S618 - The Baju Kurung Project

Salam

My family plan to spend CNY holiday in Langkawi and we finally cancel the plan once we get to know everyone all over Malaysia is coming to Langkawi as well. We are paranoid-to-crowd kind of family.

In conclusion, everyone stay at home watching movies and eat mak's cooking.

After my half-day sleep on Thursday, i woke up and gave mak cotton fabrics for my Baju Kurung. And she came out with an idea to teach me how to sew my own Baju Kurung. Maybe she already get tired giving me free-Baju Kurung-service.

We start with the Baju-part. To sew Baju is quite easy for me. I get excited with the baju part, and cut all five set of fabrics which make it five set of Baju Kurung. Sangat banyak kan? I spent the whole Friday from morning till evening getting all the five Baju done.

In the meanwhile, i keep asking mak, "Susah tak nam jahit kain?". Around 9PM, my mom get to sew my own Kain. Since i have been focusing on five Baju during the day and only realise i will be back to Kuala Lumpur the next day, i became emotionally breakdown thinking of five Kain that i need to sew. I can't be having all those Baju without Kain. *sigh*

In comparison to Baju, Kain need some efforts and skills to sew the zip and waist part. During my first Kain session, i gave up on the waist part and get my mom to get it done. At that moment i feel so tired because i have been spending the whole day for the Baju part. I feel like my long holiday get wasted if i don't have wasting-time-doing-nothing session at home! Haha. Don't ask me how i get the other four Kain done.

Due to my silly reason to be at home doing nothing, i decided to do the finishing part such as get button on my Baju once i am back in Kuala Lumpur.

Here is my first sewing machine with five set of Baju Kurung. I posted the same picture in Instagram  and get few comments from my friends on how to sew Baju Kurung, nak tempah Baju Kurung, etc etc. Everything looks perfect in picture, and only my mom know who emotional i am to get all the Baju Kurung done.

Oh ya. I saw this cute sewing needle cushion in Pinterest few months back. And i decided to sew one for my machine. When i am in a very good mood to sew, i feel excited to sew everything.

Wait for my next post on teaching my friends sewing. Haha.

Till then, thank you.

S617 - Kelas Ekonomi Keretapi

Salam,

Happy Chinese New Year for those celebrating CNY and happy long holiday for Muslim! 

Since i just decided to spend my long holiday at my hometown few days before CNY, KTMB can only offer me Kelas Ekonomi seats with super freezing aircond. Im fine with it as long as i can be at home, because im afraid i can get into depression for being in KL alone without friends. Sounds a bit clingy kan?

Wednesday, 10PM, my journey on Kelas Ekonomi heading to Arau, Perlis started. To find out the lucky person sitting besides me is a man sangat meng-downkan. For a Kelas Ekonomi first-timer, i keep thinking of how to sleep with this sitting posture. Even worst, the aircond is super super cold and i dont have any blanket or something to cover on me; because KTMB provide me a blanket on superior night coach; still tak move on dengan superior night coach and my bad for not be extra mindful and anticipate how Kelas Ekonomi could be. Lesson learnt.

Apart of that how to sleep issue and super cold aircond, having a man sitting right beside me which just 2cm apart form each other, really make me want to cry. Alhamdullilah he went off at Butterworth, leaving me to conquer both seats. But at 4AM, seats was no longer my priority. I am shivering, and yes, it is literally shivering. 

Then i decided to get hot drink from the cafe. The moment i stand in front the cafe counter, the cafe guy said, "Kakak nampak macam sangat sejuk", i just smile back,  thank you adik kerana sangat memahami, not really in a good mood to talk until i get the hot chocolate. Haha. Being emotional.

Luckily i survived the other 4 hours, and reached Arau around 830AM. Not to mention another man came to have a seat beside me. During my last 2 hours in the train kot but i just dont care akibat terlalu mengantuk dan feel a bit comfortable after minum hot cholocate. 

I slept half of Thursday akibat terlalu penat with that 10 hours journey sitting on train seat. 

And today, luck still not on my side. I didnt manage to get superior night coach for my journey back to Kuala Lumpur. Again, the best that KTMB can offer me is a seat at Kelas Ekonomi. 

Today, 7PM, i straight away went to the cafe for dinner and as always order teh ais. I met the cafe guy who said that i look shivering last time. He smile at me, maybe because he still remember what had happen to me last few days back.

Itsokay adik. Kakak dah prepare blanket this time around. *flips hair*

With this Oman Airlines blanket, i imagine myself in an airplane for a 12 hours flight to Oman instead of a train. I feel better now enjoying the journey. Haha. Cant wait for cabin crew to serve breakfast the next morning. Tetibe totally in character. 

Till then, thank you.

S616 - Jogjakarta, Indonesia

Salam

Jogjakarta, Indonesia. Kami sekeluarga ke Jogjakarta last December. 

Disini kami melawat beberapa tempat menarik di sekitar Jogjakarta. Dan juga Borobudur dan Mt Merapi.

Ini ialah masjid pertama di daerah ini dan ia berbentuk donut. Menurut tour guide kami, masjid ini dibina berbentuk donut supaya suara imam dapat didengar ke seluruh kawasan masjid dari tempat imam oleh gema. Sangat saintifik konsep masjid ini.

Ini pula ialah ruangan mandian kerabat diraja. Tempat ini berkonsepkan swimming pool yang sangat besar untuk keluarga raja sahaja untuk digunakan ketika sesi beriadah.

Kemudian kami ke Mt Merapi. Perjalanan ke sini dari bandar Jogjakarta lebih kurang dua jam. Oleh kerana jalan ke kawasan Mt Merapi ini agak teruk kesan dari letusan Mt Merapi pada 2010, kami perlu menyewa jeep bersama driver untuk ke sini. Kami dapat melihat tinggalan kesan letusan gunung berapi di sekitar perkampungan dalam perjalanan ke kawasan terdekat untuk melihat Mt Merapi. Rumah-rumah kampung ini dijadikan tempat perlancongan dan pelancong dapat melihat gamabr-gambar detik letusan gurun berapi ini meletus.

Selepas itu kami ke Borobudur. Borobudur ialah candi agama Buddha. Disini kami hire tour guide specific for Borobudur yang telah dilatih oleh UNESCO. Agak menarik kisah disebalik pembinaan  candi Borobudur. Setiap ukiran di temple ini ada pengajaran sehingga lah kepada 99 anak tangga candi ini jugak mempunyai maksud tersendiri. Ayah kelihatan sangat faham dan mengikuti kisah yang dicerita kan oleh tour guide sejak dari tingkat satu. Hanya mak dan G yang kelihatan akan bosan, mungkin terpengaruh dengan cuaca mendung ketika itu.

Disebelah malam pula, kami menghabiskan masa di Jalan Maliboro. Jalan ini merupakan salah sebuah tarikan pelancong di Jogjakarta. Kami juga untuk mengambil peluang ini untuk menaiki kereta kuda kembali ke hotel dan tujuan utama kami decide untuk naik kereta kuda ialah sebab terlalu penat berjalan di sekitar Jalan Maliboro.

Overall, percutian ke Jogjakarta is short and sweet, except for post-effect percutian ini yang telah menyebabkan saya dan G miserable.

Sekian.

Teriman Kasih.

S615 - Kafe Senandung Langkawi

Salam

Gerabak Kafe Senandung Langkawi, 7:17pm

Senandung Langkawi ialah nama train dari Hatyai ke Kuala Lumpur. Tertanya-tanya juga mengapa train ini diberi nama Senandung Langkawi, mungkin kerana kebanyakan penumpang train ini ialah pelancong Langkawi. Semudah itu sahaja saya membuat andaian..

Im on my way back to Kuala Lumpur. Train telah menjadi transport kegemaran saya, eventho train akan consume almost 12 hours to reach Kuala Lumpur.

Saya akan habiskan the first one hour dekat kafe ini. Sambil menikmati teh ais mahal yang dijual di kafe ini. Saya sengaja beli teh ais supaya saya dapat duduk di kafe ini secara legal.

Pasa musim cuti panjang seperti hari ini, kebanyakan penumpang train ini ialah family, dan secara tidak langsung train ini akan membawa tema kekeluargaan. Kafe pun akan menjadi crowded akibat parents yang sibuk membeli dinner. Kanak-kanak juga kelihatan overly excited dan asyik tanya; What is the next station and bila nk sampai KL? Jika di gerabak penumpang pula, kanak-kanak akan excited naik-turun tangga katil train. Kesimpulanya, kanak-kanak lah golongan yang paling gembira di atas train.

Pada hujung minggu yang biasa pula, train akan menjadi sedikit boring. Hanya pemandangan sunset dan sawah padi menemani saya di kafe train ini. 

Apabila teh ais sudah habis, itu petanda sama perlu kembali ke gerabak penumpang. Mungkin penumpang lain memerlukan seat di kafe untuk menikmati teh ais mereka.

Sekian.

Terima kasih.