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.

Another wunderbar word from the Germans who brought us wanderlust.

For the past few months Ive been praising God and giving thanks for all He has given me. This stretch of luck Ive been blessed with, no one knows how grateful I feel. No one.

Growing up, all i wanted was to travel. I have had my opportunities but it doesnt come often. I opted to study abroad to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I didnt get the chance to do that either because Allah has better plans for me.

THIS was his plan. In the span of 4 months, I've been to 4 countries. And 3 of it for free. I dont know what luck came to me but this rezeki, I cherish. Alhamdulillah.

I thought Japan would be the last one for me until I renew my passport for the next one maybe in the end of the year. Manalah tahu tiba2 bos called and ask "can you come to Abu Dhabi with me?"

I was on MC due to swollen eardrums, but I heard that right the first time and yes of course I can and will make sure Im well enough to go.

So I made my way to UTC for passport renewal and as I flip the pages, I feel a bit sentimental. Not because I had all the pages filled but because the passport went many places, except the 2 countries it was meant for.

I had it renewed in 2010 to prepare myself for my long years studying in Australia and New Zealand. We all know I stayed on in Penang instead. But look where I am going now??

I uploaded this caption on my instagram the day I got my passport renewed. And not one day I dont feel thankful where the road has taken me. No matter how un-enjoyable the trip was. When the opportunity comes, grab it! And make the most of it.

As for my sehnsucht, I do feel it. When travel bug bites. On the nights I arrive home. When Im back but had no one to come back to. Im aware of my longing, but not to what its for or what I think Im yearning for. C'est la vie.

Assalammualaikum 2015!

To begin this new year, I would like to share with you some pictures at Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary, Pulau Redang. I went to this volunteer project for a week to understand and help out turtle conservation. This project is run by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) and is still ongoing.

Chagar Hutang is not open to public. Only staffs, academic researchers, volunteers and special cases approved requests are allowed. Imagine an island/beach, with only 12 people (or less). It really is wonderful, I will not deny that.

At night, our patrol shift starts at 8 until 12. After 12 only a couple will continue their shift (diff couple each night). What we had to do was to record the turtles activities such as what time they came up, start digging, laying eggs, how many eggs they laid and then the camouflaging process and finally leaving the beach. On some cases, we collect the eggs while they are laying it so that we can move it closer to the main hut which is the safer part of the beach. That's where most of the nests are.

Did I enjoy it? YES I did! Its not heavy work. During the day we mostly sleep, read books on the hammock (and err actually just sleep), go snorkelling, hiking, eat, nap, have a dip in the prawn spa pond, its nice lah.

Would I return? I'm thinking about it..

What did I enjoy most? Sleeping under the blanket of stars. On the beach, every single night.

I miss Korea.
So much.

I dont think I want to start writing about the trip.