Friday, December 31, 2004

I'm getting married in the morning.....

Gotcha! It ain't me but one of my best friends from good ole Penang. She's not much of a traditionalist but it is the event of January 2005! (I would like to say the year but I am kinda wishing for other things to happen as well)

So, Congratulations Zoop and Dave! I can't believe it's happening....I know it's already happened back in October but you know, this is the one we girls get to attend - that's gotta count for something!

On to other news - earthquake and tsunami. Seems Nostradamus 'predicted' it - a natural disaster that at first mere humankind equated with SARS, AIDS.....but now it's actually this biggest-in-40-years earthquake off the coast of Sumatra.

I hear Pak Lah has postponed the New Year celebrations at KLCC. I think Malaysia should celebrate - celebrate that life still abounds, the new year brings new hope and opportunities, babies are being born, loves are being discovered. It's a happy time. A freak tragedy that we should mourn, but also realise that life and its uncertainty should be celebrated and appreciated even more so.

I was in Selangor when it happened. Didn't feel the tremors, didn't even know about it until 6pm Saturday evening. Maybe its harder for me to mourn deeply when it was so far removed from me, my family is safe and I don't really know anybody who was affected - even friends from India were safe.

I am not inhuman though. I still feel the tragic loss - reading the newspapers and seeing the images be it in print or on video - brings tears to my eyes.

But let us also remember the silver lining - Malaysia did not suffer such terrible losses as some other countries, we are still able and willing to offer aid, we have a calm, happy, peaceful nation where people (I don't want to use this phrase) of all races live in harmony. We say it quite often and hear the propaganda but have we ever really digested the phrase and understood it??? Where else in the world do you find this happening so smoothly?

We travel the world and it opens our eyes. Mamak food all around the clock, chinese/malay/indian/portugese/italian/spanish......food abound, beaches, fields, trees, hills, mountains, we're not in the path of any natural catastrophes, shopping all year round, rural and urban lifestyles, technologically advanced....so much to live and be thankful for!

So let's celebrate because otherwise we may continue to take our good fortune for granted!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! May 2005 bring us all our hearts' dearest dreams!

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It's that time of the year again and I haven't even uploaded blogs about my New Zealand holiday with the girls in November 2004! What can I say? It's not easy to get everything done when there is so much to do!



Anyway, New Zealand was a bit of a let-dwon for me. Didn't think it was worth all the effort in planning, all the money spent and all the hoo-ha that people usually attribute to the gorgeous natural pastoral beauty of NZ.

There were definitely parts of the country to die for but I can't say the same for Auckland, Hokitari or whatever.....and so many other provincial little towns. I mean I can see (kinda) the lure of an untouched, quiet little town but to live where there is one main street and everybody knows your business and everybody knows your name......not quite the thing I want to get into. The shops close at 5.30pm, there's nothing to do at night (the night spots close at 10pm) and the food hardly varies.

There ARE a lot more sheep than people, or at least that's what I saw.....you hardly see people out on the streets or even on their farms....one t-shirt I saw says it all
BAA BAA BAA
BAR BAR BAR
That about sums up New Zealand.

But let's concentrate on the inspiring parts of the country eh! South Island was our Promising Land - all our expectations were on that particular island after we traversed the North Island. It was almost fulfilled.

If you are driving, remember to stop for fresh crayfish on the drive between Picton (where the ferry berthes) and Christchurch. You will see the boats and you will see the signs. Milford Sound was gorgeous and beyond description especially if you're one for scenery. The snow-capped mountains always did it for me.

By the way, the North did have the Maori Village which was really cool and had a traditional performance of the Haka and other songs.

I had a whitebait omelette. Whitebait being the biggest catch of NZ - actually looks like ikan bilis with more meat and white. Also had a try of wombat burger which tasted pretty good and NOT like chicken.

Went also for a Glacier Walk at Franz Josef - climbed the FJ Glacier which left me numb from cold, kinda tired, sweaty, dirty and smelly from the poncho they provided. Not at all as cool as I thought it would be! Definitely does not compare with the Kinabalu experience!

The one place I truly enjoyed was Punakaiki with the Dolomite Walk and Pancake Rocks. I loved the sea spewing itself up through the blowholes and waited ages to catch the perfect photograph.

And now it's Christmas already! This year has flown by in the snap of fingers. Let's start the new year with new responsibilities, priorities and good luck; not forgetting love. Never forgetting love!

Ciao and may Buddha bless your lives always!

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

NEW ZEALAND HERE I COME!!!!!!

It's been one year on the books, 4 months in the planning and now the time has finally come for us 4 girls to go travelling around the beautiful North and South Island of NZ.

14 days of uninterrupted splendour is what we hope for not to mention some exciting fun! I mean what's a holiday without some mischief and good-natured jollying eh? I plan to do things I never planned on, it's time to kick off all those chains and fears because I'm thinking if I don't do it now, when on Earth am I going to do it?

I'm not young anymore, time to take responsibility and ownership for my own enjoyment right?

So, we're just four happy girls going off on a girl's trip, driving, cruising, staying at YHA hostels, flying on our own and trying not to overspend! I don't think we'll be doing much shopping there, Economic Board of NZ, but what the heck, they've already stolen 9k from me!

So, look out for fantastic LOTR pics and grandeur.
I can't wait!

Monday, September 20, 2004

WOW! I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since I have written.....Well, I have been extremely busy at work and trying to get hom to Penang as well as liasing with my poor other 3 friends who are planning our New Zealand trip with great aplomb and fantastic coordination and extreme gung-ho-ness (sic). I can't thank them enough! What would I do without them.....I guess NZ would be losing a lot of money with them cos I would definitely not be able to plan with the detail they have......especially with there being only so many hours in one day!

So, NZ in Nov and I can't waittttttttt to get there.....I have to fly there all on my own cos I don't have the number of days off that they have and have to meet up with them in Auckland. It's my fist big vacation in 28 years! - where I am spending my own BIG money and I am so happy I get to go with my closest friends.

I could definitely get used to not planning trips -the others are doing such a great job and I am happy to just be able to sit back for a change and not have to worry about every little detail/catching up with everyone else/rushing and pushing people for decisions.....

Take note people, this trip has been one year in the planning!!!!!!
Shall I go work in the UK next year?
Shall I travel again for work soon? It'll be winter! Yippeeee!

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Howdy!

I'm back in Malaysia already and back at work too....since last Wednesday. And guess what! I have to work 9pm to 6am! So don't blame me the next time I turn up looking haggard and old. Hahahahaaa....

Work has been really busy so far and it's also difficult trying to get enough sleep. And forget it when the weekends come! Boom! Your body clock goes all weird and confused. Gee...do I talk like an American now?!

Sunday, July 25, 2004

Pictures!

Sunday, July 18, 2004

So my last post I was drooling over Six Flags Over Texas. Well, let's see what happened.
 
First of all, we were off bright and early (9.15am) on Saturday morning but since we were in need of a few more souvenirs, we decided to detour to the great happy place called the Trader's Village n Grand Prairie. Those of you friends who have been regularly checking up on my activities will recall that we had visited this great happy place before! Well, yeah! And we loved it. That's why we're going back!
 
We had a half hour tops to get the essentials we needed cos we wanted to get into Six Flags early to 'beat the crowds'. Well, you know what.....we arrived at the flea market at 9.45am, not all shops/traders were ready but we managed to finish 10.30am and off we went to the nearby Six Flags (am I mentioning it too much? Don't really know why.....)
 
So anyway, there we were on the road and lo and behold, we get stuck in a traffic jam - a mini one compared to those in Penang and KL. But nonetheless. So, I started trying to be helpful in a Malaysian way - started suggesting that the driver get into a turn left lane (which was empty) to drive all the way to the top of the road so that he could then cut into the right lane which would allow us to drive straight onto the road that leads to the playground of playgounds! Unsurprisingly, he said no and so did his other American co-driver (direction giver)!
 
So, after a longggg queue into the parking lot (Premium Lots sold out!!!!...think they're those closest to the entrance) and a bit of patience, we were off to buy tickets and into the park we went! We established a meeting point at 4pm, this with us arriving at 11am and I kinda looked incredulously at John because all sorts of thoughts were running through my head! The main one being that, "We're never gonna finish this park by 4pm!!! Are you crazy?!!!"
 
Well then, anyway, we split up and the first one Jothee and I queued up for was THE TITAN.
http://www.sixflags.com/parks/overtexas/Rides/titan.html
 
Towering 255 feet above the earth, the muscular steel superstructure features one of the world's mightiest drops at hyper speeds of 85 miles an hour. One hundred feet taller than the legendary Texas Giant, Titan is faster than strikes of Zeus' lightning and features over a mile of twisted steel with huge sweeping spirals. A full three-and-a half minutes of spectacular plunges, a 120-foot long tunnel shrouded in total darkness, a series of camel back hills, huge spiral curves, and high-speed helixes are only some of the things you could look forward too
 
You know they report 1600 rides per hour; which means with the 1.5 hours I was in queue for the ruddy ride (alliteration!), 2400 rides were played out!
 
On to the Roaring Rapids cos Jothee wanted to get wet! (It isn't even on Six Flags list of rides??!) Anyway, it's one of those where you sit on a great big gloat with 9 other people and float along a river where you encouter swells and waterfalls and you get wet! It was fun.
 
Next, was Batman!  http://www.sixflags.com/parks/overtexas/Rides/batman.html
This is Batman's newest crime-fighting device, Batman the Ride opened in 1999. An 'over too quick ride for the 1 hour 15 min wait' thrill which, although quite exciting with dangling feet and 360 degree turns with your feet meeting the sky and sudden twirls, this ride made me wonder if the entire wait was really worth it. It was all of  10 seconds it felt like and after the Titan, it was quite tame.
 
And that was all we had time for! Can you believe it - 3 rides in 5 hours. We stopped for lunch. Got lost for 2 minutes, bought a 3 dollar bottle of Coke and went home. It definitely didn't feel as magical or wondrous as Disneyland. Like I was telling a friend, Disneyland draws you in to this whole new world with its magics and characters and dreams. You feel as if anything could come true here. But Six Flags doesn't aspire for that kind of an experience. It feels like it just wants to show you the rides, let you experience queuing up and then you get on the rides and you should be happy. It made me feel it was very commercial whereas in Disneyland, you didn't mind spending the astronomical amounts of money they wanted from you and you were happy to take your wallet out - cos how on earth could you live without that, or this, or that!
 
Six Flags the Summary - too much expectation, too little time to actually truly find out if they were justified. At this point in time, my feelings are, you should splurge for a Q-Boat (fast-track to the rides) otherwise, it ain't veryveryvery worth it!
 
Oh, by the way, it was blistering....or as some would it, ' Hotter than a Wh*re in Church'. Hehehehe....thought that was fun!
 
Adios!


Friday, July 16, 2004

Texas, Horses and Me: (Only in Texas)
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jrrphotos/album?.tok=phO.faBBDv6osMQ3&.dir=/de5e&.src=ph
Last weekend!
 
Last weekend we went horse-back riding! It was fantastic! Almost. It was very good, except that it would have been Fantastic if I had a runaway horse.....well, maybe not that dramatic, but a little trotting would have been fun. (John would have had his dream come true if I had a runaway horse!)
 
Although R.M., my horse, did try to trot a couple of times and I jerked up and down in the saddle like the amateur that I am.....and for the next two days, had a little trouble crossing my legs. It hurt!!!!!!! 
 
View horseys from link above....
(So, the people in the horsey link are - Brandon the expert horse lead, the Malaysians - Zuraini, Errolyn, Vijay, Nagen and Jothee in that order, John R. our fantastic host and Palaton D. our torturing trainer*.)
 
So, that was for an hour and then we just came on back to the suite.
 
Next weekend will be our last and guess what! Look out Six Flags, here comes Errolyn!!!
 
* He likes making the trainers in this team suffer. He wants us to present material back to him so he can penalise us!!!!! Help!
 

Thursday, July 08, 2004

This message goes out specially to D, without whom I would never have been able to cook in my little kitchen at here at the suite! Thanks D - I can do a mean cod and dory fillet now - and I wanted to plant some smackers for you, but the Paste button wouldn't work! But you know......
Ok, so on July 5th, with it being a holiday an'all (some Texan there - yoo hoo!), a colleague from the office took us down to see Downtown Dallas. I guess alot of people mistake Lewisville for not being a part of Dallas (I know I did) but it is actually a suburb of Dallas and that is why the main city area is called Downtown Dallas and not just Dallas. It's also known as the Metroplex where there's a whole jumble of different people and culture so there isn't so much of a southern twang or drawl - more's the pity!

Anyway, Downtown Dallas was really hot. I kept thinking to myself that I wouldn't walk in this weather in Malaysia (and it truly felt like we were in Malaysia), why on earth am I walking now?? But anyway, we were visiting and walking's the best way to see and experience everything I guess.

So first we went to the grassy knoll. Which one? Well, m'dears, there's only one worth mentioning! The grassy knoll where JFK got shot near! We saw the 'X' printed onto the road to mark where his car was. There being 3 different locations where the 'X' and its predecessors were marked on really make you think though! Anyway, then we went to see the Sixth Floor Museum where Lee Harvey Oswald was supposed to have shot from....we didn't actually pay money to go into any museums, including the Conspiracy Museum, which should have been fun.....but anyway, didn't think our hosts wanted to spend money wandering around local museums. So, some of us, I think , are going back there this SECOND LAST weekend to actually visit the museum!

I bought a magazine and had it autographed by the author/photographer which basically lamented the fact that a proper investigation was never carried out to break apart the conspiracy that shrouds JFK's murder! It was cool but rehashed a few photos and choice phrases besides showing a lot of zoomed in, and therefore, unclear photos.

We also saw City Hall, the Swanee Trail with its three different (white, black and Mexican - that's exactly how the guide explained it to us) cowboys running this herd of Longhorns. After which, we had lunch at this cool colourful Mexican place called Chuy's and then went 'shopping' at The Galleria! It is supposed to be a really cool upscale shopping complex where the rich folks visit but the only interesting thing I saw was the surprising presence of so many Asian faces! Waste of time.....

Then our very kind host took us home and cooked us.....dinner (Not cooked us, you sadist!) But anyway, he made a very nice simple Cajun dish with shrimp. We finally let our hosts be about half past nine when they sent us back to the hotel....the kind sirs! And then, the next day, there was 'school' again!!!!! Oh Lordy Help Me!

So, work is ok, people are really cool and nice, homecoming is coming and The Amazing Race 5 has started!!!!!!!! Go Military Dad and Go Sharla (?) Midget Woman! Go Down Pizza Brothers from Dallas!!!

Sunday, July 04, 2004

Sabah Photos!

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v293/errolyn/Sabah2004/
THE WEATHER IS CRAZEEEEEEE and it's getting hotter and hotter! Today we went to the Stockyards in Fort Worth and it was a really cool place to spend the day! we didn't have much time though cos the train arrived there at 11.30pm and we had to catch the return at 2.30pm!!! so only bought a few things but cool ones so I'm happy!

I think it's called the Stockyards because people used to come and buy/sell/trade their animals here. We were meant to check out Billy Bob's which is a cool cool place for country and western stuff, all set with line-dancing I heard, but didn't see it cos we didin't turn down the road.....and anyway, there wasn't enough time. I would have loved to have spent the whole day there slowly cruising the area but I think we held up our host alot already! ;)

It was quite surreal there because the moment you get off the train, you're assaulted with shop after shop after shop of souvenirs and eateries. Then you get out on the road and what do you see, old style wooden saloons and people dressed up like the olden days! The whores and their cowboys, the policeman on the horse and the guy peddling his longhorn (bull/cow) for photo ops!

OOoh, another very exciting thing that happened, was that the Tarantula Railway got help up by three bandits (one looked Mexican!) when we were nearing the station at Fort Worth! They shot their pistols and rode their horses alongside the train and one of them actually got on!!!! We were told to scream our hearts out when they got on and so we did! It was really fantastic.

And on the way back, ..............we slept. Hahahahahhaaaa.....It was too hot to bother with anything else!

when we got back to lewisville and got into the car, we saw that it was 98 degrees Farenheit!!!! Woooweee! no joke. felt as hot as malaysia.

Saturday, July 03, 2004

tomorrow i will be going on the tarantula railway which winds down from lewisville to the stockyards and there we're going to be going to billy bob's - a western, line dancing, country music place.....pity i don't have time to buy my boots yet! but that's for sat and monday (4th of july), one of the trainers from here will be taking us down to see dallas and cooking a home dinner for us!!!!!!!!! yippeeee.....looking forward to that!

also, as i said, final exams were today and i scored 100%%%%%%%%%!!!!! that kinda brought my average up to 98.9% over 5 tests....second highest.....even though in all 5 tests, i only made 2 mistakes.....1 was a michevious question and the other one was pure carelessness.....so anyway, there you go, second highest!

breakfast at the hotel is BORING with a capital B! They kinda switch the main dishes around so it's not statically the same everyday but even then, it's at least a repetition of the same thing at least 4 times a week! EEEKKK....help!

P.S. Haven't taken too many pics so....later ok!

Monday, June 28, 2004

Ok, BASEBALL GAME - TEXAS RANGERS vs HOUSTON ASTROs!

We caught the game live.....26 June 2004....... but left half way through cos i think most of us were asleep.

So, starting with yesterday mornig, we went to a flea market in Grand Prairie where i got some cool t-shirts and accessories! it was fantastic...not everything was texas/usa but they were really nice. So, that was a couple of hours, of which 60 mins of it was raining, we went for the game. Parked somewhere not too near the stadium where it cost us 10 bucks! I was told the stadium was called ameriquest.....took some pics.

we were definitely trying to get the whole experience like buying hot dogs (which i couldn't cos they were beef - so i got nachos instead) and a giant giant soda.....the only thing i realised was that there is no sales tax at the stadium. plus we got free texas ranger hats.....who wants? Kinda like my already existing fisherman's hat! It lokos cool, i may give it to my sister.

We also bought candy floss which cost 2.75!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read that right! It was shared around but we couldn't really finish it in the end also.....bleah...all sticky and gooey! So we left three-quarter way through the game (don't know why so many people think it's a great date place!) and got home all tired and sleepy.

Last night I watched Jerry Springer and it was stupendous as usual! 'Pregnant women get back at their cheating men'. followed by 'Eye for an Eye' which is even more mind boggling than Springer. The people who feel like they need to invent situations to get their 15 minutes of fame.......

Tthis Sunday, woke up for breakfast and decided to go to Grapevine Mills (yes, the outlet mall - where there's like factory outlets - as from a previous excursion). We had to get a cab over which cost 20 bucks for 5 of us and shopped from 11am until 5pm! I think I spent way too much money getting gifts for everyone......They also had a store with a closing down leather sale. saw a beautiful tan leather jacket for 49.99. It fit me very well but I don't know where to wear it to.....

Also tried on cowboy boots!!!!!!!!! Wanna buy a kids one....50bucks. Oklah since the adults ones cost 100 overs.......

Ok, got a test tomorrow at 'school' so gotta study tonight.

Monday, June 21, 2004

It's the end of the weekend and tomorrow will be a workday from the shuttle to office at 7.30am until the shuttle scheduled back to the hotel at 5.15pm. Sounds like a real long day doesn't it? Hope all goes well, especially since my name will be on all the reports!

So, I have already bought a cool cool pinstripe suit cos we went shopping at Grapevine Mall today. It has all the outlet stores that sell brand names cheaper. Saw some other cool stuff, like attitude t-shirts, but I think I will save them for when I am sure I have money left. Cos the western stuff has all NOT been bought yet and time is so short with so much to do. I don't know if we have covered all of Lewisville but there are a whole lot of fun family chain restaurants here that we have definitely not tried yet. I really wanna check out Jack In A Box cos I've never had that! Same goes for Taco Bell.

Also went grocery shopping today at Target and I tried on lots of XL sizes......from the Children's Department. COOL! Really saves my dollars although I must say the best thing that has caught my eye thus far are the attitude t-shirts. They have smart ass phrases on them and I saw 'Princess' with a cat, D!!!!

So, everybody's getting along very well and we're gonna cook a Malaysian dinner for everybody from office....well, the two that we have lots of contact with anyway! AND, we met this really nice man, Douglas, who's a trainer too, on loan here in Texas from Michigan!

He was so kind - found out where the mall was, drove us there in his car, spent a couple of hours walking about with an ice-cream so we could shop. And!!!! he's even found out about a rance where we can go ride horses and meet cowboys and do Texas-exy stuff! Hahahahhaa.....he's wanting to introduce his 6'4" blond haired son to us who can show us how to twirl a gun from the holster (I'm sure it's meant to be draw and something but twirl sounds like it describes the motion pretty well). We've also got Six Flags in mind and definitely Western shopping!

Breakfast has been pretty good but I seem to get hungry again in the middle of the afternoon even though I ate a pretty heavy breakfast - today. And in the afternoon about 5-7pm, I think everyone naps. You just can't help it!

Well, hope all goes well tomorrow and I love that this hotel has free internet which seems so far, touch wood, to be readily available whenever I want it. Should try to get Yahoo messenger loaded on here so I can chat!

Saturday, June 19, 2004

HOWDY!!!

Ok, I am now in lewisville, texas! It's looking alright as of now. Lot's of flat land and my suite is fantastic! Homewood Suites people. If only I had an apartment like this back home. I shall take a video and save it somewhere for you guys to view.

So, just had our first breakfast here and I am feeling so thirsty already. Yesterday's high temperature was 95 degrees Farenheit. It's HOTTER than Malaysia, can you believe it.

Shopping is next on the agenda and souvenir shopping. Had a little fiasco at the airport - involving pepper spray(!), don't know if it's legal to talk about it! But it's really susah to get in here lah! The flight was too long - been travelling since 7am 18 June and arrived here at the hotel at 2am 20 June. Way too long and people who are coming in, make sure your transit hours are good and long enough if you're catching a connecting flight!

Anyway, enough for now. Will update later. Brain too fried to think.

Monday, April 19, 2004

Ok, it's been a week since I stopped climbing (or 6 days) and my thighs are still hurting! Could it very possibly be because I had conditioned myself to think that I was going to get a long-deserved, luxurious, oh-so-beautiful massage to de-stress and relax my whole body ........but didn't? Or is it just because I didn't hurt that much in the beginning and the effects are residual and taking longer to vanish?

So that's the only side effect I have - hurting thighs.

When you're going up Mount Kinabalu, I must MUST recommend strongly that you go with somebody who can motivate you, somebody who can push you, somebody who won't give up on you!!! Preferably a loved one! Because I sure know that there are times when you need pushing. Not that you wanna give up but that the numbness, the shortness of breath, the ache just makes you wanna stop longer than you should and sleep out there. (I LOVED the hot steaming bowl of Maggi Mee I immediately ordered when I reached Laban Rata). Ah! The simple things in life!

Sunday, April 18, 2004

Ok, back from Sabah! YEEAAAHHHHHHHH!!

It was fantastic! Firstly, the little stuff. It was cheap shoes galore over there with promotions that say "Buy 1, Free 1"! Bought postcards that said, "I Climbed Mt. Kinabalu" instead of "I Came, I Saw, I Conquered"! How can one say 'I Conquered' to a majestic wonder of Earth like that?!

My momentous climb up Mount Kinabalu - the highest mountain in South East Asia.

I think everyone should go at least once in the life! Got the pictures and certificate to prove it too before you ask if I reached the summit.

It is truly awesome and beyond description. The stars were out, the trees/shrubs/flowers were different from anything I had ever seen, the freshness and crispness of the air, the coolness of the rock (testified by the countless times I sat down to catch my breath and give my legs a breather), it was wonderful! Makes you really think about the vastness of the Earth and how small and insignificant other things really are. You know, sometimes you get so caught up with little everyday events, things, sadness, disappointments and then you get up there on the Big Rock and you realise, time is eternal and nothing is so big and important that it can take over your life forever.....well, I guess except for death but even then, there's reincarnation.....

So there was the climb up to the 'mid-way' point of the mountain which is the rest stop for the first day at 3293m. Took us about 5 hours to reach that height from the base and it's rest/sleep time until 2.30am the next morning to attempt the next big bit. That's the hard part done! It takes another 3-4 hours to reach Low's Peak at 4095.2m to catch the sunrise. I didn't catch it though cos along the glacier superhighway (what the locals lovingly call it!), I was stopping every 5 steps just so I don't overdo it! The air was so cool, you don't really feel cold with all the exercise but my toes and fingers were numb - and I had on two pairs of gloves!

So many times I just stopped and gazed around at the beauty around me. The stars were so bright and I can tell you, it's not a sight you see often in the city! The night was so quiet and the moon just patiently shining down to light our way along the rocky moutain face. I just sat on the rock, lifted my face to the night air and enjoyed the stillness of the night.

When we first started going, it was like 'Go! Go! Go! There's a mountain to climb!' I couldn't believe that I was so happy and up to it. I was absolutely astounded that I reached Panar Laban. I keep telling people, the chronology of the climb is obvious from the photos we took along the way! At first it was I can reach up and touch the sky grins but then it got just a wee bit different! The Panar Laban picture of me had my face like I had just sucked on a sour lemon!

Then the big one up there. Oh! I could have just sat up there for ages and ages just enjoying the view and the air.

Thennnnnn there as the big walk down! The rocky face was fine but when we got down to about 5km until the front Timpohon Gate, god, if there was a hell, that must have been it! It was HORRIBLE! I so nearly wanted to cry and just sit down . My toes were hurting, my knee was tight....it was hard trying to get down all those steps and we kept wondering if we really did climb UP all of them! I just wanted the Park to end already! Forget it with all the pondok rest stops! That was seriously the worst part of the entire climb for me!

And then we were supposed to go River Rafting but the legs (thighs) hurt too much so we got lazy and just ambled around town buying souvenirs.....then we went to Manukan Island which is one of the five islands that make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Went snorkelling, got stung by jelly fish and got some tan lines! Heeheheheheeee....

Sunday, April 04, 2004

Yahoo!!!!!!!!! I can't believe that it has been over a month since I last wrote. I probably stopped being on the fitness track like 3 weeks after.....Have been to FRIM two times in the past month and have thouroughly enjoyed myself. Don't know why the other jogging/exercise tracks don't get me going but I just get so excited going to FRIM. Hvae been doing their hill trails and got up them without much problem.

Also went on the canopy walk. Had to pay RM6 for the honour and it wasn't actually worth it cos it wasn't very long or scary! And we didn't get to loiter......... took some photographs but D has them and I am not very sure how they turned out.....Could see the Twin Towers and KL Tower and it was cool. Others were afraid of the swaying and the height but hey, honestly, it wasn't such a big deal to me. In fact, I loved the swaying....put some action into it.

Went on a shopping expedition yesterday to Sunway Pyramid. Since I haven't been buying anything.....much.....lately, I thought it would have been a greattttttt trip. Didn't buy anything. Saw some fantastic shoes at Vincci and Esarli and Nose (who almost always emulates some other brands designs for a cheaper price - henc I love them!!!) but they were expensive!!! So I didn't buy any! Have decided to get at least 2-3 of them though. .....so feet; watch out!

So, Friday- Thursday 9-15th April, I shall be away, hopefully getting my summit cert (HAVE TO GET IT NO MATTER WHAT!) and shopping and river rafting and basically experiencing new and wonderful things!

See you when I get back!

Sunday, February 22, 2004

Sabah here I come. What is it, Land Below The Wind?!

April 9-15 2004. Flights booked. Kota Kinabalu and Mount Kinabalu to be conquered.

My first time ever in the mystical East Malaysia. And guess what, moi is now on the fitness track. Uhuh! I have started my regime. Jogging, walking, climbing stairs, swinging my arms! Trying to endure it for a half hour at least every day. So far no aches and pains....well, it has only been two days! But I really do hope I get to the stage where I can jog and talk (simultaneously) for 1/2 hour without being out of breath. As it is, the unfit me is trying its darndest to coax the sane me into not trying to kill it. It sure as hell leaves me dry mouthed and breathless. My lungs feel like they're being filled with fire and sometimes I feel like blacking out! I guess that's pushing myself huh? Hopefully, this self-torture phase will end soon and I can get with feeling good about being able to jog around the field without wishing I was dead!

So, keep up to date with Errolyn's Keep Fit-O-Meter!

April 20
Time: 30 minutes
Location: In the house
Activity: Climbing up and down stairs, jogging around living room and in front of mirror
Result: Good for first outing. Really did what was needed and nothing less. Tired and real loss of energy right after stopping.
Comments: 15 mins into exercise, I felt like dying. Lungs burtsting but trying really hard to push myself as much as I can for the first day. Don't want to demoralise myself by attempting too much the first unfit time around and failing. But had to stop when the risk and real danger of tripping down the stairs became too much.

April 21
Time: 0 minutes
Location: -
Activity: -
Result: Lost out on continued burning of calories and building of muscles and stamina.
Comments: It was Saturday and I was.....doing something!


April 22
Time: 35 minutes
Location: Around field, playground
Activity: Alternate jogging and walking, arm swinging, short session of up and down blocks.
Result: Good show of effort today although could have tried to push harder. In the beginning, dry mouthed and hard shallow breaths. Numbness in fingers.
Comments: Good workout. I know I kinda copped out on some jogging but it felt really hard and even with the brisk walking, my calf muscles felt burned. Read somewhere that arm swinging doubles the calories burned/effort expanded so did it for some time. Yes, jogging is still boring. So I went to the playground and brisk walked and jogged on the winding paths found there. Put some variety into the activity!
OK, HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!!!

and HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

Still getting ang pow. Not yet ready to give but I don't really think there is any fear of that happening soon!

Had quite a fun time at home with the family. Although as usual, it isn't nearly enough! Especially now I guess, with no many days leave to take.

I guess it was about this time too that the personal disaster that still haunts me to this day started. Looking back, I didn't really notice it much. I had gone back to Penang all psyched up about building up my piggy bank again, pigging out on food as I are often wont to do even though I was enjoying my almost newly-found (December) svelter body with less kgs and fat! But what the heck, Chinese New Year only comes one a year right?

So, anyway, that's when it started. Suddenly, one day while washing my hair.....which I really must explain - when I was young, I had gorgeous thick, healthy, black hair....until one day it started dropping (perhaps the onset of puberty?) But then it stabilised and I was quite happy to live with my half a head of old hair. God Knows! It was still a lot of hair. But then, come January 2004, it started falling out in chunks! Now, if I was a hypocondriac, I would have thought I had a brain tumour or cancer or something. Anything to explain the horrible unexplainable, really hurtful loss of hair.

Every time I washed my hair, I couldn't see the bathroom floor for my hair. Every time I walked around my room, I had strands and strands of hair trying to merge with my furry bedroom slippers. What was a girl to do? You tell me.

I thought perhaps it was the length of the hair (yes, moi was trying to grow really really long hair) and perhaps it was the weight of the hair that was getting it down, so to speak. So, worried little ole me went and got it cut and layered (god, if you see me now, you would think I was bald!) So, got it all hacked off, got it dyed and what happened next?

I realised I had gotten fatter and more unfit! (God is this self-pitying ever gonna stop?)

But, I digress. I was still losing hair! Now, I put it down to a bad diet that didn't consist of enough fruits and vegetables (mama was right!), not enough rest (hear that D!), and stress (from work??!).

So, I have had it and am now scouring the entire Malaysian, well, ok, maybe just KL, market for hair regrowth products. Shhh! But don't tell anyone eh!

If you've got any remedies, PLEASE TELL ME OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND TAKE YOUR HAIR!
Hello Friends!

Now, before you tap me on the wrist because it has been so long; I will need a chance to explain myself.

I did try writing recently but the whole computer (old that it is getting) died on me and nothing had been saved! Imagine my disappointment and feelings of loss over the whole heartfelt piece of writing.

Which reminds me, perhaps I had better get to writing this on Wordpad so it doesn't get swallowed too!