Still planning

Our travel plans have a major adjustments. We might be including another country in our trip. Although, we are excited, it also creates additional, additional, additional,

costs
planning
relaxing time

It's all in the planning stage, nothing is confirmed yet but maybe you can guess where we're going?
Why is it so hard to find a blog of a Malaysian on their Europe trip? I do want some suggestions on accommodation, food and others.

To see the previous layer budget in here. Picture from news-world.us.

Distraction toys for my toddler

Travelling with a toddler really is a challenge even though for a quick stop at the supermarket (which turns out a few hours). I'm looking at toys that can distract my little one especially in the plane. Something small, not noisy, not messy and can engage her for hours. Small notebook shares her favorite ones which are:

• art supplies: watercolor case, colored pencils, coloring book.
• tea set and petit fours by Haba
• jewelry box with dress up jewelry – it also served as a place to put special things
• puzzles – stored in ziplock bags, not in the boxes
• felt cupcakes
• more felt and scissors – we made a felt town and other crafts.
• balloons – the kids played with them in the tub. We made the biggest water balloon they ever saw.
• balls
• favorite stuffed animal
• a couple of books

I like some of the ideas, so I might bring:

• color pencils, coloring book, stickers and blank papers.
• maybe a small etch-a-sketch if I can find them
• a stuffed animal
• puzzles
• tangram puzzle
• a couple of books
• I like the idea of tea set and jewelry box but not sure and balloons maybe but not balls (don't want it to go bouncing on someone's head.
• a few blocks (lego)
• Ipod, phone (installed with toddler applications :))
• toy car
• band aids (first time hear of this idea)
• a card game (Snap?)

Any more ideas?

Friends from Czech and Pasar Ramadhan

Originally posted on August 2010

We hosted a couple, Julie and Lucas from Czech Republic for 5 days on last two weeks. My hubby reply their last minute request from the couch surfing project. They had been travelling Asia for the past 10 months starting from Malaysia actually, going to China, Laos, Mongolia and Thailand using Air Asia. Currently, they are at Kota Bharu (based on our recommendation :)) and will be going to India by flight. There onwards, they be using land road, probably through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and so on, to Julie's hometown in France.

We love hosting as it give us chance to meet new people and hear their experiences. I love how European can save up their money, quit their job and went travel like they're no care in the world (damn you debt!!!). Julie and Lucas turns out to be nice, down to earth people and a great cook. They didn't go to the typical touristic places and at one of the places where they visit (in Tibet), it had the one of the beautiful view I ever saw.

Pic: in Tibet (borrow your pics, Lucas!)

Since it was Ramadhan, of course we bring them to Pasar Ramadhan which fascinates them so much. Let see, we bought nasi briyani with rendang, murtabak, bubur lambuk, otak-otak, cendol, cincau, air asam boi, samosa and a few other that I don't remember.

 As usual, there is a tour of Putrajaya. They like the Wawasan bridge. Also, we bought them to the HQ of Sate Kajang at Haji Samuri Sate Kajang in Kajang. They tried the heart and the mutton and liver are sold-out.

They even cook break-fasting for us, stuffed vegetables with rice and meatballs. It was very delicious especially the bell pepper and meatballs.

Coincidently, there was a couch surfing picnic going on which we opted to go but didn't stay long because we had to send them to train station to go to KB. We met a bunch other travellers, some been here on work and some still travelling and some from dear own Malaysia. My hubby made murtabak (lupa plak tangkap gambar) which turns out great (any request for recipe?) and Fatin had so much fun playing at Lake Garden's park. Julie cried when we part as we already feel like old friends.

It's been a good experience. Any plans for travel this year?

I-City, Shah Alam, Selangor

Originally posted on July 2010

Do you know what i-city is? This supposed to be center where real estate, IT and communications come together in one place. Like Cyberjaya only closer to KL? I saw a few IT companies already in there and I'm sure they put in fiber optics and any other technology in there.

However, what people are attracted to is the garden of tree lights. Suddenly the road behind UiTM (where I spend 2 years of my time studying there are jam packed with cars going to this garden of lights. 

Tips from Nelli is to park at the multilevel parking since it easier to push stroller. However, we missed the turn and just park at nearby houses where we had to climb a hill and push the stroller in mud and sand *sigh*. Another tips is to exit Padang Jawa from Federal Highway rather than the front UiTM exit because if you stuck in the jam, it a short one than the other exit. Besides, the sign-board only appear near to the place rather than all over Shah Alam.

There are a lot of people with big, profesional camera. However, when the people are pack like sardines, you can't take good pictures anyway. We're fail at night photography so, just enjoy the selected pictures. For nicer pictures, you can see Taufiq Shariff pictures of the i-City. I think he took during late evening since there are not many people there.

Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur

Originally posted on June 2010

How was your past weekend? For us, it's a 4 days weekend.. okay, 3 and half day weekend. Wednesday night was spend at my parent's house. Hubby got an office event at Zoo Negara on Thursday, so, we tag along. The two of us, Fatin and I, had an outing to see the monkeys. The first time Fatin had some sort of encounters with monkeys were when she was 3 months old at A Famosa Resort Animal Safari World. Let just say that the parents enjoy it more than the kid.

Pic: Prott.. excuse me.

This time, I can see she enjoys or maybe feels weird when watching the animals. She even got scared by a miniature horse and an otter :P

Pic: The otter (memerang) that scared Fatin. Somehow, the animals like Fatin because they seem to go near the cage when we walk by.

The tickets are priced at RM20 for adults with myKad (Malaysian identity card) and RM6 for child with myKad. We start at 10am straight by going to the Ape centre and pass lots of animals on the way.

Pic: This Seladang was huge. Even taller than me.

Pic: In no mood to pose.

Then, I rushed back around 11am to the elephants to see the elephant show. Since, it was still early, I grab some food at a kiosks near the cage. Fatin was napping by this time.

Unfortunately, I got the time wrong. The elephant show had been cancelled for quite sometime. The multi-animal show was actually at 11am or 3pm and the one at 11.30am was feeding time for the elephants. See the schedule here.

So, I walk to the show just in time to hear the ending (not even one stunt). Oh well. Fatin had woke up by now and we're off to see the fishes and penguins. I thought, previously, the aquariums had some sharks (the big one, not the small variety one) and some piranhas but I might be mistaken since I didn't see any. I didn't see my seahorses either.

Pic: So majestically proud.

Pic: Do you know what fish is this? This is Sepat Ronggeng that a very nice fish to eat also. Taste sort of like Bawal. It's hard to find and I only saw it at a market in Perak.

Pic: No, this is not the one that kill Steve Irwin. But, it's in the same family :))) The tail are really long, as long as the length of this aquarium.

By then, it was noon and we opted for some tram ride around the Zoo. Hey, KFC was also not there and being replace by fish and chip restaurant. I was planning to eat KFC but had to make do with Thai fried rice near the entrance.

Pic: This bird came out of nowhere very close to us and it's huge (about my shoulder). I was worried that it will bite.

Pic: Pink Panther err.. flamingo in action.

Then, we had our lunch beside the lake. The weather was nice with breeze but the food was bad but I finished it anyway. I saw my hubby across the lake feeding elephants (hehe). After a walk to bird house, we returned for home. I finished the whole zoo in half a day (not bad huh?) and skip the reptile house (no snakes please).

Pic: The baby Baboon is so cute, right? Five little monkeys jumping on the bed....