Gals' nite at Station 1 Cafe, Pandan Indah

Just got my new digital camera, so i brought it along for the all gals' nite and erm..a guy (yalar..i know lah, I shouldn't bring my bf :P ) anyway, that's not the main story. We enjoyed the food, the drinks and the songs. Photos to share... (else visit my friendster's page for selected photos).

Making travel plans - Hotel Reservations

Looking for websites offering lowest rates and great promotions for hotel reservations is very important to me, as I like to plan and make my own holidays arrangement instead of visiting the travel agents. Since I am planning for another vacation next year, I shall start looking for these websites.

Hotel Reservations has more than 70,000 properties worldwide. It has hotels to bed and breakfast (B&B's) to condos to all inclusive resorts. This is a good to suit any budget and taste. They even offer flights and hotel packages, which makes travel plans much easier. If you are looking for comfortable and reputable accommodation, yes, this site is a good start to browse. But if you are backpacking, and looking for some hostels or backpackers inns, this site is not the right place to look.

I ran a search on hotel packages in Macau and I choose to sort by “Price”. You can also sort by Best Value, Quality, or A-Z listing. One good thing is the average price of the hotel is shown, so it’s good to filter the results based on your budget. All prices are shown in USD, but there is a currency converter to do the calculations for you. Information about the hotel and photos are included, which makes it easier for you to choose. Good maps are provided. You can call or do online booking. There is an international number to call, and they also cater for group bookings (more than nine days or nine rooms).

I chose a hotel and googled it for other websites’ offerings, and I also selected the same travel dates, single room for two with breakfast. Well, I can say that Hotel Reservations is offering a competitive price (in USD). It is offering the one of the lowest rates. There is also special discount up to 70% if you book via internet. This site accepts MasterCard, Visa and American Express credit cards. You might want to check out this website if you intend to visit American and European destinations. It has quite a handful choices to offer.

White Water Rafting @ Padas River, Kota Kinabalu

Haven't find the time to blog down in full my recent trip to Kota Kinabalu. But first, I'll share with you my first ever white water rafting experience.













The agent picked us up from KK town in a coach to the Beaufort train station. Then we rode on a very slow and old train (approx 20-30km/hour) from Beaufort to Pangi.

First the train stopped us at the ending point, where we got down the train and stored away our valuables and changed into our swimming gear. Then we hopped on to the train again to travel up to the starting point. It was interesting to see the locals using the train as their only means of transport into these parts of the mountain. The truth to be told, count your lucky stars when you are riding the KTM in KL. You don't know how lucky you are to be using KTM service.

After the guides briefed us on the safety precautions and the know-hows of rafting, we headed straight into the river, err..rubber raft. With our full gear on (helmet, life jacket, and goggles which are optional), we excitedly stepped into the raft. I would strongly suggest goggles, because it can help you to see better under water (that's if you fall into the water lah). Also recommended for those who wear contact lens. Oh, don't forget your sunblock too.

The ride was thrilling, full "Forward!" and "Paddle!" screams, and of course gulping many mouthfuls of water. Our group fell down twice, the first time half of group gone down the river, and the second time, all went down under! Yeah, it was scary before you fall into the river. But once you got that experience, you will overcome your fears. Falling into the river depends on your luck. It you are lucky, you might take few seconds to come to the surface. Or else, you might hit the rocks and hurt yourself (which actually happened to one of us). Falling into the river is a unforgetable experience itself.
















Of course swimming/floating in the river was also quite nice, as the water was cooling. But you've gotta look out for the rocks.









After the ride, we changed quickly and had a hurried BBQ lunch as the train was waiting. We only get some short moments gulping down our food (too hungry lah) while taking few peeks at the beautiful river scene. The return train ride was much faster as it was going downhill.

When we reach Beaufort, the coach was waiting and took us back to KK town. Some of us snoozed in the coach (yup, yours sincerely included lah) and some yakking away (an italian guy trying to tackle a gal beside us), and some enjoyed the sunset scenery of KK town. It was truly an enjoyable experience.