Category: Going Places

My travelogue.

Borneo Highlands – Dinner @ Annah Rais Cafe

March 6, 2007March 21, 2007 sweet surrender 8 Comments

We had our dinner at Annah Rais Cafe. It’s buffet style and the dress code of the night was smart casual or chinese costume. Borneo Highlands does not provide any meat for meals and even tea breaks. They are 100% meatless, only vegetarian(artificial) meats are use. The vegetables and fruits are mostly or all planted in Borneo Highlands itself and they are organic ones. The tastes are not that empowering. Quite bland but it’s acceptable. I had never tasted vegetarian food with such bland taste, it’s a good thing. Usually food in vegetarian restaurants taste too empowering, too much sugar, too much salt and too much MSG.

Left: Our table.
Right: Steamboat. Not exactly :p Hahaha… You just need to pick your choice and hand it over to the staff standing there and they will put them into the boiling soup to cook it for you. Then, handed them back to you in a bowl. There were chicken soup and tomyam soup to choose from.

Left: Salad bar.
Right: Cakes. Just nice, not too sweet.

Left: Mandarin oranges an sarsi jellies.
Right: Coffee and tea.

The main course. Rice, beehoon, various versions of mixed veggies, fried eggs.

Left: The environment.
Right: Entertainement of the night, karaoke. Hahaha… Jimmy and Jason represented our table to sing. It was supposed to be another friend but he escaped. *LOL*

Our group photo. One person missing hahaha… He’s in hiding mode to avoid being ask to sing by the staff.

After the dinner, we went to the spa to use the massage chairs while waiting for the fireworks. At about 10pm++, it started. The fireworks weren’t consistent. Twice we thought that they already ended it but who knows there were still more. The best was left to the end but too bad… We thought they ended it, we went back to our room. Then heard the fireworks again but didn’t care about it as they kept repeating. Suddenly I saw flashes of light outside our window and thought that they had switched location but too bad, I had removed my contact lense and without glasses hahaha… So, I opened the window and manage to see some blurry fireworks. Hahahah… Rainbow colour summore!! Too bad, battery had died earlier on. When I found my glasses, the fireworks display ended. Bummer! Then we realised that they didn’t change the location, they were let off at the same place all those while. We were the one that kept changing viewing locations. Hehehe…

After everything ended at aboout 11pm. We went to bed because we would be going for Highland Tour at 6.30am the next day.

Food Porn, Going Places, Uniquely Kuching

Borneo Highlands – The Indoor Tour

March 5, 2007March 21, 2007 sweet surrender 17 Comments

We checked into our rooms. Clubrooms do not have attached shower. They only have toilet and washing basin in each room. Not only that, there are no door to the washing closet but only curtain. Therefore, if you are not comfortable with it, then you can opt for Goldrooms. There are only 7 Goldrooms available and 38 Clubrooms. If you need to shower, you will need to go to the common shower room. There is no need for any air conditioning, a fan is enough.

This is the common shower room. Ladies shower room is bigger than the men. Summore they have sauna and steambath too but I think they closed it for usage. I’m not sure what is that big platform in the middle doing there(bottom right photo). Each room will be given a locker to use to store you thing when you go to spa or take shower. I went into the men’s shower room to take photos and the guys followed me to the ladies shower room to take photos *LOL* No people there hehehe…

The gym.

See those guys there enjoying themselve exercising? The scenery here is what you will be seeing from the gym’s window.

Left: The Karaoke Room.
Right: The reading room with the massage chairs there. We tried every single one of them hahaha…

The Jungle Spa. It’s located at the first floor. You can make appointment for massages or facial. These services will be charged into your bill. The spa’s showers are unisex. They have sauna and steam bath too. Then there are three pools, two with the temperature of 43 degree Celcius and one with 14 degree Celcius. We didn’t challenge the cold one as it’s really cold (-.-“) I tried to put my feet in, they were numbed. The hot one was quite challenging too but our bodies could slowly adapt to it better compare to the the cold one. Don’t go in directly, you have to go in bit by bit start form your feet and slowly proceed to the whole body. After that, we went to the swimming pool just outside of the spa, then back again to the hot pool.

Left: The Hornbill Nest. This is a bar and you need to go tru’ this place when you go to the Therapy Room(massage) and the spa. The spa is downstair.
Right: The room where you can watch movies in there. The movie’s choice is on first come first serve basis.

Left: The landscape pool is also the swimming pool
Right: Before entering the Men Common Shower Room and lockers of members, you’ll be greeted with this. You can sign up to be the member. The fee is not cheap. Only those rich people can afford it.

Left: The shop where you can buy golf related products and also some souvenirs.
Right: Annah Rais Cafe. We had your dinner and lunch here. Mind you that the food here are meatless and the veggies and fruits are organic. Their aim is to promote healthy living and eating.

Left: The therapy room for massages and facials.
Right: Golf course. They have 18-hole golf course.

Phew… Done… Such a long post. Don’t worry, there are more to come…*LOL*

Going Places, Uniquely Kuching

Borneo Highlands – The Journey

March 5, 2007March 21, 2007 sweet surrender 14 Comments

Borneo Highlands is 60KM from Kuching, about one hour or so drive to reach the foothill. We drove quite slowly as we weren’t sure how to go and it’s drizzling. We started the time calculation from Hong Pin’s office at 5th mile. It was Saturday(3.3.2007) 11.43am and we reached there at around 12.30pm. Just follow the road sign will do. You can go in at Padawan, where you can spot a landmark, sculpture of monkey cups and flowers with the name of the town there. The town is Kota Padawan at 10th mile. Drive into the town and go up straight. There are signboards along the road. The road to Borneo Highlands is called Jalan Borneo Heights. You have two options to go there, you can drive there or arrange transportation with them when you make reservation(s).

The scenery along the way. I’m sure you don’t see this everywhere for those living in the city just like me though I always go to Serian with my family. However, we never use those roads. It was drizzling. Nice mountains. You have to drive tru’ a lot of hills, up and down, up and down… Of course the road isn’t straight, winding here and that but still not that bad. While on the way there, there were landslides (-.-“) scary… One side of the road was closed.

Finally reached our destination. Our cars were parked along the road leading up to the hill. It’s safe to park there. Don’t worry. Since the transportation wasn’t here yet, we had our “picnic” at the carpark. So hungry, we didn’t eat anything for our lunch yet. Actually we could go down to the guardhouse there to wait, they have a room for the guest and a shade too. We didn’t know until one of our friends saw Mr. & Mrs. Chai and their baby went into the room then we knew about it. *LOL* You know who is Mr. Chai? Those Informatics Kuching students, I’m sure you know 😛 hehehe… The one taught us Computer Architecture last time. His wife saw the offer in this blog and she booked it and upgraded to Goldroom I think. Will talk about the room in later post.

*LOL* Jimmy said it’s like the place where people keep the chickens.(-.-“) We were supposed to use the truck on the left picture but it seemed like it couldn’t start. So we had to wait for another one(right picture) to come down from up there. Tell you something. When we reached the entrance, we saw a lorry driver doing his business at the main road. GOSHH!!! I saw the “water fountain” but didn’t see his thing hahaha… And his butt was displayed halfway too. Goodness gracious. Free Show. He could go to another side of his lorry to do his business but he preferred to do it at the main road. Butt facing the main road and his “hose” watering the grass under his lorry. Too bad not in time to take photo of him doing his business *LOL*

Prepare to go up now… We were all fascinated by the views on the way up. The road going up was quite steep but according to my friend, it’s not that bad compare to Genting but road condition isn’t as good as Genting. The road is small too. Along the way, you can see many wild orchids and flowers. So pretty *drool*.

It took us about 15 minutes to see this.

Then along the way, you can see constructions going on. These are properties that you can buy at Borneo Highlands. Houses and land lots. After about 5 minutes, OMG!!! We were oh~ oh~ ah~ ah~ over the view the greeted us. Purple flowers along the way up till to the resort! Damn pretty I tell you! I’ve never seen anything like this. You can’t believe that this is KUCHING! Goshh… SO NICE!!!!!!!! The air was quite cooling too, about 18-28 Celcius.

Finally we reached the resort. We were welcomed by the staffs there. We were given welcome drinks on arrival. Chinese tea I guess. 😛 I’m not a tea guru so all teas taste the same to me. The picture on the right shows you the view you can get at the right side of the counter. We were quite surprise that the air there was so much cooler than other places in the resort, just like you’re standing near the air conditioning unit. So nice…

Next up, the room and the facilties…

Going Places, Uniquely Kuching

Any Taker To Borneo Highlands?

February 27, 2007February 28, 2007 sweet surrender 12 Comments

Update: YAY! Finally booked the trip! *HAPPY* So will be off for holiday at Borneo Highlands this Saturday and Sunday. Stay tune for updates!!! By the way, this is their site http://www.borneohighlands.com.my

YOOOO!!! Borneo Highlands is having a promotion for Chap Goh Meh now. It’s so affordable. You can’t get this kind of price on any other days. Pssstt… You want to go? I might be able to get a bit of discount from the promotion price, no guarantee but maybe. Still the price is so affordable. RM298 for 1 person and the 2nd will be staying for free. Put it in other words, 2 persons for RM298 inclusive of taxes and all the meals and tours for 2 days 1 night. Click picture below for more details.

By the way, this is not a paid post. I posted this because I want to go but I need to find 2 more people. If not I can’t go 🙁 Must tell me earlier so that I can book soon. The trip is this Saturday and Sunday.

Going Places, Uniquely Kuching

Any Taker To Genting?

February 1, 2007February 2, 2007 sweet surrender 7 Comments

OK… Gone are the cruises. I’m planning to go to Genting this April during weekdays, low season. Anyone wants to follow? Of course, you have to pay your own expenditure which include return air ticket, transportations to KL Sentral, to & fro Genting and accomodation of First World Hotel, ~~2 days 3 nights~~3 days 2 night.

It’s not a package but the room quote is for twin sharing. First World Hotel’s standard room rate is about RM38.88 per night(promotion price now) for two persons on weekdays inclusive of breakfast. There is no room for single person. You will have to find another friend to come along to get that rate, else you can also stay at the room yourself by paying that rate. You can go to Genting’s website to check the price. Air Asia is having offer of RM29.99 for flying to KL(one way excluding tax). The transportation from the airport to KL Sentral and then to Genting is less than RM30.

My problem is that, someone has agree to go with me but is a “He”. I won’t be able to go if the travel companion is a “He”. There is no way I can go if he’s the only one going with me. *SIGH* I had asked so many friends but they already have their own travel plan this year or they can’t get leaves :(. Therefore, I would like to ask whoever that is interested to go to Genting to join us. We’ll go to Genting together, board the same flight and go to Genting together as a group. Interested?

Then, of course when at Genting, you can do whatever you want, it doesn’t have to be a group activity. I would recommend those that always want to go to Genting but not sure how to go there to join us or if you’ve been there and wanted to go again, you are welcome too. It doesn’t matter as long that you want to go. That way, you will have people to guide/accompany you up there.

We are taking the advantage of the offer price of air tickets and the rooms rates now. The offer for Air Aisa will end on 7th February, so if you want to go, do act fast. We are planning to board the earliest flight on 23rd April, that way we’ll reach Genting around noon, it will be about time to check-in by then. Anyone? *teary eyes*

*SIGH* If still no taker, then this plan is off again. ANYONE?!??! Gosshh… I’m desperate 🙁

Anyway, if really have to call it off then be it. I hope this post will help give a bit of information to those that want to go to Genting. Besides, it’s Visit Malaysia Year this year, consider this an SEO post 😛

Going Places, Randomness