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| Pekan Nanas, Pontian District Johor |
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| Pontian Pineapple Field Ayer Baloi, Johor |
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| Laman Diraja Pontian, Johor |
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| Pontian Mural Street, Jalan Johor Kampung Atap |
" Living LIFE is like a yoyo. Swinging from childhood days, youthful years, long working career path & finally retirement. Every phase of our LIFE is full of challenges & have these 4 basic taste in it - salty, sour, bitter & sweet. That is the beauty of LIFE "
My wife was keen to visit Johor Bahru, the state capital of Johor. Hence this 4 days visit to Pekan Nanas, Pontian Kechil (my hometown), Pontian Besar, Ayer Baloi, Kukup, Tanjung Piai National Park, Sungei Pulai bridge, Forest City, Danga Bay, Pasir Gudang & Johor Bahru city - all in the state of Johor, the southern most of Peninsula Malaysia, close to Singapore.
Our group of 4 (together with my brother Weng & sister Mei) put up a night in my hometown, Pontian Kechil (Day 1) so this enabled us to do a walkabout on the main streets of this coastal town in the Straits of Malacca - a down the memory lane visit to my old primary & secondary schools, temples, fishing villages, downtown Pontian & waterfront etc & also had a taste of local hometown food which I had dearly missed for the last 5 decades ! My last brief stopover visit to Pontian was in Dec 2019 & Oct 2017 !
For Day 2 & 3, our group visited Kukup fishing village, Tanjung Piai National Park, passing the Sungei Pulai new bridge, Forest City, Legoland Malaysia Resort, Pasir Gudang Ferry Terminal & Jalan Wong Ah Fook, city centre, Johor Bahru.
Another of my Cuti Cuti (Vacation) Malaysia trip accomplished in 2024 ! Realising LIFE is short so I choose to eat the dessert in my backyard first !
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| State of Johor Map, Peninsula Malaysia My hometown - Pontian |
My travel buddies: my wife, brother Weng & sister Mei
Total cost incurred (4 days): Rm325 (US$72.80) per pax.
- Hotel (twin sharing, 3 nights): Rm114 per pax
- Food: Rm125 per pax
- Total Petrol: Rm120
- Total Highway Toll: Rm66
- Entrance fee: Rm3 per pax
- Parking: Rm6
Day 1 Monday June 10 2024 - the start of our car journey (driven by my brother Weng) from Subang Jaya, Selangor > Taman Equine (picked up sister Mei) > Simpang Renggam > Kulai > Pekan Nanas > Pontian > Ayer Baloi > Pontian (overnight stay)
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| Subang Jaya > Taman Equine > Simpang Renggam > Kulai > Pekan Nanas > Pontian Kechil (approx 390km) |
1) R & R Seremban Southbound Highway Stop - 45 mins away from Kuala Lumpur, large complex, clean, well maintained & serving a variety of local food & drinks.
2) R & R Pagoh Southbound Highway Stop - a brief stopover for toilet runs !
3) Countryside scenery along the Southbound Expressway.
4) Lunch in Restoran Soon Liv, Simpang Renggam, Johor, savoured 4 tai chow dishes ie fried rice, hokkien mee, Singapore style fried mihoon & ying yong noodles totalled Rm8 x 4 = Rm32 (US$7.20)
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| Fried Rice Rm8 (US$1.90) |
5) Pekan Nanas, Johor - literally means Pineapple Town located in Pontian District, 17km from Pontian town, famous for its pineapple plantation industry during the 50s & 60s ! Pulai waterfall is approx 16km from Pekan Nanas. I visited this waterfall twice during my secondary schooling years (1961 > 1967) in Pontian where I was born !
6) Hotel Accommodation - our group's one night stay in Southern Tip Hotel, Lorong Bayam, off Jalan Kukup, Pontian, Johor; room tariff Rm84 (US$18.90, Queen bed); Welcome back, KM to your beloved hometown; our 1 night stay in Pontian allowed our group to roam & explore the Pontian town & the surrounding ie the street of Jalan Alsagoff where I lived for 18 years (1950 > 1968), nearby shops where mum & dad frequented to buy groceries & necessities, the primary & secondary schools where I received my education, temples where my mum prayed during the Chines New Year, Pontian waterfront & park area, Pontian Besar & Ayer Baloi; showing up in these places once again left me a flood of vivid memories - these were the Good Old Days !
7) Pontian Pineapple Field, Ayer Baloi, Johor - located approx 24km from Pontian Kechil, the area here is highly suitable for pineapple growing.
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| Potian Kechil > Pontian Pineapple Field Ayer Baloi (approx 24km) |
8) Pontian Besar, Johor - a small fishing village located 2.6km from Pontian Kechil.
9) Chinese Temple, Pontian Besar, Johor
10) Fat See Kong Kow Beow Temple, Pontian Besar, Johor
11) Buddhist Temple, Pontian Besar, Johor
12) SMK Sri Perhentian (Secondary School), Pontian Kechil, Johor - this was the school (1962 > 1967) I (together with seven of my brothers & sisters) completed my English secondary education in Pontian Kechil (my hometown), one for the album reminiscing my good old schooling days ! Gone were the carefree days of my youth, full of little moments but big memories !
13) Pei Chun High School, Pontian Kechil, Johor - a private Chinese secondary school in Pontian District !
14) SJK(C) Pei Chun Chinese Primary School, Pontian Kechil, Johor - this was the school I (together with my elder sister & 2 younger brothers) received my Chinese primary school education (1956 > 1961) in Pontian, my hometown !
15) Laman Diraja Pontian, Pontian Kechil, Johor - a seaside promenade, park & an iconic landmark in Pontian District.
16) Pontian Mural Street, Jalan Johor, Kampung Atap, Pontian Kechil, Johor - a nice place for photo taking !
17) Jalan Alsagoff, Pontian Kechil, Johor - I was born & lived in a rented shophouse along Jalan Alsagoff, Pontian Kechil during my childhood & schooling years (1950 > 1968) ! A number of these old shops are still operating but managed by the younger generation, I could still remember the shop's names but no luck in spotting at least a contemporary to greet, chat & say hello !
18) Cendol Stall, Jalan Alsagoff, Pontian Kechil, Johor - my brother & sister's favourite cendol stall in Pontian Kechil .....
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| Cendol Rm3 |
19) Kedai Biskut Chai Huat Heng, Jalan Bakek, Kampung Attap, Pontian Kechil, Johor - an old established traditional hand-made biscuits, bakery & pastry shop, each of us bought home a few packs of biscuits / pastries.
20) Tua Pek Kong Keng Temple, Pontian Kechil - an old Chinese temple located in the downtown centre; in my childhood days, my mum & family members like to worship & offered prayers in this temple especially during the Chinese New Year !
21) Sunset as viewed from Laman Diraja Pontian waterfront area - we were at the right time & right place to watch this sunset beauty in my hometown, the sun goes down but the colors of the sunset will never fade !
22) Dinner in Wonderful Buffet & Seafood Restaurant, Jalan Teo Kang Sui, Pontian, Johor - after a merry go round looking for food, we found this popular restaurant in downtown Pontian & ordered / savoured 4 tai chow dishes ie crispy chicken, braised tofu, stir fried vegetables + Rice + A pot of hot tea = Rm101 (US$22.70), a delicious meal for our group after a long day of travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Pontian (mileage of approx 400km) !
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| Stir-fried Vegetables Rm16 (US$3.60) |
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| Ground Nuts / Tofu Rm20 (US$4.50) |
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| Krispy Chicken Rm32 (US$7.20) |
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| 4 mixed vegetables Rm20 (US$4.50) |
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