Tuesday, August 4, 2015
I Lived
I love this song. Every line resonates. I hope when I'm dying/dead, I'll
be able to say "I lived.". So far, I like to think I'm on the right
track (pun not intended haha).
Hope when you take that jump, you don't fear the fall
Hope when the water rises, you built a wall
Hope when the crowd screams out, they're screaming your name
Hope if everybody runs, you choose to stay
Hope that you fall in love, and it hurts so bad
The only way you can know is give it all you have
And I hope that you don't suffer but take the pain
Hope when the moment comes, you'll say...
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places, the things that I did
With every broken bone, I swear I lived
Hope that you spend your days, but they all add up
And when that sun goes down, hope you raise your cup
Oh, I wish that I could witness all your joy and all your pain
But until my moment comes, I'll say...
I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second that this world could give
I saw so many places, the things that I did
With every broken bone, I swear I lived.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
It has been a long while
Hello blog, my old friend.
It has been a while.
Uni has been great. I love that I'm studying what I'm studying. I have an increased interest in the natural world and I often find myself marveling at how much there is to know and learn - how the tiniest parts on creatures have names, how there are people studying stuff I never imagined anyone would study (i.e. flies that are attracted to dung...say WHUUTTT?), how evolution works, how sustainability can play a part in the economy, in policies. It has been such fun. My mind has been expanding.
Travel wise, I managed to squeeze in trips during my trimester breaks. Mainly to Malaysia.
6-10 February:
During my first break, I took a 5 day trip to Malaysia. The trip had two parts - Malacca with MY and LX and then KL with Lynette. It was initially just going to be a weekend trip to Malacca with the girls but I was dying to rockclimb and Lynette was keen to try it so I extended the trip!
The first part of the adventure was heading to Malacca via Larkin Bus Terminal! Dad was pretty pissed that I was going via Larkin, said it was unnecessary and dangerous but I did it anyway. It wasn't as bad as dad made it out to seem so I was glad I didn't give in to his fear. Malacca was easy to get to and get around, I think mainly coz I had been there before. We didn't eat as much as we thought we would but we explored a lot more of Malacca. Chose to cycle around Malacca so that was a first. Visited Bukit Cina for the first time, hiked up to the top of the hill. Always lots of fun when it's the 3 of us.We even cycled to Baba Charlie's house to get kueh!
On the 8th, I split with the girls as they headed back to Singapore and I to KL. Lynette and I managed to time our arrivals perfectly and I met her within 30 minutes of arriving at TBS. A first for both of us, heading to KL alone. Also our first trip together alone! We travel so well together, it made everything really easy. We only had one full day at KL so we rockclimbed, saw a bit of Batu Caves and then spent the rest of the evening shopping even though we were exhausted from the morning climb. Batu Caves was challenging to climb but so much fun! Helped that the company we climbed with were professional - Verticale - would definitely recommend climbing with them. Met a charming ah beng hostel assistant haha and also bedbugs but all part of the adventure I guess haha.
15-21 June:
Juara Turtle Project! I had my eye on volunteering at Juara for a while now and I finally got down to doing it! I wanted to stay for a week but had to cut my stint short because of Baby E's 1 month celebration. Was prepared to go at it alone but N joined me literally one week before the trip. It was nice having her along, someone to break the silence and share it with me.
Volunteering at JTP was an amazing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I did things I'd never done, learned stuff I never knew. I loved living in a kampung, I loved having to do chores that involved manual labour. We cycled on bicycles with no brakes, shoveled composts with cockroaches, I learned to use a machete and chopped my first log all by myself! Within the first day I had so much new knowledge about sea turtles that even I was amazed at how much I had absorbed. We snorkelled, kayaked, did beach patrols at night. We released baby turtles and witnessed them raring to go in their nests. The whole experience was so much fun. I loved that JTP's focus was conservation and education and that their staff were committed to keeping it that way. Throughout my stint, I was so glad that I was finally getting involved in a conservation effort and I was even more thankful that it was at JTP.
Unfortunately (or fortunately haha), we didn't get to see a mother nesting while we were there but I think that just means another stint is due..
Oh and I even managed to rockclimb! One week before the trip I had the rockclimbing itches again and I googled for places to rockclimb on Tioman and lo and behold! There was rockclimbing right on Juara! Such luck! Unfortunately I only managed to do 3 routes because the guys that brought me climbing were fasting and tired. I was a bit disappointed but was glad I managed to get on some rocks so I let them earn my money pretty easily.
We left Juara on the 20th but ended up staying on Tioman another night because of our ferry misadventure. I sometimes surprise myself with how calm I can be. Coz calm I was when I found out the ferry wouldn't be showing and we'd have to stay another night. It was a nice bonding sesh with Sukhi and N though so even though shit happened, the most of it was made. Haha.
24 June - 3 July:
KL-Ipoh-Penang-Langkawi with MY! An 11 day trip which strangely, felt much longer. We ate in KL, trained to Ipoh, wandered around Ipoh's Old and New Towns and stuffed our faces with good food, explored Penang's streets and had one heck of an adventure at Langkawi. Langkawi was amazing. We stayed at Soluna Guesthouse which was nestled in the countryside and was very kampung-ish - reminded me so much of Juara. We drove around during our time there, chased waterfalls and hunted down beaches. Saw the most dramatic sunset at Tanjung Rhu Beach and amazeballs scenery from one of her Gunungs and had one of the most amazing snorkelling experiences at Pulau Payar! Langkawi is beaaautiful and so easy to navigate. I drove for the first time overseas too and almost got into an accident but that's a story for another day haha.
I shall end this word heavy post with this instagram post - my favourite moment at the end of everyday at Soluna Guesthouse
Until next time!
It has been a while.
Uni has been great. I love that I'm studying what I'm studying. I have an increased interest in the natural world and I often find myself marveling at how much there is to know and learn - how the tiniest parts on creatures have names, how there are people studying stuff I never imagined anyone would study (i.e. flies that are attracted to dung...say WHUUTTT?), how evolution works, how sustainability can play a part in the economy, in policies. It has been such fun. My mind has been expanding.
Travel wise, I managed to squeeze in trips during my trimester breaks. Mainly to Malaysia.
6-10 February:
During my first break, I took a 5 day trip to Malaysia. The trip had two parts - Malacca with MY and LX and then KL with Lynette. It was initially just going to be a weekend trip to Malacca with the girls but I was dying to rockclimb and Lynette was keen to try it so I extended the trip!
The first part of the adventure was heading to Malacca via Larkin Bus Terminal! Dad was pretty pissed that I was going via Larkin, said it was unnecessary and dangerous but I did it anyway. It wasn't as bad as dad made it out to seem so I was glad I didn't give in to his fear. Malacca was easy to get to and get around, I think mainly coz I had been there before. We didn't eat as much as we thought we would but we explored a lot more of Malacca. Chose to cycle around Malacca so that was a first. Visited Bukit Cina for the first time, hiked up to the top of the hill. Always lots of fun when it's the 3 of us.We even cycled to Baba Charlie's house to get kueh!
On the 8th, I split with the girls as they headed back to Singapore and I to KL. Lynette and I managed to time our arrivals perfectly and I met her within 30 minutes of arriving at TBS. A first for both of us, heading to KL alone. Also our first trip together alone! We travel so well together, it made everything really easy. We only had one full day at KL so we rockclimbed, saw a bit of Batu Caves and then spent the rest of the evening shopping even though we were exhausted from the morning climb. Batu Caves was challenging to climb but so much fun! Helped that the company we climbed with were professional - Verticale - would definitely recommend climbing with them. Met a charming ah beng hostel assistant haha and also bedbugs but all part of the adventure I guess haha.
15-21 June:
Juara Turtle Project! I had my eye on volunteering at Juara for a while now and I finally got down to doing it! I wanted to stay for a week but had to cut my stint short because of Baby E's 1 month celebration. Was prepared to go at it alone but N joined me literally one week before the trip. It was nice having her along, someone to break the silence and share it with me.
Volunteering at JTP was an amazing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I did things I'd never done, learned stuff I never knew. I loved living in a kampung, I loved having to do chores that involved manual labour. We cycled on bicycles with no brakes, shoveled composts with cockroaches, I learned to use a machete and chopped my first log all by myself! Within the first day I had so much new knowledge about sea turtles that even I was amazed at how much I had absorbed. We snorkelled, kayaked, did beach patrols at night. We released baby turtles and witnessed them raring to go in their nests. The whole experience was so much fun. I loved that JTP's focus was conservation and education and that their staff were committed to keeping it that way. Throughout my stint, I was so glad that I was finally getting involved in a conservation effort and I was even more thankful that it was at JTP.
Unfortunately (or fortunately haha), we didn't get to see a mother nesting while we were there but I think that just means another stint is due..
Oh and I even managed to rockclimb! One week before the trip I had the rockclimbing itches again and I googled for places to rockclimb on Tioman and lo and behold! There was rockclimbing right on Juara! Such luck! Unfortunately I only managed to do 3 routes because the guys that brought me climbing were fasting and tired. I was a bit disappointed but was glad I managed to get on some rocks so I let them earn my money pretty easily.
We left Juara on the 20th but ended up staying on Tioman another night because of our ferry misadventure. I sometimes surprise myself with how calm I can be. Coz calm I was when I found out the ferry wouldn't be showing and we'd have to stay another night. It was a nice bonding sesh with Sukhi and N though so even though shit happened, the most of it was made. Haha.
24 June - 3 July:
KL-Ipoh-Penang-Langkawi with MY! An 11 day trip which strangely, felt much longer. We ate in KL, trained to Ipoh, wandered around Ipoh's Old and New Towns and stuffed our faces with good food, explored Penang's streets and had one heck of an adventure at Langkawi. Langkawi was amazing. We stayed at Soluna Guesthouse which was nestled in the countryside and was very kampung-ish - reminded me so much of Juara. We drove around during our time there, chased waterfalls and hunted down beaches. Saw the most dramatic sunset at Tanjung Rhu Beach and amazeballs scenery from one of her Gunungs and had one of the most amazing snorkelling experiences at Pulau Payar! Langkawi is beaaautiful and so easy to navigate. I drove for the first time overseas too and almost got into an accident but that's a story for another day haha.
I shall end this word heavy post with this instagram post - my favourite moment at the end of everyday at Soluna Guesthouse
 |
| I want to remember this. The sound of crickets and cicadas, cows mooing, the call to prayer from a mosque in the distance, the smell of burnt wood, the gentle breeze, the dancing leaves of the tree beside me, the occasional sound of a motorbike, the floor boards of the owner's house creaking, the clear night sky, the swaying of my hammock. Peace. Being in the now. Living. Thankful. |
Until next time!
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