Kolam Panas Panchor/Panchor Hot Springs, Kg. Panchor

Outside view of Panchor Hot Springs

Kampung Panchor Hot Springs is located at Kampung Panchor Dayak, 40km from Kuching City, and it is surrounded by lush green jungles and beautiful landscapes.

Junction leading to Panchor Hot Springs

The road connecting the main highway to the hot springs itself is mostly surfaced with tar, but only the part nearing the hot spring, approximately 1km or less is still surfaced with gravel.

Entrance ticket

The entrance fee is RM4.00 per person if you're an adult or a child above 12 years old, and RM1.00 for children below 12 years old. The operating hours are from 7.00a.m. until 10.00p.m.

Ticket counter

Canteen selling refreshments for visitors

View from the hut overlooking the parking lot

Newspaper article featuring the hot spring's health benefits.

According to the newspaper cutting, the hot spring is believed to be able to cure chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. An interesting point to note in the newspaper cutting as it was stated that a woman whose husband was suffering from heart disease was brought to the hot spring every week for three consecutive months, and having done that, the husband was cured and the news was spread to those who are around.

Reminder to visitors (it is in Bahasa Malaysia)

The walkway leading to the hot spring

The hot spring itself is a non-smoking zone

Reminder and warning for visitors

The temperature of the hot spring reaches up to 42 degrees Celsius, and there are safety precautions in entering the hot spring.

Another signage at the hot spring.

The steam produced by the hot spring. It's really hot!

Amazing photography shot at the hot spring. Credits to Mahathir for the awesome pic.

How to get there : from Kuching City, drive all the way to Siburan (13th Mile), and go straight. There are 2 entrances to go to Panchor Hot Springs, one near to Kuching and another one near to Serian. There is a signboard showing Panchor Hot Springs, and the road is the same road that leads to SMK Tun Abdul Razak. The road is small and winding, so be extra cautious when driving.

Foodie Adventures : Hornbill BBQ Steamboat, Kuching

Hornbill BBQ Steamboat is located at Jalan Ban Hock, Kuching, and it is in the same area as D11 Steamboat, Annuar BBQ Steamboat and Sharing Planet. It is a pork-free eatery and the cost per person is RM18. Drinks are not included and is charged based on what you order. I went here the other day to celebrate my friend's end of final examination and the end of his first semester.

Hornbill BBQ Steamboat

Dinner for the night

They serve chicken, beef, lamb, fish and prawns, and if you are lucky, you might get crabs and cockle. Fresh vegetables are also available. I would rate this place a 3/5.

UPDATE JUNE 2016 : The place is now closed, with a bar taking its place. I miss this place.

Perodua Viva : Changing Speedometer Lights with LED Strips

This morning, I sent my car to a friend of mine named Raymond to change the old, boring and outdated orange LED backlights on my Viva's speedometer.

The original orange-lit Perodua Viva speedometer

My darling under the rain

The first process is to take out the speedometer from the car, covered by the radio panel and the speedometer panel, and secured with 4 Philips screws. Note that there is 1 screw at the radio panel, behind the air-conditioner switch in the middle.

Original LED is covered with black tape

The transparent cover, the needles and the plastic sheet with everything printed on it is taken off. As the original LED is orange or amber in colour, it needs to be covered to make sure the new LEDs will be able to shine through.

The LED strips used.

Raymond cleaning up the plastic board

The orange paint at the back of the plastic board needs to be removed, so thinner is used to carefully remove the paint from the board.

Soldering the wires to the LED strips

Routing the wires from the front to the back of the speedometer

The LED strips is affixed to the inner circle of the speedometer with the lights facing inside. Then, everything is tested using a 9v battery to make sure everything works before installing everything back. The negative wire is connected to the screw on the body of the car, and the positive wire is connected to a red & green wire (not so sure, please check it using a test pen to confirm that it is the wire) for the power when the car lights are turned on. After everything is done, the speedometer is screwed back to its original place and all the plastic panels are reinstalled.

Night view of the speedometer. Note that the LED colour is ice blue.

I asked him to install LEDs under the dashboard for that extra wow factor, and the lights are turned on when the door is opened.

Total cost of the installation is RM65 and if you are interested, you can directly SMS/Whatsapp him at +60146810831 and tell him that Aaron recommended you to go to him. He'll know.

Perodua Viva : Proride Sport Springs

Last month, for my birthday, I decided to install a new set of springs for my Viva. The original Viva springs was too soft for my liking, and when I had to bring my family out, the rear will scrape badly as the rear springs were too soft.

Proride Performance Springs / Sport Springs/ Lowered Springs

So, I went to the nearest Proride dealer at Rubber Road, Satok, Kuching to get a set of the springs. The cost of the spring + installation was RM300 after discount, and at that time, the springs for Viva was out of stock, so they decided to install Kelisa/Kenari front springs and Myvi rear springs for my car.

Rear view before installation

Notice the clearance between the ground and the car body

The general rule of thumb on how to measure your car's height is to use your fingers. Measure the distance between the car's fender and tyre, and put your hands sideways. My initial car height was 4 fingers. 

Installing the front springs

Front height after installing lowered springs

The original height at the rear of the car

Jacking up the rear of the car

Lowered height

I sold off my old springs and now I'm happy with my ride height and comfort. The car went all the way to Serian with my lowered springs and I can hit 140km/h with the car still being stable.

Price : RM270

Comfort : ★★★★★ 

Value for Money : ★★★★★ 

Hello World!

Another generic title, another new blog, another new year. It has been years since I last wrote anything on any blog, and this is my third or fourth blog over the past few years. 2015 is a great start for me to start life anew, and I do hope that I'm committed enough to actually write something here every fortnight when there is something interesting to write.

I'll be featuring and writing about places, food, and my ultimate love - cars; especially on car care, modifications, and DIY improvements.

Why the name "Reveries of an Undergraduate"? Firstly, I am still an undergraduate in a local university, and the word "reverie", according to Google (I do not have a dictionary, and I couldn't be bothered to buy or find one), reverie rɛv(ə)ri/, a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream. So, here you go. A state of being pleasantly lost in a thoughts of an undergraduate, that's me!

My previous blog was deleted due to unforseen circumstances, and the posts in that blog reminds me of memories that I rather erase or fade away. So, here I am, writing once again, and I hope all of you are entertained and gain knowledge from posts of mine..