Airports

Since 2008, airport has been a place that I love and hate the move. I love it as it is a gate taking me to the destination I dream for. In contrast, I hate it as it gives me the sad feeling when I have to depart with the love ones, parents, ex-es etc..horrible feeling..

The return journey from home to UK after Cny celebration is pretty extensive. The journey involves three airports and the travelling time is up to thirty hours due to twelve hours transit in Muscat International airport. In the first leg flight from Penang to KL, it was hard to hold my tears in front of my parents. I think mom did pretty well, she only started crying when sending me to the security gate. At least I still managed to keep the smile on my face, not until when I turned around, the tears were pouring down. The security officer didn’t asked me a single thing and just let me through.

I thought I would be okie once I am boarding, but actually not. I wept quietly in the plane to KL, and also the plane to Muscat. I think I miss everything back home, the feeling of belonging and being loved. Two weeks isn’t long enough. I appreciate my parent’s effort in trying to get things done for me as much as possible. We have had loads of fun though. And now, I have to get back to a place where it is good for my future life, but being on my own most of the time. I have only myself to rely on.

Written at Muscat International airport: 5-Feb-12, 0735 GMT + 4

Happy 2012

Happy 2012. I just watched the 10 minutes firework display on BBC One. It was awesome. This is my third year in the UK, third time watching / having new year count down at home.

I have been thinking a lot during the one week Christmas and New Year holiday. This is indeed a quiet holiday for me. Just me..

2011 wasn’t a bad year for me.. I have trained myself to be a better in making decision and handling uncertainties… There were achievements and lesson learned, putting it in a positive way… :)

I consider myself lucky to get a job after finishing my MSc study. I am happy that my parents flew over to see me in UK and taking them to holiday. It was fun!! Again, there is a big change in my life when I was granted a full funded PhD in University of Reading. I quitted my job to pursue the PhD study.

In last summer, I was back to single life again. However, I think it is the best decision for both of us. I have missed a few good people in my life. All and all, it is down to ‘fate’ and I am 100% believing in fate. When it is my time, I will be arranged to meet someone. At the moment, the phrase to describe is ‘out of sight, out of mind’

Most people keen to know my ‘plan’. Honestly, I have no plans. But I have dreams. I don’t think I am capable enough to ensure things go exactly as planned, however I can definitely have dreams and knowing how to scale and achieve them.

Cheers Chekantastic! You have survived another year! May 2012 will bring you all happinness

‘活得精彩’

PS: I just realised the only one wish I made when I was in the London Eye has came true :)

Chekie PaMa Fabulous Holiday 2011: Paris (21 - 24 July)

Our last stop is Paris, a very cosmopolitan place. I feel like I am in London, apart from all signs are in French.

Paris welcomed me with rain. Ha! We spent three days two nights there, all we got is rain, rain and more rain…but more fun too…

Metro is pretty convenient, just like the London Underground. However, mind your personal belongings. My dad suspected his bag was being opened by ‘someone’ again…

People think about Eiffel Tower when we speak about Paris. Yes indeed. See how happy my dad is! Haha! This is where we spent our first day in Paris..

The view from the top of Eiffel Tower where you can see the whole Paris. Awesome view.

Quoting from dad ‘我从来没有想到吃到那么老可以来看这个巴黎铁塔’ (he said it in Hokkien..hehe.) means ‘I never thought I can have a chance to see Eiffel Tower in my age’

Mom invented a new quote as well ‘那个la rambla 那么ba ba bai bai’ ..well without being disrespectful, we bumped into a Malaysian family in a queue waiting to get to the top of Eiffel Tower. Mom was being friendly talking to them. They were being a bit snobbish (maybe they have the superior feeling over us as they were rich and from Kuala Lumpur, and consider us as a bunch of country monkeys who are from a small town Alor Star, lol) and used Manglish (with loads of la la la sound in speaking English) when talking to us. Lol.. I couldn’t be much bother. That’s why mom nicknamed them the La Rambla family. Mom, you are ‘si beh’ (means ‘very’ in Malaysian Hokkien language’ ) creative !! lol…

When we were coming down using the elevator from the top .. well, you can choose to climb the stairs if you want to…which costs you less…hehe..but this option is defo out for us

We then went to see the sights around Eiffel Tower, chillaxing then the rain came…grrr…and we had to hid in a museum café and as usual, I need to take a few dose of caffeine…coffee time…lol…

Then we walked to the Arc de Triomphe

I wasn’t really feeling that well that day, therefore we left early back to the hotel. Of course not forgetting to take my dad to a Chinese shop for his dinner. He spotted one Chinese takeaways / restaurant near Riquet station and kept nagging me afterwards.

The rain stopped after dinner. We then took a walk around the hotel..

See what he did this time again..haha .. Dad was happily dancing along the street, check out the last bit, he gained a thumb up from the strangers.. lol..

We were staying in Holiday Inn Express Paris-Canal de la Villette . Absolutely worth for money. This holiday Inn Express is 100 times better than the one I was staying for work at Burton on Trent..

The view from our room…

It changes color in the evening…haha

In the second day, we went to places around musée du Louvre

And again dad was showing off his kung fu in Paris…-.-‘’’

We then walked around the parks nearby and went to see Notre-Dame de Paris

Around this area, I got my red French hat too..haha

Then rain came again…we were sheltered under a bridge…lol..

It was quite a while we were waiting until the rain stopped… I had nothing better to do that time… I think there is no one understand what I was doing…lol

Finally the rain stopped and I forced my dad to take a music video of me…lol…have a guess what I was singing… One thing I like travelling at the westerners world is no one will really bother what on earth you are doing… I guess if I did the same back home, probably people will shout ‘xiao zha boh’ (crazy girl in Hokkien language)

While we were on our way to see Opéra national de Paris , we bumped into a acoustic performance on the street

Looked at the theatre…

Lastly, we had delicate French seafood for dinner. The restaurant is just next to the hotel..

Au revoir Paris!!

We arrived at London on the 24^th July late afternoon and stayed a night at The Great Expectation in Reading.

Au revior , lovely parents on the 25^th July at Heathrow…

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Uncle Seng and Aunt Jean for housing my parents in the first week of our holiday, taking us to and from the airport…much appreciated…

It is not an easy task taking parents for a trip, I have to be honest. I apologise for the time when I lost my temper occasionally. Thanks dad, it was all triggered by your rant.. haha.. lol..

In fact, I quite proud of myself…I am not good in reading maps..but in this trip, at least I manage to lead my parents to the right destination most times…hehe..

I think I will be a better family trip planner next time..stock up the pot noodles, and always go for buffet breakfast inclusive hotels…lol…

I still have a wide smile on my face every time thinking about this trip… - Chekie PaMa Holiday 2011..

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