Our Valentine’s Days

Late last night, while Ed and I were walking on the Cenang Beach in Langkawi, I suddenly realised it is our 4th Valentine’s Day together.

Each of our Valentine’s is celebrated in different countries. We celebrated our 1st Valentine’s in China, 2nd in Australia, 3rd in Canada and now the 4th in Malaysia. Though we did not plan it, it was just co-incident. Yet, it is indeed a beautiful and seemingly ‘romantic’ co-incidence.

Each of our Valentine’s celebrated simply – with no candles, no expensive dinner or flowers or gifts. Well, we both don’t like too expensive stuffs anyway. Yet, each celebrated with hearts. In China, we had a drink in a bar, and Ed ‘stole’ a rose in the bar for me. In Australia, I came home from work and a dinner was ready. In Canada, Ed came home from work early to make a salmon (my favourite) dinner for me. And I put together a slide show for him. Now in Malaysia, umm….nothing has planned for tonight. Maybe just some satays for dinner 🙂

Being back to Malaysia this time, I have seen some newly wed happy couples, also some couples who have been married for a few years are going through some tough times. Hearing all these stories, it gives me lots to ponder.

Since each of us are very different persons, for two persons to come together and being together needs extraordinary efforts. I think all efforts in relationship are efforts to understand ourselves and our partners more deeply and respectfully. From there, it will challenge our wisdom and creativity to find a way to be together happily, and hopefully for a long time.

Well, just some of my thoughts on this day.

May I, on this Valentine’s Day, from Langkawi Island, wish each and everyone of you a very Happy Valentine’s Day !

Wishing you all a happy, sweet, long-lasting and respectful relationship, not only with your partner, also with all your loved ones, and more importantly, yourself….

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新年快乐 ! Happy Chinese New Year !

在新加坡的牛车水拍到这张照片 – 米奇老鼠向大家拜年！ 🙂

今年是鼠年，家喻户晓的米奇老鼠顺理成章成了大主角。

除了大型模型外，很多新年春联或摆饰都有米奇。

Ed这半 个鬼佬开始时，不明就理，还错以为迪斯尼公司大花手笔在亚洲拉客。

我解释后，才恍然大悟。

好啦，费话少说，要在大年初一祝大家新年行好运, 万事顺利和身体健康！ 🙂

I took the above photo in Chinatown in Singapore – Mickey Mouse and friends send their best wishes for Chinese New Year.

Apart from the huge models, we also saw Mickey in many new year decorations. Initially, Ed who is quite westernised, was quite confused and wondered why Disney spend so much monies for Chinese New Year this year. I told him this year is the year of Rat according to Chinese calendar, that’s why mouse is the main character this year. Only then, he realised why Mickey Mouse has suddenly become popular.

Anyway, on this first day of Chinese New Year, I wish everyone has a great year ahead with abundant joy and prosperity and excellent health. 🙂

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Falling Ill in Singapore

It is not pouring outside (yet), but I am in the internet room in the hotel, waiting again.

I have to wait for 3 hours or so until the departure time of our bus back to Kuala Lumpur (KL).

Ed is out shopping while I can only rest in the hotel because I have fallen ill ! I have diarrhoea, stomachache, and feeling weak with no appetite. We could not pin-point what went wrong, possibly due to food poisoning or virus. Frankly, I do not get it because I have been eating street foods in Malaysia (supposedly a dirtier country than Singapore) without any problem. Well, I guess it is just bad luck.

In addition to that, I also suffered from some sorts of skin allergy. At first, we thought they were mosquito bites but now I have more than 30 to 40 very itchy small raised red dots across back of my neck and on my right arm. So, it is unlikely to be mosquito bites but possible allergy to either bedlinen or street food I ate. Well, bad luck again.

I think this is bad luck because I had traveled to many more remote places or countries but seldom experienced any troubles excerpt once in China and once in Tibet. Similar problems : skin allergy caused by bedlinen and diarrhoea caused by Tibetan butter tea. However, I would not expect to have the same problems in the clean Singapore.

I am glad this is our last day in Singapore and we are heading back to KL. I just want to get better soon before Chinese New Year.

As for my travel experiences in Singapore, apart from the above problems and the daily rains, we enjoyed Singapore. I will write more and upload some photos when I return home.

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Waiting in Singapore…..

It is pouring outside, and I am in Hangout Backpackers Hotel in Singapore writing this post.

I arrived Singapore yesterday with a few friends from Malaysia. Thankful for one of them who drove such long distance. Each of them coming here for different reasons, and I am here for Ed. He will be arriving midnight tonight. We planned to spend 3 days in Singapore, then back to KL for Chinese New Year. After Chinese New Year celebration with family, we will then travel to a few places, including Penang, Langkawi and Melaka. Well, yes, the typical Malaysia trip.

I am, of course, excited, yet a little nervous. This is his first time in Malaysia and his first time to meet with my family. Hee hee….meeting the parents is not easy for him but I am sure he will do well. He loves to eat and my family loves to eat. So, there is a common ground 😉  I know he loves Chinese grilled pork slices. We have already received a few boxes as Chinese New Year gifts from relatives, so there are something to keep him happy and busy 😉 I hope Ed will also enjoy the Chinese New Year atmosphere here.

As for traveling in Malaysia, it is something I am a little concerned –  the Chinese New Year congestion. I have booked all the accommodations and transports weeks ahead which is something we don’t normallly do. We love to play things by ear and hangout around somewhere we like longer and move on to something else if we don’t like the place. I hope we won’t get stuck in somewhere we don’t like or nothing opened or too busy during Chinese New Year. Nonetheless, never really have the chance to travel in Malaysia, it is exciting that I can travel in my own home country as a backpaker.

While waiting for Ed to arrive, I am spending some times with friends who live and work in Singapore. Great to see them, especially my high school friends who provided accommodation for me last night. They are a lovely couple with two really young and gorgeous kids. I have not seen the husband for over 10 years and the wife for a few years. And the kids are so cute ! 🙂

Another 6 hours or so, Ed will be here……and I am patiently waiting……at the mean time, will be going to my friend’s place to have steamboat dinner !! 🙂

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