AN EVENING AT THE HOSPITAL

21ST JUNE 2024 ~ I got to know Puan Sri Wahyuni was warded in Hospital Sultanah Aminah from someone's post on Facebook. I decided to pay her a visit after my lunch date with an ex-schoolmate at Plaza Angsana. Puan Sri was the lady cleaner who was in charge of cleaning my office in school regularly when I was in SMK Dato' Jaafar. I actually just met her and her husband at Giant Hypermarket on Sunday and I was shocked to know she was hospitalized. Let's pray Puan Sri would get well real soon.

While walking to the parking lot, I met two friends who are also retired husband-and-wife teachers, Mr. Nor Hashim Bahrin and Puan Zaini Md. Rais. They were on their way to visit someone too.

Then, two more people who were about to visit someone sick stopped me. They were Puan Aliah Hussein and Miss Rabiah, an ex-colleague and ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, respectively.

I should be meeting only one person at the hospital but I was seeing more. It sure is a small world after all.

RECCEING TALULA HILL IN KLUANG

   7th JUNE 2024    ~ After the breakfast at Kluang Railway Coffee and the Friday Prayer at Kluang Town Mosque, the next stop was Talula Hill Farm Resort. This should be the latest retreat spot in Kluang and not many people know about this place yet.

This should be a hill resort which was not that hilly, located in a palm oil plantation. We first saw the modern cafe and the reception office once we arrived.

Only guests would have the access to the accommodation area down the hill, either by driving there or by taking the ride on the buggy.

We could also see a small lake on the lower ground which should offer water activities like canoeing.

You have to be here at the right time - depending on the weather, temperature and sunlight , to be able to take beautiful photos. Photo-editing skills would help a lot.

We then made our way out of the place, to the less hilly part of the country.

[MAIN PAGE OF MY KLUANG OUTING TRIP]

A LUNCH DATE WITH AN EX-SCHOOLMATE AT ANGSANA MALL

I managed to get an ex-schoolmate [of SMS Muar] who is also and ex-dormmate [of Pujangga Vll] to meet at Angsana Mall for a lunch date.

The place chosen was Spazio Restaurant as I wanted to try its other food after visiting the place a few weeks before with other friends.

One of the staff is an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti. They are just everywhere. 😆

I loved my Laksa Johor and Mr. Razib Nordin also loved his Chicken Asam Pedas. I would have to come back to this place for other food.

Thanks to Mr. Razib Nordin for the time and the four Soursop plants for me to bring home. Looking forward to our next meal together soon.

TRYING THE POPULAR MEE UDANG SUNGAI DUA

1st JUNE 2024 ~ My gastronomic adventure in Kepala Batas continued after attending the wedding reception in the afternoon [READ HERE]. This time, an ex-classmate of Budiman class [of SMS Muar] fetched me at the hotel and brought me to this restaurant called Restoran Aur Gading located in Sungai Dua which should be famous for its Mee Udang [TRANSLATE: Prawn Noodles]. I was told that Sungai Dua is already in Butterworth district, not Kepala Batas.

When we arrived for dinner at about 7:00 p.m., the place was quite empty. There were people but the dining area was big. And it was raining heavily when we were ready to order our food.

Of course, we had the famous Mee Udang and my friend was very happy to finally get the food he was craving for.

One could also get fresh seafood to be cooked here.

The Mee Udang was good, and it tasted much better when someone paid it for you. 😀

I have to thank Mr. Shamsul Akmal Shamsuddin and wife for kindly taking me here for dinner, which was something I had never expected and had no chance to say "No" when told about the plan at the reception. And thanks also for the treat. I wonder when will our next gastronomic adventure be after this as they are residing in Bangi and seldom come to Johor Bahru anymore.

MEETING AN EX-STUDENT DURING MY "ME TIME" SESSION

I was at Secret Recipe Restaurant in Taman Suria as I had the craving for cake and coffee.

People these days called it "me time" kind of thing.

Then someone came to my table and said "hi".

An ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti [SPM batch 2012], Miss Nurin, was also in the restaurant with her father-in-law and two children. It was kind of her to come and introduce herself and I appreciated her kind gesture so much.

Not every ex-student would be doing the same when he/she sees me, though. I have experienced some people whom I know were my ex-students but they act as if we are strangers.

Thanks again Miss Nureen and hope to see you again somewhere else some other time.

FOOTNOTE: fans are everywhere.

EATING BREAKFAST AT PASAR BISIK, KUALA MUDA

1ST JUNE 2024 ~ Mr. Asrulnizam had already planned to take me for breakfast at Pasar Bisik - when in Kuala Muda, eat like the locals do. There were like two stalls in the area which were already operating at about 9 something in the morning.

The breakfast looked more like lunch, with rice and all kinds of local Malay dishes. The specialty would be its different types of fish curry dishes.

It was difficult to maintain the ideal body weight after coming back from any trip as friends were always generous and persistent to introduce me to all kinds of delicious food day and night. The gastronomic adventures just never end.

There were more cats at the eating place.

That should conclude my excursion in Kuala Muda hosted by my friend, Mr. Asrulnizam. I got to thank him again for the time and hopefully there will be other opportunity to travel up north again in the future.