In love with the oceans.

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Despite the stacks of work staring at me (now that I have tidied them up yada) I feel that I wouldn't be doing these memories justice if I don't blog about my trip/s to both Pulau Redang, and the Perhentian Island/s.

On a note, I must really thank my lucky stars, and that I be allowed to travel, within a short break of a month, to visit Redang, and later to visit Perhentian.

So here goes:

The first trip was with my cousins, Angel & Kelvin and Kel's girlfriend, Jacyln (: It was my first time travelling out with them without my family, my parents and it was a whole new experience. One thing for sure, cousin Kelvin has really matured, hahaha. So much more than the last impression I have had of him. Felt the trip would have been much better however, if there weren't that cultural difference and that the couple not be so honeymoon-ish, lahh =P

The other trip was a little more special, the company that is, primarily cause l went with my dance friends from school - a random mix, they call it - Mov, Regina, Raz, Gina, Daniel, Hendric, Jane, Ryan & Aloyisus. And more so because I planned the trip, from travel location to transport to accommodation, it was pretty daunting - I wanted them all (whoever was attending) to really enjoy the getaway, and initially had no idea who was going to be on the trip other than dearest spontaneous Mov & Gina :D Also it was a trip that faced quite some issues - ticketing, absence of travel tripping etc etc, in the middle of mind boggling assignments, tight deadlines and all that crap. But thank god it worked out fine, I enjoyed myself immensely and I hope they all did, too (: Unfortunately though there was supposed to be twelve on the trip, but two cancelled out on the very last minute due to academic obligations. Not to mention we had to wait TWO HOURS plus for a bus that never quite came. Fucked up bus company I tell you - word says that one should ONLY trust established bus companies when buying trip tickets. Nevertheless, the trip was awesome, really. Brought me new insights, forged closer friendships, bonding, and made me more in love with nature, more in love with these people who have hence entered my life.

Redang trip was during the National Day holidays, and I remember the mad mad rush back to school moments after arrival in Johor Bahru. Haha. Made me fall immensely in love with the underwater world, triggering my notion of wanting to learn to dive, and have been contemplating ever since. It was great being able to spend time with Angel, just me and her, on the bus journey to and fro; in our rooms before we drifted in and out of dreamland - missed the girl so so much! Also made a new friend from Terrenganu - Lang, whose name also meant (sea)waves. He was so dear to us, so sweet and showed us all underwater, culprit of the love for my underwater. It was a short trip this one, leaving on Friday night, and coming back Monday night, spent an afternoon in Kula Terrenganu, took the bus back to JB, went home to drop luggage and then headed straight back for school!

Perhentian trip on the other hand begun on the very first day of the Semester break. A couple of us met up to head to Johor Bahru to get our (well-deserved!) Thai massage, and then shopped before heading off to the bus terminal. I was feeling rather paranoid when the bus didn't come on schedule, seeing some blackened faces and flustered minds left me clueless. Thank god not all of them were cheesed, a couple were in fact really optimistic and made the atmosphere not so frustrating. What was terrible however was that the condition of our bus was entirely different from the image that they promised, and it was going to be a looooooong ride - first time I didn't sleep a single wink :/ At least the only comfort was that the bus drivers were apologetic enough and rode up faster and we caught out 10am ferry, to Perhentian :D

It was refreshing, just riding on the speedboat, across the oceans, making our way to the islands. I swear I have a thing for the sea. Somehow. I like riding the waters and being underneath (: So our time was spent with Bubu Island Resort, where we stayed for a good 3D2N - Saturday, Sunday and Monday - checked in about noon, checked out at about 3pm, thereafter which we were given an awesome treat - a round-island ride.

To put the whole trip in a nutshell. We were in paradise. Buffets for meals - breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner; Parties every other night - cheap booze & reasonable shisha, dancefloors that we own, going back together and ensuring each others safety; the guys went skinny dipping ( I would have if the girls had agreed. Haha); snorkelling trips were fun - saw the legendary turtle, saw sharks, many disgusting urchins, saw alot of marine creatures that I read about in books when I was little... only scary thing was that we could have nearly been attacked by the turtle (Aloy lahh), and that I got lost in the oceans again, not just the in-your-own-world phenomenon but that I was left alone at Shark's bay... battling with a guide whom I thought was from my boat, who insisted and insisted that I feed the (dead fish to) sharks. Watching the sunset was awesome, catching the sunrise had funny anecdotes. I had the weirdest imagination ever, and thought Mov to be likewise - we ran without a cue upon sighting what we thought were graves at 4am, and it was the first time I really hugged someone to sleep, IN TOTAL FEAR. It was crazy la this trip. Supposed to be totally R&R, but seems like we slept damn little because we were just either eating, snorkelling, partying, chilling out, drinking, taking photos. Guess the only time they really slept was on check out day, thanks to the grace of the Resort who let us keep a room 4 hours more than stipulated check out time. Also, there was yet another awesome friend we befriended, Lee, who was really really young and so annoying though - he thought I was 26. Haissh. Nevertheless I really loved those meals where the group just sat and chilled and chatted through the noon/night etc. [=

Also, Terrenganu seemed a little interesting, at night, that is. The Redang trip gave me a chance to explore the state in the most boringest of the places - don't even know why they put those locations on the 'island trip' package. LOL. We had a most scrumptious dinner, good food, great ambience, and nice long walks to and fro our budget hotel. We were most certainly lucky to have gotten a hotel, MacDonalds at the terminal had somehow ceased its 24hours operation! :/ And everyone had Macs breakfast, though it wasn't as awesome as the burger I remember having, it was hilarious that one of us had like a missing sausage in his burger! Journey back was fairly good, the stops had the girls/Raz Magnum-ice cream searching and I must say Transnasional is but reliable! Poor Hendric however, was down with food poisoning, him having commented discomfort the morning before whilst we waited for the takeaways lunches at Perhentian restaurants... Then we reached Singapore, went to Yishun before transferring buses and headed straight to the MJ chatlet. It was battle, we all respectively bathed, squeezed cozily onto two beds..and happily fell asleep, together. Haha. So cute la hamsters.

And then sporadically found a Perhentian Island Challenge that we nearly ended up going... but decided to postpone another trip, till better leeway timing etc. Been back for a week plus already but I am still reeling in that happy happy island sun-kissed getaway feel, I must admit.

Now that I have written them out, and hence immortalized it much. High time I really start pulling my socks and focus on work, and dance. Not forgetting prayers too, may things work out fine...

PHOTOS LATER!!!

xoxoxo

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