Kelantan indoor archery cup 2017 - Part 1

Our first archery tournament at the East Coast...

I have very low expectations when I signed up for the 2017 Kelantan Indoor Archery Cup in Kota Baru.
A fellow archer Wan Rohafizan had alerted me about the tournament taking place in mid-March and it didn't take long for me to get the details to sign-up.
This is the second year such an event is being organised in Kelantan and what got me really interested was the location of the tournament.
Jeff, my shooting buddy and I represented the Subang Barebow Archers. Michelle is nursing her post-surgical wounds and will be out of action until May this year. The other archer, Mr Lau is changing his shooting style after a poor performance in Bangi.

Preparations

Like any other tournament, we spent time training at the range. Our aim is to get a nice grouping on a 40cm, 10-ring target face. This is the standard shooting format at all indoor tournaments for Barebow archery.
The last time we shot, was in Bangi. Following that, we trained at our range. Getting shot placements, grouping and consistency in check and balance.
Since Kota Baru is about 1,200km round trip, we had to book our accommodation in advance. My preferred lodging is Tune Hotel which is located near the city centre. Since I had to drive, the car was serviced for the long-haul.
After paying the tournament fees (RM100/US$22.60) we secured a place at the shooting line.
My choice bow was the Hoyt Tiburon. I grew very fond of this modern traditional takedown bow. For arrows, it's the Easton Axis Traditional size 500 carbon shafts.

The fantastic journey...

At the old Gua Musang train station in Kelantan

Samo made his mark in Kelantan...

Enjoying a late lunch before heading off to the event venue

We left KL a day before the tournament and took a long drive via the Bentong - Kota Baru trunk road.
The journey was a breeze as there weren't many vehicles on the road. I wanted to show Jeff, my shooting partner Gua Musang in Southern Kelantan. We had a short break there before proceeding towards Kota Baru.
By late noon, we arrived in the city and went straight to get our lunch. The choice makan place was Lim Siong Kee Beef Noodles located opposite Tune Hotel.
Jeff loved the beef noodles and compared it with the branch in Puchong, Selangor. He said the one in Kelantan tastes even better. Maybe he was really hungry!
After a good fill, we made our way to Pusat Tarbiah Islamiah Kelantan (PUTIK) located near the airport.
There was some confusion on Google Maps as the apps navigator led us to the airport's departure terminal instead.
After a phone call was made, we were redirected to the actual place. It was supposed to be registration, equipment inspection and practise. But that didn't happen.

We met a fellow barebow archer Wan Rohafizan at the PUTIK hall. He was there earlier to compete in the Men's Recurve open event and was ranked 12/16. 
Wan is an aspiring barebow archer who has also competed at the International Barebow Championship in Bangkok last year.
His experience is invaluable as barebow archers are growing in numbers. 
We indulged in a conversation and also met Simon, a Singaporean who organised the IBC event in Bangkok.

 After hours...

We scouted the location and felt that it was time to head back to town, check-in at the hotel and prepare for the tournament day.
Jeff was really suprised with Kota Baru as a city. The impression he had was a backwards town that is repressed.
What came as a surprise was beers in Chinatown and roasted pork in skewers. We had a meal in town and chilled out with a couple of beers before hitting the sack...

Penang - Part 3

As the Sun goes down...

Penang was packed with cyclists on the day I arrived.
Johnny Ng and his buddies have checked-in at the T+ hotel on Macallum Road. I made a beeline to place and came across a large group of cyclists. Most of them are from out of town. They were there to ride around the island.
I made contact with Johnny. He was with his brother Ricky and business partner Randy. There were only four of us and we were headed towards Teluk Kumbar for dinner...

Blanched octopus, house dish 

Ma Poh pork with Man Cou dumplings

The happy campers!

You can't go wrong with fresh seafood

My great company in Penang

The Hai Boey experience...

I was introduced to the HaI Boey seafood restaurant by my buddy Eddie Chua some years back. 
Its one of the best makan places around and serves some really awesome dishes.
We took a drive from Georgetown to Teluk Kumbar and I had constantly reminded the guys about the heavy traffic.
Johnny tried to get a higher quota of people, but none of the guys he had contacted were available. More food, less share.
Over at the restaurant, I ordered some of the famous house dishes. The guys have had a great time savouring the awesome good.
And as daylight faded away over the horizon, it was time to head back to Georgetown.

Prayers for the Ghost Festival in Georgetown

The nightly entertainment...

Chulia Street

Soup noodles

A wantan mee stall in Chulia Street...

Calling it a day...

There was a huge build-up of people at the T+ hotel in Macallum Road. Mostly cyclists and people who Johnny knew too well.
Some of the regulars were having coffee at a hipster joint nearby. We went over and my cue to leave was the RM35 per bottle IPA beer at the joint.
I walked back towards Carnavon Road and was sidetracked by some loud music coming from a lane.
There, I realised that there were nightly prayers offered for the Ghost King. It was the Hungry Ghost Festival. Held every year to appease the spirits of the dead, its a real big deal in Penang.
I snapped a couple of shots on my cellphone and walked towards Chulia Street. I had to get some food for breakfast before embarking on the 84km ride round-island. Found a 7-Eleven convenience store and bought my supplies before heading back to my hotel room. After a long journey from Kuala Lumpur, its time to hit the sack...

Cambodia - Part 10

After-hours: Siem Reap

We have a night to burn and there's nothing like checking out the Pub Street in Siem Reap on a pub hopping spree! Hahahaha..
Now, if you are a beer-lover, here's an interesting take: some outlets offer happy hours beers at US50cent a mug (RM2).
As a matter of fact, a can of Angkor or Cambodia beer at the supermarket costs US65cents (RM2.60). It's literally cheaper than a bottle of mineral water.
And if you think the exchange rate is going to eat up your balls, well, there is no point traveling abroad.
Okay, we walked across the street towards the Old Market. There, I bought some Cambodian coffee to be brought home. 
We weren't really there to shop, so, after the coffee was rounded-up we went around the pubs, having a mug of beer and hopped around.
There are a lot of entertainment outlets in Siem Reap that are owned by expatriates. So, it's no surprise to me that the place had sprung up to be real happening place. In the years to come, this place will boom. To top it all up, the area in Pub Street is also pretty clean. 

A can of beer at this joint costs US$1

The streets in Siem Reap is surprisingly clean!

The Angkor night market

The drinks and service in this joint is pretty decent..

Good food: Follow your instincts..

When it comes to filling-up, I am not a fuss-pot.
I don't go for high-end makan, burning a hole in my pocket. As long as the price is decent, good quality makan is a bonus!
The only kind of food we haven't tried in Siem Reap, was the street food.
While walking across the Island Bar, we saw a crowd in front of a wooden shop.
There, the dishes were displayed and a woman is seen there roasting meat.
The thing that caught my eye was bittergourd stuffed with meat and smoked fish.
Michelle wanted to give it a try and I jumped right in..

The awesome selection of dishes

The shop's owner at work

The awesome stuffed bittergourd

Deep-fried pacu

Roasted snakeheads

The crowd, eagerly waiting for their meals

We took our seats and waited for the rice and dishes to arrive.

Behind us was a group of foreign backpackers sharing their meals.

I ordered the bittergourd, pork belly and bamboo shoots in soya sauce, minced meat in gravy and a piece of smoked salted catfish.

The food was excellent and our bill came up to US$4 (RM16). It's unbelievably cheap! Back at home, it'll be double that price.

So, that's what the locals eat and we were glad to get a taste of it..

Even better food! 

The barbecue restaurant

The awesome menu

Grilled frogs

This one made my day...

We found a restaurant called: "Damnak Deas" behind the Angkor Art Market.

The smell of barbecued meat and some exotic dishes made us curious.

So, we found a table and ordered some dishes.

Service was prompt and the food was excellent.

Noted were the grilled beef, squid and frogs. I also ordered a plate of steam cow's innards - called "inside stuffs" on the menu.

The smell was overpowering, but since I loved exotic food, this particular dish was saved by the dipping sauce. Supper came to about US$16 including beers.

After the great food, we walked over to Hard Rock Cafe and sat through three sets of music by the performing band.

Then, it was back to the hotel to catch some slumber before the journey home..

Close-calls and near-misses..

Michelle having her "Asian" breakfast..

Bacon & eggs is the way to a man's heart.. 

Proof of existence.. 

Siem Reap's boat noodles

Another interesting find.. 

I booked my passage to the airport from the hotel's front desk staff.

One of the guys said he had confirmed our ride at US$15.

That's the price that we'll have to pay and well, since we are heading home, it's just a matter of splitting the cost.

With that in mind, we went around the Old Market and Angkor Art Market to search for a T-shirt for John, my friend in California, US.

Took me a while to track it down and we finally nailed it.

Then, we walked back to the hotel and enroute, I found a makan place selling boat noodles.

Since we are not going to have lunch, might as well fill up!

Now, here's the best part: I got back to the hotel, rolled out the bikes, and a lady at the front desk asked for the US$15 payment, which I gladly handed over.

"Sorry Sir, we don't have any transport, please wait while I call another car..," she said.

I can see the shit-storm coming and Michelle just lost her cool.

It was almost 12noon and still no sign of the car. So, we switched to plan B. Get on a tuktuk and shoot straight to the airport.

This costs about US$5 each and we were just happy to load up and leave. Spare the ninkampoops who handled our ride, the stay experience at Karavansara retreat was excellent! 

My bike, the tuktuk rider and the road to the airport..

The lead vehicle with the second tuktuk in the background

Arriving on time at the departure hall

There's a large crowd heading to Malaysia and Thailand

At the boarding area

Chilling out at the lounge 

A nice treat!

Good-bye Siem Reap... 

Aurevoir, Cambodia..

We arrived at the airport in time and checked-in our luggage. With Gold membership as a frequent flier, Michelle can check-in at the Business-class counter.

There was a wait and by the time we were done with the formalities, we headed straight to the immigration counters.

I gave an officer my passport and he gestured the "dollar" sign, asking for a handout. 

So, I gave him my official bullshit story: I blew my money on food and souvenirs. He didn't seem happy, I put on my best poker face and went ahead to get my carry-on luggage scanned.

Then, one of the security staff asked if I am the person whose name was written on a piece of paper.

"Sir, you have large luggage? Come with me..," said one of the men.

"Oh fuck! What is it this time?," I thought out aloud.

My heart was thumping, thinking that someone might have slipped in 10kgs of Heroin onto the bike's airporter. And that's it, rather than flying home, I will be spending time at a Cambodian prison.

Well, it was not that at all. The security guys wanted to see what is inside the airporter. So, I gladly opened it, one of them feeled around and pinched the bike's tire. He wanted to make sure that it was not inflated.

After the drama, we were allowed to return to the departure area again. What a relief!

Since Michelle had access to the airport's business lounge, it was a treat to chill out there.

I helped myself to the beers and some snacks while we wait to board.

It wasn't long until the boarding announcement was made and we were on our way home.

On the whole, the Cambodia trip was very affordable and interesting. We get to cycle around and experience this country's history, people and culture unlike any other tour package.

So, that said, we are making plans to bikepack to Phnom Penh in the future.

SOME TIPS FOR THE FIRST-TIMER IN CAMBODIA

• The country is one-hour behind Malaysia. Sunrise is at 06:30 and Sunset is around 06:45pm.
• Cambodia's currency is the Riel, but it's not traded in Malaysia.
• US Dollars are the preferred currency. But be warned that if you carry big notes and purchase goods, you will be given Cambodian Riels in change.
• The wall plugs are similar to the US sockets.
• A typical meal costs around US$3. 
• Beers costs US65cents a can at grocery stores.
• When buying souvenirs, bargain to the lowest possible.
• Cars are left-hand drive in Cambodia.
• When you cycle, its on the right-hand side of the road.
• Amok (daging masak lemak) is a highly popular traditional Khmer dish. Must try!
• The fastest way to get around is by tuktuk, typically a ride costs US$1. You can charter the rider for a whole day at US$20.
• Most Cambodians understand and speak English. 
• There are a lot of French restaurants in Siem Reap. But the cooking style is modified to suite the locals. You can also find push-cart stalls selling barguet rolls with fillings.
• There are good roads around Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but most rural roads are laterite and earth.
• Cambodian people are proud and polite.
• There's good mobile data coverage in big towns and cities in Cambodia.

ToST III - Part 3

Checking out the Great Lake...

We woke up at 05:00am, set out towards Thale Noi's village square.
It was early in the morning and we had our lights mounted, keeping in mind that it was the first day of the Songkran festival.
Not too far into the distance, Sin spotted a few stalls serving breakfast.
We wasted no time by parking our rides there and worked on our very important meal of the day.
The rest had pork porridge (20 baht a bowl) while I worked out a good appetite by having a plate of rice with salted fish curry and pork slices.
It was relief to know that food is available on the first day of the Thai New Year and our confidence level grew as we past by more shops in the area.
We parked our bikes and locked it at the Ranger's office and made our way to the jetty.
The boat ride has been arranged prior to our arrival and we were quite stocked with the prospect of rounding the Thale Noi lake.

Daybreak at the lakeside

Salted fish, pork and rice.. 

Our porridge breakfast..

Awesome is the word.. 

Our boatman prompted us to board his vessel and when we were seated on the longboat, a guy came and snapped some photos. These were framed and sold at 120 baht each. 
I don't have any reservations about it because this helps supplement the local economy.
The boat took us on a one and a-half hour loop around the lake and it was simply amazing to see a whole sea of red lotus in full bloom. 
There were also some interesting migratory birds at the lake and to our surprise, the waterway traffic was pretty heavy, even on Songkran.

Lotuses in full bloom

A fine specimen

Tourists at the boat ride...

So, to sum it up, the boat ride was awesome.
This was a thousand times better than tasik Chini or Bera in Pahang.
We alighted from the boat and made our way back to the village square.
This time round, another breakfast session at a noodle and chicken rice shop next to the Ranger's office.
There, we sat down and chilled out.
Later, back at the resort, we had a few beers and decided to head back to the village to experience Songkran in rural Thailand.

Late breakfast: soup noodles..

A splashing time!

No one is spared.. 

The gang at Thale Noi

The Songkran experience..

I found that rural folks in Thailand are polite and hospitable.
We rode past some water stations and the kids there politely asked if they could bless us with water which we gladly obliged.
Some of the waterguns were added with colouring and most of us were soaked with food dye and the ones that were riding up front were splashed.
The trick was to ride in between reloads! hahahah!
We had lunch at the lakeside and chilled out till mid day before returning back to the resort.
I had an idea about using a shortcut back to our accommodation, but it's Songkran, there's people waiting at every corner to ambush you.. 

Riding out to dinner

A decent makan place in Thale Noi

Later in the day, we assembled and rode out for dinner.
The same place which Roger had booked for two days.. It's a very decent makan place with good food, so, we didn't hesitate at all.
But like anything that is too good, sometimes, Murphy's Law will never cease to amaze me.
We ordered a few dishes and it came out wrong.
A group of Thai customers who were seated next to us had their orders misplaced. 
Lucky for them, we didn't eat up their food.
Even our orders were totally messed up, but that didn't matter because we've had good time, then it was back to the rooms for a couple of beers and a discussion on what lies ahead.
Ranot is our next destination after Thale Noi...