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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.


Friday, July 18, 2008

The full moon and the end of a chapter



Greetings. This picture was taken midnight a few hours ago while stopping at the Kuala Lumpur city centre, in the midst of enjoying a ride on my big bike which I only got to start to ride again after 5 years of inaction due to some problems... After some time only did I have the money and initiative to sent it for repair and yesterday the repair was finally completed after 2 months the bike languish at a workshop. And today I've done the road-tax after the last one expired 13 September 2001!
By the way, the picture looks so nice that I feel I must turn it into a posting, so here it is... Might as well use it to set some record straight...

OK... The previous article The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : Out of Tanjung Tuan and beyond! is actually the last to be posted here under the "The Negeri Sembilan journey continued". Although the actual journey went beyond Tanjung Tuan with a stop at Pengkalan Kempas almost at dusk and a visit to the tomb of the Negeri Sembilan king of olden days, Raja Melewar, the story had to be continued in my other blogspots...

You see, an article on Pengkalan Kempas have been written here 5 months ago under the name The megalithic stones of Pengkalan Kempas . So the I've decided to post the latest pictures I got in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) . On the other hand, I arrived at the tomb of Raja Melewar at night in total darkness and thus can't take pictures, at least properly to my satisfaction and yours too... Nevertheless a few video clips made there using the car spotlight and some torchlights to lighten things up have been posted in the Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU . Do have a look and enjoy it. With that I would like to say good night (or rather good morning!)... Tata!

The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : Out of Tanjung Tuan and beyond!

OK... So we were at the 'Keramat'. But soon it's time to go...


Somehow I felt like taking this particular picture from this angle and accidently stumbled upon a 'gem'! Just look at this... My friend Zaidi is shown snapping some pictures but somehow, he looks like a midget in this picture! Nice unintended effect isn't it?


Oh.... From the 'Keramat' we could see this island called Pulau Masjid or the "mosque island"... Why is it called that? Try to study what it looks like...


Time then was almost 6pm or so... Caught this rock partly exposed to sunlight creating a rather profound effect!


We followed this path to leave the 'Keramat'...


At some parts the path looked rather unkempt...


Just look at this. Plastic bottles strewn all over the place...


Then we came across a hut... Not pizza hut ya! :]


Another view of Pulau Masjid with a home-made swing in frame...


A look back shows a rather nice beach with part of the hill where we come down in the background...


Ahead of us were lots of jagged rocks...


That, interspersed with sand, mangrove swamp and such...


More jagged rocks lining part of some steep slopes. Luckily it was low tide. Otherwise there's no way we go could go pass these rocks. The regular jungle path demanded us to climb back towards the lighthouse before we could get out of Tanjung Tuan!


Thank God, we managed to pass that one and enter a mangrove jungle...


Parts like this do test my confidence as the guide... Have I taken a wrong turning or somewhere?


Ah... At last, a clear path. Now I'm sure we could get out this way...


Sure, we are still within the mangrove jungle but the path to salvation is clear!


And so we arrived at the compound of a resort. With that, we could get out of Tanjung Tuan... That's all ya! :]

The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : On to the 'Keramat'...


Having seen Pulau Intan, the furthermost tip of Tanjung Tuan, we decided to see another part of the peninsular...


But we were told it was not accesible via the coastal line. So we had to climb back up, a rather daunting task as admittedly we were all not so fit. Besides we have done much walking for day especially me and Zaidi because we went to to Lukut while Nizam and his friend Asri joined us later for the day!




Luckily we survived the ordeal and reached the junction to the other jungle path...




From there, it's another downhill trip...




On and on...




Until we arrived at this rather confusing sign-post... Should we go right or left? That's when Nizam felt like going straight onwards...




And so after a bit of walking we got to see open water... But how to get down there?




This is not the proper path but we decided to try to get down from here...




So far so good until we realised further ahead the way is rather steep...



So we had to retrace our steps and took the proper jungle path...

Soon enough after breaking rather plenty of sweat, we arrived at the 'Keramat'. What is the 'Keramat'. For the answer, let me continue at the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) . Have a look later! :]

The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : Pulau Intan, the "diamond island"!


And so we arrived at the coastline...


A few yards to the right and there's this hut with some people resting around. Apparently they've camping there for the last 3 days or so. That's where we learnt, we have arrived at the parts of Tanjung Tuan known as Pulau Intan!


An interesting looking tree...


Now, Pulau Intan could be literally translated as "diamond island". If this is Pulau Intan, then where's the island? All we saw was an extension of land from Tanjung Tuan. Or perhaps this area is an island during high tide? Hmm...


Whatever, we decided to press on...


Climbed this small hill...


Hmm... It's pretty high actually...


My buddy cum cameraman Zaidi @ PerpatihTulus found something interesting on top of the small hill...


Oh my God! It is a lonely grave out on no man's land!


The inscription says here lies a certain woman who died in 1960... Hmm... Why buried here? That is the mystery...


My cousin Nizam wanted to explore the area further...


Ah. The end of the land...


And down there lies the furthermost tip of Tanjung Tuan!


Of course we had to go down there. Here is a view from there... Of the main hill of Tanjung Tuan with the historical lighthouse on top. Cheers! :]

The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : Going down the slopes from the Tanjung Tuan lighthouse...

Continuing from The Negeri Sembilan journey continued : On to Tanjung Tuan... Simply put, what goes next is going down the slopes from the lighthouse as per the title above...


So this is the path we took...


Plenty of bushes... Then again what do you expect? We were in the jungle after all!



Soon enough we arrived at a check point cum viewing point. Tanjung Tuan is noted as a forest reserve often frequented by migratory birds and this is one of the point good for bird-watching...


It was a few yards after this point that we found the path splitting. We decided to take the one that leads the way to a certain place called Pulau Intan...


And so on we go...




Suddenly this tree came into view. Immediately I'm reminded of Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur!


Another check point cum viewing point. We're not sure where the signboards were pointing to...


Thank God, the staircase and the steel railings are enough to show the way...


Oh my God! We bumped into 'bigfoot'! As if to mimick us, me in particular, the 'bigfoot' even had a 'rucksack' behind in brown camouflage! :]


Luckily it was a friendly 'bigfoot'. We managed to get away with our lives and continue the journey...


Soon enough we arrived at the coast. The story continues in the next posting. Cheers! :]