Sabah Trip: Fish Noodle

One of the thing you can't afford to miss when you are in Sabah is the local "fish noodle". I was brought to have fish noodles on my second day in Sandakan. When i first heard about the noodle fish, my first impression of how it's like was funny yet typical, which was "just noodles with a fish inside (ikan kembung in particular)".

This is the fish noodle i had on that day. When the bowl was served, i didn't start eating right away, but kept on waiting for something else to come. So my uncle asked me "what are you waiting for?".

i looked puzzled, and the question marks above my head led to the question "Waiting for the noodle?".

"That's the noodle, what do you expect?" my uncle then said.

ok, i was so wrong! i thought that's just the fish, and the noodles were served separately like the normal noodle we usually have. Such an embarassment. Maybe you are still wondering "what's wrong?".

Ok, this is the noodle. It's made of fish, and you would have fish cake, fish ball and vege inside the bowl as well. That's where the name comes from, "FISH NOODLE!!!". So, the fish noodle actually tastes weird, the smell of fish of course, yummy nevertheless. :)

This is the fish noodle i had in Kota Kinabalu. They taste the same, but just different shape for the noodles. :)

i teased myself afterwards for being such a stereotype when it comes to interpret the name. We tend to muse in a more complicated way while the things couldn't actually be simpler.

Simplicity is a blessing. So just sit back and enjoy the fish noodle. :)

Sabah Trip: The Horny Proboscis Monkey

i am back, back from Sabah after 10 days integrating myself into a Sabahan's life. Went to my uncle's place in Sandakan for a few days before setting off to Kota Kinabalu and then Tawau.

My uncle took me to the sanctuary of Proboscis Monkey during my stay in Sandakan. Proboscis Monkey???? i was puzzled and totally intrigued to see how it's like since i have never heard of it let alone seen one. Sandakan has always been known as the biggest Orang Utan Sanctuary, but now it seems that Proboscis Monkey has gradually taken over~

The sanctuary is located in a very secluded place around 25km inside of an oil palm estate. Meandering through the muddy estate paths, i was more looking forward to seeing that mysterious Proboscis Monkeys. I actually wondered at times that do the monkeys actually worth of all the efforts? lol.

Ok, that's how a Proboscis Monkey is like! Give it a once-over, you would probably say that "oh well, it just looks like a normal monkey!" aha, that's what i thought as well when i first looked at the poster.

This is the place where the staffs feed the monkeys. The monkeys actually live far inside the jungle where nobody can find them and come over here twice a day during the feeding time. It really amazed me that they know the exact time to come over despite the fact that they don't have a watch and they don't use a watch! It's such a shame that we human beings always late for something even though we have watches! lol.

Here is something interesting story about the Proboscis Monkeys. There are two groups of them living on two sides of the land separated by a river. One is called the "alpha males" and their families (which includes his WIVES and babies). Another one is called the "bachelor group" which consists of all the male monkeys.

Alpha male is so called the strongest monkeys. The Proboscis Monkeys fight with each other and the winner will then become the alpha male and have female monkeys to reproduce. The loser is going back to the bachelor group and beating the time until he thinks he is strong enough to defeat the alpha male in a fight. If the current alpha male loses the match, he will then go to somewhere secluded and never show up himself again.

This is the bachelor group. Obviously they are all male monkeys. We have always known that "monkeys love bananas". But Proboscis Monkeys don't eat banana and they are not allowed to eat bananas either. Why is that so? Proboscis Monkeys can't digest sweet stuff that's why they are not fed with bananas but cucumber! Interesting isn't it? lol.

This is the close-up look of a proboscis monkey. sorry it's a little blurred out. I used the binoculars to help take the picture. I wouldn't otherwise get such a picture. The special thing about a proboscis monkey is its nose! Have a look, it's relatively longer than the normal monkeys'. That's why it's called "the longest nose in Borneo".

Look at the monkey. It looked like it is wearing an underwear. And look at its back, it looked like it has used wax to style its hair. lol.

oh yeah, this is the picture taken using camera with binoculars from afar.

This is another interesting fact of Proboscis Monkey. It has perpetual erection, in other words it will have erection all the time. Why is that so?? well i couldn't give you a precise answer. Maybe the bachelor groups don't have the chance to have sex until they become alpha male and that's why they are always horny. lol.

Proboscis Monkeys are very rare. i really respect the owner of the land that first noticed the monkeys and decided to conserve them instead of chasing them away merely to develope the land to make more profit. Or we wouldn't have chance to even see one at the moment.

Better Safe Than Sorry

I am sure that once in a while you will come across this kinda converstion, or maybe you have been the one that cried out the new or received the news.

"oh gosh, my period is late!" you might have said or heard.

"i did put on condom! " again, you might be saying that or hearing that.

Why is that so?

Here is the deal. According to some research (i forgot where did i come across the research, you should judge how true is that), condom is only 85% effective in preventing pregnancy. That's why some people still get pregnant even though their partner wears a condom during the process.

aww, then what's the point of wearing a condom?

well, it's to prevent STDs (sex transmitted disease) as well as to prevent pregnancy to certain extent!!! It'd be more ideal if you can convince yourself or your partner to have take birth-control pill. lol.

It has left me with a lot of questions. Why do people so eagerly want to have sex while it actually gives people so many troubles? You will have to wear a condom to prevent STDs, you will have to take birth-control pill to prevent unwanted pregnancy, you will be scared the hell out of you for the whole month if you forget to do both. Also, there are so many measures invented to prevent all the consequences caused by having sex so that people can have it without any anguish.

You might say " i want to do the most intimate thing with the people i love" or reasons like that. Yeah, that might be part of the reasons. But the ultimate reason why do people keep searching for it: The pleasure you get from it outweighs all the troubles you get yourself into.

No matter what, it's always better safe than sorry!!

All the way up to Genting Highland

My spontaneity had given me a thrust to go all the way up to Genting Highland on the first day of 2008. None of us was expecting the heavy traffic up the hill !!! Frankly, to go to the top of the hill in a 1300CC car is not easy at all, not to mention was to stuck in a traffic jam on a HILLY road. Having to see the car in front reversing a bit due to the gravity and the lack of skill in controlling the car was a terrible experience. Hsiang claimed that his phobia of getting into an accident had been exacerbated in that situation.

Hsiang and me in front of the marvellous decoration outside the Genting Hotel.

Mao and Hsiang in the already closed indoor theme park in First World Hotel. Looking at the miniature Eiffel Tower had indeed worsen my desperation to go to Paris. Can that be my new year resolution?? It's time to get in touch with my ex french roommate Fox!!!

Mao with greying moustache??? damn macho huh??!!!!

Hsiang, with his overly-sweetened mocha something something. lol.

ok this is interesting. cellphone, car and gold to be sold?? on the spot??? erm, guess he must have lost all his money in the casino !~~

haha, welcome 2008!!!!!

wow wow, fighting on the first day of 2008??? that would not be good!!!! It's time to reconcile people hoping for an auspicious year !!!

Hsiang, mao and me! The three lame people that spontaneously (or i should say madly) decided to go to Genting at that wee hours! See how great was mao to wear only a super short pants, and with no sweater?? so was i, but left out the super short pants, that'd be disgusting! lol.

hoho, luckily the "deer?" didn't defecate! phew~~~

wow. winter wonder land! who doesn't want a White christmas and New year??? T.T

well, that's how i celebrated my new year. Actually we went to The Curve hoping to see the fireworks and to meet my friend, but screwed the traffic jam and we just happenned to see part of the fireworks by the roadside. lol

ok new year resolution? hmm, don't think i have one. i just want things to come in unexpectedly and so i won't have much disappointments without any expectations! well, there is always a surprise and i am looking forward to it ~~~~

A famosa trip

Trip after trip, i have nearly used up my energy but nevertheless i have had great trips with my all my friends. On sunday, we went to A'famosa in Alor Gajah and spent a night there. With 8 of us in 2 cars, we took off from my house in tangkak and it took us less than an hour to get to A'famosa water world. After the monopoly session that lasted till wee hours the night before, we could hardly get up early in the morning and thus we had only set off at around 2pm along with the wait for my younger brother.

i didn't quite organise the pictures well so please bear with me.

One of the getaway in A'famosa, the animal world safari. But believe me, it's nothing great in there. The animals are skinny and looked to me they have not been well fed. sho shad!

Chea hao, sitting next to the driver, YZ. He kept on influencing YZ to drive recklessly which he really did at night.

the swimming pool in the villa where we stayed. However, we never got in the swimming pool throughout the stay as the swimming was really DIRTY!!!! We planned to just wash our feet in there.

the Villa where we spent a night in. It's a villa with three bedrooms which could easily accomodate the 8 of us but with only 2 bathrooms. we had to cut the queue to get to shower before each other.

One of the driver YZ, under great pressure for driving his sister's car. lol.

Mao, pretend to be below the required height while she in fact is not much taller than the required height. lol. kidding aye!

my younger brother VK on the left, and YZ on the right showing how reluctant he was to be in the picture? lol.

Mao, pointing at the float that she wanted to use in the water world. well, which one is nicer? i will never use any of them !!!!

Mao, posing with the elephant which obviously didn't give a damn to pose for the shot.

yeah, it comes a little too late. WELCOME TO A'FAMOSA!

We went to melaka for dinner at night. It's a 45 mins drive from Alor Gajah. We parted in Melaka as i couldn't find my way to Jalan Hang Tuah. xhui, mao wiven and Kar were having satay celup there while cheahao, YZ me and my bro were going to jonker street to grab a bite.

the waffle hotdog. have you ever tried it? i don't think you will get it anywhere else!

Melaka has always renowned for its popiah. here it is, the popiah without ground nuts in it! huhu!!! just nice for me!

chea hao was trying out the waffle hotdog. it looks great doesn't it? and it taste great as well !!!

our dinner at the "Gu Cheng Ji Fan Li". As you can see, that's the local chicken rice ball !
i asked the waitress a silly question " shall we mash the rice or just eat it the way it is (just bite off the ball-like rice)?"
Chea Hao then said " you can just order the normal chicken rice if you wanna mash it! " lol.
STUPID ME!!!!!!

My younger brother and Cheahao. you can see me taking the picture from the reflection in the mirror. haha.

One of the shops in Jonker Street which i thought worth taking the picture for its design.

On our way back to the villa, after YZ had ignored the traffic light and sped all the way just to get the garage before Wiven. lol.

We stopped by halfway when we saw the ferris wheels. we have an "Eye On Malaysia" in Kuala Lumpur, and a miniature in Melaka which i called it "Eye On Melaka". lol. YZ and i camwhoring in front of the ferris wheels.

Me and Mao.

We went to the safari the next morning after the not-so-great-breakfast which was included in our package. lol.

The racoon !!! i remembered Matt telling me that racoon is originally from north America when i told him we have it in Malaysia. lol.

The goat was trying to kiss me !!!! omg!!!! No!!!!!!!!!

The elephant which was good at showing off himself in the animal show.

Xhui, a close-up picture just for you !

From the left : xhui, kar me and YZ. i sat bolted upright and looked like geek! sorry~

The trip came to an end after the lunch in Melaka on the 31st of December. it's a trip for us before 2008 hits the ground.

Happy new year everyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!