LONDON

Dad and Mum in London.

“Bersyukurlah kepada-Ku, dan kepada dua orang ibu bapakmu; hanya kepada-Kulah kembalimu” (31:14)

FAREWELL

All of us go to the Durham Train Station to send off the Bruneian girls, they are going home for good. I couldn't cry, I do not know why.

ZATUL'S GRADUATION

Zatul's graduation, in the Durham Cathedral. Waiting for my chance too, insyaAllah, in the future. Please make du'a for us, the struggling, poor students.

LOCH NESS

Loch Ness, cukup cantik, lagenda di mana seekor naga muncul bermandi-manda. Ah, saya tidak ikut boat trip ini, kerana mabuk kenderaan. Lantasnya, kami cuma berjalan-jalan sekitar bandar. Scotland, insyaAllah kami datang lagi.

“Dan barangsiapa yang bersyukur, maka sesungguhnya dia bersyukur untuk (kebaikan) dirinya sendiri, dan barangsiapa yang kufur (tidak bersyukur), maka sesungguhnya Tuhanku Maha kaya (tidak membutuhka sesuatu) lagi Mahamulia” (QS An-Naml [27]: 40)

BOXING DAY IN LONDON

I go down to London for shopping on the Boxing Day. Yes, in Harrods. I couldn't believe it myself. The perfumes are not that expensive, it's between £6-£25 pounds only. Perhaps, it's the first and the last Boxing Day spending spree in London.

However, to my delight, and grateful, I meet Huda. Heee, and drink the best cappucino.

ISTANBUL

Kalau mahu cerita pasal Istanbul,memang panjang, mahu letak gambar yang mana pun tidak tahu, semua tempat wajib sudah dikunjungi. Shopping tak sempat, beg penuh sangat sebab trip kali ini sangat panjang, London- Paris - Munich - Salzburg - Istanbul - Durham. The above picture doesn't do the justice. But I love it, because it's colourful.

14.7. Dan (ingatlah juga), tatkala Tuhanmu memaklumkan; "Sesungguhnya jika kamu bersyukur, pasti Kami akan menambah (ni'mat) kepadamu, dan jika kamu mengingkari (ni'mat-Ku), maka sesungguhnya azab-Ku sangat pedih".

MUNICH

Munich, I could not make any judgement on it, except it has lots of halal food, and it is delicious. I swear. My dad wants to go to the garden, but since we only have a very limited time, maybe we go there next time, insyaAllah.n yang besar.

14.5. Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah mengutus Musa dengan membawa ayat-ayat Kami, (dan Kami perintahkan kepadanya): "Keluarkanlah kaummu dari gelap gulita kepada cahaya terang benderang dan ingatkanlah mereka kepada hari-hari Allah ". Sesunguhnya pada yang demikian itu terdapat tanda-tanda (kekuasaan Allah) bagi setiap orang penyabar dan banyak bersyukur.

NEUWANSCHTEIN CASTLE

I want to go to Dachau Concentration Camp, but Dad adamantly insists on going to the Neuwanschtein Castle, in Bavarian Alps, Bavaria. It used to be an independent country, but fall under German hand during World War 1? Please check by yourself. It's beautiful, needless to say.

10-22: Dia (Allah) yang menjadikan kamu boleh berjalan di darat dan di laut, sehingga apabila kamu berada di atas kapal dan kapal itu berlayar dengan (bantuan) angin yang baik, dan mereka bergembira kerananya, (tiba-tiba) datang kepada mereka angin yang kencang disertai ombak (yang besar) daripada segenap penjuru, hinggakan mereka menyangka bahawa mereka telah terperangkap di dalam bahaya, lalu (dalam keadaan yang cemas itu) mereka menyeru kepada Allah dengan mengikhlaskan al-din (agama) kepada-Nya (kepada Allah) semata-mata (tidak meletakkan pergantungan kepada sesuatu yang lain sedikit pun): “Sesungguhnya jika Engkau (Allah) selamatkan kami daripada bahaya ini nescaya kami akan menjadi orang yang bersyukur".

SALZBURG

8.26. And remember (with gratitude) when you were few and deemed weak in the land (and oppressed), fearing that people would snatch you away, how He provided you with refuge, and strengthened you with His help, and provided for you sustenance out of the pure, wholesome things, that you might give thanks (to Him from the heart and in speech, and in action by fulfilling His commandments).

I love Salzburg, we go there by train from Munich. My dad wants to go climb up the stairs to see the castle, but Mum refuses to go. What I regret the most is to not google where the halal kebab store is before the trip, resulting in a bread for lunch.

PARIS

[7.8] Timbangan pada hari itu ialah kebenaran (keadilan), maka barang siapa berat timbangan kebaikannya, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang beruntung.

[7.9] Dan siapa yang ringan timbangan kebaikannya, maka itulah orang-orang yang merugikan dirinya sendiri, disebabkan mereka selalu mengingkari ayat-ayat Kami.

[7.10] Sesungguhnya Kami telah menempatkan kamu sekalian di muka bumi dan Kami adakan bagimu di muka bumi itu (sumber) penghidupan. Amat sedikitlah kamu bersyukur.

Syukur, I have a chance to bring them to Paris, even though it's only a day trip!

AMSTERDAM TRIP WITH PARENTS

Al-An'am[6.63] Katakanlah: “Siapakah yang dapat menyelamatkan kamu dari bencana di darat dan di laut,yang kamu berdoa kepada-Nya dengan berendah diri dengan suara yang lembut (dengan mengatakan):”Sesungguhnya jika Dia menyelamatkan kami dari(bencana) ini, tentulah kami menjadi orang-orang yangbersyukur.”


I love love love this trip, because I love Amsterdam beyond words.

EDINBURGH

53. And it is in this way that We try people through one another: so that they (who think that such things as wealth and social status are the means of superiority) say (of the believers who are poor and lacking in recognized social status): "Are these the ones among us on whom God has bestowed His favor?" Does God not know best who are the thankful (who recognize the real source and bestower of every good thing one receives, and act accordingly)?

Edinburgh - the windy place, the coldest place I've ever been. But I love the mosque.

MANCHESTER

Manchester, where we meet the Teluk Intan boys and girl.

CORDOBA

4.147. What should God punish you if you are grateful (to Him) and believe (in Him)? God is Ever-Responsive to gratitude, All-Knowing.

Dad goes to the mosque, Mum asks me to accompany her for shopping *sigh*. The paradox of heart.

GIBRALTAR

[3.145] Dan (tiap-tiap) makhluk yang bernyawa tidak akan mati melainkan dengan izin Allah, iaitu ketetapan (ajal) yang tertentu masanya (yang telah ditetapkan oleh Allah). Dan (dengan yang demikian) sesiapa yang menghendaki balasan dunia, kami berikan bahagiannya dari balasan dunia itu, dan sesiapa yang menghendaki balasan akhirat, kami berikan behagiannya dari balasan akhirat itu; dan Kami pula akan beri balasan pahala kepada orang-orang yang bersyukur.

AL-HAMBRA

[3.144] Dan Muhammad itu tidak lain hanyalah seorang Rasul yang sudahpun didahului oleh beberapa orang Rasul (yang telah mati atau terbunuh). Jika demikian, kalau ia pula mati atau terbunuh, (patutkah) kamu berbalik (berpaling tadah menjadi kafir)? Dan (ingatlah), sesiapa yang berbalik (menjadi kafir) maka ia tidak akan mendatangkan mudarat kepada Allah sedikitpun; dan (sebaliknya) Allah akan memberi balasan pahala kepada orang-orang yang bersyukur (akan nikmat Islam yang tidak ada bandingannya itu).

COSTA DEL SOL

When we first arrive in Spain, they bring us to the Malaga shopping centre because they have to shop food for us. Dad couldn't contain his hunger, so we eat kebab at one of the outlets. Many Muslim Arabs come after that, maybe they are convince that the food is halal after seeing us eating with gusto.

DURHAM CATHEDRAL

Durham Cathedral. There is a day when the visitors are allowed to snap pictures inside the Cathedral, I forget the day's name. (Sila senget-sengetkan kepala anda). It's beautiful, but Mum and Dad refuse to step inside it for the religious reason.

X-MAS DINNER

After the Amsterdam Trip, Along and I are invited to have dinner with my flatmates. We are reluctant actually, but since they look so forlorn, we decide to accept it gracefully. It turns out to be a horrible night, because they do not only attack Islam, but also our practised lives.

And funny enough, they apologive the day after, when they are sober.

EID AL-ADHA

We celebrate the Eid at Ustinov Cafe, just for the Malay community in Durham. Amalina and I are the last guests to arrive, because we are so busy doing our homeworks, my supervisor wants to see my draft the day after, and I haven't even finish it. However, by Allah's grace, I manage to do it, so does Amalina. Alhamdulillah.

DALTON PARK

Dalton Park is another place that we go for shopping and chill out, after tonnes of works and thinking. The peak time for shopping is obviously during the Boxing Day, the 26th of December. We normally drive to go there, to use bus is unthinkable, because normally we buy many things for ourselves, friends and family.

PRESTON PARK

I visit Along in Preston, and we go to every park that we are able to. This park is particularly special to me because there is a river that divides the park. It's especially beautiful in the spring time because the daffodils are cheerfully greeting us, telling us that hope and faith should never be weavered.

DOCKLAND

Dockland in Preston. I love it. I go there twice. With those special people. I wish I could live nearby so I can go whenever the sadness and the depression start to envelope me.

YORK

I couldn't resist to put two pictures in this entry. The first is the clear sign that the delicious summer is near to the end, and welcoming the equally delicious autumn: the stubble. The second picture shows how joyful we are to do the best activity in the world : shopping!

SUMMER PICNIC

I love this picture. Rest assure, we are not that close to the boys. Just in case you think otherwisely. This is the first time that I picnic under the sky. Blue sky. In the summer. And the field is full with the wild flowers. And the food is seriously yummy! Min brings the delicous cake from Mark and Spencer. And Kak Dij cook the sinful food. Owh summer picnic!

STOCKTON INTERNATIONAL RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL

Stockton International Riverside Festival, best! Min buys me the Spongebob balloon, while she gets the Patrick herself. After the festival, we eat spaghetti with gusto at Sha's place. It's really small, the house. I can't breathe if the space is very small, but the living room is spacious!

SOUTHAMPTON

I went to Southampton for a friend's graduation. She means a lot to me. She plans to further her study in Durham, but fate has stored the best for her. Southampton is a very wide city. Very pretty and green. It's very far from Durham, it took me 9 hours by train! Owh, and the people in the picture, I have no idea who are they, they are my friend's friends.

IMOLA GARDEN, ESSEX

This is Imola Garden, the last trip with the Essex friends before I go to Durham. It's a beautiful park, and it's free. We dont have any parks in Durham, only Garden which is not free for public. I could not understand it. Parks are the life of human beings, yet we the Durhaniams are being denied for it.

In Malaysia? I rarely venture to any parks because there are so many people, and I'm not comfortable for their stares.

DMA GALA PARADE

Durham Miners Association (DMA) Gala Parade. I wake up early in the morning to watch this parade with Kak Dijah. Everyone else is sleeping so soundly. It's quite interesting, because Durham used to be the mining city. They look like Scotishs, aren't they, with the 'skirts'. Beautiful. Wish I can wear one one day!

the Durham Miners Association (DMA, part of the National Union of .... Each year three lodges parade from the field to the Cathedral high

FIRST CARBOOT

The first time that I go to carboot, it is at Chester Le's street. I always look for the old, cheap books, and guess what, I get story books for 10 pence each!

I go with Kak Elli. Come to think about it, I always go to carboot with Kak Elli. She is an economist too, and while I'm trying hard to learn the econometric, she's doing the social science study which involves the probit and logit methods. It scares me too deep when it comes to those method, because it is really hard to learn those concepts. She is an exceptional student, and lady indeed.

FIRST TIME TO PRESTON

Kali pertama ke Preston menemani Along mendaftar. Beliau mengambil Interior Design Master Course. Preston sangat - sangat cantik. Sangat banyak kedai halal, berdekatan dengan laut, dan perpustakaannya buka sehingga 24 jam sehari. I wish I study in Preston. Seriously.

I miss Along. I always can pour my heart out to her, realize that I can always depend on her secrecy and advices.

DIRECT DESCENDANT OF PROPHET

A talk by HH Prince Hassan, the direct descendant of Prophet Muhamad saw. I wish I was in that line as well, alas, I'm just an ordinary lady. It's really a special day. He has the aura, the 'nur' and imagine that you come from the very prominent family. I weep tearlessly during the home journey.

FIRST HEAVILY SNOWY DAY

The first time where I experience a real heavy snow in Durham. I act like a kid on that day, taking so many pictures with so many 'gaya'. It's not that cold compare to the next snowy weather.

HIS HIGHNESS

A visit by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasim, and I am the fortunate one to be among the selected students to meet him. He builds our school, and his English is so fluent. He expresses his sadness over our muslim conditions that are succumbing to hedonism, forgetting the real purpose of beaing born and live.

I never meet any kings in Malaysia, and here, in the aliean land, I have met the real one.

GAMBAR KESEPIAN

I remember this photo session because Min practically begging me to follow her around Durham for her photo session. Not mine. This is what we call 'gambar kesepian'. I laugh so hard because she isn't lonely at all! This is during the late summer. The best time of the year. It is taken in the Durham Botanical Garden, which is free for students. Weird, we don't have parks.

VISITORS FROM SUNDERLAND

They are engineering students who study in Sunderland University. It's freezing and yet they wear thin clothes and jackets. I really salute them. They tell many stories about Muslims being oppress over there. I'm lucky for not being treated like a suspicious terrorist. The price to pay when you are a practiced muslim here.

FIRST AUTUMN IN DURHAM

First autumn in Durham. The view is breathtaking, believe me. This is the road to my college where I stay for a short period of time.

FIRST TRIP TO STOCKTON

Our first 40-minutes-bus trip to Stockton to get halal chicken and meats, and eat the delicious burger. If you are students, the burgers only cost you £2.50! Durham, sadly, doesn't have any halal outlets at that time. And the bus to Stockton is free for Durham Univ students. I love Stockton, it's bigger than Durham, and needlessly to say, more shops to shop!

I love those girls.

FIRST SLUMBER PARTY

Our first slumber party. Yes, we do have one. Girls only. In the bruneians + a Malaysian house. What a fun night we have! Exchange gifts and stories. Since I havent get my allowance yet, my mere gifts consist only a humble ones.

FIRST TIME TO LONDON

First time to London. It was awesome! You know, that kind of feeling, I'm from a very small town, village girl, and here I am, in one of the most metropolitan cities ever on earth. Alhamdulillah, I never dream to be here, because I always wanted to go to New York instead. I'm grateful, really really grateful.

FIRST AND THE LAST BBQ IN ESSEX

My first and the last BB-Q in Essex. Many yummy food. I do not have the mood to go actually, because I face many personal problems at that time. But I am glad that I go.

ROOM IN ESSEX UNIVERSITY

My room in Essex Univesity. It's messy, excuse me. I live with another 7 girls, which are the brightest brains around Europe and Asia. They are crazy, kind and very much in love with talking. I love them, love them so much and it hurts me really deep when I move to Durham.

I love this room. This is the place where I study, weep, and love. I always wake up in the middle of the night to gaze at the stars and watching the train goes by, wondering, where are they going in this wee morning?

One night, there is a crescent moon and a star. Reflecting both of my mum and dad, I guess.

FIRST EID' IN ESSEX

First raya in overseas, in Essex University. Our malay community is quite large, and needless to say, we enjoy a very yummy festive food! I still remember riding a car with one of the seniors, and meet so many Malays, Bruneians, Indonesians, and Mat Salleh.

MUSIM BUNGA PERTAMA DI DURHAM

Musim pertama di Durham. Owh, sebenarnya saya sampai-sampai sudah musim bunga. Cantik bukan? Daffodils, sakura, daisies, tulips. Ah. Tapi saya masa itu masih menyesuaikan diri. Library yang jauh, town yang agak jauh. Kawan-kawan yang baru dikenali. Dan membaca labour maket theory, serta mencari topic yang sesuai.

*Pengsan*

FIRST TIME TO NEWCASTLE

Pertama kali ke Newcastle untuk membeli ayam daging halal dan barang-barang asia yang lain. Can you imagine travelling for 1/2 hour to get halal food? Many Arabs say that due to the difficulty to get halal food, it is permissionable to buy chicken at any outlets in Durham. Duh. I was in awe. Yah, Durham is so small, Newcastle is really big, in comparison I mean. Still, I'm not fond of it.

CLACTON ON SEA

Berjalan-jalan dengan kekawan di Essex University ke Clacton on Sea. Naik bus cuma 30 minit sahaja. Pada mulanya kami salah menunggu di pondok bas yang lain, sepatutnya pondok bas di seberang sana! Saya sangat merindui laut, makanya mereka merancang trip yang satu ini, padahal mereka cuma mahu shopping. Aduhai, rindu bangat sama mereka.

Terjerat dengan hujan yang turun tiba-tiba, kami terperangkap di sebuah fun-fair. Sessi menangkap gambar tidak dilepaskan. Dan kemudian bershopping di bandarnya!

WATCHING EURO 2008

I stayed in Ustinov College when I first came to Durham University. It meant that I have to watch television in the common room whenever I wanted to, otherwise, I have to pay the TV license if I owned my own tv. This was where I watch one of the Euro 2008 match. With Min, Lutfi and Hairi. I couldn't remember which game, but I think it must be Germany who won, because Min smiled so hugely. I miss her. Miss her so much. Our conversations are colourful, and she is one of the best ladies I've ever met.

And this event is the impetus for my love towards football.

A VISIT BY A FRIEND FROM ABERDEEN

Friend from Aberdeen came for a visit, she's actually a Putri's friend, but we become close. I still owe her a visit, but Aberdeen is soooo far. Will go there, InsyaAllah, one day. She is one of the funniest ladies I've ever met. I couldn't stop laughing when I am with them. I miss them.

AMSTERDAM WINTER 2008

Salam Pencinta Kebaikan, semoga kebaikan dari Tuhan itu sentiasa datang menghampiri mu, memelukmu, melindungi mu dari segala kejahatan. Salam Pencinta Kebenaran, moga segala kebenaran itu tetap bertapa didadamu. Salam Pencinta Keajiban, moga segala keajaiban itu selalu berlaku didalam hidup mu, setiap masa dan ketika, lebih-lebih lagi didalam raja segala bulan ini.

Trip bersama Along ke Amsterdam pada winter 2008. Menaiki kapal 'cruise'. Segala-galanya indah, walaupun cuma 4 jam sahaja di darat. Pertama kali memakan KFC halal. SubhanAllah. Melihat X-Mas di Durham, dan seterusnya meraikan tahun baru bersama Along.