SkyTrex - Big Thrill

After weeks of planning, finally, the group congregated at Taman Pertanian of Shah Alam for another challenge of SkyTrex Adventure. This time, the group is engaging on the Big Thrill which is the prequel of Extreme Challenge.

Taking the public transport to the starting point of SkyTrex Adventure land (from the entrace of the Park)
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Please click here to view photos taken by yours truly (KC).

Roger - putting on the safety equipment by a trained staff who are students from local colleges. Roger is now an IRONMAN, upgraded from the previous Powerman.

Yee Choi sharing a light moment with PK Chan (both marathon runners and recent EBC trekkers) and Leng, our SkyTrex coordinator.

One for the album: Yee Choi, Roger, Nurool, Lai Kuan, Alexis, Leng, PK Chan and yours truly (KC).

True to its name, the Big Thrill is slightly easier compared to Extreme Challenge. Besides, hovering at about 15 meters above the ground, it is lower than the Extreme Challenge. Nevertheless, for beginners, it is indeed a good start to overcome the challenges high up within the tropical rain forest.
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This is how you should fasten the pulley ... pre-game demo by a trained staff. Adherence to proper procedure is very important to ensure the safety of each participant.
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From tree to tree: Alexis is at left while Roger is at right. I am always amused with the similarity in sound with Mazda 323.

Lai Kuan, the Bukit Tabur queen (as the group members call her), take on the adventure game effortlessly

Alexis in action ... According to the brochures, this is called Happy Hopper. Well, contrary to the name, it is not an easy game to play. The supporting plank are placed quite far a part. Other than using the rope to support your body, much like what Tarzan would do, one has to bend the knee, push like a frog in order to reach th next plank.

Alexis giving a hands-free pose (in this photo, with her new hairdo, she resembles Sammi Cheng, a Hong Kong actress and Cantopop singer)
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Yee Choi, a marathon runner and a recent EBC trekker, was very excited about the adventure that he yearns to come back for the next Extreme Challenge.

Tentatively, Leng, our efficient SykTrex coordinator, fixes Saturday 6 March for the next Extreme Challenge. If you would to join, please contact Leng at hwleng@gmail.com

For those who trek up Bukit Tabur or Klang Gate Ridge (click here for photos/reports by KC) regularly, you would have sufficient training to take on the Extreme Challenge without fearing of height.
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After the challenge, the group adjourn to the famous Bak Ku Teh in Klang... hmmm... yummy, yummy !!
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Please click here to read other postings on Sky Trex, The Extreme Challenge.
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Posted by KC

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New Balance 30km Run (4)

New Balance 30km Run, Kuala Lumpur ...

Please click here to view photo Album # 4 (final album) by courtesy of Jason Lee.

Posted by KC

Jason Lee

New Balance 30km Run (3)

New Balance 30km Run, Kuala Lumpur ...

Please click here to view photo Album # 3 by courtesy of JASON LEE.

Angie

Exchanging a brief pleasantry

What a name -- The Chap Ayam Runner

An extended pleasantry ... okay, make sure don't run into the cars

aisey ... good pose
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Jason Lee

Posted by KC

New Balance 30km Run (2)

New Balance 30km Run 2010 ...
Please click here to view photos in Album #2 by courtesy of JASON LEE.

CK Ang -- who runs with very consistent pace

Danny

A strong barefoot runner

A runner with vibrant gear

Josie

Posted by KC

New Balance 30km Run (1)

Event: New Balance 30km Run 2010
Date: Sunday 17 January
Venue: Padang Merbuk, Kuala Lumpur

Please click here to view Photo Album #1 by courtesy of JASON LEE.
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Jason Lee
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Goh of Subang Jaya

Nice tattooooo

Keenly competing for positions

Hon -- yeah! yeah!

Jessica -- looking good
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Stay tuned for next album ... my PC is still crawling with very, very slow internet connection with TM Net .... it takes ages to upload one photo album, and it takes ages for TM net to diagnost the problem .... sigh ...

Posted by KC

Fiona's pre-Melbourne Trip

Prelude Story:.

"Our white fairy, Fiona, is migrating to Australia in 2 weeks' time. So are you folks free to get together for a drink, eat and yak on Wedn 13 January at 7.30 p.m.?" wrote Joseph Yong in his email.

Immediately, the EBC group is super active again exchanging emails, much like we were trekking as a team going up the base camp of Mount Everest. As for me, Aisey, my hands are trembling when I read the notification. Oh! No! We are going to miss her! We must have the gathering before she goes.

Wong's response: "You don't migrate just because I call you 'leng ma lai mui'. Maybe you want me to call you 'kwai mui'. Are you going for trekking in Australia and not inviting us"?

Immediately after the EBC trip, Fiona went to Laos for another outing. Seeing that she is getting very dark in the photos, that prompt Wong's remarks. Nevertheless, I said that just call 'leng mui' (pretty gal) will do ... :-)

Fiona's response: "Now may I clarify ... I am NOT migrating. I am going to Melbourne just for a month. But would love to meet up with you all before my very short expedition."

So, here we are having a gathering and dinner at the Big Elephant, a cozy Thai restaurant in Section 17, Petaling Jaya..

Fiona -- one of the EBC trekkers.

Let me share with you the photos of Apollo Bay and Port Campbell where Fiona is going. She will leave for Melbourne tomorrow, Wednesday 20 January for one month of business and leisure tirp. Other than spending most of her time in Melbourne, she will be spending 5 days of retreat at Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road (Victoria, Australia).

During my 10 - 19 Dec 2009 holiday trip to Melbourne, I also went there for a day trip visiting the 12 Apostles (also along the Great Ocean Road trip).

Here is wishing Fiona a pleasant trip and an enjoyable holidays.

Click here for enlarged photos

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The get-together dinner at The Elephant Restaurant in Section 17 on Wedn, 13 Jan 2010. The gathering was held to give a rousing send-off to Fiona. Nexted within three block of flats, the inside of the restaurant is posh and classy. The Thai dishes and food were superb; thanks to Fiona for recommending the restaurant.

The EBC team members (R-L): Sharon Tan, Jayne Aw, Joseph Yong, Fiona, yours truly (KC), SC Yong, WongFK and PK Chan

Sharon Tan and Jayne

Apollo Bay -- This is a scanned page from the book "The Great Ocean Road, Victoria - Australia" that I bought. Notice the white sandy beach that stretch for kilometers of the coastline.

Port Campbell -- It is an ideal base for exploring the 12 Apostles and also popular for seaside holidays.

A is where the bus, after leaving the site of 12 Apostles, will travel. In another thousand's years, the land at the bottom right would be washed away (I think).

B is where the bus having its pit stop, and the book (where this picture is scanned) is bought here.

C is the public toilet. While I was walking from B to C, it was drizzling and the wind was blowing strongly.

Nice place to stay and for holidays !!

Posted by KC
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Holidaying in Melbourne

That was my first time going to Melbourne (11 to 19 December 2009). I like the place: the pace is right and it is not too slow compared to, say, Perth.

The weather there was cooling though it is summer time. Everything is well-organized, people are courteous, transportation is efficient, public facility is clean, etc.

Lots of food and restaurants there: Japanese food, Korean, Malaysian, Thai, Indonesean, Nepalese, Indian, and of course, the prominent western food. However, a plate of char kuey teow cost ADU 6 to 9 (RM 18 to 27). Nevertheless, If we earn dollars and spend dollars, then it would be cheap.

Please click here for photos taken during my 10-day trip to Melbourne.

Melbourne Museum
. St Kilda Pier -- Outskirt of Melbourne which is easily accessible via the city tram system

On the way to Phillip Island to see penguins returning home from sea
.This is the beach to see the return of little penguins when sun goes down. Located at the lower end of Australia, this area is cold at night (14 C). In December (summer time), the sun only goes down at 9:00 p.m.

When the penguins return to their home, they stand in the shallows, often retreating back into the sea if they sense predators overhead, before gaining confidence and regrouping to cross the beach. Little penguins usually land in a similar place every night, taking the same path to reach their burrow (home). However, a few do lost their way and started calling out to other penguins, at times, engage in fight when they went to different territory. The little penguins actually walk almost 500 meters to return to their home.

Puffing Billy -- Ride on Australia's most notable narrow gauge railway through the spectacular Blue Dandenong Ranges echoing the steam train's whistle. Notice that the passengers can sit at the side of the windows.

At one of the wineries

The enchanting evening view of Yarra River at Melbourne

The RMIT University graduation ceremony includes parading in the busy streets of Melbourne. Seen here is the Royal Australian navy Band in action. What an excellent way to promote the university. On that day (Wedn 16 Dec 2009), the weather was hot -- 39 degrees Celsius !!! It was like in an oven. The next days, it was back to the cooling temperature again, around 20 degrees Celsius (but was raining the whole day).

Great Ocean Road tour -- The 12 Apostles

Yours truly (KC)... after the heat on the previous day, it was drizzling the whole day with cold wind blowing.

At Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. In 1850, the world focused on Ballarat when gold was echoed around the globe. People from all nations poured into Ballarat to seek fortune.

The young ones having a feel of panning gold at the stream beds of Ballarat.

When visiting Ballarat Gold Mine, the coach captain told a bus load of holidays makers this true story and joke: In 1800 (around that time), Britain decided to send the convicts to a continent far, far away that is Australia. 30 years since then, no one from UK was interested to go to Australia as it was reported that it is a dusty, hot and dry country. Then gold was found in Ballarat and that sparked a mad rush of people from all over the globe to rush to Australia. Of course, the Chinese also went there but there were given 'special treatment' by the mat sallehs. Unavoidably, there was fighting; people were poor (the Chinese and mat sallehs also). When mat sallehs burry their body, they lay the body horizontally in the ground whereas Chinese lay the body vertically (not sure it was true). The reason was for the spirit to have a head start going to heaven. Customarily, the Chinese will have food to pray at the cemetery. So the poor mat sallehs would then go to the grave and take the left behind food, that prompt the idea of Chinese Takeaway (ta pau food) ... :-)

The fruits in season: Mango, nectarine, strawberry, cherry.

Comparison of prices:

Mango: AUD 1 each (Kuala Lumpur RM 10 to RM 14)

Strawberry: AUD 1 for a small plastic box (Kuala Lumpur RM 10)

Cherry: AUD 5 per kilogram (Kuala Lumpur RM 60 to RM 90) !!!

Honda Accord and Toyota Camry is about AUD 40,000 and below

(exchange rate: AUD 1 = RM 3.1)

Honda Civic = AUD 24,000 (Kuala Lumpur = RM 120,000)

Honda City = AUD 20,500 (Kuala Lumpur = RM 90,000)

Drive Away means price on the road. From The Age; Special Edition; December 18-19, 2009.

Posted by KC