054. Pictures

Here are some among a zillion pictures to come from the trip back home.
Today, I shall just give you a sneak peak while I sort out over 1200 pictures to select the few that will end up here. :)
Aren't I glad its the summer vacation.

Random question : How does one showcase 1000 pictures without blowing your bandwidth. :)
I suppose I shall group them into different categories. Portraits, Scenery, Random, Food etc. So, what say you?
Oh wait, my blog. Whatever I want goes.








Another Oh-So-Random note : I effing love love love DSLR camera's! Since Johanne went home with hers, I could no longer care to use the regular digital camera's as the picture quality really simply, sucks.
So not worth my time at all. Plus the focus, clarity, everything is just too mediocre for my liking. Bah.
Oh, why does SLR's come in such a bulky look? Why couldn't it be lighter and slimmer and fits in the handbag like a regular digital camera?

053. Summertime

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Although I have now gone over the aim of "Project 52", I suppose I really do enjoy penning my thoughts down on the web and thus shall continue to blog for a while more.

Its been a few days since I am home and really, I am throughly enjoying my summer vacation!
I am still hoping to somehow manage to get myself a job soon though! As much as I love waking up not having anything to do, my control-freak nature cannot stand when one doesn't have a somewhat plan. Not too much though, how is that called vacation right. I am still trying to find that balance.

Oh, did I also mention that I need the money as Mango is having a huge summer sale and I really want another charm bracelet soon! Haha!
So,yeah. I want a job! I want 3 jobs!

The past few days have been absolute bliss if we ignore the crazy sun burn I am having.
Days were usually spent lazing around the sun, with a good book and with some of my favorite people.

Yesterday, I have been lucky enough to be brought to Nebben for a swim.
In case, you didn't already know, that is where "The Boy"
(How I realize, I make him sound so heroic. But he truly is my superhero, because yesterday, only he can imagine concretes to be "monster droppings". Oh, don't ask)
It has been way too long since I have been swimming and it sort of brought back quite a bit of memories of the past. Performance wise I think I have degraded so much,it's quite expected. I wish I could still be confident enough to be able to swim 1600m, which was my favorite category yet. But I guess that time has past. :)

I shall not get emotional now. Haha!
Anyways, to get into Nebben we had to pay 60 NOK. Which to some extent is quite except able. It's the 5 NOK per ride on the slide thing that bothered me. I mean, as annoying as it is, I am sure many people pay to ride the slides. Me.

And since you already charge us to get in ... it's ludicrous.

Though, only way to avoid paying, get a job at Nebben! *stares in jealousy.

:)

In any case, after that adventure. I met up with Johanne and Marius and headed over to Fratellis by Lillestrøm torv. If there is one place one should try, this has to definitely be it. Its effing amazing! Food was so blu-deh good its crazy!

First I ordered some Tiramisu as I already had my dinner at the Hjelmstad's. But then I was tempted by the both of them, thus I got one of their filled pasta's. It wasn't ravioli or anything, it was just really good. Dessert before dinner, how nice.

Tiramisu

Insert fancy Italian word

Marius would say : Do not order pears. They don't go well with spoons.

The pictures really doesn't do the food justice. It didn't turn out as amazing as it tasted. Price wise, we paid 250 NOK each *coughandthe80NOKJohannemadeustipcough*

That includes main course and a desert. I would say that is quite all right really. Not something you do daily but occasionally its absolutely worth every penny!

Today was much simpler.

Basically spend some time in the sun waiting for a certain Boy to finish work.

Good book, sunshine, amazing view, cold drinks, snacks, and eventually a certain someone = bliss.

Spend hours just lazing in the sun reading The Diary of Ann Frank. So far, so good.

Another must read book this summer!

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Oh-so-random picture. Freaking strange statue of Kate Moss right outside the Apple store. What eff? I am sure there is a symbolic meaning to this, but imagine just seeing this out of nowhere!

052. Home

Random pictures mainly from the phone. :)

Le' Beach

My super large watermelon juice! Blu-deh good.

KLCC

Random stranger who has the same home address as me. Haha!

One of it is my dad. Haha!

Before the haircut.

Penang bridge

Favorite dress yet!

Tone Damli and Postgirobygget with the military folks thinggymajig.

Strange how I now call Norway my "home". But I suppose I believe that one can have 2 homes or even more for that matter!

So as I sat here thinking, considering I really have nothing else to do today, tomorrow, the day after, the day after after that, oh-you-get-the-point. I really want a job :( so I can pass my time. And I want shopping money! In fact, I am so bored, I have been asking aunt if she has chores so I could do something. She said, no. 

*So, technically I was going to tell you about my past 24 hours home. But then I realize from the time I landed till after midnight, it just pretty much involve me being mushy all the time as a certain Boy is being way too cute for words. I suppose one month away was a while, even if we talk together almost everyday. 

Yesterday was the day where he happen to be cuter than his usual cute. He is seriously way too nice for me. Sometimes I wish I could say I wish you were more like so and so, but I usually come to realize quickly enough, there would be nothing I would change regardless if we get far.

It really is rare that one can get an emotion other than a retard happy person, but one dude can. Though, I don't think I want to share this other side with all you random people. *Hrmph, walks away cutely*

Plus, its more usual for the both of us to be a little bit more private. People don't have to know what we know right. Thus, I shall keep my drafted post to myself. 

051. May 17th

*Maybe I should just make an album, there are way too many pictures! And since it was windy it was perfect picture opportunities. Plus I was in a dress, thus its my que to be vain! 

Besides believing that wireless internet should be made a human right, here are some pictures from ages ago now that the wireless is fixed! Anyways here are pictures from the 17th of May to be exact. I know it has been backlogged for a while now, but I have been really busy and its only today we got the wireless fixed. Next agenda : attempt to fix iTunes. 

Anyways, for those of you who don't know what the significance of May 17th is, it is Norway's national day! 

This is the day where all the Norwegian folks dress their best and celebrate this auspicious day. To me it really is a spectacle of colours and experience and is a must see. But really, all nations celebrate their national day with an additional grandeur. :)

One thing that differentiate Norway would be how there is a larger majority of people who take pride in this day and doesn't treat it as just another public holiday. 

It is also the one day, you realize that Norway actually has inhabitants, and they all happen to be roaming the streets! And above all, all the dudes are in suits and the woman are in dresses, the world looks like an amazing place. Haha!

Since it has been a while since, trying to recall what I did that day is slightly more difficult and my memories are still a little bit vague. So much things has happened since!

Here are my relocation of what happened. 

1. I remembered waking up late and had to hustle to get dressed. 
2. I remembered trying to convince the old folks how they should go out and party
3. I remembered taking the train over to Lillestrøm for the Hjelmstad's May 17th lunch thinggymajig.
4. I remembered being a tad too early, thus I roamed the streets of Lillestrøm for a little while myself, looking at all the cute babies I wish I could just pinch all the fats out of them :)
5. I remembered meeting Magnar, looking spick and span and then realizing he looks über cute! Haha!
6. I remembered waiting around the corner of his house to watch the Russ parade only to realize they have decided to change the route of this year's march. *coughmagnarcough*

Anyways, right after that was done we headed back for lunch with his family. It was interesting to say the least. :) I had really good food! 

If anything I remembered about May 17th, it would most definitely be the Lemon Meringue Pie! Words cannot possibly describe it, so blu-deh good! almost orgasmic!

Till this day, if life ever sucked, I shall always remember the taste of  that unbelievable Lemon Meringue Pie then life is okay again. Seriously.

Anyways, we then went over to see Thomas's performance over at the camp site. 

Hung out a little bit more over in Oslo then went home and studied for Chemistry. :(

Let's face it, I am way too lazy to write coherently now or is bothered to go through all the loads of pictures to find the ones I want to be uploaded. 

050. A little more traditional me

Just a few more days left in Malaysia. And as the clock continues ticking, we realized that we have been so utterly busy this past month that we really had not manage to finish up and accomplish half of what we were supposed to do. I have yet to get the compulsory medical check-up in the hospital, do my banking, apply for some schools, ugh!

But instead we did many other things that weren't planned.

In any case, today we did something out of the beaten track. We went and finally ordered my very first Thai Traditional Costume. One thing I fail to fathom is how traditional costumes are generally so expensive! (You guys coming from Norway should know this well)

Even though, the Thai silk was not as expensive as the Bunad, it is still way more expensive than many of the clothes I do own! That is not including then the cost it takes to get it tailor made.

Anyways, here is my tip when wanting to get a Traditional costume done. When in doubt of how the clothes is supposed to look, refer to the uniforms of the home airline company! (Terms and Conditions Apply). They tend to have the most, trustworthy source! When you want to make a traditional suit, you generally want to get the concept right I think.

Our chosen inspiration so called.

*I rather like the simplicity of it all, there was some that was too out there, and there was some that looked like... (words cannot describe)
What I do not like on the other hand is that the Thai woman tends to be slightly more, slimmer *coughskinnycough* thus their costume is rather fitting. And because I do not have an awesome body, its like... Hrmph! Haha!

So, basically what my mum and I did was we went around the island looking for billboards of Thai Airways. Because it was like, zipper or buttons, front or back, folded or pleated, etc.etc. Haha!

Since I have been in Norway, I realize the importance of having some traditional costumes tailor made so we have something to wear to show our culture per-se. Thus, according to plan, I was supposed to get myself a Cheongsam and some Baju Kebaya as well. In addition to a new tailor made suit! I so need a new suit!. But the poor tailor lady is already trying to rush my Thai costume as it is. And above all, we have not a clue where do we begin looking for the pure Chinese silk and the clothes for the Kebaya.
Let's just say we are very un-traditional and I am really picky. I really want the real Chinese silk just as I wanted a real Thai silk for my Thai dress. How can you expect one to make a Thai suit with China made cloth right!

*Collecting my "emo Ray Ban" glasses today. I love how because there is a slight chance to get imitation goods here, the government issues out holograms and certificates to prove that the Ray Bans I bought is real. Hilarious!

Now I wonder, how does one look in this super goth look, and a Thai suit.

**Does songs sometimes show hidden emotions and thoughts? In that case, ohfuckfuckfuck. :( :P

049. Pictures

A bit too much make-up. :)

Whoops, Sorry Ronald.

Utilizing the internet in the hotel room again, thus here I am!
I finally finished reading Night, Elie Wiesel yesterday. If there was one book one should read over the summer, I would think this would be it.

He wrote about his experiences in the concentration camps and Auschwitz and Buchenwald. He wrote about what people fail to see in the Holocaust. But mainly he wrote so people don't forget what happened.

Elie won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 (if I am not wrong) and this book was also one of the selections for Oprah Book Club.

I have heard a lot about that book from before, and I have been searching far and wide for it. And ironically I found it in a puddle of jumble book, for a mere RM 5! here in Malaysia!

But really, that book is really empowering. I cannot remember quite exactly what he wrote, but there were some parts that really struck me. It is usually rarely a book could cause so much emotion(?) from me, but this one does.

I remembered one part where he wrote about how he saw how babies were basically loaded into a truck, and then just basically dumped into the fire. And that was it. He so much about how his faith in God were stripped. He wrote about how sometimes, even he himself wish the father was dead, so he would no longer need to take care of him, he wrote alot about how one would naturally act in times like this. He wrote so eloquently (?) about it, that it really hits you :(

How could that happened? How come the world did not help?

In short, read it. Unless your like my sister and Johanne. They both have decided that the book was way to depressing, and thus shall not be reading them.

:)

:)

Thailand had loads of impurities! What did you expect?!

I am too cuddly to resist

My sister is crazily vain as all her pictures on the computer only has her on it. Hrmph. Got to wait till I get home and then there will be pictures of only me! Haha!

048. Pictures

Btw: Long black hair no more :(

Since I am trying to fully utilize the rip-off price that the hotel charges for using the wireless, I figured I could finally upload some pictures instead!

Here are a bunch of pictures from the Malaysia 09 trip.
Only those out of the sisters' computer tho. Murphy's Law you-know. The one time the internet works is the one time I did not bring along my own computer.
Be forewarned that since we are a bunch of traveling girls, we tend to cam-whore. Thus it would be self explanatory when you see ka-zillion pictures of us.

Kayu Nasi Kandar, Penang

Moi

Mine, Joh, Joh, Mum, Joh, Mine, Mine, Mine, Joh!

Love Svensens!

Retard

Camwhore shots!

Langkawi

City Bayview Hotel, one of my best plates of sushi yet!

Johanne where were you?

Yes, that is Johanne up-up and away!
Regretted not getting any shots of us on Jet-skis and the Banana Boats!
It was ridiculously rip off prices! Oh wtheck.

Random note : Today could be the make or break it day to determine if I do want to follow my idiotic sister and study over in the States. :)

047. Back in Penang

F0r the moment, I am back home. It really is true when people say that home is really the best. Till Thursday that is. Then I think we are off to Kuala Lumpur again, for my last round of KL shopping.

Johanne has left for home, and thus its now time for the family and friends.

I was over at KimGary's yesterday with you-could-called-my-closest-friends when I am in Malaysia. They haven't changed very much, but it was really nice to get a chat. KimGary's so called Hong Kong style cuisine is really just rather blah. Cannot understand the whole hype about it. Plus, why the 5 different menu's? I had to scroll over at least 30 pages of recipe, and of course the one thing I picked tasted blah.

Today, my sister says she wants to cook for me though I insist she doesn't. Because she takes somewhere about 6 hours to make her Seafood Spaghetti. By then we all tend to already be so hungry that we rather eat out. Speaking of which, since I have been home I have only eaten home cooked food like twice. Sad isn't it.

What else, I got myself a new haircut after so long! In my defence I did actually get a haircut in New York in January. But absolutely no one noticed the difference except the burn in my bank account! This time around I "kept the length","just add long layers","because I have got almost no hair, I want to have a thicker look". Ah Keat was his name, and he is amazing. At least for now, with all the blowing and etc.. doubt this amazing hair last till tomorrow. But oh well.

It was even cooler that he only opened his store today to serve my sister and me. Well, he has had a bypass operation recently thus cannot work for long. And Monday is his off day. But since he is almost like the Penang Most Wanted HairStylist, he is almost never free for many appointments. So it felt really special, plus my sister and my mum has been talking about him for such a long time!

What else, Oh yeah! Did I tell you how much I love super important people! Yesterday, I had dinner with Datuk Eddy Chong over in the Penang Sports Club, one could call him Malaysia's badminton player, graduated from Cambridge, supposedly Penang's richest man, he helps runs almost half of the country and sports clubs in Penang, he loves to party and drink, and is mighty awesome! Going out again this Wednesday with him to try some of his own cocktail.

Anyways, he was an acquaintance of my mums friends, who also met him at the country club where he spends a lot of this time there or something.

On a random note : We had some deer meat yesterday, was blu-deh good! Meat that is raw is really, best way to taste a meat. Haha!

Oh, did I also tell you, a couple of days ago, I went for the Perdana Competition Prize Giving Ceremony, where I spend quite a bit of time with another cool awesome important dude. Dato' Khoo Kay Khim (or something), He is like a Malaysian historian who supposedly help write the Malaysian constitution. He also loves History and probably found my funny. Its so funny because the only reason why he sat and talked to me was because no other person dared to talk to him due to his 'so called important-ness, I shall give respect thing'

During that day as well, I acutally was up close and personal to Tun Dr. Mahathir himself! You know, Malaysia's Prime Minister for like 21 years or something!
Infact I have a picture to prove it, once I get hold of it from Johanne.

Next blog post I shall tell you about my idea's on opening my own store in Norway! Haha!

*Wireless is still down, sucks! No picture yet I suppose.. :(

046. Comeback

Besides the fact that my blog smells so much of stale fish. Here is my attempt of rejuvenating it.
Anyhow, its been almost a week now that I have been back home in Malaysia.
Our schedules are usually packed to the max and even then we have yet to see oh-so-very much.
I am still to darn lazy to fix up my wireless internet at home that I thus cant upload any pictures here yet. But oh well, I shall get to it soon!

I suppose I could do point form updates this time around.

Day 1
23rd May 2009
Penang Island
We arrived at about, 10.05am (local time) and was greeted by the entire dysfunctional family.
Johanne poster did not arrive (there is a funny story to this one, but we shall take that another time)
Some family quality time, didn't see very much attractions per se.
Went to the new Queensbay Mall, shopped!
Eat, eat, eat and more eat

Day 2
24th May 2009
Drove about in Chowrasta Market and had brekkie.
Drove all the way too the end of the island, only to realize half of the time, Johanne still had jet-lag and thus was sleeping half the ride. :)
Went to an amazing Japanese restaurant, Tao over in e-Gate.
A definite must try, and must go back!
Later, went over to the Penang Chinese Sports Club, for some drinks with mummy's friends.
*Note to self : Daiquiri and Strawberry Daiquiri's are NOT the same things.
Had to leave early because Johanne was falling asleep in the club itself. Haha!
Got home, sleepy.. sleep.

Day 3
25th May 2009
Was supposed to leave early that morning to Grandma's house in Kedah.
But since we are a bunch of travelling woman, it takes so much time to get ready.
(In my defence, except me.. I am always ready :))
In any case, managed to get going and went to Granny's place.
Ate, talked, sleep.

Day 4
26th May 2009
Thailand here we come!
Took a trip to Hatyai and shopped even more.
Bought loads of shoes! How can one ever get enough!
Bought loads of statement tees, basically just shopped alot.
Ate loads of good food, including the compulsory trip to Swensen's Ice-Cream! and real fresh oysters! Love my oysters!
So good! Memories!

Day 5
27th May 2009
By this time we were relatively tired, but this being dysfuctional family...
We then drove all the way to Pulau Langkawi for an island vacation.
(My idea of going to Langkawi was that it would give Johanne the old Malaysian beachey resort thing, little did I know.. Langkawi shucks). Poor mummy had to pay for rubbish!!
Though, got loads of good seafood and etc.

Day 6
28th May 2009
Yeah, food poisoning.. Me. Of. All. People. ME!
Mind you, I puked in front of like a departmental store. Haha!
I felt so horrible, I tried cleaning...
Basically, today we just took some trips to some tourist attractions. Makam Mahsuri, waste of time...
Chenang Beach, waste of time...
But wait, that was what I thought at first, but then after the stomach settled, I realized.. Langkawi was actually mighty awesome. As long as your not feeling ill.

Day 7
29th May 2009
Back to Penang!
Loves!
Basically, we ate at City Bayview Hotel. This has to be my favorite pick for Japanese food too!
So blu-deh good.

Day 8
30th May 2009
Oh whoops, I think I missed a day in between.
But I am sure it consist of mighty good food, loads of shopping, hot steamy weather.

Day 9
31st May 2009
Beach day!
Took a trip to our own beach.
Johanne went Parasailing, then we all took a trip on the Banana Boats and the Jet-skis
Ridiculously fun, didn't remember how much fun the jet-ski's can be!
Suntanned and sunburnt and everything.
Fun!

That should be it for now.

Today night, I think we are going off to Kuala Lumpur, and if we ran out of things to do,we shall then go onwards to Genting, but.. I doubt we have enough time as it is.