Batik Fun Walk 2010

Doesn't it spell FUN? That was the draw for me.

Sunday morning saw my friend Grace and I among participants in the Batik Fun Walk 2010 organised by Yayasan Budi Penyayang. It promised to be different walk - non competitive, fun and to top it all, wear Malaysian batik and do it in your own style! Shout out for Malaysian Batik!

We met at Seri Pacific Hotel to be flagged off. When we arrived, the dressing up had begun in earnest. We were each given a complimentary piece of sarong, a breakfast snack box, a bottle of mineral water, our participant number and a lucky draw number which we dropped into a big box.

Dressing up needs more pairs of hands

Participants loosened up their joints with an aerobics instructress. The music got everyone moving and in the mood. After the walk, entertainers kept the tempo up with songs and guitar playing. The lucky draw was eagerly awaited. So many prizes were given away and the grand prize was an LCD TV. Lucky fella!

Wear Batik the fun way and exercise too

Get into the groove, everyone! I had to laugh when one of the emcees said, 'loose your bones' (!!) when he announced the start of the exercise.

Music, exercise, batik, charity, family fun - all part of the Batik Fun Walk

I wanted to be different, batik-style. The volunteers and I of The Sunshine Group had recently done a session of batik painting of our beloved national flower, the Hibiscus on pieces of cotton squares with the residents of Selangor Cheshire Home. I sewed them on a plain tee-shirt and wore a scarf sporting hibiscus motifs on my head. The sarong was worn like a 'samping'. That was my fashion statement. If only my friends had seen how proudly I displayed their art work.

It's my Hibiscus Day, batik style

Have to say batik made heads turn that morning. Wear it short,long, wrap around the waist, on the head - it was batik fashionistas weaving through the streets of KL as we wound our way past the Open University campus and onwards. A bonus as we pounded the roads was to be closer to nature as the greenery hemmed us on both sides during part of the walk and to hear birds twittering, that is if your heart was not pounding louder than those sweet calls!

Grace tackling batik

2 pretty heads are better than 1!

Spice up - sexy legs do get some roving eyes!!

The long and short of batik - which is your style?

Looking smart from top to toe

Grace and I finished the 3.9 km walk in about 33 mins. Gosh, those leg muscles felt the pull as the gradients started. Little ones were pushed along in their prams/buggies by doting parents.The one who got a generous warm round of applause when the prize for the oldest participant was announced went to 81 year old Tan Chiu Chong. This octogenarian calmly walked to the stage to receive her prizes. Dem lazy bones of mine won't do anymore!!

When you live to enjoy another day, you gotta shout for joy! Mouth big enough to swallow a whale!!

The prize was proudly plastered by the largest group participants - 29 to beat!

Buddy for the batik fun

' I love Malaysian Batik' - Grace from Argentina enjoying celebrity moments.

Jenny Lee won on creativity. Batik walked all over her!!!

The event was a wonderful gathering of friends and families who made the effort to promote Malaysian batik in a fun way. So, take batik to the streets and wear it as casually as you like but batik also finds its way into high fashion. Only a week before the walk, I attended a high tea cafe fashion show themed Batik Delight hosted by Galeri Seri Endon which was to promote Malaysian Batik - Crafted for the World. It too was a lovely afternoon.

Crafted for the World -batik worn by models