My Solo Hike

Dear Diary,

I made it alone. The solo drive from JB to Tangkak, the solo hike of Gunung Datuk and the solo drive from Tangkak to Tioman. I made it all alone and it was quite an accomplishment for me. I have never done anything like this alone. I have driven alone from Subang Jaya to Tangkak but I supposed that was natural. Many others would do that too but this time, it was different. I felt a great sense of achievement and I knew I can do it again.

The climb of Gunung Datuk was smooth. There were many hikers and I did not feel alone although I was alone. I ended up climbing with one guy that I met during the hike. He was old and over friendly. He tried to make me feel so comfortable that I got annoyed with him. I honestly felt like kicking him, perhaps watched him rolled down the mountain while munching on my snicker chocolate bar laughing hysterically. That man is one cheeky old man. I swear. 

I took 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the summit and I can see how I improved so much. This is the second time I climbed the mountain. I took more than 3 hours the first time I climbed it. That was 7 years ago. I did a night hike that time with 3 other climbers. It was fun and more challenging. But this time round I must say that it is even more challenging as I was alone and I only had strangers climbing with me. 

When I reached the summit, it was raining and I was shivering. I did not have any jacket or windbreaker. I did not think it was going to rain. The wind was blowing strongly and when you are up at the summit of a mountain, you have nothing to block the wind so you will feel cold without any extra layers of clothes. I wanted to stay longer up at the summit but I had to go down as I was getting cold. I know how much longer I could take and at that time, I knew if I stayed longer I could have gotten hypothermia. I decided to climb down as fast as I could.

Climbing down was a breeze except that I really wanted to pee and there was not any suitable site that I could do it. Gunung datuk is a steep mountain and the only track that is most comfortable to stand without sliding down is at the track. I cannot be answering nature call in the middle of the track with my pants down. I tried to hold it but it got worst as every step I took going down hurt my bladder. I could feel that the water in my bladder is screaming to get out. It was either I waited and suffer or I let it go regardless of where and how. I had to do it, I knew I was desperate to pee. I came to a spot where I sat on the roots of the trees, without taking off my pants I simply peed. I was alone and I made sure that I would be alone for a good 15 minutes at least. That was the plan. I knew I had to do it but leaving the pants on was a cover up in case some other climbers bumped into me. 

Don’t think that was gross Diary. Desperate times call for desperate measures. That is how you survive in the jungle, in fact, anywhere else. You got to think to solve. Anyway, it was raining on my way down so I knew the rain would have wash the urine off my pants by the time I reached the bottom of the mountain. I was already dirty and sweaty, I did not really care what others would think of how I smell because I knew they could not do any better too.  

I reached the foot of the mountain in 45 minutes and I headed straight to the toilet, wash myself with the icy cold water with my clothes on. I felt as if I was going through some cleansing ritual or something. I bought myself a delicious ramlee burger and a cup of hot coffee. Went to my car and drove back to Tangkak. That is how I did it Diary, my way, my style and I loved it. The next day, I drove to Tioman and it was another chapter of experiencing adventure alone. I will tell you about it soon!!

Semoga Dipermudahkan Segalanya

Hello Diary,

Salam sejahtera. Aku harap sekali yang engkau sihat di sana. Aku sihat alhamdulillah. Cuma sedikit penat dan sedikit risau. Tidak apa apa Diary. Risau aku ini tidaklah serious sangat. Tidak lama lagi mungkin risau aku ini akan hilang. Aku sudah tidak berkerja lagi. Contract aku tamat dan aku tidak mahu menyambung. Aku mahu buat benda lain. Belum tahu apa tapi aku sedang mencari. 

Oleh kerana itu, aku mengambil peluang ini untuk keluar dari Singapura. Hari minggu aku akan mendaki Gunung datuk dan selepas itu aku ke tioman dan vietnam. Aku akan memandu seorang sahaja. Aku agak nervous sedikit. Semuanya aku lakukan seorang sahaja. Di tioman Hipopotamus akan menunggu aku di jeti mersing tetapi aku akan bersendirian pergi ke gunung datuk dan juga ke mersing. Harap harap semuanya akan berjalan lancar untuk aku. Semoga dipermudahkan segala urusan aku. 

Aku sudah habis packing dan backpack aku memang berat. Terasa seperti memanjat gunung. Teringat kembali zaman aku hiking. Memang itulah zaman paling best dalam hidup aku. Dan juga waktu waktu aku tinggal di Subang Jaya. Boleh aku katakan, those were the best years of my life. 

Aku mesti bangun pagi besok. Entah boleh atau tidak aku tidak tahu. Aku terasa seperti malas mahu pergi. Tidak tahu kenapa tapi mungkin sebab aku akan keseorangan nanti. Tidak apa Diary, ini hanya untuk sementara sahaja. Aku yakin ini semua akan berulang lagi kerana sekarang memang aku sendiri sahaja kan. Apa apa yang aku buat semuanya sendiri sahaja. Ini lebih bagus bukan. Barang barang aku sudah siap semuanya. Harap Harap tidak ada yang aku lupa. 

Mungkin aku tidak pergi ke gunung datuks ebab sekarang ini haze sangat teruk sekali di Negeri Sembilan. Gunung Datuk berada di sana dan aku baru sahaja berurusan dengan organiser gunung datuk ini. Dia kata mungkin akan cancel dan aku pun macam putus harapan sahaja sekarang ini. Tidak apalah Diary. Aku tidur dulu ok. Selamat malam. 

Promising Unsuccessful Application

Dear Diary,

My third application for a flat is unsuccesful again. But it is okay as I am not giving up. This time, the email that I got from the Housing Development Board sounds promising. This is because they have probably known that I am serious about it. This is the thing with HDB. Land is scarce in Singapore therefore anything that requires land is expensive in Singapore. Ironically, the most basic essential things of living that use land are houses and transportations. Houses and cars are filthy expensive here. I cannot deny that. I cannot wait for the next launch of housing projects by HDB. I will apply again and let us see what the result is. They have a launch in Yishun for singles and I am definitely will go for it. 

I am excited Diary. I received a call today about a job. They are going to arrange an interview for me. Alhamdulillah. I wish and hope that I will get this job as this is probably the job that I will like. They called me for a phone interview first I supposed. Nowadays, it is always like that. Interviewers will interview you on the phone to hear your voice and how you speak on the phone. They will study your phone etiquette and from there they will decide. It is tougher now to find a job as there are many obstacles that you have to go through. Apart from competing with fellow Singaporeans, you also have to compete with foreigners. I do not have anything against them but this is the reality in Singapore nowadays. Happy or not, you have to live with it. 

I was once a foreign talent too in another country except that I owned my business and so there was not any competition for me about the job but there were many competitions in business perspectives. There were many unhealthy competitions and I did not like it. I can say that my few years in business there brought many schooling to me. I learnt a lot from the streets and I know I can never get that kind of experience and knowledge in any top universities in the world. Experience, like respect has to be earned. If I get this job Diary, I would be so grateful to Allah. Things are going smoothly for me. In shaa Allah.   

GAS

Dear Diary,

I have been busy. I have so much things to do. Packing for my holiday, training for my Gunung Datuk Hike and learning how to use Windows live movie maker. I told you I want to make a videography of all my travels from now onwards. It is only logic for me to start teaching myself to use the software. I am excited but at the same time, I am a little worrysome. Oh yes, by the way did I tell you that I am going to Tioman Island from 17^th of March to 20^th of March? Yes, I am and on the 24^thof March to the 28^thof March, I will be in Ho Chi Minh City. 16^thof March I will probably be on top of Rembau at Gunung Datuk. It is a day hike event. I have been training for it. My legs are sore but I know I can do it.

Look at my schedule Diary. Wow! I have never been this busy and I wish I can do it again every year. Well, I have already started planning on where to go this December on my own without my parents. I am going to travel yearly with my parents once and by myself once. That’s what I promised myself. I bought another thing online. 

It is a headband for torchlights or an action video camera. Guess what, it is actually for the torchlights but I bought it because I want to use it for my action camera so that if I am going for an activity that does not require me to wear a helmet, I can simply use the headband for the camera to record my actions. I have been searching for it for so long. I have figured out a way to attach the camera without the helmet on my head but I do not really like how I did it because it is loose and I still have to use the mounting accessories to do it. 

As I was doing it, I had that idea but I do not know where to buy that kind of headband and I searched for it online. I found it and it is cheap! Only $16 inclusive of delivery. I am a happy woman. I think I am suffering from GAS now. It means Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I am like that and I cannot help it. I always want to make sure that I have enough of everything. Perhaps I am suffering from a mild OCD too. Well I do not know. I hope not. I will upload the picture once I have received the item ok. You are going to like it Diary. Oh, wait now, my only concern is if it can reach me before 16th March as I need to use it for my trips. I hope so Diary. It is from overseas. Never mind. I will wait.   

And guess what? I am ok now. I am no longer an angry woman. The feelings that I have kept to myself all these years, I have let it all out when I wrote to you. It feels good. I might be wrong about my opinions but that is what I felt. Never mind Diary. People come and people go in our lives. I am happy now because I am. It is okay now. 

See the pictures Diary? I can attach 3 torchlights on the headband. On my right, left and top of my head. This is the very reason why I bought it. My action camera is round and I am sure it will fit just nice. I am super excited!!