VACATIONS TO PHI PHI ISLANDS

I don’t wanna tell you much about our trip. In short, it went not as we planned but still we are having fun in the islands. On Friday, 26th March 2010 Haidir reached Arau Railway Station so we recorded the new AU REVOIR “Perisher” song that night at Faithcraft Studio. Everything went quite good, with Haidir (from HEREAFTER) as bassist and Syed (from DEVASTATOR) as bassist too. We crushed with double bass, without any guitar. The atmosphere was brutal and raw. It was easy yet fun to play. We also did “A Love To Kill” live video just to warm up the session. ( click here to watch ).

The next day, 27th March 2010, the three of us move to Thailand at 7.30 a.m. We drove and parked our car at Hadyai. Actually this is my first experience bringing my own car to Thailand. To be honest, it was quite scary to me. And yes, we involved in little incident that cause damages to my car bumper in Padang Besar. Damned!

We bought return ticket to Krabi and back to Hadyai from the tour agency, so we off to Krabi by tour van at 2.30 PM. The trip was again so scary, you will die off heart attack anytime for sure. And what an annoying trip, we got two Irish tourists with us. We just called him, Barney as he is so talkative and he wouldn’t stop at nothing. He knew everything under the sun. Finally, I begun to like his stories as it is so funny and reminds me of someone. Roohi. Hahaha!

5 hours later we reached Krabi Town. Again we being cheated by tour agency for our room at K Guest House. I would like to tell you the average price for air-conditioned room in Krabi with free wifi, shower mostly from 250 to 450 baht only. Since we are idiots, we paid it double. Later that night, after take a bath we roamed Krabi Town. Almost 70 % of the populations in Krabi were foreigners. The best place to go at night is Krabi Walking Street.( click here to watch) Something like pasar malam in Malaysia only it is crazier in Krabi. To many to offer, from food to cultural entertainment.

Bad thing will happen when you alllow your lust control over you. And that is what happened to Syed. Now we already broke. Syed and Haidir were running out of cash, while it is public holiday in Thailand and Malaysia too. No bank or online transaction available here. And it is damn hard to use credit cards in Krabi when you’re in trouble like this. So I got about 2000 baht left in my pocket. So I am the very last hope for humanity.

28th March 2010, we woke up early in the morning hoping that we could sail to Phi Phi Islands, the infamous location for the movie “James Bond’s The Man With The Golden Gun” and also “The Beach” took place. We went to various tour agencies but none of them would accept a credit card. So, I sacrificed my money and told the agency lady boss about our situation. Out of sympathy she gave us a discount for 900 baht for 3 person including a 4X4 taxi ride to the port. I really couldn’t believe it when the boss only asked us 21 baht for 3 glasses of superb white coffee. Damn, we luv Choke Dee Restaurant and Tour Agency.

Again I sacrificed my money which is now I got only few coins in my pocket. We bought a ticket back to Krabi at 3.30 PM which is the last boat. Now, we just enjoying the beaches and watch the naked ladies ( click here to watch ). Syed and me both get wounded by sharp sea coral even the water is crystal clear which you could see the fish and crab sneaking in the corals. After swam, we took a tour around the islands by foots. After all, that is the only thing we can do. The real sightseeing.



I bought some canned drinks which is terrible. My choice is always wrong this time. At least we knew now, Singha Soda, Light Coke, Pepsi Max are sucks. The is a lots of Halal foods, mosques and Siamese Muslim over here. Too bad, they can’t speak Malay language.

With empty stomach we reached Au Nang Pier, and reached our hotel at 6.00 PM. Took a shower then slept away, I gave some coins to Syed and Haidir to get something to drinks from 7 Eleven. At almost 11.00 PM, with smile on their face, they arrived with 3 cup of noodles, snacks and 3 bottles of soy milks. It was so lucky of them, they bum the boss of Choke Dee again, and retold our problem. Pity towards us, she gave  100 baht to buy something to eat. At first, she would like to gave us a free food at her restaurant but since she were selling non halal food. She just gave us money. But that 100 bath means so much to us. We owed you so much Choke Dee! We will remember all your kindness and will come for your great coffee again...

29th March 2010, we woke up early in the morning again. This time we rush for local bank, for your info Syed wife has already tried to rescue us from our financial problem, and I already activated my card for international transaction but it seem for some reason unknown all Thai ATM couldn’t read my card. Syed tried his credit card once again. Boom! And it is available. Like a pheonix rising, we went to have some fine breakfast at Muslim restaurant in town. We even tried local roti ‘chennai’.

There was a problem again, our trip back to Hadyai being postponed by the agency to 1.30 PM. We waited for the van while ‘mgorat’ the tour agency boss near our hotel and facebooking in her office. At 2.00 PM our van came and drove us back to Hadyai. Lucky me, I sat beside big-boobs and friendly lady Meau. Meau spoken well in English and told me she just went back from spending a great time with her American and German friends. There are a lot of interesting chat I had with Meau. I guess, she is a satanist. Hahaha! She told me she'll do anything she want and never get bother by her family, human has the right to do anything they want from the birth. She told me she don’t like to hang out with Thai people and she like wearing sexy clothes. Arrghh! That’s my girl. Meau is really MEUAW!

We reached Hadyai at 8.30 PM, so I speed up up my car to reach the border as fast as I can. I could hear Syed were singing “Turbo Lover” at the back seat. Haha! We made it and crosses the border at 9.15 PM. After done with jamak and qasar at Osmaniah Mosque in Kok Mak and we have a dinner in Kangar. We finally got home at 10.30 PM.

To get some good dreams and sound sleeps, me and Haidir watched SCORPIONS live in the jungle DVD till we passed out...

PULAU KARI DAN METAL: PENANG

27.2.2010 (Sabtu) – Jam 8.50 pagi aku ke pejabat untuk ambil Volvo, pantau program “Active Ageing, Active Living” yang berlangsung di pejabat sebentar sambil panaskan enjin. Jam 9.20 pagi aku sampai di rumah Syed, kami terus bergerak ke Penang untuk vacation tanpa sarapan disebabkan aku hendak bawa Syed makan roti canai tersedap di dunia.

10.30 pagi kami sampai di Gurun, terus hala ke Restoran Khoja Mohedeen, kedai makan yang mempunyai nilai sentimental ketika aku berkerja di Bedong suatu ketika dahulu, di sini lah tempat aku lepak dan minum kesorangan. Kami pesan roti seorang 2 biji dan teh ais. Ikuti statement dari Syed; The best roti chennai in the world! Terus dia tambah sebiji lagi. Kalau hendak diikutkan memang hendak makan seorang 4 biji. Tetapi terpaksa kami sabar sebab banyak lagi makanan yang akan dihumban ke dalam sistem pencernaan bila tiba di Penang nanti.

Kami sampai di jeti Butterworth jam 1.30, Syed telefon Hashim untuk bertanyakan venue gig dan band apa yang main. Inilah kali pertama kami tidak tahu menahu pasal gig yang berlangsung, tidak tahu tempat dan yang tahu aku datang sebab Syed hendak melihat persembahan Demonical Crisis Asembly (DCA) dan berbincang untuk merekrut pemain drum mereka ke dalam Devastator. Aku temani Syed sahaja, bagi aku gig adalah membosankan. Sekitar tahun 2006, aku telah melihat persembahan DCA di satu jam session di Wangsa Maju yang turut menampilkan Devastator. Aku nyanyikan lagu “The Sign Of Evil Existance” untuk set Devastator. Bagi aku persembahan DCA adalah menghiburkan.

Ralat (suntingan pada 13 April 2021): Kami baru tahu pada tahun 2019, bahawa dargha bukanlah

surau atau masjid. Ia sekte kuburiyyun! Kami mohon ampun kepada Allah atas kejahilan kami.

Terkejut kami bila tahu Hashim berada di Penang bersama Kodeng dan Pikrama. Mereka pun hendak ke gig tersebut. Jadi ada peluang untuk kami jimat kos pada malam ini, kerana pada mulanya kami telah bercadang untuk bermalam di Batu Ferringhi. Kami ke Masjid Nogore untuk jamak Zohor dan Asar, inilah kembara yang aku paling suka sekali. Cuba jejaki sejarah, hargai dan pelajari. Perasaan solat di Masjid Nagore yang ruangnya rasanya hanya 20ft x 20ft sangat unik. Dengan bauan setanggi, warna dan struktur binaan. Seolah-olah berada di sebuah daerah India. Menurut apa yang dicatatkan di dinding masjid ini, rumah ibadat ini adalah antara yang paling awal di Penang. Lebih awal dari masjid Kapitan Keling. Dan menurut sejarahnya ia ditubuhkan oleh generasi ke 21 junjungan Nabi Muhammad s.aw.

Seterusnya kami ke Gurney Plaza untuk jalan-jalan, mungkin boleh shoping di MPH atau Tower Records. Tetapi tiada apa yang menarik, yang menarik chicks sahaja. Pukul 4.30 petang kami ke Soundmaker, lepak di kedai makan bersebelahannya. Rata-rata rockstars sedang mabuk, sempat berbual-bual kosong dengan Jan, Lan, dan Pikrama. Tinggal cd dan t-shirt Au Revoir kepada Hashim untuk di jual. Kami culik Kodeng sebagai pemandu untuk bawa kami jalan-jalan. Kodeng bawa kami ke Masjid Kapitan untuk makan di kedai nasi Kandar Kapitan Keling atau pada sebelah malamnya namanya di tukar ke Nasi Kandar Beratur pula. Memang helluva!!! Memang original and spicy, aku berpeluh macam orang siram air di atas kepala. Tetapi Syed walaupun extra-kuah tiada masalah langsung. Kalaulah aku tidak bawa bekalan pil hempedu bumi, mesti tekanan darah aku dah naik.

Seterusnya Kodeng bawa kami ke Toy Museum. Dalam perjalanan kami dah hampir sampai ke Toy museum, Hashim sms Syed memaklumkan DCA dah siap sedia untuk beraksi. Bisinglah Kodeng bila Syed ajak kembali ke Soundmaker. Aku terus beritahu Syed kalau kena bayar memang aku tidak akan masuk.

Sampai sahaja, kami terus masuk tanpa tanya. DCA main seperti yang aku jangkakan. Walaupun kualiti bunyi memang hancur, setting pun dah semestinya tidak dapat. DCA tetap memberikan persembahan yang bertenaga. Aku pun memang tidak boleh start headbang, bila start, aku lose la. Macam aku yang beritahu Jan, pemakaian tidak mengambarkan hati yang metal. Hendak tahu metal tengok macamana kami layan metal. Lawak bila Chi marah aku belasah budak dok headbang atas stage. Aku baling botol ke Faiz tengah main bass. Aku enjoying the show like I always do. Baju habis basah, leher sakit. Aku dan Syed terus beredar.

Kami ke Masjid yang comel terletak beberapa blok dari Raggae Club, Jalan Macalinster yang penuh dengan tourists. Masjid Alimsha Waley. Jamak Magrib dan Isyak, kami tidur sementar cari ketenangan. Dalam 10.30 malam, Kodeng sms suruh kami ke Restoran Kassim Mustafa. Selepas temani mereka melantak, kami ke bilik hotel mereka menumpang ehsan untuk mandi dan semestinya tidur untuk jimat budget. Hahaha!

Selesai mandi, Pikrama dan rakannya Sham ke Soho pub bersebelah hotel. Manakala Syed, Hashim dan Kodeng dengan aktiviti kesihatan lelaki. Aku tidur di bilik sahaja kerana sakit tengkuk. Jam 3.30 pagi aku terbangun bila Hashim telefon, katanya Jan datang ke hotel cari aku. Bagus juga Jan, ingat jugak kat aku. Dah lah aku tidur dalam kelaparan. Turun Jan dah tunggu di lobi, kami ke Sup Hamid. Rupanya semua dah ada sana. Hanging out in Hamid’s. Aku cuba sup ayamnya. Sedap, cuma aku tidak paham bagaimana hendak makan sup dengan roti benggali? Macam tidak serasi . Sempat berbual dengan DCA yang tidak habis-habis malu dengan persembahan tadi. Bagi aku biasalah, band black metal barbarian macam DCA mana boleh dapat sound dengan mudah. Aku ingat lagi, IMPIETY sebelum keluarnya album “Kaos Kommand” pun mana pernah persembahan mereka di Malaysia dapat dibentuk sound nya. Semua hancur. Kita enjoy showmanship dan kegilaan sahaja. Itulah metal. Black Metal! Faiz beritahu lagi dia terkejut bila penganjur beritahu hanya 91 tiket terjual petang tadi dan melalui apa yang dia faham gig metal di Penang selalunya sold-out. Nampaknya, semua orang mula bosan dengan gig-gig metal sekarang ini. Memang betul suatu ketika dahulu untuk lihat 800 metalheads hadiri gig di Penang adalah perkara biasa. Setiap genap lorong di Penang penuh dengan metalheads. Itu adalah nostalgia.

Lepak sebentar, join boobwatch. Pastu aku pening kepala. Jan hendak ajak aku jumpa awak facebook mana ntah pun tidak dapat aku ikut. Malaslah pulak. Aku bukan rockstar pun. Aku jalan sebelah Soho, tengok Pikrama and the geng dah gila babi. Tunjuk langit semua. Lawak pun ada. Kesian pun ada. Singgah 7 Eleven, beli maggi terus naik ke hotel. Lepas makan maggi terus aku tidur. Sempat terjaga bila bapak ayam datang tawar servis di pintu bilik. Aku tergelak bila Kodeng ingat bapak ayam itu kawan Hashim. Hahaha!

28.2.2010 (Ahad) – Bangun awal jam 8.00 pagi, kejutkan Syed dan Kodeng. Kami sarapan pagi di Jalan Tranfer yang menurut Kodeng – the best roti canai in the world. Memang rasanya unik, dan rupanya menakutkan. Kuah merah darah dan bertakung dalam pinggan. Aku tidak dapat habiskan roti aku, Syed yang habiskan. Bila aku tanya Syed dalam diam, Syed kata rasanya ok sahaja, tetapi tidak mahu kecilkan hati kodeng. Bagi kami roti canai Khoja adalah yang undefeated. Bagaimanapun kopi disini memang sedap.

Kami terus ke Rope Walk tengok barang-barang antik. Keadaan masih tidak berubah di sini. Cuma barang-barang yang benar-benar unik telah berkurangan. Malah harganya makin tinggi sekarang. Kami balik ke hotel kejutkan Pikrama, Hashim dan Sham. Seterusnya kami serang Chocolate Boutique. Rasa paling unik semestinya cokelat cabai. Dan paling seronok dapat cuba semua kopi. Hell yeah!This is my kindda place!

Selepas itu Kodeng bawa kami makan di Restoran Kayu di Bukit Jambul. Semua orang menggila. Rasanya setiap seorang dari kami tidak ada yang kena cas RM15 ke bawah. Sotong, udang, ayam, telur... all hell brokes lose.

Pada jam 2.00 petang, Aku dan Syed terus beredar selepas makan, manakala Kodeng dan yang lain pergi membeli belah di Kompleks Bukit Jambul. Aku memandu pulang dalam keadaan terlalu kenyang dan terasa macam dalam mimpi mungkin kesan sampingan dari kaskas. Walaupun SLAYER “Hell Awaits” adalah soundtrack perjalanan pulang kami hari ini. Ia kedengaran terlalu syahdu. Hahaha!

Sampai di rumah jam 5.30 petang aku periksa kotak pos. Ada package dari USA, bila dibuka ada buku masakan Hellbent For Cooking yang dikirimkan oleh Annick Giroux. Envelope nya telah dibuka oleh KDN nasib baik tidak dirampasnya. Memang sempoi habis, unik dan tersendiri. Kalau Chief Wan tengok mesti dia menangis! Kepada yang hendak dapatkan resipi memasak dari band pujaan anda seperti Sepultura, Possessed, Mayhem, Obituary, Kreator, Blasphemy, Judas Priest, Pentagram malah aku sendiri. Sila dapatkan buku ini di kedai-kedai buku terpilih atau: http://www.hellbentforcooking.com/

Aahhh! Hari minggu yang mengembirakan.

Klik untuk menonton video DCA dan Chocolate Boutique.