Malaysia (My Little LIFE Pleasure in April 2025)

Chongkak Park & Resort
Hulu Langat, Selangor

MATTA Travel Fair, MITEC 
Kuala Lumpur

Kasturi Walk, City Centre
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

" Some old-fashioned things like fresh air & sunshine are hard to beat. A Little outing with friends refreshes our minds " 

The Global Trade War pain, The April Fool month, Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping), the MATTA Fair in MITEC & Golden Destinations Travel Fair in IOI Mall, Puchong; meet ups with my travel buddies in Klang (Chim, Wong & Hui), KL Rex (Thompson) & my ex-colleagues (Goh & Lisa) in Taman TAR; a little sightseeing & my 1st time visit to touristy places in Ampang Jaya (The Campus, hot spring, Bukit Ampang Permai Lookout Point, Chongkat Park & Resort), a little morning walk in Central Park in Sierra 6, Puchong South, small eats with my travel buddies, my sisters / wife in Selangor ..... all these Little outdoor events & activities which filled up my calendar month of April 2025 reminding me that time flies, realising that we have just passed the one out of three equal parts (1/3) of the year 2025 but with prudent time management, discipline & initiatives, I had a great start in my world of travelling this year having done an overland border crossing trip (by trains) covering Malaysia (Padang Besar) / Thailand (Hat Yai, Bangkok, Udon Thani & Nong Khai) / Laos (Khamsavath, Vientiane, Vang Vieng & Luang Prabang)  / Southern China (Xishuangbana, Pu'er & Kunming) in Feb 2025 & a package tour with my wife & visited major touristy places in Guiyang, Libo, Zhaoxing, Xijiang, Ansun, Zhenning & Gui'an in the province of  Guizhou, China in March 2025 ! Last but not the least, in every travelling, story telling has always been one of my Little Pleasure in LIFE ! 

Come May 2025, lets hope that there is no major Mayday Mayday incidents happening in my home country / backyard & that the global trade war & war conflicts between countries could end soon giving hope for a better LIFE to all the citizens of the world ! 

Today, May 1 is an International Labour Day, also called Worker's Day and May Day, a public holiday. Wishing all my readers a Happy Labour Day. All your undertakings & effort, no matter, how big or small, build futures. May this May Day remind you of the pride & power in your work ! For travellers, in every of your travelling, big or small, take pride of it; all your industrious & diligent planning & initiatives will ultimately bear fruit & each outcome no doubt will be a "fruity & Juicy" one ! Enjoy your travelling, KM ! 

Monday April 28 2025 - my Little Meet Up & Small Eat with my ex-travel buddies from Klang (Chim, Wong & Hui) in Foo House Seafood restaurant in Taman Sentosa, Klang, Selangor, savoured 4 tai chow Chinese dishes ie Hokkien mee, Cantonese ying yong, fried prawn / pork mihoon & stir fried vegetables, a treat from my travel buddy, Chim. Good food, good company & a jolly good day ! 

Sunday April 27 2025 - My Little Golden Destinations Travel Fair window shopping in IOI Mall, Puchong Jaya Selangor, by Rapid KL LRT trains from SS15, Subang Jaya > Putra Heights > IOI Puchong Jaya, picked up tour brochures mainly on China & Central Asia.   

2) Golden Destination Travel Fair, IOI Mall, Puchong Jaya, Selangor  

Wednesday April 23 2025 - My Little Grocery Shopping in Mydin Hypermarket, USJ, Subang Jaya  - as I am a resident of the state of Selangor & as a senior citizen, both my wife & myself are each eligible for a free food voucher worth Rm150 (US$34) under the Skim Mestra Usla Emas (SMUE) offered by the Selangor State Government to purchase daily necessities (Milo, rice, edible oil, biscuits, fresh produce, hair cream, 3 in 1 coffee etc) in selected supermarkets near my neighbourhood Subang Jaya. Happy shopping, KM & a big thank you to the Selangor State Government !

My Small Eat (11.30) in Jing Zhu Pan Mee Restaurant, Subang Jaya, Selangor after the grocery shopping in Mydin - together with my wife, both of us savoured a bowl of our favourite pan mee soup (Rm9 = US$2.00). 

Tuesday April 22 2025 - My Small Eat & Grocery Shopping with my wife in PJ Oldtwown, Selangor after renewing my driving license (2025 > 2030) in JPJ State Office, Jalan Sultan Section 52 Petaling Jaya, both of us savoured a bowl of home-cooked Hakka style yong tau fu mihoon soup (3 pieces of assorted yong tau fu + 1 piece of Chinese pork dumpling, Jiaozi) = Rm13 (US$2.90).  

Sunday April 20 2025 - My Little Morning Walk in 16 Sierra Puchong South, Selangor  together with my 3 sisters - weather was gloomy this morning hence the cancellation of my group's visit to Perdana Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur & instead, we made a first time visit to Central Park in 16 Sierra, approx 5 km from my sister's home place in Taman Equine, Seri Kembangan, Selangor  

1) Central & Rainbow Park, 16 Sierra @ Puchong South, Selangor.  

2) My Little Grocery Shopping with my sisters in Giant Supermarket, Taman Equine, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, both my sisters are senior citizens hence they are eligible for a Rm50 = US$11 (using MyKad I/D, under the Senarai Barang MyKasih 2025 scheme) purchase of basic daily necessities (rice, edible oil, eggs, bread, flour, biscuits & instant noodles) in selected supermarkets offered by the Federal Government. 

3) My Small Eat - lunch with my 3 sisters in Big Chef Restaurant, Taman Equine after the morning walk, savoured a plate of my favourite combo roasted & BBQ pork rice (Rm14 = US$3.15) & a bowl of Chinese pork dumplings (4 pieces x Rm2).  

Saturday April 19 2025 - My Little Sightseeing & Small Eat - my weekend outing in Kuala Lumpur city centre to meet up with my travel buddy, Thompson Tham, followed by a beef noodle lunch in the city centre. 

1) Sightseeing visits to major touristy places in City Centre, Kuala Lumpur prior to meet up with my travel buddy, Thompson Tham ie Kwai Chai Hong, Kasturi Walk, Petaling Street (China Town), Pasar Seni etc 

Kwai Chia Hong, City Centre
Kuala Lumpur 

Kasturi Walk, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur

Petaling Street (China Town)
Kuala Lumpur 

2) Meet up (10.30 > 12,30) with my travel buddy, Thompson Tham in KL Rex & adjourned for a lunch in Soong Kee Beef Noodle Restaurant, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur; Thompson & his spouse just returned from a 2 weeks free & easy Sakura season visit to Japan (Osaka, Koyto, Nara & Kobe) & South Korea (Busan) & an earlier (Jan 2025) visit to Harbin / Yanji, Shenyang & Artic Village, Heilongjiang during the winter season (-20c) in north-east China ! 

Soong Kee Beef Noodle Restaurant
City Centre, Kuala Lumpur

Beef Tripe Noodle Soup Rm14 (US$3.15)

Thank God Is Friday April 18 2025 - My Little MATTA Travel Fair Window Shopping  - my solo visit to MATTA Fair (a premier travel fair held bi-annually) to pick up tourism info & package tour brochures for my wife & my reading !    

1) Boarding a free shuttle bus from KL Sentral > MATTA Fair, MITEC 

2) Cityscape of Kuala Lumpur from KL Sentral > MITEC (MATTA Fair) as viewed from the moving bus 

Malaysia External Trade Development
MATRADE

3) Arriving in MATTA Fair, MITEC, Kuala Lumpur 

4) Pickleball Grand Slam 2025, MITEC, Ground Floor - held in conjunction with the Matta Fair ! 

5) International Hall, MATTA Fair, MITEC Level 2 - devoted most of my time picking up tourism information mainly on China package tours ! 

6) Domestic Hall, MATTA Fair, Level 1, MITEC

7) Exiting the International Hall, MATTA Fair, MITEC

8) Boarding a free shuttle bus from MITEC > KL Sentral & then by a Rapid KL train to SS15, Subang Jaya, Selangor (my home place). 

Thursday April 17 2025 - My Little Meet-Up, Morning Walk, Sightseeing & Small Eat - invited by my ex-colleagues (Goh & Lisa) to join them for a morning neighbouring walk in Taman Tun Abdul Razak (TAR), Ampang Jaya & nearby touristy places (Dusun Dua hot spring & Chongkak Park & Resort) 

1) Rapid KL train ride (06.00) from SS15 Subang Jaya > Jelatek to meet up with ex-colleagues, Goh & Lisa for a car lift to Ampang

2) Morning walk (07.00 > 08.00) with my ex-colleagues in Taman TAR, Ampang Jaya

3) A panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur City Centre from Fona Vista, Bukit Ampang Permai, Selangor 

4) Spectacular view of Kuala Lumpur City skyline from The Peak, adjacent to the Ampang Forest Reserve. 

5) Kelab Darul Eshan, Taman TAR Ampang, Ampang Jaya, Selangor - Malaysia's best 9-hole golf course designed by the US-based Ronald Fream Group. 

6) Masjid Darul Eshan, Taman TAR Ampang, Ukay Heights, Ampang, Selangor. 

7) The Campus Ampang (formerly International School Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), Jalan Kolam Air, Hulu Kelang, Ampang, Selangor, now operating as a modern concept retail & shopping mall for Ampangites & nearby residences, my 1st visit ! 

8) Breakfast with my ex-colleagues in Universal Bakehouse, The Campus Ampang, a treat from my ex-colleague, Goh.  

9) Kolam Air Panas (Hot Spring), Batu 16 Dusun Tua, a small hot spring pond for urbanites in suburban Kuala Lumpur.   

10) Teratak Bonda Maryam, Kampung Dusun Tua, Hulu Langat, Kuala Lumpur - one of the best traditional timber-made house for homestay in Hulu Langat, Kuala Lumpur, ample parking space, 3 bed-rooms, airconditioned, outdoor swimming pool & kitchen catering for 15 - 20 guests.  

11) Chongkak Park & Resort, Jalan Sungai Chongkak, Kampung Padang, Hulu Langat, Selangor - a weekend getaway for Kuala Lumpur urbanites & from surrounding areas of Bangi & Kajang.   

12) Dusun Tua Hot Spring Complex, Batu 11, Hulu Langat District, Selangor - this geo site consists of a series of hot springs, namely IKBN, Dusun Tua & Sungei Serai, orientated along the direction of the Bukit Tinggi fault zone, which is northwest-southeast. The hot springs here with a temperature between 39c > 72c are evidence of the presence of the Bukit Tinggi Fault due to the flow of ground water through this fault plane, currently only the hot spring of Sungai Serai & Dusun Tua have been developed as recreational areas for the public with the most basic facilities maintained by private owners.  

13) Lunch with my ex-colleagues in a roadside eatery stall, opposite the Yong Tau Foo street, Kampung Baru Ampang, Selangor, famous for Thai Assam Laksa & ABC ice dessert ! My 1st visit to this eatery stall in Ampang Baru ! A treat from my ex-colleagues, Goh & Lisa. 

Penang Fired Kway Teow
Rm10.50 (US$2.35)

Thai Assam Laksa Rm10.50 (US$2.35)

Signature ABC Iced Dessert
Rm6.50 (US$1.45)

Tuesday April 8 2025 (Qingming Festival) - Qingming prayer & tomb sweeping with my wife / brother & sister-in-law's family members in Nirvana Memorial Park, Nilai, Negri Sembilan offering prayers in remembrance of my father & mother-in-law. 

Thank God Is Friday (TGIF) April 4 2025 - Qingming Festival (April 4 - 19 2025) & Small Eat - Qingming prayer with my wife, sisters & brother + wife in Kwong Tung Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur; offering prayers in remembrance of my parents & two brothers.  

After the Qingming prayer, a group lunch in F4 Fish head Restaurant, Subang Jaya with my wife, three sisters (Inn, Peng & Mei) & brother Weng + wife; savoured 6 tai chow dishes ie steamed fish head with ginger paste, stir fried vegetables, pork chops, Hokkien mee, Cantonese ying yong, braised signature pumpkin tofu, totalled food bill Rm165 = US$39 (a table of 7), a treat from KM & sister Mei.