1st Business Class flight

5 years later...

I am coming back to United Kingdom again. How odd is that? I wonder how much has changed over the 5 years and how are the people I met 5 years ago. I am 2 hours away from Heathrow, sitting comfortably in my business class seat in a SQ flight. It was ages ago I flew with Singapore Airlines, that was to Bangkok. Since then, I never had the luxury to do it again, I always opt for the cheaper and better option and flew with many others. In the recent years of travelling in Asia, I can almost see most of my flights were with budget airlines, with a few exceptions like Silk Air, Cathay and Garuda.

Honestly, sitting in the business class makes me feel like an inpatient, I get served and I can order things while laying on the bed. The service was very personal, at least one of the stewardesses remember my name and I always get addressed politely; but not very efficient, I pressed the "assistance" button a couple of times, and I think they were having a break and I wasn't being attended to. The meals were in a few courses, and they really got me stuffed. I had a cocktail named Skyhigh which got me high and gave me a headache, then I managed a short nap. I didn't manage to get much sleep, as I'm still living in the Singapore daytime, it will be hard when I arrive and have to keep awake! The boss was sitting behind me...

My lack of sleep is however compensated by a couple of good movies which I wanted to watch! I managed 3 of them in the 14 hours:

Night at the museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Still as entertaining as the first two episodes and bringing in more characters which came to live, it ends off with the night museum being open to public and the live characters telling the stories themselves. So cool!

Eat Pray Love

Oh... all the women should watch this! I really like how she went around the world to find herself back, which a lot of the women lack the courage to after leaving a relationship. It reminds me of friends whom jump into another one almost immediately. I suddenly feel I am doing the right thing!

The Social Network

I wanted to catch this, and now I did. It's not how I expected it, the whole plot was getting a wee bit boring focusing on the law suit against Mark Zuckerberg. I guess, it's more a reality-turned-movie thingy, so can't expect them to spice it up too much.

When I finally arrived at Heathrow after 14 hours, the sound of English accent made me smile. Scottish accent's all right but English's somehow more charming. I was greeted by a beautiful sunset in the shuttle bus to Terminal 5 where we had to transit to get to Aberdeen. It was lovely, so mesmerizing but I couldn't snap a picture!! After a short wait and a little browsing in the departure area, we went onboard BA heading to Aberdeen. I fell asleep on the 1.5 hours flight, I was knackered. By then, its was like 2am Singapore time, we had been travelling for almost 18-19 hours!

It feels like a dream, I think the reality will hit me when I get to London!

p.s: Those colored are written onboard my SQ flight.

You've been warned

Like the "anonymous" mentioned, there are indeed many rude Singaporeans in Singapore and I do not deny that at all. And also my post on one Ang Mo IS NOT MEANT to generalize the whole population, I hope you ("anonymous") understand when I stated  "Ang mo like these" and not "All ang mo". Anyway, I know who you are, so BP, just sign your name off next time :)

Today, thankful for the rainy day, I had an umbrella to wack this b*tch. We were queueing at the ATM, there were 3 lanes, she was on the last while I stood on the middle one seeing that there was no queue. Admittedly, she was there before me, but she WAS NOT queueing on my lane, when the person finished, she just cut across! I was fuming, but I closed an eye since I didn't want to confront her and made a fuss on a Monday morning. That's not the worst! When she was done, she deliberately pushed me, she knew I wasn't too happy about her cutting my lane (by her own conscience). I know most people would not but out of retaliation (to top it off that she cut my queue without any sign of apology!), I wacked her legs with my umbrella. Everyone was looking, I seriously don't care more because it was all recorded in the CCTV if anyone wanted a re-enactment. I swear I would pick up a cat-fight if she did come back asking for more. B*TCH!

I can tolerate but don't push things too far.

Running outta time

After visiting the doctors twice... a lot of pills swallowed, I am finally on the mend and ready for what the upcoming 3 weeks bring!

Today, two of my BFFs set foot back in Singapore (as they are living all over the world, 4 of us are always in different places since a few years ago!), one more in the coming week. Then we will attend one's wedding in Sabah. What a timing! Especially with a business trip right after the wedding, I will be losing time catching up with most of them, but I will see one of them in London. I hope the other will be back in Singapore soon and there will be time to catch up! However the distance didn't deter our almost 13 years of friendship, thanks to internet (that explains why I need it all the time!).

I will write more when I get time... Now I have to think about packing for two different trips before the week starts!! Headache!

遇见怪脾的人 (17) - Having a beer belly is pregnant?

Ang Mo like these made me feel like going up to them and say, "Sir, where are you from? You should go back to your home country instead of being another disgrace to Singapore." So what if he's ang mo, that only means he earns more money and should be able to afford a taxi, right, since he doesn't even know what "considerate" is. He doesn't even look old enough to have brittle bones, and yet he acted as if he's blind to the pregnant woman standing right in front of him. Please lah, we need less of your type of species here to add on to the already kiasu Singaporeans.

p.s: If he happens to be your boss, please ask the company to send him back home!

Busy like a bumble bee

5 years later... and winter once again.

I'm so looking forward to the cold (just hoping not to fall sick then!!)... What a weird thing to say, I know, everyone there is dreading the weather but I'm the exception. Boss came back to work today after a wonderful trip to India with the wife... and now he's looking forward to UK (I guess because he gets to see his family!). Such a traveller, isn't he! Then he will rush back to go on another holiday with the wife to NZ. Bliss. I will be stuck alone up there ;) Bliss too.

I'm so not prepared. I need to dig up all my warm clothings, my winter hat, socks, gloves and scarves. I need to get money changed. I need to prepare for Sabah before that, and what more, I am giving a speech and I have to prepare that as well. Two of my BFFs are back next week, in fact one is back this weekend. But I just don't have the time to catch up with them, we will only spend time at the wedding it seems.

忙忙忙。。。

老了，病多。

After an afternoon of shopping with my Japanese friend whose in town and a quiet NYE countdown spent in bed, now I'm falling sick. This Japanese girl is a friend of my best friend and somehow we get along great, so everytime she's in town, we would go for lunch. We spent the time eating, shopping and having coffee and the usual girls' talk. It was raining heavily that afternoon, we weren't caught in the rain but somehow I have to fall sick :( As we get older, why do we get more vulnerable :(

As I'm writing, my bad headache which has persisted the whole afternoon seems to be diminishing. Panadol Extra does help. My bodyache is also better after my sister gave my back a little "punching". It all started on New Year day and I was supposed to take a tourist out for dinner (Dan's friend), seems like I get to be a tour guide pretty often in Singapore these days. But it didn't work out as she arrived so late and I wasn't feeling well by then. My chest felt stuffy, the throat became dry and the nose was hyper-sensitive. I fed myself with lots of Vitamin C pills, then Eno, then my sister got me some herbal tea, all these did not seem to help until I popped the Panadol Extra.

Well I say, better sick now than later when I have to travel... Praying hard that it won't come back so soon!

Great, what a start for the new year! Brrrrrrrrrrr.... I'm so not looking forward, I don't feel like taking MC. I don't even have the strength to iron my clothes, let's hope I find something to wear for the week!

Goodbye 2010

It's the end of another year. Time always flies, doesn't it?

Looking back, so much have happened the past 12 months; I am thankful I am still alive and jumping and everyone at home is still well and we're looking forward to the new year. There's so much coming for me in January - close friend's wedding in Sabah, training in Scotland, seeing friends in London... What a great busy start and I hope all things will fall into places thereafter. I better find some time to do some spring cleaning before I get lots of loots back from UK :D It'll be Chinese New Year 2 days after I get back and I hope I can fit into the cheongsam top I bought for the occasion by then... LOL. No overeating in UK please!

So, actually I am writing this to give thanks to things that have happened this year, the good and bad... and no, I'm not setting new year resolutions. I guess my aim every year is the same, simple, to live happy, for me and for everyone I love.

Here's the thank you list (in no order of occurrence):

♥ Thank you ♥

I made many new friends and maybe 1 enemy @ SingTel.

I won Photoshop CS5 @ the Adobe Launch.

I won worth S$300 tickets to Riverdance.

I survived a bike crash in Taiwan.

I survived a maniac climbing onto my bed in the middle of the night in Taiwan.

I had a short and sweet time meeting someone new.

I realised some people are just not worth any time of our life, so get on with it!

I have a wonderful boss and apparently an exciting job.

I found long lost friends on Facebook.

I realised my obsession for DOMO.

I cut my fringe, enjoyed the bangs for a short while (looked young all over again, now I'm missing it).

I did pilates again.

I lived with a cat.
I travelled alone again after 5 years, the last in 2005.

I saw a friend I missed in Ho Chi Minh.

I travelled for the 1st time with my lil sis.

I bought my 1st Kate Spade this year and then got a 2nd.

I found my flip phone and it's Samsung.

My Blackberry has been good the past 1 year.

My Toshiba baby has survived me 3 years and still going strong.

My parents ♥ me. My friends ♥ me. I ♥ them.

I am happy.

p.s: I'll add more tonight if I think of more ;)

Now I am deprived...

Public holidays! I want more, I want more!!

Singapore, can you be a wee bit more generous??

Counting the number of public hoildays the people of Republic China get, the rest of us just want to bang our heads on the wall... Don't we all suddenly wish we live and work there? Make a guess?

31 freaking days in 2011!!!!!!!!

And that doesn't include their annual leave!??

I probably get the same days (31) after I add up my annual leave and Singapore's public holidays. Singapore is not the worst to be honest, we are on par with a lot of other countries that average about 10-11 days of public hoildays. But China, Tokyo and Hong Kong are obviously leading the numbers with 31, 18 and 17... Okay, now I'm envious (maybe not so much of Tokyo and Hong Kong as they work a hell lot!!). But from what I know, Japanese companies are not very generous with their annual leave, so that is perhaps fair with 18 days of additional holidays. So I guess this is why we see Chinese tourists everywhere when we go on our holidays, hahaha.

Perhaps you like to know how the 31 days come about? They have 3 consective days off for almost everything, from New Year's day to Labour Day to Dragon Boat and Mid Autumn Festival. Gosh, seriously, 3 days for a festival, we celebrate them in Singapore too, not as if we get any for them!! Then they get a week each for Lunar New Year and their National Day, they seriously love their culture and nation! We need that in Singapore too!

♥ Mum & Dad ♥

Sweet sweet love.

I feel the love. Mum made "yam" cake, it's like carrot cake (though it's not made from carrot but "yam" cake is made from yam). It's one of our favourite food she cooked, and so I am having that for lunch! I missed dinner last night as I caught up with a friend, mum cooked Mee Sua, also my favourite. Actually, practically everything she cooks are like my favourites, hahaha, except for certain things which are my sisters' and not mine. I told her I missed the Mee Sua and she said she can cook for me again tonight. Awww... so sweet.

I have been looking high and low for a watch, the type that looks solid and formal enough for work. Yesterday, I saw Dad's watch on the table, it looks pretty nice and its face isn't not too big for my wrist. I asked him if he would give it to me, without much hesitation, he said okay and asked how big is my wrist so he could adjust it. I don't know if it's his favourite watch as he has a couple, one of which we gifted to him 2-3 years back. I went home last night and he has already adjusted it for me, now it's my "office" watch. How sweet is that!

A lot of times, we thought family isn't an important part of our life. Years ago, I really had that thinking, especially when I was abroad and found it a hassle to call back home. I guess a lot of my friends still do now, some might, some might not. Some of my friends are happily living overseas, perhaps still like me in the past, we couldn't understand the parents' yearning as they didn't verbally express it. We dreaded coming home for good. But after quite a few years of it myself, I have adapted to living with my parents once again. Our relationship is better than the past somehow, I guess I have also grown wiser with the things I have been through. I speak to them, talk about their concerns, get them involved in my life and let them know what's happening... I used to think some things are better said to friends, but in fact, parents can be your friends too.

I have friends whom keep a distance from their parents. I guess it's different for everyone. For some, there's communication breakdown, for others, it might be some personal reasons. But there is one thing for sure, they love us, and I think there is no measurement for it! Even though they might be sometimes a little biased and like your sister or brother more, but at the end of the day, they are the ones who are willingly to make sacrifices for us. They are the ones whom will never push you away or say "No" to provide you a place of comfort and shelter when you need it most. They might not say it or show it, but they do care.

Frohe Weihnachten!

It's the time of the year again!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

A festive season filled with many wonderful memories of the past... This year, it's a rather quiet one; in the past years, I spent it at dinner with friends or held a mini party at home with the sisters. But both sisters are away, so I decided to take my parents out for a meal. (As one gets older, sometimes priorities do take a shift!) Just 3 of us at a nice Chinese restaurant named PUTIEN, they seemed to enjoy it as mum was still going on about the fried duck wrapped with yam on the phone. So here's some pictures to share our joy :)

Apparently this brand derives its roots from Putian, a town in the Fujian province of China. It began as a small restaurant in Singapore and has since expanded to 7 outlets, and needless to say, the prices have also increased tremendously. I have heard many good stories about the food and so I thought I shall take the parents there. It's my first time too!

The dishes are tasty and suit my parents' tradtitional tastebuds well, though the prices are a little on the steep side. That "Deep Fried Duck with Yam" costed $15.90, the yam portion was more than the meat! Not that we mind since mum and I love yam! Those "Homemade Beancurd" were smooth and silky, we really enjoyed them. We also got "Seaweed Soup with Wonton" (forgot to name that in the picture, it's in the centre), it was quite appetising and a perfect starter. Dad has to have rice at his meal times or he would go jelly on his knees, so we ordered the only rice item, the "Seafood Fried Rice" and it was quite the standard one like everywhere else. I like the idea of "Mee Sua" (also named "妈祖面线" in Chinese, what a nice name!) since I read a review that it was quite good, so we ordered it too. It came with seafood and wasn't the usual Mee Sua mum loved to cook at home. It came last, all of us were pretty stuffed by then, but it was so delectable that we finished it all. There was no room for dessert though I really would love to have one... haha.

All in all, it was a pleasant dinner! It will be a bonus if they have some cards' promotion, then we will go there more often ;) They only take reservations for big crowd, but I rang up earlier to put my name just in case there's going to be a queue, and it did turn out there was a waiting list. Fortunately, they managed to give us a table fast enough as the old people have little patience.