Songkran 2014 Celebration at Hat Yai (Part 1)

I love Songkran! Have you ever been to Thailand during Songkran festival? The Songkran festival is Thailand's New Year celebration which is held every April. This festival is associated with lots of water guns and baby powder. Apparently, the Thais are very, very serious with water fight! I have never been to Songkran festival before. So this year, I decided that I should experience it myself. I opt for Hat Yai. I bought return tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar since direct flight was way too expensive. I mean come on, who wants to spend RM600++ just to go to Hatyai? I rather go to Samui instead :P

So off we go! Mari sini saya summarize how to get to Hatyai from Kedah Airport aka Sultan Abdul Halim Airport:

Airport cab fare ticket

Airport to Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration - by cab

Please buy cab coupon at the counter. Costs us about RM55 per cab. It took about 45 minutes cab ride to reach the immigration. Once you have reach the immigration, please go to the immigration office on your left. Take a arrival/departure card for free. Kalau ambil dari ulat-ulat kat luar tu, you have to pay RM2! Pfttt.. Please fill in the card and queue at the immigration counter. After they stamped your passport, you are good to go.

From Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration - Sadao - Hat Yai

Jalan kaki je from immigration. Bahaha.. You need to walk to Sadao's 7-Eleven. It is very near. About 5 minutes walk I guess. From there, you can take a comfortable mini van to Hatyai. This will cost you about 57 bath (RM5.70). The mini van is so cheap and comfortable so it made our 1 hour++ ride to Hatyai bearable. The van will drop you off at Hatyai bus station.

Sadao 7-Eleven. Wait for your mini van to Hat Yai here.

Anyway, be prepared! Once you have crossed the border, the water shooting start. Hahaha.. Kami baru jalan beberapa langkah terus kena! Just laugh it off and have fun! Hehehe

We stayed at Win Resort which I will review later. It was crazy I tell you! Hat Yai people can't really speak English so we had some troubles to get to Win Resort. Bahahaha.. Luckily my friend kept the resort's phone number and map. Our driver called the resort's front desk to get directions. So this is where the crazy part started. We hopped on a motorcycle. Yes, three of us. The Thai uncle, my friend, and myself. I felt like I was in India at that time. Hahahaha! But we made it there. I don't really remember how much the uncle charged us. But we just gave him 200 bath including tips and since he was using his own mobile phone to call the front desk.

To be continued ...

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Review: SK-II Pitera™ Essence Set

Helloooo.. I have a confession. I'm a new SK-II user and I am falling it love with it! SK-II is best known for its pitera essence, which is famously known as miracle water. Generally, I don't have problematic skin. I only have slightly oily T-zone and tend to get dehydrated. I rarely have pimples/breakouts except during that time of the month. Hehehe.. So here we go!

My set is called the Pitera Essence Set and it contains:

SK-II Pitera™ Essence Set Festive edition

Retail price RM 219

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 75ml

This product is their best seller; also known as SK II Miracle Water. It contains 90% pitera. Pitera is claimed to moderate the skin surface renewal cycle hence making your skin look younger that how it actually are. It also claims to show result just in 14 days! So after 14 days, you can expect your skin conditions such as spots, wrinkles, firmness, texture and radiance will be improved.

SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40ml

The clear lotion is more like a toner. I don't really get it why the Japanese and Korean call toner as lotion anyway. Hehe.. This toner contains AHA and Pitera to help exfoliates dead skin cells and any dirts/impurities. Therefore you should avoid its contact with your eyes area.

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask

The SK-II Pitera Set comes with 1 piece of their best seller mask. This mask is enriched with Pitera and really helps to hydrate the skin. Upon usage, it leaves the skin noticeably hydrated, radiant and soft.

This set is great for beginner (like me). I highly recommend the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. On my first wipe, I can actually see dirts and impurities. So gross! Macam keluar semua daki, kerak dan minyak. Honestly, I am lazy and usually skip my skincare routine. So if I skip wearing toner for a few time, I can actually see dirts when I wipe my face with SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. As for the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence or the miracle water, it makes my skin soft, supple and clear. I notice that my pores are getting smaller!

So ladies! Please try this set ;) I just use Neutrogena facial foam. Thehehe.. no way I'm gonna spend my $$$ for facial foam :P Then, I wipe my skin with the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. After that I will prep my skin with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. The I will smear my fav moisturezer and wallahhh!

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Excerpts from The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Of friendship and love: 

 I don’t know how much longer I can keep going without a friend. I used to be able to do it very easily, but that was before I knew what having a friend was like. It’s much easier not to know things sometimes. And to have French fries with your mom be enough. 

But things change. And friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody. 

 “It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder? What if they need the arms or something like that? You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can't. You have to do things.” 

Of reality and life: 

"Do you always think this much, Charlie?" 

"Is that bad?" I just wanted someone to tell me the truth. 

"Not necessarily. It's just that sometimes people use thought to not participate in life." 

"Is that bad?" 

"Yes." 

“Not everyone has a sob story, Charlie, and even if they do, it's no excuse.” 

I walked over to the hill where we used to go and sled. There were a lot of little kids there. I watched them flying. Doing jumps and having races. And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn't.

--

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a novel written by American novelist Stephen Chbosky. My copy of this book literally fall apart. I love, love, love this book. Whoever have not read it yet, please do! They even make a movie from this book. But it is not as great though :(

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) - IMDb