I Lurve My Kariza! =)

I asked a friend (thanks Ida!) to buy a Kariza for me in the States. She bought 2! For those who doesn’t know, a Kariza is a piece of dual layer cloth that can be worn in a hundred ways, and I mean, literally in a hundred ways! I had fun yesterday at home playing with my Kariza, and experimenting all the ways that I can tie this amazing piece of cloth into various dresses, tops, blouses and bottoms.

What’s really great about a Kariza is that, you get to buy one piece of cloth and wear it in numerous ways, it’s so versatile, and you’ll never tire of it. Not in the next 5-6 months anyway. Hehe. Plus, if you buy their Vintage line (I’m not sure about the other lines that they have), the particular design, patterns and colours of your Kariza is unique – it’s the only one of its kind in the whole entire world. So no more worrying if you accidentally met with someone in the mall wearing the same exact blouse/skirt that you’re wearing.

I think the next Kariza I buy is definitely for my daughter and one extra short length piece for me to make into blouses, I heard they just came out with kids’ sizes! =)

I know I’m doing free promotion here, so I hope the guys over at Kariza in Sri Hartamas read this and give me a discount of some sort (hint hint nudge nudge wink wink!) Head over to my photo album to see just some of the ways that I tied my Kariza yesterday. =)

White Water Rafting – I’m Hooked!

I went to white water rafting at Sg. Selangor with a bunch of colleagues last weekend. I went out of the house very early in the morning with mixed feelings – dread, anxiety, excited – basically I was a bundle of nerves! :p I’ve heard lots of stories with regards to the sport. Some even say you can actually die if things go wrong!

But what was supposedly a dangerous and terrifying experience turned out to be very fun and exciting, an experience I wouldn’t mind going through again. =) I think, if the ground rules are set and obeyed, and your guide is experienced and articulate enough when giving commands, white water rafting can be fun and is a definite activity for people who want to inculcate team building and co-operation.

We were given a sturdy helmet, a life jacket and a paddle each. We were told that the river has a rating of 3 – 4 (see river ratings scale here). We were given a short briefing before boarding the raft and were taught commands such as over left, over right, sit in, paddle forward, go forward, normal, go back, etc. We were also taught where/how to hang on to the raft in the case of extreme positions that the raft might flip.

At one point during the course of the river, my group was waiting at the side with our raft securely parked at one of the rocks. While waiting, some of the guys went out to swim and I assumed it was alright for me too. But when I got out of the raft, I knew I was in trouble because the current was too strong for my little body. Although I could reach my legs to the bottom of the river (the water level was up to my neck at this point), I couldn’t get firm footing because of my light weight combined with the strong current and lost my balance. I thought I could swim against the current when this happened, but of course I couldn’t fight it. I immediately flipped to my back and let myself adrift and be swept by the current, as how our guide taught us in the event of an emergency. A guide pulled me to safety seconds later and I hauled myself onto the raft, shaken but thrilled.

Our guide was a very good and experienced orang asli who barked out commands in time with the river’s twists and turns. It seems like he has already memorized the route by heart! His voice wasn’t loud enough for the people in front though, so I helped him “amplify” his commands by repeating them in a louder voice. Heh. I was officially the Altec Lansing speakers for my group, or so Jimmy said. :p

To those who wants to experience some thrills, action, wet and wild fun, I’d definitely recommend white water rafting. Despite the bruises that you’re most definitely going to get, it’s worth it, trust me. A surefire must in your 100-things-to-do-before-you-die list. =)

P.S. To non-swimmers: It’s very safe for you to participate, seriously, especially during the dry season like now, because water levels are really low. It was only up to my knees at some point. You’ll get a higher chance of bruising yourself than drown. :p

P.P.S. Check out the pics on my photo album courtesy of Sani Alwi, to be updated with more pics once I have them from Nazha’s and Jimmy’s cameras.