A new year..a new beginning...

Does anyone even still blog nowadays? Sigh.... only dinosaurs like me still blog huh?

Anyhoo, I'll just post my New Year's resolution here and see how many I can accomplish..

1) Clear my debts (now standing in a 5-figure range)
2) Make an effort to spend more time with friends
3) Eat less unhealthy foods and less snacking
4) Catch-up with my savings schedule


Bucket-list update
I accomplished item #11 this time  :)
1.   Hike Gunung Kinabalu   *accomplished!!*  
2.   White-water rafting   *accomplished!!*
3.   Play Laser-tag
4.   Attend a rock concert
5.   Visit Amsterdam
6.   Visit UK   *accomplished!!*
7.   Visit Italy
8.   Visit Paris
9.   Visit Santorini
10. Attempt ice-skating (again)
11. Cuddle a live koala    *accomplished!!*
12. Ride in a Sports car
13. Attempt snow skiing
14. Attempt Go-Karting
15. See the Northern Lights with my own eyes
16. Dye hair blue!!  *accomplished!!*
17. Learn cursive writing

I did it!! I actually did it!! There's no looking back now..

2017 is approaching reaaaallllllyyyy soon and what other way to welcome the new year with some New Year's resolution...and this list is definitely one I have to keep to unless I wanna dig a deeper hole for myself (yeah...I know I'm making it sound dark and morbid) So here goes... MY resolutions for 2017:

1) Be debt free!! - In my defense these debts are not due to self indulgence but more because of my house renovations and furnitures :'( 

2) Eat more of home cooked food and less of processed and "instant" foods 
3) Adhere to my "strict" beauty regiment 
4) Be more productive at work 
5) Be more organized at home! Now that I have my own house, I can't really have the "tidak apa" attitude 
6) Exercise more

 I think that should be enough for now. No point in coming out with 60 resolutions and not being to keep to any of it. Let's see how these 6 go halfway through the year later!!

DahMakan Review #1

I've been searching high and low for "healthy lunchbox" meals AND one that actually delivers my meal right at my doorstep. Yeah, sure, there are tons of them out there but alas, none of them delivers to my office or even to my house. Even if they do, the delivery charges were a tad bit too expensive for me (coz I'm kiamsiap like that )

And then one day, jeng jeng jeng, DahMakan announced that they have extended their delivery coverage area and super awesome news for me, both my office and house area is covered now! *Woot! Woots!*

I've ordered with them a few times before this review, so that should tell you that I'm pretty much satisfied with their quality and service. Here's what I've ordered the past week:

Tuesday (1 December 2015):

* forgive me for my poor photography skills,will try to get a better shot next time

Meal options for today: 
1) Christmas Special Beef Ragu with Baked Polenta & Roast Vegetables (left)
2) Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken with Homemade Slaw and Pumpkin Mac & Cheese (right)

I was feeling super kiasu today, so I ordered both options from their menu today. And no, I did not eat them both in one go, I kept the other for the following day's lunch...

Verdict:
1) Christmas Special Beef Ragu with Baked Polenta & Roast Vegetable
     This particular meal would probably be available for this Christmas season, so I couldn't resist in having a go for this one first....and I must say, I can't get enough of the baked polenta (although I must admit I had no idea what a polenta was in the first place...lol). I was half expecting it to be all soggy or rock hard but I was proven to be wrong....it had the right texture. Next, the beef was tender and all meat, with no fat in sight and the gravy that came along with it was oh so yummylicious!! Would I order this again? DEFINTELY!!

2) Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken with Homemade Slaw and Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
     The chicken was a tad bit tough and the macaroni was quite dry to my liking. I had to add on a dash of tabasco sauce coz I felt I just needed a little bit of spice in my food. If you know me well enough, you would know I simply MUST MUST MUST have chilli/spice in my food. Otherwise, this meal was just so-so. Not particularly bad but that's just me not being able to have my dose of spice  :p

What I simply love about their menu is that their food is that they deliver for both lunch AND dinner!! You can be assured of healthy meals and it's all free from MSG!! I couldn't ask for more!!
But I have to admit, it may be quite pricey with meals anywhere ranging from RM17 - RM24. But for the sake of healthy and MSG free food, I don't mind forking out that bit of money out.

I'll try to upload more reviews in the coming days...so stay tuned!!

Wanna order? Head on over to DahMakan's website to see what's available for day/week..
Delivery coverage area: Click here to see if you're area is covered and if delivery charges/minimum orders apply

Burgertory @ SS15

An unplanned meet-up with a friend that I've not met in ages led us to Burgertory @ SS15. I initially chose another burger joint but my friend warned me of the long queue. Since I am not one with a lot of patience, particularly when hungry, we agreed on Burgertory.

Thankfully there wasn't a queue when we got there BUT the tables were all taken. Oh well, we can just hope that by the time we get our orders, we should be able to get a table (and we did by the way, yay!!)

Burgertory has got a really nice ambiance, unfortunately it was a tad bit too noisy and crowded for us to even have a decent conversation. Alright, alright, enough with the ranting!! Let's cut to the chase...this is what we ordered...... 

For the life of me, I can't recall what we ordered, we both got the same one though, that's for sure. A definite sign that age is starting to get the better of me....boo-hoo!!

My add-on choice - Burgertory Fry combo, which consists of fries, onion rings, mozzarella cheese stick and a drink

His add-on choice - apple Wardorf salad and a drink

The burger was yummy-licous and oh-so-filling. Whereas for the add-on snacks, only the onion rings and the mozzarella cheese stick was good. The apple Wardorf salad was a tad too bland, we were actually struggling to finish it. As for the fries, there was nothing to shout about, just meh...

I was too busy eating and trying to talk/hear my friend, so didn't take any other picture apart from the above.

Anyhoo...would I visit this place again? DEFINITELY!! 

Opening hours:

6pm - 11pm (closes on Mondays)

Address:

Burgertory

No. 8A, 1st Floor,

Jalan SS15/4D, Subang Jaya

47500 Petaling Jaya,

Malaysia 

Places to Train for Gunung Kinabalu Hike

Sorry for the long hiatus people. I've been busy with projects and finding the time to train for the Gunung Kinabalu hike. With about a week more to go, I hope I am ready to conquer Gunung Kinabalu.

With the weeks I have spent training for the hike, here are some of the places one can train at to prep up for the actual hike.

Week 1 - Gunung Lambak - Kluang, Johor
Week 3 - Chiling Waterfalls - Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor
Week 5 - Gunung Angsi (I cheated a bit on this one by using the unofficial route) -  Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan
Week 6 - Gunung Datuk - Negeri Sembilan
Week 7 - Gunung Angsi - Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan
Week 9 - Gunung Nuang - Hulu Langat, Selangor
Week 10 - The Gap - Fraser's Hill, Pahang
Week 11 - Bukit Gasing (was taking it easy by this time around)

My uncle was the one that came up with this training plan. Since he is a very seasoned hiker, he knows best on how to gradually build up my stamina and endurance.

Having had training on the other mountains, Bukit Gasing was just a stroll in the park. Really it was!! The 45 minute hike (up and down) was nothing at all. Not to boast, but apparently to my friend, it seemed like I was trying to sprint up the hill. And trust me, I was not. I felt like I was just casually walking up the hill....

In my opinion, I would say Gunung Nuang would be to test your endurance. I daresay if you are able to reach the summit without pains, then you should be able to reach Laban Rata without much problems later.
It's about a 7-8 hour hike (up and down) so that's about the time to hike up to Laban Rata.

If you want to prep yourself  for the steep inclines, I would say Gunung Datuk would be the best bet.
I think this one took me about 4-5 hours to clear. Phew, but really, after hiking this mountain, it really does give you a feel of what you're getting yourself into at Gunung Kinabalu.

Wish me luck for my hike for the real thing!!

Restoran Asia Laksa @ Senawang

Tired and hungry from our hike at Gunung Angsi, we decided to have our lunch at Senawang. We were actually recommended this place by one of the hikers that we passed (apparently I looked famished), so after getting the rough whereabouts of the place, we made our way to Restoran Asia Laksa. We were told that they have the best curry laksa in town!!

So famished was I, that I quickly ran up to the only vacant table I saw from afar. The locals can't be wrong about the goodness of the curry laksa if the place is packed to the brim....

I ordered the loh shu fun curry laksa, I didn't ask for the chicken meat since I was just too tired to even munch on anything that required extra effort to chew  :p

Despite the crowd, we didn't have to wait long for our bowl to arrive and this is what we got...

Loh Shu Fun Curry Laksa

Don't be fooled by the photo. As simple as it looks, the curry gravy is just simply oh so yummy-licious!! It's not too thick, or too dilute. Just perfect to my liking. Gosh, I'm already drooling from just thinking about it!!
Go ahead, give it a try. You won't regret it!!

Address:
Restoran Asia Laksa,
Jalan Berlian,
Taman Senawang Jaya, 
70450 Seremban,
Negeri Sembilan

Training for Kinabalu Hike 2 - Chiling Waterfalls, KKB

Since I was whining how much I suffered from the Gunung Lambak hike, my uncle decided to take it really easy on me this time. He suggested that we try hiking to Chiling Waterfalls. Although he did mention that this hike will not help me much to prepare for my hike for Gunung Kinabalu, but at least it'll help build my stamina a little.

My uncle said that some river crossing WILL be needed. By crossing rivers, he didn't mean jumping/hopping across rocks to get to the other side. One would actually need to wade across the river to get to the other side. So like it or not, you will definitely get wet!! Please be sure to wear the appropriate attire and shoes/sandals for this trail - the "Kampung Adidas" shoes should be good enough for this hike. At the same time, allows me to test the durability of the shoes for the Kinabalu hike. I got my pair of Kampung Adidas from Mr. DIY for less than RM 10.

We reached the Sg Chiling Fish Sanctuary entrance at about 10am and so our hike begins! The start of the trail is marked with a so-called suspension bridge.

The suspension bridge

The trail after this bridge is relatively narrow but still easy to follow. Then came the exciting part of the trail, crossing the river! This is where your "Kampung Adidas" will come in handy. Depending on the weather conditions, the water levels may vary. At the time of my hike, for the first few streams we crossed, the water levels came up to just below my knees. I think the 3rd or the 4th stream had been the deepest...the water was up to just below my hips!! A hiking pole might come in handy for 2 reasons. One - to give you a better balance since the currents can be quite strong and second, allows you to gauge how deep the river bed might be.

When you do step into the gushing waters, you will know why they call it Sungai Chiling coz the water is so freaking chilling to the bones!! Bbbbrrrrr....

After 45 minutes, we finally reached the main waterfall.

The main waterfall

Me posing with the waterfall in the background!

We didn't mind that we couldn't have a dip in the pool, although I won't deny that I wish I could. It was just too crowded that day. I was just glad that I could make the hike rather easily and no pain!!

This hike definitely perked up my confidence for a more challenging hike. Let's see what my uncle has in store for me next...   :D

Opening Hours & Admission Fee:

Opens from 8am - 6pm (only on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays) - and yes, it is closed on public holidays

*Admisson fee of RM 1.00 per person

*correct at time of writing

Listening to: 
Let Her Go - Passenger
Supermassive Blackhole - Muse
Big in Japan - Alphaville
Applaud - Lady Gaga
Strange Relationship - Darren Hayes

Gosh, it's been 2 days since I hiked up Gunung Lambak and my thighs hurt so much!! I don't really mind climbing stairs but I dread having to walk down the stairs. Each step is just pure torture!!

I'm even starting to walk awkwardly...people have been asking me why I macam jalan terkangkang kangkang.. =_____=

Gosh, if this is what I am experiencing after Gunung Lambak then what about Gunung Kinabalu? I'm kinda anticipating a few days of MCs now. Any suggestions for this soreness I'm having? Pretty sure it's just a muscle sore not some torn muscles ...touch wood!!


Listening to:
Haunted - Evanescence
Stroke of Luck - Garbage
It's No Good - Depeche Mode

Training for Kinabalu Hike - Gunung Lambak

With my hike to Kinabalu drawing near, I'm already prepping myself for the hike. Early January, I began a 20 minute workout with an incline on the treadmill, then there's the climb up the 9 stair-climb to my apartment. I thought that this should be enough for a start to build my endurance. Boy, was I wrong!!

Since I was back in my hometown with nothing much to do for the CNY break, and with my uncle constantly pestering me to actually go on a few hikes so he could assess my endurance level, I decided to give Gunung Lambak a try. I mean, it's just Gunung Lambak after all. If I can't manage a "small" mountain, how the heck am I going to conquer Gunung Kinabalu, right?

** FYI, Gunung Lambak is located in Kluang, Johor. The trail from the foothill to the summit is roughly 1400m. The summit is about 510m above sea level. You will know you've reached the summit when you see the transmitter mast (now defunct). One does not need a permit to climb the mountain**

I almost couldn't find the place as the place had change drastically. The last I was here, which was like almost 14 years ago, the land was barren!! Back then, all you would see is the red laterite ground. Now, there's chalets, a small water park, concrete trails, etc etc. I couldn't even find the start of the trail *cries*.

I found my way anyhoo, just follow the crowd and voila!, found myself at the trail.

Damn semangat OK at first. Sure, there was the occasional climb on a gradual incline. Easy-peasy. After 1/2 hour, I was greeted by a really steep incline (at least it seemed so to me). It was at this point, even hiking up for just a mere 50m, I needed to stop and rest a while. Almost had second thoughts on continuing and also hiking Kinabalu altogether. I was already feeling worn out already. But bunch of guys not too far in front of me were also taking breaks every now and then. And one of them puked really bad - think Exorcist....except he didn't stop at one, he made a few. So I was like if they can persevere, then so can I. Made small chit-chat with them and found out that they too were gonna hike Kinabalu, so Lambak is the closest they could do with for training.

After what seemed like ages, I finally reached the peak and saw the transmitter mast. Damn relieved ok to see that tower. I guess I did OK for a beginner, took me about 1 1/2 hours to reach the top. Rested for a while before beginning the journey back down. As they say, going down is easier than going up. Reached back at the foothill about 45 minutes later. 

And when I got home, only then did the muscle soreness in my thighs kick in. I dread having to walk down stairs, my thighs ache oh-so-much. Darn, this is only from climbing Gunung Lambak!! I could only expect worse from the aftermath of Gunung Kinabalu

p/s: Apologies for not including any photos, was too busy trying to catch my breath every now and then..will try the next time if I do climb up Gunung Lambak again