A Field Trip to Sembrong Dam

Backdated to July this year, I happened to have an opportunity to follow a PhD student for a field trip for water sampling in Sembrong Dam. It was an unique experience for me because I seldom have this kind of chances where I am not a science stream student.

Sembrong Dam is located about 10km from Air Hitam town in the state of Johor on the Air Hitam - Kluang road. Our main purpose for this field trip was to collect water sample for algae research for the PhD thesis. The preparation was all done by the PhD student and I was just followed the instruction. 

I didn't expect the Dam look so beautiful and natural, the fact is actually it is a man-made dam where it was completed in 1984. Every time when we visited the Dam, we need to passed through the village and rural area before we reached the dam. It might be difficult to drive especially raining day where the road is full with mud. Besides, this is the area for PLKN training as well where I can see the youth kayaking in the dam.

Although this is not a place for tourism, but you still can visit UK Agro resort around the area and enjoy your leisure there!

 

Toucheng Leisure Farm, Taiwan

If you love natural, this is a place you should visit - Toucheng Leisure Farm. Toucheng is located at Yilan, which is within two hours drive from Taipei. I personally love this place, it is tranquil and peaceful, and I like the love story behind where the 100 hectares land was given by the husband to his lovely wife as a gift. 

I hope one day I can have a place like this to build a natural school. Students can have fun, learn and benefits from the natural environment. There are a lot of activities you can experience in Toucheng, we had learn to build sky lanterns at night and a morning walk in the vegetable and animal farm for a one night stay in Toucheng.

At the earlier morning, if you can wake up for the sun rise, that will be better. But I failed to wake up in the earlier morning, only my father and brother are able to walk up the hills to enjoy sun rise. In morning, a healthy organic foods and mantou was served for breakfast. Besides, we had a delight dinner at their Cang Jiu Winery place, where we had to ride their cars passed through the forest to the place.

My family vacation in Taiwan together with my parent and brother

The accommodation and wide spacious of  area in the front enable you to have a walk and relax yourself

A professional guide was with us for the farm tour by explaining the hectares belong to Toucheng

The white spots in the tree indicated that the the degree of freshness of the air surrounding

The water look clear and normally during summer, school kids will be playing around in the small river

Feeding the buffalo

Lush green paddy field in Toucheng farm

A paddy field house

My father was pulling white radish in the farm, comparison the radish he got was juicy than in Malaysia

A delight dinner was served, we had an appetizer, salad and steamboat with soya milk

Wishes was written all around the lanterns before send off in the sky

 

Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge is the landmark of Australia, if you have not visited this place, you are not consider been to Australia. In 2007, Sydney Opera House was nominated as part of UNESCO's world heritage list for its creativity and innovation in both architectural and structural design.

Sydney Opera House was designed by Jorn Utzon, the winner of the ‘International competition for a national opera house at Bennelong Point, Sydney’. The original estimated budget to build Sydney Opera House was $7 millions, but it end up the final cost was $102 millions.

Sydney Opera House is located near the Harbour Bridge and sits on the Bennelong Point. The opera house served as one of the most famous performing art centers in the world. The building has five theatres and rehearsal studios, two main halls, four restaurants, six bars and souvenir shops. The largest concert hall can seat through 2,679 persons and the "Concert Hall Grand Organ is the largest mechanical organ in the world, with 10,154 pipes".

How you can enjoy the panoramic view of  Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

1. Make a stop at Mrs Macquarie's Chair for a superb bird's eye  of the building and bridge.

2. Enjoy your drink in the bar.

3. Board the Sydney Highlight Cruise sail around the beautiful Sydney harbour and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.

4. Sydney Harbour Bridge climb - an experience you will never forget!

5. Walk around the building...

 

Beijing scammed...part II

I thought I was getting a good news from Beijing regarding my scammed case, but it all come with hassle. One morning, I received a call from my previous travel agent of Beijing which he mentioned that he received a call from the Beijing officer regarding my complaint on buying an expensive medicine. He then help me to contact the Tibet Hospital and they agreed to return my money when I returned them the medicines.

The reasons they gave me are this is the retailing price they are selling. The ingredients of the product is difference from the website I visited therefore the price is difference. But when I asked them what are the ingredients, they failed to answer. I did not explore further, since they agreed to send me back the money, I was happy although I only managed to return few bottles which I did not consume yet. After calculation, a bottle they charged was as high as RM300 per bottle, which mean per pill is RM15. How ridiculous!

But this morning, when I went to our POS office Malaysia to arrange the parcel, they didn't allow me to send the parcel as sending medicine to oversea is prohibited unless I got an official letter from the hospital of China or our Ministry of Health. I then called to the Beijing, but unfortunately, the letter will be written in Mandarin which our government would not accept it. I have to try my luck again in our Ministry of Health. It all will consume more time and more hassle.

Can anybody suggests any alternative? I really need your advice. 

Puffing Billy Steam Train

Thanks to all those volunteers who rosters for a wide range of duties in Puffing Billy Railway, therefore we are able to enjoy the nostalgic ride in the world's oldest steam train passing through fern gullies and lush rainforest of the Dandenongs Ranges.

I really highly saluted these volunteers and Puffing Billy Preservation Society for their efforts in keeping Puffling Billy Railway's operation since 1962, if not the line would not be economical.

We took the ride in Menzies Greek and get down at Belgrave. Marvel at the scenery and panoramic views of the Sherbrooke Forest which passed by your carriage window.   

I was lucky to meet native bird - Australian Crimson Rosella which is describe as very sociable, and that is why I managed to took its picture closed up. The colourful blue cheek patch, red head and breast, plus the black edge with blue in their wings and tail looks pretty.

 

Beware of Rhino in Australia?!!

When travel in Australia, you will noticed a yellow postal of "Beware of Rhino" on a skateboard pasted everywhere in the tram stations. It is a very creative advertising and I am really curious at the first place what is the rhinoceros the advertising try to refer to. And it was the tram!

After some study done online, the rhino icon being used because the 30 rhinos are described as equal to one tram. Then you can imagine if you were hit by a tram then are hit by 30 rhinos. What are disaster! But how were they came out with this figure? Andrew brought up an idea that average weight of rhino is 225kg, if 30 rhinos will be 6750kg, but a Melbourne tram is 2450kg.

I really have no idea, but I will said the impact is big and you can quickly imagine 30 rhinos = 1 tram in your head. Then you will be more careful when you crossed the road. Just like previously the Digi's yellow man campaign make me always remembered that I have a yellow friend with me previously when I were using their service. Haha! What do you all think?

 

Queen Victoria Market

On Tuesday, we reached Queen Victoria Market around 3pm but unfortunately most of the stalls had closed. We decided to come back here on Friday's morning since our hotel just located not far away and it took around 10 minutes walk from there. Therefore, please bear in mind the timing when you wanted to visit Queen Victoria Market. According to the website,  it closed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Good Friday... and the operating hours are 6am to 2pm for weekdays and longer timing for weekend.

The Queen Victoria Market had around 130 year-old and it is the largest market in Australia. There have open air market separate into wet and dry market (as per my observation), Deli Hall and Meat Hall. According to the tourist guide, the previous day of Queen Victoria Market was the old cemetery, and there were still 9000 bodies buried underneath the market’s car park.

Evening visit to the market was quiet and solitude, especially in winter when the sun sink earlier. It reminded me the history and ghost story told by the tour guide. But the morning of the market is totally different, lively and bustling. The vegetables and fruits are fresh and juicy. Comparison, the price to cook at home are cheaper than dine in restaurant.

There are souvenirs you can buy in cheap price in this local market but there are mainly from China. The tour guide told us that we can even get a "three generation" T-shirt from here but I wonder what is the meaning of three generation she was mentioned. At first, I thought the the quality of the T-shirt is so good until it can last for the usage of three generation. But I was wrong, instead, mentioned by the tour guide, after washing the T-shirt, from your father size can shrink to your size and later your child size. What a funny story, haha...

 

Enjoyed a cup of latte with my mum in McCafe nearby the Meat Hall