Bukit Bumps!

Had a funny day on Wednesday.. Helen and i did Bukit.. and had a good old natter about life the world and everything on the way round(as per normal) and we both tried to push ourselves this time.. not a world record breaking time but ..a good time considering we have been pretty lazy at doing any physical stuff!

anyway.. we came out the jungle and were very pleased with ourselves...

There were plenty of people there ..having a post bukit rest on the exercise equipment(!!) so helen suggested we walk along the massage stones..
(these are rounded stones set in to concrete on a pathway designated for the purpose of massaging your feet!)
so .. being wimps (and knowing how painful they are to walk on) we kept our shoes on.. but.. there was a guy strimming the grass.. and it was flicking the stones up at us.. so we thought, wed just run past him..
easy peasy..
good plan!
mmmmmmm
unless youre a complete doris like me!


Im not sure what happened.. but i know i turned to wave & say thanks to the bloke as he had stopped strimming when he saw us trying to run past, and then..
i was headbutting the stones.. and kinda thought..oh i think that hurt!

Helen was like 'teen??'TEEN!! and then i realised that my hands hurt as well as my head and oh.. i think my knee was sore too..

Anyway.. i was very lucky to have alot of people there at bukit that day (!?) i think Helen could have sold tickets to view the damaged Orang Putih!

Lots of people came to my aid.. one ran all the way to the bottom car park to get Helens car.. another decided to manipulate my leg for me!(yeah thanks mate!) some insisted i sit up.. move to my side.. i insisted i lay down!!
When i did sit up.. it all went a bit grey n fuzzy.. just like on the movies!!(lol)
I could hear Helen saying..Talk to me.. and in my head i was talking back, but nothing came out.. for a while..(it didnt last long believe me..)
Then Roger appeared like an aparition..
he was a medical man with the red cross(cue angels harps n strings.. My / our saviour!!)


He was brilliant. Helen could understand him more.. i struggled with the accent, as he was from barcelona.. He kept mentioning about me being sued.. and i was like ..no i wont sue you..
Helen then advised me.. that he meant i needed to be sewn.. on my knee.. DOH!!

Thankfully..with His help.. Helens patience, and Drs and nurses at JPMC (Jerudong Park Medical Centre) with a strong stomach to get thru the smell of 2 sweaty people who have just done bukit...  i was x rayed, sewn and strapped up.. 
BUT.. im ok..
the bruises are coming out slowly (and im sure they are multiplying)the bump on my head is slowly going..the cut on the bridge of my nose is ok.. the hand is easing and the swelling going down nicely.. and the stitch is out of my knee on weds next week..

SO..anyone for bukit next week... but no stone walking afterwards??

AT LAST pics of NZ!

OK.. well its taken time but I can at last upload a few pics of the epic trek in New Zealands South island!

These are out lovely friends who live in Christchurch.. Caroline & Dave... It was (as i said before) brill to catch up with them again after about 10 years..

this picture was taken looking in the general direction of Lyttleton.. where the first settlers arrived!

it was very much like the wilds of Scotland.. just warmer and sunnier..

The pic with the thistles was taken overlooking Akaroha bay.. BEAUTIFUL.. especially on a sunny day, but sadly it was cloudy..
had some fantastic Blue cod & Chips here ... polished off with a Flat white (coffee) and a Blueberry Muffin..

(well we were on our holidays!!)

In Christchurch.. we found the Antigua Boat sheds... it was the best place to put your aching feet up.. and watch all them bonkers japanese tourists take out a paddle boat or row boat..

for me.,. i would have chosen a punting trip and let someone else do the work!!

I'm not keen on aquatic foibles.. so we just watched from the safety of the cafe!!!

well who wouldn't??

OK.. so can you guess what this is..
it was taken at Kaikoura..


i have to say seeing these furry things was one of the highlights of my trip..

they are just soo..CUTE & seem to be
sleepy ALL the time..

they used to be in danger of extinction .. but not any more.. thankfully.. we saw plenty of them..

They are..
New Zealand Fur seals (and please no jokes about going out clubbing!!)

They are sooo Big... bigger than I'd ever imagined..
and boy, i have to tell you.. they dont half smell a bit.. BUT i still think they are totally amazing creatures!

This was taken just outside Havelock...

Ive no idea why its there..
who started it..or WHY!!
BUT for a warped mind like mine.. it made me smile and i got plenty of B&W pics and i just found it intriguing..
Allegedly there IS also one with BRAS on a fence.. but we didn't see that!

ill post more pics later..

I am a bit sore at the mo.. as i had a fall (!!) earlier while at Bukit shahbandar..

I'm ok.. had a stitch in my knee (no anaesthetic either!!) and have hurt my left hand and have a bump on me head and a cut the bridge of my nose...
well it wasnt what id planned .. but hey.. at least me and my friend helen have an even stronger bond now.. after me nearly fainting on her!!!
more pics and waffle later x

Holiday thoughts.. Friends.

well... we have been back in Brunei for 2 days now.. and the holiday now seems like a million miles away..
all the wonderful scenery, the amazing places we visited.. the food we ate.. the wine we MIGHT have consumed.. the idle chatter as we trundled along in the jelly wagon...
Oh my.. maybe thats what holidays are all about... the memories?

Iam still unable to download the 'few' photos i took...as our Big pc has decided to die...
so i guess the pics will just have to wait..

It was odd to be in New Zealand, as it was aplace i had never really wanted to go.
My Friend Caroline and her hubby Dave and their child Thomas moved to Christchurch about 9 years ago.. They used to live near us in Devon, and Caroline and I were great Buddies as Thomas and Alex were 9 months apart in age. (Steve & Dave were in the Royal Navy together)
When they moved to Redcar we still kept in touch BUT then they moved ....to NZ!!
I thought they were MAD! why would anyone move there?? so far from HOME>>??
We didnt have pcs as much in them days.. well maybe we did, but i wasnt a pc user for sure..
we used to send xmas cards but over the years lost touch, because of house moves etc.(as you do!)

So when i found caroline on Facebook, i was amazed... they were still in NZ...  we kinda mentioned we were hoping to isit NZ whilst we were ins SE Asia.. but didnt know when.. it was a long shot.. but we made lose plans to meet up when we got to NZ.....
anyway... we hooked up with Caroline Dave and Thomas whilst we were in Christchurch... and you know what.... It was like we saw them Yesterday!  like we had never been apart!
Caroline and i still thought alike and liked and disliked pretty much the same things in life..she was able to say to me.. Oh.. you will like it here... you wont like it there... and it wasnt til after we came back to see them before we left NZ i realised she was 100% right..
we went for the most amazing meal with them to their friends restaurant in Christchurch called STUNNING BUNS... if you are in Christchurch.. GO... Glynn and Noy own and run the place..near the arts centre.. They do the most AMAZING steaks... the best i have ever ever had..(ever!) (tell em Tina sent u!)

anyway... it made me realise something about life.....and friends.
We meet SOO many people along the way.. and as ever some friends will come & stay... and some will go.. some will be there for the long haul.. and some will just slowly disappear from your life, like a leaf in the breeze...
BUT.. there are the friends that disappear in the breeze.... but never entirely disappear..
there are some friends in your life.. that although they arent actually there with you..omnipresent.. somehow.. they have had a profound effect on you.. and even though you arent regularly in touch...they are always there.
I have a few friends in my life like that.. being married to a serviceman.. well, its hard to put roots down for too long!  BUT.. the friends in my life that i have are VERY important to me..
Even if im crap at making telephone calls (which iam,& after 5 yrs working in a call cntr..U would be too) or crap at sending e mails.. it doesnt mean that i dont think of you...cos i do!
Caroline and i have promised we WILL stay in touch for always now...
for sure..
ps..to all of you who are my friends.. THANKS FOR BEING MY FRIENDS X

NZ!!!

New zealand.. what can i say.. will be honme in a week or so .. THEN i will add many pics.. have taken about 2000 so will have to moderate them first!!!

I love this place its sooo diverse.. x

hang in there ill be back soon...

signing out from Mount Cook New Zealand.. x

im going.... and i may be a while!

HOME SWEET HOME.... for now!


Its thursday.... what a busy few days ive had...(and no photographic evidence either!!)
yesterday i did  Bukit shahbandar again with Jo & Helen, sadly Cath had to work, and Ros(alind) decided that yoga was calling her..
so once again we all met at 0800, and dutifully walked the walk whilst talking the talk!

The walk is always made worthwhile by the lovely company and the pineapple sorry, i mean coconut we get to drink eat after! (Jo gets pineapples & coconuts muddled....)
I came home and spent the afternoon with steve.. he went off to the hash at 4pm.. and i figured why be alone when i can annoy Helen! so thats what i did.
I took my breasts (chicken... of course) and we had an Ifits tea of ifits in the Fridge..which was really tasty. I stayed with H & Clauds til just after half 7.. even got to see clauds have her bath.... made me go all warm n fuzzy, and made me realise how long ago I was doing that.. (my baby is 20 in september!!)
Then i went on to Paulas (sticking &stamping blog) and Boel (watsons in Brunei blog) was there too...
we met to talk all things arty crafty.. and stick stamp etc.. but all i did was eye up Paulas fantastic stamps..scissix machine and look thru Boels pix that she was scrapbooking..
Think id like to gie that a go at some stage too...
Today ive made quiche, been & ordered and delivered flowers to two friends..met up briefly with 2 friends.. filled out forms to get Nelson back into the UK..sent off me ATCs,tidied up my crafty table.. and now all i need to do is go out to the yacht club for supper.. come home and pack!

we dont leave Brunei til 0130 saturday early hours.. so tomorrows gonna be a long day..
im bukiting in the morning.... and then... well who knows xx

ATC cookies challenge

This month the challenge in ATC Land (artist trading cards) is cookies.. Ahh i thought!
Cookie monster, cookie dough.. I love cookies...
Mmmmmmm
after further reading about the guest Donna, and what she describes as her cookies.. well.. it wasn't quite what i was expecting AND im relieved to report.. a whole lot a fun to do..
Its all about the doodle...
oooh we can ALL doodle but when you know you got to doodle.. the doodle production gland kind of dries up!

so i waited... at first i got some A4 paper and dripped a tea bag all over it,,(freshly squeezed..) then rubbed the Tea bag around the paper and left it to dry (white paper is so very 80s .. dont u think..Lol)

I left it to dry a while and then grabbed some pens and pencils and had my husband Steve pour me a nice glass of red... and just sat there... doodling..
MY doodles arent doodle shapes as such... i tend to doodle words..
In the old days, on school desks i used to doodle Tina loves David Soul.. but i figured that wasnt very appropriate..
SO i let my doodle gland take over... and just kinda wrote whatever came to the tip of the pen...
then i actually got the DESIRE to draw.. doodle.. boxes and flowers.. thats very sad.. and then daft cats..cos i love cats.. and then the words kept coming!!

I left them overnight .. and came back to them yesterday morning... filled in a few gaps, and added a few bits and bobs cut out from some ladies magazines i had laying around(always seems so BAD to cut up these mags, as we get so few western magazines here.. and they are so expensive!) BUT i did what i had to do! haha.. all for the sake of ART... Tina's Art!

well I like the finished products..

Im not entirely sure why i chose some of the words i did... although some of them have quite a strong bearing on things going on in life with everyone i guess..


i will upload some pics today.. but currently have a cat (nelson) on my lap.. so its a great excuse not to move!

(ok hes gone now so NO excuses!!)





                                            I decided this was a bit dull...

                                          so added a bit more colour....

Honestly... Im not an angry person really.. I just had the words in my head!

see..
I can be positive too!!  x

Publish Post

Food GLORIOUS food!

I have to mention this bit probably ISNT for the Fainthearted amongst you..

When we were in Seria the other day, i decided to look at the things around me ... the everyday 'i live in south east asia' type things, that IF i were to be living in the uk, and be here on holiday.. id go OMG!!

Mock Duck , and Bhudda jump over the wall...
Vegetarian delights of Fried and Flavoured Gluten..
Mmmmmmmmm Yum!

Next is braised peanuts... Tinned of course..

what do you actually DO with a braised peanut??

BUT only 90 cents (40p!)





Ok were getting into the not for the fainthearted section now..

when someone says DONT look over there.. well... you HAVE to go see... and thats exactly what happened..

I was walking through the meat department and there was a certain smell of death/dead .. always makes me want to Heave.. but.... I walked on through... these are the Ayam.. chickens...
i walked on by.....



Its nothing Unusual to see places selling chicken feet....

Cant say it is that pleasant to walk past a counter selling loads of feet.. but i think i have just got used to it....

Doesn't seem THAT unusual..




NOW this is unusual to see....

chicken heads... shrinkwrapped...

and 50 cents for about 8 or so..

why did this make me go YUUUCH.. surely its just a chicken.. but to see the heads on a polystyrene tray just really turned my stomach!








Kinda made me realise WHY i was once veggie....

But i guess... there is definately NOTHING wasted here!!