My Life List

Shu-Yin started her life list , now it's my turn.
Ian already had one (not as much as 100) but mostly what he wanted to accomplish in his life.
Although his mostly contained daring activities like river-rafting in Zambezi River, swim with sharks, etc... (Shu-Min will have a list like that I suppose).

I think this is a really good way to keep in track of life because there are just too many things in life that just happen and before you know it, you are 50 years old and won't be able to do most of the items.
So, here we go. I had to went through a few list including Yin's to add on only those that I want. It is NOT easy coming up with 100, so I have 50 in my list :)

1. Start a herb garden and maintain it
2. Start a vege garden
3. Go to Europe
4. Pat a dolphin
5. Cook a nice meal every Sunday
6. Have LASIK done on my eyes
7. Separate items for recycling
8. Watch sunrise and sunset with my partner and family
9. Real camping under the stars
10. Have my dream kitchen
11. Have a hammock
12. Exercise every day
13. Cook a complete meal for my family (mum, dad, Min, Yin, Ahyee, Peter, Shern, Ianie) 
14. Go on a cruise
15. Bake from scratch
16. Sew something
17. Play a piano piece by Richard Clayderman
18. Scuba diving
19. Have my dream bedroom + ensuite
20. Meditate at least twice a week
21. Visit the fireflies place in Selangor
22. Watch snowfall
23. Build a snowman
24. Fly in a hot air balloon
25. Visit Disneyland
26. Witness meteor shower
27. Dress up in a costume party
28. Experience cherry blossoms in Japan
29. Learn to ballroom dance
30. Attend a concert
31. Stop work and instead work for something close to my heart
32. Start yoga
33. Hug a koala bear
34. Visit ancestor's home in China
35. A piano in South Africa
36. Take up photography
37. Win over RM10000 in lottery
38. Make sushi
39. Eat breakfast everyday
40. Bake a cake for someone's birthday
41. Ride on a convertible car
42. Have my own bookshelf
43. Have a compost bin in the garden
44. Own a garden
45. Ride an elephant
46. Ride a horse
47. Moisturize my face everyday
48. Floss my teeth everyday
49. Have my dream walk-in wardrobe
50. To go for a trip somewhere with my 2 sisters - just the three of us! (Yin, that's the best idea ever!)

"First" time in Johannesberg

Although I have been to Johannesberg a couple of times, it was always for work purposes (where I only see the office and the hotel) or a stopover on my flight to Cape Town.
Problem is, there is no way you can visit Johannesberg without having a car. Public transport is non-existent in South Africa!

Ianie had to be in Joberg for 10 days for his work training. That would mean a 8 working days and a weekend in between. So we decided that I should take leave on Friday and fly to Joberg for the weekend. As his company rented him a car and a place to stay, it would be cool that we can drive around and visit Joberg. I admit I contemplated a little, because the flight ticket will cost me around ZAR1k... around RM400..... well, it is a 2 hours flight. At last i decided that well, if the next time we do decide to visit Joberg, we will have to pay for both flight tickets, car and a place to stay! So off I go, and I think I had made a wonderful decision.

On the ground...

Up in the air!

That evening, we were at Sandton and Nelsom Mandela Square. I was between Mandela's legs! :o

Look at the pretty baobab tree!

The next morning, because I am an "illegal" person in the hotel, Ianie has to seludup some breakfast for me from his free breakfast because I am lazy to go out to get food  :)

Ian then took me to a park which he discovered while he was there. I admit that I always think of Johannesberg as a really really city place, with buildings and buildings, without beaches and parks , but the parks they have here is beautiful. I finally came to the conclusion that Joberg is something like Kuala Lumpur. Actually I think they are almost 90% similar in a lot of ways. More options when it comes to shopping, more competition therefore you get better deals, more high end services eg medical, and you have lovely parks if you know where to go.

Taking photos with the duckies...

A lady saw me and offered some bread for me to throw to the duckies *maybe she thinks I am a tourist?*

And there I was, feeding the duckies... *happy*

Oh shit, they are coming nearer.....

Trying to be cool and move further away and continue feeding...

AHHHHHHHH!!!! (look at my reaction..lol)

*jumps over the low brick wall*

Ok.. I guess now I know why everyone else is feeding from behind the wall...

....to be continued in next blog post!

Just Jinjer Summer Concert

It's finally summertime!
Oh well, it's summer since the 1st of December already, but of course, weather conditions are always unpredictable. I think Summer only started just a few days ago.
*cross fingers* I hope next year Summer will come on time!

Summer is never complete without attending the summer concert in Kirstenbosch.
This time, Just Jinjer (a local group) was playing.

See the gloomy skies? Cos it was on the 6th of Dec, and it wasn't quite summer yet ....
We learnt a lesson from last year, you have to be really early to get a spot! Although we still have to sit quite far behind
People poured in 2 hours before the start of the concert already, bringing with picnic baskets, picnic mats, drinks and beers and snacks to munch.

I can't wait for next year when I can bring my family to experience the summer concerts :)

Oh where Oh where?

Oh where oh where is the owner of this blog?

I am actually drafting my next blog post, come back soon :)

Flying without Wings

I'm flying without wings...or rather I hope I can fly without wings.
My wings = My passport.

I am supposed to fly up to Johannesberg today to meet up with Ian but only realised yesterday that my passport is with Ian in Johannesberg!*faints*

Although it is a local flight and normally an ID would be sufficient, but apparently only South African ID / South African Driving License will be accepted . Uh Oh...

I quickly called my airlines, and explained to her the whole situation, she insisted that I need a passport, but after a while she said "Ok, bring along a photostated copy of my Passport as well as my Malaysian ID"

Then, being a "kiasi", I asked her what happens if I go to the airport and the person would not allow me to check in? She said, just tell that person , Lulu from Cape Town Mango Call Centre said it's fine. Hmm....
I called again  today ("kiasi" again), asked the same thing to another person, and after a lot of hesitation, said it's fine with my photostated copy of Passport.
So yeah, I got 2 names (Lulu and Lusanda) from Call Centre that says it's fine.

Wish me luck!

Been Long

Wow!
I know I haven't been posting for quite some time, but I didn't realise this is actually the first post for the whole of November!
So why have I been missing from this world.
Not because there is nothing happening in my life right now, it's just that too many things happen at one time.

• Our move of office from Somerset West to Century City means I have to travel 2-3 hours a day = less time to blog
• At work we have a new set of Development Team with a new Project Manager means work has piled up and loads of deadlines = less time to blog
• Ian's brothers came back from overseas for their father's 70th birthday means we have to spend more time either with the family or gettogether of friends = less time to blog
• Summer is approaching means more birthday parties, braais, concerts = less time to blog

I love this blog and will never abandon it. The purpose of this blog is for my family back home to know what is happening here some 10,000 kilometres away.
Oh ya, I will be in Johannesberg from Thursday evening, coming back on Sunday . Shit which means no time to blog :) Oh well.

Can't wait to go home. 2 months, 1 week and 1 day left! Yipeeee.

Six

This represents the 6 months in my company when I have to wake up early in the morning to work.

This represents the 6 months in my company when my phone beeps informing me that my salary has just been debited into my bank account.

Time flies by. It has been SIX months, and at last I am a permanent employee *yes they have a freaking  6 months probation period*

Bantry Bay Weekend - Day 2 (continue)

Previously
Bantry Bay Weekend - Day 1 
Bantry Bay Weekend - Day 2 (The Proposal)

After speaking to a few friendly people in Signal Hill who congratulated us, we drove back to our Hotel. We freshen ourselves, and went down for breakfast.
I wanted to walk again in Sea Point because most of the shops were closed when we were there.
With lovely weather embracing us, we explore the little shops as well as walking along the beach.
Ian got me a bunch or light purple roses (It looks like pink here, unless you compare it to the real pink ones!)

After buying some clothes and eating the yummiest chocolate brownie ice-cream, I am satisfied and off we go driving around the coasts of Cape Town. We plan to drive through Simon's Town and come back from the Chapman's Peak route so that we can cover the whole of Cape Town.

Ian keep on asking me to take photos from the car, which I am lazy to because I can't take nice photos from a moving car with electric cables and road in the photo, I'd rather stop beside the road.

Eg. this shot:

We stopped by Boulder's Beach to greet the penguins.

We were starting to feel hungry by then, but we drove and drove and could not decide where to eat...

We then pop in a nearby eating place where Rugby (Western Province vs *forgot*) was playing.

By that time the sun is almost down, and we still want to go through Chapman's Peak. We did not finish watching the game and left when our food was done.

The drive through Chapman's Peak was beautiful. The sun is just setting, we were just in time.

Our timing was perfect, we drove back to our Hotel and walked to a nearby Primi Piatti for a drink.
What a lovely way to end the weekend - with my favourite Strawberry Daquiri.

Bantry Bay Weekend - Day 2 (The proposal)

Previously
Bantry Bay Weekend - Day 1 

9 Oct 2010

Next day early in the morning at 5:00am, I was feeling a bit lazy, especially when the hotel beds are so nice and comfortable. However, I know it is not everyday we can have a sunrise picnic in Cape Town. We got up and headed off to Signal Hill. 

Views on the way up to Signal Hill

Once we reached the peak, we looked for a nice spot to see the sunrise. We laid down our picnic blanket and Ian started taking loads of pictures of the scenery around us.

Just as the sun rises, Ian started telling me what I brought to his life, and how much I mean to him. He went down on one knee and said the famous sentence "Will you marry me?"
To be honest, I did not remember how/what I responded but apparently I said "Yes" . Bear in mind my voice was still gone so it must be a very husky Yes :).
It only starts sinking in a little while later and the first person I messaged to share the news is to my family at home.

First few pictures after the proposal

The scenery added the "ahhh" to the whole perfect morning.

First task after getting engaged - helping me to tie my shoe-lace :)

Ian got me a pretty wedding band to propose. He prefers me to choose a ring that I like but could not ask me before proposing as he wanted it to be a surprise. *excited to shop for a ring!*

The temporary engagement ring

The day didn't just end there. This was just the start of a wonderful weekend and our lives together.

Bantry Bay Weekend - Day 1

8 Oct 2010
I was off sick for the whole week already. Had a bad cold, coughing and lost my voice.
Ian had booked a weekend away at Bantry Bay Hotel. Although he has his IT Quarterly Event to attend, he agreed to leave a little early at 3pm+ so that we wouldn't waste the Friday we had booked.
We got to our destination at about 4-ish and happily discover our room.

 

The Manager of the Hotel handwrite a note for us, very sweet.

Wanting to make the most out of the Friday, we took a walk along the beachfront at Sea Point. I think Mummy and Min will recognise the trees next to the beach.

We also walk along the shops in Sea Point which I've always wanted to do but we always somehow end up there on Sundays where all shops are closed very early.

I didn't take any photos here, kinda forgot as I was busy looking around. We ate in a Chinese Restaurant called Mama's Kitchen.

After the long walk,we retired early, watching Commonthwealth Games on DSTV. 

Ian suggested that we should have an early sunrise picnic in the morning at Signal Hill.

Ahh.... hotel beds are wonderful.