I was pretty tense … but thankfully it lasted probably 5 minute or less. Feeling as if the floor move a little, I lie down to take a short rest before getting up. Hot milo and yummy muffin was served … I guess it’s all a really worthy cause.

Anyway it was my first time going to a Durian Farm and taste it freshly out of the shell (minus the hassle of opening it, as I tend to injure myself in that process). In the recent years most of my durians come from supermarket – Jusco! HAHAHAHA

I took some pictures along the way, around the farm and of course the durians …

In case you are wondering, the durian buffet cost us RM 20 each. I had so much that my stomach feel bloated and I was burping durian gasses – euwww nasty!!! I also bought home some durian ‘kueh’ (no preservatives) at RM 7 each, haven’t give it a try yet thou.

There is a lookout point along the way as you travel up Batu Maung. Please do take note of a lamp post as it is not earthed and may electrocute you!

Check out another related Durian stories

What could be worst when you have to travel with all that? Unfortunately over the last weekend I had to travel, it is something I couldn’t miss, so off I go flying with a slight fever and coughing profusely. Thankfully the super-strong-antibiotic works and my fever went away, what’s left is my annoying cough and the feeling of lethargic. Even my chest and abdominal aches now from coughing too much … sigh … when will this go away?!?!?

Only after the last tree has been cut down;
Only after the last fish has been caught;
Only after the last river has been poisoned;
Only then will you realize that money cannot be eaten.
- Cree Indian Prophecy

How many of us take in consideration of how we are treating the environment?

Spread the idea …

This hike is definitely not for beginners, I would seriously advice that you have a little bit of training – maybe going up to Bukit Jambul Hill a couple times or Penang Hill. Nobody is going to carry you out of the trail if you are stuck half way! Having said that, I do not mean that it is overly tough. It is a series of up hill and down hill, and it’s a long trail – a good stamina goes a long way for you to at least to enjoy the trail.

This trip took roughly two weeks to plan. I needed at least a decent group of 15 people to minimize the bus fare, plus its safer that way. However in the first week, all I have was 7 or 8 people. I was quite worry it won’t work out and I do really need the training. Hence I launch a ‘marketing campaign’ to market this event. I used Facebook, Multiply, Emails, Instant Messaging, Skype and SMS to spread the news, I am quite sure some of you got the invitation one way or another. The campaign was quite a success and the participation level has grown steadily. Up to two days before the hike, my list is at a healthy level of 26 hikes. What was most surprising was … 10 hours before the hike my team grew up to 39 people. There was some reshuffling in the list but the amount of people join outnumbered the number of people who pulled out.

If you are interested in organizing a trip to challenge this trail and need to charter a bus, try Ah Chye at 016-4229318. He charged me RM 80 for the whole bus (44 capacity). For those non-Penangnites, you must be wondering why you need a bus. Basically Teluk Bahang is on the other side of the island from the end of the trail, it would take an hour just for you to go back to Teluk Bahang to get your car. So most of us park near the Tram station and took the bus over to Teluk Bahang.

Tip: There is a fantastic and must try homemade chicken pie at Southview Bangalow in Penang Hill. However to get them, you need to pre-order at least 1 week ahead (just to be safe). To order them, try calling 04-8299474 (the aunty speaks mostly hokkien I think).

You may also use my list to plan your trip.

———-

Summary of ‘planned’ attendees – 26 hikers, 35 chicken pies (more pies then hikers hehehe).

Activity:

• Penang Longest Trail Hike

Trail:

• Teluk Bahang to Penang Hill Trail (Laksamana Trail)

Duration:

• Approx 6 – 7 hours (depends on the overall group performance)

Date:

• 7 June 2008 (Saturday / Public Holiday)

Time:

• Meet up at before 7.00 am sharp (bus leaves at 7.00 am) at Penang Hill foothill station - Please have your breakfast prior to that, we will not stop for breakfast
• Adjourn at 2 pm (depending on the progress of the journey)

Transportation:

• Charter a bus from bus stop at the temple near Asia Café to Teluk Bahang (near to Penang Hill Station)
• Upon reaching Penang Hill at the end of the trail, we will take the tram down

Cost:

• Bus fair (RM 80 per bus to be divided) + Tram fair (RM3) – Those who have confirmed their attendance, needs to pay for their share of the bus fair despite absent (fair right!)

Misc:

• Chicken Pie order (RM 1.90 / pie) – upon arrival of the destination (this is your light at the end of the tunnel J)

Suggested attire:

• Wear at least knee-level pants (pants that covers DOWN to the knee) and also hiking (or sport) shoes and thick stockings.

What to bring: VERY IMPORTANT

• Water – bring plenty of this, especially if you’re the type that perspires a lot. 3 liters would be a reasonable amount although you can carry less if you are not a ‘drinker’ or more if you are a ‘heavy drinker’
• Food – No food stalls along the way. Bring 2 meals with you, breakfast and lunch at least. You are also encouraged to also bring some energy bars in case you get hungry during the hike. Try not to bring any dry food (eg. Biscuits) as our body is not suitable taking in these during fatigue and exhausted condition. Sandwiches or bread will be good.
• Raincoat or umbrella – since this is a rather long hike in which we cannot turn back at any time that we want to, we need to be prepared for the weather. A light raincoat would be preferable as it would allow you use of both your hands when hiking.
• Extra change of clothes – to change after the long hike.
• Hiking pole – if you have one. It will help ease your hike a little.
• Bring along insect repellents.
• First aid stuff – not everyone needs to carry this. Volunteers anyone?
• CAMERA! - Does anyone have a wide angel lens? we have a really big group here.

What you will take back:

• your own rubbish (don’t litter … glitter!)
• your self
• pictures
• loads of fun + memories

What you can leave behind:

• your footprints

Please arrange your own transport to the meeting place, car pool if possible. SAVE THE EARTH, SAVE PETROL!.

———-

My special thanks to the Anak Hutan gang! Without them I think most of the people in my group would have probably gotten lost! Frankly speaking, I don’t know the trail and most of the people don’t know either.

Back to my ‘interesting’ subject, someone once asked me “do you have 48 hours a day?”. Well basically, those around me perceived that I am doing lots of stuff concurrently (sort of like the quad core processor). However in my defense … nope I only have 24 hours and I am not doing a lot of multitasking – I am just good at elaborating what I do (isn’t this such a nice skill to have??? ~ go figure). So … what do you think about 960 hours a day???

http://www.livescience.com/php/trivia/earthfacts/index.php?qnum=20

Let’s do a bit of math. If we work 8 hours a day (some work much longer) that equals 33.33% of our day. If a day is 960 hours long, that would mean we need to work for 319 hours. That is 13 days of work! YIKESSSSSSS.

Perhaps I was too tired or I didn’t see anything exciting, the overal group are moving pretty fast hence I don’t really have much time to compose and re-compose pictures. We took some hilarious group pictures in the mid way of the train station, while waiting for our malay train operators to complete their daily prayer routine, if not mistaken it was an hour wait or so. You see, we were sweaty and stinky hence soaking in them and waiting around is no fun! I am not posting the group picture up in my blog though since I don’t have their consent, nonetheless you’ll see some none human related images hehehe.

One interesting sighting to note, we saw a couple of bottle-brush-like-worms in the mid way. They look really cute, munching at the leaves in high speed mode. Of course none of us touch it, in case there was any chemical / allergic reaction. Speaking of worms … this reminds me of leeches … yes the trail up to Penang Hill do have leeches and yes, once I knew about that (as one of the hiker was almost bitten by that nasty little thing) … I was speeding away to reach to the top, prior to that I was at the taking-a-stroll-speed.

I am organizing a bus load of hikers to take up the Penang Longest Trail challenge this coming Saturday 7th June 2008, in conjunction with our King’s birthday (public holiday). For now, that would be my longest hiking experience in terms of the hours and the most difficult trail. So if you are interested do let me know! Don’t worry about being shy, I’ve not met at least half of the folks that I’ve invited. It would be a good experience!

Check out the pictures that I will be displaying …

I know they are still fairly amateur … but it’s a good start right??? (I don’t know how long I can still say that hahaha)

After that … we had a nice cuppa coffee from Coffee Bean to flush off the fishy smell. Well, we go out and eat every weekend or two, so it’s no big deal …  Mom’s day should not be celebrated on a yearly basis only … ya know!

Speaking of which, I met a very TALL and … emmm pretty good looking guy in Coffee Bean … ahhh ~ dreamy …. Some of the few rare breeds in Penang I might say … well, just to answer your curiosity … nope I didn’t have the guts to strike a conversation – happy!

Back to Mom’s day … well everyone knows how important our Mom is right? That goes without saying … the list of things they do are just endless. However a particular Mom puts all of them into a song … observe the lyrics …

“The Mom Song” lyrics

Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepyhead
Here’s your clothes and your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now! Get up and make your bed
Are you hot? Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat
Don’t forget! You gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play
Don’t shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside, don’t play rough, will you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don’t forget to share
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare
Get along! Don’t make me come down there
Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone! Get off the phone!
Don’t sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table
No more computer time tonight!
Your iPod’s my iPod if you don’t listen up
Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and you’re grown
Can’t wait till you have a couple little children of your own
You’ll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew, would appreciate
Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate
Use your fork, do not burp or I’ll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, get the door, don’t get smart with me
Get a grip, get in here, I’ll count to three
Get a job, get a life, get a PHD
Get a dose of,
“I don’t care who started it!
You’re grounded until you’re 36″
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven’s sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too?
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said at least a thousand times before
That you’re too old to act this way
It must be your father’s DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything and everything must be in place
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs on
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with mom
Don’t forget, I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom’s work never ends
You don’t need the reason why
Because, because, because, because
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so
I’m the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!!
Ta da!!!

I should put the following video during father’s day but I thought it would probably go nicely together with the Mom’s video.

Anyway, in my photography class last Friday … we were thought about some of the stuff that we can do in Photoshop that is important for photographers. It was a funny session as we did really funny stuff on the model’s face. Well basic stuff like color adjustment, dirt removal, skin tone evening etc … This reminds me of a very interesting Dove advertisement by Oglvy and Mather …

It really amazes me how wonderful photo editing software can do to enhance (or distort) the perception of a given scene / object. It is not always possible to take pictures in the best condition hence a little ‘help’ goes a long way. Let’s just say it’s also a skill that you need to pick up if you are a photographer.

 For the worst …

For the ‘weighty’ || Losing weight in ‘Photoshop’

Enhancing ‘beauty’