Good Bye 2014

Assalamualaikum and Hi there,

2014 will be leaving us in just a little bit more than an hour.  Time for reflection....

Looking back at my targets for 2014:

1. Short runs - I actually did join one run together with my children.  It is called "Blood Donors Fun Run" on 14 June 2014.  I actually paid RM140 for just one run.  All three of us manage to complete the 5 km run which is good.  Thinking back after the run, I think it is not worth while for my purse to go for short runs like that with my children because it is quite pricey.  Ok, I admit I can be a cheapskate but if I just want 5 km run, we can just do it on the treadmill. So that's the reason why I quit that one. I syill attend my aerobic classess and I do run on treadmill from time to time with my children since I stayed in a condo and this facility is included as part of the maintenance fee anyway.
2. Losing weight - darn, I couldn't seems to get rid of the 5 kg... I managed to get rid of 3 kg during fasting month (sepatutnya lah kan...) but I quickly gain it back after raya. So sakit hati isn't it.  Let's try this again this year.  Should I develope a hate-relationship with my food?  I have to stick to my goals - my will power is not strong enough.
3. Credit card balance - I managed to reduce my credit card balance but guess what, I went for holidays and quickly put it back on.  Does this sounds familiar - it sounded like my effort in trying to lose weight, right.  Really have to work on that will power of mine.
4. Savings - here's another yo-yo target I have done for this year that was not achieved.  I am telling all of my can of worms now. I will never ever going to tell you who I am... hahahaha in time I probably would.  Now I am still not ready yet. Will power - come to mummy, baby.  I really need my will power to be stronger.
5. Vacations - This, I am good at.  This year, we have been to Penang, Tanah Aina, I-City and also to ChiengMai, Thailand.  The last two trips, I haven't told you about it yet.  So that's where my added expenses come from.  Although, I have put aside allocation for my vacations, but you always need that extra additional money for spending... I sure have a lot of excuses huh...
6. Al-Quran - I still haven't finished it yet.  I am in juzuk 23 now and my Ustaz says I will only complete it middle of next year.  Sad but this is the reality, so I really hope to finish it in 2015.  I have been dilligent in going for my Quran classes.  Please pray for me that I will continue to have the strength to complete reciting the whole Al Quran.  May Allah give me strength to see it through to completion of the whole Al Quran, at least once with a teacher.
7. Haji - did you know that I heard from my friend that an unmarried woman below the age of 45 have to have two female companion to go with her for Haji.  That is mightily difficult.  I will be going only with one of my other sister.  I have to wait for her to reach 45 then only we can go together.  Well at least that gives me more time to do more savings for this.

There you have it, a lot planned but not much accomplished.  Nevertheless, I think we should all set targets anyway.  Without targets we will be living without direction which is even worst.  So I will continue to set up targets for 2015.  I know where I went wrong - will power lacking - so I will work on that some more.

As of now, here are some of the items that I already know coming for 2015. 

1. At the office I have been elected as the Social Committee President for the second year.  Work wise, I became a team lead for the first time in 2014 so a lot of improvement I need to do as a team lead in 2015.  Need to work on delegation, checkings on my subordinates performances and motivation of course so that they will be able to continue to do a good job.  Another thing, I volunteered to take up small task as part of project management.  This will exposed me to project management work and be able to add values to my resume.
2. My children will be going through SPM and PT3 this year so have to keep them in check - studies wise.  Mind you I just ask them what their targets and are they working towards it.  Then I just remind them.  Sounds easy huh - want to be a mom to two teenage kids?
3. I have already book a trip to Korea for March 2015 - so exciting! I am going with my one other friend only - not a true backpacking style la... I will be going without my children since they will be busy studying.  Additionally, my eldest sister has booked a vacation for us at one of the local pulau in May 2015.  We'll be going with her family, the more the merrier kan...
4. I need to get furniture for my living area and dining area... Shish, I sure know how to spend huh :)

Targets for 2015, I haven't finalize it yet... Will let you know about it in 2015.  I still owe you the stories of my trips to I-City, Shah Alam and ChiengMai.

2014 has been fulfilling for me.  I intend to make 2015 my busiest year ever.  I may not tell you everything of course.  But if I think my stories can help others, I definitely will tell.

On a sad note, I am extremely sorry to hear about our friends and families that are affected by the flood.  We sure have it bad this year.  I hope all of us as managed to contribute in one way or another to help others.  Let's not just be "Keyboard Warriors".  If there is opportunity to volunteer, let's do that as well.  I do what I can to help but it seems really small, but let's do it anyway even if it is insignificant to others eyes.  Allah knows our true intentions and Allah understands us the most.

Goodbye 2014.  Welcome 2015. 

May 2015 be a more prospherous year and may Allah give us a lot of inner strength to have a laser sharp focus, strong determination to overcome all hurdles that come our way and achieved our targets for 2015 successfully.

Till next time.  Good night, sleep tight and sweet dreams... Wassalamualaikum...
 

2D1N Tanah Aina Farrah Sofia (Raub, Pahang)

Tanah Aina Farrah Sofia, Raub Pahang - 22 October 2014

I heard about Tanah Aina from one of my single friends.  My children are now at the age where they are more adventurous and are no longer interested with waterparks like Sunway Lagoon or the likes of it.  So I decided to take a short trip last October with them during Deepavali/Awal Muharram public holiday to Tanah Aina Farrah Sofia in Raub, Pahang.

I book this holiday during the MATTA fair last September. In Malaysia, we have this MATTA fair a few time a year where many travel agents will showcase their holiday packages offers.  I did my booking for this trip with one of the travel agent then.  The whole package of 2 Days 1 night costs me RM750 for all 3 of us.  The package includes accomodation and meals.  For this trip, all of us agree that we should try the tent.  Tanah Aina has a few choices of chalet, honeymoon suite, dorms and tent.  Their tent is big enough to accomodate all of us.  I have always wanted to sleep in a tent but I don't want to bother buying one and learning how to put it up.  Here, we have the opportunity of someone setting it up for us.  The tent comes with 3 beds.  There's no aircond of course.  During the day it is quite humid to be staying in the tent but we have a standing fan.  But we don't stay in the tent much anyway because there are a lot of things to do.  The scenery is beautiful, the stream is clear and just sitting around putting your feet in the calm flowing water is soothing.  There is a ping pong table which my son played a few times with other people there.  There are swings as well.  My daughter and I play that a lot.  There is also a tv room where you can laze around and enjoy the scenery. However, we dont laze around much because the package  includes activities like (1) simple jungle trekking (2) watching the sunrise and (3) Night walks.  All these activities are optional actually.  Me and my children love these activities though.  When else are you going to enjoy the nature, definitely not in the city.  The Night Walk was cancelled during our stay because that night it rained.  The soil will be too soft and not safe for us to trek on.

11:00am: Wednesday, 22 October 2014, we make a move to go to Tanah Aina.  Raub, Pahang is supposed to be about 1 - 1 hour 30 minutes distance away from Klang Valley but I successfully managed to get myself lost (duh!) while finding Tanah Aina.

1:45 pm: I finally managed to reach our destination.  I reached the parking spot where we leave our car.  We were then asked to board on a truck/4-wheel drive to go to the resort.  When we reach the resort we checked in.  The process is very simple and quick.  We were asked to have our lunch quickly as the trekking activity will start at 2:30 pm.

2:45-3:00 pm:  They gave us a briefing before we start the trekking.  With us there were about 4 - 5 couples, and 3 other families.  2 couples are on their honeymoon.  I have not done jungle trekking for the longest of time.  The last time I did it was when I was in my college days.  That is like 20 years ago.  So I was thrilled to be able to do this.

The jungle trekking involves having to go through clear river stream.  Certain parts of the stream is higher than me but there are ropes that you hang on to so that you can remain afloat.  Mind you, I don't know how to swim so I rely heavily on the ropes and handrails that are provided along the tracking route.  The highlight of the trekking is the "Leap of Faith".  We are expected to jump from a platform that is about 2 - 3 metres away from the surface of the water.  It doesn't look scary from below, but once you are on the platform and look down - it was terrifying. I managed to do the leap only once and I thought I almost died. When you leap, it feels like you are doing bungee jumping minus the rope and when you get into the water, you go quite far down under the water before you re-surface again.  The jump and the time you come back onto the surface is just about a minute or less but that was the longest minute in my life.  Both my children did the leap more than 3 times each and they make it look so simple.  Young people has more courage, I guess.  After the leap we head back to our resort where a tea break was already spread out for us. 

After the break, time for a clean change.  We had our shower.  Did I tell you that their shower is awesome! The toilet is like 5 star hotel toilet.  We were not allowed to bring our own shower gel and shampoo because we are supposed to use the ones provided by them that are more organic and environmental friendly.  Organic aside, the shower gel and shampoo were heavenly.  It smells extremely nice for me though my children doesn't like it.  It smells like serai or one of the herbs you use in the kitchen (ooops you know now I am not a good cook).

After maghrib, we head down for dinner next.  The food tastes fairly okay.  I am never much of a complainer about food.  I am not a good cook anyway to comment on them.  We had our fill and then we head over the stream to the small hall.  There, we were shown a documentary on why we should preserve the earth and how the Malaysian's soil are being robbed by its own people of its timber which results in landslides, lost of habitat for the wild and the worst thing is that our children may not be able to see beautiful Malaysia with its natural greeneries.  Patriotic sekejap.  During our afternoon hike, there were pictures taken of us by the crew.  So they showed us this video.  We bought a copy of the video as well for us to see when we're back home.  That night we were supposed to have night walk but because it rained, the walk was cancelled.  After the show, it was a free and easy time for us for us to leisurely roam around.

We fell asleep that night without any problem at all.  The night was cool and sleeping in the tent was comfortable.  We fell asleep with the sound of the flowing stream. Nice and peaceful...

Tanah Aina Green Surroundings

23 October 2014, 6:00 am.
We are up and about getting our shower and Subuh prayers. We head out to the small hall again to gather together before we hike to see the sunrise.  The morning air was cool and refreshing.  Not many families joined us for the morning walk though.  The walk is a simple one going up the hill for about 20 minutes.  There is a rather big seating area for us to sit and wait for the sun to come out.  Then some picture takings.  Lepak for about 20 minutes or so enjoying the beautiful morning before going down the hill.  Going down is much easier and faster. Once we reach our camp again, breakfast is all set and ready for us.  It is so nice to have everything prepared for us.  If at home I would be the one scratching my head to think of what to feed my children.  Here all food are prepared so I am totally not complaining.  Easy life is what I am after.

After breakfast, more free and easy time for us.  Yesterday, we didn't get to take much pictures so we did that at this time.  Sceneries of the nature is indeed breathtaking and one you will never get tired of looking.  The sound of the stream is soothing at the background.  The clean fresh air is cooling to the lungs and one cannot help to be at peace with the natural green surroundings. 

Enough easy life.  Back to reality!  We have nothing else to expect and we don't have a reason to wait until check-out time.  By 11:00 am we are all packed.  We checked ourselves out and wait for the jeep driver to come and get us and send us bak to the car park where our car is located.  Even going up and down in the jeep ride is fun and funny for us.  The three of us make enough noise to wake all the sleeping monkeys during the short 5-10 mins drive back to the car park.

Tanah Aina Leisure Hut

We really loved the adventure that we had in Tanah Aina.  Thank you for reading my musings this time around.  I have another trip that I need to tell you.  Will share that with you too, in sya Allah.

Our Tent at Tanah Aina

For now, have a good evening.  May Allah always protect us from harm that we know and that of which we don't know of.  Good night and sweet dreams.  Wassalamualaikum...