Going Back To My Hometown, Melaka!

It has been 1 year and 3 months since the first time I came to Tanjung Malim. On the 1st June 2013, I came here with my family to register as a new student in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris or well known as UPSI. It has been my dream to enter this university and luckily, my dream had turned into a reality. Just as any other new students, homesickness had always become a major problem. The same goes for me. Since it was my first time being away from home, I miss my family tremendously. To make matter worse, I do not know how to go back home by myself. During my first semester, my father who is working in Subang Jaya, Selangor picked me up and took me home. I know it had been hard for my father to go back and forth so on my second semester here, my friend and I tried to go back home by ourselves using public transports. I know that for students of UPSI who are living in the southern part of Malaysia, it is hard to go back as there is no bus provided here in Tanjung Malim's bus station. I hope by sharing my experience, it will be easier to go back home by public transports.

After asking from our classmates and seniors about the directions, we began our journey. First, we need to buy KTM tickets to go to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan which is situated in Bandar Tasek Selatan. In order to do so, we need to go to KTM Komuter Tanjung Malim Station. From our house in Taman Bahtera, we went there by taxi which costs us RM8. After queueing, we bought the tickets. The price of the ticket is RM 7.50.

KTM ticket to go to Bandar Tasek Selatan.

The look of the KTM which departed from Tanjung Malim.

45 minutes later, we arrived at KTM Komuter Rawang Station. According to our classmate, here, we need to exchange the train line. We climbed up the stairs and get into the train which was waiting on the first platform. Then, we continued our journey to Bandar Tasek Selatan. We also had the chance to enjoy the green scenery along the way.

 

The inside look of the KTM which departed from Rawang.

The KTM here is more modern than the KTM at Tanjung Malim.

Two hours later, we finally arrived at Bandar Tasek Selatan. Again, we need to climb up a stair and cross the road by a junction to go to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS). According to TBS's website, Terminal Bersepadu Selatan or Integrated Transport Terminal in Bandar Tasek Selatan (ITT) is opened to public on 1 January 2011. It has an easy connections to the KLIA Transit, KTM Commuters and RapidKL LRT rail networks.

People were queueing to buy bus tickets.

Then, we queued at the counter to buy bus tickets. I bought the earliest bus ticket to Alor Gajah for RM10. Here in TBS, customers have several options on how to buy their tickets. The first one is through their e-ticketing portal. Credit cards and web cash can be used through this medium. The second option is through the counters provided while the third one is by using their Self-Service Ticket Vending Machines. The second and third option can be used only at TBS as they are available there.

The bus ticket.

To kill time and boredom, we went for a window shopping at the boutiques and fashion outlets located within the terminal. There were also many kiosk and restaurants provided at the terminal. Half an hour before the bus departed, we go down the escalator to go to the departure hall. At the departure hall, we need to go and wait for the bus at the gate as stated on the ticket. When the bus arrived, we boarded on the bus and went home safely.

The view of the departure hall from the top of the escalator.

We need to wait for the bus at the gate as stated on the ticket.

Spacious space and plenty of seats provided.

I really hope that this post will help many students in the near future. If you have any enquiries or questions, feel free to leave them in the comments box. I will try my best to answer them. Till then, good bye!

A Short Getaway to Pahang

It was a week before the National Day when my father told my family and me that we will be visiting my aunt in Kuala Rompin, Pahang. Hearing that news, my heart jumped with joy as it has been a long time since the last time we went there. My aunt lives in a village which is inhabited mostly by farmers. The farmers have their own land so they can grow their own crops and even rear cows and goats. I live in a place that is currently developing so there are buildings everywhere. Because of that, I thought that this trip will be a good chance for me to run away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We leave home on Friday after my siblings had finished their classes. We arrived there after a three hours journey. Green trees could be seen along the way. My jaw dropped in awe to see the breath taking scenery. As we reached my aunt's house quite late, we went straight to bed after we had dinner. The next day, we woke up early feeling fresh and energized. My father took us to the market or well known as "Pekan Sari" by the locals. There were many types of food, clothes and even plants sold there. That place was crowded by people as it is one of the main attractions there. The hawkers' loud and rising shrill voices could be heard almost everywhere. They were competing against each other to attract the customers' attention.

Although it was scorching hot and I was sweating until my shirt clung on my back, I really like it there as I was able to experience something new. I also had the opportunity to taste a type of kuih that is popular at that market. It is like the traditional "apam balik" but the filling is made up of black glutinous rice and shaved coconuts. At first, I thought that the taste will be weird as the ingredients will not suit each other but actually, I was wrong. It was tasty. The sweetness of the black glutinous rice goes very well with a little bit of saltiness that comes from the coconut.

The kuih that I got to taste at the market.
(Photo credit to this blog)

On the evening, as the weather was very nice, my family and I decided to spend some time at the beach. The beach is only a stone’s throw away from my aunt’s house and it takes only 5 minutes to go there.

Fluffy blue clouds and sandy beach at the Bernas Beach.

When we arrived at the beach, cold and refreshing wind greeted us. The waves were creeping steadily towards us. Without wasting any precious time, we quickly jumped into the sea. We had so much fun. We swam, built sandcastles and even strolled along the beach.  Although we went there for only a short period, I was feeling very happy as I am able to spend quality time with my family.

I enjoyed watching sunset and beautiful scenery at the beach.

Unfortunately, the next day, it was time for us to go home. My aunt was kind enough to cook “nasi briyani” and packed some for us to eat during the journey.  All in all, this short getaway was a success. I enjoyed visiting my aunt as she is a kind and nice person. Her hospitality had made us feel like we were at our own house. Although it was no network coverage at her house area, I still feel happy as there were many other activities that I can do to kill time. Aside from that, my family and my aunt’s family had gotten closer as we spend most of our time together during this short getaway. I am really looking forward to visit my aunt in the near future. For the time being, we will just contact her via phone. 

Easy Cafe, Tanjung Malim

It was our turn to pay the bills so my friend and I decided to go to TNB Tanjung Malim after our class ended. We went there by a taxi and it only costs us RM 7. After we paid the bills, we thought that we should eat our lunch before going back. The nearest place to eat there was Easy Cafe. So we decided to give this place a try as we had never been there before.

We arrived there just a little bit earlier before the lunch break. At first, the cafe was empty but eventually, as the lunchtime arrived, it became crowded. Most of the customers there were workers who work nearby. Students were rarely to be seen as the place is situated a little bit far from the university.

As soon as we went in, a waiter greeted us and showed us the way in. After being seated, the waiter quickly gave us the menu. I can say that the customer service was very good as the waiter treated us nicely and politely. I decided to order Italian Beef Meatballs Spaghetti and Hazelnut Latte while my friend ordered Grilled Cheesy Chicken Chop with Potato. She also ordered Caramel Latte as her drink.

Hazelnut Latte (RM 6) and Caramel Latte (RM 6).

Italian Beef Meatballs Spaghetti (RM 14) and Grilled Cheesy Chicken Chop with Potato (RM 16).

Juicy meatballs covered with plenty of cheese and spaghetti sauce.

The portion for each dish is quite generous and it can fill up my stomach that was growling with hunger. As for the meatballs, it was juicy and tender. The spaghetti sauce was also cooked to perfection. But unfortunately, my drink which was the Hazelnut Latte was too sweet to my liking. I wish that the level of sweetness could be reduced a bit. I also had the chance to taste my friend's chicken chop and it was to die for. The chicken was grilled properly and the taste was delicious. The only negative thing about that dish was the potato. It was not seasoned well so the taste is blend and not pleasant.

Overall, my dining experience there was a success. The place was spotlessly clean and I really enjoyed the good customer service provided. The price was also reasonable considering that the portion was huge. I believe that this place will be a good attraction for tourists that come to visit Tanjung Malim.

Dinner @ Tappers Café

As usual, every two weeks, I will go back to my hometown in Melaka. The same goes for this week. As my best friend is on her semester break, we decided to spend some time together on the weekend. At first, we planned to go for a window shopping at Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall. Dataran Pahlawan is a one-stop megamall which is also a famous tourist spot. As we arrived there quite late at night, most of the shops were starting to close down. Our plan to go for a window shopping was cancelled. We decided to go and eat our dinner since our stomach was growling with hunger.

We chose Tappers Café as a place for us to dine as it was one of the new cafés opened in Dataran Pahlawan. Moreover, the beautiful decoration of that café had attracted us to go there. The decoration was inspired by elegant colonial designs and most of the furniture there were white in colour. The cafe is opened everyday. On weekdays, the operation hours is from 8 am to 10 pm while on weekends, it is opened from 9.30 am until 10 pm. 

The beautiful and stunning decoration of Tappers Café.

As soon as we were seated, a waiter came a greeted us with her big smile. She then gave us the menu. There were quite a number of dishes and beverages with different cuisines served here. I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana (RM13.90) which is breaded chicken in spaghetti tomato and it is covered by melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. It is served with a small bowl of coleslaw and some chips.

Chicken Parmigiana that was served with coleslaw and some chips.

Meanwhile, my friend ordered the Chicken Schnitzel (RM14.90). It is a deep fried chicken coated with bread crumbs and served with a small bowl of coleslaw,  some chips and a special brown sauce from the café itself. We both ordered Iced Chocolate (RM5.30) and Chocolate Milkshake (RM 7.50) as our drinks. After a short period of time, our dishes arrived. It was great as we did not have too wait for a long time. Although it was at night and the closing time was getting near, the efficiency of the workers had still not decreased. 

The dishes were well prepared and the portion were quite big. My favourite part of the dish was the coleslaw. The vegetables were fresh and the taste was scrumptious. I like how the coleslaw was being put in a ramekin. By doing that, the chicken and chips will not get soggy. As for the star for both dishes which was the chicken, the batter was nice and the chicken was not greasy. But what disappointed me was the taste of the chicken for both dishes. Although my friend and I ordered different dishes, the taste was the same. I was hoping that there will be some differences but there was not.

Overall, it was nice to have dinner there. For a café that looked like an expensive five star hotel with beautiful decoration, the prices were reasonable. Moreover, the dining experience that we had there was satisfying. I cannot wait to come here again as taste another dish as they have a wide selection of dishes. I am looking forward to taste their newest dish which is the Garlic Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti.

The selfie that my friend and I took before leaving the café.

A Day Out at A' Famosa Water Theme Park

My family had always loved water theme parks. We had went to several water theme parks in Malaysia such as Pedas Hot Spring Water Park and Melaka Wonderland Theme Park. As it was during the school holidays, my parents decided to take us to A' Famosa Water Theme Park. Although it takes only 15 minutes to go there from our house, we had never been there before. 

We went there early in the morning after having our breakfast. My father bought the tickets as soon as we arrived there. The entrance fee for the water theme park and a lunch set is RM 43 for adults and RM 38 for children. We were given wristbands that need to be worn all the time during at the water park.

My siblings and I while at the main entrance.

After that, we entered the water park. The place was quite large and there were plenty of seats provided. Facilities such as toilets, locker, cabana and prayer rooms were also available there. We rented a double tube for RM 21. RM 11 was for the tube rental fee while RM 10 was for the deposit.

A signboard that showed the price for the tube rental.

After renting the tube and changing our clothes, we jumped straight into the Wave Pool. We played with the water and enjoyed relaxing ourselves in the pool. The best part about Wave Pool is every 10 minutes, a sound of siren could be heard and after that, big waves will came rolling towards us. Although our tube had tripped over several times and I nearly got drown in the water, it was very fun and exciting.

Next, we went to the Lazy River. This pool like river was extremely lazy as we had to push our tube by ourselves. If we did not do that, our tube will not move by itself and might crash with other people's tube. Fortunately, while we were here, there are not many visitors since it was during the weekdays. Because of that, we did not have to queue to ride on the slides.

We decided to try and ride on the Big Ice Cream which is the the biggest slide here in A' Famosa Water Theme Park. The ride was very fast and scary. My sister and I screamed all the way down the slide. However, this ride is not suitable for people who did not love adventure as it gives you an extreme adrenaline rush. For those who are planning to go here, be sure not to miss this fun slide. Check out this video that showed a person's point of view while he ride down this Big Ice Cream!

The Big Ice Cream
(Photo credit to Google)

Besides, we also tried the Family Raft Ride. Unlike the Big Ice Cream, this ride did not requires four person to sit on a large round tube. The tube for this slide can hold 3 adults or 2 adults + 2 kids with a maximum combined weight of 220 kg. I personally thought that this ride is not suitable for kids as there are some steeply turns which is quite dangerous. 

Apart from these two slides and the Wave Pool, we also went to the Arabian Village which is a place for children below 12 years old to have fun and play with their peers and Inner Tube Slide where we can screamed our hearts out while sliding down the black and dark tunnel. 

After spending hours at this water park, we redeem our free lunch using coupons that we got from the counter. At that time, there were three choices of dishes which was chicken porridge, rice with chicken curry and also rice with basil Thai chicken. We also got canned drinks along with the food. As we had eaten our lunch, we changed our clothes and packed our belongings. Before we leave the place, we bought a photo of us that was taken when we entered the place as a souvenir. 

Overall, this place was nice. The only thing that concerns me is the safety of the rides. As most of the rides are quite old, the safety measures need to be increased. Nevertheless, this place is a main attraction of tourists who come to visit Melaka. For further information, be sure to visit their website.