Chapter 5 all I want for xmas..

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Other than World Peace, a 'brilliant solution' from the Climate Change conference in Copenhagen, happiness to everyone, money to the homeless...

Sometimes I think its pretty selfish wanting things when some people dont even have a roof over their heads. So whenever possible during the festive season I try to do my bit, this year the family abroad, I've asked them to donate to a charity instead of buying me a pressie and posting it over.

I can still dream though.. there are some things I need (and want) *sigh* if only Santa exists..

Books: I cant get enough of them these days, I read Sci-fi, non-fiction, biographies, travel, fiction, chick lit.. I read everything. However I found these two books in KK and I want to read them--I've been reading some heavy stuff recently and need something light-Marian Keyes is a witty Irish author, she and Cecilia Ahern are brilliant chick lit authors without being too 'chick lit'.

For work and pleasure. I need a decent SLR camera.

I need a pelican case for my laptop. Scratchproof, waterproof, shockproof.. I remember reading the label: the only thing the pelican case can not protect your laptop from: shark bites, bear attacks and 5 year old children.

There are some cool tents in the market (pictured above: wind and solar powered tent!). I forgot my tent in the middle east and need a good, durable tent. Santa: tent with an entertainment system would be nice, I spend many long weeks in a tent!

An iphone or an LG Chocolate touch. I love gadgets..at the moment I dont actually own a mobile phone. With constant travel and being in the outdoors, phones are lost or get damaged (which is what happened to me). But I will be spending more time in the office. So a mobile phone with many functions would be uber useful, particularly in my line of work.

I love Benefit products. As I spend most of my time in trekking shorts/trousers and boots. I need to feel a little less rough and tough and little more 'girly'.

I use biodegradable wash or shampoo (to wash my face, shower etc). Its always about packing light when you're out camping and hiking, so one product goes a loooonngg way. SO when I am back in civilisation: I love pampering me!

I hope everyone gets what they want this xmas.
When and if you can help those in need this Xmas.

Happy Holidays everyone.

P.S If you do meet Santa in your travels, tell him to read my blog and see what he can do about the things in this post!

The BIG 3-0

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:35:00 +0000

That day is drawing near. The day I can no longer say I'm in my late 20's. When filling in forms, I can no longer check the box that says age 24-29. The day I'm supposedly a more mature individual.. no longer am I in my awkward teens or experimenting in my 20's---I'm a mature, successful 30 year old. *PAH* I want to be a kid again, I want lots and lots of colourful presents to unwrap, I want a big birthday cake and I dont want to worry about adult responsibilities! Well truth be told I am pretty happy with my life and accomplishments. I may not have gone down the 'usual' path but I'm known for that. I wouldnt have been happy with the 9 to 5 office job, 2.5 kids and a dog with a white picket fence. I have the husband and that at the moment is the only commitment I have. We love the nomadic life we live. Money is funny--at times we're good and other times we live on instant noodles. But that to me is the experience. We havent a clue at times where we're going and what we're doing next but we've got each other and a passion for the outdoors and fixing this planet! Our parents constantly worry as we havent set up a permanent 'nest' anywhere-will cross that bridge when we get there! Am I happy? Yes & No. Would I do things differently or change my lifestyle? No. Is my life perfect? Of course not but I am pretty happy with it:

SO heres to ME on my 30th.. I may be spending most of the day travelling and sitting on a plane-theres a surprise-but I get to see my family and old friends and that I think is a terrific present.

"Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have."
~Doris Mortman~

a little frosty

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:25:00 +0000

Its November. ..Correction: It is now coming to the END of November! How did we race through yet another year? I feel as if it was only yesterday I was frantically preparing for my wedding--when in real time its been exactly 125 days since I've said 'I do'! This time last year I was sweating it out in the Middle East prepping for our trip back to England for Xmas. This year I am freezing my mitts off in China and prepping for a trip back to Borneo--we may do Nepal first! I really didnt expect it to be this cold at this time of the year.. I am currently sitting in my room, wearing every bit of clothing I own! The significant difference between being cold in the UK and being cold in China-- there's central heating in the UK, houses are designed for cold weather. In China, houses are designed for the extreme heat in Summer. So come winter, its just as cold indoors as it is outdoors.. In fact there are times where we get home and instead of reducing the number of layers we have on we increase our layers and then dive into bed and pray to the duvet gods that our miserable duvet will keep us warm through the night. I think some of my colleagues are now thinking twice about their incessant whinging of the British weather: The Chinese weather goes from one extreme to the other; blistering hot or blistering cold.

I have actually developed a rather bad/annoying habit recently : When asked "How are you today?/How are you?/ What have you been up to? Fancy going for a drink? Want to try someplace new?"
I will reply with the same annoying answer "Its frickin freezin!"

So if you have been wondering what I have been up to and why I never blog its purely because:
"Its frickin freezing!"

Thats a lie, here are some of things I have been up to and some of things I have learnt:

1) Having only been here for 2 and a half months, I had to learn about the organisation. I have been working lots;doing random jobs as I had to start from scratch.

2) I have also been promoted (twice): and have taken up more responsibilities. I am writing, designing, marketing, selling, instructing.. amongst other things!

3) In the past 2 weeks, I have spent a week away in the mountains camping, looking after camp, as well as preparing food for 50 people, I have carried water from the river, trekked, dig holes, put up tents, built a kitchen etc. I have also lead an Orienteering session in an area called the Dragons Plains, I have also spent way too much time on the computer for work purposes. I have also been complaining about how cold I have been whilst doing all of the above!

4) In the past 2 and half months I have been to : Guilin, Shanghai, Nanbeihu, Ziyuan, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Yangshuo and stopped in many little towns on the way to all these places.

5) The longest time its taken me to travel to get to my destination: a 24 hour train ride from Guilin to Shanghai and then 2 hours on the bus to get to our final destination Nanbeihu.

6) Sessions I have instructed since I have been here: Camping, Orienteering, Rock Climbing, Team Building, Low ropes, Trekking, Kayaking, High Ropes.

7) I am working for a company that has been awarded "Best Adventure Co. in the world" by National Geographic for 3 consecutive years! ( I only knew about this 2 weeks ago! )

8) C.h.i.n.a media censorship board for internet browsing is one of the worst in the world. They have banned Facebook, twitter, blogs, international news, google (!). People are using proxys and software to access these websites.

9) Table manners is non-existent in this country. You can do WHATEVER you want at the dinner table: spit, blow your nose, throw food on the floor (not just at the restaurants but at family homes).

10) They have the 'talent' and 'skills' to fake everything: not just watches, bags, DVDs.... but also water, eggs, cheese and meat!

11) Heavy lead content in the tap water: tap water is basically not suitable for anything --consumption, showers (my hair is ultra frizzy!) ..am wondering whether continual use of tap water when brushing your teeth will have long term effects on your gums and teeth!

12) China is a beautiful country, rich in culture and history. Breathtaking scenery and is a brilliant giant playground-- however, how people live here for years on end is beyond me. The pollution is terrible, theres an entire city(the size of Singapore I reckon!) of factories 2 hours from Shanghai!

13) Medical facilities here are scary, even the Chinese send their sickies to Hong Kong, Taiwan or Malaysia!

14) Its all about 'face value' here. The whole society and culture that revolves around 'not losing face' even when you're wrong! It sucks and makes working difficult.

15) My back has been giving me problems: the beds in China are hard, they dont believe in soft mattresses here..

16) I am loving life here though. Staff benefits are amazing: food, accommodation, free beers, free ice blended drinks, staff lounge/bar with a Wii console. Makes working hard worth it.

Till then : "Oh the weather outside is frightful.."

Christmas is around the corner..

When 'Pink' is just a colour.

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:10:00 +0000

Cancer is a word, not a sentence. ~John Diamond

If you didnt already know (or if you have been living under a rock!) --The entire month of October is dedicated towards the awareness of Breast Cancer.
Ribbons have been used to express solidarity on the part of the wearer with the identified cause since the early to late 20th Century *wikipedia*. Across the globe Pink Ribbons (and the colour pink) are used to express support for women (and men) who are diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Show your support donate/volunteer or wear a pink ribbon for the month of October!

Things to know:

Breast cancer risk increases with age and every woman is at risk.

Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.

One in eight women or 12.6% of all women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.

Breast cancer risk increases with age and every woman is at risk.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74.

The first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a woman's mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present.

Approximately 1400 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2000 and 400 of those men will die.

About 1.2 million cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

About 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of breast cancer.

You are never too young to develop breast cancer! Breast Self-Exam should begin by the age of twenty.

Risks for breast cancer include a family history, atypical hyperplasia, delaying pregnancy until after age 30 or never becoming pregnant, early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), current use or use in the last ten years of oral contraceptives, and daily consumption of alcohol.

My personal mission;

"Spreading the word and this year; raising funds for women who cannot afford to pay for a mammogram."

Some people wonder why I'm a die-hard 'pink ribbon wearer'. Its a cause that has been close to my heart for many years now. It has been 11 years since my mum was first diagnosed with breast cancer. It changed her life and has affected the many people around her forever. She now volunteers for an organisation called Reach to Recovery and the work I have seen the group do is nothing short of a miracle!

When my mum was diagnosed with cancer, she wouldnt take s*it from anyone. She ate what she wanted, worked, travelled and wouldnt put up with negativity. She ignored all the 'so called' restrictions (dos and donts and what NOT to eat whilst battling cancer.) She was however prepped to losing all her hair! (I actually recall a very bizarre wig shopping trip with her!)

Guess what?

By being ultra positive during those times (although still suffering and in pain!):

- she survived. Doctors arent always right! (shes still with us till today!)

- she didnt lose her hair (that wig is collecting dust at the back of her closet)

- she has spent 11 years helping cancer patients, running campaigns, travelling the world for Breast cancer conferences.

- shes still my mum and shes still with me in all those important 'growing up moments'. When she was diagnosed i remember giving myself a timeline; 5 years to graduate, get a job, get married and have a kid! Its been 11 years i havent done all the things on that list but I'm doing it at my own pace, because she's still with me :)

Dont take life for granted.

Get yourself checked, nag your sister, your mum, your wife, your girlfriend, your fiancee, your best friend!

Remember girlies, men can be diagnosed with breast cancer too.

The most important thing in illness is never to lose heart. ~Nikolai Lenin

Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. ~Author Unknown

snippets

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:43:00 +0000

Its been a crazy month! In fact its been a crazy year-- I have experienced so much in different areas of my life; personal, social as well as on a professional level. There have been stories/rants/experiences/conversations that I have been wanting to blog about but have been struggling to do so due to internet access and restrictions in the big C and previous countries I've been living in. (big C = China.. from this post onwards I will not mention China due to restrictions in the country).

China is interesting. (I will elaborate on this.)

I am currently back in Sabah, Borneo for an unexpected trip and am swamped with work mainly writing...bizarre but true.

I not only work as an outdoor consultant/instructor. The company has now assigned me several other tasks: in depth research on bamboo (one of the most random tasks), marketing, travel writing and web content.

I miss non-chinese food.

Its great being back in a country where it takes about 30 minutes to order your food, eat your food and pay your bill and not spend 30 minutes just trying to order your food.

*post has been edited*

Check out my new home-Yangshuo!

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Well my home at the 'current' moment!

P.s: Yangshuo is in the County of Guilin in the GuangXi province.

Spectacular view from Moon Hill! Far from being a large, congested, polluted city (ie. Shenzhen aka Shitsend is one city in China to avoid!)-- I'm definitely a 'countryside' girl..

I have read reviews of the town (some are hilarious--couldnt understand some of the websites/blogs written by the Chinese, they may not be grammatically correct at times (similar to the author of this blog!) but they are an 'interesting' community. I spent a day in Yangshuo in 2005 and I loved it!;

' Thousands of hills stand in different poses and with different expressions, such as Moon Hill, Mural Hill and Schoolboy Hill which is the natural stage of the world famous opera 'Impression on Sanjie Liu'. Sanjie Liu is a fairy singer in the legend of the Zhuang minority group. Big Banyan, a huge tree with a history of over 1,400 years, is said to be the place where her love story happened. The 'Little Li River'- the Yulong River – is a paradise for a cruise because of its green hills, silky water and ancient bridges. You can also go to Xanadu, a primitive minority village full of folk culture and tranquil rurality.

Streets in Yangshuo are well kept in the original style, presenting the simple and primitive atmosphere of the ancient town.'

review from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/guangxi/yangshuo/

The plan: we fly on the 29th of August to Kuala Lumpur and on the 30th we fly straight to Guilin (where we had the option of taking a boat 80km down the river-- but since we are there for work, the company is sending a car to the airport for us!)

No clue as to what living in China will be like (random bloggers and travellers have mixed emotions about the place!) However, it will definitely be different from our time in United Arab Emirates.

What I truly believe: Have no expectations. Thats what makes travelling and working in different countries an experience!

Goodbye Borneo (for now!) Ni Hao China!

A travelling we will go..

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:37:00 +0000

A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.
~Lao Tzu~

Paragraphs and Punctuation!

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:05:00 +0000

What is wrong with blogger?

Yo pointed out how incredibly 'unreader' friendly my previous post was! The font was set on LARGE and squished into one paragraph and bloody font was set to Georgia (oh the grammar teacher in her!). Fine I have a problem with punctuation-I admit. However, when I typed out the post it was in paragraphs and the font was set at normal and the font style was set to 'verdana'! I tried to edit the post and bloody blogger is still stubborn and insisted on the same settings.. and i'm eyeing this post as well and I think blogger is doing the same flippin thing again. How rude!

I should be so lucky.

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:55:00 +0000

Its August already??!!

Beyond popular belief.. I am one who cannot sit still and Mr Idle and I do not see eye to eye, after one adventure has ended I crave another almost immediately.

I got back to Sabah at the end of April and spent 10 days with a group of 26 students and 2 teachers being their guide/leader in Sabah as well as instructing several sessions of snorkelling, kayaking, climbing etc. That stint ended early May and then W arrived back from the middle east and we spent time catching up with our many friends and family.

From May to Mid July we were kept busy running around trying to cross the many barriers/obstacles to get married as well as organising the wedding (tasks that people take a year to plan & complete-we completed in 2 months, thanks to friends & family and our amazing bridal party!).

A week before and after the wedding was spent playing tour guide to W's family and our friends. We finally had a cheeky little break (if you can call it that?!) at Manukan Island and then it was straight on to leading a trek, working for Camps Int. and my previous boss Mr. R. Hall. I spent 4 days with a group of 24 students and 2 teachers from Bristol--needless to say it was very entertaining and I have never heard adults whinge and whine about dirt and leeches as much as I have from these 2 (2 male teachers who claim to be one with nature and 'dabble' in all things adventurous! Yeah Right!).

When I got back, we were both indecisive as to where and what we were to do next so we said whatever comes first- which was Wills interview in Sabah-- turns out he needs one other qualification before any visas can be offered and working freelance is definitely not an option. Oman -- I, in all honesty was not looking forward to heading back in that direction, I know its completely different from the UAE (where we spent 6 months or so) but there are aspects of the Middle East that does not appeal to me.

By some miracle we were browsing through an adventure job site and stumbled upon the advert, within 2 days we were offered the job! I have been to this part of China and it is amazing I only spent one night at this town but I am looking forward to living there for a bit. The beauty of this job: being so close that if I wanted to; I could fly back to Sabah for the weekends and it makes travelling around the region super duper easy. Thank you Air Asia!

So I am starting to research the country, learn mandarin, pack my bags, get my gear prepped, .. apparently an apartment of sorts has been reserved for us and we're ready to go!

We have always been lucky and have always been able to acquire work not for one but for both of us! Hopefully our luck will continue!

Maasalama Middle East Ni Hao China!

And they were wed by Sam Rye

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:58:00 +0000

A very special friend wrote a little something after attending our wedding, it made me cry. I loved it and thought I'd post it on my blog (he even included some photos in his post!).
The original post can be found HERE.

I wasn't quite prepared for the lavish wedding thrown in honour of Will & Mia, but it was an incredible thing to be a part of.

Hannah, Chris, Rory, Yohanna, Freddie and I all arrived together and were greeted by Will and his groomsmen, all looking mighty sharp in their suits, and we underwent the usual process of handshakes and polite wedding chitter chatter as we awaited the wedding march to strike up.

I was pleased to hear the violins bust out Pachelbel's Canon in D instead of the wedding march - used at another of my friend's wedding - I think it's a beautiful piece of music.

canon - canon

Mia looked fantastic in what us blokes describe as 'a big white dress', but it was long and flowing and complemented Mia beautifully.

The paparazzi captured every moment of the ceremony and following reception, and the pictures are stunning - sadly I can't post them at this point, so you'll just have to trust me - unless you're a Facebook geek too, in which case they're posted on my profile page.

The reception was in the Sutera Harbour complex - one of the 5* hotel complexes in KK. This was the part I wasn't prepared for; no expense spared - 58 tables, enough to seat 580 people, about 8 courses, beer, wine & whisky galore, speeches and toasts, and 2 projector screens to show the happy couple's lives leading up to this day in photos.

An incredible event, held in a huge ballroom and it was only once a full glass of whisky was proffered to me that I knew it was about time to wish Mia & Will every luck in their future together, and make a judicous exit, and leave the revellers to continue the party late into the next morning.

There was also a second evening to the whole shindig - this time a celebration in traditional Kadazan style. Very annoyed that we arrived a little late (due to transport difficulties) so we missed the actual ceremony, a little of the kadazan fun (like blow pipes), but we made it for a beautiful dinner which was followed by dancing, more blow pipe action, and a mock harvest festival beauty pagent by Mia's cousins which was simply hilarious and impossible to describe here. It was a fantastic evening, and we drank tapei (rice wine) in many toasts to the bride and groom.

It really was great to see 2 friends so very happy, and I can only wish them every happiness in the future.

by Sam Rye.

Thank you Sam.

Maximum procrastination.

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:30:00 +0000

Here I am to blog again. Its been ridiculously hectic in the past 3 weeks-- particularly leading up to the wedding. Yes, folks. I am now a Mrs. My form filling days of stating that I am 'Miss' and 'single' are over. Occasionally I forget, as I look confused when someone addresses me as Mrs. R! Is there a difference from the day I said 'I do' --surprisingly, Yes there is a change, I thought it would be a day where we both say I do and then the relationship is 'legal' but there's more to it than that... every year I celebrate a birthday, move to a different country or do something different and everytime people ask me whether I feel any different I actually never do... this time round I can actually say I feel the difference! I cant explain why, Im still recuperating from all the boozing, eating and merriment of the 2 week 'shebang'.. but I'll get there eventually! In the mean time, I will be blogging --some articles for my own personal blog and some for 'work' purposes! Thanks to everyone who has made the effort to attend and celebrate with us!

bubbles.

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:07:00 +0000

I am such a kid at heart.
Forget the rice, heart shaped paper confetti-- bring on the bubbles as I walk down the aisle.

I tried my 'gazillion bubblemaker' bubble machine today, its amazing! I was transported into a different world, I spent the better part of the morning jumping up and down surrounded by a gazillion bubbles! (the neighbours were giving me weird looks-PAH who cares!)

“A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, Overflows, and bubbles all around”
~Caroline Birmingham~

here comes the bride..all bright and RED

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Ok.. so it hasnt been the easiest of months.. You would think arranging, planning and organising a wedding would be a piece of cake-think again! Now I know why people elope!!! From invitations (which have yet to be posted or addressed! YES I know the wedding is in 3 weeks!), to makeup trials, to venues, band, the dress, the photoshoot and most importantly to pleasing everyone but myself! I am ready to blow!
I just want 1 day of peace and not a constant reminder of what I need to do.. thing is I also have to update my CV and think about work post wedding and many other little details..so its Mia as a circus freak trying to juggle many other different tasks at the same time (multitasking I am usually accustomed to-but this is ridiculous!). I think Im frustrated mainly due to the fact that I havent had any time to MYSELf... to laze when I want to laze and to organise things according to my timeline and still meet the deadline.. *sigh* and breathe. I cant sit down without someone harping on about this and that not being done etc--and its during times like this I need people to ANSWER my calls--yes you wedding venue and wedding service providers I feel like chucking my phone down the toilet and flushing it away! OK end of rant.

Ok so it hasnt been all that bad.. W and I had fun during the pre-wedding photo shoot jumping, trekking, sweating (I have never in my life found trekking to be as hard-climbing and trekking up hills is challenging enough without the big white wedding dress and a veil trailing down my back in flip flops!). I have also heard from friends who have suddenly said they're coming to the wedding when initally they thought they couldnt. I have had my ups and downs but at the end of the day I have my MOH (maid of honour - who has been keeping me sane: we need another day out!) and I am marrying my best friend.

*sigh* not long now.

Sunday Quote(s)

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Planning and organising the wedding is all I am doing these days!! So some funny wedding related quotes are needed to lighten the mood!

When you meet someone who can cook and do housework--don't hesitate a minute--marry him.
- Unknown

To keep your marriage brimming,
With love in the wedding cup,
Whenever you're wrong, admit it;
Whenever you're right, shut up.
- Ogden Nash

Improvising.

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:28:00 +0000

Its Monday!

I started my Monday at 4:17am and woke to a loud obscene ringing coming from under my pillow-my bloody mobile. It was my dad-who needed a lift to the airport. I was groggy, I got out of bed, flopped back down on the sofa (oink oink- the snooze button and me have a very close relationship), dad was still munching on breakfast and he was watching a horror flick called "Whisper" which freaked me out (specific scene: driver driving, no one in the car turns to the front passenger seat and a little boy was sitting there staring at him!). As we were driving to the airport he decided to relate the story of how my bridal house (well the bridal house I am currently renting my dress from) is haunted and there were many cases of unexplained events that have occurred there which is why none of the tenants stay very long. 4:30am and there I was in a car on a lonely road, it was still dark and I had to drive home on my own. My imagination started going berserk.. I practically ran out of the car and jumped right into bed almost crushing W who was sound asleep. I found it difficult sleep after that!
8:21 am Woke up to the sound of my mum who needed a lift to the clinic as she was not feeling very well.. was so glad I could then roll over, nudge W who then said he would take her. On their way to the clinic there was a road block with a guy holding out a green flag to one side of the traffic and turned to the direction W & my mum were coming from and waved a big red toilet brush---in pain and still groggy, both my mum and W burst out into hysterics! *sigh*

Thats what I call excellent improvisation!

Chicken Nose & Sugar Pie

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:04:00 +0000

No. They're not 2 characters from a new animated series. In fact, supposedly both names refer to me! My beloved fiancee has on several occasions woken up at odd hours of the night and has 'addressed' me by these random names (nope not by other girls names but cutesy/weird names as stated above!). I think somehow, I am destined to share a room with a colleague/partner who has some sort of sleeping disorder! I have had 5 room mates in the past who sleep talk/sleep walk/sleep fight. My recent roommate in the UAE was by far the scariest of them all (I love her though she's ace!). In fact she neglected to mention her bedtime problems and initially I started having proper conversations with her only to realise she was actually ASLEEP! She has also laughed in her sleep (really loud and that was really eerie as it occurred in the dead of the night!) and was once asleep but sat up in her bed and started frantically flailing her arms.
Other wacky roommates I have had have:

1) Started speaking Chinese in they're sleep (I don't speak the language only a couple of words so I haven't a clue as to what was going on)

2) Started speaking French in they're sleep (AND AGAIN I don't speak the language only a couple of words and YET AGAIN didn't have a clue as to what was going on)

3) Walked out the bedroom door and into the kitchen put the pan on the stove (didn't light the stove-which was quite lucky!) and walked right back in the bedroom and hopped into bed.

4) I have been kicked before, take note this was a room mate whos' bed was on the opposite side of the room. How bizarre!

Sleep Talking/Somniloquy (excerpt from some random website)

"Also called somniloquy, sleep talking is a type of parasomnia sleep disorder referring to a condition wherein a person talks aloud while sleeping. Sleep talk can oftentimes be loud enough and range from simple, nonsense sounds into long-winded and understandable speeches. Sleep talking can occur for a number of times throughout a person's sleep. Unlike other sleep disorders, which occurs at a specific stage of sleep, sleep talking can occur during either the non rapid eye movement or NREM stage of sleep or the rapid eye movement or REM stage of sleep. The most usual occurrence of sleep talking is during the transitory arousals of a person from the NREM stage of sleep. If the sleep talking occurs during the REM stage of sleep, it could represent a certain motor breakthrough of a speech from the person's dream. This means that the words being spoken by the person in his or her dream are expressed aloud.

Most people who are sleep talkers are not aware that they talk aloud while sleeping or utter sounds unless their bed partners or roommates who have heard them, tell them so. Many sleep talkers are composed of young children. About 50% of young children are reported to be affected by sleep talking. Most of them manage to outgrow such condition upon entering the stage of puberty. However, it could also persist up to a person's adulthood. According to reports, about 5% of adults are affected by sleep talking disorder (5%? How is it I end up sharing a room with these people then?) .

Sleep talking, as much as sleepwalking can also be hereditary. Aside from hereditary reasons, episodes of sleep talking can also occur because of strain and stress, medical conditions called febrile illnesses or most commonly known as fevers, anxiety disorders and other psychiatric disorders. Sleep talking is not a relatively serious condition. However, it can be considered serious if an underlying medical condition or another sleeping disorder is causing it. Most of the sleeping disorders that trigger sleep talking or are associated with sleep talking are sleepwalking, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, REM sleep behavior disorder or RBD, night or sleep terrors and sleep related eating disorder.

If a sleep talker becomes quite profane, dramatic or emotional, then it may be a symptom of another sleep disorder. At this point, it is best to consult a sleep doctor in order to have an accurate diagnosis and be advised on the proper treatments to undergo"

Handy Links:

Understanding Sleep Disorders

Snorers are the least of your worries. Trust Me!
Yawn. ZzZZ.

Monday Pic

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:34:00 +0000

Experiment 246

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:53:00 +0000

I am currently attempting to blog with only the use of my mobile phone with the predictive text function switched on. Apparently the word 'blog' does not exist in the predictive text dictionary! I am currently snuggled up in bed on a 'monday' afternoon (its been a long bank holiday weekend!) Before accusing me of being a big fat oinker let me just say that i havent been in bed all day, i was up and about but decided that today i am going spend time in my room with a good book and maybe when i can some how haul ass out of my comfy zone, i will grab my laptop and do some work (hmm..). Had an eventful weekend which has left me exhausted and will blog about it when i actually am on my computer instead of my mobile phone. In the mean time - sayonara. Lets see if i can upload photos via mobile!

life is like a tin of sardines..

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:18:00 +0000

random quote for a sunny friday afternoon..

Life is rather like a tin of sardines - we're all of us looking for the key.

~Alan Bennett~

Vote Sipadan!

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:42:00 +0000

2 weeks ago I attended a 'Vote Sipadan' event which was held at the Imperial International Hotel... I only knew about the event 5 minutes before it was due to start but managed to grab Yo and drove over to listen to the talk on why we should vote Sipadan..

To be honest I had no idea as to what the event was about and why Sabah Tourism was involved in promoting the whole 'Vote Sipadan' malarkey. I was intrigued.

Previously I was working for a British based charity in Sabah, so part of the job involved recommending certain tourist destinations and the one place I would always encourage people to visit would be Sipadan. Its amazing how I can promote the place yet have never actually set foot on the islands or swim in that amazing reef. I have however seen thousands of photos from friends and family alike who have been there...

One comment I still recall and to this day makes me realise how amazing the place must be was this:

"It was difficult to see the various different underwater creatures and plants there...to do so I would have to push aside the many turtles that were in my way"
~colleague, UK 2007~

That comment alone made me want to visit Sipadan but I do have my reasons for not visiting Sipadan just yet (probably soon though!). I am a globetrekker and have had the opportunity to dive in many different countries-I really would like to save the best for last. If Sipadan wins and is nominated as one of the 7 Natural wonders of the world, preservation of the area for the future will be conducted properly and no silly tom, dick and harry can build random marine parks and random buildings/resorts in and around that area. So for all of you who have had the opportunity to visit Sipadan and had an awesome time diving there, come vote for Sipadan as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World!

VOTE HERE!

Can you say DOH!?

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:39:00 +0000

Found this video---whilst attempting to update my CV! (Procrastinating as always!)

A tear or two.

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:14:00 +0000

I think the people who work for the Hollywood movie industry are sadistic buggers. Before you start sending me hate mail, let me get to my point.. Movies that will make you cry-why oh why do people want to watch a movie that would make them cry? How did Hollywood initially manage to market that? I confess I have cried watching some movies but hardly ever! I recall 10+ years ago when Titanic hit the big screen and I 'had' to succumb to peer pressure and join the thousands in the longest queue into the cinema awaiting the moment where Leonardo sinks to the bottom of the ocean and away from the frost bitten Kate Winslet as to which at that very moment I am "supposed" to cry. Did I shed a tear? I watched that movie with my then boyfriend, one my best mates and her other half.. 3 out of the 4 of us were in tears... and it wasnt me leaving the cinema with bloodshot eyes.

In fact, I googled "Top 10 list of Movies that will make you cry" and TITANIC is rated number 1!
Are you kidding me?
Here are the top ten movies that will make you cry (according to someone!):
1) Titanic
2) Beaches
3) My Life
4) It's a Wonderful Life
5) E.T
6) Romeo and Juliet
7) Gone With the Wind
8) Terms of Endearment
9) Ghost
10) Old Yeller

I DO have emotions and I guess at times a good cry fest is therapeutic, but still its bizarre how movies can make millions if they manage to trigger some tears. There have been some movies that have made me shed a tear or two but more often then not I've shed that tear due to the fact that the movie kinda reminded me of what I was going through emotionally at that particular moment such as:

Other movies that I would recommend to be added to the Top Ten movies that will make you cry:

The 5 films listed above are the only films that have managed to make me cry.. oh and one other recent movie featuring this dog:

Taken from an interview with the author of the book:

Q. Isn't it a little frivolous to spend this much time and energy discussing a dog when there are so many problems in the world? Why are dogs important enough to write about?

A. I have this theory, and writing the book sharpened it, that people can learn a lot from their dogs. Lessons on how to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. Lessons for successful relationships. Think about it. Many of the qualities that come so effortlessly to dogs � loyalty, devotion, selflessness, unflagging optimism, unqualified love � can be elusive to humans. My hunch is that people who act more like dogs have happier marriages. That's assuming, of course, you don't marry someone who emulates cats. Then you're in trouble. Cats will outsmart dogs every time.

In with the old, out with the new?

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:27:00 +0000

I have been blogging at this blog address for the past 5 months now. Friends and readers are visiting my old blog and are asking me as to when I'll start blogging again--er I moved! I guess the title of my new blog doesnt really have a nice ring to it: Chapter 5... sounds more like some sort of gospel preaching/history research page than a personal blog! Hence, the whole revamp of this blog. I wasnt 100% happy with the look and feel of my original design for the blog. Since being back in Borneo (surprisingly having excellent internet connection!) I have decided to spend a bit more time blogging. Why blog? I find it interesting to read my past posts and thoughts and it is a great way to document my life - an electronic diary of sorts I guess. I have also decided to update my travel blog and rant about the various different places I have been to in the past 2 years. So watch this space!

Indecisive

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:41:00 +0000

I have actually had quite a bit of time on my hands and decided to update all my blogs. I have also decided to redesign this particular blog- I did like the previous design, however blogging and updating that bloody template was quite a challenge! I cant decide on the design of the header for this blog, so have decided to change the header from time to time depending on my mood.

Borneo baby!

noreply@blogger.com (mia) — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:15:00 +0000

Here I am - actually where I have been for the past 2 weeks or so.. what have I been up to? Work expedition thingamajig was great: praises from the Big boss, the teachers who came out and the kids. I have also been trying on a gazillion wedding dresses, getting stuff sorted for the wedding, reacquainting with old friends and trying to get my act together while I am here. I actually have thousands of things to do -does not help that the house is currently in bits. Renovating and refurbishing sections of my mums house, including my old room. So I am still living out of a suitcase and sleeping on the couch. Had a thousand things to blog about ..and will blog soon.

so watch this space.

I *heart* Sabah, Borneo.