A Grand Malaysian Home Trip

Whew, finally, a little relaxation. Work has been really busy since I last wrote.

And… here are the family photos of our recent home trip to Malaysia! I’ll let the photos speak.


Jayden with his granddad, for a dim-sum breakfast at the Sweet Paradise Restaurant, Butterworth, near Dad’s home, on our last day before we left Malaysia to come back to Dubai. Dad, you’re doing just fine. Don’t let your pesky ailment and age bear you down! Keep it up.

We started our Malaysia home trip this time in Sabah! My first ever visit to the state, in my 55 years of life! Believe it or not! We were there to visit the state, and to climb Mount Kinabalu. (What? It’s the highest mountain in Malaysia, it features in the Malaysian 100-ringgit currency note, it’s the landmark of Sabah, and it’s interesting). (But I didn’t know before this, how expensive it is!?!!! And how much training you’d need. Basically, you’re paying big bucks, to suffer, hah! But I have no regrets. I’m glad I did it when I still can). We climbed with Jason, while Jayden stayed with Dad and Hazel who also flew to Sabah for a visit at the same time. Initially, cousin June was also supposed to climb, but she backed out because she sprained her back.


Ready to go?? Breakfast at Kinabalu Park’s Liwagu Restaurant with Anu and Jason before the climb. Kinabalu Park Headquarters is at 1,520m above sea level. We gotta reach our base camp at 3,273m sea level on that day. C’mon, let’s get on with it!


After a short minivan ride to the gate (3km), and an arduous 6km continuously uphill hike (which took only, ummm… 5 hours), we arrived at Panalaban! Our base camp at 3273m above sea level, where we’d rest and stay for the night… before starting our climb to the summit at the ungodly hour of 2 friggin am! (Yup, you’d have to, bcoz you gotta reach some checkpoints at certain times, or you’d not be allowed to progress further. That’s to gauge the fitness of climbers, according to our official guide, and to prevent them from either being stuck up there, or having to climb down at night). Jason was our informal guide as he’s climbed quite a few times before (our actual guide seemed to always take time off, to ‘energize’). Thanks Jason, for the hiking sticks! It really helped (Jason didn’t need them!)


We made it! The summit (Low’s Peak), 4095m above sea level. Thank you, God, for the favourable conditions, and the energy to do it…


Our group, and the Southern Peak, Mount Kinabalu, Sabah


From Sabah, we headed home to Penang state, on the other side of Malaysia! Here’s our first dinner after arriving in Butterworth, at Tokyo Restaurant. At that time, there was a rare blackout, which explains the photo’s grainy quality, but the food was delicious! Prawns, squid, chicken and kangkong (if I remember correctly)

There we go again, to KL, Malaysia’s good ol’ capital. It’s ages since we stepped foot on Kuala Lumpur, but we decided to do a trip this time. (We were partly there to get Anu a Chinese tourist visa, for our 12-hour stopover in Chengdu, China on our way back to Dubai, and the visa centre happens to be in… KL! Where else?)


Here, we are with the KL side of the family, the first time we’ve had a gathering in KL after our beloved Jikor passed away. From left, Cousin June; her ‘boyfriend’, Wesley; June’s daughter, Jamie; Cousin Jane; and us. June treated us to a big, fat, KL Chinese dinner, complete with sang-har noodle (giant river prawns noodles, ...must have been friggin expensive), Iberico ham ribs, a deep-fried whopper of a grouper (a fish which Wesley caught), etc, etc, etc… At Sweet Inn Restaurant, Petaling Jaya, Selangor


We stayed a night, actually, 2 nights, at Jane’s apartment in TTDI, KL. (June was shifting houses at that time). Really nice environment, quiet, surrounded by trees, nice view, overzealous security… Jane stays there with her little poodle, Tidbit. Cheers Chi-chi! Thanks for the hospitality!


Jayden made a new friend, Tidbit, Jane’s dog. It’s the first time that he’s actually close to a dog. He used to be scared of dogs. Now, he keeps asking us to visit KL again, to see Tidbit, and his aunts, and uncle, etc… In front of Artisan Roast / Dusun, TTDI


Another dinner with the KL family, this time with Cousin Jack. Hello bro, long time no see leh! Another fabulous dinner, complements of June. (Aiyo, June-chi, why so much? She tends to over-order, according to her family). Jayden got off really well with Jack, both of them marine life enthusiasts! At Kean Fatt Restaurant, SS3, Petaling Jaya


Heading to our hometown, Ipoh, to see the folks there! Here we were, with Dad and Hazel, fattening ourselves (again), with Malay and Nyonya kueh! At O’Days, Canning Garden, near our Ipoh home. Malaysia will seriously kill us, with food. Luckily, we don’t stay there long term…


Here’re the Ipoh folks we met. My cousin Ah Yi (Ng Wei Yi), my mom’s youngest brother’s daughter, and her family. Her 2 kids are Eugene (far right, who’s now taller than both her parents) and Ginnie (beside Anu)


Tua Pek, lu ho bo? Tua Pek, dad’s eldest brother, is 90 years old this year. At the Moonlight Care Centre, in Canning Garden, Ipoh


And that’s Tua Kor (seated in the middle), dad’s eldest sister. She’s 91. Behind her, is my cousin Kok Leong, flanked by his wife and son


Finally, all good things trips must come to an end eventually. Back in Butterworth, to get ready for our flight home from Penang’s airport. A dim-sum breakfast (yes, again) at Thong Sum Restaurant. Dim-sum’s become one of Anu’s favourite for breakfast! She’s not very Indian as you can see…

The only one missing this time was Justin. Study hard son, stay focused, manage your time properly, keep active, eat, sleep and play (when you have time) well. We love and miss you lots. See you in Dubai at the end of the year!

That sums up our recent cross-country Malaysian home trip. See ya!

The Long Way Home - Part 2

Mulu Airport, Sarawak, Malaysia

Here’s a continuation of my last post. To recap, for our home trip to Malaysia in July this year, due to the exorbitant prices of the direct air tickets, we routed our flight plan through 3 stops in 3 different countries to get back home. We succeeded in bringing down the prices by a half, but at the expense of the hassles that we had to go through running around in airports, immigration, health declarations, etc. But it was a helluva adventure, and we got to see a brand-new country, hah!

Finally, we’re in Malaysia - First stop KL. (Where else? There’re very little choices nowadays for international arrivals in other Malaysian airports).


Here’re the kids with cousin Jamie and boyfriend Adam (he’s mix Malay-Chinese descent), at the Fahrenheit Suites, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. This is where we usually end up in KL as dad gets some free stays with his Berjaya club membership.

KL was our meeting point with Dad & Hazel for our next destination – Mulu Caves, Sarawak. When planning our trip, we asked Dad whether he’d want to go on a holiday to Mulu Caves, and he was really enthusiastic, so we gladly arranged it! In my 50+ years as a Malaysian, this was my first time in East Malaysia!! Believe it or not! (I was planning to visit in 2005, but changed it to have a holiday with granny and the family in Bangkok instead. Here's an explanation of why I did that).


The only way you can get to Mulu Caves is by flight, unless you’re Survivor Man, or some local tribes’ men who knows the ways of the jungle. (Or you have loads of time to travel thru rivers on boats, and logging dirt roads). There’re no direct flights from KL. So, here we are, at Miri Airport, Sarawak, on a stopover


Mulu Caves! (Well, one of the many caves anyway). This is the entrance of the Clearwater Caves, Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia – We had a great 3 nights and 4 days holiday in Mulu!


Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, was where we stopped, on our way to Penang. There’re only 3 destinations from Mulu, Miri, Kuching or Kota Kinabalu (KK). Miri has no direct flights to Penang, so it’d have to either be Kuching or KK. We chose Kuching


Back home in Butterworh – Enjoying a hotpot dinner in Haidilao, Sunway Carnival Mall, Butterworth. I dunno the reason for the ongoing fad in Malaysia for Mala (ma-lat in Cantonese) flavoured food?!? I had my first Mala Hotpot experience in 1997, in Guilin, China. That thing just makes my tongue numb, but I remember our Chinese friends were crazy for that stuff, and after 20 years, it’s happening in Malaysia!


I finally managed to meet some ol’ school friends! A first of many home trips! (I don't remember the last time actually). In Penang, Seng Thor Coffee Shop, on Lebuh Carnarvon with Peng Swee (right) and Tat Hin (left)


Meeting our Tuako (big aunt – eldest sister of my dad) and family. Dad lost 2 siblings in October last year, Jipek and Jiko. I hope Dad and his remaining 3 siblings remain strong and healthy for years to come. In the middle are my 2 cousins, Kok Seng and Kok Leong. Kok Leong’s son (in black) is beside his dad – At their house in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh, Malaysia


We also visited the resting places of our loved ones who recently departed – RIP Jiko & Jipek. Jipek’s grave is just a few graves away, in the preceding row – Batu Gajah Christian Cemetery, Perak, Malaysia


Meeting my cousin sister and uncle from my mother’s side at our Ipoh home. Thanks for the visit and for all the fabulous Ipoh biscuits you brought us! My maternal granny (pho-pho) whom we always visited on our previous home trips to Ipoh, also passed away during the 3 years between our last visit and this visit. She was 95. God bless her


Time to get back to work in Dubai… Last night our of trip in Malaysia, before our journey home. This is a Thai restaurant in Bukit Mertajam, near Butterworth, and one of dad and Hazel’s regular favourites. It’s near the columbarium where mom’s ashes are kept (St Anne’s Roman Catholic Cemetery) which we visited before having dinner here


Next stop – Singapore. This is Jewel at Changi Airport. That big ass fountain/ waterfall that you see there is the Rain Vortex – the world’s tallest indoor waterfall!


We came to Singapore to spend some time with Jason and family before heading back to Dubai. This also happens to be our fist visit to Singapore since 2013 – a gap of 9 years. It’s Jayden’s first visit ever! Here, we’ve just finished dinner with Jason and family at a Swiss Restaurant (strange, how we went all the way to the far east just to end up in a European restaurant). This is the Marché Mövenpick, in Vivo City, just after we visited the Universal Studios in Sentosa, Singapore


Almost home. Transiting Mumbai Airport, our last airport before reaching Dubai! And that’s how we ended up going to 11 airports in 7 different countries in a single trip! 1) Dubai, UAE; 2) Kuwait; 3) Kathmandu, Nepal; 4) Dhaka, Bangladesh; 5) Kuala Lumpur; 6) Miri, Sarawak; 7) Mulu, Sarawak; 8) Kuching, Sarawak; 9) Penang; 10) Singapore; 11) Mumbai, India and back to Dubai!

And for those celebrating, Happy Durga Puja! Happy Dussehra!

Gone Too Soon – Beloved Helen Ong

Helen Ong, my JiKor (1940 – 2021)

Jikor, I have a loss for words. You left us too soon. I've still got so many things to talk to you about, laugh about and get silly. I didn't even manage to say ‘Hi’ to you after your surgery, and you said you wanted to visit Dubai again when COVID gets better. We've even found a KTV here that we could go to, in this Arab place, believe it or not?

Thank you Jikor for being that kind and happening aunt we can always go to. Thank you for housing us all in your little KL apartment, my brother, sister, cousins, I, whoever. You’re like a second mother to us, always welcoming, always treated us like we’re your own, even when we were wild and in our crazy phase. No one's matched your hospitality when it comes to being at your home.

There’re just too many memories of you. You were my go-to aunt whenever I’m in KL. You’ve brought up so many little kids in your life. You were my little sis Kim’s nanny when she was born. I still remember the Loo-Loo-Loo tune you hummed to make her sleep. You were here to help us when Anu gave birth to our first-born, Justin. We picked the Chinese word that you like for his Chinese name. You’ve been Anu’s inspiration since she got to know you, she said all ladies should be like Jikor, always looking nice, despite age or lack of money, always creating a happy mood, always having family and friends… Thank you for enriching our lives and the lives of so many others.

You’ve left us for a better place now. I hope all your wishes come true. And I hope you have as much fun in heaven as how you’ve filled us with fun and excitement here on earth. Goodbye and sleep soundly now in peace, Jikor. God bless you.

I know you love photos. I don’t know whether you’ve seen these. I bet you can see any photo you like now… Love you, miss you forevermore.


Meeting us in Kuala Lumpur when we arrived, 2016






You are Anu’s fun-loving aunt and inspiration


Looking pretty with Aunty Choo, Butterworth, 2016


Christmas with Tuapek at your home, 2017


Didn’t know you’d join your brother in heaven so soon. Rest in Peace Jikor. Rest in Peace Jipek


Our last meeting, 2019 Ipoh – You came all the way from KL back to Ipoh just to spend time with us. We love you

Another Whirlwind Balik Kampung Trip

Christmas at the Canning Garden Baptist Church, Ipoh – Merry Christmas Everyone! OK, Christmas is over, but yesterday was the Orthodox Christmas celebrated by Russians and Egyptian Coptic Christians! So, it’s not too late!

Hello everyone! It’s 2018! Here’re some photos of family and friends from our recent trip home.

Ya, I was back home, on another whirlwind trip! 2 nights in JB, 1 night in KL, 1 night in Ipoh, 3 nights in Butterworth / Penang, and 4 nights in Thailand (yeah, we have family in Bangkok, don’t you know that?)

Have promised the missus I’ll never do another "touch n go" trip again, but somehow it happened! Now she’s promised never to go on another trip with yours truly! Shucks! But what do you do when your family’s all over the place???

Originally planned this trip for only Malaysia, and mainly to renew my passport (renewing it in Dubai takes 3 friggin months, according to the embassy!) Then the wife suggested that I take Justin (our elder son) to Legoland Malaysia as a birthday treat for him. Happily I agreed (I’m a kid at heart after all, haha). So, added Johor Bahru (JB). There, we’ll also get to meet Jason (my brother) and his family, who’re in Singapore, just across the border from JB.

Then my dad suggested that we give our aunt (Ah Mm), who has been in and out of the ICU, a visit. She lives in Bangkok. So, added Bangkok, Thailand.

Then, I discovered that one of the cheapest way to fly was with Gulf Air, with a long transit in Bahrain. Perfect, we’ve never entered Bahrain (transited before, but never entered). This was our chance. Added Manama, Bahrain.

And that’s the reason why out of our 2 weeks’ holiday, our stay in Malaysia became only 7 friggin days, in 4 friggin places! And of that, we spent 1 day in the airports (3 different airports to be precise), 1 friggin day (7.5 hours) in an “express” bus (express, my foot) from JB to KL (it was the 23rd of Dec, Saturday, friggin long weekend rush northwards), 1 friggin day in the passport office (holiday season, long queues, sigh…), 2-3 hours in an express train from KL to Ipoh, and half a day on banking errands in 3 different banks. Of the 3 remaining days, one day was in Legoland, and another day was Christmas Day that we spent in church in the morning, took our uncle (Ji-Pek) from the old folk’s home for lunch, visited my 93 year old grandma in hospital (not serious), visited the Bangkok aunt in another old folk’s home in Ipoh (yeah, she wanted to be back in her home town so much, that my cousins managed to get her discharged from the Bangkok hospital a day after we visited in Bangkok and had her shifted back to Ipoh), and visited a friend’s house in Ipoh. That left only one meagre day to gel with the family!

Here’re the photos!


With Jason’s family in Legoland Malaysia, Johor Bahru


Also met up with cousin Mandy Boo and daughter Riley in JB – at Yi Jia Seafood Restaurant, Bukit Indah, JB


And what a small world! Bumped into an old friend and colleague from our Emirates Road Project days, Michelle Lee, in, of all places, Legoland! And she ain’t even from JB! Her family came all the way from KL. Here’s she with her 2 kids. Her husband’s the photographer!


Next stop KL – Here with favourite aunt, Helen in her house in Abadi Villa, Taman Desa, and Tua-Pek, all the way from Bangkok! (The pic was taken not long after Tua-Pek arrived by long distance cab from Ipoh).


Hey, that’s Mark Ho! Long time no see, nephew!


The kids with their cousin sis, Jamie Ho and aunt Jane, the amazing! Just hear the story of how she turned the tables on her ex!

Also met with me good ol’ cousin bro, Jack, but didn’t take any photos, unfortunately.


Next stop, Ipoh, for Christmas – Here with Ji-Pek, just after lunch at Ipoh Garden


And here’s where Ah Mm stays in Ipoh, the Yayasan Lotus nursing home. We met her in Bangkok Nakornthorn Hospital, the day before she was discharged. She was longing to go back to Ipoh, so cousins Emily, Alan and Alan’s wife, together with Tua-Pek brought her back to Ipoh. When we met her here, cousin sis Emily (who resides in the UK) was staying with her, in the old folk’s home, the youngest resident of the home! Forgot to snap any photos of Ah Mm, Emily, Alan or Alan’s wife. What a waste?!


At friend Ajit and Manjit’s house in Ipoh. Ajit’s away in Australia, and their two older kids are studying outstation. See how big their youngest daughter, Ravneet has grown! The older lady is Manjit’s sister

We also met Tua Kor, cousin brother Kok Leong and his two grown up kids at our Ipoh house, and visited my 93 year granny in the Ipoh General Hospital. Met my uncle there also.

Finally, Butterworth, dad’s house. This was where I did my passport renewal, and banking errands. We had 2.5 days here before we headed back to Bangkok to catch our return flight to Dubai.


Dinner with members of mom’s family – Ah Chong Seafood Restaurant (Malaysia’s all about seafood restaurant by the way hehe), Pantai Bersih, Butterworth


A dim-sum breakfast with mom's eldest sister and husband at Sweet Paradise (Chew Chuen) Restaurant, near dad’s house, Butterworth

And here’re some photos of our time in Thailand with dad and Hazel.


At the restaurant of our hotel, Riverfront Residence, SV City, Bangkok – We purposely chose this place to be near where cousin Alan and family stays, but as circumstances would have it, Alan’s family spent most of their time in Nakornthorn Hospital, 20 km away, where our aunt, Ah Mm (Alan’s mom) was hospitalized. By the time we got to Bangkok, Alan and sis Emily (who’s sorta uprooted her life from the UK to be with her mom) had already decided to transfer their mom back to our home town of Ipoh, Malaysia. We managed to meet all of them (including Tua-Pek and Jib, Alan’s wife) in the hospital the day before aunt was discharged and scheduled to fly back to Malaysia.

We spent the remainder 3 days in Thailand sightseeing and travelling (didn’t know Pattaya was that far from Bangkok!?)


Family pic with dad and Hazel, Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya


The kids and their grandpa, Million Years Stone Park, Pattaya

That’s all for now folks. I’ve decided to slow down on blogging for the time being, because I’ve just been made the supremo of this friggin Abu Dhabi project! (My boss had to move to Canada for his PR process). Awww… just imagine the responsibilities!!!