A mother of two…Hannah n aqil…i believe in family. i believe in simplicity.. i believe in the golden rule. i believe in natural. mostly, i believe in being happy. This is a slice of my life. Last but not least I have a workaholic husband to feed us all well, that pretty much shuts me up. Jangan marah ek
Even this is the final year of sending Hannah back to MRSM Baling, i still feel like it's her first day of school... From the kindergarten time to her secondary school time .... and i still wanna hold her hand all the way there..... i can't..... obviously.... but, i do as much 'virtual' hand holding as I can in helping her to prepare and make sure she knows that i am always here... no matter what.
I just dropped off my Hannah today. All the while, we have always been extremely close.
Even I kept telling myself I was so happy for her, which I was, because she got into the school she wanted, it was exactly perfect fit for her, and just where she needed to be at this point in her life. but on the other hand what she has been through was so much indeed....especially last year when she was down with her PKP decision/result and some personal love life thing.......
Today for the 5th time, I am sending her away. So while I am happy for her, knowing that she is happy, I am sad for myself. I came home and saw reminders of her everywhere, there's her empty seat, there's her blanket, her pororo doll. And yes ..... on the way back to KL when i turn back, yes i dont see her in the car, leaving the house with her but entering the house alone.... .I feel like there's an elephant sitting on my chest. I still feels unnatural to leave her there! I wanna go back and get her, but at the same time I am so excited for her and all the possibilities that are open to her. Im trying really hard to focus on those things. But it hurts :(
I know it does get easier.. but, i always will, selfishly i guess, prefer them to all be in the nest. i am so incredibly proud of all of her. ...
The first few years of sending Aqil back to MCKK can be an emotional roller-coaster for me as well as Aqil, is presumed... I still remember when Aqil was sent to prep school at aged of 13 , I was the one who always miserably "Aqilsick"....missed him so much...missed his jokes, laugh and missed almost everything about him....but this year, suprisingly I settled down fairly quickly and from it I have learned that people can get used to almost anything in time...
What most i experienced of with the severe "Aqilsickness" each year. Until he is fully settled, i would try to refrain from speaking to him too often. Yes, some children feel better if they speak to their parents regularly on the phone but it’s not healthy if they’re speaking several times a day. I tried avoiding overprepare him during his years in this boarding school.
We checked in as 4 days earlier as we have to continues our journey to the northern for Hannah's 5th years in MRSM Baling... We managed to squeezed a little bit of time helping Aqil reserved the single bed rather than the double decker ..Well...the earlier the better...at least we wont be stuck in the crowd and queues of Cayenne,Audi and Mercedes cars at drop-off time attest, it is a very different crowd who send their children to boarding school nowadays......mmmmmm
Looking at him smiling i am sure the distance and time apart cannnot be seen as putting huge strains on my family. I would say that for most families, who cannot claim perfect relationships, it makes us value our time together more. We keep in contact regularly during especially during the weekends and holidays apart, we don’t miss out on so much....we cherish the time we spend with him..After all i may missed my Aqil so much. But i think that as the world is more global, sooner or later he will leave us.
As i wave farewell, he already happily chatting to his dormmates.There are no tears, no sad cuddles and no long goodbyes, which is all the more remarkable to me this year.... Alhamdulillah
Well you only need the light when it's burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low Only hate the road when you’re missin' home Only know you love her when you let her go And you let her go
Staring at the bottom of your glass Hoping one day you'll make a dream last But dreams come slow and they go so fast
You see her when you close your eyes Maybe one day you'll understand why Everything you touch surely dies
But you only need the light when it's burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low Only hate the road when you're missin' home Only know you love her when you let her go
Staring at the ceiling in the dark Same old empty feeling in your heart 'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast
Well you see her when you fall asleep But never to touch and never to keep 'Cause you loved her too much And you dived too deep
Well you only need the light when it's burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low Only hate the road when you're missin' home Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no) And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no) Will you let her go?
'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low Only hate the road when you're missin' home Only know you love her when you let her go
'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low Only hate the road when you're missin' home Only know you love her when you let her go
Stay in the island is totally relaxing..only for the electricity in the island is only for 12 hours a day. It's normal for most island so we've already anticipated it. But our day are so busy with activities and electricity is not a real concern...
The 2nd day in Mabul Island Hannah and Aqil are eagerly wants to do more than swimming and of course what else than diving around these spectacular islands in turquoise water is so great and a must do !!!
Being first timers of diving i bet Hannah n Aqil must be enthusiasts to know that Sipadan/Mabul and the surrounding areas are one of the best spots for diving in the world, and what better place to learn to dive than in the crystalline waters of the Celebes Sea.....
I suggested to Hannah n Aqil to do their PADI Open Water course consisting of 1 day of classroom instruction on theory which was hard and complicated... Aqil was assuming as to sit on the beach and enjoy the equatorial sun instead of doing the buka buka buku....and finds it so troublesome n malas ....so they decided to do the Discover Scuba instead...
Most of the dive equipment are quite new and working coz none of us is having any problem with the equipment....Thank God i chose Seahorse/Sipadan in our stay in Mabul Island.
Since none of us are experienced divers, we were so lucky that the instructor and divemaster are so experience and very helpful.. Hannah n Aqil had to learn to put their tanks on their back, do the required buddy check using the mnemonic , breathing with the regulator, emergency signals, fin pivots, finding a neutral buoyancy, clearing the masks, and learning to equalize so we don't rapture our ears. All necessary skills, which were somewhat difficult to learn initially but their young and healthy and i am sure my teenage kids can get the hang out it. The dive instructor Azhar and the dive master on duty are very professional, patient, and great fun! !!!
This is how they did the confined water just right in front of the chalet instead of the pool...it rocks ....
The first dive opted for a day of fun dives around Mabul Island -- they went to 2 different dive spots (Paradise 1 and Paradise 2) and they were underwater for at least 45 minutes per dive. Two times dive in a day is a not bad for these 2 teenage kids of mine !!! (So proud of them) As a non-diver I kept myself busy taking their photographs and relaxing on the boat everytime the dive in......This is how i became tanned n crispy...
As Hannah n Aqil's time diving was dictated by the instructor Azhar ...I see them blew through their oxygen tank twice as fast as the instructor did, granted their lung capacity . Every time they dive in, they don't go by themselves, they will always go with a dive master and the instructor who knows the location and will point out interesting sea creatures. And as newly-minted scuba divers, every time they be in the water , they were assigned to be as close as possible with the instructors...so fortunate they do have photos and video from their underwater adventures as the chalet's professional's underwater cameraman dive in with them with the proper camera equipment and so at least the too much to focus on their diving technique whilst also photographing marine life are worth it....
They slowly descend from shore to a depth of 3m to 5m to view the lively and beautiful corals in protected Sabah Parks – and for the first time - to scuba dive alongside schools of fish. They dive and pass through the schools of “Jacks” in the thousands and later notice a huge school of fishes circling near in the shallow waters.
These are the comments i got from Hannah n Aqil when they are done with diving...The underwater is brilliant, amazing, fascinating, and awesome! Vibrant colours, clear waters with visibility up to 20m, lots of beautiful fish, and interesting corals. U go my dear...
I know i would enjoyed diving this much only that i am barred from diving as i have asthma.. Anyone with moderate or severe asthma--meaning they have daily symptoms--should not dive. If your asthma is mild, intermittent and controllable, you may get clearance if you can show that you're functionally normal--that you manage it with medication to the point that exercise and typical asthma triggers don't cause an incident....Too much on me pulak...
So rather than I need to go to the doctor and get clearance .... it would be another long story...so i am hate so much stuck on snorkeling by looking them dive in .....
Before i knew it Hannah n Aqil got the hang of it, diving is easy. ...they saw gigantic sea turtles, eels, massive groupers, clown fish, eel stingray, and much much more.
I am happy that Hannah n Aqil realised that diving is meant to be a relaxing sport -- enjoy the scenery, breath regularly, and having fun!
What i see the Seahorse/Sipadan diving organization worked amazingly well considering the amount of people involved in it. Tanks were well filled, boats worked, the jetty staff were quick to get stuff in and out of boats, the transfer worked very well and the bill was clear and with no weirdo extras....it smoothen the 4 days vacation...Thanks to Seahorse/Sipadan again... muah
My sweetie pie Hannah on the way back to the chalet
On the way back to the chalet in the afternoon - after all the fun and adventure dives - both was exhausted and did nothing but relax at the chalet.
The best banana fritters i have ever eaten in my whole entire life....
Yes...Hannah and Aqil just jumped from the deck straight down to the crytsal sea...great hospitality makes you feels that you will come back to this place, and that's what happened to Hannah n Aqil. Well, Seahorse/Sipadan facilities maybe not the world class facilities, but the hospitality makes you feels belonging to this place. And I have no problem to come back someday.
Yessss....holiday mood is in the air again ...As i wanted so much Hannah n Aqil in exploring the underwater world, so i did made a very last minute holiday plans and chose the destination to be Mabul Island instead of Perhentian Island. Since there is only two weeks left before the year of 2014, so I chose to stay 4 nights in Seahorse Sipadan chalet...
The transfer from the airport was as i expected, a pakcik cab driver waiting for us and straight to Seahorse Sipadan samporna office...the check in at Semporna was excellent. We were greeted by Kak Nor and Nida...They were helpful and patient, nothing too much trouble. The hours transfer to the Mabul Island by boat was organised.... The boat ride took about an hour to Mabul Island. The boat was speeding like mad Schumacher...but we were safe then... Mabul Island is about one hour boat ride from Semporna Jetty.
As we approached Mabul Island, we can actually see the bottom of the sea and the beautiful reef and sand underneath the boat. As we dock at the jetty we can see all the fish and coral under the jetty. It is amazing. ..
The food was simply divine and okay as i expected and I really enjoyed it especially the chicken curry. ...As we reached the chalet a little bit late from the lunch time, we were surprised the kitchen staff served us late lunch and provided us with a selection of food upon welcoming us to the chalet. .... How wonderful...
Seahorse Sipadan chalet is a stilt longhouse just above the water, The beds was very comfortable. It was great to have a double and single bed in the lodge for the children and myself ...Besides from that, it is simply a basic room...without the TV, no fridge and of course no air cond.....hahaha nothing much ij this room rather than a queen bed and single bed accompanied with a small table and a ceiling fan. ... But its still okay to myself..
The shower is just a typical basic malaysian style .... a shower head next to the toilet, with a half wall to somewhat separate it, the water could easily wet the floor for the whole toilet, and the shower pressure was low....but we managed to cope with it. Plus a basic sink, and that's about it. We even have the view from the back balcony... It was perfect for the three of our needs though..its simple and basic ...What could i asked for more.... As long as it is very well built and it is divers paradise. Is not cheap to dive anywhere in the world and here is quite acceptable. Even though the chalet is not facing the sunset. But the scenery still beautifully captured and perhaps the sun has made every single chalets here like a hot microwave oven.... Thank God the sea breeze was enough to keep the temperature comfortable to me....as the power supply is only from 6.00pm to 7.00 am...sighhh So this is what we do..
Later in the evening we went for a stroll at the kampong behind our resort with the guidance of one of the chalet staff named Jules....Since this chalet is situated next to the local village, which is extremely poor. It can be a bit bothersome as a lot of children come to you and ask for money.. some of them were locals and some of them were communities from the Sea Gypsies. We were attemp more than once by children begging for money, candies... We even witnessed the locals using the beach as a toilet. How i wish the government could try to educate the locals about littering this paradise...Hmmmmmmm
Back from the village we were lucky to be able to see such gorgeous sunset day in Mabul Island. We just just sit by the deck, with drinks in hand and looking at the sun finish its duty for that day. Mabul island is a place to relax, to forget everything and a place to have a humble and simple life even for a short trip.
The same evening itself, Hannah n Aqil couldnt wait any longer for a dip ...They did the night swim into the cold water ...What i i love most about this lodge is the wide deck in front of our room where Hannah n Aqil can easily straightly jump into the crystal clear water even during night time .. this is the moment i enjoyed watching them jumping to the sea.... hahahahaha
