Tenggol Illustrated: Part I

*Pictures are courtesy of Enon, temah, ayud & farah*

091009- Friday

2315: Temah & Farah arrived at my place, chauffeur driven by Senah. Some last minute persuading to try and get Senah to join us, but to no avail :(. Had a late night snack at Naili's Ampang to isi minyak before the long drive up to Dungun.

101009- Saturday

0030: Met up with Art diver, Ayud, Azwar and Lina. Temah, farah & I took turns driving. Temah achieved a personal best at the time by hitting the 13* kmph mark. Damn Mak Temah laju yoo!! Hehehe. Pitstop @ Temerloh for some nescafe, was told that masak lodeh at the end stall was a 'must eat' dish but unfortunately kedai tuh tutup pulak pagi2 buta nih.

[caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="pasangan biru"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_336" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="2u£ dan cerita italk nyer pukul 6.40am..zzzzzz...."][/caption]

0600: Arrived in Dungun. It was pitch black at the Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia Dungun building (where one of the jetty was). Reunited with red iswara and headed for some breakfast, hoping to get some nasi dagang but yet again we were disappointed.the place we went to served their last roti canai @ 0640 and only had air kosong left by 0700. hmmm. lapar laa gamaknye lepas ini :(.

[caption id="attachment_330" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="enon ke tenggol"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_333" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Art, zul, temah, ayud, enon"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="ecodivers from tanjung jara resort"][/caption]

0830: we were at the jetty. temah got hustled by a ?5/6 year old girl to pay rm1.00 for a run down, haven't been cleaned in a month toilet. we were waiting for the boat transfer but tak tahan n became so the lapar --> so we decided to walk to a nearby roadside stall for some nasi berlauk n mee goreng ;)

[caption id="attachment_325" align="aligncenter" width="112" caption="zul"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_326" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="temah dan kopi uncangnye"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_327" align="aligncenter" width="112" caption="farah"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="enon & zul"][/caption]

1030: Finally arrived @ tenggol and stayed at tenggol island resort. got our room keys, Room 23 and started carrying our luggage there.

[caption id="attachment_320" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="quick briefing by owner dive centre- En. 20£"][/caption]

As we realized our room was the further most from the dive centre (bilik 24 xde orang duduk) and the nearest to the jungle, we tried to persuade the lads to swap with us. Unfortunately, we were left dejected as they adamantly refused. We were out of time to grumble and make a fuss as we had to get ready for our 1st dive in an hour's time. The room was gloomy (Electricity on the island is only switched on at 1830h as it runs on generators), there were unidentified foreign objects on the bathroom floor and an unusual stale stench in the room. Whatever, we thought at the time. Time to get ready.

[caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="room 23- notice how close we were to the jungle!!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_340" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="our dive schedule"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_343" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="testing equipment "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_344" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="zul juga mentesting"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_342" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="enon and her new gadget(s)!"][/caption]

1130: First dive- Turtle Point. Us fresh graduates were lead by DM Azwar & Art. Fun divers followed DM Saad. Post dive- we spent our surface interval @ Dive Centre and had our lunch.

[caption id="attachment_357" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="lapar selepas dive"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_358" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="DM Azwar juga turut serta nyum nyumm nyummm.."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_346" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="Art & Zul"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_347" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="Ayud with Lina dibelakang"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_351" align="aligncenter" width="112" caption="farah lagi"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_352" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="layan perasaan setelah kenyang"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_356" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="cik temah juge gumbira setelah kenyang"][/caption]

We then did 2 more dives that afternoon- Gua Rajawali & Tanjung Gemok. Temah et al managed to sight Mr Turtle @ Rajawali which was swimming just next to me but somehow I didn't!!!!!! Sedih giler :( [Dahlah I've always been wanting to meet Mr Turtle] I think it was fated, it's the greater powers' way of telling I'm just not ready to meet Mr Turle. Nanti jadi 'Shooting Star' susah pulak nanti. I guess I'll just be playing with Mr Wiggly in my w6 2z2 for now..

1930: And so as time passed, nightfall came. Temah and I walked back to Room 23 after a very long day of interrupted sleeps, bumpy boat rides and underwater dives. Temah hit the showers and I tidied up in the room. Then IT made its grand entrance. 'That M*7£35{V(<1n8 Mr. Rat' was underneath our dresser. I shrieked [yes, I did.] Temah from inside the bathroom heard me screaming and thought that I was too excitied from delivering daily reports to Senah on the phone. Temah thought of joining in on the fun, but then realized that she couldn't open the bathroom door (which is opposite the dresser which had Mr. Rat underneath), and then she started screaming for help. As I tried to help Temah open the door, Mr. Rat moved with my every movement. Finally manged to kick the door open and Mr. Rat then started running to the window & on/ under our beds and it was just shrieks from everywhere. Suddenly, Temah and I became the best gymnasts on tenggol island and were doing the balance beams from bed to bed in order to avoid Mr. Rat.

Hearing our calls of distress, hero Mr Daniel came to our rescue!! Our Prince Charming (PC) has come to save us from the evil Mr. Rat! Ooops hold on, look again girls there was a Mrs. Rat too! Armed with a 500ml mineral water battle, PC played a few minutes of hide and seek with the Ratty couple and then managed to scare Mrs. Rat out the window, pummel Mr. Rat unconscious and bravely picked Mr. Rat by its tail and threw him out the window. Awwwwww, thank you again Mr. PC for your acts of valor and for your service to us damsels in distress. ;P

[caption id="attachment_354" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="this was the PC that saved our day!!"][/caption]

Upon our rescue, we had a long, rainy night of complaining to the resort management and our refusal to sleep in Room 23 again. To cut the story short, after 2 hours of arguing and a shower of tears (hehe!) we managed to switch rooms. Thanks to a couple of gentlemanly guys, art & zul who was willing to give up their clean, comfortable, nice smelling bedroom (with zul's sinus fluid stains on the pillow) for us stay in.

2200: We were exhausted. Finally, it was time that we got some proper shut eye which we hadn't had from Thursday night. Lights off. ZZZzzzz.....

Reverting back to how things should be

3 days of being stranded on a rat infested island with crappy food, diving my heart out, drifting my fears away, and now I return to the real world with body aches all over just to find the blog driven into malfunction by my cyber-klutz friends.

but i'm glad to say that things are now back to how it should be.

to me'ah and kiah: yes you can insert a thumbnail pic n link it to its original picture in order to view the bigger image. it's one of the listed options when you edit photos.

experience ala Viktor Navorski

Ppl say that you need to experience things at least once in your life. Which I did and though I did not regret it..but I won’t ever want to experience it again.

Becoming Tom Hanks character in "The Terminal" is something none of us want to.  Stranded at the airport..With no comfy mattress to sleep at night!!! Worse if it is during holiday period.

I've experienced that. I became Viktor Navorski..Tom Hanks character. Overnight at Kite Airline Airport..and spent 2 full days there..Waiting patiently in front of counter 18, row B Kite Airline Airport for my name miraculously to be call upon.  2 days of waiting, seating on the marble  floor with my pink & turquoise luggage close to me.

Why? Because I stupidly missed my flight back home!! My reason to that was, I miscalculated my timing. (I’ve never missed any of my flights since I was 13!!!) STUPID STUPID STUPID.  That was the only thing on my mind when I saw the AA counter with no staff (the check in counter already closed) I panicked..but trying so hard to be rational. Went to AA ticketing counter..too bad all flight back was fully booked and the only next available flight is on the eve of 1^st day raya..(my mum will kill me..or i think my lil sis will coz she will be the only maid available for raya – suddenly I feel a rush of happiness due to the circumstances..ahaha)

Anyway, my emotion kicks in after I suddenly realized I’ve never spent my raya away. This can’t be happening. I need to be back before the ritual pagi raya salam and eating.  So I decided to go to Kite Airline Airport to try my luck for Kite Airline.  Hmm..how laa to go to  pre="to ">KLIA from here..(pity my brain coz it was pressured)  Taxi seems to be the fastest mode of transportation to go to KLIA..so I took the budget taxi..so much for budget..from AA to Kite airline airport (i can throw batu okay)  costs me RM 42!!! What the heck?! Nway..at that point of time, i just cudnt care anymore..RM42 pun oklah..jalan saja. Had a chatty friendly conversation with the cab driver( I rarely do this), and he said, to go to Tune Hotel that located at the corner of the AA airport, cost ard RM38!!!! Aiyo..cekik darah laa.

Arrived at Kite airline airport, immediately bought 1 way tix (standby).  Double the price of my original 2 way tix okay..As I said to my sis, this is my most expensive raya ever!!  So, that was the background story of how I almost become the permanent resident of Kite Airline airport (2 days can’t justify for PR yet..aahahah)

Slept at one private corner of the airport (thank god for a kinda cushy bench), awaken every 1 hour afraid that I missed the 6am call (they counter 18 staff asked us to queue back at 6am). Finally fully up at 4am on Saturday morning, ate my sahur (4 pieces of Mcd nugget) with orange juice. Then quickly went to counter 18 since they asked us to go there at 6am. Then it hit me..first flight that morning will be at 10am!!! BlaD1h3LL!!! What a frustration!! 10am? Why on earth you asked me to come at 6am for then!!!!!

After waiting and more waiting, I am no longer patient.

After 2 days, I decided to make friends..saw a lady with her husband and 1 girl having a conversation. I went to them and joined the conversation. The lady( Al1A) and her husband decided to take different route to go back home and I decided to tag along. Not worth waiting, with no success. I am tired + hungry + serabut + melekit = messed!!  I x mandi for 2 days, what more can you say. We’ve decided to go back via Singapore..took Kite Airline, then first thing in the morning took Harimau Airways back to home.

[caption id="attachment_254" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Kite Airline to Singapore"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_255" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="with the lady (Al1A) at Changi Airport"][/caption]

As life full of surprises, when we arrived at Singapore, the lady’s friend (a Singaporean) picked us up, and brought us back to his house. Imagine this (as it crossed my mind at that time), 2 days ago, i was supposed to be back at my cozy bedroom, eating my mum’s cooking..then abt 2 hours ago, I’ve made friend with the lady and her husband, and now, I’m at Singapore and relaxing on stranger’s day bed watching his plasma tv and eating ketupat and lontong during the morning of 1^st day raya. All happened in the span of 2 days..oklah..almost 3 days..ahaha.. but still. Amazing kan. Life is really full of suprises. He sent us to the budget airport at 430am (baik sungguh hati dia, pagi buta tuh..) Thank you so much to both him and his wife for their kindness, accommodating me, d stranger in their house..yelah..mana dia tahu if I am some weirdo ke ape ke.

[caption id="attachment_256" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="My first raya food..thanks One family!"][/caption]

Finally...at budget airport, checked in, and resting at the waiting area. 1 hour and 15 minutes later, I was safely arrived at my familiar surroundings..sampai sudah ke Cat city.

[caption id="attachment_257" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="the waiting area at Budget airportgreat airline..very punctual!! Will definitely board you again!!"][/caption]

Kiasuly (mentang2lah baru pegi Singapore), i walked out from the plane, to immigration counter, then took my luggage, and straight to my older sis, whom has been waiting for 2 days for me to come back home..of course lah after she hugged me, I kena scolded dolu...she said I’ve made her fall sick..hahahah. drama lah my family.

[caption id="attachment_259" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="home sweet home"][/caption]

For the rest of my raya holiday, I kept on being reminded of : I missed my flight and celebrated my raya at Singapore dolu. My family decided to use the story as appetizer whenever ppl came to our house for beraya. It was a silent torture!!

Bluerghh!!!! Once is enough! Never again. Though it was a good experience, I’ve managed to skip all the prep for raya and my lil sis still hold a vengeance abt it, but thank you, once is more than enough.

Next year, I will make sure my flight is at night.

My 'serabut' cousin is finally married!

The Abdul Majid clan was super busy last week attending the first wedding in the family. It was my 'serabut' cousin's wedding and everyone would not want to miss it out. The  events went well and my Pak De and Mak De were elated to receive Azhar as their son-in-law and my 'serabut' cousin was exceptionally happy that she gets to bully Azhar even more now that they are married (yes, she is a big bully!)

Here are some of the pictures taken during the wedding by my partner-in-crime-cum-artistic-director-for-the-wedding, Ika:

OCTOBER is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Toblater SUPPORTS Breast Cancer Awareness.

Here is a compilation of breast cancer awareness ads I've found on the web.

link

link

link

link

link

they were even selling pink tennis balls, how cute is that!

link

link

link

link

link

link

link

link

So ladies,

Love Yourself.

Love Your Sisters.

Love Your Mothers.

Love Your Daughters.

Love Your Aunts.

Love Your Girlfriends.

Spread the Word.

Get checked.

TODAY.