Jo with Number (南伯儿) in Tampines Mall

It was almost a year since I've met up with long time friend who's been pursuing her dream of becoming a recording artiste, composer, producer, lyricist, etc...


Tho Number (南伯儿)'s heading home to Kuching for holiday until after Chinese New Year, she's been given 'homework' whereby she is to submit 3 digital recording every week. She was staying with a friend near Paya Lebar MRT and we were to meet up for lunch.


She was sitting in Paya Lebar's McDonald's trying in vain to send her 'homework' back to her company in Beijing for review and editing before our lunch appointment. As she had problem logging into Wireless@SG, she SOS-ed me and I suggested that she come over my place to try and send the files.


To cut long story short, our 1pm lunch appointment became 4pm tea instead at The Cafe Cartel. We had Supreme Platter-appetiser, Hawaiian Pork Chop-main course and Eastside Brownie-dessert :D yummy

20081224-27 Li Li's in SG for a short trip

Li Li came to Singapore for a short trip 24-27Dec via Tigerairways for

We met in T2 (I went straight from work) and took SBS bus #27 to Tampines Int/Stn. After dropping her luggage and my notebook at my place, we went to meet Jodie for dinner in Jurong Point (with Extra Shiso Choya in my backpack). After some last minute shopping for gifts, we went to Jodie's place in Yew Tee to enjoy Choya together.

Merry Christmas everyone :D

On Christmas Day, Li Li went for the 9:30am mass at Holy Trinity Church before we met for breakfast at Block 107's kopitiam. We headed towards Jessy and Jamie's place after breakfast to see Jayden (Johnny and Jodie's son).

L & R - LiLi with the chubby Jayden - a happy baby

LiLi with Screech, Jamie bought the mini daschund dog but mostly cared for by Jessie

L - Jayden

R - Jayden & Jo having a 'chat'

Li Li and I went to Singapore Expo in the afternoon. Guess what, Li Li bought a slip-on Celeste Canvas Crocs while I bought 2 Lancome lipsticks.

LiLi's new Crocs @ S$25 (usual price in KL's probably RM150)

On 26/12 we took SMRT bus 969 to Khatib and then by MRT from Khatib to Bishan. Li Li was going to visit her brother-in-law and family, Jeremy who's Darren elder brother. Ethan, Jeremy & Cindy's son was surprisingly good at reading at the age of 4. We went for lunch in Serangoon Gardens before going to Novena (Novena Square, Novena Square 2 and Velocity) for window shopping then to Raffles Place where I showed Li Li the sights along Singapore River and the Merlion.

We proceeded to Harbourfront and Vivocity for shopping, where LiLi chose her birthday cum farewell present from Esprit...hope she's take a photo and post it on her blog soon. We went to Daiso (S$2 shop), Li Li bought a few vacuum bag to store clothes and some laundry bags while I got laundry bags and some biscuits. We had dinner at Superdog before calling it a day...


27/12 - Li Li showered and packed before we went out for breakfast at Tampines Mall's food court. We did bought a t-shirt each from Isetan and walked around Century Square before going back to my place to get LiLi's bag to go to Budget Terminal (BT).

We took bus 27 to T2, however missed the free shuttle to BT @ 12:15pm...Thank goodness she managed to get boarding pass as we arrived at BT about 12:30pm!

(Note: LiLi's flight was at 1:10pm)

What a day for us...

Last look @ Suky's Bishan 8

Suky's year long tenure was cut short and today's her last day in Bishan 8 Condo. At her request, I brought my camera along and took the following shots for her to remember the place by...I'll also miss going for weekend swimming sessions, especially Suky's company for the weekend when I felt like window shopping...those were the good times...



L - Suky's main door
M - view from the master bedroom - Bishan Library
R - view of Tower A from the pool


L- Jo & Suky by the pool
R - Jo & Suky at the back gardens of Bishan 8

Darren getting through Li Li's Ji Muis - Part 2

Challenges upstairs...we invited Li Li's parents upstairs for Darren to complete his next challenge.

1) Darren speaking in Hakka to Li Li's parents. I didn't understand but think what he said was that he will love Li Li and take care of her forever. (Shan Hin helped with the Hakka translation for 'yat sang yat sai' - forever/ for life)

(Note: Laughter's coz Darren does notspeak Hakka and was 'trained' by LiLi only 2 days earlier and had last minute assistance from Shan Hin)

2) Darren, Jeff & Shan Hin's rendition of "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You"

LiLi's new notebook's playing the song. Apologies that the video was tilted towards the end as my hand was getting tired...

Amazingly, it was Yen who shed tears from the heartfelt rendation above!

Thereafter, was the tea ceremony and we proceeded to Darren's place in Ken Damansara. There was more photo opportunities there but we have to wait until Joshua to complete his work of art. Then we went to St Francis Xavier for the Holy Matrimony, please check out Li Li's blog for photos: http://plili.blogspot.com/2008/12/holy-matrimony-6122008.html

Darren getting through Li Li's Ji Muis - Part 1

I didn't have my camera for Darren and LiLi's reception in Sheraton Subang on 29Nov, so please refer to Winnie's blog entry:
http://travel-and-adventure.blogspot.com/2008/12/li-lis-wedding-29-nov-2008.html


As to the actual day to fetch the bride, the 'torture' was mild in any sense...

For appetiser, Darren and Jeffrey had to complete a Sudoku puzzle that was made up of the following instead of numbers:

Darren Koh & Li Li 4 E V A (DK&LL4EVA)


Since the time limit was 5 minutes, they did not manage to complete and had to seek 'assistance' from the youngest Ji Mui (Adelea Tan - Shew Leng & Ames's daughter). Negotiation was, of course, handled by Adelea's mommy :D


Next was to makan 2 big 'paus' and a comb of bananas. There was no booby traps but Shan Hin was being cautious...he waited til Darren and Jeff took first bite before pitching to finish.





Up next was to the family hall upstairs for another 2 challenges...

Preparing challenges for Darren

I've been thinking of what 'games' to prepare for Darren and heng tais when they fetch the bride and sought suggestions from friends via facebook. Some were outrageous, bordering being obscene, which was not acceptable as LiLi had warned that we can only prepare decent games.

Anyways, if I remember correctly...I asked LiLi on Tuesday what song would she like to hear Darren sing. Mind you, he's a man with many talents . LiLi mentioned that she'd like Darren to sing "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Medeiros.

With my cousin Elliot's help, we managed to obtain the mp3 version of 'Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" and arrange for lyrics to be printed (shhh...don't let my bosses know that I've stolen lunch time and after office hours to get the lyrics printed).

I've also prepared special Sudoku ;) wonder whether they'll sweat over it...

Food-wise, LiLi's bridesmaid (Yen) was tasked to prepare as I'll b flying back only on 05/12 via Jetstar's 19:30 flight(hope no delay).

Adieu to my Shenton Way office

It was official in August that my office are to shift to Alexandra Building by mid-Sep'08.

Below are the last few shots I managed to capture from Unit Heads' window view of:

L - One Raffles Quay

M - the One Shenton Way construction
R - UIC Building and Tg Pagar Container Terminal

Last day in Bali

Last day in Bali were spent at the following places:-

1. Parigata Resort & Spa


L - smart me...woke up abt 5:30 to watch sunrise and all i saw was dark footpath and ocean...eerie!
R - signage showing way back to Parigata

L - our room was just above the trees on the left

M - View of indoor waterfall at lobby lounge
R - Parigata's logo at the entrance

2. Going for 2 hours spa - opposite Parigata

Spa time! - Having my feet soaked ;)
POINT TO NOTE : Pls remember to lock your bags and don't leave anything to chance...might have your valuables stolen!

3. Time out for lunch at Supermarket - nothing much inside :(

4. Hard Rock Hotel, Kuta Beach... here we come :D

Horse-drawn carriage, couldn't resist taking its pic

L - Entrace to Hard Rock Hotel, Bali

M - Wooden surf board

R - Close up of the wooden surf board

I was pretty disappointed to find out that Hard Rock no longer have fridge magnets as part of their merchandise :(

L - view of Kuta beach from the van..on our way to the Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar
R - Bali bombing memorial - no time to stop and have a closer shot coz driver refused to take us closer to the memorial.

Day 5 - Bedugul, Taman Ayun, Tanah Lot

@ Bedugul, Pura Ulun Danau, Lake Bratan, Bedugul


L - towards the entrance
ML - temple in sephia colour scheme - nostalgic feel to it
MR - temple in standard colour scheme
R - me, posing with temples as backdrops :D



L - signage at the entrance to Pura Taman Ayun, Mengwi
M - Fountain on the left as we entered
R - Stupas within the temple, surrounded by moat with lotuses

Jo @ Tanah Lot

Before Ketut sent us to Parigata Resort located at Sanur, we tapau-ed McDonalds for dinner. By then we were craving for some burgers ;)

Shall post photos of Parigata Resort later...

By the way, I was in Bangkok with Suky from 21-26 Oct...not much of photo opportunities tho. Shall update on that soon (no promises) :Þ

Day5 Dolphin sighting, around Nugraha Lovina Resort

Finally have the time to continue on Bali trip in July. Decided to make it a pictorial to save time...so here goes:-

L - Boatman was ready and waiting for us at 6am

M - Self pic on our way out to sea

R - Pictureque sky, shot taken while I was sitting on hard wooden plank in the boat.

L & R - Dolphins, finally...mind you, the above are the successes :D

L - back on land after 1hr 45 mins at sea
R - morning view of the poolside cabana @ Nugraha Lovina Resort

Day4 Nugraha Lovina Resort, Lovina

Photos around our picturesque hotel at Lovina...Nugraha Lovina Bay Resort Hotel :D

View around lobby:


Tinchoo modelling her legs in our small room...


Did both shots above with my 'broken' mini-tripod, I 'dislocated' one of it's legs :(


Black volcano sand on the Lovina shores...scenic, huh?

A panoramic shot of our accommodation...our's in the middle photo - ground floor behind the coconut tree

Beautiful sunset...

As there was practically nothing to do and nowhere to go...we had simple dinner in the hotel and slept early as we'll be going dolphin sighting the next day. All of us must be up and ready by 6am!!!