Getting A Good Grip On Your Man

This article is meant for the woman, the wife, the mother & the sexy feline in you. Men, tread cautiously. Either way, you will get into trouble for reading this so enjoy the experience if you get lucky.

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The way to a man’s heart may be through his stomach but I would have reservations if he wants to be hearted all day long as much as he wants you to be gutted all night long. Let’s set the tone for what is to come so that it would go down well with my church leaders who would be reading this with possibly a gapping jaw on their faces at worst or at best, laugh heartily at my two cents for you. Babies come through your Cherry. And in that time, your cherry has been stretched, cut, bruised – basically traumatised & possibly scarred, initially by an invasion of Mars, then by bringing little Martians into the world. You should be (re)trained & armed to enjoy the next onslaught but how can you feel sexy when the muscles keeping your cherry looking & behaving like a cherry have weakened & functions like a prune? Not sexy. Have no fear, help is here. Read to the end if you think you deserve a better cherry to work your matter.

Let’s look at the Vibrance Kegel Device, this scientifically-designed medical device which I would call The Device for it will set the stage for ‘the matter’ once you have had enough practice. I am sure your man wouldn’t mind me describing his little matter since I know some men have names for them with great emphasis on their ability to scale heights or whip-up smoothies, or lasso a cow, all which seem very satisfying……to themselves. So how do you have a well-toned cherry that will give you hours of pleasure after you have been traumatised? Even if you haven’t had a child, at some point in your life, you will, so this is a good starting ground to exercise your cherry before you get exorcised for your cherry, leaving your man to take matter into his own hand or worse, find other berries that can never measure up to you. No pun intended. Dealing with matters should be fun especially if you aim to get a standing ovation for your effort every time. Eager beavers are cute, don’t you think?

The Device helps you get your cherry muscles in order by having a timed indicator which lets you know how long you should ‘squeeze’ & when to let go. The tendency to use your hind-cheeks muscle is there and you have got to focus upon getting your pelvic floor to do the work. Battery operated, The Device will vibrate once you get it right. The box comes with lubricant gel to aid insertion & a cleanser for you to clean it afterwards. The 5 seconds interval is also aided by sound, a low pitch ring to urge you to start squeezing again. The hypoallergenic silicone rubber has 3 additional sheaths which you graduate to once you strengthen the muscles to grip harder. The sheaths are numbered by its degree of stiffness beginning with number 1 & ending at number 3. By the time you can do Number 2, you will be loving your matter so well, he wouldn’t be bothered to go out with the boys, watch football or give excuses to stay out. And when you can do Number 3 effortlessly, you would probably be able to deflate your man in 60 seconds flat. Just make sure you keep practicing for future sessions & demand that he won’t roll over & fall asleep before you are done. With regular practice, you might even get him to come home for lunch daily, wherever else he may have gotten his appetite from.

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Getting by the first week of using it with sheath Number 1 was a piece of cake but there was a significant resistance with Number 2. You can choose to turn off the sound & go stealth, especially if you want to do it in your office or while you are watching TV. As with all parts of your body, muscles hold parts in place & this is especially true when you hardly know your pelvic floor muscle exists in the most obscured place in your body. And this part is something that can hold pleasure in place, move matter into action & drive the population census up. When you move to sheath Number 3, you can rule the world. The Device is not just any device that you can get but a device that’s purposefully designed to elevate your cherry’s well-being, captivate your attention-deficit man & bring pleasure back into your ability to grip him into oblivion. Only RM498 per set. Get it at Bio Infinity. Guys, it’s beats buying Gucci or Prada for her plus you can actually benefit from the usage so get one for your darling if you happen to read this first! And don’t imply she has gotten loose (excuse the pun), just tell her that you wouldn’t want her precious insides to fall out from having a weak pelvic floor then help her use it for the first time!

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Disclaimer: The device may help restore your confidence & ability to get a good grip on your man but it may not tackle underlying factors that cause disinterest in your man. While I may suggest adventurous bedtime antics & Mardi Gras constumes to sizzle your sessions, nothing should substitute open communication between two people. The ultimate goal is not to see other women as a threat or as a competition to you but to let your man see you as the woman he chose & will choose again despite the many he meets out there. It’s about the birds & the bees so get buzzing with it right now!

I had a chat with great guy friends & their wives to bring this piece to you & after using the device for a month now, I can see how it’s able to bring the sparks back to light his candle & burn for a long time. For a great run down on how it looks like & how it works, see what Caroline has to say about it here.

Wonder Device To Restore Women’s Confidence

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If the sexuality of a woman depends upon her ability to satisfy her man, would she feel inadequate if she can’t? There could be a number of reasons why a woman is subjected to such feelings & one of them is purely medical. Let me share what I’ve learnt in the launch of a very cute & sexy medical device designed to restore a woman’s ability to maintain her grip on her man.

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Puan Suhaila - physiotherapist

When the good people at BioInfinity asked me if I have heard of Kegel’s exercises & would like to know more about a revolutionary device to help women, I said yes. At the launch, Puan Suhaila, the physiotherapist from HUKM, gave a tremendous insight to what women suffer from when they begin to age, after childbirth or when their pelvic floor muscles are weakened leading to incontinence problems. Pelvic floor muscles? Well, it’s not muscles you can workout in the gym, I assure you but it’s the part of the woman’s anatomy that holds her pee inside & prevents her from leaking. That will happen if your pelvic floor muscles are weakened or injured from childbirth, surgery or if you lack targeted exercise. We will get to what targeted exercise is about later.

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Bloggers & press people

Many women prior to being Puan Suhaila’s patients, couldn’t understand how to exercise that part of the anatomy, being hidden & obscured from their vision and so her instructions had to take them through on a journey of self-discovery & practice. That’s when the workshop became hilarious with Puan Suhaila’s descriptive & suggestive gestures! Soon, the floor (not the pelvic) began to open up with questions, a few being quite bizarre. We were, after all, in a room filled with ladies only, making it perfect to ask everything under the sun and about areas where the sun don’t shine. We were shown pictures of how a woman’s uterus can fall out of place (and into the open) when the pelvic floor muscles weaken. This is definitely not sexy. I can’t imagine anyone telling their spouse, “Honey, can you go down on my uterus?” during foreplay. Some things are just not on when out.

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So when the room is full of 20 somethings & 30 somethings, unmarried & married women, it becomes a place of free expression. When we were taken to the gym to work out our pelvic floor with exercises that required us to gyrate, we made heads turn, although it’s ultimately what some women want to do in the bedroom after these exercises! After going through some hip-tossing movements & back-arching workouts, I definitely want to know if my muscles will keep my organs from falling out, not that anything is out of order but from the medical perspective, it is a very good idea for a self-assessment.

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We each took home the Vibrance Kegel Device to test & give a full review on what the device does for a woman’s esteem besides the main purpose that it was designed for. Wait for my review on how it functions after I lay my hands on this little wonder of a medical device in a week’s time! Watch this space!

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Celebrating 2012′s Earth Hour

The second celebration of Earth Hour by Friends of Kota Damansara was held at Sunway Giza again, saw performers to the likes of Joshua Lee & Tom Tan of T4C, two of Malaysia’s very own three tenors; Drum Circle, made up of a team of junior percussionists from PPR Flats; Mr John, the ventriloquist/magician, Robotic Dance & Norizan, the singer of Kota Damansara Football Club, rendering their heart & soul when the lights went off at 8:30pm on 31 March 2012.

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Drum Circle Kids

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YB Dr. Nasir

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Mr. John performing his balloon art.

Preceding the Earth Hour, a Walk held earlier in the afternoon gave participants a chance in getting acquainted with the outdoors on foot. They were treated to a vegetarian dinner later at Padang Kota before joining the rest at Sunway Giza to be entertained by the line-ups. The ADUN, YB Dr. Nasir, was present to cut the cake and made a speech on the environment of Kota Damansara before Mr. John continued his first class act in keeping the kids glued to his performance which continued long after he went off-stage judging by how the kids had surrounded him for his balloon-art.

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T4C

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Lots of people!

Earth Hour was conceptualised by WWF in 2007 in a move to get the world to reduce carbon emission by switching off lights for an hour. Today, many corporate companies, outlets and businesses are following suit to observe an hour without electricity usage as part of their contribution to conservation. Usually held on the last weekend of March, Friends of Kota Damansara collaborated with Sunway Giza, MBPJ and Caring Citizens to make the hour fun-filled and inspiring.

Footnote:- I had the privilege to emcee this event and had a great time watching the performances as much as I did hosting them!

Commuting With Foldies On Trains

We have to thank Well Tan of Folding Bike Trading for arranging with the authorities at Prasarana who manage the Light Rail Transit (LRT), Monorail (train) & RapidKL (bus) for allowing us folding bike cyclists to take our foldies onto their trains/buses during off-peak hours between 9am – 4pm & on weekends. We had a trial run at the launch back in December & I was invited to be a part of the maiden group to get onboard for our first ride to their headquarters at Sri Rampai station in Kuala Lumpur.

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Well with the authorities of Prasarana.

While the rest cycled from Well’s shop in Damansara Perdana, I was coming from the other end of town to the Kelana Jaya station & waited for everyone to arrive. As soon as they did, the press fired away!

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We were briefed that for a normal day, bags are to be used to store our foldies to prevent any injuries to other passengers if emergency brakes are applied. It was good to meet everyone with their ultra jiffy foldies. Five ladies were present including me. Well, Lai Peng, Anne & Ping were amongst some of the regular cyclists who did long distances weekly. I love my Oribike with Ezywheels allowing me to roll it when it’s folded.

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We were given a RM10 credit on our pass to access for the day. It took about 45 minutes to reach Sri Rampai station. The press conference was held to officially support the Car-Free Day & declare the trains accessible for folding bike cyclists!! Soon after, we were treated to a scrumptious buffet lunch & I headed back together with Kamarul, the Brompton biker accompanied by police officers!

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This is definitely a breakthrough in cycling for commuters in Malaysia. Bicycles had never been allowed in public transport but with the emergence of folding bikes, authorities are beginning to recognise & accept this trend & usage of bikes to open up access to us. Thank you, Prasarana & Well for negotiating for it!!! Definitely a milestone for Malaysia!

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The event was highlighted in the newspapers too!

My Hero!

Armed with my GPS & other gadgets, I was out recce-ing in Rawang for the next heritage trail event & decided to drop into Furry Friends Farm to say hello to Sabrina & my furkids rescued in 2009.

Kuning, the chief rescuer who together with Hitam (departed), assisted us to successfully catch 29 dogs in Pulau Selat Kering. (Go to my Rescue category to read about it.) He has just been appointed as the 6th Dr. Dog Ambassador in Malaysia, a programme by Animal Asia Foundation’s CEO & Founder, Jill Robinson. Yay, Kuning!!!

Sabrina is the magnanimous lady who is taking care of these furkids & I am forever grateful for the work that she has done in FFF. Please support her in keeping this sanctuary!!!

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Partner in rescue!

Thanks to Adrian who took the photo on his iPhone! I had my pockets raided & my bag ransacked by the curious mutts and had to hide them from being hijacked. Kuning gave me lotsa hugs!!! :D

Pedalling Alongside Thousands

I joined a women’s rally on 18 March for the first time, cycling alongside with 4000+ women from all over the country as they gathered to march, picket & chant to call on women voters to choose a clean government for free & fair elections, to end violence against women, better wages for women and a few other demands. In conjunction with International Women’s Day (8 March), the march started from Taman Jaya carpark to Padang Astaka in Petaling Jaya.

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Seeing that there were just a few of us who wanted to cycle on that day, Women on Wheels supported Wanita Suara Perubahan & we headed to have a two hour lunch at a cafe before returning to the meeting point to find hoards of people in purple! The theme for the march was to be attired in purple & the wearing of white gloves symbolises a clean government.

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Passing cars slowed down considerably to honk in support of the slogans on the placards that women AND men were jostling up & down to make their demands known. I was so inspired by fishmongers, estate & factory workers as well as the indigenous women who took the day off work just to be present to make a stand. Many of the rural folks were uneducated, some illiterate but all were united in making a stand to call for change. Accompanied by several men who were in full support of women’s demands, we marched 3 kilometres to the rally site, like a wave of purple boring through the town on a Sunday afternoon.

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There on the field, I was with my Oribike, making new friends with people on my right & left as they asked questions about my foldie & I told them we are part of WOW – Women on Wheels gathering momentum to make a difference one crank at a time.

The Selangor Heritage Trail on Wheels™ Event on Boxing Day

This post appeared first on Detours US blog under the Ambassador Program of which I had become a part of. Detours is the maker of bike bags in the USA. You can see it here.

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Selangor Heritage Trail on Wheels was a cycling event that took approximately 100 cyclists to get to know the historical sites & places with heritage value at Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB), Selangor, Malaysia. We went to recce the places & earmarked them to let participants experience the splendour of that destination on bicycles! An initiative effort by the state government of Selangor under the Tourism & Environment portfolio of YB Elizabeth Wong, the Head of Tourism Executive Committee, we collaborated with the Hulu Selangor Town Council (Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor or MDHS) to bring cyclists & cycling enthusiasts together to participate in a non-competitive, non-race event to seek out the heritage trail with a map on a route led by authorities.

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Traffic Police Station.
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How it looked like in the old days. It was once a church!

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Group photo with Well Tan (in white top to the left of person in black shirt) & her darling riders.

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So many foldies!!!

Recognising the need to reduce our carbon footprint, we designated two segments of the program for that day, one being the main trail in town, the other being the adventure trail to see the historical broken dam of Ampang Pecah, the Masjid (mosque), the Chinese & Indian temples located just outside of KKB town. The dam that collapsed in 1884, was responsible for flooding the old town of Kuala Kubu, causing the death in untold numbers, one of the reasons why they moved the old town that’s now submerged, to the new site called Kuala Kubu Bharu. There are a few churches in town & a lot of interesting eateries that have been around for ages. There’s a little quaint restaurant that used to serve chilled herbal tea in brandy bottles & ordering them is equally fun!

The cook in the kitchen of Teo Kee Restaurant at Big Tree in front of the post office in KKB.

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The heritage spots.

The route promised to be exciting with a famous Butter Sponge Cake shop as one of the stops & a police station that was formerly a church. Riders went to all the spots encompassing a 25km loop with a stop at a broken dam & a hot spring. At the end of the event, I was asked to do a similar event in a different district & it looks like the heritage trail will soon go places!

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Ampang Pecah, the broken dam.

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King George Monument

The town has a cycling lane, an effort to get citizens back to riding bicycles but the route of the heritage trail covered everywhere else.

I managed to get Folding Bike Trading to be the official supporting bicycle shop to standby with technical support for the cyclists & Lafuma as the sponsor of discount vouchers for the goodie bags. Even breakfast & lunch were catered for together with a lorry load of fruits (durians, dukus & rambutans) for the cyclists to feast on!

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Cyclists in full coloured fashion!

We asked the ladies to come dressed in their most fashionable attire as riding is not just about racing but about looking good on your bike! We wanted them to come accessorised with gadgets & bags too! Then we asked the men to come in anything but racing outfit. The photo opportunity depicted them in cool attire rather than in competition vests. They redefined Sightseeing on Wheels! The launch was officiated by the President of the town council, two Members of Parliament & head of police in the district & we had a bike acrobat to perform some really cool stunts that put people half his age to shame. 70+years Ramanathan did some calisthenics & balancing act on his bike to the stunned audience before the ride.

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Flag off!

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Bike acrobat & riding around the block.

As the country was developed without the cyclist in mind, we are helping the state gazette cycling lanes to make the roads safer to ride in & create any event that will bring cyclists together in numbers. Working with local councils who are all for the idea is a great experience & nothing beats the thrill of riding in the countryside discovering new places & finding food along the way. Follow my journey as we convince others to get on the bike again!

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Yours truly having a picture taken with YB Elizabeth Wong!

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Hot spring – a soak after a cool dip at the dam….

My Mom Has Finished Her Journey

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My mom, Mary Then, has been called home to the Lord on 22 February 2012. She suffered her third stroke in August 2011, the same time when I was attending Chien’s funeral in Penang. It had been downhill all the way & as we prepared ourselves, I prayed & released her. I know she will be better off where she is now, having reunited with dad in heaven. I haven’t been able to focus my thoughts to write what I feel, just as I thought I had overcome the sadness of my best friend’s passing, I have to deal with another. At least I know her pain & suffering from being semi-paralysed is now over.

My optimism belongs to God. He’s there when reality hits me later. That morning, God sent me 9 migratory eagles thermalling in the sky just outside my apartment. He said, “Just as they are on their journey home, so is your mom!” I was comforted in that knowledge & proceeded to arrange for the undertaker.

We had the wake on the same day & the funeral the next. It was a simple service. Thank you for turning up to support us in our grieving.

Thank you, mommy, for living this life for us. We will see you again.

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I had the honour of having Nigel play the keyboards for the wake service. Thank you, Nigel!

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Flowers for my mom

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The journey for mom & us.

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Our last goodbyes before she enters the furnace. It’s hot, mommy but you’re not there anymore! You’re with Jesus!

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And she shall return to our Father in heaven!

What The Last Six Months Had Been

Catching up with my thoughts is a rarity nowadays with the numerous events & assignments I have undertaken to bring the stories to you. Life seem to have gone on a fast forward mode with pauses in between for the things that matter in my life albeit brief ones. I was mourning the loss of my best friend, Choo Tse Chien, the person I have considered as family, since his sudden demise in August 2011. At that time, I had work assignments that required my composure & sense, keeping it all in to project the fragile front that managed to trick a few who did not know me well. I lost a travel partner, a guide, a teacher, a source of inspiration & excitement. I lost my panic button of sorts, a shoulder whose never tired of my outpouring of emotions . Immersing myself with work, I could only think of how my life would be without a reference, a valuable opinion or a confidante. Just how God can take him away at the prime of his life, I don’t want to know. I only know how much I miss him, his nagging & his kiddie-ish sparkle in the little secrets that he shared with me. I am thankful to have been his best friend for the last 6 years of his life & to have known how precious his friendship was to me. The whole of Penang rings of his name & presence at the mere mention & as I drove up to bid him farewell then, I knew Penang would never be the same again.

Everything that I know about birds, Chien had taught me. Every gear that I needed to get, he had done the research for me to make sure I didn’t make any wrong purchases. I made it this far since we started birding in 2006 is because of his infectious influence in my life. He made me enjoy birding so much. When I was on the phone with him one morning after walking the dog, I had seen a very curious blue/green bird with no tail. I described the bird to him & he told me to get my gear back to that spot I had been to shoot the ever elusive Hooded Pitta! And I did. He made everything so simple & attainable. And he worked hard for everything he had acquired, choosing to buy me stuff because I was the female version of him who loved bags. He added to my collection of bags when he himself couldn’t resist getting them. He made decisions when we travelled & it was simple because I didn’t want to think. I can go on & on but I want to tell you that even as I miss him dearly, I have chosen to let my memories stay within the hundreds of letters we have written to each other through email. We even fight through email. Being the big man that he is, he is very quick to make amends & apologise even though it’s my fault. Gosh, I don’t want to cry anymore & I’m sure you would want to read about the happy things happening right now instead.

So I will leave you with this, as personal as I could ever get, I am sad I have lost my best friend but I am glad to know that he loved me even as he had to deal with the biggest brat ever in the last 6 years of his life. I will endeavour to keep this passion for birding that you have instilled in me, for the underwater photography that you have been so supportive of & the cycling that you inspired me to take on. Sorry for all the times I’ve defied you as you have always been right. I just wanted to be a brat. Babes, if I’m not a brat to you, who else can I be a brat to???

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In loving memory of Chien.

Birds of Different Feathers Flocking Together at Kensville Golf Resort, India

The air was crisp & the streets were scattered with birds of different feathers. Big fat Rosy Starlings ruled the perimeters of the airport, Ringed Necked Parakeets squeaking as they landed on trees, some rogue Red Wattled Lapwings seen foraging on the ground occupying the keen photographers in the bus as the driver circled between the international & domestic airport to pick up the delegates of the 2nd Global Bird Watchers Conference 2012 in Gujarat, India. What a way to set the pace for birding enthusiasts when we arrived! Completing a 16 hour journey from Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai with a 7hr transit before landing in Ahmedabad.

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The most exciting part of this segment of the trip itinerary was not knowing where exactly the resort is tucked away. We couldnt have chosen a better place when we arrived at Kensville Golf Resort & saw a couple of Black Ibis grazing on the green. If this was an indication of life on the fairway, I wanted to be on the 18th hole scoring this birdie! As soon as I had registered & gotten my key card to the room, I dumped my bags & went for lunch. It was a good way to get acquainted with the others.

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Very soon, I was on the fairway with the Phillippinoes going after the Indian Roller! The water bodies situated beside the green was a welcome sight though the afternoon sun was harsh on the censor, casting shadows from the top. We inched forward to witness Green BeeEaters hunting for insects in the air as they land on the turf. There was a Pansy patch that created a colourful dotted background to this beauty. Wagtails were everywhere. I couldnt get further than the second hole on the golf course as I had already seen more than 10 species! Capturing them was a different story altogether.

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Birders must master the art of stalking & still-mimes when it comes to inching forward to where the bird is perched. The Indian Roller was rather cooperative as it fluffed & preened itself on my approach. I had to get closer for a better shot. It was perched about 4 – 5metres above on a branch of a tree, in full light. The irridiscent blue on green feathers made it such a catch on my sensor! Alain Pascua was stalking about 10 metres away from me, Rey Sta Ana was by the lotus pond & Mark Jason Villa was between the trees. Going after different species made it all the more exciting as we gestured with our eyes & gesticulated instead of using words to point to where the birds were. Body language was THE preferred mode of communication when everyone understood the universal code of birding ethics.?

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A Raptor glided by, hunting for prey as the Red Wattled Lapwing made its tu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu calls as it flew across. I wasnt sure which bird I should aim for when they came at once. My heart was pounding with excitement, waiting for the right time to capture the behaviour of mating pairs. How do I begin to describe the breathlessness that comes from the feeling of awe each time a bird does something??? Birders traverse the world to get to see these magnificent winged creatures when the action is right here on the golf course of Kensville Golf Resort. This was not the start of the official excursion yet  Im all worked up from the sheer exhilaration of Pink Panther-activity in 13 degree weather.

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My Phillippino comrades on the field were great companions as our silent concerted efforts of preying upon the birds proved that we happen to be the birds of different feathers who can flock together.

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Will post links to more pictures in my album as soon as I can.

Next post, at the wetlands of Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary…..

Note:- The influx of delegates checking into Kenville all at once with some demanding to get service right away just proves that class belonged to the professional English-speaking Indian receptionist instead, who was beseiged with the ire of some jetlagged delegates who had no courtesy whatsoever. What irked me was that some didnt even know about the prohibition of alcohol in the state, had the gall to throw a tantrum ridiculing a system & belittling the reason behind the ban & that tourists are required to apply for permit to consume/buy alcohol in private properties. This clearly shows their ignorance of the countrys (India) culture & customs when they are too arrogant to read up about the hosting state which is the place of origin of their beloved Mahatma Gandhi. A few began whining about the level of competence while complaining about everything offered to them instead of waiting for their turn. It would be a wonder if they get invited to the state again. One travel writer took it a step further to sabotage the event by writing to the Times of India as well as other presses to allege that he was mistreated & that he had rude hospitality. Well, I received no such mistreatment, neither had anyone been rude to me possibly because I wasnt making unreasonable demands nor did I accuse the host of putting me up in shared accommodation when the website had clearly stated that we would be sharing with another. These delegates who happen to be from first world countries, behaved worst off than third world countries with their inexcusable manners & lack of appreciation for the reason they were sent to Gujarat for. Let the expenses that the government paid to fly them over to Gujarat be a lesson to never have them back again. With the many tourism boards I have worked with, I have never threatened to go to the media with any service thats below par. It usually comes in the form of a post-trip report thats separate from the actual articles that I write about the destinations. This puts the place in a better light & gives a chance for the host to rectify any wrongs that had occured in the process. Thankfully, theres nothing to report about except the exceptional time I had experienced with the people & the birds!???

The Oriental Diving Bird of Borneo

The Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) is a magnificent bird that hunts for fish underwater! Listed as a threatened specie, this bird is also known as the Snake Bird, contributed by the way it moves its head on its elongated neck. When it dives down into the water, it can stay submerged as it hunts for fish & reemerges to toss the fish in the air before it swallows it. The most impressive sight would have to be when it takes off from being in the water. Only its head breaks the surface as it swims to gain momentum for the lift. At Kinabatangan River, this specie can be spotted on treetops when not in the water.

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While cruising on North Borneo Safari’s quiet, electric engined boat, Alex Tiongco, Marts (speakers from Phillippines) & Hamit Suban, our brilliant nature guide, pointed out a flock of them on a skeleton tree. Unable to contain ourselves, we were rocking the boat with excitement. Each time either one of us did that, none of us could get a focus on the bird with our cameras & binoculars but it didn’t matter! Shaking from excitement is part of the fun. Thankfully for my Manfrotto 055CXPro4 tripod, much of our shakes were minimised & I could still take pictures on the flat bottom boat.

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Count the Darters!

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A Darter emerging from underwater! Used with permission from Cede Prudente.

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Grooming.

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These were taken from at least 100m away.

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A fishing Darter! Used with permission from Cede Prudente.

That was our first sighting on our first cruise. Eight of them in one frame! Sighting of a lifer is something that birders get extremely excited over especially when the specie doesn’t exist in my part of the world (Peninsular Malaysia), what more seeing eight of them. Their sheer size was also noteworthy & Cede Prudente had the opportunity of capturing this diving bird fishing as well as emerging from the water & it is truly an aspirational picture for me to document it one day……if I get to stay long enough in the river stalking this Darter.

My Wild Encounter With A Living Legend At Sukau, Kinabatangan River

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Bukit Melapi Resort – private dock.

When we left Labuk Bay, we headed straight for Sukau. In the interiors of Sabah, the ride itself was an interesting one because Hamit, our guide kept spotting birds for us to see. We stopped several times for the Greater Coucal that walked on the fringe of the jungle. We tried to ambush it from the car with my lens sticking out of the window but this bird outsmarted us. Even the journey gave us several species of Kingfishers & Herons. I was wondering what Kinabatangan would be like.

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The crew.

Soon as we got into Bukit Melapi Resort, we headed out on a cruise. Then a boat with foreigners sailed by asking us permission if they could fly a helicopter overhead as they wanted to film. There was a boat tailing this one & looking at the solitary person sitting in front, I did a double take. I asked the foreigners, “Where are you from?” to which they replied, “We are from the BBC!” proudly. As I couldn’t hold my excitement further, recognising the lone ranger on the boat behind, I asked, “Is that Sir David Attenborough???” And they nodded excitedly. Before you know it, Alex, Marts, Hamit & myself were waving frantically saying hello to the living legend! Then I turned to the crew & said, “Sure! Fly whatever you must & take as much footage as you need to show the world what Kinabatangan is all about!!!” And the crew politely thanked us in their thick British accent.

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Sir David Attenborough himself!!!

He smiled & nodded, acknowledging our frenzy before continuing their journey. I shot the helicopter alright, with the cameraman sitting precariously over the edge as they filmed.

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Later, the helicopter parked by the open space next to our resort & we went over to ‘inspect’ the machine as all curious creatures do when there are subjects of interest in the area. Couldn’t resist the pose with the flying machine!

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We didn’t think that we would meet him face to face after seeing tons of his works on TV & being such a fan of them. Saying we were star-struck was an understatement. He was a real-lifer! What else did we find at Kinabatangan? Find out in my next post….. :)

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The Golden Proboscis Primates of Labuk Bay, Sabah

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The owner of the land had wanted to convert the forest into an oil palm estate but upon discovering a family of Proboscis Monkeys in the boundaries, he decided not to cut the forest down. Instead, he went on to set up the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary to protect these primates, admitting visitors to have a closer encounter with these grunting & gleeful golden monkeys.

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The Alpha Male

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One of the females leaping onto the feeding platform.

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Don’t stare……

Feeding them twice a day at two platforms, I was able to see the harem & spotted the alpha male by the sheer size. A macaque was in the vicinity & the Proboscis monkeys were not the least perturbed by its presence. It was exhilarating to see the Silver Leaf Monkeys in the sanctuary too, roaming freely in the building & accepting humans as part of their community. One baby Silver Leaf Monkey scampered across the hall to leap onto a visitors lap, moving to perch itself on her knee. What a sight that I forgot to click the shutter. I had come for these kinds of encounters & allowing the baby monkey to grab my finger was a connection that I can’t describe. The adult monkeys would walk about the railings & plonk themselves right next to humans. One of them watched me while I shot the Proboscis when in fact, I should have grabbed my compact camera to shoot the Silver Leaf Monkey’s curiosity of my gear!

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Silver Leaf Monkeys

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Baby Silver Leaf Monkey start their lives in golden fur!

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Juvenile Proboscis Monkey

There was an ultra clingy Oriental Pied Hornbill adopted by the sanctuary since it fell out of the nest as a fledgling. This hornbill took an extreme liking to one of the girls & by that time, I couldn’t differentiate which bird was shrieking.

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The lush greenery of the sanctuary

Labuk Bay is about 30 – 45minutes drive from Sepilok, Sandakan & is a destination that you must not miss. Observe the feeding times & go earlier to set up your camera & tripod to catch them leaping into the air to traverse to the feeding platform.

Hamit Suban was our dedicated nature & bird guide who brought us to Kinabatangan River, making stops along the way to see the magnificent monkeys in Labuk Bay while giving us the history of how it all began. He is with the fantastic people at North Borneo Safari, owned & run by Cede Prudente, the NatGeo photographer whom I had hijacked by in 2007 to autograph my bird books. Four years on & I’m finally heading to Sukau, Kinabatangan River!
Let the good people at North Borneo Safari take you to Labuk Bay enroute to Sukau! I can’t wait to have my Orang Utan encounter!!!

Hours / Feeding times
Platform A : 09:30am & 02:30pm Daily
Platform B : 11:30am & 04.30pm Daily

For further information, please contact:-

North Borneo Safari Sdn Bhd
Lot 31, 1st Floor,
Block B4, Jalan BU 5/1, Bandar Utama
Mile 6, 90000 Sandakan,
Sabah, Malaysia.

E-mail:        inquiry@northborneosafari.com
Telephone: +6089 235525
Fax:         +6089 235526
http://www.northborneosafari.com

The Challenge of Bird Photography In The Rainforest of Borneo

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Panorama shot of the trails within the Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Pictures do not tell a thousand words when the eye of the beholder does not know the behaviour nor the habitat of the bird the picture was taken in. The level of effort corresponds with the level of commitment to obtain the shot given the probability of  most conditions that are not favourable to photographers. With a very small window of opportunity in the thick foliage of Sepilok jungle, you have a few seconds to respond to adjusting your lens to frame the bird & get it into focus before firing the shutter.

Most times, you need to be up early & light is usually not favourable to you. Making the best of these situations, you either use fill-in flash on 2nd curtain sync or bump up the ISO to the max, depending on how capable your camera is. Pictures shown here are the exact lighting conditions without any adjustments.

Venue:- Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok Forest Reserve, Sandakan, Sabah.
Heat & Humidity – This place must be the most awesome creation of tropical foliage in the rainforest of Sandakan but having so much thick cover, the humidity can reach well above 90% on an average day. It’s almost like the foliage on the canopy had trapped a massive amount of moisture for the life below that lingering inside is like a mist-cooker, you would be melting without even moving an inch. Lugging your gear with you & walking in the trails can cause you to be drenched wet with perspiration within your first half hour into your excursion. Solution: Get a Cobber, an expandable water-activated gel tube scarf to tie around your neck, cooling your carotid nerves as the day gets hot & hotter. Wear quick-dry & light attire to wick off moisture & sweat.

Hilly Terrain – Be prepared to trek uphill as well as downhill. Carrying your mounted tripod if you have a 400mm lens or above would test your stamina & endurance but thats just the beginning. Your essentials are almost always needed on an expedition like this so add it on to what you will be carrying on your photo backpack. Apart from carrying the right bag, an airtight/moisture-tight container is recommended for your batteries, memory cards & any peripherals which you think might be subjected to the humid air. A mini trolley would be an ideal partner for your bag & tripod as walking to the hotspots (spots with rare bird sightings) from one location to another can really drain you. Bring a 1.5litre bottle of water to rehydrate. You would not want to move from your spot for water only to discover from your birding buddies later that the bird landed, courted, fed & possibly mated when you were gone.

Wet Ground – Bring a foldable chair. Camouflaged preferred. I had to resort to sitting on the ground with my Manfrotto carbon fibre tripod shortened to fit into the little window. Alternatively, bring a small piece of spongy, exercise mat to sit on. Wear shoes with traction. I had my Timberlands Chocorua Trail on & it has served me well for the last 6 years.

Here are the shots, unedited, a few of them just cropped to give you clarity.

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In this picture, there is a hole in the tree. What we didn’t know was that this hole, is a secret bathtub for the birds!!! Note the twigs & branches obstructing the view.
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Close up shot of the bird bath…..
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And I managed to capture a Leaf Bird! I took videos of this bird & will upload them when I have better internet connection!

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See the full frame picture……
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….and this section here where I pointed my lens!
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Here the bird sits quietly as it hunts for food. And a twig was in my way! Grrrr…..!
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Sometimes, you get lucky. There were two Kingfishers in this shot! Unfortunately, they were too far in even for my 500mm lens’ reach.
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To get a shot of the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (8cm in size only & this male was in a feeding courtship!), there was only one window around the leaves.

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This is the ‘window.’ The blurred parts of the picture are leaves obstructing my view.
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See the leaves again?
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Courtship in action! I gotta find a male who would feed me too! LOL!
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I think marriage is on the way…….yay! (Chan Pak, the HK veteran birder, eventually got the mating shot of these OD KF!)

The jungle is filled with sounds of bugs & birds. We were so engrossed with the little Dwarfs that we missed the big red Trogon behind us. The Diard’s Trogon has a red chest but always remain hidden with its back facing us so any opportunity to take a frontal shot is a shot in the dark…..

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See what I mean??? Obscured, I managed to get an ID shot of its chest.

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Still obscured despite me shifting position & angle.

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Getting a little frontal shot is still not considered good enough for any birdmasters, who will never show shots like these.

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Finally after a strained neck, a twisted back & wobbly legs from contorting myself to get the shots, I got the Diard’s Trogon!

My foray into bird photography in 2006, was attributed by my best friend, Chien, (who passed away on the 24 August 2011) when he talked to me about how he got those waders by staking out in the water to wait for the right moment. His pictures are astounding. His passion was even more infectious. He was born to teach & by sharing what he knows, he had enlarged his circle of influence to emulate what he did. And everyone enjoyed doing what he taught us to do, birding & learning about the habitat of birds to get the right time & capture the right shots. He had been a great friend & I am a product of emulating what he did with bird photography. I will share with you my discovery along the way just as Chien was so enthusiastic about sharing his discoveries when he was alive. Whatever challenges in bird photography that comes my way, his teachings would always echo in my head.

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Nature’s umbrella In the jungle – even the yam leaves are taller than I am!

The people behind the Borneo Bird Festival were fantastic & the resort I stayed in (Sepilok Jungle Resort) gave me a lot of opportunities to shoot birds in their compound. Being appointed as one of the judges in the Bird Photography Contest of the Festival, I want to thank the organisers for that honour & opportunity although it blew my cover as The Wannabe, I still think I do better stalking & reporting in my profession! Make Sepilok Forest Reserve as your next birding destination & be thrilled!

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A Sunbird in natural lighting.

Chasing Dwarfs, Stalking Kingfishers in Sepilok

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The Rainforest Discovery Centres (RDC) brilliant natural surroundings have made Sepilok the quintessence of tropical wilderness that brought into existence, a rare form of dedication for bird photography. In the third inception of the 3-day Borneo Bird Festival held annually, birdwatchers & bird photographers from all over the world had flocked to the quiet town to catch a glimpse of lifers, a term used for a rare bird sighting for the first time.
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View from atop the Canopy Walk!

The lush vegetation growing from natures little spaces in the recesses between gigantic trees have created an undiscovered paradise beckoning to be marvelled at. Despite the high humidity, bird enthusiasts endured the sweat to stake out the popular spots to wait for the elusive Ruddy Kingfisher & the colourful  little Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher measuring only about 8cm in size.
The festival in Sandakan was held over 14 – 16 October 2011. Guided bird tours by experienced guides who can tell you what bird it is just by the sound of its call, lectures by consultants in environmental protection institutes, authorities of wetlands, authors of bird books & photography experts who congregate for one purpose was made accessible to members of the public.There were workshops by craft-makers, painters etc. while birders staked out the hotspots where the Ruddy & the Dwarfs were initially spotted.
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Sabah Tourism’s counter of shirts & paraphernalia!
Exhibitors of the fair made up of societies, bird clubs, tour organiser, organisations of wildlife conservation, photographic & fieldscope gears and the Sabah Tourism Board. It was very well organised with the concerted effort of the Borneo Bird Club, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Parks, North Borneo Safari Tours, bird guides, volunteers & the most substantial support from Sabah Tourism. It attracted approximately 4,000 people to the fair, notably, a veteran from Hong Kong aged 80 years who lugged around his 800mm prime lens to staked out 4 hours straight to get a shot of the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher. His effort got him a special award for being the most dedicated senior veteran at the fair!
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Chan Pak from Hong Kong, receiving his special accolade from Cede Prudente for being the most senior birder on the field in this festival!

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North Borneo Safari showcasing their birding expeditions!

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Sandakan Photo’s booth coupling with Nikon as the main prize sponsor.

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Borneo Bird Club’s booth.

Other notable highlights was the honouring of the birding legends, my best friend Choo Tse Chien (bird photographer & guide), Lee Teck Seng (bird & nature guide) & another naturalist, Isnadil Mohd who all passed away within 48 hours of each other. The birding world was shaken with the loss of three fantastic birders who contributed much to the field & as such, a tribute was given at the welcoming dinner by Sabah Tourism to their parents who were present for the event. Chien was the reason I got into birding & I would have to live on & continue his legacy as The Wannabe.

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Tribute wall of Chien, Teck Seng & Isnadil.

Note:- Right after the Bird Festival, I headed to Sukau along Kinabatangan River & internet access here is limited. More stories & pictures will be uploaded when I have better internet connection when I get into Sandakan!

More on birding:- The Challenge of Bird Photography In The Rainforest of Borneo.


 

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