Australasia trip, Pt. 1

Assalamualaikum and hi!

I'm back, for the moment. And I realized, I haven't had the chance to write and share about my life-changing trip to Australia and New Zealand earlier this month. I promise you, more words in the beginning to explain stuff that I hadn't get the chance to snap it, and more pictures as I gradually grew camera-crazy. Also, I Have finally got my hands on all the pictures from the trip, which means I have the pictures from my phone's camera, the Canon camera, my dad's Lumix camera and my parents' phone's camera. Makes everything easier, y'know?

We (my parents, a family friend and I) took the 9 am flight to Sydney on the eighth of May and the flight took approximately 8 hours and 15 minutes to arrive there. It was unfortunate that I've caught this rather unforgiving case of flu the day before and I distinctly remembered how I frequently requested extra tissues to blow my nose with. Auntie Azie gave me this pill for stuffed nose that worked its maaaagic on le nose. Hahah.

We arrived at the Sydney airport around seven pm; give and take an hour or so to get through customs checks, baggage claims and whatnot. It was quite late so our main choice of dining would be the Fillet O' Fish from the McDonalds in the International Arrivals building. And after that, we took this shuttle van to Ibis Budget Sydney Airport, where we'll be staying for the night before flying to Queenstown next morning. I was to occupied with my runny nose that I declined Ibu's and Auntie Azie's invitation to get some sugar fix from Krispy Kreme restaurant just beside the hotel. And they came back with a box of sugar-glazed doughnuts that I ate the next morning.

My first view of New Zealand!

To be honest, I couldn't wait patiently enough to arrive at the Queenstown Airport. I couldn't wait to see my sweet little twin baby brother who had been staying there for half a year. yeah, we all have that awkward post-puberty macho-act from the boys but what surprises me was he hugged me the moment we laid eyes on him, as he was waiting for us at the arrivals section.

Like, a real wholehearted hug, accompanied with his hearty laugh.

Trust me, it took me all I got not to cry because I really do miss him.

Twinsies reunited!

Bish has a car, I tell ya.

While the rest of them took Apex's (the car rental company) shuttle, I rode with Adan in his Nissan Tiida car. (Okay, in Malaysia, it's called Nissan Latio) to the car rental company. Mind you, New Zealand (and Australia for that matter) uses right-handed drive cars which is super cool because if we have this international driving licence, we could easily rent a car and drive wherever we want to go!

We stayed at Heartland Hotel and Ibu booked this two-stories family room with gorgeous and breath-taking view of the famous Lake Wakatipu. One queen-sized bed downstairs and two single beds upstairs. Naturally, Ibu and Ayah got the queen room while Auntie Azie and I got the singles (scenic, duh hihi) room. However we invited Adan to sleep over sooo yeah. I had to share my single bed with Adan, which was okay with me since the both of us aren't the kicker-sleeper kind of person.

We conquered the window-side bed, ofc.

It was raining so things got all misty and foggy and the sky was murky that evening.

Twinsies reunited take 2: Bitch we are crazy.

So, *clearing throat* Let the photo-log begin. Some of them are from my trusted and still-alive iPhone 4S and the remaining would be from Canon EOS 600D that my sister lent to me to further brush my still-teeny-weeny photographic skills.

And also because I gave her my Instax Panda to her and she couldn't stop playing with it the moment she laid her hands on it HAHAHAH.

Ahem, so.

Aotearoa Day #1: Queenstown/Dinner-hunting.

Waterproof winter jacket, since it was raining lightly and windy that night.

They don't have Diet Cokes, but they have Coke Life yaww!

Quaint, isn't it? I almost want to live forever in a room like this.

Midnight gossip session with Adan while watching rugby.

Aotearoa Day #2: Queenstown & Arrowtown.

Beautiful day that day was!

Bangun pagi, cari makan. Omooooo memuah

Adan's college. I'm a proud sister *lap air mata*

The gondola ride up, people!

Lake Wakatipu, take 1.

Lake Wakatipu + The Remarkables.

The Remarkables.

Air New Zealand detected!

Fly away, people! Fly awaaay

Mata takleh lagi coklat ke bro? -.-

S. S. Earnslaw. 

Ever wonder how I remember this ship's name? It's because I looked at the picture of it EVERYDAY in our hotel.

GELATO! *minion's voice*

Already on our way to visit Arrowtown for a bit; HAHA kawan siapa entah ni.

Arrowtown take 1.

Arrowtown take 2.

One of my first ever long exposure shot for flowing water, yeay!

So autumn-y I can't even.

Coronet Peak Ski Resort for a while before dinner.

I can't help but feeling small compared to what and how He created all sorts of miraculous yet beautiful and unique places in this world.

Okay so Pt. 2 will be about our road trip from Queenstown to Dunedin and our Australia journey. I promise to be committed to this trip's log sine it had a very special place in my heart; undoubtedly, I have fallen in love with New Zealand. I'm only leaving this because I had to go to bed early to maintain my NZ/AUS body time. Which is awesome cool I tell ya.

So, stay tuned guys!

Double two: a late-night bubble.

Why do I reach for the stars, when I don't have wings to carry me that far?

Because I foolishly hope that things would be different; a person, a group of companions, the people, the place, the circumstances, the expectations. Everything imaginable.

I lived in my own fairy-tale life, so it seemed. And somehow, I believed everything would be as I hoped. Then I realized, everything is far from what I dreamt it would be. I want to resent them so bad, but it made me what I am today.

How could I?

As another number have been added to my age, I grew more wary than a normal person would; more cautious, more cynical, extremely more sarcastic even. But honestly? I'm glad. The shooting-dagger looks are still reserved for those asshole-y sons of bitches, but hey. When life gives you lemon, you make a jug of sweet and refreshing lemonade out of it.

The bullshit, disappointments, heartbreaks I received from life? Hell, I've learnt to embrace them. Maybe reluctantly at first, then hesitantly. Damn, those made me stronger. Truthfully, I don't give a damn if you wanna throw some witty insults at me, trying to tear me down. It has come to the point where the insults had been too often that I became immune to them.

I'm glad I met those bullshitty people, encountered bullshitty situations. Alhamdulillah, after twenty-two years, I realized that there's a ringing truth behind every "there's a reason for everything".

:)

Random Yaya Pt. 4 (maybe not so random but whatevers)

Hey hey hey everyone! *crickets singing* Okay I am currently at the ATP lab, where everyone else is freaking out like hell. It's either because of the PPD's mini project or the ATP's CFD assignment. It's somewhat relaxing to see other people freaking out just as I am. We had been making this lab room our second home for about a week to complete both assignment, which apparently, both are due today. The PPD mini project even has a viva session starting at three today.

Okay, now the girls are shooing the boys to go for Friday prayers. Sho cute.

It had been the last week of lecture, but also the busiest. With last night's PPD test out of the way, we spent the night (before the security guard came with this no nonsense and stern face at midnight) to complete the both. This morning, we have found out that every group has the problem with getting byproducts, NOT the products.

This semester, I thought I will be the odd person out. You know, the outsider and stuff. But what surprises me was everyone are so accepting. Yes, there are cliques, but it doesn't really matter. I managed to interact with everyone, especially due to my job as the photographer for the last week's dinner (which was super awesome and funny and great and deserve a separate post because duh it was my first sort-of photography gig as a super-beginner HAHAH). I feel blessed to be accepted into this group, with a couple of insya-Allah lifelong friends and great acquaintance. One think I realized tho, they don't do gentle jokes. They are more to "madaaaaa", "gilaaaaaa", "DIAMMAH" kind of people. But I cherish (and laugh at) them all the same.

Next two week's gonna be my finals. Gosh, I need to strive. My courseworks' going good, Alhamdulillah. Now, it's the last 100m final strech in a 800m race. *flexing arm emoji*

Okay I should go now, I think. I need to change for viva and pack my stuff. I'm going to see my beloved Stowe tonight and foce her to sleep in my room yeay! See y'all again in the next (and hopefully not express) update. Buhbye!

Factual.

It has come to my attention that little acts of carelessness, or even sheer stupidity, have become the signs that will (inevitably) be interpreted as the signs that you will enter a new, beautiful, rainbows-and-sunshine marriage life. Which I have found to be so absurdly ridiculous. Pathetic even.

People can claim that they are merely joking, but to be honest? The matter of "joking" has become too frequent that I have given up that particular subject as a joke. It's annoying really.

And before continuing further, I need to clarify some things. Such as, how people had been viewing me as a bitter person, resulted from a pretty nasty parting and the fact that I have made public that I no longer believed that marriage life is for me. I am no more that person and I am trying to renew my faith in marriage and soul mates, y'know, those things, since I have let myself fall and just go with the flow with a person with the Y-chromosome that I shall not disclose the particulars of the person since I trying to have a non-social-media-flaunting relationship this time 'round. Maybe a snippet here, a screenshot there. But if you can guess, that is up to you and your assumptions :)

So you can save the "dah takde pakwe, diam je la" or "mulut kata happy, dalam hati dengki la tu" bullcrap for someone else.

Well, let me tell you something. Two years of relationship with a person, I have done and reached so many milestones in my life. Heck, I reached some of those milestones without the help from him. Like, cooking. I have spent at least three months cooking complete meal for my family. Or baking, where I have did that since I was in high school. Manually, I might add. And with the help from Ayah when we have reached the adding-the-flour step because well, you know why.

And I have never think of it as "oooo I can bake now when can i get married?"

Two years of relationship. Met his mum, "uuuuuu KAWEN", went to his house to pick him up and had a drink with mama, "uuuuu KAWEN", when he picked me up for a date and basically drove and explored his home area "uuuuu KAWEN", planned so many things here and there, even the illogical ones, "uuuu KAWEN", learnt to cook variety of things "uuuuu KAWEN".

Haha okay that last one may be true, but I didn't pathetically flaunt in social medias and whatnot while pathetically state that I wanna get married so bleeding early; it was more like a private conversation with the person himself. Can't those matters be something you talk in private? Or if you're really all about "HEY WORLDDD LOOK AT ME", shouldn't that be not as annoyingly frequent as you are doing?

It's hard to write about this and not sounding like I'm so effing envious. Believe me, I am not even remotely jealous of you people. Besides, I am talking from my two+ years of experience of being so utterly in love and happy and swoon-y. So you people would know, I'm talking from a very happy place. But damn. You're posting the same thing, the same phrase over and over again. And worse? I'm starting the read those sentences with this whiny, sort-of begging note. Which is crossing the pathetic-disgusting border. Yelah, dah macam merengek bagai. Ya get me?

I, once upon a a time, flaunted my relationship too. But not the pathetic whiny "nak kawen cepaaat" part, or the merengek part. Geli pulak bila bayangkan I buat macam tu *hysterical laugh*

On the other hand, two milestone reached; 1) drove up to Cameron Highlands, (and subsequently), the narrow winding road up to Sungei Palas BOH Tea Plantation, and 2) shot, photographically, one of the craziest, sempoi-est, loqlaq-est couple I have ever met. The honor, I can't even come to describe.

Also, I have been offered, from the project manager herself, to be the photographer for my current class' dinner, which is in about two weeks. Although I am more than excited to accept that, which will also mean that I have just landed my first job or gig, whichever you prefer, I have asked her to make me a secondary-ish photographer. It's just that, I'm still an amateur, who's still familiarizing myself with Sarah's DSLR, and judging by my Cameron's photoshoot results, I need to improve more.

My photographical journey. One day, I'll rant about it. Hahah. Until then, bye!

Post-Insurgence madness.

This post may contain a lot of clinical-sounding, matter-of-fact toned, partially incomprehensible and incomplete sentence. But I need to write since it had been a quite while and what's more, I needed to vent.

#1: I still can't quite be at peace with Four's real name because apparently, I hate the name Tobias. The fact that "Tobias" is actually Severus Snape's father's name may have contributed to most of the hatred for that name. And this is what it's like to have multiple fandoms exploding in my head.

#2: People still have issues with the whole printed-words-or-ebooks argument. I'm here to tell you I am both ebook and printed-words kind of person. True, I have a shitload amount of ebooks in my phone, which includes the fourteen (and still increasing) titles that I have read so far, and the fact that Apple's iBook application is like a God-sent present for me, and will not stop me from reading novels off my iPhone. It's like people keep asking me, "Puas ke baca kat phone?" or "Puas ke baca buku tapi tak pegang buku?". It's exhausting to answer them again and again, but Imma answer them now.

I download books to that I would read them. I don't give a damn if it's not a real book. As long as I could read the goddamn thing, I will read it. Even the words are just on my much worn-out phone's screen.

However, I still purchase real-life books. I love having the physical books in my own hand, especially seeing them all arranged on my shelf. I mostly read series, or books by the same author. And being an OCD-ish person I am, I am waiting to buy the right kind of book. For instance, I bought my THG trilogy with the same, all-black, minimal-designed cover version.

It's this obsession of mine to collect and buy books (or series) with the minimally designed covers. Particularly with black background. Black base colored book covers will forever be my sort-of kryptonite. I won't go as far as saying that some books have ugly covers, ugly fonts adorning the covers. But I honestly detest that kind of covers.

And regarding my post title today, yes. I have been eyeing this delicious-looking, black-and-minimal-designed covers for the Divergent trilogy books. And I'm just waiting for my next allowance (or the BB1M vouchers) to be spent on them. That's me, though. Finding the perfect cover version to satisfy my weird obsession. Buying it. And have a night out session with all of my special books.

Hahah, macam cari boyfriend haaa. I'm complicated liddat.

So yeah, I'm both ebook and printed-words kind of person.

#3: Finally, Insurgent the movie. I honestly wish that they would exploit the back story of the not-so-minor-but-not-so-major characters, like Marlene, Uriah & Zeke, Cara, Lynn. I mean, I understand how those characters aren't as important, but that's what I have to expect from all the books-turned-movie trend, I guess? On the other hand, loveee the adjustment to the transmitters, the not-so-expected ending. There are not-so-subtle changes made to the movie from the book to fit in the two-hours frame, for sure. But the good kind of change.

And I would love to see happy-induced-Tris. Damn. That's like the equivalent of Finnick Odair's underwear scene. Oh God. Why they wont make those whyYYYYYY

#4: On a completely different note, I can't wait for the Mockingjay Part II movie. I've heard from some people that Part I was as boring as hell, with not much amount of action-packed scenes except from the District 8 chaos, but I have to remind myself that those "some people" didn't read the books and subsequently, didn't realize how they have managed to stay true to the storyline even if it's a bit slow. Well, at least 90% true.

That 10% would be about Effie. Haha.

#5: And I have been so oblivious to this one band who apparently had been supplying a generous amount of soundtrack for some of the most iconic scenes in some my favorite movies; The Fault in Our Stars, Warm Bodies, Divergent. Damn man, let's hear it for M83 yall!

So I guess that would conclude my ranting session this time. This may or may not be deleted; my writing today had been hideously erratic. But you know, sometimes, in my life, I need to be erratic and agitated to get my point fully across. So um yeah. Good night (or morning, whichever you people prefer) everyone! :)