First Wedding Anniversary - Hard Rock Hotel, Penang

Hi all. From daily updates to a gap of two weeks. I have been a little busy lately. Wanted to tell you all about our Penang anniversary trip but had not found time to do so until now, which is a little outdated already. (Hopefully I will finally hit the "publish post" button.) So here it goes.

As at 16/10/10, we have been married for a year! Wuhoo. I already bought AirAsia flight tickets for both of us during a promotion early of the year and had a really good deal. RM37 return tickets for two + add on assigned seats (10 per person per way) = RM77. Also got a good deal from AirAsiaGo for our stay at HardRockHotel, Penang.

View from the room was fantastic. We had a good time with each other; resting, walking down the beach, parasailing!, swimming and going round and round Plaza Gurney. The only not so nice part was that we didn't have total freedom without a car to drive around and the cab cost RM30 one way from our hotel to Jalan Gurney and RM70 to the airport. Lucky Camy picked us up the morning we arrived and hubby's cousin Nadia sent us back that Monday evening.

View from room

First day there, we spent the morning with Camy until we checked in. Slept until it's time for dinner and took a cab to Jalan Gurney. The cab rides both ways cost more than dinner itself. We ordered 2 char kuey teow, 1 nasi goreng with telur mata and 1 pasembor. But before we could enjoy finishing dinner in peace, rained poured down heavily so we had to take shelter under one of the stalls until it subsided. When it finally did, we went to Plaza Gurney and tried to look for the entrance to the cinema (coz the mall was closed by then) but couldn't find it (so we assumed it was close too). We were already in a cab back to the hotel when I got Camy's msg saying that the entrance is a bit tricky to find. Sigh~
Second day was a little better. I had 3 full plates for breakfast... (not wanting to spend for lunch). Went parasailing for the first time together with hubby, who hurt his feet due to wrong landing technique. Went swimming in the hotel's pool while hubby relaxed by the beach. Went back to the room and ordered in-room dining. =p That night we just had a drink each at the reception area, entertained by the live band. Then went to the Hard Rock Cafe next to the hotel for another round of drinks (which caused me to have stomach ache the whole night) and some light snacks before we called it a night.

All in all it was a good break. Though both Hazmi and I are currently broke from funding this trip but we had a great time. Need to start planning for the next one and if it is within Peninsular Malaysia, we will definitely drive the next time.

B** 3563

This is freakyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
I was browsing through mudah.my to check out the market rate for my neo and I found this!!!
This car looks strikingly similar to mine and it's plate number is B** 3563.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS???

Proton Satria NEO 1.6 -A- loan Full- 08 -08

Price: RM37 800 39 800 Reg. year: 2008
Mileage: 45 000 - 49 999 Make: Proton
Model: Satria Neo Transmission: Auto
Engine Capacity: 1600 cc
Accessories: Solar Film, CD Player, Sport rims, Alarm, Central lock, Adjustable steering

Proton Satria NEO 1.6(A), 2008 yrs , malay lady owner. original paint black... 100% acc free, low mile. and very good condition ,well maintain by last owner, clean interiou, tyres just change.. very beautiful car... see to believe...

loan full finance

The differences are mileage - mine is going 75K and transmission - mine is manual. I don't have solar film and I haven't changed my tyres. Is this my car??? It doesn't look like my car and I never left my car for them to take its picture. Did my car dealer put this on to sell off my car or there is just another neo with a same plate number? Did they super impose the picture? Did my dealer get the wrong info? Hmm... Very mysterious.

Happy Birthday, Papa and maternity leave 3 months!

Today is a good day. Woke up to the wonderful review on Inspira by Paul Tan... ^_^ ahahaha
Today is also my papa's birthday. I sms-ed him this morning to wish him and he replied "Thanks. I am officially a senior citizen now". Definitely don't look like one. ;) (The importance of having young kids). =p
And then received email from CIMB's Group HR saying that maternity leave is now extended from 2 months to 3 months! Woohoo!
Should start trying now eih?
Ahahahahha

Manual it is!

There is nothing else I am obsessed about now apart from my new baby-to-be, Proton Inspira. Yesterday I was in a big dilemma whether to buy a manual or an auto transmission as I got excited with the tiptronic/pedal shifter thingy. Even called up my car dealer to change the order but was told pedal shifter is only available in the 2.0 liter model. Today, I look up Paul Tan's website and found his review. I would like to highlight these two paragraphs.
"Naturally the 1.8 liter manual felt like the best driver’s car of the lot. The steering somehow felt more precise and had better feedback compared to the other models. According to Proton, the entire setup was designed mainly on the 1.8L manual version so that could be why it felt sharper, and it could also be that the 1.8L manual had a lighter front end compared to the models with the presumably heavier CVT transmission and even the larger engine block for the 2.0L model.
Ride comfort is better than the Lancer GT, because of the different tyres used, and the P3-90A just had a natural stability that’s hard to unsettle even at the extremes, and that helps the driver feel so much more confident in controlling the vehicle. I didn’t feel any issues with the 5 gear ratios of the manual transmission nor the way the gears slotted into position so I suppose if I don’t feel annoyed they should be properly spread. The clutch is also light and easy to control. I think the model I like the most is the manual."
If only I found this review earlier, I wouldn't have even considered the auto transmission. Just TOO MUCH noise around asking forcing me to get the auto model. Now I am contented. hehe.

I wanna go back to KL!

I am a spoilt child. Currently crying alone at home because hubby raised his voice at me on the phone for my constant questioning of his whereabouts and when he is going to come back. I understand... he must have felt very trapped living with me, having to answer those two questions every day but I don't like feeling lonely like this.

Despite having a difficult childhood, I was blessed to constantly have people and friends around me. Though I hated boarding school for its lack of freedom, I LOVED it because I ALWAYS have a friend with me. With so many of you in a batch, you can choose to hang out with different people at different time of the day. In case one person gets bored of you, you can simply go next door and find someone else. That was what I treasure the most. I must say I didn't get that anywhere else. When I moved to college and uni, though I had these wonderful friends, our responsibilities grew bigger so we spent much of our time attending to all that. Everyone including me had lesser time to entertain people. Now married and alone, I miss those TKC days ever so badly.

Although I can actually just go back to KL or hang out with friends until hubby comes home, I feel the need to come back to Bangi because the house is in such a mess. However, when I got home, I always do not have the mood the start doing these chores especially because I am alone. I miss my mummy!!! I'm sure she misses me at home too. But having a near precise biological clock, I normally don't feel like driving past 10pm. Plus, when all I can think of is bed, Bangi feels so far away from KL.

I don't blame hubby. He works near and with his family. He gets to go home everyday, which he does and hence, do not feel the need to come home quickly. To him, Nilai is his home too. It feels to me he tries to spend as much time as he could at both houses, as well as his farm. But being a family person myself, I am happy he is that close to his family. Happy that even after we got married, he tries to make himself available to his family, which I have no problem with. I love my in-laws dearly.

But it got me thinking, have I not be a good daughter to my mother. Here hubby is with a biggg family. He still makes an effort to go home every day. My mummy only has me and my brother, who is now in college... so basically just me. But I try to go home only once a week. Sometimes I try to reason with myself, my responsibility is hubby first, then parents... but at times like this, I still feel bad that I don't go back to my mom that often.

At times like this, I feel like moving back to KL and let hubby commute instead, which he won't considering how tired he'd feel from that travelling. But I just hate living in Bangi alone. Might propose that to him tomorrow. Maybe alternate days for now?

P.s. - Hubby came back and comforted me... While hugging me, who started crying again (cry-baby~), he said "Jgn pindah KL" so I guess not now.

Booked...

As I am typing this down, hubby is at the shop putting in booking fee for my new car. =D I am SUPER excited. Even went to lunch in a real Lancer today and it is sooo spacious! Hehehe... excited mode. And to add to my excitement, hubby called to say Proton is offering both auto and manual! Yeayyy!!! Can get my manual carrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Then my lunch entourage giving me lecture why I should take an auto car.

1) "You don't know how tiring driving a manual car especially being trapped in a jam." - Erk??? Am I not driving a manual car now, every single day, through the massive KL traffic jam?

2) "Auto car has higher second-hand value." - People say that when I bought my little neo too. Did that stop me?

I appreciate the concern... the advice... and everything that comes with it but I want what I want. It's not like I didn't do my homework. And I especially hate it when the way they say it to me it's like I know nothing about cars! Some info is very useful. And I tell you I am happy to add that to my knowledge but please do not take me for some bimbo who can't talk cars. I get a little offended by that assumption. I may not know a lot but I do know a little... especially when it comes to the car I am buying, I may know more than you do so keep your tone down please.

My new baby, Proton Inspira? ^_^

I am SUPER Happy today. Ehehe. Lets start from last Friday.

I went back home ard 8pm+. Along the way, called hubby but sounded like he was not coming back so soon... Called a few more friends around Bangi but everyone else was either not around, busy or already with someone else. Hence, I was left feeling sad and lonely again, a normal feeling since I moved to Bangi. In KL, apart from having mom and bro with me, I also have Bojol, Hanipot and a lot more people to call and hang out with.. though I used to have Camy and Aizat around before they moved to Nilai and Penang respectively.

And then, before I reached home, hubby called back, probably sensing the sad tone in my voice and asked what do I feel like doing that Friday night. I said, I dunno... go for a drive to hmm... Genting perhaps? Then he replied, "pack our bags... and bring along our sports shoes". Wee, hubby came back to meeee... Initially I thought we'd be spending a night in Genting until I saw Abby's status on Cameron. Not that I care. I didn't have any major plan on Saturday apart from settling my maintenance fee and doing my laundry so whatever it was, I wanted IN, as long as hubby's with me. All those can wait. So off we went. I'll save you the boring details about the trip because I want to tell you something else.

On our way back, late Saturday afternoon, just near the Proton City exit, we saw THIS!

The new Proton Waja-Lancer aka Inspira being test-driven on the road, 4 of them!!! What the hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll??? If you are trying to tempt me here, I tell you now it is definitely working! And apart from the spoiler, it looks strikingly similar to the Mistsubishi Lancer although of course not EXACTLY the same. From "I-don't-have-money-to-commit-to-this" to "I-WANT-IT-FREAKING-BAD!!!". Was in a "bad-mood" all the way back to KL and all I can think of it what colour is the nicest. Guess it works coz hubby GAVE ME GREEN LIGHT to trade in my car. Yeehaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Finally~

It's 7 O'Clock now. I should make my way home already... Or go see Lin's little baby boy. But I am just too tired. Too tired to move, too tired to even lift my butt from this chair to go the toilet. Haih... What's wrong with me this week. Maybe I lack stamina so bad now that I get too tired easily. Perhaps because I am hungry too. Only after I had dinner at the 68BFR reunion the other day, I had the strength the enjoy the night and get into the conversations. After that, wanted to watch movie but there were no available movie to watch at that particular time so decided to just go back home instead. BUT HUBBY FORGOT WHERE HE PARKED THE CAR!!!
Urgh... after going on to every parking floor and went round and round the parking lot, my pace became slower and I eventually just stopped. My feet hurts, had a headache and I just felt like I didn't have enough oxygen in me. And hubby was laughing, thinking it was funny. Then suddenly he got mad because I was walking ever so slowly. Who's fault was it, you tell me? Then he said I was just acting out because I was mad at him, not because I was actually tired. Right. I tried to just keep my calm... How am I mad when I didn't even raise my voice at him. Well, technically I didn't have enough strength to even raise my voice or be mad at him. I just felt like sleeping on the parking floor that time. I was focusing hard to just stay awake. Needdddddddd strength.
While browsing through the internet with nothing specific to look for, I decided to look up my horoscope. Lets see together what it's gonna say about me today.
Quickie
Conserve your energy -- you've been going off in too many directions. Focus on one.
Overview
That big brain of yours is throbbing with info -- and you need to start broadcasting! It's a really good time for you to engage with that new hottie or some friend of a friend who seems interesting.

Hah... This IS interesting. I NEED to conserve my energy. I think I SHOULD just hibernate at home this weekend but schedule is ever so full, as usual. But contrarary to previous weeks, this weekend is full with hubby's invitations. Not mine. Then I need to go back and churn info on The Malaysian Competition Act 2010 from the course I attended yesterday and submit it to my boss. Whatever... I should go back and have a relaxing night tonight. Maybe I'll visit Haslin and Danish next week.

Proton Inspira (Waja Lancer)

I am TIRED! Now waiting for Azmir to pick me up for 68BFR reunion. Hubby is as usual... LATE. I am flustered today, I think. I am not very sure what it means but I know that is what I feel today. I am also emotional due my raging hormone following the start of my menstrual cycle. Hubby came back VERY late last night even after I called and he said he'd be arriving in 10 mins... which he didn't. Work is also a bit crazy. But to top it all, Abg Nad told me the booking for "my dream car" (for this past few weeks...) is now OPEN. The salesman said he can take in my little neo at break even cost which is 35K of loan outstanding (which is surprising given that the car is going to be 3 years in January). BUT I still need to fork out the 10% downpayment for the new car, which comes up to 8-8.5K. I have not been saving for this and to suddenly just withdraw ALL my savings for this is just irresponsible. Huhu...

So with a heavy heart, I HAD to reply to Abg Nad, I have to pass this time. I am saddd... I want this car SO BAD because 1) It is Proton. I am patriotic. And being branded Proton means the car is cheaper than any other car in the same category. 2) As patriotic as I say I am, I can't help but wanting Mitshubishi's technology in that Proton car. 3) It is LANCER's technology for God's sake. And people say that the first 200 units are CBUs meaning they are fully imported... manufactured by Mitsubishi themselves. Urgh, frustrated.

Hopefully tonight's outing can help lift me up.

Financial Stuff

When I was having dinner with friends the other day, I heard them talking about how their financial would be like when they got married. Some ppl say have joint accounts as you share the same expenses anyway, have joint accounts for expenses but separate accounts for yourself and so on. For me, after I got married, nothing changed much. Main reason, I suspect, is that before we got married, we already have joint telephone bill. I think it serves as a practice for us in terms of sharing our monthly commitments. So every month hubby will pay his portion of the bill to me. Well actually, not necessarily HIS portion, he pays a fixed amount, thus it is possibly a little more/less than his actual bill.

Then when we got married, house was taken care of by my mom. Our additional fixed costs now, on top of our telephone bills (both maxis and digi), are astro and electricity bill. I will normally take care of this as I am the self-appointed account manager of the house (all of my mom's houses actually including the ones in KL but mummy will write a cheque for me to cover her expenses). Being the one who rarely carries cash around, hubby normally has to pay for my food when we are out together. As we eat out quite often, I have to remind you that THIS portion is not small. We pay for our own car loans, maintenance, petrol, tolls but other than that, we don't keep track. Sometimes he pays. Sometimes I pay. Whoever feels like paying. Groceries, tables, clothes, shoes, whatever. So do we really need a joint account? No, I don't think so.

Okay. This is one expense I will normally absorb for hubby.

Travel & Vacation.

1) This is not a necessity, but a luxury. Most of the time, I plan it myself.

2) Hubby knows I can afford it.

Still... when we got there, who do you think will pay for my food and nitty-gritty expenses? You guess it. Him.

End of story. Haha.