Lake District trip

I'm pretty lazy to write a decent entry on my Lake District trip. So here goes...(warning: lots of pictures in this entry...so if ur broadband is slow, please be patient to let it finish loading)

To go on a trip, we must get the right people.

So, first, let me introduce the group leader and driver of the trip...Melvin!

and also our cheeky photographer!

Stephanie the other photographer...

who tries to act professional

Tze Way and I are the not-so-important members in the trip but try to gain attention once in a while by doing some silly acts like this:

the rabbit and the dog

Last but not least...

Mei Shun! Melvin's gf

Armed with a Nikon D70 and Canon (dunno what model) SLR cameras, the photos were very well taken.

First day we were at Aira Falls:

there's constantly a rainbow at the waterfalls if the sunlight shines through...nice

and we were at Ulswater where I learned to make many ripples by using one stone only

and we had BBQ in an unknown carpark coz we were too hungry and the sky was turning dark!

we couldn't care much about slugs and burnt food coz we were too hungry!

Second day, we climbed Cat Bells

We climbed and climbed..

halfway through Steph scratched herself

not serious though

and we stopped and rest many times...

ahhh...niiiccceeee

we thought we had finally reached the highest peak...

But then we realised...





there was still much distance to walk!

haiyo! Haha (I like this pic very much. I think it's very artistically taken. That's me, TW and Steph walking)

That night we stayed at a rather dodgy bunk house (as quoted from Steph and Mei Shun) but which I thought was quite ok as it has all the basic facilities. You can't expect much from a 8 pounds-per-night bunk house right?

the door was supposed to be opened using a code but when we stayed there, the door couldn't be locked at all. But it was pretty safe

14 beds in a room

The next day was pretty wasted as we stopped at Bowness for a while and walked around the town a bit.

there were many people around as it was the bank holiday

ah well...the day wasn't that wasted after all coz we fed some hungry ducks and swans

Overall the trip was quite relaxing and cheap. We spent a total of 57 pounds altogether for the 3 days 2 nights trip which included transport and accomodation.

I think the trip was good except that we could have gone to more places rather than just spending one whole afternoon at Cat Bells. But anyway, I still have lots of time in UK to explore these places.

I shall end this post with some photos:

I like this pic. Thanks to Melvin for taking this pic

I used sundews to write my name on my jumper

nice scenery

me and TW

updates

currently reading this book:

'I kissed dating goodbye' - Joshua Harris

I've read 1/3 of the book and it's given me insights on certain things to ponder on.

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on another note, I was looking through all my past blog entries and realised that my blogging style has kinda changed over the past one year. I think I used to blog to grab people's attention. But now, dunno, maybe I still do but it's more on updating my family and friends back home on my life in Leeds.


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my Royal Mail interview:


Many people hv told me that UK job interview is different from M'sia. And yea, it is, esp for big and prestigious companies.

I was asked to give many examples and experiences where I was in a team, working alone, safekeeping valuables (such as confidential documents, cash etc), meeting deadlines (how I manage to meet them and when I realise that I can't meet them what do I do), times when I've made someone upset and how I deal with it...many more.

the whole interview lasted almost 30 min. The interviewer was friendly and as we stood on the stairs overlooking the whole Royal Mail mail sorting 'factory', he explained some of the duties of the people working.

If I got the job, the working hours are mon-fri/sat, 4 hours per day, starting either at 4.30pm or 6pm. The manager wasn't sure of the pay but said it is around 150 pounds per week on a 20-hour contract (that's quite a lot!).

By next week I would know the result of the interview. Keeping my fingers crossed.

"If you ask God for courage, God doesn't give you courage.
But He gives you opportunities to be courageous."

If you ask Him to make you patient, He gives you opportunities to train you to be patient"

and for some people, when they prayed for a closer family, God doesn't give just like that but He gives opportunities to make them closer."

- taken from the movie 'Evan Almighty'

This is a reminder of the many times God has given me opportunities to answer my prayers but I never realised it.

And yet I still blame God for not answering my prayers

summer time in Leeds

Staying back in Leeds during summer isn't bad at all. I get to do things which I've never done before (or never had the time to do before).

#1: building up friendships

As there are only a few people staying back during summer, outings and dinner are easier to organise and through all these, I've come to know people who I've have never talked to.

One example is this guy here: Yee aka 大鬼

forgive the blur pic. Sometimes I hate my camera phone.

I knew him by sight since last Sept but never really get to talk to him until this summer. I personally think that he is a great listener and confidant to share your problems with (我在讲事实, 并不是在拍你马屁. 哈哈)

dinner with friends:

actually I like this pic very much

#2: knowing my housemates better

Two new housemates have just been added into 18 Blandford Grove just this July. Could it be God's plan that they stayed here? You see when Ting Feng moved in, Kit was just about to go and when Cheryl moved in, Serene just left on that day.

It's pretty nice having two mature housemates in the house as I get to learn from their experience and opinions and also go job-hunting with them.

Talking to Cheryl has made me see things in a different way esp parent-children relationships. I guess I just have to learn to take things lightly.



I have to admit that my relationships with housemates have never been good. In KL during my A levels, I seldom talk to my housemates and I'm amazed at how I managed to survive living with people in the same house and not talking to them. But somehow, staying back during summer in Blandford Grove have allowed me to know my housemates better.


#3: exploring places in UK

I'm yet to explore new places in UK and people have told me that summer time is the best time to travel.

So far I've been to Ikea.

it's almost similar to the one at The Curve

Steph had been to Phent-y-Ghere:

does this picture reminds u uncannily of something familiar? haha...guess... It's the Tugu Negara!

#4: gaining job experience

Since the main purpose for summer holidays is for students to do internship (as quoted from Benny), so by right we should gain some work experience during holidays.



I'm still trying to get as much work experience as I can and if possible work different jobs in various settings.


#5: learning new skills

yup. Holidays must be used fully to develop new skills. In UK, life is so bored that you must do something to entertain yourself. I think I won't be able to do all these things in M'sia as I would definitely be distracted by other things.

So, I learnt a bit of sushi-making:

but still suck at it..

did a little bit of adobe photoshop so I could draw a rabbit or a mouse on it.

learnt how to write better CV through many job application forms. I had to keep re-printing my CV to produce a better one.


#6 dressing up!

haha...somehow I got infected with 'Cheryl's bug' to dress up more femininely.



that day she tried a few hairstyles on me...haha

you think I should leave a fringe?

#7: grow in maturity

There are a few books which include Harry Potter, thanks to Lynda for sending the electronic copy...will TRY to read it..haha which I'm going to read which will give me some insights on certain issues.


Also I would like to spend this summer deepening my relationship with God. Am trying to read God's word more and have daily devotion with Him.

Talking and sharing my problems with people have also been great time and I have come to realise the importance of opening up to people so that we could encourage each other when difficulties arise. Thanks people =)

last but not least...

#8: playing sports

Being someone who have never played much sports until A levels, summer time is a great time for me to sharpen my skills in sports. Besides, I also get to shed off those fats gained during winter.

So far I've only played badminton:

I did a bit of jogging too.



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I used to be filled with sadness and envy as I watched my friends leaving UK one by one. But now, I think staying back is quite fun and worthwhile and I believe that all the things which I'm experiencing now will make me a more mature, confident and wiser person.

Thank You people who have made my summer time (up till now) so enjoyable.

And most important of all, thank You Lord.

display pic

my newest display pic:

thanks to NH for making it! yay

Harry Potter

7 years...

Since I was first introduced to its first book, it had been 7 long years for the the final 7th Harry Potter to come out.



I passed by a local bookstore here and its shop window read, 'Come 12.01am 21st July to hang ur cloak for the last time.'

Somehow when I read it, I feel sad for those avid HP fans. It means that there won't be anymore HP books to look forward to in the years to come. It's like after watching a 20-episode series on tv, one-hour everyday, 5 days a week. Everyday all u look forward to is to watch what happens next in the episode. And when the 20 episodes finally ended, u will feel the sense of emptiness, as if u hv been devoid of sth important in ur life.

Well, I think that's how most HP fans will feel. I dunno.

anyways, I haven't read the 7th book yet. It cost 8.99 pounds here (u can buy it for 6.99 pounds at Woolworth if u spend 10 pounds and above) and in M'sia, the cheapest u can get is RM69.90. UK is still cheaper =).

Well, it's only 1.5 hours worth of work to buy one book (but in M'sia, I have to work at least 20 hours to buy that book..haha), but I shall wait to borrow it from the library.

I think I can wait that long but one thing I hate is that people who have read the book have no mercy on those who haven't. They boast about how they feel abt the ending etc. Grrr...\

Come on la people, be considerate a bit!