It's so near, it's tomorrow

I'm feeling all nervous, anxious, nausea... all at once which is so wrong at this time. I shouldn't have let these feelings taken me for a ride. Be strong... mentally, so I can conquer the butterflies in my stomach.

I'm counting down to my biggest, longest, toughest hike ever... नेपाल (aka NEPAL, see my level of preparation? lol), here I come!! I personally think that I didn't train enough...1 more day to the Himalayan land and all I need to do now is to get myself mentally ready. *Breathing in and out slowly* ... Strong mind will keep me survive the 12 days trek. When I look at my checklist, I feel like killing myself... the list got longer and longer and it never ended...Hope the trekking journey don't give me the never ending feeling.

This is my trekking itinerary from the guide. Will try to google the map and see how challenging its gonna be. 

This is the closest map I can find...hmmmm....really interesting



Then I realized it wasn't just the hike that got me nervous. Damn, it's the phobia of flying long hour on Airasia. Yes, AA flies Kathmandu on AirasiaX. I know 4.5 hrs ain't long haul flight but with AA, anything more than 1 hr is long ... for me. I keep reminding myself to  take a glass of hot milk before boarding, (just in case you asked, milk actually has calming effect) to keep myself calm. To be honest, I will pop on some pills too.... yes to that extend, my fear of flying. The fear developed 2 years ago while flying to HCMC. I was sort of a frequent flyer and things were ok prior to the HCMC trip. Now, I'm minimizing my holiday due to this reason.

Back to Nepal, clothing and necessities packed but my Gregory Sage 45L is just not big enough. Not sure is the size or my packing skill that matters. Will try to reorganize the stuff and hopefully (fingers crossed) everything will go into the backpack as planned. It's this big ok....(see pic below)

I have packed light, bringing minimal shirts and pants...and no beauty products ok. Only a tube of aloe vera for all purposes. Shit, I'm gonna look like zombie for next 2 weeks. If any friends bumped into me at Kathmandu or Langtang, I doubt they can recognize me. Lol... Joking la... It's not like I always dress to nines and suddenly surviving on a tube of aloe vera gel.

Looking at the time now, I have less than 24hrs to pack and bringing my mental to the next level... lol tell me what is next level please...In fact, at this hour tomorrow, I will be touching my feet on Nepal ground.

Let's pray everything will be alright. I don't want to catch any flu or altitude sickness. Feeling dizzy and nausea is the last thing I want while hiking in thin air... and of cos no diarrhea please...Most importantly I hope my feet and knees will be on my side throughout the journey. Dear God, I thank you in advance for not letting these little little things holding me back from completing my journey.

Now, few last things to do... check on the weather forecast, reading thru the wikipedia, checking on wikitravel and also what to shop at Nepal. Shopping brings smile or rather makes a girl giggles and forgetting their fear...hehehee...

Wish me luck...more bout the hike when I come back :D Adios...

Give Me A Reason

I should be blogging about my preparation for Nepal, then this caught my attention half way so I'm prioritizing... This is the first time I heard this song... Just Give Me A Reason by P!nk (feat Nate Ruess). P!nk has never failed me with her songs. She's never my favorite singer but her songs are awesome to my taste.

Take a listen! You may not able to watch the video here but it's alright just click on the link to youtube.

Here's the lyric:

Right from the start

You were a thief you stole my heart

And I your willing victim

I let you see the parts of me

That weren't all that pretty

And with every touch you fixed them

Now you've been talking in your sleep

Things you never say to me

Tell me that you've had enough

Of our love, our love

Just give me a reason

Just a little bit's enough

Just a second we're not broken just bent

And we can learn to love again

It's in the stars

It's been written in the scars on our hearts

We're not broken just bent

And we can learn to love again

Im sorry I don't understand where all of this is coming from

I thought that we were fine

Oh we had everything

Your head is running wild again

My dear we still have everything

And its all in your mind

Yeah but this is happening

You've been having real bad dreams

Oh oh

You used to lie so close to me

Oh oh

There's nothing more than empty sheets

Between out love, our love, oh our love, our love

Just give me a reason

Just a little bit's enough

Just a second we're not broken just bent

And we can learn to love again

It's in the stars

It's been written in the scars on our hearts

We're not broken just bent

And we can learn to love again

I never stopped

You're still written in the scars on my heart

Your not broken just bent and we can learn to love again

Oh tears ducts and rust

I'll fix it for us

We're collecting dust but our love's enough

You're holding it in

You're pouring a drink

No nothing is as bad as it seems

We'll come clean

Just give me a reason

Just a little bit's enough

Just a second we're not broken just bent

And we can learn to love again

It's in the stars

It's been written in the scars on our hearts

We're not broken just bent

And we can learn to love again

How to we get rid of blackheads and whiteheads

Basically this is what a lazy blogger (I blog, so I'm a blogger per se) does... find some useful info on the net and share it. When I started this blogging stuff, I said I wanted to document my life and take note of things that happen everyday in my life so I can refer to it one day. So I found this useful info and I want to be able to refer to it when I needed to...hence this post. People share it on FB, i share it in my blog.

These are tips to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads, I haven't tried it but definitely will... maintaining a clear and beautiful skin takes time and effort and consistency... unless you're born flawless. There's this Chinese saying goes like this "There's no ugly woman, but only lazy woman". It literally means if a woman makes effort, they will look beautiful. So here goes...

● Toothpaste – Toothpaste is an effective blackhead and whitehead remover. Apply a thin paste to your infected areas and let it sit on your face for at least 25 minutes. You will probably feel a burning sensation when you apply the toothpaste, but this is normal and will pass. Once you remove the toothpaste, the top of your blackheads and whiteheads will disappear, but you still need to thoroughly wash your face to remove the buildup underneath. Repeat this home remedy every other day for two weeks.

● Tomato – Tomatoes have natural antiseptic properties that dry up whiteheads and blackheads. Peel and mash a small tomato. Apply the tomato pulp to your blackheads and whiteheads before going to bed. Leave the tomato pulp on your face while you sleep and then wash your face in warm water in the morning.

● Lemon -Wash your face in warm water. Then, squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl. Add in a pinch of salt and stir the mixture. Apply the mixture to your blackheads and whiteheads. Leave the mixture on for approximately 20 minutes and then wash your face with warm water again.

● Lime – You can also use equal parts of lime juice and cinnamon powder and apply this mixture to blackheads. Leave it on overnight and rinse it off in the morning

● Cornstarch – Mix about a three-to-one cornstarch to vinegar ratio into a paste. Apply it to your problem areas and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the paste with warm water and a washcloth.

● Yogurt - Mix three tablespoons of plain yogurt with two tablespoons of oatmeal. Add one teaspoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture. Stir the mixture thoroughly and apply it to the effective area of the face. Let the mixture sit for five to seven minutes then rinse off with cold water.

● Almond or oatmeal – Mix either oatmeal or almond powder with just enough rose water to make a spreadable paste. Apply it to your problem areas with your fingertips first and then apply it to the rest of your face. Let it set for about 15 minutes and then rinse your face with cold water.

● Rice – Soak rice in milk for 5 hours and then grind this in a blender until it is paste-like in consistency. Use the paste as a scrub on affected areas of the body.

● Potatoes – Grate raw potatoes and then rub the area with the mixture. Wash it off after 15 minutes.

● Fenugreek leaves – Crush some fenugreek leaves and mix with water to form a paste. Put this on the face for 15 minutes and then remove it. Do this every night to keep your face free of blackheads.

● Coriander leaves – Mix some coriander leaves and a little turmeric powder with water and form a paste. Use this as a mask to eliminate blackheads.

● Oatmeal -Grind oatmeal into a powder in a blender and then add some rose water. Use this on affected areas for 15 minutes and then wash it off with cold water.

● Baking soda – Prepare a mixture of equal parts of baking soda and water and rub it onto your face or other body areas prone to blackheads. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.

● Honey is also good for removing blackheads. Spread honey on the affected area and remove it after 15 minutes.

Remember – Be gentle to your skin. Never pinch, scrape, poke, press, or squeeze too hard!

So try it and lemme know if they work. Happy trying!!

5 Things to Learn from Jillian Michaels

My close friends will know who my new role model (or favorite person) is...That will be none other than Ms Jillian Michaels. She's one of the trainers of The Biggest Loser and and and I hope I can look liker her (body wise) one day...soon.

Was google-ing for Jillian and found this piece of article released on Shine, Yahoo some times back in 2008. I thought perhaps I would copy and paste this article and share it once again to new fans... well, I'm one of them. I only heard bout Jillian in 2012. If I don't dig it out and share it, hardly people will find this piece of treasure...lol

So here's what she had to say...the interview by Shine:

1.) DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR SELF-PRESERVATION.

I told Jillian that some of my habits—flushing rice down the toilet so I won't eat it, bringing my own high-fiber bread to brunch—stirred some controversy on the blog. "Why?" she asked. "Why should we apologize for the practices that help us manage the symptoms while we deal with the real reasons we eat? I pour candle wax on my food at restaurants," Jillian admitted. "Not wanting to 'waste food' is a poor excuse for ending up far worse off later on, dealing with all the health problems that come with obesity."

2.) RUN.

I asked Jillian if running really is the best form of cardio for weight loss. "Absolutely," she said. "There are lots of great ways to get your heart rate up, but if you want to see the pounds melt off, running is the fastest way. But I get that not everyone is built for it—knee problems, tight IT bands, heel spurs; I get it.” Whatever you do, she said, “Don't forget the weights! The more muscle you build, the faster your metabolism will run."

3.) THE BIGGEST LOSER IS NOT REALITY.

"You don't watch the Olympics and think, Hmm, I should swim for 6 hours a day like Michael Phelps, do you? But you might think about joining a pool and swimming a few times a week," she said. That's what Jillian wants people watching TBL to think, too: "If these people can lose ten pounds in two weeks, maybe I can lose ten pounds in a couple of months." She adds: "I want people to realize their own potential; I meet people all the time who never thought of themselves as athletic, but now? They truly are athletes."

4.) FORGET WILLPOWER.

"Losing weight is not about willpower—it's about moments of bravado, like the moment when you ask your waiter to take the bread away from the table right away."

5.) JUST SAY THANK YOU.

When I told Jillian how much weight I've lost, she congratulated me. And then (as I always do), I added, "But I still have a long way to go." "Stop," she said. "What does that do," she said, "apart from negate everything you've already accomplished? You're being self-deprecating and disempowering, and that doesn't serve anyone-and especially not you. Be proud of what you've done for yourself."

What do you guys think—is weight loss about willpower? I happen to agree with Jillian and think it's NOT. It's not about gritting your teeth and finding the strength "deep within you"—I think that's B.S. and will leave many people feeling really bad that they can't find it. They key, I think, is to set up your environment and make decisions so that you can succeed even when willpower is nowhere to be found.

So what says you? It's so true right? We shall bear these in mind and our journey to weight loss will be much easier. 

1. Share your food if you don't want to waste them.

2. Find some times to run at least once a week. If you think you can't run, take it slow. Start walking at least, increase the speed gradually and then you are on the track. 

3. Everyone wants to shed 10kilos or run full marothon but set short term goal... it's about one step at a time. The next thing you'll see, you achieved faster than you thought you can.

If your resolution this year is bout losing weight, print this out and paste it on your wall. You'll be there in no time.

February and Me

February has treated me well... by well, i mean everything like loads of foods, loads of workouts, loads of works, and etc... and a newborn nephew too.

I intended to write a few times and have got a few drafts on different topic on the draft but didn't manage to complete them. So today I'm gonna summarize everything in one single blog. Hope it won't turn out too wordy.

I started my first run of the year in February by completing a mere 4km on one public holiday, 1st Feb to be exact. Forced myself to wake up early and put on the running shoes. The outcome was good, automatically i feel like running more after that. 

See, it was that early in the morning and the weather was good. The next thing after this photo was posted on my FB, i got invite from a hardcore runner friend to join her to run over the weekend and I accepted. Little did I know the run was gonna be the longest run in my running history. More about that later.

Exactly the next day after my first run, i went hiking with a bunch of newbies to Broga hill. It has been planned for a while and we finally made it happen. This is my 2nd time to Broga, still didn't manage to see sunrise but it was indeed a very satisfying one. Why, becuz I almost killed myself during my 1st hike some 2 years ago. I was really unfit back then, my heart was pumping so hard that I think it's gonna jump out of my body if there's a way for it to. Not only that, I see nothing but black images of everything after just 10 minutes of going uphill. So moral of the story, if you're unfit, be frank to yourself and your friends ... and some warming up helps and go slowly. I scared the shit out of my friends' pants.. . lol.

But guess what? This time around I was the leader. Leading 3 peers namely Mila, Far and hubby. Another pat on the shoulder. Determination and practices bring you further...Lol. In fact it wasn't that difficult to go uphill. Although it was steep, but the distance was short. We managed to reach the 2nd peak in 30 minutes or slightly more. The most challenging part is when we were climbing up the 1st peak on our four, strong wind blew suddenly. We have no choice but gotta stop and stand facing the opposite of the blowing direction so that the sands and dust didn't get into our eyes. That moment, one will think they were standing on a desert. The blowing sands were so obvious and i got my hair covered with sands.

We did have fun. Here are some photos :) Broga is really a good place for beginners with nice scenery too. I think these photos didn't really do the justice. It was taken with a phone for I don't usually carry camera with me. But I hope it's enough to tempt one to go and experience Broga.

Back to the earlier story, bout the friend inviting me to run my longest run. I did it the next day right after Broga hike. Tell me if you think I'm not determined enough. What more can I say, I'm so proud of myself for the 3 continuous working-out days. This 3rd day of workout was the toughest of them all. I ran  a whole 10.76km in one morning. And guess what, I made it. I'm so so proud of myself. Patting own shoulder non stop... *shy*  And then i got more determined to run but but but.... it never happened and the month ended.

Why, because then there's Chinese New Year means there were tons of eating and reunions and catching ups. So everything just stopped right after I accomplished my biggest achievement. Then guilt hits me... but nothing much I can do...lol...lame. I continue to eat and when I got back to work, my pants got slightly tight and I hate this yet my mouth continue to munch...hahaha

Then come Valentine's Day where I always have to help out during this big day for lovers. Having a florist as family business has a cons side as well. Meaning forever I won't receive flowers bouquet from my other half. He can't buy from me cos I will be wrapping my own flower bouquet. He can't buy from other florist cos I will scold him for giving business to others.

After Valentine's we all welcome a new member to our family. Little baby boy from my baby sista.. more reason to celebrate and eat right? hahaha...no, my sis was in pain after the c-sec so not much celebrating while she's in hospital tho. Here's a smiling baby photo :) to brighten up the already bright day.

3 days old and smile 

While the eating continues, I gathered my determination once again and started my favourite Jillian Michael's 30 Days Shred. This will be my 3rd rounds of 30DS and I'm loving it. Perhaps I could share out my experience of doing 30DS in a post. Not here for sure cos it's too lengthy already by now. Before the month actually ended, the last weekend on Sunday me and my hiking members went for another hiking practice, trying to conquer the peak of 1933m tall Gunung Liang but fail, and i failed miserably.

Pushing off at 5.30AM and we met at Behrang toll plaza at 6.30AM. From there we drove about 20 minutes to the base of the mountain. It was still dark and there was only us parking and getting ready to hike. Started slightly before 7am and it was pitch dark going up the road to the water damn which will be the beginning of the hike. Prior to that, we stumbled upon a python crawling by the tree. Scream and shout and fellow hiker said it was just a baby... a baby that huge, was praying won't be seeing the mommy.

Trespassing the gate of the dam, we climbed up to our trail. Prior to that, i slipped and almost end up in the waterfall... hehe. then we started our journey in dark and narrow trail. It was rather scary and even more scarier after we realized the 8 of us are the only hikers on this mountain. Moving forward, after like 30 min, crossing some water path (later realized there are actually stream connecting to the main stream of the waterfall) the attack of the leeches began. After peeling off (by the lionking) a few that trying to suck my blood we move on. It was really geli (malay for ticklish, nauseatic, scary - i think the english translation didn't carry my feeling towards leeches) to see them wiggling on our feet and pants trying to penetrate their bloody head onto our skin to enjoy the blood sucking. Even Lionking finds them very gross (born with fear for cold blooded creatures) lol... and right there we both decided we do not want to follow the rest to the peak.

one can hardly see the trail

this is how thick the jungle is

After like 2hr 30min of hike, we gather by the mini waterfall to rest and we told the rest we surrendered. We are moving down, unable to take the leeches attack and also feeling unwell due to lack of sleep for few continuous nights. This isn't lame excuse, check out the bites and you will understand. People like us who don't usually encounter leeches will not be able to take this.

These are just some bites. Too gross to snap all the pictures cos some bites just won't stop bleeding. Prior to turning back, we took a rest right on the rocks by the stream. Didn't even dare to sit down as the leeches might come attacking our butts. The water is crystal clear, the air is fresh...really tempted to continue the hike with the rest but the leeches just a big turn off. Dear God, why do you creating a creature like leech?

Nice right if we were to picnic here? Only if you think leeches are your pet kitty or puppy. Hahaha... Then we turn back and walking down happily and fast trying to avoid leeches and big spiders on the ground. Following the traces of papers left by our fellow hikers earlier, otherwise getting out is disastrous. Everything in front of your eyes look exactly the same. Almost an hour of trekking, we heard a loud roaring sound and I scream back to the sound and I was shivering after that and standing close to Lionking. We heard some foot steps moving away. Praying hard it wasn't some wild animals. Grabbing some fallen branches we quickly walk down, wanting to get out of this place ASAP. Imagine after we left, the whole place was left conquered by the remaining 6 of the fellow members.

After like 1hr 30min we finally arrived at the damn (where i first fell down) and feeling 100% relief and then I realized there's a pain on my tummy. Lifting up my shirt I saw the blood sucker biting on my tummy. Damn... why God you don't make them suck fat instead? More people will be happier to let the sucker survive sucking on them. Then we saw there are some people come to the damn and the stream down under to fish. 

After another 10mins of walk we reached our car. Thank god we didn't car pool or else we need to wait for the rest until god knows what time they will come back. 

This is the path way we walked this morning where we encountered the snake by the roadside under the tree. It was so dark we didn't know on what road we were stepping on that morning. Upon reaching the car, me trying to change the pants with towel wrapping around my waist. Can't wait to go to the nearest petrol station for I afraid there might be leeches inside the pants. Joke... Bear in mind, there's no toilet or changing area at Gunung Liang. Taking off the shoes i noticed 2 bloody suckers on my left foot and 1 on my right food. Same goes to Lionking. He has 2 sucking on his feet and all his bites won't stop bleeding. I wonder why is that so? Later that night, my leader sent me this picture of how they changed. Haha, thanks to the guys who set up the changing room. 

if I were with them, i will end up coming down at 9pm. Pitch dark with more than 20 bites from the leeches. Thinking bout that make me feel so much relief for giving up and being chicken in the first place. They arrived home at 1.30AM whereby me and Lionking left the parking at around 12pm and we drove to Bidor to have a nice lunch at this famous Pun Chun Duck noodle at Bidor. Here's our yummy meal while the rest of us still struggling going up the deadly mountain.

On the way home, I was the one driving and it was drizzling and raining occasionally. Hate to drive in the rain so I went really slow and we got home at almost 4PM, bathed and slept our ass off. Woke up later that evening with flu and fever. And that prevent me from visiting my little nephew. 

The remaining of the days in February was spent working hard at work. With flu and fever and tons of work, I didn't manage to spend time working out except a few push ups and crunches at home. That's more or less wrapping up my February and coming March gonna be the perks!

Till then...ciao... hope you didn't fall asleep reading this grandmother bedtime story of my February.