Kuching Checklist

I’m all ready and packed out for my Kuching trip. Even as I’m typing this, my excitement is escalating at a frightening rate. Of course it is not frightening if you’re me! So I looked through my bag and mentally took note of all the items I needed to bring along. Here’s a check list I keep for travelling purposes. I absolutely hate accidentally leaving something behind. While some items can be lived without, having them around makes life so much easier. I take comfort in my own things. And I find it a hassle to have to borrow or worse still, buy, if I left something behind.

The checklist takes away the burden of having to mentally remember stuff. Plus all I need to do is to tick away the list to make I have taken along everything. Here’s my Kuching Checklist:

Clothes – to last 5 days 4 nights. Brought along lots of t-shirts and shorts to cater to the hot weather. Plus I’ll be outdoors quite a bit.

Undergarments – to last 5 days 4 nights or I prefer to count it as how many times I’ll be taking a shower. There will approximately 8 showers this trip so at least 8 sets to go.

Toiletries – comb, body shower, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste (all travel pack sizes of course)

Cleansing Regime – Cleanser, Toner, Moisturiser (travel pack) to make sure my skin stays healthy.

Camera – to take loads of pictures!! Included is the charger

Hand phone charger – so I can stay connected.

Sun block – much needed for all my time outdoors.

Cap – to prevent too much tan. I almost never regain my colour back whenever I’m out too long in the sun. So a cap reduces a tan a tiny bit.

Umbrella – for the sudden showers. Plus it also protects against the fury of the blazing sun.

Sunglasses – to look cool. *laughs*

Insect repellent – AA went for the Rainforest World Music Festival 2 years ago and reminded me (more like drilled it in my head) to bring this along because it would be my life saver. He poor soul had a literal blood donation drive to the feisty mosquitoes during his last visit there.

Denim Jacket – in case it gets cold. Will definitely use it on my journey to the airport (I’m leaving home at 6 am *horror*), the airport and during flights.

Towel – not provided by the backpackers I’m staying at.

Blanket – I get cold pretty fast due to the absence of flesh and fat in my severely underweight body. And I bet the ang moh’s in my dorm won’t be too happy if I switch off or turn up the temperature the air-cond in the middle of the night, so my blanket “courtesy” of Malaysian Airlines will keep me snug and warm.

Shoes and flip flops – For walking duh

Map – 3 Maps of Cat City with the main streets and important locations beautifully highlighted in yellow. I took the pains to look up comprehensive maps which had good landmarks to make travelling and walking around easy when we go sight-seeing.

List of Places to Visit and Food to Eat – again google and blogs are really helpful in deciding where to go, how to go and what to expect. I especially took in more effort in the food section coz this girl can definitely afford a piling up a few kilograms :).

Kenny’s Food Award post and Wiki Travel of Kuching are superb. I savoured every bit of those articles, absorbing all the details and then neatly compiled my own list in my notebook. I can’t possibly visit every single place so I focused on the must-not-miss items like the Sarawak laksa, Kolo Mee, Teh C Peng etc etc.

Packets of tissue – absolutely needed because my nose will display sinus-like and flu-like symptoms every time I eat irrespective of what I eat. Will need the tissues handy.

2 Hangers and clothes peg – Laugh all you want but I packed those because I know the clothes line and clothes hanger will be totally utilised as the backpackers is full house. At least I get to hang my towel to dry by the window or something.

Vitamin C – to stay in the pink of health.

That’s pretty much it. I doubt I left anything behind. While I do like travelling light, I also like to ensure I don’t miss out anything and try to cover all possibilities. I’m simply not a believer of chance and I hate thinking of “What if’s” without having a simple solution.

If the sun comes up, I have my cap and sunblock. When it rains, I’m geared with my umbrella. I brought an extra set of clothes in case of any emergency. It is all this little tiny things that can be left behind but I hate it when I’m stuck and thinking at the back of my head, “Damn, I should have brought that thing!”. So yeah, I pack up and am ready to go!

Kuching, beware for here comes Ohkulala to invade, explore and enjoy your city!!!

OMG

My memory has lapsed and failed me again. i cannot believe i forgot! thank heavens i had some sense to call superman to confirm my flight details or else i would have missed it altogether.

i'm speaking about my flight to kuching to attend the world famous Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF). and the tickets were booked somewhere in april and since it was sooo long ago, i really thought that superman booked the 1pm tickets. little did i know, my excitement to go for the event was so HUGE that i actually demanded ( ok, no la, i excitedly jumped up and down while talking) that he booked us the 9.45am tickets. i wanted to explore kuching since i'm already going all the way there. so an earlier flight would give us more time to go sightseeing and my favourite activity of all - EATING!!!

it all came back to me when i was talking to superman. phew... i would kill myself if i had missed the flight because i've been wanting to go for RWMF for years and years. but it always comes down to two reasons - money or rather the lack of it and time as it falls during the first week of the semester.

you know what's the best part? going for rainforest is my graduation present from my parents. yippee!! my heart's still beating so fast from thinking how could i possibly think i was on the 1pm flight? like seriously, i'm so known for wanting to make the best out of everything, so how could i think i would have asked superman to book such a late flight when we could have gone at 7am or 9.45am. I've already researched (yes, google is a life-saver) of places to eat and explore in kuching. thank heavens i didnt leave that to the 11th hour of i'll be scolding myself.

anyhoo, i have to run. will need to go pack my bags coz i'm headed to KL tomorrow. and thanks AA for telling me to load up on insect repellant. apparently they are very fiesty over the east.

will update when i get back. im soooo freaking excited. and i get to see my besties from kerteh and bintulu too!. YiPPeE!!

The Only Child

Sis B and Sis S have gone back to campus leaving me the only child at home. So after so many years, I’m now the kid of the house! Yes, I’m quite grown-up to sound so happy but I’ll take whatever comes along.

The house is quieter without them. I no longer have to endure Sis B’s lectures on my slackness of whatever that she seeks slacking. The downside is I don’t have someone to share the chores especially during the last week when she was home. Sis S will be back for the weekend as she always does but she’s so quiet I doubt it would make much of a difference.

My best companion is my music. I’ve burnt a few hundred mp3s to play as I work around the house because I don’t think I can take listening to the radio any longer. They keep repeating their songs. For crying out loud, I think I’ll puke if I hear 4 minutes by Madonna, JT and Timbaland for the umpteenth time today. The overplaying of it spoils the good song altogether.

So yes, the only child can be spoilt for a bit. I don’t have to share anything and I get all the attention in the world. Lol. Ok, I was kidding. But yeah, it’s a nice change.

Questions, Questions, Questions

Have you ever wondered about life? Why are we here? What is our purpose on earth? What is it that we have to learn or achieve? How can some people be considered successful and others not? Who defined success in the first place? And in whose eyes?

Why are some people born rich, others poor? Is the world really fair? If we humans are really all the same, how come we face racial discrimination? Why do woman face discrimination because of their sex? Why do women face the glass ceiling? How come man can get away with things more easily than their counterpartners?

Are we here to protect mother earth? Because if we are, I don’t think we’re doing a great job at it. Are we here to procreate and then die?so, is life just about living day to day, doing what is expected out of us, going through some cycle everyone went thru? So what, we get borne, become kids who become teenagers who become adults, who work and then look after their parents, have kids of their own, grandparents, teach and learn along the way and then what, die??? Like seriously, is that all there is to life?

So some say, we do all that and more. What are that “more” factor are we referring to? Giving away to the poor, charity works, volunteering? Doing the best we can? Aiming for the stars to achieve our full potential?

Now, let’s say we do all that. But why do we need to do all that for? For show sake so others can view us as good people? Do it because it is expected or because it’s a good thing? What? Why? How? Who sets all this?

Everytime I move even an inch away from the norm, from what society expects out of me, I get grabbed back into that cycle with long lectures of doing what I apparently need to so. Acceptance is key in life apparently. I question this key I supossedly posses. I didn’t ask for it. Why can’t I live my life the way I want to, without judgement, prejudice and ridiculous expectations?

And in living my life, I can’t promise everything will turn out hunky dory. But I can promise these; in everything I do, I’ll do my best. I’ll learn in every possible situation. I’ll make the best of what is given to me and strive for even more. I will give as much as I receive because I believe the more I give, the more I receive. I will lead a life in pursuit of happiness. Just don’t tell me that I need to be with a person of a certain nature to be happy, I need to be with a certain crowd to be happy, I need to do certain things in certain ways to make others happy and therefore be happy. Because then it wont be living, it would be a dictated life of living.

So many questions, so many answers to seek. And this is just a tip of the ice-berg. I have to ask because i'm tired of just going with the flow without any reason. This is my pursuit of happiness.

V’s Love for Music

Have you been in a situation where you love what you do but due to circumstances, are halted along the way? And when you were stuck, did you wish you had someone to help you out?

Well, this is the situation a dear friend of mine is in. V’s love of music is much bigger than his body can contain. He was studying engineering at one point of time but felt his calling for music much greater and left to pursue his dreams. Along the way, he met with constant challenges but never once did he give up.

After loads of hard work and toil, he finally had his dream job of managing a band which is now a household name in Malaysia. Alas, his dream was cut short. A week after that, his tenant called to say he has to move out at the end of the month as she is selling the apartment. Things became from difficult to tough very quickly.

So here I am asking if anyone of you readers out there who knows or would like to hire a person who is committed, dedicated and passionate about music, managing bands and artists, who isn’t afraid of hard work and would go the extra mile to make sure he doesn’t do a good job but a Great Job.

V’s an infant in the tough and choppy music industry. He has dabbled with the trade for two years on his own and 7 months professionally. And V is currently looking for a job in this field of work. While he may lack experience, he makes it up with his enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. I have faith in what he does because he is not afraid to beat the odds.

While everyone plays it safe with professional careers which brings along the supposed stability and financial security, it is the fact that he’s doing something so different from most people I know that makes him more outstanding. V does not know I’m writing this about him but a part of me felt like I had to do something to help. I can’t just sit here doing nothing when I see so much of potential in a good friend and think what a waste to see it just go right away before my very own eyes. And I don’t really know how to help because I’m as clueless.

I recently met V up. He still maintains his optimism and passion about his dream. But that twinkle in his eyes are missing and I can tell he is concerned over what the future lays. How nice it would be if I could tell him that everything will be ok. But I can’t because I don’t know myself. Seeing him across the table with the fading glimmer of hope made me a little sad because in front of me is a person who has so much to offer and yet no path is visible at this point of time.

I’m writing this as a friend who is trying to help out another friend. I do lend my support and I cheer in all hisgood days and am around to listen on not-so-good-days. But if you dear readers do know if there are any job openings, vacancies or people who could possibly help V get a job in his much loved music industry, I will be very grateful. Do drop a comment, give me a buzz or an email. I truly appreciate it and I’m positive V would too. Because I’m sure you too have a friend who you would help out in his / her time of need. And I need your help to help my friend in his hour of need.

The Couch

Sophie wasn’t sure what was she suppose to feel. Every time she looked at it, a different emotion is brought up. It’s a messy state of happiness, joy, laughter mixed in dough with sadness, hurt and despair. She felt cheated. She felt robbed of her one and only bliss and comfort she found in life. And that one thing was rudely taken away from her too early, too soon.

Today she felt like hurling the vase of those beautiful plastic ever blooming sunflowers onto it. “How dare they still remain nonchalant over what has happened?”

She ran her fingers over the soft brown material covering its body. She wanted to buy the darker shade but Jake convinced her this shade of brown suited the hall much better. “It would go with your mahogany coffee table my dear,” he said as he took her hand into his.

Hot fiery tears trickled down her cheeks. Her eyes are blazing with fury and hatred. Just days ago the couch had a certain warmth about them, a soothing effect to a tired body from a long way of work. No matter how late or exhausted Jake is, his smile shines through the room and Sophie aches for his strong hands to rub her back to iron out the creases of her worn out muscles. Today, all she is left with is that memory.

The couch was the silent observer witnessing everything Sophie and Jake when through. It was on the first day of spring when Sophie realized she loved Jake while she watched him reading the papers on his favourite spot of the couch. It was a month before that she actually finally let someone into her life for the very first time and she remembered how scared she was letting Jake in. The couch saw Sophie truly caring for someone in her life when she had already given up on love and life altogether. The couch Sophie and Jake lay on as the watch TV, played boring scrabble, kissed passionately with the biggest bear hugs it takes away your breath, now is just an ordinary couch, the same commercial couches you see by the windows of furniture shops as you walk past them.

Jake died today. The couch died with Jake today. A piece of Sophie’s heart was ripped out and stabbed. Sophie felt like she died today, she died with the couch; she died with the love of her life. A chunk of Sophie died along with Jake today.

What would you like to drink?

A typical Malaysian respond would be

“Anything la”
“Whatever also can la”

Hence the very smart brainy neighbours of ours across the Straits of Tebrau came up with the drink called Anything and Whatever. A simple idea and voila, it works! I’m sure when you hear of it, you’re probably thinking there’s nothing special to the name. You probably also think that there’s nothing special and that you could have come up with that on your own. But it’s the name itself that hits the bull eye to our everyday conversation.

On a grocery shopping trip to Jusco, I was there browsing the shelves when the entire supermarket went to complete silence with my high pitched squeal. I spotted Whatever and half ran to grab a can. My incorrigible speed-of-lighting trying to explain how amazing it is I found the drink for the first time here fell to deaf ears coz nobody could understand me.

I could not find Anything anywhere in Jusco so I hope the next time I’m around ill be able to get it. Seeing that we are drinking Anything (carbonated) or Whatever (non-carbonated), the flavours are pre-decided and you’ll be in for a surprise with each can. For my first can, my Whatever flavour was Apple Tea which was really nice. What I liked even more was that it wasn’t so sweet. Yippee!!

So what are you waiting for? Go grab a can of Anything or Whatever for a plesant drinking session ahead. *laughs* They are available in Jusco and 7-Eleven stores nationwide at RM1.60

Oooh oooh, i've put up a poll at the toolbar on the right. So click click click away yeah :)