IKEA 25-Hour Cook-off Challenge

What : IKEA 25 Hour Cook Off

Where : No. 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

When : 14 June 10am - 15 June 11am

*Update : We didnt get selected! :( Oh well, till next time!

Ok, this is rather new. Never attempted before. Nop. except for my buddy, Morjhan, not me. But the idea to submit a video for this challenge is from me.  I dont know. Perhaps watching our video might enlighten the reason why we wanna take part? 

So what do you think? 

Can Team Budget Good-Good (consist of myself, father of 2, a runner/racer and my buddy Morjhan (also father of 2, a runner, active comper) take on the challenge and be triumph? Well, you'll never know. 

Come and join the action this 14th June and see us live in action.. (haha).. err.. is there still time for a cooking lesson from wifey? 

More details (in case u yourself wanted to take part) : find it out here.

After Earth A Battle Of Survival Outdoor Laser Tag Challenge

Excited yet? Please be! Hehe..

Just got an email that i will be taking part in this event, so expect something exciting in my next post on this. 

Tunggu yer. and how do i play this laser tag btw? any idea? haha.. 

All the best for any of you (dear blogger, reader) who will take part. Email me @ cheramiche@yahoo.com in case i can be in your team (kalu sudilah..)

Or perhaps, there's still time to go for a laser tag game @ sunway Pyramid kan?

*continue mode terlebih excited..*

We were the Unstoppable Explorer! Team 07 that is! (updated)

Explorer On the Go

Arrived around 9.20 am and saw a line of bloggers waiting for registration. Im not that late then :P At this point, I didn’t know who my partner is (all I got is her name) and I really hope she knew this place well, as I barely know this place, and I got lost every time im here (you know, with the coloured sections and stuff) still, im pretty excited to race today. Mind you, today’s race is not really about physical, but about who will tweet’ed or Fb’ed or Instagram’ed the most! Kind a social media race, and the winner will walk away with .. jap.. tarik nafas (breath in.. breath out) with all of these :

 

Awesome eh? Now you know why I keep this info about this race to myself! Haha.. No lah, what you read here, is what it is all about. Fair eh?

This event was held @ Sunway Pyramid last Saturday (18th May) for the promotion of the Astro On The Go Live Explorer. On the sideline, Nuffnang selected 50 bloggers to take part in the Explorer on the Go Contest, where they will be pairing into 25 teams to race around the mall while socializing, on the Go that is. i mean tweeting, FBing and Instagraming and all that. I was one of the lucky one to be invited.              

      

can u guess who's the mystery explorer? :P

Great catching up with few bloggers-buddies – Mahamahu, Penaberkala and Adam while queuing. Everyone gets a free tee, a lanyard and this awesome tablet sling bag. Awesome wey, serius. Tak caya tanya anak aku. :P 

Team o7 we were!

goodie bag.. or should i say tablet bag 

I met my partner later on, Chin Yee, a 20 years old girl with such a high spirit to race! thats a team mate i prefer. Tak menang takpe, janji semangat tu ada, right? We get to know each other a bit, strategize a bit, hoping for the best result later on.

Each team of two, were given an iPad each (borrowed :P), along with a mobile modem (correct right?) and one of us need to be a ‘Pilot’ and the other one a ‘Co-Pilot’. Pilot needed to sign in to Facebook account and Co-pilot needed to Tweet about the race while on the Go. Each of us were give a username and password to try out the Astro-On-The-Go service, but we couldn’t sign in, as u know why, no internet connection.  But.. theres a good news too! >read it at the end of the post<

The pressure mounting up (chewahh.. yer yer jer..) but still, without an internet connection, this race can’t go on. We need to sign in into the live explorer app to get all the clues and tasks. 

While waiting for the race to start, i took part in mini game held at the AFC counter, and get myself these awesome goodies from AFC (Asia Food Channel). Guess what, this items are limited! 

Nice kan? 

It was delayed till 10.30 am, and once the flag off, we were among those team that still couldn’t get our internet connection's right. Only then the organizer suggested that we should use our own data plan to begin with. Aiseh, kenapa tak cakap awal2? :P 

So we had to use Chin Yee’s data plan to get connected, and Off we Go! Phew!

Chin Yee knew pretty well about store locations inside Sunway Pyramid. If it were up to me, I’d be lost from the beginning. So from the clue given, we begin the race inside the mall! It wasn’t that crowded since its still early, but not knowing your away around might cost you and your team more time Exploring every inch of the mall, to look for that obvious Station. Yes, u might bump into a Station while running around, but if its not a correct one, tough luck, you need to search for another one. 

Each team followed different set of clues, 5 of each, sending us frantically around the mall trying to find the correct location and solve a mystery question while at it, and trying to Tweet, FB or Instagram while on the go. As a co-pilot, I couldn’t do much, not with a bad internet connection, which didn’t work until the end. Otherwise, the app (live explorer) working just fine with the iPad the one Chin Yee was holding to and we get to one station to another, completed the task and shared it on FB and Twitter as needed. I felt bad since im the one who didn’t contribute much, except answering a couple of questions. 

 

team Penaberkala n ByRawlins

Questions and tasks were easy, and you’ll be done in no time. I got the chance to meet anime characters, a Korean Lady, a Lee Chong Wei look-a-like and Elvis too! Not forgetting, a gladiator as well. 

If you need a hint, click Helpline. 10 tweets to open a hint

We met another fames blogger - his from Beautiful Nara!

 pose with the 'Elvis'

 fighting the 'gladiator'

act tough like a spidey

 and just a random posing with Chin Yee

*note : there's no additional marks for all the pose. Saje takde keje :P just to keep the race happening!

The last task was at the Lee Chong Wei’s look-a-like station. Done. Im still worried about the tweets. I hope we could get enough tweet to win it. I know this isn’t about those who finish the fastest.

done! err.. already?

And.. We completed the race in 48 minutes, done around 12.30pm!  Few teams were lost inside the mall and couldn’t complete the race by 1 pm. By then, they would have disqualified.

Once the race done, I continue twitting as much as I could using the wifi @ Starbucks, but once I check the Connect tab, I knew we couldn’t get enough tweet in order to win. But still I try to tweet about an hour and decided to stop. Its help if I could tweet much earlier.

We missed lunch, as no one inform us it was prepared at Delicious, and when we went there by 2.30pm, the food is long gone. Sedih. 

While sobbing behind the panel with growling stomach, guling2 atas lantai (haha.. ) we (adam, Fendi n myself) were approached by a team from Astro Awani, requested for a short interview. 

Few questions needed to be answered, and some of it I don’t really know what to answer, like, what is your favourite book. Ha! U got me there. I replied ‘I don’t really read that much?’ or was it ‘I don’t read book that often?’ or I should have said ‘usually I read something online’ <- now why wouldn’t I think of this answer at that time :P 

Another one was: Give 3 advise for those that wish to start blogging (or something like that) so I answered : write something factual (tetiba prosa kata BI jadi hebat), something that you love to write about and always share/write something with a confirmed source, not just a hearsay. (something like that la, I don’t really recall what exactly I said) but I think u get the point. 

What is the first thing you tweet once you open your Twitter in the morning? : Salam and wish everyone a great day? I did that, didn’t i? 

Who inspired you to blog?  Now that’s tough! And I replied – Beautifulnara. Is one of Them. The inspiration is more into their dedication. Commitment. Ideas.

The truth is, im inspired by a long list of bloggers though, sorry it didn’t come out during the interview. But from a travel blogger, to someone so affectionate with his food, a triathlete and someone who daringly wrote about issues happening around, you guys inspired me the most, as well as the rest, u know who you are *wink*. 

ok back to the main story.

The waiting for the prize giving ceremony was agonizing (mentally)! So better for me to fulfil my daily obligation's first. For your info, this mall has 3 surau altogether (1^st Floor, LG1 n LG2)! Thanks to the Sunway Pyramid app, it lets you find your way around this mall. We use the app as well to confirm the location that we are going earlier on during the race. 

 neat!

*ok, help me out with who is this guy?* :P

I left the mall around 3.30pm, before the stage were stormed by Aaronators.  Had to leave earlier as I need to collect my race kit for the Milo Breakfast Run on Sunday, which I had only a couple of hours to do so. 

one of the show featured in Astro on the Go service

Notice anyone familiar?
 *photo credit to Mahamahu*

 *photo credit to Mahamahu*

I had a great time, if only the problem with the internet connection would’ve been sorted out earlier, and the iPads provided were pre-installed with needed apps. 

Congratulations to all the winners, Grand Prize : Nur Atika n teammate Leonhart90, 1^st runner up Nuar Penaberkala dan juga partnernyer ByRawlins  and 2^nd runner up Mahadi Mahamahu n team mate Miracikcik! You guys are the best!! 

 

*fotocredit to Oh! media

And not forgetting, to my lucky team mate who won an Ipad Mini! Wooot! It was fun racing with you, and thanks for everything ya! Sorry for going too fast :P Hope to team up again in any upcoming Nuffnang events. :) 

Here's a Tout by Shafique on that day :) *trying to steal grab some videos of his, tapi tak reti lah pulak.. haha..  

Post Race.. 

continued.. (But… ) we got to try out the service at home! Or anywhere!  Catching up with my favourite shows and live matches, you’ll need your internet connection (of free-wifi area) to enjoy it. Although only latest smartphones and tabs compatible for this apps, but you can opt to watch it on your PC as well. Talking about entertainment on the go, anywhere! 

your favourite anime on the palm of your hand (don't let others peek!)

on smartphone

i wonder if having this will make my munckins behave while im driving? :P

cathing up with your favourite show

so i need like another tab to use, this one will be occupied for a while :)

 What say you? Refer my previous post here for all the info needed on this great service. Im sure there'll be more programmes to be added later on.

Oh did i mentioned that i got interviewed earlier? read the full story here <

*although i did mentioned my favourite movies : anything by Bruce Willis and Jason Statham :P


and.. Last but not least, Here's what our local celebs and others, have to say about this service :

 What say you? :)

I am The Unstoppable Explorer

Having an adventure life has a (lot) of story/experience of its own. Myself, has always been, and still am an adventurer/explorer. Unstoppable, maybe, as i try to do something new every time, doing something for the first time is always thrilling, and few times after always enlightening, more exciting. see, there's no 'boring' word when you go on exploring, as it never ends.

My adventure life began way back in 1999, venturing the depth of Malaysian forest and scaling moutain's peak, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia.  

We were kind a crazy bout scaling the G7 mountains, namely Gunung Tahan, Gunung Yong Belar, Gunung Yong Yap, Gunung Korbu, Gunung Gayung, Gunung Chamah and Gunung Ulu Sepat, with most of them lies on the Titiwangsa Range, and travel days (mostly on foot)  took around 3 to 7 days, each trip. Imagine walking in the dense of a virgin forest, from 10 in the morning till 2 in the morning the next day, and continue again for another day, with heavy load on our back. There's no easy way to reach these peaks. You need to walk long hours in order to catch up with the 'itinerary' as if we got delayed, we gonna stuck there prolly longer. (Mind you, now with developments, some routes are cut short, meaning less traveling days)

This 'craziness' brought us to the depth of the forest that sometimes, even the trail is no longer there. Countless encounter with tiger's footprint, doesnt stop us from exploring the jungle and get to the peak. Once there, we spent the night and went back the same way we came.  

You should try to hike from Taman Negara in Pahang. It offers magnificent view along the way. From a thick jungle, to a crystal clear river, walking on a limestone path that is just a metre wide, and spent a night on top of Gunung Tahan, where you get a splendid view atop.

Those experience were priceless, as i dont really get the chance to do it again nowadays.

That hobby kind a halt after i had to leave and work abroad, in one of the Middle east country. Where the people there speaks 90% Arabic, and i was there with only my broken English (obviously, they dont speak Malay). Survived living there for 5 years, and what i learned, experienced during those years, really changed me, somehow. 

Living in such hardship environment really thought me to be really really grateful of what i have now. Just imagine living with people that dont speak your language,  but being one of the poorest countries around, life is hard, and its always about survival every day.  From time to time i went to explore their local markets, try to learn Arabic (its hard, seriously) and try the local food. Although they are poor, they work hard for their earn, and what touches me most, every time, seeing homeless behind a shelter made from paper boxes, with the weather almost 0 degrees at night (during winter). yes, they have cold season. without the snow that is.

Its always an adventure every day. Hop into the local bus and try to navigate to places I wish to go is one thing. It can be quite difficult and frustrating, but once i acquired the language, life is much easier. I talk about everything to everyone i met on the street! although im pretty sure they only understand 10% of what im talking about :P

After a couple of years there, i had the chance to visit Egypt, and see for myself how big the pyramid is. and guess what, while inside it,  i even got the chance to climb up to the chamber where the pharaoh coffin's once rested. Nothing much there. Its pretty big, it is.
 

Knowing what you do and the risk involved is always my priority whenever im venturing into something/somewhere. And be it with friends or by myself, always tell yourself that you have to always respect others.  Try to blend in, and dont try to attract unnecessary attention.

After 5 years, its time to go home. Strangely, i felt so attached to the city im living in, that i wanted to stay there even longer.

The first thing that i did once im back, joined an adventure race! I had a chance to take part in few adventure races after that, as well as rogaining and few urban races around the city of KL.  

My latest escapade is hunting! err.. not shooting anything, but a treasure hunter! .. no.. no.. im not taking any ship anywhere, just solving riddles around town and find the right 'treasure'. I took part in few treasure hunts, and of lately, they have introduce a hybrid version, more like adventure race/explorace treasure hunt, which i must say, interassant! 
We had the chance to explore the city, the back roads, places of interest (which we might not go if it wasn't because of the race) so, its kind a awesome urban adventure!

 

From time to time, i took the chance to join outings organized by Selangor Tourism, known as TSDayOut, which bring me to places in Selangor that i've never been to (like Kuala Selangor and such) and was surprised on how much about my own Negeri i didnt know of. TS Eat out introduce me to eatery with menus mouth savory, and that is, somehow challenging to my diet as well :P

Always a cheerful bunch

I did community projects and volunteering too, although you might not really see what's challenging about that, but for me, what i can explore while at it, matters. From river cleaning to planting trees, there's always something you could try out there. Meeting new friends is a must, and that's something. Interaction. And what i can give back to society.

Community run :

Larian 40 Taman and Adination of Runners. Although some runners from Adination are no longer doing their training @ Taman Putra Perdana, they are actively taking part in running events around. Seen in picture also the  team from Larian 40 Taman, a community run initiated by Bro M.Zul, to bring forward local parks around Klang Valley (we even ran @ serembang 2), which surprisingly, i have never heard of it, until we went there and did few laps there. So we did explore new parks, which some, you should visit.


Cycling

Cycling gets you to enjoy greenery Malaysia has to offer, from palm oil plantation in Gopeng, the serenity of kampung(s) in Langkawi to agricultural slopes in Kundasang, there’s a breathtaking view in each of these scenic places.  Its always an adrenaline rush whenever you rode down the steep slope or going downhill, but make sure that your brake is working fine.
 

Running

Running helps me to stay in shape, and i did that often. Running bring me places, to parks, or even on a Penang Bridge. Nop, u dont get to run on that bridge any other time. Special wey.. or on the F1 circuit during the last Energizer Night Race. Truly memorable! (although it took me 6hrs something to finish the run, at 2 in the morning!) :P

Running always challenged me to go to the limit of distance. I've done a couple of marathons, but i think i'll just stop at that. Longer distance requires longer training hours, which i couldnt afford that. I prefer running in half marathon category. But we'll see about that. :) I met lotsa friends doing this, and the best part is, u keep bumping into them in all the running event that you took part.

Trail Running always bring the challenge and adventure of its own. Its more about pushing yourself through the muddy track, while keeping up with your partner, which, sometimes, is much faster than you (im not good when going uphill though) :P shoes with good traction, and sufficient water needed for you to start trail running. And make sure you understand the risk, before trying to attempt it. always.

There were few challenges that i've faced, but the one i think worth sharing, during the 12 Hours Rogaining in Teluk Intan, Perak. 

It was sooo tiring! Zombie-fying kinda. I mean sleepy. No, it was mental torture! With an injured team mate, growling stomach, cold night wind, pitch black night and trying to stay awake all night pushed me to the limit. my leg wanted to stop walking, but my brain forced them not to. Its like a conflict within myself, while trying to get to one check point to another. In short, I felt like a zombie.   

Although we didn’t complete the race, we did went for 10 out of 12 checkpoints, which is acceptable to complete the race. We went through the agonizing night by supporting each other, keeping everyone spirit's high, and trying our best to complete the race, or atleast, get to as much check points as we could. Sometimes, its not all about winning, its about how you go through it together.  

Always be prepared before you going for an adventure, as for me, these items are essentials :

Water proof smart phone! Which would be a good companion nowaday. a must. put it inside a seal-off plastic, poof! its water proof. It would certainly help us during any race, and with all the apps inside, finding our way would be much easier, whether its raining or not. and battery/power bank that could help power the phone.

A hydration bag, water purifying tablets, a compass, a headlamp and good hiking shoes to embark your journey into the wilderness. And a good partner to look out for each other.

While racing around the city, your sense of humor and good instinct/direction needed to win a race. And good companion of team mates (which didn’t argue much of whatever I told them to do) should be fine :P haha.. i love being a captain of the team. 

And always, always know your limit, your body's limit before attempting anything risky. Well you can opt one day and try running a marathon, but with proper training and so on. :) 

Thats all? No way! Im sure there will be come adventure to come. always. :P and im ready for the next new thing to try. Always wonder how the world looks like up on a balloon, kan?

End of part 1. Lets continue to part 2, where i wish to share about Astro On-The-Go.

Explore and watch your favourite programmes and the best of Astro anytime, anywhere.

Having Astro on the go, im pretty sure I can view my favourite show almost anywhere in Malaysia. I would certainly want to try to climb up Mount Kinabalu and see if it can be viewed up there, if not that high, prolly at Laban Rata. So im gonna be like the first to try this right? Shus, I said it out loud. Ok who ever get to do this first, let me know :P I wont be climbing any mountain soon, don’t worry, u still got the chance to beat me. But I believe it would kill the boredom by watching my favourite television series at the highest peak in Malaysia! 

 your preference at your fingertip, anywhere you go

choose your device to view em

Please visit www.astroonthego.com for more info regarding this service. Oh its free if you already subscribed to the Super Pack or Multiroom service! What say you? 

 

For Non-Astro Subscriber

 For existing Astro Subscriber