Pak Idrus's Blog

Last week we went to Kuantan, my hometown for a family get-together. Our eldest daughter organised the event where we stayed at a new concept of resort.  It a Homestay where folks book a condo to stay unlike staying in hotel in individual room. In this case a whole family could stay for the duration in one condo with two double rooms. The condominium came we all the facilities just like a home.  Because ours is a large family of four generations we book five apartments. All facilities like swimming pool etc are available for use by the guests. The front of the resort complex is the China sea with a sprawling beach. And of course guests get to use of the beach out front too. All and all it was a great place for a family holiday. It was our first time staying in a homestay and we did enjoy it. Above is the scene of the morning sun on that weekend. Majestic indeed. Have a nice day.  

It was past seven in the morning. I decided to walk to the beach. It was drizzling and I was alone. I walk to the beach up to where the waves pound the beach. It was a great feeling to get my feet wet as the waves bashed the shore of the wet sand where I was standing. I have been to this beach thousands  of times before, from my childhood time up to this very moment. I  always felt good to be here and get connected again with my root at this beach of Teluk Cempedak which I referred to as my beach. This time we stayed for three nights at the Hyatt hotel fronting the gorgeous beach. This image of me was taken at 7.33 am on 8.7.2020. Standing there does made my day.  Have a nice day.

We decided to take a break at Kuantan, my hometown. With daughter Lin driving the Accord I just sat behind and enjoy the trip. My spouse sat at the front seat. The weather was fine all the way from Ampang to Kuantan. Left KL at 10 am and arrived in Kuantan at 1.pm. We got to the Hyatt hotel at Teluk Cempedak and because the hotel was fully booked we had to wait for the rooms to be ready. Eventually we got two adjacent rooms at the ground level, partly facing the sea. Sort of lucky to get such good rooms with a view of the sea.  We had brought our lunch and enjoy the Nasi Lemak in the cool comfort of the room. Then took a rest. Would be here for three days. Memories of my youth came coming back; the days we used to camp on the same ground where this Hyatt hotel, the first five stars hotel build in the seventies stand proudly, with rooms facing the sea of Teluk Cempedak. I was then probably just 10 years old and now at eighties plus blessed with the opportunity to sleep on the same ...

Tomorrow May 23, 2020 would be the last day of fasting during this year Ramadan thus we would complete thirty days of fasting. Pending the sighting of the Moon we would be celebrating the Aidil Fitri or the Hari Raya this year on Sunday May 24, 2020. Because of the MCO  and Convid 19 folks are advice to celebrate the Hari Raya only at their home with a maximum attendance of only twenty. So let us make full use of the opportunity and enjoy this year Raya with the family in our home. Selamat Hari Raya to all those who visit this Blog.  Have a nice day.

Cherating is a sea resort north of Kuantan. It a resort similar like that at Bali and a very good place to spend a holiday with the family. At a certain time of the year one could even enjoy surfing on the roaring seas there. There are many type of accommodations like camping facilities, chalets and five stars hotel that cater for all at a reasonable price. It just a three and half hours drive away from Kuala Lumpur so it worth to get there for a few days trips to enjoy the sea as well the sea foods. Unlike Bali it not that crowded thus a good place to enjoy the peace and tranquility of a seaside resorts. About are some images of the place. Enjoy it folks.  Have a nice day.

A few months ago, I surfed the net trying to find an outback resort in the jungle of Janda Baik, an enclave of the east side of the main range of Malaya, for a short retreat with the family. In Malay the main range is call the Banjaran Titiwangsa. Most of the forest in the main range of Malaya are some 160 million years old since it was not touch by the ice age. In the search I stumble upon the Twinkle Villa and decided to explore more from the resort website. It looks interesting with a concept of a private villa where the guests are limited in numbers. Since this is something new I then told my daughter Lin to check and maybe one of these days we could just go there. She did her homework and then make a booking to get the whole family there on the weekend that she is free. As usual with a three-generation family it difficult to get everyone along in one go. In the end she books a villa that could accommodate six and was allotted the Villa Resak. All the villas are names after ...

Being a Kuantanite I have been to Cherating many times and of course during my childhood and my youth Cherating have been our camping place. We would hike from the Kuantan town and camp there on the weekend; enjoying ourselves oblivious of the world.  Cherating today in no longer a quiet place like before, it is sort of a tourists’ destination, a destination like Bali with all the potential of becoming one. Well, with proper planning it could be just as great a destination to enjoy the sea. It not that far away from Kuala Lumpur, it just a three or four house leisure drive or an hour flight and you are there facing kilometers and kilometers of open beaches facing the vast South China Sea. And folks a very clean beach all the years round. It been kept clean by the bashing of the waves from the open sea.  There are many kinds of accommodation there that would suit everyone pocket; from the cheapest Kampong house living to the various type of chalets, to the most...

A friend Ismail Mat who now live in Alor Setar in the northern state of Kedah after he retired had invited me to visit Kedah and perhaps go on a trip to south Thailand. So, on last Friday September 29, I decided to take his offer and go on the trip to nowhere. I start the trip by taking the ETS to Alor Setar. The train left KL Sentral at 11.42 and arrived on the dot at 15.17. It was a beautiful ride all the way. On arrival the close friend was waiting for me at the Alor Setar railway station. Instead of sending me direct to the hotel he detours to his home where his spouse had prepared a late lunch for me. It was a simple home cooking that includes Ikan Pekasam and Masak lemak Kulat Sisir of which I had not savored for such a long time. It was such a sumptuous late lunch that I totally forgot about times. Had a small chat with his charming spouse, an MD who had retired and decided to just stay home. After the coffee he then took me to the Holiday Villa, my hotel for the ni...

When I was in school camping and hiking was of how we kid spend our recreation especially on weekend and during school holiday.  Kuantan been near the sea have many places to go hiking and camping. One of the camping site that is nearby is at Teluk Cempedak.  On my recent visit to Kuantan I found that they have turn an enclave on the left side of Teluk Cempedak as a Camping site. The enclave is now call Teluk Tongkang. I made a visit to the place and found it an ideal site to camp and enjoy the outdoor beside the sea.  For a small fee anyone can camp there. For the convenience of the campers the authority of the place provides clean water and Washroom for those campers as well to the public would just make a day visit.  On my visit there recently, I had the opportunity to meet the Warden of the place. He welcomes everyone to the place and enjoy camping. Other than providing tents for sleeping the organizer also provides meals and BBQ for the cam...

Time passed too fast these days. It was like last week that we went to Kelantan to visit friends but it actually been five years ago... I Blog here folks about that visit ..... . [ Do click on the link to read] Have a nice day.

It was a beautiful Monday on the last week of February. We were having a short holiday in Port Dickson. I woke early on that Monday morning and went for a walk along the beach near the hotel that we were staying. It was still early and dark, around 7.45am in the morning. As I walk toward the beach I saw some Chinese tourists coming back from an early dip in the sea.  There were hardly any people on the beach. I saw a loan fisherman with his net trying to catch some seafood's near the shore. It was a beautiful scene to see him in action in that early morning. It was still dark and slowly as the sky lighten up I could see a beautiful clouds formation just above the horizon. It was a majestic sight to watch and wonder as nature put it grand show of clouds formation in that early hours. It was just like someone was painting the sky with an image that kept changing all the times. I love watching such panoramic view of the sky; awesome indeed. I took my cellphone and t...

I am still recuperating from my last surgery and have not been outside the city for almost a year.  I told my spouse and my kids that I wanted to go somewhere near the sea. Perhaps Port Dickson is the best place and not that far away from Kuala Lumpur; it an about two hours drive. I love the sea and beaches since I grew up  in a town near the sea on the east coast of Malaya; Kuantan. So the sea always refreshes me and a visit now would be just lovely for my health. So last Sunday on the suggestion of our daughter Lin we decided to go to Port Dickson for an overnight stay at one of the luxury hotel there, the Thistle Hotel. With Lin driving we left the house just after ten in the morning. It was nice to be able to sit at the back seat of the car and enjoy the ride. We stop over at the Seremban Rest and Recreation area and had our lunch before proceeding to Port Dickson.  On arrival at the hotel in Port Dickson we found may people checking-out and our rooms are not...

Above is an image of the rising Sun taken while we were holidaying in the highland resort last year. This image was taken at 7.03am on May 27, 2014. Enjoy it folks.