O-Week Last Day

An amount of people always said, orientation week one of the most boring week. I'll say that when i'm still at Taylor's, because orientation there = paper work. Here at curtin, the SOAR members helped to make us feel more comfortable. Why should orientation be boring when you can make new friends, play games, knowing the campus environment, giving energetic group cheer!

 

The SOAR members performing and invited us to join them later on. (no photos on that =(....  )

Would like to thank the SOAR members for this orientation. From commerce students point of view, i think everyone had a great laugh at the games, learn new things (at least i did).

Went back, take a nice shower and next V V activity:

Awesome evening view at campus! The best place for you to relax and take photos of sunset. When the sun goes down, beware of vampires!! Please don't think of the blink blink edward cullen, i'm referring to mosquitoes. You can't stay at 1 position for more than a minute or else... bite..

I didn't know Hainan is malay style, i always thought Hainan is from China. tsk tsk..

Nestum Chicken. I suppose this dish won't go wrong no matter what right? I just find it lack of sauce together with the dryness of rice, somehow i just give it a thumbs down.

The female students. Kaylie, always the one that is active in answering lecturer's questions! Rachel *errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ? ? ?*...... Sam + Whei yi (right side) busy talking!!

Our group photos with the lakeside apartment friends. This was our purpose to come all the way from Villa Village and have dinner with them. We felt guilty since we left them out on previous dinners/outing!

No bus at night during summer course month. So People, Lets Walk! and get bitten by mosquitoes........

O-Week Day 3

This was the best O-week day, at least for Commerce students. I know Engineer students had another tough day, listening to talks and other boring stuffs. We commerce students have 3 different activities and thanks to the SOAR members, we are able to make new friends and had fun!!

Health Lifestyle. We walked to uni and took us more than expected, 40 minutes. Avoiding lorries, kind people stopping by to ask if we need a ride. We walked and ended up everyone sweating like mad.

Playing the Life Game. A game related to business? A group will split into the scholar group (degree, master, PHD) and business team will buy and sell items to earn money. Everyone will have to try their best to earn money and deposit it into the bank........before it close...

One of the booth where you take Degree. You'll be given a small paper with questions inside. The higher level of education will require you to get higher marks.

The money.

I'm not sure what is this game called. Basically, turning your head to the Right = Hello, Left = Bye. Form a circle and start kicking out the person beside you. Hard to explain this game without a demo!

Scrabble game. We start writing our names on the paper and given chosen alphabets, form the longest word with the given alphabets and also the most words given. A group got 88 kinds of words if not mistaken!

Charade. The funniest game i played today. When the person infront tried to act out the word given,  they will do all sort of actions! And some words are just too hard to do it. Well, at least Jude make it hard to act!!!

 

V V group expanded again to 26 members! 6 tables to fit us all. The awesomeness of the group. We come, we see, we Conquer.

O-Week Day 2

Day 2 is just enrolling your course, doing Visa, and other register related stuff. I wanted to do it as early as possible, 8a.m but i heard from my friend that they are not going that early. True that we need not need to go that early, we've got lots of time, 8a.m to 4p.m. I just reach there around 11a.m to do my Visa because previous day i did not bring my passport!! Or else i won't be coming today, blah! What bothered me was, why am I a Malaysian and I still need to make a Visa, even sarawak's neighbour Sabahan also need to make a Visa. Utter nonsense!

Night time, went to a restaurant beside Curtin Village, there's no name for the restaurant as it operates in a house, what i noticed was a lot houses are converted into restaurants around here. Yesterday was 12 people, today increased to 15 members of V V.

 Lao Gan Ma (老干妈) Fried Rice. It will be new thing to most of us, 老干妈 is actually a brand and it contains soybeans, vegetable oil, and Guizhou hot pepper. Those that doesn't eat spicy, its advisable not to take this.

Zhao Chai Fen Gan (糟菜粉干). Its just something that i did not eat before., but i don't think this bowl of noodle is authentic as they add sausages and ham into it. This dish is specially for those who favor sour food, as there's the vege and tomato that makes the soup very sour!! Literally stronger than asam laksa. The only word i can describe this dish is sour, non others. Fishball was not fresh, so not recommended!

3 Layer Tea & Coffee. In West Malaysia, we see this very often, using Gula Melaka at the bottom. In Sarawak, they have 3 types : Gula Melaka, Gula Atap, Wheatgrass syrup (what the...). I can't imagine wheatgrass into coffee or tea!! Above are just using gula atap.

 Kuey Chap. A noodle (hor fun / pan mee type) in broth with spices. Its smells good, but when i ate it, every 3-4 scoops, i'll bite one of the spices, trust me its not a good thing! I feel that they added too much spice and salt which spoils the taste. The pork slice was overcooked as well which made it tough!

 3 tables, was the aunty of this shop happy. So many people in 1 night.

 Another weird drink we don't see in West Malaysia. Wheatgrass C! Basically its like Syrup bandung, except its Wheatgrass + Condense milk.

 The girls =)

 The guys. >=)

And lastly, a dinner that ends with group photo.

Tmr will be a tired day, the Commerce students will have 3 different activities. Till 9a.m till 4p.m +!!!

Dinners!

Third night, went out dinner with my housemate, Boon and he brought me to one of the shop opposite Curtin Villa name "Hao Peng You Cafe", which basically eats combination of rice + 1 dish (单桌饭). We saw the close was almost close but the owner of the shop still welcome us! In KL, gonna close = good bye no more tarak mei you. I feel bad we ate halfway and they are already pulling down the steel door. Had to rush!

Oh something you don't see it in West Malaysia i think, at least in city. When you order a herbal tea (2 person), they will give you a bottle of 'beer'. Of course its not beer la! They just recycle the bottles and people who are new to this place will think that we are drinking booze while eating dinner. Crazy fellas. I thought it was black vinegar at first, when this bottle arrive at our table.

Signature 3 layered pork (招牌猪肉). This is something like Thai style, the pork is mixed with sweet and sour sauce with a hint of spiciness. Recommended by the owner and i would say it's a good recommendation. The dish comes with a soup (salted vege tofu soup). Ok, i will be missing my mom's soup for sure, this is just ajinomoto + soup!

Millin (比林) is something like pucuk paku that we ate in KL, its a must try thing here. Well, the people here claim that it's not paku. It crunchy and tasty 爽口! It is paku ain't it? What surprise me was my housemate ordered Red wine style rather than the usual belacan/garlic, I had never heard before a dish of vege cooked with red wine sauce.

There's also places selling BBQ pork around our hostel. Taste wise? Better than Siew Yok in those kopitiams. Goes well if there's beer around!

Next day was starting of O-Week (Orientation Week), we had briefings and campus tour. My group was named Hot & Spicyyyyyyy, rawr. Man,

Dinner. Orientation allow us to make new friends, our dinner tonight consist of 12 people! Went to this restaurant that sells Pakistan, Indian and Malaysian food, which i dunno the name of the restaurant ".....mania".

Chit chatting while waiting for the food, they really take their time slowly preparing it. If this were to happen in KL mamak, i think the shop will close down in less than a month! I ordered the briyani rice and chicken rendang, aromatic & tender respectively.

A great day end with a photo, our 1st day of V V group (mostly west malaysian). V V doesn't sound wrong alright? It meant Villa Village.

Dinner done. Time to separate into a smaller group, we are going to somewhere vice. Near our hostel, there's a place selling cheap booze. So we took an effort there and chit chat while testing different kind of beer where west malaysia doesn't have it. Even its cheap, it can create a hole in your pocket!!!

Trackway Car Rental Sdn Bhd

Address : Lot 999, Jalan Piasau Lutong, 98007, Miri Sarawak (Beside SJK (C) Chung Hua Pujut)
Tel : 085-665663
Mobile : Mr. Ko , 019-8582720, 016-8708328.
Email : trackwaymotors@gmail.com


Huge sign board where you will not miss it, i guess? and just beside Chung Hua Pujut along Jalan Pujut - Lutong

This was where we rent our car for the past 3 days before i stay in my hostel.

Departure

Sending mom to airport at noon. I think i have the responsibility send her no matter what, since she had been a guide to me when i'm buying my necessities and to be with me for 3 days. Truth is there is moments of sadness when she leaves. Nearly sob, but i had to hold it =S !

Send back the car to Trackways and waited for Mr.Ko to send me back to Curtin villa, he's kinda enough to fulfill my request! Trackways wasn't really hard to recognize. From town to Senadin, when you notice on your left side, you'll surely notice his place because only he has the Huge board writing Car Wash, Car Rental.

Time to unpack all the things i buy. Almost everything i need is here, some things are hidden behind. Too bad i couldn't bring my sports shoe here due to overweight. I will really have trouble finding shoes here since the biggest size is 10...and i'm 12! Mirian Why You No Bigger Leg!?

After doing some minor arrangement. My 1st night at hostel will be tonight, hope everything goes well. My independence day starts at this very day, 18th Feb 2012.

And end of this 3 days post. I wanted to say thanks to my mom for coming with me. Nagging me to buy this and that, mom knows best aint it. There maybe arguements due to my stubborness (doesnt wanna buy items that she suggested), but i really appreciate what you did. If i were come alone, i might just forgot to buy lotsa items. Going from Curtin (senadin) to town is far unless there's taxi or car. I heard bus was not frequent, another public transport problem. I will miss you.

Madam Wee @ Jalan Muraya, Krokop, Miri

Today my mom is leaving Miri, back to west malaysia. I insisted that she must eat the sarawak laksa before she leaves. How come you come Sarawak and not eating the 2 common local food (laksa and kolo mee) that everyone is telling us? Reach the restaurant around 8.30a.m and WOW, was it packed with people. We sat with a friendly lady and she recommended sarawak laksa and homemade noodle.

 Homemade noodle. Personally, i didn't like this because the noodle was lack of sauce, so it was a bit dry for me. Taste wise was okay as they added pork lard and some minced meat. Char siew was again... missing KL's one.

Next, Sarawak laksa, the 2nd one i tried and this was better than the one in Jing Wood Cafe.  Given generous amount of ingredients and there's an 'ohm' in the soup (strong taste). I would prefer to add the lime to enhance the taste. Recommended.

It is advisable to go early as it will be packed with people!

Address : Lot 2041, Block 5,Jalan Muraya, Krokop 3 Utama, Krokop, 98000 Miri, Sarawak.
GPS coordinate : N04°24.957 ' E113° 59.844
Business Hours : 6a.m to 3p.m

Jing Wood Cafe @ 612 Pelita Commercial Centre, Miri

In the evening after the campus tour round 2, we went back to town for dinner. Simon recommended Jing Wood Cafe at the cross junction of Jalan Pelita because I was complaining there's not much local food at town! =S Most shops are closed.

Before that, we wanted to try Madam Wee or Sin Foh Cafe in Krokop as we heard they are famous for their sarawak laksa and homemade noodle. Went along Jalan Krokop and only manage to find Madam Wee. Unfortunately, the shop is close at 4p.m. We were late. So Jing Wood Cafe at town.

This was something i'm looking forward, Red Wine Mee Sua. Strong aromatic soup and the meat wasn't tough, this perfected my dinner at Miri today. After finishing, i could feel my body was a bit hot due to the red wine soup, did they put a lot or was i just weak to alcohol.!

 

After resting in the hotel for few hours, stomach started to growl. Did some minor research on food around Imperial Palace, found there's a famous hot plate clam kuey teow nearby. Coincidentally, it was Jing Wood! When we mention Char kuey teow, we always think about Penang. Here its different, this stalls uses hotplate instead of wok, so there will not be the "wok hei" there.

It will be unfair if we compare this to Penang's one as they are different style of method. It is unique as they fry with cockles and one thing that was familiar to me but i would not expect it to be an ingredient to this dish - shrimp belacan. Taste wise unique but i still prefer a kuey teow with a strong 'wok hei'

Some people said western food are famous here. I disagree to that. My pork chop was overcooked which resulted in chewing pork chewing gum. Would not recommend this but there's wide range of western food there and most of the table will have at least 1-2 plates of western food.

Campus Tour

We heard that there's a Giant Hypermarket at Permyjaya, not supermarket in Bintang Mall. Great place to shop for necessities but if i were to go Giant from my campus, i will need a car =( Items at grocery shop opposite Curtin Villa was crazily expensive. After having trouble finding Permyjaya in the GPS, we asked the hotel reception roughly where was the place and there we go! Fortunately, we were able to find it through sign boards. (We couldn't find it in GPS because we typed Permi jaya.

 Giant giant.. Bought some of the food items, basket, dustbin and etc. Saw this yellow little stuff, being a KL city boy that loves walking around supermarket looking mostly at food item. I had never seen this little yellow brinjal before.

 Took our lunch at Sugarbun, something we do not have in West Malaysia. I'm surprised that a fast food chain store sells Asian Cuisines + fast foods. It just doesn't match!

Beef cheese burger was what i ordered, and my comment? Even KL street burger (ramly) taste better than this, huge difference. When i got the burger, i did not have the appetite to eat due to the poor food presentation. I have not tried the Asian Cuisines yet, but beef burger is big nono.

 My mom was attracted by the environment at Curtin, so we went back there again. It was drizzling when we left hotel but it stopped later on. Thank god the weather was good when we reach Curtin Uni, or else i wouldn't be able to take photos again. Going through the green road again.

 Previous day, Simon toured us around but i still couldn't recognize this building when we came in from the campus roundabout. Then, there was this girl suddenly said hi, she looked familiar and yea, we met at the Curtin briefing at Federal Hotel, KL last month. I couldn't really remember her name at the time and called her michelle pula! alamak!

 Recreation building side view.

Recreation Building front view. They have basketball court, 3 badminton court, gym (weight room and cardio). I'll definitely apply for the gym, RM30 per month! Its sad that i couldn't bring along my badminton racquet, the court is only rm3, sweat.

School of Business (SOB), where most of my lectures will be held here. I can't compare the seat of the lecture hall compared to overprice Taylor's Uni (comfy sofa that makes u sleep easily).

On my way to the cafeteria, hope the food there will be alright. I'm just concerned about food, haha!

School of Engineering (Skylark).

Its unique that they uses different kinds of birds, Heron (school of business), Skylark (school of engineering) and etc. I will be lost for a while i guess.

Was a great day to take pictures! There's place to sit and relax (beside lake), but there were mud everywhere! I hope the management is able to do something about this, terrible!

Saw this cute little radar thing, i think solar power equipment used by the engineering students.

Water clog were everywhere, algae growing around the walking path, this is unacceptable!! How can i find crocodile when there's these things blocking my path =S... Apparently, there's crocodile here O_O, i'm surprised to here that. Anyone care for some croc meat ?

Lakeside Apartment. RM500 per month. With a black lake in front of them, yes, you did not see it wrongly, BLACK! Even the drain water linked to this lake is black.

Whole lot is Prinia (Another bird), where student services/finance department/housing department are here... also tutorial class, if not mistaken.

 

 Front View of our Library.