Volunteer Life- MNS Hornbill Volunteer Programme

Did you ever imagine living a life without smart phone, internet, laptop, Tv and all the electrical devices?
Well, I  ditched away my smartphone, laptop and internet for 12 days and yet I still "ALIVE"!
Well, the story began with my internship with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) where I joined the MNS Hornbill Volunteer Program in Belum-Temengor Forest Complex.

P/s: That was Elephant poops~~

Belum Temengor Forest Complex is the second largest remaining block of unprotected rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia.
PS: It is approximately 130 million years old!!!!!

It is home to some of Asia’s most spectacular wildlife including tigers, elephants and rhinoceros, and something very special; possibly the world’s largest seasonal congregations of hornbills. 

P/s:  There are 10 species of Hornbill in Malaysia and all 10 of them can be found HERE!!!

During my internship with the Malaysian Nature Society, I joined this volunteer programme in the Belum –Temengor Forest Complex, Perak for 12 days.

 We were here to monitor the Plain-pouched Hornbill as a part of a national conservation effort where we help to conduct important daily flight census and collecting data.

To get into the Belum-Temengor Complex, we need to travel to Gerik town, Perak  and from Gerik to Banding Jetty. 

The Jetty is located below the bridge of East-West Highway.
Then from Banding Jetty, we traveled into the Kampung Tebang, Belum Temengor by boat.

The forest is flooded into a manmade lake for dam water supply.

We settled down in the bamboo hut built by Orang Asli just beside the Temengor lake. 

Breath taking scenery from the hut~

My bed.. Well... It was a volunteer program so we just slept on our sleeping bed...

Our food supplies for a week~

 Hornbill census was conducted twice a day, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. 

This valuable information on population numbers will be used to advocate for the protection of Belum-Temengor, especially in addressing the logging threats.

Bird counting even during raining days...

Everyone in the counting group was ready with their binoculars at the birding site and waited for the Plain-pouched to come.

After a helicopter sound like was heard, Oh My God!!! It's the Plain-pounced flying above us!

The Helicopter sound was actually the flapping sound of their wings.

It was so amazing!!!!

Wait a minute, Don't Just Stand There!!! Quickly start counting!!!

Flock 1- 1,2,3,4,5,67...

Flock 2- 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...

My eyes get blur when so many of them flew together... @.@

But after some practice, you will get use to it and bacome good in counting too~

Say hello to Plain-pouched Hornbill~~

You can clearly see the colour of their pouch where blue is female while yellow is male~

P/s: This is a globally threatened bird where you can't see it in Borneo.

The most incredible scene of all was when hundreds of Plain-pouched  Hornbill flew across the sky in V or U shape formation.

Beside counting, we also have activities during our free time.
We hiked around for birding, experiencing the Orang Asli life, and did some social work with them.

This Orang Asli lady demonstrated the traditional way in preparing Orang Asli dishes.

And she has a Rooster that act like dog!!!

The rooster in Kg Tebang will " crow" fiercely when strangers come near their owner's house!!!

And they can fly up to the tree tops and roof top to crow during the sunrise...

Then you will know there are how many of them actually around Temengor when all of them take turn to crow... @.@

Paip blowing demonstration by Orang Asli.

They claimed that there are no cure for the poison that applied on the dart..

So, becareful while handling!

Well, my favourite activity during my leisure time was "spying" on the life of Orang Asli~

Their kids were shy but they really have a different lifestyle from city kids.

They were free to play at all time and made themselves dirty all time.

This is what the city kids are not allowed to do...

We have to carry water from the lake up into the house for daily usage...

@.@

Too bad that I didn't manage to see the blooming Rafflesia... The flower was still in bud form.. 

Lastly, I really did enjoy the life living around the Orang Asli!

I got my chance in trying many new things here such as fishing, washing beside the lake and bathing beside the lake too!

But the best thing of all was enjoying the silent night with fireflies dancing around the lake under the starry night~

This is the magical moment that we will never experience in the city....

Planning to do something meaningful while having holiday?

Why not try enrolling yourself in a volunteering programme?

Why not enhancing your life experience while lending a hand in helping our mother earth?

For more information, visit http://mnshornbillvolunteerprogramme.wordpress.com/about-mns-hornbill-volunteer-programme/

S.H.E Forever Together 2013 Malaysia Concert

友达以上

恋人未满

甜蜜心烦

愉悦混乱

我们以后

会变怎样

我迫不及待想知道答案~

This is a song that is more than 10 years ago and I'm still loving it!

I have been a S.H.E fans since I was 11 years old 

which means I have been loving them for 12 years already!!!

Well, I never been to a concert before cause I don't really like squeeze with the crowd.
But this time S.H.E is getting back together finally after so many incidents,

I will be regretted for sure if I miss this concert!

Watching this concert with Jass !

It was our first ever concert and we save it up for S.H.E~

This year the concert was held in Bukit Jalil Putra Indoor Stadium.

I'm clueless of how the stadium will be - weather it will be cold or hot...

So, I wore a long sleeve-T... So regretted!!! 

It was so hot as the stadium is totally pack with all S.H.E fans!

This was not a lane for ticketing but a Que for toilet!!!

We have to Que up for so long and after we came out from the toilet the concert started!

We ran so fast to get to our seat as I did not want to miss anything AT ALL..

I shouted and sang from the beginning until the end of the concert.

I was just too excited as this was the first time ever to see S.H.E in person!!!

It was a Huge Karaoke session when all the fans sing along for almost every song~

It felt like going through my teenager life all at once again, growing up from a little girls to 22 years old me right now~

I cried when Selina's solo performance as it was too touching..

T.T

It was so beautiful when the lights off and the glowing stick shine~

Everyone was enjoying themselves and singing along.

P/s: Including two boy fans sitting beside me~ 

They enjoyed themselves by taking lots of selca..

Try imagine two guys going to S.H.E concert together and keep selcaing... hehehehe

We did enjoyed ourselves in the concert and we already had sore throat  just after 3 songs...

Felt like the concert was not enough and I just hope that it will be longer...

Regretted that I didn't brought my camera...

I thought camera was not allowed in the concert since it was listed in the tickets...

But lots of people still snapping picture...

:/

If you do not have the chance to attend this concert, it's ok~~

This is a video that I get from youtube for S.H.E concert in Malaysia~

Enjoy~

Hokkaido Food Hunt- Okonomiyaki & Ramen

During my student exchange trip in Hokkaido, for sure I won't miss out the chance to have a Hokkaido food hunt!

Hope you guys don't mind that I have been pending my Hokkaido post for quite some time~

So, grab some tissue to wipe up your saliva and let the food hunt began!

First round, Okonomiyaki ( Japanese savoury pancake)  !!!

 Okonomi  in Japanese means "what you want" while Yaki mean "Grill",

so, Okonomiyaki is grill what ever you like~~

Well, it is my first time to know bout it and try this Okonomiyaki.

Firstly, a bowl of raw  ingredients such as squids, meat, onions, cabbage will be served to the customers.

Then mixed everything up~

Preheat the Hot plate with oil~~~

Pour the mixed batter on the hot plate and grilled~~~

Wait the surface to turn into beautiful golden brown colour and flipped it.

Grill the okonomiyaki until both sides turn into golden brown and top up with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise~

Lastly top up with banito flakes and seeweed flakes~ 

Wala~ The yummy Okonomiyaki is ready to be served~~

I just love the Okonomiyaki sauce and the banito flakes which pull the pan cake up to a whole new level~

The golden brown skin gave it a fragrant grill surface but the squid and ingredients was so fresh and juicy which give a pops out from the inner when you have a bite~

*well, taste may vary depend on your cooking skill. Overcook or undercook might not taste that well. XD

Simple looking salad yet with a shocking great taste.

 I think it was a Japanese style dressing as I never tried it before.

The dressing was so refreshing and taste bud triggering~

Ice cream, Ice cream~

It is always wiser to choose the set meal as it will be cheaper.

I like the concept of cook your own food as cooking with friends is just way too fun!

Dining with Japanese friends~
Thank you for introducing nice food to me~~

I had my very first Okonomiyaki in this Fugetsu Okonomiyaki Restaurant located within the Sapporo Factory.

Another must have food in Japan for sure is Ramen!

I'm so lucky that I have a new Japanese friend, Risa to bring me for a Ramen hunting around Sapporo city.

The breathtaking night view of Sapporo city.

It is actually the 5th largest city in Japan,

but it is WAY bigger and CIVILIZED than KL.

I can't even imagine how does Tokyo city looks like which is the metropolitan city of Japan.

Our destination is here- Susukino Ramen Street~

The entrance of Susukino Ramen Street.

There are many Ramen restaurants in this building but choosing the good one is the tricky part~

The tips to find a restaurant that served nice Ramen is to find a shop with lots of local customers.

Seems like the Ramen shop that I dined in was visited by many famous Japanese actors and individuals.

The shop was fulled of signatures from actors and stars.

The menu of the Ramen shop~

It's all in Japanese!!! luckily we brought a Japanese friend to translate for us and my 3 semester Japanese language classes still remain a bit in my mind..

If you don't understand Japanese word, never mind there are few Chinese characters used in the menu too~

So we go for the Miso Ramen~

I can only say that Ramen in Malaysia is nothing like the Ramen in Japan!

Ramen in Japan taste lest salty and emphasize on the original taste of Miso soup.

I just love the jelly like egg served with the Ramen, so yummy and chewy!

I never taste an egg like this before~ 

The ramen is so chewy and Q!!!

Risa had the Salt taste Ramen.

If you don't like Miso, you can go for this Salt Ramen.

Personally, I prefer this than Miso Ramen.

May be I had to much Miso Ramen before this during my trip.

The soup is more refreshing compared to Miso soup.

I can only say this is the best Ramen I ever tried~

Group photo with my lecture and friends~

Really miss the time in Hokkaido with coursemates and Friends~

Stay tune for more Hokkaido post~