A Road Trip - For A Good Smile After 10 Years .

I would attribute this to my profession; I can only write in bullet points these days. Especially when I am trying to remember something.

My reason to write this is because when we read this next, I want the memories intact , after 10 years may be! I am sure this will bring a smile on our face.

• Road trip itinerary :  Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to Cameroon Highlands to Malaka and back to Singapore
• We started on 27th April 2013, a Saturday morning @ 7AM looking forward to the good drive, open roads and everything else that is in store in a drive holiday, oh what fun! 
• The first excitement happened when instead of going towards the west, we missed an exit and got routed towards Changi airport in the east. No, we are on a drive holiday and definitely not taking a flight to KL from Singapore.
• Getting through Woodlands exit was a breeze and we were on highway E3 in Malaysia in 30 minutes. 
• After a sumptuous breakfast of doshas and poorees at a little restaurant called 'Amma' in Johor central, we set off towards KL.
• Let me just avoid putting the speed camera part , flashes etc. in writing LOL! Can't forget the porche anyway. (chuckles)
• Chaithanya has the knack of getting everyone to eat ice cream , this is what she said, "the last time we came, in Baskin Robins they mix our choice of ice creams with our favorite toppings, pour chocolate sauce over it lavishly and place a cherry on top, yum!". So after an ice cream treat just the way she explained, we continued our drive.
• After Baskin robins, we had an awesome lunch at KL, I forgot the name of the hotel, but its hard to miss - was it Bombay Palace? I guess it was, a chain, but don't try the one with a similar name in Queenstown, its fake. 
• Our hotel, Shangri-La was on Jalan Sultan Ismail. Now, the GPS or the most updated google maps couldn't direct us right and we ended up on road for an hour going round and round.. I guess, thats one tiring memory but I am sure would be remembered for a long time to come, after the cold tent at Sarchu, Leh puking my head out due to high altitude sickness, this is another unforgettable memory of going rounds on the same road about 20 times.
• Anyway, Shangrila didn't disappoint as usual. Cozy rooms, food and decor. They are one of my favorite any day.
• I AM ALMOST WONDERING IF THE BLOG WILL HIT A 1000 pages at this point...I want to keep this real short.
• That evening, while chilling at the lounge, we decided to go shopping at KLCC. Mark and Spencer is kind of a weakness always and other  stuff at KLCC and we decided to have dinner in the mall. 
• We decided to walk coz one thing, too scared if we will ever find our way back and second too tired to drive. 
• KLCC is a stone's throw from Shangri-La Hotel and on the way, we saw a series of pubs and night bars which the guys hopped after dinner. I won't go into details because as we all know, blogs are public.
• Dinner was quite amazing but shopping was not so good as expected. 
• All the time I cross Miu Miu, I remember what Chaiyya told me looking the model when she was smaller. "Mom, is the lady very poor that she has no money to eat?" I answered, "May be she is, after buying Miu Miu"LOL! But the model they have now looks a bit better nourished all the same.
• The next day, after the simple breakfast at the lounge for fear of winding roads to Cameroon, we packed a stack of sandwiches for the trip and set off. (Chaiyya wants to go back just for the sandwiches)
• Drive was just as beautiful and can't forget the way temperature dropped as we climbed up. After numerous photographs, halts and excitement we arrived at Strawberry park resort. 
• Rooms were very very spacious and the scenery , just amazing. It was such a wonderful feeling to be there. Not forgetting the drinks, and yes dumb charades  . I need another bullet point for that one.
• The way Hari & Ashish acted "Titan's curse" ... was .. well let me just put it this way :- "if me and Sandy had the time or energy during the non stop laughter to record that one, we would be millionaires today just through youtube clicks".
• Thai dinner was horrible-- stay away from that Thai place in strawberry park resort. The good part is that we checked out all other resorts around Cameroon Highlands for food the next day.
• After a good sleep and morning walk, we set to check in and around the place, basically, tea gardens, strawberry gardens and more tea gardens and more strawberry gardens and some more tea gardens .... 
• One important mention is the 'smoke house' , after 30 minutes of discussing a nice spot for lunch we were taken to a nice spot and they said "Sir, you can sit here after lunch, we don't serve food outside". (Eyebrows touched the tallest tree in the vicinity for that one)
• After that, we did have a good lunch, but I have forgotten the name of that place. something to do with roses ? hmmm. its right next to the smoke house.
• More tea hardens , dinner and rest back at the hotel.
• Chaiyya made friends with a cat at the hotel, she got so attached that I feared about the customs when she asked if we could bring the cat back home to SG. Anyway, the cat didn't come back the next day and thats that.
•  The next day, we had our next long drive to Malacca. 
• It rained cats and dogs all through out and we lost our way. after a long haul and a broken back, we reached Hatten hotel in Malacca. barely had time to gulp the dinner buffet and turn in.Dead tired.
• Spa next day was purely with the hope that we recover from the previous day's backache and it was not that bad. We checked out the malacca center and chilled a bit in hard rock cafe before the excellent drive back. 
• Home sweet home was hit in 3 hours and lucky to have witnessed that beautiful sunset at Johor strait. 
• Welcome back @SG.