Pounding through the rapids!

When someone speaks of white water rafting in Malaysia, the first place that comes to mind is usually Sungai Padas, Sabah. I was in Sabah somewhere 2005, but after the Mt KK adventure, my hiking group had no time (and energy, of course!) to try any other roving activities there. and at that moment, i thought it was a great miss for not trying the white water rafting along the beautiful popular Sg Padas.

2 years later, in 2007, I went on my first raft with a bunch of my girl friends at Sungai Kampar, Perak. Well, i must say that the adventure itself as a first timer was good, but i expected a better one!! perhaps because i have read so much about Sg Padas, and so the river rafting in Sg Kampar was considered mild after all (plus, it was dry season at the time we went). oh well, of course I had a great deal doing crazy fun things like this together with the bunch of girls!

And now in 2009, I've heard so much about Kuala Kubu Baru - they have water rafting along Sungai Selangor! And some folks were organising a trip there last weekend. I'm really glad that i didnt miss it this time!!! There were 4 rafts altogether (a small group which is a good thing to avoid waitings and delays), with a commander, and a guide in each.

To me, a positive water rafting experience is not only about the thrills and adrenaline rushes, but also the wildlife, the scenery, the breathtaking views, the clear cold water and the list goes on. The range of mountains were simply beautiful from the river. It was all perfect, including the weather!

And right now, I'm head over heels in love with river rafting. And the best part is to get all the muscle sores after the long day. :)

The roaring water!

And this raft capsized 1 second after this picture was snapped!

Pounding through the rapids

I was in that raft!

This must be at one of the grand rapids!

*photos courtesy of Pie and Co. :) Thanks!

And i'm left here thinking, how nice if i could do it again, with someone whom i know will enjoy this as well.

Earth Hour 2009

it's been an awesome day after the river rafting at kuala kubu bharu today. and right now i'm going to lie down, think of nothing else, or maybe sleep for the next one hour. perhaps i'll find some answers within the darkness.

Every cloud has a silver lining

I still remember taking this picture during one of the summer evenings. I still remember vividly, how a feeling of serenity instantly enveloped my soul, as i watched the quick transformation of the sky from the hillside.

Looking back at those pictures in my album, the same feelings return. i know i could not possibly experience the same rapture again, however much i want to. Surviving within this void now, I can still feel the aura, the same magical effect that has embraced me.

After all, every cloud, as the saying goes, has a silver lining. Life will be too short if we don't look on the bright side of life. We know, yes, we all know that the orb of life is always there shining.

Unexpected colours

Today, the dawn broke to an ash grey sky with dull clouds over the Pearl of the Orient. It was not the most beautiful Sunday morning, i thought. I shuddered at that thought initially, but i cautiously reminded myself, "The day can be beautiful if I choose it to be".

Keeping that in mind, my sis and I finally decided to go on a morning drive around Penang. It was at Jalan Mahsuri off the PISA whereby my perception of the day changed completely... for we both saw the most beautiful tones of colours ever.

Clusters of pinks and whites were seen among the green leaves on the trees. We have heard about the cherry blossoms in Penang, but we never knew they were so pretty and the colours were so vividly overwhelming.

I've been on this road many times previously, but i have never seen anything like this before. Little did i know that those trees along this road bear such gorgeous flowers. They were the cherry blossoms, and when the flowers were all in bloom together, they offered such brilliant colours, as though reminding me that the Spring was here. It was massive, a pure joy, a true gift from Mother Nature.

As the day turned brighter, many drivers started pulling up by the side of the road. Some just watched the blooms from afar. Some started taking photos from their camera-phones. There were even professional-looking photographers with tripods, flashes, umbrella reflector and what not. I was simply amazed!

As I went on down the road, there was one particular tree which appealed to me most. It was alone on its own, well separated from the other rows of trees. It looked lonely as well - with no immediate neighbours, unlike the others. The tree shed its flowers onto its own territory, as though dotting its own shadow on the ground.



I stood silently before the tree, and I knew that it was smiling unto me. :) It was a warm greeting, and it was soothing to know that even the loneliest tree was decorated with bright pink flowers.

Unknowingly, I was already smiling to myself. I looked up the sky - the dark clouds from the dawn had cleared up, and the blue azure sky was now apparent. It was a therapeutic morning. :)

At the cost of a life?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/world/europe/09bribery.html?hp

I know that gift-giving etiquette has been an old tradition in countries like Romania, and when i read the article published in the NYtimes, i was utterly shocked to say the least. That article has revealed that gift-giving is in fact almost compulsory in the healthcare system of Romania. In a more straighforward way, doctors, nurses and the orderlies expect themsevles to be 'bribed' in exchange of their care and attention.

Bribery has become a norm in the Romanian healthcare sector, and they blamed it on the meager salary of about $510 for doctors. Well, that is undeniably low, but corruption at the cost of one's life is not a solution at all. The code of ethics is no longer making sense anymore with such thing happening. They work not for the passion of the work, rather, for the 'supplementary incomes' they are expecting to receive from their patients. Such healthcare professionals should not be deemed professional afterall.

For a moment, it hit me thinking. man, how lucky we malaysians are to receive equitable healthcare service from the government hospitals. There is no rule that says the poor are denied of medical care, (nor is there any that prevents the rich from enjoying the public healthcare services).

The Show by Lenka

was listening to this song while driving this morning and certain parts of the lyrics just caught my attention. a nice song indeed.

The Show

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze
and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go
I can't do it alone (I've tried)
and I don't know why

Slow it down make it stop
or else my heart is going to pop
'cuz it's too much
Yeah, it's a lot
to be something I'm not

I'm a fool out of love
'cuz I just can't get enough

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze
and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go
I can't do it alone (I've tried)
and I don't know why

I am just a little girl
lost in the moment
I'm so scared
but don't show it
I can't figure it out
it's bringing me down
I know
I've got to let it go
and just enjoy the show

The sun is hot in the sky
just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the sign
and synchronize in time
It's a joke
Nobody knows
they've got a ticket to that show

oh oh
Just enjoy the show
oh oh

I'm just a little bit
caught in the middle
life is a maze
and love is a riddle
I dont know where to go
I can't do it alone
(I've tried)
and I don't know why

I am just a little girl
lost in the moment
I'm so scared
but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
it's bringing me down
I know
I've got to let it go
and just enjoy the show

a TDM house-pharmacist

I'm in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) department now. will have to learn to handle real cases, patients who are on certain drugs such as vancomycin, gentamicin, phenytoin, just to name a few. Even paracetamol poisoning cases will come to us. will have to run blood samples for drug levels --> interpret results --> suggest to docs any alteration in drug regimen --> and follow-up the case. it's nice to get hands-on experience, and applying what has been learnt in uni. i always love drug pharmacokinetics.. perhaps was inspired by one of our Scottish lecturers back then. someone whom i really looked up to. :)

I suddenly remembered two cases which i have been faithfully following up for almost two weeks. Even after I left clinical department, i consistently went back to the same ward just to find out what's happening to these two patients... They both passed away just a couple of days ago. One of them was expected to have a bad prognosis (fulminant poisoning of the infamous herbicide paraquat). but the other patient left quite unexpectedly, he just collapsed anddied.

Have been up to much else than work, a good way to keep my evenings fully occupied. just a recap of the last one week.
Sunday: Family dinner in Ipoh; Birthday bash at colleague's
Monday: Seafood dinner in Matang
Tuesday: Pfizer's Viagra 10th Anniversary Dinner in Syuen Hotel
Wednesday: Dinner home
Thursday: Badminton and dinner at Noodle station and night chat with the happy tHree friends.
Friday: Dinner home
and now, just got back from another family dinner out.

for the coming week, I shall stay home more often during dinner time.