Exhausted is the best word to describe me after trip. Hate coming back to work after a trip, it is so irritating to see the mailbox got flooded, and the newly assigned tasks! But that's life, without work you won't have the money to travel. Over the past two years I have practised travelling as my highly prioritized hobby that replaced everything else.
Redang Island, 2 years back I was suppose to be there. But due to some circumstances, I got replaced. You know how bad the feeling could be when you're in a travelling mood and suddenly you're told that your seat has been taken. But thanks God, everything has became bygone and because of that, I learnt to put my faith into the right person.
Thanks to my lovely ex-colleagues that never leave me out wherever they are travelling to. Last year they invited me to Langkawi Island but I had been there few months earlier than them so I didn't join them. And earlier this year they invited me for this Redang Island trip. Without doubt I nodded my head as I wanted to go there badly since many years ago.
It was a 3D2N trip to Redang Island, Perhentian Island, and Lang Tengah Island. Thanks to Catherine the organiser and Yng Sheng the coordinator. I was notified with all the information like a month ago, but I was so so so lazy to check it out until the very last few days right before the trip, then I was sweating -_- when I spotted that the itinerary was full with snorkeling. Hey why lar I want more free and easy time for photoshooting! Well, that was the best excuse I could think of, heh, the fact is that, I can't swim and I am fear of brine as a result of not being allowed to learn swimming since young as another rule of the family.
I only slept for 3 hours after work before I headed to Lai Seng's house to meet the rest of them up to head to the airport in cabs. Earlier they decided to go to Kota Bahru by bus, and I had been shouting NO WAY, it gonna take us many hours to reach there, seriously, I don't want to torture my ass lar wuey! Thanks to AirAsia's low fares domestic flight, we got the fare that is even lower than bus fare according to Catherine the organiser!
In the flight
Arrived at Kota Bahru Airport
PRotographer wannabe
It was like less than an hour to arrive Kota Bahru airport. The drivers were welcoming us there, and then sent us to Kuala Besut jetty in two vans. Another hour gone on road trip to the jetty. Followed by another hour of boat trip to Perhentian Island. So it was like 4 hours spent in travelling by the cab, flight, van, and boat.
Busy shooting photos
Dirty brine that near to the jetty!
There we go!
Nice sea view
Boat splash
Finally, we arrived Perhentian Island! We quickly check-in at the chalet, and got our clothes changed, ready for the snorkeling tour! We were then been introduced to the tour guides, AhLong the Malay guy who can speak Mandarin, Army the friendly one, Wendy the naughty one, and Boatman the cool one. Perhentian Island has really poor air circulation, it's making you stuffy the whole day.
We are reaching Perhentian Island!
Nice corals
Coral in the see tru brine
See to believe the lucidity of the brine
Nice view
Right after lunch that provided with our package, we were leaded by a tour guide and a boatman to several snorkeling spots, to visit the sharks, baby sharks, corals, turtles, nemo, etc. If I am not mistaken, there were six spots in total, I can't remember the exact amount heh... In case you don't know, I couldn't swim. So I was quite reluctant to jump into the water in the first place, but after all it is a snorkeling trip, I would have to be the cameraman if I don't join all of them. Ended up due to the peer pressure, I took a deep breath and jumped into the water from the boat. Well, shame on me, I hold the lifesaver at the first snorkeling spot! LMAO! Hey come on, this is the first time I really "swimming", and yet it is in the middle of the sea, so deep wuey! Nervous you know! Hahah! I know I am lame, stop laughing wuey! At the second snorkeling spot, well the tour guide saw that I was a bit panic but with passion to try it out, so he had been very kind to guide me by holding my hand, again, shame shame shame on Steve Kwok!!! But guess what, from the third snorkeling spot onwards, I managed to do it well by myself! *Proud* Hahaha! I did it better than few of the rest who couldn't swim! Neither lifesaver nor tour guide's aid required anymore! I still haven't get the photos taken during snorkeling as they are still in Jesslyn's camera, wonder when will she send them to me.
We headed back to the chalet in the evening. Spared some time to play beach volleyball before shower. Got my hands full with bruises during the game, painful yet joyful game! After shower, I walked alone on the beach to take some photos of the nice view, while waiting for the buffet dinner to be ready. It sounds so sad to walk alone on the beach? Haha, kind of true. It's not only that you can see in the movie, but in fact in real life, it's true that you will think a lots when walking alone on the beach, and recall a lots of memories, be it sweet or bitter.
Beach view in dusk
In the night, we went to a bar nearby for drinks. We have nothing better to do there other than playing card games. Most of them did not talk much, hmm, I don't know how to describe it but well, they are not too talkative, probably because not everyone knew each other there, few of them are my ex-colleagues' friends. Luckily, I have joined their outings from time to time, so I know most of their friends as well. So, in order to make the night a lil bit more happening, I had really spoke so much. You know, there must be someone to lead the conversations, the games, and when there isn't anyone willing to do that, you'd have to do it if you don't want it to be too dull. We spared like 2 hours there before we called it a day.
Arwana @ Perhentian Island
Food Court @ Beach
Cafe @ Beach
Bar @ Beach
On the second day, some of us woke up early and went for a beach soccer before breakfast. And guess what, I got my toe injured in the game! And we were supposed to snorkel at the baby shark's spot! In case you're not aware, sharks are sensitive to the smell of blood. Once they detect blood in the water, they will appear instantly and devour the party in a really ruthless way, you should have heard of how painful it could be, no? But I was kinda lucky, according to the tour guides, baby sharks don't bite, so I am safe to snorkel at the spot! Phew! Immediately after the breakfast, we headed to Redang Island.
Water flower by boat splash
Heading to Redang
Getting ready to snap some shots
The people
Getting myself a wound is the trick how I attracted the sharks during snorkeling! Never try this unless you're experienced like me! Wahahaha!
Redang Island
Redang Island
Redang Lagoon Chalet
The food court
The people on the beach
Nice view
Beach view in Nikon shot by Steve
Beach view in Canon shot by Yng Sheng
Do I look pro? xD
Summer More More Tea souvenir shop
In the afternoon, we were transferred to Lang Tengah Island for our lunch and then another round of snorkeling at Marine Park. It is nothing more than snorkeling you see. If I didn't join them a day before, wondering what should I do during the entire trip, lol!
Arrived at Lang Tengah Island
Carols spell my name! -> C Y
Fishes @ Marine Park
Mei Ying & Yng Sheng @ Marine Park
In the night, Army brought us to a cafe nearby for drinks. It was a boring nite, cos there were too many strangers sitting with us, the boss of the cafe, Army, Boatman, and Wendy. And all of them were busy entertaining the girls! WTH! Haha! Apparently the guys were left aside, poor thing!
On the last day of the trip, we woke up early in the morning to pack our luggages and had our breakfast settled at 7:30am, as we were scheduled to leave the island at 8am, so that Khai Ying manages to catch her flight as this girl booked the early flight to Singapore.
Just love this shot
The beach boy wanna be
Group picture before saying goodbye to the islands
Arrived at the jetty in an hour and quickly ran to get some coconut drinks as we were so thirsty, you know, the weather has been really really hot! Spotted the coconut shake there that I only found in Thailand! It can never been found in all the states I've been to, Johore, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, KL, Selangor, Perak, Penang, Pahang, but it's sold here in Kelantan! And with the dirt cheap price, RM1.50! So, immediately I got myself a coconut shake and another coconut drink.
Arrived at Kuala Besut jetty
In love with coconut shake!
Right after that, we were transferred to Catherine's home (yea Kota Bahru is her hometown) in van. We stayed there for like an hour, visiting her house and her family, and also tried out the nice keropok named Keropok Sira Mas Madu produced only in Kelantan. After that, we went out for beef noodles soup lunch in the town. According to Catherine, it is the best in the town that she ever tasted, a must try beef noodles soup. Yea it was indeed a nice one, but still, no compete to the one in Segamat. Hey no kidding, I am serious, you guys should try the Beef Noodles Soup stall in the obsoleted bus stop in Segamat. Believe me, it is the best in Malaysia! Even the famous one in Tangkak is no compete to this one. Simply because Segamat's location is too far away from highway, compared to Tangkak, that's why the Tangkak one is so damn famous, Singaporeans love to drop by to have their lunch on their way to/from KL. And that's why, their soup is not so thick, less beef, and more pricey. Try the one in Segamat before you judge! Free advertisement for them, I don't charge. xD
Beef Noodles Soup lunch @ Kota Bahru
Nice beef noodles soup but it's still no compete to the one in Segamat!
Pirated DVD sales girls!?
After the lunch, we have a city tour in Kota Bahru, and also visited the Duty Free Thai Market. The weather was killing us, really beh-tahan-lar wuey! Spoilt the tour mood you know. I don't even feel like shopping in that damn hot Thai Market! Guess what, we spotted a Chinese temple with something looks like an onion beside. Ops, the onion-alike thingy is a muslim mosque! And WTH why are them combined into one? Haha, the trick is that, this is a Chinese Muslim Mosque! There are hell a lots of Chinese in Kelantan are Muslims. Yes, Malay and Chinese are really close to each other in Kelantan, not like our racism KL. Ops, I don't mean all the Malays here. My bad, to avoid offending the inculpable Malays in KL, I will rephrase my words. At least Malays in Kelantan treat Chinese as friend, and they will never show a KERIS to the Chinese. They respect each other, salute! Yes, it is 21st century and people here are highly educated and civilised, so those blinkered one please reform yourself in order to be accepted by the public! This is no more Samurai generation, "Samurai-X" anime is fabled and do not apply the characters in real life please, the country needs great minds but not great fists! Enough of flaming, I didn't mean it, but yes, it is really irritating when you thought of it all of a sudden. Aiks, forget it! Doing so doesn't help anyway.
The street @ Kota Bahru Town
Kota Bahru Town
The two PUTERI LILINs!
Little Duty Free Thai Market @ Kelantan
Passing through the custom after visited the duty free zone
Chinese Muslim Mosque in Kelantan
In the evening, we went to dinner at a ulu place, not sure about its name but the restaurant name is "Cheang Mai Restaurant". There was another one named "Bangkok Restaurant" nearby, but they said "Bangkok is in a chaos now so we better dine in Cheang Mai". LMAO, nonsense! Some of them have departed to KL and Singapore. There were eight of us left in the town, and we ordered 8 dishes! Hahaha! Simply because those are the local delights, and they are dirt dirt dirt cheap! Yes, as usual they are cheap if you compare its price with city like KL.
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
Thai food dinner @ Cheang Mai Restaurant
After the dinner, we headed to the airport to catch our flight that departing at 10pm. Goodbye to the islands, and also Kelantan the peaceful city.
Labels: Trip
