Monday, February 11, 2008

CNY 2008
And it's the favourite time of the year again! Camera played me out this time by going low and then no-batt making me unable to chronicle the week's happenings in detail! ok blame myself for leaving the charger in office.. anyway here goes!
doesnt look like a spread but believe me it WAS a spread! so full @ the reunion dinner!


The Official Makeup and Hair Stylist of the Chen Family.

This was already Chu Er actually. forgot to bring the camera out on Chuyi, shall wait for Aunt's email on the photos! loved my korean stockings! ok reminder not be niao and buy more back this yr!

oops missed out PBS...
..PBS included.. at my expense!

My mum n her sisters..
...and so we followed suit. no prizes for guessing us in order of birthdate.

there was a huge husky at Daddy's house. i wonder if he feels hot.
grabbing everone's attention! I took the photos behind the metal gates. hehe.

Jackson's BIG-eye baby! How time flies. i still remember his wedding just last year.
I thought Baby Ethan looks so adorable staring at me!
we had the LangSai yesterday too. That's in PLS phone. will snatch from her blog soon!
Happy New Year Everybody!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Appreciate.

As an avid traveller with crazy schedules to the likes of 6.30am flights, waking up at (or before) dawn has become part and parcel.

It gave me the priviledge however, to witness crisp sillhouettes of different cityscapes cast against the rising sun.

Beautiful.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Batam Trip (Again) with Family

actually this came first before the one with Ling. Wasnt exactly the complete family as PLS is away in China, PBS had her orientation. Nonetheless, had fun clowning with Pumpkin tho. heehee.


The Money Faced Family!
me w mummy on the Rainbow Bridge. The guide says there happened to be a rainbow on the opening ceremony of this bridge that links neighbouring small islands to the main Batam land -and so the president was inspired.
Pumpkin doesnt like the hotel. Daddy likes the hotel. sibeh act cute.
On the Mighty land we arrive...

Introducing the world's most advanced Self-Automated toilet Door.
i ate 3 GungGung.


ya. poolside dinner (looks) nice.


Highlight of the trip!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

The only Proof of Batam Dec 07.

We are really standing in front of the Jetty.
We are really sitting in the Ferry.

As i recall the JC days, a strong sense of nostalgia hits.

YOU are welcome. =)

No. I am not Ah Lian.
As i recall the JC days, a strong sense of nostalgia hits.

YOU are welcome. =)

No. I am not Ah Lian.
As i recall the JC days, a strong sense of nostalgia hits.

YOU are welcome. =)

No. I am not Ah Lian.
Alternative housing!

A few months back, we bought on impulse, a 6-men tent from Carrefour. Upon reaching home, we tried it out enthusiastically. To avoid being labeled as nutcases, we closed all the living room windows.

The way we were rolling about in it, we say it can surely be more than 6.

Camping anyone? Hehe.









TATA!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Re-so-flect-lu-tion.

It’s the time of the year. Judging from the way my resolutions turn out every year, I guess I’ll give it a miss this time round. Let’s just go for reflections instead.

If I had to use just one word to sum up 2007, I’ll choose hectic..

26 trips, 60 over flights.
2 trips per month, once every 2 weeks.
Practically 1 flight every 6 days - my skin bears testimony,so sad..

130 days out of Singapore and what was there..?

The witnessing of the once-in-5-years mega flood in Jakarta was an eye-opener – specifically to that in the heart, Just the way things in the world work, it was simply a matter of checking into a hotel for the well-to-do. For the poor – and I meant the really povertised – there was a mother carrying a baby on her back and a toddler in front, braving through waters threatening to reach her chest level and covering her beloved. Innocent children were wading through the waters on plastic basins – the ones Singaporean mums use to bathe the unknowing fortunate infants of Singapore – oblivious to reality and apparently enjoying themselves, the way all children of the world deserve to. And then the occasional kids braving the cold waters and knocking on your car windows asking for however meagre an amount available for them – forever wearing that smile even when one waves them away. Heart-wrenching. There were the opportunistic bapaks peddling their floats, wherever they got them from, at the traffic junctions. Inspiring. With the new law banning such display of entrepreneurship, whatever’s going to happen to them is anybody’s guess. Mercy on them.

A occasional complaint to a local counterpart on the Bluebird charging 40000 rupiah – 6000 by honest metering - for the total journey of Domestic Terminal to International Terminal, brought to light the justification of the 2-3 hours of queuing they have endured. I admit I had that tinge of shame at complaining unreasonably..or not?

Corrupt lady immigration officers of that communist country certainly pissed me off big time. A total image-spoiler for the ENTIRE country. I am so amazed at how my own gender has the audacity to do things so out of order! Ok call me a stick-in-the-mud, but aint these the prerogatives of our male counterparts? Never judge.

Was so excited to fly BKK for the 3rd time this year that I made up my mind way before the trip to have my shirts tailored – even though it was a crushing mad 3 days in-and-out trip. The result was a total wastage of 120 bucks for 3 pieces of lousily made shirts of chino resto-waitress FEELalike fabric. The old wives’ tale turned out true. I promise to wait patiently for a shirt.

It was barely 1 month since my foot left Myanmar that the political unrests occurred. It’ll be wise to say minimum here, but I still wish to swear at the extreme difficulty in getting a dial tone or an email reply from my agents. My applications were all running late! I wish to take the chance to thank a certain Agency, for the alarmingly fast rate of approvals. I’m starting to believe they can work efficiently. Yes I do…

The wads of CASH Myanmese carry around made me so thankful of the stability I enjoy over here in the Little Red Dot. Also, one’ll be so tickled if one sees the thick stack wrapped in plastic bags. You’ll think it was toilet-paper carried around for convenience.

My feelings of the way Koreans fight and push to get on/off/in/out of the crowded subways/crowded malls/crowded streets/crowded toilets must have resembled that of a Bungee Jumper – you are so afraid of dying for something you shldnt have. My mirage of handsome Korean princes leading me to a happily-ever-after life seems to have disappeared.. So depressing.

Constant travel with a tight schedule on unbearingly uncomfortable flights thin one’s patience. I’ve grown intolerant. A mere extra second taken in bringing up my room slippers earns you my undesirable snide remarks. A refusal to grant that discount I so think you are capable of giving earns you a complaint letter. A request for me to return the food vouchers you have given mistakenly earns you my punk rejection and ‘I want to see your manager’ ( it worked, I got to keep them ).

Another 2 weeks before the cycle begins again. Grumble grumble grumble.

What’s that again? Reflections?

Friday, December 07, 2007

MAGIC STRAW

Somehow, someday, someone got somebody to buy this wonderful straw back from the US of A.
Instant strawberry (Eeee…) milk!

I LOVE this concept!
Where’s my brown straw?!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Erm just to follow things up - if you read below, there was a post mentioning that i was supposed to tell u guys something.

i forgot what it was.

hehe.
mani/pedi was dirt cheap.
The famous Hoan Kiem Lake. Legend has it that a giant turtle delivered a much-needed sword during an intense battle with the Chinese. Battle was won, sword returned (hence Hoan Kiem - huan2 jian4 in mandarin), turtle commemorated. People says that its descendants are apparently still lurking around in this lake and can sometimes be spotted floating up to the surface.
a clash of the wrong expressions apparently. ha.
the best thing about attending exhibitions in Vietnam is not actually having a lunchtime, but the chance to go OUTSIDE for lunch! Viet treasure their lunchtime lots, hence are ultra reluctant to come for any event during that timeslot. ha. tot the above rice 'urn' at this restaurant we were at digs. those arent chopsticks, they are the rice 'scoops'.
The not-to-be-missed Water Puppet Show. best part of the show was not the skilled puppeteers, but the lady musicians at the side of the stage - she looked so bored she must have performed for a zillion times. She was actually digging her ears in between!
some traditional rice cake which was tastily sweet.
brought them to this supposedly fine dining French (or was it Italian?) restaurant. very meaningful meal cos the waiters used to be delinquents off the streets of Vietnam but was fortunate to be given the chance by this establishment.
Went to this pub.. heard it used to be the most happening in Hanoi. no prize for guessing the keywords'
Ahmm. there was this drink called "1 night, 5 times". And it smelt ultra herbal. no i wasnt the one who ordered. wondering whether it atually works.. hm.

Went to this The Stone/Rock restaurant and had the steak on stone! yummy! e table beside us had korean guests who EACH had 2 servings! we had one for the THREE of us.

This work trip was ultra fun with the 2 darlings. Come again! ;)

Friday, November 09, 2007

How to Chalk Up a Series of Unfortunate Events?

1. Heavy Rain - CHECK
2. Traffic Jam - CHECK
3. Missed the boat, literally - CHECK
4. Got the ferry 20-min later..- UNCHECK
5. ..albeit a different destination - CHECK
6. No Rupiah - CHECK
7. Ten puny Sing bucks left - CHECK
8. Counter taxi - CHECK
9. Passenger Departure Tax 3 Sing bucks - CHECK
10. 3.8 Sing bucks dug out of wallet - UNCHECK
11. Police Coast Guard's inpromptu inspection, yours midst the hundred boats out there - CHECK
12. Last minute scheduled meeting 30 min after arrival - CHECK

All-Clear. Winner. Hands-Down.