Back again, back soon :/

Hello! Oh dear I've been wanting to blog since I return from the Semarang trip but apparently I've been feeling so sleepy that I fell asleep while, or when going to blog. Anyway I'll just update the trip here I suppose :D

So anyway the first day was spent at Juwana, a small town 2 hours from Semarang. Had delicious dinner there! 3 types of food in total, and in a row. There's stir fried frog meat and frog meat soup, very spicy and tangy :D Then we ate beef satay with the internal organs also included. So yummy, love the "fats" there, I don't know how to say in English. Last but not least we had the ox satay as well! The meat is grounded so it's soft and nice. Me favourite :D

The next day we drove to Yogyakarta in the late morning. We headed to Borobudur first, it's an ancient Buddhist temple. I've been wanting to go there, and when I saw the monument I just went :O it's so huge! And snapped lots of pictures there. Sadly some of the Buddha statues' heads are taken off, should be due to some foragers :/

Had dinner in Yogya then, as we met with my brother's colleague. There's this shop called SS = Serba sambel = Everything with chillies. It's very spicy! But so yummy as well :D And addictive. We also went to Malioboro, it's like a shopping district of Yogyakarta, and it's pretty bustling with lots of shops and restaurants and food vendors etc.

The next day's morning was spent in Yogya as well. Had a delicious bowl of meatball soup, but with fried meatballs in a soup! Very nice and crispy. And we also went to this shop, it's like "Everything with mushroom"! Very nice, I love the food there. Duh, I'm a mushroom lover :P After that we start our journey back to Semarang.

Before going to Semarang we went to this place called Bandungan. It's like a highland so the weather in nice and cold. We went to this SPA resort (without going for one) where the view was so beautiful! :D And we also had freshly made soy milk... So freaking fresh and nice :D And also tofu, also fresh and lovely.

In the night, we checked in to the hotel and we drove around Semarang in search for food. There's this Semarang chicken rice. It's rice + chicken + soup. I love soupy rice :P And the seller is a nice lady as well. Went to this cool handout/chillout space as well called S2! And to this nice cafe where we can see the view of Semarang. Light glittering etc... It's so wonderful.

The last day was spent more on food as well heh. But we went to this temple where it's built to commemorate the arrival of Zheng He in Semarang. Then we drove around to look for nice food. I love the Leker, or Semarang's creppes. Very nice :D And then we head to the airport at night and then yeah, that's all for the trip.

It's pretty sad to realise how fast those 4D3N passed by. I love the life of the central Java people. They are nice and friendly. Life is sweet and simple there. The street vendors are willing to talk to you while you're eating. And they cycle everywhere! I really hope life can be as sweet as the life there seriously :/

Anyway I shall blog again tonight. Heading off now first. Continue tonight! :)

Semarang :D

Hello back to blog again... REFRESHED! Haha. Yes I was sick on Friday, but was feeling better on Saturday! Was a bit feverish and headache-ish still, but was feeling even better today hehe. But currently having a slight headache, and oh my gosh I'm going to Semarang tomorrow! It's in central Java, so I'm hoping I can really be fully recovered tomorrow :P

And I hate the fact that I have to wake up at 5 AM tomorrow, which is like... A few hours time! Gosh, and I can't sleep, not sure why I'm not sleepy -,-

Anyway won't be blogging so much. Today was another prayer to mark my grandma's death anniversary, but according to the Chinese calendar. Thankfully most of my cousins were here so it was rather lively, my house that is hehe. Played hide-and-seek with them today as well! Never had so much fun for quite some time :D

So yep I guess that's all for now! Will be away in Semarang for 4D3N and I'm hoping that this trip will be an awesome one! Been quite a long time since I travelled somewhere domestic, out of West Java. The last time was Bali, and that was when I'm in kindergarten -.- so I'm excited to go and explore the cities that I'll visit :D

Alright! See ya, will be back with photos from Semarang and other cities :)

Sometimes I wonder, will we still play hide-and-seek 10 years later?

Sick :/

Hello! What an early post today eh, well anyway.. I'm sick, damn. I was not feeling well when I woke up today. It's like headache plus nauseatic feeling, I thought it was alright so I just ignored it. At about 2 PM, I returned home from my grandma's house as the feeling was unbearable. I felt cold, nauseatic and I know I'm going to have fever...

Then ate a bit of lunch and... VOMITED. But it felt darn good haha, but well I threw up this medicine which I ate before I vomited, so have to eat a bit more and ate the medicine again. Fell asleep till about 5 I think, and then my body was damn freaking hot! Like I think it's 38 or higher degree celsius. Then my dad's colleague (a doctor) came and did a check on me... Everything's fine!

So the conclusion is that I'm having "masuk angin" or winds in the stomach or the medical term will be stomach flu I guess.

And thanks to my allergy to paracetamol, I didn't have anything to reduce my fever. Thankfully ibuprofen comes to the rescue! Took one tablet and then go to sleep. That was about 7.30 PM I think, and I just woke up a few while ago. About 12.30 plus. My fever is sort of gone now, but I'm feeling pretty light-headed. Must be due to too much sleeping -.-

Anyway I seriously didn't know the times just now. I was in constant sleep-and-wake cycle thingy, so I was really oblivious about the time etc. I'm feeling much better now, must be thanks to my mums "kerokin". It's a traditional way of chasing the winds away from the body by scraping coin on my back, which medicinal oil is added then. And my back was freaking red. And the redder the back, the more winds are inside your body (aka more severe).

Alright I guess that's all for today! Hoping to get better ASAP, or by tomorrow, as I'll be leaving for Semarang (central Java) on Monday! But thankfully feeling much better now. Alright see you then!

Simplicity

Nice sunset :)

Photography by Yours Truly

I love sunsets, and skies.

Hello! Today was a great day! Many things happened so I was sort of pre-occupied today, but nevertheless, it's somehow fun and sentimental at the same time. In the afternoon went to my grandparents' graveyard! It's... "fun" I guess, I know it's pretty much contradicting but well, it's been 5 long years since I visited the graveyard, and many longer years since I went there for the qing ming jie. So yup.

Anyway going to my grandparents' graveyard today just reminded me of how fast time could fly. It's been exactly 5 years ago since my grandma passed away, so yeah it's pretty quick huh. And I sort of like the cemetery (I know this is weird). The weather today was awesome and cooling, and the sky was beautiful. The cemetery was really quiet and peaceful so... It was a nice surrounding I guess!

Ate lunch with my aunts and we were talking about travelling. My uncle was telling me his life in Austria while he was still studying in the 80s! And damn he makes me feel like going there too :P I think Austria is a beautiful place, as he and some of my aunts mentioned and described. Oh and I feel like going to Greece as well! Cause one of my aunts went there last year.

In the evening I went to my dad's garden, and my aunt, dad and I were "ngoyos-ing". AKA plucking out the wild weeds that grow in the flower patch. Well we don't want them to take the food of the flower plants so we pluck them out! It's really fun and addictive, cause you're sort of urging to find as many weeds as possible to be plucked out. Plus, it's like an exercise! We were quite sweaty after that :O

And I think what my aunt said is true. While plucking out the weeds, our minds are... Empty. It's true! It's like I wasn't thinking of anything else while plucking the weeds, just getting the weeds out, that's what's on my mind. So it was sort of mind refreshing and fulfilling to do that. Well it's pretty rare in our lives that we actually have a moment of blankness in our minds eh?

So here goes my holiday writing topic #9 - Simplicity

If you were to give me a choice, in a holiday, to go out shopping in a city for 6 hours, or going to a beach for 6 hours, I'll definitely choose the 2nd choice. If you were to live in a metropolitan city, or a countryside house, I'll choose the second choice again. I love being simple, I love the fact that simplicity should be the way of living. Yes, even though I love a bit of indulgence (like food) but I still want, and wish and try to be as simple as possible.

I guess that's why I love taking random shots of objects, I love simple things like a simple notebook or mugs, I love simple songs, not too rara yet not too quiet. I love simple. I guess it's really the way to make life easier and nicer. I love simple food, with simple decorations etc. And I would really love to lead a simple life. Living in a small town, nice breezy weather etc.

I really don't mind working in a farm, in a small quiet countryside, leading a simple lifestyle. That's why I really enjoyed plucking out the weeds just now, cause it's a simple and yet fun job. I love and prefer things to be simple, sweet and nice. If possible, the way I live, the way life goes, everything, lets keep them simple shall we?

So yeah, I really love simplicity. You might not see how this is reflected in my life. But I love simplicity. Sometimes, life seems tougher now than those in the olden days. Cause I guess life was much simpler last time than of now. Try to make your life simple and sweet, and you'll see how much sweeter it can be :)

Brr

Life needs some direction

Photography by Yours Truly

Taken yesterday :)

Sorry for the title, it's really cold here right now, so... Yes it's pretty Brr in here! But well I'm in my room once again, and so.. It's not that cold heh. In fact it's cosy and nice, but I just opened the door cause it's pretty stuffy and hot just now earlier, I was cleaning up my room for something. And was also tidying up my photo frames, they were infested with... Moulds! But it's clean now, and I just did another round of wiping.

Today was a normal day I guess, just that we did some praying for this Tuesday's 青明节! Wow first time typing Chinese in my blog, and I hope it's the right spelling... So yep, we were praying before the day itself. So my aunt and uncle came, together with my cousins Via, Frans and Febi! I was playing chase with Via and it was so fun haha, feels like been a long time since I played that.

In the afternoon went to do the weekly grocery shopping as usual with my mum and sis, followed by my grandma's house! It's pretty funny, we were on our way home from my grandma's house back to my house when this uhh meatball seller came by. So we instead of heading home, we actually stayed longer to have a bowl of meatball soup! Sorry I really don't know what to call it in English, just meatballs I guess.

Umm yeah that's all for my day. My aunt from Jakarta is coming tomorrow though! She's joining us for the 青明节. So guess it's gonna be fun and yeah, less empty I suppose to say it.

I don't know what to talk again... So lets start my...

Holiday writing topic #8 - Childhood

Honestly, I don't know why I picked this topic. Perhaps due to the fact that I played chase with my cousin just now? So was sort of like thinking and reminiscing of my childhood. I'm not absolutely sure actually. But nevertheless, lets start. Hmm childhood is I'm sure something everyone wish to relive. Unless it's something bitter and painful, which is pretty unusual and rare I guess.

Sometimes... It's pretty foolish of me to think why didn't I have my camera when I was a child! I know nuts about photography then, let alone, a passion for it. But well pretty pictures of lanscapes, skies, events and more are inside the memory of my childhood. But well, there's no way I can "see" it again like a photo when it is now a memory.

I remember those days where Saturdays are like my favourite days. Well apparently here in Indo, we don't have a holiday on Saturdays. So I remembered how happy I would be every Saturday! After school I would wash my shoe, dry them, and then play with my cousins. 3 of my cousins stayed opposite of my house by the way. And we would play till the evening.

Every Saturday we would either go out. And my definition of going out is not like an outing at a nearby cafe or whatsoever. It's to go to my dad's factory in the evening for cycling or chase. Or we would "venture" to a nearby shop that sells snacks and drinks etc. Why venture? Cause we have to either go by this jungle-like place or this place with lots of drainages and yeah. So it's pretty adventurous.

On the special occasions, another 2 of my cousins would come for a stay over! I remember we would be so happy, they would either stay in my grandma's house, or my house. And on Sundays, we would wake up early to go and have a nice breakfast of porridge which is quite a far walk from my house. And we used to call it our "morning exercise".

And on Sunday afternoon I would still go with my mum for grocery shopping. I remember how I would beg my mum for things and if I didn't get it I would go bad-mood-mode. And my mum would scold me heh. On Sunday nights, those are the study-licious nights. Cause Monday is the next day and somehow I wouldn't just do my homework on Saturday, but Sunday night.

So those were my childhood weekend. Wonderful isn't it? Unlike now, every weekend I have to study, or I'll be pre-occupied with some things. Sometimes I would ask where have all these beautiful bliss go to? Life were so much simpler, sweeter and wonderful back then. Well now it's not as sweet as those days. But nevertheless I long for the day where these memories will be re-lived, re-captured, and replayed :)

Back

Hello hello! I'm back home now, on my comfy bed in my room, blogging here :D The weather is nice and cold, it just rained here. Such a pity that it was sunny and blue in the afternoon but well the weather changed drastically then :O But caught some awesome sunset pictures just now!

Okay shall make it a quick bloggy cause my battery is dying soon.

Anyway the flight yesterday was awesome, it was delayed for 20 minutes but nevertheless the rest is alright. Quite bumpy on air though, must be the clouds heh. After reaching the airport... Something "once in a million blue moon" happened! Shan't say it here but yeah, I'm both happy and shocked heh. But anyway, made our way back from then on. There was quite a heavy jam then.

We decided to take the Puncak route. Well it's not the usual route we took from Jakarta to my hometown, but we took it anyway cause the road in the usual route is really badly damaged. So the journey's going to be bumpy. It was my first time taking the puncak route at night, and it was beautiful! Cause the lights of the houses glitter and they look so beautiful.

Plus we can see the city from on top. Oh by the way puncak means "mountain top" so yeah, we can see the city on below. The lights were really pretty! Wish I could take a picture of the scenery but I don't have my tripod with me. Plus we wanna reach home ASAP so yeah.

Alright anyway I have to go now, shall blog more in the next few days! Ciao ciao

Going back

Hello! Currently at boarding gate A11 of Changi airport's terminal 3! It's really awesome there, I love the design of the terminal, so abstractly-beautiful. And it's my first time here as well. Thankfully Garuda has changed their terminal to T3, cause honestly I've been wanting to go here heh. And now waiting to board my plane, thankfully I have some time to blog at the gate :D

So this is my 2nd time blogging at the airport, seriously I feel that the airport is one of the most "inspiring" places to write? To pen down my thoughts or in this case.. Type them heh. Currently I'm facing the huge window again, looking at planes either touching down or taking off. The sun is shining through the windows creating a wonderful silhouette of the window.

And talking about silhouette, I was taking picture just now when the security personnel shouted from afar "No photography!" Oh man it's so embarrassing with the fact that there are other passengers there. But anyway lets abide the rule and I kept my camera back. But one of the passengers behind me was saying "but there's no sign that says no photography..." true enough!

Wow an A380 just landed :D

Well yesterday I went out with Jolene, Ben and Pow. Watched Hop together at JP and then we ate at Mr Prata! Apparently Jolene was having cravings for it so yeah. And then we slacked all the way till night, walking aimlessly at Clementi and drinking the not-so-okay OK tea heh. No offence but I feel the taste of the milk tea is... Weird. I'm not sure why either.

Anyway I'll be going back today, obviously from my title and my previous paragraph. I'll be going back for 2 weeks, finally. After all the camps and activities, I can take a break! But anyway this time round the holiday was pretty jam-packed with lots of things. But nevertheless these things are things which I enjoyed being at, and enjoyed doing! No regrets for joining the CLS FLP camp and being the photographer of the CLS FOC :D

Really looking forward to have a great holiday, for two weeks before hell starts. Just kidding, I mean year 2. It's back to reality in two weeks time! Well it feels really odd to start school, I think I have been having awesome fun for the past three weeks, so it feels a bit weird to go back to school in the next two weeks.

But anyway, I'm looking forward to year 2! Cause I'll be one student from the pioneer batch of Biomedical research :D IT's so gonna be awesome. Not sure how it will turn out but I'm looking forward to learning the things about research! I think it's gonna be fun hehe.

Alright I guess that's all for now, shall blog when I return home later. But seriously, I wish I can take a picture of the scene right in front of me now, it's really awesome and you'll know why I called the airport one of the most inspiring places to pen down your thoughts. Alrighty see you! :)

Lets have an awesome holiday!