2009 Chinese New Year (Chor 1 - Chor 3)

Its a long holiday for me, as i've took 3 days off and this gaves me 9 days of straight holidays...
Its is also a waste that i didnt get to plan something out to travel to other places....so, i ended up eat, sleep, gamble and rest at home.

Today is Chor3 and to me, CNY considered being wrapped up.

Chor 1 - every year without fail, we will visit grandmother house (dad's side)..the place where all my relatives, uncles, aunties and cousins will meet up. This is the day that i will get to meet my cousins and uncles once a year. Usually we will spend half a day there and by 3pm we will go back to take a power nap if there's no other plans. This year, i've grouped our Choong's family troops and 'attacked' ShyShy's house for Asam Laksa ala P.Pangkor...haha...quite paiseh coz ShyShy only invited me and i brought 3 more ppl to sapu the Laksa...Well, i guess this is a positive feedback to ShyShy's mum that her Laksa is good and there's always a reason for her to continue to cook every year...hehe :P.
At night, for the first time ever...our small double storey house housed 25+ relatives...it was a drinking, eating and gamble session. Highlights was my uncle brought a 30years old whisky...i have no idea how to describe the 30 years old whisky with words...

Chor 2 - The early planned movie plan did not work, coz clashed with a last minute but very early dinner (5.30pm!) with my aunties....so, we've spent the early afternoon queuing in the cinema to buy new tickets and changed our movie plan to Thursday (Chor 4) instead. We've actually prepare to burn the earlier tickets but suprisingly the cinema allowed us to change the tickets...so, no $$ damage :D

Chor 3 - Met up with my fellow crazy school mates for a gift exchange + makan + gamble session.

During CNY, and if you're at a place like Ipoh which is so crowded with ppl during festive...you definitely dont feel like going out and compete for a space with the rest. And if there's no travel plan, i think 3 days of CNY is enough for me...else i will be bored and start growing fungus at home....

2009 New Year - Its all about 'ang moh' and Thai food~~~

Went for a short break last minute of 2008 and very first minute of 2009.

27-30 Dec @ Phuket

30Dec - 1Jan @ Phi Phi

1-3 Jan @ Krabi

To summarize the trip, its all about beaches, ang moh, lotsa Thai food.

Phuket in brief is a large island. We were dropped of by the bus somewhere near Phuket town, to get to the beach, it was almost 30mins by motorbike. One of the interesting experience i have was 3 person + 2 huge backpacks squeezed into 1 bike. Pheww....interesting and kinda impossible considering both myself and travel mate are both L size ppl...its a pity that there's no picture captured of the interesting scene...

Phuket shopping is great. There are wide range of sports equipment and will just make you shop non-stop. No exception for me, broke my wallet and bought a 60L Deuter backpack & a 20L dry bag.

The other unforgettable thing was i've been travelling with a handicap person almost the whole journey...y leh? coz my travel mate sprain her ankle on the 2nd day and been limping throughout the journey...haih....pity her and this also reminds me to be extra caution...

We joined a day trip to Phang Nga Bay, James Bond island and some islands at surrounding areas..

The famous James Bond Island...somehow i couldn't recall eventhough i watched the movie..

Initially i thought we will get to kayak during the trip...who knows we have these well trained kayakers to kayak us around the islands and caves...

The 2nd destination was Phi Phi Island, 2 hours boat ride from Phuket. Phi Phi is a small island and flocked with tourists...the island is full of small shopping outlets. So...there's nothing much u can do there except for sun bathing, massage, shop & clubbing....

Phi Phi beach flocked with sun bathing tourists

We stayed at Phi Phi Viewpoint Resort. It's a quiet & peaceful resort during normal days but definitely not during new year eve....the beach party started as early as 6pm until 6am the next day...this is how serious those ppl partying. Being a kiamsiap tourist, we didnt spend any $$ partying but just a can of beer and sat at the balcony appreciating the fireworks..thats how we spent our new year moment...i would say its peaceful and also eventful :)

Our last destination was Krabi...its a much quieter town & small town compared to Phuket & Phi Phi. The happening places is at Ao Nang where its similar to Phuket...Krabi town itself, nothing much but i kinda like it...quiet...ocassionally u can see tourists walk around and its not crowded at all!

We did went Ao Nang beach, watched the sun set and shop around. The next day, we spent half a day at the Wat Tham Seua (Tiger Cave Temple) nearby Krabi Town. Wat Tham Seua is a small temple built inside a long shallow limestone cave, surrounded by natural forest. There are two staircases wind up the limestone cliffs. The first one leads with 1,237 steps to the top of the mountain offering a superb 360-degree view and is definitely worth a try. Reaching the top will reward you with an incredible view and there is a huge sitting Buddha, a golden pagoda and a few other small constructions. There was a huge downpour on our way up...which made the stairs climbing process more tricky but somehow we did it...so proud! It was a great work out and both my legs start shaking while i'm descending...wow...no joke!

The 3 sitting buddas at the mountain top

Good Dread GuestHouse. Highly recommended. Cheap, good rooms and informative guest house. You will get a chance to get a free beer by just asking the owner (Brian) a secret question.

I need a winning lottery ticket~~

Shy shy advised me to live a more affordable life, taking into her advise…I recap how I spent my $$$ this year.

Diving – RM10K spent for 4 diving trips + equipment
Photography – RM2K spent for a DSLR camera body with kit lens
Travel – RM10K spent for 2 weeks Eastern Europe holidays + 1 week beach getaway at Thailand

2009 wish list
Diving
– RM5K for 3 diving trips.
Photography
– RM4K for a multi purpose lens + flash + tripod
Travel
– RM3K for Vietnam & Philipines trip which already confirmed
- RM3K for Adelaide & Syney Aussie trip (tentative sept09)
Sports
- to get a bike

* my apartment will be ready this year and need to allocate sum of $$ for renovation

Btw, I am NOW going out to buy lottery....Good Luck girl!

Hello 2009!

For my new year's resolution, I wanna:
1. Be happier
2. Stay healthier
3. To travel more
4. To dive more
5. To strive further in career
5. Be slimmer
6. To make more $$$
7. To have more time for myself
8. To be able to dream on
9. To be more open
AND last but not least...

May all my wishes come true~~~
* I know i am greedy~~ :P