What's one good thing that goes great with traveling? For me, it was winning! Yes, everytime we go on-board one of the most affordable (if not the most) airlines in Euurope, Ryanair, we purchase this raffle ticket and crossour fingers. And know what? I won! Yes, not the Eur 40.000,00 but the Christmas Hamper. I bought this ticket on the 26th of December during my flight from Italy (Bari) to Germany (Frankfurt Hahn). Why I posted thiswinningso late? Because the prize was delivered only today!


Surprise, surperise! What's inside!?!?

Food and beautifully wrapped suprises!

What I won was a "Christmas Hamper". I had to do the following to be able to receive my Ryanair winning scratch-card prize:

1. Visit http://www.bfm.eu.com to see what I needed to do
2. Send my winning ticket to Dublin through registered mail (28 December 2009) costing Eur 7++
3. Receiving the Irish Chhristmas Hamper in my front door (22 January 2010)

So what's inside the hamper? I am lucky as I know the chest/hamper itself isworth more than Eur 7++!


Opening the first wrapped goodie! A chick calculator with a small pen inside thebox-calcu...

Yummy!

The contents aremostly food products but we also got some small give aways beautifully wrapped in those paper wrappers you see in the 2ndand 3rd photos up. Coolhuh!

So what do you think about my winnings? Well, the thing is, whenever we win, we feel excited and happy, not only of what we won but the thought that we are "lucky" already makes us glad! Lovely feeling, isn't it?


Bottled goodies: pure honey,marmalade and some preserved rosemarino with garlic.... strange but I will tellafter I try..

The Christmas pudding with some written jokes...

Solet's cheers with this winning! Why I dobuy these tickets everytime? As the ryanair personnel promotes them for Charity and Eur 2 per ticket dosnot hurt! I won and this even hurtslesser!Right? Cool huh!

A. Reaching the Cave from the City Center

It was Friday afternoon. Wearing a pair of shorts and a cotton shirt, Amore and I proceeded on taking a public bus near Chinatown into the heavy but colorful traffic of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. It was really a great local-like experience. We were beaming with confidence that we would reach our destination without any mistake because the bus continuously flashed its destinations. Batu Cave was one among the many destinations flashed in the screen. Another thing that boosted our confidence is the confirmation from the bus conductor that we were on the right bus. Malaysians are good English speakers: they understand and can be understood. After 45 minutes and 13 kilometers of bus ride, we reached the Batu Caves entrance. The first thing that caught our attentinon was the remarkable 42.7 meter high gigantic golden staue of Lord Murugan.

The gigantic statue of Lord Murugan situated at Batu Cave

B. Mandatory Viewing?

We were walking around lazily and with great enthusiasm past the entrance while taking photos of the place along the wide concrete walkway, carpark and all- purpose pavement when we were huddled in by two Indian guys inside the air-conditioned single-room building. We did not understand anything but what can you expect from startled tourists? We assumed they were officials in the area. We were so confused until we found ourselves looking at the projected video promotion of the area (but not before they robbed us of RM 20.00 in exchange for tickets). 1 Euro is roughly RM 5.00. RM stands for Malaysian Ringgit or Malaysian Dollar, the country's currency. The only thing I appreciate is that the short film was so informative.

C. For Better Knees...

After the twenty-minute forced viewing of the place's promotional material, we bought chocolates and soft drinks to be taken up the 272 stepped- stairs. It was tiring, yet thrilling and gave a feeling of achievement and great strength to have reached the top. Indeed it was with aching knees and lungs crying for oxygen to rush in! But it was really great, I tell you! Not different from its foot, the top of the steps also contains merchandise for tourists and locals alike. It also serves as an art gallery and home to various cave animals. The most that we have seen are monkeys. We took breath taking views down the temple, into the various objects in their reduced forms. Also seen from behind the golden statue was the clearly laid out cityscape

D. Snatchers in the Temple???

While wandering inside the cave and reaching the north wing, we posed and took photos of ourselves and other interesting things as well. We were on our way back the cave's opening and I was hungrily munching on my toblerone when it was snatched away from me. I had to scream with astonishment! After seconds of realizing what just happened, i saw a monkey happily eating the toblerone instead. We all laughed. --- We were happy to go back to our hotel in Jalan Pudu. I suggest you take a visit at the temple too. -- This experience is one of the simplest and coolest that we did in Malaysia. Entering the cave is very affordable and it was one ofmy first encounter with the Hindu religion. I learned from the educational film that we watched that there is the annual festival (January if I am not mistaken) and the Indian people (Hindus) try to offfer something and sacrifice to their Gods... very interesting.

... ...

The following article I previously posted at a travel review site but that was 2 years ago! I would like to share it also with you, my dear readers.

A. Checking for what? - Upon entrance to the airport, there are security checks. At a meter's distance, there is the luggage scanner/x-ray (or whatever they call it) check. After checking -in at the booth and proceeding to to pay for the airport terminal fee, there is a security guard check. After clearing with the customs/immigration officers, there is a scanning device and even belts and shoes are required to be taken off. When entering at the departure waiting area, there is a check. At the departure waiting area, the personnel of Emirates opened our hand-carried luggage. We have these all! No less, but may be more.

B. At Dubai, We Were Reprimanded

Arriving at Dubai Airport, we only had one check for the hand-carried/cabin luggage for our connecting flight but we had to take out an electric socket inside our hand-carried luggage because at a single check in Dubai airport, it was seen. But what was the point of checking many times in the Philippines and without telling us anything? We were not aware that what we were carrying was supposed to be in the checked-in luggage and not allowed to be hand-carried. Now I can really conclude that the checking for security purposes (as they claim it) in the Philippine air ports are mere a show, not for a reason. What a shame and real waste of resources!