Cleffairy's Blog, page 150
February 13, 2014
Dealing with Autism?
I’ve been rather busy and I think it’s been awhile since I sat down and write. I mean write, not update or do write ups for my travels and whatnot. Yes. It’s been awhile, isn’t it?
Truth be told, it’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that I don’t feel like sharing stuff that’s really in my head…some things are just too personal.
Anyway…I suppose those who are in my circle or have been following my blog would know by now that I have a special need child, and there are times where I will rant and vent about it, but this time around, I won’t be doing that. Instead, I would like to share something with all of you parents out there.
It has come to my attention that there are plenty of children out there who is like my own- has autism and most of the parents are either not aware about it or are in the state of denial.
For those who are not aware about autism, here’s some sign you might want to take note in your children’s behaviour:
Signs of autism
*Inappropriate playing with toys
*Lacks of social skill
*Non-verbal/lacks communication skills
*Inability to relate to others
*Hyperactivity/passiveness
*Have no sense of danger
*Oversensitive or not sensitive to sound/taste (often refered as sensory processing disorder)
*Inability to control emotions
*Inappropriate crying or laughing
*Difficulty in changing of routine
* Lack danger awareness
My child ticks almost all of the checklist up there, and to be honest, for the first few years of his life was pretty much dark and depressing for me. I did not know how to deal with my son and people labeled me as a bad mother with damaged goods. I couldn’t deal with the society’s questions and critism like:
*Why isn’t your son talking? Why he doesn’t make any eye contact?
*Why is he still in diapers? Why didn’t you toilet train him?
*Stop spoiling him and stop him from rolling and kicking the floor
*Why isn’t he eating rice? Why is he so picky?
*Why does he scream and cry all the time
*Why he hates to bathe?
*Why can’t he sit still?
All these questions distress me. But little did I know that these are typical characteristic that a child with autism portrays and there’s medical explanation and terms to describe all of these.
If you found yourself in the same predicament as I was, please…do yourself a favour. Do not ever blame yourself, or your spouse for your child’s condition. Negligence is not the cause of autism. Nobody knows what causes it and it is not a disease, but a disorder.
Being in denial will not help. The first step to help your child improve is to embrace autism and accept them as they are and stop trying to teach your child like a normal child.
People with autism are unique, and therefore the way you deal with them is equally different and unique. You should never be ashamed of them, and there are plenty of support group out there that can help you deal with your autistic children and listen to your distress and grouse.
When I say support group, I mean a real one…one where you get advises and tips from parents who are dealing with children with autism on day to day basis as primary caregivers not ‘people’ or ‘professional’ who talked based on books or theories. This is one of the support group that has been my sanctuary for about one year: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Autis...
They have helped me tremendously. My child has gone from:
*Inability to relate to public and having meltdowns to able to enjoy people’s companionship
*Wearing diapers to fully toilet-trained
*Picky eater to wanting to try food offered to him
*Completely non verbal to developing eccolalia
There are plenty more milestone I would like to list here, but to cut long story short, I would like to stress that early intervention helps, and should you feel that something is amiss and think your child has autism, you will find this particular support group helpful, so stop being in denial or ashamed of autism. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Autism is not a disease. It’s just a disorder, and with right attitude, you CAN help your child. But before helping your child, do yourself a favour and stop blaming yourself or your spouse for your children’s ‘inappropriate behaviour’ or lack of milestones during various stage of growing up.
Cleffairy: Dealing with autism is like putting together an incomplete picture puzzle. You’re always picking up the pieces and guessing the picture.
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February 12, 2014
Saya Nak Rasa Steamboat M2Cafe- Steamboat with A Difference
Are you a big fan of steamboat? Well, yours truly is a big fan of steamboat, for many reasons, not just the food. I like what it symbolize and one of the most important thing that I love while eating steamboat is the companions and the fact that everyone at the table will have to be ‘disconnected’ to be connected with each other as one would need to concentrate on cooking the steamboat ingredients instead of being glued to their smartphones.
Yes, I love steamboat, but these days, I’m getting pretty bored with the normal ones. There’s always just seafood and fishballs.
Lucky for me there’s STEAMBOAT M2 CAFE & CATERING
This quaint steamboat shop is located in Setapak, just in front of KL Faetival City. So what’s so special about this one in comparison to others? Well, firstly, it’s an eat-all-you-can buffet steamboat. Secondly, it is HALAL. Steamboat is always associated with Chinese delicacy and most steamboat shops are non-halal, but this particular restaurant is catering for Muslims. So if you’re looking for a place to dine with your Muslim friends, this is the place you should go!
And then there’s this, instead of those normal BBQ chicken wings, they served roasted lamb instead! Yups, you’re reading that right. Their specialty is roasted lamb, and having tried it once quite some time ago last year.The lamb comes with savoury BBQ sauce, a dish that will knock you out in awe.
Hmm, it’s been awhile since I last patronize this place. Perhaps it’s time for a re-visit? 
Heard they are having a promo!
For more info and reservation:
M2 CAFE & CATERING
A-01-06/07 Pusat Kormesial Setapak,
Jalan Taman Ibu Kota, Setapak
53300 Kuala Lumpur
https://www.facebook.com/m2cafecatering
Website:
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February 5, 2014
Cream: Awesome apps for Shopaholics
Having traveled a lot these days with my family does not make me any smarter. Well, at least not where shopping is concerned, as I am quite a terrible shopper.I’m an impulsive buyer. If I had it my way, I would probably just grab anything I fancy from the shelf while shopping. Alleviating stress would also prompt me to go on retail therapy, leaving me with buyer’s remorse soon after. All these habits would be fine if I am a rich woman with savings like a Fort Knox, but sad to say these habits are just killing me.
As much as I would love to stop being such a shopaholic, I got to admit that at times it is rather tereupeutic. So I suppose things can still be under control if I could make better desicions when I am on my shopping rampage.
Have you ever purchased something, or went to an eatery and upon finding out the price during payment, felt if you did not get the best deal? I always find myself in such a predicament, but lucky for me that there is a smartphone app to remedy that.
Here’s introducing CREAM, a new smartphone application currently available for android devices, with iOS compatibility coming soon.
So, what does it do? Read on below then.
CREAM can help you start making smarter purchasing decisions. Leverage the crowd by using CREAM to get real-time pricing information from others to determine if you are receiving a good deal or not.Features of this apps include:
Unlimited amount of pricing questions to ask the crowd
Notifications when you receive feedback on your pricing decision
Price comparison tools to help you find more deals
Compare prices on the same product all across the world
Easy currency converter to convert foreign currencies
BuzzElement, the creators of CREAM, have released the official beta version of their app on Google Play.CREAM is a consumer based mobile app and platform that leverages the crowd to help consumers determine if they are receiving a good deal or not on their purchase. The app is positioning itself to be the “Waze for real-time pricing data.” CREAM users have the ability to leverage large groups of people to help them determine if they are receiving a good deal or not on their purchase.
Step #1: Snap a photo
So how exactly does it work? Well, CREAM app works bothways, meaning consumers like you and me do our part to post a photo of the item we want to purchase with its pricing to share with other CREAM users. It’s rather simple, in four steps you are on your way to participate in a growing community who will give feedbacks and interact, discussing whether the purchase was a good deal or not.
Step#2: Enter the price of the item
From the CREAM application itself, the first step would be to snap a photo of the item we want to purchase, be it food items, gadgets, or virtually anything under the sun. The user interface is really intuitive, where in three steps you are already on your way to share your would be purchase with everyone.
Step #3: Share it with all the users in CREAM.io
Feedbacks are almost instantaneous as well, as other users can leave a feedback, or give a thumbs up, or thumbs down to the would-be purchase or have purchased. This way, you will know if the deal is a good one or not, and subsequently decide whether to go ahead to buy it, or walk away. CREAM.io application gives us the option to give feedbacks on other users’ purchases based on our past experience.
I’ve been using CREAM for the past one week or so since its launching on my Android based smartphone, the Ninetology U9Z1+.
Check out the activities notifications that I received.Even though CREAM is currently still in beta stage, the amount of users have been increasing daily, with more and more photos being shared and hundreds of feedbacks given.
Here is what I usually do: simply snap a picture of the item they were looking to buy, add the price and add a quick description of the item.
It would then be instantly sent out to CREAM users where they could let the consumer know if they were receiving a good price on the item. Users could then select other places nearby with better deals and also recommend other options and items. The data would then be presented nicely in a chart graph for the CREAM user to analyze and decide if they should purchase the item.
Cream from BuzzElement on Vimeo.
Basically, CREAM is a downloadable mobile app for smartphones that uses geo-technology and crowdsourcing to help consumers around the world make informed pricing decisions. For more information on CREAM please visit – https://www.cream.io/CREAM’s initial focus is to build up a large community of dedicated CREAM users to make the pricing data more accurate and valuable. As the users and pricing data start to grow, CREAM will be able to use the analytics to create a real-time pricing engine using their proprietary technology. The pricing engine could then be used by travelers looking to budget for their next trip, brands who want to see their product pricing variations globally and researchers to help them predict global pricing patterns.
So what are you waiting for? If you have an Android based smartphone, head on to the Play Store and download CREAM. Their official website is at www.cream.io , with promise of iOS support coming soon. CREAM is free on Google Play and can be downloaded here at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.cream
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The Lion Dance and Us
Being autistic and having sensory processing disorder, kiddo is always hyper sensitive towards certain taste and sound.
Chinese New Year was always a horror for me and kiddo. He couldn’t comprehend the sound of firework and meltdowns always follows soon after. Nobody understood how difficult it was for me and him and most would that that I am a bad parent with damaged goods as I am unable to stop him from ‘throwing tantrums’. Yes. Chinese New Year was always depressing for me as we both had to endure all sort of judgmental people around us.
But luckily for me, this year kiddo has gone through changes after I stopped listening to people’s advice to try to teach him like normal children. His milestone is amazing and now he no longer picks on his food and no longer too sensitive towards sound. Thanks to Autism Parents Support Group who has given me loads of tips based on their personal experience on dealing with autism first hand, kiddo can now enjoy the noisily loud Lion Dance and firecrackers sound. Chinese New Year is not quite a horror for us anymore.
Cleffairy: Taking things one day at a time.
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January 22, 2014
My Womanly Experience with Snowdrop Pads
A lot of people asked me questions these days. Work related questions, personal questions and also ‘pretty amusing questions’, but all I can say is that changes is necessary, and at some point in our lives, we need to move on for the better. Some may like it, some may not like it, but I will do what I must and what I see fit.
One of the amusing question I received last week during my Railway Tourism Trip with Sahabat Media is about me traveling light. I was probably the only one who brings a small backpack as a luggage during my 3D2N trip to Perak. A lot of people couldn’t comprehend how I could survive with small luggage as that, but I did. And a lot wondered what’s in my striking pink backpack too.
Well, here’s some common item that I usually bring with me whenever I travel; My trusty DSLR camera, a shawl (because I believe style shouldn’t have to suffer whenever I’m traveling), my purse, small bottle of cleanser, lip-tint, BB Cream, mirror, a few packets of Ephyra, mints/fruit preserves, baby-wipes, my smartphones, power-banks, panties and sports bra, along with some clothes. Those are the usual things that I bring along with me whenever I go travel. So, how about women’s needs? Well, I usually use tampons whenever I travel, but ever since I miscarried back in August 2013, I got a lil bit traumatized inserting foreign items in my vagina… you know… it’s kinda related to the stupid suction thingie that they used to remove dead fetus from your womb. The entire thing is pretty much a horrifying and traumatizing experience for me. I don’t really want to talk about it, so yea, to cut the long story short, I’m no longer using tampons during my monthlies. Disposable pads are much more preferable, but these days, I’m a tad sensitive about em, so I use cloth pads instead.
A friend of mine introduced em to me and though skeptical at first.
I was given the entire Snowdrop starter kit to try. Apart from pads, I was also give. A panty liner to try too.
I can assure you that it works much better than the disposable ones, and after doing research about it, I discovered that there’s plenty of disadvantages using disposable sanitary napkins all these while.
Take a look at the youtube vid below
Sanitary napkins are made from recycled paper or paper pulp containing dangerous toxic chemical, so when chemicals mixed with blood it will breed bacteria that can cause vaginal infections and abnormal vaginal discharge for some women.When infection occurs, women in question will be prone to a variety of diseases , especially in the vagina. Bad itch, rashes, yeast infections and worst of all hormonal disorder and infertility. All these toxin takes years to accumulate in the body, and according to medical reports, it is one of the cause for cervical cancer too
I was surprised to discover that blood are actually not bad smelling. The foul smell is actually the result of a chemical reaction between the blood and the chemicals in disposable pads , not from the smell of blood itself.
The advantages of using Snowdrop Cloth Pads:
The absorbent layer made of anti -bacterial microfibres to absorb moisture four times its original weight .
Pads and Liners Snowdrop has been designed to adhere well without wrinkling your underwear , especially the part on the back for better protection and comfort throughout the day .
Pads sewn around the top , and not sewn edges like most other cloth pad ( edge sewing faster and cheaper ) but also non-durable ( more easily drawn especially if put in the washing machine )
Absorber layer and top stitched together in the middle to give the impression of a thin , neat and comfortable . Waterproof layer sewn in the middle to avoid penetrating and leaks.
Snowdrop only use high quality imported fabrics and customized microfibre fabrics such as anti -bacterial , PU coated nylon to provide maximum performance , functionality and durability on all products . Both antibacterial microfibre and PU coated nylon is certified Oeko- Tex Standard .
Quality workmanship , each of the pads are handmade with care and detail for consistent quality .
Snowdrop offers a wide selection of patterns and designs to suit every woman’s soul and feeling .
Patterned fabrics used specially imported from USA cotton designer of high quality , resilient and durable . Snowdrop offers a warranty for defects or damage from the manufacturing process ( for 1 year) .
Cloth pad is similar to the widely used disposable pads, the only difference is that it comes with buttons. I’m using Light Mist and Medium cuz I have a petite body, and it works as well as the disposable ones. I can’t say much about it yet as this is the first time using em, but I can vouch for the quality and comfort. It is much more comfortable, almost as if you’re just wearing panties during your menstrual instead of wearing thick pads. My flow is pretty much heavy, but these pads does not leak and leaves undesirable stain on my panties or pants. Another brownie point for it.
The one that I am using is made from minky fabric. The inner layer comprises a layer of anti-bacterial microfibre absorber and waterproof layer PU coated nylon to prevent leakage. Back layer (below) is 100% cotton patterned imported from USA. Equipped with two poly-resin buttons for easy size adjustment.
Washing and taking care of cloth pad is easy. All you need to do is soak em overnight or rinse it under the tap and hang them up to dry. You may also wash em by using washing machine.
The easiest way to travel near or far when using cloth pads is by using the wet bag.
Size = 9 inches x 7 inches
Made from minky fabric
Coated with a layer of waterproof PU coated nylon.
Zip to resist odors and moisture from coming out.
Loop is 9 inches long.
Can store up to 9 pieces Flux Dry liner, or 3 to 5 other pad size pieces.
Overall, my experience using Snowdrop cloth pad is very pleasant. Here’s a few notable things that I like about wearing cloth pads:
Comfortable. Comfort is pretty important to me, and probably one of the biggest things I’m loving about cloth.
No noise. Ahemm, no plastic crinkle noises when you walk.
It’s very discreet. and I like it.No leaks. I experienced a lot of leaks with disposable, staining my panties, but not with cloth pads. I am looking forward to seeing if I experience less cramps or a lighter flow. I don’t have either particularly bad, but I’ve read that many women experience less, which is always a nice thing!
Environmentally friendly.
No uncomfortable itch if I were to wear it for more than 3 hours. Because disposables are made from plastic, they are not breathable. Therefore, some are “scented” which can also be an irritant. Reusables are much more breathable, so even though they aren’t scented, there’s not a real issue with that.
Variety! No more boring old sterile white. There are oodles of prints, fabrics, and even styles to choose from! Okay, call me a fashion maniac, but there’s nothing wrong with that, right?
Have questions on cloth pads or interested to try them on yourself? Well, head over to Facebook/Baby.Snowdrop or the website snowdrop.com.my or contact them at 0134361180
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January 21, 2014
Getting Ready For Chinese New Year 2014
I’m quite well known for being a bit of a Grinch and Scrooge during Chinese New Year. I always thought that it is pretty much commercialized and such a thing somewhat bothers me.
But surprisingly, I feel differently this year. Unlike the previous years where I would get irritated whenever Chinese New Year is mentioned, I get all excited and hyped up instead this year. I’m even countingdown to Chinese New Year as of writing.
Doing quite a few things this year to celebrate, including getting a lantern or two to light up throughout the festive season.
Not forgetting the auspicious paper cutting arts to paste on doors to encourage good luck and prosperity
And what’s Chinese New Year without the tidbits?
And prawn crackers
Or pineapple tarts? They are a must have.
And ohhh, I must absolutely stock up on these fried mini springrolls with prawn floss in it. They are my favourite!
Mandarin orange is a must
And so is the pomelo
Along with the good luck golden pumpkins. These are the foodstuff that is a must have in a traditional Chinese household during the spring festival as they signify luck, prosperity and abundant happiness.
It is a good thing that I am not the only one who is all hyped up for Chinese New Year. Hubby is too. He spotted a wishing tree while we were shopping and decided to make a wish on it.
I discreetly made a wish and hung it up too… 
Wonder if it will come true. I sure hope it will.
Anyway, no Chinese New Year preparation is complete without getting ourselves some new clothes. I wish I can say I’ve hit the mall and looted some new clothes, but sadly that is not the case, as time is always envious of me. My schedule is always tight and I’m always on the go, attending events, traveling and whatnot. Leisure shopping is not always possible, but lucky for me, there is Zalora.
Zalora is an online boutique that enables you to shop in the comfort of your own home and Zalora is offering wonderfully chic and classy Chinese New Year collection.
I have my eyes on this striking pink Qi Pao with scallop hem. Should I get this and be all cute this year?
Or should I just be traditional and get this demure and sweet-looking Cheongsam?
Help me decide, folks. I got to place my order soon or I’ll have to wear last year’s clothes for Chinese New year. 
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January 19, 2014
Railway Tourism: Sweet Memories, Rice and Cultural Diversity in Malaysia
What do you think of when you see a bowl of rice?
It’s been one week, but whenever I cooked and serve a bowl of rice for my family…
Or went shopping for a bag of rice with my friends to prepare for the upcoming reunion dinner to welcome the Spring Festival or more commonly known as Chinese New Year…it will remind me of the times I spent with Mak Tok, my Sahabat Media friends and my loved ones during my Railway Tourism Trip to Perak.
You must be wondering why such a thing like Jasmine Sunwhite rice reminds me so much of the trip? Well, some people would most definitely think of their childhood times with their grandmother and whatnot whenever they see a bowl of rice, but not me, at least not recently. Whenever I see a bowl of rice these days, I’ll think of the sweet times I spent with my loved ones and friends during my recent trip to Perak.
This is because throughout the 3D2N Railway Tourism trip, the members of media were served rice with loads of dishes as sides at almost every meals. So whenever I see rice or cook Jasmine Sunwhite AAA fragrant rice at home, I will think about it without fail.
Coming from a Peranakan family, I’m very particular when it comes to cooking and my choice of rice. Jasmine Sunwhite AAA Fragrant Rice is always my choice as they are de-stoned, colour sorted and auto packed for hygiene.
Apart from that, Jasmine Sunwhite AAA Fragrant Rice is not only certified Halal by JAKIM, but the quality is also aknowledged by ISO too. A plus point for me whenever I do entertaining at home for my Muslim family and friends, as the rice is Halal for their consumption.
For such a quality, the price is pretty reasonable. Jasmine Sunwhite Fragrant Rice cost only RM34.95 per bag of 5 kg. Quality for fraction of the price, I must say.
Anyway, who would have thought that such a simple thing like a bag of Jasmine Sunwhite AAA Fragrant Rice could trigger so much flashbacks? I’ve been taking a lot of trips down the memory lane these these days.
Every time I see the top right of the Jasmine Sunwhite AAA Fragrant rice bag packaging, it will also remind me of the orphans I met during my second night in Perak. Why? Well…cuz with each bags of Jasmine Sunwhite Fragrant Rice that I bought, part of the proceeds from the bag of rice is used to feed orphans and the underprivileged via ‘Bowls For Humanity Program’
Here’s sharing some rice pictures taken during my Railway Tourism Trip with my Sahabat Media friends. I wonder if any of these rice dishes used Jasmine Sunwhite AAA Fragrant rice? The texture and taste is definitely similar in my humble opinion. Hmmm…that is a thought to ponder. Perhaps the rice is so popular that it is widely used throughout the country?
Fried rice served on the train during my KL-Ipoh ETS Gold Class Ride
Rice and side dishes during Railway Tourism Launching and Concert in Ipoh Railway Station.
Rice with exotic dishes and authentic kampung style curries that I tried during Lenggong Food Festival.
Exotic rice all wrapped up in Daun Lerek, spotted at Lenggong Food Festival.
Rice served during mock wedding in Bukit Gantang.
Play pretend bride feeding her pretend groom with rice during the mock wedding in Bukit Gantang. Aren’t they sweet looking? Too bad this is not a real wedding. Our homestay host merely threw a mock wedding feast with members of media as volunteers to play a part in a Malay wedding so that all who participate in the Railway Tourism trip could experience how it is like to be involved in preparing and fully participate in a Malay wedding.
Fragrant and authentic nasi lemak wrapped up in banana leaf, specially prepared by Mak Tok for breakfast before we left for Kg. Krai.
Rice and dishes served during ‘makan berhidang’.session for us media and celebrated tourists and voluntourism volunteers during Victoria Bridge Green Day with Datuk Seri Nazri, Tourism Minister of Malaysia at Kg. Krai, Perak.
Banana Leaf Rice that my hubby had during Thaipusm celebration with friends after we came back from the trip.
Briyani Rice that I had during Thaipusm Celebration.
Economy rice that I shared with my hubby when we touched down KL.
Rice…a mere staple for us Malaysians, but it unites each and every one of us regardless of race, culture and religion. Everyone in Malaysia eats rice almost in every occasion and as long as you serve rice, there will always be a sit down session where everyone eats together and catch up with each other. It is such a beautiful thing don’t you think?
I certainly thinks it is beautiful and I think as long as I keep cooking and buying Jasmine Sunwhite AAA Fragrant Rice, it will always reminds me of the sweet memories and the wonderful time I spent with my loved ones and friends.
Pic collage by Izzati Ghafur, taken during the mock wedding in Bukit Gantang Homestay; where I ate the rice prepared by our host like nobody’s business.
One for the album. Picture taken with Sahabat Media friends during our Railway Tourism trip. Can you spot me in there?
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Railway Tourism:Victoria Bridge Green Day
Time is envious. It was already the third day and after having breakfast with Mak Tok, it is time to say goodbye.
Mak Tok prepared a very traditional nasi lemak along with Malay kuih cucur badak and cucur keria and coffee and tea to wash everything down with, and even offered to pack up some fruits for us to bring back home, but I was already getting tearful and all emotional. After bidding goodbye to Mak Tok and ‘salam’ my family and I left Mak Tok’s house in Kg. Pauh, Bukit Gantang with a heavy heart.
I wonder when I’ll be able to visit Mak Tok again? I certainly wish that we could visit again soon. 2 days with Mak Tok is definitely not enough.
But I guess life goes on. Our time was up and we have to leave and head over to Karai, Perak for the next thing on our agenda; Victoria Railway Bridge Green Day and Voluntourism Launching for Perak State by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri.
Members of the media…on the way to cross the bridge so that we can go to ‘the other side’.
People crossing the bridge.
Pretty crowded that day. Everyone is heading to the other side for the launching.
A closer look at Victoria Bridge
View from above
The scene from up above is calming but deadly. I was told by the locals that crocodiles can be spotted every now and then in the river, waiting patiently to chomp down on their unsuspecting victims.
To be honest, the Victoria Bridge reminds me of a haunted railway bridge, and rightly so. According to the locals, there are plenty of paranormal activities associated with the Victoria Railway Bridge. Pretty freaky, and according to them, the bridge is haunted by the spirit of a teacher who committed murder-suicide. The teacher who committed suicide killed her son and daughter by pushing them off from the bridge before jumping down herself. The folks in Karai also mentioned that should I encounter any form of woman in the middle of the bridge, wearing traditional clothes asking for direction, I shouldn’t answer as that would be the spirit of the bridge who will push me down to death once I responded.
I shuddered as I listened to the tales and folklores told by the locals in Karai regarding to the Victoria Bridge and tried to assure myself that there is no such things as ghosts or spirits, and it is absolutely safe to go across. It was bright daylight. No spirits would dare to haunt me.
But boy I was wrong. I had the misfortune of encountering a paranormal activity myself. I think I met the spirit of the bridge when I was in the middle of the bridge myself!
It was indeed a horrifying experience. For a moment, I wondered if we were the only one who experienced such a thing, but apparently other members of the media and bloggers experienced the same thing too! Gosh! Something needs to be done about this. I think bomohs or priests should be called for exorsism so that the spirit could go back to where it belongs and rest in peace instead of haunting the bridge and the living.
But luckily for us, regardless of the spooky and horrifying encounter that nobody wants to talk about, we still managed to get across safely. Rangers awaits our arrival.
The members of media were given selempang. Selempang is a term used to refer to the piece of cloth referring to batik or pelikat and similar to the Hawaiians’ leis, selempang is used to welcome guests of honours during special occasions or events. Traditionally, the selempang is used by Malay farmer as headgears to protect them from the glare of the sun, or to wipe sweat.
Blogger friends posing with performers. There is actually a launching gambit going on when we arrived, but apparently, only the folks from mainstream media were acknowledged as media and no bloggers were allowed any interview or coverage during the press conference. So yea…sorry…again, there is no pic of our beloved minister.
So what’s a girl to do? Well, luckily for me there is always food.
Makan berhidang session for is members of the media and tourists.
Among the food served; fragrantly pungent ikan pekasam goreng, ikan patin gulai tempoyak, beef curry, beef rendang, ayam masak merah, and ulams to dip with sambal belacan and sambal tempoyak. All of these are served with plain rice and nasi minyak. Don’t ask me how many helpings I helped myself too, but I can assure you that it is not something my nutritionist will agree with.
After lunch, we hops back on our bus for a lil tour in Kuala Kangsar, the royal district of DYMM Sultan Azlan Shah, the Sultan of Perak.
Stay tune to see what we did in Kuala Kangsar.
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January 18, 2014
Railway Tourism: Experiencing the Malay Wedding
I was practically on my feet for the whole day during the second day in Bukit Gantang. Woke up nearly to join others in Lenggong Food Festival, went back to Mak Tok’s house for local fruit feast and a walk around the village. One would have thought that I would have dropped dead by night, but I was still hyped up for the next agenda on our iterinary: mock wedding.
Our homestay host has taken the trouble to throw a mock wedding for us where almost all of us participated to make it work. I believe in Malay, you call it the the spirit of ‘gotong-royong’.
Members of the media and participants alike arrived early at the venue dressed in traditional clothes provided by our respective foster family.
Blogger friend Wendy, posing in front of the dais before the arrival of the mock bride and groom.
Here is the picture taken during the ‘bersanding’. The bride is our media friend from Iran while the groom is a student from Indonesia. The best man and bridesmaids are from Somalia and Indonesia. Wendy and I on the other hand, played flower girl during the ‘adat merenjis’ session. Pretty cool, huh? Bride from Iran, groom and bridesmaids from Indonesia, best man from Somalia and flower girls from Malaysia. This is what I call unity through culture. Everyone played a part to make things work.
The mock wedding is one of the most wonderful thing in have experienced during the trip with Sahabat Media. Even my husband got into his cheeky mood and took a ‘wedding photo’ with me on the dais and pretended that we are the Malay bride and groom for the night too. the ‘second time around’ pictures is something I would treasure for the rest of my life. It meant a lot for me.
The blushing bride and groom at the VIP table for the ‘makan beradap’ with the host who acted as their parents.
Oh uh…everything started to look real from this point onwards. Lol. Will you just look at that? There is our blushing bride, feeding the groom in a loving manner.
Food served during the mock wedding. No cutleries were provided and we enjoyed the whole meal like a real kampung folks; eating by using our hands.
Plain rice
Fragrant and flavourful nasi minyak
Curry, roasted chicken and sliced beef in soya sauce. I took a lot of helpings of these, especially the beef in soya sauce. It was simple but distinctively flavourful and marvellous.
While we were enjoying our food, we were entertained by martial art performance.
Seni Silat Gayung performers getting all warmed up.
I thought it will be like most silat performance where they just show some artful silat dance.
But boy was I wrong! It was a full fledge silat performance and not something on have seen before. It was a real silat fight with weapons involved. Yours truly practically scream at some point seeing how real it was. My son and husband on the other hand was all excited seeing such an energetic silat performance for the first time.
When I thought the night will finally come to an end, our celebrity Sahabat Media friend, Ikhwal hops up on stage and performed some songs for us. Ahhhh…bless the singing traveler. Finally something to calm my nerves a lil bit.
Members of the media, participants and guests dancing ‘joget’ with Ikhwal on stage. Yours truly and her hubby joined in the fun too. We were really in the mood that night.
One for the album. Sahabat Media and everyone who were present that night during the mock wedding.
It was a truly memorable experience for me and my family, and experiencing the Malay wedding not just as guest but as a flowergirl is indeed something I would treasure for as long as I live.
Our trip did not just end here, there is still more for me to tell. Do stay tune yea?
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January 17, 2014
My Womanly Experience with Snow Drop Pads
A lot of people asked me questions these days. Work related questions, personal questions and also ‘pretty amusing questions’, but all I can say is that changes is necessary, and at some point in our lives, we need to move on for the better. Some may like it, some may not like it, but I will do what I must and what I see fit.
One of the amusing question I received last week during my Railway Tourism Trip with Sahabat Media is about me traveling light. I was probably the only one who brings a small backpack as a luggage during my 3D2N trip to Perak. A lot of people couldn’t comprehend how I could survive with small luggage as that, but I did. And a lot wondered what’s in my striking pink backpack too.
Well, here’s some common item that I usually bring with me whenever I travel; My trusty DSLR camera, a shawl (because I believe style shouldn’t have to suffer whenever I’m traveling), my purse, small bottle of cleanser, lip-tint, BB Cream, mirror, a few packets of Ephyra, mints/fruit preserves, baby-wipes, my smartphones, power-banks, panties and sports bra, along with some clothes. Those are the usual things that I bring along with me whenever I go travel. So, how about women’s needs? Well, I usually use tampons whenever I travel, but ever since I miscarried back in August 2013, I got a lil bit traumatized inserting foreign items in my vagina… you know… it’s kinda related to the stupid suction thingie that they used to remove dead fetus from your womb. The entire thing is pretty much a horrifying and traumatizing experience for me. I don’t really want to talk about it, so yea, to cut the long story short, I’m no longer using tampons during my monthlies. Disposable pads are much more preferable, but these days, I’m a tad sensitive about em, so I use cloth pads instead.
A friend of mine introduced em to me and though skeptical at first.
I was given the entire Snow Drop starter kit to try. Apart from pads, I was also give. A panty liner to try too.
I can assure you that it works much better than the disposable ones, and after doing research about it, I discovered that there’s plenty of disadvantages using disposable sanitary napkins all these while.
Take a look at the youtube vid below
Sanitary napkins are made from recycled paper or paper pulp containing dangerous toxic chemical, so when chemicals mixed with blood it will breed bacteria that can cause vaginal infections and abnormal vaginal discharge for some women.When infection occurs, women in question will be prone to a variety of diseases , especially in the vagina. Bad itch, rashes, yeast infections and worst of all hormonal disorder and infertility. All these toxin takes years to accumulate in the body, and according to medical reports, it is one of the cause for cervical cancer too
I was surprised to discover that blood are actually not bad smelling. The foul smell is actually the result of a chemical reaction between the blood and the chemicals in disposable pads , not from the smell of blood itself.
The advantages of using Snowpad Cloth Pads:
The absorbent layer made of anti -bacterial microfibres to absorb moisture four times its original weight .
Pads and Liners Snowdrop has been designed to adhere well without wrinkling your underwear , especially the part on the back for better protection and comfort throughout the day .
Pads sewn around the top , and not sewn edges like most other cloth pad ( edge sewing faster and cheaper ) but also non-durable ( more easily drawn especially if put in the washing machine )
Absorber layer and top stitched together in the middle to give the impression of a thin , neat and comfortable . Waterproof layer sewn in the middle to avoid penetrating and leaks.
Snow Drop only use high quality imported fabrics and customized microfibre fabrics such as anti -bacterial , PU coated nylon to provide maximum performance , functionality and durability on all products . Both antibacterial microfibre and PU coated nylon is certified Oeko- Tex Standard .
Quality workmanship , each of the pads are handmade with care and detail for consistent quality .
Snowdrop offers a wide selection of patterns and designs to suit every woman’s soul and feeling .
Patterned fabrics used specially imported from USA cotton designer of high quality , resilient and durable . Snowdrop offers a warranty for defects or damage from the manufacturing process ( for 1 year) .
Cloth pad is similar to the widely used disposable pads, the only difference is that it comes with buttons. I’m using Light Mist and Medium cuz I have a petite body, and it works as well as the disposable ones. I can’t say much about it yet as this is the first time using em, but I can vouch for the quality and comfort. It is much more comfortable, almost as if you’re just wearing panties during your menstrual instead of wearing thick pads. My flow is pretty much heavy, but these pads does not leak and leaves undesirable stain on my panties or pants. Another brownie point for it.
The one that I am using is made from minky fabric. The inner layer comprises a layer of anti-bacterial microfibre absorber and waterproof layer PU coated nylon to prevent leakage. Back layer (below) is 100% cotton patterned imported from USA. Equipped with two poly-resin buttons for easy size adjustment.
Washing and taking care of cloth pad is easy. All you need to do is soak em overnight or rinse it under the tap and hang them up to dry. You may also wash em by using washing machine.
The easiest way to travel near or far when using cloth pads is by using the wet bag.
Size = 9 inches x 7 inches
Made from minky fabric
Coated with a layer of waterproof PU coated nylon.
Zip to resist odors and moisture from coming out.
Loop is 9 inches long.
Can store up to 9 pieces Flux Dry liner, or 3 to 5 other pad size pieces.
Overall, my experience using Snow Drop cloth pad is very pleasant.
Have queations on cloth pads? Well, head over to Facebook/Baby.Snowdrop or the website snowdrop.com.my
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