An English 'Aidiladha

I had to spend one 'Aidilfitri overseas, so why not make it even and spend one 'Aidiladha overseas as well?

Frosted leaves scattered all over the ground you walk on- Toto, I don't think we're in Malaysia anymore... :P

Yes, it's another meeting, in Aylesbury this time, smack in the middle of the Raya Haji celebration week!

I wasn't alone this time. I'm tagging along to Pauline, my senior colleague, who's luckily very travel-wise and made the experience so much fun for me :)

A word to the wise, when traveling abroad, no matter how unsafe it feels, bring CASH! Or stick to your credit card though keep in mind that you won't be able to use it on all occasions. I had one HELL of a time finding a place to cash in my traveler's cheques in Aylesbury!!!

Of course we wasted no time. Pauline had her friend book us a table at a halal restaurant and so we journeyed into London the very next evening... It took an hour by train from Aylesbury, then another half hour by underground tube to get near the vicinity of the restaurant.

The place is called Original Tagines and it served delicious Moroccan food. I went crazy in there because it could be some time before I tasted any more halal meat on this trip :p

Took a trip around the hotel grounds before the meeting started early the next morning...

...and I almost caused a minor incident by taking a shot of this snow topped car. It seems that one of the guests reported the incident to hotel security because they thought I took the picture in order to steal the car! :P

Apparently such a thing had happened before... scary!

A view of the meeting room. Quite a surprising turnout! I didn't see this many people at the meeting in Adelaide.

There was a get together for dinner that evening. The halal meal they ordered for me didn't make it so I turned vegetarian for the night :( Not that bad though...

Now with business out of the way, we headed for London again...

Once we checked in our bags at the hotel, we practically had to rush to the London Eye site. We had tickets booked for 12 noon and it was already half past 10! It was a race through the underground tubes with one of the lines having serious delays.

From the picture, we obviously made it :) hehehe...

Turun jer dari London Eye, tengah jalan-jalan nak tuju tempat lain lak, tiba-tiba semerbak harum daging bakar menusuk hidung aku yang lapar ni... Tengok-tengok- halLaMAK! Nangesss!!! Bagaimana kan ku samak hidungku ini! Huhu... :P

Gediks sat kat pondok tepon, hehehe... Hey! Tak main lar pondok tepon tiruan kat Malaysia tuh! Ni ori nyer London phonebooth you know?

Rusa masuk London... Sempat lak si Pauline tangkap gambar aku tengah melopong tengok double decker bus (also ori okey?)!

 Then we caught the tube and took photos of each other around Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus (not shown) so that we could say, 'been there!'.

Back to the hotel room for some rest before we hit the West End that evening :) Pauline had her cousin book tickets for a play...

My camera and I again caused another minor incident at the theatre. No pictures allowed but I still wanted some mementoes to bring home. We were told off in no uncertain terms that taking photographs is absolutely prohibited inside the theatre!

The play was 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat'. Essentially the story of the Prophet Joseph made into a musical...

Took a walk around the area after the play. With Christmas approaching, London was beautifully lit everywhere...

Really early the next morning, we checked out and caught the plane home. Oh, just wanted to share with you this deli at Heathrow called 'Eat'.

They have so many choices of sandwiches and salads with each box clearly labelled plus the complete list of ingredients for each meal. It certainly made it easier for me to avoid those I cannot eat and I had absolutely zero problems finding my breakfast here, unless being stymied by all the choices constitutes a problem :P

Wedding in the Sky

Fancy a wedding reception among the clouds?

My colleague did and so I got an invitation to KL Tower for his wedding reception. :)

I was quite excited and curious since this was my first time there. I thought I could get some good shots of KL from above, especially at night, but the glass was tinted and slightly dirty. 

With the simple SLR camera I have, it was a waste to even try... :P but being the shutterbug I am, I still snapped away at whatever scenes were available.

Congratulations Adwin and Pooi Kee, may it last happily throughout your lifetime...

Food File: the Ship, Bukit Bintang

Welcome to the Ship at Bukit Bintang!

This was my second visit and like the previous one, it was a dinner party. Upon entering, one's ears will be assaulted by music provided by the currently featured live band. 

I didn't quite dig this group- they played waAAY too many metal rock numbers that were painful to my 'finer' sensibilities... :P

For a set party like this, one will be served the obligatory mushroom soup with bread and butter. Then you need to choose one out of a choice of three set meals...

I suggest you go for the mixed grill (strip of beef, chicken and lamb; chicken sausage, beef bacon, fried egg, fries and vegetables), more variety and taste, but a bit wasteful if you're picky about what you eat...

If you're feeling a bit posh, then by all means go for the salmon steak. It's delicious, really! But all you get is a pice of fish with vegetables and fries...

But if you like something fancier, go for their 'Tiger and Phoenix' set- basically sizzling grilled tiger prawns and chicken cutlet together with corn on the cob, tomatoes and fries. This one's a real production number: first they put a bib on you (to prevent splashes from the sizzle) then they serve the thing with a whole lot of sizzle and smoke. However, I didn't taste anything special about it, it's just prawn and chicken...

Somewhere around 10.00pm, Bibi Keypoh (if you are wondering what I am, I am woman under construction) comes on comparing shoe size to dick size, especially for foreigners... Quite entertaining :)

This is followed by a mime and dance show. Depending on your luck, you usually get a truly fantastic show but we were presented with a somewhat boring one that night.

However, Bibi Keypoh and the dancers took centre stage one more time for a midnight encore and THAT show was, fortunately for us, most fabulous!

Aquafair 2008

Suria to KLCC to sonohen wo daikirai da! Shikashi...

...Kinokuniya is the only place where I can get my favourite comics in a timely manner! Nak harap MPH :(? Hampehhh!!! Order sampai 3 bulan pun blom tentu dapat lagi padahal kedai buku cabuk pun dah start jual manga tu tau! Hanginn satu badan!!!

You pay more for them of course (sekitar tambahan RM6-8.00 gitu :P) but it's soooo WORTH it!

Dan aku kalau tak sebut pasal makan almost tak sah kan? Cuma selepas diorang renovate food court ni pada suatu masa yang lampau (ye larr aku tau aku dah tuaaa :P), kualiti makanan dia, bagi aku ler, tak berbaloi dengan harga yang dibayar...

Tengahari tadi aku try chicken and mushroom sizzling mee. Luckily for me it was good but the best I've ever tasted was the one sold at that long ago food court in 1 Utama before the place started to grow up and have kids (yes, again this implies how old I already am :P)...

And this is the reason why I dragged myself out of the house instead of lazing about on a Sunday- Aquafair 2008 at KLCC Exhibition Halls 1 to 3!

Budak besar cam aku ni kena ketuk RM10.00 tapi kepada mereka yang minat menda-menda camni memang sangat-sangat worth it!

Aku ada terpikir nak bawak Cybershot DSC-V1 aku tuh tapi pikir-pikir balik... maleh aa pulak. Lagipun W880i aku pun Cybershot gak- boleh? Hehehe... :P

Macam pic marine aquarium kat atas tu hah... okey apa, cuma bila close up image tu blur aa...

Cantik tul aquascape diorang buat. InsyaAllah, bila ada kelapangan nanti aku pun akan maintain satu untuk display kat umah...

Aku balik cukup puas ati, berbekalkan kenangan, manga dan komik beserta 3 botol makanan ikan import jenama Tropical (RM18.80 sebotol boleh slash sampai RM8.00 sebotol, expiry Ogos 2011, so aku pun balun aa...) untuk ikan-ikan longkang yang aku bela kat kolam indoor garden umah aku.

Aku tau ada ler 2-3 orang reader yang menunggu aku update blog aku ni. So please stay tuned, I will slowly be updating some backdated posts for you to read :)

Please take note that semua posting tersebut akan muncul DI BAWAH post Aquafair ni sebab publish date dia aku set sebelum date post ni so rajin-rajin ler scroll down ek?

Terima kasih sebab sudi untuk terus menjadi pembaca setia!!!

Langkawi again!

Yes, I loOOVE Langkawi very much :P and this time around I have company :)

Merasa lar entry bergambor!

Selepas peristiwa aku terdengar soseh-soseh antara dua pramugari yang menyatakan pintu pesawat yang kitorang naiki tu ada problem dan tak boleh nak tutup, aku jadi trauma nak menggunakan khidmat Air Asia.

Walaubagaimanapun, sebab Air Asia dah kelibut tukar sume pesawat baru jadi konfiden ler skit aku nak naik kali ni...

First night, aku lepak-lepak makan sensorang kat Pantai Kok dekat dengan tempat penginapan aku. Geng sume hanya dapat join aku malam esoknya sebab tak dapat cuti rasanya...

Esok pagi lepas breakfast terus tuju Galeria Perdana. Makin luas dah selepas renovation. Pameran lukisan bertemakan Geopark kebetulan tengah display kat sini- ada nampak hasil lukisan Md Salleh Dawam, bapak member aku, dan jugak lukisan adik dia. Tapi lukisan dia sendiri takde jadi rasa terkilan gak...

Rupanyer ada shooting citer ape ntah kat galeria ni. Time rehat agaknye so ramai ler kru dok lepak sana sini dalam tu. Ada gak nampak si Ridzuan Hashim sama dengan 2-3 pelakon lain tengah rehat-rehat kat belakang sana...

Ntah nape aku maleh nak amik tau. So aku sibukkan diri aku amik gambar macro mana-mana display yang aku berkenan :P

Abis round galeria, singgah jap kat Bird Park. Walaupun begitu comel sekali anak-anak itik ni tapi pada pendapat aku, don't waste your money visiting this place. Not a lot of variety and also not very well maintained...

Sebab dah on the way, singgah Durian Perangin even though it's my least favourite nature spot in Langkawi. Tapi rasa beza tul lak tempat ni ari tu-  dengan air yang mengalir deras, dengan angin yang sepoi-sepoi bahasa... very soothing!

Dah! Cukup ler bahasa kesusateraan untuk ari ni- nanti kang jadi karya agung yang tak terpaham macam artikel Cik Easy kang! Naya jer... :P

Sebab heavy breakfast, petang kul 6 lebih baru ler singgah makan lunch+dinner kat warung Laksa Power kat tepi airfield sebelah Pantai Kok ni.

Kecewa skit sebab laksa dia dah kurang power berbanding last year. Kendian, bihun sup dia ganti mee rebus yang aku kurang minat. Cuma rojak buah dia ajer maintain sedap!

Malamnye kuar gi airport jemput bebudak tu!

Hah, ni lar dia tempat breakfast tetap kami sepanjang kat Langkawi kali ni- Restoran Mangga. Awai pagi dah juai nasi campoq noo... Lazats ya-amatz!

Lepas tu tuju Tanjung Rhu untuk tour Kilim Geopark. Seronok dan tenang ikut laluan sungai celah-celah hutan bakau. Ada ler stop sana sini tengok monyet mandi laut, helang sambar kulit ayam dan bermacam lagi tempat menarik bagi para pencinta alam :)

Berenti makan tengahari kat restoran terapung Hole-In-the-Wall. Ikan bakaq fresh fresh you alls!!! Selera sungguh makan!

Lepas tu gi main-main kat sangkar ikan yang disediakan di sebelah restoran tu. Seronok gak tengok ikan warna-warni, bagi makan ikan pari, tengok ikan kerapu besar budak 10 tahun ngap ikan yang dicampak dalam sangkar dia... Brrr... Ngeri siuttt!

Dalam kul 2 petang dah siap dah. Kitorang decide untuk shopping dulu kat Kuah lepas tu.

Malamnye kitorang kuar makan kat Pantai Chenang. Member aku, Wah yang bawak kitorang jalan-jalan sini cuma dia sendiri pun takde idea sangat apa yang best sebab banyak dah berubah. Jadi kitorang pakai masuk jer lar satu kedai betul-betul mengadap Underwater World ni tapi hampeh lar hidangan dia...

Ni lar Wah, penunjuk jalan kami malam tu- salah sorang anak bujang Md Salleh Dawam, pelukis terkenal kat Langkawi ni...

Third day kat Langkawi, lepas sarapan kat Restoran Mangga, kitorang gi naik keta kabel Gunung Machinchang. Sesiapa yang tengok Majalah 3 berkenaan Langkawi Geopark, perasan tak muka minah baju merah tu kuar TV? Hehehe... Aku lak takat nampak belakang badan jer...

Gambar yang tak berkaitan langsung dengan kitorang tapi aku seronok tengok perangai satu geng budak-budak muda yang dok posing sakan amik gambar. Sampai tukang amik gambar pun berposing maut di luar sedar... Hehehe! Jahat aku kan?

Turun jer Machinchang, melawat lak Telaga Tujuh. Mula-mula semua pakat nak mandi tapi sebab segan ramai orang akhirnye aku dengan member lagi sorang jer yang terjun :P Dah tu ujan lebat lak. Kitorang terperangkap jap kat kawasan rehat kat kaki bukit tu...

Dari Telaga Tujuh, ke Pantai Chenang semula. Makan tenghari kat sebuah kedai mamak pas tu masuk Underwater World.

Menarik gak tempat ni, jauh panggang dari api ler kalau nak dibandingkan dengan Bird Park tu!

Ni terowong underwater untuk kolam penguin. Kitorang bertuah sebab penguin tu tengah ada mood nak main-main sekitar kawasan ni. Kalau tak diorang lepak kat tempat diorang biasa diberi makan kat sebelah.

Jupe balik geng budak-budak muda tadi :P Hehehe! Kan sempoi mamat ni posing?

Minyak keta sewa banyak lagi, jadi kitorang pun cadang pusing-pusing pulau nak perabis minyak. Ni masa singgah kat satu lookput point dalam perjalanan antara Kuah dengan Padang Matsirat.

Malam tu makan kat satu restoran tepi sungai yang penah dilawati oleh Maria Tunku Sabri. Tapi cuma ikan bakar dia jer yang best, makanan lain sume out! Kak Maria, tak reliable lar you alls ni!!! :P

Akhirnye masa untuk pulang... Sarapan kali terakhir kat Restoran Mangga, pas tu pulangkan keta sewa.

Ntah camne elok-elok masa kitorang nak check in, boleh lak sistem komputer kat kaunter Air Asia ni down. Menunggu skit nyer lama padahal kapal terbang dah nak berlepas dah! Tu yang naik hijau masing-masing dah tukar jadi Incredible Hulk :P