A Homemaker’s Diary

In a blink it’s already November 2020.

Life is tough in 2020, right? With the whole world affected by the Covid19 pandemic. Nobody expect this year to be like that.

We planned so many things but in the end we have to stay home for most of the months. But I am still happy that despite that we still have money to spend, food to eat and family to love and get annoyed with..haha!

My resolution for 2021 is to continue blogging. I know people no longer write so much in blog these days. They have other social media platform to choose from. But since I have been blogging since 2005, it’s sad to see this blog been abandoned for a year now.

So stick with me in this journey, I’ll try my best to share as much interesting tidbit of life as possible with you readers.

It has been more than a year since my last update. With the other social media channel like instagram, Facebook and who know what else, it’s hard to keep everything updated.

I hope next year I will be able to continue blogging as often as years before. I miss writing and sharing with hope that it could benefit the mankind..haha!

This is my second visit to Boh tea plantation in Sungai Palas, Brinchang, Cameron Highlands. The first time was about 14 years ago. Many things have changed for example the ride up to the tea factory and tea centre. Last time we can drive straight up the hill but now you have to park at the bottom, near the staff living quarters and walk up the hill.

The tea plantation is open everyday except Monday for public from 9 am to 4:30pm. The admission is free. If you come early, you can see how they process the tea at the factory.

I have taken some pictures in the factory but I will have to wait for permission to publish them in my blog.

Some of the history taken from cameronhighlandsinfo.com

BOH Plantations was founded in 1929 by J.A. Russel, a British businessman during the British colonial era in Malaya. He was optimistic of the tea plantation business due to huge demands despite of the world-wide Great Depression at that time. As a result of the potential, he applied for and was granted a concession of land for his first tea garden in Habu, Cameron Highlands.

Today, BOH Plantations owns three tea gardens – the first garden in Habu, Fairlie Tea Garden and Sungai Palas Tea Garden. To ensure the freshness of its tea products, BOH Plantations also set up a packaging factory near its main garden. BOH tea products are distributed both in domestic and international markets.

There is also exhibition hall, audio visual room and souvenir/retail shop at the Sg Palas tea centre. I bought a lot of BOH products at their retail shop since I am a tea drinker.

Make sure you go to their cafe to enjoy the premium tea and snacks like this apple pie while enjoying the captivating panoramic view of the tea plantation. When I was there on the balcony, it was so windy. It was refreshing to eat the pie while sipping on the hot tea.

After the tea and the pie we walked down to our car. There is another way to go up and down to the centre from the designated parking area. You can take picture and even rest for a while on the bench.

If you are bringing a child on a stroller maybe you have to walk on another road as the one by the tea bushes have many stairs. It was a great experience for me to visit BOH Sg Palas tea plantation again after all these years. If you happen to come to Cameron Highlands and love nature, this place is a must visit.

It’s been almost 8 years since our last visit to KL Bird Park. We went again last weekend because my eldest son requested for it. As a birds non lover, haha..I definitely don’t enjoy having to guard myself from being followed by all those birds. But then a mother must do what she must do, right.

The rate for the entrance ticket is RM27 for adult and RM13 for children above 3 years old. That’s the rate for locals with Malaysian identification card, mind you.

The bird park is quite large, and with the current weather, be warned that you’ll be sweating so bad even before 12 noon. Oh, do you know that birds don’t sweat? I just read the info in one of the exhibition area on the way to exit.

If you are there during 12.30pm and 3.30pm, go watch the bird show. Son #1 was not happy because he was not selected as a volunteer in the show. Maybe next time we’ll go again.

On the opposite side of the bird show area, you can see all these freshwater birds like ibis, heron and stork.

This is how a scarlet ibis looks like.

From there you’ll get to see a place where there are crane, mandarin duck and koi in the pond. Make sure you bring 50 cents coins with you if you want to buy the fish & bird food from the machine.

The picture above is two cranes. I only know cranes made from origami paper 🙂

The owls are having hard time trying to catch some sleep because there are so many visitors during day time. Pity them!

On the way to the bird show area you’ll pass by photo booth area. For RM38 you get to take pictures with all these birds on your head, on your arm and even on your thigh. Those cockatoo, macaw, parrot and lori are so cheerful and colorful. The picture will be printed and put in a paper frame. Very nice for your memory sake in KL bird park.

Oh, no outside food and drinks is allowed so be prepared to pay for expensive bottled and can drinks. Overall it was a fun but definitely hot and tiring trip, especially when you have to carry a toddler on your shoulder most of the time.

I’ve heard about Kellie’s Castle many times but never thought I would actually go and visit the place. However since the castle was on the way from the destination we went to a few months ago, I decided to stop and have a look.

Some people claim that the castle is haunted but fortunately I didn’t see any paranormal activity while we were there..hehe! I researched about the castle after we came home and found many interesting info here : Kellie’s Castle

The Kellie’s Castle was meant to be the center of the wealthy colonial planters and administrators to socialize. The mansion was built with a six storey tower, magnificent columns and even a wine cellar. There was also to be a rooftop courtyard for holding parties and an elevator which was at that time, the first in the country of Malaysia. Though plans were grand and full of luxury, the building was never completed. Construction began in 1915 but came to a halt in December 1926 with the unexpected death of its owner, William Kellie Smith.

Info taken from attractionsinmalaysia.com.

The entrance ticket is RM5 for adult, and RM3 for kids. It is open from 9am till 6pm. If you are a history buff and already in the area of Ipoh, go have a look. Who knows you might see some ghost apparitions while you are there!