Happy 2nd Birthday, Imtiaz...Penang escapade (part 1)

my macho boy turned 2 last Sunday (yes, the "terrible twos")....we had a wonderful casual celebration at the northern part of Malaysia, at the Pearl of the Orient (Penang)...

Imtiaz is all excited to board on the airplane

Imtiaz and i have been away from home for the past 2 weeks...we spent great time together in Penang as i attended the Breastfeeding Advocacy and Practice Course in Georgetown Penang...my mum followed us there to take care of Imtiaz when i was in the course during daytime... i took my time to breastfeed him during break time and lunch time and sometimes, Imtiaz went up to the 16th floor of Bayview Hotel to have his breastfeeding break with me...

on the trishaw heritage  and food trail

in the evening, once i finished the course for the day, we would stroll along the Penang Road looking for local food for dinner...we even walked to Komtar and took a taxi back to the hotel and some days, Imtiaz would love to get on the trishaw...we had scrumptious selection of local and street food... it was heaven that i gained lots of weight in just 2 weeks..!

both of us even went on a trishaw tour to the heritage places with some of my course mates...we had lovely time trailing along the heritage places, not forgetting tasting some good food along the tour...Imtiaz even made friend with the trishaw man and was really enjoying himself on the tour...

imtiaz was all tired after the trishaw tour

i carried Imtiaz in the soft-structured carrier and he loved being in it...he enjoyed watching all kind of transports while we were strolling along the busy road of Georgetown...

with the technologies nowadays, we were able to stay connected with Jihan and papa through phone calls and Skype...Imtiaz was so excited seeing them on Skype video calls... Imtiaz had his books and favourite cars with him, but i think he missed home and his other toys too...while at the hotel, he loved taking his bath in the bathtub too...

there are more exciting stories in Penang, which i will update in the second part of this lovely escapade (when the family reunited later and had a wonderful journey together..)

men in ladies' coach..?

i must congratulate KTM Berhad for their initiatives of introducing the Ladies' Coach for KTM Komuter services, which started the operation in April last year...to tell you the truth, i have not been using its services for quite some time now, but i'm glad that this effort benefits many ladies out there who use KTM Komuter as their main public transport, to ensure a comfortable and safe journey and reducing the risk of sexual harassment in a congested environment..

unfortunately, many are still unaware about this privilege are for ladies and boys below the age of 12, accompanied by a female guardian/relative...why is this so..?

my dear husband had such experience when he boarded the KTM Komuter some time last year from Bandar Tasik Selatan to KL Sentral for a seminar (after so many years not using it services)... it was at peak hours...the station was sardine-packed with passengers who waited to board the commuter...obviously, you can't even see the area where the ground is painted in pink, stating that's the area where the Ladies' Coach would have stopped...when the commuter arrived, the door opened and everybody rushed to the coach..and my husband just followed the crowd...when he was inside the coach, then he realized that he was in the Ladies' Coach..and all ladies were looking at him and few other foreigner men who was together in that coach...there were voices expressing their dissatisfaction and frustration with these selfish men on board...(they thought my husband was a foreigner as well, by looking at his look...so they thought my husband couldn't understand Malay)... 

yes, my husband felt embarrassed and got off the Ladies' Coach at the next station and hopped on to the adjacent coach, which was the normal coach...the other foreigners remain on the Ladies' Coach..

according to my husband, pity him that he didn't know that that was the Ladies' Coach...he couldn't see the special stickers attached on the door, which was obviously hidden when the door opened to let the passengers in and out..and that particular commuter he boarded did not paint an extraordinary colour for the Ladies' Coach, thus making a "first timer" like him unaware and confused about the special coach...KTM Berhad also claimed they have special pink poles and banners at the designated area at the station, but that was not clearly visible during peak hours...

i agree that some men are just being ignorance and become the opportunists here, enjoying their ride in the Ladies' Coach because it is less packed and more comfortable...hopefully, KTM Berhad will make the Ladies' Coach more significant from afar, to create less confusion among the passengers...and to men out there, please make yourself aware of this special privilege and put them into practical...and my dear hubby, he will never board the commuter again... ; )

Happy New year 2011 - Lucky Draw Winner of Canon EOS 1000D

happy new year everyone! how did you start your new year this time round? alhamdulillah, we started ours with a bang...unexpectedly, i was announced as one of the lucky draw winner of Canon EOS 1000D by myflippix, our favourite photobook company....

we've started photobooking recently and have been enjoying photobooking with myflippix...the winning entry was produced by my dear hubby and we didn't expect that that number will be selected as one of the 3 lucky winners to win a canon DSLR..

i am really thankful and happy for this gift...thanks myflippix ; )

for 2011, i'm hoping to be more diligent and hardworking, stop procrastinating, more knowledgeable, an excellent wife to my husband and a fantastic mother to my children, to pass my Part 2 MMed (Family Medicine) in November 2011 and have an enjoyable moments with my loved ones...

insya Allah, i'm praying too for the peace and harmony among all mankind, a good health and iman for me, my family and friends...may Allah bless our good deeds and intention in 2011 and reward us in the hereafter...