July 25th - Shape & Men's Health Night Run

First ever marathon! Was fun! But some said 5km is not exactly a marathon. =p Who cares? I was there for the fun and the goodie bag!

The shoes... from middle (single) clockwise: My new power (My Dora was stolen last week... wuuu...), TK's unknown, Lyson's (Glamour name - I never asked how he spell his name) Nike, Star's Reebok, CK's unknown, and MP's power. Right picture is Sakura's sandals... Obviously there as spectator only... Eh, where was Parami?!

The goodie bag and the goodies! Actually girls are supposed to get pink one with "Shape" inscribed, but I cheated and asked CK to help me get a red one. Yeay! 'Cause nobody wanted to change with me, they all too man for pink. I also change the Clear shampoo for men with CK for the Clear extra strength, so I got two. =p Apart from that, there are still some really gender specific things in the bag: like a pack of condoms for example, and... ta-da... breast enlargement supplement pills!!! The guys are so going to get a laugh-at!!! =p

July 10th, 11th, 12th - Going home away from home

I needed a break. That was the main reason, aside smaller less-significant reasons I chose to drive myself home to this home away from home: my sister's place in Skudai.

It was a fun road trip, all in all... I saw the Ayer Keroh Skybridge Restaurant, Baskin Robbin's hut at Ayer Keroh Rest Stop, and Mary Brown's Maskot driving in Kulai. Ha ha ha... So cute...

My sister's love nest had lots of pigs, and pig-sties. :-p If my sister read this she would probably plan to kill me the next time she sees me. Oh, they have a big TV, and Astro too... Wah-lao-eh...

I bought a new water bottle. The blue one is mine. Brother-in-law gave me a racket, because he said he has many and that one is the least used. I found out that Sis is a med addict. Ha ha ha... literally, of course.

On Saturday, the couple took me to play badminton. I took their picture while resting. Bro's a very very good player. He didn't break a sweat playing against me and Sis. He can even play two shuttlecocks in the air. One for each of us. It was fun getting the rhythm and trying to fail him.

On the way back to UKM, I found this hotel at Ayer Keroh, and made me wonder if creativity really is limited. If you had wanted to copy, couldn't you at least have came up with something grammatically correct? "Now everyone can stay"? *Duh*

This trip home was more like going home than I'd ever expected. Sis and Bro were very much like Ma and Pa: Sis talks to Bro like Ma talks to Pa; Sis nags Bro like Ma does Pa; Sis and Bro argue like Ma and Pa do; I get the feeling of being stuck in the middle when Sis and Bro had a fight, just like when Ma and Pa had one. That made me think that Sis is right, when she said they were as good as married. I don't really like what I see in the role of a wife, I hope I won't be like that, or else I'd hope I'll never be one.

July 4th - Heading Home

The earliest day that I've risen in the three months I'm here -- at four in the morning.

Last minute packing and leaving of a note to Pauline and Alf, made me leave the house at fifteen past five. I dreaded missing my bus to Heathrow, but the bus was late. It was more than half an hour late, but it got us to Heathrow half an hour earlier.

After check in, Peg came to see me. I treated her to her favourite doughnuts with the last of the Pounds I had with me. I think it was just about enough. She had wanted to pay for it at first, so I shoved all of my coins into her coin bag. I had forgotten how much I had, and I don't remember how much the doughnuts and drinks costed. Peg, was the first familiar face I see when I reach UK, and the last familiar face I see when I leave UK. Thank you, Peg!

The long journey home lasted hours to almost a day, and got me back to KLIA on the morning of July 5th, looking frazzled and dazzled. I had not sleep all along the ride, to avoid jetlag. I hope I don't get it. :-)

I am home, finally, I am home.

This blog will terminate here. Well, terminate being updated daily, at least. It will be updated to include exciting trips and events, but no day-to-day logging of what I do anymore. Be glad that you will probably never see my food anymore (to those who complained, and that's a lot).

I will soon organize a CD of non-redundant photographs, to share with family and friends. Do ask, (to my face) if you are interested to take a look but I have not shown you. Cheers.

July 3rd - Day 90

The last episode! Ha ha ha ha... Somebody was chasing me for this last post in the comment of Day 89 post. I'm sorry. Have been busy packing and preparing for flight on the last night, and have been busy arriving in Malaysia. Ha ha ha ha...

The last Friday, the last working day, the last day: The last breakfast, the last lunch, the last dinner, the last walk, the last sleep -- in Cambridge. A day filled with reminiscence. This foreign ground, why do I seem to dread leaving it for a familiar soil?

The last breakfast was the last nectarine, the last yoghurt and the last pair of pastry: Raspberry crowns. The last lunch was free, because my boss bought them. The last dinner was pasta with the last pork steak and the last of the vegetables in the last of the gravy.

Woke up extra early today to take a special walk, to see a bit of Cambridge before people wake up. Went out and post the last postcard home from the postbox nearest the place I call home in Cambridge. And took memories to last. Parker's Piece was the piece of green that I have to walk on every weekday, towards the Catholic Church, my destination every weekday. There's a crossroad that I had to pass on the green every weekday, at which stood a lamp post.

When I got to Catholic Church, it was too early, the streets were empty, so I took the road down the left of the church, which I don't usually walk. Saw some things that I don't usually see... And then turn back to the church, to take one last time of the first bus in the morning. Took a picture of me at the waiting place before anybody showed up, so they don't look at me like I'm an idiot, before I went on the de'tour. When I went back, I stood on the opposite of the road and took a picture of a line of people waiting for the bus, you should imagine that I could have been one of them, waiting in line.

Sanger, a place where I have been for weeks, and yet have never taken a piece of permanent memory. Today, on the last day, it is natural that I do, for I might never get the chance again. I love those steel balls. There were three that I could see everyday, if there were more I have never seen them. The smallest one stood just outside Morgan building. the middle one stood near the bus stop, and the largest one stood on the way to Sulston building, where I work, in Room D2-42, at the corner desk to the left of the door. On the side of Sulston, there was a wooden carving recording all the organism which Sanger has ever sequenced (or took part in the sequencing of). At the back of Sulston, there is a piece of huge green, where people assemble in an emergency.

Arnab bought me a card, and had everybody signed it. It said "Sorry you're leaving us! We miss you already..." on the front and "...and you haven't even left yet!" inside. Arnab and Adam thanked me for my work (hard work, they say), Jacqui, John, Thomas, and Uli wished me all the best for my future, and Jason wished me a bon voyage (in Chinese, way down the bottom right).

Back from work, I took the last walk along Cam River and into city center. Stood on some of the bridges and said "Goodbye, Cambridge." in my mind. I gazed beyond the river, looked up upon the gargoyles (the third gargoyle, from left, on the walls of Keys college, Paul told me the other day, is his gargoyle.), touched the brick walls and know I will miss them one day.

I got a shot of the fountain in the middle of Market Square, which I could never take during the time of the market being open when people are sitting there and being conscious that I'm taking a photo with them in it. I passed La Raza, which was the first restaurant that I had dined-in in Cambridge, thanks to Paul. I passed the flower patch at Christ's Piece and remembered that when I just came, it was blooming tulips. Now, as I'm about to leave, the flowers of summer are in full bloom, none of which I could name (except daisies).

I am going home... although not the home I would most like to go to, I am going home.

July 2nd - Day 89

That's my breakie of a sweet and sour nectarine, cherry yoghurt, a cheese twist and a maple and pecan plait danish; in that order. The other one, my dinner, consists of crinkle chips and baked rice, with tomato sauce, vegetables and pork steak. This time the baked rice passed. :-)

My shoes: First sent off the front line was that pair of Bata Blacks, peeled and torn at the seam; Second in line was North Star canvas, wore off the soles and bottom; Third and last for 3 months was Diadora New Tour Sneaker, a small tear of unknown reason. This is the proof of how much I've been walking. Ha ha ha ha...