Tag: adventure

Pontian Sunset

Pontian Sunset.

Few visitors to Pontian realise it is a district in Johor where its two coastal towns are named Pontian Besar and Pontian Kecil. Ironically, Pontian Kecil is the larger town and administrative capital of the district. It is famous for seafood, just like Kukup, to the south. Drive even further down the coastal road heading south and you will reach Tanjung Piai at the tip. It is Asia’s southernmost point on mainland Asia continent.

Being a former fishing village, Pontian Kecil is famous for seafood. I hunted down one of its famous wonton noodles stalls. Sin Kee served the noodles with tomato ketchup. The use of tomato sauce is possibly influenced by the town’s proximity to Singapore. Pontian region was also, once upon a time, the largest exporter of pineapples in the world.

I loved chilling out under the casuarina trees at the stalls at the breezy esplanade and watching the sunset by the sea. It was beautiful, making Pontian of the most under rated travel and adventure destinations.

There are many hotels in Pontian Kecil. Find a good deal here:
http://www.mycen.my/pontian-kecil-hotel-deals-finder/

#pontian #johor #pontian #pontiankechil #sunset #seaside #adventure #roadtrip #food #kukup #tanjungpiai #mycenhotels

Travel Partners Make Or Break Your Travel

At Tanjung Sepat, I wanted to get shots of fishing nets and related paraphernalia since we were in a fishing town. Alex Wong MF, my helper and driver for that day was extremely accommodating in his willingness to help me get to places we both weren’t familiar.

Can’t stress enough of the importance of a travel partner who share the same vision and who is understanding and flexible. Am grateful for the shots I got and can’t thank this kind, generous and patient man enough.

We found a house which we think was manufacturing fish traps or cages. I told Alex I needed to get the dilapidated house behind and Alex understood my intention.

As with any travel, don’t be too serious about everything. Keep it light hearted and fun. Both are seeing things never before experienced when exploring a new place.

Travel is about observing and noting things together for impromptu discussions.

For example; we laughed when we saw a new housing estate there. Every Chinese house had a massive, shiny stainless steel gate and a pair of stainless water tanks on the roof. A sign of the new rich or a status symbol, perhaps.

In the 80s and before, Chinese families aspired to migrate to Australia when they became rich. Now it is a fetish like passion for acquiring stainless steel or chrome ornaments.

If you think you may also be a suitable adventure or roadtrip mate and would like to learn more about photography or to have a few chuckles together at the same time, please contact me.

Thanks, Alex for making it a fun, productive and memorable trip

#tanjungsepat #travel #adventure #streetphotography #fishing #landscape #roadtrip

Volunteers Needed

In the short few hours, we covered the Ernest Zacharevic art installation, the Stylo barber shop, Guandi Temple and much more. We were lucky the sun was intense and the sky was a deep blue from early morning.

Curiously, Paul is not as interested in photography or heritage stuff as much as me. He is extremely patient, tolerant and is willing to go the extra mile without much complaints.

If you feel you are similarly blessed but is not a reclusive hermit, is reasonably dependble and reliable… You stay in the Klang Valley, own and drive your own car, like trying out new food and exploring new places, you may want to volunteer as my assistant and adventure companion and driver partner. Can be a female or male and be of any race or religion.

You will learn some extra things about photography for sure, gain valuable travel insights and discover life. Contact me via PM or e-mail me at tvsmith@gmail.com and we will take it from there. No promises. It depends on the chemistry and your attitude, usually.

Picture of new kite arch at Central Market’s walkway. Some old or hertage buildings are conserved Singapore style where only the shell or facade is retained.

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the blue sky.

#chinatown #kualalumpur #chinesenewyear #kualalumpur #centralmarket #pasarseni #streetphotography #urbanscape #sky

The Back Way Is The Best Way To Cameron Highlands

For this journey, I took the off-the-beaten track back road. It is the old ‘Silk Road” that meanders alongside the Main Range.

My journey began at the foothill of Genting Highlands and on to Raub where the road splits to the other highlands resort of Fraser’s Hill.

From Raub, I headed north to Sungei Koyan where the road splits again, with Kelantan and the National Park to the east.

At this remote crossroad, I headed west and up into winding mountain road before descending into the outrageously mutilated Bertam Valley. Further down, the once-beautiful and misty Ringlet Lake is now an ugly silted mess.

Going uphill again, I was relieved that some of the tea plantations and strawberry farms from childhood memories are still there, like refugees in paradise lost.

I take refuge in the saying that it is the journey and not the destination that matters. During the drive, the landscape changed from plantations to secondary forests to mountains and I drove, literally, into the clouds. More pictures to follow.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f9, 1/800 sec.

#cameron #highlands #mountain #landscape #nature #adventure #tbt

Burping All The Way To Timbaktu

At the small town of Simpang Pertang in Negeri Sembilan. The junction town leads to either Titi or Simpang Durian. The latter is a small town that bears the last signs of civilization before a long, lonely drive to Karak in Pahang. The deserted road is rarely used unless Karak Highway is cut off by a major accident or landslide.

Pleasantly surprised to to find out I have a friend originating from the pit stop town of Simpang Durian. It is the frontier town before heading to remote Telemong or Malaysia’s own Timbaktu.

Stopped to drink at a roadside stall operated by a Malay village girl in Simpang Pertang. If you have been to a remote village grocer inside big rubber plantations or FELDA settlements, you would have tried the strange sodas available only in rural areas.

You know they are made in some backyard factories somewhere and contain generous colourings. Always suspect they use recycled soy sauce (kicap) bottles. Yet, they are awesome thirst quenchers under the hot sun.

I love the sarsaparilla and orange flavours because they are super gassy and the caustic soda tickles your throat violently. I burped repeatedly on the way to Timbuktu and that is what a good road trip is about.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/640 sec.