The Cave Experience

Because I ended my Sith training

"In the cave go you must... Remember your experience in the cave" - Yoda.

In the serenity of Darkness, only ambition will guide you

A visit to Highlands

Awaiting sunrise

This year on somewhere a week after the Chinese New Year, my crazy bunch of friends climb up Genting Highlands, Pahang again. For 2 years in a row now I've been visiting this place and I must say it is a must for next year...

Stairways

Stairways to the upper floor

The stairways to the upper floor in Kellie's Castle really caught my eyes. Had a hard time setting up the tripod with the tight space and crowds running up & down. With no wide angle & a crop body, planting the tripod was a real fun game. I respect the local tourist that gave way for my shot - they actually stopped for my bracket shots to finish.

The Haunted Hallway

1st Floor Hallway

Ground Floor Hallway

Coming back to le tour to Taiping.
Still at Kellie's Castle, this time I mounted my tripod at the hallway where the lines & bricks just gave me the chills when I was capturing it. But then waiting for people to get out of the way just made me ignored those chills. After I shot the two floors hallway, the wife told me to read about an eerie story behind it...

The Clock Tower

The Pullman Clock Tower

The last of the fireworks competition held at Putrajaya sure made us gangs of fathers rushing through our schedule and the rush hour traffic home. But we still managed through. Being old baggy folks, too much walking wasn't really an option for us - LOL.

Team Dubai - Putrajaya International Fireworks Competition

Dubai was the last team to showcase their fireworks. Quite a troublesome for me because it was not held during a weekend but on a Wednesday night. All in I still had fun with my bunch of bandits of friends who made a little havoc during the lift off towards Putrajaya. Well we're well-known for this - LOL.

Team Dubai at its best

Kellie's Castle in the rear

Rear view of the castle

The numerous days was a little hectic on me with the heat then sudden cold made my schedule running berserk!! Been holding this for more than a week now but with time was not on my side, I could only update it today. Thank you for the visits and being featured in Instagram Malaysia was really a colour sight to this sore head.

Kellie's Castle - The Rear wing

The unfinished construction

The scorching these past few days really making me not in the mood for anything except water, water and more water intake! I barely even touch the computer not until my son requests for his online play date that I'll swing along to use it.

This time however, is the Kellie's Castle rear wing which was supposed to be for the owner's wife/kids. It was a magnificent piece I must say with the decaying paint really brings out the structure.

Kellie's Castle

Side view / Main stairs entering the castle

Weekend is over, which means I can go back tethering my phone for many other things than Facebook - LOL.

This is Kellie's Castle (Wiki facts), an English castle located in Batu Gajah, Perak which was constructed before the 2nd World War. It didn't get to finish due to war & outbreak but this is (I think), the only original English castle in Malaysia.

The journey of le old road to Taiping landed us here as our last pit stop as it was near to sunset and to our luck it was still opened for public due to the current school holidays. This is the side view of the castle once you climb up the main stairs towards it.

Padi / Rice field - The Asian Diet - Part 2

This is where everyone gets their rice

This is the real Asian diet - rice!!
Well it has yet to undergo its process in order for you to get the rice. This is in its raw form looking at the greenscape of it sure is soothing.

Putrajaya Fireworks Competition 2013 - Team USA

Teaser... One of the 1st shot

Just came back outing with some friends... well about 4 hours ago that is (ha ha ha) from Putrajaya. They were holding a fireworks competition for a few weekends from the night of our Independence Day, 31st August.

Balik Kampung !! / Journey going back hometown !!

Coming back home

While trying to spot another scene on this le old road journey back to the wife's home town in Taiping, Perak; I noticed these teenagers on motorcycle with their large bags on their back. Clearly they were returning home from a long journey. This really reminded me during my college years when the festive season came (mainly Hari Raya - the day which ended the 1 month of fasting) and we were all going on long holidays. Everyone packed their belongings as much as possible, as neatly as possible, as economical as possible into one large bag with newly bought clothes, gadgets & the dirty 1-month-due-to-wash clothes; all to be proudly shown during the festive season (minus the dirty clothes which actually begged to be home wash for the fresh home soap wash smell - LOL). Everyone was so excited that books & studies never come across one's head but instead the faces of loved ones, family reunions and the taste of home cooked food. It sure packed a very enjoyable story for each every soul with especially the face on parents faces the moment you reach the door step (and also that special friend too!).

Padi field - The Malaysian & Asian diet

Do you eat rice??

Another pitstop from le old road towards Taiping, Perak. This time around with perfect clouds I stopped at a padi field. Padi which produces rice is one of the biggest diet in Asia where in my country Malaysia is a large part of our diet. Yup, we have rice at nearly every part of our meal.

Loneliness

Lonely road, Lonely hearts, Lonely mind

Been away again for a while. Lots had happened only leaving me lonely everywhere. But on every dark cloud, there is always a silver lining. I only have my thanks to the Almighty that showed me the path, that gave me strength and I don't want to bore people with it. So lets go on with this picture's story...

In the ruins

Finding life in the ruins

This was another stop during our road trip using the old road going back to the wife's hometown. Seeing a land with a lot of dying trees made me stop on this uneven road. Looking for a spot to stop the car was even more challenging than placing that tripod for a setup. This part of the road was really "hip-hop" but with all the green scenery we saw and then this, that small voice inside me just told me to stop. Quite sad though to see this because I wondered when didn't they make use of the chopped trees for something at least. Well time will tell...

Finding life in the decay

I went in nearer to even seeing more decay even the stream was very bad seen. I thought I could see any signs of life but on some small trees were coming. I remember a car was honking at me giving support that made me wonder what was he supporting at "me shooting at his place" or (please not be) "reporting this to the press". What ever it was, it was still a nice spot to stop.

Sungai / River - The old road drive towards hometown

(click photo for larger view)

This was another shot/pit stop we made during our journey towards the wife's hometown. 

We first swept the old road earlier this year due to the massive traffic of a festive season that held the traffic on standstill just 3 minutes drive after the toll booth. During that time I didn't had my camera as it was sent for repairs due to shutter failure. But during that drive, I never left my third eye behind so does my creative director aka the wife (LOL)!! She was the person who supported me for every scenery shoots. Just as what was said by Sally in Cars; "People don't just drive any more", and boy was she right!! The highway sure saved time but then you'll miss the sceneries and foods the road had to offer. Though we had to stop multiple of times at a lonely winding road but the stops were well worth it (well to me at least)!!

The English castle made from love

(click photo for the pano view)

Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

This is probably the only English castle in Malaysia... (for more info on the castle, click here). Well, as far as I know of that is. You see, my geographical knowledge is limited by my GPS Navigation apps running on my mobile phone PLUS the journey I'm heading to!! Without my navigation apps, the only road I will use is the highway and the signage listed by the roadside while driving. LOL

So when the wife wanted to head back to her hometown, we decided to use the old winding road where at times you'd pray for no car failure and head on your journey safely. Still, there was a lot to see which I now find the old winding road more exciting & refreshing to drive. Taking the highway the journey from home (in KL) to Taiping will usually take around 3 to 3.5 hours depending on your driving speed and usually gets worse due to unskilled drivers who do not know the meaning of overtaking lane making traffic hogging a long long way. These days, I do it in 2 hours while getting a gas average of 14.5 or 15 km/l. But using the old winding road, time didn't matter. What usually takes me 2 to 3 hours; took me 7 HOURS to arrive!! Bwahahahahaha!!... WHY??!! Well, once you have "eyes", you tend to have stops along the way and making your kids suffer in the car!! LOL

This was our last stop before we headed right to her Mom's house. We were on luck that this tourist attraction was opened a bit longer than usual where they stretched about 2 extra hours due to school holidays fever and we had reached it at a perfect hour with perfect weather. Before we left the castle, I couldn't resist the sunset cloud (though the sun was at the other end of this photo - LOL). The family was in the car with sweat & thirst waiting for me. LOL

More photos of the journey later...

Details:

Panaromic 4 frames stitched

HDR 5 exposures

Sunset hour (around 7pm)

Signing off

Daddy Rain

23/07/2013 @ 1015