Happy New Year & Welcome 2008!

picture courtesy of istockphoto.com

Today, 31 December - is the last day for year 2007. We have gone through 12 months or 365 days or 8760 hours or 525,600 minutes or 31,536,000 seconds for year 2007 – time flies. It is like yesterday we stepped into 2007 and now we are saying goodbye.

Take a minute or two to look back what have we done through these times. Have we fulfilled the resolution we made during the beginning of 2007? Also, think back what we’ve done good to ourselves, our family, our love ones and people around us.

2008 will show its face in a few hours, so what do you have in your “wish-list” or “things to do”? Will it be totally a new list or a “bring forward of those 2007”? My 2008 “wish-list” is:

Save money
Do charity work
Be more tolerance
Stay at 3.5&above pointer
Start up my own business
To write more

Hopefully, I manage to keep up with the above list - the same thing we say when we start a new resolution :-). Well, whatever it is just try to accomplish as many as possible. Lets hope for the best but at the same time, we must work out to make it happen.

Let us welcome 2008 with a hope that its going to be a smooth and peaceful sailing towards the end and don’t forget to say goodbye and thankful to 2007 that had made us older by one year and wiser (at the same time) :-).

My Sweet Little One - Update 1

Hi, its kids time again.... remember these children???

Received the following pictures recently and OMG they've grown up - but still cute like before. Moris now 3 (born on 20/09/04) whilst Roman going to be 1 this coming January (born on 10/01/07) - time flies......

To Moris and Roman, love and miss you so much boys....

Lonely & Someone to Turn To

Lonely.... this feeling sometimes "knock" our door. Why do people feel lonely? - simply because you are alone - you don't have anyone to turn to or anyone you can call your "friend", "family" or "loved ones".

One can fill their life with lots of activities to avoid being lonely but there is time when one really needs someone in their life. Needed someone in your life doesn't mean that it must be a "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" - it can be anything e.g. friends, family, etc.

Different people have different ways to overcome "LONELY". Some people will simply make themselves busy, some people will get theirselves close to someone, finding more friends, so on and so forth but remember this..... getting close to someone might inturn hurt you when they walk out of your life.

It is good to have at least 1 friend apart from your family to share your ups and downs as you can't share everything with your family - but there is some people out there who can do this.... (definitely not me).

It really hurts and put you into frustration when the time you need somebody, but no one there for you. Have you ever trap in this situation???? - it really hurts. What do you do if you are in this situation?

"The only way to have a friend is to be on" ... by Waldo Emerson ...

"If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author and everyday you have the opportunity to write a new page" ...by Mark Houlahan...

"Don't ask for an easier life; ask to be a stronger person" ... by Kristen Goeser...

The Cat City..... Kuching

Kuching a.k.a. Cat City... we were there last August '07 - a yearly outing by HRKL's girls. It is exactly a year when we were in Langkawi for our first outing. This time the same group is heading to Kuching with Sally managed to join us and Felicia who left HR early this year - still joining us.

We are taking the first flight out of KL at 7am and the worst part... we have to meet at KL Sentral at half past four in the morning. Don't even have time for breakfast. You readers may and must be saying we are crazy, kiasu, etc... - yes, we are. I don't really sleep that night as am excited and afraid of being overslept.

First thing upon arrival.... find a breakfast.

Having breakfast at one of the restaurant in Kuching Waterfront.

Me and Mok - munching a biscuit while waiting for our food.

After breakfast, straight to our so called "villa" in Santubong - Permai Rainforest Resort. Quite a distance from Kuching city.

Start our programme with a visit to their cultural village - walking distance from Permai Rainforest Resort. God... it was so hot there - all of us couldn't take it and the worst, being "puteri lilin" myself and Sally!

Managed to borrow umbrellas from the resort.

At one of the "long-houses"

Look at this bamboo bridge... its interesting, though a bit scarry

Playing ??? (don't know what is this called) - my feet stucked in between the bamboos once... arrrghhhh!

Look at their stairs (made from coconut tree)

Auntie dare not to climb this stair. Poor her, she has to wait for us one floor down. I try to find ways so that Auntie can join us. Yeay... I found a way.

Auntie... so happy upon reaching the top floor.

Take a rest here, we are sweating and worst... wind not blowing!

Late afternoon we finished our tour in the cultural village - walk back to our "villa". Get ready for dinner and some of us plan to go to the beach.

Go to the beach, get wet and watch sun set. The scenery is fantastic.

So peaceful... just the sound of the wave

"Sun set in Santubong"

We check-out the next day. Have our breakfast and I must tell you this... the tea is so nice. I've got addicted and lost count of how many cups I've consumed.

Today, we gonna go around Kuching city, visit few places of interest and the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.

At the reception of Permai Rainforest Resort

Look at Sally....

At the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre

Two of the Orang Utans having their dinner

Semenggoh WC is our last stop. We head back to Kuching city. Take a ride in a small sampan crossing Sarawak river - the fare is only 30 cents. We are in the same sampan crossing back to Kuching Waterfront - the sampan owner try to con us.

This is the man who tries to con us.

Get back to our "hotel", shower and get ready for a "big dinner". We gonna have seafood tonight at the Rooftop. OMG... the amount of food we order like 10 days never get to eat - a lot! You guy guest whether we finish our food or not....

We walk back to "hotel" and along the way, the youngsters are wasting their time "melepak" at Kuching waterfront. I plan to go for a clubbing but seeing this situation, dare not to go - just relax in the "hotel". Few of them go for a foot massage.

In front of our "hotel" reception - its cozy here.

Today our plan is... whatelse if not shopping. But first thing in the morning we are going to Satok - Sunday market. OMG..... all kind of things you can find here - fresh vegetables, fruits, souvenirs, etc. After our first-round shopping, head back to "hotel" and walk to China Town to have a second-round breakfast, then we stroll along Kuching Waterfront doing our second-round shopping.

Take a break for lunch. We go to the Rooftop again for seafood lunch. After lunch, walk back to "hotel" and some of us straight to Kuching Waterfront for a third-round shopping. After getting all the things we intend to buy, and here comes the tedious part - packing.

Around half past four we leave Kuching city for the airport - flight was delayed.... arrrghhhhh - gonna arrive KL late night. We doze off in the flight zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Arrive KL Sentral around quarter to eleven.

At Kuching Airport - its time to say good bye to "Cat city"

Cherish While It Entertains You

Was reading my friend's blog over the weekend and found the full lyrics of my favourite song - My Wish - by Rascal Flatts.

A lovely song full of positive message - if you look at it from a different angle, but this song suppose a wish & motivation from someone to another with a hope that that person realise someone loves him/her and wish him/her feels the same way.

Among the paragraphs that had touched me deeply:

... if you're faced with a choice and you have to choose, choose the one that means the most to you... if one door opens to another door closed, keep on walking till you find the window...

... if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile...

... never look back but never forget, all the ones who love you in the place you left... always forgive and never regret.... help somebody every chance you get and always give more than you take...

I start to think, if I am in all these situations, will I do so? My answer to it: yes and no - guess my friends who know me will know which one is yes and which is no.....

Well, sometimes (girl, are you sure it sometimes?... not always???) it is easy to say than to practise. So to make it a practise, we should first... free ourself from being selfish, think of other people around us.

I once heard a motivator said "First, love yourself, followed by so many then". Doesn't this sounds contradicting from "free from being selfish". We always forget that this so called 'love' need to be shared among ourself and the 'then'. If we manage to share this 'love', we'll definitely being far far from 'selfish'.

Don't you agree with me?

Here some quotes I find interesting and should share this with you:

I - Avoid it

We - Use it

Ego - Kill it

Love - Value it

Smile - Keep it

Rumor - Ignore it

Success - Achieve it

Knowledge - Acquire it

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Historical Malacca

One of the rows of shop houses - some of the shops were restored and this is one of it



Another shop house been refurbished - with beautiful carving

We were in Malacca over the weekend (day trip) - so called "Jalan-jalan cari makan". Starts our journey around 9.30am, arrived Malacca town around 12pm, straigt to the Portuguese settlement to have lunch.

YF, Sally and Nav

Another group of people from our office were also there - but didn't bump into them.

Banda Hilir - the main tourist attraction, we didn't visit this place. To us, nothing to explore here as from small, we were exposed to this place (visited so many times during our schooling days - so called "rombongan sekolah").

We instead go to Jonker Street - rows of shophouses sell so many kinda things, from antiques to accessories. Our main purpose is.... fooooood. Main attraction is its dessert - variety of ice shave you can enjoy here, from ice kacang to cendol - you can't compare Jonker Street's ice shave with others in KL especially it's cendol - one word I can express.... superb!

Browsing the menu

Apart from dessert, try out the nyonya kuih (cakes), curry laksa, assam laksa and the Baba Nyonya dishes... hmmmmmmm...... yummmmyyyyyyy!

Enjoying the cendol

p/s Look out for "Jonker 88" - the famous dessert shop. When you are here, also try out the 'pineapple tart' - bake daily.

Its a night market on Saturday and we get a chance to taste so many food - tried out their 'popiah', hmmmm taste good.

Don't forget to also try the "Chicken Rice Ball" - you must be wondering what is it. Its the normal chicken rice but the rice is round like a ball shape.

At one of the junction - a number of bars you can find here

We window shop for about 3hours here and its time for dinner - we gonna have "satay celup" and this is the first time for me. All this while I was wondering what is satay celup and finally I got to taste it - not bad, something different. Its like the 'lok-lok' and 'stamboat' but with satay sauce instead. I wonder what they do with the excess sauce (from every table) ???????

After 'satay celup' we were like a python... how are we going to drive back to KL?????

Take a slow drive back to KL, but knowing me.... I'll fall a sleep if driving like this, so... you should know what I did... he..he..

One thing I don't like about Malacca is their parking system - you have to purchase the coupon, scratch and display, and the fee is only 60cents per hour and.... you have to purchase 1 booklet that cost you RM3 or RM3.50 (for 5 hours??? am I right???). I wonder whether they make money out of it with the cost of printing, this and that.... ????? and the worst thing is not all shops selling this coupon and the booth..... I don't see any booth surrounding Jonker Street.

Not a friendly system at all.

HRKL's Girls in Langkawi

.... a dream come true.... our first group outing finally materialised!

7 HRKL's girls

We were in Langkawi last August, a short 3-days outing before our busy period starts again. This is our first outing in a big group after years of planning - finally it materialised.

Stayed in the Aseania, a medium range hotel and the intention of this outing apart from relaxing & eating is.... whatelse if not shopping - these girls really can shop, though no 5-star shopping complex.

Not much activities lined up the first day we were there - arrived, had our lunch, check-in and relaxing and out for dinner in the evening. But still.... the first day we arrive Langkawi, some of us start shopping already - I've grabed a skirt.

Starts our activities on Saturday morning. Went to few places, Oriental Village, Cable Car, Telaga Harbour, Kuah Town and surrounding area.

HRKL's supermodels in Oriental Village

Auntie and her 'kai loys'

We are on top of the world... just kidding, a mountain, Gunung Mat Cincang - what a name!!!

A superb scenery from the peak of the mountain

A suspension bridge between the two peeks

From top of the mountain, scenery is fantastic. The weather is good but windy. Four of us were up there while the rest do not want to come along... scared of height may be.

"The Loft" in Telaga Harbour

Have our afternoon tea/coffee at 'The Loft' - the most expensive afternoon tea we ever had - in a cafe....

Sunday, we are cruising the sea today.... we are so excited about this activity. Unfortunately 2 of them won't be joining us as they fly out early. Had our breakfast in one of the eating place near our hotel, then head to Awana Porto Malai.

... on the catamaran ....

... enjoying the breeze, the sea, the catamaran... guess who's feet behind there???

... after the cruise....

Safe landed at the dockyard around 1pm. Rush back to the hotel, shower, pack and check out. Had our so call "bad" lunch at one of the local restaurant, drop by at the duty free shopping centre and straingt to the airport.

Arrived KL quite late and there goes our 3d/2n first group outing. Some of us called it 'weekend of shopping & jalan-jalan cari makan' as we did nothing but shopping and eating.

Something to Ponder

"Do you know the relationship between your two eyes? They BLINK together, MOVE together, SEE THINGS together, CRY together and SLEEP together, even though they NEVER SEE EACH OTHER.

Friendship should just be like that and life is like hell without FRIENDS...."

Another "Backpackers Style" Breakaway

A breathtaking scenery - Club Med Cherating beach

We were in Cherating in Febr - a short break after long months of working (Nov to Jan). Take a slow drive there and starts our journey as early as 7am. Arrive Cheratin around 11am. Manage to find a place to stay - Tanjung Inn - a very simple place i.e. aircond, heater and tv.

Our stomach start to make noise. Guess what.... we gonna drive again to Chukai in Terengganu/Pahang border to have our lunch - stuffed crab, mmmmm.

Stop by the roadside to buy Fish Crackers - Sally, Nava and Yin Fong with the crackers seller.

Check it out... Who's that girl................

Didi dada didi dada... arrived our guest house quite late afternoon - as we drop by at the Club Med for a while.

Can't wait to go to the beach, get change and .... beach..... here we come. Myself and Yin Fong didn't go into the water but Nav and Sally.... huh, like 10-days never see water. I was just lying by the beach, wanted to read my story book but end up I doze off zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The girls are soaked with sand

So called "three happy monkey"....

Yin Fong (with her story book, let see if she can concentrate reading or just dozz off like me), Nava and Sally....

Sally with her 'ala' Miss World pose.....

Had our simple dinner at one of the local food stall. When we pass by the shops there, these people (I guess must be the locals) staring at us like we are wearing nothing. I've already noticed this in the evening when we stop by (came back from lunch) to buy drinks.

After dinner, just browse around the souvenirs shop.

This is our guest house - part of it is in the water, some kind of small lake with full of lotus.

Nava, by the window (don't know what is she waiting for????). Sally peeps out from the side - what is she peeps at huh? check out a guy or ???

Another type of guest houses overlooking ours - it is so green and fresh there.

In the morning.... aaaahhhhhhhh..... the air is so fresh

We left Cherating about 10 in the morning, take a slow drive to Balok beach. Had our lunch at 'Pak Su Seafood' - the food is ok lah...

Reach KL around 7pm.

Had a good time in Cherating and there goes our weekend - but a good one!

I was there again in June and the place looked run down, they don't really maintain it.