If I could point out one unique trait that is ultimately Malaysian, it is our love for food. Believe it or not, this is the underlying foundation of Malaysian hospitality. I mean, if you bumped into your relatives, friends, acquaintance, or even someone you just met, the first question (after due introduction, of course) is "Have you eaten yet?" Now don't deny it - all Malaysians do it - myself included.

It is for this love and passion for food, coupled with a melting pot of cultures, customs and heritage that gives birth to delicacies that tickles your taste buds, satisfy your cravings and - at times - makes you go 'is that even edible?'.

I have had the pleasure of visiting my younger brother, now working in Ipoh, and sampled some of the local food. Yeah we're Malaysians, but lemme let you in on a secret - in just about every state, every city, every village's nook and cranny, you'll most likely find one (or even more) of the local food that is unique to the locality.

While I have had burgers umpteen times before, the place that my brother brought me that night had a very different kind of burger. Located at Ulu Kinta, Ipoh, Perak (Foursquare: http://4sq.com/1IEoNhE) Eight Miles is just out of my expectation. At first glance from the roadside, it looked like any other typical roadside stalls, but when we went in and sat down, there is a quaintness that I just can't put a finger on. What's special about the place? Burger Banjir (lit. Flooded Burger).

Perhaps it is in the overall decor - a reminder of my school time where wooden tables and rocky stools were ever present. Perhaps it was in the chalkboard menu - rusty, smeared, pastel colored chalks. Even the windows were that of 20 years back - glass shingled with wrought iron grills.

It is definitely for the food that people come here. The portion is just nice, leaning towards the just-a-tad-extra-for-one-person portion. That said, my brother and I ordered 3 mains to share between the two of us. Before that though, let me share with you what we had for drinks (at this point I no longer remember the name but my brother's had a stick of lemongrass in it, and I believe I had an apple something-something).

The first to arrive was the burger - we chose a rabbit meat patty (I should call it a bunny burger >.<) (for non-malay speakers, rabbit meat is 'daging arnab' - get that if you have a chance to visit the place). It was delish - the patty was light and juicy, and the gravy - well - true to the name, they flooded the plate with black pepper sauce. A personal opinion that doesn't devalue Eight Miles and their signature Burger Banjir - I prefer rabbit meat with mustard instead of chilli sauce and mayonnaise. I didn't ask if they had mustard until I took a bite of it, but it tasted good with chilli sauce and mayonnaise still.

We also ordered a Full Tank Lamb Chop and Chicken Chop (two separate plates). No other words to describe them other than tender, succulent and savoury. It is to the point that I didn't believe that this is served in a roadside stall! I was slightly miffed by the fact that all the sauces in the Burger Banjir, Lamb Chop and Chicken Chop were the same sauce, but it did taste great. Another personal opinion here: I also didn't like my fries (British calls them chips) to be mixed on the place with the gravy - I prefer them to have their own little clean corner on one side of the plate along with the salad. But y'know that's just me. Most people don't mind - and lemme just add that they tasted good anyways!

So yeah, I initially thought Eight Miles Burger Banjir would fall short from expectation, but as it turns out my expectations were misplaced *takes a bite of the humble pie*. I would definitely want to come back here again - order an Oblong maybe. And perhaps, joined by a fellow blogger and burger enthusiast Aliey from NTGravityZone!

If y'all want to find out more about Eight Miles, their menus, location and operating hours, do visit their Facebook page or follow them on Instagram @eightmilesbistro. I am not sure about their Twitter - but if the social media coordinator for Eight Miles is reading this, put up a comment below so that more people can find and interact with you. (p/s if you could also correct me on the drinks we had, that'd be awesome too!) So, til next time! Cheers!

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Disclaimer: While the writer did not state any pricing for any items, the prices are correct at time of publishing. Should any variance occur, the prices stated at the premise is to be followed. 

Hoooooyyeeaaahhhh!! 5 more days for that time of the year again where flocks of different folks come together for one of the most anticipated event of the year - the RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014. This is it's 17th year, voted for the 5th consecutive year as one of the 25 best International Festivals by renowned world music magazine, Songlines. 

With management experience and worldwide recognition, you can rest assure that the event is as safe as any festival event as can be. Teams of staffs and volunteers alike line up to ensure the event flows according to plan with contingency and action plans accounted for any unplanned events. 

That being said, you, as festival goer, should not neglect your own safety nor the safety of other festival goers.  Remember, have fun responsibly!

The Venue
If you've been to the festival in the previous years or are already familiar with the Sarawak Cultural Village grounds, the same general rules still apply since past years. If this is your first time, here's an aerial view of the Sarawak Cultural Village (courtesy of Sarawak CUltural VIllage and rwmf.net)

The Programme
It's worth noting that some visitors to the Rainforest World Music Festival come for the highlight of the whole festival - the evening performance from participating bands from all around the world and spend the day sight-seeing around Kuching Town. The festival has loads and loads to offer, especially for the musical enthusiast looking for exposure and experience. Plan your timing, try to arrive early for the best spots and do join the afternoon workshops or shop for souvenirs at the arts and crafts or memorabilia booths set all over the festival venue. There are also plenty of food stalls if you feel like tasting the local delicacies. You can print out the daily festival program here:

• Day One | Friday (June 20th, 2014)
• Day Two | Saturday (June 21st, 2014)
• Day Three | Sunday (June 22nd, 2014)

The Dress Code
Kuching, in general, has good whether. However, it can be unpredictable. Dress for comfort. I have seen festival goers particularly ladies wearing high heels to the festival. This is highly discouraged as one, the festival ground spans over a large area and a whole lot of walking is expected; two, the walkways are made up of woodplanks (to reflect the traditional way back when) and there are gaps between the planks; three, the front-stage or 'mosh-pit' is earth, not paved, not woodplanks. 

I recommend t-shirt or tank tops, especially those made with jersey or quick dry material, shorts, and flip-flops. 

Accessories
I cannot stress this enough. Last year was my second time going to the festival, and my first as a media representative - on which I made a couple of small but costly errors. The first being not having a power bank for my devices. I almost used up all my phone battery by the first hour of the evening performance. So yeah, bring along a power bank or extra battery for whatever you may need. There are power points in Dewan Lagenda (I cannot confirm if these can be used) but you don't want to be grounded with all the happenings around you, do you? 

The second was my memory stick - I barely have enough memory to store all those photos I took with my DLSR! Dang! By all mean I'm no pro, but like many I want to capture the moment in photos! 

So to help you out, here's a checklist of items that you might want to consider bringing along with you.

1. Powerbank for your devices.
2. Chargers, again for your devices. I'm adding a power extension cord here. Sharing is caring, no? Plus, it's a good way to make friends!
3. A spare change of clothes, kept in a plastic bag to keep dry. 
4. Toiletries - this is really up to you how much you want to / can stuff into your backpack. Wet-wipes, tissue and toilet rolls, hand sanitisers are basic. Keep them in a sealed bag or plastic bag to keep them from getting wet in case it rains. 
5. Raincoat / poncho / umbrella - unless if you don't mind getting wet in case it rains.
6. A small torchlight - you never know if and when it becomes handy.
7. A whistle - to attract attention if you found yourself in a predicament. 
8. A backpack to keep all these in. 

Things NOT to bring to the concert! They WILL be confiscated!

1. DRUGS! Just say no to them. There are other ways to have fun, like, uhh.. I dunno - just enjoy the music and the crowd?
2. Dangerous objects / objects that can cause harm - knives, scissors, sharp objects etc. Simply, if the items were not allowed in an aeroplane, they will not be allowed to be brought into the event grounds. 
3. Food and drinks - yeah this is quite unfortunate. Even bottled water were confiscated last year. They do sell them inside at a price, so do bring cash with you. 

Additionally, for those who plan to drive to the festival,

1. Unless you have the official car sticker, you won't be able to drive into the festival ground. Ensure your car is safely parked and locked. DO NOT leave any valuables in your car (This is a general rule, festival or not >.<)
2. Wrap your seat with old newspaper or plastic. If it rains, it will be muddy and you'll want your car interior to still be clean. 
3. Bring a few bottles of water, both for drinking and to wash up after the event. 
4. If you want to skip 2 and 3 above altogether, just keep a spare change of clothes in the bonnet and change before you drive home. 

Keeping safe
Always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you're going to the festival by yourself (in which case you can also contact me! I'll most probably meet my friends there, you're always welcomed to tag along). 

If you're travelling in a group, set up a MEETING POINT in the festival grounds. You'll most probably see other groups of festival goers carrying banners and signs like these. It's also a good idea to wear an identifier i.e bracelets, sash, cap etc. in case you need to quickly locate a missing member by announcing from the PA system. 

Do OBEY THE LAWS AND FESTIVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS. They are there for a reason. For one, it's you keep you and other festival goers safe. For another, it's to ensure that the festival management successfully organised the event for yet another year, keeping a good track record in hope that next year it will be held bigger and better!

STAY HYDRATED. Drink lots of water, and stay under the shade as much as possible to avoid dehydration and heat strokes. Generally, tap water in the festival venue is treated, but there may still be pathogenic microorganisms that can cause diarrhea or worse. Drink bottled water instead - or beer, whichever you prefer >.<

ENJOY!!
After all, that is the main reason why you'd come to a festival in the first place, no? 

P/s:  http://preciousmadphoto.wordpress.com also provides some really good RWMF survival tips here. 

 

Day in and day out, days and days gone by, I find myself swept away by the tides of time. Barely having any time just to sit down and write a post. Couldn't steal an hour or two just running my imagination over the chapters of a book. Tending less and less to the friends I miss all too much.

A good rest was well earned, and rested I did at BB Bunkers, Damai Central. A fresh change from the typical hotel getaway, BB Bunkers offers a hostel-style place to stay (hey, they didn't come up with the name 'Bunkers' just for the sake of a name, did they?). With all basic amenities well built at an affordable rate, one can just dump their luggage and start enjoying the nature straightaway without much hassle. 

And boy did I enjoy myself. Credits to BB Bunkers, along with co-organizers Damai Central and Escobar for hosting the Bloggers Night out! Not only did they invite us bloggers, but we also get to bring a guest of our own too! Much fun!

Honestly, after a helluva week at work, a break like this is just in the nick of time. I arrived at Damai Central just in time for dinner at Escobar. I managed to just catch up with fellow bloggers I met almost a year ago at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2013, snapped a few shots and popped my head into some of the amenities available in BB Bunkers before making my way to dinner. Owh the food was very delish. What's even more funny tho, is that when the food arrived, everybody tried to sneak a picture or two of each dish before they were all enjoyed. At first, everyone was shy, barely catching the macro shots of the food - but when we all realized that most of us are bloggers and we all will want good food shots on our blogs, the shyness evaporated and it was as if "NOBODY TOUCH THE FOOD! WE NEED TO GET PICTURES! THIS IS SPARTA!!" kind of moment (well obviously I exaggerated but nonetheless, it was hilarious to be in that situation!)

Later that night was when things got interesting. Because of the configuration the 'pods' in BB Bunkers, there is very little privacy. If you're looking for a quiet getaway - honestly, you're looking at the wrong place. If you're not into mingling with others and prefer to be left in your own peaceful and quiet self, this isn't the place for you. But, if you're looking to meet new and random people, spend the whole night awake chit-chatting and merry-making, boy you couldn't be any closer! BB Bunkers, as the name suggests, offers 'pods' as oppose to rooms. 

Pod Types and Configurations

1 x Family Pod (1 x double bed & 1 x sofa bed)

6 x Double Pod (1 x double bed)

2 x Single Pod (1 x single bed)

2 x Twin Pod (2 x single bed)

3 x Triple Pod (3 x single bed)

1 x Dorm Pod (5 x single bed)

Rates

Weekdays: Single bed (in any pod) : RM50 Double Pod : RM80 Family Pod : RM120 Entire Venue : RM1200

Weekends: Single bed (in any pod) : RM60 Double Pod : RM100 Family Pod : RM150 Entire Venue : RM1500

RWMF 2014: Single bed (in any pod) : RM110 Double Pod : RM180

Damai Central as the co-organizer lined up the activities for us to try out. At first I opted for jungle trekking - but considering the drizzle and that most of my fellow bloggers signed up for the bicycle ride, I jumped ship and joined them instead. I can't remember when was the last time I rode a bicycle, but it was so very worth it! A few runs up and down the hills, we arrived at Kampung Santubong, after visiting the tomb of Sultan Tengah, the first and last Sultan of Sarawak. That hour and a half, about 10 km ride in the drizzling rain made me forget about the troubles I was carrying and even though I was completely and utterly exhausted by the time I got back, I was completely refreshed! I managed to get some spheres too! 

BB Bunkers | Damai Central | Pantai Puteri | Klinik Kesihatan Kampong Santubong 

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com 

If you're planning ahead to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival 2014 this coming June, BB Bunkers is definitely a good choice. It is strategically located just opposite of the main entrance to Sarawak Cultural Village where the annual international music festival is held every year. Or if you're just looking for a simple night out with some outdoor activities, do book ahead. You'll find almost all your needs met - from 24 hours 7-Eleven convenience store just next door, Medan Food Court, Bayridge Seafood Restaurant, Escobar, Movie Night, to kayaking, bicycle ride, jungle trekking or a good visit to Sarawak Cultural Village! All-in-all, a great experience. 

classy  .  chic  .  cosy

BB Bunkers

Unit C1 Damai Central 

Pantai Damai Santubong 

93050 Kuching Sarawak

T : +608.AT.HOTEL (+6082846835)

F : +60.82.846835

E : talk2us@bbbunkers.com

W : www.bbbunkers.com

Note : 

* All information is correct at the time of post. 

* Some photos courtesy of credited photographers :
Lets ngerepak ... with Tia

NTGravity

PreciousMad Photography

Not to air my dirty linen in public, but me and my girlfriend had a row earlier today. She explicitly gave permission to "kidnap" her for the rest of the day.. this was at 9.30-ish, and by "kidnap", she meant it's ok for me to plan the rest of the day spending time with each other. 

It was 11-ish when I managed to leave home to pick her up - when she said she had to go with this uncle of hers to do some errands. I was literally five minutes away from her house when she said she'd already left, and yeah, I was sort of annoyed. Since I can't do anything about it, I turned around and waited at one of the bus stops. 

A few minutes later she said she was already home, and was again, going to go out to do some more errands with the same uncle. I got even more annoyed, and figured I best spend the time waiting for her at my office. This, because she told me I would have to wait awhile. I had only just booted up my laptop when she told me she was already home and ready. So I got even more annoyed, this time with myself for having driven so far only to have to drive back! 

All in all, we spent some great quality time together. I had to adjust most of my plans - in fact did nothing on the list because I was no longer in the mood and did everything else instead. Telling myself, 

..the problem is not the problem. the problem is your attitude towards the problem..

The main reason why that suddenly became my mantra for the day was, when I got to her house and we went our way, I was still annoyed. Pissed off, to be exact. Not just because I had lost about an hour of time to spend with her, but also because of her uncle. What pissed me off most was how she casually waltz in and began talking about how she hates having her time taken away by this uncle. She could've gotten some work done. She could've continued her to-do list. She could've this.. She could've that.. 

I could not find any me there.. 

Again, the problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude towards the problem. So I told myself, it's ok. She just needs to vent, so let her vent. She just needs to say what's on her mind, so lend an ear and listen. And she's there, isn't she? Why waste your time letting your annoyance get the best of you? So I made yet another excuse for her, and told myself that it's ok.. 

Now, as I sat typing this, had it been me at her position, I would handle it very differently. I would apologize for the slight delay in the plan - and apologize again when we finally met, to make sure that we're both ok. I would then put the attention back on us, just the two of us, because at that point of time, there is just us, spending time with each other. A little romance wont hurt anyone, right? And you don't need your throat to hold hands. 

I suppose venting it out here makes no difference. She will definitely not be affected by it, strong, hard headed, single minded person that she is. And I admire her for that. I can't change her design, and not apologizing, even when it was clearly expected of her, is just not her design. Still, she is the one I have chosen to grow old with, even if there is a very high chance with her wanting to travel the world, we would grow old apart. In a way, I would still be growing old with her - just not beside each other. 

My heart just about stopped in the middle of doing a system behavior analysis, not because of the sheer complexity of the task at hand, but the background music I was listening to. The myriad of thoughts just suddenly flashed and I had to excuse myself from the table. I was suddenly scared. Very, very scared.

I'd like to think of myself as the supporter. I rarely motivate. In a way, I feel when I motivate, I impose myself onto the person, whereas as a supporter, I stand somewhere in the behind, so that if the person ever feels like falling, I'd be able to support and cushion that person. 

And recently, my better half found her own motivation to pursue her dreams. More than that, she found ways to realize the dream, and off she went - going on and on and on about how she's going to do this and that, around here and over there, because this is possible and that is just within grasp. Dealing with her anxiety is easy, and when she expressed her enthusiasm of travelling, I became that supporter, promising myself to prepare a home for her to return to. 

But then, as I hear that song, I was so overwhelmed with fear - one so personal between us that it was never even expressed. I'm scared of losing you before your time, and I'm scared of not being around to hold and kiss you one last time. Owh man... I just wanna grow old with you.. 

Tanjong Manis, Mukah.. Yes, it is spelt with an 'o' ... If u come here, please, have little or no expectations at all. Otherwise, 'o' will be the answer to all statements that you hear..

This is the longest period I have to stay here, so far.. 1 whole week.. 4 days n 3 nights alone.. Days is fine - I'm at the office most of the time.. At night.. well, lets just say that when the cat is away, the mouse came out to play.. literally.. and play they did.. I couldnt sleep well for 3 nights fearful of the rat creeping in while I'm asleep and nibble my ears off..

But staying alone have its own advantages.. I get the whole rest house all to myself.. plenty of space to lie and sleep, and plenty of mattresses too.. Last night I stacked 3 mattresses and.. errr.. woke up the next morning with a slight back pain.. too much of good stuffs can be hazardous sometimes.. luckily it went away after a few hours..

And being alone, I seem to eat less.. And exercise more.. been jogging round the neighborhood since the first day I'm here.. doing push ups, sit ups, a little bit of self-taught yoga.. beats lying around doing nothing at all, yeah?

Well, tomorrow's my fifth day.. gonna b back in Kuching Saturday evening, and flying to KL early Sunday morning.. Not that I'm complaining tho.. haha