One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't "anymore". No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute." Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say "I love you."
So while we have it, it's best we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage.....And old cars... And children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.
Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what.
Life is important, like people we know who are special.. And so, we keep them close!
I received this from someone who thought I was a 'keeper'!
Suppose one morning you never wake up, do all your friends know you love them?
I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said.
Let every one of your friends know you love them. Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do. And just in case I'm gone tomorrow….
I LOVE YOU!!!
Live today because tomorrow is not promised…
Source: Unknown
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Tips For Pleasant Bird Watching Experience
Followings are the few points that I found that are essential for bird watching to make it more enjoyable & memorable.
Good Quality Binocular.
It is a very rare scenario that you will get a closer look at the birds when you are in the jungle. But I had one such lucky opportunity during my entire trek. So carry a binocular with you for a real closer look at the birds or other jungle animals or flowers.
DSLR Camera.
If you want to bring back a good memory of all the floras & faunas that you have seen, this is another one must have item. Please carry with you at least one Tele-Zoom & Macro Zoom lens with you in your digital camera kit. Make use of the sunlight available for getting better shots while zooming for long distance object.
Bird’s Guide
There is a book published by local wildlife department and it has good information about different types of birds that can be found in the Fraser’s Hill area & their habitats. On my last day of the trip, I happened to meet the local wild life department officer Mr. Durai, who has contributed his part to this book & information board. He is also interested to share his experience of wildlife with the visitors arriving there.
Bird’s Call Audio
Person like Mr. Durai has the unique quality of spotting the bird and its name just the sound that they make. You can also search on the net to understand various sounds and matching bird’s call in audio format. You can use it to play in a portable speaker connected to your mp3 players based on the birds nearby you. This will help the bird to stay longer in the branch with echoing voice as it feels that their crowd is present there by the call.
Laser Pointer
This is very useful in case you are going as a group to notify the birds sitting position to others. But please point the laser light to the branches nearby the bird so that the birds are not disturbed.
Know The Feeding Timings Of Birds:
I learned from Mr. Durai that birds visit usual area (trees in routes accessible by us) only during their feeding timings. If we don’t know this fact it is not worth waiting under the tree to see the birds on branches. And the birds feeding timings are morning 8AM till 12 noon. Afternoon 2PM till evening 7pm. Owl does its feeding during night time.
This is what I have learned during my trip about points to be certainly take note/prepared of for any bird watching activity. If you know anything more, please feel free to comment.
Good Quality Binocular.
It is a very rare scenario that you will get a closer look at the birds when you are in the jungle. But I had one such lucky opportunity during my entire trek. So carry a binocular with you for a real closer look at the birds or other jungle animals or flowers.
DSLR Camera.
If you want to bring back a good memory of all the floras & faunas that you have seen, this is another one must have item. Please carry with you at least one Tele-Zoom & Macro Zoom lens with you in your digital camera kit. Make use of the sunlight available for getting better shots while zooming for long distance object.
Bird’s Guide
There is a book published by local wildlife department and it has good information about different types of birds that can be found in the Fraser’s Hill area & their habitats. On my last day of the trip, I happened to meet the local wild life department officer Mr. Durai, who has contributed his part to this book & information board. He is also interested to share his experience of wildlife with the visitors arriving there.
Bird’s Call Audio
Person like Mr. Durai has the unique quality of spotting the bird and its name just the sound that they make. You can also search on the net to understand various sounds and matching bird’s call in audio format. You can use it to play in a portable speaker connected to your mp3 players based on the birds nearby you. This will help the bird to stay longer in the branch with echoing voice as it feels that their crowd is present there by the call.
Laser Pointer
This is very useful in case you are going as a group to notify the birds sitting position to others. But please point the laser light to the branches nearby the bird so that the birds are not disturbed.
Know The Feeding Timings Of Birds:
I learned from Mr. Durai that birds visit usual area (trees in routes accessible by us) only during their feeding timings. If we don’t know this fact it is not worth waiting under the tree to see the birds on branches. And the birds feeding timings are morning 8AM till 12 noon. Afternoon 2PM till evening 7pm. Owl does its feeding during night time.
This is what I have learned during my trip about points to be certainly take note/prepared of for any bird watching activity. If you know anything more, please feel free to comment.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Trip to Fraser's Hill
I’m sharing another travel experience after a long gap and thanks to my friend Raj Senthil for taking us there and accompanying me through out the trip. Firstly we chose another place at Terengganu but due to road condition & distance we chose Fraser’s Hill to be the best destination for this 3 days CNY Holiday. Booked 2 night stay at Fraser’s Silverpark Apartment a week ago once we decided this place. Fraser Hill is very popular for Bird Watching, Trekking. So, we were just waiting for the day to arrive.
And The day arrived, we started our journey early morning around 4.30AM from Singapore and we had an unscheduled stop at Batu Caves for our Breakfast. After that we didn’t follow our GPS route and chose our own route through Rawang to reach kuala kubu bharu, which is the base of Fraser’s hill. It takes around 2 hours from KL. But we had a brief stopover at Rawang for quick shopping on F&B then we drove straight down to KKB.
Once we reach KKB town, we drove past the dam that has a beautiful scenic spot. But we had no time to stop over as we were chasing the time to reach The GAP, from which the final (12Km) stretch is a one way for every one hour up & down. We also had no time to stop for a trek to Sungai Chilling on plan to do on our way back but really missed it out.
Unfortunately, we just missed the last entry by just couple of mins & we had wait down at The Gap for another 1 hour 20 mins. If you are planning to go there up to Fraser’s Hill. Please plan your arrival time to Thers GAP to reach the Fraser’s Hill as per the schedule given below as we were just escaped during our way down from Hill. It is like Odd hours 40 mins to Go Up & Even Hours 40 mins to come down. 8.40PM to 6AM is free for both side entry but it is very risky to drive at this time.
During our waiting time at The Gap, I had a good walk to the nearby road side forest & I was at least able to spot 5-10 different types of birds around that area. It was really overwhelming experience for me at the start of the trip to be with the faunas of the hill.
So, we had reached our resort at around 3+ in the evening. I didn’t want to miss the good evening out there on the first day, so I enquired at the information counter about the easy trekking trails & quickly grabbed a copy of Fraser’s Hill Map with information about each trail at it’s back. Followings are the list of trails at Fraser’s Hill with it's difficulty level, for those who wants to be close to the nature.
1 - The Bishop (Medium & enjoyable)
2 - The Rompin (Shortest)
3 - The Kindersley (Medium)
4 - The Maxwell (Longer & officially Closed)
5 - The Hemmant (Easy & Enjoyable)
6 - The Abu Suradi (Shortest & Not very easy)
7 - The Mager (Medium)
8 - The Pine Tree (Longest & Toughest)
You can get more info about the details of each trail at Fraser Hill Info Page
Fraser's Hill Map
Hemmant Trail is a wide path & easy to trek through this as a start as it was also nearby to our resort. In this trail I had a nice experience of being very close couple of bird’s that were at the feeding in the branches of plant by walkway. I also had good glimpses of a very unique wild orchid flower. In the route, I noticed some sign post mentioning name of plants but couldn’t really spot anything except for Ratan.
Finally at the end of the Hemmant trail I saw a big signboard kept at the entrance explaining each of the spot in the trail & the picture of the plant that can be found by the sign post. It also includes information like what types of birds can be seen in that particular trail as well as how the difficulty of route especially on Bishop’s trail. Later I realized the fact that I was coming from the end point of the trail to starting point. I learnt the fact that it is good to start the trip from the sign-board as it provides clear information of where what can be seen in each trekking route.
After coming out of Hemmant Trail, I moved on to the next trail that is Abu Suradi as decided earlier. It was not as easy as I expected as the paths were mainly narrow and not much of ropes to hold onto. I was almost at the end of the trail, but couldn’t find the way out and I had to come back the way I started then returned back through Hemmant Trail as it was shorter path for our resort. During the return I was really able to relate to the sign post & plants nearby according to the information board kept at the entrance of the trail.
Evening was soo chilling as our resort is located at higher altitude of the hill. We chose this resort just for it’s amazing location though there were so many other inconveniences in the room. Had good time at later evening as the temperature was continuing to fall low and we just couldn’t stand out without wearing our jacket. We prepared our dinner, had food & went to sleep tight as it was getting colder.
I know you and I are very tired of reading and posting such a long article on day 1 experience, so I will stop for now & share with you Day 2 & 3 experience later in my next post.
Also please stay tuned for an another exclusive post about Must Have Items & Must known Facts for making the trip of Bt. Fraser most unforgettable experience.
And The day arrived, we started our journey early morning around 4.30AM from Singapore and we had an unscheduled stop at Batu Caves for our Breakfast. After that we didn’t follow our GPS route and chose our own route through Rawang to reach kuala kubu bharu, which is the base of Fraser’s hill. It takes around 2 hours from KL. But we had a brief stopover at Rawang for quick shopping on F&B then we drove straight down to KKB.
Once we reach KKB town, we drove past the dam that has a beautiful scenic spot. But we had no time to stop over as we were chasing the time to reach The GAP, from which the final (12Km) stretch is a one way for every one hour up & down. We also had no time to stop for a trek to Sungai Chilling on plan to do on our way back but really missed it out.
Unfortunately, we just missed the last entry by just couple of mins & we had wait down at The Gap for another 1 hour 20 mins. If you are planning to go there up to Fraser’s Hill. Please plan your arrival time to Thers GAP to reach the Fraser’s Hill as per the schedule given below as we were just escaped during our way down from Hill. It is like Odd hours 40 mins to Go Up & Even Hours 40 mins to come down. 8.40PM to 6AM is free for both side entry but it is very risky to drive at this time.
During our waiting time at The Gap, I had a good walk to the nearby road side forest & I was at least able to spot 5-10 different types of birds around that area. It was really overwhelming experience for me at the start of the trip to be with the faunas of the hill.
So, we had reached our resort at around 3+ in the evening. I didn’t want to miss the good evening out there on the first day, so I enquired at the information counter about the easy trekking trails & quickly grabbed a copy of Fraser’s Hill Map with information about each trail at it’s back. Followings are the list of trails at Fraser’s Hill with it's difficulty level, for those who wants to be close to the nature.
1 - The Bishop (Medium & enjoyable)
2 - The Rompin (Shortest)
3 - The Kindersley (Medium)
4 - The Maxwell (Longer & officially Closed)
5 - The Hemmant (Easy & Enjoyable)
6 - The Abu Suradi (Shortest & Not very easy)
7 - The Mager (Medium)
8 - The Pine Tree (Longest & Toughest)
You can get more info about the details of each trail at Fraser Hill Info Page
Fraser's Hill Map
Hemmant Trail is a wide path & easy to trek through this as a start as it was also nearby to our resort. In this trail I had a nice experience of being very close couple of bird’s that were at the feeding in the branches of plant by walkway. I also had good glimpses of a very unique wild orchid flower. In the route, I noticed some sign post mentioning name of plants but couldn’t really spot anything except for Ratan.
Finally at the end of the Hemmant trail I saw a big signboard kept at the entrance explaining each of the spot in the trail & the picture of the plant that can be found by the sign post. It also includes information like what types of birds can be seen in that particular trail as well as how the difficulty of route especially on Bishop’s trail. Later I realized the fact that I was coming from the end point of the trail to starting point. I learnt the fact that it is good to start the trip from the sign-board as it provides clear information of where what can be seen in each trekking route.
After coming out of Hemmant Trail, I moved on to the next trail that is Abu Suradi as decided earlier. It was not as easy as I expected as the paths were mainly narrow and not much of ropes to hold onto. I was almost at the end of the trail, but couldn’t find the way out and I had to come back the way I started then returned back through Hemmant Trail as it was shorter path for our resort. During the return I was really able to relate to the sign post & plants nearby according to the information board kept at the entrance of the trail.
Evening was soo chilling as our resort is located at higher altitude of the hill. We chose this resort just for it’s amazing location though there were so many other inconveniences in the room. Had good time at later evening as the temperature was continuing to fall low and we just couldn’t stand out without wearing our jacket. We prepared our dinner, had food & went to sleep tight as it was getting colder.
I know you and I are very tired of reading and posting such a long article on day 1 experience, so I will stop for now & share with you Day 2 & 3 experience later in my next post.
Also please stay tuned for an another exclusive post about Must Have Items & Must known Facts for making the trip of Bt. Fraser most unforgettable experience.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Coconut Facts
Coconut is playing a good role in stabilizing blood sugar; lowering cholesterol; healing; hydration; and even replacing blood plasma in an emergency. Let us get to know more in details facts about it in this post.
Referred to as kalpa vriksha (Sanskrit for "the tree that supplies all that is needed to live") in ancient India, the coconut palm has been recognized as a top immune booster, antifungal,antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years all over the world. Yet, it has only been recently that modern researchers have begun to fully discover the massive health benefits this amazing fruit seed offers.
To give just one example of coconuts' live-saving properties, they were used extensively in the Pacific during World War II. Since blood plasma supplies were scarce, it was very common for medics to siphon pure coconut water from young coconuts to be used as emergency plasma transfusions for soldiers who were injured. Since coconut water is nearly identical to human blood, it was suitable for people of all blood types.
Because of its strong antioxidant properties, the coconut can be used
to Lower cholesterol, Improve digestion, Ward off wrinkles, Stabilize glucose levels, Fight off viruses, too cool of body, Build cells, Regulate hormones, Increase thyroid production, Lose weight, Increase metabolism, Fight infections, Stave off memory loss, Kill bacteria.
Considered one of the most treasured foods of all time, coconut products including coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut oil, and coconut cream each deliver superb health benefits.
Coconut oil, for instance, is considered the best and safest oil to use for cooking even superior to extra virgin olive oil when it comes to giving the body what it needs for optimum health. Unlike other fats and oils that we typically use for cooking and baking, coconut oil does not form polymerized oils or dangerous Trans fatty acids in our bodies, which can raise our cholesterol levels; clog our arteries and even make our skin sag and wrinkle. Plus, this ultra-safe oil can give your body important antioxidants that can help build stronger cells and improve your
overall health and well being.
Here are a few ways that you can use coconut products to stave off disease and to recapture the look and feeling of youth:
Coconut Water - The coconut is a natural water filter. It takes almost 9 months for a coconut to filter every quart of water stored within its shell. This makes the resulting coconut water completely pure and sterile, which is one reason why it can be used for blood transfusions.
Another benefit of coconut water is the fact that it has the highest concentration of electrolytes than anything else found in nature. This makes it an excellent source of hydration.
Coconut Oil - In addition to being superior for cooking and baking, coconut oil also makes a superb topical oil that can help to naturally rid the skin of dangerous toxins. It also gives the skin the perfect mix of hydration and antioxidants that it needs to stay healthy, smooth and younger-looking longer.
Another great benefit of coconut oil is in protecting your teeth from
the bacteria that can cause cavities and disease. Simply rubbing a little fresh coconut oil on your gums and teeth can keep them stronger and healthier than virtually any other dental treatment.
Most people don't realize that coconut oil can actually help you lose weight! Yes, simply changing your cooking oil from the unsaturated fat variety to coconut oil can help you lose those extra pounds. Here's why:
Unsaturated fats found in canola, corn and other vegetables oils, as well as margarine suppress the metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight and easier to gain it. Over time, this metabolism suppression may result in 20-30 pounds of excess weight that your body cannot get rid of.
Coconut oil, on the other hand, helps to increase thyroid function and boost your metabolism -- 2 important components to shedding unwanted pounds.
Coconut Cream - The best skin treatment product one can use to achieve flawless skin may quite possibly be coconut cream. Unlike traditional skin creams which can actually introduce fats and oils to the skin that will break it down over time, making it look older, creams derived from the coconut can actually replenish the skin, giving it a more youthful and healthy glow than most other skin care products on the market.
When it comes to buying coconut products, coconuts are not all created equal. Wild coconuts are always best, but can be hard to obtain if you don't live in a tropical country. Whether you are using this wonder food to boost your immune system; increase your metabolism or fight wrinkles, using products from young coconuts will help you reap the most benefit.
Young coconuts contain the purest unsaturated fat, compared to the fat found in the more mature varieties. This is why they offer the most rejuvenation properties for the body's tissues. But how can you tell how old a coconut is? Young coconuts are usually green in color, it is heavier to carry as it contains more water inside and oddly shaped. The brown hairy ones are mature coconuts, and while they offer a lot of healthy benefits, they aren't nearly as good for you as younger varieties.
Referred to as kalpa vriksha (Sanskrit for "the tree that supplies all that is needed to live") in ancient India, the coconut palm has been recognized as a top immune booster, antifungal,antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years all over the world. Yet, it has only been recently that modern researchers have begun to fully discover the massive health benefits this amazing fruit seed offers.To give just one example of coconuts' live-saving properties, they were used extensively in the Pacific during World War II. Since blood plasma supplies were scarce, it was very common for medics to siphon pure coconut water from young coconuts to be used as emergency plasma transfusions for soldiers who were injured. Since coconut water is nearly identical to human blood, it was suitable for people of all blood types.
Because of its strong antioxidant properties, the coconut can be used
to Lower cholesterol, Improve digestion, Ward off wrinkles, Stabilize glucose levels, Fight off viruses, too cool of body, Build cells, Regulate hormones, Increase thyroid production, Lose weight, Increase metabolism, Fight infections, Stave off memory loss, Kill bacteria.
Considered one of the most treasured foods of all time, coconut products including coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut oil, and coconut cream each deliver superb health benefits.
Coconut oil, for instance, is considered the best and safest oil to use for cooking even superior to extra virgin olive oil when it comes to giving the body what it needs for optimum health. Unlike other fats and oils that we typically use for cooking and baking, coconut oil does not form polymerized oils or dangerous Trans fatty acids in our bodies, which can raise our cholesterol levels; clog our arteries and even make our skin sag and wrinkle. Plus, this ultra-safe oil can give your body important antioxidants that can help build stronger cells and improve your
overall health and well being.
Here are a few ways that you can use coconut products to stave off disease and to recapture the look and feeling of youth:
Coconut Water - The coconut is a natural water filter. It takes almost 9 months for a coconut to filter every quart of water stored within its shell. This makes the resulting coconut water completely pure and sterile, which is one reason why it can be used for blood transfusions.
Another benefit of coconut water is the fact that it has the highest concentration of electrolytes than anything else found in nature. This makes it an excellent source of hydration.
Coconut Oil - In addition to being superior for cooking and baking, coconut oil also makes a superb topical oil that can help to naturally rid the skin of dangerous toxins. It also gives the skin the perfect mix of hydration and antioxidants that it needs to stay healthy, smooth and younger-looking longer.
Another great benefit of coconut oil is in protecting your teeth from
the bacteria that can cause cavities and disease. Simply rubbing a little fresh coconut oil on your gums and teeth can keep them stronger and healthier than virtually any other dental treatment.
Most people don't realize that coconut oil can actually help you lose weight! Yes, simply changing your cooking oil from the unsaturated fat variety to coconut oil can help you lose those extra pounds. Here's why:
Unsaturated fats found in canola, corn and other vegetables oils, as well as margarine suppress the metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight and easier to gain it. Over time, this metabolism suppression may result in 20-30 pounds of excess weight that your body cannot get rid of.
Coconut oil, on the other hand, helps to increase thyroid function and boost your metabolism -- 2 important components to shedding unwanted pounds.
Coconut Cream - The best skin treatment product one can use to achieve flawless skin may quite possibly be coconut cream. Unlike traditional skin creams which can actually introduce fats and oils to the skin that will break it down over time, making it look older, creams derived from the coconut can actually replenish the skin, giving it a more youthful and healthy glow than most other skin care products on the market.
When it comes to buying coconut products, coconuts are not all created equal. Wild coconuts are always best, but can be hard to obtain if you don't live in a tropical country. Whether you are using this wonder food to boost your immune system; increase your metabolism or fight wrinkles, using products from young coconuts will help you reap the most benefit.
Young coconuts contain the purest unsaturated fat, compared to the fat found in the more mature varieties. This is why they offer the most rejuvenation properties for the body's tissues. But how can you tell how old a coconut is? Young coconuts are usually green in color, it is heavier to carry as it contains more water inside and oddly shaped. The brown hairy ones are mature coconuts, and while they offer a lot of healthy benefits, they aren't nearly as good for you as younger varieties.
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