Travelling without data plan

If you are travelling and do not have data plan, we always go to fast food restaurants or Starbucks for WIFI right?

But in future dont hesitate to ask the concierge or information counter in hotels and shopping malls if they provide WIFI for tourists. Remember to bring your passport though.

Been staying at this hotel in Jakarta for many times, paying about RM300 per night without WIFI. It's quite an old hotel so it's understandable if the rooms are not equipped with WIFI.

However what I did not know was that they have WIFI in the lobby. Just tried my luck and voila the reception gave me a one-time-use card for 1 hour of free WIFI.

Same goes for shopping malls. The newer ones like Terminal 21 in Bangkok has WIFI all over, so does the airport and even some airport buses in Hong Kong. The key is to ask!

Fake RM100 notes

Malaysia launched a new set of banknotes in 2012 and come 2013 we have counterfeits.. Talk about efficiency!

We came across one of these yesterday and here's how it looks like:-

The songket design is a series of blurred lines in the fake note

The real RM100 has distinct songket design in the background

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Again distinct songket design in the background

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From these photos it seems that the best ways to tell a fake are from the lack of watermark and lack of details in the songket print.

STAPLE test

Since there are so many brands of staple in the market, decided to buy 4 back and try which is best value for money - Mythbuster style ;p

Meaning no punching of the same spot on the paper, using the same strength (I tried my best to) and the same stapler.

The brands which I tested are:- DOLPHIN, MAX, PLUS and KANGARO.

After the test, the VERDICT is:-

1) MAX and PLUS brand are comparable but MAX has a slight advantage, as the percentage of failure to staple (for the same number of 27 pages) is lower for MAX than Plus.

About 26-27 pages for both brands (MAX RM0.95 and Plus RM0.90).

2) Dolphin is the least as it can punched about 23 pages but looking at the price of RM0.60, being the cheapest there should be no reason to complain.

3) Kangaro can go for about 25 pages (RM0.75). Fairly reasonable for it's price.

FINAL VERDICT
I noticed MAX staples sell for cheaper at Popular bookstores and comes in special bundle price. So if you can get them at about RM0.60 - RM0.75 per box then it's worth it to buy MAX.

This is same for PLUS staples.

But if you don't really staple too many pages at one time, then go for Plus as Plus is usually cheaper than MAX (bundle and individual price).

Bridal Makeup by Chris Fong

Looking for bridal makeup for your wedding day can be quite a daunting task considering there are so many options available especially if you live in Kuala Lumpur.

You can opt to take the service of the makeup artist from the bridal studio or find freelance artists.

Prices can go from RM350 (you have to go to their place) to even thousands. Some provide ampoules, lashes, body paint and hair accessories but some do not. Meaning you have to fork out extra money for each additional item.

Some just do makeup and not hair but I think it's better to find one who does all.

Some even provide trial makeup!

Rule of thumb

1) when you book? Early or Late.

It's really hard to answer this question.. I book mine like less than 2 months before my date and I still manage to get a good one.. So it depends on whether your date is "popular" for weddings. If it's a good date, you may have to book like a year ahead.

2) going there or they come to you

well I prefer so stay at home and wait for the artist to come. You may have to pay like RM50 - 100 more for their transport.

3) do you need touch up or not
again depends on your complexion, your venue as well as duration. If there's air con and you dont sweat much, you dont need to spend on touch up.

4) get one who have good reviews
inasmuch as you want a good makeup artist, you must also look for one who keep to their promise (time and date).

I have heard about brides who have been stood up by their artist. So it's important to get a responsible artist.

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MY EXPERIENCE

For me, I engaged Chris Fong as somehow I was impressed by her works in her Facebook page for my ROM as well as wedding dinner (on separate dates, that's why I dont need touch ups).

If you want to include makeup for other family members then you can request for discount but actually it is not advisable for her to do for too many people as she need time to concentrate on you, the bride.

But if you do have a few family members who need makeup, do contact her in advance and she can bring along other makeup artists.

Note:-

a) that the makeup for the wedding dinner is more elaborate compare with the ROM (price is also cheaper for ROM makeup).

b) Chris provides free loan of accessories (hair, necklace and earrings) but normally she will require a deposit which will be refunded on the safe return of these items.

c) my wedding dinner date was same as one of Dato Lee Chong Wei's and apparently one of his relatives contacted Chris Fong on a last minute basis and even offered her any sum she want if she cancel my appointment and do hers instead.

Thankfully Chris was a professional makeup artist and stuck to her principles. Chris is a fine example of makeup artists who are in this business for the long run. Kudos to Chris for a great job for my ROM and wedding!!

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I have included photos of the hair and makeup done DIY and by Chris Fong for you to compare =D

DIY hair and makeup

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Makeup for Registration of Marriage

Hairdo for ROM

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Makeup for wedding dinner.. note it's double eyelash!
Too bad can't really see from the photo but all the
guests complimented on the makeup and hairdo!

Hairdo for wedding dinner

Tracy Anderson - Arms exercise

Watched Fashion Police on 4 June 2013 with Tracy Anderson as the guest celebrity.

In the show she taught one simple step to firm up your arms.

So the next day, I found this video on YouTube and challenged my colleagues to a 2 weeks exercise program at 530pm daily in the office.

We have been doing it for 3 weeks and I can see results in my arms =D

Before and After 3 weeks

Picture on Left was taken on 11 June 2013 and Right on 26 June 2013 (15 days). Notice how the arm is firmer at the bottom and you can see a more prominent curve at the top.

TONED ARMS BABY!! Yay!!

I must say I am very impressed by Tracy Anderson's method and hopefully in time I'll get the "ballet arms" which she promised! >.<

YTL Cameron Highlands Resort

Two words to describe YTL Cameron Highlands Resort - RUSTIC CHARM.

Well rustic not in the sense of country or rugged but rustic in the sense of comfortable old world.

Examples are the working fire place in the library and the christmas trees which lines the courtyard. Enthralling!

The warmth of the fire place plus the live piano playing in the lobby is so soothing especially after you come back from a walk in Cameron Highlands weekend night market. Such a contrast.

For the avid photographers, there are so many nice angles in every nook and cranny of the resort.

My favourite part of the stay are listed below (in no particular order):-

1) the toiletries supplied
Though not directly from Crabtree & Evelyn but they are licensed from Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source range. Refreshing!!

2) the rooms
Rooms are limited in quantity (only 56 rooms) on 2 floors and all rooms faced the golf course so you are guaranteed a wonderful refreshing view from your balcony!

Double bedroom

Twin room

3) the breakfast!
Amazing breakfast and I suspect it had to do with the "mat salleh" restaurant manager. Service was impeccable and the food fresh and tantalizing.

Bear in mind this is YTL so there is no usual breakfast buffet spread. Instead there is a menu and you place an for the food. Meaning you have to wait for the food to be cooked for you.

TWO EGGS ANY STYLE

notice the sausages hidden under the bacon?

OMELETTE

lurve the combination of salmon and eggs.. yummy!!

WAFFLES

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

FREE RANGE EGGS

nicely poached eggs!!

NOTE:-

a) there is no wifi in the bedrooms.. Only in the library area.

b) the christmas trees lights are only turned on during weekends and once a year, they changed the lights and when they do, they actually commemorate it with a special lighting event.

c) the hotel does offer complimentary mineral water... but on my arrival, I couldn't see it when I open the fridge.

So I drank the Evian instead cos I thought maybe luxury star hotel will offer luxury water... thankfully we only drank 1 bottle.

Later we found the complimentary bottles tucked on the upper part of the fridge... Sigh.. too late..

You cannot see the water bottle right?

Ah.. but when you bend down you can see it..

Drinks price list - RM14 for water??!!!! Ok it's not water.. it's Evian =D

Hong Kong prepaid SIM card

When expecting to receive or make calls during travel, it is always wiser to get a local prepaid SIM card.

I learnt this the hard way during my trip to Bali when I incurred RM10 even though I immediately hang up when my call to a Malaysian number went into voicemail. It's RM10 for 1 second!! :O

This was partly because I was not on the "preferred network" with Maxis - Telkomsel.

I also learnt that if I used a 120 prefix (for Maxis) when calling from overseas to Malaysia, I can get cheaper roaming rates. All these information are not publicized by the telco companies so you have to go to their websites to get more information.

Anyway I just want to highlight that the SIM card in Hong Kong is such value for $$ as the card comes in dual size. How clever!

I would think that it is cheaper for telco to have this design so that they do not need to produce and keep stocks for 2 sizes of  SIM cards right?

But Malaysian and Indonesian telco seems to think otherwise. Duh..

So most of the time some mobile phones vendors will just use a "puncher" to make the SIM card smaller for smart phones.. How primitive :(

Let's hope that our country will catch up with all these advanced countries soon.

Dual size SIM card

comparison between Maxis and Hong Kong SIM cards