WHITE WATER RAFTING PADAS RIVER (05-03-2011)

Padas River White Water Rafting in Sabah is a top rafting sites located at Pangi which is near Tenom. The water rafting will take place for a distance of 10 kilometers with 7 rapids(1st part) and 7 more KM (2nd part) exciting and challenging rapids from Class 3 to Class 4.

The story started like this.  I dont know where this idea (water rafting) came from.  One day when i sitting at my friend's cafe, I asked him whether he want to do water rafting.  He said no problem.  So i gathered few friends.  Initially, we got 8 persons but at the end, only 6 persons joined.  Our rafting should be on 06-11-2010 but due to there is landslide, the trip was cancelled.  All of us very disapointed.  The agent, Nur from Riverbug called me and asked whether we want for refund or postponed to other date.  After discussion, we made decision to postpone to next year.  5th of March 2011.

So, the day came, all of us, myself, Darly, Marry, James, Pet and Lau arrived at KK on 04-03-2011 and stayed at Marina Court.  Everyone so excited and waiting for the moment to come.  We also pray that this time no more cancellation. 

The day came, 05-03-2011.
0800am : Waited at entrance of Marina Court for Riverbug people to come to take us.  Waited for 30 minutes and the transport arrived.  Daniel, our guide informed us that they late because some of the customer late.  So we on the way to Padas River.  So excited.  Daniel informed that we will go straight to Tenom instead to Beaufort to take train.  It will take 3 hours ride.  OMG,  3 hours?
11.30am : Arrived at tenom and we need to ride a wooden plank fixed with wheels and placed on the rails, where 6 people would sit on it. The guides would then stand on the railcars, behind the passengers and push them to move using a long wooden stick. While it was not a smooth ride (45 minutes) and two of our members (Marry and Pet) meet minor accidents (when the guide fails to brake on time) both of them and one Ah moh gal thrown our from the railcar but it was certainly fun because it felt like taking a roller coaster through the forest along the river.
Reached the starting point and we attended a safety briefing by the Riverbug tour guides and were divided into groups. Our guide is Encik Lubi and he explain to us few simple instructions we were required to follow like Forward, Stop and Backward, each performed by rowing the paddles in different directions. Started our whitewater rafting, with seven grade III-IV rapids first 10 kilometers of the journey. The rapids were not continuous and there were long breaks between each rapid. Each rapid had a different name to it like Headhunter, Scooby Doo, Cobra, Washing Machine just to name few.  To prevent the raft from capsizing, you have to paddle forward very hard to break through the waves. I can proudly said we did a good job except one of our member fell into the water. Hahahahaaa..  Maybe the glue that he used to glue his buttock is not strong enough.  hahahahaaa..  Our guide, Encik Lubi always have us instruction to forward!!! Padle Harder!!!!.. Then we shouted "Push!!! Push!!! Forward!! Forward!!!".  It is a good experience.
When we reach the Rayoh Station, we are having our lunch.  Everybody look like Crocodile or Dinosaur,  hantam the foods on the table including me.
After finished our lunch, we started our rafting of 7 KM until we reach the end point.  Then we need to take speed boat to Beaufort train station.  We waited quite a long time the Sabah Bullet Train to arrive.  This is our 1st time to take a ride of Sabah Bullet Train (take a look of the photo).  A good experience to ride on this train.  i guess this train is older than my grandmother.  At that time, rain heavily and we reach at Kota Kinablu around 9.30pm. 
Everybody is very happy and I will come again next year for the rafting.  Thanks to Riverbug Crew and our agent, Nur.  Anyone want to try the Padas River Rafting, please contact Nur for the arrangement. 

TRUE EXPERIENCE AT 1st WORLD

I am kind of horror movie fans and love to watch ghost movies.  errr.. this is not about ghost movie story.  Is about true experience that I encountered when I and my friend visited Genting Resort few years ago.  My aunt who stayed at KL fetch me to genting and she told me that she has Platinum Maybank Card.  She using her card to check in for me as Maybank Platinum card does not required the cardmember to queue up for check in.

So I and my friend happily check in the room.  The room is located end (corner with window) and you need to walk quite far to reach the end side.  You know lar.. 1st World room is quite old and the toilet door when you open it, you will hear scratching sound.  There is window (corner room) and when you open the window, you can feel chilly.  After I put all my luggage, I continued with my outdoor activities.  After dinner and we went back to my room around 10pm (if i not wrong).  Seems I cant sleep and I watched TV.  While my friend already sleep.  Suddenly, I heard alot of noises from out, out of curiosity I looked from the door hole (every hotel room sure got one hole so that you can look outside your room) but no one outside.  Thinking that the opposite room is making the noises and not really care about it, so I continued to watch tv.  Here come the incident that made me damn scared.  Around 12am, I still watch tv, I heard the scratching sound from the toilet and it sound like the toliet door been opened and closed several times.  I just pretend nothing happen and continued to watch tv.  After a while, the sounds stop.  The next morning, I asked my friend did he heard anything last night and he told me that he heard someone opened the toilet door several times but not care coz he thought that I am the one go to toilet.  The next night, nothing happen and everyhting is normal until I check out.

Back to Sandakan,  my other friends told me that next time dont stay at the last room or corner room coz most of the rooms are haunted.  Anyone notice some of the hotel rooms they put bible or holy book?  Have anyone think why they need to put the bible or holy book there?

BALI, INDONESIA 29 NOv 2009

 My 1st stop for the 2nd day at Bali is to watch Balung dance.  1st time i watch this kind of dance and is quite interesting.

 After watched the Balung dance, the pakcik (our travel guide) bring us to the largest public market in Bali.  The market has two buildings, one is selling handycraft and the other one is selling foods and clothes.  Is quite big and the pakcik warn us to be careful of those people asking you to buy something.  Some of the people there try to persuade you to buy an expensive good and if you dont buy, they may get agressive.  The best way is to avoid talk to them.

 

 This is padi field, I captured this photo is when I on the way to Tanah Lot.  Quite amazing and very beautiful.

 This is the stalls at Tanah Lot.  They sell alot of souveniors and clothes.  I bought two shirts here but the quality is not good.  

The famous temple at Tanah Lot.    

My lunch at Tanah Lot.  Chicken and Maggi Mee.

 The above photos is where I watched Kecak Dance at Uluwatu.  Kecak dance is a form of music drama,  originated in the 1930.  Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, performed by a circle of 100 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana where the monkey helped Prince Ramayana fight the evil King Ravana. 

After Uluwatu, the next destination is to Jimbaran Bay to have my dinner.  The dinner quite expensive but is quite nice.  1st time I have my dinner at the beach side with bottle of local beer.

The 3rd day (30-11-2009) is my day back to Malaysia.

BALI, INDONESIA (1st Day) NOv 2009

After so many research from lonely planet to tripadvisor, i decided to visit Bali, Indonesia and the best part is that I managed to get cheap airfare and is from MAS.  Fuyohh... actually is from Mata fair.  Only cost me RM500++ (SDK-KL-BALI-KL-SDK).  MAS woh... not Airasia woh... Stay one nite at Tune Hotel and the next day early of morning need take cab from Tune Hotel to KLIA.  The cab driver .. fuhhhh.. drived like Formula 1 driver.. Lucky I survived and safely reach KLIA less than 10 minutes.  Thank god.  At KLIA, since still early, I decided to hantam the Dim Sum at errr.. forgot the name of the restaurant that next to McDonald.  hmm... D Dim Sum so so saja.. still prefer our SDK Sandakan Hotel Dim Sum.  No wonder people said SDK ppl taste so fussy.  Who care.. our demand on foods are very high.. correct?

My lunch (MAS)

Here I arrived Bali,  the photos will speak for the stories.

This the statue when you come out from Airport.

 Yeah... I arrived at Kuta town.

 Here where I will stay.  Tanaya B & B.  Very very very clean.  I highly recommend you stay here.  But I heard the price already increased.  The only set back is the counter staff.  They not able to carry out customer instructions.
Anyway, I rated this B&B hmm... 90%.

This is how the B&B receiptionist hall look like.

 Memoir statue.  This where the Pub been boom and alot people dead.  The pakcik told me that Bali people love peace and they condemn the extremist who boom this place.

 Hah... this is Kuta beach.  opsssss.... what this guy doing?  Maybe too tired swimmed from USA to Bali.  Take a rest...

 This is the famous tradisional bali foods... is chicken but i cant remember the name.  Becareful,  this dish is extremely spicy.  I cant finished it.  Too spicy for me.  Whoever cant eat spicy food, forget about this dish.

 Ahhhh..... Before I come to Bali, my friend told me try this food,  Is "Babi Guling".  I dont know why they called it Babi Guling.  Maybe the babi guling on the floor before they cook the pig.  This one not spicy.  Ngam for me... hehehheee..