.. another year older yet none the wiser

The big Three, but yet I am still the silly old me :( ... so sorry Princess, it seems like you still have to refrain yourself not to strangle me from time to time :)!

I had a BBQ party for my birthday and it was a blast. I want to thanks to all who help to cook-eat-and-be-merry and not to forget to all the fancy gifts. Some folks has graciously uploaded pictures of the B'day in their blogs and I will try to have a consolidated one posted here soon :).

See ya all on my next B'day!

.. close encounter of the third kind :)!

My last trip to Ocean Park was my first face-to-face, or more of butt-to-face encounter with my long distance relative, the Pandas!

Few of my features that I deemed similar to the Pandas:

1. We both are on the chubby side :)


2. Napping and eating are our best talents!


3. Look at this hard-sexy ass!


Nuff said :)!

Gak penting news: Teh tarik in space ..

"KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia on Monday unveiled its first astronaut, a 34-year-old doctor who will blast off on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and visit the International Space Station in October 2007.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was the winner in a nationwide hunt which drew tens of thousands of hopefuls. Army dentist Faiz Khaleed, 26, was chosen as the back-up astronaut, or "angkasawan" as they are known in the Malay language."

The funny thing is, according to News 5 Tonight this evening, one of the possible experiment is to see whether he is able to make Teh Tarik in zero gravity .. Duh! I really not going to join him in the space shuttle. It must be VERY sticky inside :) ..

I really wonder what happen if Indian plan to send theirs outer space, Briyani anyone :P ...

.. feeling so small and fragile.

To where you are
By Josh Groban

Who can say for certain
Maybe you’re still here
I feel you all around me
Your memories so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You’re still an inspiration
Can it be (? )
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you’re there
A breath away’s not far
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream
And isn’t faith believing
All power can’t be seen

As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
’cause you are mine
Forever love
Watching me from up above

And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up
To where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you’re there
A breath away’s not far
To where you are

I know you’re there
A breath away’s not far
To where you are

Ngongkong 4D/3N ... not for the shopper hor!

In case any of you want to follow our path :) ..

Day 1:

• 6AM flight SG-HK: One of the earliest flight from Singapore for the kiasu folks like us :)! Reached HK @10:20AM, took AEL and the free shuttle bus, reach hotel @12PM (just nice for a quick lunch and check-in). Separate AEL ticket and Octopus MTR card cost actually less than the overly promoted 3 day pass for tourist. If you come in group, ask for AEL group package (come in a group of 2, 3 and 4) that can give you up to 40% discount for your AEL ride. For those travelling with kids/eldery, Children/Seniors Octopus card will save you ~50% discount for most of their transportation cost. Also remember to ask Seniors/Children discount when you visit any sights as some of them do provide discounts accordingly.
  
• Chi Lin Nunnery: Covering a space of 30,000 square meters, Chi Lin Nunnery has strikingly beautiful statues of the Sakyamuni Buddha, the goddess of mercy Guanyin and other bodhisattvas. These statues are made from gold, clay, wood and stone. Its buildings are the only ones to be built with wooden rooftops in modern Hong Kong, without the use of a single nail in its construction. This is based on a unique architectural style from the Tang Dynasty which uses special interlocking systems cut into the wood for construction.
  How to go: Diamond Hill MTR, walk cross Hollywood Plaza and follow the direction (5 minutes walk). Admission: Free
  
• Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple: One of the most famous temple in Hong Kong. Big and very crowded temple with lot of fortune teller ready to open the secret of your future :).
  How to go: Wong Tai Sin MTR, look for Wong Tai Sin temple exit (just above the MTR). Admission: Free (for the temple), donation of 2 HKD for the garden behind the temple.
  
• Yung Kee Restaurant, Wellington Street: Famous for the BBQ goose and Century egg. The goose was a bit overrated but the Century egg (the black, ugly, yucky thing) has made me a believer. Surprisingly it taste good! Some say that lot of famous people eat there but unfortunately we could not recognize any when we around.
  How to go: Walking distance from Central MTR (5 minutes walk). Budget: approx 150-250HKD/pax
  
• The Peak tram, Madame Tussaud's: Try to go there on your first not-so-hazy night, else you won't be able to see a thing. Unfortunately lot of people (and I really meant it) think the same way. The viewing platform is simply over-crowded by people for us to enjoy, Duh! Obviously the most sceneric way to go there is to take the Peak Tram (45 degree ascending tram). Peak Tram/Madame Tussaud's package is really worth the extra 100 HKD you pay as it allow you to cut the queue to go to the tram (especially if you plan to visit the museum anyway). The que for normal ticket is worst than the NLB sales queue.
  How to go: Walk 15 minutes from Centra MTR or take bus 15C from Star Ferry terminal/Admiralty MTR to take Peak Tram from the Peak Tram station. Admission: Peak Tram is 30 HKD (round-trip), Peak Tram/Madame Tussaud's package for 125 HKD (inclussive of round-trip Peak Tram).
  
• Star Ferry ride back to the hotel: A must for visitor to HK to cross between Hong Kong island and Kowloon. A sceneric trip cost 2.2HKD, it's really worthed :)!
  

Day 2:

• Maxim's City Hall Tim Sum breakfast: Nice Tim Sum place with ocean view. The dishes are paraded by the waiters in small cart for you to pick.
  How to go there: Walking distance from Central MTR or Star Ferry Terminal (the Star Ferry Terminal is closer though). Budget: approx. 100 HKD/pax
  
• Ocean Park: A mix of Dufan and Sea world with rides, giant Aquariums, a scenic cum scary cable car ride, and Panda exhibit. If you plan to go to Ocean Park in the weekend, try to take the 629 city bus from the Star ferry terminal to avoid the crowd. The queue in Admiralty can easily beat the queue in The Peak tram (see day 1).
  How to go there: Take bus 629 from Star Ferry Terminal(weekend morning) or Admiralty MTR. Admission: 185 HKD/pax
  
• Temple Street Night Market: Hong Kong pasar malam :). You can find all the fake and cheap items here (clothing/toys/hand bags/everything under the sun). Lot of food for those who have appetite of "exotic" meals. How to go: 5 minutes walk from Jordan MTR.

Day 3:

• Disneyland: The magic kingdom! For those that love Disney and want to take as much rides as possible, I recommend you to come early :).
  How to go: Take MTR to Disney resort MTR station. Admission fee: 300HKD/pax (adult)

Day 4:

• Po Lin Monastery (Giant Budha): A monastery situated in the middle of nowhere in Lantau island and famous for the giant Budha statue and its vegetarian meals. The meals was actually overrated.
  How to go: Take a ferry to Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo) from the Central Pier, and Bus No 2 to Po Lin. Or take the MTR to Tung Chung station, and Bus No 23. The Ngong Ping cable car is on its way to give you direct access from Tung Chung MTR. Admission fee: 60-100HKD/pax for vegetarian meals buffet.
  
• Ladies Market: Another Hong Kong pasar malam (much bigger than the Temple street).
  How to go: Walking distance from Mong Kok MTR.
  
• 8PM flight to home :)!

Marley and Me by John Grogan

A funny, heart warming, and tear jerking story about a man's best friend. Highly recommended to all animal lover!!!

More on the book and the author here.

PS: If you promise to be nice and good (with the book) we may consider to lend our book to you :)!!

(don't want to) back to work ...

Some of you might know that I was out of town in the past few days for vacation. Oh well, I really think I need another one to recover from it.

If you think that going on a shopping trip with this buruh-kantor is tiring, try one with my Mom! She can move as quick as a fox if she want to, (mostly not in the right direction though) .. and require full-time attention as she can dissapear in the blink of an eye! I learnt it the hard way by going up and down this Giant Budha twice because I can't find them :( ..

As the theme of the trip was sightseeing, we did not really get chance to go for proper shopping :(. Surprisingly this buruh-kantor actually managed to "shop" more than us without her joining the trip :)!! My Mom manage to snatch 5 hand bags along the way though, while my haul is just 3 Giordano boxers :(. Maybe next time we should go with an empty bag so we are forced to shop :)! Sounds like fun isn't it (just learnt from Princess that I am actually quite stingy in shopping for myself, other than electronic probably :)... ).

Went back at wee hour this morning due to our flight delay, we reached home to found that our bathrooms are in complete mess. Apparently some smart ass decided to clean the exterior of the building with blower and all the dust end up messing up our bathroom :(!! Argghhhhh end up having to clean both toilets in the middle of the night (was planning to knock off rigth after we reach home).

Lucky for me I can "work" from home today, but poor Princess has to face the reality earlier this morning and I wish her all the best!

Current state: Extremely tired and broke :(

... a puppy called Panda (no ?!?)

... ding!

Message from my Sis-in-Law, "we are buying a puppy, can we call her Panda?" Ehm ehm (pretending to think hard) ".. of course, as long as she is cute :)!"

Well it turned out that she is Panda no more :( ..

To quote from my Sis message "After calling our pup "Panda" for a day, we realize that the name doesn't fit her as she's too hyper and has shown her no-fear quality. So with great regret we let go of Panda and now she's Zoe :-P"

Hmppphhhhhhh! I wonder what does that mean?

Anyway, got her picture today and she is soooooooooooo adorable and kawaaaaiiii! How I wish she is mine :( ...

Can't wait to play with her and teach her all "nasty stuff" this Feb :)!!!