Books read for the first half of the year 2018

Book quote (Pic source: Google.com)

Sorry it was a bit late to post this as I was busy and only today I had time to gather all titles I had read and put the list up here :)

Below please find the list of the book I read for the first half of the year 2018:

January 2018

January 2018: 
1. The Mummy Bloggers - Holly Wainwright

2. Something Like Happy - Eva Woods

3. Into the Water - Paula Hawkins

4. Harmless Like You - Rowan Hisayo Buchanan

February 2018

February 2018:

1. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng

2. It's Always the Husband - Michele Campbell

March 2018

March 2018:

1. Embracing Each Moment - Anam Thubten

2. Singapore Siu Dai 3 - Felix Cheong

3. Milk and Honey - Rupi Kaur

4. Si Cacing dan Kotoran Kesayangannya 2 - Ajahn Brahm

5. The Path - A Guide To Happiness - Khenpo Sherab Zangpo

April 2018

April 2018:
1. Introducing Tibetan Buddhism - Samuel Geoffrey

2. Tales for Transforming Adversity - Khenpo Sodargye

May 2018

May 2018:

1. Always Present - The Luminous Wisdom of Jigme Phuntsok

2. Passu Diary - Chablop Passang Tshering

3. An Ocean of Blessings - Heart Teachings of Drubwang Penor Rinpoche

4. The Zahir - Paulo Coelho

5. Still Me - Jojo Moyes

June 2018

June 2018:

1. The Sun and Her Flowers - Rupi Kaur

Well, I had no idea how I could read 19 books for the first half of the year since I spent most of my time traveling around. And if you notice, lately I read more books on Buddhism. I just felt good reading about Buddha Dhamma as it was written by many wise Lama, Khenpo, and Rinpoche. I felt that I need to be reminded all the time about Buddha's teaching while at the same time trying to do my best in practicing it daily, since I did not have any spiritual teacher in real life.

There would be less books read for the second half of the year, again due to more traveling haha... but I would do my best spending my time with reading while I could. Hope all of you continue your reading passion as well. Keep going guys!!! :)

Travelling with parents tale - Welcome back!!!

Welcome back!!! (Pic source: Google.com)

We were back in Malaysia!!! But only starting from today, three of us shared a room, just like before. It's been a year since the last time we came to this same hotel. Even the Manager had well recognized me and knew my name upon my arrival! What a good memory he had! :) Too good until I couldn't run away from him - will tell you the story soon, lol! :P

We were given a room at the most back and at the toppest floor (total of 4 storey high) since I requested a room with window and with no noise. We stayed at the room after lunch and after such an early flight (I had to wake up very early this morning), I wanted to take a nap. But my dad, like usual, was watching TV with such a loud noise. Ugghhhhh...... I regretted not bringing the ear plugs to stop the noise. Since I was very tired, eventually I fell asleep but soon I was awaken by nightmare :(

Irritated by the TV sound!!! (Pic source: Google.com)

So I got up and went inside toilet. Hmm... I found my peace there. The air suction sound could cover the noise from TV sound outside. So I sat on toilet bowl for a while. But soon, someone knocked my door and grrrrrr..... I had to go out and lose my peace.

When I went out from toilet, TV had been turned off. And soon, it's my dad's turn to sleep. I decided to put on earpiece and listened to music from my phone, browsing and chatting. But this time, my mom had been awoken from her nap - quite energetic, or perhaps her revenge time - she was watching those videos sent around virally, complete with the music all blasted with full volume from her mobile phone, disturbing my dad's nap. Lol!!! 

"They were really meant for each other after almost 50 years of marriage together," I told myself inside my heart. Because even with such noise, my dad was still able to sleep peacefully right next to her, and he was even snoring so loud... ^^"

Durian season - Penang, Malaysia

When he got up, they said they wanted to buy fruits. I said, we had durian in the fridge. The day before, we packed fresh durian to a vacuum-packed plastic container from Penang, as I had ordered and drunk a glass of beer mindlessly while waiting for the rest to come for dinner. (We couldn't mix durian and alcohol on the same day as it would give a very bad reaction to the body). And we brought it all the way here and stored in the minibar chiller. And by right, durian was not allowed in many areas starting from airport, taxi, mrt or train station, mall, even hotel as the smell was pungent and strong, not everyone could accept it.

Wrapped durian with plastic, put in plastic container, then vacuum-packed it to avoid the smell to spread out

We opened the window wide and ignored all that restriction. We opened the packages and started enjoying it happily. Once finished, I packed the seeds together, wrapped inside the plastic bag, went out from the hotel downstairs through the staircases (not lift), and threw the rubbish outdoor, in front of the supermarket nearby. I came back, took lift, came inside the room, then went out again near lift to take some water. While waiting for the lift and while filling up the water bottle, the receptionist staff and housekeeping staff were there watching me. I just acted blur and smiled to them, went back to room and soon I felt sleepy and took a nap again. Lol!

While taking a nap, suddenly the room phone was ringing. Half sleep, I could sense the question marks from my parents' heads, like who's on earth would call us. No one else knew we stayed here. My mom picked it up and after that, she passed the phone to me. It turned out that the hotel Manager who remembered my name was calling, looking for me, and asking if we ate durian inside the room. Lol!!!  Still acting blur I asked why? Hahahahaha.... 

Not everyone loves it!!! Either you love it or hate it! (Pic source: Google.com)

He said the smell was so strong that they could even smell it from downstairs. Hahaha... Even when our room was at the most back and toppest floor, the durian smell could still travel to the first floor. And you know what? When he called, an hour had already passed since the time we ate. I really couldn't lie or say no. He made a call to inform us that there was a hotel policy that durian was not allowed inside the room and thank God there was no fine for such act. Some hotel might give nasty treatment for having durian inside the room as they would have hard times to chase the smell out from the building.

Oh my!! I felt very ashamed after that. I immediately opened the room's window so wide to let the smell going out for some time. I felt blushed on my both cheeks. How to face him later?? He even knew my name!!! Lol!!! I felt as if I made such huge mistake in the world!! Oh man!!!

Blushing all over ^^" (Pic source: Google.com)

When going downstairs for dinner, he was there with his colleague. I looked at him and with my right hand next to my ear, I showed a hand-sign meaning 'I'm sorry, please forgive me. Won't do it again next time.' Luckily he was really kind. He was just laughing, did not know what and how to react. Just laugh. Perhaps smile and laughter were the best medicines for every situation, especially the awkward ones. Hahahahaha... Yeah, I was forgiven. And luckily no fine and was not asked to leave. Lol.

Full Time Traveller

Wander lust - Rimareyka.writes

Every time I meet someone new, they always ask me this question, "What's your occupation?" or "What do you do in life?" as if the answer will determine and judge on who I am, what kind of person, how much I earn, and all sorts of things that will derive from it.

It's been two years since the last time I worked and in the beginning, I would tell them that I wasn't working. And when applying visa, I'd simply fill the blank up with a word "housewife," although I couldn't really be called one as the time spent at home was almost equal with the time spent outside home and/ or home country (around 55% only).

My heavens on earth - Rimareyka.writes 

Below is the summary of my trips abroad so far this year:

1. 31 January - 26 February: Melbourne (Australia)
Family time - Celebrated Chinese New Year (Dog year)

2. 7-11 March: Jakarta (Indonesia)
Visit hometown

3. 6-30 April: Colombo - Adam's Peak/ Sripada - Anuradhapura- Dambulla - Sigiriya - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Ella - Galle - Unawatuna - Negombo (Srilanka)
Buddhist Pilgrimage plus celebrating Sinhalese New Year and Vesak Day

Live with no regrets (Pic source: Google.com)

4. 1-5 May: Batam - Bangka (Indonesia)
Family time - Prayed 100th year Popo (Grandma)

5. 31 May - 14 June: Regal Princess Cruise: Copenhagen (Denmark) - Oslo (Norway) - Berlin (Germany) - Tallinn (Estonia) - St. Petersburg (Russia) - Helsinki (Finland) - Stockholm (Sweden) - Freetown Christina

6. 8-18 July: Kolkata (India)
Visit friends and watch World Cup Final :P

7. 30 July - 4 August: Pematang Siantar - Lake Toba - Samosir Island (Indonesia)
Visit Bale Batoba

8. 4 August til present: Penang - Ipoh - Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Health screening - accompany parents

Flying horse - Rimareyka.writes

And it's already August now!!! I'm still that white horse with flying wings that keep traveling around the world.

Some trip was planned but many were decided on the last minute basis. And back to the question that people often ask me earlier, I think I can confirm now telling them that I'm a full-time traveller :P:P:P