Good bye 2012...Welcome 2013

Greetings and Happy New Year...

My King of Prawn King 2012 entree in 8" dinner plate!
Kuala Terengganu

2012 breezes through with some hurdles and shackles restraining me to some imaginary brick wall. However, all these inhibition does not fetter me but instead spur me for many beautiful and fond memories which will be replay over and over again.

Started the new year slowly by visiting Alamanda Shopping Centre in Putrajaya for the first time on the 1st of January 2012 eating delicious and scrumptious popiah and coconut juice with my BFF. As usual I spend my Chinese New Year holidays in Kuala Terengganu, to be with my sis’ family. It was a great break with our daily morning outing for breakfast, evening tea by the sea side and to the Payang market.

Famous Terengganu keropok lekor for tea by the sea

February 27^{th ,} I flew off to Christchurch New Zealand on Malaysia number one budget air line, Air Asia,  touring the land shattered by the recent earthquake, on the last day of spring. Flew to Wellington on Air New Zealand on the first day of autumn and greeted by my cousin NS at the arrival gate! Site seeing the capital city and encountered with a square tree that reminds me of SpongeBob squarepants in Wellington Botanic Garden before driving to Palmerston North in a rented black Ford Sedan at about NZ$110 per day.

square tree = square mind???

NS’ friend welcomed us into her home with a Moroccans dinner and little Yan invited us for Nasi Lemak’s breakfast prior to us driving off to Taupo Lake in strong wind and rain. We endured the sulphuric atmosphere of Rotorua before driving miles and miles with sheep upon sheep adorned the hills along NZ’s two lane hi-way under 100kph san traffic.

Rotorua geyser

NZ's 2 lane hi-way approaching town

Experienced some warmth in Auckland, drove to Palmerston North through Rotorua, like we never had enough of the sulphuric air, some last minute souvenirs shopping at Palmerston Square and flying to Kuala Lumpur through Christchurch on Air Asia.

I register for my post degree program on the 24^th March with excitement and being “kayoed” after attending my first two lectures from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm on 31^st March. April came and May go. Collect some souvenirs from Austria and Czech from Dr S in June. Celebrate my birthday in July without a bang with just me, me and me and an accidental "goreng-goreng" get together in the evening. Malaysia missed the elusive gold medal in London Olympic, though I received a nice red double Decker bus memento from SMY.

Observed Ramadhan in July. Celebrated Eid with a blast and organizing open house at my resort condo one last time on the 2nd day with my clan.  Savoring delicious Yemen chicken rice, fried macaroni, Laksa Johor, fruit cocktail puddings all courtesy of the chef, my beloved sister, Dr S. Stressful September came with presentations and final exams. Books and notes were everywhere but not ingrates in my brain drive. De-stress in October and went to Bukit Gambang Resort City, a resort with its own city.

Received my examination result in November and nephew MS obtained straight A’s in his UPSR examination (are there any crooked A?). Played tourist with my niece and nephews in rainy adventure where we found refuge in Istana Negara. MM and my birthdays were celebrated at last by the girlfriends’ club at the Vogue, Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

 December was pretty hectic with Harimau Malaya (national football team) loses in semifinal to Thailand and hence failed to defend the Suzuki cup which they won on an aggregate 4-2 in Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on 28^th December 2010. Christmas eve came and we waited for more than 1 hour 40 minutes for dinner at Chili’s Grill Restaurant in KLCC. POP group held 2012 finale lunch in Warisan Café, Royal Chulan, Kuala Lumpur without DT’AA and I won the “generals + majors” eating marathon over ZMN on an aggregate 21-18! Dinner finale with HH at Sri Melaka having satay and tasteless oily USA fried rice.

My 2012 Generals Finale

Over all it has been a good year. Good bye 2012, Hello 2013.

wishing all your wishes come true

~Acepaizah~

*goreng- fried
  goreng-goreng -fried banana fritters, sweet potatoes and other local fried snacks