Wow. Seems like it was only yesterday that I blogged about 22 highlights of my life when I was twenty two.
A year just passed like a blink of an eye and here I am looking back at the best memories created since I last posted that entry. & today I am turning 24 in a few hour's time!! *gasps*
So here, in no particular order, are the 23 best things that happened to me when I was twenty three!
#1. 23rd Birthday Surprise
So here, in no particular order, are the 23 best things that happened to me when I was twenty three!
#1. 23rd Birthday Surprise
Every year without fail, these four lovely humans would plan a surprise for me. It's a definite lie to say that I don't expect anything from them for my birthday, cos we are all the sort who go all out for each others' birthday celebration. So last year I know I was about to get something, usually I could sense something but this time round I was totally caught off guard..
My jaws dropped and my eyes were out on stalks as Hariz, Fina and Ira walked into the room out of the blue, with a birthday cake in hand. hehe that's how shocked I totally was! I mean one minute I was playing around with Lysa's rabbits in her room and the next thing I know these people were singing a birthday song for me, with a birthday cake in hand. So sweet.
It was also the day that Hariz left for Japan, and we all sent him off at the airport. He returned with eight Starbucks tumblers for me and a love charm. I secretly think that charm has some magic :)
#2. Solo trip to Jogjakarta
A week after my birthday I went on one of the best adventures of my life - alone.
Travelling solo has been one of the things that I really want to do before I settle down and I'm so glad I was bold to do so, despite many who voices out their concerns & disagreements to this idea of mine.
Most of all, I'm glad I came back in one piece - safe and sound!! 90% of the time I was so scared something bad would happen and I'd die there all alone lol
For someone who is afraid of sleeping alone(still till this day ok), travelling solo is a brave, brave decision. But I know back then that without a doubt, it will be one of my greatest travel memories.
& boy, I was right :)
#3. Trip to Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia
My two travel kakis, Lysa & Hariz, and I took a trip down to Pangkor in June. The place itself has nothing much to shout about but the company was lovely. The simple dinner at the beach overlooking the beautiful sunset and the long heart to heart talks before we go to bed, are probably the best part of this trip. I was going through a phase of life I wish I could permanently delete from my memory system and I thank my lucky stars for these two kind souls who helped me a lot in the healing process. Love you two so much!
#4. Snorkel for the first time ever!
If you don't know me, I am terrified of the waters. Initially I was so excited for my first ever snorkeling experience but once I get inside the waters, my blood ran cold lol. I hanged onto Hariz for my dear life all the time and that ever so patient guy had to tell me what to do all the time.
Sucha funny experience I would say.
#5. Lasik Eye Surgery
It costs me an arm and a leg for the surgery, but waking up everyday to a perfect vision after 15 years of being almost blind (800 with astigmatism yo!!) is PRICELESS!
Blogged all about it HERE.
#6. Boracay with my BFFs
I still remember the promise we made when we were 13 - To travel together once we hit 21. Fast forward to a good ten years later and here we are in this paradise island celebrating our first decade together. It is said that hitting the road with your friends can either make or break the friendship...
...I'm glad it is the latter for us. Love you four so mucho, including Fina who isn't in the picture xx
#7. Cliff Jump at Magic Island
Watching the video still makes me cringe till today. 93685x scarier than jumping off Macau Tower, really.
Blogged all about it HERE.
#8. Helmet Diving
I have this weird phobia of seeing pictures of the planets and underwater. I'm not sure why it's just spine-tingling for me so when I decided to go for this activity, it really is a huge deal for me.
& when the damn helmet came off while I was doing something silly and I was frantically swimming towards the surface and grasping for air, I know this will be something that neither me nor my best friends will ever forget! I was left shaken (Read:Hysterically) after this activity hahaha
More on that HERE.
#9. Went to KL - for four times!
Yes four times!!
All four with different company, which leaves me with more reasons to love KL. Everyday is a makan marathon. Heaven okay!
I was at KL a few weeks before I went Korea, and returned again five days after I've returned. That's just how much I loveeeee KL, you know? hahaha
#10. Attended a Japanese class
Ever since my sister came back from her school exchange programme in Japan back in 2012, I found myself falling in love with their language. I did some self learning and learned some basic grammar and vocab, read and write Hiragana.
But learning a new language means nothing if I can't practise speaking it with someone else. So last year I signed up for a class at Ikoma Language school. So far I can read and write all the 192 Hiragana and Katakana characters. My ultimate dream is to sit for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test(JLPT)!
Ganbatte Nina san! ^^
#11. Attended a Quran class
Okay I've got to admit it's been soooo long since I read the Quran. & ever since I signed up for the Japanese class, I've received a lot sarcastic comments which, as much as I feel like stuffing my fist down these people's throat for their negative remarks, I know they're just being bluntly honest.
When my mom returned from Makkah with a Quran for me, I know I can't just let it collect dust and spider webs. So I looked for classes online and found one at a mosque right next to my place. So happy with my ustazah cos she's very patient and not garang like the ones I know. Plus it's a one-to-one lesson which makes me so comfortable.
Hopefully I'll be able to khatam before my big day. InsyaAllah :D
#12. Learned to read and write Hangul
..which really comes in handy when I was in Korea.
Hey, just realised I can read/write in five different languages!
#13. Having new friends around the world...
....and bringing them around SG when they came over!
When I was in Jogja all alone, these guys were constantly checking up on me, calling and texting me just to make sure I am fine. So of cos when they came over to Singapore, I just have to bring them around!
Another good friend that I met when I was learning Japanese was Hokuto. Thank God for the internet! He's a solo traveler and at that point, he was traveling around SE Asia. I brought him to Little India to try some Indian food, then we went over to Masjid Sultan and then the MBS.
I thought that these places were sooo boring but I'm happy he enjoyed them all!
Not forgetting my Korean oppa whom I first got to know when I was in Macau. After a year of exchanging emails, gifts and Starbucks tumblers from the places we visited, it's great to see him at his hometown in Korea. We had a nice chat over doughnuts, he brought me around Itaewon and then dinner at one of the best restaurant I've ever been to!
Oppa anneyeong!
Not forgetting the guy from Denmark I had dinner with at Jogja, friendly driver Pak Man who still texts me at random times and even remembers my birthday till now, the Malaysian guy my sis and I had lunch with in Korea, American guy who kept me company for 8 freaking hours at Hanoi, also the American lady who works in Japan and speaks Japanese language to me when we were staying in the same Hanok in Korea, as well as all my host families who took such good care of me. Bless the internet for keeping us connected via email & social medias till this very day :D
#14. First ever 10km run
Last year I mentioned how obsessed I was with running and this year things still remained the same. My two darling cousins and I signed up for our first run together and it was madness!
Us after our first 7.4km. Jelly legs~
#15. Hello Kitty Run
Hello Kitty freak goes for a Hello Kitty run!
With the best friend and best cousin. The weather was merciless but we had fun!!
Another attempt of me trying to keep fit. Signed up for a 2 years membership with Contour Express so there's no reason for me not to look at my best on my big day, huhurrr. I'm also thinking of joining my babe Tina for her hot yoga sessions. Let's see how it goes!
#17. I'm now a Godmomma!
You know you've hit one of those milestones that marks the transition of adulthood when your close friends start to turn into a parent and you are their child's godparent. My dear Zee is now a mother of a very beautiful girl and I am so happy for her!!!!
Zara Aishah Nazri. Such a beautiful name for a beautiful baby.
Looking forward to watch you grow baby. You're the first ever baby I've ever hold in my arms, you know?
#18. Hariz's 23rd Birthday Celebration
I can count using the fingers on both hands the number of times my best friends and I go out during the daylight and the fingers on one hand the number of times the seven of us gather together. Due to our different working schedules, these two factors are almost impossible so of course when the seven of us get to go out in broad daylight together, it has got to be included in this list.
Okay I know I probably say this so many times in this post already, but I really love my best friends a hell lot.
#19. Have my own love lock at Namsan Tower, Seoul
The blue one says my name in Hangul and his in Japanese.
Of course, the dream is to have one on the Pont des Arts in the city of love.
#20. Experienced snow for the first time!!!!!
I just had dinner with my Oppa and he told me that there's a high possibility that it would snow that midnight. He sent me back to the hanok I was staying at, I then picked up my babysis and we walked to the Han River. Which we never see in the end cos we were so lost.
But it was a blessing in disguise cos while aimlessly walking around the foreign place, it really did snow.
My sister was holding on to the gopro and immediately snapped this picture. The exact time it snowed!! Which of cos isn't clear here cos the first few minutes we only get to see the snowflakes. We were SO EXCITED we started squealing and hugging each other(then I cried :p). Jakun maha jakun okay?!
We spent the rest of the early morning sitting at the rooftop and just enjoying the snow. Bliss :)
#21. Visited Nami Island
I wasn't a fan of K-pop dramas but thanks to Fina who brought me over to the dark side ten years ago, persuading me to first watch Winter Sonata. I still remember her gushing over how sweet the couple are and without me realising, I was hooked. We watched it together and bawled our eyes out all the time.
So of course when I was in Korea, Nami Island is a must place to go cos this was the place that the drama took place. Ahh~ It sure does relive the good ol' memories.
#22. My best friend got engaged.
I can't be anymore thankful for the friendship I have with this beautiful best friend of mine. She was the closest to me during my high school and poly years. How can we not be, when we were in the same class for four years straight and same course for the next three years. We practically do everything together! From hairstyles to the things we wear, it's no wonder why people always mistook us as sisters. To which we always gladly agreed.
So when she announced that she's getting engaged just a month after mine, of course I was elated! And her wedding is also just a month after mine so I know that I have someone to turn to when I have my crazy bridezilla moments.
It feels surreal though, I mean when we were younger we talked about this a lot. The dream husband, the perfect wedding and all.. oh how we thought we had a clue. Time have passed and things have changed & now we're really going through all that. The best part is? We're still together.
and last but definitely not least....
#23. I got engaged..
..to this wonderful man I love a lot. ♥
*****
So yup there you have it, the best 23 things that happened in my life when I was twenty three. I may not have it all in life but I'm definitely counting my blessings and thankful for every single thing.
I guess next year is gonna be all about me upgrading myself before I enter a new phase of life in 2016, InsyaAllah.. I probably need to cut down on traveling (boohoo!) and start saving up for real. Apart from my weekly routine - 5km run, gym, ngaji classes and facial, I am also busy trying my hands on new things like baking and cooking every weekend. My boyfriend had tried my cooking once and he gave me his two thumbs up. So excited to learn more!
Okay with that, happy birthday - to me! :)
xoxo
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