Cameron Highlands Tea Plantation, Malaysia

Friday, January 29, 2010

PhotoHunt - Spotted

I was trying to get some shots of a grasshopper which was perching in between leaves when I spotted this young chameleon hidden in the leaves. I didn't manage to capture the grasshopper but was quite happy to spot this little fella.


Although slow moving, it took me a few attempts to get some closer shots because any slight movement will startle the little lizard. He spotted me taking his picture but luckily he wasn't camera shy.



First Commenter - Randi

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

WW - Holiday getaway at Port Dickson

Taking a road trip to Port Dickson has always been at the top of our to do list last year. Having heard a lot of positive reviews about this village resort, we celebrated my birthday and wedding anniversary at Avillion PD last month.

From the cozy comfy chalet to exotic tranquil blue sea, white sandy beaches to spectacular sunset, I was totally impressed by the wonders of this place. The experience at Avillion was truly fascinating, because it's not a place we could afford to go all the time. During our 2 day stay, the last thing you would ever want was the TV or Internet where you could soak in the serenity of its surroundings and enjoy a great view overlooking the sea from the private balcony. It was certainly amazing as everything moved at such a slow pace and you could just feel the stress free lifestyle, no rush hour, just you lying by the pool taking a restful, cozy nap.

I've to thank my hubby who planned everything well, ensuring this birthday and wedding anniversary as unforgettable and meaningful like the ones we've shared together for the past 13 glorious years. God willing, we'll have many more wonderful years to share. Till death do us part.

Here are some shots of the resort for your viewing pleasure.




I love the long stretch of white sandy beach on which I could just laze around and do absolutely nothing but enjoy and drink in the beauty of sea.

The beach is regularly cleaned and the sand is fine enough for the kids to make their sand castles.
the water chalets are built on stilts over the clear blue sea

I absolutely love how the palm trees gently swaying to the soft rhythm of lapping waves.

The best part is all units come with a private balcony where you can enjoy peace of mind as you gaze out to the pristine sea. Isn't that amazing?



So, if you're longing for a relaxing getaway with the entire family, you'll find it all in Port Dickson. :)



First Commenter - Lina

Friday, January 22, 2010

PhotoHunt - Balanced

The shots were taken from a window of a moving coach en route from Germany to Switzerland. Most of the pictures turned out to be apparently fuzzy and clearly out of focus as the bus was moving with great speed. However, here are some of my best shots to share for this week's photohunt.

The water seemed to be perfectly still and everything had a balanced reflection except for the small patch of snow on the lake surface.


I was mesmerised by the gorgeous mountainous countryside but it was frustrating to just pass by so quickly on a bus, resulting in some of the details were lost in the pictures. It would have been excellent if the bus could stop, spending a pleasant hour or two strolling around in order to capture a more balanced view .




First commenter - Mei Teng

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

WW - Monkey Menace

The sight of monkeys roaming around the residential area had become a common scene in my neighbourhood. They have been emerging from a nearby mangrove forest invading homes, stealing food, snatching clothes from the clothesline and even attacking people. There was one time the creature almost attacked my three year-old daughter and tried to steal food from her. Thankfully I was fast enough to grab my daughter from being viciously attacked by the monkey. I definitely can't leave my doors or windows open, otherwise the primates will ransack the whole place.

The monkeys can be seen pouncing on my neighbour's car and they were even strong enough to pull out the side mirror of the vehicle. I tried to chase them away but the aggressive monkeys refused to leave, ignoring me, so quickly, in order not to be observed I took some shots of them. One of them was glaring, shrieking at me and in minutes they were gone! Luckily it didn’t advance further.

The monkeys enjoyed walking, sitting high on the telephone cables, enjoying a feast of the stolen food, creating havoc. They like flowers too. I've no idea what they do with the flowers.

Last year, the Wildlife Department had employed measures like setting up traps to capture the monkeys and relocating elsewhere. The numbers have decreased and we did not face any problems since then. Unfortunately, we noticed that the monkeys were making an appearance in recent weeks again. I hope the authorities can come up with more effective solutions to tackle the monkey menace here as they are becoming a menace to society.



First Commenter - tigerfish

Saturday, January 16, 2010

PhotoHunt - Jiggly

I've always enjoyed good Portuguese egg tarts and every time I'm in town, I will swing by to get these delicious treats to satisfy my cravings, despite the long wait in line. With its jiggly tart goodness, my knees got all wobbly and they are so perfect to snack on in front of the TV with a cup of flavourful tea. The edges of the crust are simply crispy and flaky, jiggly in center and just sweet enough not to be overpowering. They're best eaten fresh and piping hot. Bon Appetit!



First Commenter - Mei Teng

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

WW - Boarding the Ferry

When I was small, my sisters and I would get excited and thrilled at the thought of boarding the ferry to Penang. With each passing year and the tables turned, now I would take my kids to the island using the ferry service. It was certainly a fun-filled outing for the whole family especially for the kids to be able to enjoy the cool sea breeze with the lovely ocean views.

Penang Ferry is one of the oldest mode of transportation in Penang. You can get to the island using the ferry service or by the Penang Bridge. The ferry ride from Butterworth to Penang Island is short and it takes approximately 20 minutes.

More often than not, you can see people armed with cameras taking pictures of the Penang skyline from the ferry.

These open-deck ferries are still well-preserved and retain many of its old charms, including the seats on the pedestrian deck with its large open windows on the upper section of the ferry. The lower deck is made available for moving vehicles.


I was delighted to be able to photograph the infinity of shapes of these fascinating clouds. It makes me appreciate clouds even more.

Standing tall above the rest is Komtar, Penang's tallest building, a 65 storey tower located in Georgetown.
Ferry leaving the terminal
I like the mysterious wisp of cloud in the sky with these vessels passing by!




First Commenter - Mei Teng

Friday, January 8, 2010

PhotoHunt - Bulky


My hubby bought a new DSLR recently after hunting over various models for sometime. He was going through all the reviews on the net and did some researchs to figure out which DSLR camera he has to go for. Ultimately, he settled with Nikon D90 that came with a Nikkor 18 -105mm kit lens. You can get remarkable shots right out of the box using the Auto or pre-set modes. The automatic settings work very well for a newbie like me who doesn't know how to operate with the modes. The lens has a Vibration Reduction feature to reduce camera shake which I'll find useful when shooting without a tripod. There is so much information and so many settings on this camera that it will take me more time to play with it.

As with any DSLR, it is pretty bulky and heavy to lug around but my hubby didn’t find it a hassle carrying it around though. This model was intriguing enough to make him bite the bullet. My previous digital camera was a Sony DSC-H1 which I've had for several years. I'd still be using my old camera especially when I’m going to places where it’s too inconvenient for me to lug along the big, bulky D90 which weighs almost 1kg.

Anyway, here are a few shots I've taken with my D90 for your viewing pleasure.





First Commenter

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

RT/WW - Green Penang

I love to spend my weekends here getting some cool fresh air, especially when I’m walking through one of my favorite walking trails. There is a fascinating trail at Penang Youth Park and as can be seen here, how green everything is. The trail is wide enough for walkers, joggers, bikers and roller bladers.

The beautiful park is besieged with large shady trees that provides great shades from the hot humid weather and the sweltering sun. It felt fabulous walking under those trees as I absolutely love the lush greenery in its natural setting. I could just sit here or even walk around for hours.

That said, any time of the day is actually great for a slow and steady stroll. However, the best time to visit will be in the morning though as it will be cooler. Not surprisingly, there are numerous people performing their routine exercises in the wee hours of the morning. While many in the world are still fast asleep, I love getting up at the crack of dawn and taking my kids for a walk. Everything smells so refreshing indeed.

Children are not left out as there is a huge playground for kids to enjoy their time.
With the free admission, what more could you ask for?

Since this is my first entry for 2010, best wishes for a Happy New Year to all of you.

I hope everyone has been doing really fantastic and I appreciate all your wonderful comments in my previous post.




First Commenter - Leora