It was all started by the meeting at Star Buck at Sun Plaza that somehow led us the conversation that we need overseas outting - in order to broadened our knowledge (as for me agian and again.... hee hee) and shopping skills.. (yep, we all agree on that!, especially for Ai! GO AI!!!)

From buckies we rushed to immigration office and tried to get the passport to be done as soon as the next day.. all the efforts and smiles, flirts and even begs,... just to get them done.. ha ha... and the next 4 days no one can work 'normally' anymore' everyday, which somehow were filled with outside intruders... were used to order tickets, hotels... change money and last minute shopping for soaps, flip flop and light towel. It was a fun week.....

Air Asia memang top! dan tinggal di Medan memang bo'i bagi yang mau ke daratan tetangga... it's like... Melayuuu buanget gitchuu lho! .. the bird is there waiting.. and the heart was pounding.. (we wont mention why.. ) but it was Kun-T who was dealing with us on the departure.

As usual... it's like claiming the territory - we all had to make a 'quiet transit' at LCCT airport and then took a long drive by cheap 9RM shuttle in town

Here are some of the great pictures (after I had this battle in my head, I finally able to decide which pictures to be posted... hard man!)Introducing KL to Adek and Ai was fun... of course the first and second day were all filled with complain of our own place home.. why can't we at least be neat - funny! same color, same language, same root... and only a strait away.. it's only an inch in the map for God sake! but why are we so different - well... hopefully by the time we are going back we can take this to be told to others - and to take actions in our surroundings

Before taking the train to KL, we had quiet a fight with the evil taxi driver (tips: never agree to pay extra ringgit for each bag, be sure to have a guy with strong deep voice like Kun-T when he is angry, be sure to have 3 girls like us to scream all over the taxi driver... and... take of the lisence plate if the taxi is about to zoom off - but again, be sure you see the taxi card up front at the dashboard) otherwise, you would be screwed like we did.

Singapore was wet..

but we manage to shop.. shop til our pants drop.. buoooy.. talk about walking... it was nice - and indeed.. we need lots of H2O.. but the lunch and all the meals were great.. thanks to another dude Kun-S hee hee.... well.. we let them to show their respect to girls.. ha ha.. no.. really.. we were 'TOKEK' (TOurist KEre tapi Keren...hee hee)

The cable car to Sentosa island was a great ride - we got to see the port and other ships from top - then by the end of the day was entertained by the laser show at the big fountain (what do you call that again) - then the next day was spent all around Singapore until we heard that Kun-S had to return.. hmmm.. just the three of us to spend one more day in Singapore before returning back to KL..

The whole trip can become a comic to be told in details... but for sure this is the beginning of many more journeys hopefully... and to understand that..................... some people just LOVE to BUY SHOES... ha ha ha......( sike )

just a day after your birthday, Dad!

I guess birthday is different in every stage of life - to a Dad that lives forvevr inour heart... again we remember all the values he had taught us. No-one is like him and able to replace his place.

Just missing you, Dad! Missing you, Bucik...

If only you are around we might be gathering by now to eat something - and you pay for it too :o)

But our present this year is again different, this year we only hope you have the best life out there and that we will be together again someday...Insya Allah

Happy Birthday, ...

Along Musi River, Going Inland to the Old Kingdom

Palembang.. hmm.. entering the city of Ancient Kingdom of Sriwijaya through the great river of Musi... too bad, they should do something on the Nelayan Kampongs along the river.. 

But here is some shots in Palembang..
Awesome city!

After the first election in Pangkal Pinang, we actually had a chance to go to the first city found in Bangka - the city of Mentok. As always, I am always facinated with the society and urban activities (if we can call this palce urban). City of Mentok, was known as the plac eto export white pepper - even though now it is ancient history since the value had gone down and they have decreased the productivity by a significant number (and do you know that Kentucky Fried Chicken used to have contract tiuse Mentok pepper just abotu a year ago? but now they have to take from other sources, since Mentok can no longer provide enough stock) -
let's all hope it will come back again.

The old port in Mentok, as usual, fisherman boats and little warung - definitely Asian.. the china town, the mansion on Tjong A Fok, the temple that is located next to the mosque... there has always been harmony, at least that what is explained by the local..





But what happen now? all that simplicity of friendship among different believes and culture will be put aside, only over money, power and status... what a sad thing to think about.

If only we all realize that at the end, nothing that we need to achieve, aside then we always hope we do something good for the society and family, for the future of our children...

Here goes Mentok! (in mentok, both of these buildings are located side by side, even with connectting door!!!! great, huh?)

Friendship is from the HEART.... and curly hair???

Izza Ezziza Siregar and Aqila Humaira Putri .... no, we did not buy them at C4!!!

Message from the Best-est of FRienD who is oceans apart

BE THE COFFEE (ARE WE NOT BROWN?)

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again. A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.

The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter.

"When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to pass this message to those people who mean something to you; to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life. If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message!

It's easier to build a child than repair an adult. This is so true.

May we all be COFFEE.

From distance I could see the green islands of the Bangka Belitung Province.. as the plane was lowering, reaching to the local airport, the green began to be decorated by the colorful ponds... ponds of the illegal mining sites, leaving a major destruction to the environment...hhhh...

The city of Pangkal Pinang reminds me of a small town where everyone knows everyone elese. It has just enough facilities to let the local dwellers to have bit fun in between their routines as retailers. However, still you can see the airlines from/ to Jakarta is fully booked at all time.

Bangka, as a mixed place of Malay, Tionghoa and Palembang, performed a unique culture. The languange of "Peranakan" is heard all over town, mixed with Indonesian and Mandarin. This could be the only place in Sumatra where you can see Mandarin.

I witness a great mix and relations among the Tionghoa and Malay. As most of them mentioned that "I am part of them, they are part of me - there is always Tionghoa blood in the Malays, and Malay blood in Tionghoas"

But again, all this beauty and natural resouces will not be seen when not digged up and promote well.. the natural beauty will definitely die when we, the local, who lives in Indonesia, and those out there, do not make any action to save it from the environemntal destrcution.

Bangka Belitung is such a rich province. It is standing in the world tin belt for God sake! Do something to make change. Think of the future of our children.