Travelling to Miri and Kuching

2012 is a leap year so there is a 29th day in February and today is the day... yeah! Not that it matters, just feels like mentioning it :) 

I was assigned to do briefing for Miri and Kuching branches last week.  Well, work is not everything so I'm not gonna share about the briefing... just the travelling and the accommodation ;) 

Last Wednesday, February 22, 2012, my flight to Miri took off right on time at 4.25pm and reached Miri Airport at 6.40pm.  Went straight to the hotel ~ Imperial Palace Hotel, located in Pelita Commercial Centre.

Imperial Palace Hotel consists of 154 standards rooms ~ mine is one of them ~ , 146 superior rooms, 4 deluxe rooms and 3 junior suites.  Rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi connection, television, bath tub, 

 iron and ironing board, safe,

 mini bar,

tea and coffee and more.

As I was hungry and not familiar with the area, I ordered room service ~ dry cantonese beef kuay teow.

The next morning I had buffet breakfast at Menawan Restaurant.  After I check-out of the room, I was treated for lunch at Han Palace Restaurant, Grand Palace Hotel, also located in Pelita Commercial Centre.

In the evening I took the flight to Kuching at 9.05pm and reached Kuching International Airport at 10.05pm.  Went straight to the hotel ~ Grand Continental Hotel, located in the heart of Kuching City. There are 192 rooms and suites available. Obviously it is smaller than the one in Miri.

The next morning, I had breakfast buffet at Jala Mas Coffee House where I also had lunch later after the briefing before I checked out.

Left Kuching International Airport at 4.15pm and reached LCCT at 5.45pm on Sunday, February 26, 2012. Work has been so chaotic nowadays that I was glad to get away from the office even though it is still for work.

Till next week, let's just take a deep breath.

Korea Beauty Friends Mask

Bought another Groupon deal and this time it's for my face ^^ 

Paid only RM19 for 10 pieces of Korea Beauty Friends Mask instead of RM46 to be collected at Emperor Spa & Beauty at No. 1, Second floor, Jalan Kuchai Maju 1, Kuchai Lama, 58200  Kuala Lumpur. Redemption period is from December 3, 2011 to March 3, 2012 and time for pick-up is from 11am to 8pm daily including public holidays.

There are 13 types to choose from: Pearl, Royal Jelly, Red Ginseng, Collagen, Marine Algae, Aloe, Coenzyme Q10, Kiwi, Cucumber, Green Tea, Vitamin, Cereal, Herb and Raspberry. Obviously, I choose Vitamin which includes Vitamin E that helps to protect skin from the damage caused by free radicals while it cleans and moisturises.

Till next week, let's put on the mask.

Baby's Full Moon

According to Chinese custom, when a baby turns one month old, a ceremony is held to celebrate his first month of life known as "full moon". This coincides with the end of the new mother's confinement period and both mother and baby are formally introduced to the relatives and friends for the first time.

During the full moon celebration, eggs, dyed red to symbolise luck and blessings, are given to relatives and friends.  Eggs are chosen as they represent fertility and their round shapes symbolise harmony.  It is believed that if you have a boy, you give out an odd number of eggs and if you have a girl, you give out an even number of eggs.  Relatives and friends will give ang pow or gifts such as clothing, toys, diapers and baby care products.  It is like a Western baby shower, only celebrated one month after! 

Last Saturday, my colleague held her baby's full moon with a buffet spread for guests by the poolside. Invitation was sent via facebook

• • Saturday, 11 February 2012
  • 18:00 until 22:00

• Prima Setapak Condo (Level 3 - Hall near Swimming Pool), Jalan Genting Klang

• Come and see our lil one LIVE! Light dinner buffet will be served ^.^ Kindly RSVP SOONEST so we can make further arrangement.

A few ex-colleagues turned up and it was great to catch up with them. Of course, it was also great to see the happy healthy baby :) 

Till next week, congratulations again to the new parents!

Lake Toba

My colleagues and I have been talking about going away on a trip and one of them has always wanted to go to Lake Toba for years.  One day in September last year, after lunch, we just browsed the airasia website and decided there and then that we would be going to Lake Toba from February 4 to 7, 2012. 

Lake Toba is in Sumatra, Indonesia.  It is 100 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide.  It is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world.  Samosir Island within the lake is the island within the island of Sumatra.

The flight is scheduled to leave LCCT at 11.35am when we booked and was retimed to 2pm.  We reached Medan airport at 1.45 pm and got on the car to Lake Toba.  The trip took about 8 hours inclusive ferry ride to Samosir Island and dinner at Rumah Makan Bayu Lagoon.  For dinner, we had ifumie goreng spesial

nasi goreng spesial

and indomie goreng spesial

The ferry ride took about 50 minutes

We checked in Samosir Villa Resort at 10pm.

Five of us stayed in the family room called Ekoantum with 2 bedrooms, a living room, a tv, a refrigerator, a kitchen, bathroom with hot shower and a balcony overlooking the ocean.

The other two stayed in deluxe room.

The next morning we woke up at 6am in the hope of catching the sunrise but it was cloudy... just our luck. 

After breakfast, we started our tour of the island. We went to Tele where there is a tower you can climb for panoramic views of Lake Toba and Samosir Island, hot spring, Simanindo ~ Museum of the Batak People, Ambarita ~ Stone Chairs where the King held conferences and beheaded criminals and Tomok - Tomb of the Sidabutar Kings.  

We were back in the hotel at 5.30 pm just in time for our body massage in our rooms.  One hour costs 100,000 rupiah.  We planned to have dinner somewhere nearby the hotel but it was raining so we had it in the hotel.

We tried again to watch the sunrise the next morning but it was also cloudy.  We checked out at 8.30am and left for Medan.  We went to see a waterfall and a temple.  We checked in Swiss BelInn at Medan at 7pm.

Before we checked out the next morning, we had breakfast in the hotel where we ate the local delicacy called bika ambun.

On the way to the airport, we stopped by Erna Bakery and bought bika ambun and lapis legit for our colleagues who didn't join us.  The flight took off from Medan Airport at 11.35am and reached LCCT at 1.20pm.

Do we regret coming here? No.  Would we be coming again? Unfortunately no. The travelling time is way too long. 

Till next week, looking forward to go on another overseas trip...