Tokyo and Jekarda

Ok so I definitely did NOT realise it's been a year and then some since I last blogged. Not just 'last blogged' but since I last came on here at all. It's a tab on my laptop but I just never bothered clicking on it. I can't believe this is the ONE post I've done for this whole year. 

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Hi!! It's 9:45am on a Sunday. I woke up early today because fortunately my body has finally attuned itself to a decent sleep cycle. I'm sipping on Moom's green juice and heading out in a bit to go to a tailor for raya. Yes! Raya! That's all the way in April but tailors close orders soon-ish cause of the early Chinese New Year in late January. Puasa's in about 100 days as of yesterday I think? Something like that. Basically... the year's running out and covid would have been 5 years ago in a months time. That's wild.

What have we all been up to! For those wondering, I'm still working at the same place I've been for the last 5 years. I keep warming up to the idea of moving to a new place but haven't gotten the capacity nor time to look around. My seat's getting bit warm and I'm getting bit too comfortable. I need a change but I just don't have the guts for it!! What if my new work place is worse and I don't have friends? I'm so grateful that I have found great friends in the two (2) work places I've been at. How do people do it? I have had friends who have moved >4 times over the past however many years it's been. Gutsy.

What else.... ooh! I traveled to Tokyo this year with Mun and Nana. The very definition of 'The trip made it out of the groupchat!'. We have been talking about traveling together for ages but really really made it into a reality this year. We booked our tickets early like in March for our trip this past September. Btw pro tip, NEVER travel when it's hot. You'd think September would bring autumn foliage and dipped temperatures. My sisters and brothers, it did not DELIVER. It was bleeping hot and we were so defeated by the humidity and unforgiving blue skies. Beautiful pics ofc but masyaAllah... we could only take so much. Thankfully, we had a great living space we called home for 9 days so that was so great and we had so much fun watching late night movies with late night snacks and laughing and doing hauls for each other. We had suchhhh a fulfilling trip and I loved every second of it. Tokyo's wonderful and if you can, you really should plan a trip out there. We went at a time where the Yen was not too crazy expensive? I mean... it was still expensive but since we planned this trip early on we managed to save up for a decent trip that we properly enjoyed. We spoiled ourselves to the best food and an omakase even at the end of the trip. Another pro tip: DO NOT pick an omakase meal at the end of your trip because I don't think you'd enjoy it as much as you think you would. Ngl I was done with Japanese food 3 days in. Hahahaha - I can only do so much sashimi, guys. But grateful for the opportunity to travel and the rezeki of it all. The rezeki of having great friends in the first place, of the financial means to travel, and of our health to permit travel at all. Things we don't think about but man, just really grateful for it all. 

Then just last month, my friends and I also went to Jakarta! It's got to be one of my favourite cities to travel to - its not far and therefore non committal, they speak in a language I can kinda (?) understand or atleast not totally foreign, their food is MY TYPA THING, and the shopping is incredibly affordable. Like why is there not to like? Ok fine traffic's bullshit but yknow what - am not too bothered. I love it and I'd honest to God get on the next plane out there if anyone asks/offers. 

I have my own recommendations but here are some of the things I did:

+ Coloured my whole hair (it initially went from "just the roots please" to "ok semuanya aja terus" at a salon in Grand Indonesia. With a manicure to boot, it totalled to ~RM400. 

+ A 90 minute reflexology session for RM50. Yes.... absurd. I got it at Sendja (the one in Jakarta serves women only. Their Bandung branches cater to both men and women). 
+ Makan nasi padang at Pagi Sore, ayam penyet at Waroeng Mebo and nusantara food at Uma Oma (Blok M). 
+ Shopped at Thamrin.

+ BEST tiramisu in life at Scarlette's House in Blok M. 
+ Shopped at a bazaar in Blok M (seasonal ones, something like our Riuh/Pasar Seloka). 

+ Walked around Blok M on my own, had a quick mocha at Filisofi Kopi.
+ Grabbed Ayam Gepuk Pak Gembus to our accom. Underrated experience is getting food delivered to ya on a vacation. 

Jakarta is humongous and no way I could have covered all the places I had saved on my Tik Tok but that's fine - all the more reasons to go again (and again). 

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Haha this post went from what initially was meant to be a life update to then a travel update?? 

I'll end it here because I gotta get ready to go out. But this was lovely. Getting to write again. I love writing and I wished I had more time to do it but insyaAllah more soon. You know how it is with me - once I get into a funk, there's no saying when I'd get back on the horse. I don't expect anyone to read this and honestly kan, I only remembered to get back to this when I got an email reminder from this site's host about its annual payment. I was like oh right... the blog! 

Hope everyone's well and loved. It's so, so important to be happy but if you're not in the capacity to do that yet then that's fine. I find being grateful to be so key to being content. Once you've acknowledged the things to be grateful for (your eyesight, your limbs, your health, you waking up today, you having the money to eat a good lunch, your family, your friends, your religion), you find life to be lighter. It takes time and a lot of energy to persevere, but you'll get there. We will all get there! 

"Here are two truths that you might wanna hear today. First, you have not yet experienced your happiest days. And second, you still have all the time in the world to be who you want to be"

All my love, guys. See you in the next one.

xx