Easter Break | Amsterdam Trip Part 1

Assalamualaikum...

last Easter Break which falls on the early April me, my bestie and 2 of my friends decided to go to a trip to Netherlands and Belgium for 4D3N...this is the first trip that I have ever planned in advance for almost a month! there should be more than 4 people but somehow 2 of my friends can't make it due to visa reason and another one just can't make it :(

our plan was to go to Brussels first, hire a car and drive to Netherlands and come back to Brussels and exit to London...so we took Eurostar train from St. Pancras to Brussels...my nightmare everytime I went for a trip happens during this time! we didn't make it before the time of boarding...we should be there half-hour before departure for check-in since we need to go thru custom as this is international train, the rules apply same as those with flight...but luckily, one of my friend managed to change the ticket time to a later one...

on the train, we met this Korean uncle named Donggel Li...he suddenly ask me where are we from since I was sitting at the aisle and he was sitting in front of me...starting from that point, he chats with us because he said that 2 hours journey will be so boring and thats so true tho...but since I just came back from San Francisco on the 30th March and we start our trip on the 2nd of April I was still having my jetlag, I doz off in the middle of the chat...when I woke up, we were almost there :D

this is the friendly Korean uncle! ^_^v

at the station itself, we rent a car from Europcar company to go to Brussels which is much more cheaper if you are travelling in a large group...another incident happened here when my bestie didn't bring her previous driving license card...it doesn't mentioned beforehand in the Europcar website that the driving license should be more than one year! arrghh...fortunately that I brought my previous driving license card since 2010...haha...so we just need to change the booking from my bestie's name to mine...Alhamdulillah...

I was already bear in mind that the road will be as apposite as in Malaysia and UK, but the moment I step in the car, I was nervous to start the engine...my leg were shaking! haha...

  

we start the journey smoothly...

  

  

  

  

  

we went thru beautiful houses, churches, lakes, trees that looks like whomping willow trees in Harry Potter :) few animals such as deer, horses and top of that we even went thru a bridge that looks like Penang bridge! lol

  

after such a long journey, we stop a while to eat..we found this since there are chairs and table for us to set up a mini picnic, but once we got out from the car, the wind was blowing crazily...so we end up eating in the car -_-'

we continue our journey until...

  

we found a dead end! we were shocked as there were no other way, it seems like we need to go thru the river...I have been suspicious along the way as we didn't reach the motorway/highway after almost 3 hours...and then this??? 

to convince me that we didn't lost, so I open my GPS using my phone and thats the only way for us to cross over the river and actually this is one of the route as mentioned in the Google Map...

fortunately the ferry ride is cheap...just Euro 2.35...pfftt~~

once we cross the river, I opened back the navi system and then I realised something!!! it was set up as "avoid motorway"arggghhh no wonder...so guys, if you hired a car next time, make sure the first thing you do is check the navigation set up! this might be set up from the previous renter -_-"

then after that we enter highway and straight to our accommodation...we reached our accommodation around 6.30pm...a 3 hours journey become 6 hours~ but I am satisfied because if not due to the faulty set up of the navigation, we wouldnt see the beautiful side of the villages here =D

sneak peak of our accommodation ^_*

will tell you more about this accommodation...highly recommended!!!! thumbs up! >.<

after prayer and freshen up a bit, we decided to go to the city for a while...we park our car at Park and Ride or they call it as P&R which is just 6 minutes away from our accommodation...its so convenient to travel and thats one of their way to avoid tourist cars in the city...I just love the idea :)

just 4 stations away from the P&R to the central station approx around 10 minutes ride by the train

this is Amsterdam Central Station, the centre for metro, interrail and international trains...since me and my bestie haven't change the money yet, so we decided to do it here...we went to one of the exchange money counter inside the station, the staff was so playful and funny to us...but he did helped us when he said that its better if we cash out the money using the ATM machine that situated just around the corner rather than using their service because there will be Euro5 and 3% charge...tq sir! :-*

then we took a train to the "I amsterdam" sign which is the must-visit-place if you come to Amsterdam

we took some photo and then we headed back to our accommodation...need some rest to continue our exploration on the next day~

Bye~^_^v

Seven Sisters Cliffs

Assalamualaikum...

stamina is important for a PhD student...believe me, I have experienced it. therefore, I have planned for the next 4 years to go for a country sidewalk fortnightly starting this month! 💪

the first destination was to Seven Sisters Cliff at Seaford...I went there with few of my friends last week on the 9th of August...one of the comrades is already a member of a walking club here in London, so she invited us to go for a walk at Seven Sisters last weekend...more info on the club can be found here...the main walk is actually 22.3km (13.8 miles) away but since no strenuous activity have been done in such a long time, we decided to start with a shorter walk that consist of only 6.2km...

we took a Southern train from Victoria Station to Lewes and from Lewes to Seaford which took us around 1 hour and the half

once we arrived at Lewes station, we saw people dressing up as they were going to the beach and some of them were heading to the same direction as we are =D the chirping sound of the seagulls indicating that we are very near to the venue that we are heading for

  

the beach!!! this beach is very near to Seaford station...as you can see, this is how the people here enjoying their summer! just love the refreshing breeze of the sea~ I have been longing to go to the beach since I came to UK...and now here I was!

near the beach, you can find these cute colourful hut to serve the purpose for those that want to picnic or surfing or any activity at the beach...I guess you can rent it...I am not sure about that...sorry -_-"

the Mortello Tower with the red arrow indicates the start of our journey :)

  

we walked along the edge of the cliff

  

and we climbed this steep edgy cliff

until....

  

we can view this spectacular scenery...Subhanallah...its so beautiful

  

we made it!! group photo with the Seven Sisters Hump as the background!

  

while walking, we stumble upon the bushes with blackberries...we taste it and its so sour! haha...I got the sour one and my comrades get to taste the sweet berries...fine! -_-"

  

The place we were standing is called Hope Gap...there were many people went down the beach to find mud crabs...

familiar with this picture??? this is one of Windows Wallpaper view!!! have a look at your lappy/desktop wallpaper (if you are using Windows)

how cool is it??? hahaha...Alhamdulillah I have been here

this is the area where people search for the mud crabs...once I saw this, I have this crazy idea to walk along this slippery-full-of-seaweed to go to the beach of where we were going to have our lunch...and I drag my bestie with me...hahaha...and there is one point where she fell...sorry bestie~

finally we reached the beach side after a looong walk on the slippery rocks! haha

me and my bestie would have to cross this river that connects to the sea...I thought its not that deep and I dont have to take off my shoes...but its quite deep tho! and my other team members who were on the other side of the stream advice me to take off my shoes and cross the river...but when I did that, I cant even walk...its so painful to walk on the rocks under the stream...I gave up and walk with my shoes on

we had our lunch, enjoy the breeze of the sea and me, my bestie and the other girl of the team members went into the sea for a while...its so refreshing! love it

    

  

we then continue our walk for another 2.5km to the bus stop since its almost Asr...along the way there is one field where I can see how they make hay...and then we found a pen of sheep...the boys in the team were busy chasing the sheep...we were just watching them from a far...not only us, but other people were watching them as well! boys~ :)

I was yearning to have tea and scones since the beginning of the walk just like when I had a walk to Kent last year...since its too late to have that since we were late for Asr, so we couldn't stop and have that along our walk...so at the station while waiting for the train for 40 minutes, we waited at a cafe that serve fresh Lavender Homamade Sorbet...delicious and taste like perfumes...haha...at least I could have something difference =D sorbet check! >.<

since we didn't finish the whole journey this time, we gonna have another walk from the other end of the walk and finish it! jyeah!

till then~bye ^_^v

p/s: total cost of the journey: GBP 17.70 for the train ticket-return...since we bought the ticket in a group, we get 10% discount

Master Graduation at Royal Albert Hall!!!

Assalamualaikum...

As I mentioned in the previous post that my mom came to London to visit me the reason behind it is because my Graduation was on 6th of May!!! *happy2*

the graduation ceremony was for my Master which I have successfully completed it in 2014 with the grace and blessings from Allah S.W.T :D

since the day of my graduation falls on weekdays which is on the Wednesday, believe me or not, I still have to go to the lab...haha...told you I was busy that week :(

but I am just so lucky when our session was at 5.30pm which was the last session for that day...ample time for me to go to the lab, finish what I need to do and hurry up home and get ready for my graduation ceremony~

first let took a picture in front of the house~ >.<

we start our journey around 4pm to Royal Albert Hall of where the ceremony will be held..yeah I know its already late!! wuhuuu...

once we reached there, me and my bestie run towards the gown collection area...since we are not from the main campus, so we were not familiar with the buildings there and where it is situated...fyi, Imperial College London main campus is at South Kensington which is just infront of Royal Albert Hall :D 

so we keep asking people whom just finish their session and busy taking photos...haha...right after we reached the area, we just need to give the staff on duty our gown code since we need to hire the gown for GBP55.00 yes we need to pay!!! and thats not a deposit as in Malaysia! pfftt~ -_-" apart from the rent that we need to pay for, if we want to include the graduation hat, we need to buy the hat!! aigooo..so we just went with ONLY the gown...so please dont ask why we didn't wear any graduation hat/mortar board! :D

photos with the Graduation Gown is a must! hehe...

  

after photo session with our family, we enter the hall as we need to be seated first...we enter the hall around 5pm...that is my seat...4 seats towards my left is where my bestie were seated :D

sharp at 5.30pm the session starts...after 2 hours of waiting, then it is our time!!!

yeah!! my name is already resonates in Royal Albert Hall~~alhamdulillah >.<

inside the hall with our friend :D

  

after the ceremony, I met a few of my friends...

me and my bestie with Lisia whom I known during my master and apparently lives in the same building with me last year at Gradpad Wood Lane Studio...she is already in Malaysia working and we are here struggling with our PhD...sometimes I just miss the moment that we were together having fun -_-"

Lauren, our classmate during master...please do come to London often so that we can hang out! :D

K. Baya and K. Zada who came during our convocation and brought us two lovely Tulips for me and my bestie...tq guys!! you guys are the best! :-* muahciket...haha

big group photo with my bestie's family!~ love this photo ^_^

just wana say thanks to my family, my siblings who gave endless support to me during my master and my sister-my partner in crime who make all these possible, love you to the moon and back!! muahhhh!! 

my bestie who is alwayz there beside during my master and now PhD, may our friendship last until Jannah, love you to bestie!! 

and last but not least to all my friends out there who pray for me...tq guys!! :)

Bye~^_^v