Wednesday, December 31, 2014

The last of 2014

Time flies isn't it.
We are at the last day of the year. My year in review....

Left my first company Abbott and joined another major player. Was a very tough decision, and I still do miss my colleagues. It became more of a family than colleagues.

Completed my studies and obtained my professional certs. This was a long journey, considering all my friends not already not studying... haha... Learning is a lifelong journey, and I do believe in it. It is not only textbook oriented, but also real life experiences makes you learn as you grow. It's the perspective on how you see things then you will be able to realise that you are learning.

Travelling is also a learning process. Learned about different cultures, experiencing different lifestyles.
This year was fantastic, from Taiwan, Thailand, and Cameron Highlands. All of them are new experiences. Yes, even Thailand.... seeing temples the whole day was new. hahah

I also took up my first lesson in wakeboarding and on/off went for a few. It was challenging but fun as well. Managed to stand up for a longer period of time and learnt to go left and right. Will continue this expensive sport, but not so often lah.

Focusing on tax specialisation this year is in a way, a new role for me. I didn't see this coming. But it's something that I don't hate or dread. People don't believe me, but I really do like tax because it's challenging and it changes with the economy. It's not dead.

I must say this year really has been a wonderful year for me, blessed with many true friends around, and happily in a relationship, and enjoying my super work-life balance career. haha...
Next year....... let's watch. :)

 

Happy 2015 everyone!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Cameron Highlands: Lavender Garden and Big Red Strawberry Farm

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
 
This month passed TOO FAST that I cannot even catch up and have time to sit and use my lappy. That shows that I haven been regularly at home for dinners too! opps.
 
Super back log with all my photos!
 
Let me continue the last stretch of Cameron Highlands..
The last day saw us going to Lavender Garden and Big Red Strawberry Farm.
It's really difficult to get a taxi anywhere, so you will have to book a taxi if you wanna go from place to place. Standard price is RM$25 per hour.
However, we did not exactly book a taxi cause my relative drove us to the new shopping centre for lunch and thereafter we tried hitching a ride. People there are generally quite friendly so I think can try if you dare lah.
Luckily, the public bus (they only have 1) came in time! So we hopped on and reached our first destination - Lavender Garden.
 
 
 
It's really a big garden at the entrance and it's so pretty!
Don't feel like in Malaysia at least.
 
 
Dotty car!
 
 
 
Going upwards, they have flower garden too!
Here's yuez with her matchy flower with her top. hehe..
 
 
Such bright vibrant flower - what not to love :)


 



 

 
Of course, I became slightly hyper and snapping away!
I love flowers!

 
However, sad to say is that there isn't much lavender when it's called lavender garden. hahaha...
 
It took us about an hour very leisurely to finish the whole place.
After that, we managed to ask a taxi driver to call his "kaki" and pick us up to go Big Red Strawberry Farm.
There's seriously lots of strawberry farm so ... cannot decide which one is the best. So we randomly picked one that's near the night market and their main street area.
 
It was huge! It has a plot of vegetable plantation which is so fresh and delicious to eat!
Perks of highlands. Cool weather and the plants can bloom so pretty.
 

 
Of course, we were focused and went to our main objective - strawberry picking!!!
You will have to fill at least half of the box they give and it cost abit more expensive. If you head down to the night market, big boxes of strawberry are really cheap.
But that's the fun - picking the strawberries! I had fun! One time enough. hhahaha...
 




 
It turns out Sylvia and mine (we shared 1 box) had bigger strawberries inside than yuez. hahaha...
Yuez picked all small strawberries and so I tried to pick bigger ones for her. Can see obviously who picked which one. hahaha...
 
 
After all the fun, we went for steamboat dinner cause it was raining and the weather is shiok to eat steamboat! We went to this restaurant which is just opposite of the taxi terminal/ big carpark.
 
 
This is a portion for 2 pax! Huge! But has lots of vegetables.
You can order 2 pax even though we have 3 person. Don't need to go by per head.
 
The tom yum soup was really spicy and sour and super shiok!
We had a long dinner while it kept on raining..
 



 
When I got back, I had a super bad tummy ache... and I think it was because of the tom yum soup that I kept dranking. It was really bad. It has been a long time since I had gastric like symptom.
Thankfully, after taking some meds, it was much better.
 
When we left for Singapore, a terrible thing happened.... our bus broke down!!!!!
We waited for like 3 hours before we could continue our journey, so by the time we reached Singapore, it was really past midnight!!! and I still had work the next day.. -.-""
We were supposed to reach around 7/8pm so I didn't take leave.
Super suay.....
 
Cameron Highlands I felt is a very slow pace environment and not much things to do so it's a good place to unwind and chill.
However, because more and more investors are going in and building condos etc, it's disrupting the nature and thus, the climate changed as well.
Do head there before it starts to be not cold anymore.
 
==END OF CAMERON HIGHLAND TRAVELOGUE==

 

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Cameron Highlands - Bee Farm, Time Tunnel Museum & The Smokehouse

Continuing our journey for Day 1 after BOH tea, we went on to the Honeybee farm which is just down the hill exiting the Boh tea plantation. It's just beside the new shopping centre called Cameron Square. Note: There isn't much to shop at this new shopping centre cause it's not ready yet as of Nov 2014. Only Old Town was open. haha.
 
So Bee farm. My most dreaded place. Ewww...
And because of this, there's only 1 photo because I refuse to upload so many. Yuez took the photos cause I didn't wanna be near to them. hehe...
 
 
There were alot of little wooden boxed up houses for them to pick and bring back "home" the honey.

 
Shortly after, we made our way to the Time Tunnel Museum.
There's quite alot of things to see as most of the stuff are very old and probably not your era, unless you are old enough.
You get to see what the older generation use without advance technology.

 
The younger Lee Kuan Yew and the son.





 
After the tour, we went on the have our high tea at The Smokehouse.
It's a english tudor style house, in colonial ambience.
It serves English high tea with traditional scones, strawberry jam and cream. That's their popular favourite.
Not only that, the whole place is filled with picture worthy moments. Everything inside is beautifully decorated.
Apparently, the garden has won some awards!
Of course then, who would not take many pictures? hehe...
Note that the price isn't very cheap (in malaysia).








Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Cameron Highlands - Westwood Highland & Boh Tea Plantation

November has been busy, and now December is getting even busier!
Better blog whenever I have time.
Most of my weekends in December are booked!
With 1 more month to the end of 2014, it's time to reflect on what has been a blessing, and what has fallen short of your expectation.
Nonetheless, end 2014 with a good one and be thankful that's just is.
 
Cameron Highland trip with the girls minus 1 over the weekend!
It was a super long 9.5 hours trip by coach. Only 1 coach company goes up from Singapore, and that is Konsortium. Leaves Singapore at 2230hrs and arrive there about 7plus AM depending on traffic.
My first ever super long ride.
 
Upon arrival, my cousin picked us up from Kampung Raja bus terminal.
Then we chose our stay for 2 nights.
 
They recently just built some sort like a "minsu" or a hostel like house.
 

 
We chose the room that could see stars at night at our window and a flower garden view when we look down.

 
First floor dining room. Japanese style concept I feel... with bean bags seating.

 
Outside the dining room, the balcony. This view, definitely don't look like we are in Malaysia.


 
Two "café owners" who are traitors. hahaha... I don't recall seeing them waving our own flag though.
 
 
Below is the flower garden that my relative plants...
Very beautiful daisies blooming. Totally in love with them!

 
There's a reason to this picture. Can you spot it? hehehe...

 
After settling down, we went to our first stop which is Boh Tea Plantation. This is a famous attraction in Cameron Highlands. And if you drink tea, can go and tour around and buy home some products.
 
We walked through the process of tea making, which feels like super old school.
No high technology ...haha 

 
Olden days equipment which they used to pick the leaves.

 
A part of Boh's tea plantation. I think they own a very huge place. Awesome scenery for a place like Malaysia. And with the cooling weather, having tea at their café is quite relaxing.
Yuez is the only one who finds it unrelaxing because of the houseflies. hahahaha.


 
Tourist shot.
 

 
When we drove down, my relative was nice to stop by the side of the tea plantation and we took a picture with the tea plantation! It's so green that it gives me a feeling of a wallpaper.

 
Love this shot. Nature shot.

 
Do sit at the café and slowly enjoy the tea because the weather is quite cooling. and very good for your eyes. Every where you see is green. haha..
Okay, I like lah.