My short but very sweet winter retreat..

After a very LONG and draggy semester (or maybe it wasn't but it certainly felt like it - I mean, come on, we started a whole MONTH before everybody else AND we finish a week later than everyone~), the winter holidays finally got here.. As I'm typing this, my holidays are about to finish, in less than 48 hours.. Oh the sorrow~~ Kidding!! I think I've had enough of too much sleep n too long night hours, I'm quite glad that semester's starting.. I can stop myself from bumming arnd too much! hahaha

So here's a recap of what I did for this past holidays:

1) Dublin hang out visit:
On Wed (17 Dec) I left for Dublin from Bristol airport on my own for a 5 days trip. I arrived in Dublin at about 2pm and Azilah picked me up from the airport. I was welcomed with laksa johor at her house for a late lunch. Then she made ikan bakar with air asam for dinner. Sedap nak mampos ok?? Thanks azilah!! Chatz came over for dinner and we talked a bit but she didn't stay long. The next day, we woke up real early to make a head start to Belfast - factory outlet shopping trip!!! I didn't go crazy there.. Not like usual, but not bad. I got myself a new Nike watch (not that I need a new one, I just wanted a diff one so I have an option =P) Got home really late from Belfast, then slept even later coz Azilah and I got talking. We slept in Chatz's house coz the bus service has stopped d night b4 so we couldn't get to Azilah's house. Then on Friday, Te'ah and Emy came all the way from Galway~~ Sweet gile diorg!! and of course we got talking and talking. We had dinner with a few of my ex-classmates in KMB together. The next day, all 4 of us went to watch Twilight together.. and safe to say we ALL experienced ectopic heartbeats on several intervals through out the movie. hahahaha.. Then we went shopping (well, by 'we' I mean, te'ah =P) around Dublin city centre. We went back to Azilah's for dinner n they packed up their things, and then we went out again to send them to the bus station. Then the next day was my turn to leave~ I had a real good time. Altho I didn't do any tourist-y stuff, but I got to hang out with my friends that I haven't seen in TWO years~~ It was exactly the break that I needed

2) London Lion King overnight trip:
The very next day (Monday, 22 Dec) I headed to London with Fara, Aween and Manja. We got the morning bus coz we all wanted to have lunch in Malaysia Hall =P Nik met us once we got there and Azri was with him. He had a bit of a misfortune with the bus timetables, so he decided to join us for the day. So after lunch, solat and checking in, we left for the Camden market. It was this really nice night market which reminded so much of Ferringhi at night. There were loads of crazy looking stuff sold there. And the food stalls there had halal chicken!


After a few hours there, we hung out in Trafalgar Square eating Fara and Aween's Cinnabon. As per usual, there were lotsa people there and since it wasn't so cold, we just sat around, taking photos and working up an appetite for dinner. We then made way to Edgware Rd, to eat in this Lebanese restaurant Aween recommended, Meshwar. It was quite good, and the food came in huge portions, another plus for us hungry travellers. The next day, we met up for breakfast in Malaysia Hall, and I had 1.5 portions of the roti canai set with teh tarik and seri muka!! I honestly don't know where the appetite is coming from.. =P After solat, we headed to Covent Garden coz the Lyceum theater was there. We got there early, so we hung around the marketplace there. Again, so many creative looking trinkets there.. If only I had more time and money, it would've been a real good place to go.. Then when it was time, we headed for our seats.



And OH MY GOD the show was awesome!!!! It was SO good. The songs were amazing. The choreography and dun get me started on the props~ I mean, who knew that humans could do a play on the animal kingdom and pull it off?!?? It was SOOO amazing. We all walked out of there feeling really really good. And our seats were amazing as well, it was so worth the money~
Then, Aween, Manja and I had dinner in this halal Nando's near Malaysia Hall before we headed for the bus station for our ride back to Cardiff. I got home at about 1am. It was a great trip, even if it was short!

Oh and ofcourse I won't forget the Boxing Day shopping~ I went out shopping in the cold for 2 days straight coz I just couldn't miss the shopping event of the calendar! On the 26th Dec, there wasn't even any bus services but we WALKED to town and walked all the way back with our shopping~ The determination, oh my.. If only I had the same perseverance for studying as I do for shopping~damn!! hahaha

Okay, so for an entry, that was a LONG one.. But then again, when have my entries been short? Especially when I'm detailing a holiday trip~ I'm glad for the break I had. And hopefully I'm all recharged for the new semester.. Who knew, my 3rd year is already half done? Dat means finals is just 4 months away~~~ Scary.... right, so till my next entry, ciao =)