Open letters, postcards and kisses

Hello 2010 and mr. phantom tooth

2010-01-01T00:28:00.005+08:00

Happy new year people! And helloooooo 2010.

I'm kickstarting my year with a toothache, except the tooth is no longer there.. and this itsy bitsy ulcer in my mouth is somehow causing the pain to increase by ten fold. My entire bottom left jaw is aching. DAMN PAIN LAHHH. What the fuckkkkkk. I do not think I deserve this, certainly not on the strike of midnight of a brand new year.

The year of changes

2009-12-31T15:31:00.011+08:00

And with changes, come new experiences and hopefully, a better, wiser me. Here's a quick flashback of my 2009.

The breakup (January)
Shocking - that's probably the best word to describe it. It came as an abrupt end to an almost four year relationship. I was initially in denial and I couldn't explain exactly how or why it happened, but it just did. It ended there and then. I'm only glad the aftershock came as a wave of disappointment instead of depression or some psychotic shit. Single for nearly exactly a year now, it feels almost amazing to be in a relationship with no one but myself (Oh, and Joyce. But who will I be without you in Perth next year my dear wife?)

The departure (February)
The move to Perth was a much needed change of scenery and air for me. I wanted to break free from my mundane routine and to step away from this conservative and homogeneous society. All the pampering/princess treatment at home and spoon-fed education has left me feeling crippled - mentally crippled. I needed change, stimulation and independence. And I am pleased to say, I got exactly what I wanted. Those ten months in Perth have been nothing short of thrilling.

The switch (July)

Fuck, this isn't what I wanted - these were the exact words that ran through my mind after three semesters of Civil Engineering. I want sexy rocks and soil, not freaking structural analysis, and shit boring concrete and beams and trusses. Geomechanics, maybe you came a little too late for me.

So, Geology it is. It was a huge decision for me to make and announce. I'm glad I received the acceptance I wanted and I have not been happier since. Despite falling backwards to square one, I can at least safely say that I am able to see my dreams slowly unfolding ahead, of dreams to work in challenging environments, to explore uncharted realms, to be financially secure and to deepen my understanding and admiration for this delicate planet I heartily adore. I can see myself as a geologist.

The new me
With each passing year, it is like the exoskeleton an arthropod has shed and the layer of ring a tree has added. It about unfolding a new chapter and about growing up. And yes, I do sense difference in myself. I can't quite pinpoint it but I can feel the tingles of it. Good tingles that is :) I mean, even my blog looks different from twelve months ago.

Have a happy new year and Godspeed people! What's your new year's resolution? Lessons have taught me to not make any LOL :)

A tooth less

2009-12-28T22:57:00.008+08:00

I finally bottled up enough courage to get one of my wisdom teeth (left bottom) removed early this morning. The whole time, since the eruption of my two bottom wisdom teeth two years ago, I was never too keen about inflicting excruciating pain to myself voluntarily. But I was also aware that eventually, something has to be done. I'm now left with a gaping hole in my mouth and I can still taste hints of blood. I actually had a look at the bleedy gap when the bleeding was controlled and I must say, it's pretty freaky haha.

It surprised me that the experience wasn't half as daunting as I expected it to be. I had no anxious jitters and the procedure itself took merely 2 minutes. The pain was no where near miserable or difficult, not even when the anaesthesia had worn off. I was already eating when I got home. The two hour wait at the government dental clinic got me pretty hungry by the end of it so I couldn't care (the wait was actually more painful). I had to eat as I much rather endure discomfort than hunger. My mum was impressed with how well I was doing but dad was freaking out I'd be in pain although I wasn't at all. All in all, I did myself proud. I feel like a man. Rowrrrr! :D

I think I kinda disappointed my friends with my lack of suffering. For that, I'm sorry. Hah. There's still my next appointment in February to anticipate. This time it's gonna be a surgical extraction to remove my other wisdom tooth (right) which is impacted. I might be in for some fun with that one :#

There's a knife on the floor

2009-12-15T19:50:00.012+08:00

I encountered a rude awakening when I was out and about on my own earlier today. The exboyfriend is back in Kuching! [insert sound effect for imminent doom]. My chest tightened and insides churned. What the hell are you doing here?, I muttered under my own breath. Instantly and instinctively, I made a 180 degree turn to change my course of direction as soon as I caught a glimpse of that pale scrubby thick-lipped body. No way am I making another 10 metres towards his way. I think he must've seen me as well but I shall humbly apologise - I do not do confrontations. Or shall I say, the exboyfriend is not worth a confrontation.

While I don't give a flying fuck about the breakup, I admittedly still hold a lot of resentment towards him. The self-righteousness and hypocrisy (in other words, utter shit) that I had been subjected to is far too appalling to simply be forgotten. Imagine being labelled a pariah. You're better off without me. Perhaps out of the many things that the exboyfriend had said to me, that, I must say, made the best sense. Remind me to stay away from The Spring please. Kthxbai.

The other kind of time relativity

2009-12-26T21:27:00.014+08:00

A decade ago, I remember spending my long after-school afternoons wandering the neighbourhood on my own, searching for an unsuspecting stray kitty to bring home or sticking my arms through fences to pet my unsuspecting neighbours' dogs. My elder brother has just left home to be on the other side of the country for his tertiary studies. Self-entertainment was the only best option I had.

Whenever one of my cousins came by, we would patiently squat by the concrete drain just outside my then corner terrace house with a broom, bucket and dustpan at hand. Not to sweep the yard, but to 'sweep up' lil fishies that thrived in that muddy filth. They would soon become our pets for the next 2-4 months or so. Quite often, we'd have tadpoles, worms, snails and dragonfly larvae together in our little catch. A mini ecosystem that comes all in a scoop of drain water. How awesome! :D It was something I always looked forward to. Maybe that's where the whole fishing thing kicked in for me.

Sometimes on a breezy weekend afternoon, my cousins and I would be at my late maternal grandfather's place. We'd be rocking on an old face-to-face garden swing, chirping endless away about funny school stories, silly nightmares or made-up horror stories. My aunts would then bring us small delightful treats like a homemade cookie each or a glass of chilled grass jelly (cincau) and my granny would sneakily stick some 20-50 cents coins into our pockets - candy money - before we said our goodbyes.

On one fine day in the middle of August 1999, I became a very proud owner of a new puppy. Aww, finally, my own puppy! :) I can still remember just how absolutely delighted I was when I had him on my lap on the car ride home, cupped in my little hands. He was merely three weeks old, slightly frail and frightened. But he mixed in easily. What a mighty little one. My after school afternoons were spent differently now. I had a new companion, a new best friend. We would chase each other down around the neighbourhood or play hide-and-seek. He was like the little brother I never had (and still is).

Ten years down the road, things have certainly taken a shift. I am no longer that ten year old who prowls the neighbourhood for stray puppies and kittens, I no longer fish in the drains with my cousin, the large rusty swing is probably somewhere in the dumps and Booboo is no longer that bold agile puppy he once was. I am now a university student with two years to completion, my parents are reaching retirement age, my brother is almost hitting the 30s and Booboo is turning gray and passive. Everyone is growing up and growing old.

It's funny though. When you're younger, time seems to crawl by so slowly. But that speed notched up a little with every passing year. And you also kind of take it for granted that things and everyone around you would stay the way you last remember them to for always. A decade later, it disappoints me that it doesn't. In the midst of all these technological advancements we have today, I wish someone has devised a way to freeze time so I can keep those constants in my life, a constant.

Who are you subscribed to?

2009-12-24T01:46:00.011+08:00

I am bored shitless tonight. In an attempt to prevent my neurons from disintegrating into nothingness, I decided to go through some old National Geographic magazines scattered around the corners in my house to offer my brain some interesting insights and visual excitement in hopes of keeping the boredom at bay for a little bit.

The few magazines I went through dated from 2006 to as recent as last month. They did a pretty decent job at keeping me entertained. So much so, this one particular issue got my thoughts all stirred up - The Big Thaw: Ice on the Run, Seas on The Rise (June 2007). Omg, the vivid portrayal of how climate change is happening at such a rapid pace is rather disturbing. Oh, the poor polar bears and seals. What would be of them when the Artic is gone? :(

It has left me with mixed-feelings, tangling up my thoughts and belief system. What should I believe in now? For quite a while now, my belief stands at this point: Eventually, we'll all have to go. Any effort or changes imposed will only serve as an eventual futile attempt to continue our existence. You'll have to understand this in a geological view point (Refer to the geological time scale - It will make you realise how small we humans really are). The earth and sun is estimated to die in 5 billion years time provided nothing astronomical destroys either one first. From its birth till death, the earth has and will experience numerous changes through its 10-billion year lifespan. The planet itself is not fragile, but the life it motherly nutures is. The earth will still continue revolving without our existence (or any other life form for that matter) and still be kept alive by its own activities like plate tectonic movements and volcanic eruptions. But there is also a thing called evolution and adaptation which allows life to quaintly work its way around changes to allow life to continue thriving on this planet even if it means in a foreign form.

Right now, as ice and glaciers continues to disappear, the earth is just heading into another interglacial period, just as how it has had thousands of years ago. Why should we be so alarmed by climate change then? It's just another natural cycle. But we are because it concerns and threatens us humans in so many ways. Our economy, daily livelihood, health/well being, food security and lands will all be transformed to ways unfamiliar to us. Poverty stricken and arid/semi-arid and coastal regions would be the ones affected most. Wars could be waged, blood could be spilled, economies could collapse, such are the dire possibilities if climate change persists and exacerbates. So eventually, we will all die. It's an inevitable fate, one that is quite a bitter pill to swallow.

But after flipping through the pages of that particular NatGeo mag, I feel that there is a stronger need for compassion. Something has to be done to slow climate change, at least for the benefit of ourselves and the generations to come as well as the other little creatures we cohabit this planet with. Even if a new life will reign over, any sort of loss is a tragic loss and I do not wish to live to see mass losses and sufferings. At this point, I do not think much can be salvaged though. The melting ice generates a positive feedback whereby its creating a chain reaction that gets worse as it goes along. White ice sheets reflect heat off and melted ice means less heat reflecting and dark ice water absorbs more heat making more ice melt. Its unstoppable unless we find an effective way to cool the globe down by a couple Celsius.

I am actually a staunch believer of sustainable living and construction. To hell with carbon taxes and the UN Copenhagen conference. Sustainability is the way to go. It means living and building in a way that leaves minimal impact to our surroundings whilst maintaining efficiency and benefit. I can go on forever with this but I shalln't for now. It's an idea that I strongly believe should be implemented and enforced everywhere. Perhaps if everyone embraces this concept, there could be a glimmer of hope somewhere and that doom would not be a stones throw away from today. Baby steps can lead to something big.

Oh, and pardon me for the geekiness.

Man vs wild

2009-12-21T23:44:00.003+08:00

One hermit shell for the junebug please

2009-12-20T01:37:00.007+08:00

I love people watching but the opposite is true when I'm back here in Kuching. The last thing I want to see is more people. I worry I am developing a fear (or I could say, a strong dislike) of being in large crowded areas in my own home city. The recent near death encounter with the exboyfriend is not being very helpful either.

In a small but moderately populated city like Kuching where things don't seem to get too exciting as the only entertainment is eating and shopping, you're bound (almost destinied) to bump into someone you know, don't quite know and do not like. Kuching city folks seem to have the tendency of flocking to all the popular dining areas and flooding every available shopping mall. The latter is very prominent when a huge sale is on or when a new cinema hits the town such as MBO at The Spring LOL. Picture Perth dwellers hitting up Northbridge on a Saturday night if you'd like a somewhat similar Western Australian scenario.

So yes, the potential of bumping into someone you know, don't quite know and do not like is rather remarkably high. While bumping into someone you know whom you happen to like and adore may be pretty sweet, bumping into someone you do not like would prove to be otherwise because you'd have to pretend you missed a glimpse of them or to try to avoid them so you wouldn't land into an awkward situation. I think it's worst when it comes to the don't-quite-know ones and annoyingly, that's where a larger group of people fall into. To say hi or to not say hi? To pretend you don't know (or to have forgotten them) or to not to? Hmmm.

I'm trying to avoid those popular hang out areas while I'm back here. I can't stress just how often I bump into people I know/don't quite know here. Not that it's that bad or overly annoying but sometimes, all I want is just to be out on my own and not give a shit about anyone or anything around me aside from whatever I feel is important for myself - such as food hunting or having a splendid time with my closest ones.

I'm so gonna go fishing tomorrow. Minimal possibility of getting into awkward social situations ftw :D

Fearless: imagine life without fear

2009-12-22T00:23:00.009+08:00

Fearless: imagine life without fear - that's the title of this one book I bought fairly recently. To my dismay, it's all about Jesus and Christianity but thankfully, the title of the book itself is inspiring enough to allow me to keep it, otherwise, out the window it goes because the last thing I need is to be told how to live my life by a fictitious messiah. So, what would life be without fear? And the LG HDTV Live Borderless (spell check reckons it should be odourless haha :D) advert replays in my head - free, unrestrained, with nothing but possibilities. It speaks straight to my heart.

I've been eating like a machine lately, savouring and devouring every ounce of good food I can lay my mouth on LOL. Several months of Kuching and home-cooked food deprivation can quite certainly lead to some astonishing changes to one's diet and figure. And in this case, mine and isn't for the better. For a large part of my life, weight issues have always been vicarious. I never thought it would hit me this soon and Dad reckons I'm not too far away from morphing into a piglet. This is clearly not something to be too proud of.

The sky-rocketing body mass does call for a cause for concern. Add another 3-4 kg, I'd be 10kg heavier than I was merely 3 years ago. On a 5'3" tall (or short, whichever tickles your fancy) body, a 10kg gain is like turning Timon into Pumba. As I look around me here, for the first time ever, in my mind, I'm bloodyhell seeing anorexics everywhere. God, all you skinny people, EAT or I shall declare an anorexia pandemic. But I know it's just me. I'm losing my magical Asian diet touch LOL."Yeah, you're a chunk of Australian pork chop now," that's all the Brother has got to say. I'm outpacing my metabolism and I should seriously seriously hold back.

I was just thinking though, life is short. And seriously, why hold back when you don't exactly wish to? But I would risk a plummeting self-esteem, a closet of beautiful clothing made redundant, a lifelong list of diseases and health deteriorations before me, and an arsenal of boys once at my disposal gone. Consequences or fear? Fear of consequences maybe. But fear is an evolutionary product to act as a 'built-in safety feature' to keep us curious little things from harm. Maybe I should heed the warning.

But what if we could all just eat away, do whatever we want, without being conformed by fear and borders like social norms? As long as we have lived life to the fullest, finding ultimate happiness in ourselves within ourselves. An enriching, prosperous sort of life. Living life in self-confinement, or living the life, pushing the boundaries? Which would you rather? I think I'm embracing the latter.

My digestive system is on overdrive

2009-12-18T20:51:00.000+08:00

Kuching is the ultimate nom nom wonderland!

Shown here is just a tiny fraction of what I've been stuffing into my system.

Something to remember by

2009-12-14T01:54:00.010+08:00

My archive of photos on my laptop currently contains 21,950 files in 280 folders. That is indeed a lot of photographs for one who isn't a photographer by profession to store and to have taken. With the modern convenience of digital cameras, computers, and memory cards, what's there to lose really?

I for one can not live without my compact camera. I'll usually have one by my side whenever I'm out and about. You'll never know when it would come in handy. Hint: It makes an awesome 'scanner' LOL ie. when it comes to 'photocopying' notes/assignment answers off a mate or 'jolting down' important lecture notes/hints from whiteboards which your lecturer might erase moments later.

Before I had a camera, I remember seeing amazing things around me all the time. The surreal sunset by the beach, the solemnity of an old man sitting alone by the corner thinking deeply to himself, the triumph feeling when reaching the peak of a new mountain, the rapturous happiness on everyone's faces during family gatherings, the innocent joy of my dogs playing with each other in the yard, to name a few. They were all left uncaptured to be slowly forgotten through time. How could they be? I knew I had to get a camera and I did.

21,950 photos and counting from 2004 till today, believe it or not, each and everyone of them are held very dearly in my heart. They bear precious moments that could never be replayed and relived. They give me something to remember and reminisce all my lifes moments by. I also have a slight paranoia about memory loss. Not today, but in several decades time. Diseases like Alzheimer's could hit anyone when they are past their prime. Who would you be then, without a memory, without a history? Photographs would be your only identity back-up. I maintain this blog for the same purpose - to be my memory security and vault.

And whenever I take a look back at my old photographs, I am reminded of how glorious and fragile life is through all the wonderful times shared with loved ones.

Meow?

2009-12-09T16:06:00.006+08:00

I just realised how Kuching is actually rather ghetto - full of overgrown vines and weed, mouldy walls and pavements, repulsive stagnant drains, cracked sinking structures and annoying potholes everywhere. Can it get any worse? I can't blame Kuching for being like this though. It receives so much annual rainfall and a large part of it is situated on swampy grounds. But yes, I finally understand why West Malaysians still believe us East Malaysians live in jungles on tree tops amongst orang utans and wild boars LOL

I actually had a slight culture shock during my first couple days of being home. I must say, it is rather strange considering this is where I'm from. All the cars and people! Like OMG they're everywhere! Soooo many of them! It still shocks me a little during peak hours but nothing scares the Junebug too much. I proudly braved the 5pm traffic at Jalan Tun Jugah yesterday. It was disgusting but I survived.

The sunday market

2009-12-12T17:18:00.006+08:00

The Sunday Market is quite possibly one of my favourite places to frequent in Kuching. Located at Satok, it boasts a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, meat, local delights, plants, pets and anything else you can name. Heaps to see and buy at oh so low prices. Traditionally, the market would open only on Sundays only hence the name but from as far as I can remember, it starts trading on Saturday afternoons until Sunday. The Fremantle Market is a serious disgrace in comparison to this :O

Take flight little bird

2009-12-12T13:55:00.006+08:00

Driving has never felt this good. My inner wrath is rejuvenated and my soul is as free as a bird. And for now, I can tuck my Smartrider card safely away and not worry about AUD25 cab rides :)

Oh and I must say, driving at 70km/hr with one hand on the gear with the other on the steering while snapping away on the camera is pretty darn exciting. Such is the art of multi-tasking. Don't try this at home kids.

Who are we without

2009-12-11T11:42:00.000+08:00

As we laugh, gossip and recollect memories from our school days which dates all the way back to primary school when we were merely 8 or 10 years of age over our coffee and nibbles, I can't help but feel awed in amazement how we have all been such a part of each others lives. Through those years in school, we grew up together, did all the silly, fun things together and experienced changes and differences among each other. I remember I was very much disliked by my peers when I was heaps younger and some of my friends parents would even tell my friends to stay away from me because I wasn't the best influence LOL.

Anyway, after three years down the road since leaving high school, it's great to still be able to keep tab on everyone you used to go to school with. It does shock me how some are already married with children of 2-4 years of age haha. Must remember to pull your hand brake lahh - quoted from Jerren LOL. Mmm.. I truly wish for these catching up moments to last forever.

"Do you remember how we used to worry heaps about our results when we were in school? Now we're all worried about where we'd end up in the next few years to come." For so many years in school, especially during the final stretch, we have been each others motivation and support to keep going further, excel and succeed. I still wish for the best for all of us <3

Recluse

2009-10-19T00:34:00.011+08:00

I have been down with flu and cough for the past five days. My nose is congested. My lungs asphyxiate from the disruption of air flow. I've lost count of the plies of tissue paper that I have gone through in an attempt to clear my nose to which moments later, becomes clogged again. My throat feels sandpapered and every now and then, I become wary of it, wary of my own throat. I suspect it's trying to choke me to my death bed. So yes, my soul is basically in utter misery at the moment. I'm afraid my immune system is not battling up too well.

Strangely though, I find being ill possibly a good thing. It gives me a perfect excuse to hide myself from everyone else - you know, to spare another unsuspecting soul by not dispersing my germs. At times like this, I am rather convinced that the extroverted persona I am is actually an introverted one. I find complacency in hiding in my hermit shell or otherwise known as my bunneh burrow.

I can't quite find an explanation to this behaviour of mine, but I'd suppose I have a rather solitary nature and I do very much enjoy my (large) personal space. There are just those certain days when I absolutely do not wish to see or talk to anyone all. All I want to do is just selfishly immerse in my own feelings and thoughts. Living in a shared place, be it with family members or house mates, does not allow me to do that too freely. I'd raise concerns and be questioned about my disappearance or whereabouts. I guess it's that particular sort of confrontation that I am not too fond of sometimes.

Burning the midnight oil

2009-10-20T00:14:00.005+08:00

It's 12.00 a.m. and here I am in my university's computer lab, geeking out and attempting to do some extreme last minute cramming for my SPSS test tomorrow. So much for never rocking up for my Statistical Data Analysis tutorials and lectures! To my surprise, the lab is actually fairly occupied at this rather ungodly hour. It's almost like there's a party going on. Some sort of queer, nerdy, assignment rushing, study kinda party. I suppose as the end of semester draws closer, exam stresses start to rise exponentially and the pressure to excel (or pass) begins to sky rocket.

I like being in the uni lab until the wee hours of the morning. I find myself getting more studying done as opposed to me studying at home (usually an epic fail case). I reckon it's to do with the more conducive learning environment - the better lighting, air-conditioning, 22" monitors, access to programs like the latest Adobe CS4, etc. Plus I don't get that horrible constant urge to ransack the fridge!

Not to mention, I get to occasionally perve on an eye candy sitting somewhere across the room from me. Tonight, I was luckier. One sat right opposite to me but sadly our computer screens were in the way. Tall, hunky and somewhat good-looking. Yum. I'm taking a guess that he's Middle Eastern.

This random attraction intrigues me in a way. I used to find myself being attracted to just nerdish/scrawny-looking Chinese boys until I moved here. My options have opened up a lot. I have stopped buying the idea of dating guys of the same background as mine. Mixing is good. I believe it would make people discriminate less and become more tolerable to cultural differences.. which is exactly what the world needs more of.

My fur babies <3

2009-12-08T23:22:00.006+08:00

It feels great to be home and to be greeted by my three fur babies everyday again. They are the ones I think about most when I'm away.

O hai neighbour

2009-12-10T14:39:00.003+08:00

My brain is officially fried

2009-11-17T19:17:00.006+08:00

Image source: Geology 102 Lecture 16

Four down and one to go. I think Geology 102 has killed a portion of my brain.. especially the bits on metamorphism. Metamorphic isograds, the formation, mineral assemblages for Barrovian-style regional metamorphism, retrogression, metamorphic facies, phase diagrams, mineral stability bla bla. All that in three weeks worth of Geology 102 lectures hey.

Anyhoo, after my exam today, I decided to make up for loss sleep by napping my afternoon away. Just while I was dozing off, my thoughts ran stray. Half awake, I was just thinking about my metamorphic stuff for a bit. And suddenly for a quick minute, my brain just went wilddddd. It somehow suddenly god-knows-why started to think that metamorphic rocks are a product of igneous and sedimentary rock sex. LOL So apparently in subduction zones where metamorphism occurs or during magmatic intrusions, rocks somehow have sex with each other there and tadah, produce something new. LOL. I was surprised. Very surprised in fact, almost shocked, and also very much embarassed by the fact that my brain is capable of coming up with such uncanny thoughts. I guess that goes to show my brain is really fried. Crispy brain on satay stick anyone? :(

In transit

2009-12-04T15:02:00.004+08:00

I never thought how being an international student living abroad could be such a hassle. I was SO relieved when I got all my belongings packed away and stored safely at my friends' last night. It was almost like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Phewwww!

I'm currently in transit at the Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) waiting to board my flight home to Kuching which could be any time from now. My flight from Perth to KL was a perfect one. It was just like an ideal laminar fluid flow - smooth and turbulent free. It was brilliant save I didn't get to have any sleep on it.. so as I type this, I've been awake for 27 hours and counting. It was still no where as daunting as my flight to Perth in February though which was so bad it prompted me to never wish to fly Airasia X again. Who would've thought 10 months down the road I'd be flying with them again.

Heh, apparently its 24 degrees Celsius in Kuala Lumpur now. Doesn't feel like the kind of 24C im so familiar with at all! Sooooo stuffy and humid. Ugh :/ Oh, and the LCCT is quite a freaky place to be at when you're a lone girl. Some Malay dude came up to me to ask for a phone charger to borrow because his was out of batt. Next thing I know, he was asking for my number :S

Ahh my heart is feeling sooo warm and fuzzy at the moment. I really can't wait to see my parents and to cuddle my dogs again. Dad was calling me up asking me what I'd like to have for dinner at home tonight. Looks like it's gonna be my favourite foochow noodles at Sarawak Club. Mmmmmm... :)

Oops gotta go x

T-minus 35 hours

2009-12-03T01:17:00.005+08:00

The cat city is beckoning.

Oh happiness, why are you so short-lived?

2009-12-01T16:15:00.005+08:00

Fuck this shit. My sleeping hours for the past couple weeks have been so erratic. Apparently the flu tablets didn't work last night. The battle is once again lost. This particular week has been pretty bad. I have been unable to sleep till after 7am and even if I did get sleep, it was very fragmented. Um, can I haz tranquilliser gun for Christmas?

KL & Kota Bahru

2006-04-22T14:52:00.003+08:00

I was away for a few days last week for a short family holiday in West Malaysia.

Day 1 :: Kuala Lumpur
13 April 2006

I had to skip school and miss my English and Moral test :D

I spent the whole day shopping at Mid Valley Megamall with my mum and my friend, Sheu Quen. I was rather disappointed though because the sales wasn't on. I didn't get to spend as much as I should have :(

You know, there was something I really really wanted to buy... It was this pair of blue g-string with the word "KISS ME" printed in front of it. Omg I so wanted to buy it for Kelvin because I know he LOVES g-strings. Too bad it looks a little too cheap and tacky for the price tag so I didn't get it.

Then again, I kinda regret not buying it now because that would have made a pretty good joke.

Day 2/3/4 :: Kota Bahru
14-16 April 2006

Kota Bahru is the second place (after KL) in Semenanjung Malaysia I've been to so far.

I don't really know how to describe it but I can say it's like one huge village. Development is still at its infancy stage whereby many still live in small wooden houses with people keeping goats as pets and basically, it's just a large village.

I actually saw a baby goat playing with a kitty cat. Like omg that was sooo bloody cute. I wanted to take a picture of that but I scared the kitty away =X

We stayed at a small private resort in Pulau Gajah that's owned by a Datuk and his family. We spent most of our time there. Whoa eh?

The food we had there was simply fantastic.. almost breath-taking.

Personally, I'm not a fan of Malay food but damn, the ones I had in Kelantan was like omg the best ever. I can still recall how I slowly savoured the heavenly nasi kerabu topped with sambal, nasi goreng kampung laced with aromatic spices, crispy durian fritters and the rich Kelantanese laksa that is nothing like our Kuching or Penang laksa.

Ughh.. I think I put on almost 2kgs..

Anyway, the first place I visited was the local market known as the Pasar Bulat. It's one big building with several floors that sells stuff from vegetable to keropoks to cloths.

I bought a few stuff there. It's mostly just their local fish keropoks which I'm soo addicted to.

Oh oh oh, there's one more thing in Kelantan that I must not miss out. It's their mangoes! My goodness, they're so sweet and cheap and plentiful. My dad bought two boxes of mango back to Kuching because it is just so irresistible. Like wth man, 4 kilos of fresh yummy mangoes for only RM10? Here in Kuching.. it's like.. 1kg for RM10 or something...

The other things we did in Kota Bahru were...

* Fishing

That's my dad by the way Haha

* Having an unforgettable BBQ dinner

It was a candle-lit one because the electricity went out for quite a while that night. It was pretty nice especially with the full moon shining brightly above us.

We had BBQ lamb, beef and chicken, fresh oysters, nasi goreng kampung, fried wanton, ikan panggang, spaghetti cooked with clams..

Grr.. it was fabulous!

I had a hard time seeing what I was eating though but hey, as long as the food tastes good.. who cares right? :D

* Visiting a border town called Pengkalan Kubor

It's less than an hours drive from the town and there's heaps of cheap goodies that's brought in from Thailand there.

I know my hair looks like crap in this picture but it's the only picture of the place that I have so shhhhhhh....

On the way there, we stopped by at two temples which I reckon was rather interesting because they portray a strong Thai and Chinese influence.

Oooh. And guess what was the highlight of my trip?

It was the visit to Pulau Rawa! <3

Pulau Rawa is one of the Perhentian Islands that's located in Terengganu. It took us about an hour and a half to reach there.

However, I think they should have named the island Pulau Penyu because it really resembles a turtle does it not? A turtle with its tongue sticking out.

The island is just a small and quiet one. Nothing too impressive..

Butttttttt my goodness.. the water is as clear as the finest Swavorski crystal

And the sand is as soft as my Darling's fur

I had a wonderful time snorkeling there. The fishes are friendly unlike those in Sabah that kept biting me :O

I also saw the cutest crab ever:

But....

There was also like this group of guys that were on the island..

And...

And...

AND... I think they were a bunch of gay boys!

LIKE OMFG

I saw them applying suntan lotion on each other's body with my freaking naked eyes... I knew something was wrongggggggg...

The worst thing is.. they were not applying the lotion on each other's backs or anything.. but on the TUMMY!

ON.THE.TUMMY I tell you!

In a very affectionate manner too!

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse.. they started camwhoring with each other by the rocks...

Like :OOOOOOO

Well that's about it. All I can say is I really had a great time there and I really appreciate the hospitality of our hosts. They were just so warm and friendly.. It was really flattering. Their kids were really lovable and fun to hang out with too..

Mummy: *heads to our chalet to do the packing*
Kids: Where are you going to?
Mummy: Getting ready to go back to Kuching
Kids: Can we go with you? We want to go to Kuching too! *all follows my mum back to the chalet and refuses to go leave*

Omg I thought that was so cute!

I love Kota Bahru! :)

Kota Kinabalu

2006-06-04T15:18:00.003+08:00

Day 1

I saw a puny snake that could have easily been mistaken as an earthworm outside my house when I was just about to head to the airport.

All of us departed from Kuching airport early in the morning. I can't believe I did the most embarrassing thing ever on the plane. I actually sat at the wrong seat! It was like, not too long after I got to my seat on the plane, some dude came to me and told me I was sitting at the wrong seat. But I thought to myself, no that's not possible.. I bet that dude's still half-asleep for telling me that. Then I checked the seat number.. and to my horror.. I waS sitting at the wrong place!! 15B!! Nooooo how could that be!! I was soo sure I was sitting at 14B..

Several minutes later only did I realised I had mistaken row 14 as row 13 and 14 as 15..

How can I never realise that there was never any row 13 :O

For RM17, we took a boat to Pulau Manukan at 1.30pm. My dad and a few others went snorkeling. As for me, I was just strolling along the shore.

and here's a white chicks bum for your viewing pleasure

I got pretty bored and decided to look for tiny clams to play with. Omg!! It was so fun! It's like when you place them on the sand, they'll start burying themselves into it.. and when you place them on your palm with some water.. they'll start sticking their flesh out and trying to dig into your palm :D

The weather started to change when it was about 2 pm. The rain came pouring down roughly an hour later. I gotta say, the ride back to the jetty was a very miserable one. Being smacked by sheets of rain that's piercing cold on your legs and face and feeling sick worried that no taxi drivers would be willing to drive you back to your hotel was definitely not the most enjoyable thing to go through.

Day 2

We met up with a group of 12 youngsters from some Buddist association thingie from Kuching who just arrived KK and would be joining us for the next two days.

We paid a visit to the Poring Hot Spring when we got to Kundasang.

Sad to say, the place was a disappointment because its tiny and bloody hell crowded. With nothing better to do, I took pictures of dragonflies.

And I also befriended a cat haha.

We stayed over at the Kinabalu national park that night. We were going to climb Mount Kinabalu the very next day!

Day 3

Everyone gathered at the park's headquarters at 7 am. We were all given tags that have to be worn throughout the climb.

There were three guides accompanying us. And before we started our climb, they gave us a briefing on what to expect along the way etc.

Our stuff like extra clothing and food were carried by the porters for RM6.30 for every kilo.

We started our climb from the Timpohon gate with 6 kilometres ahead of us until we reach the Laban Rata camp.

The first two kilometers were the easiest. I saw some pretty freaky slugs along the way.

The climb gradually became more and more challenging..

And the mist came..

And after four hours of hiking, it began to rain heavily. It was horrible. I was partially soaked despite having a rain coat on and every breath choked because the air was so cold and thin.

The last 1 kilometer was the toughest!! However, the feeling of knowing that you're almost there really keeps you going. During the last 0.5km, I experienced a gush of energy in me and my pace increased.. like omg omg!! I'm almostttttt there!! and I can soooo take off my eeky soaked shoes and socks!! omg omg!!

When all of us finally reached Laban Rata, we quickly grabbed ourselves a cup of hot chocolate or a bowl instant noodles. Mmmmm

During twilight, the view from the hut's balcony was magnificent.

On one side.. I saw rainbows..

On the other, was a beautiful radial glow in the sky.

And check out my wrinkled foot. Eeeeewwww..

Day 4

I woke up at 2 am together with those who wanted to continue the climb to the submit. Surprisingly, my muscles didn't ache at all when I woke up because normally I'll experience some muscle ache after a long hike.

Only a handful of us wanted to go to the summit and only a spoonful really made it to the summit.

6 °C.

Unfortunately for me, after walking for almost 1km, I was no longer in my best condition. My nose became very runny and I had to stop to yawn like a big fat baboon every second making it really difficult for me. It was like..every time I yawn, my visions would blur a little and sometimes I'd lose part of my balance.

To be on the safe side, I decided not to continue my way up and to just return to Laban Rata with my mum because she was experiencing some altitude sickness as well.

We were only 2km away from the peak. So close but so far away.

Back at Laban Rata, my mum and I rested for a while until my dad gave us a call to tell us he was on his way down already and only Yee Ning and another dude made it to Low's Peak but the rest were almost there too lah.

I continued to rest after that but my mum woke me up to tell me that there were lots and lots and lots of squirrels outside!

I quickly got up and omfg!!! There were over 30 of them jumping and running up and down.

They're so bloody cute. I showed my brother a few pictures of them and he said they look like some prehistoric creature :D Seeing them really made my day up considering I felt a little upset that I did not make it to the summit.

My mum and I walked around the hut while waiting for my dad and the rest to return. They only got back at 8 something and went about just how much they regretted going up there.

Anyway, at 9.30 am, it was time for us to descend the mountain.

Going down the mountain was much faster than going up but that was when my muscles, knees and ankle started to suffer. Thank god the weather decided to spare us a little. It did not rain until we reached the park's headquarters.

I didn't really know what to feel when my climb had ended. I was wasn't sure whether I should feel happy that it was finally over or upset that I failed to conquer the mountain. Then again, I guess there's always another time when I shall return there.

Nonetheless, I realized I felt the happiest when my plane landed safely at Kuching's airport. Home sweet home! Yay! I get to cuddle my dogs and sleep on my own bed again. Not to mention, I didn't need to have instant noodles for my next meal anymore!

My muscles ache like shit now. I can barely go up and down the stairs but I think I should be ok in a day or two from now I hope :)