All my bags were packed and I'm ready to go. I was already anticipating this trip for a month! 

To where, you ask? Thanks to Papulex Asia, I was off for a weekend retreat back to nature and tranquility in the lush outbacks of Malacca.

Waking up early on a Saturday morning for this roadtrip

After two hours on the road, we arrived our destination – The Philea Resort & Spa, Melaka – at noon.

It was a enormous and superbly furnished eco-resort which boasted authentic pine-log architecture and rustic interior design.

Here are some photos I shot of The Philea's interor :

Lobby/waiting area/drinks area

Bar/Lounge Area

Outdoor concourse

There was a water feature fringing the resort with the MOST amount of Koi fish I've ever seen

These fishes respond to vibration and sound very attentively, as it was their cue to feeding time.

We teased the fishes and tapped the glass walls at different spots so as to confuse them teehee!

Me standing by the pond. You can hardly see the Koi but the school of fishes came in massive numbers.

Jessicat wears : Leopard print laced-back tank by TopShop | Denim shorts by Forever 21 |

Cap in nude by Hard Rock Cafe | Accessories from a bazaar in Bangkok |

Tote Bag from a bazaar in Singapore | High Top Sneakers in white by Converse

It was time to begin our day in Malacca with an ice-breaking and introductory session.

A light brunch was provided before Papulex Asia started the ball rolling.

So happy there was a wide array of Lipton tea!

I'm such a tea fag I almost wanted to take all the sachets to drink later 

A picture with the girls, Shazwani and Ivy during the ice-breaking session

After the introductory session, we were all required to play a game which involved teamwork.

That ever-popular form the longest line with everything and everything you have on you.

My team mate QuaChee and I forming our line

My other team mate Hafiz and I continuing our line!

Being one to be competitive, I removed all my bangles, rings, earrings, parts of my clothes and more LOL

Here are some of the items from our team and the other team

Lining them all up!
 

When it was all over and done with – well almost, as nobody wanted to strip their clothing off haha! – the longest line was measured and our team won!! Hurrah! 

We did well; I'm so proud. The three of us hit it off well in pushing for the longest line. Think EVERYTHING : cellphones, belts, socks, and yes, even shoelaces haha!

With my team mates QuaChee and Hafiz posing by our line of items

Fun times had to come to an end. It was now time for the more serious part of this session.

The sharing session, the experience, the history and our past with regards to this campaign and more.

My essentials for the mini seminar provided by The Philea 

Me sharing a little bit more about myself, my point of view and the battles I fought against acne

All of us Papulex Truthseekers – Team Malaysia!

Once that was over, it was already mid afternoon and our tummies were growling.

Lunchtime was at one of the restaurants in the hotel, with a continental concept – Cravo Cravo

Hafiz and I goofing around while walking over to lunch

Spotted this giant wooden throne with a ship steering helm at the entrance of Cravo Cravo!

Couldn't resist a photo with it.

The continental and Asian fare in Cravo Cravo left me spoilt for choice.

It was amazing how endless the selection can get. Here are some of the dishes from the buffet :

Bite-sized goodness

Carved roast beef

Desserts

Here are some of the stuff I took for myself

I didn't bother taking photos of the main meals as I was already hungry and couldn't wait to dig in

Lunchtime at the long table saw us catching up with each other and talking about everything under the sun.

Before we knew it, it was time to check into our rooms.

Got our room key-card and guest booklet!

The Philea sent us a chauffeur to take us to our rooms which was located at another zone of the resort.

We occupied two buggies to be driven off further into nature!

Bye! We were about to adjourn!

As the buggy drove deeper and deeper into what felt like a secluded bay of pristine forest giants with waterfalls cascading along stone walls and gigantic, lush greeneries engulfing me, I knew this weekend would be the most serene and tranquil one I've had so far this year.

Here are some photos of the short journey to my room:

Along the cobblestone walkway towards the chalets

Beautiful pine-log cabins fringed the gravel path

Roaring waterfalls at the bridge and swimming area

Steps leading towards the bridge

An aerial view of the swimming area (adult and children)

Weather-worn, wooden fence posts covered by damp moss from the morning drizzle

Approaching my cabin shortly!

What I'd typically do the moment I arrived

Wow looks like they know me pretty well, putting a giant convex mirror in front of my cabin

Haha kidding! It's obviously a security measure to allow buggies to see each other lest they collide at one of the many bends in this nature resort. 

Quite coincidentally, my cabin was right in front of the gym and the spa. Can they read my mind or what?

My home in the woods for the weekend!

I climbed the wooden staircase; they didn't creak as I had expected it to, and no gnomes were in sight.

Okay, I think I get taken away by fairy tales sometimes.

The moment I stepped into my cabin, my jaw hung with astoundment and I knew for a fact that my eyes were gleaming in delight. Was this really where I was going to be put up for the next two days? 

Here, be amazed for yourself!

My king-sized bed!

My desk!

My bathroom! (It had a  giant bath too, so you can be sure that I had a hot bubble-bath thereafter)

I jumped on the bed, stretched like a yawning cat on my comfy bed and watched some telly

What am I doing? I don't even watch telly. At all.

Perhaps its the holiday mindset that's doing this to me. Haha!

We were required to gather at the outdoor concourse for a treasure hunt game.

Being briefed on the rules before we set-off on our hunt

Here's my task!

I was brimming with energy and adrenalin caught me on a choke-hold the moment I read it.

Always up for a good game, I had one goal in mind – to win this challenge! 

The fastest, most alert and smartest player will win. I hope it'll be me.

(Okay, I didn't know this is how I look when I run. So unglam LOL)

My closest rival was QuaChee.

We always found the next clues at the same time and as a fellow fitness buff, he was pretty darn quick too

We raced to the finish line and sprinted all the way! In the end, he won the challenge.

Great job! Good game, mate 

Perspiring heavily and sapped off our energy levels,

I reckon we were looking like zombie grub by the end of the afternoon

Game over. That was a good exercise. It gave me exactly the rush I needed.

I think I pretty much crashed on the bed by the time I trudged all the way back to my cabin.

But I recharged quickly and dressed down for an evening dip at the giant swimming pool!

It's time to work the cardio in the swimming pool today!

The swimming pool was mine and mine to dominate!

Waddling in the pool like a duck, swimming like a puppy and

lying on my back floating allowing the world to pass me by

Hey, it isn't everyday I just take a weekend away from the busy city to do absolutely nothing but relax.

The team behind Papulex Asia are amazing. Knowing that stress, tension and dirty/dusty city environment does contribute to acne and pimples, this weekend getaway to be one with nature was perfectly what we needed.

QuaChee and I in the pool

Walked back to my cabin after that fulfilling swim and had a long, hot bubble-bath.

I think I fell asleep at some point. Aromatherapy and relaxation does that to me.

We set off for dinner at another one of The Philea's restaurants – Bayu Cabana by the scenic river front and pool side. We had a warm and scrumptious steamboat meal altogether!

All of us!

The desserts stole my heart 

All of us enjoyed the dinner which seemed to keep coming and coming!

The chef kept refilling our steamboat pot and even helped me break open my crab. Yeah, I fail on all levels peeling crabs and prawns. How sad, I know. But he was nice enough to offer!

What's a weekend without good music and a few drinks? I had my favourite

White Russian at Chiillout Bar with some of the rest who was up for sprucing up their Saturday night

I headed back to my cabin a little after midnight.

Spent some me-time writing a few blog posts and surfing all my social media channels before I said goodnight to my fluffy pillows and crisp white sheets. I had the bed all to myself!

Had a good sleep, I must say, as I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

For once, it felt different to wake up to the sweet melody of the birds in the morning, chirping of crickets and opening your windows to the smell of fresh, moist dew instead of being rudely awaken by cars blaring their honks or clanging from a nearby construction site.

Breakfast at another one of their restaurants – Nusantara!
 

Their fare presented an impressive choice of both international and Asian cuisines.

There were so much to choose from and I had breakfast like a King!

My breakfast! I couldn't finish it all 

We gathered at the al-fresco lounge and waited for the session with Dr. Hew Yin Keat, a professional skin specialist.

He's also the owner and Medical Director of M.A.C – Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic.

His clinic in Bangsar Shopping Center offers medical aesthetic procedures, corrective skincare and rejuvenation treatments without surgery, fusing science and aesthetics together!  So you know where to go now, aight? 

That's M.A.C (Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic) for you. Call for appointments : 03-20936136

The Question & Answer session was so enlightening!

Dr. Hew was patient, informative, explained so well in layman's terms and had a great sense of humour too

It went on with a rather intense discussion and sharing-learning session from Dr. Hew

Apart from the basic causes of acne, he also imparted us the knowledge of different types of acne, ways to prevent it and how to treat the infection if it spreads out of control.

Dr. Hew also showed us samples of procedures and their before & after results

Why we look so solemn and serious in the photo, is beyond me. Most likely he's showing us one of the most horrible skin conditions he has treated before and our minds were like "OH MY GOSH THAT'S SO DREADFUL".

After the sharing session, they held a quiz for us to test how much we know and have learnt about this entire campaign so far. Then it was time to check out and leave The Philea. I don't wanna go! I'll be fine living here forever LOL

We all headed to Malacca town to do a little bit of shopping and food hunt

I had a wonderful time being a Papulex Truthseeker. It was one heck of a ride!

View my previous blog posts here :

——> Part One

——> Part Two

——> Part Three

…and you're reading Part Four now! 

All of us! Team Malaysia consisting of us bloggers and the Papulex Asia representatives

From knowing and understanding the history of my skin condition, the true root causes of acne, spreading the truth and busting myths about acne, propagating confidence to other acne-ridden people, and introducing Papulex to our readers, of newfound friendship, good food and a fun weekend getaway, I would do this all over again, if I could.

Thank you, Papulex Asia! 

Hellllooooooooo from Cambodia! 

And Chum Reap Suor to you too, my new Cambodian friends!

Donning a traditional dress with cultural Cambodian designs & elephant motifs!

Sorry I haven’t been updating for the past 5 days.

I’ve been out of the country – as most of you know,  if you’re on Twitter & Facebook with me 

Touched down at Siem Reap International Airport!

I’ve had the honour of being flown up to Siem Reap with other fellow bloggers around the world to attend BlogFest Asia 2012 : the third cross-border conference & meeting of Asian bloggers & technologists, held in Cambodia this year.

Watch this sneak preview video I’ve just made!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK8kWdcAaOw&feature=youtu.be

So much more to come, I can't wait to share! 😉

Can't believe that today is already my fifth day in Siem Reap.

Never thought I’d say this – I am absolutely in love with Cambodia already! 

The picturesque village area where I took the boat along Ton Le Sap river to the Floating Villages

Cruising towards Ton Le Sap lake brought me a sense of liberation.

Sat at the edge of the boat with the breeze in my face & arms wide open under the sun

All the houses were built on stilts in the Floating Village

Chillin'

I steered/drove a motorboat all by myself!

Being the speed demon I am, I overtook all the other boats (yes, having my boatmen yelling at me at the top of his voice! ) and manoeuvering a canoe around the creek and the narrow, flooded mangrove jungle.

How often do you get to paddle a canoe in a mangrove?

Here's something you don't get to do very often either…

It's not just ANY tuk-tuk…

It's the BATMOBILE 

Far from the rural countrysides of Ton Le Sap Floating Village, lies Siem Reap town.

Five days here and I already have my favorite food outlets!

The Blue Pumpkin @ Hospital Street, Siem Reap Town

Rich pastries and a spread of decadent desserts served on luxurious sofa-bed-lounges.

I could stay here forever! 

Here are the rest of the food I've indulged in throughout these five days :

They range from traditional Cambodian amok, lok lak, Mexican, Western, other Asian fusions and the exotic!

Every 5 meters or so, you will hear friendly Khmer people beckoning you to try the Dr. Fish Foot Spa Massage

I've also had my first HAPPY PIZZA experience in Siem Reap in Happy Special Pizza!

Full foot massage/reflexology for only USD$3

Little children cooked and served us delicious spinach dumplings 

Shopping of all sorts of odds and ends in Old Market, Original Market & Night Market

As dusk began to settle in, there was only one place in mind – Pub Street

Angkor What? Bar 

Loved the play of words!

Partying with my crazy bunch of  fellow BlogFest Asia 2012 peeps! 

I know that my Siem Reap province trip will not be a complete one without paying a visit to the iconic Angkor Wat of Cambodia. 

So one fine (actually, VERY HOT!) afternoon, I joined the rest for BlogFest Asia's Heritage Trail.

The Angkor Wat I used to know from the pages of my History textbooks is only THIS SMALL

And now, I see it, life-sized right before my very eyes 

I stood there with full admiration for as long as I could, despite the sweltering weather.

It had an ethereal wonder to this classical Khmer architecture. 

It ain't everyday you get to lie on the grass with the Angkor Wat right behind you, hey? 

Built by the late King Suryavarman II in the 12th century, the Prasat Angkor Wat stands as the largest Hindu temple complex in the world.

As I walked through the redented towers, ancient galleries, pillars, stone statues, passageways and cruciform terraces, I was in awe  

Apsaras. History, culture and religion resonated within its intricately carved stone-walls.

I continued exploring the temple grounds! Great adventures with my Pinoy friends, Paula & Ethel 

Moving on… we headed to Ta Prohm soon after.

This majestic complex was once a Buddhist monastery & university and was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1992.

Those glorious, glorious tree roots sprouting out of the ruins looked mysterious but not threatening.

Familiar? 

Standing where Angelina Jolie had her Tomb Raider set filmed! 

Sovichea Sou, a local Cambodian friend

showed us around and guided us around the temples. Thank you! 

Not far from the hustle and bustle of Siem Reap town stood FCC Angkor.

It is a very prestigious hotel which housed a luxurious and elegant fine dining restaurant too.

The glamorous and posh FCC Angkor Hotel

BlogFest Asia 2012's dinner reception was held here last night 

I had an amazing time at dinner & drinks with new friends from across the globe 

I found Siem Reap to be a busy yet very laidback town with a buzzing nightlife, cheap massages, delicious food (LEMME HEAR A YEAAAHHH!!) and a plethora of night market shopping hotspots.

With such a well preserved exotic culture, ancient ruins & breathtaking temples, it is no wonder people keep coming back for more.

Siem Reap gave me an impression of a town with a marvellous amalgamation of nature,

historical wonders and lifestyle – just the way I like it 

5.30PM sunset from my window

All the fun, sights, food and pleasant Khmer people have imprinted remarkable impressions of Siem Reap in my mind.

I have been enlightened by so many new insights, had the pleasure of meeting wonderful people, had so much laughter and adventure, which can only spell beautiful memories of Siem Reap, Cambodia 

Not a single day has let me down.

Thank you BlogFest Asia 2012 for a delightful Siem Reap experience!

Cheers! 

P/S : With 50 cent beers, who would say no to a good toast? *hic*

Aw khun ch’ran, dear Siem Reap, for a lasting impression & a wonderful stay thus far! 

Here’s to hoping my next few days will be even more exciting than it already is. 

Chum reap leah!  From Malaysia with love,

Jessicat

Okay here's a confession: I miss Australia already.

Although I'm enjoying myself back in Malaysia to the fullest just as I always have, my Aussie mates ain't here. They're so far away but thank Facebook for blurring our boundaries!

I was organizing my infinite photo collection and noticed I still had many Ozzie photos I've yet to share.

Heaps more to upload but here goes these ones first!

At Lindt Chocolate Cafe along Collins Street

As an ardent fan of all things chocolate, I was ecstatic to be able to dine in one of Lindt's establishments.

Good suggestion, Alex! 😀 We ordered different kinds of chocolate cakes and their signature hot chocolate

Decided to do something silly with the extra chocolate I had

As expected, it was simply divine. Money well spent! 

Not only were the chocolate delicacies and beverages hot and fresh off the kitchen, they were rich, thick and creamy. 

After a cocoa-filled teatime, we adjourned to Crown Metropol Hotel to check-in for the weekend!

Trivia: The Crown Metropol, which costed $300 million AUD to build was launched on April 2011

While waiting for the check-in procedures, here's some piccies of the hotel lobby/interior!

So grand!

The pretty corridor on the way to the elevators

The best was yet to come. Once we checked into our hotel room, we were in awe.

It certainly boasted a sleek, classy and elegant feel to it.

Two huge king sized beds!

There was a flat screen TV mounted on the wall

Heaps of full length mirrors everywhere!! *squeals*

I like this fancy concept!

The bedroom & the bathroom are divided only by a sliding mirror-door

Well-stocked room! More in the pantry 😀

With the boys

LOL at extremely short buzz haircut 😛

We didn't waste any time in resting whatsoever.

Why rest when we have so much to explore and enjoy in this amazing hotel?

Stripped to our swimwear and it's off to the infinity swimming pool we go!

Beautiful

Deck chairs to read/rest/relax by the pool

I love infinity pools; especially when I'm swimming backwards LOL

Wading in the pool because I can't swim anymore due to my red pigments in my hair 🙁 🙁

Yeah, I hadn't dived/go underwater since 2006

After the swim, I took the chance to check out the fabulous view.

Right from waaaaaayyy up here!

And so I began to take random snapshots of the view

Left the pool area and we decided to go for a steam room & spa session.

So the boys and I went our separate ways to our designated zones 😀

OMG the hot, bubbly spa bath was the shiznit

I began to lay there for quite a while until I *think* I actually dozed off!

When I opened my eyes I saw 2 other ladies in the spa bath with me, without noticing them entering in the first place. So heck yeah, I must've fallen asleep. It was sssooo relaxing and comforting beyond words. 

I swear I could stay in here forever!

Once done with all the water-fun, it was time to get a lil dressy and head up to the exclusive 28 lounge.

There was only ONE elevator heading towards level 28; only accessible by a special cardkey.

Behold.

Greeted by various canvas paintings of pop-art

Suddenly, it felt so warm in here. We sat by the huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows near the fireplace.

It was so comfy! 

Staying warm on a rainy day

We were served a free-flow of all kinds of wines and liqour you can ever imagine.

Red Wine, White Wine, Beer, Gin, Whiskey, Bourbons, Vodka, Cognac and more!

Up sky high enjoying life from the 28th floor! 😀 😀

Pardon me for the poor quality of photos taken in 28 Lounge

Didn't bring my DSLR up from the room with me 🙁

Too busy drinking and savouring the fine, distilled spirits. 

I had some delightful glasses of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernets, together with my all-time favorite Johnny Walker Black Label Scotch Whiskey, a Remy Martin VSOP Cognac and a Tequila Blanco.

The very next morning……

Breakfast at the 28 Lounge awaits us

Delicious and healthy!

The buffet breakfast had a wide array of delicacies

You're talking to someone who's a sucker for breakfast, to be honest.

I never live a day without having breakfast first thing at day break (read: the moment I wake up).

And to enjoy my favorite meal of the day – breakfast overlooking the Yarra Valley 🙂

Bliss 😉

I initially wanted to dine at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant, called 'Maze by Gordon Ramsay' but the queue for breakfast was too long! And since we had a complimentary buffet breakfast at 28 Lounge, I decided against my initial plan.

This is good enough 😀

My favorite way to kickstart the day 

Buttered Toast and hot chocolate/mocha is love

And then comes the platter of my choice of breakfast noms

Sauteed Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Turkey Slice, Avocados, Scrambled Eggs and a glass of milk

Plate #1 of the boyfie's breakfast.

I didn't get to snap photos of his #2 and #3! 😛 😛 

Comfy lounge chairs to chillax on

Again, the warm, crackling fireplace

I can never get enough of fireplaces 

Simply because we don't have any in Malaysia – we don't need one, to begin with.

My weekend at Crown Metropol Hotel with awesome company proved to be a fantastic and memorable one.

Should totally check yourself in for a weekend of fun too, albeit the volume of $$$ involved, but should you like enjoying the finer things in life, this is certainly something to write home about! 🙂