Birthday Week - Part 1

21 April - 22 April 2007 @ Genting Highlands

7am - Take off from Cyberjaya! [eddie, me, bee, kuan]

Toilet @ KL Sentral

Waiting for bus @ KL Sentral [josh, kuan, leongkee, me, eddie]

Yeah! @ Genting Skyway

Reached Genting @ First World

Walking to Ria Apartments to check in

Nothing to do - SS-ing @ Ria Apartments

3 guys and a monkey face @ outside Ria Apartments

Zipped up - window shopping @ First World

Bolwing time! @ Genting Bowl

The objective of coming to Genting - to eat at Coffee Terrace!!! [buffet]

The environment inside Coffee Terrace - PACKED!

Delicious food @ Coffee Terrace [these are just a few, there're more actually]

Eat until full full nothing to do - SS again. [Haha]

After meal - Game time

Why so sad? Because I got kicked out of the casino TWICE! [i'm just few months underage only what]

Me & Kuan @ First World

To burn some time, we go drink Starbucks [my cup of coffee is FOC cause I used my WorldCard points to redeem one =P]

After Starbucks, enjoy the cool breeze outside [leongkee and me]

eddie, me, bee, leongkee - still outside [very cold wind, but refreshing ^^]

Watch movie @ 1.50am [Super fans - starring ah sa and leo ku]

Back at the apartment - Bet Blackjack using tissue paper [lame but fun though]

Birthday week was created prior to the birthday celebration of Min Bee @ BeeB of B&B. So, the B&B gang [this time only Bee, Kuan, Josh, Eddie, LeongKee and me] once again held a trip to Genting to eat buffet at the Coffee Terrace restaurant. There are hundreds of variety of food to choose from. Chinese, Western, Indian, Japanese, Nyonya and etc. D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! hehe..

Then we tried to get into the casino as 3 of us are still underage. I'm the only one that got blocked by the guard and shooed out of the casino. Not once but twice. I got so fed up I don't want to try the third time already. =(

Then we went to drink some cold coffee at Starbucks to kill some time before we went to watch a movie titled Super Fans. The story plot was okay, predictable and just slightly touching. But it was considered a good movie as we have nothing to do. Next thing we know, we're back at the apartments to play Blackjack using toilet tissuesl. LameNYER. Eddie is the big winner, he has tonnes of toilet tissues enough for 2 months use. =P

I had a wonderful time together with my close friends here in MMU. Enjoyed every single moment although I was really really tired that 2 days. hehe.. This is just the first half of the birthday week. Part 2 will be posted soon. =P *Happy Belated Birthday to BeeB* Billy, out.

Kota Kinabalu - Day 7 and 8

Basically there's not much photo taken on day 7 and day 8 (the last 2 days). So, I'm going to combine these 2 days together. Finally after so many months, I finished my post about my trip to Sabah. Hahaha.. Enjoy the photos~

Around 1am midnight, I woke up along with others to get prepared for the climb from Raban Rata to the peak of Mount Kinabalu. We took off around 2.30am after having light breakfast. Before we start our journey to the top, Eddie felt some headache and he decided not to climb. Min Bee felt slight chest pain and our guide advised her not to climb as well. So, she stayed behind with Kuan and Eddie. Key was too tired climbing the first half of the mountain so he didn't join us as well. The expedition left Ian, Vinn, Josh, LeongKee and me.

The climb to the top was wet, cold and rocky. Strong winds made me shiver with my gloves all wet. I stop to rest a lot as I wasn't feeling well from all the vomiting the day before. Vinn and Ian were in better condition and they overtook us (Josh, LeongKee and me). Preserverance kept us going as we didn't want to give up since we have reached this far. We didn't manage to reach the top before sunrise but we still get a good view of the sunrise at around 7.5km (about 1km to the peak). We sat down and enjoyed the beautiful scenery, took some photos, ate some chocolates and drink some water before continue hiking. Along the way, we saw many people going down already and we are still going up.

Me @ Mount Kinabalu

Sea of clouds

Josh, LeongKee and Me @Mount Kinabalu

up, up, up we go...

... and down, down, down they come

Finally, I reached the summit of Mount Kinabalu, The Low's Peak at 7.13am!! I've conquered the highest mountain in South East Asia!! Wee~~ We were extremely excited. [although we were the last peple of the day to reach the top] Took some photos and take a good look at the wonderful scenery from the top of the world. The guide told us that the temperature there is around 3 degree Celcius. Sometimes it may go below 0 degree and you can see ice. We were lucky that the weather is nice and the sky is clear. We weren't able to stay there long as the strong winds blowing to our faces really make us freeze. We just stayed there for around 10 minutes and started to hike back down to Raban Rata.

Ian and Vinn coming down @ Mount Kinabalu

Low's Peak [Highest point in South East Asia]

View from the summit @ Mount Kinabalu

South Peak [the most beautiful peak on Mount Kinabalu]

The 5 that made it to the top

The hike down was tougher than going up. Josh sprained his ankle and we have to walk slowly and rest every now and then not to deteriorate his condition. The sun was getting hotter and the mist were gone. We finally reached Raban Rata at noon. The rest of our gang checked out of the rooms and started going down to the foot of the mountain already. Me, Josh and LeongKee packed our stuffs, ate something light and started hiking down too. Josh's sprained ankle was quite serious and he has no choice but to pay the people there RM600 to piggy-back him down the mountain. Me and LeongKee was going down very slowly as both of our feet were terrbily tired and muscle aching. We joined the rest at the foot around 6pm. Next stop: Poring Hot Springs!

Room @ Poring

Poring Map

We had our dinner with our driver at a chinese coffeeshop and head straight to Poring. It was raining mildly and the time is midnight and yet we still go and have a quick dip in the hot springs to relax ourselves. It is indeed refreshing. Too bad our photographer Josh was too tired and went straight to bed, therefore we didn't take any pictures at the hot springs. I also met 2 koreans there and chatted for quite some time. After cleaning up, we played a round of Cluedo, ate Maggi and went to bed.

Group photo @ Poring

Our last meal...

... at this coffee shop

me and minbee @ sabah airport

We woke up around six in the morning and get ready to leave Poring. We took our last meal in Sabah before arriving Kuan's house. Upon arriving, we packed our stuffs and luggages and head towards the airport. [Special thanks to Kuan's maid who washed our dirty clothes and folded them nicely] We bid farewell to Sabah around 12.30noon and reached KL at 3.30pm.

Hmm.. How I miss those beautiful beaches, crystal clear water, marvelous sunrise and sunsets, wonderful sceneries and delicious food. I'll go there again if I had the chance. *snap* Now back to reality, I still have 3 assignments due next week and MUET Exam on saturday. Aihz.. *dreaming for another trip soon* =P Billy, out.

Kota Kinabalu - Day 6

We took off from the Timpohon Gate (there's another gate called Mersilau) and our journey to the summit begins. We need to trail 8.7km to reach the top but we will take a rest at the 6km mark (Raban Rata). Along the way, there're 7 small huts for people to take a short rest, drink and eat before they continue the climb.

the climb starts!! wee~~

the one and only waterfall we saw

my only photo along the trail

steps, steps, steps.. so tiring

finally, the 2.0km mark!

porters carrying heavy stuffs walking faster than us.

trails are getting tougher

part of the long long trail

the small hut for resting

6.0km mark!! Laban Rata!!

I didn't take much photos along the climb because I wasn't fast enough to catch up with our photographers. The trail may look easy and short but actually it's quite tough because it's steep and climbing all the way. People who didn't train up before climbing like me will have a tough time catching up with others. [Imagine I'm climbing at the same pace as a 70-year old uncle] Hehe.. Anyway, I reached Raban Rata around 4pm and straight went to sleep. Too tired and cold [the power supply is down, no lights no heater].

Yet another simple post during the crucial times of my life. I'm having 7 assignments and 1 test all in 2 weeks. But out of the business everyone is having we [Kuan, Bee, Leongi, Eddie, Josh and me] went to Genting to relax and unwind and it's a part of the birthday celebration for Min Bee. Here I would like to wish her a joyous birthday. Don't frown anymore coz frowning makes one look old. Hehe.. Time to go for her birthday barbeque. Billy, out.

Next: Kota Kinabalu - Day 7 & 8

Kota Kinabalu - Day 5

I woke up quite early on day 5 to take a stroll around the resort with Kuan and Bee. We also planned to dip into the pool but the water was too cold. I couldn't stand the temperature in the water, so does Kuan. So, only Bee soaked in the pool while we sat on the bench and enjoy the view. It's a paradise. Some of them went for a buffet breakfast that comes together with the room rental. The others just wait for Kuan's mother to bring us some fried noodles for breakfast. Right after breakfat is packing time. It's time to leave this havenly place and head back to get ourselves prepared for the big climb.

Morning scene @ RasaRia

A malay guy performing traditional music when we leave

And so, once again we packed all we need for the climb in a hurry and get on the van that Kuan booked for us. We left his house around 1pm. It took us nearly 3 hours to reach the foot of Mount Kinabalu. Along the way, we napped and enjoyed the sceneries.

Leong Kee and me at the back of the van
That's the mountain we're going to conquer! [took on the van] We reached the foot of Mount Kinabalu!!
The maps @ Kinabalu Park
The reception office @ Kinabalu Park
Grace Hostel [where we stay]

At the foot of the mountain is already like Genting in West Malaysia. The weather is very fresh and cooling and we liked it. We checked in, put our things in the rooms and here we go again walking around that place. We walked to a cafeteria, ate something and walked to the souvenir shop. Along the way we saw a rock that looks like a pig and a wishing well. Of course, we did make our wishes there. When we came out of the souvenir shop, it was raining cats and dogs outside and we're stucked there. Luckily, there's a rest area with sofas, a fireplace and a radio. We also visited the exhibition hall upstairs.

Hot drinks @ Balsam Cafe
Walk walk @ Kinabalu Park

The wishing well [someone threw onto the ground instead of the water.. lol]

Looking for 4-leaf clover [can't find any though]
The cosy rest area @ Kinabalu Park

We got really impatient as the rain never stops. Finally, we decided to take our dinner at the restaurant beside the souvenir shop. Luckily the rain stopped when we finish our dinner. We then bought some firewood to start a fire at the fireplace. We sat next to it and prepare the food for tomorrow's climb [tuna sandwich, peanut butter sandwich and kaya sandwich]. We also make so hot chocolate for the cold weather. Then we played Cluedo and went to bed.

Dinner! @ Kinabalu Park

3 good friends outside our rooms
Preparing food beside the fireplace
Miserable small fire @ the fireplace
Good night @ Kinablu Park [Grace Hostel]

Here comes the interesting part. Before I go to bed, I feel something's not right in my tummy. I went to the toilet to try to let out something but nothing came out. I tried to sleep but the stomachache still bothers me a lot. Finally, I called Kuan and tell him that I need a doctor. But it was midnight and there's no doctor around that area. I'll have to wait till morning to get someone to fetch me down to the nearest town. And so I bear with the pain and try to get some rest. Around 3am I finally vomitted and I feel so so much better and I get a good night sleep. In the morning, again I feel the ache in my stomach. I thought that I couldn't make the climb already. I vomitted again, this time more things came out and I was feeling better. I decided that since I'm already there, I must conquer this mountain. So, I took off with the rest though I feel slightly uncomfortable. Then.... the story continues in the next post. Stay tune. =P

Recently has been getting busy with not only assignments and tests but 2 big events of Games Developers Club (GDC). The LAN Games Competition and Future Game Creators Seminar. I am the assistant director for both events, can you believe it?! Anyway, anyone interested to join these events can contact me or leave a comment, both events are open to outsiders. Hmm.. got to do some of my work now. Else, I'm gonna die working last minutes. Billy, out.

Next: Kota Kinabalu - Day 6