A friend recommended this gem to me..

The Alvera Court in North Yorkshire

Garden

I could so totally imagine the morning scent when I walk out of that door. The cool breezy air must be exhilarating!

Look at the reception!! It is oh-so-lovely!

Dining room

Ah…I would love to have breakfast there every morning. Imagine the aroma of a warm cup of coffee, a warm greeting from fellow residents, good conversation…fantastic!

Look at the rooms…I love the wallpaper! And the bed looks cosy..(my friend said that the beds are indeed wonderful)

Does it remind you of some romantic movie filming set?? I wish I could stay there and take heaps of picture. *I know..I started to sound very “bimbotic”*

Well, I hope it would be my next travel destination, would love to stay there for at least a week though.

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I am not a techy person and it was only yesterday that I discovered such wonderful tool from Google- The Google street view map!

I could literally “travelling” along the streets that were once familiar to me. So the first thing that I searched, was the street that I used to live on. Unfortunately, you could only visually see those roads that “Google van” has travelled. The estate that I lived at is not captured by the van. -_-

The place that I used to hang out during lunch break

So I “went around” the city, the route that I used to take from home to work/school. Surprisingly, Perth has not changed much since I left in 2005. I can still remember how to “go around” and the facade still remains recognizable.

I bought my first bed here..

I felt very good….may be because I know that the place that once captured my heart has not abandoned me. I hate the feeling of not able to feel the sense of belonging to a place that was once dear to me.

My summer job at this hotel – Seasons of Perth. I was hired just to talk to people everyday.:D

It’s funny that even after 4 years of living in Singapore, I could hardly know how to get around. I guess that’s the difference of NOT HAVING A CAR!

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Destination: Kalimantan

Will spend my Christmas there this year. Look forward to share my experience there when I get back.

Merry Christmas!!

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Wanted to write about my recent trip to Bali but just couldn’t find time to do it. It was my 2nd visit to Bali this time and I must say, the experience was TOTALLY DIFFERENT! I like BALI even more now. (click here for my 1st visit to Bali)

One thing I hate the most though, is the bargaining. Whoever says that woman has the gift to bargain is a lie. I can’t bargain for nuts! The only thing that I made myself useful, was that I can at least converse with them with 1/2 Malay and 1/2 Indonesian.

Some tips and guides to find the good places for dining in Bali..

Top Places to EAT (A MUST REALLY)

1) Ku De Ta

This place does not need any introduction. Do a search on Google and you’ll find great recommendations from many many people. It is located at Seminyak, where many designer’s shops are located. It is about 20 minutes away from the airport.

What is so unique about this place is an open-concept restaurant that gives you unobstructed view of the beautiful endless beach and real good sunset!

The best time to go is at 5pm. I reached there at 5.15pm, just in time to grab the best seat with the bright orange sun setting in front of me. The place was filled pretty quick just after 5.15pm.

Of course, the food was great! Though it was a little pricey but the experience was worth it!

Squid ink pasta with Unagi / Cocktail that knocked me off before going to airport

The portion was pretty small, so that you can order and sample more! *smart*

Ku De Ta
Jalan Laksmana No. 9, Seminyak

2) Bebek Bengil

This restaurant is HUGE and I love the design very much! It has many huts to dine in and each is led by tiny paths accompanied by trees and ponds at both sides. Beautiful! I reached there at night and couldn’t really see the details of the design but the atmosphere was perfect and it was cooling – no need for air-con!

The signature dishes, really, are the Bebek Bengil Crispy Duck (bottom right) and Pork Ribs (top center).

To tell you truth, I hate duck meat. But this one was different! It was so tender that it just melted in my mouth! The skin and bones were crispy that I even chewed on them!

It is located at Ubud, my favourite district where you can see many artwork and handicraft. It is almost 1.5 hour drive from town (Kuta). But it is quieter, less busy and it is more cooling. I stayed at Ubud for 2 nights, which I will blog about my lovely accommodation in the next entry.

Bebek Bengil Restaurant
(Dirty Duck Dinner)
Telp. 62-361- 975 489
Padang Tegal – Ubud

3) Cafe Batu Jimbar

This is an arty cafe – from interior design to pepper and salt shaker. Too bad that I was so into eating that I forgot to take more pictures of the restaurant.

Wall made of corals and shells (right)

If only I have more people joining for this meal, then I can order more food for sampling.

This is melt-in-your-mouth wagyu beef burger. Though the burger is a little small (compared to Carl’s Junior’s) but oh boy!!!….*speechless* You know how tender wagyu beef could be…*awww…*

Steak wrap – looks ordinary but was very well balanced with fresh greens and mild sauces.

If you travel from Kuta (town) to Ubud, you will more likely to drive past Sanur. So good to plan your journey, else you will end up driving back and forth…worse when there is traffic jam in the evening

Cafe Batujimbar
Jalan Danau Tamblingan, Sanur

4) Flapjack’s

It sounds weird to eat crepes and pancakes in Bali but this place serves very GOOD crepes. It opens till late so it is best for supper.

Looking at the design, I thought I was in America for a split second.

Sausage crepe with cheese and garlic. The crepe is so thin and it just blends so well with the cheesy sauce..

It is located in the heart of Kuta, where shopping malls, Starbucks and Hardrock hotel are. Most shops close at 11pm.

Flapjack’s
Complex Dewi Sartika Plaza Street
Kuta

Next: How to find cheap deals; Fabulous hotel.

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The Thai sure LOVES Cherry a lot!

Over the long weekend, 9 of us took a flight (as early as 6.30am) to Bangkok (yeah..we were that desperate!). It is my 4th time in Bangkok since 2003 and I am still in love with Bangkok. My usual activities were always eating (x2), spa and shopping.

This time was slightly different.
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WE FISHED!

And it was not just an ordinary fishing…we fished giants!!

We headed to Bungsamran fishing village after we touched down.

I did have some reservation about fishing because my idea of fishing was just sit-and-wait kind of activity (it still is). So I brought some books to read.

While Daniel went to sort out our rods, I went around looking at some “hall of fame” photos on the wall..at least to get an idea what we were expecting…

And I saw THIS!!!

I was excited and worried at the same time – “You mean we have to jump into the water to fight the fish??!?!!!”

Since we were to fish for almost 6 hours, we booked a “chalet” for our comfort.

Our “chalet”..introduced by miss nilnaw.

Well, at least that was what the guide bluffed us.. -_-

And THIS, was the “chalet”. TA-DA!

The entrance to the chalet

It has a long corridor, 2 wooden beds, a TV, a fridge and a few fans.

Of course, it comes with a private toilet and shower too, right above the water. Mmmm…

(You can see from my outfit that I was totally unprepared to fish)

One of the many types of chalet available there

The fish bait – some sort of soy-blended product which used to feed the chicken. It was compressed into a huge ball before casting.

The first 2 hours were pretty boring. The fish came and go. My first fish swam so fast that it snapped my string. (also because of my poor fishing skill) We didn’t get to see the size of the fish and totally underestimated its strength. The last time I fished years ago, the size was the ordinary size which we served for dinner. -_-

I was more prepared the second time. The fishing guide, John taught me a “system” to fight the fish. It was like doing cha-cha – relax when the fish was swimming its heart out; and crank only when the fish stopped.

His words of wisdom:

“Do not fear the fish, fight it!”

“Do not let the fish lead you, lead the fish”

My second shot, I was more prepared.

The first 5 minutes fighting the fish – I “looked” steady right…

The next 5 minutes – struggling..losing my cool..

Almost there…

The last 2 minutes…I can’t feel my arms anymore, burnt and drenched.

And after fighting for 10 minutes, finally “it was out”. At this point, I can’t even hold the fish anymore. I had to support its 20kg weight on my thigh. My hands were trembling.

My friend took a video with me screaming and groaning. They said I looked like I was in labour. -_-

After fighting it twice, I decided to take a shower and took a nap in the room with my sore arms. However, all the screaming and and excitement happening outside “lured” me to go back to fish!

See..I changed to my comfort clothes already…in skirt. -_-

My last one. I didn’t want to hold the fish on my clean clothes.

All of us had muscle ache for the next few days but it was WORTH it!! My bicep on my right arm is now bigger than my left arm now.

I should end this entry with my favourite picture of the trip.

And by the way, I was “slapped” by the fish with its giant tail on my chest. If I was shorter by 10 cm, it would have “slapped” my face instead. HAH!

Yes, to answer your questions…1) We didn’t eat the fish. 2) I didn’t superimpose the fish on my picture

My colleagues and students didn’t believe that I caught these giants until I showed them pictures. Some joked that I superimposed the fish on my photos. Hahaha…

Thanks Daniel for all the pictures!

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