The Big Green Lot 10

Lot 10 Shopping Centre is one of the oldest shopping malls in town opened officially in the year 19991. The shopping mall can easily be recognized by its distinctive green and blue striped facade. It has become a landmark that every city dweller is familiar with. The big green building sits nicely at the Sultan Ismail and Bukit Bintang crossroad. Lot 10’s location is in the centre of the hottest new shopping and entertainment district with many other shopping malls, food and beverage outlets as well as entertainment outlets surrounding it.

Lot 10 is slightly more up market compared to its counterpart across the street, Sungei Wang Plaza. Its interior is lavishly styled for a shopping centre that was built in the 1980’s. It possesses a bold modern architectural style. Each floor is spacious and well maintained. It has almost 100 retail stores and boutiques. The outlets are mixtures of high end and middle level products such as Nike, Esprit, G2000, etc. There is also a food court at the basement.

Lot 10 maintains a nice balance, with a handful of international brands amidst a handful of upmarket local boutiques. One of the anchor tenants of Lot 10 is the Japanese departmental store, Isetan. Other outlets include Guess, Body Shop, Calvin Klein, British India and many more. There is an even blend of glamour and groove at Lot 10 to cater to the young and trendy, the working professionals as well as the socialites.

There is also an ample supply of food outlets at Lot 10. Trendy cafés such as Dome Café, Café Societe and the ever popular Delifrance can be found. It is the perfect place to take a break in between floors.

A hotel in Kuala Lumpur that is strategically located in the heart of the shopping almost right next to Lot 10 is The Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur. It is a luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur that offers guests many late nights of shopping and partying because of its closeness to the big shopping malls and party districts.

Adventure Vacations Fo Both Kids And Parents

When you bring up the subject of vacation with your kids, there is usually one of two responses; either they want to go to Disneyland for the third time or they want to take an exotic trip that Indiana Jones would consider an adventure. You don’t want to take that repeat vacation; you want something different but also a vacation that is not stressful. As parents you have the task of figuring out what is best for the family while at the same time satisfying everyone’s dream vacation. Since children don’t have the experience or insight that you have, many times they don’t know what they will like. Trekking through the jungles of Thailand sounds fun and exciting to your child but you know that the first night of sleeping in a jungle will be the last.

Cartoons with cute, talking animals such as Lion King spark interest in your children for an African safari. Some parts of Africa should be avoided but many areas are family friendly and can provide an adventure without needing machetes or trekking through miles of dense jungle. You can even sleep comfortably under the stars if you are willing to spend more money for fully catered meals and tents that are far from basic.

Even though Africa is a big safari draw, you should also consider Central America for a nature adventure. Costa Rica and Belize provide an amazing Array of flora and fauna and the airfare is significantly less than a trip to Africa. The added benefit of Costa Rica and Belize can be a rest from the jungle at the many pristine beaches.

Asia is becoming a top choice for families seeking a holiday that is both interesting and affordable. Beijing, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are not only interesting and family friendly cities but they are inexpensive compared to western cities. The Great Wall and the temples of Thailand are impressive and so much more interesting in person. Sites in these big cities allow your family to enjoy the culture but also retire to your comfortable hotel room so your exploration is not too stressful.

European cities offer the best combination of family-friendly and culture however there is a higher price tag. Museums and tourist attractions in Europe offer family discounts and sipping an espresso after climbing the Eiffel Tour has a big draw for parents while keeping the children amused.

Since international travel requires passports and generally long flights, you may want to consider destinations that are closer to home. Hawaii, for example, offers sun, beach and hiking so while you’re sipping your Mai Tai the kids can swim at the pool. As an added attraction there is no language barrier and flight discounts are often available to make your vacation more affordable.

It’s often a compromise to find the vacation that suits your entire family but a holiday with children doesn’t have to be the tried-and-true theme park. With some research and planning, exotic destinations that cater to families can be found to delight both you and your children.

Horses in Malaysia?

Yes plenty, from racing to dressage to jumpers and endurance there is polo even handicap riding programs!  The country is lush even in the city center.  The riding facilities are primarily in a club setting. Labor is inexpensive in Malaysia thus boarding (relative to our standards is inexpensive, 1350.00 Ringgit or roughly $ 125.US your horse will be groomed, mucked and provided with basic feed. 

The barns we visited at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort were designed for the heat and humidity of south Asia.  High ceilings lots of room for circulation, the days are hot but the stalls seem very comfortable.  The stalls were kept very clean, manure is picked up and bagged for removal. The grooms worked their shed row much like our race tracks.  

There are horses of many breeds in Malaysia and a variety of riding style there. Plenty of European trainers come to teach young and more mature riders. The Asian Classics (show jumping for qualified Asian riders) were held in conjunction with the FEI World Cup Show Jumping At Bukit Jahil Stadium about a half hours drive from the capital, Kuala Lumpur[1] According to the US show jumping team the footing, lighting and accommodations were all be exceptional.  The horses there were housed in large box stalls and the barn, warm up arena and stadium are all air conditioned. Now, back home the thought of air conditioning a stable is a bit unordinary except in some of the very arid parts of the US, but here for this competition it is keeping the horses in a very controlled environment through out the competition. 

On the east coast of the country, along the South China Sea, the Equestrian World Endurance Championships will be held in 2008.  Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu [2] along with five other Malaysian riders will compete at the World Endurance Championship in Germany this August to promote the event in Malaysia.   The Terengganu Pony Club and a state owned Equestrian Club have been erected to rekindle interest in riding in that state.   

The native pony in Terengganu is the Kuda Padi. On the Northeastern shores young Malaysians ride their ponies bareback and barefoot as fast as they can along the beaches and at local events.  There is an annual Kelantan Equestrian Festival (Pesta Sukan Berkuda Kelantan).  The Kelantan bareback riders dress their ponies and themselves in lavish textiles, splashed with wonderful colors and sequences. Truly a sight!

South East Asia is not the first place one would think to look for horses but they have them and it seems a past time many natives enjoy.

[1] Eastern Malaysia in the state of Sleangor

[1] Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy; there is a Sultan for each of the 9 states. Terengganu is a state in Malaysia; these sultans rotate as the supreme king of all of Malaysia for 5 years. The Malaysian legal system is based on English Common law with executive powers vested in a cabinet led by a prime minister.

Kuala Lumpur’s premier shopping street

Bintang Walk is Kuala Lumpur’s premier shopping, dining and people watching street located in the heart of the city’s “Golden Triangle” area and the center of modern Kuala Lumpur. The street is lined with sidewalk cafes where one can sit for a cup of coffee and watch the rest of the world go by. You can also step into one of the many shopping malls for air-conditioned bargain shopping.

Bukit Bintang is located within three main roads: Jalan Bukit Bintang starts from Jalan Pudu and intersects with Jalan Sultan Ismail. There are a number of hotels and restaurants located in the area, as well as hawker-styled eateries, the place of which provide cheap dishes in a laidback usually open atmosphere. Bukit Bintang is also one of the city’s shopping districts offering a variety of merchandise to suit every taste and budget. Some of the major shopping outlets are located in this area such as the Berjaya Times Square, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Imbi Plaza, Kuala Lumpur Plaza, Low Yat Plaza , Starhill Gallery,Sungei Wang Plaza,Lot 10 and the newly opened Pavilion KL.

After its transformation five years ago Bintang Walk has become a must see tourist destination. On weekends, thousands of locals as well as tourists promenade along Bintang Walk and its shopping centres. Almost every major nightlife event happens here such as the New Year’s countdown, Merdeka eve celebrations, as well as fashion shows, street concerts and parties. At night, Bintang Walk truly comes alive, when live jazz music is played and the whole place is beautifully lit-up.

Among the plethora of hotels providing accommodation for traveler’s in Kuala Lumpur a discount hotel in Kuala Lumpur that is just 8 km away from Bintang and other exciting shopping districts in KL is Citrus Hotel. It has easy access to the rail network and is located on one of KL’s major roads.

Must see attractions in Malaysia – Part 3

I visited Borneo and Kuala Lumpur last year and being a massive fan of animals, myself and my boyfriend visited all the animal related attractions. One of these was the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. If you are travelling to Kuala Lumpur then this is one attraction you shouldn’t miss!

Where Is It?

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is situated in the Lake Gardens area of Kuala Lumpur which is close to the Orchid Gardens and the Tun Abdul Razek Memorial. The bird park is a little bit out of the main town in Kuala Lumpur as we did try to follow a map and find our way there on foot but after getting lost and asking a couple of locals which way we needed to go, they told us we would be better getting a taxi. So get a taxi we did and good job too because it was about a 15-20 minute journey to the Bird Park. The Lake Gardens area where the Bird Park is situated also have many other attractions such as The Deer Park, Orchid & Hibiscus Garden, Butterfly Park and some beautiful landscaped gardens so you can combine all the attractions and only pay the one taxi fare and make a day of it.

Opening Hours

The Bird Park is open all year except for any religious holidays. Opening hours are 9am 6.30pm every day including Sundays and Public holidays.

Admission Prices

Tourists pay higher admission fees than the locals do. Locals pay 12 ringets for an adult and 6 ringets for a child. Tourists will pay 22 ringets for an adult and 15 ringets for a child which is 3.30 for an adult and 2.60 for a child in English money. As you can see the prices were more than reasonable.

About The Bird Park

The KL Bird Park was opened in 1991 by the Queen of Malaysia, Tunku Bainun.

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is the largest walk in aviary in the world. The bird park is set across 8 acres of land and is certainly very picturesque. Over 9000 species of birds currently live in the bird park and you can see them in natural surroundings as they are all free to fly where they want due to the fact that the bird park is built in the style of a massive aviary so basically the whole area of the bird park is covered by netting. Of the 5000 birds, around 90% are native birds and 10% are imported from other countries around the world.

While the birds are allowed to fly freely, the incompatible species are confined in smaller Avery and specially designed open areas within the park so they all still have adequate space.

The Bird Park is divided into five zones to prevent different species (that do not

What to know about traveling in Malaysia – Part 1

I am from Malaysia, and I take great pleasure in bringing my friends and family members from abroad around the capital Kuala Lumpur (or KL as the locals call it).

THE TOWERS

Our pride and joy is the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers (also known as KLCC Kuala Lumpur City Centre), the tallest building in the world (that is until Taipei 101 got built). It is the headquarters for Petronas, a Malaysian petroleum company, which houses the Petronas Arts Gallery and Suria KLCC, a high-end shopping mall. Almost anything and everything can be found here.

Just walk outside Suria KLCC and you can find children’s playground, wading pool, jogging paths and fountains this place will packed on weekends! Also check out the Skybridge that connects Tower 1 and Tower 2. Apart from giving a breathtaking view of the city, it also serves as a safety feature where people from one tower can run to the other tower in case of an emergency.

There’s also KL Tower, the telecommunications tower situated at Bukit Nanas. There’s an observation deck and also a revolving restaurant, where by the time you finish a meal, you would have gotten a 360 degrees view of KL! Of course, come at night and enjoy the lights!

THE SQUARE

Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) was where the proclamation of independence was done at the stroke of midnight on 31 August, 1957. There’s a 95-metre flagpole at the square and gives a perfect photo opportunity.

SHOPPING

It’s a shopping haven right here and there are huge shopping malls everywhere. There’s Bintang Walk, Berjaya Times Square, Suria KLCC, Mid Valley Megamall, Bangsar Village, The Gardens, Pavillion, 1 Utama, IKANO Power Centre, The Curve, Sunway Pyramid, to name a few. Basically every district has it’s own shopping centres either a huge shopping mall or just a neighborhood mall.

If you want to get ‘Malaysian’ stuff like textiles, handicrafts and souvenirs, do check our Petaling Street (i.e. our very own Chinatown), the Central Market or Jalan Masjid India. Haggle to get good prices and don’t worry, Malaysians generally speak good English or at least understand the language.

BUT if you prefer a getaway outside the city, do go to Malaysia’s lovely islands all across the country. Famous islands are Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang, Pulau Tioman, Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Besar. The beaches are lovely white sands and clear-blue waters. It is an amazing experience to snorkel and dive at the islands, admiring the beautiful corals and sea creatures!

This is just but a few things you should do when you travel to Malaysia. As they say, “Malaysia, Truly Asia!”

Petaling Street- China in Kuala Lumpur

Petaling Street is in the heart if Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown area, and features an Array of bargain shops and counterfeit goods. Known as Chi-Cheong-Kai in Cantonese, it is infamous for pirated clothes and accessories along with bootleg DVDs and CDs. Petaling Street however does not exclusively offer pirated products. Haggling is a common sight here, vehicular traffic is usually not allowed in this area but that does not make movement easy as the place is usually crowded with locals and tourists.

Petaling Street also has it’s share of tourist attractions, Masjid Jamek, an old mosque of Moorish architecture and the Sri Mahamariamman Temple a Hindu temple that is one of KL’s most famous landmarks are regular tourist destinations. The area also has a bevy of restaurants and eateries that offer food ranging from predominantly Chinese to Indian, and Malay.
Some of the major features of the Chinatown are the McDonald’s that reflects the growing globalization of the area. The Army Hostel which is in fact a hotel that gives boot camp style accommodation, Hotel Malaya, Swiss Inn and the no frills Stay Orange hotel. Also near there are Chinese bookshops and a few stalls selling Hainanese chicken rice and Noodles.
The area attracts many locals and visitors in search of bargain items, including inexpensive dresses, shoes, fabrics and souvenirs, and lives up to its name of being a huge outdoor flea market. From fake Rolexes to fake Gucci bags to the sweetest papayas and pirated CDs. Petaling Street maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors fan out their merchandise along the street.
The Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is about 15 km away from Petaling Street but offers access to the area through the KTM station that is just a short distance away from this Kuala Lumpur hotel.

Unexpected experience in the first flight

UNEXPECTED IN FIRST FLIGHT EXPERIENCE

When I sent my relatives to airport for overseas trip, I imagine how nice in the air or flight. However, it is nonsense if I do not have business to travel by flight. In addition, I do not think that flight would be bad for me.

I was very happy when I received an invitation for an interview of master programmed session. I was happy because I had been waiting for it for two years. I decided to book a return flight from Kota Bharu to Kuala Lumpur. I thought I would not have a problem with my first flight .What is more , my boss gave me only two days holiday. So , to make sure I was rested when I arrived , I decided to go to Kuala Lumpur by air.

With confidence, I drove happily early in the morning to the airport. I did not think to have breakfast first, because I did not expect to have any trouble.
I checked in for an early bird flight, and rushed to the airport. However, I did not allow enough time and reached the airport slightly late. I rushed quickly just to take a curry puff and tea. Then I heard that passengers to Kuala Lumpur must assemble at the departure hall immediately.

This was the first time I had been to the hall. It is not so big but it can be filled with 300 people for a domestic flight. I had to queue patiently to have my ticket check. Waiting for me was a beautiful curly haired flight attendant with her red uniform. All passengers seemed to be moving fast in order to have a few minutes more for departure time.

I walked through the departure hall to the door to the stair to enter into the cabin. I was surprised to meet an old friend who I had not seen for eight years. He asked me where I was going and I told him that I was going for an interview for my master proposal of second-degree research. However unfortunately I did not have a chance to ask him his destination, but I thought that I could ask him when we reached KLIA, or Kuala Lumpur International Airport. At that time, I was very excited because I would be going to one of the most famous airports in the world. I had seen the airport on television, newspaper, or video only. However, in just one hour I would walk through the international airport. I could not wait to go back and tell my family about the marvelous airport.

A few minutes later, I was feeling happy when the engine roared. Suddenly the temperature went very cold for me. At first, I turned to see other passengers. May be a few of them were also this the first time like me. My seat was beside the left wing. I could see the wing on my left. At first when the pilot drove the plane, we could see a few families of the passengers waving goodbye. In the cabin, the flight attendant gave guidance on safety in the plane. She showed how to fasten the seat belt, when and why to do so. Then when the engine started to speed until it took off, I felt something uncomfortable happen to me. My stomach began to reject air and my food. Then I started to use my oil that been prepared by my wife. The oil could relieve airsickness. At first, I do not want to bring it but my wife urged me to bring it. If I had not, I think my health would have become worse. At that time, I felt I was uplifted and saw we faced the sky. I thought the was plane nose up for more than five minutes. In addition, my health was started to give me problems but I tried to peep through the window to see downwards. I could see with my naked eyes for the first time how amazing the world was that I had being living in for 35 years. The nice beautiful colour of scenery with white stripe is still in my memory. I recognized The Tendong Bridge that is the famous and large bridge in my hometown.

To begin with, I massaged my backside to relieve my headache. A few minutes after that there was an announcement .The announcer was the pilot. He described who was he, what’s was the flight speed, the altitude and when we would reach the KLIA. I remember that he was Captain Azhan. The plane was flying at about seven hundred and fifty kilometers an hour and the altitude was ten thousand feet above sea level. During that time, I felt so frightened to hear the flight speed. It was ten times faster than my car speed. Almost all my time in the cabin, I closed my eyes. Maybe the mother beside me thought that I was sleepy and able to sleep in the short trip. Luckily, the flight did not include any meal or beverage. If they had prepared it, I could not eat or drink anything. I remembered about someone had told me that in flight there are many factors can make someone suffer from airsickness. One of them is air pocket, which can happen, in bad weather. When remembered that I became worse but I tried to relax myself. By that time, I smelled an unpleasant smell. It smelled as somebody vomited. They were in the same situation as me but I thank the Almighty I was not like them.

A moment later the pilot said that the flight was ending .We would arrive twenty minutes early. This statement made me happier and slightly eased my pain. The young mother thought that I was having problem, but I ignored her. At least I had not vomited. I know if I am in the situation they are getting to be like me. I think why my situation likes this to me. I remember that I not eat rice as usual .Sometimes I looked through my left window to see the sky. On that time I can feel who we are….just like dust on the road .We have nothing. It teached me that how power Allah is.

Then the flight ended. I rushed to search for the toilet, forgetting to see my friend again. In the toilet, I vomited and wasted all my food. I felt weak and sat near the toilet to rest. After that, I forced myself to look for the taxi or bus but it was a long way to walk. Finally, I reached the driver centre. Luckily, I could get some medicine there. I had a lodging there for that day at the small mosque near the limousine parking area. At first, I asked a few drivers to bring me to the hotel near my interview centre but they told me that it is very expensive with their limousine. They guide me how to go to my interview centre. So I did like what did they told me. No need for me to stay at hotel on the day .I can stay there in the small mosque.

On the next day when I felt a little better, I went to my interview by taxi. Nevertheless, here I still having problem to look for the place because it was unfamiliar to me. It still makes me in trouble. Then I had my interview. After that, I had a rest for a few hours before returning home by flight. Unluckily for me I cannot travel back by plane. So I bought a train ticket to go back home.

I reached home on the next day. Therefore, I wasted my flight ticket. For me it did not matter. It was better than flying home. I think for the first time I can fly one way only!

How Olympic host cities are chosen

This summer, millions of people will flock to Beijing, China to witness live the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Millions more will be glued to their TVs as the excitement takes place, making China this summer’s hub of international attention. How did Beijing earn such an esteemed position in the public eye? For that matter, how did Vancouver, Canada win the right to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, or London, England the 2012 Summer Olympics?

Selecting the host city for the Olympic Games is no simple matter. Hosting the Olympics is a highly coveted achievement for any city, as it brings with it grand international attention and, with the inrush of organizers, media, advertisers, athletes and their entourage, and (of course) spectators, provides a huge economic boon to any city bestowed with the honor. As such, the pursuit of the privilege of hosting the Olympics is a highly contentious competition in itself.

In 1999, at the 110th Session of the IOC (International Olympic Committee), a new two-phase election procedure was adopted for determining the host city for an upcoming Olympic games.

Firstly, any city interested in hosting the Olympics applies to become a candidate city by filling out an extensive application and questionnaire. Prospective host cities must also submit an emblem created to visually represent their candidature, and compose and deliver a 10-minute presentation introducing their management team to the IOC.

From there, a team of experts examines those applicant cities for certain basic technical requirements, both logistical (such as space, access, accommodations, transportation, and safety/security) and subjective (such as promotional plans, and plans for such ancillary events as parades and ceremonies, or an Olympic village).

At the end of this initial selection phase, the team submits to the IOC Executive Board a list of those applicants meeting the necessary specifications. For the 2008 Summer Olympics, for example, 10 cities met the proper qualifications to be considered by the Executive Board, those being: Bangkok, Beijing, Cairo, Havana, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Paris, Seville, and Toronto.

Pending Executive Board approval, those cities then become Official Candidate Cities, given the authorization to move forward into the full bidding process. Continuing with the example of the 2008 Summer Olympics, only 5 of the original 10 submitted cities received approval by the Board and, consequently, permission to continue

Traveling to Singapore

Speaking of airlines, airports & public buses, you wouldn’t think that it would be so easy and convenient to go over to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, Malaysia. OK, I sound like someone who came out from under a shell. To tell the truth, I have not planned for a trip that involves flying, going to another country and of course, with a baby. Any traveling that I’ve done was either on tours, local trips & no baby. I just needed to pack my bag and follow the instructions given by someone who did all the tiring planning. I ain’t saying that I’m useless, I mean of course, we’ve taken short trips here and there but that is beside the point.

When hubby & I made our decision to go over to Singapore for a wedding dinner and of course, a long-awaited holiday, I had my concerns. Sure we had accommodation but how do we get there? We decided flying was the best and quickest option, compared to taking a bus or driving down on our own; with a baby who might begin to get bored just sitting around. However, if anyone would calculate the travel time we took to get from door-to-door, it was 6 hours. Just about the same as taking the coach or driving. Nevertheless, we were constantly on the go, the moment we left our doorstep.

Anyway, about airlines & airports; AirAsia doesn’t have a direct flight in to Singapore. So we had to disembark at the Senai Airport in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. One thing about AirAsia, check up on their website, www.AirAsia.com for constant promotions. We got a really good deal; free tickets. All we had to do was pay for our infant and tax. The total amount was RM 300 for a return ticket for 3 adults and a child. Now that’s worth it.

So what do we do once we arrive in Johor Bahru? We were still a ’causeway’ away from Singapore. While planning this trip of ours, I did some research. I checked all options and prices. There ware the airport cabs, public cabs & buses. I was quite hesitant about taking a bus over to Singapore with our luggage, stroller, backpacks & a baby, though it was the cheapest option. RM 1.10 per passenger for the bus, rather than RM40-RM80 per cab. So after all my research & contemplations, I decided to give it a try and take the coach.

The moment you step out of the Senai airport, there is a counter where you can purchase your tickets for a very comfortable coach called the Causeway Link or City Lounge Express (white bus). It costs RM 8 per passenger. It takes you straight to the Kotaraya Bus Terminal which is about 45 minutes away from the airport. Once you get there, you pay about RM 1.10 per passenger and board the CauseWay Link buses; also known as smiley’ bus (yellow bus). The bus takes you straight to the Singapore & Malaysia Immigrations. The only problem here is that you have to disembark with your entire luggage to go through passport control and customs. Once done, you wait in line for the next bus that comes along. Hop back onto the same numbered bus with the same ticket. You don’t have to pay anymore. How cheap is that?! And the bus goes into Singapore and you have 3 options where you want to get off. You can check www.SenaiAirport.com for all information.

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