Stay Gold by First Aid Kit

Today I'm gonna talk more about my favourite song of the year, and it is Stay Gold by First Aid Kit. This song (and the same-titled album) was released in June this year and I fell in love with it instantly! I discovered First Aid Kit last year, thanks to Jango haha. I think the sister-duo, Johanna and Klara, has one of the most beautiful voices in our time. I think that their voices are very unique, and definitely not a lot of people can sing like them. I discovered them from their song "Emmylou" and well, just fell in love.

So when they announced that they're releasing a new album this year, I was pretty excited and I couldn't wait for it. Although it is very saddening that I couldn't get a physical copy of it till now. HMV Singapore didn't have it, and let's not talk about CD store here hah. But anyway gotta thank Candy for helping me buy their album in Australia! And she found it :D Can't wait to get a hold of it!

Stay Gold is definitely my favourite from their new album. I love everything about it. The melodies, the harmony, the feel, and most importantly the lyrics of the song. To me Stay Gold is a song about hope in times of uncertainties. The lyrics goes like Oh I wish for once, we could stay gold. I think "gold" here refers to us being strong, brave, great and awesome all the time, despite the situation we're facing.

The first verse goes like:

The sun shone high those few summer days
Left us in a soft, wide-eyed haze
It shone like gold, it shone like gold.
But just as the moon, it shines straight
So dawn goes down today
No gold can stay, no gold can stay

The first verse talks about the great and hopeful days in life, basically the "awesome" days where we feel like we can do anything, become anything and our future shining brightly. But then in these days we seem to forget that our days don't stay like this forever, that we'll get "visited" by the not so bright days when we are filled with doubts and worries - Our days will not stay "gold" forever. 

I love the chorus especially, which goes like:

What if our hard work ends in despair?
What if the road won't take me there?
Oh I wish for once, we could stay gold.

The chorus to me talks about uncertainties, and the wish we have to always be hopeful, optimistic and confident about the choices we make in these times. Which is something I was kinda experiencing last year, and sometimes this year. I'm pretty sure we all have dreams and well sometimes we decide to take another path which is of a different direction from them. But we are always hopeful that one day this path will still take us to our dreams, or at least the life we always wish of living.

The second part of the chorus goes like:

What if to love and be loved is not enough?
What if I fall and can't bear to get up?
Oh I wish for once, we could stay gold.

This part talks about those days when we feel like giving up. When we feel like the things we do are no longer worth it, and we should just stop chasing for what we want. And how much we wish we can be remain brightly hopeful like the sun of the summer days.

And then goes the second verse which goes like:

We're on our way through rugged lands
Top of that mountain we wanted to stand
With hearts of gold, with hearts of gold
But there is only forward, no other way
Tomorrow was your hope at the end of the day
And gold turns grey, and gold turns grey

I think the second verse talks about our journey, or life in general. Like how we go through "rugged lands" to reach the "top of that mountain we wanted to stand". How we struggled through life's challenges to reach our goal. And to reach our goal, we can only continue to move forward each day, closer to them. But then we realised that this is not an easy task, that's when "gold turns grey" but hey, we have no choice but to always hope for a better tomorrow. And to get us closer to our dreams.

Last but not least, the bridge goes like:

All of my dreams, they fall and form a bridge of memories, where I can't get back
All of my dreams, they fall and form a bridge of memories, where I can't get back to you

I'm not sure about this part of the song but to me the "you" here refers to our dreams and goals. And this "bridge of memories" is basically the memories of the past, the reminders to why we chase for our dreams in the first place. However... I'm not sure if the lyric goes as "where I can" or "where I can't" get back to you. If it goes where I can get back to my dreams, the bridge of memories is the reminders we have to why we begin chasing our dreams in the first place. And these reminders will then serve as a bridge for us to get to our dreams.

If the lyric goes where I can't get back to my dreams, well sometimes we give up chasing our dreams. And dreams being dreams, when shattered, will be difficult to go chasing it back again.

Well so yep, this is my full analysis of this beautiful song. I hope you like the song too, and I hope this song will be a great beginning and addition for the new year. To conclude, basically this song is all about not losing our hope in times of uncertainties. A song about chasing our dreams without being deterred by the uncertainties in our minds. Thank you First Aid Kit for this wonderful song, a song that carried me through this year and more years to come. I hope you can one day go to Indonesia and hold a concert. I'd love to see you both live one day! Tack!

Of Music and Dreams

Going to Iceland is probably the best thing that happened in 2014 for me. Hmm I've talked a lot about me wanting to go to Iceland but the reason behind it? Well I'm going to speak about it today! After my trip to Iceland I actually took part in Passion Passport Wanderlust Story Competition. I wrote about my trip to Iceland and here is my story! Of course I didn't win the competition, but it was a fun process to be honest! I hope you enjoy reading my story, and here goes the driving force, the reason and inspiration to my trip to Iceland! 

Passion Passport Wanderlust Story Competition 2014 - Of Music and Dreams

I have been telling myself this for the past four years: 

“One day, I am going to Iceland” 

However last year, the fear that this one day will never arrive grows bigger and deeper within me. I was lying on my bed one night when I realized that I am not going to grow any younger, and that time will slowly consume me. I fear that this one day may turn into a day where this dream will be forgotten in the depths of my memories.

And the only way for me to eradicate this fear of mine, is to be in Iceland.

And so on the last day of July this year, I embarked on a journey to realize the biggest dream of my life, and an adventure to get rid of this fear that has been haunting me. I left home and went on a journey about twelve thousand kilometers up northwest from Indonesia, and thirty six hours of traveling later, I found myself walking around the northern-most capital city of the world, Reykjavik. It was the beginning of the wildest wanderlust days of my life.

I have to send my gratitude to my favorite Icelandic bands, especially Sigur Ros, for being the driving force behind my longing to travel to Iceland. All of these were made even stronger after watching a documentary film about their tour around Iceland titled Heima. The beauty of Iceland is harmoniously accompanied by their music. And for the past four years, I have been listening to their songs as I imagine the great landscapes and sights that I am going to see when I am in Iceland.

I could still remember the first time that I caught a glimpse of Iceland with my own eyes. I was on board Icelandair looking through my seat’s window, seeing the rugged and intricate landscape of this land. Strikes of white on a background of black appeared behind the clouds beneath me. It must be glaciers, I thought to myself. As the plane traveled further, a wide spread of white glimmered under the summer sun. I knew it was the Vatnajokull glacier that we were passing by. My heart was in awe and I just couldn’t stop smiling. I was so close to fulfilling my wanderlust dreams right at that moment.

It felt pretty surreal to finally be in Iceland. I was listening to my favourite Icelandic songs as I looked outside the bus on the way to Reykjavik. I passed by fields of lava rocks, volcanic hills and not forgetting the myriads of sheep and horses passing by. Walking around Reykjavik and getting lost in its colors and vibrancy, with music on my ears, was just too good to be true. I was finally looking at the colorful rooftops of the city from the top of Hallgrimskirkja church through my own eyes, and no longer through the screen of my laptop or my phone.

The landscapes around Iceland are not only beautiful, but they are also emotion-invoking. I will never forget how it was such an epiphany to sit down under the blue sky, facing the sea, as I was writing on my journal at Stykkisholmur. And how serendipitous it was to stare at the majestic yet serene Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, being the first time in my life that I am seeing icebergs. Or perhaps walking along the tectonic plates at Ϸhingvellir national park, thinking about the wonders and greatness of this planet and how beautiful it is.

It was wonderfully overwhelming to finally see and feel your dreams and imaginations turn into a beautiful reality. Just months ago I was back in my room listening to the same songs I was listening to as I was seeing these great sights, wishing I could be there in Iceland to see it. And to realize that I was doing what I dreamed of doing made me all fuzzy and warm inside. I don’t know how to put it; it was just the greatest wanderlust moment in my life.

Going to Iceland was not a smooth journey for me. This is the biggest adventure of my life; to travel to a country that is located on the other side of the planet from where I come from. But then I realized that this may be the only chance that I have to go to Iceland. So I toughen myself up, and jump hurdles after hurdles to clear the doubts that shadowed my heart.

Leaving Iceland was a difficult thing to do for me too, as I have expected. I left Iceland with an empty, loose but heavy heart. It feels empty, because I have finally accomplished a dream which I have been holding on to for years. It feels loose because the fear that has been grasping my heart tightly has finally released itself freely. And it feels heavy because I couldn’t bear to leave such a beautiful place. It feels like I have left a part of my soul on this beautiful island.

Before I went to Iceland, the Icelandic songs I listened to gave me a sense of hope and joy of traveling to Iceland. Now they give me a sense of melancholic sentimentalism of the beautiful sights that I’ve seen. And also, they are a sweet congratulatory reminder to me that I have finally fulfilled by dream of traveling to this wonderful island.

If there is one lesson that I learned from this trip, I learned that “next time” is one of the most dangerous phrases that you can ever tell yourself. Because most of the time, next time is almost equivalent to “never going to happen”. Do what you want to do, and go to the great places you’ve always wanted to go. Because most of the time, we live our lives like as if we a have a next one to go to.

And I’m here to remind you again that we only have one.

The Airport

Sunset at Changi Airport

Hello. Today was a good Friday I suppose (no pun intended). I took leave once again today as I had to accompany my dad's colleague. Thankfully it's only for a day, as his flight was in the evening today. Well the day is okay I guess, we just went for lunch and I brought him to Sushi Tei to try some  Japanese food as he hasn't tried it before. And then we went to drink soy milk at Holland V there, cause he hasn't had it for a long time! Good to let him try new stuff, and food which he hasn't tried in a long time. Brings joy to him, and to me as well :)

And in the afternoon we left for the airport. And yeah that's all for the day I suppose. And today I decided to also go for MD-gift-materials shopping! Went to paper market to get them and happy with my loot hehe. And I'm so dumb, I forgot to buy glue -_- or that double-sided correction-tape-like thing. Tomorrow it is then! My plan to make the cards tomorrow failed :/

Anyway today's blog... I want to write more about, as the title says, The Airport.

I was in the taxi just now on the way to the airport. Watching the roads go by, the trees swaying gently in the wind. And the plants and flowers jerking rapidly as my taxi drove pass them quickly. The eastern sky looked promising with the blue sky, and streaks of clouds. We drove by NUS, then the CBD area, then East Coast, and then Changi of course.

I've studied here for the past ten years. And in the 10 years I've been living in the west. I have drove through this trip to the airport countless times, and I never get tired of it. To me, the airport reminds me of two things. Home, and vacations. Escapes to exotic countries, or embarkation of a journey to an unknown land, filled with anticipation and adventure.

The airport reminds me of two things:

Home, and vacations to exotic places

Home, as you all should know, I have to fly back to Indonesia. So the airport is like a gateway for me to reach my homeland, and of course ultimately my hometown. Since young, when I first started here, the airport is of course a place where I truly love. Cause I know I'm going back home. I've always loved the airport anyway. I love blogging there, writing there, and just chilling out. It's an inspiring place to do all these. It's a gateway, to forget life for a while.

And of course, the airport is also a gateway. As we all know, the airport is where the world crosses-path, if you get what I mean. It's a place that link us to the rest of the world. We board a plane and we go to another destination of our choice. Since young, once again, going to the airport tells me that I'm going else where (of course except when I'm going back to Indo/Singapore). Be it my China trip in sec school, Bali trip when I was like in P1? And Inner Mongolia trip, Korea and Kinabalu trip in Poly!

The airport

Where the world crosses-path

I've been in Changi airport for countless of times. To go back. To arrive back. To send someone off. To fetch someone. To travel somewhere. To arrive back. Yet, the airport, to me, is a place I always love and remember. The airport is a nice place of sentimentality and memories. A place of hope and foolish dreams of going somewhere my heart wishes to go. A place where my mind escapes the reality, even though for a very little while. Just a lovely place to be in.

The drive to the airport, also something I've been through countless of times. Since I live in the west, I've always taken the same route whenever I need to go to the airport. And of course the taxi ride is another thing I enjoy, not only my presence at the airport. The ride there lets me to contemplate about life. To also think of what I wanna do in my destination.

If' I'm going home, I will think of what I want to do, the things I want to eat, and of course I'm just looking forward to it. If I'm traveling else where, my mind will be running wild with excitement. I will wonder what will happen during my trip, and whatever anticipation I have about the trip itself. If I send someone off (say my sibling or a relative) I wish I can join them to go back. If I'm fetching someone... Nothing much, just fetching haha.

Wish I can pick a destination and fly off there!

So all in all, going to the airport, being at the airport, are two things I really enjoy doing.

Then comes upon my mind, when I think. I'm sure one day, the day where I'll leave this sunny island will come. Will I still enjoy the ride to the airport? What will I think? How will I feel? What will happen? What will I do, feel and what will happen as I reached the airport? I'm sure though, it'll be a bittersweet ride of my life.

As for the answers to the above, I'll leave it up to myself to answer, when the day arrives.

And well, I'm seven days away from home! Today I went to Changi, next week I'll go to Changi again hehe. And this time round I AM the one flying home. So I can't wait!

Alright here's to a great weekend ahead. I'm sure it will be great. Bon nuit! And phew, I really enjoyed writing this. Felt like it's been so long since I write a proper story or blog post about something. Alright happy reading folks!

And Changi T1's Kinetic Rain installation which is uber beautiful!

  

PS: Photos taken with my HTC Desire HD, edied via... INSTAGRAM (Y)

I Believe in Music XXX

 Thanks for coming guys! (Y)

Good evening everyone! I just got back from SP Symphonic Band I Believe in Music (IBM) XXX concert! It was a great concert, I had a great time performing on that stage, playing my heart out, though I was feeling really damn, freaking, very nervous for Indiana Jones. Cause I have a duet part! Haha. It was shaky, but well I totally gave my best there. And I played my heart out.

It was just... Lovely :)

Anyway today was a great Sunday I guess! It started with Jurong Lake Run 2012 in the morning. Gosh, I woke up late, went to the wrong place, ran around to look for the bag deposit post, ran here and there before I even began the race. But I made it in time for the flag off and I even hit my target! And I even hit it earlier by like 39 seconds hahaha. It was great though :)

I really enjoyed the run at Chinese Garden. I've always loved running in new places. The air was fresh (Cause it was raining super early in the morning) and then the lake beside you, really good. Plus I really love the community-spirit there! Random strangers cheering you beside the road, helpers from all walks of life and ages giving you high-fives and cheering you up. Love it!

It was a funny moment though when I thought the Chinese Garden gate was the finish-point gantry hahaha. Despite of all the ordeals I went before the run, I did it, I made it, and I'm a proud finisher of Jurong Lake Run 2012 6KM race! And if you ask me why do I run for? As usual my answer will be I run to overtake myself. But this time round I have another reason.

To support Children Cancer Foundation! Since the event was in support  of CCF :D

After the run I went straight to school after taking a bath and dropping my stuff. And then it began with sound checks etc. I kinda like the fact that concert starts at 4.30 instead of the usual 6.30/7.30. Cause we ended early! Hahaha. And yup thank you everyone who has came and support SP Symphonic Band IBM concert! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did :D

 I did it :)

Well IBM XXX was truly an enjoyable concert. It was a blast, I love the songs I played. But one song that has a special place in my heart was Howl Moving Castle, especially the Merry-do-round of life part. I love it, it's a song that tells me, reminds me, teaches me so much about life. At the same time, it's my favourite song too :) Well yep.

It's quite funny after the concert, RIGHT after the concert, I'm feeling very empty and sad. And... Lonely. As if something has left me. As I hit the last note of Up, it felt weird. Like this sense of emptiness, that something just left me and I'm there feeling alone. Not that I'm alone cause no one was with me (the band room was crazy! Haha) but just that tinge of loneliness.

I guess the concert series itself, "I Believe in Music" is something so meaningful, and attached for me. I believe in music, we all do and I believe we all should. Music is a universal language we can all connect to without even learning it. Some say it's food, some say it's love. But to me, music is definitely one. So if I ask you this question, do you believe in music, and why? What would your answer be?

Mine's simple. I believe in music for the things that it lets me do. For the things that it can do. For the things that it does to me. It lets me say what the mouth can't speak yet the heart wish to express. It can make me happy, make me sad, make me free and make me mad. It allows me to do what I can't do in real life. It allows me to be free, and show the world who I am and who I want to be.

And at the same time music is also... Something. He's a my best friend when I'm sad and no one is around. He's the only non-speaking thing that can cheer me up when I'm down. He's someone I can talk to, and though he doesn't have a mouth to talk to me, he whispers and gently caresses my heart directly. He's a non living non physical thing that I truly am proud to have as a friend.

And for all of the above reasons,

I believe in music

LEAP Intermediate trip - Mount Kinabalu

As promised, I will blog about my trip to Mount Kinabalu alright! Finally get the chance to blog so here it is WARNING: Be prepared for a very long post :)

Anyway so we went to stay in Moberly the night before our flight (Saturday). We went to watch the lunar eclipse together! Quite cool huh, and we were there sitting down on the parapets like the scene in "You're the apple of my eye" hehehe. After briefing, packing, we went to sleep cause we gotta wake up by 4 to leave for Johor Senai aiport at 5! :)

Once we reached there we took a flight to Kinabalu which took about 2h20m. Kinabalu, my first impression was, it's like my hometown (kinda)! Quiet, empty, not so bustling but nice and modern at the same time. And then we went for lunch at this Malay restaurant. It was fried rice, so yummeh with a nice salty soup. We went to get some extra stuff and then we made our way to Strawberry Garden Hotel! :)

The boys' bunk

On the way there, it was my first time seeing Mt Kinabalu with my own eyes. Even though she was still partially covered with clouds, seeing her majestic appearance made me feel two things - fear and excitement. Seeing the height that we need to climb, and anticipating the trek we're going to do the next day. Anyway Strawberry Garden is a nice hotel, especially the view! Woo yeah :D And dinner was awesome as well. Then we tucked in to our bed and sleep to prepare for tomorrow's 6 hour trek!

The trek itself was alright I guess. We have a total of 6 huts before our destination - Pendant Hut. We stopped in hut 4 for lunch, and occasionally for water break and stuff in every other pit stops. But I think we didn't stop at pit stop 6 cause it was so near our target, we just chionged up! But uhh sadly it rained from pit stop 6 onwards. So we had to trek for about 300m to Pendant Hut. Was an interestingly-cold experience.

Group 3 before our trek!

Go go go! :D

The journey from 3 - 4 was kinda tough, cause it was rather steep so yeah... But I love hut 5! Cause somehow during that part, the sky was clear and we could see the peak of Mt Kinabalu! Pretty awesome and interesting sight to see eh. In total, we trekked for about... 6 hours I think. I know we reached Pendan Hut at about 2.50 PM or so. Then moving on with via ferrata training, dinner, and a good night sleep before summit! :D

Us at around hut 5! 

Presenting, Mount Kinabalu

We woke up dark and early at 1.30 AM to prepare for our trek at 2.30 AM. We were quite late, I think we set on at about 2.50 AM instead. So we gotta meet up with the human jam. Nevertheless, we made our way up the summit (which was 2.7km in distance of trek). The danger zone was... Quite scary and exciting! We need to hold on to this rope where we climb up (like abseiling) pass through a steep rock. So envy the guide who don't need all these ropes! :P

And then... After the danger zone was when things go interesting.

I got AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). I guess it's due to my not-so-good physical level, plus fatigue, plus altitude, plus low oxygen level. I was blabbering non-sensical stuff to my team (esp Kai, Chloe and Clement). They asked me to ease my load by helping me take some stuff and I got defensive towards them. And when they're about to take my bag off, I was telling them "Don't touch my bag! Don't touch my bag!" but eventually they succeeded to get it off me.

After that, I cried. One was because I felt so touched by their kindness and care, and two was because I felt so disappointed with myself, selfish with myself cause I won't be carying my bag unlike them. It's like as if I'm a burden for them. But then Kai told me that if they were not to help me, then I would drag the team more. Clement was also saying we should all summit together, as one team.

One thing for sure is - I'm just so touched by their help. And lesson learnt - don't get AMS (but how?)

The trek up! Almost there...

The way to the summit goes as follow. First we passed by Sayat Sayat hut. Then followed by about 500m of "flat" terrain, then a 150m hike up to Low's peak. In that last part of 150m, I don't know how and why but I was making my way up there by crawling. I was just pushing myself up, telling myself whatever happens, I'll reach the summit. And then I saw the signboard, and just push myself up. Like as if I forgot what happened, my AMS, life, troubles, problems, school, everything, and push myself to the peak.

HELLOOOO~ from Low's Peak of Mount Kinabalu!

The feeling was REALLY GOOD. To stand on the peak, looking down to clouds like as if you're standing above them. Feeling like as if you're on top of the world. Feeling like as if you can do anything. Best thing was being surrounded by your friends too. The summit has taught me so many things. Of friends, of life, of everything. But being on Low's Peak was just something I can't explain through words. Just being there, is surreally unreal. At the same time.... Okay I seriously don't know how to explain in words.

But the sad thing is... Thanks to my AMS (and happiness and excitement), I didn't take much pictures on the summit. It strikes upon me when I'm back in Singapore, transferring my photos, then I realised I didn't take much pictures in the summit. Oh well, thankfully I have our summit photo with the team though! O yeah!

We made our way down for via ferrata. But since we were late, we (Chloe, Yisheng, Clement, Firman and me) decided to take the shorter via ferrata (walk the torque instead of Low's Peak circuit) instead. It was really fun and challenging man! Being on the steep side of the cliff, abseiling down, jumping here and there, walking across rocks and etc. One freaking awesome experience I'll never forget :)

Via Ferrata baby! (Photo credits to Clement's Camera)

And finally we via ferrata-ed  back to Pendant Hut, and we were the first team to arrive! Mwahaha. Went for lunch and then the day just went by with each team arriving back. Poor them, some of them were caught in the rain while via ferrata-ing and they were really cold! The team quickly went to help them out by giving them hot water and taking off their bags and shoes. Thankfully they're alright after a good sleep :)

We made it down! :D

The next day, the 2nd summit team (Candy, Warda, Afiq and Helmi) went to the summit! They were really blessed with an even better weather than us there :D Kudos to the 4 of them. Even though they were not feeling well the day before, they decided not to give up and went up all the way to the summit! Especially Candy, who summited with a sprained ankle (wow, if I were her I think I would just tell myself next time). I feel really happy with the fact that all 27 of us made it up! Cheers to the awesome team :D

The second summit team arriving in Pendant Hut! :D

While waiting for the 2nd summit team to arrive, the rest of us were drying our stuff below Pendant Hut on this rocky spot. We were laying out jackets, shoes, soles, shirts etc as the sun was out. The weather was clear, and well (thankfully) my stuff were dry so I was just there to enjoy the sun and view with them. Then... It strike upon me that I will really miss this place. The view, the serenity and the weather was just amazing. Not everyday in our lives can we see them. And what's even better? Was to hear the team's chatter and laughter as I enjoy the view and the wind. It made me look back on the long journey we've went through thus far.

This is the view that I saw, as I was sitting down on the rocky spot

We made our way down to the Kinabalu park HQ. We were really late, and we were caught in the rain! So we trekked for about 1 hour plus under the rain. Pretty awesome experience heh. Weird enough, I was feeling... Rather "empty" on the way down. Not sure if it's the fact that the journey is coming to an end, or is it me just wanting to get down quickly, or... I don't know. All I know I was feeling neither happy nor sad, neither tired nor energetic on the way down. Pretty weird no?

And we boarded our bus back to Kota Kinabalu. Somehow, during the earlier part of the drive, where most people got knocked out from the trip, I couldn't fall asleep. I was just looking back, and couldn't believe myself that I've climbed mount Kinabalu. A mountain of 4095.2m in height, the highest peak in Southeast Asia. I've never climbed a mountain before. And here I am, writing this, as someone who just climbed a mountain. Sometimes is is thoughts like this, that made you feel, what's there in life, that we can't do?

Many times one would feel so insignificant, so weak, so incapable of doing this and that. But well this trip just taught me one thing: Life is just too short for us to tell ourselves "I can't do it". Initially when I saw the poster of this trip, I told myself "Nahh I shall go next year, don't think I can do it". But then I decided to go, just to tell myself, that hopefully, I get to prove myself wrong again.

So I did prove myself wrong.

And just like my Inner Mongolia OCIP trip, this trip has made me realise how wonderful and beautiful this world is. It's just such a waste for it to be left unexplored. Go out, and have an adventure. You have no idea what it can do to you, what it can teach you, and what changes it can bring to you. But of course do plan and prepare the trip before you go. Safety always comes first before fun (Thanks Mr Kwok! :D)

Well, the mountain teaches things that sometimes the school won't teach you. Life is a journey, is all about learning. There are things we get to learn through the event that happened to us, through the journeys and experiences that fell upon us. The mountain teaches me so many things about life, people, and myself. It's quite amazing isn't it. Well as the famous saying goes: The best teachers in life are your experiences.

The trip then progresses on with a night in Kota Kinabalu, which we spend eating seafood and walking around (yumz). Then the next day we had our certificate-giving ceremony, which everyone (including me) got emotional into. It's been such a great journey for everyone I guess. So great.

This trip is just another reason why my 2011 has been so awesome. I've certainly enjoyed myself from this trip (excluding getting AMS), and I've certainly LEARNT a lot from the journey as well. I've accomplished my LEAP Intermediate. And now I can't wait to finish my LEAP Advanced, before I graduate! Alright, one item from my life's to-do list stroke off, and another added!

Do you knoq how does it feel on top of world? I do :)

And you should try it one day too

Standard Chartered Marathon 2011 10KM - DONE

Today was such an awesomely crazy day! Cause....

I FINISHED THE STANDARD CHARTERED MARATHON 10 KILOMETRE RACE!

It felt so awesome! It was my first marathon after all, my first 10 KM, my first race, and wow I finished it! Felt so good seriously. And the best part is I finished it in 1h 10m! Okay even though my target was one hour, but I think it's alright cause I was expecting to run for at least 1h30m :P But oh well, it's not the time that matters but the distance we've covered! :)

Anyway met Doreen, Alicia and Saeyeoh at City Hall and we make out way there. Deposit our bags and then we head to the start point. Kayheng was late so he caught up with us later. The journey to the start point was.... Quite horrible. We're supposed to start at 7.15 but I crossed the start line at about 8 AM. Wow really. But nevertheless thankfully we're not like disqualified or something like that. We're quite close to the closing of the gantry. But we made it in time.

So I ran and ran and ran. I think my run was awesome! No pain at all, just that my feet were burning woosh. And some part of the race it was rather hot cause of the sun while some is shady cause of the trees and buildings. Quite funny I always tell myself whenever I see the marking. "Oh it's just 9 KM more" "Halfway more to go...." and lastly "LAST 2 KM goddamnit!!" and then I crossed the finish line! :D

I drank on every water station. Was on the urge of peeing but I hold my urine and skipped all the toilets, just the water stations. Was quite scared that I'll get stitches while drinking but turned out nope. I think the hardest parts of the race were the 5-8 KM route, where there was quite a slope so I slowed down. And the 8-10 KM! I think the last part of the race is the determining point where you want to give up, or not.

I wanted to walk my way from 8KM onwards. But then... I decided not to cause I was just telling myself that I can do it! I can push it! And I was really looking for the finishing line, but I was deceived by the big banner. I thought it was the finishing line but turn out I have 200 metres to go. So I just sprinted to reach the line and when I crossed the finishing line, I just put my hands up and felt a wave of euphoria rushing within me. It just felt so good. Like all those you've been fighting for has been paid off. Swoosh.

I think this marathon is one life-changing experience. Firstly, it was my first marathon. So I didn't really know what to expect. Turned out my run was quite alright so it was good. The one thing that I'm super proud of myself is the fact that I didn't stop running for the ENTIRE race (minus the taking water part). I was on the verge of walking but I kept on telling myself that I can do this, I can do this, keep on running I can do this and there I go, 10KM run.

Anyway I told myself that in this marathon, I won't stop running. And I never did! :)

The race itself was also a motivational and inspirational event. While running today, I saw two people that really motivated me. First was a man with only one leg. His other leg was a prosthetic blade. I was stunned when I saw his prosthetic leg! The next person was this blind man who joined the 10KM marathon! Well even though he wasn't running, but I still salute him for taking part in the event! :)

After seeing these two people, I feel so ashamed if I were to give up in life. It feels like if they can do it, if they've the strength to pick themselves and step up in the marathon despite of their disabilities, I see no reason why we, normal human beings, can't do the same thing too. In fact after seeing these two people, I felt so energised and spirited that I ran faster! :)  

I read this article in Reader Digest once and I came across this phrase: Impossibility is the state of the mind. Which is really true! After seeing the two people above, I was just telling myself impossibility is the state of the mind. I have to get rid of the thoughts and just continue running and push myself further. I won't give up till my body gives in. Which... I would never let that happen.

I guess we can all relate this marathon to life. Impossibility is the state of the mind. No matter how weak we all thought we are, we never know how far we can go in life. There are times where we would tell ourselves no I can't do it. I won't be able to do it and so on. Actually, we can. Just that our mind tells is we can't. It's all in the mind I guess, right? :)

Whenever I see advertisements of marathons in the past, I would tell myself that I won't be able to do it. Even seeing the 10KM category is like running a hundred kilo race or something like that (of course I'm just exaggerating). But hey, look, I just ran a freaking TEN KILOMETRE marathon and nothing can ever change that fact! :D

I remember when I first posted on Facebook that I'm going for this marathon, someone commented "You can meh?". And now I can happily say in front of that person's face. Yes I fcuking can (sorry for vulgarity). Isn't it just so lovely to prove yourself and prove others wrong? It's such a lovely feeling. But of course the most lovely feeling in the world is to prove yourself wrong. To realise you can do it when you once thought you couldn't. The feeling can only be enjoyed by you, hmm?

During the marathon, I purposely changed my song in the last few hundreds meter or so to "Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros". When I was running/sprinting the last 200 metres or so, yes I can honestly say this, I cried. I don't know how to explain it but I was just damn happy to be able to finish and run this marathon. With the song blasting in my ears, I feel like I can just fly to the finishing line. It feels like all my hardwork has been paid off and that my dream has come true. Such an awesome feeling.

And at the same time I think I feel this sense of accomplishment where I can reflect to in life. It's like if I can do this, I'm sure I can take up more challenges in life. I've proved myself that if I don;t give up, things that we've been working hard for will be there. I really don't know how to put it into words but yeah, just an extreme sense of euphoria and accomplishment I guess. After all it's my first marathon :)

So people, I truly recommend you to take part in a marathon. It's a life changing experience (depends how you take it actually) but yeah, it will be one. It's a motivational and inspirational event you can participate to and you can also take what you learn and put it in real life. Some people believe that life is a race, and death is the finishing line we all need to cross. How you run your race, that's life.

I'm hoping of joining the 21K marathon next year, hopefully I can take part in another 10K marathon before that. To train for my 21. If time lets me, I'll run the 42 two years later before I graduate heh. Running, as some people would say are like drugs. You'll get addicted to it! :) I'm not a runner, or someone who's into running. I just enjoy running. Just like walking, running takes my mind off somewhere. And... Who doesn't love activities that give you instant endorphins? :D

My time is running short. I guess I have to seize every opportunity in life that I can take to do things that I've been wanting to do. I've never thought I would run a marathon, but I just did. And well, what else can I say? I want to run another, and another, and as much as possible. Life is too short really. I don't want to die telling myself that I regret doing this, regret doing that.

So here I am saying that I'm a proud SCMS 10K marathon finisher! :D One item each from my new year resolution and my life's to-do-list crossed off. But getting it crossed doesn't mean I won't do it again. I'll always do it! Whenever I can. Life is a race, your race. And not others! :)

And last but not least I would like to thank the following people: Ahpa, Doreen, Alicia and Kayheng who ran today. Vjie for coming and have breakfast with us. The two people I mentioned above. All the runners who gave me motivation. Everyone who has trained with me in one way or another. Last but not least, to Coldplay, Jonsi, Sigur Ros for the wonderful songs that kept me going throughout my race. Music keeps me going! Sweet~

Zaki's first half marathon! And Saeyeoh's and my first 10K :D

And there we go kissing our medals away mwahaha

[Photos courtesy of Saeyeoh's camera]

Great job to everyone who ran today. Do take a good rest and stud hard for those who are having their MSTs and exams and tests! See ya soon :)

I run for the sake of overtaking myself. Not others.

My medal! :D