Lombok, Indonesia

No, this is not Maldives.

Welcome to the island of Lombok, Indonesia.

Compared to Phuket, Koh Samui and Boracay, Lombok is a pretty much unknown tourist destination.

How do we ended up choosing Lombok instead?

About a year ago, one of our friend met a girl from Indonesia, and over a drinking session suddenly one of us started the topic of having a trip overseas.

About a tower and a half of Carlsberg gone into the stomach, somebody just shouted "Lombok!".

Just like the Aladdin fairy tale, after about a year of planning and so much of anticipation, here we are in the land of Lombok, about 3 hours flying time from Kuala Lumpur.

Amazing isn't it?

As part of the planning process, I added a few travel agent via Facebook, and ended up with "Lombok Travel Fun". Details of the company can be found here at  http://www.lomboktravelfun.com/

The placard upon arrival. I bet no one has ever come up with the idea of naming the group as "Wolf Pack Gang", from the movie "Hangover".

As that is exactly what we planned.

Upon arrival at Lombok International Airport, the owner of the Lombok Travel Fun, Pak Rizal was waiting for us with two "6 seaters cars".

One for carrying passengers and one for bags only. Take that.

Transportation: (Lombok Airport - Senggigi - Lombok Airport) Approx USD 130.

Accommodation

For this trip, we preferred something like a bungalow or villa that comes with swimming pool.

In Lombok, there were lots of choices to choose from, but if you have a tight budget, consider this.

The Riverside Villa.

It has 3 villas in total and we took 2. Each villa has 3 rooms, so it was just nice for 6.

It was really value for money.

The manager is Mr. Rocky, who speak better English than any one of us there. (He used to stayed in Singapore for quite some times).

Breakfast and lunch is complimentary if you stayed here. Just grab the menu and tell the cook what you need.

Each villa has the following features:

3 bedrooms (with individual toilet), 1 kitchen, 1 living hall, 1 TV hall, 1 dining hall, A/C in every room, and complimentary wifi. (Speed of the wifi was excellent unlike what we read in the review).

Overall the setup is excellent. Clean and comfortable. Only problem would be the water pressure and their towel can be cleaner.

Similar to a lot of places in Indonesia, occasionally you will face the black out situation. We had it 2 times a day almost every day.

Blame the National Utility company.

Price: RM800/Villa for 4 days 3 nights. (Yes, total of 3 nights!) X 2 Villas = RM 1,600.00

So , the first thing we did, jumped into the pool!!

Nothing beat a bottle of cold beer and relaxing by the pool after a whole day of travelling.

So, if you come to Lombok, one of the must do thing would be a trip to the Gili Trawangan.

There were 3 main island off Lombok, namely Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air.

But since the main objective is to get hangover, we decided just to visit Gili Trawangan.

Gili Trawangan Tour (With Private Speedboat) Approx USD 35/head.
(Inclusive of transfer to and from jetty, Lunch and dinner, private boat transfer and complimentary drinks)

Some people told us that during the peak season, you may opt to stay overnight at Gili Trawangan to enjoy the party atmosphere.

There were lots of choices of places to stay on that island.

We took a one hour bicycle ride circling the island. You don't have to worry, as you will never got lost on that island. The only downside is I felt my ar*e swollen from the 1 hour bike ride.

One of the shocking thing was that we never knew that there were people who will approach you and try to sell their "magic mushroom" and marijuana on the island.

My advise is, stay out of it.

Although the bike riding session was really a "pain in the ars*". I strongly recommend it as you will get the chance to appreciate the island from all the different angles.

 

 

 

 

And of course, the package include snorkelling session. (Snorkelling gear has to be rented separately).

 



 

 

As the boat ride from the main land to the island only took us about 15 minutes, we managed to get back to our Villa at about 5.30 pm.

 

(We opt to have our dinner at Senggigi rather than the island).

 

 

It is a seafood restaurant in Senggigi. The food is quite delicious, and the environment is quite nice also.

Took a group photo before dinner.

What's a guys trip without partying?

If you have done research about "partying in Lombok". you will come across "Marina Pub".
(Sorry I have to upload the picture from internet as I do not have a copy in my laptop)

Marina pub is one of the most popular music and dance club. (Similar to the Alive in KL).

You will see a lot of foreigners in here, and also some local call girls who will try charm their way into your path. (Or your bed if you have the cash).

If you need a quieter place for dinner and drinks (and live band) I will strongly recommend "The Paragon", which is located just across the road from Marina.

 

 

The wolfpack gang having a great time at the Paragon.

Generally the alcoholic beverages is not that expensive over there. Although it is considered as muslim country (You can find a lot of mosque over there, just like the 7-11), alcoholic drinks is not banned.

(Take that Kelantan).

Overall the trip was quite a memorable one.

Thanks to Lombok Travel Fun for being such a patient and dedicated tour guide for us. (Even waiting for us after late night party at 4am).

Definitely will be back again in the future!

 

Wolf of Wall Street (Malaysian Version)

The movie "Wolf of Wall Street" has became an instant hit when it was first released, which happen to be one of my favourite movie made of all time.

 

Leonardo Di Caprio (Left) acted in the movie as the real "wolf", Jordan Belfort (On the Right).



 

Finger Lickin' good isn't it?

But as a Malaysian, I am proud to inform that we do have our own version of the "Wolf" in our own home soil.

Introducing the "Wolf-de-f***" of Malaysia.

Jho Low.

Finger....my....god.

But love him or hate him, ever since the news of him being part of the 1MDB fishy deals with Petrosaudi, I have googled him more than before on the social media.

Honestly on a very personal level, the way this guy carry himself with charisma, the way he talk and the way he present himself is quite impressive upon me to say the least.

(Talking about a guy who own billions in his early 30s, obviously he has to be a very smart guy to be able to accomplish what he had today).

I am not sure if he is really one of the culprit in the 1MDB-Petrosaudi issue and I couldn't care less. Our lovely government is the one who should be responsible for any deal makings and ensure that the people's money will be properly managed.

One thing I have noticed recently is the hater's voices and opinions. But I am really sure that most of the haters would have browse through his profile, his partying antics, the assets he owned and felt envied at the same moment.

Who wouldn't?

Partying with Paris Hilton.

A lavish proposal surprise to the Taiwanese Pop Star Elva Hsiao which cost an eye-watering RM 5 Million!

And got rejected.

(But I must agreed that the proposal is quite lame. I can do it better with 5, 000).

As Elva treated him as "one of my little brother".

Here we can come to accept that there is a "world of difference" to most of the people where money will never be a problem to him.

Ironically, it was rumoured that he did has some parts in the financing of the wolf of wall street movie, which it was linked to one of our most beloved Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Well if the rumour is true, I think I am going to stop paying my income tax from now on.

 

Medan, Indonesia Trip.

We decided to have a little trip to the city of Medan, Indonesia for Chinese New Year holiday getaway.

I have been to Bali and Jakarta at one point couple of years ago. But Medan was my first time. Not to mentioned that this is also the first trip that involved my in-law family members.

The difference between travelling with in laws and friends?

Just check out the differences from the pictures.

With the in laws.

With friends.

or like this.

 

Jokes aside, you will know you have arrived in Medan (or Indonesia in particular) when you
come upon traffic jams (with lots of honking at each other).

One thing did surprised me actually.

With all the "honking" around.

1. No one give two f**ks actually.
2. No one wind down their window and gave us a middle finger.
3. No one stop their car and use her steering lock to hit on our car. 

It is as if by honking at one another in Malaysia = "F**K you!"
In Indonesia = "Hi how are you doing?" 

Actually it is the same with Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines. Something must be really wrong with our country in term of education.

Malaysia Boleh!

During this trip we stay at one of the nicest hotel in Medan. The JW Marriot.

 

 

The rate per night is about USD 100 per night inclusive of breakfast, which is quite a bargain.

 

That was me in the infinity pool for a morning swim.

 

 

 

View at the lobby.

 

 
View in the room.



To be honest, I would not recommend if you want to do a lot of sightseeing.

(That is just my two cents).

But one thing you should never missed will be this.

 

 

This is what the Indonesian called "kueh Lapis Legit". You can find it in most of the places in Medan, however, I will personally recommend the "Rika Bika Ambon" in Jalan Sekip, Medan.

We were allowed to have a "tasting" session before we decide whether to buy it or not.

You can even make the bookings and get it delivered to your hotel the next day if you do not wish to carry it around.

Trust me, I have a very high level of standard in term of rating about foods. For example, penang char keow teow is "ok lah". Klang "bah kut teh", also so so only.

But Kue Lapis Legit? My goodness, it is a must try!

Another place for food hunters - Coffee Box at Jalan Palang Merah.

This is where you can get lots of local delicacies at very reasonable price.

And why the one at Jalan Palang Merah?

It is because, if you wish to get a good massage afterwards, opposite the road about 1 minute walking distance there are one good massage parlour.

"Feng Huang".

The price for a leg massage for 1.5 hours would be around USD 7 per person. I am not a big fan for massage anyway, but since it is so cheap, i think why not?

Don't ask me if they offer any "extra services". I am with my in laws and family.

Another local delicacies which is a "must try", the "Satay padang".

 

Extracted from Wikipedia:

 

Sate Padang is a speciality satay from Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, made from beef cut into small dices with spicy sauce on top of it. Its main characteristic is a yellow sauce made from rice flour mixed with spicy offal broth, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander, galangal root, cumin, curry powder and salt. In Medan, a lot of Sate Padang use not only beef but also chicken and lamb.

 
As for the rest of the trip, we visited one Chinese temple and one church.

This tree at the temple, where the people will write their wishes down for the year and hang it on the tree with the hope that good fortune will come and their wishes will come true.

 

 This is my wife praying that his husband will be a millionaire in no time.

 

 

 

And this is where I put a wish list on the tree praying that she will never run away with my money if i am a millionaire. LOL.

 

One of the church in Medan, can't recall the name really.



 

Like I said earlier, there were nothing much to shout about. But if you are into the ancient history or religion stuff, this may could be the "must go destination".

Total damage for the trip? (4 days 3 nights) about USD 300 per person all included for airfare, tour arrangement, hotels, foods, basically everything. (Please note that this is calculated based on the sharing basis for 8 adults and one infant).

Would I ever return?

Since i am more like a "beach and sun" guy, I don't think so, unless I am craving for the "kueh lapis legit"!


Next trip will be in two weeks time, Lombok! (That's what I classified as a "beach and sun" place.

So stay tuned!

 

Business Class on Cathay Pacific

One of my recent business trip required me to fly all the way to Tianjin, China.

As this is not a popular route, MAS and Air Asia did not offer direct flight to Tianjin. So, I have resorted to fly with Cathay Pacific instead which include a stopover in Hong Kong.

I am lucky enough to have experienced both MAS and Air Asia business class seats for lower rates. But this time, it is TOTALLY FREE.

 

 

 

How it happened, i am not too sure. I booked via the airline website for economy class, but when I went into the boarding room, I was stopped by the ladies at the gate and asked me to step aside due to some "minor issue".

 

A few things crossed my mind. I have paid my income taxes. I paid my PTPTN. Or am I wanted for some sort of national security issue?

 

Funny thing was I overheard their conversation. (Whispering)

 

"This passenger's seating arrangement has a little problem. The seat was broken and can't be repaired in time".

 

Then one of the staff turned to me and says. "Dear Mr. Wong, as you are one of the Marco Polo member of our airline, we are pleased to upgrade you to the business section of the plane. Do you have any problem with that?"

 

Hell No! Why would I?

 

Funny thing was there were no mention about the broken seats at all!

 

But to be as honest as I can be, if you asked me, I would still very much prefer the business section for MAS or Air Asia.

The business class seat on Cathay is quite small and crampy actually even for a Asian guy like me. But anyway it is still much better compared to the Economy class anyway.

As usual, the services provided in this section was really first class.

The food. (Nothing like the Pak Nasser's Nasi Lemak).

 

 

Comes with unlimited supplies of alcoholic beverages. (I Ordered a glass of champagne and a glass of wine).

 



All the normal stuff you will come across if you travelling on a business class section.

 

But the main difference this time?

 

Lets have a guess. See if you can noticed anything unusual from this picture.

 

The seat in this section, unlike the other airline, came with the massage function for your back!

Four hours flight with food and wine, and free massage services, i couldn't have asked for more!

I am spoilt. Really.



 

It is Raining

Not sure why.

 

But every time it rains, I can't help myself to stop smiling.

My mum used to told me that I was born during a rainy midnight. Maybe that's why.

Bangkok Shopping Spree

When mention about Bangkok, this is what a girl would think.

And this is what we, the guys, think.

 

On my recent birthday in December, my wife suddenly asked me if I fancy a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. She will pay for the air ticket as my birthday present.

Since I have only been to Phuket and Krabi before, I think this would be a great chance to have a look at the place where girls described as the "heaven for shoppers".

How wrong I was.

Apart from the bustling red light district and countless massage parlour on the street, for me, it seems to be the heaven for both guy and girls in term of shopping.

We arrived late evening and check in immediately into the hotel first. The Centara Watergate Pavillion Hotel.

Priced at about RM250 per night, I think it was a good choice for its setup, and most importantly, the location, which is a walking distance away from the BTS train station and the Platinum Mall, where you can do hell-a-lot of a shopping.

The view from hotel lobby. Place where you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner here.

View inside the room.

The overall setup was modern and most importantly, it is clean and comfortable and spacious enough for couple especially.

And it comes with a free Wi-Fi and lots of local and international movie channel on TV. So, nothing much to complain.

It is located about 10 minutes walk away from the Platinum Mall in Pratunam area,  rated as one of the most popular + cheap shopping place for fashion clothes and accessories wholesale.

A t-shirt like this would cost about RM20 per pc.

And about RM39 for a formal/casual wear for guys.

But if you were a football fanatic (like me) who wished to purchase cheap club jerseys from the shelf, you may not want to end up here.

During the trip, I tried to google the best place to find football jerseys. Some people told me Chatuchak market and the "Kaka" shop near the MBK mall would be the best bet. But personally? This is how I would rate it.

Chatuchak - Big disappointment. The jerseys on sale looked old and "fake". I mean it is fake anyway, but the last thing I wanted is my football jersey looked like a pair of car washing clothes.

Kaka Shop, near MBK mall - The quality of the jerseys are good. Price was OK. But the selection was really limited. A lot of the shop provide services for jersey and number printing. But still, I walked out from there without buying anything.

It was quite disappointing at first as one of my main "mission" for this trip was to grab as many football jerseys as I can.

Then came the Eureka moment.

During one of those afternoon walkabout, me and my wife decided to part ways as she was trying to get some dress from the Platinum mall. And I was feeling so sick that I was planning to walk back to hotel on my own.

Then underneath a flyover bridge, between Platinum Mall and my hotel, was a row of stalls selling t-shirts and stuff. Then I saw the jerseys.

The quality is excellent and the price is cheap. I managed to negotiate for 10 jerseys for myself and my friends at about RM22 per piece.

This is how it looks like.

So you can judge yourself by its look.

As the hotel we are staying in are quite strategic in term of location, most of the time we spend are on foot.

But if you get too knackered and decided to stop walking, don't worry, Bangkok has lots of this guys.

Just make sure you check the price beforehand as Tuk Tuk does not come with a meter like a usual taxi does.

To summarize our trip, this is the breakdown (Approximate) that we spent during this trip.

(Price for two person)

Airfare (Air Asia) = RM 900
Hotel (3 D 2 Nights) = RM 500
Food + Transport = RM300
Shopping = RM 2,150.00 (!!!)

As you can see, the cost of shopping worth much more than the rest.

So, in the future if your other half (especially if it is girl) invited you to Bangkok, just make sure that you bring enough cash with you.

Before the trip I was questioning her, "Do we really need to spend 2K on shopping alone?".

She didn't answer directly.

She proved to me.

That even a guy can go crazy while doing shopping in Bangkok.