Day 4 - Destination Sg Petani & Taiping & Kuala Sepetang

It's our fourth day of the trip. After checking out from Seri Malaysia, we headed to Kuala Kedah. Azlee mentioned to go to Mee Abas as he said they serve good noodle there. Unfortunately it was closed when we arrived.

From Kuala Kedah we head off for Sg Petani thru' Yan. The route was free from traffic and the scenery was amazing with lots more Sawah Padi. A sight to behold.

Sawah padi - sejauh mata memandang.


A sight to behold - green, green and green...

Our next destination is Tanjung Dawai. A colleage told me that there's a lot of ikan masin and ikan bilis sold there. As I'm a fan of this ikan masin and ikan bilis, and with the exploration mission in mind, we went there.

Arriving Tg Dawai, it was not much to see and visit. It's just a very small town near the seaside. Since we got there, we brought some ikan masin and some keropok. The prices of ikan bilis and ikan masin is not that cheap either.

Our next destination is Lembah Bujang. An office colleage told me that there is an Archeology Museum which is rarely found in Malaysia. It is a site of olden Hindu temple or Chandi. It was building hundred of years ago by the imigrants I supposed.

Anway, we arrived there about 11.00am. The place was quite hilly and it took some effort for us to climb the hill. After taking some pictures just to signifies that we had been there, we took off.

The kids at some of the ancient stones craving.


Mimi infront of one of the Chandi (temple).


The biggest Chandi there.

The next destination is Taiping but we have to fill up our tummy first. Thus our next plan was to have lunch at R&R on the way to Taiping. We stopped at Juru R&R and had lunch and did our Zuhur prayers. Arrived Taiping about 3.00pm. The first place to visit is the Taiping Zoo. I never been to Taiping Zoo but from what I heard it is a good place to bring the kids. Except for the entrace fees which I think is a bit expensive, the place is worth to go. Comparing to the Hulu Klang Zoo, Taiping zoo is a bit smaller but more compact with animals. We took the train ride throughout the zoo. I guess when you are too tired to walk, a train ride is a complement to it.

The zoo is well kept and the animals (eventhough not as many as Hulu Klang Zoo) are well taken care off. I did took some pictures of these animals.

The Ostrichs.


The Zebras.


The Seladangs.


The Giraffes.

At the exit of the Zoo, there was a place where you take pictures with a hugh python. Mimi was so excited to see it and immediately told me that she wanted to take a pic with the python. I was not a fan of snakes. Geli brother... eeeee....

Anyway she pursuade me to get her picture taken with the snake. I asked Along, Angah and Acik and even Bibik if they want to take picture with the python and none of them want it. Semua takut. I pun...

Look at Mimi smiling and excited taking picture with the hugh python.


I tumpang saja lah ambil gambar tapi takut nak pegang ular eeee...

We exited Taiping Zoo about 4 pm something. Next we drove around to see what Taiping has to offer. Nothing much indeed. Except for the Taiping Lake Garden which was quite nice, nothing much to see.

So we headed off to Kuala Sepetang. I had never in my life been to Kuala Sepetang although I had heard of the name. Azlee, my travel advisor told me that I should not miss the Mee Udang at Kuala Sepetang. He even gave me the phone number of Mee Udang Mak Teh. He told me to call the place first to book a table and order what we want to eat. I called and make a reservation - macam reservation kat hotel pulak...

Kuala Sepetang is about half an hour drive from Taiping. We just follow the sign board to the place. Since the road is quite remote, I called Azlee to find out whether I was in the right direction. Truely enough we were on the right track. We got the right stall. I didnlt expect much but it was just a kampung stall. But wait till they serve us.

I was greeted by a lady and I told her that I was the one who called. She told me to sit and they will serve in a short while.

What truely amaze me is their serving of the prawn. Really tempting and full with prawns. I ordered 4 mee udang and 2 mee goreng. When the ordered arrived, Acik counted teh prawns in his plate. He had 13 pieces of udangs.

Of course as usual Mimi and Acik instructed me and Bibik to peels the shell skin. The kids really enjoyed the mee udang and mee goreng with full of udang. I guess this is the first time ever we had mee udang full of udang. Azlee did mentioned to me that "kena selak udang baru jumpa mee dia". True enough.

I have gout, but looking at the udang serving, I balun jer lah.. lepas tu makan ubat later.

The arrival of the mee udang. Best nyer.


13 pieces of prawns in each plate.


Best nyer makan mee udang.


The peeled shell skin itself filled up 2 big plates.

After Kuala Sepetang, it was time for us to leave for KL. Mimi insisted that we stay in Taiping but I told her there's nothing much to see there. We might as well go back home and rest the next day. We arrived home about 9.00 pm. Had a nice trip.

My comments about the whole trip:

1. I guess this is the best ever trip that we've been as a family. No rushing for time as I took quite a long leave.
2. I truely enjoyed the places that we visited.
3. The kids didn't quarrelled in the car - that's a bonus.Well there's a few instances but was under control.
4. I went to places I haven't been before.
5. Quite an experience for the kids. I guess they enjoyed it too.
6. No major disappoinment.
7. It didn't ripped off my pocket as well.
   

Acik & Mimi : "Ayah nanti kita pergi Sarawak dan Sabah pulak ya?????"
Ayah : Hmmmm... ok lah awak semua kumpul duit kita nak kapalterbang pulak ok.

Day 3 - Destination Alor Star

It's the third day of our family trip. After 2 days in Perlis, it's now time to proceed to Kedah. A few people told me that there's nothing much to see in Kedah. But the thing is, if you don't explore you won't see things, right? And our trip is the exploration trip. So we will explore then we know which is the places that interest us.

I purposely took the trunk road instead of the highway. I wanted the kids to see the kampungs, padi fields, jungle, sea and whatever can be seen throughout our journey. It's supposed to be an adventurous trip. So be it.

From Kangar, we went to Kuala Perlis thru' Kuala Sanglang to Alor Star. I wanted to go to the Muzium Padi in Gunung Keriang. It may takes us about an hour or so. Along the way, we saw beautiful that my my kids had never seen. Vast area of padi fields... miles and miles of it. Believe me it's the greens that makes me feel so calm and relax. And more amazing was that from Kuala Perlis to Kuala Sanglang, we could see padi fields on the of the road and sea on the right. To me that's amazing.

I did called my Travel Advisor, Azlee if we are on the right track to Gunung Keriang where the Muzium Padi is. Azlee recommended me to go. Finally with Azlee's direction and the tricky sign boards, we managed to get there.

Obviously Muzium padi is in the middle of the kampung with vast area of padi fields. It was about 10.00 am when we arrived.

What interest me in the Muzium was the wall was painted 360 degrees in the building. Believe me, it was an amazing painting of the surrounding area of Gunung Keriang. Picture it as if you are standing on top of Gunung Keriang. I

f I were to describe it in word it will be "Magnificent and Amazing". I took the opportunity to speak to the guy attending the muzium. He mentioned that it took 46 Korean painters to paint the scenery in 6 months. But these people were there for a total of 2 years to experience and observe the changes of padi season and the kampung activities throughout the 2 years. And as a result, you can see some of the pictures that I took down here. The painting looks so real and I can just sit there for hours to appreciate it.

Musim menanam padi.


Suasana Kampung.


Keramaian di kampung.



Jual menjual Padi.

The painting looks so real.


Mimi & Acik appreciating the kampung and padi fields scenery.


Peladang Jaya tahun 2008 - Acik & Mimi







Kerbau bajak - the kids never seen what a kerbau & bajuk meant before.

After Muzium Padi, we headed nearby to Gunung Keriang Park. Azlee told me that if I want to buy some crystal stones, I should go there. So here we go. IAfterall it's very nearby to the Muzium.

Well there are some interesting crystal stone but not something that I would not want to buy to accumulate dust in my house.

Some a white, some are reddish brown and a few a green.

We left Gunung Keriang about 12.00 noon and wanted to find somewhere to eat. Since we are already nearby to Alor Star, I planned to take the kids for lunch at the Alor Star Tower's Revolving Restaurant.

From what I read Alor Star Tower is the second highest Ccmmunication tower after KL Tower. And I think the kids would had their first experience having lunch in the Revolving Restaurant on top of Alor Star. What an experience.

The kids in front of Alor Star Tower.






Acik appreciating Alor Star view from the Tower.


The kids first experience having lunch in the Revolving Restaurant
on top of Alor Star Tower.

We finished our lunch by about 2.oopm and left for Pasar Rabu. That was one of the itenirary in Alor Star. Angah was very curious and kept asking me why it is called Pasar Rabu. I mean he really asked me like 5 times ok. It's hari Ahad and it supposed to be called Pasar Ahad. Or why not just call it just Pasar Seni like the one in KL. Why must it be called Pasar Rabu????? Susah lak nak explain to him. I told him may be it the Pasar started every hari Rabu but since it is so popular it continue to have it everyday until today. So that's why they name it Pasar rabu. You readers have any suggestion how to answer this?

Anyway Pasar Rabu only filled up with food stuffs like dodol, kuih-kuih kering, all types of kacang, tudung, baju melayu and all the malay stuff. Bought some dodol and also freshly baked kuih bahulu. The still hot kuih bahulu was great and the kids finished it in no time.

Then we left Pasar Rabu to check in the hotel at Seri Malaysia. I really need the rest and sleep. Told the kids to rest until Magrhib for dinner.

Farita, my office colleage to me that there lots of stalls near the Stadium besides our hotel. And we did just that. We had our dinner there. The prices were reasonable. Everybody ordered whatever they want to eat. Acik ordered watermelon juice - size L. I wonder how big it is. It's hugh for him - see below.

Acik with the L size watermelon juice.

Early next morning, I decided to leave Alor Star - since there is nothing much to see there. I decided to take the kids to Lembah Bujang near Sg Petani again using the truck road from Kuala Kedah to Sg Petani. Now you might aske why Lembah Bujang, Then you need to read our next destination.

Having breakfast at Seri Malaysia before leaving for Lembah Bujang.


Took a shot infront of the Alor Star old Mosque.


Infront of the Alor Star Balai Nobat.

Day 2 - Destination Wang Kelian

We woke up early as I have planned to be at Wang Kelian as early as possible. My travel Advisor, Azlee told me to be early or else we would have to park far away from the place. So after having breakfast somewhere in Beseri, we headed to Wang Kelian - which is the most northern part of Perlis. It's a border between Malaysia and Thailand.

The road leading to Wang Kelian is not bad. Both sides of the roads were either rubber plantations, kampung houses or just secondary jungles. The green scenery were breath taking. Azlee and Fiesol told me that earlier. Angah took some shots of the green scenery.

The road leading to to Wang Kelian
- it's a border between Malaysia and Thailand.

Going to Wang Kelian we have to drive up several hills and down the slopes. Believe me it was a nice drive up and down to Wang Kelian. From top of the hills we can even see the sea.

We reached Wang Kelian about 9.30am. Not many cars were there yet. As it is at the border between Malaysia and Thailand, we have to park our car at the Malaysian side and then we walk thru.

As a note, we had to take pictures at the border to signifies that we had been to Wan Kelian.

Welcome to Wang Kelian - Malaysia side.


The kids ready to roam the place and see if anything they could buy.

As I have been told before, stalls were both sides of the roads either on Malaysian side or Thailand side. It stretched about 1 km in both countries. To me Wang Kelian is like a Pasar Malam style like the one in KL.

Malaysia side of Wang Kelian.

Most of the stuff sold here are either food stuff like cashew nut, ikan bilis, t-shirts, toys, some souvenir and of course periuk belanga (Acik warned me not to buy any periuk anymore as it occupies his space in the Avanza).

To enter Thailand, we have to pass thru both the Malaysian and Thailand immigrations. For us Malaysia, we have to show our IC. Unfortunately for Bibik, she has to register her Indonesian passport at both immigrations. Luckily I told her to bring her passport. The kids were excited since they are now entering Thailand for the first time in their lifes.

Thailand side of Wang Kelian.




On the way back, we stopped at the Lookout Point. Climbed the slop and took some shots. It was really a nice scene from the top of the hill there.

Next destination after Wang Kelian is Gua Kelam. Azlee told me to go there and I wouldn't want to miss it.

Day 1 - Destination Kangar & Padang Besar

I make sure the kids sleeps early because I planned to leave as early as possible with estimation time of arrival at 2.00 pm in Kangar - our first destination. We left home about 8.00 am. Brought some nasi lemak bungkus from Kak Leha and planned to have breakfast some where at the R&R.

I already told the kids to minimize bringing their belongings cos I like light traveling. But the kids each bring 2 bags each - don't know for what reasons. After all the loading of bags and stuff in our Avanza, we hit the road happily ever after.

First stop is the R&R but unfortunately all the first three R&R were fully packed. Thus we had no choice to search for the next one. Fortunately somewhere at Tapah area the place was quite free and we had our breakfast about 10.00am then. Then we hit the road again.

Except for a few stops to ease ourself, I drove straight to Kangar reaching about 2.15pm - hit our target to arrive on time. After checking in the small hotel, we went for lunch. Azlee told us to go to eat "Nasi Ganja" under the big tree near the Pasar in Kangar. We went but unfortunately most of the stall were closed except for one. Not much choice so we eat there.

Our first spot to visit in the iternary is Padang Besar. The kids were excited and don't know what to expect. I had not been to Padang Besar since my first trip there with the "Bas Rombongan Che Kiah" when I was then 6 or 7 years old with my mom. So going there with the kids was an experience.

Along read me the map and I drove all the way to Padang Besar. We reached there about 4.00pm. The place was filled up with people and parking space was scarce but we got one.

Once we got out of the cars, we roamed the stalls which were already full of people selling stuffs and people buying the stuffs as well. The kids got excited and we went through the stall one by one.



But one things for sure, the common stuff sold there were either foodstuff and fruits, tudungs & kain, jerseys and t-shirts and periuk belanga. Lots of Thai stuff sold here.


Lots if bakuls made from plastic being sold. Nice but sape nak pakai ha?

The kids were mostly excited to buy new sport jerseys and sport short except for Mimi. She looks forward to buy new T-shirts or other girls stuffs. Unfortunately not many she could find.


Acik trying to figure outr which T-shirt suits him.


Bibik wanted to buy a periok kukus. It can't be found in KL so I bought her one. The aim is to cook Nasi Lemak kukus in it. It not the ordinary periuk kukus bertingkat.


The kids resting for awhile after a long round of shopping at the Bazaar.


See Along carrying the periuk kukus back to the car.

Anyway after about 2 hours of shopping there, we decided to leave APdang Besar. maybe take some rest in the hotel before we go for dinner in Kuala Perlis.