Losing someone we love

Looking at this picture, I know how sad it is when you have to depart with your loved one.


Sedih, memang sedih.

Looking at both Sultan Johor and Sultanah crying, is just like dejavu. It's like flashback during the day Anas went to a better place.

Pama eyes filled with tears. And the others too.

"We know all along that Anas is battling with his health, but it is heart-wrenching to lost him so sudden. But he is in a better place, InsyaAllah".

And I saw Sultan Johor's cloth is stained with the earth too. Kasih ayahanda hingga ke akhirnya.

Footnote : even till today, Pama's conversations will still include Anas name.

Innalillah hi wainna ilaihirojiuun.

InsyaAllah Tunku Jalil is in a better place.

Healthy eating

Not so healthy lah when you just had salted egg.

Can't wait to be back to Msia.

Had to suppress myself from binge eating in Yangon, cos I have longggg list of food to be eaten in Malaysia.

Jalan-jalan Inle Lake (Nyaungshwe) -1

Alang-alang dah duduk Myanmar, rugi lah kan kalau tak jalan-jalan Myanmar.

Myanmar, negaranya besar, bersempadanan dengan banyak Negara-negara lain.  Maka, budayanya pasti berbeza.  This is one of the reasons why one must come and explore Myanmar.

Memandangkan jarak dari satu Bandar ke satu Bandar amatlah jauh, dan kalau mengambil bas sebagai transportasi, perjalanan biasanya mengambil lebih kurang 10-12 jam.  Pilihan yang lebih cepat dan menjimatkan masa ada, iaitu kapal terbang. Tapi, mahal la weh! Contohnya, Yangon ke Heho (lapangan terbang untuk ke Inle), tiket pergi balik berharga USD300.  Kalau naik bas, tiket pergi balik ialah USD40.  Makanya, bagi menyahut seruan berjimat-cermat, relakanlah diri untuk menaiki overnight bas. Kalau tak tersepit dengan kekangan waktu, why not kan?

Inle (Nyaungshwe) adalah Bandar ketiga on my ‘scratchmapMyanmar’. Yang dah dilawati ialah Yangon (of course!) dan Taungoo.

So berbalik pada cerita Inle.

An impromptu trip, since we observe a long weekend here, due to full moon holiday.

My initial plan was either to go to Vietnam (Vietjet offers a reasonable price), Bangkok (Nok Air too) or Bagan.  Balik Malaysia pun ade dalam plan, tapi tiketnye mahal la plak kan.  Inle was not part of my research  until I feel Bagan should be keep for another trip (adalah sebabnya).

Internet sangat membantu and from my quick research, I was able to plan the impromptu trip.

Return tickets were bought via JJ Express FB Page (bayar bila ambil tiket dekat Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Station) : USD20/way

Hotel (Inle Star Motel) was book via Agoda. Bab hotel ni haru skit.  I’ve been eyeing few recommended hotels (cheap one!) via Agoda, TripAdvisor and booking.com, until 2-3 days before the trip, I noticed that the shortlisted hotels are either sold out or hiked up.  Then, the next thing I do was to just book the hotel, though it received some negative reviews. Hotel rate : USD32/night.  You can get cheaper than this, actually.

Bab naik bas, aktiviti di Inle akan disambung kemudian.

Couch potato Saturday

Friday - you start making plans for the weekend

Saturday AM - decide to go window shopping

Saturday noon - switch d tv on, and saw Shah Rukh Khan. Look outside, very sunny.

Conclusion - decide to be a couch potato for the day 👶👶👶

Rindu

Kadang-kadang ada perasaan rindu yang undefined.

Macam rindu pada orang yang dah tiada. Tapi kita tahu, beliau berada di tempat yang lebih baik.

Al-fatihah buat adinda tersayang, Muhammad Anas.

Your wittiness, slumber and charm will always be remembered.


Picture of Papa cleaning Anas' grave, taken by Mama.

Makan-makan

Made a wrong decision to go out today.

It is Deepavali here in Myanmar, and on the first thought, I just wanna spend my day at home.

Then I remember that we are going to have potluck dinner this Thursday. And I think I don't have enough materials to cook any decent food (dessert).

Called the driver and 5 minutes later we are stuck in jam. Usually I can reach the shop in 5 minutes. Then I realized, people are thronging to NLD HQ.

Decided to u-turn and go to another shop. And for the first time I feel it's hard to find baking stuffs here. Ok, may be a little bit exaggerating.

But, in my mind, I was thinking to prepare either pengat pisang (bananas are plenty here!) or kek batik or brownies kedut (the in thing in Malaysia now!). Options are limited since I only have small oven, so likely the dessert will be something from the stove or fridge.

After few times of circling the aisle, I can't find gula melaka, cooking chocolate, choc chip. Then obviously the dessert will be kek batik, cos Milo and Ovaltine are plenty! Oh, before that, I Googled whether I can make gula melaka from caramelized sugar. Heee

Note to self : I have to make a 'things to buy from Malaysia list' and bring them here..this include Maggi that the drivers like.

Election

Everybody here is really excited with the election tomorrow.

Hope everything will be safe and good.

Pokok keputusan

So we have a bunch of new people coming in last few days.

And I was a lil bit annoyed when sometimes they think they know better than us on the things that we have decide earlier.

Sometimes good thing is when you consult the person working on the stuff first cos you won't know how much time had been spend and what had the person think/consider before making that crucial call.

Yeah, you may have previous experience, but when u come in a new team, learn the rules.

Different priority

Cerita semalam.

A bunch of bosses had come here to visit us, hence our time are occupied entertaining them. We even don't really have time to sit at our workstation and complete the work properly.

But, it's ok la, considering they come once awhile.

What amused me was..

Ada orang letak dokumen penting kat meja dan suruh saya tanda tangan. Memandangkan hari pertama bos sampai perbincangan adalah sampai ke malam, jadi gue bercadang untuk baca dan tanda tangan dokumen tu pada hari esok.

Maka, hari esok pun tiba. Gue memberitahu kerani jabatan yang gue tengah baca dan bakal tandatangan dokumen itu.

Sampai di meja gue, ada orang telefon. Selepas gue cakap hello, terus disembur oleh si pemanggil. Gist nya, gue x perlu baca dokumen tu, tapi disuruh tanda tangan sahaja, kerana dia perlu hantar dokumen tu sebelum tengah hari.

Prinsip gue, x perlu bertekak dengan orang yang gaya cakapnya macam membodohkan diri sendiri. Jadi dengar saja amarahnya. Walaupun gue terangkan yang masa kami semalam seharian adalah terisi dengan kehadiran bos.

Tapi yang peliknya, kenapa si pemanggil itu kalut semacam. Sampai lah gue teringat kandungan bebelannya yang dia mau ke HS* Day. Patutla hari ni ramai yang terlebih cantik. Macam nak pergi keraian.

Gue hanya mampu gelak sinis. Sebab, sepanjang gue kerja, kalau ada HS* day, it's just like the other days. Tiada yang istimewa.

Jadi, inilah kisahnya different priority. Gue kalut nak selamatkan telaga yang mati tiba-tiba. Orang lain sibuk nak bersiap cantik pergi HS* Day.

Overwhelmed

Sometimes, I just feel that I'm not doing enough.

Sometimes, I just feel that everything is not in my control.

The best thing to do is to push the reset button, sit back and think.

Drama

Sekali sekala dapat tengok drama tv3 kt Yangon ni, layan jugak kan.

Walaupun xde la plus point sangat, tapi kira mcm keep up dgn perkembangan Msia gitu.

Tapi yang lawaknye, sebab sekali sekala je tengok. Tiba2 tengok episod seterusnya, "Eh, bila watak ni ade dlm crite ni?"
"Eh, apsal crite ni mcm ni plak?"

5 minit lepas tu...

Baru sedar, rupenye ni dah drama lain.

Haha, lelz sangat kan.

Sekian. Isu tak penting.

Healthy eating

We always have problem to decide where to eat during lunch.

So, when my friend on the other side of the world invite me for 3 months body transformation challenge, which include healthy eating and bring lunch to work...I said, "Why not, huh?"

This save me one headache to think where to eat for lunch.

So, there come the meal prep, groceries listing and veggie eating.

Sometimes, I feel like a rabbit eating those veggies. Huuu. But, let see the bright side after 3 months yeah..


1st day meal-still got rice

Don't bother

I hate it when people mess around with things that currently I'm doing.

I know some people like to be smart, but please la, be smart in ur own area.

In the end, when u give wrong info or wrong understanding, somebody else has to clear up the mess.

We don't need everybody to be a hero.

Berkarnivor

Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha !

Kalau di Myanmar, dipanggil Bakri Eid Day.

Bakri maksudnya kambing dalam bahasa Urdu. To cut it short, sbb tu panggil Bakri Eid Day.

Alhamdulillah, sempat balik raya. On the eve of raya (waktu Malaysia) pun boleh.

Sebab apa waktu Malaysia? Sebab Myanmar raya lambat 1 hari, hari Jumaat.

Tarikh raya yang berbeza yg menkonfiuskan kami-kami tentang puasa Arafah di Myanmar.

Fligt touch down je, Papa zass datang ambil n trus pegi solat raya. Lambat 1 rakaat.

And solat sebelah makcik yang baik hati share sejadah. Thanks Makcik!

Sementelahan menjadi anak tunggal or as Anas put it 'anak tunggul', makanya gambar raya hanya diambil di kedai Western (setelah puas berkarnivor) pada raya kedua :)


Tudung awning ihsan wardrobe Mama ;)

Ankle-biter

Ain't I the sweetest ?





Picture taken during recent hari raya. Worth to be my screensaver, as this will make me smile - just to remember how funny it was to get all these kids organized.

Semua dengan kerenah masing2.

One time Aysyah ready, Adelia pandang lain.

One time Atiqah dah senyum, Ahmad kacau.

One time Talhah dah tunjuk peace, si kenit2 lain tengah struggle nak get into the pose.

Just look at how Adelia was so into her necklace while others were all set for the camera.

And we need extra hands for Aqil ;)

Kids will always be awesome :)

How to survive Yangon?

-find a hobby in Yangon


-find positive things in Yangon

-don't think too much

-keep yourself busy

At least all the above works for me. So far Yangon is good to me, same goes to myself. I try to be as responsible as possible here. Regardless, sini tempat mencari rezeki.

Aladdin lamp

If you're given a chance, what do u wanna be?

A : Chef
B : I wanna be rich

Me : But, u r RICH now.

B : No, not yet.

This question had always been lingering in my mind.

What do u wanna be. If given chance.

Though I'm satisfied with whatever I have now, the thought that I wanna push myself harder is still there. Speaking of taking baby steps -_-

I believe none of my written ambitions during my primary and secondary school, are close enough to whatever I'm doing now.

But, the life experience that I taste, mould me into being who I am now. I've always dream to globetrotting around the world. Thanks to my parents who brought us for holidays during our childhood time. Even though they only can afford to bring us travel locally, countless time to Malacca and Penang for example; I'm still thankful for that.

Now, travel is my passion.

During my secondary school time, we frequented the hospitals, due to Anas' condition. That time, almost everyone's ambition is to become doctor. So do I am, at one point of time. CSI series were also just being aired that time.

But, when I had seen enough at the hospital.. I know, I don't have the guts, bravery or hati kering (as I always put) to be one. How can I become one, when looking at how the Doctor jab Anas also make me feel wanna cry. Until then, I realized, I work best with emotionless stuffs.

The point is, people change. Your life experience and surrounding will shape you into who you are today.

U cant make everyone happy

I remember once there's this one guy who I think make a very good example to me.

It was during a wedding where I think he was forced to go (at least). He looked boring though that I think he was forced to attend the wedding.

He accompanied his father and help his father who seem to have difficulties walking.

My point is, I don't think I can be as good as him to my parents.

Knowing myself as keras kepala, sometimes it's hard to put some sense to myself. What other people think or see, most of the time are completely different from what I perceive.

Most of the time, I'll just walk away and couldn't care less. Being the lower key is better than being the upper key.



Food in the end always give the good comfort.

Part time cook

Sometimes, I just wish that the meals will just appear whenever I read recipes.



Today is my first day bringing lunch to the office. Just had to,since my geng bas sekolah are currently on full gear to finish their puasa 6. I had finish mine last week when most of the people are yet to be back in the office. Much more easier and less distraction!

So..back to the lunch story. Actually it's not bad at all to prepare the lunch pack. The secret is just to cook extra the night before. But, the challenge is more on to figure out what to cook. Thanks to FB where everyone like to share recipes like Resipi Sebulan Puasa,Resipi Mudah etc2.
From there,it's up to our good self whether to challenge ourself to try the recipe or not.

Semoga lebih rajin memasak :)

KFC dah buka di Yangon, tapi..

tak halal la pulak ;(

Maka, makanlah Marrybrown yang setakat ni halal.

Projek Bento

Duduk in small community ni, meriah jugak kekdahnya!

Dapat la merasa tukar-tukar lauk macam zaman sekolah dulu.

Untuk orang yang masa limited, harap jiran terima bento kuih raya..



Jiran kasi complete meal gitu. Siap buah tembikai.



Lepas ni kena research lebih skit pasal 1 pot meal and weekdays meals. Ade sejam je nak prepare dinner setiap hari 😐

Myanmar time

I'm still adjusting myself to 'Myanmar time'.

Subuh here is at 4.26am and sunrise is at 5.30am. The driver will only pick me up at 8.20am, depending on how fast people at Shangrila board the van. And the ride to office is only 5-10minutes. Hehe, too much difference compared to KL life 😁😁😁

Morning time is kinda tricky for me. Let say I would like to fast on that day. I need to wake up at 3ish for Sahur. 4.26am Subuh, and I have about 4 hours free time before I go to office. Nak tidur balik, perut kenyang, pastu x elok tidur lps Subuh.

What I can say is..living here involve a lot of waiting. Also, patience 😑

So, what do I do to kill the time?
-Read physical books
-Surfing
-Laundry (sometime)

Tapi still ade banyak waiting time to kill 😯
Thus, I openly accept any suggestion to ensure I can use my time productively.

What I had in mind right now are:
-increase number of pages Quran reading
-commit to learn new language
-find new hobby
-pegi gym (if bukak awal)

Banyak masa pun ujian jugak. Tsk.

5 months

After 5months in Yangon, and most of it was in hotel, these are what I've experienced so far:

1)Weather here is kind of predictable :Nov -  March (Winter), April-June (Hot/summer), July-Oct (Monsoon/Raining)


2)Money changer can be very picky with your 100USD notes. Some of them can detect even tiny smudge on your dollar notes, and refuse to change your money.

3)Halal food are plenty.  The only thing is prepare a lot of kyatt as the food is quite pricey.  Right now there are few made in Malaysia food chain here ~Marrybrown, Secret Recipe.

4)Walking is enjoyable, except just be extra careful on the uneven path and holes. If you walk during night, bring your handphone as torchlight as the roadside can be dark. There are plenty of colonial buildings for photospot and admiration.

5)Mosque-there are plenty. But, I havent had a chance to pray there as most of the mosques don't have women praying area. Normally, i'll arrange my schedule to go out according to the prayer time. Pray at home and then go out. Currently, Zohor is at 12ish noon and Asar at 3.30pm.

6)Mineral water industry is currently booming, since seem that everybody is drinking mineral water.

7)Dogs outnumbered cats here. And they are friendly too 😅

8)Haggling is a norm,especially when hiring a taxi.

That's all. Will update from time to time.

My so call Miami

It has been awhile for me to blog stuffs.

But with my new life here since Feb, I think I got plenty of time to resume blogging.

A lot of things happen, to me, to people around me.

Life is a good so far, Alhamdulillah. Though it's not as per 'Miami' that you imagine 😁.

Happy New Year!

So, what did I do today?

Am having very productive day, thanks to my Completion Engineer.

Whilst others are chilling and enjoying the New Year, i was struggling to do my gaslift design. Our Gadis no. 7 drilling  is progressing very good. Sampai duduk offshore pun still kena buat mandrel spacing! <insert I love my job moment>

Based on my calculation, this well can flow naturally, but cuak punye pasal, gaslift design pun conservative enough.  Kira the design will work forever and ever. InsyaAllah.

I really hope that all my hardwork and sacrifice for this project will pay off. Only few of my colleagues and former bosses knew bout our struggle to ensure smooth sailing of this project. To justify the project is quite a struggle for us. So, obviously I’m a lil bit touche when there’s people who just would like to celebrate on others’ struggle.

At least for my record, I know that I’d try my level best to solve or mend this field problems. Alhamdulillah.