I’m really lucky to have a handful of good friends, and i don’t like to overdo this whole BFF thing by saying i have five BFFs or whatnot. (Besides, BFF = Best Friends Forever which is like jinxing yourself if something happens!) Instead, i categorize each close friend to their specific and best roles in my life. Like Best Drinking Friend (Aps), Best Friend to Play With Like Little Kids (Cammy), Best Oldest Friend (Ashley), and the list goes on and on. There are even certain categories that have Best Male and Best Female for them.
My Best Traveling Friend is a very important title cos it’s someone i can hang out with for days and weeks on end without irritating each other. To travel with someone without fighting requires both people to have the same priorities when it comes to budget on what we want to spend on most, and all the things we want to do. I’ve heard of difficult travel partners who INSIST on only seeing/visiting what they want (horror!).
After summer of 2010, Yishyene and i dubbed each other our Best Traveling Buddies. We didn’t even plan it… just admitted to each other that we told others how we traveled with each other best!
First and foremost is that we both have the same priorities that we want to spend on: FOOD, and FASHION (in that order). Third priority is accommodation and we always have the same budgets in mind when we book a place. Another characteristic that we both possess is the penchant for colourful, kiddy, and funny things or toys.
Yishyene brings just as many toys as i do, so they can be friends with my toys!
Something i have is something she would probably want. And something she has is usually something i have my eye on too. Even our fashion sense is almost similar. But because we (still) have our manners around each other, we don’t fight over fashion finds with an unspoken give-and-take system. Like when we were in Amsterdam rummaging through a flea market and found a few pairs of crazy vintage tights – only one pair per pattern!
Besides fashion, we also like very similar music which means we can go to music festivals together and dress all happy!
It’s also pretty awesome that she takes good pictures too, so she can be my photographer for crazy pix while traveling. It kinda sucks when people miss the shot and you give up on them after three tries.
The important thing about a travel friend is that they don’t BORE you. And it’s quite impossible to be bored around Yishyene…
She’s someone who takes stupid pictures with no conscience that your family is there with them.
She’s someone who finds trampolines as much FUN as i do and will play on it for HOURS with me!
Someone who convinces you to put your head next to a flower, ‘just to see’ which one is bigger -_-
I’m good at contributing to holiday antics, though not as much as her! The only one i recall is me being quick enough to laughingly take out my camera when she got shat on by a bird in Bali.
I’m pretty sure that if we lived in the same city, we’d be a lot closer to each other. We’ve known each other since we were 15 and were already doing the stupidest things you could think off back then to entertain ourselves. (i won’t embarrass us by saying what.)
Because i’m in KL, and Yishyene’s in London, we make up what time we don’t have with each other by going on holidays together! (Oh i forgot to mention that she spends just as much of her salary as i do to TRAVEL!)
Since she loves traveling so much and i have so many great memories of us exploring new places together, i can’t help but think of her when i’m somewhere new and end up buying her little gifts from different countries. She does the same too. (I remember at 17 when i was in London and she was in Japan, she sent me toilet paper from there -_-)
More recently i got her a coaster from Singapore, a hand stitched purse from Laos, and a little mouse from Sri Lanka (Maurice’s brother!)
I just HAD to buy the coaster for her cos it was SO APT.
When she was in KL for Chinese New Year, i really wanted to take Yishyene to Seremban, where i’m currently addicted to the trees and tranquility. We set up a sunbathing spot right on the doorstep cos that’s where the sunshine was. Made a structure as per instructions from this book i bought (1 copy for her and 1 for me!)
I also made sure there was a lot of food for us like BBQ chicken wings & lamb, turkey ham sandwiches, smoked salmon, Maggi curry, and Dove chocolate.
I’ve got a habit of carrying Dove chocolate with me on every holiday i go to now (like in Laos with the girls, Rawa with Sa & Nadia, or in Sri Lanka with Clem). You never know when you just passionately WANT a smooth piece of chocolate melting in your mouth to make that moment wherever you are ever sweeter. Or when you’re desperately hungry, and the easiest and nicest thing to eat is a bar of Dove choc! Like in the office.
I must admit that my office drawer is stuffed full of Dove chocs and i eat a few pieces every single work day (if not every other day). Once, i even committed the sinful act of scoffing a whole big bar in an hour. Had to be stern with myself after that.
Yishyene and i have no qualms with stuffing ourselves… in fact, love for the same food definitely brings people closer!
Summer 2012 will be another awesome period when we’ll both we reunited for our ADVENTURES through Europe! I can’t wait. Time to pack all the crazy into our bags.
After spending 2 nights in Iboih, we called for a taxi and traveled roughly 45 minutes to another area in Pulau Weh. Pantai Sumur Tiga is supposedly the longest beach in Pulau Weh and got its name from three wells that lay along its stretch (sources say there are actually five wells). It’s also reputedly the best beach in Pulau Weh, with guesthouses and hotels that range from affordable to high end.
We stayed at Casa Nemo – a pretty nice guesthouse with 8 bungalows/rooms perched on the hill overlooking the beach and ocean. The beach was practically a 4-minute walk from our doorstep. A slow walk. I’m not one of those cheaters who tell you it takes 5 minutes when it actually takes 15 cos they’re running a marathon or something.
Our spacious room had no air con (but we didn’t need it cos it’s cold at night) just fan, but had hot water shower, fridge, nice porch with hammock, taps to wash the sand off our legs before we got in the main door (so important for crazy OCD people like me who love the beach but HATE sand in the room!). The bed was okay, think they need new pillows and beds and there’s no mosquito net; but i love the ambiance of the place and the BEACH just made up for everything. Room cost 250,000 rupiah/RM87 per night.
In fact, reason i’m writing a fair bit about Casa Nemo is cos i would totally recommend you to stay there (Disclaimer: if you’re half the backpacker type) but i forgot to take pictures of the place. I don’t even have a SINGLE picture of Casa Nemo cos i was too enraptured with the beach that was just outside our doorstep.
LOOK.
JUST LOOK AT THAT BEACH.
Incredible! And to think it only cost us RM87 a night to stay there… SO WORTH IT OKAY. To see pictures of Casa Nemo’s bungalows *click here*
We spent the late morning hanging out on the beach (OF COURSE). Clem immediately jumped into the ocean to play with the waves. I thought i’d try it later on. Big waves scare me. Tell you why later.
I was so intent on getting as MUCH SUNSHINE as possible that i lay on the beach reading Norwegian Wood while we waited for the food to come. Casa Nemo only served breakfast and beer when we were there so we walked next door to Freddie’s, another guesthouse + restaurant:
Like i mentioned in a previous post, we went to Pulau Weh just as the rainy season was over, so there weren’t many tourists then. Fab, really.
You can’t ask for a better lunch view.
Steph & Nick
Thanks to Steph for taking pix with my camera that holiday, i always whine that there are never any natural shots of me but this time there are!
Here’s a very natural shot of us. One moment we’re all lovey.
Next moment we’re fighting, pushing each other, wrestling, etc.
It usually ends with Clem saying, “STOP before someone (you) cries.” Or him handling me too roughly and i start screaming like he just did a Tyson on me.
Clem thought i was so disheveled to eat with sand all over me but i love it. It’s the big grainy kinda sand that dusts off easily, not the fine one that sticks with your sweat and makes you blah.
After lunch we went straight back to the beach!
The waves are so forceful that it can easily wipe the pants off Nick. Or me off my feet. I almost got a picture of his bum but wasn’t quick enough. Steph thought i was being a pussy for being scared of the waves but when they knocked her over too… I SAY HA! I tried going in earlier and a huge wave knocked me a-tumbling, big stones and coral the seasonal tide hadn’t brought out to sea yet crashing on my feet and legs, and sand getting into my swimsuit… which was just magically trying to come off. And all while i was trying to pee. Dammit.
You can see Nick underwater! It’s that clear! And Clem fighting a wave! In the end i HAD to go in the sea (with Clem making sure i didn’t get knocked over too much) cos i really had to pee again. This time Clem held me while i peed. Haha. This is why you need a big strong man – to help you pee in the sea.
I managed to get over my wave phobia the next day and was a big girl and went all by myself! Or maybe at that time the waves were a bit tamer…
ANYWAYS.
OK my chest just looks like that because of this great bikini Serena gave me for Christmas. It miraculously LIFTS in all the right places. LOVE IT.
There are heaps of other pictures we took with my phone (which i’ll post separately just cos the look and feel is so different! OCD…) We drank tequila, played on the beach, bla bla bla then fast forward to dinnertime!
We went back to Freddie’s for dinner
I just HAD to post this picture to show Clem that SEE? I’m not always hitting you! Sometimes i place my hand lovingly on you too!!!
Do you like my dress?! I saw the fabric in Kamdar, loved the ‘melting’ print, and made myself a long beach dress 😀
This is me too tired to hold Clem’s hand but i still want to touch him so i was touching his knee -_- Hahaaa thanks Steph for taking these pictures!!!
Freddie’s Santai Sumur Tiga Address: Pantai Sumur Tiga, Iemeulee.
Ph: 0813 602 55001,
Email: santaisumurtiga@yahoo.com.au www.santai-sabang.com
Casa Nemo Address: Pantai Sumur Tiga, Iemeulee.
Ph: 0813 6299 9942.
Email: casanemo@yahoo.com www.casanemo.com
Bring your unwanted accessories/home deco/clothing/books to the Swap Party @ The Bee this Saturday and walk out with new ones you love MORE!
I think The Bee is the perfect place for a Swap Party, really spacious and chill. Here are some pix from Xmas break i never got to posting – when a bunch of us went there to drink and play cards.
Thought i’d be there for a couple of hours max, and it ended up being 5 hours or something like that! The more we drank the more violent we were at Monopoly Deal. I remember we were about to leave when Adrian gave us a bottle of wine so noone budged after that. And got even more drunk. It WAS Christmas!
I don’t believe that Valentine’s Day gifts have to be expensive. I just think they need to be a little show of extra love (because every other day should be a show of love anyway!).
Instead of just giving chocolates, something you could do for your special someone is bake a little chocolate tart for them! It’s really easy, and the point of it is that it took EFFORT and LOVE to do!
It doesn’t even need to be for just one person, the beauty about little tarts is that you could bake a small batch for your family members, housemates, or colleagues that put that bit of brightness into your everyday!
I’m not used to making desserts, so this is new for me too. The first time i baked a dessert was Dove chocolate hot pots for Yishyene, Sa and Nadia when they came over for dinner. It was then that i thought baking with chocolate is pretty easy… you CAN’T go wrong with a mixture of chocolate, butter, flour and sugar!
For my second attempt at baking, i’m using Dove chocolate again. Decided to do it for Clem seeing i’ve never baked for him in my life. He got really excited smelling the melting chocolate from the kitchen. (Btw, he loves chocolate. I was shocked when he wrapped a piece of bread around a whole bar of Dove chocolate and ate it for dessert one night. A chocolate sandwich, he says. -_-)
I got the recipe below from the official Dove website but edited it slightly to our metric system. This should make you 12x Dove chocolate tarts if your tart pans are as small as mine (see pic below).
INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
– 130 g thin chocolate wafers
– 4 tablespoons butter, melted
– 2 tablespoons sugar
– 6 small tart pans
– 1 cookie sheet pan (i just put baking paper in a metal pan)
STEPS OF LOVE! Sorry for my corniness, i’m allowed to be corny for Valentine’s Day! I even played love songs while baking this so i’d feel all lovey and imagined focusing my loving energy into the process.
1. Combine ground chocolate wafers with butter and sugar.
I used a blender cos it’s so much easier than by hand.
2. Press mixture into sides and bottom of greased tart pans.
3. Preheat your oven to 180°C. When hot, place tart pans on cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely.
4. Melt DOVE® chocolate in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth.
Dove is already a very smooth chocolate, so imagine when it’s melted and whisked gracefully in a bowl..! The smell of melted chocolate is one of the BEST things you can smell in the kitchen!
5. Prepare pudding following instructions on package. Whisk melted chocolate with pudding, and refrigerate until set.
6. Before serving, mix half the whipped cream you have into your chilled chocolate + pudding mixture.
7. Fill tart shells with them.
8. Spoon remaining whipped cream into little plastic bag and snip a corner of it, so you can pipe your heart design on top. Or in my case, i thought i’d drip them in pseudo abstract art with the whisk. Cut the strawberries into half and shape them into hearts.
Serve with love!
Clem said it was ‘really good’. And he’s very straightforward with me when it comes to my cooking.
Excuse my appearance! I baked on a public holiday and didn’t bother with make up at home (who does?!).
Good luck with it! Though you don’t need too much luck – just time and effort!
After spending our first night in Acheh, us four got a morning speed boat which we rode for 45 minutes to get to Pulau Weh. Cost about RM20 per person.
When Clem and i made our decision to go to Acheh, we had no idea about Pulau Weh. Or we just didn’t remember Steph and Nick mentioning we were going there. It’s only after i told some people i was heading to Sumatra, that they asked whether i was going to Pulau Weh. And i was thinking, what’s this deal about Pulau Weh? Now i HOPE we’re going to Pulau Weh… and searched our history emails to check. Turns out we WERE going there so i google imaged it and got mighty excited then!
There are different class tickets you can buy for the boats from Acheh to Pulau Weh, and the difference between executive class and the normal one is USD1. It may seem little but that’s significant for an Achehnese. The exec class had sofas, tvs and air con compared to the non-air con one!
Once we docked at Sabang (as the island is referred to by locals) we took an hour-long car ride (RM17 per person) to Iboih – Nick’s favourite area on the island. It’s got a more backpacker and local family feel to it.
Steph got burnt by a motorcycle and Nick was applying medicine on it. I just HAD to post this picture. It was part of my whole trip experience, y’ know. Keepin it real.
The stark irony of beautiful mosques being built amidst poverty all over Acheh.
There’s no vehicle road going into where all the backpacker inns are, just walkways through the forest. Clem had to carry his and my bag (mine was too full of toys for me to manage :p) and wondered aloud why there weren’t any boats that would go straight to the guesthouse doorsteps. I think door-to-door shuttle service in 5-star resorts has spoilt him. Steph and Nick must have thought we were such divas.
We stayed in a wooden chalet with fan for RM50 a night. Or RM53? Something like that. It was really cheap!
Steph and Nick in the chalet next to ours.
Practising my paparazzo shots
Cassi & Henry
I used a Colgate box to transport the black charcoals i needed for that holiday’s drawings, so i wouldn’t risk breaking the whole set. Most of them broke in the process anyway.
Between our chalets were natural stone steps leading down to the sea. If you think the picture looks cold, that’s cos it WAS. It turned out a tad rainy that day.
Steph, Nick’s feet, Clem. After i took this picture, i joined them. For 15 minutes. Then i got out of the cold water to look forward to DRINKING. And eating. I’d already had breakfast and lunch, around then was 4pm and tea time! I had spicy noodle soup while playing Monopoly Deal and drinking Bintang.
Golly gee i’m so attractive
We graduated to local whiskey (RM35!) when it started raining an hour later.
Lots of animals around Iboih, cats…
Giant monkeys
Dogs.
Because the locals are very conservative Muslim, dogs are frowned upon and mostly kept only because the tourists like them. They’re not usually fed as much as the cats. This old Muslim masseuse lady fed a bunch of dogs like her own before the locals poisoned them just because they’re dogs.
When Nick asked her about her dogs, she confirmed they had died, and said she didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and that it made her too sad. (((SAD!!!)))
Later that night Clem pointed at something flying and said, “Look! Eagle!” (He gets really excited about eagles.) I watched this huge thing with swooping wings and said, “It’s not an eagle… it’s a bat holy shit.”
A huge mothertrucking fruit bat, the biggest i’ve ever seen in my life. The span of one wing was the measure of my fingertips to my elbow, or more. It crawled up and down the branches of the tree right in front of us. Quite fascinating. It’s like Nat Geo. But in real life. (Listen to me, sound so city girl can die.)
At night we just hung out and played this question game which was quite interesting, till Nick tried to get us to guess the word ‘microbe’. -_-
Convinced Clem to let me draw on the part of his leg that got shaved at Matt & Serena’s tea ceremony torture event. I used 5 out of the 8 comic boxes then got tired. He insisted i not waste the space so i wrote ‘OK. THE. END.’
Next morning was bright and shiny yay! It’s best to go to Acheh any time of the year except Nov-Jan when it’s rainy season. We were there early Feb so we were pushing it.
Despite this restaurant’s humble appearance, it has food the standard of a 5-star resort! I kid you not.
The fries and cheese with this was an amazing composition i couldn’t stop eating.
This is the best picture i have of myself with no make up. #win
Steph was semangat enough to set the timer on my camera…
She called us posers. I said what did you expect.
After lunch, we took a boat to the island next door, which is owned by a local family.
Clem is like a little kid. Ask him to smile and this is what he gives me.
Nick
Nick and Clem making a moat for my pony
OK yes that’s me. You might think it’s silly but i swear once you try it, an umbrella is a GREAT IDEA to bring into the sunny sea with you, next to a beer.
I don’t feel as stressed out sitting in harsh sunlight. I don’t mind getting darker (i’m not one of those pro-whitening girls) but i just get so HOT. So being able to chill in the warm water without sun burning me is all good.
The mosquito bite on Steph’s forehead fascinates me
Hermit crab we made friends with, but didn’t hurt in the slightest bit, i swear
That night the electricity went out, along with the water that came out of the shower head. I pacified Clem that it was like camping.
Thank goodness for the mushroom light Yishyene gave to me!
Since we couldn’t depend on the electricity and water there, we shifted to another part of the island the day after!
