Malaysia - Cameron Highlands - July 2009

This was a family road trip.

Day 1 (Singapore - Cameron Highlands)

We drove up from Singapore, via the Tuas link. It was quite a drive. We started off at around 645am, and reached Century Pines at Cameron Highlands at 3pm plus. We took the Simpang Pulai exit instead of the Tapah exit. Apparently there was a Simpang Pulai RSA before the exit, where there is a petrol kiosk. As we were not too sure, we pumped gas at Tapah RSA instead, which is 1 RSA ahead.

The drive up was quite long. But we did expect around 8 hours, which turned out to be 8 hours including lunch time. So that was pretty good. We had lunch at Klang, Bak Kut Teh. It was not really fantastic, but at least some other places we have not tried before. We fully relied on the GPS to locate this lunch location. GPS is quite useful sometimes.

Upon reaching Cameron Highlands, we check-in to Century Pines, hanged around awhile, and we headed to the Water Cress Valley for charcoal steamboat dinner. Actually, I enjoyed my dinner very much. But I guess not all did. There was a great selection of vegetables, but not too much meat. So for meat eaters, maybe you have to head elsewhere. There was watercress drink, which I think it tasted wonderful. The drink was watercress with luohan guo and red dates.

The weather was cool, perfect for steam boat, overlooking the watercress farm.

Day 2 (Cameron Highlands)
Breakfast was included. It has quite a decent variety of food, consisting fried noodles, fried rice, porridge, cereals to bread for staples. And many more others.

We visited Cactus Valley and Big Red Strawberry farm. It claims to have about 200 parking spaces. But it is a steep way upwards, with about 10 lots at each level. Then we had the Strawberry shake, Strawberry yogurt/lassi, Strawberry juice and Strawberry sundae at the cafe near the top. It was quite a nice walk up. Weather was cool, and lots of plants, vegetables, flowers, strawberrry plants, tomatoes along the way up.

Next, we went to the Boh Tea Plantation at the Sungei Palas.

The way there was indeed a one lane road mostly, except at some turnings. So driving there was a little bit troublesome but aint difficult. It was really pretty as what I have seen in pictures. But too bad, they do not serve meals there. They only serve tea and cakes. We visited the tea factory too, since it was free admission, but there was not too much about it. There were only a couple of machine, and a couple of boards that explains the 5 steps to tea-making.

Then we were hunting for a lunch location, which we finally settled outside Kea Farm at this Strawberry view chinese makan place.

After lunch, we turned in the same road, and visited the Rose Centre. It was a long walk upwards. But pretty nice. Lots of flowers, and plants to see, and a view down the valley when you are the top.

The rest of the day we hopped from bee farm to night market to multicrops farm, and lastly dinner at yoo foo restoran at Brinchang Town. The food was pretty nice. It is basically cooked chinese dishes and steam boat served with white rice.

Day 3 (Cameron Highlands - Genting Highlands)

Today we woke up wanting to go to Ipoh, but they all decided to go to Genting Highlands instead.

We drove down to Ringlet, Lakehouse. LakeHouse is really quite pretty. But it overlooks the lake which is a patch of brown muddy water.

Next, we stopped by at the Cameron Tea Valley. It is quite pretty from the cafe. The view is quite nice, rolling hills with tea plants. Then we checked-out and headed for more vegetables at Kea Farm before departing Cameron Highlands.
Vegetables was cheap. It was like 12 corn for 10RM, or 8 packs of vegetables for 10RM. One grilled corn was about 3.5RM.

Then we went down the hill via the Kg. Raja and headed to Genting Highlands, solely relying on the GPS. Think we reached around 5pm plus.

Day 4 (Genting Highlands - Singapore)
We checked out at 12noon. Then drove out for lunch. Think we started on the roads again around 2pm.

We had a simple fishball/yong tau fu dinner at Yong Peng.

Finally we reached the Tuas checkpoint around 820pm.

Korea (Seoul and Jeju) - Seoul 2014 (part 1)

A long awaited 2-week-trip to a place I have not been before. It has been almost 3 years since I get to travel to a place I have not been before. Korea was chosen over a few options, as it is not too far away, offers cooler weather, a clean and safe country.

Day 1 - Friday ( 9 May)
Took almost a full day to reach Seoul, as we took a transit at HKG. When we reached Korea, customs was quite fast. Cab ride was quite easy too, there were some people who spoke simple English to help us. Took a ticket at the counter, and we got into the normal small cab. (No need for jumbo cab) The cab driver was nice too, even thou he doesn't understand English.
It cost about $85,000 won to reach Fraser Suites.

Fraser Suites & the view from Fraser Suites

Day 2 - Saturday, Sunny, clear blue skies (10 May)
With the bad weather forecast for the next few days, we decided to take the subway to visit Grand Children park today, since this place offers mainly outdoor activities.

The place is quite crowded. After walking some distance into the park, went to the counter, wanting to ask more about the rides, but the staff do not understand any English. The lady pointed to a fare written on the panel. It seems to include 3 tickets, so we just got it, not knowing what the 3 tickets was meant for. It cost less than 20,000 won. We went to the camel ride queue, gave him the 3 tickets, he seemed to read the Korean wordings and sieved out 2 tickets. Turned out 2 tickets were for the camel ride, 1 adult and 1 child, and the last ticket was for the donkey ride for the kid. And i thought there will be more people in Korea who will understand English at such touristy places.

Yummy cuttlefish opposite Grand Children Park

Grand Children Park entrance and some rides

Took a cab to N. Seoul Tower. This place is crowded too. There is a long queue for the cable car, waiting time was about 45min. There are no chairs made available when we are queuing, and no seats in the cable car either. There were only standing space in the cable car. And there seems to be only a couple cable cars in operation.  They should seriously think about getting newer and nicer cable cars with seats, instead of packing us like sardines into a cable car, with standing space only.

Cable car

When we reach the top....gosh! There were more stairs! Quite a long flight of stairs. Not recomended for the elderly or people with strollers.

The view was mediocre, and the place was crowded.

Being disappointed by the whole experience, we did not explore more but headed down and went for dinner instead.

Took the cable car, walked along those shophouses and found one Korean cuisine place. Turned out to be a satisfying meal.

One of the nicer pancakes ever tried

Day 3 - Sunday, Cloudy and light drizzle (11 May)
We walked to the Bukchon village from our hotel. Had a take away coffee along the way. The village area is quite quaint and nice, but just too many tourists, including batches of prc tour groups.

Then we settled at a Korean restaurant place for lunch.

After lunch we took a stroll to Samcheongdong for coffee. This place is full of cafes!

Went back to hotel, grabbed some stuffs, then took the subway to Norangyin Seafood Market for dinner. The place looks very interesting with countless stalls selling all types of seafood. Ranging from sea urchins, live and crawling octopuses of all sizes, variety of crabs, lobsters,  colourful sea slugs, shell food to live fishes. We bought some prawns, sea urchins and a live fish. As the company I was with wasnt too keen in eating live octopus nor much sashimi seafood, I did not get much other food. Purchase if seafood or dishes was easy as there seems to be one prc waiter or shop helper in some stalls. So I just needed to speak mandarin to get things going.

Next was supper at those typical korean streets orange tents! Something I have been looking forward to. Like a scene from the Korean dramas. They called it Pojangmacha. They serve quite abit of grilled food, soju and makgeolli. (A raw unrefined rice wine)

Day 4 - Monday, cloudy ( 12 May)
Slept in today. Wanted to settle the 3d2n out of Seoul, as neither the train tickets nor the accomodation is booked nor purchased yet. But somehow we still did not manage to head down to Seoul station to settle either.

Went for lunch at Tosokchon, famed for its ginseng chicken. Food was alright, no wow effect. Place was quite nice.

As we were quite near the Gyeongbokgung palace, we walked over after lunch. Place seems to be courtyards after courtyards. Manage to watch abit of the change of guards. Their attire look too colourful and pretty and do not strike as uniforms.

After going back to hotel for a short rest, we took a cab to Dongdaemun. Had a glimpse of the gate, and realised there was a big crowd awaiting for Doota to open. Apparently on Mondays, they are only opened at 7pm till 4am. All other days they are opened from 11am till nxt day 4am.

Things are not cheap. But designs are really nice.

Then we took a train to Gwang jang market. This place is pretty cool! The local office workers head here for quick dinners. The stalls are opened only from 6pm. While the typical market is only opened in the day. Too bad we did not have more time here to explore all the food.

Day 5 - Tuesday (13 May)
Wanted to head for rail biking in the afternoon. Cancelled that plan in order to have a slower afternoon, and more time to pack for 3d2n out of Seoul.

Finally managed to head to Seoul station, got the O-train and V-train tickets finally, after being turned away from the first counter, as the lady did not understand English, not being able to understand what we wanted. Another case of language barrier. Everything requires extra effort. I was diverted to an information counter.

At the counter, the lady understood very simple English. I have wanted the 3day pass or 2day pass. But somehow she just said no, and shook her head. Till today, i still wondered why not? She was not able to converse more. Anyway, we just did what she suggested, which is to get specific trains. With my inputs on suggested stops and timing.  The entire train schedule was all in Korean. Lucky thing I have that schedule translated to English back in Singapore (by mapping the stops in Korean language to the English stops I knew) before I reached Korea. So all I had to do was to point to the Korean stations, and she just get that train ticket printed.

Finally, due to lack of availability of train tickets, we managed to do a 2d1n train trip on Thursday and Friday. They run out of tickets for Wednesdays. Yippee!!! ..finally the O and V train is turning to reality. After all the obstacles.....

Next we booked our accomodation through a couple of phonecalls after checking some websites online. Wanted some homestay like kinda accomodation. Have to see the place to know.

We took lunch near our accomodation, Insadong. Then did some shopping in Myeong dong. Ta bao some road side food and packed for next 2 nights before we come back to Fraser on Friday night.

Day 6 - Wednesday - Homestay at Seoul (14 May)

Today we check out of Frasers,  keeping most of our stuffs at Frasers. We will be staying 1 night at the homestay, another night out of Seoul ( not booked yet, likely to be at Yeongju), then back at Frasers again.