Category: Travel log

I killed someone in …..

The first time I went to Edinburgh was in autumn 2008 with some friends by bus (aka Rombongan Cik Kiah).  The trip was organised by the International Student Association of Durham University.  With just GBP10, off we went to Ediburgh.  It took us around 4 hours to arrive.  We departed from Durham Students’ Union (something like SUB in UTM) at 6am and arrived in Edinburgh at 10ish.  We went back to Durham from Edinburgh at 6pm.  So, technically we were in Edinburgh for around 8 hours.  There is a mosque and Islamic Centre not far from the castle (well, technically we had to walk around 45-60 minutes from the train station).  

How time flies!  It has been more than 11 years since I killed this medieval female warrior at the Edinburgh castle i.e. its yard (err, not the actual killing though!  If not, I won’t be in Malaysia to tell this story 😀 )

If I am not mistaken, we had to pay GBP10 for admission fee to get into Edinburgh castle (it’s worth it).   It was in autumn.  It was cold as it can be.  The castle is on top of a hill (for safety reason). 

Beamish Museum, Durham: A living museum

It was summer 2010.   Kam had the courage to drive an old red Nissan owned by one of our friends to Beamish Museum.  It took us around 45 minutes from Bowburn.  We had to pay GBP13 per entry.  Since we were Durham University students, we thought that we could get a discount, but, nope.  No exception here.

When I was in Durham, I went to several museums in Bath, Bristol and Nottingham and castles cum museum like the Edinburgh castle.  But, nothing prepared us when we went to Beamish museum.  It was surreal.  The staff who work there wear costumes and whatsnot.  It is a nice experience to be able to go to an open space museum.  I took many pictures but unfortunately, I wore something which was not shari’ah compliant 😀 

There you go, I only post one picture here.  When we took this picture, the three of us was at this primary-cum-secondary school.  They used wooden-slab and chalk to write, instead of using paper based exercise book.  Beamish was an old coal mine.  So, it has an actual village equipped with facilities like a church, shops, a bank, living quarters for the workers and such.  Summer is the best time to come here if the weather is nice.  We went there when the weather was nice and perfect for summer (i.e. no rain).  So, we had a blast!  This was the year before Kam and Fiqah finished their study.  

 

A memory with an iron lady

I met Rita in 2009.  We joined Kelana Convoy trip to Europe.   After that trip, she came to Durham in winter 2009 with her friend, Hayat.  We went to Newcastle and ate at Gekko.   The restaurant claims that they serve Halal food but they also serve non-halal food (they put the trays in different sections though).  

On our back to Durham, I remember of thinking about the plates and such that we use.  Opsie…. what if the plates that we used are the ones that were used by others who ate non-halal thingy like pork-based food?   This makes me realise that I have to be extra careful when it comes to eating at such restaurant which caters the halal and non-halal food.

Rita lost her mom not long after our trip.  Her trip to Durham was the trip before she went back to Malaysia for good.  She is a clever and hardworking individual.  Even though, she might appear playful, but she is very serious when it comes to serious things.  When she shared her woes with me, I told her that she needs to discuss and confide in with her mom.  She said that she didn’t want to make her mom to worry about her and her siblings so there were times when she would rather share about her problems with friends.  What a tenacious and caring girl!    She has already the characteristics of an iron lady at that time.  

I am glad that everything turns out alright for her after the incident that shocked the whole country in 2010.  Alhamdullillah justice has been well-served even though it took about seven years to find the closure.   The thing happened during Ramadan.  May Allah Bless her mom with Jannah.  

Kampung Ayer Brunei Darussalam

These are old pictures.  I went to Brunei in late 2016 to attend my ex-housemate’s wedding.  Huda was gracious to be our tour guide.  I have been to Kampung Ayer in 2014 but it was the first time for my sister to go to Kampung Ayer.  

It has changed a lot since 2014.  There is new development of housing at Kampung Ayer in which they build houses with modern design.   I have to search for the pictures of the modern houses that I took (I forget where I store the pictures).  Until then, it is sufficed to provide only those two pictures 😀 

A creative friend of mine

I had a chance once to visit my friend who was studying at Nottingham back in 2010.  We went to Nottingham Castle and whatsnot.  We came across Robin Hood’s statue at the hill of Nottingham Castle.  If I were the photographer, I would not have any idea to give instruction to make this pose. 

But, my friend said “Dij, why don’t you make it this way?  Take a peek under Robin’s shirt”  and then while I was peeking under the shirt, she took this picture.  She is creative indeed.  Now, she holds important position in UTM who in charge of the branding and rebranding of UTM.  Zac, thanks for taking this picture and memorable moment when I was in Nottingham visiting you.  I will treasure it for the rest of my life In sha Allah