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I'd be the first to jump at an invitation to visit a zoo if I was traveling in another elsewhere. I've been to several in Aussie, one in Central Park, NYC and another in Singapore. Ironically, at the mention of Zoo Negara, I can't help but cringe and pass on the offer. Sadly my past visits there were a let down with poor facilities and maintenance and sad looking animals resonating a sense of deprivation.
I had a change of perspective last weekend when we (the Discovs) visited the Taiping Zoo and night safari. I was bewildered by the sense of pride the zoo keepers had for the place. I was mesmerized by the amount of info provided at every stop. The Taiping zoo has a rugged feel to it. It's not as "clean" as the Singapore Zoo, with shrubs growing on the pavement and moss carpeting some rocks but there was no indication that the place was poorly maintained. The animals looked hale and hearty (whoops I wasn't planning to eat 'em when I said hearty!)
What surprised me was the absence of the "zoo stench"! If I think of Zoo Negara, the first thing that comes to mind is the stench that greets you at the entrance. Needless to say it was repulsive. However magically or not, I was not greeted with the same stench in Taiping. It wasn't entirely absent through as we caught a whiff of it as we approached the deer sanctuary… thankfully the air cleared after a bit. The Taiping Zoo and night safari was a hidden treasure we stumbled upon. I'm glad the government taking the effort to keep this hidden treasure alive; at least children will have a chance to visit a proper local zoo.
Here are some snapshots of Taiping (taken by Josh Chan). For more pictures and a virtual walk thru the zoo - click here and here, otherwise these are my favs:
One of the few colonial building in Taiping town. The weather was awesome too! What a great shot - reminds me of Christchurch, NZ. 
At the zoo.. just girls (p/s Jirene we missed you!)
All pumped to go in! 
Chimps - this was my first time seeing a real life one. I was amazed at how BIG they were! 
Spotted Civet although small in size can be quite ferocious..
Up close and personal with the deers but not for long because they poop really stinks!
King of the Jungle - I would pay a million bucks just inch close to it!
How odd to be standing on only one leg - reminds me of my ballet training years ago!
I wonder if the world upside down would pose a better view? Hmmm....
The most friendly animals in the zoo!
Time for a dental appointment?
Trip to the zoo was almost a family affair :)
After the zoo, we stumbled upon a great ride - the giant slide at the park!
First up - Hannah, Esther & Lydia
You're never too old for some fun! 
Weeeeee.........
Swish...
Then the guy commanders had a go!! They went berserk!
Sarah... such a gem!
Hannah - the rugged lil gal!
Isabelle - my lil monkey :) 
Spot the "animals"
Finally a decent shot...
12 November 2008
Discovery Rangers in the teeny little town called Taiping
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04 October 2008
From the hills to the beach
The hills...
It's a rare occasion that public holidays coincide with the weekend so well! This Raya we took advantage of the hols and whisked away to Cameron Highlands (CH) and then to Port Dickson (PD). Our last visit to to CH was when we were high schoolers. You can imagine the lapse if you had not visited KL for that many years, some roads might have been ploughed over and replaced with a concrete building. But this is not the same for CH, everything seem absolutely similar. The shops, steamboat restaurants, hotels, markets and not to mention enormous bugs!
Green jigsaw carpet
The endless hills as far as the eye can see
After the morning climb at the plantation, our tummies started a symphony signalling for brunch. There's no better place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner at CH than at The Tcafe. It's a simple and slightly old fashioned set up but they serve the best scones in CH. Their menu extends from western to local dishes and I'd be bold enough to say that almost anything you order would be a feast for your palate. They open from 10am - 9pm and you'd find a steady stream of customers every hour.
We explored CH in the afternoon visiting strawberry farms and buying unbelievably cheap vegetables. We were in veggie and fruit haven! How I wish CH was my backyard, that way I'd never run out of veggies and fruits, my favourite food groups! :)
Before dinner we started on a track to Parit Falls trekking into the jungle only to find a disappointing littered filled waterfall. The huts around the falls were run down and the falls was a nightmare. Living up to its infamous name, translated in English as Drain Falls, rubbish was evidently shrewn all over. We decided to abort track up to the Parit lookover fearing the same conditions up there.
Time for dinner! Prior to the trip we heard from friends that prices of steamboat dinners would be overpriced due to the peak season. We opted for our own steamboat at the park instead. Initially we were even thinking of setting up hot-pot dinner at the top of the tea plantation overlooking the rolling hills. Unfortunately that was not possible as the plantation closes at 430pm.
For desserts we stumbled upon a cosy backpackers place called Cameronian Inn. They serve very good scones. Much smaller than The Tcafe's but equally good. Buttery and crumbly, the strawberry jam was perfect! We also found that the inn held a great reputation for it's hospitable service. Rooms start at RM45 all the way to RM200. The next time I'm at CH, I'd definately stay here.
We manage to take a picture of the scones at the inn before whalloping it! Unfortunately we were too hungry at Tcafe to snap any pics!
The "Prayer for Tourists" was found hanging at the inn. If you can read the small font, it's absolutely hilarious!
The beach...
Starting early the next morning, we spiralled our way down CH all the way to PD. It was Terence's birthday, we had reserved the tad bit of luxury as a treat for his birthday. We checked into the Avillion, Admiral Cove and lazed the day away. Hotel conditions just make you want to rest and relax the entire day. I mean who can resist a super plush king size bed and room service? The room was a gift from my mom to us, knowing it was Terence's birthday she requested the hotel to give us a platter of fruits. What a sweetie!
The bed before I jumped on it!
The lounge, a lovely reading corner
Our view from the studio
Terence's brithday gift...
The silent marina as night falls and boats halt their activities
It's amazing what short trips like this can do for our bodies, mind and spirit. To get away from the daily activities and just unwind. Truly blessed to have 5 days off. If you've not been on holiday for a long time, maybe it's time to take time off. You'd come back energized and inspired, ready to go another mile (or two).
22 September 2008
Royal Rangers Sel #7 20th Anniversary
Royal Rangers Sel 7 outpost celebrated our 20th anniversary last weekend. We whisked over 200 people to Bukit Cahaya, Shah Alam to celebrate two decades of God’s faithfulness. The entire event lasted 5 hours with a walk through history as individual huts were decorated with banners and memorabilia representing different age groups, timelines and eras. Then guests were treated to a campfire meal of meat and veggies wrapped in tin foil. The campsite was a buzz with activity and chatter.
The sun soon descended and night covered the jungle, as the guests took their seats around a council fire. The huge sand pit looked amazing, with spotlights illuminating the place, the council fire sandwich between two huge and outstanding backdrops and the Malaysian, Selangor and Royal Rangers flags at the entrance. For the next 2 hours, the council fire blazed as we celebrated our 20 years with songs, skit, award ceremony and other items.
When Sel 7 first set out to plan our anniversary celebration, we wanted to capture the very essence of what Rangers is about. Our mission remains the same that is to reach, teach and keep boys and girls for Christ. Today we look back and acknowledge the lives we have touched but the job is evidently not done yet. We also wanted to embrace two decades of priceless memories. Indeed Rangers is about enduring relationships fostered throughout the years and the common passion we all have for the great adventure.
Above all we wanted to remember and radiate God’s faithfulness. I’m overflowing with thanks for His hands in all of this but I also know that greater things are awaiting us. Many times we look back and celebrate milestones (what a great reflection we all should practice) but milestones are not only for the past, it’s also for the future. What’s the next milestone for the Royal Rangers? Our anniversary celebration was aptly themed “Empowering The Next Generation” because reminiscence and awesome memories are just not enough to spur us on. It takes the unmerited grace and power of God to take us where He wants us to be. For this reason I’m challenged and excited at the same time humbled at the fact that I’m part of something greater myself and my capabilities.
Photos coming soon…
01 September 2008
Conquered Gunung Ledang!
9 ½ hours of climbing on rugged terrain merciless to our over stretched limbs. The trail had us weaving through dense forest and narrow paths. Gunung Ledang was more than we expected but it thrill to know that it wasn't a walk in the park. You'd see why… read on!
We started our hike at 7am from Ledang National Park. The initial few minutes into the trail consist of climbing up 600 over stairs. After about 15 mins of steep and narrow stairs, we got to Check Point (CP) 1, the first of 8 CP's. 
The ascent gradually moved from cement to moist forest soil. The climb from then on was a endless uphill with no flat ground to catch a breather. The landscape was magnificent with towering trees and the gush of fresh air at every inhale. Fierce looking boulders greeted us along the path, so big at times I felt like an ant next to it. 
The trail got even more exciting when we had to climb up ladders secured on tree roots propped onto massive boulders and vertical platforms. We climbed the ladders as if children would, on all fours fearing that if we lose grip we will fall 90 degrees backward. We wanted a challenge and we got it. 
For the first time after countless hikes, I finally found a trail that literally required arm strength. Ladders were not enough to test our endurance, from CP5 onwards; our arms were really put to test. Some parts of the trail required us to hoist ourselves up with just a rope! I felt like Jane (from Tarzan) pulling and tugging at the rope. 
The ultimate experience came when we had to pull ourselves up a 2-storey boulder at 45degree gradient. Every muscle and ounce of energy was needed to make this ascent. The guide later told us that many have turned back because they failed to make this part of the ascent. It must have been a waste to come so far just to stop at a fierce looking rock. 
We continued along the trail moving out of the dense forest into rocky paths. At about 1130am after 4 ½ hours of climbing, the summit was finally a stone's throw away. We reached the peak at 1215pm with a shouted of victory! As a toast to our achievement, we opened a bottled of Gatorade and gulped it down. Food was next on the agenda. Starving by now, we quickly fired up a packet of Maggi Mee and emptied two cans of tuna into our mess can. Lunch was finished in less than 7 mins! 
The view at the summit (I'm sure) would have been more spectacular if the clouds cleared a bit more. But we were the least disappointed as we had the entire summit to ourselves. 
The Lord had granted us great weather throughout the morning and it so happened the clouds decided to blow in just as we were there. But we managed to catch glimpses of Malacca. 
We begin our descent at 1245pm. We took a different trail down, this time much easier, less exciting and downhill all the way. The scenery also changed with great views of mountainous sights. 
Midway into our descent, we were met with a heart stopping encounter. Our guide suddenly stopped in his track and immediately asked us to stop. We heard of rustling of leaves then silence. Hoping to inch closer to our guide for protection, he spun around and asked us to stop. The rustling started again, then we heard loud angry snorts, then loud charging steps. Unaware of where the sounds were coming from Terence and I froze, hands clutched together, heart pounding. The snorts got louder and the steps got fiercer. My mind was reeling with many thoughts – what do it do?! Headlines flashed before my very eyes "Hikers got mauled by wild boar". My eyes prancing left and right trying to locate the vicious animal. After minutes of crazy thoughts our guide shouted "Come!" we ran as fast as we could and trailed him within inches for the rest of the journey.
Climbing Ledang was a priceless experience. It wasn't the summit that made it worthwhile but the journey (with it's ups and downs) that made it remarkable. Both Terence and I took back many life lessons while climbing the mountain.
28 August 2008
Climbing Gunung Ledang
We’re off again on another outdoor adventure! It’s the long Merdeka weekend and we’re not about to sit on our laurels watching TV all day (boring!) or elbow our way through crowded malls (stressful!) Instead we chose to put our limbs to work by climbing Gunung Ledang (crazy!).
Gunung Ledang stands as the tallest mountain in the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia. It reaches a soaring 4187ft and temperatures at the summit can dip as low as 10c. I’ve made a mental note to bring lots of hot choc sachets and Continental soup! They work like instant tummy warmers!
We’re headed down south to Tangkak, Johor on Friday evening so that we can start climbing at 7am the next day. According to some excerpts found on the net, the climb up to the summit takes approximately 5-6hours. Most people would climb halfway up, stay a night and do the summit and descend the next day. We are hoping against all odds to reach the summit and return to base camp all in a day. That means 10-12 hours of hiking (madness!)
We’ve been hiking Gasing for a month and half to prepare for this. Honestly more training would have been better but our schedule was already sardine pack. Will have to trust that our bodies will rise up to the challenge and conquer the summit. We’re also praying for great weather, no rain and lots of shine.
Till we reach base camp – more stories on Gunung Ledang and the adventurous duo!
11 June 2008
Dive Tioman
Early June we decided it was time to dive Tioman after hearing so much about its pristine beauty amidst the perpetual development on the island. I was eager to get a tan too since I’ve been starving my skin from sunshine prior to the wedding.
The weekend holiday was perfect with comfortable beach huts fully furnished with simple beds, a small bathroom and air condition. The resort overlooked a quiet stretch of beach with hammocks scattered across and a family run restaurant to feed our hunger. The dive operator owns the piece of land with a small wooden shelter for the dive equipment.
To add to the friendly seaside atmosphere, we had a display of lights – fire to be exact. A towel twisted into a ball at the end of a metal sling is soaked in kerosene and lit on fire. Then fearless men who have been practicing and playing this with fire for many years will then swing it around their heads with gusto. The skill displays such spectacular style as the fireballs illuminate the dark skies.
The weekend came to a close with a tanner me, more snapshots of underwater beauty, a new Junior Open Water diver and an upgrade into Advance Open Water for Terence.
Terence and Debbie :)
