I actually spent 4 hours to update and beautify Serendipity with new blog template and layout today. 4 hours! Should've done a bit of work. A lot actually.

Tengok-tengok it scrolls on its own to the bottom. Pffft. Penat usaha I selama 4 jam. Buat blog cantik pastu tak tulis apa2 tak guna jugak kan. So ni lah satu post selepas jam 12.

If a post is written after 12, highest possibility is for it to be an emo, straight from the heart kinda post.

Someone I know resigned from her job and when I asked, she said its because she doesn't know what she wants. She said if she doesnt leave, she will always be wondering what else can she do out there.

I know where she's coming from. After all this is only my second job. I wonder too. Can I do something else. Will I be a good teacher? Is what I have enough for advancement at another place? Should I (re)consider career change?

Thing is, I like what Im doing. 3 years in, less of the lovin'. I do not have a target when I started but Alhamdulillah Im progressing very well in this company. I only started setting my target after a year of service. I was loving and enjoying everything about the job. Until I realised, I love it too much. I didnt mind staying late to work. I surprised myself.

That was when I decided. Once Im married, I have to leave. I need to find another option. I cannot choose work over family. I must not spend life not living.

InsyaAllah. I hope that day will come. Not because I cant wait to leave. But for me to be hopeful that one day I will find somebody so important, Im willing to sacrifice a huge chunk of my life.

Sekarang ni what I want in life for myself - the company helps me achieve. Job satisfaction, good pay, nice people, opportunity to travel, makan sedap, free karaoke, parti tak liar and career advancement.

Tapi fitrah manusia kan. Somehow the grass is always greener on the other side.

Lokasi: Sungai Lembing, Pahang (1 hour away from Kuantan)


Journey: About 3 to 4 hours by car from KL. Meet my colleagues.

Where we stayed: Time Capsule Retreat (100m from Tin Mine Museum). The capsule room is priced at RM119 per night, each capsule has a queen bed and an aircon. Nothing else. Limited but so so so nice! We didn't get the glass door so tak dapatlah nak silhouette photoshoot. Tu pun ambik gambar bilik orang,

Attractions: For such a small town, rupanya banyak!

Most people come here for the Rainbow Waterfall. Which requires 1 hour off terrain ride by 4WD and then a 1 hour hike (at least) up to the waterfall. You need a guide to take you and the cost for that is RM40 per pax. Tak munasabah langsung bila pergi sana dengan orang keliling yang bawak baby, pakai slipper Jepun, elderly. Sebab kena memanjat laluan berbatu.

It was worth it though. Dah penat-penat naik atas, our guide prepared maggi hot cup and hot milo - memang sedap! Bertolak awal pagi, breakfast pun tak sempat sebab kedai Melayu semua belum buka. Orang sibuk nak bersiap Subuh, kita sibuk kacau nak breakfast.

We also went to the Tin Mine Museum - which is not exactly a museum. Entrance fee is RM15.90 plus GST. They opened the old mine for people to go in and see. Selain tu ada lah jugak benda2 on display like their tools and interactive things. We got to experience the mine shaft. Konon2 je lah bergerak.

Yang paling wow has got to be the entry - so grand! We board the train into the tunnel straight to El Dorado of the East. The train ride was.......2 minutes. And then you walk everywhere. It was cool in the mine so we were exploring happily.

Keluar lombong, panas! silau! Mengada je semua.

That night we went to Kuantan for dinner since Sungai Lembing do not have any ATM and we were out of cash. Bring cash when you're visiting the place tau. The plan was for us to go there earlier so that we can lepak at the beach for a bit. Tapi bila semua dapat katil, gone!

We came back that night quite late - at 10, thinking that  there's nothing to do so we shall just venture into slumberland. Rupanya macam-macam! As we were driving we saw some people by the roadside. They had a bloddy mannequin on the table. It so happens they are the pick up point for a really cool escape room/scavenger hunt/find-the-missing-person mission around town. The provide a buggy for participants to go around the town looking for clues. Power tak? creative gila kan?

We wanted to go for that but it cost RM35 per person and we already allocated our budget for Rainbow Waterfall. This is a random cheapo budget you see. As we were driving away we saw this place under a khemah with laser light that looked like a party. Main indication: someone was singing his heart out.

None of us wanted to go and ask so we drove closer and saw that the place is actually a - KARAOKE KAMPUNG! Awesome please! Terus semua turun kereta to participate. For 3 songs, RM 5. It was their second day of operation. Kelakar gila rasanya to sing out loud in public. Nasib baik abang bagi satu lagu extra for free. Kurang malu.

Give the place a shot lah. Word of advice, DONT COME DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS! The place has become quite commercialised. I would prefer the old town. Few years back I visited the place and it was like Twilight Zone. Its like the place got stuck in the 50s. So much cooler back then.

How do one find time to write? Seriously?

I used to write all the time. When I'm happy for the little freedom that young girl had, I'd blog about it.When I'm sad to the verge of depression, I'd blog about it. Little little things, I will write almost everything that happened to me here.

How come I don't do it any more? I don't like growing up. You have to think ahead. Just when you thought you're comfortable, you thought....THIS IS IT! - nope, it's not. That restlessness comes in. You found a void that you never knew existed.

I was working late for almost 2 months for an exhibition. And when it's over, I felt empty. I know some of it was the withdrawal syndrome. But it was worse. I was unhappy. When an exhibition is over, and you meet all the targets, you're supposed to feel a sense of accomplishment.

I didn't.

I considered a career change. I toy with the idea of teaching.

Last weekend on the way to Kuantan, I brought up the issue to my parents. In return, they took me to a long, emotional conversation served with humble pie. Mama seems OK with the idea but she wanted me to pursue my Masters first. Personally, I don't think I have the energy, interest, fund nor patience to even start that journey. In future, I don't know. I've told myself if I'm not married by 30 then I'll start studying again. Who knows? Right now, I don't see me moving that side.

I know, how can I teach if I don't have my Masters? Apparently I am qualified to teach Diploma course. So that's a backup plan already. To be a full-time lecturer then I must get my Masters.

Right. My father was not as supportive.

He started with, "Why leave when you are doing something you like? They pay you well, there's a lot of perks and the company treats you well. You get things others dream of having. You made us proud. We can proudly tell other people of what you do, where you've been to, where you're going next.

Don't think I don't know you were depressed after high school. Your friends were abroad, going everywhere. And you are a sales girl. Now look where you are. We are happy, knowing you are happy with what you do."

And that did it for me. Bring on the waterworks.

True. All he said is true. But..... I am now 26. I work late, I hardly see my parents and brother. I get homesick though I live with them. Some friends check on available dates with my calendar for their weddings. I am not yet married but as it is I'm becoming one of those relative you only hear their names and never see them much. I am worried.

Not many people understand why I think this way. I'm young, I'm supposed to make money. I don't have relationship commitments bla bla bla.

I do have relationship commitments - they're my family. In future - my own family and his. I have survived without money but I don't think I can without the people around me.

It's 1 am. I ought to be sleeping.
But I accidentally just started browsing photos from my travels.
I MISS KOREA!!!

I miss speaking in broken Korean and people actually understand and respond accordingly. I miss saying sentences with yo in the end. Here we only got lah. It doesn't work if I say lapar-yo.

I miss their food. Spicy but boleh tahan. Air sejuk free in all restaurants despite it being winter. Awesome street snacks. Rindunya!

Hi! I've been busy, and travelling.
Also busy travelling.

I'm thinking of sharing the article I wrote about Japan trip here. Remember when I tried and failed miserably writing in Bahasa Melayu for one of the Boracay post? Well actually it was a preparation for the Tokyo trip.

In a miraculous turn of event, I got selected to represent a publication - Cuti Cuti for a media fam trip last January. Which meant...all expenses paid trip to Tokyo! They flew me there for 5 days, and brought me to good place. Did I enjoy it? It wasn't so bad. The bad part was walking in new boots at fast pace like the Japanese.

The article is 16 pages (including pictures), about 3500 words kot. InsyaAllah I'll upload it here. Since then, I've been to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in February and Langkawi for LIMA in March. InsyaAllah I'm going of to Shanghai, China this month.

I know, a lot kan. I still don't know what strike of luck I got myself but Alhamdulillah syukur.

Nah! A picture from Tokyo and Abu Dhabi each.