How to make Big Money

Yesterday hubby commented that there were cobwebs on our windows so we proceeded to springclean our house. I decided to be a good helper and proceeded to work on our bedroom.

These are things I did.
1) Wipe our bedside table and the walls beside our window.
2) Remove curtains
3) Remove bedsheet
4) Wash bedsheet and curtains
5) Hang back the curtains
6) Put on new bedsheets for my bed
7) Change quilt cover and pillow case
8) Fold a mountain of clothes
9) Hang the rest and pack them all in the cupboard

This took up the WHOLE of my afternoon! I felt so tired after that and yet the house is still far from clean.

Sometimes I envy Limiin for having a maid. Her house is soooo clean. Everything is dust-free, everything smells nice, there's no mountain of clothes to be washed, to be folded or to be hung up. Yet I'm not willing to sacrifice our privacy and 2-person-plus-2-dogs world to have an additional stranger in the house (though the cleanliness will be A-star).

If there's a machine that can clean every part of the house automatically, I'll surely buy it. Anyone who invents such a machine sure earn big money. From me, prob my mum, prob Miin, and prob most mummys.

Hong Kong 2nd - 4th Jul

Presenting a photojournal of our second holiday in Hong Kong...

Maximum leg room How does the Caucasian endure the flight???

Our first and prob the only time taking Jetstar

Not that I rather spend more but I read an article on ST about some airfares being cheaper or only slightly higher than budget airfares during promos if you factor in the airport tax which is higher for budget airlines. Plus you don't get food, not even plain water (unless you pay) and for the amount (or lack) of leg room in the plane, I'd rather pay slightly more.

This time we booked the hotel and air tix on our own so we don't have anyone to pick us up. We bought a tourist card that allows you unlimited rides on the MTR for 3 days and 2-way travel from the airport via the airport express train to the city. Generally a good experience, the train was fast, seats were very comfortable, but you got to lug your baggages from the MTR all the way, by foot to the hotel.

The view from the airport express

Signboard that tells you how far you are from the next stop

We're reaching.....

For this trip, my itinerary included a long list of food recommended by foodies and I was quite excited about trying out the food that I had read so much about. (source: http://www.hktourismboard.com/seasia/snackguide/intro.html)

Our first food stop: YUNG KEE RESTAURANT

Best 'petan' I've ever tasted

This place was recommended for its roast goose but we found it so-so only. The roast goose we stumbled upon during our first trip was better but we can't remember whether we had it at near our hotel or somewhere near Ladies' Market and cos it's one of those restaurants we "stumbled" upon when we were 'dying of hunger', we didn't notice the name or address of the restaurant. We saw people at the table in front of us eating petan and the petan looked extremely delectable so we ordered a portion of it and it was reaaaaaaaallly good. I've never tasted petan like this before.
Then we went to the world's longest outdoor escalator that was built to ease traffic congestion.

The escalator is 800m long but there are breaks in between to allow you to get off. We were bored after the first stretch and quickly got off it.

Sights taken from the escalator

The apartment blocks look so oooooold...i feel so fortunate to live in Singapore...


Tea break was at Law Fu Kee (sounds like Lau Fu Zi hoh)

The boss came to take our order but I was busy reading my research findings to determine what dish to order so we told him to take our order later. He left us alone but not before giving us a dirty look and a frustrated sigh. Then my humorous hubby said I should have pointed to the poster stuck right in the middle of the shop.

Do you see the mini fan above the table?


The boutiques at Central...

I didn't buy anything from the boutiques...not even from the malls (except HnM)...I stuck to value-for-money buys at street markets throughout the whole trip cos my philosophy is: the point of going to HK to shop is not just for great looking clothes, which we also can find in Singapore (if you know where to go) but to find great looking clothes with great prices.

Omigosh!!!!

That's close to S$4m...

The $40m apartments behind the billboard (the small buildings on the topmost part of the photo)

View from Victoria's Peak

Supper: UNDER BRIDGE SPICY CRAB

A dish recommended by a warm & friendly uncle waiter from the restaurant

Signature Typhoon Shelter Spicy Crab

The crabs are imported from Southeast Asia, each weighing at least six katis. Once customers have made their choice, the crab is slaughtered and stir-fried with Japanese dried scallops, dried sole fish, cardamom, gingko nuts and spices like minced garlic and dried chillies. The spiciness can be adjusted to the customer’s taste. (source: http://www.hktourismboard.com/seasia/snackguide/intro.html)

Verdict: Finger-licking good

Salt & Pepper Mantis Shrimps

The shrimps are about the length of an arm but only one to two thirds of its parts can be eaten. These shrimps cost $25 each (if I remember correctly). Verdict: Worth every single cent and clamouring for more. Never tasted anything like this before. Ever.

Total bill for these 3 dishes: S$116

This is our most expensive meal not just during this trip, but thru'out all our honeymoons but it was...worth every single cent. Every dish was e.x.c.e.l.l.e.n.t.


Day 2
Breakfast: Lan Fong Yuen

Silk stocking tea (Si Wah Nai Cha)

Pork Chop Bun

We felt that the tea was so-so but the pork chop bun I tell you...the buns were well toasted with butter and the pork chop was well marinated...me and hubby chomped down a total of 3 of these...very satisfying breakfast!


Repulse Bay Beach: One of the 41 beaches in Hong Kong. This beach is supposedly one of the most popular beach there. The ride up the winding roads was fun, the scenery and billion-dollar bungalows were awesome but the sand was big and coarse, the waters was worse than East Coast. So, go for the scenery and experience but not if you're looking for white sandy beaches with fine sand and beautiful clear waters.

Some of the apartments right in front of the beach

We, the beach, the hills and the apartments

The scary ride down the hill

It was scary cos the roads were precarious and narrow but the drivers sped like nobody's business. Even when there were oncoming vehicles, they could maneuvere out of the way almost miraculously. If this was Singapore, sure kena fined like mad.

Old vs New

Somewhere in Central or Sheung Wan.

This photo was taken from one of the pillars in an MTR station. Without the model of course. The moment I saw it, I thought of Heli who I address as mei. So I thought it was the perfect backdrop for a poster for her. Doesn't it look like the advertisement for one of Jack Neo's movie? Mei ah, the part-time barista, detective and stand-in for liang popo.

My fav snack: Smelly beancurd

Our worst dinner: Claypot rice

The oyster cake from the same store that nearly saved the day

Day 3

Olympic torch?

Nah...just fooling around outside our hotel room

Breakfast at our fav dim sum restaurant

Table with drawer

Most of the eateries there have such tables. A clever invention indeed...

Yan Wo Soy Bean Shop (Hubby's fav eatery)

Dou Hua

Pan-fried toufu with fish paste. Unforgettable....

Pre-wrapped bouquets at Flower Street

That's slightly less than S$10. No wonder HK-ers can afford to be romantic every other day...

King of Melons

Roast goose: One of our fav dish

Waffle balls

Thank U lao gong for sacrificing your mekong catfish in BKK and for bringing me on this trip. Most of the time, the sun was blazing hot and the humidity was almost stifling, yet you trudged the streets with me every single day to scour for pretty clothes and bags with me. We went sight-seeing and shopped till my heels felt like there was hundred of mini soldiers hammering at them relentlessly and I know you must have felt worse cos your thighs were aching from your workout at the gym before we left for HK. I really appreciate you for all these things. Most imptly, thank God for providing for our honeymoons, for bringing us there and back safely and for all the things that we've enjoyed there. Even for the yucky claypot. At least I've gone for "HK's claypot pilgrimage" and tasted what they term as 'fragrant'.

Confessions

For the sake of my loyal readers, I must make a confession.

I have not updated my blog for sooo long (despite the fact that my photos have all been uploaded into blogger) is because I have an affair with something else, and have dumped blogger (for the time being).

The one who commited 'adultery' with me was...Forensic Heroes II (HK drama). For 2 weeks, my routine has been:
1) Gym or Piano lesson or Miscellaneous stuff depending on what day it is, what time I woke up, and how lazy I feel.
2) Lunch
3) Head back to home
4) Give the dogs their cuddles
5) QT
6) Prepare for the day's lessons
7) Bathe n wash hair
8) Rush out (from my bedroom, not of my house) and teach tuition with my hair dripping wet most of the time
Tuition
Tuition
Tuition
9) Go out with hubby again for dinner
10) Come home
11) Feed the dogs and bring them out
12) Clear up my work for the day/ Practise piano
13) Bathe
By then it's 11am. Rush to watch our drama before we break our bedtime rules again

We have 3 more VCDs to go. I'm quite keen to embark on the bible study program led by Bishop Moses Tay after reading an article he wrote on the FOP mag. The article was quite insightful and I'm eager to learn more from him. The last time I was a student was 5 years ago. If I do sign up for it, I hope I wouldn't fall asleep when I go for the tutorials.

Back from Hong Kong

Victoria's Peak

I'm back from Hong Kong. Some short updates before I lag in my entries again. This was a good trip but...we ended up being mroe tired than the first one. Hubby says it's because now I know the place better and I have some old shopping places to vist PLUS some new ones to go to. I didn't realise that we were squeezing in alot of places until the last day when he mentioned that his legs were aching badly and this trip seemed more tiring than the previous one. Sigh...poor hubby...really must change my way of planning the itinerary...

The summer sales was so so only. The really nice items are usually not on sale and the street markets also do not participate in the summer sales so...verdict is, it doesn't matter whether it's the sales period or not...just go when the weather is good. This time round the weather was like in Singapore except that we don't drive, take the MTR everywhere and most of the time we shop at street markets under the sweltering heat so you can imagine...

We ate alot more this time...every meal was good except for one that murdered our appetite for supper. According to the reviews I read, this was supposed to be the pilgrimage every claypot eater should go to but hmm, I guess our tastebuds differed from the Hong Kongers for claypot rice.

The highlight of this trip was Victoria's Peak! The skies were clear so we got a good view and it was really breathtaking. Wished we had brought a tripod there. And the houses on the hills...I think the Kar Shing guy stays there.

Some of the buildings are actually residential buildings...ooh to live in one like that...

The houses on the hills

Gotta run for tuition. Will post more photos another day!

HK here we come!

We're leaving our house tmr at 4am to catch the 640am flight to Hong Kong and will be coming back on 4 July 815pm.

Actually this was supposed to be a BKK trip during the year end for hubby to go catch Mekong catfish but he decided to sacrifice his holiday destination for my dream holiday destination. Ever since we came back from Hong Kong, I have been longing to go back there and enjoy the long dim sum breakfast, walk on the busy streets, see the sights at Victoria Peak, eat the Roast Goose and Smelly beancurd etc etc.

Then hubby saw a promo on Jetstar of 50% discount on its air tickets so he asked me to seize the offer and book the tix there and then. We decided that since we were going back to Hong Kong, we might as well go while they are having their summer sales. So we brought forward our year end holiday to July.

Thank U hubby!!! This time round we're more well informed and better prepared for the trip. We've also decided not to squeeze too many places into our itinerary so that there wouldn't be the stress of running around trying to do too many things. Hee looking forward to the trip. I think many of you must be thinking I'm crazy for going again so soon but I really thank God for this blessing. Hong Kong here we come!!!

Rejoice for God is good!

During the church camp and for a period after that, I was on spiritual high. All the worries that always nagged at me no longer seem to matter anymore. I was able to give all my problems to God and trust that He will take care of them. All this because my focus wasn’t on earning more money or some other worldly concern but on maintaining the closeness and the joy of experiencing God. But few days later, the usual emotions of day-to-day living started to seep in. Though I wasn’t back to square one, life doesn’t seem as victorious as it felt during the camp and the few days after. I felt worries and burdens tightening around my heart forcing out the sense of euphoria and victory I felt in my life few days ago. Mornings didn’t seem to be something to look forward to as opening my eyes meant opening them to a day of repetitive work and facing problems that have to be solved. I asked God why? There must be something to be learnt and maintained during the church camp. And God spoke.

James 1:11
For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

Actually the basic principle in life to be happy is to live for God. If we were to live for any of these things; career, family, money, pleasure, we will never be always joyful. I mean these things do matter to us but what I mean is, if these are our main focus in life, we will never be happy. The only way to be happy is to live for God. Whatever position we are at in life, whether we have this or that, whether we don’t have this or that, we should have the basic understanding that it is natural for us to be joyful. For we have the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.

Why then are we still not able to rejoice? We are so quick to be negative and slow to recognize the blessings in our life. When was the last time we felt immense gratitude for what He has already given us? Contrast this with ‘when was the last time we feel depressed about the lack of something that we yearn for but has not been given to us?’

If we live for God, it wouldn’t be so difficult to be joyful. If the purpose of our life is to glorify God, is to be His messenger of good news, His servant to be a source of blessing to others, our eyes will not be turned inwards to our own lives and we automatically stop seeing how pathetic we are because we don’t have this or that. Conversely, as we continuously share of His goodness to people around us, singing His praises, glorifying His name and sharing the gospel, we are constantly reminded of the blessings He has given to us. As we share the gospel, we are reminded once again of how we were slaves to sin and dead in our transgressions and the amount of love and grace God has on us to sacrifice His one and only Son to suffer and die for us on the cross so that we can be glorified and redeemed. When we are able to do that, there is really then nothing to be sad about but lots to rejoice about.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

If we do not follow the pattern of this world, but are transformed in our mind - that every breath we take is to live for God, then we will be able to test and gain experience and evidence of what His will is. His good, pleasing and perfect will. We no longer share with people by empty words that mean nothing when we say that becoming a Christian is the best thing that can happen to us, but we can say it with conviction and really mean it with our hearts.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

God also reassured me that whatever I’m concerned about, He is also concerned about. But I really need to realign my focus in life. Otherwise, I cannot genuinely claim to be a follower of Christ. I cannot genuinely claim to live for Christ when my emotions are still governed by my problems and worries. As I align my focus back to God, He can then mold me to Christ likeness, and all the other things will be given. Solutions will just come automatically by inspiration. I really don’t need to fret or to let matters hog my mind because as I look to Him, He will give me the best.

My mind is still undergoing the renewal process. I need to constantly remind myself that to live is to live for Him, and nothing else. I can’t fully understand yet, that’s why I keep falling back. But by faith I cling on and meditate on His words, that one day I will truly understand and be transformed. As I meditate on all that God has spoken to me in answer to that one question, I can truly feel it in my heart; God really is good!

Church camp '08

I'm back from church camp. And I'm blogging. Finally. Late as usual. But better than never! Some photos to share just a fraction of how much I've enjoyed myself at this year's church camp. So sad the next combined church camp is going to be 2 years from now. Ah!!! I really really really hope it's gonna be at Times Square again. I still enjoy the ultra big hotel room with it's living area, bedroom, mini kitchen and mega toilet, the shopping, the street food, the Starbucks, the everything and everything.

At Foot Master

Clockwise from top left corner : Before our fish-foot experience, fishes feasting on Andy Quek's feet, hubby and me getting our feet washed so that we wouldn't poison the fishes too badly with our dirty feet.

Foot Reflexology after that My hubby, the sacrifical husband cum masseuse

Wendy's Cell, gathered here...below the Wendy poster...

Pearlyn piggy-backing me.

I was so worried that her bones would break! Look at how skinny her arms and legs are!

Me n hubby in our hotel room

Char Kway Tiao and Haams...Sedap.....

SIA gal very very happy with her haam

Family photo of our cell @ Supper!!!

Home Sweet Home!!!