Conquering Mount Rinjani

People who know me well, knows that I hate camping, hate the feeling of stickiness and not be able to shower even for a day. But somehow, I end up signing up for a 3 days 2 nights including CAMPING to Rinjani!

It all started when I got  message from a friend asking me whether I am interested for a hike to Rinjani. I was like Rinjani what?!! Then I ask her day trip ah? She said no and there is camping involved. I told her no way I am going as I hate camping. But I asked another two friends and they said yes and somehow due to my yolo spirit and kiasuness of not wanting to ffk these two friends whom I persuaded to join the trip, I end up buying the flight ticket and paying for the 'camping' trip. I did not do much research nor train much other than hiking up Gunung Nuang two weeks prior and a two hour hike up to Pulpit Rock when I was in Norway. 

The day came when we boarded the flight to Lombok and then another two hours on the road to the foot of the mountain. Our group consist of total of 16 people with 8 were from the same group/clique. I prepared myself for the worst as we ate dinner and take a long shower before hitting the bed. We had three guides, Sarwan, Anan and Erun with another 16 porters bringing our big rucksacks, food, gas, tent, chairs and etc...yes...they brought even chairs up to the mountain, something we very much appreciated later on. We were briefed on the route and the hours for each route the night before. Physically I was prepared, mentally I was not sure..more like mentally not going to shower for 3 days. The plan is to use Sembalun trail for ascent and then Senaru for descent and spend 1 night each at the crater rim and hot spring. 

Carb loading before the hike

Our hotel at the foot of the hill

First stop. Let's take a photo

Our group of 16
(photo credit to tour leader)

The real deal is on the right hand side of the photo
(photo credit to tour leader)

We started the day around 9 am after having a heavy breakfast. The day was hot and humid and not long after 10 mins, I have started to sweat and asking myself why would I signed up for this. After about 1 hour, we took a small break eating bananas and filling up our tummies. This was before we reached Post 1 and it's already crazily hot and felt like in a savannah. After about two hours we reached the spot for our lunch, which is Post 2. We saw some half naked Dannish man running up along the trail and stopped at the same spot as us. My tour leader in his finest sense of humour decided he needed to take the moment of half naked men in full glory and captured us in his photos. Well, as least there were something for us girls to look back in the future:) After seemed like a more than hour of lunch and three bowl of rice for myself (I have never taken more than half a bowl of rice at home), we continue the journey, this time through the hot savannah field with not a single tree for shade.

Lunch for the day
(photo credit to tour leader)

cooking in the progress. the porter even brought a gas stove along!

check out all the stuff the porter has the carry

Oh and not forgetting that every few minutes, I felt like I was being 'chased' by one of the lady in our group. Apparently, after I told this to my other friends, they said the same thing of her trying to catch up with me and another girl. Sigh..it's not a race my dear! I conserved my energy and used most of the yoga breathing and small steps to hike up the Bukit Penyesalan, where there are seven small hills to be hiked. After seemed like eternity, we reached the camping site but to my horrow, it's surrounded by mist and I can barely see anything, let alone the lake or the peak of Rinjani. Apparently, our tent were set up at the most strategic spot overlooking the lake, but all I can see is layers and layers of mist. We settled down for the night and imagine my big surprise and happiness when we were provided with mattress and pillows. Ok, don't expect like the soft mattress and pillows in hotel but they were good enough for me, someone who hates camping! We washed up or more like using sheets and sheets of wet tissue for 'shower' and then I went out to 'survey' on the makeshift toilet prepared for us. Surprisingly again, it was far exceeded my expectation or maybe my expectation has been lowered down after witnessing how bad the toilet situation back in Everest Base camp. Soon after, we had our dinner and once again, it's a fight to get the chicken, lol.

The next morning, we were woken up around 1.30 am to ascent the peak in time to catch the sunrise. Before the trip, I repeatedly told my friends that I am not gonna try ascending the peak and I just wanna chill at the camp while waiting for sunrise. But somehow, kiasuness kicks in again and off I went in the dark, dusty, full of rocks and sand trail. We started the journey quite late and I knew that I won't make it for the sunrise and hence took my own sweet time to hike up. The first 70% of the trail was ok, fairly doable but the last 30% where the loose sand, rocks, volcanic dust and not forgetting the chill wind which I swear was blowing at almost 80km/h. Every three steps up were followed by two steps down and it was so demotivating that after half an hour, I barely move 50m! I spotted our guide, Sar and Anan along the way and many thanks to them that I managed to reach the peak at 8am. I even asked Anan to shield the 80km/h wind for me, lol.

the toughest part of the journey
(photo credit to tour leader)

Only manage to catch the sunrise mid way

The lake is totally covered in clouds

tour leader making his signature coffee tarik

Made it to the top

What I did't expect was it was really cold up at the peak and I was practically shivering through my jacket and uniqlo extra warm heattech. And while waiting for my tour leader who tried so desperately to light up the fire to boil his coffee tarik, a signature drink that he must do everytime he went up any peak of mountain or hill. After the arrival of the last member of the group, we did some group shots and savoured our hot coffee tarik. Then it's time to head down and here comes the tough part. You see, I have no qualms of climbing up any mountain but I have trouble going down. With the loose rocks and sand, I fell down more than 10 times and I think after that, one of the guide took pity of me and kind of fed up that I was so slow that he proceed to help me 'figure skate' down the mountain! At one point, I fell and almost dragged him down with me, almost making him the first guide in history to 'tergolek' down, lol. With the skating down part, I had to stop every 30 minutes to get the sand and rocks out of my shoe before continuing the skating and after 3 hours I finally managed to reach the campsite in one piece but covered in volcanic dust from head to toe. As it was almost 1pm, we had to make a decision whether to proceed to the hot spring or stay another night at the campsite. As I was too 'pancit' to walk anymore, I voted for another night and the same with the others. Meanwhile 8 others will descent back to the foot of the mountain to catch the transport to the Gili Island. I think our decision to stay on made the guides and porters extremely happy as the dinner for the night, we get to eat two whole chicken between the 8 of us instead fighting over a small piece of chicken like the other night!

Dinner in progress
(photo credit to tour leader)

BBQ chicken, two whole chicken instead of bite size chicken
(photo credit to tour leader)

After conquering Rinjani
(photo credit to tour leader)

Camping in style

Segera Anak lake

We were so happy to finally see the lake 

The decision to stay another night at the campsite proved to be the best decision made as we managed to catch up on sleep, rest and finally able to see the lake in front of our tent during sunset. We also enjoyed gazing at the stars at night with the warmth from the campfire while trying to guess the title of the movies mentioned by our guides, haha. During the night, it rained but surprisingly it was quite warm in the camp. I was surprised that I was really enjoying my stay in the camp and quite chill about not showering for the 2 full days.

We enjoyed our hike down which turn took us about 8 hours plus lunch in between as we played, sang, jump and skipped along. I think our guide must be thinking these people were crazy and they might as well joined in the fun, lol

Plenty of Edelweiss

And my guide keep asking me to take a photo of him with the cow

Another jump in front of Rinjani

Crazy things that we do while descending
(photo credit to tour leader)

See what I mean, even our guide Sar and Anan joined in the fun

Didn't know that a can of coke can make us this happy

Rolling hills of Rinjani

And finally we made it back in one piece with 3 days of dirt and unforgetable memories

 Going on this trip made me cherished little things in life such as comfortable bed, meat, shower, being in good company and having good health. It is also my first ever camping trip that I really enjoyed and this time around, my leg was fully recovered from the ache by the second day, unlike the previous time in KK when it took me a week to fully recover. I guess being prepared and doing some yoga really helps a lot. To all the porters and the guide we had, trully appreaciate what they did, taking care of us for the past few days and not forgetting tour leader for organising this and lastly, my dear friend who first contacted and asked me,"Eh, wanna go hike Rinjani or not"? and to think that I almost ffk her :)

Wingardium Leviosa to Warner Bros Studio (The Making of Harry Potter), London

Blows off dust from my blog...wow it's been ages since I have updated, the last entry was in early Jan 2016 and now it's half a year gone from 2016. Truth is I do not have that blogging mood anymore and plus I don't really like to post about personal stuff here anymore or anywhere else, so yea, only travelling and photography related will be able to make an appearance here.

I have been travelling to Europe or specifically Norway, Finland, Estonia and UK the last 3 weeks or so. It's a break I have been longing for a very long time and take some time off to not think about stuff. For me the highlight of the trip gotta be the visit to Warner Bros studio tour, the making of Harry Potter. I was a Harry Potter fan, having read all the books and watch all the movies, so this tour of the studio for the making of the movie really sets the expectation. I have been to the studio making of LOTR, so I half expected something like that and full of tourists.

We actually booked the tickets in advance but only managed to get the 1.30pm slot, probably due to bank holiday. We stopped at Watford Junction station via train and since we were 2 hours early, we decided to stop by for some early lunch/late breakfast at one of the pub. Bad decision as our food only came after almost 45 mins wait and we gobbled down the food in 5 minutes in order to catch the 12.20pm bus. The bus ride is about 15 mins and cost about 2.5 pound both ways. It was the fastest breakfast/brunch I ever had!

The bus itself was decorated with the Harry Potter related stuff on the outside and once we reached the entrance of the studio, we were blown away. It felt like we were brought into the movie itself. Giant posters of the actors and actresses decorate the main hallway upon entrance and the queue was long. We had to line up for half and hour before getting in. Once we were in the waiting room, the staff brief us on the movie production and we were shown some footage of the production. It really brought back good memories of why I love the books and the movies in the first place.

The shuttle bus from Watford station to the studio

Entrance to the studio, we were so excited!

Right before the entrance. Seeing the photos of the actors brought back a lot of memories

Once we enter the main hall, we were so excited with the props and keep reenacting the scene in the main hall with all the floating candles and the famous sorting hat in the middle of the hallway. The studio for the making of Harry Potter comprise of studio J and K with a backlot in the middle of the two studio. Studio J is more like props and location used for the filming while studio K is more the makeup, drawing board and conceptual art.

Sorting Hat at the Main Hall

Gryffindor common room

Scene from the headmaster room when Dolores Umbridge is the headmaster

After the main hall, we headed to the main studio J and this is where all the location such as the Weasley's home at the Burrows, Potion room, Gryffindor common room and the boy's dorm, the goblet of fire, the snake door from the Chamber of Secrets and not forgetting Dumbledore's headmaster room. The highlight will be the trying out the flying broom via green screen. It was fun looking as yourself at the tv and trying all funny sorts of expressions and motions. Although we did not purchase the video and photo, the experience itself was really fun. The next best part was trying to get the letters from Hogwarts which was spit out from a door every 10 minutes. And then off to the Platform 9 3/4 and the real Hogwarts train.

Hogwarts choo choo train

Going through Platform 9 3/4

We took a break at a cafe at the backlot and had some butterbeer drink, ice cream and cupcakes. Privet drive was opened for visit only for that week and we had a chance to peek inside of the living hall when letters from Hogwarts was flying in from the chimney. The letter are practically floating in the air!

Remember this scene from the first movie?

Butterbeer drink, ice cream and cupcakes (though it looks more muffin to me)

Another impressive stuff in studio K will be the Hogwarts model which is not miniature at all. It's so surreal to see the details and effort being put in to construct such props. And not forgetting the impression drawings and the makeup and hair!! saw Luna's hair/wig being display.

Check out the drawing board, literally every single prop up to Dumbledore's chair are drawn to detail!

At Diagon Alley

Model of Hogwarts

Another view of Hogwarts. The model really blew us away

We finished touring the place in 5 hours as we took our own sweet time reading and appreciating each of the details. This is definitely the best studio I ever had and highly recommended for Harry Potter's fan. Take your time to see each and every detail and try out all the simulation especially the green screen. It was really fun and interactive and able to take photos and videos made it well worth the 35 pound spend. If possible, go early in the morning as the crowd will be less compared to afternoon.

Happy New Year 2016

Unlike past tradition which I would reflect the happenings in the previous year, I won't do it for 2015. I don't want to end up writing about depressing stuff while this blog is supposed to capture my adventures, my love for photography and travelling.

I have not have a chance to exercise my photography skills since the last photography trip to Ipoh in July. Bangkok and Kuching trip do not really count as I barely take the camera out of the bag. On a happier note, finally found a perfect bag to keep the big ass fella while shopping in Mitsui Outlet park the other day. Although it's slightly pricey but since it's from Converse and in a shocking pink, I will take that, haha and not that I even love pink. Just wanted something bright and does not shout camera bag. Too bad, the big ass fella won't get much chance this year to see the light as I barely have any travel/holiday planned for the year. Sometimes, I just wish my hb would surprise me a holiday all planned out for once. I am getting tired always being the one doing the planning, camping in front of the pc waiting for flight ticket sales and making sure he's not hungry while travelling. Just for once, this year I wish it is the other way round.

And like previous year, I don't make anymore new year resolution. I kind of lost my believe in resolutions and even wishes the last few years. That's why I foresee the above simple wish will probably just remain as a wish.

Will try my best to getting out all the backlogs of travels from last year since I won't much to write about this year. Really miss all my adventures and especially my travel besties. Travelling is more fun with both of them around and kind of missed all the stupid stuff we did while holidaying ie trying to dry our clothes in the dryer for 10 times in NZ and not forgetting the epic of doing nothing and waiting the time for lunch, dinner, shower and sleep while in Tibet!

Chinese Version of Criminal Minds

Once I start, I couldn't stop.

Nay, not eating, or talking or sleeping. I am talking about starting chasing a drama. Close friends would know that I was actually a TVB drama addict. I can marathon a few episodes or even a full drama in two days. But since the last few months, I have been shifting my focus to C-dramas, chinese dramas produced by China. Haha, gotta be specific. It started when I was in Kuching following this ancient fairy mixed wushu drama, The Journey of Flower just to pass time at night and recently I am hooked to another new C-drama called 'Love Me if You Dare'. Ignore the title, it was tad too cheesy, but the drama is good considering that it's something like the chinese version of Criminal Mind and I love Criminal Minds.

And nothing will get me hooked if the lead actor is not good looking, haha. Yup, the main actor was good looking (and he was the same actor in The Journey of Flower) and with a nerdy and bizarre personality makes it more attractive to watch. The storyline so far is not bad and I found out that it was adopted from a novel.

Sigh, I miss those good old tvb dramas with good storyline and good looking actors like Mysteries of Love. Kenneth Ma was so yau yeng in that drama! Meanwhile, just gotta feast my eyes on other chinese speaking country production drama besides HK.

Ok, end of another 'wu liao' post

Canola Flowers in Spring @ Daejeo, Busan

The vast field of canola flowers

Canola flower is something I did not expect when I was in Korea. Instead I was expecting pink sakura flowers blooming. But to my disappointment, most of the flowers already dead by the time we reach Busan and Seoul. Basically, the trees already botak when we were in Busan but still managed to catch a glimpse in Seoul. Kind of sad and disappointed but as my friend said, why sad when I had seen the best sakura in Japan.

So I was glad that instead of the pink flowers, we caught the yellow flowers instead. Also thanks to this friend who pointed out where to catch the flowers in its full glory. We picked the best day with the best weather to see the flowers at the farm near to Busan town. It's actually quite easy to reach via the subway and it is a walking distance from the train station. You can actually see the farm from the train before approaching the station.

No tripod, so have to improvise using boxes available at the farm. 

We were lucky that the sun came out to greet us after hiding for the last few days in Busan

Looks at all the paper windmills

One of the few decent photos that my hubby managed to take

The farm reminds me of Sekinchan

We walked a bit to the canola flowers farm and since it was only 10am, the crowd had not come yet and we had the place to our own for quite some time. But the sad part was, i brought my tripod but my husband forgot to put in the tripod head, so instead of getting nice photos, I had to use the boxes and other stuff as the tripod. Was a bit sad but it did not dampened my mood to snap nice photos away.

Actually was quite impressed that my husband managed to snap some good photos of me, haha.


To get to the canola farm, take the metro line 3 and stop at Gangseo-Gu Office.

Missing in Action

*blows dust off my blog*....

I did not even realised that I have not written anything for the last few months, although I found a few drafts sitting or rather rotting in my notebook. Yea, I know I have not been diligently updating about what's happening in my life right now, I rather not write here as it's mostly depressing and half of the time trying to survive my insane working assignments that come one after another. Went to Kuching for a job assignment and then coupled with some issues of my condo which I was really pissed off with the neighbour downstairs making demands while he conveniently forgot that I was also the victim of him conveniently forgot that these issues should be resolved during the warranty period and not after. Which I then make myself conveniently forgot to answer his and the management calls.

Came back from Kuching and realised that I gained weight due to the constant eating and drinking of the 3 layers tea almost every other day. I just can't stop drinking this 3 layers tea with milk , tea and palm sugar which makes it even tastier. Did not realised that Kuching have quite a bit of nice food and I super love the Sarawak laksa, kolo mee and the pork satay. All located quite near to our hotel. We even tried the Kelabit food nearby the hotel.

The Kong Peah is slightly different from the Sitiawan. I personally think it's a bit oily 

  

The Kongsi gelap chicken rice. The owner and the chicken chopper are all tatooed

Kelabit dish.
Albeit the pricey menu, it was actually quite nice.
The restaurant is called Tribal Stove

Qing Xin Ling 清心嶺 @ Ipoh

Qing Xin Ling at Ipoh

So, over the weekend the photography gang decided to throw a farewell for one of the gang who is leaving for the states in a month's time. After much deliberation, we decided to head to Ipoh for the weekend, for food and for photography as requested by Bee. As she is the queen of the gang and also the one that we were celebrating, we booked two rooms at Sekeping Kong Heng which is smacked in the middle of the Ipoh old town complete with food and plenty of photography opportunities.

Initially, we did not have any idea for photography until I saw some photos from my friend who went to this place called Qing Xin Ling near to the Gunung Rapat. It's actually located quite near to a few famous temples such as Sam Poh Tong and Kek lok Tong and not too far away from the Simpang Pulai toll plaza.

Models of the day

Mirror lake

I can see a bit of Krabi plus Gui Lin 

Qing Xin Ling is located in the middle of some taman perumahan and hence it's a bit difficult to find without the GPS. We managed to reach the place at noon after stopping in Bidor for breakfast. Seriously, the food in Pun Chun restaurant is getting more expensive with the amount of mee that they gave. I would not go back and pay RM 7 for a fraction of the wan tan mee and it's not even like the best mee in the town.

The entrance fee to Qing Xin Ling cost RM 4 and they have chalets in the village which can be stayed overnight. Qing Xin Ling is more like a cultural village with lots of old antique stuff dated years back and the whole place is not very big but there's plenty of things to explore and take photo. And hence started the craze of flipping hair and turn around portrait shots. Haha. Trick that I learned in Hanoi.

Reenactment of a shop scene from the 60s

Bee basking in the attention given 

Love this shot of the gang.
Too bad I am not in the picture

We spent about 2 hours in a place taking numerous ridiculous shots and stopping at each corner, haha. The whole village is very vintage and there is even an old juke box playing oldies. We spotted so many vintage things along the way. Oh, do walk up the hill which displays most of the vintage stuff along the hill. Although it' kind of creepy some parts but it's a very good view. There's even an antique place for washing clothes.

Kind of glad that we manage to see this place and enjoyed it so much even for my non photography friend who tagged along. Most of the time, she had to be the model of the day, haha. The cultural village looks a lot like a scenery from China.  With the limestone as the background, it does have a bit of Gui Lin's vibe in it.

Those colourful houses are actually chalets

If you stayed inside the cultural village, entrance fees is free

After Qing Xin Ling, we went to the old town to check in and time for makan makan. That will be another post in another day.