2 different years, same location.
I visited
Hatyai last year, and did the same again this year. If this goes on it has might as well be a yearly affair. You might be thinking, my family is fond of travelling the same places over and over again. Hmm. I need to suggest new travelling destinations to my lovely father :).
I also have a tendency to travel around the study week (a week before the final exams), like I did 2 semesters ago to
Langkawi with the fun bunch of Sports Club committees. Wait, it was 2 semesters ago? Time do passes real fast eh.
This year, it was a similar Penang-Hatyai trip, but I only joined the my family for Hatyai because I refuse to miss the French classes which were on every Saturday. So Sunday morning, I took a bus to Penang so my I could join the travelling group (my father, my mother, my youngest sister, my mother's sister and brother). Much thanks to Ah Wen who sent me to the bus station very early in the morning ;).
My brother couldn't join because he's currently doing his internship at Great Eastern, while my other sister Pui Cheng is still in the midst of her SPM.
Because I wasn't with them for the earlier Penang trip, so I shall just post pictures of food they ate in Penang to make you a little hungrier.
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| An extravagant bowl of prawn noodle, that has 3 huge prawns and 2 crabs. RM15 |
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| Ikan bakar - stingray. Lovely with a dip of spicy chili belacan |
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| Mee jawa - good balance between the spiciness, sweetness and sourness |
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| Crispy, crispy Apom! |
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| Ou Jian! (omelette with oysters) |
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| Mee goreng mamak |
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A month ago, the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia and southern part of Thailand experienced terrible flood due to heavy downpour. Hatyai, located at the southern part of Thailand was also affected.
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| Teh ais everywhere. :( |
The flood had caused property damages and affected the people badly. But by the time we traveled to Hatyai, the streets were cleaned, some buildings were repainted but mud stains can still be seen on some walls. Those underground supermarkets were completely submerged and washed out. During this Thailand trip, there were noticeably much less things to shop. The flood probably has hindered tourism and business around the area.
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Despite having less things to shop, there are still abundance of scrumptious food around!
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| I've forgotten the name of this, it's some dessert with preserved fruits, ginkgo, yam and sweet potatoes. Not very good but kinda pricey - 50 Baht per wall (RM5) |
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One thing, you just got to love Thailand's 7 Eleven. In Malaysia, 7 Eleven usually charge much higher prices but that wasn't the case for Thailand. The goods from 7 Eleven are still very cheap! A bottle of Coke for 10 Baht (RM1), Tropicana twister for 15 Baht (RM1.50) and a big bottle of Heineken for 70 Baht (RM7).
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| The ever convenient 7-Eleven |
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| My 2nd uncle with bottles of Chang Beer which cost 45 Baht each :) (RM4.50) |
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| This is my aunt, a successful Great Eastern Insurance agent and my retired uncle who's leading an active lifestyle - while waiting for dinner to be served :) |
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| Kerabu Mango - Hmm not the best I've tasted, would love it more if it was spicy. |
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| Braised pork knuckles! - Highly recommended! Big portion with succulent pork meat yumyumyum :D |
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| Stir fried prawn with asparagus |
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| Otak-otak |
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| Fish maw soup! Flavourful, definitely worth trying! |
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| Last but not least, a very delicious pot of tom yum seafood :). |
& with 6 dishes, 2 pot of rice, and chrysanthemum drinks the dinner costly merely 1090 Baht (RM109). Very reasonable! I had 3 big plates of rice to compliment the wonderful dishes. I've not ate so full for a long long time!
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After the heavy dinner my mum and her siblings went to go for leg massage, while my dad, my sister and I walked around to see if there're anything to shop :).
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| My adorable sister posing with the 2 zinc chairs and the crotch of a lingerie model for background haha. |
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| At Hatyai you find plenty of stalls selling street food, among them are these big lobsters. However it's not highly recommended cause it looks dirty and not too fresh as well. |
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| Back in the hotel room at Grand Plaza, toasting with what my aunt claim as "battery water" |
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Next morning, after taking our scrumptious breakfast of porridge, tomyum noodles, konloh (dried) noodles and wan tan noodle, we proceed to Hatyai Municipal Park, which was like 15 minutes drive from our hotel. We were prevented from enjoying the Municipal Park to the fullest because it was raining heavily.
As the rain subsided, we do our prayers in the temple.
& bought birds to be released, as releasing birds, fish or other life forms have been traditional Chinese practices to seek blessings.
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| Foong posing with the cage of birds :) |
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| My aunt, mother, sister and uncle :). |
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| Soon to be free birds :). - I captured a video of them releasing the birds, but I find it cumbersome to upload video so I will just leave it out :p. |
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| All 6 of us :). - Aunt, sister, mother, myself, uncle and father. |
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| I love you for being there for me all the time :) |
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| Handsome daddy and pretty mummy |
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| Chew siblings :) |
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| This is my sister as she is about to contribute to sound pollution. |
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| RAWR haha soo cute. |
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| Us riding the dragon haha. |
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| The Lum family minus my brother and sister who couldn't join us. |
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| Posing at the golden dragon's mouth |
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| Us Lums again :) |
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| She was about to do the middle finger because before snapping this picture I was criticizing her for being a cam-hog and spreading her legs so wide haha. I didn't teach this 12 year old the foul sign okay :\. |
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| Lunch at some restaurant near the market. Cheap and very good! |
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| Foong helping herself with the cashew nuts. |
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| Me with bunch of dried sea cucumbers. |
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| A cup of yummy coconut ice-cream in preparation :) |
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| Coconut ice-cream. Consists of peanuts, glutinous rice, bread, bean and 3 scoops of really smooth cocunut ice-cream. & the best part is it's only 10 baht (RM1)! A must try! |
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| Definitely earned the thumbs up from me! |
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| Smiley mummy sipping on this fragrant Thai coconut. Only 25 baht (RM2.50) each! Cheap cheap. |
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After walking around the market, we decided to go for massage just before our dinner :). 1 hour of massage (no hanky panky haha) for 200 baht. (RM20)
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The time we visited Hatyai, it was raining most of the time. Although the rain did hamper our activities, but we have umbrellas and raincoat to move around.
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| Pui Foong forced me to put this in my blog :\ |
Oh yes, I have to say the fruits I tasted at Thailand are total delights! Mangoes, pineapples, jack fruits, coconut.
Don't you just love Thai food :D?
As night falls, the adults bought even more Chang beer as we have another drinking session before going to bed.
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The following morning, after having really heavy breakfast, we left Hatyai as we head on for a long journey home.
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| Some jelly dessert thingie to fill our tummy throughout the long drive south. |
I believe if you gone through the pictures above you're probably feeling a little hungry, unless you've just taken a meal haha.
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Last 2 papers to go!
& I shall go back to PJ with many activities on mind :D!
1 month holidays weeee.
