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This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


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The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Thursday, May 04, 2017

Climbing up Bukit Singa - Part III



With no way up to the summit looking clear while bad weather loomed in the horizon I was on the verge of giving up.











So I retraced my steps going down to call it a day.


Even going down one can get lost on the many intersecting plantation paths, terraces and gravel way for tractors and 4WD vehicles... if not for the fact that the hillside has been cleared for a new batch of palm trees or such. 


That allowed me to gauge my direction just by finding back where my car was parked down there at the foothill...


In time I came back to the last forking way of which I seemed to have taken the wrong turn. 


That's when I decided why not take the way to the right which also seems to lead up?


This time I hit jackpot. Following the way without diverging out I soon found myself at the foot of the main peak.


Still I decided to follow the way further...

















After some time I realised it leads to a lower peak of the hill.


To get to the highest peak I have to do some rock climbing. I was not wearing the right gear and it soon started to rain. At least I have met my target to get to the foot of the highest peak. So that was enough for the day.



Climbing up Bukit Singa - Part II



At some parts the plantation path meets with the way for tractors and 4WD vehicles.











It's  just the way also forks out at some points leading the certain levels of terraced plantation paths.


Not knowing which paths could lead to the summit I just follow whichever seems to lead to the top.


From certain angles the highest peak looks like it has a human face wearing the traditional Malay headgear called tanjak carved on it.


As the way up forks again I decided to try the one to the left.




















After following it for some time I realised it took me further and further away from the peak. 








And stepping into a plantation path which seems to head way back to the peak I found no connecting way or path leading up to target...


Climbing up Bukit Singa - Part I

Peace be upon you. Referring to the article Kedah side of Kuala Muda. The following day I was in the state of Perak.


After spending some time in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar I headed for Ipoh via the old trunk road and saw this odd-looking hill before the town of Sungai Siput.






I have passed this way many times before but it was only this time that I felt like making a climb up.





I took the plantation path to get to up higher and higher...

















Little that I realised then that the easier way up was to follow a gravel road for tractors and 4WD vehicles going towards the summit... 











By the way the hill is known as Bukit Singa or Lion Hill.


From some angles it looks like a seating lion or rather the sphinx. The peak or rather the twin peaks look like ears on the lion's head...