Fathers day 'roti' making competition @ 4 Points
Fathers Day '09
On Fathers Day on Sunday, I forgo my weekends of trekking and soaking under waterfalls for a father’s day buffet lunch at Four Points with my dear children and wife who wanted to treat me there (and I foot the bill!).
The place was packed (lots of guilty children and spouses) and the spread of food at RM48/- per head is reasonable although soft drinks (free flow at RM5/-) and coffee are not included. Included however was a cap (I’m wearing it in the cam-whoring photo on the left) for the fathers and an invitation to join their “roti prata” making competition which I was coerced into joining and came in last! I trust that you’d had a happy and enjoyable fathers day. Fathers are the greatest. Just ask Kim.
A memorable Fathers Day for the fathers
Wet Talk: No. I’m not baking nor eating cupcakes today! Instead I’m joining a trek to Sebako waterfalls - which I think is a fine cupcake of an idea. Whatever.
- Cupcakes Decorations by Encik Jala; Photos by Encik FH2o
I love cupcakes, eating them that is; but I have never seen nor had paid too much attention to cupcake decorating ideas until the other day in my office when I saw some really fun cupcake ideas! To think that all this while all I know of are plain cupcakes. Silly old me who’s interested only in paddling.
Someone ordered cupcakes for a celebration in the office and it was actually baked and decorated by one of the staff who sells it for RM2.50 per cupcake. These fun cupcake ideas are just too pretty to eat and I kept mine for a good part of the day but I still couldn’t bear the thought of biting into such pretty cupcake designs; so in the end I gave it to someone else. I am silly this way (and in many other ways too I’m afraid). I supposed that cupcake recipes are quite simple by itself but the elaborate and creative ideas for cupcakes are certainly not! It would seem that the design are limited only by one’s imagination and creativity. I’m really humbled by a simple cupcake.
Take a look at these cupcake designs and you’ll agree that these are really creative ideas for cupcakes! Contact me (francish2o@gmail.com or 013-8119669) if you want to order these beautifully decorated cupcakes (minimum order is 20) in Kuching for your parties or functions and they can be in any customised design (logos, etc or even your face if you look like a caricature!). No, I’m not venturing into the bakery business; I just think that they are fun and should be shared while helping a fellow colleague out at the same time. Amen. Now go and get some of your own.
I’m not a Facebook fanatic (I only reluctantly signed up for it at the beginning of the year - but I’m hooked now of course!) but having missed out on both domain names www.francisho.com and www.fh2o.com; I am not about to let my name be grabbed by another Francis Ho elsewhere in the world’s biggest social-networking website. And so I logged into www.facebook.com/username well before noontime today before the countdown and immediately grabbed “francisho” for my very own “vanity URL”; and I got it! www.facebook.com/francisho sure beats a random string of numeric codes!
The one and only "francis ho" in facebook!
Actually I guess I manage to get “francisho” because it is not a common name. However with 225 million users and with a “first come, first served” policy, for those with common names; it could get ugly in the mad scramble. So good luck to all the Johns, Tonys, Ah Bengs and Ah Lians. Whatever.
So if you are reading this - go ahead and add me as your “friend”.
Wet Talk: For a week, I was unable to post any photos due to sever migration woes. Hopefully this is all behind me now.
Leap of faith @ awesome Jankar Falls
Jankar Waterfall! On Gawai’s eve, Danny invited me to join him together with Bryan and gang from Borneo Outdoor Explorers - BOX for short (who described themselves as “a group of nature-loving, adventure-seeking, adrenaline-fueled, outdoor-obsessed explorers who constantly hunt for new place in Borneo and based in Kuching” in their Facebook) to explore Jangkar Waterfalls reputed to be the largest waterfall in southern Sarawak. This, I’ve definitely got to see even though trekking is not my forte; being clumsy and less than sure footed on terra-firma. They have been there more than half a dozen times and Danny’s face lit up with the mention of the name and after seeing this awesome waterfall; I can understand why they are addicted to Jangkar!
Scrapped knees is a small price to pay for the sight of an awesome waterfall.
And so early on Sunday morning I met up with Danny and his friends outside “Ruai” (where the ‘BOXers’ hang out) and together we set out in his van for Lundu to meet up with Bryan and gang for breakfast at Lundu Market and some shopping after. Shopping? Yes, my expensive Adidas water shoe was deemed unsuitable for the trek and so I bought a RM11/- “kampong adidas” in Lundu town instead. This rubber shoe is reputed to give you the best grip although ankle support is solely lacking due to it’s flexibility. Anyway according to Danny this trek is a level 3 out of 5; 1 being a stroll in the park and 5 being pretty tough. But then again Danny and members of BOX are mountain goats and the rest of us being mere mortals I was to subsequently discover that his level 3 is more like a level 5 to me! The primary reason being that his ‘trek’ involves an hour or so of clambering over humongous and treacherously slippery granite rocks!And that’s after trekking up hill over secondary forest for over an hour. By comparison my daily half hour work-out on the summit trainer in the gym is a woefully inadequate preparation for this!
I took a slip on the rocks (and scrapped my knees in the process - darn!) at the start of the trek when we reached the river’s edge and decided to forsake my shoes and chose to go barefooted like Danny and our local guide, Kapik from Kg Biawak.
Jangkar Falls in sight
Anyway so finally after 2 hours of hard work we were finally rewarded by the amazing sight of Jangkar waterfall looming ahead and greated by the roar of the waterfalls. Standing near the bottom ledge of the falls; the sight, sounds and sprays of wind and fine mist is exhilarating and really something to be experienced and relished. After the hot and humid trek, led by Bryan; Ben, Raymond and Alan all leaped into the pool below the falls without hesitation while I was quite contented to just sit on the rocks to catch my breathe.
Amy taking in Jangkar Waterfalls @ Lundu
By my estimation Jangkar falls must easily be over 6 stories high but no building of the same or greater heights can rival its beauty and breathtaking presence. I’m really grateful to Danny and Bryan for sharing this hidden treasure in Lundu that is largely unknown even to outdoor enthusiasts in Kuching.
“Jankar what?”, is a common refrain when informed of this amazing place.
Lower Jangkar Falls (where Ben & Hudson cooled themselves and their beers)
It’s a privilege to be there and the difficulty and logistics involved in getting there has kept it untouched and unspoiled over the years, as it should be. Heavens forbid if they start to build an access road and a resort here. The thought has crossed my mind not to blog about this but it’s too awesome a place not to. Well.
Danny's amazing energy & jungle cooking skills
But Danny has more surprises for us up his sleeves as while we were relaxing, he was busy preparing a delicious jungle meal for us completed with BBQ and “pansor”, a famous Iban cooking method in which food is cooked inside a bamboo over a wood fire. It’s such luxury to have delicious food cooked for you right out in the middle of the jungle.
Enjoying a jungle lunch @ Jangkar - life's sweet.
When you’re hungry everything tastes good. And I really enjoyed the boobs food and so would you …
Yoga @ Jangkar Falls
Meanwhile Sim Chin Kiong and Krystin Kuek demonstrated their yoga skills; and not allowing themselves to be outdone by the young and pretty, the two “old men” in the group also strutted their stuff … *ahem* Alan claims that as short as 5 years ago he could still walk up stairs with his hands but I know that some Canadians are prone to exaggeration! Just kiddin’ Alan! It’s interesting how nature brings out the little kid inside of you.
You're never too old to have fun - Yogis wannabes ... *sighs*
There were 14 of us including the guide and we all had a really great time and wished that we could linger on at the falls but unfortunately I have a colleague’s wedding dinner to attend in Kuching that night (and I was really really late! Sorry Dennis) and we reluctantly packed up and headed back for the 2 hours trek back to the village where we parked our cars. Time is too short when you’re having fun and I’d would love to get to know Raymond, Ben, Hudson, Amy, Felix and French couple Amelia and Xiaver better.
I understand that BOX’s website would be up soon with details of this and many other trips that they are organising - but meanhile if you are interested to go explore Jangkar falls, you can contact +6016 8899449 (Bryan) +6019 8399996 (Danny) or email them (borneooutdoorexplorers@gmail.com) and beg urge them to take you there! A word of caution though - you may become a “waterfall junkie” after this!
Spashing time @ Jangkar Falls on Gawai's Eve - a definite 2 thumbs up experience!
