First of 2018

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Not sure where to start this post, so I'm just gonna write.

2018 had started off kinda like the free-fall slide at Sunway Lagoon - you get into the tube and the fella gives you a thumbs up to confirm your ready, but you stand there alone not knowing when you will actually drop...and when you open your mouth to try and say something...you drop. Hard.

I've got so much emotion built up inside for the last few months maybe even longer than that, I honestly feel like I was pretty close to losing it. BUT, I didn't. I went home to Vancouver and met up with all my old school and badminton friends. It wasn't like we did anything special - had meals, walked around and spent some time catching up - yet, it seemed to fill a hole somewhere. I needed that, and I was so glad everyone just stayed the same. Just like how I remembered. Home.

Then came Chinese New Year. Well, before that happened, it was probably the closest I've gone to the cliff. Let's just say, I now have a very special feeling towards Valentine's Day. And Christmas. And New Years. It's a bit awkward because I used to love that time of the year, but now I'd rather just not go there. So please, let's fast forward to SUMMER!

Home [YVR] For The Holidays - Part I

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Currently, it's 3:35am on Christmas Day. Yes, I know I should be sleeping but I don't know why I'm wide awake. Actually, I slept pretty well last night. Only woke up for an hour and went straight back to sleep, but somehow I just can't tonight, so here I am writing.

I forgot to mention: I'm in Vancouver!

With lots of mixed emotions, I bought my ticket on Monday and hopped on the plane on Saturday. At first, I didn't want to tell anyone about my visit except for those that needed to know - Tams because she so kindly offered me to stay at hers and Ray's place; Carm & Mel because I'll be able to attend their weddings on the 6th & 7th respectively now. There's a very good reason for that. I personally don't like last minute invitations, so I don't like to do that to others. And telling them I'm in town for a couple of weeks especially during the holidays just DAYS before, it puts people on the spot to make time for me. Of course, I know those that want to see me will make time, but I just don't like to make things difficult. Not to mention, most people would have already made plans to spend their holidays with family and friends.

But, I'm lucky. I have some of the best groups of friends.

Mel and Ian came to fetch me from the airport when I arrived. It was one of the longest trips home for me - not only the actual hours of flying (19+ hours with one stop really isn't so bad compared to the travel to Peru), but having had so much time to think because I couldn't sleep at all. From KUL to HKG, I caught a movie that was really close to heart: Heartbeat Shutter 77 or 原諒他77次. It was about a couple who had been together for 10 years, but all the while had issues. At chance, the girl bought a notebook that guided her to write down every incident that she had to forgive the boy. And when she finally reached 77, she left the relationship. It brought back so many emotional tags that I had floating in my heart, and I ended up crying the next hour until we landed in HKG.

Food always cheered me up. I texted the bff and found one of the most busy airport food courts ever to have a quick bite. You wouldn't believe how difficult it was to find a seat! Luckily, as a lone traveler, I didn't need a full table, so when a single seater opened up at the bar, I parked my butt and started to eat before I over-hungered. It's always nice to have some Honger noodles - they're like comfort food for me. Nice and soupy...soupy.

Seeing that the place was so busy, I finished my noodles in 10mins so someone else could have my seat. Upon arriving at my gate, I found a power point and charged my phone while waiting to board. Scheduled boarding time was 3:40pm, which was about another 15mins wait. When time was near, everyone started to line up only to be told by the gate crew to go back to their seats as we won't be boarding yet. Then, the news.

A father came walking back to his family who were standing next to me and told everyone that the flight had been delayed from 4:10pm until 6:10pm. You could hear the sigh loud and clear. Next thing you know, a bunch of people went up to the counter to ask about their connecting flights. It wasn't until I received an email from Cathay about the departure that the gate crew made the announcement about the delay. About bloody time. Oh, did I mention that they had already changed gate once? So I had to run like a mad woman across HKG airport to the new gate only to find out we were delayed. Sigh. AND AND AND - with the announcement, told us that our boarding pass will be able to validate HKD75 worth of food for dinner. Thanks, AFTER I already ate.

Anyway, since I had a load of time, I went to check out a few shops and topped up my number of steps for the day. By boarding time, I had about 9k. Not bad if I must say so myself. It was nice spending about 4hrs with you HKG. Ciao~

Well, we waited for a good hour on the plane before taking off, so technically 5hrs...

The next 11.5hours was so difficult to get through. I couldn't sleep a wink, so I watched about 10 episodes of my drama.

Okay, feeling sleepy at 4:27am. Will continue to write when I have time~
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM VANCOUVER!

Never Stop Moving: Puma & YOLO

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Still walking around like a zombie because I can't really bend my legs, but overall quite alive. So what happened this weekend? Well, yous truly decided to take on a super random challenge of running both the Puma Night Run and the YOLO Run...back to back night and day.

Puma Night Run on the Saturday night; YOLO Run on the Sunday morning. Logic: Using the Puma Run to warm up for YOLO. Which actually, turned out to be completely opposite.

Let's just say, that wasn't the smartest decision I've ever made, but I did enjoy the whole 'trying something for the first time'. Picking up your runners pack, then reaching the festive area just to warm up with other runners. We even zumba-ed a little before the run on Sunday. It wasn't about winning or trying to beat anyone - it was just to participate in something. And I quite miss that kind of experience. Perhaps, it's because of my job where I'm mostly the one planning or organising that I don't really get to be a part of the fun. Not to say that there's no fun in organising but you know what I mean.

So yes, I actually ran the whole Puma 6km except for when I had to fight for a cup of water at the water station. Literally had way too many hands going for the same cup, so I had to stop and look for a free cup. No worries though, was back in pace right after. I managed to finish 6km in 48min32sec (ranked 136 in Open Female category). Definitely better than I expected!

Mount Kota Kinabalu

Dear Pipsqueaks,

The saying goes...
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Well, try 40,000 steps to cover 16km...up and down Mount KK. Honestly can't feel my legs. But what an experience! It's somewhat hard to describe what was going on through my mind the whole climb. 'What did I get myself into?' 'Why did I pay for this pain?' 'Where IS that damn peak?' All sorts of thoughts. That feeling of endless walking and walking and walking without knowing how far more to go is one of the most scariest feelings ever. Probably because there are no other option than to keep walking.

(READY, SET & GO!)

(It begins here - at Timpohon Gate)

CNY2017: 2nd Day

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Another early wake just to meet up with my mom's side at granny's place 7am sharp. Of course, that was such an unlikely time for us since we were easily 45mins away, so we had to wake up at 5.45am. Urgh. Let's not forget that I slept around 2am...

But so, we forced ourselves out of bed to leave the house at 6.15, and picked up my favourite "fantuan" - which literally translates to rice ball. It comes in both savoury and sweet, but I always prefer sweet. With a cup of hot milk tea...yum!

Then, we spent the next 4 hours on the road driving to the very south tip of Taiwan. I don't remember it being such a long time, but I did sleep most of the way...

After a delicious lunch, 20mins on the ferry and 10mins scooter, we arrived at our stay for the next 3 nights. Honestly too tired to head out but we couldn't miss the sunset, so we rode out to the well known viewpoint to wait for the sunset.

Sunsets are always beautiful. Now, going to play some dice with the family!

PS. The 2nd day of Chinese New Year is when the daughters return to their home to spend some time with their family. This is when grandma is most happy =)

CNY2017: New Year's Day

Dear Pipsqueaks,

With an 8am call, I was downstairs ready to go by 8.30am only to find out mama hasn't finished preparing breakfast and le sister was still asleep. So I watched TV for an hour before anything was actually happening. Don't get me wrong - I'd love to help out in our tiny kitchen. It's just the belief that every kitchen can only accommodate one chef, so better I just stay out of her way for her to go turbo. At least I helped with the washing...

After we finished breakfast, we began our traditional walk every New Year's Day - a visit to the 4 temples. The literal translation is "walk spring", which to others and in ancient times be treated as a walk to greet other family members and friends. Just a way to start the new year. There are tons of other traditions we do during this holiday season, which unfortunately I doubt I'd be able to completely pass on to my children. I note a few every year, but just the food preparation itself is enough for a full term university course. Don't even start on the rest!

Anyway, the walk ended at a cafe shop (we would normally never go to this one except all the previous 5 were closed), and we clocked in at 7000ish steps. That was enough for us to call it a day...at 1.30pm.

Of course not. We quickly went home and packed for the trip down south. It didn't take me long to do mine since I came in a luggage, but the rest of them...all I can say is, I've found a group that'd match the 'mou-ness' of my housemate. 'Mou' meaning to take an excessive amount of time to do something. So we didn't leave the house until close to 5:45pm. I even hung the clothes and took out the trash while waiting. This is when I thank the inventor of the modern TV so I could be at least somewhat entertained.

The drive down to midlands was surprisingly clear despite all the road reports of 30km/hr speeds. We even stopped by a rest area for dinner and still managed to reach around 8pm. Not bad eh for a new year's day drive that normally takes around 3~4 hours.

When we reached the old house, you could see how the weeds have grown into the drive way down into the valley. The place, which used to house the family business, has been in this obsolete state for more than a decade. Around the same time when grandpa passed away, if I remember it right. I suppose that's what happens when the head of the family leaves? The rest loses their sense of unity, even if it's only by a slight. That's enough to widen the already existing gap caused by the family business.

All the change could be seen by looking at this family house. This amazing 4 floor, 14 rooms, 11 washroom, and 5 living room space family house was a proud product of my papa's creation. I still remember the first time we visited when the building was in construction. Every corridor hinted a new adventure. And how each space was connected to one another, it really made a house into a home.

It was a magnificent view during its golden days. Like a fortress, it holds well many of my childhood memories. Many firsts here. But like us, this home aged...and not in a good way. Cracked tiles, broken doors and clogged pipes. A sad condition for something that had once been such an inspiring place.

Maybe it's a good thing we're going to revamp the whole valley. It doesn't deserve how it's being treated now, so better let it go. At least the memories remain cheerful.

A quick chat with my cousin, we called it a night at 2am. Early wake tomorrow to meet up with mama's side of the family.

Happy New Year!

CNY2017: New Year's Eve

Dear Pipsqueaks,

You can't imagine how many things need to be done for the new years in my house. By the time le sister and I had walked out for our first meal (which was about 11ish), my parents were on their way back home already. They were hands full with groceries and a whole bunch of stuff. And you guessed it, mama had sent out a list earlier on the things she wanted us to bring home on our outing. Our run-in was another chance for her to remind us all the things that still need to be done...GREAT. All while we were still hungry.

But luckily we ran into them. We found out that our top two choices for brunch were not open. Go figures, but okay. At least we didn't waste time walking all the way over there to find out. We re-routed to the market and had dumplings there instead. Surprisingly delicious and totally something to try, this shop is on the 2nd floor of the Ren-ai wet market. They have 4 kinds of dumplings and all made onsite. Don't mind the coloring - it's natural coloring from the ingredients. Worth the try if you're in the area.

(San Bao - a combo of all their dumplings!)

CNY2017: Pamper Day

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Not sure why that is, but every time I come back, my sister and I just have SO many things to do that we could be out ALL day. One of the must-dos is getting a hair treatment in. A friend-recommended, Happy Hair Professional was one of the salons with the best service I've been to. They served drinks upon arrive, locked storage for your items, a separate quite room for hair spa, and a scalp scan to check how clean your scalp is. Not to mention the hair treatment packages they offer. They even have a package that's similar to a mixture of Thai Massage and guasha for the head. I actually fell asleep twice during the treatment, which never happens. So yes, great service. And they have blankets for you to keep warm if your cold in your seat! I would definitely make another appointment there during my next visit home - totally recommended.

(my super pampered hair!)

Ready for CNY2017

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Can't say I'm ready for CNY but I'm definitely ready to bring the load of snacks to my parent's house! The collection has been taking up a floor in the fridge and a box in the living room - they need to be EATEN! And not by me because them dang sugar levels. Anyway, it's been...OMG! It's been more than 6 months since I've spent some time with my parents and le sister?! What in the world...though I did briefly see them on my way to Vancouver for a wedding in September. But that can't count. I've gotta do better than that.

Which is why I'm only going to be attending 6 tournaments this year:
- All England Open (Birmingham)
- Sudirman Cup (Gold Coast)
- Indonesia Open (Jakarta)
- World Championships (Glasgow)
- French Open (Paris)
- Dubai Finals (Dubai)

[Rio2016] Adventures - Part 1

Dear Pipsqueaks,

It's been tough since returning to Malaysia. With an air travel of over 25 hours and crossing 12 time zones, it is absolutely normal to operate like a zombie for the last few days. Not to mention, I actually slept until 3pm on Sunday - definitely didn't help with jetlag that's for sure. But, I think I'm back physically and mentally. Though, I do question my sanity at times when it comes to the office...but that's for another day.

What was it about Rio that I wanted to tell you...

THE COMPETITION? Lots of upsets from the start, with big names falling left right center in Round-Robins. As for those who made it to the Finals and won, they played a very good Games. I suppose some would not have been my picks, but you know what they say: It's not about winning every time, but winning when it counts.

There will also be quite a number of retirees in the next few months as teams reshuffle their squad for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo. It'd be interesting to see who's left after the 'cleansing'. And with that, what's left of my generation of players will most probably be at the minimal. Yes, it's not that the players are getting younger; it's that we're getting older. Sigh, at least I can still go around calling myself 'Jie Jie' and not at the 'Aunty' level yet. Phew. Though, I don't foresee myself working here by then anyway!

(It's all about where you stand on this podium...)

THE CHALLENGES? It wasn't really until the last couple of weeks before leaving for the event that I knew what my tasks were for the Games. The first was to get head shots of all of our athletes for Sports Presentation, so when the athletes were announced, this clip would play and the audience would get to SEE and RECOGNISE them. I suppose this is important as we do want to put faces to names. It definitely wasn't an easy job to do, but if I was told correctly, we were the first sport to get ALL our athletes to complete the shoot! All 172 of them #proud

The next two challenges were more like hall passes than anything else. One was to get athletes to donate their equipment to the Olympic Museum, and the other was to get them to do interviews at the Olympic Channel. Interviews and equipment - how hard could it be? Well, let me tell you. No one likes last minute requests, and not to mention I didn't even have the right access to do the job. No, I did not have a T3 (to order my own ride or jump on one at a T3 spot), nor access to the IBC/IPC. Now that I think about it, being able to bring in 3 of our 5 Olympic Champions is amazing in consideration of the circumstances. As for the equipment, we can always get it at our next events and post it over to the Museum. No biggie.

(The most polite and easiest players to work with! 10/10 for cooperation)

But yes, this is when I feel that my job is to build relationships with players in a short amount of time only to break it in the same short amount of time by asking them to do this and that. Well, at least I can represent myself. I don't simply pester players for anything, so when they see me, they know it's legit. Most of them would not make it difficult for me anyway - there are a few but I won't shame them here. Let's just say, athletes aren't the difficult ones; it's usually those who can't manage them that makes things more difficult. Hopefully, it will only get better as we move towards being more professional in the sport!

THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE? Let's just say, it was one of those Games where we really needed to take things into our own hands and just get them done. We had 18 staff members onsite just to ensure the Games is reasonably delivered. It was particularly challenging with some of them being 'Olympic Novice' where they aren't sure what's okay and what's not. I guess that does come with experience, but it never hurts to learn by observation. The worst is assuming you know and act on it rather than asking. All the more, for the rest of us to manage the damage.

THE FOOD? We didn't have food at the venue for the first few days until competition started. Not going to complain as we at least had food to eat. When we finished early enough, we would either go to the pizza shop or steakhouse 15 minutes down the street from our hotel. Definitely was a great find, or else we may literally starve if we had to depend on the hotel food. Oh! We did go to three real Brazilian restaurants during the 21-day stay! When I say Brazilian, I mean Brazilian, where they bring around meats on grills until you can't eat anymore. It's no wonder by colleague said, "death by meat". Now that makes sense!

(Never expected to be able to celebrate my birthday in Rio - but here we are! Enjoying a meaty dinner at Fogo de Chao among Olympians~)

(Funky restaurant with no free space on walls anywhere - Marius Degustare. Just filled with all sorts of things! I think I even spotted a racket but it was above someone else's table so I didn't snap a photo. This place not only did meats but also seafood. Just one word - yum!)

(We found this homey Brazilian restaurant in Rio Design Mall called In House, and boy was it a gem! It had a bouquet of selections for their all-you-can-eat, and you can order your meats on the side if you want. The flavours were by far the best I've had in my stay. Definitely worth going for at least one of your meals!)

Anyway, Part 2 to come!

Stay tuned =)

Rio, Here I Come!

Dear Pipsqueaks,

After a long rest, I'm finally in the brain mode to write! I had wanted to update right after my shower, but couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to take out my laptop and fell asleep from 6pm to 12:30am! I know I shouldn't have slept but there was no fighting the need for my body to rest. But anyway, here to update now am I not?!

(Small but clean room. The bed was very comfy indeed~)

Bleh, flight at 2am wasn't as bad as I had imagined. After a delicious meal at Muhhibah with a small group of friends, I lasted until the first meal time on flight. Not bad if I must say so myself. Flying this time around sucked because I couldn't find anything interesting to watch on ICE. I've practically seen everything that I've wanted to watch. Although, they did have Twilight Series and Lord of the Ring Series...I would have been a happy girl if they had the Harry Potter one. Maybe they couldn't get the rights for it. Oh wells, luckily I downloaded my own drama to watch on my tablet! Thank goodness for my tablet~

I also met a very interesting Malaysian on my way to Dubai. Unfortunately, due to flight, my brain was a bit fried to remember her name but she had the cutest baby ever! She used to play for the Malaysian team post-Sidek brother times, before she chose studies over badminton. Now she lives in New Castle with annual visits to KL. I left her my name card so hopefully she'll have time to catch up the next time she's in town! It's always nice to meet new people - it's like picking up a book and reading the first few pages only to find you want to read more! Anyway, we chit chat for a while before we both had to board. I figured she could use some adult talk as she's been speaking to her 5yo and 8mo kids all flight long. Hope you had a smooth trip back home!

(Emirates flights are the best! They actually give chocolate bars for snacks~ my favourite one too!)

After 25 or so hours, I've arrived in Rio! Honestly, I was in a little disbelief that I'm actually landing in Rio. Here at the Olympic Games for the second time. You might not understand, but the excitement is not only for the athletes. It's for everyone who participates in any shape or form. It's that OLYMPIC VIBE! Frankly, I wasn't as enthusiastic about these Games as I was with Vancouver2010 or London2012, because I hadn't felt the vibe. But it started to kick in when I reached the accreditation validation area of the airport. The Rio2016 staff were very friendly and I think their excitement sparked it for me. It's a good thing as I do want to be in full Olympic mode not only physically but emotionally too! I will regret it if I weren't.

So anyway, I'm sure you would have seen that clip of Usain Bolt looking puzzled and annoyed looking for transport upon exiting into the arrival hall of the airport. Yes, that was me too except I didn't have cameras shooting at me being annoyed. But yes, it was rather frustrating to see a whole bunch of people yet no one to guide me to where I need to go. I have a TF transport, yet I didn't know where to get on a TF transport. Before becoming frustrated, I took a deep breath and asked a Rio2016 staff for directions. You wouldn't believe me...but I had one staff who spoke little English and another who spoke absolutely none. At that moment, yes I was a bit worried that I wouldn't even make it to my hotel!

Luckily, the granny who spoke no English was very kind and eager to help. She led me outside down into a parking lot (I had the impression she'd drive me herself because she seemed to know where she was going) to the T3 stand (T3 is pooled car transport for a certain group of people. I'm only given a TF, which means I get public and some shuttle transport). Knowing I didn't have T3, I was pretty sure they'd kick me back upstairs to take the shuttle. BUT, what do you know? They took some time to examine my hotel address, put me on the next vehicle and took me to my hotel! Can't tell you how lucky and relieved I was!

The ride was almost 45 minutes as there seemed to be a jam on the highway. It wasn't until we reached the Olympic lanes that the ride became a little smoother. No joke, we had the aircon blasting as the temperature was bout 27 degrees! This is supposed to be their summer?! Though, I shouldn't be too surprised because my colleague had told me the temperatures are rather extreme during times of the day. Cold in the morning, hot in the afternoon, and cold again in the evening. Not that I'll be wandering out myself, so I won't find out until some of my team arrives.

This morning, I had planned to take one of our IF cars to the Athletes Village to check on the Sports Presentation filming we're organising, but my upgrade had not been approved yet. So now, I'm in my room being a very good girl doing my emails and checking up on the teams. So far, I haven't heard any complaints or teams not showing up, so all good! Fingers crossed I'll get my upgrade later today so I can go do what I came early to do.

(Talk about simple breakfast. I think I can lose weight in 3 weeks if I ate like this, haha!)

(My access to the Games! That's the public transit card...)

I did complain my luggage was too heavy for me to carry, but totally worth it! There's nothing near our hotel to eat, so thank goodness for my stash of food! This kinda reminds me of the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in New Delhi 2014. Though, I think I'm a little more prepared this time. I even brought my vitamins and a pack of M&M's because I KNOW I will have cravings for chocolate. So might as well bring them - I'll be here for 20 plus days anyway. Until my colleagues arrive later tonight, I've been ordered to stay put. So I am. Or maybe if I can get a car, I'll drop by the venue.

(So glad my colleagues have warned me about food here! I can last at least the first day by myself no problem :))

Cheers to a smooth first day for Rio2016!

Are we ready for the Games? Yes, we are!

Birthday Surprise!

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Last weekend was action-packed but still managed to be somewhat relaxing. Planned: we were set to go spend a night at Port Dickson's Avillion, arriving just in time for the rather late check-in hour of 3pm, then chillaxing by the pool before grabbing dinner somewhere. But of course, we're always up for those come-what-may's.

The day started with a late brunch at this super hidden Korean coffee shop in the middle of warehouses called Bean Brothers. Honestly, we drove by a couple of times completely missing it because it didn't have the branding we were expecting. Luckily, our friend stood out onto the street, or else we'd probably be making another round. But anyway, we found the place, got parking and was too ready for some food!

Upon pushing through their gigantic glass door, it did feel like we were entering a secret compartment of reality. This place was spacious and yet filled with items here and there. Open concept with lots of seats and a huge hole in the middle of the ceiling (that looked like the 2nd floor fell through) allowing light to shine through to the first. Very edgy and metal which normally feels rather cold but warmed up quite a bit with all the customers and staff buzzing around.

Certainly a focus on their beans more than food, you will find only a page of belly-fillers. But I'm sure you will find something you like despite the short list. You can always try the avocado on toast with quinoa. Just enough punch for breakfast without it getting too heavy. Most of my friends didn't like the quinoa but let me tell you it's good for you!

(That's what I ordered - the name escapes me but it's the only one with avocado in it if I remember correctly)

(Super chocolate-oozy muffin: a must-order for chocolate-lovers!) 

(Christine and me!)

(Coffee + Friends = Best combo ever!)

Then, we were on our way to Port Dickson...kinda. There were talks about going to an ostrich farm that was on the way to PD, but no one really confirmed the plan was a go so it wasn't until we were on the car that was decided. Yup, that's how we rooooooooll! Never been to an ostrich farm, and the only thing I knew about ostrich were that they're quite fierce. Fast runners with super skinny legs...and some people actually eat ostrich meat! That's just...not my cup of tea.

So yes, we arrived and took a walk around the farm, which surprisingly was quite well kept. It didn't have that farm or zoo-smell that I had been anticipating. We learned a few things about ostriches: male has black feathers while female have grey feathers; their eggs can withstand 120kg of weight; and any one of these could have been the runaway ostrich on Federal Highway the other day! Yes, if you had not read the news: Ostrich on Highway.

We also tried to get our baby of the group to ride the donkey, but these two were by far the most LAZIEST if not the SHYEST donkeys ever. They wouldn't take even a step forward, and at some point the one we had gotten her to sit on was leaning on the wooden post like it was too cool for all of us. Faint. Maybe it was the weathers, so fine.

Then, the joke of the farm: they actually had a one-humped camel by the name of 'Jessy'. Like seriously, it's so difficult to find a person with the same name. What are the chances of running into a camel with the same name? Apparently very high...

(Well, hello there Jessy~)

(This farm also had a doggy cafe - in partnership with SPCA, they keep the doggies here so they could roam around and you can adopt them if you'd like!)

After the short walk around, we departed with the group to check-in at our resort. Part of the members package, we got a free night stay at a Garden Chalet. Room was just as spacious with a reading bed by the window. Actually, I think the whole washroom area was equivalent to the bed area - BIG. Then, I was left to snack on whatever I brought over before Jo came back from meeting up with another friend (who was also staying at Avillion for the Run-Bike-Run Dualthon the following day) to tell me what the plan was for food. She did suggest to order room service, but I never trust hotel food. They're normally overpriced and barely satisfactory in taste. Finally, she came running back to say that our friend ordered food in her room, and that we were invited to join them.

At that point, I'm thinking - "Did she say order food? But I thought they just checked-in? Didn't she say they brought food on their way here?" A bit fishy but I was hungry so I didn't ask anymore questions and followed. 

When the door swung open, I was looking around the room for food only to spot a cake box with a knife-spatula taped on top. "You bought cake?" My friend who stayed in the room said this super suspicious and long, "Noooooooo." Then, out jumped everyone from the toilet, under the bed and the closet! Totally didn't expect them to be there! At best, I thought they'd pop by dinner because I knew a few of them were heading to PD for work and the other three said they were busy doing something else. But very pleasantly surprised! And you have to check out my designer cake. It's seriously the best combo of everything I love about cake: Macaroons in the shape of shuttlecocks and racket with earl grey filling on top of dark chocolate moist cake. Seriously O.M.G. dope.

(Thanks for such a cute birthday cake!!! Credits to the cake chef Aaron Quay from Pretty On Plate)

 (The one in the closet - if I took a step forward, the door would have swung in my face...so good thing I didn't! Haha)

(I can't imagine how dusty it was down there, so I give props to you two! They definitely got me because I get the creeps seeing anything climb out under the bed!!!)

(My Malaysian Family - missing Jeslyn Pang)

After the surprise, we chilled by the pool waiting for the last member to arrive in PD. We got quite a scare because the hike was only supposed to take 6-8 hours, but now reaching 12 hours, we had still not heard or been able to call. Turned out, she was 2 hours behind due to partner-injury. So at least she was alright. When she arrived, we were all ready for the seafood feast! This is what happens when one of our friend's places order - she goes all out. Not to mention, she remembers what we all like to eat. Then she'd say, no one knows what I like to eat. Helloooo, we don't even get a chance! If we have to guess based on what you order, difficult la! That's like the whole menuuuuu. Okay, we will work on figuring out what you really like to eat - deal!

(Maybe we should've taken a photo before we devoured the food...)

Feeling like round balloons, we needed to go for a walk or coffee, so we did both! We dropped by MBA badminton hall, so we could finally see how the place looked like. A few played table tennis, and let's just say, my level of competitiveness is NORMAL among my friends. Not long, coffee was calling, so we drove to the ONLY Starbucks in PD. And you could tell it was the only one because the place was PACKED! We waited a while for seats, then another while for our drinks. Honestly, it seemed like the only legit place to hangout in PD at night!

Dropping by the petrol station for some snacks, we made our way back to the resort. Randomness kicked in again - we found ourselves at karaoke for a hour since we had vouchers as members. Odd enough, this place had much clearer speakers than some other places we've gone. One hour went by so quick, but at 1am, I felt exhausted and hungry. Not wanting to eat anymore food, I retired to my room, shower and slept. Obviously, the others had a different plan. Two actually went out to buy ikan while the other two swam at the 24hour pool. Yes, I admit I did say we should stay up all night to enjoy this resort, but my thyroids were protesting! Maybe next time when I'm in better health...

The next day started with growling stomachs. Luckily, two very kind ladies were already out buying breakfast! We ate by the pool even though the staff had said no outside food allowed. Well, technically, we weren't even by the pool. We were by a drinks shop that wasn't even open. Anyway, we quickly finished our food and hopped into the pool before check-out time at noon. There's just something about being in a pool during holidays. Like, if you didn't go for a dip, you didn't have a complete one. Weird thought but I think I'm starting to get that.

(No, she didn't really need that but that does remind me of those babies with donuts around their head! Cute~)

It's surprising how fast we get hungry during holidays! And our friends from the dualthon came back just in time. Unfortunately, their stay at Avillion was a disappointing one because there was a leak in the roof, and since it stormed during the night, you can imagine the amount of water that drizzled in. So they didn't have a good sleep, and had to wake up at 4ish to sign in for the race before 6am. It also didn't help that the tracks for both runners and bikers were too muddy due to the rain. Both came back covered in mud and in desperate need for a nice hot shower. BUT, it was already check-out time so if I'm not mistaken, they had showered in the hotel sauna area. The hotel did compensate with a 50% discount, but still. These kinds of bad experiences leave a mark and an unpleasant memory. Let's hope we were able to buffer that a little with all the good food and company though.

We had a lunch order even the staff at the restaurant were questioning whether we'd finish it all. But seriously, you don't question how much this group can eat - we CAN eat. Not to mention two peeps that just finished a crazy run-bike-run. Nothing can do what food does - bring us all together. And we finished what was left of the cake from last night. It was hilarious when the restaurant staff member brought over the cake and opened the box only to find it half eaten. He was so worried because he thought his people had eaten the cake! Good fun giving him a scare, but nah, we confessed eventually. 

I couldn't have asked for a better weekend getaway surprise birthday celebration. Perhaps, maybe if I had been able to pull an all-nighter. Next time peeps, when I get better. Thanks for making the trip to PD and spending your weekend with me. I'm blessed to have such a close group of friends here in a foreign country that has now become my second home. I'm grateful for having such an awesome birthday cake to kick off the celebration this year. I'm thankful for everyone's time they have so willingly spent with me this past weekend.

(Once again, missing Jeslyn Pang!)

I feel so loved.
Thank you.

Catching Up With Life in [Hong Kong] - Day 6

Dear Pipsqueaks,

Our last day in Hong Kong - and we planned to make the most of it despite all of us feeling exausted from the last few days of walking. For breakfast, we decided to stick with what parents liked - the wonton shop with approved dimsum - followed by a cuppa at a nearby well-known cafe called 18 Grams. I tried their specialty orginal 'Shakerato', a bit more sour than I had expected but that's normal for cold coffee. Very refreshing indeed!

It was in the moment of enjoying a nice brew that we all agreed to challenge the Big Buddha. It definitely wasn't an easy decision to make because the weather was just unforgiving. Even when there was no sunlight peeping through, you could feel the heat. Like you're constantly walking in an oven. Ridiculous how people can stand this kind of temperature!

So we went back to the hotel to pack up and check out. Didn't take that much time after a few days of training. Now, the plan was to check in the large luggage at Hong Kong station so we only have to worry about the two small carry-ons. By the time we left the counter, we checked in all 3 luggage. It was just easier that way, but that meant I had to carry my laptop up Big Buddha. Sigh.

Which by the way, for those of you who plan to take off in the evening but want to make the most of your day in HK, you can check-in your stuff at Hong Kong station and still use the same ticket for your travel to the airport. If I'm not mistaken, the ticket is good for the day. So cheers!

Then, we began our journey to Tung Chung station to take the cable car up Ngong Ping. If it's your first time, I would advise to pay a little more for the crystal cars - the bottom is glass so you can see the view all around. We saw some brave souls trekking up the mountain and gave them a supportive wave!

Once we reached the top, bellies were growling! So we took the advise of one of my cousins to have ramen. She couldn't remember the name but luckily there was only one shop, so all good. After visiting these tourist stops, we realise the food were all quite delicious - unlike the usual tourist food, if you get what I mean. Like a decent meal but slightly more pricy which is expected. My thoughts: if you're hungry, just eat!

By the time we finished lunch, my sister had confirmed with the hostess of the restaurant that it is too late for us to rush over to the 'Fish Village', which people normally would visit following Big Buddha. But nah, we didn't want to rush or push ourselves too hard so we stuck with just one target instead.

The climb was more difficult than I imagined even though it was only 260 something steps. In comparison, I can do the Batu Cave climb of 700ish steps no problem. Maybe, I've been Malaysianized! Nonetheless, we did make it to the top eventually and enjoyed the aircon inside the Buddha. We also got a glimpse of the bone relic hosted inside. I don't know much about this type of relic so will have to do more research, but it sounds interesting!

After that, my sister had wanted to see the Wisdom Trail, so I toughed out another round trip of 45 minutes walk with her. It's a really cool place actually even though I can't read half the writing. But I did feel more at peace with the heat there while sitting on a rock waiting for Ivy to walk about. If you're going to make the trip up the mountain, then make the extra effort to see this amazing scene.

With nothing much else to see, we descended the mountain and spent the next hour at the outlet. No seriously, they got some really good deals there! I bought myself a few new shirts and a Jean dress - a happy customer. Running short of time, we made our way to the airport.

No joke, by the time we reached home in Taiwan, we all just collapsed. The day had been a long one, but so well spent. Actually, all the days we've been out had been long days! Yet, we managed.

I'm glad we were able to take the parents out on a short trip to see a little bit more of the world, and that they have the health to do the travel. I pray that we'll be able to do more of these mini trips with them. Hence, back to saving! Until next time. Nights peeps :)

Catching Up With Life in [Hong Kong] - Day 5

Dear Pipsqueaks,

To wake up this morning was more difficult than I had imagined. As the traveling days go by, that seems to be the case. Maybe my battery is running low again...really need a vacation after this vacation, haha.

As agreed the night before, we met up with Apes this morning for dimsum breakfast. Best part was, even the semi-local needed to map her way there. We also ran into the restaurant we had supper last night, and the walk there seemed shorter than the way Apes took us last night! Jokes.

A good 20 minutes walk from our hotel, we finally arrived at Lin Heung Tea House. You could tell it was a place with history, and in many ways have grown to become the eatery that it is today. Why do I say that? Because the waiters were so fierce to keep their so-called 'order' on how to do things - you need to wash your cup and utensils in tea, cannot touch the leftover set on the table in case someone wants a seat (common to share tables), and telling us some food cannot be cut into smaller pieces. I'm like, uh, we're tourists from Taiwan or Canada...whatever floats your boat. Not from mainland, hello. Geebiz, like so the fierce for what. Anyway, at least the food was good and the parents enjoyed their first-ever dimsum breakfast in Hong Kong. All smiles! And of course, thanks to Apes who made the time to come out before her shift~ always nice to spend time with the BFF. Thanks for the treat too!

(Which by the way, I'm blowdrying my hair in sessions as I write because it keeps dying off...bleh!)

Then, she dropped us off at IFC for us to start our random journey in Hong Kong. Something weird to note: Men's toilet is very scarce for some reason. My papa kept saying this toilet has a long line up, then we walked to the next and that also had a long line up. Finally, by the 4th toilet, he was able to go in without a line. Actually, in general, I don't feel Hong Kong is as convenient as Taipei in making toilets available. FYI, toilets are available in malls, metro stations, temples, and convenient shops (7-11 and Family Mart). So yes, make sure you know where to find a toilet if you intend to load up on liquids.

Having heard about the longest escalator in the world, we just had to go check it out!

"In Hong Kong, the Central - Mid-Levels Escalator system is the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world. The escalator runs a length of 800 meters and climbs 135 meters in elevation. To ride the length of the escalator takes approximately 20 minutes."

We had a blast taking the escalator through Hong Kong, passing a supermarket who's entrance was literally right at the end of a section which shared a small platform with the next flight of escalator. The most bizarre place to be seeing a door to a supermarket actually - quite out of place is what I'm trying to say. Anyway, we went in for a branch of bananas in case we get hungry later.

It felt longer than 20 minutes, but we made it to the top! After a quick water break, we decided to go up The Peak. We hopped on the next taxi and HKD22 later, we were at the ticketing area for the tram. There was a slight line up, but expected since it's one of the main attractions of Hong Kong. We reached the counter and asked for four adult tickets, and was told CASH ONLY.

You cannot imagine the number of swear words floating in my head at that moment. I mean seriously, you're a tourist attraction for heaven's sake! How can you not accept credit card?! I mean, it's not like the ticket was only a few dollars. It was HKD83 per pax, totally about HKD332. As a tourist, I'd rather spend the cash on smaller purchases than spending it buying higher priced items. And really, it's just inconvenient! If you wanted cash only, at least say so somewhere?! It didn't say cash only on your website or anywhere at the ticketing area until we reached th counter. That's just poor. Not something I'd expect from an international hub like Hong Kong. Even Machu Picchu had better signs! But okay, done venting.

After another hunt for the Bank of China to exchange money, we were on our way up the peak. Luckily there was a bank within walking distance, or else we'd just skip it altogether. Anyway, now that my parents have also gone up to see the view, I probably will not be taking the tram ever again. The Hong Kong skyline is worth the hassle once. Never again.

Oh, and if you're looking for a place to eat up there, you can try Wildfire. Their supreme pizza, risotto and quesadilla were surprisingly delicious! But it does come with a tourist location price, expected.

Returning to the bottom of the peak, we hopped on the bus towards the harbour and paid a shockingly cheap price of HKD2 per pax to cross the Kowloon. What to do in Kowloon was another mystery to solve when we get there.

Arriving at Harbour City, we had Movenpick ice cream and looked for the Avenue of Stars. Unfortunately, it was under construction so we enjoyed the river scene instead. Of course, the night scene would have been even more beautiful, but one, we had dinner plans, and two, it's the same view taking the normal ferry. So meh.

We thought it'd be a cool experience for parents to ride the ding ding, but completely forgot about the fact that we were clashing with people getting off work - super jam. So we switched to metro instead. Man, was that the longest walk ever from transport to transport. We literally walked a good 20 minutes from Wan Chai dock to reach Wan Chai station. On top of all the human traffic, I think I was nearing the end of my ability to focus. I was just happy we got on the train!

Apparently, my sister said the metro didn't accept her HKD100 for our tickets. They only take HKD100 bill only if the purchase is over HKD80. I mean, isn't that just bizarre?! I honestly can't think of why they make rules like these. But anyway, we're only visitors.

Dinner was at Fu Sing Shark Fin Restaurant at Causeway Bay. Don't worry, we didn't have any shark fin. The food was great - my favourite cha siu so far at all the restaurants we've had on this trip. Nice and juicy with a bit of crisp. And of course it was good - this restaurant was on the 2015 Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurant list! Definitely spoiled by awesome food on this trip - I'm a happy girl!

A taxi ride back to the hotel, I'm ready for bed! Well, after another session of blowdry...nights peeps!

P.S. We had a day of taking different modes of transportation! From escalator to taxi to tram to bus to ferry to metro. That should be a record in the Sung books!

P.P.S. Hong Kong needs to fix it's aircon-dripping-water-on-streets issue! Just fine anyone who's aircon drips, then problem solved!

(You literally have to bring up your bill paper to grab the dimsum from the trolleys, or else by the time it comes around to your table...all gone!)

(Apes and le sister discussing where to go next)

(At the top of the world's longest outdoor escalator trying to figure out how far is The Peak tram)

(After all the hassle of getting cash, we're finally on our way up!)

(Wildfire's pizza...YUM!)

(So trueeeee)

(Look at the view from the pier...wow)

(After a good 30mins of walking only to find this notice...GREATTT)

(THIS IS THE BEST CHASIU EVER!!!!)

(Their siu-yok is also nice and crispy)

(Can't go wrong with fried tofu - soft on the inside, crispy on the outside!)

(Their famous roasted duck - really thumbs up!)

Catching Up With Life in [Macau] - Day 4

Dear Pipsqueaks,

The day started with me being super lazy to join the parents and sister for a breakfast hunt, but give me some credit: I made it to the gym and did three sets of 7 minutes. Not bad for someone who had been consistently hitting 18,000 steps these couple of days! *clap clap clap* for me.

We had to pack up and check-out by 11am, which is considered early by international standards. Not to mention, the normal check-in time is 3pm?! Do they really need 4 hours to clean up a room? I wonder. But overall, I quite enjoyed our stay at Studio City and will definitely stay there again to try their facilities. The only thing I would suggest improvement is their collection of restaurants. Not many to select from but I'm sure that would come with time.

Leaving our luggage for pick up later, we hopped on the bus to the ferry terminal and switched to a MGM bus. The thing with Macau is, major hotels all have buses to ship their potential customers to and from the hotel. So there is really no need for taxi unless you're in a rush. Otherwise, these buses are quite the ride with aircon and free wifi. Not bad at all!

So we took a walk in MGM and were truly amazed by their indoor fairyland! Huge butterflies, beautiful Portuguese-style building fronts and glass ceiling with the light beaming in...just wow! I would spend an afternoon at a cafe there just to read.

Then, we walked across the street to Wynn and caught the end of the Tree of Prosperity show. Really a dazzle to see! We had wanted to walk back later to see the full show, but no time. Maybe next trip. By then, we were starving so we headed to the 1-star Michelin dim sum place called Wing Lei Heen. Apart from the disturbing experience of the guy sitting directly behind me letting go of the loudest fart ever, the restaurant was quite nice. Food was good but rather small portions. Flavour-wise, agreeble - especially their lotus root cake. That one is my favourite out of all the dishes.

It was only then my cousin mentioned another really cool dimsum place with super adorable presentation: the Michelin 3-star The Eight at Grand Lisboa Hotel. Not only were the dimsum too cute to eat, they were full of flavour and texture. Definitely would suggest the "Porcupine" cha siu bao. They even treated us to appies and a wee cup of Honger-style milk tea with a refreshing piece of lychee jelly (sprinkled with gold shavings!) I'm absolutely sold about this place -  a must-try in my books that's for sure!

Hint: If you're a member of the casino, then you'll be able to get a discount on the meal. So get one before you ask for the bill! Don't waste your time going all the way to the ground floor like I did, because you can register for a member's card on the 2nd floor - the SAME floor as the restaurant. Yes, yours truly went up and down 5 floors to get this card! (G, UG, 1st, Upper 1st, then 2nd). I suppose the same rule applies to all casinos/hotels, so start your card collection! I already have two and I don't even play =)

After having two dimsums back to back, we needed to go for a walk before eating another bite. Time for the must-take-photo with the remains of St.Paul's! As expected, the whole area was filled with people, but luckily most of it was in shade. So I didn't mind that much. We also tried the famous egg tart at Cafe e Nata Margaret's and curry fish balls at 恒友. Both were really worth the calories but my stomach was at its max. I couldn't take another bite of anything at that point, so we slowly made our way to the bus stop to head back for our luggage.

La-di-da, we were at the ferry terminal ready to board the 7.30pm ride even thought we bought for 8pm. The guy said it was alright since seats were available. Better for us since we're meeting up with Apes for dinner. She had already chosen a place and met us up at our hotel to walk over together.

This wanton mee place called 細蓉記 was a rather nice surprise at such a late hour. The mee was very well backed up by their selection of dimsum. Yes, you read correctly - we were having more dimsum for supper! I personally feel this place had got it right - would recommend! Though, aircon was a bit too strong for me. Came back with a headache and stuffy nose. Boo.

Now, I'm lying in bed ready to call it a day. Apes had already suggested a place for dimsum breakfast at 9am tomorrow! Can't wait *excited* NIGHTS PEEPS.

(What a cool place at MGM!)

(This looks like the doorway to fairyland~)

(My favourite dish at Wing Lei - lotus root cake)

(Shrimp rolls~)

(These rolls are packed with chasiu...yums!)

(Dimsum isn't complete without siumai)

(Setup at The Eight Restaurant)

(Look how cute these curry puffs are!!!)

(And and and their ha-gaooooo)

(and their fried shrimp balls...awwwww!)

(Lotus bites...)

(and you'd never guess what this is...chasiubao! Too cute too eat, seriously)

(Their chasiu is a must-order I tell you)

(Complimentary HK-style milk tea with lychee jello - I'm sold on this place!)

(This place has the best curry soup...my cousin would drink the bowl dry. A bit too spicy for me but worth a try for sure)

(Dinner with Apes at the famous wonton place)

(Papa couldn't wait for breakfast to have dimsum so...)

(Surprisingly, the dimsum at this place is agreeable with my parents! Phew~)