:: Nia Qistina ::: Cardiff Trip

I went to Cardiff last weekend alone since my housemate who was expected to go to Cardiff with me had no choice but to go to the Kursus Jati Diri dan Bina Insan MARA after her name was listed as one of the participants.

I was about to cancel the trip actually because I didn't want to go alone. I tried to get a refund from the rail provider the day before departure but I failed. Haven't even thought of changing the travel date to another future date, I assumed myself as not having any other options but to proceed. I departed from Manchester at 6.30pm on last Friday, 30th January.

It took 3 hours and half to reach Cardiff Central train station.

The train arrived 5 minutes earlier than expected. Waiting for me at the station was a friend of a friend that I called her Kak Sue.

On the way heading to her place, she told me that she wouldn't be able to bring me for sightseeing around Cardiff since she had her lab the next day unexpectedly. But she said she would surely pass me to her friends to accompany me during my tour in Cardiff.

Kak Sue called some friends of hers and finally she found suitable persons. Kak Sue said that they invited me to join them cycling the next morning. Wow! That was something that beyond the norm... cycling while touring around Cardiff... ^_^

On Saturday morning, I met my new friends; Mahfuzah and Izzati. We started off at 10.30am and went into Bute Park; the famous wonderful park in the centre of the Cardiff city. Passing through beautiful Taff Trail and Bute Park, we were actually in our exploration to find the shortest way to a hospital where Mahfuzah would be doing clinical attachment for her second year studies in Occupational Theraphy starting 2nd February and onwards.

With new friend, Mahfuzah.

We spent about 1 hour and half to explore the route in that really freezing cold weather. During our journey back home after successfully finding the hospital, we stopped and parked our bicycles somewhere and then heading down to the river bank to take some pictures.

There were some people canoeing in that river. The water was so clear that really attracted me to touch and feel it. It was so cold.... as what I expected.

After snapping some pictures by the river bank, we continued our journey back home. Later, Mahfuzah brought me to see the main building of Cardiff University and the National Museum Cardiff. We planned to go to Cardiff Bay by cycling afterwards but I just couldn't afford to be out any longer due to the weather, so we decided to cancel it and just went home straight away. Mahfuzah kindly invited me to come to her place for dinner that evening. What a warm offer from a new friend~ ^_^

I went to her house at 6pm that evening. Her house is just some hundred metres away from Kak Sue's house. Meeting and talking to Mahfuzah's housemates whose name is Faezah while waiting Mahfuzah preparing the meals, it was surprising to know that Faezah is actually my volleyballmate's friend since they were at Matriks. She said that she has been to Manchester last year and has had some overnights at a married couple's place near to Rusholme whom the husband was my ex-collegemate that I really knew. What a small world...

Mahfuzah actually invited Izzati and her housemate to come along as well, so there were quite a number of people having (special) dinner together that night. We ate while watching Buletin Utama from Faezah's laptop. Hehe, feeling so home.. ^_^

After dining, watching some TV programmes and having fun chit chat with all of them, I excused myself to go back to Kak Sue's house when the clock on the wall showed 10.15pm.

Cardiff Bay

The next morning, Mahfuzah brought me to a Quranic translation class at Darul Isra'; a small mosque where Malaysian students in Cardiff usually have their religion programmes during weekends and term breaks. I made another new friends there and indeed, His plans are always the best plans; He made 3 of them to join and bring me to Cardiff Bay that afternoon- the place that I really wanted to go.

After having our lunch and performing Zuhur prayer at Mahfuzah's place, it happened to be 7 of us going to Cardiff Bay. So we took a 7-seater taxi heading to Cardiff Bay.

It was not a long journey. It only took about 5 minutes by taxi. Although it was freezing cold and windy but the views were amazing. There are a lot of modern buildings resembling the art of human architechtural skills which makes Cardiff Bay so attractive to tourists and even for local people I believe.

At Cardiff Bay with 3 new friends.

We spent almost 1 and half hour touring Cardiff Bay but there were not much that we managed to cover. Although the sun suddenly came out and shone brightly, but it could do nothing to compensate the coldness. We made it a brief tour due to our disabilities to endure the extreme coldness. I think it is more appropriate to go there during the other seasons, not during Winter~ hu..

We went back to Cardiff Central city by bus which only costed £1.20 per person. It was 5 o'clock and I still had another 1 hour and half before heading back to Manchester from Cardiff Central train station.

All in all, it was really nice to spend my weekend there, with some new but friendly companions during my stay in Cardiff. They made me feeling so warmly accepted.. I laught a lot feeling so rejoiced with their entertainment .. what a good remedy and enjoyful moment that I'll never forget... =)

I arrived Manchester Piccadilly train station at 10.10pm, Sunday 1st February 09. Again, I was overjoyed to see that Manchester was snowing heavily that night. What a bless! ^_^

Snowing~ Snowing~

Subhanallah... Alhamdulillah... Allahuakbar... snowfall continued in Manchester until the next day. In fact, almost all parts in England were having heavy snowfalls in the past few days, which was said as the heaviest snow after 18 years.