Sunday, July 17, 2016

Sungai Pauh Campsite, Cameron Highlands

When you are young, foolish and in love - you would book yourself at Ye Olde Smokehouse at RM700+ per night. But if you're unable to tick any two out of the three above - we present to you Sg Pauh Campsite.

Well you would think it being only 2 weeks into Raya season 2016, the campsite would be bereft of campers as the entire nation drowns itself in unabated gluttony at various open houses. Apparently not as every inch of camp space over weekends was spoken for all through July and well into August. Considering Sg Pauh has a very large campsite footprint that can accomodate well over 150 heads - it seems that many like minded folks who are willing to forgo their ketupats and rendangs over this festive season.

A good base for exploring outlying nature trails

This is the favoured "base camp" for those wanting to trek up Gunung Berembun and for the less adventurous - to explore the surrounding nature trails -  in cool sub-20 temperature settings.

Lower East campsite
Lower West Campsite - the structures comprise of M/F toilets and a surau.

Upper tier campsite  before the arrival of 2 more camping parties
An open stage and wakaf for those preferring hammocks
What You Need to Know (based July 2016):

  • the campsite is well illuminated with incan lighting at night with optional power source for charging devices (speak to the Ranger for the latter);
  • it has shower and toilet facilities - which (just!) passes the "functional" test. Expectations vary but you'd be wise to be lower yours to its minimum settings i.e. convenient to have if you need to do "major banking deposit" but it is dirty and in serious need of maintenance .. buat blur mata and quickly do your business;
  • it has a well-equipped surau;
  • a small creek separates the the facilities from the campsite;
  • that small creek has occasionally turned into a raging torrent (flash flood), in which case, relocate your vehicles post haste before the water floats them downstream for you.
  • it's a bargain at RM5 per head;
  • the campsite is clean and well-manicured;
  • back to the toilet thing - it's all about perspectives. For every camper, the most valuable asset is to have a nearby water source. View the toilets as that and you'd be alright. And that you don't have to dig soil into the night when you have bowel movements. See? It doesn't sound so bad already.
  • depending on how lucky you are - the carpark can be anything from 30 seconds to 4 minutes away to the campsite. Err .. just ignore the signages and you drive in ..
Bottomline : if you are thinking of camping in Cameron Highlands, this site is recommended. And yep, we'd come back here again,

Home for the night!

Sungai Pauh

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Balik Kampung 2016!

Happy holidays and safe travels! 

Millenials and Gen-Y perhaps won't miss these moments but for the Baby Boomers and Gen X-er's, these are what defined our childhood years. #Throwback.

This house can sleep 70 pax easily. 100+ if you're pushing and lay down carpet on the porch!

Night orchestras which go on till 4 am in the morning  - meriam buluh a.k.a. meriam pokok kelapa

A natural forming ground water well

When the entire brood has descended home.. you need all the toilets you can have - the ubiquitous, icy cold water out-house toilets!

Kampong fare - simple yet fulfilling

Well, you might as well bring something down from the trees whilst you're at it ....



Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Map Updates for April 2016

Revision: 46648
Author: Banban
Date: Thursday, 21 April, 2016 10:35:26 AM
Message:
Update/add roads, pois, polys, around Kg Jln Kebun Timur area.

Revision: 46646
Author: Banban
Date: Thursday, 21 April, 2016 8:52:52 AM
Message:
Hooked up south of Bdr Putera 2 to Jln Kebun

Revision: 46644
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 4:22:55 PM
Message:
Roads and polys around Jln Kebun vicinity.

Revision: 46642
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 1:15:42 PM
Message:
Updates around Jln Rajion Klang.

Revision: 46641
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 12:33:55 PM
Message:
Road names for most of Bdr Putera 2.

Revision: 46640
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 12:14:02 PM
Message:
Finish up with pois and house polys for Bdr Putera 2.

Coleman - Now is the time!


Coleman Malaysia has officially opened at Sunway Pyramid in the second week of April 2016. This marks the end of UFL who was the official distributor of Coleman products here for many many years. 

Unfortunately, in this case a new distributor seems to mean higher prices for the same products. 

If you are a gear snob,  Coleman is not exactly the brand you'd associate yourself for sexy ultra-light hiking gear but they do make some great products for casual car camping and picnic. So now is the time to pick up some great deals on excess UFL stocks still floating in the market. In some cases you stand to save in excess of 40%. For example, today there are 2 kinds of coolers sold under the Coleman brand - one is the lower priced made in China coolers (tumblers and the sort) and their Made in USA coolers - which unless you are comparing to Esky - are some of the best in the business. 

These are some of the stuffs we picked up recently.  To be fair, we will only post prices WE PAID. So if you walk into a Coleman dealer post UFL days, you can compare the prices and be the judge yourself.

Once UFL supplies dry out, expect to pay a lot more. The time is now! 


Made in USA Xtreme 5 Day 50 Quart Cooler

Price paid RM390.00


Lumbar Quattro director's chair for the heavyweight 200lb camper!

Price paid RM 155.00


Abandoned Golf & Country Club - Fraser's Hill

Just past Jeriau Falls, just keep going up the hill. Some parts may be overgrown with tall weeds  but small vehicles should be able to pass through. Finally you will reach here. Pic timestamp is Q3 2015.

Nature reclaims what was once taken by man.
The 18 hole gold course layout

Lots of CPC lying around dating to 1995 when major turfing works were being done

On a clear day, this would be some view


The world about us would be desolate except for the world within us - 

Main lobby once upon a time

What once was bustling with coffee house banter in the background is now eerily silent

Another case of one day they all "got up and left"


Time stood still for this Club in 2004

Rooftop

I suppose you could scavenge the Astro dish but everyone's cancelling their subscription anyway

What lurks underneath the swimming pool ?

Until the day an investor comes and saves the day .. it's adieu for now.
Read our other  abandoned buildings discoveries.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Glamping in Janda Baik

Zaini's Guest House is just over an hour away from Kuala Lumpur and is a perfect location to introduce the young ones to the joys of camping.
They charge a token RM 10 per head (Rm6 for kids) to use the campsite. Given that the place is idyllic with 2 rivers running through it and super clean, it's a real bargain. The fee covers your use of the facilities including the toilet and shower facilities, open common kitchen (fully stocked with pots and pans, utensils, cooking oil, sauces and working fridge and freezer. You could bring raw materials and cook there.
This is the perfect setting to teach your kids some rudimentary camp craft such as fire building, rigging up fly sheets, camping knots and sleeping under the stars. These are the memories that they will long remember way into adulthood!
Sprawled amongst manicured grass
You could rent one of the few chalets for some basic creature comforts but where's the fun in that?
A nicely rigged flysheet and everyone decided to sleep outside the tent for the night!

SOTO Pocket Torch

Date acquired Feb 2015. Price Yen980 which at that time translated to about RM30.00.
This won an award some years back. Having dabbled with a couple of pocket torches which are fueled by gas and found that all do their job but the drawback is having to buy gas refill  (those red canisters which are used to refill lighters) - which is all fine and good when you're at home - different story when you're on the road.
Now you have all the benefits of a portable flame torch with easily found tuck shop lighters. Easily found anywhere around the world.
Note that the SOTO has been designed to be used with a lighter whose dimension is different (longer) from what we find in Malaysia. Some improvisation is required when the provided lighter runs out of fuel. Check out the pic below on how.
Verdict 5/5. Essential camping gear to get that fire / barbie / mozzie coil going.
Portable flame torch
Nice clean blue flame
Alternative RM1.10 Aladdin lighter. Use a half layer cotton tissue to pad the bottom of SOTO. The shorter Aladdin will now be a perfect fit.