Diving in Pulau Redang

Pulau Redang is located in the state of Terengganu. There are practically 2 ways to get to the island from the mainland Kuala Terengganu; Shahbandar Jetty right in the middle of the town OR Merang Jetty 45 minutes from town. From Merang to Pulau Redang only takes about 35 mins boat journey.

We stayed in Redang Pelangi Resort for RM380 – 3D2N stay in triple room plus meals. No complaint about the room / meals. Even so I hardly comment on accommodation while traveling..the cheaper, the better. The only luxury local island stay was a few years back in Laguna Island Resort, also in Pulau Redang. Still I spent most of the times at the beach and pool rather than inside the room.

Diving in Pulau Redang

Since its nearing monsoon season, September may not be the prettiest time to go diving in the East Coast. However judging from my previous experiences diving in Pulau Perhentian in September, I know that this trip is not going to be wasted. Plus I HAD to put on my brand new mask for a try 🙂

1. Shore dive / house reef

The vis. was okay. Started at 3m deep and we worked our way deep. The stupid new mask decided to give me a hard time. The water kept on coming inside the mask, that I had to go up few times to re-adjust the mask. Cursed all my way throughout the dive.

2. Pulau Kerengga

Saw turtle, triggerfish, shark

3. Terumbu Kiri

I’ve always loved morning dive. Sadly I can’t recall the fishes that I saw haha.

4. cant remember the name of the site. imma check later with my log book.

Supposed to be a deep dive in the open sea and we were promised with nice soft corals. I had trouble equalising (my buddy was with me all the time) and when we finally gone down to 21m, we’d lost everyone. Tried searching for them for few minutes, but as the water got murkier and darker we decided to abort the dive and go up. The boat picked us two back and later on we saw the bubbles streaming from the water. Upon seeing that my buddy decided to go down again. But not me cause I know, me and my ear problems would only slow her down. Funny thing though my buddy has gone into deco stage that she had to stop several times during descending, only to be reunited with the rest of the divers while they’re doing safety stops. Ha ha. So, a very unlucky dive for both of us.

The rest of the divers reported that they saw lion fish while they were ascending.

5. Che Isa

Saw morray eel, crocodile fish. Pretty soft corals during safety stops. I think the best dive I had in Pulau Redang.

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dog days aint over

I just got back from Pulau Redang. Last been there a couple of years back. It was very pretty back then..not so much now, maybe cause its nearing monsoon season. Anyway it was a nice break from work and also managed to add more entries to the dive log book. Last beach escapade was in June..having that into mind, it called upon for the next beach trip. And the current timing is right. I’m done with the masters programme and (hopefully) will soon graduate. So that called up for some sort of gateway for me.

Pictures and dive stories will be updated in the next entry lah.

Now that I’m graduating soon, I’ve starting to hatch the plan for future. Not yet satisfied with my masters, I’m thinking of pursuing the back breaking nerve wrecking CFA. BUT with my love for everything fun and laid back  this could be hard for me. The earliest intake is for June 2014 exam, we’ll see.

Turning 30 Sucks, Quit Sugar-Coating It

Fuel hike: Necessary or not?

Just yesterday the govt has announced an increase (actually a reduce in government subsidy) of 20 cent per litre for RON 95 and diesel prices. Roughly means that I have to fork out an extra RM10 whenever I fill up full tank on my Beetle 

Quoting Bloomberg on this news;

“Malaysia raised fuel prices for the first time since 2010, joining neighboring Indonesia in curbing subsidies that have stretched government budgets and threatened investor confidence.

The price of the widely used RON 95 grade of gasoline rose 20 sen to 2.10 ringgit ($0.64) a liter after Prime Minister Najib Razak announced the change yesterday in Putrajaya.. Diesel was put up 20 sen to 2 ringgit a liter. The increases will help the government save about 1.1 billion ringgit this year and 3.3 billion ringgit annually in future by reducing state subsidies, he said.”

What I believe to be the factors of the subsidy’s cut back (remember  this is based on what I believe);

Fitch downgraded Malaysian rating outlook to negative.

This was in July. Reasons cited : the country’s rising debt & lack of budgetary reform. Moody’s Investors Service said last month the country has a “narrow” revenue base and “relatively high” government deficits, state subsidy bills and debt.

What could happen next?

Inflation

Inflation

Inflation

I believe that the government is finally having some concerns on the country’s fiscal position. Drastic as it may sound, but this has to be done.

But this is not all the govt does in tackling the deficit issue. There will be some delays in state building projects except for the ongoing construction of MRT projects. In a way this is a good measure taken by the govt (only if it materializes), but it is best to wait for the 2014 budget to fully grasp on what the govt is planning to do.

 

This is serious, yes. But the people has been ignorant for far too long, it’s beyond measures already. Najib’s administration – a reality check for you. Blanket subsidies (ever since the time of Dr. M) are proven to be fatal. There’s nothing good can be gained from giving handouts to people (politically motivated or not). Cash, fuel, rice, housing, shareholdings and many more are stellar example of how an economy built on aids won’t succeed in a long term.

Financial institutions and research houses have gradually lower their forecasts on year-end FBM KLCI and have increased their inflation forecasts to reflect higher fuel costs & weaker earnings expectations. However, had the govt do nothing over this, believe me we’ll get into deeper trouble. Well for a start ringgit was on a 3-year low hovering about 3.32 per dollar (5th worst performance among 11 most traded Asian currencies). Then today the ringgit climbed 0.4%t to 3.2615 per dollar as of this morning.

Could be a good thing, no?

 

 

 

Turning 29

What have I achieved so far in my 29 years of existence? ha ha this is a joke.

Okay, to commemorate the historic moment of the day that I was born (this post is a week late), I’m quoting some lines from my fav movie and tv series.

“Meet me..in Montouk”
– the final words of Clementine to Joel upon her final memories of them together being erased.

(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return”

(Moulin Rouge)

“Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance, I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak, I will open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come from my saying I sometimes cannot think clearly, or do my work properly? What gain can rise from my telling you the only time I feel fear as others do, is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy Walker. I fear for your safety above all others.

And yes… I will dance with you on our wedding night.”
– Lucius Hunt to Ivy Walker

(The Village)

“Istriku Ajeng, manusia terkuat yang pernah kukenal.
Terima kasih untuk rumah terindah yang pernah aku tempati.
Terima kasih untuk memberi maaf sebelum aku meminta.
Terima kasih untuk bersabar sampai aku tahu kalau hal-hal terbaik dalam hidup tidak memerlukan uang. Seperti bunyi suaramu yang selalu setia menuntunku, pulang ke hatimu.
Rumahku yang terindah.”

– Letter from Marwan to his wife, Ajeng

“Di tempat seperti ini, kita belajar untuk tidak pernah meminta maaf kepada hidup. Tempat ini terlalu basah untuk ditanam air mata, dan terlalu sempit untuk diisi penyesalan”

(9 Naga)

Coincidentally Rudi Soedjarwo as the director for 9 Naga, is also the director for Ada Apa Dengan Cinta and Mengejar Matahari, my fav indonesian movies.

“Ada teman-teman di masa kecil kita..
ada teman-teman di masa remaja kita..
ada teman-teman di masa tua kita..
ada sahabat-sahabat untuk selamanya..”

(Mengejar Matahari)

“Aku lari ke hutan, kemudian menyanyiku
Aku lari ke pantai, kemudian teriakku
Sepi… Sepi dan sendiri aku benci.
Aku ingin bingar. Aku mau di pasar.

Bosan aku dengan penat,
dan enyah saja kau, pekat!

Seperti berjelaga jika aku sendiri
Pecahkan saja gelasnya biar ramai
Biar mengaduh sampai gaduh

Ahh.. ada malaikat menyulam jaring laba-laba belang
di tembok keraton putih
Kenapa tak goyangkan saja loncengnya?
Biar terderah,
atau… aku harus lari ke hutan belok ke pantai?”
– puisi by Rangga, sung by Cinta

(Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?)

“Orang yang beruntung itu orang yang tidak pernah dilahirkan, dan yang kedua beruntung itu orang yang mati muda”

(Gie)

“You can just feel the details. The bits and pieces you never bothered to put into words. And you can feel these extreme moments. Even if you don’t want to. You put these together and you get the feel of a person. Enough to know how much you miss them.

And how much you hate the person who took them away”
– Leonard, on remembering his wife

(Memento)

“This is my destiny — I’m supposed to do this, dammit! Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do!”
— John Locke to the tour guide.

“I’ll see you in another life, brother!”
-Desmond Hume

(Lost)

And oh, while I’m at this, my fav song that’s also the track in episode 17 of season 1

“..And why do you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
Why do you sing with me at all?”
– Damien Rice, Delicate

Movies and idiot box’s series aside, I am a near 30 girl who have her interests change on an almost daily basis. I am now, as at today, an advanced diver which means that I am a sun worshiper, dreams of living on a secluded island doing nothing but island preservation. I am also a nature & animal lover. Donate money to WWF. Don’t eat / go near to turtle eggs / shark’s fins. I have special interests on North Korea, Indonesia and Scandinavian countries. Somehow believes that North Korea is the least polluted country in the world (since it receives so few tourists over the years) & that I will visit some day. On Scandinavian countries, I had first registered my interest in Sweden after watching The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (and subsequently read the Millenia trilogy). And then Iceland, with the geysers and fjords, ice diving (diving between tectonic plates of Europe and North America & to top it off, the clearest cleanest water on earth with the vis exceeds 120 meters). Ice diving is definitely on the list. The next in line, Indonesia is fascinating to me as even though I’ve been to many parts of this country there are still many more left unexplored. Raja Ampat in Sulawesi, Belitung Island in Sumatera, Derawan Island in Kalimantan, national parks in Java and many other places that are yet to be discovered.

Question is, will I be able to live long enough to travel to all these places?