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!

To Marry in India

Dnyaneshwar Temple, Alandi, near Pune, India

This month is our 9th anniversary together! Me and Anu’s. Yup, it’s nine years since we eloped from Aizawl, Mizoram and started our lives as a couple. It’s also Diwali or Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights.

So I’m putting a post on getting married, the Indian way. It’s not hard, and it’s not easy either. Here are pictures of a temple town near Pune, where young couples flock to, to get married, if you’re Hindu, that is. If not, the easiest way to get married, is to do it in court. That’s how we did ours in Mumbai – see the post here. All you need are money, 3 witnesses and some identification documents. But identification documents aren’t the easiest thing to come by in India. Only now is the government talking about having a national identity card. Before that happens, there’re like 101 different versions of how to prove you’re Indian, some paper to show when and where you’re born, some document to show your permanent address, and something with a photo to show how you actually look like. (We took the easy way out, and just engaged a lawyer to prepare all our paperwork. Money works in India, you know? Smart huh?)

Also, if you are a boy, you should get consent from the girl’s family for marriage. Or just do it the Bollywood way, as my Indian friend taught me, elope, smuggle the girl away from the family. That’s what we did, when Anu’s family didn’t agree. But that is another story, for another time to tell, hehe.

Meanwhile, here’re pictures of Alandi, near Pune, where Hindu couples go, to solemnize their marriage, sort of like a Las Vegas of Pune, lined with marriage hall after marriage hall, in the dusty streets. The main draw of Alandi though, is the Dnyaneshwar Temple. Every year, around June or July, Dnyaneshwar devotees embark on a 240km pilgrimage by foot, (Dnyaneshwar Palkhi) from Alandi to Pandharpur. This will take a week to 10 days, if I’m not mistaken. Nope, I’ve not personally seen the procession, but a similar procession, the Tukaram Palkhi, takes place at exactly the same time and that passes through the Project road that we were building in 2010-2013. We’d have to close the road and stop construction works for 2 to 3 days whenever the pilgrims crosses. Oh yeah, it’s that many people! No kidding. And they don’t carry luggage, bags, anything. Don’t they need to change? Not even their underwear? And where do they go, when they need to …err go? (Toilet, I mean). Not something I’d like to think about…




Closer views of the Dnyaneshwar Temple compound




More pictures of Alandi


The Priest and his instruments – yup that’s it, a coconut, some strings to tie on the foreheads of the groom and bride (Maharashtra-style marriages), some metal pots and trays, some water, and some rice to throw around, red powder (sindoor) for putting on the forehead and hair parting of the girl, turmeric powder, other leaves and spices for cooking (nah, just kidding, don’t bloody know what they’re for), some garlands of flowers, a turban for the groom, and fire for the bride and groom to go around

And there’re no pictures of the couple. Let’s say they want to keep it private.

The Chateau at Roti Village

Here’s another desperate picture post, before I go on another short trip, this time to India.

Who would’ve imagined a chateau with a vineyard, and fabulous suites in the middle of rural India, surrounded by villages of goat herders and sugar cane farmers?

Well, welcome to the Four Seasons Winery, Roti Gaon (Village), Baramati District, Maharashtra, India



This place lies less than 20 minutes away from the project site office where I used to work, in Kurkumbh, Daund. We could get fleeting glimpses of the manor, from a few confined parts in our Project, but mostly the view is hidden by the many hills, buildings or farms in the area. I remember wondering what the hell the building was, until one day when a colleague suggested visiting the place. The route there is interesting. From the highway that we were building, we had to take a small trunk road up a steep rocky hill in the direction of Baramati. At the top of the climb lies Roti village (yeah, that’s the real name of the village, don’t ask me why, …maybe they’re really good with their rotis (generic name for Indian flat breads like chapatis, etc)). Right past Roti, you’ll get the full grand view of the winery, like some outlandish French manor, out of the blue, a pocket of opulence amidst bullock carts, goat herders and acres of empty grassland.

The first time there, I brought the family along on a Sunday, but it was closed, and was asked to come back another day. Since then, we’ve been there a few times, especially when visitors come for a visit. Unfortunately, all our visits were towards the end of my stay in Daund, and none were during the harvesting season (or there would certainly be a lot more photos). And with the winery being so close, what better way to get wine, than to send the driver there with a shopping list, haha. See my previous post with a picture of the Project Team in the wine cellar, and of Justin sampling wine.

Here’re more photos…








More views of the chateau, during the day, and at night


The vineyard and pastures surrounding the winery, during the monsoon


Yours truly, with Justin and brother-in-law, Gopal, at the grassland surrounding the winery, filled with sharp prickly grass (yeah, they’re nice to look at, but be warned, do not, under any circumstances, walk barefoot on it, or you’re asking for trouble).


The grounds within


The large stainless steel tanks… (nope, don’t friggin remember what they’re for, despite having it explained to me 3 times, in 3 separate tours…)


The wine cellar

Pune Diary Final Chapter

Grounds of the Aga Khan Palace, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Went to Pune for a day last week, to bring niece Karishma to Dubai, to help out with chores, especially since our second baby is due anytime now. For the time being, baby is just ‘baby’, but we’ve sort of reconciled that it’s gonna be a boy, like it or not. (But of course we’ll love him to bits. He’s our son after all). We’ll come up with a name, sooner or later.

Not much has changed in Pune since we left in Feb last year. The airport’s still small (but sometimes small is good). The city roads are still as bumpy as ever. The bus stops are still located in the middle of the roads (yeah, this is how it is in Pune, the cars, trucks, what-you-have, all travel on the side lanes, while the bus lanes and bus-stops are on where you will usually find the fast lanes! When you get off the bus, you’ll find yourself right smack in the middle of the highway, which you will then have to cross to get to the shops, houses, etc.) The favourite food is still limited to deep-fried varieties of bread and potatoes, and extra-spicy curries.

Staying here (or more accurately, 80km away from here, in Daund) for 2.5 years has made us quite fond of the city, with quirks and all. So much so that after we moved to the Pune area, Pune has become something like a second base in India for Anu’s family – sister, niece, nephew all stayed, worked or studied here at one time or another.

Pune’s not a bad city. Smaller (than Mumbai and other megacities), so more manageable traffic-wise. Pleasant climate and milder weather changes (unlike Rajasthan or Delhi). Nice (and cheap) grapes and wines (the best plus point of Pune in our opinion). Quite a few up-to-date malls, hotels and restaurants (see earlier posting). And I heard that the road connecting Daund to Pune is mostly done, so it’ll take less than an hour to reach now (used to take 2 friggin hours for 80km!). So here’s a selection of some sights of Pune as a small tribute to this city we called home for 2.5 years. Maybe we’ll meet again later on, who knows? But that’ll be another story.


Aga Khan Palace, Pune – the Aga Khan is the head (or Imam) of the Nizari Ismaili Sect, a branch of Shia Islam and a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. During India’s colonial times, the Aga Khan held a status similar to that of a Prince i.e. he was granted gun salutes by the British, the only religious leader to have such a status. This palace was donated to the people of India in the 70’s by the reigning Aga Khan, who now resides in France.


Samadhis (monuments honouring the dead) of Gandhi’s wife and secretary at the Aga Khan Palace – the Aga Khan Palace in Pune is famous for being the place where the British put Mahatma Gandhi, his wife and his secretary under house arrest for 2 years during the Indian struggle for independence. Gandhi’s wife, Kasturba Gandhi and his personal secretary, Mahadev Desai died here during the 2 years of internment.


Road leading to the Osho Ashram (aka Free Sex Ashram), Koregaon Park, Pune – this ashram (spiritual retreat) is famous for its Guru’s views on sex, and for his lavish lifestyle when he was in America. (Osho or Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was for a time known as the Rolls-Royce Guru. He was said to have 90+ Rolls-Royce in the US, given to him by his many followers in the west). Osho was a controversial figure. He moved back to Pune after being deported from the US due to some immigration violations. The ashram is now one of Pune’s top tourist attractions. Nope, we didn’t enter the ashram. It costs a couple of thousand rupees, or more, but it includes robes, a whole day’s programme of meditation (or was it 2), and a mandatory HIV Test. I dunno how true it is, that you can have free sex in the ashram, but why else would they need the HIV Test for huh?


Mutha River, near the Shaniwar Wada Fort, Pune – Pune is a city of rivers and bridges. I dunno how many river crossings there are, but it sure feels like a lot when we travelled across the city.


A view of Pune during the monsoon from nearby fort, Sinhagad (see previous post). Note how green Pune is.


High spiky doors of the Shaniwar Wada Fort, Pune – To keep out extremely tall men… Or it might just be for the elephants


Garden of the Shaniwar Wada Fort / Palace


Mandai, a famous landmark in Pune – I think it’s a fruit and vegetable market

And how can an Indian city not have a street bazaar? Here they are: -


Fashion Street, Pune – what do you think they sell here? Hint: look at the name




Tulsibaug (pronounced Toolsee-Baag, meaning Basil Garden in Hindi), Pune


Last, but not least, here’s the patron god of Maharashtra, Lord Ganesh, in Tulsibaug – You can see Ganesh temples and shrines all over Pune and the Ganesh festival in September each year (Ganesh Chaturthi) is one of the biggest festivals for the people here.

Forts of Maharashtra

The Lonely Mountain, Erebor… haha just kidding, too much Hobbit! (But seriously, why did the producers have to extend The Hobbit to 3 movies long? Should’ve stuck to ONE, like the book!) Anyway, this is Daulatabad, Maharashtra, India

Here’s a recap of the forts in Maharashtra. Compare this to my earlier posts on the Forts of Rajasthan and of Gulf Arabia. For what it lacks in grandeur and details (a lot of it are in ruins due to the constant warfare in the area), it sure makes up for it through its amazing locations! Just see for yourself: -


Daulatabad Fort atop a mountain shaped like a wedding cake, with sheer stone cliffs at its sides. The only entrance was through a narrow upwards sloping tunnel, with stairs at one point where the guards could launch fiery objects and hot oil on invaders, and a narrow bridge, and was regarded as a very formidable fort. Despite this, it changed hands many times. On one occasion, the fort was conquered after the attackers bribed the guards. Doesn’t look like much has changed in India since then, huh?


Pratapgad Fort (at the top of the hill), near Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra – known for an important battle where the then newly established Maratha Kingdom won against a much larger army of the Sultanate of Bijapur and went on to eventually become the Maratha Empire.


Some fort (or are these only walls?) on the road to Murud-Janjira, in between the main Mumbai – Goa Highway and Murud Village on the coast. There’re countless such structures all over the place.

Maharashtra, being at the centre of India, has seen its fair share of wars. It is home to the Maratha Empire, a number of Deccan Sultanates, the southern bastion of the Mughal Empire, and not a few Princely States. Wars raged right till the British took over (so the British actually did some good after all!). That explains the run down condition of so many of its forts.




Janjira Island Fortress – see my previous post




The fort at Baramati. Baramati is an important industrial city near Pune, rival of Daund (where we stayed), and stronghold of Mr Sharad Pawar (i.e. supremo of the NCP, or National Congress Party and ex-Agriculture Minister of India). This fort houses the government offices. Most cities here have their own forts. It’s like a mandatory structure in Maharashtrian towns, for some reason.


Foggy fort, Sinhagad, near Pune – yep, that’s the best shot I have of the fort! Note: do not visit this fort during the monsoon season, unless you absolutely love fog. I still can’t understand the logic of building a fort in a place where everything is shrouded in fog! How do you defend anything when you can’t make out your sister from your wife? Hold on, is that a kid or a doll? See? I told ya, he can’t even make out a kid from a doll!


Shaniwar Wada, fort / palace, Pune City, Maharashtra - another city fort