Bali: The island of dreams...

“There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror.” – Orson Welles

It is not like me to break my promise with close friends but this time I have too. So I called off my plan to join them for a holiday but instead, I would be spending the next 4 days with hubby for a free and easy holiday in Bali during the long break of Chinese New Year. The plan for the holiday was made in a haste but it turned out lovely and wonderful. Even the Kuta and Jimbaran bombings did not marred Bali's tropical loveland image.

My Overseas Travelogue: Bali 2007, Indonesia

Holiday fever...

“A good story should make you laugh, and a moment later break your heart...”- Chuck Palahniuk

Although we were not in the mood for a serious discussion, the section heads met to update on status of initiatives and briefed on the week’s operations.

Everyone was in a holiday mood. From the meeting room we could see that Jalan Kuching was jammed with traffic and horns were blaring loud. I envisaged that it’d get worst in the evening after office hours, as people will start to get out of town to enjoy the long holidays. For those who’ll take leave on Friday next week, will enjoy 9 days off. For me, I have no choice but to be in the office that Friday as the Director has indicated earlier that he’ll be taking leave on that Friday.

I will take the earlier part of the holiday. With this arrangement we would take advantage of the long holiday without sacrificing our leave and a chance for us to go for a long holiday. With or without the children.

Between hubby and me, for this long holiday, we plan to go to Indonesia for a luxurious Balinese break - a great way to get away from it all!.. Yeah!..

p.s.

Happy Chinese New Year
Selamat menyambut tahun baru 1427 Hijrah
Selamat menyambut Hari Wilayah

Postponed court case...

“Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together…”- Marilyn Monroe

A week ago I was again subpoenaed to the court as expert witness. This time at the Mahkamah Mejistret Kuala Kubu Baru. I was ready early this morning and while drinking a hot cup of milo, I looked through the thick reports prepared by my staff on the case.

Left the apartment before 7 a.m. and drove to KKB via Rawang road. I was met by one of my officer and we went to have breakfast of roti canai and teh tarik. The court session started late and after a few cases were read, we were informed by the police officer that our case is postponed to another date as the suspect has earlier called in sick. A typical ploy to delay proceedings.

We drove back to office just in time for our quarterly briefing to the DG. All departments briefed on 2005 achievements and initiatives for 2006 and some initiatives were discussed in great length. Only 5 departments completed the briefing inclusive ours. The rest have to arrange another sitting with the DG.

Mind and body exercises...

“Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant…” - Maya Angelou

Now that our Masjid Negara classes fall on different days, we have to find things to do to occupy the free time. We decided when ever I have class hubby will go to the gym to exercise and vice versa or go home early, spend my quality leisure time and rest!

I had earlier asked Linda to book the squash court because tonight hubby planned to go to the club with Sara and Iwan while I attended my Arabic class. My class ended quite late and I was a bit restless because I was blocking someone’s car. By the time I arrived at the club, it was past 10.30 p.m.

They had already exercised in the gym, played a few rounds of squash and were finishing a game of bowling. We thought of having dinner at the bowling café but the kitchen was already closed. We drove to Sri Hartamas in 2 cars and we ended up having very late dinner at the food court. By the time we reached Putramas apartment it was already midnight.

After a long hot shower, we slept soundly like babies…

Laksa Asam @ Country Homes...

“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are…” - C.S. Lewis

We slept in until noon. We had toast and scrambled eggs for brunch with Iwan. Tonight we are going to Noh’s house in Country Homes, Rawang and will have dinner there. I am supposed to cook something for dessert but I guess this afternoon I have better things to do!

My appointment at Dewi Sri Spa was at 3.30 p.m. When Sara called from campus and asked whether I have any plan this afternoon, I was a bit hesitant to tell her. This afternoon I just want to spend time with my gang. Their appointments were earlier so while I was having the massage, we managed to update and exchanged hot gossips. We heard that Bee was not well and the gang decided to go and see her tomorrow. After the spa session we had cheese sticks from Bread Story and had ice-blended at Starbuck.

Sara came to our Bidara House early and napped whole afternoon. Iwan came later from Putramas apartment. I arrived just in time to shower and solat maghrib. In one car we drove to Country Homes. Lan and Ros’ families arrived earlier. Except for a slight cough, Noh and Yati look well. Yati lose a few pounds and looks slimmer.

Later, we went back to our Bidara House. Slept quite late in the study while the kids glued themselves to their laptops till the wee hours.

Am i really?

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up…” - Thomas A. Edison

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'

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Which Desperate Housewife are you?

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'

Arabic for dummies...

"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers..." - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

We checked out around 10 a.m. Had breakfast at Subaidah Restaurant and headed to Bota to send Ella. Had lunch at Ella's place and then continue our journey to KL. We stopped at Tapah for solat and reached Bidara House at 5 p.m. to drop Iwan there and went to Putramas Apartment to change clothes. Hubby sent me to the office to fetch my car and we went our separate ways.

Hubby went to TM for a meeting and I went to Mesjid Negara for the taklimat for the new intakes. I was late and by the time I joined the participants in the Dewan Besar they nearly finished the briefing. We had jamuan of mihun and kueh mueh where I met up with a few friends who will be in the same Arabic Class.

Hubby came to Mesjid Negara near magrib as he had Tajwid class tonight.

Penang - Disposal as scrap...

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time…” - Leo Tolstoy

 
Woke up very late. Tired and sleepy. The team started to move the goods from Prai Station to J Metals factory at Bukit Minyak early in the morning. We skipped breakfast and headed straight to J Metals. By the time we reached the factory, they were having a feast of buffet lunch. They had set up a tent and we had a delicious home-cook meal to fill hungry tummies.

(Prime mover at work)

The consignment was in 3 batches the last was completed after 2 p.m. We had the opportunity to witness the destruction of 1 load of kontena. The process was not very complicated but we have 2 of our staff witnessing the destruction process full time. We had hi-tea before we discharged duties.

(Witnessing the disposal)

Later at our leisure time, we drove to Bukit Jambul and played a round of bowling. Had an hour of relaxing foot reflexology before we went to the night market and bought CDs, sunglasses and handbags. Dinner was roti sardin at one of the Mamak Restaurant.

Feeling full and tired we slept like a log.

Penang - Gerakan Murai Batu...

“I trust that everything happens for a reason, even if we are not wise enough to see it…” - Oprah Winfrey

At 2.30 a.m. the hand phone alarm was piercing loud. Took a quick hot shower and by 3 a.m. I was driving fast and furious to the office. The Land-rover and a security officer was ready to transport us to Sungai Way Station. Maizali and Hj Rani arrived early too. Mazlan, as usual was late. We left by 3.30 a.m. and asked Mazlan to catch up at the train station.

(A kilometer long from head to tail)

For this assignment, KTM provided us with 2 first class coaches to accommodate 30 police officers, a dozen of our own security officers and 10 officers from my team. One coach was placed in front behind the locomotive and the other at the tail end sandwiching the 34 containers with full load. The train started off as scheduled at 5 a.m. sharp. We had an hour of sleep before subuh prayers and later we had breakfast of meehun and tuna sandwiches.

(Macam orang pelarian)

The non-stop journey was smooth. KTM has arranged for all other trains from North and South to let us pass. At 10 a.m. we stopped in Ipoh for change of driver and KTM crew. We also collected packets of nasi beriani for lunch here. Arrived at Prai Station at 4.30 p.m. earlier than scheduled. We waited until the 34 kontena were safely parked at a secured area and the Penang polis took over to guard the kontena overnight. The goods will be moved to J Metals early tomorrow morning. From Prai Station, we were escorted by the polis to Penang. The rest of the team checked-in the Sea View Hotel with the polis and security guards. I took a cab to our resort at Batu Feringgi as I have booked BNM chalet for 2 nights.

(The Consignment Team)

At the chalet, I took a long lingering shower and had a short nap before hubby arrived with Iwan and Ella. They started from KL after lunch and fetched Ella on the way to Penang. Dinner was arranged by J Metals at Continental Seafood Restaurant for my team and his staff. Later we watched midnight movie 'King kong' at the Gurney Plaza.

Hari Raya Aidil-Adha...

“Forgive me my nonsense as I also forgive the nonsense of those who think they talk sense...” - Robert Frost

We woke up early and we solat Raya at the masjid and later we took family photos and packed the food we want to bring to Melaka.

After lunch, we headed straight to Melaka, stopped at Dengkil R&R for solat and reached Mak’s house right after Asar. All my sisters were already at Mak’s. Abang will be coming home late at night as he has to supervise the qurban at his masjid at Taman Maluri. Ngah will not balik kampung this raya. I heard that he and Kak Idah are going to Abu Dhabi soon as Niza is going to deliver her 3rd child anytime now. The sisters were busy catching up with each other while we tasted Mak’s nasi empit, rendang and kuah lodeh. Our lembu Qurban was sembelih this morning and Mak packed some for us to bring home.

We started back to KL after Magrib but reached KL quite late. There was a massive traffic jam near the Senawang-Seremban hi-way. We sent the kids to our Bidara House.

Tonight, at our Putramas apartment we slept soundly holding each other tight.

Hari Raya’s Eve...

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names...” - John F. Kennedy

Iwan was still asleep when I called home. Iwan is to buy some satay and Sara to prepare cream caramel to bring to Noh’s house tonight. We are having dinner with Mak and Noh’s kids. Mak has been staying in Noh’s looking after the kids while their parents are performing the Haj.

After office, hubby waited for me at the apartment and we went back to our Bidara house to fetch Iwan and Sara. Ja as usual escaped with excuses. We reached Rawang Country Homes around 9 p.m. and had a late dinner. We were hungry and the food was delicious, except for the cream caramel, which was slightly hangus. And we finished most of the food we brought.

Season's Greeting...

“Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted...” - Jules Renard

Wir bedanken uns fuer die Zusammenarbeit

und Wuenschen Thnen ein frohes

Weihnachtsfest und alles Gute in Neuen Yahr

2006!

.

from Goznak, Russia

Fragile relationship...

“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions…” - Elizabeth Gilbert

You’re there for me

And you said…
Tell me your stories and I'll tell you mine;

And so we will pass a few hours time

With the quaint and the comic and even sublime -

Silently searching for that elusive sign.

And you said…

We'll fashion the future and polish the past,

Allowing the memories to amass;

While the grains of sand slip through the glass'

Til a tranquil lull pervades at last.

And you said…

Go to sleep, will try hard I might;

So I gather around me a comforter so tight,

And we wistfully, longingly say goodnight.
Conversation fades with the eve's golden light...

(Author unknown)

New Year’s wishes...

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude...” - Martin Luther King Jr.

(Iwan and Sara)

To leave the old with a burst of song
To recall the right and forgive the wrong
To forget the things that bind me fast
To the vain regrets of the year’s that past

To have the strength to let go my hold
Of the not worthwhile of the days grown old
To dare go forth with a purpose true
To the unknown task of the year that’s new