A change in the season

The signs of the southern hemisphere autumn are all around. It will soon be cold and wet in southern Australia while my friends in the northern hemisphere will be enjoying their summer.
It's also the Easter holidays and Rundle Mall is crowded with people out to enjoy the sunshine and festive atmosphere.

A very popular singer entertaining the crowds.

The family went for a drive to Noarlunga to visit friends that recently bought a house on the beachfront. Aldinga reef is a protected reserve as it has a spectacular underwater cliff just offshore which harbours a wide range of corals and sponges and a wide variety of reef fish. I'm determined to dive there one day!


Walking on the beach was so tranquil and relaxing. No huge crowds, only a few surfers and para-surfers. Got very sunburnt in spite of wearing a thick layer of clothes.

The beach was so clean and unpolluted that these huge barnacles could thrive undisturbed on the rocks lying at the water's edge.

I was fascinated by these unusual plants with bright red berries growing along the road. They must be some type of cactus.

On Anzac Day we drove up to the hills to visit the famouse German village of Hahndorf . I've been there many times but I never seem to get enough of this charming place with its delicious German food.

Hahndorf was founded by Capt. Dirk Hahn in 1839. It started off as a German colony and later became a tourist attraction due to the annual beer fest celebrated with German beer, open air BBQs and folk dancing.

Enjoyed strolling along the main street and visiting the quaint shops selling all sorts of homemade items such as knives, candles, toys, wines, chocolates, cakes, etc.

Hahndorf is also the home of the Beerenberg farm, a brand famous for its strawberry jam and lots of other fruity products too.

We can vouch for the quality of their strawberries. We picked two bucketful of huge, yummy sweet ones to take home to eat with melted chocolate.

As mentioned, Hahndorf is famous for its unique food. I could smell the delicious aroma from this open air spit roasting lamb... or is it pork?

We decided to go for the A Taste of Germany Platter which includes 6 different types of German sausages and a pork knuckle and a good helping of sauerkraut. Yummy! but almost too much for the 3 of us.


Back in Adelaide, I always enjoy shopping in Chinatown, walking along Rundle Mall and finally enjoying a picnic by the River Torrens. I greatly value the time I can spend with family members, especially so in view of the many uncertainties and tragic events happening in the world today.


Did I mention the reason we visited Australia this time? Well, it is to celebrate my birthday and these are the cupcakes lovingly made by my daughter.

Holiday in Sabah

Now that the situation at Fukushima is somewhat less tense, I shall blog about my recent trip to Sabah, East Malaysia. Hopefully, it can take your mind off the tragic events in Japan, Libya, Jerusalem and other parts of the world....for a while.

A group of us decided to take advantage of the cheap airfares offered by the local airlines to visit the western part of Sabah about 3 weeks ago. The city of Kota Kinabalu was the starting point of our adventure. Since we will be traveling a considerable distance, we decided to hire a car with driver.
Lots of interesting food along the way. We stopped for a drink of burnt coconut at this roadside stall. Apparently the coconut juice can cure a lot of ailments, including joint pain.

Here's how it is done. Notice that they are only using fallen leaves and twigs as fuel. Very cost effective and environmentally friendly. There is a lot of juice in one coconut so each couple shared a coconut.

Burnt jagung (maize) is a specialty in another region so we had to stop by to sample a few. It was very aromatic but tasted slightly dry.

This root is called Tongkat Ali. Apparently it has aphrodisiac qualities. We were informed that not only is it fairly rare, it is extremely difficult to pull it from the ground - hence the high price. The root is very much sought after by local men, especially older ones with young wives haha. We actually stopped by this stall to purchase chopping boards made from local hardwoods.

Rows of rows of stalls selling cheap highland vegetables and fruits near Kundasang. If it was not the difficulty carrying it back by flight to Kuala Lumpur, I would have bought some.

Sabah is famous for its seafood which is much cheaper compared to Peninsular Malaysia, cooked or uncooked. The shellfish are so fresh, huge and sweet-tasting. No need for elaborate sauces. This is the steamed fish we had in Kudat in a restaurant by the seaside.

And this is the steamboat (shabu-shabu) we had in a restaurant at Kundasang near the foothills of Mount Kinabalu. Perfect food in the cool, hilly weather.

We were taken to the local market at Kudat to see the fresh seafood on sale. Spied this lorry unloading huge squid/cuttlefish caught from the waters near the Philippines. I'm not surprised since the southern Philippine islands are actually very close to this part of Sabah.

After several hours drive through very scenic mountainous terrain, we finally reached our destination Poring Hot Springs. We jumped into the tubs for couples and spent several hours soaking in the warm water. Obviously, no pictures. Although it is unlikely that the sulphur-rich waters could restore our youth, nevertheless there is a hope of a better complexion.

Our Sabah friends took us to this river for a natural fish spa. I have never seen such a sight before in my life. The river was teaming with large, black fish that literally jumped out of the water to grab the fish food in our hands.
Imagine five fishes sucking on all five fingers at the same time. Luckily they had no teeth!

Some of us could not bear the ticklish sensation when the fish nibbled at our legs and feet.
Another highlight of the trip is the golden opportunity to view the rare Rafflesia flower, the biggest flower in the world. This one is considered medium size - about the size of a truck tyre.

That's me providing documented proof that I was there. They say that the flower has a very strong unpleasant odor but this one has no smell. Maybe if I get closer.....

Kudat is in the northern part of Borneo island. We were driven a few more kilometers to reach the Tip of Borneo, the northernmost point of Borneo. Apparently the famous explorer Magellen stopped by at this site during one of his voyages to the far east. I don't think he found it very hospitable at that time otherwise he would have established a trading port.

This is the tip of the Tip. Lovely view, with the South China Sea on the left and the Pacific Ocean on the right, and of course Philippines straight ahead.

One of the objectives of this trip is to climb Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia. Realizing that some of us are still not fully prepared, we decided to make it a goal on our next trip to this part of Malaysia. Therefore, the majestic mountain remains unconquered....by me.

I just can't imagine how someone could achieve the climb in only 2 and 1/2 hours. Most people achieve the feat within 2 days since the final part is timed to view the sunrise at the peak. My friends informed me that, at my current level of fitness, I should consider myself lucky if I can make it to the midway point in 6 hours! And, I'll probably won't be able to move for days after the climb. What???

Anyway, we all declared we had a fantastic time and should do more such trips while our health permits. Good company, good fun, and lots of happy memories.

A horrific event

I'm extremely depressed. Just can't get over the terrible news on the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last Friday. Towns wiped out and over 20,000 people missing. Now there is a nuclear crisis due to the threat of multiple reactor meltdown. While extending my sympathies and condolences to the victims, I also salute their fortitude and civility under these extreme circumstances, which should be emulated by the rest of the world.
This shouldn't be happening in a country that has taken all measures to implement one of the most efficient and technologically advanced tsunami warning systems in the Pacific. When I was working at the Malaysian Meteorological Department I was responsible for developing an earthquake monitoring and tsunami early warning system for Malaysia, in the aftermath of the Indonesian tsunami. The Ministry made us work like crazy to complete the project within 3 years. We were very fortunate to obtain valuable assistance from agencies in US (Hawaii) and Japan.

We had to battle the high seas to install the tsunami buoys in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. We also installed a series of tide gauges and cameras along the coastline. Data and images were relayed to the HQ in real-time. Sirens were installed at specific locations to warn the local community when there is a threat.


I recall spending sleepless nights fine-tuning our system and still it was not perfect. Fortunately the likelihood of a serious tsunami affecting Malaysia is low. People from various government agencies and the private sector made contributions and we appreciated their efforts.

Now, in the light of the latest tragedy, I wonder whether those efforts were sufficient!
To my friends in Japan, we are praying for your safety and we are confident that Japan will pull through this difficult time.

CNY 2011

Well, Chinese New Year 2011 has come and gone. It has been a hectic 2 weeks of baking and cleaning and feasting together with family members and friends. I always find time to visit the local shopping malls to soak in the festive atmosphere and take a few pictures.
This year there is an addition to the usual CNY songs piped through the PA system. It was quite a nostalgic experience listening to the music played on the traditional instruments.
Here's a tree full of good wishes. Hope some will come true especially the ones wishing good health and long life. No need to have too much wealth these days otherwise we can be the target of thieves.
The Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur was decorated with lots of fake cherry blossoms, red lanterns and drums and big fat rabbits.

I made this jelly rabbit with hearts and red flowers to celebrate Valentine's Day with my family. It's more healthy than eating chocolates.
We decided to drive up to Genting Highlands last Tuesday since it was a public holiday. It's a hilltop resort very popular among young couples and older people too, for various reasons.
For the younger crowd, there are lots of entertainment offered at both the outdoor and indoor Theme Parks. The star attraction for the older folks is of course the Genting Casino.
The climate is very conducive for all kinds of activities...cool and pleasant. Hence the huge crowd. As you can see the buildings and hotel are mostly covered by low cloud.

Suspended high above the entrance of the hotel was beautiful phoenix and dragon lanterns.
They had the usual free performances for the public throughout the day and night. Most of the performers during this period were from China.
Not to forget the lion dances to chase away the bad luck and herald in a bountiful year ahead. Many people offered them red packets with money, in exchange for good luck blessings.
I was impressed by the environmentally friendly decorations made from empty bottles, containers and other recyclable materials. I thought it was very innovative.
Many could not resist the lure of the casino especially when the God of Wealth is there at the entrance to welcome you and wish you lots of luck.

Unfortunately, not many of us can beat the odds and eventually we leave with much lighter pockets. Still it was a lot of fun and I needed that cool break.