CSR week

Have not been doing much charity this year... I guess that's why God kinda made plans for me to do so last week..

Visit to R*K

As part of fact-finding for our next philantrophy exercise, the CSR team was asked to visit a 'Home' which was caught in a political and media frenzy a couple of weeks ago. I am sure the caretaker of the 'Home' is genuinely concerned and has the purest intention to help the kids/others in need - something not many people would be able to do... but the 'Home' is not in a good condition at all... I hope when B*N helps them with the needed financial assistance they would improve in managing the 'Home'...

14 kids crammed in here?

6-8 kids in here...

Not so condusive study area..

B*N Inter-Varsity Social Venture Challenge

Been going around the Unis giving talks/presentations about the challenge in order to garner interest/participation. Was at UUM last Friday. We've a couple of states more to go - Sabah, S'wak, Johor, Penang, Perak... so, gotta split the team in order to settle before puasa...visits to Unis makes me miss studying? ;p

UUM students asked some pretty tough questions..

Hope to see lotsa participation from all the Unis..

Islamic Outreach ABIM - Walkathon

The Bank supported the event by being one of the sponsors. Had about 30 B*N Community Rangers participating in the walkathon - be it suka/paksarela.. This was my 1st time joining a walkathon..kinda proud of myself that I finished like 4km...same category as the Kiddies..don't know how the adults can buat like 7-8kms...

All-set before the race..

This is Auntie Jenny... apparently peserta paling semangat for the past 2 years already.. think she even won like top 8.. so cool..

No VIP from B*N so I had to be the one to flag off the participants..ingat pakai bendera rupanya a gun... I sooo can't act in Gerak Khas...:p

Women's category had the most participants, I think.. hence, all the more reason for me to just join the Kiddies...

This is a 'different' kind of CSR, ye En. Rahman... :p

Tiring week.. but it feels kinda nice to be doing some CSR/Charity apart from the coins that I'd put in the tabung at McD/KFC... ;p

Weekend retreat with the kiddies!

Date : 10/7/2010-11/7/2010
Location/Venue: The Gardens Hotel
Mission: To keep the kiddies occupied and happy to lessen the number of times that I have to chase them around the house or scream at the top of my lungs.
Methods:
1. Check-in the hotel @ 12pm
2.Buy McD value meal for lunch and eat in the room while watching Cartoon Network - 2 hrs
3. Rest and sleep - 1 hour
4. Chuck them in the pool - as long as they want
5. Bribe them with junk food after pool session
6. Stuff them with heavy food for dinner
7. Rest and sleep - Kiddies will be super duper tired by 8pm and retire to bed.
8. Long breakfast the next day
9. Chuck them in the pool after breakfast
10. Check-out when they are super duper tired and could sleep soundly in the car on the drive back home.

I think they had a super fun weekend retreat and I could pass as one of the super cool babysitters! ;)

Heavenly Bali..

I think I've loved travelling since those days back in Uniten. Though at that time the most adventurous travelling that I've done was with Azah, exploring Singapore - Takashimaya included.. hehe...

On board the train to S'pore with Azah back in 1999...


The thing is, opportunities, money and time will always be factors that would hinder me from doing so. Hence, when I was given the opportunity to go to Bali for an all-paid-for conference, had some bonus money left to cover for some HRC t-shirts, fridge magnets etc and some time to kill.. I thought...what the heck.. just go for it larr..

Bali has always been one of the places that I'd want to go to...especially after having read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love (which by the way is simply a superb book for all women out there)...

Sidetrack jap - About the book: Eat, Pray, Love is a humorous account of Elizabeth finding herself after a bad divorce by spending a year in Italy, India and Bali.

Eat represents her four months in Italy, filling her void with food (pastas and pizza in particular) and pleasure (friendship and companionship) while learning Italian.

Pray is the four months spent at an Ashram in India in meditation and worship.

Love is her four months finding peace and love in Bali.

Though I was on an official business, I can't help to feel a little bit excited to do some exploring on my own. Did some research on the net for must-go places in Bali as well as asked Azah and Zett for some tips..

My overall review for Bali would be:
1. Places to AVOID - Kuta - the town is too busy and crowded.. the beach there, just skip it laa... u won't miss much except for checking out the surf dudes and chicks in skimpy bikinis.. so if you are on a honeymoon or something, STAY AWAY from this area coz then your other half would be thinking about romance but not necessarily romancing you... :p

2.Accommodation / places to stay - Hotels..villas...are abundance in Kuta and the whole of Bali for that matter..the hotel in Kuta that they put us up at, was just 4 star but it was pretty cool...nothing to complain.. of course if you have the moolahs, and you want to stay at somewhere happening in Kuta, then some options would be Ramada Bintang, Kuta Paradiso or Kartika Discovery.. I was lucky to also been given the chance to stay at a 4 star villa in Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua... the villa is REALLY nice...felt more like 6 stars to me... my recommendation: Nusa Dua and Seminyak should be the area for you to stay if you want some privacy and some peace of mind...

3. Shopping - I only shopped in Kuta... Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong like bersepah kat situ... so, if you are like the surf dudes and chicks, takyah la bawak banyak baju to Bali and just beli je kat sana. I did'nt really manage to check out Seminyak... only passed by the strecth of boutiques which looked much classy than the ones in Kuta... ingat nak beli some Uluwatu stuff.. but in the end like tak sempat and then totally forgot about it...

4. Food - SUPERYUMMY SEAFOOD with romantic setting by the beach... Go to Jimbaran beach - Menega Cafe in particular... sedap and murah... tapi sebab ramai sangat orang, you might have to wait kinda lama for the food to come...Restaurants to check out - Sarong at Jimbaran..Asian Cuisine yang amat sedap.. wanted to check out Ku De Ta tapi tak sempat...

5. Beautiful beaches - yes, if you go to Nusa Dua - no, if you go to Kuta or Jimbaran --- these 2 beaches would be like PD revisited tinggal just campak like hundreds of surf chicks and dudes kat situ..

6. Spa - Did'nt have much time to scout around..so tried the one at Ramada Bintang, Kuta...hmmm... totallly mind blowing...very very nice... but forgot to take pics of the place la..though lepas tu rasa macam nak tido aje...

7. The pics that I think could pass as Bali Tourism website material.... check them out...

Was brought on tour/sightseeing to Karma Kandara Beach Resort in Jimbaran...a very private and posh resort on a cliff...would cost about RM3000-4000+ per night if I'm not mistaken.. that white Villa behind me is where Julia Roberts stayed at when she was in Bali for the film Eat, Pray, Love..

The private beach at Karma Kandara... to go down to the beach you need to go on this thing called 'The Inclinator' .. (you can see the rail for 'The Inclinator' on the left side of the pic)

Jimbaran Beach - just putting this pic to show the contrast between this beach and the one in Karma Kandara...

The Bali Khama - the Villa where I stayed at.. cool huh...

It's also by the beach...

Just nice to lepak... termenung or read a book... ;p

8. The overall feeling for Bali - Nice and would definitely be remembered! :)

p/s: Zett, if you are reading this, I finally ordered Krispy Kreme on Air Asia..will post pic as proof.. could not find it pulak.. only those 2 flavours haaa? (had vanilla and peppermint with choc)...

Holiday vs 'Holiday'

My parents are off with my sister for a holiday in Australia for almost 2 weeks...holidays like this would be the one time that my parents can 'cuti' from taking care of 7 kids on a daily routine....they love holidays but usually will go with a heavy heart leaving behind their grandkids...

So for 2 weeks, me and my brother will have to take leave and make arrangements to take care of the 6 kids (1 kid got lucky and is enjoying herself in Australia) as well as the house...

My father gave us his amanat, nicely written for each of us and also a copy placed on the fridge:

1. Hidupkan enjin kereta2 (panaskan enjin) 1-2 hari sekali.

2. Bagi kucing makan/minum (pagi dan petang).

3. Tutup/kunci tingkap/pintu/gate waktu keluar. Malam tutup langsir.

4. Pasang alarm.

5. Siram pokok bunga. Bunga orkid tiap2 hari pagi atau petang. Bunga lain 2 hari sekali. (jika hari tidak hujan)

6. Pasang lampu luar waktu malam dan tutup waktu pagi.

7. Vitagen & milo dekat dalam fridge belakang.

8. Biskut and Coco Crunch dalam almari.

I hope my parents are having a blast coz I'm sure my 'holiday' at home with the 6 kiddies will be a thrilling experience! ;)