Checking in Mulu Rainforest

Short Note: Just recovered from a 4-day sickness. Well, not really, I'm actually still sick. 5th day and counting.


After arriving in Mulu, I promoptly lugged my luggage to the official National Park office to enquire about my room which I have booked via email.




Just google mulu park and you will find the official website with the contact of the office on the site.

After making my registration known at the office, I proceeded to check into the dormitory at the Mulu National Park.




Okay. I know what you're thinking.

It's so shabby.

Well, duh, I was in a rainforest!




What better way to experience nature then to sleep among it, to have cricket sounds sing you to sleep every night and to run away from mozzies in the early evening and let the hot scorching sun wake your sorry butt up in the morning.




I know I know, I could have gone for the Royal Mulu Resort where I would be pampered with comfortable bed, privacy, heated shower and mozzie-free nights, not to mention a god-sent swimming pool on those heat-dreading moments (like every second).

NO!

When you're hot, you don't just go find a swimming pool in the middle of the jungle to take a dip, go jump in the river! or something.




This was a rainforest I was in. I'd be damn hell if I could allow myself that sort of pampering.

I meant, how long more could I do this? Dragging my sorry ass through trecherous jungle and sleeping on hard beds. I might as well do it now before my body and mind tell me I'm too old for this. It's now or never for the rest of my life. So let the roughing out began.
Besides, the dorms were cheap.


this haircut proved how long ago this trip was made. Shut up, I hated that hair stylist.


So I opted for the bed that's furthest away from the door (I'm a light-sleeper) and not too close to the window.




After dumping my stuff on the bed, I walked back to the office to sort out my plans during my stay here. I was to be there for approximately 4 days, but Mulu caves were plentiful and there were many to do, so I had to plan to fit in as much as my stamina could allow in the time frame of these 4 days.




Thank god for a map that stated the activities one could embark on during one's stay at Mulu National Park. And these activities range from child's play a-walk-in-the-park to hard-core 3-day-adventurous-life-threatening-caving-experience-up-in-the-pinnacles.




That's the good thing about travelling to Mulu on your own, you can plan your own itinerary according to your liking and body strength.

The last thing I wanted was to squeeze every ounce of energy I have and to come back to a really hot and uncomfortable bed at night for a nap of 5 hours before I have to get up again, only to hybernate for one week after the trip.


So basically, after looking at the map and considering the suggestions of the rangers, I decided to take up a few actitivies, in no particular order:

1. take the longboat out to visit Clearwater Cave & Cave of the Winds.

Skip the longhouse since I've seen that in Kuching.




2. talk a walk to discover our beautiful Borneo Rainforest and climb the Canopy Skywalk




3. this is a must. Visit the infamous world's biggest (until 2009) cave passage Deer Cave, and another beautiful Lang Cave and observe the return of millions of bats at dusk.

That could be a handful to handle until my 4th day afternoon departure.

Oh, one more activity.




4. a walk in the Rainforest after sun down.

Oooo... spooky.

Back from Impromptu Krabi

I am sick. :(

I don't know how it came so sudden. I blame it all on a cookie I ate this afternoon. Damn you Famous Amos! It has nothing to do with the nagging headache I have had the whole week while in Krabi. Nothing to do with that at all. Must've been the cookie.

Damn you delicious but sinful cookie!

This must be god's way for punishing of eating fatty food. Sigh.


Oh, here's a photo of the Krabi rock. Or cliff rather.
But it's the infamous rock you'll see when you go island hopping.




Thank you topless uncle in colorful swimming trunk for ruining my photo.


I don't really know why I went island hopping anyway (for the third time). It's the same islands and same activities (snorkelling). I must've been really bored.

So I spent most of the time hiding under the shade while the rest of the tourists dipped around in the beautiful beautiful sea.




Krabi has been more commercialised since I last remembered, it's been what? Three years since I first visit the place? And two years since my last visit.




Testo Lotus was still pretty far away from the tourist place. Not a good improvement.
There were more public transports like tuk-tuk and shuttle buses around. Good thing.
Sea still green and clearn. Definitely a good thing.


Oh did I mention my baby is back?

:D :D :D

And he bought me a perfume. ^^
And lots of wine.
And cheese.


But but... where's my LV bag?! *pout*

Little Love Note

Nothing beats the feeling of receiving little romantic messages when two parties are far apart. In this case, me in Krabi Thailand and he in Australia.

This time the message came in a little white note slid under my hotel room door by the receptionist.




*flutter*


Two more days. Just two more days.

Getting Away to Krabi

So I sat at my computer three nights ago looking through the list of hotels in this region: Thailand, Phillippines, Indonesia, Singapore, etc.

It was the day after I learnt that my baby was going to go away for a week to fabulous Australia on an assignment, and he couldn't bring me along, that I decided, well, since he could get away, so would I.

Besides, I don't want to stay in KL all alone without him. Most of the friends I have then are either travelling, overseas working, sulking about relationship or couple friends. And hanging out with couple friends without your partner would just... well.. be awkward.

And while it was the weekdays I had to endure, why not endure it in a more sunny happier place.

So Koh Samui came to mind instantly.

Hey I don't like to be alone. I know, ironic since I always travel alone. But that's entirely different. Exploration is better off alone, it's sort of like a soul-searching expedition. And most of my solo trips have always been very fulfilling to the mind.

So as I was going through the list of hotels in Koh Samui dreaming about my impulse getaway, it suddenly dawned on me that... erm... there are no cheap direct and fast way to get to Koh Samui, easiest way would set me back RM860 on Fireflyz from Subang. And I've already way over-spent for this month after a weekend in Hat Yai and a week of shopping in Bangkok. I was already planning an impulse trip, no point having an impulse splurge.

That was how I ended up in hotel suite in Krabi.

Sleeping my mornings away in a king size bed, and taking evening dips with Sex and The City season replay on my laptop in a big tub.




So far, I've walked 2km to Starbucks and spent the rest of my afternoon reading erotic novel in the air-condition cafe, had my favourite toasted 7-11 sandwich for lunch and walked bare-footed along the beach on the way back.

Then spent the rest of the evening dipping in the tub and finishing season 1 and half of season 2 of SATC.

Productive.

Will try to edit some photos tomorrow, after the pool, after the gym (maybe) so I can blog.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Just before I left, I went to Marie France for a quick session before my beach departure.

Truth be told, I have skipped a week of session before that simply because I was swamped with deadlines, or perhaps I was putting it off. Either way, once I stripped down, I was welcome with a most unpleasant comment from my therapist.

"Oh, you're getting flabby" while looking intently at my thighs.

I only have myself to blame, week long of absence and negligence of my diet and work-out regime (not that I have one, since travelling are mostly my work-outs and I haven't been doing much walking during the recent travel trips I've made), I looked at my rear in the mirror and was emotionally brought down by a not-so-toned-anymore sight.

Since my fifth sessions with Marie France, I have come to realise that beauty takes effort, constant effort.

People go to slimming and beauty salons wishing for a miracle. And when they couldn't get one, they blame these salons for slander, cheat and money ripping programs.

The thing is, like our hair, or nails, our body and skin need as much constant taking-care of. You didn't do treatment on your hair once, and after a month it became brittle and dry again, you swore that hair treatments were useless and you will never go back again.

Like our hair, nails and every part of our body, fats can continue to develop if you never control your diet, our body age and skin lose its elasticity.

A one time session even at the most pretigeous beauty and slimming salon won't get you miracle, just as a 12-session program won't guarantee you youth and slender beauty the rest of your life. In fact, if you're not careful, as short as one month after the treatment, you could grow twice the size from when you stepped out of the salons.

Don't blame it on effective-less treatments, blame it on yourself. For not taking care of your own body.

And I have myself to blame. It's been 9 treatments and after the 8th, my thighs were looking great, and then I have to take less interest in toning up and keep a watchful eye on my food. It's only sad that I have 3 more treatments to do before the end of my program.

Though I have been thinking, ever since my 3rd treatment really, to actually sign up for a life-long program with Marie France. Make it a regular thing.

Like I've always said, beauty does come at a price. But if maintenance is as important to you as it is to me, then this price is all worth paying for.

I've once asked that a 40-session program could fare between RM8000-15000? Or more (depending what sort of treatments you're looking for). Well, a 12-treatment program lasted me slightly more than two months.

Spread it out and it would just be like setting aside a small portion of my income to spend maintaining my body. Sounds fair.

Like how we spend RM300 average on our hair, RM100 on magazines, RM1000 on clothes, or RM30 on nails every month.

It's all part of being a woman. ;)

Well, I guess the next time I visit Marie France, I'll ask if they offer long-term program. Till then, wait for my good news.


xoxo

~*~*~*~*~*~

For try-outs:

SMS For a free 60min slimming session (worth
RM380)

type MFB NICOLEKISS Name send to
32996

Epic StarCraft 2 TT1 vs MasterAsia

You so got to watch this!!!

OMFG!!! It just blew my mind away!!!


Ok wait, let me rephrase that.

If you're a fan of starcraft or if you've been play starcraft 2 battle.net, then you so have to watch this!

Which if you don't know, was the reasons I've been absent from the internet. Haha... I'm just done with the campaign after days of playing on battle.net. Gotta love Starcraft 2 people.

The videos are showing a single battle between two of the top players in the world versus against each other, TT1 being protoss and MasterAsia as zerg.

I know it can be a bit boring when you reached the end of part 2 and probably might snooze but laugh a little at part 3, but make sure to watch it till the end!

Because YOU WON'T EXPECT WHAT'S COMING IN THE END!!!


Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



What'd I told y'all.

Mulu Caves Backpacking Expedition: Getting There

Now that we're through with my travellings and finish publishing advertorials, it's back to me leaving Kuching behind to embark on my East Malaysia Expedition.

Kuching Food Quick Tour.

Kuching Orang Utan.

Kuching Native Long House.


As you probably have guessed from my title, I was heading solo to the National Park of Mulu Caves.

Why? Because after being a Malaysian for so long, the idea of not yet visited one of the most famous UNESCO World Heritage locations in Malaysia - World Largest Cave, shamed me, when most of the foreign travellers I've met have been there done that.


Mulu Cave image taken off google image.


Hearing the legends of the Deer Cave, it's hard to imagine to be standing in the middle of the largest cave chamber on earth and has an easy fit of 100 boeying 707 planes without a hunch.

However, this was true until last year (2009) where Son Doong Cave in Vietnam overtook the largest cave title in the world. (Damn, now I have to make a trip to Vietnam again)

Now after a month of research, I found the one cheapest way to get to Mulu Caves.

First I need to get to Miri.

So from KL, the only way is to fly to Kuching, and not wanting to spend the extra money on a flight from Kuching to Miri, and since I have all the time in the world to spare then, I decided to get on the road.




More like 13 hours on the off-road.

Urgh. Remind me never to do that again.


Once you've arrived at Miri, head straight to the airport to board another short flight to Mulu.




Here you would experience riding a Fokker 50 properller that would rendered you wondering if it would actually be safe to fly in the first place.




I meant, gosh, the plane was so tiny!




It was like boarding a toy plane.


the only airline that flew to Mulu: MASwings


With plastic propellers.




Oddly, the sight of a stewardess inside the Fokker was comforting. Perhaps it took the resemblance of one of those shitty American budget airlines with horrid tiny planes that shook the entire flight journey out of my mind.




So I turned back to take one last glance at the runway, prayed and boarded the plane.


God be with me


Soon I was off the ground.

Trapped like a sardin in a tin can, I peered out the window to stare at a seemingly wobbly weak wing of the plane piercing through the sky.




Called me a chicken, but I was feeling slightly uneasy. With every cloud the plane passed through, came turbulence that had me on the edge of my seat and hands gripped at the side.

As close as the distance looked on the map, it was a 30-min journey from Miri to Mulu.

So after quarter of an hour, the pilot was announcing our descend soon.

The sight down there, was br.ea.th.ta.king.




In that instance, I forgot all about my fear and realisation of me hovering on top National Park of Mulu Caves has hit me.




It's Mulu. I was in Mulu!




The very essense of Malaysia. East Malaysia! The reason why Malaysia was such a beauty, the reason why travellers flew thousand miles from their homeland to see. A true blue rainforest in the heart of Borneo.

Now I've been to the national park in West Malaysia, but this was entirely different. Nothing could compete with the wilderness on offer here. Like I said, a true blue rainforest in the heart of Borneo.




Oh Em Gee was that a river?





A real river inside a real rainforest!

God it was so beautiful.




My heart was thumping like crazy, I couldn't remember the last time I was this excited looking at a view out of a plane.

Not with Spain, not with London, not even with Japan.

Soon we arrived in front of a very expectedly tiny airport that was of Mulu airport.




And a sign that would really make your heart skip a beat.




A quick unload of luggages, locating my luggage,




An ungrateful and speedy wave to the smallest plane behind...




And I was out of the airport and on my way to the National Park of Mulu Caves.




Standing in front of the long green walk-way with a luggage behind me, I eagerly anticipated the discovery of this journey ahead.

My Shopping Spree at Penang Airport.

So that was how I spend my day in Penang Airport.

Post 1.

Post 2.

Post 3.




To roam through the airport freely and wheezing through endless rows of shopping possibilities, it was like given 12 hours time to have a glimpse of heaven. It just wasn’t enough.

12 hours flew by in a glimpse and I didn’t even notice it. How magical what money can do for you to pass time.




I don’t remember the last time I was on such an impulse trip and having to just do nothing but shop all day long.

Oh wait, I do remember, it was in London on Boxing Day last year. Ahh…. What an experience.

Overall I was pretty contented with my purchases of the day.




It was mega sales all over Malaysia which only made the shopping experience only more sensational.

My best buy had to be the dress, I’m into colors lately with lots of crazy mix and matches and plenty of accessories. Sort of a little bit of bohemian style and yet funky and crazy.




So the bangles come in second after the dress.




I wanted to get a few other bangles and decided perhaps I should save it for my Bangkok (which is now) trip.

In this Dayana shop, I spotted a bag which I thought was cute,




Only to find out that a few days later in Bangkok, one in every 5 girls were holding the same bag, albeit in different colors. It’s a foldable bag which you can fold out like this.


Though the ones that most Thai girls are holding are the plain design ones.


However, my favourite place has to be the duty free fragrance section where I went completely wild!

Totally love my new 10ml Harajuku perfume that set me back a RM84 that day.




Thus the perfume shall be my new found interest (gonna collect them all!)




And it seemed that I wasn’t the only one hooked onto these Harajuku girls.



A reader shared this photo in my comments and it’s just so cute!


Shopping in airports has just got better with the running Indulge Till You Fly Campaign that will end on the 6th January 2011. Just spend RM 250 and above on anything at the airport (spas, shopping, dining) at KLIA, LCCT-KLIA, PIA, KIA, KKIA or LIA and win fantastic prizes. All you need to do is to fill up the Indulge and Win Contest form with a maximum of 3 cumulative receipts totaling RM 250 on the same day. Spending with Mastercard will get twice the number of entries!

During the Malaysia Mega Sale, which is until 16th September 2010, there are additional rewards and prizes. With a minimum spending of RM250, you’ll get an entry to the Indulge & Win Contest + a RM10 on the spot voucher which you can use immediately. If you had spent with MasterCard, you’ll get double the chance to win in the Indulge & Win Contest.

And, if you spend more with MasterCard that is up to RM 350, you’ll get double chance to win in the contest, a RM 10 voucher and an additional nifty Recycle and Indulge green bag, which allows you more benefits!

Walk into participating Body Shop outlets at Malaysia Airports with the Recycle and Indulge Green Bag and shop for a minimum of RM 120 with MasterCard and you’ll be entitled for a 20% discount. No worries if you’re not a Mastercard holder – you’ll get 15% off at The Body Shop with a minimum spend of RM 120. Don’t forget to bring along the Recycle and Indulge Green Bag whenever you shop at the participating Body Shop outlets at Malaysia Airports. The privilege at The Body Shop is valid until June 2011.


The lady filled up the form for me. ^^


It’s always nice to know that your endless spending spree was rewarded with a little something.




This applies to any participating F&B, retail or reflexology/spa outlet at Malaysian international airports operated by Malaysia Airports (RM250 in duty free? Too easy).




Like someone used to say: “It’s not how much you get, it’s the fact that it’s free.”




Fill in the answers correctly and submit to be in the running for a pair of First Class Priceless Indulgent Holiday Package to various locations such as: Cape Town, London, Sydney. There are 10 packages to be won that would spin you on one of the most memorable journey, either into a full day Safari at Fairy Glen, Cape Town, afternoon tea at Langham, London or seaplane tour up New South Wales Coastline. Bask and be pampered at five-star hotels namely The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, The Landmark Hotel in London and The Blue Hotel in Sydney. Not to mention dining and spa experience at any of these destinations.

It’s going to be total indulgent if you win and the fabulous news is that there will be a winner for the First Class Priceless Indulgent Holiday Package every 3 weeks! So you can keep indulging and vying for the prizes until January 2011.

Anyway, I kinda forgot to fill in the answer so I don’t think I’ll be winning any prize anytime soon. T_T

I want to tour the New South Wales Coastline…. T_T

No wait I want to go back to London. I miss Boxing Day… T_T


Find out how many participating airports there are and then fill in your form and submit it to the friendly guy/girl at these kiosks and brace yourself for a winning.

But I managed to snag two of the RM10 and got myself a free McDonald meal and a magazine for a friend at LCCT few days later. What can I say, I’m easily satisfied. :p




Next time you have a plane to catch, don’t worry that you have too much free time at the airport because you arrive early, just worry about your credit limit. ;)




You’ll know what to do after that.