I have not had the luxury of time to blog on a consistent basis since I’m now a man with a mission. Yeah… my 2 months stay in Newcastle, United Kingdom is to accomplish several academic and research objectives. Hence, most of my time is focused on my research. Most of the time my mind is thinking on how to solve my thermodynamic modelling reaction problem.

At the same time, my kids are not schooling for this 2 months period. They are quite bored staying at home. My wife cary out some home tuition for them, however the mood and seriousness within the kids are not there. It’s different when the teacher is their own mother or father. The kids need a real teacher to teach them and to get them have the level of discipline.

So, to occupy their time, I asked them to make a blog post every day. Ikhwan and Marsya has already owned a blog since 2010. It’s just a matter of encouraging them to write and maintain a blog. This indirectly teaches them to be more computer and internet literate. At the same time the stories that they shared can be read by our other family members, themselves, and others. It’s also like a record or diary on their stay in the UK for tho months.

OK, let’s check out their blog.

Ikhwan Firdaus’s blog – http://ruangikhwanfirdaus.blogspot.co.uk/

Marsya Syazweena’s blog – http://lovemarsya.blogspot.co.uk/

Bear in mind that Ikhwan is 10 and Marsya is 8. They are still kids and they are not familiar yet with blogs and writing in the laptop. However, I’m trying my best to nurture and train them to do so. It’s for their own good and future.

What do you think about it?

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As for today, we have already been in Newcastle for 15 days. There are about 45 more days for us to stay here. The whether is still very cold for spring. Everybody is adapting quite well. The kids have managed to adapt with the cold whether. However, we can see that they really miss schooling life. My other half is coping to be a full time mother while doing some of her proof reading work remotely. She told me earlier at the park (Nunsmoor Park) that if she had to follow me to do Ph.D for three years in the UK, she will be insane! Why? This is because she is already used to her career life. She has plenty of work to do and she could not imagine if she suddenly need to leave all those activities and become a full time housewife. Haha…luckily she will only experience this for 2 months only.

Our home

Our home is comfortable and warm. I wanted to blog about the house but I don’t have the time to do so. I want to upload as much photos and videos possible to show the house. Well that actually consumes much of my time. Just wait. I’ll make a special blogpost for my 2 months home soon.

Angel of the North. This is one iconic spot not to be missed if you come to Newcastle. It's so gorgeous and the panaromic surrounding view is superbly breathtaking. You may want to have your house window facing such fabolous view.

4 Season Clock

The 4 season clock here is quite tough to follow. The day is now far longer than the night. Wait till its summer and we will have longer daylight. Subuh (sun rise) is at 3.30 am. At 4.30 am the day is clear and Subuh has just ended. Then Isya’ is at 10.15 pm as of today. If we used another “mazhab’s” prayer time, the Isya’ is at 11pm. We have to get used of the clock.

My Tasks in this 2 months

What about my main purpose here? Doing some research attachment. I’m a man with a mission. I’m working as hard as possible to complete my thermodynamic modelling for my reactions. I have had 2 meetings with 2 of my supervisors here. The 3rd meeting will be next week. In each meeting, I need to show some progress. Who dares to meet the supervisor with zero progress!!! I won’t there to do that. I don’t have a face to do that.

Basically I have 2 major objectives coming to Newcastle University. I need to (1) write and complete my thermodynamic feasibility paper and (2) write and complete another paper – Glycerol to Hydrogen (GTH).

Then, I broke my objective to smaller parts. They are (1) to obtain the Gibbs free energy of all compounds related to my study as a function of pressure and temperature (2) to learn to use Matlab to solve 15 simultaneous non-linear equations (3) to write that thermodynamic paper (4) to write that GTH paper (5) to learn various new reactors available under the chemical engineering and advance material group (CEAM), and finally (6) to learn various other equipments available in CEAM.

Some of you may think that I’m having lots of fun here. However, you may not know the level of stress I’m having at this point. I’m trying my best to maintain my composure as well as balance in emotion and spiritual. Not only that I have to take care of my own tasks and mission, I also need to take care of my family and their feelings. The kids especially need some recreational activities to make them happy. They are not schooling for 2 months and that makes them bored.

I remembered one of the postdoc asked another PhD student in the research associate room I’m positioned, “How are you coping with your stress level?”… Aha… That surprised me. I think postgrads and postdocs here are quite stressful with their life. Maybe… I don’t know.

Hmm.. that reminds me that I also need to blog about my school and office here. I mean my work station. That will follow suit soon.

Visit to Angel of the North

OK enough about that. Let me just share a new video and photos on our trip to “Angel of the North“. It was really a wonderful visit. I saw this in movies or TV before. Suddenly, after renting a Ford Fiesta, drove it, I got lost somewhere I don’t know. I don’t have a GPS or satnav with me nor do I have a map. I just based on the main road called A167. Then I got lost. While figuring the way, I saw one big statue with wings and that is the Angel of the North. Gosh…Now I’m seeing it with my own eyes while I’m lost.

More photos of Angle of the North are uploaded in Facebook.com/cyzasector

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This is one of my favourite meal 13-14 years ago – Donner Kebab. Unfortunately, it is hard to find in Malaysia. Here in the UK, it is widely available in the Muslim take away and dine in restaurant, normally operated by Pakistani. We found a Muslim shop selling chicken and chips, donner wrap, near our rented house.

In the video below, I was unwrapping the doner kebab that I just purchased. The kebab is served with doner like a bread which is nice and tender. It is also served with a variety of vegetables. I added tomato, cabbage, salad and onion. Then I applied tomato source, mayonnaise and burger source.

Oh yea… I just realized that I keep repeating chicken doner…chicken doner in the video. However, it is actually doner kebab. I don’t know why I said that…haha… OK, that’s it for the time being. Need to get back to work.

Adios…

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Last Sunday, after slightly settling down into our house (yeah… I know, I have not publish about our house yet, that will come later…), we went to a Carboot Sale at Whitley Bay. Since we don’t have any vehicle yet, we used public transports (specifically double Decker bus and metro train). In case if you don’t know what is carboot sale, please click here. Carboot Sale at Whitley Bay was recommended by our good friend, Azizul, who is the Chief of Balai Newcastle. He said that is the carboot which is easier to go with metro train. So, we went there on that shiny Sunday. Yeah…luckily it was shiny and warm.

Previously, when I studied in Bradford University 13 years ago, I regularly visited Halifax Carboot Sale. It’s located in West Yorkshire. So, it has been quite a while since I visit a carboot sale. Hmm…carboot sale in Malaysia is not popular or rather I can say not interesting. There are carboot sale in Johor Bahru held on a monthly basis, which is quite interesting, but the one in UK is far better.

Getting out of the Metro at Shiremoor. We need to walked several minutes before reaching the carboot.

One of the signboards beside the road on our walk to Whitney Bay Carboot sales

Alya found herself a small tiny push cart to carry her dolls and teddy bears. That cost 2 pounds.

I was not sure what my other half was buying or bargaining this time...

A view of the Whitley Bay Carboot Sale. Stuffs are prices so cheap still in a very good quality.

After the carboot sale. We bought some stuffs. Then we headed to a second carboot which is at Tyneside Metro station.

I found many interesting stuffs in this carboot sale. Among items that I nearly want to buy:

1. Wireless 3 in 1 printer – still functioning, comes with installation CD – the price is 5 pounds!!!

2. Bicycle – suitable for me to go back and fort to the university – 10 pounds!!!

3. Safety boots – brand new – 10 pounds.

However, I just got my self a plyer to adjust the radiator in the bathroom at our house. It cost me 0.50 pound. The teddy bear cost 1 pound each. We bought some glass bowl which cost us 1 pound each – actively being used in the kitchen. Hmm…what else… sorry I have forgotten…

If you see me in the photo above, the black leather jacket that I wore was purchased in Halifax Carboot sale 14 years ago. It is still being used and in fact my favourite jacket when I travel to 4 climate country. It cost me only 10 pound but it is still in immaculate condition! Imagine the cost of a brand new leather jacket?!

The beauty of Carboot Sale in UK

The concept is pretty much simple and this is my personal opinion based on my observation. The sellers are not in seek of profit. They basically want to get rid, minimize or reduce their stuffs and belongings. Most of them are in good quality condition. The selling price are crazily low and there is no way they make profit from it. They just want to let go their stuffs to those who are interested to be the new owner. That’s why many people love to hunt for used stuffs at attractive prices in the carboot.

Just imagine, I bought 4 pieces of napkin which is very much in superb condition (like new) for 10 pence each. That same napkin (new) is sold in popular store at the price of no less than 2 pound each.

Then I bought blue cotton towel (1 piece) and blue cotton hand towel (2 pieces). It cost me 1 pound only.

You can’t get this price anywhere. You can get it only at carboot sale.

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Haha…this entry is just to wish myself happy birthday. Yes, it’s my birthday today and I’ve been receiving wishes from my very close family. My mom, Rina (sister #3 in bradford) and Arif (bro in JB #4) wished me via WhatsApp. My father wishes me via email. Budeen (bro #2) wished me via Facebook and Adi (Bro #5) wished me via SMS. And of course, my other half wished happy birthday directly to me. It’s good to have our very immediate family member wishing us happy birthday and remember the date. We do remember each other’s birth date and always celebrate it by going out for dinner.

Unfortunately this time, since I’m in Newcastle, we would not be able to celebrate with the bigger family. A small celebration in Newcastle will do. Perhaps later on after I get back from the university. OK, that’s all some updates from me here from the UK.

Cheers.

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