2009: Annus Horibilis or Annus Mirabilis??

Hi All,

Its been another long break from writing, which i sincerely regret. But I've been too mentally caught up with lots of things that I found myself too tired and unmotivated to write. Unfortunately the spark was suddenly gone.

The new year is almost upon us and many important dates have passed us in December since my last post on the 4th. My birthday, 4 long weekends in a row in Malaysia (4 public holidays on a Friday this month), Christmas and many more important days to me passed me by.

But this post is just now about what happened this month, but rather, my review of the whole year that is about to pass.

First of all Annus Horibilis means "a disastrous or unfortunate year" while Annus Mirabilis means "wonderful year" or "year of miracles".

So how has 2009 been to me?

If i were to give it an overall rating, it would be 4.5 / 10. THat would seem like a sucky year but actually it is not as bad as it seemed. But of course everything that happened does not have an equal weightage. Something means more to me than others, hence it may affect the score even more.

Hence, yes, thing that were important for me did not fare too well whereas things number of trips / holidays i had increased significantly, but I don't deem holidays that important. Travelling has not been the most important thing in my happiness list but this year I've managed to visit Krabi for a total of 11 days (over a span of 2 trips ;-p), Bangkok for 5 days, and China for 8 days. Numerous waterfalls and visits to other states are not even included in this list. Hence, I have had the fortune of being able to "get away" from the city quite often this year. I know most people would be jealous and say I am spoilt, but the fact is that, i am grateful for what I have enjoyed in those trips, its just that holidays are that much of a big deal to me.

And yes, while I have had plenty of happy times over this year; more so than the sad days; it is the sad days that affected me more than anything else. While there are situations which i wished ended much better, these are things I really cannot control even though I myself played a part in it. And right up till today, those days still cast a cloud over my head on days when I don't feel like I'm on top of the world.

This year is coming to a close and i wish its the end of the bad days as well. I'm trying to gear myself up to having a great year ahead by trying to stay positive these few days leading to the New Year. Of course, there are still some down times, but I'm not going to let me affect my spirits for too long.

There are many things I have regretted doing this year but as much as i wish to dwell upon that I know it is better to make plans on how to solve that problem by the time 2010 comes up and running.

Also, 2009 had some highs for me, like visiting the Great Wall for the 1st time. The sights of Beijing was awesome!! So too was Krabi and Bangkok! I had friends who got married, some had kids and some having kids. I'm happy for all of them who found eternal happiness with their loved ones :-)

So, what do I predict year 2010 for me to be like? Well, it's going to be a year of late nights due to work, year to make money (from my work as well), and the year to make up for what I have lost this year (which is a lot!!)

And yes, while i said that traveling does not have a very high weightage for me, I already have my tickets booked for next year. I'll be going to Bali in January, Phuket in April and Hong Kong in September. I gues maybe somewhere along my holidays i find more happiness :-)

Anyways, I hope you guys have had a great year in 2009 and will have an even better year in year 2010!


Boodyboy, out!!!

Christmas and many things are upon us

A lot of good times are about to come soon. Things like, Sultan of Selangor's Birthday, Awal Muharram, Christmas, New Yearand not to mention my birthday (hehee mine comes first among the list ;-p) are coming soon. a lot of things to celebrate and yet many things for us to ponder and reflect upon as the year draws to a close. Thing like what we have done this year and our plans for next year are usually made in this month.

While all of us do the merry and deep thinking stuff, this is my favourite Christmas song: Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You. Already feeling all Cristmas-sy thanks to the ambience in the shopping malls. Enjoy the song!!




I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is...
You

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby

I won't ask for much this Christmas
I don't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeers click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
Ooh baby
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me...

Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is...
You

All I want for Christmas is you... baby (repeat and fade)

Boodyboy, out!!

Its already December

And I have not posted a single thing last month.

Many things happened over the past month. I was very busy with many things to do and yet my mind was filled with too many things to post on the blog. But now when it is all said and done, there is nothign left in my memory.

Its like November just flew past me without me having done anything at all. Maybe I was occupied with a lot of unimportant things. Maybe they were important, but too many of them didnt make them any less important, just that being plain forgetful me, I forget how important each of them are to me (I would understand if you are already lost after that last sentence ;-p).

Well, I spent the last week of November in China for 8 days. I will do up a trvaelougue on that soon with pictures on Facebook. But at the moment, I'll just briefly state what we did while we were there.

Day 1: Arrived in Tianjin. Checked into hotel in the morning. Had Breakfast in the ultra cold weather. It was about 4 Celcius on the 1st day. Then walked all the way to the Drum Tower of Tianjin. Walked the huge square that was filled with touristy shops and then walked to GuWenHuaJie (Ancient Cultural Street). Headed back to hetol for a good rest aftera long day of walking and facing the blistering cold winter winds for the 1st time in our lives.

Day 2: Had breakfast literally on the streets, Temperature was about -6 to 7 celcius throughout the trip, so you can imagine how cold it is. Sitting by the roadside whiel trying to stuff hot food in your mouth in freezing cold weather is a crazy experience. Took a cab to Dabei Monastery. Then saw a relatively new attraction nearby, the Eye of Tianjin. Bought tickets in the afternoon and decided that it would be better if we took the ride at night. So we killed time by walking to a nearby shopping area with lots of wholesale clothing and accessories. Reminded me of Pratunam in Bangkok. However, bargaining skills are required here. Had lunch by buying street food again and ate in the cold air.

Went to the Eye of Tianjin at about 5pm and waited till 6pm (the sun sets earlier in winter) to take a ride. 1 ride is about 30 minutes and the cabins were huge and clean. Price: About RM 40 per person. After that walked to a restaurant for dinner before taking a cab to Heping Road, the main shopping street in Tianjin. Super long road and is closed to cars and has shops on boths sides. Can literally walk till ur legs break over there, esp in the cold weather. On the way back to the hotel that night, I was careless and forgetful enough to have left our dear Sony A300 in the cab. Said goodbye to it forever :-(

Day 3: Woke up to have breakfast, this time going inside the shop we went on the 1st day. Then slowly wlaked back to the hotel to pack up and head to Beijing. Left contact details just in case the cab driver is honest enough to return it to us.

Took a cab to the train station and bout our Tickets to Beijing for about rm40 each from a ticket vending machine. Train left every 15- 20 minutes. The first class seats very spacious and comfy. Travelling at speeds of 325kmph, we arrived in Beijing in only about 35 minutes. Took a cab to our hotel in downtown Beijing. Took almost an hour to find our hotel as it was located in a small hutong right behind WangFuJing (the main shopping district of Beijing, kinda like our Bukit Bintang, Sg Wang, Pavillion area, but much much bigger) area.

After checking into our hotel we walked to a WangFuJing attraction, an old Catholic church. It seems to be a hangout spot for teens as there was plenty of place to sit with lots of trees. We then Scouted about for lunch before spending the rest of the day (Window) shopping there.
After dinner, we booked a day trip to Great Wall Mutianyu and Ming Tombs for about RM70 each.

Day 4: Woke up early as we had to leave the hotel at 7 in the morning to head towards the Great Wall. The journey there by our mini tour would take us about 2 hours drive from Beijing. Arrived at about 9am and we took a cable car up to the middle part of the Wall. The wall was literally ours as there were hardly any tourists there that early! Spent about 2 hours wandering along the Wall and was awed every moment we were there. Later we left for lunch at a Jade factory before heading towards the Ming Tombs.

The Ming Tombs was the burial ground a 13 Chinese emperors. We were allowed to visit one only as 1 was only opened to the public. Each tomb has very very vast grounds. It stretches as far as the eye could see. And the gardens around it there has been around for hundreds of years and it is very well maintained. After that we dropped by a Silk factory to see how silk clothing was made. We then returned back to our hotel before heading out for dinner and a quick trip to Wu-Mart, the local equivalent of Wal Mart.

Day 5: We woke up and checked out of our not so fabulous hotel and moved to the hotel next door. Not way much better but it was comfortable enough for us, and even closer to the subway; now located less than 100m from our hotel door. Visited the Confucius Temple and the Imperial Academy before having late lunch. Then headed to the Olympic Games Village to see the world famous Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube. We stayed till dark as we wanted to see both buldings lighted up. We werent spared from the brutal cold winds and we were feeling so cold it actually hurts. Thankfully since it was dark early, the lights went on at 6 and we quickly took some pcitures and made our way back to the hotel at 7. We were so happy just to get into the subway station.

Day 6: On my Itinerary, it was supposed to be Beijing Zoo, then Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. We managed to go to Beijing Zoo to see the In the morning. Then my father friend in Beijing took us out for a lunch of a good Peking Duck. However, our lunch ended late and by the time we got to the Forbidden City, it was closed already at 3.45pm. And since it was a very cloudy day, it was pretty dark around Beijing and we couldnt take much pictures of Tiananmen Square. So we headed back to the hotel a break before going to GuiJie (Ghost Street) for some local Beijing Dinner.

We had the local favourite, Spicy soup Hotpot, which acutally costs us a bomb and super duper spicy. Who ever said that the Chinese cant eat spicy food should try the hotpot!! Lucky for me, i was spared from diarrhoea after the meal unlik several members of my family.

Day 7: Since we missed out Forbidden City and Tainanmen Square, we had to abandon plans to visit the SUmmer Palace, which was located 30 minutes outside the city. SO the Revised Itinerary was Forbidden City, Tiananmen, Ming Dynasty City Wall, Temple of Heaven and shopping at Hongqiao Market.

We arrived at the Forbidden City just as it opened ad 8.30 am and it was a good move as there weren't many ppl at that time. We spent about 2 hours wandering around the huge palace grounds and as we elft there were thousands of visitors streaming in. We then took some more pictures of the Tiananmen Square before having brunch near the Ming Dynasty City Wall.

The City wall is actually what is left after Chairman Mao demolished to expand the ever growing city of Beijing. It used to be the wall that was built around Beijing and any1 who wanted to get into the city then had to pass through the gates. Now only 1.5km stretch of the wall remains as the city is still rapidly growing.

We then moved on to the Temple of Heaven, the temple where only the Emperor would pray for good harvests and etc. Nice place as usual, very serene and green. After that we somehow still had the legs to go to Hongqiao Market for some shopping. Remember to bargain hard 50-60% off the quoted price is alright.

Later we had dinner with my father's friend again and this time we ate somewhere near our hotel. The Peking duck wasnt as nice, and it was more expensive, but it came with a slight performance as the chef sliced the roasted duck in front of us. After dinner, me, my sis and my cousin went to take see the Beijing Centre of Performing Arts near Tiananmen. THough it was freezing outside, the building looked stunning esp when you can see its reflection off the huge waterfront.

Day 8: Our last day in Bejing. Since our flight was 4pm, we had slenty of time to do some last minute things. I left at about 8.30 to wander the streets of Beijing on my own. Managed to find the Bell and Drum Towers, which was located only about 200m apart from each other. Then walked into one of the narrow Hutongs in Bejing, so narrow that at some part i can stretch both my arms i can touch both sides of the walls.

I then went to Chongwenmen area to do some last minute shopping for souvenirs and snacks. Went into Watsons, Mannings (which is Guardian in malaysia), as well as Lotte World supermarket.

I then made my way back to the hotel after buying KFC as my brunch. The rest of my family and relatives went back to hongqiao to do more last minute shopping / bargain hunting. We then checked out and left Beijing city and headed towards the airport. When we touched down in Malaysia the 1st thing that was on my mind is,"Damn its hot here!" LOL


Boodyboy, out!!