When you get judgy, ask yourself, what are you so insecure about?

You are morally higher than that. 

Liverpool, ran and dyed.

This is a long due post. My aborted mission of going to Macedonia and/or non existent plan of going to Norway has been replaced by a trip to Liverpool. Supporting local product. *tetiba

So 4 years in the UK and it was actually my first trip to Liverpool. And I've never been to Manchester, in fact. Don't judge. Ingat Manchester best sangat banyak makanan halal? Kat Leicester pun bersepah okay. * mintak penampar cari pasal dengan orang Manchester. Nak gaduh? Omg tetiba sangat.

Anyways, Liverpool it was. There was Mersey River Festival going on that weekend. And Albert Dock was flooded (pun intended) with ships. And... Tiba tiba malas pulak nak menaip. And gambar banyak pulak nak kena filter. Haih pulak dah.

There are probably hundreds of pictures in my camera, but this time laziness wins.

Went there Thursday night, went to Cheshire Oaks and walked around city on Friday, and (literally) ran on Saturday.

Now here's the bigger mission in Liverpool.

Run or Dye!!

Alright don't be deceived by the 'Finish' banners. This is actually a 'before' photo. There's no way I could be that clean before the whole thing.

True 'after' picture. Comot gila. Even the camera became dusty with all the colour dye flying around.

Faces of 5k finishers! 

Not the prettiest pictures of us, but I owe this trip to this young lady. Kak Azyan, my senior back in high school. And since I went to 2 high schools (3 if you count the first few months before I was sent away), Kak Azyan and I were in the same SMKA (agama yes oh wow). She's 2 years senior than me. And since I left the school after form 3, it means the last time we saw each other was about 10 years ago. TEN FREAKING YEARS and she's still like, the cool senior I knew back then (okay Kak Azyan sila sengih sorang sorang baca ni). It feels pretty cool to see each other again! And it's been so long since I feel connected (wah!) to someone I haven't seen in a very long time. And I'm not talking about the weird awkward obligatory conversations, no, it was like the old asrama days, so young and carefree. Seronok gilaaaaa. Tinggal tak makan maggi dalam baldi je. (not that I did, pfft)

Ha, part menaip pasal orang seronok saja.

And I shall leave you with the manic scene of Run or Dye Liverpool at the closing ceremony.

Confession time: I probably just love the 'party' feel to it - the 'club' songs, the dance and groove, the jumping up and down to the beat.. Okay mungkin boleh kawal perasaan sekarang.

Anyways, we spent the day after walking to a car boot sale with jelly legs.

It was one hell of a trip and it deserves a longer proper post! Ah, so gutted sebab serius takde perasaan nak menulis sekarang.

Oh well, laziness wins. Everytime.

Quarter century old.

Kena upload sebab nanti boleh guna jadi modal nak sappy dengan Nadd. 

Sebab dedua gila kentang strong women, katanya.

We made a joke how we don't have a circle of close friends here, in Leicester. We have a line of friend, instead. (cause there's only two of us, so it's a line, geddit geddit?)

And we're so contented that we refuse to extend our line into a circle. 

Sigh, what do I do la without her.

I love you too, Nadd.

Alike.

We had a family reunion in Leicester!

My brother and his wife came over for 2 days, and the weather was being nice-ish, so it felt pretty good to have visitors coming over without the weather being hormonal.

And of course, we did the obligatory thing when one is in Leicester - nothing. Literally nothing, just like how when my inlaws came over last time - spent most of the time snuggling in the room, all 5 of us.

So this time we just took a morning stroll to have English breakfast, then walk about in town soaking in the sunlight.

Which is not the main point, to be honest. I just feel the need to talk about something else.

As we walked through the town, hopping from one charity shop to another, I realised how my brother and I are very much alike. We're a morning-ish people, he likes(-ish) shopping as much as I do, and a few random bits and pieces. So as we were going through the worn furnitures and housewares, I watched the two lovebirds talking about their future home and all. Zahid is quite cool to get an opinion on, so it makes their conversation pretty fun to observe.

Then I realised, Adam and I are so different that we don't know where to begin. I'm very opiniated, most of the times I want things to be done in my way. Adam, on the other hand, is a very laid back person. He's okay with most things. So asking for an opinion from him is pretty much like talking to the wall. He's not fussed, so everything is okay to him.

And as we walked through town in the morning, it occured to me, harapan lah nak jalan macam ni dengan Adam. He is so not a morning person, though he's always happy for me to wake him up if I want to do things in the morning (most of the times I don't, because I feel guilty, and he looks too cuddly that I couldn't resist the fluffy bed too).

He can stay glued to the laptop watching movies and dramas, while I prefer reading more. 

We are so different that I sometimes find myself thinking, I wish he's more of this, less of that.. etc. Like when I was watching them buying things, planning for their house, heading towards the normality.. I thought, Adam would probably never bother about it. I can make a decision and he'll say they're good. (chuckling to myself as I'm writing this as it always sounds like he's spoiling me, he's not, he's just cool about most things!). I, on the other hand, am very particular about things - cutleries shouldn't have any holders, kitchenwares must be all white, clothes must be folded in certain ways.. Nak list je pun dah penat okay.

What I didn't say enough though, is how grateful I am for his simplistic mind. He never expects me to cook great food, he doesn't wear the most expensive clothes (and most of them don't need ironing anyway), he doesn't change his watch every two years (and go for a Tag, gasps!), he washes his own plates (and clothes, for that matter), he's a very simple man with very simple needs. 

Of course sometimes I do feel that his outfit can be so lame that it's annoying (if he ever appears smart and well-groomed you can thank me!). Still, I wouldn't trade that to a man with a closet full of Zaras and Topshop, or (insert some other branded manly goods here), as I myself can barely keep up with this whole dress-to-impress affair.

Last year I bought him a watch for his birthday, he took it with the most grateful expression ever! He was over the moon with it. Then on my birthday two years ago, he bought me an iPod classic, which I eventually returned because it's not quite to my liking. Since then he always has second thoughts when it comes to buying me gifts in fear that I might return them!

Guess I'm really that strong-headed, gaaahh.

So, Alhamdulillah, for this simple man I have. I might not say it enough, as most of the times I tell him things that we could've been, should the two of us are more alike. But really, this guy, haih, no word can ever describe how thankful I am for who he is.

Speaking of alike,

Mata mana mata??!?

Run.

I'm back in the running field weehoo!

And no, I decided not to go to Norway. (so random what?)

Got a bigger mission to fulfill so yeah, Norway can wait. I am back on the run jyeah!

(did I just say it twice?)

Actually for months I've been making excuses for not running. Busy on outblock, gym fees too expensive, the weather being too cold, I'm not used to running outdoor.. Well, you name it. All the excuses in the world to justify why I haven't run for nearly 6 months. Half a year I tell you!! Oh the flabby legs and saggy bums..

So I took the plunge and bought myself a running jacket. Not cheap considering I've been trying to significantly reduce my expenses on clothes and the likes. And it doesn't help that all my running gears are from Nike (cause I'm anal like that), so the jacket has to be from Nike as well. But hey, this girl needs to run okay. Rawr.

My first run was pathetic though. It wasn't even 2km when I gave up and took a shorter way home, stopping by at Tesco to buy some chips and junks (the true purpose of the run in the first place) and spent the few days after with jelly legs.

The runs after were significantly better, much to my surprise. Managed to do over 5km without feeling like crap. Even better, I find myself faster on the road than on treadmill! Oh the 25 years of underestimating myself.. Sorry legs. (and bums and thighs, for that matter).

Speaking of runs, I was running at Abbey Park earlier today. It's quite a large park, I think you can cover nearly 3km going around the park alone. If you decide to take the smaller paths crossing the park every now and then, you can easily do 5km.

Thing is, from my house to the park alone is already more than 2km. So when I got there the intention was just to have a quick run around and head back home, which I can easily get 5km out of it. At least that was the plan.

Until I got lost in the park.

I couldn't find my way out to the exit (there are quite a few gates to enter the park) and I was running like a headless chicken, albeit slower. It took me a good 15mins running aimlessly hoping I find the gate where I came from until at one point I gave up. I nearly cried like a lost child in the middle of the park on a bright sunny day. This girl, I tell you, haih.. Hopeless. Finally I took out the good old GPS and found my way back. Hoi siapa je guna GPS nak cari exit park? Embarassing. And total distance covered was nearly 10km! I tell you what, my legs so don't deserve this. Huh. (tak puas hati on behalf of my legs).

I'm turning 25 this year (gosh so old!) and I remember telling myself in my early 20s, that I'll run my first marathon before I turn 25. It's probably too late now though, so I'm gonna make it a half marathon before the end of 2015 then. 6 months sounds not too bad.

Just that maybe for now I can focus on trying to run without getting lost.. In a park.. Full of people.. On a broad daylight..

Poor girl, she doesn't even know where she's going. (secretly judging self)

Macedonia.

Remember my solo-travel sifu, Afiqah?  Well she's now in Cuba. Alone. Winging it a-lone. Oh wow. I've been wanting to do it. Just that, of course, wanting and actually doing it are two very different things. So I thought, maybe, hm, this time, I'll just jump into it and see if it's for me. For all I know, I might like the idea of it, rather than the actual thing.

There's a long weekend before I start a new rotation in 3 weeks' time, sounds like a perfect time.

Randomly checking flight tickets, found a reasonable one with good timing. Hm, looks like luck is on my side so far. Until...

Of course, the two As.

Adam & Ayah.

Oh btw did I say where I was planning to go to? It's Macedonia. Sounds adventurous enough, heh? (smug face)

Right, back to the two As.

Adam was looking at me (on Facetime of course) like I was nuts. Where the heck is Macedonia anyway? He did some googling and found some random picture of naked guys on the beach. And there's not even a beach in Macedonia! Oh why why I'm not surprised..

-_______-"

"Why you go see naked people?"

"You see, I would let you.. But then it's 3 hours away, it's really far.."

"I'll be busy around that time, what if something happens, then I cannot come and rescue you."

"I think you'll be okay alone.. Then I think again, WHAT THE HECK are you doing on your own?"

"I think sticking to UK is probably a better idea."

And the best one,

"Why don't you wait for me then we go together? I want to go to Macedonia too."

1. He has never heard of Macedonia before.

2. The last time we went travelling together in Europe was in 2012. It's really hard to get things properly done when we see each other. We're just too cuddly like that.

Okay.. So that's Adam. It sounds like a no. Although I do appreciate his effort in trying not to sound too obvious.. That he's not really sure if I can do this solo travelling thing.

Fine. I called Ayah the next day. Told him the whole story.

"Do you know that Macedonia is having some conflict now? So yes, I agree with Adam, at least bring a friend with you."

I thought he was joking! Honestly for all I know he has never heard of the country then suddenly just throw the conflict in to scare me off.

"Trust me, I know where the country is. It's near Albania, and (insert some other countries here).. Google it. There's a political tension going on."

Aaaaaaand damn he's right. There is actually something going on. But but butttt, how on Earth does he know that???!!?? It's half way across the world from Malaysia, and who reads Macedonian news??!??

So here I am, contemplating if it's even worth asking if they will let me go to Norway instead..