My Big Travel Year
This year, I’ve made the most of my spare moments to plan and organize an ambitious travel program. Fueled by confidence and enthusiasm, I dove right into my plans for the week.

However, surprises awaited me early on. What I had set out to accomplish this morning turned out very differently from how the day eventually unfolded.

The original plan was straightforward: to locate and photograph fruiting Sonneratia trees. These unique trees thrive in coastal areas, their presence heavily influenced by tidal waves along the shoreline. My usual spot in the Kuala Selangor Nature Park didn’t quite meet my expectations. So, this week, I decided to explore other sections of the Selangor coast in hopes of capturing the perfect shots.

That’s how the day began—but what happened next is best told through the pictures I captured.

Time was short and we already had photographs of ourselves in the act. Our need was satisfied.

Off we went again to complete our quest for the day. Next stop, a household drying kernel in the sun. We collected a photograph for our write up. We returned to the main road, we were "forced" to go off road as the traffic was building up to a stop and go situation.

Another "next" stop, Sungei Buloh- the village was deserted as most people had taken the rest of the days off for the festive season. That didn’t stop us looking around the houses on stilts and strolled along the wooden boardwalks. We took the pictures we wanted, inquired about the boat services available to go out to sea.

Then a surprise. A fisherman unknown to us offered to us  a beautiful coral for sale to us. We are not supposed to encourage these pilferers! But the coral was so beautiful that we took up the bargain and bought it for RM10.

The search took us to the mangrove forest. Here, by chance I found the treasure I was searching for long while. Fruiting Sonneratia Trees. There were also quite a few other species that are not common in the Nature Park.

Here Joyce posed for photographs on the prop roots. There were 3 small coastal boats parked at the home made jetty. In one of them, the fisherman had left behind his catch for the day- a large collection of giant muscles.

It was time for lunch and the fishing village of Tengkorak struck my mind. We drove the extra 25 kilometers to reach the village.

We passed through rows after rows of coconut trees, narrow "kampong " roads and then- a fishing village on stilts. The place is a replica of Pulau Ketam. But the scene here was breath taking- so quiet, so remote, broad estuary and sparse Mangrove forest.

At 2.30pm, we had golden flavoured roast crabs, tempura crayfish and 2 helpings of vegetables. The bill-was Rgt 41 only.

 The dilapidated jetties for the fishing boats, ocean going medium size boats. All these together with the tiny settlement feasted the eyes before food was served.

I went on to explore more Mangrove forest, to feed the need of my newfound love.

On the way out, we passed this Breadfruit plantation. Many people may not have known this fruit let alone comes that close to one. As usual Joyce had her souvenir.

We left and on our way home, this centre beside the Main Trunk Road at Bukit Belembing caught our eyes

This trip revolved around a subject close to my heart: mangrove forests. Our journey took us once again to the coast, this time with the purpose of exploring and updating our knowledge of these remarkable ecosystems. After a somewhat underwhelming visit to the Kuala Selangor Nature Park—where the mangroves were unfortunately too distant for close observation—we found a surprising turn of fortune at Tanjong Tengkorak.

Here, we stumbled upon a charming, albeit weathered, fishing village. The wooden boardwalks creaked underfoot, leading us to meet returning fishermen, whose stories added an authentic touch to the experience. To top it off, we indulged in a fresh and flavorful seafood lunch—a delightful windfall we hadn’t anticipated.

These unplanned discoveries became more than just pleasant surprises; they reshaped our outlook. Moments like these remind us to embrace spontaneity and remain open to the unexpected. They’re invaluable lessons that broaden our perspective and inspire us to seek out the uncharted, enriching our journey with each step.