Weekend in Malaysia - Day 2

Day 2

Day 2 started late. We woke up rushing because I overslept. Check-out was at 12, and I caught a glimpse of the time from Cath's phone. It said 11:45! I squirmed like a worm and quickly went to the shower. We had no plans for today, so while showering I was thinking about what we could do.

I checked the nearest Woodfire (a burger joint) to the hotel and asked Cath if she fancied some gourmet burgers. My colleague Siti had recommended it a long time ago (which I've forgotten, sorry!) and reminded me AGAIN a few times before our trip. Cath agreed, and as quickly as we could, we packed and left. Check-out time was 12:03—not bad, right! My short hair saved the day! LOL

We reached Woodfire in less than 10 minutes. The ride was quick since it’s only about 5 km from the hotel. Lucky for a holiday, it wasn’t crowded. I ordered the Brisket Burger and Cath had the Beef Cheesesteak with an Oreo Milkshake.

The Brisket Burger was humongous. At first, I didn’t think I could finish it. I shared a few bites with Cath, and she shared hers with me. Maraming sibuyas yung sa kanya, pero pasado na din. If we come back, I’d definitely order the same. Sulit siya for its price. You can really feel the effort they put into the food. Hopefully, they’ll expand their menu and add coffee para isabahan na lang. LOL

After eating, we took some selfies in between kwento and headed back to City Square Mall. This is a mall connected to the Johor Immigration Checkpoint. I told Cath na gusto ko na magkape. We walked around, trying to digest our heavy meal, and finally found Coffee Bean. Kwenutuhan galore pa rin kami, and it’s good that we don’t run out of things to talk about. But we also understand each other’s silence. Parang mga baliw lang! Haha

After our coffee break, we slowly made our way to the checkpoint. We also passed by Pezzo, so we grabbed three slices of pizza. Ramdam mo talaga ang price difference when buying food here, so wala munang diet-diet. LOL

We spent a lot of time at immigration because the bus we wanted had a schedule. I failed on my part kasi I didn’t realize there was a timing for it, plus the bus arrived super late. Anyway, after about an hour of waiting, we finally boarded the bus and headed back to Singapore.

Ang dami namin napamili!

That’s how we spent our weekend. Hope yours was as fun! See you on the next adventure! 

Weekend in Malaysia - Day 1

Intro

This idea of having an online journal has been parked on my mind for quite some time now. I used to blog a decade ago, documenting my day-to-day, letting my creativity with words flow, and having something to look back on. Well, the idea is finally coming to life, and if you’re reading this, it means it’s been published. Pasensya na if this one’s a bit long. LOL

Day 1

The weekend that passed marked our second year as a couple.
Cath and I went to Malaysia to celebrate and unwind. We arrived almost midnight on a Sunday and went straight to the hotel to rest.

Here's us in the morning, before heading out.

We decided to head to Toppen Mall around lunchtime on Sunday. The mall has IKEA, Decathlon, a lot of retails shops, and salons too.

First order of business: lunch! We couldn’t decide on a specific place, so we walked to the food court where we could each get whatever we fancied from the many choices available.

Cath played it safe and got Ayam Penyet. This one’s my favorite—I could eat it every day. It’s an Indonesian fried chicken dish with sambal, cucumber slices, fried tofu, and tempeh. I’m glad Cath has learned to love it too. She’s becoming more adventurous with food lately.

I got Nasi Campur, which is similar to a turo-turo in the Philippines. The concept was new to me. They hand you a plate of rice, and you fill it with whatever dishes you want. I chose Beef Rendang (daging), Chicken Berempah (ayam), Beansprouts (taugeh), and Bitter gourd (peria). We were so full after eating that we walked around to look for a salon. We checked a few and decided on the one that gave us the best deal.

I had my hair cut short while Cath went all out with hair dye, keratin treatment, haircut, and eyelash extensions. After my cut, I couldn’t sit still since the data signal was weak, so I went to Popular to get some stuff for scrapbooking (another hobby I am interested in). I also bought candies that reminded me of home and my not-so-long-ago childhood. The waiting really tested my patience… zzz.

Sugus, the candy from my childhood

After all the waiting, we headed to IKEA. We got a few rugs and mirrors since we’re planning to turn our living room into a mini home gym. The mirrors will definitely add a nice touch. An IKEA trip wouldn’t be complete without food, of course. I had their famous sausage, while Cath, being the sweet tooth, got carrot cake and chocolate muffins. I asked if she took photos of her food while writing this. Her response is below.

Next stop was Decathlon. We were just wasting time, comparing prices between Singapore Dollars and Malaysian Ringgit, and ended up getting socks—running socks, to be exact. I think most of our wardrobe now is activewear, not that I’m complaining. I’ve been like this for years and I’m slowly persuading Cath to be the same. LOL

We couldn’t decide whether to get a massage at the mall or somewhere else, so we walked around first to check out what’s available. We noticed there were a lot of shops selling massage chairs instead. We also realized that when you book a ride-hailing transport from this mall, the prices surge quite a bit. Kaya sabi ko, “Ay maglakad tayo, 1.5 km lang ang layo.” Cath was hesitant but gave in. After about 20 minutes, (matagal kasi mabigat ang buhat namin) we reached the place and got a two-hour package for around 268 MYR for both of us—one hour foot massage and one hour full body. This is one of the best massages we’ve had to date. We’ll definitely go back and book therapists #77 and #28 again.

A few steps away, we saw the Lok-lok place we spotted earlier. It was our first time trying it, and since we were both hungry, it was perfect timing. Lok-lok is a Malaysian street food where they serve an array of food on skewers. Tusok-tusok style sa atin, but not just the usual fish or meatballs—they also have veggies. Here’s what we had that night.

After eating, we booked a Grab back to the hotel and called it a night.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Sabi sa’yo mahaba eh. Day 2 is next, and promise, that one’s shorter. LOL
See you!

Just Keep One Foot in Front of the Other

Our friend Michelle invited me and Cath to join her company’s annual fun run. Each employee could bring four friends, so we happily signed up. The 10km slots were gone right away, so we settled for the 4km run instead. We thought, “It’s just for fun anyway.”

On the morning of the event, we were feeling too good. We had what I’d call a heavy breakfast—and by heavy, I mean enough food to last me until dinner. Not long after, my stomach started acting up. I couldn’t tell if it was dyspepsia, anxiety, or just excitement. Either way, I felt it. Good thing Michelle came prepared with her Katinko. What a lifesaver.

It was our first-ever run, and we were thrilled that we didn’t have to pay a single cent. (We all know how expensive these events can be.) But beyond the freebies and fun, we learned a few lessons too—like how not to wear new gear. I made the mistake of using brand-new socks, and halfway through, my feet started to hurt. They felt tight and uncomfortable, so I ended up walking more than running.

We got delayed even more because we couldn’t resist stopping to admire the fiery sunset. It was so mesmerizing that we had to take a few snaps before continuing our way to the finish line. Honestly, it was worth it.

Good thing it was a friendly run and not a race, or I’d probably be the last to finish. In a few weeks, we’ll be joining another run. This one’s expected to be tougher, but we’re ready for it. Like VJ Matias says, we’ll “just keep one foot in front of the other.” Until next story!