The Return of The Motormouth (with Higher Integrity!)

Wondering where in the world Motormouth's been these past few days? Sorry guys, I was literally 'trapped' in Langkawi Island, for a good (tormenting?) 5 days. Normal reaction to a 5 days break from work, plus spending that period on one of the most popular island destination in Malaysia, could only lead to EUPHORIA.

A plane with propellers .... now, that's a new one.

Rather ashamed to admit, this was my virginal visit to the island. Yup, disgraceful I know, being a born-here-bred-here Malaysian and all. But the same held true when I left my initial footprints on Teluk Batik beach about a week or so ago. =)

Guess I'm covering new grounds .... domestically.

Of banana, chocolate and vanilla .... Kenny's best offerings.

Why I sounded bitter, although granted with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit Langkawi FOC, with not even a single cent spent throughout the days?

Answer : Because it's a camp. Not the happy family outing type of camping with picnics and such, but a military camp-style training, or boot camp; compulsory for all government officers.

Lunch at Langkawi Airport - Kenny Roger's Roaster, trusted name? Blah. (RM16.90++ for a quarter chicken with 3 side dishes+one muffin of choice)

Flying from Penang to Langkawi opened my eyes to a whole new list of discoveries. First of all, Firefly planes STILL use propellers, and can only seat up to about 80 passengers for the short trip commuting between the aforementioned islands. But right on time, and the 35 minutes journey was smooth, relaxing, with even more leg space than Air Asia's cabins. An additional bonus of complimentary drink made the trip all the more pleasant. And in some ways, even the cabin staff are friendlier.

Touching down after a short ride, the baggage-claiming process was over in a jiffy, as the small number of passengers = fewer luggages on the belt. Left with ample amount of time to grab a bite, we headed over to Kenny Roger's Roaster for lunch, as the legion of eateries in the airport was nothing impressive. However, the chicken was cold, the sauce a tad diluted, and some of the side dishes were less than satisfactory. Hmm, about RM2-3 more expensive than the ones elsewhere.

But no matter how bad the meal was, that .... was our LAST lunch, before succumbing to rules, regulations and fixed meals and tight schedule. Ready yet?

Typical dorm beds - 9 to a room, with fans

As expected, a camp being a camp, one can't expect much from the accomodation and facilities, right? Comfort seemed to creep out of our minds initially, as we anticipated for the worst before blessed (hehe) with an unexpectedly clean dormitory, and a double decker bed EACH. Meaning a person can choose to sleep at the lower or upper bed, and uses the other one at his own discretion. And the camp is situated near to the hills and forest, rendering the air cooler than usual, sometimes chilly in the middle of the night.

The communal bathroom + toilet - Fortunately, our much-dreaded expectation of bathing in the open was thwarted. There are separate cubicles with doors and showers.

Notice the HUGE tied-up bags? They contained blankets, mattresses, and pillow cases. Reminded one of prisoners' lives eh? Plus the dining hall for all the participants

We were provided with a plastic bag filled with a mattress, a blanket, and a pillow case each. You have to do everything on your own here, from making your beds, to washing your own utensils after eating. Funny training independence at this age? :)

To protect the innocence, the face was slightly distorted .....

The whole ordeal was tiring, yet interesting, and even a little bit fun. I never expected the words "camp" and "fun" to run parallel together, but throughout the 5 days we spent at the camp, the values learned, friendships bonded, and experiences nurtured was priceless. Being so used to the comfort life I've been leading for so long, this course shook my stand on a whole lot of issues, from all aspects ; Political, Economical, and Social.

But lest you're getting the impression of reading the WRONG blog, no worries. Rest assured I'm still the same old Motormouth, emphasis still on food and travel. And of course, my prioritized speciality since day one; Ranting and Rambling .....

Question : What could possible cause those blisters on my fingers?


A : The Body Through the Spiderwebs Challenge - All members (big/small, fat/slim) MUST pass through the middle ring, supported by other group members on both sides.

B : The Walk on The Wire - Inch your way to the other end, hoping and praying you do not lose balance and fall to the threatening rocks below

C : The Commando Crawl Under The Barb Wires - Self-explanatory. Refrain from looking up or inching up your butt, lest you feel like restructuring either part of your anatomy

D : The Tower of Doom - An ultimate act of bravado, scaling new heights, and abseiling to new lows .... You can never imagine the gratefulness once stepping your feet firmly on the grounds again !!!

The food in the camp wasn't anything ground-breaking, but managed to satiate hunger pangs at the right moment (SIX meals a day). Amenities aren't too shabby, save some scary insects, reptiles, and monsters popping up every now and then, at the most inconvenient moment. Fancy having an orange-coloured frog jumping onto your shoulder while you're doing your 'business'? Or a 10-inches long lizard on the cabinet in your room, acting nonchalantly-innocent?

On to a more serious note, we survived with ease, though without the usual luxuries we all have grown accustomed with, namely hot showers, air-conditioners, and people serving you during mealtime, as well as cleaning up after your mess.

The vibrant yet sleepy town of Kuah

On the last day of our camp, we proceeded to Kuah town for some customary shopping for duty free goods, namely alcohol and chocolates (smokers can get their supply at rockbottom prices as well!), before embarking back to Penang.

Finally some decent grubs! Clockwise from top left : Plum Chicken, Choy Tam, Oyster Omelette and Fried Squid (a meal for 4 at RM52) @ Weng Fung Seafood Restaurant, Kuah, Langkawi - a few shops away from Haji Ismail Group Duty-Free Shopping


Goodbye Langkawi .... til we meet again!

No beaches, no resorts, no cable cars, no swamps. How ironic for a newcomer to Langkawi yet missing out on all the fun. But rest assured future opportunities will come knocking soon enough. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The complimentary sip .... a soothing solution to dry throats; thousands of feet in the air

Chocolates and Alcohol - What were we thinking????!!! =P

(P/S : All pictures are credited to KCA, thanks a lot!)