Fever on the new year....

Been wanting to write this post....well actually I came back to work yesterday and as you can expect there are tons of work and emails and stuff waiting for me to do. But I still want to write this new years entry. So here we go:

I woke up on the new year with a fever and the work: bitterness in my mouth, runny nose, cough you name it. We didn't really have a celebration, just staying home but since I was with my two beautiful daughters, the new year still meant a lot.

Earlier, we went for a year-end vacation to Damai laut with my sisters family. We had a nice time and even visited Pangkor Island for sight seeing. Other than that, its eat eat and more eating......which I love to do as you know heheh. Which also reminds me that I need to get back to my evening walk routine pretty soon. Like this evening!

Some photos from that holidays for you:

Qia took this nice shot of me.

Me and my sister.

Earlier than Damai Laut, Qia's friend from Perth Jessie was with us for a couple of days. We took her around Penang and it was a nice time too. She bought me an expensive perfume as gift. So far I have a collections of 3 expensive perfumes as gifts. One from Qia on my birthday, one from Dr Safaa and another from Jessie. All I keep with nice memories attached to them. (expensive for my standard that is, perhaps just normal price for all of you hehe)

Enjoying awesome Penang food in Gurney Drive with Jessie.

Qia will be going to her uni today and soon starting final exams. Princess started her school, term 2 yesterday. And I started work yesterday too.

Other than that, I havent been feeling well. I guess for the past 2, 3 months? I have trouble sleeping and also other menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Sometimes I sweat profusely middle of the night in an air conditioned room. Its been hard. A friend of mine said I should see a doctor and get supplements. Qia and princess said the same. I don't know. Isn't this a natural process? Anyway yeah this kind of bother me....

Half a century old.....here I come!

Take care all, love always.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year 2012!

It is Christmas today so I would like to wish my readers a merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I woke up feeling nostalgic this morning and my heart soften a little........Yeah overly dramatic that's who I am heheh. Holiday seasons always do this to me. Also new year is coming soon. I'm not sure whether or not I'm ready to say goodbye to 2011. So much had happened this year. Am I set to move on?

Qia is at home for a study week. I had to attend a friend's wedding dinner when she arrived. She let herself in. For the past two days, we spent time quietly watching movies. One after another. We eat, drink and just bonded. Our favorite meal of the day, breakfast is always special and we make sure to have it together......This morning while having breakfast we took turn talking about all the happenings in our lives for 2011. None of us are really prepared to welcome 2012 yet. Not just yet. We have a lot of unfinished business to deal with.

The morning's breakfast.

Tonight we went to the Penang carnival. Third time around for me and princess but first for Qia. The first 2 times I went with a few close friends. We had a really fun time. Qia took some photos, her new hobby and she is good at it too...then we came home with lots of food. Ohh, I eat so much these days you wont believe it hehehe. Well since I'm single now I guess me eating a lot wont do anyone else much harm.

At the carnival.

The week before, I was in Kuantan with Princess, visiting a good friend. After

spending 2 days together we went to Seremban for a few more days, then back home.

Qia will be with us for about 10 days. I have taken leave for whole of next week. We plan to visit Damai Laut again end of next week, to celebrate the new year. Drinking at the beach. Not sure whether it will be just the 3 of us, or I will invite some friends. Qia wants quiet time, to catch up with her studies. Also her birthday is coming soon. I'm still deciding whether or not we should celebrate it earlier, since she wont be with us on the particular day. Qia will turn 21, a big number for both her and me.

I will leave 2011 with lots and lots of bittersweet memories. There's the bond that fall apart, then there's new bonds made. There's the visits all over the world. The friends I made during those trips and also family vacations we took, the highlight being our visit to India is something I will never forget. I'm very lucky to have such wonderful children and dear dear friends that always look after me. I cant say that enough.

Not forgetting Chowder came in our lives in 2011......We love him dearly.

I hope to be able to find closure on some events, find my peace. I wonder what 2012 has in store for me!

Take care all...love always. .

Random photos...

Just thought I'd put some random photos today. Nothing better to do? Haha no, just that recently Qia took a photo of her and she commented to me that she looks like me, in that photo. So I dug out me when I was about her age. I think we do look alike heheh! Also I looked so thin back then. WHEN did I start to gain weight, one wonder :P

24 years old I think

What do you think?

And here is Chowder last night, holding on to princess. Isn't he a darling? ♥ ♥

On another note, princess is on a one month school holiday. This holiday ain't gonna be boring that's for sure. I have a lot planned for a fun time. To begin with: movie night with some friends! We had good food that night and the company was wonderful..

This will be followed by other outings and vacations. Will keep you updated.

Take care all, love always :)

Karnataka Beach, NITK Mangalore..

11 Nov 2011. Not sure whether I'm doing this right. Can you see the video?

Turn your volume up :)

Family trip....

I called yesterdays trip a family trip because I consider Dr Safaa and Yasmin family. I love Yasmin so much; like a sister. A loving caring sister. When I came back from India recently, Yasmin made breakfast for us. Similarly in the evening that I came back from Kuala Lumpur, she prepared dinner. Of course not just the food, every moment spent at her house is a happy time for me.

Since Yasmin is leaving to Iraq next week (Wednesday), yesterday I took Dr Safaa and her along with princess to a day trip in Bukit Merah Lake town. It was a memorable trip for us. We took a boat ride to the orangutan island and joined in the "community" for a fun day activities. I just simply love the orang utans. They share 99 percent of human genes and actually behave similar to human. I mean that shouldnt be surprising right hehe.

The jetty where we took a boat to orang utan island.

I forgot his name, but he loves to post for a photograph :)



Baby Sarah.

After orangutan island, we went to another island "the ecopark" that houses various interesting animals and reptiles. Here are some:

Then we took a 'chairlift" ride back to the lake park.

And ended the day with a delicious dinner at the lakeview restaurant.

It was really a nice trip. We came back and entered Penang island at night. From the bridge, the island is a painting of various colors reflected in the water. Penang is like a sparkling diamond and stars. I commented to Dr Safaa that this is similar to Juhu Beach we visited earlier in Mumbai. Reminiscence of the "queens necklace" road.

I guess the world is so full of colors and lights! I wonder what God is seeing looking down at earth from up there. Maybe he said opps I made the earth too small, now its all crowded with people and too many bright sparkles hehe.

I will miss these happy moments with Yasmin and Safaa. It will be sad when they leave. This is my life story I guess. I dont have that many people I'm fond of where I am. Okay thats the honest truth. I have a couple of friends that I really like but thats about it. All my good friends, really good friends are outside the country. They come to my life, then leave. Or I go to theirs, then leave.....

I wished I had them all here. My life will be complete.

I promise to meet Yasmin and Safaa again, maybe I will visit them in Iraq. Or we will meet in Turkey. Who knows. Meanwhile life goes on......

Take care all, love always.

India..

It is my last day in India today...so I'm writing this entry with a little sadness. Yesterday evening we spent time at the beach and took some videos of us, for memories. When we got back to our hotel, Qia edited those videos and put a background sound of "the way we were". Princess commented that... someday when we look back at these videos..... we might have bittersweet feeling of the way we were. We dont ever want to part. I cried.

My children and I will leave for home in the afternoon, (Mangalore to Mumbai then Mumbai to Kuala lumpur and Penang) expected to arrive on Sunday morning then afternoon on the same day I'm leaving to Kuala Lumpur for a week. What a life hehe.

India has been such an experience! I enjoyed every moment of my stay. Mumbai is an interesting place of historical (Victorian) buildings, nice beach and markets, friendly people and not forgetting the chaotic traffic on the road hehe. It is an experience like non other. We couldnt get enough of the mouth watering south Indian food especially their sweets so our daily activities besides sight seeings is eating nonstop :p

We did some shopping too and got ourselves nice sarees plus awesome Indian jeweleries.

London? Think again :)

Gateway of India, Colaba Mumbai

The usual hum of the streets of Mumbai


Mahatma Gandhi's untouched room.

After 3 days in Mumbai we took a flight to Mangalore and pleasantly surprise to be greeted by lush greenery and a calm quiet place. A total contrast of Mumbai. We are given a VIP suite at the NITK University I'm visiting. The suite is literally 2 mins from the beach! We woke up everyday to the sound of Mangalore peacocks and the waves, and went to sleep in a cradle of big golden Mangalore moon......

This university has its own private, clean and really nice sandy beach. The beach is only open to students and staff of the university. Probably one of its kind in the world! I gave a talk at the university and also at a pharmaceutical company nearby. We were also taken to visit their mountains, historical houses, herbal factory, the place where the river meets the sea (awesome) etc. At every meal time our host took us to different places to sample varieties of food and of course seafood since this place is known for its fresh seafood.

Thank you India for an experience of a lifetime. Thanks to NITK and The Nayak family for your kind welcome to your home. We will miss all of you so much. Thanks for the memories and the good time. You will be in our heart.

We shall come to you again India, someday.

Take care all, love always....and enjoy the photos.

The many beautiful fishing villages in Mangalore

Qia's captioning this: <3 <3

Trip to India...

The trip to India is finally here! I leave tomorrow to Mumbai, then Mangalore. Both Qia and princess are coming with me so I think we should expect a fun-filled vacation heheh.

Guess we will be spending eid ul adha in Mumbai!

I'm scheduled to give some talks , and going to the IIT Mumbai plus a Technical Institute in Mangalore.

Aside from that, holiday holiday holiday.

Oh also my sabbatical leave has been approved for next year to the university of Manchester. That is something to look forward to. new experience....still single ha ha.

Well, cant write long :( As you'd expect crazy busy schedules lately. Trips and meetings. Just yesterday I was in Seremban for a one day meeting. When India ends I will head straight to Kuala Lumpur for another one week meeting. Then Pangkor and back to Seremban after that.

Keeping busy makes me happy. Of course I hate leaving princess....and Chowder. Speaking of which, he will be left home. Home alone cat you might want to call that. I have arranged to have someone come in daily to clean, feed and play with him a bit. He is so attached to us now it is sad to leave him alone. But there is not much choice. Unless they have pet planes.

Meanwhile, Dr Safaa, Yasmin and us continue to see each other. Recently we had a nice dinner at this syrian restaurant at the beachside. Excellent food, bbq and beryani. Very nice restaurant.

Well, I leave you with some photos...

Take care all and to my muslim friends selamat hari raya.

Love always.

Tarbush restaurant:






The sleeping boy hehe



Chowder loves to play with bubbles. Can you see one?