Chinese New Year 2016

One of my favourite times of the year is Chinese New Year. Each year we visit friends, some of whom we only meet annually during this holiday. It provides a refreshing of friendships and the opportunity to catch up on what each other has been doing, as well as deepening solid long-time friendships. This year was no different. We enjoyed the company of great people, food and happiness.

With Fidelia's university friend, Ka Yi, at CNY

At Grace and Kenny's house during CNY

Paying a visit to some old English students during CNY

Excitedly driving from house to house at CNY

With Mr. Khoo and family for CNY

Happy faces during CNY!

Large CNY group photo at Dato' Johny's house

Leah enjoying playing with sparklers at a friend's house for CNY

All dressed in red, as is typical during CNY

CNY wouldn't be the same without spending time with some of our longest friends in Kuantan

Love visiting our friends during CNY

My favourite CNY breakfast, nian gao

Posing for another photo with good friends at CNY

The boys provide the music for lion dances throughout CNY

The lion dance in full flow at CNY

BBQ!

And more happy CNY times here

Crocodile Rock, Kuantan

Crocodile Rock is a restaurant located in Kuantan on Jalan Teluk Sisek, a stone's throw from Taman Gelora and Teluk Chempedak beach.

It is not clearly visible from the main road but has a signboard which points you to the entrance to the left when coming from Kuantan town.

Crocodile Rock is a restaurant we had wanted to visit for quite some time but just never got around to it. We took some friends along with us and by the time we left around 8pm, it was quickly filling up. 

There is a nice cosy atmosphere in the restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating areas.

Fidelia and Leah in the foyer

There is also a small garden to wander around in, and a spiral staircase that leads up to the roof. I'm not sure if we were meant to go up there, but I took the children up anyway!

Watching the children wander around the garden

Lauren and Sharmayne on the roof of Crocodile Rock!

Here are the menus:

And here is a selection of food we ordered between us:

Fidelia approved of the food!

The children enjoying themselves in the green glow by a tree outside Crocodile Rock

Now, the price for 4 adults and 3 children came to over RM200. However, the food was of an excellent quality, the staff were friendly and the restaurant very comfortable.

Spending time Vs Socializing - Expat Diaries

I have always hated the word "socializing." I'm not anti-social. I just don't like the word.

"Socializing" brings back a lot of memories, mostly negative, from high school. Back then when I was a teenager, socializing meant going out on a Friday night with mates to drink. Alcohol. It was the 'in-thing' - but not for me.

I have never touched alcohol and have no plans to do so. But it's pretty hard to explain that to peers when you're an adolescent! I lived my high school days either coming up with false excuses why I couldn't join my friends on Friday nights, or just avoiding them on Fridays by hanging out in the toilet during breaks, or going to the art studio to work on a project that didn't really need working on :)

"Socializing" was not something I had any interest in doing.

And so I've been living in Kuantan since 2006 and for the vast majority of that time, we have kept ourselves to ourselves, remained busy with teaching English, and only went out by ourselves.

Maybe I thought that "socializing" was not for me. However, recently we have become close friends with some locals and have enjoyed "spending time" together. (As an expat, it's great to mingle with the locals and get to know them. Though it can be hard at first, particularly if you are in a faraway country and trying to get to grips with language and culture. But it's very rewarding too)

"Spending time" is a much better phrase that I like to use. Our time is precious. We can never get it back once it has gone. I believe my school friends genuinely enjoyed their Friday night socializing at the pub or club. It's just that for me it would have been a waste of time.

Living as an expat and spending quality time with great friends has added a new dimension to my state of happiness. While I will always be from England, I definitely feel Malaysian, and spending time with some of my Malaysian friends is a very enjoyable part of my life!

Lauren's 5th Birthday!

It's Lauren's 5th birthday today, and she celebrated with her new friends and teachers at kindergarten!

It was good to see her so happy at kindergarten after a difficult first few days where she cried, yelled, and screamed whilst adapting to her new lifestyle!

Our friend, Aunty Dora, made the cake for us. Click here for more of Aunty Dora's cakes

All of her friends gathered round as the teachers started singing "Happy Birthday" to her in English and Malay:

Lauren cutting the cake:

We joined Lauren and her friends for her birthday celebration at 10am today, which is breakfast time for this kindergarten.

Leah wasn't afraid to go and join Lauren and the others!

Could I ask for some help from my blogger/facebook friends?

Yes, I need just a little help from my friends on blogger and facebook.

Many of you have complimented me on my interesting articles, great photography, cute children, by saying so in a comment. Today I'd like you to write one more comment at the following link, if you enjoy coming to view my blog.

*Our home called Kuantan* has been nominated by expatsblog.com for the Expats blog award 2012 - Top Blog.

Here's the link:

Vote for my blog at expats blog!

You will just have to scroll down the page until you see this:

Your support will be gratefully received. Thank you once again to all who visit my blog and help to make it what it is!

My Journey to Kuantan - Part 3 - Missing Malaysia

If you missed earlier parts of the story, you can catch up by clicking these links:

PART 1 - RAISED IN ENGLAND (1982-2002)

PART 2 - SERVING AS A VOLUNTEER (2002-2004)

Upon returning to England from my 2-year volunteer service, I went through a short period of depression.

Such was the extent to which I had fallen in love with Malaysia and Singapore and its people, that I just couldn't live without it.

I remember stepping off the small propeller plane which had carried me from Frankfurt to Birmingham, and feeling the sheer and utter cold in stark contrast to the warm, tropical conditions of Asia I had become so accustomed to.

It was horrible.

And it was NOT good to be "back."

I sat at home doing nothing. Constantly thinking of my friends in Malaysia, of the myriad great experiences, of the emptiness I now felt in England.

I feel sorry for my mum. She missed me immensely for 2 years, but during that time I had changed to a different person and found a completely new home.

From that moment on, England was just never going to be enough for me.

So in July 2004 I swiftly returned to Malaysia and Singapore and brought my whole family along with me. Seeing my beautiful friends again so soon, and introducing them to my family was a wonderful time!

At Sunway Pyramid, Subang Jaya, West Malaysia

On the skybridge at Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Meeting friends in Kuala Lumpur

Friends in Ipoh, West Malaysia

At the Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, East Malaysia

At my favourite restaurant, Fu Bin Seafood Restaurant, with the staff, in Kuching

With Florianna and Florina, who would later become my sisters-in-law!

Between September 2004 and May 2005 I began working in England. This was a welcome relief because it kept me busy and I was able to earn some money.

I also spent time hanging out with my friends whenever I could.

Met with a fellow volunteer in Malaysia who served with me. Took my best friend with me to Manchester to meet her

Meeting people became interesting as conversations always turned to Malaysia and Singapore and my adventures there.

Met some new friends on a trip to London. It was cold!!

In May 2005 I stopped working and embarked on a second holiday 'back home' to Malaysia, this time for 3 months. 

The truth is, I never stopped missing the Far East...

And that's where the most vital part of my journey to Kuantan occurs!

Stay tuned to find out tomorrow!