my new wardrobe ext, finally DONE!!!

The spice trail, Cochin

We started our 12 days journey in Cochin (Kochi), India. It was a reasonably clean city and a major seaport. Cochin is filled with history and culture. Located in South west coast of India. It was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian sea. It was occupied by the Portuguese in 1503. Kochi hosted the grave of Vasco Da Gama, the first European explorer to set foot in India, until it was transported back to Portugal in 1539.

State of kerala also happens to be the richest state in India. Its also known as the state with highest literary rate of 94%.

We spent one whole day in Cochin, the next day we travelled to Kumarakom, which is a major tourist destination, well known for the boat house. We stayed at the Manor Backwater resort, which gave us a splendid view of the backwaters from our rooms.

It was very relaxing and peaceful here. Next day, we went to Alleppey, now known as Alapuzzha, for another 1 night stay. We did a 2 hours boat cruise on the backwaters. Certainly was an interesting experience. You can see lots of houses by the river and see how people carry on with the lives so close to nature. They solely depend on boats to travel, like how we depend on buses and trains. There are ladies in sarees scrubbing clothes on stone slabs.

Next we arrived in Kovalam, the beach town of Kerala. We checked in Uday Samudra resort for 2 night stay. I immediately proceeded to a 1 hour facial here. There is endless sight of coconut trees here in Kovalam. The most famous beach is the light house beach, it was like a party going on for 24 hours at this beach. Rows of seafood restaurants by the beach was certainly tempting. Lots of people just chilling out with youngsters playing volleyball. I like it here, clean and breezy . Just too overcrowded with tourist.

I was very much excited as we approached our next destination, Thekkady-periyar, The wildlife sanctuary of Kerala. The next morning, I was up at 4.30am to go to the ticket counter of Periyar wildlife which opens at 5.45am. I was informed by the hotel reception that there are only limited tickets per day, so I have to be early. However the entrance ticket which cost about 250 rupees, is separate from the boating ticket. The boating ticket counter is about 300m away from the car park. Wow, believe it or not, I ran as fast as I could once we reached the car park to grab a spot on the queue. Was not very happy with this arrangement. There were also senior citizens who had to run along, for sure this is not right.

Anyhow, over with that scene, finally got on the boat at 7.30am. Armed with my camera, we were told to sit silently so as not to frightened the animals that may approach the lake to drink. The landscape was amazing, such a huge enormous jungle it was.

We managed to spot some wild boars, bison and some species of birds. After 2 hours, was disappointed that the tigers and elephants did not come out to play.:-(

Heard from another tour guide that its best to take the cruise at 3pm as the hot weather gets the animals out to drink at the lake…ahhhhh…doesn’t fit my schedule, soo balik la.

Reached back at the hotel which was 10mins away. Roamed around the streets for an hour which are famous for its spice markets. Spice shops are everywhere you turn!!

Kerala is also very well known for Ayurvedic medicines and massages. Its definitely a must buy. Here you can find medicines for just about anything at all you can imagine. Name and you shall find it. I have tried and tested….Certainly will guarantee its worthiness.

Food was in generally pricier here than Tamil Nadu. Coconuts are used generously in all the dishes.

Mabuhay….Finally set foot in Pilipinas

My trip to Philippines was to visit Kath, after she was transferred there for work….aaanndd also to take a short break from work la. Took Air Asia flight to Manila early Friday morning and landed in Clark Fields which is about 2 hours drive from Manila City.

I spent 6 days here and visited couple of places such a Tagathay Volcanos, Villa Escudero ,The American Cemetary and the Manila memorial park.

Tagaytay (Taal Volcano) is located about 70 km south of Manila.The volcano is one of the smallest and most dangerous in the world. It was soo small and not impressive as i had imagined, after visiting the Kintamani Volcano in Bali.

Lake Taal  is a huge volcanic crater that has filled up with water and has become a lake. Within the lake, other eruptions have occurred producing more craters and micro-lakes.

 

The Manila  Memorial Park is where the Aquinos (Curazon and Ninoy) are laid to rest. Its a very simple mausoleum compared to the others built surrounding it. It definitely looks like a park instead of just as a memorial park. There’s lot of open spaces, gardens and greenery, as well as ponds and fountains. It seems like quite a serene place actually. The best time to visit this place is in the daytime so that you can appreciate the different styles of Mausoleums, tombs and other forms of burial place. We were there after the recent typhoon, the place looked a little like a disaster scene out of a movie, huge trees has uprooted all around the park.

I spent the rest of the days, touring Manila city and boosting Manila’s economy by doing what a girl knows best ….shopping shopping and shopping..hehhe. I visited the SM Mall of Asia is the 2nd largest mall in the Philippines and the 4th (Ref. Forbes' World's 10 Largest Shopping Malls) largest shopping mall in the world!!! This is mall has just about anything you can do for the rest of day..IMAX, discovery centers, foods, ice skating rink, Cinemas, Music Halls…soooo happening. Well Ladies, if you are in Manila, this is certainly a must visit mall!

Overall i observed couple things during my stay here, the Ladies here are very fashion consious, most girls can be seen wearing oversized sunglasses and well dressed. The guys too!

Service culture is apparent. The employees of malls and any tourist areas here are well trained to attend to customer needs.

Besides that, anywhere you go, the public toilets are extremely clean, impressive. Although the city seems a little polluted, the roads are kept clean. The life in Manila seems very shopping mall oriented. They even have chapels in malls! How cool is that?

Bogus scam

A couple of months ago, I have advertised my apartment which i wanted to sell on a local property website.  3 weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a person known as "Captain Allen Smith" which goes as below...

 Contact telephone:- +447045760722
 Message:- Dear Friend,

 My name is Captain Allen Smith, I saw your property at thinkproperty.com.my and I am

interested in buying it. Please get back to me so I can make an offer on it. My email is

estccoms@hotmail.com. Phone: +44 7045760722

Take care,
Capt Smith


Welllll.... seems a little weird that a foreigner wants to buy a 10 year old property without even viewing or asking for details. I went on to reply it to know his exact intentions, and then he replied as follows.........

Dear Rageni

 Thank you for your email response, I intend to be in Malaysia on or before the end of next week to enable me inspect the said property. Like I told you in my previous email message, I am looking for a partner, colleague and a friend whom I can rely on and trust as I expect to purchase your property and other subsequent properties and duly invest in your country with your assistance as a captain with the United Nations Troop in Iraq on war against Terrorism.

Based on the United States legislative and executive decision to withdraw troops from Iraq this year, I have been deployed to come and work in your country’s military base, to help beef up security in Targeted Airports, Train-Stations, Tourist venues mostly in the United States and the European Union. For the duration of this mission, I should be staying in the property which I intend purchasing from you.

The funds which I intend using to purchase the said property was realized from an oil deal/transaction here in Iraq which I happen to be a part of, as a top ranking officer, I played some roles in some oil transactions since the US troops has been here in Iraq mainly because of the benefits derived from oil rich Iraq but as a top Military officer who is affiliated with the Government, I am not allowed to have such funds in my possession

Hence the reason why I contacted you to be my partner, friend and colleague to receive the said sum of $16.2M(Sixteen Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars) as the SOLE BENEFICIARY AND OWNER. Once the funds duly gets to your custody, the property purchased will be paid through your account to the owner as I am not allowed to have the funds in my name. Once that is done and other properties obtained, the same processes will be employed after which you will assist me open an investment which I will then use to set up an account in my name then transfer my remaining share to the said account.

I worked so hard to acquire the said sum and will want you to handle this with all sincerity and secrecy until the transaction is finally concluded.

All the necessary paper works will be duly provided to you for your perusal including the verifiable payment confirmation slip which you can verify with your bank. I was able to move the funds to Malaysia via diplomatic means with the assistance of the Red Cross Agency. Upon your confirmation to act as the sole beneficiary to the funds, the contact details of the agent who assisted me move the funds to Malaysia will be given to you to enable you finalize arrangements on how the package will be received then you can deposit it into your account.

 You will keep 30% of the total sum for your assistance while the remaining will be for me as I plan purchasing your property with part and investing the rest with your due supervision as I do not have much experience in investment. I can send you a copy of my picture taken with the funds to enable you know that this is not a child’s play. Most importantly, the agent was not informed of the contents of the package as I told them they were family jewels intended for you as the beneficiary.

I intend meeting you in Malaysia for a face to face meeting and signing of the necessary paper works, once the funds is claimed with your assistance so I can make my arrangements to meet with you by next Friday.

We have no further time left to delay as we are expected to conclude this within 7 bank working days.

 I will be glad to receive your positive response towards the proposal in question by sending 

YOUR FULL NAME.........
YOUR FULL ADDRESS....................
YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER.........
 

Capt. Allen Smith

And yeahhhh, then I realised i am being scammed!!!!!!!!!!!!! I stopped all further correspondence with this person. Then last week, was really suprised to read the headline on The Sun newspaper.... A reporter of a local news agency has received a similar e-mail to mine and made a report with the police about the e-mail. They went on further on a plan to capture this criminal and succeeded. It was also mentioned that a lady lost RM 1.2 Mil to this scam as well. 

So people, beware when someone writes to you and says you have to pay some money as handling fee and in return you will be given a Millions of bucks!! Its a scam!!