"Akak memang lain dari orang lain"

Salam w.b.t and hello everybody.

How are you guys doing? I am doing great! Actually, I was a little bit under the weather. I started having fever last Wednesday, but managed to finish my day at work. On Thursday, I thought I am getting better, but I was not. Fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, chest pain, but I still came to work. Dave (FSM) and Graeme (senior engineer) told me, "Siti, if you feel crap, just go home". Another David, insisted me to go home. I did not want to stay at home because I have nothing to do at home. However, I end up went home around 10 am as I cannot act cool with my croak voice. Hahaha…

On Friday, I took a leave as well. I was really sick because I stayed in bed from most of the time, while watching movies. Hahaha…No way I am going to stay still on my bed. Movies and books.

On Saturday, even though not fully recovered I decided to go out. I went to Dunnottar Castle again and bought groceries. My mates at work invited me to join them in the city watching football and chill out together. I don’t know why I did not go. I don’t know because I thought I want to go at first.

This time, I managed to enter the castle. Weather nice. View is spectacular.

Today, I cleaned the house, did some gardening at the backyard, also managed to finish reading an action book written by James Patterson. Now, I am sitting down at my desk writing this entry.

Honestly, it has been tough time for me for the last couple of weeks. Right now, I have ME-time, four days although I am a bit sick. I appreciate it very, very much. I lost motivation, this time for a good reason (I will share later), and when it happened, I don’t know what to do and what to feel. Most of the time, I felt angry. Being angry is so exhausted. I lost my focus and unhappy.

Therefore, many things happened when I was not myself. Quite hard though. Therefore, having four days alone gives me time and space to think properly. I called my mother last Wednesday, I shared with her everything that bother me, and compared why others don’t experience difficulties I am going through, why and why.

All my mother can say was, "Sabar lah. Akak memang lain dari yang lain sejak dulu. Dulu, masa kawan-kawan akak sambung belajar, akak kerja. Orang buat ini, akak buat sekian, sekian. Sabarlah. Bila tiba masanya, ada jalan keluar tu. Cari motivasi, jangan putus asa. Jangan layan hilang semangat tu lama-lama".

Translation: Be patient. Since beginning, you are always different from others. When your friends pursued studies, you started working. People do this, you do that and that. So, be patient. When the time comes, I am sure you will find the way out. Get motivated and don’t give up. Stop feeling demotivated.

I totally agree with her. Therefore, I am trying to find my spirit to move me forward. Thinking about it, actually nothing is stopping or dragging me down in reality. It is just myself feeling shite. I just need to find the way to get myself moving and for a start, stop whining and be positive!

Yeap, that’s it from me now. Gambatte! Hahaha… I will write again in the future. Take care folks.

Salam w.b.t. and see you later.

 

P/S - I am thinking to go to Budapest or Barcelona during Christmas and New Year Holiday. But I don’t have plan in place. Anyone???

Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven

Salam w.b.t and hello folks.

 

"How is your weekend?" is a typical question to be asked when we come to work on Monday.

My answers normally are, "Not much", "It was alright", and "A bit busy doing readings". Since then I realised, what a dull weekend I had so far.

So last Sunday, I decided to make a little trip to Stonehaven which is famous with Dunnotar Castle. I made a bit of research on the night before on how to reach there and other places can be visited in Stonehaven.

Below are the details.

Stonehaven Guide - http://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/

Address: Dunottar Mains Cottages, Dunottar Mains Cottages, Stonehaven AB39 2TL, UK

Bus X7 (1 hour)

• Day ticket - £10.00 (approx.)
• At 9.15 am
• From F6 Stop, Union Street
• Stop at Dunnottar Junction
• Postcode: AB39 2TL

Opening Hours & Prices

• The current opening hours are Daily between 10am and 3:30pm
• Prices - Adult £6
• Guide Books £3.50
• Postcard Set £2.00

Other interesting places

• Dunnotar Castle - Main
• Stonehaven War Memorial (22 minutes from the castle)
• Aunty Bettys (25 minutes from War Memorial)
• My Beautiful Caravan, at Barclay Street (11 minutes from Aunty Bettys)
• Tolbooth Museum - the museum is only open on a Saturday and Sunday from 12.30 to 3.30 pm

 

Back to Aberdeen

• 4.15 pm from Barclay Street, South bound
• Bus 7
• Arrive at Stop F1

I arrived at Dunnottar Junction Stop around 10.10 am. I did not go straight to the castle, I went to the bus stand to see the bus schedule to return to Aberdeen, just a precaution measure since this is not a busy area. 

Then I walked to the castle about 1 miles, which took me 10 minutes to see the ruined castle from distance.

The view along my walk to the castle

Welcome to the Dunnottar Castle

Behind this field is the North Sea, if you can see it

Pathway that leads to the castle

I was nearly dancing around when I saw the castle



The waterfall



The view is so magnificent

The entrance

In the parking lot got sign said the castle is close due to wind. I was a bit disappointed but I want to have a look, probably the sign was an old sign.

The view, I will never get boring see this





Halfway to the castle



Actually, this is the cliff but eroded due to seawater. The castle is at the top of it



Beach, it was windy, chilly, and started to rain



The gate at the side of the cliff, part of the castle





The stairway to the main gate of the castle. It was closed, affirmative.


I did not want to simply leave the place, so I decided to take a walk down to the beach. The route was treacherous, and dangerous. I saw several visitors just stand at the stairway and enjoyed the view, but none came down to the beach. I took the risk to go down, and if I slipped down the cliff, they will see me from where they stood.

While walking down the cliff, I stopped from time to time and enjoy the fantastic view. Throughout this little hiking, it was raining just so you know and I was carrying my backpack. It was not easy and risky. I was a bit scared, but keep praying all will go well.

 

In the meantime, I saw several people followed me. Huhuhu...but one man slipped, luckily nothing happened. I shouted to him to take the path with fresh grass, much safer.



Nearly there



Finally down at the beach. I did not touch the water as I knew it is so cold



Stopped for a while to read the sign here




Finally, made it to the beach safely

I spent around 10 minutes there, took pictures, enjoying the view. In the meantime, studying the route to get back up the cliff, either take the same route where I used to go down or climb another opposite cliff.

It started to raining heavily and strong wind, poor vision and the ground could be very, very slippery. Besides, the tide was starting to rise. With that, I decided to use the same route.

I walked back to the main road with myself drenching in rain water. I brought an umbrella but I knew it will be useless. As the wind blew so hard and it was so cold. I thought there was a coffee shop, so I could warm up my body while waiting for rain to stop, but nothing, it was a private property. No shelter or whatsoever, just a parking lot. I saw a Blue Bus there but it was a charter bus for tourist.

As a last resort, I decided, lets go to the bus stand. But first, I need to walked back about 1 mile to the bus stop. I walked slowly, and suddenly the Blue Bus I saw earlier stopped next to me. The driver was a man that slipped when he walked down the cliff previously.

He said, "Hop on to the bus".

He gave me a lift to the bus stand towards Aberdeen. He was actually a tourist guide from Edinburgh, brought a group of tourist visited Aberdeen. Now, he was on his way back to Edinburgh after dropping the tourists in Aberdeen. He wanted to visit the castle before going home, but a bit disappointed as it was close.

I said to him, "We should come visit again in summer. The chance will be higher".

He dropped me at the bus stand and off he went. It was around 11 am at that time, the next bus was around 12 pm. It was freezing cold and I hardly feel my fingers, and honestly I was a bit terrified thinking what if the bus does not turn up.

The view from the bus stop. The property there, I thought it was a coffee shop

Finally, the bus turned up and I went straight back to Aberdeen. I did not visit other places as the weather did not permitted. Next time...

Once I arrived at Union Square Bus Station, I went to have my lunch at Thaikun, a Thailand restaurant. A hot meal, after a freezing morning.

On Monday, my colleagues asked me, "How was your weekend?".

"It was great. I went to Stonehaven, see the castle".

Their reply, "You went there in this kind of season, you are out of your mind".

I giggled, "I don't regret it. The view was stunning".

##Extra - Preparation

1. Decent shoes
2. 4 layers of clothes + thermal shirt and pant
3. Waterproof winter jacket
4. Thick socks
5. Gloves
6. Food and water
7. Check the weather forecast

P/S - I was not stupid, I checked the weather forecast already, Allah knows. Anyway, this is Aberdeen.