BRUNEI 101 - INTRODUCTION TO BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

This should be my very first trip abroad after the C-19 pandemic. The last time I went for a holiday to another country was in March 2020, a few days before our country declared the lockdown period when all the borders were closed. I had been in Brunei twice before, in 2009 and 2011 but that was just a touch-and-go kind of day trips from Miri.

But why Brunei again? I just needed to explore the country more this time like a real tourist. I got to choose a place that was not too far away so Brunei would be the best choice. Even though it was not a popular destination among Malaysians, I knew Bandar Seri Begawan had a lot to offer. 

For one thing, Brunei Dollar [BND] which is still used as Ringgit locally, is more expensive against Ringgit Malaysia. The best exchange rate I got in Bandar Seri Begawan was approximately BND290 for RM1000. The exchange rate was almost the same with Singapore Dollar so in a way, I would be spending more there. I was not worried though as I was not that the type who spent my money unnecessarily when going on holiday.

If you plan to visit places of interest in the city centre, they are located near to each other. If you intend to venture out of the city, getting a public transport could be a problem. If you want to take the public transport, perhaps you need to study the route and the schedule. I did not see any taxi in sight when I was there. There was no Grab service available but you could use the local DART e-hailing service. However, you need to register the apps using a Brunei phone number.

I guess that should be some sort of a brief introduction of my adventure in Brunei Darussalam. Do come back for more photo and story sharing session in the upcoming posts.

THE VERY FIRST TIME AT SEALIFE, LEGOLAND MALAYSIA

 

    26th MAY 2023    ~ Finally, I was there at Sealife Legoland. I always wanted to go there but there was just no one to ask to accompany me. When Mr. Zaman from Labuan came visiting, it was just the right time to get two tickets to see what Sealife had to offer.

It was a Friday afternoon, the very first day of the one week school break. Fortunately, the place was not crowded yet so we could spend more time there and taking photos was never a problem.

If you love to watch and learn marine lives, this should be the place to be. It was quite small though and the ticket price was RM89 for an adult.

I had no intention of taking my tourist to Legoland theme and water park. I hope he was happy to visit at least the Sealife. Taking photos outside the other two parks and the hotel should be memorable enough.

PHOTO SHOOT TIME AT LAMAN MAHKOTA, ISTANA BUKIT SERENE

   26th MAY 2023    ~ The spot where tourists should pose in Johor Bahru would be the huge crown in front of Istana [Palace] Bukit Serene. I just found out the exact name of this place is Laman Mahkota.

There were not many people when we were there at about 7:00 p.m. However, we could not stay long as it was getting darker.

That should conclude the guided trip around Johor Bahru for a friend who came all the way from Labuan. Hoping that he had enjoyed the time spent at the places I took him.

WHEN OLD FRIENDS FROM FAR AWAY WERE IN TOWN

Mr, Ridwan Wahid [a friend of UPM TESL class of 1993] and his family were back in town. It should be mandatory for us to meet up and chat over dinner, or any kind of meal.

This time, we went to have Mee Bandung Muar, but not in Muar. The stall was located in Kampung Melayu, just near my house. And we had satay too.

To conclude the evening's gastronomic adventure, we then moved to another food court nearby where there was the popular Azmie Wawa ABC stall. A plate of Chicken Murtabak arrived at the table, the supper supposedly, and there would be no way for us to get other food.

That should end our very brief gathering this time but Mr. Ridwan, wife and daughter would continue with their food-hunting session for breakfast tomorrow. Unfortunately, I could not join them as I have to be somewhere else for work. They are already knowledgeable of the places that serve the best food in town so I am not worried.

A WALK AT PUTERI HARBOUR

    26TH MAY 2023     ~ One scenic place in Johor Bahru would be Puteri Harbour. Hence, this should be an option of a spot to go to when a friend comes visiting.

We were in Legoland Sealife and Puteri Harbour was just nearby. There were not many people that Friday evening so we could have the place to ourselves.

Unfortunately, it was quite cloudy that evening so the photos did not turn up beautiful. Believe me, they could be much better if the sky was bright and blue.

Another mission accomplished. I was glad to choose this place to take my friend from Labuan to at least take a lot of photos.