You-Want's Life

This is a short photo blog on my recent trip to Kuala Terengganu. While I did not manage to visit many touristy places, I still do have some photos to share with you! ;) The new Kuala Terengganu Draw Bridge. Scenic view from Panorama Restaurant , which is located on a hill top.  Chinatown in Kuala Terengganu. There are 7 beautifully decorated alleys here. Turtle Alley is one of them! They are mostly decorated with murals, wall art and props. I had Spicy Butter Chicken Spaghetti at the Hidden Cafe in Chinatown. By, Euan Thum.

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 3: Into A Mangrove Swamp! The fourth day of our trip started off early as well. Charisma Movement 's Environmental Project Director, Bella, led the way in Kuala Terengganu as we went to Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) to pick up SEATRU staffs, Syam and Akil. They were to accompany us on our trip to Chagar Hutang Turtle Hatchery on Redang Island that day. University Malaysia Terengganu is well-known for its Marine Biology course, Chagar Hutang's beach is in fact was gazetted by the Terengganu state to conserve the turtles. At the same time, Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU) was given the authority to work on the research and education purposes too. It took us a 45-minute boat ride to arrive at Chagar Hutang from a jetty near Marang.    As we were dropped off at the beach, all we could notice was the pollution-free water and clean beach with poles sticking out everywhere. We then learned that they were markings of sea turtle nests...

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 2 Part 2/2: Releasing Baby Sea Turtles We left Kemaman early in the morning, with our bags packed, as we head to Kerteh. We were going to spend the next two nights in Kuala Terengganu, which is the state capital of Terengganu.    Similar to the past two days, the representatives from Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) led the way as they were facilitating our Wildlife Conservation Project by Charisma Movement . We drove past Petronas (Oil & Gas price leader in the region!) buildings- research centres and probably facilities that process petroleum harvested from their off-shore platforms. Terengganu is located in the East Coast of West Malaysia, by the South China Sea where many oil drilling rigs are built. We were excited to check out our next destination, EcoCare Centre Kerteh , as we were promised a series of activities revolving around mangroves.   We started off with breakfast at the centre as we arrived ...

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 2 Part 1: Seeing Sea Turtles For The First Time   It was our second day on the East Coast of Malaysia! We spent our morning in Cherating, Pahang, learning much about sea turtles- a graceful yet highly endangered marine creature. The representatives of Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) , who had collaborated with Charisma Movement in facilitating our Wildlife Conservation Project, brought us to Rimbun Dahan Turtle Sanctuary after a scrumptious local lunch. Throughout our trip, our meals were arranged by TCS- we got to try some special delicacies from the East Coast including Terengganu's special  Nasi Dagang  (steamed glutinous rice served with fish curry),  keropok lekor  (fried fish cakes), fermented fish sauce and many more.     Rimbun Dahan Turtle Hatchery is popular locally for its long-term commitment in turtle conservation work. Siblings Along and Alang now manage the centre with the h...

We put on our smiles and got   on the road.    This is my third time in Terengganu, the Malaysian state famous for its coastal landscape which hosts turtle nesting areas. I have always liked being in Terengganu as it offers a completely different vibe as what other states offer. This could be a stereotypical perspective, having lived in Malaysia for more than two decades, it has become natural to associate Terengganu with beaches, turtles and keropok (fried fish cakes)- however, don't get me wrong, this place surely has a lot more to offer. Returning here this time feels differently, as I am here for a mission, having participated in a wildlife conservation project hosted by Charisma Movement.   For the past one month, I was heavily involved in a fundraising campaign for this project alongside Charisma Movement's Environmental Project Director, Bella, and 8 other committed volunteers. Being part of the Marketing team, I was happily designing posters and other promo...

The story started with Mr. David Thaw's recital of a letter he received from one of his students studying in the US. It was about mental well-being. I remember nodding my head, agreeing to the content-- the emotional health of others around us, and ourselves of course,  is extremely important especially in this era where social media has a huge influences in our lives.  Mental health deterioration is an invisible killer and has caused the global suicide rate to accelerate over the past few years. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100000, equivalent to one death every 40 seconds. People facing mental or emotional struggles turn to ending their lives as they give up the fight against mental illnesses. I wrote Mr. Thaw an email to thank him for his sharing with the whole school that day. I also shared with him my views on the importance of mental health awareness and kindness towards others. Here's the email...

I went to a park this afternoon, where I spent more than an hour reflecting all the ups and downs that have happened in my life for the past year. Yeap, I do contemplate a lot, for I am a highly sensitive and sentimental person. So much have happened. Be it something good, be it bad. All little details of my history have contributed in molding how I feel today, and what I aim to achieve next.   I think, it's been a lot to take in: exams, events, friendships etc. Two months before this, I was holding on to many somewhat hard issues which undeniably corrode my mental well-being. Well, this is starting to sound depressing. Let's not do it this way. I was thinking so much that time that the echoes of my own voices were extremely loud in my head. I couldn't sleep; I could hardly concentrate in class; I faked being happy. Stress level was for real. Finally ending my semester at school in July was a cure.   I have been spending a lot of personal time ever since, been back t...