Fascinating 18-21st Century Museum Angkut
Fascinating 18-21st century Museum Angkut, Batu City Impressive collection of hundreds of classic to modern vehicles, from sea, land and air, from the Sedan Lincoln sat in to Batman mobile. This Museum is the most unforgettable and unique Museum I have ever been to, in my life to date! The developer cleverly architectures the myriad of rainbow colors and popular music of the specific era to give you the mesmerizing sights and sounds, to transport you from Asia, Europe then to the US. You certainly won’t get to see this eye-opening exhibition in any part of Asia but the massive Batu City, Jawa Timur Theme Parks, Indonesia. Many of the beautifully restored and well-maintained vehicles have been featured in the Hollywood movies. The 12 iconic thematic landscaping and buildings take you through a 3-hour journey of 18th to 21st century historical transportation development. Certainly a Museum I highly recommend for edutaining historical tours for families and a passionate transport consultant as my Sydney brother would jump straight into the opportunity to visit if he is right here in Indonesia! The younger generation will be fascinated while the elderlies may feel nolstagic as if watching a real life Hollywood movie come to life before your very eyes. You will need at least 3 hours to comb this place, and stopping to take the photos and videos, examining the intricate detailing of every miniature fabrication from Zheng He’s vessel to the Formula One Race Automobile. While you are still captivated by what your visual rolodex just took in, there are food and beverages and wearables stalls waiting for you near the exit where you can take a break by the river view, and shared excitedly your Wow experiences with your group mates. My family would like to extend a very special thanks to Ika, such a bubbly and radiant bilingual lady driver assigned to us from Bromo Eco Tourism. Ika is the most lovely lady driver we have ever met and she even addresses my Dad as “Papa” instead of Uncle Peter so you know how she has stolen all our hearts instantly! Ika brought us to Mang Engking Restaurant to dine by the beautiful elongated pond swarming with white fishes. We had an unforgettable Indonesian cuisine and average 3 juices and our Indonesia’s favorite sweet jasmine tea for each of the 6 of us at S$75 over lovely ambience! Ika, we would love to see you again! You made me see for myself how Bromo Eco Tourism have fantastic drivers with great personalities who made us feel like we are all a family on a outing together! Thank you for making us all feel like home with you! You are a rare gem! Contributed by Lynn See, Singapore https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WhatsApp-Video-2024-08-28-at-01.13.10.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WhatsApp-Video-2024-08-28-at-01.16.01.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WhatsApp-Video-2024-08-28-at-01.22.14.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WhatsApp-Video-2024-08-28-at-23.50.17-1.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WhatsApp-Video-2024-08-28-at-01.19.32.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/WhatsApp-Video-2024-08-28-at-01.28.14.mp4
Sabah Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Sabah Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park Marianne and I chose Sabah to celebrate our friendship silver anniversary in 2023. Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is a state park located in Gaya Bay, a mere 30 minutes ride away from Sutera Jetty or Jesselton Point Jetty. The best part is Sutera Jetty is just 5 minutes ride to the KK airport we landed for those who can’t wait to get into their diving feat! Since my curiosity is picqued, I did a google search and found out it was named after Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. It was gazetted in 1974 as Sabah’s second national park. That was before Marianne and I are both born and we are amazed by how well preserved and pure the waters are! It’s so transparent and in the perfect sea green color you would desire for a prime diving spot in Asia! Our tour guide Johnny who is an avid diver in Asia told us there are more sea creatures in this Marine Park than any part of Asia so we are in for a great visual feast! Marianne snorkeled for merely 15 metres offshore and already found fishes as long as her lower arm! Oh! We certainly fell in love with this Marine Park and vowed to return again with more friends next! The Marine Park covers an impressive huge area of 50 sq kilometers comprising 5 islands, their surrounding reefs, and sea. With such an extensive preservation efforts, their fauna, flora, and marine eco-systems are well protected. You certainly don’t get to see commercial marine vessels passing by this part of Asia. Interestingly, on further research, I discovered the names of the islands are not only used for the meeting rooms in the Sabah Le Meridien Hotel we stayed, the names are symbolic of their history and early discoverers. Pulau Gaya (‘big’), Manukan (‘fish’), Mamutik (‘for shell collection’), Sapi (the sound of a mowing buffalo), and Sulug (commemorating the ancestry of the Sulu peoples of Sabah). Initially, the Park covered two islands – Gaya and Sapi. In 1979, the Park’s boundaries expanded to include three other islands : Manukan, Sulug, and Mamutik. On this trip, Marianne and I covered Manukan for sea sports such as sea walking. Imagine feeling like an astronaut in the round transparent helmets walking on the seabed and the entralling parasailing in pairs in the middle of the ocean! It’s simply sensational! The mineral rich pristine waters makes it refreshingly therapeutic to soak it all up, mind and body. This part of Asia is certainly a rare gem, a perfect getaway and revitalizing retreat for busy professionals and students. Sabah is also known for their freshest catch sent to the restaurant and the huge and variety of sea cucumbers as local produce. You need to let the restaurant know you would like to have lobsters so they will order fresh in the morning to be prepared for your dining plate! We chose Le Meridien Hotel for 3 things. Firstly, the rooftop skybar with a 180 degree paranomic view of the Marine Park! This hotel has the most strategic location 10 mins ride from the airport, within 5 mins ride away to Imago – the largest and newest mall there with Marianne’s favorite Ripcurl brand and departmental stores and Gaya weekend market. It is in fact, right beside the local (dry) seafood retailer and in front of the local produce market where you can get all sorts of Sabah’s well-loved snacks. Secondly, they have fantastic and spacious rooms. We got 2 very comfortable queen size beds in a 42 sqm room. It’s so big you can put a pool table inside next to the bed! Thirdly, Le Meridien is well known for their extensive 5-star hotel buffet breakfast. The classy restaurant is crowded with patrons you can imagine the high occupancy and popularity of this hotel. The Assistant Front Office Manager, Ms Anna Wong, is such a joy with her cheerful and hospitable presence! You should see how children crowd around her as she chatted warmly with their parents. Her service excellence is top-notch! She made sure coffee is served right at our preferred table, by the corner glass panel. Her keen eye for details and guests walking into the restaurant makes sure you feel you certainly have her full attention and very presence with you. When we went to the skybar, we were raving about her to the skybar service staff and they also attest she is Ms Popular among the F&B service team. What a megawatt and fine lady who left us such a deep impression! She certainly epitomizes Sabah’s 5-star F&B hospitability. Our hotel Conceirge recommended us New Gaya Seafood Restaurant a $5 grab ride away (5 minutes) and you see Marianne and I there for 2 nights at a row. If we can go 3 nights, we will go 3 nights to indulge on the freshest sea catches. That is right after enjoying the stunning 180 degree view at the level 14 sunset skybar at Le Meridien Hotel, helping ourselves with the uniquely concorted mocktails and cocktails for Le Meridien Hotel skybar, and reminiscing how we have grown since our schooling days. A silver friendship anniversary is certainly a proud occasion to celebrate here at Sabah in absolute pamperama style! Sabah is simply breathtaking and the people staying at Sabah are truly blessed to have such marine parks to be envious of. Contributed by Lynn See & Marianne Ha, Singapore
Incredible Mount Bromo Volcano
Incredible Mount Bromo experience for my 76 year old Dad & Acrophobia me! My Dad fulfilled his dream to view Mount Bromo at age 76 safely and without strenuous steep walking uphill, thanks to Bromo Eco Tourism making it possible! My Singaporean family and friends just had a smashing holiday at Mount Bromo, with a private tour customized for my elderly folks on an adventure to view Mount Bromo, as their retirement bucket wish list on our East Jawa holiday. To begin our list of drama for the agency: one has weak knees issues and need help to walk down even a 6-seater car, another has a weak stomach and motion sickness having to throw out on a long road trip. I prefer my Dad not to walk too far any strenuous steps uphill so as not to exhaust him and the best part, I have acrophobia! We are very grateful despite all these problems to overcome, the affable agency boss, Anjang and his very caring driver, Arwin, were still so kind and willing to customize a most elderly friendly private tour for my family, thoughtfully bringing us to Seruni Viewpoint, instead of King Kong Hill, when we were completely clueless how best to plan this trip from Surabaya city. With that, we saved the hassle of walking 1.5 hours on the steep mountain peak, braving a 10 degree Celsius of cold overnight in our winterwear till sunrise, as safety always come first. After a windy 5 hours ride with 5 sleepyheads, some snoring away, in the 6-seater to reach the mountaintop where Seruni View Point is, I attempted to brace my courage and walked the 21-degree angle uphill slope to reach the observation tower. However, just when I had reached barely 10 metres uphill, my lower limbs in my sturdy Timberland mountain trekking boots simply froze in fear. I knew acrophobia has gotten the better of the scaredy cat in me and I had to unabashedly walk back downhill in the chilly 4:30am weather in the wee hours of the morning. The rest of travelers around me are excitedly walking upward to seize the best spot for the Mount Bromo crater and beckoning sunrise.. Just when I thought I would regretfully miss the stunning sunrise when my Dad and our elderly friends had already proudly reached the observation tower, Arwin quickwittedly spoke with the owner of the provision hut near where I was resting to let me go up the hut’s 2nd level open deck to place my camera video standee there, and best part to view the stunning sunrise. He also initiated to walk backwards up the steps in front of me to block the open stairway view from the well-worn ceramic steps till I reached the flat open-air platform to help me eliminate the visual fear of heights. That was an utterly sweet gesture and very kind of Arwin, and most unexpected! Viola! My jaw simply dropped as I behold what is before my eyes! Post 6 Post 2
Mount Bromo Summit Climb & Tumpak Sewu Waterfalls
Mount Bromo Summit Climb & Tumpak Sewu Waterfalls Contributed by Tang Jiajia, Henan, China https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/waiting-for-sunrise-1-video.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/bromo-crater-video-2.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trek-across-sea-of-sand-video-1.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/horse-ride-back-from-bromo-crater-video-2.mp4 https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trek-down-Tumpak-Sewu-video1-1.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/walking-down-Tumpak-Sewu1-video.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trek-up-Tumpak-Sewu5-video.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Up-Tumpak-Sewu3-video.mp4 https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Intro-by-Jiajia-video.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/passing-by-Malang-plantation-1.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Jeep-up-the-mountain2-video.mp4https://www.lifeexplorercamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Jeep-up-the-mountain3-video.mp4