Travel In KTM Komuter - Women Want Equal Rights But Can't Handle Equality Themselves

Travel. This blog focusing more on travel experiences.
What about your travel experience in the city?
Have you ever travel with KTM Komuter in KL? The issue that I want to touch in here is about discrimination or 'cliche' I might say, on gender bias.


Today I was out to meet someone in Subang where I don't know how to drive to get there. Couldn't get a taxi after waited for 30 minutes. I was late. There was no other public transports beside KTM KOMUTER that will take me there. A little phobia to take komuter as I still remember the horrible delayed trains experiences, the unreliable schedule system and etc just made my heart felt very heavy and saggy. I basically forced and dragged my feet to the Komuter Station.

Well the first thing I noticed when my train arrived was there is a new segregation system on the train carriage. As usual each of the Komuter trip arrive with three carriages. I found out that the middle carriage is now allocated only for women. I was actually surprised to see this.

There were many people and to my other surprise, there are a lot of women who actually queued on the non-women section too. The train arrived and when the train door opened I was close to the women's carriage, I just jumped in as I was also in a hurry and I believe I will not get a place inside the men section based on the amount of people there who tried to get in (including those women who queued on men's section).


When I was inside the train, I looked around and I was surrounded by all women. I didn't bother so much because I was late to meet someone and I know I paid the same fare.

Well the best part was there is one lady who wanted to show her leadership to the other women said to me,
"Adik, kat sini untuk perempuan jer la.. U kena pergi yang belakang or depan punyer".

My answer was,
"Tapi yang depan and belakang tu dah penuh, so saya nak cepat, terpaksa naik yang ni".

She didn't stop there, she pushed again by saying,
"Aik kalau dah penuh kena la tunggu yang kosong punyer".

And she said it with an evil smile. With that evil smile, I replied her back,
"Penuh tu pun akak sila la bukak mata tengok perempuan punyer la banyak dalam tu...Kalau dah sediakan gerabak ni khas untuk wanita je, yang diorang dok sebok menyemak dalam gerabak lelaki tu apahal? Lagipun, cuba akak check harga tiket yang akak bayar tu dengan saya, ada beza ke? Kalau sama je, kenapa pulak akak dapat keistimewaan daripada saya? Kalau akak bayar lebih dari saya takper".

Then this lady replied with a very rude tone in hope to smashed me by saying,
"We all women, mestila nak special protection and hak keistimewaan!"

Then I replied her back,
"Ooo...kalau bender-bender tertentu nak pulak hak keistimewaan, dilindung dan dijaga dengan cara yang berlainan dari lelaki. Tapi kat akhbar tu, hari-hari dok perjuangkan hak samarata, pantang kalau wanita tak dapat peluang sama dengan lelaki, kedudukan wanita tak disamaratakan dengan lelaki, pandai marah and buat bising memekak! Tapi biler bender-bender tertentu tak mau pulak samarata dengan lelaki?!"

With that she stunned for a moment and I saw her face tried to find for an answer but she was speechless. Finally she just turned her face away from me and let out a disgruntle remark.

Well I know that what I stated might sound harsh but it is in fact the reality. First, it is unfair for both of the genders to pay same fares but one is getting a special treatment from the other.
Second if the middle carriage is really located for women for their safety and special protection and men is not allowed to enter, then apply the same rules and principles to women. Please don't let them enter the men carriages. We don't need protection. We need space.

I am puzzled actually to think about this. There a lot of issues as we all know where women fight for equal rights with men everyday in every part of the world. For example even it is clear in Islam men make better leaders, most Muslim women don't agree. They want more women to be considered for leaders, they complained about women don't get same opportunity with men, women want what men have, women want to fight on a same fair level playing-field with men in daily life, etc and they even said that women shouldn't let themselves tolerate and accept polygamy although it is clearly mentioned in our religion that men are allow to marry more than one.


THE BIG QUESTION is if women really want some equal rights with men then fight like men. You don't expect to march on a battlefield and hope for some special treatment in certain issues. You want equality? Then don't complaint if you are getting it!

It is really unfair that when the issue favor your gender by getting equality, you demand for equality and make a big noise about it. But when in certain areas where you don't get special treatment by having an equality, you ask for special treatment and also make a big noise about it!

Women out there...please get real!!!
I am tired of these craps!

-Alvy-

Travel In History - Why February Only Has 28 Days?

As this month is my Birthday month, I will post as many as possible relating about this special month.

Have you ever stop and wondered why February only has 28 days, except for every four years (leap years) and then it has 29 days? Why didn't it just have 30 days?

There are two legends for the answer to these questions.


Legend one has it that the Romans were the first ones to make up a calendar. Their calendar is very similar to the one we use today, except the first ones supposedly didn't even include the month of February. In fact, the first ones actually only included ten months which added up to 304 days.

This legend goes on to say, that King Numa Pompilius was the one who added the months of January and February. But even then the year only added up to 355 days and 12 lunar cycles. This made the solar year still short by 10 to 11 days. To help rectify the situation King Pompilius then added the month that was known as Mercedinus.

This new calendar was closer than the first one. But it still didn't work perfectly with the lunar cycle. Julius Caesar decided to ignore the calendar. He got rid of the month of Mercedinus. He also gave February 28 days except for every four years in which it would have twenty nine days. Thus, this calendar exactly made up of 365 and 1/4 days.

This is why the calendar we used today is often referred to as the Julian Calendar. It is basically the same calendar, with a few minor adjustments.


Legend two, states that the reason why February has only 28 days is because of jealousy. Some believe that Augustus Caesar was jealous because his birthday fell in the month of August (which only had 30 days back then) while Julius Caesar was born in July and his birth month had 31 days. So Augusta took one day from the month of February and added it on to August. That left February with only 28 days, except for leap year.

Interesting bit, was that there was a proposal to change our calendar once again. This proposed change if ever introduced would give us 13 months and each month would have 28 days. This would mean a year would equal 364 days and one extra day, two in leap year.

-Alvy-

Travel To Port Dickson - The Birthday Celebration And BBQ Party

TRAVEL TRIP (FEBRUARY AND DECEMBER 2011)

I was lucky this year as my Birthday fell exactly on Chinese New Year, 4th February 2011. Most of my friends were not working, so I thought why not celebrate somewhere outside KL (a little difference from the typical restaurant scene) but still make our trip affordable and fun?

Then the idea of organizing a Barbeque comes to mind and I informed my friends. They love the it. Barbeque is all about preparing the food and enjoying them together. Port Dickson or PD is just a perfect spot for this activity. Plus, I love the sea and connect well with the oceanic nature atmosphere.

Port Dickson is the nearest beach to Kuala Lumpur. This was my first trip to Port Dickson with friends.

TRANSPORTATION

1. From outside Malaysia
If you are travelling from outside Malaysia, usually you will arrive in KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport). This is the nearest airport to Port Dickson. KL or Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital with lots of city attractions. I will advise you to spend few days in KL before going to Port Dickson. From KL you can travel to Port Dickson by road (car/bus/taxi). You may also choose to go straight to Port Dickson from KLIA as it is very near, only about 40km.

2. From inside Malaysia
By Air:
If you are travelling internally in Malaysia, try AirAsia (www.airasia.com) or Firefly (www.fireflyz.com.my). Both are Malaysian low-cost carrier and fly to KLIA. All flights from all over the states in Malaysia, fly to KLIA, KLIA2 or LCCT (low cost terminal) all 15 minutes drive from each other first prior to its international destination. Usually you must transit here. You may also check MAS (www.malaysiaairlines.com) as this is the national carrier of Malaysia, price could be a little higher. But you will be surprised during promotion, price is cheap. Why not flying with a 5Star airlines if price is almost the same? There is no direct bus from the KLIA to Port Dickson. You need to take the taxi.

By Road:
Port Dickson can easily be reached from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore by highway and major roads. Those coming from Penang or other northern destinations need to travel first through Kuala Lumpur, and this can easily be done by major highways or trunk roads. If getting there by car from Kuala Lumpur, you take the North-South Highway heading south towards Johor or Seremban and turn off at the Port Dickson exit. This will lead to the Seremban-Port Dickson highway which takes you to the beach in less than 30 minutes. There also several trunk roads which lead to Port Dickson that do not require toll, but you need to know which villages and towns to pass through with a map. Travelling by car is the primary way of getting to Port Dickson, but bus and taxi services are available to reach this popular beach destination. Public buses and luxury coaches depart frequently from Kuala Lumpur to Port Dickson. Once in PD town, taxis are the only way of getting around other than walking or driving your own vehicle.

Journey by car/bus/taxi will takes about 1 hour and a half. If you want to travel by bus, you need to be sure which bus terminal you should go as KL has 3 main bus stations. I might be giving a wrong information as the bus departure details sometimes change from time to time. You need to check the latest information. For basic knowledge, these are the stations:

1. Pudu Sentral
The Pudu Sentral (formerly Puduraya Terminal) is located in the city centre, used to be KL's main bus station. After a complete make-over and the re-opening in April 2011, it now servers north-bound buses. The nearest LRT (city train) station in here is called Plaza Rakyat.

2. Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS)
Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS) covers the south territory. Much of the southern-bound buses have been moved to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Transport Terminal), resulting in Pudu Sentral losing half of the bus volume. Less traffic and congestion in the city. The nearest LRT (city train) station in here is called Bandar Tasik Selatan.

3. Jalan Duta Terminal
Jalan Duta Terminal serving mostly express buses from the Northern states of Kuala Lumpur but more to the east coast of Malaysia. It is located at Jalan Duta, just opposite of Mosque Federal Territory and also next to the National Tennis Centre and Tun Razak Hockey Stadium. There is currently no LRT station nearby and taxis are the best way to get there.

You can check this website for more information on KL buses www.expressbusmalaysia.com.
You can check these websites for car rental:
www.avis.com.my, www.europcar.com.my, www.simedarbycarrental.com, www.iprac.com, www.mayflowercarrental.com.my, www.hawkrentacar.com.my.

By Rail:
If you want to travel by train, please check this website www.ktmb.com.my. There are 4 stations in KL: Kuala Lumpur Station, KL Sentral (advisable to departure from either these two stations), Kepong Sentral or Petaling. There is no train directly to Port Dickson. The closest trains go to is Seremban, about 32km away but you can take a separate bus/taxi from there (advisable by bus as the fare is very cheap).

ACCOMMODATION

Before deciding on hotel in Langkawi, you need to choose which area is your preference. There are 10 well known beaches in Port Dickson. Beaches in Port Dickson basically are divided by mile (batu). Pantai Batu 7 and 8 (Mile 7 and 8 Beach) or also knows as Teluk Kemang, is the most popular and crowded among all.

1. Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon is a small but popular beachside destination enclosed within a secluded bay just before Cape Rachado, about 17km south of PD town. Sheltered by a dense cover of lush vegetation and forests from surrounding foothills, the Blue Lagoon enjoys an inherent tranquility missing from other beaches in Port Dickson, even with many visitors around. Because of its proximity to the Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve, wildlife sightings are common, including migratory birds, squirrels and monkeys.
The sea waters here are calm and particularly shallow, a result of the bay's naturally deep recess and sandbanks that protect the Blue Lagoon from strong tides and currents. At night, beams of light can be seen emanating in circles from the lighthouse at the hilltop of Cape Rachado, while visitors camp and fish from the beachside. During the day, the shallow waters and sandbanks prevent most water sport activities from being carried close to shore, which thankfully limits the number of jet skis and motor boats dramatically. At low tide, it is also possible to walk tremendously far out to sea, and yet encounter only knee-deep waters. At these distances, the sea contains small coral reefs, which sometimes attract scuba divers. Numerous mudflats and sandbanks also reveal themselves along the beach, isolating the immediate sea into shallow pools of water in which children take special delight.

2. Tanjung Tuan
Port Dickson's best beaches are hidden away at the Tanjung Tuan coastal forest, about 17km south from PD town at the tip of Cape Rachado. Being a protected park, the beaches along this forested cape are beautifully preserved, with crystal clear waters and sparkling white sand, not unlike tropical island destinations. Sheltered from tourist and hotel development, visitors have to hike through jungle and scramble down hilly slopes to reach isolated beaches, each imbued with its own natural charisma and pristine scenery. Tanjung Tuan is also a lush nature reserve, with potential wildlife sightings and botanical treasures to appreciate. From the lighthouse at the peak, a 1km uphill walk from the Tanjung Tuan entrance next to Blue Lagoon, a jungle trail leads through the coastal forest, passing by several entry points for small pockets of beachside. The most popular beach lies directly at the tip of the cape, which takes about 20-30 minutes of hiking following the signboards towards Pulau Intan. Here, contained within bays at both sides of the cape, are spectacular beaches that reveal themselves completely at low tide. While relatively small, the environment is unparalleled, with soft white sands and clear sea waters that gleam with a brilliant turquoise hue under a bright sun. Magnificent rocky formations and karst landscapes line the outlying edges of the bay, providing more mesmerising scenery for visitors. Continuing on the jungle trail will lead to more beaches, but smaller ones as the sea becomes murky towards Pulau Masjid.

3. Pantai Cermin
Pantai Cermin is a quiet beach destination directly behind Blue Lagoon, hidden away at the opposite side of Cape Rachado (Tanjung Tuan). The long strip of beach is spacious and peaceful, but frequented less by visitors. Similiar to Teluk Kemang, the sand here is of an orange hue, but with a fine texture mixed with black ore deposits washed up by sea waves. The waters are rather murky due to the muddy sea bed, but it's still clean, with a beautiful view of the rainforest and mangroves at its eastern edge.

4. Teluk Gemuk
Tanjung Gemuk is a quiet beach spot along the 2nd Mile of Port Dickson, just a short distance away by car from PD town. Despite being huddled among residential and commercial zones, the beach doesn't receive many visitors, perhaps due in part to its murky waters. Three major hotels provide accommodation within the area; Glory Beach Resort, Grand Lexis Port Dickson and Lexis PD. A paved walkway leads past gazebos shaded by casuarina trees through the beach, with small playgrounds for recreational pleasure. To come here, watch out for the exit at the main road to Tanjung Gemuk, turn in, and explore the roads around the houses until you find the beach.

5. Bagan Pinang
Bagan Pinang is a beach stretch between 2nd and 4th mile of Port Dickson. A relatively quiet beach, the beach features a wide expanse of sand at low tide, with relatively shallow and gentle sea waters. Kite flying, water sports and fishing activities are fairly minimal, but there are small park facilities along the resort, including paved walkways and gazebos. From the beach, a mangrove islets can be reached on foot at low tide, an opportune time to witnesss local fishermen rummaging its shore for clams and crabs. A hawker stall center operates at the main beach.

6. Saujana Beach
Saujana Beach lies along 4th mile of Port Dickson, stretching along a 1km beach stretch starting from Avillion Beach Resort until Pantai Cahaya Negeri. The main entrance is opposite the Saturday Night Market site, but a few gravel paths snake their way to the beach between the outlying hotels. A peaceful location near PD Town, the sand here is known for its soft, powdery texture, while the sea is clean and gentle. Water sports are limited to a few jet ski and banana boat operators, which helps preserve the tranquil environment. The spacious beach also makes it a popular venue for camping activities, kite flying and couples looking for a long stroll.

7. Pantai Cahaya Negeri
Pantai Cahaya Negeri is a popular beachside destination between 5th and 6th mile of Port Dickson, served by a considerable number of resorts, hotels and apartments perched along its coastal strip. Some claim this to be PD's best beach, balancing natural beauty, tranquility and public facilities. The sea waters here are also quite clean, reflecting bluish green with good visibility. Meanwhile, the soft, powdery sand here is notably inviting, gleaming white when lit by the afternoon sun. A recreational park occupies a small cape at the eastern edge, with panoramic views of sea along its perimeter, and a wooden bridge that leads to a small mangrove island (Pulau Burung) off the coast.

8. Teluk Kemang
Teluk Kemang is the largest and most popular beach of Port Dickson, located between 7th and 8th mile from PD town. Consequently, this beach stretch has the most number of hotels, resorts and apartments providing family accommodation. On weekends and public holidays, the beach gets unbelievably crowded with visitors, while the sea becomes frenzied from motorised water sports. Visitor facilities and amenities are abundant, including car parks, walkways, gazebos, bathrooms and zones for souvenir shops, hawker stalls and restaurants. A large square at the back hosts the annual Port Dickson Festival, but is used for recreational activities other times.

9. Teluk Pelanduk
Teluk Pelanduk is a coarse beach stretch about 18km down south from Port Dickson town, after Tanjung Tuan. 'Pelanduk' refers to a local species of mouse deer, the smallest of its kind in the world. This name presumably originates from its abundance within the area, when there was much more forest cover than today. The sea is murky and the beachside narrow, lined with coarse pebbles. Some sections have even been reinforced with stone embankments to prevent further erosion of the shore. While not suitable for swimming, there is a small fishing community that brings in a fresh catch daily for sale, while their boats may be chartered for scuba diving trips around Port Dickson.

9. Pantai Purnama
Pantai Purnama is a secluded beach at the 9th mile of Port Dickson, located away from the busy main road and hidden behind apartment blocks and secondary forest. The name translates to 'Moonlight' in English, refering to its peaceful environment that sets a romantic mood, making it popular with couples and loafers that flock here in the evening. The beach is mostly deserted during the afternoon, but accommodation is served by several hotels and apartments in the vicinity. The sea waters here are clean and quite clear, with pretty rock formations and landscapes that reveal themselves at low tide, especially near the eastern portion of beach.
Source: http://portdickson.info/how-to-go.htm

As I always prefer more of a quiet and clean beach, I chose Pantai Batu 5 (Mile 5 Beach). Here the beach is more private, but not too deserted.

On the 3rd February 2011, four cars departure from KL to Bayu Beach Resort, Pantai Batu 5 Port Dickson. I chose this hotel because of the affordable rate and the extravagant family deluxe room which was perfect to support our number. The room is segregated into two floors with four beds (duplex).

We had a drink at the nearby 'kampung' food stalls before check in the hotel. I was lucky once more as the weather was great although it rained heavily almost everyday in KL. Hot and sunny throughout the day! We started to grill the chickens and sausages around 5.30pm and we end up ‘lepak’ at the ocean until 12.30 midnight. With the arrival of 12am on 4th February, I am officially a year older.

We enjoyed the food very much, 'borak' while starring to the night sky full of stars. A friend who is a chef did a fabulous job by making me a wonderful 'LV' cake while the others surprised me when they dogged a lot of holes in the sands to create words Happy Birthday Alvy with a shortform HB LV. My heart was flowery. Many hotel guests stared from their room balconies to see these candle lights flickered from the beach side. I was deeply happy and proud of my friends effort.

The next morning since our room only allowed for 4 persons, the rest of us including me went for a breakfast outside the hotel. We had Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai and hot drinks. Afterwards we went to beach again, jumped into the water like small children and played volley ball until our muscles ached. The most unforgettable experience was when we took the Banana Boat Ride together! It was so mesmerizing! We were dropped twice into the sea by the boatman until I swallowed too much salty water but it was worth with all the joys and laughter!

We checked out from the hotel later and went out for lunch at the famous Teluk Kemang beach. The lunch besides the ocean was very relaxing as the warm gentle sea breezes continuously accompanied us all throughout the time when were there. I felt relieved I did not select hotel from Teluk Kemang for our accommodation because as predicted, it was very congested and the beach was dirty.

We had our goodbyes there and went back to KL. What a wonderful Birthday Celebration I had this year. Simple yet memorable.

Thank you all! Love you..Muaxx!

The second trip happened because I was also craving for another Barbeque get together at the beach. This time I went with a different group of friends.

As I was happy with my previous choice of accommodation, I chose to stay again in Bayu Beach Resort.

Guess because I am an Aquarian, I just enjoyed the ocean water so much. We dipped ourselves all day long until night time after the Barbeque grilling.

As the previous Banana Boat Ride experience were magnificent, I managed to persuade all of my friends in this trip to go for this ride with me.

The second trip to Pantai Batu 5 was still an interesting experience to me. The BBQ was good and the trip was more intimate. I believe Port Dickson is just a perfect weekend break for those work in the hectic life of KL! Only an hour and half drive to be close to nature!

-Alvy-

Travel Through Self Definition - Aquarius, A Perfect Description About My Personality

Aquarius is a Fixed Air sign, ruled by Uranus/Saturn. As the 11th sign of the zodiac, the Aquarius individual is an unconventional and maybe even eccentric free thinker who marches to the beat of an entirely different drummer than the rest of the zodiac. Famous and historical Aquarians include Oprah Winfrey (January 29), President Ronald Reagan (February 6), President Abraham Lincoln (February 11), and Charles Darwin (February 12).


Aquarius is an idealistic thinker who more than any other sign is drawn to the concept of living life outside the box. This is a progressive individual who resists being caught up in conventional boundaries and rules, and who actively seeks out change for his benefit and often for the benefit of humanity as a whole.


Aquarius is a sign that cares about the environment, politics, economics, and humanitarian issues, and who is often found acting as an advocate for those who are less fortunate. Aquarians genuinely like the human race and are compassionate, kind, and accepting towards others, qualities that endear them to a great many different types of people. Being an Air sign, Aquarius is a natural thinker, communicator and delegator. He will be the one who conjures up radical reforms and then trusts others to do the necessary legwork to implement them. Unfortunately, Air + Fixed = "fixed ideas" or stubbornness, a trait shared by all the fixed zodiac signs. The good news, however, is that unlike some of the other fixed signs, Aquarius will eventually let go of outdated ideas if compelling evidence that he is wrong comes to light, a testament to his intellectual capacity and reasoning skills. Aquarians are more "head" than "heart" people and may be considered cold or detached at times by those closest to them. Indeed, though they have many acquaintances, Aquarians only have a handful of very close friends and confidants, choosing to remain independent and free of the obligations inherent in close relationships. When they do form a close bond, they are among the most loyal in the zodiac, but will likely always seem a bit unemotional and distant, a characteristic that more emotional signs may find mildly annoying to completely intolerable. As far as money is concerned, Aquarius understands that it takes money to live, and he is smart enough to keep a roof over his head, but he will most likely not spend his life in the pursuit of wealth. As such, some Aquarians spend their lives squarely in the middle class, while others obtain wealth simply as a by-product of their creative endeavors, such as Lewis Carroll, who dreamed up Alice in Wonderland, or Thomas Edison, a prodigious inventor who thought up much more than just the light bulb.


For those with an Aquarian child, you have an energetic, friendly, playful, and inquisitive child indeed, who will likely walk, talk, and read earlier than expected. This is a truly unique little soul who will start showing rather marked eccentricities fairly early on. Before stifling this in the interests of making your child "normal," remind yourself that eccentricity is often associated with genius, giftedness, and creativity. This is your child's creative expression, regardless of how weird it seems to you, so being non-judgmental and even appreciative will go a long way in maintaining stability in the family and promoting self-esteem in the child. Aquarius will do fairly well in school if the school manages to keep him interested, but don't be surprised if he totally rejects a teacher or class along the way because he doesn't think the teacher is gifted enough or the class is engaging enough. There is an elitist attitude with many Aquarian kids, and once they form an opinion that something is beneath them, they will likely be unshakable in that opinion. Despite this, your little Aquarian will be popular in school with most of his teachers and with his many friends. Aquarians are progressive thinkers, and as such they like progressive toys, such as computers and other electronics, so give your little Aquarian all the technology you can afford, and then stand back and be amazed by his proficiency and creativity while using it. As Aquarius approaches the teen years, expect rebellion, which may be either mild or fierce in degree. Pre-teens and teens of any sign are usually fairly hard to handle, but Aquarius definitely has the potential to be the worst of the worst, and there will likely be a few bumpy years while your Aquarius adjusts to this difficult time in his life. Keeping things steady at home with basic rules that everybody understands should go a long way in keeping some semblance of normalcy in the home during this time.


Aquarius in the workplace is the one with an office decorated with his own inventions. He is a thinker more than a doer, and will tinker with everything until he finds a better way. He does things unconventionally, to the consternation of his more traditional bosses, but he is well-liked in the workplace and treats everyone the same, from executive to mail room. Aquarians like a fast pace and a varied work experience, and will likely change jobs multiple times, soaking up and dissecting information along the way before finally settling into one career. In the end, the Aquarian will usually find his niche in a progressive company that doesn't stifle his creativity, or in his own business endeavor. For those with an Aquarius employee, give them the projects that seem to be stagnating. Aquarius will analyze the situation and come up with a solution that you never even dreamed of. Count on Aquarius to be the office tech support person, as he loves to play with technology and will likely keep office equipment in tip top shape. If Aquarius is your boss, expect the unexpected at every turn. Nothing will be by the book under his supervision, but he will keep you on your toes and treat you respectfully and fairly at all times.


If you have found a romantic partner in an Aquarius, you have found what appears on the surface to be a compassionate, charming, loving partner indeed, but as time goes on, you may notice a marked lack of emotional depth. This doesn't mean that Aquarius doesn't feel true love or that he doesn't love you, but he just doesn't have the capacity to express it as well as the some of the more deeply emotional signs. Aquarius will be rather difficult to land in the first place, as he abhors any situation in which he feels stifled or boxed in, so if you have made it into his inner circle, he must not feel that you are cramping his style, and this is something you can be proud of. The key to making it work with an Aquarius is to give him enough space and reign in any urge to try to draw him out emotionally. In return, your Aquarius will be true and loyal, and though he won't shower you with love poems, he will find other ways to show his appreciation. Only strong, and emotionally independent people will succeed with an Aquarius, so if you are one who needs constant adoration, this is not the match for you.


The best matches for sure for Aquarius are Gemini, Libra, and another Aquarius (not surprisingly all Air signs). Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Pisces might work for some individuals. It will likely be tough going for Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio.
Aquarius in any relationship is a smart, fast, fun, unconventional, and memorable character indeed. These are sociable people who accept the flaws in others without comment, and who expect the same from you. Aquarius will usually be involved in some kind of group endeavor, whether it be a bowling league or serving lunch at the homeless shelter, and he will be known in his circle for his fairness and compassion. You might notice that your Aquarian friend is looking away with dazed eyes as you spew your problems out to him, but be aware that he is listening and his mind is churning at that very moment for a way out of your predicament. Though he will stop short of becoming too emotionally involved with you, you can always count on your Aquarian friend for an honest and fair assessment and unique suggestions for solving any particular problem. All in all, your Aquarian friend will enlighten you with a unique outlook on life when he is around, and will be busy dreaming up ways to erase the world's problems when he's not!

-Alvy-

Travel In Life - My Birthday Is Facebook Birthday

I just recently find out that Facebook was launched exactly on my birth date, which was 4th February 2004

I guess no wonder I cannot be apart from Facebook for more than 24hours.
Hahahaha....


This is what I found about Facebook in Wikipedia:

Facebook (stylized facebook) is a social network service and website launched in 4th February 2004 that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.As of January 2011 update, Facebook has more than 600 million active users.

Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow computer science students Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes.The website's membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University. It gradually added support for students at various other universities before opening to high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over.


A January 2009 Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social network service by worldwide monthly active users, followed by MySpace.

-Alvy-

Travel Through Self Definition - The Meaning Of "Alvy", My Name

Didn't know that my name has a special meaning. I found this in the dictionary -

Alvy \a-lvy, al-vy\ as a boy's name (also used as girl's name Alvy), is a variant of Alban (Latin) and Alvin (Old English), and the meaning of Alvy is "from Alba; elf or magical being, friend".


Am I a magical creature? Hahaha...

-Alvy-

Travel To Perak - Pangkor Gateway

TRAVEL TRIP (DECEMBER 2010)

I just recently came back from a very calm and peaceful holiday. I went to Pangkor Island. At first me and a close friend, Alejandro from Italy was thinking to go to Redang or Tioman as a weekend gateway but the timing was not perfect to these beautiful islands as they are located at the east of the peninsular, facing the South China Sea. From November up to end of February, it is a monsoon season.

So although we knew Pangkor Island is not ‘that’ happening, we settled down for this Island. After all we just wanted to be relaxed, spend sometimes at the beach, listen to sound of waves and enjoy the ocean as to escape from our normal daily city’s life. We went there for 3 days and 2 nights and stayed at Pangkor Bay View Hotel in Teluk Nipah.

TRANSPORTATION

1. From outside Malaysia
If you are travelling from outside Malaysia, usually you will arrive in KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) before your continue your journey to Perak. KL or Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital with lots of city attractions. I will advise you to spend few days in KL before travelling to Pangkor Island in Perak. From KL you can travel to Perak by road car/bus/taxi.

2. From inside Malaysia
By Air:
There used to be a flight service provided by Berjaya Air to Pangkor and most of the popular islands in Malaysia. Unfortunately the management decided to cancel its service to Pangkor as the journey to this island are preferred more by land.

By Road:
Journey by car/bus/taxi will takes about 4 to 5 hours. If you want to travel by bus, you need to be sure which bus terminal you should go as KL has 3 main bus stations. I might be giving a wrong information as the bus departure details sometimes change from time to time. You need to check the latest information. For basic knowledge, these are the stations:

1. Pudu Sentral
The Pudu Sentral (formerly Puduraya Terminal) is located in the city centre, used to be KL's main bus station. After a complete make-over and the re-opening in April 2011, it now servers north-bound buses. The nearest LRT (city train) station in here is called Plaza Rakyat.

2. Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS)
Terminal Bersepadu Selatan at Bandar Tasik Selatan (TBS) covers the south territory. Much of the southern-bound buses have been moved to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Transport Terminal), resulting in Pudu Sentral losing half of the bus volume. Less traffic and congestion in the city. The nearest LRT (city train) station in here is called Bandar Tasik Selatan.

3. Jalan Duta Terminal 
Jalan Duta Terminal serving mostly express buses from the Northern states of Kuala Lumpur but more to the east coast of Malaysia. It is located at Jalan Duta, just opposite of Mosque Federal Territory and also next to the National Tennis Centre and Tun Razak Hockey Stadium. There is currently no LRT station nearby and taxis are the best way to get there.

You can check this website for more information on KL buses www.expressbusmalaysia.com.
You can check these websites for car rental:
www.avis.com.my, www.europcar.com.my, www.simedarbycarrental.com, www.iprac.com, www.mayflowercarrental.com.my, www.hawkrentacar.com.my.

By Rail:
If you want to travel by train, please check this website www.ktmb.com.my. There are 4 stations in KL: Kuala Lumpur Station, KL Sentral (advisable to departure from either these two stations), Kepong Sentral or Petaling.The journey will takes longer. There is no train to Lumut. If you want to travel to Pangkor by train you have to go through Ipoh and transfer to either bus or taxi. It's not recommended because it's a long way. From Ipoh it is still another 80 km's to Lumut and Pangkor. Next you must continue your journey from the Ipoh railway station to the Ipoh bus station to catch a bus to Lumut.

After arrival in Lumut, you have to take the ferry to Pulau Pangkor. Ferries leaves every 30 minutes during the day. It takes about 40 minutes to the ferry port of Pangkor Town. The boat service starts early in the morning at 6.30am at Pangkor. The earliest boat from Lumut leaves at 7.00am. Ferries go every half hour, during most of the day 15 to and 15 past the hour. Remember the last ferry leaves Lumut at 8.30PM. The fare is RM10 for a return (the rate might increase in the future, check for latest information).

From KL we took Sri Maju Express (there are 3 reputable bus express companies in Malaysia; Plusliner, Transnasional and Sri Maju). Others I would not suggest as I believe their reputations are questionable and unreliable. We chose Sri Maju Express is because of the departure timing which is 9.15am, will make us arrive nicely at the hotel for check-in at 2pm (considered the 4 long hours jouney from KL to Lumut, queuing and getting tickets at Lumut Jetty, lastly travel from Lumut to Pangkor by ferry). As you travel up north the peninsular to Perak from KL, you will see the buildings will slowly change to heritage. Love the view. Suddenly I felt like I was in a different era. A transition from modernization to the past.

ACCOMMODATION 

Pangkor Island is quite a quiet beach. If you are looking to really enjoy just the sea and nature, then you will enjoy Pangkor as we did. Our holiday motives were just to enjoy the beach, swam in the ocean whole day long and sunbathing for hours. There were not many night life activities in this place except dinner at restaurants by the seaside while enjoying the night view. You can try camping on the beach if you want.

Before deciding a place to stay in Pangkor, I would advise you to consider which beach/location is your favourite. Pangkor has 4 famous areas (bear in mind that there are also many hotels available in Lumut, if you don't mind travelling by ferries back and forth everyday during your stay period):

1. Pangkor Town
Pangkor Town, the main town on the island, is located on the east coast. It used to be one street town and it is still not much more. There's a range of souvenir shops and little restaurants. Some of the best food you will find in the local stalls.

2. Pantai Pasir Bogak
Pasir Bogak claims to have the "Greatest Swimming pool in the World." Regardless, this is a beautiful beach, no matter if the claim is true. Around the main area you will find plenty of hotels, all within minutes walk from the beach. A bit away from the hotels area, the beach is even better. Especially off season and week days you can be completely on your own. The beach is indeed a few kilometers long stretch of sand and it is clear why it is a very popular beach.

3. Teluk Nipah
Nipah Beach or Teluk Nipah in Malay is one of the best beaches at Pangkor. It's also home to many hotels and hostels on the island. Nipah Beach is much more quiet then the Pasir Bogak. Usually people talk about one beach but in fact there are two separate beaches, Teluk Nipah and Coral Bay but as they are so close many people forget they are separated. Nipah Beach is a several hundred meters long stretch of white sand and it is my favorite beach at Pulau Pangkor. The beach is secluded. Therefore there is little current and it is a very safe place to swim. The water is comfortable warm and never too deep. In fact, during low tide, you will be able to walk to Pulau Giam, the island you see right in front of the beach. There are beaches at Pulau Giam and it's slightly bigger neighbor, Pulau Metagor. Usually you have to rent a boat to go there. You can hire a boat at the Nipah beach for visit to all nearby islands. Nipah Bay is a very popular place to stay, and not for nothing. The beach has great white sand, blue waters and in the evening excellent sunsets. There are a many good places to stay.

4. Private Beach
If you like secluded beaches without public interference, you may find few hotels (quite expensive I might add) in all of these areas; Pangkor Laut, Teluk Belanda, Teluk Dalam, South of Pangkor Town etc. The Pangkor Island Beach Resort, formerly known as Pan Pacific Pangkor Island, is 4 star hotel. It is located at the North West end of the Island and they have their own private beach, Teluk Belanda. The hotel has a pool which is located almost at the beach. On the North East side of Pulau Pangkor lies Teluk Dalam Resort. The resort offers individual chalets and bungalows with a fine views on the garden and the sea. With its slightly more remote location, it is perfect for those who wish to stay away from the crowd. It is a nice set up and the pool makes up for the smaller beach available here. Pangkor Laut is another popular accommodation where it is not just one of the top hotels in Malaysia but also a worldwide renown island resort. The Pavarotti suite is one of the top attractions to stay and the chalets start from RM800 per night. Pangkor Laut is an island resort, located just west of Pulau Pangkor and has one of the most beautiful beaches of Malaysia
Source: http://www.pulau-pangkor.com/Pangkor-hotels.html

We chose Teluk Nipah beach because (as some of you familiar with my other trips experience written in this blog) I always prefer a quite beach. Not to the extend until I require a private and secluded beach from public, just enough for me to sense and feel the existence of nature, especially at night.

When we arrived in Lumut, the ferry journey took about 30 minutes to arrive at Pangkor Jetty. We rented a cab there for RM12 (two persons) and arrived at the hotel at 2.15pm. Teluk Nipah is also where the water spots activities rigorously happening. Another reason we chose Teluk Nipah is because we wanted to go snorkelling at Pulau Giam, which is just in front of this beach and can be reached by boat.

Something funny about Pangkor sea water is that I am not sure either it was the sea lice or algae but as you swim in the water they will stick on your body and they itched your skin. Alejandro felt the same too. And when we went out from the water, slowly when they dried, all these small particles turned to green colour. I wonder is it why they called this place Lumut? Lumut is a malay word for moss/algae. I had to soak myself in the swimming pool chlorine water afterwards to remove the sand debris and this algae. My skin too had become so tanned.

At night we went to have dinner in a very beautiful sea side view restaurant called the ‘Daddy’s Cafe’. I really advise travellers in Pangkor to have your dinner at least once in here.The food price ranges from RM15 to RM40. The atmosphere was spectacular. You can really enjoy your dinner on table that is just located about 2 meters from the water. Imagine that! It was so tranquil and serene. I enjoy every single moment of this experience. We sat and relax ourselves. The other night we went for a massage and it was so rejuvenating.

Our activities in the morning were canoeing and snorkelling at Pulau Giam which is located just for about 200 meters in front of Teluk Nipah beach and we rent a boat for island hoppings before reaching there. We went snorkeling when the tide was low. While I was swimming my feet hit one of the corals and got some cuts. Quite bad as I need to buy some ointment to put on those cuts. I used the traditional way of putting Gamat oil on this wound.

Forgot to mention that on the first day while bathing in the ocean, we didn’t realised the tide went up so fast and soaked our bag which we left on the shore. You need to be extra careful in Pangkor Island. The tides went up really fast. Really really fast than my usual beach experiences. It soaked my beloved Samsung handphone too and it became dysfunctional. I could not reach home by phone call anymore. Thank God the hotel has an internet access and I brought along my laptop. That night when I went to Daddy’s Cafe, out of sudden my Olympus camera also went dead as the LCD screen did not function anymore until end of this trip. How awkward was the whole journey? We chose Pangkor because we did not want to splurge our money too much for this trip. It was just supposed to be a weekend gateway for me. Unfortunately I came back with bad cuts on my feet, lost of a RM1400 handphone and a RM1500 camera. Figure out the total loss value. LOL.

But do I regret for this trip? Absolutely no. My companion for this holiday, Alejandro was such a wonderful person. I enjoyed the nature, the sun and the sea breeze with him and this escape gateway released me from my 2 years suffering of finishing master study in Landscape Architecture that I recently graduated on the 30th November 2010.

We went back to KL by Transnasional Express on the 28th December 2010 and ready for our new year's celebration.

-Alvy-

Travel Down Memory Lane - Ally McBeal 1997-2002

Ally McBeal is an American comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002, when I was in Form 1. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia. The series stars Calista Flockhart in the title role as a young lawyer working in the fictional Boston law firm Cage and Fish with other young lawyers whose lives and loves were eccentric, humorous and dramatic.

I don’t know why, but I fell in love so much with this drama series. I found it hilarious and same time meaningful especially about life. Of course David E. Kelley interpreted all the philosophies of life in a humorous way (most of the times), yet it touches my soul. I have been watching all these episodes so many times but I still found them entertaining. People said Ally McBeal entertain someone who is a loner in heart. Is it true? I don't know.

I love Ally McBeal so much and I believe people who love this series as much as I do usually become my good friends. Characters resemblance I guess. This fact has proved to be accurate when some of my great friends share the interest of obsessing Ally McBeal...Hahahaha...

I found Ally is cute whenever she talks very fast or when she is in her imaginary world, Renee her roommate is sexy and voluptuous, John’s words during his closing arguments in court always touched my soul, Richard with his absurd Fishism and bigotry, Billy as a male chauvinistic pig, Georgia who is always beautiful, soft and elegant, vicious Ling, nosy Elaine and cold subzero Nelle. They all made my heart overwhelmed with their personalities.

Here are the full casts list in Ally McBeal all throughout its FIVE SEASONS.

1. Calista Flockhart – Ally McBeal
2. Greg Germann – Richard Fish
3. Jane Krakowski – Elaine Vassal
4. Peter MacNicol – John Cage (episode 2–103; recurring afterwards)
5. Lisa Nicole Carson – Renée Raddick (seasons 1–4; one guest appearance in series finale)
6. Portia de Rossi – Nell Porter (episodes 32–112; recurring previously)
7. Lucy Liu – Ling Woo (episodes 32–96; 103; recurring previously)
8. Gil Bellows – Billy Allen Thomas (episodes 1–65; recurring afterwards)
9. Courtney Thorne-Smith – Georgia Thomas (seasons 1–3; recurring afterwards)
10. Robert Downey Jr. – Larry Paul (season 4; uncredited appearances afterwards)
11. Dyan Cannon – Jennifer "Whipper" Cone (seasons 1–3 Recurring)
12. Hayden Panettiere – Maddie Harrington (episodes 5.11–5.22)
13. Vonda Shepard – Herself (seasons 1–5; recurring previously)
14. James LeGros – Mark Albert (season 4; recurring previously)
15. Regina Hall – Corretta Lipp (season 5; recurring previously)
16. Julianne Nicholson – Jenny Shaw (episodes 91–103)
17. Josh Hopkins – Raymond Millbury (season 5)
18. James Marsden – Glenn Foy (episodes 91–103)
19. Taye Diggs – Jackson Duper (season 4: Recurring; ten episodes)

My favourites of course Ally McBeal herself, Elaine Vassal and Ling Woo.




-Alvy-

Travel In Life - Awal Muharam Symbolize Beginning Of A New Journey

New Year New Spirit New Dream New Mission New Vision New Goal New Objective...


This blog focus on travels. On journeys. Well life itself is a journey. And Awal Muharam symbolize beginning of a new journey.

I wonder...why we only celebrate 1st January? 1 Muharam is an important date for us to remember. It was the time Prophet Muhammad arrived in Medina to spread Islam. I personally believe that as a Muslim, this is the time for us to set our ‘azam’ for the whole year. The most important, what do we plan to achieve by the end of the year.

-Alvy-

Travel To Hulu Langat - Weekend Breaks In Gabai Waterfalls

TRAVEL TRIP (FEBRUARY 2010 AND MAY 2012)

The first time, me and some friends from the office were thinking of a short weekend break. Then we thought, a barbecue by a river and waterfalls as the backdrop setting would be great. So we decided to go to Air Terjun Sungai Gabai (Gabai Falls).

The Gabai Falls are located in Hulu Langat at the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. It is a popular attraction for the locals, but relatively unknown with tourists. A cemented path leads from the parking to the lower falls. Along the path several shelters have been built. The upper falls can be reached by trails.

Sungai Gabai Waterfall is one of the closest waterfalls to Kuala Lumpur and it is easily accessible by car. This makes it extremely popular and it can get very crowded during weekends, public holidays and school holidays.

On arrival you pass through an entrance archway and pay an entrance fee of RM1 per person.
The first cascade is just beyond the car park and it is possible to swim in natural pools.

A flight of concrete steps begins here. They are well made steps with non-slip edging and a hand rail. Altogether there are 333 steps if you want to go all the way up.

Along the way you pass a number of shelters and gazebos for picnics or resting. One or two of them appear somewhat dilapidated, possibly damaged by falling branches, but most are in good shape.
The second level of waterfall is an impressive near vertical drop.

At the top of the steps is a concrete bridge crossing the river to an upper level where there is a third, shorter cascade and some youths like to slide down it over the slippery rocks and into a gentle pool. Fun!

There is a concrete shelter and people were barbecuing here.
Source: http://www.malaysia-traveller.com/sungai-gabai-waterfall.html

The second visit, I had a birthday celebration there with other group of friends. This time I came from Cheras to reach Hulu Langat. Hulu Langat is a small village where Gabai Falls is located. You can also reach Hulu Langat from Ampang. Next you follow the road to Kg Pangsun for about 7 km until Batu 18 where you turn right. After 6 km you will see the signboard for the Falls. Turn left and follow the road until the carpark.

From the carpark it is not far to the first cascade. This cascade is tall but not very steeply inclined.

Visitors can find a nice place on the rocks and enjoy their bath with jacuzzi.

At several places shelters have been erected. Cemented steps lead to the upper regions of the falls.

As is mostly the case, the upper falls are less crowded. Some daredevils using the cascade as a slide.

Bridges make the crossing of the stream an easy job. In the background the second cascade is visible. The upper cascades have nice pools, inviting for a bath.

It is possible to continue after the cascades, just following the stream. As a reward you will find another attractive waterfall! The water between the two rock faces is very deep, only suitable for good swimmers.

Source: http://www.waterfallsofmalaysia.com/06gabai.php

-Alvy-