Our Vesak Special

Vesak holiday was on Friday and so it was a long weekends for the family.

Friday morning, I was reading the newspaper during breakfast and noticed there were loads of sales and fairs happening. So after some discussion, we decided to head for the Singapore Book Fair at Suntec city.

We arrived at the convention hall around 11am. It was still early and many of the booths were still setting up. We walked around and the children were looking for books of their preference.

We found a booth that had Geronimo Stilton books at $7 per book. Immediately Anthea bought 3 of them. Anders bought for himself a Dino book.

Then we went to the food court for our lunch. After lunch we went for a bit of shopping at Carrefour before heading home to rest.

Dinner was with my extended families at Peach Garden. My In-laws were going to Hong Kong with my 2nd Brother in law’s family for the next few days for their holidays.

On Saturday morning, Adrian brought Anthea and Anders to my youngest brother in law place for a swim. I was busy with my Mariah’s duty at home.

Then in the evening, we went to Orchard Road for our dinner cum window shopping. Adrian likes the Mala Pot at 313@Sommerset. So as and when we were eating on our own, this would be our favorite hunt. We had Mala pot while the children had noodles.

After dinner, we took a slow stroll in Orchard Road and it was crowded. The Great Singapore Sale is on and people are busy buying away. We went to Takashimaya as the children wanted to go to Kinokuniya. Yes, seem like they had taken a liking to books and Adrian commented that he has companionship to bookstore now.

At kinokuniya, Anthea bought an Enid Blyton book and Anders bought a sport book. Both of them were very happy with their new books. At the same time, we managed to change our Malaysia Ringgit at the money changer in the mall.

Then we went to TCC@ Wisma Atria for our supper. We had drinks & cake and Anthea commented that – “this was a night out for our family, I really enjoy it.” Yes, there were TV Ads she had seen on TV that promotes Singapore night out and she always wanted to do one.

We called it a day around 10pm and headed home via the MRT.

It was a relaxing Sunday, Anders had his usual swimming lesson and Anthea went along to do her laps.

In the evening, we had dinner at my parent’s place. It was a spread of home cooked Beef stew and duck. As usual, the dinner was sumptuous and delicious. After dinner desserts were bird nest soup and my home made durian puddings. I was really happy that they enjoyed the puddings.

This has been a Zen and relaxing weekends for us. Nothing beat having the families around you and enjoying each other companionship on such occasion.

上海之旅 – 18 May to 21 May 2010

The four days in Shanghai passed so quickly and this trip had been an amazing experienced for me.

Day 1 – Tuesday, 18 May

Departure – SQ 828 Singapore to Shanghai

Upon arrival, I took the Maglev Train from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to the Longyang Road Station. From here, I took a local taxi to the Renaissance Yu Yuan Shanghai Hotel. The Maglev train is similar to the “Bullet Train” in Europe/Japan and its speed can run up to 443KM/Hr. I was really impressed with its speed and it took me about 10minutes ride.

Upon checking in to the hotel, I met up with my UK Manager and we had a quick chat before proceeding to our 1st client visit.

After the meeting, we went back to the hotel and checked function room that we would be using for the following day Full Day meeting were set up in order.

In the evening, we had a quick meet up with the meeting facilitator and walked through a few pointers before heading off for dinner.

After dinner, we went back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest.

Day 2 – Wednesday, 19 May

8 am to 4 pm was our full day meeting at the hotel. It was a very good meeting I was tasked to assist the facilitator in the notes taking. It was my 1st experience taking notes for such meeting and it was a great learning experience for me.

After the full day meeting, we had another client appointment at 5pm till 6pm in Pudong. As we were near the Financial Centre, my Manager suggested we take the chance to view the World Tallest Building - Shanghai World Financial Centre. Yes, we took the tour and went all the way up to the 100th floor of the building. It was a magnificent feeling when we were at the top. The only drawback was the view was a little cloudy due to the mist in the air.

Shanghai has all these supertall skyscrapers and each building has its unique “crown” to top the building and it’s an eye-opening experienced. Now I know our buildings are “small & pale” in comparison. : P

We had dinner at Tin-Tai-Feng at the mall in the building. As my Manager is a British and it’s her 1st time in Shanghai, I know it would be good to let her try as many Chinese dishes as possible. She truly enjoyed the 拉面和小笼包。

After dinner, we went back to the hotel and called it day. I went to the hotel pool to take a quick dip and at the same time took some photos of the pool, as requested by Anthea. At night, I had the chance to skype with Adrian and we updated each other on our happening in our respective S countries…haha. I also had the chance to talk to both Anthea and Anders on skype. It was assuring to know they were getting on fine and logistic had worked out fine too.

Day 3 – Thursday, 20 May

We had 3 meetings from morning till afternoon. It was a good exposure for me, especially to meet all these Clients in person and a simple handshake with everyone makes a difference.

As our last client’s office was based in an industrial part about an hour from city, so it took up our whole afternoon. Thank goodness, we had a very patience taxi driver, whom was willing to wait for us while we had a meeting with our Client. (He didn’t charge us for the waiting time…hehe.)

After the meeting, we went back to the hotel to change and freshen up before our next assignment. Yes, we visited another hotel recommended and took a quick look at the meeting rooms. After the viewing, we went to The Bund and had wanted to have our dinner there. However, some of the restaurants needed prior reservation and the one that was available cost a bomb, so we decided to find an affordable dinner venue.

The Bund night scene was simply beautiful with all the buildings of colonial designs. It felt as if we were walking in a part of Europe and it was also kind of romantic with the special lighting. However, the human traffics is equally BIG…haha. Just like what I heard before – 上海看人头。


As we were walking back to our hotel, we discovered a Chinese restaurant named 老北京and it was famous for 北京烤鸭. I brought my manager in and we had a very good meal of Peking duck with other small dishes. She enjoyed the dishes as much as I did.

Day 4 – Friday, 21 May

We had our final client visit at 11am and after the meeting, we went back to the hotel to do our checked out.

Then we headed off to the airport in the same taxi. My Manager was going to Hong Kong for other client’s visits and also to meet with her daughter who is doing internship in Hong Kong.

At the airport, we bade each other good bye and look forward to our next meeting…Singapore, Shanghai or London….just maybe…: )


Dep : SQ 833 Shanghai - Home Sweet Home.

Overall, I had truly enjoyed this working trip. I had the chance to learn so much and my best take away from the trip would be the Personal touch and saying hello to all my subscribers. Nothing beat this compared to all the nice flowery words on the emails.

Also another good take away on home ground is that they had learnt to be independent during my absence and logistic was all under controlled.

The doors are open and the opportunities are plenty. I look forward to my next challenge in the job.


Also finally i bought my own set of the 嗒嗒球!

I am “OFF”

We had a very good weekend and enjoyed the bonding times with the families.

On Saturday evening, we had dinner at New York New York in Sembawang shopping centre with the extended families. We were all so amazed with the revamp of the whole building. Everyone was asking “what happened to the “lok-lok” place since we were there donkey years back…hehe.

After dinner, we explored the building and discovered there were many specialties shops in the building – there was even a Daiso in the mall…not bad.

I know we will go back again – to explore the children play area as I had seen via some mommies’ blogs.

On Sunday, Anders had his swimming lesson and Anthea went along for her swim too. The instructor brought him to the deep pool and advises him to use goggles. This was his 1st time swimming with a goggle and after using it, he told me: “mommy, it’s very good leh, I can see Uncle Julian’s legs in the pool. I want to use goggles for my next lesson.”…haha. Finally, I had been encouraging him to wear goggles whenever we go for water play but he refused because he doesn’t like the feeling. Now, he has grown to like it and I am really happy for him.

In the evening, we had dinner at my parent’s home. As usual, it was a good spread of western dishes. Roast of lamp was the main course and we ate to our heart fullest contentment.

Starting tomorrow I will be officially “OFF” for my business trip and my role as a Mother for the few days. So Adrian decided last night that he and the children will start their morning routine as of today.

At 6 am, he woke both of them up and had them to drink their milk. Anthea had her normal bread & butter breakfast, Anders decided that he will have breakfast at the childcare.

Then they changed into their school uniforms and left home at 6.45am. Adrian will fetch Anthea to school 1st and then dropped Anders off at the childcare centre at exactly 7am. We had been joking with Anders that he will be the 1st to arrive in school for this week.

I take it as a “warm-up” exercise for Anders as comes 2011, he will be going to Primary 1 and he will be in morning session for the following 6 years. I am really glad that both Anthea and Anders had no problem in waking up early in the morning…phew.

Now I am all packed, checked in my airline seat, bought my travel insurance and booked my transport for tomorrow morning.

Yeah, I am going to miss all my 宝贝from tomorrow onwards. Last night at bed, Anthea even told me: “mommy, if anyone bullies you, you called home and tell us.” This really melts my heart…hehe.

Meanwhile, I will make the best out of this trip and hope to prove my value to the meeting. Likewise to gain as much knowledge as I can during the trip.

My 1st Business Trip

Last week while corresponding with my Manager at work, she made a request for me to join her in a Roundtable meeting and other client’s visits in Shanghai. I was thrilled with her invitation and started making flights enquiry. At the same time, I also asked Adrian of his opinion and he was all out for the trip. : )

After some discussion and arrangement, I am finally confirmed for my 1st business travel in this new decade. Yes, I am going to Shanghai…: )

Last Friday, I went to the agency to pay and pick up my documents for both our family vacation and my Shanghai trip.

Then I went to The Planet Traveller store in Ion Orchard and made a trade in for a new luggage bag. One of our old luggage bags is damaged and so it’s a good time to get a brand new one at the discounted rate.

I am now all set for the travel and will start packing on this coming weekend.

Looking back, I had not done any "solo" travel since my last business trip to Shenzhen in March 2007 with my ex-ex company. It was a team building event and after that I had an extended holiday in Hong Kong with Anthea and my Mother In law.

This business trip, however, will be a much different scale compared to the one I went in Shenzhen. Beside a Full Day round table meeting event, the other days are all packed with Client visits. As I am taking care of the Asia Pacific members, so this will be a good opportunity to say Hello to most of them face to face rather than just over the phones. It will be a good chance to build up the rapport too.

A few friends and families had asked if I am visiting the Shanghai Expo but judging at my meeting schedules, I doubt that I will have the FREE time to visit it this round. Anyway, I believe I will have more chance to travel once I cross this 1st trip…hehe.

Logistic wise while I am away, we had “sub-contracted” my role to 3 people – Adrian, my mother in law and my mom. Yes, I was joking with Adrian that my role as a main caretaker of my children seems so minute in its daily role. But once there is such a circumstance, then we realized the important of the role and it should not be taken for granted -The Greatness of WFHM...: )

Will I miss the children – YES… definitely. Like what my SIL always said “it’s a no brainer answer”…haha. I had never been away from them, even during our own holidays. So this will be my “official” 1st time without them on an oversea trip. I know it will draw significance emotion from all of us and i know it's a good time for them to learn to be independent.

Both Anthea and Anders have been telling me: “you are going away for SO LONG…” when I told them I will be away for only 4 days…haha.

I asked them “why when daddy goes for his 3 months working trip, you guys never said SO LONG…and now I am only going for 4 days to Shanghai? “ they just gave me the most cheeky smiles on their faces.

In about a week time, I will be travelling and I am really looking forward to this opportunity because I know that it will build up my profile and also hopefully – bring my career to it next level.

(Anthea, Anders & their cousin Faith; we celebrated Mother's Day @ Sze Chuan Court in Fairmont hotel)

Saluting the Mom….

建康是财富。。。This has always been my belief and that’s why I am keeping my exercises routine.

After being beaten by the viral last week, I am even more adamant to regain my exercise routine when I am well enough. I know when I am down; the people I am most worried about will be my children.

Yes, ever since the day I became a Mother, they have been the main focus of my life. I had seen people who read daily motivator…and I joked that my children are my Motivators.

Without them, I don’t think I will push myself so hard. It’s hard work and 24/7 but if I don’t do it wholeheartedly, I don’t think anyone else can fulfill this role as well as me.

“Mommy, I love you…” I hear this everyday from Anthea & Anders at the end of the day when we are in bed. 3 simple words and it just make my whole day of hard work seem so little.

I remembered when I was young - my own parents had a very strict set of house rules for me, especially because I am the only girl. In our household, we seldom openly expressed our Loves for one another but deep in our heart, we know we will always love our parents, the way they love us.

Comes this Sunday – it is Mother’s Day. No need for fanciful dinner or big present, I believe what a Mommy wants – a simple family time with all her love ones.

On this special day…give her your salutation because she deserves it and remember to tell her: “Mommy, I LOVE you!”

My brother in law has a special Mother’s day Tribunal on Resraves, so c’mon in and join us in this special moment!

我的内疚

Since last Sunday evening, I had been feeling ill till this May Day…

On Sunday evening, I developed a fever and started taking the fever medicine. On Monday morning, I went to the doctor and got some other medication for the illness. Usually within 2 days of medication, I would recover but somehow by Wednesday, I developed another illness – gastric.

This illness caused me a lot of discomfort. I had this very tight feeling on the chest and felt like vomiting all the time. I told Adrian it’s like having morning sickness minus the pregnancy.

Yesterday, I went to the doctor for the 2nd time and get medication for the gastric problem. Now I am feeling slightly better but still weak from all the drowsy medication.

This week I hadn’t been fulfilling my duty much, especially in the morning. My normal routine is to wake up 6am and prepare simple breakfast for Anthea. But this week, I can’t wake up at 6am. So in the end, she was “forced” to do all the morning routine on her own. Adrian told me “luckily, she is now quite independent.”

Yes, she now do her own breakfast, changed herself and get her ready before Adrian fetched her to school.

But one thing she will do for sure – she will come by to my bedside and say Bye Bye to me and then we will set a timing to meet after school. It was a consolation to me, at the least.

I have been feeling guilty this whole week for not being able to wake up in the morning for Anthea but I know I needed the rest to walk a longer journey with her. She will understand my situation. Also because of my illness, I know Anthea has grown to be an independent girl and she will be able to take good care of herself whenever mommy is down & out…: P

Having said this – I tell myself – 我一定要好起来！！加油！