Bag of Love : April Edition

May 15, 2013 thammelissa 14 Comments

I chose to continue subscribing Bag of Love for April Edition because I was quite satisfied with their Debut Bag.

However there was a hiccup for this month’s bag. Let me explain further…

I happily received my parcel and opened it. After opening the parcel and removing the bag out ..I noticed the bag was dripping. I received a drenched bag 😦

I PM-ed Mimi; the founder for Bag of Love informing her about my drenched bag together with a photo attached. Mimi felt bad and apologized on the matter. She informed to send me another new bag with all the contents. I received another new on bag the following day with proper protection to the ‘leaking culprit’. Its okay Mimi….you’ve sent me another new bag and I’m happy enough 😉

April was Earth Month. Well..to matches the Earth Month theme, Bag of Love has came up with this made of bleach-free canvas and the little Bag of Love tag (inside) is of recycled non-woven material.

PS: Mimi…I am borrowing your idea to photograph this bag on the bed green grass ^_^

One of the reason why I like Bag of Love…because they will reveal a sneak peek on the participating brands for each month. So, if you like it..then you subscribe it. That’s what I did…I’ll usually wait for the sneak peek before subscribing on that particular month. HAHA!

Mimi (the cartoon character) has changed her dress to green to match the theme; The Green Bag. So, lets go green for this post! 😉

A short summary about the content. Simple and easy to read.

Due to overwhelming response from the previous bag, this month’s bag came with another brush from definite. Oh yay…another brush added to my collection. Moreover its from definite!

Defite Contour Brush, Full Size – RM88

Use on the face to apply, blend or contour powder products.

This was the ‘leaking culprit’! LOL! The scent smells like one of my essential oil. Calm and soothing. Above size is 50ml.

The Body Shop Quiet Night Dreamy Pillow & Body Mist, 100ml – RM59

Spray onto the body, pillow or sheets before bedtime.

Not really familiar with this brand. This is the first time I’m experiencing it. It seems Phyto products are the pioneers and leaders in therapeutic care for hair through plants. Ohh…that’s very natural isn’t it? It comes in an aluminum bottle. Runny texture..smell isn’t too strong either. Above size is 50ml

Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Shampoo, 200ml – RM88

Okay…this brand is new to me too..Now I sounded so ‘katak dibawah tempurung’ LOL! Formulated on the basis of DECLÉOR’S iconic ingredient, Neroli, and combining five ingenious plants. I like the scent. It smells nice. However I felt its abit tad oily for my skin.

Decleor Hydra Floral Moisturizing Cream, 50ml – RM271

Apply in the morning and evening to cleansed face and neck.

I am a fan of BB creams. I don’t mind having more than 1. hehe….

Creamy texture. Very natural shade. Well, for the coverage I’ll just rate 3/5.

Nuxe Brightening BB Cream SPF30/PA+++, 30ml – RM120

Dot a pea-sized amount on forehead, nose, chin and cheeks then blend the cream gently.

A handy sample pack. Very rich texture. It does smells abit like butter. Suitable for dry skin.

Burt’s Bee Richly Replenishing Cocoa & Cupuacu Butters Body Lotion, 170ml – RM62.80

Apply liberally to body as needed.

Includes a Decleor facial voucher. Luckily only one. Because I hardly use these vouchers.

Verdict : This is their second bag. I am still satisfied with my goods. What makes me like Bag of Love. Mainly because of the bag (different designs for every month), and the content…worth more than what I’m paying.

What is the price? (all inclusive postage)

Monthly – RM39.90/ month

Quarterly – RM119.70 (for 3 months)

Annually – RM478.80 (for 12 months and get the following 1 month for free)

How to subscribe?

Kindly visit Get the Bag.

Alternatively, you can also join their Facebook page (Bag of Love) to know about their latest news.

Beauty Products, Product Review

Product Review : NARUKO Lip Repairing & Soothing Lip Balm

May 14, 2013 thammelissa 10 Comments

Ladies….what are the must have items in you handbag?

For me, my handbag gotto have my wallet, handphone, tissue, face powder and also not forgetting lip balm! Lip balm has became part of my essential. I’ll make sure I carry a lip balm when I go out. I have few of them and I actually place it in different bags so that I won’t forget to carry along when I switches handbags. The reason why I did that is because I’m quite forgetful at times. LOL!

I was introduced to Naruko‘s lip balm. A popular brand from Taiwan. It comes in a set of 2. (Lip Repairing & Soothing Lip Balm).

Both ingredients are printed at the back of its package.

Just like any other lip balms…it comes in a convenient stick. *easy to carry*

I felt that lip balm is important especially when you spend long hours in an air-cond room. It able to keep our lip moist. You know what…I have this really bad habit. When my lip is dry, I’ll tend to peel. *itchy fingers*

(A) NRK Vitamin ACE Ageless Lip Balm

[ Description ]
Improves fine lines and signs of aging for the lips using vitamin A,C,and E.

(Fine lines and signs of aging often occur when you are expose under the sun)

[ Ingredients ]
Polyisobutene, Caprylic /Capric Triglyceride,Ethylhexyl Palmitate,Squalane,Lanolin,Petrolatum,Ozokerite,Polyethylene,Beeswax,Jojoba Oil,Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Oilve Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum, Peppermint,Tocopheryl Acetate,Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate,Retinyl Palmitate, Cl 19140, Cl 15985

(B) NRK HA Intense Hydrating Lip Balm

[ Description ]
Relieves dryness for the lips by providing and locking in moisture.

(Our lip often dry when we stay in air-cond room for long hours, also dehydrated can be the cause of dryness)

[ Ingredients ]
Polyisobutene,Ozokerite,Polyethylene,Beeswax,Jojoba Oil,Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Peppermint, Fragance,PEG-8 Isostearate,Titanium Dioxide,Sodium Hyaluronate.

So, the above is a photo of before and after application. In result; moist, glossy and plump lip. The texture, not too thick nor creamy. But just nice to have a nice coat to keep my lip moist.

Like : Jojoba oil is one of the listed ingredient. Which I like most. Although it contain peppermint, but it is not strong..very minimal. Does not have fragrant scent, more like natural flavors. My lip look healthier with these lip balms.

Dislike : I wish they could combine both effect of hydrating and anti-aging into 1.

Price : RM12.90/set of 2 through Natta Cosme.

For every purchase above RM50, you may enjoy rebate of RM5. Simply key in MEL55 on the ‘use coupon code’ for the instant rebate.

My Food Creation

Japanese Curry is easy to prepare

May 10, 2013 thammelissa 21 Comments

I often prepare 1 vege 1meat for dinner. But sometimes when I am lazy to think of what to cook, I’ll just opt for an easier way. You know…its tough to think of what to cook every week. Sometimes its like a brainstorming session between Alex and I. And the toughest part will be, when he answers ‘cincai’… @_@

When dining in a Japanese restaurant, apart from Sashimi, karē udon is one of my favorite pick. However I’ve discovered that its actually quite easy to prepare.

All thanks to Ashley for sharing this website “www.noobcook.com” to me. I am a noob cook too! I felt that her recipes are simple and easy to follow because the steps are written clearly and with photos attached for a better understanding.

The key ingredient to cook Japanese Curry is this Japanese curry block. It can be in cube form as well. I bought this from ~~Jusco~~ AEON Midvalley. I can’t remember the exact price. But its around RM10.

Ingredients
(Serves 3)

– 100g of Japanese curry cubes
– 2 carrots, peeled and cut to small chunks
– 1 potato, peeled and cut to small chunks
– 1 large onion, roughly chopped
– 200 to 300g boneless chicken fillet, cut to large chunks
– 1 tbsp cooking oil
– 700ml water

Directions

1. Heat pot with oil. Add onions and cook till they are soft. Set aside on a plate and return the onions at step 4.

2. Place chicken pieces (cut around 2-3cm sq.) in a single layer in the wok. Let the chicken pieces brown on one side (do not toss and turn or stir fry it). This will allow extra flavours to be released.

3. After one side of the chicken is browned, turn them to the other side using a pair of kitchen tongs and again, cooked till the pieces are browned. Add potato and carrot chunks, mix everything evenly.

4. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes (with lid partially closed) or till potatoes are cooked.

5. Add the Japanese curry cubes and stir through till dissolved. Because both the curry mix and the potatoes are starchy, at this point in time you probably need to add more water to achieve the consistency you like. Season it to taste if desired (example adding sauces or chilli powder). Warm through the curry before serving.

Taa Daah…my bowl of curry rice (kare raisu) – japanese curry served on top of cooked rice. Easy right? 😉

Referral:- http://www.noobcook.com/japanese-curry/

Camera, Gadgets, My Collection, Photography

My New Toy – Instax Mini 8 by Fujifilm

May 9, 2013 thammelissa 29 Comments

Introducing my new toy – Instax Mini 8 by Fujifilm.

Been wanting to own one instant camera. Despite having my dear DSLR.

Those days, instant cameras are quite expensive. Now, they have wide range of instant cameras with fancy fancy designs at a lower price.

Alex knew I wanted it so much. Therefore he bought one for me. Yippie! Ok la..I know I hardly say ‘rou ma’ stuffs to Alex here. But thank you Darling… ♥ hehe….

Instax Mini 8 is current latest model in Malaysia. It comes in 5 different colors. What is your favorite pick? I love the pastel colors of Instax Mini 8.

The anticipation to unbox the camera! Yes…pink is my favorite pick.

All the above are included in the box. 2 xAA batteries, a pink strap, instruction manual and the camera.

As quoted; Cute and compact body design
—instant photos, instant fun!

This is where you place the 2xAA batteries.

Product Features:

Brightness adjustment dial
Instax mini 8 automatically determines the best brightness for taking a picture by lighting the corresponding lamp. Turn the brightness adjustment dial to the position (mark) of the lit lamp
Able to take a high-key photo easily
Setting the brightness adjustment dial to the high-key mode mark allows you to take pictures with a softer impression

In this case; the auto detected brightness is “Indoors, Night F12.7” because the lit lamp in positioned at the indoor symbol. Therefore I’ll need to turn the brightness adjustment dial to the position (mark) of the lit lamp. But if you would like to have a brighter outcome, tune it to the “Hi-Key” mode (far end). However avoid using “Hi-Key” when you shoot outdoor under a bright and sunny sky. Else your photo will turn out too white.

Uses Fujifilm Instant Color Film “instax mini”. I must say that the film price is quite pricey. We got them for an offer price. RM20/box. Each film box contain 10 pieces of credit card size film.

Ta daahh…my 1st shot of instant photo using Hello Kitty as model. HAHA!

You are not required to shake or wave the film once its released from the camera. It takes about 2 minutes for the image to be fully appear.

*Alamak* How come the image senget wan? My eyes are senget meh?

Note : Keep a distance from the subject of at least 0.6m. The flash has an effective range of between 0.6m to 2.7m.

A short video on how to operate the camera.

A summary of the camera.

A kawaii outfit to match my kawaii camera! 😉

Simple operation for instant pictures. I’m loving it! ♥

Now I want to shop “baju” for my camera edi… 🙂

Bakery, Cakes, Coffee, Food, Halal, Noodle, Puchong

Brunch @ TiPsy Brew O’Coffee, Setiawalk Puchong

May 7, 2013 thammelissa 20 Comments

My previous visit to TiPsy Brew O’Coffee, Setiawalk Puchong was during tea time, enjoyed a cuppa coffee at this cozy place while waiting for the movie to begin.

Then I told myself, I want to come back here to try their cakes and food!

So, I decided to revisit this place over the weekend.

Recently…Alex is soooo busy with his Candy Crush game! By passing my level although he started to play later than me. But I’ve neglected the game for quite sometime…lazy la… LOL!

Alex with his order; Cappuccino – RM8.90. I was like…cappuccino again? Don’t you want to try something else? @_@

Can I call myself a coffee lover without having much knowledge about coffee? I saw this familiar name on the menu called Macchiato – RM7.90. I decided to give it a try. ~To broaden my ‘knowledge’! HAHAHA!

‘Macchiato’ simply means ‘marked’ or ‘stained’, and in the case of caffè macchiato, this means literally ‘espresso stained/marked with milk’. Traditionally it is made with one shot of espresso, and the small amount of added milk was the ‘stain’. (source from wikipedia)

Look…my cuppa macchiato is so small huh. My face is so much bigger that the cup. Oh my gosh! Yaya…I know..that is the way macchiato been served.

Yes, indeed macchiato has richer coffee taste!

Turkey Sandwich – RM9.90

Turkey Roll, Tomato, Lettuce, Alfalfa, Mustard sandwiched in choice of bread; white or wholemeal.

In their menu, there were only 2 types of noodle – Thai Laksa & Mee Rebus. I wish they could have more choices. Here, I chose Thai Laksa – RM10.90. The noodle texture is nice. Hmm…something like thick type of rice vermicelli. The broth wasn’t really spicy. It tasted quite similar to Nyonya Laksa . But I would preferred a creamier broth. hehe….

The freshly baked Cranberry Scone is priced at RM3.80 each. Its crumbly, not hard and has nice fragrant of butter. Served with cream and blueberry jam.

While I was looking at the selections of cakes..I asked one of the staff. Which would you recommend. She recommended a few..I can’t really remember them. But Toffee Banana was one of the recommended ones. Both toffee and banana are my favorite. Toffee Banana Cake (RM8.90) was very fresh, light and spongy! Toffee and slices of bananas are sandwiched between layers of spongy cake. Beneath is a thin layer of biscuit crumb. BTW…It was a really nice gesture. To draw a snoopy on the plate using chocolate sauce. This person must be quite artistic.

TiPsy Brew O'Coffee
C-07-G, Block C Setiawalk, Persiaran Wawasan, 
Pusat Bandar Puchong, 47160 Puchong.
Business Hour : 
Mon - Thu: 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
Fri - Sun: 10:00 am - 11:30 pm
Contact No. : 03-58790790 / 012-3011583

An interesting picture I saw on Facebook today. So, which is your type of coffee? And what your coffee says about you? My favorite pick is Latte. Latte says “you’re reflective, but often indecisive. In the world of unknowns, you like the safe picks”. OMG! Sounds quite accurate leh…

Food, Halal, Japanese, Langkawi

Dinner @Unkaizen Japanese Restaurant, Langkawi

April 29, 2013 thammelissa 25 Comments

Talking about Japanese food, there aren’t much choices compared to Chinese and Thai food which are easily sighted in Langkawi island. I’ve read many positive reviews about Unkaizen Japanese Restaurant from guests who’ve visited the restaurant. And we were aware about the steep price as mentioned by others.

What made us decided to come here for dinner on our 2nd day at Langkawi?

Its a famous restaurant in Langkawi. Based on the compliments and the best thing was that our staying place, Ambong Ambong is just a walking distance to Unkaizen. Although we stayed so near, I also made a reservation before hand. In order to secure a table with nice view.

This is what I meant by nice view. Seated at upper floor facing Pantai Tengah.

Wooden cover menu. Straight forward menu with not many photos attached. But the friendly and attentive staff will be there to assist you and also will inform you what’s today’s special on board. Varies daily.

An overall outlook of the upper floor. Occupying only 8 tables and with tatami seating. You are required to remove your shoe.

When I’m dining in a Japanese restaurant, I preferred to have their Green Tea (Ocha) – RM4 for 2 person.

Us at Unkaizen Japanese Restaurant.

We ordered 2 different sets. The above one is Sashimi (Full) Set – RM70. Comes with 3 different types of sashimi. For the (Full) set, it comes together with white rice, miso soup, pickles, chawanmushi and cut fruits. I must admit that the thick slices of sashimi were so fresh and the texture is very smooth. Each and every slice were nicely cut.

Then the 2nd set we ordered was Sushi Set – RM58. Comes with assorted sushi and hot noodle. Choice of Soba or Udon. The nicely pressed sushi rice were topped with thick slices of raw fish. This was equally good as well.

We chose soba instead of udon. However I preferred the Hot Soba from Rakuzen, KL. 😉

Teppanyaki Ice Cream – RM10. Choose your favorite fruits from the menu for this teppanyaki ice cream. They uses homemade ice cream. You can also add more than 1 type of fruits. But there will be additional charges. Milky and smooth teppanyaki ice cream with bits of strawberry. Because I chose strawberry. Too bad the ice cream melted quite fast.

This is where they prepare the teppanyaki ice cream. You can watch how they are prepared. How come they didn’t call me to watch wan? *sobs…..

Aquariums filled with fresh and live seafood. These seafood can be prepared in few ways. Eat as Sashimi (raw), Shioyaki (grilled with salt), Teriyaki (grilled with sweet sauce), Teppanyaki (grilled on hot plate) , Deep fried.

The night view of Unkaizen Japanese Restaurant.

For Ambong Ambong guests, you’ll be entitled to 10% discount off total bill. We weren’t aware of this offer until we settle our bill at the cashier. Nice place to savour some good Japanese food. However I felt that the dining room at upper floor has poor ventilation. Why I said that? The guest who sat next to our table had this charcoal grill meat. In result, the whole room was so smokey even after the windows were open. Its like the smoke is trapped in the room. *Unpleasant*

Unkaizen Japanese Restaurant

Lot395 Jalan Telok Baru Pantai Tengah

07000 Langkawi Kedah Malaysia

Operating Hours: 6pm to 11pm (Close on the 2nd Wednesday)

Tel : 604-955-4118

Food, Halal, Langkawi, Seafood

Dinner @Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant, Langkawi

April 26, 2013 thammelissa 15 Comments

Pantai Cenang is a tourist spot. Therefore do not expect for dirt cheap seafood here.

My proposed plan did not work. We had to make a quick decision on where should we have our dinner. We wanted to have some seafood. Although there are quite a number of seafood restaurants along Pantai Tengah and Pantai Cenang, but we do not want to step into a restaurant blindly without knowing the price range. Therefore I quickly browse for recommendations through Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor has been a very useful website to me. I find the reviews are quite genuine especially on hotels.

Looks like Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant is an ideal choice with many positive reviews. It is located further down from Underwater World if you are coming from Pantai Tengah. It was less than 5 minutes driving distance.

The restaurant is brightly lit and the environment was not bad.

The restaurant was almost filled up with customers and majority are tourists. But getting a table for only 2 ain’t a problem. 😉

Sometimes I felt it is kinda difficult to decide what to order when there are only 2 eaters. Its like you wanting to try varieties of dishes and at the same time you do not want to end up with food wastage.

I assumed because the kitchen need to handle alot of orders..therefore our food was delivered abit slow. Waited for about 30minutes. You know right..when you are hungry..you tend to be ‘quite’ impatient. LOL!

Pick your own fishes.

Erm….Crab are priced at RM80/kg?!! OMG!

Fresh and live lobsters. Look tempting. You can ask the staff to fetch any of this lobster and they weight it and priced according to its weight.

My small glass of orange juice.

Omelette with Oyster – RM12

Not memorable. The oysters were kinda small.

Fried Squid – RM18

Crispy batter and the squid was not rubbery. Fried till perfection.

Butter Prawn – RM18

The prawn size weren’t too small. Most important is that they are fresh! Therefore the prawns were crunchy. Average 6nos. of prawn.

Tom Yam Chicken – RM15

Not really big bowl, but sufficient for 2 eaters. This hot, spicy and sourish soup was really appetizing.

Overall..I find this place may be a good choice when you are at Pantai Cenang. We were quite satisfied with the above dinner. The prices for the above food consider affordable. Not too pricey. But if you fancy some Thai flavors cooking…do make a turn into Kuah Town and try this place; Lgk Yummy Yummy Seafood.

Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant
Lot 1225, Pantai Cenang, Mukim Kedawang,
07000 Langkawi, Kedah, West Malaysia.

Tel: +604-955 4128

Open Daily: 11.00am – 3.00pm 6.00pm – 11.00pm

Langkawi, MALAYSIA, Travel

Langkawi’s Mangrove Tour

April 24, 2013 thammelissa 26 Comments

Upon arriving at Langkawi airport, you will be greeted by tour or car rental agents. Well…you can decide to just ignore their calling. I, on the other hand do not want to waste time looking for one when I’m in the midst of spending my getaway. If you miss the chances of engaging any tour from the airport, no worries. You can still get it in the island. I saw there are plenty of tour agencies along Pantai Cenang.

We rented a car for 3 days in order for us to move about conveniently. Besides renting a car, we also booked a tour package from the same agent – Indra Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd. Therefore we successfully negotiated car rental fee at a lower price. Ya…IMA typical Malaysian wat although I may not the best nego queen. LOL!

The common tours in Langkawi are Payar Island (for snorkeling), Island Hoping (incl. pregnant maiden island), Island Tour (Sightseeing tour) and Mangrove Tour (Geopark Kilim River). My previous visit to Langkawi, I’ve already experienced the snorkeling at Payar Island. I want to go for something else. Friends highly recommended to take the Mangrove Tour. Therefore Alex and I decided to choose Mangrove Tour which cost RM100/person. Duration of tour was approximately 5 hours.

A van came to pick us up from Underwater World at about 9am. And headed to jetty.

A summary of the places covered by the Mangrove Tour.

Mangrove River Ride in Boat
Eagle Feeding and Bird Watching
Fish Feeding Farm
Bat Cave
Dangli Island
Cave of Legend
Crocodile Cave
Lunch at Fish Farm

Arrived the jetty together with other tourists.

We are going by these boats.

We, this group of people were lead by this 2 tour leaders. They were giving some briefing and safety tips that we need to remember along the tour.

Our first stop was at the Bat Cave.

This cave is located along the Kilim River. Accessible only by boat, you can then walk along a wooden platform through a mangrove swamp, leading directly to the cave. The stalactites and stalagmites are of gigantic proportions, forming weird figures reminiscent of other worldly creatures.

A short briefing by the tour leader before everyone enters the cave.

The two traditionally recognized suborders of bats are:

Megachiroptera (megabats)
Microchiroptera (microbats/echolocating bats)

Megabats eat fruit, nectar, or pollen, while most microbats eat insects; others may feed on the blood of animals, small mammals, fish, frogs, fruit, pollen, or nectar. Megabats have well-developed visual cortices and show good visual acuity, while microbats rely on echolocation for navigation and finding prey.

Some bats have evolved a highly sophisticated sense of hearing. They emit sounds that bounce off of objects in their path, sending echoes back to the bats. From these echoes, the bats can determine the size of objects, how far away they are, how fast they are traveling and even their texture, all in a split second

Bats find shelter in caves, crevices, tree cavities and buildings. Some species are solitary while others form colonies of more than a million individuals.

Entering the dark cave.

Look….there are thousands of bats hanging up there. Its the sleeping time. Bats sleep in the day. Do not place your hands over the railing…because there might be bat’s poo poo. Ohh…the cave is kinda stinks.

Closer view. They are not really huge. Bats have poor visibility. Therefore turning on your camera flash isn’t a problem. However the bats are really sensitive to noises. So, we were advised to keep our voices lowwwww…..

Exiting the other end of cave. The cave is at a mangrove forest.

“Kita Perlukan Kelawar” (We Need Bats). Seriously?

Can you spot a fiddler crab?

We are leaving for the next destination.

Our tour guide is quite informative. Sorry….forgotten his name :-p

Beautiful scenery. Surrounded by high vertical limestone.

We are approaching the Fish Farm.

Getting ready to be assist into the Hole in the Wall Fish farm for Fish Feeding Activity.

This fish farm lies within the vicinity of the verdant mangrove forests and the striking limestone structures formations along the Kilim River. Interestingly, the Hole in the Wall Fish farm got its name from a little opening in a long line of limestone hills at the outskirts of the Andaman Sea.

Assorted sea creature are placed here.

Food for the baby shark.

Oysters?

This stingray look so tame and friendly huh.

This spiny sea urchin is so geli. But they look like our local fruit, rambutan.hehe… Sea Urchin can be eaten…esp. for Japanese food.

Have you seen “belangkas” (alantic horseshoe crab) before? This is consider small. I’ve seen some larger ones at Sarawak market. But it looks like an alien to me. Watches too much Alien vs. Predator I guess. LOL!

Dunno what fish are these. But they are quite smart. Pieces of bread were placed at the edge of the wooden stick. The fishes aimed and spitted over the bread so that the piece of bread will fall into the water. *claps*

In front is a small cave which they named it Crocodile Cave.

This cave is unique because the Kilim River actually flows right through it, and is navigable by a small boat at low tide. Inside the cave there is an ascending chamber flanked by walls of white limestone with minimal stalactites and stalagmites. Small colonies of bats roost on the lower ceiling.

Unfortunately it was high tide. We had no chance to make our way into the cave.

Can you spot anything on the tree?

Looking fierce huh.

Mama monkey and baby monkey. Baby latching on mummy tightly.

My favorite Monkey shot. One Happy Family! 🙂

Our boat drove by this swampy area with many monkeys. Its the monkeys habitat I guess. Becareful with your belongings. They may grab anything from you especially when they sees food.

Our next stop-Eagle Feeding.

Our boat will cruise to a very beautiful and special spot where you will have a chance to see a flock of eagles swooped in from nowhere.

There are various types of eagles here; the Brahminy kites (46cm) arrive from all directions. These raptors are generally chestnut brown in color, and white on the head and breast. The White-bellied Sea Eagle (71cm) is the largest of the species present.

These birds are the lords of the skies. Langkawi (Lang = eagle and kawi = reddish brown stones found here) is named after the Red Eagles that have made their home in the crags and crevices of the islands long before any human set foot ashore.

Feeling hungry already lor! We were here for our lunch. A fish farm cum floating restaurant.

We had our lunch at this floating restaurant. Inclusive lunch in our tour package. Can’t complain much.

After the lunch, we were on our way to an island. Yes…we were off to sea. Luckily my lunch wasn’t heavy. Luckily I did not vomited. LOL!! Bumpy ride when it hits the sea waves.

So serene!

How often do we get to see such nice clear blue sea.

If you are interested to swim..bring along your swimming attire. But bear in mind, there are no washrooms here.

The sea water is so clear. Made me feel like jumping into the sea, and swim like a fish.

Lost in the island?

Proud of our country’s flag?

Alex & Melissa were here! Hehe….

Icon Kilim Geoforest Park – end point.

Return to jetty at about 2+pm. And we was sent back to our hotel. According to the printed leftlet…internary includes Dangli Island and Cave of Legend. Where are this 2 places? I must be not paying attention in class??!! @_@

Other than snorkeling in Langkawi, Mangrove Tour is a recommended tour. Its a unique experience for city people. Moreover its fun and educational. Dress as light as possible, because the weather is hot. If possible bring along a towel just in case if you gets wet.

Life

I wish to have a dog at home.

April 22, 2013 thammelissa 21 Comments

I wish to have a pet at my home.

I love dogs especially.

I wish to have a dog at home.

I wish to go home greeted by him, wagging its tail vigorously with hugs and kisses.

Waited eagerly for the owner to come home.

Dogs are very loyal especially towards their owner. Unlike some human betrays each other.

Photos like this made me feel like adopting one. Look! They are pedigree dogs. Why would someone abandoned such nice dogs? Often situations are the owner bought it for the sake to please their children. So when their children are bored with the dog…then they’ll just abandon it. Other excuses are “I can’t afford to rear the dog” I may not know the true story behind..but common..you can afford to buy the dog, but to can’t afford to give at least a simple living? Some just decided to gave up the dog when it has skin problem. Don’t you think that skin problem occurs depending on what you feed on them? All the above apply to cats as well. The most heart wrenching is they are abused by their owner. Hello….they are living being also! I can see their sadness through their eyes and face expressions..they felt disowned.

What hold me back from adopting one. I really wish I could. But before I press the “Start” button…I told myself..I often travel between 2 states, do I have the time for my dog? I’ll be away to work longer hours than I’m at home. What if someday I have my own family…will I neglect my dog? That’s what I often see these days. They do have feelings too. And do you know…dogs are sometimes smarter than human! No doubt they can’t talk, but they do understand what we are expressing. Never mind…I can’t have a dog at my own house…but over the weekend I can still spend time with my dearie doggies at my parent’s house.

Quite true isn’t it?

Do check out Malaysia’s SPCA and MDDB. And if you are kind enough, why not do some donation, a small contribution to help the dogs and cats.

Hotels, Langkawi, MALAYSIA, Travel

My 3D/2N at Ambong Ambong Langkawi

April 18, 2013 thammelissa 23 Comments

Yes! I was here at Langkawi for the second time. Once a year? 😉

I chose Langkawi as our short getaway destination because I kinda love this island. The beer here is dirt cheap. The people here are nice too. My previous visit to Langkawi was with a group of friends. And we put up at a budget hotel in Kuah town. Since this round was just Alex & myself, I thought we should go for something better and memorable. Why not stay somewhere around Pantai Cenang? Its more happening over there compared to town.

Ambong Ambong opened since December 2011. Its still consider new. And how did I find out about this place since they are so many hotels or resorts in Langkawi? Through Groupon’s deal.

Why am I attracted to this place?

“Secluded Tropical Getaway at Boutique Hotel Ambong Ambong Langkawi Rainforest Retreat”.

Its something different from those hotels that I’ve stayed. Hence I would love to experience the touch of nature, the rainforest.

Once we arrived at Langkawi airport, we rented a car(remember to negotiate for the best price)..easily for us to move about in the island. Driving in Langkawi is quite easy. With the guide of maps and the proper road signs. Upon arriving Langkawi early..so we thought we should go for our breakfast first. Breakfast at KFC at Cenang Mall, a new mall in Langkawi.

What is the meaning of Ambong Ambong?

Ambong Ambong is the Malaysian name for Scaevola taccada, a plant that is native to Langkawi.

There are currently two 2-bedroom cottages and six individual studios available for accommodation. Very limited!

We were guided to our room by their attentive staff. Nizam, a friendly guy welcomed us to their holiday villa.

Our Studio room, rebak 2 is located mid-hill and at 2nd floor.

A welcome drink by Ambong Ambong to quench our thirst on that sunny afternoon. Phew…I need to catch my breath after ~~climbing~~ walking up the stairs. Our room check in is done in our respective room. Nizam handed the room key to us, together with a map of Langkawi (which is quite thoughtful)..and some brief information.

I was amazed with their action on decorating our bed!! I told HB not to destroy the lovely swan as he was taking a short afternoon nap. LOL!

Our 46m.sq. Studio room is spacious, clean and comfortable. Lets take a tour to my room.

A small lounge area. I like the tall ceiling windows which allows natural sunlight without switching on the room lights.

I have a small kitchen in my room! Made me feels like I’m at home. This small kitchen equipped with refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, bread toaster, ceramic plates and bowls, utensils, cups and glasses. Oh ya…and also soap detergent for washing.

The room’s open air balcony with a ceiling fan. A relaxing environment with touch of nature. Birds chirping in the morning and sound of cicadas (an insect) at night. Feels like I’m camping in a forest!

There is suppose to be a sea view here. But is blocked by the trees. *sigh

Of course we have TV in our room!

The spacious built-in wardrobe.

The bathroom with separated shower area.

I noticed there was no mirror in the room. All I have is this mirror in the bathroom. I have to fix my makeup in front of this mirror under the dim lights. Understand that probably its not suitable to install a mirror in the room…but appreciate if they could maybe install one behind the wardrobe’s door? Because the wardrobe’s light is brighter.

Although we are at a forest like villa…but we are connected to the world. With FREE WIFI! Yes…Wifi is provided for free here. Unlike some hotels with expensive room rates..but wifi is only available at the lobby. HUH! What for?!

On that sunny afternoon, wouldn’t it be great to take a dip in the pool.

Hb testing on the pool’s water. The water was quite cold! Ohh ya…it may look deceiving. I felt the swimming pool is rather small. But I think its sufficient to cater for the low occupancy in Ambong Ambong.

Chillaxing by the pool.

While having a bottle of Hoegaarden for only RM4.20!

Buggy ride is available daily from 9am-9pm. Just give a call to Nizam to check if he’s available to pick you. Sometimes we decided to ~~climb~~ walk back to our room. The steps are quite steep though. Really a good workout!! I told Hb, if I would to stay here for a long period, I’ll be slim and fit! LOL!!

What?! We are gonna have breakfast in our room? Ohh…that’s cool! I love the idea of having breakfast in room too. No rushing and we can slowly take our time. Food will be replenish daily around noon.

Such a healthy breakfast I’m having. Appreciate if they would to add in eggs. Then I can make soft boiled egg with toast bread. Voila!

We had our daily breakfast at the balcony. It was so relaxing. Moreover you can enjoy lotsa free oxygen here. From the trees. HAHAHA!! If you are lucky, you can spot the dusk-leaf monkey. I wasn’t lucky T_T

But I spotted a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbill in front of my room! However it flew off too before I could take a photo. *sigh*

Hb busy with his mobile phone. *tsk tsk*

Ishan Spa is located downhill of Ambong Ambong. Feel free to drop by for a spa experience.

Anna, the person in charge on replying my mails, answered my queries and sort out my room reservation.

I wish I could spend another 1 or 2 nights here. We had a unique experience and enjoyed our stay at Ambong Ambong.

Tips: Its not difficult to locate Ambong Ambong. Ambong Ambong located on the southern part of Langkawi Island, a 25 minute drive from Langkawi International Airport and half an hour from Kuah, the main town. If you are coming here by taxi, you may need to say out “Unkaizan Japanese Restaurant” in case the taxi driver is not familiar about this place. Unkaizan Japanese Restaurant is just slightly below Ambong Ambong. Pantai Tengah is within walking distance, probably around 10-15 minutes walk. If possible, book your room at the higher floor for a better view. Kindly join their Facebook Page to know about their latest updates.

Ambong Ambong Langkawi Rainforest Retreat

Jalan Pantai Tengah
Langkawi, Kedah 07000
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My 3D/2N at Ambong Ambong Langkawi

to live to love to learn