Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places

Air Asia sale!!! Goldie-Malaysia return flight tickets AUD280! It didn’t take me long to decide to buy the tickets for Eid. I didn’t realize at that time however, that it would take me about 4 hours and 30 minutes from Sunny Coast to Goldie by buses and trains. And because my flight is in the morning, I had to stay overnight in Brisbane or Goldie. I chose the latter. A friend reminded me to check whether Gold Coast airport is opened 24 hours because I wanted to just spend the night at the airport. No, it’s not. Huhuhu...  Lucky for me, Oz has many reliable hostels. I decided to stay in one for that night. It is 10 minutes walk to the airport and cheap. It’s the Youth Hostel Accommodation (YHA). Heh... The stay was pretty good. The journey from Sunny Coast to Goldie was, however, a bit of a challenge. I guess the big haversack on my back and 3 of hand carries made it more challenging?! Huhuhu... I did though meet many kind strangers that offered help throughout my bus and train-changing-ordeal. Ordeal? Haha! Drama! I took the bus to Landsborough at 2 pm and the train to Brissie was at about 2.35 pm. I arrived at Roma St Train station by 4 and changed trains to Goldie there. I’ve never been to Goldie; Robina to be exact. I’ve had shopping trips only up to Helensvale; the stop for Harbourtown. So, I was kinda nervous and had no idea at all what to expect. I nearly missed the bus that I would take me to the airport stop but luckily the bus drivers here are very friendly and can definitely recognize a clueless tourist. Well, I was like a tourist that day. Huhuhu... I’ve asked the bus driver to stop me at the airport stop because again, I have no idea where to do so. It was dark by then and yes, I break my fast with water on the bus. I’ve thought of eating some food I’ve brought but I decided to eat when I’ve finally arrived at the hostel. The bus ride was half an hour and I guess most bus driver would forget to stop if no one rings the bell. But he did stop me not so far from the airport stop. It was a bit of a walk but Alhamdulillah I safely arrived at YHA by 7 pm.  The walk did include me asking more than 1 person for directions. Haha! Me and directions in Oz; I get so nervy and kinda lost my brain functionality. Hahaha!!! 

I was waiting for the receptionist when I saw a girl wearing tudung (headscarf) walked into the room. She turned and saw me and immediately said “Macam kenal jek..” (I think I know you..) I smiled and didn’t really know what to say. She then asked me which high school I went to and I am actually her senior. We chatted for a bit and she helped me check-in to my room. Before she excused herself for the night, we decided to walk to the airport together the next morning. Yes, we are on the same flight to Malaysia. J After settling in, I then only have my dinner at the kitchen, and surprisingly it was not as weird as I thought it would be. I met a nice Brit guy, Luke who is travelling whilst doing casual jobs and have lived in a number of different countries. He also knows quite a bit about Malaysia. He also shared some fruits with me. Hehe... I finally went to bed at around 11 pm. Woke up for sahur at 4 am and got ready by 6 am. We walked to the airport together; Fafa, Hajar and me. Oh yes, there’s another Malaysian guy joining us to the airport. Erkk.. I forgot his name. Anyways, after we’ve checked-in, we just hang around the airport talking and basically getting to know each other more and more until it was time for boarding. Half way through the flight, we were sitting together in a row due to the boredom we experienced because the 3 of us decided not to buy the Air Asia in-flight entertainment. Huhuhu... Thanks to a row of empty seats though, Hajar, Fafa and I got to chit chat some more until we arrived. By the time we landed, I feel we’ve known each other almost all our lives. We looked like we’re long life friends having fun on our way home. But the truth is; we’ve just met. It’s weird, but in a good way how acquaintances in a foreign place could be so close in such a short time just because we come from the same country. We are Malaysians. Malaysians studying in Oz. We agreed to keep in touch and parted our ways at KLIA LCCT. This particular experience made me think and vowed to always appreciate my roots, remember where I come from and be proud. It also made me wanna be more literate on everything there is to know about Malaysia, apart from keeping my culture & faith alive. InsyaAllah.
 

“Hujan emas di negara orang, Hujan batu di negeri sendiri; Lebih baik di negeri sendiri...”

Hope to see you guys soon. Enjoy your holidays!!!

<< SpRiNg BrEaK >>

Can't wait to come home to this very soon...

Going to miss Oz though... Err.. I think?! Hehehe...

Cheers!!!

...NUMB3RS...

9 Today is 090909. Truly once in a lifetime...

8 more days till I'm home! Yeay! ;)

7 more minutes before I need continue with my work...

6 is my favourite number!

5 more days before Ayisha meets up with Malaysia... Ahakss!!

4 hours since I've eaten or drank anything...

3 more days till shopping trip??? (Again???!! Haha!!)

2 options of dish to cook today... Hrmmm...

1 person that i miss so much & can't wait to see... *sigh*

Numbers; what'll we do without 'em?

Cheers!

...:..."RAiN Rain Go AWay, cOMe AgaiN AnoTHer DaY"...:....

The unpredictable Sunny Coast weather. It's really hard to predict what you'll get each day. I remembered few weeks before winter, we had storms and rains almost everyday. Some areas in the Coast experienced massive flooding but lucky for us here, we were fine. I just had to endure having my shoes and everything else on me wet eventhough I carried an umbrella. Oh well. I don't really hate it though. I kinda like when it's raining. Weird, huh? I guess I just love the sound of the rain and the coolness it brings. Getting comfy under the covers and reading a book on rainy days. Ahhh..I just love it! However, if it gets too much like you can hear thunders roaring, see lightnings on the sky and it's as if there's going to be a bad storm like what I'm experiencing right now; I get really scared! Huhuhu... And I guess I should turn off my computer??? Hrmmm...

Just a quick note on last week's highlight; My roomie, Ellie's 21st birthday dinner..

Location: Augello's Mooloolaba
Date: 2 September 2009
Time: 7:30 PM
Food: YUMMY!! Heh... :)
Conclusion: AWESOME!!! ;)

....Me & Denni....

....Salad for Ellie & me....

...Birthday girl with our Pizza...

....Birthday treat from Augello's....


Can't wait for Malaysian food though!!! Ahaksss... ;)

...PreMenstrual Syndrome...

Yes! PMS.

Snappy, pimply, tender, fat, teary — most women will notice changes to their body and emotions before the start of their period. This collection of symptoms is known as premenstrual syndrome (sometimes called premenstrual tension or PMT).


Symptoms
If you experience some of the following symptoms before the start of your period you are not alone — some studies suggest that 90 percent of women are in the same boat. You might be one of the majority of women who deal with the problems and get on with life. Other women, however, have such severe symptoms that their lives are disrupted for a week or two each and every month. If you fall into the second category you should discuss your problems with a health practitioner.

The most common emotional symptoms of PMS include:

* Irritability
* Anxiety
* Nervous tension
* Mood swings
* Lower coping ability
* Depression
* Aggression
* Difficulty concentrating
* Lower libido or, rarely, increased libido
* Feeling unloved
* Wanting to be alone
* Reduced interest in work and social life

The most common physical symptoms include:

* Fluid retention (swollen fingers or ankles)
* Bloating around the abdomen
* Breast swelling and tenderness
* Headaches ranging from mild to a severe migraine
* Tiredness, lethargy, insomnia
* Increase in weight
* Constipation
* Food cravings especially sweet foods
* Aches and pains, particularly lower back, legs and abdomen
* Poor coordination or clumsiness
* Skin problems such as acne
* Short, intense energy boosts

The main thing about PMS is that it settles completely once the period is over, so that there is always a time in the cycle when a woman has no symptoms at all. If your symptoms continue after your period, then the cause may be something other than PMS, like depression, approaching menopause or thyroid problems. PMS symptoms can often get worse when a woman is in her 30s and may continue to be a problem until into menopause.

Causes
No one knows exactly what causes PMS but the general belief is that it seems to have something to do with the way hormonal changes in the last part of the menstrual cycle affect a woman's body, particularly their nervous systems.

Treating PMS
As long as your symptoms are not too severe, there are many things you can try which may help keep you on track. It may be useful to keep a calendar record of your menstrual cycle. This will help you to know when your symptoms usually start, so you can avoid the things that cause you stress around that time.

A calendar that notes physical, psychological or emotional changes (for at least two months) can also be used by your health practitioner to help detect any problems that might be mistaken for PMS.

Family Planning NSW recommends the following:

* Calcium
There is good evidence that calcium supplements (take 1200mg daily — preferably last thing at night) reduce PMS.

* Chasteberry extract
There is also good evidence that the natural therapy, Vitex Agnus Castus (Chasteberry extract), which has been used by women for thousands of years, is effective at reducing PMS symptoms.

* Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle also seems to help with PMS symptoms. Make sure you eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains and cut down on salt, coffee, alcohol, sugar and cigarettes. Some women find that eating smaller meals more frequently helps as well. Get some regular aerobic exercise — aim for half an hour every day. And try to get plenty of sleep.

* Reduce stress
Try to lower your general stress levels. Consider learning relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation or tai chi, or book yourself in for a regular massage.

* Over-the-counter medications
Anti-inflammatory medications such as Naprogesic, Nurofen or Ponstan are all available from the pharmacist without a prescription. They can be useful where headaches or other aches and pains are the main symptoms of PMS.

Source
http://health.ninemsn.com.au/family/womenshealth/694493/premenstrual-syndrome-pms/

I am, at the moment feeling all of the above as well as crazy, crappy, cranky and wants to do nothing else other than lie on my bed. Help me??!!! ^_^

Have a nice day y'all!

Cheers!

Am I in Malaysia???

Hehehe... I was actually in Brisbane. I spent the last weekend with my Malaysian friends studying mostly in UQ. The main event was an iftar (break-fasting) organized by Malaysian students held in UQ's musolla (place for Muslims to pray), scheduled on Sunday night. I took the second train from the coast on Saturday morning and headed for Fortitude Valley; where Chinatown is and there is a Halal butcher. :) My main reason going was to buy some chicken breasts (which I ended up forgetting to bring back to Sunny Coast! :( Oh well...), coconut milk and glutinous rice. I was also going to meet up with my friend, Intan. She has some nougat shopping to do.

By noon, we were home at Intan, Su and Aina's place in St. Lucia. It's where I've always spent my nights if I was to stay in Brisbane. They are always ever so welcoming. Thanks guys!!! They then told me of the plan for the day. Well, we actually just stayed home for the afternoon and I eventually had a very nice nap on the living room sofa for a bit. Heh...

We went to a Ramadan Bazaar (food market held during Ramadan) in UQ. It was not as big as the ones back home but I liked the food anyways. Haha! Surprise surprise! There were about 10 stalls (I think) selling food; main courses i.e. rice (Nasi kerabu, nasi berlauk, pulut kuning with rendang, etc) and also Malaysian cakes (Kuih lorr..haha..my favourite!!!) i.e. pudding caramel, popiah, karipap, samosa, doughnut, kuih keria, kuih ketayap and many more. There was even dadih! One stall was even selling tudung! Huhuhu.. I also saw some kuih raya (Malaysian biscuits)! ;) It reminded me of home so much and this is the second time that I have seen that many Malays ever since I came to Australia. Betul tau!!! Huhu.. I had to restrain myself from buying coz I think I could have bought every single type of kuih there is. Ahakss... Lihatlah hasil tangkapan kami pada hari ini! Hehe... (Below is all the food we bought... ;))
We also had an iftar invitation at a friend's place in Taringa. Thanks K. Maz!!! She single-handedly prepared all the food for us. Nasi lemak (Rice cooked with coconut milk), RENDANG, ayam goreng berempah, sambal tumis udang and rojak buah as desserts with lots of oranges! I, personally say it was a birthday dinner celebration for me. Haha! PERASAN!!! Look at all the food!!!
We prayed together, ate, talked, laughed, inspected K. Maz's apartment, watched tv and eventually had to make our way home. It was truly a great night. Thanks so much to our hostess for the night, K. Maz.

Iftar on the next day was quite exciting. Well, I didn't really know what to expect but I'm just happy to spend the time with my friends. There was a large crowd and we stayed until the Terawikh prayers ended.

All and all, I would definitely want to do it all again. Jom makan! Hehehe... I enjoyed myself very much and was so delighted to meet all of my friends and also made some new friends. My many thanks to everyone!!! May God bless you all!

PS: I shall post all the pictures soon on my facebook. InsyaAllah. (Kalau tak pun, mintak la kat Aina..Haha!)