are in need for an adrenaline fix, make sure you go crazy with some off road biking experience either on the quads or bikes. You will absolutely love it to bits :)

* There are a few off road quads and bikes tours that you can choose from in Queenstown. The one that I went with was with :

Off Road Adventures, Queenstown : www.offroad.co.nz (0800 633 7623)

How To Make Banana Lassi?

Lassi is an Indian yoghurt drink or some of us might want to call it a smoothie. The most common lassi is the mango lassi but this time around I made one with bananas instead. I do think that you can throw in pretty much any type of fruits of your liking to make a really delicious lassi drink. So how do you make banana lassi?

Lassi drink is super simple to make. All you ever need to make a banana lassi are these :

[caption id="attachment_2177" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="How to make banana lassi? Needs a blender to mix banana, yoghurt, honey and ice cubes (optional)"][/caption]

Banana Lassi Recipe ( for 1 serving / 1 glass)

- A blender

- Fruit of choice - 1 Banana, Mangoes, Strawberries or any type of fruits at all ( cut or diced these fruits so that it blends easily in the blender)

- Yoghurt - about 4 big tablespoons, it can be more so it's up to you

- Honey (optional) - I happened to have a jar of Manuka Honey laying around so I drop about 1 teaspoon of it into the blender

- Some ice cubes (optional)

Instructions :

Simply throw the diced up banana, yoghurt, honey and ice cubes into the blender, blend well and it's good to drink!

[caption id="attachment_2178" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Banana Lassi with yoghurt, banana and a special one - Manuka Honey"][/caption]

Some recipes do add in some milk, cardamom powder and even vanilla pod into their lassi minus the ice and honey. Hence it goes to show that you can have it however that you like to have in your lassi. Either way as long as you have the yoghurt and fruit combination, that should be a lassi drink alright.

In addition, this banana lassi or any lassi is best served cold and it can be a great drink to have during a hot summer day. There you go a perfectly easy Banana Lassi recipe that you can make at home on your own. I still wonder though, why in the world they always charge so much for a big glass of lassi in the restaurant. Haha.

 

 

 

 

 

Animals Anecdotes 25 : A Noisy and Wet Myna

It's been raining almost the whole morning today and all the little birdies were soaking wet thanks to the rain. One particular Myna took shelter on the balcony and she ( I'm suggesting that it's a female Myna) was totally drenched from  head to toe. Haha.

As she went about staying out from the rain and shook herself dry, she kept on making really noisy Myna chirpings . I wonder what she was saying but it certainly must have been something like this , " Oh, shoot! It rained so heavily, now I'm soaking wet and it is taking ages to dry off these feathers. I need a hair dryer PRONTO! " . Haha!

 

[caption id="attachment_2168" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Noisy and wet Myna taking shelter at the balcony, keeping herself out of the rain"][/caption]

I wish that's what the Myna was literally saying and off she flew seconds after I opened the door to the balcony towards the coconut tree just opposite the house. It was still drizzling out there but she was close to dry by then. So, she'll be fine. At least  she's way less drenched and cold than before. :)