Random Thots

Change has never been easy.

But I am glad that I am coping well.

And I hope that I can slowly get used to it.

Have been kinda busy this month

With work and all the Xmas gathering.

But I am kinda happy to be busy.

It is better than idling.

Anyway, Merry Xmas to all.

Have a wonderful time.

Celebrating...

Eating...

Drinking...

Partying...

Resting...

No matter what, enjoy!

An Afternoon @ Goodwood Park

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Goodwood Park Hotel

Coffee Lounge

I love spending my afternoon having lunch/high-tea with my gal friends, chatting anything and everything that is happening under the sun.

Such simple pleasures can make me feel so delighted.

We had the “Design Your Own Local Degustation Set Menu” which was recommended by Amy. This set menu showcases many popular Singaporean fare in 4-Course and 5-Course sets which also includes a delectable dessert buffet.

Though the food is served in small portion, we are kinda stuffed by the 3 course. Luckily, none of us chose the 5 course set or else will probably have to miss the dessert.

Kueh Pie Tee & Prawn Mee are Must-try!

The delectable dessert buffet spread which also includes my favourite Movenpick ice-cream!

Taking a picture before leaving. All of us were so full...

Favourite Mask

My favourite Mask

Who says good stuff gotta be expensive?

New Hairdo

I have finally permed my hair (again!) after procrastinating for so long.

I think the people around me are kinda sick of me asking them on whether I should perm my hair cos everytime they gave me an answer, I will be like hmmm...but never do anything. Oopps...sorry for being a prick. I just wanna make sure (and be very very sure) that I will not regret my decision. FYI, I had permed my hair three times previously and had it straightened after about 2 months. Thus, I don't wanna spend extra money and effort on further damaging (rebonding) my hair this time. So...pardon me k. :P

So what do you think of my new hairdo?

Sis prefers my straight hair though...

Random Buys

Saw some nice accessories in one of the push cart store in China Square on way home today.

Adding these 2 pairs of earrings to my collection.

Xmas is coming. I wonder what I should get for FK for Xmas...

Dinner Date with the Gals @ Tarafuku

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313 Somerset

Tarafuku

I fall in love with the Tarafuku Japanese buffet after my first visit with Ee Wa & Ola. Thus, when Xue asked us for our suggestions for a restaurant for our dinner, I recommended this place to them.

The power of word of mouth advertising!

Since Xue, Lingz & Ying gonna be late, RT & I started (luckily, coz they were ~ an hour late!) without waiting for them.

Early bird RT having the black pig shabu shabu

Me & my tempura prawn...something which I will never miss if I have Japanese buffet

Anyway, I realised that I am a very 'predictable' diner as I only eat a limited variety (but in huge quantity!) of food.

Sashimi - I will always start my Japanese buffet with this

Tempura prawn - Can you imagine that I actually ate 11 tempura? This just shows how much I love it!

Dessert - Trust me, they are good!

The delighted gals! I bet all of you enjoyed the buffet right?

HCMC Day 3

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Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

Agenda for day 3:

Cu Chi Tunnels tour

I have heard from my friend that this is a must-go and truly, I enjoyed myself!

On our way to Cu Chi Tunnels which is ~70km away from Ho Chi Minh City

As the ride to Cu Chi Tunnels takes about 2 hours, we stopped at the handicraft factory for a 25 minutes break before we proceed to the Cu Chi area.

Workers @ work

The raw materials

The production process

The beautiful handicrafts

Are these are meant for chinese wedding?

Take a picture with the handmade tiger before we got up the bus and proceed with our journey to the Cu Chi Tunnels

The man in blue was our tour guide

A demostration of how the Cu Chi military people got into the tunnel

A tour of the Cu Chi area before going through the tunnel

Yah! We completed the 100m tunnel!

Tapoica - The staple food of the Cu Chi people

We went for drinks & dessert at Coffee Bean after our tour. Kinda disappointed with the standard of the cakes of Coffee Bean in HCMC. Looks good but doesn't taste good...

Went to the same place where we had our dinner on our first night in HCMC

The giant prawns! We had so much spare dongs that we decided to spend on these!

I always hate to peel prawns. Luckily, there was a waiter who did it for us. =)

We were so happy with our meal!

Royal Caribbean Cruise - Your Ultimate Leisure Experience

If you have a choice of getting to your desired holiday destination, either via airplane or via cruise, which will you choose? Of course, I meant luxurious cruise where you get to eat well, sleep in peace and enjoy the spa and fitness services, and not those primitive boats which people typically take to Bintan or Batam.

But even so, traveling via luxurious cruise was never listed as a choice of mine despite the fact that I am a travel enthusiast.

Besides the fact that it will take me longer to reach my destination and hence, I will not be able to optimise my time spent in the country (as I would have spent most of my time traveling), the cost of traveling via luxurious cruise is also significantly higher as compared to traveling by air.

Sounds like luxurious cruise is specially designed for rich tai tai or retirees who have unlimited time and money to spend? Well, that was my perception before I attended the half-day tour for “My Royal Caribbean Cruise Adventure” aboard the Legends of the Seas.

The beautiful outdoor pool in Royal Caribbean Cruise - Legends of the Seas, which is very popular with guests who love the sun

Thanks to Omy, I get the chance to explore the renowned Royal Caribbean Cruise and deepen my understanding on traveling via luxurious cruise, which needless to say, dismisses my past inaccurate perception:

1. Longer traveling time, therefore, more time wasted

A ship can never travel faster than a plane. Yes, this is a fact which we were taught since young. So unarguably, traveling time will definitely be longer.

But does it mean more time wasted? Well, before I answer this question, let’s explore what you need to do when you traveled from point A to B via flight.

a) 2 hours before flight departure:
· Check-in
· Wait in the lounge to go onboard the flight

b) During the flight:
· Spent almost 99% of your time on the seat to watch movie (better pray hard that there is in-flight entertainment!), eat or sleep

c) When you reached your destination:
· Clear immigration
· Travel to your hotel
· Check-in your room

Now, review at the above list and tell me what you can possibly eliminate if you travel via a luxurious cruise? (Hmm…why does it sound like I am teaching lean management?)

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Yes, time spent on traveling to your hotel is eliminated!

But most importantly, lesser time is wasted as you can do what you want almost instantly when you get onboard the cruise!

Instead of getting yourself glued to the seat for almost 99% of your traveling time, you can either work-out in the gym or pamper yourself in the beauty center. There is even a mini golf course for you practice your golfing skills!

Keeping fit while enjoying the seaview

Indulge in a relaxing body massage

Brushing up your golfing skills

Get yourself a nice tan as though you are sunbathing by the seaside

And how many times have you opted for an overnight flight so that you can reach your destination early in the morning and have more time to explore the city…but only to realise that you are so tired by noon as you didn’t have a good night rest?

Ok, I am guilty of that...many times in fact.

Well, this problem will be solved if you can have good rest while traveling to your destination.

You have a choice of sleeping on your bed or resting in your balcony

2. Cost of traveling via luxurious cruise is significantly higher than traveling via flight.

Yes, it is expensive. I will be obviously lying through my teeth if I said that it is not.

But do you think you will pay more if you fly to your destination on business class and stay at a hotel or resort in which you don’t have to pay for most of your meals and entertainment?

Very likely!

Drink all you can

And eat all you can...

but of course don't waste!

Honestly, traveling via Royal Caribbean somewhat reminds of a combination of flying via SQ business class & staying in ClubMed.

So if I may summarise the travel experience onboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise using just a tagline, it will be:

Your ultimate leisure - a differentiated travel experience, all under one roof

Sarah McLachlan - Rainbow Connection

Never fear, there will be rainbow after the rain

Sarah McLachlan - Rainbow Connection

Friend, back

Recently, I just had lunch with a friend whom I have not met for the last five years. He is a guy whom I used to have a crush on.

No, I don't have any special feelings for him anymore. Just plain platonic friendship, fullstop. Nothing more.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is NOT to describe how we knew each other in the past or how we could have been happily ever after, bah bah bah...Remember I said platonic friendship? FYI, I am not a strong believer of happily ever after...though I am a fairy tale lover. Yes, it is kinda paradoxical.

Well, what amazed me is the fact that we could just talk as if we didn't lost touch in the last five years. Just a short update of what each of us has been doing for the past years and ta dah, we are to where we have left off. No awkwardness. Isn't such friendship just amazing?

Honestly, I am not someone who have many good or close friends. In fact, I always I always find that it is very difficult to sustain close friendships, especially when each of us starts to have a separate life of our own (i.e. no longer share any commonalities such as same school, sport team, etc). Well, in short, I am just glad to find a friend, back.

HCMC Day 2

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Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

Agenda for day 2:

• Tour the nearby places such as Ben Thanh Market and the Vin Com Centre in the morning & afternoon
• Puppet Show and Dinner Cruise in the evening

As both of us wanted this trip to be a pretty relaxing one (i.e. no need to wake up super early and having to rush here and there to maximise our time in HCMC), we didn't plan to visit a lot places per day...which I thought was a good, as we had the time to immerse ourselves in the lives of the locals. Seeing kids playing hop-scotch by the roadside, it reminded me of SG in the 80s.

Having breakfast in the hotel.

Though I have read reviews that the breakfast buffet spread at Sanouva hotel was kinda limited, I think that it was acceptable...esp so as the food tasted yummy!

Touring neighbouring areas. Kinda glad that we stayed near the Ben Thanh Market so shopping was never an issue!

Selling grilled banana by the roadside.

Guess it is a dessert as it is supposed to be eaten with coconut milk cooked with sago

The hotel staff recommended this noodles place to us. Nothing to shout about though....

Tried the curry snails & french loaf


Can't believe that I was sitting right beside the dustbin and sucking the snails. So gross!

Went for the traditional puppet show in the evening

The people behind the scene


Took the trishaw to the jetty for our dinner cruise

Some of the food which was served. It was quite a sumptuous dinner.