Meeting Ipoh Friends in KL

Hi Blog,

You were well aware of this. Yes, on 18th Oct 2024, I will be travelling again. I am going to KL to catch up with my Ipoh friends. We try to get together once a year as a ritual to bond with one another and look forward to it.

I took Friday off because EK intended to drive up to KL and avoid the traffic jam at JB Customs later in the day.

Honestly, I am not a wealthy man. I have been extremely disciplined and mindful of my spending, only covering our lodging and food. How I wish I did not have to worry about money. It does not matter; the main goal was to catch up, so I should look forward to it.

I was on my way, carrying my clothing-filled bag, hoping it would be enough to last me through the weekend.

Ek drove a large car that he borrowed from his father-in-law and which we could comfortably sit behind.

As predicted, the road to Malaysia was not congested on Friday afternoon.

Just checked this out! As smooth as butter!

We were relieved that we would not have to get stuck in traffic, so the half-day leave was worthwhile!

Yippee! KL, let's go! But the speed on the highway was scary...

Thanks, EK for driving us safely so...

(Credit P) I can sleep like a pig.

I spent nearly four hours on the highway and was stuck at the KL gantry for about an hour... We finally made it through the traffic and arrived at the Airbnb location, Millerz Square.

So sorry for my tired face because...

We finally arrived here safely!

We got an apartment for our KL stay. Let me show you guys around.

A minimalist, tidy, and clean white house.

The toilet looks like a standard condo toilet! Haha

There are three simple rooms. Oops! I forgot to take a picture of one of the rooms.

Take a deep breath in and out. Observe the sunset here. The fiery red hues of the sunset seem to signal that the sun wishes to see someone before it sets.

And that 'someone' refers to our friends from Ipoh! HELLO SM and HS!

Following a late dinner, we opted for a group karaoke session in RedBox!

The sound system was quite powerful and everyone sang their heart out.

(Credit SM and HJ) Oops! Someone recorded me singing passionately to some songs. It’s so embarrassing! LOL!

It was late at night after the karaoke session, but I was wondering where and how the swimming pool would look? So the group decided to see it together, and it looked amazing and decent.

I looked up and imagined that if this were my condo, this would be my regular nighttime hangout. Ah well... Stop 'night' dreaming; it is too late for others. After a brief discussion about everyone's morning routine, we decided to sleep early today rather than hang out late for a chit-chat session. So, good night for now. 😊

19th Oct 2024 - Waking up to see the morning landscape is such a blessing.

I just had to soak myself in the moment!

I decided to soak in the swimming pool!

I was too early to go swimming.

At the very least, no one will be around in the morning to ruin the resident's day with my stupid face and untoned body.

So relaxed, and I can take pictures with ease.

There is a beautiful sunrise here; it will be perfect. However, with this nerd here, nothing will be perfect.

This spot will definitely have a lifeguard or security on duty, but I just had to grab a quick photo here. Mission accomplished! I’m a bad influence!

Oh! The baby pool. I believe the kids will love this spot— I can already picture their laughter and excitement as they get wet and enjoy the water.

My favourite spot by the pool

Swimming in the morning, without anyone to judge me, gave me energy ⚡

I've decided to make a delicious egg mayo sandwich for breakfast. Although I'm familiar with making an egg mayo sandwich, I stumbled upon this recipe: Tamago Sando, the Japanese Egg Sandwich. The egg mayo is so creamy and thick! I absolutely love it!

I boiled the eggs until they were perfectly hard.

While separating the egg yolk from the white, P questioned the need for this step, asking, "Wouldn't the outcome be the same?" I would clarify that this technique guarantees a creamier texture and makes mixing simpler. However, I am not entirely certain...

Alright, I've decided to conduct an experiment. For Test A, I'll use a hard-boiled egg and mix it with mayo as I usually do. For Test B, I'll separate the yolk and white, following the method outlined in the recipe.

I began mixing Test A and, as anticipated, dicing it effectively proved to be quite challenging.

I chopped them up and mixed them with creamy mayo.

Okay, done, though it was a bit of a rough mix.

Now let us try Test B.

Mix together the mayonnaise and egg yolks. It seemed like a simple task!

Now for the egg white. I wondered if there was a better way to dice egg whites. I will do some research to improve my dicing skills.

Add the diced whites to the mixture.

It appeared easier to mix them up than Test A. At this point, you can add in

Done! Test A (right) and Test B (left). I can not tell the difference. 🤔

Let us take a closer look. Test B - the mix was even and well done, with an easy procedure that appeared to work well.

Test A: the mix was choppy and unfinished. You may still see some yolks in pieces, which will cause an issue when applied to the slice of bread. They will fall off whenever you bite.

I guess that adding more mayo to the mix might help to reduce choppy egg yolks and improve the spread. In the end, whether you prefer Test A or B, the outcome may be the same, but the process experience is unique and depends on personal preference.

I tried adding more mayo to the mix, and it looks great.

(Credit SM) They began to wake up and prepare for breakfast, and I moved too slowly.

Let's go out together!

Right before we left, I mentioned seeing a sign for a Sky Pool and Gym. I told them to go take a look, and it's awesome!

And the sky view from the pool.

(Credit P) Yes, I really like this one! I wish I had this as my bed! 😂 I am wondering if having it in the room is practical.

Ek suggested we have a lunch buffet here, and we were instructed to wear masks. It has been a while, and I am not used to wearing masks.

Singapore used to have a vegetarian buffet at Quality Hotel... I truly missed it. I heard they might come back :3 will wait for the news!

We went shopping for two hours after lunch before relaxing at Starbucks because we were exhausted and most of us wanted to return to our flat to use their facilities.

Ek also wanted to swim, but he did not join his wife because she and HS would be swimming in the main pool. He was slightly embarrassed to swim with the ladies, so we went to the Sky Pool to swim.

It appeared that there were a lot of swimmers here, but the evening was beautiful.

After making a small adjustment for myself due to embarrassment, I decided to go for a swim and not worry about other people's opinions.

I jumped into the cold water and forgot about it.

Refreshing.

Thanks, EK for this trip.

(Credit EK) I can picture a lovely evening sky.

(Credit EK) did you see it? Not beautiful?

(Credit EK) EK wanted to try from a different angle.

(Credit EK) Will including this nerd in the photos help?

(Credit EK) Okay, Confirmed! This untoned nerd can't help and only damage the beautiful scenery.

I guess I better not disgust my readers. I will save it and show you the area around here.

What about acting cute?

There is a safe boundary beyond the infinite pool.

Take a brotherhood shot together. I have known EK for over 30 years and counting. Thank you 💪🏼

The evening view from the top was lovely.

The last view of the evening sky before returning to the main pool.

Ooo, HJ and HS were still swimming, and EK just wanted to sit by and relax, so I decided to swim in my white, and the ladies did not say much, and they may have judged, but I am not bothered... I just have to apologise if I disgusted anyone.

P assisted us in packing up our dinner, which was a vegan fast food - RIGHTSIDE.

Just look at these; they are mocked meats. Yummy 😋

Meanwhile, I savoured my delicious Rendang hamburger.

To be honest, I love this! I hope to buy this again! In Singapore, I rarely get to eat a vegetarian burger, and now I have one.

We had dinner together in the apartment and had a lengthy heart-to-heart conversation for about five hours, with lots of sharing, encouragement, and insights. But everything needs to end so everyone can get enough rest for the next day, so I had to break everyone 😊 and chase them to bed.

On the morning of October 21st, 2024, I woke up early for a refreshing swim in the Sky Pool, while SM and HS expressed their desire to visit the Sky Gym.

The morning sunrise was not impressive, but at least it didn't rain to spoil it.

I hesitated to swim while there were ladies at the gym above me... but then I thought, heck care!

I adore swimming pools and wish I could own one, but I understand that is impossible.

Hmm, something unusual in the sky...

Ah! A flock of swallows gliding through the sky.

Oh yeah, if you're wondering why I exited the pool early on, it was because a group of volunteers arrived to assist individuals with disabilities in swimming. As I emerged from the water and offered them a smile in greeting, I stepped aside to allow them full use of the pool, easing any discomfort and pressure my presence might have caused. With the pool to themselves, they swam freely to the edge, enjoying the view with their volunteers.

At the very least, they could take pleasure in the view of the urban cityscape.

Then we noticed there had been a vehicle explosion on the expressway... I hope the driver and any passengers were alright...

The news suggests an unfortunate conclusion to the events. :(

SM and HS needed to return to Ipoh after lunch, and now it's time to pack up and head back to Singapore.

Goodbye :) I've enjoyed my stay here and hope to find other places that will make me miss you even more. The accommodations during my trips to KL have been wonderful so far!

It's time to relax in the back of the vehicle and trust that EK will drive safely.

After a few hours on the road to JB, it seemed like everyone was heading in the same direction, but the speeding was frightening, particularly when EK was in a hurry to get home...

One of the most fortunate moments was when the customs jam lasted only 30 minutes, which was incredible! Usually, on a Sunday night returning to Singapore, would take over two hours due to the customs congestion, so today was surprisingly quick.

After thorough analysis, the reason became clear. The main factor is Malaysia's new regulation for Singapore vehicles, known as the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP). This permit, issued by the Road Transport Department, allows foreign vehicles to enter Malaysia. Singaporean vehicles must pay a registration fee and obtain a sticker in Malaysia, incurring a charge with each entry into the country. This has discouraged vehicles from entering Malaysia for day trips in the future.

Overall, we achieved our goal of reconnecting with our friends from Ipoh and had a wonderful time. There's not much more to say. I look forward to our gathering next year.

Jeff