A Little Surprise

The information was fastly changing. An aunt posted a video on Instagram before my closeknit family WhatsApp group gave any announcement.

“Mom’s breath is getting heavy”

“We’re calling a doctor”

Those are forwarded messages from another aunt in the big family WhatsApp group minutes after the video on Instagram posted. Followed with a video of my grandma lying in her care bed, in one of my aunt’s house. I almost couldn’t recognise her, sadly. She’s been suffering with stroke for the last couple of years. Parts of her body gradually paralyzed. I think she had heart problems as well.

Minutes after, my sister called me. A video call. She said nothing, but I can hear prayers are chanted. While my sister moved the phone towards my grandma, my mum uncover a piece of scarf that covering grandma’s face. She’s there, passed away. I was surprised, as it was happened within minutes in my side of the world. I didn’t say a word. But finally managed to spell some prayers.

Sugeng tindak, mbah putri

I am very far away from them now. And I couldn’t even remember when was the last time I saw her, because it was Covid period when she started to get treated because of stroke.

Then I saw other family members gathered and chanting prayers through my sisters photos, I am hoping that mbah putri (how i like to call my grandma) will rest well.

Ice Cream Shop Around The Corner

Tomorrow is the bin collection day. We (read: mba Iren and I) dragged our 2 big bins to the main road that day.

Dragging 2 bins

After that, we walked through the sidewalk, toward the corner of our street. We were aiming to buy ice cream.

We walked through the golf course and a playground. But it was almost dark. No one in the park at that time.

Oak Park Playground

I was walking like a snail. I tried to keep up mba Iren’s speed. Ice cream was my reward. From me to myself.

We saw a line in front of the ice cream shop. It is Augustus Gelatery .

Augustus Gloop Gelatery

They have so many options for gelato and sorbet. I forgot what was my final choice. But I remember it was good and I can’t finished it because it was too much. They have the big scoops trust me.

I think that was one of the memories from my first experience with Melbourne. As Melbournians said, Melbourne can have 4 kinds of weather in a day, but we can always get ice cream in any kind of weather.  I experienced that too that day.

What to do in Phuket

Enjoying the sun..

Party because it’s fun..

Sunbathing your bun(s)..

A lot of munch..

 

And here’s my highlight of Phuket when I went there in February

 

Renting a motorbike in Phuket was like 250 THB per day with my passport on-hold. I wasn’t comfortable with that actually but I was sort of money and people do that all the time (I think) so it should be fine. Riding Honda Scoopy was cute, I shouldn’t complain.

February was the perfect weather to visit Phuket since the temperature isn’t too high, still sunny, barely raining but we could get cool breeze as well.

What I like and enjoy the most about Phuket and generally Thailand is their food. Who’s agree with me?! You definitely need to visit their night market because that’s the perfect place for trying different food in one place.

I tried this crispy shredded catfish, ate with spicy fish sauce and lettuce (I forgot what’s the name), but it’s GOOD! I tried another sweet snack like cotton candy, eat with kinda pancake/crepes.

Unfortunately, since I’m solo traveling, I couldn’t buy much stuff and eat it by myself. But also lucky me, when I sit to enjoy my meal, I sit next to a Thai girl, who wants to share her meal. She was from Bangkok on her weekend holiday in Phuket, and the food was kinda fried noodles with pieces of taro. It’s YUM.

Since I’m not a party girl, I didn’t do any moon party lol. I might try that if I was with friends who like to go. Or going to one of that daily Thai boxing competition. Seems fantastic.