My Travel Journal "...everyday is a winding road."...

@import url(http://www.blogger.com/css/navbar/main.css); @import url(http://www.blogger.com/css/navbar/3.css); function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar/22139675?origin\x3dhttp://my-air.blogspot.com', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } });

Is my name... My day job is not a journalist. And I don't run a travel agency. I travel a tad more than an average person does, that's cos it's what I do for a living. For the time being at least. Envy me not cos the job glitz goes just as far as the does, in between, it's (*7%!#@@?). Just another job, that's what I mean. But I love it and I love it, and I'm grateful. Anyhow, welcome to my weblog. In here, you'll get, if not little, scanty info on my globetrots and travels. Do not expect detailed accounts, nor travel-guide type facts and figs. Just some idiot-proof, Info-Sharing-101, you could find handy if you're looking up destinations, I've been to, myself. Feel free to indulge, heed my advice, dump it, comment, pop your queries or judge me, for all you fancy. All info are true at point of publishing, unless stated otherwise. Hmmph, just one advice. I share cos I'm naturally nice like that, but I'm not always, always right. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[maa-lee]
Capital city of Maldives.
Group of atolls in Indian Ocean.
Location: Southern Asia, South-southwest of India.
Flight time: Approximately 6hrs from Singapore Changi Airport.
Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; dry,(November to March);
rainy,(June to August).
Ethnic groups: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs.
Currency: US$.
RecommenD-O-Meter:
MUST!MUST!MUST!GO!

*Down Under*
Brighton Beach, Melbourne. South of St Kilda. Bright and strikingly colored bathing boxes, line the beaches. These bathing boxes, used also for the storage of clothes and sometimes small water crafts, are private change rooms. Found mainly on Brighton and on the beaches of the Mornington Peninsula.

*Down Udder*
Christchurch, Nz. Mt Hutt, opens from early May until late October. One of the longest seasons ski resorts in New Zealand. The road to the mountain base is not for the faint-hearted but once there, you will experience world-class skiing, and breath-taking views. Elevation is 2075 metres, with 365 hectares of ski terrain.
*Almost

-ous*

"Fame costs, and right here is where you start paying."
Driven by that fame-ous motto, a group of talented youths attended the New York High School of Performing Arts, to uncover the true price of FAME.
Running Time:
2 hours 40 minutes
Venue:
The Aldwych Theatre, London.
Travel:
Nearest Underground: Covent Garden
Nearest Rail: Charing Cross
RecommenD-O-Meter:
If u're into dancy-disco-jiving,this musical is rhetorically,
RETRO-rical!
It's an Ultimate
Ah GO!GO!
*Delhi*
- Sarojini Nagar
Clothes,ethnic footwear and accessories. Factory rejects, baring labels from Zara, MNG, Miss Selfridge and Style&Co...Good luck with the rummaging though!
- Delhi Hutt
Bric-a-Brac. Cheap and bargainable ornaments.
*Sweetdreams my LAX*
*Istanbul*

*CLICK HERE* for an excerpt from a travel memoir by Tom Brosnahan. If I could have his dialectology, those will be my exact words too.
*Shopaholic and Sister*
We did not kill each other.

*Shopaholic in Manhattan*
What do shopaholics do in NEW YORK?
Go figure.

Pictorial Therapy.Trigger Happy.Visual Feasting.Eat ur Hearts out.
*CLICK on PICS*

*IslamicFinder* *BBCWeather*. *ForexConverter* *HotMail* *FrienDster*

*RaiHaN* *NiNiE* *InTaN* *NaNiZ* *MahD* *SaB* *PrInCeSs* *LiN* *YaRa* *EpuL* *LuLu* *FiNa* *DrUbiLeE* *YaNnI*

...all u gotta do is ask...

.February 2006.March 2006.April 2006.May 2006.June 2006.July 2006.August 2006.September 2006.October 2006.November 2006.December 2006.January 2007.February 2007.March 2007.April 2007.May 2007.June 2007.July 2007.August 2007.September 2007

Please... This is NOT a travel guide. So read and heed at your own risk. I will not be held liable for your holiday plans that go bust on you and neither should any part of this blog be excerpted without prior permission. Like I've mentioned, I'm usually nice, but I'm ONLY, usually nice.

Powered By: Blogger Skin: Blogskins
Original Layout: Trina
Revamped and Refurbished By:
Urs Truly
Image hosting: Photobucket and Fotopages
Tagboard: CBOX

Image hosting by Photobucket

hits

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

So I haven't been updating. Cos I have been away. Not for work this time. I've been on leave since I got back from New York. And following a series of some really happy thought hormone-inducing happenings, I was on a get-away-from-all-things-else holiday. Not exactly what I had planned up a year ago with beloved team girl, Jamz, well it wasn't even what I had planned up just a week before we leave for our holiday. But a get-away it was...now trudge along...

Flight finally took off after a slight delay. Based on the Commander's announcement, it was merely ATC. That wasn't exactly my first time on a different liner besides SQ, but if I have to be totally honest, I was having a tiny ,tad reservation about the condition of the plane, a 48-seater, that bears proud the Malaysian flag, somewhere near the cockpit window. I saw, with my own eyes, and Jamz's, that they had manually turned the propeller. Having had a full-load, and the unusually loud whirring of the engine/s, it didn't help ease that throbbing discomfort I had in my guts. I said a silent prayer. And for the rest of the 40mins, I kept my hands, to myself. But my head keeps falling off balance. And my heart, did I mention, skipped a beat, too many times!
Don't mind the hair, I'm just glad we made it to the ground, safely. Alhamdulillah!
At the airport, we were greeted by Shawn, a blonde, white South-African who had seeked refuge from the rural, Kampung-Laut life, after since 9 months ago. He had came, seen, and decided to stay for good. He took us on a 20 minutes speed-boat ride, without the engine stalling.

So....the place is darn Gorgeous, No? Ok perhaps...picturesque...and DELIRIOUSLY tranquil...why, I'll tell ya...

I wasn't going frantic yet... but this retreat to nothingness and losing Allll contact with everyone and anyone else back home...is shifting my equilibrium, slowly but surely, I was turning high by the minute. Likened to the effects of laughing gas...and epidural.
Anyhow, Thank God for post-its. I had scribbled on post-its what that could have been text messages to a Someone had there been some kind of a phone network.

Dear U,

It's well, I do not know what time cos it doesn't matter. Not here, not on this Island. It's a ruleless Island according to Alex, one of the facilitators. With practically nothing to do. We think he's gay, tall, scrawny and not too friendly. I am still coming to terms with the fact that there is no phone reception on this resort. So there is no way I could sms you. Literally, laterally, or in no other positions, NO. Thank God for post-its! If I could sms you, I'ld say, I'm high( and getting higher) and dry.

P/s: Me and Jamz, we r playing Hang-Man.
Luv,
Nad.

Dear U,

Timecheck, 05:05 pm.
Weather, It's pouring, cats, dogs, racoons, and other jungle creatures! In the name of all weather types...this is really rain I'm talking about. Me and Jamz, we headed for the cafeteria for tea and banana cake slices. I felt comforted already. Better than if I had to stay in room, overlooking the chaotic sea. Besides the madness, there's a freaking fly, which needs to be eaten. Shooflyshoo! Oh yes...Jamz, she'll have to get down to some serious business, look Dear look, .

Luv,
Nad.

Dear U,

Me and Jamz, we had gone down to the beach. Shall not tell you what we did there. We chose the most remote spot. And I had had the sun resistant emulsion smeared all over...and for double protection, I tented underneath a stripey beach towel. Haha!

P/s: It's not easy being a mermaid u noe! Try walking with flippers on! But Mermaids, they dun even walk, do they? Hmmph!
Pp/s: The power supply, it's not back yet.
Ppp/s: Where have all the Mats gone?
Pppp/s: I'll see u tmr! ;).
Luv,
Nad.

HomeBound...
For more visual feastin' click on my fotopage.

Urs, and only Urs, truly, 11:09 AM...

Comments:

peace, tranquility...something we missed out here in Spore huh? Is that Tioman??

# posted by

naniz : 4:08 PM

yessh darling...spots on! :)

# posted by

nadia : 8:11 PM

looks like u had some girly adventure there! (minus the mats who seems to be MIA on the island huh) hehe...

# posted by

naniz : 2:54 PM

wow...now, THAT is tranquility...right on, sweets!

# posted by

Alles-Lila : 10:11 PM

Post a Comment

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

*HOME SWEET HOME*

6 days has passed so darn quickly.

One more, happily married couple.

Another Mother's Day.

And I'm back yet again from another ultra, long-haul.

How long exactly? Well, it's this long exactly.

If I could just explain it to you dearies, in terms, more layman.

Less, just plain hourly.

This is how I had thought it up.

After a 4-course, supper service in business class, and the 2 sessions of crew rest is up, there's still 12 hours of flight time on the home-stretch. (Or another London to fly through.)

More mad-running about ad-hoc meal service, while flying over the Northpole at what seemed like daytime, before it became dark again, a couple more crew rest sessions, and breakfast commenced.

A 3-course service, before the Commander made an arrival announcement, 1/2 hour before flight descent.

In simple, plain, flight time dialectology,

it was nothing more than 18, 10 of metal tubing hours.

Anyhow,

need I mention just how blissful it is to be back?

U probably had that figured out.

SWEET is IT!

P/S: Here's Northpole from the inside of a tiny lavatory window.

Urs, and only Urs, truly, 1:46 AM...

Comments:

The Northpole looks freezing even thru that tiny window! Subhanallah. Where did u go again that makes u pass thru da Northpole? (I didnt take Geography! hehe)
Btw, I'm going to Intan's wedding maybe lepas Asar. I really hope to c ya there :)

# posted by

naniz : 10:53 AM

flew over Northpole? That sounds like *wow*!!!

had always thought that Northpole was "unpassable" - ni lah, budak history @ jj....muahahahaha

# posted by

Alles-Lila : 12:26 PM

Post a Comment

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Once upon a time...

...I made him cry over a peanut candy. And now I'm missing him already.
My lil Kuzzen Brother, An. If you get around to reading this. I didn't give it to ya cos that was the last candy I had...all these while, u thought I hated you. That is so NOT true, OK! Take care Bro! Please come back soon. I promise to miss you.

Urs, and only Urs, truly, 9:09 PM...

Comments: Post a Comment

Saturday, May 06, 2006

When love and hate collides...
" -I love you, I love you not..."
Tell ya, this love-hate relationship I've been sustaining for the simple fact that my life and every needs and wants depend on it.
Sometimes, I find myself totally, madly, deeply in love that I can't quite imagine life without it.
But sometimes, it just hit me, where I can't quite withold any longer. Pushing my button exactly where it torments, trials and tribulates.
That sanction, that binds us together, by a simple term called commitment.
Or by terms less generic, more elaborate, I'ld say,
bills to pay, mouths to feed, car instalments, insurance, shopping for essentials, shopping for pleasure, shopping for other reasons, shopping for no reason. Myretail bliss. I mean c'mon, what would I do without my JOB?
Ofcos I love it!I Love it! I LOVE IT! Lurvvvve it!
But sometimes,
sometimes.....
Shit happens....
Just yesterday for instance, while I was in a state of unconked, too unglamarous for imagination. The phone rang and a voice that sent shivers down my misaligned spinal discs went,
"Flight Stewardess Nadia, U have been activated for flight duties. Please press 1 to acknowledge and receive this information."
I jumped! Literally! I dialled 1 in the hope that I could have been activated for some turnarounds, that'll allow me to hit the sac once again. For a couple of hours, at least considering that I have had a late night. A later flight I had hoped for.
Hell nO!
I had to report for briefing at exactly 0730HRS, nightstopping in Sydney, and it was already 0545am!
I live in the west, I haven't had my nails painted, my bag is unpacked...and...did I mention how rude-shocking an automated voice message could sound, that time of the morning! Waking me up from a deep slumber.
I called Control just so they know that I dun live at Terminal 1.
And they had allowed me to skip briefing and report straight to the aircraft. A certain Lee Luyi had called in sick, at the very last minute.
A series of reflexes took over which includes throwing clothes for outstation use, out of my bag for I had foreseen full-on hibernative, isolating myself from the rest of the crew mode, after touch down so I could continue to sleep, flailing and replacing them with toiletries, yelping, mandi koboi, cursing "darn it!" like a thousand million times, plastering make up over face, a few hand gestures in the air, toiling and piling hair up into a bun, and spraying it, making it reALLY highly flammable, imagining what I could have done instead, if I hadn't so wanted to SEE THE WORLD! Imagining sleep! IMAGining Lee Luyi and what the heck she was thinking reporting sick so close to reporting time! How considerate! WhY had I wanted to be an air stewardess? Just medicine for wanting to see the world huh...?
Someone passed a mantra, "NAH AMIK KAU OBAT!!!"
It's not all glitzy you know, sometimes, it's MADDENING like that!!!

Urs, and only Urs, truly, 2:54 AM...

Comments:

Oh gosh! I would go "darn it!" lotsa times too! No way I can pack my stuff in less than 2hrs, wash up, paint my nails, bun up my hair and look all cheery and smily in the plane. Goodness me! It's not all glitzy huh?
I guess,in every job,surely a part of it is when "shit happens"

# posted by

naniz : 8:59 PM

strike a chord somewhere after readin your post, to me i always call it, SSDD. Same shit different day. got it from that movie dreamcatchers.

# posted by

Anonymous : 12:33 AM

Post a Comment

Monday, May 01, 2006

Iman(to urs truly): Do u see my S Aunty Yaya?

Iman(to her mama): Mama, do u have an S?

Was having supper at Simpang with Family and beloved Iman.

Sitting just opposite us was a family of four with a lil bubba,

no older than 4,

cladded in a Superman's outfit.

The rest of the night, Iman was busily convincing us that she has a "pretend" S on her too.

It won't be long before she finds out that she does have a real S herself. Woopsie!

Buttocks I mean.

Iman, Iman.

Sure did crack us up with that one!

Urs, and only Urs, truly, 12:37 AM...

Comments:

hi nadia...are you and nadia related by any chance?

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:28 PM

huh? wic other Nadia do u mean?

# posted by

nadia : 11:17 PM

hehe...so innocently and ignorantly. kalau org lain dengar! LOL.

# posted by

naniz : 1:07 PM

u noe wat gal? i miss reading ur travelling entries :)

# posted by

naniz : 10:05 AM

of course i miss them! u take care too ya m yup, i shall continue ranting :p

# posted by

naniz : 3:36 PM

*smacks hand on forehead* i meant, IMAN...*sigh* (mana datang nadia plak??)

sorrry....

# posted by

Alles-Lila : 12:30 PM

Post a Comment