Am I Smiling Again?

It had been quite a while since I smile, really.. really smile.. The smile that comes within me. The purest, the happiest smile. I used to have the moments that I really smiled but frankly I forgot when was the last time I smiled that way. These few days I started smiling again. Smiling to myself while driving, while in the toilet (hehehehehe) , while waiting patiently my students doing their maths exercise. Well I felt like 15kg lighter (hehehehhehehe... really hope that I am 15 kg lighter). I even smile while I am sleeping... I felt good and I hope this smile will be with me for a longer period. Is it wrong for me to smile again? I hope not.. Good night.. I love you guys (and gals)

Another Therapeutical Weekend

I was prepared for the diving trip seven days earlier. My swimming suit, the sun block, fins, mask, snorkel, booties etc were arranged neatly in the bags. I had been reading a lot on the diving sites at Redang, just to make sure what I should expect before I started exploring the dive sites there.

Mamato and I started our journey around 11.40 am where I was worrying sick for us not arriving on time. Luckily the road was clear and we arrived on time. I was so excited and did not eat anything all morning. We took the ferry from Shahbandar Jetty. The jetty at the heart of Kuala Terengganu. Later I found out that the ferry from that jetty will stop at this one side of Redang Island while the ferry from Kuala Merang will stop at the other side.

From the jetty, a boat from Mozana Beach Resort picked us. We were given our room keys and I met Halimi for the first time. Halimi is the one who offered us to joint him and his wife for this dive trip. He owns a dive center in Bangi (oceanelements). We got to know each other through a photography forum.

We decided not to dive that day because it was nearly 5 pm when we arrived. I took out my diving gears to snorkel at the beach in front of my room. After taking my bath, I had few chats with Mamato until dinner. We had a simple dinner but for me, the island atmosphere had made it very appetizing. After dinner, we visited the Redang Kalong Resort and continued chatting with Halimi and Muzie later on.

I woke up quite late that morning, missed the sunrise but in time to join them for breakfast. After breakfast Mamato took his refreshing course. After that, we went for a dive at Terumbu Kili. The current was quite bad and I had this bad experience with current which made me a bit nervous. I had difficult time to descent but as soon as I descended Mamato had few problems so Dive Abort!!.

I had joined another two dives that day, one at Pulau Lima and the other one at Stingray City where we saw the famous one-eyed stingray. I had the chance to watch a nudibranch. But I missed the mating nudibranch because I was 'chasing' a school of fish. Thanks to Kamal for the two dives, who had a rough time taking care of me. That night Halimi downloaded few pics from his D70 and he had posted some at MalaysianUnderWater and his flickr. Beautiful pics!! After chatting with them I decided to take the night off earlier so I could wake up earlier that morning.

I woke up just on time, so this trip I had few sunrise pics. After breakfast, we went for another dive, today at Pulau Kerengga Kecil. Thanks to Macha, I had a great time diving eventhough I was low on air. We took the 1 pm ferry back to KT and arrived Kuantan around 6pm. I was quite tired but enjoyed every moment there.

To tell you the truth, whenever I back rolled to dive , I had this thing in my mind cursing my self how stupid I am doing all this crazy things but after a while, when I started swimming with the fishes then I will smile to myself, forgetting all the curses I made earlier. It is just beautiful down there and frankly I enjoyed diving with other divers who had the same passion. It will be soon enough for my next dive trip... You just wait...



(left) the day light

(middle) sunset

(right) sunrise


(left) the low tide

(middle) the footsteps of a loner

(right) the loner

Camping Trip, Sungai Mas, Sungai Lembing

I have not joined any camping trip for ages. My school days back in KL, we use to camp at the school field so it was quite a turn-off. I had started camping since I was 5 years old, back in the days we were at the State. Every long holidays will be filled by a camping trip with few other Malaysian's studying at my dad's university.

When my school planned this camping trip, I was not that excited. I was in the education-module making committee. Well this camping trip is also a community service to the Orang Asli at Sungai Mas. The main reason for this trip is to motivate the Orang Asli to emerge from their comfort zone. They live a simple life, too simple for me.

Even though I am in the education committee and my slot is only on Saturday night and Sunday morning I decided to give a hand to the food committee. They need to prepare food for 120 people that includes our staff, our students, students from SK Sg Mas and their staff. I was stuck in the kitchen the whole camping trip, even people thought that I was one of the food committee. It was tiring but enjoying weekend.

I did not have the chance to explore Sg Mas area to shoot because I was so damn tired. I had the chance to take a dip at Sg Mas though. A very clean and refreshing river which comes straight from Gunung Tapis. I even tell my friends it is an Au De Natural Jakuzi. I enjoyed taking my bath their until I forgot to take some pictures there. I was so eager for this weekend diving trip so I took my basic diving gears and use it there. Hehehhehehehe.. The pictures I posts here were from the scene of the education slot. My students helped me a lot but they enjoyed it. At least they know how difficult it is to teach and educate someone.

In less then 24 hours, I am going to hit the road to my diving trip. I will post my stories later.

(left) : the teachers peeling onions

(middle) : casino type game to learn how to add and subtract

(right) : one of my star student's teaching one of the kids



(left) : one of my student's showing interesting places in Malaysia. Just to give a better view to the outside world.

(right) : playing monopoly to increase their self esteem and understand the world of trading.

Therapeutical Weekend

I know that I have been complaining a lot about my stress level which is already reaching to one dangerous point so I decided to take a break. My friends had been talking about attending STFOGA AGM (STF Old Girls Association) on the 31st March so I decided to join them this time. I have a good excuse too, I need to drive back my dad's car which he left at KL.

I took a bus to KL. Arrived at Pekeliling Station around 5.00pm. Took another bus to my house. The traffic was terrible that day. I arrived home about 2 hours later. Pick up my dad's car keys and directly I drove to Midvalley Megamall. I picked up Tenko at Bangsar lrt station and had a nice sinful and fulfilling dinner at Kenny Roger's. I took Tenko to Midvalley Fotokem because she is looking for an PnS and underwater casing. Matt and her wanna try underwater photography. Later then we went to Jaya Jusco to buy something and since it was nearly 10.00pm we started moving. I sent her to Hajar's mother in law's house at Kelana Jaya. Tenko and her mother are going to Kota Kinabalu the next day.

I arrived home around 12pm. Settle the laundry, tidy up the house a bit and went to sleep with the tv set on. I woke up that morning, fold the laundry and then I went to Midvalley again. This time I wanna search for my stuffs since I don't have the opportunity to look for it the night before. It was still very early when I arrived, the stores were just opened. I went to Roxy, the store was on sale, I bought a bikini. I went to the Dive Shop next, bought some diving stuff and went straight to the exhibition hall. There was a travel fair held there. My friend, zul had a booth and I dropped by just to say hello. I suddenly realized that I was so hungry, went to the food court, got a bite and start shopping again.

After drained up my wallet and credit card, I went to Saloma Bistro for STFOGA AGM. Changed my clothes and helped out my friend at the counter. It was my first AGM, enjoyed every minute of it, meeting with my friends, my seniors (which I had never met), my juniors etc. It was raining when the meeting ended and we went straight to Quality Hotel, checked in and waited for my friend to arrive.

After cleaning up, pray etc, we went to Sogo for dinner. When everyone had arrived, we went to Sogo Redbox. We booked for three hours but ended singing for four hours. I enjoyed it so much, I ended with a sore throat. As we came out from Sogo, people had started lining up at the side of the road waiting for the street race. We continued talking till wee hour in the morning.

When we woke up, we decided to have lunch at Quality Hotel, dim sum buffet. I love dim sum so much and enjoyed every bite I took. After lunch, we checked out and I went straight to Zul's new house. Went back straight to my house, pick up few things and drove back home. It was quite sometime since I last drove alone and smiling all the way through. I had so much fun this weekend.

Going Diving Again

The season for diving had started for the east coast side. My friends had started diving again and kept telling me the stories of the underwater world. I just took my diving licience last year after few times postponing it. It was my brother who really want to take it that time so I followed. We went to Perhentian Island. I had never been there, so does my brother so it was a good choice. He insisted to go to Perhentian actually. I was trained by two master divers. One from Germany and another from Slovak. It took us 4 days and 3 nights to get the licience.

It is a beautiful world down there. Beyond words. You will only understand it when you had tried it. My life this few week were a mess. I had gone to the limits that my body allows it. I just need a break and I wanna go diving!!!. I had few invitations to joint few diving trips but my weekends are almost full with activities. (Who ever dare say that teacher's work is easy!!) Eventhough my schedule is very tight, I had made up my mind to join a friend's invitation to go diving. It is going to Pulau Redang this time. It will be sometime next month.

I wanna try underwater photography as soon I could dive well, I am going to take the course for it. Wanna combine both of my hobbies together eventhough it will cost me a bomb hehehehehehehheeh. I just could not wait to swim with the fishes again. I even had took out my sun block to make sure i have everything before I go for the trip. I just wanna buy a new swimsuit this weekend. To celebrate the new season.


Pictures info:
Up left - the dive centre in Perhentian that I took my licience. Offers very good price for courses and diving at Perhentian. Click here for info.

Up right - me in action

Down middle - isn't it beautiful!!

My Brown Gold Lace

Few years back, when I was madly in love, I stumbled upon a brown-gold lace when I was walking by a shop at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. I went inside the shop and I was mesmerized with it. Being a brown lover it was a must buy thing. I did not buy it that day but it kept haunting me day by day and at last I went back to the shop and bought it.

I was still unsure about my future love life but I bought it somehow so if in case he finally proposed so at least I had a piece ready. Well my love life did not go well as planned. Due to few problems and misundestanding we broke off. I kept the material well inside my 'treasure chest'. Last week I opened my 'treasure chest' after quite sometimes since I last opened it. I took the material out, well not for me to send it to the tailor but for my best friend. She had found her true love after a series of heart breaking session.

I remembered a saying, the best thing in life is to give away the thing that you love, so I am giving it away. I am more than willing to give it away and I hope the very best for her. Maybe the material is a bit out dated but she is going to wear it on her wedding day. Thanks Elly, I love you, I hope you will have a beautiful future ahead. Amin

Genting Highlands

I started my journey a bit late on Wednesday. I was excused from my classes on that day but I insisted on continuing my lessons that day. I rushed back after 2.15pm, packed my things and picked up my colleague around 3.00pm. We had a nice chat along the way, mostly talking about work, school and the problems which had made us a bit tensed lately. It rained on the way, we did not made any stops.

As we arrived at Genting Sempah, it was a bit cloudy due to the rain. As we drove up the condition got worst. I barely could see, luckily the road going up to Genting is much better than last time. The fog was very thick, I drove as slow as I could and I was relieved when I arrived at Seri Malaysia Genting Highlands.

After checking in, I had dinner and after that I drove my colleague, Ayu to the top of Genting Highlands. It was Ayu's first time going up there. Driving up the hilly road brought back a lot of memories. I had once drove up there with someone very special. Since my then, I had went there twice. So I realised that I could not live with memories. If I did, I could have not drive up there again. It is how we should live our life. Face ahead eventhough the memories are pulling us back. I am moving ahead, maybe a step at a time, but I am moving.