Janet Hsieh

Just spent the entire day today with a film crew from Taiwan.

The crew was in Kuching to film a travel show called Fun Asia, and I was there to be their tour guide.

Apparently, it is a very popular show broadcasted on Discovery Travel & Living. The biggest reason people watch the show is because of this fun-loving girl called Janet Hsieh.

Having never watched the show before, I must admit that I had no idea how big she is – until random people approached her during our shoot to request her photographs.

But she is very popular alright, and rightfully so.

I had such a great time filming with them that it didn’t even felt like work at all. Janet is the most bubbly and down-to-Earth TV personalities I have ever met.

One incident shall forever stick up in my mind.

Before she came to Kuching, Janet caught a bad case of stomach pain and kept having to go to the toilets. But while we were watching the Japan-Paraguay match, she refused to miss a single minute of it.

She didn’t know the match would drag on for so long that she ended up clutching her stomach like this for nearly 3 hours

Janet is born in Texas, has a degree from MIT, speaks 5 different languages, possesses a black belt in Taekwondo, and most recently even appeared in a music video of Wang LeeHom.

One thing I never expected from her.

She was once worked as… A CIRCUS CLOWN.

True story!

World Cup Tweets

Once every four years, the World Cup comes about.

As my eyes find their way to the TV, the stupidest one-liners find their way into my head as well.

For those who don’t follow me on Twitter, here is a compilation of some of my (not-so) proud moments during the World Cup.

    On the loud and annoying vuvuzelas:

    What’s that trumpet thing they blow at World Cup matches? Samyvellu?

     

    On Greece’s 0-2 loss to South Korea:

    Greece’s football team is going down as fast as their economy.

     

    On England’s disastrous performance against underdog Algeria:

    I think the Algerians green uniform is designed to blend into the football field. That’s why England cannot see them.

     

    On the card-happy referee of the Germany-Serbia match:

    This referee at the Germany vs Serbia match produces more cards than a casino.

       

      On Argentinean coach Maradona:

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      Everytime I see Diego Maradona, I feel like eating Mister Potato.

       

      On Spain’s unexpected downfall against Switzerland:

        That’ll teach women that good looks does not necessarily equal good football skills. GHANA to win World Cup!

         

        On the guy in white:

          There’s a guy on the New Zealand team that looks like Will Ferrell.

          On a unique name of a player from Honduras:

            There’s a player in Honduras called "WELCOME". I wonder if there’s also a player called "THANK YOU COME AGAIN".

             

            On the interesting name of a Portugese player.

            There’s a Portugese player called "DUDA". Everybody sing a song. Duda. Duda.

            On North Korea’s (World #105) single goal against Brazil (World #1):

              Heard Kim Jong Il got stiff punishment for North Korea if they didn’t score vs Brazil. Like subjecting them to 1 month of Justin Bieber.

              On Harry Kewell of Australia (the team I support) getting sent off against Ghana:

              Angry with the results of tonight’s match. Ghana-sai.

               

              On Australia’s World Cup exit:

              Australians were so upset about their exit from World Cup that they got themselves a new Prime Minister.

               

              On the Official 2010 FIFA World Cup theme song by Shakira:

              "Waka Waka Eh Eh".

              In Hokkien that means "my leg my leg, short short."

              Ubud Hanging Gardens & Anantara Seminyak

              It is a kennysia.com tradition to travel to Bali every year.

              There’s a lot of reasons why Bali is the place I go to do my retreat every year: cheap flights, friendly people, amazingly good food. The biggest attraction for me is the fact that Bali is the only place I know where the range of accommodation options is virtually limitless.

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              In Bali, you can do home stays for RM15 a night, or rent a luxurious multi-bedroom private villas with your own swimming pool, chef and butler.

              I write this blog entry especially for those who had partied through Kuta, done Bali on the cheap before, and are now returning to look for something a bit more.

              Although luxury in Bali does come with a hefty price tag, it is not completely out of reach for most people. On average, a very well-serviced, luxurious high-end hotel here would cost around USD200 (RM650) per person per night.

              But I think about it this way. Instead of flying to Paris for a supposed romantic holiday then stuffing myself inside a cramped 3-star shoebox hotel, I’d rather fly to Bali, splurge on a beach-front suite and be treated like a king.

              Truth is, there not many places in the world that gives as good a bang for buck as the hotels and villas in The Island of Gods. During my most recent trip to Bali  2 weeks ago, I had the privilege of being hosted at some of the most beautiful hotels I have ever experienced personally.

              The first was Ubud Hanging Gardens.

              If I were a girl and my boyfriend wants to propose to me, this is the place I’d want him to do it. Otherwise, not only would I not accept his proposal, I’ll probably throw the ring back at my boyfriend, scream “YOU THINK I SO CHEAP AH!?” before hurrily taking off and leaving him alone in the dark.

              But I digress.

              Ubud Hanging Gardens is an absolutely fucking stunning hotel.

              Pardon my language, but there’s just no other way to describe it. The road heading towards the resort was narrow, bumpy and ridiculously difficult to find. I spent 4 hours circling the entire Bali island in my rental car and cannot find it. In the end we gave up and requested for hotel pickup.

              But once we arrived, it was like clouds have parted and we arrived heaven on Earth.

              Words cannot do it any justice.

              Ubud Hanging Gardens is one of two Balinese resorts by luxury hotel group Orient Express. It’s called “hanging” because when we looked out into the distance from our room, we literally felt like we were hanging in the air. We were so high up that all we could see were the tops of the trees below.

              The view here gotta be seen to be believed.

              Despite what its name suggest, the resort is not actually located inside the intensely crowded and touristy Ubud town, but quietly tucked away on top of the hill in the middle of the forest, about 30 minutes away. There was literally nothing at all within the vicinity of the resort.

              What they offer instead, is the ultimate in serenity and luxury.

              The villa units themselves aren’t particularly huge, but they are well-designed to take advantage of the breathtaking surrounding views, and make us feel as close to nature as possible.

              Each unit is located on the hill slope. So instead of taking the lift from the lobby, we have to go to our rooms using this cute little funicular train.

              It was the best place in Bali to recharge and rejuvenate. On top of it all they got free internet access, outdoor bathtub and my favourite – the heated infinity private pool.

              I LOVE the private pool!

              All of them are built in such a way to resemble Bali’s cascading rice paddy fields. It was very relaxing and very romantic.

              But the private pool wasn’t the best thing about Ubud Hanging Gardens.

              Just outside the restaurant, overlooking the forest, is the resort’s most jaw-dropping feature: the double-storey freeform infinity pool.

              It was breathtakingly AMAZING.

              Imagine being able to swim right up towards the edge of the pool and do this.

              It was pure magic. This is the closest thing to swimming above the skies.

              You can see in the picture that there’s a Balinese temple perched on top of the hill in the distance. At night, they light up the temple so it looks as if it was floating in the air.

               

              Overlooking the edge of the infinity pool. Don’t worry, I won’t jump.

              After our stay at the Ubud Hanging Gardens, we returned to Seminyak where all the restaurants, shops and parties are located. This time round, we stayed at another equally stunning hotel called Anantara Seminyak.

              This hotel is not located high on the hill nor in the middle of a dense forest.

              I came to Anantara Seminyak for jaw-dropping ocean views like these.

              It’s less “green”, more “gold”. In fact, there’s a million-dollar view right from the balcony of every beach-facing Ocean Suite. I thought sunset at Ku De Ta was amazing. I obviously ain’t seen nothing yet.

              Anantara Seminyak is targeted towards honeymooners and those seeking for a stylish romantic getaway.

              This is not where you’d come if you want some quiet “alone time” in the forest to meditate. For that, stick to Ubud.

              If you wanna impress a date, this is perfect.

              Start the evening with a romantic candle-light dinner by the beach.

              As night falls and temperature drops, take her in to your hotel suite for something a little bit more cozy.

              She will be impressed as soon as she opened the door.

              First, she sees a nice walk-in wardrobe.

              Further down the marble corridor, she sees a spacious bathroom area, complete with aromatherapy soaps, a Jacuzzi bathtub and a rainshower with three different options for massage.

              You can’t help but to grin…

              …because you know the bathroom is see-through.

              Next, THE BEDROOM (oh yeah, baby).

              The bed is built-in, oversized, sexy and extremely comfortable.

              She’s in awe. She knows she wanna spend the night here.

              So you put on some music on the Bose Sound System.

              Hopefully something more Barry White instead of Owl City.

              And the rest… is up to your imagination. Heh.

              The suites at Anantara Seminyak is my idea of the ultimate bachelor pad.

              It’s not exactly where I’d bring my mother to, because let’s face it, who wants to see their mother in the see-through bathroom?

              The suites at Anantara may not have their own private pool, but who needs one when you can sit in the outdoor jacuzzi soaking in the ocean view?

              A night’s stay here cost USD450 so it’s really for those who have a bit more in their pockets.

              Without spending that much to sleep a night at Anantara, it’s still possible also to enjoy the famous sunset over Seminyak at their stylish rooftop lounge. Lots of jet-setting, mojito-sipping, good-looking people to see here.

              You can’t help but to be one of them.

              Besides, there’s nothing quite like sitting on a plush daybed, sipping designer cocktail, listening to cool chill out music playing in the background while watching the sky changes colour as the sun goes down.

              It’s my third trip to Bali, and still it ranks as my favourite holiday destination in the world.

              Yea, it’s true that Bali can be done very cheaply. A lot of first timers stay in Kuta because it is cheap. But Kuta is possibly the worst possible place to stay in Bali.

              The problem with Kuta is that the dodgy nightclubs, the drunken Australians, the overpriced souvenir shops, the traffic jam and the drug pushers all ended up making me more stressed than I was before I left for holidays.

              I go to Bali to recharge my batteries and to forget about work for a while. Places like Ubud and Seminyak did the trick for me.

              Last year, I stayed in this hotel in Kuta. We arrived so late that the reception counter was closed. In the end, the person checking us in was actually the hotel’s security guards.

              These two muscular guys were not just the hotel’s security guard and receptionist, they were also the hotel’s housekeeper.

              When we called the reception and asked to put in an extra bed for us, guess who came to our rescue?

              Yes, the same two security guards.

              Made my Bali holiday looked like an episode of CSI.

              Moving Out Of KL

              I just sent a text message to the owner of my rented apartment in KL.

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              31st July shall be the last day of my tenancy in KL.

              I used to fly to KL pretty often. These days I’d be lucky if I get to sleep over in my apartment once a month. The last time I stayed over, so much dust has accumulated in my room that I woke up the next morning sneezing my head off. Considering what I’m paying and how infrequent to stay over, I’d be better off staying in hotels.

              There used to be a time when I go to KL on a weekly basis. I’d attend an event on Saturday morning, then head on to either Sid’s or Phuture for some beer at night. Jaclyn once said I’m more KL than a KL person because I hold a Zouk card and she doesn’t.

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              A misunderstanding happened between two of my closest friends in KL.

              We used to always hang out together, help each other out, tell stupid jokes and laugh our heads off. These days I gotta watch my words so much. If not, things I say might be misconstrued as something else.

              A place is only as meaningful as the company you have over there.

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              Once the company is gone, that place becomes meaningless.

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              ADV: 10 Things To See In Perth

              Did you know about the 2 Malaysians who travelled around Western Australia in a taxi?

              Dr Ling and his brother Shaun won a contest organized by Tourism WA. Their prize was being driven round the largest state of Australia in a taxi. Going through their blog and those by the other winners, some emotions in me were inevitably stirred up.

              To me, Perth is more than just a tourist destination.

              Perth was my former home. And although I have moved back permanently to Kuching now, I’d still hop on a plane and see Perth all over again if given the chance. At least AirAsia is flying to Perth soon!

              What’s there to see in Western Australia? HEAPS. In fact, I give you 10.

              10. The City

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              It’s not as big as Melbourne or Sydney, but the walk through the shops and malls of Perth City is still very pleasant. All the charming old buildings like the Post Office and London Court are very well-preserved.

              I enjoy coming here on Friday night after work when all the shops close late. When I get hungry I’ll just walk to Taka for cheap authentic Japanese food, or Utopia for Taiwanese bubble tea.

               

               9. King’s Park

              King’s Park is lush botanical garden located on a hilltop overlooking Perth city and the Swan River. It’s a very well-maintained park with lots of flowers, trees and walking paths. My ex used to live in an apartment here and every morning we’d see old people jogging up and down the steep jogging paths.

              I never tried jogging there. I get tired just looking at them do it.

               

              8. Fremantle

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              It’s a quaint port town 45 minutes away from Perth. Fremantle got more laid back atmosphere without the bad behaviour. It’s where I’d come to chill out, eat fish and chips at Cicerello’s, drink coffee on the Cappuccino Strip or chow down some pizza and beer at Little Creatures microbrewery.

               

              7. Rottnest Island

              I went to and fell in love with Rottnest Island when my student union organized a leadership training camp there once. Rottnest is a small island 30 minutes by ferry from Fremantle. There are no cars here so the only way to get around is by bicycle.

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              Beautiful bays and beaches are the attractions here, but to see the real beauty you gotta put on the snorkel mask and look underwater.

              Rottnest Island is the reason I picked up snorkelling, and eventually diving.

               

              6. Margaret River

              People travel to Margaret River for two things: nature, and wine.

              (Or whine, if you don’t drink wine).

              If you drive down the freeway during spring, the huge expanse of wild flowers on the either side of the road literally takes your breath away.

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              This is the only place in Australia where people can experience white sandy beaches, gigantic forests, agricultural life, ancient caves and world class wineries all in one area. It’s also a romantic place to bring a special someone for an overnight stay at a Bed & Breakfast.

              5. Pinnacles Desert

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              It’s a popular stopover for most people heading northwards to Ningaloo Reef.

              The Pinnacles is located in the middle of a sandy desert. It’s impossible for normal cars to access it, which means you gotta hop in this gigantic 4WD monster truck if you wanna see this unique landscape of towering rocks rising over the sand.

               

              4. Wave Rock

               

              There are only two places in the world I know where you can go surfing inland.

              The first is at Wave Rock.

              The other one is at Internet Cafes.

              3. Monkey Mia

              Monkey Mia is a back-aching 6 h
              ours north from Perth by car.

              Despite what the name tells ya, there are no monkeys in Monkey Mia. But there are dolphins.

              Every morning, these wild dolphins swim up to the shore and it is possible to pat and feed them.

              2. Ningaloo Reef

              WA’s Ningaloo Reef may not be as famous as Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, but surpasses it in beauty. Because it is so difficult to get to, it gets less visitors and therefore less damaged marine life.

              It’s popular for being the very few places on Earth to dive with gentle giant whale sharks.

               

              1. Friends

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              Let’s face it, the biggest reason Malaysians come to Perth is to study.

              Many Malaysian colleges have twinning programmes with the Universities here. It’s only a 5 hour flight from KL and airfares aren’t too expensive now that AirAsia flies to Perth. Chances are, you already know somebody who’s doing a course over there.

              Maybe it’s time to pay them a visit.

              ‘Cos what the heck – when they graduate, you won’t have anymore free tour guides!

              Mugshots

              Let’s do a little social experiment shall we?

              This is the front page of Singapore’s Straits Times this past weekend. On it are two photographs of two people involved in two separate criminal cases.

              One is a perpetrator of a crime.

              The other is a victim of a crime.

              Which is which?

               

               

               

              The answer.

              DIDN’T EXPECT THAT DID YA?

              The top was a mugshot of an Indian national who was unfortunately murdered in Singapore. On the right was a photo of a Swiss national who foolishly broke into MRT’s depot and vandalized a train.

              With a mugshot like this, who would’ve thought he’s responsible for such a childish act?

              Heck, it’s not even an ugly mugshot. It’s a glamour portrait photography suitable for publishing in CLEO magazine.

              The question begs: how the heck did Singapore Straits Times managed to get hold of such a pretty boy photo of him?

              The answer becomes clear as soon as I saw the caption.

              The Straits Times actually dug through his Facebook profile to find that pic!

              How resourceful!

              At least I know next time if I were to be arrested in Singapore for whatsoever reason, my mugshot in the newspaper ain’t gonna turn up too bad.

              Hope they also photoshop off my pimple!

              Wow, What A Night

              It’s the Gawai holidays here in Sarawak.

              The fitness centre isn’t as busy around this time of the year, but I’ve taken some time off to do my annual Bali trip.

              Obviously, I haven’t updated much since I got here. It’s kinda difficult to reach for the laptop when the place we’re staying at has a view out the window like this.

              I’ve also missed out a number of events I meant to attend in Kuching.

              Most people don’t know this, but while Amber Chia was out parading as the ambassador for everything from massage chairs to coffee table, I am actually the ambassador for something else as well.

              A discount voucher book!

              I ain’t kidding. Check this out!

              Wah. Move over Amber. Kenny Sia is the new Amber Chia. Hehe!

              (Except I wasn’t getting paid since the owner of Wow Book Addy is a friend of mine.)

              Wow Book is a discount voucher book that gives RM5 from every sale of the book to charity. To date, they have raised funds for the children cancer society, deaf society, prevention of animal cruelty society, and more charities than I could even think of.

              I cannot attend Wow Book’s event tomorrow evening, so the best I could do as their ambassador is to publicise their event here.

              For RM100, there’s free flow of beer, soft drinks and buffet at Pullman Hotel. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

              Then there’s a hair show and even a performance by a bunch of China Dolls parading around in feathers and skimpy lingerie.

               

              Remember not to bring your dirty uncle along hor. Later he divorce.

              Proper update when I get back to Kuching on Monday!

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