ON this hazy day

Morning has broken to the sound of hammering
The smell of acrid pollutants hang thick in the room
A sense of unease creeps over my tingling skin
Behold, the unmistakable fog blanketing the coastline
Its heavy presence weighs down on my chest
The air is still

Today is not the first
and I know it will not be the last
As habitats bear the brunt of greed
As the excesses of man billows upwards
A smog

Ok, this is depressing.
I'll stop there.

hmmm......maybe it is my imminent departure to Adelaide that is weighing on my mind lol.
So far, I've had a wonderful holiday---a relatively healthy one too HAHAHA.
What with all the hiking (not advisable in hazy weather), canoeing ( again proceed with caution) , caving ( as long as it is not the bat season), gymming ( yay for air conditioning), shopping (AIr conditioning heheheheh) and eating ( erm....guess this one is not as healthy hehe)

Well, here are the highlights :
1. Caving Experience
I would like to ask everyone to put caving in their 'to-do' list ( ONLY FOR NON-CLAUSTROPHOBICS). Firstly, I was Awed by the natural wonders available in Malaysia --guess i never saw M'sia that way or only pretended to believe in it while writing pages upon pages of essays during my time as a high school student. Now, I am a true Believer :P Gua Tempurung had just as much charm and charisma as caves in China which haul in tourists by the bus load....sadly, Gua Tempurung is less publicised. The halls were magnificent and you can definitely let your imagination run wild within the cool interiors filled with stalacmites and stalactites. The pressure difference between the large chambers and the smaller ones serve to give cavers a unique experience because of the constant blowing of wind in certain sections of the cave. Besides, some chambers were shrouded in thick mist , belieing their true depth and posing as a risk to thrill seekers who, God forbid ,may lose their footing on the slippery steps. Into the belly of the cave we crawled and slushed around the seemingly crystal clear waters --however the guide told us not to drink it because it might have some 'added ingredients' such as guano :P. Also , experience TOTAL DARKNESS...now that was freaky.

2.Canoeing
Procured an aching back, tired muscles, shooting pain through the deltoids....but hey, it was fun!
Although I must admit, I was scared out there , thinking about the jelly fish floating around , the unknown depths, the mysterious current which kept drawing our canoe to the wrong side(out to sea), almost capsizing at least 3 times ......Still, at least I learnt how to steer( albeit clumsily) and yup, I know now that when two people row, both have to be in sync to allow easier passage.....haha...

3.Hiking
Hiking up parts of Penang Hill is one of the healthiest activities available in Penang. HIking and then going for breakfast is not as healthy but it allows one to really enjoy a meal in the company of friends. hahahahha.......Winding paths, steep slopes, irregular steps, the occasional stinging insect or centipede, beads of sweat running down your brows---all part of your average hiking experience :) Which I will sorely miss .......

Ok....will blog more soon
TATA

Birthday musings

Helloooooooo everyone! IT is WONderful to be home ( a fact that I can never tire of repeating hahahha) well, since I have hit the 2 decade mark this year , I can't help but muse over my life so far ...hmm.......it has mostly been devoted to studying ---yes yes, i know i am a geek.....ish....but also, it has been about learning to treasure family support and friendships, to understand other cultures and maturing outside my comfort zone, as well as improving oneself in aspects dear to my heart.

Wow, I realise I often take family for granted especially in my teens ...sob....officially out of teens and at the brink of adulthood now...ARGHHhhhhh----AAAAHHhHhhhhhh IT Still Seems TOo SOON! Thank goodness for the guidance and advice of parents and grandparents however they do sometimes underestimate your virtues :P ( guess I'll always be a little girl to them)

Friends are indispensable for survival. The saying new friends are silver and old friends are gold rings quite true --they are both precious and have different properties :D Friendships built to last are hard to find but once found, must be upkept as well ,to function as a constant reminder of good times and a foundation for future happiness. New friends on the other hand are like delectable discoveries , each lending new flavour and spice to life , as we slowly explore the possibilities and travel along a common path.

Guess I've only been overseas for 1 and a half years but I think I have grown much in that period hahahha....;) Being exposed to a culture other than Malaysian culture was and still is a breathtaking experience---(under construction with new 'items' turning up everyday heheh)

okok.....I want to sincerely thank my friends for being there for me and making my birthday a few 'days' to remember LOL ......Thanks to my Adelaide friends who sprung a surprise the night before I left which involved lots of whipped cream and some chocolate sponge cake....Thank you to my college friends who brought me all the way to ipoh and celebrated my birthday with a Green pandan cake and loads of nangka and crazy pictionary games AND going Caving!.....Thanks to my primary school friends who surprised me with my best friend of 15 years and counting in the movie theatre which then progressed to lunch and karaoke at red box LOL .......WOOO HOOO......blew candles 3 times over , made 3 different wishes ( hmm....wonder if they will count) ate three times worth of cake hahahhaha :P

All in all , a marvellous experience.

will blog about more stuff soon
Grinning from ear to ear :D
June

Home :)

Ah, the comforts of home :) Glad to be here with family and friends once again . (I am also grateful for the yummy food) .
sigh.....I'll be home throughout the holidays because my Pulau Perhentian snorkelling trip has been cancelled......OH nevermind....
That means more time to finish my Assignment and MOre time to spend with friends!!
Sounds Good to me ;)

Cheers
June