Langkawi: Environmental Fellas Get Exposed!

Dear Food Friends,

As of now, I'm writing from home fresh awake after a straight 5 hours sleep. Somehow, I felt personally obliged to write the extensive report on our trip to Langkawi - read on!

Day 1 - Telaga Tujuh Excavation

We arrived at Langkawi early in the morning, our official drivers (Abg Nahar, Abg Amir & Haji) got us to INOCEM office and we had a survivor-like breakfast of roti canai and teh tarik. Then, in crampy vans all of us went to our designated house at MaliBest Resort, Pantai Chenang. The place was very nice, right in front of the beach - though the boys' view was better. We took some rest while the guys went to Solat Jumaat.

After the Friday prayer, we headed straight to Telaga Tujuh where our first task of collecting samples is waiting. We had to climb a 500 steps staircase, which turned out to be very exhausting before reaching the place for sample collection. All of us except Amer, who was placed in Eagle group; Kak Sofie, Lutfi, Fauzan and I were placed in Andaman's group. We were assigned to collect sample along the riverside as opposed to the Eagles, whom territory was terrestrial.

We catched a plenty of fish (not for the BBQ though, Arshana), few insects and some frogs.




Andaman's Group

Kak Syahida, Lutfi, and Abg Ibrahim in action.

What's Lutfi looking for?

Lecturers and Abg Nahar were getting wet too.

It was near dark by the time we finally finished. We stopped by to have laksa & cendol before heading back to the beach. The boys continued to have their 'playtime' having fun in the water while us girls got ourselves ready for Maghrib and dinner.

At night, we were treated with ala kampung dinner with delicious ABC special and crunchy ikan goreng.

At the beach later on, before getting to sleep - Kak Syahida, Kak Anna, Kak Sofie and I had a walk by the beach while the boys sometimes later played some kind of football - I didn't know the exact name, forgive me.
Day 2 - Sea Cucumber & Cable Car

Coral beach was our destination, it was an island - by right it was actually named as Pulau Kentut Besar, but eventually it was changed to Pulau Intan Besar. We departed from jetty of Awana Porto Malai resort, three boats were used to accommodate all of us and the trip took about 30 minutes to reach the island.

The island was very rocky, and slippery. It was quite a challenge as we had to get off the boat at the rocky region, where water was deeper before walking all the way to the sandy region at the other side of the island.

After a short briefing by Br. Kamarul, all of us spreaded out to find the sea cucumber and gamat. Still, the challenge didn't ends because the beach was full of rocks and corals - which made it nearly impossible for us to walk barefooted. Scratches and cuts were inevitable, and Abg Razali got his foot attacked by sea urchins.

On the boat.

Do I looked extremely sunburnt?.

After a photo session, we finished at around 11. We had nasi lemak and kuih, and some guys continued to play in the water. We headed back to jetty around 12.30, only to find out we got our pictures taken and transformed into a decorating plate which we had to buy at RM 10. It's the thing that Lutfi was holding in the picture, see?

The Fellowship of The Net - Lutfi Baggins and Fauzan Gamgee

After Zuhr, we had a free time to ourselves until night. The plan was to spend the evening on the cable car before heading to Pekan Kuah for shopping spree time. The cable car experience was indeed, splendid. We had real fun up 700m above the sea levels. The air was real fresh and the scenery was breathtaking. There were even eagles soaring above, which was amazing.

Cable car from afar.

Cable car on arrival.

Abg Ibrahim, Abg Hasbi & Lutfi on the sky

Special pose for Food Fellas!

Some fun the guys had... What were they trying to do?

See the eagles?.

We finished by Maghrib, and we then headed straight to Pekan Kuah afterwards. I bought few chocolates, but no souvenirs as I got no idea what to buy because there were too many and most of them are apparently not quite unusual - well, to say I'm quite ignorant with shopping may be true too. However, the girls were having the time of their life; and the guys too?

Finally, Abg Nahar & Abg Amir got us to Medan Selera Nelayan for dinner, which is famous for its ikan bakar and obviously was visited by the Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan crews too. I didn't get myself ikan bakar, though - as it was very late at night and very cold - I couldn't think much and opted for Nasi Padprik. And the price, was unbelieavably cheap!

Day 3 - Mangroves Area, Dataran Helang, & Group Presentation.

The final and most special task, the mud treatment! It was another boat rides and the island was Pulau Dayang Bunting. Before reaching the destination we get to watch the eagles being fed by the boat driver (part of the tourist attraction, I guess) and there were so many of them. To me, they looked quite majestic and royalty.

At Pulau Dayang Bunting, as the final year students had to collect some samples - we on the other hand had to catch mudskipper. The mud was apparently deep, as in the picture - and the movement in there was obviously not easy; but it was fun! Following Kak Anna, Kak Syahida & abg Hasbi along the way, I didn't get to catch any mudskipper though - but I was personally voted by abg Mior as 'Perempuan Terkotor', thanks to the mud all over me.

There was one experience I couldn't forget though - of getting on the boat afterwards. The water was deep, and I couldn't swim - never was in my life I felt such helpless - and Amer was my saviour at the time; thanks a zillion Amer!

Bro Faizul & Abg Mior in mud.

Kak Anna, Fauzan & Lutfi in mud, too..

Afterward, we stopped by Pulau Siput (as the others called it) to eat and get more playing-in-water time. I didn't get to get in the water too as I got a cut at my foot and the saline water couldn't make it feel better.

Oh, yes - at this time actually Prof. Torla and his family was joining us.

Then, we got back to the beach for Zuhr prayer and lunch before afterwards all of us went to INOCEM office for group discussion and presentation preparation for the night. At the same time, we were demontrated by Haji and abg Naim for some satellite software and sample filtration procedure.

Since we still have few times before the presentation, abg Nahar got us to Dataran Helang for dinner. The presentation and group performance was very brief, Eagle group had some singing performance while Andaman's group had a re-making of what's been happening of our three days visit to Langkawi.

The famous Dataran Helang.

Amer had transformed into Bob Marley - see Kak Anna and Kak Marni couldn't stop laughing.

Andaman group got the 1st place!.

Later on, we had fun. Some of us started packing, some had a walk by the beach, the guys played football, the lecturers were chatting, etc. Though, at around 2 a.m - Kak Syahida, Kak Anna, Kak Marni, Kak Sofie, Lutfi, Fauzan and I did our sample calculation until 3 a.m.

Day 4 - Finally Happy to be Home

Finally, we headed back to jetty early in the morning. The ride on the ferry was marvellous, as the guys in the picture seems to be having fun. I was downstair at the time watching some movie, though. The IIU bus was already waiting as we reached Kuala Perlis and we had a 7 hours journey until we finally reached Gombak.

Last ride on the ferry.

The eligible bachelors of Biotechnologist-to-Be.
So, all in all - Langkawi was fun! Though I missed you girls very much - it was not at all the same without lots of you - I've been messaging with Isma, Nurul & Arshana from time to time updating what we've been doing at Langkawi. Alas, friends I got there at Langkawi was very kind and supportive too, that I wouldn't deny.

Next stop - Bukit Tinggi, Taman Negara, Pulau Perhentian?