In October 2014, about 100 Inspideans traveled up to Penang, Malaysia and invaded its capital George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been a while since we had a company trip. So to make this one memorable, we decided to have a treasure hunt. The driving idea is to get Inspideans to find, make, do and feel new things. The result was a sweaty and fun day for the participants. And everyone did find, make and feel new things during the trip.
Inspidea at it again! After the crazy TENNIVERSAY, they came up with the Amazing Race theme company trip. Everyone is divided into 9 teams and they have to fight for everything; team colors, mode of traveling from KL to Penang, which hotel they will be staying. But what we didn't tell them; by the end of the 2nd day, everyone will e staying at the famous, bigger than life Hard Rock Hotel for 2 days. What a satisfying end! Oh did I mentioned this time I am part of the committee? It was I who suggested Hard Rock Hotel and pushed the bosses to for it kekeke~ And I remember Amir thanked me for being crazy about this haha
Montage of the whole journey available at Inspidea official Youtube
The Announcement
CJ had everyone gathered at Playground to announced the 2014 company trip. Unsurprisingly the news received with mixed reactions. After all most people here overworked and all they wanted is a relaxing company trip. Couldn't blame them.
Like the TENNIVERSAY, everyone chose their partner and as a duo will pull a card to determined which team (color) they will be. After that all teams needs to appoint team captain come up their team name.
For some reason everyone decided to go outside so each teams have have their own corners to discuss lol. Despite the initial responses, now eveyone is hyped up.
The teams and their captains. Each teams must not be at the same station at the same time (for obvious reason). Oh did I also mentioned this whole thing is the reason ifinally have a smart phone? All the committee members are required to communicate with WhatsApp and I have no choice to finally ditch my old Nokia for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (I was aiming for Note 4 but it ran out of stock at that time and I'm running out of time!).
Off to Penang
The committee members set off to Penang 2 days ahead to set up all the game stations.
I admit was pretty exiting for me since it's been awhile since I'm back to Penang. We all gathered at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and left KL around midnight.
Arriving to Spices Hotel
We finally arrived to our hotel for the next 3 days (before all of us going to Hard Rock).
We arrived almost 2AM and everyone is pretty drowsy. Registering ourselves to our rooms.
We girls were given an interesting room (or suite) of 2 floors. I would love to stay at the top but Ash and Chaine wanted them and they entered the room first haha. Tia and I slept at the bottom and I offered to take the bottom bunker since I tends to go to the toilet at night.
I must say this place is really coz and unique! hardly stay at any interesting places since Penang is my mum's hometown, everytime I come here I would stay at my grandmother's place or my cousin's places; they're scattered across Penang haha.
Received several awards. Deservingly so, even by Tripadvisor.
Off to the Game Sites
Rise and shine, and I hate morning but what to do =3=
Just like Amazing Race, each stations will give task cards to the teams. Upon arriving to a station the will be given Yellow Card; the task card of the station. Upon completion their task they will be give the Green Card as a hint for their next destination.
My station, which is the Jawi/Khat Gallery is pretty unique; this is the only card fully written in Jawi (although we have small English translation written below as we fear there might be a team where no one can read Jawi). I can read and write Jawi btw!
All the games will be taken place whole Little India to Armenian Street and a bit to the Jewish area nearby the Port. We will begin the race at Padang Kota, next to the main port.
The most fun game station, Teochew Puppet and Opera House, I must admit I'm pretty jealous Lammy have this station but it's also my fault for choosing the Jawi station (but that's also because among the committee I'm the most fluent in Jawi huhu).
Finally the D-Day! All the committee members wearing neutral white t-shirts
The Khat Gallery
The beautiful Khat artworks. Made me missing calligraphy, I did several calligraphy works before, from Arabic to Chinese and Japanese. It was easier when my hands not shaking. The task for this station is to write beautiful Arabic calligraphy (Khat). The gallery owner will be monitoring each team members and guide them to write their team name (good luck to the teams with complicated names haha) in Jawi/Arabic in calligraphy style.
The fits team to arrive, the Brown Team. Everyone is serious and despite the team have 2 foreigners; a French, and an Indonesian (the team captain) and also a deaf person, they did amazing an job. Their calligraphy works are amazing.
Second team to arrive is the Blue Team. Oh, because the Blue Team won a mini game at the start of the race, they're the only team have bikes to travel to each destination. This team is quite hilarious; first they were given tandem bicycle - which ended up with some hilarious mishaps, and secondly they got lost and I keep seeing them cycling around and passing by the Khat Gallery ^~^;
Third team to arrive is the Red Team.
Followed by the Pink Team. It's amazing to see everyone here is in good mood and smiling (maybe because they finally have an air-conditioned, no sunlight and comfy chairs place). I said this because this team had been last to everything because they were demotivated by one spoiled brat. It's quite unfortunate they have her in the team, otherwise this would had been the most cheerful and fun team! I was looking forward for them to win!
Yellow Team is next.
The Green Team. I think this is the only team with an Indian member, but not only he speaks fluent Malay (like a native), he is also good with Jawi! Daya imma lookin' at ya
The Grey Team. This team have a funny name. Because the team captain is Bobby Sahlan, they decided to name themselves "The Boobies" - much to his chagrin AHAHAHAHA
And finally the Purple Team. This is the funniest team as they HAVE NO WOMEN! Ahahaha being dubbed as the "Gay Team" they surely have plenty of fun! Fun fact, Hafiz aka Richard (the far left at the bottom photo) was dubbed as GayLord during our Bali Trip. Disclaimer: He is not gay buy he likes super tomboyish girls. The shorter the hair the better!
Of course I couldn't forget the adorable kids at the gallery! They're the Gallery owner's children. Despite their young age, they're really good with Khat (unsurprisingly) and also skilled photographers. They been helping their father with visitors photos.
Taking photo with the gallery owner and his family. Cool people! Missing them now haha.
Aaaah as expected! This game station is one of the most happening! Because the this station is the closest to mine, I would occasionally "crashed" to watch the task unfolded.
Here each teams needs to come up a short classic Chinese Opera for 12 minutes. They need to write script and act out, all in full costumes. An by far this is the funniest sketch:
The Pink team despite being the last to everything, they did the best job with this task.
The Mural Challenge
For this task, each members were given clues of murals all over Armenian Street. They need to take selfie and show to the game master for approval. They must take total of 10 selfies with specific murals before they can proceed to the next destination.
I didn't have much photos as Armenian Street is quite far from the Khat Gallery.
The KoewTeow Goreng cooking Challenge and the Beca Racing Stations
Happened closer to the port and furthest from my station so I seen none. Ash and Chaine are the game masters for the stations and they said there's so many hilarious moments and many people struggle to cook then immediately decorate a beca, then paddled it for few hundred meters (in case you guys wondering what is beca, here is the photo taken before the game. I think trishaw is the closest to described it).
The Tesco Challenge
When all the games at Little India is over, all the teams taken to Tesco Extra Penang at Gelugor. Upon arriving all team members were smeared with bedak sejuk (check the link, I'm not sure how to explain this to non-Malaysians). Then they were given certain amount of money and a list of 10 items to buy in Tesco. Once they done done, each teams will head to an orphanage nearby (Rumah Anak Kesayangan lit. House of Loving Children) to donate the items. At this point each team travel with van.
There's a reason why we did the last two tasks away from Little India. The other half of committee members secretly gathered everyone luggage (everyone were asked to check out before the game begins under the pretense they will reshuffled each hotels based on the end day performances). We took all the luggage's to Hard Rock Hotel.
Challenge The Banana Skin Challenge
The last challenge! Each team embers needs to peel off bananas, eat them then throw into the the bin. They all were given a minute and the team with the most banana skin in the bin win. They must swallow the banana before they can throw.
aaaaa
This game station stationed in front of Hard Rock Hotel itself. I wonder how many people may get the hint this is the final destination of their trip? XD
Finally the treasure hunt it over and everyone is lead to Hard Rock hotel, much to their shock. Now they also realised why everyone was asked to choose their pair.
Just a beautiful sea view at Batu Ferrenghi (Hard Rock Hotel located there).
Arriving Hard Rock Hotel
I arrived approximately an hour before the first team to arrive to the last game station.
I have an hour chilling around and the weather is surprisingly good...
Gathering and securing everyones' luggage's at the lobby. Playing with Neo's Iron man mask haha - Sorry Neo! It's awesomely handmade btw!
The night we have an open air dinner where all the winners announced.
Challenge A Night Away from Hard Rock Hotel
I contacted Kevin as he lives nearby so together with Jeremy and Hafiz (all Limkokwing gang) heads out to Irish pub for a night out. Didn't take much photos tho...
This place looked abandoned haha (but mind you it is past midnight at this point) haha.
Back to hotel and hangout at Hafiz's room before off to mine. Nice bathroom btw haha.
All the merchandises. Bought the keychain for a friend. Didn't buy anything for my family, I mean, we are from Penang anyway! Love the hotel key card the most (and successfully asked t hotel to give one to me) haha. Yes I laughed too much on the last night here.
Leaving Penang
On the last day we gave everyone a last surprise; no one is going back the same way they came, all will be taking flights to KLIA. because they're many of us, we divided into 2 sessions; the afternoon flight and the late evening flight.
And I am lucky to get the afternoon session because that means I will have plenty of rest. For now, farewell Penang, Hard Rock Hotel especially. Will be missing you hehe.
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