Of Malls, Theme Parks and Adrenaline Rush

I'm currently in my 33rd week of pregnancy. The stomach is protruding ever so largely and my 'outtie' is quite visible from any clothes I decide to wear. I have even given up trying to hide it under layers of clothing.

I'm getting more lethargic by the day and my feet get easily swollen now relative to the number of distance I walk during the day.

This photo was taken when I was about 6 months pregnant. I think so - I mean it was after the fasting month. Or is it?

My grey cells seem to decimate in proportion to the protuberance of my midriff area.

The kicking is still going on strong though. I mean, my baby even dictates which side of the bed she wants me to roll over. I guess she likes me to face left which overlooks the telly.

This photo was at a KL-based bookstore, Kinokuniya which is located in KLCC shopping centre. A self-professed mall rat, me and my husband like to wander aimlessly in the numerous mall-erected buildings throughout the Klang Valley region.

We would be one of the firsts to check out a new mall. Sometimes, we do wonder when they are going to build more malls! For the time being, we have to content ourselves with the existing ones.

I think in Europe, the shopping 'enclave' mostly comprise a bevy of shops lined along cobblestone roads.

The idea of a big shopping mall is almost an alien concept to them. At least, that is the impression I've got. Perhaps, malls are only relegated to big cities like London, Paree and Berlin.

But those big, humongous malls are quite rare there with the exception of Manchester City where a big mall was coincidentally built in conjunction with the Commonwealth Games a few years back.

I think the commercialisation of huge malls has a direct correlation with the availability of landbanks to accomodate such an ambitious project.

I have gone to the Great Mall of America, in one of those suburbs in Minnesota (Suburb might not be the correct term to use since the drive was quite long - even though I vaguely remember the route since I was probably getting some shut-eye) It was enormous, to say the least!

There was even an built-in roller coaster theme park inside, coupled with other unique paraphernalias. I think it has a Bugs Bunny/Warner Bros theme, if I'm not mistaken. But that was way back in 1996 - things might have changed a lot since then.

In the dead of winter, it serves as a nice escapade from the minus-degree temperatures of Minnesota. I for one, couldn't get enough of its warmth. My only wish was that the exterior of the Mall would be as lively as it was inside.

Malaysia has also adopted this in-house theme park in one of its mall structures - Berjaya Times Square.

Full of hair-raising (pun intended) screams and adolescent hormones, it is both a sight and a hearing to behold. I used to be one of them - scurrying from one theme ride to another in search for that unquenchable adrenaline rush.

Now, in my third trimester, I cannot afford to be so rash and impulsive. Things have definitely slowed down. These include my metabolism rate and the pace of my walk.

Oh well, being habitual mallrats is a sign of slowing down too. We have now vowed to resort to bring our kid(s) to theme parks and malls to get their (and our) own kick of adrenaline.

In the mean time, we have more pressing matters at hand to tinker with - diapers changing, baby bathing, bottles cleaning, midnight nursing to name a few.