Sometimes (may be all the times for some) things happened without any planning or asking.
Hari ni, Swee Hai (my old university mate) sms-ed me saying he and his family will visit me (dah lama tak jumpa).I quickly sms-ed my caterer tanya boleh cater kah? :)) I hope Shahril will say yes.Kalau tak, I terpaksa turun ke dapur lagi.Will be inviting some close friends for an end of year reunion. 3 couples had confirmed yes.I paksa each bring a dish (in case Plan A tak menjadi).
Good and sincere friendship is a rahmat from Allah.These friends had gone through thick and thin with me. I remember the day Azura cut Jai's hair sampai nampak urat hijau Jai kat tengkok.Hahahah. Or Azah jadi makcik tukang urut while we were students in the UK and sharing girlfriends' secrets while students in NZ.
Ruzy pulak tukang support apa sahaja teori karut marut I.
Yang lain2 belum balik from hajj trip depa. We'll wait for their air zam2 and organise another lunch date. :)
Happy new year/awal muharram everyone. Semoga hidup kita sentiasa dirahmati Allah.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday
Looks of innocence.I liked!
Aik? Makcik pi kenduri pun bergayut on ph?
Meja Raja Shukri
Shukri jadi RajaNo news actually.My maid is still with my mom who isn't well. Xmas nanti kita pi ambik dia balik.Both maid and mom.Susah takda maid ni.I pulak tersilap urut and cannot walk properly.On painkiller now.Torture betul.
Dengan kaki tempang sebelah I managed to attend Shukri's wedding in Temerloh with Dr Saodah. Nik drove (tapi masa tu I ber-high heel sebab on painkiller, kan?No one would have guessed!)The groom was so happy we came.I didn't see our other colleagues.Tak patut betullah if they didn't go.Kita kena sama2 hormatkan hari besar kawan2 sekerja kita (Shukri is our technician.Dia banyak tolong I buat computer work.Orang berbudi, kita berbahasa.)
We missed the Temerloh's Pekan Sari Ahad (I was hoping to buy ikan salai) but we woke up late.Nak pi pasar lagi.
So yes.I masak.I iron baju.I siram pokok2 bunga.I cuci kain.Z and Nik ada juga tolong2. :)
There's a short story screaming to be written.But I can't remember what it is.But definitely last Friday it wrote itself in my head.
Ah well, it'll come back.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Brunei Adventures 2
at our hotel
traditional dish (ambuyak)
the family on vacation
boat ride
In search of crabs
Kampong Ayer (lebih 600 tahun usianya)
Kampong Ayer Speed Boat (no speed limit)
light of lights
Artistic!
Beautiful!
Magnificent!
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah MosqueSunday, December 14, 2008
Brunei Adventures
Intelligent Muslim women 
Most of the gals work at Pejabat Peguam Negara(AG's)
The traditional dinner we had at Aminah Arif in Serusop.
Ustaz Hanafi (TV personality but a senior HR Manager is an alumna)
Z spotted that 'anak damit' signage.Indeed there were many anak damit
onboard.Very noisy!
It was a bumpy ride home.My husband said the pilot was speeding. :))
We had a nice time in Brunei, mostly meeting people and making new friends.I had dinner with some 25 IIUM alumni in Brunei.I must say everyone has a good job (mostly with Pejabat Peguam Negara or Ministry of this and that.At the Pejabat Peguam Negara, IIUM grads make the majority of most employed other than UK grads.Woohoo.Canggih) I am so proud of them.Like most IIUM grads all over the world, they are well-sought after by organisations and employers. Syukurlah and I am happy for them.Many still travel to KL on weekends/short vacation cos' they miss our cuisines, etc. :) Will post some pics soonest Z is available (dia pi bday party malam ni).
I met up with En Suip and his wonderful wife Pn Laily and two of their kids (my contact through Dewan Bahasa).The eldest won a trip to Makkah for memorising 20 juz Quran (he's a hafiz).My daughter won a trip to Istanbul for memorising a Turkish song.Ahh..ternyata aku tersilap programme!
We had a nice time in Brunei, mostly meeting people and making new friends.I had dinner with some 25 IIUM alumni in Brunei.I must say everyone has a good job (mostly with Pejabat Peguam Negara or Ministry of this and that.At the Pejabat Peguam Negara, IIUM grads make the majority of most employed other than UK grads.Woohoo.Canggih) I am so proud of them.Like most IIUM grads all over the world, they are well-sought after by organisations and employers. Syukurlah and I am happy for them.Many still travel to KL on weekends/short vacation cos' they miss our cuisines, etc. :) Will post some pics soonest Z is available (dia pi bday party malam ni).
I met up with En Suip and his wonderful wife Pn Laily and two of their kids (my contact through Dewan Bahasa).The eldest won a trip to Makkah for memorising 20 juz Quran (he's a hafiz).My daughter won a trip to Istanbul for memorising a Turkish song.Ahh..ternyata aku tersilap programme!
Hidayat the hafiz gave me and mom some air zam2, kuih muih traditional Brunei.His parents took us shopping and gave Nik a jubah (this family is so nice..we just met them but when we realised that my mother's medicine bag went missing while disembarking in KL, they helped trace it in Brunei and made sure the bag would be sent back to KL by tomorrow.I guess some people are born nice!)
I liked Brunei.It's so quiet and clean. The boat trip to Kampong Ayer was superb.I'd do it again.
We also enjoyed the museums.Biasa I jarang suka museums save for a few.I guess they have money to buy interesting stuffs.Ours is so cheap looking.Setengah tu gambar poster je (nampak sangat low budget). :))
Brunei is environment friendly.The Sultan tak kasi potong2 balak ke hapa ke.This is great news indeed.
Things to do if you are visiting over the weekends:
1.textile shopping (very da cheap...no tax so materials are really cheap) Go to Delima Complex and visit Nazmi Textile Mall.Don't buy everything there cos' as you go along, there may be cheaper shops next door.We made the mistake of buying everything at one go...macam giler. :))
2.Kg Ayer is a must.We took a package holiday so tours are included but we found out that it's the same tour for day and night (konon yang malam versi malam) We cancelled that ...sapa nak repeat the tour? Nik kata ini sebab dah takda apa nak tunjuk in Brunei.Hahaha.They could have been more creative, these tour operators.Byk they can think of.Buat la traditional show ke, traditional pasar malam ke, etc.
3.We went shopping at Gadong Mall on our own.Di Brunei taxi tak banyak.You have to book early (maklum semua org kaya and have an average of 3 cars per household).En Suip and family met up with us (I didn't want to bother them but they had offered to take us out.Malangnya kita dah booked taxi pergi dan balik).
4.Things are cheap cos' no tax so you may want to buy gems or crystals here.But my friend said if we convert balik, sama je mahalnya. :))
5.I'd like to visit the kampongs outside the city.How much is still preserved?
6.Masjid Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah is also a must.Such a beauty!
I liked Brunei.It's so quiet and clean. The boat trip to Kampong Ayer was superb.I'd do it again.
We also enjoyed the museums.Biasa I jarang suka museums save for a few.I guess they have money to buy interesting stuffs.Ours is so cheap looking.Setengah tu gambar poster je (nampak sangat low budget). :))
Brunei is environment friendly.The Sultan tak kasi potong2 balak ke hapa ke.This is great news indeed.
Things to do if you are visiting over the weekends:
1.textile shopping (very da cheap...no tax so materials are really cheap) Go to Delima Complex and visit Nazmi Textile Mall.Don't buy everything there cos' as you go along, there may be cheaper shops next door.We made the mistake of buying everything at one go...macam giler. :))
2.Kg Ayer is a must.We took a package holiday so tours are included but we found out that it's the same tour for day and night (konon yang malam versi malam) We cancelled that ...sapa nak repeat the tour? Nik kata ini sebab dah takda apa nak tunjuk in Brunei.Hahaha.They could have been more creative, these tour operators.Byk they can think of.Buat la traditional show ke, traditional pasar malam ke, etc.
3.We went shopping at Gadong Mall on our own.Di Brunei taxi tak banyak.You have to book early (maklum semua org kaya and have an average of 3 cars per household).En Suip and family met up with us (I didn't want to bother them but they had offered to take us out.Malangnya kita dah booked taxi pergi dan balik).
4.Things are cheap cos' no tax so you may want to buy gems or crystals here.But my friend said if we convert balik, sama je mahalnya. :))
5.I'd like to visit the kampongs outside the city.How much is still preserved?
6.Masjid Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah is also a must.Such a beauty!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Selamat Hari Raya Aidul Adha
This year's pretty low key.I'm still in KL.Z has things to do till 6 pm tmrw.Maybe we leave for Raub after that.Then off we go to Brunei for our family vacation.Everyone laughed when we told them we were going to Brunei.It's more expensive than going to Bali.People from Brunei travel to KL to shop, etc.I know.I know.But my mom had wanted to go to Kg Ayer for so many years now.I'm taking her there, actually.Well OK...she offered to pay full fare but I will think about it.Hee hee.It's expensive going to Brunei.Everything is more than double cos' their currency is bigger than ours. I'll keep you posted of what fun we have there.If at all.We are going over the weekend je.I'm grateful to Allah cos' I'd get to see some IIUM alumni on the first day (I hope nothing goes wrong).I'm sure something good will come out of this visit.We are flying Royal Brunei, bukan Air Asia OK? And just so people don't think I travel on university money all the time, this is a personal trip, OK? :)
Anyway, I was in and out private hospitals doing my annual medical check up routine the last few days and was shocked to experience bad and inefficient services offered by at least two well-known private hospitals in PJ.I waited 4 hours to be served at one (I told them the government hospital would not be so bad.Even with appointment, I waited close to 1 hour for the doctor to arrive).Doctors datang lambat, nurses not attentive, equipment tak cukup, etc.Gosh, what is going on in this country??? Probably the best practitioners have left for more expensive private hospitals in KL, Penang etc.We have 7 star hospital now, kan? I wonder what that is like.Must ask Dr H who is working there now.
I met up with the Dietician after meeting up with my Cardiologist (who said my ECG and stress test came clear, alhamdulillah).I liked this sesssion.But I left without a prescribed diet.She said she'd email it to me but dah 2 hari, no news.Yup, that's Msian private hospital, folks.My daughter who's still undecided whether to do medicine or law might be inspired to do medicine now.
But for now, let's just say our syukur that we are still healthy and not too dependent on our hospitals.
Selamat Hari Raya buat semua.Semoga amal korban diterima Allah.Ingat pada yang tiada.
Anyway, I was in and out private hospitals doing my annual medical check up routine the last few days and was shocked to experience bad and inefficient services offered by at least two well-known private hospitals in PJ.I waited 4 hours to be served at one (I told them the government hospital would not be so bad.Even with appointment, I waited close to 1 hour for the doctor to arrive).Doctors datang lambat, nurses not attentive, equipment tak cukup, etc.Gosh, what is going on in this country??? Probably the best practitioners have left for more expensive private hospitals in KL, Penang etc.We have 7 star hospital now, kan? I wonder what that is like.Must ask Dr H who is working there now.
I met up with the Dietician after meeting up with my Cardiologist (who said my ECG and stress test came clear, alhamdulillah).I liked this sesssion.But I left without a prescribed diet.She said she'd email it to me but dah 2 hari, no news.Yup, that's Msian private hospital, folks.My daughter who's still undecided whether to do medicine or law might be inspired to do medicine now.
But for now, let's just say our syukur that we are still healthy and not too dependent on our hospitals.
Selamat Hari Raya buat semua.Semoga amal korban diterima Allah.Ingat pada yang tiada.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)