Over the New Year

Spent nearly a week at home. Came back 4 days before Chinese New Year, and still in non-working mood on the 3rd day of new year. Was busy with new year preparation and cleaning, then on the new year eve, we had prayer for my dad, then we had reunion lunch. At the night of new year eve, we did simple prayer, then enjoy our night at the balcony, watching people playing fire crackers.

On the day of new year, we all had a single vegetarian dish with rice, its our tradition. We then remained only having vegetarian food till noon. Then me, mum and cutie pie nephew went to my father's side grandmother place. Most of my relatives were there, I greeted them briefly and as usual, the unmarried will get red packet (Ang Pau) from the elder, and from those who had married. Nephew was afraid of so many strangers there, so he stuck with me most of the time.

I don't really see the meaning of new year gathering sometime. Most of my aunts and uncles can still recognize me, but most of my cousins don't even know who am I or how to address me properly although i still remember their names and faces. Anyway, I don't mind they don't know who am I, its just that if you can't get to know your relatives thru this family gathering, then when are you going to get to know them? Or should I put it this way...What's the point of knowing them all and chit chat with them, but when on normal day, even though we stay not far from each other, we never talk or meet even once through out the whole year? I don't really get the reason of this new year family gathering anymore....For my own family, we are small family, and we stay very close to each other, as me and my younger brother still stay at home with my mum, and my elder brother who has his own family, live less than 5 mins away. We will get to see each other almost every weekend. So the new year to us...maybe its just a season to have more food than usual days, and have reason to wear nice new clothes...

Getting red packet is never the itinerary anymore, especially if you are my age. People start wonder why are you not getting married yet, and not even bringing someone with you during this "family gathering". Relatives start to give you strange look, and asked awkward questions for example, why you didn't have any boyfriend/girlfriend yet? As if we really know the answer....It gets worst when people around your age are bringing their kids with them, and giving you red packet as you are still single.

So, i spent most of my time in my room or with my mum...I manage to finish a 400++ pages book over this busy week, and i am feeling great and content.

Book bought from the 1M book voucher, finished on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year.

Think back, and do tell me what's the real meaning of new year celebration where money was burnt, food was turned into high cholesterol and everything you see may not be real ?

A Poem

Came across a beautiful poem and wish to share. By the time I finished reading the last two lines, I felt pain in my heart, and couldn't hold my tears anymore.

by Jo

She sits by a window and waits.This is her routine every single day.She never confronts the truthBecause she knows how much it'd hurt.The truth is too hard to bearAnd she thinks nobody caresBut she doesn't know that I'm always hereWatching her cry and wishing I could be there.She's afraid to hear what ISAnd more afraid to forget.I wish I could be there to comfort herAnd to hold her in my arms once again.Because the truth that really hurts... Is the reality that I am gone. Adapted from http://www.poems.md/daughter-poems/to-a-daughter-from-her-father-430.html

2012

The starting of year 2012 was with lots of love and gratefulness, then was bestowed with some hardship and problems. Life is so, up and down. No one stays on top of the world all the time and no ones will be at the bottom, be looked down by those on top all the time.

With gratefulness, I always get to remember the love that I used to receive from someone i love. Some unconditional love that given by parents. They used to tell us how much they wanted us to be successful in life. To a time that, they actually tell us they just want us to be happy.

I recollected some memory. When i was thirteen in age. I has been having some degree of obsession towards sports car and luxury car. Although i was only into their eye-captivating appearance, but i can almost identified them when i saw them on magazine or on TV.

Then there was a day. I received a thick letter from Singapore. I opened it up and i found that inside was nicely cut newspaper cuttings of some nice cars. It was sent to be by my dad who was working in Singapore at that time. He collected those cuttings that he got from local newspaper, fold it nicely and put them into envelops and post it to me. I was trilled, and i still keep those newspaper cuttings.

It is a memory i have, very clearly, with my dad. He was working in Singapore since i was borne. We had long distance father-daughter relationship. Then he came back to Penang. We only had a few years of family time before he past away. 3 years before he past away was the challenging time. I always wonder, even till today, whether that period of time, was the time that made me stronger or the time that made me more of a not-to-care person.

Now, i get more grateful everyday and i can't wait for tomorrow.

2011

Picture edited from photo taken at LA Disneyland December 2011

Year 2011 is a life changing year for me. Many things were learnt, great people were met. Massive influences were received. Heart was broken but mended. The hollowness was filled with love from people around me.

I did something great, did something stupid but ended up be the most precious mistake that i ever made. Life was experienced amazingly in foreign land. Nothing I shall ask for more.

To my dear friends and family, have a great year.

2011－合艾 3天2夜 1

久违了的泰国合艾，那一个曾几何时我经常去的地方 。可以第一次的和 一班友人开心的畅游合艾是多么的难得。三天两夜的行程是排的满满的，同行的有Asha, Nathaneal, 淑蕙和母亲，小弟和女友共7人。 在清晨时分行驶过槟威大桥，天渐渐的亮了，橙红色的街灯，车灯和远处的灯火完美的点缀了迷蒙的宝蓝色天空。车子开上大桥时的那一段路，平静的海面，带有神秘感的晖映了街灯和大桥中央结构的灯光点缀。车子一路的开往泰国的方向，沿路经过了美丽的稻田， 这个季节，田园中均是绿油油的稻田。 阳光耀眼的带出了稻田的生气，青葱草绿的，仿佛是呆在冷气车子里也可以闻到清新的春天带有的独特气息。

进三个小时的路程，我们终于到了这个有一个小时时差的美丽国度。过了关口，见到的是孑然不一样的风景。在过了关口的第一个小镇是一个叫Sadao的地方，我们一路的往前奔驶，一片片的橡胶园由我们的两旁飞闪而过。透过车上的窗，见到了当地人逍遥淳朴的风情和友善的笑容。在车里，我们讨论了泰语的文字，感觉像是得从右边给读起的，也发现了他们的文字，没有如英语般的每一个字都有空格， 感觉一口气念完整个句子很有可能会断气。 谈谈笑笑的就到了合艾我们降下塌的酒店。Rado Hotel，就坐落在与BP Grand Hotel的同一条街道上。 非常靠近市中心 ，一条街直走就可以到达Lee Garden Plaza和 Central Shopping Mall。在酒店登记后，我们就开始外出吃午餐。 眼光明媚的合艾可以说是和天气预测差个十万八千里，当时的曼谷可是深陷在大雨和洪水灾的恶劣情况，难得的我们在雨季的合艾可以见到蓝天白云，让我们不舍得就这样的躲在室内里购物，所以决定了户外活动。午餐后，我们就在街上截了一辆TukTuk，经过讨价还价后，司机同意以一人50Baht的价钱接送我们来回到邻近的卧佛寺（Wat Hat Yai Nai）。给人和槟城卧佛寺有着不一样的感觉的卧佛寺， 是个开放式的寺庙。虽然没有槟城卧佛寺那么的堂皇但是这35米长的卧佛却给人一种心灵自然的平静。之后我又和司机商量以便宜的价钱接送我们到近卧佛寺的其他寺庙，善良的司机后来决定了以100Baht／人的载送到另外两间的寺庙。当然他也不忘在我和他讨价还价时取笑我说遇见他是我们大家幸运，我也不忘作弄他说你遇见我们才是你幸运呢！回程，见到了美丽的田园景色，矮矮的稻米未到成熟时，淡淡的绿色，外加路上车子行驶过飞上来的尘土，别有一番风味。到了酒店门口，给了司机钱，向他道谢的当儿也不忘祝福他顺风（泰语：chuk dee)。 在父亲还在世的时候，我没有好好的向他学泰语，只是听了学了一点简单的单字， 和学了一点当地的文化，所以只会有限的单字。

休息了一下， 我们就正式的投入购物天堂合艾的怀抱。 难得的我们选的来的日子是泰国水灯节(Loy Krathong)， 所以傍晚时分就到一间近河流的庙宇去放水灯许愿，并且让水灯把厄运都带走。 另外水灯也是用来答谢水神的祭品。 一般水灯的价钱为30－60baht，一些比较特别的水灯就有不一样的价钱。水灯的基座一般为香蕉叶和香蕉树干。拿着自己选了的水灯，点上了水灯里的蜡烛和香，走到河边，在满月的加持下，在河里的泰国小男孩接过了水灯就帮你把水灯放到河中央，让河流把水灯带走。放了水灯， 在那 庙宇两旁似庙会的庆典小摊子，卖了各式各样的小食。 我们胆粗粗的试了香脆蚱蜢外加好多的小食。

过完水灯节的放水灯仪式， 我们回到了市区，又继续了我们的购物。 夜里，大家都熟睡到像婴儿般，可谓真的是累坏了。也许，大家都真正的放松了，放开了都市的烦恼也放开了平日的担忧。

Unforgettable Diwali Getaway 3

Me wearing Salwar Kameez for the very first time.

At Kellie's Castle

Posing at roof top at Kellie's Castle. Flying shawl, imitating Bollywood style.

Unforgettable Diwali Getaway 2

Lovely sky with the magic touch of the shy rainbow

Kellie's Castle, in Batu Gajah, Perak

Amazing sunset at the oil palm plantation

The processing plant in oil palm plantation with amazing reflection from the water surface.

Taken at Kellie's Castle.