The World of Syamariz

Taman Negara, the world’s oldest tropical rainforest …

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS : Rainforest Night Walk – Jungle hiking & botanical tour to Bukit Terisek - World’s longest Canopy Walkway – Gua Telinga cave exploration - Sungai Tahan River Cruise – Ikan Kelah Sanctuary – Swimming at Lata Berkoh - Shooting 7 Rapids of Sungai Tembeling – Orang Asli Village

                     Have u guys ever realize that we are already in world’s top holiday destination? That is such good news eh..couldn’t be more proud, hope this will boast our tourism industry to the max..Just wanna share this great article from the NST on the topic above:

The Lonely Planet travel guidebook has picked Malaysia as one of the world’s top 7 destinantions for year 2008. According to the international publisher, these tourist magnets include wildlife parks like Taman Negara, Lake Kenyir (SEA’s largest man-made lakes), elephant sanctuaries in Kuala Gandah as well as Ma’ Daerah Turtle Sanctuary Centre in Kemaman. The publisher also claims that Malaysia is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in SEA. It’s buoyant and wealthy and has moved towards a pluralist culture based on a vibrant & interesting fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenious cultures & customs.

Malaysia also boasts some of the most superb beaches, mountains and national parks in Asia. The jungle at Taman Negara is so dense that you could pass within metres of an animal and never know it. The greatest reward of a visit to Taman Negara has to be present in one of the world’s most pristine extant primary rainforests. The jungle here is claimed to be the oldest in the world. None of the Ice Ages had any effect here and Taman Negara has eluded volcanic activity and other geological upheavals.

6 other countries that also made it to the list of "Best Choice" for a holiday are :

1.  Armenia - famed for its medieval monasteries, mountain peaks & species of rare caucasian leopard.

2.  Bhutan - The last surviving great Himalayan kingdom with towering monasteries, intact Tibetan culture & pristine Himalayan environment.

3.  Eritrea in East Africa - Surreal landscape & pristine reefs.

4.  Montenegro in Serbia - Famed for its sultry coastline and Adriatic deep blue waters.

5.  Mozambique - Stunning beaches located over a 2,500km coastline, rugged bush interior and pulsating Afro-Latino vibe.

6.  Papua New Guinea - For its people who are living much the same way they have had for thousands of years, uncrowded surfs, live volcanoes and wildlife.

Credits to : Travel Pull-out, New Straits Times (March 11, 2008)

Syamariz’s note : I have always..always wanted to go to Taman Negara even before this news came out. Now it seems that the craving got a lot worse…Taman Negara definitely is among my top holiday destinations..i wish i could go there in the future InsyaAllah.

Yupp..been quite a while since i last post an entry in ‘The World of Syamariz’..i know..i have violated my new year’s resolution which is to post as many entries as i could..i guess time flies so quickly and before you could say "holy cheese", its March already..blink and you’ll miss a few days..phewww..its scary how time passed by nowadays..i tried to recall what has happened within this past 2 months :

1) Chinese New Year Break (4-9 Feb 2008) - I got bored seing the blocks of civilization in KL (Shah Alam included)..so cold, lifeless & de-motivating…when suddenly the idea of visiting an old friend of mine, a unique person by the name of Yong Suzi Ramli, crosses my mind. Usually she likes to spend her schoolbreak holidays at my house in Shah Alam (lepak with her daughter Yong Sofea), now..i decide its about time i pay her a visit..so i gathered my ’sidekicks’ Along & Ujie to go along with me. As Ujie’s hubby was away for work, she happily decided to spend the CNY break with her precious friends haha..So off we went to Batu Gajah, Perak. The journey was fun & enjoyable since the three of us have not been together (for a long trip) for quite a long time.During our stay there, Yong gave us a royal tour of Batu Gajah & Ipoh..nothing much to see but at least there are more green areas there..i enjoy the sceneries of the ‘kampungs’ very much (so peaceful looking), the most enjoyable trip would be the BBQ picnic at Kuala Woh..jauh jugak ya dari umah yong, the place is ok..but the funny part was, we were tooooo lazy to set up the BBQ place sebab syok sangat mandi, in the end we brought back the chicken home and fried heheh..As usual Yong is being her natural self..so utterly chatty since like forever..dulu sampai sekarang memang tak penah berubah haha..but her lipstick colour is more subtle now..no more vivacious red colour, thank goodness!! Thanks so much Yong for entertaining us..We can scout & ‘ushar’ more picnic places in the future..last year it was Ulu Yam, this year is Kuala Woh, Tapah..next would be Air Terjun Chamang in Bentong oraitttt..

2) Election Day - I could still remember being a volunteer for the last Malaysian Election Day in 2004, soooooo tiring man!!! As i was the ‘tukang jolok kertas undi’, meant i have to stand all day long at the Dewan Besar PSA, assisting people with thier ‘kertas undi’..I think it would be the last time i became a volunteer as it was such hard work (6.00am-12am). But i’m thankful for the memories & knowledge that i gained from the experience. It’s priceless!! This year i serve my duty as a responsible Malaysia citizen by casting my vote at Sekolah Menengah Subang Utama, SS18, Subang Jaya..near my parents home. I know its rather late to discuss on the outcomes so i better put it in one word.."shocking!". All in all..i pray for our nation’s prosperity and everlasting harmony. Malaysia Boleh!

3) Work, Work and more work…too boring to write on it..so just let it be..

"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly"                                        (Langston Hughes)

I am so proud of my friend (who i & everybody else fondly call Along) who became an entrepreneur recently by starting up a dragonfruit farm in Sungai Lui (near Sungai Gaban), Hulu Langat, Selangor. As a very good friend of mine (happened to be my senior in UUM), the news came as a bundle of joy to me (oh dear..as if i’m the one who own the farm duhh..) i know its hard work and everything but the great challenges (physically & mentally) that you have to endure in order to become an entrepreneur is what i look up to in my friend. It takes a tough single female with a career to venture into that kind of thing. I for sure wouldn’t dare to put everything at risk to start up a farm..or any business for that matter. (and i call myself a marketing lecturer??)..let’s just say that i’m not ready yet to venture into something financially risky.

Ok..come back to the story, i heard about her started the project since last year, an idea she received from visiting the MAHA showcase in The Mines not very long ago. Finally, last 13th January..Ujie & i (along with the ‘tauke’ herself) went up to the farm. Me and ujie were totally excited to see the 6 1/2 acre land spread widely surrounded with the lush green forest. The air was sooo refreshing & breezy it feels like you are up at the mountains of Cameron. It was a refreshing change from the hustle streets of KL. The ‘tauke’ was kind enough to accompany us with the field visit and answered silly questions from me & Ujie (particularly me hehe)..and when she has had it enough, its time for her to check up on her latest fruit production with her 4 indonesian workers…while i didn’t miss the chance snapping photos for the blog…macam mana, cantik kan? It so happen that Dato Yusof Haslam’s house is just around the corner as well, sooo huge a bungalow for a breakaway home..

After the trip, we went back to KL after having tea at a nearby stall (managed to tapau laksa buyong & mee udang somemore u..)

Hellloooo to my blog again..anyeong..konichiwa….it has been a while ehh, been quite bz with work lately i keep on putting the blog aside, oh well i hope the brand new year has been treating you all well…

Juz wanna share on 3 new shoppng malls in Malaysia that i managed to go during the semester break early this month :

1) The Pavillion - located in Bukit Bintang (near Sg Wang & LV Boutique) is like the ‘in’ thing right now, it was quite huge with all the branded things displayed all over the mall (think Marc Jacobs, Juicy Couture, Salvatore Ferragamo etc). The center of the mall is quite interesting with a big stage and stairs opposite it enable people to sit on it in case there are shows, concerts etc. A new grocery store by the name of MERCATO is available there (offers lots of foreign goods namely from Japan & Korea). Department stores u will see TANGS (bought perfume here) and PARKSON. For movie goers, there’s GSC cineplex to relax and watch ur fav movies (watched The Warlords here) after ur done with shopping, to quech ur thirst there’s a huge foodcourt (referred as Food Republic) which offers all kinds of F&B including korean and there’re also lots of side cafes & bistros (u could sit & imagine drinking coffee in Paris). Lastly, one place u should never miss is J.CO COFFEE & DONUTS which is also the ‘in’ thing right now (if u don’t mind the queue which is like 50meters long)..the donuts are to die for..soft, supple & melt in ur mouth!!! Do not hesitate everybody…go have a visit today!

2) The Gardens - located juz the opposite of MidValley, this is tooooo POSH to shop, i can’t find anything i can buy here..there are designer’s boutiques everwhere (some with very tongue twistering brands i can’t even pronounce it right)..but still i bought a pair of loafers at Robinsons (a Singapore chain department store inside the mall) cos it has discounts. There are many more shops yet to be opened so the ambience was kinda quiet & cold. Gardens Hotel next to it also is still in heavy renovation process. Without realizing it, i stepped out of the place and head right to MidValley which is much more fun & affordable. At least i’ve been there…

3) Sunway Pyramid New Wing - Last but not least, the new wing of Sunway Pyramid. I like it cos the parking is easily accessible from the main road. It was quite huge offering interesting sections divided into 3 themes. The ordinary section is like any other shopping malls, an Asian Theme section is a narrow street with cement walkways and lots of smallshops selling asian fashions & accessories. I feel like walking in the streets of Japan or Taiwan. And lastly, a Marrakesh street section which has a middle east decor in it..its so unique and nice looking. Jaya Jusco didn’t wanna miss a chance to be a part of the new wing family so all you Jusco Card Members must not miss a chance to go there. Oh yeah..for people who misses the chance to buy J.Co donuts in Pavillion, u can get it here in Sunway Pyramid (the queue although long but not as bad as in Pavillion)

Ok..there u r folks..the latest posh shopping malls in Malaysia..i’m dead broke just for the sake of being part of the hip thing. Now i’m back visiting the "save-ur-money-theme-grocerystores-but-not-much-to-look-at" Giant stores till there are more new shopping malls to discover.Ciao!

    "

"HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY..HOPE ITS NOT TOO LATE TO WISH EVERYONE SUCCESS IN THE TIME TO COME..MAY 2008 BRING US MORE HAPPINESS & JOYFUL MOMENTS."

The above message is especially dedicated to:

1. My Family : Mama, Syakirah, Yayan & Adik..and family cats

2. My Colleagues at PSA & Sime Darby (previously Golden Hope): Shahreen, Suen, kak Sue, Yas, Gee, Yanti, K.farid, Sara, Lydia, Arifah, Nurul, Gina, Wan Sue, Intan, Julie and others who know me but i didn’t mention (pls forgive)

3. My old friends from school (All Saints) & Unis (UUM & ITTHO/UTHM) :Ramlah, Aida, Breinda, Lizz, Melanila, Siti, Shaz, Mas, Zana, Bon, Ujie, Maie, Yong, Along, Ina Helip, Ezan, Enal, Geanu and gang Kenulama UUM, Anne, Phida, K.noorul and classmates M.Ed..and also others (do forgive..)

4. People of Malaysia & the rest of Planet Earth that know me of any chance or passers by who bump into my blog..peace!

PERSONAL NEW YEAR RESOLUTION : I WANT TO ENCOUNTER AS MANY SUCCESS AS I COULD (in present & afterlife/ dunia akhirat)! IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I HAVE TO UPGRADE MYSELF MORE IN TERMS OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO MY CAREER, FIND NEW INTERESTING HOBBY THAT I COULD BE PROUD OF, MAKE MY FAMILY HAPPY & FIND NEW SKILLS TO MAKE MY BRAINS KEEP WORKING..

Lastly, forgive me for any wrongdoings, spelling errors, vocabulary mistakes, uninteresting topics, too much ramblings and so forth..i will try to update this blog as frequent as i could (like that would make any difference to the world haha..) so chau for now..sayonara..anyeonghi kaseyo..Assalamualaikum, May Allah Bless..

Natasya Mariz Mohamed (dated January 2nd 2008)

I’ve always been fascinated with famous ordinary people who are successful in their own field. Let it be famous people from recent times or in past history, their lives have always been a mystery unless they came out with an autobiography of course. I just wanna share with you a life of a famous painter from the 19^th century, Van Gogh. I give credits to Mingguan Malaysia for coming out with the article that provided me with his info. To maintain the quality of the article, i’ll just write the summary in Malay (as i don’t think i’m good in enough doing translation).

Meyelusuri Kehidupan Van Gogh

Sekiranya menjejakkan kaki keBelanda (Holland/Netherlands), tidak sah tidak sekiranya tidak mengunjungi ibu negaranya Amsterdam. Sememangnya Amsterdam yang terkenal dengan pelabuhan bersejarah itu, sarat dengan tarikan yang amat pelbagai. Dengan terusan-terusan mengalir di tengah-tengah kota serta bangunan-bangunan lama yang tersergam indah, tidak hairan mengapa Amsterdam mendapat julukan “Venice of the North”.

Terdapat lebih kurang 37 muzium menarik di Amsterdam (orang Eropah sememangnya pencinta seni) antaranya yang ingin saya ketengahkan adalah Muzium Vincent Van Gogh. Pengunjung hanya perlu membayar 10 euro (RM48) untuk menyelusuri kisah hidup Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890).

Anak kelahiran Brabant, sebuah kampong di selatan Belanda itu amat menyayat hati. Berdasarkan hasil lukisannya, dapat diselami jiwanya yang kacau hingga sanggup mencederakan rakan dan diri sendiri.  Disebabkan tidak mampu untuk membayar harga model untuk lukisannya, maka lukisan Van Gogh banyak berkisar kepada wajah sendiri dan alam semulajadi sebagai sumber inspirasi utamanya, walaupun cita-citanya adalah menjadi seorang pelukis figura sebenar.

Beliau menyerahkan hidupnya di sebuah klinik rawatan mental di St Remy pada April 1889. Disebalik kekecauan jiwa, pelukis itu giat menghasilkan lukisan yang mengimbau perasaan seperti “Wheatfield with a reaper” dan “Irises”. Pada tahun terakhir riwayat hidupnya (1890), Van Gogh meninggalkan klinik tersebut dan menetap di Auvers-sur-Oise, sebuah perkampungan tidak jauh dari Paris. Menjelang akhir hayatnya, hasil lukisan Van Gough mula mendapat perhatian namun beliau berdepan dengan tekanan perasaan bahawa dia menjadi beban kepada keluarganya. Kekosongan jiwa dan merasakan diri ibarat beban, menyebabkan Van Gogh memilih untuk menembak diri sendiri sebagai jalan singkat menamatkan penderitaannya. Beliau hanya ditemani abangnya ketika itu. Saat paling menyedihkan bagi seorang pelukis yang kesunyian sepanjang hidupnya.

Selepas kematiannya, banyak pihak yang berminat mengangkat hasil seni Van Gogh yang mempamerkan kisah hidupnya yang penuh dramatik dan berakhir dengan tragedi.

credits to : Mingguan Malaysia 16 Disember 2007

  A visit to Sungai Buloh Nursery to buy orchids!

I am so bored right now that i considered myself trapped in the Boredom Zone, one more step and i’ll enter the Twilight Zone hahah…do you guys remember that freaky TV show in the 80’s-90’s, well i guess those my age will definitely do, its the "Tales of the Darkside", "Ghost Whisperer" or "Supernatural" in that era…Ok enough with that, actually i was thinking of writing about PSA’s annual dinner last monday which was held at Sime Darby Convention Centre, but i am too lazy to upload the pictures..maybe later, i figured for today i’ll write something on my personal life instead, jeng jeng tadaaa…and here comes the "10 Facts on Me, Myself & I" :-

1) ANIMAL LOVER - i think all the animals should be treated properly even the ferocious ones like crocodiles or big cats..God has created them to live in this world amongst the humans so stop treating as if only humans allowed to rule the world. They are only living according to their instincts and limited capabilities, never mean any harm to the humans unless we interrupt their habitat & natural life..we have heard a lot of report on wild animals attacking humans, but only because their natural habitat has gone resulting in food scarce, human-animal territory conflict and smaller roaming zone to find mates. I am thinking of contributing to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) but have yet to do so…i once thought of becoming a volunteer at Zoo Negara & at Pulau Perhentian in saving the turtles campaign too…but unfortunately not succeeded because of time & work limitations. I consider that as my things to do before i reach the age of 40..as for now my tender loving care only goes to cats & kittens roaming endlessly around my house. Simply adore looking at them..such cute creatures. Okay..the explanation above does not include pesticides & harmful creatures like mosquitoes, cockroaches, house lizards etc…you DO NOT love these kind of animals, do not get me wrong!

Note : Honda is doing their part in saving the Sumatran Rhinos, Exxon Mobil in saving the tigers & Shell in maintaining the clean beaches…what can you do?

2) CAN’T RIDE A BIKE - Okay..its quite shameful to admit that i actually can’t ride a bike..meaning i would be rejected in the first phase of applying to become an Amazing Race contestant tihihi..the reason is..i don’t own a bike when i was small & there’s no need for one..up till now, i haven’t had a crucial moment where the skill of riding a bicycle is greatly needed, guess i will never ride a bike like forever..

3) COFFEE DRINKER - Coffee makes up my day! I can’t live without my coffee! If i don’t drink coffee, something is missing in my life! I even own a Coffee Bean card! I love the aroma of coffee in the morning! Everybody that is close to me knows that i MUST have Nescafe (hot or cold) in the morning or i’ll go nutts! Even the cafetaria worker where i work knows that..she makes the best Nescafe Ais in this whole wide world! (ok..i’m exaggerating)

Note : I like Coffee Bean, Starbucks, Holly’s Coffee (korean coffee chain), Nescafe, Nescafe Breakfast 3 in 1, Kopitiam’s White Coffee and In-Comix 3 in 1 whitecoffee

4) WATER - As i love drinking coffee so much, i have to make sure i drink enough water to flush out the caffeine and avoid my body feeling dehydrated. This makes me love drinking plain water/ mineral water/ air masak so much that i would feel kind of traumatized if i don’t have it with me at all times. I bring my water everywhere i go..to work and even while going shopping!

Note : Filtered water tastes better & fresher than the plain boiled-water!

5) CRAZY FOR HANDBAGS - Of all the women’s accessories, i love hangbags the most..can’t get enough of ‘em. I will feel bored if using the same handbag for more than a week..i know lotsa women shared the same feeling & fetish over this extra addition of a women’s body haha…other accessories that i like are shoes, jewelleries & make-ups.

Note : I must have Louis Vuitton monogram handbag before i reach 40!!

6) KOREANISTA - If people who like fashion so much would be called fashionista so i consider myself "koreanista" as i love almost everything about korea (the koreans called their country Hanguk)…the lush beautiful sceneries of the country, the food (especially kimchi jjigae), the k-dramas, the melodramatic songs from the drama (called OST), the polite, decent & mild mannered people and also the language (called hangul).

Note : For interesting website on korea, browse www.english.tour2korea.com

7) SPA FREAK - Ohh i love going to the spa…doing facials, massaging, manicure/pedicure etc is such a wonderful way of releasing your stress..how i dream of becoming a spa owner (i even wrote that as my career in friendster’s site..such a dreamer!). The aromatherapy scent & relaxing ambience are just so hard to avoid! So far i have become members..or used to become members in Dermalogica @Low Yatt Plaza, New York Skin Care @SubangParade & Veqish Spa @Taipan USJ….as for now, once in a while i would have my pedicure done at Creative Nail Spa in Subang Parade & body massage at Serenity Spa, Shah Alam…

Note : At the moment, M Spa at Genting Hotel won the best hotel spa in Malaysia, would lurrve to visit there someday!

NATURE LOVER - I used to become a canoer (a type of water sport) during my uni days..by joing the varsity’s Canoe Club, i have travelled to almost every island in Malaysia (Langkawi, Pangkor, Perhentian, Redang, Tioman, Sibu & Manukan), hence the love for the nature. I prefer the untouch, lush green sceneries compared to the modern blocks of civilizations..therefore, someday i hope i would set foot in Taman Negara Pahang, the hillsides of New Zealand, cottages of England, green mountains of Switzerlands, villages of Japan , crystal clear beaches of Phuket & Mauritius, exotic Bali, oriental Vietnam and definitely Korea (which also has a lot of natural sceneries to offer)

Note : I still keep in touch with my ex-canoe buddies at kenu_lamaUUM@yahoogroups.com

9) SPANISH - I’m quite proud to admit that i got an "A" for Spanish as an elective subject while doing my bachelor’s degree. Although not a fluent speaker of the language, at least i have the opportunity to learn the "lingua-franca" of Latin America and one of the most talked language in the world (aside from English, French & Mandarin). Not many people are blessed with the opportunity to learn Spanish for free. If i were given the chance to talk to someone in Spanish, i could’ve at least remembered the basic phrases..i’m not really keen on their telenovelas though, so the skills would go down the drain someday (it has actually!)…Buenos Dias (Good  Day), Bienvenido (Welcome), Muchos Gracias (Thank You Very Much), Por Favor (Please) are some that i can still remember….now i’m very very keen in learning hangul (korean)…perhaps would register in their classes next year!

Note : Browse www.byki.com to learn foreign languages online!

10) RAIN - Last but not least, what more special way to end this ramblings without mentioning my beloved IDOL at the moment, who hails from where else?? Korea off course!!…Rain (also known as Bi in Korea, Pi in Japan & Yu in China/Taiwan…err Hujan in Malay). He’s a singer/dancer/actor/model/entrepreneur & entertainer whom i idolizes not just because of his goodlooks & physique (err..i’m not gonna lie, that too takes my beath away) BUT moreover his hardwork, vision, modesty, creativity and motivation. All that good qualities really makes him stand out from the rest. He is soooo good at everything he does regardless of singing, acting or dancing. He is the only one entertainer that i could relate to..and that i really like since the New Kids on The Block which was like 2 decades ago (goshh am i really that old?) I dunno for how long this idolization will last but as for now…he is my breakfast, lunch and dinner, my sunshine & moonlight, my dose of motivation & happiness…same like coffee, he too makes my day!

Note : For those who want to get to know him better, check this out : http://www.moveonwithbirain.blogspot.com

                                - THE END -

Hi all chingus..that’s friends in korean! Just wanna share my birthday treats this year..well, after entering my 30’s era, birthdays are not something that you look forward anymore..it kinda reminds you that soon gray hairs, face wrinkles & excess body fat will join in the celebration. Celebrate more birthdays,,and the more wrinkles you will get hahaa…oh well, face it whether you like it or not!

But still..i’m so happy to be blessed with family members & very dear friends on the 3rd December birthday celebration. My friends from the office treated me with lunch at Chillies One Utama and a Secret Recipe’s Blueberry Cheesecake..so yummy! Thanks Yas, Yanti, Gee, K. Farid & Suria. I also got birthday messages from my friends in Uni days…Zana, Maie, Along, Ujie, Shaz, Yong..and last but not least..My Unit Penerbitan friends…Shahreen, Suen And Kak Sue, thankz you guys, really appreciate the thoughts & remembrance! And finally my celebration with family..my mom asked where i wanna have my birthday dinner and the thought of having japanese food popped out of my mind. Maybe it has been a long time since i last had a japanese cuisine. So we head off to Sushi King in Subang Parade.. my mom gave me a black shiny Carlo Rino handbag as a birthday gift, my sis Syakirah gave me a Liz Clairbone (on sale) purse and my little sis Viva treated me with a Moist Chocolate Cake. My brother on the other hand just gave a simple birthday wish.."Happy Birthday Sya"..Pity him, he’s dead broke..its ok little brother..i’ll wait till u become rich one day hehe…Actually the presents are just the side dish of happiness, one day you’ll get tired of it but families & friends are the main course of your life..just spending the precious time with them on my birthday is the most memorable gift ever..i’m thankful to have that, thanks to all that help made up my day on 3rd December…Gomawayo!! Thanks in Korean!!