Travel Light and Smart while on Outbound Vacation

The lists that I recommended below are based on my actual real-life experience while on outbound vacation. The suggestions are made based on what I felt as relevant, practical and convenient for those who wish to travel light and smart especially for a long vacation.

Shirts: Bring up to six shirts in a cotton/polyester blend; two long-sleeved collared shirts, two short-sleeved shirts and two singlets to be wore in-door when you are not going anywhere.

Pants: Bring three pairs; One lightweight cotton/linen blend with modest dress codes, lightweight pants-cum-shorts with zip-off legs and a pair of jeans for outdoor outings.

Shorts: Take two pairs; one with pockets and a beach swimsuit.

Underwear: Bring five light types as they dry quicker.

One pair of shoes: Black, cozy, light, cool and a good tread pair of Sneakers

Slippers: Casual and water proofed

Socks: Two pairs

Fast-drying Towel

Hat

Light luggage bag, small daypack and small pouch bag.

A light sleeping bag/portable jolly-bed and light hammock.

Camera

Mobile-phone & charger

Swiss Army/Leatherman knife.

Tiny LED flashlight

Medical kit (Actifast, Uphamol & Yoko-Yoko)

Toiletries: Hair cream, Deodorant, Soap, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Hair Trimmer, Shaver, Scissors & Mirror

Sun-block.

Sprayed Insect Repellent.

Making a Wise Decision by Shopping Online

The existence of Internet has introduced a new way in doing transaction around the globe. Online businesses have become the epidemic of the new trend in doing business. I would consider myself as one of those who have become obsessive with the trend of purchasing goods online. Let me explain the reasons why:

Price: The price of goods offered online are much more competitive and cheaper compared to in-store goods. I have done my research based on my personal experience in purchasing online goods in comparison to in-store goods. I found that products offered online are much cheaper than in-store products of the same brands’ name. The business owner of online business has the privilege to have direct access to the manufacturer’s products. They could order the goods direct from the manufacturer once ordered by the customer. Hence, they would get decent price from the manufacturer as they do not have to deal with the middleman. In conclusion, they are able to charge the customer at lower price based on the price offered by the manufacturer.

Practicality: I figure, it has always been practical to shop online. We do not have to go out from home as we can make order at a click of a mouse. There is no worry about being trapped in traffic and spending all days looking for goods that we planned to buy. Most of my camera’s equipments and accessories are bought online. I loved the idea of not having to go out and shop from one place to another looking for things that we wanted to buy. I would rather stay at home and make up my mind on the online offer. Furthermore, the price is equally competitive as the in-store goods.

Selection: The online store has wide selection of branded items to be chosen on. They have the privilege to publish wide selection of items as they are actually helping the manufacturers to promote their products. The latest products introduced will reach the online market before introduced to the mass market. Therefore, the first customer would definitely be the online buyer. I have never regretted the online purchases that I have made as the decision is made based on comparison of similar items offered online.

If you never purchased goods online, you should give it a try. You will fell in love with the idea of making purchases online and waiting for it to be sent to you personally.

Sacrifices during Raya Korban

Hari Raya Korban is celebrated by Muslims as to mark the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim in offering his own son as sacrifice to the God. The offering was actually an ordeal by God as to test Prophet Ibrahim's loyalty and faith in Islam. The sacrifice later changed with cattles as symbol of Muslim's community devotion to Islam.

The men are grouped in smaller groups as they have to work on two big cows. The meats are cut into smaller pieces so that it would be easier to distribute later. The smell of slaughtered flesh and blood is all over the place. Not a great sight for those who couldn’t stand the smell of blood. The meat then divided equally among less fortunate folks.

The pictures are taken under the roof during broad daylight. Hence, I do not used flash during the photo-shooting as the place itself is well lit. Furthermore, I do not want to distract the men in work. I managed to capture the pose of a man  holding a butchered cow’s head by requesting nicely to him for the shot. All you need to do is a little hospitality when you wanted something from strangers.

I have lots of fun taking photographs of the ritual as I never seen the actual ‘korban’ or sacrifice's ritual being executed live by Muslims’ community. The informative images are worth shared with other communities who are not familiar with the Muslims’ cultures.

Mountain Bike Joy Ride on 'Giant'

I have finally bought a mountain bike that I long desired. Two wheels have been my passion throughout my life. During my early youth, I used to have few bicycles and motorcycles; bought by my dad that I adore so much. Even before buying the bike, I did consider buying a motorcycle as to take into consideration that I would enjoy it more. However, I determined to commit myself in buying the bicycle as I wanted something that could help me to get in shape. Maybe a bike would be more motivating rather than jogging as its demand less effort and stamina.

The bike that I bought is considered of a high-end amateur category. I believed that it is categorized based on the specifications of the bike and how light it is. Cycling is kinda new to me, so I won't elaborate further. I decided to buy not so expensive bike, but of better specifications compare to the basic entry and basically from a popular and established brand 'Giant'. I bought it, taken into consideration that I might not enjoy cycling and maybe if I do, it will be easier for me to sell back in open market or upgrade for a better model. Why bother keeping it, if others willing to buy it and why not investing in a high-end bike if you enjoyed cycling it.

 

Before committing yourself in buying a bike, do consider how serious you want to be in involving yourself with this activity. If you are uncertain of your commitment, choose the one of a moderate level but from established and well-known brands. It would be easier to sell back later as established and well-known brands are in great demand for the cycling enthusasts.

Urban-scapes

The image of the old colonial building vs. the colourful monument, which are side by side to each other created unique sight of the photo. Its symbolize the clashed of historical Western heritage vs Eastern architectural. There are many historical buildings in Kuching, which are left by the Brooke"s family before the independent of Sarawak in 1960's. They are still preserved till this day as to mark the heritage of our state, Sarawak. Do bring along your wide-angle lens as some of the buildings are extremely wide and tall to be shot with standard lens.

The cemetary is located at St Joseph's Cathedral. It is one of the oldest Christian's cemetary site in Kuching. Why taking picture of the cemetary? There has always been something unique and mysterious about the place of the dead. People scared to appreciate the beauty of the serenity grave-yards as they are bound to the custom of believing that such a place is taboo for the living. As we can see in the picture, the image of the cemetary is worth appreciated.

Ramadhan's Bazaar

The photo-shooting trip is made during the Muslim's fasting season. My friends and I went to a local Ramadhan's Bazaar at Satok area. There are lots of foods sold by the local hawkers. The market is held only during the fasting season and most of the products and foods sold are kinda rare and only can be bought and available during fasting season. The market is packed full of customers and we can always smell all sorts of food around there, from Indian to typical Malay foods. I would consider the place as a great place to be in seeking for the memorable street photos. Do bring along your wide-angle lens as you will need it most at such a place.

Later, we hang out at the street called India Street. We took some pictures of Indian's shop-owner selling spices along the street.  Then, we proceed to the waterfront to look for the 'sampan' (hired small boat) to be photographed. We are lucky as we managed to capture few beautiful images of the boat and the people going inside it. The weather is quite hazy at that time. I am lucky  as I managed to capture the dim sunset light covered by the haze at the background. We should always be aware of the weather condition before going out for photo-shooting. Otherwise, we will be wasting our time in waiting for the right moment to shoot for what we are looking for.

Rock Climbing Event

The event has become an annual event which often held at a small town called Bau which is located about 30km from Kuching, Sarawak. It is held at a local tourist site of a well-known cave called Fairy Cave. It has become the favourite site for the professional and amateur climbers, due to its challenging and undisturbed nature. I managed to capture the wider perspective of the event as to show the whole perspective of the event, which involved the existence of those curious spectators.

The hut is built near to the climbing site. It is originally used as a typical hut to shelter farmers at the paddy field. The materials are made of palm leaves and suited the purpose for the farmers to seek shelter when it is rain and have their meal after working the whole day. I managed to capture the beautiful sight of the beautiful skies at the background while the people on the verandah are busy chatting with each other.

Sports Event

The images are taken during school's sports day. The event is held annually and involved the participants of 13 to 19 years old. The event helped to develop students' interest and passion of the sports that they participated in and at the same time to enable the coaches to seek talented athletes.

The images of the fire brigade's cadets and the 200m event are captured early in the morning as to take into consideration the atmosphere and background of a mystic morning. On the other hand, the long jump's event is captured in a stormy weather when it is about to rain. Hence, it’s created a sense of dramatic to the image.

The background effects played a vital role in drawing effects to the images taken. Hence, we must always be prepared and focused in adapting dramatic and beautiful background with the images captured. Plain background tends to create dullness to the images captured.

My Old PC vs. My New Laptop

vs.

Facts

Acer Desktop was bought in 2004. The specs are considered pretty moderate at that particular time. However, it is worth more than RM2k. By now, it would be possible for me to purchase a medium range system with that amount of money. The processor is Pentium 4, which is considered to be quite alright at that particular time. The rest of the hardwares are quite basic. It runs on Windows XP.

At the moment, I have upgraded most of the hardware in order to enable me to work with the latest application softwares. I have upgraded the RAM to the max (I will put extra slots for the RAM if possible) and even installed optional graphic card as I do lots of photo editing.

vs.

HP Compaq Laptop was bought in 2010. The specs are considered at the medium range. It is worth only RM2k. The processor is Core 2 Duo as most of the typical 13” laptop would utilize the Core 2 Duo processor rather than the processor from the i5/i7 family. I purposely bought the 13”, taking into consideration that it would be less bulky and easier to be carried around. It runs on Windows 7 Basic.

It works well with most of the latest application softwares. I have upgraded the RAM to 3GB. I did most of my photos editing and blog publishing with it.

Reviews

My desktop performed well when I first purchased it. I have been using it for many years without any major problems. However, recently the desktop began to create problems. It often restarts on its own without warnings. The displayed info stated that the present system is no more valid and totally corrupted. Luckily, I have my laptop as my backup. Now, I seldom used my desktop. Hence, I believe that I need to purchase a new desktop. The old desktop has to go. I will send it to Bali as an incentive for the retirement and great services throughout the years.

Conclusions

Do not purchase a high end system if you planned to purchase a new PC as the system change rapidly. Purchase on the system with moderate specifications as it often sold at a moderate price. You can always upgrade to a new system someday without regretting your earlier decision in purchasing an expensive system.

Make researches before making decision. Decide wisely.

Gawai Rituals at Kampung Serasot

The two men are preparing the offering for the Gawai Ritual for the night. The rice that is cooked in bamboo is cut into small pieces, while other foods are wrapped in leaves. It is not that they couldn’t afford to provide plate or bowl for the foods, it is the old tradition. Imagine that the foods are served on the ‘Falcon’ dinnerware, won’t it be like celebrating the ritual at the five star restaurant.

The skulls are hanged on the roof of the Dayak Communal Hall 'The Baruk'. In the olden days, the Dayak used to hunt for head as part of the ritual for the young boys to be men, to gain the respect of the elderly and to charm the young ladies of the village. I guess it would be whole lot easier for the young boys nowadays to gain respect and charm the ladies as they only need to have thick wallet filled with money and a 'Proton Inspira'. Back then, they might be considered a hero if they managed to bring back the head, now they would be considered a sadistic murderer which is similar to Jack the Ripper and deserve to be outcasted from the village.

The musicians are seen kept in the cage. The villagers do not want them to disappear during the offering ritual ceremony. They are forced to practice on their musical instruments until its’ perfect. Otherwise, they would be burnt alive inside it.

People are seen attracted and curious to know what the villagers put inside the ritual hut. Some of them posed beside the sliced pork, assuming that would it be nice if the pork be brought back for BBQ. Some look distorted and curious. The hut supposed to be the place for the Dayak Priests to gather around during the Offering Ritual Ceremony, not a site for photoshooting~ i****.

The lady priest is seen waiting patiently for the rest of the crews to hop in and be prepared for their Ceremony.

The cooked and wrapped foods are seen displayed on the verandah of the Baruk, ready to be moved into the Ritual Hut. Hope the foods would still be around when the time comes. The lady priest looked pretty hungry to me.

The offerings are placed in the hut together with the earlier offerings. The offerings are actually part of the ritual in feeding the spirit of the ‘padi’, so the villagers will get better harvests next year. Then again, I'm not certain that it would be relevant nowadays as most of the villagers are no more farmers. Maybe next year they should make offerings for better employment and more work opportunities for the village folks. Sramat Ari Gawai, Kaban!

Gawai Celebration at Kampung Gumbang

The village is situated about 40 km from Kuching, somewhere in Bau District. The village is called Kampung Gumbang. It took us about 15 minutes drive from Bau District to reach the village.

The village folks are busy preparing the feasts for the Gawai on the verandah of the house and accompanied by some uninvited kids.

The round building is the communal place for the village folks. It is called the ‘Baruk’. In the olden days, the  village folks would normally use the building as a place to meet and discuss on the welfare of the village folks. Now, the villagers prefer meeting up at a nearby village's grocery shop while enjoying 'Tiger Beer'. The Baruk had become the remaining heritage of the Land Dayak community.

The caretaker of the ‘Baruk’ is carrying the headless slaughtered pig to the Baruk as preparation for the Gawai Ritual Ceremony.

The chief of the Dayak community (dress in blue/red) is seen discussing with the village folks on matters concerning the welfare of the village folks. He is a retired doctor by profession. I figure that he might advice the villagers to quit smoking and not to drink too much ‘tuak’.

The ‘Baruk’ is built on stilt, higher above the ground. In the olden days the Baruk would be a good place for the village folks to defend themselves from the attack of the enemies and wild animals. Beside that the tall building would be quite cool and windy during the days. Most of the villagers who were making excuses of not going to the farm would hang out at the Baruk.

The design is still preserved till the present time as Land Dayak unique architectural heritage. I assumed even the design of Petronas Twin Towers are inspired by the Baruk.

The old lady is trying her talent in playing the musical instrument the ‘brass gong’. She should stop, it’s horrible. Maybe she should consider attending the music school for the elderly. I think the blinds would play better than her.

The pig is cut to pieces in the Baruk. The slaughtered pig have to be cut in the Baruk in order to show to the Spirit of the ‘Padi’ that the villagers are not cheating on him. The ‘Spirit’ shares will be hooked on the roof and the balances will be brought back by the caretaker to be barbecued for drinking session. The villagers hope that the spirit would grant them a better harvest next year.

I guessed the spirit must be quite greedy. The villagers have to offer extra offerings in order to win the heart of the spirit. The offerings like the rice wrapped in leave and chicken are also hooked on the roof.

The young assistant of the caretaker is seen suspiciously sneaking out for people outside the Baruk. Maybe he planned to take the spirit’s shares.

Most of the houses in the village still preserved its original architectural as in the olden days. They are built on stilt, along the hill slope of the village. It is typical for the Land Dayak to choose the higher ground as in the olden days the Land Dayak often became the victim of head hunting activity among other ethnics like the Sea Dayak which is also known as the Iban. Hence, they will be able to stay away from those ethnics and at the same time easier for them to defend their village. Nowadays, the location helps a lot in getting them stay connected with ‘Digi’ and ‘Celcom Broadband'. I assumed there are lots of bloggers from the village.

 A typical Land Dayak’s houses would often have the verandah, as to enable the villagers to dry their harvested padi. Now, it remained there for the villagers to spend time playing poker.

On our way back home, a friend of mine asked me to shoot few more photos of the Baruk. However, it is not due to his appreciation of the building but just to check out for the good looking ladies up there.