Just in case you miss my face =p

Actually got very fast internet connection here but everyday is so tiring i collapse in bed by 10-11pm and have to get up again at 6-7am “=_=

My sister made a really full and tiring itinerary.

*weeps*

I want to dye my hair here.

Should I?

The ash blondes here look so good!!! And it’s almost the same price as KL anyway.

Le tempted.

But it will take the whole day??

HMMMM.

*dilemma*

But Im going to Ghibli Musuem tomorrow!!!

Le EXCITED!!!

Much Love!

XOXOXOXO

(edit: I’ve integrated a slideshow popup for my pics =p because i felt after all that effort i should make your lives easier to see the pics. BUT for some posts its really huge so may take a while to load =X)

Dated: 18th-19th December 2011

Location: Jalan Madge, Off Jalan U-Thant

(pfft. I think i deserve some kind of an award for this post considering how lazy i am and how abandoned this blog has become!!  RECENT EVENT LEH!! NOT BACKDATED WAN LEH!! AND SUPER A LOT OF PICTURES LEH!!! summoh got edit and compile into collages all to make your life easier instead of scrolling through a billion and one photos =X .. soo anyway… back to the post. wtf)

So,

As a post exam celebration to myself and an early Christmas getaway with the boyfriend, I booked this place in KL after reading and hearing about all the great reviews and stuff. However…… mieh.. just read on if you don’t get bored of my yappiness first =X

Intitially wanted the RM720 room but decided to see if I actually liked the place first and opted for the cheaper RM580 room. Which if you think about it really is still pretty ass pricey but heck! I NEED MAH MINI GETAWAY and it’s been a while since I last blew money like that anyway so humour me because no way in my current time can i afford to go to the Banjaran. pfft. GROUPON DEAL U BLUFF ME AH! Official website also 1.8k for a room on your website also liddat! WUWUWUUWUWUW. WHY WHY WHY!!!

Special prices till next year apparently. Check it out HERE and their official website can be found HERE

Entered the premise and was greeted by all these adorable trees with their bark falling off and a reaaallly BIG stone Buddha.

and a mini pond nearer to the main gate that was covered in Bamboo which was really pretty actually. The gate not the pond “=_=

Their fish pond was REALLLY clear! Like crystal clear for real!!! I was pretty shocked and tempted to ask them what filtration system they were using. If you just sit or stand there and watch, the calmness of the water and the playing fishes is so surreal that it looks like they aren’t even in water.

Sadly, the fishes were all pretty jittery and scared unlike the ones at YTL Cameron which i will elaborate further on when i actually decide to do that post =p

Front door. Well outside, big stone fire feature. Pretty cool =)

And of course the obligatory couple in front of hotel picture =X Nah. Don’t say i never post boyfriend pictures. I swear I have but a lot of people insist there is no signs of him in my blog or facebook “=_= wtf nonsense i swear! 2 yrs + impossible no signs of him okay.

The lobby’s main door. And some mini candle tea lights scattered across the water feature at the side. Pretty =)

And the room! Luxe Crib. This is apparently the most used room but every room is different and one has an aquarium but it’s not ready yet =( Loved the bed! It was really big but the bf was complaining about it being short.

They used reallly good linens which is a major plus point for me because I’m a sucker for soft comfy linens. Unfortunately, there was a tear in my comforter which i forgot to take pictures off but…. yeahhhh…. the comfiness made u for it =p

and the bottom left is the toilet with 2 sinks and a jacuzzi with blinds that open on two sides. one to the room and one to the balcony. cute touch was the toothbrushes in leaves and the full tube of toothpaste and shaving cream. no cheap disposable toiletries!

Sadly, in all my excitement i forgot to take pictures of my favourite part of the whole room .___. the awesome rain shower and the gorgeous rustic storage shelves. pfft.

And the door at the bottom right opens up to the next picture!

The balcony! With cute lantern lights and a day bed overlooking the pool =) Cosy. Oh. No smoking around the rooms and balconies =p MUAHHAHA. I LIKE! But you can still scuttle down to the carpark outside the lobby if you really need a smoke.

On top is this huge tray with complimentary Twinnings Tea, water and one of the most amazing mixed spiced christmas cookies i have ever chanced upon. In fact, I think i will go ahead and say it. It was THE BEST christmas cookies I’ve ever had! So good, i popped one in my mouth every 5 minutes or so and was clearly upset when the jar was finally empty. =(

Went down to the reception to ask if I could buy more since i loved it so much. Sadly, was sort of brushed off with this conversation.

Me: Hi! I was wondering if you guys had anymore of the complimentary cookies in the room. I love them so much! 

Her: Oh! Those are complimentary! You Can have them!

Me: Um.. Yeah I know. But I like it so much i was wondering if i could buy more.

Her: Owh…Oh! Sorry. It’s made daily.

Me: In the case, do you think you could get them to make a bit more tomorrow as i would really like to have more.

Her: ermm… errrr……..

Me: Nevermind. It’ll just be great if I could have more. Thanks.

Her: Okay.

- abrupt end of conversation with no actual conclusion-

But what i found funny was that they gave expensive snacks free yet the cheap peanuts in foiled packets were chargeable snacks. I found this really weird. Might as well give it free as well? How much could a pack of peanuts really cost in comparison with your higher ranged items?

The bottom picture is the TV with Astro channels. An Ipod dock. A DVD Player. And wine racks with mini fridge (with affordable drinks and chocolates!) and safe hidden behind the doors =) And that little complimentary bowl of dried fruits.

Note. At the moment, there is NO phone in the room and no room service either which was a minus point because I LOVE room service =( Maybe they are going to add it on next year when the tariff rates go back up to apparently normal.

Gave us this really yummy basket of tapioca doughnuts which I LOVED as well. But believe me when i say tiny. The 3 pieces could easily fit in my palm. Made me incredibly hungry and gave me very high hopes for breakfast tomorrow which i read really good reviews about again. The christmas cookies and these doughnuts really hit the spot for me and i was very very much impressed by this time.

Since there was no room service and the resident restaurant wasn’t open for business in the afternoon, we popped out to KL for food.

Actually asked the in-house manager if there was shuttle because i read somewhere that it would be provided. I mean I know we drove but seeing as we were technically on Holiday it would be nice to have someone drop us off and pick us up instead of us driving through the weekend jam.

Manager didn’t smile much and was pretty intimidating if not scary which was funny because when we first arrived she was very smiley and nice. I almost felt like i offended her with my presence or something. She seemed very irritated at the fact i asked for a shuttle which we eventually did not use anyway because she said they would only drop us off and we would need to catch a cab back. Mieh.

I don’t know what these plants are called but they surrounded the very pretty pool they had =)

Said very pretty pool =( Didn’t get to swim because the weather was too cold and i spent most of my next morning sleeping. Wasn’t allowed a later check out because apparently they had more incoming guests =( le sad. My main point was to go somewhere and swim and i didnt “=_=

-I interrupt this hotel post with spams of our faces because its my blog and i will blog whatever i want-

…TOOOT….

He is damn tak layan right. Finally last few pictures only wanna layan me “=_= pfft

-normal hotel posts will now commence. thank you for your patience-

Went up to their rooftop bar for complimentary cocktails! ^–^ Its really small though but cosy and I like it! Though you should probably watch out for mozzies once it gets dark.

view of the bar once it get’s a little darker and the lights turn up. There was a whole list of cocktails but we were only allowed to choose between two =( and the bartender even got our drinks wrong and gave us the same order. drinks weren’t great but it’s okay. not a big fan of alcohol anyway and the environment and the breeze coming in was lovely!

Bartender was also very nice and smiley though a little hard to communicate with so it was all good =)

after drinks went back to the room to chill and get ready. went out for dinner and a movie.

-abrupt end of day-

Next morning the bf had to leave for work so we woke up super early to have breakfast at their restaurant called Mandi-Mandi. It’s a cute place =) Would probably be really romantic at night too.

Unfortunately i was BEYOND disappointed. The bf ordered soft boiled eggs but if you squint hard enough you will notice that the eggs are actually pretty hard and they just chucked half a fully boiled egg on top “=_= Hello? TELUR SETENGAH MASAK OI! Bukan setengah masak setengah belum masuk. wtf.

My eggs benedict which i was waiting for the wholllee time… was… BAD. I couldn’t even finish it and it was so small. If anyone knows me I could probably down like 4 plates of that and still have room for heavier stuff so only eating half was definitely weird.

I actually ordered smoked Salmon which was on the menu but was told the kitchen was out?? We were the first for breakfast and they were out of salmon. NICE.

Anyway. Back to my eggs. THESE WERE BY FAR THE WORST EGGS BENEDICTS I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! THE WORST!!!

The teeny breads at the bottom was barely toasted and was soaked in some kind of liquid that it was soggy and just bleargh. And my eggs tasted completely of vinegar and nothing else! The crappy breakfast really spoiled my morning and motivation to go swim so i just went back to bed.

LUCKILY! The staff of the morning was lovely and when I asked for my cookies again (different girl) she immediately offered to pack them for me. She was very smiley and chatty and I wished she served me earlier because sometimes in a hotel, service really is everything. Wish i could tell you her name but it was Thai I think and way too hard to remember =(

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Anyway.

All in all. I would probably only give this place 6.5-7/10 stars unlike most of the reviews i read on tripadvisor and agoda for various reasons.

Despite supposedly being a 5 star hotel, service just wasn’t up to par and my horrid breakfast really left me reeling in shock. The place is pretty and all but in my honest opinion if they increased price next year, this would definitely not be worth the price anymore.

YTL establishments still win with their amazing service and for the same price as well.. but you go and try. We probably just had a bad day. =/

Below is a list of things i saw online that really made me think this place was worth it but i received none of those services and it made us feel like we weren’t given the full service and that think that maybe things were a little bias?. my response in italics.

We diudn’t see no muesli, cheese and fruits? Was ust given a menu and told to choose 1 item. HATED THAT! In YTL cameron, its the same concept but they let me keep ordering till i was satisfied and full. And portions here are soooo small. Not that it really mattered since i couldnt even stomach half of my vinegar eggs.

we didn’t get any turn down service when we went for dinner? and no chocolates either. HMMMM…??? But maybe because we went out later than expected. But still?

Why do they get to be shuttled back and we don’t?

Our drinks were just… meh….generous was probably not the right word.

We came in 2 cars since the bf had to go to work. But no car washes for us =(

Anyway, they probably need to buck up a lot more if they ever want to really achieve a 5 star name. I felt very second rated at the place and really did not feel welcomed at all. When we first went in, we were pretty amazed and excited but we left feeling as the boyfriend said “UNFULFILLED.” Thing’s just weren’t great or satisfactory. Better luck next time maybe? Can’t really decide if I would want to actually come back again or not =/

transition.

my minds swirling in a haze of loud dance music, drinks and sweaty vibrations.

flashback.

i crave.

much too sudden.

im in a wordy mood today.

music streams from my rarely used laptop speakers, shuffling in random orders yet all songs i love and adore.

every few minutes it’s a different sound, and with every delicate composition; i close my eyes and a new image forms.

now i see the play of fairy lights as they fall in and out of focus under a starlit sky and a wooden dock where gentle waves lap against it’s wooden beams.

halos.

colourful halos.

everythings a blur. but the changing of coloured lights that seem to beat like heartbeats of fireflies.

green grass. blue skies. white clouds.

sprawled bodies, hands intertwined.

checkered cloth. knee length dresses. little brights yellow daisies.

fantasy.

it’s amazing how the simple act of focusing on a song can transport you in and out of reality like the flicking on and off of a switch.

im nowhere.

but im everywhere.

im in car. the top’s open. there are trees on either side.

try hard enough and i can smell the fresh air of a countryside i’ve never known my entire life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Come with me to a place of fantasy
I’ll take you on a sea-saw
Come with me to a place that’s by the sea
I’ll take you on a board walk
Take my hand I’ll take you to the sand
You and me will build a castle
Ready set go I’ll race you to the wall
I will win I am the fastest

I don’t wanna grow old
Bring me all the toys you can find
You don’t wanna grow up
You can be my partner in crime

I’ll be sure to write you from the war
Put your guns away it’s tea time
Water bombs and tea towel tired mums
Looking for a little me time
Close your eyes and count to thirty five
You may never ever find me
Close my eyes and then I realise
You are never far behind me

I don’t wanna grow old
Bring me all the toys you can find
You don’t wanna grow up
You can be my partner in crime
I don’t wanna grow old
Bring me all the toys you can find
You don’t wanna grow up
You can be my partner in crime

Let’s have fun, let’s play out under the sun
Will you take me by the hand
Let’s see how far we can run, yeah
Let’s play chase let’s put make up on our face
You can catch me if you can
We can make a secret place

Meet me at the playground, come with me, fool around

-Sia, Playground.

“He doesn’t know you before… I did.”

Untamable.

That’s what he meant.

That’s what they all said.

And that’s what they all laugh about when i smile and shake my head.

In exchange for an affection i had wanted only from you, I gave myself up by will. But in our hearts we leave too much room for expectations that we fail to look at the reality of the whole picture. One way, two way. We are all guilty of such sinful demeanor.

At 10 I flew on my own to Perth to live with a friend for a month not missing the words home even once.

At 11 i took cabs and walked out of the house with only the words I’m going out. Freedom was my everything. Not coming home for days meant absolutely nothing.

At 12, i fell asleep in clubs, bars and friend’s homes with people i meet on random whims because alcohol made me sleep.

Silently, being alone became a part of me as i grew up and casually edged myself away from my safest nests.

Everyone cared. I had more love than i needed from family, friends and strangers alike.

I craved the attention. I needed the company.

But still i drifted into my corner that earned me the title of “the social antisocial.”

At 15, I walked around the neighbourhood, up the hilll taking as long as i could to reach home in heels and skirts so short you would stop and stare even if i was ugly. All this at 4am in the morning. Screams and fights and the screeching of car breaks as i scramble my way out and slam the car doors mid motion through the empty streets that scream solitude at such hours.

Trips to Bali made me happy. Walking along the dirty alleyways hand in hand in the dark and making friends with the dodgiest looking of people. There had been no lines drawn. No rights or wrongs. I did as i willed with him accompanying me along. Watching, keeping me away from harm.

Fast forward.

School trip to Seoul. School trip to Kyoto.

Midnight walks. Empty streets. Quiet carriage trains. Cold breeze. Signboards i couldn’t read.

I never felt safer.

Men who spoke in pauses and men who sometimes drew pictures. Men 3 times my age.

People never understood.

I got along with them too well.

Laughter filled my heart.

Laughter in the unknown place with men who could rape me at any given minute.

They never did.

They gave me advice and told me I was beautiful refusing to believe i was not even legal.

Fast forward more.

Parents suddenly put a collar. My freedom became restricted.

I never understood why.

I never did drugs. I never picked up a cigarette.

They said it was because i was ripe.

Funny.

I hadn’t changed a bit since i hit puberty at 10-11.

I guess people never really noticed.

My downfall then began.

I fail when I am bounded.

Depression came and go much too often.

Fast forward to 2007.

He helped me pick my clothes.

He knew my taste. He let me roam. I always came back. I was his.

Corea Seoul.

I carried his picture in a photoframe.

I missed him so much i hated the couples on the street.

Still i loved this place.

I felt like i never wanted to leave.

First night alone, she directed me home by myself.

I was scared.

For the first time ever I had been scared to walk in a strange place by myself in the dark.

It had been all the restraints put on me. That extraction of freedom from me.

10 days.

I had my own little apartment in a not so busy street.

I grew to remember the joys of lonely walks at the hours people were normally asleep.

I crave that right now.

at 21. My freedom has been restricted.

Things that made me happy now become wrong for reasons of a past that did not even involve me.

I always come back. I always do.

My trips that replenish my soul just keep being taken away from me.

I need this.

There is no way to explain it to you.

It’s not about holidays.

It’s more than just this.

It’s an accumulation of a collar that keeps getting tighter as i age and you being the one to tighten that leash.

Horses run wild.

But I walked into your stables.

I am thinning.

I need you still.

But i am dying without my fresh pastures and free runs across uncharted mappings.

Take a ride with me.

Or else let me run free.

I’ll be right here again.

I never leave.

Not until you push me.

Actually by the time you guys see this i’m already in the car checked out and going back down. Lol. There was no internet in the room and only the library area had free wifi soooo i had a lil time after breakfast today and hence im uploading it cuz it’s gonna be a busssyy busssyyy day for me!

Ciao guys.

And for the record. I love this place.