I took a trip up to langkawi island with two of my friends last weekend to check out the LIMA expo and it was one of my most awesome weekend ever lol. It was my first time to LIMA, i've been looking forward to visit it since young but the plans always get put off. So when i heard my friends are going, i jumped on the bandwagon.
My uni actually sent a group of 50 students to visit the expo, and they get to fly there by Charlie C-130 transport plane. Too bad my name wasn't on the list, so my friends and i had to go by bus to kuala perlis and then take the ferry from there.
This trip was an impromptu one, we just decided to just pack our bags and go, without making prior reservations for transport and accommodation. Luckily, my friend has a uncle living on the island, so getting a place to overnight wasn't a problem at all, else we would have to burn a hole in our pocket just to pay for a hotel room or bring our camping gears.
We took the 11pm bus on friday nite to kuala perlis, the bus ride totally suck cos it was additional bus, not those normal express ones. The seats were so close together that there was little legroom in between, still we cant complain and just thankful that we got ourselves a ride to kuala perlis.
Chilling out at starbucks before our bus ride, the Noir chocolate cake is really yummy!!
We reached langkawi island around 9am the next morning, after a one and a half hour ferry ride from the kuala perlis jetty. Friend's uncle picked us up and we headed for the LIMA expo which is held near the airport straightaway. The uncle is actually a taxi driver and he drives a van, so there's no problem taking us all lol. We even got to know a political science lecturer from UKM while on the bus and had him join us to visit the fair too since he was alone. Made new friends, it was fun!
The four of us.
We paid rm20 each for the entrance ticket, but it'd be foc had we brought along our uniform. Once in, we headed for the outdoor airfield straightaway to check out the aircraft on parked there on display. Among them are fighters Sukhoi, F/A-18, MIG-29, Hawk, C-130 cargo planes, and the choppers.
F/A 18 hornets and MIG-29's.
The morning session airshow featured the aerobatics team from the Indian Airforce, it was a mundane one. Another one was a display by Malaysia MIG squadron, that was not bad. The ones that are the talk of the town are in the afternoon session, featuring the British Red Arrows, Australia Typhoon fighter, Malaysian F/A-18, chopper, sukhoi and Pilatus PC-7.
The British Red Arrows really awed the crowd with their aerobatic maneuvers. The timing and precision of those formations no doubt gives them the undisputed title of being the world's best aerobatics team.
One of Red Arrows formation.
My most memorable one was the display by our very own F/A-18 hornets. Four hornets were up in the sky for the performance and the sound of screaming jets was second to none! There was this one formation where the crowds' eyes were fixed on three jets heading towards our direction, when suddenly one came from behind and pass thru the three jets right above our heads! The sight was awesome indeed, and the thundering sound caught everyone off-guard.
A formation of three hornets.
Australian Typhoon performing 'dump and burn'.
Another feat that i witnessed at the airshow was a Malaysian Army chopper performing a 'loop'. The chopper made a 360 degree loop like a roller coaster. I didn't know a chopper can do this until then, it really open my eyes lol.
The sukhoi air display was a dull one though, maybe it's still new in the Malaysian Airforce and they are still testing its limits.
Some photos:
With Sukhoi pilots.
With Capt. Patricia, only female MIG-29 pilot in the Malaysian Airforce, and she has a really down to earth personality.
With C-130 pilot of the Royal Australian Airforce.
Checking out Airasia new seats at the indoor exhibition area.
We were at the LIMA expo the whole day, hanging out at the outdoor airfield most of our time, and only found out that we got sunburn that night lol. There wasnt even enough time for us to visit the maritime expo held at a seperate location at the awana langkawi marina.
That evening we went to Kuah town for a little and dinner. First thing i'd notice was the booze there was really cheap, ohgoddamnit! A bottle of Smirnoff vodka was only rm30, and i even found the korean beer soju that i've been looking for since coming back from my korea trip in 2003. Only sad thing is my tani gang wasn't around, got nobody to drink with. T_T
Dinner by the roadside was fantastic too, eating while the breezy wind blows you by, food gets cold fast though, so you have to chow it down while its hot and then yak later. Tomyam is gooooddd.
A lancer cab, only at langkawi!
Pretty ladies, hitch us a ride please...
Old skool pic.
Thank you pak cik and mak cik for your hospitality.
To sum it up, AWESOME!! Though i wished i could stay longer, and i wished that my tani gang was with me. But hey you can't have everything rite?
