Twelv with MJ's

Haya's Dad (Mat Jaya) birthday was on the 29th of September, but we were pretty much due for the boat departure by then. So Haya booked a place for us to sungkai as well as celebrate her dad's birthday.

Nenek and Atok Laut Haya was there, so she had to don on something more sopan. Harks harks. This is some of her family members. Her pretty sister Pijah, Elmo y aku rase suke kat aku tp tape, her mum, MJ himself , Haya and Mel. Haya has another sister Titin and brother Adul.


Kan aku cakap Elmo ni suke aku. Haha. Jgn tak cayee =P He is so cute ok! And of course I already took the liberty of piggy-backing him mase kat rumah. Berat siots.

The other guests, Elmo, Me, Nadia (Haya's friend), Titin, Maid haya, Nenek and Atok Haya.

Later MJ got himself a nice pressie. A brand spanking new handphone. And he like immediately took out the sim card and had one of the daughters put it in for him. Haha. Mmg kewl la ayah die.

After that, I dragged Haya and Mell to take me to the Mall for another round of tudung borong-ing. Nanti turun kapal da bukan raye lg. Sure da tade da soldes ni. Met up with Tina and Jas at the food court upstairs. Balik. Tido cam org gile. The next morning we had to board Ajang Hormat. Again.

Ambuyat

I had to try Ambuyat. The traditional sagu or (ape eh sagu in english?) dish/staple food of Brunei. In Sabah and Sarawak, they also eat this a lot. But not in Semenanjung Malaysia tho. I am however, interested to try. No promises though. Cause I know it is slimy and soft and mcm mane nak mkn ngn sambal? Haha.

The usual crowd. All girls. I have no idea what to order, so luckily the girls had already ordered before hand. I just had to sit there and try some.

We had a dslr among us. So candid la comel kan? Haha. Me and Chloe. Oh she didn't come during the previous sungkai session. I think her name is so cute. So I call her Chelowee instead. Haha. This is my babes Haya. She looks a bit like Sara Raisudin la that nite. All the dishes arrived..and I tried bits and pieces of the fried pickled meat, urat goreng mcm rendang (urat?? ohh telan je), ikan goreng, pucuk paku..cacah this and cacah that. All I try wa. And now, how to eat ambuyat.


Step #1. Poke around this soft pot and yo-yo it up and down until u get a nice slab on ur chopsticks looking poles, roll the bamboo until you get your desired amount (mine was always tiny). Step #2. Dip it in some sauce, or cacah. Like sambal la..got some with tempoyak and some with ape tah tak ingat.

Step #3. Put it in your mouth. Do not chew. Do not let it idle and travel in your mouth, just SWALLOW. Doing otherwise will cause some serious repercussions. Haha. Like gagging.

Step #4. And then you choose from so many other dishes to put some flavour in your mouth.

Tomyam. Aku order. Just in case aku tak lalu nak makan ambuyat. Bijak kan?

This is my attempt to try to eat as much as I can, but in the end. I had to have some white rice. I was afraid I might get hungry from all the play-play eating I did.

The fried pickled meat. It was delicious. Soft, very flavourful. Sedap lah. Ratah puas-puas.

This is ikan masak asam pedas. Masam. But of course, not pedas enough. Cili je lebeh. Haha.

This is how you know your ambuyat is no longer good for eating. Settling time is around 30 minutes. Haha. Syiok wa, main dgn ambuyat.

We then headed to coffeebean in Gadong (uptown la kire). And then walked around the Mall since it was only 8pm at that time.

I straight away did what I hadn't done in a long long time.. Looky2 for tudung. Borong abes. But here the style is all silk scarves. Nice lah. Got a few for my mum, my admin in Kemaman.

Dah lame tak pergi shopping. What a nice evening out with the girls!! Rina even treated me to a scarf since I couldn't make my mind up. But in the end I did get 8 scarves + 1.. Thanks Rina!!

Sparkly and New

Today I left the base at 1.30 in the afternoon. All muslims were allowed to leave as early as that. I didn't feel like doing anything. Plus there wasn't anything hands-on to do in the yard. And my boss just pretty much confirmed the fact that he is not allowing me to go back for the festivities.

Its ok. I am fine. Just a tad sad. I seriously hope the ship will get its sorry arse over quickly. Rumour has it that the 28th will be the date. Ok la tu. Chloe promised me a cheesecake. Home-made. I want the whole thing to myself later on the boat. Can ka?

Now I have to change my ticket to a date that is way further in the future. 15 October is good enough? Or that is just too early for the operation to be over? Oh tolong lahhh.

I tried on all the scarves I bought to cheer my day up. Haha. Happy happy. Need to go back to the Mall to get some more!

CoffeeZone Kiulap

As all of my friends and loved ones are obviously enjoying their Iftars (ye Kepen) without me, I am also trying to make the best of things in peaceful Brunei.

We started a frenzy at the base when all of us decided not to work and instead think about where to have our sungkai later. One of them even went ahead and printed in color, a list of all buffet spots in Bandar. Kire town la. Bandar Seri Begawan, geddit.

We decided to pick a place that was below 20 Brunei Dollars, cause it wouldn't make any sense to go somewhere that would cost us a bomb when neither one of us could eat that much. Tgk gamba je la..

Mel, Haya and Rina

Its been a while since I laid my eyes on good food. Temptation temptation. I had 3 rounds! Good job kin. But Rina was there to cheer me on, the rest. Hampeh. Makan sikit je da kenyang. Rugi btul bwk g buffet.
My plate. But I didn't finish the mee hoon. Keras. Tak best. The menu was simple, tapi sedap. No need for a flood of choices, just a few good ones will suffice. At least for me.

This is Tina, she looks an awfully a lot like Lisa, but I don't have anyone to verify that for me!! Sesape yang kenal lisa, and is reading. Setuju tak?

The whole pack. Jas (not SLB), Tina, Me on my toes, Rina, and in the front, Haya and Mel (also not SLB).

Was great fun to be all pretty and dressed up again. It made me really happy. Malam itu tido rumah Haya lagik!

Zen Spa on Mell!

On a Sunday, I slept over at Haya's place, in Muara. It is pretty much the most northern part of Brunei, so close to Sabah. Muara is also the place where our beloved vessel and all other vessels would park when there is bad weather or other technical issues.

Anyways, Haya's friend, Melini (whom I shall call Mel) was also spending the night over at Haya's comfy cozy house that would be like all other houses in Brunei, double storey bungalow. But hers is like something that was around since she was born. Kewl gile aku lepak at Kampung Kapok. The crickets and other background music really reminded me of my Atok's place in Rembau. Waa waaa~ Dah la tak balik raye. Tahi la lari dari topic.

Haya & Mel

Yeah so then lovely sunday morning I woke up at 10am. And I had to get ready cuz the girls wanted to go to a spa. Full body massage. Nice kan. Thanks Mell for the treat. I didn't really want her to pay, I was just asking about the price and she pounded on me like, "don't worry bout the payment, I'll take care of it." So sweet. Aku da la tade cash. Haha. Kesian.

Zen Spa, I think there is one in KL's own Pavilion, btul ke? Yea so we had the Zen Spa Signature Full Body Massage priced at 55 Brunei Dollars. Ok la kan? I had the single room. So I was all nice and comfortable with only the masseuse (spell?), piano notes in the background, lovely smelling massage oil and the sound of my backbones cracking all the time.

At Zen Spa

And the masseuse (mls nye nak gune perkataan ni) was all like, "Oh ma'am, so much muscle. Tension." Haha. I think she just meant muscle tension. Not the muscle.

"Where do you work?" Aduh. Hard to explain, but I hope she understands..

"Offshore.."

"Where is that ma'am?" layman layman. "Where they make all the oil." Bah. Good enuff.

My Room

I got a good 1 hour and 30 mins of back rubbin' muscle kneadin' toe ticklin' LURVE. I felt so good afterwards and so sleepy. Later I tagged along half-asleep while the girls went shoe hunting and woke up again when I started to salivate over karipaps at the Bazaar held at the Stadium.

Time kaseh Mell!! Time kaseh Haya!!

Kangen

"All I really want, is some patience, A way to calm the angry voice.

And all I really want, is some peace man. A place to find a common ground.."

I miss my dose of drugs that I myself brew out of Alanis's lyrics. I'm pretty deep. I miss hanging out with my friends. I miss their sanity, and how I do not have to explain my stance everytime I think of something to say. I miss being truthful to myself. I miss shopping. I remember how someone once told me that women have a fascination towards all thing new and sparkly. Light never fades or stops charming.

My least favorite flowers are roses. Red ones.

Cheek Stretch Anyone?

I came across this as I was blog-hopping..

I want cheeks like those. Is it possible? Mine are like all over the place. How to excercise the cheeks? Chewing gum is it. Hahaha..

Ye, sy tade keje. Sy frust boss tak bg balik raye.

Ship Shape

Yes yes, as you can tell. I'm pretty serious about getting back to shape. Especially since all I did on the vessel was eat and sleep. Darnit.

Ok so the vessel made its way to Labuan to get its engine fixed, but somehow in the middle of the process it broke its propeller? Oh siyesly. This meant that it would take about another 2 more weeks before the vessel would arrive in Brunei.

The boss here said it would be ok for me to go back and perhaps come back to Brunei once the vessel has arrived and is ready for the job. Hepi siot. *Clap Clap* some more. Skali the next day my Kemaman boss said that he wanted me to stay here until the job is finished. Are you seriously asking me to stay 2 weeks in the hotel, goyang kaki tade keje kat base, solat terawih satu bulan secara sorang2..?!!

I am in shock. Sedih sangat lah. Just pray that the vessel will arrive soon, I get to do the job as efficiently possible, pass my evaluation and go back to my loved ones ASAP.

Random Jumble

Highlites for me!

#1. I corresponded with Anna-Rina via email. And thanks to my resourceful Jenga, got her photo-blog url. She is so bubbly and positive!!

#2. I was supposed to correspond with Shafiq Akmal from C.S. but some other person replied his email for him (a jealous other? I beg to differ lah, must be the admin or something). She was. Unpleasant. Sorta like, "Look at you, what a joke, you haven't even set a date yet?..." Ba ka.

#3. I also got an email from John at PushMore regarding my enquiries about their personal trainer program they have there. It looks really intimidating tho. All those men. But I have a feeling it'd do me good. If I get a whole month off at the end of the year.

#4. Then stumbled upon Gold's Gym BodyPump programe. Cheaper, and closer to home as well. Or I could mix them both. Cume I don't know what its like to go to workout sessions alone. And no, yoga won't do. Kalau yoga baik aku upah Jenga je.

Happy days are here to stay..ye ke??

Tag Mag Sag Bag Ha Hag

Tagged By Miss Epal

This would be a first tag in 2008, and maybe 2007 included!

1) First airplane ride

13 September, 1985. From Belgium to Kuala Lumpur.

2) First time I gave birth

Not married yet. And then wait till I get preggers so that I can give you a date =) haha

3) First time overseas

Hrm..I was born in Belgium. So how leh?

4) First time living away from your family

Summer of 1996, I had to leave my family in Bangladesh and continued my studies in Malaysia. Entered a boarding school, and even wrote a bitter letter to my dad saying how he has won the battle and his evil has succeeded in putting me behind bars. Very "Me against the World" kan?

5) First time I had a real job

Volunteer work during a summit in Geneva, 2003.

Craft Attack in GE Mall..brape tah sebulan. The bosses were 2 money crazy chinese lady. Takot weh~ But I kept coming back for the kids. Adorable!

6) First time I felt I was fat

What kind of question is dis la. Hrm. When I was in 4th grade I sat next to my friend on the way back from school and I compared my thighs spreading on the seat to hers not spreading out so much..I am chubbywubby in the same places still.

7) First time in love

4th grade again, I really liked this guy Tim Diphoorn and was best friends with his sister, Tessa. I frequent her house to snoop on her brother. And my brother was in Tim's circle of friends, cool huh?

8) First time I felt I was beautiful

Every pagi raya, in the 1990's. Mama dabbed red lipstick on me, and I would always go back to her room to dab some more. Cantik tau bibir sama warna ngn sirap. Haha.

9) First time at the cinemas

We watched The Gods Must Be Crazy, at Pontianak, Kalimantan. 1989 ke? We (Ashrul & I) were promised the latest RoboCop, but had to watch this instead. I had a fit but apparently ayah didn't know about this till yesterday.

10) First time admitted in hospital

Don't think I've ever been admitted. Thank God for my good health, alhamdulillah.

I'm supposed to tag someone now izzit?

To you lazy bumbums, get up and run cause Tag!! Your it!!

1. Jenga - buat je la bulat eh =)
2. Kepen - you can file this under Rainbow & Candycanes
3. Adik Shah - a more personal entry perhaps?
4. Puan Kunaz - kau da malas update blog seh. Hamek kau
5. Sesape y blom penah buat hok ni..sile sile

Sheer Love

I am in LOVE with this cute tunic!! It is so ME. (Sesape tak knal tu..trust me when I say this is me,ok) Haha..

Its a boho chic tunic top, with detailed embroidered panel front and ties to neck with an empire finish with pewter beads.

I want it so bad!! I've always been the more modest type, preffering blouses that doesn't show off too much but is still very feminine. Which totally fits me wearing the hijab la kan.

This one is a love love too!!

I have a whole bunch that I hand-picked. But then again, I'm not the type to spend so much on a piece of garment. Haiya. I can't wait to pay a visit when I get back!

My babes Zarina (SLB jugak, based in Labuan) is on a 3-week holiday. We gonna strike 'em stores one sweet day!!

***

Happy happy happy 24th to babelicious Jenga! May you grow up strong and wiser =)

For My Other Boss

I'm going to print this in A4 when I get back to Kemaman and paste this smack dead center on my work-space wall so that everytime the bugger comes to ask me for something. He will do so knowing how much I despise him. Heh.

Pose2 pon leh emosi kan. Just too much lah for me at the mo. What with this vessel that needs 4-5 days of repair in Labuan and all. I don't really even see the beginning of my job assesment taking place. Let alone promotion kan.

Bersabar kin. Kte tunggu sungkai dlu deh.

*sungkai = buke pose bahase org Brunei

Convo Congrats!

Here's to my greatest buddy ever, Jengga! Congratulations on your convocation, you are one lucky duck to get so many bouquet of flowers =) Am sorry I could not make it. What to do. My job loves me so much. Heh.

Congratulations also goes out to my close friends, Kepenz..and dearie Shah. I hoped you had a great day celebrating your success and achievements. Goodluck in your carreers..

Let's pray for more to come!!

Safe On Board

Syukur, alhamdulillah. I was sent offshore on the 29th of August. So right now I am on board the Ajang Hormat, vessel from Kuching. First couple of hours on board were like a nightmare! Pening nak mampos.. and plus I didn't eat propperly that day. Well, especially when I was at the base since 7am, ready for a chopper to take me offshore. Instead, when we got to the heliport, they said that the chopper to Magpie was cancelled since there was a vessel that was along side, making it hard for the chopper to land.

By boat lah. And it was another 3 hours of excruciating wait. And another 3 hours of muntah-pening-pale-otak-aku boat ride. I was so glad when we arrived near the Ajang Hormat.

Its been a week of no activity now, we had to assist so many other lifting activities in the nearby waters. And a couple of days were declared as bad weather, so all activities were suspended.

Dahla bebuke pose kat sni tak best. Sedih gile gaban. Cepat la abes job nii!