WFH : Day 28

Two more days to go, it will be officially one month staying alone at home. 

At the beginning, I really don't know what to do at home. I have get used to the daily routine of go to the office and work. Go to badminton twice a week to avoid traffic back home. Go to hiking once a month. Return to hometown once a month. Go to shopping on the rest of the weekend.

2019 has been a contented year, with the three-months once half marathon, travels within Malaysia and internationally, work, weekly sports activities and lastly moving to a new house. It has been a good year staying with ex-owner also, all the laughter, memories and care from her. I will become more and more lazy staying with her as she has been doing most of the cleaning at home. 

So what I did this month WFH? 

WFH, so it is still one week 40-hours of work required Mon to Fri. 

Possibly eating too much snacks over this period. 

I actually spend min time to cook my food and thanks for the microwave at home, I can still reheat it like I used to be at work. 

Over the weekend, it will be one of the morning for groceries shopping. 

For the past few weeks, I was just enjoying the home alone with the unlimited and high speed internet watching shows. Got a new idol recently, Hua Chenyu, a Chinese singer who is the same age as me. 

Now I see another person who is always quiet but full of power when perform on stage. Amazed by the ability of modify songs as well as as the wide tones that he can sings. 

Another one that I salute is Yan RuJing from QiPa Shuo. Another introvert that is very talented. She has got autistic but she found the savior of it, she started to be into debate and found back her confidence in talking to people. 

So, here is me, another introvert in the house, opening the shows : 《王牌对王牌》， 《饭局的诱惑》，《饭局狼人杀》。

Looking at them, I think they are more "Ice Bear" than myself. I have been called as "Ice Bear" among my colleague since Thong found that I am similar to the cartoon characters due to the non facial expressions. 

Well this is the first update to my blog during this Working from Home period. 

Hope that everyone I know are safe and survived from this Covid-19. 

IT is almost end of 2019?!

It has been a while since my last updates here.

I would summarize 2019 has been a year that slow down from many aspect.. It is amazing to see how things change and continue the journey.

It has been 5 years since I graduated from university, working for 2.5 years, leave the country for working holiday for 9 months, and back to work again until now, 2 years down.

During 2018, I was continuing my travel diary while going back to the work force. Get a chance to visit UK and Europe, and also Taiwan.

Health
During last year birthday, I started to realize that my weight started to run of out control, especially after my first blood donation. 2019, it was more on focusing to myself, as this should not be happen overnight and something need to be done.

I started to force myself to join the weekly badminton with my colleague where I used to give the excuse that it is too late for me. After a while, I started to get use to it and learn to adjust my time table to join more frequent. Then, due to the lack of people, I started to join another team on every Wed as well.

I am very glad that Mount Pulai is still able to enter without permit. The news was out before May. I thought I will have no choice but to stop hiking as there is no other mountain for me to hike nearby. However, miracles do happen, we are now still able to go and only charged RM 3 for the parking.

Running marathon for the 10 years was something I did not expect. Although I am just running half marathon, it is still a journey that a lot people do not enjoy. I managed to run four marathon this year, in Mar, 2 in Jul, 1 in Sep, and at different states: Johor, Penang, Melaka and KL. Giving me some excuse to pay a visit to my beloved friends and catch up. And feeling good to have some improvement on personal record this year.


This year also tried a different run, trail run event for twice and one pair of shoes got sacrificed during the second trail run.

Also, managed to try two more blood donation this year, in Mar and also Oct. It is really not easy to get a good timing with the blood donation events but I did tried my best.

Travel
This year I did not plan to visit overseas, as I have spent a lot in 2017 and 2018 and I did not think of the next destination I wanted to visit yet.

So the planned trip was to visit an old friend in Kota Kinabalu, my USM buddies, Elizabeth. After sometimes of disappearing from each other life, and she been also away from internet, managed to catch up with her in person at her hometown with Sue Anne.


A trip to the Gunung Arong after heard it for many years. Thanks to Doreen and Khee Hoon. Get to have the a camping weekend and enjoy the view.


Then, had a "sudden" birthday trip with Thong Thong decided two months before the trip. Visited to Japan is not the kind of "next trip" I would plan. I would always thought that Japan trip will be expensive. However, due to the potential financial status in the upcoming year, I think it is better to visit now than later.

And of course, there are still some on-going meet up with friends in Singapore, when I finally catch some times to enter there and visit them.

Work
Back to office work and back to the analytical me.

Thanks to the numerous activities we had fun beside working.

Get the 4th place in the treasure hunt in Apr.

Join the weight loss challenge and now it is the last month to go. I am happy that I get to hit the target although not much weight is loss. At least I got the monthly reward of a free lunch.

Got nominated to be part of the HSE team, although I am still not qualify to be competent people when hazards arise. Still it is something new to me.

Get a "surprised" business trip to Shanghai. So finally realized my promise to visit Nancy (my good sister during working holiday) after some years. This trip, although short, I finally made visit to the office, catch up with Sun Chen, meet some of my Chinese colleagues in the office (most of them has visited Malaysia office before) and also catch up with Nancy.




Get the 3rd place in Badminton tournament thanks to Mok Mok. I think she almost get crazy because of me keep mumbling and torture her.

It is the last quarter of the year, in Nov/Dec it is time to see big change of my old friends as a few are getting married soon.
Overall, I am still one of the lucky person in the world. Enjoying life, breathing, and get to fight for a better tomorrow.
It will be a good timing to plan for the challenges for the upcoming years too. Cheers and keep fighting!

Taiwan Trip: 10- 18 Sep 2018 Part 3: Taipei

Day 5 continue:

Depart from Taichung to Taipei using Ubus. Then we took a taxi to our airbnb host at Banqiao.

While I am feeling so lucky for the trip thus far (there was a typhoon warning getting nearer and nearer), I found myself unable to open the door leave by the airbnb host.

We climb the 5-floors building and try to open the door but failed. The host is not reachable by phone nor LINE (I purposely install that after he failed to answer my call).

Sue Anne got mad because of we have been stuck so long. Perhaps the working holiday experience that I had have been more up and down, I was trying to stay calm but there is no solution.

So I suggested that we go for dinner while waiting for the reply. Then we walk a bit further to the　stinky pot (三妈臭臭锅 ).

Unfortunately, even after we finished eating there is still no reply.

We walk back to the building and try again to open the door and still failed.

Then Sue Anne started to suggest to find a new accommodation.

I was a bit hesitate because the host was quite responsive in the morning while I check with him for the check in.

But we have waited for hours and there is no reply so I cant seem to stop her anyway.

Luckily, while chatting with Huei and Nisha, Huei told me that she will be in Taipei for the few days and able to let us stay at her place.

So, we leave the place and go to her house instead. (p/s: The host finally reply us after we left, telling us that he was in the class teaching from afternoon until 8 pm. But we have left, so I only asking if he can give us a full refund)

塞翁失马焉知非福, we are blessed with the good view of Taipei 101 at Huei house. Hehehe


Day 6: Yehliu Geopark, JiuFen Old Street, Raohe Night Market

It was the day typhoon estimate to arrive, luckily it just pass by however, it heading to HongKong and really hit it badly.

Went to witness the famous Queens head an Princess head. Did not queue up at the original ones, here are the 3D model where no queue is needed.

 

Wind too strong and luckily we are also strong enough to stand not blown away.

Revisit JiuFen however it was not as exciting as the first time visit. This time i learn to ask before go try out the famous Taro. But still ordered the wrong cake and I ordered too much! (supposed to order the 'grass cake' but i bought the taro cake. >.<)

Sue Anne bought a few souvenirs at JiuFen which reminds me of my first time excitements when I first found this shop too! Haha, managed to stop myself from buying all these.  

On the way back, my initial plan was to go back KeeLung Night Market, however the bus to KeeLung Train station was too slow, there has been a few bus pass by back to Taipei, so we decided to follow the bus back to Taipei since the weather was also not so good due to the typhoon.

Stop by at the Songshan station and we visited Raohe Night Market and Wufenpu.

This is quite a fresh try for the oyster mee sua at Raohe Night Market, the soup is clear one. 

Finally we have a day break from the stinky toufu. 

Day 7: ShiFen Water Fall, ShiFen Old Street, Ximending

We take the train and haoxing bus to ShiFen. 

Waterfalls are beautiful, but the lantern is one thing that I cannot really accept as it is so not environment friendly and it became just a trend to do so.

 Witness a few lanterns got burn up before it fly.

Wonder if the wishes will really come true.

After that, we went to Ximending to shopping again. 

While waiting for Huei to go home, we go to Taipei 101, there is a guy singing with a guitar, we just sit down there and chilling. 

Then, Bing See contacted me. So I fish her to go hiking with me at Xiangshan Park to see the Taipei 101 Night View. (actually i can see it from Huei house too.)

So she came all the way to go hiking with me. XD. Reunion after 5 years. 

Day 8: Tamsui Old Street, Tamsui Fort San Domingo, Shilin Night Market

Went to Tamsui and tried the a-gei, there are three shops in a row selling the same thing and so we tried two of them. Prefer the one with three sisters as the soup is more clear and tastier for me.

Went to the historical buildings around Tamsui, as it was almost the end of our trip and finally Sue Anne surrender to the long walks. Haha. 

Went to Shilin Night Market and try another stinky tofu.  Today, we tried two but still not satisfied with the stinky level, and i failed to find the non-fried stinky tofu.

Back to Huei house today and then start playing with Kuri, Huei's dog. She is the first dog I dare to touch after so many years too. (Because she almost day day come and wake you up in the morning)

Last day: National Palace Museum

Finally Huei got a day off and can bring me around. Leave Sue Anne to have own time explore the city, I went to the National Palace Museum with Huei. 

Visited the most famous cabbage in the museum, the roasted pork look yummy too. 

We found ourselves hungry soon after we enter the museum, so we have a quick tour then heading to take our late lunch near her home. 

After that, take a nap while waiting for Sue Anne to get back. 

Then we depart to the airport and have our dinner before on board. 

Goodbye Huei and Kuri, hope to see you guys soon. =D

Finally ended my update on the trip. Yippee!!!

Taiwan Trip: 10-18 Sep 2018 Part 2 : Taichung

Day 3 continue:
From the Rainbow Village, we take local bus back to the city to get the bus to Taichung.

Arrived Taichung and we were too early for the check in (wrong choice as it only can check in after 5 pm!). Found locker in the bus station so we leave our bag there (after come back we realized it is not lock properly!)

Walk to the Miyahara Ice Cream shop that I missed out last time.

 Then go to the Stock 20 Art Gallery. 

Finally drag until check in time. We walk back to the bus terminal to get our luggage and take bus to the YiZhong street to check in hostel. We stay at Loft Hostel at YiZhong area. This hostel has no reception area. We are informed to meet them at the lockers area and wait for the people to lead us to the hostel. 

Leave our luggage at the hostel, then we go to Fengjia Night Market to start eating again. Then start a bit of shopping at the night market. Ate sweet potato balls, pepper meat biscuit, pork blood cake, stinky toufu and guava.

Day 4: Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village and Sun Moon Lake

Walk to the Gancheng bus station to get the Taiwan Haoxing (台湾好行）Tour Package. Then we get an extra icard with TWD$200 credit in it.

Think that this one here look familiar like NZ maori culture. 

 This time I decided to go to the cultural village first before Sun Moon Lake. We walk around the village, skipped the theme park, stop for some shows. 

Took a transparent cable car and I regret. Afraid of the height and I hardly move any step in it. 

Around afternoon, get the cable car to the Sun Moon Lake then go back to Taichung city.

This time finally I get to visit properly at the cultural village. Before go back to Taichung, saw there selling the rice wine milkshake, ordered one and never expect they put in a whole shot of wine and luckily did not vomit while taking the ferry at Sun Moon Lake.

Visited again the Chinese Cupid Temple (月下老人）. Last time visited here because we get lost while walk around the Sun Moon Lake. This time come here again because we want to collect the stamp to exchange for souvenir. 

Both time no pray to him for a good faith in relationship. Hopefully he not angry at me and really dont want to give me good partner. Hahaha. 

After a short walk to the temple to get the stamp, we walk back to the bus station to go back to Taichung.

Walk to the Taichung park and snap a few photo before heading back to YiZhong Night market.

Taichung Park is also one of the historical building that is significant in Taiwan. 

End the day at YiZhong Night Market which is around our hostel. Again, there is stinky toufu on the menu. Didnt managed to get a really stinky smelly toufu in Taiwan this time. However this shop did satisfied me with its special sauce and garlic paste.

Day 5:

Get to drink the milk tea at the original shop at Chun Sui Tang.

Check out at Loft Hostel and bring our luggage to the Rainbow Village. Due to the luggage, I am kinda lazy to take photo there. So after a few shoots then we ready to depart to Taipei.