A Home Trip with Extras

Longjing Restaurant, Sunway Carnival Mall, Butterworth, Malaysia, Jul 2026. Hazel queued for 3 FRIGGIN HOURS to get a seat here! Malaysians are just bonkers about food. (But it was their grand opening, and they were giving out special offers!!! So, why not?) It serves Zhejiang cuisine (we no longer classify Chinese food, as just Chinese food. Now, it’s on which Chinese province they’re from…) By the way, it’s good. Go, give it a try!

Here it is. Our recent home trip photos… (I went thru 8000+ friggin photos for this, OK? You think this is easy?)

We’re back to our mini adventure mode! This time home to Malaysia, we ‘transited’ …Thailand! Krabi, to be exact. Why? Because, it was cheaper (than flying direct to Malaysia. Besides, there’re currently no direct flights from Dubai to Penang, unlike before the war); and it was with a Dubai-based airlines, FlyDubai (just in case the other airlines cancelled their flights due to that silly war that Donald Trump started).

On our way back, we transited Singapore which is, you guessed it, also cheaper. Yup, flying to and from Singapore back to Dubai is cheaper than via Kuala Lumpur, would you believe it? People just love Malaysia, I guess. That explains why the flights to Malaysia are so friggin expensive. Also, and more importantly, Justin and Jason’s family is there!

Anyway, here’s the recap in pictures.


We’ve reached Krabi! At the Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Seua), Krabi, Thailand, Jul 2026. Our stop in Thailand was for only one night, because we had to get to Penang urgently, for a scholarship interview for Jayden (which, by the way, he PASSED!!! CONGRATULATIONS Jayden!)


The next day, sunrise over Phang Nga Bay, near Phuket, Thailand, from the Samet Nangshe Viewpoint. Phuket is the main aviation hub here in southern Thailand, but for some strange reasons, FlyDubai (which is the low-cost airlines arm of Emirates) flies to Krabi instead of Phuket (or Penang, for that matter). But never mind, we (or more like, I) don’t mind that at all. Let it come, those small, strange airports that nobody’s heard of. We’ll take them on (as long as it’s cheap, haha). Krabi is about 150km from Phuket, where our flight to Penang was from, so it’s another road trip, yoohoo!


We’re home! Fancy some cendol?? At the Kafe Empat Sekawan, Bayan Lepas in Penang, Malaysia


Malaysia’s all about food! Dimsum at our regular dimsum joint with the family at home, Thong Sum Restaurant, Butterworth, Malaysia


What’s a Malaysia visit without a trip to an island on the East Coast?? (Last year we didn’t visit one. So, we have to make up for that, right?) Swimming with the fish, Pulau Redang, Terengganu, Jul 2026


On the way back, we spent a night at a ummm… semi-hill station, Colmar Tropicale, modeled after the French town of the same name (Colmar) but with tropical features (as you can see, from the name, duh.) We actually visited Colmar Tropicale also last year… on a day trip! (OK, OK, I’ll make a post of that soon …er or later, ahem)


We’re in my hometown, Ipoh! Visiting the old folks. Tuapek (dad’s eldest brother), lu ho bo? Tuapek is 91 years old! At the Moonlight Old Folks Home, Canning Garden, Ipoh


Hello Tuakor (dad’s eldest sister), ciak pa boei? Tuakor is even older, 92 years old. This time, only Tuakor, and her grandson (my cousin’s son) were at home… Pasir Pinji, Ipoh


And this is my mother’s side, cousin sister Ah Yi and her family. Ah Yi’s father (second from left) is my mother’s youngest brother. We last met him in 2022. He still stays in his old home in Taman Merdeka (which we call the House of Dogs… The dogs have all died, by the way). The kids are all growing up. Ah Yi’s son, Eugene, (at the back, on the right) is now taller than both his parents! And Ginny (their daughter, middle) is not far behind. At the Kok Thai Restaurant, Tasek, Ipoh


This is the first time we visited Ah Yi’s home! (They usually visit our home in Canning Garden). In Taman Tawas Mewah, Ipoh


Another mini-adventure! Welcome to Lake Toba! At Bukit Holbung, Lake Toba, Sumatera, Indonesia, Jul 2026. Since we’ve done most of the stuff that we went home to do, we decided to skip over to Sumatera, Indonesia for a few days! Medan is a short (and affordable) flight away from Penang, and it opens up a whole new world of adventures, and it’s, …how do you say it, budget-friendly, really! Lake Toba brings back fond memories. It was the first ever overseas trip of my life! Dad brought me here in 1986 (40 years ago) when I was a teenager (it was only my dad and I; mom had passed away the year before…)


Back in Penang. Time to say goodbye to the family! Take care Dad. Take care Hazel. Thanks for everything! Penang International Airport


Next stop, Singapore! Hello Justin, Jason, Li Fang and Stacey! At Changi International Airport, Singapore


Jayden will soon be joining his koko, Justin and cousin, Stacey in Singapore! The three of them at Serangoon, Singapore – outside the Better Scoop Ice Cream Shop, Aug 2026. See ya!

Inside a Mythical Elephant

The world inside an elephant!

I’m back! From a short and hectic 2-week break. First trip overseas since the beginning of 2020!!! Went home to my in-laws in India for the first time after 5 years. (Our last India home visit was in Mar 2017).

But that home trip story would have to wait. (What? It’s a long story, OK? And all the photos are still in the phones. Plus, so many unexpected things happened. We planned like for a hundred things to be done, and we ended up with ummm… OK, more than half done! Not that bad after all). Anyway, while I pick up the bits from where I left off from work, and recover from the holiday blues, here’s a short picture post to commemorate the many festivals and new years that are happening this week! Happy Vaisakhi! Happy Easter! Ramadan Mubarak! Happy New Year to the Tamils, Keralites (Vishu), Thais (Songkran), Bengalis, Nepalis, Assamese (Bihu), Sri Lankans, Burmese (Thingyan), Laotians, Cambodians! Etc, etc, etc.

Since it’s Songkran, here’s something from Thailand! Ever gone inside a mythical creature? Here we go, venturing into the body of a mythical three-headed elephant!


Whoa, what’s that? A towering elephant monster?


The Erawan Museum, Thailand

This is the last of Khun (Mr) Lek Viriyaphan’s creation featured in this blog. (Yep, we happened to visit all three!) Khun Lek was an eccentric Thai millionaire businessman and arts patron who created fantastic landmarks such as Ancient Siam (aka Ancient City) and the Sanctuary of Truth, in addition to the Erawan Museum.


Anu, Erawan Museum, Thailand


Guess who this is? Yes, it’s chubby Jayden when he was 3 years old! This visit was in Dec 2017. What about Justin? Check out this post for Justin’s pics at that time.


And that’s Dad and Hazel!




The intricately ornate shrines inside the Erawan Museum’s main elephant structure




Peaceful grounds of the Erawan Museum


Finally, the shrine in the belly of the mythical elephant

On this day of celebrations and festivities, God, grant us humans the wisdom to make peace, instead of war. Let cooler heads prevail, oh God. Amen.

Rock, Flower, Creatures

Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month, is expected to start in 2 days’ time. And Songkran, Thailand’s New Year (which incidentally coincides with many new years in South Asia and South East Asia) will also happen at the same time. This year, the festivals will, I think, be like last year, low key, with social distancing and masks. COVID-19 unfortunately, is still around and thriving, sigh!

I’m going back to flower parks for my post (that’s what I posted two posts back – Dubai’s Miracle Garden). Here’s a park I called the Confused Park of Thailand. You’ll see why in a moment…


The Confused Park of Thailand

The official name of the park is, wait for it… the Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm. Nice long, descriptive name, what else do you want? So it’s a park of million-year-old stones (from who knows where? It’s either in Thai or not labelled. Besides, how do they even know that it's a million years old?) It has nice, manicured plants (it's a park, OK?) And of course, crocodiles, because it's a friggin Crocodile Farm, so sez its name. And no, that’s not all, there’re also giraffes (yeah, in friggin Thailand), giant catfish, and you name it. So it should be more appropriately named as the Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm, and Zoo, and Lake Gardens. See for yourself, here goes.


Oh, there IS A LABEL! It sez ‘Ancient wood changed into stone by nature’


No label on this humongous stone though


More stones for your enjoyment


Anu & Hazel, Million Years Stone Park, Pattaya, Thailand


Potted Plant Arch!


Jurassic World… Nah, just a waterfall pool


Yours truly, at Million Years Stone Park


CROCODILES!!! It’s a crocodile farm, didn’t I tell you? It comes complete with a crocodile stunt show where a performer sticks his head into the opened jaws of a crocodile and pulls it out seconds before the crocodile snaps it shut. I’d have probably done the same if I were that crocodile. Who’d want to taste the oily head of a man? Yecch…


And of all creatures. …Giraffes!?! How did they get here from Africa???


Giant catfish


The kids with their granddad feeding the carps (and here’s a link to another photo of the kids and granddad at Million Years Stone Park)


A shrine at the Million Years Stone Park & Crocodile Farm, Pattaya, Thailand

OK, see you. For those who’re fasting, Ramadan Kareem. For those who’re celebrating their new years, Happy New Year! Stay healthy, stay safe. May you have a blessed time wherever you are.

Christmas in a Tainted Paradise

Family Pic – Garden Cliff Hotel, Pattaya, Thailand

Merry Christmas everyone! Just in time to squeeze in one Christmas post before the day itself!

All this sad news lately, and work, and clearing some accumulated annual leaves before the end of the year, leaves me pretty little time to write or to sort thru the huge amount of photos we’ve taken thru the years, and boy, we take photos like there’s no tomorrow…

So here’s a picture post from the past, of photos I’ve sorted out before. It’s sort of a continuation from my Bangkok post a couple of posts back. It’s on our family trip to Pattaya. Here goes…




Let’s start with Christmas Trees. How can you have Christmas without Christmas trees? – Central Festival Pattaya


Christmas Tree at the lobby of the Garden Cliff Resort, the hotel we finally ended up with after the room we booked sold us out. We booked an apartment on Booking.com in advance, kept calling before we arrived but no one responded, went to the place but couldn’t get in. Ended up having to book another room… Pah, piece of shit!




More views of the Garden Cliff Hotel – Nice pool but didn’t get a chance to swim




You can see the Sanctuary of Truth from the hotel, but there’s no direct access. You gotta go by car – Views from Garden Cliff Resort, Pattaya




Seafood! Our hotel is in the north part of Pattaya (Na Kluea), a fishing area – here’s the fishing dock where we had seafood in a restaurant just in front of the docks (which Google Maps labelled as Shell Tangkay)




Finally, Pattaya’s famous Walking Street filled with pubs, night clubs, massage parlours, what have you, etc. That’s what attracts party-goers and youngsters here… The last we visited Pattaya were with Alan and friends in ummm… the early 2000’s. I can remember quite clearly because we were stopped and fined by the police for riding our motorbikes without helmets, “but our Thai friends said no need…” We had to visit the police station at midnight, and pay the fine to retrieve our rented bikes. It’s not really hefty, but I was surprised to see a long queue of foreigners, white, yellow, black, whatever, at midnight, all waiting for their turns to pay fines… Nice, compared to Malaysia, where you’d have probably bribed the police to let you go as it’s such a hassle to pay your fine (then, in the early 2000s). I sure hope they’ve changed now. The idea I got from this is that if you wanna stem out bribery, you should make it somewhat affordable, and dead easy for offenders to pay

I also remember the jet skis and banana boats we went on in the early 2000’s in the beach. I think it was Jomtien Beach. It was incredible fun, but that was when yours truly was much younger, ahem. Now, you kinda prefer a li’l peace and quiet, don’t ya, haha? Didn’t visit the beach this time round. Went down only to the hotel beach, to snap some photos, nothing much. But Pattaya feels really congested, filled chock-a-block with high-rises and buildings. Still nice, but I think more suited to the younger hip crowd.

That’s all for now folks. If I don’t see you before the year end, Happy 2021 ! ! !