I've never written a post dedicated to anyone before, but this one holds a special place in my heart. My best friend, Ika, just tied the knot recently and I can't be there to witness her special day. The day was even more special because it was also on her birthday!

So here's how our friendship started about 16 years ago (from the year 2001-ish), when we both lived in Manchester, UK. We met at a sports day that was organised by the Malaysian society in Manchester at the time. We got along pretty well for a first-time meeting, and right after the event, she had invited me to her house. I went, and we talked about so many things (really funny and embarrassing things! haha) and we grew closer since. It really felt like we've known each other forever since we got along pretty well in a short period of time. For about almost 2 years in Manchester, we did so many things together (i.e. played basketball almost every afternoon after school, walked to school together, went camping and various other trips together) and created such great memories, until it was finally time for us to part, temporarily. My family left and went back to Malaysia for good. 

We kept in touch through sending each other letters and updating each other on our lives after that. It wasn't frequent, but pretty consistent until Ika was finally coming back to Malaysia. We were both soooo excited to see each other again and I remember our first meeting after she had come back was at KLCC. From then on, we continued being friends, until today. 

She's the person, whom I don't always meet (because we don't live close enough to meet very often), but whenever I propose any activities or go somewhere, she never says no. She'd come all the way, and took the public transport for about an hour to meet me. She agrees to join me on any trips without any excuses or hesitation. Even if she has other things in schedule, she will always try to make it. Whatever hardship she is faced, she smiles and is always so positive - a strong lady indeed. This post is just to remind me to always be grateful for the people that come into my life and makes my life so much more meaningful.  (I'm not always this cheesy or a sweet talker, but meh, this post is once in a lifetime kinda post, haha).

Here are some very random (and very embarrassing) photos of us at different times during our friendship:

This was our first meeting at KLCC after Ika had come back from the UK. I think this photo was taken around 2006-ish. 


Hanging out at a 'mamak' corner after our Manchester reunion in 2010.


 We volunteered at the BSN Putrajaya Night Run (2011), just because we didn't wanna run it. Haha. (and OMG, those faces).


Hiking up Gunung Datuk (2011). Ika was afraid of height so it took her some time to pull herself together (I think she threw up somewhere) to reach the very peak.

Hike up Mount Kinabalu, 2012. It was drizzling at the time, hence the rain poncho. :p


She joined me on my office's Family Day at A'Famosa, Melaka (2012)


Trip to Gua Tempurung and Cameron Highland (2012).


Setting up a campfire during our wild camping at Bukit Tabur (2012).


Sat down by the sidewalk after we walked the World Hunger Relief Walk - with our oily faces after the walk. Haha (2012). 

 She sent me off at the airport when I was going to the UK for my Masters degree (2012). (Yeah, I cried. haha) 
An impromptu trip to Port Dickson (2014). We departed late at night and reached PD a little after midnight. This was when we heard the news of the MH370 disappearing, (may their souls rest in peace). 


Trip to Universal Studios Singapore (2014).

Girls trip to Perhentian Island (2016) when I was back in Malaysia for 3 weeks from the UK. 

Although we've been friends for so long, we don't really have that many photos of just the two of us together. These are pretty much most of them. Oh wait! there was one when we just finished climbing  2058 steps of KL Tower for the KL Tower International Towerthon Challenge 2014, but we both looked so bad and sweaty I wouldn't dare to spoil the bride-to-be's image. hahaha.

Now, she's just started a new phase of life with the one she chose to be her lifetime partner. I wish her all the very best in the years to come and that her life as a wife is always filled with love, happiness, and barakah. 

Her wedding reception (05.11.16)

Until then!