2014 in Pictures

Hi guys! How was your New Year’s? Mine was a quiet affair at home. I was working during the day and got back late, so I really didn’t have any energy to go partying afterwards.

Since I did a ‘review’ of sorts for 2013, I thought I’d do one for 2014 as well. Personally, it has been a very eventful year and I got to go to a lot of places – of which I am very grateful for. Here’s to another awesome year ahead!

JANUARY

• Went white-water rafting for the first time.
• Ferried to the jungle campsite in lorries in the middle of the night like cattle.
• Scary, exhilirating and exciting all at once.
• Fell into the river two minutes into the ride.
• Dangerous, but fun – like a two hour long ride where you can’t get off and might lose your legs and a life in the process. yeah.

• Went to Bali with the fam.
• Dug toes into the beautiful beaches of Uluwatu with its turqoise blue waters.
• Visited the sacred temples of Tirta Empul and touched the holy spring waters for good luck.
• Drove up to the high, cold peaks of Kintamani and had lunch while looking at the badass crater-lake.
• Enjoyed exploring the rich culture and history this Hindu island had to offer.

FEBRUARY

• Agonisingly long trip back to parents hometown in Ipoh to visit relatives for Chinese New Year
• Played tourist and went to Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang
• Visited the Ipoh railway station for pix and stuff.

MARCH

• Met up with my Saudi Arabian friend Sinan for the first time.
• Took him sightseeing around Putrajaya. 

• Country experiences tragedy with MH370’s disappearance.
• Helped with coverage, interviewed international journalists on their experience here.

• Went to my first F1 race with Simon. Got sunburnt in the process.

• Tried North Indian cuisine for the first time.
• It was pretty awesome.

APRIL 

• Saw a real-life Tibetan Mastiff for the first time.
• Fluffeh as hellz

• Traveled to Cameron Highlands for another family trip.
• Enjoyed the cool air, tea leaf plantations, beautiful butterflies and pretty flowers up in the hills.

MAY 

• Went for my first Red Bull Air Race. 

JUNE

• Visited the zoo again after more than 10 years. 

• Took lots of hipster shots at the annual Floria Putrajaya – the city’s flower and garden festival.

• Went on my first press junket to Vietnam – to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. 
• First class treatment with business class flights and five star hotels.
• Marveled at the beautiful, tranquil river waters of Tam Coc, which is like Halong Bay but less commercial-y.
• Got to know more of the country’s history at places like Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the Reunification Palace.
• Nearly died crossing the roads at Hanoi’s Old Quarters coz their traffic is cray

JULY

• Made coffee at DIB – the first cafe in Malaysia which is run by the deaf and mute community.
• Mourned another tragedy – MH17 was shot down while flying over Ukraine and Russia.

AUGUST

• Best month of my life.
• Boyfriend flew all the way from San Francisco to visit me in Malaysia for two weeks.
• Words are inadequate to describe how happy I am to have this amazing person in my life, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of it with him
• Spent most of our time together walking the streets of Penang and KL.
• Took him to Penang Hill, the beaches of Batu Feringghi, the Clan Jetties and exploring the culture-rich streets of Georgetown.
• Parents let him stay over in our house. APPROVAL STAMPED.

SEPTEMBER

• Got to interview graffiti artists that I respect and admire on their street art project in KL.

• Fed goats on a farm in Johor.
• Won an Ipad Mini at a lucky draw. Achievement unlocked, because I’ve never won anything in lucky draws.

OCTOBER

• Grandma’s 88th birthday.

• Met up with my Indonesian friend Liv and played tour guide around KL.

NOVEMBER

• Joined and completed a marathon for the first time.
• In Penang again.
• It was 7km, but still counts, right?

• Invited to another press junket at I-City.
• Went with mum for a free night’s stay at their newly opened hotel.
• Visited the wax museum, trick art museum and various other attractions.

DECEMBER

• Aunt and Uncle’s 35th wedding anniversary.
• Got my US VISA. Planning to travel to LA to visit the boyfriend (and Jeppeh) in April 2015.

• Christmas meet-up with the UK gang.

Can’t say it hasn’t been an awesome year. I’m thankful for everything.

Anyway, I’m turning a quarter of a century this year. That’s more than 30% of my life lived. @-@ Have I done anything worthy of being remembered? I don’t know. Maybe I should do more this year.

How was your 2014?