KL trip and Ivy's wedding

Family pic (Dex is not in)

********************KL trip pics********************

with Roger at 1901

hotel lobby after visa application

posing

at Madam Kwan's

big big mirror in hotel room

*********************Wedding**********************

my little cousin from Kuching

my parents were happy to have another son-in-law, Andrew

my uncle was so happy, big big grin

my second sister said 'hiak hiak, my turn now'

Evelyn in green grinning

shy shy Veron

*******************Back at school*******************
(Was called to go back to school to celebrate the achievements of RIT A-Level. )

with Jenny the nice nice clerk

Miss Chan, the mother of the school

Lewis, Dr. Fong, Me, Miss Chan

Where is my VISA?

I was in KL last week for UK visa application. Took the earliest flight from Miri to KL using MAS at 6.20am. So I had to wake up at 4.40am. Haha. First time I checked in at the counter for FIRST CLASS! Thanks to Lewis's father.

Lewis's father is really a FAST person - fast at walking. Both Lewis and I were chasing after him in KLIA. But he just walked like normal. I couldn't even take my breath. Knocked my ankle on the way to the KLIA express.

Yeah! We're staying at Westin Hotel at Bukit Bintang. My second time staying in a hotel in KL. It's quite luxurious and impressive. The American breakfast was expensive - RM 78++ per person. Anyway, I really like the bakery. They had all sorts of bread, pudding, yoghurt... and I love the half-boiled egg in cupped bacon. Damn nice. As we were rushing to do our visa, we only took a few but ah.... I wanted to eat more, plus we paid so much for that.

Buying bank drafts from the bank was a frustration. It took about 2 hours. They said they were waiting for the response from Miri branch. Asked why didn't they call, the girl said they did but ONCE! ONCE! Stupid! So I called the Miri branch myself. Stupid guard acted like he was the boss. I didn't know that I wasn't allowed to talk on phone in the bank as there wasn't any sign. He was stupid enough as he could just point at the escalator to signal me to go down instead of making me walk here and there. Wasted my time. Went to meet up with Roger at Low Yat where he bought a new laptop. A good one, at least, value for money. Then his father gave us a treat at 1901 and we had hot dogs. Ate at Planet Hollywood. Thanks to Lewis's father. For how many times I passed by the restaurant but had no chance to go in. I was HAPPY! It's an enjoyable meal. I love the fried mushroom. Yummy!

The visa application was another frustration. First, the guards were, again, rude. They talked like giving orders. 'Number?' 'Sit!' 'Downstairs!' 'Go there!' My goodness, you don't own the British HICOM. Anyway, the whole process took only 20 mins. Then we had a long day of walking. To KLCC from Westin. Found a nice pair of Puma walking shoes there but we ended up buying it at mid valley, no more my size. Went there for nice 'xiao long bao' at 'din tai fung'. Then Lewis went to the Jusco in Mid valley to 'sapu' the faber castell pens. The KTM back to KL Sentral was delayed for 20 mins after we waited for 10 mins. Then Lewis's father said just throw away the ticket and take the taxi. Cool! I have never done that. Cool!

I moved to Prince Apartment opposite Westin over Pavillion for the third day. Had Thai food in Pavillion for dinner with Uncle Stephen and Eve. Nice but really expensive. Five dishes plus drinks costed RM400++.

Last day in KL, while having breakfast in Coffee bean with dear Lewis, I received a call and I quickly rushed to the hospital to collect something for someone's favor. We walked all the way to KLCC as no taxi wanted to charge according to metre. We took the LRT to Ampang Park. I realized that was stupid as the hospital was so far from the station although it is at Jalan Ampang. Poor Lewis had to walk with me. We took a taxi half way and got slaughtered. RM40 for both ways. Ah! What to do, we were rushing to catch the flight. Was knocking here and there carrying my luggage when we walked to the monorail station and to Sentral. Sigh.

Rushing back for my sister's wedding the next day. No pics yet. Haven't gotten the pics uploaded. Visa not done yet. But I will be leaving next Wed. I pray that I can get it on time.

Busyness

Just got the contract from Shell today. I need to submit it tomorrow. Until now I still cant believe that I will be going to UK. When I heard that my flight to Manchester is already booked, I was quite shocked and unable to accept the fact that I would be going! I smiled in disbelief. I will be flying on 17th September for Manchester via Amsterdam.

Apart from the fact that I have dreamt to go to UK since young, Lewis has been a source of driving force to me to aim to go to UK. Grabbed two images from Lewis:-


Yeah, we were in the newspaper on 3rd July, together. Our dreams. Finally we can go to UK together. It is a big big step forward.

I like reminiscing. I can still remember and vividly picture the things happened last year and this year. Let the pictures do the talking. In chronological order:

Mark's birthday at pizza hut

random time

in dynasty

first time wearing RIT shirt at Taman Awam

Graduation 2007 collection (how much i miss my hair)

**************

bored in class

prom night
all black gang

2008 graduation

Michelle and I

group

Roger, Lewis and I

Lewis dear and I

Cindy, Me, Michelle and Sheila

group

dear and me

three musketters

the gang

Dr Lee with me and my mum

Thanks to Lewis for being with me all this while. We did all the applications together and thank God for letting us get the scholarship. There were so many things that we had been through, but we are always each other's support. Remember the Cambridge interview? haha. I was so glad that I got the offer from Cambridge but he was sad. Anyway, we are still going to Manchester.!! Yeah!

My New 'Home'

I 'bought' a new house in Manchester yesterday, it's a room, to be more precise. I bought it for 200 pounds. Cheap right? It is in the Fiddes, Dalton Ellis Hall, Victoria Park Campus. Living there, I don't have to cook, as it is catered. It is known to be the best hall in the university and provides the best catering. Also, it has a serene and tranquil environment. Last but not the least, value for money. Actually I don't know much. Haha.

The University of Manchester

Dalton Ellis Hall, from outside

Fiddes, where I will be living

The catering hall

squash court, and the field

I like the environment, and the greeneries. One sad thing is that I did not get the en suite. Instead I got the standard bedroom with wash basin. So I have to share the kitchen and bathroom, heard that it is with 5 people. Anyway, I can save some money. Almost 100 pounds per month. I hope I can adapt to it as soon as possible. Then I will not need to change to an en suite room.

Looking forward to it. Anticipation... occupying my mind.

so soon...

26 more days. Then I will be in somewhere else, Manchester, UK, somewhere I have always dreamt of going since I was young. I don't really feel the excitement, instead I feel quite sad. There are still a lot of things to be done before I go.
1. send my unconditional letter to Shell
2. wait for the contract and letter from Shell
3. make an appointment to do my visa
4. book my flights to Manchester
5. fly to KL for visa
6. my sister's wedding
7. pack

My sister's wedding is so soon. The saturday after next. I hope I can get myself a camera before that day so that I can take more shots on that memorable day. Some more, I won't be able to attend the actual wedding in Seremban in October.

Finally I have my passport done. In fact I don't have to renew it as the old one expires next year November. But I just want to save works so that I don't have to renew it next year. Hmmm. For passport and UK visa, I need two different pictures, blue background for passport and white one for visa. AND... for the picture for visa, I was not allowed to smile, needless to say about grin. Ya, maybe a VERY VERY SLIGHT smile. No wonder my cousin was complaining about it when she came to my house after taking the picture.

Sim ming choo, wei hong, wee tieng and I went out for dinner last night. It's somewhere near SESCO. I've heard of this place a long time ago before I actually went there. Food was not bad, and quite cheap. But the environment was, honestly, a bit disappointing. We actually planned to go to coffee bean after that. But we ended up watching movie. We watched RED CLIFF. I was so bored while watching it, kept yawning. Well, I was at first interested in watching it because it's history! I love history especially chinese history. Watching the movie made me felt as though I was knowledgeable. HEHE. The scenes were quite amazing. I said 'quite'. However I think it was a bit illogic and preposterous. The soldiers were supposed to fight, but they were just moving left and right, pretending to be fighting. Ya, that's how movie should be like. They normally don't really fight. That's why I hate watching this kinda movie. AND, I felt suspended when the movie ended. It wasn't a good or proper ending. Maybe there is a part two. Also, the language they used in the movie was not very 'ancient'. ahah. They used some words such as 过时.. and so on. I can't remember.

After the movie, I drove home, with wei hong's car. Sim ming choo said she wanted to see everyone's driving skill. Anyway, the distance was short from Bintang to my house, and not many cars. I heard from sim ming choo that they went to morsjaya for supper again after they dropped me off. I was already so sleepy. I fell asleep as soon as I popped into my bed.

I felt so disappointed by the University of Manchester, especially the accommodation. They gave me a standard room while I applied for an en suite. I tried to appeal but they just would not give it to me. I hope I will be able to transfer to an en suite in Oct during the transfer process. Or, I hope I like living in the standard room with shared bathroom. And, I can save more money. What I felt frustrated was I applied quite early, but just because I had not gotten my results and unconditional offer, they did not have any available en suite anymore. AND A GUY FROM SABAH GOT IT. A GUY!!!! Luckily Lewis and I got the same hall but different block, and I heard that Dalton Ellis hall is the best among all and provides the best catering.

Friday again... Time passes so fast.