A journey to remember: Le Tour de Langkawi, Sabah & Ipoh

Since kids were left with their mak tok and tok ayah in Alor Star, I had a chance to prepare for my trip properly without rushing to Parcel E and stuck in really bad jam everyday..and he got a chance to prepare for his exam..(i hope so..:)

I left for Kota Kinabalu on the 3rd March at 9.20am, it was almost full with many kind of people and also many kind of odour..I think this guy next to me just had nasi lemak with egg....due to the fragrance that has been released on board..

3rd March 2010-Wednesday-KL-Kota Kinabalu:

Arrived KKIA at 12noon and it was so hot..headed to Promenade Hotel which is facing the sea but not too far from the Filipino market

I had to wait at their lobby for an hour facing this same view..it was also fully booked and many late check out and too many tourist in groups from the Penisular, Japan ...MLM..etc

My room at level six-its a smoking floor, I actually requested for non-smoking room but since I've been waiting for so long and tired..I just grabbed whatever they offered..its a room with a view (RM155++ for government rate), their king size bed are limited so I don't mind having this room except when I travel with kids..

Nothing much to be done except for channel surfing, reading the material for the next day briefing and enjoy the sunset...unfortunately its a fixed glass window..so I could only captured all these photo from inside the room..sunset from Promenade Hotel KK at 6pm...

I went to the market for dinner of seafood which was served in a simple way without spoiling the taste and freshness of the food.

Seaweed with air asam, it looks like a plastic toys, and crunchy and fresh..

My ikan putih bakar with air asam..simple menu, they pre- grill these stuff and after you decided which squid, prawn or fish, then they'll heat them up again.The concept of this market is simple just like our pasar malam, with long tables and dim light and smoky ambience..its a good place to see many kind of people from different places coming to this humble spot for a local taste.

The pearl stalls were already closed after we finished our meal..nothing much to shop but everytime I passed by that area, my left palm will get itchy..is it true..?hahaha..hope not!

4th March 2010-Thursday, KK-Keningau:
I woke up as usual but it was already bright...

Same spot captured at different time..once again please ignore the glare in this photo

We left for Keningau at 8.00am with our driver T.Jay Afifi..yup that his real name..we were joking, maybe his father is a fan of T.J Hooker

We planned to arrived in Keningau by 10am depending on the road condition and the thickness of the mist..(just to add some drama here..)

Crocker Range from afar..we will cross this range and will see a misty cool mountain...

It was a long winding road..Cheryl Crow's 'Everyday is a winding road' came across my mind...

This is peaceful and slow moving Keningau town, with timber shophouses along the road, its 1200 ft above sea level, it looks like a sleepy town but there are also 3 star hotel here (Juta Hotel and Perkasa)

I finished the briefing and site visit and had a chat with a young majistret who lives there for two years, she's still single and enjoying her life in that small town and have not thinking of going back to Penisular yet..

The journey back to KK was much better because the sky was blue and its perfect for some photo as memento

A small resort along the range..this is one of the place to pull over and have some coffee and photo shoot

A dog was barking at the hill when I shoot this photo..'anjing menyalak bukit'..T.Jay told us that his friend from this hilly side of Sabah cried the moment he saw a beach..a real beach with white sand, waves and salt water...some people live their whole life in certain area and don't have a chance to move out and explore the world around them

It was misty and cool and we could off the air cond and enjoy the natural breeze

Reminds me of route to Mordor (Middle Earth)

I'm not tired looking at the same spot..

5th March 2010-Friday, KK-Sipitang-Papar-KK-KL:

We left for Sipitang at 8.15am and check out from the hotel..different driver because T.Jay's father has passed away this morning ..Al-Fatihah to him..

Route to Sipitang is the same as going to Keningau but we just had to go 12 o'clock at the roundabout where else Keningau is at 9 o'clock..its a different view with no climbing the hill and no mist except for hot sun and lorries and movers along the road

Our proposed site...to many issue..can't revealed everything here, bound by the act...hehehe..

Sipitang is a small town by the sea ..a nice and humble place..but maybe not for luxurious traveller, but for those who seek for something different Keningau and Sipitang are the place, but can't expect to have all the convinients like we do in KK...

After finished our job in Sipitang we left for Papar...another small town not too far from KK...

Yup..I was wearing a black jacket under the hot sun..can't stand the heat and sunburn..and that guy had his no 20 cigarettes..'jalan-jalan cari makan...makan angin..'..(Faira and Zakiah, if you guys read this--> biar pecah di perut okay..)

We had lunch there and had small chat before we left for the airport ..Tuan Richard told us Court's antic :that different people with different cultural background will take an oath according to their culture..for example:

'Saya, Jingo anak Jimi berjanji bercakap benar, jika tidak benar, bila saya panjat pokok kelapak, saya akan jatuh..'.. ni kalau orang bukit..

kalau orang laut pulak, their oath will be something like this:-

'Saya, Jimi anak Jonngos, berjanji akan bercakap benar, jika tidak benar, bila ke sungai, saya akan dibaham buaya..'....!! woohooo..!!

Lain padang lain belalang...

Anyway I left for KL at 4.55pm on board of MH51 Boeing 777 which was full with Oshin look alike, Rain wannabe,Takeshi Kaneshiro look alike...Mr Cigerettes had a bad day..(he should sing Daniel Powter's .'i had a bad day,'..)he had stale asam fish on board...muaahhhahahaa...

Arrived at the airport at 7.30pm and rushed to the ERL station and after 35 minutes met my dark, tall and handsome hubby..(please do not puke people..)

We went for a movie at Alamanda -Percy Jackson the Lightning Thieves..a movie that is only suitable for younger generation, weak storyline..the only eye candy (for me) is Pierce Brosnan..(i'm already old...but he said..you are not that old to watch this movie..)..thats so sweet...i replied (but my mind process a different thing..) woman..!!

6th March 2010-Saturday-Putrajaya-Ipoh
Tired and missing the kids..and we were up and ready to meet them on Saturday morning in Ipoh..but stuck in Putrajaya due to Le Tour De Langkawi 2010, they just released the cyclist for Putrajaya-Genting route..

Energetic young cyclist in multi burst shot using Nikon D90...

We arrived in Ipoh and anxiously waiting for the kids and pengantin..what would she wear, will Hadif cry upon seeing his abah, will he recognized us..it was too many mind boggling questions....

Hadif only said :'aabaah'' with his soft tone..and don't even mind about his mother..

Look at her..everywhere is a playground..

Sufiya was playing around with these renjis-renjis stuff...she splash the water everywhere

Family photo from Ipoh and Alor Star

We headed back to Putrajaya at almost 4 pm and the traffic flow was bad after Ipoh tol, it was raining and cars were stationed along the highway about one km...not moving at all...

As expected..an accident involving one car, one tonne lorry and a bigger buddy...white liquid was all over the road...

This big guy was in the middle of the road.....accident, rain and slippery road..what a perfect combo...

That did not spoilt our mood especially when we were finally reunited with lil S & H..

It was a lovely ride with the kids onboard, sleeping like they always do and the sky was perfect for some shooting but I just used my loyal N82 to snap these picturesque view ...sometimes they make funny formation, and there are times that you'll lose yourself in that fluffy white cloud....imagination could bring you high up...