Hunt is over!

- by angie -


I'm happy to be back in KL after 4 long days of fun-filled activities. This is a summary of what I've been up to the past 4 days.

Day 1: 22 March 2008, Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh
- Left Exxon-Mobil near KLCC to Esso Jln Sg. Buloh.
- Perform my team chant (Papaya E-I-E-I-O)
- Do a Pump-It-Close challenge, i.e. pump RM4.31 of petrol
- Walk hunt at Esso Batang Berjuntai
- Pickup a goodie bag from Mobil Sg. Besar
- Find Bethany Home at Simpang Ampat to present the goodie bag
- Help to paint their garden pots and walls, but thunderstorm
- Built a 3-tier shelf as fast as you can
- Walk hunt at Teluk Intan
- Another Pump-It-Close challenge in Mobil Changkat Jong
- Ipoh to take a photo of ourselves in front of 3 heritage buildings whilst holding today's newspaper. Heavy rain came when we tried to take the 3rd pic, nobody to help us take it!
- Finally checked in to Heritage Hotel, Ipoh





On this day, our friendly Ipoh policemen were kind enough to tell me which heritage building I was looking for and escorted me to the place, thank you very much. Hui hui had to beg a shop owner for her personal copy of The Star, cos not a single copy could be found in Ipoh town at 5pm!

Day 2: 23 March 2008, Ipoh to Bukit Merah

- Drive hunt at Greentown, Ipoh
- Entered Lost World of Tambun to do 3 challenges:
a) Walk approx 350m against river currents
b) Rush down a river slide on floats, apply shaving cream all over one partner's face, and another to throw Cheezels onto the shaving cream to make it stick!
c) Assemble PVC pipes and joints underwater to form the word SMILES
- Another Pump-It-Close challenge at Mobil near Tesco Ipoh
- A 16-piece jigsaw puzzle challenge (we came 1st!)
- Walk hunt in the scorching hot sun at Kuala Kangsar
- Headed to Taiping zoo, thunderstorm loomed, and we had to take photos of the snake, sambar deer and chimpanzee with us in the photo, all within 30 mins. Try running like hell in the pouring rain
- Yet another Pump-It-Close challenge at Gunung Semanggol Rest Area Esso
- Check-in to Bukit Merah Laketown Resort


Day 3: 24 March 2008, Bukit Merah to Penang

- Visit Orang Utan Island in Bukit Merah, very cute baby orang utans there
- Bike ride around Bukit Merah to do:
a) Blow up a huge swimming float
b) Roll a dice to eat either chilli padi or crackers loaded with wasabi
c) Duplicate a Lego puzzle
d) Bowl 10 mineral bottles using a coconut
e) Paddle boat relay whilst blowing 5 balloons and filling 10 plastic bags of water
- Walk Hunt at Seberang Perai in the most scorching hot sun of the 3 days
- Took ferry to Penang (RM7.70!!!!)
- Arrived Fort Cornwallis to sit a trishaw ride
- Walk Hunt at Little India
- Trishaw ride back to Fort Cornwallis in a thunderstorm
- Checkin at Cititel Penang
- Re-do jigsaw puzzle from Day 2 with one person blindfolded, and the other yelling like crazy from 4ft away.

Day 4: 25 March 2008, Penang
- Mini walk hunt inside Fort Cornwallis
- Trishaw ride to Chow Rasta market to buy some treasures
- Trishaw to New World Park to eat Ice Kacang 4-in-1 as fast as you can
- Back to Fort Cornwallis to do a Snakes & Ladders game


Overall, I really enjoyed myself these 4 days and was well worth our sacrifices. Eventhough I didn't win anything significant, I have no regrets and can proudly say "Been there, done that!". Now I can't wait for it to appear on TV3!

Preparation for battle!

- by angie -

There's only 3 days left till the hunt! A simple check revealed that one of my competitors is a member of Powerman Malaysia, and participates in marathons and triathlons! So I have been jogging for the past 2 days, with 3 days left, can I turn into a Powerwoman??

To prepare ourselves, this is what I managed to get, thanks to Chong.



These are questions we have sent to the organisers:
1. Do you require both participants to be able to drive?
2. Can you provide 2 single rooms for those can't share a twin room?
3. In cases of car breakdown, will replacement be given?
4. Can we use phone/laptop or call friends for support?
5. Are we needed at night, can we work or check email at night?
6. Are we allowed to use handphones for colleagues to contact us for work?
7. Will T-shirts be provided for the whole journey, 1 pc per day only?
8. Are we allowed to bring our own books & maps?
9. Do we have to pack light or can bring any comfort items like pillows?
10. Can we bring more than 1 pair of shoes along, in case its muddy
11. Can we bring own medicines
12. Is one cameraman going to follow per car
13. Is the cameraman going to sit in the front seat? I'll get dizzy behind
14. Can we prepare sweets and chocolates for the entire 5 days?
15. Are we required to do activities at night in amazing race style?
16. Do we need swimwear like goggles
17. What kind of clothes/shoes to bring
18. Are we allowed to bring Smart TAG for toll?
19. Are we allowed to bring touch and go card?
20. Do we need to bring money for the entire trip, if so, how much?
21. Can we bring a GPS device with map
22. Can we bring umbrella and/or raincoats
23. Will we be given petrol card, or how to pump petrol?
24. Can we pump shell/bhp/petronas if there is no mobil/esso nearby?
25. Is there an option if a team is physically unable to perform the challenge?
26. Will all teams be required to compete till the end, or will teams
be eliminated and can go home early?
27. What physical requirements are required? Example if someone were
to have a dislocated shoulder, he/she cannot hang from a bar

What a pampered lot we are!

Horrors of being filmed

- by angie -

Monday 17/3.
We were the first team to arrive at the studio in Technology Park Malaysia. I didn't know what to expect, and came in office attire. I forgot to brush my hair that day, and had pimples all over my face. We were both sweaty after brisk walking 15 minutes to the studio near my office.

We were brought into the studio and had a look at some of the questions they were about to ask. Before we knew it, the cameras were rolling, no mirrors for me to check how I looked, no comb/brush in sight, no makeup, nothing. After stummering thorough some answers, we had to do very ridiculous poses and come up with a team name on the spot. So who are we?

We're team Papaya!! Why?
Teams who hunt often are known as regulars.
So Papaya keeps you regular.... ya ka ka ka!

Discover Smiles Treasure

- by angie -

Last Sunday (16/3) Hui Hui and I went for a treasure hunt sponsored by Exxon-Mobil. This is the first time a hunt is meant for 2 persons only, so we proudly showed off my Smart fortwo. We managed to get 2nd place, losing out on a tie-breaker. We're elated!!... but .......

- There were no prizes for this preliminary stage of the hunt
- The top 8 teams will now enter the finale round
- This finale will take place over 5 days / 4 nights
- The entire event will be filmed in amazing race style and aired on TV over 13 weeks!

This win was so bitter sweet. I hate being in the limelight! And I don't have enough time to get more fit for this amazing-race-style hunt. Oh what to do :(

How Long is a Giraffe's tongue?

- by angie -


This is me feeding giraffes at Bangkok's Safari World. I admit, I'm a meanie, i purposely made the giraffe reach for the banana, just to see how long their tongues are. Muahahaha!

Do you have a backup plan?

- by angie -

The recent elections has caused me to think more seriously about our country. What if Malaysia is suddenly thrown into an unpeaceful state, where would I run to? I had to give this some serious thought as anything could have happened. This is how I formulated my backup plan, to move to somewhere out of Malaysia.

• It has to be somewhere easily accessible with frequent plane connections
• Somewhere with a low cost of living that I can sustain for 1-2 months
• Somewhere that I can easily access my ATM/credit cards
• This country should not require visa for Malaysian passport holders
• A safe place where I can relax and have enough things to do

I had to eliminate Australia, China and Japan due to visa. Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea have a very high cost of living. Countries like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India could be politically unstable in my opinion. So what am I left with? Thailand! Of all the places I've been to in Thailand, top of my vote is actually Phuket. Apart from the tsunami, it fitted my description quite perfectly. So if i ever do end up there, I'll be sure to pick a mountain-top home for 2 months rather than a beachside one :)

Anyone with alternatives for me? Do share!

Passport Renewal Process

- by angie -

HH recently had to renew her passport for the upcoming Taiwan trip. The process is relatively much easier compared to before. You don't even have to buy a form anymore, they used to charge RM1.00

1. Download the form here
http://www.imi.gov.my/forms/Form_IM.42.pdf
(Make sure you print both sides on one A4 paper, 2 pcs of paper will not be accepted)
(If you are using the kiosk as mentioned in step4, you do not need this form)

2. Bring 2 passport sized photos, one photocopy of your I/C where back and front of the IC are printed on one side of the A4 paper, and RM300 in RM50/RM100 notes for 32-page passport.
(If you are using the kiosk as mentioned below, you need only 1 passport sized photo instead of 2.)

3. Head to Block I (i, not 1) of Pusat Bandar Damansara, KL in Damansara Heights. Block I is the block closest to Jalan Damansara main road, and nearer to PJ than to Jalan Duta.

4. Locate the kiosk on ground floor. Put in your MyKad, verify your thumbprint. Then insert your old passport, photo, photocopy I/C into an envelope, insert the RM300 and a receipt will be printed for you.

5. You may choose to wait 2 hours or come back another day for collection.

6. Head to Level 2, pass them your receipt and you'll receive your passport within minutes.

Jetstar Menu

If all of you have been grumbling about Air Asia's miniscule meals on board for over-the-top prices, check out these prices, in Singapore Dollars, by Jetstar Asia.