A short break to Seremban

While some of my other friends are going off on holiday to China, India, London, Bandung etc, I only have the time to take a short break to bring my son for a quick break to......SEREMBAN! LOL!

My hubby was attending a workshop at Klana Resort Hotel from the 13th to the 14th of December, 2010, but I could get away from the office on the 13th of December. So, after work, I picked up my son from my MIL’s house and we made our way to Seremban.

What would have normally been a 45 minutes journey turned out to be a 2 hour journey when I got caught in a bad jam and heavy downpour that started almost as soon as I started my journey.

As I have trouble driving at night, I could not drive fast enough and so was driving at a snail’s pace of 80km/hour. When I got to Seremban, it was already close to 8.00pm.

I schooled in Seremban (Kolej Tunku Kurshiah) but, it being dark, and with my bad sense of direction (LOL!), if not for the GPS, I think I would have had a hard time locating the hotel.

But, thank God for the GPS, I managed to find it quite easily, and arrived at the hotel at about 8.30pm, 2 hours after staring out at 6.30pm from my MIL’s house! I felt like I was driving to Melaka instead of Seremban! LOL!

As my hubby was already late for his evening workshop, he quickly got us settled into the room and left my son and I in the room to rest. After a good refreshing shower, we settled down to a room service dinner of Fish and Chips and Cantonese Fried Kuay Teow and Bee Hoon.

I don’t know if it was because we were really hungry or that the food was actually good, but we cleared the plate really fast! LOL!

I think it’s a little of both! *grin*

The next day, while my hubby was cracking his head coming up with resolutions for the workshop, my son had a great time in this HUGE pool.

I took the opportunity to go online to clear some emails and took a relaxing time browsing some craft blogs and websites.

I did some work too when I got a couple of calls from the office. Yeah! I am still working despite taking leave as I am short staffed but work as to go on. I don’t mind doing work away from the office despite being on leave for as long as I am not forced to go back to the office, especially not when I had driven for two hours to get to Seremban! LOL!

We drove back to KL at about 3.00pm after making a stopover for lunch at A & W Seremban, a place I use to frequent during my school days before we would board the bus back to school on weekends on our day out.

A short break, but none the less, it was good to get some break time. I think I might more of these short breaks to release the stress at work which sometimes can get to ridiculous levels. And, who was it that said that working with the government is relaxing? I think he/she must be working in a different part of the continent or, have been dealing with people from the wrong department! LOL! *grin*

On the road again.....

Yup! I am on the road again, this time to Ipoh and Kedah.

I have written about my Ipoh trip that coincided with my birthday on the 8th on June and the dinner I had with Janet, but I did not get to show photos of the hotel where I stayed in.

While in Ipoh, I stayed at Impiana, or formerly known as Casuarina. It is said to be a 4-star hotel, but I heard many complaints from my colleagues who stayed at the hotel with regards to their service, and the hotel room itself. A friend of mine had her costume jewellery stolen while we were there.

I was told that the hotel had gone through some major renovation, but still the room did not actually look like it was newly renovated, especially the bathrooms. My complain was the food served for breakfast. They had served bread, yet there was no toaster and the Sambal Ikan Bilis was so salty and dry like it was re-cooked over and over again over many days and served to us over and over again throughout the 3 days that we were there.

I am glad that the lunch served was nice that some of us even helped ourselves to seconds.

I would only stay again at Impiana only because it is the only decent hotel in Ipoh. I was told that the others are far worse. But, we might just be trying out The Heritage Hotel when we go to Ipoh again next month for NNC’s July Stitching Bee and my hubby’s 10km run. I just hope that it will be a better hotel, but already I have read a few bad comments on the hotel online. So? Hmmm.......

Anyway, last week, I was on the road again, this time to Penang and Kedah. I took a flight into Penang on the 16th of June so that I can visit some of my project sites before heading to Kedah for a function, but not before we dived into some juicy and yummy durian! *grin*

I visited 3 projects in Penang, and then drove to Alor Setar to visit another project site before I checked into Holiday Villa.

Wow! This hotel is lovely despite it being quite old. The bellboy told me that it had just refurbished a few months ago, and it was obvious that it had gone through some major renovation.

I really liked the hotel room, though the view from the room wasn’t so great. LOL! *grin*

After waking up at 4.30am to catch a 7.30am flight and visiting 4 project sites, followed by a discussion after dinner, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillows. The room being so cosy just made my sleep much more comfortable, as I sometimes suffer from insomnia when travelling and would get up at 3.00 or 4.00 am and not being able to sleep again until it’s time to get up! LOL!

The next morning I attended a function to officiate an orphanage by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Kedah.

I would have taken a photo of when the Sultan was already seated during the ceremony, only that at the last minute, the protocol officer made me sit right across from the Sultan throughout the function. So, I had to sit prim and proper and definitely taking a photo of the Sultan when you are just seated right in front of him is a big No No and against protocol! LOL!

Seen here are some of the female orphans from the orphanage preparing to sing in the function while waiting for the Sultan to arrive.

I was also invited to have lunch with him, and again I could not snap a photo. I should have handed my camera over to a junior officer, but it slipped my mind to do it until I was already seated in front of the Sultan! LOL!

Having lunch with the Sultan was a very big honour but at the same time, I had to eat ever so prim and proper that I left the function feeling very hungry! LOL!

When I dropped by Pekan Rabu to buy snacks to take back to Kuala Lumpur, I bought myself a packet of fresh bahulu to eat while waiting for my flight as the airport in Alor Setar has no Golden Lounge and the snack counter has yet to operate.

I had actually planned on meeting up with Radha while I was in Alor Setar, but our timing was out. Radha was busy at work when I arrived in Alor Setar on the 16th of June, and on the 17th of June, I had to rush to the airport to catch my 3.20pm flight after the function. Radha was still at work and by the time she got off work, I had already arrived in Kuala Lumpur! LOL!

Maybe another time when I am in Kedah again.

Kenari Villa Gueshouse is open for business!

Planning to go to Kota Bharu this school holidays? Bringing the whole family for a wedding in Kota Bharu but can't get enough rooms in the hotel to house everyone? Want to stay in a house away from home? I may be able to help solve your accomodation problems!

Come stay at Kenari Villa Gueshouse at Lorong Merican, Telipot! It is located behind the Rennaisance Hotel, Kota Bharu and Billion Shopping center.

It is a double-storey semi-detached house with 7 bedrooms, all with attached bathrooms and a playground for the children to unwind. No, make that a place FOR YOU to unwind as the children are out playing in the playground! LOL! *wink* It is just the right place for the whole family to relax and enjoy.

You definitely don't have to worry about where to park your car as the car porch can house 5 cars! Definitely just the place to stay when you come from outstation to attend a wedding.

To save cost of buying food, you can cook your own food as the house is equipped with a gas cooker and a refrigerator, and don't worry about having to bring back your dirty laundry as the house is also equipped with a washing machine. Now doesn't that spell a house away from home? *smile*

Come stay at Kenari Villa, and the houseowner cum Manager cum you name it - my mum *grin* - will make your stay a comfortable one!

Read here to know more or to make reservations!
http://kenarivilla.blogspot.com/

Another tiring day of travelling

It’s another day of travelling on 28th April 2010, this time to Kuala Terengganu. I took the 8.40am flight out of Kuala Lumpur, and was confirmed on the 9.10pm flight back. I had wanted to take the 4.10pm flight back, but, unfortunately, it was fully booked. Despite putting myself on the waiting list since the day before, I still could not get a seat on the 4.10pm. So, instead of loitering around aimlessly at the airport, I came prepared with a laptop, and a change of clothes to while away the long waiting time for the 9.10pm flight. I checked into Dara Inn, a resort within walking distance to the beach, and a 5 minutes drive from the airport.

It is a quaint little inn, with a TV that is to barely able to receive clear reception even on TV1 & 2, and TV3.

But I switched it on anyway just to have some sounds playing in the room. Even though the room was comfortable, but the air-conditioning in the room was not functioning properly, as despite having it on since I checked in at 4.00pm, the room still wasn’t cold even at 6.00pm.

I took a 30 minutes nap after taking a much needed bath as I was bathing sweat earlier on when I climbed into the roof area of the airport building to inspect. When I woke up, I was feeling hungry. So, I decided to take a walk to the beach to buy some snacks, and I came back with these delicious spread of crispy fried squids, prawns and fish.

Yummy! It was finger lickin’ good! *grin*

The rest of the time after that was spent going online and checking my emails. I took the 9.10pm as scheduled and arrived home almost close to midnight. Another tiring day of travelling for work.

Living out of a suitcase

I have been doing that quite frequently lately. Since I travel so much lately, I don’t bother taking out the basic things that I need for my trips like the telekung (prayer outfit), robe, pyjamas, and toiletry and make-up bags. I just take out the working clothes that I wear and replace them with fresh ones.

Since February, I have been to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching twice, and to Labuan once, with each trip being an overnight stay. With each trip, I get to stay at various hotels of various star ratings. I wished that I had taken photos of all the other hotel rooms that I had stayed so that I can post them here for friends and readers of my blog can use as reference/guide to choose hotels should they be travelling and need suggestionson where to stay. Maybe I’ll start doing that after this. I did however managed to snap photos of my two most recent trips.

On my most recent trip to Kota Kinabalu, we were put up at Le Meridien. I have mostly stayed at The Promenade during most of my trips to KK, but, this time, since the travel arrangements were being made by our client department, we just went along, and WOW! This hotel is sheer 5-star luxury! LOL! The room was really big and nice! At the price we had to pay for the hotel, the room better be nice! LOL!

The hotel is very close to the Philipino Market , but, unfortunately we did not have the luxury of time to drop by the market. My friends and I however did manage to make a quick visit to the Night Market which is just next to the hotel after we had checked into the hotel room and took a quick shower.

I got myself a set of pearl necklace and bracelet while my friends got themselves buttons for their baju melayu.

I am currently in Penang (wrote this at 8.30am on Friday, 16 April, 2010, while I wait for my transport to go for my meeting) and I am staying at The Gurney situated along Gurney Drive. I love this hotel! I have stayed at this hotel on most of my Penang trips as they offer FREE internet service in the rooms!

The room is huge with a small kitchenette.

The bathroom has a Jacuzzi! Heheh..not that I have the time to dip into the Jacuzzi as I prefer to take a quick shower and spend time on the computer. *grin*

I had dinner of Fried Rice which was served with plenty of side orders but I did not like the àcar’which was served with the rice as it made the rice sour. But I love the satay, chicken wings and the fried prawns! Delicious! Went to bed feeling full and satisfied! LOL! *grin*

Here are views from the hotel room taken at night

and again taken in the morning after a hearty breakfast at the Coffee House! *grin*