road rage... that means trippin' with a vengeance...

After 3.5 years of crippling covid lockdowns, 2023 was set to be the year of travel, driven by the fumes of post-cabin fever vengeance.  The highlights had to be Africa, Sarawak and Royal Belum...

The quick list in chrono order:
1.  Fraser's Hill (February)

2. Cameron Highlands (February)

3. Sarawak (April)

4. Batu-batu (June)

5. Kenya, Tanzania + Uganda  (August)

6. Royal Belum Hornbill Expedition 2023 (September)

7.  Jakarta (December)

I won't go into details of all the trips, only the more interesting ones:

Sarawak (Ba'kelalan)

Ba'kelalan was the main aim of me wanting to do this trip and the highlight would have been a stay at Ba'kelalan Owl House, with Andy & Maureen hosting us.  Unfortunately, I never got to meet Andy, even though I was in touch with him just a day before he passed.  This unexpected turn of events meant that my booking was still uncertain but on the advice of several locals, we decided to bite the bullet and go anyway, not wanting to cancel the MAS Wings tickets that had already been bought.  A long story cut short - we ended up staying at the house of the Penghulu, Pak Yudan and his lovely wife.

Ba'kelalan is very far off any beaten track and is idyllic in all of its remoteness - there are no roads, very few vehicles other than for practical (haulage) use, the people you will come across are from the local Adan tribe (and are all related, somehow) or transient visitors to Gunung Murud and where simplicities of city-living such as electricity, running water and broadband connection are never taken for granted.  And it is an awesome place to do some birding.

However, it doesn't mean that the people aren't friendly and that life is hard here.  Far from it.  

By the end of our five days in Ba'kelalan, we were acquainted with everyone and at the airport (a shack, really) we were hugging our goodbyes with everyone like rellies we won't see again for a long time.  And as for how hard life is here - well, we were so well fed at Pak Yudan's home that we had likely put on 7kgs collectively, which was coincidentally the same amount of Adan rice that was gifted to us - rice that was grown in their own fields, by their own hands.  One could argue that it is, in fact, a pretty charmed life IF one could be so privileged to live here, away from the humdrum of a city.

Kenya (The Mara Triangle)

This was a trip of a lifetime.  A whirlwind 2 weeks spent in East Africa along with 6 other good friends on a trip that was 3 years overdue.

Starting off in Kenya, this was our first taste of safari airlinks that would make the uninitiated (that was us!) very nervous - from the lack of physical structures for an airstrip (some were literally just trees for shade), to the loosey-goosey parking of aircraft on the strip, to the constant re-arrangements of schedules and passenger manifests, to the inevitable delays of take-offs and landings due to wildlife intrusions on the runways, to the claustrophobic cabins onboard aircraft that look like they could fit into your back pocket if you folded them up enough times.

That aside, wildlife in the Masai Mara Triangle was alive and well, with us ticking off four of The Big 5 within the first two days - all that was left was the (VERY) illusive African leopard.  Our guides were abundantly & generously knowledgeable,  our accommodation super luxe (where else would you have wild hippos lazing in the river right outside of your room's balcony?) and the excursions were long & rewarding.

Tanzania (Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater)

Our second stop was across the border to neighbouring Tanzania.  Here, we spotted a very shy leopard to make it five for five, witnessed the great wildebeest migration, enjoyed the famous Serengeti sunset and morbidly watched many wildebeest carcasses being scavenged in an unending cycle of life.  The first of two stops in Tanzania was Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp somewhere on the great Serengeti grasslands, where sounds of lions, warthogs and hyenas can been heard lurking around the camp during the nights.

The second stop was the Ngorongoro Crater, where we experienced a safari in very different terrain and geography than where we had been.  There was a lot of wildlife thriving here and it is said that this was one of the best single locations to sight the Big 5.

Uganda (Bwindi Forest & Mabamba Swamp)

Third and final country in East Africa for us was Uganda.  First into the impenetrable Bwindi Forest to track the silverback mountain gorillas - it was a humbling experience where we were just feet away from these great beasts that were larger than us and without a doubt, could snap our necks like toothpicks if they so chose.  We were on their turf, after all.

And finally, a brief stopover to the Mabamba Swamp on Lake Victoria in an attempt to spot the humongous and prehistoric-looking Shoebill storks.  Just an hour's boat ride out of Entebbe, we came across abundant birdlife and of course, the Shoebill...

Royal Belum Hornbill Expedition 2023

This would be the third time on this expedition in 4 years, thanks to our friend, the intrepid Birdman.  Royal Belum is in north Perak state and is the only area where you can sight all 10 species of hornbills in Malaysia at this time of year.  We manage to spot eight over two days - Oriental Pied, Rhinoceros, Great, Wreathed, Plain Pouched (migratory), Black , Helmeted & Wrinkled (no photo).  All this while rain was always present, ranging from mildly misty to downright torrential.  Note: the remaining two species of hornbill that were not spotted on this trip were the Bushy-Crested and White-Crowned.

Concluding 2023 with a great review in terms of travails, setting it up nicely for more wanderlust in a new year.  Watch for it.

my listening post for 2023...

The stash of listens that I had accumulated through the year (all books can be found on Audible, I use the UK service):

1. FURIOUSLY HAPPY
AUTH: Jenny Lawson, NARR: Jenny Lawson
RT: 8h 28m | ST: Dec-22 | END: 18-Mar-23

2. SAPIENS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF HUMANKIND
AUTH: Yuval Noah Harari, NARR: Derek Perkins
RT: 15h 18m | ST: 18-Mar-23 | END: 22-Apr-23

3. THE BOMBER MAFIA
AUTH: Malcolm Gladwell, NARR: Malcolm Gladwell
RT: 5h 14m | ST: 22-Apr-23 | END: 8-May-23

4. TALKING TO STRANGERS
AUTH: Malcolm Gladwell, NARR: Malcolm Gladwell
RT: 8h 42m | ST: 8-May-23 | END: 25-May-23

5. THE PRACTICING STOIC
AUTH: Ward Farnsworth, NARR: John Lescault
RT: 9h 57m | ST: 25-May-23 | END: 22-Jun-23

6. HUMANKIND: A HOPEFUL HISTORY

AUTH: Rutger Bregman, NARR: R.Bregman, Thomas Judd
RT: 11h 36m | ST: 23-Jun-23 | END: 12-Jul-23

7. STORM IN A TEACUP: THE PHYSICS OF EVERYDAY LIFE
AUTH: Helen Czerski, NARR: Chloe Massey
RT: 10h 41m | ST: 13-Jul-23 | END: 3-Oct-23

8. BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING
AUTH: Malcolm Gladwell, NARR: Malcolm Gladwell
RT: 7h 43m | ST: 4-Oct-23 | END: 17-Oct-23

9. OUTLIERS: THE STORY OF SUCCESS
AUTH: Malcolm Gladwell, NARR: Malcolm Gladwell
RT: 7h 18m | ST: 17-Oct-23 | END: 15-Nov-23

10. THE TIPPING POINT
AUTH: Malcolm Gladwell, NARR: Malcolm Gladwell

RT: 8h 34m | ST: 16-Nov-23 | END: 5-Dec-23

MY VERY OWN EPILOGUE:

I started the year with Furiously Happy, which came highly recommended. It sounded like a hoot - a lady who had mental health issues AND wasn't afraid to talk about it and laugh at her own absurdities. Let's just say that this is a book that is probably better read that listened to.

Continuing along the philosophical lines, I also did The Practicing Stoic - stoicism is not as negative as a philosophy than the word generally implies. I am inherently stoic by nature but as the philosphy teaches, it is not a journey with an end because a practicing stoic continually aspires to a higher zen-like state of being.

Then, I decided to finally bite the bullet and do Sapiens, followed by its counterpart, Humankind. Honestly, doing these two back to back will either (1) give a reader whiplash, (2) leave them sublimely optimistic or clinically depressed, depending on the order in which both are read, or (3) be really noisy because these two books literally try to out-theorize each other almost point for point. Sapiens is a stark and depressing indictment of people as a race, while Humankind tries to look at that same race through rose-tinted glasses. I am a pessimist and/or a realist, hence i gravitate towards the terrifying study of Humankind.

The odd one out in this list was Storm In A Teacup which was a fun break after Sapiens vs Humankind to learn about physics and how it affects our everyday lives.

The rest of the year was dedicated to almost all the major books that Malcolm Gladwell has written on socio-psychology. I loved every one of the five books - suffice to say that the only difference between Gladwell and I is that he has wayyy more academic knowledge and all the right words to describe what we are both already thinking.

Overall haul of 10 titles (96.5 hours of runtime) done. To be fair, I spent quite a fair bit rewinding many portions of Gladwell's books because i found certain points fascinating and wanted to make sure I understood it well enough to intelligibly regurgitate as anecdotes.

I have decided to start every year with a Booker or Pulitzer winner from the previous year. Hence, 2024 will begin with Prophet Song by Paul Lynch, followed by a final audiobook from Malcolm Gladwell for me to complete, David vs. Goliath.

the bane that are telemarketers...

this story is absolutely true, it happened to me and less than an hour ago:

Telemarketer: Good evening mam, my name is xxxxx from zzzzz College and I would like to invite you to attend a Tour Guide Course.
Me: a Tour Guide Course???

T/M: Yes mam.  You have been recommended by someone who had earlier attended this course.

Me: And what will I do with this course?

T/M: After you do this course, you could run tours as a guide in your free time.

Me: And where would I find free time?

T/M: .........

Me: Do you even know what I do for a living currently?

T/M: No mam.

Me: And it never occurred to you to ask first?

T/M: .........

Me: So what makes you think this would be relevant to me or if it would even interest me?

T/M: it’s only 45 minutes mam

Me: Tell me who it was who recommended me for this course?

T/M: I can’t tell you that mam

Me: So why should I believe you?

T/M: it’s our policy, mam. We can’t give out our contact details

Me: (yelling by now) and yet you will use it to harass me. how do i know you're even telling me the truth about a recommendation or you're just making it all up??

T/M: mam, we are only doing our job

Me: well good for you, I don’t want to hear any more until I know who it was who was stupid enough to suggest that I would be interested  in it!

T/M: it was your friend or your relative who is stupid…

grrrrrrr... gerammmmm...

and the awakening continues...

A little over five years ago, I wrote a blog entry the morning (well, two mornings) after GE12.  I said a couple of things that now, in retrospect, were eerily insightful.

Five years on and we’re now past GE13.  The general feeling is one of another massive hang-over.  In fact, this comment overheard on social media summed up the dramatics; “feels like the morning after I’ve been gang-raped”. 

But I digress.

Back in 2008, I wrote about the things I learnt from that election.  In a nutshell:

1. Exercising one’s vote matters;

2. That it was not about the candidate but more about the badge he/she wore;

3. There was a growing voice (of discontent) among the youth; and

4. It was the start of a time for opposition to prove their salt.

About voting: Exercising one’s vote should have always mattered.  But there was a long time during which it didn’t.  That all changed in 2008.  Five years on, it is more evident than ever.  The gradual shifts in the realization of voters themselves of the power they wielded.  Each one had a right, they were going to use it and no (alleged) illegal foreign import was going to steal it from them.  Kudos!  The awakening continues.

About the Candidates: This time around, it appears that the opposition were more ready, fielding candidates who were prepared and qualified for public service, rather than just anyone off the street (or behind bars) who stood for some kind of rebellion.  But the sentiment is still strong – ABU (Anything But UMNO or conveniently translated as Asalkan Bukan UMNO) was a movement that began sometime in the last five years because of the compounding discontent and is an example of the increasing feeling of anti-establishment.  And countless protests persist, post-GE13.  The awakening continues.

About the Voice of Youth: the youth of five years ago, older and wiser this time, were evermore entrenched in the belief that “CHANGE” or “UBAH” was imminent going into GE13.  For their sake, I pray that they have also cultivated patience and resolve because I personally believe that it WILL come.

But something else that I had observed about the youth between GEs; many who thought of themselves as inconsequential in the grand machinery of government and the electoral process had realized the difference that they could (should) make, they went out and got themselves registered as voters, not wanting to lose out.  They began to take interest in how government worked.  They felt invested in  the electoral process. They took to the streets and stared down water cannons and tear gas.  They stood up and questioned authority and were not afraid to own a voice.  And when the time came, they made an effort to learn about the candidates before they voted.  They even went to ceramahs to listen to them speak. Suddenly, it was cool to be interested in government and talk about Malaysian politics again.  It was their government and their politics again.  And so, the awakening continues.

About Opposition Government: I think they have done a sterling job, especially in Penang and Selangor.  But don’t take my word for it.  Take it from those who contributed to the majority-vote increase of candidates being returned to office.  In 2008, I had said that it was too early to call it a new dawn.  Rather, it was time for opposition to prove themselves worthy.  And that, they have. 

The heavy disappointment of the Oppostion Coalition's loss is most palpable among urbanites.  After all, it is where they won the popular vote; 51% of Malaysians are pro-Opposition.  However, voters registered within Penang and Klang Valley alone make up 33% of the total but is represented by only 21% of the 222 Parliamentary seats up for contest.  

Najib’s unfiltered and ill-advised utterance of the phrase “Chinese Tsunami” is sadly a delusional knee-jerk attempt to find immediate blame.  It was an “Urban Tsunami”, Sir.  Continue to ignore the dangers of playing divisive racial-politics at your own peril.

Pakatan’s glowing 5-year track record should now be used to further their strategy, which must surely be a fundamental part of the next 5-year plan to capture a larger non-urban base.  Because the awakening MUST continue.

It is easy to think that the Opposition front has been dealt a blow but everything points toward a progressive upward momentum.  The PR leadership still seems to be reeling from the narrow loss two days on.  Ironically¸ it is an obviously hopeful people through their outpouring of sentiments in a social media space that have displayed a maturity in understanding that the battle is lost but it was another emphatic step towards winning the proverbial war.  If the people haven’t lost hope, the leadership shouldn't either. 

Ok, fine.  Brood for 21 days, if you really must, but waste no time in licking the wounds.  The clock is ticking and it's time to start strategizing a counter-attack for the dirty tactics and money politics that will no doubt be faithfully employed again by the BN machinery for GE14.

new year baptism...

Standing on Pantai Tengah beach in Langkawi waiting for the synchronous bursts of noise from all around (and down the beach) of party poppers and shouts of "happy new year". Sadly, auld lang syne is not heard much these days.

And then followed soon after by fireworks. Advantage of watching from Pantai Tengah is that one could see all the way down the beach of Pantai Cenang, where the crowds and the drunken parties were. Someone even shot a emergency flare from a boat out in the middle of the dark cove. Pity the poor fellow, if he really was in dire straits.

Fireworks were accompanied by reverant kuomin lanterns released by the hundreds, lighting up the sky with serene floating lights amidst the angsty bursts of gunpowdered psychedelia.

Soon as the light display was over, Karina walks into the sea and everyone followed. It only felt like the natural thing to do. And amidst loud music of LMFAO from a nearby cafe, we all shuffled in the sea.

Back at La Pari-Pari, we walked straight into Karina's brand new pool and the yin and yang new-year baptism was complete; salt, washed away by the fresh. Along with a chilled bottle of bubbly to toast, hence the new-year crossover was completed to perfection.

Here's wishing everyone the same perfect start and year-long perfection in everything this 2012.

What Rages the Machines?

Seriously.

Two weeks on and the trail of failed electronic equipment include 3 desktops, 2 laptops and a phone that does nothing but sits pretty on my desk... Nothing; as in it doesn't ring and I can't ring out. It just sits there electronically displaying an unhelpful reminder that it doesn't work.

Even the laptop which had a crashed hard disk and was sent for repairs has now gone down again, from my cursory assessment, with the same problem.  My back up desktop is displaying a message by someone named McAfee that I have a "Fatal Error: [0xEE00000B] EPEi_system_policy".  I think Mr McAfee is neither English nor human.

Not to mention a BlackBerry device which also went through a fatal crash which was un-revivable after my many amateur attempts and The attempts of Sammy, the professional phone surgeon, it remained stubbornly dead. Never mind, I've now bought a spanking new device which I love.

Yes, seriously.

good vs evil...

It started out as a discussion over dinner about religion being a necessary tool of evil in politicking.  And then it suddenly occurred to me; isn't religion the devil itself?

If there wasn't a continuous polarisation of "good" and "evil" and the subsequent reinforcement of it, would there even be a division between the two?

Rhetoric lightbulb-moment; without good, would there be evil?  Vice-versa - without evil, what is good?  Where is the thin, grey line that tips one over to one side or the other?

The use of religion as a control-tool is inherently dependent on the continuous propogation of the struggle between good and evil.  But doesn't the precept of good and evil exist only in our own heads?

onwards, to new depths of social retardation...

An Obdient Wives' Club?  Polygamy Club??  Really???!

Do Malaysians really have such low self-esteem?  I mean, don't get me wrong; those who can look at the issue and scoff probably wouldn't dream that they'd ever have a need to be part of such a club (although men may think a Polygamy Club might be amusing, but for all the "wrong" reasons!).  However, the problem is not with those who don't need a club membership, but with those who do.  And I am not about to scoff at how many members this club might enrol, no matter how small.

Why Obedient Wives' Club?  Are Malaysian Wives so blinkered to think that high divorce rates, crime, rape, drug addiction and the Big Bang Theory were all because they weren't good in bed?  Maybe they are so blinkered that they can't see the problem is in the blinkers itself.  Or maybe so close that they can't even see that they're blinkered.

Imagine: remove blinkers.  Change club name.

Change the notion of obedience to awareness or mindfulness.  To be a more thoughtful person instead of going to obedience school.  Think of what should go into their marriage instead of comparing notes with someone else's.  Communicate with a partner instead of doing what is told or expected.  Constructive input as opposed to subservience.

Change the context of being a wife into being a responsible and constructive human being.  Which is what we all are.  Not dogs on a leash.  And we all live with each other, amongst each other.  We form relationships which in turn, enable us to be a part of a functioning society.

Change.  Thoughtful People's Club.  But how many people would clamour to be a member?

pervelly, dunsborough, busselton, bunbury...

... and finally, the last installment of a whirlwind trip to the great Australian southwest.

Checking out of the YHA at Margaret River early on a Monday morning, we headed straight for the beach! Nearest to Margaret River is Pervelly, a beach bum surf village (because to call it a town would be grossly over-embellishing it) which was a tranquil bay with waves that were just nice to learn with... I think... I've never surfed, so what would I know? It was great to just take in the view and believe me, it was a very lovely view indeed.

But we had no time to waste, we had a boat to catch. So off we went to Dunsborough, where we arrived at early enough for a leisurely breakfast. It's a nice town with a kind of rich-folk-vacation-cum-retirement-home town to it. For a small town, it wasn't exactly cheap, as I mistakenly expected. Breakfast was lovely nonetheless, if you like a combination of beans and chorizos to start your day with a bang.

Ok, now for the one thing that we had come all the way to see - WHALES. Dunsborough has licensed only one operator for whale-watching tours, which I think is commendable because the Aussies really do respect nature and is fervent about keeping it natural. Hence, the controlled number of excursions will ensure minimal encroachment on wildlife habitat. Very commendable.

All safely on board a 17 metre catamaran, the Cetacean Explorer, we set off into the wide expanse of Geographe Bay and within five minutes of casting off, we are greeted by a pod of dolphins in the midst of hunting breakfast right beneath the boat! There must have easily been about 10 of them, unfazed by our presence and systematically crisscrossing the shallow water to herd smaller schools of fish for their feed. It was a truly amazing sight to see so many of them streaking full-speed right below where we stood. Oh, and here's a tip: wear polarized sunglasses, they will help you see things in things in the water a great deal better, especially on bright days.

After our first marine mammal encounter, it was then time to sight our second mammal - the southern humpback whale. I think these magnificent creatures creatures came to Geographe Bay for a summer holiday (like Germans to Cherating in the month of August) because they were everywhere! A mother with her calf, a "bunch of young boys" doing what boys do best; showing off by frolicking in the water, giving flipper high-fives and doing the backstroke. Unfortunately, the boat's hydrophone was on the blink, else we would definitely have heard some whale song.

After an amazing two hours of encountering two of the largest mammals in the sea on a clear, blue, sunny day (no less!), we were now off to Bunbury, stopping over at Busselton for a look-see. Busselton is home to one of the longest jetties in the world. At 2km in length, that is a very long walk. The length is due to the shallow depth of Geographe Bay and it had to built a long way out back in the day, so that larger boats could disembark cargo and passengers. There is also an underwater observatory at the end of the jetty, which was unfortunately closed for refurbishment at the time.

Bunbury. Another town that I would describe in exactly the same words I did with Dunsborough. But it is a much larger town though and it was here that we found a little time to do some shopping. Oh and of course, I should say that we checked into Ocean Drive Motel to find ourselves in the best room on the property! It had a huge, low window which perfectly framed a view of the sun setting on the horizon of the great Indian Ocean.

Short of anything exciting to do in a small town, we decided on a movie; Social Network. It was a nice little movie to watch but at A$18 per ticket (on a Monday night!! really??!), let's just say you could comfortably watch this on your own tv, in your own living room back in good old KL after a visit to your local "DVD shop". To be fair, the movie is a must-watch, tho I won't give any of the storyline away. It is riveting. and Justin Timberlake is so hate-able.

We woke up to grey and drizzle the next morning. Looks like the sunshine wouldn't hold out another day for us. But that didn't stop us from heading out to the Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre. It is another Australian wonder of the idealistic marriage between wildlife tourism and preservation; the dolphins are wild and everything is done to preserve it that way. And I mean not in idle chatter. They actually do make sure that the dolphins are kept wild and do not spoil them by baiting them with free food. They are given little rewards of no more than 300 grams of fish a day per dolphin and never a species that is alien to Koombana Bay, where they live.

The dolphins come and go as they please, so visitors to the centre have to wait for the dolphins to come in. On that grey morning, we were graced by the presence of Levy, a 16-year old (est.) mother. The staff (mostly volunteer, some of them elderly and retired) identify the dolphins from their dorsal fins and it is amazing that they can rattle on about each individual dolphin like they were telling you about a close relative. Lingering on the beach brought a reward - Levy came back again to visit after a while. It was rainy and the water was murky, which isn't the norm in Koombana Bay, so the dolphin was understandably wary of coming too close but she was close enough. But then, how often do you get to come so close to a dolphin in the wild anyway?

And that was all the mammal encounters that we had. It was time to go. But we had one more winery to visit on the way back to Perth; Vineyard 28 (so named after the noisy parrot found mostly in Western Australia), one of the last ones you will come across from the south before you reach Perth. It's a bit of a trek of 2km on dirt road to get to the cellar door but it is a lovely property and you'll be greeted by the handsomest, friendliest brown mutt south of Perth.

By now the drizzle is easing, making the Highway #2 drive at 100/60/90/50/70/80/10 km/h ever more painful. But I was oblivious. It was Sone's turn to drive while I took a nap. And she hated it.

mandurah, margaret river, cape leeuwin, augusta...

... our Western Australia road trip begins!

First day of our trip starts off early when we head off down south towards Margaret River. Stopping off at Mandurah for a lazy breakfast, we drove around in circles for a while before settling on a random place that jumped out at us; 1957's Cafe - barracuda wrapped in bacon... heavenly.

After a lazy breakfast, it was time for the longest part of the drive - two and a half hours to Margaret River. Now, you might think that 2.5 hours is KL to Taiping... let me just correct any misconceived notion that driving long-distance driving on Australian highways are fun... unlike Malaysia, where speed limits were specially made to be lovingly broken, that is not the case in Australia... It kinda kills the joy of driving out on open highways where traffic is sparse, at best. But be warned; break the limit at your peril; Australia is where cops are watching and the coffee-money don't matter. And that is the end of my complaints about Australia, I promise.

We reach Margaret River and head straight for the YHA, our accommodation for the night. It is "at the edge of town"... which means it was one street down Main Road (which was also the Bussel HIGHWAY, fyi). The YHA was basic but the grounds were lovely with two types of parakeets frolicking in the soccer field. It was serene and the only sounds you could hear were all made by some organic organism!

Anyway, no time to lose. We had so many vineyards to visit! Eeny-meeny-miney-mo... we picked Leeuwin Estate as our first stop. Best decision of the day. Leeuwin Estate grounds were lovely and we saw our first kookaburra there. However, the cellar door experience was something else. The staff were rude and the wine was... not nice... and we weren't compelled to stay any longer, so we legged it to the next stop. It was the best decision made because every vineyard experience after Leeuwin just got better and better.

Redgate Estate - now, here's a vineyard visit that I loved. The grounds were humbler than Leeuwin but not at all in a bad way. The cellar door was cosy and the one guy manning the shop was friendly, helpful and very knowledgable. It was here that I picked up two of the most memorable items of the trip; a beautiful bottle of Cabernet Franc 2008 and a block of Jamaican Coffee Fudge... It was the best fudge IN THE WORLD!!! My regret is that I didn't realise that the best fudge on the face of god's green earth was right there in Margaret River and therefore couldn't go looking for more because we were bound by a ridiculously tight schedule.

Anyway, we had a fudge party in the car on the way to Hamelin Bay, where we encountered Eagle Rays, some of which can grow up to 2m span. The rays come close to shore and it is easy to spot from the waterline. The bay is calm and is part of the Leeuwin National Park. It seems there is some good diving/snorkelling to be had as well. If only I could get a hold of a canoe or kayak to explore the shallow waters. Take a look for yourself: http://vimeo.com/8482915

After Hamelin Bay, it was off to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin in an attempt to catch the sunset where the Southern and Indian Oceans met. It was too cold to stay for too long, and the lighthouse was closed for the day. I don't get why they promote beautiful sunsets at the cape when the lighthouse closes at 5:30 every day...

After a shot of fuel, it was then back to Margaret River for dinner at Settler's Tavern TAB. I had a big slab of moo-moo and it was gorgeous. Sone had lamb but no one would believe me if I said that she raved about the salad more than she did about the lamb!

And since kitchens close at 8:30pm and everyone's asleep by 10:30 everyday in Margaret River, I guess there was nothing else for us to do but to call it a night too...

Whales and dolphins next...

perth & perth...

... the two monkeys are at it again...

This time, the escapade to was to Western Australia. Perth is tiny. I can already imagine Sonya crinkling her nose and rolling her eyes in disagreement... "it's NOT a city" is what she would say.

Perth-lings (what DO you call people who live in Perth??) are a friendly bunch and curiously easier to understand than some other Australians that I have encountered from other parts. Things were easy to organize and get around, aside from a long queue just to clear customs to get INTO the country (Ozzites are paranoid about travellers importing unwanted critters and bugs in their bags). Car rental was booked online and pick up was easy-peasy. Even when I encountered an issue with the GPS unit I had booked, money was refunded with very little questions asked... and all done over the phone! Dang, I liked Australia already... but it was to get better!

We arrive at Shimmi's house in Bentley in time to wake the whole family up at 8:00am... after a very late night. But Niranjan was quick into action whipping up a BIG breakfast on the barbie. Washed down with beer. I am now liking Australia even more...

We all pile into my newly rented Hyundai Getz and set off for Churchlands to visit my cousin in the house that she had newly built with her hubby. It was stunning. Hardwood floors, an enormous entertainment room, a pool and a magnificent view of Herdsman Lake.

After a quick tour of the house, we pile into the car again and we are off to Cottelsoe Beach for a snack at The Naked Fig. Wonderful food, wonderful views, wonderful weather and wonderful company. The kids made friends!

After dropping off Alicia and her kids, Shimmi, little Ridh, Sone and I head off to Fremantle Market or Freo, as the locals call it. By now, it is close to 5:00pm and the sun is hanging low and the market is almost closing. But we still did manage some souvenir shopping and a small bagful of very unique honey and chilli roasted seed mix.

We drop Shimmi home to prep for a Diwali party that they were going to while Sone and I skipped off to Subiaco suburb for some highly recommended North Indian at Chutney Mary's. It was probably the best that I had ever had and trumps Northern Indian you can find anywhere in Malaysia, any day.

The following two days were spent out of town in Margaret River and Bunbury.

Upon return to Perth after two nights out of town, we pick Shimmi up and head out for a sumptuous lunch at Palais 85, in South Perth. To accompany the grand view overlooking the Swan River, we shared a seafood platter and decandently washed it all down with a glass of white wine each.

Before heading home to Shimmi's, we caught up with Alicia and kids again at San Churro in Subiaco for tea/dessert. Tasted as good as I remembered it a year ago in Melbourne.

Back at home, we attempted our first round of packing... it wasn't easy! There was a lot of weight to balance and regretted that I had only bought 15kg of check in luggage instead of of going straight for 20kg. Oh well...

Final dinner was at Siena's Pizzeria & Caffe, where we met with more fellow Malaysians on visit to Perth. Adjourning early to bed and an early rise to head for the airport and our flight home. Perth said farewell in grand fashion with an amazing sunrise, making sure that we were sufficiently stunned enough to come back for more soon.