Words of advice everyone should receive at age 25. and over.
25 and Over
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tioman Paya Beach Weekend
Sherm and I, together with her brother Shaun, went to Tioman last weekend. We took some time off work and arranged for a 3D2N at Paya Beach Resort.
Trip preparations commenced many days before, with Sherm planning what essentials we had to bring, down the day before where we were eliminating unnecessary clothes (its a beach after all!) and stuff. Without her planning, I think I'd have forgotten quite a few things.. considering I love to pack last minute (didn't this time though!).
Our trip was organized by Five Star Travel, and with coach + ferry transport and breakfast included, set us back about $139++ only. Our ferry terminal at Mersing was changed to Tanjung Gemok - I'd call it a downgrade, cos there's absolutely NOTHING to do at Gemok. So if you have a choice, ask for Mersing (tho Mersing's ferries are controlled by the tide). The ferry ride itself didn't give Sherm any problems; surprisingly, the ferry was very smooth. Compared to the usual slow rides on the Samudera Quest (??) that I usually take enroute to Aur, this was really comfortable. Marks get taken off cos the seat covers caused us to itch.
There was some confusion over our booking and we almost got relegated to the Standard room even though we were made to purchase the Superior room due to Std being fully-booked at time of booking. Were it not for a bunch of people who decided to downgrade to Standard for lack of an additional bed in their room, we would've been a tad unhappy. No kudos to the reception staff & manager who couldn't do a thing, and offered no compensation or assurances whatsoever. Also, they kept wanting us to talk to "Discovery" to clarify, but I made my booking with Five Stars, and called them with the hotel phone to clarify instead!
The Superior Room
The room itself was a huge surprise for me. At Aur and previous Tioman dive experiences, we either stayed in a cramped room with a double decker + toilet that had no windows, concrete all the way (lights can't be turned on in the day either!), or we bunked in a large room with individual cots, and a shared toilet.. At Paya Beach Resort's Superior room, its like a regular motel room! Aircon 24hrs, a queen-sized bed + couch pullout bed, and a working ceramic tiled toilet, with standing shower + shower curtain (heater works!) + sink + WC that works just like at home! Oh!! What a relief that was! And we had a wooden-floored veranda from which to shoot the breeze and laundry rails on which to hang our wet barang, and a little tap outside to wash our feet too!
The trip was another first for us, of sorts, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves slacking there. We'll likely make a return trip here, maybe try another resort?
-------------------------------
What to do in Tioman Paya Beach:
1) Snorkel
Being a licensed diver, I never quite understood how snorkelling could be fun. When you're up close 15m down looking at the brightly coloured fish n coral, it can't be as good snorkelling - well I'm right, its not as good, but its a really good substitute. And you won't have to worry about getting decompression sickness!
Snorkelling at Tioman rocks cos of the shallow beach, you can practically snorkel 20m from the shore and still be able to touch the ground with your feet if you wanted to. With a life vest to keep u buoyant, flippers to control your motion, scuda mask for a clean clear unobstructed view, and a snorkel with which to breathe while your face is underwater, the wildlife around the many rocks/dead coral at the beach shore is still plentiful and quite beautiful! Well, you probably won't see a trigger fish, lion fish or turtle, but hey, its a relatively safe dive-esque experience! Try it! If you have your own snorkel gear, bring it along, or rental could set u back ~R20 per session.
2) Sun bathe
White sandy beach lines the entire edge of the Paya Beach Resort, with benches and deck chairs scattered at several points. There's even a deck area at the restaurant/reception area that's specifically constructed for sunbathers to lie on, overlooking the high-tide point on the beach (and a lone hammock if you're quick enough). Strangely enough, with sun tan oil, we only got a little darker after an hour of sunbathing. It was the unprotected morning walk we took, to the far northern part of the beach (where a little cool spring water cove connects to the ocean), that got us sunburnt. And mostly on our right sides...
3) Trek
Multiple forest trails extend out from the resort, one linking Paya Beach Resort to the other Paya Resort (that's the one that's abt 5 mins frm the sea). If you're resistant to mosquitoes and other bugs, do take some of the trails and explore a little. We didn't go far, we only saw a man-made rock bridge (still loose) and a soccer field. There were several other trails but we weren't feeling exploratory enough. According to maps online, you can actually trek to the peak of Bukit Batu Sirau (1km peak).
4) Drink cheap beer
At R5.50, the Hoegaarden, Tiger, Corona and other exotic imports (tax-free!) are a steal! Currently, 4 cans of Tsing Tao beer goes for R10! Drink and be merry!
5) Swim in the spring-water pool
There's a spring-water (I think) pool at the back of the reception area, in front of where the old spa used to be. The water's really cold and cloudy, but there's abt 4 or 5 falling spouts of water that provide some nice back n scalp massage. And for the kids, there's a water slide here too. The pool's really small though, 2 parties of people could feel a little uncomfortable in here (especially if they are lesbo/butches who keep staring at you).
6) Eat really good food
There're 2 restaurants there that cater to local fare, with several iterations of fried rice (really nice! prepare for some really spicy green chilli!), ayam kicap (Shaun's fave), a kind of mui-horfun (more shiok than in Sgp!), and super fresh (I kept thinking the burger was fresh! Don't ask me why I'd describe it as such) Ramly burger! These 2 are situated right at the end of the jetty that you'll arrive at. To avoid hotel complications, it may be advisable to get your room first (stragglers may not be allocated rooms, like us..).
7) Dive
There are at least 2 dive centres at Paya beach, rates seem pretty good, though I've been spoilt by prior dives - I can't imagine walking the length of the jetty with full dive equipment on my back.. Tioman does have some nice sites, perhaps better than at Pulau Aur. My dives at Tioman (in earlier trips) were more memorable - Renggis Island and the Labas underwater rock caves (pardon spelling), can't forget the underwater beauty! And if I recall correctly, Tioman was where I saw my first turtle "flying" towards me.
8) Canoe
Rental here is a monopoly, with only 1 place providing canoes. These come in both open-top kayak style and closed competition canoes. Do pick your paddles carefully, I got a rickety one that kept tossing out sand on my grip and boat. Otherwise, its quite fun to canoe in the open sea again, just watch out for snorkellers!
9) Island-hop (or boat around the island)
The resort can help you make arrangements for trips to other parts of Tioman. These are in packages and are probably set in stone unless you have a large enough group (abt 5 or 6 ppl). I hear Tulai Island has a really lovely beach, though the famed Marine Park may be too overpopulated with leisure snorkellers that the marine life have abandoned the area..
10) Star gaze
Bring a mat, your stargazing equipment (if any), a torch, some warmer clothing, and make your way north along the beach. You'll find a darker area where the stars will brighten up and reveal their beauty. Sherm and I spotted some shooting stars, but our location (we went south of the jetty, but it wasn't far enough) wasn't ideal, and we were too tired on the 2nd nite for that walk. Still, she didn't panic this time, so we could do more of this in future =)
Trip preparations commenced many days before, with Sherm planning what essentials we had to bring, down the day before where we were eliminating unnecessary clothes (its a beach after all!) and stuff. Without her planning, I think I'd have forgotten quite a few things.. considering I love to pack last minute (didn't this time though!).
Our trip was organized by Five Star Travel, and with coach + ferry transport and breakfast included, set us back about $139++ only. Our ferry terminal at Mersing was changed to Tanjung Gemok - I'd call it a downgrade, cos there's absolutely NOTHING to do at Gemok. So if you have a choice, ask for Mersing (tho Mersing's ferries are controlled by the tide). The ferry ride itself didn't give Sherm any problems; surprisingly, the ferry was very smooth. Compared to the usual slow rides on the Samudera Quest (??) that I usually take enroute to Aur, this was really comfortable. Marks get taken off cos the seat covers caused us to itch.
There was some confusion over our booking and we almost got relegated to the Standard room even though we were made to purchase the Superior room due to Std being fully-booked at time of booking. Were it not for a bunch of people who decided to downgrade to Standard for lack of an additional bed in their room, we would've been a tad unhappy. No kudos to the reception staff & manager who couldn't do a thing, and offered no compensation or assurances whatsoever. Also, they kept wanting us to talk to "Discovery" to clarify, but I made my booking with Five Stars, and called them with the hotel phone to clarify instead!
The Superior Room
The room itself was a huge surprise for me. At Aur and previous Tioman dive experiences, we either stayed in a cramped room with a double decker + toilet that had no windows, concrete all the way (lights can't be turned on in the day either!), or we bunked in a large room with individual cots, and a shared toilet.. At Paya Beach Resort's Superior room, its like a regular motel room! Aircon 24hrs, a queen-sized bed + couch pullout bed, and a working ceramic tiled toilet, with standing shower + shower curtain (heater works!) + sink + WC that works just like at home! Oh!! What a relief that was! And we had a wooden-floored veranda from which to shoot the breeze and laundry rails on which to hang our wet barang, and a little tap outside to wash our feet too!
The trip was another first for us, of sorts, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves slacking there. We'll likely make a return trip here, maybe try another resort?
-------------------------------
What to do in Tioman Paya Beach:
1) Snorkel
Being a licensed diver, I never quite understood how snorkelling could be fun. When you're up close 15m down looking at the brightly coloured fish n coral, it can't be as good snorkelling - well I'm right, its not as good, but its a really good substitute. And you won't have to worry about getting decompression sickness!
Snorkelling at Tioman rocks cos of the shallow beach, you can practically snorkel 20m from the shore and still be able to touch the ground with your feet if you wanted to. With a life vest to keep u buoyant, flippers to control your motion, scuda mask for a clean clear unobstructed view, and a snorkel with which to breathe while your face is underwater, the wildlife around the many rocks/dead coral at the beach shore is still plentiful and quite beautiful! Well, you probably won't see a trigger fish, lion fish or turtle, but hey, its a relatively safe dive-esque experience! Try it! If you have your own snorkel gear, bring it along, or rental could set u back ~R20 per session.
2) Sun bathe
White sandy beach lines the entire edge of the Paya Beach Resort, with benches and deck chairs scattered at several points. There's even a deck area at the restaurant/reception area that's specifically constructed for sunbathers to lie on, overlooking the high-tide point on the beach (and a lone hammock if you're quick enough). Strangely enough, with sun tan oil, we only got a little darker after an hour of sunbathing. It was the unprotected morning walk we took, to the far northern part of the beach (where a little cool spring water cove connects to the ocean), that got us sunburnt. And mostly on our right sides...
3) Trek
Multiple forest trails extend out from the resort, one linking Paya Beach Resort to the other Paya Resort (that's the one that's abt 5 mins frm the sea). If you're resistant to mosquitoes and other bugs, do take some of the trails and explore a little. We didn't go far, we only saw a man-made rock bridge (still loose) and a soccer field. There were several other trails but we weren't feeling exploratory enough. According to maps online, you can actually trek to the peak of Bukit Batu Sirau (1km peak).
4) Drink cheap beer
At R5.50, the Hoegaarden, Tiger, Corona and other exotic imports (tax-free!) are a steal! Currently, 4 cans of Tsing Tao beer goes for R10! Drink and be merry!
5) Swim in the spring-water pool
There's a spring-water (I think) pool at the back of the reception area, in front of where the old spa used to be. The water's really cold and cloudy, but there's abt 4 or 5 falling spouts of water that provide some nice back n scalp massage. And for the kids, there's a water slide here too. The pool's really small though, 2 parties of people could feel a little uncomfortable in here (especially if they are lesbo/butches who keep staring at you).
6) Eat really good food
There're 2 restaurants there that cater to local fare, with several iterations of fried rice (really nice! prepare for some really spicy green chilli!), ayam kicap (Shaun's fave), a kind of mui-horfun (more shiok than in Sgp!), and super fresh (I kept thinking the burger was fresh! Don't ask me why I'd describe it as such) Ramly burger! These 2 are situated right at the end of the jetty that you'll arrive at. To avoid hotel complications, it may be advisable to get your room first (stragglers may not be allocated rooms, like us..).
7) Dive
There are at least 2 dive centres at Paya beach, rates seem pretty good, though I've been spoilt by prior dives - I can't imagine walking the length of the jetty with full dive equipment on my back.. Tioman does have some nice sites, perhaps better than at Pulau Aur. My dives at Tioman (in earlier trips) were more memorable - Renggis Island and the Labas underwater rock caves (pardon spelling), can't forget the underwater beauty! And if I recall correctly, Tioman was where I saw my first turtle "flying" towards me.
8) Canoe
Rental here is a monopoly, with only 1 place providing canoes. These come in both open-top kayak style and closed competition canoes. Do pick your paddles carefully, I got a rickety one that kept tossing out sand on my grip and boat. Otherwise, its quite fun to canoe in the open sea again, just watch out for snorkellers!
9) Island-hop (or boat around the island)
The resort can help you make arrangements for trips to other parts of Tioman. These are in packages and are probably set in stone unless you have a large enough group (abt 5 or 6 ppl). I hear Tulai Island has a really lovely beach, though the famed Marine Park may be too overpopulated with leisure snorkellers that the marine life have abandoned the area..
10) Star gaze
Bring a mat, your stargazing equipment (if any), a torch, some warmer clothing, and make your way north along the beach. You'll find a darker area where the stars will brighten up and reveal their beauty. Sherm and I spotted some shooting stars, but our location (we went south of the jetty, but it wasn't far enough) wasn't ideal, and we were too tired on the 2nd nite for that walk. Still, she didn't panic this time, so we could do more of this in future =)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Battle Bots!
OMG Battle bots!! Using fencing and techniques from other martial arts!! Awesome!!
An introductory video and some really cool-looking bots and other fights here:
An introductory video and some really cool-looking bots and other fights here:
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Tefibi
I've launched a new blog. It's where I shall put all my gadget-freak wants and keep up with my games, websites devoted to Android, etc etc. Maybe with some thought and design, it could become the busy male's daily resource guide? Anyway, this enables me to focus Shermaine's Lagoon on what it is intended to focus on - us.
Cheers!
Visit Tefibi.
Cheers!
Visit Tefibi.
