Mantanani Island Day Trip

Assalamualaikum...

I thought of continuing my Eurotrip post just now but I think I am mentally exhausted for today so let me just share a little bit about my day trip to Mantanani Island last Saturday; 26 April 2014.

Yang merah itu Mantanani Island yah (^^)

Well, my last dive was in October last year so it's been 6 months. I thought it's best that I gear up and dive again. Luckily my October buddy was in town for the weekend so I sort of coaxed him to join me and of course he'd brought along another friend. I did a very quick survey on price offered by various companies and the best price was given by a friend of mine at the climbing centre (^^)

The itinerary is very simple..

Pick up at 7.15 am. 1 hour and 45 minutes bus ride to jetty. 45-50 minutes boat ride to the island which depends very much on the weather and then 2 dives and a buffet lunch.

Yup! That's our Mountain! (^^)

Trip to Mantanani is very very weather dependent. It can be suddenly cancelled because of rough sea but money will be refundable in such case. Even when the sky is all clear and deep blue in colour, the ride was still very bumpy. My friend got thrown out of his seat on our way back when he fell asleep. It was such a funny scene. I heard a loud thud, and when I turn, there he was lying on the floor; swarmed by the Chinese tourists assisting him to get up.

I think one thing that I won't forget about the trip was that I was hoping to meet some Europeans but it turned out that we were with more than a dozen tourists from China and even the tour guide spoke chinese! So I went to the kiosk at the jetty to ask whether we are already at the jetty or is this place some kind of R&R thingy because we didn't understand a word the guide was saying when we arrived at this place :p

Kamera aku kawan aku pegang so0o0o0o0 gambar2 yang diambilnya ni... 

Haih~ bole2 laaaaa~ (^^")

I definitely think Mantanani has it's own qualities like the the water is exceptionally stunning, the beach is bigger so it is more suitable for family outing. The dive centre has a beach volleyball court. I was very tempted to play, you know. But only the half naked dive masters were in the court so... I'd refrained myself from doing so hahaha Mantanani is famous for the sightings of Dugong but we didn't see any.

I saw a sting ray, a turtle which perhaps an adolescent (sukati aku jak kan) and lots of coral fish. I actually prefer the coral fish because they don't look intimidating. I get excited when I see a big school of fish but I can feel slightly intimidated by their huge number (^^") During the first dive, we were at a site with lots of corals but not that colourful. But the second site was even beautiful. Tapi aku pelik betul air nya sekejap extremely sejuk and sekejap panas~ I dunno why.. Aku memang diver yang noob heeee

Feeling gtew~ Well.. I needed the short getaway... New responsibilities are coming in and I foresee a lot of effort will be put ahead to fulfill all these things that I've to shoulder... You know when I stand atop of a mountain, I realize I'm just an insignificant speck in this vast universe. A speck that could just be an ordinary object or with the power to bring good and make the world a better place to live. When I go underwater, I see the hidden treasures; the micro and macro things that make me realize how limited my knowledge is. There must be more to this world to be discovered....

Otak aku sangat occupied sampai aku jadi nada perasaan tentang hati masa trip ni.. Allah knows best.. Allah lagi tahu kalau sesuatu yang kita suka itu bukan yang terbaik untuk jadi milik kita. Tapi Allah akan letak yang kita suka itu di tempat yang sepatutnya dalam hidup kita...

"You who is still out there... I secure my heart for only you.." Ececececeh! Yah! itu lah maksud posing ini :p

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The transition... And changes

Bismillah...

My friends and I have talked a lot about how we have changed over the years in the past few days... I happened to be in many places within this week that I met friends from school and university and we coincidentally talked about the same topic altogether; CHANGE...

I listened to what one of my BFF had to go through this year. Entirely different from what I faced last year but slightly similar in its on way. Last year, I was dealing with lost and some career shifts. Battled my way through to gain stability, get control of my life and become positive again. It's something that I prefer to call as my 'transition period' because when it's all finally over, I am (Alhamdulillah) totally fine today.

During the transition period, I realize, not all that are close to you will be there with you. That's when you can finally realize who love you solely for being that witty and carefree woman who is fun to be with and those who love you fully as an individual and stick around when you are at the lowest point in your life. It is absolutely normal to suddenly change into a grumpy person who has mood swings and pour all the burden in her life to the people she trust. That's what women do. They have to let it out~

One thing that I noticed was I did have all the solutions to my problems hovering in my temple but my mind was actually too shrouded by all the negative thoughts and tiredness that I can't direct the physical me to execute anything properly. And the hurdles that I have to deal with especially when it comes to people's attitude, response and expectations were making it even worst for me.. So I did confided my problems to the people I trust... And that's when you can see, who among the people you trust is there to raise you back to where you were or even higher or just want to run away from you because you've become this prick who keeps on complaining about the universe conspiring to pull her down...

From my point of view as the one who was being tested, I just wanted to pour it out. I just wanted a trustworthy person's shoulder to cry on. It is already very much helpful and soothing just to hear the person you trust respond with "You can get through this" or "I pray for you to be granted patience" or "If you need anything just tell me" or "I understand". I didn't expect bombastic ideas that works magic. The least that I needed was a pair of ears that listen. That's all. And it was ludicrous when some responded with "Kahwin la GG," which simply can be translated into "You should have a spouse to share this with instead of sharing this with me", right?


What I'm trying to say, it's the 'transition period' that is the toughest. It's that period when multiple things in your life start to change simultaneously and you have to figure out how to incorporate all these changes into what already exist in your life, your routine. It's the time when you have to constantly do 'trial and error' until you figure out what works. Best of all, this is when we actually GROW exponentially without we realizing it..

I'm truly blessed with family and best friends who understood what I went through although there were some who drifted away from my life with their own reasons. My family was very supportive and we changed for the better after the great lost of one of our beloved. We appreciate each others' presence more than before realizing that any of us could 'leave' at any time without warning.

My best of friends were very mature in handling my breakdowns. There are moments when we entirely give time to listen to each others' problems and then rejoice our hearts by filling each other with pleasant updates and activities.

It was hard but I could feel how it changed me... Hopefully for the better lah!

The next time when a good friend come to you, complaining about the hardships she is going through, she is not trying to drag you into her problem.. It is because you have proved to her as a trustworthy person among all the people she knew. Don't ever break that trust... Ever~

"Ujian itu indah jika ia membawa kita hampir kepada Sang Pencipta.."

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The Heart....

Bismillah...

The heart is created being a delicate and a dynamic structure of the body. In school, I was taught that it was made of strains of muscles that has four compartments and whose function is to pump blood into the lungs and then back to the entire body when the blood is already fed with oxygen....

The heart shape symbolizes the feeling of love and affection although some argue that all of the feelings actually originate from the mind.

Although I am somewhat more of a 'science person' in regards of what I do for a living, I am very much inclined to accept that all sort of feelings is felt by the heart rather than being a state of mind....

For the past few months, I've been trying to deliberately prompt it to have a change to what it is fond to, to what it is drawn to but to no avail. Sometimes it is very confusing of how it is constantly reminded of someone who is so distant, someone whom I had very little pleasant moments together but nonetheless still very significant to the heart.. "What is wrong with you heart?" I asked sometimes

There are many things I wish I had an answer to but I guess this is the beauty of our story; the mysteries I failed to unfold. But I know the right thing to do is to avoid from making things become complicated. That is to keep my distance... To know my boundaries... To steadfastly hold to my values and beliefs. And in my attempt to do so, I found that this is not an easy path. This journey needs me to be strong because the heart sometimes don't listen to what you're asking it to do~

"When circumstances contradict to our wants,
And our values and beliefs are the only things that we can cling to,
The only way to endure and thrive is to jive with uncertainty,
And patiently wait for the unexpected to happen..."


Sometimes.. I do have the "If only I..." moments but I know those were only the whispers of man's greatest adversary. Admittedly, there are times I wished I'd been bolder or more approachable or sweeter or more flirtatious.. But... No... Not for this one... Not this time... Not anymore...

I'd made a promise years ago, that I will never associate myself into something that will compromise my love towards my Creator and His messenger...

"Do not even come close to zina.."

I've been in one relationship before and no, it doesn't bring me closer to Allah... It drifted me away further and further although gradually, I was not getting closer... I observed those who are in love around me who has yet to establish marriage... As they stare into each others' eyes pensively, fingers interlocking... I thought, "No, this is not what I want..."

And when I saw messages coming in.. Asking out for dinner.. Hanging out.. Or just checking me out.. No, this is not what I want either.. Because, although these men might not have bad intentions, but I think it is best to avoid. Adultery and fornication don't just happen in this society I'm living in. Things like one night stand is out of the norm. It happens when one falls for the lies of the greatest adversary who have been patiently persuading the heart..

"Reply his message.."
"He is a good man.. Going out with him is no harm.."
"He didn't touch your hands intentionally.."
"No one will know if you become intimate with him.. Nobody sees the two of you.."

That is why the message is such that we are not to come close to anything that could lead us to zina... And I'm still struggling...

I'm off to where I'd spent my time for the first time and the last with him tomorrow.. In hope that I can collect my heart where I left it off last October. I have to move on.... I have to let him go... And I have to give way to another who is capable of giving his heart in return... Who can't live seeing me with someone else except him... I guess you can live with that, he-who-doesn't-know...

I pray for the best for both of us...

********When I started writing this, I was actually missing him so much. To an extend I asked Allah "What is this, ya Allah? If he is not who You destined for me, please let this go away..."

And guess what, the next day, I found him in a place where I don't expect him to be. I don't see it as a sign or anything. I just think that is to heal what I felt the night before (^^) I'm happy to see him, anyway. Walaupon perasaan itu bercampur malu. Sometimes, you just look at the one you want, and when it is not meant for you, then you start thinking, Allah has better plans for both of us....******

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Praying for MH370

Bismillah...

Currently, the whole nation and perhaps the whole world is fogged with sadness by the lost of MH370.. I've been an ardent follower to latest updates of the missing aircraft for the past two weeks although I've not been too eager  to manifest that on facebook. I was driving towards a diner when I heard that the Prime Minister was going to make an important announcement at 10 pm on the 23rd March. I rushed home after I gobbled up all the food that I ordered in much haste; I didn't want to miss it! And there he was, our respected Prime Minister, announcing in his solemn voice that investigators have confirmed that the aircraft ended at the southern part of the Indian Sea...

Upon hearing that, I just can't contain myself. Tears start to well on  the brim of my eyes, I walked into my room and start to weep. O I know how it feels to lose someone all of a sudden and it is still fresh although it's going to be a year in two months or so. It must have been harder for the affected families of the crews and passengers with the mystery of the whereabouts of the aircraft, with the various speculations going around and accusations of irresponsible people that relates this  incidence to political interest and whatnot.. It is just so disappointing that some parties are just insensitive to the feelings of the affected people... Nda faham aku~


So in this post, I would like to deliver my deepest condolence to the affected families. I hope they are given strength to accept the reality. The whole world is praying for those who perished; may they be in peace in the other world and be in Allah's mercy at all times. We Muslims believe and Qada and Qadr. And for everything that happens, Allah is so merciful that no matter how hard it is to face His test, there will always be something good to it one day, inshaAllah. And I would like to share this quote that I always use to console myself; it is okay to cry when we can't bear the sadness for every tears that falls in patience will bring about rewards in the Hearafter, inshaAllah.


Looking at people's various response to the two tragic incidents in two consecutive years is, honestly, can be distressing. There is much noise especially in social media; of rants, of hatred, of conjectures... Some theories are so absurd that I have no idea just how people are inclined to even believe them. Then I found this from one of the blog that I recently followed, which in a way explains how absurd lies can turn into something presumed truthful..

"Noise drowns the voice of truth. As more and more noise fills the internet, it gets harder for anyone to sort out the good from the bad.
Secondly, noise gives credibility to falsehood. When a lie gets circulated enough, it ceases to be a lie and  instead gets upgrade to the status of truth."

And then I had a conversation with a best friend and she asked, "Do you think this is what is meant by the signs of qiyammah? You know.. Fitnaa everywhere.. The media being the source of Fitnaa and it spread so widely..."
"Yup, this might be it. Who knows~"

Ya... There are times when we forget to consider the impact of our behaviour. We slide our index finger on the glossy touch-screen, saw an interesting post, read through it and feel the rush of adrenaline in our veins to have read such a sensational thing. "Ah! This is share-worthy," And 'thump!', index finger on the share tab. How harmful could that be? It could be destructive especially to the minds and emotions...

We have seen so many lies spread over the internet. What I can't understand,  after being lied so many times, why are the same people in my friend list still do the same thing again and again...??? Nda faham~

Anyway...

In the times of turbulence (even though we are not directly affected), in respect to those who are affected, we should be more mindful with our words and the things that we spread over the internet. Lets be those who shares positivity and be the kind who give the affected families strength instead of more sorrow...

And it is sad to see how this tragedy is used as a substance to bash the country's governance and Islam. Bad things happen everywhere and it is inevitable. When it happens, it happens~ I just think it's unfair to highlight this tragedy as a prove of 'incompetency' of the current government because it is clear that a lot of effort are being put to resolve it just as it was for last year's Sulu invasion... Some people are just weird and thought they know better and have better ideas than anyone else on earth... Well, as far as I see it, the ones at work are those who are being bashed. While the ones who are so eager criticizing sleep soundly in the comforts of their homes after leaving much harsh words online....


We can't do much as a normal citizen, can we? But mind you, our prayers are powerful, inshaAllah :)

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Switzerland: Grindelwald~

Bismillah...

So lets continue to our next part of the journey.. 

I don't know how others decide where to go when they travel. Well, for us, we will not try to aim everything but will get the best of two or three things that we want most. That's why you see we will only get to do one or two things in a day but we will spend at least 3 hours to half-day at one attraction. So, since Switzerland is very famous with their train network and mountain cable cars, so we decided to experience the cable car.

Why we didn't choose to take the train pass and drive instead... Because the train pass is not cheap!! We saved a lot from driving. I remember we only filled the fuel tank once throughout the journey. And I don't want to carry my backpack from one train to another although everything are well connected and well scheduled... hehe ku tidak setegap itu...

I was the one driving. We set the GPS for Grindelwald and was first led by the GPS to a dead end.. We stopped at a junction that leads to a secluded-looking gravel road when the GPS reported we have reached our destination. We went out of the car in confusion and looked around for a cable car station. There was nothing.

"Rasanya Grindelwald GPS ni dok kat atas cliff depan ni...."

So we continue to drive further and finally saw the cable car station signboard.. \(^^)/ yeay!

This is the station's visitor parking lot. The place was incredibly stunning. This valley is entirely enclosed by these snow-capped mountains. They are not higher than mount. Kinabalu. But, I guess, being at the northern hemisphere makes it snow on top

The return ticket was suppose to be around CHF 56~ But we only paid CHF 31.. 

And I don't remember why hahaha (^^") 

But.. No worries people.. If you are entitle for price reduction, the staff will tell you like they did to us. 

They have free wi-fi at the station so you can post pics terusssssssss ke social media like what I did.. 

Teruja ok! 

On top and below are the pictures taken from the cable car as it ascend to the top.

I think it is the contrast between the green valley and the white peaks that makes it so breathtaking. And then you have some cows mooing below you and you can hear the clanking sound of the bells worn on their necks.

So that's how the station looks like. If we have enough time, we would've gone until the Jungfrau region. You can go with this cable car and then change to train in another station to go to the highest train station in the world (if not in Europe). Definitely will repeat this!!!!!!!!!!

So this is the view from where we are standing in the picture below.

Another activity you can do here is hike to the peak. It's actually not that far but since the path is covered by snow, it is extremely slippery so make sure you have with you a suitable pair of shoes.

It was not very cold when we were there. I took off my winter  jacket and wore my Nike jacket. Although it was ice all around, the sun was shining so bright above us. I got a bad sun burn after that haha So this hike to the top took about 30 minutes and when we went down, the ice already started to melt and the snow was no longer as thick as when we climb up. I slipped once and got buried in the snow. My friends panicked for awhile and started calling my name because I was no where to be seen. Aku hanya mampu angkat tangan dan menjawab "Gg kat sini!!!" haha

Ini abang Ricola haha Sebab dia bagi Ricola dekat RA who was trying to catch her breath when she reached the top.. So sweet kannnnn???? Sebab tu la aku suka mereka c mata biru, c hidung mancung~ :p

We spent almost an hour on top; taking pictures of every corner of the 360 panorama. It is undeniably one of the best landscape that I've ever seen in my life.. Allahuakbar..

Just how vast the knowledge of our Creator, Allah s.w.t...

Dan bila suda penat.. Bole la dudok begini dan jadikan gambar ini profile picture untuk setengah tahun (^^)

And after this it's gonna be Switzerland's cities (^^)

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Rompakan Pertama....

Assalamualaikum...

I just don't want to leave this blog dormant for too long.. so while I write the continuation of our Eurotrip.. Nah.. Ini gambar terakhir bersama cik Note 10.1... Dia telah di rampok dengan jayanya di Ho Chi Minh...

I know.. I mistreated her.. But seriously, pak cik taxi yang jahat... I am no angel.. 

!@#$^@%&!^$@ YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

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Indochina aku datang (^^)/

Maka dengan ini.. Semakin banyak lah hutang kisah2 travel ku~

\(^^)/ Excited okay!

Kenapa kenapa kenapa????

Sebab dua negara yang aku pergi ni punya war history yang AWESOME!!!!!

Don't get me wrong.. Awesome means I salute their victories and their courage to fight for their country and freedom. uiseh..

baeklah... \\(",) semoga semuanya berjalan lancar...Ameen~

I am a little bit obsess of this new bag~ It's so neat! 

With the right number of slots and pockets at the right places and you can unzipped it this wide.. So convenient that I no longer have to dig my stuff out Heeee (^^)

Bought this in NZ. There was this Kathmandu Year End Sale and discount up to 70%~ Borong ar aku

6 outdoor items cost me RM 1100.. Ko bole dapat ka di Malaysia harga gini yang ori??? Jap mari aku share, sneak peek post NZ la kono...

Kalau d Malaysia, mungkin beg & hiking shoes saja suda RM 1100~

 

Printing all bookings 5 days before departure

Dan.. Hampir selesai (^^)

Dear Heart..

"Acceptance is the key to be..

To be truly free..

Will you do the same for me..??

Hatinya bukan milik kamu~ Jadi kamu kena teruskan berdegup

Teruskan berjalan~

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Ter-Over-Efficient~

Bismillah...

I guess, after all the ordeals that trampled on me last year, I'm urged to regain control of my life. Enough with the sadness, enough with the confusions, enough with the heartbreaks.. Enough is enough.... I really need to get back on track and maneuver myself back to where I want to be...

So, I started off with a simple 2014 resolution; all I wanted for this year is PRODUCTIVITY. That's it. One word that I think is universal, objective and more achievable. And, Alhamdulillah, up until today (writing this on Valentine's day, a Friday night) it is still being executed.. I have nothing pending except for my travel posts. Bedroom is neat as how it is supposed to be (heeee me & my mild OCD.. ok la it's actually moderate OCD) and yup, so far I think it's achieved and harap2 la istiqomah... Hurm.. Makan glucosamine pon compliant sudeyh hehe Mo hiking punya pasal....

I am so free tonight that I added some new labels under 'Countries I Went'. So it's easier for you to trace old travel posts. I'm still thinking of whether I should put countries like Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia in because the posts for those countries are very few and none for Thailand because I went there when I was in high school. Tengok la nanti macam mana....

And then as I was adding labels to the old posts, I actually came across two posts about my bucket list!!!!!!!!!! \(^^)/ And I got extremely ecstatic to find that I actually fulfilled most of them already without me even noticing!!!! 

Bucket list 2009 & Bucket list 2012

Mari kita revise apa yang sudah di realized (^^)

From 2009.. Bungee Jumping!!!!

This is actually my recent jump in Sunway Lagoon during our school reunion.
Can't find the one in Seoul hehe lama suda itu!

High up in the air without an oval glass in front of my nose...

Yarra Valley, Melbourne.. Nampak nda aku peace peace tu (^^)v

Eurotrip!!!!!!!!!! Ok.. mau letak pic apa ha....

Saat bersenam dengan Encik Kacak haha
I'm in the process of writing the Eurotrip kan.. So x mau spoil la kono~

So from my 2012 list...

\(^^)/ Iceland lah!!!! Alhamdulillah.. Memang macam nda percaya I've been that far from my homeland.. Cewah!

Nah! Ice di Iceland!

New Zealand (^^) hurm finally aku rasa, NZ agak overrated la jugak.. Kalau mau cakap cantik, aku rasa Switzerland tu lebih cantik dan nda commercialized sangat hehe nanati kita cerita kenapa aku jadi begini~

Hurm.... One more will be fulfilled this year, inshaAllah...

(^^) Dare to dream.. And dare to make it come true...

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Tentang Hidup.. Dan Juga Mati... Part I

Bismillah..

Uiseh cam serious betol bha tu title.. Nah~ I actually paused for a moment before I came up with that title.. That is the hardest part of blog writing; deciding the title hehe Ini novel ya...

I've been thinking a lot of how differently Nuyui's passing have impacted my whole life as compared to my grandmother's passing many years ago. Both of them are dear to me in their own way. Nuyui is the little sister that I always yearn for during my childhood. While my Nenek, I took care of her during the last days of her life because my mom was away for an operation in KK...


I was that 9 year-old who skipped sekolah agama to sit by Nenek side in the ward. She went in and out of the ward very frequently for severe asthma. I remember enjoying handling the nebulizer machine at home and dreading the moment when she passed motion because I have to clean it up and help change her diapers. I remember the rage that I had in me when she asked for my brother whenever her condition worsened. She would just ignore me and start wailing his name loudly. My brother was too busy with his teenage life and rarely can be seen. I felt unappreciated and sometimes I would hid in the toilet and cried.


Those were the occasional bad days, though. When she was well, we would chat all day long. Sometimes she would ask me of the latest books that I'd read. Sometimes she let me lie down with her on the hospital bed. And sometimes she would braid my hair. My last moment with her is still very clear in my mind. That evening she look perfectly well that I even thought that she was going to go home soon. It was already Maghrib when ucu and aunty came to fetch me and aunty was staying with nenek for the night. I leaned closer to Nenek and kissed her cheek. As I was about to leave, Nenek called me and pulled my hand to draw me closer. She touched my forehead and laboriously got up to kiss my forehead. Her last words were "You are a good beautiful girl.."*Don't get me wrong. I'm not being a narcissist here. Nenek always said I'm beautiful haha*


That night, I just couldn't sleep. I was tossing and turning and rashes started to appear on my skin. I felt anxious. I felt as if something bad is going to happen. I finally fell asleep after I forced myself to since I have to go to school in the morning. When I woke up, there was only me, Nuyui and the maid at home. Ucu was no where to be seen. As I was getting ready to don my school uniform, the maid told me that I don't have to go to school that day. I said, but I have choral speaking practice today. Then she said, "Nenek sudah tiada..." I froze. I didn't know how to respond. I only cried when I sat in front of her body at my house. Her body was covered with her own kain batik; the one she wear almost everyday. But there she was in front of me, motionless, lifeless. I asked myself, "Is this a dream?" "Nenek, why are you not waking up?"

And I still remember how annoyed I was when some mak cik approached me and told me to stop crying. How could I? I was sad... She was buried  after the Jumaah prayer but I didn't follow them to the graveyard because I had to take care of Nuyui since all the adults were busy....


And then similar to what I felt when Nurul passed away, at that time, I felt sad and then came acceptance and later came longing... This longing process is inexplicably long.. No no no.. It's forever.. When a family member is lost, the void that we feel inside the heart can never be filled.. Because that space belong to them and none other.. But how I'd moved on in these two occasions are very very much different...


I was a kid when Nenek left us.. I felt her absence because I was the one who tend to her daily needs when mom was busy at work and when mom was hospitalized herself. But I didn't think much of death itself as much as I think about it when Nuyui passed away. After all, I was a carefree kid.. Who has her own endevours, who later got carried away with growing up... And that's all I felt, ABSENCE...


When Nuyui passed away, I didn't get the time to immediately do some self-reflecting moment. I was busied coping with new responsibilities which somehow distracted me from sadness. But it got me nowhere; I didn't progress. I stayed back to finish my work. All things done. Poof.. I got no satisfaction. No gratification... All depressed, my room was a mess and my laundry piling up. From June until December, I was desperate to find a point at which I could totally start anew with a new spirit, with new goals, everything new...

So on my way back from Twins of Faith at the end of December, after listening to all those inspirational speakers, I said to myself. "Haziah, if you don't start anew now and keep delaying this start anew thingy, you might just die as a loser.." Because I was thinking, I might not be aware that I'm running out of time. That my time on earth is up.. I already wasted 6 months; crying inside my car as I drive to work and back from work, worked like a zombie, and then cry myself to sleep again. It was a melancholic 6 months that it amazed me that I have that much water in my body to have cried those liters and liters of tears..

To be continued...

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Switzerland: Dari hujung ke hujung... (Part I)

Bismillah...

So we were in Interlaken for the night. Had a quick dinner because it was quite late when we arrived. That's the good thing about traveling in summer; we had longer daylight. The sun sets at around 9 pm when we were there so it was really convenient for long drive.


We actually aimed for Trummelbach that morning. It's a famous glacier waterfall inside the mountain. When I said INSIDE, it is literally INSIDE (^^) Actually, we can also go there by train but after kira-kira budget, we finally opted to rent a car; because it is way cheaper to share one vehicle and we don't have to rush to meet the train schedule heeeeee We love to be super flexible and stay for as long as we like at an attraction that we favour upon arrival~ So yeah, we usually don't stick to our itinerary because we can be carried away by nature's beauty...

This is how the road looks like though this don't really show how narrow it is compared to the ones in our country. Tapi betol! luas lagi jalan KK pi Menumbok bha. So I was driving anxiously all the way and became more anxious when we approach the villages because the road is even narrower in those area. But still, I did enjoy the scenery especially the colourful meadows along the way. You can also see people cycling or just trekking on the side of the road. We were in awe, of course, because you don't get to see that in Malaysia, do you? haha Not even in remote areas.. Gaya hidup sehat betol!

And then I drove and drove and drove and suddenly we found ourselves in Rivendell~
Traveling ni memang bikin kuat berangan~

O ya.. Kami menjerit girang!!! "Ya Allah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TEMPAT APA NI!!!!!!??????????? Huargh!!!!!!!!!"

This Rivendell of ours is actually Lauterbrunnen hehe

Staubbach Fall

Lauterburnnen is a small town set in a valley surrounded by overhanging rocky cliffs. And you can see waterfalls of various height and size cascading down these cliffs. It is said there are 72 waterfalls but I didn't count because they were too many haha The pic above is Staubbach Fall; one of the highest waterfall in Europe. The cascade is so high that you can see the water blown by the wind to form mist. The overhanging rock stood to its glory and the free-falling water is what I call PERFECTION... I just stare at it.. sampai sakit tundun.. (that's the back of the neck in Kedayan)

We stroll in the town and took pictures and later continue our journey to the intended place

Actually there is a cable car station there that goes atop the cliff where the stream of the Staubach waterfall is. But we were aiming for another place so we just went straight to Trummelbach...

Along the way to Trummelbach were meadows and meadows and meadows again. And then suddenly you will find paragliders landing on these meadows and that look so cool man! "Cool nye hobby dorang ni.." 

Because these  paragliders are real paragliders who are spending their summer to just paraglide. They are not tourists who wanted to TRY paragliding. I think they just jumped off from some random cliffs above us hahaha

Kalau ikotkan hati, mau jak aku stop and tanya "Dari mana kau terjun??" But masa nda mencukupi... hehe

Selekeh betol! Ini parking lot.. Hehe

Kalo Babah ada ni, mesti kena suro berdiri sebelah signboard haha :p

From the parking lot, we walked to the entrance and there we have to pay CHF 11 to get through the gate; cash only ya. And then we board this very ancient looking funicular which was built before World War I. There was a couple who I presumed have traveled quite a lot and commented that the lift look a lot like the one they rode somewhere else which was also built at about the same time. And the lift operator responded, "But this is Swiss made.. Swiss made is always better.." haha tergelak aku.. It took us to the 6th level and then we have to further climb up to the top waterfall which is literally inside the mountain from there.

The view of Lauterbrunnen Valley

So this is how it looks like from inside the canyon. The walkway is quite slippery from the spray of the powerful waterfall and it is quite noisy because of the echoing sound of the waterfall. But, I love the experience anyway. Just make sure you wear suitable shoes and a jacket since it is quite cold inside and you can get slightly wet.

We are standing on the platform where you can see the 6th chute

The 6th chute. Camera nda canggih thus I can't show you the powerful swirl that formed just below this fall

I don't remember at which level this was.. o_0

I love looking at those shiny shiny granite~ (^^)

This is how the walkway looks like inside. Basah ok and that was why I had my hood on.. Aku rasa claustrophobics patut fikir jugakla masa masok ni hehe

Adoi, ini suda lama, I did read about how this tunnel was made. But I went to too many places that I can't recall clearly which one is which already. But what I'm sure of is the beautiful curves of the canyon are naturally carved by the flow of the waterfall and this tunnel was man-made sebab aku ingat perbualan kami masa tu...

"MashaAllah berusaha nya dorang buat tunnel ni.."

"Memang bukan untuk keuntungan kot.. CHF 11 je weyh..."

"Mungkin dorang just nak share and nak kite appreciate semue ini!"

To me, this is a very precious experience. And I kept saying "Terima kasih pacik2 yang buat tunnel ini!!!"

This is a memorable chance to actually see what is hidden.. From the outside, the view of the falling water is breathtaking~ But to have the chance to see how the glacial water cut its way through hard rocks to form the canyon slots and caves is AWESOME!

This reminds me of how puny my knowledge about the world is.. The world is so amazing~ Sejak travel ni minat aku tentang history, geology and anthropology semakin menjadi-jadi.. Yeah~ Allah's knowledge is Great that we can't grasp it all.. But as we walk on earth, look around; observe, listen and read, we might slowly grab them bit by bit... To grasp all is impossible, but we could try to gain as much as we could.

Before I went to New Zealand my mom said, "Adik! Nanti ambil gambar baring-baring atas bunga lagi!" 

And yeay~ Don't forget to look back~

(^^)

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Eurotrip Switzerland: Geneva-Interlaken

Bismillah...

And so I have to leave this beautiful place with a heavy heart. My tips for you who are planning to go to Chamonix, 1 day is not enough. It's a lovely place where you would just want to sit back and relax. No rush. I'm definitely coming back for the train journey at the glacier and and and get myself a new water bottle as souvenir because I left mine in Geneva airport T_T

Ok cam salah upload tapi malas suda mo reupload hahaha :p

O ya we got this certificate at the souvenir shop. I don't remember whether this is given to everybody or was it because we bought some souvenirs.. Hurm.. I think it's the later haha sorry geng.. Lama suda ni~ Ada lupa2 sikit haha

Anyway, we went back to Geneva that afternoon. Pengalaman dengan pacik driver bus pon lucu. As I mentioned in my previous post, we booked the transfer back to Geneva at the airport. So, that afternoon, the driver couldn't find our chalet and he actually called me. And voila! He speaks no English woooorrr!!!!! So again, ayam cakap sama itik la...

Pacik: Où êtes-vous
GG: We are in AWA hostel
Pacik: !@#$^%$&%^&
GG: It's near the Pharmacy.. Apotheek.. Eyh itu Dutch pulak...
Pacik: !@##$##$%$%^$

I think it took him about 30 minutes to find it because our hostels are hidden behind some buildings and the only road that is accessible to it is very narrow and we never see any vehicle pass since we arrived. I just left the room key at the kitchen and left a note saying that we were in a hurry and apologized to have done that haha

We got a huge coach to ourselves and the driver took a different route to Geneva which I think was even more scenic than the road from which we came because this one was closer to the mountains. The pacik was actually a Muslim so he was excited meeting us. We chatted though I think we replied him wrongly all the time because he was speaking French and we were only guessing what he was saying and just answered sesuka hati kami hahaha

We picked up our rental car at the airport and was lucky that we got an upgrade from a compact car to this four wheel drive without additional charges. We never know why we got the upgrade. But hoyeah! I love the car... Tapi lucu ok nda pandai adjust side mirror sampai panggil pembersih kereta tu ajar everything; from side mirror to the beam to the hand brake to the everything~

And the journey begin.... Well, it was too long since I last drove on the left hand side so it was quite hard to adapt at first. So, we head towards Interlaken that day. We did a quick stop at the Chateau De Canton that evening but it was closed for renovation..

And we did a quick stop in Oberhofen to take a look at this famous castle set on the bank of Lake Thun. Memang cantik! It was already late so, it was closed.

O ya, we actually passed this town called Fribourg which was the most classical-looking town of all the towns that we passed in Switzerland. I really like it! But we didn't stop for coffee or anything there since it was still such a long way to go.

I drove about 200 km ++ that day. And I was grateful that we got an upgrade. The roads are excellently paved, no potholes like in Malaysia. But when you go to the country side, the roads were much narrower and they have lots of tunnel that extend to 3 to 4 km and some of them are winding and uphill so that was quite challenging sebab aku fobia sket dengan tunnel2 ni.. And the roads on cliffs are quite scary sebab divider dia mak aih.. tiang tiang kicil saja ok!!!!!!!!!!!!! Macam picket fence jak aku tengok~

Where we stayed for the night.. Breakfast included so berabis menapau croissant..

But the most meaningful discovery in Interlaken was, drama Melayu yang famous itu (I don't know what's the title but MR was the one who followed it) was not filmed in Interlaken!!!!  Interlaken is a beautiful town but it is not the romantic kind of town. It's a full of activities kind of town. In the morning, you can see many colourful parachutes in the sky; those are paragliders.. And at the reception desk at our hostel, they displayed the caving, canyoning, water rafting, paragliding and even sky diving packages. Kalo banyak masa dan duit pasti aku suda try...

Gambar bukti bukan Google Image.. Okay nanti aku sambung lagi... Pendek saja cerita.. sekali lagi cerita perjalanan saja kan :p

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