Bandaraya Miri

Back in Subang, I've always complained 'bout how boring the malls around were. And I know each and every one of them so well that I could practically walk around with my eyes half closed. Now, I've realized how much I've taken everything for granted. 'Coz I do miss Pyramid! I miss 1U, Mid Valeey, Pavilion, Times Square, Summit omg and even Sungai Wang ok! I would actually die for even such a place that is half the size of Summit and sells stuffs like Sungai Wang. So you can imagine how are the malls like here la ha.

It's not only about how outdated stuffs here or how unsensible their sense of fashion can be, but the prices! Gosh seriouslly whoever tells you that the cost of living in Miri is cheap, don't be fool man.. Like how I did. Miri is rated the highest in terms of cost of living in the entire of Sarawak, or even the whole of the east coast. 'Coz this is where all the oil rinks are and where many expatriates are living. And where there are highest number of international students. 'Coz of Curtin.

I'm sorry but I just can't help it but to smirk at every price tags that I flip and complaining, aloud! It's ridiculous really. A shirt that I can get for like RM20 in KL, is like min 80 bucks to 100 over here! Really! I've seen dresses and shorts that you can get at all Pasar Malams or the famous Times Square for cheap clothes for like 100 over here! But anyhow.. we still look forward to going to the town every other weekend. For Macdonald's! Eventhough the MacD's here don't offer refills for the drinks. =(

To the Bandaraya/town.


The Boulevard Complex.


The Bintang Megamall or what people refer to as the Parkson here.

So what have we here?


we have Giant here in Parkson.


We have an IT centre in Boulevard if you don't mind the high scale prices.



We also have A cinema in Bintang/Parkson, which is yes, the one and only cinema here. Nice eh? I thought so too. Till friends started telling me 'bout how it practically was not air conditioned, still uses the manual projector and that sometimes if you're unlucky, the movie might just stop half way and they move you to another hall. And last but not least, it is also infested with bugs, cocroaches and RATS! I don't know how far that's true but I certainly do not intend to try it. Oh and if you're wondering how much are the tickets. It's like RM8 or 10 too. =X


Oh MacD's! It's in Bintang Mall.

Info: This is like the only one MacD's here too which do not provide drink refills and is also slightly more expensive too I think. Haha this is so funny. You know what my friend and I did a few days ago.. we were so hungry at night and were craving for MacD's that we actually googled for delivery! I know we're jack asses and ya, as you can guess, we ended up eating Kolo Mee at a coffee shop. =/


And we have Starbucks! Yes, we do! =) =) =) Oh that's Tony from Singapore/Brunei in white and Ken from Brunei in stripes.

And how do we travel to town? I actually have lotsa friends that have cars but there are times that we need to take the bus too....


The Miri 66 bus that we take from campus or outside our hostel to town.

with


leaking air conds

and


ancient handles!

You know what I don't get? The price of the bus fares here are considered expensive compared to KL where we can ride the bus to anywhere anytime for the whole entire day for only RM2! Here, the price tickets are from RM1-2.60 per way! So why can't they afford to at least make the buses a little more comfortable? I mean if Rapid KL back home can provide us new buses with good seats and TV even, why not here?

And talking 'bout buses, I've a story to tell. 'Bout how my friends and I got cheated not once, but twice by the bus drivers! The first time we took the bus, we didn't know how much was it. So we asked the driver. He said RM2.60. So, ok, we each paid-La. Then later on, going back, we expected it to be the same price, 2.60 again. But this time teh driver said, No, only RM1.60! So we were like wth! Kena con dy the first trip. So ok, we paid 1.60 each. Then when we got home, we told this story to a friend of ours that has been here for like a year over already and he started laughing so bad! It turned out to be we were con-ed for the second time! The actual bus fare of going and coming back to town was only RM1.50 each way!!! what ever-La..


Oh, we saw this bus that states this and 'till today we are actually still wondering if it's a bus no.76? Or if it goes to no.50 and no.26 routes Lol?


The landslide tragedy. Took it when I was waiting for the bus at the bus stop opposite of the place.

And in case you've forgotten how I looked like! =D

p/s: I've gotten some comments from someee people who I don't know but ya, who thinks that I am insulting Sarawakians or the east siders. Just to get things clear and on the run, my blog post are meant for my friends back in KL who wants to know about my life here. So, I'm sorry if any of you out there that are sorta insulted by my posts, about how I describe Sarawak and all, but hey, this is my blog and it's in my personal opinion about the place not 'bout the people and there are no direct or personal comments. So yeah..Mwacks!