IKEA, IKEA

Oh gosh, don't I love IKEA! I just couldn't stop thinking of when is my next trip there. I can even memorise the product names which are in Swedish and hopefully, my pronunciation is correct. The displays and product arrangements are at the back of my head. If only I was working for IKEA, for I know how best to assist all the dear patrons of IKEA and not to mention, to educate them a little when they 'forget' conveniently or ignorantly to clear their trays after a meal at the cafe.

I am still waiting impatiently for the day where our dream home is ready. A week away and it feels like a thousand years. How long more do I have to wait? is always conscious in my mind and even in my dreams!

When the day arrives, I shall contemplate on how lucky I am to be experiencing this at my age and how I am looking forward to embark on the next chapter of my life. I want to enjoy and improve on my career. When one's life at home is settled, one could concentrate on other aspects of her/his life. I can only look forward, not forgetting to give myself a pad on the back, once in a while...

There Is Sun In London!

My First Weekend in March

I spent my first weekend in March in KL. I don't consider KL as my home from now onwards but it felt the same each time I go back. It is the same old feeling that reminds you of where you came from, and where you belong eventually.

The weekend I spent was greatly eventful. I was back for a wedding of a special friend of mine. We both share the same adoration towards Ms Hepburn, which I came to know rather recently. The plan to attend was made about six months ago, if not, longer and the much anticipated wedding finally materialised. I had not experienced packing five different dresses for just a trip and I did, for this time.

The weekend started on Friday night when we, the gals celebrated her hen's night. We came early adhering to the theme of "Virgin or Vixen" but I was neither one. I couldn't figure out how else to dress with what I have. I think I was more skewed towards the Virgin but my heels spelt Vixen. Everyone was in black, grey and white and like the colours, they are mysterious at first but once bonded, everyone just like one another. The atmosphere was most lovely with laughters of women, voices of women and when women are happy, it is just contagious!

The second night of my first March weekend was celebrated in style too. The Gala Dinner as it was themed, was dreamed up by our Flamboyant Maestro. The buffet spread is one of the best in town and the cajole of a variety of food is always the best way to start a conversation. If anything could be better, it must be the company of your loved ones and a free round of wines when our poor doctor had a stone in his fish. We made a fortune out of his misfortune. The white wine I had was fantastic and for the first time, I really did use my smell and taste senses to guess the grape varietal of the glass of red served. And I was right!

The third and final night was the finale. After an early start of the day, which was a fun-filled affair where the groom and his men, came to fetch his bride (an applause to his brave efforts to please the bridesmaids antics), the night was just to complete the entire process of unifying with one another. It was a beautiful night with favourite band music audible all the time and the occasional pause for speeches that were all-so-touching by the important people of the bride and groom. I was almost in tears with the speeches, especially by her dad and her maid-of-honour. Truly, it was a nice touch when the celebration of love is more than what you can expect.

Thank you all, for a great weekend and most importantly, it was well spent with lots of memorable encounters… All the very best to the happy couple!

Paris When It Sizzles

Paris when it sizzles, is not the movie by Ms Hepburn but my first encounter witnessing the Eiffel at night. I waited a bit in the cold and windy night and gradually, the lights came on. When I waited longer, Eiffel started to sizzle in colours, with oh so magnificient!

What a sight, what a night!

Birthday Treats

There is always something special about celebrating birthdays. Our own especially. This year, I am lucky enough to have celebrated my birthday on Phi Phi Island. This also marks my first group holiday overseas. It was fun, sun and real fun!

The night before, I had my family members singing the birthday tune over a lovely blueberry cake. I had a chocolate brownie with a candle at Delicious, Bangsar as well, as soon as the midnight falls. What a treat to have the privilege of having good people around you... on your birthday, especially...Thank you all!

Koh Phi Phi

Group Holiday : Krabi

A group holiday is always fun. More so, if the bunch of people knows how to have fun themselves. I am for sure, starting to be a fan of group holiday especially the last one I had was more than seven years ago.

Krabi and Koh Phi Phi are the two destinations chosen. The journey to Koh Phi Phi was made right after our arrival into Krabi International Airport. This airport reminds me of being in a Scandinavian country. The design is simple yet contemporary and with the intelligent usage of natural sunlight as internal lightings. Yes, it's very green, to a point where the lift does not have sufficient energy to carry more than an average person and a trolley! Perhaps, it was raining that day...

After some ground arrangements being taken care of, our pimped van carried all nine of us to the pier. Then another 1.5 hours boat ride to the once isolated island called Phi Phi. It was a real beauty, people said, before the tsunami. We joined the hundreds of tourists into this island and it seemed easy enough to find a decent accommodation there and then. After having a feel of the pricing and location, we finally made our decision for PP Princess, the once most famous hotel which is just right next to Loh Dalum. The rest of the island seems like under reconstruction with warning of tsunami signs and high grounds visible enough. Like any other famous tourist destination, street vendors selling souvenirs, accessories, clothing are abundant. Likewise, the restaurants and massage parlours seem bustling too.

What made an impression is the bamboo tattooing parlour. Almost every young and hip person wants to have a tattoo, permanently scarring their body. I supposed it is cool to do so. To reflect a sense of individualism or whatever you wish to call it.

I tried the local pancake. I had banana and chocolate. No points for guessing why such combination. It is just marvellous! Then I think I had too much of seafood, almost every meal of mine was laden with tonnes of cuttlefish,squids and prawns (more like shrimps) in my tom yams, pat thais and fried rice. Of course, all to be washed down with either Singha, vodka, whiskey or yummy tequila ( which I suspect to have caused my face to be half-swollen after drinking shots of it while chilling by the pool). Perhaps, I was being punished for coming out of my comfort zone of cutting down on meat and alcohol!

Oops, I think I have reached Sunda Resort, Krabi, after two nights and three days of hanging out, drinking, watching fire dance show, massage, chilling by the beach, window shopping, island hoping, snorkelling and spending some time in the legendary Maya Bay.

At Sunda, the resort is just perfect as a honeymoon resort, until I saw a lady complaining about an old man bringing in a very young Thai girl to the Muslim reception who speaks perfect Malay. She just smile and nod.

The tuk tuk ride was fun and it's amazing to see so many of us fitting into one. Well, we actually had two tuk tuks to carry us to Krabi Town. There are lots of local artists and they do portraits as well as abstract paintings. I was in awe to see the many profiles of the calming Buddha portraits. I didn't buy any as the price is too high and I simply hate to bargain.

Any good things will come to an end and this group holiday is an eye-opening as well as to test how comfortable I am around people especially around new people. I think I did ok and my verdict is, it is recommended for all real buddies/relatives and not so, if you're interested in exploring the place alone because you'll never have the chance. You'll be constantly in a gang, where your comfort zone is, to many people.