Noodles Doodles Schmoodles

Came back from Karachi day before yesterday. It sure was a wankydoodle-ish trip. 

Well, before I get time to write about all that happened among the winds of the city I love, here's the Ink on Watercolour doodle I mentioned in my last post. 

In progress with just the Watercolor.

With the ink :D
Yeah, I messed up the Pink Ribbon and the Ladybird.

Also, the title of this post is not the name I gave to this doodle, it's just a combination of rhyming words I like.

Baba says I could name this doodle as 'Time Shift' or 'Time Travel' since it depicts most of what has been or still is close to me and some of the most memorable memories since I've been born. Oh well, I'll go with Baba's name suggestions then.

I have to start studying again for Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

I'll get on with the Karachi Trip post during my study breaks InshaAllah.

I know it's early but I can't wait for Eid! ^_^

Barrel Roll ^_^

Remember how I wrote about the skin burning Summers in the last post?
Well, the very next day after that post it started raining. A LOT.
LIKE, VERY A LOT LOT LOT ^_^
And, the weather has been pleasant since then.

Also, I'M GOING TO KARACHI TOMORROW!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAAAAAAYYY!

Also, also, I recently finished this Ink on Watercolour Doodle.

I've been experimenting with Synthetic Enamel Paint these days and trying to paint the wooden boxes at my home to make them look worthwhile. Will post updates on that after I return from Karachi.

I SO HAPPY ^_^

A Barrel Roll to Happiness, maybe?

Summer Reasons

I just realised (Well, realised a few days ago but I've been very lazy) that it was my blog's 

First Birthday last month!

I started this blog on 9th March 2012 and officially started blogging on 1st June 2013. Yeah, took me three months to finally write it out. Well, as I said, I've been very very very lazy AND busy with the entry test and shifting and shizz.

BUT, WHOA! ONE ENTIRE YEAR!

Just for the sake of it: YAAAYY! LET'S CELEBRATE! 

On a very normal day I would've launched myself right into the celebration mode but on a day like today all I can say is: BAUHAT ZIADA GARMI HAI! Read: The Summer heat is roasting me into a burnt up Banana.

*reverting back to my thankful and cheery self now*

I guess I shall make a list of all that I like about SUMMERS and maybe that'll make everything seem normal again.

Reason #1. I am awesome. Okay, no.

Reason #1-edited. SWIMMING! ^_^ What is better than moping about the hot weather the entire day and then finally getting to dive in that big ocean of very-ice-cube-cold-goodness. Well, it's not THAT big and nor have I gone swimming since a few weeks now, but this can count as a reason.
All those who think otherwise: you may go and jump in a pile of dirty socks.

Reason #2. ICE CREAM. This is a summer filled with Ice Cream and Ice Cream Shakes for us. Somehow, Baba has realised that keeping the freezer stocked with ice cream flavours is essential for the happiness of his children.

Reason #3. Playing in the RAIN. Yeah, try going out in the winter rain and you'll hear my Mama calling out "Come back inside or no coffee for a week!". So, since we can't enjoy the rain in winters to the fullest, summer rains are always worth the wait. Conclusively, exactly why summer rains are amazing: One can splash in the water paddles and face the sky as it rains without a care of the world.

Here's our recent rain routine:
Go out in the rain, get soaking wet, the boys usually shampoo their hair in the rain too (Hehe yeah, True Story) and then as soon as mama steps out in the veranda run to her while shouting "Mamaaaa! Thandi baarish hai!" (Translation: Mamaaa! The rain's so cold!). And, repeat.

Reason #4. Since we can't go out much and there's not much to do at home except blaming the weather, us brothers and sisters finally have a common enemy rather than each other.
The common enemy: The people who supply the electricity, of course. Yeah, we're having spells of no-electricty-ness during these summers after every hour!

Oh and that reminds me, the electricity dies out for only an hour the entire day during Ramadhan. On this thought: Ramadhan Mubarak to all the Muslims out there! :)

It is a late Ramadhan greeting, but, oh well..

I shall be off now, even the laptop's heat is getting too much :3

For all those who are wondering: our Air Conditioners usually don't work during the day due to low voltage problem. But, the times that our Air Conditioners do work is one of the bestestest moments of the day :D..

A Month

I left Karachi on 7th June 2013, today is the 7th of July. Exactly a month since I bade farewell to the place I fell in love with in just two years. 

I wish I had taken more pictures, I wish I had taken out time and explored every corner of the city where the winds never leave you and the sea is best place to hangout, and I wish I could turn back time to experience Karachi as it deserves to be experienced.

With all the thoughts I stumbled on a breath-taking video on Facebook, and the nostalgic feelings mounted up in a tower taller than Jack's Beanstalk. I miss the ever busy Shahra-e-Faisal, the new 'buzz' of going to Hyperstar and Hardees, the rocks of Manora, the sunset by the Shahra-e-Faisal bridge (It's sad how I never learned the name of that bridge), the moment one feels a part of a great culture by the old buildings next to Zainab Market and the drive on a road that leads to Naheed Super Market which has trees lined up on both its sides (Yes, I didn't learn this road's name either). Well, even though I don't live in Karachi anymore, but I know that a part of me still resides there. I hope I get to visit Karachi sooner than soon.

Oh and, you can watch the video of Karachi Time Lapse here, IT'S AMAZING ^_^ :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=556931211031136

The video and this picture above is by Fazz Kazi.
(https://www.facebook.com/FazzKazi)

THANK YOU FAZZ KAZI.

I LOVE YOU KARACHI.

These Two. Featuring: Abdullah and Labibah

Midst all the skin-burning, hair-sweating, fire-blasting and just a very very very very hot weather with no electricity, is me. Sitting with a Chemistry book, training but not complaining. What's the point of our SAT scores or CIE grades or the rest of the shizz anyway if at the end of the day we have to prepare for the 'Entry Tests' all over again. I mean, can't we get admissions based on our co-curricular record and school grades alone? Interviews are acceptable though.

Oh well, with all that going on. There is this going on too.

He runs into my room asking for scotch-tape saying it's very important and that he needs a scotch tape right away. I'm curious but I don't ask. Minutes later he has got newspaper wrapped around his feet. My first though, did he get hurt and not find bandages?

Me: Abdullah, why do you have newspaper wrapped around your feet?
Abdullah: Oh, nothing.
Me: This can't be nothing.
Abdullah: Actually these are newspaper shoes.
Me: *looking at him with a bewildered expression*
Abdullah: Oh, you know. So that my feet get wet but not dirty when I got out in the rain! :D

Who needs a break to watch movies when you have this little rascal in the house :D

Behold, the 'newspaper shoes' :D

The below happened on another day.

Me: Abdullah, change your night suit already.
Abdullah: Don't boss me.
Me: Yeah, but that doesn't mean you won't change it.
Abdullah: Oh I wont, you'll see.

And this little fellow went on a trip all the way to Peshawar in his night pajamas. Haha yeah, he's one stubborn little brother of mines.

The little notes Abdullah and Labibah leave on my journal as I head off
to take a study break. Oh yeah, Labibah's cute too ^_^

Oh and, this happened too.
I'm sleepy but I just have to finish two chapters before I go to sleep.
Abdullah arrives with a torch in his mouth.

Me: Ummmmm, why are you eating a torch?
Abdullah: Oh, you know. When I turn off lights and turn on the torch, my cheek GLOWS! *___*

With this eleven year old brother in the house, giving me all the laughs just as it seems the end of the world. And, the cute little nine year old Labibah, who's going to unleash her 'evil-ness' on me when she reads that I called her 'little', I'm pretty sure I'll make it through all the humongous pile of books I have to study :D

I love you Abdullah (Yes, he's going to make puke-ish sounds as soon as he reads this :3)
I love you Labibah (Yes, she's going to give me a hug when she reads this :D)

Moving, Yet Again (Take 2) -Featuring: Marvin.

*Puts away her books for Medical College Entry Test for a while*

I wonder what would it be like for a passerby to witness an oh-so-random family like mines.
Aaaaah.. This time I won't be the narrator, I'll write the second part of the story of shifting from Karachi to Kamra from the perspective of a person who saw us the entire time. Observed us. Noted down our actions. Ok, this is getting creepy. But, I guess I've made my point.

So, here it is. 'Moving Yet, Again (Take 2)' from the eyes of Marvin :D

Note for the wise: This story is very real. Apart from the introduction of 'Marvin'.

I'm sitting in the corner of the Business Express Waiting Lounge in Karachi. It'll be my first trip in this train, the one train that will 'bring in a new era in Pakistan Railways'. I guess I am looking forward to the trip but I'll be travelling alone, so I'm not so sure. Even though I chose to go my train rather than an airplane myself. 'For the Spirit of Adventure!'. A 17-hour journey all by myself, well it's good I brought along Inferno. Nothing better than Robert Langdon for company :)

That's when I spot them. Two little children racing to get the spot in the lounge right in front of the Air Conditioner. I mean, isn't the entire room cold? Wait, what? Now their dad is giving them money so that they go and get snacks as he gets the seat in front of the Air Conditioner. This wasn't entirely it. The mom then stepped in and sat with the dad, following her were a dozen bags! There was a girl keeping watch on the bags, their daughter I suppose. Ok, so three kids and two parents, but what's with all the bags?! I keep my cellphone in hand in case they start threatening the people that there are explosives in the bags. But, that doesn't happen. Three other people, two guys and a girl who looks the same age as the elder daughter enter the lounge in a while, they're here to see off the family. To be honest, I thought they were a part of the family, which would've explained the gazillion bags but they didn't get on the train. So, yeah.

You know I wouldn't have been surprised if their bags
were strapped to the roof just so that their compartment
would have room to sit in.

Ok, before you get any second thoughts. I know who got on the train and that no bags were left behind not because I'm a stalker or anything, but because I got the compartment right next to this ummmm... 'different' family. No sooner were we all boarded and the train took off, there is a loud banging sound from the compartment next door. 'BANG!' I ignore, Langdon's in Italy after all. 'BANG BANG DUM THUSH' I ignore. I can't possibly leave Robert with partial amnesia alone. 'DUM DUM DHA DHA DHAAAAA!' Ok. This is creepy now. I open the door to my compartment realising that the noises are from the compartment of the 'different family' and the train's guard and the conductor are trying their best to open the door. Yes, the lock of the compartment wasn't unlocking. Well, the guard managed to pry the door open and the family decided to keep it open for the entire journey. I came out of my compartment and sat by the window in the hall way of the train, i guess that's what it's called. Only to find both the little kids stumble out of the compartment saying 'We want chocolate frogs? Where's the trolley guy with Bertie Bott's every flavored jelly beans and Chocolate frogs?' Oh, so they are Harry Potter fans too is what crosses my mind just as the 'trolley guy' turns up. Them both end up getting loads of board games, while the mom, dad and elder daughter are snuggled up reading books.

I bet the entire train heard the noises!

The dad closes his book and as if knowing that he's hungry the mom closes her book too and takes out the food bag. Ok, don't judge me. But, this was one family I couldn't help but notice. No sooner are they done with their lunch, the little two climb up on the upper bunk of the compartment, but they  look down every other second and tell their mom about what's happening on the upper bunk. 'Mamaaaa, Abdullah just drew a tree on his sketch pad' 'Maamaaaaa, I beat her in Checkers'.. and it continues. In the meanwhile, the dad starts on with his stories of the 'young days' when he used to travel by train all the time. Well, the little kids get bored with their board games and the mom and the elder daughter start their 'duels' of board game. Now, it's a duel because the entire family seemed in a state of war. The little brother had sided with the elder daughter while the little daughter had sided with the mom. The dad was the judge. Their compartment rang with battle cries! It was a LUDO match. 'KILL THE YELLOW ONE IN FRONT OF YOUUU!' 'LUBAINAAAAA! DIE! DIE! DIE' 'NOOOOOOO' 'Calm down, calm down, it's just a game' 'I WILL NOT GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT'.. Oh well, the mom won at the end. Very soon, they were sleepy only to find out the there were no blankets left for their compartment. But, yeah. They had a bed sheet in one of their gaziilion bags and the dad got off at the next station and bought chaddar too. The elder daughter came out in the halfway, engrossed in her book again while the rest of them slept. But, the lights were only turned off only after the little brother got done with his 'Sock Puppet Show'..

World War III? Probably.

And, they closed the compartment's door. Where was I? Oh yeah, Langdon. He kept me company during the night while the elder daughter was lost in Cecelia Ahern's words. Oh, and know what? We reached Lahore two hours early the next day!

And, I thought I'll get bored. 

Note from Lubaina: We're two brothers and two sisters in reality. But, one of my brother's was already in Lahore. This story would have been more dramatic with him and his theatrical antics though :P

Next stop: Kamra. Finally :D

Note for the wise: the doodles above have been doodled by me. I'd like it if these are not plagiarized :)

Moving, Yet Again (Take 1)

Featuring: Barney Nutcase Family and Habshis. (What could be better? :') )
In case I forget when I turn eighty: both the names above are of the amazing-estestestest family and best-estestest group of friends I found at Karachi :)

So much to write, such little time.

To make it short: I’m done with my A Levels, no school anymore. *sigh* *And, another sigh* And, I moved, yet again, from Karachi to Kamra (Yeah, you might have to Google-ofy this city, it’s near Attock but unknown to even most of the Pakis) *SIIIIIGH*

The timetable and 'Past Paper Count' I had pasted on my wall during CIEs.
Won't be needing this anymore :D

 I’ll be starting off with my Out Of the Odds in a few weeks, but before that, this traveler owes the world a story. A story of all the sdfghjklgfdvbfrt-esses (Read: I do not have words to describe all that happened as we left Karachi and came to Kamra)

Note for the wise: If I were the reader and not the writer here, I would probably have closed this blog post by now and moved onto a read that actually makes sense.

Still reading? Well, no matter what happens, remember this:

My newest obsession: Hand-lettering :D

Yeah, before telling my friends or gulping down the news of ‘moving, yet again’ that was stuck like a huge bite of burger that refused to go in while making me seem like the most uncivilized person as the mayo plastered my face, and clothes too... Ok, this is a weird expression. But, oh well. I doodled this 'Life is but an ADVENTURE' poster knowing that whatever happens, does happen for the best. Sounds cliched, but oh well. I write' oh well' too much no? Oh well...

And then, I got down to texting my friends and letting them know that I’ll be moving the very next day of our last exam. Hahaha, yeah, many of my ‘Barney Nutcase Family’ members were ready to kidnap me and keep me in Karachi. You know, it’s not such a bad idea. And then, in came their tries of working out a ‘Farewell Party’ for me on the last day of our exam. Maaaayyyyyyyn, I love them :’)

Also, they made me feel as if I’m sick and going to die :3.. Yeah, that was the level of effort they were putting in as they wanted me to leave Karachi HAPPY-LY. And, I did :D

After the exam what is worth being remembered is the baffoonry at Amara’s home after exam, then the ultra-mega-acts-of-awesome-ness at the Grill House (them lot made a freakin’ tower of cans as the waiters and Manager of that place gave us ‘the eyes’. If only looks could drive us out of a restaurant :3) and then off to PAF Museum for the rides :D Too childish? Meh. We’re young B) We battled it out in the dodging cars SIX TIMES! By the end of it, most of us had aching arms and disoriented noses and rattled teeth and churning stomachs. (No, no, thankfully we had no accidents :3) Bbuuuuut, it was worth it.

By the way, this hangout had the largest turn up of all the hangouts of the two years!

See, I’m loved xD

The Dodging Cars all lined up :D
It's not a clear picture, but it sums up the essence of it :')

If this wasn’t enough. As soon as I got back home I had another group of friends ready to take me to the Arenaaaaa ^_^

Did I write how loved I felt that day? 

Oh and I fell during Ice Skating at the Arena. Lubaina has a good day and no accidents happen? Hahaha. Wait. HAHHAHAHHAHAHAHA. Never happens.

Buuut, the best part about the ice skating rink was GIRL POWER XD Mayn, I’ve been waiting to write this down since daaaayyysssss. The guys in the rink didn’t really know how to ice skate while us girls whizzed passed them in attempts of making them fall down (Yeah, call us evil.. But then, Meeshal and I did get paid back by falling down ourselves too, no?)

I had a good good day :’)

Only to wake up the next morning with high fever and a back ache ‘cause of the fall during ice skating. But, that story’s for another day. For now, I have stupid study to do to get an admission at a stupid medical college. They say, we need to stay positive. Soooo, I guess it’ll be ‘veerrryyy niiiccceee’ study to do to get into a ‘verrryyy niiiiiccceee’ medical college. Don’t judge, I’m not this two-faced the rest of the times.

P.S. FEELS SO GOOOD TO BE BACK ^____^
I’ve missed writing out everything random-ly-lame-ly-weird-no-matter-what-it-is at my blog :’)

Meeshal, Maheen, Kajol, Sadia, Mehraz, Moaaz, Khushhal, Junaid, Mehraz, Amara, Najam, Tooba, Saad Haseeb, Saad Rafi, Ubaid, Hassaan AK (Hassaan Akhrot Khan :p), Zeest, Wasti, Aqsa Bongi, Minahil, Rija, Iqra and Abdullah.

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME ^_^ 

I OWE THE LAST DAYS AT KARACHI KI HAPPINESS TO YOU GUYS ^_^
(Yeah, even though most of the above probably won't read this post 'cause they're 'too cool with the shades on' or too engrossed in the 'entry test studies'. But, this post would've been incomplete without their mention. So, yeah)