Time, where did you go?

Time has stolen my summer holiday.

2 more days to go in Kuching, 1 day boarding on and off planes (hours wandering in airports), 2 weeks to slack and plan for the parents' arrival, 1 week touring around South Island with the parents, then uni begins. Eeks.

The past 6 weeks back in Malaysia felt seriously SHORT. Sure, I spent long hours (ahem) helping out at the shop, but looking back now it really didn't feel THAT long. In these 6 weeks, I've had some pretty unforgettable experiences including: from drinking snake wine (to be blogged once I get back to Dunedin where broadband is available) to getting an eye infection and had to stop using contact lenses for 2 weeks.

I know. Ouch.

I blame the dusty, humid, and polluted air.
Ok fine, my hands can't seem to stop rubbing my itchy eyes too.

Right now, my right eye is on steroids (anti-inflammatory). I can't believe people still ask me since when I started wearing glasses...

Anyway. Just a few pictures to add some colour to this post.

Julianna & Ching. Looks like a Darlie ad, doesn't it?
2 lovely & very *cough* single *cough* ladies.

Kuching's pride: the special Teh-C peng.
Note: Special is 3 layers.
Between special and super special is 4 layers.
Super special is 5 layers.
(correct me if I'm wrong)

Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?
No... it's erm. a UFO...?
Well actually according to my cousin-in-law aka expert pilot: it's a normal phenomena apparently. Cold air results in condensation as the plane flies up into the air. But really lo, it was a spectacular sight: the plane was flying almost 80 degrees up the sky, leaving almost a semi-circle trail of white smoke behind.

Doing promo stuff for Ian here.
If you're free on the 24th of Jan and happen to be at Kuching, do drop by and support this charity fashion show. More info at the official website.
Oops, I also thought that it will be held at tHe Spring, my bad.

PS. Chyi chyi: congrats on your very wise decision on staying back at Otago!!! (I knew it!!! :P)
big hug, big hug. We can hang around at Starbucks and watch out for more macho policeman next time. Oh yeah you'll need to advice me on traveling around South Island since you're the pro now!

the knots are finally tied

These past few days have been- how shall I put it- surprisingly educational. I'd discovered many facts (and myths maybe?), some just way too weird to type out here. One of which is VERY interesting: I never knew "bendera Jepun" (Japanese flag) actually means menstrual period. Sorry if that was too graphic. :P

Congratulations again to the friendliest and most talented couple I have ever met- Raymond & Michelle, on their (first) wedding ceremony held last Sunday. It must be so hectic for them, registering a few days ago at KL then rushing back for a ceremony before having another ceremony during June. Imagine having to say "I do"s and walking down the isle twice in less than 6 months. haha!

I felt a little down about having to miss the wedding, thinking that there wouldn't be another one in June. Feel pity for a few friends having heard that they missed the wedding as they got lost, but I can't help but feel amused at this irony.

Anyway, reunions have not been as often as I thought it would be. Though having dim sum and later pearl milk tea with a few close friends yesterday was actually really good. While I'm really looking forward to going back again, I actually wouldn't mind spending an extra 2 weeks here, just bumming around and waiting for the new mall to open.

WOW- is it just 7 days to go already?
eeks. I haven't even bought my 1 year supply for indomee yet!

I need a(nother) vacation

Second day into the new year, at least it's not raining anymore. Too bad it's still hot-as here in Kuching, with little wind to take away the heat.

To make things worse, some fools desperate for money decided to steal electric cables right outside my mum's shop some time last night (and sell it for RM15 per kg, no kidding). So power was cut for a few hours this morning (that means NO air-conditioning at all), and we had to turn down a few customers as photocopying was impossible). Thank goodness for 1 ringgit ice-creams nearby.

Time really is a constraint these few weeks. So many errands to run, yet so little time to complete them all. It's always like this during the beginning/end of a year.

Honestly, I can't wait to get back, get things all organised, start earning money again (setting aside funds starting this year specially for travel purposes), and making fun of lecturers with funny accents. With so many things yet to sort out especially with the new flat, I'm a little stressed out about NOT being able to be there and settle things (phone line transfer etc).

Speaking of which. Stupid telecom won't let me reconnect phone line YET as there are MULTIPLE lines at the new flat supposedly, 1 line for every room. Which means I have to identify which room to reconnect previous phone line to, and the exact phone number in each room. And I can't find out all those info since there is NO direct way in contacting my flatmates living at the flat with NO phone line/internet access. Feel so sorry for them, and feeling helpless at the same time. So I contacted telecom again (no toll free number!) asking them to give permission to my flatmates to reconnect phone line and give them the needed info.

Big headACHE.

Thanks Jan for being my middlewoman in solving this problem. =)


Oh. There's DURIAN in the kitchen waiting for me. muahaha!

2008!

Happy New Year ppl!

Hopefully there'll be fireworks tonight. I miss watching those.

Welcome to the city of cats, future Mrs Pancake. :P

New year? When?

What has the world come to? Assassinating a country's leader to prove a shared belief isn't exactly going to put a full stop to all the chaos.

What a way to send off the year 2007.

Anyway. I need to start thinking seriously about my new year resolution. All the magazines are pouring with tips/ideas on deciding ny resolutions. Sounds so easy but really: who is going to keep all those "exercise at least 3 times a week" resolutions? So I figured I'll just make mine as realistic as possible this year.

Looking at pictures traveling to exotic places for holidays really make me want to pack up my bags, book a ticket, and just GO somewhere. Yes I know I just got back from Thailand. But that was with a tour! Backpacking throughout Europe is still somewhere near the top of my "100 things to do before I die" list, and I'm still in search of a backpacking partner, and hoping to fulfil that in the next 10 years if possible. Anyone keen?

I had my medical checkup for the visa renewal done yesterday, x-ray today. The doctor had to try twice before getting any blood out -__- and I was trying to convince myself the whole time that I wouldn't have another panic attack again.

Which didn't work, of course.

Right after blood was taken, I had that feeling again. It felt like someone had cut off blood supply to my brain, and the nerves are trying really hard to connect with each other. Heart pumping harder than usual. So hard that I can actually hear my heartbeat, and I had to steady myself against the table. I managed to say to the doctor "I feel faint" before lying down on the bed for a few minutes until it went away.

Some say it's haemophobia, a phobia of seeing blood. But I didn't even had a chance to look at the blood-filled syringe!

But still, thank God it wasn't as bad as a few years ago when my vision was reduced to black and white, just like a tv channel without reception. Static. Hearing very blurred. Imbalance, extreme dizziness.

Anyway. Had my first movie since I got back this time. Alien vs Predator 2 isn't as good as I'd expected it to be. The movie itself: 6.2 out of 10. The fact that I'm also complaining about the small screen, horrible sound system, uncomfortable chairs, lack of headrest, noisy people, and mobile phones going off makes it about a 5.5 out of 10.

Worst of all, there isn't anything worth discussing about AFTER the movie. Oh, one particular movie trailer was funny. It started off looking like 300; muscular guys wearing Spartan outfits, then out of nowhere appeared a girl who looked freakishly like Britney Spears shaving herself bald while holding a baby, who was later kicked down the well by the supposed King Leonardis. Yeap, another one of those "epic movies" not worth watching at the theatres.