The first five photo galleries are up- pertaining to the air displays on the fourth and fifth days of LIMA 2013 (which were actually the days with the best light), together with the opening ceremony where almost the entire collection of types operated by the RMAF was on show,
LIMA Airshow 2013 Site A Photo Gallery 26-3-13 0900- 0930h (Opening Ceremony)
http://www.mediafire.com/?p63pchqo8rawp
LIMA Airshow 2013 Site A Photo Gallery 29-3-13 1000- 1115h
http://www.mediafire.com/?radh91zuxbrnc
LIMA Airshow 2013 Site D Photo Gallery 29-3-13 1430-1615h
http://www.mediafire.com/?le928ys6do7a7
LIMA Airshow 2013 Site A Photo Gallery 30-3-13 1000-1115h
http://www.mediafire.com/?v30cr677i4mym
LIMA Airshow 2013 Site E Photo Gallery 30-3-13 1425-1615h
http://www.mediafire.com/?icul0c6ss034l
I shall be adding more as time permits.
Friday, 12 April 2013
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
LIMA AIRSHOW 2013 ACCOMODATION at HOLIDAY VILLA LANGKAWI
I stayed at the Holiday Villa for the LIMA week, and while most details was unchanged from before, they have certainly improved the lighting in the grounds at night- makes it look quite sweet.
In reality, the hotel is just a stone's throw over a hill from the Awana Porto Malai, and some of the warships and auxiliary vessels anchored off the Awana can be clearly seen from the hotel's beach.
Photographing them is a bit difficult, however- the heat haze and diffraction gets in the way. You also realise why warships are painted the colours they are- all the better so as not to be seen from a distance.
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| KD Kelantan |
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| Marshal Shaposhnekov |
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| Bunga Mas 6 |
Of course, the leisure yachts moored just off the beach are much prettier.
The huge swimming pool up front is as inviting as ever, when hit by scorching temperatures.
The sand on the beach is really quite fine- just a notch below that at the Andaman or Datai. Unlike the Awana, there is actually a beach, and a very good one too!
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| Holiday Villa's great sandy beach |
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| Going island-hopping |
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| Holiday Villa in the daytime |
Despite the dry weather, there were floral blooms everywhere. The gardeners must be working overtime.
I checked out the Cactus Restaurant just across the road as recommended by the reviews on Tripadvisor, and was pretty taken by the place.
True to its name, various cacti grow in the garden leading to the restaurant. I think accidentally staggering into them is not recommended!
Its decor is pretty eclectic- flags, postcards and T-shirts from various points globally, hung up as decorations below ceiling boards which also serve as a forum for whatever one wants to write.
Breakfast is very good:
The dinners are great too, with a selection of eastern and western menus that were quite expertly cooked.
There is a Russian restaurant just adjacent, but using the old method of going to where the crowd is densest, the Cactus was the obvious choice.
I have updated the photos on Holiday Villa to reflect the week I spent there , and the link is here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?cp8wfwwbxjhz8
Now, if they just tell us exactly when the dates for LIMA 2015 are, I might just consider an advance booking here!
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| A picture I obtained of the hotel off the Net |
Saturday, 6 April 2013
LIMA 2013 WEATHER - a Post Mortem
I must admit the biggest thing on my mind when they changed the LIMA dates from December to March was: what would the weather be like? As it was, I needn't have worried. The people at the Hotel I put up at told me it had not rained in any appreciable amounts for 3 months, and as such, a lot of grass was browned and tinder-dry, and many ponds and waterfalls had run out of water.
The weather was hot hot hot hot (too hot), and dry with clouds.
We were lucky with the clouds, too.
You really didn't want heavy overcast like this:
Out my window today, I am just seeing masses of heavy dark clouds.
The forecast of heavy thunderstorms over the weekend is the main reason I'm not trekking up to Kuantan for the Airshow there. For all those who did attend, do post up some photos!
The weather was hot hot hot hot (too hot), and dry with clouds.
We were lucky with the clouds, too.
You really didn't want heavy overcast like this:
Out my window today, I am just seeing masses of heavy dark clouds.
The forecast of heavy thunderstorms over the weekend is the main reason I'm not trekking up to Kuantan for the Airshow there. For all those who did attend, do post up some photos!
Friday, 5 April 2013
LIMA 2013 Day 7: Departure for home
I left Langkawi on Monday 1st April. It was probably a better day to do so; I was told that the airport and ferry terminals were both jam-packed on Sunday, it being both the finish for LIMA plus the end of the weeklong school holidays.
I had a walk round Kuah Town, with a look at the seafront; it was just as pretty as I last remembered it.
I decided to walk into the Lagenda Park
Unfortunately, as it was the end of the Bone-Dry season, the water features had been dried out too!
Heading back to the airport:
The C-17, the Omega Tanker and the Russian Knights were still on the tarmac
And them, we were off, on the journey back home.
Till LIMA 2015.
I'll be back.
I had a walk round Kuah Town, with a look at the seafront; it was just as pretty as I last remembered it.
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| The Jetty Point Shopping Centre |
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| Add caption |
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| Eagle Square |
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| Kuah waterfront |
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| Approach to Eagle Square |
I decided to walk into the Lagenda Park
Unfortunately, as it was the end of the Bone-Dry season, the water features had been dried out too!
Heading back to the airport:
 | ||||
| The welcome arch, now yesterday's news |
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| An example of the welcome banners all throughout Langkawi |
The C-17, the Omega Tanker and the Russian Knights were still on the tarmac
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| Last look at some beautiful machines |
And them, we were off, on the journey back home.
Till LIMA 2015.
I'll be back.
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
After LIMA 2013- cruise through the Kilim Geopark
I had one full day after LIMA for R and R, and I chose to spend it on a river cruise that took in the sights around the Kilim Karst Geopark, situated in the NE of Langkawi island. We went with a tour organised by the Baron Group, which costed RM 90 per adult. The Kilim Geopark is one of the three Geoparks on Langkawi, and is characterised by mangroves three interconnected riverine estuary systems with characteristic limestone hillocks reaching to the sky, in the background. The place looks prehistoric, and one thought came to mind: Jurassic Park. It is, after all, situated at the oldest limestone area in the country, called the Setul Formation.
The official website is here:
http://www.langkawigeopark.com.my/v2/index.php/geoheritage-a-geoforest-park/the-kilim-karst-geoforest-park
Not much information there, unfortunately.
We were picked up by a minivan from the hotel at 0915, and transited to the Kilim Jetty which is situated here (blue marker):
It is adjacent to the Galleria Perdana.
About the Kilim River:
We noticed that there were quite a few tourist boats plying the waters
There were many signs exhorting the importance of life vests, but we were not offered any.
Anyway, onto the speedboat:
First stop is the Bat Cave (Gua Kelawar) - and no, the Batmobile does not reside within.
The walkway from the jetty takes you past mangrove mudflats into a tunnel through a semicircular cave, part of which is not passable during high tide.
There, a large number of fruit bats are suspended from the high cave ceiling in the gloom.
The expressions on some of the bats' faces are pretty creepy.
The boat traversed the waterways that were bounded on both sides by mangrove swamps, with karst hillocks pushing into the sky.
At low tide, the ecosystem was exposed- mud flats, the dwellers within (like crabs) and breathing roots. As the trip wore on, the tide came in, and the intertidal zone was submerged.
We passed a fish farm, which was also the berthing point of some yachts from far afield, Well, the seafood must be good.
The "Hole In The Wall" restaurant has its own website here:
http://www.holeinthewall.com.my/
It has a lot more photos in its galleries.
After a cruise through more rivers, we came upon the Crocodile Cave, which is a passage in the rock acting as a gateway between one river system and the next. Quite unforgettable. The boat could just squeeze through the entrance; it seems this not possible when the tide is higher.
The next stop was an area of the forest teeming with macaques on the mangrove banks.
As the boat nudged closer, many of these animals jumped with gay abandon onto the boat and its canopy.
The passengers had a grand time feeding them, with groundnuts and crisps and even Coca Cola. Man, these macaques are picking up a lot of terrible human dietary habits, and will soon fall prey to obesity, diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesteremia.
At the next point in the river there was an opportunity to feed the eagles- both the brown Brahminy Kites and White-Bellied Sea Eagles. Chicken skin was thrown in the water, and the raptors swooped in with precision. I now regret leaving the 100-400 back at the hotel.
Note: I think feeding eagles this way is quite politically incorrect, but then so is thinking up supersonic machines of war and breaking the Commandment that says' "Thou shalt not kill."
The next stop was a section where the macaques had learnt to swim via operant conditioning. Groundnuts were thrown into the water, and groups of macaques dived in to obtain their reward. I am not sure if macaques do swim naturally, or not...
We stopped at another fish farm, where the workers demonstrated how the fish were fed, and the humans also got fed, The fish farm was a floating structure crisscrossed by planking, between which large nets were suspended to keep in the farmed fish,
After lunch, he boat then piled on the horsepower, and we exited the riverine system heading north. We had quite a good view of the Tanjung Rhu Resort, before we turned right to hug the coast.
The throttle was slammed open, and the boat responded, throwing up spray and a long wake.
We ended up at White Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Puteh) for a 1-hour swimming session.
The water was crystal clear, but the sand quality was not anywhere as nice as at the Tanjung Rhu Resort, or even the Holiday Villa. I thought the stop was way too long, given the intense UV that was filtering from above, and also being reflected onto the swimmers by the water. I think I was rather glad to get off The Beach, pretty as it was.
Next up was the Gua Cerita (Cave of Legends), a which are actually two limestone caves perched one above the other.
They are reached via a 200-metre walk from the jetty, then up some stone steps to the upper cave, which possessed some drawings on the wall which had some connection with a romance between a Chinese Princess and a Roman Prince, and how they lived happily ever after, after some bloodshed and drama in between.
Video thereof:
The boat then traveled to Bukit Anak Tikus, a small limestone outcrop where limestone islands that been eroded by the weather and tides, leaving behind sharp limestone rocks, as well as gastropod fossils embedded within. Cycads, a living fossil since prehistoric times that predated the dinosaurs, lived on these harsh limestone outcrops as they have always done.
Next up was the Gua Langsir (Cave of The Banshee). It was such a small cave that I did not even notice its location. It seems that unearthly screams emanate from this cave, but I did not even notice the cave, let alone hear the screams!
The walkway from the jetty led up a small hill and down the other side, to a hidden lagoon surrounded on all 4 sides by limestone outcrops.
Video of The Hidden Lagoon:
We arrived back at Kilim Jetty at 1530, and returned to the hotel at 1615. Kilim was well worth a visit. As I'd already visited the Machinchang Geopark and now the Kilim Geopark, I'll pencil in the last Geopark on Langkawi (the Dayang Bunting Marble Geopark) for LIMA 2015.
The official website is here:
http://www.langkawigeopark.com.my/v2/index.php/geoheritage-a-geoforest-park/the-kilim-karst-geoforest-park
Not much information there, unfortunately.
We were picked up by a minivan from the hotel at 0915, and transited to the Kilim Jetty which is situated here (blue marker):
It is adjacent to the Galleria Perdana.
About the Kilim River:
 |
| The Kilim Jetty |
We noticed that there were quite a few tourist boats plying the waters
There were many signs exhorting the importance of life vests, but we were not offered any.
Anyway, onto the speedboat:
First stop is the Bat Cave (Gua Kelawar) - and no, the Batmobile does not reside within.
 |
| Jetty at Gua Kelawar |
The walkway from the jetty takes you past mangrove mudflats into a tunnel through a semicircular cave, part of which is not passable during high tide.
 |
| The Gua Kelawar walkway system |
 |
| On the walkway |
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| Mangrove mudflat floor exposed at low tide |
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| Mangrove roots |
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| More mangroves |
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| The weathered limestone at the cave entrance |
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| Cave entrance |
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| Mind your head! |
 |
Look at them bats! |
There, a large number of fruit bats are suspended from the high cave ceiling in the gloom.
The expressions on some of the bats' faces are pretty creepy.
 |
| Exit up ahead |
The boat traversed the waterways that were bounded on both sides by mangrove swamps, with karst hillocks pushing into the sky.
 | |
| Low tide |
At low tide, the ecosystem was exposed- mud flats, the dwellers within (like crabs) and breathing roots. As the trip wore on, the tide came in, and the intertidal zone was submerged.
 |
| High tide. Roots vanish under water. |
We passed a fish farm, which was also the berthing point of some yachts from far afield, Well, the seafood must be good.
The "Hole In The Wall" restaurant has its own website here:
http://www.holeinthewall.com.my/
It has a lot more photos in its galleries.
After a cruise through more rivers, we came upon the Crocodile Cave, which is a passage in the rock acting as a gateway between one river system and the next. Quite unforgettable. The boat could just squeeze through the entrance; it seems this not possible when the tide is higher.
 |
| The Crocodile Cave |
 |
| No crocodiles here- it is so named as one side of the entrance is shaped like a crocodile's head |
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| Halfway through |
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| Almost out |
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| A narrow part of the river- a mini boat-jam develops |
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| No points for guessing what this chap does for a living outside of LIMA |
The next stop was an area of the forest teeming with macaques on the mangrove banks.
 |
| Macaques aplenty |
As the boat nudged closer, many of these animals jumped with gay abandon onto the boat and its canopy.
 |
| Coming aboard! |
 |
| FEED ME!! |
 |
| Munching on groundnuts. Burrp. |
The passengers had a grand time feeding them, with groundnuts and crisps and even Coca Cola. Man, these macaques are picking up a lot of terrible human dietary habits, and will soon fall prey to obesity, diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesteremia.
At the next point in the river there was an opportunity to feed the eagles- both the brown Brahminy Kites and White-Bellied Sea Eagles. Chicken skin was thrown in the water, and the raptors swooped in with precision. I now regret leaving the 100-400 back at the hotel.
Note: I think feeding eagles this way is quite politically incorrect, but then so is thinking up supersonic machines of war and breaking the Commandment that says' "Thou shalt not kill."
 |
| Eagle feeding spot |
 |
| Nap of the water flying. |
 |
| Muscle-powered flight |
The next stop was a section where the macaques had learnt to swim via operant conditioning. Groundnuts were thrown into the water, and groups of macaques dived in to obtain their reward. I am not sure if macaques do swim naturally, or not...
 |
| Groundnut sighted on the water |
 |
| Munch! |
We stopped at another fish farm, where the workers demonstrated how the fish were fed, and the humans also got fed, The fish farm was a floating structure crisscrossed by planking, between which large nets were suspended to keep in the farmed fish,
 |
| Fish farm/ restaurant |
 |
| On the floating fish farm |
 |
| Huge stingray |
 |
| Time for the humans to get fed |
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| So peaceful |
After lunch, he boat then piled on the horsepower, and we exited the riverine system heading north. We had quite a good view of the Tanjung Rhu Resort, before we turned right to hug the coast.
 |
| Tanjung Rhu Resort |
The throttle was slammed open, and the boat responded, throwing up spray and a long wake.
 |
| Limestone islands |
We ended up at White Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Puteh) for a 1-hour swimming session.
The water was crystal clear, but the sand quality was not anywhere as nice as at the Tanjung Rhu Resort, or even the Holiday Villa. I thought the stop was way too long, given the intense UV that was filtering from above, and also being reflected onto the swimmers by the water. I think I was rather glad to get off The Beach, pretty as it was.
Next up was the Gua Cerita (Cave of Legends), a which are actually two limestone caves perched one above the other.
 |
| Disembarking |
 |
| Location map |
They are reached via a 200-metre walk from the jetty, then up some stone steps to the upper cave, which possessed some drawings on the wall which had some connection with a romance between a Chinese Princess and a Roman Prince, and how they lived happily ever after, after some bloodshed and drama in between.
 |
| The story behind the Cave of Legends |
 |
| Eroded rock strata |
 |
| Staircase to Legend |
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| Great view from the top of the stairs |
Video thereof:
 |
| Cave entrance |
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| Deeper in |
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| Even deeper in |
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| A bed? With some cave drawings |
The boat then traveled to Bukit Anak Tikus, a small limestone outcrop where limestone islands that been eroded by the weather and tides, leaving behind sharp limestone rocks, as well as gastropod fossils embedded within. Cycads, a living fossil since prehistoric times that predated the dinosaurs, lived on these harsh limestone outcrops as they have always done.
 |
| Eroded limestone formations |
 | |
| Here be fossils |
 |
| Here be fossils |
 |
| The way back |
Next up was the Gua Langsir (Cave of The Banshee). It was such a small cave that I did not even notice its location. It seems that unearthly screams emanate from this cave, but I did not even notice the cave, let alone hear the screams!
The walkway from the jetty led up a small hill and down the other side, to a hidden lagoon surrounded on all 4 sides by limestone outcrops.
 |
| Walking to the Hidden Lagoon |
Video of The Hidden Lagoon:
 | |
| The way back- gun the throttle! |
We arrived back at Kilim Jetty at 1530, and returned to the hotel at 1615. Kilim was well worth a visit. As I'd already visited the Machinchang Geopark and now the Kilim Geopark, I'll pencil in the last Geopark on Langkawi (the Dayang Bunting Marble Geopark) for LIMA 2015.
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